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21,475 | 3d05ce6c5ccb9d4426c70f5b46c6fd1456426afc | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 18:41 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:41 EST, 10 October 2013 . Father-in-law of missing Susan Powell, Steven Powell is due to be released from jail next month following voyeurism charges . The father-in-law of missing Utah mother Susan Powell is nearing the end of his prison sentence and will likely be released to a Tacoma home next month. Steve Powell, 63, is expected to be released in the first few days of November. He will be supervised by a community corrections officer, is required to undergo sex offender treatment and will wear a GPS locator for the first 30 days of his release. Corrections spokesman Chad Lewis said Powell will also have to get permission from his community corrections officer in order to leave Pierce County, Washington. Powell has been serving time on . voyeurism charges for secretly recording images of young neighbor girls. He was sentenced in June 2012. Susan . Powell disappeared from her home in December 2009. Her husband, Josh . Powell, was a focus of the investigation until he killed himself and the . couple's two children last year in an explosive house fire. Utah . authorities have said they do not believe Steve Powell was directly . involved with Susan Powell's disappearance but may know more about it . than he has let on. He had a sexual obsession with Susan Powell that was thoroughly documented in journals seized by police. Investigators . now believe Josh Powell's brother, Michael, helped him dispose of . Susan's body. Michael committed suicide by jumping off a parking garage . in Minneapolis three months ago. Chuck Cox, Susan’s father, acknowledged Powell’s release on Thursday. However he told the Salt Lake Tribune: 'That’s between the state and Steve. We’re still looking for our daughter.' Susan Powell, went missing three years ago and has never been found. She is pictured with her sons Charlie and Braden who were later killed by their father Josh Powell in a home explosion . Susan's husband Josh Powell, pictured, killed the couple's sons Charlie and Braden and himself after he rigged his house to explode with the three of them inside . | Steve Powell, 63, expected to be released in early November and will undergo sex offender treatment .
Susan .
Powell disappeared from her home in December 2009 .
Authorities do not believe Steve Powell was directly .
involved with Susan's disappearance but may know more about it .
than he has let on .
Susan's husband Josh was a focus of the investigation until he killed himself and the .
couple's two children last year in an explosion . |
63,922 | b57b86504b40a456262b07a9bac884e50f0406bf | (CNN) -- Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer on Friday signed the state's immigration bill into law. It is considered to be among the toughest legislation in the nation. What does the Arizona law do? Arizona's law orders immigrants to carry their alien registration documents at all times and requires police to question people if there's reason to suspect they're in the United States illegally. It also targets those who hire illegal immigrant laborers or knowingly transport them. Are other states considering similar legislation? Michael Hethmon, general counsel for the Immigration Reform Law Institute, helped draft the language of the Arizona bill. Hethmon said lawmakers from four other states have approached him asking for advice on how they can do the same thing where they live. He declined to identify which states, citing attorney-client privilege. State laws relating to immigration have increased in recent years, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. In 2005, 300 bills were introduced. The next year, that number nearly doubled, and in 2007, more than 1,500 bills were introduced. Another 1,305 were introduced in 2008, and about 1,500 were considered in 2009. About 15 percent of those were enacted, dealing with issues such as driver's licenses, health and education. About 1,000 bills have been brought up so far this year. What do opponents say? Critics, including immigrant advocates and the American Civil Liberties Union of Arizona, say they are concerned the law will foster racial profiling, arguing that most police officers don't have enough training to look past race while investigating a person's legal status. Read remarks made Friday by president, Arizona governor . Is federal immigration legislation coming? Democrats tell CNN that if they don't get Republican commitments soon, they likely will push to move a bill without GOP support. Democratic sources said the chances of passing immigration reform in that scenario this year are slim, but they want to make clear to key constituencies they are at least trying. President Obama is still pushing for a bill, though. Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina is the only GOP senator on board, but he has told Democrats they will lose his support unless they find another Republican. Obama recently called Sen. Scott Brown, R-Massachusetts, to try to get him on board, a Brown spokeswoman said. On Thursday, Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Alabama, said in a statement that during tough economic conditions, Americans are "dubious" about immigration reform. He said the White House and Congress should not immediately take up the issue -- but instead "take targeted steps to deal with the crisis at the border, increase the usage of the E-Verify program, and enhance prosecutions of employers who knowingly hire illegal workers." The last immigration reform efforts in Congress were in 2005 when Sen. John McCain, R-Arizona, and the late Sen. Ted Kennedy, Brown's predecessor, introduced a bipartisan bill that aimed to implement guest-worker programs and ways for more illegal immigrants to become citizens. The McCain-Kennedy bill, however, never came up for a vote in the Senate. Other legislative efforts have failed to gain momentum. CNN's Dana Bash, Ed Hornick and Kristi Keck contributed to this report. | NEW: Arizona's governor signs controversial immigration bill into law .
Critics say they fear law would lead to racial profiling .
Lawmakers in other states reportedly are looking to introduce similar legislation . |
234,221 | bb3770f68f7fa956b1faee012e03f26d2f97025f | Philadelphia is suing the Church of Scientology after the religious organisation left a 15-storey construction in the city empty for six years. The church bought the Cunningham Piano skyscraper in 2007 using millions in donations from its members under the premise of building a cathedral. However, despite high-flying plans of building a chapel, a bookstore and even an office for its deceased leader, L. Ron Hubbard, the windows of the Scientology building remain boarded up. Dead project: The Church of Scientology bought the 15-story Cunningham Piano building in downtown Philadelphia for $7.85million in 2007, but nothing has been done since . The Cunningham Piano building was purchased by the church for $7.85million, all of which had been donated by Scientologists. Now, after six years of little to no progress apart from the plywood covering doors and windows, the city has had enough. Philadelphia's Department of Licenses & Inspections is taking the church to court, which could result in daily fines of several hundred dollars. A spokesperson for the department told Philadelphia Daily News the Church of Scientology lack construction permits, and have been violating the city’s ‘doors-and-windows’ ordinance for nearly a year. Forcing progress: The building, seen at the centre of the image, has remained boarded up for six years and the city of Philadelphia is now taking the church to court . Should the Department of Licenses & Inspections be successful in their court order, the Church of Scientology could be liable for $300-per-day fines for each boarded up window and door. On its website the religious organisation describes the building which they renamed ‘The Freedom Org’ as ‘a shining example of the religion that can and does secure Total Freedom for all’. The latest update on the project came two years ago when the Church of Scientology told local papers they were planning on starting renovations in 2012, to open in spring 2013. ‘I don't understand what's going on there,’ president of the Center City District Paul Levy told the Philadelphia Daily News this week. ‘It's obviously a free country, and they bought the building, but here we are six years later, and they've done nothing. It's not only not contributing to the street and acting to the detriment to the city, it's also not a tax revenue.’ Slow process: The Church of Scientology recently opened the impressive Flag Building in Clearwater, Florida after 15 years of construction work costing $145million . This is not the first time the controversial church, whose members include Tom Cruise and John Travolta, have purchased land and property and struggled to finish their project. IN 2006, Scientology bought a 50,800 sq. ft. building in Pasadena which sat empty until renovations began in 2010. Only last month, thousands of Scientologists gathered in Clearwater, Florida for the opening of the $145million 'cathedral' which had been in construction for nearly 15 years. The group broke ground on the Mediterranean Revival-style Flag Building in 1998, but stopped work after finishing the shell. For three years, the group ceased construction on the project until the city started imposing $250-a-day fines for code violations. Scientology defectors have explained that the building's slow construction is due to church leaders, who have allegedly used the project as a fundraising cash cow. An analysis by the Tampa Bay Times discovered that the church had raised $145million for the building, much higher than the $100million it was estimated to cost. | The 15-storey Cunningham Piano building has been empty for six years .
The building was bought using $7.85million donated by church members .
City of Philadelphia is now taking Church of Scientology to court . |
63,347 | b3eacd4c6e7757ef1d00367e210a5ed1342126e7 | (CNN) -- Atletico Madrid had one hand on the La Liga trophy but an unexpected 2-0 defeat Sunday at Levante has thrown the three-way title race in Spain wide open again. At the end of a momentous week which has seen Atletico reach the Champions League final for the second time, Diego Simeone's men came unstuck against the mid-table team based in Valencia. Even now, hopes of a first domestic championship in 18 years remain in the hands of the Rojiblancos if they win their remaining two games -- at home to Malaga then crucially away to defending champions Barcelona. City rivals and fellow Champions League finalists Real Madrid later failed to take full advantage of Atletico's defeat and needed an audacious late equalizer from Cristiano Ronaldo in a 2-2 draw against Valencia in the Bernabeu. Real twice trailed to goals from Jeremy Mathieu and Dani Parejo only for Sergio Ramos and Ronaldo with a backheel from a Angel Di Maria cross in injury time to rescue their title hopes. Barcelona, whose 2-2 draw at home to Getafe appeared to have ended their chances, will be hoping Real slip up again in their remaining three matches and that they can achieve a last-day win over Atletico in the Nou Camp to claim the title again. Earlier, Levante went ahead against Atletico after seven minutes through a Filipe Luis own goal but were indebted to goalkeeper Keylor Navas for a string of fine saves to deny the visitors. Desperately searching for an equalizer, Atletico were caught out with a quick break midway through the second half when David Barra converted from Victor Casadesus' cross. Adrian Lopez, a hero in the midweek win at Chelsea in the Champions League semifinal, hit the post to sum up Atletico's day in front of goal, but they now face a nervous run-in. In the English Premier League, the three-way title race effectively became two as Chelsea stumbled to a goalless draw at home to relegation haunted Norwich. The draw at Stamford Bridge does little to help either side, with Chelsea now trailing leaders Manchester City and Liverpool by a point, but having played a game more. It was a lackluster display by Jose Mourinho's men after the 3-1 setback against Atletico, although they were unlucky when Andre Schurrle and David Luiz hit the woodwork with efforts. Norwich battled hard and had a first half penalty appeal turned away, but they are two points from safety and have played a game more than Sunderland, who are safe in 17th after a 1-0 win at Manchester United Saturday. In the other match in the EPL Sunday, fourth-placed Arsenal beat West Bromwich Albion 1-0 with Olivier Giroud scoring the only goal in the first half. The title race in Spain and England will almost certainly go down to the last round of matches, but in Italy Juventus wrapped up their third straight Serie A crown with three games to spare. Juve did not need to take to the pitch as closest rivals Roma suffered a shock 4-1 defeat at Catania Sunday. It left Roma eight points adrift of the leaders with only two more games to be played. Mariano Izco's double for Catania put them on the front foot before Roma skipper Francesco Totti pulled one back before the break. Goals from Gonzalo Bergessio and Pablo Barrientos wrapped up the win for Catania in the second half to lift them off the bottom of the table. Antonio Conte's newly-crowned champions will celebrate their latest Scudetto success and 30th in all with a home game against Atalanta Monday. | Atletico Madrid falter in La Liga title race losing 2-0 at Levante .
NEW: Real Madrid held 2-2 by Valencia in late match .
Chelsea's EPL title hopes dashed by goalless draw .
Juventus seal Serie A after challengers Roma lose . |
221,200 | aa5a1d99d40d43bcf826d3ea8a9d472f7b0bc9c0 | By . Emily Allen . Last updated at 7:28 PM on 8th September 2011 . Almost one in three households in some areas of the country have not one person in work, shocking figures revealed today. And in a reflection of the stagnant and fragile state of the economy the three areas with the highest rates of of joblessness are the same cities that topped the table last year. More than 30 per cent of households in Liverpool, Nottingham and Glasgow are classed as workless in 2010, said the Office for National Statistics. For Liverpool and Glasgow the figure fell in the previous year from 32.1 per cent and 31.1 per cent, to 31.9 per cent and 30.7 per cent. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Jobless Britain: Liverpool, Glasgow and Nottingham have recorded the highest level of . households where no-one is in work for the second year in a row . In Nottingham it increased from 31.3 per cent to 31.6 per cent. Liverpool has had the highest number of workless households in five of the past seven years, today's data showed. There were 3.9million workless households in the UK last year - a total of 5.4million people aged between 16 and 64. The ONS said being sick or disabled was the main reason for people nationally not being in work. Around a third of those not working in Liverpool and Glasgow gave this reason, the same as the national figure of 28 per cent. Liverpool, pictured, has had the highest number of workless households in five of the past seven years, today's data showed . • Sick or disabled (28 per cent) • Unemployed (19 per cent) • Retired (19 per cent) • Looking after the family or home (16 per cent) • Study (12 per cent) • Other (7 per cent) However, 43 per cent of people in workless households in Nottingham gave study as their main reason, compared with 12 per cent nationally. Some people in workless households are . not working because of early retirement. This figure was much higher in . the South West but low in London. The areas with the lowest number of households without work were Oxfordshire, Surrey, Aberdeen, and NE Moray, all around 11 per cent. The national average for workless households is currently 18.9 per cent according to the latest figures. A total of 1.84million children lived in the so-called workless households figures in June showed. Earlier this month new figures revealed more than a quarter of graduates do not have a full-time job three and a half years after leaving university. A staggering 115,000 youngsters who . graduated in 2007 have been consigned to the unemployment scrapheap, . lumbered with a dead-end part-time job or are still in education, . according to the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA). There were 3.9million workless households in the UK last year - a total of 5.4million people aged between 16 and 64. 1. Liverpool (31.9 per cent) 2. Nottingham (31.6 per cent) 3. Glasgow (30.7 per cent) 4. Wolverhampton (28.1 per cent) 5. Manchester (26.9 per cent) Despite today's figures, the overall number of workless households has fallen slightly in the past year. Employment minister Chris Grayling said in June: 'While the slight fall in the numbers of workless households and children living in workless households is encouraging, these figures still underline the sheer scale of the challenge we face. 'Over the last decade thousands of people were simply abandoned to a lifetime on benefits, and a staggering 1.84million children are living in homes where currently no one works. 'This is why we launched the Work Programme this summer which will give tailor-made support to help people get off benefits and get into work, while our overhaul of the benefits system will ensure that work is always the best option.' | Liverpool has highest number of workless households .
Almost four million homes without jobs across the UK . |
50,480 | 8ed0b6807e7a95dc8368fb420034f78cbbdfd8ce | By . Peter Allen . Furious French Ryanair passengers launched a 'barbaric' revolt against plane crew because of anger over a delay, it was claimed today. Police were called when they abused staff of the low-cost airline, refused to accept instructions, and stole duty free products including alcoholic drinks and perfume from trollies. The angry rebellion is said to have taken place on a flight which took off from Rabat, in Morocco, to Paris's Beauvais airport last Saturday week. Police were called when Ryanair passengers abused staff of the low-cost airline in Paris and refused to accept instructions . France's Metronews today reports that it all started when a passenger among the 170 people on board became seriously ill. The crew had to divert to Madrid to deal with the medical emergency, meaning that by the time they took off from Spain again it was too late to head for Paris, where airports have night time noise restrictions. Instead, the plane landed in Nantes, western France, where everyone was told they would have to spend the night. The flight from Rabat to Paris should have been just two-and-a-half hours long, but was rapidly turning into a 24 hour saga - meaning tensions were high. It was at Nantes airport that the trouble really started, with one baggage handler saying passengers displayed 'almost animal and barbaric behaviour towards the plane, the crew and the ground staff.' Police arrived to keep the peace, but they could do little to stop the passengers' disgraceful behaviour continuing on the plane. Passenger revolt: A Ryanair Boeing 737-200 at Beauvais airport, northern France . The plane was en route from Rabat in Morocco when the incident happened. It landed in Nantes, western France, where everyone was told they would have to spend the night . Cigarettes, food, drinks, perfume and 'anything else of value' was stolen, says Metronews, while 'uhappy' and 'especially disrespectful passengers' effectively took their crew hostage. One passenger told the paper: 'I have nothing to reproach the airport staff or the police for, they were very professional. 'I am neither a robber nor a hostage taker. We were tired and annoyed by a mismanaged situation. We were thirsty, hungry, and had no information on our fate. 'We compensated ourselves by taking some drinks and food. After seven hours stuck in the plane, instead of two and a half, people needed to eat.' Following a few hours in a hotel, Ryanair eventually provided coaches to Paris, where the passengers arrived on Sunday morning. A Ryanair spokesman said that a 'flight from Rabat to Paris Beauvais diverted into Madrid after a passenger became ill on board. 'On arrival in Madrid, the passenger disembarked and was assisted by local medical services and the aircraft continued onwards to Paris a short time later. 'However, due to an airport curfew at Paris Beauvais the aircraft diverted to Nantes Airport. Passengers were provided with overnight hotel accommodation and were transferred to Paris Beauvais by coach the following morning.' | Police were called when they abused staff of the low-cost airline .
Rebellion said to have taken place on a flight from Rabat, Morocco .
It is believed to have started when a passenger became seriously ill . |
33,137 | 5e3340e427e927ba2770edf23c3acb4b37fee5d4 | By . Helen Pow . A 7-year-old boy has raised more than $50,000 so his best friend who suffers cerebral palsy can have a life-changing operation that will help him walk. Quinn Callender, from Maple Ridge in Canada's British Columbia, decided to set up a lemonade stand to aid his fellow Beaver Scout Brayden Grozdanich, also 7, outside a grocery store. But the child's parents amplified the humble fundraiser, reaching millions more thanks to a crowdfunding campaign - and the response was overwhelming, allowing the brave Brayden to book in for surgery. Brayden undergoes painful physiotherapy on a daily basis to help him walk, but the surgery will allow him to walk without braces. Best friends: Quinn Callender, right, from Maple Ridge in Canada's British Columbia, decided to set up a lemonade stand to aid his fellow Beaver Scout Brayden Grozdanich, left, also 7, outside a grocery store . However, it's only available in New Jersey, his father, Travis Grozdanich, told the CBC, and will cost them $20,000 because they have no U.S. insurance. But Quinn, who found this out at school one day, wanted to help make it happen. 'When I got home, I wanted to tell my mommy and daddy that I wanted to do a lemonade stand to help raise money to help him,' Quinn told the network. 'He built (a lemonade stand) out of cardboard, and I said "let's think bigger than that,"' Quinn's mom Heather Roney, said. '"Let's go bigger."' Brave boy: Brayden, pictured, undergoes painful physiotherapy on a daily basis to help him walk, but the surgery will allow him to walk without braces . Friends: Quinn's parents amplified the humble fundraiser, reaching millions more thanks to a crowdfunding campaign - and the response was overwhelming, allowing the brave Brayden, far left and right, to book in for surgery . 'My Buddy Brayden' was launched on You Caring earlier this month with the goal of raising the $20,000 needed for the operation. As of Monday evening, the donations sat at $52,051. In his explanation on the page, Quinn says Brayden's Cerebral Palsy 'makes it challenging for him to walk well because his muscles are very tight. Sometimes he can't keep up with the rest of the other Beavers and he falls down a lot.' Quinn goes on: 'Brayden get's daily physio therapy to keep him walking. Sometimes it really hurts him. When I was at his physio, I tried to keep Brayden calm when he was in pain.' The surgery should help release the muscle tightness and spastic action, he adds. Lemonade stand: On Sunday, the boys manned the lemonade stand outside their local grocery store, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade' Younger: The surgery should help release Brayden's muscle tightness and spastic action . Quinn's heartfelt message concludes: 'Please help me raise money to help my friend Brayden, he is a really good guy.' Travis Grozdanich, a firefighter, said a different the type of surgery is available in Canada, but it could leave his son wheelchair bound. 'In Canada, the surgery is more invasive than it is in New Jersey,' he told CBC. 'In New Jersey, there's the possibility he'll be walking out the hospital that same day.' On Sunday, the boys manned the lemonade stand outside their local grocery store, wearing T-shirts emblazoned with the slogan 'when life gives you lemons, make lemonade.' Unsurprisingly, the entire community showed up to support the boys and the drink was a hit. | Quinn Callender, from Maple Ridge in Canada's British Columbia, decided to set up a lemonade stand to aid his fellow Beaver Scout Brayden Grozdanich, also 7, outside a grocery store .
But the child's parents amplified the humble fundraiser, reaching millions more thanks to a crowdfunding campaign .
The response was overwhelming, allowing the brave Brayden to book in for surgery .
Brayden undergoes painful physiotherapy .
on a daily basis to help him walk, but the surgery will allow him to .
walk without braces . |
36,669 | 67e54517c5ca2b2b1ed66373fbf94d3cdce8647e | Harry Farmer, 14, (right) was put in school isolation two weeks ago after having his hair cut like his 44-year-old father, Stacey Farmer (left) A teenager has been banned from the classroom for having the same haircut as his father after teachers ruled it too 'extreme'. Harry Farmer, 14, has been studying in school isolation for the last two weeks after getting a standard short back and sides cut but has been told he will have to stay there until it grows out. His father, Stacey Farmer, who has the same popular hairstyle, is concerned the Year 9 pupil is missing out on vital lessons after spending so much time away from the classroom environment. Mr Farmer, 44, who lives in Durrington, West Sussex, with wife Julie, 39, son Harry and younger daughter Lily, said: 'This is absolute madness.' The NHS subcontractor, who installs disability hoists, added: 'I have to be smart for my job, as I represent my company and the health service and go into homes of the elderly and vulnerable. 'I wouldn't have a hair style that wasn't smart, and I wouldn't let my son either.' 'I can't believe how long they're keeping him out of the classroom. 'He's a good boy and got lots of friends, but he even has to eat lunch on his own because the school reckon his haircut is "dangerous".' Chris Woodcock, the deputy head of Durrington High School, where Harry attends, is standing by the school's tough stance on so-called 'extreme' hairstyles. He said: 'We continue to have consistent and clear expectations of all students in terms of uniform and personal presentation in school. 'Our expectations have been consistent for a number of years now and as a result of working closely with students and their parents - by confirming expectations and any specific changes in advance through letters, emails, on our website and through student planners and assemblies. 'The vast majority of students present themselves exceptionally well each and every day.' But Mr Farmer has reprimanded the school and said the haircut is 'not extreme by any means'. 'It's slightly longer on top and swept to one side like all the lads have,' he said. 'There's no colours, it's not like he's been running around with a Mohawk. 'He's absolutely devastated. He's always been good at school. I think he's getting to the point where he feels victimised. 'I said to the school "you're pushing him to a point he's going to turn around and rebel", but they couldn't care less. The deputy head teacher at Durrington High School (pictured) has said they will stick by their tough uniform and personal presentation policy . 'If we shave his head then it will be swapping one style for another and they'll still keep him in isolation. 'I would never let my son have an extreme hair style - I was with him when he got it cut and didn't see anything wrong with it. And I still don't.' This year Harry will choose the subjects he wants to study for his GCSEs and will have to sit exams to decide which study groups he will be placed in for Year 10. Mr Farmer is worried that the disruption to his son's education could have an adverse effect on his exam results. He added: 'This is the year they are taking their options which has made me even more frustrated. 'Harry is growing up and wants to take pride in his appearance. I'm proud of him. But the school just want robots, everyone to be exactly the same and to conform.' | Harry Farmer, 14, has been put in school isolation for two weeks for style .
He was told he will remain there until it grows out, which could take weeks .
Father, Stacey Farmer, is concerned he is missing out on vital education .
But school said it will stand by its tough policy on personal presentation . |
25,427 | 47fe0e2bba8206014fb53a7d5247efd1e316e087 | (CNN)The chief political commentator at the Daily Telegraph has quit after describing the British newspaper's lack of coverage of the HSBC tax-dodging scandal as a "fraud on its readers." Peter Oborne, who had been at the London-based broadsheet since 2010, accused its executives of placing the interests of the bank -- a key advertiser -- above its duty to bring the story to its readers. He lamented the sharp fall in circulation and the arrival of a "click culture" at the newspaper, which meant stories were no longer judged by their importance, accuracy or appeal to those who actually bought it. "With the collapse in standards has come a most sinister development," Oborne wrote Tuesday, in a rambling commentary published on opendemocracy.net. "It has long been axiomatic in quality British journalism that the advertising department and editorial should be kept rigorously apart. There is a great deal of evidence that, at the Telegraph, this distinction has collapsed." He was referring to the recent "HSBC files" case, where documents leaked to French authorities by a former HSBC employee, and then analyzed by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) accused the banking giant of using a secretive Swiss banking system to conceal the identities of account holders, and in many cases, help them avoid paying tax. Oborne pointed out that while the story was splashed across the front pages of its competitors for days, "you needed a microscope to find the Telegraph coverage." "Nothing on Monday, six slim paragraphs at the bottom left of page two on Tuesday, seven paragraphs deep in the business pages on Wednesday," he wrote. "The Telegraph's reporting only looked up when the story turned into claims that there might be questions about the tax affairs of people connected to the Labour party." The Telegraph is a politically conservative title, largely supportive of Prime Minister David Cameron's Conservative Party. Shortly after Oborne's blistering attack, the newspaper hit back. "It is a matter of huge regret that Peter Oborne, for nearly five years a contributor to the Telegraph, should have launched such an astonishing and unfounded attack, full of inaccuracy and innuendo, on his own paper." An HSBC spokesperson declined to comment on Oborne's claims when contacted by CNN Wednesday. Oborne said this isn't the first time the newspaper had suppressed stories relating to HSBC. Last year, he recalled working on a piece about how prominent British Muslims had received letters out of the blue from HSBC informing them that their accounts had been closed. "No reason was given, and it was made plain that there was no possibility of appeal," he wrote. When he tried to publish the story, he described being "fobbed off" and given non-existent legal issues as an excuse. "When I pushed the point, an executive took me aside and said that 'there is a bit of an issue' with HSBC. Eventually I gave up in despair and offered the article to openDemocracy," he wrote. Oborne said the reporting on HSBC is part of a wider problem at the newspaper. He described the Telegraph's stance on last year's pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong as "bizarre." When rivals including The Guardian and The Times wrote in December about the refusal by the Chinese government to allow a committee of British lawmakers into the former UK colony, he said the Telegraph remained silent. In September that year, the newspaper published a commentary by the Chinese ambassador to Britain to coincide with what Oborne described as its "lucrative" China Watch supplement. It was given the headline "Let's not allow Hong Kong to come between us." When he expressed his concern about the direction the paper was taking, Oborne recalled a meeting with Murdoch MacLennan, the chief executive of the Telegraph Media Group. "I told him that I was not leaving to join another paper. I was resigning as a matter of conscience. "Mr. MacLennan agreed that advertising was allowed to affect editorial, but was unapologetic, saying that 'it was not as bad as all that' and adding that there was a long history of this sort of thing at the Telegraph," wrote Oborne. | Peter Oborne quits the Daily Telegraph and accuses it of being more concerned with advertisers .
Oborne: "With the collapse in standards has come a most sinister development"
Telegraph calls it an "astonishing and unfounded attack, full of inaccuracy and innuendo" |
128,152 | 319ef5ca5ee0fe4d71d221dccf53c76d705a6870 | DALLAS, Texas (CNN) -- Arizona Sen. John McCain, whose White House aspirations went into a nose dive last summer, clinched the Republican Party's presidential nomination Tuesday night with a sweep of GOP contests in four states. "I am very, very grateful and pleased to note that tonight, my friends, we have won enough delegates to claim with confidence, humility and a great sense of responsibility, that I will be the Republican nominee for president of the United States," McCain told supporters in Texas. CNN estimates that McCain has amassed 1,195 delegates to the GOP's September convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota, four more than the 1,191 needed to claim the party's nomination. "Now, we begin the most important part of our campaign: to make a respectful, determined and convincing case to the American people that our campaign and my election as president, given the alternative presented by our friends in the other party, is in the best interest in the country that we love," McCain said. "The big battle's to come," he said. "I do not underestimate the significance nor the size of the challenge." Watch McCain address supporters after sweeping Tuesday's contests » . McCain's last leading rival, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, bowed out of the race after his projected losses in Texas, Ohio, Rhode Island and Vermont and urged his supporters to back the Arizona senator in November. "It's now important that we turn our attention not to what could have been or what we wanted to have been but now what must be, and that is a united party," Huckabee said. Watch as Huckabee ends his presidential bid » . Claiming the title of presumptive nominee will give McCain a head start on the general election campaign while Democratic contenders Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama are still locked in a battle for their party's title, said Alex Castellanos, a GOP strategist and CNN contributor. Allocate delegates yourself and see how the numbers add up » . "Tomorrow, he can get started," Castellanos said. "He'll have the [Republican National Committee] behind him. He'll have a broad base of financial support. It's a big step. Meanwhile, it looks like the Democrats are engaged in the land war across Russia, so he's got a big advantage now." Both Clinton, the New York senator and former first lady, and Obama, the first-term senator from Illinois, called McCain on Tuesday night, campaign officials said. Obama told McCain he looks forward to running against him in the fall, campaign spokeswoman Jennifer Psaki said. McCain is slated to go to the White House on Wednesday to receive the endorsement of President Bush, according to two Republican sources. The Arizona senator's campaign -- his second run for the White House -- was largely written off last summer amid outspoken opposition from the party's conservative base, a major staff shakeup and disappointing fundraising. But the former Navy pilot and Vietnam prisoner of war rebounded with wins in January's primaries in New Hampshire and South Carolina, the state where his first presidential bid foundered. "There were times, obviously, when my political campaign was not viewed as the most viable in America, as you probably know," he told reporters in San Antonio earlier Tuesday. "In fact, I was reminded of the words of Chairman Mao, who said it's always darkest before it's totally black." McCain's fortunes also rebounded as U.S. commanders in Iraq credited the 2007 launch of a campaign to pacify Baghdad and its surrounding provinces with a sharp decline in American and Iraqi casualties. The senator had been one of the most outspoken advocates of the shift and has blasted his potential Democratic rivals for calling for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from the widely unpopular war. "This is a man with a lot of trials in his life," said former Education Secretary William Bennett, a CNN contributor. "He's had a lot of downs; he's been up, and this is a big up." McCain has been turning his fire on the Democrats, for whom Tuesday's races in Ohio and Texas are seen as pivotal. See scenes from Tuesday's voting » . But Democrats have been pounding McCain over his January comment that he would be satisfied if U.S. troops remained in Iraq for 100 years, as long as the insurgency there died down. And Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean has attacked his reputation as a reformer over the past week, accusing McCain of trying to evade federal spending limits by opting out of public financing after using the promise of federal funds to obtain a bank loan and automatic ballot access for his primary campaign. Dean told CNN on Tuesday that McCain "really is the focus of what we're doing now, in terms of his ethics problems and his problems with the war and his problems with the huge deficits that they've run up on the Republican side." In 2000, McCain upset then-Texas Gov. George W. Bush in the New Hampshire primary by touting "straight talk" and his record as a Republican maverick. Bush came back in South Carolina amid a divisive and bitter campaign that left McCain denouncing leaders of the party's religious conservative wing as "agents of intolerance," and Bush went on to win the presidency. Since then, McCain has enraged conservative leaders by opposing Bush's signature tax cuts, co-sponsoring the campaign finance reform law that now bears his name and supporting a controversial White House-backed plan to offer a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. But their support was spread among a fractured GOP field, and their main standard-bearer, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, quit the race after a disappointing showing in February's Super Tuesday primaries. Exit polls in Texas and Ohio found that about three-quarters of Republicans would be satisfied with McCain as their nominee, however. Those surveys found that the economy was the top issue for GOP voters in both states -- and by a wide margin in Ohio, which has seen a sharp decline in manufacturing jobs in the past decade. Although national security issues are a strong suit for McCain, Castellanos said he might need some help if a weakening economy is the central issue in November. "It's never been Sen. McCain's strength," Castellanos said. He said McCain would need to make the case that "I'm going to grow this economy; Barack or Hillary, they're going to grow government." McCain had amassed 1,047 delegates before Tuesday, according to CNN estimates. At stake in Tuesday's contests were 256 delegates, allocated on a winner-take-all basis by statewide or congressional district results. E-mail to a friend . CNN correspondent Dana Bash and political editor Mark Preston contributed to this report. | CNN projects McCain wins Ohio, Texas, Rhode Island and Vermont .
Huckabee withdraws from race for GOP nomination .
CNN: McCain had amassed 1,047 delegates before Tuesday .
McCain campaign was largely written off last summer . |
102,595 | 10368404ee1136570bf3f2ffd9ab58301f79cd68 | By . Mark Duell . UPDATED: . 15:33 EST, 10 August 2011 . The New York policeman acquitted of acting as a lookout while his partner raped a woman in her apartment was jailed today for two months. Franklin Mata, 29, will spend 60 days in prison after a judge labelled him ‘forever disgraced’ and rapped him for lying during the sensational ‘rape cops’ trial in Manhattan earlier this year. He will remain free until an appeal hearing over the jailing for official misconduct on September 12 and it comes just two days after Mata’s partner Kenneth Moreno, 43, was sent to prison for one year. Also jailed: Franklin Mata, 29, will spend 60 days in prison after a judge labelled him 'forever disgraced' and rapped him for lying during the sensational 'rape cops' trial in Manhattan earlier this year . Moreno and Mata were both acquitted of rape and burglary charges after they returned to a drunk woman’s flat in Manhattan three times after helping her out of a taxi in December 2008. ‘I didn't think that one night would end up costing me two-and-a-half years of my life and my career,’ he told Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Gregory Carro. ‘I never meant for anyone to get hurt that night,’ Mata said, pleading that he would avoid jail over the incident involving the young fashion executive, who now lives in San Francisco, California. ‘I loved my job and worked hard to get where I was, and now it's all gone.’ But Judge Carro slammed the former cop. ‘For some reason you continued to carry your partner's bags throughout the trial,’ he said. ‘Your testimony - clearly (it) wasn't wholly truthful.’ ‘Maybe (Moreno's lawyer Joseph Tacopina) was referring to you when he said “simpleton”. Maybe you are the simpleton following the fox. I don't hold you in the same light as your co-defendant.’ Other sentencing: Kenneth Moreno arrives at court on Monday with defence lawyer Joseph Tacopina . Judge Carro told him: ‘Forever you will be a disgraced police officer’. He added that Mata ‘drew the short straw’ when he was partnered with Moreno, reported the New York Post. ‘I didn't think that one night would end up costing me two-and-a-half years of my life and my career. I never meant for anyone to get hurt that night. I loved my job and worked hard to get where I was, and now it's all gone' Franklin Mata . The judge said his reasoning for the lower sentence than Moreno was because Mata is a young man whose future was ruined by his partner and he had received strong letters of support. Meanwhile Moreno has also been allowed to remain free pending appeal - even though he was already on his way to Rikers Island prison by the time he heard, reported the New York Post. Defence lawyer Chad Seigel, who was told off by the judge earlier in the case for comparing a woman’s genitals to a ‘Venus fly trap’, said of Moreno: ‘He’s not going anywhere’. Moreno will also return to court on September 12 so a trial can be set out for when a small amount of seized heroin was allegedly found in his police locker shared with another officer. Convicted: Kenneth Moreno, left, pictured with defence lawyer Chad Seigel, and his colleague Franklin Mata had been summoned to help the drunken woman get out of a taxi in December 2008 . On Monday Moreno was labelled a corrupt liar who thought he was 'above the law' by prosecutors as he was sentenced. ‘For some reason you continued to carry your partner's bags throughout the trial. Your testimony - clearly (it) wasn't wholly truthful. Maybe (Moreno's lawyer Joseph Tacopina) was referring to you when he said “simpleton”. Maybe you are the simpleton following the fox. I don't hold you in the same light as your co-defendant' Judge Gregory Carro . 'You're a trained police officer,' Judge Carro told him. 'It's not too far a stretch to believe that you couldn't avoid being in that bed with a naked female. 'Your testimony was classic for admitting what you couldn’t deny, denying what you couldn’t admit and classic tailoring of your testimony to the witnesses who testified before you.' 'You were in bed with an intoxicated naked young woman - that is official misconduct.’ The woman wanted to make a victim statement during proceedings, but the judge refused as she is now not legally a victim after Moreno and Mata were acquitted of rape. Both Moreno and Mata were fired from the police department within hours of their convictions for official misconduct in May. Caught on camera: CCTV footage shows the two police men outside the woman's apartment . Some jurors said later that they had too much doubt to convict in a rape case with an accuser who acknowledged her memories were spotty - and without DNA evidence implicating the officers. Mata and Moreno met the woman after a taxi driver called for help getting her out of his cab. She told authorities she passed out and awoke to being raped in her bed, saying she acutely remembered being violated despite being unclear on significant parts of the night. She secretly recorded a conversation days later in which Moreno alternately denied they had sex but said 'yes' twice when she asked whether he had used a condom. He said he was trying to mollify her. The former officers acknowledged returning to her apartment three times without telling dispatchers or supervisors what they were doing - the genesis of their misconduct convictions. Evidence: The woman described in court how she remembered being raped on the night in December 2008 . In fact, Moreno admitted he even placed a phony 911 call about a sleeping vagrant to provide a pretext for one of the visits. The officers said she had asked them to come back and check on her, and Moreno said he felt impelled to give her advice about drinking and to comfort her. He said she made advances and he ultimately ended up cuddling with the barely dressed woman in her bed, but that they didn't have sex. Mata said he was sleeping on her sofa while the others were in the bedroom. She said after the verdict her 'world was turned upside-down by the actions of two police officers who were sent there to protect but instead took advantage of their authority and broke the law.' The case ignited protests from women's advocates, who saw it as a discouraging example of the difficulty women face in coming forward with a sexual assault complaint. | Franklin Mata, 29, sent to prison for 60 days by Judge Gregory Carro today .
Comes two days after his partner Kenneth Moreno, 43, was jailed for a year .
Both police officers acquitted of rape and went down for official misconduct .
Incident relates to when they helped drunk woman out of a taxi in 2008 . |
20,871 | 3b3b90e4ef0549dfbed887e820049cf7d9c89569 | By . Emma Reynolds . A mother of six who has had 12 operations to give her L-cup breasts says she will not stop having cosmetic surgery until they are the biggest in the world. Lacey Wildd's children say they are embarrassed by their mother's obsession, but the 44-year-old from Miami, Florida, is already planning her next visit to the surgeon to go up to a Triple-M. Four of her children Tori, 17, Michael, . 15, Brendon, 10, and Jenaveve, five, still live at home, and Tori has . faced teasing at school because of her mother's appearance. Embarrassing mum: Lacey Wildd's children - from left Brandan, 10, Michael, 15, Jenaveve, 5 and Tori, 17 - desperately want her to stop having surgery . Then and now: Lacey Wildd in 1990 after her first operation, left, and today as an L-cup . But despite her children's concerns, . Ms Wildd, real name Paula Simonds, is determined to have the procedure - . which will make her one of the top five biggest breasted models in the . world. 'If I have triple M implants it will take me into the top 5 big breasted models in the world,' said Ms Wildd. 'There is a top 5 and then everybody else is below that. 'It will increase my fame and earning power considerably. I want to make the most of this opportunity, to give my kids a good lifestyle.' Ms Wildd's . children, including 27-year-old Ivy and 24-year-old Silas, who no . longer live at home, say her huge breasts are embarrassing and want her . to stop risking her health. They are worried the MMM . implants will cause terrible side-effects such as stretching, tearing, . or even an infection that might kill her. Tori said: 'I don't want my mom to have her boobs made any bigger. Career boost: Ms Wildd, left after surgery in 2001 and right today, says having bigger breasts will help her support her family . 'I think she isn't really thinking about our opinions. What if she dies? Is she taking that into consideration? 'Does she really care that her kids could be left alone?' Cosmetic surgery carries the same general risks as all operations, including infection and blood clots. There's also a risk of bleeding and scarring. Problems that can occur immediately after breast reconstruction surgery include infection, fluid under the wound and pain and discomfort. If the area around the breast implant becomes repeatedly infected or fluid keeps building up, the implant may need to be removed. Sometimes, the flap of tissue that is used to make a new breast can die and will need to be surgically removed. Long-term problems that can develop after breast reconstruction surgery include the implant hardening and changing shape, fluid leaks from the implant making lymph glands swell and unequal-sized breasts due to changes in weight. But the surgery-addicted model, who recently split from long-term boyfriend Manny, insists she will be careful. She said she is preparing her skin for the larger . implants to avoid the risks of rupturing, and will take every care to . avoid dangerous staph infections. 'I've stopped wearing a bra, so my skin has time to stretch,' she said. 'I'm also trying to lose weight, and I went on a diet of liquid, vitamin B12 shots and apples for a while.' Ms Wildd wears a corset to sculpt her . waist, and has also had two tummy tucks, four full body . liposuctions, abs sculpting, bottom implants and two bottom lifts. 'I know that the surgery is going to be dangerous,' she said. 'I went into this knowing that there are going to be very big risks involved. But I'm ready to take that chance.' If she goes ahead, her new MMM implants . will propel her into the top echelons of big breasted models, which is . headed by 164XXX Chelsea Charms. Cosmetic and reconstructive surgeon . Dr Alberto Gallerani, based in Miami, warned that Ms Wildd may be suffering from body dysmorphic disorder and should not have further breast implants. 'The skin around her breasts is already extremely thin, and it would be too dangerous for her to undergo more surgery,' he said. Addicted: The glamour model has had 12 breast enlargements as well as tummy tucks, bottom implants and silcone implants in her lips . Family love: The 44-year-old with and her daughter Tori, 17, who says she is mocked at school because of her mother . 'I would advise she reconsider and seek help for her surgery obsession.' But Ms Wildd believes there are surgeons willing to carry out larger breast . implants, and is considering going abroad for an op. She admitted she worries about the effects of her fame in her children, especially Tori and Michael, who are in high school. 'I know Tori probably gets teased at school about me. All the boys she knows want to be my friends on Facebook,' she said. 'But whenever the kids bring friends home, they see I'm really cool, like a normal mom. 'I dress normally at home, play with the kids and make nice meals for my family. 'When I'm not acting or modelling, I'm just like anyone else.' Now she appears in films, TV shows, and advertisements, and has thousands of online fans. The mother, who also has silicone . lip implants, is often mobbed by fans at the beach or the mall while . dressed up for modelling assignments. But whenever she is out with her youngest children she says she is very protective so they have space together as a family. Ms Wildd added: 'I was one of six children, and my mom was so poor we couldn't afford a place with electricity or running water. 'I want to provide for my kids and pay for a college education, so they have opportunities I didn't have.' The model was a showgirl in Vegas when she was younger and says she 'loved the limelight'. After marrying in her 20s and having children, she decided to focus on her family and became a stay-at-home mother. But she added: 'Now I need to support us, so I went back to my career as a big breasted model.' 'I'm 44 now, so I want to do this now while I still can. 'I'm more determined than ever to have this surgery, and make my dreams a reality.' | Glamour model Lacey Wildd, 44, is about to go from an L-cup to a MMM .
Her embarrassed children want her to quit dangerous habit . |
230,957 | b70d4bfb5b47c8157544e2fd09fc21d20bdb43cf | By . Sarah Griffiths . Australia’s Great Barrier Reef is home to fascinating creatures, but few divers get to see the secret movements of corals. Now one scientist has used time-lapse photography to capture the mysterious movement of corals beneath the waves. Pim Bongaerts’ photographic labour of love reveals the life cycle of a coral reef, which happens too slowly for humans to see. Scroll down for video . A mushroom coral flipping over took six hours to film and was sped up 900 times for the video, which captures the mysterious movements of corals beneath the waves . The Great Barrier Reef is the world's largest coral reef system composed of over 2,900 individual reefs and 900 islands. It covers an area of approximately 344,400 square kilometres (133,000 square miles). The reef is located in the Coral Sea, off the coast of Queensland, Australia. It can be seen from outer space and is the world's biggest single structure made by living organisms. The reef structure is composed of billions of tiny organisms, known as coral polyps. The Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority considers the greatest threat to the Great Barrier Reef to be climate change, causing ocean warming which increases coral bleaching. Mass coral bleaching events due to elevated ocean temperatures occurred in the summers of 1998, 2002 and 2006 and coral bleaching is expected to become an annual occurrence. The Great Barrier Reef is the world’s largest living organism and is thought to be especially sensitive to slight fluctuations – and a gradual warming – in sea temperatures. Dr Bongaerts, of University of Queensland's Global Change Institute, documented the colourful coral creatures over a five year period. He has captured the communication, movement and even violent battles that the slow-moving creatures become involved in, the BBC reported. The location of the photographic shoot . was Heron Island and a short clip of a planting coral removing sediment . took 11.5 hours to film and was sped up 1,800 times in a . video displayed on his website. The . intriguing sight of a mushroom coral flipping itself over is included . in the video and took six hours to film, before being sped up 900 times, . while footage of starfish and nudibranch coral moving took two hours before it was . sped up 300 times. Pim Bongaerts’ photographic labour of love reveals the life cycle of a coral reef and movement of the strange creatures, which happens too slowly for humans to see . Scientists have previously warned that the world's largest coral reef - under threat from Australia's surging coal and gas shipments, climate change and a destructive starfish - is declining faster than ever and coral cover could fall to just 5 per cent in the next decade. Researchers from the Australian . Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) in the north eastern city of . Townsville, said Australia's Great Barrier Reef has lost half of its coral . in little more than a generation and the pace of damage has picked up . since 2006. Globally, . reefs are being assailed by myriad threats, particularly rising sea . temperatures, increased ocean acidity and more powerful storms, but the . threat to the Great Barrier Reef is even more pronounced, the AIMS study . found. Dr Bongaerts documented the colourful coral . creatures over a five year period and captured the communication, movement and even violent battles between the slow-moving creatures . AIMS scientists studied data from more than 200 individual reefs off the Queensland coast covering the period 1985-2012. They found cyclone damage caused . nearly half the losses, crown-of-thorns starfish more than 40 per cent . and coral bleaching from spikes in sea temperatures 10 per cent. The starfish are native and prey on the reefs, but plagues are occurring much more frequently. Ordinarily, . reefs can recover within 10 to 20 years from storms, bleachings or . starfish attacks but climate change impacts slow this down. Rising . ocean acidification caused by seas absorbing more carbon dioxide is . disrupting the ability of corals to build their calcium carbonate . structures and hotter seas stress corals still further. Here, a mesophotic coral reef at a depth of 40 metres was filmed for one month before being sped up 360,000 times . | A scientist at the University of Queensland's Global Change Institute documented corals for five years to reveal their underwater activities .
Pim Bongaerts captured the communication, movement and violent battles of the slow-moving creatures .
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205,392 | 95e5a5f6f64750d2480d0e50fc72f6b056dbab7a | By . John Stevens . Hundreds of migrants desperate to get to Britain are living in squalid conditions in a growing camp in Calais that it is feared is becoming the new Sangatte. More than 600 refugees are now living in the French town with most living just yards from the port in the camp, which has poor sanitation and where men fight for food. The camp is a reminder of the Red Cross camp at Sangatte where as many as 2,000 immigrants were gathered before it was shut down in 2002 after sparking a British immigration crisis. Scroll down for video . A new refugee camp has been set up on the outskirts of Calais where men wait for the opportunity to stow away on a lorry for a trip over the Channel to the UK . The camp is a reminder of the Red Cross camp at Sangatte where as many as 2,000 immigrants were gathered before it was shut down in 2002 . More than 600 refugees are now living in the French town with most living just yards from the port in the camp, which has poor sanitation and where men fight for food . After the closure, Britain accepted hundreds of migrants in a deal with the French government and the number of asylum seekers living in Calais fell to just 100 by 2012. But in the last two years the number has increased six-fold and French charities are now warning they are struggling to feed them all. At the main camp on a disused railway line next to the perimeter of the main port where ferries go to Dover there are now 135 tents. Most are occupied more two or more people and there are further smaller camps nearby. The migrants, who round the clock take turns to try and jump on UK-bound lorries on the roads leading to the port, huddle around camp fires during the evening. The camp is littered with bits of rubbish and many of the tents are in poor condition. The hundreds of migrants have had to share just three portable toilets next to the site since a toilet block was torched. The door to one of the toilets has been torn off. Dreaming of England: A refugee's makeshift home at the new camp in Calais which resembles Sangatte . End of the line: A man climbs over the port fence in Calais in the hope of successfully making his way from France to Britain . Peril: Man scales port fence at the camp in Calais which is being dubbed the new Sangatte . At the main camp on a disused railway line next to the perimeter of the main port where ferries go to Dover there are now 135 tents . There are no showers so the men have to wash themselves with bottles of water. The barbed-wire fence that separates the camp from the busy port is used as a washing line to dry clothes. Each evening, French charity workers come to serve pasta, rice and vegetables, which have been donated, but food is scarce. Mahade Katab, 28, who lives at the camp, said: ‘I have seen men fighting each other for food. Sometimes they just fight out of boredom. It is horrible.’ Last week, the Mail revealed how four migrants trying to get to Britain from Calais had died in just one week earlier this month. An Albanian man was killed on the motorway outside Calais on 9 March in the first of the deaths. Three days later, an Ethiopian named as Mesfin Germa was hit by a lorry as he walked along the main road to the port. More than 600 refugees are now living in the French town with most living just yards from the port in the camp, which has poor sanitation and where men fight for food . Ready for the crossing: Migrants camp yards from the port of Calais where they intend to hitch a ride to Britain. Food is scarce and hundreds share three portable toilets . At the main camp on a disused railway line next to the perimeter of the main port where ferries go to Dover there are now 135 tents. Most are occupied more two or more people and there are further smaller camps nearby . On 14 March the dead body of a 25-year-old Ethiopian man called Senay Berthay was found in the Batellerie dock at the port. The emergency services were called after his head was spotted bobbing on top of the water. The next day another Ethiopian man in his 20s died while hiding on a car transporter. It is thought he had been among a group of three men who got on the truck and then realised it was going in the wrong direction. Migrants boasted about how the lack of police meant they were certain they would get to England and told how even if they were caught they would just be released immediately able to try again. The Mail witnessed as gangs of migrants gathered in two locations in daylight and used extremely desperate and dangerous methods to get into lorries without any police intervention. After the closure, Britain accepted hundreds of migrants in a deal with the French government and the number of asylum seekers living in Calais fell to just 100 by 2012 . The hundreds of migrants have had to share just three portable toilets next to the site since a toilet block was torched. The door to one of the toilets has been torn off . Migrants boasted about how the lack of police meant they were certain they would get to England and told how even if they were caught they would just be released immediately able to try again . Children eat food at the camp which is being called the new Sangatte. The camp is a reminder of the Red Cross camp at Sangatte where as many as 2,000 immigrants were gathered before it was shut down in 2002 . Migrants boasted about how the lack of police meant they were certain they would get to England and told how even if they were caught they would just be released immediately able to try again . The migrants, who round the clock take turns to try and jump on UK-bound lorries on the roads leading to the port, huddle around camp fires during the evening . A man photographed at the camp in Calais where migrants desperate to get to Britain are living in squalid conditions . A migrant who is living at the camp in Calais in the hope of boarding a lorry which will take him across the Channel to the UK . Squalid: The camp is littered with bits of rubbish and many of the tents are in poor condition . British lorry drivers said ¿extremely light-touch¿ policing by the French meant that they were ¿sitting ducks¿ for illegal migrants wanting to smuggle themselves across the Channel . A family walk together in Calais near to the camp which is just yards from the port. There is poor sanitation and men fight for food . But in the last two years the number of migrants has increased six-fold and French charities are now warning they are struggling to feed them all . British lorry drivers said ¿extremely light-touch¿ policing by the French meant that they were ¿sitting ducks¿ for illegal migrants wanting to smuggle themselves across the Channel . The hundreds of migrants have had to share just three portable toilets next to the site since a toilet block was torched . British lorry drivers said ¿extremely light-touch¿ policing by the French meant that they were ¿sitting ducks¿ for illegal migrants wanting to smuggle themselves across the Channel . End of the line: Migrants wait to jump into the back of a lorry in the hope it will cary them across the Channel to the UK . The deputy mayor of Calais, Philippe Mignonet, said he believes an average of between 10 and 30 people make it across the border from the town each day . The deputy mayor of Calais is calling for the British to contribute towards increasing the number of police in the area . A mother and child eat food at the camp in Calais which is dubbed the new Sangatte. The camp is littered with bits of rubbish and many of the tents are in poor condition . A man inspects underneath a lorry at the port in Calais which has been dubbed the new Sangatte . British lorry drivers said ‘extremely light-touch’ policing by the French meant that they were ‘sitting ducks’ for illegal migrants wanting to smuggle themselves across the Channel. The deputy mayor of Calais, Philippe Mignonet, said he believes an average of between 10 and 30 people make it across the border from the town each day. He is calling for the British to contribute towards increasing the number of police in the area. He told the Mail: ‘It’s a difficult situation. We know why these people are in Calais, they want to go to England. They get into vehicles parked on their rest or stopped on the roads when traffic is high. ‘When immigrants are caught most are released by the police unless they are recognised as part of mafia gangs. ‘I’d really like to be able to work with England. There needs to be better co-operation and there needs to be an increase in the number of police in Calais.’ | More than 600 refugees are now living in the French town with most living just yards from the port in the camp .
It is a reminder of the Red Cross camp at Sangatte which was shut down in 2002 .
After the closure, Britain accepted hundreds of migrants in a deal with the French government .
In the last two years number has increased six-fold and French charities warn they are struggling to feed them all . |
128,636 | 3237f39f338b346aacfbd135c74fea840449eccd | By . Edward Lucas . PUBLISHED: . 20:45 EST, 23 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 20:45 EST, 23 January 2014 . Like a scene from hell, flames engulfed Kiev this week as thousands of masked protesters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at heavily armed riot police surging forward behind huge metal shields. Their massed ranks responded with tear gas, stun grenades — one of which was reported to have blown off a marcher’s hand — and, fatally, shotguns. Two protesters fell dead after being hit by bullets, one of having been hit in the head, neck and chest. Like a scene from hell, flames engulfed Kiev this week as thousands of masked protesters hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at heavily armed riot police . Police have responded to the protestors with tear gas, stun grenades and, fatally, shotguns . It was the most violent exchange yet, following weeks of clashes during which hundreds of thousands of protesters have thronged the streets of Ukraine’s capital, yearning to overthrow their authoritarian, pro-Moscow government. Now, as heavy snow blankets the city, they continue to defend their barricades, claiming they are ready to fight ‘to the end’. Opposition leaders have issued an ultimatum to the president, Viktor Yanukovych, to call early elections in the coming days and scrap new anti-protest laws, or face further violence. The most iconic figure to emerge as a rallying point for the uprising is the world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko, his hulking 6ft 7in frame a steely symbol of defiance at the heart of the demonstrations. Yet he has not been reckless in his rhetoric. Last night, the pugilist-turned-politician — whose fans call him Dr Ironfist because he has a doctorate in sports science — was reported to have urged protesters to observe an eight-hour truce ahead of talks with President Yanukovych. ‘I will return to you and inform you of the result of the talks,’ he was quoted as telling protesters. ‘Keep the barricades in place, but be calm until the talks finish.’ Only a few weeks ago, his followers — who long to see true democracy flourish in this troubled nation — seemed to be winning this brutal battle of wills. They managed to topple a giant statue of Lenin — hated symbol of the repressive Soviet regime — hammering it to pieces in scenes of rage and defiance that revealed the strength of pro-Western feeling among many Ukrainians. But now, as we saw this week, the regime is determined to crush them. This is not merely a matter of internal Ukrainian politics. The battle for Kiev also symbolises Russia’s latest — and most audacious — bid to regain a hold over its former empire. Vladimir Putin, the ex-KGB hard man in the Kremlin, has muzzled his own country’s media, cowed its courts and turned its political institutions into shells. And now he wants more. The countries of the former empire must do things Russia’s way, too. The most iconic figure to emerge as a rallying point for the uprising is the world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko (pictured) Vladimir Putin, the ex-KGB hard man in the Kremlin, has muzzled his own country's media, cowed its courts and turned its political institutions into shells. And now he wants more. The countries of the former empire must do things Russia's way, too . Protestors throw stones and burning tyres amid clashes between riot police and demonstrators . The Ukrainian regime, bailed out by the Kremlin last year with cheap gas and loans, has now passed a bundle of repressive laws to cripple protest and opposition — just as in Putin’s Russia. But Ukrainians do not want to live in the Kremlin’s shadow. Desperate to escape their Soviet past, they yearn for the same legal rights, prosperity and freedom we enjoy in Europe. Sadly, they have been let down by their corrupt and incompetent rulers, who, acting as Putin’s puppets, refused last autumn to sign a trade agreement with the EU. The EU had been negotiating for closer links with Ukraine and five other ex-Soviet states for a year. But the deal fell apart at a summit in October. Instead, the thuggish Ukrainian leader turned to Russia. One great danger now is that the crackdown succeeds in Ukraine, and that its military forces effectively become integrated with Russia’s resurgent army. That would put the Kremlin’s advanced weapons within striking distance of Central Europe, and of vital European trade routes such as the Bosphorus strait in Istanbul, which links Europe and Asia. As the U.S. statesman and geopolitics expert Zbigniew Brzezinski has said: ‘Without Ukraine, Russia ceases to be an empire; but with Ukraine subordinated, Russia automatically becomes an empire.’ For their part, many Russian people have watched Ukrainian protests with awe and envy. Their own opposition movement has fizzled out — steamrollered by the ruthless Russian authorities. Yet many of them yearn for the modern, democratic life that we and 500 million others in Europe take for granted. Now they despair. Two protesters fell dead after being hit by bullets, one of having been hit in the head, neck and chest during the protests . Opposition leaders have issued an ultimatum to the president, Viktor Yanukovych, to call early elections in the coming days and scrap new anti-protest laws, or face further violence . Mr Putin and his cronies have looted tens of billions of dollars in the past decade from the hapless Russian nation. People who stand in their way are jailed, killed or exiled. But to feel truly safe at home, the Kremlin also needs to feel safe abroad. Russians joke that the definition of a secure frontier is one with Russian troops on both sides. As Ukrainians’ dreams of democracy and independence begin to perish in the blood-stained snows of Kiev, that prospect is coming closer by the day. For Vladimir Putin wants to entrench his rule not only in Russia but in neighbouring countries with a new Eurasian Economic Union. Its name even apes that of the EU. But in Mr Putin’s planned union, the Kremlin’s word will rule. He will deal not with ordinary voters but with men like Ukraine’s Mr Yanukovych, or the strongman leader of Belarus, Alexander Lukashenko, another friend of the Kremlin. With the right mixture of threats and inducements, such men will do his will. And Putin will not stop at Ukraine. He has imposed arbitrary trade sanctions on other countries which dare resist him, too, including Lithuania. Others are bribed into submission. He has just struck a deal with Hungary, offering its ruler, Viktor Orban, cheap gas in exchange for a contract to build a power station there. A similar deal is brewing in Slovakia. Step by step, Russia is using the cudgel of its vast energy resources to restore power and influence in the lands it once ruled by force. And the West seems powerless to resist. Already, Nato can scarcely defend the brave but beleaguered allies we have in the area: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. And Russia and its satellite Belarus regularly rehearse plans for the invasion and occupation of these Baltic countries. Russia’s forces have even practised a nuclear attack on Warsaw. This is not merely a matter of internal Ukrainian politics. The battle for Kiev also symbolises Russia's latest - and most audacious - bid to regain a hold over its former empire . The bitter irony is that the EU has huge powers to resist Russia — if it chooses to use them. It’s humbled giant corporations such as Microsoft for mistreating European consumers, imposing huge fines when it considered the company was abusing its market position. It must do the same with Gazprom, Russia’s gas company, which throttles countries that resist the Kremlin by extorting high prices for gas sent over its monopolised pipelines. A ‘complaint’ — EU jargon for a prosecution — is imminent. It could lead to billions of dollars in fines for the Russian gas giant. Britain and other countries should applaud that — and ensure that the pro-Russian lobby in Brussels does not try to derail it. Europe should also respond to the trade sanctions Russia has imposed on its neighbours, which are a flagrant breach of international rules. But the EU is instinctively unwilling to play geopolitics, and the idea of standing up to Russia is seen as confrontational and unnecessary. Yet geopolitics is being played in front of our eyes in Ukraine and beyond — and we are losing. We need to punish Mr Yanukovych and his regime for their thuggish behaviour. We need to stand by pro-Western Ukrainians, who ask for nothing more than a chance to embrace the Western values of liberty and justice in their own country. Controversially, I believe that if, under a future pro-Western government, Ukraine meets our economic standards, it should have the right to join the European Union. It might take a decade or more; but only that hope will spur change — and thwart the sinister ambitions of the brooding ogre in the Kremlin. For now, the Western nations seem powerless in Ukraine. Yet we could impose sanctions on Mr Yanukovych and his henchmen, many of whom run murky business empires at home while also swanning around in luxury and respectability in London. Investigations of their finances, and a ban on their families gaining visas to the West, would send a powerful signal. Ukrainians are fighting and dying for our values. But through our inaction, we are colluding with their oppressors. As Ukrainians' dreams of democracy and independence begin to perish in the blood-stained snows of Kiev . | Thousands of masked protestors hurled rocks and Molotov cocktails at heavily armed riot police in Kiev, Ukraine, who responded with tear gas, stun grenades and, fatally, shotguns .
Two protestors fell dead after being hit by bullets, one having been hit in the head, neck and chest in the capital .
Opposition leaders have issued an ultimatum to the president, Viktor Yanukovych, to call early elections in the coming days and scrap new anti-protest laws, or face further violence .
Most iconic figure to emerge as a rallying point for uprising is the world heavyweight boxing champion Vitali Klitschko .
The battle for Kiev symbolises Russia’s latest — and most audacious — bid to regain a hold over its former empire . |
41,148 | 7412739b61589df82374c4f78d48190f1f2b4a75 | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Authorities in northern Pakistan were looking for 384 inmates who escaped from a prison early Sunday morning after hundreds of Taliban militants raided the facility. The attack took place in the city of Bannu in northwest Pakistan, an area known for a heavy militant presence. Four prison officials were wounded in the attack, which lasted more than two hours, said Iftikhar Khan, a senior police official in the city. Of the 944 prisoners the facility held, 384 escaped, officials said. Among them were 21 high-profile militants, said Iftikhar Hussain, the information minister of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, where Bannu is located. The attackers apparently were aiming to free a senior Taliban commander, he said, but prison records were destroyed in the attack, and officials were still working to verify the names and crimes of those who escaped. "This is beyond terrorism. Such an attack challenges the writ of the state," Hussain said. Two of the inmates who escaped had been awaiting execution. One, Adnan Rashid, had been found guilty in the attempted murder of former President Pervez Musharraf in 2003. The other, Safi Ullah, was convicted of several bombings in northern Pakistan in recent years, officials said. Authorities were investigating how militants managed to enter the city, Hussain said. "A soul-searching investigation is underway to answer some big questions," he said. "How were the militants allowed to block routes to the jail before the attack? Why didn't the reinforcements arrive?" The Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, according to its spokesman Ehsanullah Ehsan. "We will go where we need to go" said Ehsan, vowing to continue attacks that would result in the release of other imprisoned Taliban fighters. Journalist Wajahat S. Khan contributed to this report. | NEW: Four prison officials are wounded in the two-hour attack, a police official says .
NEW: 21 of the 384 escapees were high-profile militants, an information minister says .
Attackers apparently aimed to free a senior Taliban commander, the information minister says .
The Pakistani Taliban claims responsibility and vows to continue attacks to release imprisoned militants . |
118,948 | 25973a813b71ee410f0911d3d0eda1acf7c53757 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 14:35 EST, 6 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:14 EST, 6 November 2013 . Violent: Michael Bennison, 28, who stabbed ex-girlfriend Amy Evans six times in a terrifying daylight attack in York, could be released in 12 months . A man found guilty of a frenzied knife attack on his ex-girlfriend could be freed in months after investigators lost vital evidence which could have convicted him of attempted murder. Michael Bennison, 29, could have faced life behind bars after stabbing the woman once in her side and five times in a broad daylight attack on a street in York. But the charge of attempted murder would not stick after forensic teams misplaced DNA evidence from two knives. As a result prosecutors were forced to accept the 28-year-old's plea to a lesser charge of unlawful wounding, which carries a maximum sentence of just five years. Newcastle Crown Court heard that on December 14 last year Bennison, of no fixed address, was travelling in a car in York with the female victim, Amy Evans, 27, and another man. Nick Adlington, prosecuting, said Bennison, of no fixed address had been in a volatile, on-off relationship with Miss Evans and an argument broke out in the car. When they arrived at their destination they got out and Miss Evans produced a knife. But Bennison took the knife from her and stabbed her six times, once in the side and five times in the back. He then ran off down an alleyway and went into hiding before he was found two days later. Describing how the evidence came to be lost by North Yorkshire Police, Mr Adlington said: 'The swabs went missing from the forensic science service in York. I have been told there has been a full internal review.' Mr Adlington said as well as the lost evidence, the attempted murder trial faced other problems, including the refusal of an expert witness to come to court. Jailing Bennison, who has previous convictions for domestic violence on different partners, for a total of four years, Mr Justice Bennison told him he posed a high risk to all women. After already spending a year behind bars on remand, Bennison could be eligible for parole within just 12 months. The judge said: 'Originally you faced a charge of attempted murder but because vital evidence had been lost a plea to section 20 was accepted. 'You pose a high risk of harm to the victim and to all women. There is clearly a significant risk to female members of the public. 'There was an intention to commit serious harm.' The sentence also included a guilty plea for assaulting a man outside a flat in November last year after they got into an argument over noise. After falling to the floor, the victim was kicked in the head by Bennison before he jumped with both feet onto his back. The court heard that he had 14 previous appearances at court for 27 offences, that included battery and affray. John Gregg, defending, said Bennison had 'wrestled with his own demons', which included drug abuse, but that he has made progress in prison. | Michael Bennison could have faced life in jail for stabbing his ex six times .
But attempted murder charge was dropped after DNA evidence was lost .
He was jailed for four years but could be out in 12 months after taking into account time already spent on remand . |
220,296 | a9264a84d208e4b3e55e50d54b010f7bca522a87 | (CNN) -- For an awards show that's not the Oscars, the 2012 Golden Globes attracted a good amount of attention. About 16.8 million people -- a slight dip from last year's 17 million viewers -- tuned in to the event that elicited countless trending topics on Twitter, status updates on Facebook, inches in newspapers and articles online. Yes, it's that time of year again when starlets show off their best assets in designer gowns, tiny statues are handed out and the world gets to critique who worked the red carpet. Awards season officially kicked off on television last Sunday night with the Golden Globes and the media was notably underwhelmed by the soiree while viewers seemed split on host Ricky Gervais' toned-down performance. So why not just change the channel? Awards shows are among the few glamorous Hollywood events that are open to the public, said Mary McNamara, a TV critic at the Los Angeles Times. But it's not just about the glitz, the couture and the celebrity. "When even reality TV is scripted, there's something refreshing about seeing something that could be unpredictable," said Daniel Manu, the site director of Television Without Pity. "You don't know what (the winners) will say when they get up there. You might see a truly human moment from people who are usually ... on point." Nobody expected lead actress in a drama winner Meryl Streep to curse upon realizing she left her glasses at her seat at Sunday's Globes. And nobody knew how presenters Rob Lowe and Julianne Moore would recover when the teleprompter malfunctioned (by joking about doing a cold read in front of Steven Spielberg.) "Someone is going to make a mistake," McNamara said. "Somebody's dress is going to be terrible. It's a wonderful opportunity to vent about Hollywood and celebrity culture while also participating in it." And social media has only amplified our will to participate. "People have been having Oscar parties for years," Manu said. "Sitting around someone's living room and making jokes." It's just that nobody could hear them, he said. Enter Twitter. "Without the Internet, the Golden Globes wouldn't be fun to watch," Manu said. "Fans and critics can instantly respond on Twitter and comment back to these shows. In a way, awards shows are more fun now, regardless of the host and nominees. Technology allows us to respond immediately. And snark immediately." The social media aspect also pressures viewers to watch the shows live. Nobody wants to be the guy tweeting about Ricky Gervais' monologue halfway through the Golden Globes, Manu said. "For social media, the Oscars and the Golden Globes, certainly, are giant piñatas," McNamara said. "We whack away and send mean tweets and are hilariously funny and wicked." Pete Cashmore, founder and CEO of Mashable, wrote in a column for CNN that he actually watched the recent Globes live because of social media. "I didn't plan to watch the Globes, but as Twitter and Facebook lit up with buzz, I couldn't help but be drawn in," he wrote. Even people who approach awards shows with the "I would never watch" attitude are still somehow in the know, McNamara said. Maybe they didn't watch it live, or they watched parts on YouTube after the fact. Either way, they're aware of what happened. "TV is a true democracy," she said. "If you want (an awards show) to go away, don't watch it. If the ratings fall, it won't be on TV. ... Nothing is easier to get rid of than a TV show." | About 16.8 million people tuned into the Golden Globes on Sunday .
The media was notably underwhelmed by the awards show .
Social media has amplified viewers' desires to watch awards shows live . |
246,000 | ca680d7f522096b29cb34fc1fda40dbade46b27f | There's no denying it, the array of Miss Universe costumes being created every year have been a little... well interesting, to say the least. Known for usually raising a few eyebrows or two, and not always in the good sense, the national costume portion of the competition has always copped plenty of criticism and Aussie creations are no exception. And so the reason for a different direction, again this year, opting to let the Australian public vote for their favourite design. Miss Universe Australia National Costume Media Launch. Designer Caitlin Holstock (pictured left) with Tegan Martin (pictured right). The design although voted the best copped a bit if criticism on social media . The winning national costume design by Victorian designer Caitlin Holstock. Tegan Martin(pictured) will wear the design on the international stage in January . The winning design by emerging Victorian designer Caitlin Holstock is a Dream Time sunset-inspired gown, Team Australia, worn by Tegan Martin when she graces the international stage next year. The 22 year old designer is aware there is some out there that aren't so keen on the design but welcomes the criticism. 'I love to take on criticism for the future, but the truth is you can't please everyone,' she said. 'You have to do your best to produce what everyone likes.' 'I was told by a lady at Channel 10 that my costume was the most popular to the public compared with previous year's, so I'm pretty happy.' The budding designer who has just graduated with a bachelor of applied science and fashion technology said she was ecstatic after knowing she had won and the Australian public had voted for her design. Designer Caitlin Holstock with her winning design : she says she will take on criticism but says you can't please everyone . 'She loved it' said designer Caitline Holstock (pictured left) of Miss Australia Tegan Martin (pictured right) A drawing of the elaborate design which didn't poll as well as the vote with 60% saying they 'hate it' while only 40% said they 'love it' 'Words cannot describe how I'm feeling, so exciting, such an amazing opportunity.' Caitlin said she drew her inspiration back to Australia's indigenous heritage, Australia's oldest heritage to create something with earth colours and blue skies. She also used an indigenous print on the skirt which derived from a King William Barak painting in the 1800s after seeking permission from his brother, an aboriginal elder and close family friend. Caitlin says in previous years some of the costumes have been a little crazy but has relished the idea that the public has been allowed to vote saying it just shows Aussies are behind the design that won. The other finalists : Lorelee Prentice design (pictured left) and Christopher Ditas ensemble (pictured right) The Steve Irwin inspired costume was another finalist by designer Fred Diak . The Dream time design received mixed reactions on social media, despite being voted the best of the finalists . 'This looks ridiculous!' said one comment. There was a range of different opinions on the design on social media . 'I love the idea, it is about Australia, encapsulating and showing to the world. You want Australia to be behind it,' she said. 'Giving the public the chance to vote just means they are behind the idea, more accepting of it.' The Miss Universe Australia facebook page has definitely shown some of the mixed reactions to the widely colourful ensemble. One user made a comment clearly stating here disgust at the design. 'This costume made me spit my coffee all over the tv laughing so hard.. This costume is more suited to Mardi Gras rather than a Miss Universe pagent. Why do we as Australians have to be so tacky when designing these things..??' Another stated 'No Yuck' while some didn't really understand what the creation was about, saying if she didn't understand, how would the rest of the world. Another facebook post said it 'looked ridiculous, I wish there was an unlike button.' A floral draping number by Christoper Ditas channels corrugated iron . Miss Universe Australia 2008 Laura Dundovic (pictured left) showcases the Australian National Costume designed by Jayson Brunsdon and Erin McNaught (pictured right) in a crocodile inspired number . Despite some 'haters' the Dream time sunset design by Caitlin Holstock received plenty of support . This facebook user loved the design saying 'it totally represents Australia' But with all the 'haters' there has been plenty of supporters. 2004 Miss Australia Jennifer Hawkins in a grey number . 'I liked all of this year's designs. They all looked the part and captured Australia,' wrote one user. While another labelled it inspiring, another picked it as her own favourite design, 'the huge sunset and aboriginal skirt stood out!' And while it seems to have topped the list in the voting stakes, a recent poll by the Sydney Morning Herald has shown not all Aussies were so thrilled about the creation. How do you rate the winning Miss Universe national costume? 60 per cent said 'hate it' while only 40 per cent said 'love it'. But Caitlin has brushed off some opinions and says it won't be to everyone's taste. 'People have to remember that it's a costume, not a gown, it does have to be out there in order to compete in internationals, it has to be extreme,' she said. 'I researched looks in the past decade of the countries that won and I drew inspiration from there as I wanted to compete on an international level.' The aspiring fashion designer is also pretty chuffed that Miss Australia herself, Tegan Martin loves the design and can't wait to wear it. 'She loved it, she wanted to be sexy and very Australian, very out there, she loved the idea of the Victoria Secret looking wings.' While Australia hasn't come close to winning the national costume section in the past, Caitlin is optimistic she's in with a chance. 'I hope it's up there with the top designs, I feel I've given myself a chance from the research.' And if she had to pick another winner if her design wasn't voted as the top pick, she's still sitting on the fence. 'I could not pick a favourite, voting was really nerve wracking and had such high stands, they were all great,' she said. Lorelee Prentice was behind the Sydney Opera house inspired outfit with a pink bikini and wing like white cape . Caitlin Holstock (pictured) with her design that has had mixed reactions on social media . The winning costume was chosen by a public vote from four finalists in the competition that was run by Elucent Skincare. The three other top designs also featured Australian icons like the Sydney Opera House, national flowers and corrugated iron. Christopher Ditas created the corrugated iron inspired design, a floral draping number with shiny blue material. Lorelee Prentice was behind the Sydney Opera house inspired outfit with a pink bikini and wing like white cape. While Fred Diak's was ode to Steve Irwin.... crocodile Dundee eat your heart out. Tegan Martin will wear the ensemble at the international final in Miami in January. | Victorian designer Caitlin Holstock has brushed off criticism after winning the best design for the Miss Universe national costume .
Inspired by a Dream time sunset it has been based on Australia's indigenous heritage .
The design, voted the best among three other finalists, has received mixed reactions on social media .
A recent poll says 60% 'hate it' and 40% 'love it'
Other designs featured Australian icons like the Sydney Opera House, national flowers and corrugated iron . |
37,523 | 6a47ca69eacae4fbfcebe86b2ccaa8a854fe511e | They had been back on Earth for a matter of hours. But that was no excuse for three International Space Station astronauts were who whipped into some colourful traditional Kazakh costumes for a press conference today after their Soyuz spacecraft landed in the country. Anton Shkaplerov, Anatoly Ivanishin and American Daniel Burbank had been in space for 163 days before jettisoning their capsule from the space station this morning. They were dragged form their capsule and were soon . This afternoon, Nasa tweeted: 'Soyuz capsule lands safely at 7:45 am EDT on the steppe of Kazakhstan. All 3 crew members are safe and adjusting to gravity.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Too weak to walk: Ground personnel carry U.S. astronaut Daniel Burbank shortly after landing outside the town of Arkalyk, Kazakhstan . Back on earth: Russia's space agency ground personnel check Soyuz TMA-22 capsule shortly after the landing and help Burbank from the craft . Out of this world: Anatoly Ivanishin, Anton Shkaplerov, Daniel Burbank, are given traditional Kazakh hats at a ceremony . The Soyuz capsule with Expedition 30 aboard lands in a remote area outside the town of Arkalyk in Kazakhstan today . Russia's space agency ground personnel check Soyuz TMA-22 capsule shortly after the landing near the town of Arkalyk . Tight squeeze: International Space Station crew members, US astronaut Dan Burbank, Russian cosmonauts, Anton Shkaplerov and Anatoly Ivanishin sit inside the Soyuz capsule shortly after the landing . Nasa television broadcast vivid . images of the capsule carried by a parachute swaying slightly as it . floated downward in the clear skies while six all-terrain vehicles . approached the landing spot. Eight search-and-rescue helicopters circled the landing site to ensure a speedy recovery. Shkaplerov, in the capsule's central seat, was the first to be hauled out and hoisted into a reclining chair. While . medical personnel mopped his brow and checked his vital signs, the . astronaut smiled broadly and chatted with his colleagues. Ivanishin, and then a heartily laughing Burbank, went through the same procedure a few minutes later. One of the locals: US astronaut Daniel Burbank, wearing a traditional Kazakh costume, attends a press conference in Kazakhstan . They came from outer space: The three astronauts pose for the cameras . Grounded: U.S astronaut Dan Burbank (left), Russian cosmonauts Anton Shkaplerov (centre) and Anatoly Ivanishin (right) rest shortly after the landing . High flyers: The three astronauts have been on board the Space Station for 163 days . Speaking from the touchdown site, Nasa spokesman Rob Navias called it 'a bullseye landing'. 'The spacecraft landed almost exactly where it was forecast to,' he told Nasa television. Earlier NASA TV showed footage today of the . departing crew saying their farewells to the three astronauts left . behind before being shut into their cramped capsule. 'Although I will miss this place and . this crew, I also am very happy to return home to my family,' Burbank . said. 'It is time for Expedition 30 to step aside and make way for . Expedition 31.' The capsule undocked and began a slow, gentle drift away from the space station as scheduled at 0818 GMT. Its landing was aided by the deployment of several parachutes, which slowed its descent. Three small engines also fired to soften the landing. Happy days: Burbank (left) Shkaplerov (right) and Ivanishin on board the Space Station . Chocks away! This Nasa graphics shows how the Soyuz craft separated from the Space Station . Gently does it: The Soyuz craft was slowed down by thrusters and three parachutes . The Soyuz TMA spacecraft is composed of three elements attached end-to-end - the Orbital Module, the Descent Module and the Instrumentation/Propulsion Module. The crew occupies the central element, the Descent Module. The other two modules are jettisoned prior to re-entry. They burn up in the atmosphere, so only the Descent Module returns to Earth. The Orbital Module provided the crew with extra living space during the two-day trip to the Station. It contains systems vital to rendezvous and docking with the Station's Pirs Docking Compartment or other port - a docking mechanism, a hatch and rendezvous antennas. Having shed two-thirds of its mass, the Soyuz reached 'Entry Interface' - a point 400,000 feet above the Earth, where friction due to the thickening atmosphere heated its outer surfaces - three hours after undocking. With only 23 minutes left before it landed on the grassy plains of central Asia, attention in the module would have turned to slowing its rate of descent. Eight minutes later, the spacecraft streaked through the sky at a rate of 755 feet per second (514mph). Before it touched down, its speed slowed to only five feet per second (3mph), and it landed at an even lower speed than that. As the Soyuz made its gradual descent, one unidentified ground control staff member remarked that 'Anatoly (Ivanishin) must be real hungry right now' and that he would be looking forward to 'soup and some meat'. The retirement of the U.S. shuttle fleet has left Russia's Soyuz spacecraft as the only means to deliver crews to the space outpost. Russian cosmonaut Oleg Kononenko has now taken over as commander of the space station and will stay until July together with NASA astronaut Don Pettit and Holland's Andre Kuipers. They will now prepare for the arrival of first commercial cargo shipment to the space station in early May. The Space Exploration Technologies Corp., better known as SpaceX, launches its Dragon capsule from Cape Canaveral on April 30, and the capsule will take a few days to get to the space station. It will be the first time a private company has launched space station supplies. The space station will then return to its standard six-person crew with the arrival of NASA astronaut Joe Acaba and Russian colleagues Gennady Padalka and Sergei Revin, who will blast off from the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan on May 17. The Soyuz TMA-22 spacecraft seen at the launch pad after being raised into vertical position on November 11, 2011 at the Baikonur Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan . | Their Soyuz craft touched down on the steppes of Kazakhstan . |
280,814 | f7c9f133e355bab32968dc4ea4775ad126d70330 | (CNN) -- "No one's ever asked to see my birth certificate. They know that this is the place that I was born and raised." With that comment to a crowd in Michigan, Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney officially embraced the "birther" movement and touched off a firestorm of protest across the airwaves and internet. Of course, those protesting didn't include his live audience or the extremists on the right. Nor, given Romney's embrace of Donald Trump, should we be surprised by this joke-that's-not-a-joke. Ari Melber of The Nation put it succinctly: "Jokes can be more revealing than talking points." But what, exactly, did Romney reveal with this pre-meditated "offhand" remark? That he's courting the radical right? He already chose Paul Ryan as his vice-presidential nominee. That he's pandering to the right-wing noise machine and the corporate special interest propaganda machine? We already know that because he appears on media friendly to the right but limits the number and kind of questions reporters can ask him, and then responds with dodging answers. Opinion: Election a stark choice on America's future . That he's following the Bush-Cheney-Rove "keep it vague, keep them afraid" playbook? Commentators and analysts have been pointing this out since Romney entered the campaign. Romney -- hiding behind the plausible deniability that it was just a joke, with a wink and a nod to the extremists in his base -- tried to divert attention from the ABC's haunting his campaign: Akin, Bain, "Corporations are people." His comment has the added benefit of satisfying his most fervent supporters and those anonymous supporters bankrolling one of the most misleading advertising campaigns, a blitzkrieg that strikes just the right partisan undertones. The real story is that there's nothing unusual about the remark. It's no more in the gutter than a lot of things that have been said about President Barack Obama since coming into office. It's just one more insinuation designed to distract us from the most disconcerting weaknesses of Romney's candidacy -- that he fails to offer details about his policy proposals and stubbornly refuses to disclose more than two years of tax returns. But it is sad and revealing, nevertheless. It is sad that a campaign stretch that began with his asking Obama to stop apologizing for America (something fact checkers noted the president never did) and roundly debunked welfare attack ad ended with a xenophobic and roundly debunked birther reference. And it reveals not just moral turpitude, but moral vacuity. His birth certificate dog-whistles are not just desperate, they are deliberate. Romney is campaigning as if he feels he is entitled to the White House -- that, like a feudal lord or European aristocrat, he does not have to answer questions, he does not have to be forthright, he does not have to be honest. It also reveals, as so much before it has done, that he believes the American people are too ignorant, too indifferent, too lazy, too afraid to bother and that we can be fooled. He also knows that the American press will, after huffing and puffing, give him a free pass on this one, too. How we respond to Romney's remark will reveal a lot about us, as well. Will we get what he's doing? Will we reject the noxious condescension and the patronizing? Will we demand an open and honest accounting of his business dealings? If he wants to be in charge of our business, we should see how he's run his. Isaac could hinder GOP chance to define Romney at convention . The media, too, will reveal a lot about itself by its response. Outrage, shock, tongue-clicking - these are superficial and useless. Allowing Romney to backpedal -- "it's only a joke" -- misses the point. The media needs to press for policy specifics and contrast claims with facts. As I said, we shouldn't be surprised by Romney's remark. Trying to pretend that somehow Obama is not an American-born leader, or questioning his patrioism, or his values by using the Big Lie often speaks in code. But let's decode some of the implications: . -- Show us your birth certificate, but I won't show you my tax returns. -- You need to prove your identity to vote, but my super PAC allies don't need to identify their donors. -- I'll lie about Obama's plans, but won't explain my own. -- I'll blame Obama for the problems he didn't cause, and take credit for his solutions that work. Romney's birther remark was less a surprise than a confirmation that his moral compass is off center. Mr. Romney, America's not an aristocracy. It's not where you were born -- in a cabin or a mansion -- or how you were raised -- in poverty by a single parent or with money and privilege -- that matters. It matters where you go and what you do. It's who you help, what you're willing to sacrifice, and how honest you are. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Donna Brazile. | Donna Brazile: Mitt Romney's birth certificate "joke" wasn't innocuous .
She says it's part of a campaign that uses coded messages to devalue the president .
Brazile: Romney wrongly accused Obama of weakening welfare reform .
She says Romney is seeking to distract attention from questions he won't answer . |
77,823 | dca4165698485df2d5533d84894dd0d5694a08d3 | Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane not only finished on the losing side in the Super Bowl, he also suffered a horrific wrist break from a brutal tackle. In the first quarter of the Super Bowl XLIX game with the New England Patriots Lane intercepted a loose endzone pass by MVP Tom Brady. Having successfully retrieved possession, the cornerback was running back to the 14-yard-line when Patriots’ Julian Edelman clattered into Lane. VIDEO: Scroll down for the shocking moment Seahawks' Jeremy Lane's wrist snaps . Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane lands badly after a tackle, bending his wrist backwards . Sent flying into the air, Lane lands badly. Unfortunately the 24-year-old landed on his wrist which was bent back to an unnatural angle before it snaps. He was rushed off the field and into the locker rooms for an x-ray but, unsurprisingly, he did not return to play for the rest of the game. The injury signalled bad luck for the Seahawks who lost the game to the New England Patriots 24-28 on Sunday. Lan's wrist was broken after he was tackled by New England Patriots' Julian Edelman during the Super Bowl . Lane was carried off the field and taken to the locker rooms for x-ray- he didn't return for rest of the game . Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane had just intercepted an attempted endzone pass by Tom Brady . Jeremy Lane had made the first big play to negate a nearly eight-minute drive by the Patriots with a leaping interception at the goal line late in the first quarter. Lane made his first pro interception, but was replaced by Tharold Simon after the injury, who got torched by Brady the rest of the way. Brady overcame a second interception and threw for four touchdowns, while Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson's pass in the end zone with 20 seconds left, helping the New England Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 Sunday night for their fourth Super Bowl title. The game ended with Seahawks linebacker Bruce Irvin being ejected in the final seconds for instigating a near-brawl, delaying the celebration for the Patriots. Sunday's Super Bowl was a record-breaker for New England Patriots quarterback Brady who surpassed Joe Montana's record of 11 Super Bowl touchdowns. Brady has equaled Montana with four Lombardi Trophies and three Super Bowl MVPs. He stands alone with 13 Super Bowl touchdown passes. The Patriots are still being investigated for using for those under-inflated footballs the AFC championship game. With New England Patriots holding a 28-24 lead in the final minute, the game temporarily spiraled out of control after Patriots quarterback Tom Brady tried to run out the clock . The New England Patriots celebrate after winning against Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in the NFL Super Bowl XLIX . New England Patriots' Jonathan Casillas (left) and Brandon Bolden (right) celebrate with the trophy . Super Bowl MVP, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady, celebrates with running back Bolden . | Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane intercepted Tom Brady's pass .
He ran back to the 14-yard line where he was tackled by Julian Edelman .
Lane landed on his wrist which bent back at 90 degrees to snap .
Carried to the locker rooms for x-ray and didn't return to play in the game .
New England Patriots beat Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Super Bowl XLIX . |
236,625 | be442ef8ba963fd5b32a2e6822ec4fae602bcb07 | (CNN) -- Ola Orekunrin was studying to become a doctor in the UK a few years ago when her younger sister fell seriously ill while traveling in Nigeria. The 12-year-old girl, who'd gone to the West African country on holiday with relatives, needed urgent care but the nearest hospital couldn't deal with her condition. Orekunrin and her family immediately began looking for an air ambulance service to rapidly transport the girl, a sickle cell anemia sufferer, to a more suitable healthcare facility. They searched all across West Africa but were stunned to find out there was none in the whole region. "The nearest one at the time was in South Africa," remembers Orekunrin. "They had a 12-hour activation time so by the time they were ready to activate, my sister was dead. "It was really a devastating time for me and I started thinking about whether I should be in England talking about healthcare in Africa, or I should be in Africa dealing with healthcare and trying to do something about it." Orekunrin did the latter. Motivated by the tragic death of her sister, the young doctor decided to leave behind a high-flying job in the UK to take to the Nigerian skies and address the vital issue of urgent healthcare in Africa's most populous country. Read this: Private jets spread their wings in Africa . A pioneering entrepreneur with an eye for opportunity, Orekunrin set up Flying Doctors Nigeria, the first air ambulance service in West Africa, transporting victims of medical emergencies, including industrial workers from the country's booming oil and gas sector. "There was a situation in Nigeria where there were only two or three very good hospitals and they were sometimes a two, three, four-day journey away from the places where incidents happened," says Orekunrin. "We also have a huge oil and gas industry and at that time there was no coordinated system for moving people from the offshore environment to a hospital to receive treatment." Currently in its third year, the Lagos-based company has so far airlifted about 500 patients, using a fleet of planes and helicopters to rapidly move injured workers and critically ill people from remote areas to hospitals. "From patients with road traffic trauma, to bomb blast injuries to gunshot wounds, we save lives by moving these patients and providing a high level of care en route," says Orekunrin. "Many of our roads are poorly maintained, so emergency transport by road during the day is difficult. At night, we have armed robbers on our major highways; coupled with poor lighting and poor state of the roads themselves, emergency transport by road is deadly for both patients and staff." Flying helicopters, speaking Japanese . At 27, there isn't much Orekunrin hasn't achieved. Born in London, she grew up in a foster home in the charming seaside town of Lowestoft in the south-east of England. Aged 21, Orekunrin had already graduated from the University of York as a qualified doctor. She was then awarded the MEXT Japanese Government Scholarship and moved to Japan to conduct research in the field of regenerative medicine. After moving back to Europe the young doctor looked set for a promising career in medicine in the UK. But her desire to improve healthcare services in West Africa brought her back to her roots. Orekunrin quit her job, sold her assets and went on to study evacuation models and air ambulance services in other developing countries before launching her ambitious venture, which enables her to combine her "deep love for medicine and Africa" with her growing passion for flying -- Orekunrin is also a also a trainee helicopter pilot. "I wanted to find a way that I can facilitate people who were critically ill," she says. "Get them to see a doctor, and not just any doctor -- I wanted to facilitate getting the right patient to the right facility, within the right time frame for that particular illness, and that's why I came to start the air ambulance." Last month, the World Economic Forum recognized Orekunrin's achievements by naming her amongst its prestigious Young Global Leaders class of 2013, a group it describes as the best of today's leaders under the age of 40. "It came as a surprise to me actually," she says of the honor. "I'm really flattered and really happy." Trauma epidemic . Nigeria, Africa's second-biggest economy, is the continent's top producer of oil, boasting huge petroleum and natural gas reserves. The industry's potential, coupled with a growing financial services sector, is expected to help drive further demand for companies such as Flying Doctors Nigeria, which works on a retainership basis with the public sector, wealthy individuals and oil and gas companies. Yet Orekunrin says that there are still several challenges that need to be navigated to successfully run a company like hers in the West African country. "The aviation business is very expensive in Nigeria," she says. "Keeping costs down is always a challenge," she adds, noting that red tape and bureaucracy are also testing small businesses' endurance. But despite the challenges, Orekunrin remains determined to bring about change in Nigeria's healthcare system. "I want to achieve a proper use of the healthcare sector in Nigeria," she says. Read this: One woman's mission to fix water crisis . Looking ahead, Orekunrin says her goal is to continue improving access to treatment while focusing on the pre-hospital and in-hospital management of injuries. She says that whilst much attention and funding is directed toward infectious diseases, Africa is also facing a big problem treating physical injuries and wounds. "Eighty percent of the world trauma occurs in low-middle income countries just like Nigeria," she says. "I feel there should be more focus on the trauma epidemic that Africa currently faces." "In the UK, I would see one gunshot wound every three or four years. In Nigeria, I see one gunshot wound every three-four days. Add in the road-traffic trauma, falls from heights, industrial injuries, stab sounds, injuries from domestic violence and you see a huge problem that definitely needs addressing." | Ola Orekunrin, 27, is a medical doctor, helicopter pilot and entrepreneur .
She has founded the first air ambulance service in West Africa .
Flying Doctors Nigeria has transported 500 people in its first three years .
The World Economic Forum recently included Orekunrin in its Young Global Leaders list . |
20,161 | 393e708ead080224278f0d9ec7ceb04f3306d4f4 | By . Rachel Quigley . PUBLISHED: . 14:28 EST, 20 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:43 EST, 21 September 2013 . Without a care in the world and once again flaunting her surgically-enhanced body, Anthony Weiner's sexting partner Sydney Leathers was spotted relaxing by a pool in Los Angeles doing the very thing that made her famous - texting. Ms Leathers sported a bright green bikini which barely held her double D breasts as she concentrated on typing messages in her phone. A short time later, she decides to cool off by taking a dip in the pool, clearly enjoying her time as a lady of leisure. Starting out for the day: Leathers disrobes as she arrives poolside, showing off her surgically-enhanced curves in a green bikini . Downtime: Anthony Weiner's sexting partner looks at her cellphone as she relaxes poolside - could she be sexting? Tentative: Sydney cools down after spending time texting on her sun lounger . Having fun: With her green bikini barely containing her double D breasts, Leathers makes sure her hair doesn't get wet as she enjoys a dip in the pool . The 23-year-old is clearly enjoying the fame she has been afforded since she revealed Weiner . had continued exchanging X-rated messages with her, long after his . resignation from the U.S. Congress. Since then, she has tried her hand at . everything from porn movies to surgery to recording a single, cleverly titled . Weinerizer, which she has desperately been trying to promote in recent . weeks. The busty . brunette crashed the disgraced politician's concession party earlier . this month, marking a disastrous conclusion in his mayoral campaign, . telling reporters: 'I'm kind of the reason he's losing so might as well . show up.' And today, in his . first national media interview since suffering the devastating defeat, . Weiner made light of the topic and blamed part of it on his name. She rises: Leathers carefully climbs out of the pool, deciding she has had enough for the day . Shows off her derriere: Sydney was a little-known political blogger before the Weiner sexting scandal catapulted her to fame - but how long will it last? Nonchalant: Sydney had a number of plastic surgery procedures performed before the mayoral primaries, including a breast enlargement, liposuction on her stomach and a nose job. She also had her teeth done . Dry time: Leathers, sporting heavy eyeliner, towels off after her quick dip in the pool . Happy: Sydney manages a huge smile for the cameras, showing off her newly-whitened teeth . Spotlight: She spoke at length about her months-long affair with Anthony Weiner, pictured here pre-surgery . 'I'm not an idiot, I know it derailed my campaign. If my last name was Rivera and not Weiner, I mean that’s two-thirds of the crap I took,' he told Geraldo Rivero on his radio show. 'There’s . no mistaking the New York media world had a field day with my name and . that’s part of the game. I had every tabloid in New York going bananas . trying every day to derail me.' But when Rivera suggested he take his wife Huma Abedin’s name, he resolutely said: 'I love my name.' Weiner, . once the front runner for the mayoral race before the campaign imploded . when his continued sexting habit emerged, insisted his marriage is fine . despite recent events. 'My . wife’s good. My marriage’s good. Look, I won’t lie to you, a lot of . people took runs at my wife that I think are entirely unfair,' he said. 'God willing, my marriage survives everything, but I don’t take anything . for granted.' Love the camera: Geraldo Rivera joked with Anthony Weiner on his radio show today that his sexting scandal took the heat off his half-naked selfie . Different kind of support: Sydney Leathers was using the primary attention to promote her new song . Fatherly love: Weiner says now that he is out of the mayoral race he has more time to spend with his son, who he was pictured with in New York today . Miss Abedin largely disappeared from the public eye following revelations that her husband had continue exchanging X-rated messages with Sydney Leathers long after his resignation from the U.S. Congress. After stepping down from Congress in 2011 following his first sexting scandal, Weiner was . hoping that his campaign for mayor would be his chance to reenter public . office and clear his name. The July revelations that he continued having inappropriate online relationships with women, including Leathers. | Sydney Leathers shows off surgically-enhanced body .
Spent time texting on her phone .
Weiner said if his name was different the sexting scandal would not have been so harmful to his campaign . |
226,242 | b0f6a8fb990f14befd0f695af426fe3a7c1084ea | By . Daily Mail . He might just be what England manager Roy Hodgson is looking for. Prince Harry went in goal for a penalty shoot-out yesterday and saved every one. Admittedly, the goal was mini-sized – and the kicks were taken by children. But given England’s dismal record of being knocked out on penalties at major tournaments, could it be worth giving Harry a late call-up for the World Cup in Brazil? Scroll down for video . You'll never beat me! Harry saves every kick in the penalty shoot-out . Catch: The tiny goals may have helped the prince maintain his spotless record . The prince showed off his goalkeeping skills on a visit to the Inspire Suffolk community project in Ipswich. Wearing tracksuit bottoms and a polo shirt with the England rugby logo on it, Harry was clearly in a boisterous mood as he began the kick-around as an outfielder. Aryon Tandel, nine, said: ‘He tackled me and won the ball but I managed to tackle him back. He was taking it quite seriously.’ Brandon Norman, eight, scored a goal against Harry’s team. Good sport: A handshake from the prince . ‘He gave me a tap around the ear and said well done,’ Brandon said. The prince, vice patron of the Rugby Football Union, also joined in a game of touch rugby. George Hill, nine, said: ‘He told me I had to stay behind the ball and joked that if I went in front again he would slap me.’ Harry met participants in the Prince’s Trust Team Programme, which helps disadvantaged young people, then travelled to the Suffolk Show to meet young farmers and watch a Royal British Legion parade. | Young royal took a turn in the undersized goal at the Inspire Suffolk project .
He saved every shot - though the budding strikers were all children . |
273,201 | ede6608c6e7012819ce2ffcf0d11cc2e9253ba3c | Inter Milan are making another attempt to prise Stevan Jovetic away from Manchester City. They have been rebuffed twice already for the striker, who signed for City last summer in a deal worth £22million. Jovetic has only managed five starts for the Premier League champions, but managed six goals during his first season at the club. Target man: Jovetic has had a tough start to life at Manchester City but scored six times last season . Interrupted: The striker made only five Premier League starts in a season disrupted by injuries . The Montenegro international is well respected in Italy after spending a successful five seasons with Fiorentina. Inter are making a third bid for the striker, having already tried to draw him to Milan on both a loan deal and as a permanent signing. Popular: Jovetic was impressive during his five years at Fiorentina and is still respected in Italy . City manager Manuel Pellegrini would prefer to see Jovetic reach his potential at the Etihad, but the striker is likely to be fourth choice next season. VIDEO Inter Milan not a step back - Vidic . | Inter Milan have had loan and permanent bids rejected .
Jovetic is the current fourth choice striker at Man City .
But Manuel Pellegrini is keen to keep the young striker at the Etihad . |
193,194 | 861e9f3320b7d0629586098e278aefe7e55dc75b | By . Victoria Woollaston . Dengue fever affects more than 390 million people around the world each year and its symptoms can be fatal. There is no vaccine for the disease, buy researchers believe they have come up with an alternative to curbing the spread of the disease - in the form of genetically modified mosquitoes. And now Brazil has become the latest country to approve the use of these bugs, which have been engineered in such a way that means their offspring die before reaching maturity. Brazil is the latest country to approve the use of genetically modified mosquitoes, stock image pictured, to curb the spread of dengue fever. Males have been engineered in such a way that means their offspring die before reaching maturity. If the males breed with enough females, the populations will, in theory, be wiped out . The GM mosquito was created by Oxford-based firm Oxitec. The Oxitec insect can be used to control the dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti and is a strain of the wild species that contains two additional genes. The Oxitec males, which cannot bite, are released to seek out and mate with the wild females. Their offspring inherit the additional genes and die before becoming functional adults. They also inherit a marker that is visible under a special light, making monitoring in the field simple and helping ensure that dengue mosquito control programmes succeed. In several trials, successive releases of the Oxitec males have been shown to reduce substantially the wild population of dengue mosquitoes in the treated area. The idea is that the . male insects are on a suicide mission which involves mating with wild . females before they, and their offspring, die. This, . in theory, can reduce the number of wild mosquitoes which carry and . spread dengue fever. The viral infection causes serious symptoms ranging from high . temperatures and muscle pain to bleeding. Earlier this year, Panama announced plans to release the GM insects into its jungles to similarly help tackle the spread. The bugs were engineered by Oxford-based firm Oxitec. Oxitec has developed the technology to create the genetically modified insects which, it claims, can also be used instead of chemicals to protect food crops from pests. The Oxitec insect is used to . control the dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti, because it is a strain of the wild . species that contains two additional genes. The Oxitec males, which don't bite, are released to seek out and mate with the wild females. Their offspring inherit the additional genes and die before becoming functional adults. They . also inherit a marker that is visible under a special light, making . monitoring in the field simple, and helps ensure that dengue mosquito . control programmes succeed. The idea is that the male insects are on a suicide mission which involves mating with wild females before they and their offspring die. The viral infection causes serious symptoms ranging from high temperatures and muscle pain to bleeding. The bugs were engineered by Oxford-based firm Oxitec . In . several trials, successive releases of the Oxitec males have been shown . to substantially reduce the wild population of dengue mosquitoes in the . treated area. The firm has . held preliminary talks with UK authorities about releasing GM insects . into UK fields or greenhouses to reduce pest numbers. The GM mosquito trials in Panama began in February in Nuevo Chorillo, in the Arraiján district of Panama. They have been approved by the Ministry . of Health but critics claim no information about the possible downsides . have been provided to members of the public. There is currently no vaccine for dengue fever so authorities advise the best way to prevent catching the infection is to take precautions when travelling in high-risk areas, such as wearing protective clothing or using a mosquito repellent, stock image pictured, throughout the day and night . Oxitec conducted its first experiments of GM mosquitoes in the Cayman Islands in 2009 and 2010, followed by a smaller experiment in Malaysia in 2010 and 11. In several trials, successive releases of the Oxitec males have been shown to reduce substantially the wild population of dengue mosquitoes in the treated area . Oxitec conducted its first open release experiments of GM mosquitoes in the Cayman Islands in 2009 and 2010, followed by a smaller experiment in Malaysia in 2010 and 11. Both countries have halted further releases. Larger-scale experiments began in Brazil in February 2011. Director of GeneWatch UK, Dr Helen Wallace, said: ‘Local people should be aware that releasing large numbers of GM mosquitoes can pose risks to their health and the environment. 'They also need to know who will be liable if anything goes wrong. Will Oxitec take responsibility for any problems, or just walk away?’ GeneWatch said changes could be introduced into the wild population which means the dengue fever they spread becomes more dangerous to humans. It claims that if the numbers of one type of mosquito - Aedes aegypti – is reduced as result of the release of GM versions, others, such as the Asian Tiger mosquito, which also carry the virus, could come in and thrive. | The insects were genetically modified in a lab in Oxford .
Males have been engineered in such a way that means their offspring die before reaching maturity .
Brazil is the latest country to approve the use of these engineered bugs .
Authorities plans to use them to curb the spread of dengue fever .
If males breed with enough females, the species could be eradicated .
Dengue fever can cause high temperatures, muscle pains or bleeding . |
254,663 | d5a8a1318046505016348dc9be43039bc0aeb460 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 11:02 EST, 24 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:19 EST, 24 September 2012 . Lord Ashdown told the Lib Dem conference he believed the British public would vote to stay in the EU . Britain is now ‘irretrievably’ on course hold a referendum on membership of the EU, Paddy Ashdown warned Nick Clegg today as the party sought to defend its pro-European credentials. Former Lib Dem leader Lord Ashdown insisted he was a ‘passionate’ European and still hoped that Britain would one day join the euro single currency. And he revealed he had told Mr Clegg that he believed a referendum was inevitable after David Cameron wielded the British veto to block an EU treaty change in December last year. ‘We were now irretrievably on the way to a European referendum,’ Lord Ashdown said today. The admission is likely to be seized on by Eurosceptics in the Tory party who have repeatedly called for Mr Cameron to commit to holding a vote. However, Lord Ashdown beleives the British public would not vote to abandon Brussels: ‘Provided we have that referendum on in or out, it can be won.’ Lord Ashdown was speaking at a fringe event at the Lib Dem conference in Brighton, where he warned the currency crisis meant future shape of Europe was not yet clear. Critics have complained that there is no foreign affairs debate in the main conference hall, weeks after Mr Clegg gave up a ministerial role in the Foreign Office in exchange for a Lib Dem being farming minister. Lord Ashdown said: ‘I don’t think we have yet understood the terms of existence of the European Union.’ But if Britain becomes more detached politically from the continent it would be like ‘corks floating around behind other peoples ocean liners’. He predicted the Eurozone will eventually shrink, leaving just Germany, Austria, the Benelux countries, Finland and France. ‘I am a passionate European. We have to be passionate. As Europe moves, as it must, towards deeper federalism… this is a dance we have to sit aside from. 'We need to do it with apologies and regret but the Tories will do it with scorn. ‘If it should ever become in Britain’s interests to join the Europe,, I am in favour of us doing so.’ | Former Lib Dem leader says David Cameron's EU veto set Britain 'irretrievably' on course for a referendum .
Ashdown predicts a smaller Eurozone - but the UK should still join eventually . |
70,355 | c7725bba48a24f76d5052d8ed2399540572e05c7 | By . Tom Leonard . PUBLISHED: . 20:04 EST, 12 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:35 EST, 13 December 2012 . With its low-flying helicopters slipping under the radar into Pakistan and special forces commandos leaping into the dark compound below, last year’s stunning operation to kill Osama Bin Laden was a Boy’s Own drama that had old-fashioned machismo written all over it. The reality of America’s battle against terrorism, it seemed, couldn’t have been more different to the glamorised, politically-correct fiction of Homeland, the hit TV show in which Claire Danes plays a beautiful CIA agent who spots the Al Qaeda plot which her misguided male colleagues have missed. The world’s most dangerous terror group foiled by a killer blonde in Calvin Klein who wars with her superiors? Only in Hollywood’s dreams, surely. Scroll down for video . CIA supersleuth: A attractive young female CIA agent, played by Jessica Chastain in the film Zero Dark Thirty, spent the best part of a decade to finding Bin Laden and became the SEALs' go-to expert on intelligence matters about their target . But, astonishingly, it has now emerged that truth may indeed be as strange as fiction. According to Zero Dark Thirty, a forthcoming film about the hunt for Bin Laden — whose makers were given top-level access to those involved — he might never have been found if it hadn’t been for an attractive young female CIA agent every bit as troublesome as Homeland’s Carrie Mathison. CIA insiders have confirmed claims by the film’s director Kathryn Bigelow that she is entirely justified in focusing on the role played by a junior female CIA analyst, named Maya in the film and played by Jessica Chastain. And just as in Homeland, the real agent has been snubbed by superiors and fallen out with colleagues since the Bin Laden raid in May last year. But who is this CIA supersleuth? Although the woman is still undercover and has never been identified, Zero Dark Thirty’s emphasis on Maya’s importance tallies with the account of a U.S. Navy SEAL involved in the raid who later wrote about it in a book. Bin Laden hunt: A very different side of the agent was seen days after Bin Laden's body was brought back. She even started crying . Matt Bissonnette writes in No Easy Day of flying out to Afghanistan before the raid with a CIA analyst he called ‘Jen’ who was ‘wicked smart, kind of feisty’ and liked to wear expensive high heels. She had devoted the best part of a decade to finding Bin Laden and had become the SEALs’ go-to expert on intelligence matters about their target, he said. And while her colleagues were only 60 per cent sure their quarry was in the compound in Abbottabad, she told the SEAL she was 100 per cent certain. ‘I can’t give her enough credit, I mean, she, in my opinion, she kind of teed up this whole thing,’ Bissonnette said later. The commando saw a very different side of her days later when they brought Bin Laden’s body back to their Afghan hangar. Having previously told Bissonnette she didn’t want to see the body, ‘Jen’ stayed at the back of the crowd as they unzipped the terrorist’s body bag. She ‘looked pale and stressed’ and started crying. ‘A couple of the SEALs put their arms around her and walked her over to the edge of the group to look at the body,’ wrote Bissonnette. ‘She didn’t say anything . . . with tears rolling down her cheeks, I could tell it was taking a while for Jen to process. She’d spent half a decade tracking this man. And now there he was at her feet.’ Jen’s role in the operation passed largely unremarked when Bissonnette’s book came out but now the new film — which is released in the UK in January — has confirmed his estimation of her importance. Although she remains active as a CIA analyst, it is believed Mark Boal, Bigelow’s screenwriter, was allowed to interview her at length. It has emerged that she is in her 30s and joined the CIA after leaving college and before the 9/11 attacks turned American security upside down. On target: The agent was one of the first to advance the theory that the key to finding Bin Laden lay in Al Qaeda's courier network which led to his compound (pictured is the attack scene in the movie) According to the Washington Post, she worked in the CIA’s station in Islamabad, Pakistan, as a ‘targeter’, a role which involves finding people to recruit as spies or to obliterate in drone attacks. But CIA insiders say she worked almost solely on finding Bin Laden for a decade. She was still in Pakistan when the hunt heated up after Barack Obama became President in 2008 and ordered a renewed effort to find him. According to colleagues, the female agent was one of the first to advance the theory — apparently against the views of other CIA staff — that the key to finding Bin Laden lay in Al Qaeda’s courier network. The agency was convinced Bin Laden, who never used the phone, managed to communicate with his disparate organisation without revealing his whereabouts by passing hand-delivered messages to trusted couriers. The agent spent years pursuing the courier angle, and it was a hunch that proved spectacularly correct when the U.S. uncovered a courier known as Abu Ahmed al-Kuwaiti and tracked him back to a compound in the sleepy Pakistan town of Abbottabad. Fiesty: Jessica Chastain as agent Maya in Zero Dark Thirty about the hunt for Bin Laden . It was a stunning success for the dedicated agent, though she hardly endeared herself to her colleagues in the process. As one might expect of a woman . working in the largely male world of intelligence, colleagues stress she . is no shrinking violet but a prickly workaholic with a reputation for . clashing with anyone — even senior intelligence chiefs — who disagreed . with her. ‘She’s not Miss Congeniality, but that’s not going to find Osama Bin Laden,’ a former colleague told the Washington Post. Another . added: ‘Do you know how many CIA officers are jerks? If that was a . disqualifier, the whole National Clandestine Service would be gone.’ In . the film, Maya is portrayed as a loner who has a . ‘her-against-the-world’ attitude and pummels superiors into submission . by sheer force of will. CIA colleagues say the film’s depiction of her . is spot-on. If this is the case, then she shows . little of the feminine tenderness that serves Carrie Mathison so well in . Homeland and which Hollywood usually uses to soften female protagonists . like Maya. Instead, the film shows her happily colluding in the torture by waterboarding of an Al Qaeda suspect. And . Navy SEAL Bissonnette reported how she had told him she wasn’t in . favour of storming the Bin Laden compound but preferred to ‘just push . the easy button and bomb it’. Given that the bombing option would almost . certainly have killed the women and children the CIA knew were inside, . her comment suggests a cold indifference to ‘civilian’ casualties. But then the real female agent is hardly your archetypal film heroine. She has reportedly been passed over for promotion since the Bin Laden raid, perhaps adding to her sense of grievance. Although she was among a handful of CIA staff rewarded over the operation with the Distinguished Intelligence Medal, the agency’s highest honour, dozens of other colleagues were given lesser gongs. Fellow staff say this prompted her . anger to boil over: she hit ‘reply all’ to an email announcing the . awards and added her own message which — according to one — effectively . said: ‘You guys tried to obstruct me. You fought me. Only I deserve the . award.’ Although colleagues . say the intense attention she received from the film-makers has made . many of them jealous, they are shocked she was passed over for promotion . and merely given a cash bonus for her Bin Laden triumph. Glamorised fiction: The reality of America's battle against terrorism couldn't have been more different to the politically-correct hit TV show Homeland, in which Claire Danes plays a beautiful CIA agent who spots the Al Qaeda plot which her misguided colleagues missed . She has also been moved within the CIA, reassigned to a new counter-terrorism role. Bigelow, who won an Oscar as director of the Iraq war drama The Hurt Locker, has said it was like being dealt a Royal Flush at poker when she discovered a woman at the heart of the story. ‘The juicy thing about Maya was the surprise of it,’ she said. One thing is certain: The emotional cost of her achievement took its toll on her. Bissonnette recalls seeing her again as he and his comrades got on to a plane back to their main base at Bagram in Afghanistan. She was sitting on the floor of the plane sobbing, ‘hugging her legs to her chest in the fetal position’. Her eyes were ‘puffy and she seemed to be staring into the distance’. When he tried to reassure her that the mission had been a ‘100 per cent’ success, she simply nodded and started crying again. He put it down to a mixture of exhaustion and relief for a woman who had, with almost messianic zeal, dedicated her life to hunting down the architect of 9/11. VIDEO: Maya in action: Jessica Chastain and the boys in Zero Dark Thirty... | Upcoming film Zero Dark Thirty claims that Bin Laden might not have been found if not for a young female CIA analyst .
She devoted the best part of a decade to finding the terrorist .
According to colleagues, she was one of the first to advance the theory that the key to finding Bin Laden was in Al Qaeda's courier network . |
99,171 | 0bbdf9bc808136945cf3106d3c2f2e623071336f | (Travel + Leisure) -- These under-the-radar destinations make for an easy road trip-and each is close to a big city. A Culinary Retreat: Columbia County, New York (2 1/2 hours from New York City) Everyone knows the Catskills, but neighboring Columbia County is the latest Green Acres idyll: Think picture-perfect hamlets and a decidedly citified food scene. Stay: On 1,200 acres of rolling pasture outside the bucolic town of Ghent, Kinderhook Farm (1958 Co. Rte. 21; 505/603-1815; barn sleeps four, from $284) recently converted one of its red barns into a cozy guesthouse. Eat: Start your morning at the Old Chatham Country Store & Café (639 Albany Tpk.; Old Chatham; 518/794-6227; breakfast for two $25), where the pecan sticky buns are house-made. In Pine Plains, the new Agriturismo Restaurant (2938 Church St.; 518/398-1000; dinner for two $89), owned by Fred's at Barneys New York executive chef Mark Strausman, draws crowds for dinner (try the Coach Farms goat-ricotta gnocchi with zucchini blossoms). See and Do: Stop by Harvest Spirits Distillery (3074 U.S. Rte. 9, Valatie; 518/758-7683) to buy a bottle of dry pear brandy; find a repurposed wine rack to hold it in at 3FortySeven (347 Warren St., Hudson; 518/291-4780), housed in a onetime gas station. Travel + Leisure: Vote for the best new landmarks . A Spa Getaway: Desert Hot Springs, California (2 hours from Los Angeles) Restorative mineral pools and a boho attitude make this an inviting alternative to coiffed Palm Springs. Stay: Designed by the legendary architect John Lautner, the redwood-and-stone Hotel Lautner (67710 San Antonio St.; 323/363-8697; doubles from $250) reopens in the fall with a plunge pool and cactus gardens. Eat: Ironically, the food scene in this holistic town is suspended in rib-sticking 1950's style: locals congregate for killer barbecue at the kitschy Pappy & Harriet's Pioneertown Palace (53688 Pioneertown Rd.; 760/365-5956; dinner for two $40); Martha Stewart has stopped in at the Sidewinder (66121 Pierson Blvd.; 760/329-7929; lunch for two $22), known as much for its retro wood-paneled interior as its chicken-fried steak. See and Do: Test the waters in the spa at Miracle Manor Retreat (treatments from $120), set atop geothermal springs. It's a worthy splurge after a day spent hiking the otherworldly landscape of nearby Joshua Tree National Park (760/367-5500). Travel+ Leisure: America's Most Visited Tourist Attractions . A Wine-Tasting Trip: Culpeper, Virginia (1 1/2 hours from Washington, D.C.) Set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Culpeper is the ideal home base for exploring the surrounding region's ripening vineyard scene. Stay: Call before you arrive; the Suites at 249 (249 E. Davis St.; 540/827-1100; doubles from $160) will stock your mini fridge with local bubbly. Eat: The owners of Foti's Restaurant (219 E. Davis St.; 540/829-8400; dinner for two $90) learned their chops behind the stoves of the Inn at Little Washington -- you'll find proof in the pan-seared quail on bacon-braised endives or toasted-walnut custard. See and Do: Sip your way from a late-harvest Vidal Blanc at nearby Gray Ghost Vineyards (14706 Lee Hwy., Amissville; 540/937-4869) to a citrusy Petit Manseng at Paradise Springs Winery (13219 Yates Ford Rd., Clifton; 703/830-9463), 40 scenic minutes from town. An Architectural Hotbed: Mason City, Iowa (2 1/4 hours from Minneapolis) This small Iowa town (population: 29,000) lures cognoscenti with its design legacy. Stay: The only remaining Frank Lloyd Wright hotel in the world, the Prairie-style Historic Park Inn Hotel (7 W. State St.; 800/659-2220; doubles from $100) is taking reservations for the first time in nearly 40 years, after an $18 million renovation that restored its stained-glass and terra-cotta exteriors. Eat: In a striped, shoe-box-size diner, Susie Q Café (14 Second St. N.W.; 641/423-5021; lunch for two $12) serves up Americana in the form of deep-fried pork-loin sandwiches. See and Do: Pick up a map at the new Mason City Architectural Interpretive Center (520 First St. N.E.; 641/423-1923) and you'll get an overview of the town's treasures, including Wright's 1908 Stockman House and several private residences by stone master Walter Burley Griffin. Travel + Leisure: World's ugliest buildings . A Cultural Find: Chattanooga, Tennessee (2 hours from Atlanta) Appalachia goes urban along the Tennessee River, where bands and art galleries outnumber hiking trails. Stay: With its terraced spa, fire pit, and views of Lookout Mountain, the Chattanoogan (1201 Broad St.; 800/619-0018; doubles from $149) has long been the city's hotel of choice. This year, the LEED-certified Crash Pad (29 Johnson St.; 423/648-8393; doubles from $70) came on the scene with significantly simpler offerings but a prime location on the developing Southside. Eat: Musicians coming off a late night recharge at the Bluegrass Grill (55 E. Main St.; 423/752-4020; breakfast for two $18), known for its cilantro-lime hash browns. See and Do: When beloved alt-country singer M. Ward comes to town, he takes the stage at Track 29 (1400 Market St.; 423/266-4323), a skating rink turned club. Friday nights, the vibe is unmistakably old-school at the Mountain Opry (2501 Fairmount Pike, Signal Mountain), where fiddlers congregate under leafy oak trees. Travel + Leisure: America's best cities for singles . Planning a getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to the World's Best Hotels . Copyright 2012 American Express Publishing Corporation. All rights reserved. | Each destination is less than three hours outside the nearest big city .
Columbia County, New York is home to picture-perfect hamlets and a citified food scene .
Visit the only remaining Frank Lloyd Wright hotel in Mason City, Iowa . |
181,145 | 767be879997ee0ede3e0e61cb1163364a9f3d95c | Jerusalem (CNN) -- Israeli authorities are investigating whether the attack that left an American woman dead and her friend injured was "nationalistic," a police spokesman said Monday, using a term for crimes in which a victim is targeted based on an Arab or Israeli background. American Kristine Luken died in the attack. Her body was found Sunday after Kay Susan Wilson, Luken's friend and co-worker at a Christian ministry, stumbled into a picnic area with her hands bound, bleeding from multiple stab wounds and asking for help. Wilson told authorities the two were hiking in a forest near Beit Shemesh, west of Jerusalem, when two men attacked them, tied them to a tree and stabbed them, according to police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld. Wilson told reporters from her hospital bed Sunday that one of the men was armed with a long serrated knife and that she believes they were Arab. "It was clear that they came to kill," the Israeli newspaper Haaretz quoted Wilson as saying. "Who carries around a knife like that?" Wilson said she was wearing a Star of David on a necklace when she was attacked, according to the newspaper. "He took it off like a gentleman and then turned me around and stabbed in the place where the Star of David had been," Haaretz quoted her as saying. Rosenfeld confirmed Monday that investigators' primary focus is that the attacks may have involved nationalistic intent, but he said investigators have not yet completely ruled out other possibilities. Luken and Wilson both worked for CMJ UK, a Christian ministry based in England. Wilson, a British citizen living in Israel, was a senior tour guide for the group, according to a statement posted to the group's website by its CEO, Robin Aldridge. Luken was an administrator for the group and had recently taken over responsibility for managing the group's tour operations in Israel, Aldridge said. "She had a beautiful and gentle spirit as well as a strong and vibrant faith," Aldridge said of Luken. "She loved Israel and had visited on several occasions both as a tourist and as a member of CMJ." "It is a tragedy that such a lively, caring and faith-filled person should have been struck down in such a way," he said. The Foreign Office in London said it was "aware of the hospitalization of a British national" and was ready to provide assistance if needed. Luken had worked for CMJ UK for one year, having previously been a government employee, according to Aldridge. "She had to cope with a move to a new country as well as a new job but quickly made the adjustment and became a key member of our team," Aldridge said. He said the group's work sharing the Christian faith with the Jewish people in Israel would continue despite the attack. | NEW: Police confirm they are focusing on whether the attack was "nationalistic"
NEW: The term is used when victims are targeted based on their Arab or Israeli background .
Kristine Luken was hiking with a friend and colleague from a Christian ministry .
Luken's friend survived the attack and summoned help . |
102,456 | 100418c8db3ac6f1675a519c0369f17410ae792d | He can count international popstar Katy Perry among his fans and has two Guinness World Records to his name, but this pooch is more than just a pretty face. The pint-sized Pomeranian, from Los Angeles, is the world's fastest dog on his hind legs and the world's fastest dog on his front legs. On top of that, he can also skateboard - taking to the streets on his customised deck – perform handstands, shake hands, bow and sign autographs. The four-year-old pooch, who starred with Katy Perry in the music video for her award-winning single 'Dark Horse', even has his own fashion line - featuring a selection of dog collars. In the past year, the furry brown and white Pomeranian has become an internet sensation, gaining millions of fans on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube. The sensational rise to fame came after, the pooch - named Jiff - smashed the Guinness World Records for the five and 10 metre dash using only his hind and front legs, taking just 6.56 seconds on the longer course and 7.7seconds on the shorter course, according to officials. Scroll down for video . Pooch: The pint-sized Pomeranian, from Los Angeles, is the world's fastest dog on his hind legs and the world's fastest dog on his front legs . Daredevil: The four-year-old can also skateboard - taking to the streets on his customised deck (right) – perform handstands, shake hands, bow and sign autographs. He has millions of fans on social media and even appeared in the music video for popstar Katy Perry's 'Dark Horse' Handstand: Jiff the dog loves to entertain and has featured in a range of television adverts, music videos and films thanks to his agility . Record-breaker: The popular pooch smashed the Guinness World Records for the five and 10 metre dash using only his hind and front legs . Best friends: Jiff the dog counts Katy Perry among his fans, after striking up a friendship during filming for her 'Dark Horse' music video . Stunts: The Guinness World Record holder loves to perform for the camera and is the world's fastest dog on both his front and hind legs . Trend-setter: The four-year-old brown and white dog has millions of fans on social media and has just released his own fashion line for dogs . Video provided by Guinness Book of World Records: . | Jiff the pint-sized Pomeranian dog, from Los Angeles, appeared in popstar Katy Perry's music video for 'Dark Horse'
The four-year-old pooch is officially the world's fastest dog on hind legs and the world's fastest dog on his front legs .
He can also skateboard - taking to the streets on his customised deck – perform handstands, shake hands, and bow . |
107,031 | 160cf8335d9201333dbba31d7d1d31fff4799263 | By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 06:13 EST, 18 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:04 EST, 19 July 2013 . Is it really magic? The latest device promising to give you sparkling, snowy-white teeth is The £45 Whitening Wand . A dazzling white smile is a prerequisite for any celebrity hoping to make it to the red . carpet. After all, they don't call it a Hollywood smile for nothing. But not everyone can afford the mega-watt A-list look - so they are settling for a rush hour grin instead. The latest device promising to give you sparkling, snowy-white teeth on the go is The Whitening Wand -- a £45 treatment that has already been snapped up by thousands of commuters. Dubbed 'the magic wand', the creation claims to be ideal for those looking to whiten their teeth on their morning commute. Developed by Dr Joe Oliver of London's Welbeck Clinic, the Whitening Wand is applied after the morning brush after which it needs to be left for at least 30 minutes to take effect. After two weeks of treatment, the wand - which contains hydrogen peroxide to cut through tooth stains - claims to make teeth four shades lighter than their original colour. And it may cost £45 for just two treatments but that hasn't deterred 2,000 Brits from snapping it up on the first day of sale. Since then more stocks have been added both online and in stores like beauty chain Space NK. Speaking about his brainchild, Dr Oliver said: 'Whitening teeth is now part of our beauty and grooming regime. 'However there wasn’t anything on the market which could be used in the customer’s time that was convenient. 'Most treatments involve using light-activating devices which means not only an unpleasant experience but . you’d have to allow an hour a day to use the treatment. 'In this current climate we . understand that people are time poor. We wanted to launch a product . which would show the same results but be used in the comfort of everyday . lives and while on the move.' Dr Mervyn Druian, Co-Founder of The London Centre for Cosmetic Dentistry, said: 'It appears that the magic wand should be safe, but I’m not sure how effective it is. 'The jury is out for now- look back in 6 months and see if it is still as popular; that’s a good indicator of how effective it actually is. 'The in-surgery tooth whitening treatment along with the home whitening trays have been proven over and over again to be consistently effective. 'I would highly recommend this type of whitening treatment.' Food and drink as well as poor . cleaning, smoking and other factors can affect natural tooth colour and . stains built up over time. And clearly the colour of our pearly whites is a major concern for image conscious Brits - and it's big business too. By 2009, UK sales of . whitening toothpastes had increased by 15 per cent, rising from . £55 million in 2006 to £63 million in 2008. For more information, see droliverwhitesmile.com or thewelbeckclinic.com . Beauty on the go: Dubbed 'the magic wand', the creation claims to be ideal for those looking to whiten their teeth on their morning commute just like when they apply their make-up . Top ten cities / towns for commute cosmetic application: . 1. London . 2. Manchester . 3. Liverpool . 4. Dublin . 5. Cardiff . 6. Glasgow . 7. Edinburgh . 8. Sheffield . 9. Bath . 10. York . | £45 Whitening Wand designed for commuters .
Apply gel after cleaning teeth and leave on for 30 minutes .
2,000 bought it on day it launched . |
234,821 | bbfad809daf38c1213c4332ed9a153735ac3fa04 | The Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund filed a lawsuit on behalf of gender non-conforming teen Chase Culpepper, 16, accusing the South Carolina DMV of violating the 16-year-old's rights by refusing to let him wear makeup for a driver's license photo . A 16-year-old South Carolinian is suing the state's Department of Motor Vehicles for not allowing him to wear makeup for a driver's license photo. Chase Culpepper, who was born male, regularly wears eye shadow and eyeliner, and either androgynous or women's clothing. The teen does not identify with gender-specific pronouns. Culpepper told reporters Tuesday that being ordered by officials to remove what they called a ‘disguise’ was humiliating. The lawsuit filed on Culpepper’s behalf by the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund in federal court today said the DMV violated the teen's rights. Back in March, the state agency refused to let Culpepper wear makeup for the photo because of a policy that bans license pictures when someone is purposefully altering his or her appearance. The 16-year-old, who had passed his driving test, was forced to wipe his face clean to get his license. The TLDEF stated in a press release that the DMV’s rule is unconstitutional because it is vague and arbitrary. The lawsuit was brought by Chase’s mother, Teresa Culpepper, asking the court to rule that denying Chase the freedom to wear his everyday makeup in his license photo constitutes sex discrimination and violates his right to free speech and expression under the US Constitution. ‘As a mother, it broke my heart to see Chase being forced to be someone that he isn’t. Every time he pulls out his license, he is reminded of that, and that makes it even worse,’ said Teresa Culpepper. ‘I love my son just the way he is. The DMV should not have treated him this way.’ Scroll down for video . Before and after: Chase Culpepper wore make up, left, to have his photograph taken, but was asked to remove it, right, before the DMV would take his license photo . As for Chase, the 16-year-old is hoping for a do-over. ‘I . want to take my license photo again, with makeup, so I can be myself . and express to the world who I truly am,’ the teen said. In . June, the DMV rejected demands from Chase and the transgender advocacy . group to be allowed to wear makeup for a driver's license photo. Chase said at the time that DMV staff claimed agency rules dictated that the photo needed to show the . person as they appear normally, and banned pictures taken in 'disguise'. 'This is who I am and my clothing and make-up reflect that,' Chase said. 'The Department of Motor Vehicles should . not have forced me to remove my make-up simply because my appearance . does not meet their expectations of what a boy should look like.' However, a request to the DMV from the Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund, which asked if the teenager could have his photo retaken, has been turned down. Michel Silverman, executive director of the organization, said: 'Chase's freedom to express his gender should not be restricted by DMV staff. 'He is entitled to be who he is and express that without interference from government actors.' Upset: Chase wanted to have the license picture, above, retaken after he was forced to remove his make up . Denied: A request to let Chase, a gender non-conforming teenager, get a new picture has been turned down . But Beth Parks, a spokeswoman for the agency, said that the DMV will be sticking to its rules. Ms Parks said that since August 2009, the policy for driver's license photos had been that 'at no time will an applicant be . photographed when it appears that he or she is purposely altering his or . her appearance so that it the photo would misrepresent his or her . identity'. She added that law enforcement agencies relied on the photos to identify people and said Chase's requests for a new picture would be denied. 'If it's Thomas Jones on the license and . yet it looks like a female, that is very confusing for them. They want to know what the identity is,' she said. Big day: Chase had been excited about applying for a driver's license, but left the DMV offices upset . Complaint: The Transgender Legal Defense wrote to the DMV after staff allegedly told Chase that wearing make up was a 'disguise' Chase's mother told WYFF4: her son had been upset by his experiences at the DMV. 'They said he was wearing a disguise. It was very hurtful. He was absolutely devastated. That’s who he is 24/7,' she said. Mrs Culpepper said the DMV policy had ruined what should have been an exciting day for the teenager. 'Instead, . he was singled out and discriminated against because he did not meet . the DMV’s expectations of how a boy should look,' she told Pink News. 'I want my son to be able to be himself without discrimination or harassment. I love him that way and the government should not be telling him that he’s not OK the way he is.' | Chase Culpepper was forced in March to remove makeup for photograph .
Teenager was told department banned images 'taken in disguise'
Culpepper's mother brought a federal lawsuit against the DMV filed by Transgender Legal Defense and Education Fund .
The suit claims the South Carolina agency violated Chase's constitutional rights . |
76,000 | d78e32117e1617dc8a6361fe3492d87cad75fbbc | By . Mark Prigg . It has become something of a tradition for jewellers - creating a jewel encrusted 'bling' version of Apple's handset. A US jeweller today launch preorders for the first diamond encrusted iPhone 6 - even though Apple hasn't actually released it yet. Brikk's Lux line of gold, platinum, and diamond-encrusted versions of the iPhone 6 will cost $4,495 to $8,795 - and owners will have to wait until a month after the 'plain' version is released. The $8,395 version of the iPhone 6, in white finished with 24k yellow gold. Each handset is disassembled by Brikk. They are hand polished, prepared and plated with five layers of diverse metals before their final plating in either two layers of gold or platinum. The diamonds are set with a microscope in a custom-made machined bezel. Each piece is then reassembled and tested before shipping to clients, ensuring the product meets only the highest quality control standards. 'The Lux iPhone 6 is built with the 4.7-inch, 128GB model, and is available in 24-carat yellow gold, 24-carat pink gold and pure platinum,' the firm says. Customers can also choose to embellish the familiar Apple logo with diamonds. Each handset is disassembled by Brikk. They are hand polished, prepared and plated with five layers of diverse metals before their final plating in either two layers of gold or platinum. The diamonds are set with a microscope in a custom-made machined bezel. The logo on the back of the $8,395 version has a diamond encrusted Apple logo . Each piece is then reassembled and tested before shipping to clients, ensuring the product meets only the highest quality control standards. Prices range from $4,495 for the plated models, to $8,395 for the plated diamond logo models; all models are packaged in a custom metal box with a user manual and all accessories standard to the device. Brikk is taking pre-orders for the first batch of phones before the expected official launch of the iPhone 6 by the Apple Corporation in September. A $500 deposit is required for the pre-order program. The Lux phones are expected to ship out 3-4 weeks after the official release of the iPhone. Even the packaging of the handset gets a makeover . | Gold, platinum, and diamond-encrusted versions of the iPhone 6 will cost $4,495 to $8,795 .
Owners will have to wait until a month after the 'plain' version is released .
Official handset expected to come in white, black and gold . |
150,349 | 4e6178e6a6813d28817e9a9fd5e425832153f909 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 15:09 EST, 6 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:10 EST, 6 November 2013 . After years of recession, growing unemployment and swingeing spending cuts, it is little wonder that some Spaniards are at the end of their tether with their country's fiscal state. And some have found a novel way of venting their frustration - writing angry messages on banknotes. Several hit out at the Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy while some are aimed at the country's bankers. Anger: Politicians and bankers are a 'disgrace to the nation' according to this five Euro note . Not happy: The emotive scrawling on this note accuses trade unions in Spain of being 'spongers' One of the messages, written on a 10 Euro note says: 'This money has been laundered, please don't circulate.' One angry Spaniard defaces a five Euro note, writing: 'Politicians and bankers are a disgrace to the nation.' While another takes his anger out on trade unions, labeling them 'spongers'. In perhaps the shortest outburst, one person has scrawled across a five Euro note 'Justice is rubbish'. Most of the messages are short and concise. But others are more of a rant. Defaced: 'This banknote is laundered, please do not circulate' writes this angry Spaniard . One Spaniard chose a 50 Euro note to write a scathing message to bankers. It translates: 'Politicians and bankers, as I know full well this note will end up in your hands, I wanted to take the chance to send you a private message. 'Politicians and bankers are a disgrace to the nation.' Message on a Spanish banknote . 'You're a bunch of thieving sons of b******! I invite all of you to leave a private message to them as I'm sure it will reach them.' One Spaniard describes politicians and bankers as 'a disgrace to the nation.' It is little wonder that many Spaniards are uptight about the state of the country's finances. Despite news last month that the country had finally exited recession with a 0.1 per cent economic growth, unemployment is still painfully high. Economists warned that the road to recovery will be long and tough for the Eurozone's fourth biggest economy, with around 26 per cent of the adult population still without a job. Personal: This note sends a rather abusive message to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy . Unemployment is expected to remain exceptionally high for at least another five years. And Christmas is unlikely to be a season of much goodwill in Spain - spending during the holiday season is expected to fall by around 11.5 per cent this year, according to the Spanish Federation of Independent users and consumers. Christmas spending is down a staggering 71 per cent since the market crash in 2008, with Spaniards spending more than a third less on toys for youngsters since. Despite the drop, Christmas spending in Spain can still be seen as relatively high when compared to other countries. Spain had been shelling out around 813 Euros (£696) per person - more than Americans spent. | Spain said it exited its second recession since 2008 only last week .
Some of its more angry residents have vented frustration on banknotes .
Some are abusive to Spanish Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy .
Others describe bankers and politicians as a 'disgrace to the nation' |
105,631 | 143a96bc904e62cad31494f8c47c542a8082f1ca | (CNN)She waited patiently for 10 years for a chance to perform on the highest stage and when it finally arrived Nadine Angerer did not fluff her lines. Thrust into the spotlight at the 2007 Women's World Cup, the perennial reserve goalkeeper put in a virtuoso performance, going unbeaten for a world record 540 minutes during Germany's victorious campaign that year. In keeping a clean sheet for all six matches at the tournament in China, Angerer became the first goalkeeper, male or female, to play an entire World Cup Finals without conceding a goal. "The whole tournament I wasn't thinking about it because I was so much under pressure. I was just focusing on not making any mistakes," Angerer told CNN's Human to Hero series. "But after the World Cup, it was like ... OK cool, I broke this record! But it's not that important for me. I'm more proud that we won the World Cup as a team." The feat was even more impressive given Germany's opposition in the final -- a Brazil side which had torn apart opposition defenses, scoring 17 goals en route to the final. But they couldn't find a way past Angerer, who repelled everything that came her way, including a penalty from the South American's star striker Marta. "As a goalkeeper you are always happy when you save a penalty, but it was a special one because we were leading 1-0. It was the final and world star Marta shooting a penalty against a nobody goalkeeper ... it makes me proud. It was an important save." It was the standout moment that helped launch Angerer's career, finally allowing her to take over from Silke Rottenberg, the veteran who had dominated German goalkeeping since the early 1990s. "It was destiny," Angerer says. "It was not the easiest way, but it was good way sitting on the bench -- you learn, get experience and it was a good life lesson as well." Late starter . Born in Lohr a. Main, a town near Frankfurt, Angerer grew up playing football with the boys in the neighborhood before making her mark at junior level for the local ASV Hofstetten girls side. But back then she was more interested in wearing the No. 9 rather than the No. 1 shirt. "I never wanted to be a goalkeeper, I wanted to be a forward and until Under-16 (level), I was a forward." After playing in goal in a regional trial match, Angerer was encouraged to keep putting on the gloves. "When I was 15, I started to train as a goalkeeper and (I progressed) very fast and two years later I got my first cap for the (full national) team." A handful of appearances followed before she settled into her role as reserve to Rottenberg. It was a situation that suited her just fine at the time. "I wasn't really mature when I was 17. I said to myself: 'oh, that's easy,' because I was always very athletic and didn't need to train --I was still much better than all the others," she recalls of her attitude when she was younger. This relaxed outlook extended to her social life when she started her club career at Bayern Munich -- Angerer would spend her days organizing her back four and her nights arranging to go to parties. "I moved out of home and moved to Munich by myself, my own flat. I enjoyed the night life, the party stuff." But Rottenberg's more mature approach -- "she really trained hard," Angerer says -- would eventually rub off and when the veteran keeper injured her knee just weeks before the 2007 World Cup, Angerer was prepared. "I was waiting 10 years and I'd developed so much as a goalkeeper. I trained so hard and I wanted to be the No. 1 ... it was now my time to show it." Leading from the back . Further triumphs followed at the Women's European Championships in both 2009 and 2013 -- where she reprised her penalty-saving heroics not once, but twice in the final against Norway. It was Germany's sixth successive Euro triumph in all, but it was in many ways her finest moment as she captained a severely depleted German team to glory. "Before the European championships, seven players from our normal line up got injured ... and so we had to replace (them) with some very, very young players. I think our average age was 22, 23," she explains. "This was the tournament which showed me what you can achieve if you have a good team spirit -- we definitely weren't the best team at that tournament. "But we won it because we were a team and that made me so proud. This was actually the most important tournament I ever played." Her outstanding individual performance and leadership skills didn't go unnoticed by the wider football community who voted Angerer the world women's player of the year in 2013 at FIFA's annual Ballon d'Or ceremony in January last year. Real Madrid and Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo may have taken all the headlines, picking up his second best player award, but once again Angerer was quietly celebrating another first -- she is the only goalkeeper, male or female, to win the award. Forward thinking . Angerer has enjoyed successful stints at German clubs, winning the Bundesliga twice (2004 and 2006) and a UEFA Women's Champions League with Turbine Potsdam, and latterly the DFB Pokal Cup with Frankfurt in 2011. Since 2013, she has divided her time between the U.S. and Australia, playing for the Portland Thorns in the U.S. National Women's Soccer League, and on loan at the Brisbane Roars in the Australian W-League. The experience of playing abroad, particularly in the U.S., has helped her game evolve, she says. "It was a perfect experience for me to go to the U.S. and adjust to a new system and a new way of playing soccer. I learned so many new things ... it's totally different compared to the game in Europe," she says. "My goalkeeping coach from the national team and my head coach, were both like: 'Wow! You've developed so much.' That makes me proud as well. "That's also my motivation that I always have the feeling to keep getting better and better ... even if I'm quite old." Watching her dive around athletically on the Brisbane turf, it's easy to envisage Angerer carrying on for several more years at the top level. One day, she hopes to coach the next generation of keepers, but it seems that can be saved for later. "I'm 36 and I feel better than ever, so there's no reason to quit. Why should I? I feel good, I'm fit and most importantly, I like what I'm doing." | Veteran German goalkeeper has won World Cup twice, once as reserve, once as a player .
Angerer shot to fame at 2007 World Cup breaking world record time for not conceding a goal .
She went 540 minutes without letting in a goal and saved a penalty in the final .
In January 2013, the 36-year-old became first goalkeeper to win the FIFA Ballon d'Or . |
29,458 | 53ba087075d251f2f69c4f73fca48a32f298997a | Sunday night's AFC Championship game wasn't the first time that the New England Patriots have been accused of using illegally deflated footballs. The Indianapolis Colts first made the allegations during their game against the Patriots in November. The NFL said it was away of the problem prior to Sunday night's AFC Championship game. The NFL said it was 'aware' of accusations against New England prior to this weekend. The new report, which comes from ESPN, raises the possibility that the Patriots could have been cheating all season and got away with it until they were caught red-handed this weekend. It has been alleged that 11 of the 12 footballs the New England Patriots in Sunday night's game were inflated 2 pounds per square inch less than league requirements . Referees swapped out the offending deflated balls at the start of the second half after the Indianapolis Colts complained . Now, the Patriots are headed to the Super Bowl to face the Seattle Seahawks on February 1. It is an unprecedented sixth Super Bowl appearance for quarterback Tom Brady and a chance to tie the all-time Super Bowl win record for head coach Bill Belichick. NFL officials told the Washington Post that the deflate-gate allegations were 'very serious stuff' and pledged that the league was acting swiftly to clear up whether the Patriots had used illegal balls. Media reports say 11 out of 12 of the team's footballs were inflated two pounds less than the 12 and a half to 13 and a half pounds per square inch of pressure required by NFL rules. Each team is allowed to bring 12 of their own balls to every game and use those balls . It has not been determined why the balls were deflated - whether this was caused by the temperature and conditions outside or whether the air was deliberately released. However, the NFL said the calls were checked by referees before the game and all 12 were at the legal pressure. Balls with lower air pressure are easier to throw and easier to catch - especially in cold and wet conditions. With the win, Brady is headed to a record-breaking sixth Super Bowl - and has the chance to win his fourth . Nearly all serious sports commentators believe that the Patriots 45-7 trashing of the Colts on Sunday night would not have changed much - or at all - if they had been using regulation balls. However, many fans are furious about the new claims of cheating - considering Belichick has already been caught breaking the rules once before. In 2007, he and the team were fined $750,000 and docked a first-round draft pick after an assistant was caught filming opposing coaches giving signals to their defensive players. ESPN reports that during the Colts' November 16 regular season game against the Patriots, the Indianapolis equipment manager raised the question of whether New England was using illegal balls. Colts safety Mike Adams intercepted two of Brady's passes and gave the balls to the Indianapolis officials, who found that they were 'significantly' deflated, sources told ESPN. Colts officials brought the issue to the attention of NFL officials at that time, according to ESPN. The Patriots won that game 42-20. | Colts reported to NFL that the Patriots were using under-inflated balls during November 16 game in which they lost .
NFL said it was 'aware' of ball handling complaints prior to Sunday night's AFC Championship game .
Patriots beat Colts 45-7 to send coach Bill Belichick to his sixth Super Bowl .
NFL says the allegations against Patriots are 'very serious' |
94,166 | 05097274e90b8111f75f12a0a3800ea8a2b69a15 | By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 17:11 EST, 9 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:16 EST, 9 August 2012 . Abrupt ending: Lee Eddins, 12, battling leukemia since February, passed away on Thursday one day shy of fulfilling a long-time dream of meeting his favourite basketball star . For 12-year-old Leukaemia patient Lee Eddins, meeting NBA star Roy Hibbert was to be a dream come true. Just one day before the Indiana Pacers player planned to visit him at a hospice centre in Sacramento, California, the boy's memorable farewell was lost, however, with Lee tragically succumbing to his illness. 'Lee likes players from all over the NBC, but there's something about Roy that he liked. I didn't even know he had heard of Roy Hibbert before,' Lee's legal guardian Victor Baker told the Indianapolis Star on Wednesday. A devoted fan of Hibbert 'since he was back at Georgetown [University],' according to Mr Baker, Lee followed the athlete from 2008 until his final day on Thursday. Diagnosed with stage four leukaemia in February the boy underwent a bone marrow transplant in June but it didn't take. When his left lung developed an infection, consequently spreading to his right, doctors thought it would be best not to try again. 'The doctors did a CT scan to see how his lung was doing, but it was getting worse because the infection was spreading more,' Mr Baker said. 'The doctors finally decided they didn't want to put him through another round of chemo because it would pretty much suppress his immune system and they didn't feel like he would be able to handle it.' Flying in: Roy Hibbert #55 of the Indiana Pacers was scheduled to fly to California to meet with Lee on Friday after hearing what a huge fan the boy was . Comforting: Lee was transferred to the UC Davis Medical Center in Sacramento, pictured, last week for their hospice centre with Hibbert planning to visit on Friday . Keeping promises: Despite hearing the news of Lee's death, Hibbert jumped on a plane on late Thursday afternoon hoping to still meet with the boy's family and friends . Last week Lee was moved to hospice care at the UC Davis Medical Center with family flying in from all around the country to see him. Hibbert planned to too. 'Once I heard he had a dying wish, I knew I had to do something more than send him presents and Skype with him on the computer,' Hibbert told the Star after announcing his plans. 'I'm usually uncomfortable going to hospitals when the Pacers do events because it's pretty tough to see kids in that situation. Once I heard about (Lee), I realized I had to get over it and do it for him,' he said. With African-Americans having only a 6 per cent chance of finding a match for a bone marrow transplant - compared to 85-88 per cent for Caucasians, according to the African American Community Health Advisory Committee - Hibbert said while he was visiting Lee he'd provide a swab of his cheek as well. That swab would tell doctors if he had the potentially life-saving match the boy needed. 'I've had two family members die of cancer,' Hibbert told the Star. 'It's tough. I seriously don't know what I'm going to say to Lee. I'm just going to be myself. If I can get a smile out of him that will be great.' When the news broke of his death, one day short of their eventful meeting, Hibbert still kept his plans to fly out and see his family. 'On my way to Sacramento,' Hibbert informed his Twitter followers on late Thursday afternoon. 'I'm heartbroken today. I won't be able to meet my lil guy Lee but I will be there for his parents and family.' | Lee Eddins succumbed to cancer the day before scheduled to meet Indiana Pacers centre Roy Hibbert .
Hibbert keeping promise to meet boy's friends and family in California . |
87,146 | f748ea531dc1c29e0a7b5b8f755b7e03b40e847b | By . Nick Enoch . UPDATED: . 08:42 EST, 25 January 2012 . The last thing you want when transporting a dead body is to do yourself an injury. And now, Britain's only tandem bicycle hearse has . gone on sale... because its owner fears it could seriously damage his . health. Reverend Paul Sinclair, 46, of Motorcycle Funerals . created the unique mode of funereal transport but found he was not fit enough . to operate it. Reverend Paul Sinclair of Motorcycle Funerals created the unique mode of funereal transport but found he was not fit enough to operate it . The bike has been used on several occasions and is aimed at cycling enthusiasts, the environmentally friendly and those interested in nostalgia . It has been used on several occasions and . is aimed at cycling enthusiasts, the environmentally friendly and those . interested in nostalgia. The company's faster alternative transport services include a Harley Davidson, Suzuki Hayabusa and Triumph - all with hearse sidecars - for motorcycle enthusiasts. Now Rev Sinclair and his wife Marian, 46, are . selling the tandem as a going concern and inviting offers in excess of £2,250. Ideally, they would love to keep it but have struggled to find local people willing to take up the job on a casual basis - and they don't want it to end up in a museum. The reverend said: 'We're simply not fit enough to . ride it. We are bikers, not cyclists. 'It's seen some lovely funerals but we're . always wrecked afterwards. The tandem hearse cost £2,250 to develop and build and will be on view as part of Return to Sender - a special zone at the Christian Resources Exhibition in Exeter, Devon, covering bereavement services and the church. Also pictured is one of the company's motorcycle hearses . 'We beg people who book it not to go too far - we even have to ask if the cemetery is at . the top or bottom of a hill.' At one church, St Petroc's in South Brent, . Devon, the tandem was ridden right down the aisle to the front of the church. And at the end of the service, the cycle-loving . deceased was pedalled out of the church to his final resting place. The tandem hearse cost £2,250 to develop . and build and will be on view as part of Return to Sender - a special zone at . the Christian Resources Exhibition in Exeter, Devon, covering bereavement . services and the church. 'We used a sidecar racing engineer to do . it,' explained Paul. 'It . is so strong, we could fit it to a motorbike.' | Reverend Sinclair hopes to sell the bike for at least £2,250 .
'It's seen some lovely funerals but we're .
always wrecked afterwards' |
37,513 | 6a40ac709280b97c6e0968d3a567adeb3c7a9bb3 | Champions Bayern Munich ended SC Paderborn 07's dream start to the season with a 4-0 demolition of the Bundesliga new-boys on Tuesday at the Allianz Arena, as Mario Gotze netted twice and new signing Robert Lewandowski got off the mark. Thomas Muller got the fourth in the closing stages. The win lifted Bayern two points clear at the top on 11 from five games, ahead of Mainz who drew 2-2 against Eintracht Frankfurt. Mario Gotze sends Bayern Munich on their way by putting them 1-0 up against SC Paderborn 07 on Tuesday . Gotze, who scored the winning goal for Germany in the World Cup final, is congratulated by his team-mates . Minnows Paderborn, whose budget is €5million a year, had arrived in Munich as unexpected league leaders after two wins and two draws in their first four games, taking the top division by storm in their maiden season. But Bayern, despite missing several players through injury, handed out an attacking lesson. Germany international Gotze put the hosts ahead, drilling in after a cute back-flick assist from Thomas Muller in the eighth minute. Robert Lewandowski, who moved to Bayern this summer, scores his first goal for the club with a lovely strike . The Polish striker is congratulated by Dante after his stunning strike put Bayern 2-0 up and firmly in control . Last season's Bundesliga top scorer Lewandowski, who joined Bayern from rivals Borussia Dortmund, opened his account six minutes later with a superb shot from the just outside the box. Still missing winger Franck Ribery and playmaker Bastian Schweinsteiger among several absentees, Bayern looked sharper than in Saturday's goalless draw at Hamburg and should have had at least two more goals by half-time. Gotze makes it 3-0 with a lashed finish from just a few yards out as Bayern turned the screw . German strker Thomas Muller scores Bayern's fourth goal in the 85th minute to complete the rout . Muller smiles after scoring in Bayern's 4-0 hammering of Bundesliga newboys Paderborn on Tuesday night . Gotze tapped in from close range in the 78th to more accurately reflect Bayern's dominance before Muller completed a well-worked move five minutes from time. Elsewhere, Schalke bounced back from a bad start to clinch their first win of the campaign with a 3-0 victory over Werder Bremen. Borussia Dortmund, on six points, host rock bottom Stuttgart while Bayer Leverkusen, a point ahead, entertain Augsburg on Wednesday. | Bayern Munich won 4-0 against SC Paderborn 07, who came to the Allianz Arena top of the Bundesliga .
Bayern hammered the early pacesetters with two goals from Mario Gotze and one each from Robert Lewandowski and Thomas Muller .
Lewandowski's goal was his first for the club since joining this summer .
Paderborn's team are worth about £20million - half that of Muller .
They achieved promotion to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history last May . |
278,016 | f42ae74a8d3849199331a55086a8a5f251760ac9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A bigamist married by the Archbishop of York was jailed yesterday over a £150,000 welfare scam. Ugandan Rebecca Muwonge married three times under different identities to remain illegally in the UK and claim benefits. In 1996 John Sentamu, who became archbishop nine years later, married Muwonge to Samuel Bisaso at Holy Trinity, in Tulse Hill, south London. Benefits cheat Rebecca Muwonge (pictured centre), at her first marriage to Samuel Bisaso in 1996, which was conducted by John Sentamu (far left), who became Archbishop of York in 2005 . Two years later Muwonge, 47, married Bisaso again – this time in the name of a niece whose identity she had already used to enter the UK without permission. And in 1999, despite never divorcing Bisaso, she married Crispine Atessa, a Swiss national. Bisaso was later ordained by the archbishop, who is Ugandan, in that country’s Anglican church. Muwonge was jailed for two and a half years at Snaresbrook Crown Court, pictured . Both Muwonge and Bisaso were jailed for 18 months in 2011 for immigration offences involving sham marriages. Muwonge was pregnant and gave birth to the youngest of her five children behind bars. But she was hauled back before the courts following an inquiry by Newham and Enfield councils into benefit fraud. It also emerged she had pretended to be homeless to secure a London council house which she then bought cut-price under right to buy. Although she had never worked she was given a mortgage by Santander after saying she worked in data input. Three years later she sold the house back to the council for a profit of £70,500. Muwonge, who lives in Grimsby, admitted false accounting, a benefit offence and obtaining property by deception. Snaresbrook Crown Court heard the fraud totalled at least £147,000 and she was jailed for two and a half years. An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that Samuel Bisaso was a chaplain for the Mission to Seafarers church charity in Immingham, near Grimsby. We are happy to clarify that this is not the case. | Rebecca Muwonge married three times under different identities to remain illegally in the UK to claim benefits .
Previously jailed in 2011 for immigration offences involving sham marriages .
Muwonge, from Grimsby, admitted false accounting, a benefit offence and obtaining property by deception .
Snaresbrook Crown Court heard the fraud totalled at least £147,000 and she was jailed for two and a half years . |
134,627 | 3a1d15ac614e14dfd9ddbc98d9903a5f05ff7a00 | (CNN) -- One need look no further than the Nielsen Top 25 to see that funny fare is doing some serious damage this fall TV season. Led by "Two and a Half Men" on CBS and featuring no less than three newcomers -- CBS' "2 Broke Girls," Fox's "New Girl" and ABC's "Last Man Standing" -- sitcoms have dominated the Top 10 scripted programs in the weekly rankings (based on delivery of the advertiser-coveted 18-49 demographic). "It's been a while since that's been the case," says Kelly Kahl, senior executive vice president of CBS Primetime. "At the end of the day, it does seem like there is some sort of groundswell right now." CBS claims five of eight highly ranked sitcoms. The network's three other hits are "How I Met Your Mother," "Big Bang Theory," and "Mike and Molly." "New Girl," "Last Man Standing" (which debuted to 13 million viewers) and ABC's Emmy-adorned "Modern Family" round out the crowd. "People forget sometimes that comedies are supposed to be fun, but a lot of the comedies are bringing the funny this fall," Kahl says. "And when you do that, the audience is there for it." The audience also has been there for cable comedies, with HBO's "Curb Your Enthusiasm" and FX's "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" coming off all-time highs, even in their eighth and seventh seasons, respectively. TVLine: Hit series poised to kill off major character . Perhaps the biggest surprise of the fall is Fox's "New Girl," which not only bowed to strong numbers but also built on its lead-in, the buzz worthy "Glee." That performance, which has continued throughout the newbie's run, even caught the ratings-crunchers at Fox a bit by surprise. "Did we think we were going to get those numbers? No," says Preston Beckman, Fox's executive vice president for strategic program planning and research. "But we had a lot of positive signs." Beckman says pilot testing indicated "New Girl" would be a potential four-quadrant hit, meaning one that played well to audiences young and old, male and female. While preseason tracking put consumer awareness of the Zooey Deschanel-fronted comedy at expected levels, Beckman says, "The intent to view was consistently high. We knew we had a show here." TVLine: TV worth watching tonight . Beckman, who was at NBC during "Friends" fever, sees "New Girl" sharing DNA with that piece of Must See TV. When creating an identifiable cast of characters, "You either want to be those people, you are those people, or you remember being those people -- and if you can hit everybody, you have success," he says. "That's what 'New Girl' is." Asked how it is that "New Girl" is even growing out of "Glee," Beckman cites a good fit between the shows, as well as the 9 p.m. hour's older-skewing competition (reality juggernaut "Dancing With the Stars" included). To a 12-34 demographic that is ripe for the picking, Deschanel and friends offer "a real alternative," he says. Much can also be attributed to star power. Both "2 Broke Girls," starring wisecracking Kat Dennings and bubbly newcomer Beth Behrs, and "New Girl" have the "sort of appealing characters the audiences love," CBS' Kahl says. "I don't think there's been a female lead sitcom in a while -- much less two -- that featured young, energetic characters." TVLine: Spoilers on 'Glee,' 'Gossip Girl,' 'Bones,' 'Vampire Diaries,' 'CSI,' 'Castle' and more! At CBS, the good news expands to its older comedies. "How I Met Your Mother," which leads into "2 Broke Girls" on Monday nights, "has kind of come out of nowhere" to gain 30% in the demographic versus a year ago, Kahl says. Likewise, "Two and a Half Men's" performance -- netting more than 15 million total viewers at last count, despite replacing one of its leads, Charlie Sheen, with Ashton Kutcher -- "is not something anybody could have forecast," Kahl says, "and even 'Big Bang Theory' is up" on Thursdays. One perspective Kahl offers on the trend is that in an era of bloated reality shows "that are now two hours in length," with a half-hour sitcom "you get your laughs and you're done, and that is very appealing." Speaking of unscripted programs, expanded editions of "The X Factor" -- coupled with Fox's commitment to post-season Major League Baseball coverage -- led the network to pull its shiny "New Girl" off the schedule until November 1. Beckman has been down this road before, and to those who question the tactic, he says, "You're thinking about this moment, when we have to think about a strategy for the whole year." So while some grumble at the breakout hit's brief MIA status, his attitude is this: better now than later. "I get into interesting discussions with my bosses about this, where I say, 'If you're telling me to put (new episodes) on now, you're going to flip out in January or March when I've run out," he says with a laugh. "It becomes choose your poison." | Sitcoms surge, challenge reality TV shows .
CBS exec: "There is some sort of groundswell right now"
"2 Broke Girls" and "New Girl" feature "young, energetic" female leads . |
24,666 | 45f2454f59b62035ea889a99b1c8aa0d502da7c8 | (CNN) -- At first glance, Austrian artist Klaus Pichler's spell-binding photographs could be mistaken for a set of stylish advertisements. It takes a moment to digest -- excuse the pun -- that you're staring at pictures of rotting food. Among them, a pineapple hangs suspended in negative space above an antique gold dish -- its formerly yellow flesh having given way to luminous green mold; Deep purple beetroots sit snugly in an elegant porcelain vase with thin films of gray fur accumulating on their skin. The idea is simple: "To expose the contradiction between the beauty of food products -- particularly as presented in the media -- and the ugly reality of overconsumption and waste," explained Pichler. The title of his new series -- "One Third" -- derives from a 2011 U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization report. It revealed a chilling statistic: A third of all food products worldwide go uneaten. Depending on the type of food in question, this figure ranges from between 25% and 75% and, altogether, it amounts to 1.3 billion tons of edible goods discarded each year. In a world where approximately 925 million people suffer chronic hunger, the overarching moral implications are stark. But the less documented environmental consequences are almost as alarming. According to a Greenpeace report, the food industry is responsible for creating up to 30% of the world's total annual carbon emissions. "The dominant food production system is based on fossil fuel at every level," said Dr Martin Caraher, Professor of Food and Health Policy at London's City University. "It needs oil to make the fertilizer, oil for the farm, oil for the food processing, oil for the packaging and oil to transport it to the shops." Read related: Futuristic farm shop grows food in synthetic veg patch . But wasted food doesn't just entail all the embedded carbon released during production and transportation. It generates more emissions once it's discarded on the trash heap. "A significant percentage of the household food that is wasted ends up in landfill, where it produces CO2 and methane gas," explained Richard Swannell, director of waste prevention at the UK-based Waste & Resources Action Programme (WRAP). "Methane is 23 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas," he added. As such, WRAP calculates that every ton of food and drink wasted roughly equates to 3.8 tons of greenhouse gas emissions that could otherwise have been avoided. "Applying this factor to the quantity of food waste in the UK, leads to an estimated 17 million tons of CO2 in 2010 -- the equivalent to the emissions of 1 in 5 cars on our roads," said Swannell. And yet a recent study revealed that up to 40% of food thrown away by consumers in Europe is still in its original packaging when it lands in the dustbin. This all begs the question: Why do we squander so much? Pichler says that the high-end, fashion magazine finish of his images reflect what he sees as the "over-commoditization" of food as a lifestyle accessory. "With countless cookery shows and ever more seductive advertisements, food has become a major part of the culture industry," he said. "This, along with the false economy of discount bulk buys, is part of why people are purchasing more than they can use. "It's a peculiarly Western phenomenon," he added. Dr Ulf Sonesson is senior scientist in environmental systems at the Swedish Institute for Food and Biotechnology -- the body commissioned by the UNFAO to coordinate its food waste report. He agrees with Pichler that the problem is symptomatic of the West's culture of cheap disposable goods. His research found, perhaps unsurprisingly, that in Europe and North America, each consumer wastes between 95 and 115 kilograms of food a year, whilst only 6 to 11 kilograms of edible goods are discarded per person in Sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia. These numbers don't reveal the full extent of the disparity. Sonesson notes that the majority of uneaten food in places like Sub-Saharan Africa is created at the point of production, largely as a consequence of things like spoiled crops or poor refrigeration. In contrast, supply-side practices have become more efficient in wealthy industrialized nations, according to Sonesson, but consumers have become much less diligent: "We throw away more food than ever before," he said. Sonesson contends that the problem boils down to basic economic logic. He says that, despite some recent commodity fluctuations, the price of food in industrialized nations continues to drop, so there's less incentive to think about what's in the fridge, or make an effort to avoid cooking more than we need. "As a result, today we have less knowledge about cooking and food preparation ... My parents and grandparents knew how to make use of everything," he said. What would it take to wind back the clock? Swannell thinks that it would only require a series of relatively small behavioral modifications: . "For instance, just taking five minutes to go through your store cupboard and fridge before making a shopping list can stop you wasting money buying ingredients you may already have. "Or, when you get home with your shopping, transfer as much as you can straight into the freezer. If you have large packets of chicken pieces or fish, divide them up and freeze individual portions ... there's loads of simple, easy things like this that you can do." But it's not just consumers who are at fault. Pichler says that supermarkets are guilty of discarding large quantities of food for seemingly frivolous reasons. "There's a tendency for supermarkets to put pressure on food producers to supply them with 'perfect' products. This pressure is to blame for the common practice of goods being discarded and destroyed immediately after harvest because of minor imperfections," he said. "Furthermore, it's not unusual for supermarket chains to purposely acquire a surplus of food, so shelves can remain fully stocked with perishable items -- pastries, meat, fruit and vegetables -- right until closing time," he said. Farm in the city could be supermarket of the future . But the tides might be turning. Swannell points out that, although a long-time coming, people in some nations are finally waking up to the seriousness of the issue. He points out that in 2007, the UK wasted 8.3 million tons of food, but by 2010 that figure had dropped to 7.2 million. Only time will tell if the rest of the industrialized world will follow suit. | Austrian artist has created a series of images that challenge wasteful attitude to food .
Project inspired by U.N. report that reveals one third of all food worldwide is wasted .
Wasted food is a major cause of avoidable CO2 emissions .
Anti-waste pressure group provide tips for cutting down on uneaten food . |
181,530 | 7704fc55030bd14598ef77443a4c2c86af74b56f | By . Jason Groves And David Williams . PUBLISHED: . 07:44 EST, 14 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:42 EST, 15 June 2013 . David Cameron and Barack Obama are plotting a G8 Summit showdown with Vladimir Putin over his support for Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. The move comes as the Prime Minister said there was ‘credible evidence of multiple attacks using chemical weapons in Syria, including the use of the abhorrent agent sarin’. He and Mr Obama will warn the Russian president they are prepared to contemplate military action in Syria unless he pulls the plug on the Assad regime. Scroll down for video . Crisis talks: David Cameron is to hold talks with Barack Obama tonight over Syria’s use of chemical weapons . French President Francois Hollande . and Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta will join the co-ordinated . pincer movement against Mr Putin, who is the dictator’s only major ally. In a pointed reference to Russia, one British source said: ‘The pressure is building now – and not just on Assad.’ Mr Cameron and President Obama were . due to finalise their tactics in a phone call last night. The Prime . Minister will then host Mr Putin for what are expected to be tense talks . in Downing Street tomorrow, ahead of next week’s two-day summit in . Northern Ireland. The diplomatic push comes amid . growing revulsion at the Assad regime, and revelations it has been using . chemical weapons – a development described by President Obama as . ‘crossing a red line’. The US says the Syrian government . used the nerve agent sarin on two occasions in Aleppo on March 19 and . April 13. US Ambassador Susan Rice detailed the attacks in a letter to . UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon. A ring of steel surrounds the Lough Erne golf resort in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland, where G8 will be held . Extraordinary security measures are being taken to protect the world leaders attending the G8 next week . Police water cannon head towards the Lough Erne resort in preparation for the meeting which starts on Monday . Razor wire fencing surrounds the resort where the G8 leaders will spend two days in discussion . Security guard patrol a reinforced metal fence ahead of the G8 conference, where Syria will be high on the agenda . But in an ominous sign, Mr Putin’s . senior foreign police adviser, Yuri Ushakov, hit back at the claims. He . said: ‘I will say frankly that what was presented to us by the Americans . does not look convincing. It would be hard even to call them facts.’ The United States said it would . provide ‘direct military aid’ to Syria’s rebels in the light of the new . evidence. The US is also reported to be considering imposing a no-fly . zone along Syria’s southern border with Jordan to protect civilians and . rebel forces there from bombing raids by Assad’s forces. Mr Cameron said yesterday that ‘no . decision’ had been taken about whether Britain would send weapons to . opposition forces in Syria. But he added: ‘In our world today . there is a brutal dictator who is using chemical weapons under our nose . in a conflict where almost 100,000 people have already died. We must . work with our allies and friends in the region to do everything we can . to bring this dreadful conflict to an end. Policing the skies: The White House is now planning a no-fly zone over Syria. French jets (pictured) enforced a similar zone over Libya in 2011 . Britain and the US will put pressure on Syria's President Bashar al-Assad's ally Vladimir Putin, right, next week . ‘There are concerns about some of the . opposition, but if we don’t engage with elements of the opposition and . encourage those that do have a positive, pluralistic and democratic view . about the future of Syria, we won’t be able to influence the shape of . that opposition.’ But intelligence officials have . warned Mr Cameron that Britain could suffer ‘unacceptably high’ loss of . aircraft during the early stages of any air strikes to enforce a no-fly . zone. They say Assad has sophisticated . anti-aircraft systems supplied through Russia and Iran – far superior to . anything faced in Libya. John Baron, one of dozens of Tory MPs . voicing fears about arming the rebels, said sending in more weapons . ‘can only create more suffering’. He said: ‘The UK does not have to . follow the US. Good friends sometimes say to each other, “look, you’re . making a mistake”. Injured: A video posted on Facebook and YouTube appears to show victims of a Syrian regime assault on Aleppo foaming at the mouth . Horrific: Experts believe that the injuries shown in the video are consistent with those sustained after a chemical weapon attack . Tension: Syrian rebel fighters belonging to the 'Martyrs of Maaret al-Numan' battalion leave their position after a range of shootings today . Death toll: At least 93,000 people, including over 6,500 children, have been killed in Syria's civil war, the United Nations said on June 13, 2013, warning that the true death toll could be far higher . | PM has backed Washington claims that Assad regime has used sarin gas .
Leaders will discuss plan of action in urgent telephone call tonight .
Cameron will meet Putin in Downing Street on Sunday ahead of G8 .
They will put pressure on Russian president at G8 in Northern Ireland .
Obama plans no-fly zone after evidence of chemical weapons is uncovered .
An area stretching 25 miles into Syria could be enforced with planes .
The two-year conflict has now claimed the lives of 93,000 people . |
195,692 | 894d034e853eb75e7f2a34b16b75bd21579912d8 | It was an ordinary hunting day in Texas earlier this month until two friends spotted a wild hog weighing nearly 800 pounds. Blaine Garcia and Wyatt Walton were on a ranch in De Leon, owned by Comanche County Commissioner Jimmy Dale Johnson, when they discovered the large hog and embarked on a mission along with two hunting bulldogs to catch the wild beast. The hog nicknamed 'Boarzilla' is currently receiving around the clock care until its fate is decided. Garcia started off his day alone but when he saw signs of the giant swine he called his friend Wyatt who was in a neighboring town and asked him for his help. Big catch: Blaine Garcia (left) and Wyatt Walton (right) pose with the 790 pound hog they caught in Texas . 'I did a double take. I couldn’t believe his size, and he took off running down a draw. I tried to walk up and get a better look but he kept running off as I approached,' Garcia told The Flash Today. Garcia is a long time hog hunter but up until January 16, the largest hog he ever caught was 450 pounds, a little more than half the size of the 790 pound hog. 'I got on the phone and called my friend Wyatt Walton, who was in Cross Plains, and told him what I had found, ‘Garcia said. 'Once he arrived on location we began to work a 20-acre area with two catch dogs.' Garcia started looking for the pig in a ravine and Walton sniffed around another part of the property. As Garcia got further down into the ravine he noticed the pig made mud wallows the size of bathtubs. Garcia and his dog immediately sensed the distinct smell of wild boar hog. 'My dog started whining and wanted to be let loose,' Garcia said. All tied up: The hog was not killed, rather the hunters tied it up so that it could not move and transported it to cattle coral where it is currently being cared for around the clock . The muscle: Walton held dog the hog as Garcia ran to his truck to drive it closer to the hunting area so they could get the materials needed to hold the massive creature . 'There was the distinct smell of wild boar hog and you could smell it even more as we began to work up a brushy hill. When I had almost topped it I could see him moving toward us and around, so we got by a big oak tree and kind of hid behind it.' Garcia and his dog hid behind the tree until the animal was 10 yards away. Garcia let his dog loose and he attempted to get the hog on the ear but the hog was so large that the dog was only to grasp onto its jaw. The dog continued to bite at the gargantuan pig who squealed as he tried to escape the dog's pointy teeth. 'The pig was really squealing and running around in circles and I’m hollering for Wyatt to come running, and he’s probably about 400 yards away,' the hunter added. 'The hog is trying to get down the hill and rake off my dog, but Wyatt and his dog got there just in time.' Personal record: Up until January 16 the biggest hog that Blaine Garcia ever captured was only 450 pounds . Wyatt heard his friends excited cries and rushed to his location. The hog was so large, Wyatt said the dog looked like the dog was a piece of jewelry hanging from the big pig. 'When I first saw him, Blaine’s dog looked like an earring or some kind of jewelry hanging off the hog’s head, but it really wasn’t until we got ahold of the hog that I realized how big and powerful this animal was,' Walton said. 'We’ve tied hundreds of hogs and there has never been anything like this boar.' The hog was so massive the men struggled to grab one of its legs and they were eventually able to flip it onto its side. Walton held dog the hog as Garcia ran to his truck to drive it closer to the hunting area. They used ratchet straps to tie and bind the hog until it couldn’t struggle any more. 'He was incredibly strong; we had three legs tied together and he still tried to stand up,' Garcia said. 'Together, Wyatt and I probably weigh a little over 430 pounds; it was like we weighed nothing.' The men were so tired from capturing the hog they thought they might become ill. The prize: Once the hunters got the hog tied, they called upon hunter Zach Ryon and Ray Chupp and a 2500-pound winch to hoist the hog onto a trailer . 'We were so tired I thought we were going to puke,' Garcia laughed. 'There was no way we were going to be able to get him onto a trailer by ourselves – we were so tired.' Once the men got the hog tied, they called upon hunter Zach Ryon and Ray Chupp and a 2500-pound winch to hoist the hog onto a trailer. They then shipped the hog to a temporary home called cattle coral. Garcia and Walton aren’t sure of the future of the hog but for the time being it is receiving 24-hour care. 'We may end up doing that (selling the hog) in the future, but for right now, we’re undecided on what we’re going to do,' he said. 'It’s something that maybe we’re going to think on for a little bit.' Garcia said that he and Wyatt hunt as both a hobby and a business. They recently started a business called Boar Collector Feral Hog Removal to control the large amount of feral hogs in Texas. Over 2.6 million hogs roam around Texas and can damage crops and fields. The damage is so bad that Texas Parks and Wildlife and the U.S. Department of Agriculture has looked into using bacon preservative to poison feral hogs and started a yearly 'Hog Out Month' in October that puts no limits on hog hunting. | Blaine Garcia and Wyatt Walton captured a 790 pound feral hog earlier this month with the help of two bulldogs .
The hog, nicknamed 'Boarzilla', is currently receiving around the clock care at a temporary home called cattle coral before its fate is decided .
'I did a double take. I couldn't believe his size, and he took off running down a draw,' Garcia said of the giant beast .
Wyatt said that the hunting dog biting the giant hog's ear made it look like the pig was 'wearing a piece of jewelry'
Over 2.6 million hogs roam around Texas and can damage crops and fields . |
203,267 | 9323862727150a9bc2627af77d7df26a94f0c755 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 11:59 EST, 31 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:48 EST, 1 August 2012 . In court: Shamed MP Eric Joyce was fined £600 today for cutting off his curfew tag to compete in a parliamentary boat race . Shamed MP Eric Joyce was fined today for cutting off his curfew tag to compete in a parliamentary boat race. Joyce, 51, who was forced to wear the tag after assaulting fellow politicians in a bar brawl earlier this year, used a pair of scissors to cut it off, to avoid negative publicity pictures of him wearing it. Stirling Sheriff Court heard today that the former Labour politician was rowing for the House of Commons against the House of Lords in the London charity race. When it was cut off, it set off an electronic buzzer, and he was contacted by security firm SERCO. Speaking outside court today, he said he didn’t want to let down the organisers of Siemens-sponsored parliamentary boat race, but admitted that he’d made 'an error'. Joyce, who now lives in Stirling, admitted breaching the tag order on July 4 at the boat race, which was held on the Thames outside the Houses of Parliament. His lawyer Dick Sandeman said: 'This is a somewhat unusual case. He was at first not required to wear the tag, but he was eventually told he had to wear one and complied. 'He had agreed to take part in a charity rowing match. It was set to take place on 11 July, the day after his tagging order ended but the race was moved a week earlier. 'He was rowing for the House of Commons against the Lords.' He said the bulky nature of the tag would make it difficult for Joyce to row, and that he was aware the press attention that would be brought by him wearing the tag, so he removed it. This then set off an electronic notice, and he was contacted by security firm SERCO. Police were later contacted. Rule-breaker: Joyce, 51, used a pair of scissors to cut the tag off, to avoid negative publicity pictures of him wearing it while he was taking part in a parliamentary boat race . Sheriff John Halley blasted Joyce for the breach, as he fined him £600. He said: 'You took it upon yourself to remove the tag which you were required to wear. 'You’re recorded as saying that you cut it off to stop your photograph being taken for the charity event. 'It’s not for you or anyone other person under a court order to decide to refuse to comply with the court order. 'You made a clear decision to breach the order. It’s not a reasonable excuse.' Joyce, who paid the fine before leaving court, said afterwards: 'It’s quite a stiff penalty but I’m an MP and it’s perhaps an attempt to persuade others not to do the same. 'The event was very high profile and for charity. I didn’t want to overshadow the charity’s work. If I turned up wearing my tag, that’s what all the papers focus would be on. Me and not the charity. I didn’t feel that was fair. 'I made the decision to cut it off. If I’d knew it was a breach at the time, I wouldn’t have done it. Victim: The former soldier was forced to wear the tag after headbutting the Conservative MP for Pudsey, Stuart Andrew, pictured . 'We didn’t even win in the end. We should have though.' It was the first time since 2008 that the House of Lords rowing crew had won the yearly race. The case is the latest in a long line of negative publicity for the Falkirk MP, who has faced calls from local residents to step down. The former army major earlier this year avoided a jail sentence for throwing punches and headbutting two Conservatives after a late-night drinking session at the House of Commons bar. He was given a 12-month community order after admitting four counts of assault at the Strangers’ Bar, and given a three month curfew in March this year, which involved the curfew. The former soldier headbutted the Conservative MP for Pudsey, Stuart Andrew, and attacked Tory councillors Luke Mackenzie and Ben Maney, and Labour whip Phil Wilson, who represents Sedgefield. Westminster Magistrates Court heard the 51-year-old later told police: 'You can't touch me, I’m an MP.' He was also fined £3000 and was ordered to pay £350 compensation to each of his victims. He has been permanently suspended from the Labour party, and also faced mounting pressure to quit after further claims were made about him, including that he was involved in an alleged inappropriate relationship with Meg Lauder, 19, who was 32 years his junior. He earlier tried to play down his alleged fling with Ms Lauder during the 2010 General Election campaign, who was a schoolgirl when they met, although he admitted spending so much time with her was ill-advised. He added: 'I knew this girl, in fact knew her very well, for two or three months during the campaign. 'But most of the time she refers to us being together, there were other people present. We were campaigning for the election. 'Yes, I spent a lot of time with her and, on reflection, that was ill-advised of me.' | Joyce, who was forced to wear the .
tag after assaulting fellow politicians, used a pair of scissors to cut it off .
The former Labour MP was rowing for the House of Commons against .
the House of Lords in a charity race . |
282,818 | fa567ebc3adfd7855de59f73a3de4c7900c6f633 | By . Sophie Jane Evans . PUBLISHED: . 11:19 EST, 11 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:19 EST, 11 September 2013 . A mother tried frantically to revive her baby boy after finding him lying in blood-stained sheets in his cot at their Australian home, it is claimed. Casey Veal discovered the bloodied body of 11-month-old Zayden following a robbery at the house in Bendigo, Victoria, on June 15 last year. Her partner Mathew Tisell was in the bathroom at around 7am when he heard her desperate screams. Victim: 11-month-old Zayden Veal was found lying in blood-stained sheets in his cot. He died after suffering a heart attack and multiple injuries . 'I have never heard her scream like that in my life, it was pure terror', he told police. 'Zayden was black and blue and bloodied up. He was really cold, like a bag of peas.' Mr Tisell started to perform CPR on Zayden on the living room floor, while Ms Veal called 999, according to 9NEWS. 'I was screaming at her (the operator), 'Someone bashed my son',' said Ms Veal in a statement to police. She then took over her partner's CPR attempts in a frantic bid to save her baby. However, paramedics arrived and took Zayden to hospital, where he was declared dead after suffering a heart attack and multiple injuries. A North Bendigo man, Harley Hicks, has been charged with the murder of baby Zayden on June 15 last year. The 20-year-old was linked to the death by police because he is wanted for a spate of robberies in the Bendigo area, according to ABC News. Ms Veal has told a court in Victoria that, on the night of the alleged break-in, she did not think the front door was locked and that the dog she relied on to guard the house had been locked in the laundry room. She said she had woken up in her house, located in the suburb of Long Gully, to find the front and back doors open and the baby monitor unplugged. However, Mr Tissell told the court that the doors did not lock properly because of the couple's 'lazy landlord'. Hicks, who lost a bid to suppress his identity after receiving threats in prison, is alleged to have entered the . house armed with a baton and taken two . wallets and a pair of sunglasses. He is facing a committal hearing charged with aggravated burglary, theft and murder. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Casey Veal found 11-month-old Zayden lying in blood-stained sheets in his cot after a robbery at their home in Bendigo, Australia .
She desperately tried to revive him with CPR, but he died after suffering a heart attack and multiple injuries .
Harley Hicks, 20, from North Bendigo, has been charged with aggravated burglary, theft and murder . |
179,863 | 74e1030495000e80e993761062f77abdd504238b | (CNN) -- Should the press be more heavily regulated? Share your thoughts here. Could the phone-hacking scandal prove to be a blessing in disguise for Rupert Murdoch? A year ago that would have seemed a ridiculous notion. News Corp.'s UK newspaper arm almost collapsed last summer under the weight of a story that dominated Britain's news agenda for months, prompting a sting of resignations and a high-profile public inquiry. It was a conflagration that briefly threatened to engulf the entire company, forcing a fire-fighting Rupert Murdoch to appear before British lawmakers in London and declare: "This is the most humble day of my life." Yet since News Corp. responded to the crisis by confirming in the spring it would spin off its publishing assets into a separate company, the media conglomerate's stock has soared. News Corp.'s share price has risen by 20% since July 2011, adding more than $5 billion to the value of the company. Insiders say executives are surprised by the positive way Wall Street received its decision to hive off its print titles. They shouldn't be. The phone-hacking scandal, which resulted in the closure of UK Sunday tabloid News of the World, forced Murdoch to do what frustrated investors had been urging him to do for years: jettison the company's troublesome newspaper titles, which include the Times of London and the Sun. The surge in the company's share price reflects optimism about the future of the company once it is freed from the deadweight of print in 2013. The Wall Street Journal, which News Corp. also owns, is profitable because it has figured out a way to make money online by charging for content, but other titles are struggling. Shareholders in the U.S. have long viewed Murdoch's attachment to his London-based papers, in particular, as an expensive indulgence. They approve of News Corp.'s renewed focus on broadcasting, a part of the media industry that is growing. Murdoch has spent money taking full control of Australia's largest pay-TV operator and acquiring the local network that screens New York Yankees games. Cable TV veteran Chase Carey, a reassuring presence, is firmly established as Murdoch's second in command. The constant chatter about which member of the Murdoch family will be shoe-horned into the CEO's chair to succeed the old man has fallen quiet, at least for now. A Management and Standards Committee set up to deal with the fallout from the phone-hacking affair has been cooperating with Scotland Yard, uncovering evidence of illegal payments to public officials, but its work is nearly complete. It feels as if the company might finally be putting phone-hacking behind it. Murdoch is enthused about the creation of "pubco" and bullish about its prospects, convinced there is still plenty of money to be made in print. A senior company source describes him as "obsessed" with the business. He is planning a spending spree once the company is established, and is busy finalizing a string of executive appointments. The company is expected to be run by Robert Thomson, an Australian who once edited the Times of London and now runs the Journal, and there is talk of bringing forward the stock market flotation. The business has recovered its momentum and Murdoch has rediscovered his mojo. His frequent and combative tweets, covering subjects from British press regulation to China's uncertain future, is testament to that. Yet those who regard the 81-year-old's enthusiasm for newspapers as an enduring weakness may ultimately be proved right. The new publishing business will be given a large amount of cash by News Corp., a generous dowry to ensure a good start in life, cash that shareholders may feel would be more effectively deployed elsewhere. It is believed Murdoch tried to persuade his oldest son Lachlan to return to the family fold as chief executive of the publishing business, a reminder that succession is the thorniest issue of all at News Corp. His second son James, who was badly damaged by the phone-hacking affair, is quietly running Fox Networks in the U.S. and reporting directly to Carey, but no one doubts his father wants him to run the company when he finally steps aside. That could prompt a showdown with investors that Murdoch Sr. may no longer be strong enough to win. Phone-hacking damaged Murdoch and the specter of an FBI investigation into alleged payments to foreign officials, a criminal offense under the Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act, still casts a long shadow over News Corp. The company has not commented on any potential investigation. The most likely outcome is a settlement with the U.S. authorities that will cost the company millions of dollars, but it would be wrong to assume the hacking saga will end there. In April last year, James Murdoch, who was then in charge of News Corp.'s European and Asian businesses, told a conference the company had successfully put phone-hacking "in a box." Three weeks later, three of Murdoch's key executives had resigned and the News of the World had been dramatically shuttered. Murdoch has not been held personally responsible for phone-hacking but further criticism could undermine his authority. The Leveson Inquiry is critical of the News of the World and says there was a failure of governance at News International. But it also says there is no evidence Rupert Murdoch knew phone-hacking was rife, or that he orchestrated a cover-up. Leveson is less equivocal about James Murdoch, saying there are aspects of his evidence "that cause me some concern". It stops short of criticizing the younger Murdoch further, citing ongoing police investigations into criminality at News International, but the verdict is not a favorable one for James, and it may harm his chance of succeeding his father. That is unwelcome news for Rupert, who desperately wants to keep his business empire in the family. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of James Robinson. | Rupert Murdoch claimed to have been "humbled" by the phone-hacking scandal .
Revelations about journalistic practises at the News of the World led to the tabloid's closure .
Since the scandal, News Corp. has decided to split its publishing assets into separate firm . |
180,155 | 75452029277371d18243e0f2fbd525b6817ee3de | They look innocent enough but these four, every-day items wreak havoc on the average couple’s sex life. Banish them from your bedroom and you’re instantly in store for a year of better, more frequent sex! YOUR TV . Couples who have a TV in their bedroom have sex half as often as those who don’t: that’s a fact, supported by reputable research. Why? It stops you both talking, it robs you of sleep (the better rested we are, the healthier and higher our libido) and it keeps you grounded in reality. By keeping your laptop or iPad in your bedroom you destroy intimacy and distract from sex . God help us all, but reality shows like The Kardashian's suck some people into the trap of thinking what we watch on telly is actually real. It’s not. Sex on telly is peppered with couples having more simultaneous orgasms than cups of tea. In real life, they’re actually pretty rare. Tracey says that in order to have the best sex possible it is wise to choose a firmer bed . All of this leads to unrealistic expectations and constant disappointment with our sex lives. YOUR IPADS AND PHONES . Ditching the telly won’t do a thing if you replace it with another device to distract you from sex and each other. Slip into bed and pull out your ipad or phone and the effect on your relationship is even worse! These gadgets are portable, so capable of destroying intimacy anywhere. Foreplay should begin way before you take your clothes off and if your partner’s spent all night on their phone, giving other people attention, why would you want to give them yours? One recent study found it’s especially harmful if one person uses technology more than the other - the second person feels ignored and insecure. Neither are emotions likely to trigger a bit of rumpy-pumpy. A SOFT, LUMPY BED . The best beds for good sex are firm with no hard edges. You need a firm foundation to master creative sex positions and to be able to sit or lean on the edges without hitting anything hard. Clean, fresh linen is inviting; scratchy, balled-up sheets, not so much (though there is something undeniably sexy about a crumpled bed that you both have just had sex in!). A few firm pillows are perfect for lifting and supporting body bits to make sex super comfy and those more adventurous positions more ‘doable’. SLOPPY SLEEPWEAR . Well-worn, snuggly track pants and wooly socks might make us feel cosy when it’s cold outside, but they do little to get your partner hot and bothered. I’m not suggesting tottering to bed in high heels and sexy stay-up stockings on Monday nights but aiming for a happy medium by choosing something that’s at least a little flattering isn’t too much to ask, surely? Check out traceycox.com for more advice, Tracey's books and product range. | Tracey says there are four items that can instantly kill the romance .
Screens in bed are a no no as they can make an individual feel excluded .
Tracey adds that even the firmness of the bed can affect the mood . |
131,264 | 35be9106af2b1f36688cb4655efb34777429243a | (CNN) -- If timing is key for musical maestros, Vanessa Mae found out the hard way on the Sochi slopes that the same is true of Winter Olympians. The multi-million selling violinist made her Olympic bow in the giant slalom Tuesday, finishing some 50.10 seconds behind winner Tina Maze of Slovenia -- although Mae can take heart from crossing the finishing line, unlike 22 other competitors. The Singapore-born Briton also made history, becoming Thailand's first ever female skier and only third representative at the Winter Olympics, representing her father's homeland under his surname Vanakorn. Her 67th-place finish -- last of all those who actually completed the event -- was not enough to dampen the spirits, though, of somebody more practiced in racing through scales than down the side of a Russian mountain. "I expected to be last but at the end of the day the Olympics is a great opportunity," she told reporters. The 35-year-old, on a slushy course, came hesitantly out of the starting gate, eventually finishing 27 seconds back after her first run and at the rear of the 74 who made it to the bottom out of the 89-strong starting field. Her second run saw her clock a total time for the event of three minutes and 26.97 seconds -- 11.35 seconds behind her closest rival Xia Lina of China. "I nearly crashed three times, but I made it down and that was the main thing," said Mae. "Just the experience of being here is amazing. I was worried I was going to get lost [on the course], but I just about managed it." Mae, ranked 2,253 in the world, left it late to book her place at the 2014 Winter Olympics -- only claiming the relevant qualifying marks in Slovenia in January. The violinist, however, is delighted to have proven to the world that she now has an extra string to her bow, especially considering that this time last year Sochi had not even been on her radar. "I'm a last-minute kind of girl, I mean training for the Olympics with six months to go was a last-minute thing," added Mae. "My main purpose of being here was to really have a good time and to improve my skiing in a very short amount of time." Describing music as her "lifelong passion," but skiing as her "lifelong hobby," Mae made her solo debut with the Philharmonia Orchestra in London at the age of 10, three years later becoming the youngest soloist ever to record the Beethoven and Tchaikovsky violin concertos. She is now a household name in Britain and much of the rest of the world, with global sales in excess of 10 million. Her self-described "techno-acoustic fusion" is big in Slovenia for one, with Tuesday's giant slalom gold medallist Maze -- a part-time singer -- admitting to being a fan. "We spoke after the first race," Maze said. "I didn't know that it was her sitting next to me." "I respect a lot of what she does with music and she has a great personality," she said, before adding: "I wouldn't trade my gold medal for 10 million records sold." | Violinist Vanessa Mae finishes 67th in giant slalom .
The 35-year-old's final time is 50.10 seconds off winner Tina Maze's time .
Mae crosses the finishing line, unlike 22 other competitors .
The musician relishes the experience despite her final placing . |
77,814 | dc9ee915836c2f7198a2a10fef7bdacd71f92fb9 | By . Peter Allen . A firearm was used to kill a former soldier who believed he was a suspect in the Alps Murders case, it emerged today. The 50-year-old was found dead in his flat in the village of Ugine, eastern France, on Tuesday. Police, who found evidence of a ‘violent disturbance’, are working on the theory that he committed suicide. Scroll down for video . Scene: Police investigate the scene of the murder in the forest near Chevaline and Lake Annecy in 2012 . Victims: Engineer Saad al-Hilli (left), the British-Iraqi man killed alongside his wife and mother-in-law. Sylvain Mollier (right), a French cyclist, was also shot dead in the attack . A ‘firearm’ was used to kill the . unnamed man, a trained marksman who served in a parachute battalion of . the French Foreign Legion, said Annecy prosecutor Eric Maillaud. He had been spoken . to by detectives investigating the bloodbath which claimed the lives of . three members of the Al-Hilli family, from Surrey. Sylvain Mollier, a French cyclist, . was also shot dead in the attack, which took place close to Lake Annecy, . in eastern France, in September 2012. Mr . Maillaud said the man knew Mr Mollier and his family, and left a ‘six . or seven page note’ saying he was ‘disturbed’ by the questioning because . it ‘made him feel like a suspect’. One . theory in the baffling case is that Mr Mollier, 45, was the main . target, and that one or more local marksmen could have been responsible. Investigation: Police outside the Al-Hilli home in Surrey in June 2013, almost a year after the killings happened . Comments: Eric Maillaud, the prosecutor in Annecy, eastern France, said the parachutist left a 'six or seven page note' saying he was 'disturbed' by the questioning because it 'made him feel like a suspect' Gun collector: Eric Devouassoux, a 48-year-old old former policeman, was arrested over the killings in February and spent four days in custody . Intriguingly, Mr Mollier also lived in Ugine with his heiress girlfriend, who had come into a multi-million pounds fortune. Mr . Maillaud confirmed that the man who died on Tuesday was ‘questioned for . two hours in April 2013’, mainly because he was ‘linked to Mr Mollier’s . family’. Eric . Devouassoux, a 48-year-old old former policeman from the area, was . arrested over the killings in February and spent four days in custody. The . gun collector is still being investigated for arms trafficking, but . there has been no legal action linked to the four murders. Zaid al-Hilli, a Surrey financial controller who is related to three of the victims, was the first suspect arrested in 2013. But . the 54-year-old has been told by Surrey police that there is not enough . evidence to charge him with the killing of his brother Saad, 50. The younger Al-Hilli was shot dead alongside his wife Iqbal, 47, his mother-in-law Suhaila al-Allaf, 74, and Mr Mollier. The Al-Hilli’s daughters, Zainab, seven, and Zeena, four, survived the attack and are currently in the care of surviving family. Investigators say that whoever carried out the crime is likely to be a . trained marksman, and to know the local area extremely well. 2012 . 2013 . 2014 . [SOURCE: Agence France-Presse] . | 50-year-old was found dead in his flat in village of Ugine, eastern France .
Man had been spoken to by detectives investigating bloodbath in 2012 .
Massacre claimed the lives of three members of Al-Hilli family from Surrey .
Left 'six or seven page note' saying he was 'disturbed' by the questioning .
Police found evidence of a ‘violent disturbance' at his flat .
For confidential .
support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local .
Samaritans branch or click here for details . |
177,143 | 714e91c889d7ed857919fbcf84d28b0eaa7a5f80 | By . Emily Andrews . They are too young to walk and talk but tiny twins William and Ellenita Trykush can swim a length of a 25-metre pool at just nine months old. The water babies love gliding up and down on their backs, kicking their legs to propel themselves along. And as this delightful underwater picture shows, they even smile while they’re swimming. Scroll down for video . Like ducks to water: William, left, and Ellenita, right, in their local pool . Splashing around: William, right, copies his sister Ellenita in the water . Their achievements are even more astonishing given that they were born by emergency caesarean six weeks early. The twins’ extraordinary talent emerged during a family holiday to Cyprus in October when they began to swim underwater, unaided and without armbands. On their return to Cirencester, Gloucestershire, their mother Charlotte, 35, took them to local baby pool at the Cotsworld Leisure Centre where they both suddenly set off on their backs. ‘It was astonishing. First they did five metres, then a width at seven metres, and then a length of 12 metres,’ said French-born Mrs Trykush, a former swimming coach. ‘There was hardly anyone in the adult pool, so I suggested to their teacher that we try the big pool. ‘They were loving it so much, they set off and did an entire length with . me swimming underneath them on my back to make sure they were alright . and to steer if they went off in the wrong direction. ‘Ellie was first - she always is - and William seemed to be copying his big sister. Under water fun: The pair first swam five metres before progressing to the full length of the pool . Natural: The twins now visit their local pool twice a week because they enjoy splashing around so much . Encouragement: Former swimming coach Charlotte swims underneath her babies to check they are alright . Tired out: The babies take a well earned nap after their swimming exploits . ‘We were so excited - all the receptionists and swimming coaches came to watch and were amazed. ‘One of the coaches has been teaching for 20 years and she said she’d never seen anything like it. ‘I think it comes naturally to them, as they are too young to actually learn the strokes.’ Mr and Mrs Trykush, who are both youth workers, married in September 2008 and discovered they were expecting in July last year. It was only at their 12 week scan that they discovered they were having not one, but two. Mr Trykush, 49, said: ‘When I saw the two little dots on the screen it was just amazing. ‘I sank to my knees and shouted “Yes!” as if Chelsea had won the cup. ‘Twins do run in both families, but it was still a bit of a shock.’ There were more surprises in store for the family. While . visiting her mother in Normandy, France, Mrs Trykush was rushed to . hospital with a placental abruption - each twin had their own placenta . but William’s had ruptured. In the family: The confidence in the water of mother Charlotte, a former swimming coach, and father Victor, helps William, centre left, and Ellenita, centre right . They were born by emergency Caesarean on 7 February, Ellenita first at five pounds (2.24kg) and then William at four-and-half pounds (2.07kg). William had swallowed a large amount of blood, which had to be sucked out his stomach, and was severely jaundiced. ‘It was a very traumatic birth and William nearly died,’ said Mrs Trykush. ‘They were in incubators for three weeks but I was just so relieved they were going to be OK. ‘They were so premature and small that although I’d intended to take them swimming as soon as possible, I was worried they would get too cold in the water. ‘So we waited until they’d had their inoculations and until they were big enough to regulate their temperature better.’ Now aged ten months, the twins go swimming twice a week - to their Duckling lesson with teacher Amy Stanley, and a practice session on the weekend. Miss Stanley, 27, said: ‘They are the youngest children I’ve ever seen swim. ‘Normally children can swim at age three or four at the earliest. ‘A lot of babies can hang in the water, but Ellie and William can swim on top of the water and breathe independently. ‘It’s remarkable how they can do it, but they haven’t learnt, it just comes naturally. ‘They are so relaxed because Vic and Charly are so relaxed in the water and love swimming. It rubs off on them.’ Mr Trykush now has half an eye on the Olympics, having taken the twins to London this summer. ‘We won’t push them but it would be amazing to see them at the 2028 Games. ‘If they continue like this, who knows.' On dry land: Father Victor hopes Ellenita, left, and William, right, compete at the Olympics in 2028 . | Tiny twins William and Ellenita Trykush surprised everyone at the pool by swimming so far .
Mother Charlotte Trykush, a former swimming coach, said the distance is 'astonishing' for their age .
Father Victor already has one eye on the Olympics and hopes they compete in 2028 . |
49,392 | 8b7af0b3fe9f1dfa778c17f48b3d4b0a0fed58ff | (CNN) -- Former world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo has announced her retirement from tennis, revealing that she no longer has the desire to play and train. The 30-year-old won two Grand Slam tournaments in 2006 as she spent 34 weeks at the top of the rankings, but has suffered a gradual slide since following a series of injuries and ended this year at No. 21. The Frenchwoman won the Paris Indoor Open earlier this year, but it proved to be a false dawn in her return to top form and she skipped the final two tournaments of 2009. "I came here to announce the end of my career. I made this decision after careful consideration," she told reporters at an emotional press conference on Thursday. "I don't want to train anymore. I had to make a decision, which became evident in the last few months and weeks. When you grow older, it's more difficult to stay at the top. "It's a bit sad, but this is the right decision. I was lucky enough to have an exceptional career and to experience very strong feelings on the court. "I dreamt of this career, I dreamt of winning a Grand Slam title. I lifted trophies in every city in the world and I lived 10 magical and unbelievable years." Mauresmo claimed her first major win at the Australian Open when Justine Henin pulled out with injury during the final, but she defied her doubters by beating the Belgian to claim the Wimbledon title later that year. Henin and her compatriot have both ended their relatively brief retirements this year, but Mauresmo said she was unlikely to have a similar change of mind. "Even if I've learned to never say never, the players you are thinking about stopped earlier than me before coming back," she said. WTA Tour chair Stacey Allaster paid tribute to the player. "Amelie's accomplishments not only include winning two Grand Slam titles and becoming the first French player to reach the world No. 1 ranking, but leading France to a Fed Cup victory, and generously donating her time to various social causes," she said. "Amelie is an extraordinary player, one of the nicest and friendliest personalities on tour, and a true champion both in tennis and in life." Mauresmo won the junior French Open and Wimbledon titles in 1996 before heading to the senior circuit, where she reached the Australian Open final in 1999 before losing to Martina Hingis. She became the first French player, male or female, to reach the top of the rankings in 2004, when she won the silver medal at the Athens Olympics, losing to Henin in the final. But her career came off the rails in 2007, missing two months due to injury and finishing outside the top-10 for the first time in seven seasons. The following year was even worse as she ended it outside the top-20. Mauresmo won 25 titles overall, and was a losing finalist 23 times. | Former world No. 1 Amelie Mauresmo announces her retirement from tennis .
The 30-year-old holds an emotional press conference, saying she has lost motivation .
She was the first French player, male or female, to reach the top of the rankings .
But her career has been on a downward spiral since suffering injuries during 2007 . |
235,096 | bc5727af916d1eb71fbb661ea0fefc254c7bf181 | By . Mike Dickson . Follow @@Mike_Dickson_DM . On a morning that felt more like Paris in winter than in the springtime, Heather Watson further confirmed that she is back to her best form by reaching the second round of the French Open. The 22 year-old Channel Islander scored her ninth consecutive victory by outpointing world number 66 Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova 6-3, 6-4 in 95 minutes to earn herself a big test against the tournament’s fourth seed Simona Halep of Romania. Watson also guaranteed herself the tidy sum of £35,000 for winning a round, having already done the hard work of coming through the qualifying event. In tough conditions the British number two, fast closing on the injured Laura Robson, again showcased the attacking mindset she has adopted in climbing back up the rankings this year. Beaming: Heather Watson acknowledges the Roland Garros crowd after her first-round win . On a roll: Heather Watson plays a forehand during her straight-sets win over Barbora Zahlavova-Strycova . Let me take a selfie: Watson poses with a fan for a photograph after her first-round victory at Roland Garros . All smiles: Watson was in good form as the Brit won her fourth consecutive match in Paris . After so . many problems last year, when she suffered from injury and a bout of . glandular fever, there is increasing evidence that Watson has rebounded . from it as a better player with more weapons at her disposal. Court . number six, which has hosted an extraordinary number of British players . over the years including James Ward on Monday, was packed with so many . supporters from across the channel that it will have felt like a home . match for Watson. With . a gusty wind sweeping across Roland Garros control was sometimes . difficult and in the fourth game Watson actually hit an air smash – much . to her own amusement - before scurrying back to retrieve the ball and . drawing a volleying error from her opponent. Oops: Watson misses a smash but recovers quickly to win the point against her Czech opponent . Changeover: Watson takes a breather during her first-round win in just over one hour and a half . After . gaining an early break the Guernsey player faltered when she was broken . back for 3-2 following an incident when she accidentally hit the net on . her follow through while otherwise winning the point. Although . there were double faults on both sides she served it out without drama . and the decisive break came at 3-3 in the second set. The experienced . Czech mixed her game up far more in the latter part of the match, . including putting in plenty of drop shots, but Watson had the nous and . athleticism to be more than equal to it. Down and out: Zahlavova-Strycova shows her frustrations as she suffers a first-round exit to Watson . Through: Watson's next opponent is world No 4 Simona Halep (pictured), who beat Alisa Kleybanova . | The British No 2 beat her Czech opponent 6-3, 6-4 in 95 minutes at Roland Garros .
It is world No 92 Watson's ninth consecutive victory .
Watson takes on world No 4 Simona Halep in the second round on Thursday . |
151 | 0075795e722ebab52dca94aa77e57d5697f3b5bf | (CNN)In Paris on Thursday, fashion designer Rick Owens gave audiences quite a show when he sent male models down the runway wearing clothes with peepholes that offered a glimpse of the guys' formerly private parts. "Nudity is the most simple and primal gesture -- it packs a punch," Owens said of his decision to have his models bare all. "It's powerful. ... Who else can really get away with this stuff? It's a corporate world!" The looks were simply for shock and awe and the attention such reactions generate -- after all, they can't be worn out in public and won't be sold in stores. But let's be honest: Were we even shocked? After all, female models have been asked to sashay down runways in states of near nakedness for years. Meanwhile, more and more films are featuring full frontal male nudity. There was Michael Fassbender in "Shame," of course. And who can forget the uproar over the cameo of Ben Affleck's penis in "Gone Girl," albeit so brief one had to know the precise moment to look for it? And if we've seen Ben Affleck's penis, who cares about some male model's? Of course, women have been going full frontal in films for years. Perhaps the onslaught of nakedness is a sign that public nudity is becoming an equal opportunity endeavor; that women are no longer required to do all the showing. That's not a bad thing. Maybe the "Free the Nipple" people are finally getting their way, and women will be able to parade topless around town, or at the gym, or wherever they please, without stares or stigma (or arrest), as men have done for ages. More likely, it's a clear sign that we're a culture so overexposed that we've got no other choice but to up the stakes at every turn. We are becoming -- have become -- immune to that which was previously surprising/revolting/ awe-inspiring. It's amazing how quickly Lady Gaga went from outre to passe, isn't it? Meanwhile, Madonna is a faint middle-aged voice from the past who in a time long ago made news with pointy bras -- positively puritanical compared to the starlets of today. Consider their norms: Going commando -- that's "without underwear," because, yes, there's even a phrase for it. Giving birth on TV. Posing naked for mainstream magazines. The Kardashian sisters spent the fall one-upping each other -- first Kim's naked backside on the cover of Paper (a sight credited with "breaking the Internet") and then Kourtney's naked pregnant belly (and backside) online at DuJour, because if one reality sister does it, so, too, must the other. Miley Cyrus, meanwhile, continues to one-up herself, graduating from foam fingers and lewd gestures to her recent full frontal magazine spread in V magazine, the release of which she celebrated with a crude shoutout on social media. But what's next? What does she, or any of these women, do for an encore? Where does a jaded culture go from here for kicks? The envelope has already been pushed beyond what we once thought were the limits. What is left? Perhaps they'll think of something. You just know those "Most Shocking" shows are trying to figure out how to show somebody actually die. You know that some starlet on the verge will go beyond a private sex tape (yawn) to arrange to be caught in the act. Or maybe we'll grow up and become more European in our sensibilities, and react less like middle school boys at the sight of a breast. Maybe we'll learn that hitting bottom culturally reveals a whole new bottom underneath. Whatever the impetus, the bottom is in sight. After all, being outrageous today is hard work, and only getting harder. The payoff, meanwhile, has nowhere to go but down. | Peggy Drexler: Male models at Rick Owens' Paris runway show wore clothes that exposed their penises .
She says as we become harder to shock, the culture keeps going lower and lower. The bottom is in sight . |
64,658 | b7a0bb1157ab0088f77bd0cef793faf421425a3f | By . Shari Miller . PUBLISHED: . 09:47 EST, 30 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:47 EST, 30 August 2013 . Fish faux-pas: Venezuelan president Nicholas Maduro muddled the word for 'fish' with 'penises' Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro appeared to make a mistake of Biblical proportions this week - when he muddled a well-known religious quote and said Christ multiplied loaves and 'penises'. Maduro made the unfortunate error during a speech on education at the Miranda stadium, in the country’s capital, Caracas. Referring to the iconic story of when Christ multiplied fish and loaves to feed the populace, Maduro said his government would help expand education in the country, 'school by school, child by child, high . school by high school, community by community — to embed ourselves in . there. 'To multiply ourselves like Christ multiplied the penises — sorry, . the fish — and the bread.' The Spanish word for 'penises' (penes) is just one letter away from the word for 'fish' (peces). The Venezuelan premier, who was dressed in a bright red, blue and yellow Adidas track suit - to reflect the colours of the national flag - immediately sparked a storm among Twitter users. Sofy Cortez wrote: 'Hahaha so I just read about Nicolas Maduro's speech and Christ did what?!?!? He multiplied "penises"?!?!? God bless!' Another user, LayNG, wrote: 'Panes + Peces = PENES #EpicFail @NicolasMaduro'. Maduro took over as interim president of Venezuela following the death of Hugo Chavez on March 5. He later won an election against the opposition candidate Henrique Capriles. Despite only being in power for five months, Maduro has courted controversy on more than one occasion. He has been blamed for a toilet paper shortage throughout the country, apparently slept in Chavez's mausoleum, has made a number of anti-gay slurs and offered asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden. Maduro also made a lingual faux pas earlier this month when, according to the Latin Times, he incorrectly pronounced the Spanish word for 'millions', making it a feminine noun instead of a masculine noun. Successor: Nicolas Maduro (right) took over from Hugo Chavez following his death in March . Controversial: Maduro offered asylum to NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden . | Nicholas Maduro muddled the Spanish for 'fish' with 'penises'
A Twitter storm erupted following the gaff made during education speech .
Maduro took over as president following death of Hugo Chavez in March . |
79,563 | e197de5301ce8d7720b92668e75241c7c1142f89 | A mother has died trying to save her daughter in a house fire in Arlington, Virginia. Mary and Bill Barkes had made it out of their home in the early hours of Tuesday, but their two daughters, aged seven and 11, were trapped inside. Mrs Barkes and her youngest daughter Emily died in the flames after Mary went back inside the burning house to save her. Mary Barkes and her seven-year-old daughter Emily died in fire in their family home in Arlington, Virginia . Neighbours reported hearing screams at around 4am last Tuesday morning, and seeing Mr and Mrs Barkes outside. Mrs Barkes is said to have called 911 before going back inside the house to save Emily, who was asleep in an upstairs bedroom, NBC Washington reports. Mrs Barkes’ father, James White, told NBC the pair were trapped by the flames and were unable to get out. Mr Barkes had managed to climb in to save Sarah, 11, but fell off a ladder on their way out and injured himself, unable to get back into the house rescue his wife and Emily. Blaze: The family home was set alight in the early hours of Tuesday last week . Tragedy: Mrs Barkes is said to have called 911 before going back inside the house to save Emily . Bill Barkes and eldest daughter Sarah, 11, survived the fire last Tuesday and remain in hospital . Neighbours said they tried to help, but that the heat and smoke was too overpowering. A crew of 70 firefighters also attempted to enter the building, but were unable to because of the intensity of the blaze. Mr Barkes and Sarah are in a stable condition at a local hospital. The cause of the fire is still being investigated, but the home reportedly lacked smoke detectors. | A family home in Arlington, Virginia, was set ablaze on Tuesday morning .
Mary Barkes called 911 and went back into the house to save her child .
Mrs Barkes and her seven-year-old daughter Emily died in fire .
Her husband Bill and their eldest daughter Sarah, 11, survived . |
198,186 | 8c8a1d4f9c0f9359cd524806f5b79d0ef67587c1 | By . Sophie Jane Evans . PUBLISHED: . 11:28 EST, 21 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:32 EST, 21 December 2013 . Four US servicemen have been wounded after their helicopter was shot at during an evacuation mission in South Sudan. The men had been trying to rescue American citizens following outbreaks of violence in Bor, the capital of the state of Jonglei, today. But their mission was hindered when they were hit by incoming gunfire - leaving one critically injured and three others wounded. Attack: Four US servicemen have been wounded after their helicopter was shot at in South Sudan (file picture) The aircraft turned around after being fired at, before heading to Kampala in Uganda, according to US officials. From there, the wounded servicemen were flown to Nairobi in Kenya for medical treatment. It is believed to be the second helicopter to have been shot at in Jonglei this week. On Friday, a UN helicopter trying to evacuate peacekeepers and civilians in the state was fired on, causing 'significant' damage, according to two US officials. Violence: The country has seen some of its worst ever violence over the past week - killing at least 500 people . Response: The US military has dispatched 45 troops to protect its embassy in the capital of Juba (pictured) Rob McKee, of Warrior Security, said the aircraft was forced to make an emergency landing after suffering small arms fire while trying to evacuate personnel from a base in Yuai. A second official - who wishes to remain unnamed - said the helicopter was abandoned and remains unable to fly. However, no injuries have so far been reported. Warning: Yesterday, President Barack Obama said South Sudan 'stands on the precipice' of civil war . South Sudan has seen some of the its worst ever violence over the past week - claiming at least 500 lives so far. The US military has dispatched 45 troops to protect its embassy in the capital of Juba, while the State Department has warned American citizens in the country to leave immediately. Hundreds of people are believed to be trapped in Bor, which is currently in hands of rebels. Meanwhile, thousands of others have fled to UN compounds to seek shelter from the violence. The conflict began on Sunday when troops loyal to ousted Vice President Riek Machar allegedly opened fire at a government meeting in an attempt to force President Salva Kiir from power. Machar was sacked along with the entire rest of the cabinet in July after announcing he was going to contest the 2015 general election. Yesterday, President Barack Obama said the country 'stands on the precipice' of civil war as conflict in the country entered its sixth day. In a statement, he said: 'In 2011, millions of South Sudanese voted to forge a new nation, founded on the promise of a more peaceful and prosperous future for all of South Sudan's people. 'In recent years, against great odds, South Sudan has made great progress toward breaking the cycle of violence that characterized much of its history. 'Today, that future is at risk. South Sudan stands at the precipice. Recent fighting threatens to plunge South Sudan back into the dark days of its past.' A number of other nations, including Britain, have sent in military troops to rescue their civilians. | Servicemen had been trying to rescue American citizens from Bor, Jonglei .
Helicopter was fired at - leaving one critically injured and others wounded .
Believed to be second aircraft to have been shot at in country this week .
Violence has claimed the lives of at least 500 people so far . |
197,751 | 8bf5ab614acb1cd8d514c405f1dae70637f09f70 | A lay Baptist preacher or a brutal national leader found guilty of war crimes by an international court: in Charles Taylor, the myth and the man, became inseparable. Accusations of cannibalism swirled around the former Liberian president even as he quoted scripture to his supporters, many of whom he was accused of terrorizing into voting for him during the 1997 elections. Taylor has been a pivotal figure in Liberian politics for decades, with his overthrow of the regime of Samuel Doe in 1989, spiraling the country into a bloody civil war that left 200,000 dead over the next 14 years. He was infamous for filling his forces' ranks with drugged child soldiers who reportedly called him "Pappy." Look at high-res photos of the Charles Taylor years . But it was over his involvement in the civil war in Sierra Leone that Taylor was indicted and put on on trial in 2007 at the Special Court for Sierra Leone sitting in The Hague, Netherlands. United Nations officials and the Sierra Leone government jointly set up the tribunal to try those who played the biggest role in the atrocities. The first African leader to appear before an international war crimes tribunal, he pleaded not guilty to 11 counts of war crimes and crimes against humanity, and other violations of international humanitarian law. But he was found guilty of aiding rebels who raped, killed and mutilated civilians in neighboring Sierra Leone. Prosecutors failed to convince a judge that Taylor had command over the rebels but he could still face a lengthy jail term when he is sentenced on May 30. For victims in Sierra Leone, Taylor's verdict brings relief . Speaking at a sentencing hearing at the court on Wednesday, Taylor said terrible things happened in Sierra Leone that could not be justified, but added that his role in the conflict had been misunderstood. "What I did to bring peace to Sierra Leone was done with honor," Taylor said. "I pushed the peace process hard. Contrary of how I have been portrayed in this court." Prosecutors had accused Taylor of arming rebel groups and terrorizing civilians during the decade-long Sierra Leonean civil war in exchange for uncut diamonds smuggled out to him in empty mayonnaise jars. During the trial British supermodel Naomi Campbell was summoned as a witness for the prosecution. She told the court she received a gift of "dirty-looking stones" from two men following a dinner hosted by then-South African President Nelson Mandela in 1997. The prosecution argued the stones were "blood diamonds" -- a personal gift from Taylor. That claim contradicted Taylor's testimony that he never handled the precious stones that fueled the conflict. What are 'blood diamonds?' It was one of the many instances of high drama in a trial that started with Taylor's dismissal of his entire defense team. But always lurking behind the spectacle of the trial was the specter of the more than 50,000 killed, maimed or missing in Sierra Leone's civil war. According to Amnesty International, that conflict "was characterized by some of the worst abuses known: widespread deliberate and arbitrary killings of civilians, torture, including rape and deliberate amputation of limbs, and abduction and forced recruitment of large numbers of people, including children." Deliberating for more than 12 months, they waded through 50,000-plus pages of testimony and examined more than 1,500 exhibits. Sierra Leone remains one of the most impoverished countries in the world and many of those who survived the civil war still bear its scars. U.S. degree . Taylor remained in power for six years until 2003 when heavy international pressure forced him from office. He lived in exile in Nigeria, where border guards arrested him in 2006 as he was attempting to cross into Chad. Born in 1948, Taylor was the third of 15 children of Americo-Liberian parents, descendants of the freed American slaves who established the Liberian republic in the 19th century. His father sent him to the United States, where he obtained a degree in economics from Bentley College in Massachusetts. He became involved in radical Liberian student politics. Influenced by Marxist and Pan-African ideas, he once advocated burning down the Liberian Embassy in Washington. He earned cash in his spare time working on a production line at a toy factory. He became a teacher and was part of Doe's government in 1980 before being exiled to the United States. In the U.S. he was jailed for allegedly stealing $900,000 in Liberian government funds -- only to escape from a Massachusetts prison, along with four petty criminals, in 1985 after a year in captivity. In 1989, he returned to West Africa and launched a revolt from the Ivory Coast against Doe, an ethnic Krahn who had taken power in a military coup. Taylor's campaign turned into an ethnic conflict, with seven factions fighting for control of the country and its resources -- particularly iron ore, timber and rubber. Taylor's forces included children, often dressed in costumes and blond wigs. Often under the influence of drugs, they were noted for their brutality. | Charles Taylor found guilty by U.N. court of war crimes in Sierra Leone civil war .
He was a pivotal figure in Liberian politics for decades .
He led country during bloody civil war that left 200,000 dead from 1989 .
British supermodel Naomi Campbell appeared as witness for prosecution . |
149,414 | 4d38b2ed2afaedb17fd2ae77467b73e82fc7f4ea | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 05:53 EST, 25 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:14 EST, 25 June 2012 . Controversial: A leaked e-mail from Peter Horrocks, pictured, has asked staff to come up with money-making schemes . The BBC has told its own journalists they must come up with ideas to make the corporation more money, a leaked e-mail has revealed. Management are insisting its 2,400 staff at BBC Worldwide devise cash-generating schemes to present at their staff appraisals, calling into question its future editorial independence. With the BBC already making redundancies and budget cuts, journalists have been told they must: 'exploit new commercial opportunities (and) maximise the value we create with our journalism.' Critics fear that this could lead to them ignoring important stories across the globe in favour of ones that will bring in extra cash. It came as the corporation is being investigated by media watchdog Ofcom, who are looking into how some BBC World News programmes became 'commercially influenced'. BBC bosses have already apologised for these mistakes. Peter Horrocks, the director of BBC Global News, told his journalists that their official appraisals will include an objective section on their ability to generate cash. His leaked e-mail to The Independent says: 'With the income objective, let us know if you have any ideas on how we can strengthen our commercial focus and grow income. 'No matter where you work, you can help meet these objectives. They have been designed to encompass all departments, using strengths and expertise of all members of staff. 'Please use these objectives during your appraisal to talk through with your line manager what these objectives mean to you as an individual and your role in the fulfilment of them.' The move has been branded 'appalling' by former BBC staff and union leaders, who say the BBC's editorial independence could be compromised, especially in areas like China and India. Regrettable move: Former correspondent and MP Martin Bell says the BBC is not a money-making organisation . BBC World already sells adverts on its TV channel as well as on BBC.com, an international version of its news website. Former war reporter and MP Martin Bell told the Independent: 'The BBC is not a money-making organisation. It is mostly a money-spending organisation. I find this a regrettable move.' John Tusa, who was managing director of the World Service for seven years, said to the paper: 'The notion that as a journalist you are having to think about how you can sell or turn your output into money is just so wide of the mark. If he [Horrocks] pushes it too far he can start to undermine the values of trust on which the BBC World Service news has existed for 80-odd years. It sounds like management gobbledy-gook.' Anger: Burmese politician Aung San Suu Kyi visits the BBC World Service last week, but people fear a move towards commercialism could compromise its output . Michelle Stanistreet, the general secretary of the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), added it was a 'shocking development' that threatened the 'ethos at the heart of public service broadcasting.' The BBC today denied to MailOnline that the plans would compromise its integrity. 'It is not true that the BBC's international journalists are being 'ordered to make money,' a spokesman said. 'The job of the BBC's journalists will always remain providing impartial, independent news and there are no specific commercial targets for frontline journalists. 'The BBC’s public service mission to provide impartial and independent news will always takes precedence over wider commercial goals and nothing in this email suggests any different. 'The BBC's international news services such as BBC World News and BBC.com already have a long tradition of generating commercial income to reinvest in independent public service journalism and these objectives simply aimed to reflect that.' | BBC World boss Peter Horrocks tells 2,400 staff to 'exploit new commercial opportunities' and present them at their appraisals .
Critics say the BBC's integrity and editorial independence would be completely compromised by the move .
Former war reporter Martin Bell says: 'The BBC is not a money-making organisation'
BBC admits e-mail is genuine but tells MailOnline 'impartial, independent news will always come first' |
173,433 | 6c72634da675a3ac0ee0613c4981bfa6d1f35457 | By . Reuters Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:49 EST, 13 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:11 EST, 13 July 2012 . Recovered? Google CEO Larry Page was back in the office on Monday, after being absent from the public eye since last month . Google Chief Executive Larry Page was back in the office on Monday after being absent from the company's biggest public events for weeks. Page was taking meetings at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt said. Schmidt spoke to reporters at the annual Allen & Co conference in Sun Valley, Idaho on Thursday. He would not go into details but said the CEO was 'doing much better', adding that Page ran his meeting on Monday. 'He is talking, but talking softly,' Schmidt said. Page has stayed out of the public eye since last month, when he was a no-show at an annual shareholders' meeting after having 'lost his voice,' Schmidt explained at the time. Page, who apart from being CEO is also one of the company's largest shareholders, is also expected to skip the company's post-earnings conference call next week. His prolonged absence has raised questions about the health of the 39-year-old Google co-founder and the mystery condition affecting his voice. He reassured employees about his health in June but little light was shed on the condition affecting his voice that side-lined him from high-profile events. In an email Page told colleagues that there was 'nothing seriously wrong with me,' according to a source who had seen an internal staff memo. The 39-year-old Google co-founder sat out his company's annual shareholders' meeting because he had 'lost his voice,' according to Google Executive Chairman Eric Schmidt, who informed attendees of the news at the start of the event. The condition also caused Page to miss Google's annual developer conference as well as its quarterly results announcement. Missing: Google CEO Larry Page speaks during a press announcement at Google's headquarters in New York, on May 21, 2012 but has not been seen much since . Back in the office: Page was taking meetings at Google headquarters in Mountain View, California (pictured) Page continues to run Google's . business, but has been asked to rest his voice, according to a Google . spokeswoman. The company declined further comment on his condition. His . unexplained absence from the public spotlight comes at a time investors . are keen to hear the company's thinking in getting into hardware with . the Nexus 7 tablet and taking on the likes of Amazon.com Inc's Kindle . Fire, and eventually Apple Inc's iPad. The7-inch . tablet, made by Taiwan's Asustek, is expected to help funnel mobile . users to Google's online trove of content, including YouTube. Online . pre-sales on Google Play and select retailers' websites such as Office . Depot's have commenced, with the first tablets expected to arrive next . week. Demand 'was immense in the first week,' Schmidt said, without giving details. Page's . absence also raises questions about his condition, and the company's . obligation to disclose issues of concern to shareholders. Mystery: Page's lengthy absence has been put down to him having 'lost his voice' but few details have been released . Corporate governance experts say . Google has met minimal disclosure requirements but will face increasing . pressure while Page remains out of sight. On Friday, Google's shares rose 1.1 per cent to $571.48, lifted along with the rest of the Nasdaq. 'It . gets them over the first disclosure hurdle, that is they've alerted . shareholders to the fact he's going to have this health effect,' said . James Post, a professor of management at Boston University who . specializes in corporate governance issues. 'The tough questions still lie ahead, and there will be continued pressure to keep answering those tough questions.' While . many people, including senior business executives, prefer to keep . health matters private, public company CEOs have responsibilities to a . 'wide set of constituents, some of whom have a legitimate claim to know . about material information,' said Post. Sick leave: The 39-year-old Google co-founder will miss the company's post-earnings conference call next week . The issue came to the fore several . years ago when Apple Inc was criticized for being less than forthright . about the health of CEO Steve Jobs, who died in October after a long . struggle with pancreatic cancer. 'With the concerns over Steve Jobs, . people are quick to jump to a conclusion that may not be the right . conclusion to jump to,' said Needham & company analyst Kerry Rice. Page's . health could be regarded as an especially significant issue because he, . along with Schmidt and co-founder Sergey Brin, have majority control of . the Internet company through special voting shares. Wall . Street analysts mostly took the news of Page's extended absence in . stride, though some expressed concern about the lack of information. Honesty: Apple Inc was criticized for being less than forthright about the health of CEO Steve Jobs, who died in October after a long struggle with pancreatic cancer . 'It's the number one thing I'm . concerned about today just because there's so little data available,' said BGC Partners analyst Colin Gillis. JP Morgan analyst Doug Anmuth noted that Page has not posted any messages to his Google+ profile since May 25. NAME: Larry Page . AGE: 39 . EDUCATION: Bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan, master's degree from Stanford University, on leave from Ph.D. program at Stanford. PERSONAL: Married to Lucy Southworth. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE: Took over as Google Inc.'s CEO in April 2011, having left the post in 2001 to become Google's president of products. Co-founded Google in 1998 with Sergey Brin and served as founding CEO. NET WORTH: $19 billion, according to Forbes magazine. Source: AP . 'We have no specific reason to think there is anything more to Larry's condition, but we find it odd that the company would already rule him out of the 2Q call, which is likely still a few weeks away,' Anmuth wrote to clients at the time. 'This could raise some questions among investors.' Simon Best, a head and neck surgery specialist at the Johns Hopkins Voice Center, said most cases where a doctor might order a patient to rest their voice involved either a vocal cord haemorrhage, or throat surgery of some sort. 'We actually very rarely put people on complete voice rest where they are not cleared to talk or allowed to talk,' West said. 'There are probably some practice differences between physicians and whoever is treating him, but there are only two scenarios where we put people on voice rest: if they've had vocal cord surgery, or if they've had a vocal cord haemorrhage.' Best, who has not treated Page, said haemorrhages were easily treatable, but a wide variety of conditions might necessitate surgery. During the shareholder meeting in June, Google's Schmidt tried to lighten the situation by relaying comments that co-founder Brin Sergey had made about Page's condition: 'has said that this problem will make Larry a better CEO because he's going to have to choose his words very carefully.' The world's No. 1 search engine generated $38 billion in revenue last year. But with consumers spending more time on social networking services such as Facebook and Twitter, and increasingly accessing the Web on smartphones instead of PCs, investors are trying to figure out how Google's business will be affected. In May, Google acquired smartphone maker Motorola Mobility for $12.5 billion. | Google CEO Larry Page was back in the office on Monday running meetings .
Has been out of the public eye since last month, missing an annual shareholder's meeting .
Executive Chairman said he is doing 'much better'
Will still miss Google's post-earnings conference call next week . |
272,863 | ed669d7f872f1d7f044d74b208555e6c6461db30 | Margaret Thatcher was one of the defining personalities of the 20th century. In diplomacy, economics, society and as a woman, she had enormous impact at home and abroad. The test of a statesman is whether he or she changes the political weather. Thatcher, who won an unprecedented three consecutive general elections, certainly did that as UK prime minister from 1979 to 1990. What do you think about the loss of Britain's 'Iron Lady'? Share your thoughts on CNN iReport . But Thatcher not only changed the philosophy of her own party, the right-leaning Conservatives, she also forced other parties to change their whole approach to politics. Since Thatcher, all British mainstream parties have been believers, more or less, in the market economy. No other British politician during the second half of the 20th century had his or her own "ism" -- but Margaret Thatcher did with "Thatcherism," defined by some as the application of a housewife's home budgeting to the national economy, coupled with the encouragement of home ownership and entrepreneurial capitalism. Her first achievement, easily forgotten now, was to go as far as she did in politics as a woman: She was, after all, the UK's first female prime minister. It was much harder then, and the best she had hoped for when she started her political career was to become chief finance minister as Chancellor of the Exchequer. When she entered 10 Downing Street, the prime minister's official residence, Thatcher headed a Cabinet in which most ministers had voted for her predecessor Edward Heath. Soon, in scribbled comments on the margins of Cabinet papers, the prime minister derided as "wets" those fellow ministers who were aghast at the budgets driven through by herself and Chancellor Geoffrey Howe. Her colleagues and advisers told her that she could not reform the trades' unions that had brought the country to its knees during the 1970s through industrial action and seen off the previous Conservative government. Only governments run by Labour - the Conservatives' main rivals for power -- could do that, they said. But Thatcher brought the unions under control and no government since has reversed the measures she took. Diplomats and ambassadors told her she could not get back from the European Union what she liked to refer to as "our money," the contribution paid by the UK as part of its membership of Europe. But Thatcher "handbagged" her way through European summits till the UK secured a unique budget rebate which no prime minister has dared to negotiate away ever since. Unafraid to go to war, at home and in the Falklands . Above all, advisers told her there was no prospect of fighting a far-away war and winning back the Falklands Islands after Argentina's invasion in 1982 -- but she did. As the late Washington diplomat Lawrence Eagleburger later confirmed, it was U.S. officials' fear of her personal wrath which brought crucial intelligence help from Washington. With her program of selling off homes rented to tenants by regional councils and the privatization of state-controlled industries, Thatcher founded popular capitalism in Britain. Nobody would understand what was meant by "Heathism" or "Wilsonianism" or even "Blairism," all creeds associated with previous prime ministers. But the British people still have a clear idea of what Thatcherism was all about. Thatcher took power in a period when most commentators and politicians had accepted that the only role for Britain was the least painful management possible of gentle decline. Instead, she restored a sense of national pride and purpose, enabling Britain to continue punching above its weight in international affairs. By taking on the power of the trades' unions, many say she gave managements back the power to manage. But in her revolutionary march through the institutions of British society, she didn't go as far as many Thatcher zealots would have liked, especially when it came to introducing the open market to health and education services. WATCH: Falklands War clouds Thatcher's legacy . Soviets respected her as 'The Iron Lady' Overseas, Thatcher became a true power broker on the international scene, seeing Russia's President Mikhail Gorbachev as a man with whom she could "do business" and re-charging her ideological batteries in exchanges with U.S. President Ronald Reagan. The "Iron Lady," as the Moscow media christened her, became a world figure. Her fondness for Ronald Reagan did not stop her bawling him out in 1983 when he allowed American forces to invade Grenada, a member of the Commonwealth, or telling him off for (in her view) conceding too much to Gorbachev in arms negotiations. But she engendered respect rather than love, especially when she fought the rest of the Commonwealth by opposing economic sanctions against the apartheid regime in South Africa. The authority she gained did not mean there were not mistakes along the way. Some economists blame her governments for wrecking British manufacturing. They say it was under Thatcher's financial ministers that chronic underspending on Britain's public services created problems that are still being rectified today. Critics contend that hers was not a tolerant society and she ensured that Britain's role in Europe become that of permanent irritant rather than profitable partner. Aided and abetted by sections of the media, it seemed Thatcher came to believe in the myth of her own invincibility. That was what led her into mistakes including the poll tax -- a charge that saw dukes and domestic cleaners paying the same local dues -- and increasingly shrill anti-Europeanism, which alarmed even her own party and eventually led them to discard a leader who had won them three consecutive elections. U.S. political figures react to Lady Thatcher's death . Proud but isolated . Thatcher's vote-winning drive had forced Britain's other parties to change their thinking to remain in touch with the electorate. But when the poll tax - a levy on individuals -- and her "no, no, no" response to Europe frightened her party into dumping her in 1990, they woke up the next morning and felt guilty about what they had done to their one-time heroine. Many Tories then adopted Euro-skepticism as a badge of loyalty to the discarded leader and made the party virtually unleadable under Thatcher's successor John Major. As her friend the novelist Jeffrey Archer put it, this turned the Conservative party into the only known example of a "circular firing squad." The appealing certainties of a "conviction politician" had turned a party that had been interested previously in the gaining and retention of power into an ideological sect more concerned with winning arguments than elections. During Thatcher's party leadership she purged her team of moderates who backed previous leaders like Ted Heath as well as other doubters. She quarreled with other strong figures like Chancellor Nigel Lawson and leadership rival Michael Heseltine, and she sought compliant government officials, inquiring in advance of key Civil Service appointments: "Is he one of us?" By the time she fell out with Howe, provoking him to deliver a ministerial resignation speech which began her own downfall, he was the only survivor of her first Cabinet. Thatcher's strength and drive made her an icon to conservatives in many parts of the world, especially in eastern Europe. She possessed the certainties of a tabloid newspaper editor, and her eagerness to see the power of central government reduced even made her a heroine to some of today's Tea Party enthusiasts in the United States. Few European politicians since have been so capable of drawing an American audience. The irony though is that while her election results show the pull she exerted through her strong leadership, her populist streak and her raising of the British profile, many Britons never really identified with the underlying values of the woman who became, both in her time as prime minister and in the years to come, a national icon. | Margaret Thatcher was the UK's first female prime minister .
She had changed the philosophy of the Conservatives as well other parties .
Thatcher founded popular capitalism in Britain .
Her strength made her an icon to conservatives in many parts of the world . |
130,870 | 353ee7d5aace6d7fb1e3d8886b1af6c750188c4a | By . Jonathan Petre . PUBLISHED: . 17:16 EST, 23 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:40 EST, 23 November 2013 . Anger: Labour councillor Steven Bayes is said to be furious after being arrested for gross indecency . The deputy chairman of the Co-op group’s board of directors was once arrested in a Belfast hotel room with his then teenage boyfriend for suspected gross indecency. Labour councillor Steven Bayes, who had been tipped to succeed Lord Prescott as a Hull MP before the incident, was detained because his partner was under the legal age of consent at the time. The disclosure came as Co-op members yesterday voiced their concerns about the company at a meeting in York following the scandal over Paul Flowers. But Co-op spokesmen said no criticisms of board members were discussed during the North Area Committee meeting, attended by about 70 delegates. Mr Bayes, a long-standing Hull city councillor, was held on suspicion of gross indecency and other offences when police raided the Holiday Inn hotel where he was staying in 2007. The former chairman of the Humberside Police Authority was in the city with his 17-year-old partner Dale Martin, whom he had met on the internet. At the time the age of consent for gay sex in the province was 18, though it has subsequently been reduced to 16 to fall in line with the rest of the UK. The Public Prosecution Service decided to take no action, saying it was not in the public interest. But Mr Bayes was suspended by the Labour Party in Hull for several months and withdrew from the process of selecting a successor to former Deputy Prime Minister Lord Prescott, who stepped down as MP for Hull East in 2010. The openly gay councillor and Mr Martin, with whom he now lives, tried to take legal action against the police and prosecution authorities in Northern Ireland, saying their actions had been discriminatory and breached their rights to privacy. But their bid for a judicial review failed, largely because of delays in applying for it. Mr Bayes, 52, later criticised the police handling of the case, which had included searches of his home, the Guildhall in Hull and the House of Commons where he had worked as a researcher for an MP. He was quoted as saying: ‘The police just came in with their big stomping feet all over everything and didn’t look at it, bearing in mind the law was changing.’ Mr Bayes, who was paid £34,000 last year for his work for the Co-op, joined the board in 2009. Work: Mr Bayes, who joined the co-op board in 2009, earned £34,000 for his work last year (library image) Yesterday’s North Area Committee meeting in York reflected the growing unrest in the company over the revelations about Flowers, with an item headed the The Current Situation Facing The Co-operative Group. One delegate standing for election to the committee wrote in the agenda: ‘Recent activity has resulted in diminishing the Co-op brand and I believe our Boards now need new, proactive members.’ But a reporter from this newspaper was told he could not attend the event, despite the public interest. Regional secretary Ed Powell said: ‘We have nothing to hide but it is a private meeting.’ In response to questions about the content of the agenda, he said: ‘The situations facing the Co-op are well publicised in the media. ‘We are going to speak to our members about the various situations facing the Co-op including concerns of the members. ‘Otherwise it is a training and development meeting held twice a year, which is in the diary.’ He refused to comment on Mr Bayes. The programme included a warning to delegates from Mark Craig, the director of corporate relations, not to speak to the media, saying: ‘It is clearly essential that you adhere to the Group’s Code of Conduct at all times.’ He added: ‘We anticipate further media coverage. We are mindful of the need to communicate with elected members and plan to do so early next week.’ Co-op spokesman Russ Brady said: ‘It is a private meeting but the members will want to sit down and discuss among themselves their fears and feelings and talk about the allegations. One of the benefits of the Co-op as an organisation is that they will have the opportunity to do this.’ He said the revelations had been like ‘shock and awe’ and ‘the worst week of my career’ but added that ‘the Co-op does a great many things which are of benefit to the community’. Delegates leaving the meeting at the Novotel in York last night declined to comment in detail. One said: ‘We’ve had a very good day. Very positive.’ Another replied: ‘A good day – we’re getting it sorted out.’ The Co-op said: ‘There were no charges brought against Mr Bayes so there is no comment.’ Last night Mr Bayes could not be reached for comment. | Councillor Steven Bayes tipped to succeed Lord Prescott as a Hull MP .
Detained because his male partner was under the legal age of consent .
Held on suspicion of gross indecency when police raided Holiday Inn where he was staying in 2007 .
Public Prosecution Service took no action as it 'not in the public interest' |
160,438 | 5b693ec02dc753fc0a1bfd727dbe9fc3c0c2c434 | Divorced parents are often in denial about how badly the break-up has damaged their children, a survey has found. More than three quarters believed their children had ‘coped well’ – even though just 18 per cent of youngsters said they were happy with the situation. Many parents fail to notice that their children are turning to drink and drugs, or even considering suicide, the poll found. Some were insensitive enough to break the news of the divorce to their children by text. A Netmums survey has revealed that parents underestimate the impact divorce has on their children . One in five of the children polled felt there was no point confiding in either their mother or father because they were ‘too wrapped up in themselves’. The survey, by parenting website Netmums, polled about 1,000 divorced parents and 100 children aged eight to 18 from broken homes. Three quarters of adults believed their children had 'coped well' while just 18 per cent of children said they felt happy . Although it featured only a relatively small pool of youngsters, a stark picture emerged of the struggles that many of them face when coping with their parents’ break-up. One in 20 had turned to alcohol and one in nine had deliberately wounded themselves. A further 6 per cent had considered suicide, while two of those polled had tried to kill themselves. Almost a third described themselves as devastated by divorce, while one in 12 thought that it meant their mothers and fathers ‘didn’t love them’ and had ‘let them down’. But despite the damage wrought by their parents splitting, few children felt able to speak openly and honestly about their emotions. Nearly 40 per cent said they hid their feelings from their parents because they did not want to upset them. Many children felt forced to look after their mothers and fathers as the relationship broke down, and 35 per cent claimed that one parent had tried to turn them against the other. To make things worse, parents often vastly underestimated the impact of their behaviour on their sons and daughters, the survey found. Only 8 per cent admitted trying to turn their children against their partner. And just 10 per cent said their children had seen them fighting – even though 31 per cent of youngsters told of witnessing rows. One in ten knew their children were hiding their true feelings about the divorce but fewer than one per cent were aware of them drinking, self harming or taking drugs to cope. Meanwhile, just 5 per cent guessed their children blamed themselves for the split – even though 13 per cent of youngsters admitted feeling this way. One in ten parents thought their offspring were actually ‘relieved’ they had left their partner. Children felt unable to talk about their emotions, with 40 per cent saying they hid their feeling from parents . The survey found the most common way to break the news about the divorce was for mothers to tell their children face-to-face. But 13 per cent of youngsters had heard the revelation during a row and one per cent had been told about it by text. Once the parents had decided to break up, two in five of those polled said they left that day, with 18 per cent leaving the family home within a week. In many cases, they never returned. Almost a quarter of youngsters said that they had not seen their father since the split. Both the parents and children polled wanted better support during the separation, such as counselling and the opportunity to talk to someone outside the family. The findings have been released ahead of January 6, dubbed D-Day, as the day that many couples, struggling after a stressful family Christmas, finally file for divorce. Almost a third described themselves as devastated by divorce, while one in 12 thought that it meant their mothers and fathers 'didn¿t love them' and had 'let them down' Netmums founder Siobhan Freegard called for parents to talk more to their children about their feelings. ‘Divorce may be a little word but it has a huge effect,’ she said. ‘It’s estimated that one in three children see their parents separate before the age of 16. ‘While experts acknowledge it is better to come from a broken family than live in one, this research shows not enough is being done to support youngsters through the break-up process. ‘While divorce may be the best thing for many families, we have to ensure children are helped to understand the split isn’t their fault and that they are still loved.’ | Netmums survey reveals parents deluding themselves about divorce .
Three quarters thought children 'coped well', only fifth of youngsters agreed .
One in 20 from broken homes turned to alcohol, nine per cent self-harmed .
One in six considered suicide while two had actually tried to kill themselves . |
149,412 | 4d38737ed98a2d3123d646f3f6711ad0d13637af | Alice Lee, the sister of the famous To Kill A Mockingbird author and an influential Alabama lawyer and church leader in her own right, has died. Miss Alice, as she was known, died on Monday according to an online notice posted by Johnson Funeral Home in Monroeville, the south Alabama home of Alice and Harper Lee. No cause of death was given, and the announcement said arrangements are as yet incomplete. Alice Lee, the sister of the famous To Kill A Mockingbird author and an influential Alabama lawyer and church leader in her own right, has died at the age of 103 in Monroeville, Alabama . Alice Lee's younger sister Harper, left, wrote the novel To Kill A Mockingbird. It was released in 1960 and won the Pulitzer Prize . Lee was 103 and had practiced law until just a few years ago. For a time she was Alabama's oldest practicing attorney. She was also active for years as a leader in the United Methodist Church in south Alabama, which has an award named in her honor. Though her younger sister famously stopped granting interviews in 1964, Alice Lee spoke to PBS about five years ago for a documentary about her famous sibling. Miss Alice was already 15 years old when her sister Harper Nelle was born. Throughout her life she helped guard the privacy of her sister, who in 1961 won the Pulitzer Prize for her novel about racial injustice in the South. Harper drew back from the public eye in the 1960s because ‘as time went on, she said reporters began taking too many liberties with what she said,’ said Miss Alice in the documentary. Until a few years ago Alice Lee had practiced law and had been Alabama's oldest practicing attorney . During her many years as a lawyer, Miss Alice's office was located on the upper floor of the Monroeville bank where the original manuscript of her sister’s famed novel was locked in the vaults. In the PBS documentary, called Hey Boo, she said there was no one secret in particular to her longevity – only that she lived ‘day by day’ and ‘doesn’t do anything to bring on dying.’ At the time of the interview, Miss Alice was 98 and nearly deaf. Even so, she told of her young life in Alabama, and how the Great Depression delayed her slightly when becoming a lawyer. Her father encouraged her to join his firm after she passed the bar in 1943. She asked how a woman would be received in a small law office, to which her father responded: ‘You never know until you try.’ Harper Lee, was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President George W Bush in 2007, but soon after suffered a stroke that has left her in a wheelchair and partially paralyzed . Harper Lee's lone published novel, released in 1960, tells the story of small-town lawyer Atticus Finch, his two children and the struggle against racial prejudice and injustice in the Jim Crow South. The book details the goings on in the fictitious sleepy town of Maycomb, Alabama between 1932 and 1935. It is told through the eyes of Jean Louise ‘Scout’ Finch, who is a knowledgeable six-year-old tomboy who has the mind of a child but the understanding of an adult. Among other things, the story details the trial of a black man accused of rape by a white woman. Scout’s father, Atticus Finch, represented Tom Robinson, a 25-year-old farm worker. Though Tom was obviously innocent, he was convicted by the all-white jury and was shot dead while trying to escape from prison. The 1962 movie adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird starred Gregory Peck as Atticus Finch and Brock Peters as Tom Robinson. It won three Academy Awards . The novel is considered an American classic and is often taught in schools, teaching students important lessons about race, prejudice, misrepresentation, and the loss of childhood. Ironically, winning the Pulitzer caused the friendship between Harper and famous writer Truman Capote to deteriorate. Capote, it was said, was the model for Charles Baker ‘Dill’ Harris, the best friend of Scout and Jem. Dill spent much of the novel trying to get reclusive Boo Radley out of his house. He was jealous that Harper's work received the ultimate prize, and his did not. The book was also turned into a 1962 movie of the same name, which starred Gregory Peck and Robert Duvall, and which won three Academy Awards. Harper Lee, now 88, suffered a stroke in 2007 which has left her in a wheelchair and partially paralyzed. She lives in Monroeville after years of splitting her time between the town of 28,000 and New York. Harper Lee and Gregory Peck on the set of the movie adaptation of her famous book . | Alice Lee was an influential Alabama lawyer and church leader in her own right .
The older sister of Harper Lee, she helped guard her sibling's privacy after she stopped speaking to the media in the early 1960s .
She passed the bar in 1943 and entered into her father's legal business in Monroeville .
Mockingbird, Harper Lee's only novel, tackled racial injustice in the South and won the Pulitzer Prize .
Harper Lee, now 88, suffered a stroke in 2007 which has left her in a wheelchair and partially paralyzed . |
14,693 | 29a701f861b459c945fbea68b009560babca9527 | Warning: Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe says forthcoming cuts in police budgets will endanger the public unless ‘radical action’ is taken . The public will be put at risk unless police forces merge to save costs, Britain’s most senior officer warned last night. Scotland Yard commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe called for the traditional landscape of policing to be ripped up, replacing 43 forces across England and Wales with nine regional ‘super forces’. He has warned that forthcoming cuts in police budgets will endanger the public unless ‘radical action’ is taken. Setting out his blueprint for reform, he said there has been a shift in the types of crime that officers deal with, and offences such as cybercrime and online child sexual exploitation often transcend force boundaries. Echoing a recent report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary which said forces were stuck in a time warp, using out-dated methods to deal with modern-day offences, Sir Bernard said that criminals are moving from the shotgun robberies of the past to more sophisticated offences – and police need to catch up. ‘There’s a bigger risk to public safety if we don’t take radical action,’ he said. ‘We’ve saved hundreds of millions already, but from 2016 onwards it will be much harder.’ Eight years ago, the Labour government tried unsuccessfully to streamline the number of forces in England and Wales. But since then there have been renewed calls to consider the idea. The Commissioner’s intervention comes as Home Secretary Theresa May faces MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee today. She will be questioned about cuts after the chief of Lincolnshire police warned last week that his force would be out of business if budgets shrink. On Wednesday, the Home Office will tell forces about more cuts, with police fearing they will be bigger than the 20 per cent reductions suffered since 2010. The Commissioner’s intervention comes as Home Secretary Theresa May faces MPs on the Home Affairs Select Committee today . Police chiefs have warned that the scale of the cuts to come could see neighbourhood policing decimated and patrols axed amid fears there might only be enough officers to respond to emergencies. Sir Bernard cited domestic abuse as an example where many agencies can be involved in a case. ‘Society’s ability to reduce abuse is much more than a policing issue,’ he said. ‘It’s about a range of agencies – from social services to mental health – having the capacity to intervene early. If we retrench in isolation, the risks to public safety can only increase.’ He warned that police could lose council-funded CCTV cameras because local authorities face further tough spending cuts. Police chiefs have warned that the scale of the cuts to come could see neighbourhood policing decimated and patrols axed . ‘We have to have a shared view of the risks to public safety, from countering terrorism to child protection,’ he said. ‘We need to be transparent about these risks with the public, politicians and the media, so we can together make informed choices about our priorities. 'Our partners face their own cost pressures, and the big concern is that if we don’t work together, with a shared view of the risks, public safety will suffer.’ Officer numbers in London have been kept at 32,000 so far, but levels will have to drop as the Yard loses a third of its budget by 2020. Of the £800million in new cuts, the most optimistic private assessment is the Met can save £400million, leaving it to find another £400million by 2020. | UK's most senior officer says new budget cuts require 'radical action'
He claims police needs to catch-up with the changing nature of crime .
Others claim scale of cuts to come could decimate neighbourhood policing . |
141,534 | 43024e71a21dc5d3d3cdcc7d810889ada0611af9 | (CNN) -- American technology pioneer John McAfee said he faked a heart attack while detained in Guatemala to buy time for his attorney to file a series of appeals that ultimately prevented his deportation to Belize, hastening the government's decision to send him back to the United States. After weeks on the run and days in immigration detention, McAfee arrived in Miami on Wednesday. He said Belize authorities in April 2011 accused him of running a methamphetamine lab, before the November 11 killing of his neighbor, American businessman Gregory Faull, and have since persecuted him. "I have absolutely nothing to do with the murder in Belize," he said Thursday. "This is not about a murder in Belize. This began on the 30th of April of last year when 42 armed soldiers stormed my property." Mystery follows McAfee to Miami . After weeks in hiding, the 67-year-old antivirus software company founder emerged in Guatemala's capital last week to ask for asylum. Guatemalan authorities took him into custody on accusations of entering the country illegally, and his asylum bid was rejected. McAfee then waged a public battle, requesting asylum and arguing that police in Belize were after him following his apparent decision to shed light on corruption in the country. He also said the breach resulted in Belize soldiers shooting his dog. CNN cannot independently verify his account. "He opted to return to his country of origin," said attorney Telesforo Guerra, who has represented McAfee since he arrived in Guatemala last week. On Sunday, McAfee told reporters that he hoped to go back to the United States. "Our intent is to return to America, if at all possible, and settle down to whatever normal life we can settle down to under the circumstances," he said. "There is no hope for my life if I am ever returned to Belize." Authorities in Belize, where McAfee had lived since 2008, say they want to talk to him about Faull's death. McAfee's home on Ambergris Caye, an island off Belize's mainland, was raided after Faull's death. National police spokesman Raphael Martinez said authorities went into the house amid suspicions there were illicit weapons and drugs inside, but neither were found. | NEW: Belize authorities want to talk to McAfee, a spokesman says .
He's been on the run since his Belize neighbor was found dead November 11 .
McAfee has said Belize authorities are corrupt and have been trying to get him .
After being on the run and in immigration detention, he arrived in Miami on Wednesday . |
270,633 | ea80e5c8571be62398910e4a7d08e46f8a21c89f | Home Secretary Theresa May left rank and file officers in shock today - after launching a furious assault on the police . The Tory minister, speaking at the Police Federation's annual conference in Bournemouth, accused officers of treating the public with 'contempt' over the way they treated victims of abuse and domestic violence. She also announced that she was scrapping all Police Federation funding because the organisation sits on 'vast reserves' of cash worth tens of millions of pounds. Mrs May's intervention came as a fourth police officer was sacked over the Downing Street 'plebgate' row involving the former Tory Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell. Theresa May, addressing the Police Federation's conference in Bournemouth today, launched a furious assault on officers' behaviour and accused them of holding the public in 'contempt' Theresa May's bombshell attack came as a it emerged another police officer has been sacked following the investigation into the Downing Street 'plebgate' row. Susan Johnson, a serving PC with the diplomatic protection group - which mans the gates in Downing Street - was dismissed today for gross misconduct. The 'plebgate' row erupted after Cabinet Minister Andrew Mitchell launched into a foul-mouthed outburst when he was denied permission to cycle through the main gate at Downing Street on September 19, 2012. Mr Mitchell and the gate officer at the time PC Toby Rowland gave conflicting accounts of what happened. The officer claiming Mr Mitchell used the word 'pleb', something Mr Mitchell has always denied. Scotland Yard said a person 'closely connected' to PC Johnson, who was not on duty at the time of the incident in Downing Street, contacted The Sun newspaper the day after the incident. Another officer, PC Gillian Weatherley, was sacked at the end of April over leaks to the press linked to the row. She was on duty in Downing Street on the day of the confrontation. Four officers have now been sacked over the scandal. Scotland Yard today confirmed one further gross misconduct case remained. Mrs May warned the Federation, which represents ordinary police officers, that it was time for them to 'face up to reality' and change their ways. The sustained assault left one officer complaining that he had never had 'such an attack and a personal kicking' in his 21 years in the police. Mrs May said she was determined to change the way officers behave and announced that she was willing to grant the police watchdog, the Independent Police Complaints Commission, more powers to investigate corrupt PCs. She said: 'It cannot be right when officers under investigation by the IPCC comply with the rules by turning up for interview but then refuse to cooperate and decline to answer questions.' The minister said this behaviour 'is often encouraged by the Federation'. She said this revealed an attitude 'far removed from the principles of public service felt by the majority of police officers'. Mrs May added: 'It is the same attitude exposed by HMIC when officers, called to help a woman who had suffered domestic violence, accidentally recorded themselves calling the victim a “slag” and a “bitch”. 'It is the same attitude expressed when young black men ask the police why they are being stopped and searched and are told it is “just routine” even though according to the law, officers need “reasonable grounds for suspicion”. 'It is an attitude that betrays contempt for the public these officers are supposed to serve – and every police officer in the land, every single police leader, and everybody in the Police Federation should confront it and expunge it from the ranks.' She said 'it is not enough to mouth platitudes about a few bad apples' in the face of a slew of high profile scandals that have hit the police. Mrs May said a third of the public do not trust officers to tell the truth. During questions and answers, one Police Federation representative, who said he had served as an officer for 21 years, told the Home Secretary: 'I've never had such an attack and a personal kicking from what you said there.' He added: 'We all accept we need to change. We want to do that. We do not need to be politicised.' 'You're threatening to bully us,' he said. Earlier, delegates heard from outgoing chairman of the Police Federation Steve Williams, who said the organisation was 'more than stories about plebgate'. The chairman, whose successor is expected to be chosen on Friday, told the Home Secretary said that members are 'deeply concerned' that officer numbers are falling across the country in the face of 20 per cent budget cuts, and claimed that staff levels were falling close to those in the 1980s. Despite previous claims that he had been bullied out of his role, he received a long round of applause at the end of his final annual address. The Government has already reduced the Police Federation's funding from £320,000 to £190,000 a year. But in a speech to around 2,000 officers Mrs May said: 'I can announce today that this funding will be stopped altogether from August.' The Federation came under fire earlier this year for having tens of millions of pounds stashed in unregulated accounts. There were murmurs through the audience after Mrs May told members: 'It is not acceptable that when the Federation is sitting on vast reserves worth tens of millions of pounds, it is in receipt of public funds to pay for salaries and expenses of the chairman, general secretary and treasurer. 'We have already said we would reduce this spending from £320,000 to £190,000 per year but I can announce today that this funding will be stopped altogether from August. 'Instead, the money will go into a new fund to accelerate the introduction of Police First - a new scheme designed to attract the brightest young university graduates into the police.' The Home Secretary also announced that officers will no longer automatically become members of the federation, and instead will have to opt in. Earlier, the Home Secretary told police officers who question the need for change to 'face up to reality'. Tory MP Andrew Mitchell was accused of calling Downing Street police officers 'plebs' but angrily denied the accusation. He claims the police conspired to bring him down in a bid to damage the Government . Mrs May listed a string of damning controversies faced by forces across the country including the findings of the Hillsborough Independent Panel and the so-called plebgate row . She said: 'If there's anybody in this hall who doubts that our model of policing is at risk, if there is anybody who underestimates the damage recent events and revelations have done to the relationship between the public and the police, if anybody here questions the need for the police to change, I am here to tell you that it's time to face up to reality.' In a forceful speech, Mrs May told members if the Federation does not change and accept reforms recommended by Sir David Normington, it will be forced to do so. She said that she will change the law to allow the Home Office access to the Federation's so-called 'number two' accounts, many of which are currently inaccessible even to the Federation's national leadership. Mrs May said: 'I do not want to have to impose change on you, because I want you to show the public that you want to change. 'I want you to show them that you have the best interests of the police and of the public at heart.' But Mrs May added that she would overhaul the police with or without their support. She said: 'Make no mistake, if you do not make significant progress towards the implementation of the Normington reforms, if the Federation does not start to turn itself around, you must not be under the impression that the Government will let things remain as they are. 'The Federation was created by an Act of Parliament and it can be reformed by an Act of Parliament. If you do not change of your own accord, we will impose change on you.' Mrs May was greeted with silence from audience members as she finished her speech, and no round of applause. The Police Federation, representing 126,000 rank and file officers in England and Wales, has come under sustained attack after being caught up in a series of scandals. An independent review earlier this year said it had lost the trust of ordinary police officers following its high profile and controversial campaign against Government cuts. The Federation had tried to use the 2012 Plebgate row - in which the former Chief Whip Andrew Mitchell was accused of swearing at police officers - to attack the Government. But it then emerged that a witness to the row was a Metropolitan police officer who had lied about what he had seen. The officer, PC Keith Wallis, was jailed for a year in February. Another two officers have been sacked for misconduct over the scandal. The subsequent review into the organisation found it needed change from 'top to bottom' and revealed the existence of secret accounts worth millions of pounds and lavish expenses claims. Chairman Steve Williams then announced he was standing down after being called a dictator and a traitor for trying to reform federation. The scandals surrounding the Federation came as the police as a whole faced growing public anger over cover-ups, corruption and racism allegations. It emerged last year that officers had tried to smear the family of murdered teenager Stephen Lawrence. A review into the murder also revealed shocking evidence of corruption during the original investigation. Officers have also been attacked for their role in the Hillsborough cover up scandal and for allegedly rigging recorded crime statistics to make their performance look better than it actually is. | Tory minister attacks corruption and treatment of women and minorities .
Says public no longer trust police after Hillsborough and 'plebgate'
Condemns public funding for Police Federation as 'unacceptable'
Tells organisation's annual conference it needs to 'face reality' and reform .
Claims Britain's model of policing is 'at risk' amid growing public mistrust .
Comes as a fourth police officer is sacked over Downing Street 'pleb' row . |
148,870 | 4c8226d6b69bedbc1d9b1e8348066598858664de | Carla and Damian Tapping went through five years of heartache, trying to start a family. They even went through a round of NHS fertility treatment, but it was unsucessful. Now, they can finally introduce their new son to the world, and it's all thanks to Asda. They have had the first 'Asda Baby', Louie, thanks to the supermarket's budget IVF treatment, which is £800 cheaper than similar drugs offered by an independent pharmacy. The Asda family: Carla and Damian Tapping have had the first 'Asda Baby', Louie, after five years of infertility heartache, including a failed round of NHS fertility treatment . Happy: Carla, 34, and Damian, 41, are among thousands of desperate couples who have bought discount drugs from the chain . Carla, 34, and Damian, 41, are among thousands . of desperate couples who have bought discount drugs from the chain - in . an attempt to cut the huge cost of private fertility treatment. New mother Mrs Tapping, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, said: 'Louie is here thanks to Asda, and a lot of fundraising from our families.' Infertile . couples face a postcode lottery for NHS treatment, with most trusts . allowing only one cycle, while success for . women under 35 only reach 32.2 per cent. Mrs Tapping added: 'We started trying for a baby and never thought it would be an issue. We were healthy and had good lifestyles.' New mother Mrs Tapping, from Bicester, Oxfordshire, said: 'Louie is here thanks to Asda, and a lot of fundraising from our families' They were given a cycle of IVF on the NHS which required her to take daily injections. Her eggs were harvested, fertilised and put back, but the . agonising treatment failed. They . could not afford the £6,000 needed for private treatment, so faced a future without children, but their fortunes were turned around after they invested in the cut-price treatment. Proud Damian said: 'Thanks for Asda's assistance in completing our family.' Budget: At Asda, one cycle of treatment will cost £1,346.34, compared to £2,151.86 at an independent pharmacy, a saving of £805.52 (file picture) An Asda spokesman said: 'Infertility continues to be the most common reason for women ages 20-45 to see their GP, after pregnancy itself, and affects 3.5 million people in the UK - the equivalent of one in six couples. 'Yet despite the acknowledgement of infertility as a serious medical condition, other retailers have failed to follow in Asda’s pioneering footsteps - an initiative that can help customers save up to 60 per cent per cycle of IVF treatment by purchasing their drugs from Asda Pharmacy. ' At Asda, one cycle of treatment will cost £1,346.34, compared to £2,151.86 at an independent pharmacy, a saving of £805.52. Superdrug will charge £1,686.71 per cycle and Boots, £2,131.89, a whopping 58 per cent more than Asda. | Carla and Damian Tapping tried to start a family for five years .
They even went through a round of NHS fertility treatment, but it failed .
Couple have now had first baby by the supermarket's cheap IVF treatment .
Method is £800 cheaper than the drugs offered by an independent pharmacy . |
214,291 | a1810daa7a9453e3bde9354189230f76236c3798 | (CNN) -- China's star hurdler Liu Xiang bounced back from his Olympic Games disappointment to claim his third successive Asian Games gold medal, but Wednesday's action was marred by a second positive drug test by a Uzbekistani athlete. Liu limped out before his first 110-meters hurdles heat in Beijing two years ago, but has since recovered from an Achilles injury and returned to form on home soil with victory in Guangzhou. The 27-year-old headed off teammate Shi Dongpeng in a record time of 13.09 seconds in front of 80,000 people as he bettered the marks he set in winning in Qatar four years ago and South Korea in 2002. "My coach always has confidence in me. I am confident of myself too. I am quite sure of my form," the former world record holder told the Xinhua news agency. "The Asian Games is important to me, and after that I will focus on the preparation for the 2011 world championships as well as the 2012 London Olympics." Shi clocked a season's best time of 13.38 while South Korea's Park Taek Yong claimed the bronze medal in 13.48. China also won gold in the women's pole vault as Li Caixia claimed her first Asiad title from teammate Li Ling and Japan's Tomomi Abiko. With three days of competition remaining, China leads with 173 gold medals and 352 in total -- beating its previous record of 342 in Beijing 20 years ago. The nation is also on target to beat its unprecedented 183 titles from that same year. Xu Linyin and Wu Penggen won the men's beach volleyball, the women's hockey team triumphed over South Korea, and He Min earned gold in the men's 1m springboard diving and Wu Minxia in the women's event. South Korea is second on 71 as Kim Deok Hyeon won the men's long jump to become the first male from the republic to win an athletics gold. Japan has 36 golds after Tatsuhiro Yonemitsu's win in men's 66kg freestyle wrestling and Rika Usami's victory in women's karate's individual kata. Iran moved up to fourth on 16 after Ehsan Hadadi won the men's discus and wrestler Jamal Mirzaei claimed victory in the men's 84kg freestyle division. Uzbekistan is 11th on five golds after Yuliya Tarasova won the women's heptathlon, but wrestler Jakhongir Muminov followed judoka Shokir Muminov in testing positive for the banned stimulant methylhexaneamine. Jakhongir failed an out-of-competition doping test on November 19, while Shokir -- who is not related -- lost his silver medal last Friday. The duo joined a growing list of international athletes who have tested positive for the drug, which is generally used as a nasal decongestant. | Liu Xiang wins third successive gold at Asian Games, setting another record time .
Hurdler's gold helps China beat Games record total medals with three days to go .
It has 352 overall -- 171 of them gold -- to surpass the mark it set in Beijing in 1990 .
Second competitor from Uzbekistan tests positive for a banned stimulant . |
243,240 | c6cccfca30b99b1a4a40b5edd3d50f3e1061f116 | A pensioner has been left trapped on a life support machine in a Turkish hospital after insurers refused to pay his medical bills. Dennis Gittins, 88, was on holiday in Marmaris earlier this summer when he tragically suffered a stroke that has left him in a coma. His family are now being prevented from flying him home after insurers said they would not pay for his care because he didn't fill in travel insurance forms correctly. Dennis Gittins and his wife Jean were on holiday when Mr Gittins suffered a stroke. He is now stuck in a Turkish hospital after insurers refused to pay for his medical care following a row over forms . Mrs Gittins (pictured, left, and, right, with her husband) says she wants her husband to be returned to the UK so she can visit him in a local hospital . Mr Gittins and his wife Jean, 91, flew out to Turkey more than two weeks ago, but their holiday turned into a nightmare when Dennis collapsed from a stroke in a shop. Mrs Gittins has been forced to fly back to the couple's home in Whiston, Merseyside because she could not afford hotel bills to stay at his bedside. Mr Gittins has meanwhile been left potentially brain dead and his family fear he may not come out of a coma. They want him to be cared for in a British hospital and to end his life here if he does not pull through. But the family have been left angry after Mr Gittins's insurance company, Ageas, said they would pay to fly Mr Gittins home, but would not pay for his care. They claim Mr Gittins did not declare a previous stroke he had suffered when arranging travel insurance, despite Mrs Gittins insistence that he did make the company aware of the issue. Mr Gittins suffered the stroke in a watch shop the couple had visited on a previous holiday (pictured) Mr and Mrs Gittens were visiting the resort of Marmaris (pictured) when he suffered the stroke. His family want him moved back to his local hospital in Whiston, Merseyside but the hospital is refusing to let him leave . The £30,000 bill for the retired policeman's care is now rising by £1,500-a-day, with the hospital refusing to let him leave until the sum is paid. Mrs Gittins said: 'I don't know what to do. They want £30,000, but we don't have that kind of money. They even told his sister to take out a loan to pay for it, but she's 78 and has cancer - we can't do anything.' She added: 'It's very hard, Whiston hospital is only round the corner and I could visit him. We just don't know what's going to happen, and no one will help us. 'We've called MPs, but they haven't called back and the consulate have called but are doing nothing.' Mr Gittins' brother-in-law, Alan McKie, added: 'It's an absolute nightmare, we don't know what to do. My sister is being amazing and keeping so strong, especially considering she's 91. The couple have been married for more than 50 years but the insurance row means they are now hundreds of miles apart . Mrs Gittins (pictured, left, with her husband and, right, on holiday) says does not have the money to pay . 'She realises that he's not going to get better, that he's not going to live. But she wants him to die here. We've contacted the embassy, who told us it was a private matter so they couldn't help us. 'He's been in that hospital for over a week now, everyone's worried sick. We need someone to help us, the bills are just going up every day and the situation's getting worse.' A Foreign Office spokesman said it is providing consular assistance and the hospital confirmed it is speaking with British officials. A spokesman for assistance company Intana Insurance Group, who are handling the claim for Ageas, said: 'As key information relating to Mr Gittins' medical history was not disclosed when purchasing the policy it was not possible to make an accurate assessment of his medical circumstances. 'We are therefore settling this claim based wholly on the medical declarations provided to us.' Mrs Gittins wants her husband flown back to Whiston Hospital, not far from their home, so she can visit him . | Elderly couple went on holiday to Marmaris in Turkey two weeks ago .
But husband collapsed from a stroke and is now on a life-support machine .
Wife, 91, has had to fly back to UK because she cannot afford to stay .
She wants her husband brought back to British hospital so she can visit .
But insurance company say he did not declare a previous stroke on forms . |
15,605 | 2c508c944ba3822a955806f6c22a0ea072e57c3b | (CNN) -- President Obama used the State of the Union address to outline an agenda for the coming year and, more importantly, to define what his goals would be should he be re-elected in November. As Republican presidential candidates engage in a bitter civil war for the nomination to oppose him, Obama has stepped up at this moment to offer a blueprint to strengthen the middle class, diminish inequality and revitalize the economy. Obama has attempted to turn his source of weakness, the laggard condition of the economy, into his strength by going on the offensive about how to make things better. Whereas Mitt Romney and other Republicans have defined Obama's policies as a form of European socialism, Obama has argued that protecting the middle class is the only way to reclaim American values. The final State of the Union address for a first-term president is always a mix of policy and politics. Tuesday night, the president brought together a number of themes that have been shaping his speeches since September. The speech blended some of President Jimmy Carter's harsh realism with President Ronald Reagan's endless optimism. Obama warned of the growing economic divide between the wealthy and the rest of the nation. He spoke about the challenges that middle-class Americans, the backbone of our economy, face every day. Whereas he started his presidency focused on the stability of financial institutions, now he has turned his attention to the stability of American families. He is no longer just talking about economic recovery. The remainder of his time in office, we know now, will be about economic revitalization. "Think about the America within our reach," the president proclaimed, "A country that leads the world in educating its people. An America that attracts a new generation of high-tech manufacturing and high-paying jobs. A future where we're in control of our own energy, and our security and prosperity aren't so tied to unstable parts of the world. An economy built to last, where hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded." Rather than running away from Washington, President Obama embraced the historical value of government. He said: "During the Great Depression, America built the Hoover Dam and the Golden Gate Bridge. After World War II, we connected our states with a system of highways. Democratic and Republican administrations invested in great projects that benefited everybody, from the workers who built them to the businesses that still use them today." The speech is certainly a good start to his re-election effort. It comes at a time when Newt Gingrich's attacks on Mitt Romney have ironically fueled a critical discussion that emerged from Occupy Wall Street about the damaging consequences certain kinds of economic behavior can have and about the inequity of the tax system enabling some Americans to enjoy growing riches when so many others are struggling to get by. Tuesday night Obama put himself squarely on the side of the middle class and economic fairness. But the speech is not a game changer. The truth is that the State of the Union address is not what it used to be. The reality is that fewer Americans are tuned in given the endless menu of cable stations and websites that offer voters something else to see. Moreover, economic conditions are still poor. Even with some signs of progress, unemployment remains extremely high and household security is fragile. If voters are going to make their decision based on the health of the economy, many might very well decide to move toward the GOP. Given how difficult it has been for Congress to handle the most routine decision, voters will be skeptical about President Obama's ability to handle the kinds of issues he discussed in his speech. How can a president and Congress transform the infrastructure of the economy if they can't even pass regular appropriations bills without a high-stakes showdown? A speech about economy and promises of policy are not the same as improved economic conditions. Finally, in our short-attention-span political culture, speeches this far away from the election only have limited effect. What matters will be what the president is saying, what events are taking place, and how the Republicans are doing in September and October. Notwithstanding these limits, the speech is a good start in terms of outlining the issues that President Obama needs to emphasize if he is to excite Democrats and attract independents. Rather than entering in a defensive posture, focusing just on crisis and conflict, President Obama has instead chosen to define the terms of the debate and to offer a positive vision for the future. He has argued that the values of his administration are as American as apple pie. When the Republicans are done squabbling among themselves and select a nominee, they will face the burden of offering a vision of their own rather than simply being the anti-Obama alternative. Then we will find out whether the Obama presidency, like the economy he discussed Tuesday night, is built to last. Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter . Join the conversation on Facebook . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Julian Zelizer. | Julian Zelizer: President Obama's speech outlined a vision for his second term .
He says the president placed emphasis on the economy and on combating inequity on taxes .
The speech is not likely to be a game changer, he says .
Zelizer: Obama's re-election bid will likely be decided by events and his actions next fall . |
162,355 | 5deaceff5ef9308c58283775abb3be2e22f43e34 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 15:02 EST, 12 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:27 EST, 12 December 2012 . Tragic: Bailey Ratcliffe died after mistakenly being given an overdose of anti-epilepsy medication . A five-year-old boy died after he was given an 'inappropriately high dose' of a drug when he was taken to hospital suffering an epileptic fit, a coroner has ruled. Bailey Ratcliffe died after he was admitted to Dewsbury District Hospital on May 27 2009, an inquest has heard. Yesterday, senior registrar Dr Helen Moore apologised in court for mistakes made when Bailey was given the drug phenytoin on her orders. West Yorkshire Coroner Peter Straker gave a narrative verdict in which he said: 'Unfortunately, there were a number of individuals who did not recognise this error and, therefore, did not intervene and prevent Bailey from dying.' The two-day inquest heard how Bailey had been fitting for three hours when he arrived at the hospital on May 27 2009. He had been given other drugs by his family, paramedics and A&E staff to try and control the fitting but Dr Moore decided it was time to move on to phenytoin. But the doctor admitted she made a mistake in the dosage instructions when she asked a junior doctor to prescribe the drug. The court heard how other doctors and nurses were involved in the administration of the phenytoin and one nurse did question the large quantity of the drug she was being asked to prepare with Dr Moore. But none of the medical staff stopped Bailey receiving a much larger dose than he was he supposed to. Dr Moore told the court how she thought she got confused in her mind with the procedures for administering a different drug used in cases of severe asthma. She said: 'I just made a mistake.' Overdose: Five-year-old Bailey had been fitting for three hours when he was brought to Dewsbury Hospital . The court heard how Bailey was . transferred to a paediatric ward in the hospital but, later that . afternoon, he began to deteriorate and stopped breathing. A full resuscitation team was called in but could not save his life. The inquest heard Bailey died from phenytoin toxicity complicated by his epilepsy. Bailey had six times the amount of phenytoin in his blood that was expected . Analysis of his blood after death showed it contained at least six times the expected level of phenytoin. Mr Straker's narrative verdict stated: 'On May 27 2009, Bailey Ratcliffe was diagnosed with status epilepticus. 'At hospital, an inappropriately high dose of phenytoin was prescribed. 'There were systems in place to . prevent such a prescription from being given but, unfortunately, there . were a number of individuals who did not recognise this error and, . therefore, did not intervene and prevent Bailey from dying.' Bailey's mother, Carrianne Ratcliffe, 32, said: 'Since May 2009, my life has been turned upside down. 'My family and I have waited for over . three years to finally come face to face with those responsible for the . medication mistake and to get answers for what has tormented us since . that day.' Ms Ratcliffe, from Batley, West . Yorkshire, said the family first thought her son had died of epilepsy . and it was a number of months before they heard about the mistake. She said: 'We are haunted by what happened. 'Not one, but four staff were involved . in Bailey's care and I still can't believe how they got the drug dosage . so badly wrong, but I am glad that this has been reflected in the . coroner's verdict.' Mrs Ratcliffe said: 'Bailey was such a special character who, despite his health problems, loved life. Apology: Dr Helen Moore said she was 'sincerely sorry' for the mistakes that led to Bailey's death at Dewsbury Hospital . 'He was a wonderful gift and he was . snatched away from us. We will never get over losing Bailey, especially . now when we should be looking forward to Christmas together. 'But I hope the hospital trust will . ensure this never happens again so other mums don't lose their children . in such horrible and preventable circumstances.' The Mid Yorkshire NHS Trust has already admitted liability for his death in a civil claim. The Crown Prosecution Service has already announced that no-one will be prosecuted in relation to Bailey's death. Anna Bosley, from the law firm Irwin . Mitchell, who represented the family, said: 'Carrianne trusted the . hospital to look after her son and she was badly let down, but she is . reassured that lessons have been learned and steps taken to ensure that . accidental overdoses are avoided in future. 'This case is a stark reminder that one error can have such devastating consequences for patients and their families.' Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Bailey Ratcliffe was given 6 times the amount of phenytoin he needed .
Dr Helen Moore told family today she was 'sincerely sorry' for the mistakes .
He died at Dewsbury Hospital after fitting at home for three hours .
Dr Moore told Bradford Coroners' Court she was confused about doseage .
West Yorkshire Coroner Peter Straker gave a narrative verdict . |
103,078 | 10e0af0cab1a1f83b16cae9d725890f0ed730c65 | (CNN)Scores of people have been killed in worsening violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo's eastern region, leaving the local population in urgent need of aid, according to the United Nations and Human Rights Watch. The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Friday it had credible reports that at least 256 people, including children, had been killed in ax and machete attacks since October in the Beni area of North Kivu province. "Multiple attacks over the last three months have caused widespread fear and displacement. We are appealing for humanitarian access to help people in distress," UNHCR spokesman Adrian Edwards told reporters in Geneva. On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch also sounded the alarm, saying its interviews with victims and witnesses indicated unidentified rebel fighters had killed at least 184 civilians -- though the actual number is likely significantly higher -- and injured many others in attacks on villages in Beni territory. About 88,000 people have been forced from their homes in Beni and the surrounding area, with some finding shelter with families while others seek sanctuary in schools or churches, UNHCR said. The violence has also spread northward into Orientale province, the agency said. Meanwhile, more attacks have been threatened, prompting frightened villagers to flee again toward larger towns and cities, the UNHCR said. 'Constant fear' "The survivors and the displaced live in a desperate situation and in constant fear. They remain at risk of new attacks and have had no respite for the past three months. They have little protection against violence and have received hardly any assistance," Edwards said. People need shelter, basic aid items, clean drinking water and access to health services and schools, he said. Aid projects have been suspended because of the violence, of particular concern where disease is already rife. The UNHCR called on the government to protect civilians and ensure humanitarian organizations safe access to Beni and the surrounding areas. Human Rights Watch urged government forces and the U.N. peacekeeping force in DR Congo, MONUSCO, to work together to restore stability and to identify those behind the violence. "Large-scale rebel attacks occurring nearly weekly have terrorized residents of Beni and left them uncertain where to seek safety," said Ida Sawyer, senior Congo researcher at Human Rights Watch. "UN and Congolese forces need to urgently coordinate their efforts and improve protection of civilians in Beni." Killings, rights violations . Human Rights Watch cited U.N. and Congolese army officials as saying they believe the recent attacks were carried out by the Allied Democratic Forces, a Ugandan-led Islamist rebel group that has been active in Beni territory since 1996. Beni is located near the border with Uganda. In mid-October, MONUSCO chief Martin Kobler called for "decisive joint military actions" by the U.N. peacekeeping force and the DR Congo's military to "start as soon as possible in order to relieve the population from the terror imposed by the ADF, once and for all." "This sequence of violence, killings, assassinations, and human rights violations in Beni territory needs to stop immediately," he said, speaking after a visit to Beni to pay tribute to the victims of previous suspected ADF attacks. Radio Okapi, a radio network operated in DR Congo by MONUSCO and the Fondation Hirondelle, a Swiss nongovernmental organization, quoted Gen. Jean Baillaud of the MONUSCO force as saying Wednesday that it must do more to protect local people as it combats ADF rebels in the Beni area alongside the DR Congo military. Baillaud acknowledged that the U.N. force could improve in terms of coordination and the swiftness of its response. He said political efforts, not just military, were also needed to resolve the situation. The eastern part of DR Congo has been embroiled in violence since 1994, when Hutu forces crossed the border from Rwanda fearing reprisals following the genocide there. CNN's Nana Karikari-apau contributed to this report. | UN refugee agency says it has credible reports of at least 256 deaths since October .
Human Rights Watch says witnesses tell of rebels killing people in ax and machete attacks .
UNHCR: About 88,000 people have been displaced in and around Beni, North Kivu province . |
63,307 | b3ce1f7179015f225e19dd7473a6580b9defb265 | (CNN) -- You're delayed at the airport. It's going to be hours before the airline can get you on another flight. You log onto your computer and answer your e-mails. You surf the Web for a while. You're still waiting. This is taking way too long. JetBlueCheeps on Twitter alerts followers of last-minute deals on JetBlue. Might as well tweet about it. And if you do, the chances are ever increasing that someone at the airline will see what you have written. They may even respond to it. Airlines are ramping up their use of social networking sites. Several have one employee in the communications department whose primary job is to monitor what is being said about them and to create a presence in the world of Twitter and Facebook. Other staff members also watch the sites in search of opportunities to improve relationships with customers. "Promotions clearly work well, but there is also an opportunity for airlines to improve customer service and brand perception," Adam Ostrow, editor-in-chief of social media guide Mashable.com and a commentator on social networking sites, wrote in an e-mail interview. "If you're stuck at an airport, and it's the airline's fault, you're going to tweet about it. If the airline responds to those tweets in a positive fashion, it at least shows they care, even if they can't immediately remedy the issue." JetBlue has embraced Twitter as both a medium to update the public on its latest news and a sounding board for how the airline is doing. The airline has more than 1 million followers on Twitter and it also follows about 120,000 of those tweeters. "The tricky thing with following people is that you don't want to creep anyone out," said Alex Headrick, senior analyst of corporate communications at JetBlue. "You don't want to look like you are stalking them just because they are talking about us." The trick is to watch them and see if the tweeter is trying to actively engage the airline in conversation, he said. Often when that happens, someone from the company will send a private message to that person. The main goal for JetBlue is to "humanize the brand," Headrick said. Like other airlines, JetBlue approached social networking sites by slowly scaling up its presence. American Airlines also took its time. Billy Sanez, director of customer communications, said the airline has been watching the growth of social media for several years. The interactive team brought up the idea of using Facebook about a year ago, Sanez said, and the airline added its fan page about four months ago. It has been increasing its use of the site by adding modules, including a yet-to-be-named feature that helps users find fares. "We still have a lot to learn from customers and from how customers interact in these mediums," he said. "But it has worked because we have been able to do targeted promotions to consumers, and because we have been able to get feedback from consumers, and in a very easy way." Not to mention an inexpensive way. Mashable's Ostrow said social media is still a small part of most marketing budgets (not only for airlines but for many companies) but it is attractive because the costs are minimal. "It also can be essentially cost-free to get started, since all one needs to do is open a Facebook, Twitter or YouTube account and get creative," Ostrow said. "In a down economy, the low cost of entry certainly makes social media even more attractive than it might have already been otherwise." As for the unfavorable comments people post, American Airlines' Sanez says it can be a chance to turn a negative experience into something positive. He thinks it can be good for customers to use the forum to get something off their chest. The airline looks for opportunities to interact with users. If people want to express something, let them express it, he said. If they are frustrated, they should be able to complain. "If they want a resolution, we want to engage them and come up with options and get them to the right people with the right information," he said. Twitter followers and Facebook fans can also get the scoop on fare sales. JetBlue has a Twitter feed called JetBlueCheeps, where travelers can get some last-minute deals. For instance, on Monday, September 7, the airline posted on its Twitter feed that there were 25 seats available on a flight from New York's LaGuardia to Orlando, Florida, for $39. Tickets for the Saturday flight had to be purchased by 6 p.m. Monday evening. Headrick said that JetBlue times Twitter updates to coincide with releases to the media. While airlines appear to be happy so far with the results they are getting from their social media ventures, some are still not ready to expand dramatically just yet. Headrick said JetBlue was studying how to use Facebook. Meanwhile, Southwest Airlines has established its social media presence with more than 600,000 followers on Twitter and more than 76,000 fans on Facebook. Other major carriers also have thousands of followers on Twitter. Delta Air Lines, for instance, has about 11,000 followers, while United Airlines has more than 33,000 watchers. Continental is also looking at Facebook and other sites where a presence makes sense, according to airline spokeswoman Mary Clark. Continental is focusing on Twitter, where it has about 3,000 followers, and FlyerTalk.com, a Web site devoted to frequent flyers, she said. | Some airlines have at least one worker dedicated to watching Twitter and Facebook .
Users following airlines on social media often get the scoop on fare sales .
American Airlines spokesman: Posting negative feedback may help resolve issues . |
92,854 | 036fecb0766acf7d91d26466b9f824bd8800449a | By . Jonathan Block . Gary Haynes, who is a wide receiver on the football team at Manvel High School in Manvel, just south of Houston, did the epic feat on a recent weekend with his friend recording it on a cell phone. The video shows Haynes throwing a 'Hail Mary' to himself and then catching it. Scroll down for videos . Gary Haynes, a high school football player from Texas, was caught on video throwing a 40-yard-pass and then catching it himself. Here he is about to throw the ball . As soo nas he throws the ball, Haynes is off and running. He says he was inspired to do the feat after seeing a player on the Kansas City Chiefs do it . The football can be seen above Haynes' head as he runs to catch it. Haynes said his dream is to play for the Houston Texans . Haynes manages to catch the ball about five seconds after he threw it. His football coach didn't believe he was able to throw and catch his own pass, so Haynes replicated the feat in front of him . Haynes said he was inspired to attempt the feat after seeing a video of Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles (pictured) doing the same thing . It has been shared more than 46,600 times on Vine. 'I can't believe it,' the high school junior told KPRC. 'My whole life changed in less than five seconds.' He said he got the idea after watching a video of Kansas City Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles doing the same pass and throw. Haynes has received a lot of media attention over his athletic accomplishment. The video has even been shown on NBC's 'The Today Show' and 'CBS This Morning' Some people, including Haynes' head coach, Kirk Martin, initially didn't believe him. So Martin had Haynes do it again, which he did, as Martin recorded. 'My initial reaction was that's not real,' Martin said. 'If anyone can do it, Gary Haynes can. Because he has a great arm and he can run.' The video has become so popular, it was even shown on NBC's 'The Today Show' and 'CBS This Morning' 'I wasn't expecting it to go viral like that,' Haynes said. 'I just expected my friends to see it and that would be all, but then people started contacting me left and right on Twitter and Instagram.' Haynes said his dream is to play in the NFL with the Houston Texas. 'I want to get faster,' Haynes said. 'To be in the NFL, to play college football, you have to have speed and that is what I'm trying to go for.' Haynes says his dream would be to one day play for the Houston Texans. The University of Houston and a few other colleges have already shown interest in him. | Gary Haynes, a junior at Manvel High School near Houston, did the epic feat on a recent weekend as a friend recorded on his cell phone .
He is a wide receiver on the high school football team .
Haynes' coach didn't beleive him, so he did it again in front of him .
Haynes' dream is to play in the NFL for the Houston Texans . |
57,870 | a3f9035549f412bc61f0b294b8694480f6898858 | (CNN) -- This holiday season, families will gather by the fire -- or most likely by the television set -- to spend some quality time together, recording memories more valuable than any money could buy. Even during such precious moments though, the specter of materialism remains an ever present force. For as we all know, Christmas wouldn't be nearly as much fun without Santa paying us a fruitful visit. And come January, tempers fray when those eagerly awaited presents start to lose their shine and the bills need settling. That paradox was perhaps unwittingly highlighted by two of the world's most influential characters this year: one was the Pope; the other the Mayor of London. And just as the gap between rich and poor continues to yawn alarmingly wide, so too it seems does the difference in their approaches to money and the inequality it creates. Using the first peace message of his pontificate to preach against the cult of high finance, Pope Francis railed against huge salaries and bonuses. "How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure," he asked, " but it is news when the stock market loses 2 points?" Without "rejecting the absolute autonomy of the markets and financial speculation ..... no solution will be found for the world's problems," he said. The 77 year-old pontiff's criticism of the capitalist system has been so scathing of late that he has been forced to deny he is a closet Marxist after arguing today's "idolization of money" wasn't just morally wrong, it was devastating for society. Make no mistake. "Such an economy,' he said, 'kills." But does it really? Or does it motivate rather than maim? Boris Johnson, who granted isn't always mentioned in the same sentence as His Holiness, told Londoners recently to embrace the worship of wealth. Not only was greed good, he suggested in echoes of Wall Street's famous corporate raider Gordon Gekko, but the need to "keep up with the Jones's" was a powerful social stimulant for those who managed to maintain their place on life's treadmill. And for those who lost their footing? In Johnson's usual semi-serious view: charity -- not God -- would provide. "Inequality is essential for the spirit of envy," he said, "stimulating brain activity," and countering falling wages elsewhere. While the extreme views of London's Mayor may have shocked many outside the capital's affluent postcodes, a quick survey of my Twitter followers threw up the surprising revelation that even during these days of hardship, Johnson's unique brand of trickle down economics wasn't quite as unpopular as expected. Many called him a realist. In fairness, Johnson's speech was a calculated power play for the UK's hardline Conservative base, who have the luxury of planning how to build upon their net worth. By contrast, Pope Francis's words offer a thought provoking appeal for altruism to counter an increasingly selfish world. Perhaps predictably, they come from the heart of a man who has experienced hardships first hand, as a son of poor immigrants in Argentina, who when elected to lead the Catholic Church chose the name of a saint who turned his back on a life of riches. The two messages -- one cruel, the other caring -- if anything are evidence of today's increasingly polarized views on the importance of fortune and fate in today's post-austerity era. That's a debate which will become more prominent in 2014 as the economy flourishes once more and electorates ask themselves what they have learned from the last boom-and-bust cycle. Either way, if there is one thing these two statements do show it's that money -- however idolatrous it may be -- is just as important for bringing people together as much as tearing them apart. As we probably learn every holiday season as we sit down to unwrap those parcels ... | Even during the holiday season, the specter of materialism remains, writes CNN's Nina Dos Santos .
Pope Francis argued today's "idolization of money was devastating for society, she says .
Dos Santos: Boris Johnson, however, told Londoners to embrace the worship of wealth .
Both messages are evidence of today's polarized views on fortune and fate, she writes . |
115,585 | 2125e80430c793c9b32298083c9c88321333710f | By . Carrie Ruxton . PUBLISHED: . 17:00 EST, 8 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:36 EST, 8 December 2012 . We are bombarded with information about healthy eating. Fruit, vegetables, oily fish, grains, eggs, nuts and poultry all come to mind as examples of a ‘healthy diet’. Yet new European rules this month will turn all that on its head. The Nutrition and Health Claims regulations were brought in to ban misleading or unproven claims on food and drink products, such as weight-loss promises or claims about mental function or heart health. In their place will be a list of health claims authorised by the European Commission. Ripe rules: The new EU rules do not favour broccoli, instead recommending Ribena . It means that websites, labels and even brand names will be affected. Gone will be Slimfast, for instance, as there is not enough scientific proof that it helps people slim. Consumer groups have welcomed the demise of unregulated health claims, but dieticians are unimpressed. Why? Because many of the foods on the newly approved list are processed ingredients, while many foods that cannot make health claims are obviously good for us, such as tomato juice, honey, pumpkin seeds and broccoli. So if you’re starting a health kick, what should you be eating according to the European Commission and its expert panel? Better than broccoli: Ribena . ‘HEART HEALTHY’ IN . Plant stanol esters or plant sterols are the active ingredient in some . products that claim to reduce cholesterol. You need 3g daily to reduce . the bad LDL cholesterol by ten per cent but you can get this from only . two UK brands, Benecol and Flora Proactive, as the ingredients are . patented. Products containing Omega-3 fats can also make this claim. OUT . Soya. Despite several clinical trials showing that soya foods can . maintain healthy blood cholesterol levels, the claim was rejected . because the scientific panel didn’t know if the effect came from the . soya protein or other natural substances in the soya. MY VIEW . It’s still worth eating soya foods for heart health because it doesn’t . matter if we can’t nail down the detail, it does have an effect. Oats, . also good for us, did get a positive opinion from the EC for heart . health. ‘MAINTAINS NORMAL BOWEL FUNCTION’ IN . Lactulose, that sugary substance prescribed for old people and toddlers . – a large tablespoon will get you going. Activated charcoal was also . highlighted as a cure for flatulence. OUT Probiotics. There were many positive studies but the panel was unclear which . strains are best. Prunes were almost banned, but when an MEP challenged . the European Commissioner to a prune-eating contest, he relented and put . them on the approved list. MY VIEW Go for the natural solution of prunes. No yog: The commission could not agree on which strain of probiotics. which can be found in yoghurt, was best, so put none on the approved list . ‘KEEPS YOU FULLER LONGER’ IN Hydroxypropyl methylcellulose fibre. Never heard of it? Me neither. But now, because it can claim to keep blood sugar levels stable, it will probably become a common additive to lots of foods. OUT Saying something is ‘low GI’ and will keep blood sugar stable, because there are so many low GI foods that EU experts dismissed this area. Also out are high-protein foods that claim to keep you fuller for longer, as the panel thought the studies were too short and didn’t account for other nutrients. Calorie-controlled diets were not even assessed for a claim. MY VIEW The evidence for low-GI foods, such as oats, pasta, wholegrain rice and pulses, is good, with no side effects. High tea: The new laws rule in favour of energy drinks over tea in the battle of the caffeinated beverages . ‘ENERGY BOOSTING’ IN Magnesium . and B vitamins, such as riboflavin, B6 and niacin. These are now being . added to energy drinks – usually alongside stimulants such as caffeine. Only 15 per cent of the Recommended Daily Allowance is needed per 100g . for manufacturers to make a claim. OUT . Tea. Despite good evidence that small amounts of caffeine, such as . those found in tea, perk you up, a claim (plus a health warning) was . given only to high-dose caffeine products. MY VIEW Tea is a healthier source of caffeine than energy drinks, as it’s naturally sugar-free and released at a slower rate. ‘MAINTAINS IMMUNITY’ IN Vitamins A and C which means that Ribena, a syrup containing five per cent fruit, can make an immune claim due to its added vitamins. OUT Broccoli, as most of the studies weren’t controlled enough and the panel thought there was too much variation in broccoli species. Manuka honey was also rejected because the composition varies depending on the source. MY VIEW Stick to the natural stuff. Carrots and spinach are rich in Vitamin A, while kiwi, oranges and kale provide enough Vitamin D. Views by Carrie Ruxton, registered dietician . | EU regulations pick Ribena over broccoli and energy drinks over tea . |
251,250 | d132cb6fb40d9e9ddab9927920f286211f249232 | CNN -- At first, no one seemed to notice the young man who walked into the hotel lobby at around 7:45 that Friday morning. Boys (whose faces are blurred out in this photo) attend a "summer camp" sponsored by Hamas. He wore a baseball cap, a backpack and dragged a wheeled suitcase behind him. He casually checked his watch as he calmly walked toward a hotel restaurant filled with Western business executives. A hotel security camera caught what happened next. In a matter of moments, the lobby was engulfed in billowing white smoke and flying debris. Another suspected suicide bomber had left his bloody mark. The bombing at the JW Marriott Hotel and the adjacent Ritz-Carlton in Jakarta, Indonesia, on July 17 killed nine people, including the presumed bombers. Investigators are looking at a link between the attacks and a Muslim terrorist group fighting a "holy war" against the West. Terrorism is not confined to any faith or any culture. Terrorists are driven by varying impulses. Yet since the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on America, terrorism has often been associated with young Muslim men. Watch as CNN's Christiane Amanpour investigates how one madrassa student is recruited to join the Taliban » . People often assume that Muslim youth who turn to violence are ill-educated fanatics inspired by visions of meeting virgins in paradise. But that portrait is rarely true, terror experts say. "They are not crazy people," says James Jones, author of "Blood That Cries Out From the Earth," a book that examines the psychology of religious terrorism. "They [terrorist groups] won't recruit psychotic people," Jones says. "Crazy people are unstable. That's exactly what you don't want." Then who are these Muslim men and women who turn to violence? Terror experts say they are shaped by several common factors. They see no way up or out . Fathali M. Moghaddam, director of the conflict resolution program at Georgetown University in Washington, says some Muslim youth may embrace violent causes because they believe they have no chance for upward mobility in their country. "Imagine if you're a 20-year-old and you want to get on in Egypt or Saudi Arabia," Moghaddam says. "You better be connected by family or know somebody important." Many don't view politics as a plausible vehicle for social change, Moghaddam says. Their countries are often run by dictators who crush secular opposition groups -- with the tacit support of the U .S. government, these youth believe, Moghaddam says. The only opposition groups that these Middle East dictators dare not attack are those based in the mosque, Moghaddam says. Those mosque-based groups, though, tend to be open to the influence of fundamentalists. "There's no opportunity for voice, no opportunity to express yourself," Moghaddam says. "Politics is out of the question for the secular opposition -- you're either dead or go to jail." Politics, though, is part of the answer for Hamas, an Islamic fundamentalist group that rules Gaza. The group, which has admitted responsibility for attacks against Israel soldiers and civilians, won a landslide victory in the 2006 Palestinian legislative election. Watch a young man who chooses to join the Hamas militia » . "Some young people are inevitably attracted to the more risky positions and actions taken by a group such as Hamas because Hamas is critical of corrupt and inept dictators in the Arab world," Moghaddam says. "This resonates with Arab youth." They're driven by a sense of humiliation . Some Muslim youth may turn to violence for another reason: revenge. Basel Saleh, an assistant economics professor at Radford University in Virginia, recently studied the socioeconomic factors that helped shape 82 Palestinian suicide bombers and 240 militants. He says he knows those factors firsthand. Saleh's father's village was razed by the Israelis in 1948 and is now an Israeli settlement. He says he grew up in the West Bank where he once considered using violence to vent his anger after a group of Israeli soldiers came to his family's home unannounced and interrogated him while his younger sister cried. "But I was on the verge of getting there," he says. "I almost crossed that line." Most Palestinian youth who did cross that line weren't driven by religion, Saleh says. "Many weren't motivated by Islamic fundamentalism," Saleh says of the Palestinian militants in his study. "They were motivated primarily by personal grievances. They had been arrested, shot or seen family arrested." Saleh says some Palestinian youth who believe Israeli soldiers have mistreated their family members may feel duty-bound to retaliate with violence. Protecting one's family against humiliation is important in Middle Eastern culture, he says. "If anything is done to your family, it's personal," Saleh says. "It has to do with the honor of the family. Family is everything in the Middle East. Your honor is defined by your family." Saleh says if Israel did more to help improve Palestinians' living conditions, fewer Palestinian youths would turn to violence. "You have to open a new path for them [Palestinians]," he says. "They want freedom of movement. Give them an airport, a port. Don't demolish their schools and their universities. Pay attention to basic human rights." The anger felt by some Palestinian youth is also stoked by propaganda, says Michael Jacobson, a senior fellow in The Washington Institute's Stein Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence. Hamas sponsors children television shows and summer camps that are designed to indoctrinate Palestinian children with the same message, Jacobson says. Watch Amanpour go inside a Hamas boys summer camp » . "From an early age, they're taught that fighting the jihad against Israel and being a martyr are great things to be," says Jacobson, author of "The West at War: U.S. and European Counterterrorism Efforts Post-September 11." Other extremist groups use another medium, the Internet, to radicalize Muslim youth, says Jones, author of "Blood That Cries Out From the Earth." Muslim youth who spend time on the Internet are exposed to sophisticated videos from terrorist groups showing Muslims being killed in places such as the West Bank, Iraq and Chechnya, Jones says. The sophisticated videos tell the life stories of young Muslims who have volunteered to be martyrs, Jones says. "There's this constant message that Islam is under attack," Jones says. "Your brothers and sisters are being killed. It's your duty to do something for them." They're driven by a need to join a cause . Jones says the appeal of terrorist groups taps into an even deeper yearning in many youth, no matter their religion or culture: the desire to give one's self to a transcendent cause. Jones, who joined civil rights demonstrations in the South during the 1960s, says he knows how exhilarating it can be for young people to join a cause that they believe demands some form of sacrifice. Any effort to turn Muslim youth away from violent groups must make a similar appeal, and come from fellow Muslims, Jones says. "We need something that has an equal amount of passion and moral seriousness that makes them believe they are making the world better," he says. "We need something with those elements but something that's more constructive than blowing yourself up." | Most assumptions about young Muslim terrorists are wrong, experts say .
They say those that turn to violence are shaped by several common factors .
Terror expert: 'They are not crazy people' |
130,405 | 349f4dcfe0f0d1a745e2ae1236d206297e9f711b | By . Kieran Corcoran . Two men have been charged with robbing the exclusive Dorchester Hotel in a smash-and-grab raid this week. Unemployed brothers Reed Roberts, 23, and Skye Roberts, 19, appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates' Court in London today in the wake of the moped robbery at the five-star hotel. It is the second time in a month the hotel has been raided. In the latest attack a gang of six men on three mopeds pulled up outside in the early hours of this morning. Three of them then smashed their way through the front door and broke into display cabinets. London's famous Dorchester hotel in Mayfair was hit by its second smash and grab raid in four weeks . Screens were put up at the site on Thursday as workmen moved in to repair damage caused by a gang of six men . Both brothers, from King's Cross, north London, were charged with robbery and possession with intent to supply a Class B drug. They are set to appear at Kingston Crown Court on July 25. Another two men and a woman have been arrested and bailed. The luxury venue was hit in exactly the same way last month, when watches and jewellery were stolen in what police called a 'well-planned' heist. Police have yet to reveal the value of items stolen but it is thought it could run into many thousands of pounds. A guest at the hotel on Park Lane, said: 'I woke up early, so I went down to the lobby at about five, maybe six in the morning. 'There was quite a bit off commotion. Police were there and speaking to the staff and it looked as if a few things had been smashed.' CCTV images from the raid in June show hammer-wielding robbers in motorbike helmets leaving the hotel . During the first raid in June, three of the gang were spotted waiting outside the hotel on their bikes . She added: 'Apparently, one of the doors had been smashed but it was being cleared up and there was a screen around it. 'We . had been told that there was an incident, but nobody was hurt and the . police had it under control. But I spoke to another guest who said the . people who smashed it were driving mopeds, or motorbikes.' A spokeswoman for the hotel said: 'We can confirm there was an incident at the hotel early this morning and we are assisting the authorities with their inquiries. 'The hotel security team were quick to respond and no-one was hurt. The comfort and security of our guests and staff is our top priority.' On June 10, a gang of six men pulled up on three mopeds outside hotel at around 1.30am. On that occasion, they smashed five glass display cases in the foyer and stole watches and jewellery worth tens of thousands of pounds. As the gang escaped last month, one of the bikes hit a 25-year-old woman in nearby Cambridge Circus, leaving her with leg injuries that required hospital treatment. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Brothers Reed Roberts, 23, and Skye Roberts, 19, appeared in court today .
Charged with robbery and drug possession over Thursday morning raid .
Both brothers have been remanded in custody by police .
Smash-and-grab attack was second on the Dorchester in a month . |
138,332 | 3ee9d609667a962ca1d04189c88675afc62d0c2f | (CNN) -- The recent discoveries of a stunning trove of new vertebrate species from the Cape Melville area of northeast Queensland, Australia, show that we still have a lot to learn about life on this planet. Even though no place on Earth can be described as "pristine" any longer, these creatures live in habitats that have been relatively little disturbed. They include a spectacular gecko and a frog whose eggs develop without a tadpole stage. New frogs from heavily explored Australia are somewhat surprising (there are now 239 species, with 25 added in the last 10 years). New species are more likely to turn up in less-explored and more humid lands such as New Guinea. Papua New Guinea, 6% the size of Australia, has 349 species of amphibians, 123 described in the last 10 years. But even with these discoveries, amphibians as a group are widely recognized to be in deep trouble. In a 2004 assessment, scientists sought to evaluate as many of the 5,743 known amphibian species as possible. (About 23% of them, likely to be among the most threatened, were not evaluated because of lack of accurate information.) Of those evaluated, 43% were declining and 33% were globally threatened with extinction. The situation has only worsened since. Habitat destruction, new infectious diseases, introduced species (such as the cane toad in Australia), and climate change, among many other factors, all have been implicated. Even so, more than 1,600 new species of amphibians have been discovered and described since 2005, including 125 in 2013 so far. How can this paradox be explained? The reports of amphibian declines, starting about 1990, stimulated many young biologists to pursue careers in biodiversity research. A new wave of field biologists spread out over the globe to many of the last wild places on Earth. At the same time, increased sophistication in species detection developed in laboratories -- involving analysis of DNA, tadpole and larvae anatomy and mating calls recorded in the field -- have enabled scientists to determine that superficially similar creatures should be named as new species. New journals and online publications, like Zootaxa and ZooKeys, enable rapid publication of results and formal descriptions of new species, once a long and tedious process. The latest discoveries should not make us complacent. In no way do they replace or make up for those lost. Among the recently extinct species are such unusual species as the stomach-brooding frogs of eastern Australia and the golden toad of Costa Rica, with their unique life histories. And most, but not all, of the new discoveries are members of taxa with large numbers of similar species, and few novel lineages are being found. Most of the newly discovered species are also known from single places or from small geographic ranges and often in habitats that are at great risk of being changed or destroyed. These "lost worlds" are still in danger of being lost. The biodiversity crisis is very real, and many of the new species of all taxa are themselves at risk. Nevertheless, the discoveries remind us of the richness of biodiversity on this planet and just how far we have to go in our race to catalog life on Earth before it is too late. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Wake. | David Wake: Discovery of trove of new species in Australia exciting, unexpected, instructive .
He says at same time, species being rapidly lost across globe due to human depredations .
He says this has led scientists to search for new species, but this can't replace ones lost .
Wake: The biodiversity crisis is very real, many newly discovered species are at risk . |
100,211 | 0d1dc11ee4fdadd80eb4ab90b3eaa2ceafe789d6 | Washington (CNN) -- Unlike most issues these days that divide along party lines, the immediate fate of President Obama's new gun proposals will depend not as much on Republicans as his fellow Democrats in the Senate. Senate Democratic leadership sources tell CNN that passing any new legislation will be extremely difficult because more than a dozen vulnerable Democrats from conservative states will probably resist much of what the president is pushing. These Democratic sources say the most likely legislation to pass will be strengthening background checks, since it is the least overt form of gun control and it also appeals to gun rights advocates' emphasis on keeping guns away from people with mental health and criminal problems. Obama announces 23 executive actions, asks Congress to pass gun laws . Although Senate Democrats like Dianne Feinstein will still make a high-profile push to renew the assault weapons ban and limit ammunition magazines to 10 rounds, senior Democratic sources say it is hard to see those measures getting enough support to pass the Democratic-led Senate. The focus is on the Senate because Senate Democratic leaders know that House Republicans will not act on anything until the Senate does. Democratic leadership sources say they intend to spend next week -- the first week the Senate is in session -- canvassing red-state Democrats to see what, if anything, is doable. Democratic senators who advocate various gun control measures will be lobbying their colleagues as well. See details of president's proposals . At a certain point, Democratic leaders will decide the best course of action, if any. Democratic leadership sources emphasize what Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid said in a PBS interview in recent days: They will not vote on any legislation unless they have 60 votes, enough to break a filibuster. Democratic leadership sources say they have no intention of putting their members in a politically vulnerable position on a gun measure unless they are sure it can reach the president's desk. In the short term, that would mean not only getting red-state Democrats on board, but at least a handful of Senate Republicans as well. There is some hope that Democrats may be able to persuade GOP Sen. Mark Kirk of Illinois, a moderate, to help shape bipartisan legislation that can pass. | Vulnerable Democrats from conservative states might resist much of what president wants .
Democratic sources: Tougher background checks most likely to pass, still face uphill climb .
Senate Democratic leaders say House Republicans will not act on anything until Senate does .
Senate Democrats aim to recruit red-state Democrats and a handful of Senate Republicans . |
279,342 | f5e430f8fd8e42638c9701de0a9da00937ab1acb | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday that House committees will begin action on President-elect Barack Obama's proposed economic recovery package in the next couple of weeks, with a vote in the full House slated for the week after Obama's inauguration. Speaker Nancy Pelosi says the House will not go on a break until an economic recovery package is passed. Obama will take office January 20. If that schedule slips, Pelosi, D-California, pledged to cancel the House's planned weeklong break in mid-February for Presidents Day. "We are not going home without an economic recovery package," Pelosi said. Pelosi said Obama's plan has broad public support "almost sight unseen," citing a poll from Politico that says 79 percent of Americans support the president-elect's plan. A senior Pelosi aide said discussions about the details are ongoing between the Obama transition team and key leaders. The Ways and Means Committee will focus on the tax piece, approximately $300 billion in tax cuts. Obama transition aides met with Democrats on that committee Wednesday morning to discuss various proposals, according to another Democratic aide. The Appropriations Committee is tasked with drafting details on spending hundreds of billions of dollars on infrastructure projects, food stamps and other aid to states. Sidestepping a question on possible roadblocks for the bill, Pelosi instead touted the new muscle of the expanded Democratic majority. "We have been so used to an uphill fight, but now we have arrived. We have a big, strong, something like an 80-vote majority in the Congress, in the House, with a Democratic president in the White House," she said. In a speech Thursday, Obama said it was imperative that Congress move quickly to pass the stimulus package once he takes office, warning that a failure to do so would have devastating long-term consequences to the nation's economy. "We start 2009 in the midst of a crisis unlike any we have seen in our lifetime, a crisis that has only deepened over the last few weeks," Obama said at George Mason University in Virginia. Watch Obama call for "dramatic action" on the economy » . "I don't believe it's too late to change course, but it will be if we don't take dramatic action as soon as possible," Obama continued. "If nothing is done, this recession could linger for years." Key members of Obama's own party, however, said they opposed central tax measures of the president-elect's proposals after emerging from a closed-door meeting of the Senate Finance Committee. Watch Obama explain his tax proposals » . In particular, they do not think that giving employers a $3,000 tax credit for each worker they hired would work. "I'm not that excited about that," said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. "Having a tax credit for hiring is not going to change that dynamic; creating a direct job will. So I'd rather spend the money on the infrastructure, on direct investment, on energy conversion and other kinds of things, much more directly and much more rapidly and much more certainly create a real job." Sen. Kent Conrad agreed. "I think it's unlikely to be effective," the North Dakota senator said. "If you think about it, businesspeople are not going to hire people to produce products that are not selling. Who is going to hire in the auto industry if you give them a $3,000 credit to make cars that people are not buying?" A second Obama tax proposal that several Democrats were down on is payroll tax credits, amounting to about $20 per paycheck and totaling $500 per person and $1,000 for couples earning less than $200,000 a year. Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon said he doubted that proposal would do much to stimulate the economy. "We have an example from the first stimulus that indicates just giving people $500 to $600, while certainly welcome when there's this much economic hurt, may not be the best use of stimulus," Wyden said. Instead, Wyden said, pumping more money into infrastructure spending would be more effective in creating jobs. Conrad agreed with Wyden. "Twenty dollars a week? I don't think that will be effective, either. That is in terms of economic impact. We have got to focus on what is actually going to lift the economy," Conrad said. None of the senators CNN spoke with after the meeting said they thought the opposition to these provisions would derail the bill but suggested that many meetings would be needed with the Obama team to hammer out an agreement. First votes in the Finance Committee, which must approve the tax components of the stimulus plan, could come in the next two weeks, senators and aides said. CNN's Deirdre Walsh, Dana Bash and Ted Barrett contributed to this report. | Speaker Nancy Pelosi sets full House vote on stimulus for week of January 25 .
House committees will work on Obama's plan over the next couple of weeks .
Senate Democrats balk at proposal to give employers $3,000 for each worker hired . |
123,559 | 2bb7be339e1726ffadf41485fb487c6674533e69 | If you're not going to sell Grand Theft Auto (GTA) because of its 'adult' content then prepare for a backlash of biblical proportions. Furious gamers are demanding that if Target and Kmart are going to pull the R-rated game from their shelves then they should do the same to the Bible as well. Target decided to scrap sales of the popular game after an online petition slammed it for encouraging players to 'commit sexual violence and kill women'. The petition, authored by former sex workers, has so far attracted almost 40,000 signatures. It says the 'sickening game' encourages players to kill prostitutes and calls on Target to stop selling it. But the gamers have argued that the Bible's content is much, much worse. Scroll down for video . 26-year-old gamer Kiley McDonald diputes claims the game incites violence towards women . An online petition slammed R-rated video game Grand Theft Auto V (GTA5) for encouraging players to 'commit sexual violence and kill women' Gamers have now started their own petition on Change.org website – the world's largest petition platform – claiming that the Bible has more misogyny and gratuitous violence than GTA, and there were far more reasons for it not to be sold. The petition page headline reads: ‘Withdraw The Holy Bible – this sickening book encourages readers to commit sexual violence and kill women.’ So far the petition has 22,359 supporters, and in the petition the Bible is described as a book that 'encourages readers to murder women for entertainment.' 'The incentive is to commit sexual violence against women, then abuse or kill them to proceed or get 'god' points – and now Target are stocking it and promoting it for your Xmas stocking,' reads the petition. 'This is The Holy Bible. This book means that after various sex acts, readers are given options to kill women by stoning her unconscious, Setting them on fire, cutting off their hands, and killing their children! 'This misogynistic book literally makes a game of bashing, killing and horrific violence against women.' However the former sex workers petition made it clear why they were against GTA being sold. 'Games like this are grooming yet another generation of boys to tolerate violence against women,' the petition said. General manager of corporate affairs Jim Cooper said Target would no longer sell the game. 'We've been speaking to many customers over recent days about the game, and there is a significant level of concern about the game's content,' he said in a statement on Wednesday. 'We've also had customer feedback in support of us selling the game, and we respect their perspective on the issue. Kiley is an avid fan of the game and even has her own GTA character called 'SHADOWKiiLLA' 'However, we feel the decision to stop selling GTA5 is in line with the majority view of our customers.' Manager of Facebook site Grand Theft Auto Tips & Tricks Kiley McDonald says the move is 'ridiculous' and disputes claims that the game incites violence towards women. 'I remember playing it as a 10-year-old, my parents got it for me,' She told Daily Mail Australia. 'It never offended me, it doesn't offend me now and I grew up alight. 'I don't go out and mow down people or pull a gun out and spray them or anything, so I just think it's a little bit over the top.' McDonald claims that there is a significant amount of violence towards men throughout the game and believes women are in short supply. She said she was 'speechless' as to why GTA had been specifically targeted and believes that parents who won't let their kids play the game, would probably be happy to give them permission to sit through an episode of Game of Thrones, or read a chapter from 50 Shades of Grey. 'If I don't like someone's clothing, I'm not going to ask the store to ban a certain type of shorts,' she said. 'If I don't like it, I don't look at it,because I've got better things to do.' McDonald believes the campaigners against the game are 'misinformed' and 'threw a tantrum' when they didn't get what they wanted. 'I'm all for feminists and women's rights but this is going a bit too far.' she said. 26-year-old McDonald believes big retailers such as Kmart and Target should not have to suffer financially due to this unjust petition. 'I don't know why gamers should be punished for something that's not our fault, or the retailers fault because they've gone through all the standards and checked the game,' she said. The petition, authored by former sex workers, has so far attracted almost 40,000 signatures. It says the 'sickening game' encourages players to kill prostitutes and calls on Target to stop selling it . McDonald said she understand the anger from former sex workers who launched the online petition, but believes GTA gamers do not play out these acts in the real world. 'It's up to the gamer to choose,' she said. 'I've played the story from start to finish, I'm 26-years-old, I'm a female and I was not once offended, I was not once appalled by the content,' she said. 'There are prostitutes in the game, there is a strip club in the game but very few of them that you see.' Reports that the game depicts women as bimbos and prey for men has angered McDonald. 'Most of them are actually dressed quite normally.' she said. 'Games like this are grooming yet another generation of boys to tolerate violence against women,' the petition said . 'These people actually look like they're going to work, they've got the content that perfect that some people are in uniform or they're in work clothes or summer gear.' McDonald said little children are the worst offenders in online forums. 'They're the ones that taunt you on the microphone, saying 'I'm going to f**k you mum' and 'F you this', and 'F that', it's insane and they shouldn't be playing it' she said. 'Most people have grown up playing video games like that and we're fine,' 'We don't go shooting up people and punching cops' McDonald said there are other children's games available that are much more dangerous. 'There's also another game which a lot of children play called World of Warcraft and a lot of sexual predators are on that game.' she said. General manager of corporate affairs Jim Cooper said Target would no longer sell Grand Theft Auto V . The young gamer worries that this ban will effect future sales of Grand Theft Auto as there will be a monopoly on who will be able to sell the game. Ultimately, she said it's really going to effect gamers who are keen on playing the game. 'My worry is that it's going to be banned so it's going to be a problem for future games,' she said. Mr Cooper said Target would continue to sell other R-rated DVDs and games. 'While these products often contain imagery that some customers find offensive, in the vast majority of cases, we believe they are appropriate products for us to sell to adult customers,' he said. 'However, in the case of GTA5, we have listened to the strong feedback from customers that this is not a product they want us to sell.' GTA5 is an award-winning game which set a sales record for entertainment products, passing the $1 billion sales mark after three days. | General manager of corporate affairs Jim Cooper said Target would no longer sell Grand Theft Auto V .
Gamers argue the Bible contains more gratuitous violence that the game .
So far their petition against selling the Bible has 22,359 supporters .
A petition, authored by former sex workers, was the reason why GTA sales were scrapped .
It said the 'sickening game' encouraged players to kill prostitutes and convinced Target to stop selling it . |
8,522 | 180bd081dc75b9765e6e6e0ad052a8a4396cb916 | Christmas spirit is in short supply in Denham Springs, Louisiana where a woman has been forced to take down her holiday lights after neighbors complained about the not very subtle message she was sending them. Sarah Henderson, a mother of four children aged between 4 and 16, admits she deliberately fashioned her light display to look like a human hand ‘flipping the bird’. Henderson says the middle finger salute was a message to some of her neighbors whom she has been involved in a year-long dispute with. Christmas may be over, but Sarah Henderson wants to continue with her 'rude' lighting display to get her own back a neighbor . Henderson now says the display was a message to a neighbor who she believes stole her dog . 'They put themselves into affairs of mine that they had no business in,’ she told WBRZ. ‘They spread vicious lies throughout the neighborhood.’ Henderson agreed to remove the offending display after she received a visit from Denham Spring Police. Corporal Shawn Perkins informed Henderson that her display was in violation of obscenity laws and that she faced the possibility of a $300 or $400 fine. Henderson says she could have fought the request, but she decided to take the lights down out of respect for her mayor and city council. One local neighbor, Gemma Rachel told WBRZ that while she hasn't have anything personal against Henderson, she didn’t think the lights were an appropriate symbol for young children to be exposed to. ‘Christmas lights should be something for kids to enjoy’ she told WBRZ. Since taking down her lights, Henderson has received support from the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana. Henderson has twice removed the lights from her roof, but with the support of the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana she is attempting to sue the city, its mayor and police . Marjorie Essman, executive director at the ACLU, has sent a letter to the Denham Springs chief of police saying the city has no right to 'restrict Henderson's expression purely because it, or Henderson's neighbors, finds it vulgar or offensive.' In the letter, Esman wrote: 'The Fifth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeal, which presides over Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, has specifically commented on the protected expressive nature of a middle finger extended in defiance or protest: "The thumbed nose, the projected middle finger, the Bronx cheer, the grimace and the smile are all conduct intended to convey a message that is sometimes made even more expressive by its bold freedom from a garb of words." Davis v. Williams.' Henderson has said she is thinking about replacing the extended finger with a swastika. Traditional display: Henderson's neighbor Gemma Rachel said Christmas lights should be something wholesome for children to enjoy . Video: 'Vulgar' light display taken down after complaints . | Mother of four Sarah Henderson designed her Christmas lights to send a 'rude' message to neighbors she has been warring with for a year .
Police told her to remove the display or face a possible $400 fine .
She removed the lights, but the ACLU has got involved and say she was within her First Amendment rights to display the provocative image .
Henderson says she may now create a swastika-shaped display . |
236,740 | be6cfa5dc6e204bdfe7712f8158008a1bbc63144 | By . Kirsty Walker . PUBLISHED: . 18:20 EST, 5 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:43 EST, 6 July 2012 . Frustrated: David Cameron said sport in state schools was being 'squeezed out' Too many of Britain's Olympic athletes went to public schools, David Cameron said yesterday as he called for barriers to be broken so all children could achieve their sporting potential. The Prime Minister claimed that fee-paying schools were producing 'more than their fair share' of medal winners while sport in state schools was being 'squeezed out' with rundown facilities and children lacking ambition. At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, almost 40 per cent of Great Britain's medal winners had been privately educated – and that rose to 100 per cent of winners in equestrian events. With about a third of the 2012 squad expected to have been educated privately, Mr Cameron lamented the numbers of top sportsmen from less well-off backgrounds. He said: 'Sport can change lives. So why is it that in so many schools sport has been squeezed out and facilities run down? 'The result is that independent schools produce more than their fair share of medal winners and too many children think taking part in sport just isn't for them. We've got to change that.' Scroll down for video . Inspiration: Mr Cameron urged young people to look up to elite athletes such as runner Mo Farah, pictured . Beginnings: Seb Coe started running with the Hallamshire Harriers. Amir Khan started boxing at Bury ABC . In a speech at Loughborough . University yesterday, Mr Cameron, who went to Eton, one of the top . fee-paying schools in the country, urged young people to look up to . elite athletes such as runner Mo Farah and cyclist Victoria Pendleton . who were both educated at state schools. He . added: 'Some of the barriers that hold young people back are in their . minds: about imagined barriers of aspiration and confidence. The . Olympics are a chance to break them down. 'I'm not claiming one Olympics will . turn every child into tomorrow's Mo Farah or Victoria Pendleton, but . just look where our great athletes have come from. Seb Coe started . running with the Hallamshire Harriers. Amir Khan started boxing at Bury . ABC. 'Sustaining the momentum of the Games means opening people's eyes to the possibility of sport. 'Getting young people to follow their heroes and take part at school and in their local clubs.' His . comments came after Education Secretary Michael Gove warned that a . 'profoundly unequal' education system meant that private school pupils . were dominating positions of wealth and power in Britain. The Prime Minister went on to claim that the Olympics, which have so far cost £9.3billion, would boost the economy by £13billion over the next four years from new business deals, foreign investment and tourism. Downing Street said the figure included £1billion in additional sales by British companies, up to £4billion in business opportunities, £6billion in foreign investment, and £2billion from an increase of about four million tourists. Mr Cameron said: 'Now there's a further reason why the Games have got to be great for Britain too – they should be great for our economy. 'We shouldn't see them as some sort of expensive luxury in tough times. Because it's precisely because times are tough that we have got to get everything we can out of these Games, to support jobs and to support growth in the economy.' VIDEO: Cameron says too many Olympians from public schools... | Cameron says more people from state schools should be reaching the Olympics .
Four in ten medal winners at Beijing were from private schools . |
59,440 | a8c03b02b264e95937eaa2305f7df64c7713709a | A Saudi prince jailed for life in Britain for murdering his servant has been flown back to the Middle Eastern country to serve the rest of his sentence, the British government said Wednesday. Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Nasir, a grandson of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah, was jailed in 2010 for killing Bandar Abdullah Abdulaziz in a London hotel after subjecting him to a 'sadistic' campaign of violence and sexual abuse. But Britain's Ministry of Justice confirmed that the 36-year-old royal flew back to Saudi Arabia on Monday after he was granted a transfer to a prison in his homeland. Prince Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud (left) was found guilty of murdering his servant Bandar Abdullah Abdulaziz (right) in their room at a luxury London hotel. He will serve the rest of his life sentence in Saudi Arabia . Details of the transfer were announced last month. 'We have a prison transfer arrangement with Saudi Arabia which allows nationals of either country to serve their prison sentence in their home state,' a ministry spokeswoman said. 'Prince Saud has now returned to Saudi Arabia to serve the rest of his sentence. He was transferred in the same way that all prisoners are returned home and is the first prisoner to transfer under this arrangement.' She added that, as part of the arrangement, he must serve the life sentence, with a minimum of twenty years. Evidence: Saud Abdulaziz bin Nasser al Saud (in white) is seen beating his servant Bandar Abdulaziz in an elevator in London's Landmark hotel . When asked what measures had been taken to ensure that the prince would not be persecuted for his homosexual acts, or, alternatively, receive preferential treatment as a result of his royal connections, she said that the administration of his sentence is now a matter for Saudi Arabia. Saud's trial at England's Old Bailey central criminal court in London heard that he had ordered gay escorts and had frequently looked at websites for gay massage parlours and escort agencies. The prince denied being gay and his lawyers argued that he could face the death penalty in Saudi Arabia over the allegations of homosexuality. Undated handout photo issued by the Metropolitan Police of Prince Saud (left) and his victim Bandar Abdulaziz . The jury heard that the prince beat and strangled Abdulaziz to death on 15 February, 2010, fuelled by champagne and cocktails, after the pair returned from a Valentine's Day night out. A post-mortem found that Abdulaziz had suffered heavy blows to the head, injuries to the brain and ears, and severe neck injuries consistent with strangulation by hand. Prosecutors said bite marks on his cheeks showed a clear 'sexual element' to the killing. | Murderer Prince Saud bin Abdulaziz bin Nasir flown back to Saudi Arabia .
He is the grandson of Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah .
The prince murdered his servant in a London hotel in 2010 .
As part of the prisoner transfer agreement, he must serve the full term . |
79,693 | e1fbe9d2e20e83b6571637164ffbdec3ac1d53e8 | (CNN) -- Ten-man Burkina Faso boosted their chances of reaching the quarterfinals of the Africa Cup of Nations Friday with a 4-0 trouncing of Ethiopia in Mbombela. The superb victory, owing much to two-goal Alain Traore, left them in pole position in Group C after holders Zambia and Nigeria drew 1-1 in the early kick off in Rustenburg. Burkina Faso were leading 1-0 through a first half Traore strike when they had goalkeeper Abdoulaye Soulama sent off in the second half for handling the ball outside his area. But Traore, who plays for Lorient in the French League, struck minutes later with a blistering shot from just outside the area to all but sink Ethiopia's chances of getting back into the match with a man advantage. He had also scored Burkina Faso's last-gasp equalizer against Nigeria in the opening match of the tournament in South Africa. Traore then set up Djakaridja Kone for the third as the Ethiopia defense opened up again. Jonathan Pitroipa rounded off the win with the fourth in stoppage time to make it a miserable evening for the Ethiopian fans who had made up the majority of a sizable crowd in the stadium. It left Burkina Faso with four points from two games, with Zambia and Nigeria on two apiece. Ethiopia have just one point. Zambia, who won last year's championship, looked headed for the exit door when they trailed Nigeria late into their game. But they were awarded a controversial penalty, which was converted with considerable aplomb by Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene, lofting his effort into the roof of the net. Mweene had been at the receiving end of a first half spot kick awarded to Nigeria, but watched on as Chelsea's Jon-Obi Mikel scuffed a feeble effort wide of the post. Henri Richard's Zambia were encouraged by the miss, but it was Nigeria who struck first through Emmanuel Emenike in the 57th minute. It looked enough to seal through crucial points until Davies Nkausu tangled with Ahmed Musa in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the spot. Nigeria goalkeeper and captain Victor Enyeama was disgusted by the award and was well beaten by his counterpart, who regularly takes penalties South Africa Premier League club Free State Stars. "That was one of the worst calls I've seen in the history of football," he told AFP. The group will be decided next Tuesday with Burkina Faso taking on Zambia in Mbombela, while Ethiopia face Nigeria in Rustenburg. | Burkina Faso beat Ethiopia 4-0 in Group C match at Africa Cup of Nations .
Alain Traore scores twice in commanding performance .
Burkina Faso goalkeeper Abdoulaye Soulama sent off in the second half .
Holders Zambia and Nigeria drew 1-1 in earlier match . |
69,754 | c5b871b5a4a3e8cd3bac3a45bcb627f60a200f0f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:32 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:00 EST, 14 November 2013 . One of the founders of lyrics site Rap Genius has revealed how a brain tumor he initially dismissed as a toothache turned him mean - even making him tell Mark Zuckerberg to 'suck my d***'. Mahbod Moghadam, 30, revealed that the tumor left him so moody that his co-workers at the website, which allows users to annotate lyrics with their meanings online, told him to get his act together. Since he formed the site in 2009 with two fellow Yale graduates, the New York-based company has attracted a $15 million investment from Andreessen Horowitz and has now expanded to annotating images - in what the owners claim will revolutionize the way users interact with the internet. But several months ago, Moghadam began experiencing some bizarre health problems. Revelation: Mahbod Moghadam, one of the founders of Rap Genius, has revealed he recently underwent surgery for a brain tumor that altered his personality. He is pictured at a conference in May . After having his wisdom teeth removed, he had a migraine down the right side of his head which he blamed on the dental work - even though it lasted weeks, he told Fast Company. He was also unable to work out as hard and began having problems with his left hand, such as shaking, which he chalked down to an athletic injury from his youth. But as well as physical struggles, he started noticing other changes. 'My personality became terrible,' he said. He explained how he started smoking a . lot of marijuana, his girlfriend broke up with him and he began shouting . at people at work. 'My cofounders were furious at me because I wasn’t doing shit,' he said. 'They said, "You have to get your act together".' Attitude: Moghadam, pictured left with rapper Nas, previously told Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg he can 'suck my d***' but he now puts that attitude down to a brain tumor that was discovered this year . Famous friends: He is pictured with Kanye West and Ben Horowitz, who has invested $15m in the company . Rap Genius is a website dedicated to the annotation and interpretation of lyrics, poetry, news and other forms of text. Users upload a rap, for example, and can annotate the lines with meaning behind the words or with opinions. Contributors earn 'IQ' points when they make interesting annotations, so other users can see who best to trust. On the site, users can listen to songs, read their lyrics and click the lines that interest them for pop-up annotations, which are marked with a different color. Others can correct content while moderators monitor it. Their annotation system has since expanded to images, where users can click on an image for a description or to see how they can buy it. And . in one particularly bizarre incident, he lashed out at Facebook founder . Zuckerberg after posting pictures to Instagram showing them hanging out . together with rapper Nas and investor Ben Horowitz. When Zuckerberg's team found out about the photographs, they asked Moghadam to remove them. He responded: 'Zuck can suck my d***'. He now blames this outburst on the tumor he unknowingly had growing inside him. Moghadam finally went to a doctor six weeks ago and was sent for a brain scan, which found he had a brain tumor. He was put in an ambulance to another hospital for surgery the following day. But with his personality altered, he just played on his phone nonchalantly as he was prepped for surgery. He survived the surgery and spent two . nights in hospital, before recovering at home. He was left with a large . scar, which he hates, 'but girls seem to like it,' he said. After the operation, he said he is back to working out and is now more driven with his business. 'This really lit a fire under my ass for . working on the website,' he said. 'This brain tumor . motivated everyone, gave everyone a swift kick in the ass. Everyone's . working 10 times as hard now.' Now the team is hoping to expand and change the way people interact with the internet. On the mend: Since undergoing the surgery, Moghadam (right) said he is more motivated at the company, which he started with fellow Yale graduates Tom Lehman (center) and Ilan Zechor (left) in 2009 . Two weeks ago, they launched Fashion Genius, which allows users to annotate imagery. For example, if a user sees a bag they like, they can click on it and be taken to a website to buy it. Then Rap Genius will get a percentage of the purchase for sending the user there. Moghadam still has touches of the hip hop persona he uses to promote the brand, Fast Company noted, but his rhetoric has softened since the surgery. He said that drugs are also off limits after the surgery affected his blood-brain barrier. 'The only drug I have each day is a cup of green tea, and it hits me like about six lines of cocaine,' he said. Moghadam formed his company with Tom Lehman and Ilan Zechory; the trio met while studying at Yale University for their undergraduate degrees. He later studied at Stanford Law School. | Mahbod Moghadam, 30, is one of the co-founders of Rap Genius, which allows users to annotate songs, poetry and other texts with meanings .
Earlier this year he started getting migraines - but blamed it on surgery for wisdom teeth .
He also noticed his personality changed, making him lash out at his co-workers and others, like Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg .
He was diagnosed with a brain tumor and underwent surgery the next day . |
215,975 | a398cc409807148f20600ae5e35a47056890e4a4 | By . Ruth Styles for MailOnline . It's one of autumn/winter's biggest sartorial trends but the humble knitted jumper wasn't always so stylish. Now a new exhibition is to chart the history of the knit, from lowly beginnings as undergarments and utilitarian gowns to its current high fashion incarnation. Knitwear Chanel to Westwood opens at the Fashion and Textile Museum in London next month and will include 150 rare pieces, including Chanel cardigan suits, crocheted 1930s dresses and vibrant knits by Missoni and Bill Gibb. Scroll down for video . Seriously stylish: Jerry Hall wearing Jap & Joseph in 'Jamaica Blue', a shoot published by Vogue in May 1975 . Champion: Coco Chanel in striped knitted jersey photographed in 1929 by Alex Stewart Sasha . Accompanying the clothes will be a series of photos taken by greats such as Horst P. Horst which show off the knits in all their glamorous vintage glory. ‘Decade by decade, this incredible . collection charts over 100 years of knitwear history,' says Celia . Joicey, head of the Fashion and Textile Museum. 'It . is the first exhibition of its kind to explore not only key designers . but also technical innovations in hand, machine and industrial knitting.' But as the exhibition makes clear, knitwear wasn't always so glamorous with knitting and crocheting long associated with functional fashion and undergarments. That all changed when World War One broke out and wool, one of the first textiles to become scarce thanks to its use in army uniforms, became a luxury. By the 1920s, the flexible nature of wool and increasing demand for sportier pieces resulted in knitwear becoming truly fashionable for the first time, helped along by Coco Chanel. Key to the knit's new look was Chanel's championing of jersey, a wool-based machine woven textile, which was traditionally used to make men's pants. Chanel, however, had other ideas and reworked the material into easy-wearing twinsets and chic frocks - an innovation considered incredibly daring in the heady days of the 1920s. Later, the material was used to make evening dresses, as was crochet, all enlivened by metallic yarns, deco colouring and exotic details. By the time the Second World War arrived, the jumper was a firm fixture in the fashion firmament but clothing restrictions meant that once more, women had to invent creative ways to wear it. Many were unravelled and recycled when . they became too tatty to bear, with multicoloured jumpers becoming a . staple thanks to the reuse of wool taken from other garments. Renaissance: A 1920s knitted coat (left) and an elegant grey ensemble photographed by Horst P. Horst in 1947 . Cheerful: Multi-coloured designs such as these 1930s jumpers became popular during the war years . That, however, was the final time that the jumper played a purely practical part in women's wardrobes and almost as soon as VE day arrived, the knit began a trajectory that took it into the heart of the fashion world. The late 40s and early 50s saw the 'cocktail sweater' reign supreme in wardrobes around the world, thanks in no small part to the influence of Hollywood stars who wore theirs nipped in at the waist and embellished with embroidery and beading. Later, the crocheted cocktail dress became popular, with hems shortening exponentially as the 1960s approached and throughout the decade. With Chanel gone, Rudi Gernreich and André Courrèges led the charge to champion knitwear, embracing wool and jersey fabrics in their . futuristic designs. And it wasn't just designers who embraced the trend. Easier to make than the cocktail knit, short dresses became a favourite of young women all over the UK, who knitted their own using patterns published in magazines such as Vogue and Tatler. Luxurious: An elegant Diane Leslie top made from jersey shot through with gold yarn circa 1970 . Beautiful: A silk jersey duster coat circa 1919 (left) and a Jean Muir creation dating from the 1970s (right) The . novelty knit first seen during the war years reappeared in the 70s, this time featuring bright colours and kitsch . motifs, popularised by Fiorucci and Kenzo. The 1970s were also a . fertile era of fashion design, Ossie Clark, Biba, Rae Spencer Cullen for . Miss Mouse, Bill Gibb and Mary Quant all championing knitwear. But it wasn't until the 1980s that knitwear in its current incarnation really took off, with Vivienne Westwood, Rei Kawakubo for Comme . des Garçons, Zandra Rhodes and Sonia Rykiel all creating sophisticated collections based on the formerly humble jumper. By the time the 1990s and the noughties rolled around, knitwear was an established part of fashion although it hasn't completely lost its ability to astound. From Julien MacDonald to Mark Fast and Stella McCartney, the jumper continues to inspire fashion's hottest names - and those who buy them. 'Knitwear in fashion is often taken for granted,' comments Joicey, 'but this exhibition is an opportunity to celebrate knitwear centre stage and to inspire future design directions.' Curator Dennis Nothdruft added: ‘Knitwear is imbued with narrative and memory. This exhibition is a way of accessing other people’s stories.' Knitwear Chanel to Westwood opens on the 19th September at the Fashion and Textiles Museum in London. See ftmlondon.org for more information. | Knits began life as functional fashion used for pants and utilitarian jumpers .
With wool made scarce during WW1, it became increasingly luxurious .
Coco Chanel championed knitwear and pioneered the use of jersey .
Wool later used for fashionable cocktail sweaters and evening dresses . |
34,027 | 60b590872a9662bb5a42349b34ae6ee4710adada | New Haven, Connecticut (CNN) -- On Tuesday, asteroid 2005 YU55 is scheduled to pass near Earth, slightly closer than the moon. If you've seen the "Asteroid" (1997) or "Deep Impact" (1998) movies, you know why people pay attention to what NASA calls "potentially hazardous objects": A large asteroid hitting the Earth could cause global catastrophe. YU55 will not hit the Earth anytime soon, certainly not in the next 100 years, according to NASA's Near Earth Object Program. Still, collisions of space rocks with the Earth must have happened many times over its 4.5 billion year history because the surface of the moon, our near sibling, is pitted with crater impacts left undisturbed by earthly weather, volcanoes, erosion or vegetation. Follow space and science news on Light Years . David Rabinowitz, a planetary scientist at Yale, estimates that asteroids the size of YU55 come this close to the Earth about once every 100 years, and one this large hits the Earth only every few 100,000 years. 2005 YU55 (its name derives from the year and month in which it was found) is big compared to you and me but moderately sized for an asteroid, about 400 meters across (four football fields), and very small compared to the Earth or the moon. Let's try a size analogy: If the Earth were a medium-sized house, the moon would be a large car about half a mile away (nine football fields). The asteroid would be a tiny pencil point dot (like the thinnest lead you can buy for a mechanical pencil) that never gets closer to the Earth-house than about seven football fields away. This is much smaller than the asteroid reputed to have killed the dinosaurs and created the Chicxulub crater near the Yucatan. That asteroid was probably 25 times bigger across and more than 15,000 times bigger in volume. It was still small compared to the Earth or the moon -- about the size of your pinky fingernail in the house-car-pencil point analogy -- but big enough to wreak the global havoc of mass extinction. Fortunately, large asteroids like the dinosaur-killing one 65 million years ago are very rare, so the chance of an impact from such an asteroid is quite small. In the late 1990s, NASA started a census of large asteroids -- larger than about 1000 meters (10 football fields) across. That census is about 90% complete, with some 900 known large asteroids and fewer than 100 not yet accounted for. None of the known asteroids is currently on a collision path with the Earth. Smaller asteroids are much more numerous, so even though they don't individually cause as much damage, they are more likely to impact the Earth. The chance of serious harm to the Earth depends on these two competing factors: how many and how big. The danger, as in the Goldilocks story, comes from the middle, from asteroids small enough to be plentiful yet big enough to do damage. YU55 is that "just right" size. A similar asteroid hitting Earth could seriously damage a city or cause a tsunami. If a large asteroid were found to be heading toward Earth, scientists and engineers have ideas about how to deflect it, perhaps using gravity or explosives. The farther away the asteroid, the smaller the change needed in its trajectory, and thus the easier it would be to avoid a collision. Recent results from NASA's WISE infrared satellite suggest there are 20,000 space rocks with diameters between 100 meters and 1,000 meters. Tracking these down will not be easy. It's "like trying to detect a candle at the distance from the moon," Lindley Johnson, WISE project scientist, said in a press conference last month. Nine years ago, NASA asked a team of scientists to make recommendations about how a census of smaller asteroids could be done. Their report, issued in 2003, estimated there are roughly 500,000 near-Earth objects with diameters of 50 to 100 meters (comparable to one football field), with an estimated impact frequency of one every thousand years. Scientists think the famous Tunguska event of 1908, an enormous explosion that flattened 80 million trees over 830 square miles (2/3 the size of Rhode Island) in Russia, was caused by an impact from an asteroid or meteorite about 50 to 100 meters in diameter. The force of this explosion was roughly 1,000 times larger than the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima. The 2003 study recommended NASA search for potentially hazardous objects larger than about 140 meters across, or about 1/3 the size (1/9 the weight) of YU55. Looking for smaller objects would be prohibitively expensive and would not result in a large gain in overall safety. However, stopping at 1,000 meters -- for which the present census is reasonably complete -- was deemed insufficient to protect the planet. Searching for near-Earth asteroids can be done with telescopes on the ground and in space, observing at optical and infrared wavelengths (like WISE). In recent years, Congress has provided some funding for two sky-watching projects, Pan-STARRS (the first telescope has been deployed) and LSST (so far, in the design phase). Scientists know there is far more to asteroids than danger; they are the material out of which the inner rocky planets in our solar system (Earth, Mars, Mercury, Venus) formed. Understanding the composition of asteroids, as well as their size distribution and shapes, yields important information that theories of planet formation have to explain. YU55 is thought to be very black, as if it were made of carbon, like charcoal. Because it is passing relatively nearby, the next few days will provide a gold mine of data for scientists. For them, especially, the porridge is not too hot, not too cold, but just right. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Meg Urry. | A midsized asteroid will pass by Earth on Tuesday .
Meg Urry: No need to worry about this one, but risk of asteroid collision is real .
She says asteroids have collided with Earth and moon, sometimes disastrously .
Urry: Next few days will provide a gold mine of information for scientists . |
111,758 | 1c1c8df0f863fb203464ec4d04f6c8bbb20073be | Editor's note: Ted Danson is an Emmy Award-winning actor, a founding board member of Oceana, the world's largest international organization dedicated solely to ocean conservation, and narrator of a new film, "End of the Line." For more information about Oceana, read here . Ted Danson says a "closed" sign on a beach led him on a 20-year quest to save the world's oceans. (CNN) -- Today, Monday, June 8, we recognize the first U.N.-sanctioned World Oceans Day. The event comes after years of pressure from conservation groups and thousands of activists who clamored for everyone to know and understand what's happening in our oceans. I became an ocean activist in 1987. It was the fifth year of "Cheers" and my family moved into a neighborhood that was on the water, in Santa Monica, California. One day I took my daughters to the beach to go swimming, but it was "closed" and I couldn't answer my daughter's question why. That's really how it started. That and "Cheers" was paying me a lot of money and I felt I had better be responsible with it. So, I started to get involved. It turned out in our new neighborhood there was a fight to keep Occidental Petroleum from drilling 60 oil wells on Will Rogers State Beach in Los Angeles. They wanted to slant drill into the Santa Monica Bay. The fight was led by a man named Robert Sulnick and we became great friends and found a way to beat them. We enjoyed ourselves so much that we wanted to continue this work. So Robert Sulnick and I, full of passion and naiveté, started American Oceans Campaign, which ultimately became a part of Oceana. And, here I am, still at it, 20 years later -- because our oceans are in trouble. Watch Danson talk about his commitment to save the world's oceans » . The U.N. reports that 75 percent of seafood species are maxed out or overexploited and catches of nearly a third of these species are less than 10 percent of what they once were. Ninety percent of the big fish -- sharks, tuna, swordfish -- are already gone, according to a 2003 study in Nature. The chemistry of the oceans is changing as they absorb 11 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide a year, and scientists say the acidifying waters will make it impossible for coral reefs, the nurseries of the sea, to grow. At the current rate of acidification, corals, sea snails and other calcium-carbonate-requiring life forms could begin to dissolve by the middle of the century, with potentially catastrophic results. Shellfish and fish will be in deep trouble as well. This is all happening on our watch. My friend Charles Clover, then a reporter for the U.K.'s Telegraph, wrote an incredible book about all of this called "The End of the Line" that lays out, in devastating detail, how this has happened. The book is now a film, released today, and I'm honored to serve as the narrator. The movie describes how marine scientist Daniel Pauly (a fellow Oceana board member) discovered China had been falsifying its fish catch data, and that instead of increasing, global fish catch had actually peaked in the late 1980s at about 80 million tons a year and had been falling ever since, despite better and faster technology and billions of dollars in government subsidies. The film also describes how we are about to fish one of the most magnificent fish in the ocean, the bluefin tuna, into extinction. It's not the only one we're eating into oblivion. Cod, once a staple in the working man's lunch of fish and chips, is increasingly a delicacy. Unable to catch once-prized species, fishermen are selling creatures that you would never have considered eating, like the once-disdained skates that replace scallops on European tables. Even jellyfish are becoming a commercially viable species. World Oceans Day is an opportunity to bring these underwater challenges to light. And it's a chance to explain how we can restore our oceans to their former glory. Ocean conservation is rewarding because you absolutely can make a difference. You leave a fish population alone for a while, and it rebounds. The oceans are incredibly resilient. We have the opportunity right now to protect the oceans and the life they harbor for future generations. By protecting important habitats like corals from destructive fishing techniques, and setting science-based quotas on seafood species, the battle is halfway won. Fish species will recover, and the marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds that rely on them for sustenance have a fighting chance. In addition, we must commit to renewable energy sources to end the excessive carbon dioxide emissions that are acidifying the oceans and making them inhospitable to life. The ocean does represent a source of energy, and it's not offshore oil and gas drilling -- it's offshore wind. Europe is a leader in developing offshore wind power, and it's time for the United States to catch up. Today, on World Oceans Day, don't just go green. Go blue. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ted Danson. | Ted Danson: June 8 is the first U.N.-recognized World Oceans Day .
He says oceans are in trouble with 75 percent of seafood species in danger .
Saving oceans is doable if we allow fish species to rebound, Danson says . |
163,466 | 5f5ddf7211fe5aa60d588b950e723580f467a7fd | By . Steve Robson . PUBLISHED: . 05:05 EST, 22 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:17 EST, 22 June 2013 . They are the kind of outfits neither Maria Sharapova nor Serena Williams would be seen dead in. But the 1922 Wimbledon Women's Singles final between Suzanne Lenglen and Molla Mallory was altogether more modest affair by the looks of it. The French player Lenglen even turned up wearing a fur coat. It must have brought her some good luck - she went on to win 6-2, 6-0. The image is part of a collection of rare and unseen photographs from the early days of the world's most famous tennis tournament. Smash hit: The finalists Suzanne Lenglen of France (right) and Molla Mallory of the USA (left) line up before the big match . In action: French player Suzanne Lenglen went on to win the Women's Singles final in 1922. Outfits in the ladies' game have got somewhat racier since then . Entertaining: Suzanne Lenglen shows the players were just as athletic and competitive . Fair play: Australian tennis players Gerald Patterson and James Anderson hold up their mascots before their men's singles semi-final. Patterson went on to win the title . They are included in a new book . by coach Bruce Tarran about the life of George Hillyard, the man who . moved the tournament to its present location in SW19. Although Wimbledon had already been . going for more than 40 years by 1922, it was a significant year as it . was the first time it had been played on Church Road. Huge crowds can be seen queuing patiently to get in, many dressed up in their best attire for the day out. One image shows fans milling about between courts, most sporting the fashionable hats and dresses of the time. Australian tennis players Gerald Patterson and James Anderson are pictured smiling broadly before their semi-final math. Patterson went on to win the Men's Singles title, defeating his compatriot Randolph Lycett 6-3, 6-4, 6-2. And another photo captures the familiar sight of groundsmen rushing on to Centre Court to pull on the covers as rain stops play once again. Fans are also pictured waiting patiently under umbrellas for it to stop. Rain stops play: In the days before Centre Court's retractable roof, fans had to wait patiently for clear skies to see their heroes . Popular: The tournament drew huge numbers of fans who can be seen in their finest attire for a day out in SW19 . Landmark: 1922 was the first year Wimbledon was held at its present Church Road location . History in the making: This picture from April 1922 shows the new Centre Court under construction . Familiar sight: Groundsmen rush to bring on the covers on Centre Court as rain stops play . Bruce Tarran's book describes how in . 1887 Hillyard, aged 23, married Wimbledon Ladies champion Blanche . Bingley and influenced the world of tennis for the next 40 years. He . won Olympic doubles gold at the London Games in 1908 and helped found . the Lawn Tennis Association, wresting power over the game from The All . England Club. Fast forward to 2013 and the outfits . may have got a little racier, and the tennis a lot faster, but the . inclement British weather still has the ability to play havoc with the . tournament schedule. Thankfully the forecast for this . year's tournament, which starts on Monday, looks positive with dry and . sunny weather expected for much of the week. Britain's Andy Murray will be hoping to go one better after losing in last year's final to Roger Federer. And the World Number Two will be . upbeat after winning Queen's last week and a draw which means he will . avoid Rafael Nadal in the quarter-finals. Bruce Tarran with his new book 'George Hillyard: The Man who moved Wimbledon' | Rare and unseen photographs reveal early days at SW19 .
The first year tournament was held in present location on Church Road .
Women's Singles winner Suzanne Lenglen turned up for final in a fur coat . |
253,684 | d45ac24b915f6f86e44cebb45f98ad41a6d539e6 | By . Jonathan O'Callaghan . Silly Putty: one of the world's most popular toys and now, also, a novel way to make your phone hold a charge for longer? That's according to a group of researchers in the Riverside Bourns College of Engineering at the University of California. They've developed a way to use the material found in the toy and surgical tubes to make lithium-ion batteries that last three times longer between charges compared to the current standard. A team of researchers from the University of California have created a lithium-ion battery that they say lasts three times longer the current industry standard using material found in Silly Putty. Pictured is the silicon polymer and battery used for the research . The team created silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanotube anodes for lithium-ion batteries and found they had over three times as much energy storage capacity as the carbon-based anodes currently being used. Silly Putty was one of the most popular toys of the 20th century, a result of an 'accident' during the Second World War. It was invented by engineer James Wright in New Haven, Connecticut in 1943 as he was attempting to create a synthetic rubber. The . result was not able to replace rubber - but its unusual qualities, the . ability to flow like a liquid, bounce like a ball, or break given a . sharp blow, made it a popular toy. By 1987, two million Silly Putty eggs were sold every year. The . mass is composed of 65 per cent dimethyl siloxane (hydroxy-terminated . polymers with boric acid), 17 per cent silica (crystalline quartz), nine . per cent Thixatrol ST (castor oil derivative), four per cent . polydimethylsiloxane, one per cent decamethyl cyclopentasiloxane, one . per cent glycerine, and one per cent titanium dioxide. The researchers say this has significant implications for industries including electronics and electric vehicles, which are always trying to squeeze longer discharges out of batteries. 'We are taking the same material used in kids' toys and medical devices and even fast food and using it to create next generation battery materials,' said Zachary Favors, the lead author of a paper on the research. The paper, Stable Cycling of SiO2 Nanotubes as High-Performance Anodes for Lithium-Ion Batteries, was published online in the journal Nature Scientific Reports. It was co-authored by Cengiz S. Ozkan, a mechanical engineering professor, Mihrimah Ozkan, an electrical engineering professor, and several of their current and former graduate students: Wei Wang, Hamed Hosseinni Bay, Aaron George and Favors. The team originally focused on silicon dioxide because it is an extremely abundant compound, environmentally friendly, non-toxic, and found in many other products. Silicon dioxide has previously been used as an anode material in lithium ion batteries, but the ability to synthesize the material into highly uniform exotic nanostructures with high energy density and long cycle life has been limited. There key finding was that the silicon dioxide nanotubes are extremely stable in batteries, which is important because it means a longer lifespan. Specifically, SiO2 nanotube anodes were cycled 100 times without any loss in energy storage capability and the authors are highly confident that they could be cycled hundreds more times. The researchers are now focused on developing methods to scale up production of the SiO2 nanotubes in hopes they could become a commercially viable product. Silly Putty, stock image shown, was one of the most popular toys of the 20th century, a result of an 'accident' during the Second World War. It was invented by engineer James Wright in New Haven, Connecticut in 1943 as he was attempting to create a synthetic rubber . The team created silicon dioxide (SiO2) nanotube anodes for lithium-ion batteries and found they had over three times as much energy storage capacity as the carbon-based anodes currently being used. From left to right: Cengiz Ozkan, Hamed Hosseinni Bay, Mihrimah Ozkan, Zachary Favors and Aaron George . | Team from the University of California have created a longer-lasting battery .
They used the material found in Silly Putty to get three times more charge .
The researchers used a modern variant of silicon dioxide, found in the toy .
With this they created new non-toxic battery nanotube anodes .
They say the tech could be used in phones, cars and more in future . |
215,401 | a2d248a30833e5c5e276c07f87693c2400ac98ed | By . Amanda Williams . PUBLISHED: . 06:35 EST, 15 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:52 EST, 15 January 2014 . Skulls discovered within the boundaries of ancient London a quarter of a century ago are now believed to be those of gladiators, brutally killed for the amusement of Roman audiences. The haul of 39 skulls, discovered beneath the site of the Guildhall in the City of London, were discovered in 1988 and were believed to have originated from human remains washed out of burial sites by the Walbrook, one of the area’s lost rivers. But now after 25 years in storage, the remains have been re-examined by an historian from the Museum of London, who believes they are the first evidence of gladiators in London. Skulls discovered within the boundaries of ancient London a quarter of a century ago are now believed to be those belonging to gladiators, brutally killed for the amusement of Roman audiences. This skull shows sharp force injuries . Studies have revealed that most of the skulls show signs of injury before death - despite them dying during peace time. Rebecca Redfern, of the museum's Centre for Human Bioarchaeology, now believes that the skulls are either the result of sacrificial headhunting, or the remains of gladiators, killed for sport. Some of the heads had been decapitated and one of the haul had part of its jawbone sliced off - almost all had been the victims of violence - The Independent reports. 'The level of violence here exceeds the level needed to kill someone', Dr Redfern said, adding that they showed 'lethal, multiple blows to the head' alongside healed injuries consistent with a brutal life. The full findings of her research will be published this week in the Journal of Archaeological Science. The skulls were discovered in a pit beneath what is now a Waterstones bookshop - at 52 - 63 London Wall - which was excavated in 1988. The area was an industrial one in Roman times known as the Upper Walbrook Valley. The jawline of adult male with sharp force weapon injury. The studies reveal the skulls had almost certainly all been victims of violence . An adult male jaw with marks of dog gnawing, examined by the team. The bones are believed to hold the first evidence of Roman gladiators in London . Although historians have known about the existence of an amphitheatre at the site for many years, Dr Redfern said it was the first time physical evidence of gladiators had been found in London. She said: 'It’s utterly, utterly amazing. We don’t have evidence for this type of thing in Roman London. She added: 'There is no primary source evidence for gladiators in London... There is a gladiator tombstone, but we think it was brought to Britain (from Europe no earlier than the 17th century). The Times reports that the remains were thrown into the pits between 120 and 160 AD - which was peace time in Roman Britain. Dr Redfern said the bones were not supposed to have been in the pits at all as this was within the walls of the City - where corpses were not supposed to have been buried. In August construction workers in London made an 'unexpected and fascinating discovery' during work on the city's billion pound Crossrail project. Around . 20 Roman skulls were unearthed by tunnellers working beneath . Liverpool Street Station, where the historic River Walbrook flows. A reconstruction drawing of Londinium. The skulls were discovered in a pit beneath what is now a Waterstones bookshop - at 52 - 63 London Wall - which was excavated in 1988 . Another haul of skulls and pottery was recently found below the site of the historic Bedlam burial ground. Bedlam hospital was a psychiatric asylum and patients who died while at the hospital were buried in a cemetery first established in the 16th century . Archaeologists believe the skulls, pictured, may have washed downstream along the River Walbrook. They were found six metres under the ground below what is thought to have been a 16th century burial ground for patients of the Bedlam hospital . Working . under the direction of Crossrail's archaeologists, the construction . workers carefully removed the human skulls and Roman pottery. They were found buried in clusters in the sediment of the historic tributary. For . safety reasons the archaeologists had to leave the work to the . tunnellers as the skulls were buried as deep as six metres below ground. The cross-London scheme has already led . to a number of exciting discoveries, including around 4,000 skeletons . found buried in the Eldon Street area. The River Walbrook formed from . tributaries coming from Shoreditch, Barbican and merging in the Finsbury . Circus area of Central London. It . flows through the middle of the City of London beneath the Bank of . England and joins the Thames between Southwark and Cannon Street . Bridges. It is believed to . be named after a brook that ran through the London Wall, built by the . Romans around London to protect the city. Romans . built the Temple of Mithras, which worshipped the ancient religion of . Mithraism, on the banks of the Walbrook in the 3rd century AD.This . temple was found during construction work in the 1950's. Following the invasion of . the Anglo-Saxons in the 6th century, Britons were forced to live on the . east bank of the Walbrook, while the Saxons lived on the west. The . Walbrook began being covered by buildings in 1440 and it now runs . entirely underground, running parallel to a street called Walbrook. Source: London's Lost Rivers . These skeletons will be carefully removed . during major archaeological excavations this year. The discovery of the skulls and pottery was made below the site of the historic Bedlam burial ground. Bedlam . hospital was a psychiatric asylum and patients who died while at the . hospital were buried in a cemetery first established in the 16th . century. Historically, Roman skulls have been found along the Thames tributary Walbrook during various excavations in the region. This . led to speculation the skulls found were heads decapitated by Queen . Boudicca's army during the rebellion against Roman occupation in the 1st . century AD. | Haul of 39 skulls, discovered beneath the site of Guildhall in City of London .
They were discovered in 1988 but have just been re-examined .
It is now believed they are first evidence of gladiators in ancient London . |
125,521 | 2e46986ddff98d27097ea3d63909ca288a866ab2 | By . Simon Peach, Press Association . Southampton chairman Ralph Krueger says this has been a 'dream summer' for the club, with the mass exodus actually helping them become stronger on and off the field. Following their best ever Premier League campaign, St Mary's witnessed an unparalleled and, at times, uncomfortable talent drain. The departure of manager Mauricio Pochettino and his coaching staff to Tottenham was quickly followed by Rickie Lambert, Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Calum Chambers moving on to pastures new. Adam Lallana was among those to leave Southampton in the summer when he joined Liverpool for £25m . The odds on Saints being relegated dramatically cut after those exits, although the club acted quickly to allay fears by appointing highly-regarded Ronald Koeman before bringing in eight new players. It is a case of so far so good for the new-look side, who head into Saturday's match with Newcastle on the back of a 3-1 win at West Ham and a transfer-window profit of more than £30million. 'We feel we're in a stronger position than we entered this crazy transfer window,' chairman Krueger said. 'If someone had told me in the middle of May that - after the outs, including the managerial team, and the ins - we would be standing here speaking about what we have, I would say that would be a dream summer. 'We've had amazing financial discipline throughout it all. We still have a lot of work to do in the club. We didn't do everything perfectly this summer. We are never going to say that. Luke Shaw moved to Manchester United for £31.5m after being in the England squad at World Cup . 'We know we have a lot of lessons to take out of our summer steps, but they will help us in the future, for sure.' Such positivity flies in the face of what some dubbed a 'meltdown' at St Mary's, where the summer exits only served to compound the January departure of divisive executive chairman Nicola Cortese. It is talk Krueger continues to laugh off, saying Southampton have always 'kept moving forwards' with a long-term view - one which gives them more strength in depth than before. 'There was a time in the summer where everybody would be thankful just for the team to be slightly competitive,' he said, speaking at club partner Sunseeker's stand at the Southampton Boat Show. 'I think we are more than slightly competitive now and we just have to stay patient. 'There are a lot of changes. There are eight new players from outside, five new from inside (promoted from the academy) - that's 13 players that need to be integrated. 'We've got a new management staff, so we're very patient. The potential of this group will not necessary show up in the next few weeks. Southampton have made a promising start to the season despite the summer exodus . 'Everybody around it needs to understand that all this change needs some time, let it be a one-off as far as the amount of change. 'We don't expect in the next transfer windows to come anywhere close to this kind of a situation again. 'We're doing everything possible to prevent that, which I think is comfort for those who I know went through sleepless nights - and, trust me, we did too.' The future of Jay Rodriguez and, in particular, Morgan Schneiderlin were the main concerns towards the end of the window, yet Saints retained both players despite interest and intense speculation. 'When we made the decision as a club, I have to say that there were conversations afterwards, but it never got uncomfortable,' Krueger said. 'It never left the realm of being respectful and I respect Morgan even more today than I did when this all started, just because of the end process, the decisions we made and we gave him time. 'I said right from the start that I was never upset about his immediate reaction, knowing that we're all human beings and that can happen. 'Over time he's shown so much character and his reaction has been on the pitch to be the best possible player he can be and to accept the decision. 'It's a great example for an approach where a club and a player maybe has differences, but always deals eye-to-eye, we communicated very openly with each other.' | Manager Mauricio Pochettino and his coaching staff went to Tottenham .
Rickie Lambert, Luke Shaw, Adam Lallana, Dejan Lovren and Calum Chambers were all sold .
Highly-regarded coach Ronald Koeman has brought in eight new players . |
276,487 | f234ee1d77ab7e22498e87a8326cacf641c45098 | By . Lucy Laing . Last updated at 5:41 PM on 30th January 2012 . When his son Daniel was given just months to live without a lifesaving transplant, devoted father David made a brave decision. His son was suffering from a rare liver condition and it was unlikely that surgeons would find a donor liver in time. So he decided to step forward and risk his life to donate part of his own liver to save his desperately ill son. Surgeons removed a fifth of Mr O’Shaugnessy’s liver and transplanted it into his son - who has now made a complete recovery. Mrs O’Shaugnessy, 42, a pre-school teacher, said: ‘I’m just so grateful to David for saving our son. A family affair: When his son Daniel (right) was given just months to live without a lifesaving transplant, devoted father David made a brave decision and decided to donate part of his own liver . ‘It was a risky operation for him, but he never hesitated to risk his own life to save Daniel. It was terrible seeing them both go through the operations at the same time, and I had to go between one hospital ward and the other to help them both. But luckily they have both recovered. To see Daniel doing so well now is amazing.’ Little Daniel, now three, was diagnosed with the life-threatening condition biliary atresia when he was just 12 weeks old. Biliary atresia is a serious but rare disease of the liver that affects newborn children. It occurs in approximately one in 10,000 babies and it means that the loss of the bile ducts cause bile to remain in the liver and damage it. It can lead to liver failure which can only be cured with a transplant. Mrs O’Shaugnessy first noticed there was a problem with her son when he was just four days old, in February 2008. She said: ‘He was jaundiced, but I thought that it would clear up . within a few days as a lot of babies are jaundiced after birth. ‘Two weeks later he was still jaundiced, . so I started to get worried. At his eight week check up his stomach was . so swollen too that his belly button had been pushed outwards, but the . GP just told me to put him in the window to get some more sunlight. A rare disease in which the tubes which drain liquid bile from the liver are progressively destroyed. This fibrosis of the biliary duct system results in a build up of bile, which damages the liver. As a result, the condition invariably leads to death from liver failure by the age of two if untreated. Effective surgery can relieve symptoms in most cases and a liver transplant is also an option. As a result, survival rates are now above 90 per cent. It's not clear how or why the disease occurs, and many factors may be involved. Bile is made by the liver and helps with the digestion of fats. If bile is not removed from the liver, it builds up and begins to damage it. The baby can develop develop jaundice, or a yellow colour of the skin as levels of the bile chemical bilirubin rise in the blood. Tests are often required to confirm a diagnosis of biliary atresia, as the symptoms can be confused with other conditions. The earlier the condition is detected, the less damage it will have done to the liver and the better the chance of a successful outcome to treatment. ‘When I showed the doctor his stomach he said that it was normal for his belly button to be stuck out.’ Daniel’s health continued to deteriorate and when he was 12 weeks old his condition was diagnosed as biliary atresia. Mrs O’Shaugnessy said: ‘We were so shocked when the doctors told us what he had, and completely devastated.’ Daniel underwent an operation immediately to try and redirect the bile through his liver but it wasn’t a success. Mrs O’Shaugnessy said: ‘His liver had already been too badly damaged for the operation to work. If he had been diagnosed earlier when his symptoms first became apparent then he would probably only have needed the first operation. ‘But by the time it was carried out the surgeons told us that it was too badly damaged. His only chance of survival was a liver transplant.’ Daniel was put onto the transplant list for seven months, but as the months went by, no donor liver could be found. Daniel’s condition started to worsen and the doctors approached Mr O’Shaugnessy to see if he would consider donating part of his own liver to save his son. Mrs O’Shaugnessy said: ‘After two months of being on the transplant list, there was no donor to be found and Daniel started to get worse, which was terrifying. We knew that a liver transplant was the only way of saving him. ‘When the doctors asked David if he would be a donor, he didn’t hesitate. Luckily he proved to be a good match for Daniel, which meant that the transplant could go ahead. ‘I was worried about both my son and my husband being in the operating theatre at the same time, and it was a risky decision for David to make, but it was Daniel’s only chance of survival and he didn’t hesitate to save him.’ The transplant took place in December 2008 and Mr O’Shaugnessy, who works in pharmaceuticals, was taken down first to the operating theatre, Mrs O’Shaugnessy said: ‘I walked down with David first, then I had to carry Daniel down a short while later. It was a nervewracking wait whilst the operations took place and I just had to pray that everything would be alright.’ A fifth of his father’s liver was taken out and transplanted into Daniel and operation was a success. Mrs O’Shaugnessy said: ‘I had to run between the hospital wards after the operation and I would feel guilty leaving one to go and see the other. But just a couple of days after the operation, David was well enough to walk down the corridor and come and see Daniel. It was a very emotional moment, knowing that he had saved his son’s life.’ Mr O’Shaugnessy took two months to recover before he went back to work, but Daniel suffered constant infections and potential rejection for the next two years and was in hospital. He has only just made a complete recovery and the family, who are supported by the Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, are thrilled with his progress. Mrs O’Shaugnessy said: ‘We had a constant worry that the liver was going to be rejected and he was constantly having to go back into hospital for treatment, but now it finally seems to have settled down and he is doing well. He has to go for check ups every two months now, and he has just started nursery school in September. I am so grateful to David - he has given our son a second chance at life.’ For more information visit www.childsliverdisease.org . | Daniel O’Shaugnessy was given just months to live .
His father decides to risk his life to donate part of his own liver .
Both have now made a full recovery . |
102,575 | 102dfc3263b9357b3f3eb095af1bb4afe4704c5f | Russia has revealed it will develop an array of new weapons - including nuclear warheads - amid the escalating stand-off with the West over its involvement in Ukraine. President Vladimir Putin revealed the move after Nato set up a 'spearhead' force to defend eastern Europe against what it describes as growing evidence of a Russian presence in Ukraine. He told a Kremlin meeting western nations should not get 'hysterical' about the re-arming, insisting the prospect of Russia entering a Cold War style arms race was 'absolutely excluded'. Scroll down for video . Tension: Vladimir Putin, pictured at a Moscow church today, has vowed to ramp up Russia's nuclear arsenal . Overrun: Ukraine and the West say pro-Russian rebels, like the one pictured today in the key city of Donetsk, have been receiving support from Russia and more than 1,000 Russian troops have been on Ukrainian soil . But he said U.S. missile defence plans had challenged Russia's security and his nation would rise to defend itself if necessary. In the speech - made on the same day Russia's military successfully test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile from a nuclear submarine - he said: 'We have warned many times that we would have to take corresponding countermeasures to ensure our security. 'I would like to underline that we only take retaliatory steps.' The statement appeared to signal that the Russian leader is determined to pursue a tough course in the face of more Western sanctions over the Ukraine crisis. Relations between Russia and the West have plummeted to their lowest point since the Cold War after eastern Ukraine, where many people are ethnically Russian, was overrun by pro-Russian rebels. Conflict: A pro-Russian fighter beside a burnt-out Ukrainian military truck today in Alovaisk, Ukraine . Toll: A boy beside a damaged wall in Alovaisk. The conflict has raged for five months and killed 3,000 people . There have been repeated claims - denied by Putin - that Russia is encouraging the unrest in order to allow an invasion in the guise of a humanitarian mission. The European Union is mulling a new wave of sanctions against Russia, intended to persuade it to honour its part of a cease-fire agreement signed last week. Moscow denies sending troops into eastern Ukraine, but leaders in the capital Kiev and Western backers say there is overwhelming evidence to the contrary. At one point Nato estimated there were 1,000 Russian troops on Ukrainian soil. Today Ukraine's president said Russia had removed '70 per cent' of its forces from his country, raising hopes for peace after a five-month conflict which has killed more than 3,000 people. President Petro Poroshenko said parts of the east under rebel control would get special status under a peace deal. Presidential duties: Putin also cast his vote today in the Moscow City Duma elections, pictured . Standing guard: Ukrainian forces (pictured) have been battling pro-Russian rebels in the east for months . 'According to the latest information I have received from our intelligence, 70 percent of Russian troops have been moved back across the border,' he said. 'This further strengthens our hope that the peace initiatives have good prospects.' He added 700 Ukrainian prisoners had been freed from rebel captivity and expressed hope that another 500 would be freed by the end of the week. But he said the ceasefire was not easy to maintain because 'terrorists' were constantly trying to provoke Kiev's forces. In today's speech, which addressed Russia's weapons modernisation programme from 2016 to 2025, Putin said the military had to replace Soviet weapons approaching the end of their useful lifespan. He said the country should focus on building a new array of offensive weapons to provide a 'guaranteed nuclear deterrent'. The plans also involve re-arming strategic and long-range aviation; creating an aerospace defence system and developing high-precision non-nuclear weapons. In charge: Pro-Russian rebels smoking as they guard Donetsk airport, which was overrun earlier this year . Refugees: A displaced family from Donetsk today on the outskirts of the southern coastal town Mariupol . He would not elaborate on the type of weapons, but he and other officials have repeatedly boasted about new Russian nuclear missiles' capability to penetrate any prospective missile shield. The Kremlin's current modernisation programme, to 2020, is already costing £330billion. Russia inherited most of its arsenal from the Soviet Union and has struggled to develop new weapons systems after the post-Soviet industrial meltdown. The difficulties faced by the Russian arms industry have been highlighted by the long and painful development of the Bulava intercontinental ballistic missile, which suffered repeated launch failures. But its designers finally seem to have cured the glitches, and the navy boasted of a successful launch of the Bulava from a nuclear submarine today. Talking about potential threats, the Russian president specifically pointed at the U.S. missile defense program and Washington's plans to develop new conventional weapons that could strike targets anywhere in the world in as little as an hour with deadly precision. | President revealed move today amid stand-off between Kremlin and West .
He spoke after Nato created 'spearhead' force to defend eastern Europe .
Putin warned the West against getting 'hysterical' over the re-arming .
Russia primed to take 'retaliatory steps' - but 'is not entering an arms race'
Tensions have flared amid widespread claims Russian troops are in Ukraine . |
269,984 | e9aa064e9515a701b2a277759068bd21364b091f | A former Army staff sergeant is set to receive the Medal of Honor for his heroics during one of the deadliest battles of the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan. Staff Sergeant Ryan Pitts from Nashua, New Hampshire, spent an agonizing 90 minutes fighting off enemy fighters despite shrapnel injuries . to both legs and an arm that left the young soldier critically wounded . and resigned to certain death. President Obama is scheduled to bestow the medal on Pitts during a White House ceremony on July 21. It is the nation's highest decoration for battlefield valor. Scroll down for video . Former Army staff sergeant Ryan Pitts is set to receive the Medal of Honor for his heroics during one of the deadliest battles of the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan . Pitts also will become the ninth living recipient of the medal for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan. The medal recognizes the ‘courageous actions’ shown by Pitts while he served as a forward observer with 2nd Platoon, Chosen Company, 2nd Battalion (Airborne), 503rd Infantry Regiment, 173rd Airborne Brigade, when Vehicle Patrol Base Kahler, near Wanat Village in Kunar Province, in remote northeastern Afghanistan, came under full-scale assault by approximately 200 Taliban fighters on July 13, 2008. Nine paratroopers gave their lives and 27 were wounded at The Battle of Wanat. Deep into battle, Pitts found himself alone at the observation post and losing blood. He radioed to tell his superiors that everyone else was either dead or gone, but was told reinforcements were not available. Resigned to death, he began firing a grenade launcher almost directly overhead to where insurgents had concealed themselves. Pitts also will become the ninth living recipient of the medal for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan . Four soldiers soon made their way from the casualty collection point to find Pitts fighting for his life. They were followed by attack helicopters that provided air support. Despite being nearly unconscious, Pitts stayed in touch with headquarters and provided the feedback that was needed to help guide the air strikes. He was evacuated after fighting for more than an hour despite his wounds, along with three of the soldiers who came to his aid. The fourth soldier had been fatally wounded. ‘Throughout the battle, despite the loss of blood and severity of his wounds, Pitt's incredible toughness, determination, and ability to communicate with leadership while under fire allowed U.S. forces to hold the (observation post) and turn the tide of the battle,’ according to the military's narrative of the battle. President Obama is scheduled to bestow the Medal of Honor on Pitts, left, during a White House ceremony on July 21 . ‘Without his ability to stay alert and fight while critically wounded, the enemy would have gained a foothold on high ground and inflicted significantly greater causalities onto the vehicle patrol base, and the enemy could have been in possession of seven fallen Americans.’ Pitts left the service in October 2009 and currently works in business development for the computer software industry. He joined the Army in 2003 at age 17. Last week, Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to retired Cpl. William ‘Kyle’ Carpenter, who lost an eye after taking a grenade blast in Afghanistan to save a fellow Marine. | Ryan Pitts is set to receive the medal for his heroics during one of the deadliest battles of the U.S. campaign in Afghanistan .
He spent 90 minutes fighting off enemy fighters despite shrapnel injuries .
to both legs and an arm that left the young soldier critically wounded .
Nine paratroopers gave their lives and 27 were wounded at The Battle of Wanat .
President Obama is scheduled to bestow the medal on Pitts during a White House ceremony on July 21 .
Pitts will become the ninth living recipient of the medal for actions in Iraq and Afghanistan . |
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