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216,733 | a49671f9242cf9982064865eac15f3faf8a66c04 | Mysterious bright lights in the sky have been baffling astronomers and amazing the public from coast to coast all weekend. Reports of unusual red and blue lights streaking across the sky from San Francisco to Washington DC have been coming in since Friday, with seasoned sky watchers claiming that they are moving too slow to be meteors. Some have speculated that they could be a secret missile test or space junk falling to earth, but as of Monday morning there was no word from NASA or the Defense Department to confirm either of these theories. Scroll Down for Video . What is it? The light lit up the sky from the West Coast of the country to the East Coast over the weekend . Social media lit up on Saturday on the West Coast as more than 100 people from British Columbia to San Francisco saw a strange streak of light tear across the night sky. 'I am used to seeing planes early in the morning with lights, but this was different,”' said one bystander. 'This had something coming out of it, it wasn’t just the light. I could see it spraying something.' On Sunday evening on the other side of the country, reports began coming in of a bright light in the sky witnessed from Pittsburgh to New York City. Lighting up the sky: According to experts the trail behind the light appears to be vapour and is too long to be a genuine shooting star . Unusual: The lights appeared to witnesses from over the weekend - but the US Air Force have denied any missile tests took place . Described as a bright white or yellow flash, the American Meteor Society was inundated with eye witness accounts. Despite there being two meteor showers taking place currently across the northern hemisphere, astronomers are unsure if the evidence points towards shooting stars. The Southern Taurid meteor shower usually produces shooting stars and the less well known Piscids usally peak in later September and October. Bing Quock of the Morrison Planetarium at the California Academy of Scienes said that he needs to see more evidence. 'Looking at the website of the American Meteor Society, it looks like there are several reports of a large bright object falling through the sky,' he said to CBS San Francisco. 'It’s rather unusual in that this one had a rather large tail following behind it.' Geral McKeegan of the Chabot Space and Sciene Center in Oakland had interesting conclusions. 'We’re thinking maybe it was either a piece of space junk that has fallen out of orbit and into our atmosphere or it might have been some kind of a missile test launch,' said McKeegan. However, the US Air Force Based at Vandenburg said no missile launches have taken place this weekend. | Sky lit up by unusual blue lights from San Francisco to Washington DC .
Astronomers believe the lights were not meteors but secret missile tests . |
48,131 | 87dc5158d5d809db5a99e41499b0c82e7978c325 | It's starting to feel like Groundhog Day for women in corporate America. Another year, another story of zero growth for women when it comes to holding corporate board seats and executive office positions, according to a new report by Catalyst, a nonprofit focused on women and business. For the eighth year in a row, the group found no significant change in the number of female members of corporate boards, with women holding 16.9% of board seats in 2013 versus 16.6% last year. And while there was big news earlier this week when Mary Barra was named GM's new chief executive officer -- the first woman to head a major U.S. automaker -- there has been no uptick in the total number of female executive leaders for the fourth year in a row, according to Catalyst. Last year, women had 14.3% of executive officer positions, and this year the percentage is nearly the same, 14.6%. "I would look at the numbers and say, for those companies who are not making the advancement of women to leadership a priority, they should really be embarrassed," said Deborah Gillis, Catalyst's chief operating officer, who will take over as president and chief executive officer in January. "There is absolutely no excuse in 2013 to continue to have women underrepresented to this degree in the leadership of Fortune 500 companies." Consider Twitter, where women weren't just underrepresented on the company's board -- they didn't exist. That is, until earlier this month when the company, after criticism of its all-male board, named its first female board member: Marjorie Scardino, the former chief executive officer of a London-based education and media conglomerate. Why no change for women at the top? The big question is: Why so little movement for women? Why -- at a time when women make up half the labor force, when there has been plenty of research on how a diverse board and leadership team of men and women improves a company's bottom line and when women have been thinking more about "leaning in" through marriage and motherhood -- are we finding absolutely no change for women at the top? Tom Falk is chairman and chief executive officer of Kimberly-Clark Corp., one of the 20% of companies where women hold one-quarter or more of executive officer positions. In fact, at Kimberly-Clark, four out of 10 executive officers are women and 25% of the board's seats are held by women. In his view, the issue isn't about equity or fairness, but attracting the best talent, which benefits a company's bottom line. "Malcolm Gladwell tells a very simple analogy," said Falk, a Catalyst board member, during a phone interview. "If you and I were going to pick an all-star team and we had a room with a hundred people in it and you got to pick your share of the team from the whole hundred people and I only got to pick from 50 people on the right side of the room, who would have a better team? You would," he said. "For some reason, I think lots of management teams aren't seeing it that way. They're picking the best athlete for a role, but they are not really insisting on a diverse slate and looking broadly to make sure they've got talent from all the best pools that are available to them," said Falk, a 30-year company veteran. What stands in the way of women . Charlotte Laurent-Ottomane is executive director of The Thirty Percent Coalition, a national advocacy organization focused on getting 30% of board seats in the United States to be held by women by the end of 2015. One big stumbling block for women, she said, is the length of term limits on boards, which, on average, are about 10 years. "If you are not renewing your board, regardless of who your candidates are, except for every 10 to 20 years, then you are obviously not going to bring any new candidates in." Laurent-Ottomane also said the composition of many boards is a problem: "If you take a board (where) the leadership is only considering sitting or former CEOs of their industry, which I think most corporate governance experts would agree ... is not a healthy approach ... obviously, you are not going to get women because it goes all the way down the food chain." Part of the challenge, too, is convincing male leaders there's not a limited supply of strong female candidates. Men and women see different reasons for why there aren't more women on corporate boards, according to a survey of more than 1,000 board members from around the world in 2010, 2011 and 2012 by Harvard Business School professor Boris Groysberg and researcher Deborah Bell. "When it came to trying to understand ... why we are not making as much progress having more women on boards, you had male board directors who basically said, 'You know what, there's not enough supply,'" said Groysberg, who created a class at Harvard Business School focusing on ways to get more women on corporate boards. "Then you have another side -- you have female boards of directors who are basically saying it has nothing to do with supply. What's happening is that it's impossible to get on boards. So you have two very different explanations," he said. Falk, the CEO, shared a story from an executive many years ago who wanted to hire a female sales rep on his team. "His group that was doing the hiring came back and said, 'You know what, we've looked and looked and we just can't find good female sales reps. Can we just hire from our usual sources?'" "He said, 'Well, I'll tell you what: I want to first interview all the females that you've rejected.' So guess what? They went out and found some female sales reps." What works to add female leaders . While the story for women in corporate America hasn't changed much over the last several years, there's a completely different narrative for women in many other countries. "The bottom line is countries around the world are paying attention," said Gillis of Catalyst. "The key is, they're saying this is a priority and we need to act now." In Australia, the country launched a "Male Champion of Change Initiative," which, among other measures, includes having companies publicly disclose their gender diversity targets. Since then, women's share of executive officer positions jumped from 8.3% in 2009 to 16.6% in 2013, Gillis said. In England, after a call for companies to voluntarily increase targets for the number of women in leadership, women's representation in the FTSE 100 Index or the "footsie" -- the 100 companies listed on the London Stock Exchange -- jumped to almost 19% from 12.5% in 2011, according to Catalyst. Some European countries, like Norway, have gone further, mandating controversial quotas, requiring a certain number of seats of every company's board be filled by women. Laurent-Ottomane of The Thirty Percent Coalition likes much of what other countries are doing, but said she believes quotas wouldn't be effective in the United States. "Quotas basically force companies to bring in candidates just to achieve (a) goal, and I'm not sure that's necessarily the most healthy way to put a board together," she said. The key, Laurent-Ottomane said, is getting the commitment and engagement of corporate leaders themselves. "If corporate leaders engage and work together and try to determine tactically how we do this, I think that we will be successful," she said. Putting diversity on the agenda . Falk, who has been leading Kimberly-Clark for 10 years, said he probably didn't put enough emphasis on the issue of advancement for women early in his tenure as CEO. "I had women on my team. I was supporting the diversity, but it wasn't enough on my leadership agenda. I wasn't pushing hard enough on it so my board pushed me to say, 'Hey, you've been going sideways for a couple of years on this. What are you going to do to get it on your agenda?'" Groysberg's new class at Harvard focuses on what women can do to build their careers, what organizations can do to create more inclusive cultures and what governments can do to help. For many reasons, he sees a personal stake in the future. "I have four children, two are girls and they're pretty young," he said. "I am going to do everything in my power to make sure that I helped to build companies in 10 years that will be much, much more receptive to my daughters than the companies that I know exist in 2013." Follow Kelly Wallace on Twitter and like CNN Living on Facebook. | Eighth consecutive year of no growth in female corporate board seats, new report says .
No change in number of women executive officers, nonprofit Catalyst report finds .
One CEO says companies should focus on finding the best talent, including women .
Harvard survey: Some male board directors think there aren't enough female candidates . |
99,975 | 0cd300fbaf9264c9bbf8fa4a55e35cdafe0e9d6b | (CNN) -- It's a good day for Real Madrid. Not only has the 10-time European champion signed World Cup-winning star Toni Kroos, it's also been named the most valuable sports team on the planet. Kroos, who starred during Germany's triumph in Brazil which culminated in a 1-0 win over Argentina in Sunday's final, penned a six-year deal Thursday after his transfer from Bayern Munich was completed in a reported $34 million deal. Business magazine Forbes values Real at $3.4 billion, more than archrivals Barcelona and English giants Manchester United. It suggests "Los Blancos" earned $78 million for its victorious European Champions League campaign -- Real beat city rival Atletico Madrid in the final -- contributing to an unrivaled total revenue of $675 million. Barca, which recently completed the signing of Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez for a reported $128 million, is valued at $3.2 billion, while 20-time English champion United is worth $2.81 billion. The only other European football team in the top 10 is Kroos' former club Bayern, which is ranked seventh on $1.85 billion. Baseball's New York Yankees is fourth on the list ($2.5 billion,) with fellow Major League Baseball franchise the Los Angeles Dodgers at six with a total worth of $2 billion. Four National Football League franchises feature in the top 10, with the Dallas Cowboys -- valued at $2.3 billion -- in fifth. The New England Patriots ($1.8 billion,) Washington Red Skins ($1.7 billion) and New York Giants ($1.55 billion) are eighth, ninth and 10th respectively. | Real Madrid completes the signing of midfielder Toni Kroos .
Kroos moves from Bayern Munich after winning the World Cup with Germany .
Real is ranked by Forbes as the most valuable sports team in the world .
Barcelona and Manchester United complete and all football top three . |
254,516 | d57478a36d73e1e917babb407ab435a307b5803d | He has long been accused of chillaxing on the job. Now it seems Larry the Downing Street moggy has had one cat nap too many for his owner's liking. In his second major reshuffle in two weeks, David Cameron has reportedly sacked his pet as Chief Mouser to the Cabinet after finally growing tired of Larry's lethargy. One chillax too many: Larry the Downing Street cat has been sacked as chief mouse catcher by David Cameron after a dismal performance this year . New predator: Mr Cameron has brought in Chancellor George Osborne's tabby Freya (above) as the chief mouser in place of Larry . It took Larry six months in the post before he made his first 'confirmed kill' last month and he doesn't appear to have made any since. The breaking point came on Thursday when the Prime Minister found Larry asleep on his chair in his Number 10 study as a mouse ran across the room, according to The People. He attempted to wake Larry to spur him into action, but all the feline could manage was to open one eye and duly didn't budge an inch. Mr Cameron has now drafted in Chancellor George Osborne's tabby Freya as the new Mouser of State to patrol Numbers 10, 11 and 12. Sources claim Larry will be completely sidelined and have described the new arrangement as a 'job share' to avoid any hurt feelings. Freya, who returned to Downing Street after going missing for three years, is thought to an altogether tougher and more street-wise predator. Lethargic: Larry prepares to ambush a mouse, but misses. He finally made his first 'confirmed kill' after six months in the job . Paw prowler: Larry was recruited last February to rid No 10 of its rodent problem, but swiftly earned a reputation for napping rather than ratting . Larry finally made his first kill last month in what has been a barren year for the five-year-old. Larry was recruited last February to rid No 10 of its rodent problem, but swiftly earned a reputation for napping rather than ratting. Olly Grender, deputy director of communications at No 10, tweeted: ‘Just arrived at work. Larry the cat sitting proudly outside No 10 front door with a dead mouse next to him.’ She added: ‘Contrary to popular belief Larry is not a tart for the cameras and moved.’ In June, he was photographed soaking up the sunshine in the middle of Downing Street. But he soon found himself hoisted up by a police protection officer and dumped unceremoniously by No 11, where David and Samantha Cameron live. On the hunt: Freya was just a few months old when she went missing from the Osbornes’ home three years ago, but was returned to them earlier this year . Trading places: Freya lives with the Osbornes in . the flat above No 10 (right), while the Camerons and their cat Larry . live above No 11 (left) Larry, a rescue cat from Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, was hailed as a ‘good ratter’ and having ‘a high chase-drive and hunting instinct’ when he first arrived in Downing Street. But his career has, until now, been less than successful. Indeed, last year a photographer caught him as he pounced for a mouse – and missed. Larry's life was turned upside down in June when Mr Osborne's long-lost cat Freya was found safe and well, raising concerns that a turf war may break out. Freya was just a few months old when she went missing from the Osbornes’ Notting Hill home three years ago. Mr Osborne, wife Frances and their two young children Luke and Liberty searched the streets of West London and put up ‘lost’ posters, but to no avail. They gave up hope long before moving into Downing Street last year, assuming the cat had got lost – or worse, been run over. So they transferred their affections to the family budgie, Gibson, named after RAF Dambusters hero Guy Gibson, and two goldfish. But earlier this year, Frances, an author, received a phone call telling her Freya was alive and well. She had been living as a stray in a garden a few streets away from the Osbornes’ Notting Hill house, lovingly fed and looked after by a neighbour who had not seen the posters. | PM drafts in Chancellor's tabby Freya instead . |
57,422 | a2b3b89b9357c20be0a2390088274c227abbfb97 | By . Associated Press and Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 22:08 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:47 EST, 2 August 2013 . Promising career: Advertising executive Jennifer Rosoff was on a first date when she plunged to her death . A horrified man was heard screaming 'My friend fell! She fell off the building!' after his date plummeted to her death from a 17th-storey balcony. Stephen Close, 35, had been out to dinner with Jennifer Rosoff, 35, on Wednesday evening before she invited him back to her apartment in New York. At just before 1am yesterday the pair, who were on their first date, went onto the . narrow balcony of the apartment for a cigarette. But when Miss Rosoff placed her leg on the railing to stretch, insisting to her concerned . date that it was safe, the balcony collapsed, sending the successful advertising executive plummeting 140 feet to her death. As reported by the New York Post, witnesses heard Mr Close, who works in real estate, scream : 'My friend fell! She fell off the building!' A witness said he was 'hysterical' and ran outside screaming 'Oh my god!' Speaking to the newspaper, a police source said Mr Close tried to warn the woman to get down. He heard two pops before the railing buckled, sending his date plummeting to the ground. 'He . looked at the balcony, and he told her, "Look, this thing looks . unstable. Hey, maybe you want to get down," the source said. Emergency crews pronounced Rosoff dead at the scene. The medical examiner will determine a cause of death. Rosoff, . who graduated from Tulane University in New Orleans with a degree in communications, worked at The New . Yorker, Lucky Magazine and Cosmopolitan before recently joining a new . media advertising startup called TripleLift employing about 15 people, . according to her LinkedIn profile. ‘Her . tremendous energy and humor brought so much joy to the office,’ the . chief executive, Eric Berry, said in a statement. ‘The entire company is . distraught by the loss of Ms. Rosoff — she will be deeply missed.’ Her Twitter account was updated shortly before her fatal fall. As news of Rosoff's tragic death spread online, tributes started pouring in from devastated co-workers and friends. Rosoff's sister, Alexis Treeby, heard about her sister's tragic demise at about 5am. 'She was a lovely person. My children adored her,' Treeby told DNAinfo. 'She was kind, generous and did charity work.' Jennifer Rosoff, 35, plunged 17 floors to her death after the balcony railing gave way when she leaned on it . The two metal balcony railings on Rosoff's corner apartment were bent down in a V-shape . Those . who knew her described Rosoff as an 'A-player' in the highly . competitive media advertising field who was career-driven and very . athletic. ‘Jenn was a force to be reckoned with, smart, dynamic and charismatic,’ Lisa Hughes, the publisher of The New Yorker, told the New York Times. Danny Bellish, 26, a sales manager at the food magazine Saveur, recalled to amNY how in 2009, Rosoff drew a map for him on the back of a menu outlining all the things he needed to do to advance his career. Rosoff, who at the time worked for . Cosmopolitan, also helped Bellish's girlfriend land an internship and . organized a trunk show for his mother's jewelry business. The gray brick high-rise building on Manhattan's Upper East Side was built before World War II. Only . the higher-floor corner apartments have balconies, and the city's . buildings department ordered residents to stay off them following the . woman’s deadly fall. A . photo of the corner balcony of the apartment where Rosoff lived shows . the top two metal railings bent down in a V-shape. Buildings officials . took part of the broken railing to examine how it could have given way . and plan to determine whether the other balconies are structurally . sound. The company that manages the upscale . Manhattan building was slapped with a fine earlier this year . for filing a safety inspection reports several months late, it was . revealed tonight. However the safety inspection was carried out and residents maintain the building was well maintained. In . 2010, after 24-year-old social worker Connor Donohue fell from his . 24th-floor balcony at 330 East 39th Street when the railing gave way, . the city conducted safety inspections on hundreds of residences. Tenants . at 16 buildings were ordered to stay off their balconies because they . were deemed unsafe. 'A-player': Rosoff's friends described her as a 'force to be reckoned with' who was career-driven and athletic . Some 800 . building owners failed to file mandatory inspection reports on the . safety of their balconies and terraces, officials found. They are . required to file every five years. For . Rosoff's building, which was bought by the property management company . Stonehenge a year-and-a-half ago, the inspection report was last filed . in February several months past due, causing the company to incur a $250 . penalty. Local . residents said their apartment building is well-maintained and that Stonehenge has been making major improvement to the units. In . a written statement, the management company said: ‘This is a tragedy and . our sincere condolences go out to the family and friends of Ms Rosoff. Dynamic: Rosoff, a graduate of Tulane University, worked at The New Yorker, Lucky Magazine and Cosmopolitan before recently joining a new media advertising startup . ‘We are cooperating fully with the investigation into the cause of this terrible accident.’ Those . who knew the 35-year-old described her as an 'A-player' in the highly . competitive media advertising field who was career-driven and very . athletic. Jennifer . Rosoff went outside for a cigarette with her date, who she met online, . about 12.50am Thursday when the railing of the narrow balcony collapsed . after she propped her leg on it to stretch, according to DNAinfo. When . the volunteer charity worker's date told her that it wasn't safe to . lean on the railing, she insisted she 'did it all the time' before . tumbling from the Stonehedge 57 apartment ledge, landing on construction . scaffolding on the first floor. Emergency crews pronounced Rosoff dead at the scene. Associated Press said the railings were made of metal, which witnesses claim were 'bent and twisted'. New York Post claims its sources revealed the date told police he heard two sharp pops before the railing collapsed. Police have cleared the man, who had met Rosoff in person for the first time that night, of any possible wrongdoing. DNAinfo reported the man's parents answered his apartment door and said he . was home, but declined to comment. Neighbors . at the 400 East 57th Street building, near First Avenue in Manhattan's . Midtown East, compared the sound of Rosoff's fall to a 'gunshot' and a . 'punch'. Soda executive Steve Hersch, who lives two doors down from Rosoff, told DNAinfo: 'I heard a bang. I thought it was a gunshot.' Sara Shubert said: 'It sounded like a 200-pound punch.' Precaution: The city's buildings department ordered residents to stay off their balconies following the woman¿s deadly fall . Jennifer Rosoff, 35, has plunged to her death while on her first date after the railing on her 17th-floor New York City balcony gave way . Meanwhile the Department of Buildings issued a vacate order for the building's . balconies this morning, saying conditions there were 'imminently . perilous to life'. A department spokeswoman told New York Times that inspectors were investigating conditions and would report on their findings later today. However, Daily News reported . the building was cited for a construction violation on June 27, . according to the Department of Buildings online records. | Jennifer Rosoff, 35, was on a first date when she fell to her death .
She placed leg on balcony but it gave way and sent her plummeting 140 feet .
Neighbours heard horrifying screams of her date Stephen Close, 35 .
Police source said Mr Close tried to warn the woman to get down . |
69,652 | c572ce13b199ca1edf8a8a2127313dd0f5735f54 | By . Oliver Pickup . Last updated at 7:22 PM on 11th August 2011 . Peace talks between American and the Taliban, which were being held in secret, have been 'blown out of the water' after details - including the identification of the Taliban's negotiator - were leaked. In a bitter blow to both parties, Tayyab Agha, Taliban leader Mullah Omar's former private secretary, was outed as the man leading his side's negotiations, which have been halted in their infancy. The breakdown of the talks, which began before the death of Osama bin Laden, has sparked claims that the details of the clandestine meetings were deliberately leaked by 'paranoid' Afghan government figures. Tayyab Agha, the former private secretary to Taliban leader Mullah Omar, has been outed as the man leading the negotiations . It has come to light that the meetings, designed to broker a peace deal between the terrorist group and its opponents who have fought a decade-long bloody war in Afghanistan and on the Pakistani border, took place in Germany and Qatar this year. It is alleged that Agha met with senior officials from the US State Department and Central Intelligence Agency, and the discussions were mediated by Michael Steiner, Germany's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Western diplomats indicated that the negotiations had only been at the preliminary stage, and were designed to show the Taliban, who admitted to the 9/11 attacks 10 years ago which killed 3,000 people, that the U.S. and its allies are deadly serious about forging peace. The diplomats told the Daily Telegraph that the terrorist group's leaders were wary of opening talks with the Americans, as they thought that the U.S. only wanted to find out their movements. Germany's special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Michael Steiner was reported to be mediating the discussions . Further, the leaders believed that if news of the discussions were publically aired, they would lose face and credibility in the wake of their former leader, bin Laden's killing in May. However, following just three meetings - one in Qatar and the other two in Germany held in March and April - details have been leaked to the Washington Post and German newspaper Der Spiegel - both named Agha as the principal Taliban negotiator. Sources suggest that Agha has not been seen since the revelations, despite the efforts of American officials, who attempted to contact him through intermediaries in Quetta and Peshawar in Pakistan. According to the leaks, talks between the U.S. and the Taliban had taken place before he was killed in May . 'The talks were a big deal, the real thing,' a source 'close to the talks' told the Telegraph. 'I hope people will learn the lesson on the importance of confidentiality in the early stages. People in the US are horrified about what has happened.' Meanwhile other sources in Kabul - the second largest city in Afghanistan - also agreed that the discussions had been 'blown out of the water'. For years the Taliban had rejected Afghan president, Hamid Karzai's attempts to get around the negotiation table. However, details of contact with a senior aide to Mullah Omar sparked quiet confidence in Kabul - U.S. officials wanted to keep the Afghan government in the loop, so told them of the meetings. The former deputy European Union representative in Kabul and an expert on the Taliban, Michael Semple believes that the leaking of the meeting's details will be hugely damaging to both sides. 'The Taliban have long claimed that they will drive the foreigners out by force before contemplating talks,' he told the Telegraph. 'They need a period of confidential contact to satisfy themselves that there is something serious on offer to warrant them taking the big step of acknowledging that negotiations have to start now and not after things have been settled on the battlefield. 'When the fact that talks had taken place and the identity of the Taliban envoy were leaked the Taliban shifted into their version of damage control. 'The leadership put it about that the contacts were nothing out of the ordinary. 'They were just routine discussions about prisoner releases, which a movement at war has to undertake periodically. 'It is hardly surprising that the Taliban chose to downplay the significance of Tayyab Agha's mission. 'In terms of progress towards negotiations which might end the war, it has proved a case of one step forward and two steps back.' | Only three meetings took place - one in Qatar and the other two in Germany .
Negotiations began before bin Laden killing in May .
Expert: One step forward, two steps back . |
224,061 | ae22c87fc3071a96a8fc14de4577d0070bee662c | A self-proclaimed member of 'Hitler's Order' from New Jersey lost custody of his son after he argued the state made no effort to find a psychologist to interview him who was not Jewish. An appeals court labeled the man's arguments 'unpersuasive.' The Hunterdon County man is identified in court papers by a fictitious name Ian and the initials I.H.C. to protect the identity of the 3-year-old boy, known by the factious name Henry. Hateful: A self-proclaimed member of 'Hitler's Order' from New Jersey (not pictured) has lost custody of his 3-year-old son after he argued the state made no effort to find a psychologist to interview him who was not Jewish . The child was removed from his parents shortly after he was born in November 2011. The boy's mother, named in court filings as Daisy, surrendered her parental rights last year. The state had terminated the father's parental rights of three older children in 2012. The Courier News of Bridgewater reported the man argued the state made 'no effort to find an alternative psychologist' who was not Jewish. According to court papers, the state said it attempted to provide the man with anger management, domestic violence and marital counseling. But the state said he refused to comply. The court said the man failed to respond to notices and didn't attend a court hearing because he said he was fearful for his life. Ian said he did not trust law enforcement to protect him because 'law enforcement doesn't care about someone with Swastikas and tattoos.' The father (not pictured), identified by the fictitious name 'Ian,' said he didn't trust law enforcement to protect him because 'law enforcement doesn't care about someone with Swastikas and tattoos' One of his tattoos reads, 'I hate DYFS,' which stands for 'Division of Youth and Family Services' - the former name of Division of Child Protection and Permanency. In his appeal of the state's decision to terminate his custody, Ian argued that the state failed to convey to him that his participation in counseling programs was necessary for him to keep his son. Ian reportedly told a caseworker that he wanted to go to 'federal buildings,' where he believed he had a better shot at winning his case. Court filings from 2010 described Ian as an abused child whose medical and psychological disabilities resulted in his being illiterate and unemployed his entire life. | The 3-year-old child was removed from his parents' New Jersey home shortly after he was born in November 2011 .
The father said he didn't trust law enforcement to protect him because 'law enforcement doesn't care about someone with Swastikas and tattoos'
One of his tattoos reads, 'I hate DYFS,' which stands for 'Division of Youth and Family Services' |
210,500 | 9c9ca7b8615d8a77bb3baee90f808ff520c4c716 | By . Margot Peppers . PUBLISHED: . 13:16 EST, 17 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:16 EST, 17 April 2013 . Sheryl Sandberg may be telling the women of the world to 'Lean In', but, according to a new study, 32per cent would still prefer to give up their career and rely on their partner for money. The poll - conducted by money-saving website CouponCodes4u - asked 2,135 adult females in the U.S. with full-time jobs: 'Would you prefer to work for a living, or be a "lady of leisure" and have your partner look after you financially?' While it found that the majority - 55per cent - would prefer to keep their careers, more than a third said they would rather be looked after by their other halves. A step back for feminism? A study has found that 32per cent of women in the U.S. would prefer to rely on their partner for money rather than work for a living . The remaining 13per cent of the women polled said they were unsure of their preference. The results are in opposition to the feminist message in Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's best-seller, Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead. In the book, Ms Sandberg discusses workplace inequality and the strains - many of them self-imposed - put on working women who also want to have families. She concludes that women must be more proactive in pursuing their ambitions in order to earn equality with men in the office. Mark Pearson, chairman of CouponCodes4u, said in a statement: 'Being a lady of leisure has always had somewhat of a negative connotation in the States.' Nevertheless, 79per cent of the respondents - all of whom were in co-habiting relationships - said that they would not feel guilty about their lifestyle if they shunned their career and relied on their spouse. The study also found that only 21per . cent of women would continue to work if their partner paid for the . majority of items and bills. Leaning back: The results are in opposition to the feminist message in Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's best-selling book Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead . In fact, over half - 56per cent - said . they thought their spouse should contribute more towards household bills . and payments if they earned more money in the relationship. And, although all of the women polled . were employed at the time of the survey, 57per cent admitted . that they frequently accepted money from their partner to pay for . purchases and restaurant meals. 'Being a lady of leisure has always had somewhat of a negative connotation in the U.S.' By contrast, just 17per cent said that they themselves regularly picked up the check when out to meals with their partner. When the women were asked which items their spouse was most likely to pay for in the relationship, the majority - 79per cent - said restaurant meals. Vacation was second on the list, with 75per cent of respondents saying that their partner was most likely to pay for their trips. And in third was food shopping, with 67per cent admitting they frequently let their spouse pay for household groceries. | Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg's best-selling book Lean In says that women must be more proactive in pursuing their ambitions . |
217,112 | a51b06b1e089f6c57f4e7a4622853509e96ae55f | A 19-year-old student has been left scarred for life after a stranger followed her out of a nightclub and brutally attacked her with a knuckle duster. Chloe Dutton, 19, was enjoying a Christmas night out in Southend, Essex, when the man followed her and her friends out of a nightclub, knocking two of them to the ground and striking her in the face. She was left with horrific facial injuries and needed emergency plastic surgery on a wound from her eye to her cheek which was pouring with blood. She now faces further operations on a broken eye socket. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT . Chloe Dutton, 19, was enjoying a Christmas night out in Southend, Essex, with friends when a stranger followed them out of the nightclub and attacked Miss Dutton with what is believed to be a knuckle duster . The student, who is currently studying at Kent University, pictured left before the Boxing Day attack and right while waiting in A&E following the incident. She needed emergency plastic surgery for the deep wound . The incident occurred as Miss Dutton, from Westcliff, Essex, left Talk nightclub with two friends on Boxing Day and went to get a takeaway near Southend Bus Station. They became aware they were being followed by a man and told him to stop pestering them. However, he then knocked two of them to the ground before targeting Miss Dutton by punching her in the face with what is thought to be a knuckle duster. The student, who is studying social work at Kent University, said: 'I went out with two girlfriends on Boxing Night. 'As we walked along the road we realised we were being followed. He kept trying to separate me from my friends. 'My friends told him I wasn't interested and to go away but he started attacking them. He got them on the floor and kicked them several times, then he attacked me. 'The police and ambulance were called but the ambulance didn't come. The police took us to hospital. 'I was in a lot of pain and the wind was blowing on a huge gash from my eye to my cheek so my friends asked if I could sit in the police van. The blood was pouring down my face.' Miss Dutton said the attack was completely unprovoked and neither she nor her friends knew the man. The attack has left Miss Dutton with horrific facial injuries (left), including a broken eye socket (right) Miss Dutton was attacked by a man who was believed to be using a knuckle duster (like the one pictured) She added: 'I had to wait five hours in A&E and when they did examine me they transferred me immediately to Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford. I had to have plastic surgery and didn't leave hospital until Sunday night. 'I have to go back for a CAT scan. They said he must have been using some sort of knuckle duster to do so much damage and that I will be scarred for life. 'I might have to have more surgery on the broken eye socket, which will leave more scars. 'They will decide whether to use a plate or let it heal naturally.' A police spokesman said: 'We were called at 2.10am to reports an Asian man assaulted a woman and her two friends. 'The women reported they were walking through town when he began speaking to them. 'They asked him to stop as they didn't know him and at that point he assaulted them. 'One girl was badly injured and has a fractured eye socket. A police vehicle took them to hospital.' Police said the man is described as Asian, about 25-years-old and was wearing a black jacket, jeans and a grey hat. An ambulance spokesman said: 'We were called at 2.09am to the bus station in Southend to reports of a woman in her late teens with a facial injury. 'She was reported to have cuts to her left eye. At 2.38am we were told to stand down as the police were going to take the patient to hospital.' The spokesman confirmed an ambulance hadn't been dispatched by the time they were told to stand down. Anyone with information about the incident should contact Southend CID on 101. | Chloe Dutton was enjoying night out with friends when she was attacked .
19-year-old was with friends when man 'punched her with knuckle duster'
Suffered horrific facial injuries including broken eye socket and large cut .
Police appealing for information about Boxing Day incident in Southend . |
127,709 | 3113e24f16da01fab5de6943d1936b1cdf34360b | Mention Nepal and most people think snow-capped scenes, of 7,000-meter mountains and the climbers raring to conquer them. Is there much to the country beyond its mighty Himalayan peaks? Yes. Thankfully, for those who don't consider it a vacation to hike for days, eat out of tins and do their business in a hole in the ground, it's possible to "do" Nepal without scaling anything. Here are six ways to experience mountain country minus the mountain climbing. In search of the inner Buddha . Who knew a hum could be so infectious? The ubiquitous Buddhist mantra of "Om Mani Padme Hum" fills every monastery, shop and establishment in Nepal. For embracing the spirituality that's woven into this little mountain nation, Boudhanath -- Kathmandu's thriving Buddhist enclave and a UNESCO World Heritage site -- is a good place to start. The circular complex pulsates with the energy of chanting monks and Buddhist devotees. It might be a peaceful place of worship, but it's a riot of color. The ivory and yellow stupa in the center is wreathed in rainbow-hued prayer flags. Maroon-clad monks walk clockwise around the stupa, turning prayer wheels with their right hand, and lighting lamps. Anyone can join in, provided they remember to walk clockwise. Scattered along the back alleys in radial, unnamed roads, other smaller, incense-filled monasteries such as the Jamchen Lhakhang and Shechen Monastery are pockets of calm. In the large courtyard of Shechen, young monks in training sit with their books and smartphones, eager to take photos with visitors. In a ring around the stupa, little shops are crammed with singing bowls and thangka religious paintings. Rooftop restaurants like Cafe du Temple or Stupa View offers great view of the stupa. An hour's bus ride away from Kathmandu, visitors can spend a weekend at the guesthouse adjacent to Neydo Tashi Choeling Monastery to immerse themselves in Tibetan Buddhism, meditate in the Himalayas and find out what it's like to live with 200 monks. The money from paying guests helps fund the monastery. Neydo Tashi Choeling Monastery Guest House, Pharping, Kathmandu; +977 1 692 4606; double bed from $70 per night . Cafe du Temple, Boudhanath, Patan Durbar Square (south of Krishna Mandir), Kathmandu; +977 1 214 3256 . Stupa View, 10 meters from the Boudhanath stupa, Patan Durbar Square, Kathmandu; +977 1 491 4962 . Chill out at the end of the universe . "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" author Douglas Adams probably never dreamed his influence would be felt 2,200 meters up a Himalayan mountain in Nepal. In Nagarkot -- a village 30 kilometers from Kathmandu that sits quietly above the clouds -- the Hotel at the End of the Universe sits atop its own mountain with 180-degree views of terraced farms and the 7,000-meter peaks of the Annapurna and Langtang ranges. "The name is inspired by ['Hitchhikers' sequel] 'Restaurant at the End of the Universe'," says the splendidly monikered Oasis Bhaju, who's been running the place for the past 18 years. "The hippies were here many years ago," says Bhaju. "Someone suggested this name to my father saying it would bring him good luck. I think people like it because it reminds them of Douglas Adams' book." There's more than just the familiar name. On a clear day, the hotel offers a majestic view of the sunrise over Mount Everest. Low-roofed wooden rooms look out on hazy blue mountains poking up through the mist: the Ganesh Himal and Manasulu, to name a few. In the evening, over a Khukri rum or two with the super friendly hotel staff, guests can sometimes jam with them on their didgeridoos and djembes. Hotel at the End of the Universe, near Mahankal Temple, Nagarkot: +977 1 622 6500; standard room from $24 per night . Drink like a local . Nepalis like their booze, and they like it strong. While the words "khukri" (the curved Nepalese dagger) and "gorkha" (named for the fierce soldiers) may conjure images of fierce soldiers brandishing razor-edge machetes, in Nepal they hold the promise of a good time. Gorkha also gives its name to a bitter and heavy brand of Nepalese beer. Khukri is the local dark rum. Neither are for the easily intoxicated. Everest, a milder local brand of beer, goes down easier. One of the best places to rock out with the locals is at Purple Haze in Kathmandu's tourist-filled Thamel district. Most nights see a band belting out Hendrix and Led Zep covers to a dance floor rammed with locals letting their hair down. Khukri-induced courage might be needed to bust out some smooth moves among the expat and local crowd at Tuesday salsa nights at Tamarind in southern Kathmandu's Lalitpur district. Purple Haze, Paryatan Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu +977 984 118 1699 . Tamarind, Pulchowk, Lalitpur; Kathmandu +977 1 552 2626 . Make some momos . Any Nepali restaurant worth its spicy chutney is bathed in the scent of steamed momos, Nepal's version of dim sum, and hot thukpa noodle soup. Visitors may weary of them while in Nepal, but are sure to miss them when they leave. So how to cure those post-travel momo cravings? Social Tours offers momo-making lessons at a produce market close to its Thamel kitchen. The market is a good place to stock up on ingredients including flour for the dough, veggies or chicken, but it's also a great place to see everyday Nepali life. "Classes usually last two to three hours, but it really depends on the clients' speed," says Anura Rai, local trips consultant at Social Tours. Local women teach students how to make dough from scratch, get the proportions right, fold the dumplings into little bite-sized pockets and then whip up mean peanut and chili sauces to service with them. "Folding is quite difficult, clients take time to learn," says Anura. "It's an art and we teach them how to do it." Travelers choose what to pay depending on the experience they've had. Social tours, two classes held in Thamel daily from Monday-Saturday, 10:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.; pay what you like; +977 1 441 2508 . Be immersed in history and architecture . A paradise for history and architecture buffs, centuries-old traditional buildings dominate the durbar squares -- the plazas that form the ancient centers of Kathmandu. Patan, Kathmandu and Bhaktapur Durbar Squares, all listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites, echo a slower time, with old men in traditional caps playing cards on wood and brick plinths. The 17th-century Royal Palace stands on Patan Durbar Square. Its three courtyards, Sundari Chowk, Mul Chowk and Mani Keshav Narayan Chowk, were once home to Malla Dynasty kings. Scattered around it are temples. Some, like the pagoda-style Golden Temple, the shikhara-style Krishna temple with 21 gold pinnacles and the Kumbheshwar Temple with its five-tier roof, date from the 12th century. Often, a Nepali wedding takes place amid the crowds. The Kumari -- a young girl given worshipped as an incarnation of the Hindu goddess, Taleju, for the duration of her childhood -- sometimes makes an appearance at the Durbar Square's Kumari Chowk, where she lives. Enjoy cafe culture . It's been pulling in an eclectic range of global visitors since the days when it was established as a way station on the hippie trail, so it shouldn't be a surprise that Nepal has a burgeoning international food scene. Wafer-thin wood fired pizzas and tangy flavors from the Middle East are as easy to come by as local dal bhat (rice and lentils) and momos. Dhokaima in Lalitpur is a favorite with travelers for its leafy garden setting. The house special is the Nepali lamb kebab thali -- meat cooked slowly until falling off the bone, served with rice and veggies. The dish is best with a Coffee Puff, a concoction of rum and Kahlua. At New Orleans Cafe in Jhamsikhel, jazz comes with an American-style breakfast. A local musician starts the day with Nepali morning ragas on his flute, before seamlessly transitioning to Dave Brubeck's "Take Five." Dhokaima, Patan Dhoka, Lalitpur Nepal; +977 1 55 22113 . New Orleans Cafe, Jhamsikhel; +977 1 55 22708 . | Nepal isn't just a climbing destination but home to cool cafes, Buddhist traditions and unique architecture .
Apart from turning the prayer wheels at Boudhanath stupa, there are less touristy temples nearby .
Purple Haze is one of the best places to rock out in Kathmandu, fueled by local drinks like Khurki and Gorkha .
The three UNESCO World Heritage-listed Durban Squares are home to centuries-old traditional architecture . |
79,151 | e05de00dae0e0b18171d074cb84e0c7b0c367226 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Michael Gove suffered his first Commons defeat as Chief Whip today, as he was revealed to be the least popular senior Tory in the country. David Cameron rallied to the defence of his old friend, after dumping him from his role as Education Secretary in yesterday’s dramatic reshuffle. While teaching unions celebrated Mr Gove’s departure after bitter clashes over his leadership, supporters of his free schools programme have expressed dismay at his demise. Scroll down for video . Michael Gove, arriving in Downing Street today, was shunted from the Department for Education to become Chief Whip . Mr Gove’s sudden departure was one of the big shocks of the reshuffle, in which Mr Cameron promoted several women and Eurosceptics. His demotion to Chief Whip, without a major department to, leaves him outside the Cabinet and taking a £36,000 pay cut. As Chief Whip, Mr Gove is charged with ensuring Tory MPs turn up to vote on legislation. But on his first day in the job, he suffered a defeat over controversial plans for the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to audit Labour’s manifesto. Labour MP Alison McGovern has launched a backbench bill to enshrine the plans into law, but they are opposed by the government. In a parliamentary ambush, Labour MPs called both aye and no when asked to agree it to trigger a vote. With most Tory and Lib Dems MPs already heading to lunch after Prime Minister’s Questions, Labour won by 203 votes to 16. The vote is not binding, and the bill stands no chance of becoming law, but losing a vote within hours of taking the job is embarrassing for Mr Gove. Labour leader Ed Miliband mocked Mr Gove, as he sat on the front bench next to William Hague, Nick Clegg and David Cameron during PMQs . Mr Cameron heaped praise on Mr Gove's record on academies, free schools and raising standards . Earlier he was mocked in the Commons, as Labour leader Ed Miliband asked Mr Cameron: ‘We have always said we will support the Government when they do the right thing - so can I join thousands of parents across the country in congratulating you on getting rid of the Education Secretary? 'Why did you demote him?’ Mr Cameron hit back: 'Let me tell you what the former education secretary achieved. A record number of academies, new free schools, standards rising across the country, and reforms that will endure. 'But isn’t it extraordinary... on a day of a record increase in the numbers at work in our country, you will do anything not to talk about economic recovery, deficit falling, economy growing, numbers in work rising - and I’m not surprised you don’t want to talk about people in work, your own job looks a bit shaky.' Playing down his surprise shift yesterday, Mr Gove said: ‘Demotion, emotion, promotion, locomotion, I don't know how you would describe this move, though move it is, all I would say is that it's a privilege to serve.’ But his removal as the face of the government’s education reforms came after polls showed he was toxic for teachers – and voters. A new Ipsos/Mori survey today showed just 22 per cent of voters say they like him, half the 44 per cent who like Mr Cameron. A huge 58 per cent said they like Boris Johnson. Mr Gove has previously been tipped as a future Tory leadership candidate but the poll showed just 11 per cent of people think he has what it takes to be a good Prime Minister. Almost a third (32 per cent) backed Mr Johnson as a PM, followed by 30 per cent for Theresa May and 18 per cent who thought George Osborne has what it takes. | Michael Gove was demoted to Chief Whip in Cameron's dramatic reshuffle .
Gloating teachers celebrated the sudden demise of their Tory nemesis .
Strategists feared his 'toxic' reputation was damaging the education reforms .
Labour ambush him with surprise Commons vote, and win by 203 to 16 .
Poll shows just 22% of voters like him and 11% think he would be a good PM . |
206,542 | 976b408c2fc09be19e45b2eaa3f3d23d01a1b192 | Chemicals in make-up, perfume and plastic containers could be behind a surge in the incidence of asthma in children, researchers warned yesterday. Scientists have found that babies exposed to high levels of phthalates while in the womb are up to 78 per cent more at risk of the condition. They think the chemicals may be causing foetuses’ airways to become more sensitive, making them susceptible to asthma in their childhood years. The study says it is also worth considering cutting back on using any scented products – cosmetics, perfumes, air fresheners and detergents (File photos) The academics are urging parents to reduce the risk by avoiding using plastic containers, perfume and heavily scented washing detergents. Asthma rates in children in the UK have increased by between two and three times since the 1950s and a similar trend has been noticed in other Western countries. Researchers at the University of Columbia in New York measured the level of two types of phthalates – butylbenzyl and di-n-butyl – in the urine of 300 pregnant women. The mothers were then given questionnaires when their children were aged five, six, seven, nine and 11 to determine if they had asthma symptoms. The study, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, found that children born to women with the highest levels of butylbenzyl phthalate were 72 per cent more likely to develop asthma. ‘There are some simple steps families can take. Avoid using plastic containers and as much as you can store your food in glass jars in the fridge' Those with the highest levels of di-n-butyl phthalate were 78 per cent more at risk compared to women with low levels. Dr Robin Whyatt, of Columbia University, said: ‘These chemicals are very widely used in very high volume and they are not generally listed on labels. ‘There are some simple steps families can take. Avoid using plastic containers and as much as you can store your food in glass jars in the fridge. ‘Never microwave in plastic. It is also worth considering cutting back on using any scented products – cosmetics, perfumes, air fresheners and detergents.’ She also suggested women check their make-up on the internet for phthalates. Around 5.4million Britons have asthma, including 1.1million children, and it causes up to 1,250 deaths a year. Dr Samantha Walker, director of research and policy at the charity Asthma UK, said: ‘It is a complex condition and these new research findings need to be explored in much more detail.’ | Babies exposed to high levels of phthalates in the womb are up to 78% more at risk .
Scientist suggests women check their make-up on internet for phthalates .
Avoid using plastic containers and as much as you can store your food in glass jars in the fridge .
Around 5.4million Britons have asthma, including 1.1million children . |
64,102 | b60a855af5a7518790f48ec703e1edd877cff7c3 | (CNN) -- After deliberating for only 45 minutes, a jury convicted an Alabama man Thursday of throwing his four children off a Gulf Coast bridge in January 2008, according to prosecutors. Lam Luong, 38, admitted throwing the children, who ranged in age from 3 years to 4 months, off the Dauphin Island bridge south of Mobile, according to CNN affiliate WKRG. Charged with five counts of capital murder, he changed his plea to guilty last week. However, Alabama law requires that all capital cases go before a judge and jury, WKRG said. The sentencing phase of Luong's trial will begin Friday, the Mobile County District Attorney's office told CNN. Jurors will decide whether he should receive the death penalty or life in prison without parole. A judge is not bound by the jury's decision, however, and Alabama law requires an automatic appeal in capital cases. Luong and his wife were having marital difficulties, prosecutors said. WKRG reported that during opening arguments in the trial, prosecutors told jurors Luong threw the kids off the bridge so he could see the look on his wife's face. Luong was on crack at the time, and he told investigators they could charge him if they found the children's bodies before breaking into laughter, jurors were told. The defense called no witnesses, but told jurors Luong was intoxicated at the time and was incapable of forming the necessary intent to be convicted of a capital offense, asking them to convict him of manslaughter, WKRG said. During the trial, jurors heard about the search for the children's bodies and saw graphic video of the bodies floating in the water, the station reported. A commercial fisherman recording rough weather off the coast of Venice, Louisiana, found one body, while two duck hunters and a Mississippi marine officer found the other three, according to WKRG. Luong looked down, away from the overhead screens, when the photographs of the children's bodies were shown. CNN's Divina Mims contributed to this report. | Lam Luong, 38, admitted throwing the children off the Dauphin Island bridge .
Prosecutors said Luong threw the kids so he could see the look on wife's face .
The four children ranged in age from 3 years to 4 months .
The sentencing phase of Luong's trial will begin Friday . |
141,460 | 42ea7e4d125278c71cf0ba49ad1989272ac7b113 | Dog owners have healthier hearts than people who don’t have pets, research suggests. And those who already have cardiac problems may be more likely to survive if they have the companionship of a pet. The American Heart Association reviewed studies from around the world and concluded pet ownership, particularly dog ownership, ‘is probably associated with a decreased risk of heart disease’. Research suggests dog owners walk far more than other people, which could help descrease the risk of heart disease . The strongest data comes from studies which show that dog owners walk far more than other people. Research also credits pets with relieving stress and having a beneficial effect on obesity and cholesterol levels. Glenn Levine, who led the study, said there may also be a psychological benefit from simple companionship. The American Heart Association said the research doesn’t actually prove that the benefits come directly from the pets. For instance, it may be that healthier people are particularly likely to be animal lovers. The American Heart Association said the research doesn't actually prove that the benefits come directly from the pets (file picture) However, the links are strong enough for it to have issued a statement saying that pet ownership and, particularly dog ownership, may be associated with a decreased risk of heart disease. Dr Levine, of Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, said the benefits may come from a range of physical factors, including exercise and stress relief. Speaking as he walked his three dogs, he said: ‘A person may take better care of themselves if they have a good bond with a pet and feel better about themselves and are more motivated to live longer.’ He added that pet owners still need to take care of their heart in other ways. ‘The primary reason you should adopt or rescue or buy a pet is to give that pet a loving home and to derive enjoyment from the relationship . ‘We don’t want people to go out and adopt a dog or a cat and then sit on the couch eating potato chips and smoking a cigarette and assume they are now going to live longer.’ | American Heart Association reviewed studies from around the world .
It concluded pet ownership is 'probably associated' with decreased risk .
Strongest data came from studies which show dog owners walk more . |
71,170 | c9caf6bd2caec6f807190fcdefbc85b99971914b | What appear to be three bodies have been spotted on Mount Rainier in an area where six climbers went missing earlier this summer, National Park officials said Tuesday. The bodies were seen last week during a helicopter flight by park staff members, park spokeswoman Patti Wold said, adding that officials were trying to determine how to recover them without endangering rescuers. 'Rock and ice fall off the steep wall and an increase in new crevasses in the glacier below make this one of the most hazardous locations in the park,' Wold wrote in an email. Authorities believe the two guides and four climbers fell 3,300 feet during the dangerous climb in Washinton during the last week of May. Uday Marty (left) vice president of . Intel Corp. in Southeast Asia and climbing guide Eitan Green (right) are . believed to be among climbers likely to have plummeted to their deaths . on Mount Rainier in Washington in May . Amongst the six climbers missing on Mount . Rainier and presumed dead are guide Matt Hegeman (left) and climber Mark . Mahaney (right) Six climbers, including two guides, are now . believed to have fallen more than 3,000 feet to their deaths while . ascending Mount Rainier, a dormant volcano in Washington state . During the initial search, crews found gear and detected signals from avalanche beacons buried in the snow at the top of Carbon Glacier at 9,500 feet. It's unknown whether a rock fall or avalanche was to blame for the fall. All six people were experienced climbers who were taking a technical, challenging route to the top of the 14,410-foot (4,392-meter) mountain southeast of Seattle. Known as the Liberty Ridge route, it is not currently being climbed due to unstable conditions caused by increased rock and icefall from warm weather, Wold said. Last year, about 10,800 people attempted to climb Mount Rainier and only 129 used the Liberty Ridge route, according to park statistics. The vast majority use two other popular routes. The missing climbers had traveled from as far away as Singapore, Minnesota and New York to ascend the glacial peak. Experienced climber Mark Mahaney was on his second trip up Mount Rainier in Washington state . The climbers were last heard from via satellite phone about two days into their journey, when they had reached a height of 12,800 feet . Members of the group were Seattle-based Alpine Ascents International guides Matthew Hegeman and Eitan Green; Erik Britton Kolb, a 34-year-old finance manager at American Express, who had traveled from New York; Uday Marty, a vice president and managing director of Intel in Southeast Asia who was based in Singapore; Seattle mountain climber John Mullally; and Mark Mahaney, of St. Paul, Minnesota. Wold said that the Chinook flight out of Joint Base Lewis McChord was part of the park's ongoing limited search of the area for the climbers. According to his biography on Intel's website, Mr Marty, 40, managed sales and marketing in the region and had previously managed global notebook marketing out of the company's headquarters in Santa Clara, California. He joined the company in 1996. The firm's spokesman Bill Calder said he was 'widely loved and respected at this company. 'We are most definitely mourning his loss here,' he added. 'He was a guy with a great attitude, and he always had a big smile.' Alpine Ascents identified Matthew Hegeman, the lead guide as intense and philosophical with a good sense of humor. Another guide, Eitan Green, was described as being a 'strong leader' and quick to smile, the website said. | Climbers last heard from while they were in Liberty Ridge area at 12,800 ft .
Authorities say bodies may never be found because of hazardous terrain .
The climbers included two professional guides and Intel Corp Vice President Uday Marty .
Three bodies spotted last week very dangerous part of the mountain during a search using helicopters . |
20,944 | 3b733db6e80a89bb4062c1e661b9f9d4690ea0c8 | A baby orangutan finally has the strength to sit up and feed himself fruit after being caged in a chicken coop and fed only condensed milk for most of his short life. Tiny Budi stole hearts around the world when his horrific story of neglect at the hands of his owner was revealed by MailOnline. Now donations to the charity nursing him back from the brink of death have now topped £20,000 - many of them from kind-hearted readers. Vets from the British animal welfare charity said he is strong enough to lift a bottle of milk to his mouth and suck the juice from pieces of fruit. He was rescued in Indonesia by a Sussex-based charity from a hellish life as a family pet and cried like a human baby during the journey to his new home. Scroll down for video . Recovery: Budi is trying new foods but hasn't learned how to chew. He enjoys sucking the juice from slices of fruit . Strength: The tiny orangutan can now lift a bottle of milk if it is not too heavy and can sit up on his own . Since the baby orangutan's plight was publicised, he has become an international celebrity and his story has prompted the biggest response for an individual appeal ever witnessed by International Animal Rescue, the charity that brought him to safety in his native Borneo. Lis Key, from International Animal Rescue, said: 'When MailOnline reported the story of Budi the baby orangutan on January 22, it triggered a huge wave of response from the public and media across the world. 'Budi has appeared on websites, blogs and TV in Europe, Australia, New Zealand and America. 'Celebrities including Fearne Cotton, Joss Stone and Ricky Gervais have tweeted about Budi – and charity International Animal Rescue has received a staggering £20,000 in donations towards the appeal to help treat and care for the little baby. 'The charity is aiming to double that amount in the weeks ahead to cover the costs of Budi's care for what is likely to be six or seven years of rehabilitation before he can even be considered for release into the wild. 'And if little Budi doesn't regain the strength he will need to fend for himself in the forest, International Animal Rescue will have to cope with the costs of caring for him in their sanctuary for the rest of his life. 'And the latest news is that, slowly but surely, Budi is on the mend.' The charity estimates it will cost about £5,000 a year to care for the little orangutan. Although he is in a stable condition, he is still not out of the woods and simple tasks exhaust him. Before Budi was rescued, his owner hadn't given him a single mouthful of solid food for fear it would be bad for him. Her ignorance and neglect were killing the baby slowly and painfully, but she eventually told authorities she wished to hand Budi over. Tasty: Budi sucks the juice from a piece of fruit after living off canned condensed milk for the first 10 months of his life . 'We just hope we got to him in time and that someday, although it will be a long time from now, he will be able to live in the forest as a normal orangutan' Alan Knight OBE, the CEO of International Animal Rescue charity said: 'He was deprived of all the nutrients that are vital to the development of a young baby. 'His little body was bloated with fluid from severe malnutrition and his limbs were swollen and bent. 'He was completely unable to move or even sit up on his own. At more than a year old he should have been strong enough to climb and swing: instead he was as helpless as a newborn baby. 'When our team lifted Budi out of his cage in Kubing in Borneo to prepare him for the journey to our rescue centre ten hours away in Sungai Awan, his eyes literally filled with tears and he cried in agony. 'Everyone was distressed beyond words to see how much pain he was in. I don't know how much longer he could have endured so much suffering.' Budi had severe anaemia and months of malnutrition had left his joints swollen and badly deformed. He also had to be treated for a serious metabolic disease that may have caused permanent damage to his bones. The little orangutan could only sit up on his own for short periods and could not move his arms and legs fully. Exhausted: Budi sleeping on a makeshift bed alongside his orangutan and Angry Bird soft toys shortly after his rescue . Helping hand: Budi is being cared for by staff at International Animal Rescue after being saved from the chicken coop . Weak: His little body was bloated with fluid from severe malnutrition and his limbs were swollen and bent . Vet Christine Nelson now reports that Budi continues to improve every day. She said: 'Each milestone achieved is a wonder, but we remember that it's all relative. 'The swelling and pain in his body has receded, but this has revealed the misshapen and weak muscles of his arms and legs. International Animal Rescue, based in Uckfield, East Sussex saves animals, big and small, from suffering around the world. Work includes freeing and caring for dancing bears in India, rescuing primates from captivity in Indonesia, and sterilising and vaccinating stray dogs and cats in developing countries. Wherever possible, the charity returns rescued animals to their natural environment but it also provides a permanent home for those that can no longer survive in the wild. International Animal Rescue works to educate the public in the compassionate and humane treatment of all animals. Sound scientific evidence forms the basis of its decision-making and determines the course of its rescue operations. It also works with other like-minded organisations and government departments to strengthen legislation to protect animals from cruelty and neglect. 'Budi can lift a small bottle of milk to drink on his own now, but only if it's not too full or heavy. 'He is trying new foods all the time, and he is willingly opening his mouth to eat, but we are blending his food because he still hasn't learned how to chew. However he enjoys sucking the juice out of slices of fruit. 'We are excited that Budi can now sit up on his own for short periods of time before dropping off to sleep with the effort. 'The team remains optimistic, as Budi has a strong spirit and is being provided with supplements, vitamins and the care he needs to correct his abnormalities and help him continue to develop. 'We just hope we got to him in time and that someday, although it will be a long time from now, he will be able to live in the forest as a normal orangutan.' To donate £10 towards the cost of Budi's care, please text BUDI10 £10 to 70070. Severe malnutrition: Budi's little body was bloated with fluid and his limbs were swollen and bent when he was rescued from the hands of his cruel owner . | Budi is tasting fruit for the first time and now has the strength to sit up .
MailOnline readers have helped raise £20,000 for the baby ape's care .
He was left fighting for his life after being kept in a chicken coop .
Orangutan's owner fed him only condensed milk and no solid food .
Little Budi's eyes filled with tears and he cried in agony during the rescue . |
200,037 | 8efcaef3341efe99a1be219ea050135cd13f854f | Downing Street was forced to overrule the Foreign Secretary last night after he dismissed the prospect of UK air strikes against Islamic extremists in Syria. Philip Hammond risked opening a rift with Barack Obama after saying Britain would not join US-led strikes against Islamic State fanatics. Asked about plans for an open-ended bombing campaign, Mr Hammond said: ‘Let me be clear – Britain will not be taking part in any air strikes in Syria. We have already had that discussion in our parliament last year and we won’t be revisiting that position.’ But his comments provoked alarm at Number 10, which is anxious to present a united front on the US strategy unveiled by the President on Wednesday. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond today appeared to rule out British air strikes against ISIS in Syria, but David Cameron's official spokesman insisted no options were off the table . Hours after Mr Hammond’s appearance in Germany, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman insisted Mr Cameron was ‘not ruling anything out’. He said a decision had not yet been made on whether Britain would join air strikes on IS targets inside Syria, but stressed that the Islamist fanatics had to be tackled both there and in Iraq. He suggested Mr Hammond had been referring to the idea of bombing the forces of Syrian tyrant Bashar al-Assad – an issue that has not been on the agenda for more than 12 months. But it appeared Mr Hammond had accidentally revealed ministers’ deep reservations about joining a hazardous military mission in Syria just months before the General Election. Speaking in the Commons on Wednesday Mr Hammond said there was a ‘qualitative difference’ between air strikes on IS positions in Iraq and Syria. He said Syria’s ‘sophisticated, integrated air defence system (which) protects the whole of the country’s airspace’ greatly increased the risk of operating there. Battle cry: US President Barack Obama threatened renewed airstrikes against ISIS saying that 'in a region that has known so much bloodshed, these terrorists are unique in their brutality' Mr Hammond’s caution is a blow to hopes of building a united international response to IS. Last night it emerged ten Arab states, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and Iraq, have pledged support for a US-led strategy to destroy IS ‘wherever it is, including in both Iraq and Syria’. Downing Street said Mr Cameron welcomed and supported Mr Obama’s declaration that air strikes will take place inside Syria for the first time alongside an expansion of strikes in Iraq. Number 10 held open the prospect of the RAF hitting at IS targets in Iraq although officials said that Britain is currently ‘not at the stage’ of joining the military action. A man carries an injured girl after what activists claim was five air strikes by forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad in Douma, near Damascus, today - US President Barack Obama has threatened renewed airstrikes . A wounded Syrian child, being helped by another wounded boy, at a makeshift hospital in Douma . Wounded Syrian children sit on the ground in the hospital on a day when the UK was in disarray over airstrikes . Children wait for treatment after the reported airstrikes by Syrian government forces today . A wounded Syrian man sits on the ground as he waits for help in the Douma hospital, in northeast Damascus . Syrian men helped a wounded civilian - on a day when the Foreign Secretary and Prime Minister were at odds over whether the UK would join the US in bombing Islamic extremists in Syria . Mr Hammond said Syria's 'sophisticated' air defence system greatly increased the risk of operating there . Downing Street said Mr Cameron supported Mr Obama's declaration that air strikes will take place inside Syria for the first time alongside an expansion of strikes in Iraq . ISIS has seized huge amounts of territory in Iraq and Syria. They are pictured above in a position won from the Iraqi government's army . Pictured above are members of the Kurdish Peshmerga, an army that Obama's airstrikes have helped in their fight against ISIS . With UK aid worker David Haines, 44, threatened with execution by IS, there are fears that any British participation in air strikes would lead to his death. During a speech on the eve of the 13th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, Mr Obama promised: ‘We will conduct a systematic campaign of air strikes against these terrorists. I will not hesitate to take action against Isil in Syria, as well as Iraq.’ Military planners are expected to take several weeks to identify targets in Syria and Mr Obama warned of a protracted campaign. US Secretary of State John Kerry was in Saudi Arabia last night to try gauge the level of Middle East support in the fight against IS. Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem has told the US that air strikes on its territory without Damascus’ consent would be considered an aggression. | Hammond insists: 'Britain will not be taking part in air strikes in Syria'
But Downing Street insists David Cameorn has ruled nothing out .
US President Barack Obama vowed to pursue ISIS terrorists in Syria . |
62,019 | b0311e476d0c3bc9badee32603e1c8b8b4768f5e | (CNN) -- Australia edged the British and Irish Lions 16-15 in Melbourne Saturday to set up a thrilling climax to their three-Test series next weekend. The home side, who lost the first Test in Brisbane, trailed for most of a match of ferocious intensity until Adam Ashley-Cooper crossed for a late try. Christian Leali'ifano, drafted in by the Wallabies after poor kicking cost them dear last week, duly converted to leave them a single point ahead. The Lions mounted a desperate late attack to rescue the situation and with the clock going past the regulation 80 minutes won a penalty from just inside their own half. Full-back Leigh Halfpenny had the right direction with his effort but it fell a few meters shot of the posts to leave Australia to savor a revenge win. They will go to Sydney next week looking to repeat the events of 2001 when the Lions also lost in Melbourne before Australia won the decider 29-23. Lions coach Warren Gatland refused to blame Welshman Halfpenny for his late failure from long range. "I've seen him kick them from there before. He just didn't strike that one well enough. Just a chance to be a hero in that moment," he said. "Hes obviously disappointed with himself, but he still kicked incredibly well. "He's such a professional. He realizes the significance of that kick at the end and he's just disappointed he missed." The Lions led 12-9 at halftime, all their points coming from the ever reliable boot of Halfpenny with penalties, his only miss another from distance which struck the crossbar between the posts. Leali'ifano kept Australia in touch with three assured penalties of his own in a match of few try scoring opportunities. Halfpenny kicked the Lions into a six-point advantage with a further penalty after the interval, but the surges of Wallabies new boy Israel Folau set them up for their decisive try. It was reward for their greater invention and Ashley-Cooper took full advantage from close range. "Very proud. It doesn't get any bigger than that. They knew the context," said Australia coach Robbie Deans. "They knew that if they weren't successful in scoring a try and converting, the series would be done," he added. | Australia beat British and Irish Lions 16-15 in second Test .
Late try from Adam Ashley-Cooper proves decisive .
Levels three-Test series at 1-1 ahead of final match in Sydney .
Leigh Halfpenny comes up short with late penalty for Lions . |
92,280 | 02b1faeaa8aa4ff75fee9b1293826f1849d54669 | (CNN) -- In the face of injustice, the Book of Isaiah tells us to "cry aloud, spare not, lift up your voice like a trumpet." North Carolina's State Constitution says the people have a right to assemble and petition their lawmakers for the redress of grievances. It is in this spirit that a growing coalition of North Carolinians is exercising its moral calling and constitutional right by challenging the shameful leadership of our state government -- even if it means going to jail. We don't take civil disobedience lightly. But the avalanche of extreme policies from Gov. Pat McCrory and the North Carolina General Assembly -- attacking the poor and unemployed, cutting crucial funding from public education and dismantling voting rights -- left us no choice. From teenage college students to elderly grandmothers, we are assembling in the State Capitol, week after week, to sing, pray and force politicians to hear our voices. After our first nonviolent protest, 17 of us were arrested and jailed. The next Monday, 30 moral witnesses were carted off in handcuffs, and the next week the number was 49. Last week, 57 protesters were arrested and jailed. Still more of us are prepared to put our bodies on the line to oppose the backward, far-right ideological vision taking hold in our state. Here's why. In the first 50 days of this session alone, the General Assembly and McCrory cut the earned income tax credit for more than 900,000 poor and working people. They rejected federal funding to expand Medicaid to cover 500,000 North Carolinians without health insurance. They slashed state unemployment benefits and rejected federally funded Emergency Unemployment Compensation to 170,000 laid-off workers. This vicious war on the poor will devastate hundreds of thousands of North Carolinians who are already suffering. And with no checks on the Republican hold on the legislature and governorship, these laws are only the beginning. Piling further indignities on the poor, they also want to require people applying for temporary assistance or benefits to submit to criminal background checks, and force applicants to a job training program for low-income workers to take a drug test, for which they have to pay. Now the legislature wants to increase and expand taxes on groceries, haircuts and prescription drugs. They're even taking aim at poor children with a bill to lower the income requirement for North Carolina's prekindergarten program, making it off limits to nearly 30,000 children who would have previously qualified. Perhaps most terrifying is that the politicians who have seized control are trying to rig the state's election rules, seeking to remain in power far after this legislative session. In their kitchen sink approach to voter suppression, they have pushed bills to require strict forms of photo ID for voting, repeal same-day registration, cut early voting from 17 days to six and ban early voting on Sundays. They even want to impose a tax penalty on the parents of students who register to vote at their North Carolina college addresses, and pass the most restrictive felony disenfranchisement law in the country. These measures have been carefully crafted to make voting harder for people of color, students, seniors and the working poor. McCrory, House Speaker Thom Tillis and Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Berger apparently intend to be the new George Wallaces, adopting the same Southern Strategy of blocking the vote and dividing our state further into haves and have-nots. So our battle continues. We will not sit idly by as this governor and legislature trample on the most vulnerable in our state without the world knowing about it. We will keep going to the State Capitol where their bills are being passed, bearing witness to their ugly, immoral and unconstitutional agenda. We will not allow this to happen in the dark. This battle is so urgent that Dr. Charles Van Der Horst, a pioneering AIDS researcher at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, was arrested at the General Assembly, despite having completed a 199-mile ultra-marathon the previous day. Though physically drained, he still took a stand. When Molly McDonough, an 18-year-old freshman at North Carolina State University, decided to participate, her friends and family expressed concerns about her future. Her courageous response to them: "I'm doing this so I can have a future." We call on all North Carolinians of conscience to join us in using the tools of protest to show the nation the shameful acts taking place here. Our arrests will not stop us. Now is the time. Here is the place. We are the people. And we will be heard. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the William J. Barber II . | William Barber: A coalition of North Carolinians challenges shameful state leadership .
He says series of policies cut funds to education, unemployed, health care; hurt poor people .
He says lawmakers' moves aim to disenfranchise voters. Tax changes target poor .
Barber: Lawmakers splitting state into haves-have nots; coalition will protest for redress . |
64,592 | b77047705486b6bf93144deb9cab5adc07e197bd | By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 03:14 EST, 5 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:20 EST, 5 November 2013 . The son of IRA victim Jean McConville has revealed that his mother's death in 1972 still haunts him - more than four decades after her murder. Michael McConville says he still suffers nightmares about the day Mrs McConville, a 38-year-old mother of ten, was abducted by Irish Republican paramilitaries and executed. Speaking in BBC documentary The Disappeared, Mr McConville also talked of his life after his mother's murder, which orphaned her children and condemned them to a childhood in care. Nightmares: Michael McConville says he has never been able to overcome seeing his mother dragged away . Mr McConville and his sister Agnes also remembered the harrowing events of the day their mother was taken and offered memories of the family life that was denied them. 'There were ten of us all in one bedroom, . like ten wee rats,' remembers Mr McConville of his childhood. 'At that point of life, we hadn't got much but we had . each other.' But all that was to change. His mother, a Protestant widow who had been married to a Catholic man and who lived in the staunchly Republican Lower Falls Road in West Belfast, took pity on an British soldier injured during one of the street battles that characterised the Troubles. 'My ma put a cushion under his head,' says Mr McConville. 'My . ma would have helped anyone, that's just the kind of person she was. 'That's where it all started to go wrong for us.' Just days after the incident, the IRA came calling. Jean was enjoying a game of bingo when she was called out and told that one of her children had been injured. A car was waiting outside to take her to hospital. But it was a trap. In the early hours of the following morning, Jean was found wandering the streets, badly beaten and disoriented. Family: Jean McConville poses for a picture with three of her ten children the year before she was killed . Lonely: The remote spot on Templetown Beach in County Louth where Jean's body was finally found . 'There was a lot of blood on her and her face was all swollen . and everything. Black and blue,' remembers daughter Agnes. 'We got her a cup of tea and her cigarettes... and she must . have smoked the cigarettes one after the other as she drank her tea, and . she started to get sick, sick with her nerves.' Later that day, the IRA came back for Jean, but this time there would be no return home. Mr McConville remembers: 'Around teatime, a rap came on the door. 'She was in the bathroom getting washed and they were shouting "Where is she? Where is she?". Jean herself was distraught. 'She was screaming,' says Agnes. 'She was screaming her head off. She was shouting: "help me", "help me". But no one came. Mr McConville adds: 'All of us [children] was wrapped round her. All of us was crying and squealing. I . remember one of the [paramilitary] girls talking and I remember [her] because she hadn't got a . mask on, and she used to be a neighbour of ours. 'They kept trying to . calm us down because they knew us, and they knew us by name.' Going home: 31 years after her terrible death, the body of Jean McConville was finally recovered . Eventually, Jean was forced out of the house and down into the road. Agnes and Michael's older brother Archie attempted to follow their mother but the IRA men put a gun to his head and ordered him away . 'We could her her screaming, still screaming, and we looked over the . bannister down from the block of flats, and there she was, getting . thrown into the back of a red van and that was the last time I actually . saw her,' says Agnes. Later that day, a single shot to the back of the head ended Jean's life and her body was buried in a shallow, unmarked grave. Her 10 children were now orphans. Mr McConville said: 'I think it was . about five days later, an IRA man came to the door, rapped on the door, . and handed over my mother's purse and her wedding rings. 'I asked him . where my mother was and he said, "Look, I was just told to bring these . rings to you. I know nothing about it" and that was it, [he] walked away.' Agnes adds: 'I knew she wasn't going to come back. I knew straight away when the first knock came through. I knew then, no return.' With their mother gone, the children were left isolated. Neighbours and the local priest were unwilling to help and unsympathetic to their plight, as official documents that date from the time reveal. Inquest: Mr McConville addresses the media after an inquest found that his mother was not a British spy . At rest: Mr McConville (left) and his brothers carry their mother's coffin at her funeral in 2003 . Between 1972 and 1982, 'disappearing' people thought to be British informers or spies became a key part of IRA activities. Prior to 1972, alleged informers had been killed and dumped by the roadside. After, their bodies were hidden in shallow graves, their families left to wonder about their fate. Along with Jean McConville, 15 people were 'disappeared' during the Troubles, among them 17-year-old John McClory, 22-year-old Brian McKinney and 19-year-old Columba McVeigh. In the run-up to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1999, the IRA admitted responsibility for the killings and pledged to help the victim's families find their remains. Although nine have been found, another seven are still lost, including McVeigh. The 'Disappeared' whose remains are yet to be discovered include alleged informers Kevin McKee, Brendan McGraw, Seamus Wright, Seamus Ruddy, SAS officer Captain Robert Nairac and former monk Joe Lynskey. The family was split up, the children scattered into care homes around Northern Ireland while Jean's remains were left where they fell, the location known only to the men who murdered her. It wasn't until 31 years after Jean was taken that her children were finally given the chance to grieve and bury their mother. In 2003, her remains were discovered close to a beach by a local man, and Jean's nine surviving children came together again for her funeral. Afterwards, her coffin was placed in the grave of her husband Arthur, who had died early in 1972 from cancer. But although they, in a sense, have their mother back; for the McConvilles, the pain of losing her and having their lives turned upside down will never go away. Mr McConville says: 'I always wondered what was going through my mother's head, coming down [to the beach] to her death. 'I just can't get my head round how a human being can . do this to another human being. When they killed our mother, they knew . we were going to be orphans and we'd have to find someone else to look . after us. 'They knew what they were doing and they knew what they were . leaving behind. I just can't get my head round that. I have the same . nightmares about her all the time. Seeing them [the IRA men] coming in. 'It never goes . away and the hurt is always there too.' The Disappeared airs tonight at 10pm on BBC4 . | Michael McConville was speaking in BBC documentary The Disappeared .
His mother Jean was just 38 when she was murdered by the IRA in 1972 .
She was believed to be an informer and spy for the British .
Her children say this is untrue and the allegations have never been proven . |
286,149 | fecaaa16094fa614d4e458ab0d761d36e649283e | An artist has been banned by Facebook from posting images of her scientific-based work as they were deemed 'overly sexual'. Rebecca Harris had created a hand-stitched piece of art depicting the human body with its microbes for an exhibition titled Invisible You: The Human Microbiome for the Eden Project. But she was stunned to be told she could not show pictures of her work on her Facebook page as the social network did not allow 'overly sexual images' that 'suggest nudity' and 'show a lot of skin or cleavage.' Professional artist Rebecca Harris was shocked after she tried to post images of her artwork on Facebook, only to be told they breached the social network's guidelines for being 'overly sexual' Rebecca, 37, from Launceston, Cornwall had been commissioned for the project in August last year and started work a month later. The mother-of-three attempted to set up an advert on Facebook to promote her work but this was rejected for breaching its guidelines. A message from 'Jane' of the Facebook ads team read: 'Your ad was rejected because the image doesn't follow our ad guidelines. Ads may not use overly sexual images, suggest nudity, show a lot of skin or cleavage, or focus unnecessarily on specific body parts. This is also applicable to the images present on your pages. 'Please make the necessary edits and recreate your posts. If it's an ad created from the create flow, you can edit it in your ads manager.' Rebecca, who is a professional artist and has three children Nicole, 17, Zoe, 15, and Brae, 6, said she was staggered by the response. She said: 'Needless to say I was shocked by Facebook's comments and sat looking confused at the screen for some time. 'Then I decided I must make this public, so I shared the offending image via Twitter and it soon got many, many re-tweets as others obviously agreed at how absurd this was. Rebecca had created the hand-stitched piece of art depicting the human body with its microbes for an exhibition titled Invisible You: The Human Microbiome for the Eden Project . 'So what started as a day where Facebook would not give me any exposure to up my 'likes' to a round figure of 500 turned out to be the best exposure the work has received so far and I haven't given them a penny. 'It was merely meant to be a post to promote the page in general. I initially got a generic computer response describing it as a sexual, which I thought was quite funny at first. It was so ridiculous so I appealed and thought as soon as a human being saw the advert they would allow it go ahead. 'That was when I got the e-mail from Jane from Facebook ads, who described it as overly sexual. 'I just find the whole thing bizarre that you see some horrific things on facebook yet something like this can be censored. 'We have had the last laugh though and my work has now got more publicity than I could ever have imagined.' The artwork 'stitching science' will play a major part in the Invisible You: The Human Microbiome exhibition at The Eden Project in May. A spokesman for the project said: 'Invisible You: The Human Microbiome... showcases the fascinating world of the beneficial microbes that live in and on our bodies. The work is an embroidered textile hanging that represents the microbial communities of the skin and illustrates that the womb does not contain a microbial community. 'We are pleased that Rebecca's striking, thought-provoking work is due to be part of Invisible You exhibition and we're glad that it is sparking debate already.' Facebook have yet to comment. | Rebecca Harris was stunned to be told she couldn't put work on Facebook .
Professional artist' hand-stitched work shows human body with microbes .
But the social network deemed pictures 'overly sexual' and banned them . |
147,527 | 4abf69de61b90a5f03aa817857947296697e2b97 | Police have issued a strange efit of a man they want to speak to, who has a large hairstyle similar to convicted murderer Phil Spector. Gloucestershire Constabulary released the image of a clean-shaven man with a large curly blonde mane, coiffured like one of Spector's famous styles. Officers wish to speak to the man in the efit about four separate incidents involving an 11-year-old boy who was harassed as he walked along a railway. Gloucestershire Police has issued an efit of a man they wish to speak to in connection with the harassment of an 11-year-old boy in Tewkesbury, the efit's large curly afro is similar to one of Phil Spector's hairstyles . Spector was pictured during his trial at the Superior Court in Los Angeles in 2005 sporting his mane . They believed the boy, a pupil at Tewkesbury Comprehensive School, was harassed both verbally and physically by the man while walking along the Old Railway Line in Tewkesbury in Gloucestershire. There is no obvious reason for the abuse but police noted that all four incidents took place within several months and always in the same location. Spector, a former American record producer, was convicted of second degree murder in relation to the shooting of actress Lana Clarkson in 2003. He was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum 19 years and was known for his elaborate hairstyles over the years. However recent images of Spector show the 74-year-old looking thinner and paler, with just wisps of grey hair. Anyone with information about the incident involving the young boy in Gloucestershire is asked to call 101 and quote incident 170 of October 8. | Gloucestershire Police issued efit after boy harassed in Tewkesbury .
Bizarre image shows a clean shaven man with a large curly blonde mane .
The efit appears to bear a resemblance to record producer Phil Spector .
Spector, who is in prison for murder, was known for flamboyant hairstyles . |
267,503 | e66f702a0d769838c82fe0e7a9be49fc60139ac2 | By . Associated Press . The mother of Jerome Murdough, pictured while serving in the Marine Corps, is suing the city after his death at Rikers Island, New York on February 15 . The mother of a mentally ill, homeless veteran who was found dead in a 100-degree New York City jail cell that overheated due to an equipment malfunction in February plans to file a $25 million wrongful death lawsuit against the city. Alma Murdough's attorney, Derek Sells, said he will also ask the city to preserve all communications and 911 recordings regarding former Marine Jerome Murdough's death on Rikers Island. Sells scheduled a news conference for Friday afternoon. He filed a notice of claim, the first procedural step necessary for a civil suit against the city, with the comptroller's office on April 30 on behalf of the inmate's 75-year-old mother. In it, he writes that the 56-year-old . Murdough's death was caused by carelessness and negligence by Department . of Correction employees. Prosecutors in the Bronx are investigating the death. 'This . case involves a tragic incident and we will review the lawsuit and . respond accordingly,' said Nick Paolucci, a spokesman for the city's law . department. Corrections officials have declined to comment, citing the ongoing criminal investigation. It . was first reported in March on suspicions about Murdough's cause of . death. One official who spoke at the time on the condition of anonymity . described him as having 'basically baked to death'. Citing a preliminary DOC investigation, court documents filed last month in a separate federal court case show that Murdough's internal body temperature, taken nearly four hours after he was discovered unresponsive in his cell in the early hours of February 15, was 103 degrees. Alma Murdough and her daughter Cheryl Warner hold a photo of Murdough's son, at her home in Queens, New York. Jerome Murdough, a mentally ill, homeless former Marine arrested for sleeping in the roof landing of a New York City public housing project during one of the coldest recorded winters in city history, died last month in a Rikers Island jail cell that multiple city officials say was at least 100 degrees when his body was discovered . It said the cell was 101 degrees. Murdough was slumped at the edge of the foot of his bed with 'a pool of vomit and blood on the floor,' the documents said. A spokeswoman for the medical examiner's office says the exact cause and manner of Murdough's death have not yet been determined, pending further studies. But the court documents show the medical examiner investigator assigned to Murdough's case preliminarily found he likely died of hyperthermia. Murdough was on psychotropic medication at the time of his death, which experts say can make people sensitive to heat. DOC officials have said he was left unattended for hours. Murdough was arrested February 7 on a misdemeanor trespassing charge for sleeping in an enclosed stairwell on the roof of a Harlem public housing building, during one of New York's coldest winters on record. He was sent to Rikers Island after being unable to make $2,500 bail, according to court records. A letter kept by Mrs Murdough shows her son's promotion in the U.S. Marines from 1975. He died, homeless and battling a mental illness in a New York prison earlier this year . | Marine veteran Jerome Murdough, 56, died in prison in February .
The homeless man was arrested for sleeping inside a stairwell of a public housing building during one of New York's coldest winters on record . |
189,075 | 80dab1ba18d813fb8df000fb7b8058616a1ce6fd | When your city has an unenviable reputation for insulting tourists and fleecing them for every cent, inviting hotel guests to pay what they want could be a risky move. That's the experiment being tested by several hotels in the French capital during the height of the summer season. "It's something like a trust contract between the client and the hotel," says Aldric Duval, who came up with the "Payez ce que vous voulez" (Pay what you want) concept as a gimmick to promote Tour d'Auvergne, his three-star hotel in the city's Opera district. Duval has recruited four other city center hotels, variously rated with three and four stars, to the scheme which runs from July 21 to August 10. He tells CNN he struck on the idea after successfully running an honesty bar that left it up to guests to declare their booze consumption at check-out. In the City of Light, it seems hotel guests are not generally light fingered. Allowing them to choose their own room rates -- instead of paying typical charges of about $250 -- will not only bring in the punters, but will also give the hotel valuable feed back, he adds. "We put guests at the heart of the system and we transform them into a mystery customer. They will look at the hotel with a new eye and if they play true in this game, it can work." If guests decide their stay is barely worth a dollar -- or euro, this being Paris -- then it could it could also wind up being an embarrassing financial disaster. Duval doesn't think so. Friendlier to tourists . "If the client wants to pay one euro, there's nothing I can do, but people will know that this approach is not a good deal, we'll explain it's not fair if they pay one euro." "We could have run a promotion offering free rooms to the first 15 people to answer a question on our Website, but we've decided to do this instead." Duval says the scheme has attracted interest from other hotels in Paris and elsewhere in France, with several in Cannes and Nice planning similar deals for the winter low season. The pay-what-you-want scheme follows recent comments by France's foreign minister, Laurent Fabius, that the country needs to be friendlier and more accommodating to visitors if it want to protect an annual tourism income of $16 billion. Duval said his scheme wasn't a response to this and complained that the government should be doing more to help hoteliers during tough economic times. "To be friendly to the tourists Laurent Fabius must cut the hotel taxes and charges, then Paris will be better and more attractive and not so expensive." It's unlikely, however, that Fabius will let them set their own tax rates. What would you pay if you could choose your room rate? Let us know in the comments. | Five hotels in Paris have signed up to the pay-what-you-want scheme during peak summer months .
Hotelier Aldric Duval says the plan is to create a "trust contract" between client and hotel .
He says guests could pay one euro for a hotel room but believes most will "play true" |
166,737 | 639c9ebe33b8703faab27fac54348ecb8d613ed3 | By . Andrew Levy . PUBLISHED: . 10:03 EST, 15 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:47 EST, 21 June 2012 . Big pay out: Former Kent County Council chief Katherine Kerswell got a £589,165 pay off from . Kent County Council . A council chief who lasted just 20 months in her job was given a £589,165 pay-off, the local authority has been forced to admit. Katherine Kerswell left Kent County Council in December. The council had refused to disclose . details of the settlement, saying it was subject to a confidentiality . agreement. But it was forced to declare the sum under new transparency . rules on executive pay. Its Conservative administration . insisted at the time that her departure was part of a cost-saving . reorganisation. But there was also speculation she had fallen out with colleagues and . councillors. It is thought to be one of the highest . ever remuneration packages for a council manager, and is more than four . times the Prime Minister’s £142,500 salary. The statement of accounts for 2011-12 . revealed that Mrs Kerswell, 49, received £139,806 of her £197,000 . salary, £420,000 in redundancy payments and a £29,359 pension . contribution. Robert Oxley, campaign manager of the . TaxPayers’ Alliance, said the council had shown ‘scant regard’ to value . for taxpayers’ money. He added: ‘Councils may have a legal requirement . to make a redundancy pay-out, but this is staggeringly excessive. ‘Councillors need to scrap the overly . generous contracts that make these deals possible before any more money . is blown on gargantuan redundancy pay-offs.’ Expensive business: Kent County Council headquarters. A total of £10.08million has been paid in 'exit packages' to staff between 2011 and 2012 . Mrs Kerswell had a £197,136 salary in . her previous job as chief executive of Northamptonshire County Council. She had defended the pay deal by saying it was equal to only 29p for . each person in the county. She was also lampooned at the time for . her ‘Taste the Strawberry’ campaign – management speak that was meant . to represent the overall ‘flavour’ of the council’s services and help it . to improve its performance. She moved to Kent in March 2010 and oversaw . a shake-up of the way the county council was run under its ‘Change To . Keep Succeeding’ programme, which involved a cull of senior directors. Kent County Council, which needs to . make savings of £97million this year, paid out £10.8million in so-called . ‘exit packages’ to about 1,000 staff in 2011-12. This included £172,000 . to the authority’s former finance director, Lynda McMullan, who left in . September last year and now works for the National Audit Office. History: The council gave the chief executive who Ms Kerswell replaced a £200,000 pay off . Council leader Paul Carter said: ‘Removing chief executive posts is what more and more councils should be doing. ‘Employment law and contractual . obligations mean we have to pay significant redundancy costs, but it . will save a fortune in the long run. Our council is now being guided by . officers who have worked their way up and know what life is like from a . Kent taxpayer’s perspective.’ Last year it emerged that Phil Dolan, . the former chief executive of South Somerset District Council, which has . just 162,000 residents, had received a redundancy package of almost . £570,000. The transparency rules which forced the council to reveal Mrs Kerswell’s pay were introduced by the Coalition government. Local Government Minister Grant Shapps . last night criticised Mrs Kerswell’s pay deal as ‘deeply concerning’. He said: ‘I find dipping into the public purse to make such an . eye-watering pay-off unacceptable.’ | Former chief exec had led major shake-up of the way .
the county council was run .
Council has now dished out more than £600,000 to pay off last two chief execs .
Authority has paid out .
£10.08m in 'exit packages' to staff made between 2011-2012 . |
40,935 | 7366828e66358ab06814bb11a993a03326adaef4 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 04:04 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:11 EST, 16 October 2013 . Inquest: Declan Gatenby, 13, who was found hanged at home after he had his mobile phone confiscated . A 13-year-old boy hanged himself in his bedroom after his mobile was confiscated by his parents - but he may not have meant to kill himself, an inquest heard. Declan Gatenby had been told to hand over his phone, described as being usually 'glued to his hand', after he had got into trouble at school. But on the day before it was to be given back he became upset when his father refused to relent. He ran up to his bedroom and was later found hanged by his nine-year-old brother Jordan. The coroner at his inquest said he believed the teenager had hoped his younger brother or father would follow him and find him in time. Declan, from Rossendale, Lancashire, was a 'typical teenager' who was described as 'cheeky and mischievous,' his parents said. In a statement his 31-year old father Wayne Gatenby told the hearing in Burnley: 'He was a typical teenage lad. He pushed the boundaries as may be expected and got into trouble at school on a few occasions - but nothing terribly serious. 'We had no problems with him, nothing gave us huge cause for concern.' But the inquest was told Mr Gatenby and Declan's mother Donna, 32, decided to ground their son and his mobile phone was taken away from him for a week. In the day before his death he was allowed to go out and see his grandmother who lived close by, before watching films with his younger brother Jordan, nine. On the day of the tragedy on July 7, Donna left for work as a kitchen assistant at a care home at 11.30am and Warren was at home with the two boys. Bereft: Warren Gatenby (left) and Donna Gatenby (far right), the parents of Declan Gatenby, outside Burnley Coroner's Court following the inquest into their son's death . Upset: Declan's family home, where he was found hanged by his nine-year-old brother after a row with his father . He said: 'It was a hot day and they were in and out of the house, they came in and out, watched TV with me and went out again. At 5.30pm Declan asked if he could have his phone back.' The Burnley inquest heard Mr Gatenby told his son it wasn't due back until later and he said Declan 'wasn't happy about it' and got up and left the room. He added: ''He was due to get it back on the Monday, the day after. He got up and left the room. 'I heard the front door to the house open and close and presumed he had simply gone out. I thought he accepted it and made his way outside.' Grief: Outgoing Declan's death shocked his family and friends and led to graffiti tributes like this one . Shocked: The 13-year-old, pictured with a puppy, was a happy young man and his death could not be predicted, his inquest heard . Jordan later went to the room he shared with Declan to find the body of his brother. Mr Gatenby alerted by his youngest son ran upstairs and tried to revive his eldest son but in vain. Ambulance staff arrived minutes later but could not save him. Tragedy: On being told he would not get his phone back Declan went up to his room he shared with his younger brother who later found him dead . Mr Gatenby told the inquest the family had not been aware of any problems within his school life and inquires that were made showed that there had been nothing significant to note. He added: 'There was nothing days or hours beforehand that made me think for even one minute that anything was wrong. I still find it so difficult to believe. There were no signs he was depressed or wanting to hurt himself in any way.' Recording a verdict of misadventure, the coroner Richard Taylor told the family: 'I'm sorry you have had to relive this today but we have to do it to make it as straightforward for you without ignoring the importance of an inquest. 'I cannot imagine what you have had to go through over these last few months, my sympathies are with you all. Whether Declan deliberately took his own life I cannot come to that conclusion for a number of reasons. 'Whilst he has done a deliberate act, I would have to conclude that his intention was to end his life by doing that, and that is a step too far. 'I cannot believe that is what he wanted to do, a happy-go-lucky teenager showing no signs of him ever considering something like this. 'I feel the appropriate conclusion I should draw is one of misadventure. It is the unexpected outcome of a deliberate action, yes he has done something, but I do not believe for one moment that he actually intended to end his life. 'This is why I asked the question about the front door being open and shut, he may have expected someone to come upstairs after him.' Declan's family were too upset to comment after the hearing, At the time of the tragedy they told how he would enjoy fishing, magic tricks, BMX biking and skateboarding and had been about to try out for the athletics team at school. In the weeks before the tragedy the family had just returned from a holiday in Menorca where Declan had learned to swim. In an interview at the time of his death Mr Gatenby said: 'When he was at home he was quite outgoing, but when he was out and about he was a bit shy really. He was always playing games on his mobile, you'd think it was glued to his hand.' Declan's grandmother Lynn Love said: 'He was very loving, there are no words to describe how much he will be missed. I didn't realise how many people knew him. Lots of people have passed on their sympathies, he had a bit of mischief to him. 'You only had to look at that face to wonder what he had been up to.' For confidential support on suicide matters call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90 or visit a local Samaritans branch, see www.samaritans.org for details. | Declan Gatenby hoped his family may have saved him, inquest told .
Schoolboy was grounded for a week and had mobile taken from him .
On day before it was to be returned he demanded it back but was refused .
13-year-old ran to his room, hanged himself and was found by brother, 9 .
'I do not believe he actually intended to end his life,' coroner said .
Richard Taylor recorded verdict of death by misadventure at Burnley inquest . |
91,275 | 016384116ef226ef6dafdad23e395f78608eb758 | (CNN)A federal judge Monday blocked one of the most well-known tools used to crack down on illegal immigration by the man who calls himself America's toughest sheriff. Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio must stop enforcing Arizona's identify theft laws, U.S. District Judge David Campbell ruled Monday, granting a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed against Arpaio. The lawsuit, filed by the Puente immigrant rights group, argues that the laws are unconstitutional and have been used by Arpaio and his office to target undocumented immigrants in workplace raids. Arpaio's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past, he's defended the workplace raids and said his department has been forced to step in because federal authorities haven't done enough to enforce immigration laws. Campbell said the plaintiffs are likely to succeed in their argument that the state's identify theft laws are preempted by federal laws, and that Arpaio must stop enforcing the laws until a final decision is reached in the lawsuit. Carlos Garcia, executive director of Puente, described the judge's ruling Monday as an "enormous victory." "Arpaio and (Maricopa County Attorney Bill) Montgomery are being stripped of the tools they use to illegally terrorize immigrant workers and families," he said in a statement. "We hope that justice will continue to prevail, that not one more worker is arrested for providing for his or her family and that the racist, anti-immigrant machine for which Arizona is known is dismantled completely." Arpaio's tough, headline-grabbing punishments have earned him diehard supporters and fiery opponents. He's issued pink underwear to the men detained in the county's jails and said he is saving taxpayers money by removing salt and pepper from prison meals. Last year, he said inmates who allegedly defaced American flags placed in their jail cells would be punished with a diet of bread and water. In 2013, a federal court in Phoenix ruled that Arpaio's handling of people of Latino descent was not tough enforcement of immigration laws but instead amounted to racial and ethnic profiling. The judge later ordered a federal monitor to keep tabs on Arpaio's office and make sure officers weren't racially profiling anymore. Last year, he filed a lawsuit against U.S. President Barack Obama over his executive actions on immigration. But a judge dismissed Arpaio's lawsuit in December, ruling that Arpaio didn't have standing to bring the lawsuit and couldn't show he'd been harmed by Obama's changes. In a court filing last month, Arpaio said he was disbanding his office's criminal employment unit, the squad that conducted the workplace raids, because federal court decisions had already blocked certain Arizona laws. CNN's Dave Alsup, Amy Roberts, Eric Bradner and contributed to this report. | A federal judge rules that Sheriff Joe Arpaio can't enforce his state's identity theft laws .
The laws are likely trumped by federal laws, the judge rules .
Arpaio has used the laws to justify workplace raids . |
100,920 | 0e063d57e6049a92b06e5bd19919a91e6d2c24e7 | (CNN) -- A former south Texas prosecutor has been indicted on a felony charge of misusing money from seized property to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in bonuses to himself and his staff, state prosecutors announced Wednesday. A grand jury in Alice, Texas, charged Joe Frank Garza with misapplication of fiduciary duty in connection with the payments. In a 2009 interview with CNN, Garza insisted the payments were legal, but the grand jury disagreed. An audit conducted after he left office found more than $1.2 million went to three secretaries Garza called "my eyes and ears in the community." But the then-district attorney also paid himself more than $81,000, which he said was for expenses. Attempts to reach Garza for comment were unsuccessful Wednesday evening. State law forbids officials from converting money from forfeiture cases to personal use or to supplement salaries without the approval of county commissioners, prosecutors said. Garza was allowed to post $10,000 bond after being served with the indictment, according to court papers. Garza served as the chief prosecutor for Jim Wells and Brooks counties in south Texas from 2003 to 2008, when he lost his bid for re-election. Garza's successor asked the state attorney general's office to investigate once he left office. Property seizures are a common tactic in drug cases, but critics have argued the practice can lead to abuse by law enforcement agencies. Several motorists have sued authorities in another Texas county, accusing police there of systematically fleecing drivers passing through by seizing cash and other valuables during traffic stops and pressuring the owners to give up the property in exchange for promises not to prosecute. Authorities in the town of Tenaha, near the Louisiana state line, and surrounding Shelby County have denied any wrongdoing, and an effort to restrict the practice failed in the state legislature in 2009. | Audit found ex-prosecutor paid $1.2 million to three secretaries .
Joe Frank Garza told CNN in 2009 that the payments were legal .
South Texas district attorney lost his re-election bid in 2008 . |
54,354 | 99f8bfade06834820d394dd0a8109636765503a9 | By . Louise Cheer for Daily Mail Australia . A 514-year-old book which contains 67 paintings created by some of the most talented Renaissance artists has been purchased for more than $15 million by Channel Seven chairman Kerry Stokes. The Rothschild Prayerbook, also known as a Book of Hours, was once owned by a European banking family, the Rothschilds, and was taken from them by Adolf Hitler in 1938 when Austria was invaded by the Nazis. Each page of the prayerbook - which was created in the 16th century and used for private worship - is made of animal skin and lined with gold leafing. It is not known who commissioned it to be made or how four pages of it went missing. Channel Seven chairman Kerry Stokes purchased the 514-year-old book for $15.5 million . The Rothschild Prayerbook contains 67 paintings done by some of the most talented Renaissance artists . When Hilter took the prayerbook from the Rothschilds, he stored it in the Nazi vaults with other pieces of priceless art works until it was moved to the Vienna Library, presumably because he thought it would be safer there. After the fall of the Nazis, the library refused to return the prayerbook to the Rothschilds. The family waged a 60-year battle with the Austrian government to get it back. In 1999, it was finally returned to its rightful owners, according to Channel Seven's Sunday Night. The book then went under the hammer at a Christie's auction months later in England and was purchased by an anonymous buyer. The prayerbook was not to be seen for another 15 years. The prayerbook was created in the 16th century and used for private worship . It is not known how four pages of the book went missing but it was once owned by Adolf Hitler . But then in 2014, it re-appeared at another Christie's auction at New York City's Rockefeller Centre. As a phone bidder, Mr Stokes - an art enthusiast - bought the slice of history for $15.5 million to add to his collection in Perth in Western Australia. But he will not keep it to himself like the prayerbook's previous owners, it will soon go on a tour of the east coast to Canberra and Melbourne. Mr Stokes said the book felt alive underneath his fingertips when he first touched it. Its pages are made of animal skin and lined with gold leafing, and has pictures of Madonna holding Jesus Christ . The prayerbook is now part of Mr Stokes' private art collection in Perth in Western Australia . 'When I first saw it I actually didn’t know if I should touch it and open it, I started to turn the pages and the hair on the back of my arm stood up,' he told Sunday Night. 'I’m a pretty tough nut I guess and I love art as one of the expressions that...probably appeals to the softer side a lot of people would deny I have. 'This is so unique I expect a lot of people will want to come and see it - we will have something else to offer that nobody else has and that’s the Rothschild Prayerbook.' | The Rothschild Prayerbook was created in the 16th century and used for private worship .
It was purchased by Channel Seven chairman Kerry Stokes this year .
The prayerbook will take its place in his private collection in Perth, WA .
Soon it will go on a tour of the east coast to Canberra and Melbourne . |
247,930 | ccd3deaa420a00b0d2661369feec22878771a835 | A gunman who was persuaded by a bookkeeper to surrender during a 2013 gun battle with police at a school near Atlanta pleaded guilty to multiple charges Tuesday and was sentenced to 20 years in prison. Michael Brandon Hill, 21, entered the Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy near Decatur on Aug. 20, 2013, armed with a rifle patterned after an AK-47 and nearly 500 bullets, according to police. He repeatedly fired at police from inside the school before school bookkeeper Antoinette Tuff persuaded him to surrender. Tuff said later that she prayed as she tried to persuade him against further violence. No one was hurt in the gunfire. Michael Brandon Hill sits at the defense table in court during his hearing pleaded guilty to multiple charges and was sentenced to 20 years in prison . 'Her actions saved a number of lives out there at the school that day,' said Roderick Wilkerson, deputy chief assistant for the Stone Mountain district attorney's office. Hill's defense attorney, Annie Deets, said Hill has a history of mental illness that started when he was 7. Deets said Hill was abused by his late father and lived with a mother who abused drugs and alcohol. He tried killing himself at least nine times, and he was in and out of state custody as a child. He turned up at area hospitals seeking psychiatric medication. Hill entered the Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy near Decatur on Aug. 20, 2013, armed with a rifle patterned after an AK-47 and nearly 500 bullets, according to police . Months before Hill attacked the school, he was burned in an apartment fire and became homeless. 'Mr. Hill's only intention that day was to harm himself,' Deets said. She . said Hill did not fire any shots close to the police officers who . quickly swarmed the school. State . officials will evaluate Hill for mental illness and create a treatment . plan while he's in prison and during the 20-year probation sentence that . follows. Hill said little during the sentencing hearing. At times, he rocked slightly in a courtroom chair. Tapes . of 911 calls revealed Tuff's calm intervention. Antoinette Tuff said: 'And I just explained to him that I loved him. I didn't know much about him. I didn't know his name but I did love him and it was scary because I knew at that moment he was ready to take my life along with his' Hero: Secretary Antoinette Tuff is seen here in her office at Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy, where she convinced a gunman to surrender and not harm the child of her school . Courage under fire: Antoinette Tuff, a book-keeper at the elementary school near Atlanta, talked calmly to the gunman standing in front of her and got him to lay down his weapon . She begins by telling . Hill of her own struggles, including raising a disabled child and losing . her husband. The bookkeeper reassured him by saying he didn't hurt . anyone, hadn't harmed her and could still surrender peacefully. 'We're . not gonna hate you, baby. It's a good thing that you're giving up,' Tuff says after having Hill put his weapons and ammunition on the . counter. Tuff tells Hill she loves him and will pray for him. President Barack Obama later called Tuff and praised her for the courage she displayed during the ordeal. Hill . pleaded guilty in DeKalb County Superior Court to 13 counts including . aggravated assault, burglary, making terroristic threats, carrying a gun . in a school zone and illegal possession of a firearm. The school, a few miles east of Atlanta, has more than 800 students in pre-kindergarten through fifth grade. Hill repeatedly fired at police from inside the school before school bookkeeper Antoinette Tuff persuaded him to surrender . Evacuation: The students had to be evacuated from the back of the door and firefighters had a cut a hole in fencing to allow the children to pass through . Ms Tuff realized that she had to keep Hill busy while teachers evacuated the school's 870 students . | Michael Brandon Hill stormed the Rondad E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy armed with an AK-47 replica and 500 rounds .
After firing at police, an office worker persuaded him to surrender .
School had a buzzer system and locked doors but he slipped in behind a staff member .
Hill had a history of mental illness .
No one was injured . |
173,025 | 6bed27d4c3bb456f802fedc370bd0f59bf1edb88 | A British hedge fund company is about to cash-in this week on a surprisingly secure investment - Madonna. The organisation bought more than 140 Madonna items, mostly costumes and jewellery she wore during her movie and singing career. The goods included dozens of outfits from the 1996 hit musical Evita as well as the star's peach baseball dress and glove from her 1992 movie 'A League of Their Own' and a vest top and jeans she wore for her music video of American Pie. Scroll down for video . The ivory silk ball gown worn by Madonna in her Golden Globe - winning role as Eva Peron in Evita (1996) is estimated to reach Est, $4,000 - 6,000 (£2,499 - £3,755) The Atsuko Kudo couture latex black waspie (corset) worn by Madonna on the cover of V magazine (left) is estimated to reach between $2,000 - 4,000 (£1,250 - £2,499) at the auction later this week . The most eye-catching item amassed by the London-based asset management company is the pink satin gown she wore for her 1986 music video for Material Girl. The glittery gold cowboy hat from her 2000 video for 'Music' also made up the collection, as did a tuxedo jacket she wore in the 1985 comedy film Desperately Seeking Susan. Madonna starring in the film Evita wearing the iconic ivory ball gown which is now set to fetch $4,000 - 6,000 (£2,499 - £3,755) It is not known exactly how much money the group paid for the collection but it is estimated it could sell at auction for up to £400,000 this Friday, which would at least double their investment. One of the reasons why the outfits have shot up in value over the last decade is because Marquee Capital has shown them off around the world in their 'Simply Madonna - Materials of the Girl' exhibition. The display has helped raise the profile and interest in the items. Marquee Capital was launched in 2005 looking for investors to raise a six-figure kitty to snap up celebrity memorabilia. The group targeted Madonna material because the collectors' market for merchandise relating to the Beatles, Elivis Presley and Marylin Monroe was already well-established. The deep pink satin gown worn by Madonna in the 1984 music video Material Girl is estimated to sell for $60,000 (£37,541) while the white fox fur stole worn with it is estimated to go for $6,000 (£3,755) The group targeted Madonna material because the collectors' market for merchandise for the singer was less established than other stars - and it has proved to be a wise investment . Chetan Trivedi, 42, the chief executive of Marquee Capital, said: 'We set up Marquee Capital in 2005 because nobody in the market had set up a fund to invest in entertainment collectibles unlike art funds and vintage car funds. 'We built up a network of investors who had to earn over £100,000 a year or who had £250,000 worth of assets not including a house. 'We then had to decide who were were going to invest in. Marilyn and the Beatles are a bit played out so we decided on Madonna as she transcends two generations and her stuff if quite rare on the open market. Even just these song lyrics written by Madonna for an unknown song and scribbled on a piece of note paper is expected to reach $800-1,200 (£500 - £750) as die hard fans clamor to own any piece of the songstress . Other items up for grabs are the Rockford Peaches uniform worn by Madonna, in A League of Their Own in 1992 (Est, $3,000 - 5,000 or £1,877 -£3,128) and, right, the American Music Award for Favourite Single (Est, $4,000-6,000 or £2,502- £3,753) 'In Evita, Madonna set a record for the number of costume changes, which was 88. 'We went to the costume house that supplied the dresses and bought 35 of them. We were cash rich and made them an offer they couldn't refuse.' The fund sourced and bought dozens of other outfits, shoes and items of jewellery used by Madonna during her career spanning 20 years. Mr Trivedi said: 'It was a 10 year investment but we didn't just want the collection to sit there and hope it would increase in value which is why she showed it off around the world. 'We have three years left to run but we feel that now is a prime opportunity to offload it as the market has picked up.' The pink Material Girl gown is likely to sell at auction for about £37,000 while a blue taffeta dress Madonna wore while performing 'True Blue' on stage during her 1987 tour is tipped to sell for £40,000. Darren Julien, of LA-based Julien's Auctions, said: 'Madonna is one of the most collectible living celebrities. 'We hope to break $100,000 with the pink dress that she wore in the video 'Material Girl'. 'Marquee Capital was very smart in investing in Madonna and we are going to show them a sound return for their investment. Madonna is not only a global pop icons but a blue chip when it comes to investing.' The sale takes place on November 7. | Over 140 pieces of Madonna memorabilia going up for auction .
Were bought by hedge fund Marquee Capital as investment .
Have shown them round the world in their 'Simply Madonna' exhibition .
Items include dozens of outfits from the 1996 hit musical Evita .
Also outfits from 'A League of Their Own', music videos and shoots .
The American Music Award Madonna won for 'Vogue' in 1991 is in sale . |
219,612 | a84a7f48e78987b11c1358228f7f42d243544384 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:54 EST, 18 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:38 EST, 18 April 2013 . A loose-lipped supplier who hinted that Apple were slowing down production of iPads and iPhones wiped $22billion off the company's market value yesterday. Shares fell below $400 for the first time in a year and a half, following the comments from audio chip supplier Cirrus Logic. The decline means Apple has lost its . position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company to Exxon . Mobil, which has a market capitalisation a few billion dollars above . Apple's $380 billion price tag. Apple shares yesterday fell briefly below $400 - the first time they had been below that level since 2011 . Apple's stock price over the last year: Earlier in the day, it hit $398.11, the lowest level since December 2011 . The stock was down $21.89, or 5.1 . percent, at $404.35 in early afternoon trading, and earlier in the day, . it hit $398.11, the lowest level since December 2011. Late Tuesday, Cirrus Logic, which supplies audio chips for the iPhone and iPad, said sales of a particular chip are slowing down as an unnamed customer moves to a newer component. Cirrus did not name the customer, but Apple accounted for over 90 . percent of its business in the December quarter. Analyst Peter Misek at Jefferies & Co said Cirrus's news suggests a big decline in Apple sales in the April to June period. That supports his view that Apple is unlikely to launch a new iPad Mini in the quarter, and that the next version of the full-size iPad may launch late in the quarter rather than early. 'It is now very clear that Apple's . market share has reached the peak, given that Samsung has taken a big . chunk of it and HTC has had a few nice models since last year,' said Andrew Wang, Chief Investment Officer of Manulife Asset Management in Taiwan. Apple CEO Tim Cook displays the new iPad mini: Questions over the firm's future products led it to lose its position as the world's most valuable publicly traded company to Exxon Mobil . In the last three years, Apple has launched a new iPad in March or April. Some analysts also say Apple cannot sustain its high profit margins as competition in the tablet and smartphone markets forces the company to lower prices. 'This is a tough environment, Apple is in transition between products,' said Michael Yoshikami, a portfolio manager at Destination Wealth . Management, which owns about 50,000 Apple shares. Cirrus's warning 'makes it more likely Apple's not going to surprise on upside.' Apple does not comment on its suppliers' announcements or its product plans. It is set to report results for the January to March quarter on Tuesday. In the past week, analysts had reduced their revenue estimates to $42.53 billion from $42.68 billion, with net profit expected to decline 17 percent to $9.59 billion. The latest decline in the stock comes after a bruising winter for Apple. The company's stock is down 42 percent from its all-time high of $705.07, hit on September 21 when the iPhone 5 went on sale. | Share price fall blamed on rumours that production is being reduced .
Apple lost position as .
the world's most valuable company to Exxon Mobil .
Shares fell below $400 for the first time since December 2011 .
Apple's market share has peaked and profit margins will fall as competition forces them to lower their prices claim analysts . |
84,464 | ef9fa7d325e6aea5123671507a0fa76bb51f1623 | By . Sally Lee . A partygoer has refused to speak to police after he had part of his ear bitten off during a dance floor scuffle in Sydney's west. The man, 35, was at Nox Nightclub in Liverpool which was hosting an event for the Fijian-Indian community. Police were called to the scene at 2.40am on Sunday as the man was taken to Liverpool Hospital for treatment. A partygoer has refused to speak to police after he had part of his ear bitten off during a dance floor scuffle at Nox Nightclub in Liverpool, Sydney's west . Police Inspector Julie Pillott says police don't know for sure how the fight started but it may have been just a bump during dancing. 'The victim believes he was bitten and it appears that might be the case,' she said. It is believed the club was hosting an event for the the Fijian Indian community. The injured man, who had his bottom of his lobe bitten off, has since been released from hospital but has declined to provide a statement to police. The biter is yet to be identified and police are urging witnesses to come forward. Inspector Pillott said police will also review CCTV footage. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | The man, 35, was taken to hospital for treatment after the incident on Sunday morning at 2.40am .
Attacker has not been identified and it is unknown why the fight broke out .
The man was at Nox Nightclub in western Sydney's Liverpool, which was hosting an event for the Fijian Indian community . |
164,880 | 6132ce87a07b40c37dec1b2b4847ea91fab3bcb0 | (CNN) -- Mali's prime minister abruptly resigned Tuesday on state television, a day after he was arrested by a group of soldiers loyal to a former coup leader. The development is another blow to the stability of a country once hailed as a model of democracy in Africa, but one derailed by a coup and an uprising of Islamist militants. Cheick Modibo Diarra, a former NASA engineer, who holds U.S. citizenship, was set to fly to Paris for medical care Monday, when he received notice that his bags had been removed from the plane, said a close aide, who did not want to be named. Diarra decided to stay home, where three pick-up trucks with armed soldiers pulled up at 11:00 p.m. and took him away to military headquarters in Kati, five miles north of the capital Bamako, the official said. There he met with former coup leader Capitaine Amadou Sanogo. Armed soldiers brought the former prime minister to broadcaster ORTM around 1 a.m., said TV technician Adama Haidara. "Mr. Diarra looked tired, worn out," he said. The soldiers gave him a statement to read. "I cannot say if he was forced," Haidara said. "He looked unharmed." In his televised appearance on the military controlled broadcaster, Diarra did not offer a reason for his resignation, except for a vague statement that he solemnly delivered. "Our country Mali is going through the most difficult period in its history," he said. "During this time of crisis, the men and women of this country -- uncertain of what is going to happen to their country -- find themselves in an unfortunate situation. "That's why I, Cheikh Modibo Diarra, have resigned with all my government, on this day, Tuesday, 11 of December of 2012." Diarra's whereabouts are yet unknown, but his aide believes he is still in Bamako. "He was not injured when the military arrested him last night," he said, "but he has not come into his office today." "The arrest was made by a small force loyal to Sanogo," said army spokesperson Colonel Idrissa Traore. "The majority of the military officers in Bamako were not informed about the arrest of Mr. Diarra, and no one knows what will happen now," he said. Mali held its first democratic elections in 1992 after decades of military rule, and had a strong democracy for the most part. That was until March, when a group of soldiers toppled the government, which it accused of not providing adequate equipment to battle ethnic Tuareg rebels roaming the vast desert in the north. The president disappeared from sight. The Tuareg rebels took advantage of the power vacuum and seized parts of the north. They have always wanted independence, and have staged several rebellions since the 1960s. After Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was killed and Libya plunged into chaos, Tuaregs, who had fought by his side, took weapons to Mali to ramp up their conquest. A power struggle erupted between the Tuaregs and local al Qaeda-linked radicals -- including Ansar Dine -- who prevailed and seized control of two-thirds of northern Mali, an area the size of France. The international community is also worried that al Qaeda's north African wing is expanding into Mali. U.S. officials have said that the wing, the al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb, is linked to the deadly Benghazi attack that killed the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three others. Tuareg rebels have retreated from the well-armed militants, but have vowed to fight back and establish their own country in the north, which they call Azawad. And as the world seeks a solution, the Islamist militants are busy applying their strict interpretation of sharia law, including the banning of music, smoking, drinking and watching sports on television. They also publicly stoned a couple to death in July for reportedly having an affair. Public executions, amputations, floggings and other inhuman punishments are becoming common, the United Nations says. At least four times this year, the militants have destroyed Timbuktu's historic tombs and shrines, claiming the relics are idolatrous. The picturesque city was once an important destination for Islamic scholars for its ancient and prominent burial sites and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. West African states and international leaders say a rapid military intervention is essential to solving the security crisis. When soldiers seized the capital, the regional and international powers put pressure on them to restore democratic rule. Sanogo conceded and transferred power to interim President Dioncounda Traore, who was appointed by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Traore appointed Diarra interim prime minister. Traore fled to a Paris hotel after being beaten unconscious in a May 21 attack that occurred in the presidential palace. Prime Minister Diarra took over the country's leadership until Traore returned. CNN's Faith Karimi contributed to this report . | Mali's interim prime minister was arrested then resigned on television .
Prime Minister Cheick Modibo Diarra holds U.S. citizenship .
Troops loyal to the former coup leader made the arrest .
Diarra's whereabouts are not known . |
169,955 | 67f4666c83ec46917893757ceb0a690315d10162 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Sen. Joe Biden and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will face off for their first and only debate in the presidential race Thursday night, an event pitting a political veteran against a political newcomer. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has been preparing since last week for Thursday's debate. Both candidates have recently tried to lower expectations leading into the debate, where topics will range from domestic to foreign policy. The debate at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri, will start at 9 p.m. ET and be moderated by PBS's Gwen Ifill. For Palin, the stakes are high. After skyrocketing onto the national stage and energizing the Republican faithful, the first-term Alaskan governor has struggled recently to regain her footing after several shaky network TV interviews with ABC's Charlie Gibson and CBS's Katie Couric. View memorable moments from other debates » . Palin said Tuesday that she's different. "I think they're just not used to someone coming in from the outside saying, 'You know what? It's time that normal Joe Six-Pack American is finally represented in the position of vice presidency,' and I think that that's kind of taken some people off-guard," she said in a radio interview with conservative host Hugh Hewitt. Palin's interview gave the vice presidential candidate a chance to showcase elements of her life story and demonstrate some of the folksiness that's been central to her political success. It's exactly the kind of interview that voters can expect to see from the governor in the coming weeks, according to a Palin adviser, who recognized that there is hunger in Republican circles and among the public at large to see a less-scripted, more authentic candidate. "We're going to be continue to put her in settings where she has an opportunity to shine, to be on offense," the adviser said. "We've gotten very good feedback from the public from Hugh Hewitt interview." The adviser suggested that the campaign's efforts at damage control after Palin's interview with Couric may have been hampered by the fact that the governor wasn't doing more friendly interviews to counter her flubs on Russia and the congressional bailout bill, which have reverberated throughout the blogosphere and even turned Palin into a punch line on "Saturday Night Live." "We acknowledge that perhaps she should have been out there doing more," the adviser said, arguing that "it's not fair to judge her off one or two sound bites" from the network interviews. Palin is apparently eager to take on a more outspoken role, both in interviews and in her stump speech, after Thursday's vice presidential debate in order to remind voters of what it is they like about her. iReport.com: Watch debate, then tell us who won . "She connects really well, and she's good at it, and she wants to be doing more of it, and she will do more of it," the adviser said. For the Democrats, Biden has served in the Senate for 35 years. His biggest challenge will be to stick to the script. He's known for making off-the-cuff remarks, including some gaffes. Watch analysts weigh in on Thursday's debate » . A Biden aide said the senator is ready. He left Wednesday's debate preparation in Delaware to vote on the economic recovery bill in Congress. "I haven't read the package yet, but my anticipation is I'm going to vote 'yes.' But I want to see. That's why I'm going home now to get briefed on the details," Biden said. Biden campaign aides are actively playing up Palin's debating skills. His spokesman called Palin "a leviathan of forensics," a classic example of the campaign tactic of raising the expectations of their opponent and lowering their own. "She's very skilled, and she'll be well-prepared," Barack Obama's chief strategist, David Axelrod, said Sunday night while flying with Biden back to Delaware to help him get ready. "As you saw at the convention, she can be very good. So, I think it would be foolish to assume that this isn't going to be a really challenging debate. We're preparing for that, on that assumption." Taking it one step further, Biden spokesman David Wade added, "he's going in here to debate a leviathan of forensics who has debated five times, and she's undefeated." Biden has a difficult task on his hand: not coming across as condescending with his decades of experience and not adopting a tone that could appear as though he's treating Palin differently because she's a woman. "I think Gov. Palin is a skilled politician," Axelrod said. "She got elected in a very tough political arena against tough opponents, and we're going to treat her with the respect that she deserves. And I think that she would expect that; I think voters should expect that." Axelrod argued that at the end of the day, the choice voters make is between the candidates at the top of the ticket and not the vice presidential candidates. However, he said vice presidential nominees have a harder time preparing because they need to not only defend their own positions but those of their running mates, as well as knowing where both candidates on the opposing ticket stand. Obama and John McCain, meanwhile, have two more debates before the November 4 general election: a second debate October 7 at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and a final debate at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York, on October 15. CNN's Sandra Endo, Peter Hamby, Ed Hornick and Alexander Mooney contributed to this report. | Joe Biden, Sarah Palin to face off in their only debate Thursday night .
Stakes high for Palin, who is said to be eager to prove herself .
Biden is political veteran who must avoid embarrassing gaffes . |
26,372 | 4ac73eafe3a39fc53996ac6a8fe9a866ef138682 | Roy Keane’s criticism of Everton is ‘nonsense’, according to Roberto Martinez. Keane irritated Everton manager Martinez after claiming last weekend he puts pressure on his players not to represent the Republic of Ireland, using James McCarthy and Seamus Coleman as examples. McCarthy has a hamstring problem that prevented him featuring in Ireland’s recent fixtures and is likely to stop him playing in Saturday's Goodison match against West Ham. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch . Everton boss Roberto Martinez has denied exaggerating injuries to Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy . Coleman (right), pictured in action against Scotland, did represent his country despite Keane's comments . Republic of Ireland assistant manager Keane (right) wants to talk to Martinez about his Irish contingent . ‘I’m sure there is an agenda,’ said Martinez. ‘We are in an age in football in which when injuries happen players get a scan and it’s not a subjective opinion; that’s gone out of the game. ‘James picked up a grade one hamstring problem against Sunderland. Normally with these injuries they clear between eight and 10 days but you are injured.’ James McCarthy (left) missed both of Ireland's recent games after being injured against Sunderland . The added sensitivity around the issue is that McCarthy was born in Scotland and Martinez feels Keane’s comments have created an unnecessary issue. Martinez added: ‘If there is an issue it should be treated with respect, and privately, to try to get to the bottom of it. 'To come out and make things public could (have) some of the Irish fans thinking that the players don’t want to play, or that Everton have stopped some players from playing. That’s nonsense. That’s ridiculous.’ Toffees winger Aiden McGeady (centre) played for the Republic against both Scotland and the USA . Defender Leighton Baines could be fit to face West Ham on Saturday despite being injured on England duty . | Roy Keane had claimed the Roberto Martinez had exaggerated injuries to Seamus Coleman and James McCarthy .
Toffees trio Coleman, Aiden McGeady and Darron Gibson all faced Scotland last Friday .
Martinez called Keane's claims 'nonsense' and 'ridiculous . |
178,344 | 72e84cde1074d427ecfab258538763d6c4c6a4bf | An elderly couple were attacked in their home by a pair of machete-wielding thugs while they watched television. The 70-year-old pensioner - who wished to remain anonymous - was punched repeatedly in the face and his wife, 69, was also threatened with the large blade. The raid took place in Birch Avenue, Chadderton, Oldham, on Tuesday evening while they were watching television at about 6.20pm. The elderly couple - who wish to remain anonymous - were attacked as they watched television on this road . When the pensioner opened the door to his house in Chadderton, he was punched repeatedly by the offender . When the couple heard the doorbell ring, the husband answered the door and was confronted by two men who forced their way in to the house. The pensioner tried to push the offenders out the door but was punched by one repeatedly in the face. He was left with a bloody lip and shoulder injury. Hearing the disturbance, his wife ran to his aid into the hallway of the £200,000 property. By this point, the offenders were half-way up the stairs and were seen holding a machete. The thugs demanded to know if the couple had a safe, and threatened them with a blade. The wife managed to run from the house, screaming for help and both offenders fled in panic, empty-handed. The first offender was described as black, about 6ft 2in tall, well-built and in his mid-20s. He had prominent eyebrows, a large nose, and was wearing a dark grey woollen hat with a black scarf around his face. The thugs demanded to know if the couple had a safe, and threatened them with a blade at their house . His accomplice was also black, about 5ft 8in tall, in his mid-20s with a slim build. He was also wearing dark clothing and was carrying a stainless steel machete said to be about 18 inches long, three inches wide and with a slightly curved walnut handle. Police are now appealing to anyone with information to come forward. Det Con Kelly Bragg said: 'The motive for this appalling attempted robbery is unclear. We cannot be certain if it was a case of mistaken identity or for whatever reason the offenders have deliberately targeted this address. 'What is for certain is that an elderly couple have been left extremely traumatised after the sanctity of their home was invaded and they were violently assaulted. For those reasons it is imperative we locate the offenders as soon as possible. 'I would therefore urge anyone who has information about this incident, or perhaps know who may be responsible, to call us and help us put these dangerous offenders behind bars.' Anyone with information should call police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. | Couple attacked in their Oldham home as they watched evening television .
When husband opened the door, he was met by machete-wielding thugs .
Thugs demanded to know if the couple had a safe, and threatened them .
But the wife managed to run from the house, screaming for help and both offenders fled in panic, empty-handed . |
205,673 | 96437bc4c8d13ad2b6a69defedffd244a3d01bfe | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:07 EST, 16 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:07 EST, 16 February 2013 . Cheap eats: Customers who buy the cheapest food at the supermarket are most at danger from contaminated meat, says Waitrose boss Mark Price . Customers who buy the cheapest food at the supermarket are most at danger from contaminated meat, says Waitrose boss Mark Price. The chief executive of the supermarket chain said that meat should be more thoroughly checked and its origins verified to keep consumers confident in the food they are eating. His comments come as the Food Standards Agency’s test results were due in for some of Britain’s suppliers, brewers and restaurant chains. The watchdog said 2,501 tests were . conducted on beef products, with 29 results were positive for undeclared . horsemeat at or above 1 per cent. Mr . Price maintains that Waitrose has done proper testing and origin checks . of its products and so has not been affected by the horsemeat scandal. He . wrote in The Sunday Telegraph: ‘If meat is being purchased blind from . outside the UK, and sometimes even via the internet in bulk, it is less . easy to find those guarantees that full knowledge and traceability . give. ‘If, at the same . time, there is a requirement to hit a price point for consumers under . financial pressure then there will be an inevitable strain in the supply . chain.’ Mr Price said the . cost of rearing animals and the often long supply route could also put . pressure to keep companies afloat or allow officials to give in to personal greed. He hoped the scandal would open up debate on food economics and lead to a shakeup of meat testing procedures to ensure consumer confidence in the product. Birmingham-based supplier 2 Sisters Food Group is among those waiting on test results. Their customers include major chains such as Harrods, Marks & Spencer, Asda and Pret A Manger. Tests are in: The Food Standards Agency have conducted 2,501 tests on beef products with 29 results positive for undeclared horse meat at or above 1 per cent . FSA chief executive Catherine Brown said that testing was the right way to address the issue, and said the focus would be on areas of higher risk. But she admitted that the number of people who had unknowingly eaten horsemeat was likely to be impossible to ascertain. ‘I don't think that we ever will (know how many), because these tests are a snapshot, so even where we find things it is very hard to work out how long, what number of batches, so I think it is unlikely that we will ever know that. It is shocking,' she told the BBC. Her comments came as the head of a major UK supermarket chain insisted that the horse meat scandal was not 'the tip of an iceberg'. Justin King, chief executive of Sainsbury's told BBC's Newsnight programme that supermarkets had not been slow to react to the scandal, but conceded there was a long way to go before the food industry could fully explain how the crisis has come about. The horsemeat scandal has swept across Europe and criminal investigations are being carried out in at least three countries. In Britain, three men were arrested last week on suspicion of fraud as authorities investigated the possible mislabelling of meat. One of the men, 63-year-old Peter Boddy, . owns an abattoir in West Yorkshire now under investigation. He also had . a contract with Aintree Racecourse for destroying the carcasses of . injured horses. Mystery meat: Catherine Brown, FSA chief executive said that testing was the right way to address the issue but she admitted that the number of people who had unknowingly eaten horse meat was likely to be impossible to ascertain . Mr Boddy and the other men were released on bail yesterday pending further police inquiries. Warnings about horsemeat fraud were sent to the FSA but no action was taken, the Sunday Telegraph claims. Tip-off: Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has admitted that the Irish received a tip-off of possible contamination of beef . The FSA received three warnings that in Europe beef products were contaminated with horsemeat but the agency decided not to take action because the produce was not intended for Britain. But the free movement of food within Europe meant that contaminated meat could find its way into the British food chain. Meat imported into Europe from America could have entered the food chain in Britain – contaminated with horse painkiller ‘bute’ which can be dangerous to humans. Warnings that there was a fraud suspicion regarding horse carcasses and horsemeat from Hungary and Denmark and it was reported that much of the meat had been distributed probably to Belgium, Denmark and France, the Sunday Telegraph claimed. The watchdog did not act on the warnings because there was no indication that the meat was to be distributed in Britain. The Mail on Sunday has learned that Irish food safety chiefs kept British consumers in the dark for ten weeks after being tipped off about horsemeat in beefburgers. Officials have repeatedly insisted that horsemeat was only detected in the food chain after random inspection of products at Irish plants in early November. It was claimed that the results came to light in trials of new DNA testing techniques. But Environment Secretary Owen Paterson has now admitted the Irish received a tip-off of possible contamination of beef with horsemeat before last year’s tests and started investigating on that basis. | Mark Price: Meat should be more thoroughly checked and origins verified .
The FSA said of 2,501 tests, 29 results were positive for horsemeat . |
103,341 | 1141cb74fe2ab285bdb4169d874b4c3afa76fad1 | (CNN) -- A popular sightseeing destination in Australia is boldly going where no tourist attraction has gone before -- by offering audio tours in the Klingon language. Starting August 22, Star Trek fans and those who are fluent in Klingon can visit the Jenolan Caves National Park and take a self-guided audio tour in Klingon through the "Nettle Cave." Currently offering audio tours in eight languages, Nettle Cave is part of one of the oldest cave systems in the world and has about 150,000 to 200,000 visitors annually, making it one of the most visited caves in Australia. "We thought it would be neat to add another language, perhaps a fictional one," says David Hay in charge of Cultural Initiatives at Jenolan Caves. "We considered adding dwarfish or elfish, but then decided to add the second most spoken fictional language in the world after Esperanto, which is Klingon." How to speak Klingon . Hay says the language addition isn't completely out of the blue. In the early 1990s, two writers of "Star Trek: The Next Generation" visited the caves and decided to name a transport vessel, the USS Jenolan, in the 1992 episode, "Relics." In July, two Klingon scholars -- Michael Roney Jr. and Tracy Canfield -- visited the caves from the United States and translated the current English audio tour of the caves into Klingon and recorded it in a Sydney studio. Speaking in the Star Trek language, Roney exclaimed "lH, qar'a'"? when he first visited the caves to express their beauty, according to a statement released by Jenolan Caves Reserve Trust. The Klingon language was first created in 1979 for "Star Trek: The Motion Picture." by James Doohan, who played Scotty in the sci-fi series. Star Trek producers later consulted linguist Mark Okrand to develop the language for "Star Trek III: The Search for Spock" and subsequent other films. The "Klingon Dictionary" created by Okrand went on to sell hundreds of thousands of copies over the years. Currently, the Klingon Language Institute has an estimated 2,500 members in 50 countries. "What I think is happening is that people are very interested in the language and we have created a portal into it," says Hay. "This is an opportunity for others to listen to Klingon and make it available for those who interested in it." | Star Trek fans and those fluent in Klingon can take an audio tour in the language .
Nettle Cave currently offers audio tours in eight languages .
It's one of the most visited caves in Australia. |
207,172 | 983c49f4adb88471280d13e7106f3b869e7cef30 | So it is official: Luis Suarez has gone the way of Michael Owen and Fernando Torres, to seek a fresh challenge after lighting up the Barclays Premier League in Liverpool red. During my 16 years at Liverpool Suarez, Owen and Torres were the three best strikers I played alongside (Robbie Fowler was not at his peak when I was making my way in the first team), but Suarez was top of that all-star list. Luis used to do things on the pitch that were so audacious, you could only laugh in amazement. But now here’s the question: will he get the same kind of adulation in Camp Nou as he did at Anfield? Hero worship: Luis Suarez was idolised by Liverpool fans during his time at Anfield . Spanish fly: Liverpool striker has completed a £75million move to Barcelona . Unloved: Fernando Torres and Michael Owen (R) never found the same love after leaving Liverpool . Or will he end up like Owen and Torres, searching for affection and struggling to replicate the devastating goals-per-game ratio they had in their Merseyside pomp? There was a reason Owen and Torres never recreated what they had done for Liverpool. Our team was built around them and, in Steven Gerrard, they had someone to supply them with killer balls; their pace was perfect for Gerard Houllier and Rafa Benitez, who liked to destroy teams on the counter-attack. Suarez was afforded a similar indulgence. Don’t forget Brendan Rodgers jettisoned Andy Carroll as soon as he arrived in 2012 and constructed a side around his No 7. Suarez was good for Rodgers with the goals he scored but, equally, Rodgers was good for Suarez and gave him licence to roam. Clearly, Luis can be a star for Barcelona. He has the ability to play with any player and thrive for any club but it is not a given, by any means, that he will simply turn up in Catalonia and replicate what he was doing for Liverpool. For all that we admire Barcelona, for all that we have marvelled at how tiki-taka has changed our perceptions of how the game should be played, they are not an easy team to play for — you don’t just pull on that distinctive jersey and join in the fun, particularly if you are a striker. Centre of attention: Brendan Rodgers built his Liverpool team around the 27-year-old . Numero Uno: Luis Suarez is unlikley to displace Lionel Messi as the main man at Barcelona . Look at Thierry Henry. He is arguably the Premier League’s greatest player, certainly the best I played against, but he never showed the same wow factor after he left Arsenal. Yes, he won seven trophies, including the Champions League, but he had a strict role to play on the left wing. Strikers who are brought into Barcelona don’t get the option of operating through the middle because that is the domain of Lionel Messi. He is the king, the man around whom this particular team is built and others have to tailor their game accordingly. Think about it: Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Neymar, Alexis Sanchez — all brilliant attackers, all undisputed match-winners, but none of them flourished alongside Messi. Even David Villa, for all his brilliance and the trophies he won, became frustrated towards the end of his time at Barcelona playing second fiddle to Messi. Second fiddle: Thierry Henry and Zlatan Ibrahimovic struggled under Messi's shadow at the Nou Camp . Boy from Brazil: Neymar . New in town: Luis Suarez . Phenomenon: Lionel Messi . The system is what matters and you can see that from the decision to let Cesc Fabregas, who looked to be Xavi’s natural heir, join Chelsea. So where will Luis fit in? A front three of Suarez, Messi and Neymar sounds like it has come straight from the computer game Football Manager but it will be fascinating to see how Luis Enrique, the new man in charge at Camp Nou, juggles the demands when Luis is available. Messi’s position is not up for debate and Neymar plays from the left, as Suarez would like to. Does that mean he goes out on the right? Luis played out wide for Liverpool on occasions, and did the job well, but he knew he wouldn’t do it every week and also had the freedom to roam. Is playing in a specified position something Suarez will accept and adapt to or is something that will take the edge off his spontaneous, impulsive brilliance? Wrong city? The Liverpool may have been better off moving to Real Madrid . I thought a move to Real Madrid would have been more natural for him. Yes, Ronaldo is the star but Luis is a better player than Karim Benzema and he would have played in his rightful position — straight down the middle. Liverpool will desperately miss him, there can be no disputing that, but the time was right for him to leave and the club have got the best cash deal they could, as was the case when Torres headed to Chelsea in January 2011. What they must make sure does not happen is falling into the trap Tottenham did 12 months ago of spending a giant windfall on players about whom nobody is sure where they play or what they do. They have to use this finance to build on the foundations Suarez helped lay last season. | Luis Suarez has completed a £75m transfer from Liverpool to Barcelona .
Uruguay striker may not receive the same adulation at the Nou Camp .
Michael Owen and Fernando Torres were unloved after leaving Anfield .
Suarez is unlikely to displace Lionel Messi as the main man in Spain .
Thierry Henry, Alexis Sanchez, David Villa and Zlatan Ibrahimovic have struggled under Messi's shadow .
Real Madrid may have been a better move . |
175,799 | 6f8fef1a4b50ef68cf41a2a9cf47e9db1abce703 | (CNN) -- Ralph C. Wilson Jr. -- the founder and longtime beloved owner of the Buffalo Bills, not to mention a leading figure in the NFL's rise to prominence -- has died, his team announced Tuesday. He was 95. Upon forming the Bills in 1959, Wilson became one of the co-founders of the American Football League. A few years later, he was key to negotiations with leaders of the rival National Football League that paved the way for today's immensely popular and profitable professional football league. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell called him "a driving force in developing pro football." Those efforts and his stewardship of the Buffalo franchise -- including overseeing its run of four straight Super Bowl appearances and keeping it in western New York -- helped earn Wilson entry in 2009 in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. "He was bigger than life in many ways and yet he was the everyday man, driving his Ford Taurus to the local store and greeting everyone as they called out 'Hi, Ralph!'" Russ Brandon, the Bills CEO and president, said in a statement. "He will be greatly missed by those in our community whose lives he touched." The Columbus, Ohio-born Wilson served in the South Pacific during World War II. After returning to the United States, he got into pro football first by buying a minority share in the Detroit Lions and then staking his claim to the Bills franchise. And his new team found almost immediate success, including AFC championships in 1964 and 1965. It took the Bills longer to make history in the newly reincarnated NFL. But for four straight seasons in the early 1990s, the team was the class of the AFC thanks to players like Jim Kelly, Thurman Thomas and Bruce Smith. Still, while the Bills notched the second-most wins of any club in the 1990s, they never broke through with a Super Bowl win. Wilson remained a presence in Buffalo for many years, including lending his name to the Bills' home stadium. He gave up control of the organization on January 1, 2013. On Tuesday, the man who took the reins lamented the loss of "our founder, our mentor, our friend." "For those of us fortunate to have worked for him, we'll miss his kindness, his insight, his leadership, but mostly his sense of humor," Brandon said. "He possessed the unique ability to turn a negative into a positive." Bills players past and present responded with sorrow and tributes to news of Wilson's passing. Andre Reed, a standout wide receiver on those Super Bowl teams who was recently picked for the Hall of Fame, tweeted that Wilson was a "#GreatOwner #Fatherfigure." Current Bills offensive lineman Eric Wood wrote: "Rest in peace to a great man." | NEW: Andre Reed calls Wilson a father figure; current player says he was a "great man"
Ralph Wilson was a co-founder of the American Football League .
He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2009 .
Bills CEO: "We have lost our founder, our mentor, our friend" |
93,946 | 04ca7e67fc4b8327bbedcb67d9c781425464bdb3 | A Japanese pop star has been forced to cut off all her hair and make a tearful public apology after being caught spending the night with her boyfriend. Minami Minegishi, 20, made the dramatic gesture after a tabloid magazine printed pictures of her leaving his house last week. In an emotional four-minute YouTube video, now viewed almost 5million times, she asks for forgiveness and displays her shaven head, a traditional act of contrition in Japan. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Apology: Pop star Minami Minegishi posted this tearful video asking for forgiveness on YouTube . Role model: The 20-year-old said she was 'thoughtless and immature' Strict: Members of the popular girl band AKB48 are strictly banned from dating while they are in the group . A member of the popular girl band AKB48, Miss Minegishi explained she decided to cut off her long hair immediately after seeing the photos of her leaving 19-year-old Alan Shirahama's house with her face hidden behind a surgical mask and a baseball cap. The band has a strict policy that members should not be involved in any romantic or sexual relations and the group's management agency demoted her to 'trainee level' yesterday, according to the band's official blog. She said she had been 'thoughtless and immature' and had considered quitting the group in shame. 'I know this is being over‐optimistic, but I want to stay as Minegishi Minami of AKB48 if possible,' she said. 'It was all my fault about this. I am very sorry.' She ends the video by saying: 'As a senior member of the group, it is my responsibility to be a role model for younger members.' Made up of girls in their teens and early twenties, AKB48 are one of the biggest musical acts in Japan and have sold millions of CDs and DVDs including an estimated £126million in sales in 2011 alone. National icons: The girl group AKB48 are one of the biggest-selling musical acts in Japan with more than £126million in sales in 2011 . | Minami Minegishi, 20, pictured leaving dancer boyfriend's house last week .
Cut off hair and made tearful speech on YouTube to ask for forgiveness .
Extreme gesture is a traditional act of contrition in Japan .
Members of popular girl band AKB48 banned from dating . |
78,471 | de613efabf384457a9b5550cd7603bba60c81b9a | By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 12:14 EST, 16 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:14 EST, 16 May 2013 . A grandmother is being forced to become a 'health refugee' and move to England to get the cancer treatment she needs to extend her life. Maureen Fleming, 63, was diagnosed with bowel cancer six years ago and was refused the drug cetuximab in Scotland. She and her husband Ian are now considering relocating to Newcastle where . consultants say she may get the life-prolonging treatment on the NHS. Cancer sufferer Maureen Fleming and her husband Ian are seriously considering moving from Scotland to England to get the life-extending cancer drugs she needs . Their plight was raised directly with Alex Salmond during First Minister's Questions at Holyrood. The couple watched from the public gallery as Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont described them as 'health refugees'. They agreed to come to Parliament once all avenues were exhausted. While cetuximab is free in England, cancer patients in Scotland have to pay about £3,000 a month for it. Cetuximab was approved for use on the NHS by the Scottish Medicines . Consortium but the 'decision to restrict its use' was made as a result . of an application by the drugs company, said Mr Salmond. Mrs Fleming, a retired secretary from Bonhill, West Dunbartonshire, . later said: 'If you can afford to pay for the treatment, you get it. If . you can't, you don't. An option for us is to relocate down south or to . another area where we can get this drug. 'I would just like to know why you can't get it on the NHS when others get it.' Paying for the treatment privately costs about £10,000, she said. When the money runs out, the couple feel it is 'probable' they will have to move. They are already searching for suitable rented accommodation. Mr Fleming, a 65-year-old retired shipyard supervisor, said: 'We feel as . if the NHS is letting us down. I've worked all my life, I've worked . right up to when I retired last year. Mrs Fleming was diagnosed with bowel cancer six years ago, and was refused the drug cetuximab in Scotland . 'We've three children with families of their own. They've all got that . work ethic that's been instilled in them from their mum and I. Maureen . only stopped working to have kids, then back to work again. 'So we feel as if we've contributed our NHS for 50 years and we can't . get the drug that Maureen needs. We think it's very unfair that as . citizens of here we have to move to England. "We've got families and it would involve a bit of upheaval because we . do, like most grandparents, nursery runs, picking up the kids, school . runs, so our children can go to work. There's that aspect too, that we'd . be giving up that to move to England.' The couple, who have 10 grandchildren, approached Labour MSP Jackie Baillie more than six months ago to raise their concerns. Mrs Fleming was described by her consultant as an 'ideal candidate' for the treatment. The couple's plight was raised directly with Alex Salmond during First Minister's Questions at Holyrood. The couple watched from the public gallery as Scottish Labour leader Johann Lamont (left) described them as 'health refugees' 'To pretend to people that there is a solution to these hugely difficult . questions that are being faced by every health service across the . world, in terms of efficacy of what drugs can be approved for use, is . misleading people entirely,' Mr Salmond said. Asked what Ms Fleming thought of the First Minister's responses, she said: 'Not a lot.' She continued: 'The drug is there, the treatment is there for anybody . that needs it. You're not getting it because you're not in this wee box. If you can pay for it, it's there for you. It seems unfair.' In the debating chamber, Labour leader Ms Lamont said prescriptions for . aspirin and paracetemol can be free while cancer treatment can be . denied. 'Scots with hayfever can get their prescription for free but Scots with . cancer may have to leave their homeland for treatment to save their . lives. Cancer sufferer Maureen Fleming and her husband Ian are seriously considering moving from Scotland to England to get the life-saving cancer drugs she needs . 'The . Flemings are a proud family. They are struggling to get together the . £10,000 needed for the first three months' treatment. But they can't . afford to pay for any more after that, so they are planning to leave . their home of 27 years and rent a flat in Newcastle because in England . they can get the drug for free. 'Time . is short, so Maureen Fleming has come to this chamber today to hear . first-hand what is the First Minister's advice to her and cancer victims . like her.' A spokesman for the First Minister later criticised her assertion, . arguing that painkillers are frequently prescribed to long-term . sufferers of conditions such as heart disease or chronic pain. Ms Baillie, the Flemings' local MSP, said her party would 'absolutely' find the cash to offer more cancer drugs to patients. | Maureen Fleming, 63, was diagnosed with bowel cancer six years ago .
Has been refused the life-extending drug cetuximab in Scotland .
If she lived in England she would get the £10,000 treatment free on the NHS .
She and husband Ian are now considering relocating to Newcastle . |
82,789 | eabeaab06e62ca309bfc8c5fcac21d99d864ba2c | It was the ‘best feeling in the world’ for Helen Conway when she discovered she was expecting her first baby. But after the birth of daughter Amelia, her joy was shattered when it emerged she had developed a rare form of cancer that only occurs during pregnancy. Miss Conway, a consultant for a bank, was diagnosed with choriocarcinoma which affects fewer than 20 women a year in the UK. Back in her arms: Helen Conway, 38, from Halifax, West Yorkshire, overcame a rare type of cancer while she was pregnant with her daughter Amelia, now two . It develops in the placenta when cells that were part of a normal pregnancy become cancerous and spread to other parts of the body. The cause is not known and it can develop months or even years after pregnancy, making it difficult to diagnose. ‘I don’t think any woman considers that cancer might be a risk of pregnancy,’ said Miss Conway, 38, of Halifax, West Yorkshire. Shock: Miss Conway pictured during her chemotherapy treatment in March 2012 . ‘It was terrifying. I’d just brought a baby into the world and I feared what would happen to her if I didn’t beat it.’ The cancer was only spotted nine months after Miss Conway gave birth when she began coughing blood. It took four months of chemotherapy before she was given the all-clear. ‘Hearing that you have cancer must . always be terrifying, but I would definitely consider getting pregnant . again because the cancer is so rare and you should never let anything . hold you back. 'The pregnancy left me with my lovely daughter Amelia so I . don’t regret anything.’ Amelia, now aged two, was born healthy in December 2010, having been conceived naturally with Miss Conway’s former partner. But . the new mother experienced bleeding for six months after the birth, . then in April 2011 took a pregnancy test which came back positive. She . went for a scan which showed there was no pregnancy and, because of the . continued bleeding, she presumed she had suffered a miscarriage. Unbeknown to her, the cancer caused her body to release the HCG hormone, which made the pregnancy test positive. Six months later she started to cough up . blood. After visiting her doctor, she was told it was probably just a . burst blood vessel. When her coughing got worse, she went to . the out of hours doctor at the hospital, who referred her for a chest . x-ray. The results revealed she had black spots on her lungs. Illness: Miss Conway, pictured while pregnant, discovered she had cancer when Amelia, pictured aged one month, was only nine months old . Green days: Miss Conway was given the all clear in January 2012, four moths after she was diagnosed with the rare cancer . ‘I was terrified it would be lung cancer. It’s all I could think about and I was worried about Amelia. I didn’t want her to grow up without a mother,’ she said. She was diagnosed in September 2011, and the cancer had spread to her liver and lungs. She said: ‘I was diagnosed when Amelia was less than a year old and as the consultant delivered the devastating news thoughts flashed through my mind of what would happen if the cancer was terminal. ‘I was completely shocked when I heard my cancer had been caused by my pregnancy. However, I tried to look on the bright side.’ Because the cancer is so rare, treatment was only available in three hospitals in the UK. She had to travel 50 miles to Weston Park Hospital in Sheffield to undergo chemotherapy for two nights every fortnight. Miss Conway was given the all-clear in January 2012. ‘I’m so relieved, now I have time to focus on my daughter and move on with my life,’ she added. A Cancer Research UK spokesman said: ‘More than 90 per cent of women diagnosed with choriocarcinoma make a full recovery. | Helen Conway, 38, developed choriocarcinoma expecting Amelia, now two .
The rare cancer develops in the placenta during pregnancy .
Ilness was discovered when her daughter was nine months old . |
240,635 | c386182336d421fb3e8ee22eb51d385c27ecdfa3 | Private Eye editor Ian Hislop said the victims of the Charlie Hebdo shooting had 'paid a very high price for exercising their comic liberty'. The satirical magazine targeted by three masked gunmen is widely seen as France's answer to Private Eye and prides itself on a mixture of tongue-in-cheek reporting and investigative journalism. At least 12 people died in the attack, believed to include editorial staff members Jean Cabu, Stephane 'Charb' Charbonnier, Bernard 'Tignous' Verlhac and Bernard Maris. Scroll down for video . Private Eye editor Ian Hislop said the victims of the Charlie Hebdo shooting had 'paid a very high price for exercising their comic liberty' Gunmen brandishing Kalashnikovs burst into the Charlie Hebdo headquarters, opening fire on staff after seeking out journalists by name. Those executed included four of the most famous cartoonists in France – men who had regularly satirised Islam and the Prophet Mohammed – including the newspaper's editor-in-chief, Stephane Charbonnier. In a statement, journalist and writer Mr Hislop said: 'I am appalled and shocked by this horrific attack - a murderous attack on free speech in the heart of Europe. 'I offer my condolences to the families and friends of those killed - the cartoonists, journalists and those who were trying to protect them. 'They paid a very high price for exercising their comic liberty.' He added: 'Very little seems funny today.' The editor-in-chief of British satire website The Daily Mash has also spoken of his shock at the Charlie Hebdo terror attack. Neil Rafferty said he and the website's team of writers felt the murderous attack was 'beyond belief'. He said that his site, which has already expressed solidarity with the French magazine on Twitter and Facebook, was planning its own response. The former news journalist said: 'We are a little bit shocked. I think me and the writers think it is beyond belief really. 'You think if it is possible that these sorts of extremists would turn their guns on writers and satirists. It seems such an extreme possibility that when it happens it shocks you to the core.' The massacre this morning was France's deadliest terror attack in at least two decades. Witnesses said the suspect Al Qaeda killers were heard to shout 'the Prophet has been avenged' and 'Allahu akbar!' as they stalked the building. Horrific footage also emerged showing an injured police officer slumped on the pavement outside the office as two of the gunmen approach. Charlie Hebdo's editor-in-chief, Gerard Biard, who was in London at the time of the attack, said: 'I don't understand how people can attack a newspaper with heavy weapons. A newspaper is not a weapon of war.' Twitter users have begun using the #JeSuisCharlie hashtag in a show of solidarity with the publication. Magazine Charlie Hebdo has taken several highly provocative swipes at Islam. The magazine once named Prophet Mohammed as its guest editor, published cartoons of the holy figure in the nude, and once renamed itself Sharia Hebdo with the cover slogan '100 lashes if you don't die of laughter'. The controversy began in 2006 when the publication reprinted now-infamous cartoons of Prophet Mohammed by Danish artist Kurt Westergaard. When the images originally appeared they lead to days of protests across the Middle East and in Western cities. The decision to reprint the images landed the then-editor in court under anti-terror laws, though he was later acquitted. Stephane Charbonnier, who was among the 12 people killed, was the editor-in-chief of Charlie Hebdo which regularly satirised Islam and the Prophet Mohammed . British tourists in Paris have been warned to take 'extra care' in the wake of the terrorist gun attack in the French capital which left 12 people dead. The Foreign Office said those in the French capital should be more vigilant because of the 'high threat from terrorism' in the country. It is understood he will order a meeting of Cobra to be held tomorrow. Scotland Yard is in discussions with the government about the public response expected later. Whitehall sources expect police, security services and senior politicians including the Home Secretary Theresa May to hold talks to discuss Britain's response to the attack. Britain's terror threat level is currently set at 'severe' but the question of increasing to 'critical', the highest state of alert, is likely to be discussed. It was last raised to critical in 2007 in the wake of terror attacks in London and Glasgow, and indicates an extremely high level of threat. The Foreign Office updated its travel advice to state: 'If you're in Paris or the Ile de France area, take extra care and follow the security advice issued by the French authorities. 'There is a high threat from terrorism. Attacks could be indiscriminate. Due to ongoing threats to France by Islamist groups, and recent French military intervention against ISIL, the French government has warned the public to be especially vigilant and has reinforced its own domestic and overseas security measures. 'Previous incidents attributed to Islamist extremists have included the shooting of 3 soldiers and 4 civilians in Toulouse, and a knife attack on a soldier near Paris.' The Hebdo offices were burned to the ground in 2011 when attackers used Molotov cocktails to start a blaze early in the morning of November 2. There was nobody in the building at the time, and the target was instead thought to be the magazine's computer system, which was completely destroyed. Riot police were forced to stand guard outside the building for days following the attack, as the editors took a defiant stance, choosing to reprint the cartoon images multiple times. In 2012 they again printed cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed as a deliberately provocative gesture while violent protests were taking place across the Middle East. The following year the magazine's office again had to be surrounded by riot officers after they published a cartoon booklet depicting the Prohpet naked as a baby and being pushed in a wheelchair. On the final page of the booklet there was a note from the editor, Stephane Charbonnier, saying the images were 'halal' because Muslims had worked on them, and that they were factually accurate as they had been derived from descriptions in the Koran. Hebdo's current office building has no notices on the door to prevent a repeat of the attacks that have occurred in the past. In an interview with De Volkskrant in January 2013, Mr Charbonnier revealed he had been placed under constant police protection for four months after one of the cartoon issues was published. He shrugged off criticism that he was only publishing the images to gain notoriety for Hebdo, and insisted that he was instead defending the right to free speech. Mr Charbonnier pointed out that the magazine had poked fun at feminism, nuclear energy and homeland security, but the Islam issues always attracted the most publicity. Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain stands 'united with the French people' in opposition to terrorists and defending free speech and democracy. He told MPs: 'While details are still unclear I know that this house and this country stands united with the French people in our opposition to all forms of terrorism and we stand squarely for free speech and democracy. 'These people will never take us off those values.' In a statement the Queen said: 'Prince Philip and I send our sincere condolences to the families of those who have been killed and to those who have been injured in the attack in Paris this moming. 'We send our thoughts and prayers to all those who have been affected.' Mr Cameron, who is to be briefed by security services tonight, will call French President Francois Hollande to offer British condolences and solidarity. It is understood he will order a meeting of Cobra to be held tomorrow. Scotland Yard is in discussions with the government about the public response expected later. Whitehall sources expect police, security services and senior politicians including the Home Secretary Theresa May to hold talks to discuss Britain's response to the attack. Britain's terror threat level is currently set at 'severe' but the question of increasing to 'critical', the highest state of alert, is likely to be discussed. Stephane Charbonnier (left), known by his pen name Charb, was the editor of Charlie Hebdo, and gunned down by men with assault weapons. Also killed was Georges Wolinski, who was by officials . Lead cartoonist Jean 'Cabu' Cabut (left) was among the 12 killed by terrorists in Paris, along with Bernard 'Tignous' Verlhac (right) Four of France's most revered cartoonists - Stephane Charbonnier, Georges Wolinski, Bernard 'Tignous' Verlhac and Jean Cabut - were among 12 people executed by masked gunmen in Paris at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Two masked men brandishing Kalashnikovs burst into the magazine's headquarters this morning, opening fire on staff. Police officers were involved in a gunfight with the men, who escaped in a hijacked car, speeding away towards east Paris and remain on the loose, along with a third armed man. Charbonnier, 47, known by his pen name Charb, was the editor of the weekly magazine. Cabut, also called Cabu, its lead cartoonist and Wolinski an 80-year-old satirist who had been drawing cartoons since the 1960s. There are reports that the gunmen asked for the cartoonists by name before shooting them dead. Radio France chief executive Mathieu Gilet announced on Twitter that a contributor, Bernard Maris, was another of the victims . | British comedian and writer condemns 'murderous attack on free speech'
Magazine Charlie Hebdo widely seen as France's answer to Private Eye .
Publication has taken several highly provocative swipes at Islam .
Four cartoonists among 12 killed by masked gunmen who stormed offices .
David Cameron insists terrorists cannot harm free speech and democracy . |
159,720 | 5a76ba9a1b627589b06d63856e883d8516b95cdf | A New York-based student who earned widespread criticism and notoriety earlier this year when she wrote an essay demanding that poor people should stop making her feel bad because she's rich has posted a follow-up article in which she complains that the media coverage of her outburst failed to make an issue of her sexuality. Rachel Sacks, who is enrolled in a $40,000-a-year writing program at a New York liberal arts school, posted her latest musings – entitled They Could Find My House But They Couldn't Find Out I Was Gay - on Thought Catalog on Monday. Sacks writes that she is upset with the media for not making an issue our of her sexuality, even though she admits it wasn't actually relevant to her previous essay about how a cashier at a grocery store close to her affluent West Village apartment was unfriendly and frowned at her because she had a designer bag. Scroll down for video . Rachael Sacks, who gained notoriety over an essay about poor people hating her because she's rich, has now complained that the media didn't include the fact that she is gay even though she admits it wasn't relevant . ‘I have Pride Flags hanging in the windows of my apartment,’ protests Sacks. ‘My Facebook account also says ''interested in women''. Reporters were able to find my home on Google Earth yet they were unable to see my sexuality blatantly listed for the public to see? It doesn’t add up.’ It was October when Sacks first gained notoriety after she posted her controversial essay on the Though Catalog site entitled I’m Not Going To Pretend That I’m Poor To Be Accepted By You. In that article Sacks blogged: 'I am sorry that I was born into great financial circumstances and my father likes to provide for me. I am sorry I don’t have to go to a state school to save my parents money. What do you want from me?' Scorned: Rachael Sacks, 20, has received endless online vitriol over her essay about her privileged background . In the media firestorm that followed Sacks, 20, was unrepentant over her rantings and told the Mail Online that she was undeserving of the media attention it generated because she was a 'spoiled brat who masturbates too much'. In her latest essay, Sacks freely admits that her sexuality has nothing to do with previous essay which gained her notoriety in the first place. ‘While my sexuality is irrelevant to the topic of my article, it still is part of who I am and should not be ignored,’ she admitted. According to Sacks, she believes her sexuality was ignored because ‘it would look tacky to vilify me in the press in regards to my sexuality.’ ‘Non normative sexuality has to be avoided completely as a topic of discussion because of all of the tragedies that have resulted from kids being bullied for being gay.’ Sacks is seen here with her father, Dr Preston Sacks, a prominent fertility doctor in Bethesda, Maryland . On her blog, her ambition is stated as: 'Working on my goal of being a rich eccentric old person by writing a lot of things.' The student has penned other articles . entitled '13 Things That Should Exist For New York Women In Their 20s' and 'Confession: I'm a chronic female masturbator'. In her essay about the hardships she faced as a rich person she wrote: 'People shouldn’t make others feel bad about their own personal finances. How people spend their money is their own choice.' She continued: 'It just seems really petty and makes you look bitter and unhappy with your own life if you are casting nasty glares at college girls in Gristedes because you’re a cashier.' The 20-year-old then argued: 'I’m not one of those people who try to be poor to relate to people. 'I think that’s honestly really disgusting behavior, it’s as if you’re saying that you have to make yourself into something you think is beneath you to get others to like you.' Classy lady: The 20-year-old New York college student said in her previous article that it is petty to be bitter about college girls if you're a cashier at a grocery store . She later claimed that she had no idea . that she was rich while growing up because her family went to McDonalds . and she wore clothes from Old Navy. She added: 'I went to private school when I was younger and there would always be someone so much richer than me. 'There . were kids who owned their own horses and whose parents were . billionaires, so I had no idea that I had any money until I was about 14 . and people called me ''Rachael Sacks of Cash''. Within hours of Sacks' previous article, she was flooded with deriding, mocking comments from people who didn't appreciate her perspective on wealth. 'Yes, let's all pity and feel bad for poor, judged, not smiled at,' one twitter user commented sarcastically. A commenter on her story wrote: 'What a spoiled brat. Your parents did a horrible job of raising you. The level of entitlement in this article is mind blowing. No one is born spoiled, entitled and snobby.' Sacks attends the New School's Eugene Lang Liberal Arts College - one of the most expensive universities in the country . 'That is a learned behavior. And it's . repugnant. I hope that you can modify your behavior before you pass your . horrible and selfish attitude down to your children,' another commenter . added. Sacks responded in fury at the negative responses her personal essay had drawn. She posted on Twitter: 'I've been dealing with b****** since the third grade I've always been ready for haterz.' She added: 'I'm just an obnoxiously loud voice of idiocy amongst billions.' Gossip site Gawker piled on with a post headlined Rich Girl Not Going to Pretend She's Not Rich Just to Make Poors Happy. Sacks attends the private Eugene Lang Liberal Arts College at the New School in Manhattan. Sacks was unrepentant in the face of criticism, telling her 'haters' to 'suck it' With tuition and fees totaling nearly . $40,000 a year and annual cost of attendance estimated at more than . $61,000, it has been ranked as one of the most expensive college in the . country. Her father is Dr Preston Sacks, a prominent fertility doctor in Bethesda, Maryland. The family lives in a $700,000 home in Bethesda, Maryland. Despite the massive influx of online criticism, Sacks doesn't appear to have changed her mind. She tweeted: 'I'm rolling my eyes because I definitely don't deserve this much attention.' Adding later: 'La la la everybody hates me guess ill eat some worrrrmmmsss. Suck it.' | Rachael Sacks gained instant notoriety in October when she complained on her blog that a grocery store clerk frowned at her Mulberry bag .
She wrote: 'People shouldn’t make others feel bad about their own personal finances. How people spend their money is their own choice'
Now Sacks has written a follow-up article in which she claims the media ignored that she was gay - even though she admits it wasn't relevant .
'While my sexuality is irrelevant to the topic of my article, it still is part of who I am and should not be ignored,' she admits . |
49,480 | 8bd723474115ffeed0739505ffe5be47629a6532 | Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- The South Korean military apologized Monday for shooting at a commercial airplane carrying 119 passengers and crew. The Asiana Airlines flight was preparing to land Friday morning at Incheon International Airport, 70 kilometers (43 miles) west of Seoul, when two soldiers fired at the aircraft after mistaking it for a North Korean military jet. The soldiers were on Gyodong Island near the North Korean border. After firing 99 rounds, they reported the incident. The South Korean military claims the rounds were only warning shots from K-2 rifles, and there was no damage to the aircraft because it was out of range. "I sincerely apologize for causing the public concern over the incident," Col. Lee Bung-Woo, spokesman for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said Monday. The aircraft, on its way from Chengdu, China, was "flying on its regular route under command of the flight control tower," Asiana Airlines spokesman Ki Won Suh said. Asiana confirmed two other flights flew on the same route 20 minutes before and after the firing incident, raising questions about why only one flight concerned the soldiers. The passengers and pilots were unaware they had been fired upon until they landed. "We understand the guards need more education on how to distinguish civilian airplanes," said Lee, the military spokesman. But the South Korean military said it will not reprimand the two soldiers because they acted in accordance with procedure. The incident comes at a time of heightened tensions between the two Koreas. Pyongyang said it would cut off all ties with Seoul last month, accusing the South of waging psychological warfare by sending propaganda into North Korea undermining the regime. CNN's Jiyeon Lee contributed to this report . | Two soldiers fired 99 rounds after mistaking the plane for a North Korean military jet .
Military official: Guards "need more education on how to distinguish civilian airplanes"
The South Korean military says the rounds fired were warning shots .
The airline says two other flights flew on the same route within an hour . |
70,436 | c7a2f14b6f263c23bf105113c4820ab3e09aa955 | (CNN) -- Dan Wheldon was rounding the fourth turn in the last lap at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, foot to the floor and focusing on passing a car when he caught something out of the corner of his eye. What was little more than a blurred glimpse for Wheldon was the center of attention for the thousands in the stands and millions more on television Sunday -- Indianapolis 500 leader J.R. Hildebrand's car grinding against the track's big gray outside wall as he came around the bend, moments from victory. "As I cleared that car that I was overtaking I noticed that, just in the corner of my eye that he'd got up in the gray and made contact with the outside retaining wall," Wheldon told CNN's "American Morning" on Monday. "And at that point I just focused on making sure that I didn't get caught up in any of the debris, made sure that he didn't come back across the track in front of me." And then? Then, Wheldon said, he drove "across the line like I stole it." The sprint gave the British driver his second Indianapolis 500 victory -- the first came in 2005 -- and a spectacular finish for a race that was once considered among the world's premier sports spectacles, but which has seen its television ratings fall in recent years. The ratings for Sunday's race, its 100th running, were not yet available. But viewership for the 2010 edition was the lowest since the event was first aired live in 1986, according to the Indianapolis Star. About 4 million people watched last year, according to the newspaper. In a posting on the race's official blog, Hildebrand said that he sensed his competition was catching up as he neared the final turn and did not want to risk slowing down to avoid a car coming out of the pits. So he opted to move outside, towards the retaining wall. The move obviously didn't pay off for Hildebrand, who was driving in his first Indy 500 race. The car slipped on what's known in racing circles as marbles -- pieces of soft rubber shed from tires during the race, Hildebrand said. "It's a helpless feeling driving the race car when you get in a situation like that. It can happen on road courses, it can happen at other places. It's most extreme at a place like this where it truly does turn into a one-groove track towards the end of the-race," the posting quoted Hildebrand as saying. "That was certainly my mistake to have judged it otherwise." While the finish was a spectacle to remember for race fans, Wheldon said it just goes to show what Indy drivers have long known -- that letting up during a race simply isn't an option. "With this race, you just never know what can happen, so it's just about staying focused," he said. "And you really don't ever let off the power unless you have to." | Indianapolis 500 winner Dan Wheldon: I "drove it like I stole it"
Race rookie J.R. Hildebrand's crash in the final turn gave Wheldon the win .
The crash left Hildebrand feeling "helpless" |
123,677 | 2be65762c30d1b1bde5451ba36d48357f366d8f1 | (CNN) -- Conjoined Egyptian twin boys Hassan and Mahmoud, who were successfully separated in Saudi Arabia Saturday, are recovering and are expected to lead normal lives, officials said. Conjoined twins Hassan, left, and Mahmud rest the day before separation surgery in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. "The twins' vital signs are good; they're doing excellent," said Sami Al-Shalan, spokesman for the King Abdulaziz Medical City facility in Riyadh where the surgery took place. "The twins still have about 24 hours before a progress report can be issued. The anesthesia consultants are happy with the progress of the children." The boys are less than a year old and were brought to the kingdom on February 10. The delicate surgery took a little more than 15 hours. "The twins' parents have visited them in the [pediatric intensive care unit], but they can't stay there long. They come and go," Al-Shalan said. Separating the boys' urinary system was a major challenge, Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, the Saudi minister of health, told CNN. So was separating the siblings' local veins and arteries, he said. "We had to identify the arteries and the blood veins between each baby," Al-Rabeeah said. Watch Al-Rabeeah explain the operation » . The procedure was the 21st of its kind to be performed in the kingdom. The surgeries are performed free as part of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz's philanthropic initiative. CNN's Mohammed Jamjoom contributed to this report. | Egyptian twin boys are less than a year old .
21st procedure of this type to be performed in the kingdom .
15-hour delicate surgery declared successful, surgeon says .
Surgery free as part of King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz's philanthropic initiative . |
203,859 | 93f0cae2b76be44590904f6ec768abfe66c20f46 | (CNN) -- South Africa's tourist industry happily blew its own vuvuzuela Monday, reporting a half-billion dollars in receipts from hosting this year's FIFA World Cup matches. The tournament brought more than 309,000 visitors to South Africa and generated more than $520 million dollars in added revenue to the tourism industry, South African Tourism Minister Marthinus van Schalkwyk announced. "I can today say without a doubt that the success of the event will reverberate for many years to come," van Schalkwyk said in a statement announcing the final tally. Speaking days after FIFA officials awarded Qatar the 2022 World Cup -- a controversial move many say will scare off fans --van Schalkwyk said that pre-tournament fears that the long travel distances, high airline ticket costs and fear of crime would deter travelers from coming to South Africa turned out to be unfounded. "The World Cup also attracted a large number of first-time visitors to South Africa, particularly from the Americas," he said. The ministry's survey found that 59% of people making the trip to South Africa for the World Cup were first-time visitors. Fans from other African nations made up the biggest share of visitors, at 38%, while nearly a quarter were from Europe. Another 13% were from Central and South America, and just over 10% came from North America, the survey showed. And despite complaints about the buzz of the vuvuzelas and the occasional official's call, most fans said they were happy with the hosts. Of those surveyed, 90% said they thought the South African venues were nicer than expected. CNN's Brian Walker contributed to this report. | The tournament brought 309,000 visitors to South Africa, the government reports .
Nearly 60 percent of those were first-time visitors, the country's Tourism Ministry says . |
181,449 | 76e72b397388e8ba1954eb9b983f7bf00d6464e6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Dr Phil’s wife Robin McGraw has admitted that friends find it strange that she never argues with her husband. The mother-of-two, 61, who has been married to the TV star for 37 years told New You magazine: ‘People cannot understand when we say we don’t fight. They go “that’s just not natural, you’re lying! Couples fight.” ‘But we don’t fight and it’s because we had a conversation early on and I told him that it’s not natural for me to be in a house where people are screaming and yelling – my parents didn’t do it, I don’t do it and I don’t want to live in a house like that. He got it and has never raised his voice around me. We don't fight.’ Perfect couple: Robin McGraw, the wife of Dr Phil, says that the two have maintained a 37 year bond by never fighting and always flirting . Deep thoughts: Mrs McGraw has also opened up about what it was like to grow up with an alcoholic father, saying that it was an incredibly difficult experience . Mrs McGraw - whose New You feature . marks her first magazine cover - added that she keeps the spark alive by . flirting with Dr Phil. ‘Always . flirt!’ she said. ‘A piece of advice I’d tell women: Learn what your . husband considers flirting and learn what makes your husband happy.’ The interview also saw her speak about what it was like to grow up with an alcoholic father. She . said of her childhood: ‘I lived in uncertainty every day because of it . and didn’t like the feeling. I made decisions early on that I was going . to do everything I could to be in control of myself and my life.’ She added that the experience ‘taught me compassion and how to have a more accepting and loving spirit.’ On stands: Mrs McGraw's issue of New You hits newsstands today . The . couple have two sons, Jay, 34 and Jordan, 28. Jay and wife Erica have . also given them two grandchildren – a four-year-old girl named Avery and . grandson London, three. But . despite her growing career and duties as a mother and grandmother, Mrs . McGraw says that her husband ‘is my number one priority.’ She . advises other women looking to balance work and family life to ask . their husbands: ‘”What can I do for you? Tell me what you need from me, . what you need to hear from me, what you need to see me do. I’ll do it.”’ She . also recommends checking in with one’s husband on a ‘regular basis,’ adding: ‘Phillip always needs to know I’m proud of him and the loves to . hear that I appreciate him.’ Family photo: Mrs McGraw is pictured here surrounded by her sons, husband, and grandchildren . Number one: Mrs McGraw says that even after having kids and a career, her husband was her first priority . Even . when she gave birth to Jay in 1979, Mrs McGraw sat Phillip down to tell . him that he would still be a priority for her, even with a child in the . house. She explains: ‘From . that moment on, he could say to himself, “Oh good, I’m not going to be . in second place. She’s not going to forget about our relationship.”’ Mrs McGraw has recently launched a range of anti-aging skincare called Robin McGraw Revelation. She has also launched a foundation called When Georgia Smiled, which helps victims of domestic violence. | The couple have two sons, Jay, 34 and Jordan, 28. Jay and wife Erica have also given them two grandchildren - four-year-old Avery and London, three . |
62,434 | b158b02e63b0e883612b8f41156702ede4eb045a | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 07:54 EST, 21 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:38 EST, 22 October 2013 . Have you ever noticed how clouds, when viewed from far away, can take on shapes of familiar faces? Or how close-up microscopic images of an insect can look remarkably like space images of an alien planet? The phenomenon is all down to how scale distorts our perception. Without knowing how close or far away something is, nature’s patterns can take on remarkable, and strikingly similar forms. Two scientists have since created and collected more than 50 images for display in 'Macro or Micro' exhibition which aims to challenge our perceptions of the world. This image is an interferogram of the Vatnajokull Glacier in Iceland, showing topography, including a depression in the center of the image, caused by a sub-glacial volcanic eruption. It has a scale of approximately 5 km by 3 km . This is something that Stephen Young, a geography professor at Salem State University, noticed when he was studying vegetation on Earth using satellite imagery. In 2004, professor Young had an exhibition at the Klein gallery in Philadelphia in which an image of the Mississippi delta was mistaken by many people as a medical scan. ‘At this point I started to wonder how people perceive satellite imagery,’ he told MailOnline. Does this look more like a river or a medical scan? During an exhibition at the Klein gallery in Philadelphia this mirror image of the Mississippi delta was mistaken for a medical scan.'This is the image which began my thinking of how people perceive satellite imagery,' said Professor Young . Without knowing how close or far away something is, nature's patterns can take on remarkable, and strikingly similar forms. This image is of an emerging eye of a larval zebrafish. The width of the image is around 300 µm (the same size as a dust mite) In 2012, Professor Young noticed some electron-microscopic imagery on the office walls of his colleague Paul Kelly. 'Some of his images looked like satellite images of the Earth,' he said. One such picture is this landsat image from west Africa . ‘Then, in 2012, one day I noticed some electron-microscopic imagery on the office walls of my colleague Paul Kelly,' he said. ‘Some of his images looked like satellite images of the Earth. 'As a joke I put one of my satellite images on his door and he thought that it was an electron microscopic image created by his officemate.’ The scientists soon realised that there must be some recurring patterns in nature at different scales, and they started to work together to look the similarities between each other’s imagery. This may look like a splattering of paint, but it is in fact Moscow by night at a scale of around 1400 km by 900 km. Data downloaded from NOAA Geophysical Data Center, and processed by Professor Young with the Idrisi Image processing software . The surface of the wing of a Blue Darner Dragonfly is shown at a width of around 3mm. This images was taken using colourised scanning electron microscopy . The work had a difference in scale of a million times or more, with Professor Kelly’s images showing objects millimetres and Professor Young’s revealing scales in kilometres or greater. As reported by Megan Gambino in Smithsonian.com, the two scientists have since created and collected more than 50 images for display in ‘Macro or Micro?,’ an exhibition currently at both Salem State University’s Winfisky Gallery and Clark University’s Traina Center for the Visual and Performing Arts. ‘Most people had trouble determining the differences in scale and most people were only able to get about 60 per cent of the images correctly identified,’ Professor Young told MailOnline. ‘We also noticed during these focus groups that people enjoyed many of the images from an aesthetic perspective.’ This is an image of a variety of ice types off the coast of East Antarctica. The original images was taken by Nasa Earth Observatory. 'Most people had trouble determining the differences in scale and most people were only able to get about 60 per cent of the images correctly identified,' Professor Young told MailOnline . Professor Kelly's images show objects in millimetres and Professor Young's reveal scales in kilometres or greater. This image shows the surface of a green alga, Marchantia as shown at a width of around 1mm . This colourful image is a 30 arc-second Digital Elevation Model (DEM) for Antarctica. 'We also noticed during these focus groups that people enjoyed many of the images from an aesthetic perspective,' said Professor Young . Professor Young said that even biologists who do microscopic imaging and geographers that use satellite images have had trouble determining the scale of some of the images. The exhibition aims to be both aestically pleasing as well as challenging how people view the world on different scales. In addition to exploring perception, the researchers want to promote a public understanding of science and how scientists study the earth at different scales. ‘Along with galleries in the United States we hope to have international shows as well,’ said Professor Young. ‘I lived and worked in London for a year and hope to bring the exhibition to the UK in the future.’ At approximately 60 km by 40 km, this is a landsat image from central Mali. The raw data was taken from Global Land Cover Facility. The exhibition aims to be both aestically pleasing as well as challenging how people view the world on different scales . The flight feather of a common grackle is shown in this scanning electron microscope image at a scale of 1mm. In addition to exploring perception, the researchers want to promote a public understanding of science and how scientists study the earth at different scales . At first glance this might look like a cracked piece of wood. It is, in fact, a lens of a cow eye, which was freeze-fractured to reveal the internal structure . At a width of image approximately 1.5 mm, this image shows the crystal of sodium chloride, also known as table salt. Exhibitions featuring these images are currently taking place at the Winfisky Gallery at Salem State University and the Traina Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, Clark University . | The images, ranging from a river delta to the eye of a zebra fish, show remarkable patterns on different scales .
They distort your perception of what you see and most people can only identify around 60 per cent correctly .
More than 50 of these images are currently on show as part of the 'Macro or Micro?' exhibition in Boston, U.S. |
221,635 | aae652a527d6d346a39a6bee2c8aeed94ad6305f | Businesswoman Karren Brady took her seat in the House of Lords today with her friend and colleague Lord Alan Sugar by her side. The 45-year-old was introduced as Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge to a busy Hall this morning dressed in traditional red ermine robes. Flanked by her Apprentice co-star, Ms Brady swore her allegiance to the queen before being cheered by other peers. Scroll down for video . Karren Brady - now Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge - takes her seat in the Lords alongside her Apprentice co-star Lord Sugar . She is among 22 people announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in August to have received a Conservative Party Peerage. Ms Brady, who is from Birmingham but has a home in Knightsbridge, was also accompanied by co-chairman Lord Feldman of Elstree as she made her entrance. She was introduced as 'Baroness Brady, of Knightsbridge in our city of Westminster', but will be known simply as Baroness Brady. After repeating the businesswoman, signed the Upper House's code of conduct and then shook hands with Lord Speaker Baroness D'Souza. She was then greeted by leader of the House Baroness Stowell of Beeston before leaving the chamber to change out of her robes. She then rejoined the Chamber to hear questions. It comes after Ms Brady spoke out in favour of stay-at-home mothers saying their work should not be underestimated or treated as menial. Ms Brady donned traditional ermine robes for the occasion, wearing her trademark hair in loose curls over a fur collar . Looking the part: The businesswoman prepares for her first appearance in the House of Lords this morning . The businesswoman is among 22 people who were announced as recipients of Tory peerages earlier this year . Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge, as she is now known, took her seat in the House of Lords today . The mother-of-two praised women who committed themselves to staying at home, admitting she found being a housewife 'unrewarding' when she spent five months away from work between 2009 and 2010. Speaking ahead of today's ceremony, the businesswoman, who became the managing director of Birmingham City FC at the age of 23, said she admired women who give up work to raise children. 'I had five months where I didn’t work and I found it really unrewarding. Because all the things you do at home are just taken for granted,' she told the Daily Telegraph. 'I think that's a great shame because actually being at home and dedicating yourself to your family is a wonderful thing and should never be underestimated. Baroness Brady, pictured third from left, rejoined the chamber after making her official entrance . Ms Brady, who previously said taking just three days maternity leave following the birth of her daughter was 'shameful', added: 'It's not something I chose for myself...But it's not menial work and it should never be considered as that.' Flanked by her friend and Labour Peer, Lord Alan Sugar and Conservative Party co-chairman Lord Feldman of Elstree, Ms Brady took her seat in the House today. All three were dressed in ermine robes as Lady Brady pledged her allegiance to the Queen. Since her early twenties the businesswoman says she has had to fight against gender stereotypes in the workplace after finding success in a male-dominated industry. After becoming the managing director of Birmingham City FC in 1993, she took the club from the brink of bankruptcy to an estimated worth of £82million. Karren Brady, pictured with her husband Paul Peschisolido and their children Sophia and Paolo, said staying at home to raise children should not be considered menial work . The 45-year-old was named in August among 22 new Conservative Party political peers selected by Prime Minister David Cameron. They are pictured together at the party's conference in Manchester earlier this year . She is now the vice chairman of West Ham United, sits on the boards of Phillip Green's Arcadia and Simon Cowell's SyCo and acts as Small Business Ambassador to the Government. But the businesswoman has expressed regret in the past for sacrificing time with her family to ensure professional success. Taking such a short break from work following the birth of daughter Sophie, now 18, was 'a mistake,' she said. 'That was shameful, really. It was a mistake and most people would look at it with shock, as they should.' Earlier this year Ms Brady revealed Sophia had been working part-time in a clothes shop near the family's Solihull home to learn about the working world, and is paying her way through a film studies degree with a student loan. She is the eldest of Ms Brady's children with her husband, former footballer Paul Peschisolido. The couple also have a 16-year-old son, Paolo. Speaking of her daughter's part-time job in Hollister, she said: 'It helped her realise there is a whole world outside school of different experiences and places.' After becoming the managing director of Birmingham City FC aged 23, Ms Brady (pictured in the role in the early Nineties, left) took the club from the brink of bankruptcy to an estimated worth of £82million. Today Brady sits on the board of various multi-million pound companies and acts as a Small Business Ambassador to the Government . Earlier this year Ms Brady was awarded a CBE for services to entrepreneurship and women in business by Prince William. Speaking of the accolade, she said: 'It has been difficult over the 20 years, things are getting better. 'But I think if women like me don't campaign for other women who's going to do it, so I take it seriously.' 'I think it's important that young women have good role models and it's important that if you put yourself forward as a role model you take that job seriously.' Ms Brady is among 22 new party political peers announced by Prime Minister David Cameron in August. There are 192 women in the House of Lords, the fewest belonging to the Conservative Party of which just 26 per cent of peerages belong to females. | Businesswoman was introduced into the House of Lords this morning .
The 45-year-old was accompanied by friend and fellow peer Lord Alan Sugar .
Given title Baroness Brady of Knightsbridge following August appointment . |
23,868 | 43ba19a7cbad11d28c20aa47544f425a764fc8f4 | Fall from glory? Last year's number one store, Apple, has plummeted to 13th place due to 'bad service' Apple may be the darling of the tech geeks but ordinary shoppers have fallen out of love with the US giant. The chain’s high street outlets have dropped from first place to 13th in a league of the nation’s favourite retailers compiled by the consumer champions at Which? Its stores look beautiful and minimalist with glossy white walls and tables, where the sleek and stylish iPads, iPhones, iPods and MacBooks are displayed like precious pieces of jewellery. Staff float around serenely, full of American ‘have a nice day’ bonhomie, and are happy to help customers to spend £500 plus on the company’s latest piece of tech wizardry. But woe betide the poor individual who doesn’t know their FaceTime App from their Safari browser – for getting help can be extremely frustrating. People who want help in setting up, fixing or understanding the operation of their device can go to the store’s so-called ‘genius bar’, where Apple’s experts can work their magic. However, forget simply rolling up when on a shopping trip into town, for these ‘geniuses’ are often so busy that it can take days to get an appointment. The fact that so many people are waiting for help raises a question as to whether Apple’s devices are as simple and intuitive to use as the company and its British design chief, Sir Jonathan Ive, claim. Many tech industry experts have made the point that smart phones are actually far too smart, given that most people hardly ever use all the myriad of functions and Apps that are built in. It is this very complexity which confuses consumers and sends them to the Apple geniuses for advice. Which? said: ‘Last year’s winner Apple slipped down to 13th place after seeing nine per cent slashed off their customer score. Several customers complained about it being difficult to book an appointment with its ‘genius bar’ service, which helps consumers with technical problems.’ Customers are frustrated by the disorganised 'genius bar' service which is often booked up, Which? revealed . 1 Lush . 2 Disney Store . 3 Richer Sounds . 4 John Lewis . 5 Waterstones . 6= Clarks . 6= JoJo Maman Bebe . 6= Lakeland . 6= Screwfix . 10 White Stuff . 11= Bonmarche . 11= The Perfume Shop . 13 Apple . 14= Independent electricals . 14= Jones Bootmaker . 14= Maplin . 14= Sony Centre . 18 Dunelm Mill . 19 Wilkinson . 20= Early Learning Centre . 20= The Body Shop . The research suggests that Apple’s new . highly paid head of retail Angela Ahrendts, who started work on May 1, . has a bigger job than she might have expected. Miss . Ahrendts, who has been given a golden hello of shares worth around . £40million, was previously head of the luxury British fashion label . Burberry, where she was one of the UK’s highest paid women executives. Top of the high street poll this year is the natural beauty products chain Lush, where staff were praised for their personal service, ahead of the Disney Store, Richer Sounds, John Lewis and Waterstones. For the second year in a row bottom place went to WH Smith with shoppers complaining of ‘crowded stores with limited stock’. Other poor performers were Homebase, HMV, EE the mobile phone chain and the 99p Stores. The Which? magazine editor, Richard Headland, said: ‘We’ve seen time and again that people won’t settle for bad customer service and this is supported by the results of our high street shops survey. Stores giving people the care and attention they want have happy customers who return.’ The results are bad news for Apple which is under pressure to reinvigorate its reputation for innovation and delivering gadgets which quickly become lifestyle essentials. In recent years, following the death of Apple founder Steve Jobs, the tech giant’s success has been built on small innovations to existing products, such as the thinner and lighter iPad Air. There have also been new versions of the iPhone, including a plastic version that was billed as a cheaper option but turned out to be more expensive than most smartphones. The company has been rumoured to be . launching an iWatch with built-in health functions for the past two . years, however in the meantime rivals such as Samsung and Sony have been . allowed the space to launch their own. Separately, . it is under attack from Google, with its Google Glass, which are worn . like a pair of spectacles and put the internet in front of user’s eyes . while allowing them to video and share what they see and do. Contrast: Lush, the beauty product store, topped this year's list as customers praised their good service . Apple said it had no comment on the findings. A WHSmith spokesman said: 'This exercise is very misleading as WHSmith does not fit into any of the survey categories, while products like newspapers and magazines are not those that customers would ‘recommend’ a retailer for. 'The 104 customers that commented on WHSmith in this survey are not reflective of the 12 million customers that visit our stores each week, where our own independent survey of over a thousand customers continues to rate us highly.' | Which? survey said customers frustrated by disorganised help service .
Suggests new head of retail Angela Ahrendts has bigger job than expected .
Beauty product store Lush topped this year's table, praised for good service . |
38,592 | 6d21f53f7a6a381da9802ba26337654f8e746679 | By . Emma Glanfield . More than 22,000 troops in the British Army have been found to be overweight over the last three years, new figures reveal. Serving personnel who have been deemed overweight are putting themselves at risk of a host of health problems – including Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and shortness of breath. The figures, released by the Ministry of Defence, also reveal how a total of 32,419 male and female soldiers have failed the Army’s basic fitness test – which includes press-ups, sit-ups and a run – over the last three years. More than 22,000 troops in the British Army have been found to be overweight and at risk of health problems over the last three years, new figures reveal (file picture) The statistics, which are from March 2011 to March . this year and include troops who may have served on the front line at Camp . Bastion in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, state that 29,600 men and 2,819 women failed the standard personal fitness assessment. The MoD states that servicemen under the age of 30 must be able to do 50 sit-ups within two minutes and 44 press-ups within the same period of time, as well as a 1.5mile run in under 10 minutes and 30 seconds. Female troops in the same age bracket must be able to complete 50 sit-ups, 21 press-ups and run the 1.5mile stretch in 13 minutes or less. Once a year, troops are also expected to take part in an eight-mile march - carrying a rucksack weighing up to 25kg - and complete it within two hours. All service personnel in the British Army must complete the personal fitness assessment twice a year, and any troops who fail must retake the test within seven days. Repeated failures could result in disciplinary action which could eventually lead to a soldier being discharged. The MoD said 50 troops had been dismissed from the army for obesity since 2002. One senior officer blamed poor diet for the obesity levels and said overweight servicemen and women could be found up and down the country. He told The Sunday Times: ‘Part of the problem is the appalling diet many soldiers have. ‘While soldiers can have salads and low-calorie meals, they can also have a cooked breakfast, followed by chips at lunch and chips at dinner and a stodgy pudding too.’ All service personnel must complete a personal fitness assessment twice a year, and any troops who fail must retake the test within seven days. Pictured: A young soldier attempts an exercise course at Sandhurst . Mo Ahmed, 32, a former serviceman who is now the owner and founder of Army Boot Camp Fitness, said all those who serve in the army should be able to complete the physical test. He said: ‘If you stay on top of your fitness you should really be able to pass. If I’m honest, it’s not unbelievably hard. ‘It is average level, you don’t need to be superhuman to complete it. ‘To be a soldier you need to be extremely fit and robust and should be able to deal with any sort of physical challenge. ‘I think a lot more people should be passing it and not failing.’ 'It’s their job to be fit and well to look after our country.' - Professor David Haslam . Mr Ahmed, who also serves as a firefighter for East Sussex Fire and Rescue service, said large amounts of food on offer at army bases could be responsible for some troops letting their fitness levels slide. He said: ‘There is a big culture of eating in the army. ‘You want to load the calories in for energy levels but that’s all good and well when you’re training lots and staying on top of your fitness but if you’re not doing anything, that’s where the problem lies. ‘It’s definitely an issue.’ The former soldier, who served in the 16 Air Assault Brigade, also said those who serve for the country should want to take pride in their fitness. He said: ‘On a personal level, I think all of those in our forces should have higher fitness levels including police and firefighters. ‘I find it disappointing to see soldiers who’ve let themselves go and are not taking pride in their fitness. ‘I firmly believe you should look after yourself and keep on top of your fitness levels all of the time. ‘You realise the public might see some soldiers in their beret and uniform, perhaps at a service station or somewhere, and see they’ve let themselves go a little and they will wonder “Is that what the British Army is nowadays?" ‘It’s not good in that sense.’ A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the figures represented only a small number of troops serving between March 2011 and March this year and said training and support was offered to all service personnel (file picture) Professor David Haslam, chairman of the National Obesity Forum, said the figures were ‘worrying’. He said: ‘It’s their job to be fit and well to look after our country. It’s a necessity. ‘When a group of professional soldiers are being looked after by fitness and nutritional specialists, they really should be able to ensure they are fit and healthy. ‘The inability to do simple fitness test is a worry. It seems to me that it’s one of the most basic parts of their role, the tools of their practice.’ However, a Ministry of Defence spokesman said the figures represented only a small number of troops and said training and support was offered to all service personnel. He said: 'This figure represents 11 per cent of the Army serving in that period and many of those who failed will have subsequently passed their fitness test. 'All personnel are provided with the support and training necessary to meet the Army’s physical standards, with additional help for those personnel who fail to meet this criteria. 'Personnel who remain unable to meet the standard could ultimately be discharged.' | Overweight service personnel at risk of health problems including diabetes .
More than 32,000 soldiers have failed standard British Army fitness test .
One senior officer blamed poor diet and wide availability of food on obesity .
Former serviceman said troops should take more pride in their fitness levels . |
117,448 | 23a96e033d709baf51e6d73e9abad7b311052ae6 | By . Mia De Graaf . This is the heartbreaking moment a mother wept over her daughter's hospital bed after the four-year-old was found unconscious at the bottom of a holiday swimming pool. Kate Miller says she is living every parent's 'worst nightmare' as she helplessly watches doctors battle to save her daughter Cally Simpson in a Barcelona hospital. Cally was found unconscious at the bottom of a swimming pool on Monday during her first holiday abroad at the Villa Marina resort in Salou, Catalonia. Tragic: Kate Miller tearfully kisses her daughter Cally Simpson, four, who is fighting for life after she was found at the bottom of the pool on her first holiday . After being rushed to a children's hospital she was placed in an induced coma amid fears of severe brain damage due to lack of oxygen. Mrs Miller said: 'This is every parent's worst nightmare. I just want to swap places with my girl and make everything OK for her.' The girl, from Arbroath in Angus, Scotland, had . gone to the pool with her father Steven and grandmother when she is . thought to have fallen in earlier this week. She was pulled unconscious from the pool by another tourist and attempts were made to resuscitate her. Her . mother, who was at home in Scotland at the time of the tragedy, fought . her way through a strike by French air traffic controllers to get on a . flight to join distraught relatives at her bedside. She said: 'Thank you so much to everyone who has taken time out to pray for our wee girl also to all your kind words. 'Can I ask you all to keep praying as Cally is still in critical but stable condition. 'There . has been a wee bit of improvement as Cally has been given protein - . still makes no change as we need these scans done Sunday or Monday. Holiday: She was at the pool at the Villa Marina resort in Salou, Catalonia, with her grandmother and father when another tourist found her unconscious, pulled her to the side and made attempts to resuscitate her . Emergency: After being rushed to Barcelona children's hospital, Cally (pictured with her mother months before) was placed in an induced coma amid fears of severe brain damage due to lack of oxygen . 'Thanks again to all you lovely people as all your messages are keeping us going.' But despite their best hopes, the child's father said doctors had told them to prepare for bad news. Steven . Simpson said: 'The doctors have just spoke to me and Kate and have told . us to prepare ourselves as our baby could be brain dead. 'They . are going to start taking her off one medication in the next 24 hours . and if she has another seizure it's really bad and that means her brain . won't wake up. 'Please god help us wake our baby up. Please.' Cally . had been to see the dolphins Aquopolis Water Park in Salou earlier in . the day and was planning to visit the zoo before the incident. Fears: Cally may have been filling up her bucket in the pool as she played with her younger cousin when she fell, according to her aunt Debbie who was there . She was found by another British tourist and efforts were made to resuscitate her at the scene. Her . aunt Debbie Robertson, 27, who was staying at the same hotel said: 'I . just want her to wake up so I can take her to the beach with her bucket . and spade. 'We are all absolutely crushed, but we are hoping and praying that she will get better. 'She . really wanted to do two things, go and see the dolphins and go to the . zoo. We went to see the dolphins the morning of the accident, but we . didn't get to go to the zoo. 'She . is such a crazy, happy little girl, always happy, smiling and bossing . people about. We are so grateful to Ash who rescued her. 'We owe him so much. She is in a stable condition and she is getting colour back in her cheeks.' Cally was playing with Debbie's 22-month-old son, Darren, just before the accident happened. 'We think she was trying to fill her bucket up by the side of the pool,' said Mrs Robertson. 'She might have slipped in but we're just not sure exactly what happened. 'I remember someone was screaming and the next thing I saw she was being pulled out of the pool.' Speaking out about the tragedy, her distraught grandmother said they still did not know how the youngster ended up in the pool. Wendy Simpson, also from Arbroath, said: 'This was her first ever holiday. She can't swim. 'We . are all praying that she will pull through. There has been a slight . improvement. They have started to raise her temperature to 36.5 degrees. She is now stable. 'We were all there, but we don't know what happened. 'The last time we saw her she was walking behind her dad to the main building. We have no idea how she came to be in the pool. 'A man called Ash found her after a couple of minutes in the pool, I don't know his full name.' A Facebook page, Saving Cally Simpson, was set up to raise funds to pay for Kate's travel costs and now has more than 1,500 supporters. Messages of support have flooded in on the site and Cally's family have been adding to the page to update people about the young girl's condition. The incident took place during the girl's first holiday abroad to the Villa Marina resort in Salou, Spain, pictured . On the site, her mother wrote: 'Ill . see use the moro at 4 oclock tea time wow cant believe how much support . every1 has gave us. A massive thank you to all use guys we really . appreciate it xxxx' Sara Warren wrote: 'My heart goes out to you and your family.' And Louise Cargill wrote: 'Come on cally auntie lous needing to see that cheeky smile love u loads xxxxx.' Family friend Koula McCracken said the whole of Arbroath is praying for Cally. She said: 'Everyone is praying for Cally to pull through. We all did a whip round so Kate has money when she is in Spain. Kate is an amazing mum and Cally is her world.' A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'We are aware of an incident involving a British national in Spain. We are providing consular assistance.' | Cally Simpson, from Arbroath, Angus, was on her first holiday abroad .
The girl, who cannot swim, was pulled from pool at Villa Marina resort, Salou .
Mother Kate Miller was at home, flown to her bedside at Barcelona hospital .
Parents have been told to fear the worst, family praying at bedside . |
60,209 | ab1bff3a879fce170be944bf5fdff062028e2947 | By . James Chapman . PUBLISHED: . 17:02 EST, 8 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:54 EST, 8 May 2013 . Curbs on immigrants’ access to benefits, the NHS and housing unveiled in the Queen’s Speech prompted a storm of controversy last night. David Cameron said a crowd-pleasing package of measures would ‘attract people who will contribute’ but ‘deter those who will not’, and hailed other moves to help ordinary families as evidence that the Government is ‘standing up for hard-working people’. But Labour suggested one proposal – to require landlords to check the immigration status of tenants – risked encouraging racism, while others insisted doctors and property owners should not be made to do the work of immigration officials. SCROLL DOWN FOR QUEEN'S SPEECH HIGHLIGHTS . Regal: Queen Elizabeth accompanied by Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Charles, and Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall at the State Opening of Parliament at the Palace of Westminster . Support: Prince Charles sits next to the Queen in the Lords as she announces 20 bills which her Government hopes to pass in the coming year . Concentration: As his mother reads her speech . today, Charles and his second wife listen intently to the proposed . legislation she announced . Loyal: Her Majesty was accompanied as usual by Prince Philip, but the Queen is understood to be concerned not to put too much strain on her husband, who will be 92 next month . The Royal College of General Practitioners said GPs were not prepared to act as a new ‘border agency’ policing access to healthcare. Some of the measures, including a six-month time limit on benefit claims, a local residency test for council house access and a residency requirement before accessing civil legal aid, will be in place within months. But those requiring full-scale legislation, including measures to ensure temporary migrants or their governments are made to pay for using the NHS and requirements on landlords and employers to check the status of tenants and employees, are unlikely to be in place in time for January. That is when controls on Romanian and Bulgarian incomers will be lifted. Regal: A smiling Queen Elizabeth II leaves through the Norman Porch of the Palace of Westminster having given her speech to the assembled Lords and MPs today . Departure: The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh are then led away as the head back to the Palace this afternoon . Exit: The grinning monarch looks pleased that her speech over, as a pleased Charles and Camilla are taken home by carriage . Iconic: The famous outline of the Queen after she announced the Government would impose a fresh clampdown on immigration . Yesterday's Queen’s Speech was billed as an attempt by the Government finally to get tough on immigration. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the intention was to remove the ‘pull factors’ to Britain. Here, our Home Affairs Editor examines the planned legislation. DETER ILLEGALS . Plan: Blitz on firms who use illegal labour. Current fines of £10,000 per worker ‘substantially’ increased. Law changed to ban illegals from holding a driving licence. Will it work? Only if businesses think they will be caught. The number of employers prosecuted was only 1,215 last year – down from 2,092 in 2010. Does nothing to deter the supposed target of David Cameron’s crackdown – the Romanians and Bulgarians who gain free access to the labour market in January. At best, it will reduce net migration by convincing people currently working in the black economy to go home. NHS . Plan: Force temporary migrants to make a contribution to the cost of their healthcare. Ask non-EU nationals to pay a bond before travelling to Britain. Ask health staff to check a migrant is here legally. Will it work? Nurses and doctors are livid at the idea of being asked to conduct immigration checks. GP leaders said they ‘have a duty of care to all people’. Identifying migrants who should pay for care is very different from being able to recover the money, once they have received emergency treatment. Critics say the only way to solve the problem is to introduce an entitlement card. PRIVATE LANDLORDS . Plan: Force private landlords to check the immigration status of their tenants or risk huge fines. Will it work? Was already descending into a shambles last night with ministers unable to explain how it would work. There are two million buy-to-let landlords in the private sector. Expecting them to guess who might be an illegal migrant on sight is fraught with difficulty. Civil liberties groups claim the plan could amount to discrimination – with legal challenges expected. Large numbers of forged documents in circulation could quickly render the checks meaningless. And some critics say the measures will be limited in effectiveness as illegal migrants could be living in sub-let social housing, sleeping on friends’ floors or in garden sheds. HUMAN RIGHTS ABUSE . Plan: Restrict appeals in immigration cases. Change law to stop foreign criminals using article 8 of the Human Rights Act – the right to a family life – to thwart deportation attempts in the UK courts. Will it work? The simplest and potentially most effective aspect of the crackdown. The danger, however, is that Strasbourg – which has shown limited interest in article 8 – will itself begin intervening on family-life grounds. Solving this problem would require withdrawing from the European Court of Human Rights. RESTRICT ACCESS TO BENEFITS . Plan: Strip migrants of out-of-work benefits after six months if they are not on the verge of getting a job . Will it work? Not in Queen’s Speech but will be introduced at a later stage. Labour say it is a con as existing DWP guidelines state migrants must be ‘genuinely seeking work, and have a reasonable chance of being engaged’ if they wish to continue receiving State handouts. EU regulations say the same thing. So, while it sounds tough, the impact is likely to be limited.Although the Queen’s Speech, which . included 15 Bills and signalled four others, was finalised before UKIP’s . surge in last week’s council elections, the focus on immigration is . seen as a response to public concerns which the Eurosceptic party has . successfully exploited. The Queen told MPs and peers that her Government’s top priority remained the economy. But she said an Immigration Bill will . aim to ‘ensure that this country attracts people who will contribute . and deter those who will not’. Measures will regulate migrant access . to the NHS, with incomers expected to be given temporary rather than . permanent NHS numbers and charged for access to all but emergency . treatment. There will also be steps to prevent . illegal immigrants from obtaining driving licences, bigger fines for . businesses using illegal labour and a requirement on private landlords . to check the immigration status of tenants. The Bill will make it easier to remove . people from the UK, limiting rights to appeal against deportation. Access to benefits will also be limited, and clearer priority given to . long-term local residents in social housing queues. Pageantry: Two boys help with the the Queen's parliamentary robe as she prepares to take a seat and give her annual address . Audience: Peers watch Her Majesty as she prepares to give her 2013 Queen's speech . In the Commons, Mr Cameron said: ‘Put . simply, our Immigration Bill will back aspiration and end the legacy of . the last government where people could come here and expect something . for nothing.’ He said the legislation was vital as . Labour had left a system which was ‘out of control’, with around a . third of the ‘skilled’ migrants who came to the UK under Labour having . ended up ‘in low-skilled roles working in takeaways or as security . guards’. The Prime Minister added: ‘Our . determination to end the last government’s something- for-nothing . culture is also why we continue to pursue our welfare reforms – every . one of them is about making sure work pays.’ He pointed out that Labour leader Ed . Miliband had ordered his MPs to vote against the £26,000 benefit cap and . the one per cent freeze on annual benefits increases. ‘We are standing . up for hard-working people,’ he said. ‘This is a Queen’s Speech that . will back aspiration and those who want to get on.’ The Imperial State Crown is carried on a cushion as it arrives for the State Opening of Parliament . Prince Charles touches his cap as he and Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall, walk through Parliament . Dramatic: The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh walk up the stairs towards the House of Lords flanked by the Armed Forces . Her Majesty is led by the hand into the chamber by her 92-year-old husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh . Mr Miliband insisted the Coalition . was doing nothing to boost growth, cut youth unemployment or tackle . rising living costs and was a ‘tired and failing government’. ‘Out of touch, out of ideas, standing up for the wrong people and unable to bring the change the country needs,’ he added. Attacking Mr Cameron’s attempt to win . back some of those who voted UKIP in last week’s elections, Mr Miliband . said: ‘They used to call them clowns. Now they want to join the circus.’ Labour’s housing spokesman Jack Dromey said: ‘Tackling illegal . immigration must not take us back to the days when my Irish father was . turned away from boarding houses displaying “no dogs, no Irish” signs.’ Dr Clare Gerada, head of the Royal . College of GPs, said: ‘Whilst the health system must not be abused and . we must bring an end to health tourism, it is important that we do not . overestimate the problem and that GPs are not placed in the invidious . position of being the new border agency.’ Jeremy Raj, of the London law firm . Wedlake Bell, said: ‘Expecting landlords to carry out the work of . immigration officials is unreasonable and unworkable.’ Queen Elizabeth rides in a carriage to the Palace of Westminster. She has only missed two State Openings since 1952, because she was pregnant . Event: The Queen starts her trip from Buckingham Palace this morning, accompanied by The Imperial State Crown, which travelled in its own carriage in front of her . On their way: Prince Charles and Camilla, . Duchess of Cornwall ride in a carriage to the Palace of Westminster for . the State Opening of Parliamen . Nimble: The 91-yar-old Duke of Edinburgh climbs out of the state coach as it arrives at Westminster . Chivalrous: Prince Philip then waits for his wife and helps her down before they took the steps up into the building . March: The men head for the vaults to search for explosives, after the event was targeted by Guy Fawkes, who tried to kill James I . Members of the Household Cavalry undergo last-minute checks at the Houses of Parliament this afternoon . Waiting: Judges sit in the House of Lords as they wait for the start of the State opening of Parliament . | Labour question proposal to require landlords to check the immigration status of tenants .
The Queen announced 20 Bills which her government plans to pass in the next year .
Payment by results plan to stop criminals reoffending and new laws to tackle dangerous dogs .
Cutting National Insurance bills and tearing up health and safety laws to help businesses grow .
Rogue traders face court fines as shoppers get new protections from faulty digital downloads .
Full steam ahead for High Speed Rail line linking London to the Midlands and North .
Families told homes will not need to be sold to pay for elderly care bills as costs are capped .
Pensioners are promised a new flat-rate pension to help people plan for their future . |
237,020 | bec6750af2848990a6028a5217b0ba5f8174dbed | (CNN) -- In a 5-4 decision, Supreme Court on Wednesday struck down limits on the total amount people can donate to various political campaigns in an election season, a blow to federal election laws ahead of November's congressional midterm elections. Jeffrey Toobin, CNN senior legal analyst, answers some questions about how this ruling works and its possible consequences. What exactly does this ruling do? Are some limits still in place? The court left intact the law that sets a $5,200 limit on the amount individuals can give to any single candidate in a campaign cycle, but struck down the $123,000 aggregate limit an individual can give to candidates in that time period. Wednesday's ruling declares the $123,200 limit unconstitutional. So now individuals can give up to $5,200 to as many candidates as they like. Does this mean money will influence campaigns more than ever? Who is most likely to gain? The decision gives rich people more power to influence campaigns. It expands the influence of people who have a lot of money to give. The end of the $123,200 overall limit means that people who have even more money to spend have more ways to spend it. Is this a First Amendment issue? The protection of political speech? Chief Justice Roberts' opinion said that campaign contributions can be regulated by Congress, but only under narrow circumstances. The only permissible laws ban what the court calls quid pro quo corruption -- in other words, bribes in the form of campaign contributions. Because spreading the money around to lots of candidates does not present the risk of bribes to any individual candidate, according to the court, the overall limits had to be struck down. How does this compare with Citizens United? This decision is similar to Citizens United, with a similar rationale. Citizens United was the 2010 Supreme Court ruling that paved the way for political donations from corporations and special interest groups. The Roberts court believes in a simple idea -- spending money in political campaigns is the equivalent of political speech. Because the First Amendment prohibits most limits on speech, most limits on political contributions are in the process of being struck down. What does this means for the future of campaign finance? The next big question is whether the court will also strike down the $5,200 limit on individual contributions. In fact, very few people ran up against the $123,200 limit, so the practical effect of Wednesday's decision is limited. But lots of people give up to $5,200. Ending that limit would have a huge impact on political campaigns. What are the chances of the court ending the $5,200 limit? Justice Clarence Thomas said in a separate concurring opinion Wednesday that he thought the court should get rid of the $5,200 limit, but no other justices joined him -- yet. The decision was 5-4, so the four dissenters want to preserve campaign finance limits. The real question is whether the four other justices in the majority will join Thomas. It's hard to say. What's clear is that the court is looking for new ways to stop the regulation of political contributions -- and it's already stopped a lot of them. What's behind all these decisions? The core idea of the five justices in the majority is that spending money on political campaigns is a form of speech. The First Amendment strictly limits regulation of speech. Once you believe that money is speech, most campaign finance limits become unconstitutional. | High court struck down $123,000 overall limit you can give candidates in an election .
Jeffrey Toobin: Ruling expands influence of rich people most likely to run up against a limit .
Toobin: Court left intact $5,200 limit on what you can give to one candidate .
Majority sees money in political campaigns as the equivalent of political speech, he says . |
181,554 | 770f299f04fd633ea4c9dcdbfb1b77054d6ba773 | Burnley striker Danny Ings is ready to see out his contract and leave Turf Moor in the summer. The 22-year-old, who returned to the starting line-up against West Ham on Saturday after missing three games with a hamstring strain, has been offered new terms by Burnley. Yet with the likes of Newcastle, Aston Villa and Stoke all keen, Ings will weigh up his options at the end of the season. Danny Ings has emerged as a Newcastle and Aston Villa target as his contract winds down at Burnley . Ings is challenged by Morgan Amalfitano of West Ham during his side's 3-1 Premier League loss by the Hammers on Saturday as the striker chases his first goal of the season . Burnley bought Ings for £1m from Bournemouth and now value him at around £10m but will be left asking for compensation in the summer as Ings is under 23. Any English club will likely have to pay around £3m but he could move abroad for just £300,000. Burnley, meanwhile, have been checking on Ilkeston midfielder Che Adams. The Premier League side sent a senior scout to watch the 18-year-old against Halesowen on Monday. Southampton have also watched him. | Danny Ings ready to listen to offers elsewhere as Burnley offer new deal .
Newcastle, Aston Villa and Stoke are keeping tabs on 22-year-old .
Ings out of contract at the end of the season . |
188,120 | 7f9e2c21664b17bef1561c00cb1880d5ed44b7d2 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 06:17 EST, 21 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:29 EST, 21 June 2013 . Alcohol prices costs in the UK are higher than most of Europe, new figures revealed today. Families feeling the pinch will also be alarmed by research showing Brits pay on average more for milk, cheese and eggs than the European Union average. And smokers face some of the highest prices in the whole of EU as taxes rise in an attempt to persuade cash-strapped addicts to quit. Cost of living: Milk, eggs, cheese, alcohol and tobacco are all more expensive than the European Average according to a new league table published by the Office for National Statistics . The 2012 league table of food and . drink costs reveals Norway is the most expensive place to shop, followed . by Switzerland and Denmark, the Office for National Statistics said. Across all food and non-alcoholic drinks, the UK pays four per cent above the EU27. Norway has the highest prices at 86 per cent above the average while Macedonia is the lowest on 42 per cent below. But . alcohol prices in the UK are some of the highest in Europe, some 43 per . cent above the EU27 average, behind only high-cost Scandinavian . countries like Norway, Finland and Sweden., and places like Iceland and . Ireland. Booze: Alcohol prices in the UK were among some of the most expensive in Europe, behind only Scandinavian countries, Iceland and Ireland . Tax: Tobacco costs in the UK are the third highest in Europe, behind only Norway and Ireland, according to the Office for National Statistics . Critics accused the government of driving up costs by increasing duty on beer, wine and spirits. Brigid Simmonds, chief executive of the British Beer & Pub Association, said: ‘Huge tax rises are mostly to blame. ‘This is why the successful campaign to abolish the beer duty escalator was so vital. Up until the March Budget, we saw beer duty rise by 42 per cent over four years. ‘Huge amounts of red tape, and other taxes such as business rates, also push up prices. The industry supports almost one million jobs – and we could be creating many more if tax and red tape weren’t so stifling.’ By comparison, in France alcohol costs are 12 per cent below the average and Germany 18 per cent lower. Food: Overall shopping bills in the UK were 4 per cent above the average, while Norway was the most expensive place in Europe . Dough: The one sign of good news for British shoppers was that bread and cereals were 11 per cent cheaper than the EU average . The cheapest places to buy booze are Macedonia and Bulgaria, where prices are more than a third lower than Europe's average. The new figures show tobacco prices in the UK were 94 per cent above the average last year. Only Norway (170 per cent higher) and Ireland (99 per cent above) were more expensive. The form part of the Eurostat price survey on food, beverages and tobacco. British shoppers also pay more for milk, cheese and egg prices with prices 7 per cent higher than the rest of Europe. Once again, Norway is the most expensive at 114 per cent above while Poland is the cheapest at 37 per cent below the average. Richard Lloyd, executive director of consumer watchdog Which?, said: 'Our research shows that rising food prices is one of the top worries for financially squeezed consumers, with one in five households already saying they're having to dip into their savings to pay for basics, such as food.' According to latest Which? research, 9.8 million households are feeling the squeeze with 78 per cent of people now worried about food prices. Four in ten people are likely to reduce their spending on groceries and food in the next few months. According to the ONS study, the cost of meat in the UK was exactly in line with the average with Switzerland the most expensive and Albania least expensive. The one glimmer of good news for Brits came on the cost of bread and cereals, which was 11 per cent below the EU average. | Alcohol in the UK 43% above the European Union average .
Pub campaigners blame high taxes taken by the govermnment .
Tobacco 94% more expensive than average across the EU .
Norway most expensive for food and drink and Macedonia the cheapest . |
251,359 | d1573e828982c93082e9cc89b5ff9725ba733caa | By . Ian Drury and Keith Gladdis . PUBLISHED: . 18:40 EST, 20 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:47 EST, 21 September 2012 . Female soldiers should face compulsory pregnancy tests before deploying to Afghanistan, say military chiefs. Commanders said it was ‘unacceptable’ that service personnel should be placed at risk of Taliban attack while evacuating pregnant women from the front line. The strong reaction came after the Daily Mail revealed a British soldier had given birth to a son in Camp Bastion. Sisters in arms: Women soldiers in training - hundreds are fighting the Taliban . The junior non-commissioned officer in the Royal Artillery had a healthy boy five weeks prematurely on Tuesday. Both mother and child are doing well. The woman – the first UK soldier to have a baby on the battlefield – had been unaware she was pregnant. The birth astonished military chiefs. Strict military rules already ban pregnant women from deploying on operations and troops are repeatedly reminded by top brass to check they are not before they fly to the front line. But servicewomen are not forced to take a urine test before deploying because top brass consider it would be an ‘invasion of privacy’. Colonel Richard Kemp, who commanded British troops in Afghanistan, said: ‘This soldier was extremely lucky to have given birth in Camp Bastion where there are excellent medical facilities. ‘But if she had been out on patrol or in a forward operating base the outcome might have been tragically different – resulting in harm to mother and child. ‘If she had to be evacuated from a forward position then her fellow soldiers might have had to carry her and her equipment over long distances in sweltering heat and under Taliban attack. ‘Aircrew and helicopters could have been endangered if she had to be flown out in hazardous circumstances. ‘These added dangers are clearly acceptable as a result of unpredictable injury or medical condition. But they are not acceptable in these circumstances. ‘For these reasons there should be compulsory pregnancy testing prior to any operational deployment.’ The Fiji-born mother, a gunner who . helped provide covering fire for troops in combat, had been deployed . with the 12th Mechanised Brigade since March. Two days ago she complained of severe stomach pains. To her amazement, medics told her that she was about to give birth. Camp Bastion, Afghanistan: A Fijian woman . soldier stationed at the British base in Helmand gave birth on Tuesday. The super fit squaddie did not even realise she was pregnant . Unexpected task: The soldier, who has not been . named, was taken to Camp Bastion's £10million field hospital where Army . medics delivered her baby . She was thought to be in about the . 34th week of her pregnancy – meaning she conceived before flying to . Afghanistan for her six-month tour of duty. She . was taken to Camp Bastion’s £10million state-of-the-art field hospital. Its staff are world leaders in treating injuries from bomb blasts and . gunshot wounds, but do not have specialist midwifery or paediatric . skills. A midwife and . neo-natal nurse from the John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford are travelling . to the British base in Helmand with an incubator to provide care for the . soldier and her son on the flight home. The cost is not being . disclosed. Major General Julian Thompson, the ex-commanding officer of 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines and a Falklands land commander, said: ‘I would have thought insisting on compulsory pregnancy tests would make sense.’ But the Ministry of Defence dismissed the risk. A spokesman said: ‘There are a huge number of medical circumstances that could be faced. Aircraft and vehicles are on standby to respond to them. ‘Troops are prepared for a whole host of different missions. 'There is no extra cost and travelling anywhere in a warzone has its own dangers. 'Less than 1 per cent of all servicewomen who have deployed on operations since 2006 have had to return from Afghanistan due to pregnancy. 'Only one has ever given birth. The health and safety of our troops is always our top priority.’ Soldiers heading for Afghanistan . undergo stringent medical checks to make sure they can cope with the . rigours of combat – but not pregnancy tests. Servicemen and women take part in pre-deployment training for about six months before they fly to the war zone. It includes arduous physical tests, . such as an eight-mile march carrying a 40lb backpack, press-ups, sit-ups . and a 1.5-mile run against the clock. Then there are a number of routine . medical examinations depending on their roles, including hearing, . eyesight and dental checks, and tests of body mass index. They also have blood pressure, heart . rate and lung capacity monitored and recorded. ‘We need to know people . are fit enough to leg it to a helicopter, for instance, if there is an . attack,’ said a Ministry of Defence spokesman. Personnel are also given any vaccinations they need to ward off tropical diseases and a course of anti-malaria tablets. Female soldiers are asked whether they . are – or suspect they are – pregnant. This is routine so medical staff . can ensure the inoculation does not damage an unborn baby. If they answer ‘yes’, then they will . not be allowed to deploy. But if the response is ‘no’, it serves to . remind sexually active servicewomen that it might be wise to take a . pregnancy test. Pre-deployment guidelines and advice . issued to every soldier make clear that women troops should not deploy . if they are pregnant but at no time are women given a pregnancy test by . the MoD. Belinda Phipps, chief executive of the National Childbirth Trust, said it was unusual for a woman not to know she was pregnant until the last minute. But she said that symptoms might be overlooked under stressful circumstances such as a tour of duty in Afghanistan. ‘If you don’t expect to be pregnant, are busy and stressful or in a life-or-death situation, you may be so focused on what is happening in your life that you don’t spot or put to the back of your mind the signs of pregnancy you may be experiencing.’ Pregnancy tests can be bought from high street chemists for less than £10 and can give a result as soon as seven days after conception. Because troops are not used to the conditions of deployment, including different diet, extreme heat or cold and sporadic working hours, many soldiers put physical changes down their environment. | Commanders concerned troops could be put at risk .
British soldier gave birth to a son at Camp Bastion this week . |
51,987 | 933ad737daab9cc71a45893eac57415ba1d21b14 | (Entertainment Weekly) -- In what feels like a box-office weekend from "The Twilight Zone," a low-budget and critically acclaimed movie with no stars and an unknown director managed to top the charts. "District 9," the alien action pic produced by Peter Jackson, crushed the competition grossing $37 million. "District 9," the alien action pic produced by Peter Jackson and directed by the 29-year-old Neill Blomkamp ? who shot the film in Johannesburg, South Africa, of all places -- crushed the competition by grossing $37 million, according to early estimates. Audiences clearly enjoyed what they saw too: "District 9" has already soared to No. 78 on IMDb's top 250 movies list, although it'll obviously drop some as the initial euphoria wears off. Second place went to "G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra," which dropped 59 percent in its second weekend but still managed to recruit $22.5 million. The $175 million action movie should pass $100 million domestically by Monday. "The Time Traveler's Wife" materialized into third place with $19.2 million in its debut weekend, proving that there is a market for watching Eric Bana disappear. Rounding out the top 5 were "Julie & Julia" (No. 4 with $12.4 million) and "G-Force" (No. 5 with $6.9 million), respectively. Also opening wide was a trio of movies that failed to make a significant dent on the box office. "The Goods: Live Hard, Sell Hard," a cars-salesmen comedy starring Jeremy Piven, barely registered on the mercury thermometer by earning $5.4 million. "Ponyo," the 10th film by Japan's animation auteur Hayao Miyazaki, grossed $3.5 million on 927 screens. While that amount represents Miyazaki's best opening weekend in America, it's still fish feed compared to "Ponyo's" worldwide gross of $187 million. The music comedy "Bandslam" won't be getting any requests for encores after making only $2.3 million from more than 2,000 screens ? even the promise of seeing the "Taylor Lautner takes off his shirt" trailer of The "Twilight" Saga: New Moon couldn't save the Vanessa Hudgens movie. In limited release, the Jimmy Page/The Edge/Jack White music documentary "It Might Get Loud" opened promisingly, grossing $101,000 from just seven theaters. And "500 Days of Summer" continues to cement its title as "the indie breakout of the summer" by charming $3 million more from moviegoers, bringing its total to $18 million so far. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . Copyright 2009 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | "District 9," the alien action pic, crushed the competition grossing $37 million .
"G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra" dropped 59 percent, bringing in $22.5 million .
"The Time Traveler's Wife" materialized into third place with $19.2 million .
Check out which other movies made this week's top ten list . |
203,115 | 92f5d62922e5e290fab607f81a0026029d94b69e | Rev David Davies, 49, was arrested on suspicion of beating the woman and then driving his Jaguar while twice the legal limit . A vicar has been charged with assaulting a woman and drink-driving. Rev David Davies, 49, was arrested on suspicion of beating the woman and then getting behind the wheel of his Jaguar while twice the legal limit. The former Army chaplain, who has been a priest for more than 30 years, was relieved of his duties as a rural parish priest several months ago. Police later pulled him over in a country park, where he allegedly failed a breathalyser test. Davies was said to have 92 microgrammes of alcohol per 100 millilitres of breath, nearly three times the legal limit of 35 microgrammes. A Church spokesman said the vicar’s alleged crimes happened after he had stopped working in the village of Cockington, near Torquay, Devon. He was due before Torquay Magistrates’ Court this week but was excused from appearing in person after his lawyer submitted a letter to a district judge explaining his absence. The contents of the letter were not revealed to the court. Davies is yet to enter a plea to charges of driving in a public place while over the limit and assault by beating. He has been told not to contact three named women and not to go to the vicarage in Monterey Close, Torquay. Rev Davies was due before Torquay Magistrates’ Court (pictured this week but was excused from appearing in person after his lawyer submitted a letter to a district judge explaining his absence . The Exeter Diocese issued a statement through the Venerable Clive Cohen, Acting Archdeacon of Totnes, to say Davies had been relieved of his church duties two months before the incident. He said: ‘The diocese has been working to support him and his family pastorally and practically throughout this period. ‘We were very grieved when the police informed us of the charges against him. We do not condone the alleged actions in any way. ‘We are continuing to offer pastoral care to his family. My prayers are for David’s family and David himself in this immensely difficult time. I would ask that they be given privacy now. I also pray for the parishes of Torre and Cockington.’ Davies faces one charge of assaulting a woman by beating in Torquay on November 4, and one charge of driving while over the limit in a public place. He was bailed to reappear in court on December 8. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Rev David Davies, 49, charged with assaulting a woman and drink driving .
Former Army chaplain was relieved of his duties as a rural parish priest .
He was due before Torquay Magistrates' Court this week but was bailed . |
176,538 | 708fba4491438cf6db9513f41ea0d2625a059081 | Famous tenant: Christine Keeler lived in the central London flat . The traditional hunting- scene print on the sitting-room wall barely merits a second glance. And that, presumably, must have suited its owner just fine. For the unobtrusive picture’s true purpose was to conceal a ‘two-way mirror’ affording the voyeur a generous view of a bed that played a starring role in the Profumo Affair, the scandal that defined an era. Published for the first time, these pictures show where this mirror was installed in society osteopath Stephen Ward’s Central London mews house. What happened in this impersonally furnished bedroom was central to one of the Old Bailey’s most celebrated courtroom dramas. The . jury in the infamous 1963 trial were asked to decide whether Ward lived . off the earnings of girls he pimped out to his rich and powerful . friends. The nation . was enthralled. Although the jury never saw these pictures, they were . made aware that the two-way mirror existed. The question was: Who was . watching? Even . Christine Keeler, the model at the centre of the scandal, remains . engrossed by the mystery, saying recently: ‘Who knew who might be . looking in?’ The photographs of the two-way mirror are among a number taken by police in 1963 of Ward’s house. They have been suppressed by successive governments in a confidential file held in the National Archives for more than 50 years. Had . it not been for repeated representations over the past three months by . The Mail on Sunday, they would have stayed under lock and key until . 2046. Taken . by a Scotland Yard officer on June 27, a month before Ward’s trial, . they were found by this newspaper among letters and statements included . in a file labelled: ‘CRIM 1/4140’. The . images freeze the scandal in time. They show, outside the house in . Bryanston Mews West – just behind Marble Arch – two Sixties relics: a . Morris Minor convertible and a three-wheel Trojan bubble car. They also show that if the police . officers who searched Ward’s home that day anticipated finding an . exotically appointed bordello, they were to be mistaken. With few . personal touches, the bedroom and sitting room had the transitory air of . cheap lodgings. Peephole: A picture on the sitting room wall of Stephen Ward's central London mews house covers a hole behind a two-way mirror . In . one shot, there is a black-and-white TV in the corner and on the coffee . table letters lie next to an ashtray and a packet of Senior Service . cigarettes. Everything seems unremarkable . . .were it not for the . two-way mirror. Along with Ward, two of the scandal’s key protagonists lived at the address at various times in the early 1960s. First, . Ms Keeler, whose affair with Secretary of State for War John Profumo . forced his resignation and effectively toppled Harold Macmillan’s . government, and later her showgirl friend Mandy Rice-Davies. The architect’s plans for the house also feature in CRIM 1/4140. Clearly marked are the words ‘hole in the wall’ and its precise measurements. With the picture taken down, a voyeur could see into the bedroom . Other documents, including statements made to Lord Denning during his official inquiry into the scandal that are still deemed too explosive for release, remain under lock and key. After the judge’s summing up at his trial, Ward slunk away to a friend’s flat, wrote a suicide note and took an overdose of barbiturates. Included in the file is a handwritten letter to the court written by a doctor at St Stephen’s Hospital, Chelsea, on July 31, the day afterwards. ‘This man has been admitted to this hospital this morning. He will be unfit to attend court today.’ In fact, he died three days later, not knowing he had been found guilty of living off the immoral earnings of Keeler and Rice-Davies. These days few doubt that Ward was the victim of a miscarriage of justice, scapegoated by a self-righteous Establishment. A campaign to overturn the verdict is currently being led by leading human- rights lawyer Geoffrey Robertson QC. At the same time, Andrew Lloyd Webber, similarly convinced of Ward’s innocence, has turned his story into a musical now showing in the West End. Lord Lloyd-Webber said yesterday: ‘It is extraordinary in this day and age that so much material is still being held back. ‘It is time that all the documentation related to the case was released. We are, after all, talking about 2014. We are not living in the same climate as 1963.’ To some, there has never been a better time to shed whatever new light may be available on the murky episode. There has always been the suspicion that Scotland Yard, dutifully following orders from on high, were ‘out to get’ Ward. The file certainly suggests that they approached their task with gusto. Included in the file is a copy of Ward’s original charge sheet. It features two previously unaired allegations: that Ward facilitated abortions – then illegal – for a Miss M and a Miss W. Other side: The mirror on the wall of the Mews house bedroom . In the frame: The view of the bed at the centre of the Profumo Affair, the scandal that defined an era . However the charges, for which there was no evidence, were dropped before the osteopath faced court. At . his trial, Janet Barker, 20, a known prostitute, told the jury that . Ward brought her to Bryanston Mews to have sex with an unknown man. She . also whipped him and ‘received £1 for each stroke’. Miss Barker confirmed that she saw a hole-in-the-wall but did not recall that it was hidden by either a mirror or a picture. Nevertheless, . its existence was sordid enough in itself – particularly in 1963. And . the inference was clear. Ward was on the other side of the wall, . furtively looking on. A month before the photographs were taken, a journalist, Warwick Charlton, made reference to the mirror in a magazine article. ‘The . bedroom is one of the strangest I have seen,’ he wrote. ‘Some previous . occupant had made a large square hole through the bedroom wall to the . drawing room. 'There . is a one-way mirror from the drawing room looking in the bedroom. This . elaborate peephole is hidden by a picture of Buddha and Stephen laughed . when he saw me inspecting it. “That . was installed by an old eccentric who used to own this place,” he said. “I’m going to have it filled in as soon as possible.” ’ An exterior view of Stephen Ward's mews house in a 1963 police photo . It seems Ward may well have been telling the truth about the hole’s provenance. The flat was refurbished some years earlier by his friend, Stephen Halsall, the chairman of the Eagle Building Society. It was then sold to a company belonging to notorious slum landlord Peter Rachman. And at some point afterwards, Dennis Hamilton, the sleazy former husband of Diana Dors and a friend of Rachman, moved in – and, according to Keeler, brought the mirror with him. It had previously featured in the infamous sex parties Hamilton threw with Dors at their riverside mansion in Maidenhead, Berkshire. When the couple separated, Hamilton moved the mirror to Bryanston Mews. Long before Ward took up residence, Rachman also lived at Bryanston Mews, first with Keeler then Mandy Rice-Davies. Other accounts suggest he, not Hamilton, installed the mirror. In her autobiography, Secrets And Lies, published in 2012, Keeler reveals that she was aware of the mirror’s racy history before it was installed at Bryanston Mews. Keeler wrote: ‘It had pride of place . up on the sitting-room wall . . . It wasn’t until later that I found out . the mirror had a crack in it – Diana [Dors], apparently, had broken it . and it didn’t work any more’. Scapegoat: Dr Stephen Ward is escorted from court by police in 1963 . Ward was also a friend of Rachman and attended the Maidenhead sex parties with him where, according to the biography Con-necting Dors: The Legacy of Diana Dors, ‘alcohol, erotic stimulants, willing starlets and exotic dancers contributed to a sexually charged atmosphere. 'The music throbbed, the dancing bordered on foreplay and inhibitions were suspended. ‘As intimacy developed into arousal, each couple was led to a special room and allocated 15 minutes, unaware that the room was fitted with two-way mirrors and their performance was a source of entertainment for select guests.’ Hamilton died in 1959 from tertiary syphilis. Like him, the mirror he brought to Bryanston Mews is long gone. The house’s current owner, Gareth Jones, 54, said yesterday: ‘When I moved in 12 years ago, the builders told me there had been a hole for the two-way mirror but I never knew whether to believe them. ‘At the time, there was 1970s-style wallpaper with no evidence that there was any hole there. It was just a flat surface. So I suppose it must have been filled in.’ What other secrets the scandal will yield in the future remains to be seen. Geoffrey Robertson said yesterday that material was being held back for ‘irrational and wholly irresponsible reasons’, adding: ‘Stephen Ward was the scapegoat for the Profumo Affair and there continues to be a cover- up.’ | Pictures suppressed for 50 years show peephole in Stephen Ward's home .
Scandal girl Christine Keeler recalls: 'who knew who might be looking in?' |
42,962 | 7927726e2d2b25620fdf191896c5164ad0c4dfad | Turkey's courts blocked access to Twitter today following Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's vow, on . the campaign trail ahead of key March 30 local elections, to 'wipe out' the service. In a defiant stand, Mr Erdogan said he did not care what the . international community had to say about the move. 'Twitter, mwitter!,' he told thousands of supporters at a rally, in a phrase translating roughly as 'Twitter, schmitter!' 'The international community can say this, can say that. I don't care at all. Everyone will see how powerful the Republic of Turkey is,' he said. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan banned Twitter today. He said he did not care about the reaction of the international community . Links on social networks have proliferated linking to recordings that appear to incriminate the Prime Minister and other top officials in corruption. This computer screen shows blocked access to Twitter last week . Yet some have ready found a way of getting around the ban by using Google's DNS tool. The tool allows internet users to browse from another domain name system. A DNS transforms the name of a website into a series of numbers known as an IP address. Twitter users in Turkey have now begun circulating the alternative DNS address 8.8.8.8 on social media. Graffiti with the words has also appeared on a wall in the country. A logo with the Twitter symbol and the words #DirenTwitter and its English translation #OccupyTwitter has also gone viral. The Prime Minister, who . has been in power for 11 years, is battling a corruption scandal that . has been fed by social media awash with alleged evidence of government . wrongdoing. Links on social networks have . proliferated linking to recordings that appear to incriminate the Prime . Minister and other top officials in corruption. Street graffiti in Turkey with the DNS code that allows internet users to access Twitter . A campaign opposing the Twitter ban went viral in Turkey. These posters contain the alternative DNS address for Twitter from a computer in Turkey as well as the hashtag which has gone viral. #Turkey was trending today on the social media website . Turkey has blocked access to . YouTube in the past but this is the first ban on Twitter, which is hugely popular in . the country. The social network was instrumental in organizing flash protests against . the government last year. Uproar over the recordings has damaged the government's reputation ahead of local elections this month. Despite the ban, tech-savvy users managed to tweet links to the recordings on Friday. President Abdullah Gul, a political ally of Erdogan's, was among those who circumvented the order, which he contested in a series of tweets. Turkish President Abdullah Gul has blasted the ban and continued tweeting from his page today . President Gul said that it was unacceptable to impose complete bans on social media platforms such as Twitter. 'I hope this implementation won't last long,' he wrote. 'One cannot approve of the complete closure of social media platforms,' Mr . Gul tweeted. He said only individual Internet pages should be blocked if . there is a court order on the grounds that a person's privacy is being . violated. Mr Gul co-founded the ruling Islamist-rooted AK Party with Erdogan and has . remained a close ally. But he is viewed as a more conciliatory figure . than the combative Prime Minister and their relations have at times . appeared strained. Mr Erdogan's ruling AK Party has already tightened Internet controls, . handed government more influence over the courts, and reassigned . thousands of police and hundreds of prosecutors and judges as it fights a . corruption scandal he has cast as a plot by political enemies to oust . him. Many - although not all - users trying to access the network early on Friday instead saw a notice from Turkey's telecommunications authority, citing four court orders. The site was blocked early this morning in Turkey . Turkey's lawyers' association asked a court to overturn the ban, arguing it was unconstitutional and violated Turkish and European human rights laws. Turkey's main opposition party also said it would seek a cancellation. Twitter's (at)policy account earlier sent out messages telling Turkish users in both English and Turkish they could send out tweets by using short message service, or "SMS." It was unclear how those tweets would be viewable. Telecoms . watchdog BTK said the social media platform had been blocked by the . courts after complaints were made by citizens that it was breaching . privacy. It said Twitter had ignored previous requests to remove . content. 'Because there was no other choice, access to Twitter was . blocked in line with court decisions to avoid the possible future . victimization of citizens,' it said. European Commission Vice President Neelie Kroes criticized the Twitter ban in Turkey - a country that is seeking to join the European Union - as 'groundless, pointless, cowardly.' Stefan Fule, the EU commissioner in charge of enlargement, said he was concerned. Lutfi Elvan, the minister in charge of transport and communications in Turkey, said his office was merely obeying court orders. President Abdullah Gul continued using Twitter despite the ban. His last Tweet was sent at 9.35am . Chancellor Angela Merkel's government criticised Turkey saying the ban did not fit with Germany's view of freedom of expression. 'What we are hearing from Turkey does not comply with what we in Germany understand as free communication,' said Mrs Merkel's spokeswoman Christiane Wirtz. 'It doesn't fit with our idea of freedom of expression to forbid or block any form of communication,' she added. Links to the leaked recordings have been popping up on Turkish Twitter accounts, including one in which a voice resembling Mr Erdogan's instructs his son to dispose of large amounts of cash from a residence amid a police graft investigation. Mr Erdogan, who denies corruption, said the recording was fabricated and part of plot by followers of an influential U.S.-based Muslim cleric to discredit the government ahead of the March 30 elections. The original source of the recordings is unclear. The ban comes amid rumors and news report that even more damaging recordings are about to emerge. In response to the Twitter ban in Turkey, Dr Paul Dwyer, social media expert from the University of Westminster, said: 'President Erdogan said, when he attempted to close down access to Twitter, ‘everyone will see how powerful Turkey is’. 'In fact, of course, he has simply demonstrated how powerful Twitter is. 'Social media are a part of politics - and everything else we do. And so we must learn to use them well and for good, otherwise we will find ourselves, as President Erdogan now does, out of touch with the modern world.' This afternoon, Britain issued a warning to Turkey over the ban. A spokesman for the Foreign Office said: 'We are concerned about reports suggesting that access to Twitter from Turkey may be blocked. Social media has a 'vital role to play in a modern democracy' and promotes transparency and public debate, the spokesman said. As a candidate EU country, which had been 'long-supported' by the UK it is vital for Turkey to express values of freedom of expression and democracy, the Foreign Office warned. | The site was banned this morning in Turkey .
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan blocked site ahead of local elections .
Mr Erdogan battling corruption scandal .
Recordings of him allegedly admitting wrongdoing flooded social media .
President Gul said did not agree with the ban and has continued tweeting .
Foreign office expresses 'concern' over the ban .
European Commission officials criticised the move .
Angela Merkel's spokeswoman said ban against freedom of expression . |
38,373 | 6c7df515e89f7fee3b156d80d06715ed85577a6e | By . Sam Creighton . Hundreds of anarchists clashed with police on the streets of Seattle yesterday, during the annual May Day riots. The protestors marked International Workers' Day by marching peacefully while carrying banners branded with slogans such as 'Die Yuppie Scum' and 'Anti-Capitalism and Anti-State'. However, a violent minority caused trouble once the sun went down, waging running battles with police officers. There most high profile action was setting fire to dumpsters in the road of one of the city's major junctions. Scroll down for video . Protesters add garbage, signs, and other fuel to a fire in the middle of an intersection during the anti-capitalist demonstration . A protester walks in between buses on Second Avenue during the protest to mark International Workers' Day . Police detain a protester during May Day activities. They arrested nine men on the day for their activities during the demonstration . A peaceful march during the day gave way to an evening of violent clashes between police and protestors . Police carrying batons yell and attempt to clear protesters from the street . Anarchists set may fires in the evening after the march when more peaceful demonstrators had dispersed . Fire fighters extinguish one of the many fires set yesterday evening . Nine men, aged between 17 and 37, were arrested as a peaceful day gave way to a violent evening on a march that was still relatively quiet compared to those in each of last two years. At one point, police fired pepper spray into the crowd, claiming that bottles and other missiles had been thrown at them. They also recovered a gun from one of the marchers. While there was a general theme of workers' rights and immigration reform, the protestors were not rallying behind a single unifying cause. Rather, different groups brought their own agendas as the crowd made its way from Capitol Hill to the city's downtown area and then back again. Tempers frayed as the temperature soared to 30C. One protestor, carrying a banner that simply read 'F*** Off', told Seattle Pi: 'I believe in transformative justice and community accountability. 'These cops that are surrounding us right now are just the later generations of the slave catchers that caught slaves before; you know, it's just a continuation. It's modern-day slavery and that's what we're fighting against.' Violence has plagued May Day in Seattle during the past two years, with protesters challenging police in the streets and sometimes stealing the thunder of much larger daytime events. Police detain a man, visibly bruised on his face, after a run in at the march . Police try and help a car make its way through the crowds . A protestor wearing a Guy Fawkes mask - which has becoming an iconic image for the anarchist movement - confronts police officers . Armed officers watch the demonstrators on an evening that, despite the violence, was quieter than previous years . Police with bicycles worked their way through the crowds in their efforts to monitor the protest . A counter protestor, in white, tackles an anti-capitalist protestor during an demonstration . Policemen yell "get back" as they try to control the crowds . Police fire pepper spray directly into the crowd that was marching for workers' rights and immigration reform . Last year, police arrested 18 people from a crowd that pelted them with rocks and bottles and Seattle police noted a marked uptick in anti-authority rhetoric leading up to this year's events events. Police escorted both the permitted march of immigration and labor activists and later, unpermitted marches, allowing them to block traffic but stepping in to stop property damage. Businesses downtown also prepared, posting security guards outside, taping paper over their windows to discourage graffiti, and using metal coat hangers to tie down iron grates along the sidewalks. An anti-protest member of the public, wearing a mask, tussles with marchers during the day's largely peaceful activities . Police officers were stationed by businesses to prevent the vandalism that has marred previous years' protests . Demonstrators confront a group of police and they walk through the crowds . Police extinguish a fire set by a group of protestors . A masked demonstrator sets fire to signs in the middle of one of Seattle's main roads . Many police on the day were on bicycles, to allow a rapid response to threats . Police form a line to block a splinter group of protestors breaking from the main crowd . Protesters waving an anarchist flag pass Seattle's famous Space Needle. Many different groups brought their own agendas to the march . Police take up positions in front of a Nike store, worried it could be a target for angry anti-capitalist demonstrators . On of the key themes of yesterdays march was the campaign for a $15 minimum wage and, early in the day, Seattle Mayor Ed Murray announced a plan to phase it in over the next seven years. However, Daniel Stender, 26, was at the rally holding a sign pushing for quicker action on getting to a $15 minimum wage. 'It's getting ridiculous. It's getting to the point where you can't afford things,' he said. The police department's blog said vandals spray-painted a few businesses early Thursday in the Capitol Hill neighborhood. Officers also found 'Kill SPD' - standing for 'Kill Seattle Police Department' - painted on walls and a flier was circulated calling for the killing of officers. | Hundreds of demonstrators turned out for the annual May Day protests .
A peaceful daytime descended into an evening of violence .
Police arrested nine men, aged between 17 and 37 . |
66,472 | bc8d29fbe7ab9cbd7d50ea0ac2c9762aae8ed90d | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Michael Jackson's sexual molestation trial is "no-go territory" for defense lawyers in the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, a judge ruled Monday. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Michael Pastor, however, will allow testimony from two doctors about what the defense contends was Jackson's request for the surgical anesthetic propofol, a drug the coroner ruled played a major role in his death. Defense lawyers appeared frustrated with the rejection of their witnesses, although they declined to speak to reporters about it as they left the downtown Los Angeles courthouse after Monday's hearing. Murray is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the June 25, 2009, death of Jackson, who would have turned 53 Monday. The defense wanted to have a Santa Barbara County, California, detective testify about drugs found at Jackson's Neverland estate during a search related to the sex charge. "In particular, it is relevant to the defense that Michael Jackson possessed both propofol and Demerol in his residence as early as 2003," the defense said in a motion filed Monday. Los Angeles County Deputy District Attorney David Walgren argued testimony about drugs Jackson possessed in 2003 "has absolutely nothing to do with the standard of medical care" Murray gave Jackson the day he died on June 25, 2009. Bringing up anything about the molestation trial, which ended with Jackson's acquittal, would be "character assassination on the victim," Walgren said. Defense lawyer Ed Chernoff, in a hearing Monday afternoon, assured the judge that he did not intend to question the detective about the sex charge, but only about drugs he found in his search. Murray's defense lawyers want to argue that Jackson was addicted to the painkiller Demerol and was undergoing withdrawal from the drug when he died, Chernoff said. He said he expects the prosecution will say he "merely liked Demerol" and was not addicted. Jackson's "past drug addictions, use desires, possessions" is relevant, Chernoff said in court. Pastor ruled that the events were too far in the past for this trial and could mislead the jury. "Anything having to do with the year 2003, any incident with Neverland, Santa Barbara, medical doctors, fundamentally is irrelevant," Pastor said. "It proves absolutely nothing with regard to the year 2009." Pastor ruled that Beverly Hills dermatologist Dr. Arnold Klein could not be called to testify about giving Jackson Demerol shots. Testimony about Jackson's visits to Klein's office in the days before his death could lead the jury "down the path of prescribing to Dr. Klein some sort of criminal culpability in the death of Mr. Jackson." However, Klein's medical records can be used in the trial, he ruled. Two of Klein's office employees also cannot be called as witnesses, he ruled. Prosecutors in the trial of Murray, Jackson's last doctor, had asked the judge to exclude or limit the testimony of 26 witnesses Murray's lawyers said they might call. Pastor has indicated he would keep the trial limited to what happened the last several days of Jackson's life. His decisions on the prosecution's request to limit witnesses indicate how tightly the judge will limit the defense arguments. Other witnesses the judge said the defense could not call include John Branca, the lawyer who became executor of Jackson's estate after his death. Nothing about Jackson's finances can be considered, he said. The Los Angeles coroner has ruled that Jackson's death was caused by an overdose of the surgical anesthetic propofol, combined with other drugs. Prosecutors have accused Murray of having a role in the overdose. Jury selection is scheduled to begin on September 8, with opening statements expected to be heard on September 27. Lawyers estimate the trial will conclude in early November. If convicted on the involuntary manslaughter charge, Murray could face up to four years in prison. | NEW: Defense lawyers appear frustrated, but leave the courthouse in silence .
Murray charged with involuntary manslaughter of Michael Jackson .
His lawyers want to include drug evidence from Jackson's 2003 case .
Judge says that's too old; he also limits several defense witnesses . |
223,570 | ad71941a8f886127fa660722dcf29b2fd8e47924 | The Emirati royal family now rule the waves after it was revealed they own the world's biggest mega-yacht, knocking Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's off the top spot. The Chelsea owner's vessel Eclipse had been the world's biggest yacht for the past three years, but it has now been usurped by Azzam which is 54ft (16.5m) longer - the length of a football field penalty area. The 590ft (180 metre) super-yacht is set to launch a new round of one-upmanship among the world's super-rich. Scroll down for video . Battle: The Emirati royal family now rule the waves after it was revealed they own the world's biggest mega-yacht, knocking Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's off the top spot . Ownership of the £390million craft has . been shrouded in secrecy, but Yachts France, which creates the annual . mega yacht league table, revealed it belongs to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed . al-Nayan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi. Longer than 12 double-decker buses, . not only is Azzam the biggest superyacht, it is also expected to be one . of the fastest. The 94,000 horsepower vessel could reach speeds of more . than 30 knots, or 35mph. Sailing into the record books: The Emirati Royal Family now rule the waves after it was revealed they own the world's biggest mega-yacht, knocking Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich's off the top spot . For the playboy who has everything: Azzam the £390m superyacht blows everything else out of the water . Longer than some cruise ships: Azzam is described as the 'most complex and challenging yacht' ever built . The size of superyachts has grown as . billionaires compete to own the largest and its builders boast that . Azzam, which means dedication in Arabic, is the 'most complex and . challenging yacht that has ever been built'. It was designed by Nauta Yachts and constructed in Bremen by Lurssen - she was floated out in April. The firm's Peter Lurssen said: 'She truly represents another milestone in yachting history.' The yacht requires a staff of 50, and interior features include a 29ft salon and a stunning, open-plan interior. Ownership of the £400million craft which is bigger than Roman Abramovich's superyacht has been shrouded in secrecy, but Yachts France, which creates the annual mega yacht league table, revealed it belongs to Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nayan, President of the United Arab Emirates and Emir of Abu Dhabi . French interior designer Christophe . Leoni was briefed to produce a sophisticated and yet timeless interior . with a turn-of-the-century, Empire style. It is likely to match the luxury . of Abraovich's Eclipse, which features an armour-plated master suite, . two swimming pools, two helipads, a hall, a cinema, a mini-submarine and . even its own missile defence system. Abramovich has owned Eclipse, which is . valued at £740million, since it was launched in 2010. You wouldn't want to turn around in a hurry: Azzam is 54ft longer than Abramovich's yacht Eclipse . Abramovich's yacht Eclipse is smaller but boasts essentials such as two heliports,several jacuzzis and bulletproof glass . It took the title . of world's biggest private yacht from the 454ft Rising Sun, owned by . American businessman Larry Ellison, which in turn took over from the . 414ft Octopus, owned by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen. Azzam's design suggests it has been . built for a buyer in the Middle East as it has about 50 suites but no . large open spaces on deck, said TheYachtPhoto's Peter Seyfferth. 'I have never seen an Arab-owned yacht with big parties and girls round the pool like the Russians have,' he said. 'It is unlikely it will leave its dock very often. It is more of a question of prestige, to have the world's largest yacht.' Of . the top 100 yachts featured in the list, 31 were owned by people from . the Middle East, 19 were Russian owned, and 17 belonged to Americans. Small fish: Giorgio Armani leaves his yacht Mariu measures 50 metres . Small change: Tiger Woods' yacht Privacy which measures 47 metres . At 590.6ft long, Azzam is longer than 12 double-decker buses parked end-to-end. At her widest point, known as the beam, Azzam measures 68.2ft, while her hull is 15.8ft deep. She's heavier than Eclipse, too, with an estimated gross tonnage of 14,000GT - roughly equivalent to 1,750 adult African elephants. Powered by two gas turbines and two diesel engines, she will boast an impressive 94,000 horsepower and a top speed in excess of 30 knots. The world's largest super-yacht, Azzam, has been commissioned for a mystery owner and launched in Germany today . Azzam's fuel tank can hold one million litres and she will have a top speed of in excess of 30 knots. It took the world's top engineers one . year to design Azzam and three years to build her - but this is . considered super-quick in ship-building terms. Interior features will include a 29ft salon and a stunning, open-plan interior. French interior designer Christophe . Leoni was briefed to produce a sophisticated and yet timeless interior . with a turn-of-the-century, Empire style. Roman Abramovich's Eclipse is 533.1ft long and 72.2ft wide, and has an estimated gross tonnage of 13,500GT. Eclipse, owned by Abramovich, has been revered by yachting enthusiasts for years on account of her size . She has four diesel engines and a . maximum speed of 22 knots, which means Azzam will far outstrip her . should the billionaire owners decide to have a race. The yacht can accommodate 36 guests in . comfort, and boasts a cinema, conference facilities, children's . playroom, beauty salon, dance floor, swimming pool and sauna. Built by Blohm +Voss Shipyards and . designed inside and out by Terence Disdale, Eclipse was custom-made for . the Chelsea oligarch in 2010. Both ships are so huge, they would . have trouble fitting into the majority of the world's marinas. Only a . handful, including Monaco and Antibes on the Riviera would be large . enough to accommodate them. However, despite Azzam eclipsing . Eclipse today, neither of them comes close to the Titanic in terms of . scale. Built in 1912, the ill-fated Titanic was 882ft long and 92ft . wide. | New mega-yacht took four years to design and build and is largest in world .
It is owned by Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nayan, president of the UAE .
Chelsea owner Abramovich's 533ft Eclipse now just second-largest in world . |
266,450 | e51a2d8fec461f1d2735d40586a227be7587385d | Just four months after celebrating lifting Super Bowl XLVIII in New Jersey, mood in the Seattle Seahawks' camp has changed significantly as a training session descended into a brawl. The Seahawks' offence and defence came to blows when Earl Thomas landed on wide receiver Bryan Walters. Richard Sherman and Phil Bates then got into a fistfight and players jumped in to support differing sides. VIDEO Scroll down to watch the Seattle Seahawks' training session descend into brawl . Blows: Richard Sherman (right) and Paul Bates (left) get into a scuffle during training . Smash: Team-mates rush in to assist both sides as the training ground brawl grows . Push: Sherman (right) and Bates face up to one another as the brawl breaks out during training . Break-up: Bates is pulled away by team-mates after exchanging punches with Sherman . Walkaway: Sherman leaves the field after practice and the brawl which broke out between team-mates . It was just the second day of the Seahawks' pre-season mini-camp but the dedication and passion shown by the players was evident. Sherman and Bates are great friends off the field and made up by the end of the training session. Speaking about the intensity of the session, linebacker Bobby Wagner told Fox News: 'I think that's what makes us great, you know. 'Not that many teams will go that hard at mini-camp but we go that hard every time we step on the field and that's the reason why we did what we did (and won the Super Bowl).' And wide receiver Paul Richardson agreed. He said: 'I think that's just the competitive nature that we have. 'All of us are competitors, all of us like to compete at a high level and sometimes tempers flare.' Victory: The Seattle Seahawks won Super Bowl XLVIII in February but came to blows in training . Fight: Seahawks' cornerbacker Richard Sherman was heavily involved in the training ground brawl . Intensity: Seahawks players said that they train hard all the time and that fights can sometimes break out . | Earl Thomas landed on Bryan Walters and then fight broke out .
Good friends Richard Sherman and Phil Bates exchanged blows .
It was only the second day of the Seahawks' pre-season mini-camp .
Fight happened just four months after Seahawks' Super Bowl XLVIII victory . |
260,847 | ddd0a6732f412d849adcf27360c58675b957a4b5 | (CNN) -- Until this week, how many parents paid much attention to "Slenderman"? He was a fictional villain in a wildly popular online game of hide and seek -- a tall, thin, and faceless monster with tentacle-like arms featured in Web-based ghost stories created by and for horror story enthusiasts. But that's where this story takes a very dark and tragic turn. With the arrest last weekend of two 12-year-old girls in a suburb of Milwaukee for the alleged stabbing and attempted murder of another 12-year-old girl -- their friend -- it seems that the made-up meme could have inspired monstrous acts in real life. The young suspects were arrested after allegedly luring their innocent friend into the woods and stabbing her 19 times, according to authorities. And a criminal complaint says the suspects admitted they were trying to impress "Slenderman," whom they read about on a horror website. But there is so much more to this story that parents and kids need to talk about. As the founder of a national nonprofit who has spent the last 10 years dedicated to helping kids and teens thrive in the digital world, here's what I know is true: We are raising our children in a hyper-connected, always on, and ever-evolving media and technology landscape that offers many opportunities, yet many challenges for families. In effect, we are conducting an experiment on our children in real time, and how it turns out for them depends a lot on us. It's very hard to keep up with what's new and what's popular with our kids, but the risks of not getting and staying involved in their digital lives is too high. Here's why: . The world of media is a super peer. It can influence our kids' social, emotional, cognitive, and physical development, and it can powerfully inform their sense of what's normal and acceptable. Stories, characters and their behavior in media -- whether in a video game, a movie, a TV show, or on a website -- can serve as role models, both good and bad. Do you know what your kids are watching, reading, and doing online? Do you know who shares their conversations and who plays in their games? And above all, are the media they're choosing appropriate for their age and developmental stage? Mature content may not be suited to immature and developing minds, especially in children, who often cannot comprehend the difference between reality and fantasy, and who cannot understand the consequences of violent acts. Media can be an amplifier in people, including children, who are at risk. Much more research is needed on the impact of violent media on behavior. But existing research suggests that people who are prone to violent actions, or depression, or anxiety, feel those feelings more strongly, or may be motivated to act on them, when exposed to violent content. Research also points to a correlation between repetitive viewing of violence and increased aggression and desensitization. The research is also uncovering a "reciprocal" relationship in which children with aggressive tendencies do, over time, seek out more violent media content and are even more affected by it than others, thus creating a downward spiral. Slenderman stabbing case: When can kids understand reality vs. fantasy? Parents are key to combating the negative effects of media. Our children are exposed to a great deal of content that may not be worthy of their time and attention. Even if your family limits certain unacceptable media at home, your kids can access that same content on any mobile device when they're not at home or with you. That's why it's imperative to engage with them about the media they're consuming. Take the time to elicit your kids' opinions on what's popular and what they're interested in, and share your opinions so as to help your kids develop the ability to view media critically and make choices that reflect your family's values. Every child and every family are different, so what works in my family may not work in yours. Each of us has different pain points, different views on what's appropriate, and different opinions on how much is too much. The reality for all of us, though, is that what happens online can influence what happens in real life. Parenting needs to happen in both places. That way our kids can thrive, even in the face of a made-up monster in a dark and digital world. | James Steyer: Until 12-year-old's stabbing, not many parents knew about "Slenderman"
Steyer: Internet is a super peer that guides kids' development, informs sense of what's normal .
He says media can offer good or bad role models and amplify problems in at-risk kids .
Steyer: Parents are key to combating negative media: Engage with your children . |
181,728 | 77494fbec1d61c53a01d47b28a44a232afc1531a | A Chinese asylum seeker was kicked off a plane that was set to deport him home after staging a dramatic on-board protest. Wei Lin, a Chinese refugee, was escorted from the Federal Court to the airport after a last minute legal bid to prevent his deportation was thwarted. Mr Lin, who was handcuffed, was escorted by several Serco guards to the last row of seats of the Air China aircraft. Wei Lin moved to the front of the plane just before take-off and began telling passengers he was an asylum seeker being expelled from the country against his will . Just prior to take-off, at about 9pm, Lin moved to the front of the plane and began telling passengers he was an asylum seeker being expelled from the country against his will. The plane had already begun to move towards the runway, but the pilot announced that the incident was 'unresolved' and the plane would return to the terminal. At about 9.50pm, Mr Lin was escorted from the aircraft and returned to the Villawood detention centre. According to Refugee Action Coalition spokesperson Ian Rintoul, Wei is a professional athlete who was targeted due to his knowledge of the use of performance enhancing drugs in Chinese sport. A spokesman for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the department adhered to its duty of care in the deportation of Mr Lin . Mr Lin was escorted from the Federal Court to the airport after a last minute legal bid to prevent his deportation was thwarted . 'We are again calling on the Minister to halt attempts to deport Wei, and to halt all deportations to danger,' Mr Rintoul said. 'We are also calling on the airlines to refuse to carry forced deportations. By co-operating with the government, airline such as China Air become complicit in the government's abuse of asylum seekers' human rights.' A spokesman for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said the department adhered to its duty of care in the deportation of Mr Lin. 'People who have exhausted all outstanding avenues to remain in Australia and have no lawful basis to remain are expected to depart,' he said in a statement. | Wei Lin was escorted from the Federal Court to the airport on Friday .
Lin told passengers he was being expelled from the country against his will .
He was escorted from the plane and returned to Villawood detention centre .
An immigration spokesperson said the department followed its duty of care . |
75,182 | d52c3872ab98ecbe1f043045c155b1916c472697 | A man who allegedly shot a 15-year-old boy and his 12-year-old cousin last summer following a neighborhood dispute over a dog has been arrested in Stockton, California, after a 7-month manhunt, police said. A task force of U.S. Marshals and Stockton police closed in on Alfonso Martinez, 20, Wednesday afternoon as he got into his car outside a Stockton apartment complex. He allegedly tried to back the car into the officers, but hit a pole after police rammed the vehicle with an unmarked car. After hitting a pole, Martinez fought with police, who "legally subdued" him with a stun gun, Stockton police spokesman Joe Silva said. Police later found a loaded 9 mm handgun gun inside the car, Silva added. Martinez was being sought in connection with several shootings, including the July 12 shooting that partially blinded and deafened the 15-year-old. The 12-year-old was shot in the leg. "Praise Jesus!" said Demetria Carruthers, the grandmother of the older boy who was shot. "Now my family can sleep." The boy, now 16, told his story to CNN Digital as part of a project that looked at every shooting that took place across the United States on July 12. Because he is under 18 and his shooter was still at large when the original story was published, CNN agreed to identify him only by his childhood nickname, Dookie. The CNN Guns Project: One Day of Violence . Dookie, who lost an eye, underwent brain surgery and has been recovering at home. He hopes to return to school in January. He wants to see the man who shot him convicted and sent to prison. "I want him gone," he told CNN in September. That process begins Friday afternoon, when Martinez is due in court to face charges of attempted murder, assaulting a police officer with a deadly weapon and drug offenses. He is being held without bail in the San Joaquin County jail. Dookie told CNN he never saw the bullets coming. He said he received a call asking him to back up his friends in a fight. They'd been having trouble with Martinez, who lived with a girlfriend near his cousins, Dookie said. Dookie had gone back to retrieve a gold chain broken in the scuffle when a light-colored sedan began to follow him and a cousin down the street. About a dozen shots were fired at the boys from a handgun inside the car. Dookie was airlifted to the UC Davis Medical Center, where he underwent surgery to remove a section of his skull and relieve the pressure on his brain. He spent a week in a medically induced coma. Within a day or two of the shooting, police found surveillance camera video of one of the neighborhood fights and used social media to post an image of the man involved. That led investigators to a clearer photo and a name. Police initially believed Martinez had fled to Mexico or was hiding out in Reno, Nevada. Martinez also was being sought on a warrant for a drug charge. | Alfonso Martinez, 20, arrested after 7-month manhunt .
Police use stun gun on suspect, who tried to escape in car .
Martinez allegedly followed, shot two boys after dispute .
Teen lost an eye and hearing in one ear, needed brain surgery . |
183,693 | 79f134b785eb307f43c2e053e46dbe36d5e3fbba | (CNN) -- Party of no? When it comes to Supreme Court nominations, the GOP is a flock of baby lambs compared with their opposites on the Democratic side. The past two Democratic presidents have named three justices between them: Sonia Sotomayor, Stephen Breyer and Ruth Bader Ginsburg. All glided painlessly to confirmation. Compare that with the mayhem inflicted on Republican choices. Two of President Nixon's nominees were rejected by the Senate. Ditto for one of Ronald Reagan's choices (another withdrew shortly after he was nominated). One of President George H.W. Bush's choices, Clarence Thomas, was confirmed after a fight that still ranks as perhaps the most vicious in confirmation history. It's hard to argue that the difference is due to the superior quality of the Democratic choices. Ginsburg's views were and are at least as controversial as Robert Bork's. Not only Bork, but two other Republican nominees (Clement Haynsworth and Douglas Ginsburg) could show legal credentials that brightly outshone Sotomayor's. Nor is it just a matter of clout: Although Republicans lacked the votes to defeat Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Breyer and Sotomayor, they could have filibustered either of the first two. No, the difference is not in the nominees. It is in the parties. On judges, Republicans have played by softer rules than Democrats. There's no Republican equivalent of the notoriously scurrilous 1987 speech of Sen. Edward Kennedy's against Bork: . "Robert Bork's America is a land in which women would be forced into back-alley abortions, blacks would sit at segregated lunch counters, rogue police could break down citizens' doors in midnight raids, schoolchildren could not be taught about evolution, writers and artists would be censored at the whim of government, and the doors of the federal courts would be shut on the fingers of millions of citizens for whom the judiciary is often the only protector of the individual rights that are the heart of our democracy." It's not as if Republicans do not know how to play rough when they wish to do so. But on judges, Republicans have not wished to play rough. Why not? Republicans have won seven of the 11 presidential elections since 1968. Over those same years, Republican presidents made a total of 11 appointments to the high court, with the nominees becoming steadily more conservative over time. Democrats fought back, using every weapon at hand, including the very nasty weapons deployed against Bork and Thomas. And Republicans counterattacked, by emphasizing the legitimate right of election winners to choose judges who reflected majority values. There's an old saying: "Where you stand depends on where you sit." It's also true however that parties take some time to realize that they are sitting in a new place. The Republican senators who deferred to President Clinton's nominations had argued for years that it was inappropriate for senators to vote against a judge merely because they disagreed with a judge's legal philosophy. Those senators would not and could not abruptly reverse themselves. But what people cannot do immediately, they can learn to do after a time. Republicans voted for Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Breyer to send a message about how Thomas and Bork should have been treated -- and to lay down markers for how Republican judges should be treated in the future. But those votes, like the Sotomayor vote, occurred in the immediate aftermath of a Democratic presidential victory following many years of Republican administration. They do not necessarily foretell the future. As Republicans settle into opposition, they may begin to think and feel like an opposition. They may lose the practice of deference, forget their objections to the filibuster of judicial nominations. President Obama's next nominee can probably expect the same easy time that Ginsburg and Breyer enjoyed. But if there are more nominations in a hypothetical Obama second term, they may discover themselves haunted by Kennedy's malign precedent and Thomas' brutal ordeal. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum. | David Frum: Republicans haven't been nearly as tough on court nominees as Democrats have .
Frum says last three Democratic choices for the court have had relatively easy confirmations .
Frum says Republicans have shown greater deference to a president's choices for the court .
He says the GOP may adopt a harsher stance in the future . |
22,982 | 4137962fa5684544bd8a440294c5ef3ccbfac4f0 | By . Lucy Osborne . A mother listened to an answerphone message recording the final moments of her daughter – who was sent home by a GP who ‘wouldn’t give her the time of day’. The walk-in-centre doctor carried out a ‘substandard’ examination on 20-year-old Evelyn Purchase, failing to notice that she had pneumonia, a coroner ruled. Barely 36 hours later, and as the arts student lay dying in bed, she tried to call her mother Tara but was forced to leave a message on her mobile. Tragic: Evelyn Purchase (left) was found dead just hours after a doctor failed to diagnose her pneumonia. Her mother Tara (right) says she found a voicemail message of her daughter's final moments after she died . Speaking yesterday, Miss Purchase . said: ‘Evelyn was still poorly the day after her trip to the doctor, . which was my birthday, and she decided to stay at home while I went out . with her sister, Dana. ‘We came home and I went to check on Evelyn, and found her lifeless in her bedroom, clutching the phone. ‘My heart broke in two and I will never get over it. ‘I . later realised I had a voicemail message and when I listened to it, I . realised that Evelyn had tried to call me and I could hear her dying in . the message. ‘She has left a huge hole in all of our lives, and we will never get over her death.’ Coroner . Robin Balmain said a number of assumptions were made by the doctor . about the talented illustrator’s condition and that the assessment had . been ‘less than optimal’. Treatment: Evelyn Purchase was given antibiotics despite failing to respond to the medication on two previous occasions, and anti-depressants despite not being given a proper mental health examination . Less than optimal: Dr Mahmud Ahmed of Holly Hill clinic in Dudley (pictured) was criticised for level of care he provided. Evelyn Purchase died after her pneumonia was misdiagnosed as a chest infection . Recording a narrative verdict, he stopped short of saying Evelyn’s death could have been prevented. But he added: ‘This is a tragedy. This is the death of a young girl at the start of her adult life. ‘It . seems to me that what went on during the course of that examination . was probably incomplete.’ Evelyn, a second year student at Hereford . College of Arts, visited a doctor at Holly Hall walk-in centre in . Dudley, West Midlands, on April 5 last year, with her mother, . complaining that she felt unwell. Mahmud Ahmed, who had previously treated Evelyn, diagnosed her with a chest infection and prescribed antibiotics. He failed to realise he had already given her two courses of antibiotics which had failed to work. Believing . depression to be the cause of her loss of appetite, he also prescribed . anti-depressants – without carrying out a mental health examination. Dr . Ahmed told the inquest: ‘I did not check her oxygen levels as she was . not unduly short of breath. I thought that the infection was not so . serious for her to be admitted to hospital.’ Miss . Purchase, whose daughter Dana is 16, said: ‘I will never be able to . forgive myself for not being there for her when she needed me. I wish . someone had told us how ill she was. Talented: Evelyn Purchase was a second year illustration student at Hereford College of Arts. She hoped her work (pictured) would one day get her a job at video games manufacturer Sega . ‘We . begged the doctor to send her for a chest X-ray, but he wouldn’t. Evelyn was such a bright, clever young girl and she had her head screwed . on. ‘She was a shy . character who concentrated on her studies, rarely partied, and she . never lost focus of her achieving her ambitions. ‘We . were incredibly close and she had never been kissed, didn’t have a . boyfriend because she knew where she wanted to go in life and knew that . she required focus to do so.’ The . maths and English teacher from Halesowen, who has divorced Evelyn’s . father David, plans to bring the case before the General Medical . Council. ‘I’m not saying . that she wasn’t treated but she was not treated appropriately for her . condition and, as a consequence, she died on my bed, in my bedroom, in . unbelievably bad circumstances,’ she said. ‘If she had been placed into hospital she would have had the opportunity to fight for her life. ‘I’d . taken Evelyn to a few doctors’ appointments in the days before her . death and we went to the walk-in centre as her condition severely . worsened – but I just feel he didn’t have the time of day for us.’ Cause . of death at the inquest in Smethwick on Monday was given as extensive . bilateral pneumonia with pulmonary abscesses as a contributing factor. Less than 36 hours after visiting Dr Mahmud Ahmed at the Holly Hall walk-in clinic in Dudley, West Midlands, Evelyn Purchase's mother found her dead at their home in nearby Cradley . | Evelyn Purchase, 20, was found dead just hours after the missed diagnosis .
She had made a final desperate phone call to her mother as she lay dying .
Tara Purchase, 41, didn't receive the message until after her daughter died .
The illustration student received 'less than optimal' treatment, coroner says .
Dr Mahmud Ahmed of Holly Hill clinic in Dudley criticised for level of care .
Dr Ahmed did not look at recent medical history or carry out full lung check .
Ms Purchase treated with antibiotics despite previous failure to respond .
Also given anti-depressants, despite not having mental health examination . |
116,394 | 223a81d11c411c5bc6d87c513ba53c0ad8f89224 | (CNN) -- Dutch striker Robin van Persie continued his superb scoring streak this season, netting another double as Arsenal beat German champions Borussia Dortmund 2-1 in the European Champions League to clinch top spot in Group F and secure qualification for the last 16. Captain Van Persie had already found the net 15 times for Arsenal this season, and he added another one to his tally in the 49th minute when he headed home after some superb individual play on the left from Alex Song. And Van Persie wrapped up a comfortable night for the Gunners when scoring his 17th goal from just 18 matches, tapping home from close range after Mikel Arteta's corner had been flicked on at the near post by Thomas Vermaelen. Dortmund did pull one back through Shinji Kagawa with the final kick of the game, but it was too late to make a difference as Arsenal made it eight wins and a draw from their last nine matches, following a poor start to the season. Andre-Villas Boas needs to be given more time . Arsenal are on 11 points, four clear of Greek champions Olympiakos, who stunned Marseille 1-0 in France. Koannis Fetfatzidis netted a late winner to leave Olympiakos third on six points, one point behind Marseille, with Dortmund bottom of the table on four points. However, there is a scenario that could see all those teams finish on seven points, if Olympiakos draw with Arsenal and Dortmund defeat Marseille in the final group matches in a fortnight. Meanwhile, there was drama in Group E, with Bayer Leverkusen scoring a last-gasp winner against Chelsea to virtually secure their place in the last 16 with a 2-1 victory. An injury time header from defender Manuel Friedrich saw the home side fight back from going a goal down, to inflict Chelsea's fourth defeat in seven matches and increase the pressure on under-fire manager Andre Villas-Boas. The visitors went ahead three minutes after the break when Didier Drogba turned smartly in the area before firing into the bottom corner of the net. But the German side levelled in the 73rd minute when substitute Eren Derdiyok headed into an empty net after goalkeeper Petr Cech came off his line to try and intercept Sidney Sam's superb cross. And Friedrich rose highest from a corner in the dying stages to secure a stunning comeback for Leverkusen. That result leaves Leverkusen on nine points, one clear of Chelsea and Valencia, who crushed Genk 7-0 at the Mestalla stadium. Roberto Soldado scored a first-half hat-trick for the Spanish side to leave qualification finely poised. If Chelsea beat Valencia, or draw 0-0 at Stamford Bridge in their final match, they will qualify, while Leverkusen need to avoid defeat against Genk to also go through. Defending champions Barcelona had already secured qualification, but a 3-2 victory over Milan at the San Siro ensured they will go through as Group H winners, with Milan in second place. Barca took a 14th minute lead when Mark van Bommel turned Seydou Keita's cross into his own net but Milan leveled six minutes later when Barca old boy Zlatan Ibrahimovic's shot crept under goalkeeper Victor Valdes. Lionel Messi restored Barca's lead from the penalty spot in the 31st minute after Alberto Aquilani had fouled Xavi in the area, but once again Milan equalized with a superb individual goal from Kevin-Prince Boateng. However, Barca were not to be denied and they clinched the win when Messi picked out Xavi, who expertly slotted home. In the other group game, Czech side Viktoria Plzen secured their first-ever competition win with a 1-0 success at BATE Borisov, to move onto four points, while BATE remain bottom on two points. Meanwhile, outsiders APOEL Nicosia have become the first Cypriot club to reach the last 16 after a 0-0 Group G draw at Russian side Zenit St Petersburg. APOEL, who were completely unfancied going into the group stage, held their nerve in a highly-charged atmosphere, which saw play halted twice when smoke bombs covered the whole pitch making it impossible to carry on. The result means APOEL have nine points from their five matches, one ahead of Zenit and two clear of Porto, who won 2-0 at Shakhtar Donetsk in the other group match. Porto entertain Zenit in their final group game, with the winners going through alongside APOEL, although a draw would also see Zenit go through. | Arsenal reach Champions League knockout stage after 2-1 victory over Borussia Dortmund .
Robin van Persie scores twice to keep up his remarkable tally of goals this season .
Bayer Leverkusen beat Chelsea 2-1 with a last-minute winner to virtually seal their place in last 16 .
Holders Barcelona win 3-2 at AC Milan to ensure they will finish as Group H winners . |
221,475 | aab02ce4fed61d7cbfa97b150579d05a3168936f | By . Kieran Corcoran . Search: Detectives say they will be making 'substantial' efforts in their hunt to find missing Madeleine McCann over the coming weeks . Detectives looking for Madeleine McCann will begin 'substantial' work on their investigation in Portugal within weeks. Officers from the Metropolitan Police are working with Portuguese police during a fresh phase of their hunt for the missing girl, who disappeared aged three on a family holiday in the resort of Praia da Luz. Mark Rowley, the assistant commissioner of the force, said: 'In the forthcoming weeks we are going to be going to a substantial phase of operational activity on the ground in Portugal. 'A thorough serious crime investigation . works systematically through all the credible possibilities, and often . in an investigation you will have more than one credible possibility'. However, he warned that they may not come up with answers quickly - or at all. The announcement came weeks after detectives were spotted using a helicopter to take aerial photos in the holiday resort where Madeleine disappeared after being left in her room by parents Gerry and Kate McCann. Police were then preparing to excavate three areas in the resort in the hope of turning up clues. Though they were not given permission to conduct the dig themselves, experts were on hand to oversee the work - including those trained to detect bodies. British police officers have been negotiating with their Portuguese counterparts throughout the search. It is thought they have requested permission to question eight crucial witnesses in their investigation. However other requests - including plans to raid homes of prime suspects - were refused. Aerial . view: Specialist officers are expected to examine several sites in . Praia da Luz after permission to dig was granted by Portuguese . authorities, seven years after Maddie went missing from the area aged . three . Mr Rowley said: 'I want to be able to go back to Kate and Gerry at some stage in the future and tell them we’ve got to the bottom of this, or second best is to go back to them and say we’ve turned over every stone and we can’t get to an answer sometimes'. A number of officers from Scotland Yard are hoping to be involved in the latest phase of activity, though it is being led by the Portuguese. Mr and Mrs McCann have been briefed on the activity, but will not travel to Portugal while the work is being carried out. 'The activity in Portugal is led by the Portuguese, that’s absolutely crystal clear in law,' Mr Rowley said. 'We have some officers who would like to be helping with that on the ground in Portugal, doing some of the work we anticipate. We are putting the finishing touches to the plans to the Portuguese in the coming weeks'. He added: 'I anticipate a substantial phase of activity in forthcoming weeks including Portuguese and British officers but the detail of that is still being finalised with Portuguese colleagues and it will all be under Portuguese leadership.' Briefed: Gerry and Kate McCann, pictured at a prayer service earlier this month - have been told about the police plans, but will not visit the resort during the investigation . Hunt: Portuguese police initially searched the resort, but the Met will look for anything they might have missed . One line of inquiry for Scotland Yard is a lone male paedophile who staged a series of sex attacks on young British girls while they were on holiday in the Algarve. They are looking at nine sexual assaults and three 'near misses' on British girls aged six to 12 between 2004 and 2006, including one in 2005 on a 10-year-old girl in Praia da Luz, where Madeleine vanished two years later. Hundreds of people have already made contact with police in response to appeals to try to find the attacker. Mr Rowley warned that, after sifting through all the possible lines of inquiry, officers may draw a blank. 'There’s lots of potential lines of inquiry', he said. 'If we didn’t think there were any potentially fruitful lines of inquiry, we wouldn’t be where we are today; we would be saying there’s nowhere to go with this investigation. 'There are many potential fruitful lines of inquiry and the only way you get anywhere is to work through them all systematically. 'Within that may be the answer and the case may be potentially solvable. We may be able to work through potential lines of inquiry over a period of time with the Portuguese and all of them draw a blank, that can happen'. | Police have said that new work will begin soon in Praia de Luz, Portugal .
Madeleine disappeared from the resort aged 3 on 3 May 2007 .
This month police were seen taking aerial photographs with a helicopter .
They are also thought to have asked permission to question crucial witnesses .
But Metropolitan Police said the investigation must be led by Portuguese . |
68,950 | c385e76d994a79a7ee1154b3beb888bfdc66d75f | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 16:58 EST, 16 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:08 EST, 17 March 2014 . A Sunwing flight from Canada to Mexico had to make an unexpected pit stop in Montana after extreme turbulence injured one person. Turbulence encountered by the Edmonton, Canada to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico flight around 7.00am caused injury to a stewardess. The flight diverted to Helena for check-ups on both her and the jet. An ambulance was waiting on the tarmac when the plane landed, a Helena Regional Airport spokesperson told KXLH, but the stewardess was cleared to resume flying. Scroll down for video . Grounded: A Sunwing flight made an emergency landing at Helena Regional Airport, in Montana, after encountering extreme turbulence . The plane was not so lucky, it was grounded – a replacement plane was expected to arrive at about 4.00pm local time, according to the Helena Independent Record. Even worse, the passengers were forced to wait several hours inside the Boeing 737 until a customs agent was able to arrive and clear them to deplane, the paper noted. Flights are not normally rerouted to Helena’s airport, according to the paper, the last one occurred ‘several months ago.’ | The Edmonton, Canada - Puerto Vallarta, Mexico flight landed in Helena just before 7.30am .
The injured stewardess was cleared to resume flying, but the plane was too damaged to go on . |
180,927 | 763d06cb37a46e6bf44d437c372418089deb4122 | By . Travelmail Reporter . It can be one of the big problems of any day on the beach. It’s a hot afternoon and you want to go for a splash in the sea. But what do you do about the valuables that you have scattered next to your lounger? Do you leave them lying on a towel in . the belief that your cash and keys . will still be there when you get back from frolicking in the waves? Scroll down for video . Not so fast, Mr Thief: The device conceals beach valuables from prying eyes . Or do you play it safe and abandon the idea of a swim, sweltering on the sand while everyone else goes and does the cooling-off thing in the shallows? Holidaymakers frustrated by the above . options – or lack of them – may be intrigued by the clever new device . which protects your essential items during a sunbathing session. ‘Tansafe’ looks like a standard bottle of suncream – but is, in fact, a crafty . carry case capable of holding the things you would least like to lose . while you head off for a dip. Sleight of hand: The device protects beach-goers from theft by masquerading as a bottle of lotion . To all intents and purposes: The device maintains its disguise at first, second and third glance . It can store keys, cash and credit cards – and is also big enough to hide an iPhone, Blackberry or other mobile phone. It is also small enough to be easily portable, measuring 16.5cm by 6.7cm by 2.7cm. It works via a simple visual trick. It looks, to first, second and third glances, like the sort of mundane plastic container found in every travel bag – rather than a potential treasure trove for thieves. The lid is also water-tight, ensuring that disaster will be averted if you drop it in the sea. Online retailer Firebox, which sells the product for £7.99, describes it as ‘an essential travelling companion for canny sunbathers everywhere’. | Device - on sale for £7.99 - can store keys, cash and credit cards .
At 16.5cm long, it's big enough to hide an iPhone or Blackberry .
Tansafe lid is also watertight to save items if is dropped into sea . |
154,538 | 53b553955105a4d3cb07d780c83c875231f5e9ca | Jose Mourinho bemoaned the "worst season of my career" after seeing his Real Madrid side slip to a 2-1 extra time defeat to capital rivals Atletico in the final of the Copa del Rey. Mourinho, who is widely tipped to return to take charge of English Premier League Chelsea, made his feelings clear to the media after seeing his last chance of silverware this season slip away. In the last few weeks, Real have lost in the semifinals of the Champions League to Borussia Dortmund and seen arch-rivals Barcelona clinch the Spanish La Liga title. A season which started with such promise after beating Barca to win the Spanish Super Cup has petered out and left the "Special One" frustrated. "This is the worst season of my career with a title that is not sufficient to satisfy Real Madrid and therefore it is a bad season. "With a final, a semifinal, second place in the league and the Supercup, what for many would be a good season, for me is the worst." Pressed on his likely move to Chelsea, Mourinho refused to be drawn. "I have a contract for three more years and I have still not sat down with the president to talk about my future," he said. "I have to be honest. Until the day that the president sits down with me and the club does something official it has to be like this." If the match in the Santiago Bernabeu Friday night is to prove Mourinho's swansong at Real, it didn't go as planned. It wasn't the best of nights for his talisman Cristiano Ronaldo, either, as he saw red in the dying minutes. Mourinho was ordered to leave the touchline by the referee for protesting a decision late in the second half as Atletico won their first Copa del Rey in 17 years. The scrappy contest that featured more than a dozen yellow cards and two reds was settled by Miranda's header in the eighth minute of extra time on a night when it seemed Atletico, which hadn't beaten their city rivals since 1999, were destined to lift the trophy. After Ronaldo opened the scoring in the 14th minute with a typically impressive header, Diego Costa leveled on a counter attack in the 35th after superb work by striking partner Radamel Falcao. Real Madrid struck the post three times prior to the game entering extra time and Atletico keeper Thibaut Courtois made two stunning saves to preserve the victory and help end his team's three-match losing streak in Copa finals. The affair turned ugly in the dying minutes, with Ronaldo given a straight red card for kicking out at Gabi and players from both benches having to be separated. Courtois fell to the ground when struck by an item thrown from the stands at Real's home stadium. Mourinho believed his team should have lifted the cup and had been plain unlucky. "The result is 1-1 and it is not normal to hit the post three times," he said. "You don't have to be a magician of football to think that the result is not fair, that Atletico are not the deserved winners of the final. "The refereeing is forgotten, the shots off the post are forgotten, all that remains is that the winner is Atletico." Winning manager Diego Simeone was simply delighted while acknowledging their fortune. "It was an incredible game. We had the luck you need to have to be champions," he told gathered reporters. | Atletico Madrid beat Real Madrid in extra time for first Copa del Rey title in 17 years .
Cristiano Ronaldo scores Real's opener but was later shown a red card .
Jose Mourinho was sent to the stands after protesting a refereeing decision .
Mourinho says defeat caps 'worst season of my career' |
224,371 | ae8752439b06aa6e2f8f80a5c8bbb7c25b1d5151 | Each month a new planet is discovered that bears similarities to our own - and it is becoming increasingly apparent Earth is not unique. So it stands to reason that of the billions of Earth-like planets in our galaxy alone, there might be another that hosts life. It’s a thought that is gaining more credence all the time, and now Nasa has released a fascinating book detailing how, or if, we might communicate with some of these worlds. A new book made for Nasa called Archaeology, Anthropology and Interstellar Communication details the methods through which we might communicate with aliens. Although this artist's illustration is a bit fanciful, the authors suggest that Earth may already have been visited . Some of the most interesting chapters tackle the issue of alien communication in the past, present and future. In . one section, for example, William Edmondson from the University of . Birmingham considers the possibility that rock art on Earth is of . extraterrestrial origin. ‘We . can say little, if anything, about what these patterns signify, why . they were cut into rocks, or who created them,’ he writes. ‘For all intents and purposes, they might have been made by aliens.’ The book is titled Archaeology, Anthropology and Interstellar Communication. In 1959, . Cornell physicists Gieuseppi Cocconi and Philip Morrison published an . article discussing the potential to use microwave radio to communicate . between stars. A . year later in 1960, astronomer Frank Drake conducted the first hunt for . alien life with an 85-foot (25 metres) antenna in West Virgina, but . after two months concedes defeat.In the 1960s, Soviet Union performs extensive searches for ET, again with no success. In the 1970s Nasa began to take an interest in Seti, with the chances of success seemingly growing as technology advanced. In 1988, Nasa began sweeping surveys of the night sky for signals, but Congress terminated funding a few years later. The independent Seti Institute, established in 1984, took over the job. In 1992 the first planet outside the solar system is confirmed, an almost certainly uninhabitable world orbiting a pulsar. In 2009 Nasa’s Kepler telescope launches and, over the next few years, finds hundreds of planets. And . just last month, the first planet of a similar size to Earth and at the . correct distance from its parent star to host water, called Kepler . 186-f, was found. It is the most likely place that has been found that could host life as we know it. It was edited for Nasa by Douglas Vakoch, Director of Interstellar Message Composition at the Seti Institute. With the help of other experts he tackles a number of topics including the prospect of life on other planets and the means through which we might send or receive a message. Vakoch begins the 330-page book by postulating how difficult it might be to make first contact. ‘If a radio signal is detected in a modern Seti experiment, we could well know that another intelligence exists, but not know what they are saying,’ he writes in the book’s introduction. He goes on to add: ‘Even if we detect a civilisation circling one of our nearest stellar neighbours, its signals will have traversed trillions of miles, reaching Earth after travelling for years.’ But, all hope is not lost – throughout the book Vakoch and his colleagues tackle these very problems, and provide solutions that may prove invaluable in the future. ‘To move beyond the mere detection of such intelligence, and to have any realistic chance of comprehending it, we can gain much from the lessons learned by researchers facing similar challenges on Earth,’ he continues. ‘Like archaeologists who reconstruct temporally distant civilisations from fragmentary evidence, Seti researchers will be expected to reconstruct distant civilisations separated from us by vast expanses of space as well as time. ‘As we attempt to decode and interpret extraterrestrial messages, we will be required to comprehend the mindset of a species that is radically Other.’ Rock art, an example in Niger pictured, is cited as one possible example of aliens visiting Earth before. Ultimately, however, the authors detail some of the methods we might employ to search for alien life including scouring exoplanets for signs of civilisation . Elsewhere in the compendium the authors tackle the question of the possible biology, evolution and physics of an extraterrestrial race. Vakoch explains how the methods via which aliens communicate might be vastly different from our own, making contact difficult. He says that messaging through sound, as we are used to on Earth, might not be possible. ‘On the other hand, vision and the use of images would appear to be at least plausible,’ he writes. The authors also detail way we could send messages of our own through methods such as Active Seti, using giant radio dishes like the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico (pictured). They say their are immense challenges in making first contact, but we can learn lessons from the history of civilisations on Earth . And, he adds, imaging the surface of habitable planets in the future might reveal ‘the physical arrangement of objects’ that suggests the presence of alien life. Edmondson suggests, for example, that ‘an optical telescope of diameter 620 miles (1,000 miles) could resolve an object of diameter one kilometre (0.62 miles) at a distance of 100 light-years.’ Vakoch concludes his introduction with the monumental task awaiting scientists and scholars across the world, but highlights the importance of these studies and research. ‘These scholars are grappling with some of the enormous challenges that will face humanity if an information-rich signal emanating from another world is detected,’ he writes. ‘By drawing on issues at the core of contemporary archaeology and anthropology, we can be much better prepared for contact with an extraterrestrial civilisation, should that day ever come.’ | A new book details the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (Seti)
In it the authors discuss the methods through which we might find aliens .
These include searching for signs of life on planets or finding messages .
The book details some of the challenges ahead for making first contact .
But ultimately the authors say it is something that might happen one day . |
100,926 | 0e09b3c3255af2ccb16e007dd44652ad29fcfc31 | A skull that was thought to have belonged to a Civil War soldier killed at Gettysburg is actually more than 700 years old and from the Southwest, say experts. The National Park Service has revealed that forensic anthropologists determined that the skull is from the late 1200s and belonged to a Native American man in his early-to-mid 20s. That's nearly 300 years before Christopher Columbus sailed to the New World and 400 years before the first settlement of English in the United States. Skull: The National Parks Service said that forensic anthropologists determined the skull is from the late 1200s and belonged to a Native American man in his early-to-mid 20s . The company that nearly auctioned the skull last year said notarized documents had showed it was discovered on a Gettysburg farm, not the Southwestern US, according to NBC 4. The firm - Estate Auction Company - was set to auction off the skull in Hagerstown, Maryland in June but canceled after members of the public complained. They then donated the skull to the Parks Service. An investigation is currently underway to find out how the skull's origins were confused, according to a spokesperson for Gettysburg National Military Park. Meanwhile, the Parks Service said it is still deciding what to do with the Native American's remains. | Forensic anthropologists determined the skull is from the late 1200s .
Experts have revealed that the skull belonged to a Native American man .
The skull has now been donated to The National Park Service . |
227,527 | b29cf6f51ae788b852da7f44c9aa164b3e5b60a9 | Oscar Pistorius was told he will face trial for the murder of girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp in March as he appeared in court today - the same day that would have been her 30th birthday. Wiping tears from his eyes, a visibly emotional Pistorius stood silently in the dock as he was formally indicted for premeditated murder at Pretoria Magistrates' Court. The 26-year-old Paralympian, from South Africa, is accused of shooting Ms Steenkamp to death at their home on Valentine's night, but claims he opened fire on the 29-year-old after mistaking her for an intruder. And after a hush finally descended on . the packed courtroom, the judge set his trial to run from March 3 to . March 20 next year at North Gauteng High Court in Pretoria. Emotional: A visibly emotional Pistorius stood silently in the dock as he was formally indicted for premeditated murder at Pretoria Magistrates' Court . Birthday: The 26-year-old Paralympian wiped tears from his eyes and blew his nose as he was served the indictment on the day Ms Steenkamp (right) would have turned 30 . Family prayer: Before the hearing began he stood holding hands with sister Aimee and brother Carl as the three siblings prayed silently amid the commotion of the courtroom . Silent moment: Pistorius stands next to his sister Aimee and his brother Carl in silence as the courtroom commotion rages on around them . The prosecution will present 107 witnesses, some of whom allegedly heard a woman scream, followed by 'moments of silence, then heard gunshots and then more screaming', the indictment says. The state's witnesses will include Ms Steenkamp's close friends Desiree, Gina and Kim Myers, as well as Pistorius' sister Aimee and his uncle Arnold. Less than an hour after the hearing ended, Pistorius' brother Carl tweeted a photograph of Oscar and Ms Steenkamp posing together alongside the words: 'Remembered like yesterday. My life was impacted by u @reevasteenkamp & the lady u were! Always close to our hearts.' Before the hearing began he stood . holding hands with sister Aimee and brother Carl as the three siblings . prayed silently amid the commotion of the courtroom. Sibling support: Aimee looks up at her brother (left) who fought tears throughout the hearing . Best friend: Gina Myers (right), Reeva Steenkamp's best friend, waits for the South African sprinter to appear beside an unidentified female friend . Camp Steenkamp: Unidentified friends of Reeva Steenkamp's family support each other feet from Pistorius' brother and sister . Camp Pistorius: Relatives chat with his sister Aimee ahead of court proceedings . Friends of Ms Steenkamp were also in court. When asked by Magistrate Desmond Nair if he was well, he replied quietly: 'Under the circumstances, your honour.' But as . proceedings were postponed, the BBC's Andrew Harding claimed to have shaken his hand and . asked how he was, to which Pistorius apparently shook his head and . mouthed: 'Not good.' The six-time Paralympic sprint . champion was initially charged with premeditated murder for bail . purposes while police investigated the circumstances of the shooting before a finalised indictment was served on . the double amputee today. 'In our hearts': Less than an hour after the hearing ended, Pistorius' brother Carl tweeted a photograph of Oscar and Ms Steenkamp posing together alongside the words: 'Remembered like yesterday. My life was impacted by u @reevasteenkamp & the lady u were! Always close to our hearts' 'Not good'! As proceedings were postponed, BBC journalist Andrew Harding, who was sitting behind Pistorius in court, claimed to have shaken his hand and asked how he was, to which Pistorius apparently shook his head and mouthed: 'Not good' The . prosecution will retain a main charge of premeditated murder. If . convicted, Pistorius faces a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in . prison. The indictment accuses Pistorius of murder, and unlawful possession of ammunition, contrary to Section 90 of the Firearms Control Act. In a summary, prosecutors allege Pistorius shot Ms Steenkamp, whose cause of death was given as multiple gunshot wounds, four times through the locked bathroom door but said, even if he thought she was an intruder, an 'error in persona' did not affect the fact he intended to kill someone. The summary alleges that Ms Steenkamp locked herself in the toilet cubicle next to the main bedroom at Pistorius' house in the early hours of February 14. It claims the athlete armed himself with his 9mm pistol and fired four shots through the locked door. The cause of his girlfriend's death, which happened just after 3am, is given as 'multiple gunshot wounds'. Some state witnesses heard a woman scream, followed by 'moments of silence, then heard gunshots and then more screaming', the summary said. It added: 'The accused said to witnesses on the scene, that he thought she was an intruder. 'Even then, the accused shot with the direct intention to kill a person. An error in persona will not affect the intention to kill a human being.' Some 107 witnesses are listed by the state, including Ms Steenkamp's close friends Desiree, Gina and Kim Myers, as well as Pistorius' sister Aimee and his uncle Arnold. Additional charged . are also 'possible', prosecutors told The Associated Press, but declined . to comment about the charges before today's hearing. It . has been reported that the Paralympian could face extra charges of . allegedly discharging a firearm recklessly in two other incidents. Papers . presented at the court today are expected to include a witness list and . detail some of the evidence police have gathered in the six months . since the death of Ms Steenkamp. Pistorius . is currently on bail after a judge changed his conditions in March, . allowing him to travel abroad providing he hand over his travel plans. The 'Blade Runner', who was recently . spotted kayaking with friends in South Africa, has resumed a 'low-key . track routine', according to his family. In a statement on his website in June, . they said: 'Oscar is not contemplating a formal return to athletics and . his training is not aimed at preparing for competition. 'His . focus at this time remains entirely on the court case. His family, and . those close to him, have encouraged him to spend a few hours a week on . the track to assist him in finding the necessary mental and emotional . equilibrium to process his trauma and prepare for the trial.' The . athlete was 'overcome with emotion' when he pulled on his carbon fibre . running blades for his first track training since Ms Steenkamp's death, . his agent Peet van Zyl said, adding that Pistorius described his return . to the track as 'bittersweet'. Ms Steenkamp's parents previously said they are still searching for answers. In . a television interview in June, June Steenkamp said: 'There is only one . person who knows what happened' on the night her daughter was killed. Meanwhile, Ms Steenkamp's uncle has said he has already forgiven Oscar Pistorius for killing her. Mike Steenkamp said the family have coped with her death by concentrating on her life rather than how she died. Support: Pistorius was greeted by his sister Aimee and his brother Carl as he took his place in the dock. Moments later the three siblings held hands and prayed together before proceedings began . The prosecution will retain a main charge of premeditated murder. If convicted, Pistorius faces a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison . Arrival: The athlete looked visibly upset as he arrived in court wearing a black suit and blue shirt . Chaos: The double amputee was met by a scrum of photographers as he arrived at Pretoria Magistrates' Court . Facing jail: The prosecution will retain a main charge of premeditated murder. If convicted, Pistorius faces a life sentence with a minimum of 25 years in prison . In . an interview on ITV's Daybreak, Mr Steenkamp said: 'I think from the . beginning and onset that we decided that we could never be sidetracked . from Reeva's life, and I think that's helped us tremendously. 'I . just think of Reeva's life. How happy she was, and what she actually . meant to the family. Not only to her own parents, but to her cousins and . myself and my wife. She was an exceptional person.'He said he has . forgiven Pistorius, who is due to appears at Pretoria Magistrates' Court . today, for killing his niece because of his firm believe in God. He added that the family have not faced the Paralympic champion in court but would want to know the outcome of the case. Global spotlight: Prosecutors, who allege the Paralympian killed Ms Steenkamp (right) after an argument, submitted a list of more than 100 witnesses for a trial that will be followed around the world . Last hours: In this frame grab from CCTV footage shows Reeva Steenkamp entering the secured access to Pistorius' home hours before she died . 'We haven't attended anything and we haven't actually applied our minds to the court case or Oscar's side,' he said. 'I know my brother and his wife would like to know at the end of the day why, quite rightly so. And I think that will come out.' Pistorius's friend Mike Kendrick also appeared on the programme and said his loved ones were worried about his mental state. 'He's not doing well,' he said. | Judge sets premeditated murder trial to run from March 3 to March 20 2014 .
The Paralympian claims he shot Reeva after mistaking her for an intruder .
Meanwhile Reeva's uncle says he has forgiven Pistorius for the killing .
Prosecution 'to call 107 witnesses, some who heard argument before shots' |
64,974 | b8804d0f891ed17b1ecd768ac2a774451d1b6bda | By . Jessica Jerreat . PUBLISHED: . 19:12 EST, 7 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:41 EST, 8 August 2013 . A self-styled 'party princess' has been jailed for four years, just days before her 21st birthday, after being found guilty of running over and killing a father while drunk. Karlie Tomica sobbed in a Florida court today as she admitted to drinking heavily during a bar tending shift at a nightclub, and then hitting chef Stefano Riccioletti with her car and leaving him to die in the road as she drove home drunk. 'I know my actions shattered the hearts of his wife, his children, his friends and all who knew him,' the 20-year-old said, as she clutched pictures of her victim's children. Scroll down for video . Remorse: Karlie Tomica wept as she admitted to drink driving and killing a father as he walked to work . Tomica's blood alcohol level was three times the legal limit two hours after her arrest in January, according to the Miami Herald. After smashing into her 49-year-old victim, the student drove away and ignored a witness who tried to flag her down. When police arrested her in her 17th floor condo, Tomica had bits of her victim's brain and flesh in her hair. In a statement that reduced the courtroom to tears, Tomica said: 'If my drinking at work and becoming . drunk was not bad enough, killing Mr Stefano and driving away and . leaving him to die was inexcusable.' She added: 'I know my actions shattered the hearts . of his wife, his children, his friends and all who knew him ... I broke the hearts of my parents.' The former Florida International University student accepted a guilty plea to charges including DUI manslaugher and leaving the scene of a fatal accident. Jailed: Tomica hugs her younger sister as she is sentenced to four years in prison . Loss: Stefano Riccioletti was the executive chef at The Shore Club's Terrazza . The timing of the deal, just days before she turned 21, means Tomica will be treated as a youth offender, according to CBS Miami. She will serve four years in prison, two years under house arrest and 15 years on probation. Her driver's license was revoked for the rest of her life and a judge ordered the 20-year-old to complete more than 1,000 hours of community service and speak to students five times a year about how she killed Mr Riccioletti. The family of the victim, who had three children aged 19, 12 and nine, is suing the Nikki Beach bar where Tomica had been working for negligence, in allowing an underage employee to drink. The victim's wife, Patrizia Pesce, gave Tomica pictures of the couple's children as she explained in court the devastating effect losing their father had on them. Their father, executive chef Mr Riccioletti, had been on his way to work when he was hit. A witness described how the impact sent his body flying through the air, before it landed in the driveway of a hotel. Plea: Patrizia Pesce, right, the widow of Tomica's victim, listens as the 20-year-old admits she had been drinking heavily . Guilty: Karlie Tomica, pictured left on her Twitter profile and right, . in her booking photo, was found guilty of charges including DUI manslaughter and leaving the scene of a fatal accident . Support: Tomica's father, Karl, comforts his daughter at an earlier hearing . After seeing the accident, Jario Fuentes followed Tomica to her home as he tried to get her to pull over. The court heard she ignored him and went to her apartment where she was later arrested. After refusing to take a Breathalyzer test at the time of arrest, Tomica then fell asleep in a chair at the police station. Tomica could have faced more than 50 years in prison, but the widow of her victim intervened, saying her husband would not have wanted revenge, according to the Miami Herald. Patrizia Pesce told her: 'He was a big believer in second chances. What will you do with this opportunity? Will you waste it or will you dedicate your life to improving the lives of others, not destroying them?' Loving father: Stefano Riccioletti is pictured with his wife and two of his three children . Killed: Coroners remove the body of the 49-year-old chef from the scene of the hit-and-run . | 20-year-old Karlie Tomica has license revoked for life .
Widow of victim gave Florida student pictures of her children .
Plea deal made days before 21st birthday so Tomica could be sentenced as youth offender . |
226,056 | b0bb71b352c50bbc5c6a71400664df866d4b435a | By . Dan Bloom . A toddler was found wandering the streets of London without shoes after he walked out of his nursery - where it is claimed staff hadn't noticed he was gone. Some parents have vowed to boycott the Oak Tree Nursery in East Dulwich after a driver stopped and picked up Romeo Chudasama in the middle of the road. The nursery reported the incident to Ofsted and vowed to conduct a full review - but the boy's mother said she was furious. Two-year-old Romeo Chudasama has been reunited with his mother Rekha, right, after being found wandering the streets of London by passer-by Louise Tarrant after he walked out of his nursery . Romeo’s mother Rekha, a 39-year-old bus driver, told the Evening Standard she has not taken her son back since. 'I . know accidents happen,' she said. 'If my son had hurt himself while at nursery, I . would have dealt with it. He is a very active child and very outgoing, . and he loves jumping around. 'But I can’t forgive them for letting a child go for a walk in the road.' She told ITV's London Tonight programme that her son now attends a different nursery. She said: 'You leave your child in the care of a nursery, you would expect your child to be kept safe at all times, at any given moment. 'I just imagined the worst.' Romeo was found by passing motorist Louise Tarrant, who picked him up and knocked on doors of houses along the street before returning him to the nursery 50 metres away. Ms Tarrant said the nursery didn't seem that concerned when she returned the youngster to them. She told ITV: 'He was running in the middle of the road with no shoes on. I was completely shocked. 'I picked him up and he didn’t talk or anything. I was knocking on the doors asking: “does anyone recognise this little boy?” 'There didn’t seem much concern [from the nursery].' Romeo, pictured, was found wandering the streets with no shoes on by passing motorist Louise Tarrant, who picked him up and knocked on doors of houses along the street before returning him to the nursery . The incident on Thursday last week came to light after Romeo's mother wrote about it on the East Dulwich Forum website. 'This . is not the first time!' she claimed on the forum. 'Ofsted and Southwark . Council are involved in this too. The police were also informed. 'My son was found in the road and by a . member of the public. It seems the nursery were unaware he was missing . until he was returned.' Speaking at the nursery today, a woman who described herself as the manager but would not give her name told MailOnline: 'There were things in the reports that weren't true but we don't want to comment further. 'Our statement is that the nursery's priority is the safety of the children in our care. 'The minute the incident occurred we took initial steps to notify the regulatory body and secure the main entrance of the building. 'We're going to undertake a full review with Ofsted.' The nursery's last Ofsted report in 2012 described it as 'well-established' with 22 children on the roll, all sharing access to an outdoor play area. The report rated it as good, adding: 'Good systems are in place to help safeguard children and promote their welfare. Some parents have vowed to boycott the Oak Tree Nursery in East Dulwich, pictured, after staff apparently failed to notice the youngster had gone missing . 'Staff have attended safeguarding training and have appropriate policies in place. 'This ensures they are able to take prompt action if they have any concerns regarding children's welfare.' But other parents on the East Dulwich Forum complained about standards at the nursery in recent months. One wrote: 'I was very happy with it until he went back in the New Year. The second Monday after New Year I dropped him off and found the door to be wide open and none of the staff near it. 'I went in and the nursery was very chaotic. When I picked him up after lunch the door was wide open again with no staff to be seen.' Another parent added: 'I removed my child before Easter as I wasn't happy about things - seemed too chaotic and badly run.' Southwark Council described the incident as 'very worrying' and said it had supported the family in finding an alternative nursery. A council spokesperson said: 'Ofsted is responsible for regulating and inspecting private nurseries. 'However, this incident is clearly very worrying for local parents and we are working with the nursery to help them improve their safety policies and procedures. 'The council has also been supporting the family concerned to find alternative childcare provision for their son.' The incident comes after a three-year-old boy escaped from Juneberries Day Nursery in Romford, Essex, earlier this month. He wandered onto a busy dual carriageway and was only rescued when a woman motorist and her daughter spotted him. The Romford nursery was temporarily closed as Ofsted, Havering Council and the police launched a joint inquiry. | Romeo Chudasama was found in the middle of the road in East Dulwich .
He walked out of Oak Tree Nursery - where it is claimed staff hadn't noticed .
Mother: 'I can’t forgive them for letting a child go for a walk in the road'
Nursery manager: 'We tightened security and will conduct Ofsted review' |
57,799 | a3d146dfffcbb06f35f1dd1dda792ee8bafbee21 | By . Paul Harris Reports For The Daily Mail . Expecting freezing cold water, perilous winds and crashing waves, he made meticulous preparations for a swim across the English Channel. But there was one test that endurance athlete John van Wisse didn’t bargain on yesterday – running into the border authorities as he set out from Dover because locals feared he was an illegal immigrant. As the Australian leapt into the water from a boat beneath the famous white cliffs, two eagle-eyed citizens spotted his bronzed features … and dialled 999. John Van Wisse, 41, was mistaken for an illegal immigrant while trying to beat 'Arch to Arc' triathlon record . Kent police arrived at Shakespeare beach in Dover this morning to look for the reported illegal immigrant, who was in fact a sportsman trying to break the triathlon record from London to Paris . Minutes later, the combined might of Kent Constabulary, Port of Dover Police, the coastguard and Border Force officials descended on Shakespeare Beach expecting to find a migrant struggling ashore after crossing illegally from Calais. Instead, they discovered the 41-year-old athlete – who had simply been posing for a photo before starting the next stage of his record attempt at a London-to-Paris triathlon. Luckily, Mr van Wisse and his team laughed off the official interruption as ‘priceless’. And according to a witness, police – who arrived at the beach expecting to find one of the thousands of migrants who have been massing at a camp on the French coast – also saw the funny side. Drama over, the Melbourne-based champion swimmer and cross-Channel veteran yesterday continued the middle leg of his 289-mile journey to run, swim and cycle between the English and French capitals. Before setting off he explained: ‘It’s the hardest thing I know and I just want to see if I can do it. I know it’s going to be tough but I’m up for the challenge.’ John Van Wisse, 41, had run 86 miles from London to Dover, which he completed in 15 hours 53 minutes yesterday, and is currently swimming from Dover to Calais in tricky conditions . Mr Van Wisse had just seven and a half hours rest between the run from London to Dover and swim to Calais . Mr van Wisse started the 86-mile running stage at London’s Marble Arch on Tuesday. It was timed to make the best use of tide times and conditions in the Channel, although it appears that news of his arrival might have escaped official logs in Dover. Blessed with a prayer by an inquisitive priest who encountered him earlier in Canterbury (‘May you always stay afloat,’ the good Father said) he grabbed some slow-release energy from a takeaway pizza and few hours’ sleep before heading to the water. Mr Van Wisse hopes to beat the current record of 73 hours and 39 minutes, held by Britain's Mark Bayliss . As he set off on the 21-mile swim from Dover to Calais, Mr Van Wisse was mistaken for an illegal immigrant . He completed the Channel crossing last night after 12 hours and 31 minutes. His team tweeted: ‘Next stop Paris!’ Mr van Wisse, who has completed a double Channel crossing and coaches other hopefuls, will now cycle the final 180 miles to the Arc de Triomphe in Paris, aiming to arrive at mid-morning today. His aim is to beat the current ‘Arch to Arc’ record of 73 hours and 39 minutes, held by triathlete Mark Bayliss from Croydon. Provided, that is, someone has told the French gendarmes. | John Van Wisse, 41, is hoping to break the London to Paris triathlon record .
He ran 86 miles from London to Dover in 15 hours and 53 minutes yesterday .
He was set to embark on the 21-mile swim to Calais from Dover this morning .
But he was met by officials who mistook him for an illegal immigrant .
He hopes to beat the current world record of 73 hours and 39 minutes . |
49,660 | 8c6876dac8692a8cac8ecbd45372541a3a1c5ba5 | Actor Wesley Snipes has been released from a federal prison where he was serving a three-year sentence after being convicted on tax charges in February 2010. The release to a supervised residential location in New York occurred Tuesday, the Federal Bureau of Prisons told CNN. Snipes, 50, who starred in the "Blade" action movies and "White Men Can't Jump," had been serving time at a federal prison in Pennsylvania. A jury convicted him of willfully failing to file tax returns for 1999, 2000 and 2001. Snipes was acquitted of felony tax fraud and conspiracy charges. In June 2011, the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of his sentence, which he had argued was too harsh for a misdemeanor conviction. | Snipes was convicted on tax charges in February 2010 .
He was released Tuesday to a supervised residential location .
The U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal in 2011 .
Snipes, 50, starred in the "Blade" movie series, among other films . |
185,797 | 7ca4e5a6e8786bc56559267b403d6d863e6e55c0 | Just five months after giving birth to her first child, a girl named Mary-Jane, Catherine Tyler stepped onto the stage at one of Australia's biggest bodybuilding competitions. With washboard abs and a muscular physique that turned heads there were no signs that the 31-year-old had only ten weeks to prepare for the event many others spent the year training for. 'It was so rewarding and so empowering that I was in control of my body and control of my appearance,' Ms Tyler told Daily Mail Australia. Sydney mum Catherine Tyler (pictured left a few days before giving birth) competed in a bodybuilding competition just five months after the arrival of her first child (she is pictured right four weeks after birth) Ms Tyler trained with weights until she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant and did cardio until the day before she gave birth . The 31-year-old was trained by her partner Kevin (centre), a bodybuilder and personal trainer, and the pair originally met on a blind date at the gym . An avid lover of all things health and fitness, the 31-year-old from Sydney trained with weights until she was eight-and-a-half months pregnant, and was doing cardio up until the day before she gave birth. Also during her pregnancy, which left her with severe morning sickness, Ms Tyler made the decision that once she gave birth she would be 'back better than ever'. 'I've always had an interest in health and fitness but once I became pregnant I had this crazy idea that I could bounce back and I could come back better than ever,' she said. With her partner Kevin as her trainer, Ms Tyler got moving from the moment she gave birth - walking up to 5 kilometres most days while pushing her baby in the pram. 'Because I had kept training through the pregnancy my body just pinged back,' she revealed. The 31-year-old (second from right) said she's always had an interest in health and fitness . During her pregnancy she made the decision she would be 'back and better than ever' after giving birth . Ms Tyler said because she trained throughout her pregnancy, her body simply 'pinged' back into shape . In just ten weeks the first-time mum was at her fittest ever and competition ready, competing in the IFBB NSW and National championships in the novice bikini division. But her transformation didn't come without a barrage of criticism. 'It’s been horrible,' Ms Tyler revealed. 'A lot of women are very defensive or negative and they often imply that I leave my baby to spend all my time in the gym, when I actually do a lot of my exercise with my baby. 'Or that I’m self-obsessed. I think a lot of women take it as a personal attack on them. 'It’s a bit hurtful but mothering is so competitive and there’s often a lot of conflict with other women over what you should feed your baby and things like that,' she continued. 'I’m just so proud of what I've achieved.' Ms Tyler also revealed she didn't want to take any shortcuts when she decided to enter a competition, and insists the program she followed and continues to live by is totally achievable for anyone. She insists the program she followed and continues to live by is totally achievable for anyone . She only visits the gym a few times a week and incorporates cardio into her week . Ms Tyler credits her strict diet for most of her success . 'I competed in an open division in bikini novice; I didn't want to do one of those bikini mother competitions,' she said. Breakfast: Water and 1 scoop of low carb protein shake with 3 weetabix . Post training: Protein shake or 1 serve of Gentec Cassein custard (perfect for sweet cravings). 270 calories . 4 meals a day consisting of: 50g protein which was either lean cuts of lamb, chicken or steak. 100g carbohydrates (dropping to 80g for the 2 remaining weeks before the comp) with can be a choice of sweet potato, brown rice or quinoa. 120g raw veggies (increasing to 150g for the 2 weeks prior to competing) consisting of finely chopped broccoli, red and white cabbage, baby spinach, celery and carrot. 'It was important to me that I didn't get any special consideration because I had just given birth.' 'I was just so proud and to be able to take part and to be competitive against other girls who had been training for a year, really I only had ten weeks to get ready,' she added. Another reason she was so insistent on keeping incredibly fit and healthy both during and after her pregnancy was because she's 'seen the toll pregnancy has taken on other women's bodies.' As a cosmetic nurse she has treated 'stretch marks and sagging skin' on many women whose bodies were irreversibly changed by child birth. 'Stretch marks are caused by rapid weight gain, some people are just more predisposed to it,' Ms Tyler said. 'But certainly for me it was just a matter of prioritising my time. She insists that the results she achieved under the guidance of partner Kevin - who has been a bodybuilder for 20 years and a personal trainer for 15 - are achievable for anyone. The 31-year-old (second from left) achieved the results under her partner Kevin, a person trainer . 'It was 90 per cent diet, people eat so much processed food it’s so detrimental to your health,' Ms Tyler said . 'I wasn't in the gym for like 20 hours a week... Two or three hours a week was all I spent in the gym,' she revealed. 'It was 90 per cent diet, people eat so much processed food it’s so detrimental to your health,' Ms Tyler added. Cardio: Walking five kilometres with the pram each day. And additional three cardio sessions are done at the gym each week. Weights: Four times a week at the gym alternating between a session of legs and glutes, and arms and back . Her top tips for mums who want to keep in shape both during and after pregnancy is not to eat for two the entire way through. 'The main thing is to be sensible with your eating during pregnancy,' Ms Tyler advised. 'Once you’ve caused the damage you can’t fix it and a lot of women go crazy with food. 'I mean I had some terrible cravings but really you just need to eat sensibly,' she added. Speaking to people who criticise her thinking she has a strict routine and neglects her child for exercise, Ms Tyler said she simply knows how to manage her time better. She juggled a masters degree with work and placement at a hospital two hours from her house while she was pregnant. Speaking to people who criticise her thinking she has a strict routine and neglects her child for exercise, Ms Tyler said she simply knows how to manage her time . She juggled a masters degree with work and placement at a hospital two hours from her house while she was pregnant . 'For me it was just a matter of prioritising my time,' Ms Tyler said. 'We don’t watch TV in our house, we do have one but it rarely gets used.' The fit mum has now set her sights on more competitions, and hopes that other mums can take what she's learned and incorporate it into their own lives. 'I generally manage three visits a week to the gym for cardio last thing at night when Kevin comes home from work,' she said. 'I alternate my training sessions between legs and glutes one session then arms and back. 'During the day I will normally walk for at least an hour a day with the pram. 'The key to my training is to focus on what you can do rather than compare yourself to others. My diet, whilst strict is very easy to follow and affordable,' Ms Tyler said. | Catherine Tyler competed in a bodybuilding competition last October .
It was just five months after she gave birth to her first child .
Ms Tyler did weight training until she was eight and a half months pregnant .
The first-time mum, 31, was also doing cardio until she gave birth .
She said her program and fitness is achievable for any mum .
Ms Tyler is proud of her body and appearance despite criticism . |
130,455 | 34b02ed21de8565921f5a8b10cdb8f90c8bd8a2c | (CNN) -- Jack Borden would like you to consider working well past retirement age. As a 101-year-old attorney, he has the credibility to encourage it. Attorney Jack Borden, 101, says he's never thought about not working. "What would I do?" he said. Borden, who has been practicing law for the better part of 70 years, still spends about 40 hours a week at his office in Weatherford, Texas, handling estate planning, probate and real estate matters. Retire? Not while he's able to help folks. "As long as you are capable, you ought to use what God gave you. He left me here for a reason, and with enough of a mind to do what it is I'm supposed to be doing," said Borden, who also has been a district attorney and Weatherford's mayor. He arrives at the practice he shares with his nephew at 6:30 a.m. He goes home for lunch at 10:45 a.m., rests in bed for 45 minutes -- doctor's orders after pneumonia a few years back -- returns to work by 12:45 p.m. and stays until at least 4. Not everyone who works past 65 does so because they want to. In a survey completed last month, 38 percent of respondents working past the age of 62 said they may have to delay retirement even further because of the recession, according to the Pew Research Center's Social and Demographic Trends project. But in answer to another question in the same survey, 54 percent of workers 65 or older said they're working now mainly because they want to. Seventeen percent said their main reason was money, and 27 percent said both factors motivated them. "Some of them enjoy it, and some of them need the money. But even if they need the money, they also enjoy the work," said Cynthia Metzler, president of Experience Works, a nonprofit that helps low-income workers ages 55 and older acquire new job skills. The group, which operates in 30 states and also uses federal funds to pay participants a minimum wage to work community service jobs while they look for other work, last month named Borden as America's Outstanding Oldest Worker -- a title it bestows annually to a worker over 100. Last week, Borden was in Washington to participate in events the group was holding to mark National Employ Older Workers Week. When it comes to putting off retirement out of desire, Borden is hardly alone. Preston Brown, 70, is a police officer in Yakima, Washington. He's enjoying the challenges that come with patrolling streets full time, and the experiences are relatively fresh: The former marketing worker and real estate broker didn't join the force until he was 51. He was attracted to law enforcement as a teen but was told he was too short. The height requirements eventually changed, and after some friends persuaded him to go on a patrol ride-along, he began a process that landed him a job with Yakima police in 1990. Whatever is required, from report-taking to chases, he's up for it. "From time to time there will be a physical confrontation ... and we can get involved in foot chases and vehicle chases. Usually the vast quantity is on night shift more than [my daytime shift], but still I'm involved in those," Brown said. Nineteen years later and still in good shape, he has no plans to stop. He likes the pay but he doesn't have to work: His wife of 53 years has a pension. He could be doing other things, such as playing racquetball and motorcycling with friends, but because he gets four days off after working five roughly 11-hour days, he already has time for that. "When I wake up and prepare to leave for work, I'm looking forward to it," he said. "It's challenging and exciting." In Anderson, South Carolina, customers at a Chick-fil-A restaurant might see 88-year-old Frank Childers fixing a door. His wife, Gertrude Childers, 88, might be carrying a tray to a table or refreshing someone's beverage. When Frank Childers retired from his insurance sales job in 1985, he looked forward to free time and fishing. "I stayed retired for five years. I got tired of sitting around," he said. Frank Childers, who had some mechanical experience before working in insurance, took some jobs to stay busy. In 1998, Jon Holmes, the owner-operator of three Anderson Chick-fil-As, asked him to lead his maintenance staff, and Childers has been working there since. Gertrude Childers, a former mill worker, also was hired in 1998 to be a dining room hostess at one of the restaurants. She works 20 hours a week; her husband works about 30. They each said they enjoy the work and the people they've met. They don't have to work for the money, they said, but the pay doesn't hurt. "It's nice to have your own money, because when I want to go shopping, I don't have to ask nobody," Gertrude Childers said, laughing. Experience Works says many low-income workers 55 and older need to find jobs but can't, in part because of the recession. It points to the age group's unemployment rate: It was 6.8 percent in August, up from 2.9 percent three years earlier, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's still better than the rate for all age groups, 9.7 percent in August. Lynn Dusenbery, 62, faces many more years of work out of necessity. The Ashland, Wisconsin, resident sold her floral business four years ago to cover medical bills. Once hoping to retire at 65, she now has no savings, is uninsured, and -- living in a rural area with perennially high unemployment -- still hasn't found full-time work. "I was a florist for 40 years. I came out with no skills that would get me by in the outside world," Dusenbery said. Dusenbery enrolled with Experience Works three years ago and has picked up computer skills and other training and part-time jobs with the group. She's looking for full-time work. As for Borden, work is still energizing and rewarding. "If I were to quit, I might last a year, but probably not over six months," said Borden. "I have to use a walker because of old age, so there's not much else I could do except sit in my house. Why do that when I can not only enjoy life, but help some people?" | Texas attorney Jack Borden, 101, still works 40 hours a week .
Group named Borden "America's Outstanding Oldest Worker" for 2009 .
"If I were to quit, I might last ... not over six months," Borden says .
Police officer, 70, didn't become cop until he was 51 . |
10,593 | 1e20e5c45f960e0cfcaafcd240cd17872a1ff586 | By . Ryan Gorman . PUBLISHED: . 22:33 EST, 24 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:07 EST, 24 October 2013 . The husband of a woman and two children reportedly dead is now being eyed by Florida officials as a suspect in their deaths. Luis Toledo, 31, has been named a person of interest in the disappearance of wife Yessenia Suarez, 28, and children Michael Otto, 8, and Thalia Otto, 9. Officials have not found their bodies, but have confirmed they are deceased, according to WKMG. The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is declining to say how they know the trio is dead, instead only confirming Mr Toledo is currently being interrogated and that he is known to be a gang member. Still not found: Yessenia Suarez, 28, and her children, 8-year-old Michael Otto and 9-year-old Thalia Otto disappeared earlier this week . ‘Keep in mind this is a very sensitive investigation and we want to be sure it comes to a satisfactory conclusion,’ a sheriff’s office spokesperson told the station. ‘We will make sure the family gets satisfaction when this is finally all over,’ he added. Last seen on Tuesday, police began looking into the disappearance of the mother and her children Wednesday, the station said. Mr Toledo was arrested Wednesday after . police checked in on Ms Suarez and her children following a domestic . violence incident at her workplace the previous day, the station noted. He had gone to Ms Suarez's office to confront her about text messages he found on her phone, according to ClickOrlando. He also wanted to speak to coworkers but could not find them, the station added. Such a tragedy: Micheal Otto (left) and Thalia Otto (right) have been confirmed dead by officials . A Florida missing child alert was issued for both children early Thursday. It is not clear if the children are from a previous marriage or relationship. He was charged with battery for slapping Ms Suarez at her workplace, ClickOrlando reported. Person of interest: Luis Toledo is eyed by officials in the disappearance and death of the three . Characterized by the sheriff's office as a gang member, Mr Toledo has multiple arrests and has even served time in prison under an alias. He has multiple burglary, kidnapping and firearms charges brought against him in the past, according to ClickOrlando. Mr Toledo even served a four-year prison term under the name Michael Garcia. He has also been arrested under the names Luis Colon and Hector Soto, according to records cited by ClickOrlando. Both cars registered to Mr Toledo have been recovered – one at the couple’s home and the other at a local shopping center, according to WKMG. The last family members heard from Ms Suarez was Tuesday night, they told WKMG. The missing woman's family has suspected the violent man from the beginning. 'If anybody sees my grand kids please, and my daughter, turn them to me please,' Felicia Perez, Ms Suarez's mother said, according to Click Orlando. 'Please, please I beg you Louis,' she added. 'You know you know where they at, please, that's all I ask.' | Luis Toledo has been charged with battery for an altercation at missing woman Yessenia Suarez's workplace the day before she went missing .
Ms Suarez and her two children haven't been seen since Tuesday, the day of the altercation .
Officials are questioning Mr Toledo, a known gang member, in their disappearance . |
180,706 | 75ed265853c0894d6630b0a394ea9c9eec6774fa | Barcelona forward Luis Suarez is pushing for selection against Real Madrid as his four-month ban for biting draws to a close. The former Liverpool striker is yet to make a competitive appearance for the club he joined in the summer after being hit with a lengthy suspension for sinking his teeth into the shoulder of Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini during a World Cup group game. But according to Spanish publications Mundo Deportivo and Sport, the 27-year-old is aiming to pull on Barca's famous strip against rivals Real on October 25 - the first match he will be eligible to play in. Both Mundo Deportivo (left) and Sport (right) focus on Luis Suarez wanting to face Real Madrid on October 25 . Both newspapers claim that Suarez wants to play in Uruguay's upcoming international friendlies - against Saudi Arabia on October 10 and Oman on October 13 - to improve his fitness ahead of the clash at the Bernabeu. Elsewhere in Spain AS feature an interview with under pressure Los Blancos goalkeeper Iker Casillas, who admits that Real's fans are superb but they have also hurt him. The Spanish stopper also says he felt like 'the plague' and it appeared he was being forced out of the club in recent months following a run of poor form, while striker Karim Benzema has challenged himself, Gareth Bale and Cristiano Ronaldo to score 100 goals between them this season in Marca. AS (left) feature an interview with Iker Casillas while Marca (right) lead on Karim Benzema . Over in Italy and the fallout from Juventus' controversial 3-2 victory against title rivals Roma continues across the main sports newspapers. La Gazzetta dello Sport say their is a fever of 90 degrees surrounding the match and that action replays are the antivirus to future problems surrounding refereeing decisions. Corriere dello Sport also lead on the clash between the Serie A giants with the headline 'Juve-Rome blow by blow', with Pavel Nedved claiming that Roma legend Francesco Totti has 'never been at a big club'. Both Gazzetta dello Sport (left) and Corriere dello Sport (right) focus on Juventus' clash with title rivals Roma . | Barcelona forward Luis Suarez wants to face Real Madrid on October 25 .
El Clasico is the first game the former Liverpool man will be eligible to play in after his four-month ban for biting Giorgio Chiellini .
He wants to play in Uruguay's upcoming friendlies to get match fit .
Iker Casillas discusses his difficult spell at Real Madrid .
Karim Benzema challenges himself, Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale to score 100 goals between them this season .
Italian papers dominated by Juventus vs Roma controversy . |
87,595 | f88a86607ab8ee16cc12ca9f7ae654d616da89e3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A pair of Los Angeles-area men who've claimed to be gang members now fighting in Syria were actually deported to that country because of their criminal background, U.S. authorities have learned. The men are Nercis Kilajian, was deported to Syria in 2012, and Sarou Madarin, deported to Syria in 2010, according to records provided to reporters by Sgt. Tom Lorenz of the Glendale Police Department. The pair are both Syrian nationals of Armenian descent, CNN reports. Scroll down for video . Gang members: Two men from Los Angeles gangs - . 'Creeper' (left) from the Surenos and 'Wino' (right) from the . Westside Armenian Power gang - have surfaced in Syria to fight along . Assad, according to a video online . Bragging: Creeper shows off tattoos showing his allegiance to his gang and greets other gang members . The men are fighting alongside forces loyal to President Bashar Assad, according to reports. In . a video posted online, Kilajian identifies himself as 'Wino' from the . Westside Armenian Power gang - found in areas of Los Angeles County . including Hollywood Boulevard - and Madarian calls himself 'Creeper' from the Sur-13 or Surenos . - a Hispanic gang with loose links to the Mexican mafia. Over . the two-minute clip, the men reveal their gang tattoos and greet fellow . gang members before grabbing guns and firing at desolate land beneath . them, claiming they are shooting 'enemigos'. Throughout the video, they boast that . they are on the front lines - without revealing much about exactly what . they are doing or why they are fighting for Assad. 'It's Syria, homie, we're in Syria, homie,' Wino says. 'Still . puro Surenos putting it down, homie,' Creeper adds. 'In Middle East, . homie, in Syria, still gangbanging, not giving a f***, homie.' The men, who are dressed in military gear, then grab machine guns and open fire on the land below. Armed: The two men then grab their firearms and shoot several times at a desolate area beneath . Determined: The men shoot at their 'enemigos' again - without revealing why they are involved . The video, which contains strong language, was made available on the website of the Middle East Media Research Institute, which is based in Washington. The Institute identified Wino as Nerses Kilajyan, who poses with various firearms while wearing a military uniform in images on his Facebook page. It indicates he has been in Syria since December 2012. He is also pictured with Creeper and members of the Shiite Hezbollah militia. 'I DO ANYTHINK TO PORTECT MY PPL ONLY MY PPL ALL ARMENIANS AND READY TO DIE FOR MY PPL,' Wino writes on his Facebook. One researcher at the Middle East Media Research Institute told FoxNews.com that the men are likely receiving money for taking . part and that they appear to share beliefs with Assad and his fighters. Fighter: Wino is pictured left in Hezbollah militia gear on his Facebook page and Creeper is seen right . 'Violent': Wino, whose real name is Nerses Kilajyan, appears to have moved to Syria in December 2012 . Fighting for Assad: Wino and Creeper are pictured together; it's not clear if either is an American citizen . 'He . seems to be anti-American and pro-Assad,' Green said of Wino. 'He . probably sees Obama as an enemy, accusing him rightfully or wrongfully . of arming the rebels.' Green . suggested said the MEMRI believes the clip is genuine and that the men are indeed in Syria. 'It seems as authentic as it gets,' Green said, citing the Hezbollah uniform and the weapons in the Facebook profile. Green added that it is unlikely that . the men are American citizens; instead the men may have some familial . ties to Syria or could just be among the Arabs, Europeans and Sunni . Muslims heading there. No . reports have so far confirmed Americans volunteering to fight in Syria . for Assad; around 50 citizens are believed to have gone to fight . alongside the rebels. | Federal records indicate Nercis Kilajian and Sarou Madarin were both deported within the last few years .
In a video posted online, the men identify themselves as 'Wino' from the Westside Armenuan Power gang and 'Creeper' from the Surenos .
They fire guns, saying they are fighting on the 'frontline' against 'enemigos'
It is not clear if they are American citizens, but Facebook posts suggest they are anti-American and share Assad's beliefs . |
159,291 | 59e795349b17dd79bfd78ea6c6ff171a589db8eb | By . Tim Shipman and Matt Chorley . PUBLISHED: . 04:12 EST, 15 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:59 EST, 15 November 2012 . Louise Mensch triggered today's Corby by-election when she quit as the MP to move her family to the US . Senior Tories predicted a ‘bloodbath’ in the Corby by-election today, blaming outgoing MP Louise Mensch for impending electoral disaster. Party chiefs said they were on course to lose the Northamptonshire seat to Labour because Mrs Mensch decided to abandon her seat to move to New York. The seat was won by the Tories in 2010 for the first time since 1992. Insiders said a ‘massive Mensch factor’ is preventing them defending the 2,000 majority she won at the 2010 general election. One senior figure told the Mail: ‘It’s going to be a bloodbath. We are going to get absolutely hammered.’ The source said Mrs Mensch’s name was ‘toxic’ on the doorstep. The former Tory A-List candidate was hailed as one of the faces of the new look party before the last election. But locals were unimpressed when she announced that she is moving her family to the US halfway through the Parliament to be closer to her husband Peter, the manager of rock band Metallica. Labour officials sought to downplay the prospects of an easy win, pointing out that windy weather could keep their voters from the polls. 'We think we have won the campaign but we are nervous about the outcome,' a source said. 'We will wait and see but whoever wins, no-one should expect it to be a big numerical majority.' David Cameron is urging the public to vote today in ‘historic’ elections for Police and Crime Commissioners amid fears of a record low turnout. The Prime Minister said the first elections for commissioners in 41 force areas in England and Wales were a chance for voters to ‘have a say about policing and crime in their areas’. Some have predicted turnout could be as low as 15 per cent, but a poll by ComRes found nearly half of those questioned were aware of the elections and intend to vote. Mr Cameron, who has been criticised for not doing enough to raise awareness of today’s elections, said: ‘At the moment there is only one elected police commissioner in the country – Boris Johnson in London. ‘But today, for the first time ever, everyone in the country can vote for one local law and order champion who sets the priorities for their police force.' Early postal vote returns suggest the overall turnout will be around 20 per cent, low even by modern standards in a by-election. Senior Tories are nervous that if . their voters fail to turn out, they could slip into third place behind . the UK Independence Party. The Liberal Democrats face the humiliation of . losing their deposit. UKIP . sources said they are ‘confident’ of securing at least third place but . doubtful that they can catch the Tories for second place. In all three by-elections are being held today. Manchester Central, with a Labour majority of more than 10,000 from 2010, was vacated by Tony Lloyd so that he could stand in today's Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) elections. Cardiff Central, where Labour won by just over 4,700 two-and-a-half years ago, was prompted by the resignation of another PCC candidate, Alun Michael, who has held the seat for 25 years. Labour also a shoo-in to retain both seats. In what promises to be a bad day for the Conservatives they predicted that the party would also lose key contests in the Tory heartlands in the police commissioner elections - also being held on Super Thursday - with Labour poised to triumph in Bedfordshire. Labour predicted that they will gain 8 and 10 of the PCC elections, seizing control of policing in major metropolitan areas like Manchester, the west Midlands, Northumbria and West Yorkshire. But that is lower than the 12 predicted by independent experts. | Voters go to the polls to elect three new MPs and 41 police and crime commissioners, but fears about record low turnouts .
Conservatives on course to lose Corby to Labour after author Louise Mensch angered locals by quitting to move to the US .
Labour expected to hold Manchester Central and Cardiff Central . |
35,024 | 638e6b85c2144bd565dcb879def8288eec606cf9 | (CNN) -- A top United Nations official acknowledged Friday that the earthquake relief operation in Haiti was not progressing fast enough. "You can't snap your fingers and make it happen just by magic," U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes said. But he promised, "We will do it, slowly and surely." In an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour, Holmes said, "We have blockages at different points or bottlenecks of different points. The airport, coming in -- not as many planes as we'd like to get in there because of the landing blockages. It's happening, but it's happening not as fast as we would like." Referring to the slow pace of aid deliveries, Holmes added, "We've got to unload it, get it into warehouses, then get it into trucks, then get it to distribution points, and then start to distribute it." "There's a huge effort going in from huge numbers of countries and aid organizations, but it's not so visible on the ground because you can't quite get it there." Get the latest developments in Haiti . Holmes said it was key to dig out survivors from ruined buildings as soon as possible. "There are something like 27 search-and-rescue teams now either on the ground or on their way, and that's beginning to make a difference," he said. "Of course, with every day that passes, we know that the chances of finding somebody alive diminish, but that effort must continue, and we must continue to try and look after the injured." Impact Your World . New York City Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, who was in Haiti just before the earthquake and served there in the mid-1990s, also emphasized the importance of saving the lives of people who are trapped and injured. "I think there's still an opportunity even though it's almost 72 hours. I think that's got to be job number one," Kelly told Amanpour. As far as aid distribution is concerned, Kelly said it was essential to move supplies from the airport into Port-au-Prince as fast as possible. "It's about five miles for the most part, but it's a tough five miles. The roads are not good. Perhaps the helicopters from the USS Carl Vinson are going to be used to do precisely that." The USS Carl Vinson, an U.S. Navy aircraft carrier, has recently arrived off the coast of Haiti with a fleet of 19 helicopters and several tons of aid. Holmes expressed concern about the losses faced by the Haitian National Police during the earthquake. He said 300 officers died when the main police commissariat collapsed. "It's not surprising they haven't been able to recover from the blow. But the prime minister, the president, are functioning now, and the ministry of interior." He said so far it has been reasonably calm in Haiti. But the U.N. has thousands of police and soldiers in the country, and they will be able to maintain law and order with the help of American troops if necessary, Holmes said. "It's really a peaceful country. I think it's gotten a bad reputation for certain outbreaks that did happen," Kelly said. "The people are in desperate straits. But I think everyone will be surprised at just how peaceful and orderly it will be." | U.N. Emergency Relief Coordinator John Holmes: Hard to get aid in .
Problems include: Roadblocks, bottlenecks .
Key: Dig out survivors quickly .
New York City Police Chief: 300 Haitian police die in quake . |
170,708 | 68f62375f97780a2217c6b03bd24d90548017f37 | Washington (CNN) -- In the wake of the Arab Spring protests across the Middle East and North Africa, President Barack Obama will pledge U.S. economic assistance to Egypt and Tunisia on Thursday in a speech highlighting his administration's revised policies toward the changing region. The highly anticipated address at the State Department will touch on all the Middle East-North Africa flash points -- the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, Libya, Syria, Iran and the recent killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden -- with a focus on Obama's plan for how the United States can help the region develop through political and economic reforms, according to administration officials. New bin Laden audio tape released . Obama "will be laying out a vision tomorrow for the region of what it can be long-term and its role in the world, and as part of that, we'll be announcing a series of initiatives to support that long-term vision," a senior administration official said Wednesday. He was one of three senior administration officials who briefed reporters on condition of not being identified by name. Want to reach Arabs Mr. President? Try this . The speech comes nearly two years after a 2009 address in Cairo, the Egyptian capital, by Obama that called for "a new beginning" between the United States and the Muslim world. Now many in the Middle East and North Africa consider the Cairo speech a collection of lofty ideals that lacked sufficient follow-through, and they want Obama to signal substantive and concrete policies that support the aspirations of the region's people. Marwan Muasher, a former Jordanian foreign minister and longtime advocate of Arab reform, said the Middle East is a new environment now, where young men and women are laying their lives on the line for democracy throughout the region. They need to be told their cause is just and how the United States will support them. "If this is going to be another Cairo speech, forget it," said Muasher, now at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. "It was great two years ago, and even then the feedback was mixed because people wanted to see what he would do. If he doesn't have much to add this time, people will not be fooled by it." Obama's do-over on the Middle East . Gigi Ibrahim, a 24-year-old Egyptian activist and blogger, said that Obama's words will have little impact in her country. "At this point, whatever President Obama will address will really be irrelevant to what the situation is now because we're really building democracy from the bottom up," Ibrahim said, adding that "America is not the model of democracy that we are striving for." She called U.S. policy on the Middle East "hypocritical" because, she said, the United States "will support a dictatorship if it's aligned with its interests." That attitude is rife throughout the Middle East and North Africa, noted CNN senior political analyst David Gergen. With Egypt facing economic crisis, the Libyan conflict at a stalemate, an ongoing harsh crackdown on demonstrators in Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian peace process at a standstill, there is little belief in the region that Obama or the United States can do much to help, Gergen said. "I think it's going to be very difficult in the near term to generate excitement about his policies in the Middle East," Gergen said. What's next for the Arab Spring . In an effort to start changing such perceptions, the Obama administration on Wednesday imposed tough sanctions against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and six other senior Syrian officials in an effort to stop the regime's fierce crackdown on anti-government protests. The sanctions also target two top Iranian officials whose unit was a "conduit for Iranian material support" to Syrian intelligence, according to a copy of the executive order issued by the White House. According to the senior administration officials, Thursday's speech will focus on the opportunity for the United States to help people in the Middle East-North Africa region gain a say in their future governance through the changes they have launched. Obama will emphasize U.S. principles such as freedom of assembly, the right to self-determination and respect for human rights while promoting economic development as a significant contributor to helping people of the region realize their aspirations, the officials said. "It's important to note that some of the protests in the region are deeply rooted in a lack of individual opportunity and economic growth, as well as a suppression of political rights," one of the senior administration officials said. "We also know from our study of the past that successful transitions to democracy depend in part on strong foundations for prosperity, and that reinforcing economic growth is an important way of reinforcing a democratic transition." That means that "one of the most important areas for us to focus on is supporting positive economic growth that again can incentivize and reinforce those countries that are transitioning to democracy," the official continued. "We see this as a critical window of time for the United States to take some concrete action to demonstrate our commitment to their future and to again reinforce their democratic transition with support for a broader base of prosperity," the official added. In particular, the senior administration officials focused on economic aid for Tunisia and Egypt intended to bolster the democratization and economic development efforts of two countries at the vanguard of political reform. Will there be aid for Arab Spring nations? Obama will announce several programs intended to increase U.S. and international investment, create jobs and spur economic growth in the two countries, the officials said. The goal is for Tunisia and Egypt to serve as models for a region undergoing change, so that other countries have incentive to undertake similar reforms, according to the officials. Specific programs include relieving Egypt of up to $1 billion in debt over the next two to three years so the money can be invested by the Egyptian government in economic development plans, and providing $1 billion in loan guarantees to finance infrastructure development and job creation, the senior administration officials said. In addition, programs through international banking and funding organizations such as the World Bank, the African Development Bank, the International Monetary Fund and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development will be worth a few billion dollars, the officials said. "One of the most important things we can do is empower positive models" in Egypt and Tunisia, one of the officials said. "That will have a positive impact beyond their borders." The United States also will work with international groups and allies to help Middle East-North African countries modernize and integrate trade policies, according to the senior administration officials. Currently, nations in the region of 400 million people export about the same amount of goods as Switzerland, a country of 8 million people, if oil is removed from the equation, said a White House background document on the speech. Obama's speech comes in a week when the White House has focused on Middle East issues. He met Tuesday with Jordan's King Abdullah II at the White House and will meet Friday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. After his talks with King Abdullah, Obama said it was "more vital than ever that both Israelis and Palestinians find a way to get back to the table and begin negotiating a process whereby they can create ... two states that are living side by side in peace and security." However, former Sen. George Mitchell unexpectedly submitted his resignation as the president's Mideast envoy Friday, and deadly clashes broke out Sunday between pro-Palestinian protesters and Israeli forces. Ongoing Israeli settlement construction in the West Bank and Palestinian steps toward a unilateral declaration of statehood have driven the two sides further apart since Obama took office. They have also placed new obstacles in the path of the administration's push for a mutually acceptable two-state solution. Arab Spring not good for Israel? Additional doubts about the viability of the stalled peace process were raised this month in the wake of a formal reconciliation agreement between the two largest Palestinian factions: President Mahmoud Abbas' party, the West Bank-based Fatah; and the Islamist group Hamas, which rules Gaza. Both Israel and the United States consider Hamas a terrorist organization and have voiced strong opposition to the inclusion of the group in any unity government, demanding that it first renounce violence, recognize the state of Israel and abide by all previous agreements. Netanyahu has called on the Palestinian Authority to pull out of the deal, saying it jeopardizes prospects for a peace agreement. The Obama administration has "made it clear that Hamas must stop its outrageous use of terrorism and must recognize Israel's right to exist," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Tuesday. "Any participation in a Palestinian government would require that it abides by those standards in our view." In other engagement in the region, Obama helped push Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak from office in February and subsequently committed U.S. forces to a NATO air campaign in support of the rebel movement in Libya. The administration has repeatedly called for an end to strongman Moammar Gadhafi's nearly 42-year rule. The White House has been much less vocal, however, in dealing with allies such as Bahrain, a small Persian Gulf state that is home to the U.S. Navy's Fifth Fleet. CNN's Elise Labott, Alan Silverleib and Matt Smith contributed to this story. | President to outline U.S. policies in wake of the Arab Spring movements .
Obama will pledge economic development help for Egypt and Tunisia .
Many in the Middle East-North Africa region are skeptical of what the United States can do . |
174,546 | 6de9adccab6c1738428288802f4054a69e315b07 | Washington (CNN) -- Firebombed. Cyberattacked. Attacked by a shouting mob. That's what happened to Lars Vilks in the week ending May 16. And if you think: "Well thank goodness my week was a lot quieter," think again. The attacks on Vilks were an attack on you too. Lars Vilks is a Swedish cartoonist. In the summer of 2007, he was invited to submit three drawings to an exhibition sponsored by the town of Tallerud. The exhibition's theme: "the dog in art." Vilks produced three pencil sketches of street dogs with human faces, the face (Vilks said) of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad. Even if you don't know the rest of the story, you can easily imagine. In March, police in Ireland arrested seven people on charges of conspiring to murder Vilks. The same day, U.S. law enforcement announced the indictment of an American woman who had attempted to recruit assassins to kill Vilks. Yet Vilks has refused to be intimidated. On Tuesday of this week, Vilks appeared at the University of Uppsalla to lecture on his art and ideas. Two-hundred-fifty people passed through metal detectors to hear him speak. They never got the chance. Vilks opened his talk with a provocative short video that included an image of two nearly naked Iranian gay men wearing masks of Muhammad. At that cue, about 20 rowdies in the crowd shouted, "Stop the film! Stop the film!" The rowdies rushed toward the stage. One of them apparently struck Vilks. Police sought to restrain them. After eight or so minutes of chanting, yelling and fist-pumping by the rowdies, the university suspended the performance. You can watch the incident here in a 10-minute YouTube clip. The blogger who writes under the pseudonym Allahpundit directs attention toward two aspects of the confrontation that might be overlooked in the excitement: the ineffectiveness of the police and the passivity of a crowd of spectators who outnumber the protesters by at least 10 to 1. Daily life in Sweden and other European countries is increasingly governed by an unwritten set of rules very different from the country's formal law. The formal law forbids assault and upholds free speech rights. The actual rules of the game, however, concede that certain assaults and certain violations of free speech rights may proceed with impunity. Police arrested two men for disrupting the Vilks event; both were released without charge. Impunity invites further attack. In the aftermath of the Uppsalla University incident, Vilks' website was hacked and firebombs were planted in his house. (Two men have been arrested in connection with the firebombing.) The authorities look the other way in hope of obtaining social peace. This policy does not work, and for two reasons: . First, the policy of impunity emboldens aggressive minorities. Instead of accepting that they must live and let live, these groups get the message they can dominate others by the threat of force. But second, the policy of impunity backfires. While the authorities want quiet, ornery individuals like Lars Vilks are delighted to bust taboos and foment the very confrontations the authorities wish to avoid. Vilks is just one of a multiplying band of deliberate provocateurs who have appeared across Europe over the past five years. Their work may not have much artistic merit, but the issue here is not art but courage. And there will always be enough courageous people to complicate badly the lives of uncourageous authorities. The irony is that these uncourageous authorities would gain much more quiet if they upheld their formal rules. When the rules are clear and enforced, almost everybody will conform to them. Expel one student for disrupting a campus event, and you are unlikely to have to expel a second. But when the authorities declare a "moral holiday" (to update an old phrase from the U.S. urban riots of the 1960s), otherwise law-abiding people seize the opportunity. They commit acts of intimidation and violence they would never have dared if law-breaking had been met by immediate sanction and certain punishment. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of David Frum. | David Frum says university attack on cartoonist Lars Vilks should worry everyone .
His talk was provocative, but more shocking was the crowd's passivity as he was assaulted .
Sweden, other European countries increasingly governed by unwritten rules, he says .
Frum: Trading social peace for unpunished attacks allows aggressive groups to dominate . |
187,499 | 7ed16cdcf326d9a5f1a8547509c3c935351b0299 | (CNN) -- At the end of another turbulent year for business as usual, the march of the disruptors shows no sign of abating. Big data analytics, the sharing economy, and virtual reality are just some of the transformational trends that have been causing sleepless nights for CEOs. The good news for consumers is that the stream of innovation will only intensify in 2015, as exciting new opportunities are grasped in diverse fields from sleep to smart clothes, from credit card security to emotion sensing. Expect to hear a lot more from these emerging players in 2015. Witricity . The transmission of power is to undergo a wireless revolution, thanks to the ingenious and long-suffering efforts of this Boston firm. After several years of development, Witricity have successfully tested their unique system, which delivers atmospheric electricity through a magnetic coil, on cars and computers. The group believes that all our appliances and will eventually be powered this way and the first consumer tests will take place next year. Final . The credit card reimagined to empower the user against fraud and stealth charges. This model generates temporary, unique numbers for each merchant the user deals with, so that security breaches can be quarantined and direct debits swiftly canceled with ease and convenience. The Colorado start-up launched in October, quickly became a hit with the community of accelerator Y Combinator, and is tipped for mass adoption in 2015. Magic Leap . Oculus Rift should finally meet its expectant public in 2015, with games and experiences among its early priorities. But the most exciting virtual event of 2015 could come from Magic Leap, who have secured heavyweight investment and are expanding fast despite releasing barely any information about their project. What is known suggests a dynamic and seamless immersion in fantasy worlds. Owlstone . Molecular analysis a la Star Trek has become ever more plausible, with a swathe of nanotechnologies offering detailed breakdowns of an object's properties. Cambridge's Owlstone is applying it to the greatest health challenges, devizing a simple breath test that reveals Volatile Organc Compounds (VOCs) indicating cancer, diabetes and TB. The group recently doubled the size of its operation, and aims to save 10,000 lives by 2020. Wearable experiments . Stylish, socially conscious and fitted with bleeding-edge tech, the company led by Australian designer Billie Whitehouse, 27, is generating intense buzz. From the 'alert shirt' for sports events that sends haptic signals from the pitch to the crowd, to outfits that help you navigate a city, the experiments are likely to captivate a whole new audience in the new year. Affectiva . Boasting the world's largest database of emotion analytics, the MIT offshoot has patented advanced face and emotion recognition software, and found lucrative applications. Advertizing, market research, entertainment and education are among the fields seeking to exploit the technology, which is also being launched on mobile. On Deck . Following in the footsteps of the Lending Club, which blazed a trail for bank-free finance this year with a valuation close to $9 billion after a wildly successful IPO. New York's On Deck believe that their lending algorithm which bypasses credit checks and facilitates fast support can take alternative loans even further, and elite investors including Google and Paypal founder Peter Thiel agree. Sense . Fitness trackers exploded this year with users charting every waking moment, so it was perhaps inevitable that makers would turn their attention to quantifying sleep. Sense, from British entrepreneur James Proud and his San Francisco start-up Hello, is a sleek glowing ball full of sensors tracking factors such as temperature, noise and humidity, allowing for analysis and improvement of sleep. Activity and sleep tracker Misfit should also make a splash in 2015. Women.com . With the plague of misogyny and trolling that many women experience online, there should be significant demand for the first male-free social network. Facebook alumni Susan Johnson believes the concept, now in a beta stage, will encourage women to share and participate more in public forums. Infiltrating males have so far been rebuffed. Also watch out for Ello, an ad-free, ethical social network for users that have lost faith in the main players. PocketQube . Affordable satellites are attracting great interest from enthusiasts and commercial players alike, and Glasgow company Alba Orbital are launching a no-frills, five-centimeter device that can be launched for around $35,000, a fraction of existing costs. Initially for education and academic use, expect swarms of eyes in the sky to be used for everything from tracking bush fires to transport, resource identification and law enforcement. Read more: Can you succeed with a toxic rep . Read more: Mapping the sharing economy . | Disruptive trends will rock the foundations of the most important industries .
Virtual reality and wearable technology will make fantasy real .
Star trek-style molecular analysis will go mainstream .
Private finance and credit card security shake up business practices . |
50,243 | 8e1cacfcbff3725a0e4ebad604b2437eba242a64 | (CNN)"Selma," the new feature film about the civil rights struggle, is igniting a struggle of its own over who deserves credit -- or blame -- in the events of 50 years ago that are depicted in the movie. Some have taken issue with the portrayal of President Lyndon B. Johnson. Former LBJ administration officials are crying foul, saying that the portrayal of Johnson distorts and tarnishes the record of a man who had become an ally in the fight, committed to the goal and focused on how best to achieve the goal -- given the role of Congress and outside forces. Johnson's legacy has long been overshadowed by the quagmire of the Vietnam War, and his supporters hope to burnish the image of his presidency by highlighting his efforts in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. It's the struggle for the latter that is portrayed in "Selma." But the movie shows Johnson as worried that the fight for voting rights will endanger the chances of success for other items on his Great Society agenda, and he pressures the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to wait. When King is adamant, the film implies that Johnson even allows J. Edgar Hoover's FBI to pressure the civil rights leader by sending his wife, Coretta Scott King, supposed audio recordings of King having sex with another woman. Even before the movie was in wide release, LBJ Presidential Library Director Mark Updegrove, writing in Politico, said, " 'Selma's' obstructionist LBJ is devoid of any palpable conviction on voting rights. Vainglorious and power hungry, he unleashes his zealous pit bull, FBI chief J. Edgar Hoover, on King." Updegrove claims the movie "flies in the face of history." Writing in The Washington Post, Joseph A. Califano Jr., one of Johnson's top aides, accuses the movie of using "dramatic, trumped-up license." "In fact," he adds, "Selma was LBJ's idea, he considered the Voting Rights Act his greatest legislative achievement, he viewed King as an essential partner in getting it enacted -- and he didn't use the FBI to disparage him." "Selma" director Ava DuVernay responded to the criticism on Twitter, posting that the "Notion that Selma was LBJ's idea is jaw dropping and offensive to SNCC, SCLC and black citizens who made it so" (in a reference to the civil rights organizations Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and King's Southern Christian Leadership Conference.) In a subsequent tweet she told people not to take anyone's word for it, but that "Bottom line is folks should interrogate history." Of course, once you start interrogating history, you rarely get simple answers. The actions and motivations of real people in real historical events are complicated and ambiguous. Once you take those real people and events and put them into a movie -- even one that strives for historic accuracy -- you add even more complications and ambiguity. It's not possible to re-create, or even agree on, exactly what happened in the past. If those who forget the past are condemned to relive it, it seems that those who re-enact the past are condemned to revise it. Julian Zelizer: The real story behind 'Selma' Johnson may be portrayed as flawed, but he's certainly not the villain of the movie -- Alabama in 1965 had villains aplenty. Johnson is shown as a man with ambitious goals and strong-arm methods, and a cold pragmatism when it came to deciding what could be done when. It could be argued that -- like King -- LBJ is keeping his "eyes on the prize," and he's not concerned if he tramples a few toes while he's transfixed with the goal. He's a politician, not a saint, and he concentrates more on what's most doable than what's most noble. He's not above using the N-word in a private conversation with Alabama Gov. George Wallace, but he uses it while trying to get Wallace to offer protection to King's marchers. Johnson may ultimately be on the side of the angels, but he's willing to use devilry to achieve his goals. Like any great movie character -- or real human being -- he is complicated and multifaceted. In one of the scenes that has caused the most controversy, when King is urging a reluctant LBJ at the White House, they do it in front of a portrait of George Washington -- a subtle reminder of how long we have been discussing race in America. If the LBJ of "Selma" is shown as imperfect, he's not alone. The leaders in the many factions of the civil rights movement are shown as fractious, jealous of their prerogatives and at times petty. Even King's shortcomings are on display, as it's implied that the accusations of infidelities against him may be true. At one point, King, doubtful about his next move, is shown calling up gospel singer Mahalia Jackson for inspiration. Jackson was a strong supporter of the movement. In fact, King had called her to come down to Alabama during the Montgomery bus boycott. The very fact that we are dealing with real human beings and not abstractions is what makes their struggle seem even more impressive. Andrew Young: The miracle of Selma . "Selma" is a movie, not a documentary. It neither claims nor tries to give a 100% accurate telling of the story -- or the events that led to this seminal moment in the civil rights struggles in the 1960s. Director DuVernay was even forced to rewrite the speeches of King used in the movie as loose paraphrases because his estate licensed his speeches to another studio for a different movie. As in any work of art, in this movie choices have to be made in what to portray and in how to portray it. The goal of art is to arrive at fundamental truths that do not rely on the details of incidents being portrayed for their relevance. And if a work of art is successful in that, it will illuminate the events in ways that transcend the time and place being portrayed, and transcend the time and place of the work of art itself. One of the choices made in the making of "Selma" is to keep the focus on the marchers and the people who were putting their lives and safety on the line. Part of that focus may be because the director is an African-American woman. She may be trying to avoid the often annoying tendency of movies dealing with important events in African-American history to concentrate on white protagonists. Films such as "Glory" and "Mississippi Burning" sometimes treat the African-Americans whose stories are being told like they are passive agents in a narrative that depends on a white hero riding in to save the day, presumably on a white horse. The portrayals in "Selma" shouldn't be seen as a dismissal of Johnson's contributions to the fight civil rights, but as an affirmation of the struggles of the people who were in the middle of that fight, and who had vowed not to fight back with violence. It's a case of keeping your eyes not only on the prize, but on the proper protagonists. Something else that may be at work here is that we are currently embroiled in another clash in the long, long struggle for equal rights with the ongoing protests over treatment of African-Americans under the justice system. It's impossible to see the images of peaceful protesters being brutally attacked on the bridge in "Selma" without being reminded of the images of Eric Garner being dragged to the ground in a chokehold. But both the protests today and the events depicted in the movie show that we need commitment and cooperation from good-hearted people of all races and creeds. At the end of the movie, viewers are updated on the subsequent fates of the people portrayed in the film, many of which we know all too well. I just wish that they had given an update on the fate of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. That postscript would have to say something like "The Voting Rights Act of 1965 led a successful and productive life until 2013 when key provisions in it were struck down by the Supreme Court. It is currently on life support." That would alert viewers to the need to continue the fight. Is "Selma" a note-perfect recreation of everything that happened regarding the struggles in passing the Voting Rights Act of 1965? No, because it's not meant to be. It's meant to be something much more, and at that it succeeds. After watching the movie "Selma," I can't say I was at Selma. And I can't say I know what it must have felt like to be there. But I experienced a visceral reaction to a depiction of those events that inspired me, that motivated me ... and that made me want to march on as we continue the struggle for universal suffrage. | Donna Brazile: "Selma" has stirred a controversy over its historical accuracy .
She says critics miss the point; movie isn't a documentary, but it has a powerful message . |
108,488 | 17e32f8de3753bbcdab2d98eeb83d1ca1383289b | Notorious murderer Kenny Noye (pictured) could walk free within weeks after being granted a parole hearing . The father of the young man murdered by gangster Kenneth Noye in a road rage attack reacted angrily yesterday after it emerged he could be freed from prison in weeks. Noye, now 67, was jailed for life in 2000 for the murder of 21-year-old Stephen Cameron in a road rage attack four years earlier. He used a 9in knife he kept in his car to stab Mr Cameron on a slip road of the M25 near Swanley, Kent, as the victim's 17-year-old fiancee, Danielle Cable, looked on in horror. The killing triggered an international hunt for Noye, who had already served 14 years in jail for his part in the Brink's-Mat bullion robbery in 1983. But now – just 15 years after he was locked up – he has been granted a parole hearing after officials said he was a model prisoner and should be considered for release. Stephen's father Ken Cameron insisted yesterday that Noye – who also killed a policeman in the 1980s but was cleared of murder – should never be let out of prison. At his home in East Anglia, Mr Cameron, 68, said: 'He left my son dying in the gutter and fled to Spain. I don't believe he has changed his ways. 'He'll always be a dangerous man. People will say anything when they are up for parole. Noye should never be allowed out of prison – he is an evil man and has never shown remorse.' He added: 'We still keep in touch with the detectives from the case. They tell me he comes across as the model prisoner but... I think he tells them what they want to hear.' Mr Cameron said there was a meeting between probation and police this week to discuss the case and Noye's parole hearing could be held as early as May. Noye is currently at Category C Wayland Prison in Norfolk. Mr Cameron said: 'We live in the same region as the prison. What I don't want is him being allowed out on shopping trips. I fear one of us could bump into him in the street.' Stephen Cameron, who was knifed to death by Noye during a road rage attack, is pictured with his girlfriend Danielle Cable . Mr Cameron's wife Toni, who is in her early 70s, said: 'We're disgusted. We don't think he should be allowed a hearing. Life should mean life. We have written a letter to the Home Secretary with our complaint.' Danielle Cable's father Jimmy, 57, said he will 'never forgive' Noye for what he did. His daughter was put in the witness protection programme, meaning he can see her and his granddaughter just twice a year. Speaking from his home in Orpington, Kent, he said: 'Why should they let him out? It has affected my family so much. I can't believe he could be released, it shouldn't happen.' At Noye's trial, he admitted that he had stabbed Stephen Cameron to death but insisted that he had acted in self-defence. However the jury convicted him of murder after a pathologist said Mr Cameron's injuries were consistent with murderous intent. Police at the scene of the M25 'road rage' killing of Stephen Cameron- Noye was later arrested in Spain following the 1996 murder . Noye had previously stabbed to death Detective Constable John Fordham in the grounds of his 20-acre mansion in West Kingsdown, Kent, in 1985. At the trial, he said he had acted in self-defence – and was dramatically cleared of murder. The following year, he was convicted of handling Brink's-Mat gold and jailed for 14 years. During the infamous robbery, six gunmen burst into a warehouse near Heathrow Airport and doused security guards in petrol before escaping with £26million. The Parole Board confirmed Noye's case had been referred to it, but added it 'can only direct the release of a life sentence prisoner if it is satisfied that it is no longer necessary for him to be detained in order to protect the public from serious harm. Each case is assessed on its own merits.' | Noye was jailed for life in 2000 for killing 21-year-old Stephen Cameron .
Victim was stabbed to death on an M25 slip road in the road rage attack .
But after just 15 years the 'model prisoner' was granted a parole hearing .
Mr Cameron's father Ken said 'dangerous' Noye should never be freed . |
67,977 | c0e1a786c0142c83c90094956592287b42966a07 | A former beauty queen embroiled in a divorce battle with a Laura Ashley boss has been criticised by a High Court judge for demanding £135,000 a year to spend on holidays. Pauline Chai, who was Miss Malaysia in 1969, has asked for £85,000 a month from her estranged husband Khoo Kay Peng. The figure includes £135,000 a year to cover first-class flights, suites at five-star hotels and chauffeurs. Former beauty queen: Pauline Chai, 67, wanted £130,000 a year for holidays from her estranged husband as part of their divorce battle at the High Court. She is pictured at home in Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire . But Mrs Justice Roberts said Miss Chai’s claims were ‘hardly frugal’ and ‘in excess’ of what she was likely to spend. The judge had been asked to decide how much Dr Khoo, 76, the non-executive chairman of Laura Ashley Holdings, should give to Miss Chai to cover her living expenses pending a final decision on their battle over an estimated £200million fortune. Miss Chai, 68, had asked for ‘interim maintenance’ of more than £85,000 a month to cover her ‘needs’, including holidays. Lawyers for Dr Khoo described the budget as ‘staggering’. Mrs Justice Roberts, who analysed arguments on interim payments at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London, has concluded that Dr Khoo should pay £50,000 a month. Miss Chai’s lawyers said she had ‘suffered reductions’ since the separation. Couple: Khoo Kay Peng (left) and former Miss Malaysia Pauline Chai, right, were married for 43 years until the union fell apart last year . They said she had stopped physiotherapy treatment, had started to ‘cut and dye’ her own hair, had not been going on holidays and had stopped her ‘expensive’ hobby of renovating doll houses. Mrs Justice Roberts said Miss Chai could not be left ‘high and dry’ or given ‘carte blanche’. But she rejected her claims of a ‘frugal existence’, adding: ‘The wife, in her written evidence, speaks of the measures she has been obliged to take in order to economise in recent months. ‘She says she has had to sell jewellery and borrow from friends. She explains that she can no longer afford trips to her hairdresser in central London but instead has to cut and dye her own hair. ‘Her budget for such expenses is £450 a month, or £5,400 per annum. ‘I am slightly surprised that this economy has had to be made given the sums she is claiming in respect of other living expenses. Argument: Miss Chai says they moved their home to Berkhamsted, Hertfordshire, before separating last year, and she wants decisions made in an English court . Berkhamsted property: Dr Khoo, who is based in Malaysia, says the marital home was in Malaysia and he wants a judge in Malaysia to make decisions about the division of money . Dr Khoo is non-executive chairman of Laura Ashley Holdings. One of its stores in London is pictured . ‘I am unable to accept the picture which she paints of a somewhat frugal existence. I view the sums claimed as being in excess of what she is likely to spend while she is so deeply enmeshed in this on-going litigation.’ She said she thought payments of £45,000 a month ‘reasonable and fair’. In mid-2013, Miss Chai was given an interim lump sum of £1.85million, said Mrs Justice Roberts. She added that between May 2013 and February 2014, Miss Chai had spent £950,000 on ‘living expenses and outgoings’. In October, Miss Chai told another hearing that she owned 1,000 pairs of shoes. Dr Khoo and Miss Chai both come from Malaysia and have five children. They married in December 1970 and separated after 42 years together. Miss Chai wants to fight the court case in England, while her husband wants the hearings to be held in Malaysia. He says his former wife wants to fight in England because an English court will be more generous. | Pauline Chai, 68, and Khoo Kay Peng, 76, split after 43 years of marriage .
They are embroiled in money fight over £200 million fortune at High Court .
Ms Chai wanted £130,000 a year for holidays as part of their divorce .
She asked for 'interim maintenance' totalling more than £85,000 a month .
Judge tells her that is too much and set payments at £50,000 a month . |
238,571 | c0d17d080b3d82b25cd680d1e2fb658a1516a3c8 | By . Sarah Harris . Education Secretary Michael today launches a consultation on new content for GCSE and A-level exams . Teenagers should learn about the ‘real world’ in school including maths lessons in mortality and health statistics. Under plans to toughen up qualifications, the government said children should write their own programs in computer science GCSE and learn about the culture and ‘sociological issues’ of a country in language A-levels. The move is designed to help students better compete for apprenticeships, university places and jobs in the global labour market. The government is reforming A-levels following concerns from academics that current qualifications are not adequately preparing students for degree level courses. GCSEs are also being revamped to make them more rigorous than previous specifications, placing them on a par with education systems across the world. Education Secretary Michael Gove will today launch consultations on new content for A and AS-levels in maths, further maths, geography, ancient languages, modern foreign languages, PE, music and dance. There is a new emphasis on problem solving in maths A-levels. For the first time, students must interpret at least one real, large data set for example mortality and health statistics for countries across the world. In geography A-level, there will be a ‘better balance between physical and human geography’ and a focus on fieldwork. Students will be required to study global systems and governance, landscape systems as well as water and carbon cycling. This follows feedback from universities that students often arrive without any ‘substantive’ experience of independent research and fieldwork. In modern foreign language A-levels, sixth-formers will be expected to ‘use language spontaneously’ in discussions. They must learn about the ‘literature, culture and sociological issues in the countries where the language of study is spoken’, according to the Department for Education. There was no requirement to learn about the society of a country under the previous specification. In PE, students will have to demonstrate their ability to use modelling and data analysis to evaluate physical activity. The move, which will see students learn about the 'real world' in their . subjects, is designed to help students better compete for . apprenticeships, university places and jobs in general (stock pic) Academics have complained that current A-level PE students have little experience of critical thinking, data analysis or research. Mr Gove will also today publish proposed new content for GCSEs in art and design, dance, computer science, music and PE. Computer science GCSEs will require teenagers to analyse and solve problems, write and refine programmes and understand key mathematical principles. They must also learn about data representation and Boolean logic, a form of algebra in which all values are reduced to either ‘true’ or ‘false’. These minimum requirements were developed with advice from organisations including the British Computer Society, E-Skills UK, Naace and the Royal Society of Engineers. Music GCSE will also become more demanding, with teenagers facing new minimum requirements for the length of time they must spend performing and composing. PE has more ‘theoretical and scientific content’, requiring students to understand how anatomy and physiology, psychology and socio-cultural influences impact performance. Dance GCSE students must understand the context of choreography and performance and pupils will have to better grasp the use of colour, line, tone and texture in art and design GCSEs. All the subjects being consulted on will be taught in schools from 2016. Charlie Stripp, chief executive of maths in education and industry, welcomed the greater stress on problem solving and modelling in maths A-levels. He said: ‘This, along with the innovative approach to statistics involving the use of technology to analyse large sets of real data, can deepen students’ understanding of mathematics and how it is used.’ The Cultural Learning Alliance, a group of organisations working across the arts, cultural and educational sectors, said new content for arts subjects would help pupils develop critical thinking and ‘hone technical skills’. 'Coupled with real world, fit for purpose assessment it will provide a new foundation for developing demanding and inspiring GCSEs and A-levels that meet pupil and employer needs,’ a spokesman said. A Department for Education spokesman added: ‘These rigorous new exams will equip our children with the best skills and education so they can fulfil their ambitions and succeed in a global workforce.’ | Education Secretary launching consultation on new GCSE and A-level exams .
Includes plans to teach about the culture of countries in language A-levels .
Children could also write their own programs in GCSE computer science .
Academics say current exams do not prepare students for the real world . |
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