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180,191 | 754f891926ae12acd0228518db480f9535681141 | It was a first-half of contrasts for Clint Dempsey in the USA’s opening game against Ghana – he brilliantly scored the World Cup’s fifth fastest goal of all-time, before sustaining a suspected broken nose from a flying boot. The former Fulham and Tottenham forward found himself on his back after an ungainly aerial clash with John Boye ended with the Ghanaian’s boot finding the American’s nose. Dempsey grabbed the fastest goal of the World Cup so far just 29 seconds into the Group G clash in Natal, with a crisp low finish into the bottom corner that he celebrated ecstatically. VIDEO Scroll down to watch delighted USA fans after their side's victory over Ghana . Hero: Clint Dempsey wheels away after scoring the fifth quickest goal in World Cup history against Ghana . Warrior: Dempsey's nose was significantly swollen as he left the field at full-time after a hard-fought win . VIDEO United States end Ghana hoodoo . Highs and lows: Clint Dempsey celebrates scoring before being treated for a kick in the face (R) Down but not out: The USA forward was left bruised and bloodied after clashing with Ghana's John Boye . Hakan Sukur (2002): 11 seconds South KoreaVaclav Masek (1962): 16 seconds MexicoErnst Lehner (1934): 25 seconds AustriaBryan Robson (1982): 27 seconds FranceClint Dempsey (2014): 29 seconds GhanaBernard Lacombe (1978): 30 seconds ItalyEmile Veinante (1938): 35 seconds BelgiumArne Nyberg (1938): 35 seconds HungaryFlorian Albert (1962): 50 seconds BulgariaAdalbert Desu (1930): 50 seconds Peru . After the game, Dempsey revealed that the challenge had broken his nose. 'I was having trouble breathing. I was coughing up blood,' he said. 'I think I broke my nose.' The 31-year-old had to leave the pitch . briefly in an attempt to stem the blood from his nose but soon returned . – with a significantly enlarged hooter and tissue stuffed up his . nostril. Impressively, . Dempsey’s super-fast opener didn’t even come from an American kick-off – . after Ghana made a mess of their opening couple of passes, USA’s No 8 picked up the ball following a throw-in and was given a free run . at the area. Skipping past . one challenge he darted into the box, opened up his body and . impressively slotted his low left-footed shot past Adam Kwarasey and . into the corner. Dempsey’s . goal was some way slower than Hakan Sukur’s 11-second effort against . South Korea in 2002 but still marked the fastest World Cup goal in 12 . years. The first minute strike remains the only goal of the game with USA leading Ghana 1-0 at half-time. Quick off the mark: The former Fulham forward scored within the first minute of USA's game against Ghana . Stunned: Clint Dempsey's goal for USA was the fifth quickest in the history of the World Cup . High flying: Clint Dempsey leaps for joy after putting the USA 1-0 ahead at the Arena das Dunas in Natal . VIDEO Check out the quickest goal from Qualifying . In the face! Clint Dempsey takes a boot in his face from Ghana defender John Boye after 33minutes . Pain game: The former Tottenham forward lies on the turf holding his face after the clash with John Boye . Claret everywhere: The Us No 8 suffered a bloodied nose but was able to continue playing . Patch me up! Clint Dempsey oreceives treatment from a member of the US medical staff before resuming play . Best wishes: LeBron James wishes Dempsey well - but says USA's key man will 'be fine' | Clint Dempsey scored within the first minute for USA against Ghana .
American's goal was the fifth quickest in World Cup history .
Dempsey revealed post match: 'I was coughing up blood'
Former Fulham forward was left bloodied after clash with John Boye .
Dempsey received traetment but was able to continue the Group G game . |
104,119 | 12548bed78940d08055c6dd5fbe08531f3246449 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:25 EST, 23 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:10 EST, 26 November 2012 . A luxury cruise operator is being sued for a total of £500,000 by 25 passengers who say they had their dream holidays ruined after contracting stomach bugs. The passengers, who all sailed on the Independence of the Seas cruise liner at some stage between December 2010 and June 2011, claim they were laid low by gastroenteritis, due to alleged lapses of hygiene aboard ship. They are now suing Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruises, of Weybridge, Surrey, with one couple alone claiming their bathroom cabinet was infested with sewer flies, and that they saw one waiter sneeze into a napkin before placing it on a table, and another wipe his nose on his sleeve. Sea of green: 25 passengers who sailed on Royal Caribbean International's Independence of the Seas cruise ship claim they suffered gastroenteritis due to alleged lapses of hygiene . The group say there had been ‘multiple cases of gastroenteritis on previous cruises’ on the vessel, which they dubbed a ‘sick ship’, and that they ought to have been warned and offered an alternative or a refund. Charles Crow, the barrister representing the group, states in documents lodged in the High Court that the passengers had been promised that Royal Caribbean were ‘committed to excellence’ and had been told they could ‘look forward to an experience like no other’. ‘The passengers would have presumed and Royal Caribbean must have intended this to mean a unique experience for good reasons,’ says Mr Crow, who claims the firm ‘caused or allowed multiple guests to suffer symptoms of gastroenteritis’. ‘There were often ambulances waiting for customers at the ports visited,’ he states. Shore leave: One of the passengers believed to have suffered food poisoning while aboard is lifted on to an ambulance after the ship arrived at port . Frequent sight: One passenger told how 'there were often ambulances waiting for customers at the ports visited' Mr Crow alleged Royal Caribbean’s . staff had ‘failed properly to clean the ship’ before or during the . cruises, and ‘provided unhygienic food that was capable of causing – and . did cause – the claimants to suffer illness’. Yesterday holidaymakers involved in . the class action told the Daily Mail they would never set foot upon such . a large liner again after their ‘horrendous’ experiences on the 15-deck . vessel, which caters for up to 4,370 passengers. Peter Morley, a retired scientist from Rugby, Warwickshire, booked a £1,500, 11-night cruise to the Canaries with wife Glenys, a retired accountant. Problems began when they arrived at . Southampton to be told there was a delay because the ship was undergoing . a ‘deep clean’ because of a sickness outbreak on the previous voyage. Just . 24 hours into the voyage, Mrs Morley, 63, became ‘savagely’ ill for . around 36 hours, but did not fully recover until two weeks after their . return. Peter Morley, 66, (left) whose wife Glenys was one of many taken ill, and David Sacks (right) who was one of those struck down with food poisoning on the ship . Mr Morley, 66, said he believes the sheer size of such ships makes controlling outbreaks ‘near impossible’, adding: ‘Once an infection occurs, it spreads like wildfire. Every day at breakfast and lunch there is a scrum to get to the buffet and you end up with all these people within touching distance of open food, shuffling past and coughing and spluttering. It is little wonder outbreaks like this occur.’ A spokesman for Royal Caribbean said: ‘Of the 25 guests, not all experienced illness. Those affected by the short-lived illness responded well to over-the-counter medication which was administered on-board the ship. ‘Regarding the instances referred to, our crew conducted extensive cleaning on-board the ship and guests were kept up to date on these additional measures prior to embarkation and throughout their cruise. ‘Our hygiene procedures on-board are comprehensive and always strictly adhered to.’ | The passengers all sailed on the Independence of the Seas cruise liner .
They claim they suffered gastroenteritis due to alleged lapses of hygiene .
One couple say their bathroom cabinet was infested with sewer flies . |
242,271 | c592aecc569f51664b5e8a7bc1666be6380ca483 | A formerly obese man has told how he managed to lose more than half his body weight after being reunited with his high school sweetheart; his now-wife. Lee Jordan, 50, revealed to CNN that he was a slender 165lbs as a teenager but during his 20s his 5ft 8in frame ballooned to 453lbs due to a gut-busting 8,000 to 12,000-calorie-per-day diet. It was only when he reconnected with his long lost love, Beth Schwein, that he realized he had to turn this life around. Thanks to her encouragement, he lost 275lbs and today the married couple run a fitness company together out of Jacksonville Beach, Florida. New mad: Lee Jordan, 50, has told how he managed to lose more than half his body weight after being reunited with his high school, sweetheart; his now-wife . ‘Beth looked at me, and all she saw was Lee Jordan,’ Lee said, recalling his first encounter with Beth in more than 20 years one day in 2008. ‘That’s it. There was nothing but love and acceptance in her eyes. 'I cannot express how powerful that was. That was the turning point that gave me the willingness to turn things around.’ Before his transformation, Lee had full-blown diabetes, lung disease, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. He also spent two-and-a-half years hooked up to an oxygen supply using a machine at home and a canister while he was at work. Transformation: During his 20s Lee's 5ft 8in frame ballooned to 453lbs (left) due to a gut-busting 8,000 to 12,000-calorie-per-day diet - today he weighs a lighter 178lbs (right) loves exercising . High school sweethearts-turned-spouses: Lee and Beth originally met in 1979 through a church youth group in the Washington area - they broke up but met for the first time in 2008 . Doctors estimated that he had just two years to live. But with Beth by his side, he lost the weight needed for gastric bypass surgery and gave his diet an overhaul. The two originally met in 1979 through a church youth group in the Washington area and started dating. 'I never ate less than two large pizzas, followed by the super-size large family bag of Doritos, two large tubs of dip, two large boxes of cookies and a half-gallon of ice cream' After graduation, Beth went to Radford . University in Virginia and Lee followed her a year later. They had . planned on getting married after finishing school but things didn’t work . out. While Lee got distracted by the party scene, Beth was more career-focused and eventually the two drifted apart. Lee dropped out of school, moved home and got a job as an assistant manager at a clothing store. Because it was too painful, he and Beth made a pact not to speak again. Over the years Lee piled on the pounds due to a lack of exercise and poor diet. He estimates that he consumed 8,000 to 12,000 calories a day. 'I never ate less than two large pizzas, followed by the super-size large family bag of Doritos, two large tubs of dip, two large boxes of cookies and a half-gallon of ice cream . . . I buried my emotions in food,' he said. Fitness fanatics: The couple married in 2012 and now enjoy doing 10Ks, half-marathons and triathlons together . All smiles: Lee says reconnecting with Beth helped him to conquer his obesity problem . He never married, barely dated and still . held a flame for Beth, often sifting through a box of old memories from . their time together. Meanwhile she had gone on to build a career for herself, get married and have a family. But she still felt unfulfilled and in 2004, an aunt’s dying wish prompted her to send a letter to Lee out of the blue. In the note she filled him in on her life and talked about how their love had been true and apologized for any hurt feelings. 'Love, acceptance and encouragement were the difference-makers for me... If you do a little at a time, you can gain so much' Several years earlier she had . suffered a broken back in a rollerblading accident and instead of . surgery, she taught herself to walk again by working with a personal . trainer and doing strength exercises. Feeling better than ever before, she decided to get certified as a fitness expert herself. It wasn’t until 2008 that she finally met up with Lee. When she saw him she decided to help him battle his obesity problem with the knowledge she had gained. As his health improved, the two rekindled their old passion. ‘All the years were washed away,’ Lee said. ’I was alive again.’ After Beth got a divorce, Lee proposed in 2012 at the same spot in Starbucks where they had first met for coffee four years earlier. I do: After Beth got a divorce, Lee proposed in 2012 at the same spot in Starbucks where they had first met for coffee four years earlier - they married soon after . Today he weighs 178lbs and has dropped from a 72-inch to a 34-inch waist. He and Beth are both certified fitness trainers and often do 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons and triathlons together. ‘Love, acceptance and encouragement [were] the difference-makers for me,’ he concluded. 'If you do a little at a time, you can gain so much.' All of the health problems Lee previously suffered from have now been reversed. | Lee Jordan, 50, would eat up to 12,000 calories-a-day .
He suffered from diabetes, lung disease, sleep apnea, high blood pressure and high cholesterol .
Now all of his health problems have been reversed . |
221,056 | aa288dcf05f3d14ff41aab03cbb5e82b5a56d5cf | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 06:37 EST, 19 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:19 EST, 19 September 2013 . Scotland Yard has seen a leap in the number of people reporting online abuse and bullying - and the figures are set to rise, a senior police officer said today. It comes after a number of high profile online 'Twitter trolling' bullying cases, where users of the site are bombarded with threats and abuse, many involving celebrities. Deputy Commissioner Craig Mackey told members of the Greater London Assembly that the force has seen a rise in crimes linked to online harassment and bullying. Around 1,500 additional crimes linked to online abuse are being reported to Scotland Yard per year and the number looks set to rise, a senior police officer said today . Mr Mackey said: 'We're seeing about 1,500 additional offences reported to us per year. Under Section 127 of the . Communications Act 2003 it is an offence to ‘send by means of a public . electronic communications network a message or other matter that is . grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character’. Offenders convicted under Section 127 of the 2003 Communications Act can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to £5,000. 'I think it will rise as people become more aware of this.' Investigators face difficulties including many social media companies being based in the US, where laws are different; the difficulty of providing legally robust evidence for court cases and trolls using false identities or software to cover their IP address, he said. This follows torrents of abuse that were directed at a number of high profile women on Twitter. It began with feminist campaigner Caroline Criado-Perez, from north London, who was subjected to a string of violent and obscene messages after she was involved in a campaign to have a woman's picture printed on a new banknote.Earlier this month she complained that she had been made to trawl through the abuse to provide evidence for police. She said: 'It's just appalling. I got an email saying 'why don't you go through what you've had' from three users with certain handles. It just shows such insensitivity to someone who's been through so much.' In July, historian Mary Beard got her own back on Twitter trolls after using the site to name and shame a student posting vile abuse on her profile . Today Mr Mackey said that the force has investigators who could have looked through the material. He said: 'I don't know why she went back through each and every one.' Ms Caroline Criado-Perez has since closed her account on the social networking site. She . was subjected to abuse along with Walthamstow MP Stella Creasy who was . targeted after she offered support to the freelance journalist. Classicist . and television historian Professor Mary Beard, Guardian columnist . Hadley Freeman, Independent columnist Grace Dent and Europe editor of . Time magazine Catherine Mayer were also among those who received . threatening messages. Since then, Twitter has introduced a 'report Tweet' button. In . July, historian Mary Beard got her own back on Twitter trolls after . using the site to name and shame a student posting vile abuse on her . profile . Ms Beard retweeted – or forwarded – to her thousands of followers a message from Oliver Rawlings in which he called her a ‘filthy old s***’ with a revolting sexual comment. It prompted a flurry of online support for the 58-year-old TV presenter – including an offer from one of her 42,000 followers to pass on the home address of her abuser’s mother. Last . year classical singer Katherine Jenkins faced death threats on Twitter . while prosecutors decided not to take action against a footballer who . posted an abusive message about Olympic swimmer Tom Daley . Under . Section 127 of the Communications Act 2003 it is an offence to ‘send by . means of a public electronic communications network a message or other . matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing . character’. Last year classical singer Katherine Jenkins faced death threats on Twitter while prosecutors decided not to take action against a footballer who posted an abusive message about Olympic swimmer Tom Daley . Offenders convicted under Section 127 of the 2003 Communications Act can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to £5,000. Trolls can also be charged if, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another, they send an electronic message which they know is false. In 2010, Colm Coss, from Manchester, was jailed for 18 weeks under Section 127 after posting obscene messages on Facebook tribute sites, including one for former Big Brother star Jade Goody. Last year Matthew Woods, 19, from Chorley, Lancashire, was jailed for 18 weeks after posting explicit comments and jokes about April and Madeleine McCann. Offenders convicted under Section 127 of the 2003 Communications Act can be jailed for up to six months and fined up to £5,000 . Also in October Azhar Ahmed, 20, of Fir Avenue, Ravensthorpe, West Yorkshire, was ordered to carry out 240 hours community service and pay a fine of £300 after posting an offensive message on Facebook about the deaths of six British soldiers. He wrote: ‘All soldiers should die and go to hell.’ In 2007, 498 people were successfully convicted under Section 127, including 96 in the South East. It has risen sharply each year to top 1,286 in 2011, including 227 in the South East. Latest figures are soon to be published. In total, there have been 4,536 successful prosecutions from 2007-11. | Comes after a number of high profile online 'Twitter trolling' bullying cases .
As more people become aware of offence, 'more cases will be reported'
Katherine Jenkins and Tom Daley both faced abuse and threats on Twitter . |
225,188 | af991e00b700cdf5cf3fd3e1c97d7cd954b31a2a | Hidden wealth: Ronald Read died last year at age 92. The frugal gas station attendant had secretly accumulated a $6 million fortune through canny investments and in his will left it to his local Vermont library and hospital . A Vermont man who sometimes held his coat together with safety pins and had a long-time habit of foraging for firewood also had a hidden talent for picking stocks — a talent that became public after his death when he bequeathed $6 million to his local library and hospital. The investments made by Ronald Read, a former gas station employee and janitor who died last June at age 92, 'grew substantially' over the years, said his attorney Laurie Rowell. Rowell said that Read's entire fortune added up to around $8 million. He also left behind a 2007 Toyota Yaris valued at $5,000. For almost 25 years Read worked at Haviland's service station. He retired but got bored and decided to work for JCPenny until 1997. Read, who was known for his flannel jacket and baseball cap, gave no hint of the size of his fortune. 'He was unbelievably frugal,' Rowell said on Wednesday. When Read visited her office, 'sometimes he parked so far away so he wouldn't have to pay the meter.' The bequest of $4.8 million to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital and $1.2 million to the town's Brooks Memorial Library were the largest each institution has ever received. Read also made a number of smaller bequests. 'It's pretty incredible. This is not something that happens on a regular basis,' said the hospital's development director, Gina Pattison. In addition to cash, he had an antique Edison phonograph with dozens of recording drums that he left to the Dummerston Historical Society, Rowell said. 'It's really a beautiful machine,' said Historical Society president Muriel Taylor. Read was born in Dummerston in 1921. He was the first in his family to graduate from high school, walking and hitchhiking about four miles each way from his home to the high school in Brattleboro. After military service during World War II, he returned to Brattleboro where he worked at a service station for 25 years then worked for 17 years as a janitor at the local J.C. Penney. Secret millionaire in their midst: Ronald Read, (left, in his trademark baseball cap), and his friend Dave Smith eat Christmas Dinner at the American Legion in Vermont a few years before Read's death . Gas station employee: Ronald Read worked at Haviland's service station for 25 years and even met his wife there in 1960 for whom he was married for 10 years until she died in 1970 . In 1960 he married a woman he met at the service station but she died in 1970. Stepson Phillip Brown, of Somersworth, New Hampshire, told the Brattleboro Reformer he visited Read every few months, more often as Read's health declined. The only indication Brown had of Read's investments was his regular reading of the Wall Street Journal. 'I was tremendously surprised,' Brown said of Read's hidden wealth. 'He was a hard worker, but I don't think anybody had an idea that he was a multi-millionaire.' It's unclear as to if Read gave any of his fortune to his stepson. Is that you Ronald?: This Google street view shows Ronald Read's modest home and that may even be him pictured in the right corner near his Toyota parked outside . Reformer.com reports that each institution was extremely grateful for their large financial gifts and said they never expected such a large donation from a man they knew so little about. 'This bequest is incredible. It's transformative,' Brooks Memorial Library Executive Director Jerry Carbone said. 'It's going to really provide for our future and relevance in the community and allow us to keep up with the times, and keep up with what this community needs to access quality library services.' Carbone said that Read wasn't well known at the library but over the past six or seven years he had been quietly coming in to read and take out books. Read's attorney said that her modest client had his two favorite hobbies which were investing in stocks and cutting wood. Huge donation: Ronald Read gave $1.2 million to the town's Brooks Memorial Library, the largest donation the institution ever received . 'He had two lifelong hobbies: Investing and cutting wood,' she said. 'The generous bequests to the Brooks Library and Brattleboro Memorial Hospital attest to his skills at investing. The well-stocked woodpile in his garage attests to his love of cutting wood.' His step-son Philip Brown said Read was cutting his own firewood well into his 90s, and the two would often drive around looking for downed wood Read could throw in the truck and take home for his wood stove. Other Vermont residents had no idea that Read had the money he did and even assumed he might be down on his luck. 'People were stunned that he had that much money,' resident Ruth Marx said. 'I bought some old fence wiring from him once because I thought he could use the money.' Marx even once knitted him a hat for fear he might need it to get through the winter. Surprise gift: Ronald Reaad gave $4.8 million of his fortune to the Brattleboro Memorial Hospital . | The stock investments made by Ronald Read, a former gas station employee and janitor who died last June at age 92, 'grew substantially' over the years .
'He was unbelievably frugal,' said his attorney Laurie Rowell of the man no one knew was a multimillionaire until he died at 92 in June .
He left $4.8 million to his local hospital and $1.2 million to the town's library .
In addition to cash, he had an antique Edison phonograph with dozens of recording drums that he left to the Dummerston Historical Society .
In 1960 he married a woman he met at the gas service station but she died in 1970 .
He has one stepson Phillip Brown but it's unclear as to whether he inherited any of his stepfathers fortune . |
270,575 | ea707f6f8932bc9b866f273562fab356b6c8c631 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:59 EST, 31 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:13 EST, 31 January 2014 . Legal fight: Beth Warren arriving at the High Court today where she is arguing the destruction of her husband's sperm should be delayed . Scroll down for video . A grieving widow who needs more time to decide whether she wants her dead husband's baby is at the High Court today to stop his frozen sperm being destroyed. Beth Warren, 26, will ask a judge to ignore a time limit imposed by the UK fertility regulator who says she must use Warren Brewer's sample to conceive by next April. Before ski instructor Mr Brewer died of a brain tumour in February 2012 they agreed they wanted two children, so he had his sperm frozen for use after he was gone. They married in a hospice six weeks before he died. But unless the High Court agrees to them being kept for longer than usual, they will be destroyed in 14 months. Ms Warren said coping with the . personal trauma of the loss of her husband, and her brother in a car crash weeks later, made it impossible for her to make any . decisions about her future within the timescale. Her legal team will argue it should be extended . so she can make a choice in her own time. 'I'm exhausted but it's . not a fight I can give up - Warren said he wanted to give me this . chance. I need to do this,' she said previously. Mr Brewer had signed consent forms allowing the storage of his sperm so Ms Warren could conceive after his death, known as post-mortem conception, but on a time-limited basis after which the samples are set to be destroyed. Mrs Warren, who took her husband’s Christian name as her surname after his death, wants to be financially secure before bringing a child into the world. The physiotherapist from Birmingham said: ‘I am still trying to make myself happy again – you don’t have a child because you are lonely and heartbroken'. Mrs Warren, who put her studies and career on hold to care for her dying husband, said: ‘We just fell head over heels in love. It was a long time ago that we made plans that when we are engaged and married we would have children. ‘Ideally we’d have a boy and a girl and we talked about names. I am just trying to do the right thing.’ Tough: Beth says when her husband Warren died her brother was killed weeks later, leaving her unable to take the decision about when to start a family . Argument: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority says it has 'every sympathy' with Ms Warren but says that they have 'no discretion' over the timings . Mrs Warren added: 'I have the full support of Warren’s family in my legal battle and in whatever decision I make, and they have told me how proud they are of how I am dealing with the situation.' The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has said it has 'no discretion to extend the storage period beyond that to which her husband gave written consent'. The issue will now be determined by family division judge Mrs Justice Hogg. Jenni Richards QC, for Mrs Warren, told the judge that Mr Brewer had wanted to ensure that his sperm could be used by his wife after his death. And she said Mrs Warren was not yet 'emotionally, physically or practically' ready to conceive. 'There is no ambiguity or lack of clarity about what Warren wanted,' said Ms Richards. 'His wishes and intentions are clear. He signed every form he was given to sign.' And Mrs Warren, 28, told the court: 'I am sure there is absolutely no way he wanted to limit my choices in this situation.' Mrs Warren, who uses her late husband's first name as her surname, added: 'All we knew was every form we were ever given we read and we filled in and we signed it. I found it quite confusing.' Mrs Justice Hogg is due to hear arguments from lawyers representing the HFEA this afternoon.She said she would not make a decision today. A woman who fought a similar legal fight nearly 20 years ago was in court to offer Mrs Warren support. In the mid-1990s, Diane Blood, a 47-year-old writer from Worksop, Nottinghamshire, won the right to use her late husband's sperm to try for a child they had planned together before his sudden death from meningitis. 'Mrs Warren got in touch with me,' Mrs Blood, who has two sons aged 15 and 11, told journalists. 'I hope she wins.' | Beth Warren, 28, from Birmingham said she needs more time to think .
Her husband, Warren Brewer, died from a brain tumour in February 2012 .
The couple got married in a hospice six weeks before he passed away .
His sperm was stored before he underwent radiotherapy treatment in 2005 .
But fertility regulator has said the sample cannot be stored past April 2015 . |
159,697 | 5a6d360d4414fba99de000eb5836eadf25d72513 | For thrifty suitors who believe it is the thought – not the expense – that matters, it could be a godsend. With Valentine's Day looming, a supermarket price war has broken out over the traditional favourite statement of love: a dozen red roses. Instead of the £70 that it could easily cost for a hand-tied bouquet of top-quality long-stemmed Grand Prix red roses, a chap can nip to Lidl and snap up a bunch for just £3. That offer even undercuts its rival Aldi, which is charging £5 for its cheapest bunch. Major supermarkets are preparing for Valentine's day by offering roses for as little as £3 . Lidl is offering a bunch of dozen red roses for £3, left, while budget German rival Aldi has a £5 bunch, right . Tesco, Asda and Morrisons have also slashed the price of their cheapest red roses to £5 for 12, while Sainsbury's has a dozen Fairtrade red roses for £7. Lidl's £3 bouquet consists of 12 Sweetheart red roses, which have smaller blooms. Aldi is also offering a dozen 'Luxury Freedom Roses' for £15 and a dozen 'Premium Naomi Roses' for £20. Tesco is selling its premium bunch at £10, a luxury bouquet at £15 and its Finest red roses at £30. Prices at Marks & Spencer range from £12 for a dozen red Kenyan roses to £40 for its 'Freedom' variety. Of course, that works for lovers who can deliver their flowers to the lady of their desire in person. Those having blooms delivered via Interflora could pay anything from £44.99 to £139.99. Bargain: Lidl is offering roses for £3 . Most of the red roses sold around Valentine's Day are imported from Africa. There are many varieties, from cheaper blooms with small tight heads to Red Desire, which have long stems and luxuriant deep red blooms. A Lidl spokesman said: 'The Sweetheart roses come from both Uganda and Zimbabwe. The head is about 2cm and they would be classed as short stem at around 35-40cm. 'We're able to offer an unbeatable price because we have a long-standing relationship with the supplier and are buying in generous volumes.' But the price war is bad news for the nation's independent florists, who cannot possibly compete. A spokesman for the British Florist Association said: 'Independent florists are finding it harder and harder to survive.' They warned that 8,000 florists shops could disappear in the face of competition from supermarkets. For men agonising over whether to go for the cut-price or the extravagant, a survey commissioned by Morrisons has troubling news. While 85 per cent of bunches bought on Valentine's Day are red roses, 46 per cent of women say they are a lazy choice... and would rather receive a more imaginative variety of flower. Tesco are also offering 12 roses for £5, along with Morrisons and Asda. Sainsbury's cheapest bunch is £7 . At the more luxury end of the market, Marks & Spencer offer between £12 for a dozen red Kenyan roses to £40 for its 'Freedom' variety . | Lidl is offering 12 'Sweetheart' red roses with smaller blooms for just £3 .
Budget German rival Aldi has gone head to head with a bunch for a fiver .
Tesco, Morrisons and Asda also have a bunch of a dozen red roses for £5 .
Most red roses sold around Valentine's Day come into country from Africa .
Price variation reflects varieties with cheaper blooms and smaller heads . |
205,681 | 9646fd6563d295db2140db2e5884eea8debe983e | Tehran, Iran (CNN) -- They may be a far cry from their Western counterparts fighting for the acceptance to breast-feed -- or go topless -- in public, but two girls clobbered a cleric recently in a small town in Iran when he admonished one of them to cover herself more completely. The cleric said he asked "politely," but the girl's angry reaction and some pugilistic double-teaming with her friend landed the holy man in the hospital, according to an account Monday in the semiofficial Mehr News Agency. Hojatoleslam Ali Beheshti said he encountered the girls on his way to the mosque in the village of Shahmirzad for noon prayers in late August. Women's bodies: The public perception of private parts . He told one of the girls to cover up, the report said. "She responded by telling me to cover my eyes, which was very insulting to me," Beheshti said. So he asked her a second time to cover up and also to put a lid on what he felt was verbal abuse. She hit the man of the cloth, and he hit the ground. "I don't remember what happened after that," he said. "I just felt her kicks and heard her insults." Beheshti, who emerged from the infirmary three days later, said he did not file a complaint against the girls. But he doesn't mind the local prosecutor's investigation into the matter either "as long as the case helps the cause of Islamic hijab." The girls may have put the "jab" into "hijab," but fighting with morality police or private individuals telling women to cover up is rare in small towns. It's more common in larger cities, where women are more likely to take a stand. Opinion: My hijab is my hoodie . CNN's Shirzad Bozorgmehr reported from Tehran, and CNN's Ben Brumfield reported from Atlanta. | Two girls beat up a cleric on his way to noon prayers, news agency says .
He asked one of them to cover herself to comply with Islamic hijab .
The girl told him to cover his eyes, he said .
The cleric was hospitalized for three days . |
256,852 | d8722be189abeb467ca5d2f43339616ab605d580 | An FBI agent testified Thursday that former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell and his wife, Maureen, spent many nights together in the governor's mansion - even though their lawyers claimed the couple were barely speaking to one another. The revelation about the McDonnells' cohabitation calls into question the defense team's central argument that the couple's failing marriage made a conspiracy between them implausible. The agent was the final witness jurors heard from in the McDonnells' public corruption trial. They will return Friday morning for closing arguments before beginning deliberations on 14 charges punishable by up to decades in prison and millions of dollars in fines. Scroll down for video . First couple: An FBI agent told the jury in Virginia that ex-Gov Bob McDonnell (left) and his wife, Maureen (right), spent most of their nights together in the governor's mansion . Father and son: Bob McDonnell (C) leaves his trial with his son Bobby (R) in Richmond, Virginia, Wednesday . Bob McDonnell spent more than four days on the witness stand proclaiming his innocence and describing how his marriage deteriorated as he climbed the political ladder, ultimately reaching the office once held by Thomas Jefferson and Patrick Henry. The defense claims the marriage was so strained that the McDonnells could not have pulled off a criminal conspiracy. They are charged with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts, free vacations and loans from former Star Scientific Inc. CEO Jonnie Williams in exchange for promoting his company's supposed panacea, the tobacco-derived anti-inflammatory Anatabloc. Outside the courthouse in Richmond Thursday, Bob McDonnell told WVEC that he forgives Jonnie Williams. The former governor also said he is not concerned about the outcome of the trial. 'I’m 60-year-old, I’ve done a lot of living,' McDonnell said. 'I’ve got amazing faith in God and my family and the ability of the jury to find the truth.' Williams testified under immunity that he spent lavishly on the McDonnells only to get their help as he sought credibility for the product and state-backed research on its effectiveness. Maureen McDonnell's attorney said the first lady developed a 'crush' on Williams, but he testified they weren't even friends — that the relationship was strictly professional. The last witness was FBI agent Kathryn Weber, who analyzed the McDonnells' cellphone records and calendars and concluded that they spent 90 per cent of their nights together during the 22 months that were the focus of the investigation. The testimony was intended to undercut the marital discord theory promoted by the defense. Wandering eye: An attorney for Maureen McDonnell, left, pictured Thursday with her son, Bobby, center, said the former first lady had a 'crush' on entrepreneur Jonnie Williams . Growing apart: Bob McDonnell (center) testified that he got into the habit of working late to avoid going home and dealing with his Maureen's anger . Most of the nights together were in the governor's mansion, Weber testified, but some were on trips. Bob McDonnell's attorney, John Brownlee, challenged Weber's methodology and conclusions. He rattled off 20 occasions when McDonnell did not arrive at the governor's mansion until 11pm or later, implying that the couple couldn't have had much time together on those nights. Brownlee also pointed to several blank daily calendars for Maureen McDonnell, which the FBI agent counted as nights at the mansion. In response to the attorney's question, Weber said she was not aware that Maureen McDonnell sometimes spent the night at the couple's private home in suburban Richmond. Daughter speaks: The McDonnells' eldest daughter, Jeanine (right) testified that her parents’ marriage had been troubled for 20 years and her mother (left) developed 'a mild obsession' with businessman Jonnie Williams . Prosecutor Jessica Aber suggested that the few instances raised by Brownlee did not substantially alter the overall picture of how often the McDonnells were together. McDonnell had testified that he got into the habit of working late to avoid going home and dealing with his wife's anger, and that he and his wife are living apart during the trial. On Wednesday, the jury heard from the McDonnells' eldest daughter, Jeanine, who also testified that her parents’ marriage had been troubled for many years and her mom developed 'a mild obsession' with Jonnie Williams. Jeanine McDonnell said her parents rarely spoke to each other in private, going back decades. She said as far back as 20 years ago, her father was rarely home and her mother was left largely alone to raise the couple’s five kids. Jeanine McDonnell said she believed, even as a child, that her mother was depressed and that she took long baths and threw herself into soap operas to counter her loneliness. When the McDonnells were able to create family time, she said, Bob McDonnell devoted himself to his children, and his wife received lowest priority. It got worse as McDonnell’s career advanced from state delegate, to attorney general, to governor, and then in 2012 when he became a chief surrogate for GOP presidential candidate Mitt Romney. Still, Jeanine McDonnell said, her parents were adept at putting up a good front in public. 'Any time they went in a public setting, it was like a switch flipped and they turned it on,' she said. | The defense argued the couple's broken marriage made a criminal conspiracy implausible .
McDonnells' eldest daughter testified her parents have been on bad terms for years, and her mother had a 'mild obsession' with CEO Jonnie Williams .
Closing arguments in McDonnells' corruption trial will take place Friday before deliberations commence . |
216,657 | a47ed0ee1f167d4c059756e7638173366f054925 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 05:19 EST, 7 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:48 EST, 8 February 2013 . Administrators have confirmed this morning that 66 HMV stores employing almost 1,000 members of staff will close over the next two months. Deloitte said the shops would continue to trade but the first closures were expected in a month's time. The 66 stores earmarked for closure employ 930 staff and make up more than a quarter of the chain's high street shops. Cuts: Administrators Deloitte said today that they hoped the brand had a future as a 'restructured business' The 66 stores identified for closure by HMV's administrators are: . Ashton-under-Lyne, Ballymena, Barnsley, Bayswater, Belfast Boucher Road, Belfast Forestside, Bexleyheath, Birkenhead, Birmingham Fort, Blackburn, Boston, Bournemouth Castlepoint, Bracknell, Burton-upon-Trent, Camberley, Chesterfield, Coleraine, Craigavon, Croydon Centrale, Derry, Dumfries, Durham, Edinburgh Fort, Edinburgh Gyle Centre, Edinburgh Ocean, Edinburgh Princes Street, Edinburgh St James, Falkirk, Fulham, Glasgow – Fort, Glasgow – Silverburn, Glasgow Braehead, Huddersfield, Kirkcaldy, Leamington Spa, Leeds White Rose, Lisburn, Loughborough, Luton, Manchester 90, Moorgate, Newry, Newtonabbey, Orpington, Rochdale, Scunthorpe, South Shields, Speke Park, St Albans, St Helens, Stockton-on-Tees, Tamworth, Teesside, Telford, Trocadero, Wakefield, Walsall, Walton-on-Thames, Wandsworth, Warrington, Watford, Wellingborough, Wigan, Wood Green, Workington, Wrexham . Scotland has been particularly hard hit with all five of Edinburgh's stores closing. Three stores will also close in Glasgow. Administrator Nick Edwards said the . shops had been identified as part of an ongoing review of the company's . financial position and the group still hoped to secure a future for the . restructured business. He said: 'This step has been taken in order to enhance the prospects of securing the business' future as a going concern. 'We continue to receive strong support from staff and are extremely . grateful to them for their commitment during an understandably difficult . period.' 'Execution': Tweets from HMV's official account slammed the firing of 60 employees in one meeting recently . The group, which currently has 220 UK stores, called in the . administrators last month, but hopes of a rescue deal have been raised . after restructuring firm Hilco - the group behind HMV Canada - bought . the company's debt. Sheila Gilmore, Scottish Labour MP for Edinburgh East, tweeted her concerns about the closure of all the city's stores. 'News that all HMV stores in Edinburgh will close is devastating for workers,' she said. 'Thoughts are with them today.' Its demise has been widely blamed on online shopping. Recently, . the internet caused further problems for the struggling chain – when . staff hijacked the firm’s Twitter account to post a blow-by-blow account . of mass sackings at head office. Angry staff gave live updates of the ‘mass execution’ at the beleaguered music firm’s London headquarters. Around 190 workers both there and across its distribution centres were fired. The incident triggered panic among HMV . executives who were seen marching around the office pleading for advice . on how to delete the tweets and shut down the @hmvtweets feed. The first read: ‘We’re tweeting live . from inside HR where we’re all being fired! Exciting!!’ One minute later . came the update: ‘There are over 60 of us being fired at once! Mass . execution of loyal employees who love the brand.’ Final stand: The rebellious tweets went on to say the firm was being 'ruined' so they had no other choice . HMV later deleted all its tweets then added these two tweets later, saying there have been job losses but 'not in our stores' Just looking: Supportive Twitter users praised the courage of the rogue member of staff . Another followed: . ‘Just overheard our marketing director (he’s staying folks) ask “How do I . shut down twitter?”.’ One message, spread over two posts, . read: ‘Under usual circumstances, we’d never dare do such a thing as . this. However, when the company you dearly love is being ruined and . those hard working individuals, who wanted to make HMV great again, have . mostly been fired, there seemed no other choice.’ The company managed to delete the tweets by mid-afternoon, however not before they had been re-tweeted thousands of times. Poppy Rose Cleere, who described . herself as HMV’s social media planner, said she was behind . the tweets. Poppy Rose Cleere, Online Marketing & Social Media Planner at HMV, was behind the tweets . The 21-year-old said senior managers ‘never seemed to grasp’ the importance of social media. ‘I hope they’re finally listening,’ she said in a message from her personal account. ‘Since my internship . started, I worked tirelessly to educate the business of the importance . of social media – not as a short-term commercial tool, but as a tool to . build and strengthen the customer relationship, and to gain invaluable . real-time feedback from the consumers that have kept us going for over . 91 years.’ Staff at HMV, which employs more than . 4,000 people, have been afraid for their future since the chain went . into administration last month. There are hopes that many of the 239 . shops and their staff can be saved through a sale of the business to . Hilco, which specialises in rescuing failed brands. Hilco has already purchased HMV’s bank debts, while it is now negotiating to take over the stores. Its efforts are understood to have the support of a group of music labels and film studios, including Universal Music and Sony. The industry believes it is vital to . keep a national chain of entertainment shops on the High Street to . provide competition to web retailers, such as Amazon, and the big . supermarkets. Accountants Deloitte have been appointed as administrators . and are overseeing the negotiations and the staff dismissals. It said there have been just over 100 . redundancies at head office locations in London, Marlow and Birmingham . and around 85 across the distribution network. Joint administrator Nick Edwards said . of the redundancies: ‘Although such decisions are always difficult, it . is a necessary step in restructuring the business to enhance the . prospects of securing its future.’ | First stores expected to close in the next one to two months .
Administrator says the closing stores are 'loss making'
All five of Edinburgh's stores will close with three shutting in Glasgow .
MP says closures are 'devastating' for workers . |
88,739 | fbdec81c55b857825d7675694b8a043ca5eb262f | Google's Ad Preferences page shows you the profile Google has built up of your interests - based on information gleaned from your visits to site's within Google's advertising network . IT has been said that Google knows more about what you like than your own partner . Now the search giant has given a glimpse on just how much information it has collected - and who thinks you are. But it seems the famed Google algorithms are far from infallible. And people taking advantage of the facility that allows the public to view what kind of consumer Google thinks they are have been amused to find themselves listed with the wrong age and even sex. Nevertheless, the knowledge that Google works so hard to profile its 350m account holders is bound to intensify the debate about privacy which flared up again this week with the announcement that the company was going to start tracking users across all of its sites, including YouTube. The detailed personal 'profile' sums up many of a user's interests, along with age and gender. Google builds a detailed profile by harvesting the history of its account holders' visits to sites in its advertising network. But your age and gender are decided by those of other Google users who have visited the sites you visit, leading to the mistakes. 25 years out and the wrong gender. HmmmmPenny, LondonThis says I'm 65+ and male... last time I checked I was 42 and female!Lu, Madrid, SpainIt seems I've aged 20 years because I like home, gardening and cats. I may well turn into the mad cat lady in 20 years, but I'm not there yet! Sharon, Herts . One blogger from tech site Mashable found this week that Google's Ad Preferences page assume that she was middle-aged - and a man, simply because her interests included technology and computing. The profile page, called Ad Preferences, is hidden away inside a settings menu in Google Accounts, but can be accessed directly here. This sort of in-depth profiling raises alarm bells with privacy activists. 'Consumers have increasingly digital lives and they are developing an unfathomably large data trail every day,' says Rainey Reitman, activism director for privacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation. 'There has never been another time in history where privacy was under the kind of assault it is today.' You can opt out of the tracking, or manually edit your details. Google also does not store information on controversial subjects such as pornography. The Ad preferences page came to public attention following a sweeping change to 'privacy policy' which comes into effect on March 1, although the preferences page was launched some time ago. YouTube data, Gmail information and search data will all be used to build up ever more accurate advertising profiles and also the company claims it will make searches more personalised. The Mashable writer's interests meant that Google Ad Preferences identified her, wrongly, as being both middle-aged and a man . In most cases, though, the data is eerily accurate, bringing up a breakdown of interests, age and sex. The Advertising Preferences information that Google gathers . is sent out as a 'cookie' - a packet of information sent out by your . browser - whenever you visit other Google partners, who then serve up 'relevant' adverts when you visit their sites. Users who are fearful of the amount of information Google holds can block the profiling by disabling 'cookies' in their internet browser settings. Google says, 'We associate interests with your ads preferences based on the types of websites that you visit within the the Google Display Network.' 'For example, when you browse many gardening-related websites in the the Google Display Network, Google may associate a gardening preference with your cookie.' 'If the sites that you visit have a majority of female visitors, we may associate your cookie with the female demographic category.' Some users reported that Google had identified bizarre interests such as 'Sweets and Candy', and was duly serving them adverts appropriate to that 'interest'. You can manually change your 'interests' from your Ad Preferences page - although you cannot, of course, stop Google from sending you adverts. | 'Ad Preferences' sums up who Google thinks you like .
Information collected from sites you visit .
Google 'guesses' your age and sex - often wrong .
Information used to serve you adverts as you browse . |
153,928 | 52f24f1eac64b0d968e40b1b97e022b67b8c8b0d | (CNN) -- As a reporter, I spent much of 1998 following a U.S. Senate candidate who was a handsome, likeable, well-spoken, ambitious guy in his 40s who was a graduate of Craig High School in Janesville, Wisconsin, his hometown. At heart, he loved issues and advocacy. He was the son of a small-town lawyer and his rise to political heights included surprising turns that led some to speculate he could go on to be president. His name was Russ Feingold, and he won his second term in the U.S. Senate that year by defeating another Janesville political wonk in his 40s, Mark Neumann, a Republican who gave up his seat in the House of Representatives to enter the race. He was, without question, a Wisconsin liberal. 'Gen Xer' Paul Ryan takes up GOP torch, makes case to young voters . Wednesday night, I listened to the acceptance speech of the Republican candidate for vice president given by a handsome, likeable, well-spoken, ambitious guy in his 40s who was a graduate of Craig High School in Janesville, Wisconsin, his hometown. He is the son of a small-town lawyer, he loves issues and advocacy, and his rise to political heights has included surprising turns leading to speculation he could go on to be president. He was, without question, a Wisconsin conservative. His name, of course, is Paul Ryan. (If I was really prescient, I would have been following Ryan, then 28, in 1998. He seized upon Neumann's decision to run for Senate as his chance to run for the House. He has held that seat since, and he has ridden his talents to national influence.) As I watched Ryan on Tuesday night, I found myself with two questions on my mind: What is it with guys in their 40s from Janesville? More importantly, with so many similar traits and so many parallels in their personal stories, what do Ryan, Feingold, and their sharply differing views tell us about politics in my now-so-heavily-spotlighted home state of Wisconsin -- and what does that say to the nation? Three thoughts: . First, Janesville is a pleasant, smaller city about 35 miles south of Madison with a strong history of taking its politics very seriously but keeping things civil. It is rightfully proud of its current prominence. It is a place where people such as Ryan and Feingold are raised to have a commitment to the public good and to involvement in issues. I wish there were more such places and more such people. Second, image and substance. The pleasant personalities of both Feingold and Ryan have been big assets in their political careers. We live in a marketing world, and you have to be a marketable person to be a successful candidate. Both Ryan and Feingold fit the bill. Opinion: How did Paul Ryan do? But ultimately, each is known for the serious stuff. Each is a person of political substance. I'd like to think that ideas and principles still matter and both of these Janesville guys have shown that it does. Wisconsinites, for decades, have respected that. Feingold received scorn when he was the lone member of the Senate to vote against the Patriot Act in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks, but it played pretty well in Wisconsin. Ryan has made his mark as the ideas guy for Republicans in Congress, the guy who has been more than willing to take on issues such as Medicare and the federal debt. We need to have adult conversations about these issues, as he sometimes puts it. That has played fairly well in Wisconsin also. If many national political commentators have said that the addition of Ryan to the Republican ticket means this will be an election in which heavy-duty policy issues get more debate, I think that, too, will look good in the eyes of many Wisconsinites, whatever their own partisanship. What's bad if the debate is about serious issues and not the trivial things that take up so much attention in major campaigns? Third, what does this have to do with who is going to win? Ryan is just about the hottest act in American politics. Feingold is watching from the sidelines after losing a bid for a fourth term in the Senate in 2010 to a previously little known businessman, Ron Johnson, whose stands are much in line with Ryan's. This has been a good period to be a Wisconsin conservative. Scott Walker was elected governor in 2010 at the same time Johnson beat Feingold. Walker set off a huge political fracas with his budget-cutting, union-crushing stands in 2011, which led to a recall election three months ago that Walker won. In addition to Ryan and Walker, there is Reince Priebus, national Republican Party chair (he's from Kenosha, in Ryan's congressional district), which gives Wisconsin three of the most spotlighted names in conservative politics. But the pendulum swings in politics. One side, one set of ideas, is impressively dominant at some point. Then in the battle of ideas and real politics it finds itself on the outs. It has happened often in Wisconsin, a fertile place for producing political winners who seem to be polar opposites. I assume the pendulum will swing some day. More immediately, the conservative (and Ryan) ascension doesn't mean Wisconsin will go for Romney and Ryan in November. Wisconsin has built a rich record of being almost evenly split when it comes to presidential races. The 2000 and 2004 outcomes in the state were very close, with Democrats Al Gore and John Kerry narrowly prevailing. Obama won the 10 electoral votes easily in 2008, but that seemed to be an exception. In the most extensive polling project in Wisconsin, the Marquette Law School Poll, Obama has been ahead all year. But the race has narrowed. With the addition of Ryan, the gap narrowed to three points (49% to 46%) in results released Aug. 22, down from a five-point margin in early August. This is, once again, a battleground state. The Marquette Law poll found ratings on Ryan in his home state (41% favorable, 34% unfavorable) that were better than in comparable national polling, and better than the figures for Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney in Wisconsin. But it doesn't look like Ryan alone is enough to swing the outcome. What will swing Wisconsin -- and perhaps the nation? Convincing people who are part of the very small bloc of undecided voters. Motivating people in each of the parties' bases. Ryan's speech gives undecided voters mild nudge toward Romney . That could take the form of basic partisan battling. But I would suggest that the lesson of these two major political figures from Janesville is that sometimes, ideas still matter and serious argument can still be persuasive. You can build careers on ideas and advocacy. You can win or lose on those things -- which is what is likely to happen in Wisconsin and which is, I still believe, the way the American political system is supposed to work. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Alan Borsuk. | Paul Ryan and Russ Feingold are two policy wonks who grew up in Janesville, Wisconsin .
Alan Borsuk says the two have very different political views but share key attributes .
He says they, along with many in Wisconsin, want politics to be about big ideas and issues .
Borsuk: Ryan may not bring Romney to victory in Wisconsin, but the race has tightened . |
239,810 | c274a06745f3f09c4f983501ceb359e09282d846 | (CNN) -- A British supermarket chain has defended the sale of a wearable England flag that has been compared to a Ku Klux Klan uniform. The white and red flag of St. George in stock at ASDA outlets features a pointed hood which the store says will allow English fans to show support their national team during the World Cup while keeping dry during the notoriously unpredictable British summertime. But some fans have taken to social media sites to register their disapproval of the similarities between the £3 ($5) flags and the hooded outfits worn by the KKK. Twitter user @beyondlimits posted "Dear ASDA, Your wearable klu klux klan style England flag is not acceptable." Meanwhile, @iAmNaemaan said "I don't think ASDA thought the whole 'wearable flag' thing through properly." Pictures of the offending item have since been tweeted and retweeted hundreds of times on the micro-blogging site. A subsidiary of the American retail giant Walmart, ADSA issued a statement to CNN Friday addressing their surprise at the controversy and stressing that their hooded flag product is also available in other country's national colors. "We know there's chatter on twitter about our wearable World Cup flags, but it's simply a flag with a hood -- nothing more, nothing less," the statement read. "We opted for a hood on our wearable England and Brazilian flags as you never know what the British weather will bring. "We want customers to get behind the team without getting wet." The flag is just one of numerous World Cup themed items ASDA has been stocking in the run up to the tournament which kicks-off in Brazil on June 12. Other British supermarkets such as Tesco and Sainsbury's offer similar World Cup items which extend into products like beers, food, barbecues and televisions. Last year the British Retail Consortium estimated that the British economy could lose £2 billion ($3.5 billion) if England failed to qualify for the World Cup. Businesses are hence keen to cash in on the event while it lasts. However, it wasn't just Twitter users suggesting ASDA might have struck the wrong note with the wearable England flag. "In theory it was a good idea because it's England and it rains," Simon Chadwick, professor of Sport Business Strategy and Marketing at Coventry University, told CNN. "However, I think it does show a lack of good judgment and discretion on the part of people working for ASDA." "This is particularly the case in this country as there's a debate right now about the St George's Cross, about the flag, about immigration and the rise of UKIP," referring to the success of the Euro-skeptic political party in recent local and European Union elections. "I think this showed a lack of good judgment on the part of the management," he said. | British supermarket ASDA unveils hooded flag for World Cup fans .
Critics claim the flag resembles Ku Klux Klan outfit .
ASDA defends the product and says it is nothing more than a flag . |
28,475 | 50caa82b665248c19b8faa5b827a3b79867481ce | Jose Mourinho says he believes Liverpool were everyone's favourites to win the Premier League last season, until Chelsea's refused to play their part as 'clowns at the circus' and ruined the day. Brendan Rodgers' side were leading the Premier League ahead of the visit of the Blues, but lost 2-0 after a Steven Gerrard mistake. And Mourinho, speaking to Gary Neville in the Telegraph, says he told his players that they 'were to be clowns – this is the circus' to fire them up at Anfield. Jose Mourinho celebrates as Chelsea won at Anfield towards the end of last season to shape the title race . Demba Ba's late goal, after a Steven Gerrard slip, saw Liverpool lose their lead at the top of the table . 'I felt during part of last season that the country wanted Liverpool to be champion,' he said. 'The media, the press: a lot was to put Liverpool there. Nobody was saying they were in a privileged situation because they didn't play Champions League. 'Nobody was speaking about a lot, a lot of decisions that helped them win important and crucial points. And I felt that day was a day that was ready for their celebration. Mourinho holds the ball away from Gerrard during clash and says the game was important to him . Steven Gerrard's slip was a key turning point in the title race as Ba capitalised on the stroke of half time . The Chelsea manager has hit out at the media for 'wanting' Liverpool to win last year's Premier League . The Chelsea boss says his players were fired up by Liverpool's refusal to move the fixtures . 'I used the word with my players. I said – we are going to be the clowns, they want us to be the clowns in the circus. The circus is here. Liverpool are to be champions.' Mourinho wasn't having that, and was further fired up when he found out that Liverpool had refused to move the game. Chelsea were due to play in the Champions League the following Wednesday and wanted to play Liverpool on Saturday, but were told that they could not re-arrange the fixutre. Mourinho says that when he found out that it was Chelsea's opponents, rather than Sky, who insisted the game was on Sunday, it gave his team extra spirit. Chelsea won the game 2-0 after Willian wrapped up the points in stoppage time at Anfield . Neville congratulates Mourniho after Chelsea won the 2006 Premier League title by beating Manchester United . | Chelsea beat Livepool 2-0 to dent their opponent's title hopes .
Mourinho says his players were fired up by media hype around Liverpool .
Chelsea boss was also angered by Liverpool's refusal to move the game . |
107,902 | 171ab0eb3084833871b2bd5d55a65e606666911f | (CNN) -- As the two Australian miners lay trapped in a space less than 5 feet square and 3,000 feet below the surface, they discovered common ground in American country singer Kenny Rogers. "I'm more rock and roll, he's more country, but we both knew 'The Gambler,' by Kenny Rogers," Brant Webb said of Todd Russell, who spent 14 days trapped with Webb in the Beaconsfield gold mine in northern Tasmania in 2006. The two sang to pass the time, shared their life stories and told jokes after a 2.2-magnitude earthquake triggered an underground rock fall, trapping them in darkness. They could not sit or stand. They were so cramped, one had to lie on his side if the other lay on his back. Five days into their captivity, rescuers located them and established a phone line. The men were kept abreast of rescue efforts and were given counseling throughout the ordeal. Rescuers also passed them food, water and iPods. But it would take another nine days for them to be extricated from the dank hole that Webb, at times, thought might become his grave. He never let the idea knock around his mind for too long, choosing to cling to hope that he would live to see his wife and two children. It's the same advice he has for 33 Chilean miners facing the prospect of remaining trapped 2,300 feet below ground for several months. "They've got to keep their heads together and hope alive," Webb said in a telephone interview from his home in Beauty Point, Tasmania. "They've got air, they've got food and water; they'll get them out of there eventually." The miners have been trapped in the San Jose copper and gold mine in northern Chile since its roof collapsed on August 5. Rescuers took 17 days to locate them, during which the men rationed small amounts of tuna and mackerel to survive. Rescuers were eventually able to send supplies through a 4-inch pipe. On Friday, the miners were informed that it could take another three to four months to get them out. The miners and their families will face stresses that could continue once the men are freed, experts and those who have survived similar ordeals say. Chilean authorities have sought guidance from NASA and other institutions in the United States on how to help the miners cope with their environment on physical, mental and logistical levels. The most common comparison in academia to their situation and others like it is space travel. Astronauts and cosmonauts spend weeks or months in enclosed spaces cut off from society and loved ones, although to a lesser extent these days with the advancement of telecommunications. "There is a dialogue going on between Chile's Ministry of Health and NASA, where we have a great deal of experience regarding medical, nutritional and behavioral issues related to space travel," State Department Spokesman P.J. Crowley said Thursday. "[We] are providing that perspective to Chile, so that it can develop a program for helping to sustain these miners." In addition to maintaining nutritional and hygienic needs, the men will need to develop a routine that resembles a normal life, down to mealtimes, showers and light to mimic daytime, said Joseph Barbera, co-director of the Institute for Crisis, Disaster, and Risk Management at George Washington University. "A large part of maintaining their mental well-being is allowing them to have a sense of control over the situation. That's part of the reason why you want to develop a routine," said Barbera, who is also a member of the Fairfax County Urban Search & Rescue Task Force in Virginia, which has offered assistance to the Chilean government through the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. The Chilean miners are already adopting various roles to help them through their ordeal and give structure to their existence. A shift leader is fulfilling a leadership role and another man with nursing experience is carrying out basic medical and psychological tests. Maintenance mechanics helped organize the space. The men have split into two shifts so half can rest while the others keep busy doing tasks, exercising or playing card games or dominoes. Stretchers that were stored in the rescue cabin are being used as beds. They hold daily meetings and make decisions by consensus, according to a video the men sent to the surface Thursday. Barbera, along with Webb and others who have shared the harrowing experience of being trapped in isolation, agreed that one asset the Chilean miners have is space. Portions of a 131-foot-long (40-meter) shaft are being used as a latrine. The shaft is connected to the main 538-square-foot (50-square-meter) cabin, which is being used for sleeping, washing and praying. "[The space] makes a significant difference, because it's not so cramped that they can't stretch out. It sounds like they'll have enough space to move around and potentially have some personal space and privacy," Barbera said. "The big downside is length of time, as far as how long it'll take to get them out," he said. "If they can maintain their psyche and develop a regular routine to stay psychologically fit, hopefully, they'll make it. But this situation has no precedent." Like the Chileans, who have asked for playing cards and religious figures to create a shrine, the Australian miners also received items to pass the time, including magazines, iPods, toothbrushes and clothes. When food first began to come, however, in the form of sweets, the rush of sugar overwhelmed their systems, making the situation even more unpleasant, Webb said. "That was definitely a low point," Webb said, laughing. Maintaining contact with people on the surface, especially loved ones, will help the Chilean miners, he said. "That was a big stumbling block, thinking that if anything did happen I never coulda said, 'I love my wife,' " Webb said. The Chilean workers sent a video message to their families Thursday in which they expressed thanks for the efforts under way to free them and assured them they were OK. Nine coal miners trapped in southwestern Pennsylvania in 2002 wrote notes to their loved ones as water inched within 70 feet of where they sat huddled. The letters were sealed in a bucket to be found with their bodies, said Mary Pugh, whose son, Robert Pugh, was one of the men known now as the "Quecreek 9." All were rescued. She has never seen her son's letter, nor does she want to. "It was just so sad, such a sad time. I don't want to hear the story again unless my son wants to tell me," said Pugh, a lifelong resident of Somerset County, Pennsylvania. Her father, husband and brothers have all spent time in the mines. For nearly five days in July 2002, Pugh awaited news at the Sipesville Fire Hall, surrounded by children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, as well as the families of the eight other miners. Together, they rode out the ups and downs of the rescue effort with support from the community. "It was crowded, food galore. They kept bringing the breakfasts, lunches, dinners, we didn't have to cook all weekend," she said. "But we always came home to sleep because it was so crowded. Not that we actually slept." The first few days that her husband and son-in-law were trapped, Denise Foy could not bring herself to sleep or eat. "I thought that if he's not going to eat, I'm not going to eat," she said. "But I worried more for my daughter than for me because her husband was down there, too. She was really taking it hard. To have your father and husband in there, it was a lot worse for her because those were the two main men in her life." Most of the Quecreek 9 declined to speak to CNN about the incident. But Thomas Foy said the key to their survival was simple: "stick together, keep warm and stay alive." "We went through hell the first time, trying to escape. We were swimming through water up to our chins. We tried three different entries, but weren't nothing we could do. They were all full. But when we heard them drilling we knew it was just gonna take time. We weren't about to give up." Words were scarce as the men sat in darkness more than 200 feet below ground, soaking wet and huddled together for body heat, Foy said. "Wasn't too many things to talk about; about how long it's gonna take, but we really didn't know. We just sat and waited and waited and waited, talked about how we're never gonna go back in the mines," he recalled. The first stage of preparing the Australians for their rescue began with injections of blood thinners they administered to themselves to prevent clots as a result of lying down for two weeks, Webb said. After the rescue, the real work of returning to society a new person began, not just for the survivors, but for their families. "Your loved ones need to be ready for the emotional highs and lows. There's this huge high when you get out, then life goes back to normal, and you go back down," he said. Webb, now a part-time real estate agent, said he has watched only four movies since he's been out. "The highs and lows are so extreme. When I'm sad, I cry. When I'm happy, I laugh a lot, probably too much. And your family needs to be ready to deal with all that." Webb said he and Russell followed advice to do speaking engagements about their ordeal to exorcise their mind of the experience. That, along with three years of counseling and a two-week caving expedition have got him to a place where he's happy. "Just one of those things, fall off the bike and get back on it. I didn't want to have a hang-up. But I have found a new career." CNN's Karl Penhaul contributed to this report. | Australian miner says he and cohort sang, told jokes during 14-day captivity in gold mine .
Survivor of flooded mine in Pennsylvania says group huddled together to stay alive .
Maintaining routine key to survival in isolated places for extended periods, prof says .
Relatives need to prepare for emotional highs and lows after rescue, miner says . |
252,887 | d34e77a8aa7c2521ea684d2163ccafb3204d0a86 | The words 'life imitates art' ring true for one California festival. This summer, performers at Pageant of the Masters dressed up as figures from famous artworks, The New York Times reported. The staged recreations at the event, which is part of the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach, are called 'living pictures,' the newspaper pointed out. Artistic: Volunteers dress up every year as famous artworks at Laguna Beach's Pageant of the Masters . Makeup, wigs, and costumes are all used to give the volunteers a look that closely resembles the original famous paintings and sculptures . The staged recreations are known as 'living artworks' The performance is set off by '[a]n outdoor amphitheater, professional orchestra, original score, live narration, intricate sets, sophisticated lighting, expert staff, and hundreds of dedicated volunteers,' according to the pageant's website. This summer, the theme for Pageant of the Masters was 'The Art Detective,' which its website claimed '[would] reveal how lost treasures were discovered, where crimes of passion were uncovered (or covered up) and how creative riddles were unraveled, with a gallery of the world’s great masterpieces providing the clues!' This summer, Pageant Director Diane Challis Davy told The Orange County Register 'This art detective theme has been on the back burner for several years. It is really quite coincidental that there’s so much in the news these days about World War II art, and lost and stolen art. So our show will open with scenes of art that disappeared, and art that went into hiding during World War II.' Actors' costumes are carefully painted to mimic the original artist's brushstrokes, and sets are painted to include the landscape and background features. Pageant of the Masters uses two volunteer casts, and some of the members have participated for years . Volunteers' costumes are tended to at the event . Volunteers work hold the poses during the performance in order to replicate the paintings . Can you tell it's fake? A woman poses in a recreation of a vintage poster . Some of the paintings that were recreated this summer with live human actors included Rembrandt's 'Nightwatch,' Piete Bruegel the Elder's 'Blind Leading the Blind,' Emanuel Leuze's 'Washington Crossing Delaware,' Edouard Manet's 'Olympia,' Vermeer's 'The Concert,' and John Singer Sargent's 'Portrait of Madame X,' according to a program published online. Among the sculptures were a variety of Egyptian scuptures, as well as Johannes of Bologne's 'The Rape of the Sabine Women' and Benevuto Cellini's 'Perseus with the Head of Medusa.' This year, film posters from the 30s and 40s were also recreated with the performers, including those from film noirs 'Double Indemnity' and 'The Maltese Falcon.' The New York Times reported the event grew out of a 1930s parade where artists dressed up as famous figures from art. 'The Pageant of the Masters sells out almost every night, more than 50 performances every summer, and this year took in close to $1 million after expenses,' The Times said. It also uses two volunteer casts, and some of the them have participated for upward of twenty years, according to the newspaper. Team work: Actors' costumes are carefully painted to mimic the original artist's brushstrokes . Art imitates life: Children stand as a crew member attends to them . | This summer, performers at Pageant of the Masters dressed up as figures from famous artworks .
The staged recreations at the event, which is part of the Festival of Arts of Laguna Beach, are called 'living pictures'
Actors' costumes are carefully painted to mimic the original artist's brushstrokes, and sets are painted to include the landscape and background features .
Works from Rembrandt, Vermeer, John Singer Sargent, and even Banksy were recreated in this summer's production .
The event grew out of a 1930s parade where artists dressed up as famous figures from art .
Pageant of the Masters uses two volunteer casts, and some of the members have participated for upward of twenty years . |
153,907 | 52eb710c4c7bbe1eea9c43fae4772145d531fc92 | From fashionable teenagers dressed in their finest clothes to an older woman simply sitting on a bench with her walking stick, this series of photographs capture what people looked like when they ventured out to the mall three decades ago. The photo series called 'Mall Series,' offers a glimpse of the teenagers, staff, and shoppers who were nicknamed 'Mall Rats,' and enjoyed nothing better than spending hours in the shopping centers in the 1980s. They were taken by Massachusetts-based photographer Stephen DiRado in the downtown Worcester Galleria. Girls just wanna have fun: In this image, one girl sports a Mohawk hairstyle while the other shows a jacket with 'drug free youth' on it . His images exposed the sense of freedom that teenagers felt when they were allowed to hang out in the mall far away from their parents and close to their peers. Meanwhile, other images capture sales staff looking less than enthusiastic about flogging goods, like toothpaste and toothbrushes, to passing shoppers. DiRado's images also manage to show teenagers kissing behind a phone booth and a group of guys dressed in their finest clothes just to hang out. The photographer spent over three years painstakingly photographing the hairstyles, clothes, and demeanor of the characters who roamed around the mall in the now-closed Worcester Galleria. His project begun in 1984, shortly after he got a job teaching at nearby Clark university,. He was given permission to photograph the mall and the people in it and became such a regular fixture that when the teenagers became rowdy, security staff would allow him to photograph the scene before they would step in to break up the trouble. For sale: These sales girls look more interested in gossiping than selling the toothbrushes and toothpaste spread out on their table . B-boys: These cool dudes are wearing 1980s Hip Hop fashion and are decked out in sneakers while one guy is wearing leather gloves . But he was asked not to photograph anything obscene, according to Feature Shoot, but still managed to amass a collection of thousands of images featuring characters of all ages. Matriarch: This woman is sitting on a bench with her walking stick and is wearing a fur coat to keep her warm whilst in the mall . Telephone boxes: These phone booths hide a pair of teenagers behind it who have stolen a few moments to be alone . The photographer believes that mall life in the 1970s and 1980s signified a potent shift for American youth culture. He said it was a time when the middle class Baby Boomers and Generation X came of age within the walls of shopping centers like Worcester Galleria. Security guards: The photographer became such a regular fixture in the mall that when the teenagers became rowdy, security staff would allow him to photograph the scene before they would step in to break up the trouble . Closed: This shop appears to be offering phones and other goods and invites customers to 'come in and see' what they've got . Boom box: This dapper guy has brought his boom box to the mall, maybe he hopes his stereo will help him attract the ladies . Day trip: Three women sit behind a disabled man in the Worcester Galleria, all seem to be making a day of it and are dressed in heavy coats . Reading: This woman is reading a newspaper on a bench in the mall, she appears to be reading about what's on offer in Sears . Ultimately, he believes his images also point to the beginning of the end of the 1980s mall scene. In a few short years, the Worcester Galleria would fail, its temporary occupants forced out as times changed. Today, his images provide a flashback of life over 30 years ago. Make-up: This teenager is applying thick lipstick to her lips and is showing off the latest in 1980s fashion along with a frizzy hairstyle . Small shops: This corridor appears to be where smaller boutiques were housed as a salesman shows off a selection of jewellery . Family: This mom and son have taken a break from shopping, but he is already wearing a classic 1980s jacket and bobble hat combination . Chic: This teenager has just finished a bite to eat and is wearing a leather jacket, wide glasses, and a broad belt over her pants . | The photo series called 'Mall Series' were taken by Massachusetts-based photographer Stephen DiRado .
His project begun in 1984, shortly after he got a job teaching at nearby Clark university .
He took pictures of people who used to spend hours at the mall, enjoy hanging out and meeting friends .
He photographed everyone from a boy with a boom box to an older lady dressed in a fur coat . |
193,929 | 870abccdad01d82db9f2d5abc72f4df0ec178055 | Fugitive African warlord Joseph Kony has been accused of ordering elephants to be killed for their ivory . Members of a militia run by fugitive African warlord Joseph Kony are killing elephants across Central Africa and using the money to support his group, a watchdog has reported. Kony's Lord's Resistance Army is struggling and has turned to elephant poaching 'as a means to sustain itself', using money from the illegal trade of ivory to buy food and supplies. A report issued by a coalition of groups who want to enough defections from the LRA said Kony gave the order to butcher elephants for their ivory as far back as 2010. 'With prices at record-high levels, trading illegal ivory offers the LRA another way to sustain itself in addition to its habitual pillaging,' the report said. 'Former senior fighters who defected from the group report that the LRA trades ivory for arms, ammunition, and food.' It added information from former captives showed LRA groups in Central African Republic and Congo 'trade ivory with unidentified people who arrive in helicopters'. In February Ugandan troops operating in Central African Republic discovered six elephant tusks believed to have been hidden in the bush by the LRA. Ugandan army officials said at the time that they were acting on information given by an LRA defector who said Kony long ago instructed his fighters to find ivory and bring it to him. Experts have warned Africa's elephants are under increased threat from habitat loss and poachers motivated by rising demand for ivory in Asia. Much of the harvested ivory ends up as small trinkets. About 70 years ago, up to 5 million elephants are believed to have roamed sub-Saharan Africa. Today fewer than a million remain. The elephants of Central Africa, a region long plagued by armed conflict and lawlessness, are especially vulnerable. Scroll down for video . The warlord became a household name when a video raising awareness of his brutal movement went viral . The new report said Congo's expansive but poorly protected Garamba National Park, which once was used by LRA commanders as safe haven, is the source of some of the ivory that ends up before Kony. But Garamba's elephants also are being targeted by 'members of the armed forces of (Congo), South Sudan, Sudan, and Uganda,' the report said, citing the concerns of park rangers there. It said the LRA is part of 'the larger poaching crisis that puts wild African elephants at risk of local extinction.' Facing pressure from U.S.-backed African Union troops tasked with eliminating its leaders, the LRA - which used to have several thousand men - is now scattered in small numbers in Congo, South Sudan, and Central African Republic. Fewer than 500 LRA rebels are still active in the bush, according to the Ugandan military, where they conduct hit-and-run operations that terrorise villagers and move across the region's porous borders in small groups. Elephants are increasingly at risk due to high demand for ivory from Asia, experts have said (file photo) Kony himself is believed to be highly mobile, but the U.S.-based watchdog group Resolve said in a report in April that he recently directed killings from an enclave protected by the Sudanese military. Until early this year, Resolve's report said, Kony and some of his commanders were operating in Kafia Kingi, a disputed area along the Sudan-South Sudan border where African troops tasked with catching Kony don't have access. Sudan's government denies this charge. Kony, whose rebellion originated in Uganda before spreading to other parts of Central Africa, was indicted by the International Criminal Court in 2005 for war crimes and crimes against humanity. Last year he became the focus of international attention when a film made by the advocacy group Invisible Children highlighting LRA crimes and calling for Kony to be stopped from recruiting children went viral. | Report says illegal ivory trade funding Kony's Lord's Resistance Army .
Warlord is in hiding but believed to be ordering deaths, report says .
He became notorious worldwide after film on him went viral . |
181,332 | 76bf27d826ca405abc2666f51c79f35b6c33554e | A Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist has accused President Obama of lying to the American people earlier this year when he blamed President Bashar al-Assad for a sarin-gas attack that killed hundreds of Syrian civilians in August. Seymour Hersh, 76, who had previously described the official account of the 2011 raid which killed Osama Bin Laden as ‘one big lie,’ claims the current administration ‘cherry-picked intelligence’ on Syria. Hersh first gained worldwide recognition . in 1969 for exposing the My Lai Massacre and its cover-up during the . Vietnam War, for which he received the 1970 Pulitzer Prize for . International Reporting. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Seymour Hersh has accused President Obama of lying to the American people earlier this year when he blamed President Bashar al-Assad for a sarin-gas attack that killed hundreds of Syrian civilians in August . Hersh, 76, cited conversations with military officials who spoke of their 'immense frustration' with the President . In early September, Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States had proof that the nerve-gas attack in Syria was made on Assad's orders. ‘We know the Assad regime was responsible,’ President Obama told the nation in an address days after this revelation, when he said he had been pushed over the ‘red line’ to consider military intervention. In Sunday's London Review of Book, Hersh accused the administration of ‘cherry-picked intelligence,’ citing conversations with intelligence and military officials. ‘A former senior intelligence official told me that the Obama administration had altered the available information – in terms of its timing and sequence - to enable the president and his advisers to make intelligence retrieved days after the attack look as if it had been picked up and analyzed in real time, as the attack was happening,’ he wrote. Some 355 people showing 'neurotoxic symptoms' died August 21 after the deadly sarin gas attack which U.S. authorities accused forces loyal to President Assad of carrying out . President Bashar al-Assad repeatedly denied that his soldiers carried out the sarin-gas attack that killed hundreds of Syrian civilians in August . According to Hersh, the situation reminded him of the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident, when President Johnson's administration had reversed the sequence of National Security Agency intercepts to justify one of their early bombings of North Vietnam. Hersh also said that his contacts spoke of ‘immense frustration inside the military and intelligence bureaucracy’ regarding the current President. ‘The guys are throwing their hands in the air and saying, “How can we help this guy [Obama] when he and his cronies in the White House make up the intelligence as they go along?”’ Hersh also claims that the administration buried intelligence on the fundamentalist group/rebel group al-Nusra related to the sarin attacks, plus he repeated his accusation that the U.S. media fails to properly question what information is given to them by the government. A United Nations resolution ultimately prevented American military intervention, but Hersh believes that the information he has unveiled is similar to when President George W. Bush justified his invasion of Iraq with evidence concerning nuclear weapons which later turned out not to be true. In early September, Secretary of State John Kerry said the United States had proof that the nerve-gas attack in Syria was made on Assad's orders . 'Lying': Hersh says 'not one word' of the Obama administration's account of the raid that supposedly killed Osama Bin Laden is true. The government has never released pictures of Bin Laden's dead body to the public . 'The cherry-picking was similar to the process used to justify the Iraq war,' wrote Hersh. This isn’t the first time he has . accused President Obama of lying. In September he said that ‘not one . word’ of the administration’s narrative on the killing of Osama Binladen . was true. At that time . Hersh also savaged the U.S. media for failing to challenge the White . House on a whole host of issues, from NSA spying, to drone attacks, to . aggression against Syria. He said the Navy Seal raid that supposedly resulted in the death of the Al-Qaeda terror leader, Hersh said, ‘not one word of it is true’. According to Hersh the problem is that the U.S. media is allowing the Obama administration to get away with lying. President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and members of the national security team watch the raid live from the White House's Situation Room on May 1, 2011 . The compound: The Pakistan home of the al Qaeda leader was in flames after it was attacked by Navy Seals . ‘It’s pathetic. They are more than obsequious, they are afraid to pick on this guy [Obama].’ Hersh said the American press spends ‘so much more time carrying water for Obama than I ever thought they would’. In his opinion, the solution would be to shut down news networks like NBC and ABC and fire 90 per cent of mainstream editors and replace them with ‘real’ journalists who are not afraid to speak truth to power. ‘The republic’s in trouble, we lie about everything, lying has become the staple,’ he said. | The Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist claims the Obama Administration 'cherry-picked intelligence' on Syria .
Hersh, 76, cited conversations with military officials who spoke of their 'immense frustration' with the President .
Previously he had claimed that the official account of the 2011 raid which killed Osama Bin Laden as 'one big lie'
He says the US media is too 'afraid' to pick on Obama . |
39,432 | 6f6792e52f5ff02c0e17bd92239e6ea63aa22d26 | A tattooed lady and her boyfriend were turned away from a nightclub by bouncers because they had visible body art. Miki Lane, 23, and her partner Jason Barker, 24, were told they could not enter Club Amadeus in Northallerton because they had tattoos on their arms. The pair were told by security staff that it was club policy not to allow people with body art into the premises. Scroll down for video . Miki Lane from Thirsk, North Yorkshire said she was outraged when she was turned away from the club . Ms Lane, who has 23 tattoos said she want to dispel the old image that people who have body art are thugs . Ms Lane, who works in a tattoo shop, was wearing a sleeveless dress when she tried to get into the club with her personal trainer boyfriend. She told bouncers she would be willing to cover up by wearing her jacket, but they said this was not allowed as all jackets had to be placed in the cloakroom. Ms Lane, from Thirsk, claims that the club's bouncers were wrong to turn her and her boyfriend away from the club because of their tattoos. She claimed that her 23 tattoos are artistic and in no way offensive. She said: 'We had never experienced this discrimination anywhere previously and I had been in to Club Amadeus before and had my tattoos in show and there had never been a problem. 'I used to work in a nursing home, and even the elderly residents wouldn't bat an eyelid. 'We were smartly dressed and all we wanted to do was have a dance and a bit of fun. 'There is not one offensive tattoo on either of us, they are artistic. In the past I know tattoos have had negative connotations, but these days I would say more than half the people my age have them.' Ms Lane said she and her boyfriend had spent £30 on taxis to get to the North Yorkshire nightclub. Ms Lane added: ' When people see my tattoos the reaction is that they are interested in them. 'One in five people have tattoos, it's getting more socially acceptable, so it's wrong to stereotype people who have them as thugs.' She was turned away from Club Amadeus in Northallerton with her boyfriend Jason Barker, pictured . This comes as Starbucks has relaxed its tattoo restrictions about workers having body art at work. Now staff at the company can show their designs as long as they are deemed tasteful, and are not on their face or neck. The British Army has announced it will allow new recruits with visible tattoos on their hands or necks, overturning a previous ban. A spokesman for the Ministry of Defence said: 'Tattoos have become more acceptable in society over the last decade and, in recent years, there has been an increasing number of personnel with tattoos on visible areas.' The club is owned by Northallerton businessman George Crow, who was unavailable for comment. An employee confirmed the club's policy that tattoos cannot be on show in the venue. He added: 'I believe it is the owner's preference.' | Miki Lane was turned away from a nightclub because she had visible tattoos .
She went to Club Amadeus in Northallerton with her boyfriend Jason Barker .
Lane has now launched a campaign for greater tolerance towards tattoos .
She has 23 different tattoos but claims they are all artistic and not offensive . |
178,529 | 73203ba57ca1e1711de28d157c8eb60ff52d7e6e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:43 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:52 EST, 29 October 2013 . A toddler has died after swallowing a tiny battery which caused internal bleeding and lacerations to his esophagus. Julian Wilson, who was about to celebrate his second birthday, ingested a small battery at his family home and passed away on October 18. His family rushed him to hospital in Las Vegas after the little boy began vomiting blood but doctors were at a loss as to what was wrong with the child. Julian Wilson was almost two years old when he died from ingesting a small battery at his home in Las Vegas . Julian’s grandmother Elena Derbyshire told the Las Vegas Review-Journal: 'They didn’t know what it was in the X-ray. 'They didn’t figure out it was a battery until they did the autopsy.' The Clark County coroner ruled the death an accident and reported on Monday that Julian died from internal bleeding with lacerations in his esophagus, gastric irritation and a collapsed lung. Las Vegas police and the Clark County Department of Family Services continue to investigate. Julian's grandmother said that the family have nothing to hide and the incident was a tragedy. The family had previously been investigated by family services in 2012 but the claims were not substantiated. The little boy's death is still being investigated by Las Vegas police and the Department of Family Services after he swallowed a battery on October 18 . Button batteries are found in everyday household appliances including remote controls, key fobs, musical greetings cards and watches. Each year in the U.S., around 2,800 kids need hospital treatment after swallowing the tiny batteries. The number of serious injuries or deaths as a result of button batteries has increased ninefold in the last decade, according to safekids.org. Parents of young children are advised to lock away loose batteries or duct tape over compartments in battery-operated devices. If you suspect a child has swallowed a battery, take them to hospital immediately. Julian's grandmother Elena Derbyshire said that doctors could not figure out what was wrong with the boy after he started vomiting blood . | Julian Wilson, who was about to celebrate his second birthday, ingested a small battery at his family home on October 18 .
He was rushed to hospital after vomiting blood but doctors could not detect what was wrong . |
102,695 | 105b988e4c969274231fd8422de19677b1ed84bd | (CNN) -- Best known for hosting Discovery Channel's enormously popular series "Man vs. Wild," British extreme adventurist Bear Grylls recently released his autobiography, "Mud, Sweat & Tears." The book is essentially the story of how Grylls became the grub eating, naturalist risk taker that has captivated a global audience. The chapters are short and punchy; rarely do they go over three pages and Grylls opens up about his formative years growing up on the Isle of Wight, his time spent at boarding schools and in the SAS (the British Special Air Service), his inabilities to woo girls and his recovery from a parachuting accident that left his back broken. Earlier this year, Grylls and Discovery failed to come to contract agreements, so at the moment he's currently searching for a new television project. Meanwhile he's enjoying a bit of success for his appearances in a series of Degree deodorant commercials. CNN recently spoke with Grylls in New York as he was preparing for a book signing. CNN: Everyone knows about the extreme conditions you put yourself through. Do you write in extreme conditions? Grylls: No, I didn't want to be away filming, then get home and be a dad and be writing. So I made a rule: I would only write on flights. And I had a load of those. Maybe 18 months on a plane. So I didn't write at home; I need every sense and focus when I'm there. CNN: But it was at a high altitude, just a little more contained. Grylls: (Laughs) Yeah. When you're out there, you need every sense of your body working for you. That's why I'm always exhausted at the end of those days. You don't have time for anything like that. CNN: At this point for you, which is harder for you: surviving a publisher deadline or surviving deadly conditions? Grylls: Well, the deadlines aren't going to kill you. I don't adhere strictly to deadlines -- writing ones. It's always going to be delayed because stuff takes longer ... I always figure no rush. I take the deadly deadlines more serious than the publisher's deadlines. CNN: The first third of the book, you discuss your formative years. You seem like a pretty well-adjusted guy. No rebellious drug phase or dark Goth phase. Grylls: I think there was more stumbling than that, but I was focused. I found at a young age that I could do well at what I loved. CNN: In the early chapters, it becomes evident that you're not self-conscious about your body. In fact, you seem to generally okay with getting naked. Grylls: Yeah, I grew up on an island so for me, I was always running around naked. Still am when I'm around good friends. I loved it in my workouts in the morning, at dawn, without any clothes on, doing pull ups on the bar. I loved that. Obviously on the show, you're always getting naked diving in the water, but the truth is, however many days of filming, I'm going to get my skivvs off and have a wash. But they always film that and that's out of my control. I'm usually naked for about 3 minutes over four days, but that happens to be 3 minutes of the show. It's a little bit harsh, but when I'm relaxed and with friends and stuff, I'm always skinny dipping in the sea. I love all of that. CNN: You also detail your time spent in the SAS and British Army -- did you identify more with the idea behind the SAS or more of the physical aspects of it? Grylls: I always loved the ethos there. The regiment of character of the individual. There was something I loved about that. You could be a scruff, but everybody was encouraged to have peers and you've got be able to laugh at yourself and work under pressure with each other and not have an ego. Those sort of things mattered. The unofficial motto is the "the regiment, the misfits working together." CNN: You discuss the parachuting accident that you had where you broke your back. Were you classified as depressed during that time? Grylls: People said you must've been positive to go through a broken back but the truth was it wasn't like that. It was a very dark time with struggle and doubt. I think the hard thing for me was not knowing. None of the doctors could tell me if I would walk properly again or climb properly again. I realized I could determine what was best for me and that's why I chose (to climb) Mount Everest as the goal. People looked at me like I was crazy, but the staff at the rehab center knew the power of a dream and having a focus like that. CNN: Watching your shows and reading your book, there's the idea that you don't need a lot of modern technology to live. What are your thoughts on that? Are we too reliant on technology these days? Grylls: Technology is great; it allows me to communicate with my family when I'm in remote areas. But the downside is that it disempowers people to display skills that without technology they could depend on for their life. So I think the key is to still having those skills, but using technology to help you. You always got to plan for the worst and hope for the best. If the GPS isn't going to work, if the lifeboat isn't going to work, you still got to know how to navigate across the mountains, across the bridges. Skills like that are very natural and basic to learn. It'll surprise you. I've taken people out who have more money than the world and they start smiling when they make their own fire. It's deep inside thousands and thousands of years in our psyche. It's the best free entertainment you can get. It's the natural world. Technology is great but it's never going to be as much fun as creating something out of nothing. CNN: Are you working on any shows for this year or next? Grylls: Yeah, well we're kind of offers and ideas coming in at the moment. We're just trying to be smart and wise. Definitely making programs that are about adventure and empowering people. That's been the driving force for me in the TV side of my life. | Survivalist Bear Grylls has released his autobiography .
He is best known for hosting the series "Man vs. Wild"
Grylls said he's working on some new upcoming shows . |
158,821 | 595ab1403fdc5c47c96b142b8595dc9ba6c6d5da | At 7:35 a.m. in Southern California, children who've brushed their teeth, combed their hair and stuffed their wheeled backpacks rub their eyes awake and shuffle onto the street. They gather at the intersection of Agnes Road and 35th Street in Manhattan Beach for the school bus. But this school bus doesn't carry the kids. The kids carry it. By its handles, the children hoist a yellow bus-shaped sign that reads, "Walking School Bus." The other students wave triangular orange flags to warn cars to slow down. They walk along the street and stop at another designated spot to pick up more kids at the "bus stop." Adult supervisors follow them for the half-mile walk to the elementary schools. All of them are exercising and they hardly know it. Walking to school is the practice of a bygone era and it's also a small piece of an extensive project to bring simple, healthy changes to a grand scale. Three Southern California cities, Manhattan Beach, Redondo Beach and Hermosa Beach, are undergoing a three-year health makeover under a program designed by Dan Buettner, an author and explorer. His mission is to "make the active option, the easy option." Buettner's program called Healthways Blue Zones Vitality City aims to make the healthy choice, the convenient choice by changing an entire community's environment. He's devising ways to change that environment by making it harder to find junk food, more convenient to get physical activity and easier to adopt healthy habits. The changes don't ask for "marathon and diets," Buettner said. It's small changes that add up, such as bike lanes, better pedestrian access, encouraging personal interactions and walking to school. Jennifer Agliozzo, a mom who coordinates the walking bus for Grandview Elementary School, said the walks have become more popular in just two weeks. When they walk to school, "people come out and wave like we're a parade," she said. "It's nice to get cars off the street and the traffic," she said. "It's also nice meeting other parents." The simple act of walking to school "engineers three to five miles a week, so you don't have to worry about gym class and you get people moving," said Buettner whose project finds the best practices in healthy communities to apply to U.S. cities. As Americans grow bigger and unhealthier, Buettner, an author of books about longevity and happiness, doesn't chalk it up to people being dumber or lazier. The blame for the obesity crisis cannot fall squarely on the shoulders of personal responsibility -- there's a bigger factor, he posits. It's the environment, he said Thursday at TEDMED, a conference discussing innovations in health. "We are all part of a system. We need to address the system." "You can't rent a movie, fill up on gas without running through the gauntlet of junk food that can pound you all day long," he said. "When you go to a Little League game, you can't go without seeing parents bring the pop and cookies. You can't get away from empty calories." There is a degree of personal responsibility, but "discipline is a muscle that fatigues," he said. The three neighboring California beach cities were chosen among 50 to undergo the health makeover under the project called Vitality City. A major criterion was that the local government and schools had to be on board. Bike paths are planned. The mayor of Manhattan Beach hosts public hours in form of walking meetings with his constituents. A local food chain, Good Stuff, offers calorie counts and nutritional facts including fat, carbohydrates and protein in its menu. The employees of the local Crowne Plaza Hotel organized a walking group with 70 members. At Body Glove, a water sports brand, managers got rid of the candy and chips in the office and replaced them with sliced fruit. The businesses that have signed on to the Vitality City's effort receive free pedometers and free smoking cessation classes. Andrea Soto, an employee at a call center called AAMCOM in Redondo Beach, said health issues at work also should be addressed. At the call center, workers sit in cubicles, staring into the computer screen and answering calls from stranded people using Los Angeles County highway call boxes. On a busy morning, there is hardly any movement, only the hum of conversations and typing. When Soto came to work at the call center six years ago, she gained 50 pounds. "When we get here, we gain weight. We were sitting down the whole eight hours. During breaks, we were sitting down. When we weren't sitting down at the call center, we were sitting down in the break room," she said. The company decided to get involved with the Vitality City. Every week, the office gets free lunch -- but the only rule is that it has to be healthy. The workers usually prefer Subway sandwiches. The owner started filling a bowl in the break room with apples, pears and bananas. The employees also share an office bicycle for those who want to bike rather than drive to lunch. If small efforts like this means that workers "eat fewer calories, have less stress in the workplace, then all of this helps the overall emotional and physical well-being of the business," said the owner, Steve Diels. It's more expensive to lose workers to sick days than to provide healthy snacks, he said. Since the efforts began, one employee has lost 20 pounds, and another has lost 12. About 75 employers, including aerospace company Northrop Grumman, the public school systems and municipalities, have signed up for the beach cities' efforts . The efforts that started in Southern California this year are based on the same principles of the pilot project helmed by Buettner in 2008 in Albert Lea, Minnesota, a city of 18,000. In Albert Lea, they banned junk food snacking in schools, started walking school buses, organized community-walking groups and identified the most socially influential people to spread healthy habits. The three-year project ended with an average weight loss of about three pounds, extended life expectancy of three years and a 40% drop in health care costs for the city. Buettner hopes to translate Albert Lea's results to bigger cities. So they arrived to the three California cities. They found that the local governments and schools supported their efforts. Plus the funding came from Healthways, a well-being company and the Beach Cities Health District, a preventive health agency. A Gallup poll of the three cities of 1,300 people found that 60% of the population was overweight or obese. Forty-six percent reported significant stress and their anger level was at 16%, which was on par with Detroit, Michigan, according to the poll. "What has changed is the environment," said Buettner of the recent rise in obesity issues. "The price of calories, we've engineered physical education out of our lives. We're good people but we need to think of health in a different way." In the early 2000s, Buettner, on assignment for National Geographic, sought to find longevity hotspots. After spending five years, he wrote a book identifying five cities where people enjoyed longer and healthier lives. The five are Sardinia, Italy; Okinawa, Japan; Loma Linda, California; Ikaria, Greece; and Nicoya Peninsula, Costa Rica. He and his team distilled the reasons why these communities were successful. People there had social and community networks (the in-person type, not Facebook), had daily purposes in their lives. And they did not seek out exercise, because their daily routines were "landmined with opportunity" for physical activity, Buettner said. To incorporate those lessons, the cities' program includes walking moais -- essentially a social group that walks together based on common interests and schedules. There are 150 of them exercising through the three beach cities. Irv Brand, 83, and his wife, Joan Edelmann of Redondo Beach, are the leaders of one of these walking groups. Before joining the walking group, they never exercised. Now they walk 12 miles a week. "Walking alone at a health club is boring," said Brand. "It's more fun to walk with a group. If we don't feel like walking, we go anyway because the group expects us to be there. "It's better than trying to do it on our own." | Three beach cities in California are attempting to change their health outcomes .
Schools encourage kids to walk, businesses encourage workers to adopt healthy habits .
Founder believes environment is bigger factor in obesity than individual responsibility . |
107,184 | 163d10e4197abfa852b69c26446c23f25ba9c31b | Court documents show that the dead gunman behind the siege of a Sydney cafe was facing up to 50 sexual offence charges, including aggravated sexual assault, aggravated indecent assault and inciting a teenage girl to commit an indecent act. Man Haron Monis painted the breasts and bodies of women with water, massaged their breasts and rubbed his genitals against them and raped them in 'spiritual healing' sessions all over Sydney going back 13 years, the documents allege. The 50-year-old committed the sexual offences against women at his Spiritual Consultation business in the Sydney suburbs of Burwood, Liverpool, Westmead and Belmore between September 2001 and September this year, according to the documents. Scroll down for video . Man Haron Monis outside court after he was charged with sending poison pen letters to the families of Australian soliders . Sheikh Man Haron Monis, 50, killed two hostages and was shot dead during a siege in central Sydney . Monis, whose name is recorded in the documents as Mohammad Hassas Manteghi, was due to face court on February 27 next year. Further documents allege that he threatened to shoot Noleen Hayson Pal at Minchinbrook McDonalds in western Sydney almost two years before she was murdered. According to an interview conducted at St Marys Police Station on July 27, 2011, Monis threatened Ms Pal after they split up. Ms Pal, who told police she was afraid of Monis, had met him at the McDonald's a week earlier. Monis is pictured here outside the Downing Centre Court, Sydney, on February 10, 2010 . Armed police in position outside the Sydney cafe where Man Haron Monis took 17 people captive for hours before his death . Self-proclaimed sheik Monis was facing charges of up to 50 sexual offences before his death . The house where Man Haron Monis spent time with his partner Amirah Droudis . Droudis attended Campsie Police Station in Sydney's southwest on Tuesday dressed in dark sunglasses . Monis also told constables Mina Matta and Matthew Gillett that he was a former 'security officer in Australia' and that he had previously held a firearm licence and and gone target shooting. Monis former lawyer Manny Conditsis, told the Daily Mail Australia: ‘I thought before anyone contacted me that it might have been him only because of his extreme ideologue views and knowing he had been out on bail out for a long time and facing a long prison sentence. ‘Putting all of that together it occurred to me that he might have been it might have been the straw that tipped the camel's back - the combination of all those things together. With a nothing to lose attitude.’ His mental state appeared to be fragile enough to have been discussed by Australian and Iranian officials, with talks taking place several times before the siege in Sydney according to Iran's foreign ministry. Meanwhile, Iran's Fars news agency reported that Australia had denied an attempt to extradite Monis to Iran, where he had been indicted for fraud. The 50-year-old committed sexual offences against women at his Spiritual Consultation business in the suburbs of Burwood, Liverpool, Westmead and Belmore between 2001 and this year, court documents say . Noleen Hayson Pal, siege gunman Man Haron Monis' defacto wife was found stabbed to death and her body burned in April 2013. Droudis was charged with murder and Monis with being an assessory in the killing of Pal (pictured), and both were released on bail . A woman believed to Amirah Droudis posted a series of videos in 2009. The videos included links to the web site of Monis, and included text identifying the speaker as 'Sister Amirah' Australian security agencies didn't appear to be watching him closely at the time of the siege, with Prime Minister Tony Abbott saying after the tragedy that Monis wasn't believed to be on the national security watchlist. Ms Pal, who became Monis's de facto wife around nine years before she was murdered, died in a brutal killing on the afternoon of Sunday, April 21 when she was set upon, stabbed 18 times, doused with accelerant and then set alight. It was not until seven months later, in October 2013, that police arrested and charged Monis' s girlfriend, Amirah Droudis with murder and charged Monis with accessory to murder before and after the fact. Police opposed bail, and he was taken into custody where he complained that he was 'tortured' and had 'excrement' thrown on him. Last December he was released on bail by Magistrate William Pierce, who made the decision after he had been held in custody for up to six weeks on charges of being an accessory before and after the fact of his ex-wife's murder. In April this year he was charged with sexual assault and granted bail. A $1000 surety was paid by an elderly relative of Ms Droudis, believed to be her mother. A further 40 sexual assault charges were laid against Monis on October 10, but he was still allowed out on bail. Hostages run towards armed tactical response police as they escape to freedom from the cafe under siege at Martin Place . A hostage runs down Philip street after coming out of the Lindt Cafe with his hands held high . Emergency response personnel, right, give treatment to an unidentified person after shots were fired and police entered the building . An injured hostage is carried out of the Lindt cafe after police stormed the building . Monis' bail conditions included not going within 500 metres of an airport, not approaching witnesses or victims, reporting every day to Campsie Police Station and surrendering his passport. In 2011, charges against Monis of stalking or intimidating his wife Ms Pal were dropped. Asked about the threat to shoot Ms Pal he said 'I didn't threaten her' However, Monis was a domineering partner who forced Ms Pal to wear a hijab, restricted her contact with anyone outside her immediate family and beat her, according to The Daily Telegraph. Monis took around 17 people hostage in a Sydney cafe on Monday, resulting in a prolonged stand-off with police and the tragic death of cafe manager Tori Johnson and barrister Katrina Dawson. | The gunman behind the Sydney cafe siege was facing up to 50 sexual offence charges, according to court documents .
The documents allege that Man Haron Monis painted the breasts of women and raped them in his 'spiritual healing' sessions .
The sessions are alleged to have taken place over 13 years at locations around Sydney .
Documents also allege that he threatened to shoot his ex-partner before her brutal murder .
Monis was on bail and due to face court in February .
His mental state had previously been discussed by Australian and Iranian officials . |
90,320 | 0037543aa62330c22c061890640534c044c30fc2 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 02:09 EST, 26 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:07 EST, 26 April 2013 . Marriage: Rolf Harris and his wife Alwen, who says her husband of 55 years has been painting every day since his arrest . Artist and entertainer Rolf Harris has been painting 'every day' to deal with the trauma of being accused of sexual offences, his wife has said.. Harris, 83, was arrested last month by police investigating allegations of sexual abuse following the Jimmy Savile scandal. Harris's wife of 55 years, Alwen Hughes, says 'we're still laughing' despite the stress of the Scotland Yard investigation. The Welsh sculptress . and jeweller met her future husband while they were both art students, . marrying in March 1958. They have one daughter, Bindi, an artist. Veteran TV star Harris was originally interviewed by detectives from Scotland Yard's Operation Yewtree in November. Today Ms Hughes said the allegations had stunned his family and added that they are standing by him as they fight for his name to be cleared. She said her husband had been painting 'every day' to cope with the devastation of his arrest, and said he had vowed to continue to entertain his fans, despite the allegations. 'We're fine. Yes, it's been quite hard but it's all right, we're still laughing. I hope it will be okay,' she told the Daily Mirror. Since Harris's arrest vandals have defaced pieces of his art. Officers were called after paint was splashed across the outside of the Triton Gallery in Torquay, Devon. Staff say they first received angry threats from a member of the public who insisted they take the artwork down. Scroll down for video . Passion: Rolf Harris pictured officially unveiling his oil portrait of Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 2005 - and he is turning to art in difficult times, it has emerged . Paint attack: Black paint smeared across the window of a gallery in Torquay, Devon, apparently because they are displaying Rolf Harris' work . Harris, who has denied any wrongdoing, is one of 12 people arrested under Operation Yewtree, the national investigation prompted by allegations against Savile. Arrest: Rolf Harris was held by detectives under Operation Yewtree and was the 12th man to be arrested . He was interviewed under caution on November 29, five days after a search warrant was executed at his home. Following his arrest he was bailed to a date in May. The Australian-born entertainer was made a CBE in the 2006 Queen's Birthday Honours and was also appointed Officer of the Order of Australia in the honours list last year. He was recognised for his service to performing and visual arts, to charitable organisations and to international relations through the promotion of Australian culture. At . last summer’s Diamond Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace, Harris . famously led the crowd – including Princess Anne – in an impromptu . rendition of Two Little Boys, his 1969 Christmas No 1 hit. He is also famed for his 1957 song Tie Me Kangaroo Down Sport. Prior to the announcement of his arrest, Harris had been the only celebrity Yewtree suspect not to have been identified by the mainstream media. His . detention follows the arrests of pop star Gary Glitter, comedian . Freddie Starr, DJ Dave Lee Travis, publicist Max Clifford and comedian . Jim Davidson. Starr, Travis, Clifford and Davidson have all publicly . denied any wrong-doing and gave statements after their arrests. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Australian entertainer, 83, held by Met Police detectives on March 28 .
His wife of 55 years, Alwen, says he has turned to art since his arrest .
'It's been quite hard, we're still laughing. I hope it will be okay,' she said .
Harris was first interviewed in November before police acted last month . |
27,387 | 4da410ee4b051ba791a9cd03c79c57b80d571c45 | (CNN) -- The Miami Dolphins have suspended a defensive lineman after he allegedly touched women and then took an "aggressive fighting stance" when police attempted to arrest him, according to a probable cause affidavit. Police arrested Derrick Shelby after using a stun gun on him three times, according to a supplemental police report. Shelby, 25, who is in his third season with the team, was at a Fort Lauderdale dance club early Saturday when security guards told police he was causing a disturbance, the affidavit says. Shelby was "touching females at location without their permission," it says. Security removed him from the club, and a police officer told him several times to stop obstructing a roadway and the club entrance. Shelby refused, according to police, and asked the officer, "What are you going to do?" Appearing to be intoxicated, he began filming and photographing the officer, who called for backup, the affidavit states. Shelby was again asked to leave and refused before police told him he was under arrest for trespassing. "Upon attempting to place Shelby into custody he began pushing away from officers and took an aggressive fighting stance," the affidavit says. "Shelby was placed on the ground, where he was actively resisting and attempting to brace his arms to defeat efforts to place him into custody." Shelby was "overpowering officers," according to the supplemental report, so an officer used a stun gun on him, but to no effect because of "the proximity of the prongs on his back." The officer used the stun gun on him again in the right shoulder, "which was temporarily effective in gaining more control over Shelby, but he immediately returned to actively resisting and trying to free his other hand," the report says. After police stunned Shelby a third time, they were able to take him into custody and transport him to a local hospital and then the Broward Sheriff's Office jail. He was charged with resisting without violence and trespass after warning, both misdemeanors, police documents say. He was released on a $100 bond, according to CNN affiliate WFOR-TV. A mug shot released by the sheriff's office shows a bloodied Shelby with obvious injuries to his lip and left cheek. A woman at defense attorney Daniel Rosenberg's office said Rosenberg was in court Monday morning and would comment later. Phone and email messages weren't immediately returned, but Rosenberg told The Miami Herald that Shelby "maintains his innocence" and said the mug shot "speaks volumes," considering the charge of resisting without violence. The Dolphins suspended the former University of Utah player indefinitely "for conduct detrimental to the team," according to a news release. "We were disappointed to learn about Derrick's arrest," head coach Joe Philbin said in a statement. "Based on my conversations with Derrick and the information we have thus far, Derrick will be placed on Indefinite Club Suspension. When we have completed all of the necessary diligence, we will make a final determination on his discipline." The Dolphins were off this weekend after traveling to London in week four to play the Oakland Raiders. The arrest marks yet more negative publicity for the NFL, which has seen numerous players in recent weeks suspended or placed on voluntary leave after alleged instances of domestic or child abuse. Fort Lauderdale police documents do not elaborate on the allegation that Shelby was touching women at the club, saying only that security alleged he did not have their permission. CNN's Vivian Kuo and Wayne Sterling contributed to this report. | Police: Derrick Shelby asked to leave club after security alleged he was touching women .
Miami Dolphins suspend Shelby indefinitely for "conduct detrimental to the team"
He took "aggressive fighting stance," and a stun gun was used on him 3 times, police say .
Attorney tells paper that Shelby "maintains his innocence" and his mug shot "speaks volumes" |
57,025 | a1848515f49ef74c204a7518832ef1f563e53876 | Atlanta, Georgia (CNN) -- CNN President Jim Walton announced a major shakeup of CNN management Friday, replacing the head of CNN/US with a long-time CNN executive known for his business turn-around skills. HLN head Ken Jautz takes over as executive vice president of CNN/US, replacing Jonathan Klein, who headed the network for six years. CNN's chief marketing officer Scot Safon will run HLN, replacing Jautz. Walton also said he would hire a managing editor to "help leverage our newsgathering resources across multiple platforms." "Ken is a rarity -- a working journalist who is an even better news executive," wrote Walton in a memo to staff. "Ken has launched, made profitable and turned around businesses for our news organization, Turner Broadcasting and Time Warner literally around the world." Jautz, who joined CNN in 1989 as a bureau chief in Germany, has held a wide variety of jobs at the company, including executive vice president in charge of CNN's business news operations. During a stint with Turner Broadcasting Europe, he helped launch channels in several European markets. Most recently, Jautz has presided over the revamp and rebranding of the HLN channel, introducing signature programs such as Nancy Grace, Joy Behar, ShowBiz Tonight, Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell and Morning Express with Robin Meade. The new evening line-up doubled the network's prime-time ratings. "I look forward to working with CNN's many fine journalists and launching two new shows that I think will make our prime-time lineup more engaging and lively," Jautz said, "and will continue CNN's strategy of delivering smart, informative news and analysis from across the political spectrum." Safon takes over HLN after heading CNN's marketing for the last eight years, winning wide industry accolades for his marketing campaign for CNN and CNN=Politics. Before joining CNN, Safon oversaw marketing for one of CNN's sister channels, TNT. "Scot is one of the most creative and passionate executives at Turner Broadcasting," said Walton. The moves come as CNN/US has suffered declining prime-time ratings in recent years as other cable channels have taken on partisan tones in their programming and news coverage. CNN/US recently announced a new prime-time lineup, hiring global media personality and former newspaper editor Piers Morgan to host an interview program to replace Larry King Live, and pairing Pulitzer Prize-winning columnist Kathleen Parker and former New York Governor Eliot Spitzer in an 8 p.m. time slot. The memo sent to staff said Jonathan Klein is leaving CNN. During Klein's six years at CNN/US, the network won many awards for its aggressive coverage, including Hurricane Katrina, the South Asia tsunami, the 2008 U.S. elections and the devastating Haiti earthquake. "Jon has made important contributions to the CNN story, and he leaves with our respect and friendship, and with my sincere thanks," Walton wrote to staff. Walton said that a search is under way for the new position of company-wide managing editor. The assignment for the new editor, Walton wrote to staff, is to generate "the kind of front-page reporting and analysis that captures a news event, translates its meaning and shapes the dialogue about the story." Phil Kent, CEO of Turner Broadcasting System, the parent company of CNN, also highlighted the role of the new managing editor position, saying it would "build on the network's unique strengths in journalism and on CNN's quality editorial voice across all platforms." "Jim Walton is a world-class leader, and I'm in full support of his newly announced organizational structure and leadership team," Kent said. "I believe these changes will position CNN/U.S. and HLN for future growth and success." | HLN head Ken Jautz replaces CNN/US President Jonathan Klein .
Marketing guru Scot Safon given helm of HLN .
CNN announces plan to hire managing editor for CNN Worldwide . |
71,432 | ca75c65edfd59e3193dfc9bf2347660b93578401 | Diego Mendieta was a man who needed help. There he lay, helpless. Alone. Dying. There were no news stories. There was no #prayforMendieta hashtag, not even a line on the internet. With the world oblivious to his plight, the Paraguayan, thousands of miles from home, passed away at the age of 32 in an Indonesian hospital on Tuesday. Mendieta was a footballer who formerly played for Persis Solo, a club based 90 minutes' flight from the capital, Jakarta. He had longed to return home to see his wife and two children but had not been paid four months' wages -- worth an estimated $12,500. Mendieta fell ill and died of cytomegalovirus, a common infection that can be spread by coughing or sneezing. In his final days, without enough money to finance his medical treatment, he changed hospitals three times and lost about 17 kilograms (about 37 pounds) in weight before his death. His skeletal frame was left on a stretcher, covered by an old Real Madrid shirt, with a few football fans for company. It is a story that has spread around the globe and left another stain on the sport in Indonesia, where two rival organizations are battling for control of the game. "After his contract expired in June and his former club had not paid his salary, Mendieta suffered financially. He played in some rough football matches to survive in Solo," Indonesian journalist Sam Hadi of Kompas Daily said. "He was unable to pay for his rented room in the last six months. He even had difficulties to pay for food, so his friends, colleagues and fans raised money to help him. "His agent had advised Mendieta to go home by preparing the flight ticket for him. But Mendieta reportedly said that he was ashamed of not bringing back money to his country." Having fallen ill in early November, Mendieta was first diagnosed with typhoid. By the time he reached his third hospital, where he could not afford his medical bills, the cytomegalovirus had crawled to his brain, Hadi said. "It was very, very sad situation for him." Football in the Asian country has been torn apart by infighting between the Indonesian Soccer Association (PSSI) and the breakaway Indonesian Soccer Rescue Committee (KPSI). Football's ruling body, FIFA, has threatened to impose sanctions unless an agreement is reached. Both bodies, which have their own competitions, have agreed to run just one league next season to avoid punishment from FIFA, whose executive committee expects to have to rule on the matter at its meeting next Friday. The PSSI did not immediately respond to CNN's request for comment. "Unfortunately yet again, it seems that the set objectives will not be reached and we, therefore, anticipate that the PSSI will be sanctioned," FIFA Secretary-General Jerome Valcke wrote in a letter to Indonesian sports minister Andi Mallarangeng. "We are fully aware that Indonesia is passionate about football and that sanctions will have a major impact. We have tried tirelessly to solve the problems, but we are afraid that there will be no choice unless the objectives are met or that significant progress has been made." The division has caused great ructions within Indonesian football, with players often the victims both financially and physically. "Mendieta's death raises questions of how he was treated by Liga Super's management. Why was he not paid his salary for so long?" PSSI official Rudolf Yesayas told AFP. "Managing football is a complicated affair. Mendieta's death highlights the importance of having one football association, not more." The national team has also suffered, losing 10-0 to Bahrain in a World Cup qualifier in March, a result that was investigated by FIFA because of suspicions of match-fixing. "It has been almost two years since Indonesian football split," Hadi said. "However, the financial problems do not only hit the breakaway clubs but also the clubs which play under the PSSI competition." He said 13 clubs from both leagues are months late with payments, according to the players' association. "On this matter, PSSI said on its official website that they would help the cost of flying Mendieta's body back to Paraguay, but they won't pay the players' salary as Persis did not play under PSSI competition," Hadi said. "On the other hand, Persis officials said they have transferred Mendieta's salary to his wife in Paraguay. " Hadi said an out-of-contract Brazilian footballer, Bruno Zandonadi, also died in similar circumstances three months ago after being infected during treatment in an Indonesian hospital. While Solo Mayor Hadi Rudyatmo has said he will pay Mendieta's hospital bills, the act of charity has come too late for FIFPro, which represents footballers around the world, with a membership of 60,000. FIFPro launched a "Black Book" this year, detailing the abuse of players in Eastern Europe. It has repeatedly fought cases for players facing violence, arbitrary termination of contracts and non-payments of salaries. It has also taken up the case of 2010 World Cup finalist Wesley Sneijder, who has been asked to extend his contract for no additional pay by Italian club Inter Milan. "FIFPro demands that the Indonesian football association make an end to the structural mismanagement of countless football clubs," the Netherlands-based group said in a statement. "It is a disgrace for the whole of professional football in Indonesia," added Frederique Winia, secretary general of FIFPro's Asia division. "I know countless stories of players who are intentionally not paid by their club and have to wait for months for their salary. But I have never before heard a story where a seriously ill player has been left completely to his fate by a club. "I assume that both the club and the national football association of Indonesia realize that they have seriously failed and that they have much to explain, particularly to the family and relatives of Diego Mendieta. The least the club can do is to pay the arrears in salary to his family." Mendieta's body has been transported back to Paraguay, where he will be buried. His wife, Valeria, remains adamant that the Indonesian authorities are solely responsible for Mendieta's death. "He was practically abandoned. The only help he received was from three Paraguayan companions, nothing other than that," she told Radio Cardinal. Mendieta's plight has drawn widespread sympathy. "It's a heartwrenching tale," Indonesian football expert Antony Sutton said. "As an expat myself, I know what it's like to be on your own in a foreign country and left to fend for yourself," said Sutton, author of the Jakarta Casual blog. "He hadn't been paid in four months and was all alone without anyone to pay the bills. The Persis Solo fans, who are extremely passionate, did their best to raise money and made about $300. "But before I found out about the story, it was too late and he was dead. It's a real tragedy." Emotional Muamba 'gets closure' While the case of Fabrice Muamba, the former Bolton player who collapsed on the pitch after going into cardiac arrest, drew intense media coverage, Mendieta did not have the same fortune. Muamba's collapse at Tottenham's White Hart Lane in March was broadcast around the world after the midfielder's heart stopped for 76 minutes. Twitter went into overdrive, players around the world wore "Muamba" shirts to express their solidarity, and news channels jumped on the story. His subsequent recovery has also been well documented, with interviews beamed around the globe, and an autobiography recently released. But in Indonesia, where football is not king and the sport is in disarray, Mendieta had little chance. It is only after his death that his name has become commonplace. "He always complained of being lonely," said Guntur Hernawan, head of the internal medicine division at Moewardi Hospital in Solo. "He said he wanted to go home because all of his relatives were in Paraguay." Dutch teens charged in football linesman's death . | Paraguayan footballer dies at the age of 32 in an Indonesian hospital .
Diego Mendieta was owed $12,500 in wages, unable to pay for medical treatment .
Mayor of Solo to pay player's hospital bills after his death .
His plight highlights a schism in Indonesian football . |
19,390 | 36fc0382636d8ec9398402427ad8a7e4ac847669 | Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor will play no part in Thursday's Europa League match against Besiktas. The Togolese forward has been given the go-ahead to leave Istanbul and fly home to deal with a personal issue. Tottenham announced on Twitter on Wednesday morning: 'We can confirm that Emmanuel Adebayor has been given permission to return home for personal reasons. This is a private matter and so we will not be providing any further comment.' Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has been allowed to fly home from Istanbul by the club . Adebayor celebrates after scoring the opening goal for Tottenham against Newcastle in October . The Premier League club are certain to qualify from Group C alongside their Turkish opponents, and avoiding defeat would ensure they finish top. Adebayor has made 12 appearances for Spurs this season and has scored twice. The former Arsenal frontman has not played for Spurs since the November international break when Togo failed to qualify for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. While Adebayor has endured struggles on the field; he has also had problems off it. The 30-year-old Togolese forward has struggled for form in a Spurs shirt this season . The former Arsenal striker shows his frustration during Tottenham's loss to Stoke in November . Adebayor reacts after a near miss against Aston Villa as the forward continues to struggle for form . In November, Adebayor's older brother Kola claimed the striker had been brainwashed by Islamic spiritual healers into thinking their mother used black magic to sabotage his form on the pitch. Kola, 42, a truck driver based in Bremen, Germany, told the Sun on Sunday: '[Emmanuel] has been brainwashed by these Muslim alfas - spiritual men - who prophesise when he scores goals and why he is not playing well. 'They have convinced him his sister and mother put juju curses on him. My mother is very sad. Every day she is crying. I just talked to her on the phone and she was crying again.' Juju is a word used in West Africa to refer to spells used as part of witchcraft. Juju is said to have started during the days of slavery but is still part of African tradition. Adebayor was then moved to deny accusations from his sister Maggie that he had kicked their mum Alice out of his house in Africa because he thought she had performed curses on him. Maggie claimed on radio station Peace FM in Ghana that the Premier League striker was refusing to give his mother money and has not seen her in over a year. She said their mum was selling 'polythene bags, padlocks and other things' to provide for her family however Emmanuel says his mother left the house of her own accord. Adebayor, in action for Togo, takes on Algeria defender Essaid Belkalem during the 2013 Africa Cup of Nations . Adebayor, speaking to Peace FM, said: 'I never sacked my mum from the house. She decided to leave the house. 'How am I going to be in touch with my mum if my mum is the one telling everyone that my work will not go forward, so I will just be on my side and do my thing. 'They should stop talking, they should stop doing Juju on me, they should leave me alone. 'I bought a $1.2m house in East Legon for the one talking and calling herself my sister. Can you imagine that sister went to rent the house without my knowledge?' | Emmanuel Adebayor will leave Istanbul to fly home .
The Togolese forward has been ruled out as he deals with a personal issue .
Tottenham need only a point to finish top of their group .
Adebayor has scored only twice in 12 appearances for Spurs this season . |
211,331 | 9daa431c3bd0cc7a1ee402170a73ce5c76eae0e0 | A Libyan man who was held by British police on suspicion of terror offences and later released has been named as a foreign terrorist by the U.S. government. Abd al-Baset Azzouz was named as an 'al Qaeda operative and trainer skilled in bomb-making' by the U.S. State Department. The father of four came to the UK from Libya in 1994 and was arrested in a 3am raid at his home in Manchester in May 2006. He was detained for nine and a half months before being released on bail. Abd al-Baset Azzouz was named as an 'al Qaeda operative and trainer skilled in bomb-making' by the U.S. State Department. He was arrested by British police in 2006, but later released . The 48-year-old left Britain in 2009 and allegedly went to Pakistan to join Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda following the death of Osama Bin-Laden. He then returned to Libya to oversee the terrorist organisation's operations there, the Sunday Telegraph reports. It is believed he oversees hundreds of fighters at a training camp in eastern Libya. A Library Of Congress report on al-Qaeda in Libya stated that Azzouz been close to al-Zawahiri since the 1980s and first traveled to Afghanistan in the early 1990s to join mujahidin fighting the Soviet occupation. It adds that he later moved to the United Kingdom, where he began spreading al-Qaeda's ideology to younger Muslims. A video that reportedly shows Azzouz, believed to have trained hundreds of al-Qaeda militants . In an interview with Cage, a group campaigning against the War on Terror, in 2008, he said: 'This is not fair - if there have been problems with me, take me to the court and try me for a crime I have committed – but not like this, not in such a horrible way as they are doing now. 'All of our Libyan friends in the UK have run away from us. I would urge Muslims and non-Muslims to see us as humans who have done nothing wrong, yet the government is trying to use us to play a game to show that they are dealing with terrorists.' Azzouz was among the two dozen individuals and groups designated as foreign terrorists or terrorist facilitators on Wednesday, enabling the U.S. to freeze assets and block financial transactions as it stepped up its offensive against Islamist militants in Syria. The U.S. State Department labeled as foreign terrorist fighters two groups and 10 people, including Amru al-Absi, the Islamic State provincial leader for Homs, Syria, who has been in charge of kidnappings, and Salim Benghalem, a French Islamic State member based in Syria. The Treasury Department named 11 individuals and one entity as specially designated global terrorists, including Tarkhan Tayumurazovich Batirashvili, a Georgia national based in Syria who has held senior military positions in Islamic State. 'Today's ... designations will disrupt efforts by ISIL, al Nusrah Front, al-Qaeda and Jamaa Islamiya to raise, transport and access funds that facilitate foreign terrorist fighters,' said David Cohen, Treasury undersecretary for terrorism and financial intelligence. The sanctions enable the government to freeze any assets the individuals or groups have under U.S. jurisdiction and to prevent U.S. citizens and companies from engaging in any financial transactions with them. An armed man waves his rifle as buildings and cars are engulfed in flames after being set on fire inside the US consulate compound in Benghazi, Libya, late on September 11, 2012. U.S. envoy Chris Stevens (pictured) and U.S. Foreign Service Information Management Officer Sean Smith were killed in the attack . The United States' actions coincided with a United Nations Security Council summit, chaired by U.S. President Barack Obama, focusing on the surge in foreigners joining militant groups as fighters. Attendees approved a resolution demanding all countries make it a serious criminal offense for citizens to travel abroad to fight with militant groups, or to recruit and fund others to do so. The State Department designated as global terrorist organisations Jaish al-Muhajireen wal-Ansar, a Chechen-led group of mostly foreign fighters based in Syria, and Harakat Sham al-Islam, a Moroccan-led group in Syria. The Treasury Department designated one group, Hilal Ahmar Society Indonesia, which it said is the humanitarian wing of Jemaah Islamiya, a U.N.- designated terrorist group with al Qaeda links based in Southeast Asia. It said the group has engaged in activities since 2013 that support the recruitment and travel of foreign fighters for Jemaah Islamiya to Syria for military training. | Abd al-Baset Azzouz was named as an 'al Qaeda operative' by U.S.
The Libyan national was arrested in Manchester in 2006 but later released .
The 48-year-old left Britain in 2009 and allegedly went to Pakistan to join Ayman al-Zawahiri, the leader of al-Qaeda . |
177,598 | 71eb20b9fba89ba499ab0721358d780c1e64edee | She's the young mother who went from working the checkout at Woolworths to putting her life on the line as a machine gun wielding bodyguard in the Middle East. Neryl Joyce, 41, exposed herself to threats of ambush and assassinations as a highly trained security guard protecting high threat targets in war-torn Baghdad a decade ago. The former Australian Army officer made the move to Iraq after juggling single motherhood and her military career for several years. Neryl Joyce, 41, exposed herself to threats of ambush and assassinations as a highly trained security guard protecting high threat targets in war-torn Baghdad a decade ago . 'I knew I couldn't do both, it was too draining,' Ms Joyce told Daily Mail Australia. 'I got my ex-husband involved and we decided our son Kane would live with him while I was over there and when I returned on leave I would have made enough money to be a stay-at-home mum.' Ms Joyce, who carried out four different rotations in Iraq from 2004 to 2006, said she prepared for the worst when it came time to say goodbye to a then five-year-old Kane. 'I never thought I wouldn't come back, but I still prepared just in case,' she said. 'I wrote two letters – one for his father to read to him in case I was killed but was too young to read it and another for when he was 18.' The former Australian Army officer made the move to Iraq after juggling single motherhood and her military career for several years . Ms Joyce wrote two letters for her son Kane, pictured on his first day of school in 2005, in case she was killed in combat over in Iraq . Ms Joyce quit her job in the Australian Army and took up a position as the only female bodyguard for a security company in Baghdad . She carried out four different rotations in Iraq from 2004 to 2006 protecting high target clients . Ms Joyce quit her job in the Australian Army and took up a position as the only female bodyguard for a security company in Baghdad. 'My whole adult life I'd trained to work in a war zone, but I couldn't do it as a female officer in the army at the time,' she said. 'All my soldiers were being deployed to Iraq for bodyguard type work but I couldn't go because of my rank and gender. After watching for a year, I really started to get jealous.' Ms Joyce, who has detailed her transition from motherhood to Baghdad bodyguard in a memoir title Mercenary Mum, said she had several close calls in the war torn country. 'We had an improvised explosive device go off in a vehicle we were driving next to... but there were lots of hairy moments. Ms Joyce has detailed her transition from motherhood to Baghdad bodyguard in a memoir title Mercenary Mum on sale now . Initially Ms Joyce's job was to protect the electoral commissioners in Iraq's first democratic elections . On her last rotation in Iraq, Ms Joyce met her husband-to-be Paul. They now live together in Perth . Ms Joyce's son Kane, now 15, knows about his mother's missions in Iraq but is still too young to fully comprehend . 'We once had a vehicle with six people wearing balaclavas and weapons drive past. We thought that was it, we thought they were insurgents. People would just fill their cars with bombs and look for targets... then you'd have a suicide bombing just like that.' She spent two years, on and off, looking after high target clients in their workplace. They would pick up the client, escort them to work, walk them to lunch and meetings - all the while avoiding ambush attacks and assassinations. Initially her job was to protect the electoral commissioners in Iraq's first democratic elections. Ms Joyce said her experiences were different each time she went back to Iraq. 'The first time was very exciting and confidence boosting. It was a really great feeling,' she said. But she said the next rotation started to turn sour when she noticed slipping security standards and poor leadership with the company. Ms Joyce said her experiences were ranged from positive to negative each of the four times she went back to Iraq . Ms Joyce, pictured here completing the Bayonet Assault Course during recruit training in 1993, joined the army when she was just 18 . The former Australian Army officer joined the military to follow in her father's footsteps . Her colleagues were ambushed and killed on the last day of her second rotation on one of the world's most dangerous roads. 'I was supposed to be with them, but it was just a fluke that a spilt boiling water on me and had to get treatment.' Ms Joyce was also raped by a colleague on another rotation after he spiked her drink. 'But despite all that, on my last rotation I met my now husband, Paul. So I call that my lucky rotation,' she said. The mother-of-one said being a woman wasn't particularly an issue in the security sector, despite not being allowed into combat in the army. Her book Mercenary Mum published by Nero is on sale now $29.99 . 'It was a little bit of a novelty for men at first. But once I proved I had the skills to back it up, it wasn't a problem.' Ms Joyce and her husband finished up in Iraq in 2006 and both took up positions managing Christmas Island Detention Centre. 'Now I'm exploring a bit of everything. Being a mother, writing a book, working on a tactical clothing line etc.' Mercenary Mum by Neryl Joyce, published by Nero and on sale now $29.99. | Neryl Joyce worked as a highly trained security guard protecting high threat targets in Baghdad a decade ago .
The 41-year-old carried out four different rotations in Iraq from 2004-06 .
The former Australian Army officer gave up her military career and took up a post with a private security firm .
She wrote letters to her son before she left in case she was killed in Iraq .
Ms Joyce has detailed her transition from motherhood to Baghdad bodyguard in a memoir title Mercenary Mum . |
233,644 | ba7933cdbd715555a755ccff2b0e3e953d4a14bd | This is the moment an impoverished government clerk from a desolate region of eastern India became the first person ever to win $1million on an Indian game show. Sushil Kumar, whose family is so poor they couldn't afford a television . set, claimed the staggering win on the Indian version of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire. Mr Kumar's win echoes the plot of the 2008 Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire, whose impoverished protagonist, played by Dev Patel, wins the grand prize on the show. Sushil Kumar reacts after winning the $1million jackpot on India's version of Who wants to be a Millionaire, hosted by Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan . Life imitates art: Kumar's win echoes film Slumdog Millionaire, whose impoverished protagonist played by Dev Patel (pictured left) won the grand prize . The 26-year-old and his wife of five . months, Seema, wept when Indian movie legend Amitabh Bachchan, the show's host, . handed them a cheque for 50 million rupees (just over $1 million) after . the contestant gave all nine right answers on the show. 'You have created history. Your grit and determination has made you come so far in this show,' Bachchan said. On his blog, Bachchan described the record-breaking moment: 'He waited till almost eternity to decide on that final answer. The entire place just exploded. The family of the contestant ran on to the set in uncontrollable joy and screams and tears of happiness, whilst the live audience were whooping it up on their feet with the loudest scream I have ever heard.' The winner's brother, Sunil Kumar Patel, told the Guardian: 'We can't believe it. The whole village has come to our house. we are worried that my dad will die of happiness. 'We can't speak to Sushil. his mobile is off because he is out with the stars and on and off planes.' Kumar had only learned two weeks ago that he had been chosen to appear on the show - which is called Kaun Banega Crorepati in Hindi. Winner: Sushil Kumar and his wife pose with the show's host Bachchan - and the jackpot cheque . Mr Kumar shows his delight after answering the final question correctly . Before . Kumar went on the program, which was filmed on Tuesday and will air next . week, he was a £90-a-month government office worker and . supplemented his income by working as a private tutor in the small town . of Motihari in the eastern state of Bihar - one of the poorest regions in India. Kumar . told viewers his family was too poor to have a television, forcing him to go to a neighbour's home to watch the quiz show. Watching him tick off correct answer after correct answer, his neighbours persuaded him to try out for the show, he said. The trip to the Mumbai studio where the show is taped was his first ride in a plane and his first visit to a big city, he said. Many in the country who enter the show say that just meeting Bachchan is enough to make them happy. Kumar had clear, if modest, plans for the money. Love interest: Dev Patel (left) stars as Jamal in the film, while Freida Pinto (right) stars as Latika in Danny Boyle's Slumdog Millionaire . He said he will use some to pay for a preparatory course so he can take India's tough civil service exam, which could lead to a secure and prestigious lifetime job. He said he will also buy a new home for his wife, pay off his parents' debts and give his brothers start-up cash so they can set up small businesses. And he plans to build a library in Motihari so the children of his village will have access to the books and knowledge he so desperately craved, he said. The win has as transformed Mr Kumar into a role model for millions of aspiring youngsters yearning to escape from lives of poverty and find a role in India's burgeoning economy. Gameshows regularly get audiences in the tens of millions. Humble beginnings: Sushil Kumar is from the small town of Motihari in the eastern state of Bihar, India (pictured) | Thousands of children in Bihar are severely affected by malnutrition, causing many to become paralysed .
Kumar's winning questions will be aired on November 2 . |
226,288 | b104fc83ffef938bdce60b6d7270e82f6865361d | (Parenting.com) -- When we asked you to tell us about the amazing moms in your life, we had no idea we'd be flooded with hundreds of stories about such inspiring women doing pretty powerful stuff for their families, friends and communities. Narrowing our search to just six finalists was no easy task, but, ultimately, these women represent all mothers who work selflessly each day to raise their families and do good things. Here they are: our Moms Who Rock. Starla Jones . 22, Norman, Oklahoma; mom to son Elijah, 13 months, and foster mom to her niece, 5 months . Why she rocks: She broke a family legacy of neglect and abuse and fostered her sister's drug-addicted infant — all while being a new mom herself. Her story: Four days after Starla Jones' estranged older sister gave birth to a little girl, the baby was handed over to foster care. (The laws in some states prohibit the baby from being identified.) Starla, herself a new mom, felt she needed to step in and help. "I wanted to do what I could to give her a normal life," says Starla, who lived in foster homes for a couple of years as a child. "I didn't want her to go through what I did." When she and her husband welcomed her niece at 3 weeks old, the newborn was underweight and still dealing with drug withdrawal symptoms like not wanting to be held and difficulty sleeping. "That was probably the hardest time of my life," she says. Fortunately, the little girl is thriving under their care. "She's so smiley," says Starla. The couple are trying to officially adopt the infant. "It's a huge blessing to see a baby who was going through something so difficult and then to see her get the love she deserves," Starla says. "I'm truly amazed to see her happy and doing great." Parenting.com: The weirdest maternity photos ever . Courtney deYager . 24, Seattle, Washington; mom to daughter Kaylee Hope, 5 months . Why she rocks: Despite an unimaginable loss, she reached out to support other grieving parents. Her story: After a healthy pregnancy in 2009, nurse Courtney DeYager was devastated to give birth to an 8-pound 14-ounce stillborn son named Zachary. Days later, Courtney began blogging her story atzacharymichaeldeyager.blogspot.com as a way to deal with her grief and connect with others dealing with devastating loss. "The blog has been a great way to reach out to other moms and give a voice to those who've lost a child," she says. A few days after Courtney suffered an ectopic pregnancy in January 2010, a fellow nurse asked her to travel to Haiti to help in the aftermath of the earthquake. Her time there brought an unexpected reward. "Haiti was the first time I felt like I could love kids again. It was healing for me," she says. Soon after returning home, Courtney learned she was pregnant. Kaylee Hope was born Nov. 27, 2010. "I'm loving being a mom and soaking it all in," Courtney says. Amy Dunnigan . 37, San Rafael, California; mom to daughter, 5, and son, 22 months . Why she rocks: She has tirelessly collected baby clothes for new-borns in need since 2006. Her story: For the past five years, Amy Dunnigan has made it her mission to help Loved Twice, a nonprofit dedicated to collecting and distributing gently used clothes to underprivileged babies in the San Francisco area. Since 2005, Loved Twice has collected 25,000 pounds of items — 5,000 pounds of which Amy contributed. She gathers, washes, sorts, repackages and delivers goods to the organization each week. She even scours sites like Craigslist and tries to convince sellers to donate items instead. "After you become a mom and hear that any child is in need, you want to drop everything and help," she says. "It's just instinct." Amy also uses this as a learning tool for her kids. "My son is in the car when I make my pickups," she says. "And my daughter enjoys snapping all the one-piece bodysuits. She knows she's helping babies. I think it's so important to teach kids how easy it is to donate and how fulfilling it is." Parenting.com: Totally ridiculous parenting products . Tishara Osbey . 21, Crete, Nebraska; mom to daughter Alyssia, 12 months . Why she rocks: She regained her footing as a single mom and found time to go to work, school and feed the homeless. Her story: When Tishara Osbey became pregnant her sophomore year of college, she was faced with personal and financial struggles. Thanks to a school adviser who went out of her way to help Tishara and her new baby, she was encouraged to get back on track. "If she wasn't going to give up on me, I knew I couldn't give up on myself either," says Tishara. The single mom then focused on re-enrolling for the fall semester. She also started a job, but wanted to help people too. The local soup kitchen didn't need more volunteers, so using her own money, Tishara began bagging lunches and driving 50 miles round trip to downtown Lincoln, Nebraska, to give food to the homeless every week. She hopes to one day open a homeless shelter, but in the meantime, Tishara's working on a sociology degree and raising Alyssia. "I plan to teach her through example and involvement in things I do." Cari Childers . 24, Spring Hill, Florida; mom to daughter MaKayla, 6 months . Why she rocks: Come March, the new mom will deploy to Afghanistan for 12 months, where she'll serve as a mechanic for the Black Hawk helicopters used for patrol, transportation and flight training. Her story: While serving in the National Guard since 2003, Cari Childers did a tour in Iraq from 2008 to 2009, where for four of those months she flew as a door gunner. (Yep, you read that right — she aimed and fired arms from a helicopter.) Cari admits it wasn't difficult being away from home during her previous tour because she wasn't married or a mother. This time will be a challenge. "It's especially hard for a mom missing your child's milestones," she says. Cari credits her husband, Kyle, a stay-at-home father, for supporting her career. While it might be difficult to be away, Cari knows her work is helping to create a good life for her family. "There's nothing better than what I do." First lady Michelle Obama launched an initiative encouraging all Americans to find ways to help support the families of those who serve in the Armed Forces. For more on Strengthening Our Military Families, go to serve.gov. Parenting.com: How to take the coolest family portraits ever . Brooke Scollin . 27, Blue Springs, Missouri; mom to son Austin, 6, and daughter Kenadie, 4 . Why she rocks: She volunteered as a gestational carrier for her cousin and then pumped breast milk for the baby. Her story: After a decade of trying to conceive, including several rounds of in vitro fertilization attempts, Monika Ogilvie and her husband had nearly given up hope of having a biological child. That is, until Monika's cousin, Brooke Scollin (pictured, right), offered to be her gestational carrier. "My kids are my life, and I can't imagine trying for 10 years and not getting anything in the end," Brooke says. In January 2010, Brooke underwent an embryo transfer resulting in a pregnancy after the first try. Brooke welcomed Monika at doctors' appointments and ultrasounds so she could enjoy each step of the baby's growth. "The experience was amazing," says Monika. "I got to go to every appointment and feel the baby kick for the first time on Mother's Day. I don't feel like I missed anything." When Brooke gave birth last October to a healthy baby girl named Olivia, she went on to pump breast milk for four months while working. Naturally, the experience brought the cousins closer. "We are 10 years apart, so we weren't always close," says Brooke, "but now Monika is like a sister to me. I don't remember what my life was like without having her in it every day." Parenting.com: 17 easy steps to becoming a happier mom . Get 2 FREE YEARS of Parenting magazine - Subscribe Now!! Copyright 2011 The Parenting Group. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. | These six women represent the mothers who work selflessly each day .
Starla Jones broke a family legacy of neglect and abuse .
Brooke Scollin was a gestational carrier for her cousin . |
280,784 | f7bfedd1e9e64ecb3b895e38536b1bbe9dcb7d03 | The father of a suburban Denver girl who tried to sneak into Syria and join ISIS with two others has condemned her actions. He also admitted that she was confused about what her role would be if she had actually made it there. 'She told me they were going to get there and somebody is going to contact them,' said the father of a 16-year-old Sudanese girl, who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity because he is concerned for the girls' safety. 'I ask her, "Who's that person?" She actually didn't have a clear idea about what's going on. They're just like, you know, stupid little girls. They just want to do something, and they do it.' Scroll down for video . Back home: Police say this is the Aurora, Colorado apartment complex where one of the girls who tried to join ISIS with two friends . The FBI says the 16-year-old and her friends, 15- and 17-year-old sisters of Somali descent, were headed toward Turkey en route to Syria when authorities stopped them on October 20 at the Frankfurt, Germany airport. They sent them back to Denver, where FBI agents again interviewed them before releasing them to their parents without pressing charges. They're safe now, but the father said he is still troubled by lingering questions about their intentions, who recruited them online and how they were so easily able to board a plane and head overseas. The FBI is focusing on what contacts they had in Syria, having searched the girls' computers for clues. 'What they did is unacceptable, and they changed their lives, and they changed our lives,' he said, adding that he pulled his daughter out of school. She hasn't had contact with her friends. She told her father she was afraid to talk to him about going to Syria because she knew he would oppose it. 'She realizes she made a mistake.' He said he became concerned October 17, when his daughter's high school called to say she had not shown up for classes. He texted her, and she responded that she was just late, but she didn't return home, and her brother mentioned a disturbing Twitter conversation from her account. 'She asked her friends to pray for her because she and the other two girls ... and at that time, I just knew that something really bad was going to happen,' he said. Then, he noticed her passport missing. He called the FBI and his state lawmaker, Rep. Daniel Kagan, for help. Residence: Police say this Aurora, Colorado apartment building is where two out of the three would-be ISIS recruits live . Authorities said the girls had saved their money and stole from their parents to buy their tickets in cash at a Lufthansa counter at Denver International Airport. Their overseas trip raised no red flags. The U.S. government doesn't have any restrictions on children flying alone, domestically or internationally. Most U.S. airlines allow children 12 and older to fly alone but often with restrictions on international flights. The girl left behind her laptop, which showed she had been researching whether minors could travel alone and if an entry visa to Turkey was required. The father wasn't sure how his daughter, a typical high school girl who likes going to the movies and the mall, was lured to terrorism online. Officials have said one of the girls had planned the voyage and encouraged the others to come along. Authorities say the teenage girls tried to join Islamic State militants in Syria (file photo) The family moved to the U.S. in 2001 and to Colorado three years ago after living in Lincoln, Nebraska. Less was known about the Somali family, but those close to them said they have been in Colorado for years. Their father, who works as a hotel housekeeper, is from Mogadishu. Members of southeast Denver's tight-knit East African community are now concerned other children will follow the girls' path. The FBI has been investigating whether they had friends or associates with similar intentions. 'This is now an open wound,' said Halimo Hashi, a Somali immigrant who owns an African fashion boutique among a jumble of ethnic markets and restaurants where the girls' father often visits. 'I'm concerned about other kids now falling into that trap because of the attention those girls are getting.' | The FBI says a 16-year-old and her friends, 15- and 17-year-old sisters, were headed toward Turkey en route to Syria when they were stopped in Germany .
The 16-year-old's father has said he is still troubled by lingering questions about their intentions .
He said that he pulled his daughter out of school and that she hasn't had contact with her friends .
The family moved to the U.S. in 2001 and to Colorado three years ago after living in Nebraska .
The girls were sent back to Denver, where FBI agents again interviewed them before releasing them to their parents without pressing charges . |
129,077 | 32cc6228444e22ab3b5351823e1bc74e1e9e586c | (CNN) -- Tom Cruise expounds on his beliefs in Scientology in a 2004 video that made its way onto the Internet this week. Tom Cruise appears with his wife, Katie Holmes, at a movie premiere earlier this month. "I think it's a privilege to call yourself a Scientologist, and it's something you have to earn," Cruise says at the beginning of the video. Cruise says he's "driven ... by the opportunity to really help, for the first time, change people's lives. I'm absolutely, uncompromisingly dedicated to that." The video was shown at a 2004 Scientology ceremony honoring Cruise for his humanitarian work. Church of Scientology officials said it can be viewed at any of its churches, but it created a stir this week when what the church calls a pirated and edited version appeared on YouTube. The video has since been taken off YouTube, but an interview portion remained available on the celebrity Web site gawker.com on Thursday. Watch snippets of Cruise video » . "The Cruise Indoctrination Video Scientology Tried To Suppress" is the title of gawker.com's presentation. "You have to watch this video," the site says. "It shows Tom Cruise, with all the wide-eyed fervor that he brings to the promotion of a movie, making the argument for Scientology," which it calls "the bizarre 20th-century religion. Watch "Showbiz Tonight" discussion of Cruise video » . Cruise talks over a repetitive guitar-riff soundtrack, and appears to be answering questions, though an interviewer is not seen or heard. A second part of the video, made available to CNN by the publisher of a new unauthorized biography of Cruise, shows Cruise accepting Scientology's Freedom Medal of Valor award and exchanging military-like salutes with Scientology chairman David Miscavige to audience applause. The publisher denies leaking other parts of the video to the Web. In the video by the publisher, Cruise also salutes a portrait of L. Ron Hubbard, cited on the church's Web site as the founder of "the only major religion founded in the 20th century." Hubbard's biography cites his accomplishments as everything from mariner and horticulturalist to author and humanitarian. In the video, Cruise puts emphasis on the latter role. A Scientologist "has the ability to create new realities and improve conditions," Cruise says. On its Web site, the Church of Scientology highlights its humanitarian work, from anti-drug campaigns in places from Minnesota to Taiwan to teacher training in India. The Web site defines Scientology as "the study of truth." Cruise embraces that in the video. "If you're a Scientologist, ... you see things the way they are," Cruise says. He also says he finds peace in the religion. "The more you know as a Scientologist, you don't become overwhelmed by it," according to Cruise. The unauthorized biography of Cruise is by author Andrew Morton. A Cruise spokesperson and the Church of Scientology have disputed the book, saying Morton did not seek their comment. "Accuracy and truth were not on Morton's agenda," according to a church statement. Morton denies that and says Cruise, who he calls "a towering figure on the international scene," and his faith are worthy of scrutiny. "Tom Cruise has done remarkable work for his faith over the past few years," Morton said. "If it wasn't for him the Church of Scientology would be a shadow of what it is today." E-mail to a friend . CNN's Brad Lendon, David Mattingly and Don Lemon contributed to this report. | Scientology membership a privilege that's earned, Cruise says .
2004 video part of ceremony honoring Cruise for humanitarian work .
Scientology defined as "study of the truth" |
275,235 | f0911473ae48ad7c058bae9fe797b0ac16769058 | By . Frank Thorne and Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 09:04 EST, 7 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:07 EST, 7 January 2013 . An Australian stonemason was left stunned when a lightning bolt destroyed his tribute to an iconic ancient Greek sculpture - and left only the statue's breasts intact. Tom Finlay, 48, was standing just yards from his voluptuous hand-carved Venus de Milo sculpture in the yard of his business near Yarrawonga in the remote Northern Territory of Australia when there was a flash of white light and an 'almighty kaboom'. Locally sourced porcenalite was scattered everywhere and the statue had been destroyed as it was struck by lightning. Venus was her name: Stonemason Tom Finlay holds the remainder of his own version of the iconic sculpture Venus de Milo after it was destroyed by a bolt of lightning . Bolt from the blue: Mr Finlay describes how there was a blinding light and an 'almighty kaboom' when the lightning bolt struck Venus . But Mr Finlay was amazed, when he found that Venus' 30 kg breasts had survived the freak strike, the Northern Territory News reported. He said: 'There was a clap of thunder and the sculpture blew up like a rocket-launcher had hit it. 'The lightning looked like a serpent. 'Everything disintegrated but the breasts - all that's left is what's under her hips,' he added. The 1.5m high sculpture, made of local porcelanite, had been proudly perched on a 6m steel reinforced column before the strike. Shattered stone was strewn about the small courtyard at Finlay's Stonemasonry, where the top half of the headless Venus was obliterated on Friday afternoon. Force of nature: Mr Finlay says that he does not know whether the lightning strike was a message from a higher power . Destroyed: Tom Finlay had sculpted the statue ten years ago as a tribute to Northern Territory women . He had made the sculpture - based on Alexandros' ancient Greek statue Venus de Milo - as a tribute to Northern Territory women ten years ago. The statue was his first attempt at sculpting a human form. Despite the eight meter drop onto the stone mural below, Venus' breasts survived intact, with just one nipple slightly damaged. Mr Finlay said that he's not sure what he plans to do with the remainder of the statue and may hang it on the wall of his office. He added that he is not sure whether the bolt was a message from a higher power. He will leave the shattered stone scattered around the statue's base for now to show the 'force of nature'. Unscathed: The 30kg breasts survived the lightning strike and subsequent fall almost entirely unscathed apart from damage to one of the nipples . Remains: Only a small part of the statue below the hips remains on top of the plinth . Replica: Tom Finlay's statue was a tribute to the iconic Venus de Milo statue . | Tom Finlay's version of Venus de Milo was struck by lightning .
Only the breasts of the statue in Australia's Northern Territory were left . |
28,126 | 4fb7eb637253feb70498a0a3de8019784025d3b0 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:10 EST, 31 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:14 EST, 31 March 2013 . Eight out of 10 women say they still do more housework than their husbands . Feminism has failed working class women by focussing too much on gender equality in high profile roles, according to new research. Eight out of 10 married women still do more housework than their husbands, according to the research by . think-tank Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), while just one in 10 married . men do an equal amount and 13 per cent do more. Despite this, the number of 'house husbands' in . Britain trebled over the last 15 years, with 62,000 men staying at home . to care for their family and remaining economically inactive. While the average gap between the earnings of men and women has narrowed in the last 50 years, differences between professional and unskilled women are significantly higher than those between men, a report by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found. With or without a university degree, men continue to earn more than their female counterparts. But researchers found that women with a degree born in 1958 earned nearly three times as much as women in unskilled jobs born in the same year - compared to a difference of less than half between men in the same groups. Dalia Ben-Galim, IPPR associate director, said: 'While feminism has delivered for some professional women, other women have been left behind. 'Many of the advances for women at the top have masked inequality at the bottom. 'The "break-the-glass-ceiling" approach that simply promotes "women in the boardroom" has not been as successful in changing family-friendly working culture or providing opportunities for other women to advance. 'Gender still has a strong independent impact on women's earnings prospects - but class, education and occupational backgrounds are stronger determinants of a woman's progression and earnings prospects. Motherhood was also a key factor, . with women who had children earlier seeing their earnings prospects . decrease compared to those who postponed forming a family, the study . found. For men the reverse was true, as fathers enjoyed a 'fatherhood pay bonus' which saw them earn more than men without children. The . IPPR called for a more progressive parental leave system, more . affordable and accessible childcare and better paid part-time jobs to . address these issues. It . also warned against the 'decoy effect' of focussing on women in high . profile positions, and said the breaking down of stereotypes should be . the priority. Researchers . discovered that British men and women increasingly marry partners from . their same social group, with a decline in women 'marrying up' and a . small increase of women 'marrying down. | Just one in 10 married men do an equal amount of chores in the home .
Number of 'house husbands' in Britain has trebled over the last 15 years .
With or without a university degree, men continue to earn more than women .
Study carried out by Institute for Public Policy Research . |
248,919 | ce1e1de7edbb838d410fbbd62f5fdf80570c95d5 | Six-year-old Jayden David violently shakes on the ground, his blue eyes vacant and then filled with searing pain. The video shows an unvarnished look at a seizure, something Jayden once experienced routinely. Not anymore, says his father, thanks to medical marijuana. Before he started taking a liquid, nonpsychoactive form of marijuana, Jayden couldn't walk, eat solid food or take a bath. He has Dravet's syndrome, a rare and catastrophic form of childhood epilepsy. It has triggered seizures so frequent that 44 times he has been rushed to the hospital in an ambulance, his distraught father by his side. Jayden's doctors prescribed 22 anti-seizure pills a day, which controlled the seizures but left him immobilized due to the side effects. "He's in pain and suffering and crying," said Jayden's father, Jason David. "You can't help him no matter what. What are you supposed to do? You have to do whatever it takes to save their life." Last year, he had enough. Delirious with fatigue and emotional pain, Jason David called his mother to say he wanted to put a gun to his head, just to end the heartbreak of seeing his son suffer. His mother convinced him to not give up. David turned to something he had seen on television: medical marijuana. On June 4, 2011, David gave his son marijuana. For the first time since Jayden was 4 months old, the boy went through an entire day without a seizure. "Instead of medical marijuana, this is miracle marijuana," said David, holding up a jam jar full of liquefied and cooled cannabis. Jayden is not just walking, he's running. He plays at a park, climbing up and down the steps of the jungle gym. He swims at his local pool, splashing in the water with his father and other children. He loves to go to Fuddruckers to dig into his favorite food, a cheeseburger with mushrooms. His father has begun to wean him off the powerful pharmaceutical pills, which he believes have kept his son from developing properly. Children and medical marijuana . The liquid, nonpsychoactive form of marijuana that Jayden takes ensures the boy doesn't get "high." In a laboratory, the marijuana is distilled down to mostly cannabidiols, which advocates say is the potent medicinal value of the drug. Harborside Health Center, a medical marijuana clinic in Oakland, California, helped create the original tincture Jayden took. The center still analyzes and tests the marijuana before David administers it to his son. Harborside says it helps a number of child patients, including Jayden, whose parents legally obtain the marijuana. "Parents don't want to bring their children to something controversial like cannabis," says Harborside's executive director, Steven DeAngelo. "They do it reluctantly, and they do it because they're at their wit's end." Eighteen states have legalized marijuana for medicinal uses or limited personal use. California, which has the nation's largest number of registered users, does not keep demographic data on its registrants. But Colorado has 45 registered users under age 18, Oregon reports 56 child users and Montana has 55. DeAngelo says children with severe autism, epilepsy, ADHD and cancer can be helped by medicinal marijuana. But those sick children, says DeAngelo, often face barriers to accessing marijuana. "What I worry about are the thousands and thousands of children like Jayden who are suffering unnecessarily, who I know we could help," he says. "The only thing separating them from help are outdated rules that need to be changed." Those rules are at the federal level, where marijuana remains illegal. Highs and lows of using marijuana . Dr. Seth Ammerman, a pediatrician and specialist in adolescent substance addiction, acknowledges anecdotal reports like Jayden's remarkable turnaround. But he warns that a parent is "flying by the seat of his or her pants" when it comes to treating children with marijuana. "I do think there's potential for these cannabinoids to be medically relevant, but at this time we don't know the risks," says Ammerman. Because marijuana is illegal at the federal level, the government hasn't conducted any thorough research on the possible medicinal benefits. Ammerman is in favor of federal testing, but without it, he says marijuana is too risky to administer to children. "We don't know if these treatments are going to work for every given child, or every given adolescent. There may well be serious side effects." David says he'd pit his son's progress on medical marijuana against any pharmaceutical drug that currently treats Dravet's syndrome. What drives him, he says, is the hope that his boy will one day say, "I love you," something David says a thousand times a day to his son. While we're present, Jayden says something close to "I love you." His father's face lights up. "That's all I want to hear," says David. He hugs his son. "I'm really close." | Jayden David suffers from a rare form of childhood epilepsy .
The 6-year-old suffered from frequent, violent seizures .
At wit's end, his father gave him a liquid, nonpsychoactive form of cannabis .
For more than a year, it has helped stem his seizures . |
44,298 | 7ce5f5bce014ceb8f83493de9dd0db8e79745320 | By . Laura Clark for the Daily Mail . A generation of teachers will struggle to introduce a tough new school curriculum because of their own poor grasp of the three Rs, a leading headmistress warned today. Many bright teachers are ‘completely at sea’ with proper English grammar and have little knowledge of the literary canon because their own education lacked rigour, according to Alice Phillips. Teachers had been ‘hastily’ swotting up ahead of the introduction of the new curriculum across primary and secondary schools this week. Problem: Teachers do not have a good enough grasp of English grammar, warns a leading headmistress . But Mrs Phillips, president of the Girls’ Schools Association, warned that extra training courses were not enough and called for more rigorous degrees for would-be teachers. Under the new curriculum, more emphasis will be placed on giving pupils a grounding in English grammar and punctuation. Pupils will also be required to study a broader range of classic literary works including at least one 19th century novel and a selection of poetry since 1789. In maths, pupils will be required to cover more material with greater emphasis on times tables, fractions, algebra and mental arithmetic. But Mrs Phillips, head of fee-paying St Catherine’s School, Bramley, near Guildford, Surrey warned that a generation of teachers would struggle to deliver the lessons because their own education lacked ‘breadth’. She said her school had introduced a specific English grammar course for 11-year-olds only to discover that some staff were ill-equipped to teach it. ‘In the process of introducing the course we quickly established that some of our younger teachers have not been taught English grammar in the 90s and 00s when they were at school themselves and, consequently, they feel less confident as they teach as relatively new learners themselves,’ she said in a blog for the TES teachers’ journal. ‘Many of our brightest, most enthusiastic teachers have little or no grounding in English language or grammar – through no fault of their own - and are completely at sea with many aspects of proper usage,’ she added. They would struggle to ‘delve into the mysteries of subordinate clauses’ with a class of 14-year-olds, she said. She also warned that some English literature teachers were ‘frankly, unversed in much pre-20th century literature’. Without prior knowledge of a broad range of texts, teachers may simply ‘bone up on two or three texts and stick to them’. But Mrs Phillips added: ‘This is not at all in the spirit of the new curriculum, nor will it be permissible. ‘Whilst, with the old GCSE, a teacher could stick determinedly to one or two staples, the new curriculum will change set text lists more regularly. ‘This is a welcome return to variety, but are we supporting our teachers to be ready and is there time to get this right for the first generation of students?’ In maths, there was already a shortage of qualified teachers. This would lead to problems teaching the new so-called ‘big fat maths’ curriculum, said Mrs Phillips. ‘While we undoubtedly have teachers who know the maths, there are not enough of them around to teach the extras. ‘This can only mean that schools will be placing in front of students teachers for whom maths is not their degree subject, or even an allied subject.’ In a series of proposals, Mrs Phillips called for student debt to be waived for graduates who stayed in teaching for 10 years. She also called for a Government PR campaign targeting pupils as young as 17 to encourage them to become teachers as well as a new breed of ‘subject-focused’ degree courses combined with educational theory to encourage more bright students into the profession. ‘Bridging the knowledge gap for a generation of teachers whose own education may not have included the breadth that the new curriculum espouses is our immediate task. 'Beyond that, we must ensure that future teacher training addresses subject knowledge as well as education theory,’ she said. | Leading headmistress Alice Phillips warned extra training is not enough .
Claims many bright teachers are 'completely at sea' with proper language .
Under new curriculum, more emphasis will be placed on English grammar . |
223,677 | ad9c3d4e1a4a55d75df506e7a3f899b3f90d3134 | This vast white landscape is covered in a blanket of stunning ice sculptures which are creations of nature. The naturally formed ice blocks, named ice hummocks, have been created due to the extreme weather conditions. Freezing temperatures and fierce winds causes fresh ice and ice floes to move, resulting in these picturesque blocks. The ice hummocks, created through a combination of extreme winds and cold temperatures, can reach a height of 15m (50ft) Snow glow area: The huge blocks of ice appear to glow bright blue as they catch the sun . The ice hummocks can reach a height of 15m (50ft) and photographer Alexey Trofimov was awed by the amazing sights surrounding him. The snapper took the photos at Lake Baikal in the south of the Russian region of Siberia, where temperatures can plummet to minus 38 degrees Celsius. The lake itself is a natural wonder. It is at least 25 million years old and is known as one of the largest and deepest lakes in the world. Lake Baikal also holds one-fifth of the world's fresh water. Out of the blue: The 'sculptures' stand out against the otherwise barren landscape . Ice and a slice: This piece of ice looks as though it has been carved by hand, rather than formed by the wind . Alexey, 42, who lives near Lake Baikal in Bratsk, said: 'Living so close to Lake Baikal it would be silly of me not to take the chance to photograph this beautiful and majestic place. 'There's still a lot of unexplored places in Lake Baikal and my job as a photographer is to show people the miracles of the nature here. 'On Lake Baikal everything is very stunning and unusual, the place does not cease to surprise. 'I am pleased with my photos but I want to go back and take some more interesting and unusual shots. 'I was happy I was able to pull off some amazing shots in this trip, and not only of the hummocks, but the beautiful landscapes too.' 'Miracle of nature': It is easy to see why photographer Alexey Trofimov described Lake Baikal as 'majestic' | Named ice hummocks, the giant blocks are formed by movement of ice floes .
These hummocks are on Lake Baikal in Siberia, which holds one fifth of the world's fresh water . |
257,865 | d9b5b0d131716709ba79a1f3732d8442aa723d16 | By . Lawrence Conway . PUBLISHED: . 08:57 EST, 19 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:59 EST, 19 June 2012 . Iran and world powers blamed each other today for the lack of progress in talks on Tehran's nuclear programme. The stalemate has dimmed hopes of a breakthrough which it was hoped would avert the threat of a new Middle East war. On the second and final day of talks in Moscow, frustration mounted over the failure to move any closer to ending a decade of negotiations over Iranian work. Deadlock: Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (centre) visiting the Natanz Uranium Enrichment Facility in April 2008 which the international community believe may be one of the sites that Iran is potentially enriching uranium to weapons grade . If talks collapse, nerves could grow on financial markets over the danger of higher oil prices and new conflict in the Middle East. Israel has previously threatened to bomb Iranian nuclear sites if diplomacy fails to stop Tehran getting the bomb. An Iranian diplomat said: 'We did not come to Moscow only for discussions. We came to Moscow for a resolution. But we believe the opposite side is not ready to reach a resolution.' Iran says its nuclear programme has only non-military purposes, but the United States, Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany want Tehran to stop enriching uranium to levels that bring it close to acquiring weapons-grade material. Battle: European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, (pictured in 2011) who is leading the world powers' delegation, found Monday's talks had been 'intense and tough' according to her spokesman . Iran's negotiators want relief from . economic sanctions and are pushing the six powers to acknowledge its . right to enrich uranium, something they refuse to do until Tehran allows . United Nations inspections of its work. A . spokesman for European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who . is leading the world powers' delegation, said Monday's talks had been . intense and tough. A Western diplomat made clear late on Monday Iran needed to do more to address proposals made by the six powers at the last round of talks. The diplomat, who was at the talks, said: 'Our key requirements are: stop, shut and ship.' Power: The Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (seated second from right) leads the country with Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (seated second from left) He was referring to demands for Iran to stop producing higher-grade uranium, ship any stockpile out of the country and close down an underground enrichment facility, Fordow. But an Iranian official said Tehran's delegation had made detailed proposals on the first day of talks and the six powers had responded with one-line answers that lacked any depth. He said: 'Our feeling is that the agenda this group is following is not suitable for the arguments that Iran was making. We believe we are at a crossroads. And today the other side has to choose a path.' Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov, who leads Russia's delegation at the talks, said diplomacy could still be salvaged. Ryabkov said: 'I don't think anything will break down. We will have a reasonable outcome.' Ambition: The Bushehr nuclear power plant, just outside the southern city of Bushehr, Iran is feared to be among possible Israeli military targets if negotiations over Iranian uranium enrichment fail to reach agreement (picture from 2010) Production: A picture taken inside the Russian built nuclear power plant in Bushehr south of Tehran in 2009 when journalists were allowed to tour the facility . The Moscow talks follow two rounds of negotiations since diplomacy resumed in April after a 15-month hiatus. During the break in talks the West cranked up sanctions pressure and Israel repeated its threat to bomb Iranian nuclear sites if diplomacy failed. A second Western diplomat said: 'We haven't reached an agreement, but it is more complex than that. We haven't got to the end of the conversation.' A series of United Nations Security Council resolutions since 2006 have demanded Iran suspend all its enrichment-related activities. Tehran denies planning to build nuclear weapons and says its programme is purely for civilian purposes. Rather than halt enrichment - a process which refines uranium for use as fuel or, if done to a much higher level, nuclear bomb material - Iran has increased its activities. Experts said a breakthrough was unlikely as the six powers involved are wary of making concessions that would let Tehran draw out the talks and gain the time needed to develop nuclear weapons. Unity: U.S. President Barack Obama (right) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) yesterday at the G20 Summit in Mexico have both called on Tehran to prove its nuclear programme is not aimed at developing weapons . An EU embargo on Iranian oil takes full effect on July 1 and new U.S. financial sanctions shortly before that. Iran's crude oil exports have fallen by some 40 percent this year, according to the International Energy Agency. Increasing the pressure, is Israel - believed to be the only nuclear-armed country in the Middle East - has said time is running out before Iran's nuclear facilities, some of which are deep underground, become invulnerable to air strikes. Western diplomats said one positive sign to emerge from Monday's talks was that Tehran was willing to discuss higher-grade uranium, the international community's most pressing concern. In early 2010, Iran announced it had started enriching uranium to 20 percent purity, a level much higher than what is needed for power generation and seen by some experts as a dangerous step towards being able to make bomb material. The six powers want a substantive response to their offer of fuel supplies for Tehran's research reactor and relief in sanctions on the sale of commercial aircraft parts to Iran. Diplomats said the powers had also suggested, at a meeting in Baghdad in May, that they suspend introducing new sanctions at the United Nations level while diplomacy is taking place, but only if their demands on high-grade uranium are met. Displaying unity after meeting on the sidelines of a G20 summit in Mexico on Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama again called for Tehran to prove its nuclear programme is not aimed at developing weapons. Obama said the two leaders agreed on the need for a diplomatic solution to the standoff and that there was still time to resolve the matter through diplomatic means. | Second and final day of talks between six world powers and the Iranians fail to reach any new agreements .
Russia, China, Britain, France and Germany and U.S. want Tehran to stop enriching uranium .
But Iranian diplomats are claiming 'opposite side is not ready to reach a resolution' |
66,532 | bcb5be1327c5625406709fd8987ae5fe13e09e2a | LOS ANGELES, California (Reuters) -- Paul Stanley, a singer and guitarist with rock band Kiss, was forced to pull out of a show in California on Friday after his heart started beating at more than twice the normal level, he said on his Web site. Paul Stanley, pictured here in April, co-founded Kiss with Gene Simmons in New York in 1973. The apparent tachycardia happened while the band was rehearsing for a performance at a casino in San Jacinto, California, about 90 miles (145 km) east of Los Angeles. "My heart spontaneously jumped to 190 plus beats per minute, where it stayed for over an hour necessitating paramedics to start an IV and give me a shot to momentarily stop my heart and get it into a normal pattern," Stanley, 55, wrote on his site www.paulstanley.com. A normal heart rate at rest is about 60 to 80 beats a minute, according to the American Heart Association. Tachycardia, or rapid heart rate, can cause palpitations, shortness of breath, chest pain, dizziness, lightheadedness, fainting or near fainting, the group said on its Web site www.americanheart.org. Stanley said he was advised performing would be risky, and the show went on without him. Fellow principal Gene Simmons told fans the group would play as a trio, and turned the show into a tribute to his ailing bandmate. A call to Kiss manager Doc McGhee for an update on Stanley's condition was not immediately returned late on Saturday. Stanley, born Stanley Eisen, and Simmons co-founded Kiss in New York City in 1973. Adored by fans, despised by critics, the group made a name for itself performing in white face make-up and ghoulish costumes. Hits during its heyday included such anthems of teen rebellion as "Rock and Roll All Nite" and "Shout It Out Loud." Stanley released a solo album last year. E-mail to a friend . Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | Apparent tachycardia, or rapid heart rate, struck while the band was rehearsing .
Stanley: "My heart spontaneously jumped to 190 plus beats per minute"
Stanley said he was told performing would be risky; show went on without him . |
100,075 | 0cf02bae291071b0da034bab06039edeef8373f1 | (CNN) -- iReporters have a message for Richard Wright: Shine on, you crazy diamond. Jessica Schuette's tattoo reminds her of her late friend, who was a big fan of Pink Floyd. Wright, a founding member of epic rock group Pink Floyd, died Monday. The keyboardist had been battling cancer and succumbed at his home in Britain. Wright is credited with writing some of the band's most well-known hits, such as "The Great Gig in the Sky" and "Us and Them." Pink Floyd has thousands of devoted fans across the world, and the news of Wright's death inspired many of them to write into iReport to share how Richard Wright and the rest of the group touched and changed their lives. Jessica Schuette shared a photo of her Pink Floyd-inspired tattoo: a shimmering diamond above the words "shine on." She got the tattoo in 2005 in memory of her best friend, who died in a car accident. "This was her favorite song. I got this tattoo to remember her," Schuette said. "If that doesn't say something about the impact that this band has had on people, I don't know what will." Pink Floyd touched the lives of Schuette and her friend even though they were never able to see one of the band's legendary live shows. Schuette, who is a dedicated Pink Floyd fan herself, pointed out that she's only 21 -- born 13 years after they released the epic album "Dark Side of the Moon," and too young to have seen the band live when they were touring. iReport.com: Read more of Schuette's thoughts . Omar Pelea of Miami, Florida, hopes the tragedy of Wright's death will give Schuette and other fans their long-awaited chance to see the group live. He hopes the death will inspire the other members of Pink Floyd to begin touring again. Pink Floyd has not toured with lead singer and songwriter Roger Waters since 1981, although Rogers reunited with the band in 2005 for a concert at Live 8 in London. "Now would be a good time for the remaining members to contemplate the fact that a reunion is running short on time," he said. "There are bigger things in life than their differences. Perhaps they should put those differences aside and play for the world one last time." "To me, Pink Floyd is the greatest band ever to play on this Earth," he added. iReport.com: Pelea compares Wright to the late George Harrison . Long-time Pink Floyd fan Pamela Keenan had the chance to perform some of the group's greatest works herself. She is a member of Endicott Performing Arts Center, a theatre company in Endicott, New York, that has performed its own adaptations of "The Wall" and "Dark Side of the Moon." "We had a band on the stage with us. We had images and films projected on the back of the stage and we had full choreography and vocals for all the songs from each album," she said. "I listened to all of the music over and over again as a teen, but to be able to perform it in my 30s brought a new respect for the lyrics and the sheer musical genius." iReport.com: See a Pink Floyd-themed bike ride . Keenan described Pink Floyd as "one of the greatest bands that's ever been in existence," but thinks the group is underrated by mainstream society today. "Children aren't exposed to it anymore," she said. "My kids are exposed to it because we did the shows -- and they love it." iReport.com: Keen recalls Pink Floyd stage show . "I credit Pink Floyd for being a big part of my imagination," said Dean Spiegal, who creates psychedelic videos inspired by the group's music. "Floyd was not a band, it was an experience. They did not make music for the people, they made music for their minds." iReport.com: Watch Spiegel's video tribute . And Eric Beck put it simply: . "It changed my life. It changed my life," he said of "Dark Side of the Moon." "Rick Wright made a major contribution to my life. And I will forever be so grateful to him and the rest of the band." iReport.com: Beck shares his memories via webcam . | Pink Floyd fans shared their memories of late keyboardist Richard Wright .
iReporters include theater company member who paid tribute to the band .
Jimi Lee remembers the first time he heard "Dark Side of the Moon"
Share your memories of Pink Floyd and Wright at iReport.com . |
196,348 | 8a1bbc3540cb6ffd2c32abc25dc6a79c00c09eca | President Barack Obama traveled to his adopted hometown of Chicago on Tuesday to continue his week-long campaign of garnering support for his executive action on immigration reform, but he led his speech by remarking on the deadly riots in Ferguson. "The frustrations that we've seen are not just about a particular incident. They have deep roots in many communities of color who have a sense that our laws are not being enforced uniformly or fairly," the President said. Moving on to the immigration issue, Obama touched on the reasons he signed the executive order last week that would allow millions of immigrants to stay in the country. He also made the argument that if Congress wants to repeal his orders, they should just, "pass a bill." RELATED: Obama: 'No sympathy' for violence in Ferguson . He referred to the bipartisan bill that passed the Senate, but has little hope of being brought up in the Republican-controlled House, saying, "A year and a half ago, the Senate passed a bipartisan bill to fix this system." "We would have doubled the number of border patrol agents," Obama said. "We would have made our legal immigration system smarter and fairer. It would have given millions of people the right to earn their citizenship." But, he added, "For a year and a half, Republican leaders in the House simply would not allow a vote." . The President reiterated that this executive action is just the beginning of the change he would like to see and that he believes his actions are legal, adding that both Presidents Reagan and Bush issued executive orders on the immigration issue. Obama was briefly interrupted by three immigration activists who heckled him, calling him the "deporter-in-chief." "It doesn't make sense to yell at me right now," he said. "What you're not paying attention to is, I just took an action to change the law." His address was held at the Copernicus Community Center, which is in a predominantly Polish-American community on the north side of the city. Before the President spoke, reporters overheard many of the attendees conversing and ordering refreshments in Polish. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn were also in the audience. Complete coverage of what's happening in Ferguson . | President Barack Obama commented on the tensions in Ferguson before pushing for immigration reform .
He said if Republican lawmakers don't like his executive action that would slow deportations, they should "pass a bill"
Obama's speech was interrupted by hecklers derided the President as "deporter-in-chief" |
133,358 | 386e840bbb50f7da36ca636578fa2ba6065b4cdd | Royalist . Colin Edwards, 73, has spent five decades following the family . Mr Edwards, from Ruthin, Wales, fell in love with the Royal Family aged just 12 . By . Scarlett Russell . An amateur photographer who has spent more than 50 years photographing the Royal Family has released his remarkably intimate images for the first time. Ardent royalist Colin Edwards, 73, from Ruthin, North Wales, has spent five decades following the family, spending thousands of pounds and clocking up countless miles on his quest. His one-man mission is now being recognised in a book which will for the first time reveal his amazing images of the The Queen, Queen Mother and Diana Princess of Wales, among others. Amateur photographer Colin Edwards has spent more than 50 years photographing the Royal Family, including a young Princess Diana of Wales. He has released his remarkably intimate images for the first time . Colin Edwards' one-man mission is now being recognised in a book which will for the first time reveal his amazing images of the the Queen (pictured), Queen Mother and Diana Princess of Wales, among others . Royal pictures by photographer Colin Edwards show The Queen, pictured here, the Queen Mother and Diana Princess of Wales . Royalist Colin Edwards, 73, has spent five decades following the Royal family and has spent thousands of pounds and clocking up thousands of miles. Princess Diana, pictured here, featured in many of the images . The photographer's pictures speak of an intimacy and trust between he and his royal subjects. A . smiling Queen, the breathtaking beauty of a young Diana and the . stalwart last days of the Queen Mother are all captured in his work. So . too, is a sense the Royal Family seem to recognise perhaps their . biggest fan: often the smiles and glances appear to be for the benefit . of Colin’s lens. Indeed letters from the Palace to Colin show that the Windsors warmed him over the years. Amateur photographer Colin Edwards spent more than 50 years photographing the Royal Family, including Diana with a young Prince Harry, pictured here . The Queen Mother, pictured here, was also photographed by Colin on many . occasions. He often waited hours for just the briefest glimpse of the . Royal family . Young Princess Diana, by Colin Edwards. 'I never expected that my experiences would be turned into a book,' he says. 'I just want people, royalists like myself, to enjoy it' A smiling Queen, taken by Colin Edwards. 'I just want people, royalists like myself, to enjoy it,' says the super-fan. His book, . A Personal Portrait of The Royal Family is published in May and also contains selected images of Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge . Perfect Princess: Diana, pictured here, was captured on camera by Colin during many public appearances . All smiles! The Queen has been photographed hundreds of times over the past 50 years by ardent royalist Colin Edwards . The Queen has clearly warmed to amateur photographer and self-confessed . Royalist, Colin Edwards, who took these pictures of her. The palace have . written to Colin to thank him for his continued support of the family . In one . letter dated April 21, 1992, the Queen’s Deputy Private Secretary . Kenneth Scott writes: 'No Royal visit would be complete without a . selection of splendid Edwards photographs, and the Queen was delighted . to see you in Chester and to receive those lovely photographs of . Wakefield.' The . incredible record will now be available for the first time in the . upcoming book A Personal Portrait of The Royal Family, released by Candy . Jar Books on April 10. Colin said his passion for the Royal’s began when he was aged just 12 on June 2, 1953, with Queen Elizabeth’s coronation. Colin Edwards presents a framed photograph to the Queen Mother - of the Queen Mother! The photographer releases a book of his Royal family images, taken over the last 50 years . Colin Edwards holds his new book; A Personal Portrait of The Royal Family . The Queen greets well-wishers including super-fan Colin, pictured here in his patriotic Wales cap, holding out a book for the Queen to look at . Colin often waited hours for a chance to meet the Royals. He is pictured here with Diana, Princess of Wales . The Queen Mother smiles sweetly for Colin's photograph. He has spent five decades following the family spending thousands of pounds and clocking up thousands of miles . He said: 'My family was one of the first in the street to own a television, so our lounge was filled with friends and neighbours for the event. 'The atmosphere was fantastic, and I’m proud to say that I’ve been a royalist ever since.' Since that momentous day, he has spent much of his life touring the UK to attend royal events, often waiting hours for a brief glimpse of the Queen. Colin’s first-ever photograph of her Majesty - he has now taken more than 1,000 - was captured in 1977, the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh's Silver Jubilee year. Royalist Colin Edwards dusts his collection of plates. 'My family was one of the first in the street to own a television, so our lounge was filled with friends and neighbours for the coronation when I was 12,' he says . Colin Edwards proudly displays his William and Kate figurines. The former civil servant said his passion for the Royal's began when he was aged just 12 on June 2, 1953, with Queen Elizabeth's coronation . Colin Edwards' home is full of Royal memorabilia he has collected over the past 50 years. His love for the Royal family started aged 12, when he watched the Queen's coronation . Colin says: 'I get such a buzz from it - I'm always on cloud nine after meeting Her Majesty' 'I get such a buzz from it,' he says. 'I’m always on "cloud nine" after meeting Her Majesty. It is the . anticipation of this euphoria which keeps me going, no matter how long I . have to wait or how cold it gets. Everyone is there for the same . reason.' His style is a far cry from typical paparazzi snapshots, as he captures a natural, softer side of the Royal Family. The pictures are interspersed with delightful anecdotes in which he recalls his personal experiences with the Royal family. These moments include the first time Diana, Princess of Wales, addressed him by name, and his delight at the Queen Mother attending one of his photography exhibitions. Colin has now taken more than 1,000 photographs of the Royal Family, including this of Princess Diana with her young sons, William, left, and Harry, right . Letters from the Palace to Colin. In one, dated April 21, 1992 (right) the Queen’s Deputy Private Secretary Kenneth Scott writes: 'No Royal . visit would be complete without a selection of splendid Edwards . photographs, and The Queen was delighted to see you in Chester and to . receive those lovely photographs of Wakefield' Colin, a former civil servant, from Ruthin, North Wales, said his passion for the royals began when he was aged just 12, on June 2, 1953, with Queen Elizabeth's coronation . Colin has . never kept a diary but said he has been blessed with a fantastic memory . and, with the aid of his photographs, he has been able to record his . royal memoirs. He said: 'I never expected that my experiences would be turned into a book, so it never occurred to me to write anything down. 'I just want people, royalists like myself, to enjoy it.' A Personal Portrait of The Royal Family is out now and also contains selected images of Prince Charles, Prince Harry, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge. It can be ordered from the Candy Jar Books website: www.candyjarbooks.co.uk . Colin's pictures include the first time Diana, Princess of Wales, pictured here, addressed him by name, and his delight at The Queen Mother attending one of his photography exhibitions . Colin has spent much of his life touring the UK to attend Royal events, often waiting hours for a brief glimpse of The Queen, pictured here . Despite not working for a newspaper or paying the bills with his pictures, Colin's quest to capture the Royals in pictures gained a remarkable trust from his subjects such as Diana, left, and the Queen, right . A smiling Queen is captured on camera by Colin . | Royalist .
Colin Edwards, 73, has spent five decades following the family .
Mr Edwards, from Ruthin, Wales, fell in love with the Royal Family aged just 12 .
Has taken over 1,000 images, shown for the first time in his book . |
167,561 | 64b54bc66f90e3304a43b5ea61fe48cb935b0e5d | A married couple on benefits lived in a string of luxury homes before fleeing without paying rent, reports today suggest. Housing benefit claimers Amanda and Derek Finnigan, both 35, who have seven children together, have rented three luxury homes across Scotland since September 2011, it is claimed. It is alleged that in each instance, they have fled the luxurious homes without paying rent - leaving three separate landlords out of pocket. Amanda and Derek Finnigan, who are alleged to have left three rented properties without settling their arrears . Now, the couple are alleged to owe a total £21,000 in rent arrears to the home owners. But Mrs Finnigan has defended the couple's actions, saying they need large properties as they are a nine-person family and that their choice of home has 'nothing to do with luxury'. She also denies fleecing any of the landlords. She added her family have been smeared as fraudsters - and that they didn't pay rent on one property because of extensive repair costs they were forced to make. According to Daily Record, the couple moved in to their first luxury home in September 2011. Two months after tying the knot, the couple moved their family into a four-bedroom detached home in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire. The property was advertised as costing £1100-a-month. House one, a four-bedroom detached home, which costs £1,100-a-month to rent, in Giffnock, East Renfrewshrie . House two, a seven-bedroom home in Thorntonhall, South Lanarkshire, which costs £2,500-a-month . Landlord Ian Anderson claims he was forced to take legal action when the couple missed several rent payments. Mr and Mrs Finnigan left the property in July 2012 - two days before the case reached court, the landlord said. He claims the couple still owe him £6,000. The couple then moved to a seven-bedroom home in Thorntonhall, South Lanarkshire. The rent on the property was £2,500-a-month. John Campbell, who owns the property, says after paying a deposit the couple failed to pay rent for nine months. House three, a five-bedroom home in Busby, East Renfrewshire. The rent was £1,395 a month . Mrs Finnigan, who denies swindling any landlords, pictured outside the home in Busby . Mr Campbell says he eventually told the council to begin paying their housing benefit directly to him. When the pair left in April 2013 they owed him £15,000, Mr Campbell claims. But Mrs Finnigan says the family do not owe the landlord anything as they were forced to make a stream of repair costs when they lived in the property. She also says the family were harassed by Mr Campbell - a claim he strongly denies. Speaking with the newspaper, he said: 'One can only fear for the next victim. As for harassment on my part, this is complete fiction.' The couple have recently left a third property - a detached, five-bedroom home in Busby, East Renfrewshire. The rent for the property was £1,395. Landlord Nick Barrat claims the cheque the couple paid for the deposit on the property plus one month's rent bounced. The landlord says despite arranging for housing benefit to be paid directly to him, the couple owe him £3,000 in rent. Mrs Finnigan admits she owes Mr Barrat £3,000. Speaking with Sally Hind from the newspaper, Mrs Finnigan said: 'I need five bedrooms. I have seven kids. The best option for us is to stay in a private rent and find whatever surplus there is. 'It has nothing to do with luxury.' She added the family were now in the process of moving into a smaller privately rented home. Efforts are currently being made by MailOnline to speak with the Finnigans and all landlord involved. | Amanda and Derek Finnigan, both 35, accused of leaving three privately rented houses without settling outstanding rent .
Landlords allege couple owe them a total of £21,000 in arrears .
Rented £1,100-a-month home in Giffnock, East Renfrewshire, then £2,500-a-month house in Thorntonhall, South Lanarkshire .
Moved out of a £1,395-a-month in Busby, East Renfrewshire, in January .
Benefit-claiming couple, who married in 2011, have seven children together .
Deny swindling landlords - and say they needed the large homes to accommodate their nine-person family . |
192,427 | 8520b01c3bbaf359e34e4fa43f926085a6c4dc75 | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 18:10 EST, 28 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:10 EST, 28 September 2012 . The mother of one of the Navy SEALs killed in the raid on a U.S. consulate in Libya has criticised the administration for its slow response to the massacre earlier this month. More than two weeks after the apparent terrorist attack in Benghazi which killed ambassador Chris Stevens along with three other officials, an FBI investigation team has yet to enter the city. Cheryl Croft Bennett, whose son Tyrone Woods died alongside his comrade Glen Doherty while trying to protect consulate staff, took to Facebook to denounce the lack of progress in uncovering the circumstances behind the raid. Hero: Navy SEAL Tyrone Woods died while protecting staff at the U.S. consulate in Benghazi on September 11 . Criticism: Cheryl Croft Bennett has hit out at the FBI's delay in investigating her son's death . The grieving mother has been posting regular online messages paying tribute to her son and describing her experiences with government officials in the aftermath of the tragedy. On Thursday Ms Bennett wrote: 'Don't want to ever politicize the loss of my son in Libya, but it has been 16 days and the FBI has yet to get to Benghazi to begin their investigation. 'Apparently they have made it to Tripoli but haven't been allowed to enter Benghazi. Meanwhile, the diplomatic outpost where Tyrone and Glen died, was not and is not secured. Absolutely unacceptable.' The stinging criticism came as it emerged that federal agents who were sent to Libya in the aftermath of the attack on September 11 have not yet arrived in Benghazi. The delay in sending the FBI into the city where four Americans were killed has been blamed on security worries. Officials . have said that the bureau is unwilling to put agents in harm's way and . that Benghazi must be made safe before the investigators can enter. At . FBI headquarters on Friday, a spokesman said 'we are moving forward . with our investigation', but would not reveal the current location of . the agents in Libya. Separately, the State Department is further reducing the U.S. Embassy staff in Tripoli for security reasons. Ms Bennett's criticism of the FBI investigation is all the more striking given her earlier praise for the way top officials reacted after the death of Mr Woods and the three others. Dangerous mission: The security force rushed to the burning consulate and guided diplomats . to safety . Repatriation: U.S. Marines carry the caskets during the transfer . of remains ceremony . Writing about the repatriation of her son's body, she said: 'The entire afternoon was overpowering and unreal. 'Little did I know that I would find myself in a reception room being comforted, hugged, and, yes, even kissed by the President of the United States. Along with the President, there was Vice-President Joe Biden, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta, and General and Mrs Colin Powell. 'They were all wonderful. They held my hand, offered condolences, gave warm hugs, and were extremely compassionate and genuinely sad for my loss, as I fought back tears and tried to project an image of strength to honor my SEAL son. 'Each of them commended Tyrone for his courage, his bravery, and his ultimate sacrifice for his country.' Tribute: Libyan president Mohammed el-Megarif speaking in front of a portrait of ambassador Chris Stevens . Slow? The Obama administration has not yet allowed FBI agents to enter Benghazi on security grounds . Mr Woods and Mr Doherty were staying in a secure annex elsewhere in Benghazi when they heard about the attack on the consulate, thought to have been inspired by a U.S.-made YouTube video mocking the Prophet Muhammad. They rushed to the compound, helped a number of diplomats evacuate, and recovered the body of Sean Smith, a computer expert who had earlier died of smoke inhalation. After most of the officials had been moved to safety, the SEALs faced a renewed assault using rocket-propelled grenades, which reached their targets and killed the two young men. Hillary Clinton told Ms Bennett that her son had been responsible for saving the lives of 30 people. | Tyrone Woods died on September 11 while defending Benghazi consulate .
FBI agents have not been allowed into 'unsafe' city to investigate attack .
SEAL's mother says delay is 'absolutely unacceptable' |
95,334 | 06860688ea9080de880e0a129c5b339c2526f882 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 17:51 EST, 26 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:49 EST, 26 October 2012 . Nurses in a maternity ward aggressively overreacted to a simple request from Douglas Kennedy, then tried to cover up their actions in hopes of ‘lining their pockets’ with Kennedy money, a defense lawyer said Friday. But a prosecutor said the son of the late Senator Robert F. Kennedy needlessly ‘resorted to violence’ when the nurses wouldn't let him take his newborn son out for a walk. Kennedy is charged with child endangerment and physical harassment in the January 7 incident at Northern Westchester Hospital in Mount Kisco. He is accused of kicking one nurse and twisting the arm of another as he tried to get out with two-day-old Anthony Boru Kennedy. Scroll down to see the scuffle . Family: Douglas Kennedy, pictured with his wife Molly and his son Daniel Boru, is the 10th of Robert Kennedy's 11 children . Confrontation: Kennedy, in the blue jacket, can be seen going for the elevator in the scuffle with one of the nurses . The trial ended Friday with closing . arguments. Mount Kisco Town Judge John Donohue, who heard the case . without a jury, did not say when he would rule, but promised to deliver a . verdict in a ‘reasonable’ amount of time. Kennedy, who was expected to testify, . chose not to take the stand during the trial which his attorney . labelled an ‘ordeal’ for the family. According to Kennedy, he just wanted . to get his son some fresh air. The nurses claim he was violating . hospital policies. The confrontation resulted in a series of alarms at . the hospital, including a hospital-wide ‘code pink,’ which is used to . signal a baby's abduction. Defense attorney Robert Gottlieb . called the code pink ‘preposterous’ and pointed out that a hospital . guide says the purpose of the alarm is to reunite a baby with its . family. The nurses had claimed they classified the situation as a code pink because Kennedy had been ‘violently’ shaking the child. Gottlieb said nurse Anna Lane told Kennedy . she would not let him take the baby off the maternity floor, then chased . him as he headed for the exit, disabled an elevator and tried to block . the door to a stairwell. Lane said Kennedy twisted her arm in a struggle at the door. Gottlieb denied there was any injury. Nurse Cari Luciano, who is seen on surveillance video falling onto the . floor near the stairway, said that happened when Kennedy kicked her as . she reached for the baby in Kennedy's arms. Hospital: Mr Kennedy is shown in security footage trying to take his newborn son for a walk . Violence: One of the nurses is seen on the ground after she was allegedly kicked by Kennedy at the hospital elevator . But Gottlieb said it was a push rather than a kick and was an instinctive reaction of a father trying to protect his baby. Kennedy also fell when that happened, but kept hold of the baby. Prosecutors said his actions endangered the boy. ‘The fact that the baby was not injured is a miracle,’ said Assistant District Attorney Amy Puerto. Gottlieb alleged that when the nurses realized the hospital would . investigate the incident, they ‘join together, get their stories . straight and pressure the district attorney's office to bring charges.’ He said they'd been told that any potential lawsuit would have a better chance if a criminal conviction came first. ‘It's an embarrassment that two nurses would so blatantly lie,’ Gottlieb said. However, Puerto said that argument was ‘a classic case of blaming the victims.’ 'We were attacked': Anna Margaret Lane, left, . and Cari Maleman Luciano, right, were involved in the alleged scuffle on January 7 at Northern Westchester Hospital in . Mount Kisco, New York . ‘The nurses are not on trial,’ she said. She said Kennedy ‘resorted to violence instead of simply complying with a request.’ ‘He would not be denied despite the safety and best interests of his child,’ she said. Kennedy's wife, Molly, and other relatives have been accompanying Kennedy to the trial. A state investigation launched after . Kennedy's arrest in February, including a visit to the Kennedy home in . Chappaqua, found no evidence of child abuse. Kennedy, 45, is the 10th of 11 . children of Robert and Ethel Kennedy. His father was assassinated in . 1968. President John F. Kennedy, his uncle, was assassinated in 1963. Kennedy was cleared of the child abuse charges in April - but still faces assault charges for his altercation with the nurses. Many kids: Douglas, who would not be born until a number of years after this photo, was only one when his father was shot . Siblings: Robert Kennedy was shot dead in 1968, and he is seen here with 7 of his 11 children in 1964, right . At the time, Kennedy gave his father’s assassination as the reason why he snatched his baby from the maternity ward. Douglas . Kennedy, 44, said that being haunted by the death of his father meant . he could not stop himself from grabbing his newborn son in breach of . hospital rules. When staff tried to stop him he said he was merely protecting the infant from 'strangers.’ It has been a difficult year for the . Kennedys in New York's suburbs. Douglas Kennedy's sister-in-law, Mary . Kennedy, hanged herself in May in Bedford. His sister, Kerry Kennedy, . has pleaded not guilty to drug-impaired driving after an accident on . Interstate 684. | Douglas Kennedy, 45, is charged with harassment and child endangerment in the January 7 incident .
Nurses charge that Kennedy kicked one of them so hard that she wound up on the floor .
Kennedy's lawyer claims he was acting instinctively to protect his son, who was just two days old . |
107,955 | 172b73ca46847ac03c0f4ae527d91a1dfea062ed | (CNN) -- Thirty years ago, on the basis of "Alien" and "Blade Runner," Ridley Scott looked as if he might become the most important sci-fi director of his time. No matter that Harrison Ford played Rick Deckard in "Blade Runner," the way Scott made that picture it was as if "Star Wars" never happened. Of course "Blade Runner" flopped on its initial theatrical release, and ever since Scott has restricted his time-travelling to the other direction: period epics like "Gladiator," "Kingdom of Heaven" and "Robin Hood." Until now that is, when the 74-year-old has decided to go back to the future, with a movie that's a prequel, sort of, to his first big hit "Alien." Ironically "Prometheus" starts in the far-distant past, and though the opening shots look like another world it turns out we're seeing a primordial Isle of Skye, a remote outcrop off the coast of Scotland. Flash forward several millennia, 77 years from today. Cave paintings discovered at this location convince an aging businessman to bankroll a wildly ambitious interstellar mission. It's said that "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry only ever had one story idea, the one where Kirk and crew met their maker. It's giving nothing away to say that Roddenberry would have liked "Prometheus." So too Erich von Daniken, whose "Chariots of the Gods" is an obvious influence. As in "Alien," a small crew wakes up from cryogenic sleep. The ship has been tended by a humanoid robot, David (Michael Fassbender), who's been boning up on ancient languages and rewatching "Lawrence of Arabia" during transit. If he models his forelock on Peter O'Toole, it seems like a good bet he's modulated his soft, impassive vocal pattern on HAL, the ship computer in "2001." You may not believe it, but next to nothing happens in the movie's first hour and more. And this is probably the most effective and impressive part of the ride. The slow, atmospheric ascent to the top of the roller coaster as scientist Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and colleagues (they include Sean Harris, Kate Dickie, Idris Elba and Charlize Theron) explore the mysterious planet LV-223. Not many filmmakers have the nerve to make us wait these days, but Scott knows his audience is primed for exploding chests and toothy extraterrestrials, and he enjoys playing on our trepidation while showing off the stunning production design. Even so, before long the movie feels rushed. When things start to slide for Shaw and her partner (Logan Marshall-Green) it's like watching a drag racer spinning its wheels, kicking up dust to hit the checkered flag at 90 miles per hour. Screenwriters Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof have devised some ingeniously nasty set pieces, but after that deliberate build-up it's disappointing that it still feels like corners are being cut. There is nothing to match the shocking biological horror that erupted in "Alien," but you couldn't accuse them of giving up without a fight. Scott has assembled an engagingly rough and ready, workmanlike cast, but doesn't give them anything interesting to say for themselves. Theron's brittle executive officer is just too close to caricature, and she's not the only one either. Although she's likeable enough I can't see Noomi Rapace's Shaw proving as durable as Sigourney Weaver's Ripley either. The movie's stand out is clearly Fassbender. So it's too bad David's actions don't make a lot of sense, at least not to this perplexed viewer, who couldn't be sure if the robot was following orders or following his own agenda. The more you think about this movie, the less it stands up. Scott's philosophical grandstanding is just that; there's less here than meets the eye. Mind you, it is spectacular. Dariusz Wolski's visuals are lustrous to behold, the CGI is amazing, and Scott proves adept at handling 3D. This is one sci-fi movie with a palpable sense of space. And I'll say this: even if the movie's logic ultimately spirals down into a vortex of hysteria, horror and hokum, I enjoyed the bulldozer intensity of the climax, which barely keeps a lid on the crackpot cult movie that's wrestling for the soul of this multimillion dollar blockbuster. It may not be quite the "Alien" resurrection we were all hoping for -- Wait! They already used that one! -- but it's at least as good as the second and third sequels. | In "Prometheus" Elizabeth Shaw and colleagues explore the mysterious planet LV-223 .
Ridley Scott knows his audience is primed for exploding chests and toothy extraterrestrials .
There is nothing to match the shocking biological horror that erupted in "Alien" |
280,960 | f7f5e49205313ef3356dd51ea272888a99fd4773 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 07:55 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:54 EST, 11 September 2013 . Nigel Evans today delivered an extraordinary Commons speech protesting his innocence after being charged with a series of sex offences against seven men. Quitting as Deputy Speaker, he addressed hundreds of MPs including the Prime Minister about his desire to ‘robustly defend my innocence and seek acquittal’. Quoting Churchill, he referred to the death of his mother and the spiritual support of Parliament’s chaplain before thanking fellow MPs for their ‘hugs, prayers and good wishes’. Scroll down for video . Speech: Nigel Evans addressed MPs in a personal statement after Prime Minister's Questions . Last night Evans was charged with the rape of a man between March 29 and April 1, 2013, five sexual assaults dating back to 2009 and two indecent assaults dating back to 2002. The Conservative says he will continue to represent his Ribble Valley constituency in Lancashire but as an independent MP. The decision to charge the openly-gay politician – a popular figure in Westminster – came after he was arrested for a third time yesterday morning. Speaking immediately after Prime Minster’s Questions, he told a packed Commons chamber: ‘I hope you will bear with me while I make this statement, it’s been a few years since I made a speech in this chamber and I’m sad to say this is the speech. ‘As many of you will know following recent allegations, I was charged with alleged offences yesterday. I now have the opportunity to robustly defend my innocence and seek acquittal. ‘I have therefore decided the best course of action is for me to return to the backbenches and this is a decision I have made myself after careful consideration.’ When he left Preston police station last night, he gave a short statement before saying he ‘will not be making any further comment until after the case concludes’. But in the Commons he spoke at length about the impact of the case on his. Thanks: Evans listed the many people he says have shown him 'compassionate consideration' Evans said: ‘It was one of the happiest days of my life when I was elected deputy speaker in 2010, it was an endorsement of my abilities to do the job by my colleagues and for that I am grateful. ‘Since these allegations, I have not been able to fully fulfil my duties in the chair, which left me in a land of limbo. ‘None of us were elected to the fine office of Member of Parliament to be put in that invidious position, unable to fully fulfil the reason why we were sent here.’ He said he was ‘grateful’ for the ‘unstinting support’ he has revceived from Mr Bercow and the other two deputy speakers, Lindsay Hoyle and Dawn Primarolo. Evans went on: ‘When I told Ms Primarolo on Saturday my decision, I even got a hug from her - thank you Dawn. ‘I have had so many hugs, prayers and good wishes since May 4 and I would like to thank everyone who has shown me such compassionate consideration, my family particularly, my association, who have been marvellous, and even seasoned, crusty journalists have displayed a heart I have never before witnessed. ‘I was told I would soon see who my real friends are and that has been true. But the truth is there have been so many of them - so thank you to my dearest loyal friends, including loyal members of my staff at Westminster and the Ribble Valley. Grateful: Speaker John Bercow paid tribute to Mr Evans twice in the Commons . ‘And to you, my colleagues, on all sides of the House who have spoken with me, looked after me and just shown loving attention. Party divisions disappear in times like this and they have, thank you. ‘Rose Hudson-Wilkin, the Speaker’s chaplain, and Andrew Tremlett, the canon of Westminster Abbey, have given me superb spiritual guidance which has given me the one thing everyone in this world needs, alongside air, water and food: that is hope. ‘Hope is that essential key to giving us a fulfilled life and they have ensured I have retained that hope.’ Evans said: ‘This is clearly the most painful thing I have endured in my life alongside the loss of my mother in 2009 and the loss of my brother earlier this year. ‘Winston Churchill said when you are going through hell, keep going. Sage advice. And so I will see this through to the end with the support of the people that mean so much to me.’ The Ribble Valley MP added: ‘Returning to the backbenches gives me the opportunity to speak out on issues such as the over-building of new homes in the Ribble Valley, threats to the Slaidburn doctors’ surgery and cuts to rural bus services. ‘It’s the bread and butter of politics, giving support to the people who put me in the mother of parliaments, my home for the past 21 years and a place that has meant so much to me. ‘I am proud to serve the people of the Ribble Valley and the best tribute I can give them now is to get on with the job that they sent me here to do.’ Tory MP Nadine Dorries placed a hand on Evans’s shoulder as he sat down after his statement. Earlier, at the start of Commons session, Mr Bercow said: ‘I have received his resignation with sadness. I wish to thank Nigel for his three years of service to the House as deputy speaker, in which he has proved to be highly competent, fair and good-humoured. ‘He has been a loyal and valued member of the team of deputy speakers who assist me in chairing our proceedings. I am warmly grateful to him.’ Evans will appear before magistrates in Preston on September 18. The indecent assaults are alleged to have been committed between January 1, 2002 and January 1, 2004; the sexual assaults between January 1, 2009 and April 1 this year; and the rape between March 29 and April 1 this year. Evans's initial arrest in early May related to offences alleged to have been committed in Pendleton, Lancashire . Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer said: ‘Following an investigation by Lancashire police, the Crown Prosecution Service has received a file of evidence in the case of Mr Nigel Evans MP which concerns allegations of a sexual nature. ‘After careful consideration, we have concluded that there is sufficient evidence and that it is in the public interest to prosecute Evans. ‘Lancashire Constabulary has therefore been authorised to charge two counts of indecent assault, five counts of sexual assault and one count of rape relating to a total of seven alleged victims. ‘The decision in this case was taken by Joanne Cunliffe, an experienced specialist rape prosecutor, in consultation with John Dilworth, head of the CPS North West Complex Casework Unit and in consultation with an external and highly experienced criminal QC. ‘I have also been consulted on this case. The decision has been taken in accordance with the Code for Crown Prosecutors and the CPS legal guidance on rape and sexual offences.’ Evans, from Pendleton, Lancashire, stepped aside from his deputy speaker duties after his arrest but had continued to work as an MP. He was one of three deputy speakers elected in a secret ballot of MPs in 2010. Later that year he came out as gay, saying he was ‘’tired of living a lie’’. He was a vice chairman of the Conservative Party from 1999 to 2001. When Iain Duncan Smith became party leader in 2001, he was promoted to the shadow cabinet as shadow Welsh secretary - a post he held for two years. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Nigel Evans charged with rape, 5 sexual assaults and 2 indecent assaults .
Evans denies allegations but has now resigned his Commons post .
Gave lengthy personal statement after Prime Minister's Questions . |
57,982 | a44f703468bf82c601b8734177d41659eb043e14 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The confirmation of Michael Mukasey as attorney general was all but assured Friday when two key Democratic senators said they will vote in favor of the nominee despite questions about his views on "waterboarding" and the president's power to order electronic surveillance. Sens. Dianne Feinstein of California and Charles Schumer of New York announced they would support the retired federal judge from New York just hours after the chairman of the Judiciary Committee announced his opposition to the nominee. Feinstein and Schumer are members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is scheduled to vote on the Mukasey nomination Tuesday. If all the Republican members of the committee also vote for Mukasey, which is expected, his nomination will go before the full Senate. A leading Democrat, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Wednesday Mukasey is likely to be confirmed if his nomination passes the Judiciary Committee. Schumer had praised the nomination of Mukasey as a consensus candidate when the president announced Mukasey as his choice to replace former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Gonzales gave up the post in September. "This is an extremely difficult decision," Schumer said. "When an administration so political, so out of touch with the realities of governing and so contemptuous of the rule of law is in charge, we are never left with an ideal choice. Judge Mukasey is not my ideal choice. However, Judge Mukasey, whose integrity and independence is respected even by those who oppose him, is far better than anyone could expect from this administration." A number of Democratic senators, however, have said they will oppose Mukasey because of questions about his views on the interrogation technique called "waterboarding" and the president's power to order electronic surveillance. Waterboarding involves restraining a suspect and using water to produce the sensation of drowning. Mukasey told senators this week that he finds waterboarding "repugnant," but he could not answer whether the technique amounts to torture. While saying "serious questions have been raised about Judge Mukasey's views on torture and on separation of powers," Feinstein said she would support the nominee because the Justice Department needed fresh leadership. "First and foremost, Michael Mukasey is not Alberto Gonzales. Rather, he has forged an independent life path as a practitioner of the law and a federal judge in the Southern District of New York. "I believe that Judge Mukasey is the best we will get and voting him down would only perpetuate acting and recess appointments, allowing the administration to avoid the transparency that confirmation hearings provide and diminish effective oversight by Congress." Just hours before Feinstein and Schumer announced their decisions, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vermont, announced he would vote against the Mukasey nomination. Watch Sen. Leahy explain why he can't support the Mukasey nomination » . "No American should need a classified briefing to determine whether waterboarding is torture," Leahy said. "Waterboarding was used at least as long ago as the Spanish Inquisition. We prosecuted Japanese war criminals for waterboarding after World War II. "I am eager to restore strong leadership and independence to the Department of Justice. I like Michael Mukasey. I wish that I could support his nomination. But I cannot. America needs to be certain and confident of the bedrock principle -- deeply embedded in our laws and our values -- that no one, not even the president, is above the law." President Bush demanded the Senate confirm Mukasey during a speech Thursday at the Heritage Foundation, an influential conservative think tank. "In a time of war, it's vital for the president to have a full national security team in place," the president said. The president has equated asking Mukasey about his opinion of waterboarding with asking him about the CIA-run interrogation program, whose details are classified. Bush said the program does not violate U.S. bans on torture, but added that Mukasey "does not want an uninformed opinion to be taken by our professional interrogators in the field as placing them in legal jeopardy." But Leahy said "Judge Mukasey was not asked to evaluate any secret 'facts and circumstances.' " "He was asked whether waterboarding is illegal. Our law makes torture illegal, and waterboarding is torture, and it is illegal. It is frankly not dependent on any, quote, 'relevant facts and circumstances of the technique's past or proposed use,' " he said, quoting from Mukasey's response to senators on the question. Sources with knowledge of the CIA-run interrogation program have said agents are no longer using waterboarding. But those sources have said waterboarding was used in the interrogation of Khalid Shaikh Mohammed, now facing trial before a military tribunal for planning al Qaeda's 2001 attacks on New York and Washington. The practice was used by the Spanish Inquisition, Cambodia's Khmer Rouge and the World War II Japanese military, according to Human Rights Watch. It is specifically banned in U.S. law governing the treatment of prisoners by the U.S. military. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Ted Barrett contributed to this report. | NEW: Feinstein, Schumer say they'll vote for attorney general nominee .
Michael Mukasey's nomination now expected to pass Judiciary Committee .
Sen. Patrick Leahy says he will not vote to confirm Michael Mukasey .
Committee scheduled to vote on nomination on Tuesday . |
146,971 | 4a0dc2ed3e30952a454e5ebc47682d566127ce02 | By . Ruth Styles . From super-sized pastel silk to huge sprays of peacock feathers, the hats worn by racegoers arriving for the second day of racing at Glorious Goodwood were elaborate enough to impress even the choosiest of hat connoisseurs. Day two of the famous race meeting dawned sunny and bright, with racing fans rubbing their hands in glee at the prospect of the Sussex Stakes which this afternoon saw Irish Guineas and St James's Palace . Stakes winner Kingman beat the hotly tipped Toronado. But even the prospect of the 'Duel on the Downs' wasn't enough to stop the ladies from vying to be noticed, with yesterday's demure fascinators giving way to huge wide-brimmed hats and ornately decorated cocktail styles. Scroll down for video . Striking: Rebecca Johnson shows off her stylish side courtesy of an elegant ombre purple and cream hat as she arrives on day two of Glorious Goodwood . Looking good: A lady arrives for a second day of racing in a chic green hat, while another plumps for a lavishly be-plumed black fascinator . Others plumped for more classic headwear with wide-brimmed hats in elegant pastel and caramel hues proving particularly popular, as did heavily feathered options. Although not quite hitting the sartorial heights of Ascot, Glorious Goodwood is catching up in the fashion stakes as more and more racegoers take the opportunity to dress up for the occasion. Like its Berkshire counterpart, Goodwood also operates a strict dress code that outlaws jeans and shorts and insists that guests keep their shoulders covered and eschew fancy dress. Instead, the style guide suggests 'jackets and either ties, cravats or polo neck sweaters' for gentlemen and 'smart casual' for ladies, adding that 'due to the terrain and areas of decking at Goodwood, flat shoes are recommended'. Black and white: Racegoers Rebecca Lamour (left) and Kelly Ellinor (right) show off their sartorial nous in coordinating black and white ensembles . Elegant: Ladies arriving for the races plumped for a rainbow of different hues, among them punchy cerise, although others played it safe in simple black . Stylish: They might have a takeaway lunch in their hands but this group of racegoers still managed to look stylish (left) as did those arriving for a day out this morning . Stylish: Many of the racegoers at Glorious . Goodwood plumped for hats in elegant café au lait hues, while Sharon . Ainslie (right) opted for cheerful orange . Racegoers certainly appeared to be taking those strictures to heart, with no sign of the wacky hats, skintight frocks and skyscraper heels that characterise other meets, most notably Aintree, although some did brave a day out in high heels. On the course, racing action got underway with the Goodwood Stakes which was taken by Irish bred gelding Teak, with Irish four-year-old Ray Ward in second place and Long Shadow in third. Race number two, the Neptune Investment Management Gordon Stakes saw Saudi Arabia's Prince Khalid ibn Abdullah return to winning ways courtesy of three-year-old colt, Snow Sky. With Kingman, another Prince Khalid steed, taking the 'Duel on the Downs' home this afternoon, today has so far proved to a red letter day for the racing obsessed royal. Another royal who could also be looking at a win today is the Queen, whose two-year-old filly Touchline is among those lining up for the Markel Insurance Maiden Fillies' Stakes. Later this week, her Gold Cup winning mare Estimate will also return to the track, just weeks after being caught up in a doping scandal traced to a bag of feed contaminated with morphine. Looking . good: Racegoers Charlie Elmy-Britton (left) and Layla Leigh (right) show off their gorgeous be-plumed hats as they arrive at Glorious . Goodwood . Stylish: . A pair of racegoers keep it simple in elegant cream ensembles bedecked . with blooms and accessorised with striking black chapeaux . Beautiful: . A racegoer arrives dressed to the nines and sporting a particularly . lovely hat in burned crème brûlée straw trimmed with cream grosgrain . ribbon and feathers . In . bloom: An elegant racegoer opts for a titfer decked with bold blooms - a . huge trend among racegoers at Royal Ascot earlier this summer . Quintessentially . English: Racegoers sporting neat linen suits, panama hats and delicate . floral tea dresses appeared to have taken the strict dress code to heart . Tsunami of titfers: The stands at Glorious Goodwood today were a sea of hats, with the majority of gentlemen plumping for stylish panamas . Wonderful: . A pair of racegoers enjoy the action from the comfort of a deckchair . set on a hill overlooking the racecourse - said to be the loveliest in . the UK . While Cheltenham is famous for pearls and fur, and Aintree for its colourfully dressed fillies in fake tan and skyscraper heels, Glorious Goodwood's trademark is low key luxury - and flat shoes. Delicate bejewelled sandals are the most popular with racegoers, as are Sloaney ballet pumps and in the case of some hardened souls, comfortable loafers and deck shoes. Nevertheless, the meeting isn't short of glamour with plenty of the big, bold, be-plumed hats of the sort seen at Berkshire's Royal Ascot and neat, nipped-in shift dresses reigning supreme in the paddock. As at Ascot, racegoers have a strict dress code to contend with which insists on smart-casual in all areas and outlaws bare shoulders and any sort of fancy dress. 'Goodwood is famous for being a stylish . yet relaxed occasion,' continues the style guide, 'and gentlemen are required to wear jackets and . either ties, cravats or polo neck sweaters in the Richmond Enclosure. 'Linen suits and Panama Hats are traditionally worn by gentlemen. Jeans . and shorts are not permitted in the Richmond Enclosure. In other . enclosures dress is smart casual. 'Bare shoulder tops and fancy dress are not . allowed in any enclosure. Due to the terrain and areas of decking at . Goodwood flat shoes are recommended.' Riding to victory: Snow Sky (pink and green), ridden by James Doyle and owned by Saudi's Prince Khalid, gallops home to victory in the Gordon Stakes at Goodwood . And they're off! Runners in the Goodwood Stakes flash across the start line as they begin a race that ended with victory for Irish gelding, Teak . Lonely . up there? A local enjoys a free day out as he watches the races from . his hilltop perch with the beautiful Sussex Downs rolling out behind him . in the background . Busy: Inside the Sussex racecourse, the paddock and stands were thronged with excited racegoers eager for the horseracing action to begin . Spectacular: It was a quintessential English summer day out at Glorious Goodwood today as colourful racegoers bathed in sunshine backdropped by the South Downs . | Huge be-plumed hats were the highlight off the course as the second day of racing at Goodwood got underway .
Highlights included elaborate titfers in pretty pastels and chic cocktail hats in a rainbow of hues .
Dapper male racegoers opted for neat cream linen suits teamed with panama hats and polished brown brogues .
Goodwood has a style guide to rival Ascot's and bans all forms of fancy dress, shorts and shoulder-baring tops .
Today's racing highlight is the Sussex Stakes which saw Irish Guineas winner Kingman beat Toronado . |
254,716 | d5b7148a716a40ad04693f973664dd57519c380a | At least 19 people have been killed and 60 others injured after Taliban militants launched a savage suicide bomb and gun attack on a Shi'ite mosque in Pakistan. The radical Sunni Islamists stormed the mosque in Peshawar - close to the Afghan border - during Friday prayers this afternoon and fired automatic weapons at random, local police said. Amid the ensuing chaos three suicide bomb blasts were heard inside the mosque, which the Taliban are understood to have targeted because they think Shi'ites are not true Muslims. The Pakistani Taliban, who are fighting to set up a hardline Sunni theocracy in the country, claimed responsibility for the attack, saying it was revenge for Pakistan's crackdown on militants following a massacre at a school in the city that killed 145 people, including 132 children. Scroll down for video . Carnage: The radical Sunni Islamists broke in to the mosque in Peshawar - close to the Afghan border - during Friday prayers this afternoon and fired automatic weapons at random, local police said . Volunteers move an injured Shi'ite worshipper to a hospital following the attack by Taliban militants . Police said armed men broke into the mosque, where people were attending Friday prayers, and opened fire, following which three explosions were heard inside the building. 'Either Pakistan will become your graveyard, or God's law, sharia, will be implemented,' Taliban commander Khaleefa Omar Mansoor said in a video in which he was flanked by three young militants clutching AK-47 assault rifles. 'This is the first in a series of revenge attacks... Wait for the rest,' Mansoor, who had earlier claimed responsibility for the December 16 school attack in which more than 150 people were killed, said in the video sent by email to reporters. The style of the mosque attack was similar to that of the school attack, when gunmen arrived in a car, set it on fire, and broke into the building using a back entrance. Peshawar's Hayatabad Medical Complex said at least 19 people had been killed in the latest attack. Devastation: Police said armed men broke into the mosque, where people were attending Friday prayers, and opened fire, following which three explosions were heard inside the building . Wounded: A badly injured man is carried out of the building by the building following the attack . The head of the provincial police, Nasir Durrani, said four or five attackers entered the mosque from a building next door that was under construction, then jumped over an outer wall into the mosque courtyard. One person then blew himself up, creating a diversion so the other attackers could enter the mosque, Durrani said. He said at least three attackers died in the violence - two by blowing themselves up, and a third was killed by worshippers at the mosque. 'People here showed great courage. They grabbed one of the attackers from his neck, and he couldn't detonate (his explosives), and he was shot and killed,' Durrani added. Authorities were still examining the scene, and Durrani did not say what happened to the remaining attacker or attackers. Some people who fled the mosque reported that at least some of the attackers were wearing security uniforms. 'The prayer was about to end when a big bang happened, followed by dust and smoke. I have seen amid the smoke that one guy dressed in police uniform was firing shots and then there was another blast,' said one of the wounded, 22-year-old Syed Javed Hasan, speaking from his hospital bed. Locals comfort a local woman after this morning's savage suicide bomb and gun attack on a Shi'ite mosque . At least 19 people were killed and 60 others injured after Taliban militants launched the attack on a Shi'ite mosque in the Pakistani city of Peshawar during Friday prayers this afternoon . The head of the provincial police, Nasir Durrani, said four or five attackers entered the mosque from a building next door that was under construction, then jumped over an outer wall into the mosque courtyard . A witness, Shahid Hussain, said that Shi'ite worshippers had just finished prayers when five or six men wearing military uniforms broke into the mosque and started shooting. 'We had no idea what was going on. One of the attackers then blew himself up and then there was huge smoke and dust all around,' he said. The attack came as Pakistan tries to adopt new measures to tackle militants following the school massacre, in which 134 children were among the dead. The government has pledged to crack down on all militant groups, and has reintroduced the death penalty, set up military courts to speed convictions and widened its offensive in northwestern areas on the Afghan border where militants find refuge. Yet Pakistan's religious minorities, among them Ahmadis, Christians and Hindus, say the government is doing little to alleviate their daily struggle against discrimination and violence. Last month, dozens of people were killed in a similar attack on a Shi'ite mosque in the southern town of Shikarpur. | Taliban militants stormed the mosque in Peshawar during Friday Prayers .
Fired indiscriminately before blowing themselves up using suicide belts .
Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility and threatened more raids soon .
Claimed attack was revenge for the Pakistani government's crackdown on the Taliban after last year's Peshawar school massacre left 145 dead . |
4,771 | 0daec7f389523f7feda370d3790e9252b5b092bf | By . Louise Eccles for Daily Mail . Millions of employees in a workplace pension scheme are to be freed from punitive curbs on savings imposed by Brussels. Earners were limited to £4,600 a year in contributions as part of the government-backed National Employment Savings Trust (NEST). They were also barred from transferring old company pensions into the scheme or taking it with them if they moved jobs. Pensions Minister Steve Webb (pictured) said: 'By convincing Europe to support us on this, we’ve achieved a victory for consumers' But after a year of negotiation, the European Commission has agreed to lift the restrictions in a ‘victory’ for employees, ministers will announce today. Pensions Minister Steve Webb said: ‘This is a common sense decision which will help people to save and give certainty and confidence to employers choosing to use NEST. ‘By convincing Europe to support us on this, we’ve achieved a victory for consumers.’ However, savers will have to wait until April 1, 2017 for the changes to kick in. The low-cost, not-for-profit pension was designed for small businesses and low to moderate earners who could not afford to pay into more expensive company pensions. More than 1.5million workers have joined since 2012 – and the figure is expected to reach four million in the next three years. The European Commission imposed restrictions because of fears that a state-funded pension scheme could distort or threaten competition from private pension firms. Frances O’Grady, general-secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said it was ‘great news for savers’ Mr Webb said it had put many businesses off because it would have meant running two parallel pensions – one for higher earners and NEST for low-income staff. Relaxing the rules meant workers could avoid having ‘pensions scattered all over the place’, which risked people losing track of their savings, he said. The move comes after pressure from union and employer groups, the National Association of Pension Funds, NEST and criticism from MPs on the Work and Pensions Select Committee. Frances O’Grady, general-secretary of the Trades Union Congress, said it was ‘great news for savers’. ‘It was always ridiculous that people could not save as much as they wanted into NEST,’ she added. Mr Webb defended the 2017 deadline, saying Parliament was ‘littered’ with legislation that had been rushed through and blamed the delay on lengthy consultations with the pension industry and Eurocrats. NEST was introduced alongside automatic enrolment, which forces every boss to pay into a pension for workers who are over 22 and earn at least £10,000 by 2018. | Millions of employees in a workplace pension scheme are to be freed from curbs on savings imposed by the EU .
Earners were limited to £4,600 a year in contributions as part of the government-backed National Employment Savings Trust .
After a year of negotiations, the EU has agreed to lift the restrictions .
But savers will have to wait until April 1, 2017 for the changes to kick in . |
241,954 | c523f53539a6942998cad399c29bfb4ef97a1ee0 | By . Phil Duncan . Felipe Massa was at the centre of a rather embarrassing team orders row in Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix after he ignored a direct instruction from Williams to move over for team-mate Valtteri Bottas as the two diced for seventh place. The message delivered from the Williams pit-wall was humiliating in its delivery, too – reminiscent of Ferrari infamously ordering Massa to allow Fernando Alonso to take the lead of the 2010 German Grand Prix – an instruction which ultimately lead to the end of the team order ruling. 'Felipe, Valtteri is faster than you. Do not hold him up,' was the instruction to Massa on Sunday – eerily similar to the 'Felipe, Fernando is faster than you' team directive from four years ago. Off track: Felipe Massa was ordered to allow Valtteri Bottas through - a directive he ignored . Massa subsequently defended his decision to ignore the order from the pit-wall, but Bottas argued he would have '100 per cent' caught Jenson Button who finished sixth. Either way, an uncomfortable moment for Massa, who, after spending almost a decade of playing second fiddle to Michael Schumacher and then Alonso at Ferrari, would not have expected the same treatment at Williams - particularly to a team-mate only in his second full Formula One campaign. Lewis Hamilton completed the perfect hat-trick of pole-position, race victory, and fastest lap for the first time since the 2008 Chinese Grand Prix. Hamilton's 23rd career win also moved him to 11th on the all-time list alongside the Brazilian Nelson Piquet and one better than 1996 world champion Damon Hill. Only Nigel Mansell (31), Sir Jackie Stewart (27) and Jim Clark (25) can claim to have won more races as a British driver. Jumping for joy: Hamilton celebrates the 23rd win of his Formula One career following a flawless display . It also marked the 100th points' finish of his career although Hamilton didn't wish to be reminded of that statistic afterwards. 'I don't want to hear that kind of stuff because it means I am getting old,' the 29-year-old quipped. Daniel Ricciardo appears to have inherited the appalling bad luck which plagued the career of the man he replaced. After being thrown out of the results in Australia, Ricciardo, the replacement for Mark Webber at Red Bull, saw an almost certain fourth-placed finish snatched from his grasp after a bumbled pit-stop. The botched job on the front-left tyre led to comical scenes in the pit-lane with his Red Bull crew then pushing the stricken Aussie back to the garage. Ricciardo then suffered a failure with his front wing which led to a puncture before then having to serve a 10-second grid penalty for Red Bull's unsafe release. all in a matter of laps. Red Bull's gaffe also means Ricciardo will serve a 10-place grid penalty at next week's Bahrain Grand Prix. It never rains… . Bad day at the office: Daniel Ricciardo is wheeled back up the pit-lane after his left-front wheel came loose . Mercedes made history on Sunday with their first 1-2 finish since the 1955 Italian Grand Prix. The legendary Juan Manuel Fangio finished ahead of Piero Taruffi by just 0.7seconds at that race in Monza almost 60 years ago, but Hamilton's winning margin over Rosberg was rather more emphatic on Sunday. Hamilton finished over 17 seconds ahead of his team-mate, going some way to disproving theories that the British racer might not have the tactical nous to cement a championship challenge this year. Team effort: Hamilton and Rosberg lead the Mercedes post-race celebrations after their 1-2 finish in Sepang . 'Why is Benedict Cumberbatch' was tending worldwide on Twitter after the British actor was the surprise choice to conduct the post-race podium interviews. The job is one normally reserved for a Formula One legend, but Cumberbatch, known for his leading role in BBC drama Sherlock, turned in a credible performance. Asking the questions: Benedict Cumberbatch was the surprise choice to conduct the post-race interviews . | Felipe Massa ignored Williams order in closing stages of Malaysian GP .
Lewis Hamilton secures the 23rd win of his Formula One career .
Daniel Ricciardo will serve 10-place grid penalty at Bahrain Grand Prix .
Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch conducted post-race interviews . |
31,893 | 5ac1d354ff79a298b90be0e4d403f5f6466529f2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . She might have spent yesterday afternoon living the life of a royal in-law at Buckingham Palace but it was business as usual for Pippa Middleton today. Dressed in a cheerful print pencil skirt and neat black top, the Duchess of Cambridge's sister looked tanned and relaxed as she strolled along a central London street on her way to join a friend for lunch. Pippa, the recently crowned 'Aunty of the Year', has been keeping a low profile of late while she concentrates on work projects, including her role as a contributing editor at Vanity Fair. Looking good: Pippa was stylish in a patterned skirt, tan obi belt and neat black top . She has also, according to recent reports, been eyeing up a £3m pied-à-terre in the middle class Parsons Green in west London. Despite boyfriend Nico Jackson's imminent move to Geneva, the 30-year-old and her stockbroker beau are thought to be purchasing the property together. The home features six double bedrooms and a nanny quarters - adding fuel to rumours the couple of two years are planning for a child. Currently, Pippa lives with her brother James, 27, at a property owned by their parents Carole and Michael. Low profile: Pippa has been keeping a relatively low profile of late and has been concentrating on work projects . Friends: Pippa was joined by a friend who also seemed to be enjoying the sunshine as they strolled along . While she waits to hear about her potential new home, Pippa has been throwing herself into London life and made several visits to Wimbledon. She's also become a regular sight at London's more upmarket bars and restaurants, among them West London favourite, Maggies. Despite her busy social life, Pippa remains a hands-on aunt to nephew Prince George and was at the top of the guest list - the Queen notwithstanding - for his first birthday celebrations yesterday. Couple: Pippa and Nico Jackson have been together two years and are reportedly keen to start a family . Enjoying life: Pippa has been photographed outside west London club Maggies in recent weeks . | Miss Middleton, 30, wore a natty print pencil skirt and a demure black top .
She was seen enjoying a sunny stroll in central London this afternoon .
Spent yesterday celebrating nephew Prince George's first birthday . |
183,183 | 794417f7e1ce1b4488b14bf89da18bc6f311bbd6 | (CNN) -- While the sporting world awaits confirmation of his mega-money new sponsorship deal with Nike, Rory McIlroy has deflected attention to one of the other big stories on golf's horizon this week -- the naming of the next European Ryder Cup captain. The world No. 1 was part of last year's winning team, famously triumphing in his final-day singles match after needing a police escort to get to the Medinah course on time. Jose Maria Olazabal stood down after guiding the Europeans to a remarkable come-from-behind win over the U.S. -- and his assistants Darren Clarke and Paul McGinley were initially frontrunners for the 2014 role at Gleneagles in Scotland. However, that changed when the Americans turned once again to Tom Watson, the last U.S. captain to triumph on European soil in 1993 and who won four of his eight major titles at Scottish links courses. Since then Colin Montgomerie has been widely tipped to repeat his 2010 role, when Europe won at Celtic Manor, and the eight-time European Tour money list winner confirmed last week that he would be interested in the leading the team in his home country. "I thought it was between Darren and Paul until Darren said something, then my name was mentioned," Montgomerie said ahead of the Volvo Champions event in South Africa, where he finished 18 shots behind Sunday's victor Louis Oosthuizen. "I've never canvassed, as I didn't last time. I've not spoken to anybody about this. But I've always felt that if I was asked I would do it and that's still the case." However, McIlroy -- who played under Montgomerie -- has firm opinions about who should be captain. "Ryder Cup captaincy should be a 1-time thing," the Northern Irishman said on his Twitter page. "Everybody deserving gets their chance and moves on. Would love to play under Paul McGinley in '14." Bernard Gallacher, the last man to captain Europe more than once, agreed that Montgomerie should not return. "Colin said himself, when he was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame, he intends to compete on the American seniors tour the moment he turns 50 this summer," the 63-year-old, who was skipper in 1991, '93 and '95, told the Scottish Daily Record newspaper. "So he will very quickly become out of touch with the players on the main tour. What message would that send to the other worthy candidates who are queuing up for the job, having earned their right to the captaincy just as much as Colin?" Paul Lawrie, who tied for seventh at Durban Country Club on Sunday, has also spoken out against the chances of his compatriot Montgomerie. "He's had his go. One time job for me," the 1999 British Open champion wrote on Twitter. However, fellow professional Henrik Stenson, who was on the committee that first appointed Montgomerie, said the 49-year-old might yet be picked again on Tuesday in Abu Dhabi. "No-one would question his passion for the Ryder Cup and the effort he put into the captaincy in 2010 and I am sure he would do the same and maybe more this time around if he was to be asked. So that might be a possible scenario," the Swede told the Scotsman newspaper. Olazabal, who finished joint last in the 33-man Volvo Champions tournament, said he would not be interested in taking the job again. "First of all it's a lot of energy and time, a huge demand and the pressure is quite big," the Spaniard told the UK Press Association. "Even if it was held in Spain again somewhere down the line I wouldn't do it. Monty has also done it and was successful too. If I was him I wouldn't do it again, but Monty is his own man. "I am a strong believer that we have a generation of players that deserve the captaincy -- and some might miss out because there are just too many. I think it's right to give those guys a chance." Read : Colsaerts' driving length stuns rivals . The debate, which comes ahead of this week's Abu Dhabi Championship featuring McIlroy and Tiger Woods, has taken some of the attention off Oosthuizen's remarkable come-from-behind victory in Durban. The South African has risen to a career-high fourth in the world rankings after wiping out Scott Jamieson's five-shot lead within the first 11 holes of the final round. The 2010 British Open champion shot six-under-par 66 to win by one stroke, denying the Scot his second win in the city in the space of a month. It was his sixth victory on the European Tour, lifting him up to second in the Race to Dubai standings behind world No. 100 Jamieson, and his seventh top-10 finish in his last eight starts. "It's a great start to the year, I knew I had to come out and get my name up there," the 30-year-old said. Jamieson, who won the Nelson Mandela Championship in December to qualify for the limited field, almost forced a playoff when his eagle chip attempt at the last hole stopped just short of the hole. "Louis's a major champion -- there's no shame in losing to him," the 29-year-old said. Meanwhile, rookies Russell Henley and Scott Langley took a three-shot lead into the final round of the PGA Tour's Sony Open in Hawaii on Sunday. The Americans were being chased by South African Tim Clark, while another newcomer -- Australian Scott Gardiner -- was tied for fourth with U.S. tour stalwart Charles Howell. | Rory McIlroy says Colin Montgomerie should not return as European Ryder Cup captain .
World No. 1 backs Irishman Paul McGinley to step up from vice-captaincy role .
The 23-year-old Northern Irishman says the skipper's job should be a "one-time thing"
European captain will be named on Tuesday ahead of Abu Dhabi tournament . |
196,786 | 8aa81e3b64627bee549534d5d306f4706226518e | Cleared: Dennis Meighan pictured today . An Antique firearms collector sensationally revealed yesterday that he was hired to murder the male model who claimed he had an affair with former Liberal Party leader Jeremy Thorpe. But in an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Dennis Meighan, now 68, said his involvement in the most sensational political scandal in a generation was later covered up. Until now, it was known only that Meighan supplied the gun used in an alleged attempt on former stable boy Norman Scott’s life. He says he was offered £13,500 – about £140,000 today – by a representative of Thorpe to kill Scott who, at the time, was ‘telling anyone who would listen’ he was in a relationship with the politician. After initially agreeing to carry out the murder, Meighan changed his mind. He confessed his role in the affair to police in 1975 but was shocked when they later gave him a prepared statement to sign. ‘It was half as long as my original statement and all the references to Thorpe had been removed,’ says Meighan. ‘It also cleared me completely. It was a cover-up, no question, but it suited me fine.’ It meant Meighan never had to give evidence when Thorpe and three others went on trial at the Old Bailey in 1979, accused of conspiring to murder Scott. All were acquitted and Thorpe, who died last week aged 85, always fiercely denied Scott’s claims of a gay affair. The scandal, however, ended his career. Meighan received numerous calls from journalists after his name was linked to the case. ‘I turned down all the initial requests but finally I arranged to speak to one reporter who said he would come to see me,’ he said. ‘I put the phone down, walked ten paces across the room and then it rang again. ‘A man with a Welsh accent said, “You can still be nicked, boyo”. The line then went dead. ‘It was clear my phone was bugged. I cancelled the meeting.’ Some weeks earlier Meighan had been contacted by old school friend Andrew Newton, who asked if he could supply him with a gun. ‘He knew I had a collection of antique firearms and knew I could get hold of a working gun.’ They arranged to meet at an Italian restaurant in Shepherd’s Bush, West London, and Newton brought along a man who ‘introduced himself as a representative of Jeremy Thorpe’. The shamed Liberal Leader: Jeremy Thorpe was involved in the most sensation political scandal of a generation . His Gay Lover: Norman Scott, was at the time, telling people he was in a relationship with the politician . The Would-be Assassin: Dennis Meighan pictured in the mid-seventies was offered £13,500 by representatives of Thorpe to murder Scott . The Innocent Victim: Scott's dog Rinka was shot dead after the former model was lured out to Dartmoor . Meighan said: ‘They spoke about Scott, said he was a horrible piece of work, and how he was squealing and being a nuisance and had to be silenced. I didn’t believe it at first but eventually they convinced me. They wanted me to get rid of him and offered me £13,500. ‘That was a lot of money then and I agreed. I don’t know why I said yes and I really don’t know if I’d have gone through with it.’ At the time Meighan was in his late 20s with a reputation in West London as a ‘tough guy’. He said: ‘I got in fights and did a bit of thieving, but nothing heavy. I’d never killed anyone before.’ A few days later he went to the pub where Scott was living near Barnstaple, Devon. ‘I went to have a look more than anything, but the gun was in the car. As soon as I opened my mouth and everyone heard my London accent they turned and looked at me. Scott had been saying London gangsters were after him. I knew then I wouldn’t be able to get away with it so I drove back to London. ‘I told Newton I was pulling out and he panicked because he was going to have to do it himself.’ On October 23, 1975, Newton lured Scott out to Dartmoor by pretending to be a minder hired to protect him from a hitman. After shooting Scott’s dog Rinka, Newton then allegedly tried to shoot Scott, only for the gun to jam. ‘Newton was arrested and I was visited by three policemen, at least that’s what they said they were,’ said Meighan. ‘They knew about me from Newton so I admitted it all in a statement. ‘I thought they’d nick me but they just said they’d be in touch. Then I got a call saying I needed to go to Brentford police station where I would be given an envelope containing a statement. He said if I liked it I should sign it and go. I couldn’t believe it.’ | Dennis Meighan, 68, revealed he was hired to murder Norman Scott .
The antique firearm dealer said he was offered £13,500 to kill him .
He initially agreed to carry out the murder, but changed his mind .
Meighan confessed his role to the police, but it was later covered up . |
236,906 | bea327bc0a64b3a6ce628a0c232711f83fcd43bf | What do you think of Edward Snowden? By leaking classified documents to the media and revealing that the National Security Agency has been monitoring our phone and Internet usage, is he a traitor or a hero? Could he simply be a narcissist looking to get famous? Or do you not care about either him or the NSA surveillance programs? Chris Cuomo, co-host of the new CNN morning show, "New Day," joined us to discuss the top issues in this week's episode of "The Big Three" podcast. (Be sure to tune in to "New Day," which premieres on Monday June 17 at 6 a.m. ET.) I must note that while I disagreed with Cuomo's view on Snowden, as a fellow graduate of Fordham Law School, his logic and comedy chops were impeccable. It's something we share and that distinguishes me from my co-hosts Margaret Hoover and John Avlon. (At least that's what I keep telling myself.) Back to Edward Snowden. A poll this week found that 31% of Americans consider him a patriot while 23% view him as a traitor. But a whopping 46% say they don't know. Is it because these 46% simply aren't following the story or because they have accepted government surveillance as the price for security? The Snowden Index: A glance at opinions about the NSA leaker . As Cuomo pointed out, Americans have "matured" since 9/11 over the issue of government surveillance. Consequently, he believes that many do accept increased monitoring if it means that we can prevent another 9/11 or Boston Marathon bombing. But to me, "we the people" have a right to know when our government is spying on us, especially when officials like James Clapper, the director of National Intelligence, denied such a program existed when asked about it under oath by Congress just a few months ago. How else can we hold our government accountable if we aren't informed of its actions? To listen to this week's podcast, click on the Soundcloud audio player on this page or find us on iTunes. The second issue we discuss this week will hopefully outrage and disgust you as much as it did us. There are few things that unite the left and right in America (or Margaret, John and I for that matter) but charities taking advantage of the sympathy and good will of Americans did just that. CNN teamed up with The Tampa Bay Times to reveal the 50 worst charities in America. Anyone considering donating money to a charity needs to first check out this list. These charities have raised millions of dollars pulling on the heartstrings of Americans by claiming to help children dying of cancer, disabled veterans, the less fortunate and others in need. What are they really doing? Only giving pennies on the dollar to those they purport to assist while keeping 80% to 90% of the money raised for administrative costs -- such as paying their officers. We also highlighted some of the best charities in America, including the YMCA, Goodwill and the new "Dean Obeidallah charity," where I pledge to use 100% of the money raised to help me, Dean Obeidallah. Finally, we turned to erotic books and the CIA. No, the CIA hasn't started secretly spying on people who read erotica or investigating whether the "Letters to Penthouse" are real. As the Daily Beast reported, the CIA's new No. 2 person, Avril Danica Haines, once co-owned a bookstore where she featured "Erotica nights" during which she and her guests would read aloud racy portions of books. John and Margaret applauded this as showing a human side to Haines as well as making the point that women in power can also be sexual beings. However, my view is that this type of story typifies why it's so difficult for women to navigate up the government and corporate ladder. Those are our views. More importantly, we would love to hear your views on the three issues featured in this week's episode of "The Big Three." Plus, follow us on Twitter, we are all needy -- me especially. | Chris Cuomo, co-host of new CNN show, "New Day" chimes in on this week's podcast .
Dean Obeidallah and Cuomo disagree on whether Edward Snowden is a traitor or hero .
Obeidallah, John Avlon and Margaret Hoover are outraged by the worst charities in the U.S.
Last, the three discuss erotic books and the scandal involving CIA staffer Avril Haines . |
124,909 | 2d72af6d90615322af9f60a02f2f8e5eeefd0505 | A Christmas Day diner died and dozens of others became seriously ill after eating their turkey lunch at a pub where staff paid 'lip service' to safety procedures, a court heard today. Mother-of-one Della Callagher, 46, died after paying £39.95 for the four-course lunch at the Railway Hotel, Hornchurch, Essex, on Christmas Day 2012. She was among 33 people who fell ill following the alleged outbreak of food poisoning, later attributed to a bacteria known as Clostridium perfringens. The restaurant's former owner Ann McSweeney, 40, and ex-chef Mehmet Kaya, 37, deny serving food that was unfit for human consumption. Ann-Marie McSweeney (pictured, left) is on trial accused of serving food unfit for human consumption in her pub after mother Della Callagher (right) died . Today, John Callagher, 53, described his wife's 'horrific' death, describing the moment she began shaking and rolled her eyes back while lying in bed next to him. Mr Callagher, who breathed deeply throughout his evidence and sipped at a glass of water to keep his composure, said that his wife was in a 'great mood' on Chistmas Day because she loved being with her family. He told the court that his wife began to feel unwell at around 5:30am on Boxing Day and he started to feel unwell about an hour later. Mr Callagher said: 'We both had the same symptoms, but Della got progressively far worse than me as we went throughout the day, with vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain. 'I called my mother-in-law, and said "you've got to come to the house". 'I was getting increasingly concerned as the day went on. The vomiting and diarrhoea wouldn't stop and Della was a very private person, and it was horrific to see what was going on. 'My mother-in-law called NHS Helpline first and that didn't seem to work, whatever that was, and then the paramedics were called by 999. 'My symptom's were nowhere near as bad as Della's. They gave her Diarolyte. 'Della was in quite a state physically so they took her in an ambulance to Queen's Hospital, Romford.' He told the court that because of his food poisoning, he wasn't well enough to go with his wife. He said: 'I couldn't. I wasn't in the physical state to go. My mother-in-law went and I think my brother-in-law joined them later at the hospital. 'The next thing I discovered, they were back at my house, my brother-in-law is a black taxi driver and he brought them back.' He continued: 'They didn't take her in A&E because I think they were concerned it was the norovirus, even though it was clear - the paramedics said to me: "this looks like salmonella." More than 30 diners fell ill with food poisoning after the meal at the Railway Hotel in Hornchurch, Essex . 'They gave her a shot of something in the ambulance. They [A&E] sort of turned her away.' He said she seemed a bit better, but in the afternoon or early evening she took a turn for the worse. Mr Callagher said: 'She got far, far, far, worse. It was horrific.' He said he called his mother-in-law again, asking her to come back to the house, adding: 'I didn't know what to do. 'I called my mother-in-law and she was going to come round and I was holding Della on the bed because I didn't want vomit to go down her throat, and she would choke.' He added: 'Something changed. I felt her physically shake and her eyes rolled, as if she was having a cardiac arrest.' He claimed that the ambulance took more than 45 minutes to arrive, as somebody instructed his brother how to do CPR. He said: 'We had someone on the line who was instructing us to do CPR. My brother-in-law was giving her CPR and trying to save her, but there was no sign of life. 'My mother-in-law was very ill by this point. The paramedics took over and we went downstairs to let them do their job. We hoped for a different outcome, but she hadn't breathed now for 45 minutes. 'Paramedics took my brother-in-law outside and I think they was going to say she was clinically gone, and they then felt a pulse and they took her to hospital.' Mr Callgher told the court that this time he travelled in the ambulance with his wife, regardless of his own condition. He said: 'It didn't matter to me what state I was in. 'I left with her and my mother-in-law left in a different ambulance.' Mrs Callagher was pronounced dead at the hospital on December 27th at around 08:15am. The pub's parent company, Mitchell and Butlers PLC, based in Birmingham, also deny the charge at Snaresbrook Crown Court. McSweeney, of Hornchurch, and Kaya, of Purfleet, Essex, also deny perverting the course of justice by falsifying records in a 'daily kitchen due diligence log' relating to the cooking and cooling of turkey meat. The pair are accused of failing to properly monitor the temperature of the turkey as it cooked. Following the incident, they allegedly falsified their food safety records to hand to health and safety inspectors. McSweeney further denies obstructing an officer in the course of their duty by handing the falsified documents to food safety inspectors. Andrew Campbell-Tiech, prosecuting, told the court: 'Mehmet Kaya grossly, grossly mismanaged the preparation of the Christmas turkey. 'By that act he caused his employer, the company, to place unsafe food before its customers on Christmas Day. Mrs Callagher, who tragically later died, was initially seen at Queen's Hospital in Romford, pictured . 'Miss McSweeney was in overall charge. She knew, she must have known, that Mr Kaya did not follow safety procedures. Her default is clear, she should have intervened. She did not.' Referring to the charge of perverting the course of justice, Mr Campbell-Tiech said: 'The actions of Miss McSweeney and Mr Kaya in the immediate aftermath of this tragedy were not those of innocent actors caught up in a tragedy not of their making. 'News of a possible food poisoning outbreak reached The Railway Hotel sometime in the morning on Boxing Day. Carole Rowe, a diner, had returned to the hotel to complain.' He added: 'Miss McSweeney contacted the company, who by 1pm on Boxing Day were aware that six people had reported illness. 'Environmental Health Officers attended on the 27th and, by that time, all trace of the Christmas meal had disappeared. There were no samples for the officers to seize.' He continued: 'Clearly the turkey breasts were cooked and cooled, otherwise they could not have been reheated and served the following day, Christmas Day. But when and for how long, we simply do not know.' Mr Campbell-Tiech claimed the kitchen logbooks showed 'the kitchen of The Railway Hotel paid lip service only to the systems the company had prescribed but did not enforce'. The trial continues. The bacterium Clostridium perfringens is widely distributed in the environment and food. It is the third most common cause of food poisoning in the UK. If spores of the bacteria survive cooking, they can germinate to form growing cells. Spores cannot grow in a refrigerator or freezer but thrive at room temperature. In optimal growing conditions, the organism has a generation time of 10 to 12 minutes. When a large number of the vegetative cells are consumed this will more-likely-than-not lead to gastroenteritis. Food poisoning from the bacteria most often occurs when foodstuffs, usually red meat or poultry, is prepared in advance and kept warm for several hours before serving. The illness, with diarrhoea and abdominal pain the main symptoms, generally lasts for less than 24 hours but elderly people may be more seriously affected. The bacteria is also responsible for 80-95 per cent of gas gangrene cases, a rare but severe form of gangrene. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | More than 30 diners fell ill after eating at pub in Hornchurch, Essex .
One woman, mother-of-one Della Callagher, died after the meal .
Inspectors found bacteria Clostridium perfringens was likely cause .
Former owner, ex-chef and pub's parent company are now on trial .
They all deny serving food that was unfit for human consumption .
Prosecutors claim kitchen staff 'paid lip service' to safety rules . |
45,062 | 7f0d12ad1ff843aa7c89b8ecacb138e46a0dcf88 | (CNN) -- July is on track to be the deadliest month yet for British troops supporting Operation Enduring Freedom. Air Chief Marshall Jock Stirrup says the sacrifices of British forces are worth it. So far, 15 British servicemen have died in Afghanistan this month, mostly in connection with Operation Panther's Claw, the British-led offensive in Helmand province that is mirroring a similar operation by U.S. Marines in the same area. Britain's deadliest month in Afghanistan so far has been September 2006, when 19 died -- 14 in a single incident, the crash of a Royal Air Force plane near Kandahar. The sudden spike in British deaths has triggered an outcry in the United Kingdom over the mission there and whether it will be successful. "Every casualty is sad, every casualty is deeply felt by us in the military. I mean, they are part of our military family. The losses, of course, are felt most by the real families of those involved and the bereavement is terrible," Air Chief Marshall Jock Stirrup, the chief of defense staff for Great Britain, told CNN in an exclusive interview. But earlier, he pointed out, at the same time the 15 British troops had been killed, at least 197 Taliban forces had been confirmed killed in fighting. Watch questions being asked about the sacrifices » . "These casualties are pretty one-sided. Sad though our losses are, they are very small compared to the losses that the enemy is taking," he said in an interview at the British Embassy. Stirrup, whose position is equivalent to Adm. Michael Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, said the government wants people to know that the sacrifices are worth it. "This is a military operation and on military operations, you engage in fighting. That's why we have militaries and, sadly, you take casualties. The real issue is, first of all, are we getting something of sufficient strategic benefit to justify the price that our people are paying?" he said. "Secondly, are we doing everything we can to ensure that we achieve that strategic benefit with the minimum possible number of casualties? And those, I think, are the key arguments in which we have to engage." The British military has been criticized for using vehicles that cannot withstand the blast of a roadside bomb. Stirrup told CNN that the British troops are conducting missions that forces them out of protective vehicles. "You can't engage with the population of Helmand from inside several inches of steel. You have actually to get out on the ground," Stirrup said. "Our people have to get out there, they have to engage with the population and close with the enemy and that, alas, exposes them to risks and sometimes those risks materialize. Have we got the right equipment? Well, we have excellent equipment on the ground and our troops will tell you that." But Stirrup admits that while the United Kingdom is constantly updating the equipment sent to Afghanistan, the results are delayed. "It takes time for industry to produce the new equipment. It's ordered, it's being delivered, but it's delivered over time, so it's always that gap, if you like, between identifying that change requirement and being able to deliver it on the ground," Stirrup said. He said there is one British serviceman who won't have to worry about the dangers of Afghanistan: Prince William. "Prince William is second in line to the throne. That produces certain difficulties to his employment in a combat environment," he said. "I'm not going to say one way or the other what we will do for the future. What I will say is that he is training at the moment to be a search-and-rescue helicopter pilot, which is a tremendously demanding occupation. It's professionally demanding. It also is at times pretty hazardous, and I think he is going to find that challenge enough and reward enough in the short term." The prince's younger brother, Prince Harry, served in Afghanistan for about 10 weeks until news of his deployment was leaked by a U.S. Web site. He was then pulled out to keep his unit from being targeted specifically aimed at him. | 15 servicemen have died this month, compared with 19 in September 2006 .
Most deaths attributed to Operation Panther's Claw in Helmand province .
Air Chief Marshall says numbers pale in comparison to 197 Taliban deaths .
Sudden spike triggers outcry in UK, criticism of vehicles used in operations . |
164,170 | 604db94bba86d0a3a96db6879c48aee16c146910 | By . Chris Hastings . PUBLISHED: . 19:31 EST, 10 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:31 EST, 10 August 2013 . Al Qaeda militants pillaged British taxpayer-funded aid worth almost £500,000, the Department for International Development has admitted. The Government said that a Somali-based cell of Al Qaeda, known as al-Shabaab, plundered the vital humanitarian aid and equipment from approved contractors. The loss was hidden in the small print of a recent set of Department for International Development (DfID) accounts which revealed ‘the theft’ of supplies worth £480,000 between November 2011 and February 2012. Loss: It is believed the supplies were stolen by Al-Shabaab, the Somali-based cell of Al Qaeda, and burnt . It is understood that the supplies were stolen or destroyed in November 2011 when al-Shabaab went on the rampage through an area where some of DFiD’s local partners had a warehouse. The report singles out al-Shabaab for blame and states: ‘DfID partners had no prior warning of the confiscations being carried out and therefore had no time to prevent the loss.’ A DfID spokesman added: ‘We work in some of the most dangerous places in the world, including Somalia, because tackling the root causes of poverty and instability there ensures a safer world. 'Working in conflict-affected and fragile states carries inherent risk. DfID does all it can to mitigate against this but, on occasion, losses will occur.’ Questions: Aid workers struggled to deliver supplies to thousands of Somali refugees during the humanitarian crisis in 2011 . More than 13 million people were reliant on humanitarian aid during the Horn of Africa crisis in November 2011. Starving people were dying of malaria and cholera and heavy rains made it impossible for aid workers to deliver supplies. The disclosure that so much material went missing will raise fears that the Government is not doing enough to protect aid supplies. Ministers have been under increasing pressure to justify a decision to protect overseas aid from spending cuts. British aid is due to reach about £11 billion by 2015 to meet the Government’s promise that spending should be 0.7 per cent of gross national income. Critics say the 0.7 per cent figure encourages wasteful spending to meet the target. Last night DfID was not able to confirm what sort of supplies had been lost in Somalia but suggested that they were burned by al-Shabaab rather than stolen. | 'Theft' of aid and equipment hidden in recent set of Government accounts .
Contractors were targeted by al-Shabaab, Somali cell of Al Qaeda .
Government: 'We work in some of the most dangerous places in the world' |
230,010 | b5db828262a9deedcdcd67be3228cb24c5b05a11 | Liverpool remain keen on Radamel Falcao but they face competition from Juventus for the Monaco striker. The Italians like the idea of a loan deal and are considering the sale of Fernando Llorente to Valencia, although the Spaniard is not overly keen. Real Madrid maintain an interest in Falcao but need to sell another non-EU player first. Wanted man: Liverpool, Juventus and Real Madrid are all keen on Monaco striker Radamel Falcao . Liverpool have the option of a deal for Samuel Eto'o also but their main concern is whether he is too much of a spent force. Reds defender Daniel Agger is an option for Atletico Madrid should they lose Toby Alderweireld, while another defender, Tiago Ilori, will move from Anfield to Bordeaux on loan on Monday - as reported last week. Option: Liverpool could sign former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o on a free transfer this summer . Assou-Ekotto free to go, say Tottenham . Tottenham are willing to let Benoit Assou Ekotto leave on a free transfer. The Cameroon defender has been pushed down the pecking order by the arrival of Ben Davies from Swansea while Danny Rose has also signed a new long-term deal. Assou-Ekotto had a spell on loan at QPR last season but failed to reach the performance levels he showed two and three years ago while under Harry Redknapp at White Hart Lane. The 30-year-old has one year left on contract but Tottenham are willing to cut their losses as they streamline their squad. Tottenham have plenty of interest in Andros Townsend with Southampton and QPR having made enquiries but Mauricio Pochettino wants to keep the England winger as part of his first team squad. Exit door: Tottenham will let defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto leave on a free transfer this summer . Other enquiries have been made for Michael Dawson, Kyle Naughton, Lewis Holtby, Vlad Chiriches, Nacer Chadli, Sandro and Roberto Soldado. Tottenham maintain an interest in Morgan Schneiderlin, Memphis Depay, Mateo Musacchio and Jay Rodriguez among others but Pochettino is not keen to make drastic changes to his squad. He said: 'I've been made aware of some reports claiming we are looking to sell half of our squad. We are fortunate to have a squad full of quality, as I have said on numerous occasions, and we are not expecting to see much movement before the end of the transfer window. 'We will loan out some of our younger players to help further their development. Several of our players are under 21 so we don’t envisage a problem meeting the Premier League’s squad limit of 25.' Target: Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino hopes to resume talks for PSV winger Memphis Depay (left) Reus will leave Dortmund for 'big club' says Beckenbauer . Franz Beckenbauer has angered Borussia Dortmund by hinting they will struggle to hold on to Marco Reus. The honorary Bayern Munich president believes that Reus will leave Dortmund in 2015 with his release clause set at £20m for either his side or 'a big club' like Manchester United or Real Madrid. Talking to German publication Bild, he said: 'I can imagine him at Bayern very well. If you can get a player of his class, you need to try it. If he doesn't go to Bayern in 2015, he will probably go to another big club like Real Madrid or Manchester United. On the move? Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer believes Marco Reus (left) will leave Borussia Dortmund . 'Dortmund will probably not be able to hold on to him. I can understand why Dortmund don't like discussion about Reus. The amount of the release clause probably wasn't a big secret,' he argued. 'Every interested party probably knew it.' They do now, Franz. Zuculini poised to join Valencia on loan from City . Manchester City new boy Bruno Zuculini is poised to join Valencia on loan after red tape prevented a temporary move to Sunderland. The 21-year-old midfielder, who arrived in a £3m deal from Argentinian side Racing Club last month, is not able to join a Premier League club and then immediately move to another on loan due to Financial Fair Play legislation and is now heading to La Liga. Deportivo La Coruna had been considered favourites for Zuculini but will now miss out. They have asked to take Fulham striker Kostas Mitroglou on loan. Loan ranger: Bruno Zuculini is set to join Spanish side Valencia on loan from Manchester City . VIDEO Important to start with a win - Pellegrini . Zuculini has a long-term future at City but they will listen to offers for Matija Nasatsic, Micah Richards, Scott Sinclair and John Guidetti. Anderlecht have asked to loan City's Belgian defender Dedryck Boyata. Norwich sign former Sunderland defender Cuellar . Norwich City are signing former Sunderland and Aston Villa defender Carlos Cuellar. The Spaniard is undergoing a medical on Monday ahead of penning a two-year contract. Cuellar, 32, has been training with Blackburn Rovers recently. Norwich are also in talks to sign Cameron Jerome for £2m from Stoke City. Celtic had also shown an interest in Jerome who was on loan at Crystal Palace last season. Norwich's Holland midfielder Leroy Fer is expected to join QPR for £8million this week. Fresh start: Carlos Cuellar will join Championship side Norwich City on a free transfer this week . Villa, meanwhile, are among clubs looking at a deal for attacking midfielder Sebastian Blanco. The 26-year-old Argentina international plays for Metallist Kharkiv but wants to quit the club following the continued unrest in the Ukraine. Despite being valued at £6million, a deal can be struck for around half the price. Kenny leaves Leeds after being frozen out . Paddy Kenny has left Leeds United. The 36-year-old was expected to move on and has now agreed a deal to go by mutual consent. Kenny wasn't even on the bench for the Championship matches with Millwall and Middlesbrough, or the Capital One Cup clash with Accrington. Leeds United’s bid for Kieran Agard collapsed on Monday after the club and the winger failed to agree personal terms. Gone: Goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has left Leeds by mutual consent after failing to break into the first XI . Agard travelled to Leeds for talks this morning after Rotherham United accepted a bid last night but the move has fallen through. The 24-year-old’s agent, Lee Payne. of Full Contact, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: 'We just haven’t been able to agree personal terms. 'Leeds were hopeful of getting him signed in time to play (against Middlesbrough) tomorrow but they were keeping their offer within a budget and we couldn’t agree to it.' Leeds do, however, hope to strike agreement on a £1m deal for Ternana striker Mirco Antenucci and are discussing a possible loan for Cagliari's Brazilian playmaker Adryan who was had talks with Manchester United in 2012. Bamford and Baker given freedom of the Boro . Chelsea starlet Patrick Bamford will join Middlesbrough on Monday and coach Aitor Karanka hopes to finalise the signing of the Blues' Under 21 captain Lewis Baker in the coming days. Baker is very highly thought of at Stamford Bridge with Jose Mourinho even stating he will have failed as a coach if the 19-year-old does not become a full England international in years to come. Chelsea had intended to give him more games with their first team but Karanka will be able to offer even more consistent game time. Dropping down: Chelsea youngster Patrick Bamford is set to join Championship side Middlesbrough on loan . Everton and West Ham lead chase for Amalfitano . Everton, West Ham, Hull, Sunderland and Crystal Palace have expressed an interest in Marseille midfielder Morgan Amalfitano was in the stands at Loftus Road on Saturday to watch Hull City take on QPR. Amalfitano is available on a free transfer after an ugly fall out with coach Marcelo Bielsa that has culminated in the player being told to stay away from the Marseille training ground. The 29-year-old had a productive loan spell at West Bromwich Albion last season and is in London ahead of talks with Premier League clubs. In demand: Everton, West Ham and Hull are among the clubs interested in Marseille's Morgan Amalfitano (right) West Ham have already spoken with his representatives and are considered favourites to reach an agreement. Everton are considering a number of options following the injury to midfielder Ross Barkley. Fulham in talks with Hildebrand . Fulham have opened talks with former Germany goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand. The 35-year-old is a free agent after leaving Schalke and is well known to coach Felix Magath. Hildebrand's last visit to London did not leave a favourable impression as his blunder allowed Samuel Eto'o to score the opening goal for Chelsea in their 3-0 Champions League defeat of Schalke in November. However, Magath wants an experienced keeper to help his young players. He gave a debut to 21-year-old Finland man Jesse Joronen in goal on the opening day of the season after selling David Stockdale to Brighton and allowing Maarten Stekelenburg to join Monaco on loan. | Brendan Rodgers faces competition from Juventus and Real Madrid for Falcao as he looks to strengthen his attacking options .
Free agent Samuel Eto'o is still an option for the Reds .
Atletico Madrid are interested in defender Daniel Agger .
Tottenham will let Benoit Assou-Ekotto leave on a free transfer .
Spurs hope to reopen talks over Schneiderlin, Depay, Mateo Musacchio and Jay Rodriguez .
Franz Beckenbauer believes Marco Reus will leave Borussia Dortmund .
Manchester City midfielder Bruno Zuculini set to join Valencia on loan .
Leroy Fer expected to join QPR from Norwich for £8million .
Aston Villa are keen on attacking midfielder Sebastian Blanco .
West Ham and Everton among clubs interested in Marseille midfielder Morgan Amalfitano . |
4,218 | 0c2c87130e23a509791b976ca33ed92adfb6d904 | By . Andrew G Marshall . PUBLISHED: . 06:59 EST, 6 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:59 EST, 6 September 2013 . They seemed like a dream couple. When Jack and Amanda got married ten years ago, their friends and families joked that they were joined at the hip. 'We spent every free minute with each other,' Amanda told me. 'We'd go for long walks and cook supper. We loved the cinema, entertaining friends, adventurous holidays - and we had a great sex life.' But by the time Jack, 42, and Amanda, 41, came to see me for marital advice earlier this year, their pleasure in one another was a distant memory. It all changed when their children came along - daughter Emily, now eight, and their son, Tom, six. The couple admitted they had slept together only a handful of times since Tom's birth, had almost stopped talking to each other - and were at breaking point. Who's the boss? Always putting your child's needs first can ruin your marriage says a therapist (posed by models) With their children now 'the centre of their lives', as they both proudly described it, they had moved out of London to a bigger house with a family-size garden. As a result, Jack was spending long hours commuting, while the couple's free time was dominated by Emily and Tom's needs and even their social lives. 'We just want the best for them,' explained Amanda. 'Like all their friends, our two have after-school clubs most evenings. I spend much of my time ferrying the children to and from school, piano lessons, dance classes and tutors. They have swimming on a Saturday morning, and birthday parties in the afternoon and on Sunday. If we do have any free time left at the weekend, I make sure we do things the kids enjoy.' 'With the children hanging on to me and calling for me all the time, I just don't have the energy to ask Jack about his day at work, let alone have sex with him' That left Jack either falling asleep in front of the television after a long day at work or trying to be a 'good dad' by playing games with the children, with Amanda feeling ignored and under-valued at home as she struggled through the monotonous grind of cooking, cleaning and servicing the family's needs. 'With the children hanging on to me and calling for me all the time, I just don't have the energy to ask Jack about his day at work, let alone have sex with him.' Jack too, was deeply unhappy, insisting he was the very last of Amanda's priorities, beneath the children, housework, shopping and the family dog. 'Sometimes I wish Amanda and I could have some days to ourselves, when we don't follow the kids' timetable,' he said. 'It would be nice to go out as a couple, but the kids make such a fuss about being left with babysitters that we can't relax.' Worst of all, he confessed he and Amanda no longer slept in the same bed. 'The children have got into the habit of sleeping in our bed with Amanda, so it's just easier if I sleep in the spare room because I have to get up so early.' Marriage killer: Many parents don't want to acknowledge how overindulging their child has placed a wedge between them (posed by models) As a marital therapist, I have spent almost 30 years helping couples turn around their relationships and fall back in love again. I've written 11 books on the subject, answered countless letters to my website, given talks and appeared on numerous radio and TV shows. And it seems to me one fundamental issue is driving so much of the misery I encounter now: how to stop your children ruining your marriage. I know from experience that most parents don't want to hear my message. When they are giving their all to their children, they don't want to think they might ironically be creating the wedge that will eventually force them apart. But 'red carpet' kids, as I call them, are an increasingly common phenomenon. 'Prioritise your child's football practice over household chores and everyone else's activities, and you send the message that they are all-important' I've given them this nickname because, like mini-celebrities, who are cared for and indulged to the detriment of everyone else in the family. If you're not careful, they can kill your marriage stone dead. So why do we do we spoil our children like this? Firstly, it makes life easier in the short-term. Jack and Amanda let their children sleep in their bed because a peaceful night in the spare room is easier than a full-on fight at bedtime. Parental guilt also plays a part. There are any number of reasons for modern parents to feel guilty: not spending enough time with their children, not being able to afford everything their children want or need, losing their temper because they're stressed, not feeling 'good enough'... Children target adult guilt to get what they want. And finally, we all want to be liked. Too many parents are so fearful of upsetting their children and losing their 'friendship', they struggle to discipline them effectively. Survival guide: Andrew G Marshall has written a book on how to childproof your marriage . The long-term consequences of all this are just as disastrous for the child as the parents' relationship. Prioritise your child's football practice over household chores and everyone else's activities, and you send the message that they are all-important. Too important, even. Letting your child choose what you all eat, where you go and even their own bedtime sounds like every child's dream – but you are effectively making them 'head of the household'. Children who regularly wield this power at home struggle to make friends in the outside world as they haven't learned how to negotiate with, or defer to, others. Nearing adulthood once meant new privileges and freedoms. But today's red-carpet children, who already have everything they could wish for and rarely hear the word no? They end up reluctant to leave home. A lot of parents are so busy taking photographs and applauding as their children walk the metaphorical 'red carpet', they don’t see the problems they are creating until devastation is upon them. Don't let that be you. As I explained to Amanda and Jack, change is always possible. Just because something has been done one way until now doesn't mean it must continue. By learning to apply some of my very simple rules for family harmony, Amanda and Jack were able to improve their relationships with each other and their children beyond all recognition. So start rolling up the red carpet, and get your family and your marriage back on track too. 1. Put your children last. Prioritising . your partner over your children is good for your marriage and your . kids. Of course, there will be exceptions – if the children are ill, or . their first day at school and so on, but otherwise make sure you and . your partner go out for dinner together, send the kids to bed early, do . things the two of you love to do together. A happy marriage makes happy . children. 2. Be a 'good enough' parent. Accept . you're not perfect, that every parent makes mistakes and it's not the . end of the world if you send your child to school in a hastily . cobbled-together costume for the school play. 3. Recognise Your Needs. I . have met many mothers and fathers who, after years of downgrading their . own needs, felt 'entitled to do something for myself for once' - and . had an affair. Always putting your children first can cause resentment . to rebound in extraordinary acts of selfishness. Have a good think about . what YOU want and need in your relationship and family life – and make . sure you get it. 4. Talk. Make . sure you talk through your problems – don't silently hope they'll go . away. Problems fester if you don’t get them out in the open. 5. Put a lock on your bedroom door. You . wouldn't barge into a teenager's bedroom unannounced, so don't let your . children do it to you. Give yourself some privacy as a couple – they . can always shout 'Fire!' if they're in trouble. 6. Greet your partner first when he or she walks through the door – not your children. It shows how important they are to you. 7. Don't let your children interrupt when you are talking to each other. 8. Make unilateral decisions about your children. Parent as a team and don't compete for popularity with your children. 9. Prioritise sex. Intimacy keeps a relationship alive. Send the children to the grandparents for the night. It's important. 10. Make the children responsible for tasks around the house, so there's more time for you to be partners rather than servants. Article extracted by Mandy Francis from I Love You But You Always Put Me Last by Andrew G Marshall to be published by Macmillan on 12th September @ £12.99. Copyright 2013 Andrew G Marshall. To order a copy for £11.49 (p&p free) call 0844 472 4157. | Marital therapist warns against always putting your children first .
He said too many are being treated like mini-celebrities .
As a result, marriages are breaking down .
Andrew explains how to prevent your children ruining your relationship . |
201,088 | 90559202224845e2fc3a3764c19148ce4e05df6f | By . Candace Sutton . and Jessica Satherley . Olympic swimming champion Grant Hackett is on his way to the United States to enter rehab over his addiction to the prescription drug Stilnox, Mail Online can exclusively reveal. Hackett left Australia on Tuesday afternoon for America to undergo a treatment program for his addiction, following a bizarre incident in which he was filmed half-naked in an Australian hotel foyer. The 33-year-old triple gold medal winning Olympian boarded the flight after a crisis meeting with his family on the Gold Coast. Family support: Grant Hackett (pictured today with his mother, Margaret) flew home to the Gold Coast to see his parents before flying to the US . The Australian flew to his parents, Margaret and Neill's Miami Beach home following the incident. A spokesman for Hackett told Mail Online he was 'taking steps to seek help for a problem he has with Stilnox'. 'His family and friends are enormously proud of his courage in pursuing this course of action,' the spokesman said in a statement for Hackett . This is not the first time Hackett has battled an addiction to the prescription sleeping pill Stilnox and he had a 'heavy reliance' on the drug towards the end of his swimming career, Sydney's Daily Telegraph reported in 2012. Hackett told the paper that he was first given the sleeping pills by swimming officials but overused them. 'At one point they scared me. They're evil', Hackett said in 2012. Fellow Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps, also admitted in the past to using Stilnox throughout his career and is popular with sporting professionals due to it's 'no hangover effect'. Stilnox, a Zolpiem drug, is also used for anxiety but can be highly addictive if overused. Side effects from the drug have been linked to strange behaviour, hallucinations, impaired judgement and delusions. Seeking treatment: Grant Hackett pictured on Tuesday in the Gold Coast before flying to the US to seek treatment for prescription drug addiction . Stilnox is a Zolpidem drug, that is also sold under the brand name Ambien in the US. It is a prescription anti-anxiety drug and sleeping pill that is given to patients to treat insomnia and anxiety. Side effect can include hallucinations and amnesia. There are more than 13 generic versions of Zolpidem, such as Ambien, Stilnox, Sublinox, Hypnogen and Zolsana. In 2013 the FDA required the manufacturer of Ambien and Zolpimist to half the recommended dosage for women after studies linked it to car accidents from patients being too drowsy and next-morning impairments after taking the drug. Hackett had also been taking Stilnox in 2011 and in 2012 to help him sleep while recovering from a shoulder injury at the time - the same year that he and his then-wife Candice Alley split . The couple separated in an ugly split which followed Hackett's trashing of their luxury apartment during Melbourne's 2011 Spring racing carnival in a wild drunken rampage which ended when eight police cars were called to the home. Coupled with Hackett's confessions of a Stilnox addiction and alleged boozy behaviour at a television awards party, Hackett's behaviour has caused concern for the welfare of the dual Olympic gold medal winner. Last month, it was revealed Hackett has found new love with Sydney model, Tahlia Giumelli, a onetime Miss Teen Australia who is 13 years his junior . Hackett has taken leave from his role as a relationships banker with Westpac Australia to seek treatment in the US for addiction and also visited his mother on the Gold Coast and aid with his father's post-operative recovery before his flight Stateside. Panicked search: Grant Hackett searches for his four-year-old son Jagger in foyer of Crown Casino, Melbourne . Recovering from surgery: Grant Hackett's father, Neville, pictured (above, centre) with the swim star's mother, Margaret arriving at Hackett 2007 Melbourne wedding to Candice Alley, is being treated following surgery on a blocked carotid surgery which put the retired policeman at risk of having a stroke . Following Hackett's apartment trashing incident three years ago, Neville Hackett said of his son, 'he's a dickhead, but I love him'. At the time Hackett Sr dismissed reports his son had thrown Candice Alley against a window during the rampage. 'He may have wrecked the joint but he didn't harm anyone,' Neville Hackett said. Hackett Sr is undergoing treatment following surgery to clear a blocked carotid artery, which put the retired policeman at risk of a stroke. Grant, his manager Chris White, his brother Craig and Craig's wife Nicole gathered around Margaret on the Gold Coast yesterday for a family meeting. This follows the latest bizarre incident involving the former swimmer and banking executive. Happier times: Grant Hackett and former wife Candice Alley holiday with their twins, Jagger and Charlize . Marriage breakdown: Grant Hackett with ex-wife Candice Alley in November, 2010, at Melbourne Cup Day before splitting in April, 2012 . Swimming star: Grant Hackett competed in the 1500m freestyle final at the 2008 Beijing Olympics . Moved on: Hackett has found new love with Sydney model, Tahlia Giumelli (pictured, above with Hackett) The Olympian was photographed wandering in the Crown casino foyer wearing a singlet over his underpants. Hackett reportedly wasn't thinking straight as he searched for his four-year-old son, Jagger, who had disappeared from their hotel room. Hackett was driven by fear and panic when he realised his son had vanished. The incident began in the early hours of Saturday morning, when Hackett was staying in a room at the casino with his twins, Jagger and Charlize. In the middle of the night, Hackett was woken by a noise, which may have been the doorbell to his hotel room. Daughter Charlize was beside him, but Jagger was nowhere to be seen. Panicked, and dressed only in underpants and singlet, Hackett removed his singlet, draped it around his underpants and grabbed Charlize under his right arm. The pair took the elevator down to the foyer, which is where they were captured on the casino's CCTV security footage. Unable to find Jagger, Hackett sought assistance from the night desk. The boy was eventually located, unharmed on another floor of the hotel. Hackett regularly stays at the casino while visiting Melbourne for access visits to his children by estranged wife, Candice Alley. Crown Casino has been contacted for comment over the foyer incident. | Former Olympic swimming champion Grant Hackett is battling an addiction to prescription drug Stilnox .
Hackett has arrived in the USA for treatment .
He said: 'This is a retreat to charge the batteries'
The news comes after he was photographed at the Crown casino half-dressed and panicked, carrying his daughter in hotel foyer .
Stilnox can cause strange behaviour, hallucinations, impaired judgement and delusions .
Hackett battled addiction to the sleeping pill towards the end of his swimming career too . |
37,791 | 6af937a8647ee308ba368e8f62a71e1c6aec4804 | (CNN) -- Whether it's topping the podium at the Olympics and World Cup events or finding a welcome diversion away from the pressure cooker atmosphere of international competition, the U.S. women's ski team is certainly hitting the high notes. With the likes of teenage sensation Mikaela Shiffrin, super reliable Julia Mancuso and a fit-again Lindsey Vonn in its ranks, plus a strong supporting cast, the prospects for the season ahead look more than promising. Their ultimate focus is the world championships on the home snow of Colorado next February and the training has been intense -- but away from the piste the U.S. team room is more than often than not reverberating to the sound of music. Gathered around the most accomplished musician, the guitar-strumming downhill and super-G specialist Laurenne Ross, a host of popular standards are belted out with gusto and and more often than not in tune. Ross, who can also play the violin and piano, made the podium in downhill at the World Cup event in Garmisch last year and took 11th in the Sochi Games in the discipline. An outside bet for a medal at the 2015 world championships, Ross believes that her other passion boosts her sporting performance. "I feel something with music that I feel on my skis and it puts me in the zone," she told CNN's Alpine Edge. Mancuso, a four-time Olympic medalist, the most by a U.S woman skier, is happy to be in the chorus in the musical sense but believes that as a team bonding exercise all feel the benefit of a different rhythm. "It's been the same group of girls for a lot of time and it's a lot of fun," she said. Mancuso's bronze in Sochi in the Super Combined Slalom was added to Shiffrin's gold in the slalom and both were firmly in the media spotlight in the aftermath of the Winter Games, with a string of invites to celebrity events. The 30-year-old Mancuso, who has been on the World Cup circuit since she was just 15, is delighted to see the achievements of the team raise the profile of alpine skiing in the United States and take it into the mainstream. "To see our sport at the pinnacle of sport in America is really cool because it's been such a European dominated sport," she added. Mancuso will be looking to add to her five world championship medals by adding an elusive gold when the action gets underway in Beaver Creek in February 2015. With the precocious Shiffrin starting the 2014-15 season with a fine World Cup win in giant slalom in Austria and Vonn on the comeback trail after knee surgery, the trio will, in the words of the John Denver song, be aiming for a "Rocky Mountain High" at Beaver Creek. Had he still been around --the musician died in 1997 -- Denver, a skiing fanatic who made his home in nearby Aspen, would doubtless been among the cheerleaders for the United States team. Denver may also have had a soft spot for Tina Maze, another skiing star with musical talent, who has enjoyed chart success in her native Slovenia with her song "My Way is My Decision." The two-time Olympic gold medalist even referenced Denver on Facebook when appearing at a World Cup event in Colorado in 2012, saying many of his songs were translated into Slovenian and remained popular standards in her country. Of course there will be one piece of music that all the contenders for global glory will be hoping to hear in Colorado, their national anthems to signify the top place on the podium. But as U.S. team member Stacey Cook told CNN all the intense rivalry can be put aside by making music together. "It's nice to just sit down for 20 minutes to remember we are friends, not just competitors," she said. With such a strong team ethic in the U.S. ranks it may be a safe bet to assume the sound of the Star-Spangled Banner will be ringing around Beaver Creek to delight home followers. | U.S. women's ski team has strong prospects for season ahead .
Mikaela Shiffrin and Julia Mancuso medalled at 2014 Sochi Olympics .
Preparing for 2015 world championships in Colorado .
Team members enjoy musical interludes off the slopes . |
199,244 | 8deecfb4e1a3729337c8fcd74abd516a0401a8dc | A wealthy owner lost his entire collection of up to a dozen elite cars in a £2.1 million blaze in Moscow, which police say may have been caused by arson. Totally destroyed in the early morning fire were six Rolls-Royces, two Bentleys and two Mercedes. The luxury vehicles were parked in a garage around one mile from the Kremlin in central Moscow. Scroll down for video . Among the cars totally destroyed in the blaze were six Rolls-Royces, two Bentleys and two Mercedes . The luxury vehicles were parked in a garage around one mile from the Kremlin in central Moscow . The owner evidently used the cars to ferry wealthy VIP Russians to 'a club for clients with special demands'. He has not been named, and the nature of his business, called Sinus, is not yet clear. 'The fire occurred at about six o'clock in the morning. Among the burned autos were Bentleys, Rolls-Royces and Mercedes cars. Police do not rule out arson,' said a spokesman. Police said the vehicles belonged to a single owner. The Moscow emergencies department confirmed the information, without elaborating. The burned out shells of the destroyed luxury cars were widely shown across the Russian media . The spectacular blaze covered 50 square metres but the fire service extinguished it within 30 minutes of being called to the scene . The spectacular blaze covered 50 square metres but the fire service extinguished it within 30 minutes of being called to the scene. The burned out shells of the cars were widely shown by the Russian media. The Moscow fire service received a call at 5.46 am. The first firefighters arrived six minutes later but not in time to save the cars. The owner evidently used the cars to ferry wealthy VIP Russians to 'a club for clients with special demands' The owner of the cars has not been named, and the nature of his business, called Sinus, is not yet clear . No-one was injured in the fire. Police spokesman Sawa Glazkov said: "The first report came at about 6 o'clock in the morning. The fire had spread surprisingly quickly. 'We were eventually able to bring the fire under control but not in time to save any of the vehicles unfortunately. The Moscow fire service received a call at 5.46 am. The first firefighters arrived six minutes later but not in time to save the cars . Police believe the fire, which caused around £2.1million damage, may have been caused by an arson attack . | Six Rolls-Royces, two Bentleys and two Mercedes were lost in the blaze .
Vehicles were in garage about one mile from the Kremlin in central Moscow .
Owner used cars to ferry VIPs to 'a club for clients with special demands'
Fire covered 50 square metres but firefighters put it out in just 30 minutes . |
254,605 | d5917f6bb18556c493deadb825f5e6fd87f157c6 | It was the day of reckoning for dozens of looters and rioters who have reduced our streets to lawlessness. But while the trouble has been largely blamed on feral teenagers, many of those paraded before the courts yesterday led apparently respectable lives. A postman, a primary school mentor, lifeguard, charity worker and a father of a newborn baby were among defendants appearing alongside schoolchildren and college students to answer charges ranging from theft to violent disorder. Some wept, some grinned and others merely stood in blank defiance at the magistrates. A very misguided youth: An 11-year-old boy walks from Highbury Magistrates Court with a woman, thought to be his mother, right. Left, the same boy outside the court carrying TWO mobile phones . The youngest looter was an . 11-year-old boy who arrived at court in North London accompanied by his . mother clutching a mobile phone in each hand. He was convicted of an . unrelated offence only last week and is yet to begin his punishment. Should rioters have their benefits taken away from them? One of the eldest defendants was a . 35-year-old new father, who claimed he was trying to buy nappies when he . was wrestled to the ground by police in a ransacked supermarket. The majority of yesterday's suspects . poured through courts in London but many more were expected in the dock . over coming days in Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham and Nottingham. At one magistrates' court, staff were . preparing to work through the night as cells overflowed and suspects . were left sitting outside in a queue of police vans. One official said there were 'mad . scenes' as colleagues battled to deal with some of the 371 people . charged by the Metropolitan Police. Many of those in court were young men . apparently caught red-handed with stolen TVs, laptops and mobile phones . worth thousands of pounds. They were joined by supposedly . respectable professionals and tradesmen whose lawyers said they had been . caught up in a 'moment of madness' as anarchy took hold of the streets. Some stood accused of attempting to incite rioting with incendiary messages on social networking sites. Judges refused to grant bail in the . majority of cases, telling suspects they must face a Crown Court judge . who can impose stiffer punishments. They were told they must remain behind bars to prevent them joining in fresh unrest. In a handful of cases rioters were . dealt with on the spot, including two rioters who were jailed in . Manchester and a teenager set free after two days in the cells in the . capital. But the vast majority were held in custody. Primary school worker Alexis Bailey walking away from court after admitting burglary . The primary school worker was among the first to be processed in court after the riots . Millionaire's daughter: Laura Johnson, 19, was charged with stealing £5,000-worth of electronic goods including TVs and mobile phones . THE GRAMMAR GIRL: Millionaire's . daughter Laura Johnson, 19, was charged with stealing £5,000-worth of . electronic goods, including a Toshiba TV, Goodmans TV, microwave and . mobile phones. The goods were allegedly found in a . car being driven by Miss Johnson after a branch of Comet in Charlton, . south-east London, was raided. Bexleyheath magistrates heard that a 'public order kit' of balaclava, gloves and a bandana was also found in the car. Miss Johnson attended St Olave's . Grammar School in Orpington, Kent, the fourth best performing state . school in the country, after transferring from its sister school . Newstead Wood. She achieved A*s in French, English . literature, classical civilisation and geography A-levels, and is now . studying English and Italian at Exeter University. Her parents, Robert and Lindsay . Johnson, live in a large detached farmhouse in Orpington. It has . extensive grounds and a tennis court. They sold their previous house, . near Greenwich, for £930,000 in 2006. Miss Johnson's parents, who supported her in court, run Avongate, a direct marketing company. Her father is a businessman with . directorships in several companies. He was a director in a company that . took over the Daily Sport and Sunday Sport newspapers in 2007. During her schooling, Miss Johnson . offered her services as a tutor. On a website she wrote: 'I was a . student at Newstead Wood School for girls and gained four A*s and nine A . grades at GCSE.' Miss Johnson indicated a plea of not . guilty to five counts of burglary and was granted bail on condition that . she does not associate with the two men allegedly found with her. She must wear an electronic tag, . submit to a curfew between 7pm and 6am and not enter any London . postcode. She is due to return to court on September 21. Camberwell Green magistrates heard . that a 17-year-old and Alexander Elliot-Joahill, 18, were allegedly . passengers in the car. Both were denied bail and will next appear on . September 7. Country pile: Laura Johnson's home in Orpington which has extensive grounds and a tennis court . Defiant: Richard Myles-Palmer, left, and Jason White, right, both pleaded guilty to theft after they were caught in possession of a shopping trolley full of looted power tools . THE 11-YEAR-OLD: The boy from Romford, Essex, is the youngest person to appear in the dock over the riots. Brought to Highbury Corner . magistrates court by his mother, he admitted stealing a £50 waste bin . from a branch of Debenhams. He was arrested on Monday evening with a mob . of other children reaching through a broken window. It emerged it was not the child's . first experience with the courts as he was already on a 'referral order' for another, unrelated offence. Charges of violent disorder were . dropped, and he was released on bail under a 6pm-6am curfew. He may . leave his home only if accompanied by a family member. Leaving court, the boy set off alone . down the street, before his aunt and mother chased after him, dragging . him back by the scruff of his neck. His mother screamed and swore at the media and was later seen shouting at her son. THE SCHOOL MENTOR: Alexis Bailey, 31, who works at Stockwell Primary School, was allegedly caught raiding an electrical store in Croydon. Raids: Looters have devastated businesses in cities across England causing thousands of pounds of damage . Looted: The battered shop front of an Argos store in Surrey Street, Croydon. The area was hit hard by rioters . THE CHARITY WORKER: Barry Naine, 42, who works for a St Mungo's homeless hostel in Lewisham, appeared in court charged with burglary. He is accused of breaking into Primark in Peckham and was remanded in custody. THE POSTMAN: Jeffrey . Ebanks, 32, and his student nephew Jamal Ebanks, 18, were allegedly . caught in a car stuffed with electrical goods near a looted Croydon . superstore. The teenager, who admitted burglary, claimed he had been . 'led astray' by his uncle. THE SCHOOLBOY: Alexander . McQuarrie, 16, from Ibrox, in Glasgow, was remanded in custody over . claims he attempted to incite others to riot by setting up a Facebook . group entitled 'Let's start a riot in Glasgow'. Wanted: Police are hunting the two girls pictured who are suspected of looting a Richer Sounds electrical store in South End, Croydon . Caught on camera: This woman and man are also . wanted by police after appearing to loot from the Richer Sounds store . which is close to the Iceland supermarket which two men admitted to . looting . THE NEW FATHER: Jason Matthews, 35, was arrested in a branch of Tesco in East Dulwich, South London, on Monday night. Wearing a bandana over his face, he told police he 'was not one of the bad ones' and had gone out to get nappies. THE FRAUDSTER: Two looters caught with a trolley laden with power tools worth £1,500 told police they did not care if they were stolen. Convicted fraudster and thief Richard . Myles-Palmer, 19, and friend Jason White, 22, were arrested in . Southwark. The pair admitted theft and were told they face jail. Wanted: Youths loot a Carhartt store in Hackney, . and right, a local chemist in Croydon is stripped bare before police . moved in to secure the area . Thugs caught looting and rioting could be thrown out of their social housing, a council said today. Westminster Council hopes to kick out tenants who have been in mobs smashing windows and breaking into shops. Housing minister Grant Shapps has backed moves to evict tenants who have taken part in criminal and anti-social behaviour but lawyers have said it may not be that easy. The council must show that the disorder happened in the immediate area around the property - and the individual must have been found guilty in the crown court. Jonathan Glanz, Westminster Council cabinet member for housing, told the Guardian: 'Social housing isn't a right, it's a privilege and if people abuse that privilege then in common with anyone else they should face the consequences. 'Families have to take responsibly for children living in their households, and we have a responsibility to our communities at large. 'Many people living in these communities are playing by the rules and were not involved in criminal activity over the last few nights. They wouldn't want to live next door to people who are getting away with bad behaviour and enjoying the privilege.' THE STUDENTS: A . teenager who received taxpayer funding to complete his studies walked . free after admitting stealing two Burberry T-shirts from a Hackney shop. IT student David Attoh, 18, was told the two days he had spent in cells should serve as his punishment. Adam Ozdas, 19, was stopped by police . in Hackney while carrying a bottle of Southern Comfort, National . Lottery scratchcards, tobacco, cash and sweets. The Hackney student . claimed he found the goods and was on his way to a police station to . hand them in. Jack Onslow, 18, admitted raiding a . Bethnal Green shop. The East Ham College student, who aspires to be a . hairdresser, was found hiding in a fashion store. THE DRUG DEALER: Haramein . Mohammed, a 25-year-old convicted drug dealer, was caught trying to . steal from a Costco warehouse in Walthamstow after being released from . prison on licence. THE LIFEGUARD: Aaron . Mulholland, 30, who works at Peckham Pulse health club, wept as he . appeared in court accused of joining thieves at Foneworld store in . Camberwell. His lawyer said he had 'learned his lesson' after spending two nights in a cell and was 'absolutely disgusted' with himself. THE SCAFFOLDER: Christopher Heart, 23, shouted he was 'sorry for the inconvenience' and broke down in tears after admitting burglary. The father of two was caught in JD Sports in Hackney. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Courts sit through the night to handle high volume of offenders .
Millionaire's daughter charged with taking £5,000 worth of electronic goods .
Primary school worker admits burglary at Richer Sounds .
Duo who made off with trolley full of power tools admit theft .
New father caught in looted shop told police he 'needed nappies'
Convicted rioters warned they could lose council houses .
London arrest figures up to 888 with 371 charged . |
15,538 | 2c28fa62f9889181a83c26896a308f4a7d15645a | Benefits will be docked from feckless parents who refuse to take classes on how to improve their children’s discipline, diet and exercise under plans being discussed by senior Tories. A secret party document photographed in Downing Street reveals MPs preparing the Conservative election manifesto are considering attaching new conditions to welfare. Carried by MP Margot James, who sits on a policy advisory board which is drawing up proposals for Prime Minister David Cameron, it reads: ‘Apply conditions for parents on benefits (training or parenting classes)’. Margot James revealed secret Tory plans for the next election after documents she was carrying were photographed as she left No 11 Downing Street this week . Conservative MP Margot James, pictured has worked on proposals to restrict benefits payments to parents who refuse to participate in training to prepare themselves for the workplace . The Government carried out a trial of a voluntary voucher scheme for parenting classes in the wake of the 2011 riots to counter a breakdown of family discipline. But fewer than four per cent of eligible parents in three underprivileged areas took up the £100 vouchers. The CANParent scheme offered mothers and fathers in Middlesbrough, North Yorkshire, Camden in London, and High Peak in Derbyshire vouchers to spend on classes covering discipline, diet and exercise, bullying and preparing children for school. Miss James’s document suggests the Tories now want to go far further to make parents sign up, by making receipt of benefits conditional on co-operation with training by charities and experts. ‘The notes I was carrying were just my thoughts, and not yet policy, but conditionality is something I think we need to consider seriously,’ she told the Daily Mail. Senior Conservatives are known to favour linking receipt of benefits to parenting in a further wave of welfare reform. Education Secretary Michael Gove wants to dock child benefit from almost 20,000 parents a year whose children play truant from school. He believes £120 penalties issued by schools to families whose children are persistently absent should be clawed back via the welfare system. Parents have a legal responsibility to ensure their children attend school from five to 16. Prime Minister David Cameron, pictured, will consider the proposals even though a trial scheme introduced after the 2011 riots was deemed a failure . The plan is expected to be included in the Conservatives’ election manifesto next year, having been blocked in coalition by the Liberal Democrats. There were 41,224 penalty notices for non-attendance at school issued in 2011/12 – the latest figures available – of which only 22,043 were paid within the time limit of 28 days. Under the proposal being backed by Mr Gove, the remaining 19,181 families would have the penalty doubled to £120 and seen it automatically docked from their child benefit. Ministers argue there is a problem with the enforcement of the current rules. Currently, £1.3million a year is raised from truancy fines. But almost half the total issued since 2004 went unpaid. Between 2004/05 and 2011/12, there were 168,958 fines, yet only 86,787 were paid before the penalty notice lapsed. If fines are not paid within 42 days, the fine lapses and the only recourse for local authorities is to pursue prosecution. However, 60 per cent of those who do not pay their fines are never taken to court. The document Miss James was carrying into Number Ten also set out the Government’s commitment to offer ‘tax free childcare’, with a subsidy of up to £2,000 a year per child for working parents. It also appears to confirm the Tories will encourage schools to operate ten-hour days to boost standards by allowing time for structured homework, as well as fitting in with the working patterns of dual-earner couples. | Plan to slash benefits for parents of unruly children or those with poor diet .
Senior conservatives developing the proposals in advance of 2015 election .
Prime Minister David Cameron is currently deciding on election manifesto . |
223,640 | ad8df71714f4463eb80ab01217878c8ecaf1e5d9 | We awoke one morning in Kabul to the sound of not-too-distant explosions, marking the start to the fighting season. But bombs were not the foremost takeaway from our Mother's Day trip to Afghanistan -- the women fighting to stop the bombs left a more lasting impression. More than a decade after American and allied forces toppled the Taliban regime, the improvement in the quality of life for Afghan women is unmistakable. Women are now participants -- and in many cases, leaders -- in a society that once systematically subjugated them. There are female government officials at almost every level, young girls going to school, young women in college, and new opportunities cropping up around the country. On a sixth annual trip, our congressional delegation of women legislators spent several days in Afghanistan in May meeting with many of the women who have helped begin to reverse centuries of repression. We spoke with female public officials, women journalists, and heads of organizations focused on advancing the role of women. And we had the privilege to spend time with a special group of people who, although they are not from Afghanistan, have a unique appreciation for what Afghan women are fighting for. On Mother's Day we met our "military moms" -- women soldiers from the United States who have children back home. We delivered Mother's Day cards made by American school children, hosted a luncheon and listened to their stories of heroism and sacrifice. It became clear that all these women -- Afghan, American or otherwise -- are determined to preserve and grow the progress made by Afghan women and girls. The most striking example came when we met with women members of the Afghan parliament. At a roundtable, we discussed the opportunities that have been made available to Afghan women and girls over the past decade; the important role they must play in the country's society, security and economy in order to see future success; and the critical need to protect these gains from backsliding. "We can bring democracy to Afghanistan," one of the Parliamentarians said. For emphasis, another added: "We can deliver." By engaging with the Afghan people directly, we experienced firsthand the growing sense of cautious optimism that seems to have taken root here, due in large part to women's gains and to the recent national elections. There is no mistaking that the situation in Afghanistan is still fragile and highly complicated. Yes, the elections in April saw relative success with high voter turnout, a higher than expected turnout among women, and relatively small amounts of violence. But runoff elections set for June 14 are another important test of the coalition-trained Afghan security forces and voter retention. A bilateral security agreement needs to be signed. Both remaining presidential candidates have signaled their willingness to participate in such an agreement, but details are yet to be finalized. A clear plan to maintain Afghan women's gains must be included. Our delegation urged for more focus to be placed on recruiting women to the Afghan National Security Forces. The Afghan Ministry of Defense currently has 700 women in the security forces, but that number needs to be increased significantly. Last week, President Barack Obama announced that 9,800 American troops will remain in Afghanistan after the end of 2014, with that number stepping down in subsequent years. No one wants our troops to stay in Afghanistan one moment longer than necessary, and the transition from a combat role to one of training and advisory must be done carefully and responsibly. Afghanistan must take the reins of their country's future, and America must play an important role in ensuring a lasting peace. A secure Afghanistan ultimately impacts America's national security. And strong signals of U.S. support contribute to the confidence of the Afghan people. An important bellwether for the success or failure of America's efforts in Afghanistan will be the preservation of the gains made by Afghan women. If the bombs we heard that morning in Kabul reminded us of the challenges that remain here, the women we met in Afghanistan personified how far this country has come, and the potential for where it goes next. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. | A bipartisan coalition of women in Congress visited women in Afghanistan .
The improvement in the quality of life for Afghan women is unmistakable, they say .
Still, long-term success will be in the preservation of the gains made by Afghan women . |
190,767 | 830424a49233fa42393195b30edd2fbe8a6b9cf7 | A new father was burned to death at the wheel of his car when it exploded after a 100mph chase in which he was shot at by three gunmen on mopeds, it emerged today. The unnamed 32-year-old electrician who died in his sportscar may have been a victim of a failed car-jacking, friends have said. He died when his vehicle careered into a bus stop and burst into flames on the Old Kent Road in south London. Part of the black Audi RS4's engine block was thrown several metres down the carriageway by the force of the explosion. Tragedy: A 32-year-old man died at the wheel of his car after a high speed chase down the Old Kent Road in south London . Attack: Witnesses said they heard gunshots just before the car crash and friends of the dead man fear it was a car-jacking that led to the death . Witnesses reported shots being fired at the vehicle in the moments leading up to the crash at 2.30am on Sunday morning. Devastated friend Donald Homan, 33, was laying flowers at the scene refused to name his pal who he knew since school. He said 'We can't understand what's happened here, his partner is devastated, they have a ten-week-old baby together and we are all grieving. 'I've been in close contact with his girlfriend, she's obviously very upset, he loved his family and was so happy and proud to be a dad. 'He was an electrician, self employed and worked hard for his family and drove a nice car. 'We are in really deep shock, he was just a really lovely guy, just 32-years-old and we had been friends since school. 'As for what happened, it's an absolute mystery to us, we don't even know why he was out at that time. 'All can think it was a case of mistaken identity or they could have been trying to steal his car. 'He had nothing criminal about him and a ten-week old baby boy at home and a partner who loved him.' Carnage: Witnesses described how the incident unfolded like something 'out of a film' when the man died at 2.30am on Sunday . Murder squad detectives appealed for witnesses. A Metropolitan Police spokesman said forensic officers were trying to establish if holes in the vehicle, which had been speeding at up to 100mph, were caused by bullets. Witnesses said a passer-by tried to pull the victim from the burning car but was beaten back by 12ft flames before it exploded. They said the driver appeared to be trying to escape three men on mopeds, who reportedly fired at least three shots. Residents woken by the explosion called 999 and firefighters quickly extinguished the flames, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene. Residents of the Avondale Square Estate where the car crashed said bystanders tried to rescue the driver from the burning sports car. 'There was a huge bang and the screeching sound of metal on metal,' said one resident who preferred not to be named. 'At first we thought it was something to do with the storms, but there was a huge woosh straight after as the car went up in flames. 'We called the fire brigade and they were here in five or ten minutes, but even if the station was 200 yards away they wouldn't have stood a chance. 'Our kids were hysterical, the fireball was so immense half the tree was on fire. 'There was nothing that could be done for him, there were passers-by who tried to help. I watched a guy trying to open the passenger side door but it was blistering hot and he was pushed back, a woman with him was screaming "there's someone in there." 'It was horrific, whoever was in there either died on impact or very quickly afterwards. 'There were a few explosions and bangs go off before the fire brigade arrived and the flames were out quickly, but it was too late. The father-of-three continued: 'In the light you could see absolute devastation. There was debris strewn all over the green. 'The motor was metres from the car itself, it must've been thrown out in the crash or blown out by an explosion. 'You couldn't even recognise the car. It was just a melted lump about waist height.' Collision: Part of the black Audi RS4's engine block was thrown several metres down the carriageway by the force of the explosion . Malt Street: The spot where the victim's Audi RS4 crashed and exploded after the high-speed chase . Another resident of the block of flats told how the car burst into flames just yards from her home. Margaret Tompkins, 67, said: 'It was like a war zone, frightening. It was a very loud bang which I assumed afterwards was an explosion - it could have been anything on the Old Kent Road. 'It happened so close and it could've been so much worse for us. 'As the day went on we saw forensics searching every little inch. I saw the car, what was left of it. It didn't look like a car at all - it looked like when they crush motors in those yards. 'It looked horrific. Absolutely horrific.' After the crash Old Kent Road was closed between Burgess Park and Rotherhithe New Road in south Bermondsey. No arrests have been made and a post-mortem examination will take place today. Detective Inspector Dave Reid, who is leading the inquiry, said : 'At this stage our forensic team are working to establish the cause of the holes that were found in the car that had crashed. 'One line of enquiry, which we are unable to confirm until those tests are complete, is that the holes were caused by shots being fired at the car. 'I would appeal for anyone who saw a Black Audi RS4 car being driven early that morning around that area or along the Old Kent Road to contact us.' | Driver, 32, died at the wheel of his Audi on Old Kent Road on Sunday .
Witnesses described three men on mopeds firing at car before the crash .
Police are investigating whether the holes in the car were from bullets .
Friend of dead man said today he fears it may have been a car-jacking .
Dead electrician described as a family man with a 10-week-old child . |
17,270 | 30ed4501dacb3a258d31782059b52925931d8d62 | By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 10:43 EST, 29 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 29 July 2013 . A teenage girl has spoken of how she desperately tried to save her boyfriend as he drowned while they were swimming across a river after he had an asthma attack. Central Valley High School student Jansen Badinger died in the Spokane River, Washington, last week. His girlfriend Alaina Bates said she did as much as she could to save him but her efforts proved fruitless. 'I did everything I could. I tried to . get him on my back, I tried to get him to hold my leg and he just . physically could not do anything,' she said. Tragic death: Central Valley High School student Jansen Badinger died in the Spokane River, Washington, last week after suffering from an asthma attack mid swim . His girlfriend Alaina Bates tried to save him but could not: 'I did everything I could. I tried to get him on my back, I tried to get him to hold my leg and he just physically could not do anything' A friend said of Jansen: 'He'd always know how to pick people up when they're down, make them laugh if they're sad and he was an easy person to get along with. He cared about everyone' 'But when he . couldn't do anything his face was calm and he wasn't scared. That's the . type of guy he was, always smiling, and full of hope,' she told KHQ. 'Everyone remembers his beautiful smile. It was so genuine and contagious and wow, he could really make you laugh.' The couple had already swam across the river once and were on their way back when the current grew stronger. Alaina believes his asthma attack may have been stress-induced. 'It happened and I can remember everything so vividly but at the same time it doesn't feel like he's gone,' she told KXLY.com. Witnesses pulled Jansen out of the water and started CPR but it was too late. Jansen was an extremely popular student at the school and touched so many lives, Alain's father Charlie Bates said. 'They loved him dearly. He had the world at his fingertips. I don't think he's ever said a . bad word about anybody. He wanted to make a difference. 'He changed peoples lives and people didn't even know it.' Scene: Jansen and Alaina had already swam across the Spokane River. It was on their way back that tragedy struck and the 18-year-old had an asthma attack . Remembered: Hundreds of students from Central Valley High School attended a candle-lit memorial for the popular and beloved teen after his death . Popular: When Jansen graduated last month he was voted 'Most Likely To Bleed Blue' in recognition of his school spirit. He wanted to be a firefighter and a teacher . When he graduated last month he was voted 'Most Likely To Bleed Blue' in recognition of his school spirit. He wanted to be a firefighter and a teacher. The Spokesman Review wrote a touching tribute to the 18-year-old after his death, revealing that - as a keen sportsman - he mentored younger children. Outside of high school, sports also played a significant role in Jansen's life, and he often mentored younger children. He played with the FC Soccer Club for four years, said Stephen Brown, his coach. Jansen also used to help younger players during soccer camps. 'I really don’t think the kid had a bad bone in his body,' the coach said. 'The kind of kid you want to have around. He was a people’s person. 'It’s tragic, it really is. Sometimes you question why this happens to good people. | Jansen Badinger suffered a heart attack while swimming across the river .
His girlfriend said the current grew stronger and he may have panicked .
Was an inspiration to everyone at school .
Wanted to be a firefighter . |
31,127 | 5882e8f998e22a4f59ea2249a04265f40579a26f | A woman charged in a deadly 2012 house explosion in Indianapolis agreed Tuesday to plead guilty to conspiracy to commit arson and testify against her former boyfriend and his brother in the fiery natural gas blast that damaged dozens of homes. Monserrate Shirley, 49, would have to testify against ex boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother, Bob Leonard, as well as 'any other individuals as yet uncharged' in the Nov. 10, 2012, explosion. Shirley, who had pleaded not guilty after she and the two men were charged in late 2012, appeared before a Marion County judge in a courtroom filled with current and former residents of the neighborhood marked by the blast. Monserrate Shirley is pictured leaving a court hearing after she changed her plea to guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson on Tuesday in Indianapolis . Monserrate Shirley would have to testify against ex boyfriend Mark Leonard (left) and his brother Bob Leonard (right) Marion Criminal Court Judge Sheila Carlisle told Shirley she was taking her plea agreement under advisement and that it could be 'months or years' before she decides whether to accept it. Shirley must first fulfill her pledge to cooperate with prosecutors against the other defendants. Under her deal, the 49-year-old would plead guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson and prosecutors would drop 52 charges, including two counts of murder. The deal would allow Shirley to avoid a possible sentence of life without parole. Instead, she could face from a minimum 20-year suspended sentence with probation to a maximum 50-year prison term. Prosecutors allege Shirley and the Leonard brothers rigged the blast in her home on Indianapolis' south side as part of a scheme to collect $300,000 in insurance. The explosion killed 34-year-old electronics expert Dion Longworth and his 36-year-old wife, second-grade teacher Jennifer Longworth. The blast damaged more than 80 homes, several so badly that they had to be razed. Prosecutors previously said the trio made one attempt to blow up Shirley's home that failed. But Shirley's plea agreement states that Mark Leonard and 'an uncharged individual' had earlier tried to set the home on fire. Spectators pictured entering the court room for the Monserrate Shirley plea hearing yesterday . Shirley (pictured leaving courtroom yesterday) may not have to serve any prison time under the terms of the deal . Before all three attempts, Shirley made arrangements for her, Mark Leonard and her daughter to stay elsewhere and boarded the family cat, according to court documents filed Tuesday. Marion County deputy prosecutor Denise Robinson said after the hearing that Shirley has provided information that could lead to charges against others and is 'continuing to talk' to prosecutors. Robinson called the deal 'a fair resolution' that ensures Shirley's cooperation. 'From a prosecutor's perspective it means that we have now direct evidence of the crime. In other words, we have someone who was on the inside, who was a party to making certain observations, overhearing certain statements, who's now cooperating with the state,' she said. Shirley's attorney, Jim Voyles, declined to comment following the hearing. Tony Burnett, who lived across the street from Shirley's home, said after the hearing that he was 'angry and disappointed' with the deal because it includes the possibility Shirley could get a suspended sentence. The 2012 house explosion (pictured) damaged more than 80 homes and killed two people . Monserrate Shirley leaves the court hearing on Tuesday after she changed her plea to guilty to two counts of conspiracy to commit arson . 'She could walk out with nothing but time served? That doesn't sound right to me in any way — not to mention the deaths of two people,' said Burnett, who moved elsewhere after his home was razed due to the explosion. Robinson said she anticipates arguing for 'a significant sentence' for Shirley. Court documents said Shirley was facing mounting financial woes, including $63,000 in credit card debt. A friend of Mark Leonard's told investigators Leonard said he had lost about $10,000 at a casino weeks before the explosion, according to court documents. Prosecutors have said investigators determined that Shirley's home filled up with gas after a gas fireplace valve and a gas line regulator were removed. A microwave, apparently set to start on a timer, sparked the explosion. Mark Leonard's trial is scheduled to begin June 4 in St. Joseph County. It's unclear when Bob Leonard will be tried. Messages seeking comment left Tuesday for the brothers' attorneys were not immediately returned. Indianapolis defense attorney Bob Hammerle, who is not involved in the case, said Shirley's testimony would have a significant impact on the brothers' defenses. But he also noted the brothers' attorneys can challenge Shirley's credibility, given that she initially claimed to be as much a victim of the explosion as her neighbors. | Monserrate Shirley, 49, would have to testify against former boyfriend Mark Leonard and his brother in the plea deal .
The deal would allow Shirley to avoid a possible sentence of life without parole .
She's alleged to have rigged the blast in a scheme to collect $300,000 in insurance .
The explosion killed Dion Longworth and his wife, Jennifer Longworth, and damaged more than 80 homes . |
280,377 | f730b01695944544717e670d5c3ff2e7dc317db8 | The cheers back in Wales were drowned out by boos around Murrayfield as Warren Gatland’s side secured a controversial victory over Scotland to get their RBS 6 Nations back on track. Following a passionately fought contest, referee Glen Jackson found himself in the firing line after he blew the final whistle with time seemingly still running on the clock. Scotland skipper Greig Laidlaw was adamant that his team should have been given the chance to take one last kick-off and go for the win, following a try from Jon Welsh in the dying moments that narrowed the deficit to just three points. Wales' Rhys Webb bursts past Scotland's Rob Harley to score a try in the first-half in the Six Nations game at Murrayfield . Scotland winger Sean Lamont is brought down by Liam Williams as he tries to get forward . Scotland's Blair Cowan receives the loose ball as Alun Wyn Jones (left) and Sam Warburton (right) close him down for Wales . ‘From where I was sitting, there was time to take the kick,’ said Laidlaw. ‘Whether we would have gone on to score, that’s a different matter. The majority of the stadium seemed to feel the same.’ Ironically, Jackson used to play under Scotland coach Vern Cotter during his days as a fly-half for New Zealand side Bay of Plenty. But the Kiwi offered no favours to his former boss. ‘I’m sure others will look at the referee’s performance and decisions,’ said Cotter. ‘We will send something through that will help them (in their assessment).’ The dispute brought a sour end to a fierce contest, with the metronomic boot of Wales full back Leigh Halfpenny ultimately proving the difference after both sides scored two tries apiece. Following an anonymous performance against England in round one, emphasis in the Welsh camp had been on go-forward initiative. It took less than a minute for Jamie Roberts to make his first charge into the No 10 channel, but there was an over-eagerness as Jonathan Davies was turned over and Richard Hibbard mis-fired at the line-out. Wales dominated initial territory and possession, capitalising with a Halfpenny penalty, yet the tables were quickly turned. Wales' Dan Biggar comes crashing down after he is taken out in mid-air by Scotland's Finn Russell . Stuart Hogg breaks away to score the opening try for Scotland at Murrayfield . Wales' Alwyn Jones and Scotland's Ritchie Gray battle for the ball following a line-out . Alex Cuthbert was left isolated after a lateral run and he was turned over by fly-half Finn Russell. Richie Gray recycled, allowing Stuart Hogg to step on the gas and run under the posts from inside his own half. His try was converted by Laidlaw, who followed up with a penalty. Wales had been criticised for unnecessary kicking against England but they used the boot more effectively in the Scottish capital. The high-ball skills of Halfpenny, Dan Biggar and Liam Williams provided a dangerous attacking weapon and the trio challenged well for up-and-unders in Scottish territory. Rhys Webb was pulled down just short after a fine take by Halfpenny, who subsequently had the chance to narrow the deficit with a second penalty. Then Biggar was taken out in mid-air by his opposite number, Russell, and Wales took the sting out of Scotland’s momentum with a penalty while a yellow card came for the Scottish No 10. Wales launched a pivotal pitch-length counter-attack. Cuthbert made the initial surge, Williams kept the move going and sent Webb clear for his second try of the competition. Jonathan Davies joined Russell in the sin-bin for a second mid-air collision, but Gatland felt the initial incident was far more serious. ‘My initial reaction was the first one was red and the second one I am not sure,’ said the Wales coach. Scotland's Alasdair Dickinson is tackled by Wales' Dan Lydiate . Leigh Halfpenny scored four penalties and two conversions for Wales as part of an assured kicking performance . Rhys Webb breaks away from the base of the scrum for Wales during the Six Nations match at Murrayfield . Wales centre Jonathan Davies takes on Scotland's Finn Russelll . Jonathan Davies is brought down by John Beattie in the Six Nations game at Murrayfield . Urged on by the home crowd, Scotland looked to seize the half-time initiative but Wales killed off a 13-man driving maul and, after some dazzling footwork, Hogg was denied a certain score following a tackle by the equally brilliant Halfpenny. With Russell returning to the fold shortly after the break, Laidlaw edged his side back with three points following an excellent turnover by Alex Dunbar on Roberts. The kickers exchanged further penalties, before Williams had a try ruled out just before the hour. Following a rare missed kick by Halfpenny, the Scottish defence was eventually breached. Gatland had kept faith in his Lions and, after his yellow card, Davies went some way to repaying that when he ran a fine line off Biggar. The centre evaded the attention of Matt Scott and stepped inside Hogg to pull his side clear. Scotland, meanwhile, failed to turn their pressure into points. Laidlaw turned down a kick at goal, while Mark Bennett had a late score chalked off for a forward pass. Welsh crashed over for the last-minute score and Russell eventually kicked the conversion, but Scotland were left to rue lost time. | Wales edged Scotland 26-23 at Murrayfield to recover from their opening game defeat to England in the Six Nations .
Leigh Halfpenny scored four penalties and two conversions for the visitors with an assured kicking display .
Rhys Webb and Jonathan Davies scored the tries for Wales .
Scotland fans felt the final whistle was blown prematurely, just as their side looked set to stage a comeback .
The result leaves Scotland without a point from two games in the Six Nations . |
224,107 | ae2ffeddc7389421ea32c0cdd6b716dec7c1c540 | By . Karen Glaser . PUBLISHED: . 17:25 EST, 2 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:13 EST, 3 October 2013 . The morning found me with a slight champagne hangover and the smudged remains of the previous evening's carefully applied make-up on an unfamiliar pillow. It was the morning after the night I'd been fretting about for the previous two-and-a half weeks, and the prospect of which had terrified me for the past three years. I had just spent the night with Stephen - the first man I'd been intimate with since the break-up of my 15-year marriage. This was the first time in 20 years that I'd found myself lying beside a sleeping form with whom I'd shared none of life's major milestones: not children, not mortgage, not wedding. Karen Glaser says the thought of being intimate with another man sent me into a mild panic . All we'd shared were a few jolly nights out, where we'd tentatively opened up to each other. As I mulled this over in this strange bedroom, I was overwhelmed with confusion. Here I was sharing a bed with a man about whom I knew so little, he didn't even know whether to offer me tea or coffee. The encounter had left me experiencing such a torrent of emotion, what did it say about the new, unfettered me? But at the same time I still fizzed with the euphoria I'd revelled in the night before. I'd done it. I had returned to a strange land where I hadn't thought I belonged any more. A club to which I - a 45-year-old with a body battle-scarred by time and childbirth - thought my membership had expired. It's a place more and more middle-aged women like me find themselves nowadays, as marriages break down and society now fully expects - indeed encourages - us to embrace the dating scene again with the same gusto we displayed in our youth. Not so long ago, a newly single woman in her 40s, with two children, would have been expected by society to put on a brave face, say nothing of the pain caused by her divorce and resign herself to celibacy. But today, in a society where 42 per cent of marriages end, leaving thousands of women in their 40s like me, bruised and lonely, there is a belief that middle-aged women can and should find new love. I was not of that mind, though, when my husband and I split up three years ago. I didn't expect to find love again, and, besides, the thought of being intimate with another man sent me into a mild panic. The creeping waistline, the not-so-perky breasts... how on earth could I ever undress in front of someone again? To a man who has been with you through two pregnancies, stretchmarks are one thing. The thought of a new lover appraising them on your naked form is quite another. Add to that the fact that I hadn't even properly disrobed in front of my ex in the dying years of our relationship and you can imagine the fear sex with a new partner instilled in me. My ex and I had become more like brother and sister than Mr and Mrs, and, like many siblings, we fought like cat and dog. But the things we argued about were far from familial. They were the classic gripes of long-haul coupledom: housework, childcare and money. In the end, the brawls became so unpleasant, so frequent and so personal that I asked for a separation. On May 1, 2010, my husband left the family home, leaving me alone with our two children, then aged nine and two. 'To a man who has been with you through two pregnancies, stretchmarks are one thing,' she says . In the event, it was, thank goodness, a relatively cordial separation - when my ex visits the children, he often stays with us. After the split I felt sad for my daughter and son. When I had planned my family, this was not how I imagined life would turn out. But I also felt tremendous relief. It was so wonderful to be single again. To have no one to argue with. To go to bed on my own. To not find dirty socks under the bed, and stubble in the sink. But, inevitably, this euphoria didn't last. After a couple of months, I was utterly exhausted. Every working mother with young children knows how difficult it is to do two jobs. Well, if you are a single working mother, it is twice as hard. It left me with little inclination and no energy for another relationship. I wasn't even thinking about dating, let alone sex, at all. That part of me had shut down. My sexuality was in a Snow White-sleep, from which I had neither the courage nor the desire to wake. The wild, sensual woman I'd been in my 20s felt like a person I'd once known but no longer had anything in common with. So, two years later, I all but ignored the flirtatious man who had recently moved into my mansion block. Well, I say flirtatious, but if I'm honest, I felt so off the sexual map that when we bumped into each other on the stairs and he complimented me on an item of clothing, or a new haircut, I thought he was just being friendly. Or gay. I mean, how many red-blooded men in their 50s can recognise kitten heels? 'Very Audrey Hepburn,' he quipped approvingly as I waited in the lobby in a pair one evening. But Steve persisted. For a few weeks that spring, the door to our building kept sticking. One day, he buzzed my intercom at dawn to be let in. Karen worried about her the not-so-perky breasts and creeping waistline . He came up to thank me and when, bleary-eyed, I opened the door to my flat, he joked to the male friend with him: 'Shame. I was hoping we might catch her in her nightie.' I blushed furiously. A fortnight later, I rushed in after the school run wearing scruffy Ugg boots, jeans and - worst of all - no make-up, and there he was again, in the hallway, flicking through his post. 'I'm taking the morning off to play 18 holes,' he said, patting the bulging golf bag next to him. 'Fancy playing with me?' I declined and bounded up the stairs, my face brick-red. But the penny was slowly dropping. I realised that I'd started caring about my appearance again. I started going to the gym, determined to lose a stone. Meanwhile, Steve's admiring glances and gentle compliments were gradually becoming part of my life. Could it be that my long somnolent sexuality was finally re-awakening? 'There's a new man in our block,' I giggled to a friend over a bottle of wine one evening. 'I think he might be flirting with me. And I really like him.' In the end, our Edwardian mansion block, gave us an excuse to get to know each other slowly. An antiques restorer by trade, when the building's grand wooden staircase needed work, Steve was the obvious man for the job. This led to several weeks of after-hours conversations at my kitchen table, discussing mahogany banisters. Fervent conversations that were ostensibly about work but which were really thinly-disguised dates. Finally, he asked me on a proper one, two weeks hence. Sex is like riding a bike: no matter how long since you have been on the saddle, you never forget how . That was when the thought first struck me: what if things progressed and I had to peel off? For although I was feeling fitter and more attractive than at any time since having my daughter 11 years before, disrobing was still a terrifying thought. As it happened, the date itself was a total blast. We went to London's Soho, rode in a rickshaw and had dinner in a lovely Chinese restaurant where Steve ordered ginger lobster with scallions. As we ate, Steve's hand gently caressed my knee. We were quite clearly building up to the First Kiss. It finally happened on a furious main road at 1.30 am while we were waiting for a cab to take us back to North London. Not the most intimate of locations for my first post-marriage kiss, but no matter. It was long and emotional, and I knew I had reached a milestone. Later that night, an even bigger milestone beckoned. Sex. On the journey home, we kissed again and, after alighting from the taxi, enjoyed a passionate embrace on the pavement outside our block. The next step was obvious - even to out-of-practice me. In the event, my fears and insecurities dwindled to nothing. Sex, I can report, is like riding a bike: no matter how long it is since you have been on the saddle, you never forget how to cycle. Equally pleasing is that in the heat of the moment, men don't actually notice your cellulite, meaty upper arms or other imperfections. Nor did I sit back and critically appraise Steve's 50-something body either. Our sexuality and taste had matured with us. Today, I am enjoying the most rewarding relationship of my life thanks to the chemistry which exists between us. Between the sheets, Steve and I simply click. Yes, my body is less pert than it once was, but, despite all those hang-ups before Steve and I became lovers, I suddenly feel happier in my own skin. I would say to any divorced, middle-aged woman terrified of contemplating sex with a man other than her husband, to put those fears to one side and embrace an exciting new chapter in her life.After all, I'm happy proof that when it comes to sex, life can indeed begin in your post-divorce 40s. | Karen Glaser, 45, found herself single after a 15-year marriage .
Felt held back by her stretch marks, cellulite and 'imperfections'
Says sex is like riding a bike: You always remember how to do it . |
273,498 | ee4bcd9a81ec23e1e195eb422805a4f498c203fb | By . Joshua Gardner . Students at a Tucson, Arizona high school were shocked when they opened their yearbooks to find they'd been censored with black tape stuck hastily over students' messages. Administrators undertook the massive, and some say misguided, task of covering up with tape the messages left by ten Sabino High seniors in every yearbook sold to the school of 1,300 students because they were deemed 'racist or unacceptable.' But were they, really? Some schoolboard members are now demanding answers to why innocuous comments like 'Come getcha some,' which merely referenced a reality series on Animal Planet, are among the comments covered with damaging, sticky tape in every single $75 keepsake. Censored: Students at Sabino High School in Tucson, Arizona were shocked when the received their yearbooks and found they'd been censored by administrators using hastily stuck on duct tape . 'We don’t know what the school administration was thinking but this does not seem fair to the seniors of Sabino High School,' boardmember Michael Hicks told the Arizona Daily Independent. People like Hicks are questioning the censoring of seemingly innocuous, if unintelligible messages, such as: . 'Come getcha some –Turtleman.' Too late: By the time administrators taped over the messages and the $75 yearbooks were finally doled out to students, the school year had ended and they were unable to write each goodbye messages . Others were more understandable, though far from shocking in their racial content. 'Every Mexican needs a white best friend,' said one Latina student before her words were obscured. 'They paid $75 for a book and they put tape all over it. Nothing I have read warrants what they have done. I think the district should apologize or give the kids.' The tape could also be damaging to the . yearbooks if removed. And by the time students received the yearbooks, . which were withheld after printing in order for them to be censored, . school as out and they couldn't sign each others' pages. 'The . students got less than what they paid for, and they got it very late and . missed the opportunity for inscriptions that is a big part of what . makes the yearbook meaningful,' complained Mark Stegeman, another . boardmember. Perhaps . most importantly, if the comments in question were deemed . inappropriate, both Stegeman and Hicks agree that administrators should . have dealt with them prior to printing. 'The . principal should have reviewed this before it went to the printer. If . it offends his sensibilities for whatever reason, those reasons should . be articulated to the students, and adults should have talked to them . about their objections beforehand,' said Hicks. Culprits? Administrators said the censored comments were 'racist and unacceptable' but would not elaborate. One Latina student wrote 'Every Mexican needs a white best friend,' and was censored. Less understandable was the boy at right's comment, 'Come getcha some! --Turtle Man,' which is an innocuous reference to the Animal Planet reality series Call of the Wildman . | Administrators at Sabino High in Tucson, Arizona taped over 10 comments in every $75 yearbook sold at the school of 1,300 students .
Some of the comments mentioned race, but many did not appear at all offensive to a casual observer, like one that referenced an Animal Planet reality series .
One Latina student wrote, 'Every Mexican needs a white best friend' |
158,522 | 58f04ad08e7d760f51149fca34927663e854e161 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 14:36 EST, 25 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:36 EST, 25 September 2012 . In court: Angela Owen, 46, pleaded guilty at Bradford Crown Court to concealing the birth and preventing the burial of the child, whose body was found in 2006 . A 46-year-old woman has admitted secretly giving birth to a stillborn baby boy and burying his body in a bin liner in the grounds of a 300-year-old mansion once owned by an Emmerdale actor. Angela Owen pleaded guilty to concealing the birth and preventing the burial of the child, whose body was found in 2006 by workmen at Howroyd Hall, near Halifax in West Yorkshire. Owen, who had not been seen since 2004 and was arrested in Somerset earlier this year after an appeal on BBC Crimewatch, also pleaded guilty to a number of fraud charges. Those related to using different names in order to obtain a car, a passport, a driving licence and financial services. Owen spoke to confirm her name and enter pleas at Bradford Crown Court. Owen, who appeared in court with dyed red hair, a grey coat and pink striped scarf, admitted trying to conceal the birth of the child, between 2001 and 2006, by secretly disposing of the dead body. She also pleaded guilty to preventing the lawful burial between the same dates by putting the baby boy’s body in a black plastic bin liner and concealing it in the grounds of Howroyd Hall, in Barkisland. Owen used the name Angela Hobson to obtain a Lotus Elise car by deception, from November 2002 to December 2003 - and Co-op Bank credit services, from October 2002 to January 2003. She used the name Emma Smith to run a pub in Oldham, Greater Manchester, between December 2003 and January 2004 - and to try to get a driving licence in January 2004. Forensics tent: Workmen dug up the body in the garden of Howroyd Hall, near Halifax, in July 2006, which used to belong to Emmerdale actor Richard Thorp. The actor sold it more than a decade before the baby was found . She claimed to be Carla Geissler to try to get a passport in March 2004. In April 2003, she made off from a Huddersfield hotel, without paying for £325.40 of accommodation, food and telephone calls. Owen, of Glastonbury, Somerset, pleaded not guilty to four charges, including obtaining property or services by deception and conspiracy to obtain property by deception. 'Miss Owen says that she was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of a former partner and the majority of her actions were the result of his behaviour' Christopher Tehrani, prosecutor . But prosecutor Christopher Tehrani said no trial will sought on the counts with not guilty pleas. He said Owen had entered a basis of plea that she committed the crimes as she was a domestic violence victim. He said the Crown did not accept this at the moment and would probe the claims. ‘Miss Owen says that she was a victim of domestic violence at the hands of a former partner and the majority of her actions were the result of his behaviour,’ Mr Tehrani said. Workmen dug up the baby’s body of in the garden of Howroyd Hall in July 2006, which used to be owned by Emmerdale’s Richard Thorp, who played Alan Turner in the soap for more than 25 years. Mr Thorp sold the house more than a decade before the discovery of the baby and Owen had been living there before the body was found. A post-mortem found it was a newborn, full-term baby boy. West Yorkshire Police said the death was not suspicious but appealed for help to find Owen. Before her arrest this year, Owen was last seen in June 2004 when she visited the Weston-super-Mare area. She was known to have many aliases, including Ann Hall and Helen Gee. An appeal to find Owen was issued on Crimewatch in May this year. She was arrested in Avon and Somerset a short time later. Owen will appear before Bradford Crown Court again on December 14. | Angela Owen pleaded guilty to concealing his birth and preventing burial .
She had not been seen since 2004 and was arrested in Somerset this year .
It followed BBC Crimewatch appeal over incident at mansion near Halifax .
Howroyd Hall was once owned by Emmerdale’s Richard Thorp (Alan Turner)
She also pleaded guilty in court to using other names for fraudulent gains . |
254,676 | d5abe2de90274d4e3dd5c4f69cdd10dee5472541 | By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 04:18 EST, 21 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:43 EST, 21 March 2013 . Twelve people were killed when a car packed with explosives blew up inside a refugee camp in northwestern Pakistan. At least another 20 people were injured when the device exploded as hundreds queued for food today at Jalozai camp on the outskirts of the northwestern city of Peshawar. The camp mainly hosts Pakistanis who have been displaced by fighting between the army and the Taliban on the border with Afghanistan. Scroll down for video . Attack: Twelve people were killed in the car bomb attack on the Jalozai refugee camp near Peshawar . Devastation: An injured man is tended to by medical staff as the authorities try to cope with the aftermath of the blast . Fighting: The bomb exploded as families were queuing up at to receive food at the camp . Most of the casualties were from the Bajur and Khyber tribal areas along the Afghan border, the police said. The army has carried out operations against the Pakistani Taliban in both of those areas. Many of the camp's residents get rations from the United Nations' World Food Program. It is unclear whether the attack will disrupt the group's operations there because of safety concerns. Peshawar is located on the border of the tribal region - the Taliban's main sanctuary in the country - and has been hit by scores of bombings in recent years. The Taliban has been waging a bloody insurgency against the government in an attempt to establish an Islamic state and end Pakistan's cooperation with the United States in fighting militancy. The militant group withdrew an offer of holding peace talks with the Pakistani government this week, saying officials did not seem serious about sitting down at the negotiation table despite comments to the contrary. Horror: Many of the victims of the blast had suffered wounds inflicted by flying shrapnel and debris . Casualty: Pakistani rescue workers carry a victim of the blast away to a local hospital. Hundreds of people live in the camp for internally displaced people in north-western Pakistan . Battle: Most of those killed were displaced from tribal areas near the border with Afghanistan where the Pakistani Army has been fighting the Taliban . | Device explodes at Jalozai camp on outskirts of northern city of Peshawar .
Most casualties were families displaced by army's battle with the Taliban .
Peshawar is on border of .
tribal area - Taliban's main sanctuary in Pakistan . |
36,121 | 667d33ebc81d11905ffdcf0fb9b4949fe8907ed1 | (CNN) -- Over 300 miles from the nearest ocean, competitors in one of the world's fastest sailing races are battling against a moody wind. A small army of boats -- if you can call them that -- carve across the Nevada desert. A stream of sand billows behind, caking each competitor's face in fine, white grit. "It's like Mother Nature has her foot on the throttle," says Russ Foster, who has been racing these peculiar yachts-on-wheels since the 1970s. "The speeds that you go at -- sometimes 100 miles per hour -- means that you really need to stay on top of it or you could have a major accident," he tells CNN's Mainsail show. "But that's part of the challenge." Dramatic backdrop . Each year the dried lake-bed of Smith Creek is transformed into a fantastical racetrack for the Landsailing World Championships. Over 170 "sailors," from countries as far flung as Chile and New Zealand, converge on the dramatic landscape that stretches flat as a mirror beneath the sweltering summer sun. "When we first came through the mountains, we saw these beautiful big rocks, and the west end of the lake was just glass smooth," competitor Rod Eicholz says of the spectacular setting. "So smooth you can actually see the reflection of your boat on the dirt," adds fellow racer Kurt Smiley. Situated around 30 miles from the closest town of Austin -- which has a population of just 200 -- Smith Creek appears like a scorched land on the edge of the world. And when the temperamental wind whips up the sand, forcing spectators to shield their eyes and run for cover, you'd be forgiven for thinking these otherworldly sailboats were ghost ships on the horizon. Desert inventors . Competitors arrive in campervans loaded with their desert-racing machines, and work late into the evening tinkering with their speedy designs. "You know what a sailboat is? Well it's kind of like that, but you're racing on dirt, with wheels," racer John Eisenlohr says matter-of-factly. "The amount of time you spend in what I call a 'dirt boat coma' with a glazed look in your eye, thinking about your next great innovation and hoping it works..." he trails off with a faraway look. In their everyday lives, these enthusiasts might be farmers or plumbers who work on their designs in garages back home. The boats differ dramatically according to the class they're racing in -- from basic buggies with sails, to something resembling a futuristic bobsled with wheelie arms extended either side. "Just after the start, you push, you run, you jump into the yacht, and you lay down completely, trying to be the lowest you can," explains racer J.P Krischer. "You're hunkered down in the boat, you get nice and low, and you just get a beautiful view of the horizon," says fellow competitor Lester Robertson. The high-tech designs have come a long way from the 1970s, when adventurous land sailors tested out their hybrid designs everywhere from European beaches to North African deserts. "It's progressed from small, simple, two-framed vehicles, to pretty exotic ones with carbon fiber bodies and wing masts," explains Foster, who previously raced go-karts and catamarans. "Then there are some classes which were designed in the 1970s and haven't changed at all." Need for speed . The majority of world championship winners hail from the U.S. but there's also a good showing from European competitors, who are perhaps better used to racing on more rugged beach terrain. For North American Land Sailing Association (NALSA) president Dennis Bassano, there's a good reason why he keeps coming back year after year. "It's the speed. It's just so much fun to go that fast with the wind. You're in a boat, making all the decisions you're in control of everything. "And heck," he adds, "who doesn't like going 80 miles an hour?" Debate: Will 'robo-ships' be the end of sailors? Learn: Britain sets to right America's Cup 'wrong' | What do you get when you combine boats and wheels?
Welcome to the Landsailing World Championships .
Fantastical machines race across Nevada Desert .
Aerodynamic inventions can reach 100 mph . |
154,004 | 530c635758b8ecb02a88482a5962f6a847dc6171 | (CNN) -- Bill Clinton's speech accepting the Democratic nomination for president in 1992 went through 22 drafts. But from the first to the last, he insisted on including a call to service. America was mired in a recession. The deficit was high, and confidence was low. But the young governor of Arkansas was determined to try to inspire a new generation of young people the way President John F. Kennedy had inspired him. "Just think of it," he told the nation. "Think of it. Millions of energetic young men and women serving their country by policing the streets or teaching the children or caring for the sick. Or working with the elderly and people with disabilities. Or helping young people to stay off drugs and out of gangs, giving us all a sense of new hope and limitless possibilities." Through persistent, bipartisan effort, that dream became law 20 years ago this week. Nearly a million Americans have spent 1.2 billion hours serving their country, their community, their neighbors in AmeriCorps. They helped mend hearts after September 11. They helped mend communities after Katrina. Today, they help children from broken homes and veterans with no homes. They have taught countless kids, comforted countless seniors, touched countless lives. Chad Clanton was in the first class of AmeriCorps volunteers. An idealistic kid from Waco, Texas, Clanton had just graduated from the University of Texas. He joined VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) and was soon building houses for -- and with -- the poor in San Antonio. "It really was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had," he said. "I just met the most wonderful people. And all kinds of people: hippies, yuppies, cowboys, church people, corporate executives, plumbers, electricians, rich, poor, you name it. Everyone was out there because they wanted to do something -- swing a hammer, hang some Sheetrock, paint a fence -- to chip away at the problem of poverty housing." Clanton went on to become a successful international political consultant, advising politicians across the country and around the world, but he says those days sweating in the South Texas sun was the best job he ever had. Ely Flores did not come to AmeriCorps wanting to save the world. He was sent there by a criminal justice system that was trying to save him. "At 17 years old, I was at a crossroads," he said of his youth in Hollywood and South Central Los Angeles. "I had a choice. Either I was going to continue the lifestyle that had forced me into community service or choose an AmeriCorps program called YouthBuild. My year in AmeriCorps with YouthBuild not only helped put my education back on track, put money in my pocket and ultimately helped me shape the foundation of social justice I stand on, but it completely transformed my view of service. " Ely helps young people affected by the incarceration of family members. He has rebuilt homes and schools and lives. When asked his occupation, he proudly says, "community builder." He has earned his undergraduate degree, is looking to get a masters and is organizing LEAD, Leadership through Empowerment, Action, and Dialogue, which seeks to breathe new life into Lincoln Heights, Los Angeles' oldest -- but far from wealthiest -- neighborhood. There are 900,000 Floreses and Clantons. They have created ripples of hope that will continue to radiate out into the lives of millions of people. Surely, that is something to celebrate. When President Obama stands on the South Lawn of the White House on Friday to swear in new volunteers, he will almost certainly look back on two decades of getting things done. But he will also, I hope, focus on all there is yet to do. There is a growing movement to take national service to the next level, to make a year of service a rite of passage for every American who wants to serve. Retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was America's top commander on the battlefields of Afghanistan, has a new mission: "All young Americans should have the opportunity and feel the responsibility to serve their country," he wrote this summer in Politico. "We need to create a culture in which at least a year of service is culturally expected, if not quite mandatory by law." Just as the members of the Greatest Generation were bound together by their common service in the second World War and just as Vietnam vets have a kinship that crosses partisan lines, so too should today's young people. So on this 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps, let's pause a moment to thank the Man From Hope for giving us all a sense of new hope and limitless possibilities. | Paul Begala: Bill Clinton was determined to include a call to service during his administration .
AmeriCorps started 20 years ago with bipartisan support to let young people serve, he says .
Nearly a million have joined; helped in 9/11, Katrina, with veterans, the old, poor, children .
Begala: As Obama swears in new volunteers, we should thank Clinton for AmeriCorps . |
233,340 | ba1801e7baeb031f5edf90fcef00f9f052d7e98f | By . Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 19:38 EST, 12 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:24 EST, 13 August 2013 . British warships headed to the Mediterranean yesterday, as David Cameron prepared to sue Spain over its treatment of Gibraltar. The Prime Minister has ordered government lawyers and Foreign Office officials to draw up plans for legal action. He has finally lost patience with the Spanish after they continued to impose what he sees as illegal border checks, which break European Union rules on the free movement of people. En route: The helicopter carrier HMS Illustrious departing Portsmouth yesterday . Taking the case to the European Court of Justice would mark the first time Britain has taken a fellow EU nation to court. The plans emerged as a Royal Navy taskforce, including the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious and two frigates, set sail for Gibraltar. The journey is part of a long-planned exercise – but government officials say the show of force may help ‘focus minds’ in Spain. Britain’s ambassador Giles Paxman, brother of Newsnight presenter Jeremy, informed the Spanish of the intention to go to court yesterday afternoon. Government lawyers were last night deciding whether to lodge a case with the ECJ, or call for the European Commission to take action itself; senior sources told the Daily Mail that Mr Cameron demanded answers from the Foreign Office ‘by the end of the day’. Unprecedented: Prime Minister David Cameron is threatening Madrid with legal action over delays at the Spain-Gibraltar border . He is expected to consult with the attorney general Dominic Grieve today, and could make a formal announcement tomorrow. Officials are also drafting plans for political retaliation to hit Spanish interests if Madrid fails to back down. Ministers believe the Spanish have engineered the controversy to distract attention from the parlous state of its economy, and a corruption scandal engulfing the govern . A Downing Street spokesman said: ‘Clearly the Prime Minister is disappointed by the failure of Spain to remove the additional border checks this weekend. We are now considering what legal action is open to us. This would be an unprecedented step so we want to consider it carefully.’ Exhausting: Drivers wait in the sweltering heat to enter Spain, after the Spanish authorities increased border checks at the border with Gibraltar . They said the action by the Spanish was ‘politically motivated and totally disproportionate’, and illegal under EU law. ment of prime minister Mariano Rajoy. A Whitehall source added: ‘We’re also exploring whether there are other political options we could pursue to make clear to the Spanish that the issue is putting our bilateral relations at risk, and persuade them to de-escalate the issue.’ The European Commission said it will send monitors to the border to assess the situation – but sources said these monitors would not arrive until next month at the earliest, because they are on holiday. The stand-off began when the government of Gibraltar started building an artificial reef in the waters off the Rock last month to deter Spanish fishermen, who were damaging the marine environment. Spain responded by imposing draconian border checks, and threatening to slap tolls on travellers and ban Gibraltar-bound flights from Spanish air space. Spanish media reports suggested that the case could be taken to the United Nations, with Spain and Argentina joining forces to demand sovereignty over Gibraltar and the Falkland Islands. Spanish foreign minister Jose Garcia-Margallo will sound out his Argentinian counterpart, Hector Timerman, at a meeting in Buenos Aires next month. Ignacio Ibanez, the director general for foreign affairs at Spain’s foreign ministry, said his country was ‘not worried’ about legal action. ‘We are not worried because we are convinced about what we are doing, and we know that the right is on our side,’ he said, adding that it was ‘normal’ that Spain would talk with Argentina about Gibraltar and the Falklands. Spain wants Britain to hand over Gibraltar – but it has no intention of letting go of Ceuta and Melilla, two enclaves it holds on the coast of North Africa. The tiny territories on the Mediterranean are the subjects of a long-standing dispute with Morocco. While Britain calls Gibraltar an overseas territory, Spain claims that the cities are actually part of mainland Spain. Spanish officials say their historical claim on the areas predates the modern country of Morocco, and so refuse to give them up. Like Gibraltar, they are duty-free havens that attract smugglers. Juan Jose Improda, the regional president of Melilla, stressed that Gibraltar is classified as a ‘non-self-governing territory’ by the United Nations, meaning its status is discussed by the UN Committee on Decolonisation, while Morocco has done nothing to include Melilla and Ceuta on that list. Maria Leon, a 30-year-old born in Ceuta, said: ‘We are as Spanish as people from Madrid or Valencia.’ However, she added: ‘I do feel sympathy with the people of Gibraltar. So what if our land is at the tip of another country? I think the politicians should just leave things alone and let us get on with our lives peacefully.’ Ten British vessels with a capacity of 3,000 personnel have headed to the waters off Gibraltar. The frigate HMS Westminster and two support vessels will call in at the British base at Gibraltar for three days, beginning on August 19. Longstanding Spanish rules mean that once they call at the Rock they cannot sail directly to any Spanish sea port. London mayor Boris Johnson said the deployment should send a clear signal to the Spanish. ‘Perhaps it really is a coincidence – as the Foreign Office claims – that we have just sent a fleet of warships to Gibraltar,’ he said. ‘But I hope not. I hope that one way or another we will shortly prise Spanish hands off the throat of our colony.’ | David Cameron has ordered lawyers to draw up plans for legal action .
Spanish have continued to impose what he sees as illegal border checks .
HMS Illustrious set sail yesterday, leading 10 vessels to the Mediterranean . |
157,937 | 58302be1b5df3a68b86ca12185298d6691c690f2 | Salvage experts believe that an inadequately-secured JCB could have dug a hole in the side of a ship which was deliberately grounded on a sandbank in the Solent. The engineers say the Hoegh Osaka may have been thrown off balance because one of the 105 excavators broke free from its restraints as the ship began its voyage. It comes as experts abandoned today's plans to re-float the vessel, after warnings it had taken on more water than previously thought. This picture shows some of the JCB vehicles on Hoegh Osaka's cargo deck before it set sail . Engineers say the vessel may have been thrown off balance because one of the 105 excavators broke free from its restraints as the ship began its voyage . Speaking about the dramatic incident, Bram Sperling, from salvage company Svitzer, said an excavator shifted on the sixth deck, knocking a hole in the hull of the vehicle carrier. Despite being quickly repaired by engineers, it is thought the hole could have caused the ship to list. Mr Sperling added that members of his 18-strong team had been on board the vessel and inspected the cargo, most of which had remained in place. A single Rolls-Royce Wraith, estimated to be worth about £260,000, was on board, among more than 1,000 Jaguars and Land Rovers and 65 Minis. The £35million cargo - all destined for Middle Eastern customers - could be scrapped, even if the vehicles are retrieved with little damage. He said: 'We have not looked in detail at the cargo, we have only looked if we have some displacement of the cargo and we have seen a few vehicles, big ones, that have.' Salvage experts had said they planned to attempt to refloat the giant vessel at high tide today. But the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have now confirmed that plans have been delayed. The 180m Singapore-registered ship is currently listing at 52 degrees and the salvage operation is expected to take days, possibly weeks. A spokesman said: 'Following the completion of the salvors' calculations this evening, it has been decided that there will not be an attempt to re-float the Hoegh Osaka tomorrow. 'The salvors' calculations revealed that more water has entered the vessel than previously thought. 'The preparation for the re-float will therefore take longer than the weather window will allow tomorrow. The Hoegh Osaka was deliberately run aground on a sandbank called the Bramble Bank between Southampton and the Isle of Wight on Saturday night to prevent it capsizing . 'The alternative option of securing the Hoegh Osaka will be followed and preparations for the re-float will continue when the weather allows.' The 51,000 tonne ship was deliberately run aground on Saturday night on a sandbank called the Bramble Bank, between Southampton and the Isle of Wight, to prevent it capsizing. The vessel, which has a cargo of 1,400 cars and 80 pieces of construction equipment, began to list as it left the port, forcing the captain and the pilot to take the emergency action. A bid to pull the ship free at high tide using four tugs failed on Monday, leaving the 180 metre long Hoegh Osaka grounded because the tides were not high enough to refloat her. A 200m exclusion zone has been set up around the ship to prevent small vessels interfering with the tugs and other shipping. The vessel, which has a cargo of 1,400 cars and 80 pieces of construction equipment, began to list as it left the port, forcing the captain and the pilot to take the emergency action . A massive rescue operation was launched on Saturday night involving four lifeboats and four tugs working to save the entire crew of 25, which was eventually winched off the vessel and taken to safety. According to an RNLI spokesman, some of them had to be rescued from the water. A helicopter and lifeboats from Calshot, Yarmouth and Cowes were scrambled to the scene. A total of 22 crew were initially rescued from the doomed ship, leaving three senior officers aboard. However, the last three had to be winched to safety at 2am, when then the ship listed forther. Mark Clark, spokesman for Hoegh Autoliners which owns the vessel, said that the cause of the incident would be the subject of a marine accident investigation. He said the company was currently assessing damage and stability issues on board its vessel and that the primary concern had been for the crew on board. It has been confirmed that one crew member was injured. He was airlifted to Queen Alexander Hospital in Portsmouth with non-life threatening injuries. One of the major problems facing salvage workers is the immense weight of the ship and its cargo. Sources say that one way to assist in refloating the boat would be to remove the cars from its cargo hold. But such an operation is expected to present an immense logistical headache. Bramble Bank is a well-known sandbank in Southampton Water and is the scene of an annual cricket match between two yachting clubs when the sands are exposed in low spring tides. In November 2008, the Cunard liner Queen Elizabeth 2 with 1,700 passengers on board ran aground on Bramble Bank but was able to continue its journey on the rising tide after four tugs pulled it clear. | Excavator allegedly shifted on the sixth deck, knocking a hole in the hull .
It meant the 51,000 tonne Hoegh Osaka was unbalanced when it set sail .
Ship deliberately run aground on sandbank on Saturday to prevent capsize .
Vessel began to list as it left port, forcing captain to take emergency action .
Experts have abandoned plans to refloat the giant vessel at high tide today . |
84,340 | ef383f6a5d5b0d104cb8c968c2a52526caba9540 | (CNN) -- On Tuesday, Taylor Swift became a card-carrying member of the short hair club. The 24-year-old "Red" singer shared a photo of her new shoulder-length 'do on Instagram, along with a video of all the people who were watching the big chop in action. Since Swift's had her trademark long curls since she debuted, we're not surprised that as many witnesses as possible wanted to see the cut in action. "We don't do anything without an audience, do we?" Swift can be heard joking in the clip. (Fans have watched and rewatched the brief segment to see if they can spot any famous faces in the crowd. We'll let you decide which of Swift's rumored former flames appears to be present.) Swift was in London performing on Tuesday as part of her "Red" tour, and the set included an appearance from Ellie Goulding. "London, I could never thank you enough," Swift captioned a photo with the British singer. "See you next time! PS: short hair, don't care. (!!!)" | Taylor Swift cut off her trademark long hair on Tuesday .
The singer shared a video of the hair-cutting soiree .
She was in London as part of her "Red" tour . |
23,223 | 41e8f94939b3f2e1e988d5c6ba43f9f6c8b6343a | By . Chris Waugh . Any mere mortal would cower at the thought of having to face the human wrecking ball that is Ma'a Nonu but Kyle Eastmond is relishing the challenge of stopping the All Black in Saturday's first Test at Eden Park. England's midfield defence will be tested mercilessly by Nonu and his New Zealand team-mates as they look to exploit a potential weakness in Stuart Lancaster's side. Eastmond will deputise at inside centre after Billy Twelvetrees failed to win his fitness battle and he will partner fourth choice fly-half Freddie Burns, who had a difficult season at Gloucester, in an inexperienced midfield. Ready: Kyle Eastmond is relishing the prospect of facing Ma'a Nonu and the All Blacks on Saturday . Undercooked? The inside centre is fourth choice in his position and has not played since April . Inexperienced: Eastmond and fly-half Freddie Burns (centre) have only seven caps between them . The diminutive Eastmond, who has not played since April, will be winning only his third cap and Burns just his fourth. But Eastmond is ready for the assault that awaits when the series begins in Auckland. He said: 'I've been playing rugby now since I was seven years old. You have to make tackles, it's as simple as that.' 'It's an attitude thing that has to be shared by everyone, it's not an individual thing. 'New Zealand have some big guys, but we've put in a lot of homework throughout the team to give us the best opportunity against them. 'I'll try to offer exactly what I've done throughout my career - try to get on the ball and bring energy and spark to help out my team-mates.' Lancaster's choice at inside centre is limited due to Twelvetrees' injury, as well as Luther Burrell and Brad Barritt being unavailable after appearing in last Saturday's Aviva Premiership final. Headache: England head coach Stuart Lancaster has had to select his side from a much depleted squad . Wrecking ball: Ma'a Nonu (centre) and his All Black team-mates will look to exploit England's new midfield . And Eastmond himself fell out of favour at Bath and has been omitted from their matchday 23 since. The 24-year-old rugby league convert, who impressed during last summer's tour to Argentina, is fourth choice but is determined to grab the opportunity with both hands. 'We've put some good work in and I'm feeling all right. I've played a lot of games this season so match fitness is not something I have in mind at all,' Eastmond said. 'I'm confident I'll be okay with the match fitness. I've very excited. I've trained well and hard over the last couple of weeks.' Primed and ready: New Zealand train ahead of Saturday's first Test with England at Eden Park . Captain marvel: All Blacks captain Richie McCaw focuses in training ahead of the match with England . Eastmond has lost ground in England's pecking order this season with Twelvetrees and Burrell overtaking him, but he takes a measured view on his progress. 'I have to put it into perspective where I'm at. This is the end of my second season in rugby union,' he said. 'The players who have been playing in my position have been playing really well. 'Luther got his chance and Billy played well throughout the Six Nations. 'I've had to be patient and wait for my chance. Now it has come.' | Eastmond is not daunted by the prospect of facing the All Black centre .
He deputises for the injured Billy Twelvetrees but has not played since April .
England play New Zealand in the first Test at Eden Park on Saturday .
The 24-year-old is fourth choice in his position, as is fly-half Freddie Burns .
The rugby league convert hopes to make the most of his opportunity . |
276,390 | f21b65310ccf39012c0d32a851d773b2f16a4027 | An arm, legs, underwear, dark jeans and size 5½ Air Jordan sneakers turned up on the Queens side of the East River. The jeans and shoes were the same size of Avonte Oquendo, an autistic 14-year-old last seen last fall walking unsupervised out of his school. Yet his mother was steadfast: "It's not Avonte until it's Avonte." That time has come. On Tuesday -- five days after those body parts and scraps of clothing were found -- Vanessa Fontaine learned that DNA tests proved her son's remains indeed had been found. Her lawyer said that Fontaine has been stoic, strong, focused and hopeful throughout this ordeal. But after police told her the news on Tuesday, "she finally just broke down ... just crying and crying." "I kept saying, Vanessa, say it again," David Perecman said of his muddled phone conversation. To which she replied through the tears, "It's Avonte, it's Avonte. (The police) came. It's Avonte." So ended not just her family's search for the teenager, but that of the United States' most populated city. Police deployed sniffer dogs, combed surveillance footage and repeatedly canvassed each of New York City's 468 subway stations because of Avonte's love of trains. Missing teen's fascination with trains shifts search . The most poignant, most personal part of the search was Fontaine's recorded voice that was broadcast from patrol cars and other search vehicles. Avonte couldn't communicate verbally and had the mental capacity of a 7- or 8-year-old. But Fontaine hoped that he would hear her and head toward a police car's flashing lights to safety. "Avonte, this is your mother," the recording said. "You are safe. Walk toward the lights." Still, while the hunt for Avonte is over, the saga is not. For one, funeral services for the teen still have to be planned. And admitting he personally is "good and angry," Perecman reeled off a number of accusations against the Riverview School (also known as the Center Boulevard School) in the Long Island City section of Queens. They included questions such as: Why did it take "several minutes" for Avonte's teacher to notice he wasn't in class? Why did it take 15 minutes for school administrators to find out? Why were police in a neighborhood precinct not alerted for about an hour? Hinting that the family will sue the city, Perecman said videotapes he's seen suggested "sheer chaos" in a school that he contends is not safe. "I am convinced, in my heart of hearts, that had a prompt reaction occurred, had some of this cascade of errors not occurred, that the police would have been called, they would have went outside, and they would have found Avonte before this happened," Perecman said. "He would be home right now. He would be wearing his Air Jordans, and they wouldn't have been found in a river." Massive hunt for missing teen . A message from CNN left with the school's dean on Tuesday night was not immediately returned. When such allegations were made previously, the school had declined to comment, while the New York City Department of Education had said that it was cooperating with police. What has been established from official accounts is that at 12:38 p.m. on October 4, surveillance video showed Avonte leaving his school for children with learning disabilities. Given Avonte's condition, he should have had a monitor at all times. But the video indicated he was alone. About three hours later, bloodhounds traced his scent to a marsh near his school but lost the trail, a source close to the investigation said. They picked up his scent again an hour later, this time at a nearby subway station. But while the dogs might have picked up his scent, they couldn't find Avonte. The search, though, didn't end that day. New York police at one point devoted 50 officers and a task force of detectives to the case, according to then-Police Commissioner Ray Kelly. The Metropolitan Transit Authority had its workers check each of its facilities each morning. The Department of Environmental Protection brought in special cameras extended on poles to search the sewer system in and around the area where Avonte went missing, the source said. And Avonte's family pressed their case with the media and the public, even after Kelly said later in October that "unfortunately, we are not hopeful that we're going to find this young man alive." "My message to my son is that I love him, and we're going to find him," she told CNN's Piers Morgan."You'll come home to your family. And for anyone who has him, please be kind and to let him go." NYC police losing hope; not Avonte's mom . It wasn't just his family who kept working and maintained hope, Perecman said. So, too, did many New Yorkers who participated in the search or, at the least, kept their eyes out for Avonte, helped by the fliers and posters that blanketed the city. Said Perecman: "I don't remember a search in the city of New York that rose to this level. It was a beautiful sight." Body parts, clothes found in East River . Whatever the outcome, Avonte's family laid the groundwork to sue New York's government days after he went missing. They filed a claim -- the first step in a lawsuit -- over what they described as "the negligence, carelessness and/or recklessness" of those who'd been charged with watching Avonte that day. Then came last week's discovery of clothes that matched those worn by the slim, approximately 5-foot, 3-inch teenager, as well as the remains. Lawyer: Police checking on remains . The fact they were found in the East River also jibed with a possible storyline, given the Riverview School's location near the water around where the Queens Midtown Tunnel goes to and from Manhattan. The matching clothes were not enough for Fontaine and company. "They weren't going to accept anything else but DNA," her lawyer said. And DNA, ultimately, proved that the remains indeed belonged to Avonte. So how and when did Avonte die? The medical examiner hasn't issued a public ruling, though the gory state of the teenager's remains leaves open an alarming array of possibilities. Perecman said he doesn't know if foul play is to blame, whether the fact the boy was found in pieces stems from natural decomposition in the water or something more gruesome. "You know what they say, you put 10 people in a room you get 12 opinions," the lawyer said of the diverse range of theories as to what happened. | Avonte Oquendo's mother was hopeful until the very end, her lawyer says .
He says Avonte would be alive if not for "cascade of errors" at school he'd attended .
Security video shows the autistic teen leaving a New York City school on October 4 .
Several of his body parts, some clothes were found last week in the East River . |
103,000 | 10c4f1728f0b8ce03f769e684f819cd3528f61ef | Jenson Button and Kevin Magnussen will have to wait a few more days yet before discovering their fate with McLaren. A McLaren spokesperson has confirmed the team will not be making any driver selection announcements until next week at the earliest. It means 15-season veteran Button and young Dane Magnussen continue to be left in limbo by McLaren group chief executive Ron Dennis as they wait to discover which one of them will partner Fernando Alonso in 2015. McLaren pair Jenson Button (left) and Kevin Magnussen address the crowds at Edinburgh on Thursday . Button and Magnussen are vying to partner former Ferrari driver Fernando Alonso at McLaren in 2015 . There had been hope of an announcement on Friday following a board meeting 24 hours earlier involving Dennis and two other senior shareholders, TAG co-owner Mansour Ojjeh and Mahmood Hashim Al Kooheji, the chief executive of Mumtalakat, Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund. Dennis though is calling the shots and is not prepared to be rushed despite the anger being expressed by many fans over how they feel both drivers have been treated. Button expressed his frustration on Thursday. 'I just want to get it done,' he said. 'I want to hear the decision - as we all do - so we can all move on in whatever direction.' The 34-year-old made clear, however, that although his preference is to remain in F1, he has other irons in the fire which he is more than happy with. The 34-year-old Englishman appeared in good spirits as he entertained the crowds in Scotland on Thursday . The suggestion is Toyota are eager for Button to join their World Endurance Championship sportscar programme for next year. With options on the table, Button added: 'I'm now really comfortable, and whatever happens I will have a great year next year. 'New challenges are exciting, whether it's in Formula One with McLaren alongside an exciting team-mate, or whether it's elsewhere.' Although Button has the experience to cope with the situation, at the age of 22 it is also tough on Magnussen to be left hanging on. Asked when he expected to be informed, Magnussen told Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet: 'I have no idea. Hopefully before Christmas!' Asked about his plans for the next couple of weeks, he replied: 'I'm going to stay (in Britain) for a while, at least until I know what I'm doing with my life, and then it's back home for Christmas.' | McLaren spokesperson confirmed announcement on 2015 line-up will not be made until next week at the earliest .
McLaren board met on Thursday but failed to determine Button's future .
Button and Kevin Magnussen vying to be paired with Fernando Alonso .
Button has explored options outside F1, notably the WEC Championship . |
247,235 | cbf5e002957de9b29e8354caf6b9001449bdf23e | Washington (CNN) -- The captain of Southwest Flight 345, whose nose gear was broken while landing at LaGuardia Airport in New York last month, took control of the aircraft from his co-pilot when the plane was below 400 feet -- a critical phase of flight during which control is rarely changed between pilots, experts say. The National Transportation Safety Board on Tuesday updated its investigation into the July 22 incident, noting the last-minute cockpit switch but did not reveal the captain's explanation for the change. Other details released by the safety board, however, could provide an explanation, pilots contacted by CNN said. The Southwest pilots told investigators the wind changed direction as the plane was landing, shifting from an 11-knot tailwind below 1,000 feet to an 11-knot headwind on the runway. Passenger sues airline over LaGuardia nose landing . The captain took control at a point roughly midway through that period, "at a point below 400 feet," the NTSB said. The wind shift, experts said, could have caused the plane to deviate from its glide path. "This wind shift will most likely be part of the focus of this investigation," said Capt. Kevin Hiatt of the Flight Safety Foundation. "The captain evidently saw something that concerned him enough that he elected to take control of the aircraft at that time," Hiatt said. "Does it happen? Not often. Does it happen sometimes? Yes, it does." While emphasizing that it is still early in the investigation, pilots consulted by CNN said it is unusual for a pilot to take control of an aircraft in the final moments of landing. Investigators likely are questioning the pilot about that decision, and, if there were problems with the approach, why he did not abort the landing. "That's a key question: why did the captain feel the need to take over?" said Mark Weiss, a former 737 pilot and civil aviation leader at The Spectrum Group in Washington. Commercial aircraft can manage abrupt changes in wind direction, experts say. But the changing wind direction would have tilted the plane nose-up, and the pilot may have responded by pushing the nose down to maintain the proper glide path, pilots contacted by CNN speculated. 'It was pretty chaotic' as landing gear collapses, passenger says . The Boeing 737-700 aircraft went from a 2 degrees nose-up attitude, when the plane was about 32 feet off the ground, to a 3-degrees nose-down attitude upon landing seconds later, according to information previously released by the NTSB. The plane landed nose wheels first, instead of on the main landing gear as designed, and the nose gear collapsed, sending the plane on a lengthy skid down the runway. About 10 passengers were injured. The NTSB said it has thus far found no anomalies or mechanical malfunctions with the plane. It is continuing its investigation. Among the new details released Tuesday by the safety board: . -- The captain of Southwest Flight 345 had flown for the airline for almost 13 years and had been a captain for six of those years. He had 12,000 total flight hours, including 2,600 hours as pilot-in-command of B-737s. This was the pilot's second flight into LaGuardia, and he was "pilot monitoring" in both instances. (Pilots tell CNN the captain's inexperience flying into LaGuardia was likely not a factor in the incident. Commercial pilots frequently fly into unfamiliar airports and study the approaches before landing. In addition, the pilots of Flight 345 were using an operational instrument landing system, which should have assisted in making the landing routine.) -- The first officer had been with Southwest for 18 months and had 5,200 total flight hours, with 4,000 as pilot-in-command. He had about 1,100 hours in B-737s, with none of those as pilot-in-command. The first officer had experience at LaGuardia, including six flights this year. -- This was the first trip the flight crew had flown together and was the second leg of the trip. -- The weather in the New York area caused the flight to enter a holding pattern for about 15 minutes. The crew reported that they saw the airport from about 5 to 10 miles out and that the airplane was on speed, course and glide slope down to about 200 to 400 feet. -- Investigators have five videos showing various aspects of the crash landing. | Southwest Flight 345's captain took over during LaGuardia landing, NTSB says .
Such a change in that phase of a flight is unusual, aviation experts say .
The pilots reported a wind shift during landing, NTSB says .
The flight landed hard, broke nose gear at New York airport in July, injuring about 10 . |
140,672 | 41e80d8fc1698fb8a1bf8e57f7b5423771ae3b33 | Sunderland have taken young Arsenal defender Semi Ajayi on trial. The Nigerian, 21, has featured on the bench for the Gunners in the Premier League this season but is out of contract in the summer. Ajayi lined up for the Black Cats Under 21 side in their goalless draw with Norwich on Monday night. Arsenal defender Semi Ajayi played for Sunderland's Under 21 side on Monday night during a trial period . The Nigerian, 21, competes with striker Yaya Sanogo during an Arsenal training session last month . Picked up from Charlton after a successful trial in 2013, Ajayi followed a similar path to Carl Jenkinson in moving to north London. As Arsenal struggled for injuries this season, the 6ft 3in player was an unused substitute in games against Hull City, Stoke and Newcastle, as well as in the Capital One Cup defeat by Southampton. But with Arsene Wenger keen on bringing in a defender during this window and Ajayi's deal running out, Gus Poyet is casting an eye. | Semi Ajayi, 21, has been an unused substitute in the Premier League .
Nigerian defender joined Arsenal from Charlton in 2013 .
Ajayi featured in Sunderland Under 21s 0-0 draw with Norwich on Monday . |
257,340 | d90cfa3057a8466c698382f14190583c1b037c63 | A pair of fraudsters orchestrated one of Britain's biggest-ever fake ID scams by selling thousands of counterfeit documents on the black market for as little as £50. The duo, both from London, ran such an elaborate scheme that they became the 'go-to' forgers for criminal and illegal immigrants seeking new identities in the north of the capital. Arsene Meci, 26, originally from Albania, manufactured the made-to-order documents - including passports, driving licences and national identity cards - from his home in East Finchley. Scroll down for video . Arsene Meci, 25, from East Finchley (left) and Medi Krasniqi, 47, from Finsbury Park, orchestrated one of Britain's biggest-ever fake ID scams by selling thousands of counterfeit documents on the black market . He then passed them on to 47-year-old Medi Krasniqi, from Finsbury Park, who sold them to criminals for between £50 and £500, depending on what was required. Once the cards were made, the pair would carry out handovers in shops and cafés in the Turnpike Lane area of north London. Krasniqi was also in charge of locating the clients, gathering photos and obtaining personal details which he would then pass on to Meci. But the pair - who specialised in making the false documents for use in the construction industry - were arrested in October as part of a three-year investigation by the National Crime Agency. The probe, which looked into a series of Albanian-led cells dealing in false documentation, has so far led to 15 convictions and a collective jail sentence of 56 years. Carl Eade, senior investigating officer from the NCA, said: 'Krasniqi and Meci really were the "go-to" men for anyone who wanted any form of false ID anywhere in north London. The duo became the 'go-to' forgers for criminal gangs in north London by selling passports, driving licences and national identity cards to criminals and illegal immigrants seeking a new identity (pictured) The pair were arrested as part of a three-year investigation by the National Crime Agency into a series of Albanian-led cells dealing in false documentation . A search of a property linked to Krasniqi led to the seizure of around £12,000, found stuffed behind an oven (pictured) 'Their clients included criminals and people in the UK illegally. 'The thousands of passports, identity cards and other documents they were creating and selling were then used to help people obtain work or services they weren't entitled to.' He added: 'Worryingly there is a safety element here too - one of the forms of ID they specialised in was certification to work in the construction industry. 'We have no way of knowing whether their clients were actually qualified to do the jobs they were then able to apply for.' When Krasniqi was arrested, police found 70 counterfeit cards in his possession. A search of a property linked to Krasniqi led to around £12,000 being found stuffed behind an oven. Police raiding Meci's flat in East Finchley - where most of the fake documents were made - discovered a forgery factory of computers, laminators and professional printing equipment . Officers also found a number of photos, blank cards and fake passports ready to be made up (pictured) Police raiding Meci's flat discovered a forgery factory of computers, laminators and professional printing equipment. There were also a number of photos, blank cards and fake passports ready to be made up. Examination of the computers revealed more than 8,000 images and templates for driving licences, identity card, passport and cards. Each entitled the bearer to work in the construction and security industries. According to the NCA, the wider investigation led to the seizure of more than 300 fake passports and 200 counterfeit national identity cards. Both defendants pleaded guilty to conspiring to produce false identity documents, possession of false ID and money laundering charges at Chelmsford Crown Court on December 15. They are due to be sentenced on January 12. | Arsene Meci, 26, prepared made-to-order papers from East Finchley home .
They were then sold to criminal gangs by Medi Krasniqi, 47, for up to £500 .
Duo were 'go-to' forgers for gangs and illegal immigrants in north London .
Pair arrested as part of a three-year probe into series of Albanian-led cells . |
255,924 | d73ea890b7a2200de3ceec399b8c7b4fedbb8c98 | Brigadier Rupert Jones, son of Falklands hero Colonel 'H' Jones, will take command of Britain's 9,000 troops in Afghanistan . THE son of Falklands war hero Colonel ‘H’ Jones is to take command of Britain’s 9,000 troops in Afghanistan. Brigadier Rupert Jones was 13 when his father died during a one-man charge on an Argentine trench in the Battle of Goose Green in 1982, for which he was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. Now 42, he will be in charge of 1 Mechanized Brigade when he arrives in Helmand province in April. The job comes at a difficult time as Taliban insurgents are expected to intensify attacks on British forces who are preparing to leave the country by the end of 2014. The enduring reputation of his father will increase scrutiny of Brigadier Jones’s handling of the dangerous region. But he has said previously: ‘I have always said if I wanted to avoid the connection I should have become a bank manager.’ Colonel Jones was also 42 when he was cut down by enemy fire while commanding 2 Battalion, The Parachute Regiment. His valour helped inspire his troops to victory in the offensive on the Argentine stronghold.His son joined the Army eight years later but he has insisted he always knew he was going to sign up. ‘I was shaped by my father while he was alive. ‘I was always going to join the Army and I don’t even remember making the decision to join – it was always going to happen,’ he once said. He trained at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst before serving with his father’s former regiment, the Devonshire and Dorsets. It was merged to form part of the Rifles in 2007 and Jones was given command of the 4th battalion. Colonel Richard Kemp, a former commander of British forces in Afghanistan, said Brigadier Jones – who was appointed an MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours in 2001 – had a tough job to do but was considered a ‘rising star’. ‘The Taliban will make real hay to try to say they have defeated the British and driven them out, so they will be increasing their attacks,’ he said. Colonel 'H' Jones name on the 2 Para memorial at Goose Green in the Falklands . A soldier pays his respects at the grave of Colonel 'H' Jones . ‘The focus of these attacks will be on coalition troops, not Afghan troops. Brigadier Jones and his troops will have a fight on their hands. He is a rising star of the Army. He is a chip off the old block and is a very effective combat commander.’ Military insiders said that Brigadier Jones commanded loyalty with his combination of ‘exemplary’ military skills and ‘compassionate’ nature. In February 2010 he launched the Care for Casualties appeal on behalf of the Rifles. At the time, he said: ‘This week I will bury three of my riflemen – men too young to die. Colonel 'H' Jones who was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross after he died during a one-man charge in the Battle of Goose Green in 1982 . Argentinian soldiers captured at the Battle of Goose Green being guarded by a Royal Marine. Colonel 'H' Jones was killed during the battle . ‘Only yesterday I sat with one of my young riflemen who lost both legs and an arm. His focus is not on what he has lost but what he has.’ Marion Keogh met Jones when her son Tom’s body was brought back to Wootton Bassett, Wiltshire, after he was killed in Afghanistan in 2010. She described him as ‘eloquent and very nice’, adding: ‘He was a really charming, humane man. ‘I appreciate he took time to speak to us at Tom’s funeral and he was very kind.’ Colonel ‘H’ Jones’s elder son, David, also joined the Army but later became a businessman. His widow, Sara, 71, was appointed a CBE for her services to forces charities. Last night she said: ‘One is proud of one’s son.’ She declined to comment further except to say Rupert ‘just wants to get on with his job’. Steel helmets abandoned by Argentine armed forces who surrendered at Goose Green to British Falklands Task Force troops . Former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher visits the grave of Colonel 'H' Jones on the Falklands Islands . A memorial to Lietenant Colonel H Jones VC who died in the first land battle near Darwin . Brigadier Rupert Jones will take charge of the current crop of troops in Afghanistan (file picture) | Brigadier Rupert Jones was 13 when his father died during a one-man charge on an Argentine trench in the Battle of Goose Green in 1982 .
Now 42, he will be in charge of the 1 Mechanized Brigade when he arrives in Helmand province in April . |
185,959 | 7cd05ac985a5e0009777f98067568804600e8e86 | By . Rosie Taylor . Paedophile: Karl Curtis, aka Robert Oliver, breached an order banning him from having children in his home . One of Britain's most notorious paedophiles was jailed again today for inviting children into his home. Robert Oliver, 58, was part of a gang led by Sidney Cooke which raped and killed a teenage boy in 1985. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison for his part in the killing of 14-year-old Jason Swift but was released in 1997 after serving just eight years. Oliver, who has changed his name to Karl Curtis, was arrested again last month for breaching a court order banning him from letting children into his home. Families living on the same street in Maidstone, Kent, had unwittingly befriended the paedophile and let their children visit the bungalow he shared with his male partner. But one father became suspicious and after searching online he discovered Oliver's history. Kent Police were called and he was arrested on June 7 for breaching a Sexual Offences Prevention Order imposed two years ago. He pleaded guilty to two breaches of the order on June 12 and was remanded in custody at HMP Elmley on the Isle of Sheppey, Kent. He admitted a further two charges when he appeared before Maidstone Crown Court today where he was jailed for three years by Judge Michael Carroll. Release: Oliver, pictured leaving prison in 1997, previously served eight years of a 15-year sentence for his part in the rape and murder of Uason Swift, 14 . Driven out: Oliver moved away from Somerset after angry local people started protests outside his home . Two of the offences were committed on June 4, one on June 6 and another on May 15 this year. On . one occasion Oliver gave a birthday card to a child, while another time . he allowed a boy whose mother was visiting him to use the toilet in his . bungalow. Evil: Fairground worker Sidney Cooke was jailed for killing the teenage boy during a homosexual orgy . The offences on June 4 related to two children knocking on his door as their mother was inside his home having a cup of tea. Detective Constable Victoria Rixon, from Kent Police, said: 'Karl Curtis has a long offending history and is therefore a registered sex offender, and is also subject to a sex offender prevention order. 'We rigorously enforce these orders and within 24 hours of receiving information suggesting Curtis had breached his order he was arrested and has remained in prison ever since. 'He will now serve three years in prison, and when he is released will face the same close monitoring.' Oliver was part of a gang called the Dirty Dozen who drugged and raped boys at orgies in the 1980s. They are feared to have taken the lives of up to 25 youngsters. Oliver is thought to have been living in Kent for more than five years after being driven out of former home in Somerset by an angry crowd. | Robert Oliver, 58, spent eight years in prison after the 1985 killing .
Part of gang led by Sidney Cooke which killed boy, 14, in homosexual orgy .
He was jailed again today for three years for letting children into his home . |
216,029 | a3abd3043f739b0a5c27e1cb6491b1a650005208 | Grandmother-of-four Norina Spencer, 65, died of lung cancer two years after doctors failed to spot the mass in a chest X-ray . A grandmother died from lung cancer after doctors failed to spot it on an X-ray two years before she was diagnosed. Norina Spencer, 65, went to hospital in July 2011 for a double knee replacement due to rheumatoid arthritis but because she complained of pains in her chest, staff also carried out X-rays. Mrs Spencer was told by staff at Grimsby Hospital, North East Lincolnshire, that her lungs were clear - but tests almost two years later revealed she was suffering from lung cancer. The cancer, which was visible in the original X-ray, had spread to her spine and she died in July last year. Her husband of 47 years Derek, from Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire, instructed specialist medical negligence lawyers to investigate her care. Mr Spencer, who has four sons and four grandchildren, said: 'The past year has been so difficult. We were distraught when we found out that Norina had lung cancer and were so shocked and upset when we found out it should have been diagnosed two years before she died. 'You put your trust in doctors to find out what is wrong and provide treatment to the best of their ability but Norina was sadly let down. The worst thing for us is that they did the necessary tests but failed to analyse them properly allowing her cancer to spread.' He added: 'She was very strong willed and refused to be beaten by the cancer even though deep-down we knew it was terminal. 'Three of our sons live in Australia and flew back to see her in the final months and we have all been left devastated by our loss. 'Nothing can bring her back to us but we wanted answers as to how this could happen and hopefully through taking legal action it will make people sit up and take notice and make sure that changes are made to stop this from happening again. 'I would hate for others to go through what we have.' The hospital also carried out its own Serious Untoward Incident investigation which revealed that staff had made errors with her diagnosis. The report, by Northern Lincolnshire and Goole Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, made several recommendations of actions that should be taken to improve care and patient safety. It revealed that had the lung cancer been spotted in 2011, she would have undergone treatment and it would most likely have not spread to her spine. Mrs Spencer had gone to Grimsby Hospital for knee replacement surgery in 2011 but after she complained of pains in her chest, doctors carried out the X-ray - but failed to spot the cancerous mass . The NHS Trust has now admitted that it failed to spot and diagnose her cancerous mass in 2011 and apologised for the errors in Mrs Spencer's care in a letter to lawyers. Zoe Brodrick, representing the family, said: 'This is an extremely tragic case as it is clear from the evidence that had the mass been identified on the original X-rays, Mrs Spencer could have received appropriate treatment for her cancer and it may not have then spread to her spine which ultimately led to her death. 'The family were naturally devastated by her death and the circumstances surrounding the spread of her illness and wanted answers as to how this situation could happen. 'There are serious patient safety issues involved in this case and the family wants assurances that the recommendations in the Serious Untoward Incident report have been fully carried out to prevent others from suffering in future. It is vital that the NHS Trust learns lessons from this case.' Norina Spencer with husband of 47 years Derek. He said: 'I would hate for others to go through what we have' Between the original x-rays in July 2011 and throughout 2012, Mrs Spencer had returned to hospital for follow up treatment for her knees and although she had no further chest pain, she did complain of fatigue. She was given steroids and advised that the tiredness was caused by her arthritis. On 21 April 2013 Mrs Spencer was referred from Accident and Emergency for a chest X-ray due to a suspected infection and further investigations discovered a large mass on the left side of her chest. A scan identified cancer in the lung which had spread to her spine. It was then that the original X-ray on 19 July 2011 was revisited and the cancerous mass clearly noticeable. Mrs Spencer underwent radiotherapy but died in July last year - two years after being told there was nothing to worry about on her lungs. Family doctors are failing to spot lung cancer until it is too late - with a third of patients diagnosed with the condition just 90 days before death. And for one in 20 people with lung cancer, researchers discovered the disease is discovered only after they have died. Even when patients had visited their GP repeatedly in the months before their death, lung cancer had often gone unnoticed. GPs are often confusing the signs of cancer with things like a smoker’s cough and failing to commission an X-ray. More than 35,000 people die of lung cancer in Britain each year, with just nine per cent surviving for more than five years with the disease. Respiratory physician Dr Emma O’Dowd found that those who died within three months had seen their GP an average five times before they finally received a diagnosis. Her team at Nottingham analysed a sample 20,140 cases of lung cancer seen at 440 GP surgeries between 2000 and 2013. Their research, published in the BMJ journal Thorax, established that 30 per cent of lung cancer patients died within three months of a diagnosis. She said: ‘Lung cancer can be difficult for doctors to distinguish from other lung diseases so we need to give them some tools that will help identify a patient as high risk. ‘If we can diagnose patients at an earlier stage hopefully they can get curable treatment rather than palliative treatment which is what most patients are getting at the moment. ‘It’s not that we’re trying to blame the GPs but if we have tools to identify these high risk people earlier than we should put them to use.’ | Norina Spencer, 65, went to hospital in 2011 for knee replacement surgery .
But due to pains in her chest, staff at Grimsby Hospital did an X-ray .
Tests two years later revealed she had cancer - and the mass could be seen in the original X-ray .
NHS Trust report found staff made errors with her diagnosis and apologised .
Husband Derek said: 'I would hate for others to go through what we have' |
211,527 | 9dea0bc93ae1f0da59f114e69496b071effd4b41 | (CNN Student News) -- August 24, 2012 . Download a PDF map related to today's show: . Haiti; Tampa, Florida . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. | The daily transcript is a written version of each day's CNN Student News program .
Use this transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News . |
83,158 | ebc6fb22b939e2b380908fb19a6b91cb510051e0 | Risk? The study results suggest a link between supplements and cancer . Men who take high doses of vitamin supplements could be increasing their risk of lethal prostate cancer by nearly 30 per cent, say researchers. A study of 48,000 men spanning more than two decades suggests popping too many vitamin pills can put them in danger of tumours that are more likely to be fatal. The researchers linked high doses of vitamin C to an increased risk of lethal and advanced prostate cancer. The results, by experts from Harvard School of Public Health in Boston, in the US, and the University of Oslo in Norway, are not the first to raise the alarm over the dangers of excess vitamin consumption. Nearly a quarter of adults in the UK are estimated to take antioxidant supplements or multivitamins regularly in the hope that it will help protect them against illnesses such as heart disease and cancer. The market for such products is worth around half a billion pounds a year. In recent years, high-dose vitamins have become popular, with people taking more in the belief that it is better for them. For example, health food shops now sell vitamin C tablets in doses of 1,000mg each, but the body needs only about 40mg a day to keep cells healthy and promote healing. In the latest research, the scientists set out to see if antioxidants in vitamin pills and food could reduce the chances of a prostate tumour. From 1986 to 2008 they followed 48,000 men aged between 40 and 75. Every four years, the men completed food questionnaires designed to record their dietary habits. The researchers followed them up to see which ones developed prostate cancer. The results, published in the International Journal Of Cancer, show that total antioxidant intake – from foods or pills – neither increased nor decreased the risk of a tumour. Antioxidants fight the process, called oxidation, that destroys cells. There was some suggestion antioxidants from coffee had a slightly protective effect. But the most alarming finding was that men with the highest intake of antioxidants from vitamin pills were 28 per cent more likely to get lethal prostate cancer than those who took the lowest amount of pills or none. Those with the highest intake of antioxidants from vitamin pills were 15 per cent more likely to get advanced prostate cancer – a tumour that spreads quickly beyond the prostate, reducing the chances of survival. Deadly: Prostate cancer, pictured here under a microscope, kills thousands every year . In a report the researchers said: ‘High intake of antioxidants from supplements was associated with increased risk for lethal and advanced prostate cancer. 'The main contributor is vitamin C, and this finding warrants further investigation.’ But the researchers stressed that, until more research is carried out, they cannot be sure that vitamin tablets actually cause cancer. It may be that the cancer victims felt unwell for several months before their diagnosis and simply increased vitamin intake to try to ward off symptoms such as fatigue. Dr Carrie Ruxton, of the Health Supplements Information Service, which is funded by supplements makers, said: ‘It is entirely possible that these men may have had prostate-related symptoms and fatigue long before diagnosis. 'The cancer may have had nothing to do with the supplements.’ | Study of followed the health of 48,000 men aged 40-75 over 22 years .
It found that men who take large amounts of supplements risk disease .
The chance of developing prostate cancer increased by 28 per cent .
The finds were published in the International Journal of Cancer . |
281,252 | f85531abd084a9ebb52442c6ca7110d7a9c292d8 | Eating out is a lottery with as few as half of the food outlets in some areas meeting hygiene requirements, it is claimed today. The warning comes from Which?, who say local councils in some areas are letting the owners of restaurants, cafes and takeaways get away with putting customers at risk. The consumer champion said half a million people suffer from food poisoning every year, yet people eating out are not getting the protection they deserve. It surveyed food hygiene reports submitted by all 398 local authorities in the UK, based on their surveys of eating establishments in their areas, to the Food Standards Agency. Only around half of the restaurants in Enfield were meeting minimum health requirements, with Edinburgh second on the list followed by Lewisham, Harrow, Camden and Brent (file image) Which? said: ‘We found Enfield in London was the poorest performing local authority with only 54 per cent of its medium and high risk businesses meeting hygiene requirements.’ These requirements can range from simple things like ensuring there are proper hand washing facilities and keeping raw and cooked meat separate, to concerns about rats and mice. ‘The City Of Edinburgh was second to bottom, with five other London councils in our bottom 10 - Lewisham, Ealing, Harrow, Camden and Brent.’ Others criticised for not doing enough to make food outlets clean up their act were the city of Birmingham, along with Falkirk, Perth and Kinross in Scotland. Which? said: ‘Businesses are ultimately responsible for complying with hygiene rules but local authorities are tasked with enforcing compliance. 'More than nine in 10 people said it is important that local authorities ensure compliance with food hygiene rules.’ The watchdog’s executive director, Richard Lloyd, said: ‘Our research reveals a shocking postcode lottery on food hygiene where in some places you may as well toss a coin before deciding which restaurant to trust with your health. ‘Consumers expect local authorities to check that food businesses in their area comply with hygiene standards and rigorously enforce the rules. ‘Local authorities should do more to make the best use of resources, respond effectively to risks across the food supply chain and ensure consumers are adequately protected wherever they live.’ Which? based its rankings on three criteria - the proportion of premises ranked as high or medium risk in a local authority that were compliant with food hygiene requirements; the percentage of premises that had been rated for risk; and the proportion of inspections and other follow ups that were carried out. Cherwell District Council in North Oxfordshire was rated as the best performing local authority for a second year running. It was ahead of Brentwood, Essex, Broxbourne, in Hertfordshire, Basingstoke and Deane, and Hartlepool. Enfield council rejected the Which? findings, saying it had misunderstood the figures. It said the measures used by the consumer group failed to give proper weight to the fact its officials are particularly thorough and more likely than other councils to force the owners of dirty food businesses to take action. The council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Community Safety, Chris Bond, said: ‘We can say with confidence that their researchers clearly do not understand the figures they have used to rank local authority food safety teams; that their interpretation of the data they have gathered is incorrect and their conclusions are nonsense.’ He said the work of Enfield council was marked down by Which? because they are more likely to find a problem. Mr Bond said this is because they are diligent and it was ‘ludicrous’ to suggest otherwise. ‘Under the Which? assessment criteria, the more businesses you close or prosecute for hygiene failings the worse, the job you are doing, that is clearly a ridiculous suggestion,’ he said. Reasons for failing health requirements could range from simple problems such as not keeping raw and cooked meat separate, to larger concerns about mice and rats (file image) ‘This research is so fundamentally flawed that I would not wrap my chips in the paper it is printed on. We think there are better ways of measuring the performance of food safety teams.’ He said Enfield has the 10th highest number of prosecutions of food businesses in the country, it is 31st for the seizure of unfit food and 33rd for issuing improvement notices to food outlets they are worried about. The Local Government Association said efforts to tackle dirty and dangerous restaurants are being hampered by big cuts in funding from the Government. Its regulation spokesman, Nick Worth, said: ‘Councils are working hard to improve food safety standards and there is some excellent work being done in this area. 'Councils will always try to make the best possible use of the resources they have. However, they are being hamstrung by a 40 per cent core funding cut from government. ‘These figures don’t necessarily reflect the challenges and circumstances that councils in different areas are tackling. 'Most importantly, it needs to be remembered that it is ultimately the responsibility of the outlets themselves to ensure food is produced in a safe environment that complies with the law.’ | In Enfield only half of high risk businesses are meeting safety standards .
Edinburgh, Lewisham, Ealing and Harrow complete five worst areas .
Cherwell, Brentwood and Broxbourne among the most hygienic . |
32,075 | 5b4da681405fe97b6613d0c97878c0ac8ed4b38c | By . Catherine Ostler . Fit for a prince: George is being treated to a themed birthday party to see in his first year . One might think a future monarch’s first birthday party would be a palatial affair with tiny party crowns, a miniature throne, perhaps even a few liveried footmen carrying in a towering cake to the sound of trumpets, as saluting soldiers march past the regal tot. In truth, however, the Windsor tradition of first birthdays has always tended towards the simple. The Royal Family take the view that, as tinies won’t remember the celebration, there’s little point in bothering. The Queen’s parents were away on tour when she turned one. The Duke of Edinburgh was on naval duty in Malta when Prince Charles woke up in Clarence House on his first birthday (though he did send a model plane). Even Prince William was alone with his nanny, Barbara Barnes, because his parents were in Canada on his first birthday. They held a belated party at Buckingham Palace the next month. Fortunately for peachy-cheeked Prince George, he can rely on the Middleton family, who make it their business — literally — to throw a good party. Today, a full three days before his actual birthday, George was due to be taken by his parents to the Middletons’ home outside Bucklebury in Berkshire. There, his doting grandmother Carole has arranged a Peter Rabbit-themed party that brands him a very middle-class little prince. Although it is being described as a low-key ‘private family occasion’, much thought has gone into making it a perfect first birthday. The presents — a football, wooden train, fleecy top and special photos and recordings — will not be lavish but have been chosen with love and care: there will be a special cake from his Spanish nanny, a piece of lace from his Italian housekeeper, a beautiful polo top and sun hat from Carole and his aunt Pippa. Who better to be in charge than the Middletons, who have built an entire business empire on infant celebrations? Their seven-bedroom Georgian pile, set in 18 acres, is the perfect venue, being spacious and familiar to George, who spent the first few weeks of his life there, being wheeled round the idyllic, rather Beatrix Potterish garden. A cursory glance at the family website, Party Pieces, tells us that Carole, like Pippa, loves a themed event. ‘When she chooses a theme there’s no holding back,’ says a friend. ‘There will be pictures and posters everywhere, vol au vents in the shape of rabbits, fun trails, you name it. She always uses all her own stuff from Party Pieces and runs it like a military manoeuvre, while Michael hangs back somewhere, full of bonhomie.’ Business: Although the Royal Family tend towards muted affairs for infants' birthdays, Carole Middleton is a professional party-thrower, and her grandson's first birthday party will receive the full treatment . In choosing Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter’s delightfully naughty, greedy bunny who first appeared in 1902, Carole could not have picked a theme more wonderfully symbolic of middle-class values: Potter is the John Lewis of children’s authors — safe, enduring and moral. Peter is her particularly beloved creation, the immature bunny who, like all small boys, wants to test the limits of his liberty: he disobeys and nearly ends up in a pie like his father, before running home to his mother. The now defunct left-wing Inner London Education Authority banned him and his cousin Benjamin Bunny from London schools in the 1980s because it said the rabbits were too bourgeois. Prince George’s bunny-themed bash is planned as an ‘extended family party’ to kick off his first birthday party week (on Tuesday, the day itself, he will probably have a second celebration organised by Kate at Kensington Palace). 'The place will be groaning with 1970s party food. Carole is a real feeder' The Bucklebury affair will last no . less than two hours but no more than three, so exhaustion and tears . don’t set in. Besides the Middletons, godmother Zara, her husband Mike . Tindall and their six-month-old daughter Mia Grace are on the guest . list. ‘There will be lots of . finger food, oodles of fresh fruit, organic ice creams and fresh fruit . sorbets. He’ll have Peter Rabbit cake and home-made baby-bunny . biscuits,’ says one close source. The adults will have plenty to nibble, too. ‘Carole’s a real feeder,’ says another friend. ‘The place will be groaning with 1970s-style party food that the guests won’t be able to avoid eating.’ Prince George and friends will be seated, apparently, on bean bags printed with animal faces, one of which has ‘George’ embroidered on it. Kate, like Carole, loves anything personalised. Pride of place will go to George’s ‘first birthday book’, which has been meticulously compiled by Kate, who used to take photographs for the Party Pieces website. It contains snaps of George, often alongside his beloved companion, Lupo the black cocker spaniel; his crowd-pleasing trip to Australia and New Zealand; his first steps and many ‘fun snippets’. Kate and William have also made a CD of songs and lullabies which includes them singing ‘Happy First Birthday’. The Cambridges are giving him a traditional wooden train with the carriages spelling out his name (presumably that’s the full George Alexander Louis). Middleton classic: The family business is partial to a themed party, marketing these invitations for any other children wishing to follow suit with a Peter Rabbit themed party . He will also receive a personalised . fleecy dressing-gown, and Prince William has had a hand-stitched . football made for him (possibly in the colours of Aston Villa, the team . William supports). Lupo is ‘giving’ Prince George a paw-printed . photograph of himself and George playing in the garden. Although . the firm instruction has been issued that George is not to be spoilt, a . gratifying, good-natured rivalry has built up among the Windsors’ staff . to see who can give George the most original, moving and comment-worthy . present. To this end, Kate and William’s housekeeper, Antonella Fresolene, is having a pillow made for him out of Tombolo lace, the product of an intricate 14th-century technique involving many bobbins worked around a round pillow. The resulting lace is delicate, elaborate and very expensive. A piece of amber is also normally given on a first birthday in Italy, for the teething baby to suck. Not to be outdone, nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo is making a traditional Tarta de Santiago, a dense cake from Santiago de Compostela in northwest Spain, which is made with almonds, eggs, sugar and grated orange zest. It is supposed to bring good luck and usually has the Cross of Santiago (St James) on the top in dusted sugar. From this we can assume that George is not one of that growing army of children with a nut allergy. He can also expect to have his earlobe pulled, a Spanish first birthday tradition to bring more good luck. Carole and Pippa have been seen shopping in recent weeks in Blue Almonds, a fashionable London children’s shop, for new outfits including shorts, sun hats, swimming shorts and polo tops, so there may well be gifts of clothes as well as toys. Uncle James is known for humorous . presents: he once bought Carole some old plane seats ‘so she could . practise her “doors to manual” ’. British . manufacturers of baby products will also be sending gifts. Johnstons of . Elgin (Royal Warrant holders for Prince Charles), for instance, have . made some cashmere cushions with ‘George’ knitted into them, in royal . blue with cream lettering. Beatrix Potter perfection: The winding gardens of the Middletons' Berkshire estate will be the ideal setting . Prince . George even has his own commemorative birthday coin from the Royal . Mint, a £5 (always the chosen amount for royal celebrations) coin in . silver (the metal that must cross a baby’s palm to bring health and . wealth). A limited edition of 7,500 are being made at £80 each. Otherwise, . the Georgian silver presents traditional on a first birthday — spoons, . boxes, eggcups — will be the domain of wealthier godparents such as . 23-year-old Earl Grosvenor, heir to the Duke of Westminster, and . long-time family friend William Van Cutsem. Both will see the Cambridges . separately as neither is coming to the party. Ten-month-old . Henry Baker, son of godfather Oliver Baker (a contemporary of the . couple at St Andrews University) and godson of Kate, might make it; . alongside fellow godmother and interior designer Emilia . Jardine-Paterson. One friend says: ‘Wills and Kate want to keep Prince George’s first birthday as private and family-oriented as possible. He can expect to have his earlobe pulled by nanny Maria Teresa Turrion Borrallo - a Spanish first birthday tradition to bring more good luck . If George wants to throw toys, have a . teething fit, pull Lupo’s tail or be noisy, they want to be surrounded . by family who will keep it all under wraps. He . is their only child and they want his first birthday to be memorable, . fun and strictly unfussy. Whether the Peter Rabbit theme is considered . middle-class will not trouble them one jot. ‘They . are all unconcerned about the social nuances of a themed first birthday . party for the heir to the throne. It will go swimmingly because that is . what the Middletons are famous for doing. Attention to detail is their . byword.’ One family friend says that, like most mothers of babies who get the opportunity, Kate hands George over to Carole the moment she gets to Bucklebury (the nanny doesn’t normally go with them, and will give her present to the prince at Kensington Palace), which suits everyone because Carole likes to be in control of her own domain just as much as Kate likes a rest. Prince George’s first Bucklebury birthday party is a reminder that he is most certainly 50 per cent Middleton. And, given that the Windsor option wouldn’t have been nearly so much fun, he is all the better off for it. | Royal Family prefer simple parties for infants who won't remember it .
But George has the Middletons who make it their business to celebrate .
Carole has planned Peter Rabbit party at Berkshire estate for 'close friends'
George and infants including Zara Phillips' daughter Mia Grace will sit on personalised bean bags and eat organic ice cream during 3-hour party .
He will then have a party at Kensington Palace organised by Kate . |
25,043 | 46f8902d86802ccece1b718c7df25ec99af28734 | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 12:53 EST, 30 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 03:12 EST, 31 January 2014 . What was once believed to be a camp for the Pyramid builders in Giza may have actually been barracks for the Pharoah’s military troops. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of barracks close to an ancient port suggesting the settlement could have been home to soldiers or sailors. The findings call into question previous theories that thousands of workers would have set up camp in the region while building the pyramid of Giza. Archaeologists have discovered evidence of what is believed to be ancient barracks, pictured, close to the site of a port near Giza in Egypt. The location of the barracks to this port suggests the settlement could have been home to soldiers or sailors . Menkaure was the son of Khafra and the . grandson of Khufu. He was born in 2530BC and reigned for approximately 22 years - although some reports put this figure higher. He was part of the 4th dynasty and during his reign, Menkaure commissioned the final pyramid in Giza to be . built. It is known as the Pyramid of Menkaure or Netjer-er-Menkaur, which . means 'Menkaure is divine.' A monument close to the site of the pyramid was built in honour of Queen Khentkawes, believed to be Menkaure's daughter. Menkaure was buried in this pyramid and a sarcophagus was excavated from the burial chamber in 1837 before being shipped to the British Museum in London. Researchers from Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA) based in Massachusetts have been excavating the site, situated approximately 1,300ft south of the Great Sphinx of Giza, since 1988. Last year, they discovered a large collection of animal bones, evidence of an ancient slaughter house for animals and a cemetery, thought to have been full of the bodies of pyramid workers. The site is popularly known as the Lost City of Pyramid Builders, or Heit el-Ghurab and is believed to date back to the reign of pharaoh Menkaure at around 2550BC. Menkaure was the son of Khafra and the grandson of Khufu and commissioned the final pyramid in Giza to be built, known as the Pyramid of Menkaure or Netjer-er-Menkaur, which means ‘Menkaure is divine.’ This reconstruction of the ancient barracks shows how troops lived and worked in the three-storey settlement. The total size of the site is said to cover almost ten football pitches. AERA believes the it would have been built in the 35 to 50 years that spanned the reigns of pharoahs Khafre and Menkaure . Excavtors also found a large basin, pictured, near the site of the barrackes, suggesting the area may have been a port. This was bolstered by the fact the basin was found approximately half a mile away from a channel of the River Nile . However, more recent findings near . this site, close to a monument dedicated to what is said to be . Menkaure’s daughter Queen Khentkawes, suggest the area may have been a . port. Excavators . discovered a large basin that may have formed part of a harbour or . waterfront. This was bolstered by the fact the basin was found . approximately half a mile away from channel of the River Nile. AERA . director Mark Lehenr and his team also found charcoal remains of trees . that came from the Levant, a region in the eastern Mediterranean, along . with pottery and jars for the same location. This reconstructions shows how the galleries may have looked. It is thought that sailors may have travelled to and from the barracks from the Levant. Researchers also found charcoal remains of trees, and pottery from the Levant region in the eastern Mediterranean . Elsewhere, on the site of the Lost City, the archaeologists found evidence of long buildings called galleries, pictured, that could have been used to house visitors to the port. The galleries would have been approximately 113ft long and 23ft tall . The site of the AERA dig is popularly known as the Lost City of the Pyramid Builders (pictured) because of its close proximity to the Giza pyramids. Last year, researchers discovered a large . collection of animal bones, evidence of an ancient slaughter house, and a cemetery, thought to have been full of the bodies of . pyramid workers. However, the latest findings suggest the site was used by sailors and troops, which has raised questions surrounding where the workers lived, and died. In 2004, remains of builders were found in ancient dumps near the structures, but not evidence of buildings or a settlement were found. AERA's director Michael Lerner told LiveScience he believes the builders slept on the ramps they are believed to have used to construct the vast landmarks. For centuries it's been thought that the ancient Egyptians built their huge pyramids by hauling heavy granite blocks up these specially crafted ramps. Yet Newport engineer Peter James has branded this ‘impossible’, claiming the ramps would need to have been a quarter of a mile long or else they would have been too steep to carry the large blocks up. He believes, instead, that the Egyptians built an inner core of zigzagging ramps, using smaller, lighter blocks while the larger outer casing stones were placed on the outside using scaffolding. If this is true, this would cast doubt on Lehner's claims about where the workers slept - once again raising the question about where they stayed. Materials used to build the pyramids in the region could have been transported along the Nile to this port, and may have been distributed via the settlement harbour. Elsewhere, on the site of the Lost City, the archaeologists found evidence of long building called galleries that could have been used to house visitors to the port. It is thought that sailors may have travelled to and from the Levant, or troops used to guard the pharaoh and his family and friends. Researchers from Ancient Egypt Research Associates (AERA) based in Massachusetts have been excavating the site, marked at A, situated approximately 1,300ft south of the Great Sphinx of Giza, since 1988 . The galleries would have been approximately 113ft long and 23ft tall. In 2012, researchers found the hip of a hippo. A ritual in ancient Egypt among troops involved hunting and harpooning hippos, and the discovery of the hip adds weight to these claims troops occupied the area at some time. The total size of the site is said to cover almost ten football pitches. AERA believes the development of the urban complex would have been 'quite rapid', and happened in the 35 to 50 years that spanned the reigns of Khafre and Menkaure. | Researchers have been excavating remains near the city of Giza since 1988 .
Last year they found a cemetery believed to contain pyramid builders .
Yet, a large basin found nearby suggests the region may have been a port .
There is also evidence of barracks just south of the Great Sphinx of Giza .
Therefore the site may have been used by troops or sailors visiting the port . |
236,863 | be94f6fbba463c8a53308c2ed8727293e1d093a1 | (CNN) -- A police officer and two civilians subdued an armed man who drove to a California probation office with 11 crude bombs, 70 loaded magazines and more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition, police said. Michael Solano, 54, went to a California probation office with bombs and other weapons, police said. The man, Michael Solano, 54, of Sacramento, was out of jail on bail for a July 18 incident in which police said an explosive device was found in his vehicle at the probation office. "This guy was ready for war," Yreka Police Chief Brian Bowles said in a written statement. "We were very lucky this guy was stopped and nobody was killed yesterday." The incident occurred Tuesday afternoon, when people saw Solano acting suspiciously near the Siskiyou County Probation Department and called police, Bowles said. Solano aimed a gun at an officer, police said. Two civilians then jumped into the fray and, with the officer, subdued Solano and wrestled the gun away, police said. During the scuffle, Solano repeated that he wanted to be killed and reached for the officer's gun and Taser stun gun, Bowles said. Solano was handcuffed and searched. Police found a pipe bomb in his shoe, Bowles said. A neighborhood near the probation office was evacuated after Solano told police that he had 10 bombs in his car parked nearby, authorities said. The bombs were "fragmentation grenades," loaded with nails and BBs, Bowles said. In all, police discovered 70 loaded magazines, more than 4,000 rounds of ammunition, one stolen pistol and two assault weapons. They also found in Solano's car three other weapons, including one with a silencer, surveillance equipment, a tactical vest and clothing with face masks, Bowles said. Solano was jailed in lieu of $2 million bail, police said. He was charged with possession of a destruction device, transportation of a destruction device and resisting police officer by force, attempting to take an officer's firearm and assault with a firearm on a peace officer. He is facing additional charges, authorities said. Bowles thanked Brett Duncan and and Darrell Bourne of Yreka, who he said helped subdue Solano. "We are lucky that the quick response from officers and help from the citizens saved us from a very serious incident," he said. | Police: Man had bombs, loaded magazines and 4,000 rounds of ammunition .
An officer and two civilians jumped on the man and subdued him .
Michael Solano, 54, was out on bail from a July incident involving bombs, police said .
Solano is now being held in lieu of $2 million bail . |
286,469 | ff2ea7fa487cd769ee7d8a5391013dc951ff3fd6 | Winter finally arrived in parts of Britain yesterday, threatening to put a chill in the tail of the hottest year for more than 350 years. Widespread frosts gave the landscape a Christmas card look while temperatures are forecast to plunge as low as minus 6C (21F) overnight on Saturday, with snow on high ground. But even as the cold spell began, 2014’s topsy-turvy weather had nature in a spin with cherry trees in blossom, frogs already spawning and daffodils in bloom several months early, while many of the summer’s roses are still in bloom. Blanket of white: A heavy frost at dawn on the River Brathay in the Lake District yesterday, but 2014 has seen the warmest average temperatures since records began . Chilly: Temperatures will slump as low as -6C overnight on Saturday following on from -5C last night, making it the coldest of the year so far . Frosty fields: Despite this wintery scene this morning forecasters say that 2014 is on track to be the warmest since records began in 1659 . Retired office worker Marilyn Fenn was stunned to spot a daffodil blooming in her garden this week, three months early. T . he 62-year-old widow, of Woodhall Spa, Lincolnshire, said: ‘It looks so lonely, I actually feel a bit sorry for it. 'I don’t know how long it will last with the cold weather.’ Records show that the year is set to be the warmest since records began in 1659. The Met Office said average temperatures from the beginning of January to late November were 1.6C (2.9F) above the long-term norm. The figures are based on Central England Temperature data. It has recorded monthly temperatures across an area between Lancaster, Bristol and London since 1659. For the whole UK, 2014 is the warmest in records dating back to 1910. The year’s crazy weather saw the wettest winter to strike southern England since records began in 1766, with severe flooding in Somerset, Kent and the Thames Valley suffering extreme flooding. Temperatures then hit 19C (66F) in the South in March, when the average is 9C (48F). A July heatwave roared in, with temperatures in the mid-30s (over 90F), but it was swiftly followed by the coolest August for 21 years as the remnants of Hurricane Bertha crossed the Atlantic bringing with it downpours and flash floods – just in time to catch the school holidays. After this, the driest-ever September preceded the warmest Halloween on record. Experts say that while a bitterly cold December could still knock 2014 off its top spot in the list of warmest years, this is unlikely. While all months except August have seen above average temperatures, no single month has seen a record-breaking high. Instead the year has been consistently warm. Can't make its mind up: This year has seen a July heatwave followed by the coolest August for 21 years and then the driest September ever . Don't jinx it: Meteorologists say that a bitter December cold snap could stop 2014 being the hottest year on record, but this is unlikely . Feeling the cold: While all months except August have seen above average temperatures, no single month has seen a record-breaking high . Across the world, the year is also on track to be one of the hottest, with global temperatures around 0.57C (1.03F) above the average 14C (57.2F) from January to October, just ahead of the previous record of 0.56C, according to the World Meteorological Organisation. However, the Met Office said that a single year’s extreme weather cannot be attributed to man-made global warming. A spokesman said: ‘One warm year does not necessarily say anything about long-term climate change – these trends need to be looked at over longer timescales of several decades.’ But global warming does make it more likely to have years with hotter-than-average weather, he said. Global: Last year is also set to be the warmest across the globe as temperature rises pushed the average 0.57C above the average of 14C . Heating up: Average temperatures from the beginning of January to late November were 1.6C (2.9F) above the long-term norm . | Frosty scenes across UK this morning after temperatures of -5C overnight, with -6C predicted for the weekend .
But 2014 is set to become the hottest on record after every month except August saw above-average temperatures .
Across the globe warm weather saw the mercury pushed 0.57C above the 14C average, which is also a record . |
117,059 | 231c1dd2134ae03feae04c5592f16d8023befffe | Hong Kong's leader offered new talks with student leaders today, hours after police pepper sprayed protesters camped out in the city's streets. Leung Chun-ying held out the olive branch to pro-democracy campaigners as tensions rose in Hong Kong over the savage beating of an activist by plainclothes police. Public anger has simmered over after local TV aired footage of officers kicking a handcuffed protester overnight, as police in formation charged demonstrators barricading a highway underpass. Sprayed: Police use pepper spray as they clash with pro-democracy protesters at an area near the government headquarters building in Hong Kong early this morning . Tensions: The police used the non-lethal weapon to drive back protesters from the government HQ . Scuffles: Police officers point the pepper spray at activists as they push them back from the area . Defences: Pro-democracy protesters stand behind umbrellas, which they use to defend against the spray . Anger: Protesters scream at police as officers launch their attack on the demonstration this morning . Police action: A police officer, left, points a pepper spray can to a protester . Friendly fire: A police officer washes his eyes after being hit with pepper spray fired by his colleagues . Heightening tensions, police used pepper spray again after midnight this morning to push back crowds trying to occupy a road outside the government's headquarters. Two protesters were arrested, police said, one for kicking a bottle at a car and one for assaulting police. Three officers were injured. The beating of democracy activist Ken Tsang by police appeared to mark a change in mood for many protesters. 'I used to say at every rally that frontline police officers were just following orders. We shouldn't hurt frontline officers because we were angry or because we blamed them. Frontline officers were just doing their jobs,' Joshua Wong, the 18-year old leader of Scholarism, one of three main groups leading the protests, told a rally Wednesday evening at the main protest zone in Admiralty. 'But I won't say this again at future rallies. If they're just doing they're work, why do they have to beat people?' Mabel Au, director of Amnesty Hong Kong, said: 'It is stomach-churning to think there are Hong Kong police officers that feel they are above the law.' Tense: Police face off with protesters outside Hong Kong's government offices . Intimidating: Helmeted police brandish their metal truncheons before moving in to attack protesters . Calm: Cameras flash as police officers stand face-to-face with protesters on Lung Wo Road . Protesters raise their arms as police begin an attack to clear them away from the government headquarters . The attitude towards police has changed since the beating of pro-democracy activist Ken Tsang this week . The U.S. called for a 'swift, transparent and complete' investigation into the beating, saying it was 'deeply concerned' by the police brutality reports. 'We encourage Hong Kong authorities to carry out a swift, transparent, and complete investigation into the incident,' said State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki. 'We renew our call for the Hong Kong government to show restraint, and for protesters to continue to express their views peacefully.' Prime Minister David Cameron meanwhile said Britain would stand up for Hong Kong's rights and freedoms, 'including those of person, of speech, of the press, of assembly', while his spokesman later urged restraint from police and protesters. Pro-democracy activist Ken Tsang, who was beaten by police, shows his wounds outside the police station . Pro-democracy protesters gather at police HQ during a demonstration against police brutality . A man screams at a police officer at the rally against police violence next to the police headquarters . Crowds gather outside the police headquarters as part of the demonstration against police brutality . Injuries: Civic Party member Ken Tsang Kin-chu in hospital after he was handcuffed, dragged to a dark corner and badly beaten by Hong Kong police during an attack on pro-democracy protesters . Rough: Dennis Kwok, a lawyer representing Mr Tsang, said officers also beat Mr Tsang inside a police station . Caught: The whole incident involving plainclothes police was filmed and broadcast by local network TVB . The two sides appear to be engaged in a cat-and-mouse game as the protests go into their third week. Earlier this week, police had removed barriers on the edges of the protest zones in an apparent attempt to chip away at the three main protest zones that have blocked traffic and angered some local businesses. Protesters reacted to those moves by building bamboo structures that police dismantled, and later moved into an underpass that police on Wednesday cleared them out of forcefully. Public anger over the aggressive tactics used by police Wednesday night erupted after local TV showed officers taking a protester around a dark corner and kicking him repeatedly on the ground. It's unclear what provoked the attack. Local Now TV showed him splashing water on officers beforehand. Ken Tsang said he was kicked while he was 'detained and defenseless.' He added that he was assaulted again in the police station afterward. Tsang, a member of a pro-democracy political party, lifted his shirt to show reporters injuries to his torso and said he is considering legal action against police. Police spokesman Steve Hui said seven officers who were involved have been temporarily reassigned, and that authorities will carry out an impartial investigation. The occupy campsite: Despite attempts by police to chip away at the camp, their violent actions over the past couple of days seem only to have galvanised support for Hong Kong's Occupy Central movement . Pro-democracy protesters gather at the Admiratly district to listen to Joshua Wong, the 18-year old leader of Scholarism, who indicated a change in attitude to frontline police officers after the violence . A protester takes a rest in his tent. The protests are the biggest since China took over Hong Kong in 1997 . The demonstrators have taken to the streets since September 26 to oppose the Chinese central government's decision to screen candidates to run in the territory's first direct elections in 2017 . They also want the territory's leader who was picked by Beijing, Chief Executive Leung Chan-ying, to resign . Several hundred people turned up at Hong Kong police headquarters on Wednesday night for a protest organised by a social workers' union over the treatment of Mr Tsang, who is a social worker. They lined up to file individual complaints about the beating. 'He was handcuffed already, he was not able to resist but still he was beaten,' said Maggie Yuen, one of the protesters. 'I don't see any explanation other than that the police abuse their authority.' The demonstrators have taken to the streets since September 26 to oppose the Chinese central government's decision to screen candidates to run in the territory's first direct elections in 2017. They also want the territory's unpopular leader who was picked by Beijing, Chief Executive Leung Chan-ying, to resign. China's central government is becoming increasingly impatient with the mostly peaceful protests, the biggest challenge to its authority since China took control of the former British colony in 1997. There were no signs, however, that Beijing was planning to become directly involved in suppressing them. | Tensions have risen in the city following the beating of a democracy activist .
Police again attacked demonstrators close to government HQ last night .
Two protesters arrested and three police officers injured, police said .
U.S. calls for investigation in to the beating of Ken Tsang on Tuesday . |
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