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217,920 | a6239a52d09648671e3a2ad16e45d104207f2049 | (CNN) -- No charges will be filed against San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree, who was investigated over an alleged sexual assault, officials said. San Francisco police completed a thorough investigation, District Attorney George Gascon said in a statement issued Friday. "Following a review of all the evidence, my office has determined that no charges will be filed against Michael Crabtree at this time," Gascon said. The San Francisco Police Department released a statement on January 18 saying it was investigating "an allegation of a sexual assault involving San Francisco 49ers Michael Crabtree." The complaint was about an alleged assault that occurred in a San Francisco hotel on January 13, police said, but the statement offered no further details. A day before, the 49ers had scored a playoff victory, beating the Green Bay Packers. Police on January 18 said Crabtree was interviewed with his lawyer present and he cooperated. The athlete was not detained or arrested. After the district attorney announced there would be no charges, 49ers General Manager Trent Baalke said the team was pleased with Gascon's decision. "Michael and the team can now put this behind us and move forward," Baalke said. The 49ers will play the Baltimore Ravens at Super Bowl XLVII on February 3. CNN's Elwyn Lopez and Amanda Watts contributed to this report. | Police investigated allegations of sexual assault .
The San Francisco district attorney decides not to file charges .
49ers said Crabtree, team can now "move forward"
Wide receiver was not detained or arrested, police said . |
198,320 | 8cb5cf2950fde5bddd94baff6eb5298bf0b16dde | By . Ryan Gorman . and Michael Zennie . and Daily Mail Reporters . Captured: Delta Force commandoes pulled al-Qaeda terrorist Abu Anas al-Libi off the streets of Tripoli after a 15-year manhunt . America's two most elite commando teams have carried a pair of dramatic raids against terrorist targets in two African nations, killing members of the Somali group al-Shabab and capturing a mastermind of the 1998 embassy bombing in Nairobi, Kenya, who has avoided justice for 15 years. Before dawn on Saturday, Navy SEAL Team Six - the same unit that killed Osama bin Ladin - swam ashore outside the villa of an al-Shabab leader in Baraawe, Somalia, a coastal stronghold for the al-Qaeda-backed terrorist group. It is believed the raid was carried out in response to al-Shabab's Westgate mall massacre in Nairobi, Kenya, which left more than 60 civilians dead two weeks ago. In shades of Black Hawk Down, a disastrous U.S. military operation in Somalia's capital 20 years ago, the SEALs encountered significantly heavier resistance than they anticipated and were driven back after a fierce 15 to 20-minute firefight - before they could complete their objective. At least one al-Shabab militant was killed. Hours after the operation in Somalia, Delta Force - the Army's most elite Special Forces unit - pulled al-Qaeda terrorist Abu Anas al-Libi off the streets of Tripoli, Libya, as he was arriving for morning prayers. Al-Libi had a $5million price on his head after he was indicted by federal prosecutors in 2000. He is believed to have suggested bombing the Nairobi embassy and performed surveillance in advance of the attack. Scroll down for video . Twin raids: American special operations troops launched raids just hours apart in Somalia and Libya. The Libya raid was successful, the Navy SEALs in Somalia were pushed back by strong resistance . Al-Libi's son Abdul Moheman al-Raghie, bottom, and brother Nabih al-Raghie (top) spoke out about the moment the wanted terrorist was snatched off the street . The twin bombings of the U.S. embassies in Kenya and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, killed 224 people, including 12 Americans, and injured more than 4,0000 in August 1998. Al-Qaeda, under the leadership of Osama bin Laden, carried out the attacks in response to the American peacekeeping mission in Mogadishu, Somalia. No U.S. troops were inured in either raid. American officials said they told the Libyan government about the raid in Tripoli, but Prime Minister Ali Zeidan has said he was never informed about the operation. He called the capture of al-Libi a 'kidnapping' and said he should have been tried in Libya. The pair of daring operations in Africa, carried out by the best-equipped and most heavily trained commandos in the United States, come a week and a half after al-Shabab terrorists slaughtered 67 people during a massacre at the upscale Westgate shopping mall in Nairobi. They were also staged as President Barack Obama's credibility in the world has taken a dramatic hit. A deadlock in Congress has shut down the federal government. He was also forced to reverse course his position of launching missile attacks on Syria after the British withdrew their support and Russia proposed destroying the country's chemical weapons stockpiles. Secretary of State John Kerry, attending a conference in Bali, Indonesia, trumpeted the raids, saying 'members of al-Qaeda and other terrorist organizations literally can run but they can’t hide.' Al-Libi's sons Abdullah al-Raghie and Abdul Moheman al-Raghie, point out where a convoy of Delta Force commandos stopped their father and took him into custody . It has been reported that the Somali compound that was attacked once was home to Sheikh Ahmed Abdi Godane, a top leader of al-Shabab . He added: 'We hope that this makes . clear that the United States of America will never stop in it’s effort . to hold those accountable who conduct acts of terror.' The town of Baraawe, about 110 miles south of Mogadishu, was the last known . home of Ahmed Abdi Godane. He is the leader of al-Shabaab, the terror . group that claimed responsibility for the attack on a mall in Nairobi . that killed more than 60 civilians between September 21 and 24. An . unnamed Somali government official said a Chechen member of the terror . group was the target and he was injured and his guard killed in the . attack. According to The Guardian, a Somalian radio station named the rebel as Abu Diyad, also known as Abu Ciyad. Baraawe police have estimated the number of dead to be seven. SEAL . Team Six attacked a beachfront house, where high-level members of al . Shabaab were known to stay, exactly two weeks after the Westgate Mall . Attack. They approached before dawn, using silencers to drown out their . weapons, but the operation soon turned into an open firefight as the . Somali combatants engaged them, according to reports. As many as 12 al-Shabaab fighters were staying there at the time of the assault before heading to a mission abroad. The battle lasted no longer than 20 minutes, according to a US official. There were no American casualties. After . the fight, an al-Shabaab spokesman said it was British and Turkish . forces who raided the home, but both countries quickly denied their . involvement. US officials have since confirmed Navy SEALS took part in the daring assault. Kenyan attack: Surveillance footage from the Westgate Mall shows one of the terrorists involved in the attack that killed 60 shoppers last month . Responsible: Somalian-based terrorist organization al Shabab took credit for the attack while it was going on . A spokesperson for the terrorist organization initially reported one member of their group was killed . 'Westerners in boats attacked our base at Baraawe beach and one was martyred from our side,” an al-Shabaab spokesman told Reuters. 'No planes or helicopters took part in the fight. The attackers left weapons, medicine and stains of blood, we chased them.' Al-Shabaab militants tightened their grip on the seaside town soon after the Navy SEALs disappeared from their two-story compound, searching home to home for evidence a spy turned evidence over to Americans, according to witnesses. 'We woke up to find al-Shabab fighters had sealed off the area and their hospital is also inaccessible,' said one witness, adding that 'the town is in a tense mood.' 'We were awoken by heavy gunfire last night, we thought an al Shabaab base at the beach was captured,' another local Sumira Nur said, adding that she heard shells but was not sure where they landed. This was the first publicly-announced raid by U.S. special ops in Somalia since the rescue of two charity workers from the country in January 2012, after they had been kidnapped by Somali pirates and held hostage for three months. Hours later the Tripoli raid was aimed at a specific Al-Qaeda target. Nazih Abdul-Hamed al-Ruqai, known more commonly as Anas al-Libi, was taken from his car by U.S. Army Delta Force commandos while parking after morning prayers, the Pentagon has confirmed. His sister-in-law described the attack as she saw it from her bedroom window. Three cars closed in on him, foreign-looking commandos smashed the car's window and took hold of his gun before racing away from the scene with the wanted man, she said. The terrorist 'is currently lawfully detained by the U.S. military in a secure location outside of Libya,' a Pentagon official said. Anas al-Libi is said by US officials to be a senior member of al-Qaeda. The Federal Bureau of Investigation had a standing $5million bounty for information leading to his capture. | Navy SEAL Team Six swam to shore in Somalia and attacked the compound of an al-Shabab leader .
SEALs encountered heavy resistance and were turned back before the leader could be captured .
Hours later, the Army's Delta Force team captured Abu Anas al-Libi, wanted for planning the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombing in Nairobi, Kenya .
No U.S. troops were killed or wounded in either operation .
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says raids prove terrorists 'can run but they can't hide'
Libyan Prime Minister says he wasn't informed of Delta Force raid and demands answers for 'kidnapping' of al-Libi . |
170,263 | 6862b6e8827c67a93baad9d191d669238736f0d9 | Peter Crouch has admitted to winding up his mate Wayne Bridge as his wife Frankie takes part in Strictly Come Dancing. The former England striker saw his wife, Abbey, crowned Strictly champion last year but had to endure false rumours that she had developed feelings for her dance partner Aljaz Skorjanec. Indeed, the popular BBC series has a reputation for being a curse on relationships and that fact hasn't escaped Stoke striker Crouch. Scroll down for video . Peter Crouch has been giving Wayne Bridge stick over the Strictly Come Dancing curse and his wife Frankie . Peter Crouch in action for Stoke City against Southampton at the weekend . 'I've been texting Wayne and giving him some stick about it,' he confessed to the Mirror. However, despite teasing his pal, the footballer has also spoken out to praise Frankie's performances on the show. 'I've been watching the show and Frankie's doing really well,' he added. 'I haven't had a chance to watch it with Abbey yet because I'm always at football. 'It's good, but there's obviously something missing this year! Peter was plagued by false cheating rumours when his wife Abbey Clancy was on the show last year, however the couple are still together . Frankie and her professional dance partner Kevin Clifton are favourites to win the series this year . So far, unlike so many celebrity couples before them, Frankie and Wayne have not yet fallen victim to any claims that she has developed feelings for her dance partner Kevin Clifton. However, the fact that he’s engaged to fellow Strictly dancer Karen Hauer, who is partnered with Mark Wright, no doubt helps on that front. But Frankie has also spoken out about the dreaded Strictly curse to insist that her husband doesn't have anything to fear when it comes to her loyalty. 'We have male dancers with The Saturdays, so he knows it’s just dancing,' she explained. 'Wayne has nothing to worry about.' Abbey Crouch was crowned the Strictly Come Dancing champion last year . After surviving the Strictly curse, perhaps Abbey and Peter have a few tips they could share with Wayne and Frankie on how to make it through . Wayne and Frankie haven't yet had any false accusations thrown their way . | Stoke City striker Peter Crouch admitted he has been winding up mate Wayne Bridge over Strictly Come Dancing .
Bridge's wife Frankie is taking part in the latest series of the BBC show .
Crouch's wife Abbey won the competition last year . |
104,473 | 12cd1319dadb370fc3e127d444e178147f0c4197 | Danger: Two British boys, aged three months and five months, contracted botulism and could not be cured until £50,000 medication was flown over from the US . Two British babies have contracted a rare life-threatening disease triggered by eating honey. The boys, aged three months and five months, had to be put on life-support machines suffering from infant botulism. Both had been feeding badly and showed typical symptoms – a floppy head, drooping eyelids and constipation. They were cured only after medication costing £50,000 a dose was flown in from America. The incidents, confirmed last week, have prompted public health chiefs to warn that infants under one should not be given honey. The younger boy had eaten honey, while the older one had been given a homeopathic treatment that may have contained honey, which can carry the potentially deadly bacteria. The identities of the babies treated and the hospitals involved have not been disclosed. But according to the latest health protection report from Public Health England, the five-month-old was diagnosed just before Christmas in central or southern England. He may still be in hospital because recovery can sometimes take six months. He had taken the homeopathic remedy before becoming ill, though tests on it showed no trace of botulism. The three-month-old was treated at a children’s hospital in northern England and has recovered. His mother admitted giving him honey at home, though tests on what was left in the jar also failed to detect the botulism bacteria. Products containing honey should carry warnings on the label but these often appear in small print and the dangers of the food are not widely known. Warning: The incident sparked health experts to warn children under one year old should not be fed honey. Botulism is caused by bacteria in soil, possibly spread by bees (file picture) The disease is caused by the bacteria . Clostridium botulinum, which lives in the environment, especially soil. If bees pick it up they can infect honey. Dr Kathie Grant, a disease surveillance expert for Public Health England, told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I am concerned that not enough mothers and women know about infant botulism and what can cause it. Children under 12 months should not be fed honey. What is botulism? A rare but serious paralytic disease caused by a germ normally dormant in soil and dust which can get into honey. Is honey safe? Not for children under one. A younger baby’s gut is not sufficiently developed to fight off bacteria. The condition can be fatal in five to ten per cent of cases. What are symptoms? Constipation, inability to suck, poor feeding, floppy head and muscles, droopy eyelids, tiredness, difficulty breathing. What else is a risk? Soil, dust, herbal teas, homeopathic treatments, terrapins. 'They don’t need homeopathic preparations or herbal tea. They should also be kept away from dust and soil and pet terrapins.’ The disease is rare, with only 17 UK cases since 1978. But health chiefs are concerned that nine have occurred in the past five years and of these seven babies had eaten honey. In one of the nine cases a baby was infected from dust falling during a loft conversion while another caught botulism from pet terrapins kept at home. Dr Grant said: ‘Mothers think honey is natural and good for babies. There is also a tradition for honey to be used on a dummy to soothe a troubled baby or to sweeten other foods, but we are urging people not to do it.’ She advised that any baby who is constipated for three days should be taken to see a GP and for parents to watch out for other symptoms such as difficulty in swallowing. Social networking forums Mumsnet and Netmums have scores of queries from new mothers asking if honey is safe for babies, while older mothers admit they only learned about the risk from an old episode of BBC 1’s Casualty. | Two British boys, 3 months and 5 months, put on life-support machines .
Only cured of botulism after £50,000 medication flown over from America .
Sparked warning from health chiefs against babies under 1 eating honey .
The disease is caused by bacteria in soil possibly spread by bees . |
203,597 | 93909aefbf929844dfd909d0cb54660590bdc3af | It may be the most devastating act of mercy in history. A newspaper report chronicling how a boy of four was saved from drowning has surfaced in a German archive. The child – who historians believe could have been Adolf Hitler – was plucked from the icy waters of the River Inn in Passau, Germany, in January 1894. Rescued: Johann Kuehberger, left, saved the life of a four-year-old Adolf Hitler, pictured right in an undated photo, when they were both children . According to Max Tremmel, a priest who . went on to become one of Europe's most famous organists, his . predecessor Johann Kuehberger had rescued the terrified Hitler. Father Tremmel told before his death in 1980 how Father Kuehberger, around the same age as Hitler, had seen the other boy struggling in the waters of the River Inn and dived . in to rescue him. The story . was never verified by Hitler during his lifetime. But now a small cutting . from the Donauzeitung - Danube newspaper - of 1894 has been found in . Passau. It describes how a 'young fellow' fell through the thin ice of the river in January of that year. The report described how a 'determined comrade' - the paper at the time was left-wing - went into the freezing water to save the child who would grow into mankind's biggest monster. Icy waters: A young Hitler fell in the River Inn in Passau, southern Germany, across the border from his native Austria . The near-drowning episode also featured in a German book called 'Out of Passau- Leaving a City Hitler Called Home,' by Anna Elisabeth Rosmus, a personal history of her family's connections with it. She wrote; 'The banks of the River Inn provided an idyllic setting for the children to play. Monster: Hitler never admitted to the near-drowning accident in later life . 'In 1894, while playing tag with a group of other children, the way many children do in Passau to this day, Adolf fell into the river. 'The current was very strong and the water ice cold, flowing as it did straight from the mountains. 'Luckily for young Adolf, the son of the owner of the house where he lived was able to pull him out in time and so saved his life.' Hitler would, as a young man and later among his generals, tell stories of how he played cowboys and Indians on the banks of the river but he never once related the near-drowning tale. 'In Passau, however,' said Mrs Rosmus, 'Everyone knew the story. Some of the other stories told about him were that he never learned to swim and needed glasses.' No name is given for the child in the . old Passau newspaper but historians believe it gives credence to . Father Tremmel`s claim that it was indeed Hitler. Later this month Bavarian . Radio is to run a news feature programme on the incident. Called 'If Hitler had drowned. The legend of a fatal . lifesaving' will feature several elderly Passau residents confirming that they heard the story of Hitler's near-brush with death . as they grew up in the city. Holocaust: Child survivors in Auschwitz just after the camp was liberated by the Soviet Army . It is likely that Hitler airbrushed the incident out of his life history. Being rescued by a boy who went on to represent a religion he despised would not have sat well with the myth he had built around himself of being called by destiny to save Germany. | Future Fuhrer was plucked from certain death by boy who grew up to join the church .
German newspaper from 1894 reveals incident . |
245,854 | ca35145a7104c58283f531e838aaa1c82ef1523c | Dozens of people are being infected with the deadly Ebola virus each day in Sierra Leone, as the terrifying disease tears through the country's capital city, Freetown. Yesterday, forty-nine new cases were confirmed in just 24 hours, the National Ebola Response Center (NERC) reported. So many people are succumbing to the deadly virus that removing the dead bodies is becoming a serious problem. Lawmaker Claude Kamanda who represents a western area of the country said that more than 20 deaths are being reported each day. Scroll down for videos . Sierra Leone health workers working with the bodies of Ebola victims at Kenema Hospital in the east . He told the local Politico newspaper that authorities are experiencing challenges collecting corpses from both quarantined and non-quarantined homes. Sierra Leone is one of three West African nations at the epicenter of the worst outbreak of the disease on record. According he latest statistics from the World Health Organization (WHO), the virus has killed more than 4,500 people since first appearing deep in the Guinean forest last December. Authorities say the uncontrolled movement of people from the interior to Waterloo - which is the gateway to Freetown - has fueled the increase of Ebola cases in the west. A health worker fixes another health worker's protective suit in the Aberdeen district of Freetown . A Sierra Leone health worker prepares a burial ground for Ebola victims at Kenema Hospital in the east . There are 851 total confirmed Ebola cases in the Western Area Urban and Western Area Rural zones, NERC reported. In terms of numbers of cases, the two western zones may soon surpass a former epicenter of the outbreak in Sierra Leone - the eastern districts of Kenema and Kailahun where there have been a total of 1,012 confirmed cases. No new cases were reported yesterday in Kenema and Kailahun but a WHO spokeswoman said it is too early to declare that the epidemic has burned itself out in the east. Orphans from Sierra Leone whose parents have died of Ebola sharing a meal in the eastern district of Kenema . 'There was a drop in new cases in Kenema and Kailahun and fingers were crossed but there has been a bit of a flare up thanks to a couple of unsafe burials,' said Margaret Harris, WHO's spokeswoman in Sierra Leone. 'So it's too early to say we have a real decline ... definitely too early to say it's been beaten there.' The World Food Program delivered emergency food rations to people in Waterloo over the weekend, as local media reports suggest the western city may also have to be quarantined. 'The growing fear has left the public with no choice but to call on the Government for Waterloo to be quarantined as was done to other places including Kailahun, Kenema, Bombali, Port Loko and Moyamba Districts,' the Exclusive newspaper said. Most of the Ebola cases are still found in the eastern districts of Kenema and Kailahun but the disease seems to be taking a hold in the western areas of the country and spreading through the capital city, Freetown . A Red Cross burial team at Jobo Farm in Waterloo disinfects after recovering the bodies of an 80 year old grandmother and her granddaughter believed to have died of Ebola and abandoned for four days . Many residents of the capital note that Ebola has followed the same route across the country as rebels who in 1991 started a savage war in Kailahun district. The war ended in Freetown a decade later where the final battle was fought. Now the enemy is a disease, and the president is putting in place a military-style response. President Ernest Bai Koroma last week appointed Defense Minister Alfred Palo Conteh as CEO of NERC. Two children recovering from Ebola virus wait at an Ebola treatment center in the Hastings area of Freetown . The center's headquarters are being placed at the former War Crimes Tribunal for Sierra Leone in the west end of Freetown together with the United Nations Mission for Ebola Emergency Response. Although no cases of Ebola have emerged there, the east African nation of Rwanda was today singling out travelers from the U.S. and Spain for special screening. Ebola cases have emerged in both the U.S. and Spain but the virus has been contained. A Rwandan Ministry of Health document says all passengers from the U.S. and Spain will have their temperatures taken upon arrival. If the passenger has a fever he or she is denied entry. Health workers bury an Ebola victim near Kenema Hospital in an eastern district of Sierra Leone . If there is no fever, the visitors still must report their health condition daily to authorities. The U.S. Embassy in Rwanda has urged Americans who may have a fever or who have traveled to Ebola countries 'to weigh carefully whether travel to Rwanda at this time is prudent'. 'Please note neither the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs nor the U.S. Embassy have authority over quarantine issues and cannot prevent a U.S. citizen from being quarantined should local health authorities require it,' the embassy said. | So many are dying from Ebola that removing bodies is becoming a problem .
Lawmaker Claude Kamanda said more than 20 deaths are reported daily .
Sierra Leone is one of three West African nations at epicenter of outbreak .
Growing number of Ebola cases are being reported in two western zones .
In eastern districts of Kenema and Kailahun the virus appears to be slowing . |
273,697 | ee86e246ee949cd75d452207916c934cb9b8fe42 | Jurgen Klopp insists he is a better manager now than he was two years ago when Borussia Dortmund last won the Bundesliga. The charismatic boss sees no reason to stand down despite Dortmund sitting bottom of the league and remains confident he can turn their fortunes around this season. Klopp, 46, has been tipped as Arsene Wenger's replacement at Arsenal and has admitted he would be open to job offers from the Premier League. Jurgen Klopp insists he's a better manager now than when Borussia Dortmund won the league two years ago . Klopp has been linked with a move away from Borussia Dortmund, possibly to Arsenal in the Premier League . But despite the pressure he is currently under, Klopp sees no reason for a chance of job anytime soon. 'I'm not one for quitting. I am all or nothing,' he said. 'As long as Dortmund wants that, I will continue in that way. 'I'm a fighter and I'm a better coach than in 2012, although you cannot see that in the table.' Dortmund have collected just 11 points from their 13 league matches so far and dropped to the bottom following Sunday's 2-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt. Dortmund dropped to the bottom of the Bundesliga following their 2-0 loss at Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday . Klopp comforts striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang following their latest defeat . Some of the travelling fans started whistling at the team's poor performance but Klopp has called for unity. He said: 'I totally understand the criticism. That is human. The whistles I understand. They are completely normal. 'However, anyone who whistles has to question whether it helps. Nevertheless, the situation does not feel catastrophic to me.' He then joked: 'If you want to succeed, a person only has one option: to be a Bayern fan.' Dortmund face their fans at the final whistle after losing in Frankfurt, their eighth loss of the league season . Klopp looks distraught after their latest defeat, which intensified the pressure on him . Klopp has every right to ask for patience having enjoyed considerable success at Dortmund, winning the Bundesliga in 2011 and 2012 before guiding them to the final of the Champions League in 2013. Their next must-win match is against Hoffenheim at the Signal Iduna Park on Friday night. | Jurgen Klopp insists he is going nowhere despite Borussia Dortmund's poor start to the Bundesliga season .
The 46-year-old manager has been linked with Arsenal .
He says he is a better manager than he was two years ago .
Dortmund are currently bottom of the Bundesliga table . |
166,326 | 630f5ddd8301b4cf466fdc6d99cc453031b364e3 | Ireland stalwart John O’Shea backed Roy Keane to thrive in the Glasgow goldfish bowl if confirmed as Celtic’s new manager. The centre-back offered a glowing appraisal of his former Manchester United team-mate as speculation over Keane’s future intensified. With every indication pointing to him being appointed Parkhead boss early next week, Martin O’Neill expects to learn in the next 72 hours whether he will lose his assistant from the Irish national team set-up. In the limelight: Republic of Ireland's John O'Shea talks to reporters ahead of the friendly against Italy . There is rival interest in Keane – with West Bromwich Albion thought to be in the frame – but sources in Dublin remain confident he will take up the challenge of replacing Neil Lennon. Keane travelled with the Ireland squad to London on Friday ahead of their friendly against Italy at Craven Cottage. It is expected he will hold further talks with Dermot Desmond, the major shareholder at Parkhead, once that game is out of the way. Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell stressed that Keane had not yet been offered the job and that the Premiership champions were speaking to ‘between five and 10’ candidates in total. O’Shea, though, expects the 42-year-old to end up at Parkhead. Having worked with him at both club and international level, he has no doubt Keane’s temperament could handle the intense scrutiny of life in Glasgow as Celtic boss. ‘I think he’d cope very well,’ said O’Shea. ‘His appetite since he’s come into this job will have increased. Team talk: Republic of Ireland manager Martin O'Neill (left) chats to assistant Roy Keane during training . ‘He’s obviously learned from Martin along the way, too. He’ll relish the challenge. If it does happen, Celtic will be getting a very hungry and determined manager.’ Asked if he thought that would be the outcome, he added: ‘Yeah, it looks very much like it now. ‘It was mentioned at the start of the week and slowly but surely it’s snowballed into having talks with Celtic. So I’d very surprised if it doesn’t get across the line.’ Ireland head to America on Wednesday for further friendlies against Costa Rica and Portugal. O’Neill expects Keane’s situation to be clarified before they cross the Atlantic. ‘I imagine that in the next few days the situation will resolve itself,’ he said. ‘Whether it goes into Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday, we are not actually leaving until Wednesday. On the ball: Keane (right) takes the opportunity to sit down during Ireland training in Malahide . ‘So I would imagine that the situation would be sorted by then. Celtic are actively seeking a manager and they have a certain number of days to try and do something because they will want a man in place for when they come back for pre-season.’ O’Neill also insisted Keane was in wider demand, adding: ‘As I have said before, I would have expected him to step into management eventually because I think that was something that was still burning within him. ‘But I did not think it would happen so quickly, that he would have offers - a number of offers – on the table. And I am not talking about Celtic, I am talking about other teams.’ Lawwell confirmed Keane was a leading contender but insisted other options still remained under consideration. Making his mark: Ireland captain O'Shea signs a fan's shirt after the training session on Friday . ‘Roy has played here and is a Celtic supporter,’ said the Parkhead chief executive. ‘He is a first-class guy, like the others are. We have between five and 10, a lot of great candidates, and we’ll wait and see.’ Asked if Keane had been offered the job, Lawwell said: ‘No, he’s not. We put a statement out saying we are looking at a number of exceptional candidates. ‘We are going through a process. Hopefully, it won’t take too long but I’m sure you’ll understand there is not much more we can say when we’re midway through that process. ‘Clearly we want to do it as soon as we possibly can but you can’t put a time on these things. ‘You just have to do your work properly. As soon as we get there we will let our supporters know. You don’t want to get it wrong by going too fast. You need to take your time and make sure you get the right guy.' History: Keane spent six months at Celtic as a player at the start of 2006 before his retirement . | Ireland stalwart O'Shea has given Keane a glowing appraisal .
Indications are pointing to Keane being appointed Parkhead boss early next week . |
130,285 | 346f7df7754871c9deceb50289aa85512c0a0e51 | MORRISTOWN, New Jersey (CNN) -- Since the beginning of the year the family clinic at the Children's Hospital of New Jersey has seen an influx of young children coming in for flu shots. New Jersey requires children from 6 months to 5 years old to get the flu vaccine to attend daycare or pre-school. The rush for vaccinations is prompted by a new law that makes New Jersey the only state requiring children between 6 months and 5 years old to get the flu vaccine to attend a licensed daycare or pre-school. The deadline for the flu shot requirement was December 31. Some parents are upset about the requirement. John General and Alnisa Bernabela brought their 4-year-old twins Jahmein and Jameir to the clinic last week for the flu shots. "I'm really not okay with it because I think it should have been my choice," said Bernabela. "By them forcing this, I feel like our rights have been violated," said General, holding his crying son Jameir being vaccinated. Last fall, hundreds of parents with the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice challenged the flu shot requirement at a rally in Trenton, New Jersey. The NJCVC and parents interviewed by CNN, expressed concern about the safety of influenza vaccines and possible long-term effects on young children. But the New Jersey Department of Health says the new law is for the public good citing Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention numbers showing an average of 20,000 children under age 5 are hospitalized nationwide each year because of influenza complications. "Parents are certainly concerned about the health and safety of their children," says Dr. Christina Tan, state epidemiologist for the New Jersey Department of Health. "But it's equally important to understand that the flu vaccine is safe and effective in preventing illness, not only in children, but also among the community as a whole." Many doctors support the decision, saying it helps protect a higher risk population. Some parents object to mandatory vaccines » . "Kids under the age of 5 are targeted by this recommendation because when they get the disease they get sicker than adults do. They also are the ones who are more likely to transmit the flu because they are in closed quarters," said Dr. Nwando Anyaoku, who heads the clinic at the Children's Hospital of New Jersey. She says influenza tends to peak in New Jersey towards the end of January through early February. Jennifer Frank says she's committed to the public health goal but not on the state's schedule. Her 2-year-old son Caleb was hospitalized twice for extreme eczema as an infant. At one point, he was on a feeding tube, and she says he couldn't get vaccinated. "There was literally no clear space to put a needle," says Jennifer Frank. Caleb's doctors were stumped and couldn't make a diagnosis for his condition. Since then, the Franks with their pediatrician's approval, have Caleb on a delayed vaccination schedule. As a result, they didn't meet the state's December 31 flu shot deadline and now their local board of health has banned Caleb from pre-school. "When he gets his shots, that same rash flares up," says Joshua Frank, the father of Caleb. "You know, it's frightening. It's very real. And for them to say, 'Well, we don't care, even though your doctors agree with you,' is outrageous." The Franks have appealed the local board of health's decision all the way to the state level, but officials have not wavered. While New Jersey does offer medical exemptions for some children, the rules are specific, and eczema is not considered a valid medical reason for delaying the flu vaccine. "By allowing broader exemptions this could potentially erode the very core of protection," says Tan. But the Franks believe the new law should include an appeal procedure, especially for families like theirs that are willing to vaccinate their children. New Jersey Republican Assemblywoman Charlotte Vandervalk has been working on legislation to allow parents to decide which vaccines they want their child to receive. "The bill gives conscientious objection so that people can opt out of certain vaccines. Maybe they want some vaccines and not others and this would give them the right to do that," said Vandervalk. For now, though, Caleb must remain out of school. He's confused as to why he can't return. "He doesn't understand what's going on," says Jennifer Frank. "It's been hard to explain it to him." The New Jersey Department of Health says it won't immediately know what kind of effect the new flu shot requirement will have on the state's population. "As far as trying to identify whether there's actually a drop in disease incidence in the community, that's going to be a longer term type of evaluation that we're starting to look at," says Tan. American Morning correspondent Alina Cho contributed to this report . | New Jersey requires flu vaccine for children to attend daycare, pre-school .
Some parents oppose new law; believe it should be their choice to vaccinate kids .
Flu vaccine is safe; many doctors believe law protects a higher-risk population . |
181,500 | 76fa2a56cd8d00e3b4458d0a695ef6220fd97306 | (CNN) -- I believe it was December of '98 when my dad passed away of an overdose. A few weeks later, around my 10th birthday, I was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome and Asperger's syndrome. It was a really rough time, especially at that age, being told I have a neurological "disease," when I already felt so different. At that point I was being bullied for being different, having big ears, and now for having no dad AND for making weird faces and noises I couldn't control. I was a walking target. Then my mom discovered a musical interest in me after my older sister was in musical theater at her high school. I learned all the songs from the show "Damn Yankees" and at the final performance, the director let me go onstage (my first time onstage) and perform with the cast! I was hooked instantly and for some reason it felt right. Although I felt I had found "my place," I still had to go back to my own school. The bullying just kept getting worse. I didn't know what to do anymore. I remember I even had thoughts of suicide and hurting myself. When I turned 12, I was given a hand-me-down guitar and a chord book. I studied those basic chords and learned how to play the basic songs. Throughout this process, I figured out that no matter how bad of a day I had at school, I could come home and create my own world within the music. I could make the music as happy or as sad as I wanted it to be. I used the pain from being bullied to transform me into who I was meant to be. I knew where I was most comfortable -- on stage. But I couldn't always be there, and not everyone respected my happiness. Durbin on 'Dr. Drew' The bullying didn't end there. It just kept happening. It got so bad that I dropped out of high school. I got to the point where I couldn't even focus in class because of the pestering. I told the school officials about the bullying and they did what they could, but I would rather be sitting on my butt at home than being bullied and beat up at school. A couple of years later, I met an angel who would turn out to be my beautiful wife, Heidi. I was a dropout: No job, no license, no car, no aspirations. She had a diploma, three jobs, a car AND goals. Having someone in my life who really believed in me made me believe in myself. We started dating, and I started to progress. I started a band and found a job, got my license, and soon afterward got my GED. In the midst of it all, we found out that we were expecting our sweet son Hunter. That right there is the proudest moment of my life and no famous game show or extravaganza concert can top that. Ever. Heidi and Hunter balance me. Through my adventures and heartache on "American Idol," to the adventures and heartache on the road of rock 'n roll, they have always supported me. And when I'm home, I'm just Daddy. With whatever "celebrity status" I have thanks to "American Idol," I really want to use it for a good purpose. I've always been a huge fan of WWE and pro wrestling. I was approached by them after "Idol" to be a part of their anti-bullying campaign B.A. Star. Since then I have participated in several in-school rallies to talk to kids about my experiences being bullied and how I've overcome them to be the man I am today. Regrets? I've had a few... but then again, too few to mention, haha. | James Durbin appeared on the 10th season of "American Idol"
Durbin was bullied by his peers, causing him to drop out of high school .
Singer says his wife and child "balance" him, keep him motivated . |
210,941 | 9d318efe9acdb564b05291c9222ac951fe42eb7b | The Christian calendar is based on a blunder by a sixth-century monk who was several years out in his calculation of Jesus’s birth date, the Pope has claimed. Benedict XVI blames the ‘mistake’ on Dionysius Exiguus, who is credited with inventing the modern calendar based on the Anno Domini (AD) era. The Pope’s views are revealed in the final part of his three-volume work on the life of Jesus, published yesterday. Calculations: Pope Benedict XVI (left, pictured yesterday) said the Christian calendar is based on a blunder by a sixth-century monk. The claims were made in his new book (right), The Infancy Narratives: Jesus of Nazareth . ‘The calculation of the beginning of our calendar - based on the birth of Jesus - was made by Dionysius Exiguus, who made a mistake in his calculations by several years,’ he writes. ‘The actual date of Jesus’s birth was several years before.’ Academics have long disputed when Jesus was born, with many believing it was probably between 6BC and 4BC. The Pontiff’s intervention is certain to fuel the debate. The leader of the world’s one billion Catholics is also likely to raise eyebrows with his claim in the book that donkeys and other animals do not have a place in the traditional nativity scene. Not like this: The leader of the world's one billion Catholics is also likely to raise eyebrows with his claim in the book that donkeys and other animals do not have a place in the traditional nativity scene . St Peter’s Square in the heart of the . Vatican City regularly has a large Christmas scene with an array of . animals, but the Pope is certain their inclusion is historically . inaccurate. ‘In the gospels, there is no mention of animals,’ he writes. 'The calculation of the beginning of our calendar - based on the birth of Jesus - was made by Dionysius Exiguus, who made a mistake in his calculations by several years. The actual date of Jesus’s birth was several years before' Pope Benedict XVI . He believes that they were probably a pre-Christian Hebrew invention, as outlined in the Old Testament Book of Habakkuk, considered by some to predict the nativity. The Pope, 85, also says angels never sang to shepherds to proclaim Christ’s birth, as celebrated in the carol Hark! The Herald Angels Sing. Jesus of Nazareth: The Infancy Narratives hit bookshops in 50 countries yesterday, with more than a million copies planned for the initial print run. In it, the Pope interprets the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, which describe the months just before and after Jesus’s birth. | Pope Benedict XVI blames 'mistake' on .
Dionysius Exiguus in his new book .
Monk credited with inventing modern calendar based on Anno Domini era .
Pontiff also claims that donkeys have no place in traditional nativity scene . |
100,846 | 0df32a4636e8865aae9f5de003758d3290edd76f | The Prime Minister has delivered a major shake-up as he announced his first ministerial reshuffle on Sunday afternoon, with a second woman promoted to Cabinet. Tony Abbott has appointed Peter Dutton to immigration and shifted Scott Morrison to Minister for Social Services, while Sussan Ley will take on her role as Minister for Health and Sport. Described as a 'significant reshuffle' by the Prime Minister, David Johnston has been dumped from cabinet with former Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews taking over the Defence Minister role. Scroll down for video . Prime minister Tony Abbott speaks to the media during a press conference at Parliament House on Sunday . Mr Abbott announced his new look in Canberra, saying it would 'reset and refocus the government for the coming year'. 'This is a ministry for jobs and families and it is a sign that this is a government which wants the economy and the budget to be front and centre in the coming year,' he told reporters in Canberra. Josh Frydenberg will become assistant treasurer, replacing Arthur Sinodinos, whose resignation from the role triggered the reshuffle. Mr Abbott said the education portfolio would now become education and training, with former parliamentary secretary Simon Birmingham named as an assistant minister to Christopher Pyne. THE WINNERS . THE LOSERS . MINOR CHANGES . In a shock promotion, David Johnston (pictured) has been dumped from cabinet while Kevin Andrews has been appointed to take over the Defence Minister role . Kelly O'Dwyer also entered the outer ministry, becoming a parliamentary secretary to the treasurer. 'This is a good team. It is a strong team. It is a balanced team,' Mr Abbott said. I am proud of all my colleagues but I am particularly proud to be able to make these announcements this afternoon.' Brett Mason has been dropped as parliamentary secretary for foreign affairs and the vacancy filled by Steve Ciobo. Meanwhile, Industry Minister Ian Macfarlane will become the Minister for Industry and Science, rectifying an omission that has plagued the government. Addressing the dumping of Senator Johnston, the prime minister said 'no one goes on forever'. Sussan Ley (pictured) will take on health, becoming the second woman in the Abbott cabinet . Scott Morrison (pictured) has been shifted from immigration to the important portfolio of Social Services . Mr Abbott announced his new look in Canberra, saying it would 'reset and refocus the government' for 2015 . However, the resignation of Senator Sinodinos provided an opportunity to 'refresh and reset' the government. 'Just because someone leaves the government doesn't mean that he or she has done a poor job,' he said. 'Johnno did a fine job as defence minister and Brett Mason has done a good job in his role.' Mr Andrews would be a 'very, very safe pair of hands' as defence minister. 'He will do an excellent job in this difficult and vital portfolio,' Mr Abbott said. The prime minister also heaped praise on outgoing immigration minister Scott Morrison as a master of difficult policy and administration, who had all but stopped the boats. As part of an expanded social services portfolio, Mr Morrison will have responsibility for child care and Mr Abbott's signature paid parental leave scheme. 'He is a very tough and competent political operator but he is also an extremely decent human being,' the prime minister said. 'We need good judgement in these areas and that is exactly what you will get from Scott Morrison.' Former Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews (pictured) will take over the Defence Minister role . Mr Abbott announced a ministerial reshuffle with new members to the front bench being sworn-in by the Governor-General on Monday . Rounding out Mr Abbott's reshuffle, Christian Porter, Bob Baldwin and Karen Andrews were all named parliamentary secretaries. The new ministry will be sworn in on Tuesday. Acting opposition leader Penny Wong said no reshuffle could fix the government's biggest problem - its an unpopular budget. 'You might change the tyres on the bus but the wheels are still spinning,' she told reporters in Adelaide. 'It is a vote of no confidence in the PM's cabinet. You don't need to have this extensive a reshuffle if your cabinet is performing well.' | The Prime Minister announced his first ministerial reshuffle in Canberra .
Tony Abbott said his new look would 'reset and refocus the government'
Defence Minister David Johnston has been dumped by the Abbott cabinet .
Scott Morrison has been shifted from immigration to social services .
Sussan Ley will take on health, becoming the second woman in cabinet .
Penny Wong said no reshuffle could fix the government's biggest problem . |
189,401 | 814707ddaba10fc9f9c1212c5a82ab8ec98f30d3 | By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 15:57 EST, 17 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:39 EST, 17 January 2013 . In the dock: An artist's drawing of Symieon Robinson-Pierre, during his appearance at Inner London Crown Court . A pitbull owner whose devil dog called ‘Poison’ savaged five police officers leaving a scene like ‘the sickbay at the Battle of Trafalgar’ has been jailed for nearly two years. Symieon Robinson-Pierre, 25, was sentenced to 22 months in prison for failing to act while his dog sunk its teeth into four police officers after they called at his house to execute a search warrant. As they entered the property the large brown pitbull-doberman cross - which was of a banned breed - began attacking officers in a 15 minute rampage that left three of them needing surgery. Robinson-Pierre ignored pleas to call his heavily built dog off the officers and said: 'It is not the dog’s fault, you should have knocked and I would have let you in.' Poison, which weighed four and a half stone, pounced on officers as they raided the house in Stratford, East London, in March last year, and clamped its jaws around one officer’s thigh. It tried to drag him to the ground as another officer repeatedly hit it on the head with a metal battering ram, to no effect. He eventually prised the animal’s jaws open with his baton but the dog turned on him instead grabbing hold of his right forearm. It went on to attack other police officer in the front garden and was only halted after being shot dead by a police marksman. Prosecutor Sam Brown told Inner London Crown Court: 'If you need a useful image in mind of the aftermath of the event, imagine the sickbay after the Battle of Trafalgar and that will give you an idea - carnage.' Robinson-Pierre was jailed for what Judge Mark Bishop called 'an astonishing act of inhumanity and callousness' after he turned his back on PC Lee Bush as he was attacked. Violence: The dog's blood splattered the road after police shot the frenzied pitbull, who had inflicted severe injuries on officers in a half-hour attack . The charges related to the dog attack on PC Marc Merritt, PC Lee Bush, PC Paul Garrard and PC Steve Bones. He was prosecuted for the initial attack on PC Martin Corderoy as it happened inside the house. Judge Bishop said: 'To state these offences so baldly does not do justice to the mayhem which this out of control dog brought to a London street. 'It was an extraordinary scene of carnage in a London street. 'What was particularly shocking and what aggravates this is that while the dog was attacking PC Bush not very far from your front door the evidence is that you and other man came to the front door. Extreme measures: The dog was killed with four blasts from a shotgun after inflicting hand, arm and leg wounds on five officers who were unable to restrain it . 'PC Bush was screaming for help, asking . you to get the dog off him and one of you said "There’s nothing we can . do" and the other said "You should have knocked, I would have let you . in."' Judge Bishop continued: 'You were one . of these two people. You and the other man went back inside the house. That was an astonishing act of inhumanity and callousness. 'The dog was out of control and you did nothing to call it off or calm it.' Robinson-Pierre, who wore a grey tracksuit top, kissed his teeth and glared angrily towards the judge as he was sent down. PC Duncan West was with colleague PC Steve Bones when they received the call to the address. The . traumatised police officer hailed PC Bones 'selfless bravery' as he . grabbed the dog by the back of its neck and pinned it to the floor. Victims (from l-r): PC's Marc Merritt, Lee Bush and Martin Corderon on their way to give evidence against Robinson-Pierre . Judge Bishop echoed his comments today, saying: 'PC West said what PC Bones did was a selfless act of bravery - I agree with that. 'What PC Bones did was to go up to the dog and hold it by the scruff of its neck. 'In the process his fingers were severely bitten and indeed he thought one of his fingers had been bitten off. 'In holding it down it was then possible for other officers to restrain the dog with their riot shields. Even with the officers using their riot shields the dog was still trying to get out and bite the police. 'It was only with the arrival of an armed officer that it was unfortunately dispatched.” The dog also attacked PC Marc Merritt’s arm and was 'literally hanging off' it as he swung around in an attempt to shake him off. PC Martin Corderoy was left permanently scarred after being rushed for surgery and was off work for 85 days. Judge Bishop also recalled the victim impact statements of PC Bush, who had to undergo plastic surgery and PC Bones 'who has had nightmares and anxiety' since the attack. The judge condemned Robinson-Pierre’s irresponsibility as he sentenced him, saying: 'Living as we do in close proximity to others there’s no excuse for allowing the owner of a dog to let it get out of control in a public place. 'The sentence I pass is outside the top bracket of the guidelines because I am satisfied that it is in the interests of justice that I should pass this sentence. 'The sentence I pass is one of 22 months concurrent in each of the three offences.' Robinson-Pierre, of Albert Square in Stratford, had earlier admitted to owning a fighting dog. He was also banned from keeping a dog for five years. | Symieon Robinson-Pierre sentenced to 22 months for failing to act when his dog sunk its teeth into officers .
The powerful dog pounced after police executed a search warrant at his home in Stratford, east London .
As dog mauled officers in a half-hour frenzied attack, its owner said: 'You should have just knocked on the door'
The pitbull was killed with four blasts from a shotgun - but not before inflicting severe hand, arm and leg wounds . |
261,821 | df14838a113ea95c4092f8c3838784600cae57d4 | Not content to simply trust his future to his play on the back nine, a young Vermont linksman is making a name for himself with a series or golf-themed hip-hop viral videos. 11-year-old Matty Du Plessis says that he hopes to one day become a PGA pro, though for now he simply plays with his father, Lee, practicing as many as eight hours a day. 'My best round is whatever I shoot tomorrow, but my lowest round was 64 so far,' he told reporters. Not content to simply trust his future to his play on the back nine, a young Vermont linksman is making a name for himself with a series or golf-themed hip-hop viral videos . He admits to occasional mistakes, the same as any linksman, but says he tries to keep a good mental attitude . One video, 'Stop, Drop, and Make a 12 Foota,' he brags about draining 12-foot putts around the globe, even in mid-flight down an airplane aisle . Homeschooled, he once played 108 holes in just one day. Now with the handle 'MD_18undapar, he posts videos of him sinking two balls with just one stroke or hitting the ball between his feet to YouTube, Vine, and Instagram. 'I think about what I want to do behind the ball and then hit,' he tells NBC San Diego. One video, 'Stop, Drop, and Make a 12 Foota,' he brags about draining 12-foot putts around the globe, even in mid-flight down an airplane aisle. Now with the handle 'MD_18undapar, he posts videos of him sinking two balls with just one stroke or hitting the ball between his feet to YouTube, Vine, and Instagram . 'I try to make stuff that'll entertain people, but it's still golf,' he says. His goal is to play 18 under par. 'I don't want to just shoot 18-under-par on one course, one time--shoot it once and then you're done,' he says. 'No. Shoot it many times on all the best courses in the world.' 11-year-old Matty Du Plessis says that he hopes to one day become a PGA pro, though for now he simply plays with his father, Lee, practicing as many as eight hours a day . He admits to occasional mistakes, the same as any linksman, but says he tries to keep a good mental attitude. 'You hit a bad shot? Fine,' he says. 'But the more positive you are, the less your misses will become.' He smiles saying 'Sure hope so,' when asked if he would be the first PGA pro to manage 18-under par in one round. | 11-year-old Matty Du Plessis says that he hopes to one day become a PGA pro, though for now he simply plays with his father, Lee, practicing as many as eight hours a day .
Now with the handle 'MD_18undapar, he posts videos of him sinking two balls with just one stroke or hitting the ball between his feet to YouTube, Vine, and Instagram .
His goal is to play 18 under par . |
173,679 | 6cc0d502662ecbe465d9df20781383898161ac12 | By . Chris Pleasance . PUBLISHED: . 10:05 EST, 28 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:10 EST, 28 January 2014 . A successful ice hockey goalie requires balance, speed, and cat-like reflexes. So it was surprising to see keeper Roman Kaspar, 24, from Klasterce nad Ohri, in the Czech Republic, stumble out on to the ice after hitting the bar before the game. Even more surprising is that his team, HC Klasterce, went on to win the match 8-5 against rivals Karlovy Vary. Scroll down for video . Czech ice hockey goalie Roman Kaspar has been filmed playing a match after having one too many drinks . In the footage the HC Klasterce keeper is seen swaying back and forth before slipping over . Despite his inebriated state, Kaspar's team actually went on to win the match 8-5 . Kaspar said: 'I remember drinking, and feeling pretty happy about the match, which we won I hasten to add, the next thing I knew we were doing the after the match photos.' 'Whatever happened in between is a blur, but I can't have been that bad because I saved a few goals.' He said the drink had probably loosened him up and helped his game, but watchers said it was more a question of being lucky enough to be standing in the right place at the right time. Kaspar says he remembers drinking before the game and doing press interviews afterwards, but not a lot of what happened in between . Kaspar claims the drink loosened him up and helped his game, adding that he remembers making a few saves . Support: Kaspar has received encouraging messages from fans online, where the video has been watched more a million times on YouTube . The video has been watched more than a million times on YouTube since it was posted a week ago. In it Kaspar can be seen leaning against his goal for balance, leaning forwards on his knees, and then falling over on to the ice. Amazingly he also manages to save one shot on goal by virtually falling on the puck. Incredibly Kaspar does actually make a save during the video, virtually falling on to the puck . | Roman Kaspar, 24, is a goalie for HC Klasterce in the Czech Republic .
The keeper says he remembers drinking before the game, and posing for photographs afterwards, but not a lot of what happened in between .
Amazingly his team won the match 8-5 against rivals Karlovy Vary . |
94,262 | 05298d8001f28591f3a29af182df7aabc6da0ecf | By . Dr Michael Mosley . From spare tyres to muffin tops, hitting the gym is considered a guaranteed way to shift those unwanted lumps and bumps — but is it effective? Dr Michael Mosley believes gruelling workouts are not the secret to winning the battle of the bulge. In fact, he says it’s one of many misleading weight-loss myths that can cause some people to struggle to slim. Here, the renowned health journalist, who devised the popular 5:2 diet, explodes some of the most persistent fitness myths. MYTH: Exercise is a good way to lose weight . Believe it or not, it’s not true that exercise, whether walking or jogging, is a good way to lose weight. It can be, but only if you push yourself. Dr Michael Mosley says that exercise as a weight-loss technique is a myth . The problem is that fat is extraordinarily energy-dense. Each pound of fat packs in about 3,500 calories. The average woman eats about 2,000 calories a day, so that represents nearly two days’ worth of food. So how much exercise would you need to do to burn off 1 lb of fat? Well, if you are a woman weighing 10 st then you will burn about 100 calories running a mile. This means you will have to run about 35 miles to get through 1 lb of fat. You could do it in one go, which would be tough and possibly dangerous, or run an hour a day at a reasonable pace of 6 mph for six days. But even that doesn’t guarantee you will lose weight, as it assumes you won’t then compensate by eating more, which many people do. A recent Australian study took 45 overweight young women and split them into two groups. One was asked to cycle at moderate intensity for 40 minutes, three times a week, for 15 weeks. The other group did 20 minutes, three times a week, but alternated short, vigorous bursts (only eight seconds long) with gentle cycling. At the end of the trial, just as they had at the beginning, they had their body fat measured. The group doing the short bursts of vigorous cycling had lost an average of 5 lb of fat, but the group doing the moderate cycling put on an average of 1 lb of fat. The vigorous cycling probably worked better because of an after-burn effect, as high-intensity exercise revs up your metabolism and leads to the release of hormones like adrenaline, which burn fat. It may also be because vigorous exercise tends to suppress appetite. If you want to lose weight you need to control your calories, increase your general activity and make sure the exercise you do is intense. Exercise alone is unlikely to be enough. Scroll down for video . MYTH: Everyone gets fitter if they exercise . Before I met Professor Jamie Timmons at Loughborough University, I would have bet my bottom dollar that this statement was true. Now I know otherwise. Professor Timmons checked how strong my heart and lungs were by measuring my VO2 Max, which is a measure of how much oxygen your body can consume when you’re pushing yourself. The fitter you are, the higher the figure. Not everyone can get fitter by exercising . I then went away and did an intense exercise regime for several weeks. Yet when I repeated the VO2 Max, I got exactly the same score. I couldn’t believe it. Professor Timmons explained there is a huge variation in how people respond to an exercise regime and there is no guarantee of favourable results. This is backed up by the findings of a recent study in Finland. They asked 175 untrained, middle-aged men and women to do a 21-week fitness course. The volunteers either did weight-lifting twice a week, endurance training twice a week or a workout that combined strength and endurance training four times a week. The results were mixed to say the least. Some people’s fitness improved by an impressive 42 per cent, while others became less fit — their VO2 Max dropped by 8 per cent, a finding that had the researchers baffled. There was an even greater spread when it came to the strength exercises, with some people increasing theirs by 87 per cent and others performing 12 per cent worse than at the beginning. A number of studies have come up with similar findings. As Professor Timmons points out, there is a huge range in people’s responses to exercise — from super-responders at one end of the spectrum, to non-responders at the other. There are almost certainly genetic reasons for this. That said, exercise is always a good thing to do. While some people, like me, may not improve their aerobic fitness, they will benefit in other ways, such as the way they control their blood sugar. MYTH: Exercise in the gym lifts your mood . This is a widely held belief, but is it true? People who do lots of exercise, particularly long-distance runners, report feeling happier and plenty of people get a real kick out of exercise. The popular explanation for this is ‘endorphin release’. These are chemicals produced in response to stress. The trouble is that while increased endorphin levels have been measured in the blood of some people after they exercise, it doesn’t happen in everyone and it is unlikely the endorphins being measured could have created the euphoric feeling anyway. Endorphin molecules are too large to cross the blood-brain barrier and reach the brain. So exercise may not be quite as effective a mood booster as it’s sometimes claimed to be. The happy feeling we get while exercising is in fact due to the release of chemicals in response to stress . A 2012 study at Bristol University backs this up. It took 361 patients with depression and divided them into two groups. One group continued as normal, the other group doubled its exercise. At the end of a year, there was no evidence the exercise had improved their mood or led to less use of anti-depressants. As Dr Melanie Chalder, from Bristol University’s School of Social and Community Medicine, acknowledged: ‘Our intervention was not an effective strategy for reducing symptoms.’ There is much more evidence to suggest just being outdoors in a green environment will have a positive impact on mood. Being in a natural setting is closer to how our remote ancestors would have lived. So remember, going for a run or walk in the park is more likely to cheer you up than doing the same exercise in a gym. MYTH: If I work out, I can eat lots more . Thanks to our evolutionary past, when food was scarce and our ancestors were active, our bodies are incredibly efficient at doing things like walking or running. You have to do a lot of either to burn even a small amount of calories. Working out doesn't mean you can eat more food without gaining weight . I researched how many calories I burn while running by wearing special monitoring equipment and set off at a brisk pace around the athletics track at Loughborough University. The equipment suggested I was burning about 16 calories a minute, which meant that having run just over a mile I had got through 160 calories. However, a latte contains about 150 calories, while a chocolate muffin comes in at 500 calories. So if you decide to have a relatively small snack like a muffin and latte after your run, you are topping yourself up with 650 calories — far more than what you’ve burnt off. And it gets worse. When you are judging the impact of going for a run, you should take into account the fact that you burn a lot of calories just sitting down and doing nothing. In fact, most of the calories we burn are consumed keeping our bodies going. What you want to know is not the total calorie burn (TCB) but the net calorie burn (NCB), that is how many extra calories you burn by running rather than doing nothing. To calculate your net calorie burn from running a mile at a reasonable pace i.e. doing 6 mph, or walking at about 3 mph, then use this formula: . Net calorie burn from running a mile at about 6 mph = 0.7 x your weight (in lb). Net calorie burn for walking a mile at about 3 mph = 0.4 x your weight (in lb). I weigh 168 lb, which means my net calorie burn from running a mile is about 117 calories. So 117 calories a mile means I would have to run nearly six miles to burn off a muffin and latte. Or I could walk nine miles. Best to leave that muffin alone. | Dr Michael Moseley, creator of the 5:2 diet, busts some of our most popular fitness myths . |
272,693 | ed2f51b11d66d48e342432d7b8123d4bd82c406e | If the spy drama Homeland, which finishes its fourth season tonight, seems a little too realistic, perhaps that's because it is rooted in a series of incidents that actually happened. The programme focuses on the so-called 'drone war' and the conflict between the CIA and the Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), which has been the source of much of the real tension between the two countries. Here, security journalist Duncan Gardham, who specialises in terrorism and espionage, looks at the comparisons between the popular television series and real life events. Parallels: Numan Acar plays Haissam Haqqani, the villain in the fourth series of Homeland (left) and (right) in real life, Jalaluddin Haqqani, is leader of a major faction of the Taliban, known as the Haqqani network . A scene from Channel 4 series Homeland after Haqqani was targeted by missile strikes on a farmhouse . The Villain . 'Haqqani' is the villain of the fourth series of Homeland, a member of the Taliban who lives a secret life in the tribal areas of Pakistan, moving from place to place, targeted by American drones, but covertly supported by the Pakistani ISI. In real life, Jalaluddin Haqqani is the leader of a major faction of the Taliban, known as the Haqqani network, that straddles the border in Khost, Afghanistan and North Waziristan in Pakistan. Once funded by the Americans in the fight against Soviet Russia, they have remained a Pakistani asset but regularly launch attacks against coalition troops in Afghanistan. Haqqani and his son Sirujuddin, have been the subject of a number of CIA drone strikes, including one in September 2008 which hit a house in the village Dandi Darpa Khail in North Waziristan, killing between 10 and 23 people. Haqqani had already left the area. CIA station chief Sandy Bachman (left) is killed when the vehicle he is travelling in with Carrie Mathieson (right) and Peter Quinn, is surrounded by an angry mob and he is dragged from the vehicle . Shoot out . CIA station chief Sandy Bachman is killed when the vehicle he is travelling in with Carrie Mathieson and Peter Quinn, is surrounded by an angry mob and he is dragged from the vehicle. Mathieson and Quinn survive by shooting into the crowd. In real life, CIA contractor Ray Davis shot two men on a motorbike on the streets of Lahore in January 2011, thinking they were about to rob him at gunpoint but this scene is more reminiscent of a harrowing incident in March 1988 during the Troubles in Northern Ireland when two plain clothed British Army corporals, David Howes and Derek Wood, were dragged from their car and killed after getting caught in an IRA funeral procession. The incident was captured by television cameras, and two men were later jailed for the killings. In 1988 during Northern Ireland's Troubles two plain clothed British Army corporals, David Howes (left) and Derek Wood (right), were dragged from their car and killed after getting caught in an IRA funeral procession . Suicide vest . During a prisoner exchange to retrieve Saul Berenson, who had earlier escaped and been recaptured, a child arrives at the scene in a suicide vest. Carrie Mathieson is able to retrieve the situation and the exchange goes ahead. Bowe Bergdahl, then a private in the US army, was abducted after wandering away from his unit in Pakitika, Afghanistan in June 2009 and held captive for five years by the Haqqani network. During a prisoner exchange to retrieve Saul Berenson, who had earlier escaped and been recaptured, a child arrives at the scene in a suicide vest. Carrie Mathieson (pictured) is able to retrieve the situation and the exchange goes ahead . This scene is also reminiscent of a double cross at Camp Chapman in Khost, Afghanistan in which an agent run by the Pakistani Taliban blew up Jennifer Lynne Matthews (pictured), the female CIA station chief, and six members of her staff using a suicide vest . At one stage he apparently escaped but was recaptured after five days, and during his captivity he was forced to make three videos pleading for his release. A prisoner exchange for five men held by the Americans went ahead in May 2014, filmed by the Haqqanis. This scene is also reminiscent of a double cross at Camp Chapman in Khost, Afghanistan in which an agent run by the Pakistani Taliban blew up Jennifer Lynne Matthews, the female CIA station chief, and six members of her staff using a suicide vest. In the Channel 4 series, the Taliban mastermind battling CIA station chief Carrie Mathieson (pictured) is very much alive, pulling the strings from his perfect hiding place and spinning a web of lies to dupe the Americans . Homeland reaches the end of the fourth series tonight - the programme bears similarities to real life events . Abandoned building . Returning from the prisoner exchange the CIA convoy carrying Carrie Mathieson and Saul Berenson is attacked with guns and rocket propelled grenades from a half-finished building near a roundabout. In September 2011 Haqqani fighters used an unfinished high-rise building in Kabul to launch a 20-hour attack on the US embassy, killing 16 Afghans and leading to the deaths of 11 assailants. In 1979, radical students stormed the US embassy in Islamabad, ransacked it and set buildings on fire . Over-running the US Embassy . The attack on the convoy is actually a diversion so that Haqqani and a band of fighters can get into the US Embassy where the CIA staff are forced to destroy documents and retire into a strong room from where they see other members of staff executed. In 1979, radical students stormed the US embassy in Islamabad, ransacked it and set buildings on fire. The CIA burned critical documents and staff survived by hiding in a reinforced area, although Marine Security Guard Steve Crowley, Army Warrant Officer Bryan Ellis, and two Pakistani members of staff were killed in the attack. | Spy drama Homeland fourth season ends tonight on Channel 4 .
Programme focuses on 'drone war' and conflict between CIA and Pakistani Inter-Services Intelligence agency .
It has many similarities with real life horrors, such as the villain Haqqani .
Also includes attack on a convoy so Haqqani and a band of fighters can get into the US Embassy where the CIA staff are forced to destroy documents .
Similar to scene in 1979 when radical students stormed the US embassy in Islamabad, ransacked it and set buildings on fire . |
236,755 | be7376adf0e182367dfb6006ef774416782bb879 | Washington (CNN) -- A famous French painting stolen during World War I by the German Army was returned to the government of France by U.S. officials on Thursday. The 1876 Jules Breton work is called "A Fisherman's Daughter/Mender of Nets" or to the people of France it's "Une Fille de Pecheur/Raccommodeuses de Filets." In 1918 the German army confiscated that painting and others from the Musee de Douai in the city of Douai and transported them to Belgium. The following year the Belgium government went to return all the French works of art, but the "Fisherman's Daughter/Mender of Nets" was missing. Spring forward to 2010 and French officials alerted Interpol that the painting might have been imported by a gallery in New York City. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement investigators worked the case, concluded the painting in New York was the same one stolen from France more than 90 years ago and seized it. The painting, which is worth an estimated $150,000 dollars, was handed over to the French ambassador to the United States during a repatriation ceremony in Washington. ICE did not provide details about how the painting reached the gallery in New York or where it might have been in the decades since it was stolen. "Returning a painting to a museum is a significant contribution to the celebration of our cultural heritage and a gift to all future visitors who will enjoy the work of art, but it is also yet another symbol of Franco-American cooperation," said French Ambassador François Delattre in a written statement. "We are celebrating today a gesture of friendship by the United States toward the French Republic." The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York worked on the case. "One of the very few ways that we are able to redress the awful legacy of war is to return stolen art to its rightful owners so it can be shared and enjoyed, "said U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. "In this case, it took nearly a century, but it is nonetheless extremely gratifying. ICE does numerous investigations into stolen art or cultural artifacts and has helped repatriate many other items to various nations. "We remain committed to combating cultural heritage crimes, which are one of the oldest forms of organized cross-border illicit activity," said ICE Director John Morton. | The work by Jules Breton was stolen during World War I .
In 2010 French officials told Interpol the painting might be in New York .
ICE seized the painting from a gallery after an investigation .
The painting was handed over to the French ambassador in a repatriation ceremony . |
118,009 | 24641e41df389da94d4f8dab924bd23fcaaf9d3d | (CNN) -- It seems that in at least one part of the world, the golden arches have lost a little luster. The reason lies in a proposal by U.S.-based fast food giant McDonald's to build a restaurant in Tecoma, a small Australian town in the lush foothills of the Dandenong Ranges east of Melbourne. The corporation's move has sparked a two-year battle with locals, who say they resent the influx of an international restaurant chain and feel that the restaurant will spoil an area of outstanding natural beauty. Under the banner "No Maccas in Tecoma," residents of the town of 2,000 have held several protests against the proposed restaurant, such as the one depicted in this iReport in early March, shot by Tim Smith and sent in by resident Kerry Furnell. Why such anger over one burger joint? The reasons are manifold, says campaigner Garry Muratore. iReport: Tecoma says no to McDonald's . "For me, personally, I will be living only 400 meters from the proposed development, so the issues were litter and traffic," he said. "For young families, it is the fact that it will be built almost opposite a primary school and kindergarten. For the local doctors, it's about health, while others are concerned it will be only 800 meters from a national park." McDonald's, which says it has kept in regular contact with the local media, community and interested parties over the restaurant plans, has 780 restaurants across Australia, employing about 85,000 people. Amongst the values listed on its website is the promise "we give back to our communities." A spokeswoman for McDonald's said in a statement that it had been "diligent" in addressing concerns of the community, altering the external design of the restaurant to reflect "the aesthetic of the area" and consulting third-party traffic engineers to ensure minimal impact. Furnell said that the Dandenong Ranges were an iconic place for Australians and that many were "horrified" McDonald's could think such a development would be appropriate. She also said increased traffic, vandalism and crime might affect her children. "The presence of a 24-hour restaurant will mean (an) increase of littering, vandalism and worse and the leaving of items such as used condoms or broken bottles, meaning children are more likely to be injured or harmed in some way," she said. For a small campaign, its reach has been extraordinary. Campaigners have been quick to engage in a PR war, harnessing the power of social media, developing a website punningly titled Burger Off to promote their cause and creating a Facebook page with almost 6,000 likes. More than 75 local volunteers have also pitched in, with one academic spending eight weeks wading through three years worth of local newspapers in the state library to tally up incidents of crime purportedly involving McDonald's restaurants. McDonald's changes its name to "Maccas" in some Australian restaurants . Others have helped with fundraising, developed contacts with similar campaigns across Australia or attended peaceful occupations of the proposed site, where a community garden was built. In February, protesters held a garden gnome "invasion" of the McDonald's headquarters in Collingwood, a Melbourne suburb, where hundreds of the garden ornaments were placed on the office steps. But despite an increasingly fraught battle on both sides, campaigners have stressed that it is the corporation and its franchise holders they have an issue with, not staffers, who they say are just doing their job. What they are angry about is what they describe as a lack of dialogue. "(McDonald's) say they look forward to engaging with us, so we say come and meet, and they won't return our calls," Muratore said. "They speak with both sides of their mouth." The McDonald's statement said the company was "proud to contribute to the local community everywhere we operate" through creating jobs, offering training opportunities and providing financial benefits to local businesses and sporting clubs through sponsorships. "We have absolutely followed established legal processes to ensure that the restaurant is afforded the same rights and privileges as any other business looking to settle in the area," the spokeswoman said. It is not the first time such a burger battle has been fought on Australian soil. In 2011, a proposal by McDonald's to build a fourth restaurant in Port Macquarie, north of Sydney, was rejected by the Land and Environment Court, local media reported. Residents had argued that the site was in a residential area and was an environmental concern. In Tecoma, after councilors initially rejected the plan, McDonald's appealed to a planning court. In September, the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal found in favor of McDonald's, and the Tecoma campaigners say they do not have the funds to take the case to the Supreme Court. After months of court battles, site occupations, meetings, allegations and counterallegations, the original McDonald's franchisee backed out of the project this month. A new one has stepped in, but the small success has emboldened the protesters, who feel that victory in this battle could lead to winning the overall war. "It's a case of dollars over democracy, and that's the heart of any issue that involves communities and large businesses," Muratore said. "Our community is not a cookie-cutter suburb; it's unique. All those on the campaign want the same: We don't want a multinational fast food outlet." | Small town near Melbourne, Australia, has fought McDonald's plans for two years .
Locals cite environmental, crime concerns over proposed site of new restaurant .
McDonald's says it has been "diligent" in addressing concerns of community . |
52,951 | 963184da7d9b67a9199d5afeda81ce44e4b2eafc | Editor's Note: The following story contains spoilers regarding the show "House." If you'd rather not know what happens, stop reading now. Kal Penn, left, with Peter Jacobson on "House," is joining the Obama White House. LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- When Dr. Lawrence Kutner killed himself on the latest episode of "House: MD," it was the beginning of a new career for actor Kal Penn. The demise of Penn's character cleared the way for the actor to move on to another "House," the White House. Penn, 31, will be an associate director for the Obama administration's Office of Public Liaison. "It seemed like something I would enjoy doing," Penn said. "I figured it was something to do." He's not retiring from acting, just pursuing a longtime desire for public service that was rekindled when he campaigned for Barack Obama's election, Penn said. Penn played a teen terrorist on Fox's "24" before joining the network's "House" two years ago. He's also known as Kumar Patel in the "Harold & Kumar" movie series. The White House job likely ends his Kumar roles, he said. In fact, he will not consider any acting jobs until he leaves the Obama administration, he said. Penn will take a big pay cut to work for the government, but he has committed to at least one or two years in the job, he said. His focus will be as a liaison for the arts community and the Asian-American community, he said. He filled a similar role in the Obama presidential campaign, he said. "We want to make sure that everyone's concerns are heard and they are familiar with the president's plans and proposals," he said. Penn said he spoke briefly with Obama after the election about "trying to find the right fit" for him in the administration. He said he has bittersweet emotions as he leaves Hollywood to search for an apartment in Washington next week. The writers' decision to have Dr. Kutner commit suicide ensures Penn will not return to the show, although he said he leaves on good terms. He felt "more than a little bit of shock and loss" to learn that his character would die in his final episode. Even though he spoke no lines in the episode -- and only his legs are seen when his body is found -- he was on the set for the filming, he said. CNN's KJ Matthews contributed to this story. | "House" actor Kal Penn is leaving the show to join the Obama White House .
Penn will become part of Office of Public Liaison .
Actor says working on campaign last year re-ignited desire for public service . |
265,681 | e41851e83dc70ee0ff99672dd6cda5da38c0dd83 | Ronny Deila insists he wants the future of Kris Commons fixed before the January transfer window. Last season’s Scottish player of the year is now in the final year of his contract and can speak with other clubs in the new year. Bolton Wanderers, now managed by Neil Lennon, are keen to secure Commons on a pre-contract agreement. Kris Commons (centre) is an obvious target for ex-Celtic manager Neil Lennon at new club Bolton Wanderers . Despite racking up four straight wins in the playmaker’s absence through injury, Deila says Commons still has a role to play in the club’s future and wants things settled sooner rather than later. ‘Of course we want it sorted,’ said the Norwegian. ‘Everyone wants that. ‘It’s up to the club and Kris to get an agreement.’ Asked if fixing something before January was his wish, Deila added: ‘Of course that’s the case. There’s nothing new there. The only new thing is his injury. ‘Again we need to assess all the time what is going on. Older players are easier to deal with than 19-year-old players. Lennon (pictured) brought Commons to Celtic for £300,000 in a deal which is widely considered a big success . ‘We have more control over the situation when players are older and also you assess more things as they get older. ‘Kris is important in the group and in the team.’ Ruled out with an awkward injury from recent games, Deila is hopeful Commons is on the mend. ‘We won’t take any chances and there has been improvement so hopefully he will be in the team quickly.’ Injury-plagued Dutch winger Derk Boerrigter shows no sign of returning to first-team action before 2015 after undergoing surgery on a knee injury. ‘He has jumper’s knee and has had this for a while. He’s had an operation in Sweden and will be out for two months. We won’t see him before January.’ Scotland forward Commons has scored lots of important goals for Celtic over the last few seasons . Celtic’s home clash with Partick Thistle has been rescheduled for Wednesday, December 3. The fixture was originally due to take place on August 9. | Kris Commons' Celtic contract expires at the end of the current season .
Bolton Wanderers' Neil Lennon wants to sign Commons on pre-contract .
Celtic boss Ronny Deila wants Commons' future sorted out by January . |
212,421 | 9f15ed0f635040469be10b49a5d80450a60bcd89 | Washington (CNN) -- The controversial "drum major" inscription on the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial on the National Mall in Washington will be removed rather than replaced under a plan announced Tuesday by federal officials. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said in a news release that the move followed consultation with a "range of stakeholders" who concurred with the decision. Initially, plans called for the quote to be corrected. But the original sculptor, Lei Yixin, said removal was the best way to ensure the structural integrity of the memorial, the National Park Service said. The site features a commanding 30-foot statue of King, arms folded across his chest, emerging from a "Stone of Hope." The quote in question -- one of more than a dozen on the site -- is inscribed on one side of the stone. The abbreviated and paraphrased version of the line sparked controversy in 2011 when acclaimed poet and author Maya Angelou said it made the civil rights leader appear to be arrogant. The line reads: "I was a drum major for justice, peace and righteousness." In fact, King's original words, from a 1968 sermon at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, were: "If you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. Say that I was a drum major for peace. I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter." Opinion: We owe it to King to revise inscription on memorial . Angelou said that leaving out the "if" changes the meaning. The plan announced Tuesday will be submitted to the Commission of Fine Arts and the National Capital Planning Commission in January for their review, according to the Interior Department. The news release included a comment from Bernice A. King, King's youngest daughter and CEO of the King Center in Atlanta. "We are grateful that Secretary Salazar's office and the National Park Service has taken such care to maintain the spirit and appearance of such an important monument to our country's history and my father's memory," she said. The memorial will remain open to visitors during the work, but some of the statue will be covered at certain times. The project will begin in February or March, after the annual King birthday observance. | Critics were unhappy with 'drum major' quote abbreviation, saying it made King sound arrogant .
Plans originally called for King line to be corrected, but artist said removal was best .
Removal will begin in February or March, after the King birthday celebrations . |
36,980 | 68d5fd6af3bf473a7b8771223fa06a323414b424 | Serial reality TV star Jamie Otis married a complete stranger on television just moments after branding the wedding 'the worst decision of my entire life' as she didn't find her new husband in anyway attractive. The 27-year-old agreed to marry software salesman Doug Hehner, 31, on the first episode of FYI's new extreme reality show Married at First Sight. In the show, the contestants agree to marry a complete stranger and live with them for four weeks before deciding whether to continue with the arrangement or seek a divorce. Scroll down for video . Jamie Otis, pictured, looks nervous as she walks up the aisle during the first episode of the reality TV show . The nerves soon turned to complete disappointment when she saw her intended husband, Doug Hehner, pictured, describing her first sight of him as 'the worst feeling... I just happen not to be attracted to the guy' Otis left viewers of the controversial show wondering whether she was going to marry the man selected for her. During the voice over, Otis said: 'This is the worst feeling. Obviously I wasn't like, "what a knockout!" 'I couldn't help but look at his family, because they were like, beaming, huge smiles, looking at me, and I just happen not to be attracted to the guy.' The reality TV veteran provided the show's producers with the cliffhanger they wanted. She said: 'I'm getting married right now to someone I don't know. I'm thinking I just made the worst decision of my life. I am so scared.' Otis had previously appeared on The Bachelor and spin-off series The Bachelor Pad. But, despite the cliffhanger, Otis soon took to Twitter to announce the fact that she was now married . Doug Hehner appeared during the show to have been far happier with the experts' choice of partner . Reality TV veteran Jamie Otis told her twitter followers that she can't say whether she's still married to Hehner . According to US Magazine, her intended husband soon picked up on the nurse's reluctance. Hehner told viewers: 'She was freaking out. And it seems like she doesn't know what's going on .It was a tense moment.' The six contestants were 'matched' by a group of four experts including a sexologist, a spiritualist, a psychologist and a sociologist. The experts sifted though hundreds of applicants before deciding upon the final six people. Otis had previously sought TV love on the reality show The Bachelor. Sexologist Dr Logan Levkoff told Jezebel that each of the matches was a real marriage. She said: 'This experiment seeks to determine whether social science can play a role in marital success. 'If we can offer a new way to find a connection (and a long-lasting one), imagine the possibilities!' Otis, pictured, said it was difficult finding true love in New York City, so signed up for her third reality TV show . Otis told the New York Post: 'In New York City, I feel like the guys are primarily just players until they’re hitting their late 30s. It’s tough to find guys who are serious.' The show is based on a format first used in Denmark. In an interview with The Knot, Otis revealed: 'The truth is, I never envisioned a traditional wedding for myself. 'Nothing about my life is traditional, so why worry about having a traditional wedding? 'It was a genuinely intimate, personal, and real experience. It's been a life-changing journey." | Jamie Otis is starring in FYI's new show extreme show Married at First Sight .
She slammed husband Doug Hehner's looks during the show's voiceover .
She claimed marrying him was 'the worst decision of my entire life'
Engineered 'cliffhanger' leaves viewers wondering whether she will say yes .
The reality TV veteran soon told Twitter followers that she is married . |
132,884 | 37d4e3539748ceb7a63dcbb6b51ea614e5dea601 | (CNN) -- Medals and reputations will be won and lost at the London Olympics -- but forget the events, just who will triumph in the fashion stakes at the Games? It is not just the kit athletes will wear on the track or in the pool which will make a splash, it is also the official uniforms which will be worn for Friday's opening ceremony. As a designer, striking the right style chord can ensure your kit will be immortalized and cherished in the memories of a nation. Get it wrong, and the fashionista police will never let you forget it. And with styles under forensic examination -- from journalists and paparazzi alike -- Olympic associations have left no seam unturned to ensure their athletes scrub up well. It is not surprising given the convergence between sport and fashion. The global sportswear market is estimated to be worth $120 billion, which illustrates just how much is at stake for manufacturers to create the perfect impression. Adidas, who generated sales of $16.3 million in 2011 and supply Team GB's apparel, have their eyes on upping their share of a British sportswear market worth $5.5 billion. The German company has a long-standing relationship with Stella McCartney, the daughter of music legend and former Beatle Paul McCartney, and she has designed the uniforms for the host Team GB squad. "This project has really means a lot to me being a British designer and working with Team GB at a time like this, when we are hosting the Games in London for 2012," McCartney told CNN. "It really goes beyond anything I've ever done before and it's just such an incredible honor. "Being a designer, a fashion designer this is not the type of opportunity that normally comes your way and I feel really very lucky and privileged. It's been a really exciting challenge." McCartney is facing some top-level competition from the likes of French fashion house Hermes as well as Prada, Armani and Ralph Lauren, who have been brought in by other Olympic associations to work on their kits and uniforms. "There were a million different things to consider with this role," explained McCartney. "Number one was trying to identify what makes a country, to show the pride of the nation and translate that into clothing, while taking into account the necessary technical achievement. "It also involves looking at the best athletes in the world and how to do them proud and to help enhance and support their performance." While making sure the kit is fit for purpose, McCartney was also keen for each kit to safeguard the masculinity and femininity of competitors. "Every athlete I talked to have said they perform better when they feel confident about how they look, so I really tried to do that," said McCartney. "Another thing is how to look masculine and feminine with that and still keep the dignity of the athlete. "Also, how everything will come across visually on television, when billions of people are watching it, to try and make it different. There are a million things to think of, working with a lot of guidelines." McCartney's efforts have received the backing of one of Team GB's leading lights, the nation's first Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins -- sort of. Wiggins, who will make his London 2012 bow in the cycling road race on Saturday, said on Twitter: "Just arrived at the Olympics, got all me kit, still think Stella was a bit Lucy in the Sky when she knocked this one up," a reference to one of McCartney's Dad's classic records. "In a good way, certainly gonna (sic) stand out," added Wiggins in a subsequent tweet. The confidence gained from looking slick is something Willie Walters, fashion course director at London's Central Saint Martins college of art and design, believes could give athletes the edge when it comes to winning medals. "It is important that leading athletes are given the confidence of looking their best at such an important occasion when all the world is observing them," said Walters. "This should be provided by the best designers available. A versatile designer can turn their talents to a range of aesthetics within the parameters of sporting attire." Walters also detailed the possible benefits for designers able to attach their name to a successful Olympic squad, both in terms of reputation and financially. "The coverage of the Olympics brings the attention of a much wider audience to these designers work. "(Designing sportswear) cannot be easy and would require a lot of research on the part of the designer and their team; I would think it should be well remunerated." | A host of high-profile fashion names have been asked to design Olympic kits .
Stella McCartney has designed Team GB's Adidas apparel for London 2012 .
Ralph Lauren has created the U.S. uniforms and Armani the Italian sailing kit .
The global sportswear market is worth an estimated $120 million . |
132,443 | 3745e04b144a92a4744df7d77969a6824064a237 | We hear between 10 and 200 lies every day, from ‘sorry, my phone’s died,’ to ‘I’m fine’. And just by listening to simple linguistic clues, we could easily weed them out, claims scientist and linguistics expert. Minimal self-references, negative language, simple explanations and convoluted phrasing are all hallmarks of a lie. Scroll down for video . We hear between 10 and 200 lies every day (examples are shown) and a technique called linguistic text analysis could help us spot them. People can spot liars because they use more convoluted language but refer to themselves less in a made-up story, according to the research . In a Ted talk, Noah Zandan a science communicator and chief executive of Quantified Communications based in Austin, Texas, explained how ‘linguistic text analysis’ - which is based on the difference between how we structure the truth, and lies – can help people spot untruths. Studies have shown that stories based on imagined experiences are qualitatively different from those based on real experiences, suggesting that coming up with a lie takes work and results in a different pattern of language use. Linguistic text analysis helps people spot four common patterns in the subconscious language of lying. Noah Zandan, a science communicator, explained that liars tend to refer to themselves less in a story. When Lance Armstrong (pictured) denied using performance-enhancing drugs, he used a hypothetical scenario to distance himself from his lie, while when he later admitted to using them, he used 75 per cent more pronouns . Liars tend to refer to themselves less in a story that isn't true, and sometimes use hypothetical situations or mention others more than usual. They often use negative terms, because they are subconsciously feeling guilty. Untrue stories tend to be overly-simplified because humans find it hard to construct and keep track of complex lies. While their story may be simple, liars tend to use longer, convoluted sentences, adding in irrelevant but factual-sounding details in a bid to make a story sound more convincing. Mr Zanden explained that liars typically mention themselves less and talk more about others in a lie. They sometimes use the third person to disassociate themselves from their lie, because they feel subconsciously guilty. ‘Liars tend to be more negative because on a subconscious level they feel guilty about lying. 'For example, a liar might say: “Sorry, my stupid phone battery died. I hate that thing,” Mr Zanden said. People can also spot a lie when someone explains events in very simple terms. Our brains struggle to build a complex false story, which means that explanations about events that didn’t happen, seem unrealistically straightforward. But while liars may keep their story simple, they tend to use longer and more convoluted sentences, inserting irrelevant but factual sounding details to pad out the lie, he said. People can spot a lie when someone explains events in very simple terms (illustrated left). Our brains struggle to build a complex false story, which means that explanations about events that didn’t happen, seem unrealistically straightforward, compared to a real-life story (illustrated lightheartedly right) Mr Zanden said that the devices can be seen in famous lies. For example, when seven times winner of the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong denied using performance-enhancing drugs in 2005, he described a hypothetical situation focused on someone else, to distance himself from his lie. Conversely, when he admitted to using them in 2013, his use of personal pronouns increased by nearly three quarters, indicating that he was telling the truth. He talked about his focus on personal emotions and motivations. | Minimal self-references and convoluted phrases are hallmarks of a lie .
Simple explanations and negative language are also giveaways .
A technique called linguistic text analysis allows people to spot them .
Science communicator applies technique to famous lies in a video .
He showed that Lance Armstrong avoided mentioning himself when he denied using performance-enhancing drugs in a 2005 interview .
Cyclist increased use of personal pronouns by 75% when admitting crime . |
279,558 | f626441a2c3d74f8a208a7f2442a01adeebf9cc0 | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 07:11 EST, 23 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:12 EST, 23 March 2013 . These Siberian tigers nuzzled each other contentedly after a hearty lunch at a Chinese sanctuary. The affectionate pair were spotted rubbing their scent against a tree trunk in the Siberian Tiger Park in Harbin, China as they chilled out in the snow this week. They joined some of the park's 800 Siberian tigers, who live in Heilongjiang province in the world's largest breeding centre for the species. This pair of Siberian tigers look content as they rub their scent glands against a tree after dinner time at the Tiger Park in Harbin, China . The tigers chilled out in the snow after the excitement of feeding time . The park in Harbin is the world's largest breeding centre for the Siberian tigers . Food brings out the creatures' competitive sides so no wonder they needed to relax after eating . Outside of captivity the breed, also known as Amur or Manchurian tigers, is mainly found in east Russia, north east China and the northern part of the Korean Peninsula . The calm of the resting animals came after a feeding frenzy as they vied to get to the front of the queue while a park keeper dropped meat joints into the enclosure. One tiger was seen tearing into a pheasant it had bagged in the clamour for food. The park is known for offering visitors a menu of live animals that they can pay for and watch being fed to the tigers. Prices start at 50yuan (£5.30)for a domestic chicken and 100yuan (£10.50) for a duck or pheasant. The ambush of Siberian tigers bared their teeth as they waited for feeding time to start . Earlier, the tigers clashed as they fought to the front of the queue at dinner time . The park lets visitors pay for live animals, including chickens, sheep and cows, to be fed to the tigers while they watch . One tiger rises above the ambush with its snack . Visitors can send a sheep to its death for 600yuan (£63.50) or watch a cow being devoured for 2,000yuan (£211). The Siberian tiger, also known as the Amur tiger, is the largest of the world's big cats. Thanks to conservation efforts, including the Harbin park, it is the only breed of tiger whose numbers are not in decline. This Siberian tiger tore through an animal carcass . Each creature staked out a spot in the snow to enjoy its meal . Another one pulled apart a pheasant at the 250 acre site in Harbin . | The pair were spotted at the Siberian Tiger Park in Harbin, China . |
158,952 | 597c406baffb57f1d17b4b8b7834b031d508afa0 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:02 EST, 27 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:39 EST, 27 July 2013 . When a Virginia Tech student sent a request to a record label asking that the 1990s grunge- rock band Nirvana record a video message for the college's homecoming week, the student may have wanted to consult with Google before making the request. Had the student - who only is identified as the school's mascot - done so, it would have become very clear that the request wasn't going to happen. The reason: the band split up nearly 20 years ago after its famous front-man, Kurt Cobain, committed suicide in 1994. Oops! SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Nirvana: legendary front-man Kurt Cobain (center) committed suicide in 1994 . In the request, sent to the record label Sub Pop, the co-ed asks that the band record a video message saying, 'what's up Virginia Tech? This is Nirvana! Just wanted to wish you guys a . Happy Homecoming Week and good luck at the game this Saturday. LETS GO . HOKIES!' The student promises that if the band fulfills the request, the homecoming committee will 'include any links to downloads, Facebook pages, Twitter pages, and/or . Artist Management Agencies' for the band. The student goes on to add that if Nirvana would make the video, the band would be 'among artists that include Big N Rich, Ying Yang Twins, the . Cataracs, Slightly Stoopid and three famous NFL Players.' Oops: A Virginia Tech student sent this embarrassingly outdated request to a record label . Presumably, those three unnamed NFL players currently are living. Despite being apparently oblivious to the fact that one of the most famous rock stars of the last 25 years has been dead for nearly 20 of them, the student doesn't appear to realize the gender of the three members of the band. 'As Virginia Tech loves Nirvana, we'd love to have her in our video,' the student writes. Nirvana, of course, was comprised of three men. 'Nirvana': Singer Mark Arm took the place of Kurt Cobain in cheering on the Virginia Tech 'hoagies' Confused by the embarrassingly outdated request, employees at Sub Pop decided to have a little fun. Using Mark Arm, who played in the Nirvana contemporary band Mudhoney, as a stand-in for Cobain, they recorded a message for the school - but Arm doesn't cheer for the Hokies, he cheers for a sandwich. 'Let's go hoagies,' he and other employees yell at the end of the video. | Cobain committed suicide in 1994 .
The record company recorded a spoof video of the student's request, in which they cheer for the 'hoagies' |
279,320 | f5dd0831b0ff159bef559bcd3aeec1b984bd34c0 | By . Lydia Warren . Tara the cat, who saved her family's four-year-old son from a vicious dog attack that was caught on camera, has been best friends with the boy since he was born, his parents have said. She followed Erica and Roger Triantafilo home from a park in Bakersfield, California about six years ago and has been a member of the family ever since, they said. On Wednesday, she became the nation's most beloved cat when surveillance footage emerged showing her saving their son Jeremy by pouncing on the neighbor's dog as it attacked him. On Thursday, Jeremy snoozed his way through his first live interview on the Today show as his parents described their shock at Tara's act of bravery. Scroll down for video - WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT . Safe: Erica and Roger Triantafilo sit with their sleeping four-year-old son Jeremy and Tara the cat, who saved him from a vicious dog attack outside their California home . 'It's pretty amazing to see just a cat . take on a dog and selflessly put herself out there,' Roger Triantafilo said. 'That dog did not . even know what hit him.' Erica explained that she had been near to the house watering a tree when the neighbor's dog, an eight-month-old male Labrador-Chow mix, escaped and grabbed her son by the leg. 'I'd never seen a dog just shake a child like that so violently,' she said. 'I just remember hearing him and the next thing I know, I see my cat flying out of nowhere and getting to this dog.' After the attack, Tara can be seen chasing the dog away before returning to Jeremy's side. In an interview with the Bakersfield Californian, his family said she had always been protective over their oldest child and slept in his crib when he was a baby. They also have younger twin boys. Tara the cat, who saved Jeremy, four, from a vicious dog attack that was caught on camera, threw the first pitch at a minor league baseball game . Loved: The cat happily lets the little boy kiss her as he calls her a hero who saved him from a 'mean dog' They added that Tara became part of the family in 2008 when she followed them home from a nearby park - and they accepted her into their home, even though Erica is allergic to cats. She 'really just adopted us from there,' Mrs Triantafilo said. They named her Tara after 'Zatara', which was the name given to Edmond Dantes in The Count of Monte Cristo by smugglers. They told him it means driftwood. 'We named her driftwood because she's our little cat that followed us home,' Triantafilo said. 'She's our little driftwood. She's amazing.' She said that even though her three boys tug at Tara, she sits there and takes it. Lurking: Jeremy Triantafilo was outside his family's home when a neighbor's dog escaped and ran towards him . To the rescue! Tara runs towards her owner as Scrappy shakes him. The dog was euthanized after continuing to show aggression during a 10-day assessment . 'She's the most mellow cat you've ever seen,' she told Today. 'All our boys love her... and she loves them right back.' The video had shown . Jeremy sitting on his bicycle outside his family's home on Tuesday when . the dog escaped its home through an open gate and crept up on him from . behind. Surveillance footage, which Jeremy's father uploaded to YouTube, shows the dog grabbing the boy's leg and pulling him to the ground before violently shaking him with his teeth clamped tight. Then suddenly, an unlikely hero bounds towards him - the family's cat, Tara. The . video shows the fearless feline jumping on the dog with enough force to . push him away from the boy. Tara then chases the dog away from the . driveway with its leg between its tail. Feline brave: The cat launches herself at the startled dog and knocks it away from Jeremy . And don't come back! Tara follows the dog to make sure it has left, before returning to check on Jeremy . The neighbor, who had been pulling out of their gated driveway when the dog escaped, called 911 for the boy and his mother, KERO reported. The boy, who has mild autism, needed 1- stitches to the deep wounds on his legs but is otherwise fine. 'He's just bouncing back from this,' she told Today. 'He . tells us it feels better.' Speaking to Kero, he said: 'Tara is my hero!' The dog was taken by Bakersfield Animal Control and could be rehabilitated at the neighbors' but home but also faces being euthanized. Injuries: Jeremy needed stitches to the wounds on his leg, pictured, but is otherwise fine, his mother said . Relief: Jeremy's parents, Erica and Roger, pictured, said they were relieved his injuries were not worse . The . encounter was caught on surveillance cameras outside the home and . uploaded to YouTube by the boy's father, Roger Triantafilo, on . Wednesday. 'My cat . defends my son during a vicious dog attack and runs the dog off before . he can do additional damage,' Triantafilo wrote beneath the video. 'Thankfully, my son is fine!' The . boy's mother said on Facebook: 'We aren't upset with our neighbors, . we're just thankful our son wasn't injured more... Our cat is my hero!' 'Whoever said cats don't love their owners!' one YouTube viewer said. See below for video . Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy . | WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT .
Jeremy Triantafilo was outside his family's California home on Tuesday when the neighbor's dog escaped and grabbed him from behind .
But the family cat, Tara, jumped on the dog and chased it away .
The boy needed stitches and the dog has been taken by animal control .
The incident was captured on surveillance cameras outside the home . |
94,926 | 06000500de7a398b63f1c3d29c8441629e861743 | Salt Lake City, Utah (CNN) -- By all accounts, Michael Burdell was a gentle soul with a soft spot for people in need. A Vietnam veteran, he was issued a weapon but refused to carry it, serving as a technician on communications equipment, his fiancée, Donna Nu, said in court documents. The two had known each other for six years. Had Burdell, a 36-year-old attorney, not died on April 2, 1985, shot to death by Ronnie Lee Gardner during Gardner's escape attempt at a Salt Lake City courthouse, they would have been married. But Nu, along with Burdell's friend, Ron Temu, and his 86-year-old father, Joseph Burdell, are now arguing on Gardner's behalf. Gardner is to face a Utah firing squad on June 18. But driven by Burdell's pacifism and opposition to the death penalty, the three have filed statements in the case seeking to have his sentence commuted. "Michael Burdell would not have wanted Ronnie Lee Gardner put to death," Nu said in court documents. "There is absolutely no question about this in my mind." Legal maneuvers aimed at delaying or avoiding Gardner's execution have accelerated. His defense attorneys went before the Utah Supreme Court this week to argue that he should receive a new sentencing hearing, appealing an earlier state court's denial. The justices took the case under advisement. On Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Tena Campbell denied a defense request to stop Thursday's commutation hearing before the state Board of Pardons and Parole. Defense attorney Andrew Parnes had asked Campbell to issue a temporary restraining order, saying he was concerned the hearing would not be fair and impartial because representatives from the Utah attorney general's office were both presenting the state's case at the hearing and advising the board. Attorneys representing the state agency said safeguards were in place to prevent a conflict of interest. Parnes also said he was concerned the board would not allow some videotaped testimony to be played at the hearing, although the board said it would take the testimony under consideration. He has filed a federal complaint over the matter, which he said was not necessarily nullified by Campbell's decision to let the hearing go forward. Nu will be among those testifying on Gardner's behalf. The elder Burdell, who lives in North Carolina, said in his statement he would be there as well, if his age did not preclude his traveling to Utah. Attempts by CNN to speak with Nu on Wednesday were unsuccessful, because she was traveling to Salt Lake City from her Arizona home. Temu did not immediately return a call seeking comment. The two are members of a Salt Lake City-based religious movement called Summum. Burdell was also a member. Summum was founded in 1975 by the late Corky Ra, also known as Summum Bonum Amon Ra, after he said he was visited by other beings. Belief blog: What is Summum? Nu said in her statement she met Burdell while the two were living in Arizona and she was making frequent trips to the Summum center in Utah. She introduced Burdell to the movement, and he became a member. They moved to Salt Lake City in 1982. "In addition to Michael's personal beliefs, the Summum faith opposes capital punishment," Nu said in court documents. "People who take the vows of Summum must pledge never to take the life of another person. Michael Burdell freely took this pledge." Temu said in his statement he believes Burdell must have been "the poorest attorney on Earth, because he so often represented people who could not afford to pay him." Burdell lived "like a monk," he said, and had few possessions. On April 2, 1985, Burdell was at the courthouse on a case, representing a fellow Vietnam veteran at no cost. Gardner was also at the courthouse that day, scheduled for a pretrial hearing in the 1984 slaying of Melvyn Otterstrom. He killed Otterstrom after escaping from prison; now, he was planning to escape from custody again. According to court documents filed by Gardner's defense, he had planned to use a gun that would be left hanging from a water fountain in the basement of the courthouse. However, an accomplice in the basement handed Gardner a .22-caliber gun instead as he was being led in by guards. Gardner was handcuffed, and his legs chained together. His arms also were fastened to a waist chain that limited how far he could raise his hands. As soon as Gardner was given the gun, court documents said, he was shot and seriously injured by one of the guards with him. But he managed to "shuffle" into a basement office area, where courthouse archives were kept. Burdell and another attorney were in the office; they saw Gardner with a gun and hid behind the door as he came inside. As Gardner spotted them and pointed the gun at them, the other attorney fled, leaving Burdell behind. The other attorney reported hearing Burdell say, "Oh, my God," and Gardner swear before the gun went off, shooting Burdell through the eye. Gardner then grabbed a corrections officer and tried to force him to accompany him out of the building, according to court documents. He also shot bailiff Nick Kirk as he was trying to leave. Gardner eventually surrendered to authorities on the courthouse lawn. He pleaded guilty in June 1985 to killing Otterstrom and was sentenced to life in prison, with a judge's recommendation that he not be released. Later that same year, he was convicted of capital murder in Burdell's death. Burdell's father said in court documents filed this year that he does not believe his son's shooting was premeditated. "Gardner himself had been shot and his shooting my son was a spur-of-the-moment reaction," Joseph Burdell said. "Furthermore," he added, "I do not believe Gardner is the same person today that he was in 1985." But Otterstrom's friends and family said they support Gardner's execution. Cousin Craig Watson told The Salt Lake Tribune this month, "It's about time justice is served." Kirk's widow also told the newspaper she supports the death penalty for Gardner, saying the shooting left her husband in constant pain. He was never the same, she said, and died of a heart attack in 1995. But those who loved Burdell recall his pacifist nature and his desire to help his fellow man. They believe that if Burdell were still alive, he would be campaigning against Gardner's death. "My son was a caring and generous person who tried to help others," Joseph Burdell said. "It would not have been in his nature to condone Gardner's execution. He would not have approved of it at all." | Attorney Michael Burdell was shot to death at a Utah courthouse in 1985 .
Burdell would have opposed the death penalty for his killer, friends and family say .
Ronnie Lee Gardner, in court for a hearing in a murder case, was trying to escape .
Gardner is scheduled to die by firing squad on June 18 . |
256,365 | d7d2c3f22d6e0303d6bcef8d20e8d265d07257db | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 05:57 EST, 13 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 07:45 EST, 13 March 2014 . F&F's new collection may be sold in Tesco, but with its vibrant colours and graphic on-trend prints, it looks fresh off the catwalks - and costs a fraction of the price. Inspired by the colourful street art of the city's Santa Marta area, the eclectic high summer collection is full of colourful . Aztec motif swimwear, printed jumpsuits, shorts and maxi dresses. Embracing the sportsluxe trend seen on every catwalk, the collection offers mesh panel crop jumpers, crochet lace shorts and geometric clutch-bags. Welcome to Rio! F&F's SS14 campaign was shot in the favelas of Rio, which are now globally renowned as an culturally inspirational and creative hotspot (blouse, £16) There's a nod to the season’s taste for soft, feminine ladylike shapes in the form of 50s hourglass dresses in pretty pastel shades and organza panelled midi skirts. Swimwear is loud and proud with clashing leopard and deep purple prints emblazoned across swimming costumes and push-up bikinis. Prints charming: Swimwear, which is offered in swimming costumes and bikini styles, is emblazoned with loud and graphic Aztec prints (left, £15, right, bikini top, £8) Catwalk coveted: The range seemingly took inspiration from all the heavy hitting designers, such as Burberry, with lovely lace a key theme (cardigan, £15, top, £16) Fun fashion: The range hopes to transport women to the colourful streets of Rio (left, £16), while metallics and smart jackets add a sophisticated edge (right, jacket, £28, top, £9, shorts, £8) There are Burberry-esque lace midi skirts, casual denim shorts and eye-catching floral kaftans, which all cost under £40. Fashion blogger Lydia Faye Jones said: 'This is a really impressive and directional offering from F&F and they continue to go from strength to strength as an on-trend label. Cut-price fashion: The colourful new collection is all priced under £40 and features casual beachwear, as well as more sophisticated styles (trousers, £14, top, £8) Directional: Organza, as seen at Temperley and Ellie Saab, and lace, as seen everywhere, featur heavily in the new range . 'They've clearly been taking note of the SS14 catwalks to offer a lot of trend-led pieces that are bound to brighten up the nation's summer wardrobe.' The new range, which has just started to drop online, was even featured in this month's Vogue. F&F collections are currently available in over 850 stores in the UK and over 2000 globally. | Range inspired by colourful street art of Rio .
Takes note from Burberry and Temperley catwalks with lace and organza . |
119,173 | 25eb84fc7fb1d5d6deca53164df695349fddf428 | (CNN) -- The recent West Nile virus outbreak is the largest ever seen in the United States, according to new numbers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of cases so far this year is the highest recorded through August since the disease was first detected in the United States in 1999. As of Tuesday, 38 states had reported human infections. The cases reported to the CDC as of Tuesday total 1,118, including 41 deaths. Arkansas, Michigan and Mississippi have each reported an additional death. "The peak of West Nile virus epidemics usually occurs in mid-August, but it takes a couple of weeks for people to get sick, go to the doctor and get reported," said Dr. Lyle Petersen, the director of the CDC's Vector-Borne Infectious Disease Division. "Thus we expect many more cases to occur." Fast facts on West Nile virus . Petersen said that the reason for the high number of cases this year is unclear, but that unusually warm weather could have fostered favorable conditions for the disease's transfer to humans. About 75% of the cases are in Texas, Mississippi, Louisiana, South Dakota and Oklahoma. Texas has been at the epicenter of the outbreak, with 586 confirmed cases and 21 deaths, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Here are five things you need to know about West Nile virus: . 1. Most mosquitoes do not carry West Nile. In areas where mosquitoes carry the virus, only about one in 500 mosquitoes is infected, according to the Connecticut Mosquito Management Program. 2. Most people bit by West Nile mosquitoes do not get sick. About 80% of people bit by a mosquito infected with the West Nile virus do not get sick, according to the CDC. About 20% will have relatively mild symptoms, such as fever, headache and vomiting. Symptoms can last for as short as a few days or as long as a few weeks. About one in 150 people infected with West Nile will develop a severe illness, which can include paralysis, coma or death. 3. You can help prevent West Nile with the "four Ds." • Use mosquito repellent with DEET . • Dress in long pants and long sleeves . • Be especially careful at dusk and dawn . • Drain any standing water, such as kiddie pools or bird fountains, where mosquitoes like to breed. 4. People over 50 are most vulnerable. Those older than 50 are the most likely to become severely ill with West Nile and should take special care to avoid mosquitoes, according to the CDC. 5. Seek medical care immediately if you have severe headaches or confusion. If you develop symptoms of severe West Nile virus illness, such as unusually severe headaches or confusion, seek medical attention immediately, according to the CDC. Severe illness usually requires hospitalization. Milder cases improve on their own and do not necessarily require medical attention. West Nile blamed in death of Illinois official as U.S. battles virus . 'I knew my husband was going to go,' West Nile widow says . CNN's Jacque Wilson contributed to this report. | More than 1,100 cases and at least 44 deaths have been reported .
The numbers are the highest through August since the virus was first detected .
The number is expected to rise, officials say .
Steps can be taken to prevent West Nile infection . |
102,084 | 0f8d8493e2b1b390cac62f81fc0a0dcc9922be4c | (CNN) -- CNN reported Monday on the heart-rending story of Emily Bauer, a teenager from Houston, who suffered a debilitating stroke after consuming what has come to be known as "synthetic marijuana." Although the role that synthetic marijuana played in Emily's medical condition is not yet clear, what is clear is that these new chemicals might not even exist if it weren't for the prohibition of marijuana, a plant that has been widely consumed throughout the world for thousands of years. A few years ago, people started using synthetic marijuana to evade drug tests -- and it caught on, once news reports publicized its existence. And even though President Obama and 41 governors have signed legislation criminalizing various forms of synthetic marijuana, this stuff isn't going away -- that is, until we legally regulate marijuana itself. To understand drug use by teenagers, we must acknowledge that they have grown up with drugs everywhere. We urge young people to be "drug-free," but Americans are bombarded with messages encouraging us to imbibe and medicate with a variety of substances: We use caffeine to boost our energy, we drink alcohol to relax, and we use prescription and over-the-counter drugs to help us work, study and sleep. And despite the draconian punishments associated with illegal drugs, 44% of today's teens will try them before graduating from high school. Marijuana itself is the most widely consumed illegal drug -- more than 100 million Americans have used it and 20 million have been arrested for it since 1965. Not surprisingly, given the laws of supply and demand, enterprising chemists have discovered an endless array of marijuana-like chemicals that can be sprayed onto potpourri-like plant matter and sold as "incense." People who have tried synthetic marijuana often report psychoactive effects that are comparable to marijuana, but notably less pleasurable. Almost no one would touch this synthetic stuff -- actually, it wouldn't even exist -- if it weren't for the criminalization of the marijuana plant itself. Attempting to ban one new substance after another is like a game of whack-a-mole: Each time one gets banned, another untested and potentially more dangerous drug pops up to replace it. The synthetic marijuana that Emily Bauer consumed was likely one of the "second generation" of synthetic marijuana chemicals. Since Congress and state legislatures banned a host of them over the past two years, the companies producing these products have simply changed their chemical formulations to one of thousands of slightly different chemicals with marijuana-like effects. These new synthetic marijuana products are not an example of effective legal regulation, but an example of underregulation. Like aspirin or soft drinks, they are not subject to age, licensing, or other restrictions. Oddly enough, the rush to criminalize synthetic marijuana and other synthetic drugs comes at a time when public opinion is dramatically shifting in favor of decriminalizing, and even legally regulating, marijuana. More than three-quarters of American voters believe marijuana should be decriminalized, which 14 states have done. They also believe it should be available for medical use, which 18 states and the District of Columbia now allow; and about half think it should be legally regulated more or less like alcohol, as Colorado and Washington are doing. After decades of marijuana prohibition, elected officials and the public are finally realizing that regulating the production and sale of marijuana is the best way to reduce the harms of the illicit marijuana market and the harms of marijuana use itself. It's important to note that the marijuana legalization initiatives overwhelmingly passed by voters in Colorado and Washington last November create strictly regulated regimes -- with age restrictions (21 and older) accompanied by meticulous government oversight of producers and retail distributors. On the other hand, synthetic marijuana -- whether underregulated or outright prohibited -- hasn't ever been subject to an appropriate level of regulation. Before rushing to criminalize a new drug, legislators ought to ask: What specific regulatory options would help to reduce the harm to individuals, families and society? We need to ask what's the best way to solve the problem -- how to reduce drug abuse and addiction -- and use the best evidence to guide us. And the evidence clearly shows that effective, legal regulation reduces the harm of drugs better than prohibition ever does. We have already learned a lot from regulating other substances, such as alcohol and tobacco. Product labeling requirements, as well as marketing, branding and retail display restrictions, are proven to reduce youth access to tobacco products and impulse tobacco purchases. Tobacco has contributed to more deaths than alcohol and illicit drugs combined. As a result of education initiatives and marketing and age restrictions, smoking has declined dramatically over time -- despite its legality for adults -- in one of the greatest public health success stories of the last generation. Outright criminalization only drives the demand for the drug to the illicit market. Under prohibition, regulators have no control over where the product is sold, who sells it, or to whom they sell it. Arresting young people, moreover, often causes more damage than drug use itself. After 40 years of the "war on drugs," the evidence clearly shows that it is ineffective to use the criminal justice system to send public health messages. Prohibition simply creates new public health problems and maximizes the harm associated with illegal drug use. Indeed, drugs, whether marijuana or synthetic marijuana, should not be legally regulated because they are safe -- they should be legally regulated precisely because they can be harmful. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jag Davies. | Emily Bauer suffered a debilitating stroke after consuming synthetic marijuana .
Jag Davies: These chemicals wouldn't exist if it weren't for the prohibition of marijuana .
Each time one form of fake pot gets banned, he says, another is designed to fill its place .
Davies: Regulate real and fake pot, instead of driving them to the illicit market with no controls . |
263,021 | e0ac57f7b543db049643a0ecd2a94338b4746df1 | (CNN) -- It's safe to assume that most people outside West Africa had never even heard of Mali until a few weeks ago. If they had, there's a good chance it was thanks to some beautifully flowing song or instrumental by one of the country's many world-renowned musicians: Salif Keita, Tinariwen, Oumou Sangare, Toumani Diabate, Rokia Traore... the list is long. If it wasn't music then it might have been Mali's priceless medieval manuscripts that drew their attention, or its majestic mud-built mosques, its filmmakers, poets, photographers and writers. Like Jamaica or Ireland, Mali's music and culture are its primary asset, its shop-window to the world, its "gold and cotton" as one famous musician put it. Certainly, very few people would have included the words "Mali" and "Islamism" in the same sentence before April last year, when Islamist militia took control of over two thirds of the country and started amputating the hands of thieves, stoning adulterers and whipping women who happened to venture out into the streets 'improperly' dressed. With the arrival of French forces and the mass hostage seizure at the Algerian oil facility of In Amenas, Mali and Islamism are two words that now appear not only to be inextricably linked but on the front page. Six reasons why Mali matters . Of course, the association goes back much further than April 2012. Al Qaeda and the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) moved south from Algeria and into Mali's remote northern deserts over a decade ago. It proceeded to amass a fortune from kidnapping, smuggling and money laundering whilst undermining the local economy, disrupting social relations and destroying the local tourist industry. It brought along a hardcore form of Islam inspired by Wahabism and a hatred of the West that was previously almost unheard of in Mali, a country which has long contented itself with gentler and more tolerant brands of Sufism richly tinted by local pre-Islamic beliefs. AQIM also managed to hijack a rebellion against the central government in Bamako by the nomadic Touareg people of the north that had been grinding on and off for the best part of fifty years. This conflict, which first erupted in 1963, was always about power, influence and the self-determination of a marginalized people. It was also about preserving the Touareg's unique Berber culture. It had never been about imposing hard line Islam on anyone. But from round 2006 onwards, Touareg nationalism and Islamic terrorism became inextricably confused with each other. Why Africa backs French in Mali . Indeed, there's a widespread theory, confirmed by the word of just a few bit-players in the drama but lacking any more conclusive evidence, that certain parties who were utterly averse to the idea of an independent Touareg state -- the Malian government, Algeria and others -- either deliberately implanted AQIM in the region, or at the very least tolerated its presence there. It was hoped that the strategy would attract military aid and doom the Touareg nationalist project to failure. The theory might seem strange given the damage that terrorism has wrought in both Mali and Algeria but most Touareg I know accept it as gospel. We'll probably never know the whole truth. What's certain is that the Sahara is one of the hardest places on earth for an outsider to understand. Its interlocking cogs of power and influence -- geopolitical, regional, governmental, tribal, mineral, criminal, spiritual, clan and family -- are fiendishly complex. No foreign intervention can hope to achieve any long-term benefits if it cannot get to grips with the underlying political and social mechanism of this vast region. 2011 brought the Arab Spring and the end of Muammar Gadhafi, who had long been a stabilizing force in the Sahel, and both a promoter and a hinderer of Touareg nationalist ambitious. His weapons arsenals were opened up to armed groups of every stripe and in January 2012, the Touareg used this opportunity to reignite their rebellion in northern Mali. But it was al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb who eventually took control, either directly or through a network of alliances. Now Mali's hopes lie with the French, who intervened on Friday January 11, after months of diplomatic wrangling at the U.N. and elsewhere. France 'not a pacifist nation' So the world has a new front on the global war on terror and France has a new battle to fight in Africa. Within northern Mali itself, however, and throughout the Muslim world, this is not seen as a war on terror but as a cultural conflict, one that pits a group of people who feel that the future of their society will be best served by rejecting Western liberal values and returning to the core tenets of Islam against another group who believe in religious tolerance, secularism, democracy and music. This conflict turns musicians, artists and writers into frontline soldiers. Saudi Arabia destroyed its mausoleums and silenced its musicians decades, even centuries, ago. In the Algerian civil war of the 1990s, many musicians, writers and cultural figures were killed, prompting others to flee overseas. In Mali they're still singing, still writing, still fighting, for the time being at least. In this new battleground in the cultural wars of the Muslim world, a distant mirror of the religious wars that shook Europe in the 15th and 16th centuries, Malian musicians are taking a stand. That's why music matters. That's why Mali matters. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Andy Morgan. | Until recently, Mali was better known for its music, mosques and manuscripts than for conflict .
Andy Morgan: Music and culture are Mali's shop-window to the world, its primary asset .
Conflict turns musicians, artists and writers into frontline soldiers, says Morgan .
Morgan: In Mali they're still singing, still writing, still fighting . |
126,649 | 2fb83df1a0558966df6c4ceea6427b4f18be7640 | Denmark has finally vowed to ban sex with animals because the practice is 'damaging the country's reputation' as well as being non-consensual. The country has become a magnet for animal sex tourists in recent years and has even seen a surge in animal brothels - as bestiality is banned almost everywhere else in Europe. Danish agricultural minister Dan Jorgensen said he will outlaw the act - closing the legal loophole following mounting pressure from the international community. Ban: Danish agricultural minister Dan Jorgensen made the decision to outlaw sex with animals claiming the country's reputation was suffering as it had become a magnet for animal sex tourists . He told Danish daily Ekstra Bladet: 'I have decided that we should ban sex with animals. This is because it constitutes an attack on the animal, which naturally cannot consent to sex. 'It is also damaging to our country's reputation to allow this practice to continue here while it is banned elsewhere.' A recent Gallup opinion poll revealed that 76 per cent of Danes supported a ban on animal sex. The bill, which also requires changes in the country's welfare animal laws, will be introduced by the Danish government in 2015. Speaking in a VICE documentary, Danish animal rights activist Karoline Lundstrom recently commented: 'I don't think the Danish government is doing enough to protect the animals. 'They need to do something to protect zoophilia in Denmark.' Bestiality has been illegal in England since 1290 under the reign of Edward I, but many of our European neighbours including France, Germany, Belgium and Holland have only outlawed the practice in the last ten years. Non-consensual: The Danish politician pointed out that bestiality 'constitutes an attack' as animals are unable to offer consent . Sweden banned zoophilia, another term describing sex with animals, in April 2014 in a move backed by the country's Rural Affairs Minister, Eskil Erlandsson. 'There should be no doubt whatsoever that bestiality is unacceptable,' The Local cited him as saying. In 2012 the same ban was passed in Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel's government introduced the new law against the practice, saying animals should not be used 'for personal sexual activities or made available to third parties for sexual activities… thereby forcing them to behave in ways that are inappropriate to their species.' Bestiality is still legal in Finland, Hungary and Romania. | Minister outlaws practice claiming country's reputation was suffering .
Also said bestiality 'constitutes an attack' as animals cannot give consent .
Sex with animals banned in England since 1290 during reign of Edward I .
But other EU countries such as Germany only enforced ban in recent years . |
60,944 | ad23999830755fc794683986e135ede88fcf4bf9 | (CNN) -- At least 12 Chinese sailors have been killed after their cargo ships were attacked on the Mekong River in the northern Thai province of Chiang Rai, the Chinese Foreign Ministry in Yunnan Province has said. The ministry's website stated that two Chinese cargo ships -- the Hua Ping and Yu Xing 8 -- were attacked with gunfire on October 5. According to the initial investigation, all six sailors from Hua Ping and six of the seven sailors from Yu Xing 8 were found dead, while one remained missing. Though still in the early stages of their investigation, Thai police say they cannot rule out the involvement of drug gangs in the killings. Chiang Rai police colonel Popkorn Khuncharoensuk told CNN that the two ships were raided by a joint task force of army, marine police, local police and paramilitary following the attack, and found almost one million amphetamines on the vessels. "This is the most gruesome incident I have ever seen," Popkorn said. According to Popkorn, one of the bodies was found aboard the Hua Ping, while the rest were found in the Mekong River near Chiangsaen port. Three of the bodies remained unidentified, and some were found with their hands cuffed or tied. "I can't rule out all possibilities, but initially there appears to be drugs involved," Popkorn said. "But we can't just quickly jump to the conclusion that it was carried out by drug gangs. The case is complicated, and we have to be very thorough." The violent incident has unnerved many of those who ply their trade on the river. "There are no cargo ships leaving or coming to Chiangsaen port," said Surachart Janthawatcharakorn, Chief of Chiangsaen Customs Office. "They have all halted their traveling because they are still frightened by the incident, and are still very concerned about their safety." The Chinese Foreign Ministry said the Chinese Embassy in Thailand and its consulate general in Chiang Mai were investigating the murders and were working closely with Thai authorities and other relevant countries to hunt down the criminals. CNN's Kocha Olarn and Haolan Hong contributed to this report. | Two Chinese ships were attacked on the Mekong River on October 5 .
China's Foreign Ministry says at least 12 sailors were killed in the attack .
China says it's working with Thai authorities to hunt down the criminals . |
197,005 | 8afc88ec15787d2272b0720240e26d96895fff74 | Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic (CNN) -- A proposed regulation in the Dominican Republic could stop illegal immigrants from studying in the nation's public schools. Immigration officials say requiring students to have valid identification documents is part of the nation's sovereign right. But immigrant advocates have criticized the move, which is likely to affect a large number of immigrants from neighboring Haiti. "We recognize that there is a human drama, a social drama impacting the Dominican Republic in terms of migration that particularly affects the case of our Haitian neighbors. And obviously Dominican society needs to approach it responsibly," said Jose Ricardo Taveras, the Dominican Republic's general director of migration. After a 7.0-magnitude earthquake devastated Haiti in January 2010, more than 200,000 displaced Haitians crossed the border, according to the International Organization for Migration. Since then, many have returned to Haiti. But historic tensions between the neighboring nations remain. There are about 54,000 foreign children studying in the country's schools, nearly half of whom are undocumented, according to government estimates. Children born in the Dominican Republic to illegal immigrant parents are not Dominican citizens, according to the country's constitution. It was unclear when the proposed regulation, which was included in a draft plan presented to the Dominican Republic's president on Wednesday, would go into effect. The president will have the final say on whether -- and when -- to implement regulations presented by immigration officials. The proposed measures also would require residency permits for foreigners and impose fines on businesses that hire illegal immigrants. Dominican Republic Education Secretary Josefina Pimentel said foreign students still have access to public education, and that officials have been working to help immigrant students obtain the necessary documentation. But immigrant advocacy organizations have said the government should reconsider its approach. "We need to design a migration policy that conforms with the rule of law and conforms with the focus on human rights, which is what we are proposing," said Roque Feliz, deputy director of Centro Bono, a Jesuit nonprofit. In a statement Wednesday, the organization criticized immigration officials. "We are aware that modern states are sovereign and define their migration policies, but ... no law nor any regulation can infringe on rights guaranteed in the constitution," the statement said. Taveras has defended the new measures, saying authorities are not violating human rights or aiming to deprive children of education. "To enroll a Dominican child in a school, it is necessary to present a birth certificate, so it is the same for foreigners. We are not trying to violate, but rather regulate," he told CNN affiliate Telesistema. Dominican authorities have historically shied away from enforcing immigration laws, he said, noting that the country's immigration problems have long been complex and controversial. In recent years, immigration from Haiti has remained high, he told Telesistema, because the international community has not done enough to help Haiti after the 2010 earthquake. The Dominican Republic was the first country to give aid to Haiti in the earthquake's aftermath, sending food, medicine and rescue crews. But historically, a much wider gap in relations has existed between Haiti and the Dominican Republic since colonial times. Dominicans recall how they were under Haitian rule for a period in the mid-1800s, and how they repeatedly fought Haitian aggressions. Today, Haitians provide cheap labor in the Dominican Republic, a trend that has caused resentment on both sides, not unlike the illegal immigration debate in the United States. The Dominican Republic gained its independence from Haiti in 1844, after Haiti occupied it. By the early 20th century, Haitians had become a source of cheap labor in the neighboring country. Racism and security concerns resulted in a massacre in 1937, when Dominican leader Rafael Trujillo ordered the execution of Haitians living near the border between the countries, resulting in the killing of 20,000 to 30,000 Haitians, historians say. Taveras told Telesistema it was time for his country to do more to enforce immigration laws. "We have to push this," he said. CNN's Mariano Castillo and Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report. | Dominican officials say immigration regulations are the country's sovereign right .
Immigrant advocates have criticized the move .
It is likely to affect a large number of immigrants from neighboring Haiti .
"We are not trying to violate (rights), but rather regulate," one official says . |
121,836 | 297ed3b9e24e91edecf7786ad4ea3c47faecb52c | (CNN) -- After almost two years in captivity, Peter Theo Curtis is finally home. The American released Sunday after being held in Syria briefly addressed a gaggle of reporters in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Wednesday. "I had no idea when I was in prison so much effort was being expended on my behalf," he said, explaining that he was grateful for those who tried to secure his release from Islamist militants. "Total strangers have been coming up to me (saying), 'Hey, we're just glad you're home,' said Curtis, who was dressed in jeans, sandals and a T-shirt. "I suddenly remember how good the American people are and what kindness they have in their hearts," he added. "I'm overwhelmed by emotion." The 45-year-old professional writer thanked journalists for expressing such great interest in him, but he said he had to bond with his mother and he just couldn't bring himself to give an interview now. "That's all I can say to you," he said, promising to give interviews later and "help you guys do your job." "I will respond," he said, "but I can't do it now." He then stepped away from the cameras. An end to a traumatic ordeal . Curtis flew Tuesday from Tel Aviv, Israel, to the United States, stopping in Newark, New Jersey, before reuniting with his mother in Boston, his family said earlier in a news release. "I have been so touched and moved, beyond all words, by the people who have come up to me today -- strangers on the airplane, the flight attendants and, most of all, my family to say welcome home," Curtis said. Curtis' mother Nancy, said she was "overwhelmed with relief" that he had returned. But given the recent death of American journalist James Foley, who was beheaded by militants with ISIS, she couldn't bring herself to celebrate. Curtis was believed to have been captured in October 2012 and held by al-Nusra Front, a rebel group with ties to al Qaeda. Al-Nusra is a different rebel group than ISIS. "I don't think anybody's in the mood of celebration. You know, we're relieved," Curtis earlier told CNN outside her home in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "But after the events of the last week and knowing those other children of my friends are in danger, you know, I have very conflicted emotions. I've come to know the other families as well, and these kids have a lot in common." Matt Wormser, a Vermont resident and Peter Theo Curtis' former high school roommate, said it was a "very bittersweet time" for friends and relatives of the freed hostage. "It's been tremendously difficult for Nancy," he said. The first person Curtis contacted after confirming that her son had been released was Foley's mother, Diane, she told "ABC World News Tonight." "You learn to get over the panic," Nancy Curtis told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "You learn to just take each hour as it comes." Handing over a prisoner . The United Nations said Peter Theo Curtis was handed over Sunday to U.N. peacekeepers in the Golan Heights, which is under Israeli government control, and was given a medical checkup. State Department spokeswoman Marie Harf said Curtis was brought to Tel Aviv, for medical evaluations. Harf said he appeared to be in good health. Curtis made a brief call to his mother Sunday, Nancy Curtis said. "He said, 'Mom, they're just being so nice to me. They put me in this wonderful hotel, and I'm drinking a beer, and there are women out there,' " she recalled. "Because he's been in a cellar for two years, and he hasn't seen anything, no street life or obviously no women to be seen, and so he was really excited, and he was thrilled to be in Tel Aviv and frustrated that he can't go out because the place apparently is surrounded by paparazzi." Curtis expressed gratitude to many for helping secure her son's release, including the FBI, Secretary of State John Kerry, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Atlantic Media Chairman and owner David Bradley, U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power and, especially, the government of Qatar. "Here's this extraordinary woman, and she said, 'We are going to get Theo free,' and after we made those contacts, things moved rapidly," Curtis said of Alia Al Thani, Qatar's permanent representative to the United Nations. Qatar recently helped arrange the exchange of Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, the only U.S. service member held by militants in Afghanistan, for five Taliban detainees held in the U.S. military base at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The United States was not involved in negotiations for Peter Theo Curtis' release but was aware of private efforts to secure the release, two U.S. law enforcement officials said. Harf said Qatari officials "told the family very clearly that they did not pay ransom" -- something the United States government, as a policy, doesn't do when dealing with kidnappers and terrorists. An author and journalist . Curtis is an author and freelance reporter who writes under the name Theo Padnos. He contributed articles about the Middle East to various publications, including the New Republic, The Huffington Post and the London Review of Books. He has also published two books: "My Life Had Stood a Loaded Gun," a memoir about teaching literature to young offenders at a correctional facility in Vermont, and "Undercover Muslim: A Journey into Yemen," which investigates Islamic extremism. He was born in Atlanta and graduated from Middlebury College in Vermont. Curtis holds a doctorate in comparative literature from the University of Massachusetts and is fluent in French and Arabic, according to a statement from his family. He also speaks German and Russian. "He had spent six years living in the Middle East," Nancy Curtis said. "He is very interested in the culture; he is fluent in Arabic. And he sees himself as someone who can help interpret what's going on there. He's particularly good at relating to ... confused young people who are trying to give meaning to their lives. Some of them get sucked up into this world of jihad." Fears heightened for Western hostages . Why freelance reporting is so dangerous . Foley's murder: 'A message to Britain' CNN's Marisa Marcellino and Greg Botelho contributed to this report. | Peter Theo Curtis thanks journalists but declines to make more than a few statements .
He apologizes to journalists that he can't say more, says he wants bonding time with mother .
Islamist militants had held the 45-year-old journalist in Syria for nearly two years .
Nancy Curtis says the release is bittersweet, coming shortly after another journalist's beheading . |
216,866 | a4c62a274b684990589ae69a4b04f7137be0ecd0 | An island the size of 25 football pitches has appeared seemingly out of nowhere off the coast of Germany. The landmass, which is composed of sandbanks, gradually emerged from the violent waters of the North Sea over the past few years. It lies 15 miles off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein in Germany’s far north in a stretch of coastline known as the Wattenmeer, a marine national park. 'Anything but ordinary': The new landmass has been dubbed Bird Island after its first settlers; who include gulls, eider ducks, grey geese and even peregrine falcons . Nature lovers and yachstmen noticed the appearance of Bird Island - named after the seabirds who rest, nest or feed on the sand dunes that are up to 16ft high. Winds blew seeds from across Europe, and 49 species of plants have been detected on it. 'Who needs an artificial island off the coast of Dubai?' asked the Bild newspaper, Germany’s largest, when the landmass composed of sandbanks grew, and stayed put, in the North Sea. But before locals reach for the beachtowels and sun loungers, nature might beat them to it. Landmass: The island, which is composed of sandbanks, has emerged from the waters of the North Sea off the coast of Germany over the past few years . Dunes: Nearly 50 different plant species have been discovered on the island after winds blew seeds from across Europe . Martin Stock, a biologist with the National Park Management which oversees the Wattenmeer, said; 'A strong storm flood could wipe the island out overnight. The plants do not have the roots necessary yet to bind the dunes together.' It is the first time in a quarter of a century that a discernible landmass has appeared in the coastal waters off Germany. Detlef Hansen, head of the national park, said; 'This is for us conservationists anything but ordinary.' Tidal actions unrelated to global warming or other earthly phenomena have created the island. While a boatload of tourists made it to the sands a week ago, they were under strict instructions to keep away from the gulls, grey geese, eider ducks, common ringed plovers and even peregrine falcons that use it. And, this time at least, none of them was allowed to bring a deckchair..... | The landmass, dubbed Bird Island, gradually emerged 15 miles off the coast of Schleswig-Holstein .
A total of 49 species of plants have been detected on the island, which is composed of sandbanks . |
241,963 | c52671c4d7a91bfca59cd06423f1f64733e08d2c | (CNN) -- After 35 years away, British singer Kate Bush returned to the stage Tuesday night -- and the response was rapturous. "There was something thrilling about seeing the often bonkers but still delightful imagination of Bush run free after all this time," wrote Bernadette McNulty in the UK Telegraph about the show at London's Eventim Apollo, which included giant paper airplanes, reptilian monsters and sets with odd perspectives. Novelist David Mitchell ("Cloud Atlas") contributed some of the narrative. "She moves with a lithe grace, clearly still drawing on the mime training she underwent as a teenager forty years on. Her voice too is in remarkable condition: she's note-perfect throughout," wrote Alexis Petridis in the Guardian. "The most ambitious piece of theatrical pop ever seen on a British stage," noted the Independent. The show, titled "Before the Dawn," has been hotly anticipated for months. The 77,000 tickets, for a run of 22 concerts, sold out in minutes back in March. Fans are coming from all over the world to see her -- and, in some cases, paying dearly for the privilege. Among those in attendance: David Gilmour (who helped get her career started), Bjork, Lily Allen and actress Gemma Arterton. The first-day visitors were glad they came. "It was just hypnotic," one spectator told the Telegraph. "Kate Bush last night was phenomenal, one of the best shows I've ever seen," wrote singer Anna Calvi on Twitter. The show wasn't without its complaints -- mainly over a request to not use smartphones. "(Personnel) are patrolling for phones in a very intense way," noted the Guardian in a live blog. Bush is known for her acrobatic voice and expansive, thoughtful albums, that have sometimes come out years apart -- which only makes her fans more frantic in anticipation. In the U.S., she's probably best known for the 1985 album "Hounds of Love," which contained the single "Running Up That Hill," and her duet with Peter Gabriel, "Don't Give Up," which appeared on Gabriel's 1986 album "So." She has been reluctant to perform live for a number of reasons. There have been rumors of stage fright and fear of flying. She became a mother and wanted to raise her son, Bertie (who was a key supporter in bringing her back, she wrote in the show program.) There was also a dark experience at the beginning of her previous tour, in 1979, when her lighting director died in a fall. Kate Bush to perform live for the first time in 35 years . As recently as 2011, she was uncertain she would ever play live again. "I still don't give up hope completely that I'll be able to do some live work, but it's certainly not in the picture at the moment because I just don't quite know how that would work with how my life is now," she told the UK music publication Mojo. | Kate Bush dazzles in first show in 35 years .
"Most ambitious piece of theatrical pop ever seen" on UK stage, says one review .
David Gilmour, Bjork, Lily Allen on hand .
Bush best known in U.S. for "Running Up That Hill" |
142,827 | 44b612987ea0dec40b76266e64a5d8a20179f204 | By . Joe Strange . Follow @@Joe_Strange . Paul Scholes was only seen in the red of Manchester United during his glittering playing career, but the former midfielder has finally got his hands on a new shirt. The 39-year-old has been pictured showing off the 2014/15 away kit of Oldham Athletic - the team he has supported since he was a young boy. The League One side shared an image of their most famous fan holding their bright new shirt on Instagram, along with the caption: 'Football legend Paul Scholes has got his new Latics away shirt - have you got yours? #oafc' VIDEO Scroll down to watch Paul Scholes score from in his own half in charity match . Fresh start? Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes poses with Oldham Athletic's new away shirt . New venture: Scholes, pictured watching Salford City take on Stalybridge Celtic with Phil Neville, part owns the semi-professional club . Game over: Scholes hung up his boots in 2013 after an illustrious career at Old Trafford . Scholes, who helped coach the Red Devils' first team when Ryan Giggs was placed in temporary charge towards the end of last season, spent his entire career at Old Trafford before retiring in 2013. But he has always had a strong affection for the Latics and often travels to Boundary Park to watch the Football League side in action. The ex-England international also linked up with Oldham boss Lee Johnson late last year to help coach his boyhood side, with the art of pinpoint long passes and unstoppable volleys sure to have been on his agenda. Johnson admitted that the door would always be open for Scholes to put his boots back on and star in the Latics' midfield if he fancied dropping down a couple of divisions. Experienced: Scholes help coach United's first team along with Neville (centre) and Nicky Butt (right) at the back end of last season . Option: Oldham boss Lee Johnson has left the door open for Scholes to sign for the League One club . 'I’m sure if he fancied it he’d have let us know by now,' Johnson said in December last year. ‘I respect Paul Scholes enough to not ask him but Simon (Corney - Oldham chairman) will get in the mix of anything. ‘You’re talking about a world class player that’s retired after a world class career. Why would he want to spoil that adulation by playing for me? ‘Listen – the door’s open. Even to Maradona. I’m sure I could get him 10 minutes.’ | Oldham posted a picture of Scholes holding their new away shirt on Instagram .
The former Manchester United midfielder is a fan of the League One club .
He often watches the Latics in action and helped take training sessions last season .
Oldham boss Lee Johnson left the door open for Scholes to come out of retirement late last year . |
219,740 | a871f411b3d16c8b781e54e58076d8246a0fdbf0 | (CNN)For many kids, a trip to Disneyland is a dream come true. But for some of those kids and their families who visited "the happiest place on Earth" a few weeks ago, that dream has become a nightmare. In the past month, 36 people have come down with measles traced to an exposure at the theme park, including five employees of Disneyland. Prior to the introduction of a vaccine in 1967, nearly every American got the measles; but since 2000, it has effectively been eradicated in this country, with the only sources of exposure being foreign visitors or Americans who traveled and brought it back. The threat is growing, however, because not enough people are getting vaccinated and even for those who have gotten vaccinated, the overall trend is a problem for all of us. Vaccine rates in the United States have been in steady decline since the late '90s. Seventeen states now have fewer than 90% of children vaccinated for measles. Often times, like-minded people who have unvaccinated children tend to cluster in the same communities, thus creating pockets with very low vaccination rates. The reduction in vaccination rates reveals one of the quirks of vaccines; they only protect a population if nearly everyone is vaccinated. This is the concept of herd immunity. The magic number for measles is 95, which means if at least 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, everyone is protected. This is because the chance of the virus finding the individuals in the group who have little or no protection is very low. If a vaccinated, and protected, person gets measles they may not even know it, but the virus will be stopped in its tracks by their immune response before they can make more people sick. However, the more poorly protected, or unprotected, people there are, the easier it is for the virus to find them, make them sick and spread. For those of you who are vaccinated and might be thinking you're protected from infection even in communities with vaccination rates lower than 95%, you still need to worry. Adults can be affected, too. In fact, 13 of the 18 confirmed cases of measles in Orange County were adults. While the measles vaccine is extremely effective -- the best we have -- effectiveness can reduce over time, leaving both children and adults vulnerable, even if they were vaccinated. Therefore, the risk of any one of us coming down with a completely preventable childhood disease like measles will increase if vaccination rates continue to decline. Disney officials have recognized the importance of vaccination. After learning of the exposure, they offered vaccination and immunity tests to their employees, according to a statement issued by the Walt Disney Parks and Resorts chief medical officer, Dr. Pamela Hymel. Of the five employees affected, three have been medically cleared to return to work, a spokesman said, and others are on paid leave until medically cleared. To be sure, there are valid medical reasons that some children can't be vaccinated, such as allergies to components of the vaccine, underlying diseases that compromise the immune system, or because they are simply too young. But these children vitally depend on herd immunity to protect them from childhood diseases. The unfortunate reality, however, is that more and more parents are choosing not to vaccinate their children for nonmedical reasons. Some refuse vaccines on the grounds of religious beliefs; others refuse on the repeatedly disproved argument that vaccines contribute to autism. Their high-risk decision not to vaccinate endangers not only their children, but also those who can't receive the vaccines, and even those of us who have had the vaccine a long time ago, and depend on herd immunity. 5 things to know about measles . Regardless of the reason why parents choose not to vaccinate their children, it is important for the rest of us to realize they are making the choice for all of us, too. By not vaccinating their own children, they increase everyone else's chance of getting a preventable childhood disease like measles, whooping cough or even polio. Just last week, a 25-day-old baby died of whooping cough, which, like measles, is also spreading unnecessarily in the United States due to the decrease in vaccine rates. Just like the drunk driver who makes a socially irresponsible decision that can endanger not only his life, but also the lives of the other drivers and passengers on the road, parents who choose not to vaccinate their children put everyone else at risk. We can each play a part in protecting children by making sure parents understand their responsibility to vaccinate their children and the potential consequences on all of society if they don't. It's a small world after all, and the actions of the few can, and do, affect the many. | A measles outbreak resulted after exposure at Disneyland; 36 became ill .
Cynthia Leifer: Fewer people getting vaccinated, raising risks for all of us . |
33,380 | 5eecadb79272016d120424218b83de169f9aff55 | Department store Debenhams is teaming up with charitable organisation The House of St Barnabas to donate suits to London's homeless to help them get back to work. The charity launched its Employment Academy last Autumn which provides training and work experience for those affected by homelessness. Now retailer Debenhams will offer personal shopping appointments to Employment Academy participants, donating suits to each client to be worn for job interviews while they receive City & Guilds accredited hospitality training. Homeless people in the scheme can choose job interview outfits from Debenhams . Ed Watson, PR director at Debenhams, said: 'A job interview can be scary enough without worrying how you might afford the outfit to make the right impression and potentially secure you that all-important job.' 'So we're delighted to be supporting the brilliant work of The House of St Barnabas to make sure its participants look and feel ready for job interviews. The store teamed up with charitable organisation The House of St Barnabas which launched its Employment Academy last Autumn providing training and work experience for those affected by homelessness . 'Our expert personal shoppers will give interviewees one-to-one styling advice and find them the perfect interview outfit, which we'll be letting them take home free of charge.' The House of St Barnabas was founded in 1846 in London's Soho with the aim of getting homeless people back into work. The work of the charity is supported by its private club, launched last year, whose members include Jarvis Cocker and Miranda Sawyer. | Retailer has teamed up with a charity to help homeless find jobs .
Debenhams is donating suits to help applicants impress in interviews .
Participants will offered a personal shopping service to help them get the right look . |
190,352 | 8272fdfc4df7b67bd4be9f875105a49342491e72 | Jerusalem (CNN) -- An international human rights organization on Sunday faulted Israel's investigation into alleged war crimes last year in Gaza. Israel has not demonstrated that it will conduct thorough and objective investigations, Human Rights Watch said in a statement. "An independent investigation is crucial to understand why so many civilians died and to bring justice for the victims of unlawful attacks," said Joe Stork, deputy Middle East director for the New York-based organization. In September, the United Nations Human Rights Council released a report by noted South African jurist Richard Goldstone. The report concluded that both sides committed war crimes during the conflict, which killed about 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis. But U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon said last week that the world body has not made a determination on whether both sides have done enough to investigate allegations they committed war crimes during the three-week conflict, which began at the end of December 2008. In a report, Ban outlines steps Israelis and Palestinians have taken to fulfill a U.N. demand for credible and transparent inquiries into civilian casualties. However, he concludes, "As such, no determination can be made on the implementation of the resolution by the parties concerned." Israel handed Ban a response outlining the steps the nation has taken to investigate charges of wrongdoing by its military during the course of the offensive in Gaza, which was aimed at stopping militant rocket fire into Israel. The Israeli military has "launched investigations into 150 separate incidents, including 36 criminal investigations opened thus far," according to the report. For its part, the Palestinian Authority said it had created a commission to look into various charges of abuses, but made clear that it did not view the potential wrongdoing on the Palestinian side as seriously as that allegedly committed by the Israeli military. "There is absolutely no symmetry or proportionality between the occupying power and the occupied people" wrote Riyad Mansour, Palestinian ambassador to the United Nations. In Gaza, the ruling Hamas movement released a summary of the steps taken to investigate wrongdoing, saying it had prevented militants from targeting civilians. But the rights organization dismissed the conclusion as "factually wrong." Human Rights Watch said it is still reviewing a full Hamas report. "Hamas can spin the story and deny the evidence, but hundreds of rockets rained down on civilian areas in Israel where no military installations were located," Stork said. "Hamas leaders at the time indicated they were intending to harm civilians." CNN's Kevin Flower contributed to this report. | Human Rights Watch says Israel has not shown it will conduct objective probe .
Group also faults Hamas report on Gaza conflict, which it is still reviewing .
Both sides are reporting on alleged war crimes during Gaza conflict a year ago .
About 1,400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed during the Israeli incursion . |
245,410 | c9a12f868ccd9a4152e4763d424f74ffb3813e21 | By . Steve Nolan . Gone: Derek Bonnard who has been sacked as deputy chief constable of Cleveland Police . The deputy chief constable of a scandal-hit police force has been sacked for gross misconduct and could now be forced to repay his £40,000 salary after misusing public funds. Derek Bonnard was sacked from his role at Cleveland Police force by an independent panel after six counts of gross misconduct against the officer were upheld. Mr Bonnard had been suspended from duty while disciplinary proceedings were carried out. In a catalogue of misconduct, Mr Bonnard was found to have deliberately obstructed a criminal investigation into corruption in the force, misused public funds as well as a force credit card, accepted inappropriate hospitality and acted improperly in a redundancy matter. The former officer also cost the taxpayer more than £5,000 when he hired a vehicle 'inappropriately' and crashed it into a canopy at Cleveland Police headquarters in Middlesborough. Derek Bonnard had been suspended by Cleveland Police pending the outcome of disciplinary proceedings. His former boss, Sean Price, had become the first chief constable to be dismissed in 35 years when he was sacked in October last year. The decision to sack Mr Bonnard was made by an independent panel after an investigation by the Independent Police Complaints Commission. Police estimate that the hearing cost the public £500,000. He had publicly said that he was innocent of any wrongdoing in May last year and pledged to repay his salary if he an investigation proved him wrong. Despite the result of the hearing, Mr Bonnard said that he will launch an appeal in an attempt to 'clear my name'. Cleveland Police Chief Constable Jacqui Cheer said today that the force will take action against Mr Bonnard if the money is not repaid. She said: 'He also described the investigation as highly expensive, recognising that it was funded by tax payers. 'Quite clearly, he is not innocent of any wrongdoing, and he has succeeded in delaying his misconduct hearing, which has incurred additional cost for the tax payer. Dismissed: Former Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Sean Price, pictured after accepting the Queen's Police medal in 2005 was the first police chief to be sacked in 35 years last year . 'Mr Bonnard’s actions were reflective of the culture at the top of the organisation at that time, and measures have been put in place to ensure that this type of behaviour is not repeated. 'Throughout the investigation and the disciplinary process he has sought to blame others for his own actions and behaviours. 'He has let himself down, he has let Cleveland Police down but most importantly, he has let the people of Cleveland down. 'The Force deserves much better from one of its most senior officers. 'I am disappointed that he has at no stage of the process attempted to take any responsibility for his actions or show any concern for how much this has cost the public of Cleveland. 'If he had admitted his misconduct earlier, he would have saved the taxpayer a significant amount of money. 'Derek Bonnard made a commitment through his legal team in the High Court that should he be dismissed following this hearing, he would pay back the salary he has received since November 2012. Sacked: Derek Bonnard is to launch an appeal against his dismissal . 'This amounts to over £40,000. If this is not forthcoming, action will be taken to recover this money.' Mr Bonnard said he planned to appeal the decision after being treated 'appallingly'. In the last 18 months the force has made numerous policy changes to prevent further corruption such as that investigated by Operation Sacristy. The steps include reducing the number of corporate credit cards from 71 to 46 and updating the policy for their use. It has also changed its guidelines on gifts and hospitality and set up an Integrity and Transparency Board. The force said one matter of potential gross misconduct for Mr Bonnard has been deferred pending the outcome of the wider criminal investigation ongoing by Operation Sacristy. As Mr Bonnard is no longer a serving police officer, he is not subject to any further police disciplinary processes, the force statement said. He had faced a seventh charge that he had acted contrary to Cleveland Police policy in the purchase of a vehicle provided to him by the Police Authority, a claim that the IPCC said was not proven. IPCC commissioner Nicholas Long said: 'Senior police officers are expected to lead by example and adhere to principles including accountability, honesty and integrity. 'Mr Bonnard demonstrated a flagrant disregard for those principles. 'The evidence showed he used public money as if it was his own and appears to have taken whatever opportunities he could to benefit himself. 'He was a public servant who forgot about the public he was appointed to serve. 'Mr Bonnard's dismissal follows that of former chief constable Sean Price and brings to an end a sorry further chapter for the Cleveland Police. 'The two most senior police officers in the force have had their careers unceremoniously ended because of their individual failings. 'Events of the past two years can only have diminished public confidence in the force. 'I hope the conclusion of these disciplinary matters can act as a salutary reminder to all senior police officers that their role is to ensure the communities they serve are protected from crime and that they must be public servants beyond reproach.' Changes: In the last 18 months Cleveland Police has made . numerous policy changes to prevent further corruption such as that . investigated by Operation Sacristy . | Six counts of gross misconduct against Derek Bonnard were upheld .
He had been suspended by Cleveland Police during the investigation .
Bonnard found to have misused public funds and a force credit card .
He also cost the taxpayer £5,000 when he crashed a hire car . |
191,277 | 83ad874b81b7936486b6f5658eeea82b08e7c467 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 10:05 EST, 3 February 2012 . Customs officers have arrested five men in connection with a people-smuggling ring that used vehicles adapted with ingenious secret compartments to smuggle over 1,000 of illegals into the US. Immigrants paid . between $2,000 and $4,000 dollars to cram themselves into tiny spaces . next to V8 engines or to be locked into the trunks of cars during some of the hottest . times of the year. In an attempt not to arouse suspicion, the gang used non-Spanish-speaking African-Americans recruited from poor areas of Los Angeles to drive the vehicles across the border near San Diego. Busted: Customs officers have arrested five men believed to be members of a gang that smuggled hundreds of immigrants into the US in secret compartments built into vehicles . Claude Arnold, a special agent with . the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said: 'We estimate . about 1,000 people were smuggled across the border during the time of . the investigation. Maria Lopez-Diaz, 60, and three . others were arrested Thursday on counts related to the transportation of . illegal immigrants in special compartments and the trunks of cars, . Immigration and Customs Enforcement said in a statement. The ring coordinated with . international smugglers to pick-up illegal immigrants once they crossed . the border and transport them to Los Angeles, officials said. Lopez-Diaz recruited poor black drivers from South Los Angeles hoping they would not rouse the suspicion of authorities near the border. The drivers' inability to communicate with the immigrants also meant they had limited information about the broader smuggling scheme, officials said. The drivers were paid between $300 and $800 for each of the dozens of people they transported from the border to Los Angeles each month in 2010. 'Criminal organizations are always looking for ways to evade detection by law enforcement, said Claude Arnold, special agent in charge of ICE homeland security investigations in Los Angeles. Stitch up: This photograph of a stowaway who was discovered sewn into the upholstery of a van seat was released last year. It is not known whether it was the work of the same gang . Another file picture released by the Customs and Border patrol shows a woman hidden behind the dashboard of a car on the US Mexico border in 2001 . 'This particular organization figured out, hey, what if we used African Americans as drivers? They might be likely to draw less attention.' 'Ultimately, of course, it didn't work,' he said. Lopez-Diaz, two relatives and a suspected driver appeared in federal court Thursday afternoon. Another suspected driver remains at large. Lopez-Diaz was being held without bail. The five defendants were indicted last month on one charge of conspiracy. Lopez-Diaz and her 35-year-old son-in-law Juan Eduardo Baltazar are also charged with transporting illegal immigrants and immigrant harboring. Bobby Johnson, a 67-year-old driver from . Los Angeles, is also charged with transporting illegal immigrants, . officials said. Johnson is being held on $25,000 bond. Double trouble: These two immigrants were discovered in a hidden compartment built into the floor of a car in June 2010. Again it is not known whether the same gang was involved . Messages seeking comment were left for the defendants' attorneys Thursday afternoon. Baltazar's attorney Michael Belter said he has not yet received information about the case. His initial hearing was continued until next week. Immigration officials began investigating in January 2010 when border patrol agents reported seeing a rising number of African-American drivers with illegal immigrants hidden in the trunks of their cars. Typically, smugglers who bring illegal immigrants from Mexico use Spanish-speaking drivers, Arnold said. | Smugglers tried to avoid detection by recruiting non-Spanish-speaking African-American drivers . |
87,244 | f77ef1c4a66b064654865e522fd75731d9bfa9b2 | (CNN) -- Although most Swedes would be too modest to say so themselves, Stockholm can stake a decent claim to being the capital of Scandinavia. Built on 14 islands, Stockholm seems to float on water. Built on 14 islands where Lake Mälaren meets the Baltic Sea, Stockholm is a soft-hued vision of light and water, the bewitching start to an archipelago of some 24,000 islands and islets. Sweden's neutrality during World War II means Stockholm was spared the bombing inflicted on most European capitals; the result is the unspoiled old town of Gamla Stan, with its winding, cobbled streets. Despite a post-war building blitz that saw the construction of some particularly uninspiring modernist architecture, it is a city where gray concrete facades are largely eschewed in favor of a smorgasbord of pastel colors, rusty reds and glowing ochres. For a capital city it's unusually green -- not just leafy and dotted with verdant parks, but environmentally sound. Stockholm proper has a population of just 800,000, avoiding the congestion and pollution that plague larger cities -- so much so that you can fish from, and swim in, the waters surrounding the city center. Cold and sometimes bleak during its long, dark winters, Stockholm comes alive during the summer, when the Scandinavian sun barely sets. As temperatures rise the city's cafe culture blossoms, only for Stockholm to become a ghost town during July, when the locals make the most of their generous holiday entitlement and slip off to holiday cottages in the archipelago. But beyond its historic heart Stockholm is a progressive, evolving city. Its financial fortunes grew with the mid '90s IT boom and shrank when the dotcom bubble burst, but it remains a hotbed of technology and communications companies. Watch ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus take CNN on a tour of Stockholm » . Around 20 percent of the residents of greater Stockholm are of foreign descent, giving a sense of cultural diversity -- not to mention some welcome variety to the city's thriving restaurant scene. Despite Sweden's largely anti-EU stance, Stockholm is cosmopolitan and outward looking, with a keen eye for the latest international trends. Its shops are filled with the latest in functional, minimalist Swedish design and there are enough boutiques boasting hip New York brands and cool Swedish labels to indulge Stockholmers' obsession with style. It's also the city where Swedish global exports H&M and IKEA have their flagship stores. For all its picture-postcard pleasantness and progressive civic planning, Stockholm can seem a little sterile. It's not the kind of place likely to be described as "edgy." Stockholmers themselves can come across as standoffish, but that's not say that they are unfriendly -- just politely reserved. Small talk is regarded with a certain suspicion meaning the locals can be hard to get to know, but it's amazing what a difference a couple of glasses of akvavit can make. Puritan legal regulations mean that high-alcohol drinks (that's anything with more than 3.5 percent alcohol) are heavily taxed and can only be bought in bars and government-run "Systembolaget" shops. The result is that a night on the town is expensive enough to make anyone teetotal, with Stockholmers often avoiding midweek drinking, saving their krona for weekend partying. But what Stockholm lacks in grit it more than makes up for in style. From its artfully designed coffee shops to the classic contours of its baroque and rococo buildings, this island city is endlessly pleasing to behold, especially when viewed from the water that flows like blood through its veins. | From artfully designed cafes to baroque buildings, Stockholm exudes cool .
The island city has dubbed itself the capital city of Scandinavia .
City blossoms in the summer when temperatures rise and sun barely sets .
Influx of immigrants has added new dimension to city's gastronomic scene . |
83,490 | ecd333404b4998af61c20c4b3bba906e8d585563 | Russian television makers have been accused of using an actress to pose as at least five different women opposed to the revolution in Ukraine. The blonde woman was seen on television broadcasts as an aggrieved housewife in Odessa, describing her terror at the 'pro-fascist' politicians who grabbed power in Ukraine during last month's revolution. However, many social network users were quick to notice that the 'housewife' bears an uncanny resemblance to several other women interviewed - prompting accusations that she is an actress hired to sow discord in Ukraine and stoke pro-Moscow groups to incite people against the Kiev authorities. Allegations: Russian television makers have been accused of using this woman, seen here as a housewife in Odessa, to pose as five different people opposed to the revolution in Ukraine . Similarities: Many social network users were quick to notice that the 'housewife' bears an uncanny resemblance to four other women interviewed . It is alleged that the woman, believed to be 40, also appeared as a soldier's mother on the barricades in Kiev, and was seen wrapped in a Russian flag in Kharkov. Ukrainian media outlets, who describe her as a 'well known guest actress', say she has also appeared in protests in Sevastopol in Crimea and Norocherkassk in Russia. She regularly appeals for Russian . help for pro-Moscow Ukrainians, it has been claimed, and speaks of persecution in her . country, leading to claims she is a warrior in Putin's propaganda army. Worried mother? It is alleged that the woman, believed to be 40, also appeared as a soldier's mother on the barricades in Kiev . Russian support: She was seen wrapped in a Russian flag appealing for Russian help in Kharkov . Last night, LifeNews website in Russia was alleged to have featured the same woman in a broadcast, where this time she was named as mother-of-three Tatiana Samoilenko. This time she had darker hair, although there was no immediate confirmation of her identity or past history. She told how she had to flee Ukraine with her Russian husband and three young children. However, it is unclear when she actually did so, because if she is indeed the same woman who appeared in previous shows she would have been so busy in recent days being filmed at pro-Russian protests. Ukrainians have accused Russia of paying hired hecklers to stir up dissent or occupy government buildings. Hundreds of 'Putin tourists' are alleged to have flown in since the troubles began in Ukraine. A new guise: Tonight LifeNews website in Russia named her as mother-of-three Tatiana Samoilenko, although this time her hair was darker . 'We are a mixed family, my husband is a citizen of Russia, I am Ukrainian,' she was quoted as saying. 'When those pro-fascist politicians got power, we did not think for long. We decided to go to Russia. We quickly understood we had no time to waste, or it could get worse.' She told how the family had to leave behind everything - property, good jobs, money on bank accounts, because they were forbidden to take cash out, an allegation Ukrainians say is 'absurd'. She alleged: 'We understood very well that if we leave all we have behind, we would need to start from the very beginning in the new country. There have been accusations that the woman is an actress hired to sow discord in Ukraine and stoke pro-Moscow groups to incite people against the Kiev authorities . Hired hand? Ukrainians have accused Russia of paying hired hecklers, including this woman, to stir up dissent or occupy government buildings . 'Despite of my long experience of working in managerial positions and with two university educations, I am not scared that probably I will have to sweep the floors in a school.' The woman told how she suffered not only in revolutionary Kiev but also in Russian-speaking Donetsk. 'We were stopped at a checkpoint. People in masks ordered us out of the car. 'We asked "who are you?" They were rude and demanded we speak only Ukrainian. 'Then they hit our car with sticks and kicked it.' She claimed they survived only because she can speak Ukrainian and that all her documents were in order. 'Fortunately, I had documents proving we are a family with three children, we do not want anything, we are just leaving their country, so they let us go,' she said. | Blonde woman seen on television broadcasts as a housewife in Odessa .
It is alleged she also appeared as the mother of a soldier in Kiev .
Woman appeared in five cities, appealing for help from Russia, it is alleged .
Ukrainians have accused Russia of paying 'Putin tourists' to stir trouble .
She was named as Tatiana Samoilenko, 40, although now has darker hair . |
107,640 | 16c97b21f0ae1252c444c6e6e624462568504e62 | When I was an RAF Tornado navigator, the phrase 'going to Poland' would have meant the Cold War had turned hot and we were on a one-way trip to deliver nuclear Armageddon. In my early days in the military, communist-ruled Poland was on our target list for destruction, and certainly a country forbidden to visit. How times have changed. British stag parties head off to cities such as Warsaw for a weekend of debauchery, and we now have a large number of Poles settled in Britain. Happy guests: John visited Poland with his family to attend the wedding of an old friend . More importantly, a few years ago my old friend Terence met Asia, a beautiful Polish girl working as a nanny in Sunderland. And so it came to pass that I eventually went to Poland - not in an RAF Tornado, but with my wife and daughter, who are both called Suzie, on a more comfortable Ryanair flight and armed only with a wedding present for Terence and his bride. Asia (the Polish nickname for any girl named Joanna) comes from Slawa, a small town 70 miles southwest of Poznan. As we neared her home, her family and neighbours came out to give us a fantastic welcome, setting the scene for a weekend of enthusiastic friendliness and unbridled hospitality. Water enthusiasts flock to the Lake Slawskie - the focal point of the town and its increasing tourist industry . We were staying at Bar U Dudka in the centre of Slawa, which was also the location for the wedding feast. The owner, Jerzy Dudek, was a most convivial host, while the rooms were clean, comfortable and incredibly good value at about £50 a night, including breakfast for all three of us. As we discovered, food was to play an ever increasing part of our brief stay in Poland. Our first experience was at the local pizza restaurant, where 14 of us feasted on huge pizzas washed down with copious quantities of beer and red wine. The bill came to an embarrassingly small £100. Breakfast the next morning took nearly an hour to complete, with platters of cold meats, cheeses, eggs and pastries flowing from the kitchen until we had to call a halt to the endless procession. In an effort to diminish the calorific intake, we strolled through the dense pine forest down to the beautiful Lake Slawskie, the focal point of the town and its increasing tourist industry. Watersports enthusiasts flock here during the summer for sailing and water-skiing, and in the winter for iceskating tournaments. Back at Dudka's for the wedding celebrations, I was amazed to see tables already groaning under the weight of salads, fish dishes, breads, cold cuts and countless bottles of vodka for the toasts. To my astonishment, this was just the starter, and for the next ten hours an array of sumptuous dishes marched from the kitchen. Flagons of soup were followed by endless platters of roast meats, fried potatoes and more fish. Each course was interspersed with increasingly enthusiastic dancing, toasts, speeches and singing. While the British contingent was small, we gave hearty renditions of Jerusalem and the National Anthem. Towards the end of the night, our repertoire had faded, so we resorted to We Wish You A Merry Christmas and that Scout favourite Ging Gang Goolie. I like to think we gave a decent account of ourselves, but the vodka may have affected my reasoning. Finally, at 3am, as a gigantic wedding cake was brought in, I dragged myself off to bed, harbouring the uncomfortable thought that another huge breakfast was only a few hours away. Our family trip to Poland was a wonderful insight into a bygone culture of openness and incredible hospitality. I just hope stag parties don't ruin it for the rest of us. John Nichol's latest book, The Red Line, is published by Collins, priced £8.99. Ryanair (ryanair.com) offers flights to Poznan from Edinburgh, Bristol, Liverpool and . Stansted, with one-way fares starting at £18.99pp. It can also arrange . car hire. | Nichol was an RAF Tornado navigator and was forbidden to visit Poland .
Phrase 'going to Poland' would have meant the Cold War had turned hot .
But this time he flew with Ryanair and was armed only with presents .
Visited Slawa for friend’s wedding to a Polish woman he met in Sunderland . |
9,743 | 1b9460322c653c67aa17133c0419e5af73e3acbe | The extremist Sunni militants sweeping across Iraq may have a singular goal, but there's a broad coalition of recruits from outside of the Middle East willing to help them achieve it. The so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, wants to establish an Islamic state stretching from northern Syria into Iraq. And as the brutal terror group racks up victory after victory on the battlefield, more foreign fighters are considering joining their ranks. Who are they? Three young men we spoke to have traveled to Syria to answer the call to jihad. They agreed to speak to us from the northwestern city of Idlib over Skype, provided we masked their identities and didn't use their real names. Abu Anwar, as he asked to be called, is 25 years old and from Britain. "I'm from the south of England. I grew up in a middle class family," he told us. "Life was easy back home. I had a life. I had a car. But the thing is: You cannot practice Islam back home. We see all around us evil. We see pedophiles. We see homosexuality. We see crime. We see rape." SEE MAPS: Where ISIS has taken over in Iraq . We spoke with Abu and his friends as so many of these young men do: online. Their posts, many featuring photos of them posing with guns, attempt to make jihad sound cool. And this is a big draw to many youngsters who want to be part of this war, but have little or no combat experience. ISIS claims to be fighting for justice, but in reality their campaign is about brutality. The group has committed massacres and acts of terror so extreme -- including a recent boast about executing Iraqi soldiers in cold blood -- that even al Qaeda has disavowed them. I asked Abu if his family knows what he's doing in Syria. "They are not happy with me being here. But when I give them Dawa (their interpretation of Islam), they see the reality, they hear the reality from me that they don't hear from the BBC," he replied, after a pause. There are thousands like Abu from all across Europe in Syria and Iraq, according to some estimates. The Soufan group, a security consulting firm, believes there are around 700 from France, 800 from Russia and almost 300 from Britain. But these figures relate to people analysts have been able to track, and the true numbers may be even higher. And as ISIS's onslaught in Iraq grows, there are fears even more foreigners will be drawn to fight. Last month, U.S. officials said Moner Mohammad Abu-Salha, a 22-year-old American known as Abu Hurayra Al-Amriki, drove a truck full of explosives into a Syrian army position and detonated it, killing himself in the process. Abu says he was a friend of Abu Hurayra's, and that they "clicked immediately" after they met to discuss their shared ideology. "He was the best person I have ever met in my life. He had the best character," Abu said. "Abu Hurayra believed this would allow him to go in and kill many of the enemy, including himself. He wanted this more than a bullet. He told me, 'If I go on this martyrdom mission, don't go back to England. Ask Allah to keep you on this path.'" We asked Abu Anwar what Abu Hurayra told him before he carried out the suicide attack. "He told me to just pray that Allah accepts me as a martyr," Abu told us. "He told me first that he wants this so much and we have many stories of this people who are in these kind of operations, where they've survived the explosion. And on the radio before he detonated the bomb he said, 'I see paradise and I can smell paradise.' This was seconds before he blew himself up." Abu, inspired by his friend, said he too wants to carry out a suicide attack -- what he calls a martyrdom mission. But when asked if he would return to Britain to carry out an attack, he said no. "If I come back home, it will be when the black flag of Islam is flying over Downing Street," he said. "I know some people have the intention of come back to do attacks. But me personally, I only have the intention of coming back as a conqueror." Abu said his family is not aware of his plan to carry out a "martyr mission," but when his time comes to carry out the attack, he said he'll inform them. For now, Abu insisted that the immediate goal is to establish a caliphate in Syria and Iraq. When I asked if he would now take up arms with ISIS, he said he was considering it. For Abu and others like him, the call to jihad is seemingly too strong to resist. READ MORE: Will Kurds break free from Iraq? READ MORE: Why West must ignore Iraq's pleas . READ MORE: 'We are facing a new reality and a new Iraq,' Iraqi Kurdish leader says . | Sunni terror group ISIS is drawing support from would-be jihadists born outside the Middle East .
Soufan group says there are hundreds from France, Russia and Britain waging jihad in region .
One 25-year-old Briton says he was inspired by an American militant to carry out a suicide attack . |
18,755 | 3517d42954ea180510460bfe3f91efae83579836 | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 07:50 EST, 19 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:11 EST, 19 April 2013 . Irish debtors must give up foreign holidays, satellite television and feed themselves on eight euros (about £6.80) a day under new monthly spending rules introduced by the government to tackle the country's debt problems. Ireland's Insolvency Service will allow a debtor to spend 57 euros a month on heating bills and 126 euros on socialising, while they must remove their children from private schools, give up any private health insurance and only use a car if there is no public transport alternative. High unemployment - at 14 per cent - and wage cuts since the country's economy collapsed in 2008 mean that 120,000 - about one in eight - homeowners have fallen into arrears and are more than 90 days behind on repayments, reports the Financial Times. The Irish government has introduced monthly spending limits for people in debt as it tries to tackle the country's mortgage crisis . The monthly spending rules are part of Ireland's plan to tackle the problem of one in eight mortgage holders being in arrears on repayments . Another 100,000 mortgages have been restructured with short-term loans. Anyone who does not agree to a debt agreement under the new rules could have their home repossessed, as Ireland attempts to overhaul its dated bankruptcy laws and tackle the problem of an estimated 400,000 homeowners being in negative equity. 'A reasonable standard of living does not mean a person should live at luxury level,' said Lorcan O'Connor, the Insolvency Service's. 'But nor does it mean that people should be punished and live only at subsistence level.' The guidelines will also be used by banks to restructure mortgage debt with homeowners. Ireland's justice minister Alan Shatter warned banks that their losses could be heavier if they do not agree deals with debtors - suggesting that homeowners may opt for bankruptcy, reports the FT. Irish mortgage holders cannot get out of debt by handing over their property. Banks who sell the houses on at a loss are free to go after homeowners for the difference if the property sells for a loss. | Ireland's Insolvency Service will allow only eight euros a day for food .
Debtors must give up cars and private health insurance under new rules .
120,000 homeowners are in arrears on their mortgage repayments . |
140,224 | 415320c6d9c3c553f72ca126e089bab8a41d5017 | By . Arthur Martin . Firutia Vasile, 29, has been dubbed the 'benefits teacher' after claiming more than £28,000 and passing information on how she did it to her friends and family in Romania . Living as a Romanian immigrant in the UK, Big Issue seller Firuta Vasile sparked outrage when she won the legal right to claim more than £28,000 in benefits. Now the 29-year-old mother of four has become such an expert at claiming state handouts that she is helping her friends in Romania apply. Yesterday it emerged that Miss Vasile – dubbed ‘the benefits teacher’ by her friends – is encouraging some of her former neighbours to move to the UK. Her best friend Nadia Porojan, 29, spoke of her desire to follow in her footsteps. Mrs Porojan travelled to England in 2012 when she was pregnant so that she could give birth to her third child Shakira in an NHS hospital that August. Proudly clutching her daughter’s birth certificate, she said: ‘Firuta told me it would be better to give birth in the UK rather than Romania as it would be easier to claim benefits in the future. ‘When I first went to England I went to ask for benefits. Firuta told me than that in about a year or so everyone can apply for them. ‘And she was the one who could help me and was the one who put in a kind word in the right place. She is helping so many people as she is richer than many others. ‘She knew everything there. She is my benefits teacher. She knew where to go and how to ask for benefits for the children and for the house or for other needs. 'If I had 500 lei (£100) for a bus ticket I would go to the UK right after New Year’s Eve. But I don’t have the money yet, so I’m saving up. 'Sometimes Firuta sends me money and if she does it again soon I can start living my new life in England with the benefits money.’ Mrs Porojan lives with her husband Marian, 30, and their three children in a rural Roma community in the outskirts of Fetesti, a city in the south-east of the country. She receives £8 a month through child support benefit in Romania. Her husband earns a small amount of money by selling scrap metal. They also receive the regular payments from Miss Vasile, who sends part of her UK benefits payments to them. Nadia Porojan, Firuta's best friend, is hoping to join her in the UK after receiving lessons in how to claim . After giving birth to her daughter in Manchester in August 2012, Mrs Porojan wandered the streets begging for money, using her newborn baby in a bid to garner sympathy. Having left her husband, son Alexe, three, and daughter Denisa, six, behind in Fetesti, Mrs Porojan lived on state handouts with other Romanian migrants in Oldham. However she returned to Romania when her mother-in-law Angela became ill. This time she wants to take her entire family with her to live in Oldham. Mrs Porojan said: ‘I want to go back to the UK to get the benefits for my children. The British system is helping poor people. I have nothing here. On the advice of Firuta, Nadia travelled to the UK last August in order to make sure her daughter was born here as it would make it easier to get state handouts . Her daughter was born in August in Manchester, near Oldham where the family hopes to move . ‘Look how I am living. I have some potatoes on the shelf as food for my children and only a couple of days of wood for heating. This is no place to bring up children. Most of my neighbours would love to go to Britain because you can be rich there. ‘At least my little Shakira is a British citizen. This will really help us. I’m really looking forward to bringing them all up in Oldham.’ Miss Vasile’s case caused a furore in 2012 when a judge overruled Bristol Council and awarded her housing benefit worth at least £2,600 a year. She had already qualified for around £25,500 in benefits by then. At the time she said the benefits money would help her pay rent on her £130,000 three-bedroom home in Bristol, while she continued to earn around £100 a week selling copies of The Big Issue on the street. Firuta was claiming around £25,500 a year in benefits until 2012 when a judge ruled that she could claim an extra £2,600 in housing benefit . Any Romanian or Bulgarian citizen can now come and work in the UK under EU law . As fears continue to grow over the number of new migrants who are expected in the UK, a Romanian official spoke of his concern over the ‘invasion of people’ who will travel to Western Europe. Daniel Teau, the president of the Federation of Romanian associations in Europe, said: ‘According to our estimations, based on the number of Romanians who have left the country during 2007 to 2012, around 30,000 to 50,000 will leave the country every month to travel to Western Europe from January. 'The invasion of people who will take advantage of the benefits system in those counties is imminent. ‘I’m warning the Romanian authorities to take the necessary measures to prevent the imminent exodus of Roma people into Northern Europe. ‘We ask the Romanian government to send police officers to these countries to prevent the crimes of the Roma gangs who are already in these countries, or those who will travel there.’ | Firuta Vasile, 29, is claiming £28,000 in UK benefits .
She is now passing on her knowledge to friends and family .
Best friend Nadia Porojan, also 29, now hopes to move to Oldham .
She came to UK last year in order to give birth to make claiming easier . |
132,733 | 37a101b9829233673e9cd12304ad0d9dd153d73a | A 16-year-old boy who was fatally bashed by three teenagers in Perth's north last year had been lured to a bush reserve under the guise of a cannabis deal, but they planned to rob him, a court has heard. Quinn De Campe was found bleeding, bruised and unconscious in Balga bushland on December 22. Within hours of being rushed to hospital in a critical condition, he was declared brain dead. The following day, he died from a traumatic brain injury, caused by multiple blows. Three teenage boys were initially charged with grievous bodily harm but that was later upgraded to murder. Quinn de Campe was fatally bashed by three teenagers on December 22, when they lured him into Western Australian bushland to rob him . In the West Australian Children's Court on Monday, they pleaded guilty to unlawful killing - a plea bargain accepted by the prosecution. The teens, along with another boy, also admitted to stealing from the victim. The court was told the boys stole $175 and two debit card from Quinn. The court also heard that Quinn had told his loved ones he was going to buy half an ounce of cannabis for his friends as Christmas gifts, having arranged to meet one of his attackers via Facebook. He barely knew the teen, having only spent one term with him at the same high school. Prosecutor Linda Petrusa said the young offenders made plans to 'roll' Quinn, with three of them laying in wait while the other boy met him and directed him into the bushland, saying that was a route to the dealer's house. Quinn refused to give up his belongings and was bashed to death. He was also kicked so hard as he lay on the ground that it left a shoe sole impression on his face . As the teens had conspired, they pretended to hold up their accomplice with a broken bottle. He fled, and when the three boys turned on Quinn, he refused to give up his belongings. Quinn was punched in the mouth but remained defiant, spitting blood into one of his attackers' face. That enraged the teen, who punched Quinn repeatedly. He was also kicked so hard as he lay on the ground that it left a shoe sole impression on his face. One of the teens later told police that he became enraged when Quinn 'arced up'. 'We thought it was going to be easier than that,' he told detectives. 'There was no backing down - I was with my mates.' Sentencing has been scheduled for November 19 and 20. Quinn had told his loved ones he was going to buy half an ounce of cannabis for his friends as Christmas gifts, having arranged to meet one of his attackers via Facebook . | Three teens pleaded guilty to unlawful killing of Quinn de Campe .
The 16-year-old was fatally bashed and mugged on December 22 .
Found bleeding and unconscious in Western Australian bushland .
Was declared brain dead and died from traumatic brain injury the next day .
Quinn had been lured to the bush under the guise of a cannabis deal .
Four teens conspired to steal from Quinn, but plan was foiled when Quinn refused to give up his belongings .
The boys left Quinn for dead, stealing $175 and two debit cards .
Sentencing has been scheduled for November 19 and 20 . |
91,447 | 019f82038a4deb5c593664e8c9398d4a350b98d4 | By . Laura Paterson . Castle Grant is on the outskirts of Grantown-on-Spey, approximately 155.3 miles from Glasgow and 140 miles from Edinburgh. A Highland castle repossessed from disgraced former Rangers owner Craig Whyte has been sold to a mystery foreign buyer. Castle Grant, on the outskirts of Grantown-on-Spey, was put up for sale at £1.1million in April after the Bank of Scotland seized the property from the businessman . The 15th-century castle was eventually purchased for £1m and is now set for ‘significant investment’ from its new owners, estate agents Strutt and Parker revealed. Kevin Maley, partner at Strutt and Parker’s Inverness office, said ‘Castle Grant was launched to the market in the spring and generated a significant amount of interest from buyers across the globe, including America, Australia, Russia, and Singapore. ‘Interestingly those who did view the castle were fascinated by the history of it and the fact that it was purportedly haunted by the ghost of Lady Barbara Grant, not to mention the misfortune of many previous owners. ‘The new owner is already planning on spending a significant amount on refurbishing the castle and grounds and it reassuring to know that the ancient, ancestral seat of Chiefs of Clan Grant is in safe hands.’ Craig Whyte sold this Highland castle for £1million to a mystery foreign buyer, it has been revealed . Craign Whyte's former Highland castle has a comfortable lounge room with a mini kitchen in it . The Highland castle, which has spacious and open rooms, is now set for significant investment . Castle Grant, which has carpeted stairs, is being sold by estate agents Strutt and Parker . Former Rangers chairman Craig Whyte purchased the property with his wife for £720,000 in 2006 . Mr Whyte and his former wife Kim purchased the property for £720,000 in 2006 with a 110 per cent mortgage of £800,000. But Ms Whyte moved out after their marriage fell apart and Mr Whyte reportedly refused to pay the £7,000-a-month mortgage for two years. The Bank of Scotland raised a legal action against him last year and the castle was repossessed in April. Rangers went into administration under Whyte’s ownership in February 2012, just nine months after he had bought the club from Sir David Murray. They were subsequently relegated three tiers from the Scottish Premiership to Scottish League Two due to unpaid debts. Rangers are currently second in the Scottish Championship after four wins and a defeat to the new season. Ally McCoist's side are preparing to host Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC on Tuesday in the Scottish League Cup second round. While on Saturday they travel to Alloa looking to close the gap on Hearts, who are top of the Scottish Championship by a single point. Rangers are preparing to face Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC in the Scottish Championship on Tuesday . Rangers manager Ally McCoist shows some quests around Murray Park as his team train on Tuesday . Rangers fans protested at Craig Whyte's running of the club when he was owner in 2012 . The castle comes with what appears to an outdoor hotub . The Highland castle - up for sale for £1.1million but it sold for £1m - has decorative lighting features . The Highland Castle has been on the market since April after the Bank of Scotland seized it from Craig Whyte . The Highland castle is a grade A-listed building with room for a full-sized snooker table . | Highland castle has been on the market since April .
Whyte purchased castle with his wife for £720,000 in 2006 .
Bank of Scotland repossessed Castle Grant in April .
Rangers went into administration under Whyte’s ownership in 2012 . |
118,661 | 2538012631aeca2a4700cae71e5d4e60a087a5d0 | (CNN) -- A day after House Majority Leader Eric Cantor's almost unprecedented primary loss, his defeat is being felt far from his central Virginia congressional district. Aftershocks from Cantor's loss at the hands of a little known and underfunded tea party supporter and economics professor rocked the political world -- from the campaign trail to the halls of Congress and the White House. The ouster of the No. 2 House Republican, who was seen by many as the next speaker, overturns the chamber's leadership hierarchy, and effectively kills any chance of immigration reform. "It's just sending shivers throughout the Republican conference," veteran GOP Rep. Lee Terry of Nebraska told CNN Chief Congressional Correspondent Dana Bash. And Dave Brat's David vs. Goliath win will embolden a tea party movement that's experienced more defeats than victories so far this primary season. "This is a major shot in the arm for the tea party movement," said Adam Brandon, a top official at FreedomWorks, a leading organizer of grassroots conservatives. 7 reasons Eric Cantor lost . Here are five things we learned from the political upset of the year: . 1. Showing up matters: Cantor apparently took things for granted. How Eric Cantor's 'House of Cards' fell apart . "Eric Cantor lost this race as much as Dave Brat won it. He simply violated rule number one of politics: go home," said CNN Chief National Correspondent John King. "This is Eric Cantor's fault. He was in Washington on primary day. Not back in his district." He also turned down last-minute help from political allies. "His confidence, his arrogance, his smugness cost him his seat," King added. Cantor didn't read the pulse of conservatives in his Republican-dominated district. "My sense from talking to people in the 7th is that he had lost touch with the base of the Republican Party there, and by the time he realized it and tried to make amends, it was too late," Virginia political analyst Quentin Kidd said. "Cantor's loss proves Speaker Tip O'Neill's point about all politics being local. The tea party movement may be stumbling in some places, but there was a lot of local tea party frustration at Eric Cantor. He is seen as removed from the issues they care about, such as on immigration. They saw him as trying to have it both ways, and they called him on it," added Kidd, director of the Wason Center for Public Policy at Christopher Newport University. Contrast that with GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, a frequent target of conservatives, who easily bested six primary challengers from the right on Tuesday. "To Graham's credit, he ran a great campaign. I think the assumption among a lot of people was that he'd solely wage an air war, but I was impressed with the way he also ran a traditional, grassroots-focused campaign in addition to a compelling broadcast message. And Lindsey himself spent a lot of time on the ground here holding events and interacting one-on-one with voters," South Carolina Republican consultant Joel Sawyer told CNN. Graham tended to the folks back home. Apparently Cantor didn't go home enough. 2. The tea party is alive and well: Remember all those stories earlier this spring about the demise of the tea party. Forget about that. Cantor challenger, Dave Brat, 'shocked' as results rolled in . The five-year-old anti-establishment grassroots conservative movement suffered a string of high profile defeats to incumbents and other mainstream Republicans earlier in the primary season. But the tide may be turning a bit. And with a bunch of tea party vs. establishment primary battles yet to come, what happened in Virginia will only embolden the grassroots. Cantor becomes the second member of Congress running for re-election this year to go down to defeat in the primaries, following Republican Rep. Ralph Hall of Texas, who lost a runoff contest two weeks ago. Hall is 91. Longtime Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi may soon become the third. He's fighting for his political life as he faces a primary runoff in two weeks against a tea party backed state senator who narrowly edged him in last week's primary. FreedomWorks, which is among the groups supporting Cochran challenger Mississippi state Sen. Chris McDaniel, says the Cantor defeat will only help their efforts. "What happened last night in Virginia is just like adding jet fuel on that fire. Our grassroots person is getting inundated with requests from activists to help. They're saying 'what can we do. What can we do,'" said Brandon of FreedomWorks. Mainstream Republicans also agreed that Cantor's defeat will give the tea party more mojo. "This victory is the 'Pulp Fiction' equivalent of the adrenaline needle plunged into the chest of the tea party," said GOP consultant Ron Bonjean, who served as a top strategist and adviser top House and Senate Republican leaders. Who said the tea party was dead? 3. There will be a House leadership shakeup: House GOP members and aides say they are still reeling from the news and it's still sinking in. There were a flurry of calls between leadership offices and small gatherings of House GOP members on Tuesday night as the results came in, but multiple GOP leadership aides say it's still unclear what happens next. "It's just stunning," GOP Rep. Lee Terry of Nebraska said. "And we're trying to analyze what really happened here." Cantor's expected to announce he will step down as Majority Leader effective July 31, a senior House Republican source told CNN's Bash. And the move could trigger a fight to replace him. Cantor's stunning upset does make it more likely that House Speaker John Boehner stays in office. According to a GOP source, Boehner reaffirmed his colleagues Wednesday that he was "all in for speaker" in the next Congress and then got a standing ovation. Current House GOP Whip Kevin McCarthy of California is expected to announce his intention to move up the leadership ladder and run for majority leader. He is popular and helped raise money and elect many of the new members of the conference. Cantor said if McCarthy runs, he would be "an outstanding Majority Leader" and would back him. But conservative members are already demanding someone from a red state be elected to represent their views at the leadership table. Several House conservatives have pointed to Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, who currently heads the group of fiscal conservatives in the House, Texas Rep. Jeb Hensarling, Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan, and Georgia Rep. Tom Price as possible candidates for leadership jobs. Rep. Pete Sessions of Texas told reporters Wednesday that he's planning to run for majority leader. Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington State, the House Republican conference chair and top women in the leadership team, announced that she will stay put in her current position and not bid for the majority leader position. 4. Immigration reform is dead for now: The vast majority of House Republicans already decided they didn't want to vote on any immigration bills before the midterm election. Those advocates who were pushing for action conceded that even the most minor steps would have to wait until primary challenges were over. But after a low-profile and underfunded tea party candidate who ran almost solely on railing against Cantor's embrace of "amnesty" beat him soundly any prospects for action have evaporated. Cantor embraced some of the most minor immigration reforms so House Republicans fearful of losing their own jobs won't want to touch the issue. "The members who want immigration reform will still be pushing it, but last night's election makes the road they must travel much steeper," said GOP strategist John Feehery, who was a top aide to one-time Speaker Dennis Hastert and Tom DeLay when he was majority whip. 2014 midterms: What's at stake . Complete midterm coverage . 5. If you can believe it, gridlock on Capitol Hill will get worse: The partisan toxic pre-midterm election atmosphere in Washington was already bad. Just getting the most basic bills passed to keep the government running has been a Herculean task. Terry told CNN's Bash the loss will mean members will have less motivation to work across the aisle. Terry added that the message to House GOP members is "negotiation or compromise could get you beat." Feehery added that the Cantor loss throws the Republican conference into chaos and makes it harder to get anything done. CNN Senior Political Analyst David Gergen agreed. "For Cantor to be knocked off by a tea party conservative over his efforts to push for immigration reform and his earlier efforts to lift the debt ceiling, I think it will send shockwaves through Republican ranks. Look at the price he paid for doing things the majority of Americans support," said Gergen a senior adviser to both Democratic and Republican presidents. Jack Trammell is the Democrat who no longer has to face Eric Cantor . | Cantor's loss is sending "shivers" through the House Republican Party .
House leadership shakeup - Cantor is expected to resign as majority leader .
With Cantor's defeat, the tea party is not dead, but immigration reform probably is .
Political climate in Washington already poison, but Cantor loss likely will make it harder to do anything . |
37,897 | 6b4447a4bef5100cbd1aec63e64730bb909f2171 | Stuart Pearce has claimed that Manchester City were close to going bankrupt during his managerial spell at the Etihad Stadium. The current Nottingham Forest manager was in charge at City between March 2005 and May 2007 and states that the sale of Shaun Wright Phillips for £21million to Chelsea shortly after his arrival proved crucial in keeping the club afloat. 'The club had sold the club shop, sold the ground to council, we were paying on the never-never for the Anelkas of this world,' Pearce told the The Mirror. VIDEO Scroll down to watch how times have changed with Manchester City's squad of stars . Reflect: Current Nottingham Forest boss Stuart Pearce has claimed Manchester City were close to going bust under his management between 2005 and 2007 - forcing him to sell Shaun Wright Phillips . 'It really was a case that the owners said, 'Unless Wright-Phillips goes, we go.' On the Monday morning they pressed the button and Chelsea put £21million in the bank which bails the club out, which puts pressure on me because you are selling your goal-scorer. 'The club has gone from strength to strength and now they are a world power and spending £150m on a training complex. Times change.' City would struggle against relegation during Pearce's two full seasons at the Etihad Stadium. It was a period in which City were struggling financially before Sheikh Mansour's billions dramatically altered the club's fortunes for the better in 2008 when he took control of the club. On the back foot: Pearce's two years at City saw the club struggle financially as well as in the league table . Key man out: Pearce claims City were forced to sell Shaun Wright-Phillips to Chelsea for £21million . By then, Pearce was long gone after he was dismissed to make way for Sven Goran Eriksson under previous owner Thaksin Shinawatra a year earlier. Pearce looks back at his Manchester City experience with fondness though and admits as a manger it made him appreciate the youth academy. 'We had the likes of Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland, Nedum Onuoha and Kasper Schmeichel all coming through the academy system.' Pearce added. Young guns: Micah Richards and Stephen Ireland emerged as young talent under Stuart Pearce's tenure . Focus on youngsters: Nedum Onuoha and Kasper Schmeichel also came through City's academy . 'Ideally you don’t want to go and buy a footballer, you want to pluck him from the academy and move him from one pitch to the next. 'To do that, you have to pre-plan - and that takes sometimes years to put in place.' Manchester City have since gone on to win two league titles in the last three years and face Arsenal in the Community Shield at Wembley this Sunday. | Stuart Pearce was in charge of Manchester City between 2005 and 2007 .
Chelsea signed Shaun Wright-Phillips for £21million from Man City in 2005 .
Pearce claims clubwere on verge of bankruptcy during his time at club .
Current Nottingham Forest manager also admits City tenure taught him value of the club's academy system with players including Micah Richards . |
234,650 | bbc74633b74c0704ec2509f27b3938211b748660 | Southampton have seen their first-team squad ripped apart this summer and the feeding frenzy looks set to continue. Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert and Dejan Lovren have joined Liverpool, Luke Shaw has signed for Manchester United and Calum Chambers has moved to Arsenal. Morgan Schneiderlin is another target for the Gunners, while Jay Rodriguez is another being courted by Premier League rivals. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Luke Shaw: Impressing the manager is my sole focus . Pricey: Luke Shaw became the world's most expensive teenager when he signed for Manchester United . Left-back: Matt Targett has told fans that he is capable of filling Luke Shaw's shoes this season . And all of this, of course, came in the wake of manager Mauricio Pochettino’s departure to Spurs. Ronald . Koeman has replaced him at St Mary’s, but who are the next set of . academy graduates set to fill the boots of Lallana, Shaw and Co? Here, Sportsmail takes a look at five of the next generation… . POSITION: Left-back . AGE: 18 . Gareth Bale. Luke Shaw. Matt Targett? It’s an easy assumption to make but Southampton could well have a ready-made replacement for Shaw in the shape of 18-year-old Targett. The Saints fan – who joined the club at the age of eight – is already an England Under-19 international and it is thought Koeman is ready to hand him a starting role when the season kicks off. Central midfield: Harrison Reed recently signed a new long-term deal with the club until 2018 . Left wing: Sam McQueen in action for Southampton during their pre-season friendly against KSK Hasselt . POSITION: Central midfield . AGE: 19 . The . flame-haired midfielder already has seven senior appearances to his . name and penned a new four-year contract last month. His diminutive . stature – 5ft 6in – has led to comparisons with Paul Scholes and Reed is . another set to start the campaign in and around the first XI. POSITION: Left winger . AGE: 19 . A ball-playing left winger with an eye for goal, McQueen made his senior bow as replacement for Adam Lallana in an FA Cup tie at Sunderland last season. The Saints moved to secure his future with a new four-year deal this summer having originally signed him as an eight-year-old. Central midfield: Dominic Gape battles Arsenal's Jon Toral, the 19-year-old was promoted to the U21s last year . Striker: Sam Gallagher is capped at U19 level for both England and Scotland and has scored for both . POSITION: Central midfield . AGE: 19 . A former captain of the Under-18 side, Gape is a tenacious midfielder who has been at the club for more than a decade. He was an unused substitute in the League Cup last season but is certain to make his debut this time around. Were Schneiderlin to exit, then Gape could well get his chance. POSITION: Striker . AGE: 18 . The pacey front-man is the most experienced of those academy graduates having already appeared 20 times for the senior side, scoring one goal. He only joined the club from Plymouth Argyle in 2012 but won a new deal until 2018 at the end of last season. He has now switched his international allegiance from Scotland to England and will be a key component of Koeman’s senior squad this season. | Southampton sold Luke Shaw to Manchester United .
Calum Chambers has moved to Arsenal who are also tracking Schneiderlin .
Rickie Lambert, Adam Lallana and Dejan Lovren moved to Liverpool .
Ronald Koeman may not be able to spend all the money .
Dutch manager may have to rely on academy products . |
197,951 | 8c3879d4ea523409b525badc815cde3f5d29f9ef | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:24 EST, 13 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:36 EST, 13 February 2014 . A mother has been arrested for running around her Arizona home naked and bleeding after her live-in boyfriend refused to have sex with her. Ashley Prenovost allegedly ran around her Glendale, Arizona house just past midnight in the early hours of Monday morning screaming at her boyfriend when he denied her sex. The 24-year-old mom was said to be extremely intoxicated when her boyfriend- whose name has not been released- arrived home and promptly demanded that they have sex. Rampage: Ashley Prenovost, 24, has been charged with assault and endangering her child after attacking her live-in boyfriend, waking up their daughter and knocking her into a dresser during the rampage . Prenovost went on to wake up their 4-month-old daughter, who is identified as 'victim 2' in the police report, and run around and put the child in potential danger. In the mood: The mother was apparently 'extremely intoxicated' when her boyfriend arrived home late Sunday night and wanted to have sex with him but he refused . 'Suspect picked up victim 2 and began running around inside residence, yelling and screaming and during this time, causing victim 2 to hit her head on a dresser in the master bedroom,' according to the police report which was found by The Smoking Gun. She proceeded to turn violent, punching walls and glass before her hands started to bleed. 'Suspect then punched 2 holes in the wall of victim 2's bedroom and then punched a picture hanging on the wall in the hallway, causing glass to break and causing injuries to both of suspect's hands,' the police report states. 'While suspect was running around inside residence, she bled all over the floor in the master bedroom, hallway, common airea by the front door and kitchen. 'Upon officer arrival, suspect could be heard yelling inside residence and was still naked. 'Suspect then attempted to flee residence through the garage and began yelling and screaming when detained.' Prenovost refused to answer questions at the police station when she was taken there in the very early hours of Monday morning. Scene: She left a trail of blood throughout their Glendale, Arizona house after punching two walls and a framed picture during the incident . Together: Her boyfriend has not been named but she posted two pictures of herself with the same man in June of last year, when she would have been in her second trimester while pregnant with the daughter she had with her boyfriend . She has been arrested on charges of suspicion of child and adult abuse, aggressive assault on a minor, endangerment, assault with intent to injure, criminal damage and disorderly conduct. She was released from custody on Tuesday- the day after her arrest- and has a court date scheduled for February 24. Her boyfriend's name has not been released, but her Facebook profile has two pictures of her- which were taken last summer when she would have been in her second trimester of her pregnancy- posing with a man that may be 'victim 1'. | Ashley Prenovost was arrested and charged with assault and child endangerment after a violent incident early Monday morning .
She was 'extremely intoxicated' when her live-in boyfriend arrived at home . |
117,557 | 23ca2d9f2d34b4e949ce4c0728046a558838727b | Papiss Cisse came off the bench and scored twice to rescue Newcastle from another ignominious defeat but the fans’ discontent with manager Alan Pardew remains evident and doubts about his future will continue. Nikica Jelavic gave Hull the lead early in the second half with a stunning volley and Mohamed Diame hit a screamer to hand them what looked a decisive advantage. But Cisse’s heroics saved the day, and perhaps Pardew, certainly for now. There were protests against him beforehand, in pubs and around the ground, but inside the stadium they were limited and sporadic, and the manager was grateful for that small mercy. Senegal international Papiss Cisse proved the hero for Newcastle in Saturday's 2-2 Barclays Premier League draw against Hull . Cisse (second right) tapped home from close range to give his side a share of the spoils against the Tigers . Cisse (centre) is mobbed by his fellow Newcastle team-mates after earning his side a draw on Saturday . Newcastle (4-2-3-1): Krul 5.5; Janmaat 6.5, Coloccini 6, Williamson 6, Dummett 6; Colback 6, Tiote 7.5 (Ameobi 85); Cabella 4.5, Sissoko 5.5, Gouffran 6 (Perez 90); Riviere 5 (Cisse 69, 8.5) Subs not used: Anita, Haidara, Elliot, Steven Taylor . Booked: Sissoko, Cabella, Ameobi . Goals: Cisse 73, 87 . Manager: Alan Pardew 7 . Hull (4-4-2): McGregor 5.5; Elmohamady 6.5, Davies 6, Dawson 7, Robertson 8 (Rosenior 88); Livermore 6.5, Huddlestone 7, Diame 7.5, Quinn 6.5; Jelavic 7 (Meyler 81), Hernandez 5 (Aluko 55,6.5) Subs not used: Chester, Brady, Harper, Ramirez . Goals: Jelavic 49, Diame 68 . Booked: Robertson, Aluko . Manager: Steve Bruce 6.5 . Man-of-the-match: Papiss Cisse . Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Lancashire) 7 . ‘I have to say thank you to the fans for that,’ he said. ‘A lot of them took a neutral position. I don’t expect them to cheer for me but they took a position to support their club.’ Small bursts of protest peppered the game, from chants of ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning’ from sections of Newcastle’s fans to ‘We want Pardew out!’ On a couple of occasions Pardew was required to kick or hit the ball back into play from touchline, and was jeered. At 2-0 down a supporter with a piece of A4 paper adorned with an anti-Pardew slogan walked behind the dugout and shouted ‘Alan, Alan!’ to try to get Pardew to look up. He did not, and a steward shepherded the fan away. ‘It was a tough day,’ Pardew said. ‘But I’ve had to approach it as a normal working day.’ He accepted that some of the criticism had been merited given some recent results, such as last week’s 4-0 drubbing at Southampton. ‘We can’t moan about it because we’ve brought it on ourselves,’ he said. He also said that the health crisis of Argentine midfielder Jonas Gutierrez, who revealed he is receiving treatment for testicular cancer, put matters into perspective. ‘Sometimes in desperate situations, like Jonas’s illness is, it can bind you together,’ Pardew said. Yet the pre-match talk of the Toon was all about Pardew, mass protests, a dedicated website — SackPardew.com — to have him removed and of threats that 30,000 protest sheets and 100 huge banners would be on display. They were not, in the ground at least. The fans’ reasons for wanting Pardew sacked include ‘increasingly poor results over the past two years’, his ‘deceit and empty promises’, ‘mismanagement of the club and the playing staff’ and ‘his misrepresentation of our hopes and expectations’. Certainly, results have not been good. Since Newcastle beat Hull 4-1 in March in a match remembered for Pardew butting the midfielder, David Meyler, Newcastle have won just two of 15 Premier League games. In 24 league games played in the calendar year, they have failed to score in 15. Newcastle started brightly yesterday and they had the first chance in the fifth minute after Yoan Gouffran’s run and Remy Cabella’s cross led to Emmanuel Riviere’s header, which flew over. Gouffran and Cabella then combined to set up Jack Colback, whose shot was saved, and after a Moussa Sissoko run, Daryl Janmaat crossed from the right to Gouffran, whose header was also saved. The home crowd began to get restless. Early dominance with no end product, allied with errors that were giving Hull chances, made them restless and in the 32nd minute the first loud, concerted chants of ‘We want Pardew out!’ began. Hull increased the tension in the 48th minute thanks to a magnificent finish by Jelavic who leapt into the air and smashed the ball home from 15 yards with his right foot after being fed a ball from his right. ‘We want Pardew out!’ roared the crowd. The Premier League clash was shrouded by a poisonous atmosphere from Newcastle supporters who want manager Alan Pardew (right) sacked . Newcastle supporters protested inside the ground during the match to show their disgust at the management of Pardew . Hull striker Nikica Jelavic opened the scoring with the clash at Newcastle with a stunning overhead strike at St. James' Park . Jelavic (right) flung himself in the air to beat Newcastle defender Mike Williamson (left) to a cross before seeing his shot fly into the top corner . The Croatia international (front) celebrates his glorious strike against Newcastle in the Premier League on Saturday . Hull doubled their lead soon after against the Magpies courtesy of a blistering left-footed strike from midfielder Mohammed Diame . Diame (left) celebrates his stunning effort with Hatem Ben Arfa (top right) who was ineligible to play against his parent club . Click here to see our brilliant Match Zone analysis including the move for Mohammed Diame's thunderbolt for Hull . MINS KM MILES . Newcastle total 116.7 72.5 . Jack Colback 90 12.6 7.8 . Remy Cabella 90 12.0 7.4 . Daryl Janmaat 90 11.8 7.3 . Arsenal total 112.9 70.1 . Stephen Quinn 90 12.4 7.7 . Jake Livermore 90 12.1 7.4 . Mohamed Diame 90 11.2 7.0 . Data courtesy of the EA SPORTS Player Performance Index, the Official Player Rating Index of the Barclays Premier League . Hull extended their lead in the 68th minute, courtesy of a second screamer, this one from Diame from 25 yards, that went in off a post. ‘You’re getting sacked in the morning,’ got another rancorous airing. Pardew, however, made what would prove to be a major substitution in the 69th minute, replacing Riviere with Cisse. The sub scored his first goal after a fine pass from Cheik Tiote and his second, with three minutes left of normal time remaining, after a knockdown from Gouffran, . He lifted his shirt to show a message of support — for Gutierrez. Hull manager Steve Bruce bemoaned the lost opportunity of three points away from home. ‘When you’re 2-0 up, it feels like a defeat to draw,’ he admitted. ‘We made terrible mistakes.’ He specified that goalkeeper Allan McGregor’s positioning was poor for Cisse’s first goal. The Scot certainly left a little too much room between himself and a post as Cisse slotted it through the gap. Bruce also said one of his ‘kids’ got ‘caught out’ for the second — a reference to 20-year-old left-back Andrew Robertson failing to mark Gouffran properly with three minutes remaining, allowing the latter a knockdown across goal from a cross, right to the feet to Cisse, who scored. ‘At 2-0 up we should have seen it out,’ said Bruce, whose side also led twice before drawing 2-2 with West Ham last Monday. ‘We’ve been up four times in a week. It could have been a fantastic start to the season for us. Instead, it’s only been a decent one.’ Pardew’s side are no longer bottom, as they were at the start of play, if only because Crystal Palace and West Bromwich did not play. The pressure is by no means off Pardew, but it has been alleviated ... at least for this week. Diame (right) tries to pressurise and win the ball from defender Paul Dummett (left) during their Premier League clash . Cisse pulled one back for Newcastle against Hull on 73 minutes with a right-footed strike before his late equaliser completed the scoreline . Newcastle boss Pardew (right) congratulates Cisse after scoring his side's first goal at St. James' Park . Pardew shows his relief and delight as Cisse equalised for his side with just minutes remaining against Hull . Cisse dedicated both of his goals to team-mate Jonas Gutierrez who was diagnosed last week with testicular cancer . VIDEO Feel like a defeat - Bruce . | Papiss Cisse came off the bench to score twice for Newcastle and rescue a point against Hull City .
Cisse dedicated both goals to team-mate Jonas Gutierrez who has been diagnosed with testicular cancer .
Magpies boss Alan Pardew received a barrage of abuse from angry home supporters who want him sacked .
Nikica Jelavic and Mohamed Diame screamers give Hull a 2-0 lead at St. James' Park in the second half . |
73,598 | d0a755e15e09c3b42fb950c7c05f7fba4412b263 | (CNN) -- From the political unrest in Egypt to why House Majority Leader John Boehner cries, here are some of the best sound bites from the Sunday morning talk shows: . On Egypt and President Hosni Mubarak's future: . "This is going to be up to the Egyptian people. But let's look at what we have. We have a calendar that already has elections for the next president scheduled, so there is an action-enforcing event that is already on the calendar." -- Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, CNN's "State of the Union" "I think it is loud and clear from everybody in Egypt that Mubarak has to leave today, and it is nonnegotiable for every Egyptian. People have been saying or demonstrating for him to leave. Today, the demonstrations say that he should be put to trial. If he wants to save his skin, if he has an iota of patriotism, I would advise him to leave today and save the country." -- Egyptian opposition leader Mohamed ElBaradei, CNN's "Fareed Zakaria GPS" "I firmly believe it. I think if you listen to the street, they are not asking for democracy, they are not asking for anything except the removal of Mubarak. He's become a symbol for everything that they find objectionable. It doesn't mean it can't be a transition as orderly and I certainly hope it is. But he is a symbol now and you've got to change the symbol." -- Edward Walker, former U.S. ambassador to Egypt, "State of the Union" "So I think what we need to do now is to lay out a plan for Mubarak to lift the state of emergency, announce that elections -- free and fair -- will be held in September, which were already planned, allow an open and free democratic process, which I think we could have some confidence if it was an open process that you would see a free and fair election and that we make sure that the aspirations of the Egyptian people are realized finally." -- Republican Sen. John McCain, "State of the Union" "Not every country can become a democracy at the snap of a finger, but Egypt might well be ready for it. And that would be the best outcome, as I say, of a lot of bad choices. Mubarak cannot continue in the long term with the oppressive regime he's had now. The demonstrators have shown that." -- Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer, "State of the Union" "People in Egypt have shown during this time a great deal of solidarity, a great deal of desire to see their country develop and prosper. And I believe that every loyal Egyptian will continue to undertake his responsibilities and contribute towards the improvement of his homeland." -- Sameh Shoukry, Egyptian ambassador to the U.S., ABC's "This Week" "What could be realistic is that Mubarak himself becomes convinced, with outside advice, that it is in his interest, as well as in Egypt's interests, that he goes, and that he sets in motion a process which facilitates that. I think the alternatives otherwise are much tougher." -- Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security adviser under President Carter, "This Week" "I'm not speculating about who goes or who stays. And I'm not prepared to comment on what kind of democratic process the Egyptian people can construct for themselves. But we obviously want to see people who are truly committed to democracy, not to imposing any ideology on Egyptians, and therefore we would like to encourage that people who have been the voice of protests and been the voice of civil society be the ones at the table trying to design what would be an orderly transition to meet the democratic and economic needs of the people." -- Clinton, CBS's "Face the Nation" "It's not up to us to give the Egyptians advice about this. You know, hopefully this transition will occur relatively peacefully. And at the end of it all, I hope we still have an important ally in the Middle East." -- Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, NBC's "Meet the Press" On where the U.S. stands: . "We are on the side -- as we have been for more than 30 years -- of a democratic Egypt that provides both political and economic rights to its people, that respects the universal human rights of all Egyptians. And that is the message that every ambassador, whether Republican or Democratic president, everyone has conveyed for over 30 years." -- Clinton, "State of the Union" "What's important to us is Egypt, it's not Mubarak. And Mubarak is not Egypt." -- Walker, "State of the Union" "I think that President Mubarak, he knows what's going on in his own country. It's up to the United States to be a helpful, assisting but insisting partner. And by the way, we cannot afford a Tiananmen Square in Cairo. " -- McCain, "State of the Union" On U.S. aid to Egypt: . "We have sent a very clear message that we want to see restraint, we do not want to see violence by any security forces, and we continue to convey that message. There is no discussion as of this time about cutting off any aid. We always are looking and reviewing our aid." -- Clinton, "This Week" On whether Americans in Egypt should leave: . "We are following the conditions for American citizens extremely closely. This is one of my highest responsibilities. And we have authorized voluntary departure, which means that we will assist American citizens to leave Egypt. We have warned that there should not be any nonessential travel to Egypt." -- Clinton, "Fox News Sunday" On addressing the debt ceiling: . "We can come to a reasonable agreement that curbs spending. ... But to just stay in your corner and say, 'It's my way or I'm shutting down the government,' that could lead to terrible, terrible problems. And I would plead with my new Republican colleagues in the House who seem to want to do this, that that is playing with fire. Please don't do it." -- Schumer, "State of the Union" "The president of the United States is asking us to increase the debt limit. But on Tuesday night, he didn't even address it. And I don't think the American people will tolerate increasing the debt limit without serious reductions in spending and changes to the budget process, so that we can make sure that this never happens again. The other night, all he did was call for more stimulus spending. I think our team has been listening to the American people. They want to us reduce spending, and there is no limit to the amount of spending we're willing to cut." -- House Majority Leader John Boehner, "Fox News Sunday" "We have two opportunities to do something important for the country on spending and debt. We ought not to miss this opportunity. The president ought to step up to the plate with us and tackle it together." -- McConnell, "Meet the Press" On changing the health care legislation: . "The president has said he's open to changes to this. He is not open to refighting the entire fight of health care. People have suggestions on how to make it better. But he's not in favor of refighting this fight." -- White House chief of staff Bill Daley, "Face the Nation" On why he cries so much: . "I feel pretty strongly about what I do. I didn't come to Washington to be a congressman. I came here to do something. And I don't need to be speaker of the House because I need some fancy title. I came here to do something on behalf of the American people." -- Boehner, "Fox News Sunday" On why he smokes: . "Oh, why do we bring this up again? You know, smoking. It's a bad habit but I have it. And it's a legal product. I choose to smoke. Leave me alone." -- Boehner, "Fox News Sunday" | Egypt's future "is going to be up to the Egyptian people," Clinton says .
ElBaradei: "If (Mubarak) has an iota of patriotism, I would advise him to leave today"
Obama open to changing health care law, but not refighting the entire fight, Daley says .
Boehner on crying: "I feel pretty strongly about what I do" |
68,634 | c2a3f68fb882834b256c743962fddacea4849cbe | By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 02:05 EST, 22 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:05 EST, 22 February 2013 . In a tragic shooting incident, a depressed father reportedly under severe financial strain opened fire on his wife and two children in Miami on Wednesday evening before turning the gun on himself. Pilot Carlos Zuniga, 45, shot his wife Michelle, 43, outside the family home they had lived in for 20 years and then turned his attention to his 11-year-old boy Stefan and 14-year-old daughter Lauren. All three were rushed to Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center where Stefan later died from his wounds. Mother and daughter are in a critical condition. Scroll Down for Video . According to family friends 45-year old Carlos Zuniga,had been suffering from depression over his financial situation before he shot his wife Michelle, daughter Lauren and son Stefan . 'As officers arrived, screaming and possible gunshots were heard from inside the home,' said police spokesman Detective William Moreno to the Miami Herald. 'Officers quickly assembled a small team and made entry into the home to protect those in danger.' A neighbor, Enrique Cal who heard the shooting, remarked on how sad the event was for the affluent neighborhood. 'Oh, yeah, it's tragic,' said Cal. 'He shot his own kids and wife, tried to kill everybody.' 'Those people never had any problems. They were very decent people. It's very sad, very sad, unbelievable that this happened.' 'The last shot that he fired was one that he took to himself,' he added. 'The wife was laying outside on the grass next to the sidewalk, and the daughter was brought out by a police officer, (he) dragged her out.' Police said that as of Thursday, Michelle and Lauren remained in a critical condition and that each was shot multiple times. Carlos Zuniga (left) worked as a pilot for DHL and before that, flew 737s for Miami Air - before opening a hot-air balloon business with his wife Michelle (right) Emergency workers at Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center frantically rush members of the Zuniga family to the ER on Wednesday . Another neighbor Jennifer Pich said that the horrifying shooting unfolded very quickly. 'My room is right on the side of their house. I heard the two shots, we lowered the TV, and we heard the cry for help,' she said. 'A little girl screaming, 'Help.' 'It shocked me because she's just a little girl,' she said. 'Kids shouldn't get hurt.' Police investigating why a father would attempt to kill his entire family have turned their attention to the hot-air ballooning company the former commercial pilot owned with his wife. The couple opened the company in 2005 under the name Winds Aloft Aviation Inc. It was more commonly known as Miami Balloon rides and according to friends it had entered financial difficulties. Zuniga had recently put one of his balloons on sale on an industry website. And Colin Graham, a family friend said he knew the family business did not seem to be doing so well professionally. Officers work at the scene in Miami where Carlos Zuniga killed himself at Southwest 24th Street and 27th Avenue . The Zuniga family home in Miami, Florida which witnessed the shocking shooting by 45-year-old Carlos - who shot his entire family - killing his only son . The website for the firm no longer operates properly and the telephone number listed does not connect. Graham added that Zuniga had recently taken a job as an aviation safety inspector at the Federal Aviation Administration - who recently announced a swathe of job cuts. Before the FAA, Zuniga worked as a pilot for DHL, an international package shipping company, and before that, flew 737s for Miami Air. The Zunigas were married in 1998. Neighbors said Carlos Zuniga also had two adult children from a previous marriage. 'We’ve never heard them fight. The police have never come to the house,' Cal said of the Zunigas. 'I’m in shock.' 'It’s an extremely calm neighborhood,' said Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado, who lives about five blocks from the Zuniga residence. “Never, in my 30 years here, have I seen a violent crime in this neighborhood.' | Carlos Zuniga shoots his wife Michelle, daughter Lauren and son Stefan before turning the gun on himself at his family home in Miami on Wednesday .
Wife and daughter are still in a critical condition - but son Stefan died at Jackson Memorial Ryder Trauma Center .
The successful commercial pilot was reportedly suffering stress over the financial situation of his hot-air balloon business . |
126,747 | 2fd9a894dfffea803e9755dc56ea7b6e8f70449d | By . Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 04:53 EST, 2 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:39 EST, 3 April 2012 . Dress to impress: Unemployed Palmer, 26, dressed up in court on Friday after leaving her children alone as she went clubbing . She dressed like a would-be footballer’s wife, with ever-present fake tan and designer handbags – even on the school run. Yet Laura Palmer’s ostentatiously glamorous image was in sickening contrast to the squalor in which she left her children, a court heard. Her three boys, aged three, four and seven, were left unsupervised for hours in their filthy house as she went out drinking. Neighbours even found the youngsters playing naked in the street after she left them alone to go out with friends. On that occasion, the 26-year-old returned home in the morning to find police at the scene and was later discovered hiding in the garden shed, still wearing her clubbing outfit. Palmer admitted three charges of child cruelty and neglect at Hull Crown Court. Recorder Paul Miller gave her a ‘constructive’ 12-month supervision order, instead of a prison term, ‘so that nothing like this will ever happen again’. The judge told her the children were left in a ‘disgusting’ house and that ‘anything could have happened to them’ when she was out. He added: ‘In the future put your children first – not having a good time.’ The court heard that while Palmer, a former care worker, was always dressed up, she forced her children to live in ‘uninhabitable’ squalor. Her house was left in a ‘vile state’. Decaying food and human excrement covered the floors of the semi in Hull and even the bath was full of rubbish. Appearing in court in full make-up and wearing a pink dress with matching pink shoes, Palmer listened as prosecutor Nick Adlington outlined the shocking circumstances of the case. Palmer left her three boys home alone at 11.30pm on June 13 last year after putting them to bed. The . next morning the children climbed out of a window and were seen playing . naked in the street with a scooter near fast-moving traffic at 9.30am. Numerous neighbours, motorists and passers-by rang the police, the court heard. The front of the house in Jendale, Hull, where Laura Palmer left her children. Neighbours found the children on the street outside . The shed where Laura Palmer hid when she realised the police had come for a visit . Palmer, 26, also dressing to impress at an earlier court appearance . Officers arrived and took the youngsters, who were covered in filth, back to the house, gaining access through a window. ‘It was in a terrible state, covered in excrement and dirt and the children could access dangerous areas of the house including the kitchen,’ said Mr Adlington. ‘Officers described the house as being in a vile state.’ He said there was ‘a general air of neglect’ with food all over the living room and no bedding on some of the beds. ‘The defendant was, in due course, found in the garden shed intoxicated having been out the night before and was still dressed for a night out.’ Palmer, who has two cautions for shoplifting and is now jobless, claimed she had fallen asleep on a friend’s sofa and later told police: ‘I have never done it before. I’m devastated. There’s no excuse. I just lost the plot and gave up on the house. Everything was a total tip. I was expecting to be rehoused.’ Social worker Jacqueline Feeney described the house as ‘uninhabitable for children’. She said conditions had become worse since her previous visit a month earlier. Neighbours said Palmer had been living alone with the three children after splitting up with her partner about six months earlier. He was described as a ‘good father’ and conditions inside deteriorated after he left. The young children were regularly seen ‘hanging dangerously out of first floor windows’. One neighbour said she suspected the children were being neglected as ‘I never saw washing on the line and never smelt food cooking’. ‘She told me she had a job as a care worker and I thought, “What is she doing caring for other people when she can’t care for her children?”,’ she said. ‘I believe she left them alone regularly. Certainly any money she had was spent on herself. All her clothes looked designer to me, she was always dressed up to the nines, with false tans and perfect nails. She took the kids to school glammed up.’ The neighbour said her husband had used a ladder to look inside the house after the incident and was horrified by what he saw. ‘They lived in absolute and total squalor,’ she said. | Laura Palmer spent her money on hair extensions and false nails .
Neighbours found her children covered in faeces running around the street naked .
Filthy house was covered in decaying food and rubbish .
Police found Palmer, 26, hiding in garden shed . |
119,100 | 25d2be07e269e9ba4902ecad8027f9a843c67c09 | A man who was mauled by a family of bears is lucky to be alive after he was attacked while hunting on a remote island off the coast of Alaska. Michael Snowden, 68, had to be transported by coast guards to Kodiak hospital to be treated for serious leg injuries after his annual hunting trip in the Alaskan wilderness took an horrific turn . 'You could feel it puncture deeply and you could feel the teeth,' he told ABC News. The experienced hunter suddenly became the mighty beasts' prey when out of nowhere a 700 pound bear pounced upon him. Survivor: 68-year-old Michael Snowden and his son-in-law Jeff Ostrin are speaking out over their terrifying clash with a pack of brown bear . Bitten: Out of nowhere at 700 pound bear pounced on Snowden. "You could feel it puncture deeply and you could feel the teeth' he said . 'I could see him just shaking his head with his teeth buried in my leg. I was being tossed about like a rag doll.' A group of up to five bears attacked Mr Snowden and his son-in-law Jeff Ostrin as they dragged the carcass of a deer they had shot through dense vegetation on Sally Island in Uganik Bay. The animal attacked Mr Snowden, biting and scratching his body before Mr Ostrin jumped into action, firing three shots at the bear and killing it to save his father-in law. 'i was terrified for Mike, I was terrified for myself,' he said. Hero: Jeff Ostrin jumped into action firing three shots at the bear and killing it to save his father-in law . Gratitude: 'If it hadn't have been for my son-in-law i doubt i would have survived this attack', Mr Snowden said . The deer hunter: The blood that was coming from the deeer carcas they were dragging through the woods is likely to blame for their grisley encouvnter . Within moments, as another grisly made a run for them, Mr Ostrin reloaded his rifle and his courage. 'I had to protect both of us for either of us to have a chance make it out of there.' But it wasn't over yet - a third bear came on scene and the pair had to scream at it, in order to make it run away. Mr Snowden suffered deep gashes to his thigh and needed 100 staples to close the wounds, but he is expected to make a full recovery. 'If it hadn't have been for my son-in-law I doubt I would have survived this attack', Mr Snowden said. Partners: The two hunters are recovering after coming face-to-face with a family of bears some 35 miles away from civilization . Lucky to be alive: Snowden needed 100 staples but He is expected to make a full recovery . The blood that was coming from the deer carcass they were dragging through the woods is likely to blame for their grisly encounter . The attack took place last week on a remote island off the southern coast of mainland Alaska. The state is home to 98 per cent of the United States' total brown bear population. Mr Snowden and his son-in-law were dragging a deer through vegetation when they stopped for lunch. No sooner had they sat down to eat when a large female bear charged at them. Seconds later, more bears emerged, with Ostrin shooting and killing one of the cubs. The shooting scared the rest of the animals away. Rescue: Mr Snowden is now safe in a Kodiak hospital where he was airlifted by coastguard helicopters after the pairs annual deer hunting trip in the Alaskan wilderness took an horrific turn . Prominent: The attack took place last week on a remote island off the southern coast of mainland Alaska. The state is home to 98 per cent of the United States' total brown bear population . A crew on board a fishing vessel witnessed the entire incident and reportedly raced to the shore to remove the men to the safety of the sea, with the captain calling the coast guard to the scene. Mr Snowden was first transported by helicopter to Kodiak Municipal Airport, before being taken to the Providence Kodiak Island Medical Center where he was treated for his leg wounds. 'The fact that there were five bears was an abnormality and this serves as a reminder that anything can happen and we need to be aware of our surroundings,' said Lt. Joseph Schlosser, operational unit watchstander for the Coast Guard 17th District. Hunters in rural Alaska are told not to carry the entire carcasses of animals they have killed because bears are attracted by the smell of blood. Instead, hunters are advised to carefully butcher the animals where they died and place the meat into sealed containers. | Michael Snowden, 68, had been out hunting with his son-in-law .
The blood from a deer carcass attracted a group of bears .
One bear attacked him and bit into his leg .
His son-in-law save . |
11,806 | 21812d2b26b18f78497e5eb4f0c4c4cfae1e8589 | (CNN) -- The Facebook page of the USS Mesa Verde was filled with dozens of well-wishes and thanks to God on Tuesday, a day after 25 Marines and U.S. Navy sailors survived the crash of a Marine Corps CH-53E helicopter as it tried to land on the amphibious transport dock in the open sea. "THANK YOU GOD!!! FOR THE MIRACLE AT SEA!!!" Audie Mangola wrote on the ship's Facebook page. "It is great news that they are all ok. I guess my grandson will have a tale to tell when he gets home!" Annie Stephens wrote in a post. It's "an absolute blessing" that everyone survived, U.S. 5th Fleet spokesman Lt. Joe Hontz told Stars and Stripes. "The team on the Mesa Verde and everyone else came together and saved 25 people." There were minor injuries in the crash, but all were treated aboard the Mesa Verde, the Navy said in a statement. Seventeen Marines and eight Navy sailors were aboard the 16-ton Super Stallion copter, which was part of the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit. It fell into the Gulf of Aden as it was taking troops back to the Mesa Verde after a training exercise in Djibouti on the Horn of Africa, the Navy said. The crash was not related to any hostile activity, the Navy said. Both Marine and Navy officials were investigating. | Marine Corps CH-53E crashed into Gulf of Aden .
Only minor injuries among 25 aboard .
Warship's Facebook page filled with thanks, relief, well-wishes . |
254,176 | d4f9f2d39dea20fb40fe70957437bf6d25b7e3f2 | A Conservative MP has denied ‘favouriting’ an explicit pornographic image on Twitter after a photo of a naked woman tied to a bed appeared on his account. Karl McCartney insisted he had never made use of the ‘favourite’ button on the cult website – used to endorse messages sent by other people. It came after the ‘graphic’ image showed up on his Twitter account, sparking ridicule online. Karl McCartney (right) has denied pressing favourite on an explicit pornographic image on his Twitter account . Mr McCartney, the Tory MP for Lincoln, removed the pornographic image and insisted he had not favourited the explicit tweet . Mr McCartney’s Labour rival Lucy Rigby highlighted the tweet, sending a message to her own followers with a picture of the image on her Tory opponent’s account. She wrote: ‘Someone could do with explaining to our MP Karl McCartney that his Twitter “favourites” are public/viewable.’ The Lincoln MP, who is married with two children, removed the image – showing a full-frontal image of a woman – along with ‘50 other random tweets’ that had been favourited on his Twitter feed. Mr McCartney said he was concerned that the site could be exploited by ‘malicious and salacious attempts to embarrass the account holder’ as the general election approaches. He said: ‘It was brought to my attention earlier today by a number of people that a Twitter post from Lincoln Labour's prospective parliamentary candidate showed a pornographic tweet and around 50 other random tweets that had been favourited on my Twitter account from the past four years.' Labour's candidate for Karl McCartney's Lincoln constituency took a screen shot of the Tory MP's tweet . The prospective Labour MP later admitted she had been wrong to send the image to her followers without taking measure to blur its explicit nature . Mr McCartney added: ‘I have removed all favourites from my account, I have reset my password and those who follow me regularly on Twitter will know that I have never been into the practice of favouriting tweets or images in my six to seven years on Twitter and stick to posting or retweeting in the main (25,000 plus) including at times images of interesting cars I see whilst out campaigning. ‘I am writing today to Twitter to express my concern that six months from a general election the security of Twitter accounts needs to be able to stand up to any malicious and salacious attempts to embarrass the account holder, I will await their reply with interest.’ | Photo showing a naked woman tied to a bed appeared on his account .
The explicit image appeared on messages which he had 'favourited'
But the Lincoln MP insisted that he did not use the favourite button . |
80,014 | e2ca8f95b69d5430be4143c21df22bd747e6158c | Christmas chocolate, sweets and biscuit boxes are getting smaller as the prices stay the same, but at least those considering a New Year diet will have fewer pounds to shift. Researchers have found that cartons of festive treats have shrunk by as much as 14.8 percent in the last year, while shoppers are still paying the same amount for their favourite snacks. Manufacturers say rising costs of ingredients and even a lighter sort of chocolate are behind the shrinking boxes, as well as pressure from health chiefs to reduce the sugar and calorie content in their products. Shrinking: Boxes of Maynards Wine Gums (left) and Bassetts Jelly Babies (right) are among the Christmas treats that are getting smaller, with the weight of a £4 box falling from 540 to 460g . According to research by the Sunday Mirror, the weight of a £4 box of family favourites Maynards Wine Gums and Bassetts Jelly Babies have plummeted from 540g to 460g. The Fabulously Fox's Biscuit Selection, which costs £6, is now 50g lighter at 600g, and the £5 Cadbury Biscuit Collection has dropped from 380g to 335g. And chocolate lovers will find there is less to go around with £6 boxes of Nestle Black Magic which once weighed 376g now coming in at 348g, and £4 boxes of Terry’s Chocolate Orange Segsations down 30g at 300g. Selection box: The Fabulously Fox's Biscuit Selection, which costs £6, is now 50g lighter at 600g . Changes: Biscuit manufacturer Burtons, which makes the Cadbury pack, told the newspaper that their boxes have the same number of biscuits, but they weigh less because they are topped with different chocolate . Biscuit manufacturer Burtons, which makes the Cadbury pack, told the newspaper that their boxes have the same number of biscuits, but they weigh less because they are topped with a different sort of chocolate. 'We changed the recipe and this has resulted in slightly reduced weights per biscuit,' said a spokesman. Foxes said their biscuits may weigh less than before, but the product is now of a higher quality, and Nestle said there will still the same number of sweets in the Black Magic box. Uniform: Cadbury said the shape of the Terry's Chocolate Orange Segsations packaging had changed to mirror other products on sale . Cadbury said the shape of the Chocolate Orange Segsations packaging had changed to mirror other products on sale, while the size of the Wine Gums and Jelly Babies packs had been reduced because of 'economic factors', with the smaller boxes meaning customers were not paying more for them. Last year, Mars UK shrank its popular Mars and Snickers bars, reducing a Mars from 58g to 51g and Snickers from 58g to 48g as part of a pledge to cut calories in its products to a maximum of 250. As a result of the size changes, the number of calories in a Mars bar dropped from 260 to 229 and in a Snickers bar from 280 to 245. Manufacturers have also had to deal with the rising cost of ingredients, in particular cocoa butter, the price of which has jumped 28 percent this year to more than £5,000 a tonne because of strong demand and limited supply. The price of cocoa beans, from which cocoa butter is extracted, has also risen to a three-year high this year. Expensive ingredients: The price of cocoa beans, and the cocoa butter extracted from them is rising . | Boxes of festive treats have shrunk by as much as 14.8% in last year .
Weight of Maynards Wine Gums and Bassetts Jelly Babies down 80g .
Packets of Fox's and Cadbury biscuits also weigh less than before .
Manufacturers say rising cost of ingredients behind some of the changes .
Different sort of chocolate is the cause of lighter Cadbury biscuits . |
108,233 | 1790a7a5d23b6e46c86dab3439f12daed756363f | (CNN) -- Meet three-year-old Onafujiri "Fuji" Remet. While most children his age in Nigeria -- and the rest of the world -- are more concerned with their toys than a career, he has already embarked on his mission to become a professional photographer. Proud dad Pius Kugbere Remet sent in these images of his talented young son posing with family and at work in Lagos. Read this: Boy scares off lions with flashy invention . Himself an artist and graphic designer, he says Fuji's inspiration came from the work of his creative family. Images three, four and eight show the budding photographer at work, snapping street scenes in Lagos and capturing portraits of his older sister, Onarietta (herself a photographer). Read this: Orphaned girl starts university at 14 . "The creative home environment with unquestioned access to series of cameras is a key factor [in his interest in photography] Pius says. "I hope he grows up to become a larger than life photographer, who'll explore his natural platform to impact remarkably on the course of humanity." Read this: Boy's website tracks big beasts . Little Fuji even has an exhibition coming up in Lagos on June 8. Not bad for a three-year-old. | He may be just three, but Onafujiri "Fuji" Remet is already a budding photographer .
Based in Lagos, Nigeria, he snaps street scenes and captures family portraits .
Check out the gallery to see some of his images . |
123,703 | 2bedca9091c7f0273e6db70519caa594caeb087c | Two people have been charged with murder in the killings of a husband and wife who were shot dead as they answered the door at their South Carolina home in October. Malcolm Hartley, 22, and his 18-year-old girlfriend Brianna Johnson, both from North Carolina, were arrested Friday with help from Charlotte, North Carolina, police and the FBI. The pair are facing murder charges in connection to the double-homicide of 63-year-old Doug London and his 61-year-old wife, Debbie. Caught: Malcolm Hartley (left), 22, and his 18-year-old girlfriend Brianna Johnson (right), both from North Carolina, were arrested Friday in connection to the October double homicide of Doug and Debbie London . Gunned down: Doug London, 63, and his 61-year-old wife, Debbie, were shot dead as they answered the door at their home in Lake Wylie, South Carolina . On Friday, police acknowledged for the first time a connection between the deaths and an armed robbery five months earlier at the Londons' Charlotte mattress store where one of the suspects was shot in the stomach. However, they would not say if the trio of robbers in the May break-in were in any way linked to Hartley and Johnson. The suspects are being held without bail. Under South Carolina law, the two could face the death penalty if convicted of the murders, reported Herald Online. According to reports, Doug and Debbie London were shot dead at around 8.30pm on October 23 inside their home in the 5000 block of Tioga Road in Lake Wylie. The couple’s grown son, Daniel, was home at the time of his parents' murders. He was not hurt in the shooting and was the one who called 911 after being awakened by gunfire sounds. On Friday, Daniel London released a statement on his Facebook page thanking law enforcement for the arrests. Earlier attack: In May, three armed suspects broke into the Londons' Wholesale Mattress Warehouse on South Boulevard . Suspects: (L to R) Nana Adoma, 19, his brother Jamell Cureton, 22, and an accomplice believed to be a high-ranking member of the Bloods gang, David Fudge, 21, have been indicted in the robbery . Blood feud: Doug London, pictured with his wife of nearly 30 years, shot Jamell Cureton in the stomach after the 22-year-old fired on him but missed . 'It is with great relief that I announce that the people that murdered my parents have been arrested,' Daniel London wrote. 'I would like to thank law enforcement for all of their hard work and dedication. 'Thank you for being the heroes that protect our communities. To all my family and friends, enjoy this day. 'To the media, thank you for your coverage of what happened to my parents. Please continue your efforts until these evil people are sentenced to justice.' Five months before the slayings, on May 24, three armed men broke into the Londons' Wholesale Mattress Warehouse on South Boulevard, but the robbery was thwarted by Doug London and the perpetrators landed in jail. Just days after the killings in October, brothers Jamell Cureton, 22, and 19-year-old Nana Adoma, were indicted in connection to the armed robbery, along with their alleged getaway driver, 21-year-old David Lee Fudge. Duo: Malcolm Hartley’s criminal history includes a conviction for conspiracy to commit armed robbery and possession of drug paraphernalia. Johnson (right) had no criminal record . In the course of the robbery, Doug London shot Cureton in the stomach after the 22-year-old fired on him but missed. Cureton was in jail at the time of the October slayings. Court documents indicate that the siblings' alleged accomplice, David Fudge, has admitted to being a high-ranking member of the Bloods street gang, but investigators would not say if the Londons’ murders were gang-related. Malcolm Hartley’s criminal history includes a conviction for conspiracy to commit armed robbery in 2013. He was arrested again last November on a charge of possession of drug paraphernalia. His 18-year-old girlfriend does not have a criminal record. ‘It was not a random act of violence…it was connected to another crime,’ 16th Circuit Solicitor Kevin Brackett said. Married for nearly three decades, Doug and Debbie were remembered by their relatives and friends as a loving couple who were active in their community. Doug London was an avid golfer and a one-time member of the PGA. Debbie was known for her work in a local women’s shelter. They are survived by their son and multiple siblings. Salt of the earth: Doug London was an avid golfer and a one-time member of the PGA, while his wife Debbie was known for her work in a local women’s shelter . | Malcolm Hartley, 22, and Brianna Johnson, 18, charged with the October double homicide of Doug and Debbie London in South Carolina .
Doug London, 63, and his 61-year-old wife, Debbie, were shot dead as they answered the door at their home in Lake Wylie .
Police confirmed the slayings were linked to armed robbery of the Londons' business in May .
Mr London shot one of three suspected robbers in the stomach during the break-in .
Nana Adoma, 19, Jamell Cureton, 22, and suspected member of the Bloods gang, David Fudge, 21, have been indicted in the robbery . |
16,612 | 2f17fc6a05acf4f8d616e99f0224d7555e45cd89 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was released on $250,000 bail after pleading guilty Wednesday to two felonies related to wagering on games he officiated and supplying inside information on games to others. Tim Donaghy was an NBA referee for 13 years. He worked more than 700 games in his career. "Today's guilty plea and charges serve as a warning that easy money often comes at a high price," said U.S. Attorney Roslynn Mauskopf. Two of Donaghy's alleged co-conspirators -- James Battista, also known as "Baba" and "Sheep," and Thomas Martino -- were also arraigned Wednesday for involvement in the gambling ring. Neither of them entered a plea, and both also have been released on an unsecured $250,000 bond. Earlier, Donaghy, a 13-year veteran referee, stood before Judge Carol Bagley Amon in federal court in Brooklyn, New York, and admitted taking antidepressants to cope with a severe gambling addiction that has cost him his reputation and career. Watch Donaghy's attorney talk about his client expressing remorse » . Donaghy received payments for providing co-conspirators with winning picks based on classified information he obtained as an official with the league, prosecutors said in an affidavit. He tipped his co-conspirators through the use of encoded language based on information about players' physical condition and information about the relationship between referees and players in the league. The two felony counts -- conspiracy to engage in wire fraud and transmitting wagering information to other individuals -- carry a combined maximum sentence of 25 years. Prosecutors said Donaghy's guilty plea was made in exchange for cooperating in other investigations surrounding organized crime members and gambling on professional sports. According to the affidavit, Battista and Martino met in Philadelphia in December 2006 and arranged to pay Donaghy $2,000 for each winning pick. Weeks into the scheme, Battista and Martino increased the pay to $5,000 per winning pick because of the accuracy of Donaghy's tips. The three-man operation used Martino as the middleman between Battista, who placed the bets, and Donaghy, who gave his picks to Martino by using the coded language. While Donaghy told the court Wednesday he did bet on NBA games, no charges on that issue were included in the plea deal. NBA Commissioner David Stern has termed Donaghy's actions a betrayal, and he said they were an isolated incident that did not involve other NBA officials. "We think we have here a rogue isolated criminal," Stern said in a July news conference. "We will continue with our ongoing and thorough review of the league's officiating program to ensure that the best possible policies and procedures are in place to protect the integrity of our game," Stern said in a statement Wednesday. Lamell McMorris, spokesman for the National Basketball Referees Association, called the situation "a truly unfortunate case of wrongdoing by one of our own." "We recognize that a cloud has descended upon all referees, but we are committed to showing the public that this was an isolated event and that NBA officiating is conducted at the highest levels of honesty, integrity and fairness," McMorris said in a statement. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Allan Chernoff and David Miller contributed to this report. | NEW: Tim Donaghy, two alleged co-conspirators released on bail .
Referee accused of providing information on games he officiated .
Charges could result in 25 years in prison .
Donaghy cooperating with prosecutors . |
232,479 | b90649c4aef64e085f7805c83d2c47c0cb305a49 | (CNN) -- Nearly a week after the bloody weekend crackdown on Iranian protesters, the issue is still generating thousands of posts on Twitter, YouTube, and Facebook. CNN's Iran desk is analyzing dozens of Internet videos of the violent demonstrations on Dec. 23-24 in which at least seven protesters were killed. Hundreds of "tweets" are still being posted onto Twitter every hour. Each day, thousands of people are joining a Facebook page dedicated to supporting the anti-government protesters, called "100 Million Facebook Members for Iran." Here is a rundown of the latest social media trends that CNN has compiled: . Twitter: Most Shared Articles on Iran . • U.S. Iran standing in its own way with nuke plan . • Iran gives West one-month ultimatum to accept uranium swap . • Total wealth of Khamenei and family $36 billion . • Iranian opposition grows beneath surface . • Shah's son urges international protest over Iran . Most Popular Iran Hashtags on Twitter . #iran . #iranelections . #ashura . #hhrs . #news . #iranprotests . #sharia . #united4iran . #protests . #Tryant . #VivaLiberty . #Strike . #freedom . #protest . #Mousavi . #HumanRights . #Neda . Most popular Facebook accounts on Iran . • 100 Million Facebook Members for Iran . • Mir Hossein Moussavi personal page . | Iran turmoil a hot topic on social media sites .
CNN's Iran Desk analyzing dozens of video posts .
Summary of latest trends on Twitter, Facebook . |
222,791 | ac68bc810b806d394d9036f41f48f67ee88dfd66 | A city branded the Shark Attack Capital of The World has seen yet another two attacks – both on the same day. A 15-year-old boy and a 29-year-old man were bitten in two separate incidents in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on Sunday. The two attacks this weekend takes this year’s shark bite toll to ten, Volusia County Beach officials said Monday. Victim: A 15-year-old boy who was bitten by a shark while surfing in New Smyrna Beach, Florida, on Sunday. Attack: The two victims were bitten by black tip sharks in two separate incidents on Sunday (stock image) The 15-year-old, from Maitland, Florida was bitten in the foot around 11am Sunday morning as he was surfing 100 yards off the shore. About 30 minutes later, Kevin Ross, 29, was bitten about a mile down the coast form the first incident. Ross, of Deltona, was able to identify the shark as a black-tip shark, estimating that it was around 4ft long. ‘I never, ever, thought I'd be attacked by a shark,’ Ross told MyFoxOrlando. ‘When it grabbed me, I was like “Oh my God, I'm going to die! This shark is about to eat me in the water!”’ Pain: The 15-year-old's injured food shows deep lacerations where the shark took hold . Hang loose: The brave teenage surfer pictured in hospital after the shark bite incident . Shark capital: New Smyrna Beach has more shark attacks per square mile than any other beach in the world . Fortunately Ross was able to make it back to shore and was taken to hospital by Volusia County Beach Patrol where he was given 30 stitches to his left foot. Ross, of Deltona, was able to identify the shark as a black-tip shark, estimating that it was around 4ft long. ‘We do have a lot of bites in the area,’ Capt. Aaron Jenkins of Volusia County Beach Safety told ABC News. ‘It's because there are a lot of smaller sharks here.’ Jenkins added that although does not believe the same shark was responsible for both attacks, it could be the same species attracted by an increase in bait fish in the stretch of the beach popular among surfers. New Smyrna Beach, a city of just over 22,900 people, has more incidents involving sharks and humans per square mile than any other beach in the world. As a result, it has been named the Shark Attack Capital of the World by International Shark Attack File (ISAF). In fact, it is estimated that a swimmer on New Smyrna Beach is within 10ft of a shark at any one time . | A boy, 15, and a man, 29, bitten by sharks in New Smyrna Beach, Florida .
The city has been branded the Shark Attack Capital of The World .
The two incidents on Sunday takes the city's '2014 shark bite toll' to ten . |
17,777 | 325d5048a74683fb5686323aab6d5ad8d145fb6e | (CNN) -- At a time of heightened tensions in the Middle East, the U.S. Navy has been forced to temporarily abandon the requirement to keep two aircraft carriers in the Persian Gulf because of unusual maintenance problems. The USS Nimitz was expected to deploy to the Persian Gulf early next year, but it will not leave because of extensive repairs on a failed propulsion pump. It may be deployed in spring 2013. At the same time, the USS Eisenhower is being sent home immediately for repairs to its flight deck. It will remain in Norfolk, Virginia, for two months and then return to the Middle East early next year to complete its deployment. The Navy plans to send the USS Harry S Truman to the region early next year to restore the two-carrier presence. The USS John C. Stennis is already in the area. U.S. considers boosting presence in Mediterranean . | Maintenance problems undermine requirement to have two carriers in Persian Gulf .
Nimitz needs propulsion-pump repairs; Eisenhower needs flight-deck fixes . |
269,907 | e990c3b28df1b9740034bd36d148dd0e170b7a50 | First she was told she had breast cancer. Then doctors explained that the treatment she needed to save her life might rob her of the chance of having children. For Natasha Eaton, 32 at the time of the diagnosis and desperate to be a mother, the news was devastating. 'I basically went outside into the street and I just screamed,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'It was just like all of a sudden, having children wasn't an option for me. It was a very traumatic day.' Natasha Eaton, 38, was told she might not ever be able to have children when she was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 . Ms Eaton, from Newcastle, New South Wales, had been prescribed weeks of chemotherapy. While the treatment destroys cancer cells it can also lead to infertility and early menopause in young women. But she was determined to do anything she could to increase her chances of having children and resorted to an egg retrieval procedure at an clinic in Sydney. IVF treatment, however, was not necessary. Only six months after finishing chemotherapy, Ms Eaton was ecstatic to find she was naturally pregnant with a healthy baby boy. Now mother to four-year-old Jack, she was one of the 256 young women with breast cancer around the world who participated in the Prevention of Early Menopause Study. The study saw half the participants receive a dose of the drug goserelin alongside their standard chemotherapy treatment, while the other half received their cancer treatment without. 'I had to have my chemotherapy every three weeks for six rounds. I got to the fourth week and I'd already had enough,' Ms Eaton explained. Now a mother to four-year-old Jack (pictured), Ms Eaton has the Prevention of Early Menopause Study to thank for her sons miracle birth . Ms Eaton required chemotherapy after removing the lump on her breast through surgery. Chemotherapy not only destroys cancer cells in the body, but also often leads to early menopause in women . 'And then once a month I had the [goserelin] injections. It was just a like a pellet that went into my tummy and put my ovaries to sleep.' The goserelin injections were administered in an attempt to stop the women's ovaries from producing eggs while they received chemotherapy, according to Professor Fran Boyle, chair of the Breast Cancer Trails Group. 'What started the study was the idea that if you can switch your ovaries off and put them into resting stage, in theory that should make them less susceptible to chemotherapy,' professor Boyle said. 'There are drugs that already do that, but they are used for other purposes. So this study just re-purposed a drug used for another reason to see if that ovary resting would help preserve fertility and prevent early menopause.' Astonishingly, the study proved successful, with only 8 per cent of the women who received the goserelin injections experiencing menopause two years after their cancer treatment. This was compared to the 22 per cent of women who went through early menopause after receiving standard cancer treatment with no injections. The goserelin recipients were also twice as likely to have normal pregnancies after their cancer treatment, a reality that still astonishes Ms Eaton. Newborn Jack: The drug trial involved 256 women around the world receiving a monthly injection of goserelin alongside their chemotherapy, which reduced estrogen production, and 'switching off' their ovaries . Success: Only 8 per cent of the women who received the goserelin injections experiencing menopause two years after their cancer treatment, compared to the 22 per cent of women who didn't receive the injections . 'There was never any trying at all,' she said of her natural conception. 'I finished in June with the chemo part, but I still had to have radiation therapy. When I had an ultrasound in September, we saw that my ovaries were still shriveled up and asleep and I was panicking. 'Fran said it was alright and we'll just see how we go, but I jokingly asked her "can I have a baby now?" and she just said "no, no, not yet." 'The next time I saw her, I was pregnant.' Ms Eaton fell pregnant in December, only six months after finishing her treatment. In February, she found herself experiencing morning sickness, but thought nothing of it until daring to take a home pregnancy test. 'It was a scary time. The thought went through my mind: "am I going to have to terminate him?" I wasn't even sure if I was allowed to have him or if there would be something wrong with him – it was a scary lot of mixed emotions,' she said. After the initial shock and perfect amniocentesis results, she was over the moon – now Ms Eaton can't imagine her life without four-year-old Jack. 'He’s an old soul – he's definitely been here before,' she said. 'He's way above his years and he's quite a character.' Professor Fran Boyle, who ran the trial, said the results showed that goserelin injections could also lead to similar positive results in women with other cancers . Ms Eaton has since had her ovaries removed as a preventative measure and will likely have a double mastectomy, but the proud mother can't imagine her life without her new son . Ms Eaton's battle with cancer is not over, however. After removing her ovaries in a bid to avoid her high risk of developing ovarian cancer, the proud mother is now looking towards a double mastectomy for similar reasons. But with her chemotherapy days behind her, and her happy little boy helping her get through it, Ms Eaton said she finally has room to breathe. Despite the study only being administered in breast cancer patients, Professor Boyle said the results showed that goserelin injections could also lead to similar positive results with other cancers. 'This is a drug that can be accessed in Australia today, so it can be done,' she said. 'It's not covered by the PBS for this purpose though, so people need to buy it, but what we hope is that the company that makes it will now apply to have it funded for this purpose. 'The benefit of this study is that it will also be able to be used in other kinds of cancer for similar benefits as well, including lymphoma.' 'One of the other important things, is that although it was run in a large number of countries in the world, it was actually an idea initiated in Australia. By collaborating with researchers in other countries we were able to have found enough young women in this situation – we couldn't have done it just in Australia.' | The drug goserelin was found to successfully reverse early menopause in women receiving chemotherapy .
Natasha Eaton gave birth to a healthy boy after struggling through chemotherapy for her breast cancer .
The drug works by reversibly 'shutting down' the ovaries during treatment . |
2,327 | 06cb3e31d27feda470854993a1a785051f3b3884 | By . David Kent . Claudio Ranieri has been appointed as the new coach of Greece, the Greek Football Federation has announced. The 62-year-old Italian takes over from Fernando Santos whose contract expired following the World Cup where he guided Greece to the last 16. Ranieri has been handed a two-year deal and his main focus will now be steering Greece to Euro 2016. Greek challenge: Claudio Ranieri is hoping to steer Greece to Euro 2016 after being appointed this new boss . Brazilian farewell: Fernando Santos' managerial duties ended when Greece were knocked out of the World Cup . 'Claudio Ranieri signed a two-year . contract with the Greek Football Federation and is the new coach of the . national team,' read a statement on the federation's website. 'The Italian coach, with service at many major European clubs, is expected to lead our group to new successes with Euro 2016 on the horizon.' Ranieri's first match in charge will be a European Championship qualifier against Romania on September 7 with Northern Ireland, Hungary, Finland and the Faroe Islands also providing the competition in Group F. Onto the next challenge: Former Greece manager Fernando Santos left after the World Cup . A wealth of experience: Claudio Ranieri has previously managed at both Chelsea and Juventus . Decent showing in Brazil: Greece celebrate after beating the Ivory Coast in group stage match. They were later eliminated by Costa Rica in the last 16 . The experienced tactician has been out of work since his sacking by Monaco in May after two seasons in the principality. Ranieri made his name in his native Italy winning the Coppa Italia with Fiorentina before moving to Valencia where he won the Copa del Rey and the Intertoto Cup. Four seasons at Chelsea followed before a brief return to Valencia and spells at Parma, Juventus, Roma and Inter Milan. | Italian takes over from Fernando Santos whose contract expired after World Cup .
Ranieri's first match in charge will be a European Championship qualifier .
62-year-old managed Chelsea from 2000 to 2004 .
He received a £4m pay-off from Monaco after being sacked in May . |
284,460 | fc8c0e128c966223184d91995e3616c617fbeec9 | NEW HAVEN, Connecticut (CNN) -- A quiet rendition of "Amazing Grace" capped an emotional candlelight vigil Monday night for slain Yale University student Annie Le, whose body was found on what was to have been her wedding day. Students at Yale attend a candlelight vigil for Annie Le Monday night. Several hundred people turned out on the Yale campus for the vigil, crying and hugging each other. Le's roommate, Natalie Powers, said the 24-year-old graduate student in pharmacology "was as good a human being as you'd ever hope to meet." "She was also really tenacious and had a sense of humor that was never far away, and she was tougher than you'd think by just looking at her," Powers said. "That this horrible tragedy happened at all is incomprehensible. But that it happened to her I think is infinitely more so. It seems completely senseless." Connecticut state medical examiners announced Monday that the body found in a Yale medical research building over the weekend was that of Le, who had been missing for nearly a week. Her body was found Sunday hidden in a basement wall. Bloody clothes were found hidden above tiles in a drop ceiling elsewhere in the same building, investigators said. Le was last seen entering the building Tuesday morning. Thomas Kaplan, editor-in-chief of the Yale Daily News, said Le "really had everything going for her." "She was a top scholar. She was very outgoing, a warm person," Kaplan said. "You know, she was diminutive in stature, but certainly not in personality. And that's what I think just makes this so sad for everyone, regardless of whether you knew her. It's just a tragedy." Le's death is being investigated as a homicide, but Connecticut medical examiners released no further information beyond the identification. A candlelight vigil in her honor was scheduled for Monday evening on the campus. A Yale professor said on Monday that the building has good security and only certain people can enter, let alone access certain areas. Professor Gary Rudnick, who interviewed Le when she applied for admission to the graduate program in pharmacology, said it gives him the sense that there could be a "murderer among us." No suspects are in custody, but investigators are questioning several people in the case, New Haven Police spokesman Joe Avery said. Watch a report about the case » . Kaplan said Le's killing has left Yale students shocked and wary. "Only Yalies had access to that basement, and that seems to point to someone in our community being involved in this," Kaplan said. "That's what is so frightening." Authorities have not described the clothes that were found, nor said to whom they may have belonged. Teams of investigators at a Connecticut State Police lab worked through the weekend processing and examining the blood-stained clothes. Kaplan said a Yale police official told the newspaper the clothes were not what Le was wearing when she entered the building. At a meeting Monday for members of the campus community, Yale officials discussed security and provided an update on the investigation. A faculty member and a student who attended the meeting told CNN that Yale officials said police have narrowed down suspects. Security cameras captured video of Le as she entered the four-story lab building at 10 Amistad Street, about 10 blocks from the main campus, six days ago. After poring over hours of surveillance tapes, authorities said they had not found images of her leaving the building. Rudnick described security in the building as "very good." It had restricted access, and simply having a Yale ID card was not enough to get in, he said. Within the building, one had to have special access to enter certain areas, he said. Le was to be married Sunday on New York's Long Island to Jonathan Widawsky, a graduate student at Columbia University. "Annie has been planning this wedding for over a year with John, and she was very excited. She's been doing a countdown to her wedding day," Jennifer Simpson, a friend in Sacramento, told the CBS "Early" show. "She was doing weather patterns to make sure that the weather would be perfect on her wedding day. She just wanted everything to be perfect, everything down to table napkins, to flowers. Annie was very, very excited about this day." Investigators searched a waste facility Sunday that normally handles garbage from the Yale lab, said William Reiner of the FBI's New Haven office. The search took place at the Resources Recovery Authority landfill in Hartford, near New Haven. "In a situation like this, it's common for us to follow the trash," Reiner said. Yale University President Richard Levin, in a statement to the campus community, said, "Our hearts go out to Annie Le's family, fiancé and friends." The school sent out information Monday from Vice President and Secretary Linda Lorimer saying, "We are cooperating in all possible ways with the police to ensure they find every shred of physical evidence in the building so they can solve this horrible crime without delay. When the building does reopen, there will be extra security both inside and outside the facility for the foreseeable future." Lorimer added, "To augment the substantial security already in place at the Medical School, Yale moved last week to increase security and police patrols on the streets in the area and to add a new bicycle patrol. Yale also added security personnel inside Sterling Hall of Medicine, where Annie Le had her lab." The school has made grief counselors available, as well as a 24-hour help line number. "The university chaplain's office is available to offer pastoral counseling and can put members of the community in contact with those of many faiths and denominations," the message from Lorimer said. Le, a resident of Placerville, California, seemed to have been well aware of the risks of crime in a university town. In February, she compared crime and safety at Yale to other Ivy League schools for a piece for B magazine, published by the medical school. Among the tips she offered: Keep a minimum amount on your person. And she practiced what she preached, Simpson told the "Early" show. "Annie always made sure she was safe," Simpson said. "She doesn't walk around at night by herself. If she had to work late, she would make sure someone could come pick her up or walk with her." When she walked over to the research building on Tuesday, she left her purse, credit cards and cell phone in her office. Vanessa Flores, Le's former roommate, wondered whether the magazine article had something to do with Le's death. "The only thing I can possibly think of right now is maybe a psychopath, an antisocial person who -- I don't know -- maybe got upset about what she wrote about back in February about not being safe, and just kind of wanted to prove her wrong." Le, originally from California, graduated from Union Mine High School in 2003, where she was named "Best of the Best," and "Most Likely To Be The Next Einstein." "She was very smart, well-rounded, liked by peers and very involved in school," high school principal Tony DeVille told CNN affiliate WFSB. Le set the bar high for herself, writing in her profile for the National Institutes of Health that she was interested in studying and researching regenerative medicine and hoped to remain working at at NIH or become a professor. Her friends remembered her as one of the nicest people they had ever met. Laurel Griffeath, a high school friend, told NBC's "Today" show in Le had a beaming personality matched with impressive intelligence, a girl who "had it all." "Annie was just an amazing person, and I know that when tragedies happen, people always say that, but she truly was," Griffeath told the "Today" show. "She was probably the most brilliant person I've ever met in my life, but what made her more amazing was that there was an intersection of intelligence and personality and ability and she worked hard and she was great with people and she cared about people and she was funny and she didn't sacrifice one part of her life for another like a lot of people kind of seem to. "She just really kind of had it all. She was really amazing." CNN's Susan Candiotti, Mary Snow and LaNeice Collins contributed to this report. | NEW: Roommate says horrible tragedy is "incomprehensible"
Grad student Annie Le's remains found Sunday in basement wall in building .
Le, 24, was last seen entering the building Tuesday morning .
Police: No suspects in custody, but investigators questioning several people . |
23,493 | 42b89634f95800f7a4115433590e9a4e32ecc854 | By . Paul Revoir . PUBLISHED: . 19:54 EST, 18 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:08 EST, 19 April 2012 . This was the spectacular sight of the Crystal Palace transmitter lighting up the sky last night to commemorate it broadcasting its last analogue signal after 56 years. The 719ft-high tower shone like a beacon over south London as it marked the end of an era following the biggest digital switchover yet. The mother of all transmitters, which reaches a fifth of the country's TV sets all by itself, will continue to broadcast signals - but only digital ones from now on. The 219m tall Crystal Palace broadcast tower is illuminated to mark the switch from analogue to digital television, bringing to an the end the 75 years that the antenna has been broadcasting the analogue signal. Digital and analogue transmissions both . use radio waves, except that the former encrypts the signals so that . only digital receivers can light up our homes with entertainment. Broadcasting its first TV signal in 1956, the 719ft-high Crystal Palace transmitter has been nicknamed ‘South London’s Eiffel Tower’. And, despite being in rather less exclusive area than the Paris icon and strictly off-limits to tourists, Crystal Palace has possibly a greater importance than its 1,063ft rival.. Without it a fifth of Britons would have no TV. There are 1,153 other television transmitters reaching 62 million people, from the Outer Hebrides to Bodmin Moor. But Crystal Palace is the largest and most important. It was from here that colour television first took flight in 1967, from here that HD television was transmitted for the first time in 2009. The tower was built on the ruins of the original Crystal Palace, the Victorian exhibition centre which burned down in 1936. The first transmission took place on March 28, 1956. It was initially only used experimentally, with the BBC’s main transmitter at Alexandra Palace. The only terrestrial station in the pre-digital era that is didn’t transmit was Channel 5. But now, using coded UHF signals, it can transmit every digital channel. Nevertheless, the end of analogue at Crystal Palace, which first transmitted a signal in 1956, marks an important step in our history as modern technology replaces old. It would be particularly pertinent to the 100,000 homes were left with no television service at all in the switchover because they only had an analogue set. Second . and third sets which were not digitally connected will also have gone . blank in households throughout London and the Home Counties. People will now need to use services such as Freeview, satellite and cable to carry on watching on these sets. Although there has been a major publicity campaign, there were thousands of calls to the national helpline yesterday. When . the signal to BBC2 was cut in the capital and surrounding areas earlier . this month, there were about 35,000 calls to the body in charge of the . process, Digital UK. Yesterday in the second part of the London switch, BBC1, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 lost their analogue signal. An . estimated 12million sets were involved in the switch which took place . overnight. Freeview viewers were also required to retune their set-top . boxes and sets. Some viewers took to Twitter to admit their confusion, while others complained that the retuning had not worked. One said: ‘Why have I lost BBC1 and BBC2 from Freeview? I thought it was analogue that was getting switched off.’ Turning the airwaves blue: The transmitter tower is lit up as part of last night's celebrations . Millions of viewers also lost access to Ceefax, the world’s first teletext service. This week’s move marks the largest . phase of the switchover with not only London but parts of Essex, Kent, . Surrey, Hampshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and Berkshire also . included. Many areas such as the Granada region have already completed the change. The switchover process began at . midnight when BBC director general Mark Thompson turned off the switch . at the Crystal Palace transmitter. Well-connected: Daily Mail journalist Robert Hardman inside the broadcast station at Crystal Palace . Back in the day: The control desk at the BBC's new London transmitter at Crystal Palace in March 1956 . Grand: The original Crystal Palace site before it become the broadcast site . The south London landmark, now . owned by UK TV broadcast network operator Arqiva, was illuminated last . night to mark the historic moment with 200,000 watts of lighting. TV broadcaster Sir David Attenborough . pressed the red button illuminating the 219 metre high tower in a blaze . of colour and marking the end of 75 years of analogue TV broadcasting in . the region. He was joined by television personality . Professor Brian Cox, radio and TV personality Chris Evans and top . programme maker Sir Peter Bazalgette at a special ceremony under the . transmitter, owned by UK TV broadcast network operator, Arqiva. Switch off: 100,000 homes were left without television service after the switchover . The guests recalled their greatest ever TV moments with Sir David recalling the 'moment a man walked down a ladder and stepping on to the moon' and Professor Brian Cox treasuring the Apollo 13 splashdown. Amongst the celebrity guests, former BBC director general Greg Dyke shared his precious TV moment of Geoff Hurst's goal in the 1966 World Cup and his favourite comedy, The Likely Lads. He said: 'This is a momentous moment in terms of choice of TV. We are all guilty of forgetting the range and quality of television we have in this country and it's all got a lot better with the digital switchover.' Former Playschool presenter Floella Benjamin recalled the time her stage show in the West End was halted because tennis legend Arthur Ashe was on the brink of beating Jimmy Connors and the show stopped so they could watch the historic moment. Host Chris Evans quizzed Sir David Attenborough about his 60 years in broadcasting and how he introduced Match of the Day to BBC2, snooker to television with Pot Black, floodlit rugby league and the Old Greywhistle Test. Professor Brian Cox said: 'TV that's watched by millions of people, so significant fractions such as 10 or 20 percent of the population, is overwhelmingly important. 'The argument that's often made is that in a digital world, with the Internet, you can just choose what you want to watch. But I don't think that's genuine choice really. 'I think that the foundation of choice is that you see things that you wouldn't normally have watched.” VIDEO: Sir David Attenborough and Prof Brian Cox help to light up London's Crystal Palace transmitter . | Beacons of light shine over London to mark the end of the analogue era .
Crystal Palace will still continue to broadcast signals - but only digital now .
Still confusion over switch as 100,000 homes were left with no TV service . |
120,058 | 272946f6a18661ff8599b174903287cd6169a476 | By . David Mccormack . and Associated Press Reporter . Johann 'Hans' Breyer, 89, is accused of aided and abetted in the deaths of 216,000 Jews while he was a guard at the Auschwitz death camp . An 89-year-old Philadelphia man has been ordered held without bail on a German arrest warrant charging that he aided and abetted in the deaths of 216,000 Jews while he was a guard at the Auschwitz death camp. U.S. authorities arrested retired toolmaker Johann 'Hans' Breyer on Tuesday. He spent the night in custody and appeared frail during a detention hearing in federal court on Wednesday, where he wore an . olive green prison jumpsuit and carrying a cane. A district court in . Weiden, Germany, issued a warrant for Breyer's arrest earlier this week, . charging him with 158 counts of complicity in the commission of murder. Each . count represents a trainload of Nazi prisoners from Hungary, Germany . and Czechoslovakia who were killed at Auschwitz-Birkenau between May . 1944 and October 1944, the documents said. Breyer was born in 1925 in what was then . Czechoslovakia to an ethnic German father and an American mother, . Katharina, who was born in Philadelphia. Slovakia became a separate . state in 1939 under the influence of Nazi Germany. In 1942, the Waffen . SS embarked on a drive to recruit ethnic Germans there and Breyer . joined at age 17. The fact he was a minor at the time was critical in . the 2003 decision to allow him to stay in the United States. Scroll down for video . Johann 'Hans' Breyer's wife Shirley Breyer speaks to reporters outside her home in Philadelphia after her husband's arrest on Wednesday over his alleged role at Auschwitz during the Second World War . In . 1951, American military authorities in Germany carried out a background . check on Breyer when he first applied for a visa to the U.S. The file from that investigation lists . him as being with a SS Totenkopf, or Death's Head Guard Battalion in . Auschwitz as late as Dec. 29, 1944, four months after he said he . deserted. Breyer has admitted . he was a guard at Auschwitz in occupied Poland during World War II, but . has always claimed he was stationed outside of the . Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp part of the complex and had nothing to do . with the wholesale slaughter of about 1.5 million Jews and others behind . the gates. In a 2012 interview at his . modest row house in northeastern Philadelphia, Breyer acknowledged that . he was in the Waffen SS at Auschwitz but that he never served at the . part of the camp responsible for the extermination of Jews. Suspected Nazi prison guard Johann 'Hans' Breyer, lives at this Philadelphia home, pictured center, along with his wife. He moved to the U.S. in the 1950s . During the interview, Breyer said he had recently suffered three 'mini-strokes', but he was cogent and clear as he talked about his past for more than an hour. 'I . didn't kill anybody, I didn't rape anybody, and I don't even have a . traffic ticket here,' he said. 'I didn't do anything wrong.' He . said he was aware of what was going on inside the death camp, but did . not witness it himself. 'We could only see the outside, the gates,' he . said. But the U.S. District Court takes issue with Breyer's version of events and extradition papers state that Death Head Guards carried out 'rotating duties' focused on preventing the escape of predominantly Jewish prisoner-deportees. 'All Auschwitz II-Birkenau Death's Head Battalion guards had rotating duties, all of which were focused on preventing the escape of the predominantly Jewish prisoner-deportees: general guard duty, duty on the watchtowers, large and small chains of guards around the camp, supervision and guarding of the prisoners marched outside the camp for forced labor, and stand-by alert duty for the arrival of prisoners at the train ramp inside the Auschwitz II-Birkenau camp where the 'selection' process occurred,' states Breyer's extradition papers. This photo from January 1945 shows Jews at the Auschwitz concentration camp in Poland, where Johann Breyer is said to have been a guard . Following his arrest, Breyer's attorney . Dennis Boyle argued his client is now too infirm to be detained pending a . hearing on his possible extradition to Germany. Breyer has mild dementia . and heart issues and has previously suffered strokes, Boyle said. 'Mr. Breyer is not a threat to anyone,' said Boyle. 'He's not a flight risk.' But . Magistrate Judge Timothy Rice ruled the detention center was equipped to . care for Breyer, who appeared to comprehend questions about the nature . of the hearing. A law enforcement officer also . testified Breyer and his elderly wife grasped what was happening during . his arrest on Tuesday outside their home in northeast Philadelphia. 'They both understood,' deputy marshal Daniel Donnelly said. 'It wasn't news to them.' This image obtained from the National Archives shows a U.S. Army intelligence card on Johann 'Hans' Breyer, indicating he served in Auschwitz as of Dec 29, 1944, four months after he says he deserted . This document provided by the U.S. Department of Justice shows a copy of a World War 2-era record of Breyer's employment as an Auschwitz camp guard in Birkenau . Breyer has been under investigation by prosecutors in the Bavarian town of Weiden, near where he last lived in Germany. The Army Investigative Records Repository file, obtained by the AP from the National Archives through a Freedom of Information Act request, is significant because judges in 2003 said Breyer's testimony on desertion was part of what convinced them that his service with the Waffen SS after turning 18 might not have been voluntary, further mitigating his wartime responsibility. Breyer testified in U.S. court that he served as a perimeter guard at Auschwitz I, which was largely for prisoners used as slave laborers, though it also had a makeshift gas chamber used early in the war; it was also the camp where SS doctor Josef Mengele carried out sadistic experiments on inmates. But he denied ever serving in Auschwitz II, better known as Auschwitz-Birkenau, the death camp area where the bulk of the people were killed. He also said he deserted in August, 1944 and never returned to the camp, though he eventually rejoined his unit fighting outside Berlin in the final weeks of the war. Also weighing in Breyer's favor with the judges was his testimony that he refused to have the SS tattoo; he does not have such a mark today or evidence that one was removed. This undated file image shows the main gate of the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz I Poland, which was liberated by the Russians in January 1945 . Thomas Walther, a former federal prosecutor with the special office that investigates Nazi war crimes in Germany, now represents family members of some of Breyer's alleged victims as co-plaintiffs in the case. He called for a speedy extradition. 'The German court has to find late justice for the crimes of Breyer and for the victims and their sons and daughters as co-plaintiffs,' Walther wrote. 'It is late, but not too late.' The investigation comes after years of failed U.S. efforts to have Breyer stripped of his American citizenship and deported. A court ruling in 2003 allowed him to stay in the United States, mainly on the grounds that he had joined the SS as a minor and could therefore not be held legally responsible for participation in it. His American citizenship stems from the fact his mother was born in the U.S.; she later moved to Europe, where Breyer was born. Victims of the Auschwitz death camp stand on the platform at Birkenau Station during World War 2 . During . Breyer's arrest on Tuesday, he asked the marshals to retrieve papers in . his home that document his right to stay in the U.S., Donnelly . testified. Breyer's wife and two grandsons . attended the hour-long hearing in Philadelphia. His . extradition hearing is scheduled for August 21. Efraim . Zuroff, the head Nazi hunter at the Simon Wiesenthal Center in . Jerusalem, said he hoped there would be no obstacles to Breyer's . extradition and trial overseas. 'Germany . deserves credit for doing this - for extending and expanding their . efforts and, in a sense, making a final attempt to maximize the . prosecution of Holocaust perpetrators,' he said in a telephone interview . from Jerusalem. Experts . estimated in 2012 that at least 80 former camp guards or others who . would fall into the same category are likely still alive today, almost . 70 years after the end of the war. Heinrich Himmler carries out an inspection of the Monowitz-Buna plant at Auschwitz in July 1942 . By treaty, the U.S. can extradite its citizens to Germany. But Breyer said in 2012 that he would fight any attempts to take him away from the U.S. and his wife and family. 'I'm an American citizen, just as if I had been born here,' he said at the time. 'They can't deport me.' | U.S. authorities arrested Johann 'Hans' Breyer, a retired toolmaker in Philadelphia on Tuesday .
The previous day a court in Germany had issued a warrant for his arrest .
He is accused of aided and abetted in the deaths of 216,000 Jews while he was a guard at the Auschwitz death camp .
Breyer has admitted .
he was a guard during World War II, but .
has always claimed he was stationed outside of the death camp .
But his extradition papers state that Death's Head Guards carried out 'rotating duties'
He was born in 1925 in Czechoslovakia to an ethnic German father and an American mother, .
Katharina, who was born in Philadelphia .
Breyer moved to the U.S. in the 1950s and lives in a .
modest row house in northeastern Philadelphia with his wife Shirley .
His attorney has argued that his client is too infirm to be detained pending an extradition hearing . |
224,144 | ae3bc8789057aac22f3e03657ce93657ea3c94ff | (CNN) -- Few will long lament the departure of Chuck Hagel as defense secretary. He was a weak choice for the job, seen as a comfortable one for President Barack Obama, a former senator he knew who was unlikely to ruffle feathers or be as challenging to work with as his stronger predecessors, Robert Gates or Leon Panetta. But if Obama thinks that pushing out Hagel will be seen as the housecleaning that many have recommended for his spluttering national security process, he is likely to be very disappointed. In the first instance, of course, Hagel can't be seen as the source of the tensions and frequent miscommunication that have existed between the Defense Department and the White House. Nor can White House whispers suggesting that he wasn't up to the job, especially with the new threats posed by ISIS, make that case any more compelling. No one can accuse Gates or Panetta of not having been up to the job -- and the tensions with the White House existed with them as well. Don't take my word for it. Read their books. Yes, things have been coming to a head with Hagel for a while. There was reportedly a tough memo he wrote to national security adviser Susan Rice taking issue with the administration's handling of the crisis in Syria. The details have yet to be leaked, but apparently it caused a firestorm in the White House. In addition, remarks by Hagel and senior military officials such as Gen. Martin Dempsey on how to fight ISIS have revealed gaps between the White House and Pentagon thinking that have frustrated officials close to Obama. In fact, it is not passivity or weakness that some thought Hagel would bring to the job that have caused his downfall. Rather it was in part caused by his toughness and refusal to be just one more comfortable insider from the Senate club that is all Obama knew of Washington before he took office as President. Indeed, the real problem that brought down Hagel had little to do with Hagel at all. It had to do with the fact that since Rice took over as national security adviser, the Obama administration has been buffeted by a stunning series of foreign policy missteps and challenges that have shaken confidence in the President at home and abroad. These include growing chaos in the wake of the intervention in Libya, the consequences of pulling out too quickly in Iraq, compounded by the consequences of failing to take effective action of any sort in Syria, the resultant rise of ISIS, the mishandling of the National Security Agency revelations in ways that alienated our allies, the weak response to the Crimean adventure of Vladimir Putin and a host of related problems. None of these can be traced to Hagel. Rather they are linked to a broken national security process, a President who has become reactive -- not proactive -- and defensive, who is more tactical than strategic and who, unlike past presidents serving a second term, has shown a resistance to growing in office as a statesman. In past presidencies, from George W. Bush to Clinton to Reagan, such growth has been accompanied by changing up their national security teams. Many have urged Obama to oversee such a shake-up. Hagel, who assumed his post shortly after the start of Obama's second term, was a sop to these critics. Easy to dismiss, not very popular and a weak advocate for the administration. Removing him will be unsettling to those in the Pentagon who realize he is being let go for advocating their views as well as to those throughout the administration who will worry whether getting rid of him will be seen as enough. The real changes needed are at a high level in the White House, in the team immediately around the President advising him on national security. Unless those changes happen, view the Hagel move as a distraction, as an effort to create the illusion of change where a shake-up is needed. | David Rothkopf: Hagel's departure isn't the foreign policy housecleaning some have urged .
He says Hagel wasn't cause of tensions, miscommunication with White House, Pentagon .
Susan Rice's tenure as national security adviser marked by policy missteps, he says .
Rothkopf: To grow as statesman, Obama must shake up his foreign policy team . |
245,660 | c9f750ff36396d0f658c051c19273121d00a6df9 | Princeton, New Jersey (CNN) -- The changes that we are seeing in public attitudes about homosexuality are just the tip of the political iceberg. As Bob Dylan once sang, performing to the Baby Boom generation when it was challenging the prevailing political orthodoxies, "something is happening here. But you don't know what it is. Do you, Mr. Jones?" America's political parties would do well to listen to Dylan's song. There are two new generations of Americans who have entered into their adulthood, now in their late 20s, 30s and 40s, who are starting to become more influential in the electorate. Generation X consists of the Americans born in the late 1960s through the late 1970s. Though they were originally thought to have little cohesive identity, their contributions to the computing revolution that transformed the world were immense. They lived through historic moments such as the presidency of Ronald Reagan and the end of the Cold War. The Millennial generation (Generation Y) followed Generation X. This cohort was born between the late 1970s and early 1990s. They have reinvented the way we communicate and have been at the forefront of some of the most dynamic sectors of the economy. Now we have entered a period when these two generations are having a major impact on politics. This is a moment, comparable to the one when the Greatest Generation (New Deal and World War II) came of age or the Baby Boom generation (1960s and 1970s) reached maturity and forced the parties to adjust and change the way they did business. The maturation of X and Y will have implications on the process, substance and relative importance of politics compared with other sectors of society. The impact on the process has already been evident in the last two presidential cycles. These generations consume everything via the Internet and all forms of social media. One of the reasons President Obama did so well was that he brought figures into his campaign, such as Facebook co-founder Christopher Hughes (a Millennial), to reach younger constituencies through new media. Hughes understood that younger Americans don't read print newspapers or magazines, they don't follow the nightly news or look for the most objective reporters, and they expect their information to come to them in short, dynamic and concise data that are filtered and sent via multiple social networks. Television spots, billboards, posters and local volunteers distributing information in person will go only so far in the coming years. Generations X and Y expect to receive and process their information in ways that the parties will have to master. The substance of politics will also change. This has been evident with the recent debates over gay rights. Americans in their 30s and 40s have grown up much more comfortable with homosexuality than their predecessors. Many of them lived through the horrors of the AIDS epidemic, when it became unacceptable to continue adhering to old taboos that prevented serious discussions about public health concerns. They had more friends and family who were openly gay, considering this to be an acceptable and fully normal part of America life. They watched popular culture that was filled with gay characters, such as the two male leads in "Will and Grace." When Jerry Seinfeld joked in his show, after being mischaracterized as a homosexual, "not that there's anything wrong with that," these generations laughed and understood. According to Pew Research Center, 70% of Millennials support gay marriage. Their values will impact other big issues in coming years. X and Y, for instance, grew up in a world that was profoundly shaped by the waves of immigration since 1965. Its effects are felt in everything from the food they ate to the people they met to the popular entertainers who came from and blended all sorts of cultural traditions. They are also two generations who are deeply attuned to the problems facing the environment and the need for the government to make smart choices about education and technology that will help them and their children survive in a new economic world that provides less stability and requires more adaptability than the one of their parents. While Generation X saw the economic highs of the 1990s suddenly collapse with the dot-com bust, Generation Y, as New York Times reporter Annie Lowery recently wrote, suffered through the financial crisis "that battered career prospects, drove hundreds of thousands into the shelter of schools or parents basements and left hundreds of thousands of others in continual underemployment." Many members of X and Y also don't trust the formal political system to get much done. This is not because the political system betrayed them, the sentiment felt by the Baby Boomers, but because it literally doesn't seem to work. The kind of intense partisan polarization that so many older Americans lament as being different from what they experienced in their youth is the only kind of politics that these generations have ever seen. In the 1990s and early 2000s, they have watched as the parties failed to reach agreement on almost every issue, and the nation's leaders have constantly engaged in a vicious style of combat that leaves all sides injured. The result is that many of them look to other forms of activity to solve public problems, whether through startups or nonprofits. The nation's political leaders will not only have to reach these generations but will have to win back their trust that politics can work at all. The generations have clearly arrived. Politicians have been extremely slow to respond. But they have no choice. This is no longer the electorate of their father's and mother's America. The politicians who want to succeed will have to keep up with expectations, concerns and basic values of Generations X and Y if they want to succeed in the coming decades. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer. | America's political climate is changing due to maturity of two generations, says Julian Zelizer .
Gen X and Y have different attitudes and experiences than baby boomers .
Zelizer: Politicians are seeing the result on issues such as gay rights, immigration .
He quotes Dylan: "Something is happening here. But you don't know what it is." |
153,641 | 528c374b62459af64ac9122a9c8e4da62156b24c | Louis van Gaal has given a clear indication that Wayne Rooney will be his new captain after seeing the England striker lead Manchester United to victory over Liverpool in the International Champions Cup final. Rooney was set to succeed Nemanja Vidic as skipper at Old Trafford under David Moyes but Van Gaal’s appointment led to suggestions that he would give the armband to his Holland captain Robin van Persie instead. However, Rooney was chosen to lead United for the first time under the Dutchman at the Sun Life Stadium in Miami, and afterwards Van Gaal hinted that he would prefer to give the job to an Englishman. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Wayne Rooney celebrate after bizarre 'ghost goal' Get in: Wayne Rooney scores against Liverpool as Manchester United triumphed against their bitter rivals . You're the one! Louis van Gaal is set to name Rooney as his Manchester United captain . Touching down: Rooney arrives back in Manchester . ‘I think you have choose when it is possible for the English style,’ he said. ‘I am always looking for opportunities to give players the captain’s armband. Rooney played 90 minutes for the first time. Darren Fletcher had already done it two times, then he was the captain, and Tom Cleverley because he also had 90 minutes.’ Rooney was also voted the Most Valuable Player of the tournament after scoring his fifth goal on tour in United’s 3-1 win over their old rivals. Van Gaal agreed with the decision, saying it was more merited than the same award given to Lionel Messi at the World Cup this summer. ‘He is a man who is always a winner,’ added the United boss. ‘You saw in the World Cup when the award went to Messi it is not always like that. It is deserved because he scored a lot of goals and made assists. The judges are always looking for that. ‘But we have also defended very well and without defence we cannot score. A lot of my defenders could have been Most Valuable Player of this tournament. Main man: Rooney was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament after scoring five goals . Winning feeling: Rooney and Darren Fletcher with the International Champions Cup after United's win in Miami . ‘But we have also defended very well and without defence we cannot score. A lot of my defenders could have been Most Valuable Player of this tournament. ‘His was a wonderful goal and very important for him, I believe. When you see the technique and what he did to push the ball under the legs of the opponent and into the bottom corner. It was a great cross by Hernandez of course – it was a very good attack.’ Van Gaal played down the importance of lifting the International Champions Cup after finishing the tour unbeaten, but acknowledged that beating Liverpool would delight their fans. Asked the value of winning the tournament, he replied: ‘Nothing. It’s nice for the fans in the USA but also at home that we beat Liverpool. It’s not our favourite opponent I think for Man United fans. We have given a lot of pleasure to these fans and that is very important. VIDEO Van Gaal wants reinforcements . In front: Juan Mata scored to put United ahead as Van Gaal's side ended their tour unbeaten . Game over: Jesse Lingard celebrates scoring a third to put the game beyond Liverpool . ‘Of course it is better to win in pre-season than to lose. The most important game is Swansea at home in the first game, that’s the one we have to win. ‘It’s better to win and maybe you have noticed in the media that first we beat Roma and then Inter Milan and then Real Madrid. It was not enough because now it was a test in the Premier League.’ Van Gaal also confirmed that Antonio Valencia came off after only five minutes as a precaution and that Danny Welbeck is recovering from a knee injury. Asked about any new signings, he said: ‘I cannot say anything fresh about players. That you can understand. When I say something it raises the price, so it’s not nice.’ | Louis van Gaal is set to name Wayne Rooney as his captain .
Manchester United striker scored against Liverpool in Miami .
The England striker scored five goals on United's tour of America . |
240,402 | c3347379c5504a8f5b4b4b8375ca5a361103cfa1 | By . John Hall . PUBLISHED: . 12:19 EST, 1 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 1 February 2014 . Police looking for missing student Megan Roberts are using specialist sonar equipment to scan a river they believe she may have fallen into. Miss Roberts, 20, has not been seen for more than a week since she disappeared during a night out with friends in York city centre. North Yorkshire Police said earlier this week they believe the most likely explanation for her disappearance is that she got separated from her group while under the influence of alcohol and fell in the River Ouse near to York's Lendal Bridge. Search: Megan Roberts, 20, has not been seen for more than a week since she disappeared during a night out with friends in York city centre . River Ouse: More than 30 officers are searching the water around the Lendal Bridge where the student was last seen last Thursday . They are now using sonar equipment to search the river for the missing student . Concern: Officers have launched an urgent search after the disappearance of Megan Roberts, 20, last week . Divers: The Yorkshire search team have complained of 'really difficult conditions' with 'no visibility in 'fast flowing and very cold' water . Divers from the regional police underwater search unit have been searching the river since Miss Roberts, who is from Wetherby, West Yorkshire, was reported missing on Monday. A spokesman said the team was now using special sonar equipment to scan the water from Lendal Bridge downstream to Naburn. The operation has supported by firefighters using a boat. The spokesman said: 'Over the weekend officers will conduct searches along the banks on both sides of the river.' Megan was last seen on CCTV on the corner of Rougier Street and Lendal Bridge at around 2.20am on January 23. Extra officers have been drafted in as they search land and water along the Ouse between Lendal Bridge and Ouse Bridge in the city centre . Friends like Allanah Thornley, left, are worried about Megan's whereabouts as fears grow for her safety . Parent: Megan's mother Jackie (left) has said she is 'worried sick' and has urged anyone with information to come forward . Tracing her steps: Megan left a bar at 2am and her last sighting on CCTV was on one side of the Lendal Bridge - but she was missing on the other . Divers from the regional police underwater search unit have been searching the river since Miss Roberts, who is from Wetherby, West Yorkshire, was reported missing on Monday . A week after her disappearance, Superintendent Phil Cain said: 'The strongest and most probable line of inquiry being pursued by police is that Megan, affected by alcohol, has entered the river.' Mr Cain stressed that there was ‘no evidence to indicate foul play’, adding ‘on balance, this presents as a group of young friends on a night out that is likely to have ended in tragedy’. The officer said Miss Roberts was with a group of friends who had been drinking for 'several hours' before leaving the Popworld nightclub, in York city centre, at around 2.10am on Thursday morning. Night out: On the evening she vanished Megan was at the Popworld bar in York with her friends . Search: Police are hunting York for Megan Roberts who has been missing since last Thursday morning after a night out in the city with friends . Last sighting: At 2.10am CCTV footage shows Miss Roberts with a group of people on the corner of Rougier Street near Lendal Bridge, left. Ten minutes later they crossed to the other side, right, but Megan was gone . Mr Cain explained how the group were spread out and some of them ran down a street called Tanner's Moat, past The Maltings pub, where Miss Roberts - the last in the group - was spotted bumping into a row of cycle racks. 'CCTV evidence does not show Megan running back up the same street with the others to rejoin the main group,' he said. Mr Cain said the group of friends has been extensively spoken to and officers are confident that none of them is directly responsible for Miss Roberts's disappearance. Miss Roberts is described as around 5ft 6in and of medium build with long dark brown hair. When last seen she was wearing a cream knee-length dress which had large brown and orange flowers on it and black plimsolls-type shoes. | Megan Roberts last seen on Thursday after leaving Popworld bar in York .
Student, 20, was with friends by bridge at 2.10am, but by 2.20am was gone .
North Yorkshire Police believe she 'entered river' while 'affected by alcohol'
Divers are now using sonar technology to try to locate the missing student .
Officers are searching stretch of river close to where she was last seen . |
101,920 | 0f5a37366d1101071643a805e4f093ae5451952c | NEW DELHI, India (CNN) -- Flashback to 1984: As a child, I am glued to my family's black-and-white television set for our daily dose of evening entertainment and news on India's national broadcaster. India holds its first rocket launch from a fishing village in southern India on November 21, 1963. But this is no ordinary newscast: Prime Minister Indira Gandhi is speaking via videolink with astronaut Rakesh Sharma, who is aboard a space station. Indian pride soared as Squadron Leader Sharma, an Indian Air Force pilot, became the first in the nation to explore the celestial realm, part of a joint mission with what was then the Soviet Union. I don't remember what show it was, but it etched India's "astronomical feat" in the minds of those who watched it, including a 10-year-old like me. But the Indian connection to space was much older than that milestone. In the country's space calendar, November 21, 1963, is a key date: It marks the first rocket launch from a fishing village in southern India. Nike-Apache, a two-stage sounding rocket imported from the United States, took off that day from Thumba, a site that eventually became a favorite location for similar experiments by international scientists. So far, there have been some 2,200 sounding-rocket launches from that facility, according to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center. But the South Asian nation's space program has been far more expansive -- the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) has more than 60 events that it lists as "milestones" since 1962-63, which includes the successful use of polar and geosynchronous satellite launch vehicles. See India's space odyssey in photos » . Fast forward to 2008: The country launches its first unmanned mission to the Moon in what is being seen as the 21st-Century, Asian version of the space race between the United States and the USSR -- but this time the two nations involved are India and China. In September of that same year, a Chinese astronaut took a spacewalk, his country's first. A month later, India sent Chandrayaan-1 -- Chandrayaan means "moon craft" in Sanskrit -- on a two-year mission to take high-resolution, three-dimensional images of the lunar surface, especially the permanently-shadowed polar regions. The craft, carrying payloads from the United States, the European Union and Bulgaria, will search for evidence of water or ice and attempt to identify the chemical composition of certain lunar rocks. Nonetheless, India maintains competition does not drive its space program. Vikram Sarabhai, seen as the father of India's space program, made this case for government funding of the program in the 1960s: . "We do not have the fantasy of competing with the economically-advanced nations in the exploration of the Moon or the planets or manned space-flight," Sarabhai said, according to ISRO's Website. "But we are convinced that if we are to play a meaningful role nationally, and in the community of nations, we must be second to none in the application of advanced technologies to the real problems of man and society," said Sarabhai, in what the agency described as a "vision" for India's space endeavors. Earlier this year, the Indian government increased the federal budget for space research to around $1 billion from some $700 million, ISRO spokesman S. Satish told CNN, as scientists propose to send astronauts into space by 2015 on solely Indian missions. ISRO was also studying the feasibility of sending a manned craft to the Moon by 2020, Satish said, adding that plans for unmanned Mars missions in the coming years have not been finalized. The space agency dropped a TV-sized probe on the Moon last November that it said sent sufficient signals to the mother craft before a crash landing. But the country's space ambitions are not limited to public research endeavors, Satish said. "We have just entered the commercial satellite launch market," he said, including what ISRO noted is now the world's largest constellation of remote-sensing satellites. These satellites, according to the Vikram Sarabhai Space Center, capture images of the Earth that are used in a range of applications -- agriculture, water resources, urban development, mineral prospecting, environment, forestry, drought and flood forecasting, ocean resources and disaster management. Another major system, or INSAT, is used for communication, television and meteorology. "We have mastered the space technology in these 40 years. We have already sent an unmanned mission to the Moon and now we look forward to sending a manned one there," Satish said. | India made its first rocket launch on November 21, 1963 .
Indian space group list more than 60 events it considers "milestones"
India launches its first unmanned mission to the moon in 2008 .
The South Asian nation is seen as being in an Asian space race with China . |
93,882 | 04b831390c50d01ec7bda5a053e7af6ab72a2060 | Orlando, Florida (CNN) -- Golfer Tiger Woods will be issued a careless driving citation for the crash outside his home last week, but he will not face criminal charges, the Florida Highway Patrol said Tuesday. Woods, 33, struck a fire hydrant and a tree with his 2009 Cadillac SUV in his luxury neighborhood near Windermere, Florida, early Friday, police said. Upon conviction of careless driving, a moving violation, Woods faces a $164 fine and four points on his license, Maj. Cindy Williams of the Florida Highway Patrol said. "Mr. Woods' status in no way impacted our investigation or conclusion," Williams said. "The investigation has determined that Mr. Woods is at fault in the crash." Woods satisfied the requirements of Florida law regarding motor vehicle accidents by providing his driver's license, registration and proof of insurance to authorities, Williams said. "With the issuance of this citation, the Florida Highway Patrol has completed its investigation into this matter," she said. There was insufficient evidence to request a subpoena for medical information in the case, said Sgt. Kim Montes, an FHP spokeswoman. There were no claims of domestic abuse. Authorities have said they don't have details on why Woods was driving away from his home around 2:25 a.m. Friday. State troopers three times have asked to question him about the accident, but he has declined, the highway patrol has said. What do you think about the Tiger Woods saga? Police have said the accident was not alcohol-related. Woods canceled plans to attend the Chevron World Challenge in Southern California "due to injuries sustained in a one-car accident last week," according to a statement Monday from the golfer. In a statement issued Sunday afternoon on his Web site, Woods offered no details of his accident except to say he had cuts and bruises and was "pretty sore." "This situation is my fault, and it's obviously embarrassing to my family and me," he said. "I'm human and I'm not perfect. I will certainly make sure this doesn't happen again." Woods is a four-time winner of the tournament. A knee injury kept him from competing last year. "I am extremely disappointed that I will not be at my tournament this week," Woods said. "I am certain it will be an outstanding event, and I'm very sorry that I can't be there." People holding tickets for the event -- which runs Wednesday through Sunday -- can apply for full refunds starting next Monday, tournament officials said. Ticketholders who do not ask for refunds can get a 20 percent discount when buying 2010 tickets, they said. The annual charity event, which Woods hosts in Thousand Oaks, California, is a major fundraiser for the Tiger Woods Foundation, but it was not immediately clear how much money it would lose because of Woods' cancellation. The incident has ended Woods' golf appearances until next season, according to a statement posted on his Web site. The PGA Tour has ended for the year, but the first tournament of the 2010 season is just five weeks away. At least one other charity event is scheduled, but it is not clear if Woods had planned to attend. Woods has won the Masters tournament and the PGA tournament four times each, as well as three U.S. Open Championships. Last week, a story in the National Enquirer alleged that Woods has been seeing a New York nightclub hostess. The woman denied having an affair with Woods when contacted by The Associated Press. The woman in question has retained Los Angeles lawyer Gloria Allred, who is know for handling high-profile cases, to represent her. Allred told CNN there were no immediate plans for a news conference, although she may soon release a written statement. Windermere's mayor called on the news media to back away from the story, saying, "Our residents would like to put this behind us." "It's time to move on," Mayor Gary Bruhn said. "Let the man recover if he is injured, and let him get back to his life, and let our residents get back to normalcy." Woods' agent, Mark Steinberg, said the Florida Highway Patrol informed them that further discussion with them is both voluntary and optional. "Although Tiger realizes that there is a great deal of public curiosity, it has been conveyed to FHP that he simply has nothing more to add and wishes to protect the privacy of his family." Under Florida law, Woods is not obligated to give a statement about the crash. His attorney, Mark NeJame, handed over the required documents to the troopers Sunday at Woods' home, Montes said. Investigators had sought possible surveillance tapes of the accident from neighbors, but none were found, she said. In his statement, Woods praised his wife, Elin Nordegren, who he said "acted courageously when she saw I was hurt and in trouble." Nordegren told police she used a golf club to break out the rear window of the vehicle, and then pulled Woods from the SUV after she heard the accident from inside their home. But Woods said, "This is a private matter, and I want to keep it that way." And, he added, "The only person responsible for the accident is me." Woods and his wife have two children, a 2-year-old and a baby born in February. CNN's Susan Candiotti, Alan Duke, Ross Levitt and Marc Balinsky contributed to this report. | NEW: Tiger Woods faces $164 fine, four points on his license, Florida Highway Patrol says .
NEW: No criminal charges for pro golfer; no evidence of abuse, spokeswoman says .
Woods skipping golf tournament this week, blames injuries from car crash .
Woods hit a fire hydrant near his home in his SUV early Friday, police say . |
145,116 | 47af024501c726f0c57f583cbc08b762d71b3d08 | By . Jonathan McEvoy . Fernando Alonso is wanted by McLaren and may well end up there. It is understood from sources close to the situation that meetings have recently taken place to this end. Although Ron Dennis, the McLaren chairman, and Alonso fell out in 2007, the animosity may not prevent a reunion. Dennis wants to sign a big name. Alonso is struggling to obtain success at Ferrari. McLaren's partnership with Honda, which starts next year, offers an obvious attraction. Off track: Fernando Alonso - taking part in practice on Thursday - has endured a difficult season with Ferrari . Interest: McLaren are courting Alonso, who left the British team (right) after he fell out with Ron Dennis in 2007 . As does the fact Eric Boullier, the new de facto team principal, is unconnected to the 2008 turbulence. The notion of Alonso leaving Ferrari was fuelled this week, when he said: 'It is sometimes strange to see good comments and compliments from people outside the team, and the opposite from people who are supposed to be close to you. 'It's motivating for me and to see good comments and is funny when you see the opposite from your closest friends.' This outburst prompted Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo to issue an unusual statement-cum-love letter. He said: 'Fernando is the best driver in the world, who always gives 200 per cent in the races.' Alonso may end up staying, but at this stage I would be tempted to put a fiver on him going to McLaren. Tough going: Jenson Button, pictured here in practice, and team-mate Kevin Magnussen have struggled in 2014 . The only problem that people in Monaco have ever had with alcohol has been trying to walk down the gangway. But while the champagne-fuelled roistering is in full swing on lilting yachts, miserable plans are afoot to ban all alcohol advertising from sport, including Formula One. In an echo of the ban on tobacco advertising, a pincer movement is starting to move across the continent. France has already outlawed alcohol advertising: what we call the Heineken Cup is called the H Cup just over the border from Monaco. Other countries will follow suit, experts say, and then the European Union will introduce a Europe-wide ban. Labour have included a ban in their draft manifesto for next year's general election. This move is bad news for the likes of Williams with their Martini sponsorship, Force India with Smirnoff, and McLaren with Johnnie Walker. In all, drink advertising brings £300million into British sport. The FA Cup (Budweiser), the Grand National (Crabbie's) and Everton FC (Chang Beer) would all lose out. Dr Kerry O'Brien, head of behavioural studies, at Moash University, Melbourne makes the case for the ban. It sounds sanctimonious rubbish to me but here goes: 'Formula 1 has displayed such strong leadership in ensuring their driver safety, so it seems odd that they remain happy to promote alcohol given its a factor in around one third of all road fatalities in western nations. I'll drink to that: Williams' title sponsor this season is alcohol brand Martini . 'We know that young people are particularly influenced by alcohol sponsorship and advertising, with those exposed to alcohol marketing early in life more likely to be problem drinkers later in life. Unfortunately, young men are also much more likely to die from drink driving than any other group. 'Expecting a few anti-drink driving messages to reduce the problem of drink driving in the face of a 1000 times more "please drink alcohol messages" along with heavy alcohol discounting, defies logic. 'If you really thought you needed to address alcohol consumption and drink driving you would not put alcohol and driving together in the first place. 'Formula One has some of the most intelligent and decent folk you could meet, but you really don't need to be smart to know that alcohol and driving cars don't go together in any context. But young people watching Formula One could certainly gain that impression with the current alcohol sponsorship arrangements. 'France took the global lead in banning alcohol sponsorship and advertising, and it didn't affect the success of sport in their country. Indeed they hosted the very successful 1998 FIFA World Cup, and won it! Perhaps Formula One can be the moral leaders of international sport and be the first to ban alcohol sponsorship and advertising.' I have never heard anyone in Formula One say that they want alcohol advertising banned. It seems illiberal to me. People, I would argue, should be able to decide for themselves whether they want to buy drinks or not. Where will all this legislation end? With bans on drinking in public places? Driving seat: Lewis Hamilton leads the drivers' championship by three points from team-mate Nico Rosberg . Lewis Hamilton said this week that he is 'hungrier' for success than Nico Rosberg because he, unlike his team-mate, was not born into privilege. Now think if Rosberg had made the claim in reverse. If he had said his more expensive education, for example, made him better equipped for Formula One. Imagine the outrage. I think Hamilton was on to something, though. There is a certain chippiness to Lewis and his father, Anthony (and I say that more admiringly than critically). Anthony, it always struck me, had a sense of 'Lewis and me against the world,' derived from their lowly beginnings as a poor immigrant family. This is part of what made them so successful and Anthony such a power for good as a father. Rivals: Rosberg and Hamilton, posing with girlfriend Nicole Scherzinger (right), are battling for the title . As promised last week, I returned to the track at Monaco to sample the new, quieter engine noise. Would it, I wondered, damage my enjoyment of watching the cars at close quarters, especially around the swimming pool. The answer is yes and no. Yes: because there was a lack of sheer screaming violence. No: I was not deafened. I feel my quandary is shared by many within Formula One. | Unsettled Fernando Alonso could be in line for a reunion with McLaren .
Ron Dennis wants to sign a big name but fell out with Alonso in 2007 .
The Spaniard could be tempted back with McLaren's Honda partnership .
Plans are afoot to ban alcohol from all advertising in sport including Formula One . |
203,715 | 93bc515af7df0849825a6895ceb44b6c6c6157a3 | By . Martin Keown . Follow @@martinkeown5 . It was not a rigid formation in attack for United. In particular Shinji Kagawa drifted from the left into the middle and was a threat when on the ball. Danny Welbeck would go out wide and his pace scared Bayern at times. Wayne Rooney would drop back if he needed to. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Eleven players who should leave Old Trafford in the summer . Drifting: Shinji Kagawa (left) continued his recent renaissance with a decent display . Pure pace: Danny Welbeck skips past Jerome Boateng . It was in general a good tempo from United and what Moyes must have expected when he took over this job. It was more like the United of old, and for the first 60 minutes as good a performance as any this season given the calibre of opponent they were up against. This was the all-conquering Bayern Munich. Maybe United do not need the massive overhaul that has been suggested. They looked a good side. It was a brave fight. Patrice Evra’s goal was a thunderbolt struck because he sensed blood at the start of the second half. Bayern responded like champions and it was Evra who allowed Mario Mandzukic to steal in for his header. I was very impressed with Chris Smalling, there now looks to be a future for him at centre-half; which is a positive from an England point of view. It was a big call by David Moyes to play Smalling in place of Rio Ferdinand but it worked. He looked dominant in the air – and beat Thomas Muller to a commanding header early on – and also coped well in one-on-ones with Franck Ribery when dragged to the wing. He was mobile and used the ball well. Steppingup: Chris Smalling (right) tussles with Thomas Muller as the centre back covered admirably . Plus point: Phil Jones (centre) has shown promise at right back this season . Phil Jones was another plus point at right back. Moyes will have to play at least one of the youngsters, perhaps both, with Nemanja Vidic and Ferdinand leaving in the summer. This will have been an important experience for both of them and given them confidence. Conversely, Jerome Boateng and Dante did not look comfortable at times in possession. Pep Guardiola likes to play out from the back but when questioned by United’s high pressing they would often go back to Manuel Neuer. I was disappointed with Bayern Munich, it was not as difficult for Manchester United as we would have expected. Usually in wide positions they have carousel of players and the full-backs bomb forward. But David Alaba and Philipp Lahm played very central, they came right in to central midfield. It was underlapping rather than overlapping. That made it easier for United to work out who should be picking up who. Over-tinkering: Although Arjen Robben (right) scored, he will have been frustrated with Bayern's system . Game-changer: The introduction of Rafinha (left) gave Bayern added impetus and gave them better shape . It might be because Pep Guardiola wanted Lahm on ball more often, and it also meant Mario Gotze and Thomas Muller could push further forwards. But instead they looked ordinary; it just didn’t work. It’s a system that would drive someone like Arjen Robben mad. He loves short passes with his full-back to cut in and find space in dangerous areas, but there was little chance of that. There was no-one running down the wings to create width. It seemed a case of Guardiola over-tinkering. When Rafinha came on to provide width, Bayern looked a different side. | The first 60 minutes was as good a performance as any from Manchester United this season .
There looks to be a future for Chris Smalling at centre-half .
Bayern Munich looked ordinary with a lack of width . |
216,439 | a435f3952aa73ab20cdc4d6bd599a5e641c05663 | By . Mail On Sunday Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:57 EST, 30 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:57 EST, 30 March 2013 . Labour ran a campaign portraying a cut in tax on incomes above £150,000 from 50p to 45p as a lottery-style windfall, but the party admitted its headline claim was misleading . The Tories last night condemned a – Labour advertising campaign which portrays the cut in the top rate of tax as a lottery-style windfall for millionaires. The rate paid on incomes above £150,000 will drop from 50p to 45p on Saturday – prompting Ed Miliband’s team to distribute leaflets describing the reduction as ‘a £100,000 win for everyone earning £1 million’. However, the party admitted last night that the headline claim was misleading: anyone taking home £1 million a year will actually see their annual tax bill fall by just over £42,000. The leaflets are dotted with numbered balls to ram home the ‘lottery’ point. A spokesman for Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said: ‘If you read the whole leaflet, it makes clear £100,000 is the average tax cut for those earning £1 million or more. ‘It would dilute the impact if you put all the caveats on the front.’ A spokesman for George Osborne said: ‘The 50p tax raised no money. If we are going to keep attracting investment and creating jobs we need a competitive tax system. We get that – Ed Balls doesn’t.’ | Party admitted claim in a lottery-style campaign ad was misleading .
Rate paid on incomes above £150,000 will drop from 50p to 45p .
Spokesman for Ed Balls said: 'It would dilute the impact if you put all the caveats on the front' |
231,018 | b71e2036d5372d10ea65de7a7f1afc530843db5c | By . Mail Online Reporter . Ever since California voters backed a measure requiring adult entertainment performers to wear condoms on sets in Los Angeles County, permits for porn production have plummeted. The Los Angeles Times reports that 40 permits for adult productions were issued across the city and county last year, a 90 per cent drop from 2012 when the measure was passed. The law, called Measure B, was pushed by HIV/AIDS activists arguing it would prevent disease outbreaks. Scroll down for video . The Los Angeles Times reports that 40 permits for adult productions were issued across the city and county last year, a 90 per cent drop from 2012 when the measure was passed . The industry argued that mandatory performer testing was already effective and that consumers did not want to purchase pornography that featured condoms. Performers have also contended that condoms can cause rashes and discomfort over long shoots. Only 20 permits have been issued so far this year as of July. Paul Audley, President of FilmL.A. Inc., says the new laws affect far more than just performers. 'It is a cause for concern that people who are manning the . cameras, lights and other things on those sets are not working anymore,' he said. ' It’s not helpful to have another segment of the industry leave the . region.' Filmmakers note that those crew members put millions of dollars into the local economy as residents. Porn crews are mostly traveling to Nevada, Southern California, Florida, and Eastern Europe. Most porn productions have traveled to Southern California, Nevada, or Florida . And . outside cities and states are already drastically affecting production . for more mainstream fare as they offer tax breaks and rebates. 'We’re not shooting in L.A. anymore and, if this goes through, I don’t think you will have any . production in the county of Los Angeles,' Steven Hirsch, founder . and co-chairman of Vivid Entertainment, told reporters. 'We’d like to stay here. This . is our home, where we’ve produced for the last 30 years. But if we’re . forced to move, we will.' AB 1576, a bill that would mandate the expansion of the law statewide is on its way to a state Senate committee next week. A lawsuit challenging Measure B should be in federal appeals court by the year's end. 'There . is no question people are filming without permits,' Michael Weinstein, president of the AIDS Healthcare Foundation told reporters. 'We’re not against porn, we're not trying to drive them out of business. We want to protect the performer and we want them to be a safe industry . like any other industry.' | Permits for adult productions dropped 90 per cent in the year after Measure B passed, requiring condom use .
Only 20 permits have been issued in 2014 .
Bill to make the measure statewide making its way through state Senate .
Production companies claim the regulation causes chaffing and discomfort and that consumers refuse to buy products featuring condoms . |
78,088 | dd5dad4dbea89c38f51c5e14a9a736e4d5e9759b | After three hours stranded on two different planes, passengers on board a beleaguered Allegiant Air flight could have been forgiven for grumbling - but instead some chose to lose themselves in song. The flight was grounded on the runway in Las Vegas on Sunday for a total of four hours. Several travelers reported that a woman passed out in the aisle while two others had medical problems. Despite the uncomfortable conditions, passengers tried to keep spirits up - with one man blasting R Kelly's song I Believe I Can Fly from a portable music player while others laughed, sang along and waved their hands in the air. Scroll down for video . I believe I can fly! The passengers on board the Allegiance flight from Las Vegas to Phoenix on Sunday burst into an impromptu version of the R Kelly song after being delayed for four hours . Relief: Passengers laughed and swayed their arms in time with the music during a nightmare journey from Las Vegas to Phoenix . The irony of the track, which opens with the lyrics - 'I used to think that I could not go on; And life was nothing but an awful song' - was not lost on weary passengers many of whom burst into fits of giggles and filmed the moment on their phones. However it was not all light-hearted singalongs. Passenger Francine Gutierrez told Fox: 'One of the passengers started getting a . bloody nose from the heat so she rushed to the bathroom. Followed by her . was another passenger that was starting to vomit. 'A . third passenger passed out in the middle of the aisle. Everyone was kind . of frantic.' The Las Vegas to Phoenix flight was scheduled to leave at 11am on Sunday with 121 passengers on board. The MD-80 plane had a technical issue . followed by a passenger with a medical issue, causing the plane to . be grounded for 80 minutes according to an Allegiance . spokesman. Overwhelmed: With lack of AC, passengers reported that this woman, seen lying in the aisle, had passed out on board . Singalong: One passenger, seen holding his personal music device, played R Kelly's I Believe I Can Fly - and the irony was not lost on amused fellow travelers . Communications director Bryan Davis told MailOnline on Monday that the AC on the aircraft is connected to the engines making it extremely difficult to cool the plane while temperatures soared to 110F on the tarmac. However he did say that airline crew had passed out water to passengers. After spending an hour in the airport terminal, passengers were put on a second plane which was further delayed by technical issues. Mr Davis said that passengers had received complimentary drinks on the plane and a $100 credit for future travel. Grounded: There were technical issues with two Allegiant Air MD-80 planes on Sunday (library image) | Travelers on Allegiance flight from Las Vegas to Phoenix on Sunday complained of lack of AC in 110F heat .
One passenger held his music device aloft and blasted I Believe I Can Fly while others sang along and waved their arms . |
277,183 | f31d62463395e1b4daca7f22306ef20f15a11a41 | Chinese media reports that two University of Southern California students from China were murdered in their luxury BMW because they were 'showing off their wealth' has caused outrage among the victims' friends. Couple Ying Wu and Ming Qu, both 23, were sitting in the . 3-series when a gunman fired at the vehicle shattering the car . windows. The woman, Wu, was found slumped in the front passenger . seat in the early hours of Wednesday morning near the campus in Los Angeles. Tragic: USC students Ming Qu, 23, left, and Ying Wu, 23, right, were shot dead in a BMW on Wednesday . Blown out: The windows of the BMW luxury car were blown away; Ying Wu was found slumped over in her seat, and Qu tried to get out for help . Mourning: More than 400 Chinese students participate in a memorial service on campus of the University of Southern California (USC) in Los Angeles, for the murdered couple . The wounded man, Qu, managed to run to a nearby home, where he . pounded on the door pleading for help but soon collapsed. In . a statement released on Thursday, classmates and friends of Wu and Qu . said they are 'deeply grieved and angered at the distorted reports of . our friends', reports the LA Times. As news of the shooting broke, media outlets first reported that Wu was found dead in a new BMW. Headlines in China have focused on the make of the car because luxury vehicles have become a political issue in the country. But . in their statement, friends say Qu had recently purchased the BMW, . which was in fact a used 2003 model with 80,000 miles on the clock. He . had planned to use the car to commute to a job after graduating this . spring. They said the car had no license plates because they had not yet arrived and not because the car was new, reports the Times. Rebecca Peterson lights candles at an impromptu memorial on campus for the two international students . Evidence: Police believe they were murdered either in an attempted robbery or car-jacking that left material evidence behind connecting to the suspects . 'Ying and Ming lived a simple life . during their nearly two-year study at USC. In order to keep their living . expenses down, they both shared rooms with other classmates. 'Ying even chose to live on the west side of campus, where it is comparatively cheaper and less safe.' The friends ended the statement by imploring people to 'ignore the rumors and help tell the truth', reports the Times. Paramedics took the victims to . downtown's California Hospital Medical Centre where they were announced . dead on arrival, authorities said. 'This is every parent's nightmare,’police Cmdr. Andrew Smith told the Associated Press. The couple were both graduate students from China studying electrical engineering, the university said in a statement. Prestigious: As many as 35 per cent of USC's international student population is comprised of the Chinese . Rough around the edges: The neighbourhood, though gentrifying, is in a seedy area of Los Angeles . Investigators say it may . have been a robbery or a carjacking attempt. Witnesses said the car was . in the roadway, not at the curb, at the time of the shooting. The . gunman fled and no one has been arrested, Cmdr. Smith said. Police have . taken the BMW away for examination and were attempting to determine if . there were any surveillance cameras in the area. Four people have been killed this year in the area, police said, but violent crime is down 20 per cent this year. Gloria Tigolo lives on the street . where the shooting occurred and said she heard a single gunshot. She . went downstairs but didn't go outside because it was raining. 'It was . just one big shot,' she said. 'I am amazed that one gunshot could kill . two people.' Investigators said earlier that several shots were fired at the couple. Ms Tigolo said the area is peaceful . and this is the first shooting she can recall since she moved to the . neighbourhood three years ago. | Students Ming Qu and Ying Wu shot dead in their 3 Series BMW .
Qu and Wu were graduate students from China studying engineering . |
90,232 | 001953f437e71dedb22650cb78e0d6c429a1503c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:48 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:54 EST, 7 June 2013 . A county prosecutor has been fired after admitting to posing as a murder suspect's ex-girlfriend on Facebook in a bid to get the alibi witnesses to change their story. Aaron Brockler, who formerly worked for Cuyahoga County in Ohio, insisted he had done nothing wrong as his intention was simply to get a killer off the street by revealing that the alibi was made up. 'Law enforcement, including prosecutors, . have long engaged in the practice of using a ruse to obtain the truth,' Brockler told the Cleveland Plain Dealer. 'I think the public . is better off for what I did.' He said that the alibi witnesses had indeed said their initial stories were not true. Tactics: Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Aaron Brockler, left, was fired after posing as a fictitious ex-girlfriend of murder suspect Damon Dunn, right, in a bid to get his alibi witnesses to reveal if their story was true . But County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty, who fired Brockler, called the actions 'unethical' and said he had brought shame on the office. Brockler, 35, was the lead prosecutor in the case of Damon Dunn, 29, who was accused of gunning down Kenneth 'Blue' Adams in May 2012 at a car wash where the victim worked. During preparation stages for the trial, Dunn provided attorneys with the names of two women he said could testify he was on the other side of the city at the time of the shooting. 'Unless I could break this guy's alibi a . murderer might be walking on the street,' Brockler told the Plain Dealer. 'There was such a small window . of opportunity, I had to act fast.' Denial: Brockler, with his wife, said he had done nothing wrong as he was trying to get a killer off the streets . Plot: He said that the women had changed their stories after speaking with the fake girlfriend . He said that he used Facebook to chat with the two witnesses, posing as a fictitious former girlfriend who he said had given birth's to Dunn's child. Brockler said the women were enraged at learning this. He met with the women the next day, but did not reveal he had been the one speaking to them. Brockler claimed that one of the women said she hadn't been with Dunn at the time of the murder after all, while the other said: 'This is bogus, I'm not going to lie for him.' He told Dunn's defense lawyer that the alibi had fallen apart and saved copies of the Facebook chats in a file, with no intention of hiding them, he told the Plain Dealer. He then left the office for medical leave for two months and, during that time, was called by the assistant county prosecutor who was filling in his role. Ruse: He used Facebook to speak to the two witnesses and afterwards they changed their story (file picture) The colleague asked him about the Facebook chats in the file. Brockler said they had been him and the colleague told supervisors. The Facebook transcripts were given to a Cleveland homicide detective, who traced their creation to Brockler's computer in the Justice Center. Brockler had meetings with supervisors and was open about what he had done. He was fired from the position and the Attorney General's office has taken over the case. 'By creating false . evidence, lying to witnesses as well as another prosecutor, Aaron . Brockler has damaged the prosecution's chances in a murder case where a . totally innocent man was killed at his work,' McGinty said. Kicked out: A colleague found copies of the Facebook conversations and when Brockler said they were his, he was fired from the Cuyahoga County Prosecutors office in Ohio, pictured . But Brockler insists he has been unfairly dismissed and that he had simply been motivated by sympathy for the victim's mother. 'I made a promise to her that he wasn’t going . to walk out the front door of the courthouse,' he said. 'This was a horrible killer . and I didn’t want him to get out and go kill someone else's son.' He called his treatment 'a massive overreaction'. 'I did what the Cleveland police detectives should have done before I got the file,' he said. The next hearing in Dunn's case is scheduled for later this month. | When Aaron Brockler told two female alibi witnesses he was the suspect's ex-girlfriend 'they became enraged and admitted they were lying'
Colleague found files of the conversation and Brockler said they were his .
He insists he used the rogue tactics to keep a 'killer' off the streets .
But his supervisors called the move 'unethical' and fired him . |
104,286 | 128e8f8bf83ed457f8bbf5cf1a0820f233a4adf2 | Lucy Mecklenburgh has been working extremely hard to get her body into peak physical condition as she launches her new fitness empire. So it made sense for The Only Way Is Essex star to showcase the results of her personal training business in a sizzling new lingerie campaign. Lucy, 22, has been unveiled as the new face (and incredibly toned body) of Caprice’s underwear range, By Caprice. That really is results with Lucy! Miss Mecklenburgh shows off her new figure as she is unveiled as the face of By Caprice . After Lucy was voted best bikini body of 2013, CEO and designer Caprice snapped up the reality star to front the campaign for lingerie, swim and sleepwear. Taking inspiration from the season’s hottest trends, the By Caprice collection claims to offer women beautiful, sexy and feminine designs to suit all shapes, and Caprice believes Lucy is the perfect poster girl. Model and entrepreneur Caprice said: ‘Lucy looks absolutely gorgeous in the designs. She has beautiful feminine curves, a healthy, toned physique and luscious natural beauty. ‘Lucy is an inspiration to all women for her approach to health and fitness. Her positive attitude towards body image encompasses everything we set out to achieve when designing the collections. 'It is such a pleasure to have Lucy on board.’ Baby pink: Lucy, who has been following an intense exercise regime, was snapped up by model and entrepreneur Caprice to front her new range . She's a natural: Lucy said she thoroughly enjoyed shooting the campaign and even picked up some modelling tips from Caprice . Speaking about her new lingerie coup, Lucy said: ‘It’s an honour and a privilege to be chosen to follow in Caprice’s footsteps. Caprice has always been an inspirational businesswoman and someone who I have looked up to. ‘I had such fun shooting the campaign, especially as I picked up a few modelling tips from Caprice herself! ‘It feels incredible to wear such gorgeous lingerie and it’s hard to find a brand that has such supportive padding but still looks natural, the collection gives you the most perfect shape.’ Lucy has been busy filming for her new fitness internet channel, Results With Lucy, which focuses on problem areas like bottoms and tummies using a mixture of cardio and strength training - and the ex-beautician is the perfect advert for her services. Hard work: Lucy keeps in shape by doing leg raises, exercises using dumbbells, lunges and plenty of sit-ups to achieve the toned midriff she flaunts in the new lingerie shots . Lucy explains that growing up as a teenager in Brentwood she believed she was always 'tall and skinny' but as she got older, she started to notice cellulite developing on her bottom and upper legs. She said: 'I didn't have a lot of energy, I didn't feel healthy and I knew I needed to start training really.'My biggest concern when I started training was getting too much muscle on my arms because I didn't want to lose the feminine look.' Lucy follows a strict exercise regime focusing on an all-over body workout, including cardiovascular exercises like running, skipping and rowing. She favours leg raises, exercises using dumbbells, lunges and plenty of sit-ups to achieve the toned midriff she flaunts in the new lingerie shots. How things have changed: Lucy explains that growing up as a teenager in Brentwood she believed she was always 'tall and skinny' but as she got older, she started to notice cellulite developing on her bottom and upper legs . When it comes to her diet, Lucy cuts down body fat with a diet full of vegetables, fruit, wholegrain and 'good fats' like avocados and nuts. 'I still have and love my “cheat” days, but the best thing is, they’re now guilt-free, as I know that I’m on top of it!,' she said. And her new regime is obviously working, leaving her feeling confident and healthy. 'I've noticed a difference in myself, I feel healthier, have lots more energy, and am more toned. 'I've lost all my cellulite, my body feels amazing and I've even started to get little abs,' she added. Lucy was engaged to co-star Mario Falcone but is now seeing fellow TOWIE star Tom Pearce after leaving Mario for flirting with other girls. Lucky boy: Lucy is currently dating her co-star, Tom Pearce . Available in sizes 30-38 A-G and S-XL prices are from £25 for bras and £15 for briefs. Key stockists include Figleaves, Very.co.uk, Littlewoods, ASOS & Next Online . | TOWIE star is face of By Caprice lingerie and sleepwear range .
Replaces Amy Childs as the latest celebrity face of the brand .
Has been working hard to get in shape for new online fitness business .
Was engaged to Mario Falcone but is now dating co-star Tom Pearce . |
99,759 | 0c88397b9c1ca8cf4c3eafb4ecdadf0a12a47175 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 12:21 EST, 3 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:57 EST, 3 July 2013 . Sleek, expensive and undoubtedly the apple of its owner's eye. But this sports car, valued at around £300,000, could be smashed to smithereeens as it could be sent to the crusher after it was seized by police. The Lamborghini Aventador was seized on Wilton Place in Knightsbridge for being driven illegally on London’s streets without insurance. The purple high-performance machine is currently on display outside New Scotland Yard, with police considering whether charges will be brought against the driver. The sports car, valued at around £300,000, could be sent to the crusher after it was seized by police . A Met Police spokesman said the Lamborghini was one a several supercars taken by officers . And the car could yet find itself suffering a similar fate to the scores of old bangers already seized by police - crushed. A Met Police spokesman said the Lamborghini was one a several supercars taken by officers as part of its Operation Cubo. He said: 'We have been seizing many types of cars, but sports cars have been among them. A total of 10,318 vehicles have been seized as part of Operation Cubo since October 2011 . The car could yet find itself suffering a similar fate to the scores of old bangers already seized by police - crushed . 'We have had a few Porsaches, BMW X5s, and a Ferrari - that one got crushed and in fact the vast majority of them are.' Operation Cubo has so far taken place on 20 separate days, with 656 vehicles seized one day last month. The force said 135 arrests were made on this occasion for offences including robbery, drugs supply, metal theft, weapon-related offences and for being wanted offenders. A total of 10,318 vehicles have been seized as part of Operation Cubo since October 2011. | Lamborghini was seized in Knightsbridge, London for being driven illegally .
Police are considering whether charges will be brought against the driver .
Met Police spokesman said it was one a several super cars taken by officers .
Crackdown is part of Operation Cubo which seized 656 vehicles in one day . |
31,098 | 586458cf89c9c2ddc5a7925e275f135245f5a0fc | Los Angeles (CNN) -- The city of Los Angeles put up $1 million in reward money Sunday for help catching Christopher Dorner, the renegade ex-cop accused of killing three people in a vendetta against his old department. "We will not tolerate anyone undermining the security, the tranquility of our neighborhoods and our communities," Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa told reporters. "We will not tolerate this reign of terror that has robbed us of the peace of mind that residents of Southern California deserve. We will not tolerate this murderer remaining at large." The offer -- raised in conjunction with businesses, private donors and community groups -- is "the largest ever offered to our knowledge," Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck said. The hope is it will shake loose a tip that leads to Dorner's eventual conviction. The Los Angeles Police Department says Dorner, a 270-pound, 6-foot former Navy officer, was fired in 2009 for filing a false complaint of excessive force against his training officer. In an interview aired Sunday on CNN affiliate KCBS, Beck called Dorner a "trained assassin" but said he wouldn't be harmed if he gave himself up. "If you turn yourself in, then you will be safe and nobody else has to die," he said. "If you don't, if you decide to try to take the life of another Los Angeles police officer or their family member, then you'll have to suffer the consequences." Amid the manhunt, the LAPD beefed up security at Sunday night's Grammy Awards show "out of an abundance of caution," police Cmdr. Andy Smith said. And Villaraigosa said authorities are confident they'll catch Dorner. "This search is not a matter of if. It's a matter of when," Villaraigosa said. "And I want Christopher Dorner to know that." Chief calls it 'domestic terrorism' Dorner accused his training officer of kicking a mentally ill man during an arrest in 2007. The LAPD ruled the complaint unfounded and kicked Dorner off the force for filing a false complaint. He challenged his firing in court and lost. In a manifesto released last week, he blamed racism and corruption in the department for his removal and vowed to wage "unconventional and asymmetrical warfare" against LAPD officers and their families. He called it a "last resort" to clear his name and strike back at a department he says mistreated him. Beck had a different term for it Sunday. "This is an act -- and make no mistake about it -- of domestic terrorism," he said. "This is a man who has targeted those that we entrust to protect the public. His actions cannot go unanswered." But the chief announced Saturday that the LAPD would re-examine its proceedings against Dorner. The review is "not to appease a murderer," but "to reassure the public that their police department is transparent and fair in all things we do," he said. "I am aware of the ghosts of the LAPD's past, and one of my biggest concerns is that they will be resurrected by Dorner's allegations of racism within the department," Beck said. Mountain dragnet scaled back . Meanwhile, about 90 miles east of the city, the dragnet was back in action around the Big Bear Lake resort in the San Bernardino Mountains. After working through a weekend of heavy snow and overnight temperatures in the single digits, investigators were trying to pick up Dorner's trail anew after his burned-out truck was found there Thursday afternoon near the property of someone a federal arrest affidavit described as a known associate. But there has been speculation, based in part on the affidavit, that the suspect could have crossed state lines into Nevada or made his way into Mexico. The day's effort began with about 60 officers, San Bernardino County sheriff's spokeswoman Lehua Pahia said. But by early afternoon, it had been scaled back to about 25 investigators, aided by a helicopter equipped with body-heat sensors and other specialized equipment, Pahia said. None of the tips the department had received so far has panned out, she said. According to authorities, Dorner began making good on his threats a week ago when he killed Monica Quan and her fiance, Keith Lawrence, in a parking lot in Irvine, south of Los Angeles. Quan was the daughter of a now-retired Los Angeles police officer who represented Dorner in a disciplinary hearing that led to his termination. Time line in hunt for Dorner . Days later, early Thursday morning, Dorner allegedly opened fire on two LAPD police officers, wounding one, in the suburban city of Corona. Roughly 20 minutes later, Dorner allegedly fired on two police officers in the nearby city of Riverside, killing one and wounding another. On Sunday, authorities identified the slain officer as Michael Crain, an 11-year veteran officer. LAPD guarding 50 police families . Authorities say Dorner spent at least two days in the San Diego area after the shooting of Quan and her fiance. Dorner's ID and some of his personal belongings were found Thursday at the San Ysidro Point of Entry at the U.S.-Mexico border, according to the affidavit. Border patrol agents have been searching cars crossing into Mexico for signs of Dorner, while authorities have searched a home Dorner owned in Las Vegas and one owned by his mother in La Palma, California. Two sailors reported that Dorner, a former Navy lieutenant, approached them at the San Diego-area Point Loma Naval Base, and local police allege he attempted to steal a boat. And Monica Quan's father told investigators that someone identifying himself as Dorner called him Thursday and told him he "should have done a better job of protecting his daughter," the federal affidavit states. Investigators traced the call to Vancouver, Washington, but based on the timing of other sightings, they don't believe Dorner was in Vancouver at the time, the affidavit states. Beck said the LAPD is now guarding the families of more than 50 police officers. Officers guarding one house early Thursday shot and wounded two women who were driving a pickup similar to Dorner's, something Beck called a "tragic, horrific incident." Beck said that the shootings of Margie Carranza, 47, and her mother, Emma Hernandez, 71, occurred a day after the manhunt for Dorner began and that the officers were under enormous pressure. CNN's AnneClaire Stapleton and Irving Last contributed to this report. Paul Vercammen and Stan Wilson reported from Big Bear Lake, and Chelsea J. Carter reported from Atlanta. Matt Smith wrote from Atlanta. | LAPD beefs up security at Grammy Awards as a precaution .
NEW: Slain Riverside officer identified as 11-year veteran Michael Crain .
Los Angeles puts up $1 million reward for Dorner's capture and conviction .
Dorner claims LAPD racism cost him his job and declared war on the department . |
117,492 | 23b9403a0fd9ea73b17fed1bed7d7f9e34c960a3 | A suspected contract killer - described by his defense attorney as 'likeable and polite' - has confessed to investigators that he carried out up to 40 murders in a career spanning decades, according to a prosecutor. Jose Manuel Martinez, 51, has been charged in central California with killing nine people, but he told investigators he carried out many more while working as an enforcer for a Mexican drug cartel, according to Errek Jett, the district attorney in Lawrence County, Alabama. Mr Jett said they believe Martinez because of the details he gave investigators. Accused: Prosecutors are calling Jose Manuel Martinez a contract killer and have charged him with murdering nine people in three counties . October 21, 1980: David Bedolla, 23, of Lindsay. The victim was shot while driving his vehicle to work with his wife, brother, and brother-in-law. The shooting took place between Lindsay and Strathmore in Tulare County.October 1, 1982: Sylvester Ayon, 30, and the attempted murder of 17-year-old G. G., who were both shot while working on a ranchnear the Santa Ynez area off Refugio road (Santa Barbara County). G.G. survived the shooting while Sylvester Ayon died from multiple gunshot wounds.October 19, 1982: 22-year-old Earlimart resident Raul Gonzalez (Tulare County). The victim was last seen at his home on October 19, 1982. Two days later his body was located by ranchers off Fountain Springs Road, east of Porterville. He had been shot and stabbed multiple times.April 8, 1995: Domingo Perez, 29, of Earlimart, CA (Tulare County). The victim was reported missing by family members on April 8, 1995. His body was located in an orange grove just north of Richgrove in Tulare County on May 23, 1995. He had been shot multiple times.February 14, 2000: Martinez is charged with the murder of 56-year-old Santiago Perez of Pixley (Tulare County), who was shot to death in his bed in the early morning. The victim’s four minor children were home at the time of the shooting.February 15, 2007: Jose Alvarado, 25 (Kern County). The victim was located on a dirt access road outside of the town of McFarland in Kern County. He had been shot multiple times.March 23, 2009: Juan Bautista Moreno, 52 (Kern County). The victim was located in an orange grove south of Elmo Highway near McFarland in Kern County. He had been shot multiple times.September 30, 2009: Joaquin Barragan, 45, of Earlimart. The victim was located on the bank of Deer Creek canal just east of Earlimart by ranchers working the area. He had been missing since September 27, 2009. Mr. Barragan suffered multiple gunshot wounds. February 7, 2011: Gonzalo Urquieta, 54, of Earlimart. The victim was located in an orange grove just outside of the town of Richgrove, CA. He had been missing since February 5, 2011. Mr. Urquieta was shot multiple times. Source: Office of the District Attorney County of Tulare . Martinez told investigators that he had been working as an enforcer since the age of 16. 'It’s how he fed his family, is how he explained it,' Marion County, Alabama, Sheriff's Det. T.J. Watts told CNN in June 2013. 'And if he didn’t do the job, someone else would do it.' Martinez was arrested last year shortly . after crossing the border from Mexico into Arizona and sent to Alabama, . where he awaits trial on one murder charge. Once word got out, a steady . stream of investigators from across the country came to question . Martinez, Mr Jett said. Defense attorney Thomas Turner, who represents Martinez in that lone case, said his client is eager to start a June trial in Alabama, so he can return to California. Turner said Martinez maintains his innocence to the charge there and doesn't seem to be a hardened killer. 'I've found him to be polite and a likable individual,' Mr Turner said. 'He has a good personality as far as talking with him.' Prosecutors in California say otherwise. Martinez targeted victims in Tulare, Kern and Santa Barbara counties between 1980 and 2011, said Tulare County Assistant District Attorney Anthony Fultz, who filed charges Tuesday. Investigators have released details of their case, saying six of the victims were killed in Tulare County, two in Kern and one in Santa Barbara. They ranged in age from 22 to 56, investigators said. One man was shot dead in 1980 driving to work in the morning, while two men were shot in 1982 working on a ranch, one surviving. The same year, another man went missing before being found two days later by ranchers shot and stabbed to death. Yet another was found in 2000 shot to death in bed with his four children at home. In addition to the nine murder counts, Martinez was charged in California with one count of attempted murder and the special circumstances of committing multiple murders, lying in wait and kidnapping. Four murder charges include the allegation he committed the crime for financial gain, the criminal complaint says. The California charges would make Martinez eligible for a death sentence, if he is convicted. Martinez has lived on and off in Richgrove, a small farming community in Central California about 40 miles north of Bakersfield. He's being held in Alabama, awaiting trial in a 2013 slaying, and Mr Fultz said he's also wanted in Florida on suspicion of two killings there in 2006. Mr Fultz declined to comment on any connection Martinez may have with drug cartels, saying he did not want to damage the case at this early stage. Fultz said that too will remain under investigation. Mr Fultz said he is confident Martinez committed at least the nine killings he's charged with, but he has heard higher figures from across the nation. 'We're actually not sure what the full scope is,' Fultz said. 'It will depend upon what the investigation shows.' Martinez has spent brief stints in state prison following a 2007 conviction on theft and drug charges, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Acting Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said his deputies came in contact with Martinez while investigating a rash of home-invasion robberies in late 2012 and early 2013. Life of crime? Martinez claims to have been in a Mexican drug cartel. Such organisations are renowned for their violence, with this picture showing an arsenal of 204 weapons seized from the cartel 'Los Zetas' Martinez was at a home they searched and was questioned by Sgt. Christal Derington, but not considered a suspect. From his cell in Alabama, Martinez requested a meeting with Derington, who flew across country three times, because Martinez said 'he wanted to talk to her,' Mr Boudreaux told The Fresno Bee. The cases in California came together, he said. 'As a result of Detective Derington's initial investigations and interviews, we began working on new leads,' Mr Boudreaux said. 'While this case has been filed, there is plenty of work to be done.' Meanwhile, Martinez's mother told the Los Angeles Times on Wednesday that she was completely overwhelmed by the news of her son's alleged crimes. 'This is hard for me - really hard,' Loreta Fernandez said in Spanish. 'I'm still shaking. I'm not in a condition to deal with this.' Fernandez told the paper that the last time she spoke with her son was in June, when he was detained while crossing the Mexican border because there was a warrant for his arrest in Alabama. She said she didn't believe he committed the murders. 'All I can say is God bless him and that not everything he's saying is true,' Fernandez said. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Jose Manuel Martinez has been charged in California with nine murders .
The 51-year-old told investigators that he has actually killed many more .
He's awaiting trial in Alabama on one murder charge, which he denies .
Prosecutors say his killings date back to 1980, with victims aged 22 to 56 . |
269,439 | e9018bcb333cc934e1a958d5cdfe27cf4557a9d7 | Pope Francis has said he wants 'a poor Church, for the poor' following his election as head of the Catholic Church. In . a meeting with journalists, the Pontiff said he was inspired to choose . the name Francis after the 12th Century saint Francis of Assisi. He . said when news broke that he had been selected, a Brazilian colleague . embraced him in congratulations and whispered 'don't forget the poor'. He chose the Italian saint because he represented 'poverty and peace'. Pope Francis revealed to journalists his hopes for the church, and how he came to select his name . 'Let me tell you a story,' Francis said in a break from his prepared text during a special gathering for thousands of journalists, media workers and guests in the Vatican's auditorium. Francis then described how he was comforted by his friend, Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes, as it appeared the voting was going his way and it seemed 'a bit dangerous' that he would reach the two-thirds necessary to be elected. When the threshold was reached, applause erupted in the frescoed Sistine Chapel. 'He (Hummes) hugged me. He kissed me. He . said don't forget about the poor,' Francis said. 'And that's how in . my heart came the name Francis of Assisi,' who devoted his life to the . poor, missionary outreach and caring for God's creation. Pope Francis I sits in the Paul VI general audience hall during an audience for members of the media . The pope thanked the media and told them how he had come to choose his name, saying he wanted Francis of Assisi who represented 'poverty and peace' He said some have wondered whether . his name was a reference to other Francis figures, including St. Frances . de Sales or even the co-founder of the pope's Jesuit order, Francis . Xavier. But he said he was inspired immediately after the election when he thought about wars. St . Francis of Assisi, the pope said, was 'the man of the poor. The man of . peace. 'The man who loved and cared for creation - and in this moment we . don't have such a great relationship with creation. The man who gives us . this spirit of peace, the poor man. 'Oh how I would like a poor church and a church for the poor,' Francis said, sighing. He . then joked that some other cardinals suggested other names: Hadrian VI, . after a great church reformer - a reference to the need for the pope to . clean up the Vatican's messy bureaucracy. Pope Francis I greeted a blind journalist and his guide dog, and warmly greeted those who had come to hear him speak . Pope Francis will now begin a busy week where he will meet the Argentinian president and his predecessor . Someone else suggested Clement XV, to counter Clement XIV, who suppressed the Jesuit order in 1773. He urged journalists to share the church's focus on 'truth, goodness and beauty', and thanked them for their hard work. The pope shook hands, held them, embraced people and was warm. A . blind reporter who was accompanied by a guide dog met the pope, and he . patted the dog and stroked it, to cheers from the audience, Sky news . reported. The gathering in the Vatican begins a busy week for the pontiff that includes his installation Mass on Tuesday. Among the talks, the Vatican said Saturday, will be a session with the president of Francis' homeland Argentina on Monday. The pope has sharply criticized . Christina Fernandez over her support for liberal measures such as gay . marriage and free contraceptives. Pope . Francis will visit his predecessor at the papal retreat at Castel . Gandolfo next Saturday in a historic encounter that brings together the . new pope and the first pope to resign in six centuries. Newly elected Pope Francis waves as he held his first meeting with journalists - who praised him for his warmth and friendliness . The new Archbishop of Canterbury will miss the inauguration of Pope Francis due to him being on a 'pilgrimage of prayer'. Archbishop Justin Welby is to be represented at next Tuesday's event by the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, in Rome, as he will be on a 'Journey in Prayer' around the Province of Canterbury . While religious leaders gather in Rome for the Pope's inauguration mass, the Most Rev Welby will be in Chichester for the concluding part of his journey. Archbishop Sentamu will lead an Anglican group of fraternal delegates representing the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Anglican Communion who will attend both the inauguration mass on Tuesday and an audience with the new Pope on the following day. The . meeting will be private, but every comment and gesture on the sidelines . will be scrutinised for hints of how the unprecedented relationship . will take shape between the emeritus pontiff and his successor. Benedict has been out of the public eye since officially leaving the papacy on February 28. The . Vatican dismissed any suggestion that the former pope helped shaped the . discussions inside the secret gathering of cardinals that selected . Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio on Wednesday as the first . pontiff from Latin America. Vatican officials said there was no contact between the papal electors and Benedict before the conclave. World leaders and senior international envoys, including Vice President Joe Biden, are expected on Tuesday for the formal installation of Pope Francis. It offers the new pope his first opportunities to flex his diplomatic skills as head of Vatican city-state. But the most potentially sensitive talks could come with Fernandez after years of open tensions over the then-archbishop's strong opposition to initiatives that led Argentina to become Latin American country to legalize gay marriage. He also opposed - but failed to stop - Fernandez from promoting free contraception and artificial insemination. | Chose St Francis of Assisi because he represented 'poverty and peace'
Says that the world does 'not have a great relationship with creation'
Hugged and greeted journalists, and patted guide dog . |
82,623 | ea47d6bd9234abaaa61c9c399846a57e1102c91b | By . Rosie Taylor . PUBLISHED: . 11:03 EST, 24 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:03 EST, 24 June 2013 . Thugs: Lee Daniels (left) and Kieran Wright (right) stabbed defenceless Stephen Briggs-Bennett 13 times for the keys to his Mercedes . Two thugs who stabbed a defenceless driver 13 times and ran off laughing as they left him for dead have been jailed for a total of 21 and a half years. Kieran Wright, 27, and Lee Daniels, 26, attacked the 60-year-old motorist for the keys to his Mercedes in a bungled car-jacking, but fled the scene without the £36,000 car. Victim Stephen Briggs-Bennett was left with life-changing injuries after the broad-daylight attack on the driveway of a relative’s property on February 17. His attackers later went out boozing on lager and vodka and were seen laughing and joking together. When police approached Wright he said: 'I was going to come in tonight but United are playing at 7.30pm so I wanted to watch that first.' And when officers arrested drunken Daniels for attempted murder, he said: 'Ha ha, no way.' Mr Briggs-Bennett, a company supervisor, was leaving the home of his late father-in-law after popping round to do gather some things. He was suddenly confronted by Wright and Daniels as he was about to get into his car in Hindley, near Wigan. Wright, who was wearing a balaclava, grabbed the victim by his collar from behind and demanded his car keys before stabbing him with a double-bladed ornamental dagger. The victim initially thought he was being punched, but then realised he was 'absolutely swimming in blood' and feared he would die. Wright and Daniels, who was wearing a baseball cap and hood, were seen kicking Mr Briggs-Bennett as he lay defenceless on the ground. The two men then grabbed a bunch of keys which he had dropped and tried to get into the Mercedes but ran off when they realised the set did not include the car key. After the attack, Wright and Daniels . ran to the nearby home of a female friend. They later got a taxi - . stopping at a shop to buy lager and vodka. Police later recovered the dagger from a drain. Attack: Mr Briggs-Bennett was stabbed in broad-daylight on the drive of his late father-in-law's house . Bungled: Wright and Daniels attacked Mr Briggs-Bennett for the keys to his Mercedes but fled the street in Hindley, Wigan, without the car . Jailed: Lee Daniels, 26, (left) and Kieran Wright, 27, (right) were jailed for a total of 21 years for the attack . Mr Briggs-Bennett staggered to a neighbour’s bungalow to ask for help. He later underwent an hour-long operation at Wigan Infirmary to stem the profuse bleeding. He was then transferred to Whiston Hospital, Merseyside, where he had five hours of surgery to try to repair the damage. Boozing: The pair went out drinking after the brutal attack . The knife had caused injuries to his shoulder, neck, face and arm, including a 10cm slash to his left arm which cut down to the bone and severed 90 per cent of his radial nerve. Another cut sliced through the muscle on his arm, while a third wound to his finger has damaged nerves, arteries and tendons. Doctors have said Mr Briggs-Bennett, who is still an outpatient and is having twice weekly physiotherapy sessions, may never fully recover and is unable to grip items. He needs help from his wife with everyday tasks like getting dressed. He has returned to work part time but can no longer drive or do DIY, both of which he enjoyed. He also has to wear a brace and splint to aid his recovery. In a statement he said he did not believe his attackers will ever realise how severely they have damaged his life. Last Friday at Liverpool Crown Court, Daniels and Wright both pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, attempted robbery and possession of an offensive weapon. Daniels was given ten and a half years and Wright, who also admitted an unrelated offence of taking a vehicle without consent, was jailed for 11 years. Det Sgt Graham Clare from Wigan Police division, said: 'Thankfully the victim survived this horrendous, unprovoked attack. 'He has recovered enough for him to be able to return to work, but has been left with life-changing injuries which are a constant reminder of the terror he felt that morning. 'It is by chance and not design that his horrific injuries did not prove fatal. He was stabbed numerous times just so these would-be thieves could steal his car. 'His life has been irrevocably changed for the worse and there is no sentence that can alter that. I hope these men can now reflect on the long-term damage they have caused.' | Kieran Wright, 27, and Lee Daniels, 26, jailed for broad-daylight attack .
Left Stephen Briggs-Bennett, 60, for dead after stabbing him 13 times .
Victim left with life-changing injuries as attackers went out boozing . |
257,059 | d8b77f9fa5bc2b34fc500f2e00655ef259a6712e | Read his views on 'Big Cheese' Matt Prior . I did NOT text South Africans ways to get Strauss out . Flower's regime led to cliques (and Trott telling Prior and Swann to 'f*** off') Flower was a 'f****** horrendous' 'Mood Hoover' Kevin Pietersen has denied that he was a villain for England, alleges that Andy Flower wanted to build a team of 'Boy Scouts' and brands former team-mate Matt Prior the 'Big Cheese'. The former England batsman was sacked by the national team in January after the Ashes debacle Down Under and claims he was made a 'scapegoat'. In KP: The Autobiography, Pietersen says that he was 'often naive and sometimes stupid. I was no villain, though.' Pietersen with Andy Flower in 2012 - the batsman said the former England coach 'ruled by fear' Flower makes a point to Pietersen during the 2013 home Ashes but England's record run scorer says 'individuality reflected badly on Flower's reputation as a leader' KP and Flower have a discussion during a nets session last year . VIDEO Pietersen blasts former England 'regime' Pietersen has also accused former coach Andy Flower and ECB chief Giles Clarke of wanting the England team to be 'like Boy Scouts'. He wrote that the England management wished to oversee a 'sweet bunch of eager Boy Scouts who never did anything wrong on or off the field. Keen young gentlemen. Always perpetrated. They wanted us to win in a certain way.' While admitting he didn't always tread wisely, the 34-year-old insists he was picked on by former coach Flower, whom he labelled 'f***ing horrendous' and a 'Mood Hoover'. Pietersen says he was made a 'scapegoat' as a distraction during England's travails. His reasons for this were that he 'had a little history', was 'big, boisterous and annoying' and left 'colourful footprints on the pristine white carpets'. Pietersen also insists that Flower distrusted individuals such as himself. 'Individuality reflected badly on Flower's reputation as a leader', he added. Despite this, England did pick some 'individuals', so Flower apparently decided he would have to 'come down hard on them' so he could 'retain some sort of power'. A lot of Pietersen's ire is reserved for wicketkeeper Matt Prior, whom he dubs 'the Big Cheese'. Pietersen (centre) and Matt Prior - whom he dubbed 'The Big Cheese' - at Edgbaston in 2012 . Pietersen and Prior in happier times, celebrating Ashes victory in 2010 and (below) winning in India in 2012 . TEST MATCHES . Matches: 104 . Runs: 8,181 . High score: 227 . Average: 47.28 . Centuries: 23 Half-centuries: 35 . ONE-DAY INTERNATIONALS . Matches: 136 . Runs: 4,440 . High score: 130 . Average: 40.73 . Centuries: 9 Half-centuries: 25 . TWENTY20 . Matches: 37 . Runs: 1,176 . High score: 79 . Average: 37.93 . Half-centuries: 7 . In a chapter entitled Le Grand Fromage, the former batsman says he gave his erstwhile team-mate that moniker as he was 'a Dairylea triangle thinking he was Brie'. Pietersen says Prior's reign as vice-captain of England was one of terror and double standards. He also says the former keeper would scream at fielders for shelling catches, with Pietersen also accusing him of 'schoolyard bitching'. The pre-Ashes training camp was described as a shambles, while Prior was ridiculed for taking his own bike on a tour of New Zealand and 'grassing on a younger player for having a few drinks in India.' Pietersen also mocked Prior's cycling kit, saying he'd get into his Team Sky uniform 'looking like Clark Kent'. He wasn't the only South African-born batsman to have problems with Prior, apparently. The normally mild-mannered Jonathan Trott snapped at Prior and Graeme Swann after the bowler and keeper had given the batsman a rollicking for misfielding in Bangladesh in 2010. Trott blasted: 'Will you f*** off? Who the f*** do you think you are?' This was a regular occurrence in the 'clique-ridden' England dressing room under Flower, says Pietersen. However, he strenuously denies that he sent South African friends tactical information on how to get Andrew Strauss out in the Textgate storm which engulfed English cricket in 2012. The scandal started KP's downfall as an England player and, he says, was a direct consequence of Strauss 'obnoxiously' ignoring him after scoring a century. Pietersen denies he gave South Africa information on how to dismiss Andrew Strauss (right) in 2012 . Pietersen and Strauss celebrate the latter's century earlier that summer against West Indies at Trent Bridge . Pietersen alleges his former captain didn’t acknowledge him after he hit 149 during the second Test in South Africa two years ago. That led to a friend in the South African side BlackBerry Messaging the batsman asking what his captain’s problem was. However, Pietersen stresses he did not text anyone in the Proteas team but refused to come out in public and say it. ‘It suited the ECB to use the messages as evidence of my open rebellion against Straussy,' he says. Pietersen also moves to set the record straight on the term ‘doos’ – thought to be Afrikaans for ‘c***’. He wrote that the friend called Strauss a ‘doos’, meaning a ‘d***’ or ‘idiot’, sentiments the 34-year-old agreed with. KP: The Autobiography is published by Sphere, priced £20 plus p&p. | KP admits he was 'naive and sometimes stupid'
However, Kevin Pietersen maintains he was 'no villain' in England camp .
The 34-year-old insists he was picked on by Andy Flower .
Pietersen insists he was made a 'scapegoat' to serve as a 'distraction' from England's poor form .
'Individuality reflected badly on Flower's leadership,' writes KP in book .
Pietersen's ire reserved for Matt Prior, whom he dubs 'The Big Cheese'
The batsman says keeper was 'a Dairylea triangle thinking he was Brie'
Pietersen says Jonathan Trott snapped and told Prior and Graeme Swann to 'f*** off' in Bangladesh in 2010 .
Pietersen denies sending messages to South African friends about Andrew Strauss during Textgate scandal . |
1,488 | 044eb5362e469c4be6a60b015490cb576b4c8596 | Jessica Wynter gave birth to her baby son Kye in a onesie after he was born suddenly as she struggled across a hospital car park . A young mother who gave birth in a onesie as she struggled across a hospital car park has described the moment she found her baby son ‘curled up in the right leg, safe and sound’. Jessica Wynter was taken to hospital by her parents after she went into labour one-week early. But she ran out of time when she got to the car park of King's College Hospital, in Lambeth, south London, and little Kye was born in the onesie. Ms Wynter, 21, described how at the time she thought her waters had broken, saying it 'felt like a rubber duck slapped across my leg'. She said it was lucky she had been wearing the garment as it prevented baby Kye from hitting the floor. She said: 'I got up because I wasn't in pain any more. My mum came over and we could both hear crying coming from inside. 'I unzipped the onesie and Kye was curled up in the right leg, safe and sound. 'He looked really happy just sitting there.' Ms Wynter said she woke up at three in the morning on December 27 suffering from serious back pain. The Coventry University design student, from Streatham, was in pain throughout the day and decided to get into a hot bath at 5.30pm in a bid to soothe her backache. She then realised however that she was going into labour. She put on the polka dot adult-sized babygro as her mother Christine and father Davonne helped her into the car to race to hospital. She was undergoing contractions in the car and ran out of time straight after arriving at the hospital car park. Following the birth, the pair were stretchered into the maternity ward where medics checked little Kye to make sure he was healthy . Kye was suddenly born as his mother struggled across the car park to the hospital. He was caught safely in the leg of his mother's polka dot onesie, given to her at Christmas by her grandmother Enid. Ms Wynter said: 'My contractions were nearly five minutes apart and my back was in agony - I realised I was in labour. 'It . was really scary. I went in the bath a couple of times for the pain. By . the time dad got home I knew that we had to go to the hospital. Ms Wynter gave birth as she made her way across the car park at King's College Hospital, in Lambeth, south London . 'We left around half five in the afternoon. I was yelling "He's here he's here". 'I was in the back seat of the car screaming my heart out. Ms Wynter said it was 'so lucky' she put the onesie on before going to the hospital . 'I was really frightened and in pain and I kept worrying we would be stopped because I had no seatbelt.' Her . father parked up in the drop off area but after she got out of the car . Ms Wynter struggled as she tried to make her way to the hospital . She . said: 'And I knew something had come out. I thought it was the water . sack. It felt like a rubber duck slapped across my leg.' Ms Wynter said eight doctors turned up following the birth, with one throwing a blanket over the new mother to keep her warm. She was then stretchered into the maternity ward where medics checked little Kye to make sure he was healthy. Ms Wynter said: 'His temperature was a little bit low because he was born outside but apart from that he seemed fine. 'He was born at 39 weeks, a week early. 'I just threw on the onesie as I came out of the bath. It could have been anything else, it's so lucky. 'If it had been something like a nightie I don't think he would have survived. 'I was in so much shock when I saw him on my leg. I couldn't believe it. Lots of babies don't stick to a time schedule so every day surprise deliveries can regularly be a cause of havoc for parents as well as medical staff. Last summer, MailOnline reported how on Tuesday, June 18, a father delivered his daughter's baby in the front seat of his car, while three days later a baby said hello to the world in a police station. Two weeks previously an eager tot arrived a month early while his blindsided mother was on the toilet. Father-of-three, Tony Hall, described how he delivered his daughter's baby in the front seat of his car on a busy road after he had been driving her to hospital when he was caught up in heavy school traffic in Welling in Bexley, London. And Kayleigh Thompson and Dan Hunt, who worked together to deliver their baby boy in their bathroom on May 31, have a lasting reminder of the big day after they named him Lou. 'I've got to keep the onesie in my keepsake box- it's just so surreal. 'I'm sure I'll tell him all about it when he's older, probably as soon as he can talk.' Doctors said Kye, who was born at 6lb 5oz, was healthy and well enough for the pair to be allowed to return home the same day. The onesie has been washed and will be kept in a keepsake box as a reminder of Kaye's dramatic arrival. Ms Wynter's father Davonne, 48, said: 'It's a real shock to the system. 'When I was coming home from work I had no idea what was about to happen. 'I parked in the drop off area in the hospital and went to call the labour unit to let them know Jessica had arrived. 'I got back and she was on all fours in pain screaming. The next thing I knew, about eight medical staff appeared and it was all over. 'She thought she had given birth to the water sac, not the actual baby. 'We were all in a state of complete shock. If it had been a night dress who knows what could have happened, it's such a blessing really. 'I'm just thankful that she had the onesie on - it's so lucky he's safe. 'I'm sure lot's of young mums are going to want them now.' | Jessica Wynter, 21, was rushed to hospital after going into labour early .
But she gave birth suddenly while in the car park of King's College Hospital .
She said she opened the garment to find her son curled up in the right leg .
The student was given the onesie by her grandmother for Christmas .
She said it was lucky she was wearing garment as it stopped Kye hitting the floor . |
185,997 | 7cdd65a34cefd757c9b22a12bf4748476221b903 | Janet Pearson, 57, is accused of planting the wire which tripped up her neighbour Kari Anderson causing her to fall down two flights of stairs . A feud between two women at an exclusive flats complex ended up in court after one of them allegedly laid a tripwire outside her neighbour’s door. Kari Anderson was sent hurtling down two flights of stairs after tripping over as she walked out of her apartment, a court heard yesterday. The 53-year-old – who suffered injuries to her face, wrist, neck and back – was left lying in a heap and weeping with pain at the bottom of the stairs. A court heard the tripwire had been purposefully placed outside her flat door by Janet Pearson, 57. When Miss Anderson came out in the dark, she failed to spot it. She said: ‘I was carrying a bin bag in one hand and an overnight bag in the other. I felt something sharp on my shin and that was the last thing I remember.’ She said she ended up ‘lying at the bottom [of the stairs], crying’ after her wrist was bent backwards in the fall. ‘I still remember the pain. I could taste blood. It was on my face and in my hair. As I walked back up the stairs, I used my phone to see what had caused me to fall. ‘I shined the light at the top of the stairs and then I saw the wire. Her door was closed on the wire to keep it in place.’ Yesterday Pearson denied assault and causing actual bodily harm when she appeared at Preston Crown Court. The jury heard the pair had been neighbours for many years in the exclusive seafront apartments of the genteel Lancashire town of Lytham. Homes on their street regularly sell for as much as £1.5million. Pearson is accused of setting up the tripwire in the block of flats in Lytham, Lancashire, where she lives . There had been minor disagreements between the pair over the years but trouble flared when Pearson moved a homeless man in with her. Miss Anderson claims he would drink heavily and stand in the hallway outside her flat smoking cigarettes, which he then stubbed out in her plant pots. Injured: Neighbour Kari Anderson, 53 . The mother of one, who has lived in the £400,000 penthouse suite with her son for 15 years, said: ‘I came home in the middle of the night and he was standing there in her dressing gown smoking a cigarette. ‘He thought it was funny to throw his cigarette butts into my flower pots so I asked him to stop. He shouted abuse at me and was very offensive so, when I told my son, he went round and told him not to do it again.’ The pair also fell out over a storage cupboard in the hall between the two flats which, Miss Anderson claimed, her neighbour was using. She said: ‘I asked her if she could take her things out of my cupboard in the hallway and she didn’t. It’s my store cupboard and I paid a lot of money to have it installed.’ The court heard the ‘tripwire’ incident happened on January 21 when Miss Anderson stepped out of her apartment. But Pearson claimed she actually stumbled over a set of Christmas fairy lights. Robert Brown, a retired judge who lives in the block, said he was aware of a lighting problem in the common hallway. He added: ‘Miss Pearson had rigged up a little lighting system of her own. It consisted of fairylights in a cluster, which she had hung on the wall just outside her door, that was fed by a plug which she had put in to her own socket just inside the door to her apartment.’ The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Janet Pearson, 57, accused of setting up trip wire which injured neighbour .
Kari Anderson fell down two flights of stairs after tripping over wire .
Sustained injuries to neck, back and face and needed surgery on her wrist .
Pair fell out after Pearson put items in Ms Anderson's cupboard in hallway .
Pearson denies assault causing actual bodily harm to her neighbour . |
162,755 | 5e7172f30578b3bce494751026bbd70c83e8e5c9 | BANGALORE, India (CNN) -- Two-year-old Lakshmi Tatma, an Indian toddler born with four arms and four legs, made her first public appearance Tuesday, a week after surgeons in India successfully removed her additional limbs. Doctors said Lakshmi was recovering well as she appeared Tuesday at a news conference. Lakshmi, wearing a plaster cast on her legs to keep her feet up and her legs together to help her wounds heal, was carried into a news conference Tuesday as her doctors announced she was being released from intensive care. "She is coping very well," lead surgeon Dr. Sharan Patil said. "She is being carried around by her mother and her father." Several of her doctors, all of them smiling, described her recovery over the past week "very steady and good progress," one saying she is "out of the woods" as far as serious medical issues are concerned. Watch the recovering little girl meet the media » . The operation a week ago lasted 27 hours and involved a team of some 30 surgeons, all specialists in pediatrics, neurosurgery, orthopedics, and plastic surgery, working in eight-hour shifts. Lakshmi's extra limbs were part of a conjoined twin which stopped developing in the womb. It had a torso and limbs but no head, and was joined to Lakshmi at the pelvis. Doctors said that without the surgery, Lakshmi would have been unlikely to survive beyond early adolescence. The surgery involved the removal of the extra limbs and the repositioning of Lakshmi's organs. When Lakshmi was born into her poor, rural Indian family, villagers in the remote settlement of Rampur Kodar Katti in the northern state of Bihar believed she was sacred. As news of her birth spread, locals queued for a blessing from the baby. Her parents, Shambhu and Poonam Tatma, named the girl after the Hindu goddess of wealth who has four arms. However, they were forced to keep her in hiding after they were approached by men offering money in exchange for putting their daughter in a circus. The couple, who earn just $1 a day as casual laborers, wanted her to have the operation but were unable to pay for the rare procedure, which had never before been performed in India. After Patil visited the girl in her village from Narayana Health City hospital in Bangalore, the hospital's foundation agreed to fund the $200,000 operation. Planning for the surgery took a month, Patil said, and Lakshmi spent that month in the hospital. Many villagers, however, remained opposed to surgery and were planning to erect a temple to Lakshmi, whom they still revere as sacred. E-mail to a friend . | Girl born with eight limbs makes first public appearance since surgery .
Surgeons say Lakshmi Tatma, two, "coping very well," making good progress .
Lakshmi released from intensive care Tuesday; appears at press conference .
Operation lasted 27 hours and involved 30 surgeons working eight-hour shifts . |
15,253 | 2b63a1ca932e8c0b5966feb02b79b54b36745b92 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 05:43 EST, 29 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:43 EST, 29 July 2013 . Many like to think of Britain as an island that may be small and isolated, but one that is supremely tough. But one author has smashed the theory that Britain has been impenetrable since the Norman invasion of 1066. Whereas British history may crow about the nation's ability to invade and conquer other larger countries, this book will definitely deflate the idea that Britain has not been on the receiving end of an invasion for centuries. Successful invasion: William of Orange was one of many rulers to have invaded Britain since 1066 . Invasion: A sketch of William III of Orange leading the Glorious Revolution at Hellevoetsluis in 1688 . Ian Hernon, author of Fortress Britain, has found dozens of examples that prove that Britain has been invaded and attacked at least 70 times. He did not include the hundreds of small invasions on the south west coast, or Wales, that plagued many a small town, the Daily Telegraph reported. Enemies arriving from Africa, America and - perhaps unsurprisingly - France have all landed on Britain's shores and attempted to invade, with varying degrees of success. The author told MailOnline: 'Everyone knows about the Norman conquest of England in 1066 and Germany's occupation of Guernsey during World War II. Charge: William of Orange, later King William III of England, leading the Dutch army in England's Glorious Revolution . New history: The invasion by William III of Orange, who landed at Brixham in southwest England on 5 November 1688, is one of many detailed in Ian Hernon's book . 'But there's a myth that Britain was never successfully invaded between these two wars. 'In fact there were many invasions between 1066 and 1940, but they have been forgotten and lost from the general British consciousness. 'I wanted to fill in the gap in this collective memory.' The journalist-turned-author counted 73 significant invasions - but most failed because of the terrible British weather. Dreadful conditions made it difficult for troops to cross the Channel and land on the shore. Under attack: The French fleet attacks Bembridge in the Isle of Wight in 1545 . Fire ships: The Dutch burn English ships on the Medway during the expedition to Chatham in 1667 . The French bombardment of Algiers which was led by Admiral Duppere in June 1830 is shown in this sketch by Antoine Leon Morel-Fatio . A painting by Richard Paton of the 1779 Battle of Flamborough Head off the coast of Yorkshire between an American Continental Navy squadron led by John Paul Jones and the two British escort vessels protecting a large merchant convoy . The . last time French troops landed on British soil was during the Battle of . Fishguard - also known as the 'last invasion of Britain' - in 1797. Over the years, Britain has taken a pummelling from foreign adversaries. In 1193, the Danes teamed up with the most persistent offenders, the French, for a full-scale invasion, Mr Hernon's book says. The French Prince Louis the Lion came close to a successful exactly 150 years after the Battle of Hastings. The 100 Years War was a source of . constant pain for British towns and ports, as the Spanish and French . carried out multiple raids. The Germans invaded the Channel Islands during World War II, which was one of many attacks on Britain's land . Following the Armada, there was the bloodless invasion of 1688, with countless invaders landing on Britains shores until the German occupation of the Channel Islands between 1940 and 1945. The last shots exchanged with an enemy on Britain's mainland were at Graveney Marsh in Kent, as Germans and Britons engaged in fire. in March hundreds of French armed troops along with 43 vehicles, four helicopters, two landing craft and a catamaran, stormed a beach in Gosport, Hampshire. But far from being a serious assault on the scale of a Napoleonic invasion, this was a unique training exercise for the French military. While Britain has been on the receiving end of many an attack, a study in November last year showed its true global reach was far more extensive than maps would suggest. Throughout the ages, Britain has invaded almost 90 per cent of the world’s countries. An analysis of the histories of almost 200 nations found that only 22 have never experienced a British assault. These include Luxembourg as well as Guatemala, Tajikistan and the Marshall Islands in the Pacific. Britain is often considered an impenetrable island safe from foreign forces - but as this list of invasions since 1066 show, it's not as secure as many believe... 1067: Edgar Aethling attacked the West Country twice (2) 1060s–70s: Sweyn Estridsson invades in the north and then East Anglia (2) 1208: The Channel Islands are seized by Eustace the Monk (1) 1216: The French invade Kent, which sees their leader crowned (1) The Hundred Years War . 1217: Eustace the Monk invades near Sandwich 1 . 1338 to 1339: Attack on Harwich, Southampton, Plymouth, Jersey (twice), Guernsey, Alderney and Sark (8) 1340: French raids along the south coast; at least six landings (6) 1360: Attacks on Sandwich, Rye, Hastings and Winchelsea (4) 1373: Another French invasion of Jersey (1) 1376: Attack on Rye (1) 1377: Raids on Rye (twice), Rottingdean, Portsmouth, Dartmouth, Plymouth, Isle of Wight, Winchelsea, Folkestone, Southampton, Poole (11) 1380: Winchelsea attacked again (1) 1386: Winchelsea attacked once more. There were also landings in Kent (2) 1415: Isle of Wight attacked (1) 1408–1415: Raids on Isle of Wight and two on Dartmouth by French privateers (3) 1418: Winchelsea raided once more (1) 1461: French invade Jersey (1). Two other raids on Winchelsea during the war are referred to in documents. The years are not known, but they are distinct from the ones named above (2) 1487: Lambert Simnel, the pretender to the throne, landed in Lancashire, backed by a foreign force (1) 1491: Perkin Warbeck, another pretender, lands in Ireland to gain support for his claim (1) 1495: Warbeck invades in Kent (1) 1497: Warbeck invades in Cornwall (1) 1545: Isle of Wight, invaded by French in campaign that saw the loss of the Mary Rose (1) 1595: Cornwall invaded by the Spanish (1) 1601: Spanish landings at Cork (1) 1627: Barbary pirates land and occupy Lundy (1) 1620s: Barbary attacks around Conwy (1) 1631: Barbary sacking of Baltimore, Ireland (1) 1636: Barbary raid on St Keverne, Cornwall (1) 1640: Barbary attack on Penzance (1) 1667: Dutch landings at Sheerness and Felixstowe (2) 1688: William of Orange lands, leading to the Glorious Revolution (1) 1690: French raid Teignmouth (1) 1719: Spanish land at Loch Alsh (1) 1745: French–backed Jacobites landed (1) 1778: John Paul Jones raid on Whitehaven and Solway Firth (2) 1779: French raids on Channel Islands (1) 1796: French invade at Fishguard (1) 1940: Skirmish involving Germans at Graveney Marsh, Kent (1) 1940–1945: Nazi occupation of Channel Islands (1) | Author has counted 73 significant invasions on Britain since 1066 .
Awful British weather has been key to many failing to invade the country . |
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