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44,095 | 7c5df2757a52e75bd28b02dd3477f37bba7c1438 | By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 08:15 EST, 5 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:23 EST, 5 February 2013 . An Afghan woman who was jailed for adultery after being raped by her cousin's husband has now been forced to marry the man to restore the family's honour and avoid becoming a social outcast. The 22-year-old woman, who is known only as Gulnaz, married her attacker last week in Kabul, after spending more than 13 months as a virtual prisoner inside a women’s shelter. Her heartbreaking story highlights the . desperate plight faced by thousands of women in Afghanistan, who despite . years of efforts by western agencies, endure horrific abuse . and have no effective recourse under the law. Desperate plight: Afghan rape victim Gulnaz with the daughter she had after becoming . pregnant in the attack. She has now married her attacker . after spending 13 months as a virtual recluse in a woman's shelter . Gulnaz was found guilty of 'adultery by force' following the brutal attack in 2008 which left her pregnant. She was sentenced to two . years in jail, which was later increased to 12 years on appeal. A first release offer, which she eventually agreed to, stipulated she must marry her attacker. However her sentence was then cut to three years after a third appeal, and, according to reports at the time, the requirement for her to marry the man, who himself was jailed for seven years, was dropped. Gulnaz gave birth to her daughter in the Badam Bagh women's prison . in Kabul before President Hamid Karzai took the highly unusual step of freeing her with no pre-conditions in December 2011. But free from prison, Gulnaz faced a life of isolation and poverty as mothers without husbands are shunned by their communities and their own families and become social outcasts. It has now been suggested that she reluctantly accepted the terms of the deal that had been offered to her in prison and approached the rapist's family to arrange terms. While she was staying at the shelter she reportedly used a needle to tattoo her rapist’s name on her hand - a sign of love. The marriage was formalised at a family court in Kabul on Saturday but many involved in the case fear Gulnaz will be consigned to a life of domestic slavery as the rapist's second wife. There are even fears she could be killed to restore his family honour. Heather Barr of Human Rights Watch . Afghanistan said: 'I think her concern is less for herself and more for . her daughter and the discrimination she might face. 'But it is difficult to imagine that . the life that awaits them will be a pleasant one. Gulnaz will . effectively become the second wife of the man that raped her. Gulnaz faced a life of isolation and poverty as mothers without husbands are often shunned by their communities and their own families and become social outcasts . 'Sadly there are dozens and dozens of these cases and a seriousl failure by the government to take them seriously. 'President Karzai has brought in laws which make rape a crime and make child marriage a crime but there is very little effort made to enforce them and the people who continue to commit these crimes enjoy impunity.' Gulnaz's case had been condemned widely by human rights groups. An online . petition started by Motley has been signed by more than 6,000 people. Her lawyer, American Kimberly Motley said Gulnaz had been 'systematically brainwashed' by Afghan officials, some of whom were women, into agreeing to the marriage and that she remained concerned about the future.. Her story was to form part of an EU-funded documentary about Afghan women in prison but its release was banned on the grounds it would adversely affect European relations with the Afghan government. The filmmakers also feared it might compromise the safety of the women involved because it showed their identity. Director Clementine Malpas told the Times she believed that Gulnaz had married to give her daughter a chance for a future. She said: 'Marrying the man she told us had raped her isn’t what we had hoped for Gulnaz but the current cultural context of Afghanistan leaves very few options, especially for a woman with a child out of wedlock'. Under the rule of the Taliban between 1994 and 2001, women were stripped of many of their rights and forced to wear a burqa in public at all times. The were banned from employment, from appearing in public without a male relative and from speaking loudly in public on the grounds that no stranger should hear a woman's voice. | Woman known only as Gulnaz was brutally raped by her cousin's husband .
But SHE was jailed for 'adultery by force' and had his daughter in prison .
Despite being freed by President Karzai she faced becoming a social outcast .
Finally married her attacker on Saturday at a family court in Kabul .
Fears she could now suffer a life of domestic slavery as rapist's second wife . |
260,625 | dd7ac118fd4311a67efae860468adcd22199c500 | By . Associated Press . and Daily Mail Reporter . State police in New York say an Albany man was high on drugs when he called 911 to report that his vehicle had been sideswiped on a highway. Police say 38-year-old Malcolm Sidbury was driving south on the Taconic Parkway in Columbia County on Wednesday when he told dispatchers his car had been hit by another vehicle that didn't stop. Troopers spotted the vehicles and stopped both. Upon interviewing the other driver, Thomas R Robbins, 57, of Poughkeepsie, police determined he was drunk. Write caption here . Police say Robbins' blood-alcohol content was .25 per cent, more than three times the legal limit. Sidbury was also interviewed, and found to be under the influence of drugs. According to the Daily Freeman, Robbins was charged with drunken driving, aggravated unlicensed operation of a motor vehicle and leaving the scene of a property-damage accident, all misdemeanors. He also was charged with numerous vehicle and traffic law violations. Sidbury was charged with driving while impaired by drugs. Police said Sidbury was in the right lane when Robbins attempted to pass him, sideswiping his vehicle without stopping. Both men were issued tickets. The district attorney's office said it doesn't have attorney information for either man. The men will appear in Livingston Town Court. | Malcolm Sidbury, 38, called 911 after another vehicle sideswiped him and kept driving in Columbia County .
Troopers detained the other driver, Thomas Robbins, 57, and found that he was under the influence of alcohol .
Sidbury was interviewed and police determined he was high on drugs .
Both men were charged . |
45,977 | 8180853161844d736950ba343c07bad1226aefed | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 18:12 EST, 3 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:22 EST, 3 August 2012 . Bryshon Nellum's doctors told him he might never run again. Not on an elite level. And surely not in the Olympics. Yet here he is in London, less than four years after gang members shot the former Southern California track star three times in the legs in a case of mistaken identity. Just a year ago he underwent his third and final operation to remove the last remnants of bullet fragments in his left hamstring. Scroll down for video . Qualifying: Bryshon Nellum reacts after placing third in the men's 400 meter final at the U.S. Olympic athletics trials last June, a milestone after told three years ago he would never be able to run competitively again . 'Me making the team, I already feel like I've won,' Nellum said. He will make his long-awaited Olympic debut on Saturday in the preliminary heats of the 400 meters - the same event that features double-amputee Oscar Pistorius of South Africa. The man known as 'Blade Runner' fought to compete alongside the other sprinters at Olympic Stadium. There's also the first big sprint showdown at the track between the U.S. and Jamaica in the women's 100-meter final. In the pool, Michael Phelps will wrap up his final Olympics in the 400-meter medley relay looking to add to his record medal haul. Already, Nellum says, he has won just by wearing the U.S. uniform when plenty of people questioned whether he'd even walk after the attack following a Halloween party in 2008. Shooting: The Southern California sprinter underwent three surgeries after he was shot in the leg in 2008 by gang members who mistook him for someone else . Mission: Getting back on both feet, Bryshon pressed toward his goal of running again, despite the sometimes excruciating pain felt from his injuries . The 23-year-old Nellum is now mixing company with some of the very track stars he has watched and admired in recent Summer Olympics: Jeremy Wariner, Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards-Ross. 'I'm happy to be here to represent where I come from and what I believe in, and my country,' Nellum said. 'I've been through a lot making the team already. I have to continue to work toward my goals.' For him to be competing in these Olympics would have been unimaginable only four years ago - two months after Beijing. But Nellum immediately committed himself to the challenging comeback. Some days, he crawled across the finish line at practice in agony and tears, the pain in his legs so great. USC coach Ron Allice, with him throughout the journey and by his side for the London Games, never doubted Nellum could do it. Then Nellum finished third at the Olympic trials in June in Eugene, Ore., behind defending gold medalist LaShawn Merritt and Tony McQuay. Nellum's mom, LeShon Hughes, put her life aside and dedicated herself to the recovery of her only child. 'Oh, wow,' she said moments before her . flight to London from Los Angeles on Thursday. 'Words can't even . explain the feeling. It's like real heaven. I'm starting to cry right . now.' Nellum took a . bullet to each thigh and another in the left hamstring during the . shooting outside a restaurant near USC's campus as he left the Halloween . party. Two gang members were sentenced last August to 15 years each in . prison for the crime. Prosecutors said the men mistook Nellum for a . rival gang member. Winning: On Saturday Bryshon, running right, will make his long-awaited Olympic debut in the 400 meters despite the athlete saying he already feels like he won having made it this far . Nellum has chalked it up to 'wrong place, wrong time,' unwilling to let that one bad-luck moment derail a promising career. He arrived at college as the 2007 national track athlete of the year from Long Beach Poly High, the first in California to ever win state championships in the 200 and 400 meters in back-to-back seasons. Then he sustained a season-ending hamstring injury in his first race. Not quite eight months later, he was shot. It has been an exhausting journey back, through operations and rehabilitation, and teaching his legs how to function again. He's counting on those limbs being in top form. 'I'm enjoying every bit of it,' Nellum said. 'Yeah, I made it, but I have another goal. I guess after it's all over with, when I'm by myself, then I will have time to think about it.' Repair: One year after his last operation to remove the last traces of bullets in his leg, a scar is the only thing left on the Olympic runner . Shooters: Bryshon's shooters Horasio Kimbrough, left, and Travon Reed, right, were found guilty of attempted murder and sentenced to 15 years to life in prison . As Olympic track and field gets in full swing this weekend, Nellum is trying to balance soaking in everything from his first Olympics with performing at his very best at the exact right time. 'He has stayed very focused and he's keeping everything in perspective,' Allice said. 'The practices have been going well and it's just getting ready to race. The real test will be the race. Drawing the heats, you have to be lucky and good.' Nellum said he learned to keep life in perspective, keep sports in perspective. Watching the opening ceremony in the stadium where he'll compete, it was tough to control the emotion. 'That was a great experience, with a lot of flashing lights and a lot of athletes,' he said. 'The whole ceremony itself made me thankful to be at the Olympic Games, thankful to be an athlete and thankful for the United States.' Allice has provided plenty of encouraging words along the way, too. 'He says, 'Continue to do what you're doing and you'll be OK,' Nellum said. 'It's just a bigger stage with more people watching.' Watch the video here: . View more videos at: http://nbclosangeles.com. | Bryshon Nullum was shot by gang members in a case of mistaken identity outside the University of Southern California in 2008 .
Had final operation last year to remove remaining bullet fragments .
Doctors told the now-Olympic athlete he'd never run competitively again . |
239,634 | c23f8dedfe040135c8194ece1a5678835f9824a3 | By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 03:37 EST, 30 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:16 EST, 30 August 2013 . Rising tennis star Dan Evans found out just how hard on the body competing at the top level can be - after needing to call on a physio mid game to tape up his sore nipples. The British player, 23, suffered agonising nipple rash during his second round US Open clash with Australia's Bernard Tomic. And, in what could be a first for tennis, interrupted play while his trainer tended to his unusual injury - in full view of a packed crowd. Chafing: Dan Evans grimaces in agony, left, but looks a little more comfortable, right, after having tape, seen under his shirt, put on his nipples during his second round US Open match . Getting treatment: Dan Evans called on his physio at the beginning of the 4th set in NY open match against Bernard Tomic to help perform the delicate task of taping up his chafing nipples . The incident certainly seemed to amuse Andy Murray, who tweeted: 'Great nipples from . @Evo151216 never once seen that on a tennis court... Got the physio on . due to nipple rash...' The British qualifier, from Birmingham, went on to tell his twitter followers that he was in 'agony'. But he did not allow the injury to stop his remarkable run at the US Open. The crowd favourite nipped a potential Tomic . fightback in the bud by retrieving an immediate break at the start of . the third, winning four games in a row. Sympathy: Andy Murray tweeted that he have never seen play interrupted while a player had a physio tend to their sore nipples . No pain, no gain: Dan Evans tweets that his nipple rash that caused his US Open game to be temporarily halted while he received treatment was 'agony' Amused: Andy Murray saw the funny side of fellow Britain Dan Evans' injury and tweeted 'nice nipples' after seeing the unusual drama unfold on the court . After dumping out 11th seed Kei Nishikori in round one, Evans followed up with a 1-6 6-3 7-6 (7/4) 6-3 win over his fellow tennis wild child that in some ways was even more impressive. The victory gets Evans, ranked number three in the country, around £60,000 - almost half his career earnings so far - and, perhaps even more importantly, 90 ranking points. It has been some week for Evans, who on Wednesday was invited to practise with Roger Federer - a potential fourth-round opponent. Game, set and match: After being patched up by his physio, British qualifier Dan Evans, right, went on to beat Bernard Tomic, left . Federer is coached by Paul Annacone, who used to work for the Lawn Tennis Association, and the Swiss said: 'It was the first time I really got to meet him or play with him. 'Now I have an idea how he plays, which I guess is not a bad thing. I think we were really just trying to help each other out on a rainy day trying to get a hit in. I thought he played really nice, he's got a great shot. 'I'm still a little bit surprised he beat Tomic, because we know what Bernard can do. But great effort for him. Sore point: British tennis player Dan Evans, pictured warming up before the match, suffered agonising nipple rash during his US Open game at Flushing Meadows, New York . 'To be in a third round of a slam is a huge opportunity. It doesn't get easier from here, but it should give him a ton of confidence. And it's great for Britain, no doubt about it.' The world number 179 had been nerveless in round one but could not get into the match at all in the first set, spraying his forehand and serving three double faults. The second set was where the match turned, although it did not look that way when he was broken for a third time in the match to trail 2-1. But he broke back immediately and made it three games in a row with a second break, set up by a characteristically excellent volley. Neither player was serving well, but Evans did not panic when Tomic battled back to 4-3 and forged ahead again. All smiles: Dan Evans overcame his nipple rash to beat Australian Bernard Tomic to progress to the third round of the US Open . He betrayed a few nerves when he doubled-faulted on his first set point, and two more came and went, but Evans took his fourth chance when Tomic put a backhand wide. The 23-year-old from Birmingham is not short of confidence having won 12 of his previous 14 matches, reaching back-to-back Challenger finals. The pair exchanged breaks at the start of the third and, although it went with serve from then until the tie-break, it was Evans who was pushing the pace. His forehand had been a little wayward but it was a shot Tomic struggled to deal with when Evans got it right, and it would become the key weapon of the match. Evans is a confident character and seems largely immune to the tightness that usually invades a player's arm at big moments. He played a superb tie-break, bossing world number 52 Tomic and forging into a 6-3 lead. The Australian saved one set point but Evans powered away another forehand winner - he hit 20 during the match - to clinch the second. Tomic has been accused of throwing in the towel in previous matches, including against Andy Roddick here last year, and he began to look dejected as the match slipped away. Evans simply gave him no way back in, serving two aces in a row to bring up three match points. He double-faulted on the first but his serve did the job on the second to earn him a third-round date with either 19th seed Tommy Robredo or Frank Dancevic of Canada. | Dan Evans suffered agonising nipple rash during second round match .
Trainer performed emergency nipple taping in front on packed crowd .
Stunned Andy Murray tweeted 'never seen that on a tennis court'
British qualifier went on to win the match against Australian Bernard Tomic . |
244,316 | c82f054d4b5706eeeed89625057dd65532d411a3 | As the the rubble of the Twin Towers smouldered in Manhattan, President George W Bush authorised Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan, to hunt down and kill those responsible for the 9/11 attacks. By October 2001, U.S. and British servicemen began massing in Afghanistan, transiting through the massive Bagram Airbase in the north east of the country. At the height of operations, it had a population of more than 40,000 and was the air base was the busiest military airport in the world, supporting more than 140,000 operations in a single year - including the Seal Team Six mission to kill Osama Bin Laden. A tented city at Bagram Air Base which was once home to almost 40,000 people is being demolished as part of the U.S. withdrawal . Thousands of tonnes of concrete barriers are being removed from the perimeter of the massive facility as it shrinks in size . At its height, Bagram air base supported more than 140,000 operations a year, including the mission to kill Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden . Troops in Bagram air base put up direction signs marking out their home locations such as Hickham, Holloman and Ramstein air bases . Now, however, the Americans are handing over control of Bagram to Afghan authorities and the size of the facility is being scaled down dramatically. Almost 2,500 members of the U.S. military died in Afghanistan over the past 13 years along with more than 450 British forces or MoD civilians. A further 20,000 U.S. troops have been wounded in action. President Barack Obama has already announced the end of combat operations in Afghanistan for U.S. ground troops, although air support is still being offered. Approximately 10,000 Amercian ground troops will remain in the country to provide support to the Afghani forces. The U.S. withdrawal comes at a crucial time for Afghanistan as the Taliban has increased the intensity of its attacks on local forces. In its early days, Bagram Air Base was used to interrogate Taliban of Al Qaeda suspects before they were moved to Guantanamo Bay . The massive airbase used its size as part of its security, with several layers of defence to prevent large-scale insurgent attacks . Concrete barriers were used inside the air base to create partitions to prevent an artillery strike causing widescale damage . Local security services face a massive task as they are losing approximately 100 men a week to terror strikes. Today alone, at least nine people were killed across Afghanistan, including two children who were struck by a bomb blast while gathering firewood, officials said. The fatal blast took place in the Zhari district of the southern Kandahar province. A separate bomb blast in the Shahwali Kot district of Kandahar wounded another 10 children, leaving seven in critical condition, said Samim Khopalwaq, the spokesman for Kandahar's governor. Bismallah Jan, father of one of the wounded children said: 'Our children were there to collect wood to burn when they were hit by this bomb. The government should have cleared the area, it their duty to protect us.' Afghanistan is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world, and children are often killed or wounded while playing, collecting firewood or tending animals. One of the most effective defences against rocket or mortar attack is the low-tech sandbag which absorbs the explosive force . The temporary wooden structures are being demolished to reflect the size of the far smaller international security operation in Afghanistan . U.S. engineers converted 40ft shipping containers into accommodation units, which are now going to be scrapped as part of the withdrawal . The deaths of the two children brought the day's toll across Afghanistan to nine dead. In the eastern Nangahar province bordering Pakistan, a bomb blast killed Judge Mohammad-ul Hassan and wounded two of his daughters in the provincial capital Jalalabad, police spokesman Hazrat Hussain Mashreqiwal said. The judge served in neighboring Laghman province. In another attack, insurgents killed six people working on a road project, including the head of a construction company, in northern Baghlan province, police spokesman Jawed Basharat said, adding that the attack wounded another person and left two missing. In eastern Khost province, three suicide bombers attacked a police academy, with one blowing himself up in a car and the other two shot by police, the provincial governor's office said in a statement. It said three police officers were wounded. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attacks in Nangarhar and Khost. Afghan security forces are losing more than 100 men a week to Taliban attacks, which have intensified with the NATO withdrawal . The new shrunken airbase will hold approximately 13,000 U.S. and international troops who will remain for two years to train local forces . Large areas of Bagram airbase have been heavily mined since the days when it was controlled by the Soviet Union . Taliban insurgents have stepped up attacks on Afghan soldiers and police in recent months. U.S. and NATO forces concluded their combat mission at the end of last year and Afghan troops took charge from New Year's Day. U.S. Army Major Eric Lightfoot is serving in eastern Afghanistan where he is training local soldiers how to use heavy artillery, which could give them a crucial advantage over Taliban forces. The training mission is due to continue for a further two years, although Afghan president Ashraf Ghani has suggested that the U.S. and NATO could look at 're-examining' their 2016 withdrawal deadline. Major Lightfoot spends most days at this dusty base surrounded by mountains in Laghman province planning with Afghan army counterparts how they should use D-30 artillery. Up until a few months ago, though, the Afghans weren't using the 122-mm long-range weapon as intended - to hit targets several kilometres away, too far to be seen by those firing. He said: 'They've been using it sort of like a tank, for direct fire at enemies they could see. They're getting better. They are having more successes.' Major Lightfoot said: 'They are having to get used to standing on their own. Come back in a few months, and we'll see where they are.' Much of the debris from the scrapped accommodation units has been piled up in central locations for disposal . The airbase is overlooked by the imposing Hindu Kush mountains which are still controlled by the Talban . The number of NATO troops in the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan peaked at more than 130,000 in 2011 before a gradual withdrawal began the following year. According to ISAF, there were around 58,000 troops at the start of 2014 compared with some 13,000 now largely engaged in training. The United States retains a counter-terrorism force that hunts al Qaeda and other militant targets, along with its unmanned drone strikes and limited close air support for Afghan troops under guidelines issued by President Barack Obama allowing limited combat in 2015. Mostly, though, the new mission named 'Resolute Support' is tasked with training, including building up systems like logistics, supply chains, planning and strategy for Afghan forces. Afghanistan's own security personnel are dying at a rate of about 100 per week, a level the U.S. military has described as unsustainable, and foreign forces are advising them on how to reduce the rising casualty rate. By comparison, about 3,500 foreign soldiers have died in the Afghan war since 2001, including around 2,200 Americans. | Bagram air base in Afghanistan was once home to more than 40,000 people and supported 140,000 missions a year .
In October 2001 the U.S. and NATO troops began a massive expansion of the facility to support the war effort .
Now, the outer perimeter is being reduced to account for the withdrawal of coalition combat troops from the country .
Some 13,000 support troops will remain in Afghanistan to train local security forces for a further two years .
The U.S. ceased combat operations in Afghanistan on January 1, although limited air support is still offered . |
115,854 | 218735e15c5d805f68f9c367e40247f9ef61cdbc | (CNN) -- Germany 4-2 Greece . Germany cruised into the semifinals of Euro 2012 as Greece's unlikely run in the tournament was ruthlessly brought to a halt in Gdansk. Philip Lahm's long-range strike, Sami Khedira's superb volley, Miroslav Klose's header and a Marco Reus thunderbolt sealed a comfortable victory. The result only looked briefly in doubt when Giorgios Samaras brought Greece level for six minutes in the second half, while Dimitris Salpingidis made the Greek deficit respectable with a late penalty. Germany's win vindicated a pre-match selection gamble from their manager Joachim Low, who surprisingly rested his three main attackers Mario Gomez, Thomas Mueller and Lukas Podolski. They will all expect to return to the starting line-up when Germany take on either England or Italy in next Thursday's semifinal. "I thought I had to change things after three wins," said Low following the victory. "That was a class performance. We failed to take an early lead, but we did not panic. We can be proud of the team." Soccer Live: CNN's blog from Friday's second Euro 2012 quarterfinal . The pre-match talk had centred on political tensions between the two nations over Greece's debt. But the Germans were anything but economical in the opening exchanges as a series of chances went begging. The most inviting fell to Mesut Ozil, who sidefooted weakly at the keeper from 12 yards, while Reus was also wasteful. Greece's players, meanwhile, were models of thrift and caution, with five across the midfield and lone striker Salpingidis subsisting on the merest of scraps. But for all Fernando Santos' side's diligent defending, it was a lack of concentration at the back that led to Germany's opening goal. Lahm was allowed the time and space to cut inside from the left and unleash a swerving 20-yard strike with his lethal right foot. It meant Greece, who had failed to carve out a single chance of note in the first half, needed to revamp their gameplan after the break. Yet even while behind, the underdogs seemed content to keep players back and not leave themselves open to a fatal second goal. This minimalist approach to attacking appeared to be paying off when they equalized courtesy of three touches of real class. The first was a sumptuous pass from Georgios Fotakis into the path of Salpingidis, who burst down the right and delivered a wicked low cross for Samaras to slide the ball home from close range. It was one of the most astonishing moments of the tournament so far, but the Greek jubilation was short-lived. Six minutes later, German superiority was restored when Jerome Boateng crossed and Khedira hammered in a spectacular volley from the edge of the box. Germany's third goal was as soft as their second was brilliant, Klose nodding home from Ozil's corner after the hapless Greek goalkeeper Michalis Sifakis recklessly tried to claim the ball. Reus then added a fourth with a blistering volley after Sifakis parried a Klose strike into his teammate's path. There was time for Salpingidis to grab a consolation from the spot after Boateng was adjudged to have handled in the box. But it would have taken more than that to dent the spirits of a German side who, having been confident enough to rest three key players of a quarterfinal of a major championship, will now have a strong belief they can win it. | Germany beat Greece 4-2 in Euro 2012 quarterfinal .
Philip Lahm put Germans in front before Giorgios Samaras' shock leveller .
Sami Khedira, Miroslav Klose and Marco Reus restored German advantage .
Dimitris Salpingidis netted consolation penalty for Greece . |
268,884 | e84fcead5093effb14935a63e497c4c0577f0250 | How often you call your mother, what time you head to a bar or even how often you text your friends can all give clues to your mental and physical health. A new app hopes to harness this information to tell phone owners their mood - and even help them work with doctors to improve problem areas. Called Ginger.io, the app can track how often people messaged, how long they talk for, and how far they travel, as well as monitoring sleep and exercise. The first commercial products focus on depression, co-morbid depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. Called Ginger.io, the app can track how often people messaged, how long they talk for, and how far they travel, as well as monitoring sleep and exercise. It analyses messages and calls to work out how many people you have interacted with, and also asks users questions at key points through the day to work out how they feel. 'We use your smartphone to map out your day, look at how you move around and how many other people you talk to,' the firm says. 'When something seems off, we send an alert to you and those who care about your health.' The first commercial products focus on depression, co-morbid depression, anxiety disorders, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia. The firm works with doctors to give patients the app, and has partnered with Kaiser Permenente, Novant Health, and over 20 hospital systems and academic centres across the country. In addition, they are actively pursuing research partnerships, with universities to develop the app for long terms trials, including heart disease work with UCSF. 'Like providers, academic medicine is looking for better ways to understand how patient behaviors affect health outcomes,' said Dr. Anmol Madan, co-founder and CEO of Ginger.io. 'Ginger.io's smartphone app and analytics engine is essentially a new class of microscope that helps quantify and understand real-world behavior at scale, in many different disease areas. 'For our academic partners, this offers new insight about clinical characterization, and it may lead to better diagnosis and new therapeutics and interventions for these conditions.' With those hospitals that already have patient outreach operations, Ginger.io hopes to make these programs more efficient and proactive. The traditional method of outreach involves randomized check ins. Co-founder and CEO Anmol Madan said often only about 20% of patients who are experiencing symptoms get a call. 'We use your smartphone to map out your day, look at how you move around and how many other people you talk to,' the firm says. Dr. Ilan Elson, Head of Research and Development at Ginger.io said: 'Our partners are either deploying Ginger.io's existing core behavioral health (i.e., mental health) programs in new and exciting ways, or they are using the Ginger.io platform on new conditions like heart disease and chronic pain.' 'We're very excited about the approach Ginger.io is taking to engage patients suffering from depression,' said Dr. Patricia Arean, Professor of Psychiatry at UCSF. 'Patient feedback on the experience has been overwhelmingly positive thus far, and we're excited to learn more about what digital interventions can do for mental health.' Researchers at UCSF, are collaborating with Ginger.io to help patients suffering from heart disease, multiple sclerosis and post-operative recovery. As part of the Health eHeart Study, for example, Ginger.io is helping world-class cardiologists detect early-warning signals for the development and exacerbation of heart disease. 'Heart disease is the No. 1 killer in the United States and the developing world, and identifying heart disease risks and addressing them in advance is much needed,' said Dr. Jeffrey Olgin, chief of the UCSF Division of Cardiology and a principal investigator of the Health eHeart Study. 'Our ultimate goal through this study and others is to provide a thermometer or 'check engine' light for people to be empowered in managing their own health and risk.' Researchers at Duke University also see the potential of Ginger.io to help patients in postoperative recovery settings. Patients undergoing joint replacement surgery use the Ginger.io app to track their recovery, pain and return to functionality. Drs. Laura Tully, Cam Carter and Tara Niendam of UC Davis, for example, recently shared their findings from a partnership with Ginger.io in an early psychosis study. Results announced at this year's Society for Biological Psychiatry showed the identification of specific 'smartphone signatures' and patterns of behavior for symptoms of psychosis in adolescent populations. 'This isn't science fiction,' said Dr. Elson of Ginger.io. 'We're touching a huge number of patients in a wide array of clinical settings. Working alongside our partners, we're having a real impact on population health management and improving patients' lives—in some cases almost immediately.' ' This could be a turning point in the history of healthcare delivery, and that's very exciting for us at Ginger.io.' | App monitors text, calls and how much exercise owners get .
Can give doctors reports, and even offer advice to users on their mood .
Firm has partnered with over 20 US hospital systems for app . |
174,470 | 6dd108da97e73ce8acede3c13f3395b5f140a361 | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 04:21 EST, 9 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:30 EST, 9 November 2012 . Hundreds of photographs of iconic U.S. actress Marylin Monroe went on sale at an auction house in Poland last night. The collection of snaps taken by celebrity photographer Milton H Green, which included famous images of Marylin Mornroe and other celebrities of the time, sold for nearly $750,000. Marylin Monroe and Milton H Greene were business partners and close friends and his candid shots of her, including the image of her in a ballerina dress, give a unique insight into the life of the blonde bombshell. Scroll down for video . Intimate: The prints of Marylin Monroe were taken by her close friend and business partner, celebrity photographer Milton H Greene . The pictures of Monroe were taken from 1953 to 1957 when the moviestar had a close friend- and partnership with Mr Greene. The pair ran a production company together during which time Monroe modelled for him in 52 sessions, creating some of the most memorable snaps of her. Milton Greene was a prominent fashion photographer of the time and shot many other celebrities, photos of which were on sale last night. His Monroe prints are highly valued by collectors and include series of refined . black-and-white studio photos and shots taken in natural surroundings, . sometime in provocative poses. Iconic: The image of Marylin Monroe in a ballerina dress sold for $20,000 . Some of the 238 pictures from Milton Greene's portfolio up for sale last night have never been . published before and Desa . Unicum house in Warsaw was filled to the brim. Juliusz Windorbski, head of the auction house in the Polish capital, said it was the largest ever sale of Greene's photos. 'Until now, Greene's photos were sold one by one or in lots of no more than a few, but never so many at once,' Windorbski said. The photos come from a collection of . some 4,000 Greene pictures that Poland obtained from Chicago businessman . Dino Matingas in the mid-1990s as the result of a complex communist-era . embezzlement scandal linked to the buy-out of Poland's state debt. Packed: Hundreds of spectators and bidders gatheres in Desa Unicum house in Warsaw to see the 238 strong collection . Inimitable: Ther close friendship between Milton H Greene and Monroe meant unique shots like this one, which sold for $16,000 . As the bidding began, a . black-and-white photo of a reclining Monroe in black stockings sold for $16,000 (50,000 zlotys), and another of her in a ballerina's dress sold . for almost $20,000. A picture of her in bed sold for $8,500. The 2.4 million zlotys ($735,000) obtained made it the nation's biggest photo auction to date as only one . remained unsold. The auction also offered Greene's pictures of other stars, like Audrey Hepburn, Grace Kelly, Marlene Dietrich and Liza Minnelli. Success: The collection had been estimated to fetch $680,000 but sold for over $735,000 . Other greats in the vast portrait . collection, which had been estimated at $680,000, included Cary Grant, . Frank Sinatra, Paul Newman, Alfred Hitchcock and Marlon Brando. Marylin . Monroe, real name Norma Jean Baker, began her career as a model in the . early 40s and had her breakthrough on the silver screen in 1950s movies . All About Eve and The Asphalt Jungle. Her blonde curls and dangerous curves earned her sex symbol status which has lasted for decades. She died on August 5, 1962, aged 36, from a barbiturate overdose at her Los Angeles home. | Polish auction house sold 238 photographs of the 50s icon .
The photos were taken by Monroe's friend Milton H Greene in 1953-1957 .
An image of Marylin Monroe in a ballerina dress sold for $20,000 . |
169,046 | 66b32271723c28c2481b4587f322f61468aa10d5 | UNEMPLOYMENT in the crisis-torn single currency bloc has reached a record high of nearly 19.5million, figures showed yesterday. Statistics agency Eurostat said the number out of work in the eurozone rose by 996,000 in the 12 months to the end of September. The jobless rate hit an all-time high of 12.5 per cent in Italy while more than half of Greeks and Spaniards under the age of 25 who want work cannot find a job. Unemployed: People waiting in line at a government employment office in Madrid. The number of unemployed in the 17-nation eurozone reached a record high in September as the bloc's nascent recovery failed to generate jobs, official data revealed today . Though the unemployment rate remained steady at 12.2 percent, the previous month was revised up from 12 percent. A sharp and unexpected drop in inflation also cast doubts over the recovery of the eurozone, which just emerged from recession, and put pressure on the European Central Bank to act. Doubts: A sharp and unexpected drop in inflation also cast doubts over the recovery of the eurozone . The euro dropped from above $1.3700 to about $1.3640 in midday trading. The ECB has already cut its key interest rate to a record low to spur lending. But banks, companies and households are still too afraid to lend or borrow money. The ECB may be pushed into action eventually if the inflation rate keeps dropping. Eurostat said the annual inflation rate fell to 0.7 percent in October from 1.1 percent a month earlier, marking its lowest level in about four years. The ECB is tasked with keeping inflation close to, but below 2 percent. 'Latest developments reinforce our view that the ECB will end up cutting interest rates from 0.5 percent to 0.25 percent sooner or later,' said IHS Global Insight's analyst Howard Archer, adding the ECB might take such action as early as in December. While other analysts think a rate decrease is unlikely in coming months - not least because of resistance from powerful ECB players such as Germany's central bank - the ECB still has other means at its disposal. It can, among other things, provide more cheap loans to banks to improve their finances and encourage them to lend. It already issued such loans three times, helping stabilize the financial system, and ECB President Mario Draghi hinted several times in recent months that the central bank might consider issuing another round. A particularly gloomy stat was youth unemployment - it rose to 24.1 percent from 24 percent in August. It was lowest in Germany and Austria, with 7.7 percent and 8.7 percent, and highest in Europe's southern economies, which have been hit hard by the debt crisis and government austerity measures. Anger: Pensioners hold a banner which reads in Greek 'Uprising' as they chant anti austerity slogans during a protest in central Athens today . Protests: People with physical disabilities participate in a protest against cuts to their pensions and medical treatment as part of anti-austerity measures in Athens this morning . Changes: S&P Dow Jones Indices, said that Greece no longer classifies as a developed market, reported Greek Reporter . They were around 57 percent in Greece and 56 percent in Spain. The overall unemployment rate showed similar disparities. Germany and Austria had low rates of 5 percent. By contrast, joblessness was 26.6 percent in Spain. In Greece, where the latest figures available were for July - it stood at 27.6 percent. The unemployment rate for the wider 28-nation European Union remained unchanged in September at 11 percent. S&P Dow Jones Indices, said that Greece no longer classifies as a developed market, reported Greek Reporter. The . general consensus among participants is that emerging market status is a . more appropriate classification due to the reasons including failing a . minimum credit ratings criteria, and dramatic and consistent reduction . in market size over the past few years. Meanwhile Angela Merkel's conservatives today rejected U.S. criticism of Germany's dependence on exports but her likely future coalition partner agreed Europe's bulwark economy must do more to spur domestic demand. Hit back: Angela Merkel's conservatives today rejected U.S. criticism of Germany's dependence on exports but her likely future coalition partner agreed Europe's bulwark economy must do more to spur domestic demand . The United States has long called for countries like China and Germany with trade surpluses to do more to spur imports but the Obama administration's reprimand in a semi-annual report to Congress on Wednesday stood out for its stark language. Both Merkel's conservatives and the centre-left Social Democrats, who are in talks to form a coalition government after a September election, retorted that Germany would continue to strive to be competitive globally. 'We have always been a strong export country and we are proud of that,' said Ilse Aigner, the conservatives' lead negotiator in coalition talks for economic issues. The U.S. criticism comes at a tricky juncture in relations between Washington and Berlin. German envoys met the White House national security adviser in Washington on Wednesday after reports the United States monitored Merkel's cellphone. Germany argues that it has more than halved its trade surplus within the euro zone as a share of GDP since 2007. Trade is expected to subtract rather than contribute to economic growth this year, with imports outpacing exports, while domestic demand, albeit still weak, will drive growth. | Number of unemployed in eurozone reached a record high in September .
S&P Dow Jones Indices: Greece no longer classifies as developed market .
US said that Germany is hampering economic stability in Europe . |
277,816 | f3e4377f2320d7a3351f1ed4ed1db947ef81c4cf | By . Arthur Martin . Victim: PC Blakelock was hacked to death on Tottenham's Broadwater Farm Estate in 1985 . A gang member paid £5,000 for his eye-witness account of Keith Blakelock’s murder told a court yesterday he kicked the officer ten times during the 1985 Tottenham riots. The witness, giving evidence under the pseudonym John Brown, admitted being part of a gang that repeatedly kicked and stabbed the policeman as he lay on the ground. PC Blakelock was stabbed 43 times by a baying mob shouting ‘kill the pig’ as he tried to protect firemen. A knife was embedded in his neck in a failed attempt to decapitate him. The officer ‘was trying to curl up into a ball’ in an attempt to protect himself and screamed ‘help, help, help’, said Mr Brown. The witness’s role in the attack would usually mean he would be prosecuted for murder, the Old Bailey heard. But he received immunity from prosecution, was paid £5,000 and was helped with his rent, phone and car bills after he assisted police in 1993 during a second investigation into PC Blakelock’s murder. Giving evidence from behind a screen and with his voice distorted to protect his identity, Mr Brown said he saw Nicholas Jacobs stabbing the policeman with a machete during the riots. Mr Brown, a former member of the mainly white Park Lane Boys gang, said: ‘I saw him hit a couple of blows on the officer in the shoulder. He was just stabbing up and down with the machete. I saw him do it between two and four times.’ He said he saw a sword, a 15in dagger and the machete allegedly wielded by Jacobs during the ‘frantic’ attack. ‘As he was brought to the ground I started kicking him. I kicked him in the ribs around ten times. I had trainers on,’ said Mr Brown. Asked by prosecutor Richard Whittam QC why he kicked PC Blakelock, Mr Brown said: ‘I don’t know. I just rushed in. It was the excitement of the situation. Tributes: Flowers left at the scene where PC Blakelock was hacked to death by dozens of men armed with everything from machetes to kitchen knives during riots at Broadwater Farm estate in 1985 . Aftermath: Police look at the devastation following the 1985 riots in the Broadwater Farm area of Tottenham . 'I noticed an officer being pulled to . the ground by a couple of individuals. His helmet was knocked off. I . didn’t see where it went. Then it was a free for all. ‘They were shouting things like, “kill the beasty”, “kill the Babylon”, “get his f****** head on a pole” and “kill the pig”.’ Mr . Brown, who was 20 at the time of the riots, described seeing one . attacker with a long sword stabbing the top half of PC Blakelock’s body . and another stabbing the officer with a short dagger twice in the ribs. He told the jury he was carrying a stick on the night of the murder but had not used it. After the riots Mr Brown pleaded guilty to affray and burglary and was jailed for five years, later cut to 42 months on appeal. Court: With his voice disguised by digital distortion equipment, the prosecution witness told jurors at the Old Bailey (pictured) that he was armed with a stick during the violence on the Broadwater Farm Estate . He . gave evidence against Jacobs when he was tried for affray in 1986, . placing him at the scene but making no mention of the knife. It was not until 1993 that Mr Brown claimed Jacobs attacked PC Blakelock with a machete. Defence . barrister Courtenay Griffiths QC accused Mr Brown of telling ‘blatant . lies’ and ‘fitting up’ Jacobs so he could get a financial reward. Mr . Griffiths also accused him of colluding with his cousin and an old . friend – two other key prosecution witnesses – to frame Jacobs. Mr Brown . denied the allegations. Jacobs, 45, of Hackney, East London, denies murder. The trial continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | PC Blakelock was hacked to death during riots on Tottenham estate in 1985 .
Witness using pseudonym John Brown admits being involved in the attack .
Admitted kicking the officer 10 times while mob set upon him with machetes . |
242,270 | c5921061f74931ba4430992eda1739e0229b7c41 | Former Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez 'is a phenomenon' according to Real Madrid legend, and fellow Mexican, Hugo Sanchez. Chicharito scored his first two Real Madrid goals in the 8-2 thrashing of Deportivo on Saturday, and the first in particular was a wonderful strike. And Sanchez, who scored over 200 goals for Real, told Spanish paper AS that the striker can lead the line for the European champions ahead of Karim Benzema. Real Madrid's dominant 8-2 win is the big story in Spain, with Marca claiming Ancelotti has the solutions . 'He scored two great goals and I'm sure he will score many in Madrid,' Sanchez told AS. 'He's a phenomenon. '[He is] very fast, intuitive, with movement and speed and he shoots well with his left and his right and his head. 'Il fenomeno', or 'the phenomenon' was the nickname given to Brazilian striker Ronaldo, who was one of the first era of galacticos and scored 83 La Liga goals in his four and a half seasons at the club. But Sanchez justified his praise by saying that, with confidence, Hernandez can be Real's first choice striker. 'He is a player who intercepts the opponent very well and visualises what's happening next. What he needs to win a place under [Real coach] Carlo Ancelotti is what he did at Riazor. Confidence comes with goals. 'When he's given more time and more chances, hopefully he will be as effective as is required in Madrid. 'In this team there are enough chances created and that will help.' 'Benzema has quality and talent but his effectiveness percentage is not what you would expect from a centre forward' Barcelona's thrashing of Levante keeps their perfect start to the season going, with Lionel Messi in top form . Elsewhere in Spain Marca suggest Carlo Ancelotti has found a solution to Real Madrid's poor start by withdrawing a playmaker in central midfield. The Madrid-based paper also brands Manchester United 'ridiculous' with a picture of their loan signing Falcao, who was a long-term target for Real Madrid. The Barcelona press lavish praise upon Luis Enrique's side after they thrashed Levante 5-0. Mundo Deportivo describe the performance as a recital, saying 'Barca rout with a brilliant Messi, incomparable Neymar, and an indispensable Rakitic'. Sport meanwhile focus on Barca's brilliant start to the league season, with the Catalan giants yet to concede a goal, having scored 11 times in their four consecutive wins. Tuttosport say there's still plenty of Juve while Corriere dello Sport believe only Roma can stop the Old Lady . In Italy the focus is on the two sides with a 100% record as both Roma and Juventus continued their good start to the season. 'There's still plenty of Juve' says Tuttosport as the Serie A champions boast four wins out of four in all competitions without Pirlo, Vidal, Barzagli or Morata, and without conceding a goal. Corriere dello Sport focuses on their title rivals Roma, who also won again this weekend, saying only Rudi Garcia's side can stop Juventus winning yet another title. L'equipe declares a state of emergency at Zlatan Ibrahimovic's PSG while Nani scores again in Protugal . French paper L'Equipe declare a 'State of Emergency' for PSG on their front page after they could only manage a 1-1 draw with Lyon. The French champions, who spent £50m on David Luiz this summer, are three points off the pace already, and L'Equipe says the poor performances of Zlatan Ibrahimovic alone cannot explain the malaise. In Portugal the papers lead with convincing wins for Sporting and Benfica, with Manchester United loanee Nani on the scoresheet for the Lisbon side. | Real Madrid praised after 8-2 thrashing of Deportivo La Coruna .
Chicharito scores twice and could replace Karim Benzema says Sanchez .
Barcelona rout Levante thanks to 'indispensable' Rakitic .
Juventus and Roma dominate the headlines in Italy .
PSG in a state of emergency after disappointing draw with Lyon . |
113,474 | 1e7370bf479ce3e77dd88d9ce7111b49db6c3128 | After a mentally ill Bradley Ballard made a lewd gesture to a female guard at the Rikers Island jail, he was locked in his cell alone for seven increasingly agitated days in which he was denied some of his medication, clogged his toilet so that it overflowed, stripped off his clothes and tied a rubber band tightly around his genitals. During that period, guards passed Ballard's cell in the mental observation unit dozens of times, peering through the window in the steel door but never venturing inside — until it was too late. The 39-year-old Ballard was eventually found naked and unresponsive on the floor, covered in feces, his genitals swollen and badly infected. He was rushed to a hospital but died hours later. Died alone: In September of 2013, Ballard, 39, who was mentally ill and an inmate at the Rikers Island jail in New York, died a gruesome death there after being locked alone in his cell for seven days . 'He didn't have to leave this world like that. They could have put him in a mental hospital, got him some treatment,' Ballard's mother, Beverly Ann Griffin, said from her Houston, Texas, home. 'He was a caring young man.' Ballard's death last September, detailed in documents obtained by The Associated Press and in interviews with two city officials on condition of anonymity, came five months before another Rikers inmate in a similar mental health unit died in a cell that climbed to a suffocating 101 degrees because of malfunctioning heating equipment. Experts say Ballard's death is only the latest example of how poorly equipped the city's jail system is to handle the mentally ill, who make up about 40 per cent of the 12,000 inmates in the nation's most populous city. A third of those inmates suffer from serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. In Ballard's case, his family said he had been diagnosed as schizophrenic more than a decade ago, and he also had diabetes. Faced with rising criticism over conditions at Rikers, Mayor Bill de Blasio has vowed reforms. Correction Department spokesman Robin Campbell said in a statement Wednesday that Ballard's case is under investigation. He said mental health and jail officials have started shift-by-shift briefings on inmates like Ballard and are working on other measures 'so that a similar tragedy will not happen again.' More tests are needed to determine exactly how Ballard died, the medical examiner's office says. But preliminary findings show that he probably succumbed to sepsis, an infection that has spread through the body, according to the two officials. Ballard grew up in Houston and moved to New York to pursue a better life after working as a cook in a fried chicken restaurant, his family said. He spent six years behind bars after being arrested in 2004 for assaulting a receptionist and another employee of a New York law firm. Last June, he was arrested in Houston on public lewdness and assault charges for punching and exposing himself to a bus driver. He was sent back to jail in New York for not telling his parole officer that he had left the city. He was first placed in a Rikers facility for 17 days, then a Correction Department psychiatric hospital for 38 days. Then he was sent to a roughly 30-bed mental observation unit at Rikers. In documents obtained by the AP via a public records request, Cathy Potler, executive director of the city Board of Correction, gave her account of Ballard's case, based on a review of records, security footage and interviews with inmates. Grisly death: This 1990 photo provided by Curtis Griffin of his step-son Bradley Ballard shows Ballard in Houston when he was 16. Ballard was found naked, covered in feces with a rubber band tied around his badly infected genitals at Rikers Island . She noted that even though Ballard was in a unit where inmates are ordinarily allowed in and out of their cells to mingle with others for 14 hours a day, he was locked up continuously for seven days and for most of that time wasn't given his medication. The type of medication was not disclosed. Guards confined Ballard to his cell on September 4 after he stared for hours at a female officer, rolled up his shirt to look like a penis and thrust it toward her, Potler said. The next day, Potler wrote, Ballard intentionally flooded his combination sink-toilet, after which a mental health provider spoke with him for 15 seconds through the cell door. The next day, a plumber turned off the water to his cell. Over the next few days, guards and deputy wardens looked in his cell dozens of times throughout the day, Potler wrote, and the inmate was at times seen at the door.On September 10, video of an inmate delivering a tray of food to Ballard's cell showed the inmate covering his nose with his shirt and three officers backing away, 'presumably because of the foul odor coming from the cell,' Potler wrote. Ballard was checked on at least two dozen times that day and night, with an officer at one point seen kicking his cell door several times, according to Potler's account. By the time medical staffers were called in and his cell was opened, Ballard was so weak he couldn't move. He was pronounced dead early on the morning of September 11. Under city rules, mental health staffers are required to make twice-daily rounds in the unit where Ballard was jailed, and the guards on duty are supposed to be steadily assigned there and receive annual mental health training. But mental health staffers visited Ballard's cell only once before he was discovered to be in distress, according to Potler. And of the 53 officers who worked in the unit in the days leading up to Ballard's death, only one was steady, and none had received the required annual refresher course on mental health, Potler wrote. Terrible conditions: Ballard died last year at Rikers Iland after another Rikers inmate in a similar mental health unit died in a cell that climbed to a suffocating 101 degrees because of malfunctioning heating equipment . Following Ballard's death, Department of Health officials said a state investigation found workers missed multiple opportunities to treat him, transferred the unit chief to another facility and retrained staffers on how to do rounds and other procedures. Jail officers have long complained that they aren't sufficiently trained to handle severely mentally ill inmates. At a recent public meeting, a union official said trainees get 21.5 hours of mental health training during their 16 weeks of academy instruction, plus the three-hour annual refresher. In a statement, Norman Seabrook, president of the Correction Officers Benevolent Association, said Ballard's death was an example of 'non-communication between medical staff and uniform staff.' He said officers can notify members of the medical staff, 'but it's clearly up to them and solely them to determine treatment.' Ballard's death, though tragic, was unsurprising to those familiar with how the mentally ill fare in jails, said Dr. Bandy Lee, a Yale psychiatrist who was a co-author of a report critical of jail officials' use of solitary confinement. 'Correctional institutions are such a poor substitute for mental hospitals, which is what they're basically functioning as in our society,' she said. 'The problem is the correction setting is not fit to deliver the proper care, and in fact many of the settings exacerbate their symptoms.' Curtis Griffin, Ballard's stepfather, said a jail chaplain informed the family months ago of his son's death, but he wasn't told the specifics. 'They know,' Griffin said, 'that they were wrong in the way they handled the situation.' | Bradley Ballard, 39, a schizophrenic inmate at Rikers Island, died after being left alone in his cell for seven days .
He was denied some of his medications for diabetes and mental health issues and his toilet was clogged and overflowing .
He was found naked, covered in feces with his genitals swollen and badly infected .
He was taken to hospital but died hours later .
Another Rikers inmate in a similar .
mental health unit died in a cell that climbed to a suffocating 101 .
degrees because of malfunctioning heating equipment .
Guards looked in at Ballard dozens of times over the week .
By the time medical staffers were called in Ballard was so weak he couldn't move .
Guards overseeing Ballard hadn't undertaken the proper mental health training .
Mental health staff were only called in once before Ballard was discovered in distress . |
58,500 | a5e7950b481ee01a160716e2c0ea644be2fe85cc | (CNN) -- A sharp increase in the number of reported cases of the H1N1 virus in Australia may prompt the World Health Organization (WHO) to declare the first global pandemic in over forty years. Australian rugby league star Karmichael Hunt is one of several players being tested for the H1N1 virus. The number of Australian cases of the virus, commonly known as swine flu, has reached more than 1,200, with state and federal medical officers set to hold an emergency meeting in Sydney to review the country's swine flu protection measures. "We will take each decision along the way in response to the expert medical advice," Prime Minister Kevin Rudd told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC). On Wednesday it was announced that the entire Brisbane Broncos rugby league squad had been placed into quarantine after one of their players was suspected of having the virus. The Queensland club confirmed on its Web site that full-back Karmichael Hunt was being tested for the virus, while the sport's governing body, the National Rugby League (NRL), said Hunt had tested positive for the common flu, influenza A. With over 26,000 H1N1 cases worldwide, the WHO could move to Phase 6, the highest on its pandemic alert system. "It's really a matter of making sure that countries are prepared as possible. We do not want people to overly panic," Keiji Fukuda, WHO's Assistant Director General, told ABC. In a statement a day earlier, Fukuda said the WHO had been working extremely hard preparing countries for what a potential move to a global pandemic would entail. "I want to point out that by going to Phase 6 the activity has become established in at least two regions of the world," he said. "It does not mean that the severity of the situation has increased and that people are getting seriously sick at higher numbers or higher rates than they are right now." | Australian cases of the H1N1 virus reach more than 1,200 .
Phase 6 is highest on pandemic alert system and means global pandemic .
Designation does not reflect the severity of the disease, but how widespread it is . |
69,035 | c3c27fd9f64c8bfcfd190504b022e8088fb993ce | By . Mark Duell . They will always hold a special place in British seaside tradition, with picture postcards and donkeys. But while beaches up and down the country were packed with deckchairs in the mid-20th century, they have experienced a steep decline since their heyday. Now, an entrepreneur is taking 6,000 deckchairs out of storage in Lancashire in order to restore their original striped pattern - and make them available for hire. Seaside heritage: Maria Hopwood has bought the seats from Blackpool Council - who withdrew them from beaches in 2004 to make the town feel more 'continental', but have only just decided to sell them . Maria Hopwood has bought the seats . from Blackpool Council - which withdrew them in 2004 to make the town . feel more ‘continental’, but has only just decided to sell them. She told the Daily Telegraph: . ‘We’re thrilled to be keeping these chairs in use. It would be an . absolute travesty to lose this institution of the British summer.’ Ms . Hopwood’s new business Heritage Deckchair Hire was launched seven years . after she founded Deckchair Stripes, which sells replacement canvas for . old deckchairs. The . company, based in Waverton, near Chester, Cheshire, took a revenue of . £450,000 last year and now manufactures whole chairs in Britain. Popular: Holidaymakers sit in deckchairs in Blackpool in 1979. Blackpool Council banked an astonishing £6million in cash from the takings of deckchair hire within a period of three years in the late Fifties . Ms Hopwood added: ‘I was the person . who introduced the deckchair back into Britain after they had been . consigned to the shed with the arrival of plastic in the Sixties. ‘I’m the only one mad enough to bring back Blackpool’s chairs now.’ She said Blackpool Council did not have . enough funds to restore the deckchairs, but held onto them for some time . – until she heard that officials were finally ready to sell them last . month. Ms Hopwood said: ‘Until then, the . council wouldn’t part with them for love nor money. To get them to . relinquish a major asset like that was amazing.’ Seaside tradition: The beach and pier in Brighton, East Sussex, with rows of sunbathers in deckchairs, in 1955 . On the beach: Holidaymakers in deckchairs at the seaside in Bognor Regis, West Sussex, in 1960 . Until deckchairs were invented, people . heading for the beach used to pay one old penny to sit on wooden benches . dotted along the coastline. 'We’re thrilled to be keeping these chairs in use. It would be an absolute travesty to lose this institution of the British summer' Maria Hopwood, Heritage Deckchair Hire . But these were replaced by deckchairs, which were monitored by attendants who collected money from people on the beach. Blackpool Council banked an astonishing £6million in cash from deckchair hire takings within a period of three years in the late Fifties. But they declined soon after, following the invention of plastic chairs in the Sixties and the growth in availability of more affordable portable seating furniture. | Blackpool Council withdrew seats in 2004 to make town feel 'continental'
But it has only just decided to sell them - to entrepreneur Maria Hopwood .
She already has business selling replacement canvas for old deckchairs . |
74,219 | d2731f507c107105969113e82dce6853e63d1285 | A judge in Maryland has refused to allowed the mother of two missing toddlers out of a state mental institution so that she can lead police to her children. The family of Jacob and Sarah Hoggle, 2 and 3, are furious with the decision by Montgomery County District Court Judge Eugene Wolfe. They believe the toddlers, who were reported missing on September 8, could still be alive and in grave danger. Judge Wolfe said Catherine Hoggle, 27, has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic and has been ruled not competent to stand trial on charges of abduction, neglect and hindering an investigation. Her lawyer argued that it is wrong for authorities to ask Hoggle to take them to her children because she would be incriminating herself, the Washington Post reports. Scroll down for video . Where are the children? Catherine Hoggle is pictured here with her children Jacob, 2, and Sarah, 3. The toddler have been missing since September 9 and Hoggle won't say where they are . Catherine Hoggle claims the children are still alive and had said she wanted to lead police to them. However, a judge prevented her from being let out to help authorities . Hoggle has been diagnosed as a paranoid schizophrenic. She is charged with abduction, child endangerment and hindering an investigation . Jacob and Sarah's relatives, including her father - Catherine Hoggle's longtime boyfriend - say she is the only one who knows where the children are. 'It’s infuriating,' Troy Turner told the Post. The judge ordered police and prosecutors not to speak to her until she is deemed mentally fit to stand trial - meaning that they can't press her on where Jacob and Sarah are. Prosecutors say that Hoggle claimed in phone calls from her mental ward at the state psychiatric hospital that she wanted to lead authorities to her children and that they are still alive. Authorities aren't sure whether Hoggle is telling the truth - or even if she is mentally fit to know what she is saying - but they argued that even the smallest chance that she could aid in the rescue of Jacob and Seth makes it worth the effort. However, when prosecutors filed a motion asking that Hoggle be allowed out of the hospital to lead police to her children, her defense lawyer stepped in and said that she no longer wants to help police. Troy Turner, Hoggle's longtime partner and the father of the two children, says it's 'infuriating' that the judge won't let police have Catherine Hoggle lead them to his toddlers . 'What the state is asking the court to order is that she incriminate herself,' attorney David Felsen told the judge, according to the Post. Her disappearance with her children from her home in Germantown, Maryland, in September sparked a massive police manhunt. She was found days later, but she was not with her children. During a 16-hour interview, she changed her story multiple times but maintained that they were safe. Two months later, Sarah and Jacob are still missing and authorities have run out of leads. | Jacob and Sarah Hoggle, age 2 and 3, have been missing from their home in Germantown, Maryland, since September 8 .
Their mother Catherine Hoggle claims they are still alive .
A judge said she is not mentally fit to cooperate with police and ordered detectives to stay away from her .
The family of Jacob and Sarah say Catherine Hoggle is the only person who knows where they are .
Her lawyer says Hoggle cannot cooperate with police because it would amount to incriminating herself . |
75,699 | d6b201c3e150b7ab27fc9e3c66e0f32cb4dfa4d8 | Apple’s HealthKit app is designed to help you get the most out of life by improving your well-being and fitness. But could it also be used to predict when you’ll die? That’s what a new app called Deadline is claiming, saying the tech can be used to predict exactly when you’ll kick the bucket. The morbid app uses a variety of data including your blood pressure, height and sleep pattern to come up with the prediction that is apparently accurate to the second. An app created for California-based Apple's iOS predicts when you'll die. Called Deadline (pictured) It apparently uses Apple's new HealthKit technology to give you a 'ticker' ‘You're going to die. Sorry, we all do eventually,’ company Gist LLC writes on their iTunes page. The app costs £0.69 ($0.99) and is available now for Apple devices with iOS 8 or later. First your heart stomps pumping, so the flow of blood around your body stops, according to the American Chemical Society. This causes the blood to coagulate, forming clots and becoming thick and lumping. Your muscles then stiffen in a process known as rigor mortis, which also stops you breathing and means no oxygen gets to your cells. Your cells thus too begin to die, releasing enzymes that make your body very welcoming to bacteria and fungi. These decompose and putrify your body and ultimately, within a year or so, most of the flesh on your body will have decomposed leaving just your bones behind. ‘But, what if you knew the date of your death? ‘Would it motivate you to be healthier?’ The company claims to use HealthKit data, in addition to a few questions about your life style, to give you an estimated time of death. It pulls in a variety of information and tells you how long you’ve got to live in years, months, days, hours, minutes and seconds. Living a healthier lifestyle will apparently give you a longer life expectancy in the app. And with Apple’s new notification system for iOS 8.1 the app will keep your ‘ticker’ updated on your home screen. However, according to Gizmodo the app’s claims of being accurate are not entirely true, instead being just ‘a genetic algorithm that forecasts your death’. The ticker (left) shows you the time down to the second that you'll die. Exercising more and improving your health (right) increases life expectancy. However some have said the app just uses a random algorithm . Earlier this week a video from the American Chemical Society talked through the exact process of how you die. From your bodily functions shutting down to the process of embalming to make you presentable for your funeral, all of the gruesome details were discussed. When blood stops circulating your cells begin to die. This makes your body bacteria and fungi start to decompose your body. To stop this scientists can pump you full of chemicals - called embalming. This keep you presentable for about a week such as for your funeral. But ultimately your body will decompose to bones in a year or so. | App created for California-based Apple's iOS predicts when you'll die .
It apparently uses Apple's new HealthKit technology to give you a 'ticker'
This then shows you the time down to the second that you'll die .
Exercising more will give you a bigger life expectancy .
However some have said the app just uses a random algorithm . |
253,745 | d46e58102e3c4e1f80425983e743ecfeb35eb72c | By . Associated Press . Less than a week after they won a $96.5 million Powerball prize, an eastern Missouri husband and wife have already made big changes in their lives and big plans for their future. John and Susan Brands, both 49, of St. Charles, were identified Friday by the Missouri Lottery as the winners of the jackpot in the March 22 drawing. Susan Brands is studying web design and plans to finish out the semester, according to a news release from the Missouri Lottery. The couple also plan to replace the older-model cars they're driving. Single winner: A Missouri couple claimed the only winning ticket in last week's $96.5million PowerBall jackpot . Since discovering the morning after the drawing that his ticket matched all five numbers plus the Powerball, John Brands has quit his job as a civil engineer. The native of Portageville, Mo., is thinking of buying some farmland. 'Like the line from the movie 'O Brother, Where Art Thou': 'You ain't no kind of man, if you ain't got land,' he said. Susan Brands, a native of Wichita, Kan., said she's looking forward to traveling, including a trip to New Zealand. Why New Zealand? 'We're nerds,' she said. 'That's where 'The Lord of the Rings' and 'The Hobbit' were filmed' The couple also said they plan to explore interests for which they haven't had time, such as learning new languages, going to culinary school and, for John, taking guitar lessons. John Brands purchased the winning ticket at Bridgeton Mobil in suburban St. Louis. He let the computer select the winning combination, which was: 13, 28, 31, 55, 58, Powerball 15. | John and Susan Brands, both 49, of St Charles, claimed the prize .
John Brands has already quit his job as a civil engineer .
his wife Susan wants to travel to New Zealand because she is a huge 'Lord of the Rings' fan . |
76,727 | d9a9507c3762ffbb3808d5f755b1df12271bb9e2 | Determined Kurdish forces have been striking back against advancing ISIS militants in a besieged town on the Syrian-Turkish border. In a dramatic firefight taking place this evening, the forces could be seen advancing onto the ridgeline occupied by ISIS extremists near the Kurdish town of Kobani. Dozens of Kurdish spectators gathered just metres away to cheer on the fighters in a chorus of deafening shouts and applause, as red flares from tracer bullets propelled across the darkening sky. Footage of the live firefight was filmed from the Turkish side of the embattled border, which has been under attack from ISIS extremists for the past ten days. Scroll down for video . Dozens of spectators cheered on the fighters in a chorus of deafening shouts and applause, as bouts of fire were seen shooting across the blackened sky in a live firefight filmed by CNN on the Turkish-Syrian border between ISIS militants and Kurdish forces . A reporter for CNN, which aired the live fight, said this evening's battle had caused a blow to ISIS militants, with injuries reported and several casualties seen being carried away from the bloody scene. ISIS has been making progress in the area for more than a week, advancing a few miles each day and forcing a human tide of Syrians - many of them ethnic Kurds - to flee to Turkey. Today, a baby's cot was among the items left abandoned by fleeing Syrians, as women, children and the elderly escaped their homes amid heavy fighting between ISIS fighters and Kurdish forces. The ongoing clashes around the town - also known as Ayn Arab - have already sent more than 150,000 refugees into the Turkish province of Sanliurfa - the largest single outflow of refugees since Syria's conflict began more than three years ago. Today, Turkish Kurds gathered about 100metres from Turkish ground to see the fighting between ISIS and Kurdish forces in the next village on the Syrian side . The crowd watched as ISIS fighters attempted to advance with heavy weaponry on the strategic Kurdish border town of Kobani, which they have surrounded on three sides . Kurdish supporters spent hours watching the dramatic scenes unfold, sometimes allowing the support to descend into a chorus of applause and cheering . Syrian refugee children cross into Turkey at the Syrian-Turkish border near the province of Sanliurfa, Turkey, today, as ISIS militants advance on a besieged border town . This helpless young child is one of the hundreds of youngsters who have been forced to leave the border town of Kobani, leaving parts of the landscape virtually deserted . A Syrian refugee woman carries a child as she crosses into Turkey. In recent days, Turkey has seen the 'biggest influx' of Syrian refugees - many of them ethnic Kurds - since the start of the war three years ago . Hundreds of children, such as these two young girls pictured left and right, were seen waiting at the border, as their families tried to reach safety . A spokeswoman for the UN agency for refugees (UNHCR) said Turkey had now seen the biggest influx of refugees in the past three years, since ISIS descended on the embattled area . The Turkish government figure includes about 140,000 people who fled Kurdish villages in northern Syria to escape the ongoing attack by ISIS militants . ISIS fighters launched the offensive against Syrian Kurds last week, forcing inhabitants to flee across the border . Islamic State has maintained its grip on territory on three sides of the strategic town, with sporadic clashes continuing today amid the firing of heavy weapons fire heard . The start of attacks in the area appeared to spark a state of panic within the Kurdish community and Turkish soldiers were deployed to stem the relentless flow into their country . A spokesman for the UN agency for refugees (UNHCR) said the number of refugees had dramatically increased since ISIS engulfed the town on three sides and said it represented the largest exodus of refugees from the war-torn country in the past three years. The latest fighting comes after U.S.-led coalition warplanes struck the border town for the first time, sparking a retaliation of shelling from the jihadi fighters. The U.S. Central Command said the air strikes, carried out earlier today, destroyed an ISIS building and two armed vehicles. Nawaf Khalil, a spokesman for Syria's Kurdish Democratic Union Party, or PYD, said the jihadi fighters later shelled the town, wounding a number of civilians. One of the mortars blew a large hole in an empty minibus parked near Tavsanli, a nearby village. The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the coalition's strikes came amid heavy fighting between ISIS and members of the Kurdish force, known as the People's Protection Units, or YPK. Dozens of people wounded in the fighting arrived in Turkey for treatment on Saturday, it said. Women and children alike were seen carrying their belongings across the border, joining the mass exodus of Syrian refugees who have already fled to Turkey . The refugees were seen sitting in a truck after crossing the border near the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province, Turkey . The refugees waited behind metal gates before crossing the border into Turkey. The images came as U.S.-led coalition warplanes struck the border town for the first time . The refugees crossed the border in a bus, looking back on the fighting that is now dominating the border town . These refugees - many of them children, women and elderly - are leaving behind their homes in a bid to try and find safety across the border . Most of those seen moving across into Turkey were women and children. Many stopped to rest one they had crossed into safety . Many are forced to wait once they arrived in Turkey, unsure where they are next to go . This baby's cot was left abandoned by fleeing Syrians near the virtually-deserted area near to the border . Authorities in the border province of Sanliurfa have now blocked the main road to the Syrian border as security worsens in the area. Meanwhile, Turkish Kurds living in the region were seen gathered about 100metres from the Turkish ground watching the fighting between the two sides. Hundreds of Kurds broke yesterday through the Turkish border into Syrian territory to join Kurdish forces - known as the Protection of the Kurdish People - battling ISIS militants around the town. The Syrian Kurdish forces have long been one of the most effective fighting units battling ISIS, but the tide has turned in recent weeks as the militants have attacked with heavy weapons, believed to belong to neighboring Iraq. Kobani sits on a road linking north and north-western Syria. Kurdish control of the town has prevented ISIS fighters from consolidating their gains. The United States and five Arab allies launched an aerial campaign against ISIS in Syria early on Tuesday with the aim of crushing the extremist group. Elsewhere, hundreds of Kurdish activists and their supporters have protested in Paris to denounce violence by ISIS and demand greater Western support against the militants. Waving flags and chanting Kurdish songs, as many as 2,000 demonstrators marched to demand greater firepower from the West to help the outgunned Kurds stave off assaults by ISIS. Syrian Kurds, fleeing an onslaught by the jihadist ISIS group, cross the border between Syria and Turkey at the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province . This young child was seen clutching a balloon as his mother carried him across the border . Children rest on a pile of their family belongings after crossing the border . Refugees waited in a short sand storm at the Syrian-Turkish border . A Turkish soldier covered his face as he waited for the short sand storm to pass . In London, Oxford Street was brought to a standstill as Kurdish protesters called on countries to unite against ISIS. Scuffles broke out with police at one point as the demonstrators chanted and waved placards to condemn the militant group's brutal attacks in the Middle East. Akif Rizgar Wan, the UK representative of the Kurdistan National Congress, said he backed British air strikes in Iraq and called on the UK Government to target Isis in Syria as well. 'Kurdish people are being killed, thousands of them. It is inhumane. We are against ISIS killing innocent people, specifically the vulnerable, women and elderly people.' A Turkish soldier guards on the Syrian borderline in the southeastern town of Suruc in Sanliurfa province of Turkey . A Turkish soldier stands guarded as Kurdish Syrian refugees desperately wait to cross to Turkey in the Turkish-Syrian border . Syrian Kurdish men were seen trying to get water distributed by Turkish Red Crescent as they wait behind the border fences to cross into Turkey . The attacks appeared to spark a state of panic within the Kurdish community and Turkish soldiers were deployed to stem the relentless flow into their country . Turkish soldiers stand guard as the refugees wait behind the gate at the border . | Kurdish forces are fighting back against ISIS militants in Syrian border town, injuring several of jihadist fighters .
Dozens of Kurdish spectators lined border to cheer on fighters, as tracer bullets shot across darkened sky .
Today, more Syrian refugees streamed across to Turkey in bid to flee advancing militants on Syrian-Turkish border .
Some 150,000 people - many of them ethnic Kurds - have fled since ISIS launched offence in Kobani last week .
UN agency for refugees say it is the largest single outflow of refugees since Syria's conflict began three years ago .
U.S-led coalition airplanes struck area today for first time, amid continued fighting between ISIS and Kurdish forces . |
47,889 | 872ac7b403fc9bb840e41a96966b36fa8f7599a0 | Jose Baxter is discussing his journey from being Everton’s youngest ever player to the brink of a second cup semi-final with Sheffield United when he reveals he would like to say sorry to David Moyes. Having been handed his Premier League debut by Moyes aged 16 years and 191 days, sooner than Wayne Rooney or Ross Barkley, Baxter left Goodison Park at 20, exasperated with reserve football and team-mates who laughed after losses. There was a contract offer from Everton but Baxter failed to put pen to paper. Two years on he has scored at Wembley, been part of a side to beat Liverpool, and made more than 100 senior appearances. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Sheffield United player Jose Baxter talks about his best position . Jose Baxter left Everton in 2012 after rejecting fresh terms for a new contract at the club . Kick-off: 7.45pm Bramall Lane. TV: Highlights on The League Cup Show, BBC1 from 11.05pm. Referee: Chris Foy. ‘It was an easy decision for me really,’ he says. 'When David Moyes offered me the contract I didn’t say, “No thanks”,’ explains Baxter. ‘It had to be signed by a certain date and I just didn’t sign it. ‘Because he’d been so good to me I do regret a little bit not going in and saying, “Listen, I’m going to move on.” If I came across him now I’d definitely apologise for that.’ It is six seasons since Moyes sent Baxter on for the final 12 minutes of a top-flight fixture against Blackburn, then started the schoolboy a week later at West Bromwich Albion. ‘He hugged me when I came off,’ says Baxter. ‘He’s a top fella – I haven’t got a bad word to say about him.’ The propensity for making bold career decisions is a trait that unites the pair. The player left Everton to gain regular first-team football lower down the leagues, initially with Oldham; the manager elected to re-start his career abroad with Real Sociedad following his chastening spell at Manchester United. ‘He’ll probably learn another language and take his family,’ says Baxter. ‘If he does come back to England there will definitely be a job for him.’ Baxter celebrates scoring for Sheffield United in their FA Cup semi-final against Hull at Wembley in April . Baxter stepped into League One eager to get meaningful action after growing disillusioned with youth football. He played four senior games in 2008-09 but only nine more in the next two seasons, in competition with Marouane Fellaini. Predominantly, he stretched his legs in Under 21 matches. For Baxter, that was not a means to push on. ‘I was going into reserve games and getting beat and was gutted,’ he says. ‘I was looking round and there were other lads laughing saying, “Shall we go for food, or go out for a bit?” I don’t want to do that after losing a game of football. It just shows it means nothing to them. ‘Then I would be around the first team and one player has another by the scruff of the neck because they’ve got a draw instead of a win. ‘I played reserve football from 14 up to 19 and it just got boring. If a first-team player was injured he would come down and wouldn’t take it seriously. It just wasn’t for me.’ He went on loan to Tranmere Rovers for the first half of the 2011-12 campaign. The 22-year-old feels her owes former Everton boss David Moyes for the way he departed the club . ‘The loan system is brilliant – it helped me massively. There are no kids – if you’re good enough you’re old enough. And if you’re old enough you’re ready for a b*****ing.’ Intensity is a difficult thing to manufacture when the consequences of victory or defeat remain fairly unsubstantiated – youth football’s eternal problem perhaps. Baxter did gain a real sense of competition on international duty, captaining England Under 17s at the European Championship of 2009. He played alongside Jack Wilshere and against Mario Gotze, who scored in a 4-0 victory for eventual champions Germany. ‘There have definitely been a few I’ve played against who’ve kicked on,’ is Baxter’s understated appraisal on the last man to score a winning goal in a World Cup final. ‘Jack is certainly one of the best I’ve played with,’ he adds. ‘When we used to go away at 16, you didn’t really know what gym was. He would always be in there working his socks off.’ Hard work is a defining principle of Nigel Clough’s Sheffield United and could prove the determining factor in their ambitions of toppling Southampton in Tuesday’s Capital One Cup quarter-final. This season’s other Premier League upstarts, West Ham, have already been upset by Clough’s side in this competition – on penalties in round two – and Baxter believes Bramall Lane in full voice can provide the setting for another scalp. Baxter talks to Sportsmail's Laurie Whitwell at Sheffield United's training ground . ‘It’s a loving football city and they really want us to do well. It’s only what they deserve.’ Baxter has been scouting Southampton since the draw was made six weeks ago. ‘You watch them closer and try to see weaknesses. There haven’t been many. For us to beat them it will be difficult but we will be going into the game to win.’ Ronald Koeman’s side haven’t won in five, losing their last four and Baxter cannot resist. 'When they heard they were playing us in the cup they started getting beat – whether they’re a bit nervous about Sheffield United I‘m not sure.’ Southampton were one of League One’s big beasts back in 2011 before earning consecutive promotions and re-establishing themselves in the Premier League. It is a progression Baxter draws inspiration from. ‘That’s where we want to be. Everyone knows Sheffield United don’t belong in this league but it is the reality. We’re doing our best to get out of it. There is no better way than to play against the big teams and see how far off you are.’ Sheffield United reached the FA Cup semi-final last season after knocking out two Premier League teams. Baxter scored the opening goal in a thrilling match against Hull at Wembley, eventually succumbing 5-3. ‘It makes you want to get there every year,’ he says of the occasion. It was a career highlight, alongside victory over Luis Suarez’s Liverpool in the same competition in January 2013 while at Oldham. Despite his Everton connection, Baxter is a Liverpool fan and was at the 2005 League Cup final at the Millenium Stadium that Chelsea won 3-2. Ask for his preference between going one better with Sheffield United or going up into the Championship, he responds instantly. ‘Definitely I’d rather have promotion all day. That’s easy,’ he says. Baxter has a habit of making tricky choices look simple. One Football League fan will on Tuesday win the £250,000 SkyBet Transfer Fund for their club to spend on players in January. Watch the draw on Sky Sports News at noon. | Jose Baxter left Everton in 2012 after rejecting a new contract .
Baxter remains the club's youngest ever player after making his Premier League debut aged 16 years and 191 days in 2008 .
The Sheffield United forward admits he regrets the way he left the club .
Baxter says he owes former Toffees boss David Moyes an apology . |
43,692 | 7b38ca70c0b21605851d5671999b06790ad3676f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A soldier who is facing the death penalty over the murder of his five-year-old daughter in Hawaii has pleaded with jurors to spare his life. Naeem Williams read a statement in court on Wednesday in which he apologized for his actions, as a jury meets to decide whether he should face the death sentence. Williams was convicted of capital murder in April, after beating his young daughter, Talia, to death in July 2005. Sentencing: Naeem Williams could face the death penalty after being found guilty of murdering his child, Talia . Victim: Talia Williams was five years old when her father, Naeem, beat her to death . In the final fatal blow, Williams left an imprint of . his knuckle on Talia's chest. She had been beaten and struck with fists and belts for seven months. In his statement, delivered with long pauses and sniffles, WIlliams said: 'Talia deserved a better father than me. 'Instead of helping and protecting Talia, I hurt and I killed her.' After reading his statement to the court on Wednesday, there was little visible reaction from the jurors. They previously heard him testify that while he was stationed in Hawaii, he and Talia's stepmother, Delilah Williams, beat the child almost daily. He claimed he was disciplining her for bathroom accidents and because of frustrations he was experiencing in his marriage. Plea deal: Williams with his wife, Delilah, who detailed how they beat her step-daughter Talia for seven months . Abused: The court was told Talia was beaten nearly every day for seven months by her father and step-mother . The child's stepmother, Deliliah, testified against her husband as part of a plea deal for a 20-year sentence. She had revealed graphic and disturbing details of abuse earlier in the trial, which included withholding food . from Talia for days at a time. She also said the five-year-old had been beaten while she was duct-taped . to a bed, pulled so hard by the hair that she was left with a bald . spot, and stomped on her until bone cracked. The parents took Talia out of school shortly before her death to hide the signs of the abuse. Tragic: Talia was beaten to death in 2005 . Naeem Williams testified previously that he . delayed calling 911 when Talia didn't get up from one of his blows. He . said he and his wife fretted over making sure a relative could pick up . the infant. If Williams is sentenced to death, it will be the first time in the history of Hawaii's statehood because territorial leaders abolished capital punishment in 1957. Because the crime occurred on military property, the case is in federal court, where the death penalty is available. Williams said he wants the chance to be a better father to his two other children, an 11-year-old son who lives in Georgia and a nine-year-old daughter who lives in Tennessee. The children testified Wednesday that they enjoy their relationship with him even though he is incarcerated in Hawaii. His . daughter was born in Hawaii and was an infant when Talia was killed. She said she has visited him at the Honolulu Federal Detention Center. Her mother is being held at the same facility after she pleaded guilty to her role in Talia's death. The . girl said she talks to her dad on the phone every Sunday and emails . him. The boy said he talks to his father three to five times a month and . emails him a couple times a month. 'We talk about a lot of stuff. We might talk about maybe who's playing basketball or who's your favorite team,' the boy told the court. He broke down in tears when asked how he feels about his father, telling the court: 'I love my dad. I really need him.' | Naeem Williams could be first person in Hawaii to face capital punishment .
Williams who punched and hit daughter over several months was found guilty of her murder . |
219,641 | a8540cc2d099c849d5ecce818ead9b75b013f0e5 | By . Snejana Farberov . A 25-year-old Texas mother was arrested Monday after walking into a police station and telling officers she had killed her 4-year-old daughter. Stacie Parsons was charged with capital murder after Henderson County Sheriff's deputies were sent to the woman's home where they found the child dead. The little girl, identified as Victoria Wyatt, suffered injuries to her head and chest, An autopsy will be performed to determine the exact cause of death. Scroll down for video . Shocking confession: Stacie Parsons (left), 25, has walked into the Athens, Texas, police headquarters to report she had killed her 4-year-old daughter, Victoria Wyatt (right) Resting place: The toddler's lifeless body was found wrapped in a garbage bag inside the trunk of her mother's car . Crime scene: Police say Mrs Parsons killed her daughter on this small wooden bridge on Henderson County Road 1500 . According to the sheriff's office, Mrs Parsons, a married mother of one, walked into the Athens Police Department headquarters at around 8.45am Monday to report she had committed a murder, NBC Washington reported. Investigators were dispatched to the family’s home in the 400 block of Martin Luther King Jr where they discovered Victoria’s lifeless body wrapped in a garbage bag. According to sheriff's deputies, the little girl was killed on a bridge along Henderson County Road 1500 and then transported home about 5 miles away. There is no official word yet on a motive, but according to Parsons' common-law husband of six years, Gary Wyatt, his wife has long been jealous of their 4-year-old daughter. The heartbroken father told the station KLTV that on Monday, he and Stacie were supposed to enroll Victoria in a pre-kindergarten program together. Unnatural envy: Gary Wyatt (pictured left), Parsons' common-law husband of six years, said his wife has been jealous of their daughter from the day she was born (right) Foreshadowing: A family friend said Stacie threatened to kill Victoria just days before the tragedy . But the night before, Mr Wyatt informed his wife that he wanted a divorce, which may have sent her over the edge. When Gary Wyatt woke up Monday morning, Stacie and Victoria already have left. At the time, he assumed they had gone to the pre-school without him. A short time later, the 25-year-old mother returned home, parked her car in the driveway and walked away. Gary and family friend Randy Dyess chased her down and tried to talk to her, asking the woman about Victoria, but the 25-year-old only said: 'I wouldn't be in that car if I were you.' When Mr Wyatt opened the trunk of his wife's white sedan, he discovered Victoria wrapped in plastic and not breathing. Troubled family: The night before the killing, Mr Wyatt informed his wife that he wanted a divorce . Life cut short: Victoria, pictured left not long before her death and right as an infant, was supposed to start pre-K on the day she was killed . Cause of death: The toddler, seen here as a baby, suffered head trauma and injuries to her chest . ‘Oh, God it was awful,’ Mr Wyatt tearfully recalled. ‘Foaming out of her mouth, her head was bashed in. My baby's dead, she killed my baby.’ The father attempted to perform CPR on the toddler, but it was too late. Gary Wyatt told the Texas news station while it appeared his wife has been envious of their daughter since the day she was born, she has never been violent towards her. However, Randy Dyess, the couple's friend, revealed that Stacie allegedly made a threat against Victoria just a few days before the murder. Justice for Victoria: The 25-year-old mother has been charged with capital murder . ‘She said, “I'd rather kill Victoria and spend the rest of my life in prison than to put up with you,”’ Dyess said referring to Mr Wyatt. Stacie Parsons is being held without bond at the Henderson County Jail. The family's loved ones have launched an online fundraiser to help Gary Wyatt with his daughter's final expenses. | Stacie Parsons, 25, charged with capital murder in the killing of 4-year-old Victoria Wyatt in Henderson County, Texas .
Toddler was found wrapped in a garbage bag and stuffed inside the trunk of her mother's car .
Victoria was supposed to start pre-K the day she was killed; the night before, Parsons' husband of six years told her he wanted a divorce . |
116,149 | 21ebc00e22651399db4a050cfac861c516bd6f4d | Police are demanding to be allowed to patrol in pairs because they fear fanatics are planning to murder an officer on the street – in a horrific echo of the killing of soldier Lee Rigby last year. Frontline officers in London feel increasingly at risk as they take to the streets by themselves in cars or on the beat because of the danger of a jihadi attack. Some also want the right to carry protective equipment such as CS spray and batons when they go off-duty, over concerns they could be targeted as they leave stations at night. Senior figures in the Police Federation have met counter-terror chiefs to voice their members’ fears after alleged terrorists were accused of plotting to shoot officers after carrying out surveillance of their station. Police are demanding to be allowed to patrol in pairs because they fear fanatics are planning to murder an officer on the street – in a horrific echo of the killing of soldier Lee Rigby last year . But chiefs have refused requests to increase protection and are calling on officers to be more vigilant in the face of higher risk levels. In a further sign of the heightened security situation in Britain, the first ‘counter-terrorism awareness week’ will be launched tomorrow with more police on duty at shopping centres and airports as well as providing advice on how the public can spot potential radicals. Former Scotland Yard detective Chris Hobbs told The Mail on Sunday last night: ‘Frontline police officers in London are fearful they could become victims of savage targeted attacks on the streets of the capital by fanatical Islamist jihadists. Officers are concerned that other than receiving “stay vigilant” advice they are not being kept fully informed of events in relation to the very real threats to their own safety or being afforded additional protection.’ Fusilier Rigby was hacked to death near Woolwich Barracks in south-east London on May 22 last year . It was standard practice for police to go on the beat in pairs but in recent years chiefs have changed to single crewing as budget cuts have led to the loss of 15,000 jobs since the last Election. A spokesman for Scotland Yard said: ‘Officer safety is of utmost importance and the position will remain under constant review.’ | Officers in London feel increasingly at risk from attacks by jihadis .
Some even want to carry CS spray and batons when they are off-duty .
The first ‘counter-terrorism awareness week’ will be launched tomorrow . |
242,567 | c5f8eb1bdda6261b84bac784b7e5a3dd5289fe4a | By . Alex Greig . George Zimmerman says he is suffering from post-traumatic stress and is homeless after his trial for the shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin in 2012. He made the claims to journalist Ilia Calderón, who interviewed him for the Spanish language current affairs show Aqui y Ahora which will air on Univision on Sunday at 7pm. During the interview, Zimmerman also claimed that Martin threatened to kill him before he shot and killed the unarmed 17-year-old. 'Sad. Very sad': How George Zimmerman described himself in the recent interview with Ilia Calderón . 'When he saw my handgun and looked at it and told me that he was going to kill me that night, uh, that was enough of a threat after the way he had attacked me. So, I felt his hand going for my weapon,' Zimmerman said, reports the Orlando Sentinal. When asked how he feels now, Zimmerman responded 'Sad. Very sad.' Zimmerman was found not guilty of murder in the controversial case in 2013. Insight: Zimmerman told Calderón that he receives death threats due to bad media coverage, not the fact that he shot Trayvon Martin . He told Calderón that after shooting Martin, his main concern was that he had missed his target. 'I was afraid it had gone through his clothes and that it was going to go... get lost, and, um, you know, go into a house and - because the young man was still talking to me, as I have said. So I thought that it hadn't... affected him, and I got worried, and I said, "I hope that it hasn't - that the bullet hasn't hit a neighbor,"' Zimmerman said. The much-maligned former insurance salesman who has recently taken to selling his unique art on eBay said he was '100 per cent' sure of his actions that night, and that had he not shot Martin, the teen would have killed him. International notoriety: Zimmerman's case became known around the world . Zimmerman said that he has had death threats since the trial, which he put down to his portrayal in the media and not his shooting of a teenaged boy. Zimmerman told Calderón that he can no longer lead a normal life and must wear a bullet-proof vest when he is out in public. Describing himself as 'totally homeless,' Zimmerman said his family helps him 'a lot.' | George Zimmerman was interviewed for the Spanish-language show Aqui y Ahora .
He told journalist Ilia Calderón that he doesn't have a permanent home and suffers from PTSD .
Zimmerman said he feels 'very sad' after his trial for killing unarmed teen Trayvon Martin .
He did the right thing, he says, because Martin would have killed him had he not opened fire .
He receives death threats and cannot live a 'normal' life or go out without a bulletproof vest, he said .
The interview will air Sunday on Univision at 7pm . |
184,210 | 7a9b661c72f382c2b4d8044d1993c84ca96ec6a3 | British motorists caught speeding in Europe face being tracked down and fined, under controversial new EU rules. At the moment, drivers caught by a speed camera while in their own car abroad cannot be fined because EU police forces do not have the power to trace people abroad. But the European Parliament is expected to back new measures giving foreign police forces the power to send fines to British addresses and pursue motorists through the UK courts if they do not pay. Motorists caught by speed cameras abroad face being tracked down and forced to pay a fine, under new EU rules . Motorists can already be traced if they are were driving hire cars or caught by police officers on the side of the road. The new rules, which are expected to be easily passed by the European Parliament, will allow motorists to be fined for speeding, ignoring a red light, drink and drug driving and driving while using a mobile phone. If a driver commits an offence in another country, the police will be able to use their car's registration number to track them down. They will be given the power to send out a letter in the driver's own language, demanding payment and threatening court action if they do not pay the fine. British police will also be able to pursue foreign motorists driving in Britain for any traffic and speeding fines they have accumulated in the UK. If approved, the Bill will apply to member states from May – but the UK will have two years to enforce the new law. The move, which is backed by ministers, has been welcomed by road safety campaigners. Ed Morrow, from the organisation Brake, said: 'For a driver who puts lives at risk to escape prosecution because their vehicle is registered in another country is both insulting and incomprehensible for victims. Illegal driving crosses borders, so enforcement must cross borders too.' AA president Edmund King (right) criticised new rules allowing British motorists caught speeding on holiday in France, Germany to be traced . The Department for Transport added: 'It's not right that foreign drivers have gone unpunished for speeding offences in the UK, and we are pleased this is set to change. 'But it mustn't be easier for British drivers to be prosecuted abroad than for foreign drivers to be prosecuted in the UK. We have made this clear from the outset of the negotiations.' Ines Ayala Sender, a Spanish MEP and the EU Parliament's negotiator on the issue, said the move would help cut road deaths by 50 per cent. He said: 'Citizens are, of course, never thrilled to receive a letter telling them they have been caught committing a traffic offence, but they do welcome the fact that everyone in the EU will be treated equally, no matter where their vehicle is registered.' But, Edmund King, the AA president, said: 'In theory, tracking down drivers who break the law driving in other countries might sound like a good idea in terms of road safety but in practice it could be a nightmare. 'Different European countries have significantly different motoring laws and indeed penalties. If UK drivers receive a penalty notice for using a "restricted lane" in Spain they may wish to contest it but this would prove impossible in most cases as often photographic evidence is not provided. Returning to Europe for a court case is prohibitive in terms of cost.' | Currently, drivers caught by speed cameras abroad cannot be traced .
But new measures give EU police the power to send fines to UK addresses .
Foreign police will also be able to pursue UK motorists through the courts .
The controversial proposals will apply to foreign motorists driving in UK .
But the AA said the move could be 'a nightmare' for British motorists . |
98,678 | 0b12ad039512b74ed2f61948a1c5c3e373988cf6 | In a bold declaration of its ambition, the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has laid claim to leadership of the global Islamist movement, calling on Muslims worldwide to swear allegiance to its leader, Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi. By claiming such preeminence, ISIS is seeking to eclipse al Qaeda and its leader, Ayman al-Zawahiri, in what analysts see as the most dramatic shift in militant jihadism since 9/11. But ISIS also makes the outlandish claims -- if its words are taken literally -- that it leads 1.5 billion Muslims and that the world, not just the deserts of Syria and Iraq, are its new stage. What did ISIS say? The declaration was made Sunday in a 34-minute audio message by ISIS spokesman and ideologue Abu Muhammad al-Adnani al-Shami, who said that from now on, ISIS would simply be called the "Islamic State." That is much more than a change of name; it simultaneously strips away the geographical limits imposed by the previous name and underlines the movement's control of a wide swath of territory in Iraq and Syria. It even suggests that the group should exercise authority over Islam's holiest places. In a direct challenge to al-Zawahiri, al-Shami said it is now "incumbent upon all Muslims to pledge allegiance to the Khalifah Ibrahim and support him." Khalifah Ibrahim is the name now given to al-Baghdadi, a secretive figure never seen in ISIS' voluminous propaganda output. Al-Shami says that al-Baghdadi has accepted the pledge of allegiance offered by senior figures of the "Islamic State." "Thus he is the imam and Khalifah of Muslims everywhere," al-Shami concluded with stunning brevity. Why a caliphate matters . Al-Shami said that in the areas now controlled by the group, the legality of all states and organizations becomes null and void, an assertion that the colonial-era borders of the Middle East are no longer valid. Instead, they are replaced by a caliphate carved from ISIS' recent territorial gains. A video released by the group Sunday underlined the point in graphic fashion, showing the destruction of a border crossing between al-Hasakah in Syria and the Iraqi province of Nineveh. ISIS also released a series of photographs purporting to show a parade through its Syrian stronghold of Raqqa in celebration of the declaration and of the Khalifah Ibrahim. The restoration of the caliphate was the dream of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in establishing al Qaeda, but ISIS has seized more territory, and more cities, than any al Qaeda affiliate. Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula briefly took control of a string of towns in southern Yemen early in 2012 but was driven out of them later that year. ISIS' methods -- especially its habit of summary executions -- and its refusal to accept al-Zawahiri's authority have also led to a very public and bitter rupture with the parent organization. ISIS was disowned by al Qaeda in February after defying al-Zawahiri's demand that it cease operating in Syria in favor of another al Qaeda affiliate, Jabhat al Nusra. Al Qaeda's General Command said that ISIS was "not a branch of the al Qaeda group ... does not have an organizational relationship with it, and al Qaeda is not responsible for their action." But the group's successes have shifted the balance. In language that appears to taunt al Qaeda and al Nusra, al-Shami said Sunday: "They never recognized the Islamic State to begin with, although America, Britain and France acknowledge its existence. ... Should we consult those who have abandoned us? Those who have betrayed us? Those who have disowned us and incited against us?" Different from al Qaeda . Charles Lister, a Fellow at the Brookings Doha Center, said the impact of the announcement "will be global as al Qaeda affiliates and independent jihadist groups must now definitively choose to support and join the Islamic State or to oppose it." "While it is now inevitable that members and prominent supporters of al Qaeda and its affiliates will rapidly move to denounce al-Baghdadi and this announcement, it is the long-term implications that may prove more significant," Lister says. Al Qaeda's declining potency in its Afghan-Pakistan heartland, the death of bin Laden and the group's fracturing into semiautonomous franchises have left a new generation of jihadists looking for a spiritual home -- and a field of combat. ISIS provides that, and it has a slick propaganda machine producing high-quality videos posted on social media. But Charles Lister says: "Al Qaeda will retain considerable support, and once the dust has settled, we will very likely find ourselves in a dualistic position of having two competing international jihadist representatives: al Qaeda, with a now more locally focused and gradual approach to success, and the 'Islamic State,' with a hunger for rapid results and total hostility for competition." Lister said ISIS has evolved as a tightly controlled group with "an almost obsessive level of bureaucracy, account-keeping, and centrally controlled but locally implemented military-political coordination." But unlike al Qaeda, it has also "developed an increasingly efficient model of governance, capable of simultaneously implementing harsh medieval justice and a whole range of modern social services." To Aram Nerguizian, senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, the question is: "How can they create governance structures that don't completely chafe against the social fabric of these towns?" ISIS has grown exponentially over the last four years, taking advantage of ungoverned space and violent Shia-Sunni sectarianism to win the attention and support of thousands of would-be jihadists. It has attracted hundreds and probably thousands of fighters from across the Arab world and Europe. Even so, its forces are spread across a huge area and would be vastly outnumbered and outgunned by the Iraqi military should it reorganize into an effective force. And ISIS depends on powerful Sunni tribes to the west and north of Baghdad as its hosts and partners. If they perceive its practices as too draconian or its caliphate as marginalizing them, the tolerance they have shown in the face of a common enemy -- the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki -- will soon evaporate. What happens in Syria? One of the biggest questions is how other groups in Syria respond. One smaller Syrian faction, Jeish al-Sahaba, has already declared its allegiance to the "Caliphate." At a local level, some al Nusra fighters pledged allegiance to ISIS before it declared the caliphate. "We unified with ISIS to stop bloodshed and spare our region and its countryside the danger of war and displacement," said al Nusra's leader in the eastern town of al Bokamal. But other al Nusra elements clashed with ISIS in the town Monday and seem to be still working with other factions, even the relatively secular Free Syrian Army, in Deir Ezzor, a province where ISIS is strong. Most analysts foresee an inconsistent mix of competition and coexistence, even cooperation between the two groups, whose ideological roots are similar. But many Muslims see the declaration of a caliphate as both apostasy and a ludicrous overreach by ISIS. The Syrian opposition council in Eastern Ghouta, an important area in the battle against the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, last week attacked any notion that ISIS could form a state. "ISIS must delete the world 'state' from the name of the faction and to be jihadi faction because ISIS does not have tangible or religious structure," the council said, in a statement obtained by the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. A spokesman for the Free Syrian Army in eastern Syria, Omar Abu Leila, described the declaration of the caliphate as "unbelievable." "There are millions of Syrians who are not with ISIS, so how can they speak about a caliphate in our land?" he said. ISIS declares 'caliphate' stretching across Iraq and Syria . | The Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has laid claim to leadership of the global Islamist movement .
In a challenge to the head of al Qaeda, ISIS calls on "all Muslims to pledge allegiance" to its leader .
In essence, the group is saying the colonial-era borders of the Middle East are no longer valid .
Analyst: Al Qaeda affiliates, other jihadists must now choose whether to back or reject ISIS . |
279,602 | f637633417d70774b3d568553476e04978ed0cb7 | Indiana sophomore Devin Davis is improving after being struck by a teammate's car and suffering a head injury, the school said Sunday. The university issued a news release quoting team physician Dr. Larry Rink as saying Davis was 'doing better' Sunday morning and had benefited from uninterrupted rest. 'His speech is normal and he has the use of all extremities,' Rink said. Accident: Indiana University basketball player Devin Davis (left) was hospitalized this weekend after accidentally being struck by teammate Emmitt Holt's (right) SUV outside Memorial Stadium. Sophomore Davis pictured above in the November 4, 2013 NCAA college exhibition game against Hillsdale . The news release did not indicate the 19-year-old's medical condition. He had been listed in serious condition Saturday at IU Health Bloomington Hospital. Bloomington police say they found Davis unconscious early Saturday after he was struck by an SUV driven by teammate Emmitt Holt outside of Memorial Stadium. They say Holt had dropped off Davis and was driving away when Davis re-entered the roadway about 12:45 a.m. and collided with the front passenger side of the SUV. Coach Tom Crean issued a statement Sunday, saying the team was looking forward to Davis's continued recovery. 'Too often in life, we all take for granted the simple tasks of opening our eyes, processing thoughts and putting a simple sentence together,' Crean said. 'In our program, we routinely emphasize to our players that everything matters and watching Devin improve just over the last 36 hours has furthered our belief in that approach.' Crean said the Davis family and the team appreciated 'the concern, calls, texts, and thoughts and prayers we have received.' Davis' family also issued a statement Sunday night. 'As all parents can understand, the last 40+ hours have been difficult for us and for all of those who care about our son. Devin's condition is improving and we know that there is a road to recovery ahead,' the family said. Scene: Holt was dropping Davis outside of Memorial Stadium (pictured)early Saturday morning when the incident happened. Holt was cited for underage drinking and for being a minor, operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content over 0.02. The school says he had a BAC of 0.025, which would not be considered impaired if he were over the legal age limit . 'We want to thank the incredible team at IU Health Bloomington Hospital for taking such great care of Devin. We also want to express our gratitude to coach Crean, who has been by Devin's bedside for most of the past two days and to all of his coaches, teammates and the extended Hoosier family who have kept him in their prayers.' Davis played a minor role for the Hoosiers last season, averaging 2.4 points and 2.6 rebounds in 8.8 minutes per game. This year, the 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward from Indianapolis was expected to be a key player in the middle this season. The Hoosiers have only four players who are listed taller than Davis, and three are freshmen. Holt, a 6-foot-7 forward from Webster, New York, was cited for misdemeanor illegal consumption of alcohol and for being a minor operating a vehicle with a blood-alcohol content above 0.02, Bloomington Police Sgt. Jeffery Canada said. The school said Saturday that Holt's BAC was 0.025. In September, junior guard Yogi Ferrell and sophomore guard Stanford Robinson entered pretrial diversion programs after being charged in April with consumption of an alcoholic beverage by a minor and possession of false identification. Junior forward Hanner Mosquera-Perea was arrested in Bloomington in February on preliminary drunk driving charges. Indiana opens the season Nov. 14 against Mississippi Valley State. | Sophomore Devin Davis was hit by teammate Emmitt Holt's SUV after being dropped outside Memorial Stadium at 12:45am Saturday morning .
Davis was taken to IU Bloomington Hospital for treatment for a head injury .
He was last listed in serious condition on Saturday .
After the accident, Holt was cited for underage drinking and for being a minor operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content over 0.02 .
The school said Holt's BAC was 0.025 - which for his weight is the equivalent of three beers over the course of an hour and 42 minutes .
The legal limit for drivers over the age of 21 in Indiana is 0.08 BAC . |
55,686 | 9ddaa9a8febe6f89d1d745be31267f78fbeba906 | Actor and writer Bernard Kay (pictured) was found dead at his north London home aged 86 on Monday . Actor Bernard Kay who starred in Coronation Street, Doctor Who, Doctor Zhivago and Z-Cars, has died aged 86. The television star, who also appeared in a host of other TV shows including Jonathan Creek, Emmerdale Farm, Casualty and The Professionals, was found dead at his north London home on Monday. His friend, actor Toby Hadoke, confirmed his death on Twitter today and said the cause had yet to be determined. Kay, who was cast in various roles in Doctor Who during the 1960s, scooped an award in 2006 for the first chapter of his memoirs, Maybe A Bastard, in which he described his difficult childhood in pre-war Bolton. He won the Creative Non-Fiction title at the New Writing Ventures awards for unpublished writers. It was his first piece of writing since he was a newspaper reporter more than half a century earlier at the Bolton Evening News and the Manchester Guardian. Paying tribute to his friend, Mr Hadoke said: 'He was one of those superb understated but versatile actors that we don't seem to have any more. 'He never gave a bad performance. 'He was greatly admired by his peers. 'His sense of humour was combative but there wasn't any meanness in him.' Mr Hadoke announced Kay's death on Twitter earlier today, writing: 'It is worth great regret that I announce the sad death of the actor Bernard Kay who passed away over Christmas aged 86. RIP Bernard.' He later added: 'Admin done, so now can I just say that Bernard Kay was one of TV's finest ever character actors: always nuanced, understated & intelligent. (sic).' British horror novelist Mark Morris also paid tribute on Twitter, writing: “So sad to hear of the brilliant Bernard Kay’s death. Wouldn’t it be great if his lost Who episodes were found in 2015?” Kay, who grew up in Bolton, attended Manchester's Chetham's School before completing National Service and later attending the Old Vic Theatre School in Bristol. Kay (pictured), who grew up in Bolton, attended Manchester's Chetham's School before going on to star in a host of popular TV shows including Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Casualty, Doctor Who and Z-Cars . Kay starred in New Scotland Yard (left) and Survivors (right). He was found dead at his north London home . Bernard Kay as Clive Phillips (far right) in Coronation Street in 1994 at Reg and Maureen Holdsworth's wedding. (Left to right): Actors Ken Morley, Sherrie Hewson, Elizabeth Bradley and Josephine Tewson . He was the lead star in one of the early Doctor Who adventures, The Dalek Invasion Of Earth, in 1964 and returned to the series the following year as Saladin in The Crusade. He later appeared in The Faceless Ones in 1967 and Colony In Space in 1971. His most famous film appearance was as a Bolshevik leader in Doctor Zhivago in 1965. He commuted between Madrid, Spain, and London to play the role. Other notable movie roles included Sinbad and the Eye of The Tiger in 1977 and contemporary horror Psychosis in 2010. He was married to Patricia Haines, the first wife of Michael Caine, from 1963 until her death in 1977. In 1998, he was nominated for a RITA (Real Irish Theatre Award) for his portrayal of Willy Loman in Death of a Salesman at the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. Actor Toby Hadoke announced Kay's death on Twitter today before paying tribute to 'one of TV's finest ever' Toby Hadoke said the cause of his friend's death had not yet been determined after confirming it on Twitter . | Actor Bernard Kay, 86, found dead at his north London home on Monday .
Friend, actor Toby Hadoke, confirmed death and said cause not yet known .
Kay starred in host of popular TV shows including Coronation Street, Emmerdale, Casualty, Doctor Who, as well as on stage and in Dr Zhivago . |
187,051 | 7e3df52661c8cfef31be803baf1aea29bfb2c64d | By . Associated Press and Helen Pow . PUBLISHED: . 19:12 EST, 11 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:30 EST, 11 April 2013 . Desperate man: Lauren Brown, 55, a former consultant for IBM, has been identified as the slain suspect who held four firefighters hostage for hours in his suburban Atlanta home . A gunman who lured firefighters to his Georgia home with an emergency call, then held four of them hostage for hours before being shot to death was identified Thursday as a down-on-his-luck IBM consultant. Lauren Brown's life apparently reached a crisis this spring. With his power, cable and other utilities cut off because of nonpayment, the 55-year-old had half a dozen guns in his house and spent weeks planning the kidnapping, targeting firefighters rather than police Wednesday so he wouldn't be shot, authorities said. The specific reasons he chose to lash out aren't known, but Brown had separated from his wife years earlier, though he still lived across the street from her, her new husband and his two children, according to neighbors and people who knew the family. Brown had worked as a consultant for IBM in 1999, but described himself as disabled when he filed for bankruptcy protection three years later, according to court documents. He said he owed more than $100,000 to the Home Depot, banks and credit card companies. The records suggest that Brown was taping into his retirement savings to make ends meet. A series of tax liens had been placed on his home, which slipped into foreclosure in recent months. He was arrested and booked into the Gwinnett County jail in 2010 after he failed to appear in court on a charge of striking an unmanned vehicle. Brown called 911 Wednesday and said he was suffering from chest pains, and five Gwinnett County firefighters arrived at 3.48pm, believing it was a routine call, said Police Chief Charles Walters. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Aftermath: Gwinnett County Police Department Crime Scene Investigator Ashley Pizzuto, left, and Detective Cole Crosby outside's Brown's home damaged in the raid . Sad outcome: Yellow crime scene tape surrounds Lauren Brown's red-brick home that become the scene of a hostage situation which resulted in his death . Brown was lying in bed and appeared to be suffering from a condition that left him unable to move. But when they approached the bed to help him, he pulled out a handgun, Walters said. He let one of the firefighters go to move the vehicles from the front of his house but kept the other four. That began a three-and-a-half hour standoff. At about 7.30pm, police were convinced that even if they met Brown's demands, he had no intention of releasing his hostages, Walters said. Over the course of several hours of negotiations, police said Brown demanded that officers bring him wood and tools so he could board up his windows. He also had requested items from a fast food seafood restaurant for himself and his hostages, and a SWAT officer carrying the food approached the house in Suwannee, about 35 miles northeast of Atlanta. Other SWAT members set off a stun blast to distract Brown and stormed the house. Brown opened fire on the first officer as he entered the bedroom. The man was hit in the left forearm by one of the shots, but managed to return fire, killing Brown. Before Brown fired, police told him to drop his weapon, Walters said. Exposed wooden beams could be seen through a gaping hole in the side of the house Thursday and debris littered the yard. Public records indicate the red brick house with white siding is in foreclosure and has been bank-owned since mid-November. Next to Brown's home, another brick house with tan siding appeared to have even more damage. A large area of the side was missing, again with wooden beams and insulation exposed. A Gwinnett County Police Department crime scene investigator carries a handful of spent stun grenades that were used during the raid on Brown's house to end the standoff . Jasmin Gutierez, 12, was at home with her family in that house Wednesday afternoon. They huddled in the master bedroom at the other end of the house. ‘We started, like, at least trying to get in a group hug to save ourselves because we got scared,’ she said. ‘I mean there was a lot of people, like the SWAT teams and the police.’ After a while, they heard a loud bang and then they heard shooting and black smoke started to fill their home and police knocked on the door to make sure they were all right. After the hostage-taking was reported, dozens of police and rescue vehicles surrounded the home and a negotiator was keeping in touch with the gunman, police said. The situation remained tense until the blast rocked the neighborhood of mostly two-story homes and well-kept lawns. ‘The explosion you heard was used to distract the suspect, to get into the house and take care of business,’ Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Edwin Ritter said in a news conference minutes after the ordeal ended. He said the situation had gotten to the point where authorities believed the lives of the hostages were in ‘immediate danger.’ ‘It's an unfortunate circumstance we did not want to end this way,’ Ritter said. ‘But with the decisions this guy was making, this was his demise.’ Firefighters were able to use their radios to let the dispatch center know what was going on and that's how negotiators communicated with Brown initially, Walters said. Once they got his cell phone service turned back on, they were able to speak to him by phone. Fire officials did not believe there was any danger in responding to the initial call that seemed routine and dispatched the usual one engine and one ambulance to the house. Operation: At about 7:30 p.m an explosion shook the area and a SWAT team entered the home, shooting dead the suspect . All over: A group of people huddle together after an explosion and gunshots were heard near the scene where a man was holding four firefighters hostage . 'The explosion you heard was used to distract the suspect, to get into the house and take care of business,' Ritter said in a news conference minutes after the resolution. He said the situation had gotten to the point where authorities believed the lives of the hostages were in 'immediate danger.' 'It's an unfortunate circumstance we . did not want this to end this way,' Ritter said. 'But with the decisions . this guy was making, this was his demise.' A SWAT officer was shot in the hand or arm as the team entered the residence but he is expected to be fine. NBC News reported that police had made several visits to Brown’s home in the past, but never for any serious criminal activity. Brown’s next-door neighbor, Ozzie Greco, told WSB-TV that the former IBM consultant was a nice man but had recently run into personal and financial problems which ended up taking a heavy toll on his mental health. 'He was very sick in the mind,' Greco said. The neighbor added that as recently as two weeks ago, he offered Brown help, but the man declined. When the first hostage was released from Brown’s home Wednesday evening before gunfire erupted, Greco stepped outside his home and saw the 55-year-old, who told him to go back inside. ‘It's sad, because I remember him as a good person,’ said another neighbor Claudia Bayoma. This was the second time in recent months that firefighters have been targeted. On . December 24, a man in upstate New York set his house ablaze and shot . and killed two firefighters as they arrived, then himself. Two other . firefighters and a police officer were wounded. The gunman had originally taken five men hostage just before 4pm . but one firefighter was released to move a fire truck, according to . authorities. The man allegedly faked a heart attack to lure the . firefighters to his two-story house. Police had been communicating with the unidentified suspect before the SWAT team entered the property. The suspect was apparently suffering financial . difficulties and was asking to have his power and cable be turned back . on, Fox News reported. Police . said the firemen responded to the home on Walnut Grove Way after the seemingly routine medical call. Ambulance: An EMT works in the back of an ambulance as it leaves an Suwanee, Ga., subdivision after an explosion and gunshots were heard . Team: Gwinnett County Police Department SWAT members, pictured, shot and killed the suspect just before 8 p.m. 'They arrived at the scene. They went . in and began to do what they do every day when they were taken . hostage,' said Rutledge earlier. 'There was no indication there would be anything wrong at the home even when they made entry.' He . said the firefighters responded to the address with one ambulance and . one fire engine, adding that they are cross trained as medical and . firefighting forces. Rutledge would not comment on whether there was a . genuine medical emergency. Ritter said authorities did not believe there were any civilians inside the house but claimed he didn't know whether the man was . alone when the original call was made. Scene: A gunman is holding four firefighters hostage in Georgia after they responded to medical call . Stand off: Gwinnett County Police Cpl. Edwin Ritter said the man has barricaded himself inside the house, pictured, in Suwanee with the firefighters who responded to a medical call . Streets: Television helicopter footage showed police and fire trucks surrounding the neighborhood of mostly two-story homes and well-kept lawns about 35 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta . The residence is near Collins Hill Road and Taylor Road. According to the TV station, the house, worth around $150,000, had been foreclosed on. Freddie Mac confirmed that the bank is prepping the property for sale but that it was not yet on the market. Spokesman Brad German said there was a tenant living in the house when it was foreclosed. It's not clear whether that person is still living there. Television . helicopter footage showed dozens of police and fire trucks surrounding the . neighborhood of mostly two-story homes and well-kept lawns about 35 . miles northeast of downtown Atlanta. Local news crews are on the scene but Ritter had asked that TV helicopters stay clear of the airspace for the safety of all involved. The home is near Collins Hill Park, Walnut Grove Elementary School and Collins Hill High School. Those schools are closed this week for spring break. Residents were not being allowed into the neighborhood during the stand off, according to Fox News. WATCH PRESS CONFERENCE BELOW: . | Lauren Brown, 55, barricaded himself inside the two-story house in Suwanee 35 miles northeast of downtown Atlanta .
He was holding the firefighters at gunpoint and had half-dozen weapons in his house .
Five firefighters were originally being held but the gunman released one to move a fire truck .
Brown lured the team to his home by faking a heart attack and then demanding they turn back on his utilities that had been switched off .
Hostages suffered only minor injuries . |
113,079 | 1df77cc32c44fe66d25077d84e73e14443cc7b11 | By . Lucy Crossley . Deported: Mauritian student Yashika Bageerathi said she is 'alone and scared' as she arrived back in her home country . Deported Mauritian student Yashika Bageerathi said she is 'alone and scared', and does not know what to do as she arrived back in her home country with nowhere to stay. The 19-year-old said she was being looked at as if she 'was a criminal' when she landed in Mauritius after being deported from the UK on Wednesday night. A number of last-minute attempts were made to prevent her being sent to Mauritius, including an emergency court order and an appeal from . chairman of the Home Affairs Select Committee Keith Vaz. Following her arrival on an Air . Mauritius flight, the teenager was immediately interviewed by police, . and is now looking for somewhere safe to stay, according to her . headteacher. Miss Bageerathi came to the UK with her . mother, sister and brother in 2011 to escape a relative who she said was . physically abusive, and claimed asylum last summer. 'I am just all alone here, everyone is in England,' she told ITV News via Skype from Mauritius . 'I don't know what to do.' She confirmed that four security guards flew with her and said: 'I just wanted to do everything lawfully and I was just doing everything being asked.' She said she was scared, adding: 'Even today I was told media people (were) waiting for me at the airport and even walking in the airport people were looking at me like I was a criminal.' Friends, family, politicians and her . school have all campaigned to push back her deportation until she had . finished studying for her A levels, but to no avail. Protest: Friends, family, politicians and her school have all campaigned to push back her deportation until she had finished studying for her A levels, but to no avail . Anger: Demonstrators gathered in Parliament Square, London, on Saturday to protest against the deportation of student Yashika Bageerathi . Asked what her message was to politicians, she said: 'I really want to complete my education and it's just so hard being here. 'I want to be there with my friends, in school with my teachers.' When she was posed the question of what she would do next, she said: 'I don't know, still trying to make arrangements.' Miss Bageerathi was due to take her A-level exams next month, with the first on May 14 and the final one will be held on June 23. She said she did not think she could complete her education in Mauritius. Background: Miss Bageerathi came to the UK with her mother, sister and brother in 2011 to escape a relative who she said was physically abusive, and claimed asylum last summer . 'I don't think I can, with all the people watching me and all the media wanting to talk to me about what (is) happening - I don't know, it's just so annoying and unfair,' she said. 'It's really unfair to come to know I was coming back on the same day and not inform me before.' Lynne Dawes, headteacher at Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield, north London, said the school was in regular contact with the promising student and the immediate concern was to find her a safe place to stay. She said they were working to ensure she would still be able to complete her A-levels. Ms Dawes said the student felt 'low' and added: 'She's feeling the lowest I have heard her be for quite a while. 'She was also very subdued.' Thwarted: Even last-minute attempts by Keith Vaz MP to stop the deportation failed after he wrote to the Home Secretary to ask her to 'urgently reconsider' the decision . A spokesman for the Oasis charity, . which runs the academy, said they were supporting the family, as well as . the student, who he described as 'very frightened'. He added: 'Yashika's mum is very upset understandably, she's very emotional and she's very worried. 'Worry is the overriding feeling.' Previous attempts to deport Miss Bageerathi were thwarted when Air Mauritius refused to fly her out following an earlier refusal by British Airways - but Air Mauritius later confirmed it had received a 'directive' from the UK authorities that the youngster must leave. The deportation followed a judge at London's Law Courts refusing to grant an emergency injunction to block the deportation to give her time to take her case to the Court of Appeal. The last-ditch application was made yesterday as the youngster was being driven from Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire to Heathrow airport. Even last-minute attempts by Keith Vaz MP to stop the deportation failed after he wrote to the Home Secretary to ask her to 'urgently reconsider' the decision. In his letter to Theresa May yesterday, Mr Vaz said: 'It is hardship enough for this young woman to be separated from her family and returned to Mauritius, where she claims she fears persecution. 'To interrupt her education at this late stage in order to do so seems needlessly cruel.' Miss Bageerathi, whose case sparked a petition that has attracted around 178,000 signatures, had been detained at Yarl's Wood since March 19. Paul Nettleship, one of the solicitors for Miss Bageerathi and her mother, said the options were limited for the student but they were looking into pursuing an out of country appeal. He said: 'We're looking into it but the problem is that even if we can do that, it will be after her exams.' | Yashika Bageerathi is back in Mauritius after she was deported .
Emergency court order and appeal from Keith Vaz failed to keep her in UK .
'I really want to complete my education,' she says at airport .
19-year-old was studying at Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield, London .
Petition calling for her to be allowed to stay garnered 178,000 signatures . |
142,795 | 44adcdde25b42bad4d3ceb8be18d7da131434093 | The daughter of the Deep Throat film distributor has revealed what it was like growing up with the man who introduced Linda Lovelace to the world . Kristin Battista-Frazee's father is Anthony Battista, who worked on the 1972 hardcore porn film. But in interviews to promote her book, The Pornographer's Daughter, she says her childhood was not really affected by her father's career. Scroll down for video . Kristin Battista-Frazee is the daughter of Anthony Battista, who distributed the 1972 hardcore porn film Deep Throat (both pictured) A scene from the film that made the name of Linda Lovelace famous around the world - Deep Throat . 'My parents were like any other parents, they lived a pretty ... I say normally dysfunctional life, because eventually my parents did get divorced as so many parents did in the 1980s,' she told the Orlando Sentinel. 'But my parents had the same concerns as any other parents. I felt like when I was living in my home, I didn't grow up any faster.' 'People have this idea that I grew up watching adult films and hung out with strippers and stuff like that, but that's so wrong.' Battista-Frazee, a marketing consultant in Washington, D.C, says her father simply saw the film as a way to make money for his family. Kristin Battista-Frazee with her father. 'People have this idea that I grew up watching adult films and hung out with strippers and stuff like that, but that's so wrong,' she says . The family together at the beach. 'My mom was open-minded and never had a problem with pornography,' she told the Sun Sentinel' But in an interview to promote her book The Pornographer's Daughter (right) Kristin Battista-Frazee(left) says her life was not really affected by her father's career . He was a W.E. Hutton stockbroker in Philadelphia, but began distributing the film as a side job. Completed in less than a week, with all interior shots filmed in the same cheap Florida hotel room, the 61-minute Deep Throat cost $30,000 to make but earned an estimated $600 million - making it the most lucrative film ever made. Opening in a single New York fleapit cinema, a few enthusiastic reviews and talk of ‘porno chic’ soon led to the film being a popular topic of conversation at the city’s more fashionable dinner parties. An attempted official clampdown only fuelled the frenzy to see it. Celebrities including Jack Nicholson, Warren Beatty and Truman Capote joined the queue, and Frank Sinatra held private screenings in his home for guests who reportedly included Sammy Davis Jr and Vice President Spiro Agnew. An estimated ten million Americans saw the film as the Mafia distributed it around the country, burning down cinemas when owners refused to hand over half their takings. Amanda Seyfried stars as Linda Lovelace, left, and James Franco as Hugh Hefner in the film 'Lovelace' Appalled, the Nixon administration prosecuted the film’s makers for obscenity - including Battista - which the 44-year-old mother does admit affected her family life. 'My mom was open-minded and never had a problem with pornography,' she told the Sun Sentinel. 'But it was a rough road when the "Deep Throat" trials started. She feared my father would go to jail and wondered, "How am I going to survive this?" Her mother attempted suicide and her mental health declined. Her father went on to open a string of sex shops. Battista-Frazee told the newspaper that she only just watched the film this year, saying: 'I actually didn't see it until this year, in September. I thought, "Well, I need to sit down and finally watch this." My first thought was that it didn't seem like such a big deal. It's not the best-made movie, but you have to give it credit for a catchy plot.' Linda Lovelace - real name Linda Boreman - later told an official inquiry into the sex industry in 1986: ‘When you see the movie Deep Throat, you are watching me being raped,’ she baldly told an official inquiry into the sex industry in 1986. ‘It is a crime that movie is still showing. There was a gun to my head the entire time.’ But in an interview with Vice, Battista-Frazee said: 'I have talked to my father, and he didn’t believe she was forced. 'The gun to her head—I had heard from Eric Danville, author of The Complete Linda Lovelace—was figurative. It didn’t actually happen—that whole story got blown up into a myth. 'She was in an abusive relationship, though—that is true—and her husband, Chuck, was an awful person.' | Kristin Battista-Frazee is the daughter of Anthony Battista, who distributed the 1972 hardcore porn film .
She says her childhood was not really affected by her father's career .
Claims her father just saw the film as a way to make money for his family . |
266,175 | e4c1629ef60988129364eb1e80eae3c59df1d1c4 | (CNN) -- Deep red roses, waxy white lilies and bright, cheery sunflowers; as single blooms and in large bouquets, they pile up close to desk 29 at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport. Twenty-four hours ago this was where Malaysia Airlines' Flight MH17 passengers checked in before boarding their ill-fated plane; bound for Kuala Lumpur, their journey would end far too soon, in a Ukrainian field close to the border with Russia. On Thursday, Suzan De Wit was chatting to many of those fliers. A customs officer at the airport, she helped them claim back their VAT (sales tax) before leaving the country. A day later, a crying De Wit was among those leaving floral tributes to the dead, still stunned by the tragedy that had unfolded. "We saw a lot of the people that are on the plane and it's just really weird to me to imagine that they are gone," she explained tearfully. Like De Wit, many of the others bringing flowers had little connection to those on the plane. Here to catch flights of their own, they dash inside, stopping at the airport florist -- more used to creating "welcome home" bouquets than funereal arrangements -- before walking back out onto the sidewalk to lay their offerings on the concrete. Outside the terminal, there are plenty of signs that this is no ordinary day at Schiphol, one of the world's busiest airports: The growing pile of flowers, the condolence book rapidly filling with messages of grief and support and, across the road, past the lines of cars pulling up to drop travelers off, huge numbers of film crews from across the world. But step inside the building, and it is business as usual: passengers looking forward to long-awaited holidays or arriving in the city for business meetings wheel suitcases across the concourse, shops and cafes are busy, and flights take off and land as usual. This extreme normality caused difficulties for at least one man, distressed and desperate to find out what had happened to his business partner, who he feared was on Flight MH17, and who was not answering his increasingly frantic calls. With no signs offering advice to those trying to check up on possible passengers, he was left wandering the airport, shuttling from one information desk to another, clutching one mobile phone to his ear and another in his hand as he tried to reach someone, anyone, who could tell him if his friend was on board. Sadly, there was to be no good news; after one call, crying "I knew it, I knew he was on the plane!" he hurried away. Many of the relatives of those on the plane are being cared for at a local hotel while they work out what to do next. The airline has offered them $5,000 compensation to cover their immediate expenses, and has said it will try and find a way of getting them to the crash site if they want to see it. It says visiting the site where a plane came down has proved helpful to relatives in some previous cases, but the location of MH17's final resting place -- in the middle of a conflict zone -- makes this problematic, to say the least. As the arguments and investigations over what brought down the plane go on, elsewhere in the Netherlands, other makeshift shrines are popping up. In the North Holland fishing village of Volendam, bouquets have been laid outside a flower shop owned by Neeltje Tol, who is believed to have been on the downed plane. Tol's boyfriend, Cor Schilder, apparently posted a jokey picture of the Malaysia Airlines plane on Facebook shortly before take-off: "In case it goes missing, this is what the plane looks like." On Friday, stunned customers and friends stopped by to sign a book of condolence and pay tribute to the florist; one weeping woman, a regular visitor to the store, said Tol was "a very nice girl" who would be sadly missed. As word spreads of those caught up in the tragedy, the number of mourners is only likely to increase in the coming days. CNN Flight 17 full coverage . CNN's Saima Mohsin, Erin McLaughlin, Alex Felton and Antonia Mortensen contributed to this report. | Signs of MH17 tragedy at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport, where ill-fated plane took off .
Friends and complete strangers among those leaving floral tributes at terminal building .
Malaysia Airlines' Flight MH17 to Kuala Lumpur crashed near Ukraine-Russia border .
U.S. believes plane was likely shot down by surface-to-air missile . |
283,362 | fb0e23daa0cf98e42e44ebd0701c0e68764874c1 | By . Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 18:36 EST, 12 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:36 EST, 12 August 2013 . Charities will receive guidelines on ‘appropriate levels’ of pay in the wake of revelations of chief executives receiving six-figure salaries. An investigation last week found that 14 UK foreign aid charities – including Save the Children, the British Red Cross and Oxfam – agreed to pay rises despite donations falling. International Development Secretary Justine Greening called for more transparency as MPs complained that people donating after emotional TV appeals may feel misled. High earners: Among the highest paid chief executives of charities are Justin Forsyth, left, a former New Labour adviser who earns £163,000 as chief executive of Save the Children, and British Red Cross' Sir Nick Young, right, who earned £184,000 last year . Yesterday, it emerged the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, which represents charities in England and has 10,000 members, will draw up guidance for charity trustees ‘on how to go about determining senior staff remuneration’. The advice, which will be the first code of conduct about pay in the charity sector, is set to be published next spring. Chief executive Sir Stuart Etherington, who is calling on the Charity Commission to set up a working group on pay levels, said yesterday: ‘The public are right to ask that their donations are spent effectively and efficiently. ‘Setting senior staff salaries is a complex task for trustees, who have to balance many factors to determine the right pay level in their organisation. ‘I believe definitive guidance would be a useful resource for trustees and would help give the public confidence that salaries have been properly considered. ‘I’m pleased the Commission is responding positively to our proposal to work together on this.’ Former Oxfam chief executive Dame Barbara Stocking, pictured left with Miriam Gonzalez Durantez (right), wife of Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, was another high earner . A spokesman for the Charity Commission said: ‘We welcome this initiative from NCVO to work on an advisory code for charity trustees when setting senior staff salaries, and we would be happy to be involved in a process that supports trustees to fulfil their duties when making decisions.’ Priti Patel, the Conservative MP who said charities should spend less on executive salaries, said: ‘The Charity Commission should be commended for taking this positive step by looking at the wholly inappropriate levels of executive pay across the charitable sector.’ Charity Commission head William Shawcross said that high salaries risked bringing the sector ‘into disrepute’. It emerged last week that of the 14 charities on the Disaster Emergency Committee, six executives earn more than the Prime Minister, and 30 were on six-figure salaries. Among the highest paid are Justin Forsyth, a former New Labour adviser who earns £163,000 as chief executive of Save the Children, and British Red Cross chief executive Sir Nick Young, who earned £184,000 last year. Dame Barbara Stocking of Oxfam took home £119,560 before stepping down this year. Charlie Elphicke MP, who sits on the public administration select committee, said: ‘Charity bosses need to remind themselves that charity is a vocation, not an opportunity for personal enrichment. ‘More people will volunteer and donate when they know charitable funds are targeted at the front line rather than the boardroom.’ But charities say their pay is lower than levels in the private sector and they ‘need to attract the best people’. | Investigation found that 14 .
UK foreign aid charities – including Save the Children, the British Red .
Cross and Oxfam – agreed to pay rises .
First code of conduct about pay in the charity sector due to be published next spring .
Charity Commission head: high salaries risked bringing the sector ‘into disrepute' |
18,297 | 33c5d95fc08df92318a146bf0e27fa17c69530e6 | New York (CNN)Around 100 potential jurors made their way into a Manhattan courtroom Monday morning, as Pedro Hernandez, alleged killer of 6-year-old Etan Patz, looked on. Hernandez, joined by his attorneys, Harvey Fishbein and Alice Fontier, sat in court opposite prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney's Office as jury selection for the criminal case began. In May 2012, Hernandez confessed to choking the boy to death in New York City in 1979, according to police. The potential jurors were asked to review a list of 131 names of potential witnesses and disclose whether they knew anyone on the list. "The publicity surrounding this case is ... unprecedented," said presiding Judge Maxwell Wiley, urging the possible jurors not to read any media reports on the case. You must "base your decision on what you hear in this courtroom and nothing else," Wiley instructed. Jury selection is expected to continue at least until the end of the week, with an additional 100 people expected to arrive Tuesday. Ultimately, 12 people will be chosen to serve on the jury. The trial is expected to last approximately two to three months, Wiley said. Hernandez admitted to luring Etan, who was en route to a school bus stop, into the basement of a bodega where Hernandez worked as a stock clerk and killing him, according to police. The boy's body was put in a garbage bag and thrown away, Hernandez allegedly told authorities. The remains were never found. Fishbein previously argued that his client falsely confessed and the statements were not reliable because Hernandez has an "IQ in the borderline-to-mild mental retardation range," and had been repeatedly diagnosed with schizophrenia. But a judge ruled in November that Hernandez's confession would be admissible in court. The Patz case garnered national attention after the boy went missing, and his picture was plastered on thousands of milk cartons around the country. In November 2012, a grand jury indicted Hernandez on second-degree murder and kidnapping charges. He pleaded not guilty in court the following month. | Pedro Hernandez is accused of killing 6-year-old Etan Patz in 1979 .
Hernandez confessed, but his attorneys say his low IQ and mental issues make confession invalid .
A judge ruled in November that the confession was admissible in court . |
74,577 | d367814d76267bbdc072a75dab7c7f54dd0405f0 | By . Richard Arrowsmith for MailOnline . John Guidetti has revealed he was so delighted at sealing a loan move to Celtic from Manchester City that he started dancing in a coffee shop. The Hoops were given special dispensation to sign the 22-year-old on Thursday despite the late arrival of some of his paperwork. Speaking exclusively to the official Celtic website, Guidetti said: 'It's really nice to be part of Celtic. Cheshire grin: Manchester City striker John Guidetti was delighted at sealing a loan move to Celtic . Dream move: Guidetti leaves Celtic Park after talks with the Scottish champions over a season-long loan . 'I was standing in a coffee house when I got the news and I was actually dancing because I was so happy. I really was buzzing. 'Everybody knows what a great football club this is, especially in Sweden when Henrik Larsson was playing there. It's also a very well-known club because of the fans, who are so passionate and brilliant. 'Even the people at City told me about the European nights. They said it's the best atmosphere in the world. People just don't say that for no reason and it must be true because I've heard it from so many places.' The Swedish striker has promised Celtic fans he will give nothing less than 100 per cent during his stay at Parkhead. Pecking order: The Swedish striker has struggled to cement a place at City following his arrival in 2008 . 'I know so much about Celtic. As soon as the club came for me I knew straight away, Celtic is the one and that's where I want to go. 'I spoke to the manager and I felt a good connection with him and that Celtic was a club that knew about me and were genuine about what they liked, which is so important. 'With a good manager and good fans and players, you can never go wrong. 'I'm just going to work my socks off to try to do my absolute very best every game and give 100% because that's what the fans deserve. Who's the boss? Guidetti revealed that he formed an instant connection with manager Ronny Deila . 'I'm very passionate and the one thing I hate more than anything is losing. I can't stand it. 'It doesn't matter whether it's ping pong or football. And in football for 90 minutes I am always giving everything and trying to do my absolute very best for the whole game. 'Sometimes you can have a better game, sometimes a bad game, but you can always expect 100% from your players and I'm going to give that.' Guidetti, who joined City from Swedish side IF Brommapojkarna in 2008, spent the second half of last season on loan at Stoke where he mustered six appearances without scoring. He had a far more prolific spell with Feyenoord three years ago when he notched 20 goals in 23 appearances. Hard act to follow: Another Swedish striker Henrik Larsson was a legend at Celtic . And the Swedish forward knows he faces a challenge to follow in the famous footsteps of players including Henrik Larsson, Johan Mijalby and Mikael Lustig. He added: 'I know Johan Mjallby very well and Henrik Larsson's son well and I spoke to Henrik a couple of times. I know what the fans are expecting but Henrik was an amazing striker and they are very big shoes to fill but I promise will do my very best to do even a little bit of what he did. 'It's a lot to live up to and I'm going to do my best. 'They just told me what a great club it is and it's not for no reason that Henrik stayed for so many years. He was very much wanted in Europe, we all know that, because later he went to Barcelona and Manchester United, but he stayed because it was an amazing club to play for and that tells you all you need to know about Celtic.' | Manchester City star John Guidetti has completed season long to Celtic .
Swedish striker revealed he was so happy he started to dance .
The 22-year-old has promised Hoops fans to give 100% at Parkhead .
Guideti knows he faces challenge to live up to Henrik Larsson, Johan Mijalby and Mikael Lustig . |
133,030 | 38050c7e1dde3f7d1ddb6dca30a59db65343539e | By . Steve Doughty, Social Affairs Correspondent . PUBLISHED: . 19:47 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:34 EST, 27 February 2013 . The number of older women having abortions is falling fast as more choose to be mothers . Abortions among older women are falling fast as growing numbers choose to become mothers. But figures published yesterday showed that, at the same time, abortion rates have been going up among younger women as more pursue higher education and careers. The findings from the Office for National Statistics suggest that women over 40 are increasingly unlikely to regard pregnancy as a mistake, while many are actively trying to start a family. The abandonment of abortion by the great majority of women who conceive over the age of 40 was revealed by records of conceptions in 2011 in England and Wales. Conception rates among women over 40 went up 3.7 per cent in a year and have now more than doubled in two decades. In 1990, there were 12,032 women aged over 40 who became pregnant. By 2011 that had reached 28,747. But in 2011 just over a quarter of those women went for an abortion, while a decade ago the proportion was almost 35 per cent, and 20 years ago it was nearly 42 per cent. The ONS report said: ‘Reasons for an increased number of women aged 40 and over conceiving include increased participation in higher education; delayed marriage and partnership formation; the desire to establish a career, get on the housing ladder and ensure financial stability before starting a family.’ It also noted ‘a shift in aspirations of young women towards education’. At the peak age for motherhood, between 30 and 34, only 12.8 per cent of pregnant women had abortions in 2011. But abortion rates among under-30s have been rising as more pursue education and careers, and as women put off marrying or decide they cannot afford children. Among women aged between 20 and 24, 27.7 per cent of pregnancies ended in abortion. Nearly half of all pregnancies to girls under 18 ended in abortions, and six out of ten pregnancies to girls under 16 are terminated. Teen pregnancy rates fell sharply in the year after the Coalition Government abandoned Labour’s flagship Teenage Pregnancy Strategy, a £250million campaign to spread contraception and sex education that was meant to halve the rate at which girls under 18 in England become pregnant. The number of teenage pregnancies in England and Wales fell by 10 per cent but the target set by Tony Blair to halve teen pregnancy rates is still far from being met . Conceptions among women under 18 in . England and Wales fell by 10 per cent to just over 31,000, and . pregnancies among girls under 16 also fell by 10 per cent to under . 6,000. Despite the fall, the target of halving teen pregnancy rates that was set by Tony Blair in the early days of his premiership is still far from being met. Earlier this month the ONS said that unemployment and worklessness are the key reasons influencing teenage pregnancy, and played down lack of free contraception or sex education as a cause. Professor David Paton of Nottingham University Business School said yesterday: ‘Teenage pregnancy rates have only been going down since 2008, by which time the Teenage Pregnancy Strategy had already spent a lot of money. ‘The rate has still been going down since the TPA ended in 2010. ‘It confirms what we already know from the scientific literature – reducing teen pregnancy is not a matter of more contraception and sex education.’ He added: ‘One factor is that more girls want to stay on at school.’ | Fewer older women have abortions as more choose to become mothers .
Office for National Statistics show abortions rising among younger women .
Number of teen pregnancies fallen by 10 per cent in England and Wales . |
26,147 | 4a1b8716abd0012a45f9aa533fe6b911616d2b78 | By . Jennifer Newton . This albino kangaroo has given birth to an adorable dark joey at a German zoo. Alberta, one of the most famous residents at the Marlow Animal Park, was captured carrying her baby joey in her pouch at the reserve. The rare Bennett's tree kangaroo is one of the star attractions at the park in eastern Germany and stands out due to her snow white coat and bright pink ears. Alberta, the albino kangaroo, carries a dark baby joey in her pouch at the Marlow Animal Park . And she is sure to pull in more fans with her cute new dark joey. But despite their fluffy appearance, albino kangaroos like Alberta aren't expected to survive for long if they live in the wild. The marsupials' startling white coats are believed to attract a higher number of predators, including wild foxes, dogs and even eagles. Albino kangaroos are very rare and don't have a long life expectancy if they are living in the wild . It is also thought they are more likely to develop skin cancer and sunburn, as well as having a genetic predisposition towards sight and hearing difficulties. Albinism - characterised by a lack of the pigment melanin - is extremely rare within the kangaroo species, similar to other species. | Alberta, the albino kangaroo is pictured with her adorable dark joey .
The marsupial is one of the star attractions at the Marlow Animal Park in Germany .
Albino kangaroos are a rare sight as they often have a low life expectancy . |
129,514 | 336ae9e69b01cb075f0fe51668baf996404f8eb6 | Australia and New Zealand cricket officials say their national teams will likely to meet in the world's first day-night Test match in November next year, either at Hobart or Adelaide. James Sutherland, Cricket Australia chief, and his New Zealand Cricket counterpart David White said that talks in Melbourne last week advanced plans for the match and both countries 'are supportive of the innovation and its clear benefits.' New Zealand are scheduled to tour Australia from late 2015 and Sutherland said the venue for the historic match had been narrowed down to the Adelaide Oval or Hobart's Blundstone Arena. Play would likely begin at 2 pm each day and a pink ball will be used. Historic: The Adelaide Oval is one of two venues being considered by Cricket Australia for a day-night Test . Setting: The Bellerive Oval in Hobart could host the day-night Test between Australia and New Zealand . 'We are serious about pushing ahead with the concept of day-night Test cricket,' Sutherland said. 'We feel it will only strengthen the position and possibilities for test cricket in many parts of the world,' he added. 'There are many test matches played during non-holiday periods when adults are at work and kids are at school. That's not an ideal way to promote the highest form of the game.' Sutherland said there was no intention of shifting Australia's marquee Boxing Day or New Year Test matches to a day-night format 'given they are staged at the peak of holiday season,' but matches in non-holiday periods would be considered. New ground: New Zealand, pictured on their 2011 tour of Australia, will be the opposition if plans go ahead . A pink ball would be used for a day-night Test . He said data showed annual Tests at . Perth, Western Australia, which ends at around 9 pm Australian east . coast time each day, rated 40 per cent higher than other matches played . at the same time of year. 'We believe that's evidence in itself that we'll get greater viewership and more opportunities for people to attend,' Sutherland said. He accepted cricket traditionalists might not support day-night Test matches, but believed the commercial and other benefits outweighed reservations about tradition. 'I don't think we're ever going to get to a stage where everyone is completely satisfied or comfortable with it,' Sutherland said. 'But I think if we go back 30-odd years in time when the first-ever day-night one-day internationals were played, I'm sure there was that same level of trepidation among some stakeholders including players about things like day-night cricket and white ball,' he said. White said tradition was not in itself an excuse to reject innovation. 'People have talked about messing with . the traditions of Test cricket,' he said. 'But since it was first played . in (1877) there's been significant changes - covered pitches, fielding . restrictions, over limits, introduction of helmets, change in the . no-ball law etc. Tradition: The annual MCG Boxing Day Test and SCG New Year Test are not being considered for the plans . Audience: Test matches in Perth finish around 9pm on the Australian east coast and attract many viewers . 'I think as administrators we must keep evolving and improving the game for our stakeholders. We need to be mindful of change, but keep an open mind on these things.' Sutherland said trials would continue to develop a pink ball, which closely mirrors the performance of the red ball currently used in test cricket. Trials had already been carried out in Australia's domestic Sheffield Shield competition and those would likely continue in Australia and New Zealand this year. He said consultation will also continue with both nations' players' associations, the ICC, fans and broadcasters. | Historic Test will take place in either Adelaide or Hobart .
Play would begin at around 2pm each day and pink ball would be used .
Traditional Boxing Day and New Year Tests not being considered . |
79,717 | e20cbf087440b0f5121eb3a1bf0d8e9210f5ec74 | £50,447,197 raised so far for Sport Relief . By . Alanah Eriksen . PUBLISHED: . 17:22 EST, 23 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:23 EST, 24 March 2012 . He often has short dance numbers on the X Factor. So Dermot O'Leary was understandably a bit perturbed when his routine was interrupted on Sport Relief. Any when the interrupter's moves weren't quite up to scratch, it was even more embarrassing. What were you thinking? Davina McCall busts a move, interrupting Dermot O'Leary's dance on sport relief . As he was dancing with a handful of scantily-clad girls, his co-presenter Davina McCall couldn't help but join in. The 44-year-old started showing off her moves to LMFAO's Party Rock, much to Dermot's dismay. He immediately jumped in yelling: 'Wow, wow.' She's got sex appeal! The presenter has a boogy, much to Dermot's dismay . She asked: 'Was it too much?' He retorted with: 'It's like walking in on my sister getting changed. it's not right.' Later, as David Walliams was introduced to talk about his swim of the Thames for Sport Relief last year, he asked her: 'What were you thinking?' She admitted: 'My kids would have hatted it!' Dressing in theme: The star wore a complete red ensemble with a feather wrap and red jeans . Don't interrupt me! Dermot was enjoying his dance number with the stunning Sport Relief girls . Fans took to Twitter to mock her . dance skills, with one joking: 'I think I've seen my parents dance . better when they're drunk than Davina McCall sober on Sports Relief.' But the presenter's efforts were all for a good cause. She joined a host of celebrities for this years Sport Relief including David Beckham, Gary Linekar, Miranda Hart and JLS. £50,447,197 has already been raised. This smashes Sport Relief’s last total on the night (£29,323,818). The UK Government has backed the public’s support for this year’s Sport . Relief with £10m towards the overall total, specifically for Comic . Relief’s work to improve the lives of a million people living in urban . slums in Africa. This contribution by the Government matches pound for . pound Comic Relief’s own commitment to funding in this area. The overall total also includes £4,031,108.28 raised so far by . Sainsbury’s – the biggest corporate cheque of the night. As well as . selling Sport Relief goodies, from Sport Relief Socks and sweat bands . made with Fairtrade cotton to waterbottles and clappers, Sainsbury’s . colleagues across the country have been doing all manner of . fundraising. Hundreds of products in store also carried a donation to . Sport Relief and to top it all off Sainsbury's are the headline sponsor . of the Sainsbury's Sport Relief Mile. Also included in the total is £6,173,895 raised by the BT Sport Relief . Challenges. This total includes £1m pledged by BT in support of the . challenges, and over £1.3m raised by Radio 1 listeners. The total is . broken down as follows: Walliams vs TheThames (£2,501,240), Bishop’s . Week of Hell (£3,412,261) and Flintoff’s Record Breakers (£260,394). British Airways have also raised £1,800,787 this Sport Relief through . onboard collections, colleague fundraising and other activities. BT handled over 260,000 calls to the donation line during the live TV . show, peaking at 134 calls per second. BT coordinated over 9,000 . volunteers at 128 call centres across the UK. | £50,447,197 raised so far for Sport Relief . |
265,450 | e3ccc3591cfbe3a87f435e660d7430a93d609535 | By . Ben Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 16:40 EST, 25 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:04 EST, 25 May 2013 . As the U.S. prepares to remember its war dead on Memorial Day, a 91-year-old who flew missions in the Second World War will be taking to the skies again over England. Clarence E ‘Bud’ Anderson is taking part in a historic flypast as the UK pays tribute to the bravery of US Airmen who served there in the Second World War. Mr Anderson's return to the UK is part of the first ever display by the specially-formed Eagle Squadron of four vintage warplanes. Memorial Day: Former U.S. airman Clarence 'Bud' Anderson stands by the P-51 Mustang at Duxford, in Cambridge, where the 91-year-old will take part in a fly past . The display will commemorate the role of the US Army’s Eighth Air Force at a spring air show at the Imperial War Museum's Duxford aerodrome. Eagle Squadrons were formed by American volunteers who signed up to fight alongside Royal Air Force’s pilots battling Nazi tyranny, before the U.S. entered the war after the Pearl Harbor attack. Representing the aircraft they flew during the war in Europe will be a rare P-51C Mustang that has been shipped to England from the U.S. to take part in the show, alongside a Hawker Hurricane, Supermarine Spitfire and Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. The aircraft will be piloted by Dan Friedkin, Ed Shipley, Steve Hinton and Paul Bonhomme. The Americans are best known as the Bremont Horsemen Flight Team and have performed spectacular P-51 Mustang displays at Duxford before. Mr Bonhomme is an airline pilot and Red Bull Air Race champion who has displayed historic aircraft at more than 700 air shows to date. Mr Friedkin said: ‘It is a great honor to present the Eagle Squadron, a vivid aerial tribute to the 70th anniversary of American involvement in the Second World War.' Air display: Paul Bonhomme with a Hawker Hurricane. The champion pilot will take part in the vintage fly past . Ready for take off: The Eagle Squadron's Supermarine Spitfire is pictured with the Hawker Hurricane above . Ready for action: The P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang will feature in the display . ‘We look forward to debuting this tribute, flying in the vintage fighters which once soared over Europe, in memory of the brave aces who piloted them and the greater Anglo-American air power alliance.’ Almost half a million airmen served with what became known as the ‘Mighty Eighth’ in England and of them about 26,000 flight crews were killed, and 21,000 ended up in prisoner of war camps. More than 3,300 fighters were destroyed as well as 6,500 B-17 and B-24 bombers being lost. Sunday’s air show takes place on the 70th anniversary of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth visiting RAF Duxford to welcome the 78th Fighter Group of the US Army Air Force to Great Britain in 1943. The 78th was based at Duxford from where it flew P-47s on bomber escort missions, before later switching to P-51s. Royal visit: Princess Elizabeth visited US Airmen with her mother, Queen Elizabeth, in 1943 . Flying visit: The arrival of the 'Mighty Eighth during the Second World War was known as the 'friendly invasion' Mr Anderson, who was born in California, flew the P-51 Mustang ‘Old Crow’ while stationed with the 357th Fighter Group in East Anglia during the Second World War. The pilot notched up 16 and a quarter aerial victories and, at 91, remains an active pilot. He is due to make a spectacular arrival on the day of the show – flying in the rear of a two-seater Mustang. B-17 Flying Fortress ‘Sally-B’ has been gracing British skies for almost 40 years and serves as a flying memorial to the US airmen who gave their lives during the Second World War.The four-engined aircraft is operated by a charitable trust and has survived with no official support. All its costs are met by voluntary donations, merchandise sales and an active club of supporters.The trust’s aim is to teach the public about the role of the aircraft and its crews who flew from the UK during the Second World War.Elly Sallingboe is the driving force behind the Sally-B Charitable Trust and has devoted her life to keeping the aircraft flying.She said: ‘This is a living piece of our national heritage and must be preserved for the enjoyment and education of today’s and future generations.’Built at the Lockheed-Vega production line at Burbank, California in spring 1945, Sally-B has featured in TV programs and movies, including Memphis Belle.The aircraft was brought to Britain by pilot Ted White in 1975. After he was killed in a flying accident in 1982, his partner Elly Sallingboe decided to take on the challenge of keeping it flying. She has been supported by a team, led by chief engineer Peter Brown and Derek Smith, who is in charge of ground support. The four Eagle Squadron fighters will . also display alongside B-17 ‘Sally-B’, Europe’s only remaining Flying . Fortress bomber which has served as a flying memorial for the past 38 . years. Duxford, near Cambridge, is Britain’s best-preserved Second World War airfield and was in the front line of the Battle of Britain in Summer 1940 when missions were led by Douglas Bader, best-known for flying despite two tin legs. It has a history dating back to the First World War and also houses the American Air Museum, which is the biggest memorial to US airmen in Europe. During the so-called friendly invasion of America’s armed forces in wartime Britain, Duxford became known as the ‘country club’ of the European theater of operations. Because it was a permanent RAF station, it had brick buildings and central heating. This was in stark contrast to many of the hastily-erected airfields the 8th Air Force occupied, which featured poorly-heated temporary huts and tents. A book by John Nicol and Tony Rennell, describes the impact of the Eighth Air Force. Tail-End Charlies recalls: ‘[More than] 25,000 of America’s finest young men had died in the air battles over Germany. Unlike the British, their land had not been bombed; they were not under threat of invasion. ‘They had come to a strange country far from home and from their loved ones to fight an enemy who threatened freedom. They had died in that cause and they deserved to be honored by those who survived while they still could.’ | 91-year-old American airman returns to British skies for air show .
Display will be first display by the Eagle's Second World War aircraft . |
38,958 | 6e12706da0d43ffe2a4cfebf6b424376865e4c05 | By . Becky Barrow . The taxman was left humiliated last night after being exposed for getting his sums wrong on how much tax was collected. In a damning report, the National Audit Office said HM Revenue and Customs had miscalculated its figures by £1.9billion a year since the coalition Government came to power. Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP and chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said it was a ‘serious error’ which painted a ‘worrying picture’ of HMRC’s ability to do its job. HM Revenue and Customs had miscalculated its figures by £1.9billion a year since the coalition Government came to power, it has been revealed . She said: ‘If HMRC can’t get its own numbers right, how can it ask the same of others? ‘It is truly depressing that HMRC’s failure to take appropriate action has led to its unwittingly misleading ministers, parliament and the taxpayer.’ Lin Homer, the department’s embattled chief executive, will be grilled by MPs on the Treasury Select Committee next Tuesday to explain the latest disaster. A week later, she faces a second inquisition from MPs on the Public Accounts Committee, a sign of the MP’s concerns about the latest cock-up by the department. The embarrassing mistake comes as HMRC is demanding new powers to be able to raid people’s bank accounts. It wants to be able to take money directly from people’s current accounts, joint accounts or even tax-free Isas in order to settle unpaid tax bills. Margaret Hodge, the Labour MP and chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, said it was a ‘serious error’ Around 17,000 people a year will have money seized under the proposed new powers in a move which has triggered outrage among many accountants. In November 2010, HMRC set itself a target for how much tax it would collect each year. For the next few years, it boasted that it had beaten this target. In fact, it had just got its ‘baseline’ calculation, used to work out whether it had beaten or missed its target, wrong by around £1.9billion a year. The NAO’s report, published yesterday, said: ‘This made the original targets easier to achieve.’ In 2011/12 and 2012/13, HMRC claimed to have beaten its targets by £1.9billion and £2billion respectively. In reality, it had not. The report warns: ‘It is now clear that this apparent over-performance was actually attributable to the baseline error. ‘So HMRC in fact achieved almost exactly the level of performance improvement that was required.’ Mrs Hodge said: ‘The fact HMRC did not know about this serious error in its calculations until the NAO pointed it out paints a worrying picture.’ John O’Connell, director of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, the campaign group, said: ‘It is not surprising people don’t trust the tax system when HMRC is making such basic errors. ‘It’s ludicrous that there could be billion-pound errors in the public finances and it raises fears that the deficit might be even bigger than we think it is. ‘Such mistakes show what folly it would be to allow HMRC direct access to people’s bank accounts, as the coalition government is proposing.’ Recently, HMRC estimated around 3.5million customers paid too much tax in 2013/14 and around two million customers paid too little tax. Mark Serwotka, general secretary of the Public and Commercial Services union, which represents many HMRC workers, said: ‘It is stunning that the department charged with administering the taxes that fund all our other essential public services can’t seem to get its sums right. ‘It is also deeply worrying that, at a time when it is cutting thousands more staff, HMRC is over-egging its level of performance.’ Overall, HMRC collected £506billion in tax in 2013/14, which was £30billion more than it had collected during the previous tax year. An HMRC spokesman said: ‘We regret an historic error made in 2011 when we wrongly calculated the baseline against which our performance was measured. ‘We have corrected this error and even against the corrected baseline we have still exceeded our targets. We will work closely with the NAO to prevent this happening again.’ | Labour MP Margaret Hodge said HMRC made a ‘serious error’
Department’s chief executive, Lin Homer, will be grilled by MPs .
Overall, HMRC collected £30bn more than the previous tax year . |
201,062 | 904f2647c14a68708735ac88cff878721ce646b4 | Seldom seen: Eduardo Saverin, pictured at a media event in New York last year, now lives a rarefied life in Singapore . On May 18, Facebook's long-awaited share flotation is expected to go ahead - and few will likely be happier with the news than original investor and co-founder, Eduardo Saverin. Mr Saverin, 30, was friends with Mark Zuckerberg when they attended Harvard in 2004 and originally invested in the social network. The move left Saverin, who comes from a wealthy Brazilian family, with an estimated $2billion fortune, according to Forbes. However despite a substantial boost in their collective fortune from the IPO, Saverin will unlikely celebrate with Zuckerberg and the former friends from his college posse. Saverin began with a one-third stake in the company which was watered down when Zuckerberg began bringing others on board. The founders became embroiled in a bitter legal battle which left Saverin with a 2 per cent stake, according to the Wall Street Journal - and still an incredibly wealthy man. He now lives in Singapore where he has . become notorious for his playboy lifestyle - buying bottles of . champagne at the most exclusive clubs in the company of the super-rich, society crowd . and supermodels. Blogs have sprung up tracking his partying with many locals hoping to get close to the self-made billionaire. He also reportedly drives a Bentley and lives in a penthouse in one of the city's wealthiest neighborhoods. Scroll down for video . Playboy lifestyle: Eduardo Saverin (far right) enjoys a rooftop party with friends and models in his new home of Singapore. He may not be allowed to return to America if his move was judged to be down to tax avoidance . According to Asia Tatler, Saverin is a . fan of hanging out at Singapore's only private members club Filter in the . Conrad Hotel. DJs are regularly flown in from around the world and high-end . tables come with ice buckets overflowing of bottles of Belvedere vodka and Moet champagne. Investment: Saverin has invested in a start-up cosmetics company run by Rachel Kum, former Miss Singapore 2009, to whom he also offers his business expertise . The whirlwind . of parties, adoring friends and fast cars seems to have left little time . for business apart from Saverin's investment in Rachel K - a start-up . cosmetics company run by Rachel Kum, former Miss Universe 2009 whom . Saverin also mentors. During a launch for the brand at a rooftop party, Saverin said: 'With a company like Facebook, it's not just three people deciding how the world communicates, it's really about providing a tool so your customers can be themselves.' He added: 'I think it really inspired me to see that she [Rachel Kum] went from Miss Singapore to pushing her line, that she's going with her passion.' He has also ploughed money into information site Qwiki and online payment service Jumio. The Facebook share flotation is expected to happen on Friday, May 18, with Mark Zuckerberg planning to start the 'roadshow' preceding the initial public offering (IPO) on Monday. The social . network, now eight years old, has 900million members and was valued at up to $79.3 billion. It . is one of the most anticipated - and potentially the world's biggest - . stock market entry of an Internet company since Google floated in 2004. Zuckerberg, Saverin and the original start-up Facebook team including Dustin Moskovitz, Sean Parker and Chris Hughes were immortalised in the 2010 film The Social Network. Saverin was played by Andrew Garfield and is portrayed as a slightly naive player in the game. In reality, Saverin's former friend Mark Zuckerberg, who is worth an estimated $17.5 billion and is set to . make another $1 billion from the Facebook flotation, lives a polar opposite lifestyle. The 27-year-old is rarely seen out of a . hoodie and lives a low-key existence with his long-term girlfriend in . Palo Alto, California. He only bought his first property last year. Intertwined: Eduardo Saverin with fan in a Spiderman costume - a role which his film alter-ego Andrew Garfield has also played on screen . High class hang-out: Filter, the only private members club in Singapore at the Conrad Hotel, is said to be one of the Brazilian playboy's favourite night spots . One thing Saverin does prize highly . is his privacy and closely guards details of his life. He attends few of the many public events he is invited to speak at and endorse and rarely gives interviews. It is presumably why he chose to set up home in Singapore which has relatively tabloids and paparazzi who follow the rich and famous compared to the U.S. and Europe. Those . who wish to speak to him on a business level must try to make contact . through an intricate network of society contacts and similarly rich . friends. John Fearon, CEO of Singapore-based start-ups dropmysite.com and dropmyemail.com told the WSJ: 'Eduardo doesn't invest in much. He doesn't invest in Singapore companies.' Last August, Saverin was spotted partying with dozens of models in St Tropez and spending $50,000 on champagne. Party time: Saverin (second right) drinking champagne in Singapore where he has become renowned for his lavish lifestyle of fast cars and nightclubs . How it all began: Eduardo Saverin was an initial investor in Facebook at Harvard, the story of which was depicted in movie The Social Network where he was played by Andrew Garfield (right) He flew a number of his friends over from Singapore and checked into the $8,000-a-night Hotel Byblos before going clubbing until the early hours. The entrepreneur was also seen at the trendy Bagatelle Brunch in Nikki Beach with three friends and ten beautiful women drinking Cristal champagne from the bottle and spraying it over each other. The bar tab reportedly came to a cool $50,000. World's apart: Mark Zuckerberg in his habitual hoodie talking to ABC's Robin Robert's earlier this from Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California . | Billionaire, 30, hangs out at private members bar and lives in luxurious penthouse .
Rarely invests in companies but had given undisclosed sum to former Miss Singapore to fund her own cosmetics line . |
92,021 | 025ba1e8574d3a0f7e183d0e4e56980d27251082 | Aimee Curry recalls sitting on her couch one day, her back contorted, as spasms -- remnants of a car accident that almost killed her in 1992 -- rippled up and down her back. A friend who had been visiting that day left, saying she would bring back some medication. "She came back with pot," said Curry, who says at first she was aghast. "I was like, 'I can't smoke that, my daddy said no,'" said Curry, 39, whose father is an ordained minister. "'I can't do that, it's bad.'" "But I was in so much pain, and they were promising me, 'Aimee, this will take the pain away.'" Curry ignored the preaching voice in her head and tried the marijuana. Soon after she mastered the inhale, she says, her back muscles relaxed. Her pain did not melt away -- it still hurt when she finally got up from the couch -- but, Curry said, "I didn't care." "It states in the Bible not to abuse a drug, it doesn't say you can't use it," said Curry. "If you ask me, cannabis is a gift from God." Dr. Sanjay Gupta: 'Doubling down' on medical marijuana . While some in the religious community may take issue with Curry's interpretation of the Bible, the scientific foundation for cannabis as a medical treatment, especially as it relates to treating pain, is solid. Pain is the most common condition for which medical cannabis is taken, and one of the few for which there is promising clinical data in humans. According to doctors who prescribe cannabis for pain, the current wave of U.S. legalization is bringing an unintended side effect: a greatly-reduced need, and in some cases complete cessation, of opioid-based prescription medications. Dr. Mark Rabe, a Northwestern University School of Medicine-trained physician who treats Curry, said he sees it among his own patients. "Patients often come into my office and drop down a brown bag full of pill bottles on my desk and say, 'I'm off Oxycodone; I'm off muscle relaxants. I'm off Ambien; I'm off Trazodone,' because medical cannabis does the job better," said Rabe, who runs Centric Wellness in San Diego. "Time after time these patients tell me that medical cannabis works better than the pills, and with fewer side effects." Side effects of cannabis are well-known to both medical and recreational users -- dry mouth, red eyes and insatiable cravings -- while opioids' side effects can include nausea, constipation and an ironic hyper-sensitivity to pain. A more stark contrast between the two: Since 1999, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of accidental overdose deaths associated with opioids (also called opiates) went up about 400%. Cannabis researchers say it is virtually impossible to overdose on cannabis. "Cannabis has such a good safety profile and is much less addictive than opiates," said Rabe. "In my mind, cannabis is a good potential replacement for opiates." Dr. Donald Abrams, a leading researcher on pain and cannabis, said that clinical data supports cannabis as a treatment for pain -- especially among cancer and HIV/AIDS patients with neuropathy, a painful condition involving nerve damage. What's up with legalization of medical marijuana . Anecdotally, he said he has encountered many patients who have used cannabis to either reduce their need for opioids or get rid of them altogether. Abrams described a recent scenario involving a 58-year-old patient with diabetes suffering with neuropathic pain. "She had already lost two toes and they told her in the ER not to use cannabis for her pain relief," said Abrams, chief of hematology and oncology at San Francisco General Hospital. "She said to me, 'When they give me pain meds they make me feel awful, and cannabis works.'" It may work, but among pain physicians, receptiveness to cannabis as a viable therapy is muted, and complicated. One such physician said that the debate is not about whether cannabis-based medications -- like Marinol, which is approved for use in patients by the Food and Drug Administration -- help with pain, especially among cancer patients. They do, he said. "I think that debate should be put to rest," said Dr. Jay Joshi, CEO and medical director of National Pain Centers, adding that overzealous proponents may be clouding the real issues surrounding cannabis. "I see the enthusiasm for marijuana kind of like the enthusiasm we had for opiates years ago. "A few years down the road I think you're going to see problems from this liberalization of marijuana," he added. "We've seen these pendulums swing before and reality is somewhere in the middle." Joshi said that, despite how it is framed, cannabis is not always safe. Some of the hundreds of chemicals inhaled when cannabis is smoked, he said, are lipophilic -- they have an affinity for fat cells -- so that they stick to nerve and brain cells for months or years. That could prove problematic over the long-term, he said. And, Joshi said, smoked marijuana introduces hundreds of chemicals to the body, some of which could prove harmful to the brain over time. 3-year-old is focus of medical marijuana battle . "I don't think (cannabis) is risk-free and there's no long-term potential side effects," said Joshi, who also is chief medical officer and director of Wellness Center USA. Those who tout that, he said, "are drinking a little too much of the Kool-Aid. No medication is risk-free." The issue, say cannabis researchers, is relative risk. To bolster his case for cannabis Rabe cites patient safety data. According to the FDA, in 2011, 98,518 patients died in association with drugs approved by the agency, while 573,111 had serious outcomes -- hospitalization, disability, or some other life-threatening situation. "Nearly 100,000 die from FDA-monitored drugs," said Rabe. "If you look at those kind of numbers and then you hear about the properties of cannabinoids, it makes sense that there is increasing interest in something other than what pharmaceuticals have to offer." What medicine offers in the distant future may reside somewhere between what doctors like Rabe and Abrams -- and Joshi -- are currently offering their patients. A small study, authored by Abrams, published in 2011, found that taking cannabis in combination with opioids may enhance pain relief, reduce side effects of opioids and -- possibly most importantly -- reduce the dosage needed for both drugs. More, and bigger, studies need to echo those results -- and cannabis needs to be rescheduled by the Drug Enforcement Agency -- before mainstream pain physicians get onboard. Right now, it is a Schedule I drug -- what the DEA classifies as "drugs with no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse." "If (cannabis) was rescheduled I think there are a lot of physicians, including myself, that would not only reconsider it but would probably prescribe it," said Joshi. "A lot of doctors are scared to prescribe something when the actual drug itself is Schedule I." In the meantime, patients like Curry, who have become staunch proponents of medical cannabis, are confounded by the debate. "I don't get why the government can recommend narcotics, your doctor can prescribe you Percocet or Oxycontin and you can literally die if you take too much," said Curry. "But if you smoke too much pot you'll just ... fall asleep." She said that her father's voice alternates between a whisper and roar in her mind as she considers her future use of medicinal cannabis. Today, she is leaning toward honoring her father. But when the pain comes, "God's gift" may override everything. | Aimee Curry found marijuana helped her pain .
Doctors say medical marijuana may reduce the need for opioids .
One expert cautions that cannabis is not always safe .
Rescheduling the drug would likely lead to greater medical acceptance . |
5,962 | 10e8cc2d9ce077e273e64d46683fad0c622d2617 | By . Martin Robinson . British children as young as seven are taking ecstasy and cannabis, it was revealed today. Nine-year-olds are also trying cocaine and often it is because their parents are failing to control them, experts say. The Government's annual crime survey has shown for the first time the youngest users of the most popular drugs in Britain - cannabis, ecstasy and cocaine. Fears: Children as young as seven are trying cannabis (posed by models) and other drugs like ecstasy . They found almost one in three who have ever smoked cannabis first tried it when they were under 16. Around six per cent of those who had ever taken Class A cocaine took it first at school and 8.2 per cent had taken ecstasy before they turned 16. Jeremy Todd, chief executive of the charity Family Lives, said: 'We speak to thousands of families every year and evidence shows that parents are the main influence on how children approach drugs and alcohol. 'Equipping parents with the tools to ensure they can talk effectively with their children is the best way of preventing children experimenting at an early age and can prevent later problems in teenage and adult life.' Common: Children across the UK are taking ecstasy, pictured, a Home Office survey has shown . The results give a shocking picture of drug use by children in Britain. 'The most commonly reported age for first taking cannabis was 16 years. But, as expected, there was a lot of variation among adults in the age cannabis was reported to be first taken, ranging from eight to 56 years old,' the report says. 'Age of onset was most commonly 18 for cocaine powder, but again this was within a wide range of reported ages, from nine to 57 years old. 'The most commonly reported age of onset for ecstasy was 18 years. Again, the first age of use reported by adults varied considerably, between seven and 51 years old.' But it appears that drugs are getting less attractive to young people, because abuse is 'around the lowest level since measurement began in 1996. The report says adults between 16 and 59, 8.9 per cent had taken drugs in the last 12 months, which is a drop. Cannabis use has dropped the most, while there have been reductions in ecstasy and cocaine compared with the 1990s. High school children taking drugs is down 12 per cent and the number of under-16s trying cigarettes is at its lowest for 30 years. | Home office survey also reveals nine-year-olds are taking cocaine .
One in three who have ever smoked cannabis first tried it when they were under 16, Home Office reveals . |
61,180 | adc438d9c668dbb767a7406530d753e9f1fa90c2 | (CNN) -- Singer Fantasia Barrino gave birth to a boy in North Carolina on Tuesday, her representative said. Dallas Xavier Barrino, weighing 7 lbs 9 ounces and measuring 21 inches, was born at Presbyterian Hospital in Charlotte, according Sherlen Archibald. "I feel so blessed that my son Dallas Xavier was born healthy, and is a wonderful new addition to our family," Barrino said, who also has a 10-year-old daughter. "I thank all my fans for their well wishes and continued support." The 2004 "American Idol" winner announced her pregnancy in August at a Florida concert. She has not said who the father is. The past 18 months have been difficult for the 27-year-old Barrino, who acknowledged a relationship with a married man in the summer of 2010. She initially denied knowing Antwaun Cook was married. She was treated at a Charlotte, North Carolina, hospital for a "sleep aid" overdose several days after Cook's wife filed a child-custody petition that included allegations of the affair. Barrino later testified in the child custody case that she knew from the first day of her relationship with Cook that he was married and still living with his wife, according to court records. Barrino's raw talent as a songstress, combined with her hard-luck story as a teenage mother, won her many fans, starting with her winning the third season of "American Idol." Her six-year-long entertainment career has been pockmarked with adversity, including being sued by her own father and well-publicized financial troubles. CNN's Denise Quan contributed to this report. | "I feel so blessed," Barrino says .
The singer also has a 10-year-old daughter .
The singer revealed her pregnancy during a Florida show . |
30,759 | 577479ddfbac009d8afb202905d6caa0d8a450ea | New Dehli (CNN) -- The ALS Ice Bucket Challenge has morphed into a considerably warmer and drier alternative in India. Enter the "Rice Bucket Challenge." Indian journalist Manju Latha Kalanidhi, who works for the U.S.-based rice research website Oryza.com, says when she first heard about the ice bucket challenge, she got thinking. "Why waste water?" she asks. "I felt like doing something more locally tangible. Rice is a staple here. We eat it every day, we can store it for months. Why not donate rice to someone who is hungry?" And it rhymes with ice. So Kalanidhi started her own challenge: Donate a bucket of rice to someone in need, post a photo online, and challenge your friends to do the same. The original version, designed to raise funds to fight amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) — also known as Lou Gehrig's Disease and motor neurone disease (MND) -- is a global viral phenomenon. People take videos of themselves getting doused with a bucket full of ice, share it online, and challenge friends to do the same or donate money to the cause. It is in effect a modern virtual chain letter. Hundreds of celebrities -- from Oprah Winfrey to Roger Federer -- have participated and fueled interest, raising more than $70 million in donations for the ALS Association. In India, the ice bucket challenge has generated attention too -- Bollywood stars have mirrored their Hollywood counterparts -- but it now seems it will be eclipsed by what some are describing as an Indian challenge for Indian needs: fighting hunger. #RiceBucketChallenge is on its way to going viral in India -- it's on TV news, on Twitter, and it now has a Facebook page with thousands of likes. "People from all over the world are responding," says Kalanidhi, listing off letters of appreciation from people in Sweden, England, and beyond. The explosion of interest in the rice challenge is an indicator of how powerful social media has become in India. According to eMarketer, the number of internet users in India is expected to be around 200 million in 2016, a nearly three-fold increase since 2011. Much of the growth comes from smartphone users: younger Indians who would be more likely to use social media. | #IceBucketChallenge morphs into #RiceBucketChallenge in India .
Viral campaign has seen donations for ALS exceed $70 million .
Journalist is urging Indians to give rice instead of wasting water .
Original challenge sees participants douse themselves in icy water . |
141,920 | 438863c9c1626e794264844af3634d136b5bf6db | Fort Hood, Texas (CNN) -- After weeks of mostly silence in his defense, convicted Fort Hood shooter Nidal Hasan had little more to say Tuesday in the capital sentencing phase of his court-martial, telling the jury panel three short words: "The defense rests." His brief remarks produced a momentary gasp in the courtroom. The 13-member panel that earlier convicted the defendant for premeditated murder will now return Wednesday morning, to decide whether the Army Medical Corps officer will live or die for his crimes. The November 5, 2009, killings on this sprawling U.S. Army base by a lone gunman left 13 people dead and 32 others wounded, some severely. Hasan, who serves as his own attorney, called no witnesses; nor did he offer any documentary evidence or explanation for why he should not die for his crimes. He also offered no explanation for his refusal to mount any defense in either the trial or sentencing phases. Judge Tara Osborn, an Army colonel, reluctantly granted his wishes, telling Hasan, "You're the captain of your own ship." Tuesday morning saw the last of 19 victims and family members of those wounded or killed giving heartbreaking testimony: emotional recollections of lost loved ones, as well as injuries -- physical and emotional -- suffered nearly four years ago. "The shooting and his killing is not going to destroy my family," said Joleen Cahill, widow of Michael Cahill, the only civilian to die in the massacre. "He is not going to win," she said firmly, referring to the defendant sitting just feet away. Hasan asked no questions of the prosecution witnesses, who spoke separately on the stand. None directly addressed Hasan at the defense table or bothered to look at him while they testified. Hasan himself stared intently at all the witnesses during testimony, occasionally wiping his nose. Three shooting victims, eight widows and widowers, six parents and an adult offspring were among those who fought tears to describe their physical and emotional suffering over the past two days. Prison or death for Hasan? It's up to the jury now . Cahill recalled going numb when she was told about the killings. "A lot of that night was a blank." Also testifying Tuesday was Jerri Krueger, mother of Sgt. Amy Krueger, who was 29 at the time of the incident. She recalled what her daughter said the day of the September 11 attacks: "She said, 'Mom, I'm joining the Army.' I told her she couldn't fight bin Laden all by herself, and she said, 'Watch me.' " Krueger and her best friend enlisted the next day, and she had aspired to be a clinical psychologist. "When a parent loses a child," said Jerri Krueger, "it creates an irreplaceable void. I live with that every day." Hasan was convicted Friday of all 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted murder in connection with the shooting rampage at a Fort Hood deployment processing center. The incident occurred about a month before Hasan was to deploy to Afghanistan. Wounded by two gunshots was Lt. Col. Randy Royer, a Reservist. "I have mental issues; I take anxiety medication," he told the panel Tuesday. He suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, and dealing with crowds is especially tough. Visiting the local pharmacy, where chairs line the counter, reminds him of the setup at the center where the killings occurred. "I don't do well with that," he said softly. Fort Hood victims feel betrayed . Prosecutors presented "aggravating" evidence to demonstrate why Hasan deserves lethal injection. The court-martial unexpectedly recessed mid-afternoon Monday, and Hasan's standby attorney John Galligan told CNN that "health-related concerns promoted the delay." From his wheelchair, the defendant, who was wounded by military police in the attacks and paralyzed, repeatedly asked the bench Monday to take brief breaks from the proceedings. Among the victims' family members testifying Tuesday was Philip Warman, who was so distraught about losing his wife -- 55-year-old Lt. Col Juanita Warman -- that he testified that friends had to take his guns away for his own safety. And he abused alcohol almost constantly until the following June. "I was falling apart," he testified. "It was like something was ripped from me." Warman entered rehab and has not had a drink since. He earns Alcoholics Anonymous coins as reminders of his sobriety. He told the panel that he pushes the coins into the ground when he visits his wife's grave at Arlington National Cemetery. | NEW: "The defense rests," Hasan tells the panel .
Shooter calls no witnesses in sentencing phase .
The sentencing phase for shooter Nidal Hasan could wrap up by midweek .
13 officers will then decide whether Army Medical Corps officer should die for crimes . |
172,431 | 6b26a587b66d87b505ddd00815a1d598bd109d1d | An animal trainer has become the first person in the world to be awarded a Masters degree in how sea lion whiskers work. Alyx Milne from Liverpool has been fascinated by the mammals ever since she visited SeaWorld as a child. The 27-year-old, who works at Blackpool Zoo, loves them so much she decided to write a dissertation on the motor neuron abilities of their whiskers. Alyx Milne was awarded a distinction for her research into sea lion whiskers at Manchester Metropolitan University . After extensive research, Miss Milne has been awarded a distinction in the subject from Manchester Metropolitan University. The first of its kind, her research will be published in the Comparative Physiology Journal. Sea lions use their hyper-sensitive whiskers to know where to look for fish by picking up vibrations in the water. Made up of tiny nerve fibres, they help the mammals navigate their way across the ocean and avoid preying creatures. 'From the moment I was splashed by a killer whale while visiting SeaWorld, Florida, I knew that I was going to be a ‘Shamu’ trainer one way or another,' said Miss Milne who is now pursuing a PhD in marine mammals. 'Working with the sea lions at Blackpool Zoo has been a major part of my research. 'I’m so pleased I have something so great to show for it.' Opened in 1972, Blackpool Zoo is home to more than 1,500 animals from all over the world and has the largest sea lion pool in Britain. The 27-year-old who works as an animal trainer at Blackpool Zoo is now pursuing a PhD in marine mammals . 1. Baking Technology Management (London Southbank University) 2. Harry Potter and the Age of Illusion (Durham University) 3. Surf science and Technology (Cornwall College) 4. Contemporary Circus and Physical Performance (Bath Spa University) 5. The Beatles (Liverpool Hope University) 6. Viking Studies (University of Nottingham) 7. Puppetry (Central School of Speech and Drama at the University of London) 8. Outdoor Leadership (University of Cumbria) 9. Stained Glass (University of Edinburgh and Swansea Metropolitan) 10.Parapsychology, the existence of ghosts (Coventry University) 11. David Beckham (Staffordshire University) 12. Golf Studies (Buckinghamshire New University) 13. International Spa Management (University of Derby) 14. Artist Blacksmithing (Hereford Collage of Arts) 15. Equestrian Psychology (Glyndwr University) | Alyx Milne has wrote dissertation about the mammals' whiskers .
The 27-year-old is 'fascinated' with sea lions and works at Blackpool Zoo .
Miss Milne will have her research published as it's the first of its kind .
She plans to do a PhD in marine mammals after being awarded distinction for MSc . |
105,821 | 147d1f0645057933fc6cc00b7f264d3879b9c06e | A woman who was so overweight that she was told she could die if she didn't change her lifestyle has dropped more than 100lbs thanks to a newfound passion for swimming. Vivian Stancil, 67, told the Los Angeles Times that she learned to swim at age 50 after being told by a doctor: 'If you don't lose weight, you won't get to your 60th birthday.’ Since then, the retired schoolteacher from Long Beach, California, has won 176 Senior Olympics medals, including a Personal Best Award that Olympic gold-medalist John Naber presented to her in June. Great loss: Vivian Stancil, 67, has dropped 12 dress sizes since learning to swim in her 50s . She has also dropped an incredible 12 dress sizes, keeping her doctor’s previous concerns at bay. Mrs Stancil, who is legally blind, was five feet tall and 319lbs when she received the grim warning about her health, and she could barely walk at the time. 'A bowling ball wouldn't even describe what I was,' she said. Mrs Stancil, who has been married to her third husband for 34 years, would frequent an all-you-can-eat restaurant with a group of five girlfriends, nicknamed the Eating Club. 'I'd bring a Ziploc baggie, fill it with fried chicken and eat three or four pieces before bedtime,' she said. After trying various weight loss methods - including having her jaw wired shut - she turned to exercise. We are the champions: Mrs Stancil, pictured with swimming coach Dr Pete Andersen, has won 176 Senior Olympics medals . 'You're too fat to run or ride a bike,' a pal told Mrs Stancil. 'What about swimming? After all, fat floats.' She couldn't swim - and had never even been in a pool - but began taking lessons with Bob Hirschhorn, an instructor who had experience teaching older adults at Silverado Park Pool. Mrs Stancil, who began to lose her eyesight at 19 due to an inherited condition called retinitis pigmentosa, used sound and memory to navigate the lane lines, noting: 'Being blind helps keep your brain sharp.' 'I typically do 35 freestyle strokes in a 25-meter pool, and you can bet I count every one. Because nothing will ruin your day like bumping your head on the wall,' she said. Giving back: Mrs Stancil started a foundation to encourage other seniors to participate in athletic activities . As Mrs Stancil continued to practice the crawl, backstroke and butterfly, and adopted a diet of produce, legumes and lean protein, she shrank from a size 24 to a size 12. She began swimming competitively, placing third in a local Senior Games event in Long Beach, and went on to earn 176 awards at the local and state levels. She is now qualified to swim in the National Senior Games, and is preparing for the 2015 event in Minneapolis. 'My lifestyle change and this event have energized me,' Mrs Stancil wrote on the website for the Vivian Stancil Olympian Foundation, an organization she founded to help both seniors and young people become more physically active. 'I try to encourage others to do the same and be more active. I sometimes hear people with full sight say "I can’t." I tell them not to say those words to me because you can. Just move! Anything is possible.' | Vivian Stancil, a retired teacher in Long Beach, California, is legally blind due to an inherited condition called retinitis pigmentosa .
Mrs Stancil didn't learn to swim until her 50s and has now won 176 Senior Olympics medals . |
267,167 | e60d02be307b34a031a4f3c5671dc906f05713d4 | WASHINGTON -- For the second time since resigning the Alaska governorship more than a month ago, Sarah Palin is adding her voice to the fiery debate over health care. Sarah Palin says in a new op-ed that big government is not the solution to health care reform. This time, Palin is hitting the pages of the Wall Street Journal to counter President Obama's latest efforts to reform the nation's health care system. "The answers offered by Democrats in Washington all rest on one principle: that increased government involvement can solve the problem. I fundamentally disagree," Palin writes in the 1,110-word opinion piece in Wednesday's edition of the paper. "Common sense tells us that the government's attempts to solve large problems more often create new ones," the former Republican vice presidential candidate continues. "Common sense also tells us that a top-down, one-size-fits-all plan will not improve the workings of a nationwide health-care system that accounts for one-sixth of our economy." Palin, whose initial Facebook posting on "death panels" last month is credited with spurring heated opposition to the House Democratic health care proposal, again raises the claim -- now widely debunked -- that a government panel could determine which senior citizens receive vital treatments. "Is it any wonder that many of the sick and elderly are concerned that the Democrats' proposals will ultimately lead to rationing of their health care by -- dare I say it -- death panels?" she writes. "Establishment voices dismissed that phrase, but it rang true for many Americans." Watch more on the health care debate » . Ultimately, Palin says, "Congress will likely reject a wrong-headed proposal to authorize end-of-life counseling in this cost-cutting context" because Americans made their voices heard in the contentious town halls last August. "But the fact remains that the Democrats' proposals would still empower unelected bureaucrats to make decisions affecting life or death health-care matters. Such government overreaching is what we've come to expect from this administration," she says. Palin also takes issue with the president's assertion that Democrats' heath care proposals will rein in costs and eliminate waste and inefficiency in the system. Citing the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office, Palin says currently proposed health care legislation will do little to bring down costs, but will instead cause the federal deficit to skyrocket by more than $200 billion over the next decade. "Only in Washington could a plan that adds hundreds of billions to the deficit be hailed as a cost-cutting measure," writes Palin. Instead, Palin argues the true solution to health care lies in "market oriented, patient-centered, and result driven" measures such as providing tax benefits for those who get health care coverage from their jobs, providing seniors on Medicare vouchers to buy their own coverage, and allowing people to buy health insurance across state lines. | Sarah Palin blasts Democrats' health care reform proposals in newspaper op-ed .
Palin: Public outcry led Congress not to authorize "end-of-life counseling"
She takes issue with Obama's view that Democrats' plans will rein in costs .
Palin says the true solution is a "market oriented, patient-centered" approach . |
11,053 | 1f686eca935d07392a5510df744b949c78483968 | Tens of thousands of bright children are going backwards at secondary school, a damning Ofsted report said yesterday. High-achievers too often find themselves repeating topics they have already studied and enduring noisy lessons that are disrupted by increasingly poor behaviour. In a ‘state of the nation’ report, Ofsted warned that almost two-thirds of high-fliers at age 11 – about 57,000 pupils – fail to convert their early promise into A and A* grades at GCSE. Schools watchdog Ofsted warned teachers face an impossible job in some schools when they are faced with a 'hubbub of interference' from pupils gossiping, shouting out and using mobiles phones during lessons . It said many comprehensives lacked a ‘scholarship’ culture. School inspections in the last academic year uncovered specific weaknesses in the teaching of the most able pupils in about a third of secondaries, with many not being given work that stretched them. ‘Inspectors found that teachers’ expectations of the most able were too low,’ said Ofsted. ‘There is a worrying lack of scholarship permeating the culture of too many schools.’ Publishing the report, Sir Michael Wilshaw, the chief inspector of schools, warned that the education outlook was ‘less promising’ than a year ago. ‘The nation should be worried about a growing divide between primary and secondary schools,’ he said. England is facing a teacher shortage, the Ofsted chief inspector has warned, with the weakest schools most likely to miss out as top candidates are 'cherry-picked' by the best. In a speech introducing his third annual report, Sir Michael Wilshaw suggested that not enough new teachers are joining the profession and the good entrants are often not going where they are most needed. Teacher recruitment is a pressing issue with thousands more teachers needed over the next decade to educate the almost one million more children due to be attending the nation's schools in this period, he said. Sir Michael warned that the education system is in danger of becoming 'polarised' as the strongest new teachers go to the most successful schools. The number of entrants into teacher training has dropped by 17 per cent in the last four years, with large shortfalls in key subjects such as maths and physics. There are 8,000 fewer trainees in secondary schools since 2009/2010, figures show. ‘In too many cases, pupils are leaving their primary schools with good literacy and numeracy skills, confident and eager to learn. But the culture they encounter at too many secondary schools often demotivates and discourages them.’ Sir Michael noted that weak leadership was fuelling the problem, with about a quarter of secondary headteachers rated as below par. The report said more than 400,000 pupils are being taught in schools with discipline problems following a decline in behaviour standards. Inspectors found a ‘hubbub of interference’ in too many classrooms where pupils gossiped or used phones. Standards of behaviour were found to be poor in 28 per cent of secondary schools in 2013/14 – up from 21 per cent the year before. Sir Michael went on to rail against parents who fail to support heads as they strive to instil discipline among pupils. ‘Heads who are battling an anti-learning culture and taking a stand against those who are too ready to defend the indefensible deserve support not opprobrium,’ he said. He warned that the performance of white working class pupils was ‘particularly troubling’. These pupils were being failed by the system as well as poor parenting, he said. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan said she ‘shared Ofsted’s ambition’ but added: ‘We should not lose sight of the incredible improvements seen under this government.’ Ofsted's chief inspector Sir Michael Wilshaw warned half a million children are being taught at secondary schools suffering from poor behaviour . | Ofsted warns 500,000 children in secondary schools with poor behaviour .
Sir Michael Wilshaw condemned the 'unacceptable' level of disruption .
Also raised concerns that the brightest pupils are not being stretched .
England faces shortage of teachers with 8,000 fewer trainees than 2009-10 . |
149,075 | 4cc1795905f4b7e28a2c1bc2414b82c8d854c9e5 | (CNN) -- Every day, more than 500 ships from all corners of the globe set out to navigate the bustling waters of the English Channel. Huge merchant vessels carrying every category of cargo imaginable -- from iron ore to wheat, and from crude oil to sugar -- sail amongst fishing vessels, passenger ferries, pleasure craft and more unorthodox traffic such as swimmers. Keeping this narrow body of water that separates England and France clear is vital for a wide range of economic as well as recreational travel purposes. See also: Introducing the world's biggest ship . But as passenger and cargo vessels become longer, wider and more frequent, ensuring a smooth passageway in a straight just 34 kilometers (21 miles) across at its shortest navigable point has come to represent a considerable logistical challenge. "It is the busiest shipping lane in the world," explained senior watch manager of the Dover coastguard, Tony Evans." And this is not including small pleasure craft (and) motorboats." "Today we have 12 attempts at swimming the Channel. Obviously that has some bearing on the traffic in the fact that vessels may need to take action to avoid them," he added. Sailing safe seas . Given the waterway's strategic importance, it is perhaps little surprise that the English Channel has long been at the vanguard of maritime planning and safety. The world's first sea-traffic separation scheme was set up here in 1972 creating two lanes of traffic that ships must follow to avoid collisions. Vessels traveling north have to use the French side, whilst the English lane is used for those traveling south. The basic premise of this system still exists today. See also: Can Danube boost European trade? Further lanes that dictate the flow of traffic from east and west -- east towards the North Sea and ports in Northern Europe and west towards the Atlantic Ocean -- have also been formed on both the English and French sides of the Channel (see traffic movement in video below). Today these routes are regularly plied by some of the biggest cargo ships on earth, including the recently launched Maersk Triple E which at 400 meters long is the world's largest operational vessel. Coastguard duties . According to Kaimes Beasley of the Dover based Channel Navigation Information Service, such high-value ships passing through the Channel mean coastguards in both England and France must be more organized and vigilant than ever before. "The nature of the vessel traffic over the years has become significantly larger," Beasley explained. "The navigational challenges remain the same, (in terms of topography, sandbanks and congestion). It is the job of the officers on watch of the vessels to make sure they navigate safely." See also: Eight of the world's biggest infrastructure projects . To help with their daily duties, officers can call on a range of state-of-the-art tools to help direct and monitor maritime traffic. Detailed radar screens provide a real-time snapshot of all ships on the channel at any given moment. Automated Identification Systems (AIS) meanwhile present information on the larger vessels in the area, such as their size, name, course, destination and traveling speed. All vessels that weigh over 300 tons are automatically tracked by satellite. A captain's view . For those at sea, these hi-tech systems and services offer valuable guidance as well as reassurance. Many ships have similar access to AIS systems ensuring they are aware of what is around them at all times. "The ships have got much larger and therefore ... the technology has had to increase to match it," explained David Miller, senior captain of the Spirit of Britain passenger ferry. "The basic concept of seamanship has been replaced by integrated electronic systems," he added. Silk Road railways link Asia and Europe . But while such advanced technology has been a welcome development, Miller also points out the fundamental rules that govern movement on the Channel remain the same. "The rules of the road are there for us all to obey them and if there is a risk of a collision we will follow (them)," Miller said. "As long as everybody observes (these) rules then there's room for us all." Find out more about The Gateway and when you can watch the show on CNN here . | The English Channel is home to the world's busiest shipping lanes .
More than 500 vessels pass through the straight that is only 34 kilometers across at its shortest navigable point .
Some of the world's biggest cargo ships ply the Channel alongside smaller objects such as yachts, fishing boats and swimmers . |
131,297 | 35c99f0e2dae30c6e8e4ada014d81958420aa767 | By . Kieran Corcoran . PUBLISHED: . 12:37 EST, 7 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:33 EST, 7 October 2013 . Overdose: Ana Hernandez, pictured, was found dead with a huge amount of painkillers in her system . The death of a Spanish lawyer who died from a huge overdose of painkillers has been left a mystery after an inquest failed to reach a conclusion. Ana Hernandez, 32, was found dead on 28 June 2012 with a cocktail of drugs in her system, which exceeded recommended levels more than 100 times. She had moved to Barbburgh in Yorkshire to live with her fiancé, lecturer Darren Stott, and was found by friends in the house they shared. The inquest, held in Doncaster, heard that Mr Stott was a controlling partner, but that he was away at the time she died. As well as the drugs in her system, it was found that Miss Hernandez had also eaten a heavily-spiced stew shortly before she died. There was a suggestion that the tablets could have been ground up and added to her meal, but the coroner decided there was not enough evidence to justify a verdict of unlawful killing. Miss Hernandez had met Mr Stott, a 42-year-old who taught English at Leeds Metropolitan University, while he was on holiday in Gran Canaria in Marh 2011. The two fell in love and moved back to Mr Stott's home in England just under a year later. They got engaged and Miss Hernandez became pregnant around the time of the move. The inquest heard from friends of Miss Hernandez that she was a healthy and upbeat person who usually avoided taking any sort of medicine. It was also said that Mr Stott was a 'control freak' who followed Miss Hernandez's every move, and also that she allegedly confided to friends that she thought he might be trying to kill her with drugs. Ana’s semi-naked body was found on a bed in the three-bedroom bungalow next to a packed suitcase by family friends Carolyn and Geoffrey Telford. Prescription drugs, which Mr Stott had taken for his whole adult life, were found all over the house. The inquest heard that Mr Stott was in London on a course at the time the body was found. Toxicologist Dr Stephen Morley said . he could not say definitively that the tablets were taken at the same . time as the stew Miss Hernandez had eaten, but that it was possible they had been ground up. He said the concentrations of codeine, . tramadol and cyclizine alone could have killed her but in combination . they were 'very likely' to have caused her death. The inquest opened in December 2012, but was adjourned so that police could make further enquiries. In the wake of Ana's death, Mr Stott moved back to Gran Canaria, but fell ill there and collapsed in the street. He has since returned and is in a . hospital neurology unit in a 'very poorly state' with 'physical and . neurological difficulties' and was unable to evidence at today's . inquest. Fiancé: Darren Stott, pictured, was in London when Miss Hernandez's body was found . Speaking at an earlier hearing in December, Mrs Telford, 47, told the inquest: 'Ana told me Darren kept telling her to take the tablets and she said “he’s trying to kill me.” At the resumed hearing today, she added: 'She was looking forward to her . pregnancy and she refused even to take paracetamol for a headache. Her . attitude was not to take tablets when you are pregnant. 'She was close to her mum. I can’t think she would take her own life and do that to her mum.' She also said that Miss Hernandez had been complaining about her fiancé's drinking. Mr Telford, 56, said: 'Ana was . taking paracetamol and she felt Darren was trying to kill her. She told . me "Darren is trying to kill me. He’s trying to make me take drugs." He said Mr Stott followed her everywhere - even to the toilet - and compared the treatment to domestic abuse. Mrs Telford said at the resumed . hearing that Ana had complained to her about Mr Stott’s drinking and . that he used her as a taxi service. Miss Hernandez's brother Rafael, 42, told the . inquest: 'She was always positive and buzzing. In the week before she . died she was going on and on to mother that she had a big headache. 'I . was told it was due to her pregnancy and would pass. 'She was as fit as a fiddle and never . smoked or drank and was scared of medication. She didn’t like it at all. You had to tie her down to give her anything.' He claimed Mr Stott was a 'control . freak' and wanted to know Ana’s every movement - but that she seemed . happy and had no problems. Mr Stott said in a statement she was not enjoying her pregnancy and could not go to the gym which she enjoyed. She was reluctant to take any medication during her pregnancy 'She was fearful of harming the baby,' he said. New life: Ms Hernandez moved to the village of Barnburgh (pictured), South Yorkshire, to live with Mr Stott whom she met in Gran Canaria. Pathologist Dr Kim Suvarna said Miss . Hernandez had died within two to four hours of taking the tablets which . he thought may have been ground up. Det Sgt David Robertson, who led the police inquiry told the inquest: 'I’m unable to say beyond any reasonable doubt that he had anything to do with her death. He was in London at the time.' Coroner Nicola Mundy recorded an open verdict saying she had considered unlawful killing but there was not enough proof. Det Sgt Roberstson said: 'The question remains, how did high levels of medication get into Ana’s body?' He told the hearing that two previous partners of Mr Stott both described him as 'unusual', controlling and dishonest at times. Holiday romance: Ms Hernandez met Stott on Gran Canaria, pictured, while he was on holiday . He once sprayed a substance in the mouth of his then partner which left her sick on a plane after she complained of a migraine and he injected another partner in the leg with a pain killer when she too said she had a headache. Det Sgt Robertson said he would have liked to have talked to Mr Stott to have 'clarified certain points' but added: 'There was no evidence to suggest he would want to wish any harm to Ana.' Ms Mundy said she had discounted Ana accidentally taking too many tablets and she did not believe it was a deliberate act. Of unlawful killing she said: 'It has not been possible for the reasons told to me by Det Sgt Robertson for him to complete the investigations. 'It is unlikely that he is going to be able to interview potential key witnesses to shed more light on what might have happened. 'Becauase it is such a high burden of proof I need to have more evidence.' After the hearing Rafael Hernandez said: 'I don’t understand really. I don’t know whether Mr Stott is responsible.' Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Ana Hernandez, 32, died in June 2012 from a painkiller overdose .
She lived with her fiancé Darren Stott in Barnburgh, Yorkshire .
It was suggested that Miss Hernandez was poisoned .
But an inquest into her death today returned an open verdict .
The coroner said she considered a verdict of unlawful killing, but that there was too little evidence . |
207,401 | 988949f524fc8907dbe546001e90124741c64069 | (CNN) -- A new social media campaign hopes to harness the power of celebrities and a Bob Marley song to help bring awareness to the thousands suffering from the famine in the Horn of Africa. The "I'm Gonna Be Your Friend" campaign, which kicks off Tuesday, is named for a line in Marley's 1973 song "High Tide Or Low Tide." It uses the song as the soundtrack to a short film on the East African crisis directed by award-winning director Kevin MacDonald. Among MacDonald's movies is the critically acclaimed "Last King of Scotland." Prominent celebrities -- such as Eminem, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Britney Spears -- have pledged to promote the film by posting it on their Facebook pages or offering links on their Twitter feeds. The video is also on sale, with proceeds going to Save The Children. "With over 150 global stars already signed up and more joining by the hour, the combined total of their fans and followers on the social networks is over 700 hundred million people," the campaign said. "This huge number will not only help raise awareness of the scale of the crisis but also vital funds for those suffering in the region." Twelve million people are facing a hunger crisis in the Horn of Africa. Somalia has been hardest hit. "Not one child should be denied food nor water. Not one child should suffer. Along with Save the Children, we must stand up together as friends to put a stop to this, to feed our children and to save their lives," said Rita Marley, Marley's wife. | The campaign is named for a line in the Marley song "Hide Tide Or Low Tide"
Artists like Eminem and Lady Gaga have pledged to promote the film .
Proceeds will go to aid group Save the Children to help famine victims . |
50,486 | 8ed6f0def8dc6428a378d9bf6e1668ccdde3cd86 | A new Australian study has warned teenagers who are deemed a 'healthy weight' can still be suffering anorexia nervosa . Teenagers do not need to be severely underweight to be suffering from a life-threatening eating disorder, experts have warned. A dramatic drop in weight should be a cause for serious concern, suggesting an adolescent could be at risk of severe medical problems. A new study carried out at Australia's Murdoch Children's Research Institute noted a fivefold increase in the number of teenagers being admitted to hospital fulfilling all the criteria for anorexia nervosa - apart from being underweight. The researchers examined a six-year period from 2005 to 2010, discovering more adolescents thought to be of 'normal weight' were suffering the illness. Despite not meeting the low weight criteria of the eating disorder, the teenagers were found to be suffering from acute, life-threatening medical complications of weight loss. Professor Susan Sawyer, director of The Royal Children’s Hospital Centre for Adolescent Health, said the research highlights that higher-weight adolescents who have lost a large amount of weight require careful medical assessment. 'Eating disorders can emerge at any weight,' she said. 'Clinicians need to have a high level of suspicion about a possible restrictive eating disorder in all patients who have rapidly lost weight or lost a significant amount of weight—even if the young person is not underweight at the time they present. 'There is poor understanding by health professionals, teachers and families of the risks of rapid, severe weight loss - at all weights. 'Most health professionals think "underweight" when they think of anorexia. 'It is therefore not surprising that many of these adolescents were very unwell by the time they were eventually admitted to hospital.' Lead researcher Melissa Whitelaw . said the dramatic increase in the proportion of adolescents admitted to . hospital who were not yet underweight reflects increasing rates of . obesity in adolescents. 'Obesity and eating disorders used to be considered as distinct health . concerns with little overlap in patient populations,' she said. 'This . data suggests that we need to be much more aware of the risks of eating . disorders emerging in adolescents who are overweight.' The research showed that while some of the patients had been advised by . a health professional to lose weight, none were being professionally . supported to lose weight at the time they presented with an eating . disorder. Researchers said this highlights the need for supervision of appropriate weight loss efforts in overweight adolescents. Professor . Sawyer, said: 'Regardless of their actual weight, clinicians consulting . with adolescents who have lost a large amount of weight should, among . other tasks, review the patient’s weight loss strategies to ensure they . are sustainable and safe. 'They should also carefully assess the patient’s cardiovascular health. Researchers noted a fivefold increase in the number of teenagers being admitted to hospital fulfilling all the criteria for anorexia nervosa - apart from being underweight - from 2005 to 2010 . 'For those adolescents who have rapidly lost a large amount of weight, anorexia nervosa should be considered.' Researchers said that due to a combination of factors including the nature of eating disorders, lack of parental awareness, lack of training in health professionals, and delays in accessing specialist services, there are often significant delays in making the diagnosis of anorexia nervosa, even in adolescents who are very underweight. Both researchers are part of The Royal Children’s Hospital Specialist Eating Disorder program. The research was carried out by Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, The Royal Children’s Hospital and the University of Melbourne. Eating disorder charity, Beat’s chief executive, Susan Ringwood, told MailOnline: 'Eating disorders are complex mental illnesses that have serious effects on physical health too. It’s very helpful to make people aware that eating disorders are not just about being very underweight. 'We know you can’t tell if someone is ill just from the shape and size of their body. 'We also know that sometimes a strict measure of BMI is used to decide if someone is eligible for specialist treatment. 'This study shows how potentially dangerous that could be.' Visit the charity's website here, for more information. Video courtesy of Howcast . | Australian experts note fivefold rise in teenagers being admitted to hospital showing every criteria, except being underweight, from 2005 to 2010 .
Experts warned a drastic drop in weight should be cause for concern .
Despite not being deemed 'underweight' adolescents were suffering acute, life-threatening medical complications of weight loss .
Researcher said we must be more aware of eating disorders developing in adolescents who are overweight or obese . |
123,788 | 2c09be529677ffbe691cccf8a6957b06bdb531bb | (CNN) -- Championship leader Dani Pedrosa claimed his first pole position this season after stunning MotoGP titleholder Jorge Lorenzo with a scorching late lap at Mugello. The Honda rider will head the starting grid for Sunday's Italian Grand Prix, having relegated his fellow Spaniard Lorenzo to second for Yamaha. Andrea Dovizioso secured the final place on the front row for home team Ducati, despite angering Pedrosa with his tactics in Saturday's qualifying and receiving a shake of the fist during the session. "He was trying to follow me," Pedrosa told the MotoGP website after clocking one minute 47.157 seconds to clinch the 25 pole of his career. "I understand his position. It was not only him, he was just one of them, but everything is alright. "It was a hard session at the end. I could not really find a space to do a lap time -- many riders were behind me. I was not high up in the order before my last lap, but was able to do a great lap." Lorenzo, who trails Pedrosa by 17 points in third overall, had been seeking his third pole in five attempts this year. However, motorcycling's two-time world champion missed out by 0.069 seconds despite beating Pedrosa's record lap time from last year. "I was surprised by my lap time, that was really impressive and I didn't expect it," said the Mallorcan, who won last year's race from Pedrosa. "I also didn't expect the lap time from Dani on the second try. I expected to be on pole, but that happens sometimes... "We have to try to make a good start to lead the race at the beginning because we have strong pace on the first two laps. It is going to be really difficult, as Dani and his team have improved the bike so much and he has improved his riding style." Dovizioso, who injured his neck after crashing on Friday, sympathized with Pedrosa but said he had done nothing wrong to his former teammate. "He complained because too many riders delayed him, but I can understand him because he was fast and wanted a clear track to try and do the best," the 27-year-old Italian said. "But when you haven't disrupted his fast lap, he can't say anything." Britain's Cal Crutchlow heads the second row in fourth for Monster Yamaha Tech 3, ahead of Germany's Stefan Bradl on a Honda LCR. Pedrosa's new Honda Repsol teammate Marc Marquez will start back in sixth after three crashes in the past two days meant he did not qualify in the top-10 and had to go through the eliminator for the first time in his rookie season. The 20-year-old is the only rider to have finished on the podium in all four races, and trails Pedrosa by six points in the standings. "Sixth place today was the best that we could have hoped for and I am very happy with this result," he says, having missed out on the front row while equaling his grid position of the season-opening Qatar Grand Prix. "At the end of qualifying I was able to put in a hot lap, but the race tomorrow is going to be difficult and tough. I won't be 100% physically because I'm bruised and sore; my shoulder is bothering me the most and we will see how it responds tomorrow." Marquez will start one place ahead of seven-time world champion Valentino Rossi, who had been third for Yamaha until he was bumped down the times late on. "Unfortunately I have to start on the third row but I'm quite happy because my pace is quite good, so I think with a good start I can do a good race," said the Italian, who won seven times at Mugello between 2002-2008. American Nicky Hayden was eighth fastest on the second Ducati, with Spain's Alvaro Bautista rounding out the third row. | Dani Pedrosa snatches pole position from MotoGP world champion Jorge Lorenzo .
Spaniard beats his own record time at Mugello ahead of Sunday's Italian Grand Prix .
Pedrosa was angry with other slower riders for getting in his way on the track .
His teammate Marc Marquez battles his way up to sixth after crash-strewn practices . |
141,750 | 43514c316181286e1563af53de2690d09752b4cc | (CNN) -- The number of aging men and women in U.S. prisons is growing rapidly, Human Rights Watch said Friday, and it expressed concern for their care behind bars. Because of their age, older prisoners incur medical costs that are three to nine times as high as those for younger prisoners, the campaign group said in its 106-page report, titled "Old Behind Bars: The Aging Prison Population in the United States." Prison officials are hard-pressed to provide the appropriate housing and medical care for older prisoners, the report says. "Prisons were never designed to be geriatric facilities," said Jamie Fellner, a senior adviser to the U.S. program at Human Rights Watch and author of the report. "Yet U.S. corrections officials now operate old age homes behind bars." Human Rights Watch pointed out that life sentences mean those prisoners reach old age in prison. Almost 10% of state prisoners are serving a life sentence, it said, and another 11.2% have sentences longer than 20 years. Prisons face a number of challenges in caring for these prisoners, the group said. They include tight budgets, prison architecture not designed for age-related disabilities, limited medical facilities and staff, lack of support from elected officials, and the pressures of day-to-day operations. It is equally as difficult for the older prisoners themselves who may be frail or impaired. Prison rules and customs weren't designed with them in mind, Human Rights Watch said. "Walking a long distance to the dining hall, climbing up to a top bunk, or standing for count can be virtually impossible for some older prisoners," the group said. "Incontinence and dementia impose their own burdens." Human Rights Watch called for changes to harsh sentencing rules regarding long mandatory minimum sentences and reduced opportunities for parole. It also called for changes to prison facilities and medical care, as well as prison rules that are tough on older prisoners. "How are justice and public safety served by the continued incarceration of men and woman whose bodies and minds have been whittled away by age?" Fellner asked. | Group says medical costs and prison facilities are not equipped for older prisoners .
The number of older prisoners in the U.S. is growing, it says .
It calls for changes to harsh sentencing rules and care behind bars . |
71,517 | cab6821e3158d280a09c13b5e165e51024943455 | By . David Wilkes . PUBLISHED: . 20:11 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:02 EST, 15 November 2013 . Members of an Oxford University drinking society were branded ‘repugnant and sexist’ yesterday for organising a pub crawl in which girls dressed as foxes have to ‘evade mauling’. The Black Cygnets Society at St Hugh’s College sent invitations to the female first-year students its members consider to be the most attractive. The ‘Fox Hunt’ event involves male students, or ‘Huntsmen’, dressed in red jackets chasing the women ‘Foxes’ dressed in short skirts and fox ears. Invite: An Oxford University drinking club has been branded 'repugnant, sexist and secretive' after organising a 'fox hunt' through the city with girls trying to avoid a huntsman's 'mauling' An emergency meeting of St Hugh's JCR student body this week condemned the hunt after a motion proposed by Carenza Harvey (above), a first-year invited to be a 'Fox' The invitation said: ‘To evade mauling, Foxes must pass the following obstacles with Huntsmen in pursuit’, then lists nine pubs they must visit and the drinks they must consume. The ‘Foxes’ have to drink hot punch, cider, white wine, red wine, Smirnoff Ice, gin and tonic and sambuca, before arriving at a tenth and final bar called Wahoo, referred to in the printed invitations as ‘Wahoo Foxhole’. St Hugh’s was founded in 1886 as a women’s college and did not accept men until 1986. Graduates include Home Secretary Theresa May and Burmese opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The college’s principal, Dame Elish Angiolini, said yesterday: ‘This college was founded to secure equality for women. ‘We are utterly appalled that any member of our community would consider belonging to, or participating in, this repugnant, sexist and secretive group. ‘Any student involved in the distribution of material of this kind, or participation in any of this group’s activities, will be subject to the college’s disciplinary procedures.’ The Black Cygnets were banned from college premises in 2008 after an outcry, but reorganised the annual ‘Fox Hunt’ in 2011 in the college bar, resulting in one student being banned from the college bar and fined. Last year the society’s members were warned that strong action would be taken against them if they repeated the event outside the college and it resulted in a complaint from the public or the police. This year’s event is due to start from the back gate of the college tonight at 7.30pm for, according to the invitation, ‘the Huntsmen to pick up the scent’. An emergency meeting of St Hugh’s JCR student body this week condemned the hunt after a motion proposed by Carenza Harvey, a first-year invited to be a ‘Fox’. The Black Cygnets are a drinking society at St Hugh's College,Oxford. They were officially banned in 2008 . She said: ‘The language was inherently sexist and offensive. The girls who are invited are picked purely on their looks, which creates a very destructive and dangerous atmosphere. ‘The dress code unavoidably and unashamedly generated a sexist and demeaning predatory feel to the evening. It also, disturbingly, creates the impression that women are only animals, to be objectified, while the men hold the upper hand as humans.’ The motion supporting the ‘college in all of their inquiries to render effective the ban on the Black Cygnets’ was carried. One student who attended a previous event said all the women were willing participants and did not have to turn up just because they were invited. | Members of the Black Cygnets drinking club organised 'repugnant' event .
Women dress as foxes and 'hunted' across pubs by men in traditional garb .
But college body blasts event as 'sexually aggressive' and calls for ban . |
63,122 | b35541a71c376d024f46c11211e83163fefae904 | Sportsmail's Jonathan McEvoy exclusively revealed the news on Wednesday that Jenson Button is staying at McLaren . Jenson Button insists his heart has 'always been at McLaren' after it was confirmed that he will join up with Fernando Alonso in what they hope will be era of domination in Formula One. As first revealed by Sportsmail's Jonathan McEvoy, Button has been handed a remarkable reprieve after he was widely expected to end his career in the sport. The 34-year-old only signed a contract to remain at the British team on Wednesday night after months of speculation about his future. Jenson Button (second left) is revealed as part of the McLaren 2015 line-up alongside Fernando Alonso (second right) and reserve Kevin Magnussen (centre) Alonso (left) joins McLaren from Ferrari while Button is staying put despite speculation about his future . Button insists his heart has 'always been at McLaren' after signing a new contract with the F1 team . Alonso and Button pose inside McLaren's technology centre in Woking on Thursday morning . The 2009 world champion, Jenson Button, has been retained by McLaren for the 2015 season . Two-time world champion Fernando Alonso will re-join McLaren from Ferrari, having left in 2007 . But Button believes he and fellow former world champion Alonso, who left Ferrari after a disappointing season, can now bring the good times back at McLaren, under new engine suppliers in Honda. The British driver had strongly hinted at pursuing life outside of the sport, though he now seems excited at the prospect of leading Ron Dennis' new line-up for 'many years to come'. 'I thought about life outside of Formula 1 but it's nowhere near as fun as inside of it,' Button said at McLaren's HQ at a media event on Thursday. 'My heart has always been with racing with McLaren and Honda.' 'Sometimes the best things in life are worth waiting for! This is a really, really exciting challenge. To race alongside this guy [Alonso] really does mean a lot to me.' Earlier in the day, Button comically tweeted 'just woken up, what's going on??' after the confirmation. Button in action for McLaren during the final Grand Prix of the 2014 season in Abu Dhabi last month . Kevin Magnussen faces an uncertain future after missing out on McLaren seat in 2015 . New team-mate Alonso also took to social media, posting a picture next to a an old McLaren F1 car with the caption: #thePowerOfDreams. Kevin Magnussen will remain with the team as test, reserve and third driver and Button, while thrilled to have got the nod, is glad the Dane is staying, too. 'I am very pleased to have been invited to do my bit. In fact, I am absolutely raring to go,' he added. 'I am also very glad that Kevin will remain part of the team. He is a very quick driver and a really nice guy.' McLaren group chief executive Ron Dennis, who has been criticised for the protracted nature of the team's selection process, is confident the wait was worth it and they have a duo to be reckoned with. 'McLaren's policy has always been to assemble the strongest line-up possible, and in Fernando and Jenson I firmly believe that is exactly what we have,' he said. 'For many reasons our negotiations with Jenson took quite a long time, but, now that they have been concluded, we are confident that our collaboration with him will continue to thrive in the future every bit as well as it has in the past. 'Make no mistake about it, Jenson is 100 per cent committed to McLaren-Honda, to Formula 1, and to winning.' Button won the world title with Brawn back in 2009 and has been at McLaren since 2010 . VIDEO It's McLaren or nothing - Button . | Jenson Button will partner Fernando Alonso for McLaren next season .
Sportsmail exclusively revealed the news on Wednesday that Button stays .
The 34-year-old was widely expected to end his career in F1 .
Kevin Magnussen will be reserve and test driver for the 2015 season . |
231,445 | b7ab62a95fca0f99706ebe821ce8e91f68b10121 | By . Richard Spillett . Missing: Rui Li, 44, was last seen leaving Poole . Hospital in Dorset, on the evening of last Friday and was reported . missing four days later . Detectives investigating the disappearance of a nurse a week ago have arrested a second man on suspicion of murder. Rui Li, 44, was last seen leaving Poole Hospital in Dorset, on the evening of last Friday and was reported missing to police by her family four days later. On Wednesday, police arrested a 60-year-old Bournemouth man on suspicion of murder and he remains in custody after detectives were granted further time to question him. Now a 26-year-old Bournemouth man, who is also known to Ms Li, has been arrested on suspicion of murdering the nurse. Extensive investigations are going on, with forensic experts examining three addresses at Burnham Drive, Wolverton Road and St Clement’s Road, all in Boscombe, Dorset. Ms Li’s distinctive Porsche Boxster, with personalised number plate L1 RUI, was found outside a property in Wolverton Road. Police have released CCTV of the last known sighting of Ms Li, which shows her leaving the car park at the hospital at 6.17pm last Friday. Detectives said she moved to the UK from China a decade ago and has worked at Poole Hospital since 2009. They said Ms Li, who has a teenage daughter, led 'a private personal life' and officers were trying to build a picture of her lifestyle. A Dorset Police spokesman said: 'A 26-year-old Bournemouth man, also known to Ms Li, has been arrested on suspicion of murder. He is currently being questioned by detectives. 'Detectives have also been granted additional time to question the arrested 60-year-old Bournemouth man.' Detective . Inspector Marcus Hester, who is leading the inquiry, said yesterday: 'It . is still absolutely crucial for the investigation to establish . what has happened to Ms Li between Friday evening and Tuesday morning. 'I am hoping this image of her distinctive car may jog people's memories. Did you see her driving home that evening?' Ms Li was last seen leaving the hospital and was reported missing by her . family five days later . Colleagues at Poole Hospital, where Ms Li worked, pictured above, described her as 'funny and unique' and have urged members of the public to come forward with information . Det Insp Hester added: 'I am even interested to know if you saw the car moving around or being driven by anyone else over the Bank Holiday weekend. We are also building a better picture of her lifestyle, interests and friends. 'We . know that she was a reliable and hardworking nurse at Poole Hospital, . who was popular with her colleagues, and also that she enjoyed outdoors . activities, including climbing. 'However, since moving to the UK from China around a decade ago, she has also led quite a private personal life. 'I am keen to speak to anyone who knows her well and would reassure them they are not breaking any trust by speaking to us.' Her colleagues from Poole Hospital have appealed for the public's help in tracking down the missing nurse. Forensic officers at a property near where Ms Li's car was found today (left) and searching another property in Boscombe, Dorset (right) Police also closed a footpath which runs behind the back of a Burnham Drive address in Boscombe . In a statement released by police, they said: 'Rui was a big character in our small close-knit team. 'Funny and so unique, she was totally reliable, professional and conscientious to a tee. She is terribly missed by all of us. 'Her nature was gentle and serene and that is part of the reason why we and the patients love her so much. If anybody knows anything please let the police know and help us find Rui.' Ms Li is described as a slim woman of Chinese appearance who is about 5ft 5ins. She sometimes wears glasses and often has her shoulder-length black hair in a ponytail, police said. Police said she came to the UK from China with her daughter around ten years ago and has worked as a nurse at Poole Hospital since April 2009. She currently works in the medical investigations unit. Her teenage daughter is now receiving close support from police family liaison officers, a spokesman said. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Rui Li, 44, not seen since filmed leaving Poole Hospital, Dorset, on May 23 .
She was driving a silver Porsche which was later found in nearby Boscombe .
Colleagues said Ms Li was 'reliable and professional' and appealed for help .
60-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder on Wednesday .
Now a second man, known to Ms Li, is arrested on suspicion of murder . |
286,039 | fe9e006e4f718545e9695b794012fa0e014a8f83 | South African Oscar-winner Charlize Theron, and Idris Elba led the tributes to Nelson Mandela on Thursday night just hours after the Royal premiere of Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom. Charlize, 38, said: 'My thoughts and love go out to the Mandela family. Rest . in Peace Madiba. You will be missed, but your impact on this world will . live forever,' adding: 'There will never be words to say what I'm . feeling right now. I am saddened to the depths of my soul. Truly.' Naomi Campbell, 43, told MailOnline, 'Nelson has stood as a figure of strength, hope, freedom, selflessness and love, and I join everyone across the world in mourning his passing. 'However, he was much more than just a figurehead to me - he was my mentor, my honorary grandfather, my Tata. Since meeting him in 1993, he's guided me and gave me a reason for being in the tough times of my life. He changed my perception of the world.' Scroll down for video . Tender: South African Oscar winner Charlize Theron shares a moment with Nelson Mandela on March 11, 2004, in Johannesburg, South Africa . Premiere: The Duchess of Cambridge meeting movie mogul Harvey Weinstein tonight at the London premiere of his film, Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom . Royal seal of approval: Producer Harvey Weinstein greets Mandela stars Idris Elba and Naomie Harris and director Justin Chadwick at the Royal premiere of Mandela: London Walk to Freedom in London tonight . On-screen portrayal: Idris as the late leader in Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom . So close: Naomi Campbell, seen hugging Nelson in 1998 (along with Kate Moss, Mia Farrow and Christy Turlington), said he taught her how to look at the world differently . The supermodel added, 'It will take time to come to terms with his absence, but I know his energy and impact will forever be in the core of my spirit. 'My heart goes out to the entire . Mandela family - Mama Graca, Mama Winnie, Zindzi, Malengani, Josina and . the rest of the family.' The Wire star Idris, . 41, who was informed at the premiere of Mandela's passing said: 'What an . honor it was to step into the shoes of Nelson Mandela and portray a man . who defied odds, broke down barriers, and championed human rights . before the eyes of the world. My thoughts and prayers are with his . family.' Morgan Freeman, who played the South . African leader in the 2009 film Invictus, also paid tribute to . Mandela, describing him as 'a saint to many, a hero to all who treasure . liberty, freedom and the dignity of humankind'. The 76-year-old actor . – who some mistakenly posted a picture of next to tweets paying tribute . to Mandela - added: 'As we remember his triumphs, let us, in his . memory, not just reflect on how far we've come, but on how far we have . to go. 'Madiba may no longer be with us, but his journey continues on . with me and with all of us.' Mr . Weinstein, 61, who produced the movie starring Brits Idris and Skyfall star . Naomie Harris, told MailOnline: 'One of the privileges of making movies . is having the opportunity to immortalize those who have made a profound . impact on humanity. 'We count ourselves unspeakably . fortunate to have been immersed in Nelson Mandela’s story and legacy. It’s been an honor to have been granted such proximity to a man who will . go down as one of history’s greatest freedom fighters and advocates for . justice.' Sad: South African-born Charlize Theron paid tribute to Mandela . Star: Charlize Theron adds to her message to Mandela family . Tribute: Rihanna posted a picture of Mandela . The producer was joined by stars across the world, including Idris himself in paying tribute to the great leader. The . Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and two of Mr Mandela's daughters, Zindzi . and Zenani, were watching the movie when news of the former South . African President's death broke. The Duke and Duchess were . discreetly informed by aides during the screening. And actor Idris Elba, who plays the former . South African president, was in tears as producer Anant Singh announced the news to a . stunned audience after the credits had rolled - followed by a two minute silence. Speaking in the foyer of London's Leicester Square . Odeon, a sombre Duke of Cambridge, with his wife by his side, said: 'I . just wanted to say it's extremely sad and tragic news. On-screen portrayal: Morgan Freeman played Mandela in 2009 movie Invictus . Paying tribute: Morgan also posted a touching tribute message on his Facebook page . Grieving: Celebrities paid their respects to Nelson Mandela on Twitter tonight . 'We were just reminded what an . extraordinary and inspiring man Nelson Mandela was. "My thoughts and . prayers are with him and his family. It's very sad.' Mr . Mandela's daughter Zindzi, 55, has been promoting the movie at . screenings in New York and last month attended a special screening at . the White House in Washington DC. She looked overcome as she was ushered . out of the premiere, according to onlookers. Touching tributes: Tennis star Serena Williams posted a series of tweets dedicated to Nelson Mandela . Mr Weinstein added: 'I have had the . privilege of spending time with President Mandela and I can say his . sense of humor was as great as his optimism. 'We are deeply saddened by his loss; our hearts go out to his family and the entire South African nation.' The Weinstein Company immediately . scrapped a star-studded party planned for the Royal premiere as guests . were described as walking out of the screening in shock and silence. Mandela with the late Michael Jackson in 1996 . Celeb outpouring: Kim Kardashian also took to Twitter to pay respects, as well as a host of other names from the entertainment world . Meanwhile, celebrities across the world were quick to pay their tributes to Mandela. Superstar Rihanna posted a picture of Mandela on her Instagram account, with the message: 'One of the greatest men who's ever lived!!! #Legend We will never forget the things this man has taught us, and we will never truly comprehend the level of strength that it took for him to endure many of his years!! Thank you #Mandela.' Honour: Oprah Winfrey was one of the stars who was first to tweet her respects to the late leader . Former friends: Oprah had interviewed Mandela on more than one occasion . Taking to Twitter: Music legend Cher, 67, also shared her thoughts . David Beckham took to his Facebook account to post a picture of . himself with the former South African President and anti-apartheid . revolutionary. The sportsman, who met the legendary figure in 2003 before the . then-England captain played in a friendly fixture against South Africa, captioned the image with a simple: 'Thank you.' Beckham also posted a longer tribute to . Mandela shortly beforehand and admitted it was an 'honour' to have met . such a 'courageous human being'. He wrote on his Facebook page: 'My . heart goes out to the people in South Africa and Mr Mandela's family. We have lost a true gentleman and a courageous human being. It was truly . an honor to have known a man who had genuine love for so many people. Rest in peace (sic)' Paying tribute: David Beckham posted an image of himself and Mandela on his Facebook page before writing a lengthy tribute message . Back in the day: David's wife Victoria met Mandela with the Spice Girls back in 1997, with members of the group all taking to Twitter to pay their respects . Cuddling up: Victoria smiled widely as she was given the opportunity to meet Mandela . David's wife Victoria met Mandela along with her . fellow Spice Girls bandmates – Emma Bunton, Geri Halliwell, Mel B and . Mel C – in 1997 when he jokingly declared: 'These are my heroes.' Emma . led the girl group's tributes to the great man last night, writing on . Twitter: 'RIP Nelson Mandela. What a legacy he has left behind. I had . the honour of meeting him and his spirit was unlike any other.' Mel C . tweeted: 'I always feel strange acknowledging somebody's passing on . twitter but I have to say I am honoured to have met the great Nelson . Mandela #RIP (sic)' Queen guitarist Brian May, a founding ambassador of Nelson Mandela's 46664 charity, assisting those infected or affected by HIV/Aids, said: "Very sad to hear of Madiba's passing. 'We (Queen, along with Dave Stewart, and the Corrs) were privileged to spend some days and nights with him at his game park retreat, while we were organising the first 46664 concert for Aids at Green Point Stadium in Cape Town. They were life-changing days, with quiet time and talks around a camp fire at night, which we will remember till we die. 'Mandela was the most inspiring man of his generation. His message, by example, was the power of forgiveness. He showed us that it's possible to act after great injustice with no thought of revenge. He was light, funny, enormously generous, and, quietly, the greatest example to the world that a man can be.' While some messages were short, others from celebrities were more detailed. Actor Ryan Phillippe recalled meeting Nelson Mandela with his daughter Ava over ten years ago. The 39-year-old actor wrote: 'The privilege of spending a small amount of private time w/ Mr. Mandela as he held my baby daughter, is a highlight of my life. Mandela was bouncing Ava, then two yrs old, on his knee & called her, “future leader”. I couldn’t believe it in that moment. I still can’t.' Legend: Lennox Lewis, seen here with Mandela in 2001, was quick to pay his respects . 'Blueprint of dignity': Lennox also posted a moving tribute message on his website . More outpouring of love: From Justin Timberlake to Goldie Hawn . Heartfelt: The tweets continued to roll in as news spread of the leader's passing . | Oscar winner Charlize says: 'There will never be words to say what I'm feeling right now, I'm saddened to the depths of my soul'
Idris - winning plaudits for playing Mandela - said: 'What an honor it was to portray a man who defied odds, broke down .
barriers, and championed human rights before the eyes of the world'
Morgan Freeman, who played Mandela in 2009 film Invictus, described him as: 'A hero who treasure liberty, freedom and the dignity of humankind'
David Beckham, the Kardashians, Rihanna, Kerry Washington and Cher were among other stars paying their respects .
Producer Anant Singh announced news of Mandela's death to shocked crowd at Royal premiere .
Movie mogul Harvey called it an 'honour' to make the biopic based on Mandela's biography .
Naomi Campbell tells MailOnline, 'Nelson has stood as a figure of strength, hope, freedom, selflessness and love' |
103,869 | 1209b5dc90ab1a4c6c74b1009e16f6cc20928ac6 | Click here to see the final leaderboard from Royal Liverpool . Outgoing champion Phil Mickelson will redouble efforts to win next year's Open Championship after handing back the Claret Jug. Mickelson, who memorably came through the field on the final day to win at Muirfield last year, was unable to retain his crown at Royal Liverpool. The left-hander finished strongly with a four-under-par 68 but his five-under aggregate left him well short of the leaders. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Phil Mickelson: My game's not far off where it needs to be . Positive reception: The Hoylake crowd gave Mickelson warm applause as he finished his final round . Strong finish: The American left-hander ended his tournament on five-under at Hoylake . VIDEO The Open Championship: Final Round . Mickelson said: 'It is disappointing but it is also a good motivating factor for me. 'Knowing how great it felt to win this tournament makes me want to work harder and get ready for St Andrews next year. I can't think of a better site, or golf course, to win any tournament ever than St Andrews. 'To have the Open back there is a great opportunity and I will be working hard to try to get it back.' Mickelson arrived at Hoylake having not won a tournament since his success at Muirfield. Under the weather: Mickelson did not do enough over his four rounds to challenge the leaderboard . It has been an unusually lean spell for the 44-year-old but he is confident his touch is returning. He said: 'I thought I played well today. I didn't give any shots away and I shot what I thought I should shoot out there. 'It was a solid round of four under and it was a good way for me to get a little bit of confidence. 'I didn't score as well as I could but I played as well as I could, so my game's not too far off. 'But to win this tournament you need to not only play great golf but have a few breaks and some luck.' All smiles: He has vowed to return better next year for The Open at St Andrews . Mickelson remains outside the automatic qualification places for the United States' Ryder Cup team. Should he not make it most would expect captain Tom Watson to name him as one of his wildcard picks, but Mickelson is determined to win a spot outright. Mickelson, a member of every US team since 1995, said: 'It does matter to me - it has been 19 years now where I have made it on my own. 'It is a record of consistency to play that well, to make it without being a pick, and I'd like to keep that streak going. 'I can't really control the points too much but if I play like I did this week at Akron (Bridgestone Invitational) and the (US) PGA (Championship) I'll be fine, I'll be on it. 'It will be beneficial for both me and Tom if I can do it on my own. 'If I don't get in on my own I don't know if I'll have played well enough this year to deserve a spot. 'You want players who are hot and playing well, and I need to step up and do that.' | Mickelson memorably mounted a late charge on the final day to win at Muirfield last year .
But the American left-hander was unable to retain his title at Hoylake .
He shot a final-round 68 but that was not enough to put him in contention .
He described his final score of five-under-par as 'disappointing' but promised to increase his efforts to win The Open at St Andrews next year . |
15,547 | 2c2c2e1bddb7ad2f6ba639d165ece08b6b19fd08 | Washington (CNN) -- A new poll Tuesday showed voters are willing to give Mitt Romney a fresh look now that he is the certain Republican presidential nominee, and the former Massachusetts governor picked up public backing from the top GOP leaders in the House and Senate. The good news came as Romney's campaign offered a mild rebuke to right-wing rocker Ted Nugent's for his latest inflammatory rhetoric against President Barack Obama, seeking a middle ground between condoning divisive language and alienating conservatives who like Nugent's firebrand politics. Obama, meanwhile, unveiled a new plan to limit oil market speculation as a way to address high gas prices angering Americans as the campaign for the November election heats up. The CNN/ORC International poll showed that Romney's popularity is starting to rebound now that the divisiveness of the Republican primaries appears to be all but over. According to the survey, 44% of people questioned said they have a favorable view of Romney, up 10 points from February, while 43% said they have an unfavorable opinion, down 11 points, and 13% were unsure. According to the poll, 53% of Americans plan to give Romney a second look when the primaries are officially over, with 45% saying they already know enough about Romney to decide whether he would be a good president. The survey indicates Romney's popularity still lags well behind Obama's: 56% have a favorable view of the president, with 42% saying they see Obama in a negative light. "The Republican Party's favorable rating has also rebounded now that the nomination fight is all but over, from 35% in March to 41%," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "That still puts the GOP several points behind the Democratic party's 46% rating, but it is an indication that the wounds have started to heal from the primary season." CNN Poll: Romney's favorable rating rebounds . Both House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky said Tuesday they back Romney's nomination. The statements a few hours apart were intended to show growing Republican support for Romney despite mistrust among some conservatives over his moderate policies when he was Massachusetts governor. "I will be proud to support Mitt Romney and do everything I can to help him win," Boehner told reporters after he met with House Republicans to discuss the November election. Romney still needs several hundred delegates to formally secure the GOP nomination, but the withdrawal from the race last week by his main conservative challenger, Rick Santorum, left Romney's path unobstructed. McConnell later told reporters he also is backing Romney, which is no surprise but represents a formal endorsement after the Kentucky senator previously said Romney would be the party's nominee and "an excellent candidate." Nugent, another Romney supporter, raised eyebrows this weekend when he said at an NRA convention that if Obama wins re-election in November, "I will either be dead or in jail by this time next year." He accused the government of "wiping its ass with the Constitution" and labeled members of the Obama administration, including the vice president, attorney general and secretary of state, "criminals." "We need to ride into that battlefield and chop their heads off in November," Nugent said. Responding to the comments by Nugent, who announced his support for Romney last month, campaign spokeswoman Andrea Saul said: "Divisive language is offensive no matter what side of the political aisle it comes from." "Mitt Romney believes everyone needs to be civil," Saul added. Her reaction followed a call from Democratic National Committee Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida for Romney to denounce comments she called "despicable, deplorable and completely beyond the pale." "Romney's surrogates should know better than to rally the troops with outrageous rhetoric that is unacceptable in our political debate," Wasserman Schultz said in a statement. Obama said Tuesday that the new measures he announced to limit speculation in oil markets will make amends to consumers for congressional Republicans blocking an end to subsidies for oil corporations. "A few weeks ago, Congress had the chance to stand up for families already paying an extra premium at the pump, but congressional Republicans voted to keep spending billions of Americans' hard-earned tax dollars on more unnecessary subsidies for big oil companies," Obama said in his announcement in the Rose Garden. "So here's a chance to make amends." Senate Republicans three weeks ago blocked a Democratic measure championed by Obama to end tax breaks for the major oil companies, which he said are enjoying record profits. Four Democrats crossed party lines to vote against the bill, but even if it had passed the Senate, it was given little chance in the Republican-controlled House. Obama's proposal would require traders to put up more of their own money for transactions. It also would ask for more funding for market enforcement and monitoring, and increase penalties for manipulating markets. Obama and Republicans have drawn lines over oil prices since they started to rise to near-record levels earlier this year. Republicans say Obama hasn't done enough to stem the rise and advocate opening up more areas for drilling and approving projects like the Keystone XL pipeline, which would carry oil from Canada to refineries in Texas. But analysts say such measures would have little effect on the current price of oil and gasoline. Most Americans blame big oil for the spike in prices -- a recent CNN/ORC International poll showed that the majority blamed the oil companies while 24% blamed Obama and 21% blamed Republican policies. CNN poll: Gender gap and likeability keep Obama over Romney . Obama's announcement came a day after one of the elements of his tax policy was blocked by Republicans in the Senate. The so-called Buffett Rule -- named after billionaire Warren Buffett, who says the tax rate he pays should be no lower than that of his secretary -- failed to get the necessary 60 votes to go to the Senate floor. The measure would have raised the minimum tax rate to 30% for those making more than $1 million a year. Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney said that Obama, by pushing the Buffett Rule, shows that the incumbent is "out of ideas" on the economy. Speaking to the Tax Day Tea Summit in Philadelphia on Monday night, Romney cited a calculation that the measure, which would have raised the minimum tax rate to 30% for those making between $1 million and $2 million, would have paid for "11 hours of government." "This is not exactly a grand idea," Romney said. "This is a man who is out of ideas, he's out of excuses and in 2012 we're going to make sure he gets put out of office." However, a CNN/ORC poll released Monday found that seven in 10 respondents said they favored the bill. Romney's wife, Ann, was to be the guest of honor later Tuesday at a birthday celebration/fundraiser being held for her by Donald Trump's wife, Melania, at the couple's residence in Trump Tower in New York. Trump spokesman Michael Cohen said about 400 people were invited to the event, which was expected to bring in "well in excess" of $600,000. Cohen said Trump will stop by the fundraiser to wish Ann Romney, who turned 63 on Monday, a happy birthday and he expects to host another fundraiser for the campaign at Trump Tower once Romney officially clinches the nomination. First lady Michelle Obama will also be raising cash on Tuesday. She will speak at a Democratic National Committee event in Nashville, followed by two DNC fundraisers in Pittsburgh. Romney could cross paths with the first lady when he holds a midday campaign roundtable at a community center in the Pittsburgh suburb of Bethel Park. Pro-Obama super PAC to hit Romney on taxes . CNNMoney's Steve Hargreaves and CNN's Tom Cohen, John Helton, Gabriella Schwarz and Shawna Shepherd contributed to this report. | NEW: Speaker Boehner, Sen. McConnell formally endorse Mitt Romney's candidacy .
NEW: A new CNN/ORC poll shows voters are willing to give Romney another look .
Obama says oil speculation crackdown makes up for big oil subsidies .
Romney says Obama's pushing Buffett Rule shows he's "out of ideas" |
81,723 | e79e0c95311ff603e8d7a1a8179061c592aca14a | By . Alex Lazcano for Daily Mail Australia . Dubbed 'Kangaroo Dundee', Chris 'Brolga' Barnes has been saving orphaned kangaroo joeys in Outback Australia for the past nine years. While working as a tour guide in the Northern Territory, he realised that people in remote areas of Australia were looking for a place to take orphaned or injured animals, so he opened The Baby Kangaroo Rescue Centre. It was later redeveloped and expanded into the larger Kangaroo Sanctuary just outside of Alice Springs. Scroll down for video . Chris 'Brolga' Barnes hand rears orphaned kangaroo joeys at his Kangaroo Sanctuary in Alice Springs . Brolga is a true blue Aussie hero for saving native animals in the Alice Springs area . The little roo that inspired him to educate people and rescue other joeys was Palau, a joey that was left for dead on the side of the road. 'I was a tour guide at the time and I saw the roo on the road and I got off the bus to check it. It was bloated and rotting, it'd been dead for a few days but there was still a joey barely alive in there,' Brolga told Daily Mail Australia. 'I called her Palau after the TV show Survivor, it was one of the tribes on there, I nursed her back to health and released her a year later.' The baby kangaroos are kept together to bond and form a mob so they can be released together . It was from that first rescue that Brolga began devoting his life to saving baby kangaroos. 'That motivated me to set up an education centre, because so many people drive past carcases not knowing that there could be a little joey inside that's still alive,' he said. He quickly discovered that The Baby Kangaroo Rescue Centre needed to be expanded, but he didn't have the funds, 'I had big dreams but no money!' 'I had a few kangaroos that had too many injuries to be released and the Northern Territory doesn't allow kangaroos as pets so they [the Northern Territory government] were pushing me to find a place for them or to have them shot'. Chris was working two jobs in order to fund the sanctuary in Alice Springs in the Northern Territory, when a 'supportive uncle' left him an inheritance to build it. Brolga will often have a little joey tucked under his shirt in a little pouch to keep it warm . From there Brolga's Kangaroo Sanctuary has gone from strength to strength. His efforts were even documented for a BBC TV show called 'Kangaroo Dundee' a spin off of Paul Hogan's 'Crocodile Dundee'. Kangaroo Dundee' was a two-part series about his story and life as a surrogate mother to so many baby joeys. A finalist in the Australian of the Year awards this year, says he's always had a passion for animals and became a zookeeper at the age of 17. 'Anyone can do it,' he said, 'All it takes is learning how and being committed.' His dedication goes above and beyond, as he often camps out with the roos in his sanctuary. Brolga makes sure the joeys grow up among other kangaroos and are released back into the wild once they are healthy . Brolga started the Kangaroo Sanctuary from scratch working two jobs to support his passion for saving baby kangaroos . Brolga's 36 hectare area of bushland homes 30 kangaroos of various ages. He tries to keep the bushland untouched so that the roos all feel like they are in a natural habitat before being released. For the young joeys he creates a faux pouch out of canvas bags and blankets or pillow cases. 'The babies need to be kept warm so they go everywhere I go' he said. Since opening in 2005, Brolga's Kangaroo Sanctuary has saved over 200 kangaroos . It's a full-time job, these baby kangaroos need 24 hour care . Brolga, a true Aussie hero hopes to build Central Australia’s first wildlife hospital on the grounds of his Sanctuary. 'It would be good to have a place where my mates who also care for orphaned joeys could get medical assistance for the babies without having to go to a vet where out of pocket costs fall on them' said Mr Barnes. 'It's a long-term goal but one that I am slowly working towards and it would really benefit us here.' To donate or to find out more about Brolga's sanctuary visit The Kangaroo Sanctuary. The joeys go where he goes. He becomes a surrogate mother to young joeys and needs to carry them as if they were in their mother's pouch . Chris Barnes is also known as 'The Kangaroo Hunter' after Steve Irwin 'The Croc Hunter'. Pictured with Terri Irwin, Robert Irwin and Bindi Irwin . | Aussie man is surrogate mum to hundreds of orphaned kangaroo joeys .
Chris 'Brolga' Barnes was dubbed 'Kangaroo Dundee' in a BBC series about his work caring for joeys .
Brolga was a tour guide then quit his job to start up his own kangaroo sanctuary in Alice Springs .
He was a finalist for the Australian of the Year awards in 2014 .
The Kangaroo Sanctuary has saved over 200 orphaned kangaroos since 2005 .
Nicknamed 'Brolga' - the Aboriginal word for the Crane - because he's 6ft 7in tall . |
281,985 | f9489dba279b1d9d3dc3ab93c2fdffae80121489 | A five-month-old baby who had been on life support since last Monday after being brutally beaten by his mother's boyfriend has died. Andres Bravo, who was admitted to Miami Children's Hospital with brain injuries, a lung contusion, retinal hemorrhaging to both eyes and bruising to his buttocks, was taken off life support on Saturday, after doctors determined his injuries were too severe. These injuries all occurred while the infant was alone with his mother's boyfriend, 27-year-old Antwan Sawyer, who claims they were sustained when the child fell off a bed. Scroll down for video . Tragic end: Five-month-old Andres Bravo was taken off life support on Saturday after doctors determined the injuries he suffered from a beating on Monday were too severe . Call for justice: Andres' father, Adolfo Bravo (seen above with his son), is calling on law enforcement to arrest his son's mother for allowing this abuse to happen . Investigators and medical examiners immediately realized the infant's injuries were non-accidental, and arrested Sawyer on Tuesday. This is Sawyer's tenth arrest since 2005 according to police. Now, as Sawyer's charges are raised from aggravated child abuse to attempted felony murder, Andres' father, Adolfo Bravo, is calling on authorities to arrest his son's mother, Sascha Marie Garcia, for allowing this tragedy to happen. Laying low: Andres' mother, Sascha Marie Garcia, was at work when the incident occurred, and has been avoiding the press since her son was first admitted to the hospital last week . Charged: Antwan Sawyer is being charged with attempted felony murder in the death of five-month-old Andres . An emotional Bravo told WPLG, 'I feel like she's very responsible for the whole incident.' He then pointed out there were several examples of cases in Florida where even though the mother was not at the scene of the actual crime, she was still charged with neglect. He added that after speaking with homicide detectives he is certain Garcia will be picked up, and a petition has been started to see that she is charged on the Justice for Baby Andres Facebook page. A neighbor who lives directly below Garcia and Sawyer in their south Miami apartment told the Miami Herald she often heard the mother yelling and cursing at Andres and another toddler. Police claim Garcia works as an exotic dancer at a local strip club, The Office. She is believed to have been at work when the beating occurred. And it was the mother who called Bravo to alert him of his son's injuries last week, though she failed to express to her ex just how severe they were at the time. 'I was going to stop by and visit him,' said the heartbroken father. 'But I ended up never leaving.' Baby Andres would have been six-months-old on Sunday. | Andres Bravo was taken off life support Saturday after being brutally beaten by his mother's boyfriend, Antwan Sawyer .
The five-month-old was admitted to Miami Children's Hospital last Monday with brain injuries, a lung contusion, and retinal hemorrhaging to both eyes .
Now the boy's father, Adolfo Bravo, is calling for the arrest of the baby's mother, Sascha Marie Garcia, for allowing this tragedy to occur . |
43,457 | 7a8d571fb1d223957893028308d03d6e6db4da34 | (CNN) -- It's become a go-to tool for journalists, a digital man-on-the-street interview when big news breaks: see what they're saying on Twitter. There's just one problem with that, says the Pew Research Center. Opinions expressed in the rapid-fire Twitter echo chamber, particularly in response to political news, are often at odds with the general public's. The differences? Sometimes Twitter is more liberal. At other times, it's more conservative. And it's very nearly always more negative. "Overall, the reaction to political events on Twitter reflects a combination of the unique profile of active Twitter users and the extent to which events engage different communities and draw the comments of active users," the report reads. "While this provides an interesting look into how communities of interest respond to different circumstances, it does not reliably correlate with the overall reaction of adults nationwide." In the yearlong study, Pew focused on political events such as the result of the 2012 presidential election, the first presidential debate between President Barack Obama and challenger Mitt Romney and several speeches given by Obama. Some examples: When Obama won re-election, public opinion polls suggested 52% of the public was pleased and 45% unhappy. On Twitter, a full 77% of tweets about his win were positive and only 23% negative. Similarly, only 20% of the public told pollsters they thought Obama did a better job than Romney in their first debate (the one in which Obama was criticized for looking tired and unfocused). But 59% of tweets favored him. Part of that might be explained by looking at who uses Twitter. Pew's research shows that Twitter users are considerably younger than the general public and more likely to lean Democratic. In a 2012 survey, half of adults who said they posted news on Twitter were younger than 30, compared with 23% of all adults. And 57% of those who posted news on Twitter were either Democrats or leaned Democratic, compared with 46% of the general public. But Twitter pundits don't always lean to the left. Nearly half of the U.S. public (48%) thought Obama did a good job on his second inaugural address. But only 13% of the tweets about it echoed that opinion. Opinions about Sen. John Kerry being nominated as Obama's secretary of state split the general public: 39% approved, 36% disapproved and 26% had no opinion. On Twitter, a measly 6% expressed support, while 32% were negative and a clear majority, 62%, expressed no opinion. The reason for such a swing, Pew said, is that on Twitter, unlike in opinion polls, users decide what they think is important enough to mention publicly. A generally popular event might not be portrayed that way if an angry minority is more inspired to post about it. For example, nearly 14 million wrote on Twitter about Obama's re-election while a mere 70,000 remarked on Kerry's nomination. Politics also reflect a truth that anyone who's followed the Oscars, Super Bowl, debate nights or, really, any public event can attest to -- the Twitter universe is never happier than when it's being snarky, or downright nasty, to someone. "The overall negativity on Twitter over the course of the campaign stood out," Pew writes. "For both candidates, negative comments exceeded positive comments by a wide margin throughout the fall campaign season." There were more negative than positive comments about Obama and Romney on Twitter. The negative comments about Obama bounced back and forth between 40% to 50% throughout the campaign, while positives went up to about 30% and down into the teens. (Remember, lots of comments can be neutral). Romney's negatives were higher. Usually, between 50% to 60% of talk about him was not nice, while positives only broke above 20% during the campaign's final days. Another thing to keep in mind when monitoring the conversation on Twitter: While it seems to be omnipresent among the digitally connected (yes, like we journalists tend to be), its overall reach is modest compared to other media. In the Pew's 2012 news consumption survey, just 13% of adults said they ever use Twitter or read Twitter messages. Only 3% said they regularly or sometimes tweet or retweet news or news headlines on Twitter. | Study: Twitter opinions rarely reflect those of the general public .
Pew Research says the most significant difference is that Twitter's more negative .
Twitter users are younger than the public and more identify as politically liberal .
But during some events, the site skewed too conservative vis-a-vis opinion polls . |
27,165 | 4d0150f84e0e31024b54d0efaf6dec8615079416 | New MPs are to be given lessons in ethics to reverse the ‘jaundiced’ public view of politicians. The Commons standards watchdog has proposed the lessons in the wake of the expenses and lobbying controversies. Courses will start after the next general election, in 2015, and aim to bolster MPs’ confidence in how to act in public office. Honesty: MPs will learn the difference between right and wrong in seminars modelled on those given to lawyers . Lord Bew, the chairman of the . committee on standards in public life, said the seminars would raise . ‘the awareness of practical ethical issues among MPs’. Lessons . on how to accept gifts and contact with outside lobbyists would raise . the ‘ethical sensitivity of members of parliament’, according to Lord . Bew. ‘People are thrust into situations they don’t expect and they are . not necessarily equipped to know how to behave,’ he said. ‘There . are sometimes simple cases of corruption, but a lot of what is going on . now is a little bit more complicated to work out what is right and what . is wrong.’ Change: New chairman of the standards watchdog Lord Bew said gut instinct is not enough any more . He said MPs could no longer get away with going on their ‘gut’ feeling for right or wrong. Instead, . they needed to be offered compulsory, formal training to spot the . pitfalls, in line with the lessons given to lawyers, accountants and . bankers. Lord Bew told the Sunday Times that trust has been eroded by . the 2009 expenses scandal and members of the House of Lords lobbying for . outside financial interests. He said there is a ‘jaundiced’ public mood that must be corrected. | Seminars will address accepting gifts and lobbying for outside interests .
Watchdog chairman Lord Bew says gut instinct is no longer acceptable .
The courses will be modelled on those taken by bankers and lawyers . |
213,134 | a002b1bba4c688a75775b9dfc2750942904e06b4 | By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 04:56 EST, 12 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:58 EST, 12 July 2012 . Hanging precariously over the bank of a swollen creek, this house is in imminent danger of complete collapse. The property has had almost half of its foundations swept away by floods that have drenched central Sweden over the last few days. Approximately 1,000 square metres of land collapsed around the building, which is located in Nyhammar, a small town in the county of Dalarna. Hanging in the balance: A house sits precariously over a rain-swollen creek in Nyhammar in Dalarna, central Sweden. Its foundations have been washed away . Clinging on for dear life: The house is in imminent danger of complete collapse as water cascades beneath it . No through road: Floods have been swamping central Sweden over the last few days . Regions across the country have been . inundated with torrential rain and thunderstorms as a low-pressure . weather front moves overhead. Last night, there were fears that a dam near Flen lake on the Ema river would burst. Flooding caused a sewage treatment . plant in Rattvik to release sater contaminated with raw sewage spilled . into Lake Silhan, reports TheLocal.se. Roger Lundquist, of water management . firm Dala Vatten, said: 'The plant couldn't handle the high water flows . and couldn't take in all the water that came. It led to untreated sewage . flowing out into the lake.' Waterworld in Dalarna: Regions across Sweden have been inundated with torrential rain and thunderstorms as a low-pressure weather front moves overhead . Locals wade through the water in Smaland. Last night, there were fears that a dam near Flen lake on the Ema river would burst . Fighting a losing battle? A man tries to pump out the water out of his property in Smaland . Government minister Catharina . Elmsäter-Svärd, in charge of infrastructure, said climate change and . higher water levels need to be addressed as soon as possible. She told Svergies Television: 'Huge . investments are going to be needed. The entire city of Gothenburg is at a . level which means that if water levels rise, we must plan on building . levees.' There was good news this morning, however, as the water levels in lakes reservoirs began to fall. | Approximately 1,000 square metres of land collapsed around the building in Nyhammar in central Sweden . |
277,321 | f34c4bf37098139f352300f56359d098b6391891 | By . Peter Allen . France is facing a multi-million pound bill after ordering 2000 new trains which are 3cm (0.11 inches) too wide for many of its platforms. The incredible mistake means that 1300 stations will have to be upgraded so as to accommodate the trains. Too much too soon: France's new Regiolis TER trains are too wide for many existing station platforms . 'It's an outrageous waste of taxpayers' money,' said Jean-Claude Delarue, of the SOS-Usagers transport pressure group which campaigns for a better deal for commuters. 'The mistake is a hugely embarrassing one and it is not the first time that it has happened. The bureaucrats responsible are completely out of touch.' Rail operations ordered the new trains for the country's regional network – one which traditionally has a reputation for being one of the best in the world. But they are too wide to travel through the nation's stations, a report in the investigative weekly, Le Canard Enchaine, reveals. Repair work has so far been carried out on 300 of the platforms that need adjusting, and hundreds more are on a waiting list. On average, the trains are 3cms too wide. RFF, the organisation responsible for rail tracks in France, has set aside the equivalent of more than £45m to deal with the mistake, but the figure is likely to be well above £100m once it is finished. The error is said to have happened when RFF handed over the wrong dimensions to SNCF, France's national rail operator. Speeding forwards: France's rail network is traditionally viewed as one of the best in the world . SNCF then put in their order for the new trains to a number of engineering companies including Alstom. The measurements provided by RFF related to platforms built over the past 30 years, but many are far older, and were not built to a standard size. RFF spokesman Christophe Piednoel said: 'We discovered the problem a bit late. We recognise that, and we accept responsibility on that score.' He said that everything possible would be done to avoid passing over the massive cost of the mistake to the taxpayer. France's Minister of Transport, Frederic Culliver, said his country's 'absurd rail system' was to blame, because it makes a division between track operators RFF and SNCF. Many believe the two groups should merge, so as to avoid similar mistakes in the future. Decay in France's ageing regional rail network came into sharp focus last July when a train derailed outside Paris, causing seven deaths. Investigators blamed loose bolts and inadequate safety checks for the disaster, which also saw hundreds of other injured. France is regularly accused of pumping millions into its prestigious high speed TGV system, while ignoring its regional railways. | Red faces in Paris as new fleet of trains causes transport headaches .
Up to 1300 regional stations will need to be upgraded to fit the rolling stock .
'We discovered the problem a bit late' says embarrassed rail spokesman . |
215,989 | a39c81c2b78218c94c97da8d0c98cd49cc11931a | Record numbers of British students are choosing American universities amid concerns over rising fees and the quality of degree courses. More than 10,000 young people attended institutions in the United States - which offer generous scholarship schemes - during the 2013-14 academic year. This was an eight per cent rise on 2012-13 - the largest year-on-year increase in a decade, according to a report released by the Institute for International Education (IIE) today. Record numbers of British students are choosing American universities such as Harvard (pictured) amid concerns over rising fees and the quality of degree courses . UK undergraduates are particularly interested in studying for degrees overseas, with an 11 per cent increase in numbers in the US between 2012-13 and 2013-14. These students - around 5,000 - applied in Autumn 2012, just as the first cohort of undergraduates were affected by tuition fees of up to £9,000-a-year. There has been a 15 per cent rise in UK undergraduates heading to the US between 2008-9 and 2013-14. The top five US universities hosting UK students in 2013-14 were Harvard, Columbia, New York, University of California Berkeley and Yale. The findings will renew fears of a ‘brain drain’, with the tripling in tuition charges pushing some of the country’s brightest minds abroad. Fees at top American institutions including Harvard, Princeton and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) can be around £40,000 per year, but they offer generous financial aid. US universities also provide sports scholarships, which can cut fees by as much as 75 per cent. Experts believe that students are also attracted to the breadth of the liberal arts curriculum. They can take a range of subjects before specialising in their third year. Meanwhile the US-UK Fulbright Commission, which promotes links between universities in both countries, saw a record 4,700 visitors to its annual US university undergraduate fair this autumn. It has described a ‘tidal wave of increased interest in US study’ over recent years and said there was evidence this trend ‘is only gaining momentum’. Jamie Dunn, spokeswoman for the US-UK Fulbright Commission, said: ‘Each year, we survey students as they apply for visas at the US Embassy, and year on year, some of the top reasons they cite are: the quality and number of US universities - there are over 4,000 to choose from, the chance to experience the vibrant American campus life and the more flexible liberal arts curriculum.’ UK undergraduates are particularly interested in studying for degrees overseas, with an 11 per cent increase in numbers in the US between 2012-13 and 2013-14 . She added: ‘The rise in tuition fees seems to have sparked this trend in British students crossing the pond for their studies. ‘Further fuelling the increased student interest has been the strong reputation of American universities and students wanting to set themselves apart in an increasingly competitive job market.’ Penny Egan, executive director of the US-UK Fulbright Commission, added: ‘As the globe shrinks it is wonderful to see young British students taking advantage of the opportunities to study abroad. ‘Outward mobility is high on the agenda and where better to head to than some of the best universities in the world?’ In April, a study by the British Council showed that rising numbers of students were considering studying overseas amid the hike in tuition fees. More than a third (37 per cent) of 2,630 young people surveyed said they were thinking about heading overseas - up from 20 per cent who stated the same last year. Meanwhile earlier this year, an analysis of figures on Government website Unistats, found that some students get fewer than half the hours of lectures, seminars and tutorials than others studying the same subject at different universities in Britain. In 2012, Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington College, Berkshire, warned that students were being forced to seek courses on the other side of the Atlantic because institutions in this country were stuck in a ‘malaise’. He said British universities provided less contact time with lecturers and displayed only a ‘perfunctory interest’ in sport and the arts. | 10,000 people attended institutions in U.S. in 2013-14 academic year .
It was eight per cent rise on 2012-13 - the largest increase in a decade .
There has been ‘tidal wave of interest in US study’ in recent years . |
259,117 | db6742714b60fafba15695def8d601e6f40628b9 | When going for an ultrasound, parents usually rely on their doctor to tell them everything is fine. But one couple got the message straight from their baby after the fetus was pictured giving a 'thumbs up' inside the womb. Father Brandon Hopkins posted the ultrasound picture on his Facebook page a few days ago, but when his brother shared the image on message board Reddit, it went viral. Brandon Hopkins posted this ultrasound image online of his baby giving a 'thumbs up' in the womb, and after it was posted on Reddit by his brother it went viral . Mr Hopkins told HLN-TV: 'My brother called me and said "Your babies are famous!"' He has now revealed that his partner is expecting twins with a due date in January, and that the couple will be finding out the sex of the baby soon. The images was posted to Reddit on August 28 by a user named 'meancloth' along with the message 'ultrasound looks good'. Reddit users quickly branded the child 'Fonzie fetus' after Happy Days character The Fonz, and his famous thumbs up gesture. | Ultrasound image went viral after father Brandon Hopkins posted it online .
He revealed he is expecting twins with partner which are due in January .
Web users branded baby the 'Fonzie fetus' after Happy Days character . |
115,790 | 217398c7a26d29d352e35c7b3a381c854d6b5258 | (CNN) -- "Ride 'em cowboy" types need not apply. Rather, the ideal candidate for this part-time position must be flexible, mature, a good listener and non-confrontational. Experience, however, is not necessary. (That might be because so few people would have that kind of experience.) The state of Florida is advertising for crocodile response agents to handle complaints from residents and, in the relatively rare event it is necessary, to capture and move crocs. Training will be provided. The addition of more agents comes amid the encouraging rebound of the American crocodile in Florida -- an estimated 2,000 non-hatchlings, up from about 300 in the mid-1970s -- and the accompanying rise in complaint calls. "(The crocodile) is moving back into places where they have not been seen in decades," said Lindsey Hord, crocodile response coordinator for the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission. "That is obviously resulting in conflict." While the vast majority of the crocs are in Everglades National Park, many live in the Florida Keys and along the Atlantic Ocean in Miami-Dade and Broward Counties. The program currently has nine agents who serve as "eyes and ears" on the crocodile population, responding to calls and patiently listening to residents unhappy with what they consider reptilian encroachment. The job pays $25 an hour, including vehicle expenses. "It is not something you do for the money," said Hord, adding the hiring process weeds out those who do not live close to where the work will take them. Some applicants, he told CNN, say they want to wrestle the animals. That's a no-go. Often, the role of the team is to educate residents about not dangling incentives in front of crocodiles, such as having an unfenced dog near water or dumping yummy fish remains into a canal after a day of fishing. Crocs hunt with sticks, researchers say . Peaceful co-existence is the aim . And while some creatures are moved -- about eight or so out of an estimated 200 complaints in 2013 -- most remain because they do not meet the criteria for removal. Those that are relocated often return to their capture site. It is unlawful to kill crocodiles in Florida. Hord notes the creatures -- listed as threatened in Florida -- are increasingly returning to their historic ranges. The commission describes crocodiles as shy and reclusive but potentially dangerous. Their increasing presence can be a problem when they come close to residents, including newcomers. "It is the agency's hope that people will co-exist with crocodiles," said Hord. "We have no objective to unilaterally remove crocodiles from anywhere. We strictly react to complaints. We don't go out looking for crocodiles," he said. Hord spoke Wednesday with a woman who just rented a home in Broward County. She has small children and a dog. "She was just now aware there were crocodiles. She was not overly upset but concerned." The coordinator told her there are no documented reports of crocodiles biting humans. A bigger danger is swimming pool safety for her children. Regarding the pooch, it might be good to have a fence to keep the crocodiles and alligators -- which number about 1.3 million in Florida -- away. "It is about putting things into context," Hord said. 'They ... sense we are something different' Calls and complaints generally rise after a dog is killed by a crocodile, such as last year in southeast Miami. Wildlife officials encourage homeowners not to swim in potential danger zones, or allow their dogs in the water. "Sometimes, it is hard for people to change," Hord said, pointing out Key residents accustomed to swimming and scuba diving just yards from their homes. "It is not going to go back the way it was 30 years ago." In certain areas, if a complaint comes in and the crocodile is 9 feet long or over, hangs around an area or ends up in a swimming pool, officials move it. On its third capture, an animal will be removed from the wild and placed in a conservation park or similar facility. Biologists have been studying whether magnets will keep crocs from returning to areas where they are not welcome. The idea is that the magnets will disrupt their sense of the Earth's magnetic field, making it harder for them to orient themselves after their release. Results so far are mixed. Crocs, Hord said, have keen eyesight and hearing. "They can learn very quickly to be habituated to people. They learn very quickly that people are not a threat to them if they are not." Interestingly, when it's time for a capture, the reptiles often are wary. "They seem to be able to sense we are something different," Hord said. "Then they disappear." After 32 years of this type of work, Hord has fond feelings and memories for certain crocodiles. "A lot of us were very attached," to one tagged Blue No. 9 that was shot and killed last year in Islamorada. She had been moved once after laying 27 eggs that failed to produce viable offspring. A memorial service was held on the beach. Florida tackles python problem with hunting contest . Final take in Florida snake hunt? 68 pythons . | Florida is hiring part-time workers to respond to complaints, calls .
Officials want residents and resurgent crocodiles to co-exist .
Still, they urge steps to reduce the likelihood of problems . |
271,102 | eb25338fad338d13ea294750f8d2b991842bbd6b | A married pastor who ran off with the wife of a local school governor has left his post. Father-of-three Stuart Cathrow has reportedly moved in with Laura Etherington, whose husband is a parent governor of Canary Wharf College. Now parents claim the couple’s actions are damaging the reputation of the leading free school – which is in East London and has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. Pastor and his lover: Married pastor Stuart Cathrow and Laure Etherington, who he has reportedly moved in with . ‘It is all out in the open but the school is trying to keep it hush hush and some parents have been told not to say anything,’ said one parent. ‘Many believe it is bringing the school into disrepute.’ It is thought the pair met through their work for the Christian primary. As well as being pastor for a local evangelical church, Mr Cathrow, 43, was chairman of the school’s parents’ association and mother-of-two Mrs Etherington, 34, acted as treasurer. Mr Cathrow’s wife Louise, 46, is leader of learning programmes at the school and is living with their children in the Isle of Dogs. It is not known where banker James Etherington, 35, is living, but he is thought to have left the £1million flat in Limehouse he shared with his wife, son and daughter. Wife and lover: Louise Cathrow is leader of learning programmes at Canary Wharf College while her husband's new lover is a school governor . ‘Laura admitted the affair to the parents’ association during the summer holidays and told them that she and Stuart were together,’ the anonymous parent added. ‘It is not known how long they had been having an affair, but they met while on the association and also ran the London Marathon together last year. They are now living together and go to church together.’ Last night, Mr Cathrow and Mrs Etherington declined to comment on the situation. Quaystone Church could not be reached for comment, however Mr Cathrow last posted a sermon on its website in May and is no longer listed as pastor. Embarassment: Parents at Canary Wharf College (above) claim the couple’s actions are damaging the reputation of the leading free school – which is in East London and has been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted . He is also said to have stepped down as chairman of the parents’ association, and Mrs Etherington is no longer treasurer. Principal of Canary Wharf College, Sarah Counter, said: ‘Neither the Reverend Stuart Cathrow or Laura Etherington are, or indeed have ever been, contracted employees of the school. ‘This matter is of a personal nature between the adults involved and we respect their right to privacy in the matter.’ | Stuart Cathrow moved in with Laura Etherington following their love affair .
Parents think couple's actions are damaging reputation of London school .
Pastor's wife, Louise, is the leader of learning programmes at the school . |
140,959 | 4246440cb85c779b39d9d34f01621ababc6532ce | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 00:50 EST, 6 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:51 EST, 6 December 2013 . The last time Paul Walker talked with his father, he promised to give up his daredevil ways. In an interview with E! Online, Paul Walker Senior talked about the last conversation with his actor son who died in a fiery car crash in Los Angeles on Saturday. 'I said, "Promise me, no more daredevil stuff." I said, "If in your heart, you say, I can do this, then by all means, do it. If your mind says, maybe not. Then don't." I looked at him, I said, 'Will you promise me that?"' Mr Walker believes he got through to his self-confessed 'adrenaline junkie' son. According to his official Twitter account, he was an 'outdoorsman' and 'ocean addict'. Scroll down for video . Be safe: Paul Walker's father Paul Walker Sr, pictured, said in an interview Thursday that he warned his son to give up being a daredevil . 'I said, "You know, promises are a very important thing here, Paul." I said, "Say OK," and he said "OK". You know, a lot of us, sometimes we make promises and get caught up in the moment and stuff like that, but I can tell I got to him,' Mr Walker said. 'I can tell that I was very serious. Sometimes sons think of their fathers and their grandfathers as these bigger than life people.' Promise: According to his father, Walker promised to give up being an adrenaline junkie in their last conversation . Mr Walker also talked about how his son was always uncomfortable with fame, and how the media attention surrounding his death would have made him uneasy. 'It was embarrassing to him,' he said. 'I thought last night, "Paul would be embarrassed of this." And I looked up at the sky, and I said, "Well, tough luck pal."' Walker became famous for his role in . the Fast and Furious movie franchise, which depicted the underground . world of illegal street racing. Walker wasn't actually behind the wheel of the cherry red Porsche when it hit a pole and exploded. According to an autopsy, Walker survived the crash but died when he was burned alive in the following explosion. His friend Roger Rodas, died on impact. Walker leaves behind a 15-year-old daughter, Meadow, who he had with ex-girlfriend Rebecca Soteros. Tragically, Meadow had recently moved to LA to live with her father after being raised in Hawaii by her mom. Walker was just getting used to being a dad when his life suddenly ended. In . an interview with Salon Magazine while shooting Fast & Furious 7, . he admitted being 'torn' between work and family life, saying 'I'm . excited for the work. My daughter is 15. I go home every weekend. Smash: Sheriff's deputies work near the wreckage of the Porsche in which actor Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas were driving on Saturday . Wreckage: The aftermath of the tragic car crash that killed Fast & Furious star Paul Walker. The 40-year-old actor died after the Porsche crashed and exploded in Santa Clarita, LA, on Saturday . Last picture: Fast & Furious star Paul Walker is pictured by the red Porsche Carrera GY that he was killed in when it crashed and burst into flames - less than half an hour before the fatal crash . 'She's the best thing I have right now. It's a real healing time for both of us, so it's finding the right balance. You can reinvent yourself, but inside, there's truth to the noise. I may miss out on the best moments of my life, so it's maintaining the balance. I don't have to work if I don't want to, but I love the work,' he said. Walker's father said he having a 'real hard time talking with Meadow' and that all he's been able to do so far is give her a hug and a kiss. 'It's hard to get to Meadow because she's got do many people close to her that are loving her and we want that,' he said. Dad: Walker leaves behind 15-year-old Meadow (pictured above when she was younger) Unfortunately your browser does not support IFrames. Vigil: Fans congregate to pay respects at a makeshift memorial for Paul Walker at the crash site in Valencia, California . Fans: Candles, photos and mementos left at the makeshift memorial by the spot where Paul Walker died in Valencia, California, on Saturday . | According to Paul Walker's father, Paul Walker Sr, the last time he spoke with his son he asked him to stop risking his life .
The actor died Saturday while riding in the passenger seat of a cherry red Porsche with his friend Roger Rodas .
According to an autopsy, Walker survived the crash but died in the explosion that followed .
He leaves behind a 15-year-old daughter named Meadow . |
242,094 | c552e86ae830543d9eed6ce5c69ef6b3604a156d | By . Jack Doyle . PUBLISHED: . 05:37 EST, 24 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:44 EST, 24 January 2013 . Police were accused of exaggerating falls in crime last night as official figures showed dramatic drops in burglary, car crime and vandalism. The national crime survey showed overall crime fell by more than 8 per cent last year to a record low. Police recorded crime figures showed a similar fall, of 7 per cent. Strange: The line on this Government graph show the rate of crime according to the British Crime Survey, and the bar chart shows crimes recorded by police, which is much lower . But the Office for National Statistics said police figures may have exaggerated the fall in crime in recent years. Officials said police were under ‘informal pressure’ to meet crime reduction targets and so may have downgraded some crimes so they were not reported. This could lead to a burglary being reported as criminal damage or low-level vandalism as anti-social behaviour, they said. Police recorded 400,000 fewer offences over five years than those reported in Crime Survey for England and Wales, a survey of more than 40,000 households seen as more accurate because it is not linked to police figures. Labour called for an inquiry into whether fewer crimes were being recorded as a result of cuts in police funding. But the Association of Chief Police Officers insisted there were other reasons to explain the discrepancy. Douglas Paxton, Deputy Chief Constable of Staffordshire, said officers may have been ‘over-zealous’ in how they recorded crime when new standards were brought in ten years ago. He added that more crimes were dealt with informally by neighbourhood policing teams. Questions: Experts have said the police's recording of crimes may be lower than they should be - as low-level crime may be dropping off the system . The CSEW shows that crime has reached its lowest level since records began in 1981, despite sharp cuts to police funding. In what will come as good news for Home Secretary Theresa May, the national crime survey found there were 8.9million crimes committed in the year to September 2012 – 820,000 fewer than a year earlier. The Office for National Statistics said it expected crime to fall even further in future as yesterday’s numbers were the start of an ‘emerging downward trend’. 8.9 million incidents of crime, down 8%* . 1.8 million incidents of vandalism, down 14% . 653,000 incidents of burglary, down 11% . 1.1 million vehicle-related thefts, down 11% . 468,000 bicycle thefts,up 2% . 1.4 million household thefts, up 5% . 3.6 million household crimes, down 4% . 551,000 thefts from the person, down 7% . 1 million thefts of personal property, down 8% . 1.9 million incidents of violence, down 12% . 1.8 million personal theft, down 6% . *according to the British Crime Survey . It showed that burglary was down by 11 per cent, including an 18 per cent fall in break-ins in which the intruder entered the property. Theft from vehicles was down 11 per cent. Overall, violent crime was down by 12 per cent – with the number having halved since 1995. The murder rate fell 10 per cent to 551, its lowest since 1978. Statisticians said the fall in house and car break-ins was linked to improvements in home security and car locking and alarm systems. But so-called pickpocket thefts rose 6 per cent, due to thieves targeting expensive iPods and iPhones to sell on overseas. Crime prevention minister Jeremy Browne said: ‘Police reform is working. We have swept away central targets, reduced bureaucracy and these figures show forces are rising to the challenge of doing more with less.’ Forces are no longer judged on a Labour target for bringing offenders to justice which critics said encouraged the police to solve easy crimes to improve their clear-up rate. John Flatley, of the ONS, said: ‘[With] some lower level crimes there is a judgment call to be made as to whether the incident attended to by the officer is actually a crime in law or a low level incident that would not get into the crime figures. ‘It’s possible in an era of targets to cut crime and pressure on officers to see a reduction in crime that their judgment will sway more to including that in the lower level category.’ | There were 8.9m crimes in 12 months to September - the lowest ever according to the official British Crime Survey .
Nearly all crime is down apart from street theft, as criminals are targeting smartphones, iPods, iPads and bikes .
But separate crime figures recorded by police show an even bigger drop, which experts say shows that have 'overstated' improvement .
Targets 'may have swayed officers into downgrading marginal incidents', ONS says . |
167,293 | 645af172cfb4b688276a891683f355875b78454b | He may be the future king of Britain, but for now Prince George of Cambridge is just a little "rascal" according to his proud father Prince William. Sitting in his garden at Kensington Palace on a warm summer day, the Duke of Cambridge, second in line to the British throne, told CNN that George is already quite a character in his first official interview since the birth in London on July 22. "He's a little bit of a rascal, I'll put it that way," William told CNN's Max Foster. "He either reminds me of my brother or me when I was younger, I'm not sure, but he's doing very well at the moment." "He's growing quite quickly actually. But he's a little fighter -- he wriggles around quite a lot and he doesn't want to go to sleep that much." William said his wife Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, has been handling more of the night duties with baby George -- and admitted he's looking forward to going back to his job as a Royal Air Force search-and-rescue pilot in order to catch up on some much-needed sleep. "Well, as a few fathers might know, I'm actually quite looking forward to going back to work (to) get some sleep. So I'm just hoping the first few shifts I go back I don't have any night jobs." William, dressed casually in blue jeans and a polo shirt, laughed as he described the moment he and Catherine appeared on the steps at the Lindo Wing of St. Mary's Hospital in London to show baby George to the world for the first time. Prince William said: "I think more shock was the feeling I felt, but I was on such a high anyway, and so was Catherine, about George that really we were happy to show him off to whoever wanted to see him." "As any new parent knows, you're only too happy to show off your new child and, you know, proclaim that he is the best looking or the best everything. It's nice that people want to see George -- I'm just glad he wasn't screaming his head off the whole way through," he said with a laugh. Royal baby name: The history behind George Alexander Louis . Fathers around the world watched in disbelief as William, surrounded by hundreds of press photographers, deftly secured his son's car seat in the back of his vehicle on the first try -- but the prince admitted there was more than luck involved in the maneuver. "Believe, me it wasn't my first time," William said, "and I know there's been some speculation about that. I had to practice, I really did -- I was terrified it was going to fall off or the door wasn't going to close properly." While the pictures of William climbing behind the wheel and driving his young family home from the hospital may have reinforced perceptions that he'll bring a more modern approach to Britain's monarchy, the future king told CNN it was simply more about doing things his way. Opinion: Baby helps make a monarchy matter . He said: "I am as independent as I want to be, same as Catherine and Harry. We've all grown up differently to other generations and I very much feel if that I can do it myself, I want to do it myself." "There are times where you can't do it yourself and the system takes over, or it's appropriate to do things differently. But I think driving your son and your wife away from hospital was really important to me." While the future king may have prevailed on the issue of driving his family home, he says he was less successful at avoiding that hallowed tradition of new parenthood: changing the first diaper. "I did the first nappy, it's a badge of honor," he joked. "I wasn't allowed to get away with that. I had every midwife staring at me, saying: 'You do it, you do it.'" William told CNN that Catherine is doing "a fantastic job" with baby George and that his young family is now his priority. The prince said last week that he will miss living on the Welsh island of Anglesey when his three-year tour as an RAF pilot there comes to an end next month. "For me, Catherine and now little George are my priorities -- and Lupo," the prince said with a smile. Thankfully Lupo, the couple's Cocker Spaniel, seems to be on board with the new addition to the family. "He's coping all right, actually. As a lot of people know who have got dogs and bringing a newborn back, they take a little bit of time to adapt, but he's been all right so far. He's been slobbering around the house a bit, so he's perfectly happy." One of William's great passions is saving endangered species in Africa. He told CNN he wants George to experience the same Africa he saw as a young man and spark a passion for preserving the unique wildlife there, much as his father, Prince Charles, did with him. "I'll have toy elephants and rhinos around the room," William joked. "We'll cover it in lots of bushes and things like that, make him grow up as if he's in the bush." In the meantime, William said the possibility of his son carrying on the royal family's legacy in Africa isn't an immediate concern. "At the moment, the only legacy I want to pass on to him is to sleep more and maybe not have to change his nappy so many times," he laughed. And like any new mother or father, the future monarch said he was surprised and amazed by parenthood so far. "The last few weeks for me have been a very different emotional experience, something I never thought I would feel myself. And I find, again it's only been a short period, but a lot of things affect me differently now." | Prince William gives first official interview after birth of son to CNN's Max Foster .
William calls son a "rascal," says he's looking forward to going back to work to "get some sleep"
William: George "reminds me of my brother or me when I was younger, he's doing very well"
Catherine "doing a fantastic job" as a new mother; William says his family now the priority . |
203,411 | 934f5c57247705fbc6f04a5c689a9f6344955e70 | Hibs have confirmed the club is in ‘complex negotiations’ over a restructuring of its £5.5million debt. The Easter Road outfit insisted that talk of a ‘total’ debt write-off was ‘not based on fact’ and was ‘speculative’ but it is understood discussions between the club, the holding company and the bank centre on significantly reducing Hibs’ arrears. As the Easter Road club announced a later-than-usual annual general meeting date, however, chief executive Leeann Dempster insisted a deal to place the club in the black is not close. Hibernian chief executive Leeann Dempster says a deal to put the club in the black is not close . Normally held in November, the club AGM will now take place on January 28 to allow talks between Hibs, the club’s bank and HFC Holdings to continue to take place on debt restructuring. HFC Holdings are Sir Tom Farmer’s company, through which the Kwik Fit chief executive owns the Easter Road club. The 74-year-old tycoon bought Hibs in 1990 to avoid a hostile takeover bid by ex-Hearts chief Wallace Mercer. In a brief statement issued on Tuesday night on the club website, chief executive Dempster confirmed talks have been ongoing ‘for some time’ and ‘have focused on the club’s long-term future’. She added: ‘Discussions have taken place involving the club, HFC Holdings and the bank. We have decided to hold the AGM slightly later than usual in order to allow these talks to be concluded. The outcome will be reflected in the board’s plans for the future which we will present at the AGM and talk in detail to our supporters.’ The club's relegation under Terry Butcher sparked a year of fan unrest at Easter Road . In the last set of published club accounts, up to July 2013, Hibs’ net debt stood at £5.5m. But HFC Holdings Ltd boast substantial assets in the form of Easter Road and the club’s East Mains training centre. The Hibs debt restructuring talks come at the end of a year of fan unrest sparked by the club’s dismal relegation under Terry Butcher. The backlash led to supporter consortium BuyHibs being formed to try to raise cash to launch a buyout not dissimilar to the way The Foundation of Hearts (FoH) are funding their takeover of the Tynecastle club aided by the wealth of IT tycoon Ann Budge. In their brief statement, the club added: ‘Hibernian FC today announced that the AGM for shareholders will take place on January 28. This will allow complex negotiations between the club, the holding company and the bank to be concluded. ‘The talks have been ongoing for some time, and have focused on the club’s long-term future. Media reports of a total debt write-off are not based on fact, and are speculative.’ Dempster and chairman Rod Petrie have seen Hibs struggle on the pitch in the Scottish Championship . A debt-free Hibs would clearly be more attractive should Farmer wish to sell his 90-per-cent share but he has maintained his stance that any new owners would have to be ‘right’ for the club. Having rescued the Easter Road outfit from the clutches of an unwanted takeover by Hearts’ Wallace Mercer and the brink of receivership in 1990, Farmer has talked of saving the club for the local community and is said to be keen to leave a ‘legacy’. Whether this includes selling his stake remains to be seen but one report yesterday put Edinburgh-born businessman Richard Skellett in pole position to take over the club should the 74-year-old Farmer wish to sell up. The CEO and chairman of Allied Worldwide, an IT managed services company based in High Wycombe near London, Skellett is said to have been involved in discussions with Hibs for the last two years and was pictured at Easter Road for the Edinburgh derby against Hearts in October. In February this year, Dundee United announced they had cleared their £3m bank debts in a restructuring deal. Then in March, Kilmarnock had £9.4m cleared from the club’s liabilities. And last month, Aberdeen revealed that a £14.5m debt to Willie and Elaine Donald had been wiped from the club’s ledger. | Hibernian are trying to reduce the arrears of the Edinburgh-based club .
CEO Leeann Dempster says deal to get Hibs in the black is not close .
Easter Road outfit announced later-than-usual annual general meeting date . |
141,729 | 43497bd78ae8c52f9fb0884520f776239c660d0a | (CNN) -- Months after a nationwide manhunt helped authorities track down kidnapped California teen Hannah Anderson, she's revealing new details about her conversations with the man who allegedly held her hostage. In an interview with NBC's "Today" show set to be broadcast Thursday morning, Anderson describes the time she spent with alleged kidnapper James DiMaggio in his house about an hour east of San Diego. Anderson says DiMaggio sat her down on a couch, handcuffed her, zip-tied her feet and revealed his plan to kidnap her and take her to Idaho. The day quickly took an even darker turn, Anderson told "Today," describing how DiMaggio encouraged her to play Russian roulette with him, using a real gun. Autopsy: Hannah Anderson's mother, brother were beaten and burned . "When it was my turn, I started crying and, like, was freaking out," Anderson said. "And he said, 'Do you want to play?' And I said, 'No,' and I started crying, and he's like, 'OK,' and he stopped." Anderson said DiMaggio told her he would eventually get her home. He also told her that her mother and brother were in his house, alive. Police later found the bodies of her mother and brother at DiMaggio's burned home. After evading authorities for a week, DiMaggio was spotted in the Idaho wilderness on August 10, nearly 1,000 miles from where the alleged kidnapping occurred. An FBI agent shot him dead and Hannah, 16, was returned to her family in Southern California. James DiMaggio's sister to Piers Morgan: Hannah Anderson was 'trouble' The nationwide manhunt for DiMaggio drew widespread attention and sparked widespread speculation about the case. Now, the author of a new book is criticizing the teen's behavior and claiming there are inconsistencies in her story, CNN affiliate KGTV reported. An Anderson family spokeswoman told CNN the family has no comment on the book. Anderson, meanwhile, told "Today" that thinking about her abductor makes her "disgusted" and "angry," according to quotes from the interview published on the morning show's website. But learning more about the Amber Alert issued by authorities as they searched for her, she said, has helped her recovery. "It helped me keep going through healing," she said, "knowing that people were looking for me and that they're on my side." Hannah's first interview: 'My mom raised me to be strong' CNN's Faith Karimi contributed to this report. | "I started crying," Hannah Anderson says, describing a conversation with her kidnapper .
Anderson says James DiMaggio tried to make her play Russian roulette with a real gun .
The California teen was found after a weeklong manhunt for her alleged captor . |
168,848 | 666e8571bedca036a334f866dbf8b26af3e61999 | (CNN) -- The recent smartphone video of Marines urinating on the bodies of slain Taliban should trouble all Americans. It is troubling even if allowances are made for young men -- recently released from the high pressures of combat and in the euphoria of being successful and still being alive -- doing dumb things. It should trouble us even allowing for the inevitable dehumanization of the enemy that often accompanies conflict. Keeping the human aspect of an enemy in mind is more than just a moral imperative, though. It makes good operational and strategic sense. And in this, intelligence has a special role. One of the first briefings I gave President George W. Bush as deputy director of national intelligence was on Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, the fiendishly brutal head of al Qaeda in Iraq. I began with Zarqawi's upbringing: "Raised on the mean streets of Zarqa, jailed as a teenager, he turned to religion in prison ..." I was less trying to humanize him than to understand him, but the effect was largely the same. And even duly "humanized," Zarqawi remained our highest priority target in Iraq until we killed him the next year. Recognizing this human aspect of an enemy takes on even greater significance when a belligerent decides that it's time to negotiate with an adversary, when it's decided (or reluctantly accepted) that you will not be able to simply impose your will on him. This, by the way, is different than concluding that someone with whom you are still engaged in combat is no longer your enemy, as Vice President Joe Biden recently did when describing the Taliban. But it does mean that you are willing to recognize that he has legitimate political interests and you are willing to talk about them. Under any circumstance, talks with the Taliban will be a difficult task. For one thing, the pressure we can bring to bear on our negotiating partner diminishes daily as American troops leave Afghanistan based on an accelerated timetable rather than on battlefield conditions. A recent survey of national security wonks like myself had a full three-quarters of respondents either opposing these talks or saying they are likely to fail. So this is going to be tough and, as in many difficult undertakings, intelligence will be expected to play an important role. Taliban has met with U.S. officials, won't negotiate with Karzai . At the most basic level, intelligence will be asked what are the Taliban's interests or more precisely what is it they think they are. Intelligence will work to steal secrets: What are their demands, their going-in positions, their true red lines? In this case, negotiators will also want to know whether their Taliban interlocutors actually speak for the whole. Can they deliver on an agreement? I recall during the Bush administration, in one of our periodic crises with Syria, being asked by the president: "What does Assad want?" It was a question that went to the nature of the man. I responded with the often true but rarely useful, "I don't know." And I little helped the situation by meekly adding that I doubted that he did either. We did better during later negotiations with North Korea where, despite whatever negotiating strategy was being proposed, we stuck to the line that we saw little chance that Kim Jong Il would ever give up his nuclear weapons. We'll need the intelligence agencies to be equally accurate and equally firm in their judgments when it comes to the Taliban talks. Intelligence may be able to help in other ways since it has been routine for American intelligence officials to meet with and come to agreement with foreign counterparts, many of whom share little of our world view, our values or even our interests. A good thing, too, since one of the continuities between Presidents Bush and Obama has been the willingness to work with some unsavory partners such as President Ali Abdullah Saleh of Yemen or several recent incarnations of Pakistan's ISI. I can recall many a meeting with counterparts where the common space where we might find agreement was challengingly small. In some of those sessions, my counterpart would depart the seemingly fact-based dialogue we had been sharing and launch into a series of conclusions based more on his culture's creation mythology than on any shared reality I could identify. For a time, I thought it sufficient to simply avoid signaling any agreement at these moments and patiently tolerate the excursion. Only later did I begin to ask myself what of my commentary had my counterpart judged to be American mythology rather than hard realism. Distinguishing and dealing with the differences will be important in the upcoming negotiations. Steve Kappes, who has served as deputy director of CIA for me and Leon Panetta, had to do as much when he earlier negotiated the end of Libya's WMD program with a regime as vile and erratic as the Taliban. This is not to suggest that intelligence officials will actually conduct negotiations in this instance. Marc Grossman, U.S. special envoy to Afghanistan and Pakistan, brings as much talent, hard work and knowledge to the problem as anyone could. But I am suggesting that if these talks go forward, we will need a very deep understanding of the people across the table from us, people who when last in power imposed a hellish regime on their countrymen and who today have the blood of innocents on their hands. Much of this will be distasteful, but even if the Taliban aren't simply contemporary manifestations of J.R.R. Tolkien's darkest characters, is there enough common ground to get us to a conclusion we might not ideally desire but is at least what David Petraeus has described in other circumstances as "Afghan good enough?" Frankly, I don't think there is, and intelligence agencies will have to have the courage to say so if this is the case. But we have decided to try and, if we are to have any chance of success, deep understanding of the human beings across the table from us, understanding anchored on near exquisite intelligence, will be essential. Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter . Join the conversation on Facebook . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Michael V. Hayden. | Michael Hayden says talks with the Taliban are going to be difficult, unlikely to succeed .
He says it's crucial to know as much as you can about the enemy in talks like these .
Odds of success in talks with Taliban are diminished by U.S. plans for withdrawals, he says . |
108,409 | 17c9cac06d8475f7712735ed84daadeb86100e2e | By . Tara Brady . The remains of the first emperor of Brazil Dom Pedro I and his two wives have been exhumed 180 years after he died which could re-write the history of the country. Tests were carried out in secrecy between February and September 2012 by historian and archaeologist Valdirene Carmo Ambiel at the University of Sao Paulo who hopes to shed more light on the Imperial family. Over three mornings, the remains were transported from the Brazilian Imperial Crypt, in Independence Park, to the university's medical school. Regal: This picture shows the remains of Dom Pedro who was Brazil's first emperor and king of Portugal. Tests were carried out on the skeleton after he was exhumed from the Brazilian Imperial Crypt . Researchers discovered the emperor had four fractured ribs on the left side which would have crippled one of his lungs and may have aggravated the tuberculosis that killed him at age 36 in 1834. The injuries were the result of falling from a horse in 1823 and a chariot in 1829. Surprisingly, when his casket was brought up, there was no insignia or Brazilian emblem among the five medals found with the skeleton. The first emperor of Brazil was buried as a Portuguese general wearing cavalry boots. The face of an emperor: Dom Pedro was examined by experts at the University of Sao Paulo . Discovery: The first emperor of Brazil was buried as a Portuguese general wearing cavalry boots . Historic: Researchers hope to find out more about Brazil's first Imperial family . The only reference to the period Pedro ruled Brazil is the cover of one of his coffins which reads: 'First Emperor of Brazil' beside 'King of Portugal and Algarves.' For the first time, the country's largest hospital complex was used for historic research which carried out hours of scans using state-of-the-art equipment. His two wives, Dona Leopoldina and Dona Amelia of Leuchtenberg were also examined. The most surprising find was that Dona Amelia of Leuchtenberg, Dom Pedro's second wife, was mummified and preserved so well you can see her hair, nails and even eyelashes. Research: Medical experts and historians examined the remains over three days using modern technology including a MRI scanner . Within her well-preserved hands, which still have skin on, she holds a crucifix made of wood and metal. It had been thought that the emperor's first wife Dona Leopoldina, had fallen or been thrown down a staircase in the palace of Quinta da Boa Vista, where the Royal family lived. However radiographers could not verify in she had fractured bones. A medical researcher said: 'The lab was transformed with professionals using the latest equipment for the sake of historical research. 'The material collected will be useful to continue the research in several areas over the coming years.' Exhumed: The research showed Dom Pedro I had four fractured ribs which could have led to him getting tuberculosis . Pedro I was born October 12, 1798, in Lisbon, Portugal and was the founder of the Brazilian empire and first emperor of Brazil from 1822. He was also crowned King Pedro IV of Portugal. Generally known as Dom Pedro, he was the son of King John VI of Portugal. When Napoleon conquered Portugal in 1807, Pedro accompanied the royal family in its flight to Brazil. He remained there as regent when King John returned to Portugal in 1821. Pedro surrounded himself with ministers who counseled independence. When the Portuguese parliament, preferring colonial status for Brazil, demanded that Pedro return to Lisbon to 'complete his political education,' he issued a declaration of Brazilian independence on September 7, 1822. Within three months he was crowned emperor. Pedro’s initial popularity waned, and in 1823, when the Brazilian Assembly was preparing a liberal constitution, he dissolved that body and exiled the radical leader José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva. On March 25, 1824, however, Pedro accepted a somewhat less liberal constitution drafted by the Council of State at his request. Although adoption of that charter may have saved Pedro from deposition, it did not reestablish his popularity. Preserved: Dom Pedro's two wives, Dona Amelia of Leuchtenberg (left) and . Dona Leopoldina (right) were also examined by experts who discovered . his second wife was mummified . His autocratic manner, his lack of enthusiasm for parliamentary government, and his continuing deep interest in Portuguese affairs antagonised his subjects, as did the failure of his military forces in a war with Argentina over what is now Uruguay. Strong opposition in the Brazilian Parliament and a series of local uprisings induced him to abdicate in 1831 in favour of his son Dom Pedro II, who was then five-years-old. Pedro I then returned to Portugal. On the death of King John VI in 1826, Pedro I had become titular king of Portugal as Pedro IV. Two months later, still in Brazil, he issued a parliamentary charter for Portugal and conditionally abdicated the Portuguese throne in favour of his daughter Maria da Glória, the future Queen Maria II. He died of natural causes in Portugal while securing his daughter’s claim against that of his brother, the regent Miguel. | Tests carried out on the remains in secrecy at the University of Sao Paulo .
Researchers discovered he had four fractured ribs when he died .
Second wife so well preserved you can still see her eyelashes . |
84,112 | ee8d040ea5752d82bc0057e8fe713f7d9f0198d8 | A woman has exacted the ultimate revenge on her roommate after she wrapped every item in his bathroom with cling wrap and aluminium foil. Shari Griffin, who lives in Darwin, was getting her roommate named Chris back for parking horizontally across both car spaces in their apartment block as a prank. 'I came on a Sunday night at 9.30pm and... at the time I had to do a 50-point turn and go back down three storeys and park on the road. I was pissed off,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Scroll down for video . Shari Griffin was getting back at her housemate for parking horizontally across both their car spaces . The 24-year-old lives in Darwin in the Northern Territory posted a video of the prank on her Facebook page . So the Northern Territory woman, 24, hatched her own hilarious plan, which took between half an hour to an hour to complete, and posted a video of her efforts on Facebook. In the footage, Ms Griffin showed off how she had wrapped every from the toilet to the basin to skincare products in her housemate's bathroom with cling wrap and aluminium foil. It has garnered just over 2,000 views so far on the social media site. Ms Griffin said she had seen someone else had carried out a similar prank on social media and had found it funny. It took her between half an hour and an hour to complete her prank, which included wrapping the toilet (left) and toilet paper (right) When her housemate came home, much to her frustration, he pretended like nothing was wrong. 'At first he was walked in and said "This is the way I left it",' Ms Griffin said. 'He acted like it didn't even bother him because he knew it would p*** me off. When her housemate came home, he pretended not to notice because he knew it would annoy her . 'He was joking around saying "Why wouldn't I put tinfoil on the sunscreen?" and "Why wouldn't I put cling wrap on the shower head?" It was funny.' Ms Griffin said she and her housemate 'get along like brother and sister' and she expected retaliation. 'It's like a war zone at home. Every time I come home I'm being really cautious about what I touch. I know he'll get me back,' she said. | Shari Griffin, who lives in Darwin, pulled the prank on her housemate Chris .
It took her between a half an hour and an hour to wrap up the bathroom .
She got her housemate back after he parked across both their car spaces .
Ms Griffin said she was now scared her housemate would prank her again . |
162,150 | 5da681ded2dc072480f618cd4ad7646dc16ff62b | Ever get so stressed at work that you feel like you just to need to relax in a world of your own? Now you can thanks to a 'bubble' designed to provide a calming refuge for stressed office workers. Called the Orrb pod, it allows the user to escape bustling open-plan workspaces and find time for themselves in a secure and enclosed space. Scroll down for video . A bubble designed to provide a calming refuge for stressed office workers is set for launch. The Orrb is a pod in which the user can escape bustling open-plan workspaces and find time for themselves. It is described as a 'corporate wellness facility' or like using a 'mind gym' The pod was designed by London-based designer Lee McCormark. Described as a 'corporate wellness facility' or like using a 'mind gym', individuals access an online account when they first enter. Here they can choose from a selection of wellness routines under the banners of relax, learn, test and boost, in either 10, 20 or 30 minute allocated time slots. People who work longer than 48 hours a week a more likely to develop a dangerous relationship with alcohol, experts from the Finnish Institute of Occupational Health have warned. More than 14 alcoholic drinks a week for women and more than 21 drinks for men is considered 'risky', raising a person's risk of liver disease, cancer, stroke, coronary heart disease and mental health problems. The European Working Time Directive gives people the right to work no more than 48 hours each week, including overtime. However, vast swathes of the workforce across the continent put in much longer hours to achieve faster promotion, salary increases or simply get their job done. Past studies have found a link between working longer hours and 'risky' alcohol consumption. Aside from being confined to an office, developers also see Orrbs possibly being placed in airports, universities and public spaces. Devices are currently being hand-finished in the US and UK, the two initial territories targeted by the company, and Orrb is set to launch officially in Spring with the subscription service Orrb X. Orrb will be launching in San Francisco and London, and they are aiming for 250 initial orders. 'We've been hearing back from the wellness training industries and it's all positive,' said Mr McCormack. 'The timing is right for something like this, it's taken the wellness industry a while to build up the traction with corporate work culture, companies now get it and are receptive to what they are saying. 'We've now come along to say "we can go that extra distance, we all know how hard it can be to fully engage with content like this in the workplace, we can offer a user experience that will be exactly the same quality right across the network."' London-based designer Lee McCormack also sees Orrbs being placed in airports, universities and public spaces (illustration shown). The devices are currently being hand-finished in the US and UK, the two initial territories targeted by the company, and Orrb is set to launch officially in spring . Inside individuals access an online account on a touch screen (shown), from where they can choose from a selection of wellness routines under the banners of relax, learn, test and boost, in either 10, 20 or 30 minute allocated time slots to take a break from work . The pods will come in a variety of colours including white and black, and include a comfortable seat inside to let the occupant adequately relax. 'We've been hearing back from the wellness training industries and it's all positive,' said Mr McCormack . Orrb investor Khajak Keledjian, Chief Executive of Intermix, said: 'Taking a moment out, for 10 or 20 minutes a day, is vital in business. 'You need a moment to close up, to see and feel for yourself, and in order to do that you need somewhere to go; you need the tools to be able to do that.' Mr Keledjian cited the stresses of running a successful business as the key factor in seeking out meditation and then further investigating how wellness could be incorporated into our environment. 'The idea is to really have it available so that it can reach out to a wider population and the beauty of this device is that it can be used for many purposes,' he explained. 'You can meditate, you can relax, if you choose to, people can buy it and different people have used it for different purposes, I see it in airports, universities, public spaces [in the future].' Perhaps in the the future these small enclosed spaces will be seen in airports, train stations and more, as seen in this illustration. Orrb investor Khajak Keledjian, Chief Executive of Intermix, said: 'Taking a moment out, for 10 or 20 minutes a day, is vital in business . When closed the sleek and stylish design is all but impenetrable, so no-one can ruin your time spent by yourself inside. Mr Keledjian cited the stresses of running a successful business as the key factor in seeking out meditation and then further investigating how wellness could be incorporated into our environment . Steve Kahan, program director for HAPI, a New York based wellness research company, worked with Mr McCormack on the Orrb. He said: 'All the way along we've made sure that it's for everybody, not just for a particular personality type. 'A happy heart quietens down the busy brain, putting in place a programme that is part of an environment is a wonderful combination, it's going to reach globally. 'This is where we are heading, Orrb is using technology to go back to the roots of who we are as human beings.' | London-based designer has revealed a seclusion pod for workers .
Called Orrb it lets people take a 10, 20 or 30 minute break .
The small space has a door that can be closed for privacy .
Inside a touch screen can be used to select from a variety of 'programmes'
It is described as a 'mind gym' for people who are overly stressed .
It will launch in spring of this year in London and San Francisco .
Although designed for offices it could be used in other public places such as airports and universities . |
152,391 | 50f2e57a66b5550cfb13dff07ec360348d77c512 | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Osama bin Laden's three widows and two daughters could be deported from Pakistan on Wednesday after their period of house detention expired overnight. A Pakistani judge ordered earlier this month that the five women be deported back to their countries of citizenship after serving their sentence for living illegally in Pakistan. The 45-day detention period ended Tuesday night, said Aamir Khalil, the widows' lawyer. But he said he had no information on when they would be deported. The widows -- identified by U.S. and Pakistani officials as Amal Ahmed Abdul Fateh, Khairiah Sabar and Siham Sabar -- have been in Pakistani custody since U.S. Navy SEALs raided bin Laden's compound in Abbottabad and killed the al Qaeda leader in May 2011. The daughters are aged 17 and 21, Khalil said. All five defendants confessed to impersonation, illegal entry into Pakistan and staying illegally in Pakistan and chose not to appeal the judge's sentence. Yemen has officially announced that it will allow Fateh, bin Laden's youngest widow, to return to her homeland. Her brother Zakaria Abdul Fateh said the Yemeni Embassy in Islamabad was processing her paperwork and that she planned to go back to Sanaa next month. The position of the authorities in Saudi Arabia, where the other two widows are from, is unclear. Saudi Arabia had initially been resistant to their return. Bin Laden spent years on the run in Pakistan after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, moving from one safe house to another and fathering four children with Fateh -- at least one of whom was born in a government hospital, she told Pakistani investigators. A deposition taken from Fateh gives the clearest picture yet of bin Laden's life while international forces hunted him. He and his family moved from city to city with the help of Pakistanis who arranged "everything" for them, Fateh said, according to the deposition. She told police she never applied for a visa during her stay in Pakistan. CNN's Shaan Khan and journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report. | The detention of the widows and daughters of Osama bin Laden has ended .
A Pakistani judge ordered that they be deported once they had served the sentence .
The widows' lawyer says he doesn't know when they'll leave the country .
Yemen has said it will allow the Yemeni widow to return home . |
103,081 | 10e163e2bdebfd75a5991f25eeabaab87ba97d37 | BERLIN, Germany (CNN) -- Jeffrey Jamaleldine took a bullet to his chin that blew out much of his jaw and nearly killed him while deployed in Iraq last year. The sacrifice is just part of his job, he says, and he'd go back to Iraq in a second if asked. Jeffrey Jamaleldine left Germany for college in America. In 2006, he joined the U.S. Army. That is something that troubles his family, especially his father. Jamaleldine served in the U.S. Army as a German citizen, one of an estimated 20,500 "green-card warriors" in the military. Last month, Jamaleldine was awarded U.S. citizenship, but he's keeping his German passport. Bashir Jamaleldine says his son is fighting an unjust war for an America that went too far when it invaded Iraq five years ago -- a sentiment shared by the majority of Germans. He wishes his son would get back to his "German roots." "It would satisfy me more. Why he's more American than a German, I don't know," he says. Of his son's time in Iraq, the father says, "He went there to receive this bullet. If he would not have gone there, he wouldn't have been wounded; he wouldn't be in the hospital; he wouldn't be treated by a doctor. He would be living in peace with his family." Shaking his head with his son at his side, he adds, "He is more American than German." Jeffrey Jamaleldine, a 31-year-old U.S. Army scout who proudly wears a Stetson hat and spurs on his boots, laughs. He says he and his dad have had countless arguments over his decision to join the U.S. military, but the two never budge from their positions. See his shattered jaw and debate with his dad » . "He hears what I'm saying, but there's just no coming through," he says. The father came to Germany from Africa years ago. He says his son should be devoting his energy to fighting hunger and poverty in Africa, not fighting in Iraq. The son agrees with his father on one thing: His love for America is unwavering. Jeffrey Jamaleldine moved to the United States to go to college in Missouri at the age of 18 and immediately fell in love with the United States and its culture. "You can go from rags to riches there. People still believe in that. It is not something that has gotten lost," he says. And when the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, happened, he felt it was time for him to do something. "A small group of people [terrorists] -- I felt -- had a big influence on our way of life and that literally pissed me off," he says. By accident, he says he found out that with his green card, he could join the U.S. military. And in 2006, he did just that. Read why a "green-card" Marine would die for America . Last year, he paid a heavy price for his patriotism. Pinned down in a firefight with insurgents in the Iraqi city of Ramadi, Jamaleldine was shot in the face. "I felt like I got hit by Mike Tyson," he says, pointing to a two-inch long scar on his left cheek. The left side his jaw was shattered and now doctors at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center in Germany are reconstructing his facial bones. "Part of the projectile is still stuck in the right cheekbone," Dr. Edward Vanisky says. "But if it doesn't cause you any problems, we'll just leave it in there." While many Americans would consider Jamaleldine a hero, most in his home country don't. Germans largely oppose the Iraq war. The criticism doesn't bother him. Watch why a German would fight for U.S. » . He says even after getting wounded on the battlefield, he would go fight for America again if ordered back to Iraq. "I still don't want to die, I love life, I enjoy life," he says. "But I would still make the sacrifice to go to Iraq again if I am called. If I have to go, I will -- to stand up for what I believe in," he says. His father looks on in disbelief as he listens to his son, now an American citizen. But Jeffrey Jamaleldine says joining the military was never about that, it was about defending American ideals. "If we have people who want to change those ideals or take them away," he says, "then there are people like me or my platoon who stand up and fight for those ideals." E-mail to a friend . | Soldier was one of more than 20,000 "green-card warriors"
Jeffrey Jamaleldine's dad wonders why his son is more "American than German"
Jamaleldine went to college in the U.S. and fell in love with the American dream .
"You can go from rags to riches there. People still believe in that," he says . |
108,236 | 1790fe93af7617d1161a4c0eb7cfbd9be3b7e8ed | By . Daily Mail Reporter . When Nigella Lawson had her belongings moved from the marital home she shared with multi-millionaire art collector Charles Saatchi into the London flat she's staying at following their very public altercation, she probably hadn't thought her Cannabis habit would be exposed. Luckily, for the domestic goddess, it was a perfectly legal Cannabis energy drink (£4.99, firebox.com) and not the real deal. The can was pictured wedged into the bottom of a Perspex box along with her other most essential belongings, such as a blender and cookery books. Nigella Lawson would appear to be a fan of Cannabis energy drinks, the high-caffeine legal tipple, packed with taurine, hemp seed extract, B vitamins and sugar, which were pictured inside one of her removal boxes . The drink, branded with a marijuana leaf and billed as ‘Amsterdam's coolest energy drink', may be guilty of crass marketing, but its ingredients are innocent. It contains hemp seed extract, caffeine, taurine (an amino acid which helps regulate the blood), B vitamins and a substantial 11 g of sugar, so it'll give you a sugar high but not a narcotic one. The drug cannabis is also an extract from the hemp family, but is made from a different variety of plant. Hemp has been used for years in products such as eco-clothing and natural carpeting. But now the oil is the biggest buzzword, as the manufacturers' boast that it is a good source of protein and essential fatty acids has led to sales of the drink soaring. It has been available in the UK only for 18 months, but a 50 per cent rise in sales is predicted this year. The drinks were spotted inside boxes lifted into a removal van outside the London home Nigella Lawson shared with Charles Saatchi . Hemp's natural nuttiness also lends itself to tea. German eco-brand Hanf Natur is behind a range of smoky teas made from dried hemp. One is mixed with raspberry leaves, rosehip and hibiscus to ‘soothe and calm your senses' (£4.35 from sativabags.com). And farmers in the Swiss Alps cultivate hemp to mix with green tea for an iced drink (£1.45, thehempshop.co.uk). Need perking up? Try hemp coffee (£8.90, hempiness.co.uk). While the marketing for Nigella's Cannabis can and other drinks may be tasteless, their contents are anything but. | Drink is legal Cannabis drink (£4.99, Firebox)
Seen inside removal boxes as chef left house shared with Charles Saatchi .
Cannabis is packed with caffeine, taurine, hemp seed, B vitamins and sugar . |
187,502 | 7ed235de43c21b6fa2f5e8a5dd3a5f584e6211d6 | (CNN) -- Ten years ago we were carrying flip-screen mobiles, Evanescence was top of the charts and just 11.4% of the world was online. Internet giants like Google and Yahoo were already changing the way we explored the world, but sites like Facebook and Twitter were yet to upend how we communicated online. Now, nearly 40% the world is online, according to International Telecommunication Union statistics. Our mobile devices are powerful computers which help guide and inform our daily lives. Read more: Key moments in Twitter's history . It's a theme being explored by Le Web, Europe's largest tech conference which is taking place in Paris this week. Speakers at the conference include venture capitalist Fred Wilson, who invested in Twitter and Tumblr, Hugo Barra, the former Google executive who now heads Xiaomi's product portfolio, and Nick D'Aloisio, founder of artificial intelligence company Summly which was bought by Yahoo. As Le Web founder Loic le Meur identifies in his slideshow of Silicon Valley trends, we're entering an era where human mindfulness and the sharing economy develop alongside wearable technology, driverless cars and artificial intelligence. Read more: Internet gains are serendipity's loss . Speakers and attendees will outline how software is becoming rapidly smarter and technology is being woven into our everyday wear. Now, the mobile market is being deconstructed as traditional smartphones re-appear in our glasses, courtesy of Google, or on our wrists, as revealed by Samsung. Futurists say the next 10 years will see an acceleration in the advancement of such technology. And every bit of data we exchange will be tracked. Augmented reality will become the norm, and predictive software will deliver the answer to scientific, medical or personal queries for which we seek answers. Read more: I'm the original voice of Siri . The Internet of Things -- in which machines are interconnected, intuitive and predictive -- will become the reality of our everyday lives. As TheFuturesAgency's chief executive Gerd Leonard puts it, we may start feeling like a machine lives inside us -- or we live inside a machine. But alongside the exponential growth in technology, more community-minded trends have emerged. Online letting market AirBnB, car-sharing service Lyft and online education outlet Coursera are tapping into a desire to share intelligence, space and journeys in the real world. Read more: Twitter co-founder who plans to reinvent . And that real world may become more attractive that it has been before: Digital detox (there are apps for that) will help you kick that grab-the-smartphone twitch. | Ten years ago we carried flip phones, now mobiles help us through our daily lives .
In the future, smartphones are set to evolve into something that's an extension of ourselves .
Le Web, Europe's largest tech conference, is exploring what the next 10 years will bring .
Futurists say we expect a world where we were be entirely intertwined with technology . |
124,298 | 2caf389d2a09a76b80ab1f82d5fae42d201b8236 | (CNN) -- As Arwa Al-Hujaili begins her legal career, she has not only her own expectations to live up to, but those of a generation: she has just become Saudi Arabia's first female lawyer. After three years of petitioning the Ministry of Justice, Al-Hujaili, 25, has finally received her registration to practice as a trainee lawyer, the first woman to do so. "People tell me I'm a pioneer and I feel I need to live up to what they expect of me," says Al-Hujaili. "There's a great sense of responsibility. From now on, people will look at everything I do." Al-Hujaili, who decided on a legal career while preparing for university, graduated from King Abdulaziz University in Jeddah in 2010 and expected to be able to practice as a lawyer immediately. But much to her frustration, she has spent three years in a professional no-man's land, able to work as "legal consultant" but not officially recognized as a lawyer. Universities in Saudi Arabia began taking female law students in 2005 and the first graduates completed their studies in 2008. But the optimism soon wore off when female graduates found themselves unable to gain registration to practice. Many of Al-Hujaili's classmates, frustrated by the lack of progress in Saudi Arabia, left the country to work abroad. But Al-Hujaili stayed in her hometown of Jeddah and continued to apply for registration. In the meantime, some of her contemporaries began an online campaign to push for change, including a Facebook group called "I am a lawyer," a Twitter campaign and YouTube videos from women arguing their right to practice. In October last year, after accepting a petition with 3,000 signatures submitted by a group of female law graduates, King Abdullah announced that women would be allowed to register as lawyers. However, the Ministry of Justice still wasn't processing applications from women. "I kept on following up, but they wouldn't give me an answer either way," says Al-Hujaili. A friend and vocal campaigner, Hanouf Al-Hazzaa, then wrote a newspaper article in which she pleaded with King Abdullah to intervene. Al-Hazzaa had been one of Saudi Arabia's first batch of female law graduates in 2008, but had gone to the United States to practice after becoming disillusioned with the situation at home. "I wrote about how depressing the situation was, saying here we were, many of us working for federal courts outside the Kingdom, because we had no future inside it," says Al-Hazzaa . Two days later, the Ministry of Justice announced they would start accepting applications and soon afterwards Al-Hujaili's application was granted. Now working as a trainee lawyer and due to qualify fully in two years, Al-Hujaili hopes to pursue a career in family law to help other Saudi women. "Many women really need to talk to female lawyers, and I want to help those women to get their rights," she says. Al-Hujaili knows the path ahead won't always be smooth. "The social aspect is a very considerable one, for society to accept women lawyers, it's something new," she says. "It will be also challenging for the judiciary system to deal with female lawyers, but I think we can overcome these hardships if we prove ourselves as competent lawyers." Adam Coogle, a Middle East researcher for Human Rights Watch, agrees that challenges remain for female lawyers. "Saudi judges have a lot of leeway, and can remove a lawyer from a case," says Coogle. "She might face judges rejecting her counsel or not allowing her to speak, particularly if that judge is conservative and doesn't want women to speak in court." Other female lawyers are now following in Al-Hujaili's footsteps and gaining registration, although exact numbers are unclear. For Al-Hujaili, being able to pursue a legal career at home was well worth the wait. "Success is a nice feeling, especially when it comes after tribulation," she says. | Arwa Al-Hujaili has become Saudi Arabia's first female lawyer .
Women were able to study law, but could only practice as "legal consultants"
The move came after years of online protests from female law graduates . |
235,007 | bc33444cb2fb6ffb788b4a3fb6d61e2c63286c4c | An ancient gospel has been discovered in the pages of a diminutive book dating back to the 6th century. The text, dubbed the ‘Gospel of the Lots of Mary’ is written in Coptic and contains oracles that would have been used to provide support and reassurance to people seeking help for problems. It is not a gospel in the traditional sense, because it doesn’t predominantly teach about Christ, and its translator suggests that the discovery could rewrite the ancient definition and purpose of gospels. The text (pictured), dubbed the ‘Gospel of the Lots of Mary’ is written in Coptic and contains oracles that would have been used to provide support and reassurance to people seeking help for problems. It is not a gospel in the traditional sense, because it doesn’t teach about Christ, said its translator . The ancient book was given to Harvard University's Sackler Museum in 1984 by Beatrice Kelekian, in memory of her husband Charles Dikran Kelekian. Her father-in-law Dikran Kelekian’s was said to be ‘an influential trader of Coptic antiquaries’, but the origin of the book is unknown. The text was studied by Professor Anne Marie Luijendijk from Princeton University. She told LiveScience that when she deciphered the first line, which referenced a ‘gospel’, she expected to read about Jesus and his life. Coptic was a language spoken in Egypt from the 2nd century until around the 17th. It derived from a mixture of Greek and seven Demotic signs and is said to have originated in the upper parts of Egypt. The language is also closely linked to Heiroglyphic scripts. The Gospel of the Lots of Mary was given to Harvard University's Sackler Museum in 1984 by Beatrice Kelekian, in memory of her husband, Charles Dikran Kelekian. Her father-in-law Dikran Kelekian’s was said to be ‘an influential trader of Coptic antiquaries’, but the origin of the book is unknown. The 160-page codex contains a series of 37 short passages and measures just 3 inches (75mm) tall and 2.7 inches (68.7mm) wide. A person seeking an answer to a particular query or concern would have opened the book on a random page to read a statement designed to serve as an answer. Instead, she found what is described in her book ‘Forbidden Oracles? The Gospel of the Lots of Mary’ as a ‘5th or 6th century Coptic book of oracular answers.’ The 160-page codex contains a series of 37 short passages written over two facing parchment leaves. It measures just 3 inches (7.5cm) tall and 2.7 inches (6.9cm) wide - about the size of a woman’s palm. A person seeking an answer to a particular query or concern would have opened the book on a random page to read a statement designed to serve as an answer, similar to a modern Magic 8 ball. The full translation of the book’s opening reads: ‘The Gospel of the lots of Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, she to whom Gabriel the archangel brought the good news. ‘He who will go forward (or: will seek) with his whole heart will obtain what he seeks. 'Only do not be of two minds’. One oracle reads: ‘Stop being of two minds, o human, whether this thing will happen or not. Yes, it will happen! 'Be brave and do not be of two minds. Because it will remain with you a long time and you will receive joy and happiness.’ The full translation of the book’s opening reads: ‘The Gospel of the lots of Mary, the mother of the Lord Jesus Christ, she to whom Gabriel the archangel brought the good news.‘He who will go forward (or: will seek) with his whole heart will obtain what he seeks.'Only do not be of two minds’. Mary and Jesus are illustrated . While another says: ‘You know, o human, that you did your utmost again. You did not gain anything but loss, dispute, and war. ‘But if you are patient a little, the matter will prosper through the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.’ Today, the official definition of the word ‘gospel’ is the ‘teaching or revelation of Christ,’ but it actually originates from the meaning of the Greek word ‘evangelion’ meaning ‘good news’. The ancient book was given to Harvard University's Sackler Museum in 1984. The 160-page codex contains a series of 37 short passages (example pictured) written over two facing parchment leaves. It measures just 3 inches (75mm) tall and 2.7 inches (68.7mm) wide - about the size of a woman’s palm . Professor Luijendijk said that people would have used the book to seek ‘good news’ about their future and ‘the fact that this is not a gospel in the traditional sense gives ample reason to inquire about the reception and use of the term 'gospel' in Late Antiquity.’ Coptic derived from a mixture of Greek script and seven Demotic signs in the upper parts of Egypt . The book is Christian in nature, and draws on Psalms, Job, Proverbs, Matthew, Luke, and James. But, in her book, Professor Luijendijlk said it does not contain traditional Christian teachings, and there are few, or no, mentions of the kingdom of God or Heaven, miracles, the church, or eternal life. If it was used by divinators, Professor Luijendijlk said this may explain the book's small size, to make it possible to be concealed in a pocket or sleeve. This was because such books may have been frowned upon by religious leaders. Last month, a collection of spells and invocations, dating back 1,300 years, were deciphered for the first time from an ancient handbook. Also written in Coptic, the codex contains a mixture of references from Orthodox Christianity and Sethianism. A person seeking an answer to a particular query or concern would have opened the book on a random page to read a statement designed to serve as an answer, similar to a modern Magic 8 ball (stock image pictured) Last month, a collection of spells and invocations, dating back 1,300 years, were deciphered for the first time from an ancient handbook. Also written in Coptic, the codex (pictured) contains a mixture of references from Orthodox Christianity and Sethianism . Macquarie University was given the 20-page handbook by an antiques dealer in 1981, and it is believed to have been owned by a male ritual practitioner. However, the identity of this practitioner and where the handbook originally came from is not known. It measures approximately 9 inches (23cms) across and is made from bound pages of parchment. | Text is written in Coptic and titled the Gospel of the Lots of Mary’
The 1,500-year-old book measures 3 inches (75mm) by 2.7 inches (69mm)
It's not a gospel, in a traditional sense, as it doesn't teach about Christ .
Instead, it contains oracles used to provide answers to problems .
An expert said this could rewrite the definition and purpose of gospels . |
239,425 | c1fd1761e9b70ad0683e80993f77071668cea534 | By . Lizzie Edmonds . Dr Peter Rubin arrives at the hearing in Manchester today. It is alleged he slept with a patient in his consultation room before prescribing her the morning-after pill . A GP had sex with a patient in his consultation room before prescribing her the morning after pill, a tribunal heard today. Dr Peter Rubin invited the woman to the Woodlands Medical Centre, in Didcot, Oxfordshire, for 'non-clinical reasons', it is said. The pair had intercourse in the surgery on Christmas Eve 2007 before Dr Rubin told her: 'You had better take this or it will be just my luck you will be standing in an antenatal clinic.' The GP continued to send the woman - referred to as Patient A - . personal text messages for the next five years. She made a complaint when Dr Rubin forcibly tried . to remove her trousers and stared at her underwear during a consultation . in July 2012, it is alleged. The . shamed medic then begged Patient A to withdraw the complaint for the 'sake of . his child', the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service heard. Dr . Rubin is accused of misconduct at the fitness to practise hearing in . Manchester where he has admitted the relationship, but disputes some of . the patient's claims. He has . also confessed to asking a 21-year-old university student, referred to . as Patient B, to kiss him on the cheek after prescribing her the . contraceptive pill. The General Medical Council (GMC) allege his actions were sexually motivated, but Dr Rubin claims it was just his 'sense of humour'. The . GP, who was suspended in November 2012 and left the practice the . following month, could face being struck off the medical register. The hearing continues. The hearing was told how Dr Rubin bought Patient A a pricey Prada mobile . phone, treated her children to a Wii console and took her out for lunch . in Reading, Berkshire. Craig Sephton QC, opening the case for the GMC, said: 'On August 30, 2007, it was the day before Patient A's birthday, a parcel arrived unexpectedly at her home address and when she opened it, it was found to contain a Prada mobile phone, sim card and an unsigned birthday card. 'Unfortunately Patient A suffered a road traffic accident that very day and went to the GP surgery the next day where she saw Dr Rubin. 'Dr Rubin gave her a hug and in the course of the consultation he said 'Why is it that none of my patients wear nice underwear?' 'Patient A asked about the Prada phone and Dr Rubin said it was one of the most expensive on the market, but would not admit that he sent it at that stage.' The pair exchanged phone numbers and the medic began to send 'texts and photographs of an intimate nature,' the hearing was told. Several months later the woman brought her son to the surgery for blood tests and Dr Rubin asked what he wanted as a reward 'for being so brave', the panel heard. The boy said he wanted a Wii console and the medic brought the present around to her house just before Christmas. 'He arranged with Patient A that they would meet for lunch in Reading and he would pay for lunch,' said Mr Sephton. Dr Rubin is said to have prescribed the woman the contraception before saying: 'You had better take this or it will be just my luck you will be standing in an antenatal clinic' 'Dr Rubin told Patient A he was getting her a Christmas present and she decided she should get him a present and she went to the surgery on Christmas Eve,' he added. 'After the staff had gone home on Christmas Eve Dr Rubin and Patient A stayed behind in the surgery and there sexual intercourse took place. 'Dr Rubin gave Patient A a prescription for an antibiotic for a sore throat as she was supposed to be going to a carol concert and had to explain why she was late. 'This was a pretext. Of course she had no sore throat. He also gave her a prescription for the morning after pill and said 'you had better take this or it will be just my luck you will be standing in an antenatal clinic'.' The GMC say he later tried to conceal his motive behind giving her the medication when he added a false entry to her records saying it had been 'added by mistake'. 'The relationship between Patient A and Dr Rubin developed. He continued to send texts and photos of a personal nature,' Mr Sephton said. 'He visited her house during working hours and had intimate contact with her, meaning he fondled her,' he added. 'Patient A felt uncomfortable about the relationship from the start and put a stop to it. However, Dr Rubin continued to send texts on an occasional basis, again something he has admitted.' But the GP denies that he acted inappropriately during a consultation in July 2012 after Patient A fell off a horse. Mr Sephton said: 'She will tell you Dr Rubin tried to pull her trousers down while she was fighting to keep them up. He was telling her he wanted to check her groin although she could not see why. 'She will tell you he was staring at her underwear, her knickers.' He added: 'Eventually Patient A confided in one of the doctor's partners about what had happened and an investigation was started. 'Dr Rubin phoned Patient A and begged her to withdraw her complaint if not for his sake then for the sake of his child. 'This was a dishonest attempt to gag Patient A from making her complaint.' The hearing, which is expected to last for seven days, continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Dr Peter Rubin 'had sex with a patient at Oxfordshire medical centre'
GP then gave the woman the morning-after pill, hearing told .
Medic had bought presents for her children and sent her intimate texts .
'Patient A' made a complaint when the doctor tried to force woman to remove her trousers, it is said .
GP admits the relationship, but disputes some of patient's claims .
Dr Rubin accused of misconduct and could be struck off the register . |
282,219 | f98ce768995b77e66abb5dab48d44d56c93554dc | By . Lizzie Parry . A six-year-old who has endured more than 30 operations has been given a new lease of life, saved by her grandmother who donated a kidney. Ella Chadwick was born with the rare congenital nephrotic syndrome, and had both of her kidneys removed when she was 19 months old. The youngster has had 38 operations and was facing having dialysis treatment for the rest of her life. When a kidney transplant from her father Martin failed in October 2010, Ella's parents gave up hope. Ella Chadwick was born with the rare condition congenital nephrotic syndrome, which caused her to suffer kidney failure at 19 months. Both her kidneys were removed and she was put on dialysis until her father Martin donated one of his kidneys . When the organ donated by Mr Chadwick failed, Ella's parents gave up hope. But her grandmother Christine Chadwick (pictured with Ella) stepped forward offering to donate one of her kidneys to help the six-year-old . But Ella's grandmother, Christine Chadwick, stepped in and offered to be a donor. The 58-year-old was found to be a match for her young granddaughter and the operation took place at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London. Ella's mother Karen Hughes, 33, from Manchester, said: 'It's been an incredibly difficult time for us as a family but it's such a relief to see her up and about. 'We didn't know if she would be strong enough for the operation right up until they cut her open. 'Ella was on dialysis at home until she was strong enough, but after the first transplant failed we barely dared hope this time round. 'Christina was so brave volunteering to give her a kidney - as soon as they said it she was happy to get tested there and then. 'I didn't dare dream we would ever get to this point, never mind how well she has done. Ella is definitely one amazing little girl.' The concerned parents first took Ella to the doctors with her condition when she was just three weeks old, when they noticed she had a red 'outie' belly button. But they were told unless it got worse or became painful it was nothing to worry about. Miss Hughes said: 'We had another check up when she was six weeks old and she had lost some weight. Ella, who is from Manchester, was admitted to Great Ormond Street Hospital in London, where she has had her transplant operation . The youngster, who had been on dialysis treatment, is recovering well in the hospital, and her parents Karen Hughes and Martin Chadwick hope she will be allowed home soon . Since she was 19 months old, Ella, pictured with her parents, has had 38 different operations . The kidneys of people with nephrotic syndrome do not work properly, causing large amounts of protein to leak into their urine. It can affect people of any age, but it is often first detected in children aged between two and five years old. The loss of protein can cause a range of problems, including swelling of body tissues and increase a person's chance of catching infections. Symptoms can be controlled by medication.Children with the condition have times where their condition is under control, when they are in remission. ion can flare up, when symptoms return in times of relapse. A small number of children have congenital nephrotic syndrome, which means it is inherited. These children tend not to do as well.They may, as in Ella's case, experience kidney failure and need a transplant. Congenital nephrotic syndrome is caused by an inherited faulty gene. For the condition to be passed on, both parents must have a healthy copy of the gene and a faulty one. They then have a one in four chance that any children will develop the condition. Nephrotic syndrome can affect people of any age, but it is commonly seen in young children.It affects more boys than girls. Only about one in every 50,000 children are diagnosed with the condition each year. Source: NHS Choices . 'After that we were in and out of hospital trying to find out what was wrong with her. 'In my head I never thought it would be anything serious - if she was poorly she would not be eating or sleeping, but she was behaving like a perfectly normal baby girl.' Eventually a blood test diagnosed Ella with congenital nephritic syndrome. The condition means the proteins and fats that are meant to be absorbed and excreted in the urine are not. The result is that fluids in the blood stream leak into the body's tissues, flooding the kidneys. Miss Hughes said: 'As a parent after hearing those words it consumes your life day and night. 'You can never unhear them no matter how much you try and push them to the back of your head. 'It would keep me awake at night and then when I finally got to sleep I would wake up with a sudden urge to check on her.' Ella is currently recovering at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and it is hoped she will be out in six weeks. Miss Hughes, added: 'It's been a rollercoaster for us. 'We don't want her to go home until she is better but it's so hard being away from our family and friends. 'Her illness has led to complications - she now can't walk unaided and needs a wheelchair. 'Ella has been on life support five times - it's amazing how much work the kidneys actually do and the knock on affect on her whole body. 'We are so proud of Ella - we have the bravest, strongest little girl.' | Ella Chadwick was born with the rare congenital nephrotic syndrome .
It caused both of Ella's kidneys to fail when she was 19 months old .
A transplant from her father Martin Chadwick failed in October 2010 .
Her grandmother Christine Chadwick stepped up offering to be a donor .
Ella is recovering after her operation at Great Ormond Street Hospital .
Mother Karen Hughes said: 'I didn't dare dream we would get to this point' |
189,561 | 8177a2019b0f0400d40830d6f48cab0038b92b7c | While most of us like a splosh of the red stuff with our chips, one ketchup obsessive is planning to drown her Christmas dinner in tomato sauce. Samantha Archer, from Harrow, London, has been obsessed with ketchup since she was five years old, and gets through more than a whopping 36 litres of the condiment a year. Ms Archer's two-bottle-a-week habit sees her consuming 700g every fortnight, spending more than £200 a year on various brands. Scroll down for video . Samantha Archer from Harrow has been obsessed with tomato sauce since she was just five years old . The 30-year-old spends more than £200 a year on her habit. She douses all her meals with the red sauce . The 30-year-old spends five minutes dressing her plate each meal time and smothers everything from bread, meat and cheese to eggs, salad and curries with 104 bottles of the sauce a year. Ms Archer said: 'My family just know the deal and they always have a bottle of ketchup for me, they don't want any trouble. Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with tomato ketchup or crumpets with melted cheese and tomato ketchup. Lunch: Pasta salad with ketchup or baked sweet potato with ketchup or ketchup sandwiches. Dinner: Chinese takeaway smothered in ketchup or stew and rice or chicken curry - all flavoured and topped with ketchup. Snacks: A slice of ham filled with ketchup and folded into parcels or ketchup from a spoon. 'I have ketchup on every meal and my Christmas dinner will be no different - Brussels sprouts and pigs in blankets dripping in ketchup is heaven. 'I am spending Christmas Day with my aunt and she is cooking for me. She always says I won't be able to taste the food she has cooked. 'But I can still taste the flavours - the ketchup just makes it better. 'I have it on absolutely everything, I can't think of anything I don't add it to.' Ms Archer claims her first memory of ketchup dates back to when she was just five after her mum gave her her first taste - and she has been hooked ever since. The financial accountant gets through two bottles of ketchup a week and douses her breakfast, lunch and dinner with her favourite condiment. Ms Archer's friends and family always have bottles of ketchup for her as they 'don't want any trouble' And she is so obsessed with tomato sauce she even eats it straight from a spoon as a quick fix. But she insists it doesn't ruin the taste of her meals and that she can still appreciate all the flavours in the food she eats. She said: 'It takes me five minutes to dress my plate with sauce, I just love it. 'My friends and family are all used to my habits now and they keep a bottle to hand just in case I run out. 'And if they come round to visit they can expect to be fed ketchup. 'If I went out on a date I would warn them that I love tomato sauce - but people can never believe how much I actually put on the plate. They think I am joking. 'I don't know what I would do if I couldn't get my hands on ketchup, I would just have to find some before I could eat. 'I think the only thing I don't add tomato sauce to is soup. But I don't really eat soup - that is probably why.' Tomatoes have long been considered a health super-food. They contain lycopene, an antioxidant associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Some believe it may contribute to the general healthy functioning of the gland, which is integral in sexual function. Lycopene is also known to be a powerful antioxidant, helping to prevent damage to cells in the body. Processed is better than fresh as it means the lycopene is concentrated. The Institute of Nutrition in Jena, Germany, suggests that more than 15mg of lycopene daily may reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. A typical serving of ketchup supplies 3mg. While this may not sound much, you would have to eat five large slices of watermelon to get the same amount. Dietary fat further aids the absorption of these antioxidants, so chips, occasionally, would be an ideal accompaniment. Ketchup also contains lutein, which offers a small degree of protection for the eyes from macular degeneration. Tests carried by scientists at the University of Oulo in Finland showed that ketchup could be good for the heart by attacking 'bad' cholesterol, known as low-density lipoprotein. Volunteers who added a few dollops of ketchup to their breakfast, lunch and tea, or drank a few glasses of tomato juice, saw their LDL levels drop significantly in the space of just three weeks. Researchers said total cholesterol levels dropped by just under six per cent and LDL levels by almost 13 per cent. They urged patients with high cholesterol to start eating ketchup or drinking tomato juice to help reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes. In a report on the findings, published in the British Journal of Nutrition, they said: 'The changes we saw can be regarded as significant, considering that the time period was only three weeks and all the volunteers had normal cholesterol levels to start with.' | Samantha Archer, from Harrow, London eats two bottles of sauce a week .
30-year-old has it with curries, eggs, cheese, salad and meat .
Indulges in ketchup sandwiches and spoonfuls of the sauce as a snack . |
157,116 | 572275ef23a38faf337f78ae728b2b12ff14641e | By . Emma Glanfield . A six-year-old girl who put out a mass appeal on Facebook when her beloved puppy was stolen has been reunited with her pet thanks to a heart-warming appeal. Schoolgirl Lola Wilson turned to Facebook when the 18-month-old Staffordshire bull terrier, called Ruby, was snatched from the family home in Pontcanna, Cardiff. The youngster created the ‘Help Bring Ruby Home’ appeal asking for help in finding her ‘best friend’ – and it ended up being shared a staggering 25,000 times in just 24 hours. Schoolgirl Lola Wilson turned to Facebook when the 18-month-old old Staffordshire bull terrier, called Ruby, was snatched from the family home in Pontcanna, Cardiff . Lola (left) created an appeal on Facebook with the help of her mother Roxana (right) in the hope of finding 18-month-old Ruby . The following day Lola’s mother Roxana received an anonymous call saying Ruby had allegedly been sold by the thief. She drove to the house of the caller and picked up the puppy who was unharmed. Mrs Wilson, 30, said her daughter was overjoyed to have her ‘best friend’ back in her arms and thanked those who helped share the online appeal. She said: ‘People were fantastic and thousands on Facebook helped find Ruby. ‘Lola is now absolutely over the moon and ecstatic - she won’t leave Ruby alone at the moment. The youngster created the 'Help Bring Ruby Home' appeal asking for help in finding her 'best friend' - and it ended up being shared a staggering 25,000 times in just 24 hours . Roxana Wilson, 30, and her daughter Lola also created posters (left) in an attempt to find the family pet. Mrs Wilson said her daughter was overjoyed to have her 'best friend' back in her arms (right) after she was found . ‘She is my daughter’s best friend. They get into bed together and have cuddles, they’re inseparable. ‘We are so happy and grateful. There are some horrible people out there - but this shows there are lovely people too.’ Ruby was stolen from garden of the family home in broad daylight on Friday after thieves supposedly forced their way in with bolt cutters before making off with the dog. A South Wales Police spokesman confirmed the force was investigating an incident in relation to a theft of a dog. | Lola Wilson made Facebook appeal after 18-month-old dog Ruby was stolen .
The 'Help Bring Ruby Home' appeal was shared 25,000 times in just 24 hours .
Anonymous caller phoned mother Roxana to say dog had been sold by thief .
The Staffordshire bull terrier was reunited with Lola and family the next day . |
271,478 | eba2854f3dfe4bf3999634ac7c611265cccfdce1 | Newcastle have been rebuffed in an initial attempt to sign M'Baye Niang from AC Milan. The former Caen forward has been courted by Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton and West Ham over recent seasons. The 20-year-old would like to join a Premier League side with Milan willing to let him leave, and wanting to add an option to buy clause to the deal, but Niang is also waiting to see if any other offers come in. AC Milan have turned down an approach from West Ham to sign forward M'Baye Niang . The French striker has previously attracted interest from Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton and West Ham . The Frenchman courted a similar move away from the San Siro 12 months ago - leaving Milan for a six-month loan spell with Ligue 1 side Montpellier, which did not work out as well as hoped. Although he scored on his debut against Rodez in the Coupe de France and managed four more goals in the first few months, his form dropped dramatically afterwards and he only netted once more in the next 17 games before being returned to Milan. The Magpies are also reportedly willing to take Niang on a six-month loan deal, providing that an option to buy the striker outright at the end of the season is included. Newcastle may also have to fend off recent interest from the likes of Olympiakos and Udinese if they want to secure the striker's signature. Niang spent an unsuccessful loan period with Montpellier last season before returning to Serie A . | AC Milan have turned down Newcastle's first bid to sign M'Baye Niang .
The Frenchman has attracted interest from Arsenal, Tottenham, Everton and West Ham in the past .
Newcastle are reportedly interested in a six-month loan deal with an option to buy at the end of the season . |
112,449 | 1d0d4ebd520ff94f1c655c42564a9099f05e1595 | Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales married Tony Blair's former diary secretary in a star-studded ceremony attended by celebrity guests and politicians. Mr Wales, 46, and his wife, Kate Garvey, 40, tied the knot on Saturday at a private ceremony at Wesley's Church in London. His Wikipedia page was updated accordingly, where under 'personal life' it read the couple met in Davos, Switzerland, and it is Mr Wales' third marriage. Happy couple: Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales and Tony Blair's former diary Secretary Kate Garvey tie the knot . Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie attended the ceremony, as did Alastair Campbell, Mr Blair's former spin doctor. Mr Campbell - who is known for busking around the world with his bagpipes - donned a kilt in Clan Campbell tartan and played the bagpipes. Cherie wore a fitted knee-length dress, silver necklace and bracelet and black kitten heel shoes. Other guests included David Miliband and his wife Louise - David was carrying a present wrapped in pink tissue paper. The newlyweds and their guests, including the bridal party, pose for pictures outside Wesley's Church in London on Saturday . Former Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife Cherie in a knee-length dress and black kitten heels . Steve Hilton, David Cameron's former director of strategy, and his wife Rachel Whetsone, who is an executive of Google were among the invitees. Mick Hucknall, former lead singer of . Simply Red, Lily Cole, the model and actress, and former Labour minister . Lord Adonis also attended. The wedding is the third for the internet entrepreneur from Alabama and the first for the bride, who is now a director of Freud Communications. Blair's former spin doctor Alastair Campbell wore a kilt and played the bagpipes . Lily Cole, the model and actress, wearing an electric blue dress, and Mick Hucknall, former lead singer of Simply Red, behind, were among the celebrities who attended . Mr Wales has one child with Kate, who he met at the World Economic Forum at Davos, and one with his ex-wife Christine Rohan,who he met through a friend when she was working as a steel trader for Mitsubishi. Mr Wales set up the free, open content, online encyclopedia in 2001. As Wikipedia's public profile grew, he became the project's promoter and spokesman. He has been named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the world. | Ceremony in London attended by Tony Blair and his former spin doctor Alastair Campbell wearing a kilt and playing bagpipes .
Celebrities including former Simply Red singer Mick Hucknall invited .
Marriage to Kate Garvey was updated on Jimmy Wales' Wikipedia page . |
190,327 | 826bca16c63623a5c71695c53a2f6cd86a552216 | By . Mark Duell for MailOnline . Shamed former PR guru Max Clifford was allowed out of prison today to attend his older brother’s funeral. Wearing a blue suit, tie and glasses, the convicted sex offender arrived at the North East Surrey Crematorium in Morden in a blacked-out white Renault van at around 2.15pm. Clifford, 71, was brought out from the van 300ft from the cemetery chapel in handcuffs, flanked by security guards, before walking indoors for the service. Scroll down for video . Thumbs-up: Max Clifford leaves his brother's funeral today in a prison van at North East Surrey Crematorium . Handcuffed: Max Clifford, pictured with his daughter Louise (right), was allowed out of prison today to attend his older brother's funeral at the North East Surrey Crematorium in Morden . Clifford is currently serving an . eight-year jail sentence after being found guilty at Southwark Crown . Court in central London in May of a series of indecent . assaults on victims as young as 15. His brother, . Bernard Clifford, died on Wednesday, August 6, and the funeral began at . 2.40pm. A group of security guards waited by the white van as other . guests arrived for the service. Clifford stood laughing and smiling with family and friends following the 30-minute service. The paedophile received hugs and kisses on the cheek from other guests. Clifford's . right hand was cuffed to a suit-wearing security guard as he spent 10 . minutes speaking with people outside the chapel. He shook hands with . guests using his left hand and appeared relaxed. Let out: Clifford, 71, is currently serving an eight-year jail sentence after being found guilty of indecent assaults . Getting out: A group of security guards waited by the white van as other guests arrived for the service . Security guards in prison uniform patrolled around the crowd as Clifford stood speaking with people. Smiling and waving to the other guests, he was then led back to the waiting prison van. Clifford then received a final hug by the vehicle from a woman. He stepped up into the back of the van, which was then driven off the site - but not before he gave photographers a thumbs-up. Clifford . - who is at Category C Littlehey jail in Cambridgeshire - was jailed for the . indecent assaults carried out between 1977 and 1984, using his . celebrity connections to lure women. A . man who saw Clifford arrive at the service said: ‘I saw him come out of . the side of the van wearing handcuffs. There were a few big guys with . him. He went inside and is sat down in there now.’ Taken in: Wearing a blue suit, tie and glasses, Clifford was brought out from the van 300ft from the cemetery chapel in handcuffs, flanked by security guards, before walking indoors for the service . The . Ministry of Justice said it does not comment on individuals, but a . spokesman said prisoners need to apply to attend a funeral and the . prison assesses risk to the public. It . also looks at the prisoner's relationship to the dead person. If . permission is granted, the prisoner is normally escorted to the funeral . by staff. In a statement . handed out by his daughter Louise, Clifford wrote: ‘This is not the . right time or the right place to discuss my situation. ‘I . am here purely to pay my tribute to my brother Bernard, or Bunny, as I . always called him. Bernard always was to me the serious and political . one of the family. Outside: Clifford stood laughing and smiling with family and friends following the 30-minute service . ‘He was a kind and caring man who had strong views and opinions and always stood up to be counted. To me he was just a wonderful and caring brother and friend. ‘I am here because I naturally wanted to be and most importantly because Iris and all of the family asked me to be here. My attendance here today was allowed by the Governor of Littlehey Mr Taylor, for which I am very grateful.’ Bernard Clifford . was a former mayor of Merton and served on Merton Council as a Labour . councillor for the Ravensbury ward in Mitcham and Morden. He was said to have got his brother his first job in publishing as an editorial assistant at The Eagle. In the 40 minute service, during which Bernard Clifford was cremated, his wife Iris, and other relatives remembered his life. Simon and Garfunkel's Sound of Silence played as the coffin was lowered. Family: Clifford outside Southwark Crown Court with his daughter Louise, a month before his sentencing . Passing . sentence at London’s Southwark Crown Court, Judge Anthony . Leonard told Max Clifford his personality and position in the public eye . were the reasons his crimes were not revealed earlier. The . judge said that due to the historic nature of the offences, Clifford . was charged under an act from 1956, which set the maximum term for each . charge at two years. Under . later legislation passed in 2003, the maximum term would have been 10 . years, and for the worst instances would have been charged as rape or . assault by penetration, which attract a maximum life term. The . former celebrity agent, who branded his accusers ‘fantasists’, remained . defiant ahead of his sentencing, saying: ‘I stand by everything I have . said in the last 17 months.’ Clifford has lodged an appeal against his sentence. Max . Clifford, who was born to an electrician and former maid in 1943, . carved out a hugely successful career for himself prior to his arrest. Raised . in south London, he left school at 15-years-old with no qualifications . and quickly landed himself a job as a reporter on his local paper. It led to his first job in PR, which would help him become the country’s most infamous publicist over time. Disgraced PR Guru Max Clifford (pictured in 1992) was particularly well-known for his involvement in celebrity 'kiss-and-tell' stories for tabloid newspapers and represented a number of high-profile clients over the years . He . spent years building up his contacts book and soon his PR empire . represented a host of high-profile figures from Simon Cowell and Jade . Goody to Gary Glitter and Freddie Star. He . was particularly well-known for his involvement in ‘kiss-and-tell’ stories for tabloid newspapers and represented a number of clients . including Rebecca Loos – who alleged to have an affair with David . Beckham. With a £3million . mansion in Surrey’s stockbroker belt, homes in the Cotswolds and . Marbella and with a Rolls-Royce complete with a personal number plate . (100 Max), Clifford made the most of his £1million-a-year salary. However, . his career and reputation took a sudden downfall in December 2012 when . he was arrested by detectives from Operation Yewtree. He was charged the . following April with a string of indecent assaults. Clifford (pictured outside Southwark Crown Court earlier this year) was jailed for eight years for a string of indecent assaults between 1977 and 1984 . The . investigation, Scotland Yard's inquiry into historic allegations of . sexual offences, was prompted after claims were made against the late DJ . Jimmy Savile. After his arrest in 2012, Clifford was invited on to ITV’s Daybreak, where he claimed he was the victim of a ‘witch hunt’. Throughout the subsequent trial, he showed no ounce of remorse and regularly displayed a nonchalant and arrogant approach. He . was jailed for eight years at Southwark Crown Court in May after a jury . found him guilty of eight counts of indecent assault against teenage . girls and young women between 1977 and 1984. The . judge said that if the offences had taken place today – since . sentencing guidelines were toughened in 2003 – Clifford would have been . regarded as a multiple rapist for which he would have been locked up for . life. The maximum sentence for indecent assault at the time was two years. The . 71-year-old committed the offences after luring and 'degrading' women . through his celebrity connections during his high-profile career. Sentencing . Clifford, Judge Leonard said: 'The reason why they were not brought to . light sooner was because of your own dominant character and your . position in the world of entertainment which meant that your victims . thought that you were untouchable, something that I think you too . believed.' For Clifford’s . eight offences, the judge gave him a series of sentences of 12 months, . 18 months, 24 months, six months, 21 months and 15 months, some to run . concurrently and some consecutively, to arrive at a total of eight . years. He is now serving his . sentence at Category C Littlehey jail in Cambridgeshire and has lodged . an appeal to the Court of Appeal against his sentence. | Allowed out of prison to attend funeral at North East Surrey Crematorium .
Clifford taken to cemetery chapel in handcuffs, flanked by security guards .
Serving eight-year jail sentence after being found guilty of indecent assaults . |
258,168 | da1facb33f2f623e637fa934359c45c6a268cf85 | By . Laura Clark . Teacher yesterday backed a major escalation of strike action which could close thousands of schools during the summer term. Chanting ‘Gove must go’, activists from the National Union of Teachers – the most militant classroom union – voted overwhelmingly for a national strike unless ministers agree to a series of demands on pensions and automatic pay rises. Delegates at the NUT’s annual conference in Brighton passed an emergency motion which demanded strike action in the week beginning June 23 unless ‘significant’ progress is made in resolving the long-running dispute with the Government. Exams: The National Union of Teachers has vowed to step up their campaign of industrial action, starting with a week in June when at least 12 GCSE or A-level exams are scheduled (Stock photo) The summer strikes will overlap with the end of the exam season, although the union insisted its intention is not to disrupt tests. Staff would be able to cross picket lines in the event of a clash with an exam, the NUT said. Last month a national strike forced the closure of 3,000 schools and pushed thousands more on to reduced timetables. Conference delegates also raised the prospect of a series of walkouts during the autumn term and in 2015 as they step up their campaign against government reforms. Proposing the motion, the NUT’s treasurer, Ian Murch, branded Education Secretary Michael Gove a ‘demented Dalek on speed’. The campaign is mainly aimed at derailing the introduction of performance-related pay and changes to pension rules, and tackling ‘excessive’ workloads. 'Must go': Delegates chanted 'Gove must go' at the end of the annual NUT conference, held today in Brighton, in reference to Education Secretary Michael Gove . The new system of performance-related pay, due to be introduced in September, would bring automatic pay rises to an end, with schools given the flexibility to offer higher salaries to their best teachers. Under the old system teachers were previously virtually guaranteed £2,000 annual rises. But under the new system salary rises will be linked to annual appraisals instead of length of service. Teachers will be expected to show they have achieved good results with their pupils and kept order in the classroom. But the NUT claims the new system is ‘unfair’ and will lead to pay cuts for many because of budget constraints. Changes to pensions would make them less generous and mean teachers retiring later. The strike resolution was backed by a large majority of delegates at the conference yesterday but was not passed unanimously. Afterwards, delegates stood up cheering and chanting: ‘Gove must go.’ The motion leaves ‘flexibility’ for any summer walkout to be longer than a day, although a one-day strike was thought to be the most likely scenario. About one in eight schools in England was forced to close fully when the NUT staged a one-day walkout last month, according to government estimates, although it is thought that many more were partially shut. The NASUWT, the other big teaching union, also left open the possibility of a strike at its conference in Birmingham but did not set a date. If it joined with the NUT, thousands more schools would be affected. At least a dozen GCSE and A-level papers are scheduled for the first two days of the week proposed in the NUT’s resolution, with one advanced maths extension paper scheduled for the Wednesday of that week. NUT general secretary Christine Blower said: ‘Strike action will not disrupt exams. If necessary, exemptions can be given to staff who are needed to supervise an exam, but the NUT is looking to take action at the end of the main exam season.’ But Miss Blower admitted that a June strike would could cause disruption. ‘Of course parents will say this is inconvenient, it is inconvenient,’ she said. ‘It’s actually in the nature of industrial action that you do it because you want to cause inconvenience because you’re trying to bring your grievances to people’s attention.’ In a controversial speech, Mr Murch described Mr Gove as ‘a parody of an Education Secretary’. He continued: ‘Michael Gove, the man with a mad idea for every occasion. ‘Michael Gove, the demented Dalek on speed who wants to exterminate anything good in education that’s come along since the 1950s. Michael Gove, the man who says he wants to set schools free and then sends in the Spanish inquisition.’ A Department for Education spokesman said: ‘Ministers have met frequently with the NUT and other unions and will continue to do so. ‘Further strike action will only disrupt parents’ lives, hold back children’s education and damage the reputation of the profession. ‘We know that the vast majority of our teachers and school leaders are hard-working and dedicated professionals. ‘That is why we are giving teachers more freedoms than ever and cutting unnecessary paperwork and bureaucracy.' | National Union of Teachers vows to step up industrial action if 'significant' progress is not made in long-running dispute .
Delegates today backed a strike for the week beginning Monday, June 23 - when at least 12 GCSE or A-level exams are scheduled .
But teachers have claimed their action will not disrupt exams .
Department for Education has condemned the planned action .
Delegates ended the conference in Brighton by chanting 'Gove must go' |
236,229 | bdc8d21a0702323912ec238054026991f21344f4 | By . Australian Associated Press . A Texas man accused of going on a shopping spree with 'cloned' Australian credit cards in US stores has been arrested. Authorities in Austin, Texas, launched an investigation after the Commonwealth Bank of Australia reported customers were victims of credit card fraud. It is alleged Austin local Alexander Polanco Osorio, 22, used credit cards imprinted with cloned numbers and with his name on them to buy nine gift cards worth $2380 ($US2200) and clothes worth $780 ($US734) at US stores Banana Republic and Gap. Alexander Polanco Osorio, from Austin Texas, was allegedly using credit cards imprinted with cloned numbers . The 22-year-old used the cards to buy thousands of dollars worth of gift cards and clothes . When Osorio made the purchases the store employees asked for his driver's licence, but he appeared legitimate because his name on the licence matched the name on his cloned card, Austin police said. The purchases were allegedly captured on video surveillance cameras. French bank Domaine Moyens de Paiement also had victims. He targeted the American stores Banana Republic and Gap . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Alexander Polanco Osorio used credit cards imprinted with cloned numbers .
It appeared legitimate because his name was printed on them .
The investigation was launched after Commonwealth Bank of Australia reported customers were victims of credit card fraud . |
35,488 | 64daf6045022229b25f520dd6b65c113c0683445 | Cho Hyun-ah, an executive VP at Korean Air Lines and the chairman's eldest daughter, has resigned after causing an on board fracas over nuts . A top executive of Korean Air Lines resigned on Tuesday amid mounting public criticism that she delayed a plane over how she was served macadamia nuts. Company officials said that Chairman Cho Yang-ho has accepted the resignation of Cho Hyun-ah, his eldest daughter and an executive vice president. The junior Cho came under public fire following revelations that a recent Korean Air Lines flight from New York to South Korea returned to the gate because she ordered a senior crew member off the plane. Cho was angered that she was served bagged macadamia nuts instead of nuts on a plate. The airline had apologized for inconveniencing passengers. But it also said it was 'natural' for Cho to fault crew's ignorance of procedures. Flight KE086’s to Incheon Airport, close to Seoul, was delayed by 11 minutes due to the incident. Ms Cho, who is also known by her English name Heather, was also reportedly facing up to ten years in prison over the fracas. South Korea's Transport Ministry announced on Monday that they are investigating if Cho violated the Aviation Safety Law, which states that passengers should not cause disturbances, including using violent language or yelling, for safety reasons. Flight 86 was already on the runway for its 12.50am departure from JFK when Ms Cho lost her temper after an unidentified worker placed some macadamia nuts in front of her as she sat in first class, reports the Korean Times. The junior flight attendant's faux pas was to serve the nuts inside the bag that they came in rather than presenting them on a small dish - as is protocol. Scroll down for video . Korean Air Flight 86 was already on the runway for its 12.50am departure from JFK when Cho lost her temper after an unidentified worker broke protocol and placed the snack of macadamia nuts in front of her as she sat in first class . Cho Hyun-ah (pictured right with South Korean pop star Rain) has resigned from Korean Air Lines after she forced a plane back to the gate at JFK to remove a crew member who served her nuts incorrectly . Ms Cho screamed at the attendant and told him to bring out the company's in-flight service manual so he could read the proper nut-handling guidelines. When he failed to find it, Cho lost her cool and ordered him off the flight. 'The chief flight attendant failed to get the right manual, and this led Cho to believe he was not qualified for that job,' a Korean Air official told the Korean Times. Without giving the 250 passengers on board a warning, the pilots decided to give in to her demands and return to the airport to drop off the attendant. As their investigation gets underway, the Transport Ministry must try to figure out if Cho's behavior warrants a prison sentence. 'We'll see whether her behavior was against the law,' a ministry official told the Korean Times. 'It is an unprecedented case, so we need to see the related regulations.' 'Even though she is senior vice president at the company, she was a passenger at that time, so she had to behave and be treated as a passenger,' they added. 'She could have taken other measures after coming back to Korea, such as strengthening service training.' Heather Cho is the eldest daughter of Korean Air Chairman Cho Yang Ho who accepted his eldest daughter's resignation on Tuesday . | Cho Hyun-ah, a senior vice-president at Korean Air Lines, resigned from her position and is facing up to 10 years in prison .
She reportedly demanded the removal of a crew member from a flight on December 5 for serving her macadamias in a bag rather than on a plate . |
229,162 | b4ba1fb9a380dc2b5a431b46718de0ab034b8c0a | Nigel Pearson knows how to pull off a great escape but the Leicester boss insists there are no quick fixes to save the Foxes. They are bottom of the Barclays Premier League at Christmas ahead of the Boxing Day visit of Tottenham. Only two sides have ever survived being bottom on December 25 - Sunderland last season and West Brom in 2005. Nigel Pearson knows how to pull off a great escape but the Leicester boss insists there are no quick fixes . And Pearson was Bryan Robson's assistant when the Baggies became the first team in Premier League history to survive the traditional relegation. They stayed up on the final day of the 2004-05 season with the lowest ever points total to beat the drop, 34. Now, Leicester are winless in 12 games and five points from safety and Pearson insisted they must match the Baggies' ethic and strength to survive. He said: 'You're looking at strength of character and we made additions and key players came in then: Kieran Richardson and Kevin Campbell added to what was a really good group of people who had a common goal and worked exceptionally hard. Pearson was Bobby Robson's assistant when the West Brom avoided relegation in 2005 . 'That's always going to be the base line. 'To win things you need those qualities, to avoid relegation you need those qualities. Ability gets you so far, strength of character too, but it's trying to get a balance of the two. 'There is a desire and a willingness to look for the answers. There are no quick fixes in life, well there might be but they don't have enough longevity. It's about winning the next game, as it always has been for us.' West Brom beat Portsmouth 2-0 on the final day in 2005 to send Crystal Palace, Southampton and Norwich down. Pearson insisted Leicester would need to keep a clear head to give themselves a chance of survival. Pearson has highlighted the importance of his squad sticking together during the difficult months ahead . 'I don't think there's any one recipe for dealing with these situations,' he said. 'My time at West Brom was the lowest points total ever to stay up. 'You can never be in control of the situation but there has to be a bit of clarity in your thinking. It's important there's a common goal and ultimately you need people to stay together. 'You will hear other people talking about siege mentalities and utilising some negative aspects to galvanise you but it depends on the chemistry within your own club. 'I don't think there's ever one absolute answer - it's not like the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy.' | Leicester City bottom of the Premier League on Christmas day .
Only two clubs have avoided relegation from that position .
West Brom did it in 2005 when Nigel Pearson was the Baggies assistant .
Pearson said it is important the club stick together this season . |
7,320 | 14b9e034da71584984ceb4771ca02a694ae2a360 | Stylist to the stars Clare Harries narrowly avoided a prison sentence after admitting twice driving while four times the drink-drive limit . A stylist to the stars crashed her car while nearly four times the drink-drive limit twice in the same week. Clare Harries, 50, of Tufnell Park, north London, was told she 'could have killed someone' by a judge today, who described the case as one of the worst he had ever seen. The Chelsea School of Art graduate has worked with a celebrity clientele which includes stars Bruce Willis, Daniel Radcliffe, Jude Law, Angelina Jolie and Emma Watson. But she was sentenced to four months imprisonment, suspended for two years, today and disqualified from driving for five years. Hammersmith Magistrates Court District Judge Paul Goldspring said: 'Someone who is this many times over the legal limit is just about as dangerous as anybody on the road. I can't think of a case that ticks as many aggravating boxes.' Described as 'one of the most respected and experienced stylists working in the industry today' Harries specialises in film and TV shoots; photo shoots, award ceremonies, including the Oscars, and is also a style consultant and interior designer. The mother-of-two pleaded guilty to driving her blue Mercedes in Oxford Street on October 15 with 133 microgrammes of alcohol to every 100 millilitres of breath - the legal limit is 35. She also admitted driving in Wood Green, north London on October 20 with 141 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath. Simon Sherriff, defending, said: 'She is on the surface a woman, who two years ago, was apparently a busy working single-mother. That was a social facade and hidden from virtually everybody, under the ice, there was a slow decline of physical and mental health.' The court heard Harries was involved in a collision in Orchard Street in the West End before driving off and being pulled over in Oxford Street in the first incident. She was then invlved in a second incident, in which she hit a parked car in Hornsey, north London and pulled over in nearby Wood Green after again driving off. When police caught up with her the car was stationary with the engine running, the lights on the front tyre was flat and Harries was gripping the steering wheel and staring blankly ahead. Harris (centre) twice drove off after collisions with other cars, but was pulled over by police and tested . In 2013, Harries - who a son aged fifteen and a daughter aged seventeen - was convicted of being in charge of a vehicle while over the alcohol limit and was fined and given ten penalty points. Mr Sherriff told the court: 'One of her friends tells me you would not believe this is the same woman as two years ago. 'The marriage to her first husband was an unhealthy relationship that led to divorce and after the collapse of her marriage to her second husband she lost the family home in March and is in rented accommodation, which she hopes to get out of. 'Social services will take over if there is an immediate custodial sentence and the house she is renting for the children will go. 'There would be a long-term detrimental effect on the children if she goes to prison and they will lose their accommodation. In this case that would be the punishment of the innocent.' Harries counted Emma Watson and Angelina Jolie (pictured recently) among her clients early in their careers . He added: 'On the first occasion the officers state she was in a confused state. She is on this medication and it effected her capacity. 'The surgery a month before seems the most likely trigger to these offences. The hair that broke the donkey's back.' District Judge Goldspring told a tearful Harries: 'There is an issue regarding your thought process around vehicles when you have had alcohol. 'If you get into a car this much over the limit that car becomes a lethal weapon and to compound it there was a road traffic accident. You could have killed someone. 'Within five days you were back in the car over the limit and placed yourself and other road users in great peril. These readings are up there with the highest this court has ever heard of. 'It's a difficult case to sentence. The easiest thing in the world would be to send you to prison, but I have considered carefully the effect your behaviour has had on the children. 'The loss of their mother to custody and then being taken into care would be devastating and they are at an age where they may never recover from it.' | Clare Harries once counted Bruce Willis and Jude Law among her clients .
But court hears she suffered a 'slow decline' after collapse of marriages .
She admitted twice driving in London at four times the drink-drive limit .
Court told on both occasion she drove off after collisions with other cars .
Judge says hers is one of the worst cases of drink-driving he's ever seen .
But he agrees to suspend her prison term for the sake of her two children . |
12,006 | 22122f5cd763a7ce54b952857829d0da770657a2 | It seems that almost everyday there's a new advertisement for the last must-have piece of technology. But IKEA just one-upped the competition with the announcement of their 2015 catalogue aka 'bookbook' - a play on Apple's MacBook. This parody video is particularly timely as Apple gears up to launch the new iPhone with what will surely be a hyperbolic and exquisitely designed ad campaign. Scroll down for video . IKEA's new advertisement for their 2015 catalogue is a blatant parody of Apple's ad campaigns . 'The first thing to note is no cables,' the satirical ad points out . 'The interface is 7.5 x 8 inches. But can expand to 15 x 8 inches,' the narrator explains . 'Once in awhile, something comes along that changes the way we live,' the advertisement begins. 'A device so simple and intuitive, using it feels almost familiar.' 'Introducing the 2015 IKEA catalogue.' 'The first thing to note is no cables - not even a power cable,' Jurgen continues. 'Not even a power cable. The 2015 IKEA catalogue comes fully charged and the battery life is eternal.' The entire advert is narrated by Jorgen Eghammer, dubbed the Chief Design Guru . The advert demonstrates the 'bookbook's' unique ability to expand its interface - simply by opening it . 'Navigation is based on tactile touch technology. To start browsing, scroll right to left to move forward and left to right to move backward.' 'Notice something else? That’s right – no lag. Each crystal clear page loads instantaneously, no matter how fast you scroll.' And when it comes to bookmarking, the 'bookbook' has that covered, too. 'If you find something you want to save for later, simply bookmark it,' the model demonstrates by turning down the top corner of the page. 'Content comes pre-installed via 328 high definition pages,' Jurgen teases in the video . 'Even if you close the application, you can easily find the bookmark again. Amazing.' For multiple users, the 2015 IKEA catalogue offers a colour-coded tab system to avoid confusion. 'If you want to share a particularly inspiring item, you literally share it.' 'Another special feature is password protection, which is voice-activated.' All you need to say is: ‘Excuse me, that’s mine!’ 'At IKEA, we feel that technology is life-enhancing and should be at the hands of everyone,' the advert concludes. 'So, the 2015 IKEA catalogue is free.' The advert also joking offers voice-activated security protection. Simply say, 'Excuse me! That's mine!' Behold IKEA's colour-coded system software - if you'd like to share a page with a friend, simply place a tab on it . | IKEA 2015 catalogue ad campaign is parody of Apple's MacBook ads .
Hilarious advert describes catalogue as latest must-have technology .
Adopts the phrase 'bookbook' in attempt to make light of hyperbolic ads . |
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