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276,710 | f2778c6bbaa662a033254c85844d467e252c607c | By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 06:59 EST, 10 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:43 EST, 10 February 2014 . It's a truth every politician worth his salt knows well: when things go badly, kiss a baby... and everything will work out just fine. But when embattled Vladimir Putin decided to give it a go at a Winter Games fan bar last night, there were no babies on hand... so he found a young boy to hug instead. The under-fire Russian president took a tour of Sochi's various 'fan bars' in the Olympic Village where he congratulated athletes, swigged beer and smiled at anyone who would smile back. There were even a few high-fives. Scroll down for video . Charm offensive: When Vladimir Putin went on a charm offensive at a Winter Games fan bar last night, there were no babies on hand to kiss... so he found a young boy to hug instead . Who needs a hug? The Russian President also kissed a pretty athlete and hugged a young girl during the tour of the Olympic Village . 'Nasdarovje': The Russian president took a tour of Sochi's various 'fan bars' where he congratulated athletes, drank beer and smiled at anyone who would smile back . They included a bar packed with Russian fans, another of Austrian fans and a nightclub where hundreds of Dutch Olympic fans had gathered to honour their gold-medal winning speedskater Ireen Wust. 'I got a cuddle from him,' Wust told Dutch national broadcaster NOS. 'He congratulated me and asked if everything was OK in Russia and I congratulated him on (Russian speedskater) Olga Graf, of course, for her third place (in the 3,000 meters). He was happy to see me, but then he had to leave again. But I cuddled him.' Heavy night: Putin switched to vodka later while visiting Austrians at Austria Tyrol House in Sochi . Good time guy: Holland Heineken House is renowned at recent Olympic Games as a great place for a party, drawing thousands of fans with a cocktail of live music, the chance to see a Dutch medal winner and perhaps a couple of beers . Easing tension: A series of incidents have strained relations between the Netherlands and Russia in recent months, including a diplomat being arrested by police in The Hague and Russia's detention of a Dutch-flagged protest ship and its crew . Holland Heineken House is renowned at recent Olympic Games as a great place for a party, drawing thousands of fans with a cocktail of live music, the chance to see a Dutch medal winner and perhaps a couple of beers. A series of incidents have strained relations between the Netherlands and Russia in recent months, including a diplomat being arrested by police in The Hague and Russia's detention of a Dutch-flagged protest ship and its crew. Following the Russian figure skating team's gold medal win, Putin headed straight for the competitors, who looked a little nervous to meet him . High fives: Putin appeared jolly as he congratulated people rink-side . Well done: Putin posed for a photograph with the Russian ice dance team after they placed first in the team figure skating competition at the Iceberg Skating Palace . Diplomatic: Despite frosty relations with the US in recent months, Putin also found time to shake hands with Meryl Davis of the United States, who placed third in the team figure skating competition . Putin hugs Yevgeny Plushenko (right), a member of the gold medal-winning Russian figure skating team, and fellow skater Yulia Lipnitskaya (left) But there was no sign of any lingering tensions as Putin made his way out of the house and spoke to a reporter in English. 'Fantastic,' he said of his brief visit. 'Very good. Good people and good results ... good party.' But it has been Putin's recent legislation banning 'anti-homosexual propaganda' in his homeland that has sparked a chorus of international outrage as well as calls ot boycott the Games. Fury: It has been Putin's recent legislation banning 'anti-homosexual propaganda' in his homeland that has sparked a chorus of international outrage as well as calls ot boycott the Games . Restrictive: Critics say the law is so restrictive that it forbids almost any public expression of support for gay rights . Last week, he appeared to rub salt in the wound saying gays should feel welcome at the Winter Olympic Games in Sochi, but they must 'leave the children in peace'. Mr Putin told volunteers that gays visiting Sochi 'can feel calm and at ease,' and vowed that there would be no discrimination at the games. But he emphasised that, according to a law banning homosexual 'propaganda' among minors, gays cannot express their views on gay rights issues to anyone under age. The law, signed by Putin in July, bans pro-gay 'propaganda' that could be accessible to minors. Critics say it is so . restrictive that it forbids almost any public expression of support for . gay rights. Last month, for example, a newspaper editor in Russia's Far . East was fined 50,000 rubles ($1,400) for publishing an interview with a . gay school teacher who defended homosexuality. The International Olympic Committee and its corporate sponsors are being pressed to denounce . the law and call for its repeal. A campaign was launched on several fronts . in July that included a boycott of Russian vodka. | Russian president took tour of fan bars in Sochi's Olympic Village .
He met athletes, hugged children and drank beer and vodka in jolly scenes .
After meeting Russian fans, he went to the fan bars of Holland and Austria .
It has been seen as a charm offensive amid outrage over 'anti-gay' laws . |
170,037 | 68117b03f77735be9f70fd80deba146b29306d61 | (CNN) -- On the first day of every year, works of art whose term of copyright has expired enters the public domain. This year's class is particularly strong, as the novels of James Joyce and Virginia Woolf are now free of copyright protection. If you ever wanted to stage a puppet show of Joyce's masterpiece "Ulysses" or set Woolf's "Mrs. Dalloway" to music, now is your chance. But why now? When copyright expires, it means that the public is not liable for using works of art in ways that would otherwise violate the copyright law. Dover can publish scores of classical music at low prices; translations of literature can be commissioned; authors, artists and motion picture companies can adapt older works and make them into new works. A number of Disney classics are, in fact, based on public domain works. How long copyright should last has been a contentious issue since the first copyright act of 1790. In some industries, copyright laws are necessary to provide financial protection for the time and investment that goes into creating works of art. But when the length of copyright is so long that it hinders creative repurposing of older work, then copyright's purpose isn't being served. Our original copyright act in 1790 protected only books, maps and charts. Over time, the law expanded to include fine art and photographs, among other things. Currently, a blockbuster film such as "Avatar" gets the same protection as an e-mail you dash off to your friends. To understand how copyright law has changed in the United States over the past 30 years, it's helpful to take a look at Duke University's Center for the Public Domain's list of famous works that would have gone into the public domain if it weren't for the changes in copyright law. This year, it would include Vladimir Nabokov's "Lolita," J.R.R. Tolkien's "Return of the King" and Disney's "The Lady and the Tramp." These famous works were originally covered by a law in 1909, which stipulated that copyright lasted for 28 years from first publication, with the possibility of another 28 years, but only if the copyright owner filed a renewal publication with the Copyright Office. Thousands of works were protected under this sensible system, and 85% of them entered the public domain after 28 years, making them available to artists and more accessible to consumers. But in 1978, Congress retroactively changed the rules, giving these works another 19 years at the end. If the artist renewed the copyright, he or she received 47 years rather than 28 years, for a maximum of 75 years. And then in 1998, Congress retroactively added another 20 years to these old art works, meaning they now have a protection up to a maximum of 95 years. For works created after 1978, the length of copyright is even longer: life of the author plus 70 years after the author's death. The effect of this dramatic lengthening of copyright has come at a large cost with little benefit: older works cannot be used productively by motion picture companies, authors and artists. Many owners of copyrighted works cannot even be located. And remote heirs, such as grandchildren and great-grandchildren or the estates of deceased authors, can veto uses that are economically harmless. For example, when I was in private practice at a large law firm, a partner asked me to approach the estate of a famous playwright. My colleague was hoping to get permission to produce an abridged version of a play at his son's special education school. The school was willing to pay the licensing fee, but the children were capable of only performing one act, not three. The production would be only before parents, not for any profit. After all this was explained to the estate, they subsequently refused permission and the money, insisting the children had to produce the play as written, or not at all. As we adapt to the digital age, arcane copyright laws that offer no benefit even to the current copyright holder must be reconsidered. A sensible approach would not act as an obstacle to future generations who want to create something new. Follow CNN Opinion on Twitter . Join the conversation on Facebook . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of William Patry. | Each year, works of art with expired copyrights enter the public domain .
William Patry: How long copyright should last has been a contentious issue since 1790 .
Patry: When length of copyright is too long, it hinders creative repurposing of older works .
He says that in the digital age, arcane copyright laws should be updated . |
63,593 | b49049ce0413f657da584064c319bcc355bb9b94 | By . Janet Tappin Coelho . PUBLISHED: . 04:02 EST, 5 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:51 EST, 5 December 2013 . Exclusive images of Fast & Furious actor Paul Walker modelling for a designer fashion brand have been pulled after he died in a horrific car crash at the weekend. Colcci, a high-end Brazilian clothes and accessories company, announced that it would be shelving the images taken of the Hollywood actor modelling its Winter 2014 collection as a mark of respect to the family. Instead they released two pictures from the shoot as a tribute to the actor who was 40. The advertising campaign was due to be launched this month. Model looks: Image of Paul Walker which was to be used in the Colcci Winter 2014 advertising campaign . Looking pensive and rugged the Fast & Furious star rocks a leather jacket over denim shirt and jeans . In one of the shots the actor sports a sophisticated but casual dark jacket with black and white arm bands, teamed with black trousers and a white shirt. In the other, looking pensive and rugged, the Fast & Furious star rocks a leather jacket over denim shirt and jeans. In a statement the Sao Paulo based design house said: 'Colcci deeply regrets the early departure of actor Paul Walker. More... PICTURE EXCLUSIVE: Poignant pictures of Paul Walker as best man at his brother's wedding just weeks before Fast and Furious star's death . 'We bonded over our daughters': Dwayne Johnson says family talk forged his friendship with late Fast And Furious co-star Paul Walker . Was Paul Walker trapped in Porsche GT as it started to burn? New footage shows flames did not fully engulf supercar for a MINUTE after crash . Paul Walker crash on CCTV: Video of Porsche GT spinning off road emerges as friends claim actor was trying to FIX faulty supercar . Paul Walker and a cruel twist of fate: Fast & Furious star and friend 'only got in $500,000 Porsche to take over from worker who failed to park it four times' Paul Walker's Fast & Furious co-star Vin Diesel arrives at fatal crash site and uses police car's loudspeaker to pay his respects and thank mourners for their 'love' Host of hit TV show Curb Appeal killed in motorcycle crash in San Francisco . 'As a tribute we are releasing two images that would have been used in our Winter 2014 brand campaign, photographed last month in New York. 'The brand will not now use the images of the actor in our marketing campaign out of respect for the family who are mourning their devastating loss.' A spokesperson added that every member of the team involved in the fashion shoot with the deceased actor held fond memories of working with him: '(Paul) was always very caring and helpful with the entire team at all times. The actor stood for simplicity and generosity.' Fashion: Paul Walker took part in the Colcci show at Sao Paulo Fashion Week earlier this year . The Fast & Furious star modelled creations by Colcci's 2013 summer collection earlier this year . On Tuesday, Los Angeles County police department confirmed the actor and his close friend and business partner Roger Rodas, who was driving the Porsche Carrera GT, were not racing another vehicle at the time of the fatal crash. There had been speculation that the collision had occurred following a street race – the sort portrayed in the Fast & Furious movies, and that the former Pirelli World Challenge race car driver was doing 100mph just moments before the accident despite travelling through a 45mph zone. The fatal incident happened in Santa Clarita, Southern California an area which has a history of street racing. Walker, who appeared in six of the . seven films about illegal street racing and heists, had been at an event . for his charity Reach Out Worldwide before deciding to take the car, a . cherry-red Porsche, out for a drive with his friend. Walker . was a self-confessed adrenaline junkie who enjoyed fast cars, surfing . and outdoor pursuits. On his official Twitter account, he described . himself as 'outdoorsman, ocean addict, adrenaline junkie... and I do . some acting on the side.' The . crash took place about 3.30pm on Saturday, about 300 yards from the . office park where the charity was being held - and where the speed limit . is 45mph. Guests rushed to put out the flames with fire extinguishers but the fireball had already engulfed the car. By Saturday evening, all that remained was the burnt mangled metal of the red car and a light pole that had been knocked down. Since . the crash, fans and people wishing to pay their respects have left . messages of condolence as well as candles and flowers at the site of the . crash. Wreckage: The scene of the crash where Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas died on Saturday . Tributes: Mourners have been leaving flowers and cards at the scene where Paul Walker and Roger Rodas died . | Colcci will not be using the images in its advertising campaign .
Hollywood actor modelled the company's Winter 2014 collection .
Colcci have released two pictures of Walker which were to be featured . |
92,824 | 036389dedccb6839ac1c6ede3483904dc9ef5af7 | By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 07:13 EST, 26 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:59 EST, 30 July 2012 . The small town of Toomsboro in Georgia, U.S., fell on hard times after its school closed and banks and businesses upped sticks. But now a developer has taken radical action - nailing up 'for sale' signs up on almost all the buildings in the area. Would-be buyers can purchase most of the historic properties in the 'rustic' town for a cool $2.5million (£1.6m). Scroll down for video . White picket fences: Bill Lucado Jr. and Debbie Gadd outside the Willett Hotel, which is rumoured to have sheltered a famous general during the civil war . Tradition: A wealthy new owner would also get an artesian well thrown in for their money . Many of the buildings - including a train depot, bank, old . grit mill, restaurant and a 500-seat opera house - are more than 100 . years old and have been painstakingly restored. Its hotel is rumoured to have once sheltered General Sherman, who became famous - or notorious - for his 'modernising' policies during the American Civil War. Bristling homeowners, however, have . pointed out that several places in Toomsboro are not on sale, including the . convenience store, post office and flower shop. 'It's not the entire town,' said Clarice Harrison. 'I live up the hill and it's definitely not for sale.' The community has a population of just 700, many of whom have lived there for their whole lives and can remember the place when it was lively and bustling. After the school shut down in the late . 1950s, the main employer left and took the bank and businesses with it, . leaving the place more isolated. Mayor Roger Smith said: 'The town of Toomsboro has great potential - but it's a little blink-of-the-eye village at the moment. Who will buy? The Farmers Cotton Warehouse is just one of the historic buildings now on offer to the highest bidder . Desertion: It was when the old bank, pictured, closed and businesses moved out of Toomsboro that the community fell on hard times . Peaceful locale: Mr Lucado Jr relaxes in the town's quiet, simple barbershop . David Bumgardner purchased over 50 acres of Toomsboro from preservationist Bill Lucado and through an auction about a decade ago. His intention was to turn it into a quaint tourist town. But his plans changed. Now Bumgardner and Lucado are putting the town up for sale again. Lucado thinks it would be a perfect fit for a movie production company seeking a set or a music company looking for a great venue. 'With just the little rustic community, we could have some antique shops here and draw people in.' Developer David Bumgardner is open to offers, but with such a hefty price tag, he is . marketing mainly to film and music studios. The idea has a precedent. Actress Kim Bassinger bought the town of Braselton, Atlanta, USA in 1989 for $20m (£13m) - reportedly selling it five years later for only $1m. But Bill Lucado, the previous owner of the Toomsboro properties and broker for the sale, said this is different. 'There are still very few places where you can find this many original buildings in such good condition,' he said. 'Plus, Toomsboro comes with a sense of . community you simply can't buy - I really do hope something good will . come of it, I really do.' The developer is working on creating a website to provide more information on the properties. Expensive taste: Mr Lucado Jr. and Ms Gadd look over Toomsboro. Will it be bought by a film star, just as actress Kim Basinger bought the town of Braselton, Atlanta, for $20m in 1989? Everything must go: Coat hangers rust inside the Syrup Mill. The developer is hoping a studio will be able to afford to buy the rustic community as a film set . | Historic buildings include barbershop, hotel and cotton warehouse .
Georgia town became run down after bank, school and businesses shut .
Actress Kim Basinger bought Braselton, Atlanta, for $20m in 1989 . |
256,690 | d8392562a2b00d59a95a225102ca366add5a2c7d | PUBLISHED: . 16:56 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:15 EST, 19 November 2013 . A college graduate celebrating her wife's birthday at a San Francisco club has been shot dead by a man who backed into her car. Melquiesha Warren, who was just days from her 24th birthday, had been sitting in a car with a friend when an unknown assailant hit their car and then fired at the women at about 2am on Sunday. Ms Warren, who had been standing in front of the car to check for damage, was shot in the head and her friend was seriously injured when a bullet hit her in the side. Road rage: Melquiesha Warren, pictured right with wife Tiffany Renee, was shot in a car park . Attack: The friends were in a car park after spending the night at Club OMG, above, when Melquiesha Warren was killed . 'I'm just flabbergasted. It was just an . accident. She lost . her life. An innocent life was taken over an accident,' Ms Warren's wife, Tiffany Renee, told San Francisco Gate. The couple had been celebrating at Club OMG in San Francisco with their 21-year-old friend Danisha Bean. Aspirations: Melquiesha had just graduated with a degree in criminal justice . The group were in Miss Bean's car in the parking lot at about 2am when a vehicle with two people in it backed into them, knocking the fender off. Ms Warren, a Criminal Justice graduate from Cal State Sacramento, got out to inspect the damage and words were exchanged, according to Tiffany Renee. A man who was in the car then opened fire, shooting Ms Warren in the head and hitting Miss Bean in the side. The car that had run into them drove away, and one of the attackers fled on foot police said. No arrests have been made. Both women were taken to hospital, where Ms Warren was declared dead and Miss Bean is said to be in serious condition. 'It appears there was a confrontation that led to a shooting,' police spokesman Officer Gordon Shyy said. Ken Barrows, whose apartment looks over the parking lot where Ms Warren was shot, said he heard arguing followed by gunfire. 'I heard the arguing ... it wasn't really that bad,' Mr Barrows told ABC 7. '[It] didn't really catch my attention. And then I heard gunshots and that's when I looked out the window.' Tiffany Renee, who had been in a relationship with Ms Warren for five years, said: 'She was the most loving, compassionate, kindhearted person that you would ever meet, with the biggest smile ever.' Ms Warren, who was a licensed security guard, had wanted to teach basketball to children and had ambitions to work with youngsters at the Alameda County Juvenile Justice Center. Devastated: Tiffany Renee, pictured left with Melquiesha, had been in a relationship with her for five years . | Couple's friend seriously injured as gunman opened fire after knocking into their vehicle .
Melquiesha Warren had recently graduated from college when she was shot in the head . |
87,716 | f8e7df31ec586068ae95660b446485ff625d123d | By . Luke Salkeld . PUBLISHED: . 07:39 EST, 13 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:53 EST, 13 June 2013 . It's usually the length of a skirt that puts schoolgirls at odds with teachers over uniform policy. But the headmistress at one primary school has issued a fashion clampdown – on frilly socks. Elaborate ‘princess socks’, decorated with frills, bows and ribbons, are considered a ‘trip hazard’. Any pupil who flouts the rules will be told to replace them with another pair from Primark. A playground craze has seen pupils wearing increasingly elaborate 'princess' socks decorated with frills, bows and ribbons. But they have been banned at Kingsholm Primary School, in Gloucester . Headmistress Jan Buckland turned against the flowery footwear after a pupil fell over - and sent a letter home to the parents of the 438 pupils, citing health and safety fears. She imposed a blanket ban on frills larger than 3cm . The ban at Kingsholm Primary School in . Gloucester came after one girl suffered a fall which was judged – in a . health and safety assessment form – to have been caused by the garments. Parent Tracy Rudge, 42, started the playground craze by making them for . her six-year-old daughter Lily-Jo. They proved so popular she made hundreds of pairs for her daughter’s classmates, which she sells for £2.50 a pair. The cleaner has now accused school officials of going ‘health and safety mad’. ‘My daughter could fall and break her arm doing PE, but she’s not allowed to wear frilly socks? ‘It’s a joke – shoelaces are a million times more dangerous than the socks,’ she said. 'The parents of more than 400 pupils were told that frills larger than . 3cm (1.1ins) were banned following an incident in the playground. However, mother-of-three Mrs Rudge says the fall was not caused by the . socks – and many parents are defying the ban. Any child found now breaching the order will be forced to change into a . plain pair bought from Primark, and parents given a ‘reminder’ letter. Headmistress Jan Buckland said it was clear the items were a ‘trip . hazard’. ‘The governing body and I decided that a ban was appropriate . because the frill had been trailing on the floor,’ she said. ‘If parents are defiant, the kids will have to change out of them if they arrive in the building wearing them.’ The school refused to answer questions about what would happen to the children if they continued to flout the ban. Tracy Rudge's daughter Tammy Rudge with the home-made frilly socks which have been banned by the school . | Kingsholm Primary School in Gloucester introduced ban after pupil fell .
But Mother Tracy Rudge, who makes socks by hand, has flouted the ban .
She has labeled the decision 'health and safety gone mad' |
74,597 | d37830a73d2f3dc153df1752bceab06fb26c594d | (CNN) -- A mosque in Joplin, Missouri, was burned to the ground early Monday, just over a month after an attempted arson at the Islamic center, officials said. Authorities are investigating the cause of the latest fire. The mosque's security cameras were destroyed in the blaze, according to Sharon Rhine of the Jasper County Sheriff's Office. "This incident should not stop us from worshiping our God," one member of the Islamic Society of Joplin told CNN affiliate KYTV. "We are going to find a place probably to continue our service to God." Kimberly Kester, another member, said the blaze was so intense that the building's bricks were still sizzling hours after the fire. Carl Junction Fire Chief Bill Dunn called it a "complete loss." Though investigators haven't determined the cause, Kester suspects it to be another incident of arson. "I think this act of hate will bring us together," she told CNN iReport. The FBI is already investigating a fire that scorched the roof of the building on July 4 and has offered a $15,000 reward in conjunction with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The bureau has released surveillance video and a photograph of a man caught on surveillance cameras throwing some sort of incendiary device onto the building in that incident. Federal agents have begun an investigation into the new blaze, "and we are basically waiting for a determination to be made on the cause," FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton told CNN. "If it is determined that the fire was deliberately set or intentionally set, then we will investigate it to the full extent possible," Patton said. The attack took place during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which ends August 18. Kester said the mosque was a target of other acts of vandalism. In September of 2008, a sign at the mosque was set on fire and was also determined to be arson, according to CNN affiliate KODE. The Council on American-Islamic Relations has called for increased police protection at other places of worship in the wake of the fire and is offering a $10,000 reward for information on the latest incident. The city of Joplin was the site of a monster tornado that ripped through the area in 2011. At least 161 people were killed and miles of businesses, homes and schools were destroyed. Kester said she is confident the community resolve shown after that devastating storm will again be present as the mosque and its members look to rebuild. "Joplin survived such a devastating storm and we came together. We can all come together and build a great community once again," Kester said. The mosque's burning comes as an Islamic center in Murfreesboro, Tennessee, prepares to open for the first time after years of legal wrangling, vandalism and anti-Muslim sentiment. The controversy erupted in 2010, when planning commissioners approved an expansion project at the existing mosque. The construction site has been vandalized several times, including an arson attack in 2010 and "not welcome" spray-painted on a sign announcing the project. Federal authorities have charged a Texas man with calling in a bomb threat to the center before last year's anniversary of the September 11 attacks. The Islamic Center of Murfreesboro is awaiting its certificate of occupancy -- the final step needed to open. CNN's Matt Smith, Darrell Calhoun and Jareen Imam contributed to this report. | A previous fire on July 4 caused minor exterior damage .
That incident was ruled to be an arson and the FBI was investigating .
The cause of Monday's fire has not been determined .
"This incident should not stop us from worshiping our god," mosque member says . |
193,448 | 8672078d5dfb9cd4dbc329be7fde4918ad694c5a | (EW.com) -- A dolphin named Winter loses its tail to a crab trap in "Dolphin Tale" -- a (sometimes sickly) sweet family film based on a true story. It's no spoiler to say that there is a happy ending, partly because this is the kind of constantly uplifting heart-warmer in which even the villains are congenial, but also because the injured animal is played by its real-life counterpart. Morgan Freeman also plays a version of himself as a kindly wise man whose expertise in prosthetics helps save Winter. While the plot occasionally feels like "Free Willy" without the drama, it's a cute story if you don't mind temporarily trading in your cynicism for a bag of popcorn. EW.com rating: B- . CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | It's no spoiler to say that there is a happy ending .
The injured animal is played by its real-life counterpart .
Morgan Freeman also plays a version of himself . |
140,253 | 4159595dda2639bf86cd1aa9cdbc578a308d740b | LAHORE, Pakistan (CNN) -- It's hot and sweaty in a rat-infested room in Lahore's historic red light district, a neighborhood of narrow alleyways lined with brothels. A dancer does the "mujra," a traditional dance banned by a judge for being "vulgar," in Lahore, Pakistan. A barefoot, long-haired woman is gyrating and twirling on the carpet, to the beat of a four-man band whose drummer sweats profusely as he pounds out a furious rhythm. The dancer, who only gives her first name, Beenish, is performing a kind of Pakistani belly-dance called the mujra. Her harmonium player, a skinny bald man who squints through coke-bottle glasses, has been performing like this for the past 50 years. But he says the art form is dying out. "That spark, the way it was in the past, is no more," said Ghulam Sarwar. Last fall, a judge in Lahore's high court declared the mujra dance "vulgar" and banned it from being performed on stage. Some here say the government is cracking down on easy, "immoral" targets in an attempt to appease religious hard-liners like the Taliban. Islamist militants are believed to be responsible for a recent wave of bomb attacks in Lahore, targeting cinemas, theaters and cafes where young men and women fraternize together. "It is a gesture of good will to pacify the mullahs and the Taliban," said Samia Amjad, a lawmaker in the provincial assembly. Though she is a member of an opposition political party, she said she supported the crackdown on vulgarity. "I see it as an essential part of Islam." Dancers aren't the only targets of the court censors. In late March, the Lahore high court banned two female singers from recording new albums after ruling that they sang sexually explicit lyrics. "If the current circumstances persist in Pakistan," said Noora Lal, one of the banned singers, "then singing will die out in this country." Pakistan is a deeply conservative Muslim nation, where the punishment for blasphemy is the death sentence. But there is one person in Lahore who openly mocks the conservative establishment: painter and restaurant owner Iqbal Hussain. Though he said he has received multiple death threats from Islamist fundamentalists, Hussain continues to be Pakistan's most vocal defender of prostitutes. All of the models portrayed in his paintings are sex workers. "I portray them on canvas, portray them as human beings," Hussain said, "They feel pain. They want their children to be educated." Hussain knows the industry intimately. He was born to a family of sex workers. His mother, a former prostitute, passed away last month at the age of 98. The small, soft-spoken painter has turned the house he grew up in, an old four-story building with ornate wooden balconies, into a popular restaurant for tourists and wealthy Pakistanis. On one side of the house there is a brothel, on the other side, the 17th century Badshahi Mosque, one of the largest mosques in the world. In his subversive paintings, which Hussain said sell for more than $10,000 each, he highlights the overlap between Lahore's sex industry and its religious community. In one canvas, hundreds of worshippers are depicted prostrating themselves around the mosque, while in the foreground, two women apply lipstick and makeup on a balcony. Hussain explained that the prostitutes in the painting were preparing to receive new customers as soon as the prayers in the mosque were over. Watch the dance being called "immoral" in Pakistan » . The painter claimed that on religious festivals, the brothels and dance halls in his neighborhood overflow with customers. "They come from the northern areas with their turbans," Iqbal said, laughing. "All coming to this area. They're not going to the mosque ... but to the brothels!" Nevertheless, the rising tide of the Taliban in northwestern Pakistan has some residents of Lahore's red light district worried. "May Allah keep us safe from them," said Beenish, the mujra dancer. "We are poor, humble people. They should not target this place." Photography by CNN's Farhad Shadravan. | In Lahore's red light district, Iqbal Hussain mocks Pakistan's religious establishment .
"I portray [sex workers] on canvas, portray them as human beings," Hussain said.
Painter has turned home into popular restaurant for tourists and wealthy Pakistanis .
Rising tide of Taliban and threat of violence has some residents worried . |
19,202 | 3662f10f2a9e5d2d55efc17ebec0a79b4c9d2573 | Interpol has issued a global security alert, asking its member nations to help determine whether a rash of brazen prison escapes recently are linked. Over the past month, prison breaks have taken place in nine Interpol member nations, the global police organization said in an alert this weekend. "With suspected Al Qaeda involvement in several of the breakouts, which led to the escape of hundreds of terrorists and other criminals, the INTERPOL alert requests the Organization's 190 member countries' assistance in order to determine whether any of these recent events are coordinated or linked," the group said in the statement Saturday. Opinion: What's behind timing of terror threat . Several high-profile escapes have garnered headlines in recent weeks: . -- On July 23, an al Qaeda group claimed responsibility for attacks on two Iraqi prisons that a lawmaker said freed more than 500 inmates, including some senior members of the group. Militants used suicide bombers with mortars, rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns to attack prisons as inmates inside rioted and set fires. Militant group claims responsibility for Iraq prison attacks . -- On July 26, about 1,200 inmates spilled out of a prison in Benghazi, Libya. -- And on July 30, Taliban gunmen wearing police uniforms attacked the largest jail in a northern Pakistani province, allowing about 200 inmates to escape, authorities said. About 200 inmates escape in Pakistan Taliban attack on prison . Interpol's alert comes as the United States closes 22 embassies and consulates abroad amid fears that al Qaeda may launch attacks in the Middle East, North Africa and beyond. "Current information suggests that (al Qaeda) and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks both in the region and beyond, and that they may focus efforts to conduct attacks in the period between now and the end of August," a U.S. State Department travel alert read. Interpol noted that August has been a fervent month for attacks. "August is the anniversary of violent terrorist incidents in Mumbai, India, and Gluboky, Russia, as well as in Jakarta, Indonesia," the Interpol alert states. This month also marks the 15th anniversary of the U.S. Embassy bombings in Nairobi, Kenya, and Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, in which more than 200 mostly African citizens were killed and 4,000 others injured, Interpol said. | Interpol wants member countries to help determine whether prison breaks are linked .
The U.S. closes 22 embassies and consulates around the world on Sunday .
August has been a hot month historically for terrorist attacks . |
122,073 | 29cee3090daf0db4c1686758f4fb91c9a9345b29 | The 87-year-old owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans caused a massive shake-up on Wednesday by cutting his daughter and grandchildren out of his will and announcing that his much-younger wife Gayle would instead take control of the teams when he dies. In a press release, Tom Benson said that the move was for the long-term health of his franchises and the community, and insured that his daughter and grandchildren 'will be very well taken care of after I die'. 'This is a decision that I have decided was in the best interest for the long-term stability and success of our football and basketball teams...This is not something that came about overnight, but over time,' Benson said. But his daughter Renee LeBlanc and her children Rita Benson LeBlanc and Ryan LeBlanc claim the move is all third-wife Gayle's doing, in a lawsuit filed less than 24 hours after the announcement. The lawsuit filed Thursday paints 67-year-old Gayle as an evil stepmother straight out of a children's fairytale, who allegedly staged a 'coup' to take control of her husband's life for her own selfish benefit. Change of plans: Tom Benson (left), the 87-year-old owner of the New Orleans Saints and Pelicans, changed his will this week to transfer ownership of the teams to his wife Gayle, 67 (right), in the event of his death. The couple of ten years pictured above at a Saints game on October 26, 2014 . Suing: Benson's daughter Renee LeBlanc and her two children are now suing claiming that Benson is no longer fit to make financial decisions. Above, New Orleans Saints players in white battle off against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a December 28 game . Under the original terms of Benson's will, his daughter Renee was set to take a 60 per cent interest in the football and basketball teams upon his death, with Rita and Ryan each getting 20 per cent. They will no longer inherit any interest in either team according to the terms of the new will. The announcement comes as a tough blow for the auto-dealership magnate's granddaughter Rita, who had been primed to take over her grandfather's sports businesses and was serving as vice chairperson of the board for both teams. Rita, her mother and brother have since been stripped of their jobs and their names removed from the Saints employee directory following the announcement. The trio are now hoping to regain their power over the teams in court, by proving that Benson is no longer fit to make decisions about his businesses and that his daughter should be placed in charge of his financial affairs. In the lawsuit, the LeBlancs say Benson has become increasingly ill in the past year and that his wife has been using his reliance on her to her own advantage. In the past year, Benson has undergone two knee surgeries and a stomach surgery which have left him bound to a wheelchair and walker. The suit says Benson became incoherent on a plane to an NFL owners meetings last May where he passed out, leading to the stomach surgery. He was also unwell during the Saints training camp where he was again hospitalized twice 'due to irregular vital signs, weakness and dehydration'. Benson is allegedly not eating well either, subsisting on a diet of 'candy, ice cream, sodas and red wine'. Estranged: Perhaps most hurt in this shake-up is Benson's (center) granddaughter Rita (left) who was has lost her position as chairperson to the board on both his sports teams. She will no longer get a stake in either team when her grandfather dies, according to the new will . Disinherited: Benson's daughter Renee (left) and grandson Ryan (right) are also left without a stake in the teams according to the new will . The LeBlancs say Benson has been 'heavily medicated' and has 'acknowledged on occasions that he does not know his age, where he is, what day of the week it is, nor what the date is'. 'On at least one occasion (he) failed to recognize his daughter, Renee, failed to remember or commemorate her birthday,' the lawsuit reads, adding that he also couldn't remember the name of the current president once, guessing Ronald Reagan and Harry Truman. And in a strange move, he last year tried to buy a race track which is against the NFL owners rules on gambling businesses. The children say Benson is now more dependent than ever on his wife of ten years, who appears to have taken over every aspect of his life. They claim she stopped their traditional holiday celebrations this year, has removed their photos from Benson's home, and is constantly monitoring his phone calls and emails. His doctors, caregivers and household staff have also allegedly been replaced by people loyal to Gayle. The LeBlancs also shared a heartbreaking letter in their lawsuit, which Benson sent to them at the end of the last month. The letter bans his daughter and grandchildren from Saints and Pelicans games for allegedly disrespecting his wife. Harsh: Included in the LeBlancs's lawsuit filed Thursday is a copy of a letter Tom Benson sent them last month, banning them from Saints and Pelicans games for their behavior towards his latest wife . The lawsuit also seeks to discredit Gayle's competence to lead their father's sprawling empire, based on her limited career as an interior designer. The suit says that before the two married, Gayle's business had been sued 'multiple times' and that she was in 'significant debt' with 'limited credit'. 'Gayle has never owned, operated or managed a substantial business enterprise,' the lawsuit says, adding that she also 'had no interest in football, basketball, or in sports in general before marrying' Benson. Benson first purchased the New Orleans Saints in 1985, and more recently acquired the Pelicans in 2012. He met his third wife in 2004 at a mass at St Louis Cathedral. He asked her to an indoor football game and she agreed, hoping to get a donation for the church. They were married just a few months later in a ceremony in San Antonio, where his car business is headquartered. During their decade-long romance, the Bensons have been awarded the highest papal honor for Catholic laypeople, the Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice Award, for their large donations to the church. They have donated $5million to found the Ochsner's Gayle and Tom Benson Cancer Center, $8million to build a Jesuit Center at Loyola University, among other charity programs. Though her personal interior design business doesn't translate much to the sports world, Gayle is well loved by members of the community, which generally responded positively to the announcement that she would be taking over this week. 'All I can say is I absolutely love Gayle,' Saints quarterback Drew Brees said. 'I think she's one of the sweetest people. I know she's one of our biggest fans. Her presence at practice with Tom all the time and the way she treats the wives and the players, she's first class.' Gayle has also been instrumental in securing a Mercedes sponsorship for the Superdome and re-branding the Pelicans team. | New Orleans Saints and Pelicans owner Tom Benson, 87, announced Wednesday he was transferring control of the teams to his wife Gayle, 67 .
The auto-dealership magnate's original will stipulated that his daughter Renee LeBlanc and her two children would become the teams' owners .
Less than 24 hours after the ownership change was announced, Renee and her children filed a lawsuit to stop the move .
They claim that Benson is physically and mentally unwell and is being manipulated by his twenty years younger wife . |
116,415 | 22425151a72c9e30712294a752b64366901e7cf8 | By . Emily Davies . PUBLISHED: . 09:13 EST, 28 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:29 EST, 28 January 2013 . Mike Rodman collapsed just days after this picture with five-month-old daughter Eva . A 37-year-old footballer collapsed and died on the pitch - just days after posing for a picture with his five-month-old daughter. Mike Rodman, from Wootton-under-Edge, Gloucestershire, collapsed ten minutes into the game on Saturday as his girlfriend Lauren Workman, 23, looked on in horror with baby Eva. Despite extensive CPR Mike, who was player-manager of Bristol-based Kingswood AFC reserves, died shortly afterwards. Club chairman Rob Bateman, who watched the tragedy unfold, said: 'I saw him just fall to the floor face first, there wasn't another player near him. 'We all rushed onto the pitch. It was such an awful thing to witness - really, really horrible. 'Someone started CPR on him straight away, and the ambulance turned up about 15 minutes afterwards and took over. 'They were working for 50 minutes. Everyone in the teams knew everyone else because it was a local derby, Charfield are our great rivals. 'There was no response. It was dreadful. It is a terrible loss. Mike has given ten years' unbroken service to the club and has helped us drive into the great success we have had over the past decade. 'When we got into the Gloucestershire County League we won a cup final in our first year, and Mike scored a 35-yarder. His death is a total shock. 'We can't understand it. Everyone is totally traumatised and all of our thoughts are with his family.' The central defender - known as Raj - worked as a logistics manager with Renshaw in the town. Clubs and players across Gloucestershire paid tribute to Mike on Twitter over the weekend with floral tributes laid at the club's ground alongside his number six shirt. Mike Rodman was being cheered on by his girlfriend Lauren Workman (pictured) before he collapsed and died . Mike Rodman had played for Kingswood for ten years before his death on the pitch at a match against Charfield . Scott Harvey said: 'This tragedy has touched everyone who knew Raj and has left family, friends, a community and local football totally devastated.' Ross Stearn called him an 'absolute legend'. Great Western Ambulance received the call at 2.07pm and attended with a rapid response unit and fire co-responders as well as a critical care team. A spokesman said: 'CPR was given by a bystander before our arrival, so he was given the best possible chance, and we took over on arrival. 'Unfortunately we were unable to revive him and it was a sad ending.' | Mike Rodman collapsed and died ten minutes into the Kingswood and Charfield derby in front of his girlfriend and daughter .
He received CPR for more than one hour but could not be saved . |
254,874 | d5e5903995a2ad0f60296e12b6d1aa39d39d3744 | Wales Rugby League has unveiled a six-figure sponsorship that chairman Brian Juliff believes will help them realise their ambition of becoming one of the world's top four nations. The record-breaking partnership, announced at a press conference on the eve of Wales' final European Championship fixture with Ireland in Wrexham, will see My Club Betting become the principal sponsor of the national team through to the 2017 World Cup. Community and professional level clubs throughout the country will also benefit from the deal. Wales Rugby League have signed a new record sponsorship deal that could be worth 'millions' Italy'a Aidan Guerra (centre) celebrates after scoring against Wales at the 2013 World Cup . 'We set out our vision two years ago to be a top-four nation rugby league nation, in terms of performance and governance,' said Juliff, a former professional with Wigan and Wakefield. 'We've no deadline on that because it's an ongoing process and we want to get there with Welsh players. 'I've not got anything against Australian players coming into the game to play for other nations, but in Wales the only way we'll build a supporter base is with Welsh boys playing for Wales. 'Of course, money is going to be key and I'm hoping the My Club Betting deal is going to add that income for us. It's a significant sum. The potential is huge because of the profits made in Wales we will get 20 per cent given back to the grassroots of the game. So it could run into millions of pounds.' | Wales Rugby League sign record sponsorship deal .
The deal could potentially be worth 'millions' according to Brian Juliff .
The WRL chairman also said the deal will help them achieve their main aim .
Main aim is to break into the world's top four teams . |
201,001 | 903a0aaa5be01083c028ef14a80be53ce2ca775e | (CNN Student News) -- May 3, 2010 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . • Times Square, New York • Arkansas & Tennessee • Arizona . Transcript . THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED. MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, MAYOR, NEW YORK CITY: Let me say that we are very lucky. Thanks to alert New Yorkers and professional police officers, we avoided what could have been a very deadly event. CARL AZUZ, CNN STUDENT NEWS ANCHOR: That story out of New York City leading off our show today. I'm Carl Azuz. This is CNN Student News. First Up: Times Square . AZUZ: Things are more or less back to normal in New York's Times Square. The area was put on lockdown for a while over the weekend, and here is why: Saturday night, someone left an SUV with the engine running on the street. A T-shirt vendor noticed it, saw smoke coming out of it, told a nearby police officer. The officer looked inside and spotted what authorities think might have been a bomb. That's what triggered the lockdown. Times Square is usually filled with tourists and people going to the theater. Authorities immediately evacuated the area. You can see some of that in this iReport. Some people were moved out of Times Square. Others were kept inside the hotels or theaters they were already in. Eventually, the bomb squad was called in. That's the guy in the gray suit just to the left of center of your screen there. Inside the SUV, they found a device made from gasoline cans, propane tanks, fireworks and electric clocks. Police say it apparently didn't work. Instead of exploding, it just filled the SUV with smoke. The vehicle was taken out of Times Square yesterday. Officials have started an investigation into the whole thing. They're checking the vehicle and its contents for fingerprints. They're going over surveillance footage and amateur videos from Times Square to see if they can identify who left the SUV there. Authorities are treating this incident as a potential terrorist attack. Gulf Coast Oil Spill . AZUZ: Next stop, Louisiana. Officials there are making some predictions about an oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. Ken Salazar, the secretary of the interior, is warning the region to prepare for the worst. Several government officials think the leak could continue for weeks. The fishing industry in part of the Gulf will be shut down for at least 10 days. All of this started with an explosion on an offshore oil rig last month. The rig sank; it caused a leak. And now, more than a million and a half gallons of oil have spilled into the Gulf. The Coast Guard and the company that owns the rig are both doing what they can to contain this spill. President Obama, who visited the region yesterday, says those efforts will keep going for as long as it takes. U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA: I'm not going to rest, and none of the gentlemen and women who are here are going to rest or be satisfied, until the leak is stopped at the source, the oil on the gulf is contained and cleaned up, and the people of this region are able to go back to their lives and their livelihoods. Currently, the most advanced technology available is being used to try and stop a leak that is more than 5,000 feet under the surface. Because this leak is unique and unprecedented, it could take many days to stop. That's why we're also using every resource available to stop the oil from coming ashore and mitigating the damage it could cause. Severe Storms . AZUZ: North from the Gulf Coast, a couple states are recovering from severe weather. Parts of Arkansas were hit by heavy storms, possible tornadoes on Friday. One person was killed. About two dozen others were hurt. Meanwhile, "extremely dangerous" flooding in Tennessee is responsible for at least five deaths over the weekend. Nashville got between 6 and 10 inches of rain in just 12 hours on Saturday. The city's mayor called it "one of the most severe rain events Nashville has ever experienced." He urged people to stay home and off the roads. There was more rain in the forecast for Tennessee yesterday. Teacher Appreciation Week . AZUZ: Well, it's time to give a little thanks to your teachers! This is Teacher Appreciation Week. And to celebrate, we want you to head to our blog and talk about your favorites. But put some thought into this one. Tell us how your teachers make a difference in your lives. It could be by showing you CNN Student News. If you want to go for some extra credit, and we know you want some extra credit, send us an iReport for Teacher Appreciation Week. You can do it all at CNNStudentNews.com. Immigration Reform . AZUZ: The issue of immigration getting a lot of attention right now. Part of the reason seems to be a new law in Arizona. We covered that last week. The law requires any immigrants in Arizona to have immigration documents with them at all times. It also requires police to question anyone who might be in the U.S. illegally. Over the weekend, thousands of people protested the Arizona law. Officials said 50,000 people marched in this demonstration in Los Angeles. There were similar protests in New York, Washington and Arizona. Critics of the law argue it will lead to racial profiling. They claim police will question people about their immigration status based mostly on their race. Now, Arizona Governor Jan Brewer is working to address that criticism by making some changes to the law. She signed those changes into effect Friday. This is the big difference. Originally, police officers in Arizona could stop anyone based simply on a "reasonable suspicion" that they might be in the country illegally. Now, officers can only ask people about their immigration status while the officers are enforcing some other law; maybe speeding, maybe loitering. Governor Brewer says the changes "make it crystal clear and undeniable that racial profiling is illegal and will not be tolerated in Arizona." Shoutout . TOMEKA JONES, CNN STUDENT NEWS: Today's Shoutout goes out to Ms. Killey's social studies classes at Haven Middle School in Evanston, Illinois! What type of musician is most likely to perform a cappella? You know what to do! Is it a: A) Cellist, B) Guitarist, C) Drummer or D) Singer? You've got three seconds -- GO! Since a cappella means "without instrumental support," a singer is the right choice here. That's your answer and that's your Shoutout! Virtual Choir . AZUZ: Nearly 200 singers raised their voices in a choir performance recently. They didn't need any instrumental support, but they did get some help from technology. When the curtain went up, they weren't really there! John Vennavally-Rao takes note of how the ethereal ensemble came together. (BEGIN VIDEO) JOHN VENNAVALLY-RAO, REPORTER, CTV NEWS, TORONTO: At first, it may seem strange that Patrick Murray is all alone, given choirs are all about making music together. PATRICK MURRAY [SINGING IN LATIN]: Singing "Lux Aurumque." VENNAVALLY-RAO: The 20-year-old music major at the University of Toronto, singing to his computer a popular choral piece called "Lux Aurumque." MURRAY: I recorded a video on my webcam along with the audio and then uploaded it to YouTube. VENNAVALLY-RAO: On its own, a rather ordinary video. But Karen Koh of Singapore did the same. So did Steven Hansen in Sweden. And Melody Myers of Tennessee. Videos that kept coming in on YouTube, the different parts of the same song. MELODY MYERS OF TENNESSEE, [SINGING IN LATIN]: Singing "Lux Aurumque" VENNAVALLY-RAO: All singing to an instructional video from composer-conductor Eric Whitacre. MURRAY: Everybody had to sync up their video to his video at the start of this beep. VENNAVALLY-RAO: Producer Scott Haines put all those clips together; this, the extraordinary result: the conductor and the 185 voices on YouTube. MURRAY: These people are from everywhere. 12 different countries represented in this video. VENNAVALLY-RAO: A choir unlike any other. MURRAY: There are people in Austria in this video. I've never been to Austria and maybe I never will, but here I am in this video singing with someone in Austria. VENNAVALLY-RAO: Composer Whitacre wrote he found the final product overwhelming. The poetic symbolism about our shared humanity and the need to connect. MURRAY: All you needed to participate was a webcam and a microphone. I think it's the future of creating music. VENNAVALLY-RAO: And Whitcare says he hopes to one day compose an original piece for the virtual choir with hundreds, perhaps thousands, of people singing alone, together. (END VIDEO) Before We Go . AZUZ: Really great stuff there. Well, last but not least today, it's not a sun dress. It's a Capri-Sun dress! And it's not just for senior prom, it's for a senior project! If not Project Runway. The ingredients: 117 packets of juice! One boyfriend to help drink all that juice. Some thread, some hot glue, three weeks to assemble. All of it added up to a passing grade and a one-of-a-kind, if not comfortable-kind, of couture. Goodbye . AZUZ: Now, if you're unsure how to address such a dress, just remember that in fashion, you always reap what you sew. We are piecing together more stories for you, so tomorrow, be sure to try us on for size. I'm Carl Azuz; we'll see you then! | Find out how a t-shirt vendor helped defuse an attempted bomb attack .
Consider the long-term impact of an oil spill on the U.S. Gulf Coast .
Take note of a recent choir concert that none of the singers attended .
Use the Daily Discussion to help students understand today's featured news stories . |
18,154 | 3366a857b8b12809383b0553ec1e4e9dc2d1abad | (CNN) -- It's been arguably the biggest sports-debate question of the past month: Who would win in a head-to-head matchup between the original 1992 Olympic basketball "Dream Team" and the 2012 edition that just won gold in London? Larry, Magic and Michael, or Kobe, KD and LeBron? We'll never know, right? Maybe not. 2K Sports is ready to let the fans decide by including both superstar teams in their upcoming basketball video game, "NBA 2K13." The fantasy matchup, in which gamers can match both teams in a virtual showdown for the ages, is the result of a partnership with USA Basketball, the organization that represents the U.S. in world basketball events. The public debate over which team is better started before the London games when the Los Angeles Lakers' Kobe Bryant said he thought he and his teammates could beat the 1992 squad. "Well, just from a basketball standpoint, they obviously have a lot more size than we do," Bryant told reporters after a pre-Olympics practice. "We have just a bunch of young racehorses, guys that are eager to compete. It'd be a tough one, but I think we'd pull it out." "In one game, we can beat them. No question about it." The resulting back-and-forth between members from both teams sparked an idea from "NBA 2K13" executive producer Jay-Z. Why not let the fans interact, play the game, and decide who is the better team? "In 'NBA 2K13,' we're giving fans the opportunity to play as two of the best teams ever assembled in sporting history, literally putting the debate right into their hands," Jay-Z said in a statement. The original Dream Team is considered one of the most dynamic sports teams ever assembled. Eleven Hall of Fame players, including Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, David Robinson, Magic Johnson and Charles Barkley, came together to crush international opponents and win Olympic gold in Barcelona, Spain. This year's Olympic team featured many likely future Hall of Famers, including Bryant, LeBron James and Kevin Durant. Not surprisingly, the famously competitive Jordan believes his team would triumph over the 2012 bunch. In an interview this week, he said playing both teams in "NBA 2K13" is likely to start more arguments than finish them. "When you stack all the stats, which is in some ways how the game is going to be viewed and discussed, our stats are going to be a lot better than their stats," Jordan said in a conference call with reporters. "I think it's going to start debates. I don't think it's going to end any. The only way it would end is for us to lace 'em back up and play them." Jordan thinks "NBA 2K13" gamers will get a good appreciation of the different styles of play over the two eras. The third-leading scorer in NBA history also offered some advice to fans playing as the Dream Team in the new video game. "If you want to score inside, you have to throw it to Charles (Barkley) or Karl (Malone)," Jordan said. "If you want to throw it to the perimeter, Larry (Bird) or Chris Mullin can set up. "Myself, I'm pretty sure I can score in any environment." Jordan also believes the inclusion of the all-star teams will give international gamers a chance to experience American-style hoops firsthand. "With the USA Basketball portion (of "NBA 2K13"), you are going to have a lot of Europeans being able to play the Dream Team fantasy. ... I think that's going to be fun." "NBA 2K13" will be released October 2 in North America and October 5 internationally. It will be available for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Windows PC, PSP and Wii. A Wii U version also will be released during the holiday season. | "NBA 2K13" will let gamers pit the London gold medalists against the 1992 Dream Team .
Michael Jordan: "I think it's going to start debates. I don't think it's going to end any"
The video game will be released October 2 in North America and October 5 internationally . |
41,420 | 74d2797cc2614588c5cba0589268685f680a7d29 | (CNN) -- GLAAD announced their nominees for the 25th annual GLAAD Media Awards on Thursday and they included a Netflix series, Elton John and Lady Gaga. Netflix earned its first nomination for its series "Orange Is the New Black" which is up for best comedy series against "Modern Family," "Brooklyn Nine-Nine," "Glee" and "Please Like Me." It was one of 93 nominees in the English-language categories that span from films to print journalism. There are also 37 Spanish-language nominees in nine categories. Gaga and John are competing against each other for outstanding music artist. Other nominees for that category include Goldfrapp, Tegan and Sara, and Vampire Weekend. BBC America's series "Orphan Black" was nominated for outstanding drama series and tweeted their delight: "Thrilled #OrphanBlack is nominated for Outstanding Drama Series at the #GlaadAwards!" The show is up against "The Fosters," "Grey's Anatomy," "Shameless" and "Pretty Little Liars.' According to GLAAD's site, the awards "recognize and honor media for their fair, accurate and inclusive representations of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and the issues that affect their lives." Other nominations include "Blue Is the Warmest Color," "Dallas Buyers Club," "Kill Your Darlings," "The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones," and "Philomena" for outstanding film -- wide release, and "Behind the Candelabra and "In the Flesh" for outstanding TV movie or miniseries. For a full list of nominees click here. | GLAAD announced 93 nominees in English-language categories .
Nomination categories include movies, music, TV and journalism .
Lady Gaga and Elton John are competing for outstanding music artist . |
281,037 | f80fb050471b6853077c86ad4daee57c07d1ade3 | By . Sunni Upal . Follow @@RSUpal . Jose Mourinho's Chelsea side will only feature on live television games seven times until the end of November, less than all of their Premier League title rivals, including Louis van Gaal's Manchester United. The Blues will also begin their campaign with an away fixture at Burnley on Monday night, while Van Gaal's United side play the opening game of the Premier League season at home against Swansea on Saturday lunchtime. Van Gaal's United are scheduled to play 10 of their first 13 games on television, the same as both Liverpool and Manchester City. Arsenal, meanwhile, who finished below . Chelsea last season in fourth place, will feature on television nine . times up to the end of November. Draw: Only seven of Chelsea's first 13 Premier League fixtures will be televised live . Step aside, Jose: Louis van Gaal's Manchester United will feature 10 times until the end of November . 10 - Liverpool, Man City, Man Utd . 9 - Arsenal . 7 - Chelsea . 6 - Aston Villa, Everton, QPR, Tottenham . 5 - Newcastle . 4 - Burnley, Stoke, Swansea, West Brom, West Ham . 3 - Crystal Palace, Hull, Leicester, Southampton, Sunderland . By the time Chelsea kick-off their Premier League title campaign at Turf Moor on Monday, August 18, Manchester United and Arsenal will both have played on Saturday, August 16 while Liverpool and Manchester City will feature on Sky's Super Sunday double bill. But despite Chelsea having fewer televised games than their rivals, they will face some tricky matches the weekend after Champions League contests. After each of their first four Champions League group games, Chelsea will face Manchester City at the Etihad, Arsenal at Stamford Bridge, Manchester United at Old Trafford and Liverpool at Anfield. Four of Chelsea's six fixtures after Champions League group-stage action will be away from home, while Manchester City face five away days after their six European clashes. Liverpool and Arsenal, on the other hand, will be at home four times out of six following a Champions League group game. That is providing Arsenal make it through their play-off tie at the end of August. Box office: Champions Manchester City, like their neighbours, have 10 live televised fixtures . Loosening up: Liverpool will play the first of their 10 live televised games on the opening weekend of the season . Capital gains: Arsenal have nine live games, the most for a Premier League team in London . Matchday 1: 16–17 September 2014Matchday 2: 30 September–1 October 2014Matchday 3: 21–22 October 2014Matchday 4: 4–5 November 2014Matchday 5: 25–26 November 2014Matchday 6: 9–10 December 2014 . Every team will feature at least three times on television before the end of November. The teams with three live games each are Crystal Palace, Hull, Leicester, Southampton and Sunderland. Newly promoted Burnley, Stoke Swansea, West Brom and West Ham will all be on TV four times, while Newcastle are the only team with five live games. Roberto Martinez's Everton, Aston Villa, Tottenham and newly promoted QPR all have six live games each. (a) Aston Villa - Sat 20 Sept, 3pm(h) Chelsea - Sun 5 Oct, 2.05pm(h) Sunderland - Sat 25 Oct, 3pm(a) Swansea - Sun 9 Nov, 4pm(h) West Brom - Sat 29 Nov, 12.45pm(h) Newcastle - Sat 13 Dec, 3pm* . *Date/time subject to change when next set of televised fixtures are announced* . (a) Manchester City - Sun, 21 Sept, 4pm(h) Arsenal - Sun 5 Oct, 2.05pm(a) Manchester United - Sun 26 Oct, 4pm(a) Liverpool - Sat 8 Nov, 12.45pm(a) Sunderland - Sat 29 Nov, 5.30pm(h) Hull - Sat 13 Dec, 3pm* . *Date/time subject to change when next set of televised fixtures are announced* . (a) West Ham - Sat 20 Sept, 5.30pm(h) West Brom - Sat 4 Oct, 3pm(h) Hull - Sat 25 Oct, 3pm(h) Chelsea - Sat 8 Nov, 12.45pm(h) Stoke - Sat 29 Nov, 3pm(a) Manchester United - Sat 13 Dec, 3pm* . *Date/time subject to change when next set of televised fixtures are announced* . (h) Chelsea - Sun 21 Sept, 4pm(a) Aston Villa - Sat 4 Oct, 5.30pm(a) West Ham - Sat 25 Oct, 12.45pm(a) QPR - Sat 8 Nov, 5.30pm(a) Southampton - Sun 30 Nov, 1.30pm(a) Leicester - Sat13 Dec, 3pm* . *Date/time subject to change when next set of televised fixtures are announced* . | Chelsea will be televised seven times up to end of November .
Manchester United, Manchester City and Liverpool have 10 live games .
Arsenal to feature on Sky Sports and BT Sport nine times .
Chelsea's fixtures after Champions League games include Manchester City (a), Arsenal (h), Manchester United (a) and Liverpool (a)
Manchester City face away fixtures after five of their six European games . |
193,475 | 86792f6371bcaa658b5962b4cd72d8877d45e91e | Leon, Mexico (CNN) -- It happened during my taxi ride from the airport to the hotel. After giving me a quick look, the cab driver asked: "So where can I take you, Father?" I had just arrived in Silao, Mexico located in the state of Guanajuato, which has the highest percentage of Catholics in Mexico. Yes, I was wearing a dark suit -- my blue shirt had no collar though -- but the confusion had to do more with the cab driver's sense of anticipation than the way I looked. More than 3,000 archbishops, bishops, priests and nuns descended on Guanajuato last week with the hope of meeting the head of the Church. Pope Benedict XVI was coming to Mexico for the very first time in his seven-year papacy and the sense of anticipation was great. It was to be the pope's first trip to Spanish-speaking Latin America as well. The country was chosen carefully: Mexico has the second largest population of Catholics in the world, after Brazil. By the time Benedict arrived at El Bajio Airport Friday afternoon, there were tens of thousands of people lining up the streets along the 20-mile stretch that would take him to Colegio de Miraflores, a Catholic school run by nuns in the city of Leon where the pope would stay three nights. Most greeters were high school students who seemed genuinely excited about the pope's arrival. But others were compelled to attend by schools and church authorities. The City of Leon cancelled classes and declared a holiday. Mexico was the first country Pope John Paul II visited in 1979, only months after being elevated to the papacy. Benedict XVI has been pope for seven years and had received two personal invitations from Mexican President Felipe Calderon, who traveled to the Vatican in 2007 and again in May of last year. Before the visit, many Mexican Catholics perceived Benedict as a distant and reserved pope who felt uneasy when interacting with people -- a perception the Catholic and the Mexican Church were trying to lay to rest. That probably explains the reason why Benedict wore a broad-brimmed sombrero on arriving at Guanajuato state's Bicentennial Park to celebrate a mass attended by hundreds of thousands. He again wore a sombrero when addressing worshippers congregated outside Colegio de Miraflores on the last night of his visit. "I've made a lot of trips, but I've never been welcomed with such enthusiasm. Now I can understand why Pope John Paul II used to say 'I feel like I'm a Mexican pope'," Benedict told a crowd of thousands of excited followers. And then, there were the references to the Virgin of Guadalupe, the patron saint of Mexico. As an academic with deep knowledge of theology and canon law, the pope is probably not thrilled about the fact that some Mexicans put images of the dark-skinned representation of the Virgin Mary right next to that of Christ. "To love her [the Virgin Mary] is to get committed to listen to her Son; to venerate the Virgin of Guadalupe is to live according to the words of the blessed fruit of her womb," the pope reminded people attending the open-air Mass. At the Mass, the pontiff urged Mexicans to rely on their faith to fight poverty, drug violence and other ills that have afflicted Mexico in recent years. The pope made repeated references to the sorrow of recent violence in Mexico. Mexico is only three months away from holding presidential elections and the opposition questioned the timing of the visit. President Calderon's party, the PAN, is Catholic-oriented and deeply conservative. The president appeared with the pope every single day of this visit. That would have been unthinkable before 1992, when Mexico resumed diplomatic relations with the Vatican after a 130-year freeze. All four presidential candidates attended the pope's main mass at the park. The only controversy about the visit surfaced Saturday. On the same day Pope Benedict addressed and blessed a group of 1,800 children in Guanajuato, three Mexican authors released a book accusing the Vatican of hiding or ignoring cases of child sex abuse by Roman Catholic priests. The book entitled "La Voluntad de no Saber" (Willing not to be Aware), focuses on Father Marcial Maciel, a now-deceased, Mexican-born Roman Catholic priest accused of multiple cases of sexual abuse of minors. Calls for the pope to meet victims of sexual abuse while in Mexico went unanswered. The big question after the visit is whether Pope Benedict XVI was able to connect with young people. The Catholic Church has lost a significant number of members in the last few decades. The percentage of Catholics now stands at 83% in a country that used to be almost universally Catholic. Was Pope Benedict able to erase the perception that he is a distant academic or is he now seen as a warm and affectionate, grandfather-like figure, much like his predecessor? Only time will tell. | Pope Benedict XVI's trip to Mexico first since becoming pope seven years ago .
Once near universal, Catholic population in Mexico now stands at 83% .
Visits comes only three months away from Mexico's presidential election .
Pope Benedict fighting image in Mexico of being academic and aloof . |
134,837 | 3a69bf64dfed55b8a1260bbb92130623de9f8a2b | Washington (CNN) -- It might be one of the most intense rivalries in sports. It's not the Yankees and the Red Sox, or the Cowboys and the Redskins, but the FBI and the Secret Service. Their hockey teams clashed on the ice Saturday night in their annual match. The two teams, made up of agents from the different organizations, have been playing against each other for more than 10 years. They raise money for different charitable causes for either FBI or Secret Service agents. This year, organizers asked for a $5 donation from attendants, with the money raised going to Keith Rile, a Secret Service agent diagnosed with cancer. "The FBI is a family; the Secret Service is a family. We work together every day of the year, and one day we come together to have this friendly rivalry," FBI director Robert Mueller told CNN. "We're all here to support him and support his family" Mueller, who played hockey during his college years at Princeton University, faced off against special agent James Meehan of the Secret Service in a ceremonial puck drop before the game. The Secret Service scored twice and took an early lead, to loud cheers from the stands which were packed with friends and families of the players, as well as other employees of the two agencies. The FBI tied the game soon afterward, but they were constantly on the defensive. The match came down to the last minute of the first overtime period. With 58 seconds left on the clock, the Secret Service scored the tie-breaking goal that ended the game. The final score was 7-6. "It's never an easy win," said Todd Nassoiy, one of the special agents playing for the Secret Service team. The Secret Service also won last year, but only after a tense shootout. The FBI won the year before that in overtime. The match was played at the Kettler Capitals Iceplex in Arlington, Virginia, and organizers said all 2,500 tickets were sold. | FBI, Secret Service face off in annual hockey game .
Secret Service wins in overtime .
Organizers say all 2,500 tickets were sold . |
80,641 | e48de07b950d022c76666d011c452e9500582fd2 | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 05:59 EST, 18 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:13 EST, 18 November 2013 . Jailed: Valerie Bell, pictured outside Newcastle Crown Court, hit an 89-year-old patient with slippers, forced a can of deodorant in her mouth, and called her a 'flithy animal' A care home worker has been jailed after it was discovered she hit a patient with slippers and forced a can of deodorant into her mouth. Valerie Bell also sprayed her victim, who has dementia, in the face and called her a 'filthy animal' when she was meant to be caring for her. The 51-year-old's campaign of abuse was eventually stopped when two other carers who worked for Bell blew the whistle on their boss. Bell was sentenced to nine months in prison after she was convicted of four counts of ill-treatment or neglect, relating to two residents at Sutherland Court Care Home, in Fenham. Judge John Milford, at Newcastle Crown Court, told her: 'The serious . aspect of this sort of offending is the victims can’t protect . themselves, they are entirely dependant on the care of those who are . charged with looking after them.' Bell was accused of offences against nine elderly residents at . Sutherland Court but was only convicted with regard to two of them. She worked a permanent night shift at the care home and was in charge of a floor where elderly dementia suffers were housed. Bell had worked in the industry for 18 years and was regarded as a senior figure at Sutherland Court. However, . two other care workers, Victoria Rooks and Melanie Ledger, were . appalled at how Bell treated residents and eventually revealed all. Judge Milford said the abuse had not been reported straight away because the two other carers were afraid of the consequences. The women told how, on August 19 last year, an 89-year-old woman was heard screaming in her room at around 5am. Bell . and Mrs Rooks went to the woman's room and found she had wet the bed. She was lifted out of bed and wheeled into a shower, where water was . sprayed onto her chest without Bell testing it’s temperature and she . complained it was too hot. Bell then placed the shower head against the resident’s bottom lip, as the elderly woman screamed. The woman was then wheeled back to her room where the defendant struck her three times round the face with a slipper. Mrs Rooks told the court that the attack had hurt the pensioner and described it as a 'full-blown whack' which left a red mark. Mrs Rooks recorded audio from part of the incident on her phone and the pensioner could be heard screaming and crying. Judge . Milford said: 'The recording makes chilling listening, it’s clear you . lost your temper with her and she was manhandled back into bed.' Mrs Rooks said Bell made it clear she did not like the victim, saying she was 'not one of my favourites'. The . court was told that Bell also subjected the 89-year-old to another . ordeal, spraying deodorant in her face and calling her a 'filthy . animal'. On that occasion, last spring, she went to the . pensioner’s room after she wet the bed, and as she put her on the . commode the pensioner spat at her. Care: Helen McArdle Care, which operates Sutherland Court, said Bell's behaviour was not tolerated and that 'justice has prevailed' for residents and their families . Bell called her a 'filthy . animal', slapped her arm and sprayed deodorant in her face, the court . heard. The woman was screaming loudly and Bell pushed the can into her . mouth sideways three times as a gag. Bell was convicted of three counts of ill treatment or neglect of a person who lacks capacity with regard to the 89-year-old. She was also found guilty of the same offence against another resident, an 84-year-old woman described as 'frail'. The court heard that one morning, at around 5.30 or 6am, the 84-year-old had been woken up by Bell and ordered to hurry up. She was then put in a wheelchair and banged her head when Bell tipped her backwards. After a trial Bell was cleared of two counts of assault against two other residents and acquitted of five further counts of ill-treatment against other residents. Tom Finch, defending, said: 'She had worked in the care industry for 18 years with an unblemished character and committed many many years to caring for the elderly and vulnerable. 'What happened was a momentary lapse of patience and tolerance at times when the circumstances were particularly stressful.' A spokesperson for Helen McArdle Care, which operates the home, said: 'We do not tolerate behaviour of this kind in our care homes and justice has prevailed for our residents and their families.' | Valerie Bell sentenced to nine months in prison for ill-treatment .
51-year-old hit one care home resident in the face with a slipper .
Abuse revealed after two carers blew the whistle on senior worker Bell . |
15,798 | 2cd78983cb998094cd0fcea1eff64b98a00d01fe | It has taken decades for factory bosses in China to wake up to the idea that allowing their workers to sleep on the job is good for productivity. So for half an hour every day, these employees at a plant in Guangdong are allowed to settle back in their spring-back chairs and grab some precious shut-eye. Sitting in a chair might not be the most relaxed way of dropping off to sleep, as shown in this photo, but this is a vast improvement from years gone by when slumbering at the work desk was treated as a cardinal sin and often meant instant dismissal. Hard at rest: Chinese electronics factory workers still wearing their protective clothing take their officially-sanctioned post-lunch naps . Granting official permission for workers to enjoy an apres-lunch nap at their benches is all part of reforms that have been implemented in recent years - and factories are reaping the benefits in increased productivity. The ‘sleeping on the job’ rule has benefited workers so much that the Chinese government now happily reveals that there has been a 30 per cent increase in work flow since it came about, combined with the introduction of a 40-hour working week, a drop in eight hours. This picture was taken by photographer Zhan Youbing who is well qualified to understand why even grabbing a nap in a chair is a matter of great comfort - for he is a former employee from a number of factories producing toys and electronic products. Later learning photographic skills, he embarked on a project to observe what he says is the evolution of the manufacturing world, taking more than 40,000 photos revealing the various conditions his comrades were working under. He recalls how, in 1995 at the age of 22, he arrived in the city of Guangdong along with many young Chinese from the villages seeking work in the burgeoning export-oriented industry. The factories chose workers aged between 18 and 25 because the conditions were demanding - 15 hour shifts six or seven days a week with only short breaks for as little as 34p an hour. The workers receiving the on-the-clock naps are based in Dongguan (pictured), in China's Guangdong Province . But since 2005 there have been vast improvements in working conditions, with salary increases, dormitories being provided for workers who prefer to grab a nap lying down, renovated dining halls and leisure areas where workers can play table tennis or simply relax. Some factories have even helped to provide the children of their workers with education and make clean drinking water available to them. But in an increasing number of factories these days, the greatest torture - sleep deprivation - is becoming a thing of the past. Well-rested workers are happy workers, bosses are now agreeing. | Chinese factory employees allowed a 30 minute nap every day after lunch .
Government claims napping rule has boosted productivity by 30 per cent .
It is one of many rules to have vastly improved factory working conditions . |
119,676 | 269c24587e7ce384249fbb8c27bfb9adef1eb1e2 | By . Jim Norton . and Tania Steere . The great Easter getaway got off to a nightmare start last night as travel chaos hit one of Britain’s busiest stations. Thousands of Eurostar passengers were stranded at St Pancras station in London after a man died on a train line in France and a train broke down. Stations, motorways and airports are likely to remain congested over the break, with more than six million Britons planning trips. Eurostar had to cancel 14 trains, leading to pandemonium as queues snaked around the station and passengers were hit with delays of up to eight hours. Passengers stranded at St Pancras station after services were cancelled . A fatality near Lille in northern France involving a French high-speed train resulted in diversions and delays to Eurostar. Then, just as services were getting back to normal, a Eurotunnel passenger shuttle train broke down in the Channel Tunnel. By 6.45pm, the company announced it was ceasing trains until today. An announcement on the Eurostar website said: ‘Eurostar services are now closed for the day and regrettably no further passengers are being accepted at our stations. Please do not travel to our stations this evening.’ Motorists using the M25 were also stuck in long traffic jams as the Easter getaway continues . But passengers, many of whom knew nothing about the cancellations, voiced their anger on social media. Sarah Martin tweeted: ‘Really disappointed with complete lack of communication about cancellation of trains and options. No contingency plans.’ Stressed motorists sit for hours in stationary traffic as the Easter getaway continues . Pictures posted on social media showed long lines of passengers snaking around the terminal. British Transport Police said officers has been dispatched to assist with crowd control. A BTP spokesman said last night: ‘A number of officers have been at the station throughout the day assisting with crowd control and supporting rail staff and passengers, and will remain there as long as is required.’ Trains were expected to begin running again as normal this morning, with the first train scheduled to leave St Pancras at 6.18am. A spokesman for Eurostar said the company had worked hard to ensure that 44 services still ran yesterday. He added: ‘Inevitably there will be a backlog, but we will do everything we can to help the passengers affected.’ More than 130,000 passengers were expected to travel on Euro-star over the weekend. Meanwhile, millions took to the roads last night, with the weekend likely to see as many as 16 million cars on the move. About 3.4 million Britons are set to take an Easter break in the UK involving at least one overnight stay. In addition, 6.5 million Britons are planning day trips over the holiday period. For those staying at home, today is expected to be the best day of the holiday for weather, with cooler, cloudier and wetter conditions as the weekend goes on. | Passengers stranded after Eurostar forced to cancel services .
Passengers warned by social media to avoid St Pancras Station .
130,000 people planned to use the Eurostar over the long weekend .
Drivers faced long traffic jams as the Easter getaway continues .
An estimated 3.4 million Britons planning to take an Easter break . |
125,683 | 2e7a511fcf82575bd30f4547ba2fe323c3ecf87d | Newcastle host Hull with under-fire Magpies boss Alan Pardew looking to rectify his side's 4-0 thumping defeat at Southampton last week. Ahead of this weekend's Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information you need for Newcastle's home clash with Hull... Newcastle United vs Hull City (St James' Park) Kick-off: Saturday 3pm . Odds (subject to change): . Newcastle 21/20 . Draw 23/10 . Hull 11/4 . Referee: Neil Swarbrick . Managers: Alan Pardew (Newcastle), Steve Bruce (Hull) Head-to-head league record: Newcastle wins 6, draws 2, Hull wins 4 . Team news . Newcastle . Under-pressure Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will have to rely upon the same group of players which capitulated at Southampton last weekend as he looks for victory over Hull. Pardew will once again be without midfielders Siem de Jong (thigh) and Rolando Aarons (hamstring) with the former facing months on the sidelines. Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will be without Rolando Aarons for the visit of Hull due to a hamstring injury . Striker Papiss Cisse is closing in on a return from a long-term knee injury, but fellow frontman Adam Campbell (hernia) is likely to be missing for some time and full-back Davide Santon is still out as he continues his recovery from a knee problem. Provisional squad: Krul, Elliot, Janmaat, Dummett, Haidara, Coloccini, Williamson, S. Taylor, Tiote, Anita, Abeid, Gouffran, Sissoko, Colback, Cabella, Obertan, Ameobi, Riviere, Perez, Armstrong. Hull . Hull will make a late check on record signing Abel Hernandez ahead of Saturday's visit to Newcastle but expect him to be ready for action. Hernandez scored on his debut against West Ham but manager Steve Bruce admits he was left exhausted by his introduction to English football and will assess his match fitness on the morning of the game. Hull will make a late fitness check on striker Abel Hernandez ahead of Saturday's trip to St. James' Park . Hatem Ben Arfa is ineligible to face his parent club but fellow loanne Gaston Ramirez could make a full debut. Provisional squad: McGregor, Harper, Davies, Dawson, Rosenior, Robertson, Diame, McShane, Elmohamady, Huddlestone, Livermore, Ince, Brady, Jelavic, Aluko, Sagbo, Quinn, Meyler, Hernandez, Ramirez. Key match stats (supplied by Opta) None of the last six competitive meetings between Hull and Newcastle have ended as a home win (four away wins and two draws). Indeed, the Tigers have won on four of their last five trips to St James’ Park in all competitions (L1). Newcastle have scored only 17 goals in the Premier League in 2014, fewer than any other ever-present side this year. Hull are just one of five teams to score in all four of their games this season (along with Arsenal, Chelsea, Everton & Swansea). Newcastle have lost eight of their last 12 Premier League games at St James Park (W3 D1). Sone Aluko scored the winning goal for Hull last season in their 3-2 victory at Newcastle . Hull have scored at least once in eight of their last nine Premier League away games. Hull have made more clearances than any other side in the PL this season (186). Alan Pardew now has the same Premier League win percentage at Newcastle (36%) as he did at West Ham. Steven Taylor is the only player to feature in the Premier League this season and not make a single pass. No Newcastle player has been caught offside yet this season in the Premier League, despite playing four games. | Under-pressure Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will be hoping his side get back to winning ways against Hull on Saturday .
Magpies were thrashed 4-0 at Southampton last weekend .
Hosts are still without Siem de Jong and Rolando Aarons .
Hull striker Abel Hernandez will have a late fitness check .
On-loan Tigers midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa is ineligible to face parent club .
Hull have won four of their last five trips to St. James' Park .
None of the last six competitive meetings between Hull and Newcastle have ended as a home win . |
14,484 | 2914db2dfd8205a0339199e45b66733dd5189ca8 | Washington (CNN) -- Two unconnected overseas emergencies -- the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and Islamic terrorists in Iraq and Syria -- are prompting President Barack Obama to embark on a two-day U.S. road trip that the White House hopes will demonstrate a commander at work. The spread of Ebola in West Africa, which hasn't slowed despite $100 million of pledged U.S. aid, is unrelated to the U.S. mission to degrade ISIS terrorists in Iraq and Syria. But both have prompted worry among Americans about their personal safety and led to charges the White House isn't doing enough to combat the hazards. The dual foreign plagues have yet to pose an immediate threat to the United States homeland, the White House says, though each has claimed the lives of Americans abroad. And officials say both Ebola and ISIS could grow to become unmanageable problems if action isn't taken now to stamp them out. Obama's trip, which begins Tuesday, will take him to the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and later to the U.S. Central Command at the MacDill Air Force Base in Tampa. The President's stop Tuesday at the CDC comes amid loudening criticism from health experts on the global response to the Ebola outbreak in West Africa, where almost 2,500 people have died. At the U.S. public health agency Obama will be briefed on the outbreak and speak to officials there about how the U.S. is responding. Afterwards he's likely to announce new U.S. commitments in combating the virus' spread, the White House said Monday. Though officials would not specify how the U.S. may increase its response, steps Obama could announce include sending more medical equipment and U.S. doctors and nurses to combat the virus, and ramping up training for local medical teams. The Defense Department may also be asked to increase its support in handling logistics of the large-scale response already underway, which involves multiple countries and aid groups. Epidemiologists and others who are monitoring the disease have claimed developed countries aren't sending enough resources to the three nations most affected: Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. The U.S. has committed more than $100 million in the effort to combat Ebola, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development, and Obama plans to call on Congress to approve an additional $88 million as part of a bill to fund the federal government. Last week USAID said it would spend $75 million to build treatment facilities and supply them with medical equipment. But so far the U.S. aid has been unable to stop the spread of the deadly virus, which Obama and White House officials are calling a national security problem. Particularly concerning, U.S. officials say, is the potential for instability in the countries where Ebola is rampant and the possibility for the virus to mutate into a more dangerous form. Ebola currently only transmits though contact with bodily fluids; a mutation that allows the virus to spread through the air would pose a catastrophic threat to human populations worldwide, health experts say. Speaking Monday, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said there was still a "very low" likelihood the Ebola virus could mutate in a way that poses a threat to the United States. "Right now, the risk of an Ebola outbreak in the United States is very low, but that risk would only increase if there were not a robust response on the part of the United States," Earnest said. The potential for increased risk to the U.S. homeland has also inspired the more robust response to ISIS terrorists, who Obama announced last week would be the target of an air campaign inside Iraq and Syria. That mission is run from U.S. Central Command in Tampa, where Obama will receive a briefing on battle plans Wednesday. The White House said the President would also visit servicemen and women during his stop at the facility. Obama and his aides maintain that ISIS fighters don't currently pose a direct threat to the U.S. homeland but warn of the potential for militants with U.S. or Western passports to return home and stage an attack remains a top concern. Secretary of State John Kerry has been engaging Arab and European nations in building a coalition to fight ISIS, though levels of commitment from foreign partners has remained vague. "We're pleased with the level of conversations that we're having with these governments and their willingness to contribute in a tangible, important way to this broader effort," Earnest said Monday. "We'll have some announcements to make in terms of what sort of cooperation and involvement and commitment that we have from the international community. And based on the tenor and tone of the kinds of private conversations that are underway right now, we expect those commitments to be substantial." | Obama hits road Tuesday for briefings at CDC and CENTCOM .
White House facing unconnected Ebola and ISIS crises .
If left unattended, both could present risks to U.S. homeland . |
262,634 | e0334f0a5ecb05f7de026bd8cb53d241301d714c | (CNN) -- President Barack Obama promised accountability, but he made clear Wednesday he won't fire Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki -- yet -- over excessive and sometimes deadly waiting times faced by veterans seeking government health care. The controversy has mushroomed since CNN first reported the problem last November in a detailed investigation examining several VA hospitals. Hospital delays are killing war veterans . After meeting with Shinseki at the White House, Obama held a hastily arranged news conference in which he said he needed more time to review what was going on. "If these allegations prove to be true, it is dishonorable, it is disgraceful, and I will not tolerate it, period," the President said in his first public comments in weeks on the issue. However, he made clear his main target for now was anyone who actually carried out improper practices at VA, rather than the retired Army general at the top. "Anybody found to have manipulated or falsified records at VA facilities has to be held accountable," Obama said. Emotional issue . The VA problems touch on an emotional topic -- caring for America's military veterans, many of whom served in war -- and the revelations of scheduling tricks and secret lists to hide months-long waits for care prompted criticism of Shinseki and the VA on both sides of the aisle. "My attitude is, for folks who have been fighting on the battlefield, they should not have to fight a bureaucracy at home to get the care that they've earned," Obama said. Asked if Shinseki offered to resign, he said the retired Army general "cares deeply about veterans and he cares deeply about the mission, and I know that Rick's attitude is if he doesn't think he can do a good job on this and if he thinks he's let our veterans down, then I'm sure that he is not going to be interested in continuing to serve." His remarks did little to soothe critics, with House Republican leader Eric Cantor of Virginia quickly asserting that the President "is known for talking about accountability without ever holding anyone accountable." Rep. John Barrow of Georgia became the first congressional Democrat to publicly call for Shinseki's dismissal since the controversy erupted after CNN's initial reporting. Barrow released a statement after Obama's remarks that said: "While I don't think a change in leadership will immediately solve the serious problems that plague the VA, I do think it's time to give someone else an opportunity to lead the agency and begin the rebuilding process to ensure these issues never happen again." Calls for Shinseki's dismissal . The American Legion, a major veterans' group that has called for Shinseki's ouster, labeled Obama's decision to keep him in office "unfortunate." "Words are nice, and even somewhat comforting, but when will the VA's house be cleansed of those who are soiling it and dishonoring the system?" said Daniel Dellinger, the legion's national commander. Obama noted that the public wants a "swift reckoning" on the VA issue, but he defended the record of his administration and Shinseki -- who has been the only Veteran Affairs secretary of his presidency. In particular, the President cited increased spending for VA, expanded services, efforts to help veterans go to college and get jobs, and reducing a backlog of benefits claims. CNN reported last month that in Phoenix, the department used fraudulent record-keeping -- including secret lists -- that covered up excessive waiting periods for veterans, some of whom died in the process. Bonuses paid . In a new development, Shinseki has rescinded an $8,495 bonus awarded to Phoenix VA Director Sharon Helman last month. Helman is on administrative leave in response to the allegations of misconduct under her watch. "Secretary Shinseki today exercised his authority to rescind Sharon Helman's fiscal year 2013 performance award immediately," a VA statement said on Wednesday. "Previously, Ms. Helman received the performance award due to an administrative error." Meanwhile, the number of VA facilities under investigation has expanded to 26, the agency's Office of Inspector General said Tuesday. Last week, the inspector general told a Senate committee that 10 facilities were being investigated. Obama's deputy chief of staff, Rob Nabors, will head to Phoenix on Wednesday night to interview the VA office's interim director and visit the facility. Nabors is aiding Shinseki with a review of the allegations, and Obama said he expects a preliminary report from them next week. In addition, Nabors is conducting a broader review of overall VA health care administration, with a deadline to report back to Obama in a month, the President said. For six months, CNN has been reporting on delays in medical appointments for veterans across the country, with some dying or suffering harm while waiting for appointments and care. The most disturbing and striking problems emerged in Arizona last month, with sources revealing to CNN details of a secret waiting list. According to the sources, at least 40 American veterans died in Phoenix while waiting for care at the VA there. An internal VA memo from 2010, first disclosed at a congressional hearing last week, showed officials warned of "inappropriate scheduling practices" to cover up excessive waits for veterans four years ago. Problem cited in 2010 . The memo by William Schoenhard, who was a VA deputy undersecretary, referred to a growing practice of "gaming strategies" that he said would not be tolerated. However, the CNN investigation shows such practices have continued. One of CNN's sources, Dr. Samuel Foote, a retired VA hospital physician, said Wednesday that VA managers worried about being able to report they were meeting deadlines for providing care to veterans, rather than getting accurate information on what was happening. If the numbers provided to superiors looked good, then the VA looked good, Foote explained, adding, "There's really no incentive for the upper management to get accurate numbers." He said, "I think the VA needs to get out of its delay and deny mode and start admitting that there really is a problem, and that's generally the first step in solving a problem is admitting you have one." The VA has acknowledged 23 deaths nationwide due to excessive waits by veterans for care, and the VA inspector general launched an independent investigation of the Phoenix allegations and other VA problems in addition to the internal review by Shinseki and Nabors. At a Senate hearing last week, the inspector general said his investigation so far found a possible 17 deaths of veterans waiting for care in Phoenix but added there was no evidence that the excessive waiting caused those deaths. More details . Obama sought to provide a more detailed description of the allegations on Wednesday, saying the cooked books and excessive waits applied more to veterans with chronic conditions who are among the 85 million VA appointments each year instead of those needing emergency care. At the same time, he wondered if a 14-day deadline for the VA to provide service to newly registered veterans -- a policy implemented under Shinseki -- was realistic. "What is not yet clear to me is whether enough tools were given to make sure those goals were actually met," Obama said. "I won't know until the full report is put forward as to whether there was enough management follow up." On Monday, White House spokesman Jay Carney acknowledged the White House learned of the situation at the Phoenix VA from CNN reports in April. Asked Tuesday about the 2010 memo by Schoenhard, Carney refused to answer and instead referred reporters to the VA because it was an internal agency document. The administration's response so far has included putting three Phoenix VA officials on administrative leave; recently accepting the resignation of VA Undersecretary for Health Robert Petzel shortly before he planned to retire this year; appointing Nabors to review VA operations, and the inspector general's independent investigation. Since the initial CNN report, whistleblowers from other VA hospitals have stepped forward to describe similar schemes by officials to hide the extended waits. The chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee, GOP Rep. Jeff Miller of Florida, called Wednesday for Obama to take executive action to get waiting veterans the help they need. Miller also has threatened to propose a contempt motion against the VA for what he calls its failure to adequately respond to his panel's May 8 subpoena, which included a request for information about the alleged destruction of the secret wait list in Phoenix. Officials have denied any knowledge of it. He called three senior VA officials to a committee business meeting on Thursday to discuss the matter. The VA said earlier this week that it was complying with the request for information. Obama said at his news conference that he wanted Shinseki and the VA to act now to provide care for veterans who have been waiting. Separately, the House overwhelmingly approved legislation proposed by Miller on Wednesday that would make it easier to fire or demote senior executives at Veterans Affairs. The bill would give the VA secretary the authority to remove at any time any of the agency's senior executives based on performance. Currently, executives get at least 30 days' notice of a potential firing and the option of an appeal. Companion legislation has been introduced in the Senate, but its prospects are not clear. Florida problems . Meanwhile, an audit team sent to the Malcom Randall VA Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida, discovered a list of patients needing follow-up appointments that was kept on paper instead of in the VA's electronic computer system. As a result, three members of the Gainesville VA's supervisory staff have been placed on paid leave, pending the outcome of the inspector general's investigation, VA Sunshine Healthcare Network spokeswoman Mary Kay Hollingsworth said this week. The secret waiting list in Phoenix was part of an elaborate scheme designed by VA managers there who were trying to hide that 1,400 to 1,600 sick veterans were forced to wait months to see a doctor, according to a recently retired top VA doctor and several high-level sources. Phoenix VA officials denied any knowledge of a secret list, and said they never ordered any staff to hide waiting times. They acknowledged some veterans may have died waiting for care there, but they said they did not have knowledge about why those veterans might have died. CNN has tried repeatedly to interview Shinseki, but the requests have been denied. Rights group calls VA 'scapegoat' in scandal over wait times, care . CNN's Nelli Black, Paul Courson, Scott Bronstein, Deirdre Walsh, Jim Acosta, Virginia Nicolaidis and Becky Brittain contributed to this report, which was written by Tom Cohen in Washington. | Shinseki rescinds 2013 bonus for Phoenix VA director .
President Obama defends VA Secretary Shinseki, promises accountability .
The number of VA facilities under investigation has expanded to 26 .
NEW: House panel wants three VA officials to appear at a meeting on Thursday . |
116,073 | 21d0f05727a53fd72f7dd8c067170432c20a2cc9 | Giorgio Chiellini claims the apparent bite from Luis Suarez was 'clear, clear-cut' and that the Uruguay striker should have been dismissed immediately for his actions. The Italian defender clashed with the Liverpool man during a World Cup Group D decider, but despite displaying bite marks on his shoulder no action was taken. Minutes later the South Americans scored a crucial winner. Chiellini labels Suarez, who has previous when it comes to these actions, a 'sneak', who FIFA allow to get away with these things as he is a star player. FIFA told the BBC: 'We are awaiting the official match report and will gather all the necessary elements before making a decision.’ VIDEO: Scroll down to see moment Suarez bit Chiellini . Chomping at the bit: Luis Suarez appears bites Giorgio Chiellini during Uruguay's 1-0 win against Italy . Ouch: Chiellini attempts to show the bite marks to referee Marco Rodriguez . The Juventus stopper also believes video evidence should be used to ban the forward, slamming the referee for not taking action straight away. 'It was ridiculous not to send Suarez off,” Chiellini told Rai TV. 'It is clear, clear-cut and then there was the obvious dive afterwards because he knew very well that he did something that he shouldn’t have done. And Chiellini continued, telling Sky Sports Italia: 'Suarez is a sneak and he gets away with it because FIFA want their stars to play in the World Cup. 'I'd love to see if they have the courage to use video evidence against him. The referee saw the bite mark too, but he did nothing about it.' Hot water: Suarez clutches his teeth after appearing to sink them into Chiellini's shoulder . Bite marks: Chiellini shows his wounds to the ref after a clash with Suarez . No action: Chiellini appeals to referee Marco Rodriguez after the incident . Suarez was banned for eight games in England after biting Branislav Ivanovic in 2013, and was also judged to have done the same thing when playing for Ajax. But the striker, who is a target for Barcelona and Real Madrid this summer, swerved questions on the subject after the final whistle. 'Uruguay is celebrating, we have qualified and now we are going to celebrate this moment because next we have to start thinking about our next opponents. 'The truth is that the team worked incredibly hard and we deserve it. 'After making a bad start to the group against Costa Rica, the best we deserved was this and we showed that we deserve to stay in this World Cup. 'The heat was incredible and we were worn out.' Controversy: Suarez celebrates after the final whistle, dodging questions on the incident . Undeserved? Diego Godin scored seconds later to send Uruguay through to the Second Round . | Giorgio Chiellini bitten by Luis Suarez in match between Italy and Uruguay .
Minutes later Uruguay score to send them through to World Cup Second Round .
Chiellini showed bite marks to referee who took no action .
Defender labels Suarez a 'sneak' who FIFA won't punish because he is a star player .
Suarez has been banned twice before because of biting opponents . |
169,063 | 66b9425cfb71dd255c613e79ba7122cfb3aa8176 | By . Margot Peppers . Baby product company Graco has come under fire after one of its double strollers was seemed unsafe because it failed a brakes test. According to the latest issue of Consumer Reports, the Ready2Grow Classic Connect LX, which costs $210, raised safety concerns during a routine test after its brakes released when it was angled 19 degrees up on a tilt table. 'If you must use one of those strollers, be aware of the potential brake issue,' warns the magazine, which labeled the stroller a 'Don't Buy' product. Bad review: Consumer Reports has labeled Graco's Ready2Grow Classic Connect LX stroller (pictured) a 'Don't buy' product after its brakes released when it was angled 19-degrees up on a tilt table during a safety test . Consumer Reports also found that after the stroller underwent the test, the plastic teeth that lock the wheel sin place were bent and showed stress marks. The company responded that there have been no brake-related injuries reported for this particular model, and Consumer Reports confirmed this claim. Graco added that the brakes are being upgraded 'as part of continuous improvement,' and that the new system will meet the safety standard as tested by the magazine. The stroller, which is able to carry two children simultaneously, is one of the most popular purchases on the Graco website, with customers giving it an average rating of 4.2 out of five stars. But Consumer Reports further explained its negative review in a video on its website. 'We've tested more than 160 strollers, and this is the only one where the brake gave way' 'We've tested more than 160 strollers, single and double that are listed in our ratings,' says John Galeotafiore, head of stroller testing for Consumer Reports, in the video. 'And this is the only one where the brake gave way.' The publication even went so far as to . recommend that parents who have already purchased one of the models in . question should ask the retailer for a refund. Defense: Graco says there have been no brake-related injuries reported for this model, a claim that Consumer Reports has confirmed. Pictured: The stroller failing the tilt test . Expert opinion: The publication recommends that parents who have already purchased one of the models ask the retailer for a refund. Pictured: Consumer Reports' head of stroller testing . Models Ready 2 Grow Classix Connect LX, the Classic Connect, Click Connect LX and Click Connect were all included in the 'Don't Buy' rating. A spokesperson for Graco has refuted the unfavorable write-up, calling Consumer Reports' test measures 'unreasonably excessive'. 'Our test is designed to assess whether strollers have an extra margin of safety' 'While we share a common commitment to the safety of families that use our products, we strongly disagree with Consumer Reports' assertion that our Ready2Grow Classic Connect stroller is unsafe,' the spokesperson told CNNMoney. But Mr Galeotafiore explains: 'Our test is rigorous. But it's designed to assess whether strollers have an extra margin of safety.' | Consumer Reports found that the brakes on the Ready2Grow Classic Connect LX released at an upwards tilt of 19 degrees .
The company responded that there have been no brake-related injuries reported for this model, and that the brakes are being upgraded 'as part of continuous improvement' |
146,258 | 4921a234e2494276a7ecd7a59c2decd71dcfc638 | The National Gallery of Australia will lift its 20-year ban on people taking selfies with art works from next year. It is the Canberra gallery's attempt to catch up with times where social media is a major form of communication among friends and family. Barely a month into his new role as director of the NGA, Gerard Vaughan tabled the topic at his first council meeting in November and had the restriction scrapped to the delight of the smartphone-welding public, The Australian reported. It comes as part of the Canberra gallery's (pictured) attempt to catch up with social media as a major form of communication . The ban will be lifted come January 2015, bringing the NGA in line with many other galleries who have ditched the archaic practice. Assistant director Simon Elliott told ABC News Online despite the latest exhibition, James Turrell: a retrospective, being exempt from the ban, there were plenty other art works that were allowed to be photographed - including a majority of its permanent installations. He said this move not only meant people could document their time at the NGA for themselves and take home a souvenir, but it could also boost the gallery's profile. 'In 1982 when we opened you had to leave your camera in the cloak room,' Mr Elliott said. The gallery's director Gerard Vaughan tabled the topic at his first council meeting in November. The 20-year ban was scrapped and will be officially lifted from January 2015 . 'These days we wouldn't dream of taking people's phones off them and we don't take their cameras. 'We hope that the younger audience who are a little bit more technologically sophisticated will take advantage of [social media]... and [share] their photos online.' Restrictions on taking photographs remain in certain circumstances because artists opt to protect their copyright on art works by requesting no pictures are taken of their creations. The NGA joins many other art galleries in Australia who have relaxed restrictions to allow more people to take away a selfie to remember their visit. | Gallery director Gerard Vaughan tabled the topic at his first council meeting in November .
The 20-year ban was scrapped and will be officially lifted from January 2015 .
It comes as part of the gallery's attempt to catch up with social media as a major form of communication .
Restrictions on photography remain in certain circumstances when artists opt to protect their copyright . |
172,861 | 6bb8606f05d32a0018f6641ca37d36bc2ed25268 | (CNN) -- New Zealand warmed up for their Tri-Nations decider against Australia with a 101-14 rout of Samoa in a one-off rugby union Test on Wednesday in New Plymouth, running in 15 tries. Conrad Smith touches down for one of his two tries in the All Blacks win. Fullback Mils Muliaina scored three tries in the first half, center Conrad Smith and winger Richard Kahui touched down twice and nine other players added their names to the New Zealand scoresheet as the All Blacks beat a weakened Samoan team by a record margin. New Zealand led 47-7, seven tries to one, at halftime and added eight tries, including a penalty try, in the second spell to surpass their highest score against Samoa. The All Blacks had a 26-0 lead after 16 minutes and set their record score against Samoa -- surpassing the 71-13 in 1999 -- despite being held scoreless for periods of 18 minutes in the first half and 10 minutes in the second. It was the fifth time New Zealand had reached 100 points in a match, with the All Blacks' record being the 145-17 win over Japan at the 1995 World Cup. Samoa was forced to pick a severely under-strength side because many of its leading and most-experienced players are involved with European club sides. Most of the players who took the field Wednesday were young and Samoa-based and playing against the All Blacks for the first time. Although outgunned by an All Blacks team which overwhelmingly controlled territory and possession, Samoa played with great spirit and scored a try in each half. Flyhalf Uale Mai scored and converted his own try after 28 minutes and flanker Alafoti Faosiliva touched down off a break by Uale Mai four minutes before fulltime. "What can you say? 100 points," Samoa captain Filipo Levi said. "It shows the All Blacks are on fire at the moment. They've showed in the Tri-Nations competition that they're a very consistent team. "For some of our boys it was a big step up from playing club rugby in Samoa but, having said that, it was a big learning curve." Flyhalf Daniel Carter converted six of the All Blacks' first-half tries, surpassing 2,000 points in first-class rugby, and his replacement Stephen Donald scored his first Test try and converted seven of New Zealand's eight second-half tries. The match was scheduled to help the All Blacks bridge the three-week gap between their most recent Tri-Nations clash with South Africa and their next, against Australia, at Brisbane on September 13. The Brisbane match will decide the outcome of the Tri-Nations tournament. Copyright 2008 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this report. | New Zealand rout Samao 101-14 in rugby union Test in New Plymouth .
All Blacks run in 15 tries as they warm up for Tri-Nations decider against Australia .
Flyhalf Dan Carter passes 2,000 first class points during match . |
183,129 | 793223cd80db9949a161208f748f7ea332d9e452 | By . Amy Oliver . PUBLISHED: . 07:48 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:46 EST, 1 November 2012 . He's braved freezing Siberian rivers and petted a tranquilsed polar bear in the Arctic. But it seems tough guy Vladimir Putin may finally have met his match - with a flock of migrating cranes. In recent weeks, Mr Putin has rarely left his official residence, sparking speculation that illness or injury had laid him low. Is it a bird? No, it's a crane! Vladimir Putin has not been seen in public much since he was flanked by migrating cranes during a well publicised flight in a motorised hang glider back in September . But it emerged today that the president's September flight in a motorised hang-glider, in which he got snarled up with several cranes, may have aggravated an old injury, according to newspaper Vedomosti. Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov denied the claims. He told the . state news agency RIA Novosti that the president had an old injury, but that it was . not connected to the highly publicised flight. Instead Mr Peskov said Mr Putin's absence from the Kremlin was down to courtesy for the Russian people: he didn't want his . motorcade to disrupt Moscow's notoriously bad traffic. You bird brain: Mr Putin eyeballs one of the Siberian cranes from the safety of his glider. It has emerged that he may have aggravated an old injury . Ouch: A few days after the September 5 flight, Mr Putin looked in pain during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit Leaders Retreat II in Vladivostok, Russia . The presidential motorcade forces the . shutdown of large stretches of highway, an inconvenience that many . irritated drivers mark by blaring their horns angrily as the president's . car races past. Mr Putin has also put off several expected . trips abroad, including to India, Turkey and Bulgaria. The hang-glider flight with the cranes, . which took place in September in Vladivostok, was one of Putin's . trademark adventurous media events. Chocks away! Mr Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the president had an old injury, but it was not connected to the flight . Strain: Mr Peskov added that the president had 'pulled a muscle' but had not tried to conceal it. It was usual for 'athletes' to sustain such injuries, he added . The 60-year-old Russian leader has . assiduously cultivated an image of vigor and daring. He is also an accomplished skier and a judo aficionado. 'Indeed he pulled a muscle,' Mr Peskov . said. 'It happened . before Vladivostok. He was suffering from some muscle pain then.' He added: 'Actually, we have never tried to . conceal it because any athlete has lots of injuries, which, however, do . not mean any restrictions of his activities.' | Spokesman says Putin is suffering from old injury, which is nothing to do with September flight . |
91,593 | 01d3b9e973d645d7d9120f916b12b7494d9fdfae | By . Paul Harris . She was 16-years-old and desperate to serve king and country. Dorothy Bell already had a brother in the RAF and every day there were reports of the war in Europe, feats of great heroism abroad and news of friends signing up for service. So she told the authorities she was 19 and wangled herself into the Women’s Auxiliary Territorial Service, handling secret messages and transporting some of the most senior officers. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . White lie: Dorothy Bell was 16 when she said she was 19 to join the Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service . Secrets: She handled top secret messages during the Battle of Bulge in The Ardennes in 1944 and 1945 . Had she not done so she would probably have missed the war. But . that little white lie she told in 1942 will resurface today – when she . is awarded France’s highest honour in recognition of her service. Lance . Corporal Bell, now 88-year-old Mrs Dorothy Hickman, is believed to be . the only woman veteran being presented in person with the Legion . d’Honneur during a ceremony in Normandy. ‘I’m very proud to receive it but I’m . still not going to tell them my real age,’ she said yesterday. ‘I don’t . want to get into trouble.’ She is one of more than 600 veterans . who will receive the medal as a symbol of France’s gratitude to those . who helped liberate it from Nazi occupation and fought to serve French . interests. Dorothy had . initially planned to join the Royal Navy ‘but I didn’t like the hats’, . she said with a twinkle in her eye yesterday. The ATS, which later took on the future Queen, Princess Elizabeth, accepted Dorothy without any checks on her age. She . became a secretary and chauffeur attached to Field Marshal Montgomery’s . 21st Army Group as he oversaw the Battle of Normandy and continued the . campaign in north west Europe. Part of her duty involved driving . senior officers behind the lines and handling secret messages at a . chateau in Belgium, where she was based during the Battle of the Bulge. Honour: Lance Corporal Bell, now 88-year-old Mrs Hickman, will be handed the Legion d'Honneur today . She still doesn't want to reveal her real age for fear of getting into trouble 70 years on from the war . Historic: Dorothy is believed to be the only woman veteran to receive the Legion d'Honneur in person . ‘They wouldn’t let women on the front line,’ she said. ‘Monty didn’t like that. But I wanted to do something. 'I . only told my parents after I’d signed up because they would probably . have tried to stop me. My father said: “Well you’d better make a good . job of it.” Mrs Hickman, . originally from Surrey, returned to marry and raise a family in . Yorkshire, where she and her husband owned and ran a guest house. She . will wear her ATS beret and three British campaign medals for the . presentation in Caen – leaving space for a fourth one from France. Experience: Dorothy (second from left) was deployed to Omaha Beach in France to chauffeur senior officers . Advice: After telling her parents she had signed up, her father said 'well you better make a good job of it' | Dorothy Bell said she was 19 to join Women's Auxiliary Territorial Service .
Today Dorothy, now Mrs Hickman, 88, will be handed Legion d'Honneur . |
89,852 | ff2e335b040f81e4f81d935fdb76705e3c475b27 | A multi-billion-dollar high-speed train network linking America with Mexico moved a step closer as officials from both sides of the border thrashed out details. The proposed 300 mile route would link San Antonio, Texas, to Monterrey, Mexico - slashing the current journey time from five hours by car to under two hours. Advocates say the project, which would be the first high-speed train line in North America and is set to be completed by 2018, will provide huge economic boost to regions in both nations. Swift: A new high-speed train link would cut the 300 mile journey time between San Antonio, Mexico, and Monterrey, Mexico, to under two hours . Texas Democrat Henry Cuellar and Texas Department of Transportation Commissioner Jeff . Austin, as well as Mexican officials, presented the plan to U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx on Thursday in Washington D.C. Mr Cuellar told Fox News . Latino: 'Secretary Foxx and his team are interested. A high-speed rail . between San Antonio and Monterrey through Laredo would revolutionize . trade and travel between the United States and Mexico.' Monterrey is Mexico’s third-largest city . and is considered a financial and business captial of the region. According to Rolando Zubiran, the . state’s deputy minister for foreign investment, 80 percent of U.S. Mexican economic activity passes through Monterrey, Fox News Latino reported. But it has also been mired in violent clashes between two of Mexico's most feared drug gangs. Getting up to speed: The ambitious project to create a high-speed rail network linking America with Mexico would embrace technology widely used in other parts of the world, such as Japan, pictured, . Playing catch up: America is someway behind China which has already built hundreds of miles of high-speed rail network on which bullet trains can reach 250kph . Authorities behind the plans have . tried to allay fears that the train connection could be exploited by the . violent drug gangs which control many parts of Mexico. Officials insist the train will be non-stopping between America and Mexico. Passengers . would be able to go through strict immigration controls before the . train departed, cutting the time spent at road border crossings dealing . with paperwork. Construction set to begin first half . of 2015 and completed within four years, under the ambitious proposals outlined . the U.S Transport Secretary. Mexico estimates its share of the cost for the project will be around $1.5billion. Lowering costs: The rising price of petrol has put pressure on authorities to find a cheaper means of mass transport, such as high-speed rail, similar to that used in Japan, pictured . But . the final go-ahead is dependent on a U.S. study into the feasibility of . a regional high-speed network linking Oklahoma City and South Texas to . southern neighbors. America . is currently flirting with the idea of constructing a nation-wide . high-speed rail network, joining major cities on both the west and east . coast. The U.S. finds itself playing catch up to other nations around the world which have far more established high-speed networks. Japan . has had bullet trains running well over 150mph since the 1950s. It is . currently fine-tuning a maglev system where trains can reach speeds of . 350mph. China has the world's longest high-speed rail network with more than 6,200miles of routes in service. Now pressure is mounting on America to introduce a similar, low cost passenger transport network. According to a 2005 study by the Texas Transportation Institute, traffic congestion is costing Americans $63.1 billion a year. Those in favour of more rail travel claim an expansion of train routes will help the nation save billions. Surging oil costs has caused car-loving America to look to the train for a cheaper means of getting around the country. High-speed rail projects linking mayor cities on both coasts have now been pushed to the top of the political agenda. Multi-million-dollar feasablility studies have been launched across the country in a bid to get a network build within the next decade. A route from Chicago to Philadelphia via the Keystone Corridor HSR system is being contemplated. The California High-Speed Rail Authority was created in 1996 by the state to implement an extensive 800-mile rail system that is estimated to cost about $40 billion. Once built, the system will not require operating subsidies, and it is expected to generate $1 billion in annual profits. The system would provide high-speed service between and among major cities, like Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, and would allow travel between Los Angeles' Union Station and San Francisco's Transbay Terminal in two and a half hours. Plans have been drawn up for 125 to 150mph electric trains running between Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. In September 2010 Amtrak unveiled proposals for 355 km/h trains to run between Washington DC and Boston, stopping at various cities along the way including Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York. The end to end journey time would be three hours. The proposals would cost $117bn and would take 25 years to complete. Amtrak estimates that the capacity would be needed, as even after current investment programmes, the Acela trains will be full by 2030. The proposal envisages completion by 2040. Source: Wikipedia . | Route would link San Antonio, Texas, to Monterrey, Mexico .
300 mile trip could be completed in under two hours .
High-speed link would slash journey time from five hours by car .
Mexico estimates its share of the cost for the project will be around $1.5bn .
Construction set to begin first half of 2015 and completed by 2018 .
Project would provide huge economic boost to regions north and south of the border . |
113,167 | 1e1295a594a0aa34c7c8f92d592b095e7cbdebdc | By . Sophie Jane Evans . PUBLISHED: . 13:25 EST, 24 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 16:13 EST, 24 February 2014 . A cowboy builder has been jailed after scamming an 82-year-old pensioner out of nearly a quarter of a million pounds. Sam Smith, 31, carried out unnecessary repairs on Leslie Halford's house in Northfield, Birmingham, over a two-year period. He charged a staggering £225,000 for the work - causing the pensioner to part with his life savings and become dependent on borrowing money. Fraudsters: Sam Smith (left), 31, has been jailed after scamming 82-year-old Leslie Halford out of a staggering £225,00. His brother Michael (right), 40, has also been imprisoned after conning another victim out of £22,350 . Meanwhile, his brother Michael, 40, conned another man, Kenneth Cook, into believing his roof was on the verge of collapsing. Mr Cook, who is believed to be in his 50s, forked out £22,350 for the building work on his house in Sutton Coldfield, West Midlands. Both of the victims lived alone and were cold-called by the younger brother, Birmingham Crown Court heard. The brothers were caught out after Mr Halford's concerned bank manager contacted Birmingham Trading Standards. Case: Sam Smith was sentenced to five years and four months in prison after pleading guilty to seven counts of fraud at Birmingham Crown Court (pictured). His older brother was imprisoned for two years and seven months . Sam Smith has now been jailed for five years and four months after pleading guilty to seven counts of fraud, while his brother, Michael, has been sentenced to two years and seven months in prison. Mark Jackson, prosecuting, said Mr Halford, a bachelor who had lived alone for 40 years, had passed away before his tormenters were brought to justice. He added that Sam Smith's work on the pensioner's home was 'completely pointless, completely worthless - it’s just a con.' 'For two years he milked Mr Halford for every penny he had in the world,' he said. 'Mr Halford spent his life’s savings effectively paying Sam Smith. He had had to borrow in the end when all his own money ran out.' Mr Jackson said that if the work had been necessary, Smith’s fee should have been worth little more than £20,000. Sentencing the pair, Recorder Edward Coke said: 'I can’t describe this as anything other than despicable.' He told Sam Smith it must have been obvious Mr Halford was in his 80s - adding: 'I’ve come to the conclusion this was planned, systematic befriending of an elderly gentleman, who you knew lived on his own. 'Mr Halford welcomed the attention, welcomed the company and welcomed the persistent kindness he thought he was getting. 'This is the worst sort of deceit in my judgement.' | Sam Smith, 31, scammed Leslie Halford, 82, out of a staggering £225,000 .
Carried out unnecessary repairs on his house in Northfield, Birmingham .
Pensioner spent life savings and became dependent on borrowing money .
Meanwhile, brother Michael, 40, carried out scam on victim Kenneth Cook .
Mr Cook forked out £22,350 after being told roof was on verge of collapsing .
Sam Smith jailed for five years and four months for seven counts of fraud .
Older brother sentenced to two years, seven months, at Birmingham court . |
267,403 | e65010d667f8b903fe2cc5775c29aa4c504066a6 | (CNN) -- The Netherlands finally found some pre-Euro 2012 form on Saturday with an ominous 6-0 thrashing of Northern Ireland that will boost the 2010 World Cup finalists' hopes of a second continental title. Having lost to German club Bayern Munich and 96th-ranked Bulgaria before beating Slovakia 2-0 on Wednesday, the 1988 European champions needed a good result before heading to the tournament in Poland and Ukraine. Coach Bert van Marwijk gave a pointer to the opening Group B game against Denmark on June 9 by leaving free-scoring striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar on the bench, as Robin van Persie spearheaded the attack with Arjen Robben and Ibrahim Afellay on the wings. The Arsenal forward continued the form that made him the English Premier League's top scorer as he netted twice, while Barcelona's Afellay also bagged a double. Wes Sneijder scored the second goal with a superb free-kick in the 15th minute as the Inter Milan playmaker shook off an ankle worry that saw him fail to finish the Slovakia game, while defender Ron Vlaar sealed it with a header on 78. Denmark also wrapped up preparations with a win, bouncing back from the 3-1 defeat by Brazil to beat Australia 2-0. Daniel Agger netted a first-half penalty and fellow central defender Andreas Bjelland doubled the lead in the second half. However Portugal -- who face Germany in the other Group B opener -- crashed to a disappointing 3-1 home defeat against Turkey as Cristiano Ronaldo missed a penalty. Having been held goalless by Poland and Macedonia, the Euro 2004 finalists needed a good result but went 2-0 down as Toulouse striker Umut Bulut scored in each half. Midfielder Nani reduced the deficit in the 57th minute, but Real Madrid top scorer Ronaldo's penalty was saved by Volkan Demirel before defender Pepe diverted an attempted clearance by teammate Ricardo Costa into his own net near the end of the match. Co-hosts Poland, who kick off the tournament with a Group A match against Greece on Friday, won 4-0 against European minnows Andorra. Ludovic Obraniak and striker Robert Lewandowski scored before Jakub Blaszczykowski's penalty made it 3-0 at halftime, while Marcin Wasilewski added another spot-kick after the break in front of a 30,000 crowd in Warsaw. New England boss Roy Hodgson enjoyed his second successive 1-0 victory, but faces more injury problems following the home match against Belgium. Hodgson has already lost midfielders Gareth Barry and Frank Lampard for Euro 2012, and now Gary Cahill needs a scan on a suspected broken jaw and fellow central defender John Terry will have a tight hamstring checked. Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck scored the only goal of the game in the first half, but was taken off as a precaution in the second period. Croatia conceded a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw with Norway, as striker Eduardo's second-half header was canceled out by Tarik Elyounoussi. Slaven Bilic's team, who beat Estonia 3-1 on May 25, will face the Republic of Ireland in their Group C opener next weekend. In World Cup qualifiers, Uruguay and Venezuela moved to the top of the South American group after a 1-1 draw in Montevideo. However, both nations could be overtaken by Argentina and Chile, who were to play fifth-placed Ecuador and bottom team Bolivia respectively later on Saturday. In African qualifiers, Cameroon's Indomitable Lions made a winning start to their bid to appear at the World Cup for the seventh time, beating Democratic Republic of Congo 1-0. With captain Samuel Eto'o suspended, the winner came via a second-half penalty from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. In Group B, Tunisia beat Equatorial Guinea 3-1 while Sierra Leone won 2-1 at home Cape Verde Islands. In Group C, Ivory Coast opened with a 2-0 win over 10-man Tanzania thanks to goals from European Champions League winners Salomon Kalou and Didier Drogba, while Morocco fought back to earn a 1-1 draw away to Gambia. In Group D, African Cup of Nations champions Zambia lost 2-0 away to Sudan -- and next weekend face Ghana, who thrashed Lesotho 7-0. Senegal beat Liberia 3-1 in Group J, while on Friday Egypt won 2-0 against Mozambique in Group G. | Netherlands crush Northern Ireland 6-0 in final Euro 2012 warmup match .
Portugal lose at home to Turkey while England suffer more injury problems .
Uruguay held by Venezuela in South American World Cup qualifying match .
Cameroon and Ivory Coast win as African qualifiers start for Brazil 2014 . |
234,119 | bb158f1475228e1dc9b833b767d828d106f425d5 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Beverly Hills police want Justin Bieber to "take the bull by the horns" and tone down his house parties. Neighbors called police several times over the weekend to complain about the noise coming from the young singer's condo, a police spokesman said Tuesday. Bieber hasn't been charged with disturbing the peace because officers did not witness excessive noise, but residents could make a citizen's arrest, Sgt. Max Subin said. "If they want to pursue that and we feel it's proper to accept it, it would be evaluated," he said. Justin Bieber pleads no contest in egging case, gets probation . Bieber moved into a Beverly Hills condo this summer after selling the Calabasas, California, mansion where he notoriously clashed with neighbors. Bieber is on two years' probation for a vandalism conviction this month related to his admitted egging of his neighbor's home in January. "We ask for Mr. Bieber to be respectful of his neighbors and to the community of Beverly Hills and take the bull by the horns and actually turn down the music and limit the size of his parties in consideration for the sleeping child and elderly residents," Subin said. Justin Bieber avoids felony robbery charge in cell phone 'tussle' Justin Bieber again caught in racial controversy . | Bieber's neighbors could make a citizen's arrest, a police spokesman says .
Over the weekend, Beverly Hills police were called to Bieber's building because of loud parties .
The singer moved to the condo after selling the home in an area where he egged neighbors .
Bieber is on two years' probation for vandalism against his neighbor . |
205,637 | 963621813ed23cdf85574f6d5904775ae2e79d9e | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former Congressman Henry Hyde, a Republican from Illinois, died early Thursday morning. He was 83. Henry Hyde served in the House for more than three decades. Hyde's death was confirmed by a spokesman in the office of House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio. Hyde had been ill for some time and had open heart surgery in July. In his final years in office, he was wheelchair bound and frail. Hyde's wife, Judy, was with him last night at Rush University Medical Center in Chicago, Illinois, according to Tom Mooney, his former chief of staff. According to Mooney, Hyde said to his wife he wanted to "go home," to which Judy replied, "We are going to get you home." He passed away soon after that. Born in 1924, Hyde served in the House from 1975 to 2006 and retired at end of the last session. Hyde served as the chairman of the House Judiciary Committee from 1995 to 2001. Hyde, a Catholic, was a vocal opponent of abortion. In 1976 Hyde attached an amendment to a spending bill that banned federal funding for abortions. The amendment later become known as the "Hyde Amendment" and has been at the center of the political fight over abortion since its passage. He chaired the committee during the impeachment of President Clinton in 1998. The committee and the full House approved articles of impeachment stemming from the Lewinsky scandal, in which Clinton was accused of lying under oath about his sexual relationship with a White House intern, Monica Lewinsky. The Senate later voted against the charges. In a written statement, Boehner called Hyde "a constitutional scholar, a thoughtful legislator, and a passionate orator." "But above all, he will be remembered as a gentleman who stood as a beacon for the bedrock principles of liberty, justice, and, above all, respect for life," Boehner said. "He was a forceful advocate for maintaining the dignity of the House and for recognizing the sacrifices and struggles Members make while in its service," Boehner said in the statement. "Indeed, when Henry spoke in Committee or on the House floor, Members on both sides of aisle listened intently -- and they learned." On November 5, President Bush awarded Hyde the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest honor the president can bestow on an American citizen. "He proved that a man can have firm convictions and be a favorite of Democrats and Republicans alike," Bush said at the medal ceremony. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Deirdre Walsh, Virginia Niccolaidis and Adam Levine contributed to this report . | Former Rep. Henry Hyde dies at the age of 83 .
Hyde served in the House from 1975 to 2006 .
Illinois Republican served as House Judiciary chairman from 1995 to 2001 .
President Bush awarded him the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November . |
249,366 | ceb147737feb140b85ea179f36becb81a6e685d0 | A young woman got the shock of her life when a lip enhancing product she bought online left her looking like she had just gone a round in a boxing ring. Brittany Forster, 24, of Perth, Western Australia, bought CandyLipz from the company's website and tried it - sticking the apple-shaped device over her mouth and applying suction. After two 'horrific' minutes of watering eyes and painful lips, she removed the application and was appalled with the results, which had left her with a huge trout pout. Scroll down for video . 24-year-old Perth woman, Brittany Forster (pictured left before the application) bought CandyLipz from their online website and decided to try the product out on Monday night. Brittany was left horrified with the results (right) Brittany's lips were completely unrecognisable, swollen and bruised from the lip enhancing product. The young woman, who now lives in Sydney, where she is studying for her Masters in Education, was so shocked that she began hyperventilating, worried that she would be left with permanent scarring. 'I took it off and I just looked in the mirror and I said oh my god what have I done? No, no, no, this can’t be happening,’ Brittany told Daily Mail Australia. ‘As soon as I looked in the mirror I thought what have I done to myself?.' After looking up blogs online about how Kylie Jenner got her famous lips, Brittany decided to try out CandyLipz . The application takes two minutes and makes the user's eyes and lips sting . 'I was thinking it was permanent. When I put the lipstick on, I was like, well if this is my life now I'm going to have to start enjoying it. I’ll have to embrace it.' CandyLipz is a lip plumper which can freely be bought online. According to the company's website, the effects of the product can last for up to two hours. Other lip enhancing devices, including the Jolie Lips Plumping System, De Luxe Lip Plumper, and Luscious Lips by Cynthia Rowland can also be bought on a range of sites online. Brittany posted a video online after the incident in which her two best friends are trying to comfort her by saying: ‘They’ll go down, they’ll go down, don’t worry’. But Brittany did not appreciate their comments at the time, saying 'can you see my face?' After uploading a video of the moment she unveiled her new lips to her friends on YouTube, Brittany said she now finds the situation funny, despite the fact she is left 'looking like she's been sucking on a pen all day'. The applicator for CandyLipz latches onto your lips and squeezes them, giving users a tingling sensation. 'It’s quite a painful experience,' Brittany said. CandyLipz is a lip plumper which can freely be bought online. According to the company's website, the effects of the product can last for up to two hours . Brittany was horrified with the results of the application and left worrying she would be like that forever . 'You put it on for two minutes and it’s quite horrific and then you take it off.' However, the pain was worth it for Brittany, who had been looking at blogs on how famous Kardashian sister, Kylie Jenner, gets her massive pout, hoping to emulate the star. Kylie Jenner is now notorious for having some of the biggest lips in Hollywood and Brittany thought her secret was CandyLipz. ‘The funny thing is that when I saw Kylie Jenner's lips I thought they’re ridiculous, she’s gone too far,' Brittany said. 'But joke’s on me because that’s exactly what happened to me.’ Brittany's inspiration was Kylie Jenner, who is now famous for having a massive pout . Brittany believes the joke is now on her and that she 'should have expected it' Four days after the application, Brittany's lips are still battered and bruised. 'They're still really blue and bruised, I look dead. The next day they were still really red and quite big but now they’re just bloodied and bruised,' she said. Brittany does not blame CandyLipz for her bruised lips, claiming she knew what she was getting herself into and she said her lips will go down after a few more days. ‘In the instruction leaflet it does say all these things could happen, like bruising, swelling etc., but I just thought I was an expert on everything and used it thinking it’ll be fine, what can happen,' she said. ‘I should have just expected it.’ The traumatic experience has put the 24-year-old off ever using the product again though and she says she is now satisfied with the lips she was born with. ‘I’ll probably give it a miss. I think I've had my time with CandyLipz’, she said. CandyLipz say it is 'very normal' to get cupping marks from the product and that the bruising should resolve itself within 7 days. The company provided the following pictures which demonstrate the effects of CandyLipz . Brittany does not blame CandyLipz for her bruised lips, which she know will go down after a few more days . ‘I’m very appreciative of my little lips now. Grateful for what I have’. CandyLipz said they 'love' the video and couldn't believe how plump Brittany's lips were following the application. 'My, she got huge lips, we love it' CandyLipz told Daily Mail Australia. The company said that the swelling is a sign that the product has actually worked and it is 'normal' to get cupping marks from the applicator. 'It is very normal to get the cupping marks. These marks are temporary and will resolve within 7 days or less,' a spokesperson said. 'To have huge lips, we all went through this conditioning period. After the conditioning period, the cupping marks will not return if you continue to use the lip plumper daily.' The CandyLipz website claims that the product is suitable for 16-year-olds and older and is designed to 'raise the arches of the cupid’s bow, fills in grooves, and lip pits, lift the corners of the mouth, and block the development of duck lips.' CandyLipz said the bruising and swelling will do down in a few days . The traumatic experience has put the 24-year-old off ever using the product again though and she says she is now satisfied with the lips she was born with. She was left with severe bruising (pictured) after the application . | An Australian woman used a lip enhancer with shocking results .
Brittany Forster from Perth was unrecognisable after the application .
She used CandyLipz in the hope of getting a Kylie Jenner-style pout .
But she was left with bruised and bloodied lips .
CandyLipz say they 'love' Brittany's plump lips . |
275,368 | f0c027275cf3351fabf5043dbcd504e6b2292ad0 | (CNN) -- As Qatari officials continue their investigation into whether sprinklers and alarms were working during a fire at an upscale shopping mall in Doha, more information surfaced Tuesday about the nationalities of those who perished in the fire. In all, the fire at the Villaggio shopping mall Monday killed 19 people, most of them at a child care center inside that rescuers had to break into from the rooftop. The victims were seven girls, six boys, four teachers, and two would-be rescuers, Qatari officials said. Most of the victims were expatriates: four Spanish nationals; a set of triplets from New Zealand; South African child and teacher; and a 3-year-old French child, according to the foreign ministries of the respective nations. The nationalities of the remaining nine is still unknown. Seventeen others were injured, including firefighters and four children. State news agency QNA agency quoted Brig. Gen. Othman al-Duhaimi, the operations chief for Qatar's civil defense agency, as saying alarms went off in some shops, and that some of the pipes that carried water for the sprinklers may have been leaking -- and that those issues would be addressed in the investigation. Mall fire: "Accident waiting to happen?" Christine Wigton, an American living in Doha, told CNN she heard "a buzzer, not very loud" as she walked into the mall, but heard no loud alarms as smoke built up inside. Elementary school-age children were eating at some of the restaurants and no one was trying to escape, she said. "When I got a little bit closer, I realized the smoke was just increasing and people were still shopping. And the smoke kept getting heavier and heavier," Wigton said. She said she left when the smoke became "too much." "There were no sprinklers, and there was nothing that would tell somebody that something was wrong," she said. Built in 2006, the mall advertises itself as "the newest and the largest entertainment center in Doha." The Venice-themed complex features gondola rides down an indoor canal, an artificial sky, a 13-screen movie theater, a theme park, skating rink and a bowling alley. Qatar's interior minister, Sheikh Abdullah Bin Nasser Bin Khalifa Al Thani, said the civil defense office reviews safety standards for commercial buildings before they grant a license. "The investigation will clarify all the circumstances of the incident and find out the shortcomings and question those who are responsible in order to tackle the matter in the future," he said in remarks carried by QNA. CNN's Kim Norgaard, John Dear, Al Goodman and Marilia Brocchetto contributed to this report. | In all, 19 people died, most at a child care center .
The victims are seven girls, six boys, four teachers, and two would-be rescuers .
Four were Spanish, three from New Zealand; two from South Africa and one from France .
The nationalities of the other nine are not known . |
66,621 | bcf56cda7c60ffaed5eb0665775a1a29bf8fe656 | He is one of Australia's most notorious murderers, torturing and killing 10 people in a bloody spree for which he has never shown remorse. But now Snowtown serial killer Robert Wagner has made an astonishing appeal for 'female friends' to write to him in the cell at Yatala Labour Prison, in South Australia, where he is serving ten life sentences with no chance of parole. 'Hi, my name is Robert and I'm looking for females to write to,' the 42-year-old states on the website PrisonPenPals.com. 'Feel free to ask me anything and I'll reply as honestly as possible.' The Department of Correctional Services have asked for his profile to be taken down, according to Adelaide Now. The serial killer's profile on the Prison Pen Pals website, in which Robert Wagner seeks to exchanging 'interesting mail' with females. Wagner, one of Australia's worst ever murderers writes 'Feel free to ask me anything and I'll reply as honestly as possible.' Robert Wagner, in blue shirt in handcuffs, pictured in 2002 during his murder trial for the brutal murder of 10 people. Wagner was given 10 life sentences and has no chance of parole. In a statement issued to the newspaper, officials said that they are also monitoring his mail to intercept any correspondence elicited by the online ad. 'No prisoner in South Australia is permitted Internet access and any prisoner profile listed on this or similar sites would have been created by someone external to the correctional facility,' they said. 'The Department first and foremost has a duty of care to victims of crime and does not condone the activities of the prisoner pal website in question.' It is believed a friend on the outside has set up the account for Wagner, on the US-based website that connects prisoners with people on the outside. Wagner met John Bunting, the ringleader of the Snowtown murders, in 1991. They committed their first murder the next year and went on killing until 1999. One of the victims was Wagner's former lover, homosexual cross dresser Barry Lane with whom he was in a relationship from 1985 until around 1996. They had begun seeing each other when Wagner was 14 and Lane was 31. Wagner tortured and strangled Lane in 1997. Robert Wagner, pictured in 2002, being escorted by a court sheriff outside the house in Snowtown, where for a time Wagner stored the bodies in barrels in the driveway in the back of a car. The photograph was taken when the jury in the bodies-in-the-barrels trial visited the small town for the trial. The bodies of the victims were stored in barrels and the gang moved the bodies numerous times, keeping the mutilated remains in places including a shed behind Bunting's house and in a Toyota Land Cruiser in Adelaide Plains. In 1999, eight dismembered bodies were found in six barrels in a disused bank vault in Snowtown, a small town 145km north of Adelaide. Wagner was convicted of ten of the killings in December 2003 when he was 31 and became one of a small group of criminals including backpacker murders killer Ivan Milat, serial sex killer Peter Dupas and Port Arthur gunman Martin Bryant who will never have the chance of parole. In the most gruesome evidence, jurors heard that he and Bunting had fried and eaten their final victim's flesh. Sentencing, Justice Brian Martin stated that the men were 'in the business of killing for pleasure' and 'incapable of true rehabilitation.' Robert Wagner stored dismembered bodies in barrels at the back of a 4wd in the driveway of this home in Snowtown. The bodies were found when the barrel's were transferred to a bank vault for storage. Robert Wagner, pictured second from left in handcuffs, being escorted by police through the town of Snowtown during his trial for murder in 2002. In the background is a brick building, in which eight bodies were discovered in 1999. The trial was the longest trial in Australian criminal history. Three jurors walked away, unable to stomach the disturbing evidence. Prosecutor Wendy Abraham, QC, told the jury than 'enjoyment' was a motive in the murders. 'Mr Bunting and My Wagner bragged - they laughed about what they were doing,' Ms Abraham told the court. The jury in the Snowtown Murder trial was shown a poem, believed to be written by Robert Wagner whilst in custody to a fellow prisoner. The disturbing poem, dated August 2000, is written in childish handwriting, explaining how he has 'provided a service' to the community because 'our street should be weeded.' 'I will not ever be held in contempt, for everyone knows my time was well spent,' the poem says, revealing the disturbing mindset of a deranged killer with no remorse. The former State bank building in Snowtown where murderer Robert Wagner stored dismembered bodies in barrels. It has now been discovered that an online account is being operated to allow Wagner to communicate with women. | Infamous Snowtown killer creates online profile despite incarceration .
Robert Wagner is serving 10 life sentences with no chance of parole .
No prisoner in South Australia is allowed to access the Internet .
A friend on the outside is believed to have created the profile for Wagner .
The profile, which is still online, claims he is looking to 'meet women to exchange interesting material'
An Australian film, Snowtown, was made in 2011 about Wagner's disturbing killing spree . |
220,614 | a992b8cab977acce80971a859274328b41440305 | By . Andy Dolan, Liz Hull and Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 03:54 EST, 21 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:02 EST, 23 November 2012 . A frantic young mother ran screaming from from her parent's house screaming 'My baby, my baby' after her week old son was killed by the family's pet terrier. Eight-day-old Harry Harper is understood to have suffered a crushed skull after being bitten just once by the Jack Russell-cross. The animal has since been destroyed. Yesterday it was unclear which family members were present at the time of the incident, which is said to have taken place in the living room of the family's home in Ketley, Shropshire. Eight day old Harry Harper died after being bitten by a Jack Russell dog while staying at his grandparents' house in Ketley, Shropshire . Grandad Gordon Bell with daughter Mikayla and grandson Harry who died after being bitten yesterday . A police car sits outside the house in Ketley, where Harry Harper was bitten by a dog yesterday morning. He later died in hospital . Neighbours said the child’s distraught mother, . Mikayla Bell, ran out of the house screaming and pleaded with paramedics to save her newborn son. Baby Harry was rushed to hospital but died of his injuries soon after. The pet, named as PJ by residents, was . one of two dogs kept at the three-bedroom semi where Miss Bell lived . with her own parents and younger siblings. Just over a fortnight before giving . birth, Miss Bell, 19, had tweeted how the dog had ripped the eye off one . of the family’s soft toys. Police yesterday said Harry’s death . appeared to be a ‘tragic accident’. Officers are examining the . possibility that the dog may have attacked the infant after becoming . jealous at his introduction to what the animal considered to be its . territory. Police believe that Harry Harper, pictured, died as a result of the single dog bite, but are awaiting results of a formal post mortem . Mikayla posted these pictures of a Jack Russell-type dog on Twitter. However, it is not clear whether this is the dog that attacked her baby . Jack Russell breeders and an animal . behaviour expert agreed the dogs could be both possessive of their . existing family unit and jealous of new additions to the family. Harry’s mother and father, Tom Harper, 19, were being comforted by their parents and police family liaison officers. One neighbour said at least one of the two dogs kept by the family was ‘very vicious’. Nigel Pitchford yesterday said Miss Bell had brought her first child home from hospital only a few days before the tragedy. Mr Pitchford, 71, said: ‘It’s very sad news – the whole street is shocked to hear what has happened. ‘The dog is one of two kept at the house as family pets. ‘I often saw Mikayla’s younger twin sisters walking them in the evenings. ‘I know one of the dogs is very . vicious. I tried to post a Christmas card through the letter box last . year and it went for my hand as I posted it through. It was only small . but a vicious little thing.’ New mother Mikayla Sonya, pictured left, posted this picture of her feeding baby Harry, right, on her Twitter feed . Miss Bell lives at the semi-detached . property with parents Gordon, 42, and Teresa, 40, . a shop worker, and three of her siblings. Her brother Jamie, a . 24-year-old carpet fitter, lives around the corner. It is unclear whether Mr Harper, a . trainee electrician who lives in nearby Shifnal with his parents Andrea . and Neville, was still in a relationship with Miss Bell, a part-time . model who is one of six children. She gave birth to 7lb Harry on November 12 and posted pictures of her new baby on Twitter, describing the infant as ‘my life’. Heartbreakingly, just one day before . her son was killed, the teenager wrote: ‘Not gonna lie this little boy . gets far too many kisses.’ The teenager’s profile on the social . networking site also contained two pictures of a terrier-type dog . captioned ‘my doggy’, posted within the last six months. Mrs Bell was so delighted at becoming a . grandmother that the day after Harry was born she told a friend she . couldn’t ‘keep my hands off him’. The family of Harry told yesterday how . they had ‘no words’ to describe the pain they were experiencing after . the loss of the tot. In a statement issued through West . Mercia Police, they said: ‘We are absolutely devastated by Harry’s death . and have no words to describe the loss we have suffered. ‘At the present time we have no wish . to speak publicly about yesterday’s events and would ask that we are . left in peace to grieve and begin to deal with our loss.’ Mrs Harper, a nursery nurse, later described the family as being ‘numb’ with grief. Baby Harry's grandmother Teresa and grandfather Gordon . Angela McKenzie, a Jack Russell . breeder from Carlisle, said the breed could become possessive of toys, . family members or other pets in their environment. ‘They may happily live with a cat, but go after other cats in the neighbourhood, the same with children,’ she said. Police and ambulance crews were called to the scene of the tragedy just after 8am on Tuesday. Harry was taken to The Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, Shropshire, but was pronounced dead shortly after being admitted. A post-mortem examination to establish the exact cause of death will take place today. Detective Chief Inspector Neil . Jamieson, of West Mercia Police, said: ‘Our investigation is ongoing but . it appears that the baby died as a result of a dog bite.’ Victim: In April, five-year-old Haley Turner was attacked by a Jack Russell terrier after reaching down to stroke the pet in a neighbour's garden in Otley, West Yorkshire . By Liz Hull . Although small, Jack Russell terriers are known for their feisty, tough nature. Principally bred to hunt foxes, rabbits and rats, the breed is among the most popular in the UK and is known for being ‘a big dog in a small dog’s body’. Dr Roger Mugford, an animal behaviourist and expert on dangerous dogs, said: ‘If Jack Russells were scaled up to labrador size they would be on the dangerous dogs list. They are very tough dogs. They can be very sweet, very lively and very playful, but they are also strong and powerful for their size. ‘They are bred to catch rabbits and rodents so they are reactive, terribly impulsive and incredibly fast. Like any dogs Jack Russells can form strong attachments, be quite possessive of their owners and jealous when a new baby is introduced. ‘However, an incident like this is very rare. The attachment a dog has to the mother of the child usually extends to the baby and, generally, dogs are very good caretakers and are protective of babies. Something like this is very out of character. ‘Most dog attacks on children also occur on toddlers because they interact with the dog. In this case an eight-day-old baby was obviously passive and, even if he was crying, should not have posed a threat to the dog. We don’t know the circumstances of this tragedy, but if the parents were present there is a chance the dog lunged and moved so fast they could do nothing about it. No dog of any breed should be left around children unsupervised.’ Brutal: Three-month-old Jaden Mack was attacked by a Staffordshire bull terrier and a Jack Russell after his parents left him with his grandmother in South Wales . Currently, police can only prosecute . owners of dogs who harm people in public places. They can only forcibly . remove illegal dogs under the Dangerous Dog Act 1991. These include the . pit bull terrier and the Japanese Tosa. Some critics want the law to be extended so owners can be prosecuted when an attack occurs on their property. But Dr Mugford said this is a step too . far. ‘You cannot legislate for an event like this, it’s just an awful . tragic accident,’ he said. In April, five-year-old Haley Turner . was bitten by a Jack Russell after reaching down to stroke the pet in a . neighbour’s garden in Otley, West Yorkshire. The dog tore a gaping wound . in the little girl’s cheek. In 2008 four children were attacked by a . Jack Russell puppy at a family pub in in Piltdown, near Uckfield. | Harry Harper died after being rushed to hospital from grandparents' home .
Police waiting for post-mortem examination results into the boy's death .
Dog was destroyed and police say it was a tragic accident .
Harry's mother Mikayla said dog had attacked her soft toy last month .
She is said to have ran from the house frantically screaming following the attack .
Baby's family said that they were 'devastated' by the child's death . |
270,046 | e9bcbd0e165c7124363818441c7a32ae846cf6f7 | Rome (CNN) -- The death toll from a ship that capsized Friday in international waters near the Italian island of Lampedusa climbed to 31, according to the Maltese military. More than 200 survivors were pulled from the water, but the search continued for more than a dozen people still believed missing after the ship carrying hundreds of migrants sank, the Rescue Center of Malta, a branch of the Armed Forces of Malta, told CNN. "We are trying to save as many people as we can," said Maltese military spokesman Keith Caruana. Italian and Maltese military forces using helicopters and boats pulled 206 of the 250 people believed to be on board the ship, authorities said. The shipwreck occurred in international waters about 60 nautical miles south of Lampedusa, an island south of Sicily, Italian navy spokesman Alessandro Busonero said. According to a statement released by the Armed Forces of Malta, the ship was being followed at about 4 p.m. local time by military chase planes when it "appeared unstable." "A few minutes later, the aircraft reported that the boat had capsized and that numerous persons were in the water. Initial assistance was provided by the aircraft, which dropped a life raft in close proximity of the persons in distress," according to the statement posted on the agency's Facebook page. A significant number of the survivors were rescued from the life raft, Maltese authorities said . The Italian navy sent helicopters and two boats to the scene. Its sailors have rescued at least 50 people, Busonero said. An Italian navy patrol vessel, the Libra, rescued 56 people, including nine children, the Maltese authorities said. Another 150, including 17 children, were rescued by the Maltese navy patrol vessel, P61, the Maltese military said. It was not immediately known where the ship began its journey, and the Italian and Maltese military have not released the identities of the migrants. Island a destination for refugees . Lampedusa, not far from Sicily and the closest Italian island to Africa, has become a destination for tens of thousands of refugees seeking to enter European Union countries -- and such deadly shipwrecks are all too common. On October 3, a boat carrying more than 500 African migrants sank off the coast of Lampedusa, killing 309 people in what Lampedusa Mayor Giusi Nicolini called "the biggest sea tragedy in the Mediterranean Sea since World War II." That ship originated in Libya, caught fire off the Italian coast and sank. Survivors, many of them from Eritrea, told CNN they used bodies to keep themselves afloat until they were rescued. The incident sparked calls for efforts to reform migration policies in the region. A week ago Friday, the United Nations' human rights office urged the European Union to work to prevent another such incident. The agency called on authorities to work to reduce migrant trafficking and address economic and security issues that have driven thousands of African residents to make the risky voyage to Europe in search of a better life. Just under 115 kilometers (70 miles) from Tunisia, Lampedusa has been the first point of entry to Europe for more than 200,000 refugees and irregular migrants who have passed through the island since 1999. In recent years, the Italian coast guard says it has been involved in the rescue of more than 30,000 refugees around the island. CNN's Susannah Palk contributed to this report. | NEW: At least 31 people have died, the Maltese military says .
NEW: A dozen people or more are still believed missing, the military says .
NEW: More than 200 survivors have been pulled from the water, the military says .
The ship appeared to be unstable, and then capsized, the military says . |
61,709 | af473ab61189992e277e2645d75b639d5105c349 | (CNN) -- April 27, 1994, was the crowning moment in the life of Nelson Mandela -- the day South Africa held its first elections open to citizens of every race. His African National Congress party swept to power with 63% of the vote. F.W. de Klerk's National Party got 20% and the Inkatha party netted 10%. In his victory speech, Mandela said: "Now is the time for celebration, for South Africans to join together to celebrate the birth of democracy. "I raise a glass to you all for working so hard to achieve what can only be called a small miracle." Many agreed it was a miracle -- from world leaders to ordinary South African voters -- considering the turmoil and segregation entrenched in South Africa just a few years before. Mandela's compassion and political shrewdness helped bring about this change. But most of all, it was the complete lack of bitterness he displayed for the 27 years he was imprisoned by the apartheid regime that enabled him to win over his divided nation and charm the world with his statesmanship. Mandela and his government inherited a country devastated by decades of apartheid -- a policy of segregation and discrimination that aimed to keep black and white apart in every sphere of life -- as well as a black majority coming to terms with the fact that voting did not guarantee social and economic equality. He introduced housing, education and economic development initiatives designed to improve the living standards of blacks. He also made his mark on the international stage. During his five-year presidency, he received 73 heads of state or government and made 83 state visits outside the country. Mandela worked to broker peace in neighboring African nations, including Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo. He was involved in restoring order in Lesotho after its May 1998 elections triggered severe unrest, sending in South African troops who stabilized the situation and created a favorable climate for negotiations. Mandela led the call for sanctions against Nigeria following the 1995 execution of writer and activist Ken Saro Wiwa and a number of other political prisoners. And he played a leading role in resolving the impasse between the United States, the United Kingdom and Libya over securing the surrender of the two men charged in the Lockerbie bombing. But Mandela often cut a lonely figure on his travels as his marriage to wife Winnie foundered. They divorced in 1996. He was to find love again, with Graca Machel, the widow of former Mozambique President Samora Machel. They married on his 80th birthday in 1998. In September of that year, he was awarded at a ceremony in Washington the U.S. Congressional Gold Medal, becoming the first African to receive the honor. President Bill Clinton said Mandela was awarded the medal not only because of his "10,000 long days" spent in prison but also for his "shining example" as a political leader since his release. The last three years of Mandela's presidency were largely in the role of elder statesman as he gradually handed over the day-to-day governing of the country to his deputy, Thabo Mbeki, who succeeded him in 1999. In his speech at a farewell banquet, Mandela again referred to the miracle of South Africa. "South Africans from every sector had reached out across the divisions of the centuries and averted a bloodbath which most observers believed inevitable, so much so that our smooth transition was hailed widely as a miracle," he said. "Our people have therefore confounded the prophets of doom. We are confident they will do it over and over again." | Mandela helped bring about country's first multiracial elections .
His presidency was remarkable for lack of bitterness .
He carried his goodwill on many state visits .
Congressional Gold Medal bestowed during Clinton presidency . |
83,267 | ec1629b181d6985215a887d81f7a7604f7f69420 | (CNN)As Americans, we are fortunate to have the right to speak our minds. Filmmaker Michael Moore did just that with his attack on the use of military snipers in warfare just before the release of the Oscar-nominated and devastating war/anti-war movie "American Sniper," directed by Clint Eastwood. Moore obviously has the same freedom of speech right that all Americans do. Some of what he has publicly stated in the past is opinion, some is fact and some is absolutely ludicrous. In an apparent reference to Navy SEAL Chris Kyle, credited with 160 enemy kills -- the most in U.S. history -- and the movie "American Sniper," Moore commented on Twitter that his "uncle was killed by a sniper" and that he was "taught that all snipers were cowards." Moore explains snipers are 'cowards' tweet . To begin with, the reason Americans have the freedom of speech Moore was exercising is because brave men such as Kyle and other active-duty personnel and military veterans have fought to protect this precious right. As far as the comment that "snipers are cowards," that is beyond ludicrous and it is difficult to understand just how anybody could make such a comment. Let's look at some of the basic facts surrounding Kyle's life as a Navy SEAL sniper. Kyle either trained for war or was deployed in war zones for more than 300 days a year during his service in the SEAL teams. SEAL wives basically raise their children alone. The divorce rate for SEALs is incredibly high. Many of the guys have been married multiple times. The children grow up not really knowing their dads because the dads go on frequent and often back-to-back deployments to war zones. These guys seldom know when they are leaving or for how long. Their work involves going in harm's way and fighting an enemy that is determined to do whatever it can to take away our way of life. After returning home from a deployment, these guys immediately go back to work preparing for the next deployment. Some are not so fortunate and are wounded or killed in the line of duty. A sniper, who operates behind enemy lines, has one of the most demanding and dangerous duties in the Special Operations community. Snipers operating in Iraq, Afghanistan and a host of other countries often must crawl and make their way through treacherous urban or desert war-zone terrain for hours just to reach their position undetected, a position of over-watch, cover and concealment. Once they are on site, they sometimes stay in their position for days on end waiting for follow-on orders. Why 'American Sniper' is a smash hit . Military snipers are not sociopaths, coldblooded killers. Snipers believe in their hearts that when they neutralize, or "take out," a threat that they are saving the lives of their teammates, other military personnel or other innocent people. Their target hit lists typically include terrorists or people preparing to cause grave harm or death to the innocent. As I cite in my book "The Modern Day Gunslinger," Lt. Col. David Grossman uses the analogy of wolves, sheep and sheepdogs. Grossman, in his book "On Combat," compares the average citizen as basically peaceful and nonthreatening -- like sheep. These are the majority of people and do not want to cause harm to others; they wish to live peacefully. The terrorist -- the enemy, the "bad guy" -- strikes terror and threatens to harm and kill the innocent, like the wolf who threatens the sheep. Fortunately, there are brave men and women who sacrifice much to protect those who wish to live day to day in peace. These protectors are the community sheepdogs. Chris Kyle was a champion sheepdog. Every time Kyle pulled back on his trigger and fired a shot that neutralized a "wolf," he was saving countless lives and protecting the sheep. Every wolf he put down was no longer capable of causing harm or death to the sheep, the innocents. I ask, how can anybody consider a sniper, a Navy SEAL sniper, to be a coward? As much as I try to keep my mind open to all viewpoints -- from the far left to the far right -- I can only reach the conclusion that Michael Moore has no idea what he is talking about. His unfounded comments could not be further from the truth. I am confident that if Moore had the courage to spend just one day in a war-zone "sniper hide," waiting for the go signal to take out an enemy target his opinions on snipers and the military would change 180 degrees. I would go so far as to say if Moore would simply attend a one-day sniper-training course in the United States, his opinion would drastically change. Yes, of course, he has the right to say whatever he wishes, but when a guy like Moore has the pulpit and the attention of the media, he should have a moral obligation to speak only on topics in which he has some basic knowledge of the facts. Chris Kyle is an American war hero who has been credited and awarded for saving countless American and innocent lives. After what he did for our country, after all of his sacrifices, Kyle decided to get out of the Navy and assist those brothers in arms who returned from overseas with post-traumatic stress disorder. How incredibly sad and ironic that in February 2013, Kyle was killed and shot in the back, police say, by a former Marine suffering with PTSD whom he was trying to help and mentor. Michael Moore, tell me: How was Chris Kyle a coward? How are snipers cowards? When Kyle was killed, he left his loving and devoted wife, Taya, behind. She feels that "American Sniper" did a good job at portraying the struggles that Kyle endured as a Navy SEAL sniper as well as his roles as a husband and father. The movie illustrates the real-life story of heroism, patriotism and self-sacrifice of a remarkable American war hero. Bradley Cooper, who portrayed Kyle, told NPR that the role was "nothing short of life-changing. It's just not about me or Clint (Eastwood), or anybody else. ... It's a real human being. ... So there's a huge responsibility. But I saw it as an honor. ... I felt like I lived with him for those six months in a very intimate way. ... (H)e was the first voice I heard every morning and the last voice I heard going to bed." Kyle joins the elite ranks of other American sniper icons such as Carlos Hathcock, who was credited with 93 confirmed kills during the Vietnam War. Hathcock felt the same as Kyle did when it came to taking out threats. He simply understood that he was protecting his fellow Marines and other innocent people. If there were not people like Kyle and Hathcock protecting our freedoms, Michael Moore, along with the rest of us, would live in a much more dangerous world. I remain deeply honored and humbled to be an American and to have been part of a community where heroes like Kyle have served. | Don Mann: Michael Moore called snipers cowards, but they protect his free speech .
Chris Kyle, subject of "American Sniper," made sacrifices to protect our freedoms, he says .
Mann: If Moore had trained to be a sniper, he'd have a clue . |
174,209 | 6d75e4138f88c518f42804ab1013ac3713900348 | By . Steph Cockroft . A heartbreaking letter, which was sent by a Titanic crew member to assure his parents he was 'all right' just days before the ship tragically sank, has sold at auction for $34,000. British Leonard Taylor, 18, sent the two-page note to his parents in Blackpool, Lancashire on April 9, 1912, six days before the ship hit an iceberg on its way to New York. Now the hand-written letter - which was found in a box more than 50 years after it was sent - has sold at an auction in Boston, . America for more than ten times the price for which it was originally sold. Titanic crew member Leonard Taylor, 18, wrote a letter to his parents in Blackpool, Lancashire, just days before he was killed when the ship sank in the Atlantic. The letter has now been sold at auction for $34,000 . The two-page letter, sent by Mr Taylor when the ship had docked in Ireland on 9 April 1912, says: 'I am only writing to let you know that I am alright' Mr Taylor's nephew Ken Graham from Poulton, Lancashire, had found the rare letter buried away in a box of his mother's belongings in the late 1960s. He went on to sell the letter 20 years later for around $3,000 - a tenth of the price for which it has now been sold. The 83-year-old said: 'It's all relative and £1,800 was a fair amount of money back then. I am just very proud that it is still of interest and that this is a link to my family that will go on and on.' Mr Taylor, who worked as a Turkish bar attendant on board the ship, sent the letter to his parents when the ship docked in Ireland on its doomed maiden voyage. The teenager, who worked as a Turkish bath attendant, was on his first voyage at sea when the Titanic hit an iceberg and sank in the Atlantic . In the hand-written note, the teenager told his parents: 'I am only writing to let you . know I am all right.' He then described his 'low wages', the 'good food' and how he was 'very comfortable', before signing it off from 'your loving son, Len'. But just days later, the teenager died when the ship sank after hitting an iceberg in the Atlantic. More than 1,500 other people also lost their lives in the tragedy on April 15, 1912. The letter was then buried away for nearly 50 years until Mr Taylor's sister died. It was only then that Mr Graham found the historic letter. The 83-year-old said: 'I remember when I was young, my mother would have people round who had also lost relatives on the Titanic. 'I suppose it was like a support group and they would be meet our house and Mum would cry. 'She often got emotional when she was talking about her brother. 'A lot of time had passed by the time I was born but she did still talk about him from time to time and I could tell she missed him. "She was definitely proud of him.' Mr Graham later sold the letter at Sotheby's - an art and private sales auctioneers - where it was bought by an American collector. He added: 'The irony of it all is that he drowned but he was a champion swimmer. 'When my mum passed away in the late 1960s, my brother gave me a case of her letters and papers and photographs from the house. 'When I was going through them that I found the letter from the Titanic. 'I had no idea it was there. I suppose my mum must have inherited it from her parents and quite naturally kept it in memory of her brother.' RMS Titanic, which sank in the Atlantic on April 15, 1912 . | Leonard Taylor, 18, wrote to his parents in Blackpool to say he was 'all right'
Days later, the crew member died alongside 1,500 others when the ship sank .
The letter was found in a box belonging to Mr Taylor's sister in the 1960s .
It has now been sold at auction in Boston, America for $34,000 . |
210,726 | 9cf176d6946067334c4d92a62de8263b83e08638 | With a fashion designer mother and a sartorially astute footballer father, it's no wonder Romeo Beckham has picked up a few style tips along the way. Now the stylish 12-year-old has made his debut in the prestigious best-dressed men list - 21 places above his father. Sought-after Romeo, who recently modelled for Burberry for a reputed £45,000 fee, was ranked at 25th in the GQ magazine best-dressed list, outshining his famous father who only managed 46th. Scroll down for video . Chip off the old block: Romeo Beckham (left) has beat his father David (right) in the GQ best-dressed men list . Romeo (right) clinched 25th place, outshining his father (left), who came in at number 46 . It came as Prince George made his debut at number 49, just months after posing in a stylish knitted jumper for an official Christmas shoot at Kensington Palace. His grandfather, the Prince Of Wales, was placed at number seven. But the spotlight was stolen by the dapper Theory of Everything actor Eddie Redmayne, who beat Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch to the top spot. In third place was Jamie Dornan, the star of the upcoming Fifty Shades of Grey film. Meanwhile, Newsnight presenter Evan Davies, who took over from Jeremy Paxman earlier this year, was named as the worst dressed for apparently resembling 'a supply geography teacher'. Actor-of-the-moment Eddie Redmayne (left), who stars in Theory of Everything, was named as the best-dressed man, while Benedict Cumberbatch clinched the number two spot (right) His BBC colleague, world affairs editor John Simpson, was named as one of the best-dressed, in 32nd place. The critics said he was 'the only reporter who consistently sports a well-pressed shirt under his flak jacket'. A surprise entry this year was footballer Wayne Rooney who was praised for swapping shell suits for a 'sharp' wardrobe and was put in 26th place. What a cutie! Prince George debuted in the list at number 49, following this official Christmas image taken in a courtyard in Kensington Palace in November . Surprising: Wayne Rooney (left) was ranked as number 26, while Evan Davies (right) was labelled as the worst-dressed man in the magazine list . Others in the top 50 include X Factor presenter Dermot O'Leary at 13, David Bowie at 15, Nick Grimshaw at number five, Arctic Monkeys singer Alex Turner at number four, model David Gandy and film producer David Furnish. The full 50 names are published in the GQ Best-Dressed Men List in the February issue of the magazine, out Thursday. 1. Eddie Redmayne . 2. Benedict Cumberbatch . 3. Jamie Dornan . 4. Alex Turner . 5. Nick Grimshaw . 6. Idris Elba . 7. The Prince of Wales . 8. Douglas Booth . 9. David Gandy . 10. David Furnish . 1. Evan Davies . 2. Ozwald Boateng . 3. Clive Tyldesley . 4. Michael Portillo . 5. Bobby Norris . 6. Brad Simpson . 7. Brian Souter . 8. Norman Baker . 9. Christian Jessen . 10. Alex Song . | Romeo ranked at number 25 in GQ list, outshining his father at number 46 .
Prince George also debuts at number 49, while his grandfather is number 7 .
List topped by Eddie Redmayne with Benedict Cumberbatch as second .
Newsnight presenter Evan Davies named as worst-dressed man on the list . |
207,654 | 98ddc8d0d3955396727b7cac76401339e44b2f62 | By . Hugo Gye . Margaret Thatcher was not known as a gourmet - but she may have helped Britain become the culinary capital of Europe, according to a leading chef. Michelin-starred restaurateur Michel Roux claims that his home country of France is falling behind the UK thanks to its use of pre-packaged ingredients and microwaved meals. He blames the decline on EU regulations which limit the number of hours chefs can work - and credits Thatcher with stopping Britain going the same way. Warning: Michel Roux says that France's culinary scene is in decline thanks to employment laws . Mr Roux, 73, moved to Britain nearly half a century ago, and along with his brother Albert set up two of the country's best restaurants, Le Gavroche in London and the Waterside Inn in Berkshire. He is therefore well placed to compare the culinary tradition of France with that of the UK - and his firm opinion is that the French are set to lose their world domination. A combination of French working time laws and European regulations mean that most workers in France are restricted to working 35 hours a week, which is a far cry from the exhausting hours traditionally worked by chefs. According to Mr Roux, this means that French restaurants are forced to take shortcuts to get round the problem of shorter working hours. Saviour: Mr Roux says that Margaret Thatcher's refusal to introduce legislation rescued British restaurants . 'When the food comes in the morning, you have to unwrap it, clean it, store it, prepare it properly,' he told the Sunday Telegraph. 'In those hours, you can't do that. 'So restaurants are buying food which is either pre-cooked, vacuum-packed or frozen. Instead of having three or four chefs in a bistro, they have one who can open a baguette and put food in the microwave.' He added: 'Chefs work long hours, some up to 50 hours in five days. Does it hurt them? Do they feel worse? They are proud of their job and what they're doing. 'In France, they've lost it. How can you be proud of doing your job reheating food out of packets?' Achievement: Mr Roux founded the Waterside Inn, one of the best restaurants in the UK . Britain has repeatedly sought to opt out of EU employment legislation under leaders including Thatcher, John Major and David Cameron. Asked whether he thought Thatcher was responsible for Britain's culinary rise, Mr Roux replied: 'My God, she saved the country!' Although he still visits France every month, he told the Telegraph he now avoids bistros and brasseries because the average standard has fallen so far. Despite Mr Roux's outburst, there are still far more restaurants in France which are considered world-class than there are in Britain. Just four British restaurants - including the Waterside Inn - hold three Michelin stars, compared to 26 in France. | Founder of Le Gavroche and Waterside Inn says his home country is now dependent on pre-packaged ingredients .
He blames the shift on rules which block chefs working more than 35 hours .
Thatcher refused to introduce similar legislation in Britain .
'My God, she saved the country' says Mr Roux, 73 . |
198,200 | 8c8e84065dc3d071ab875f929aaae0c830489aa6 | MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- A Spanish court says it is investigating an alleged "crime against humanity" involving Israel for its 2002 bombing in Gaza that killed 15 people and wounded 150 others. The case names former Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and six other Israelis. The case, brought by Palestinian relatives of some of the deceased, names former Israeli Defense Minister Benjamin Ben-Eliezer and six other Israeli top military commanders and security officials at the time. The National Court said it has jurisdiction to investigate the case, and that initial evidence suggests the bombing "should be considered a crime against humanity," according to a copy of the court order viewed by CNN on Thursday. Edwin Yabo, spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Madrid, said Israel would not comment until it receives formal notification of the case. He said he learned about the court's decision through a phone call from CNN. The National Court previously has taken on other high-profile human rights cases outside of Spain, such as charges against former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet and more recently against former military leaders of El Salvador. The court argues that if a potential human rights crime is not being investigated by the country in question, Spain can proceed, under international law. The Israeli case involves the July 22, 2002 bombing in Gaza of the home of a suspected Hamas commander, Salah Shehadeh, the seven-page court order said. The blast killed him, but also members of a Palestinian family, whose last name is Mattar. They lived next door. Some of their relatives brought the suit to the court last August. The court said that, while it initially considered whether to accept the case or not, it asked Israel for information, but "as of today, Israeli authorities have not complied with the request for international judicial cooperation." So the court formally took on the case. The next likely step would be for the Spanish investigating magistrate handling the case, Judge Fernando Andreu, to put the seven Israelis named in the suit under official investigation. That is equivalent to preliminary charges, which could lead later to an indictment, a National Court spokeswoman told CNN. The Israelis named in the case, besides former defense minister Ben-Eliezer, are the following former officials: Dan Halutz, Israeli air force commander at the time; Doron Almog, a general in charge of Israel's southern command; Giora Eiland, president of the national security council; Michael Herzog, a senior defense ministry official, Moshe Ya'alon, head of the Israeli defense forces and Abraham Dichter, a senior security official. The court said it will notify Israel to request that those named in the complaint be formally notified, so that they could called by the Spanish court to testify. | Spanish court to investigate alleged "crime against humanity" involving Israel .
Allegation centers on 2002 bombing in Gaza that killed 15, wounded 150 others .
Case brought by relatives of some victims names ex-Israeli defense minister .
Spokesman for Israeli Embassy in Madrid said Israel declines to comment . |
157,290 | 575d7cffaa3215d208896f2406ec9df849f1e3f3 | The wife of the Sydney man Mohamed Elomar who is fighting with the extremist group ISIS in Syria, has been ordered to face court next week over charges she was preparing to travel to Syria to join the jihadi front. Fatima Elomar, 30, will appear in person at the Downing Centre court in central Sydney after Magistrate Lisa Stapleton told her lawyer that any further delays in the case were 'unacceptable'. On Tuesday, Ms Stapleton flatly rejected an application by Elomar's latest lawyer, Muhammad Tehseldar, to have her case adjourned for a further three weeks. Citing the fact it had been before the same court for mention seven times since Elomar's arrest by counter terrorism police in May last year, Ms Stapleton described any further delay as 'unacceptable'. 'She must be ready for committal or arraignment," Magistrate Stapleton said and order Elomar to appear on February 3. Scroll down for video . Enough is enough: Sydney magistrate Lisa Stapleton has ordered Fatima Elomar (pictured) to appear at the Downing Centre court in central Sydney next week on terrorism charges, saying any further legal delays were 'unacceptable' Be ready: Fatima Elomar (pictured, getting into her black Jeep Patriot following her last court appearance last November) has had her case up for mention seven times, but a magistrate has now demanded that the Brisbane mother face an arraignment or committal hearing . Poster boy: Ms Elomar's husband, Mohamed Elomar (pictured allegedly holding the severed heads of Syrian government soldiers) has become one of the Australian 'poster boys' for the extremist group ISIS since he travelled to war-torn Syria last year . New lawyer: Fatima Elomar (pictured at Goulburn Street parking station in central Sydney with her previous lawyer, Zali Burrows) has now appointed solicitor Muhammad Tehseldar, but his application to further postpone her case was rejected by magistrate Lisa Stapleton . Elomar, who is the mother of Sydney ISIS recruit Mohamed Elomar's four children, was arrested trying to board an international flight earlier this year to allegedly join husband Mohamed in Syria. She was allegedly carrying cash and camouflage clothing. Joint counter terrorism detectives arrested and charged Elomar with preparing for incursions into a foreign state with the intention of engaging in hostile activities. She has since appeared before a number of Sydney magistrates and last appealed to Magistrate Teresa O'Sullivan in November not to have to appear personally in January because she had a baby to look after. The accused, whose face has been uncovered during her brief court hearings, has always donned a a full-face niqab when leaving the court complex for the street. During one court appearance, for which she brought along her four children, the family group all left court draped in cloths and blankets. Turning heads: Mother of four, Fatima Elomar, on a street corner in central Sydney last November after successfully appealing not to have to turn up in court in January because she had ababy to look after . Time's up: Fatima Elomar (pictured in full-face niqab on the street, right, and, left, with her previous lawyer, Zali Burrows) will now be arraigned on February 3 to face charges of preparing for incursions into a foreign state with the intention of engaging in hostile activities . Final appearance: Fatima Elomar pulls out of the parking station following her appearance at Downing Centre Court. Her lawyer Zali Burrow (pictured in Ms Elomar's Jeep) has successfully applied for Ms Elomar not to appear in person at the next court hearing because she has a baby to look after . Hoped reunion: Fatima Elomar (pictured, left, leaving court last year with her four children draped in sheets and cloths) is the wife of Mohamed Elomar (right) and mother of his four children. She was caught last May allegedly trying to leave the country to join husband, Mohamed Elomar (right) in Syria . High court bid: Fatima Elomar (above) with her former lawyer, Zali Burrows, leaving a central Sydney court after she briefly appeared on foreign incursion charges may still lodge an appeal against the Federal Government laying terrorism charges, saying the matters are unconstitutional . Ms Elomar has maintained since her arrest that she was travelling to Malaysia on holiday with her with her two young sons, daughter and baby. In the ensuing months last year, her husband Mohamed Elomar became one of ISIS's 'poster' Aussie terrorists, posing in the besieged Syrian town of al Raqqa with a pair of severed heads and posting the photos on social media. Through her lawyer, Ms Elomar has said she is a ‘devoted mother’ of her four children and described the charges against her as ‘serious and over-zealous’. Ms Elomar (above, leaving the Downing Centre last year) appears in court with her face bare before covering up when she emerges onto the street . In a statement released following her arrest last year, Ms Elomar said her children had suffered enough from not being able to visit Malaysia for the holiday, and by being questioned by detectives. 'The ordeal of being interviewed without their mother, being unable to return home to their friends and school, having to adjust to a new way of life of reporting in to the police station with mum, and the task of trying to make new friends at a new school in a new state,’ Ms Elomar said in the statement. Ms Elomar's husband, Mohamed, is the nephew of convicted terrorist Mohamed Elomar, who plotted with four other men in 2005 to bomb targets in a bid to force Australia's government to change its policy on Middle East conflicts. Mohamed Elomar Snr is still wielding significant influence over would-be Australian jihadis, despite the fact he is being held in Australia's Supermax jail in Goulburn, NSW, the Australian reports. Mr Elomar is believed to have flown to Syria in 2013 with Khaled Sharrouf, a convicted terrorist, who fled the country on his brother's passport. Mr Sharrouf has also posted photographs of himself and his children allegedly from Syria on social media, with one of his sons posing with a severed head. Ms Elomar said last year through Ms Burrows that her arrest highlighted the pitfalls for travellers packing camouflage gear as a fashion item. 'At the end of the day this is an example of one must be careful what you pack to travel, let it be a travel warning to leave the camouflage pants at home and best check with Smart Traveller as to what the acceptable fashion is,’ she said. Ms Elomar will be arraigned on February 3. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The wife of a Sydney man fighting with ISIS in Syria has been ordered to face court on terrorism charges .
A magistrate has rejected any further delays on Fatima Elomar's case .
Mohamed Elomar's wife was arrested trying to board a flight last May reportedly carrying cash and camouflage gear for Mohamed .
It's alleged she was trying to join her husband in Syria .
She will face court on February 3 for arraignment or committal . |
52,384 | 9463bfbeda133a45fba382763ce187fc0b099330 | By . James Nye . Johnny Manziel blew off some steam as he spent his Memorial Day weekend partying with bikini clad beauties in Las Vegas. Taking some well-earned time away from the Cleveland Browns, the 22nd pick in the first round of the draft attended a UFC event and partied with adoring fans and stunning ladies - as he lived up to his Johnny Football persona. Showering fellow party-goers in champagne, Manziel, 21, was joined by New England Patriot's tight end Rob Gronkowski and LA-based superstar DJ, Diplo, as they spent their Sunday at a glamorous pool party. Show me the money: Johnny Manziel and one of his many fans act out his signature skit (left) while another bikini-wearing beauty gets up close and personal with the Browns rookie quarterback (right) Party! Johnny Manziel and New England Patriot's tight end Rob Gronkowski pose up for a picture with fans . Poolside: Johnny Manziel talks to another fan while he relaxes at the Encore Beach Club at the Wynn in Las Vegas . Manziel even unleashed his trademark 'show me the money' hand gesture while posing with his fans at the Encore Beach Club at the Wynn in Las Vegas before heading to ringside seats at UFC 173 according to Nofilterphotography.com. Posting their poolside revelry to Instagram and Twitter, Manziel and co seemed to be thoroughly enjoying their holiday weekend. Later that evening, the rookie quarterback and Diplo paid a visit to Surrender nightclub at Encore just after midnight - spraying champagne everywhere. Giving the Browns a taste of what they can expect from their high-profile draft, Cleveland Browns General Manager Ray Farmer said he was looking forward to seeing Manziel play. 'He's almost like the Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth throwback -- he's a guy's guy,' Farmer told 92.3 The Fan on Wednesday. Drafted: Johnny Manziel with some lucky fans who are keen to be photographed with the Browns quarterback in Las Vegas over Memorial Day weekend . Write caption here . Bro: Johnny Manziel poses for another selfie with a fan over this Memorial Day weekend in Las Vegas . 'When you see him he's having fun, he's partying, he's doing his thing. I think people are attracted to the fact that not only does he make plays and is a really good athlete...he's a really good player, but he lives life. 'I think the fact that he lives life is what brings people circling back to who Johnny Football really is.' But Farmer also said that Manziel will have to know his limits. For his part, Manziel has said that he will need to tone down his Johnny Football persona. 'For me, I know I need to put all my time right now into maintaining my life in football and trying to be as good of a quarterback as possible,' he said according to Cleveland.Com . 'Everything else is extra and really -- there's no time for it right now. I'm very committed to expanding my knowledge of the game and getting better as a quarterback. That's my focus right now. 'There's definitely a benefit to allowing Johnny to be Johnny,'' he said. 'But he's got to understand the pro game and be able to apply that to having success in this league.' 'Show me the money': Johnny Manziel comes out after being picked 22nd overall by the Cleveland Browns during the first round at the 2014 NFL Draft . Johnny Manziel holds a #1 Cleveland Browns Jersey after being picked by the Cleveland Browns during the first round at the 2014 NFL Draft . Talking about the spotlight that follows him wherever he goes, Manziel said that that it is something he has become used to. 'I'm used to that,' he said in the press conference. 'It's been my life for a while now. For me, the spotlight, expectations, everything that comes along with that, I was used to that at A&M, and I think that directly helps me and what I'm getting into moving forward. 'The NFL and the way the league is and how big of a deal it is, it's bigger than I'm sure I know. I'll find out, but I think that I've been prepared by the past. It'll help me moving forward.' | Cleveland Browns rookie quarterback partied away his Memorial Day weekend at the Encore Beach Club at the Wynn in Las Vegas .
Surrounded by partygoers, Manziel was joined by New England Patriot's tight end Rob Gronkowski .
Also joining the football players poolside before they hit a club was superstar DJ, Diplo . |
150,721 | 4ede16b3a4dcdcd97be8926abd8b09b1c41f1485 | (CNN) -- Seven months of marathon training have made my 30-year-old knees feel like those of a person decades older. At times, I've hobbled down stairs and winced unexpectedly. If I owned a cane, I'd shake it at the trim women who run past me while pushing strollers full of infants -- and the gazelle-ish teens who spring by at two to three times my running pace. Griping about irritating run-spiration T-shirts that say things such as "Preserve the Sexy" is a coping mechanism -- a way to distract myself from the somewhat-frightening marathon I signed up to run, like many of you, in response to the Boston Marathon bombing. Until Monday, I wondered if I could finish. That was the day I had a conversation with a Boston bombing victim who, after three surgeries, ran her first marathon a few weeks ago. Before that, I worried about "Mile 20," which is when many runners quit. In most marathon training programs, you don't run farther than 20 miles before race day. It seems natural to a Woody-Allen brain that Mile 20 should induce panic. How are you supposed to get energy for those extra 6.2 miles, which will take me at least an hour to run? RELATED: 'Run for Boston' iReport group . All of those complaints and fears seemed so childish after I e-mailed with Lee Ann Yanni, a 32-year-old who was standing near the finish line in Boston in April when the bombs went off. Chips of wood and shrapnel the size of a half-dollar lodged themselves in her leg. Her fibula broke through the skin. Her eardrum popped. The doctors thought she was crazy, she said, when she told them she was going to run the Chicago Marathon. Before the bombing, she signed up for the race in honor of her dad, who died of cancer in October 2012. Injuries weren't about to change her mind. "I'm not letting these fools take my first marathon away from me," she told the Boston Herald. Three months after the bombing, Yanni walked without crutches. In September, she ran for the first time since the surgeries, which removed the shrapnel, repaired the bone and grafted skin across the bottom part of her leg, pulling the flesh from her thigh. Yanni is a physical therapist in Boston, so she knew what she was up against. "I know I wasn't ready to run, and I said many times that this was the dumbest idea I had ever had," she wrote to me, "but no one argued with me. Guess they were smart." RELATED: I'm running a marathon for Boston . A friend suggested she walk most of the marathon, but Yanni insisted she would run it within the 6 1/2 hour limit. "I said, 'NO.' That's not even an option. It's not an option not to FINISH.'" "My dad fought his cancer for six weeks," she added, "and I could suck it up and do whatever it took for 6 or 6 1/2 hours of 'pain.' He was a fighter, and I knew that it was in me in some form." The world of running was new to me when I began this process. This spring, two miles stole my breath. I had to do a training program to be able to start the marathon training program. For all their quirks -- the Gu packets, the Band-aided nipples, the overendorphined Instagram feeds -- runners all seem to harness a sense of determination you don't find in day-to-day cubicle life. It can't be a question of whether or not you'll finish. You will finish. To believe otherwise is to fail, in a sense. I believe that now, but only because I've heard so many stories like Yanni's. Earlier this year, I traveled to Oklahoma City to watch Sara Hunt finish the marathon she started in Boston but was cut less than a mile short by the bombing. "Once I hit the point where I stopped in Boston, I was like, 'No more walking. I'm running this,'" she told me. "This race, this is for Boston. I'm finishing." There, I also met Gary Woodbridge, whose wife, Ronota Newberry-Woodbridge, was killed in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing. He ran his first marathon in her honor. "She always wanted to run a marathon, and I finally lost enough weight where I thought I could try," he told me. He struggled, but he finished. He had to. RELATED: In OKC, a run to finish what she started . When I'm running the marathon next week in North Carolina, I'm sure there will be points when I'll want to give up -- but I won't. I'll have too many stories with me. I'll think of how Yanni's husband washed her damaged leg while she held a towel over her face and cried, unable to walk and not wanting to look at the limb. About how she only had run about 11 1/2 miles in her premarathon training. She hit "the wall," so to speak, at Mile 22 of her race. "It was like a wall or a curtain came down," she said. Everything got hazy. She doesn't remember seeing mile markers 23 or 24. "My legs started to cramp, but I didn't want to stop and stretch because I was scared I wouldn't be able to get going again." She did keep going, of course. "My advice would be just take it one step at a time," she wrote. "We are only a select group of people that make that journey and take the time to achieve such an insane goal. "Take each mile and savor it." "I am glad that I can inspire people," she added, "but I just feel like a normal person who loves running and who is wicked stubborn! ... I was gonna cross that finish line one way or another." After hearing Yanni's story, I'm sure I will, too. I'd also encourage you to consider signing up for a race -- of any length -- as part of CNN iReport's Run for Boston group. Hundreds already have pledged to do so. The goal is to show support for the truly brave people such as Yanni and others who are taking steps each day toward recovering from the Boston tragedy. We're running for them. What are your tips for getting past 'Mile 20'? Share them in the comments section or on Twitter. Tag the tweets #runforboston. The opinions expressed in this column are solely those of John D. Sutter. | John Sutter talks with a Boston Marathon bombing survivor .
"I was gonna cross that finish line one way or another," runner says .
Lee Ann Yanni had three surgeries before running the Chicago Marathon .
She had signed up for the race before getting injured in the April bombing . |
81,977 | e84fda74973ca3c8d36874c29afdaa613bb023c0 | This cheeky chimp is not going to let the cold get in the way of his fun in the snow, strapping on a snow suit before he heads out to play. The adorable little chap seems delighted to be out and about despite the freezing conditions, as he bounds around, delightedly throwing himself into the snow drifts. The pint sized primate - nicknamed Vanya - excitedly launches forward and ploughs head first into piles of snow before he sits back to contemplate his next move. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Vanya - the cheeky Russian chimp who is not going to let the cold get in the way of his fun in the snow . The adorable little chap seems delighted to be out and about despite the freezing conditions, as he bounds about throwing himself into the snow drifts . The pint sized primate excitedly launches forward and ploughs head first into piles of snow . The owner of the monkey, believed to be from Russia, tenderly wipes the snow from his face as they film him trying to catch falling snowflakes in his mouth. It is thought the monkey is a Japanese macaque, which are well suited to the cold, as the thickness of their coats increases as temperatures decrease. But the sight of monkeys in clothes is not a hit with everyone. Animal right campaigner group Peta said keeping a monkey as a pet was like 'like lighting a fuse and pretending that it won't go off.' A spokesman added: 'You'd think after a Connecticut woman made international news when her face was ripped off by her friend's "pet" chimpanzee that people would wake up to the fact that wild animals have no place in people's homes. 'In addition to being a danger to people, captive wild animals are denied everything that is natural and important to them – companionship for one, not to mention the opportunity to run, climb, hunt and establish their territory.' A woman from Toronto . recently came under fire from campaigners when her pet macaque escaped . and was found wandering an Ikea car park, dressed in a sheepskin coat . and a nappy. The owner of the monkey wipes the snow from his face. It is thought the monkey is a Japanese macaque, which are well suited to the cold, as the thickness of their coats increases as temperatures decrease . The cheeky chap appears to be trying to catch snow flakes in his mouth as he sits back to contemplate his next move . Yasmin Nakhuda said the Japanese macaque, named Darwin, was near her at all times, including while she slept and showered. Ms Nahkuda, who calls the creature her baby, launched a campaign to get the monkey back after he was taken from her by animal control officials and moved to a sanctuary in Sunderland, Ontario, where he now lives. It comes as Iran announced plans to send a monkey into space after sparking massive security fears by launching a missile to carry a second satellite into orbit. The country's top space official Hamid Fazeli announced the disturbing plans at the launch of the Rassad-1 satellite to produce detailed maps of the earth. | Vanya the monkey looks happy to be out in the snow as he bounds and frolics in the snow drifts in a little green suit .
The pint-sized macaque, believed to be from Russia, was caught on film as he played and tried to catch snow flakes in his mouth . |
134,729 | 3a416b83ffe23ba46b1808e1b8f9eed7e4c31ce4 | (CNN Student News) -- August 13, 2014 . In the fight against the deadliest Ebola outbreak in history, there may be some new tools on the horizon. The World Health Organization now says it's ethical to use experimental drugs to combat the virus. Today, we'll explain why this is significant, we'll cover the death of a renowned actor and comedian, and we'll look at the increasing presence of cameras in a major U.S. city. On this page you will find today's show Transcript and a place for you to request to be on the CNN Student News Roll Call. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show. ROLL CALL . For a chance to be mentioned on the next CNN Student News, comment on the bottom of this page with your school name, mascot, city and state. We will be selecting schools from the comments of the previous show. You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call! Thank you for using CNN Student News! | This page includes the show Transcript .
Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
At the bottom of the page, comment for a chance to be mentioned on CNN Student News . |
200,890 | 9011bff7c7f74e6e72f5724fce031840f6210a80 | Danny Welbeck was absent as England took part in an open training session in Urca on Wednesday. The Manchester United forward is considered a doubt for England's opening World Cup game against Italy after limping out of training with a hamstring strain on Tuesday. All eyes were therefore searching for Welbeck in the part-open session at the Urca military base, yet there was no sign of him despite being pictured outside the team hotel earlier on Wednesday. . Wayne . Rooney however, claimed his club, and international team-mate, would be fit to face the Italians. Head boy: Wayne Rooney and Jack Wilshere were among the England players taking part in the game . Jack's the lad: Gary Neville and Wilshere are all smiles with the rest of the England squad appearing to laugh at his expense . Leading the pack: Wayne Rooney shares a joke with Glen Johnson as England stars train on Wednesday . Missing in action: Danny Welbeck was pictured outside the team hotel, but was absent in training . 'Danny will be fine and I'm sure he'll be ready for Saturday,' Rooney said. 'We have training on Friday and he'll be ready for Saturday I'm sure.' Rooney and the rest of his England team-mates appeared relaxed, and in . good spirits, as they took part in a game of 'heads, shoulders, knees . and toes'. The particular session appeared to be led by England's assistant coach Gary Neville, who also seen joining in with the game. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was the other . member of the 23-man squad not to head out, with the midfielder doing an . individual programme as he continues his rehabilitation from a medial . knee ligament complaint. That injury meant the 20-year-old was never likely to be involved against Italy, but the same cannot be said for Welbeck. The . forward looked likely to start on the left flank in Manaus on Saturday, . with the setback potentially set to force manager Roy Hodgson into a . rethink. Raring to go: The England coaching team, led by Roy Hodgson, engaged in conversation on Wednesday . On the ball: Joe Hart, who will line up against Italy, and reserve keeper Fraser Forster are tested during training . Wayne's Word: Rooney appeared in good shape as the Manchester United star juggled with the ball . Smiles better: Rooney appeared to be enjoying James Milner's company, and right, Leighton Baines on the ball . Raheem Sterling looks likely to be the beneficiary of . Welbeck's absence, having impressed during the pre-tournament camp . despite only getting 39 minutes of action across the three warm-up . friendlies. Having not featured against Peru in their Wembley . send-off, his red card against Ecuador after coming off the bench saw . him banned against Honduras - a match Hodgson had planned to start him . in. Sterling had another chance to impress the Three Lions boss in . training on Wednesday, which took place in 83 per cent humidity with the . mercury hitting 25 degrees Celsius. The players had access to water . spray bottles during drink breaks at the session, where assistant Ray . Lewington hobbled around in a cast after having surgery on his left . knee. Meanwhile, . former England Under 21 manager Stuart Pearce believes that Arsenal . midfielder Jack Wilshere 'will not kick a ball' during the World Cup. Pearce, who won 78 caps for England and appeared at the 1990 World Cup, told talkSPORT: . 'I think there are five players that will not kick a ball at the World . Cup. Forster and Foster are the obvious ones and I think Shaw, Smalling . and Wilshere will be the others. 'I . think he [Wilshere] is very, very short of form. Watching the last game . [against Honduras] I didn't see a Wilshere that sprung on the scene . many months ago. 'I just think he is very, very short of confidence and I see Lampard, Lallana or Barkley ahead of him now. 'I . just feel his lack of form really [will cost him] and that will be on . Roy's mind. He had a very disappointing last game and he has not shown . me the fully fit Wilshere we saw when he came on the scene.' | The Manchester United striker was absent as the Three Lions were put through their paces on Wednesday .
He remains a doubt for the opener against Italy through injury .
But Wayne Rooney insists his team-mate will be 'fine' for Group D clash .
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain was also missing as he continues his recovery .
England stars seemed relaxed as in training with Italy game three days away .
Jack Wilshere won't play in the World Cup, according to Stuart Pearce . |
47,581 | 863761bd269bba6de0e0c5fa5aa2891f1721d1a9 | (CNN) -- An April Fool's Day computer worm was launched on Wednesday but so far has not caused problems for the millions of computers that are believed to be infected. This piece of computer code tells the worm to activate on April 1, researchers found. "I think joke's on us a little bit, which you would have expected with having an April 1 date," said Holly Stewart, threat response manager for IBM's X-Force, a computer security service. However, that doesn't mean the much-talked-about worm, called Conficker.c, is a joke, computer security experts told CNN on Wednesday. "By no means do I think we're in the clear," said Paul Henry, a forensics and security analyst for Lumension Security, based in Phoenix, Arizona. On Wednesday, a master computer gained control of an estimated 5 million "zombie" PCs infected with the worm, experts said. Security experts fear the author of the malicious computer program essentially could do anything with those Windows-based machines. No attempts by the author to upload anything had been noted as of 8 p.m. ET Wednesday, according to Phil Porras, program director at nonprofit research institute SRI International. Conficker's motive is probably financial, security experts said. The worm's author could steal financial information, shut down Web pages, track keystrokes or send spam from infected computers. "They have full administrative-level rights to run anything they want on all of the infected machines," said Mikko Hypponen, chief research officer for F-Secure, an Internet security company. Experts who spoke to CNN on Wednesday said it's unlikely the program's author will launch any sort of attack Wednesday or Thursday. But they said some sort of issue is likely to arise in coming weeks or months. iReport.com: What do you think of the April Fools' Day worm? Experts urged computer users not to panic. The easiest way for computer users to see if they're infected is to try to access Windows updates from microsoft.com. If you can reach the site and if your system updates are working, it is unlikely your computer is infected, experts said. Further computer patches and information can be found at the Conficker Working Group's Web site. The worm does not affect Mac computers. A core group of about 40 computer analysts, researchers and policy experts is working to dismantle the worm, said Jose Nazario, manager of security research at Arbor Networks, and a member of the group, which some call the Conficker Cabal. Nazario said the group's unprecedented efforts may be one reason an attack hasn't happened. He said the April 1 launch date for the virus may have been a ploy by the program's author to get attention from the news media. Or it could be a twisted joke. "Either way, it suggests an interesting sense of humor, I guess," he said. The worm allows a master computer to communicate with the infected machines through Web sites the worm generates. That function became active April 1, experts said, and allows Conficker's author or authors to seize control of millions of computers around the world. Infected machines are generating 50,000 URLs per day, which allows the master to talk with them. A previous version of Conficker created only 250 domain names per day. "What happened now, today, is that the machines started pulling 50,000 domain names in 116 countries around the world -- so that's the change," said Hypponen, another member of the Conficker Cabal. "The Conficker gang realized we could shut down 250 domain names a day, so they upped the ante," he said. Computer experts will continue to try to shut down the Web addresses that let Conficker's author communicate with infected machines, he said. Members of the Conficker Working Group have contacted security officials in all 116 affected countries and have shut down many active domain names, Hypponen said. Stewart, of IBM, said the sophistication of the worm is unprecedented. The situation has played out in the news media as an April Fools' Day joke. On a technology blog, The Washington Post mocked the hype about Conficker. "Londoners woke up to find the iconic clock tower Big Ben stopped at precisely one minute till midnight," Brian Krebs wrote. "The British tabloids blared that the giant timepiece had been felled by the Conficker worm." The post ends with this statement: "In case you haven't guessed it yet, APRIL FOOLS!!!" Some have compared the situation to New Year's Day in 2000, when many feared the world's computers would crash but few problems were seen. Henry said that comparison doesn't fit. "Y2K was a one-time event," he said. "The update for Conficker has basically prepped it for its future. It now has the ability to gather marching orders in a way that, to date, we haven't found a way to block." Little is know about Conficker's author. A piece of code in a version of the computer worm prevents the program from harming machines in Ukraine, leading some to believe that's where the program's author lives. Others say that could be a ploy. Many authors of previous computer viruses have come from Eastern Europe outside the jurisdiction of the European Union, experts said. Matt Watchinski, senior director of a research team at Sourcefire, a computer security company, said the author may try to split up pieces of the infected computer network -- called a botnet -- and sell them to bidders. The many unknowns about Conficker are what make it particularly concerning, said Patrick Morganelli, senior vice president of technology for Enigma Software. "[An attack] could happen today, it could happen April 15, it could happen two months from now," he said. Henry says an attack will happen sooner or later. "They'll wait for the hype to subside," he said. "They'll wait for everyone to stop watching, and they'll take it for a test run. They've put together one hell of a botnet here, and they're going to want to exercise it." | Conficker.c worm active in computers, but so far causes no harm .
Experts are working with 116 countries to combat the worm .
Washington Post blog mocks Conficker situation in April Fool's Day blog .
Conficker.c is thought to have infected up to 10 million computers . |
164,597 | 60dc86a1aa69c74efebe15348439e0aaaf318a15 | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 14:13 EST, 5 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:45 EST, 5 November 2012 . In the final tense days before the election, both presidential candidates have been pulling out all the stops in their bids for the White House. Over in the Republican camp, nominee Mitt Romney has been surrounded by his adult sons, their wives and grandchildren. The children of his running mate Paul Ryan appear to be delighted by all the excitement, hamming it up for the cameras in campaign hats and T-shirts. By comparison, Barack Obama's 14-year-old daughter Malia and Sasha, 11, have hardly been seen at all on the campaign trail in 2012 compared to four years ago. The girls were last seen in public on October 28 as they attended church in Washington D.C. with their father and godmother Kaye Wilson. Scroll down for video . Seldom seen: President Obama on stage at the DNC on September 6, 2012 with wife Michelle and daughters Malia (left) and Sasha . Last outing: The Obama girls were last in the public eye when they attended church with their father on October 28 in Washington D.C. The girls appeared at the Democratic National Convention on September 6 in North Carolina, where they waved from the stage as their father accepted the presidential nomination. However, the girls' public appearances seem to have been kept to a minimum. They did not appear at the presidential debates - unlike many of Romney's grandchildren. In contrast, Romney is almost constantly accompanied by members of his large family, including his wife of 42 years Ann, his five sons and their wives and many of his 18 grandchildren, who are often photographed on his campaign jet. Republican Vice President nominee Paul Ryan has also had his children along for the ride in the last days of the campaign. His ten-year-old daughter Liza, who is close in age to Sasha Obama, has been pictured striking a number of comic poses while her father appears at events in swing states. His son Charlie, eight, appears shy while the youngest, seven-year-old Sam, often steals the show with a beaming grin for the waiting press. Parade: Obama campaigns in Pueblo, Colorado in 2008 with Michelle and daughters Sasha and Malia when they were seven and ten . Just the two of us: President Obama appeared with wife Michelle but not Sasha and Malia during the third presidential debate in Florida . The trio appear to be enjoying the . shift from their lives in small town Janesville, Wisconsin, to . motorcades across the country, posing in Romney-Ryan hats and t-shirts . and attending football games. While . Michelle Obama is a seasoned and prolific campaigner for her husband's . cause, Malia and Sasha have been kept out of the public eye by their . parents. At the . presidential debates, Michelle Obama supported her husband from the . audience with members of his campaign team - but without their girls. The Romney camp were pictured in the audience and following the debate with their grandchildren as they met the Obamas. Barack has spoken about his worries over his daughters as they grow up in the public eye. He told MTV last month that he was concerned about Malia going on Facebook because she was so well-known. The Romney clan: The Republican candidate has regularly been pictured with his five adult sons and many of his 18 grandchildren while he campaigns for the White House . Family man: Paul Ryan with his wife Janna and three children (left to right) Charlie, Sam and Liza on stage before crowds in Tampa Bay, Florida . Courting the gang vote: While her parents pose in the background, Liza Ryan struck an unusual stance . Obama said: 'I'm very keen on protecting . her privacy. She can make her own decisions as she gets older, but . right now, for security reasons, she does not have a Facebook page.' In 2008, Obama's two daughters were by his side during a lot of the campaign, wearing T-shirts and being involved in events like packing boxes for overseas troops. He drew criticism when he allowed his daughters to be interviewed by Access Hollywood four years ago. Malia and Sasha, ten and seven at the time, spoke on camera, in an interview which was then splashed across the TV networks. When asked about the decision, Obama said he was surprised by the attention the interview had garnered before adding: 'We wouldn’t do it again and we won’t be doing it again.' Although their father could be attempting to shield his daughters from the viciousness of the presidential campaign, there could also be one simple answer - both Malia and Sasha are mid-way through term at the private Sidwell Friends School they attend in D.C. MailOnline was awaiting a comment from the White House. Growing up in the public eye: One of the earliest pictures of the Obama family in 2004 taken while he was in the running for the Senate . | Obama girls last appeared on October 28 when they attended church in Washington D.C. with their father .
President said he was 'keen on protecting their privacy' during interview last month . |
52,213 | 93e7135778950e82160c0510e3aac275e7037b91 | By . Bianca London for MailOnline . Temperatures may be cooling but the high street's latest collections are starting to hot up. New Look is the latest fast-fashion chain to unveil its AW14 collection and there's enough cosy knits, dusky pink coats and sparkling metallics to take you through to next year in style. Taking inspiration from the catwalks, New Look has curated smooth and futuristic fabrics with bold linear patterns, flashes of on-trend pink and bold animal prints. Tis the season to be cosy: New Look has taken some serious inspiration from the catwalks this season, where comfort is key. The pink coat is still a wardrobe staple so if you haven't got one to recycle from last season, there's never been a better time to invest . As Stella McCartney, Celine and just about every other designer proved, this season is all about monster knits with chunky knitwear and felted wool in gritty khaki tones and it seems that New Look certainly took note. Parkas come with furry hoods, cocoon coats in bold checks and pastels and over-sized boyfriend coats in mannish checks and if you're feeling the chill, faux fur scarves, snoods and stoles will warm you up and add a sensual finish to the simplest of outfits. Boyfriend jeans and acid washes update the denim collections for wearable streetwear a la Rita Ora and footwear has been toughened up with chunky soles and on-trend metal hardware. Check mate: Co-ords make up a lot of the collection and it's all about plaid fabrics this season . Fix up, look sharp: This season is all about sharp tailoring and the trouser suit has been given a feminine makeover with loose cuts and soft dove grey shading, left, while outerwear comes with checks and cosy finishes . Flower power: Winter dresses can be dressed down with tights and flats or up with heels and a leather jacket for a night out on the town . The high street giant have also included plenty of partywear for all those festive soirées. Inspired by the late 1960s, dresses come in lush velvets and shimmering metallics covered with embellishment . Speaking about the latest drop, Lydia Jones, fashion blogger and founder of Want Her Wardrobe, said: 'This is a strong season for New Look and their campaign imagery is super slick with some real trend-led pieces. 'I love the eye-catching fringing and flashes of fluoro and can't wait to wrap up warm in a cosy snood.' It's a wrap: Parkas come with furry hoods, cocoon coats in bold checks and pastels and over-sized boyfriend coats in mannish checks . Bling bling: Garments and accessories are given added drama with jewels, crystals, tassels and fringing this season . Winter chills: Boyfriend jeans come ripped and acid washed, while T-shirts are emblazoned with slogans . | This season is all about wool and knits and New Look has taken note .
Coats come in dove grey, pink and plaid . |
125,315 | 2dfdf2c14271fcb0e1e2bfbdbdde32fc9b9065f2 | Cottage owners who watched their 140-year-old homes pulled down because of a landslide have slammed a council after they were handed a £40,000 bill for the cost of the demolition. Five houses which overlooked the harbour in Whitby, North Yorkshire, had to be knocked down in December after flooding washed away the land beneath them. Nearby St Mary's church and its cliff-top . graveyard, which featured in Bram Stoker's Dracula, was also affected . by the landslides which caused human bones from the exposed graves to fall down the cliff into neighbour's gardens. In danger: The five houses in Whitby became unstable after flooding washed away the land beneath them . No time: Homeowners had just 30 minutes to grab their belongings before workers moved in to begin demolishing the houses . Gone: The five 140-year-old cottagers were torn down on Aelfleda Terrace in Whitby, north Yorkshire . Insult to injury: Residents have suffered further misery after they were asked to pay £40,000 by Scarborough Council for the demolition work . The heavy rain caused a gaping hole to . emerge at the front of the street and Scarborough Council ordered the . homes had to be demolished immediately. Jude Knight, 62, who had lived in her home for 26 years, said she had just 30 minutes to clear her house of possessions before fleeing the property. And now she has suffered further misery after the council handed her a £40,000 bill to cover the cost of the work. The retired training manager, who was the only permanent resident of Aefleda Terrace, said: 'I loved that house. Having to leave it so quickly was horrendous and such an emotional wrench. 'Now I feel as though things have been made even worse than they already were. 'The decision was made by Scarborough County Council to demolish the houses very quickly, within a matter of hours. 'They . did not feel they had time to test the foundations the houses stood on . even though there was not a crack in any of the cottages. Now . they have sent us this bill for £40,000.' Owners of the other properties, which were all holiday homes, have already been told their insurance company will pay out but Ms Knight is still waiting to find out if her insurer Saga will cover the bill. 'I am waiting. At the moment they have said they will accept payment of the value of the house,' she said. 'I . would guess my property was worth about £175,000. But if I am liable to . pay £40,000 then this could leave me in the unfortunate position of . being unable to afford a new home.' Raining bones: Nearby St Mary's church was also affected after human bones began falling down the cliff from graves which were exposed by the landslide . Eerie: Ancient graves were exposed at the church, which dates back to the 1100s, after heavy rain . Christopher Lee, left, starring as Dracula, the classic novel written by Bram Stoker, right . Contractors were called in to help retain . the cliffside below St Mary's, but the church has now been ordered to . pay £90,000 to stabilise it. Vicar Rev David Smith said the church is having to pay its own costs out of money earmarked to ensure the future of buildings including the Grade I listed St Mary's. He added: 'There is no help from central funding for parishes, we do this work without prejudice, but there are houses and businesses below and we need to get it done. 'If you live below a cliffside that has been moving since 1700 it is one of the things that can happen. 'This is money needed for repairs to our four churches.' Scarborough Borough Council said it used emergency powers to demolish homes in Aelfleda Terrace because of the instability of the site. A spokesperson said: 'In that respect as it was taxpayers' money we are obliged to recoup that cost and we have been negotiating with the home-owners and their insurance companies. 'Some insurers have already accepted liability and have paid out in full on the claim, including the cost of demolition. 'Some insurers have agreed that policy cover is in place including demolition cover and have requested further information. 'A small number of insurers have yet to confirm that policy cover is in place and we will continue to engage with these companies via the property owners over the coming weeks.' The council said it did not need to intervene with the churchyard and had simply acted to inform the church of its responsibilities. | Five homes in Whitby, North Yorkshire, knocked down after flooding .
Cottage owners hit with £40,000 for cost of demolishing their properties .
Nearby 'Dracula church' was affected by huge landslide . |
224,009 | ae12029b6d2b49b6812c7a362e4b2b579bd54a5b | Ukraine's leaders fear an imminent Russian invasion of their eastern industrial heartland after the last airbase in Crimea was taken over. The concern follows the violent storming of the military compound in Belbek, the biggest show of Russian force in the three weeks Kremlin troops have been stationed in the peninsula. Since the annexation of the region was confirmed on Friday, Russian troops have began to gather at the eastern border and Ukraine's military leaders believe they are ready to attack 'at any moment'. Ukrainian troops at the Belbek airbase in Sevastopol after it was taken over by Russian soldiers on Saturday . Ukraine's National Security and Defence Council chief Andriy Parubiy told a rally in Kiev: 'The aim of Putin is not Crimea but all of Ukraine... His troops massed at the border are ready to attack at any moment,' The interim leaders in Kiev fear that . Russian President Vladimir Putin is developing a sense he could get away . with further actions after the EU and US only handed him limited . sanctions. Foreign Minister Andriy Deshchytsya added: 'We do not know what Putin has in his mind and what would be his decision. 'That's why this situation is becoming even more explosive than it used to be a week ago.' NATO's top . military commander added to the fears, suggesting Russia had built up a 'very sizeable' force and even . speculated Moscow could have other former Soviet states in its . sights. Supreme Allied Commander in Europe, U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove said Moldova, could be next if Putin decides to put his expansionist policies in place. Breedlove was one of several Western . officials and politicians to warn that Russia may not stop there in a . crisis that has damaged East-West relations. 'The . (Russian) force that is at the Ukrainian border now to the east is . very, very sizeable and very, very ready,' the NATO commander told an . event held by the German Marshall Fund think-tank.' Men from the Crimean self-defence squad fight outside the Ukrainian Belbek air base in Sevastopol . Anger: A protestor in Kiev's Independence Square holds up a signing . Fears of a . military push outside Crimea also heightened after the self-declared . leader of Russians living in Ukraine said they should rise up against . Kiev's rule. Crimea's Russia-backed prime minister . Sergei Aksyonov said the region began facing a 'sad fate' the moment . the deadly protests toppled the pro-Kremlin regime in Kiev. 'But . we resisted and won! Our motherland - Russia - extended her hand of . help,' said Aksyonov. 'So today, I appeal to you with a call to fight.' United States senator John McCain compared Putin's actions to those of Adolf Hitler during the 1930's. The foreign policy specialist said: 'I think he (Putin) is calculating how . much he can get away with, just as Adolf Hitler calculated how much he . could get away with in the 1930s. Denial: Putin, pictured at the moment he signed the law making Crimea a part of Russia, has refuted claims he wants to widen his military operations . U.S. President Barack Obama's deputy national security adviser Tony Blinken said the build-up might just be aimed at intimidating Ukraine's new pro-Western leaders but that Russia could invade the country's mainly Russian-speaking east. 'It's possible that they are preparing to move in,' he told CNN. A meeting of the G7 group has been arranged for Monday in the Netherlands to allow leaders to discuss a response to Russia's actions. Obama is also set to meet Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for bilateral talks. Resources: Russian military ships moored in the bay at Sevastapol after Crimea's rebel leader urged Russians across Ukraine to rise up against Kiev's rule . Russia said it was complying with international agreements and had no plans to invade. It has called the soldiers who took over Ukrainian bases in Crimea 'self defence forces'. Around 440 peacekeepers in Transdniestria, a breakaway state on the eastern Moldovan border with Ukraine, with soldiers guarding Soviet-era arms stocks. It follows a launch of a new military exercise in the area, involving 8,500 artillery men, near Ukraine's eastern border 10 days ago. 'There is absolutely sufficient (Russian) force postured on the eastern border of Ukraine to run to Transdniestria if the decision was made to do that, and that is very worrisome,' Breedlove said. The speaker of Transdniestria's parliament has urged Russia to incorporate the region, which lies to the west of Ukraine. Tribute: A military band plays at Simferopol railway station, welcoming back Ukrainian troops . The new leaders in Kiev have said Moscow could seek to link up pro-Russian regions in Moldova, and Georgia to Ukraine's east. But Moscow's ambassador to the European Union, Vladimir Chizhov, said Russia did not have 'expansionist views'. 'There is no intention of the Russian Federation to do anything like that,' he said. Germany's Foreign Minister . Frank-Walter Steinmeier underscored the huge potential repercussions of . Russia's bid to redraw national borders in Europe. 'I'm . very worried the unlawful attempt to alter recognised borders in our . European neighbourhood, 25 years after the end of the Cold War, will . open Pandora's Box,' he said. Emotional: A Ukrainian serviceman is embraced by a family member at the station after returning home . | Follows the storming of the military compound in Belbek on Saturday .
Ukraine's military leaders say Russian troops have gathered at border .
NATO Commander said a 'sizeable force' had began to develop in the area .
Speculated Moldova could be target of another invasion effort .
John McCain compared Putin's actions to those of Hitler in the 1930s .
Russia has denied they are looking to invade eastern Ukraine . |
222,499 | ac032244dfdbd6ce7b7ab1971e1ff286b67c1c52 | After being selected by the St. Louis Rams in the 2014 NFL Draft, then waived from their practice squad, Michael Sam's professional football future seemed somewhat bleak. That all changed in September however when the Dallas Cowboys added him to their practice squad, though they too waived him in late October making him a free agent. Now, Sam is wondering why he keeps getting cut because he says he has the talent to play professional football. Scroll down for video . Cut: Michael Sam (above) the first openly gay NFL player, was recently asked about being cut from the St. Louis Rams and Dallas Cowboys and why he was not on any NFL team's roster . So in love: Sam has been very public about his relationship with boyfriend Vito Cammisano . When asked by TMZ why he thought he was not on the roster of an NFL team, Sam said; 'I think I was the SEC Defensive Player of the Year last year ... so I don't think it had to do with talent.' And while they took that to mean Sam was saying he was cut because he was gay, he quickly clarified his statement on Twitter. 'Despite what headlines you may read, I’ve never said and have never believed that I am being kept out of the league,' wrote Sam. 'I know I have talent to play in the NFL and I look forward to getting an opportunity once again to prove that I can help a team win.' Clearing the air: Sam later clarified his statement to TMZ on Twitter . Reaffirming: He repeated that he knew he had the talent, but has never believed his sexuality is why he was cut or not playing . Superstar: Sam was named one of GQ's Men of the Year . Football or not, Sam's career has been taking off since he graduated from University of Missouri, with the 24-year-old becoming perhaps the most famous openly gay professional athlete, becoming so big he even graced the cover of GQ as they named him one of their Men of the Year. And if the NFL doesn't work out he does have a big fan in Mötley Crüe front man Vince Neil, who has been very vocal about wanting him for he new Las Vegas Arena Football League team. | Michael Sam, the first openly gay player in the NFL, was dropped from the St. Louis Rams and the Dallas Cowboys this season .
In an interview with TMZ he said he had the talent to play in the NFL, which is an implication that he believed he was cut for being gay .
Sam later cleared up the confusion, saying he does not think his sexuality has anything to do with why he was cut . |
240,848 | c3cc9964a32921b4df3ac0f25c3503512f385f1b | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 12:47 EST, 7 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:51 EST, 7 November 2012 . Missing: Schoolboy Lewis Eddleston, 13, has not been seen since Sunday, when he left a group of friends on a playing field in his home village of Edenthorpe . The body of a teenage boy has been found in a ditch in Yorkshire by police searching for a 13-year-old who disappeared from the area at the weekend. Lewis Eddleston, 13, has not been seen since he left a group of friends on a playing field just a mile from his home in the village of Edenthorpe, near Doncaster, on Sunday afternoon. Police said it was too early to confirm the identity of the body, which was found today in a ditch a mile from where Lewis was last seen in the village, but officers are linking the discovery to the search for the missing schoolboy. Lewis was playing on the field on Sunday when he asked his friends to look after his mobile phone while he went to the toilet. He never returned. A . South Yorkshire Police spokesman said today: 'Police can confirm that . the body of a young male has been found in a ditch close to The . Boulevard, Edenthorpe, Doncaster. 'The Ambulance Service attended the scene and attempted resuscitation, which sadly was unsuccessful. 'An . investigation has commenced into the circumstances surrounding this . tragic event - at this stage, it is too early to determine a cause of . death or confirm the identity of the male. 'Formal . identification procedures will take place but officers investigating . are linking this to the 13-year-old boy recently reported missing in . Doncaster.' Scroll down for video . Discovery: Police officers found the body of a young male in a ditch in doncaster, close to where 13-year-old Lewis Eddleston disappeared . A cordon has been erected around the area where police discovered the body today in Doncaster . Before the body was discovered Lewis’ mother Diane said his disappearance was out of character as she appealed for her son to return home. She said: 'He has never done anything like this before - it is totally out of character. 'We had had a lovely family bonfire on Saturday night and there were no problems at home or at school. 'Worried sick': Lewis' mother Diane had made an emotional appeal for her son to return home . 'We just want to know he is safe, we have no idea where he is or what has happened and we are worried sick. 'I just hope he sees this and gets in touch to let us know he is OK.' There had been no news of Lewis' whereabouts since Sunday, although there had been unconfirmed sightings of the schoolboy in the Balby area of Doncaster. The family's neighbour Royce Lambert, 49, said news of the discovery had rocked the estate. 'People are devastated,' he said. 'He was a great kid, your typical 13-year-old boy. I had to tell him off a few times for climbing on my garage but that's just what lads his age do.' The retired Royal Marine said: 'My thoughts are with the family. 'It's been hard for them while he has been missing but this news is truly heartbreaking. 'Nobody knows what's happened to him yet, whether it's been an accident or something else. 'I just hope they find out as quickly as possible - for the sake of the family if nothing else.' Police have erected a cordon around the scene where the body was found at Hunger Hill Lane, an area locals said was used mainly by dog walkers and youngsters using it as a short-cut to school. 'We were told that the body of a young lad had been found but nothing else,' one resident said. 'Other than the lane that runs through it, it's mainly marsh land and reeds with a sort of ditch running through the middle.' Lewis' family were said to be too upset to speak today. WATCH: Footage of scene where body was found in a ditch in Doncaster . | Body of a young male found in a ditch in the village of Edenthorpe, near Doncaster .
Schoolboy Lewis Eddleston, 13, has been missing from the area since Sunday afternoon .
The teenager was last seen when he left a group of friends on a playing field a mile from where the body was discovered .
The identity of the body has not been confirmed, but police are linking the discovery to the search for the missing schoolboy . |
157,780 | 580401d5495bbb4e4228078cf65c8a951660a47f | SEOUL, South Korea (CNN) -- Kim Jong Un issued his first military orders as leader of North Korea just before the death of his father was announced, a South Korean state-run news agency said Wednesday. Citing "a South Korean source," Yonhap reported that Kim "ordered all military units to halt field exercises and training and return to their bases." The source called it a sign that Kim Jong Il's son, believed to be in his late 20s, had taken "complete control over the military," Yonhap reported. An intelligence official said North Korea may be trying to prevent attempted defections as the country goes through a tumultuous transition, the report said. In Seoul, questions have been raised over why South Korean intelligence was apparently unaware of Kim Jong Il's death until the official announcement. Both Won Sei Hoon, who heads South Korea's National Intelligence Service, and Defense Minister Kim Kwan Jim "came under fire" after admitting they learned of the death from TV news coverage, Yonhap reported. Just over the border in Dandong, China, CNN spoke with a defector who was scared of North Korean spies watching him. "North Koreans don't speak openly," the man said. "If anyone knows I'm talking, I would be sent to prison and there's no mercy there. I would be shot dead." He painted a grim picture of life in North Korea, where he said people are starving, aid is scarce, and the only operating factories serve the military. "Pig feed, that's all we can eat," he says, adding, "There is no food, not even food from China. It's been blocked for three years." His son and daughter remain inside North Korea. He crosses back and forth every six months to keep his family alive. He told CNN he fears a desperate country with a potential power vacuum that could lash out. Before Kim Jong Il died, "he was preparing the country for war and death, and to hand power to Kim Jong Un," the man said. Other North Koreans in Dandong were openly weeping over the death of their "dear leader," as he was called in his country. North Korean state-run news agency KCNA, meanwhile, carried messages praising Kim Jong Il. The top story on the agency's English language website Wednesday, dated Tuesday, said Kim Jong Il "dedicated himself to the happiness of the people all his life." "He had a noble wish," the KCNA report said. "It was to bring the greatest happiness and honor to the people even if he had plucked a star from the sky and grown flowers even on a rock." CNN's Stan Grant, Chi Chi Zhang, and Josh Levs contributed to this report. | Kim Jong Un issued military orders before his father's death was announced, Yonhap reports .
The state-run news agency cites a source saying the younger Kim controls the military .
2 top South Korean officials are under fire for learning of Kim Jong Il's death via TV .
A defector tells CNN of starvation inside North Korea . |
244,671 | c8a95eb19981ec3b69b2634d97709f7592faae8a | A jewellery maker has been become Britain's Queen of Bling after she rose from obscurity to design the Duchess of Cambridge's favourite earrings. Catherine Zoraida, 32, set up her small, self-titled firm just four years ago and was virtually unknown until the 33-year-old royal asked to see some pieces. Kate, 33, went on to wear a pair of the designer's stunning 'double leaf' earrings and an intricate 'Spread Your Wings' bracelet, £420, while meeting the King of Malaysia during the Queen's Diamond Jubilee tour in 2012. Scroll down for video . The 33-year-old accessorised her Alexander McQueen gown with Catherine Zoraida's double leaf earrings . Catherine Zoraida's business was transformed when the Duchess bought her earrings and a bracelet . She wore the simple pieces with a stunning gold and white custom-made Alexander McQueen gown. Catherine, who trained at Edinburgh College of Art, said that the Duchess had come across her work and requested some pieces to look at. She bought seven pieces including the earrings and the bracelet. The 18 carat gold plated bracelet is made of an intricately linked leaf design and measures 17cm in length and the designer notes it will add drama to any outfit. She said: 'It was just before the Queen's Diamond Jubilee tour and amazingly she ended up wearing some of these pieces. 'She wore the earrings and a bracelet to dinner with the King of Malaysia. Kate wore the delicate gold jewellery with a military-style coat to church at Sandringham after Christmas . Catherine Zoraida, left, has gone from unknown to famous designer thanks to Kate's patronage . The royal brought the earrings on her royal tour and wore them on a visit to Uluru in April, 2014 . Kate teamed her subtle jewellery with a simple Roksanda Ilincic shift dress, a taupe belt and nude pumps . 'Suddenly people were trying to guess this new jewellery designer and when they found out it was me they just went crazy.' The Scottish and Colombian jeweller soon became inundated with orders after Kate continued to wear the designer's earrings and to countless special occasions. The Duchess wore the delicate leaf earrings made from 18 carat gold-plated silver over two Christmases - most recently on a trip to church at Sandringham in December. She also teamed them with Alice Temperley during a trip to the South Pacific in 2012 and at Uluru with Prince William earlier this year she wore the subtle pieces with a Roksanda Ilincic shift. Engraved with a feather detail, they are 6cm in size and are described on the jeweller's website as 'timeless gold earrings are an everyday classic'. Her jewellery is designed and made in Britain. The earrings even made an appearance on a trip to the South Pacific with Prince William in 2012 . Kate wore the Catherine Zoraida designs in the South Pacific with an embroidered Alice Temperley dress . | Duchess of Cambridge bought 'double leaf' dangly earrings and bracelet .
Has worn the jewellery at formal dinners, the royal tour and for Christmas .
Cheltenham-based designer says her business went 'crazy' |
95,161 | 064729e5b5cbb95715ee68c0295f6063507b4bac | By . Zoe Szathmary for MailOnline . The USS Enterprise, a Navy ship stationed in Virginia, is slowly being taken apart. According to The Daily Press, the ship's 'inactivation' is being handled in Newport News. The ship 'will be dismantled and recycled' at Washington state's Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility after two more years in Virginia, the newspaper said. The Enterprise was active between 1962 and 2012 - and is 'the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier,' The Press said. Farewell: The USS Enterprise is undergoing an 'inactivation' Rear Adm. Thomas Moore told the newspaper 'Serving on Enterprise was almost a badge of honor among those who were nuclear trained. If you didn't serve on Enterprise, you really haven't lived.' As part of the process, 'a complex in the lower decks [will have to be built] to allow for the eight reactors to be defueled,' The Press said. Program director Dave Long told the newspaper 'We've got probably half the ship or more that is uninhabited. It's dark - no electricity, no ventilation. And we've actually sectioned it off with certain barriers and locks, very safely, so people can't get lost.' Seen in 1969, the Enterprise was active between 1962 and 2012 . A ninth USS Enterprise will eventually be built and may include parts of the eighth ship being disassembled, the newspaper said. Speaking about the Enterprise's 'inactivation,' Capt. William C. Hamilton Jr. told The Press 'This is something nobody wants to do, but it has to be done. So let's have people who love the ship do it. That's the dignity of it. 'We go about our business because we have other things to do, but you can't have your dessert until you eat your peas. That's kind of the same thing here.' | The USS Enterprise, a Navy ship stationed in Virginia, is slowly being taken apart .
The Enterprise was active between 1962 and 2012 and is reportedly 'the world's first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier'
The ship 'will be dismantled and .
recycled' at Washington state's Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and .
Intermediate Maintenance Facility after two more years in Virginia .
A ninth USS Enterprise will eventually be built and may include parts of the eighth ship being disassembled . |
174,559 | 6ded46911b2d89c73a60010f6b6326513e3199f5 | By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 04:57 EST, 25 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:49 EST, 26 September 2012 . A BBC website which offers 'in depth analysis' and research is available to everyone in the world - except British licence fee payers. The BBC Future site was launched in February 2012 and is heralded as the new international technology, science, environment and health site from the British Broadcasting Corporation. But if anyone in the UK is tempted to read stories 'drawing on the BBC's global expertise and storytelling' they had better think again. What we are missing out on: BBC Future, a global site including in depth analysis and research . Sorry: If you try to click on any of the stories from the site you are greeted with this message from the BBC . The site is not accessible from the . UK as it is part of the corporation's international service and is not . funded by the licence fee. This means, that despite Britons forking out almost £150 a year for a TV licence to fund the BBC, they are excluded from the content. And without the funding from the controversial licence fee - the BBC would not exist. Matthew Sinclair, Chief Executive of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, told MailOnline: 'BBC Worldwide is only able to function because it is selling to other countries the programmes which were made using licence fee payers’ cash in the first place. 'Those in Britain unable to access these services available to the rest of the world have every right to feel cheated.' But BBC Worldwide say it is the same 'genre' of content already provided for UK citizens - though the stories are not the same. And that it is a 'wholly owned subsidiary' existing to 'maximise the value of BBC content and key brands through exploiting them overseas'. A spokesman said BBC Worldwide 'acquires content at market value, which is the same price for both BBC Worldwide or any other parties'. BBC Future is described as a site . that 'explores the global ideas and innovations that are shaping our . lives and the world around us - now and in the future.' It provides 'in depth analysis of cutting edge research', according to the site's Facebook group. As well as BBC Future there is also BBC Travel, which is another international section not available to those in the UK. If licence fee payers in the UK try to click on stories . provided by these sites then they are directed to a message which says, . 'We're sorry but this site is not accessible from the UK.' The compulsory licence fee has . sparked furore in the past as the BBC has been outbid for rights to . screen sporting events such as the Grand National. Critics have asked why the . corporation should be entitled to ‘special treatment’ if it fails in its . duty to rise above commercial and rating considerations. Complaints have also been raised over . the corporation’s coverage, its repetition of programmes and whether taxpayers in the UK should get . more for the money they pay. A wealth of content: From music, maths to crime and HIV, everyone outside the UK can access it . Columns: Those abroad can take a dive into the big stories in science, technology and health . The Future site offers exclusive content to those who are not paying the licence fee in the UK. Stories on the site can range from anything maths, music or engineering to drugs, medicine and genetics. Each week the site has a global . thinker from the world of philosophy, science, psychology or the arts . and puts forward a radical, inspiring or . controversial idea that they believe will change the world - according . to the website. And the service's defence writer goes behind closed doors and writes about the future of national security. A . recent story includes an exclusive look inside a high-priority US . military project. The project's mission is to detect and neutralise . roadside bombs. And . another is a feature on a man who lives in the coldest, remotest part of . the world, a story that is linked from the BBC Future Facebook website. While . UK citizens can choose to 'like' and follow the content, once they try . to click on any of the stories, they are told they cannot access it. BBC Future Facebook site that can see seen by people in the UK. Once you click on the story though it redirects you away from the content . A BBC Worldwide spokesman said: 'BBC . Future focuses on the latest trends across Science, Technology, Health . and Environment genres. 'It has been created for the BBC’s commercial website bbc.com for audiences outside the UK. 'Under the BBC’s Fair Trading rules . commercial websites are not allowed to receive unfair promotion from the . BBC’s public services. 'This prevents us from being able to provide . Future content on BBC.co.uk. 'It . has been developed using commercial revenues, and not the licence fee. The profit from such activity goes back to the public service arm of the . BBC to fund the development of new content. 'BBC.co.uk also offers users a host of interesting and thought provoking . content across Science, Technology, Environment and Health in . individual sections.' BBC.com was launched in 2007 to offer . audiences outside the UK an international version of the BBC's online . site. BBC Worldwide is a commercial arm of the corporation and a . wholly-owned subsidiary. It aims to maximize profits for the corporation with the aid of advertising. In 2011/12 the company's total returns to the BBC rose by 19 per cent . to £216m, taking the returns to over £1.3billlion since 2004. | BBC Future is a technology, science, environment and health site .
Explores 'global ideas' and 'innovations that are shaping our lives'
UK citizens can't access the site, which is run by BBC Worldwide, an arm of the BBC, because it is an 'international service' not funded by licence fee .
Without the controversial licence fee the BBC would cease to exist .
'Britons have every right to feel cheated', says TaxPayers' Alliance . |
126,783 | 2fe5edd8d0e345bc4965e1e3431a13b3fa646c90 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Young drivers aged 18 to 30 are most likely to wear inappropriate footwear such as flip-flops behind the wheel, a study has shown (file image) From flimsy flip-flops to towering stilettos, millions of drivers are risking their lives by wearing unsafe footwear behind the wheel. Some motorists even admit to driving barefoot, putting themselves and other road users in danger, new research suggests. Young drivers aged 18 to 30 are most likely to wear inappropriate footwear, with nearly one in three (29 per cent) confessing to donning high heels or sandals for a car journey. That compares to just one in six (15 per cent) of older drivers aged 50 to 65. Almost twice as many young motorists as older drivers wear inappropriate footwear while driving, according to a poll of 1,000 drivers by fuel giant Shell. Experts say drivers who do not wear flat shoes with a firm grip could find their feet slipping off the brake or clutch pedals of their cars, putting them at risk of having a crash. More than half (57 per cent) of young motorists believe they are better drivers than anyone else on the road. Yet, almost two thirds admit to driving with one or no hands on the wheel (59 per cent) and accelerating through amber lights (56 per cent), compared to a third of older drivers (34 per cent and 32 per cent). Almost twice as many young motorists also wear inappropriate footwear while driving. Furthermore, a third of young drivers (33 per cent) confessed to using their mobile behind the wheel, compared to just five per cent of their older counterparts. The research for Shell's smarter driving initiative found older motorists from the Midlands were kings of the road. The study found nearly one in three (29 per cent) of young people confessed to donning high heels or sandals for a car journey (library image) Drivers aged 50 to 65 from the Midlands are not only the safest but also the most fuel efficient. However, those aged 18 to 30 from Wales and the south west of England are the least safe or fuel efficient. The snapshot of the nation's driving habits ranked younger drivers aged 18 to 30 and older motorists aged 50 to 65 on their driving attitudes towards fuel efficiency and safety, including everything from smooth driving to wearing inappropriate footwear behind the wheel. Older drivers are more fuel efficient, making a conscious effort to drive smoothly (82 per cent compared to 57 per cent of young people), turn off the engine when idling (51 per cent compared to 37 per cent of young people), and remove excess weight from the boot (49 per cent compared to 36 per cent of young people). Drivers aged 50 to 65 from the Midlands are not only the safest but also the most fuel efficient, the survey found (file image) TV's Carol Vorderman, Shell's smarter driving ambassador, said: 'Today's challenge is about helping all British drivers understand just how easy it is to drive more fuel efficiently today.' Peter Rodger, chief examiner of the Institute of Advanced Motorists, said: 'Modern engineering has done a great deal to make our cars more fuel efficient. But smarter driving is not just about engineering, it's also about the way you drive. 'Most people don't realise making a few simple changes, such as smooth braking, cornering and accelerating, can go a long way in increasing fuel efficiency and becoming a smarter driver.' | Motorists wearing flip-flops and stilettos are putting lives at risk .
Young drivers the most likely to wear inappropriate footwear .
Nearly one in three admit to donning high heels or sandals while driving .
Compares to 15 per cent of older drivers aged 50 to 65, research shows .
Study by Shell's smarter driver initiative found Midlands drivers were the safest and more fuel efficient . |
48,759 | 89a962f80900e263f843dc4a3ded563b84ed0546 | By . Becky Evans . The boy has been banned from using threatening words or climbing on the roof of public buildings (file picture) An 11-year-old boy - dubbed 'Dennis the Menace' - has become one of the youngest people in Britain to be given a criminal Asbo after making his neighbours' lives a 'living hell'. The boy, who cannot be named, received the Criminal Anti-Social Behaviour Order, after a court heard he abused and spat at members of the public. He also kicked taxis and taunted a group of children with learning difficulties. Kidderminster Youth Court was told the child's actions caused havoc and he attacked other children and even threatened to shoot one with a pellet gun. The boy climbed onto the roofs of buildings, rode his bike the wrong way on roads and hurled stones at vehicles across Kidderminster, Worcestershire. A list of 50 separate crimes involving the boy over a two year period was relayed to the judge on last week. The order was granted following an application by West Mercia Police. It stops him using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour or disorderly behaviour in a public place. He is also banned from climbing on the roof of any building or associate with another named boy in any public place apart from educational purposes and ordered to attend anger management sessions. Inspector Paul Crowley, from West Mercia Police, said after the case: 'This boy's appalling behaviour has been a cause of misery for people living in the Horsefair area and those using facilities such as St George's Park. 'He has also regularly caused problems in Kidderminster town centre and has been responsible for many complaints to the police. 'Obtaining a Criminal Anti-Social Behaviour Order is not a step we have taken lightly but he has ignored all our previous efforts to address his behaviour and this is necessary to protect people from his offending. 'We intend to rigorously enforce the order and hopefully the boy now realises how serious this is and that he cannot go on like this. The boy hurled stones at vehicles in Kidderminster and police said he caused regular problems in the town centre, pictured . 'If he breaches the order he could be sent to detention for up to five years. 'Residents previously affected by this boy will be notified about the Crasbo but we are also asking anyone who knows him and sees him breaking the terms of the order to call police in Kidderminster immediately.' The boy was given a 12-month intensive referral order incorporating anger management and victim awareness sessions along with a number of other conditions including a three-month curfew. He will also be put on a placement to help people with learning difficulties as part of the order. A six-month parenting order was also made against the boy's mother. One of his neighbours said today: 'He is a little menace. People round her have even dubbed him the original Dennis the Menace. 'He might only be a young lad but he's made it his business to make everyone's lives a living hell. 'Hopefully this will put him back on the right tracks.' Crasbo's differ from the more commonly known anti-social behaviour order because it comes on the back of a criminal conviction. The current age of criminal responsibility in England and Wales is ten. | Kidderminster Youth Court told boy attacked and spat at locals .
Judge gave him the Criminal Anti-Social Behaviour Order banning him from using threatening words or climbing on roof of any public building .
A list of 50 crimes were relayed to judge by West Mercia Police .
Boy's mother also given a six-month parenting order . |
152,680 | 514e8f72aa7f9ce2864c720b853cccf1786533e9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 13:35 EST, 14 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:07 EST, 15 August 2012 . A woman found padlocked in an apartment said the boyfriend accused of keeping her there for years is 'a good man' who has never abused her. Nancy Rodriguez Duran, 44, said the kidnapping case against 42-year-old Michael Mendez is a lie and that she asked him to padlock the bedroom door with her inside. Duran claimed Mendez was going out and she was worried about maintenance workers coming into their Paterson, New Jersey apartment and seeing her in a nightgown. Scroll down for video . Denial: Nancy Rodriguez Duran says the kidnapping case against her boyfriend Michael Mendez, left, is a lie . She asked her boyfriend, 41, to padlock the bedroom door . The woman, who appeared in court to support her boyfriend on Tuesday, claimed that maintenance workers at the apartment block continually let themselves into the couple's apartment without permission. A narcotics squad on a drugs bust . found the woman locked in a room where they believe she may have been . kept for up to ten years. The third-floor apartment of Michael Mendez, 41, was being searched because he has strong links to the violent Latin Kings street gang. A police spokesman told MailOnline that based on evidence at the scene, detectives believed that the woman had been locked in the room on and off for at least two years - and potentially up to a decade. Investigators said the woman led them to believe she had been held captive - which she denied today. Lock up? The woman has denied that her boyfriend kept her captive in this New Jersey apartment . Captive: The woman was kept locked in a room at Alois Place in Paterson, New Jersey . Rodriguez Duran told NJ.com: 'Everything is a lie. I told him to do it for that day.' The . highly organized street gang is known for prolific drug trafficking and violence. Founded in the 1940s by Puerto Ricans, it is now mostly made up of Mexican members. There is believed to be 160 chapters in the U.S. with 20 - 35,000 members. Many groups have bolstered ties with Mexican cartels to tighten their grip on the U.S. drug market. Primary sources of income include street dealing of cocaine, heroin and marijuana. The gang's colours are black/gold with tattoos and graffiti consisting of five or three-point crowns. Last year, 15 gang members or associates of the Latin Kings - including two Chicago police officers - were indicted in an alleged racketeering conspiracy that resulted in 19 murders. Mendez was charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment and other counts related to drugs. He pleaded not guilty in court today and remains held on $1 million bail. There was a bucket in the room as a chamber pot, according to NBC New York and Mendez allowed his victim access to a TV. One neighbor at the brick . building on Alois Place said he had known Mendez for around 12 years and . that Mendez would hang out in the communal areas of the apartment . complex. He said he had seen the woman a few times in the past although it was rare. The man, who refused to give his name . because of worries over safety, said he remembered seeing the woman get . into a car a few times. A maintenance worker, who also declined to give his name because of concerns over his safety, remembered the woman 'cussing me out one time when I was doing my work'. Neighbors on either side of Mendez's top-floor apartment said they weren't aware that another person lived in the apartment. 'I didn't see any woman,' said a man who identified himself only as Buddy and opened his door only a few inches as he spoke. 'This is the first I'm hearing of it.' Mendez, whom police said has strong gang ties, was being held at Passaic County Jail. The . Latin Kings is a violent street gang who have been previously been . investigated by the FBI for drug trafficking, weapons and racketeering. State . police said they found 4,200 prescription pills valued at $100,000, 190 . grams of marijuana valued at nearly $2,000 and nearly $23,000 in cash . inside Mendez's apartment. According to court records, Mendez has two prior convictions for aggravated assault, one of which carried a three-month jail term. Prolific violence: Mendez was said to have ties to the Latin Kings gang, who are known for violence and drug trafficking, and can be identified by their striking tattoos . Danger: Mendez, 41, was being held on $1m bail at Passaic County Jail on charges of kidnapping and false imprisonment . Watch video here . | Nancy Rodriguez Duran was discovered during a police drugs bust .
Alleged member of violent Latin Kings street gang pleaded not guilty to kidnapping . |
18,106 | 334763c34a78cd1a0696f6940cbdfa30a4080d5e | Kabul, Afghanistan (CNN) -- The Taliban stoned to death a man and a woman in northern Afghanistan for allegedly having an affair, officials said Monday. The stoning took place Sunday in Dasht-e-Archi district, in the village of Mullah Qali -- a village dominated by the Taliban in Kunduz province. The pair was accused of having an illicit sexual relationship, a spokesman for the Kunduz governor said. Final verdict postponed for Iranian woman facing stoning . The woman was about 20 years old and the man was about 27, said Mohammed Ayuob, district governor of Amam Sahib, which is also in Kunduz province. The woman was engaged, and the man was married to another woman. The two had been held by the Taliban for about a week, Ayuob said. CNN's Mati Matiullah contributed to this report. | The stoning took place in an Afghan village dominated by the Taliban .
The man and woman were accused of having an illicit sexual relationship . |
273,479 | ee4589a6008e6bcae872ed0ee6ea7a053a3cd56d | A roadsweeper scooped £4.5 million on the Lotto – then went to work because he didn’t believe he had won. Joseph Whiting checked his tickets at 4am the day after last week’s draw but turned up to clean the streets in north London as usual. The 42-year-old, who banked the windfall of £4,570,887 with a ticket bought nine minutes before the deadline last Wednesday, told his bosses he was hanging up his broom today. Scroll down for video . Road sweeper Joseph Whiting from north London has cleaned up with a £4,570,887 cheque from the National Lottery . He said: “I woke up and checked the numbers on teletext at four in the morning and I saw all six numbers. “I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t have my glasses on so I put them on and checked two or three more times.” He said he informed his mother, with whom he lives in Camden, north London. “I said ‘I think I’ve won the lottery’,” he said. “She said ‘give over, it’s too early in the morning for jokes like that’.” After telling his mother not to throw the winning ticket away, he reported for his 5am shift. Mr Whiting decided to buy a ticket at the last minute at around 7.15pm - nine minutes before the draw closes . “I still didn’t believe it,” said the father of three. “I said ‘I’m going to leave the ticket here and I’m going to work’. “I don’t know how I got through the day. My mind was all over the place. You can check 100 times and you are still not sure.” Finally he got home and contacted Camelot, who confirmed the win. He said: “Even now it hasn’t sunk in.” He quit the job he has done for 14 years today, leaving the brooms behind. “My line manager was made up for me,” he said. “I enjoy it, it isn’t a bad job and I work with a good team. However, I won’t miss getting up at 4am.” Mr Whiting almost missed out when a relative offered to buy a load of bread, meaning he did not need to go to the shop. He decided to buy a ticket at the last minute at around 7.21pm - 9 minutes before the draw closes. “It must have been fate, I shouldn’t have gone out, and still don’t know why I got up and decided to go.” Now he is planning to use his winnings to take driving lessons, buy a bigger house and go on holiday with his children - two girls and a boy - with a trip to Disneyland possibly on the horizon. He is also keen on a season ticket to follow his beloved Arsenal but admitted: “I think there’s a bit of a waiting list.” Mr Whiting would like to buy a season ticket for the best team in north London . | Joseph Whiting checked his tickets at 4am and then turned up to clean the streets in north London as usual .
He decided to buy ticket at the last minute at around 7.21pm - 9 minutes before the draw closes .
Plans to buy a season ticket at the Emirates and take his children on holiday .
'It isn’t a bad job, I work with a good team. I won’t miss getting up at 4am' |
229,629 | b55ab9c45f919ed8389660520b87c6c65efbd6d6 | By . Hannah Roberts In Rome and Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 08:31 EST, 14 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:10 EST, 14 June 2013 . Pope Francis waded into the debate on gay marriage today - telling the Archbishop of Canterbury he wants to work together to promote family values ‘based on marriage’. Pope Francis - who vehemently opposed gay nuptials in his native Argentina - and Archbishop Justin Welby met for the first time after becoming the new leaders of their respective faiths. Speaking after their encounter in Vatican City, Pope Francis said he hoped the two leaders could collaborate in promoting the sacredness of life ‘and the stability of families founded on marriage.’ Gay marriage debate: Pope Francis told the Archbishop of Canterbury today that he wants . to work together to promote family values ‘based on marriage’ Archbishop Welby has spoken out against the legalisation of gay marriage in Britain, saying it would undermine family life. The legislation would enable gay couples to get married in both civil and religious ceremonies in England and Wales. The meeting of minds on the controversial issue is a rare moment of agreement between the two churches amid strained relations. The Pope praised the Archbishop for ‘recalling the value of marriage’. He said: ‘ Particularly important is . our witness to the reference to God and the promotion of Christian . values in a world that seems at times to call into question some of the . foundations of society, such as respect for the sacredness of human life . or the importance of the institution of the family built on marriage, a . value that you yourself have had occasion to recall recently.’ Francis has long taken a hard line on the issue. As archbishop of Buenos Aires he . clashed with Argentine President Cristina Kirchner on gay marriage, . calling it an ‘anthropological step backward’. He has also insisted that . adoption by gays and lesbians is a form of discrimination against . children. Today's meeting was billed as a chance to reduce tensions between the Catholic and Anglican churches . Both leaders, inaugurated within days of each other, acknowledged differences between their churches . Archbishop Welby said the two churches were ‘absolutely at one’ on the issue of gay marriage. The major point of difference between . the denominations has been the ordination of women priests in the . Anglican Church, which has since witnessed a steady stream of . disenchanted Anglicans, who have been welcomed with open arms into the . Catholic Church. His predecessor Pope Benedict caused . uproar in the hierarchy of the Anglican Church when in 2009 he . introduced structures to ease disenchanted Anglicans into Catholicism. The Pope acknowledged the ‘painful . history’ between their churches, admitting that ‘difficulties have . arisen in our theological dialogue that were greater than we could have . foreseen at the start of our journey.’ He added: ‘The history of relations between the Church of England and . the Catholic Church is long and complex, and not without pain.’ Archbishop Welby said the differences between the churches were ‘ testing ‘. ’But a firm foundation of friendship will enable us to be hopeful in speaking to one another about those differences,’ he said. The Vatican's bold step to welcome back Anglicans came nearly 500 years after King Henry VIII broke away . In . 2009, Benedict decreed that Anglicans who feel their Church had become . too liberal could find a home in Catholicism in a parallel hierarchy . that allows them to keep some of their traditions, such as parts of the . Anglican liturgy and the Anglican Book of Common Prayer. It was the boldest step by the . Vatican to welcome back Anglicans since King Henry VIII broke with Rome . and set himself up at the head of the new Church of England in 1534. Francis . said he was sure the move would help the Catholic world to better . appreciate and understand the spiritual and pastoral traditions of the . Anglican community. Welby, a . former oil industry executive, has inherited a Church which is itself . divided over issues such as gay rights and women bishops. He is against . gay marriage but favours female ordination, and is stuck in the . crossfire between liberal and conservative clerics. After addressing the pope and Vatican officials, Welby went on to pray at the tomb of Saint Peter under St. Peter's Basilica. The historic meeting comes as it . emerges that Francis’ predecessor, Benedict, will escape prosecution for . ‘crimes against humanity’ for his part in the church’s cover up of . abuse, including sexual violence. The International Criminal Court . (ICC) has rejected an application by The Centre for Constitutional . Rights to investigate Benedict and other Vatican officials, saying it is . outside the jurisdiction of the court. Legal experts had said that Benedict . could face charges after losing his immunity from prosecution as head of . state after stepping down in February. Lawyers for the victims claimed that Benedict had been put in place policies through which abuse could continue. | Pope Francis and the Archbishop of Canterbury met at the Vatican today .
Relations between their two churches have been strained for years .
The leaders, both inaugurated in March, vowed to work to reconcile Church .
They are both seen as more worldly-wise than their predecessors . |
179,956 | 7501c7033f924926b0099e13cf0a957ad505b2e9 | By . Dan Ripley . Follow @@Ripley_77 . Daniel Sturridge is over England's World Cup exit and has claimed he is already looking forward to helping spearhead Liverpool's Premier League charge next season. The striker was part of Roy Hodgson's side who were dumped out in the group stage, but admits he can't wait to return to domestic action and help the Reds try and go one better than their runners-up spot they achieved last term. Sturridge rifled in 24 goals last season and will be expected to bag most of the Merseyside's club strikes during the 2014/15 campaign following the sale of Luis Suarez to Barcelona for £75million. Looking ahead: Daniel Sturridge is looking forward to the new season for Liverpool . Will the goals flow? Sturridge scored 24 times for Liverpool last term but is expected to lead the Reds attack following the sale of Luis Suarez (right) to Barcelona . The 24-year-old has admitted that losing out to Manchester City last term hurt but that the club are fully focused on the season ahead, as the striker enjoys a post-World Cup break before returning for pre-season. 'We missed out on winning the league last season which is kind of hurtful, but we are moving on now and we are looking forward to next season,' Sturridge told the Jamaica Observer. 'We are looking forward to a big year, it is going to be a big season and we can't wait to go on as it is going to be amazing. 'It is a great feeling [to play for Liverpool]; it is a lot of people's dream to be playing for a club like Liverpool, and so I am living my dream and I am thankful for everything that has come my way. 'I am looking forward to the future, as I said before, it is going to be a big deal for me and I am really excited.' Missing out: Liverpool finished as runners-up to Manchester City in last season's Premier League title race . New strike partner: Sturridge's England team-mate Rickie Lambert has boosted Liverpool's attack after joining in a £4m switch from Southampton before the World Cup . Rare highlight: Sturridge celebrates scoring one of England's two goals at Brazil 2014 during a 2-1 defeat by Italy . Sturridge scored one of England's only two World Cup goals in the 2-1 defeat by Italy but backs the Three Lions to imrpove as a team before the Euro 2016 qualifiers. 'It hurts, but you know in situations like these you live and learn,' Sturridge said. 'You improve from these disappointments and I am looking forward to the future. 'There have been a lot of things that have happened and a lot of things that we have experienced and it has been a great learning curve for us. We are looking forward to the future where we can improve as a team.' | Daniel Sturridge can't wait for new Premier League season to start .
Reds striker targeting big season after hurtful title loss to Manchester City .
The 24-year-old is expected to lead Liverpool attack following Luis Suarez sale to Barcelona .
Sturridge claims England have learned lessons following miserable World Cup exit . |
116,974 | 23038eee01a2ca6325a5014c4e1c83c2fbff7971 | U.S. military efforts to construct treatment facilities, set up more labs, conduct testing and training in Africa to deal with the Ebola crisis are expected to cost $750 million over six months, the Army general who commands U.S. troops in Africa said on Tuesday. General David Rodriguez said the U.S. has been asked to set up four more testing labs, in addition to the three already there. He said three or four highly trained U.S. troops work in each of the labs. The U.S. troops in the labs are testing specimens drawn by local hospitals and health care workers in order to help determine whether patients have the deadly Ebola virus. The troops do not come in contact with the actual sick patients, but handle only the samples. Scroll down for video . An Ebola inhumation team carry the body of a recent Ebola victim to be buried on Tuesday in Magbonkoh, Sierra Leone. Some 4,000 military personnel are being deployed to Africa to help deal with the crisis . Commander of U.S. Africa Command General David Rodriguez speaks during a news briefing on the Department of Defense's response on Ebola today . Asked whether the military response to the crises has been slow, Rodriguez said one of the challenges has been the ability of Liberia to absorb the influx of people and infrastructure changes. 'Their whole nation is overwhelmed. Their health facilities are overwhelmed,' said Rodriguez, head of U.S. Africa Command. 'Their infrastructure and their capacity to house people, to feed people and all that is limited. So it's all going to have to come in, in a very, very carefully orchestrated — based on the demand out at the front.' He added that U.S. officials 'don't want to overwhelm them and press things in there that cannot — they can't absorb at all.' The U.S. has authorized the deployment of up to 4,000 U.S. forces to help deal with the crisis, and Rodriguez said he doesn't expect to need more than that, but didn't rule out expanding the effort. He also said he is confident that the troops will be sufficiently trained and equipped with protective garments in order to avoid getting infected. The troops are providing logistics, training, diagnostic labs and engineering support as part of a broader U.S. effort. In particular, he said the troops staffing the labs are highly trained in biological, chemical and nuclear warfare and will be monitored and tested continually. He said the testing is critical now as officials try to differentiate between people who have the Ebola virus or those that may have the flu or malaria. Women suspected to be infected by Ebola are pictured in a hospital, on October 6 in Foredugu, Sierra Leone. Ebola may only be present in a few African nations, but fears over the crippling outbreak are infecting economies across the continent and may put its envy-inducing growth prospects at risk . He said the U.S. has enough protective equipment for the troops being sent in. Forces from the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, are preparing to go to Africa. Rodriguez said troops will be living at defense ministry facilities or in tent cities with their own food and water. 'When you go in one of these Ebola treatment units, you're going to wash your hands and feet multiple times. You're going to get your temperature taken in and out. And then there is a checklist of things to ask each personnel based on the — the virus or any other sickness, quite frankly, that could be coming up,' Rodriguez said. The military expects to finish the construction of 17 treatment centers by mid-November, but Rodriguez said troops could be in the region for as long as a year, based on how long it takes for the transmission of the virus to begin to decline. 'We're going to stay as long as we're needed, but not longer than we're needed,' he said. Ebola has claimed close to 3,500 lives in West Africa since the outbreak began last year. Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone are the hardest-hit countries. The 101st Airborne Division (pictured here in Afghanistan in 2013) are preparing to go to West Africa to assist in the Ebola crisis . President Obama said on Monday that some foreign countries are not doing enough to confront the Ebola crisis in West Africa. He says the international community has not been as aggressive as it needs to be to help contain what he's calling a top national security issue for the United States. Obama says he intends to put pressure on other foreign heads of state to 'make sure that they are doing everything that they can to join us in this effort'. He said the chances for an Ebola outbreak in the United States are low, but he says his administration is working on additional screening protocols for international airline passengers both in the U.S. and overseas. US officials have refused to close US borders to travelers from Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea - the three countries where Ebola continues to spread like wildfire. On Friday, Centers for Disease Control director Thomas Frieden said closing to borders to West Africans would only make the Ebola outbreak worse by cutting off the supply of aide and strangling the local economies. No U.S. airlines fly to Liberia, Sierra Leone or Guinea, but Brussels Airlines and other European carriers are still offering service from the West African capitals. | General David Rodriguez said a very small number of highly-trained troops are testing people for Ebola .
Approximately 4,000 U.S. military personnel deploying to Africa to help with the Ebola crisis .
The troops are providing logistics, training, diagnostic labs and engineering support . |
12,675 | 23f61516def6fabc0870874e63a32d198c3a8819 | A new reality series follows six single Alaskan women aged 22 to 34, as they jet to sun-soaked Miami in the hope of finding romance. Alaskan Women Looking For Love, set to premiere on TLC on October 6, stars Jenny, Tina, Sabina, Heather, Lacy and Haley, who all live in the remote wilds of Kodiak Island. Each of the ladies reveal in a sneak peek trailer, that eligible bachelors in the area are scarce and Tony's - one of the few local bars - is packed out with 'old, bearded fishermen.' Scroll down for video . Here come the girls: A new reality show follows six single Alaskan women as they jet to sun-soaked Miami in the hope of finding romance - (From left) Haley, Jenny, Tina, Heather, Lacy and Sabina) Tina, 32, who works as a welder, tells viewers: 'We have a saying here in Alaska about our men; The odds are good, but the goods can be kind of odd. 'For a single girl looking for a guy, it can be downright scary.' Jenny, 34, a divorcee who fell pregnant when she was just 13 years old, also agrees that dating in Kodiak 'is not like the rest of the world.' Along with a low population, the weather is 'cold', 'wet' and 'rainy' and it stays dark for up to six months of the year. Usual situation: Hayley seen on a date with one of the local men - like her girlfriends she said she wanted to go to Miami because she was tired of dating fishermen and bear hunters . Not much around: All of the women come from the remote wilds of Kodiak Island, where it stays dark for up to six months of the year and is usually wet and windy . Frustrated: Lacy says that most if the men in the area she knew from birth or they are related to her . A frustrated Sabina, who moved from Russia to Alaska at the age of 13, says that all she wants to do is put on heels and a dress and 'feel sexy'. 'Our saying here in Alaska about our men is; The odds are good, but the goods can be kind of odd' But because of the terrain, all of her meet-ups involve wearing a rain jacket and rubber boots. And instead of being taken 'somewhere special', she usually ends up being entertained by men on their fishing boats. In a bid to find 'a man with at least one ab', she and her girlfriends agree to pack their bags and fly over 5,000 miles to the Sunshine State. 'We’re on a mission to meet the men of our dreams,' Tina exclaims. Once there, they go on a journey of discovery. On the prowl: In a bid to find 'a man with at least one ab', the women packed their bags and flew over 5,000 miles to the Sunshine . Overjoyed: Heather, who is seen passionately kissing a man in several shots, says her Miami experience 'feels like a fairytale' - however some of the other women struggle to control their emotions . To fit in with the locals They decide to . get 'total Miami makeovers', which involve body mudpacks and waxing . sessions, and they quickly ditch their layers for skimpy bikinis. 'We're like a pack of lions or something going after one gazelle' At one point Hayley, 22, who previously . said she suffered from low confidence, is seen dressed in a raunchy . lingerie set smiling at the camera. However, as the six-part series progresses the women are seen arguing as emotions run high. 'We're like a pack of lions or something going after one gazelle,' 23-year-old Lacy says during one heated conversation. But Heather, 29, who is seen passionately kissing a man in several shots, appears lost in love. 'It really feels like a fairytale,' she exclaims. Alaskan Women Looking For Love, premieres Sunday October 6 at 10pm ET on TLC . | Alaskan Women Looking For Love is a new six-part reality series from TLC .
The stars say they are on a quest to find a 'man with at least one ab' |
58,002 | a45ef1fe7b3ca36f83a47fd0c83027925eedca20 | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 13:17 EST, 15 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:34 EST, 15 January 2013 . Bus driver Jasminder Singh Dhesi, 50, pleaded to causing the deaths of two men killed in a motorway crash . A coach driver has admitted causing the deaths of two men killed in a horrific motorway crash after he parked on a carriageway moments before a lorry ploughed into it. Jasminder Singh Dhesi, who will be sentenced next month, was arrested in March last year after a coach carrying fruit-pickers was struck by a lorry on the M5 near Birmingham. Lorry driver William Mapstone, from Wells in Somerset, died in hospital after the collision, while a passenger on the Volvo coach, Liaquat Ali, also suffered fatal injuries. Dhesi, 50, was driving along the . inside lane of the southbound M5, near Frankley Services, in thick fog . when he started having problems with the single-decker bus he was . driving. A court heard he continued on with his journey regardless - despite the vehicle only being able to reach a top speed of 26mph. The . coach then broke down for a third time 10 minutes later and Dhesi . parked it in the slow lane of the southbound carriageway between . junctions 3 and 4. Moments later a lorry ploughed into the back of the stranded vehicle killing the truck driver and a coach passenger. The Central Motorway Police Group was alerted to the crash at 6.24am and emergency crews treated more than 39 passengers. Seven ambulances attended the scene following the crash and the southbound M5 was closed for around eight hours. The driver of the Volvo HGV, William Mapstone, 65, from Wells in Somerset, was rushed to hospital but died shortly after 9pm. Horrific motorway smash: A lorry ploughed into the back of a coach after its driver Jasminder Singh Dhesi stopped in the slow lane of the M5 in thick fog in March last year . Killed: Lorry driver William Mapstone, pictured left, and a passenger on the coach, Liaquat Ali, pictured right, were both died from their injuries sustained in the crash . In court: Jasminder Singh Dhesi was driving the coach pictured to the front right. He today pleaded guilty to two counts of causing death by dangerous driving . Father-of-three Liaquat Ali, 35, from . Smethwick, West Midlands, who was a passenger on the coach carrying . fruit-pickers, was also confirmed dead at the scene. Shocking pictures taken at the time showed the mangled wreckage of the HGV's cabin embedded into the back of the coach. Dhesi, . from Great Barr, Birmingham, today pleaded guilty to two counts of . causing death by dangerous driving at Birmingham Crown Court. Casualties: More than 20 people were injured in the crash southbound on the M5 in the West Midlands between junctions 3 and 4 . News crews and local residents look on from a motorway bridge over the M5 as investigators gather near the front of the damaged lorry . Prosecutor Neil Bannister told the . court: 'The coach did break down three times. The defendant admits that . he was aware it had broken down three times. 'The analysis showed all three break-downs were on the motorway. 'After the first break-down he managed to get up to a speed of 26mph and then it broke down a second time. 'He knew he was in difficulty at that point. Conditions were poor. The back of the bus appears completely smashed off after being ploughed into by the lorry on the M5 motorway . Carnage: An investigator takes a photograph of . the lorry's front after the crash, while right, police survey roadside . debris at the scene . 'The defendant then took the decision . knowing that his coach was in a poor state to take that risk to drive . off again and on driving off again it only reached a speed of 25mph and . then broke down a third and fatal time.' Wearing a grey suit with a purple turban, Dhesi showed little emotion as he was warned he almost certainly faced prison. Judge Peter Carr bailed Dhesi and ordered him to return to court on February 12 for sentencing. He . told him: 'You've pleaded guilty to a very serious offence in admitting . that the deaths were your fault - prison is inevitable.' Wreckage: Emergency workers survey the scene of the crash near Frankley Services on the M5 . | Jasminder Singh Dhesi's coach broke down twice but he continued driving .
He then had to stop in the slow lane of the M5 near Birmingham in thick fog .
Moments later, an oncoming lorry plunged into the back of the coach .
Lorry driver William Mapstone and coach passenger Liaquat Ali both killed . |
115,762 | 2166e9c8aec84d217d875d468759d4437a4dfb43 | By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 08:31 EST, 7 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:09 EST, 7 November 2013 . Video footage has emerged which shows the moment a stable-hand working at the Australian Flemington Races is punched in the face while she stood in the parading ring waiting for a winning horse to return. The strapper, someone who looks after racehorses, was standing in the mounting yard at the racecourse, in Melbourne, Australia, on Crown Oaks Day, when a man appears to hit her in the face with his fist. Chief steward Terry Bailey said he witnessed the incident 'with my own eyes'. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . A man is caught on camera punching a female groom during ladies' day at Flemington Race Course . The man, believed to be employed by a rival stable, then fled down a tunnel towards the horse stalls. Police detained him shortly after the attack and the woman was treated by medical staff. Mr Bailey said: 'Victoria Police are currently questioning him as well as he is a registered stablehand. 'I can tell you the woman was conscious when doctors examined her moments after the incident.' According to News.com.au, strapper Colin West, who was standing yards away from the assault, said: 'He went up to her and punched her right in the face. Her glasses came off. 'She stumbled a bit. She was very shocked.' The woman had been looking after the winner of the fifth race Black Cash. Crown Oaks Day, traditionally known as 'ladies day', is the third day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival. Crown Oaks Day, traditionally known as 'ladies day', is the third day of the Melbourne Cup Carnival . | Strapper was standing in the mounting yard at the Flemington Races .
She had been looking after the winner of the fifth race Black Cash .
A man believed to be another stablehand can be seen hitting her in the face . |
66,072 | bb8838415d1c08e7d1fb0cdcba6a36518e488af1 | (CNN) -- Beauty queen Monica Spear posted scenic photos and videos of the Venezuelan countryside online in the days before her death. Now, days after attackers gunned down the soap opera star and her ex-husband, investigators say Spear's camera was a key link that helped them track down her killers. Police found the camera inside the home of one of seven suspects authorities have arrested in connection with the slayings, the head of Venezuela's national crime investigation agency said Thursday. Four suspects are still on the loose, he said. No one has been charged, but officials say there is evidence linking the group of suspected gang members to the double homicide. The high-profile case has galvanized Venezuelans to turn up the pressure on their government to act on the country's high crime rates and prompted pledges from officials to end the violence. The victims' 5-year-old daughter, Maya, witnessed the roadside shooting and suffered a gunshot wound herself but survived. "It's terrible that this happened, and society has to react," Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro said at a security meeting he convened with mayors and governors on Wednesday. "It is not time to faint, to throw in the towel, to let our guard down. To the contrary, it's time to react." For many Venezuelans, what happened to Spear is nothing new. Violence on Venezuelan roads and highways, they say, is all too common. A nonprofit that tracks homicides in the South American country says there were almost 25,000 violent deaths last year in the country of about 30 million people. "I ask Venezuelans to wake up because it was Monica a few days ago, but, how many people have died on highways in this country?" said Mary Spear, the soap opera star's aunt. "Monica had to die so that the whole world learns that we can't be out on the street because we're afraid." Investigators believe motive was robbery . The head of Venezuela's national crime investigation agency said Thursday that investigators believe robbery was the motive in the attack. But during Wednesday's meeting, Maduro theorized that the killings may not have been a robbery or a normal street crime. "This murder seems more like a contract killing," he said. The president did not elaborate on his statement. Four men, a woman and two minors with ties to the crime have been arrested. Four other suspects remain on the loose, including the man believed to have the murder weapon, said Jose Gregorio Sierralta, director of the Corps of Scientific, Penal and Criminal Investigations. "We have managed to apprehend and totally break up this dangerous gang," he said. Sierralta stressed that dealing with violence is not just the government's responsibility. "Crime is everyone's problem," he said. "We cannot distance ourselves from this reality. ... We must reflect on each case as parents, as professionals. What are Venezuelans doing to help to solve these expressions of criminality that are so strong that have been affecting us in recent months?" Grandfather: 5-year-old still has bullet lodged in leg . Throngs of mourners have come to the Caracas funeral home to pay respects to Spear. A funeral for the actress is set for Friday. Spear was Miss Venezuela in 2004 and represented her country in the Miss Universe pageant the next year. Her popularity opened the door to acting roles in soap operas that eventually made her an international star. Spear, who studied theater at the University of Central Florida before winning the Miss Venezuela crown, appeared on the Telemundo soap operas "Flor Salvaje" (Savage Flower) and "Pasion Prohibida" (Forbidden Passion). The actress's daughter, Maya, was released from the hospital and is with family. The girl still has a bullet lodged in her leg, but doctors expect her to recover, said Rafael Spear, Monica Spear's father and the child's grandfather. "She has not yet asked about her parents. I think she knows what happened," he told CNN en Español Thursday. "It's something that's going to come up sooner rather than later." The family has reached out to psychologists about how to handle the situation, her brother, Ricardo Spear, told HLN's Nancy Grace. "We're going to do it slowly. We're going to use metaphors: They went to heaven; they're up there watching you; they're taking care of you; they love you," he said. The Spear family is not one to hold on to anger, the brother said, and has nothing to say to whoever ended Monica Spear's life. Family members are filled with sadness but hope that something good can come from the tragedy, he said. "We're not focusing on police agencies or information about how this happened," he said. "We're focusing on spreading a message of peace, a message of love." Venezuela is one of the world's most violent countries, according to a United Nations ranking. One person is killed roughly every 21 minutes in Venezuela. And there were 24,700 violent deaths last year in the oil-rich country of roughly 30 million people, according to the nonprofit Venezuelan Violence Observatory. The observatory says the country's murder rate has soared to nearly 80 deaths per 100,000 people. Government statistics put the figure significantly lower, at 39 deaths per 100,000. Even though she was also an American citizen, Spear loved traveling through Venezuela and exploring the country and wanted to see the security situation improve, Rafael Spear said. "Monica was in love with Venezuela ... What happened should never happen to anyone else in this beautiful country," Rafael Spear said. "We must work together to make the country safe. We must disarm the people. We must make it so we can go out at night, like we did before." CNN's Patricia Janiot, Rafael Romo and Alejandra Oraa contributed to this report. | NEW: Monica Spear's daughter still has a bullet lodged in her leg, family says .
A top investigator says robbery was the motive behind the double homicide .
7 suspects have been arrested; 4 remain on the loose, he says .
Venezuela was shocked by the killing of Spear, a beauty queen and soap opera star . |
194,629 | 87edfc510abc0f56d4f55d0ddd41a04dbc0b33d0 | Glasgow laid a strong marker with a confident five-try defeat of Premiership side Bath that clinched a double winning start to the new European competitions for Scottish clubs. After Edinburgh's win at Bordeaux in the new European rugby Challenge Cup the night before, the Warriors launched their European Rugby Champions Cup with a comprehensive demolition of one of England's form sides of the season. Three tries in the first half was the response to a fortunate early Bath score and, after soaking up some pressure in the third quarter with a solid defence, the Warriors added to their lead with a flurry of late points. Glasgow had beaten Bath at home before, but for the first time in 18 years of European rugby, the Scottish team headed into the main tournament with genuine belief of competing with Europe's form sides as opposed to mere hope. Glasgow fullback Stuart Hogg beats Bath centre Jonathan Joseph to a high ball . In a pool featuring Toulouse and Montpellier, the quarter-finals remain some distance away, but this was as convincing a start as coach Gregor Townsend could have hoped for. Bath had won four of their first six Premiership matches, while Glasgow came into the game on the back of a first defeat in six Guinness Pro12 games. The visitors came shorn of several backrowers, notably Springbok Francois Louw, while Glasgow were also without tal ismanic No8 Josh Strauss, and the Warriors took advantage by dominating the breakdown and set-piece. Bath's Ross Batty is well tackled by the Glasgow duo of Leone Nakarawa (right) and Chris Fusaro . That ensured that the Bath danger-men, fly-half George Ford and centres Kyle Eastmond and Jonathan Joseph, had precious little ball and territory in which to cause the kind of havoc in which they have revelled this season. Ford did put the first points on the board, with a penalty from the Warriors' 10-metre line after just three minutes, awarded for a scrum collapse blamed on home loosehead Gordon Reid, and England's 'new Jonny Wilkinson' was at the heart of Bath's astute kicking game. Only stern defence, prop Euan Murray stopping Fijian/England A wing Semesa Rokoduguni and Peter Horne getting fingers to a Ford pass 15 metres from the line, kept them at bay early on. It did not take long for Glasgow to respond once they grasped the ball. Tommy Seymour made the first crucial break, rolling Anthony Watson backwards, and play was taken on into the Bath 22 wi th composure and momentum before Mark Bennet t showed hi s dancing feet to step two defenders and go in under the posts. Bath fly-half George Ford gets into a tangle with Duncan Weir during the clash at the Scotstoun Stadium . However, the capacity Scotstoun crowd was still celebrating when Bath hit back, Ford's high up-and-under being lost by Stuart Hogg's fingertips and Joseph pouncing to sprint in behind the home posts for a simple try. That handed Bath a 10-7 lead after just 12 minutes, but home fly-half Duncan Weir shifted momentum back Glasgow's way with two penalties either side of the 20-minute mark. The Warriors provided the perfect riposte, however. The defence was solid, the forwards produced superb work at the breakdown to turn over Bath and from a Pyrgos high ball, Seymour regained possession on the visitors' 22 to launch an attack that ended with Maitland crashing over on the right-hand side with 29 minutes on the clock. Eastmond was then crunched in a tackle that left the centre in obvious rib pain, and while he opted to continue - for a few more minutes - the Warriors were soon back at the Bath line. From a free-kick Pyrgos fed Hogg and he found Seymour who dived into the lefthand corner. The Scotland winger required treatment, having taken a heavy knock to the leg in scoring, but he hobbled back into position to an ovation from the stands and duly claimed the restart. Glasgow scrum-half Nico Matawalu dives over to clinch his side's fourth try and a precious bonus point . Glasgow went inside 23-10 up, and it could have been more had Weir been successful with the conversion and a penalty just before half-time. Seymour was replaced by DTH van der Merwe at half-time and Bath strived to regain parity in the forward exchanges, sending on experienced front rows Rob Webber, Paul James and David Wilson and also replacing backs Gavin Henson and Micky Young with Horacio Agulla and Peter Stringer. It stemmed the Glasgow momentum but failed to change the outcome. Glasgow's defence was opened up twice by Rokoduguni and Ford, and only a last-ditch tackle by Pat MacArthur and Murray denied Bath skipper Hooper from scoring, but the Warriors soaked up that period of Bath pressure and lifted the tempo again in a pulsating final quarter. A huge cheer greeted the introduction on the hour of Niko Matawalu, for skipper Pyrgos who was voted Man of the Match, and within minutes he showed why. Weir and substitute Finn Russell (right) celebrate a job well done at full-time . The Fijian magician had seized on a turnover, chipped the ball through the Bath defence and reacted first to Bennett's hack forward to snatch up the ball and score in the right-hand corner - even throwing in a cheeky dummy to Maitland before doing so. Weir converted from the touchline for a 30-10 lead, but that only fired the Warriors further and superb inter-play by Bennett and van der Merwe ended with another chip ahead and Bennett touching down with 10 minutes to go. Bath's spirited attempts to finish with a flourish foundered on the Glasgow rocks, too, which left the home support toasting their team's most impressive home win in Europe. | Tries from Mark Bennett (two), Sean Maitland, Tommy Seymour and Nico Matawalu ensure stunning triumph over in-form Bath .
Bath could only muster sole Jonathan Joseph try and five points from the boot of George Ford in reply .
Deal to bring Steffon Armitage to Bath fell through during the week . |
156,370 | 5625dbfc83805ac4957ba332cd96ea7d47d7dd5e | By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 00:50 EST, 18 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:30 EST, 22 October 2012 . The U.S. death toll from fungal meningitis linked to potentially contaminated steroid injections has risen by two to 23, with North Carolina reporting its first death. Tennessee's death total in the outbreak rose to eight, the highest state total, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. States reported 13 new cases of fungal meningitis, raising the total to 281. There are also three peripheral infections caused by injections into joints. Deadly injections: The U.S. death toll from fungal meningitis linked to potentially contaminated steroid injections has risen by two to 23, with North Carolina reporting its first death . Raided: The Food and Drug Administration search the NECC pharmacy in Framingham last week after at least 50 vials of steroids containing fungi linked to meningitis were discovered . The outbreak stems from medications . shipped by the New England Compounding Center (NECC) in Massachusetts. The company faces federal and state investigations and lawsuits over the . tainted medications. Indiana . and New Hampshire reported two new cases apiece, while Virginia, . Tennessee and New Jersey each had three new cases, the CDC said. Health . regulators last week confirmed the presence of the deadly Exserohilum . fungus in vials of the NECC steroid used for pain injections. They estimate that as many as 14,000 people may have been exposed to the contaminated medication. NECC . and its executives face a civil suit in Massachusetts that seeks to . freeze the officers' personal assets. Florida, which has had three . deaths and 17 cases, has barred NECC from doing business in the state. Last Monday, the federal Food and Drug . Administration (FDA) said it had widened its investigation to other . drugs produced by NECC, fearing all of their products' sterility, following a raid on its Massachusetts phramacy. NECC has shipped more than 17,000 vials part of three suspected lots of the drug to clinics in 24 states. Investigation: The pharmaceutical company's Massachusetts headquarters were cordoned off . Confirmed: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have said they have found Exserohilum, a type of fungi, in patients with meningitis . The Massachusetts company faces multiple investigations and lawsuits over the tainted medication linked to the meningitis scare. Experts believe the outbreak will get worse before it gets better. Dr . William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at the Vanderbilt . University Medical Center in Nashville, said: ‘We will see more patients . reporting in ill and we'll have to treat many more.’ Earlier this month, the FDA said that more than 50 vials of steroid treatments from . NECC tested positive for a fungus that causes meningitis. Infections have been detected within two weeks of a patient receiving the NECC-supplied medication methylprednisolone acetate, on average, and up to 42 days afterward. But anyone exposed to the vials of . the steroid - used to treat back pain and other conditions - should be . vigilant for health problems for several months, CDC officials said. Back pain: Lilian Cary, 67, from Michigan died of meningitis last month, weeks after being treated with steroids . Grieving: Mrs Cary's husband, George, received similar treatment at the same clinic where his wife was treated but said there was 'no evidence' he had contracted meningitis . Local health authorities have contacted over 90 per cent of patients who . may have been exposed. Although . it remains unclear exactly how any medication could have been . contaminated, federal regulators have come under criticism for failing . to prevent the outbreak by closely regulating drug compounding companies . such as NECC, which prepare medications for clinics and doctors largely . outside federal oversight. The FDA has said the law does not give it adequate authority to do so, leaving regulation largely to the states. The pharmacies are owned by Gregory . Conigliaro, an engineer, and his brother-in-law Barry Cadden, a . pharmacist who was in charge of pharmacy operations at NECC. Besides the meningitis cases, two . additional patients have a different type of fungal infection from . injections in their joints (as opposed to back injections). | North Carolina reports its first death from fungal meningitis .
Highest death toll is in Tennessee where eight have now lost their lives . |
201,883 | 915bb7ffdb11310c202223ddd1c0c3981fc77033 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 06:19 EST, 10 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:38 EST, 10 December 2012 . High street banks gave their customers a helpline number that went through to a card insurance firm which has been fined for £10.5m for mis-selling card protection, according to a Dispatches investigation. As a consequence millions of customers were duped into buying worthless insurance meant to protect against fraudulent transactions on their credit or debit cards. In the Dispatches investigation, which is to be aired tonight, the programme claims that in 2006 banks such as Barclays and Natwest made lucrative commercial arrangements with a card insurance firm called CPP. Claims: In the Dispatches investigation, which is to be aired tonight, the programme claims that in 2006 big high street banks made lucrative commercial arrangements with card insurance firm called CPP . The Channel 4 programme alleges that a number of banks introduced customers to CPP via a sticker on new credit or debit cards, prompting them to call the company’s number to activate them or confirm receipt of them. But instead of going through to a helpline operated by the banks, the phone numbers were actually for a call centre run by CPP, reports The Telegraph. Duped: Instead of going through to a line operated by the banks, the phone numbers were actually for a call centre run by card insurance firm called CPP . The salesman at the end of the line would then try to foist the insurance policies on callers - they were sold 'unnecessary' card protection insurance, which cost around £35 a year, or identity protection insurance, which cost around £84 a year. The banks pocketed commission payments every time CPP sold or renewed a policy to one of their customers. A former CPP manager told Dispatches that the banks even signed off the scripts used by CPP call operatives. For every policy they sold they made £5. In November, CPP, was fined a record £10.5million by the Financial Services Authority, the City watchdog. It faces a total bill of £33.4million, including estimated compensation of £14.5million and costs associated with the investigation, for tactics first revealed by the Mail in February 2011. A total of 4.4million policies were sold between January 2005 and March 2011, and 18.7million were renewed over this period. CPP will not contact affected customers until an agreement has been reached with the FSA about how banks will pay for their part in the scandal. MPs described it as another ‘shocker’ for the financial industry in the wake of the Payment Protection Insurance scandal. The watchdog said both policies were often worthless as banks are already obliged to refund fraudulent transactions in the vast majority of cases. It said pushy CPP salesmen also ‘overstated’ the risks of criminals stealing personal details and making fraudulent transactions. | Claims made in a Dispatches programme due to be aired tonight .
The programme alleges that in 2006 big high .
street banks made lucrative commercial arrangements with the card .
company CPP .
Whistleblower: Banks even signed off the scripts used by CPP call operatives, who were paid £5 for every policy they sold . |
60,908 | ad0cabb578a94c3f2bc20b4910322b42987dcfc3 | ATLANTA, Georgia (CNN) -- Just as police were starting a manhunt in the killing of four people, the suspect drove back to the crime scene in suburban Atlanta, Georgia. Richard Ringold is accused of shooting five people in the home he lived in. "He was in the Dodge Intrepid that we told the media to look out for," said Gwinnett County police Cpl. Illana Spellman. "He pulled up and said he heard we were looking for him. We handcuffed him." The man, Richard Ringold 44, is accused of shooting five people in the home he lived in. Two women and one man died at the residence near the Gwinnett County Fairgrounds, Spellman said. A woman in her 20s died later at a hospital, she said. The fifth victim, a 4-year-old child, underwent surgery late Thursday, and another person escaped unharmed, Spellman said. Police were initially working on a theory that the shootings could have been related to an ongoing domestic violence issue, she said. It was believed that Ringold was dating one of the women who lived in the home, Spellman said. He was arrested on four counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault. Gwinnett County is northeast of Atlanta. -- CNN's Lateef Mungin contributed to this report. | Four of five people shot are dead; fifth victim underwent surgery late Thursday .
Suspect Richard Ringold heard police sought him and returned to crime scene .
Ringold faces four counts of murder and one count of aggravated assault . |
105,987 | 14b097de707044836ef98db7711f24034e6c6143 | A British woman has been arrested for allegedly helping organise a £4.3million timeshare fraud that targeted thousands of tourists. Paula Beatson is one of 58 people – mostly Britons – held when police raided timeshare showrooms in Gran Canaria. The 44-year-old is believed to be the financial brain behind a scam in which about 2,000 holidaymakers paid up to £25,000 each for timeshare properties that they could not use. Paula Beatson (second from left) and Eugen Kaiser (in white shirt). Beatson was one of the Britons arrested in Gran Canaria on fraud charges relating to the sale of timeshares that do not exist . British citizens are among 58 people busted in Gran Canaria for allegedly raking in £5million by selling timeshare properties that never existed to 2,000 victims . It is claimed that swarms of sales . agents posing as representatives of the Canary Island tourist office . targeted British tourists on the streets of towns in the island’s south. The ‘tiqueteros’ (ticket touts) would . snare potential clients with prize-winning ‘scratch cards’ and supposed . free gifts, encouraging them to attend a promotion. Some customers were even given a free . taxi ride to attend intensive sales pitches at the timeshare base in an . apartment complex called Club Puerto Atlantico in Arguineguin. Once inside they could be subjected to . eight hours of ‘hard sell’ of a scheme that would give them access to . luxury holidays at a heavily discounted rate. Customers are believed to have paid . out between £4,300 and £25,000 for the guarantee of 70 per cent . discounts at some of the world’s top resorts for between five and 30 . years. But the timeshare sellers were allegedly using the glossy . brochures of other top holiday firms to sell the concept. Spanish police raided offices and showrooms in Arguineguin and Mogan on Monday after being tipped off that staff were deliberately deceiving tourists over the timeshare schemes (stock image) Even the discounts they offered could be found in a high street travel agent. A Spanish police source said: ‘They were selling a complete and utter lie.’ They are accused of carrying out the fraud since 2007. Spanish news agencies yesterday . reported that the ‘well-organised group’ used various business names to . carry out the con. They allegedly included Voyager Travel and Lifestyle . Holidays as well as companies that promised to extract tourists from any . preexisting timeshare agreements. Paula Beatson, believed to be from . Lancashire, was named as one of those arrested along with German Eugen . Friedrich Kaiser and Norwegian Kieron Day. It is understood that both . Beatson and Kaiser were previously accused of fraud in 2006 but were not . convicted of any crime. The Mindtimeshare Association, a . Spanish watchdog, became aware of the group after receiving more than 60 . complaints. It contacted police, who launched ‘Operation Voyager’, . leading to the arrests on Monday. Alberto Garcia, the director of . Mindtimeshare, said: ‘Paula was the financial brain of the operation. After several years of thorough analysis and collection of the victim’s . testimonials, the Mindtimeshare Association decided to present a formal . demand to the Spanish police. ‘This demand has been backed up by . strong evidence of how this organised gang was lying and cheating in . order to make the tourists fall into their trap and make them buy their . allegedly fraudulent product.’ Those arrested have been released on . bail after giving statements. The Special Organised Crime Unit is . continuing its investigations. Last night the Foreign Office said the Spanish police had not made it aware of the arrests. | Spanish police raided offices in Arguineguin and Mogan on Monday .
Involved are accused of systematically defrauding tourists since 2007 .
'Used flyers promising free gifts to entice tourists to their HQ'
Then they would 'trap them for between four and eight hours to hard-sell' |
280,257 | f70cf32ebdbee9c882454043a8972d6d51ddf4a4 | (CNN) -- Two people were executed Tuesday in China for their part in a tainted milk scandal that killed at least six babies and sickened about 300,000 others, state-run media reported. Zhang Yujun was executed for endangering public safety and Geng Jinping was executed for producing and selling toxic food, the Xinhua news agency said. The tainted formula came to light in September 2008, after several babies fell ill from drinking formula that contained melamine. Melamine is commonly used in coatings and laminates, wood adhesives, fabric coatings, ceiling tiles and flame retardants. Some Chinese dairy plants added the chemical to milk products so they would appear to have a higher protein level. The tainted milk caused kidney stones and urinary tract problems in hundreds of thousands of children. The 22 Chinese dairy producers that made the formula have offered compensation to victims' families. In all, 21 people were tried and sentenced in January for their roles in the scandal, Xinhua reported. Among them, Zhang and Geng were sentenced to death, and most others received at least 15 years in prison. | Zhang Yujun and Geng Jinping executed for their roles in toxic milk scandal .
In all, 21 people were tried and sentenced in January for their roles in the scandal .
Tainted milk killed at least six babies and sickened about 300,000 others .
Drinking formula held melamine, a toxin dairy plants used to make protein levels appear higher . |
131,434 | 35f4e3563b59c0b420db769fe05efe231dc5f998 | Thursday is judgment day for the Affordable Care Act, with the U.S. Supreme Court expected to release its long awaited ruling on the constitutionality of the law. Whichever way the Court rules, the decision will be instantly framed in the political context. Its potential impact on the presidential race, on the upcoming Congressional elections and on the trajectory of the political parties will be the subject of endless analysis and debate. The electoral handicapping will regrettably overlook the decision's real-world impact on those whom the law is intended to help. At stake in the opinions of nine justices is the well-being of millions of Americans living with chronic diseases such as cancer. They wake up every day knowing that if they lose their job, if their employer decides to drop their health coverage, or if their insurance company raises premiums, they may be unable to get the lifesaving care they need. The debate over health care has been epically divisive. But it is almost universally accepted that the existing health care system is badly in need of repair. People with cancer and other life-threatening chronic diseases have long been routinely denied coverage outright, charged exorbitant costs for care and forced to spend their savings to get the care they need, simply because they have a pre-existing condition. The law addresses this national moral failing with numerous provisions that help to expand access to quality, affordable health care, including those that prohibit insurance companies from denying coverage to people with pre-existing conditions, charging patients higher premiums because of their health status and suddenly revoking coverage when a person falls ill with a disease such as cancer. The law also empowers consumers to make informed choices about their health coverage, requiring insurance companies to issue brief and simple explanations of what their plans cover and creating online marketplaces, or "exchanges," where people can compare plans and choose the one that is best for them. These provisions, which have received broad bipartisan support, hang in the balance before the court. So, too, do popular provisions that are currently enabling students and young workers to remain on their parent's health plan until age 26, ensuring coverage for children with pre-existing conditions and eliminating arbitrary dollar limits. The court's decision will determine whether the 60,000 people with pre-existing conditions who enrolled in the law's new high-risk plan after going six months or more without insurance will continue to receive coverage. It will either continue or end the new requirement that people receive proven preventive screenings, such as mammograms and colonoscopies, at no cost to them. It will decide whether millions of low-income and disabled people with cancer or at risk for cancer will be eligible for quality health coverage under Medicaid. The pundits will have ample opportunity to pontificate about the ruling's political implications. But no one should lose sight of the impact on those who are most in need of quality care. For people and families battling cancer or another serious chronic disease, the upcoming ruling is about much more than politics. It could mean the difference between life and death. | John Seffrin: Court decision on health reform must be viewed in terms of impact on the sick .
He says millions with chronic diseases like cancer benefit from Affordable Care Act .
He says if court rules against it, they will return to days of coverage denial, high costs .
Seffrin: Act keeps insurance companies honest, young people covered. It's not about politics . |
40,796 | 7311479ff1c5f6862ba1688a28deafebc0f0ea31 | Editor's note: This is another in a series of Business Insider commentaries debunking common tech myths. (Business Insider) -- Google loves to talk about how "open" it is. But the reality is that it's actually not always open; only when it's convenient to Google. And, anyway, "open" isn't necessarily better. For example, Google especially loves to boast that its Android software for phones and tablets is "open." You'd think that means that anyone would have control over their phones, to install all the apps they want, change the way it looks, and update to the latest version of Android. But that's not what it means. It really means that Google's close partners -- mobile operators and phone manufacturers, but not consumers -- can chop up Android to their liking. That's why many new Android phones ship with pre-installed "crapware" apps. It's why some have shortcomings, like the inability to install apps that aren't from Google's official app market. And it's why most Android owners have to wait a long time for Android software updates -- if the updates are ever made available for their specific phones. Meanwhile, despite all the talk about Android being "open," there are even some things that Google's huge Android partners can't change. For example, when Motorola wanted to swap out Google's built-in location services on its Android phones for a competing service from a startup called Skyhook Wireless, Google effectively forced them to stop, according to a lawsuit that Skyhook filed against Google. What's "open" about allegedly forcing your partners to use Google's tools and guidelines instead of competing tools? Android is just one example. Google has recently been inconsistent about its definition of "open" when it comes to web video technology, too. And if Google were really serious about being "open," they'd share their search and advertising algorithms with the world. Now that would be "open." But of course Google would never do that -- that's proprietary information that can't fall into the hands of competitors. Google has every incentive to keep its core business information "closed," and it will likely continue to. The more we look, the more we see that "open" Google is really more like "open when convenient or favorable to Google." This is perfectly fine: Google is a for-profit company and can do whatever it wants. But anyone who thinks its actions are transparent or truly "open" is pretending. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Dan Frommer. Copyright © 2010 Business Insider. | Google has been inconsistent when it comes to web video technology .
Many new Android phones ship with pre-installed "crapware" apps .
Google is "open" when it is convenient or favorable to Google -- which is their right . |
200,723 | 8fd46c455af85f8acca16120f7dc02e1b95b39f1 | (CNN) -- Penn State has hired a new permanent coach to head its embattled football program, with the team's quarterback saying that he and other players are "excited" for a "fresh start." Matt McGinn told CNN affiliate WBRE that he hopes the selection of New England Patriots offensive coordinator Bill O'Brien will help "erase some of the things that have happened in the past year." "It should be exciting for everyone," said McGinn, acknowledging that some Penn State alumni have voiced dissatisfaction with the move since O'Brien didn't attend the State College school. "The most important thing is that the players are happy." O'Brien replaces interim coach Tom Bradley and, more significantly, iconic former coach Joe Paterno. Paterno was fired by school trustees last fall, days after his former defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky was arrested and accused of sexually abusing young boys over a 14-year period. That includes a 2002 incident. Former Penn State graduate assistant Mike McQueary has testified that he saw Sandusky possibly sodomizing a boy, saying that what he saw was "extremely sexual in nature." He told Paterno, who told then-athletic director Tim Curley, according to a grand jury report. Law enforcement authorities, however, didn't become aware of that allegation until years later. According to his biography on Patriots.com, the NFL team's official website, the Nittany Lions' new football coach grew up in Dorchester, Massachusetts, and attended Brown University. He began his coaching career at that Ivy League school, before going on to take jobs at Georgia Tech, Maryland and Duke. He joined the Patriots in 2007 as a coaching assistant, rapidly rising up the ranks in the subsequent years. "The Penn State football program has a great legacy and has contributed enormously to our university community," said university President Rodney A. Erickson. "A program of this caliber requires a special kind of leader -- a leader who will embrace that legacy and maintain the university's commitment to excellence on the field and in the classroom. We have that leader in Coach O'Brien, and I look forward to working with him in his new role." | Bill O'Brien is hired at Penn State's next football coach .
The team's quarterback says "players are happy" and the hire is "exciting"
Last fall, Penn State trustees fired legendary coach Joe Paterno .
This followed ex-coach Jerry Sandusky's being charged with sexually abusing boys . |
263,536 | e154fddb85ebd1684e6c526378002e6d78e4a2de | (CNN) -- If you're trying to keep up with Kim Kardashian's little sister Kendall, you'll need to look on the runway. Not that the 18-year-old reality star and model is hard to find. As the second youngest member of the family featured on E!'s "Keeping Up with The Kardashians," Jenner is also carving out a career in high fashion. And on Thursday, she showed just how serious she is about her career. At the Marc Jacobs show, held during New York Fashion Week, a nearly unrecognizable Jenner stalked the catwalk in a bobbed wig, pale eyebrows, and a sheer shirt with no bra. While fans of the reality series have watched the striking brunette grow up on TV they probably haven't ever seen her like this, and her haute look threw several for a loop. Jenner hasn't responded personally to the attacks on social media, but she hasn't had to. Her older sister, Khloe Kardashian, has hit back at her sister's critics. "She's too dope for you 2 understand! Yall would trade places with her in a second!" Kardashian tweeted. "The hate is real! Lol bye haters! #ModelLife #Simple" And then, just to put a period on her point, the 29-year-old added: "Basic b*****s NOT wanted." So what does Jenner's mom, Kris, think? She couldn't be happier. "I am so so proud of you @kendalljenner," Kris posted on Instagram. And the beaming mom has plenty to applaud: Not only has her teen daughter taken New York Fashion Week by storm, but she's also made it into the hallowed fashion pages of Vogue magazine. | Kendall Jenner is the second youngest star of "Keeping Up with the Kardashians"
The reality star is also a model .
On Thursday she walked in Marc Jacobs' New York Fashion Week show .
Her braless outfit, which included a sheer shirt, has caused a stir . |
5,659 | 1019b1166aaf86000cdd95830300d5529407f22a | They were supposed to be getting a good view of the sea during a walk along the Newquay coastline. But three intrepid tourists got into difficulty when they failed to remember the tide was coming in. The trio were left stranded and desperately calling for help as the water started to come in around the rock they were standing on. Scroll down for video . Three walkers had to be rescued by a lifeboat crew after they became stuck on a rock as they walked along the beach near Newquay and had lost track of time and were unaware the tide was coming in, trapping them . A lifeboat crew rescued them just minutes before the rock became completely submerged because of the incoming tide. The lifeboat was dispatched to rescue the walkers after attempts to pluck them from the rock using a harness had to be abandoned because parts of the cliff started to give way. 'The timing was perfect, within minutes of them being rescued the area they were standing was completely underwater,' said Chris Charlton, who witnessed the dramatic rescue. 'Once they got into the lifeboat it was so rough the boat nearly tipped over with them all inside. 'It's a popular walking spot but unfortunately people don't think about the times of the tides and they get caught. 'It is really not that far from where those poor surfers drowned a few weeks ago, people need to be aware of how dangerous the sea can be. Rescuers had to abandon efforts to save the trio using a harness because rock and shale started to crumble . The trio were left surrounded by sea as the tide started to come in at Whipsiderry beach and Watergate Bay . A lifeboat was dispatched to save the trio before the rock they had been on was completely submerged . 'Thankfully these three people were all rescued safely, but they were within minutes of it being a totally different kettle of fish.' The two men and a woman had become trapped on a rock as they walked along Whipsiderry beach and Watergate Bay near Newquay. It is thought they became stranded after losing track of time and the incoming tide. Witnesses said the lifeboat looked like it would tip over several times as the crew tried to rescue the walkers . The three people were taken to safety by the lifeboat crew who battled the incoming tides to rescue them . The Coastguard was called out at about 3pm last Sunday after it received reports of the stranded trio. When attempts to rescue them from above failed as rocks and shale started to give way, the RNLI was called. Two rigid-inflatable boats (RIB) were sent to the scene to try and remove the walkers by sea. The three had reportedly lost track of time and were unaware of the tides while out exploring the coast . Earlier attempts to rescue the three walkers had to be abandoned after shale and rock started to crumble . The Newquay inshore lifeboat and the Newquay and Padstow Coastguard crew attended. A spokesman from the UK Coastguard said: 'When going on the beach or the coast we ask people to please make sure they check the tide times and have an exit strategy.' Whipsiderry beach is just three miles from Mawgan Porth, where three surfers died as they tried to rescue teens caught in a rip tide last month. | Three walkers had been exploring the coastline near Newquay, Cornwall .
But they lost track of time and were cut off by incoming tides .
They called for help but attempts to rescue them using a harness failed because rocks and shale above Whipsiderry beach started to crumble .
Lifeboats had to be sent and rescued two men and a woman from a rock .
Dramatic rescue took place minutes before the rock was submerged . |
13,748 | 26f70ed7061a138c60fe5d6e4c1ee1d511df8a12 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:39 EST, 12 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:00 EST, 13 November 2013 . The mysterious defendant charged in a . $100 million, cross-country veterans charity fraud balked at testifying . at his trial Tuesday and asked for time to decide. The . defendant, who identifies himself as 67-year-old Bobby Thompson but has . been identified by authorities as Harvard-trained attorney John Donald . Cody, was prodded repeatedly by the judge on whether he would testify. There is no requirement to testify, but the judge asked to hear from the defendant directly. A mess: John Donald Cody, 67, aka Bobby Thompson, enters the courtroom on Tuesday in Cleveland with an unbuttoned shirt . Unkempt: Cody showed up in court with disheveled, greasy hair. He is charged in a $100 million veterans charity fraud . Facing trial: Cody was a fugitive for two years and was caught in Portland, Oregon with a suitcase full of cash amounting to almost $1 million . ‘Mr Thompson,’ Judge Steven Gall said, raising his voice to repeat what he called ‘a simple question’ on whether he would testify. The judge ordered a recess to let the defendant make a decision and clean up his appearance. He had entered court with his shirt unbuttoned to the waist, his baggy pants bunched around his ankles and his hair disheveled. ‘I would like to put myself in physical appearance I think is reasonable,’ the defendant said without specifying if he would testify as the defense had signaled. The defendant returned from the break . and his attorney, Joseph Patituce, told the judge that the defense would . rest without testimony from his client. Judge Steven Gall raised his voice to repeat what he called ¿a simple question¿ on whether Cody would testify. Cody finally declined . Defense attorney Joseph Patituce, center, and Assistant Ohio Attorney General Brad Tammaro, right, talk with Judge Steven E. Gall, left, who told Cody to clean up his appearance . That could change before the decision is announced to the jury, Patituce said during the lunch break. The former fugitive is charged with looting the United States Navy Veterans Association charity that he ran in Tampa, Florida. The charges include racketeering, money laundering, theft and identity theft. The defendant disappeared for almost two years after his 2010 indictment. He was arrested last year in Portland, Oregon, where agents and deputy marshals found fake IDs and a suitcase containing $980,000 in cash. The defendant showered politicians, . often Republicans, with political donations. The judge rejected a . defense request to subpoena testimony from leading Ohio Republicans . including U.S. House Speaker John Boehner. Write caption here . Politicians . who received donations from him, according to campaign finance filings, . include former President George W. Bush and former presidential . contenders Mitt Romney, John McCain and Rudy Giuliani. Ohio . Attorney General Mike DeWine, whose office handled the trial . prosecution, said he believes that photos the defendant had taken with . high-profile Republicans such as Bush, Boehner and GOP strategist Karl . Rove were used to soften up potential donors. Besides . Boehner, political donations went to almost every member of the state’s . GOP congressional delegation and two of DeWine’s predecessors as . attorney general. The . trial of the one-time fugitive started on September 30. The alleged fraud spanned 41 states, including up to $2million in Ohio. Rubbing shoulders with the top: Politicians who received donations from him, according to campaign finance filings, include former President George W. Bush, who he is pictured with here . Many politicians: Cody, second from left, also gave donations to the likes of former presidential contender John McCain, far left . Strategy: The photos Cody had taken with high-profile Republicans such as GOP strategist Karl Rove, left, were used to soften up potential donors, according to the Ohio Attorney General, Mike DeWine . Caught: John Donald Cody, aka Bobby Thompson, at a court hearing in May, after his arrest . Authorities said little, if any, of the money collected by the charity was used to benefit veterans. His . defense team had sought to force testimony by recipients to show his . actions were legal, but a judge rejected the move last week. His attorney said any fraud involved solicitors, not his client. Authorities said the defendant used his VIP political connections to encourage donors to give to his charity. While . on the run, investigators tracked him through Arizona, Florida, . Indiana, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Washington and West Virginia. Cody had a prestigious educational background, with a . degree from the University of Virginia (UVA) and a law degree from . Harvard. He . had been a U.S. Army Captain in Military Intelligence and previously . practiced law in Sierra Vista, Arizona from 1980 to 1984. During . his law career in Arizona, he became the subject of an investigation . over claims he was stealing money from his clients but Cody skipped town . before he could be apprehended and since 1987 has been a fugitive from . the FBI. According to a federal warrant, dated May 4, 1987, out of the Eastern . District of Virginia, Cody is charged with interstate transportation of . fraudulent traveler’s checks from probate estates’ bank accounts, false . statements to an investment brokerage firm, and false statements on loan . applications. A . former colleague, Dennis Lusk, now chief judge of the Arizona Motor . Vehicle Division, had worked with Cody in Arizona and remembered him as . bizarre. D.C. elite: The suspect formerly known as Bobby Thompson poses with House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) Wanted: The FBI has been searching for John Donald Cody since 1987 . He described the attorney as 'intelligent enough to get through Harvard Law School and was a great talker and BS-er,' in an interview with the Arizona Republic in 2002. His non-profit group boasted a membership of more than . 66,000 members in 40 states but little of the money raised ever made its . way to assist military service members. Law enforcement officials began investigating Cody and he was charged with multiple counts of fraud in 2010. Once again, he abandoned his identity and set off on a cross-country . journey using numerous aliases to evade police. From June 2010 to May 2012, investigators believe he hid out in Massachusetts, Arizona, New . Mexico Rhode Island, West Virginia, Indiana, Florida, Washington and ultimately Portland, Oregon - where he was finally caught. He . was arrested at a boarding house where he had rented a room, and . investigators say one of the few belongings they found was a DVD of . Catch Me If You Can, the Leonardo DiCaprio drama chronicling the wild . history of convicted conman Frank Abagnale. | Trial of accused Harvard-trainer lawyer, John Donald Cody, who has been wanted by the FBI since 1987, started on September 30 .
At Tuesday's court appearance he looked worn-out with unkempt hair and unbuttoned shirt .
Cody .
practiced law in Sierra Vista, Arizona, in the 1980s, when he was .
accused of stealing money from his clients - but he fell off the grid .
Under .
the alias of Bobby Thompson, he operated a fraudulent charity, raising .
over $100 million and rubbing shoulders with D.C. power players such as former president, George W Bush .
His charity scam was discovered in 2010, though his true identity remained a mystery . |
222,521 | ac0ff876c9bd0af02c98da6845554f662593ae3b | Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has warned the Premier League to watch its back because the Bundesliga is about to overtake it. The Bundesliga is currently third in UEFA's five-year rankings, but closing in on the Premier League all the time. And Rummenigge has called on all German sides participating in Europe next week to pull out all the stops to ensure England's top division drops a position at the end of the current season, which is feasible. Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge believes the Bundesliga will overtake the Premier League . 'I think that the English are looking over to us with rather a bit of envy,' he told Sport1 television. 'They may have high income, but on a sporting level, they are losing a bit of attractiveness compared to the Bundesliga. 'Not long ago, we were fourth in the UEFA rankings and now we are third. 'We've caught up a lot on the Premier League in recent years and I'd like to call on all Bundesliga clubs involved in the Champions League and the Europa League in the coming week to get as many points as possible. 'We can overtake England this year and that would be a big slap in the face for the Premier League.' Bayern Munich (right) and Borussia Dortmund (left) contested an all-German Champions League final in 2013 . Chelsea were England's best representatives in the Champions League last season, losing in the semi-finals . While setting his sights on overtaking England, Rummenigge should perhaps also be wary of what is going on behind Germany. Italy, which dropped to fourth in the rankings in 2012, when Germany secured a fourth starting berth in the Champions League at the expense of Serie A, have accumulated more points than any other nation so far this season. Although they are not likely to have any chance of regaining third place for a few years at least, the fact Italian clubs have started to take the Europa League seriously with only one team - Torino - dropping any points on the first two European matchdays shows they are keen to close a gap which currently stands at over 11,000 points. The Bundesliga is just over 3,000 points behind the Premier League with Spain's Primera Division still over 14,000 points clear at the top. At the end of the current campaign, England will lose the 18,357 points it gained in 2010/11, while the Bundesliga loses just 15,666 points. Serie A will lose 11,571 points, enabling it to make up ground by keeping up the pace it has set so far this season. Spain's Primera Division is ranked first in UEFA's rankings 14,000 points ahead of the Premier League . | Premier League is ranked second as Europe's best league by UEFA .
Bundesliga is third in five-year rankings but closing in on Premier League .
Bayern Munich chairman Karl Heinz Rummenigge believes it won't be long before the Bundesliga overtakes the Premier League . |
166,209 | 62e66625acc0351669a937d636e31bc576057c34 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 06:42 EST, 10 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:33 EST, 10 February 2014 . Vigilantes battling the ruthless Knights Templar drug cartel in Mexico have entered a gang-held city to clear it of gunmen, a leader of the movement said. The group has driven the quasi-religious cartel from a series of towns in the west entered the city of Apatzingan with government forces on Saturday, it was claimed. Dozens of vigilante group members, who wore white t-shirts to identify themselves, were seen speeding into the area in the back of pickup trucks. Taking control: A caravan of self-defense groups makes it way through Apatzingan, in the Michoacan state of Mexico . Flanked by weapons a man from a self-defense group sits inside a barricade at the entrance of Apatzingan in Michoacan state . The city of 100,000 in Michoacan state has been under effective control of the Knights Templar cartel for several years. 'Federal forces are working with self-defense groups,' vigilante leader Hipolito Mora told a reporter by telephone from the center of Apatzingan. 'Guys from the self-defense groups are moving around the city, cooperating in certain ways with the federal government. Many, many people have been detained.' Mora said federal police controlled security in the city and both armed and unarmed member of the 'self-defense' movement were working with them to identify Knights Templar hideouts. He said approximately 200 gang members were arrested, including the brother of one of its leaders, Enrique 'Kiki' Plancarte. The government made no immediate comment. The vigilantes' presence in the city is both a symbolic and tactical boost for the movement. A vigilante, or member of the community police, holds a gun as he rides in a vehicle . Vigilantes who have driven a quasi-religious drug cartel from a series of towns in western Mexico entered a Apatzingan on Saturday and were working with government forces to clear it of cartel gunmen . Vigilantes, or members of the community police, climb down the stairs of a house under construction that they use as a safe house at a periphery of Apatzingan . The control of the Knights Templar group was once so complete that it would have been unthinkable for any rival to enter Apatzingan. The Knights Templar often traveled in vehicles marked with its symbol, a red cross, and sponsored demonstrations calling for the federal police to leave the city. The cartel promotes itself as a mystic Christian order dedicated to protecting the population from abuse at the hands of the military and police. A weapon with a yellow ribbon is seen on the floor of a house under construction that vigilantes, or members of the community police, use as safehouse at a periphery of Apatzingan . A vigilante, or member of the community police, cleans his gun near a barricade . Federal police controlled security in the city and both armed and unarmed member of the 'self-defense' movement were working with them to identify Knights Templar hideouts . It ran 'training schools,' including one in Apatzingan, that taught courses in leadership portraying cartel members as clean-living men of honor, steeped in Asian religion alongside Catholicism. Its members not only lived off methamphetamine and marijuana smuggling and extortion, but controlled much of the local economy. In October, vigilantes tried to march into Apatzingan but were turned back by soldiers who said they couldn't enter with weapons. A convoy of hundreds of unarmed self-defense patrol members returned the next day and successfully entered the city, where they were met by gunfire, presumably from the Knights Templar. Residents wave at a caravan of self-defense groups parading through the streets of Apatzingan . A member of a self-defense group cheers as he ride in a caravan through the streets . Girls wave to vigilantes, or members of the community police, as the vigilantes ride in a caravan through the streets of Apatzingan . In apparent retaliation to the attempted incursion, suspected cartel members mounted coordinated attacks on vigilante positions, killing five, according to police. They also destroyed government electrical facilities, including power distribution plants and electrical sub-stations, in 14 towns and cities around Michoacan, cutting power to hundreds of thousands of people. Mora said that this latest incursion was 'a triumph.' The vigilantes' knowledge of the city is already boosting government operations against the Knights Templar, according to Mora, who said self-defense force members were going door-to-door pointing out suspected cartel members to federal police and helping police man check points on the roads in and out of the city. 'They're all around the city watching to see if members of the Knights Templar are coming or going,' he said. Mexico legalized the growing 'self-defense' movement in Michoacan late last month, saying they would be incorporated into quasi-military units called Rural Defense Corps. Vigilante groups estimate their numbers at 20,000 men under arms. Mora said vigilantes who have been formally incorporated into the Rural Defense Corps were armed, while those not yet registered had no weapons. He said he and his close associates were unarmed, and were there primarily to attend an afternoon rally for peace and the rule of law called by an Apatzingan clergyman who has opposed the Knights Templar. Vigilantes began rising up last February against the Knights Templar reign of terror and extortion after police and troops failed to stop the abuses. Vigilante leaders have been asked to submit a list of their members to the Defense Department and are being allowed to keep their weapons as long as they register them with the army. The military is giving the groups 'all the means necessary for communications, operations and movement,' according to the agreement. | Group has driven the quasi-religious cartel from a series of towns .
City in Michoacan state has been under cartel's control for several years .
200 gang members arrested, including brother of one of its leaders .
The vigilantes' presence in the city is symbolic boost for the movement .
Cartel promotes itself as a mystic order dedicated to protecting locals . |
175,357 | 6ef1ecf1c0d1b2ddd8ef6a6788e36205d1f3ab21 | (CNN) -- A November 1 trial date has been set for Brian David Mitchell, who is suspected in the 2002 kidnapping of Utah teenager Elizabeth Smart, said a spokeswoman for federal prosecutors. U.S. District Judge Dale Kimball set the trial date at a scheduling conference Friday, said Melodie Rydalch, spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney's office in Utah. Mitchell was not in court that day, she said. The trial is expected to take two weeks, according to the case file. Mitchell's defense attorneys have apparently indicated they will file a motion asking for a change of venue, as the case file said Kimball set a May 26 deadline for the motion and agreed to hear arguments before July 11. Mitchell is accused of abducting Smart, then 14, at knifepoint from her bedroom in her family's Salt Lake City, Utah, home in June 2002. Smart was found nine months later, walking down a street in the Salt Lake City suburb of Sandy with Mitchell and his wife, Wanda Eileen Barzee. Mitchell, a drifter and self-described prophet who called himself "Emmanuel," had done some handyman work at the Smarts' home. Barzee, now 64, pleaded guilty in November to kidnapping and unlawful transportation of a minor. As part of a plea deal with prosecutors, she agreed to cooperate in the state and federal cases against her husband. Earlier this month, Kimball ruled Mitchell, now 56, is competent to stand trial. State court proceedings against him have been on hold pending the outcome of the federal case. Smart, now 21, testified in October as part of Mitchell's competency hearing that after kidnapping her, Mitchell took her to a wooded area behind her home and performed a mock marriage ceremony with her before sexually assaulting her. She testified that in the nine months of her captivity, no 24-hour period passed without Mitchell raping her. Kimball's ruling on Mitchell's competency cannot be appealed until after the case concludes. Barzee had been housed at the Utah State Hospital while courts determined her competency as well as that of her husband. A state court had ruled she could be forcibly medicated, and that ruling led federal prosecutors to file charges against her. Last month, Barzee pleaded guilty but mentally ill in state court in the attempted kidnapping of Smart's cousin a month after her kidnapping. In exchange for the plea to one count of conspiracy to commit aggravated kidnapping, state prosecutors dropped charges against Barzee in Smart's abduction. Federal prosecutors have recommended that Barzee serve a sentence of 15 years, but asked that her sentencing date be continued to allow for her participation in the case against Mitchell. She faces between one and 15 years in prison on the state charge, but prosecutors agreed to allow that sentence to run concurrently with the federal sentence. | Brian David Mitchell is charged with kidnapping Elizabeth Smart from her bedroom in 2002 .
Smart, then 14, was found nine months later walking with Mitchell and his wife .
Mitchell's attorneys apparently plan to ask for change of venue .
Under a plea deal, Mitchell's wife agreed to cooperate in case against her husband . |
221,395 | aa989b957eaf647f88b76a1785714c4b81a8ed99 | A mother is fighting for the removal of a police caution she was given eight years ago after leaving her six-year-old son home alone for 45 minutes. Parents risk being branded criminals if they leave their children home alone because the law on neglect is not clear, it was warned today. The government is being urged to issue guidance on the age at which youngsters can be trusted on their own, and for how long. There is nothing in the law about when children can be left home alone, only a warning that they must not be put at risk . At present the law does not state an age when a parent can leave a child on their own. It is, however, an offence for a child to be put at risk by not being supervised. The Department for Education directs parents to the NSPCC for information. However, Lib Dem MP John Hemming is calling for the government to be clearer about the circumstances in which parents could be cautioned or prosecuted by police. 'It is not at all clear for how long and at what age children can be left alone,' he told The Sunday Times. 'Nor is it clear whether leaving them alone is either not an issue, a child-protection issue or a criminal issue. 'I sent my daughter, then aged 10, on the train from Birmingham to stay with my mother in Devon. There were no changes and she was met at the other end. Was that acceptable?' He went on: 'I find it odd that whereas it is lawful to send the child to the park and leave them there, it is not lawful to leave them home alone. 'My main concern in all this is clarity. The law should always be clear. We need a debate about what the rules should be.' MP John Hemming is calling for the government to be clearer about laws on parents leaving children at home . The law doesn’t say an age when you can leave a child on their own, but it’s an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. Use your judgement on how mature your child is before you decide to leave them alone. The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) says: . Parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised ‘in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health’. It follows the case of a women called Joan who eight years ago left he son, aged six at the time, while she had a driving lesson – her last before her driving test. 'We went to the school but it was closed. There was no one home to look after him. He was in no danger when I left him,' she told the newspaper. She returned to find the police on her doorstep after a nurse called at the house and the boy answered the door. Joan went to her local police station and was given a caution, which has since meant she struggled to pursue her chosen career as a mental health nurse. She is now trying to have the caution removed. She added: 'I applied to five universities to study and four did not accept me because of this caution,' she said. 'I am now trying to get this removed. My son is 14, at school and absolutely fine.' A spokesman for the Department for Education said 'The law is clear that parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health. It is vital children be kept safe.' A page on the gov.uk website states: 'The law doesn't say an age when you can leave a child on their own, but it's an offence to leave a child alone if it places them at risk. 'Use your judgement on how mature your child is before you decide to leave them alone. 'The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) says: . · children under 12 are rarely mature enough to be left alone for a long period of time . · children under 16 shouldn't be left alone overnight . · babies, toddlers and very young children should never be left alone . 'Parents can be prosecuted if they leave a child unsupervised 'in a manner likely to cause unnecessary suffering or injury to health'.' An NSPCC spokesman said: 'It is vital we have a common sense approach ... because [parents] are best placed to know what is right for their child.' But the Coram Children's Legal Centre, a national charity that promotes children's rights, insisted that 'most children under 13 would not be able to cope with an emergency'. | Ministers urged to issue guidance on the age when children can be trusted .
Government says there is no law on the issue and points to NCPCC .
Lib Dem MP John Hemming says: 'The law should always be clear'
Mother in battle to remove caution for leaving her son eight years ago . |
7,763 | 160000996f3eb5d26d3b616e4d89b045d7702b6a | Billionaire Texas fund manager Fayez Sarofim - one of the richest men in America with a net worth of $2 billion - has furrowed some brows among Houston's wealthy social set after reportedly proposing to his son's mother-in-law. The 85-year-old father-of-five - born into Egyptian royalty and co-owner of the Houston Texans - proposed over the weekend to glamorous businesswoman Susan Krohn, according to CultureMap Houston. It was only in May that Sarofim's son, Phillip, 27, married Krohn's 33-year-old daughter Lori in Hawaii. However once their parents are married, they will be considered step-siblings. Life son, like father: Fayez Sarofim, a Houston-based billionaire fund manager, has reportedly proposed to Susan Krohn, his son's mother-in-law . Bride-t-be: Susan Krohn- pictured here with ex-boyfriend Rudy Avelar - is believed to have accepted a marriage proposal from Fayez Sarofim, whose son recently married her daughter . Married: Lori Krohn, 33, married Phillip Sarofim, 27, in Hawaii in May. Their parents are now engaged . Sarofim and Krohn are believed to have met through their children, with a romance forming over time. No wedding date has been set. Sarofim was recently named the 273rd richest American by Forbes magazine. Krohn, a staple in the Houston social pages, is a New Orleans transplant. Her ex-husband, Tracy Krohn, with whom she had two daughters, is an oil magnate currently ranked at 278 on Forbes list of richest Americans. Krohn is successful is her own right, however, as the founder and owner of Brooke Staffing Companies and of New Orleans Auction Galleries. Last year she was named among Houston's best dressed by The Chron. Part owner of NFL team Houston Texans Fayez Sarofim attends the Allen & Co Media Conference in Sun Valley, Idaho July 12, 2012 . 'I love to drive motorsport,' she told the publication at the time. 'There is nothing more fun than hanging out at a racetrack and driving.' The engagement ring was from Valobra Jewlery & Antiques. Sarofim is said to have wanted something 'grand' for his bride-to-be, however she chose something that 'could be worn day-to-day'. Sarofim goes by the nickname 'The Sphinx' for his stoic disposition. Seen here is the entrance of Sarofim's home in the blue ribbon Houston suburb of River Oaks . Comfortable surroundings: Fayez Sarofim is an Egyptian American billionaire fund manager. This is one of his Houston homes . Fayez Sarofim also owns this seaside villa in Honolulu, Hawaii . He moved to Houston in the early fifties from Harvard's MBA program. He is described as a 'fincial genius' and is famed for steering clients away from Enron, Texas Monthly reported. Sarofim is among the largest shareholders in Kinder Morgan. Both he and Krohn are known for their philanthropy. She is the cofounder of the Knowledge Arts Foundation and is a board member of Houston Community College Foundation and Memorial Hermann Foundation. | Egyptian American fund manager Fayez Sarofim, 85, considered 273rd richest American .
Proposed to Houston businesswoman Susan Krohn over the weekend .
Sarofim's son and Krohn's daughter were married in May .
Sarofim's net worth estimated at $2 billion . |
96,172 | 07ac20c597e962f373550b1529ef1c2bf2bcc0f2 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:20 EST, 17 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:17 EST, 18 March 2014 . The magnitude 4.4 earthquake that rolled through Southern California on Monday morning could mark the beginning of the end for L.A.'s years-long ‘earthquake drought,’ warn experts. The tremor that struck near Westwood at 6:25 a.m. is the most significant shake in Southern California since a 5.5 earthquake hit Chino Hills in 2008. Earthquakes were far more common in the Los Angeles Basin the 1980s and the 1990s, but have been less so in recent years. Scroll down for video... Seismology experts such as Egill Hauksson of Caltech believe that Monday morning's earthquake could mark the beginning of the end for L.A.'s years-long 'earthquake drought' Employee Paula Anania cleans up hair care products that were knocked off the shelf in a beauty supply store in the Encino area of Los Angeles after a 4.4 earthquake jolted the area on Monday morning . ‘We don’t know if this is the end of the earthquake drought we’ve had over the last few years, and we won’t know for many months,’ Caltech seismologist Egill Hauksson told the LA Times. There were at least six aftershocks in the hours that immediately followed the 6:25 a.m. earthquake, with the largest was a magnitude 2.7 earthquake that struck five miles northwest of Westwood. U.S. Geological Survey seismologist Robert Graves told reporters on Monday morning that there was a possibility that the quake was just a prelude to an equal or stronger one. ‘There’s always the possibility that it’s a foreshock,’ said Graves. About five percent of earthquakes are followed by an equal or larger shake which, if it does happen, typically occurs within the next couple of hours. 'We're having an earthquake!': The 4.4 quake hit as just KTLA aired its morning news. Here, anchors realize what's happening just in time to dive under their desk . As it happens: Anchors Megan Henderson and Chris Schauble took cover under their desk on air as the quake hit during morning news . Startling: The quake was clearly felt quite strongly in the Hollywood KTLA studios, but no damage was reported . Los Angeles police and fire officials said there were no immediate reports of damage. Broadcasters . live on the air immediately announced that an earthquake was occurring. Anchors at KTLA-TV took cover underneath their desk before quickly . resuming the broadcast by seeking USGS information. 'We're having an earthquake!' exclaims anchor Chris Schauble as he and co-anchor Megan Henderson dive under their desk. It was over almost as quickly as it had begun, but a quick cut to a KTLA correspondent in the field a few miles away revealed he'd felt it, too. 'It . was a definite jolt, just one single jolt and I haven't seen the . magnitude,' said Eric Spillman. 'But it definitely something we could . feel here in downtown.' Seismologists . at the USGS have not yet determined exactly what fault this earthquake . was on and Graves also said ‘we’re continuing to analyze the data, but . at this point, this seems to be what I would call a rather typical . earthquake.’ Exactly what they're supposed to do: When experiencing an earthquake while indoors, experts recommend you get under a desk or table if at all possible. If there is no available desk or table, you should stand against an interior wall . Still rolling: The earth shook for several moments as cameras rolled in the KTLA studio . It was one of the largest to hit Los . Angeles since the 6.7-magnitude Northridge quake killed several dozen . people and caused $25 billion in damage two decades ago, USGS . seismologist Lucy Jones told KABC-TV. 'It's . not that large by California terms. It's the size of earthquake we have . across the state once every couple of months,' Jones said. 'But we . haven't had one like this in LA for quite a while.' The quake was centered 15 miles west-northwest of the downtown civic center and occurred at a depth of about 5 miles. 'It . felt like a bomb going off underneath our house,' said George McQuade, a . West Hills resident. 'Nothing was damaged, but it sure woke everyone . up. It was an eye-opener.' The epicenter was 6 miles from Beverly Hills, 7 miles from Universal City and 7 miles from Santa Monica, the USGS said. Did you feel it? The USGS says the 4.4 quake struck about 6 miles from Beverly Hills at a depth of 5 miles. It could be felt from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach . Rolled through SoCal: The quake could be felt across the LA area from the San Fernando Valley to Long Beach. Scientists said it was a 'typical' Southern California earthquake of 'moderate' intensity . Meanwhile, Chile’s northern Pacific shore was rocked by a 6.2-magnitude earthquake just hours after a stronger 6.7-magnitude quake hit the same region. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center has no tsunami warning in effect. The U.S. Geological Survey reports that this latest quake hit late on Sunday night. The USGS report says the earthquake . occurred offshore at a depth of 6.6 miles. Its epicenter was 46 miles . northwest of Iquique, Chile. The region has had a series of strong shocks since the quake earlier Sunday, registering between 4.9 and 5.2 magnitude. The . earlier quake caused more than 100,000 people to briefly evacuate some . coastal areas as a precaution. Minor damage was reported. Chile is one of the world's most earthquake-prone countries. Meanwhile, in Chile: This map, released by the U.S. Geological Survey, shows the point off the Chilean coast where their 6.7 mag earthquake happened Sunday evening . A pattern? People stay on higher grounds in a tsunami safety zone after the first quake, a magnitude 6.7, hit just offshore from Iquique city, north of Santiago, Chile on Sunday evening. It was followed by multiple smaller quakes thereafter . | L.A.'s years-long ‘earthquake drought’ could be over, warn experts .
Monday's magnitude 4.4 quake was the most significant since 2008, but in the 80s and 90s tremors were more common .
KTLA morning news anchors were seen diving to safety under their desks on a live newscast on Monday morning .
The northern Pacific coast of Chile was rocked by several stronger quakes as powerful as a 6.7 just hours before . |
48,364 | 8887ef0b51fbe589937952c0907e434445b70d54 | (CNN) -- A recent study with a catchy headline about the most stressful jobs of 2013 found its way to the soft hour of news this week. The annual study by careercast.com created some buzz in the online water cooler and I was asked to appear on the "Today" show to talk about it. Colleagues e-mailed me and posted on my Facebook page about where their chosen professions ranked. My media friends couldn't help noticing that public relations professionals, reporters and photojournalists all made it into the top 10 for stress. The "study," referred to in quotes in some of the commentary, considered some logical criteria to come up with these rankings. Proximity to risk of death (yours or others'), travel, deadlines, working in the public eye and physical demands all racked up points on the stress scale. And there's no arguing that military personnel, firefighters and police officers -- all high-rankers on the most-stressed list -- are exposed to higher stakes than your typical seamstress (holder of the second-least stressful job slot). The job that snagged the "least stressful" slot, according to the survey, was "university professor," a designation that caused outrage among people who actually hold that job. One commenter conceded that most academic jobs don't put you in personal danger (though you can argue that point), but anyone who's ever been around professors knows that faculty politics, difficult students and pressure to "publish or perish" can cause even the most calm character to crack. We could debate whether these designations make any sense. And whether every police officer, firefighter and member of the military faces the same amount of stress. But let's make sure we are having the right conversation. How many people choose a profession based on how high the stress level is? And how can you measure stress objectively? If you're prone to stress, perhaps you're just as likely to feel stressed out whether you work as a librarian, a massage therapist or a commercial airline pilot (No. 4 on the stress list). People choose their line of work for a lot of reasons. For those who are committed to making our communities and the world safer and healthier for the rest of us, minimizing stress is probably not so high on their list of criteria. And it shouldn't be. Folks who choose helping jobs that may have a high level of stress are fueled by other motivators, like wanting their work to have meaning. They aren't deterred by the fact that their job will likely come with stress. And some people are simply by their own nature and personalities drawn to work that may be to others, dauntingly stressful. How many FBI agents do you think would prefer a gig as an audiologist (sixth-least stressful job)? When I talk to men and women in their 50s and 60s who've decided to take on encore careers as teachers, they tell me that the work is often exhausting and stressful. They are on their feet all day, often with inadequate resources, with kids who are themselves highly stressed; even those who come from leadership roles in other sectors say they've never worked harder. Yet they almost always tell me that doing something that matters to others -- and that puts them in touch with young people every day -- compensates for the added stress. The same is true of those tackling some of the world's most intractable problems. When I talk to Stephen and Elizabeth Alderman, whose foundation trains health-care professionals around the world to work with victims of trauma, or Judith Broder, who founded The Soldiers Project, which works with returning veterans, they rarely talk about stress. Instead they talk about how they are compelled to do what they do, because moving the needle even a fraction is better than doing nothing. Rather than discouraging people to take on jobs that might have a lot of stress, let's instead encourage those who are designed for those jobs to do them. And let's make sure to support our friends and family members who go down these paths. It's hard to grab headlines in the crowded space of morning television, but a good survey with a catchy title will always do that. So let's use these kinds of surveys to have the right kinds of conversations. Like why so many jobs that keep us safe and healthy, and that care for our children and the environment rarely show up on lists of the most highly compensated jobs. Now there's a conversation I'd most like to be having. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Marci Alboher. | Marci Alboher: Annual list of most stressful jobs drew attention .
She says the right issue is whether job rewards compensate for stress .
People who take on stressful jobs that help others report satisfaction, she says . |
160,295 | 5b3766542fbb8d6cbaae8b7d6032d75f2672913d | Concepcion, Chile (CNN) -- We couldn't have traveled farther to see the same thing. We were returning to the United States from Haiti -- where every turn continues to unveil another human tragedy even six weeks after the January 12 earthquake -- when we were redirected to Chile. An 8.8-magnitude quake had struck the area around Chile's capital, a seismic event 800 times more powerful than the one in Haiti. Getting there was half the story. We took off from Miami, Florida, knowing the airport in Santiago was closed, so our aim was to get as close as we could. That set off a journey that would last 48 hours. We flew to Panama, Lima, Sao Paolo, Buenos Aires and Bariloche, then began a very long drive through the Patagonia region of Argentina, into Chile and north into the earthquake zone. We were followed by an enormous full moon and skimpy clouds that danced along the skyline. This region seems too lovely to be the scene of any tragedy. Its tall green mountains peaked with whitecaps and broad lakes give way to fields and sparkly beaches. South America had summer vacation until it was interrupted by this disaster. And it is, in a word, a disaster. Haiti, with its death toll and great suffering, sets the bar very high right now for what you can call a tragedy. But there is nothing inconsequential about hundreds of people dying, crushed in their own homes or swept away by a frantic sea. Chile has had very powerful earthquakes before and is a modern and wealthy place compared with Haiti. But as we drove up through Ozoro, Las Violetas, Los Angeles and other lovely farming towns, we saw chunks of roadway and roofs fallen away, fractured bridges, people camped in tents among their cows. Every Chilean we spoke to talked about how the previous earthquakes had pushed anyone with means to rebuild their homes or find new ones designed to withstand strong shaking. People here know what to do. But the sight of military convoys and ambulances told the story of what 8.8 can do. An ambulance driver in Los Angeles said there had been dozens of aftershocks, many powerful enough to add to the rising toll of injured and dead in towns without many large structures. They were overwhelmed and being dispatched to Concepcion, where a large population and tall structures meant more severe injuries. There, we found looting and people walking the streets in search of water and gas. The largest buildings were missing entire walls, and glass had shorn off the sides. A light cold drizzle was getting everyone wet. The vacation period means a lot of young people are out being mochileros (backpackers) and are separated from families by distance and downed phone lines. They have heard the stories of beach towns swept away and houses upended and are hitching rides at gas stations, hoping to find a way to reunite. The aftershocks are like a rising tide here, a clear sign that this is not over, that the damage is not done. The farm stands and cottages of the back roads are crooked and empty; the city centers look abandoned and on the brink. This country is not crying out for international assistance in the way Haiti did. It was prepared and has coping resources. This is a place that sends rescue workers to other countries because they're so good at it. Yet its natural beauty and efficiency are not enough to diminish what connects these folks to Haiti -- that the people waiting for buses beside the blackberry fields along Panamericana Ruta 5 are running scared. | The quake that shook Chile was 800 times more powerful than the one that hit Haiti .
Country's infrastructure built to withstand quakes, but death and destruction inescapable .
Reports: Dozens of aftershocks powerful enough to add to toll of injured and dead .
Wealthier and more prepared than Haiti, Chile and its people still share in the fear . |
259,190 | db83993cfe3a554b352704a26c4c15937528773c | By . Rebecca English . PUBLISHED: . 19:58 EST, 9 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:41 EST, 10 September 2013 . Prince William, wearing a blanket to keep warm, arrives at the Semongkong Children's Centre in Lesoth in 2010 . After a particularly trying day, some of us might unwind with a cup of tea or a hot bath. But Prince William, it seems, has a slightly wilder solution. The Duke of Cambridge has revealed he listens to animal noises on his iPhone to relax – inspired by the love of Africa he inherited from his mother. While his father Prince Charles has admitted he talks to plants while indulging in a little gardening, William confessed to having several hundred sound effects – such as crickets and buffalos – on his mobile phone, which remind him of the country where he proposed to wife Kate. In an interview about his love for Africa and his charity work there, Prince William said: ‘I regularly daydream. 'Africa is definitely one of the places I go to ... I have hundreds of animals on my iPhone. So if I am ever having quite a stressful day ... you can put a buffalo on in the background or a cricket.‘It takes you back instantly to the bush. And it does completely settle me down.’ Prince William revealed how his mother Princess Diana inspired his passion, saying her ‘infectious enthusiasm and energy’ for Africa and its people could not fail to rub off on him. He said: ‘She would come back with all these stories and full of excitement and just passion for what she had been doing and I sort of used to sit there, quite a sort of surprised little boy at the time, taking it all in.’ And his connection to the continent is so strong that he chose to propose while on holiday in Kenya in 2010. He said: ‘I didn’t really plan it that far in advance. I just knew I wanted it to feel comfortable where I did it and I wanted it to mean something, other than just the act of getting engaged. ‘[Kate] understands what it means to me being in Africa.’ William was speaking in a documentary, Prince William’s Passion: New Father, New Hope, which looks at his commitment to conservation in Africa. The Prince, who is royal patron of conservation organisation Tusk Trust, said his ‘protective’ instinct has kicked in since the birth of Prince George in July. He said he has been spurred on to do more to protect ‘vulnerable’ wildlife, such as cheetahs, one of his favourite animals. He said: ‘Suddenly you start thinking of like, wow, there is stuff you want to safeguard for the future. I’ve always believed it, but to actually really feel it as well, it’s coming through powerfully now as well.’ He also revealed how he has become more emotional since the birth of his son. Listen up: William plays buffalo cries to help him 'settle down' and relax . Prince William is following in the footsteps of both of his parents in terms of his love for Africa, but particularly Charles who fell for the continent partly thanks to his close friendship with South African writer Laurens Van der Post. It was even once reported that Van der Post, Charles's spiritual guru, taught the Prince of Wales how to talk to plants. When Charles and Diana announced who would be godparents of Prince William, it was Prince Charles' spiritual guru who made the cut. Sir Laurens Van der Post was a South African writer and long time friend of the Queen Mother's family, the Bowes-Lyons. He grew up on a South African farm in Philippolis but emigrated to London when he was 21. Despite this, his heart remained in Africa and 11 of his 20 books are about the continent. Van der Post died in 1996 aged 90 but his legacy seems to be living on in the two Princes. ‘The last few weeks have been a very . different emotional experience – something I never thought I would feel . for myself,’ he said. ‘I find, even though it’s only been a short period, that a lot of things affect me now.’ In the interview, William admitted that his visits to Africa help him to indulge the side of his character that craves a sense of normality, away from the maelstrom of royal life. ‘It’s escaping to a kind of different world where I am just who I normally am anyway, and I can let that side, that sort of slightly immature, silly person come out a bit more than I normally do,’ he said. ‘There’s not sycophants or anything like that. You’re very much treated as one of the team, and if you’re not pulling your weight, you’re told to man up and get on with it.’ But he might have to wait a while for his next trip to Africa. ‘I think as soon as George grows up a little bit more [I’ll go],’ he said, before joking: ‘I will be hung [sic] if I go now ... [but] it’s definitely a plan of mine to go back.’ The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge will make their first red carpet appearance together since the birth of their son on Thursday at the Tusk Trust’s Conservation Awards in London, where the Duke will present the Prince William Award for Conservation in Africa. Prince William’s Passion: New Father, New Hope will be shown on ITV at 6pm on Sunday September 15 and on CNN International at 3am, 6am, 12pm, and 8pm on Monday September 16. | The Duke of Cambridge has revealed he listens to animal noises on his iPhone to relax .
William confessed to having several hundred sound effects – such as crickets and buffalos - which remind him of Africa .
Prince William revealed how his mother Princess Diana inspired his passion . |
58,336 | a56a3e865f74bc839d77890394adfdd1470c42c5 | The heartbroken husband of actress Lynda Bellingham has told how he can’t bear to spend Christmas without his beloved wife, following her tragic death from cancer. Michael Pattemore, 59, has struggled to cope with losing his TV star wife, who died from colon cancer aged 66 in October. The property developer is now planning to travel to Dubai for Christmas, so he doesn’t have to face being at home without her, while her sons Robbie and Michael Peluso plan to do their own thing. Scroll down for videos . Michael Pattemore, 59, plans to travel to Dubai for Christmas following the death of his actress wife Lynda (pictured together above in March this year). He said he can't face staying at home and being on his own . The actress and mother of two (pictured on October 8) passed away from cancer aged 66 in late October . Mr Pattemore, who buried his wife in Crewkerne, Somerset, on November 3 - ten years to the day they met - said he wants to visit Dubai for the festive period because it’s where his wife took him for a surprise birthday trip nine years ago. He told the Sunday Mirror: ‘Whatever I do, wherever I am, I know I am still going to miss her dreadfully. ‘All she wanted at the end was to make one last family Christmas… but that wasn’t to be. ‘I can’t stay at home and be on my own. I want them [her sons] to lead their own lives but it means I am alone and surrounded by reminders of just how much I’ve lost.’ Mr Pattemore, who was a constant presence by his wife’s side as she undertook her final TV interviews and public appearances to say goodbye to her fans, has been busy raising thousands of pounds for Action Against Cancer since his wife’s death on October 19. While he is set to travel to Dubai for the festive period, Lynda’s sons are expected to have Christmas dinner with their father, Lynda’s ex-husband Nunzio Peluso. Michael, 31, is then expected to stay in London for the remainder of the Christmas period, while hotel manager Robbie, 26, is set to visit family friends in Wales. The trio opted to do their own thing for Christmas this year, after deciding it would be too difficult to spend it together without Lynda. ‘I think we all need a change of scenery this year,’ Michael said. Lynda's husband Michael Pattemore (left) is planning to spend Christmas in Dubai so he doesn't have to face being at home without her. Christopher Biggins (right), a close friend of the actress, supports his decision . Lynda, a former star of TV show Loose Women, pictured alongside Coleen Nolan and Janet Street-Porter . Lynda's husband Michael Pattemore (left) and son Michael Peluso carry her coffin into the church ahead of her funeral in Crewkerne, Somerset, on November 3. The funeral came ten years after Lynda met Michael . In a previous interview with Yours magazine, Robbie said: ‘Mum always made Christmas very, very special for us. We’ll all miss her so much.’ And Michael added: ‘You can decorate the house, have a lovely tree and all the presents in the world but without mum it’s all just stuff. She turned stuff into magic.' Lynda, who was diagnosed with cancer in July last year, had hoped to spend one last Christmas with her family, before stopping chemotherapy in order to pass away in January. She made the decision in August to end her treatment to limit the amount of suffering her family would witness. However, the advanced state of her illness meant she was unable to die at home in the new year as she had dearly wished. Actor Christopher Biggins, who knew Lynda for 35 years and describes her as a ‘dear friend’ and ‘very special person’, said he could understand why her family wanted to get away for Christmas. He told The Sunday People: ‘Michael isn’t looking forward to Christmas knowing they won’t be celebrating together. ‘It would be painful for him to stay in London and spend the festive season without Lynda. ‘Lynda was a massive fan of Christmas. I think Lynda’s two sons will do their own things – they have their own friends and family. But Michael feels that he needs to be away from all the painful memories and he deserves that.’ In her last few weeks, before she died in the arms of her husband, Lynda spoke openly about her illness and its effect on her family. The mother of two was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list for her charity work. She is pictured with her husband Michael (together centre), sons Michael and Robbie Peluzo (left) and step-son Bradley . The actress starred in the Oxo adverts in the 1980s, which are set to return to honour her this Christmas . The actress, whose sister Barbara died from lung cancer, had been a high-profile supporter of Cancer Research UK and Macmillan Cancer Support. Her acting career included the title role in sitcom Faith In The Future and regular stage roles. The mother-of-two also appeared as the mother in a squabbling family in the Oxo adverts in the 1980s, and was awarded an OBE in the New Year Honours list for her charity work. The advert is set to make a return to TV screens this Christmas, after more than 150,000 fans joined a campaign to bring back the classic stock cube advert - to pay tribute to Lynda’s wish for one last Christmas. The actress was also a regular on panel show Loose Women, and filmed a special farewell episode where she spoke about her illness. More than two million viewers tuned in to the show last month to watch her final interview in a special farewell edition, recorded just days before her death. She was given a standing ovation as she entered the studio and told her co-stars how she wished to be remembered. Prior to her death, she also released an autobiography, There's Something I've Been Dying to Tell You, in which she openly discussed her illness. It sold thousands of copies in the days after her death and has since topped several best-sellers list. Figures from her publisher show the book sold 35,084 copies in the week after her death, more than double the next highest selling non-fiction hardback. | Michael Pattemore, 59, grieving following death of beloved wife Lynda, 66 .
Planning to spend Christmas in Dubai while her sons will visit their friends .
Actress died from cancer in October but hoped for one more Christmas . |
49,531 | 8c013da0e7222c59cf87ff63f1108c188a8b20ee | Charges of sexual assault against college football champion Jameis Winston from Florida State University that were dropped in December last year are being re-examined once again. An independent investigator claims to have found evidence that FSU administrators and Tallahassee police 'took steps to both hide, and then hinder' the investigation. A reporter for Fox Sports News has uncovered thousands of pages of documents. Winston was the target of a rape investigation after a fellow student said he sexually assaulted her while she was intoxicated back in December 2012 as a teammate filmed the act. Scroll down for video . Accused, Jameis Winston: University's police chief obtained original police reports at least four days before the case was turned over to the local prosecutor responsible for investigating serious crimes and filing criminal charges . The main suggestion is that the Tallahassee Police Department seemingly let the case go dormant for nine months. Police reports were effectively 'sat on' for almost a year before they were given to State Attorney Willie Meggs, but which point the chance of bringing charges against Winston was far weaker. Fox Sports News claims that on November 8, 2013, a reporter for the Tampa Bay Times contacted Tallahassee police to request copies of reports of the alleged rape involving Winston. The Tallahassee police forwarded the reports to David Perry, chief of the Florida State University Police Department. FSU officials and campus police then attempted to learn more about the reporter seeking the documents. In an e-mail to Perry obtained by FOX Sports, Bonasorte asked, 'Do we no (sic) if its sports dept?' later that morning the Tallahassee police records clerk sent an e-mail to Perry identifying the reporter who requested the documents. The university's police chief forwarded the reports to a high-ranking administrator in the Florida State athletic department, and within days they ultimately wound up in the hands of Winston's defense attorney . There was then some debate over a series of emails as to whether a report had been released into the media. Four days later on November 12, a reporter from TMZ came by to ask for more information over the assault charges. This time, Jim Russell of the FSU police responded: 'I can advise you that Jameis Winston is not under any investigation by the FSUPD, nor has he been questioned regarding any criminal case by the FSUPD. I just called the on-duty shift to make sure nothing was breaking right now and they report nothing regarding Winston going on. Thank you for contacting me regarding this rumor – I am glad I can dispel that one.' Although Russell's e-mail was accurate, Winston, was the subject of an investigation by the Tallahassee Police Department, not the university police department . Russel then sent and email to the FSU Police Chief Perry and Jeanette M. DeDiemar, associate vice president for integrated marketing and communications saying: 'Wow – crazy! Rumor control!' Two critical witnesses signed affidavits backing Winston's version of the incident even before police had spoken to them . The following day, on November 13, Willie Meggs, Florida's State attorney was notified of the allegations against Winston. Winston's attorney, Tim Jansen, had received the police reports days earlier. In the days that followed, Jansen met with Winston's teammates Chris Casher and Ronald Darby, who had witnessed some of the sexual encounter between Winston and the woman . A notary was hired who recorded identical statements by Casher and Darby swearing that the encounter was consensual before they had even spoken to the police. TMZ then published the first report of the allegations against Winston that night, hours after Meggs had first learned of their existence. By this point, it was almost a week after the allegations had been made and key witnesses had been . University administrators and Winston’s attorney, Tim Jansen, had a head start on the state attorney in Tallahassee responsible for investigating and prosecuting serious crimes. Florida State administrators, had all the police reports at least four days before State Attorney Willie Meggs was handed the case. Jameis Winston, 20, won the Heisman Trophy while guiding Florida State's football team to a national championship, but he has been involved in a number of embarrassing off-field incidents . | University's police chief obtained original police reports at least four days before the case was turned over to the local prosecutor responsible for investigating serious crimes and filing criminal charges .
The university's police chief forwarded the reports to a high-ranking administrator in the Florida State athletic department, and within days they ultimately wound up in the hands of Winston's defense attorney .
Two critical witnesses signed affidavits backing Winston's version of the incident even before police had spoken to them . |
127,464 | 30c00c831f9a5040d0f6c77158c4160979c9c8b3 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 08:52 EST, 24 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:36 EST, 24 May 2013 . A grandfather who harassed a neighbour by parking cars with rude number plates has been jailed for a year. It is the second time grandfather Barrie Barker, 58, has been locked up for breaching an anti-social behaviour order imposed in a long-running dispute. The row began over cars on and around Barker's home in a quiet cul-de-sac in Lundwood, Barnsley, South Yorkshire. Barker was already subject to an ASBO for harassing former magistrate Barry Roddis when he parked cars in front of Mr Roddis' home with the number plates R 5OUL and GRA55 R. Barrie Barker (left), pictured with the number plates he left on a car outside the home of former magistrate Barry Roddis (right), has been jailed for a year for breaching his ASBO . He was jailed for four months for breaches of the ASBO in March, 2010 and has now been jailed for a year for further breaches of the ASBO. Mr Roddis, 72, and his wife Phyllis, 71, have suffered nine years of abuse from Barker and Mr Roddis has suffered a nervous breakdown, a court heard. He and his wife moved into the street 12 years ago and the abuse started when Mr Roddis was asked to speak up on behalf of the residents about Barker mending cars on his driveway. In the latest breaches of his ASBO, Barker has smashed their garden fence, stalked them when they went out, blocked their driveway and shouted verbal abuse. The Roddis' were forced to install audio CCTV cameras in their front and back gardens to gather evidence against Barker. Dispute: The two men's homes. Roddis suffered mental health problems as a result of the intimidation . Mr Roddis said: 'We have been locking ourselves in, it has been very difficult. We couldn't even take out dog for a walk. 'He was at it all the time, we couldn't go out in the street. I have had to have psychiatric treatment. I was suicidal, it was that bad.' His angina has also worsened and he has been forced to step down as a magistrate in Barnsley because of the stress. The couple stopped friends from visiting their home and were so afraid of Barker they would not leave each other alone in the house. Mr Roddis said: 'I'm not surprised he has been sent to jail. The police told us to report everything so we did. Anyone else who is suffering this kind of behaviour should report everything, don't just give up. 'I've noticed a difference since he was jailed, it's been a lot quieter.' The couple refused to move because they liked their home and feared it would be difficult to sell because of the dispute. A 'for sale' sign has recently gone up outside Barker's property. When Barker was jailed for four months at Sheffield Magistrates Court he claimed the bail conditions before sentencing breached his human rights because he was banned from entering his own home. The empty house was burgled and he claimed to have suffered a £20,000 and damage. Members of his family refused to stand in court despite being asked twice when the district judge passed her sentence. Barker's solicitor was yesterday unable to comment. | Barrie Barker parked cars with plates reading 'R 5OUL' and 'GRA55 R'
Victim Barry Roddis suffered health problems as a result of harassment .
Barker has now been jailed for a year after breaching an Asbo . |
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