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217,177 | a52dc6b6f5eecb317b41ffdde4b8b8954d3c6706 | MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Police think it started with a dispute over an ex-girlfriend. Threats were made on social networking sites and via text messages. The suspects, clockwise from top left are: Lernio Colin, Angel Cruz, Peter MacDonald and Christopher Harter. A murder plot was hatched and, police say, in the early hours of last Saturday morning, a Florida man was gunned down in his car. But the suspects apparently killed the wrong man. Now four men are in custody, and will face charges of first degree premeditated murder and two counts of attempted murder. The four are Angel Cruz, 23; his brother from Oregon, Christopher Harter, 29; Peter MacDonald, 18; and Lernio Colin, 20. They have all appeared before a judge in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They have not entered pleas and are being held without bond, according to state prosecutors. Detectives are executing search warrants today, and much about the case is still not known. "The victim was with two other males, in the vehicle," said Mike Jachles of the Broward Sheriff's Office. "One of those men was the intended target," Jachles told CNN. Witnesses said multiple shots were fired, according to police. Henry Mancilla, 24 was sitting in the driver's seat of a gold Mitsubishi Galant at an intersection in Lauderdale Lakes, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale. "They were exiting the vehicle when shots were fired, striking Mancilla," said Jachles. He was pronounced dead at the scene. Mancilla was with two other men in their early 20s, Tony Santana and Nick Pappas. One of them was the intended victim, but police are not saying who. "The four men acted in unison in planning and executing this murder. Mancilla was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and he ended up the victim," said Mike Jachles. The three victims said they had been "jumped" earlier in the evening by the same four men and fled the scene in a red Chevy Impala, according to a sheriff's detective affidavit released Monday afternoon. Later, a blue Chevy Silverado pickup truck belonging to the defendant Cruz drove up to the three men, according to the affidavit. The victims say they armed themselves with a baseball bat and a walking cane, when the truck turned around and drove towards them. That's when the shots were fired. Christopher Harter told police he was in the vehicle at the scene, but said he left the vehicle and then heard four or five gunshots, according to the affidavit. Harter also told police he saw his brother, Angel Cruz, in possession of a semi-automatic pistol three weeks prior to the incident. "It could have been a case of mistaken identity, but our investigation will determine that," Jachles told CNN. Threats were posted on social networking sites and sent via cellular text messages by the suspects to the intended victim, said police. Police said they have not subpoenaed those records and are not releasing the names of those Internet sites. The Broward County State Attorney's office could seek the death penalty. | Henry Mancilla, 24, shot to death as he sat in his car with two others .
One of the other men was the target, police say .
Threats exchanged over the Internet, and murder plot was hatched, police say .
Four men in custody; police executing search warrants . |
125,916 | 2ec6c00fb96a7e6ad3ca109b05ab14295bec58dc | By . Richard Shears . PUBLISHED: . 10:27 EST, 15 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:56 EST, 15 November 2012 . He’s knocked his opponents senseless in the ring but Mike Tyson admitted defeat in a bear-knuckle confrontation with a koala in Brisbane, Australia. The former world heavyweight champion, 46, threw in the towel when he was given the chance of cuddling a koala called Tracy, declaring that she might just put the bite on him. That, he was anxious to make clear, was in no way meant as a reminder of his famous ear-bite of Evander Holyfield. Not sure about this: Mike Tyson weights up the pros and cons of cuddling a koala in Brisbane, Australia . ‘I’ve seen the TV show When Good Animals Turn Bad,’ he said as his excuse for not taking Tracy into his arms, even though he once owned three tigers. Apart from being concerned about those claws, he added: ‘They also carry bacteria.’ So having conceded defeat in the first round of a ‘friendly’ with the koala, he was anxious to make the point that he was in Australia to spread the message that people should try to ignore the bad times. Not a chance! The former boxer wouldn't give the koala a cuddle, for fear of getting scratched or bitten . When good animals turn bad: The legendary world heavyweight champion once owned three tigers . Of his speaking tour of the country, he said: ‘The message of my show would be no matter what adversity hits you in life, don’t give up – that’s the only time you will lose. ‘Some can be a champion and never have a title.’ He even hoped that his former opponent Holyfield would hear his message after learning that the four-time champion was in financial trouble. ‘We all have to endure some kind of pain,’ said ‘Iron Mike’. ‘I like Evander. Evander’s going to be all right. Tyson’s own downward spiral began in 1990 when, after winning his first 37 professional bouts, he was knocked out by Buster Douglas. This one does bite! Tyson bites the ear of Evander Holyfield's during their infamous 1997 fight . Two years later he was jailed for rape and later he admitted to squandering some $300 million. It didn’t get any better when he was embroiled in the ear-biting scandal in the fight with Holyfield. At the age of 39, he retired for good in 2005 – but he admits he’s ‘the same guy – I just grew up a little bit’. Although women’s groups and community leaders are appalled that the Australian government gave him a visa, he said he was now very different to his old title of ‘the baddest man on the planet’. | Former boxer, 46, in Brisbane, Australia for speaking tour .
Turned down Tracy saying 'I've seen When Good Animals Turn Bad' |
14,652 | 29912c33688d92849ab1d57de0e53215d8476e9e | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A Chicago felon with a lengthy rap sheet faces hate crime and murder charges after he allegedly harassed an African-American man and his daughter before beating the man to death earlier this week. Michael Tingling, 58, was walking his 15-year-old daughter, Masharah, home from school - as he often did - when the two were approached by 59-year-old Joseph Firek in the 7100-block of North Clark Street in Chicago on Wednesday afternoon. Firek, prosecutors say, brushed up against Mashara as they passed each other in their Rogers Park neighborhood, where Michael Tingling - a former boxer - was a well-liked, respected member of the community. Proud papa: Michael Tingling was walking his 15-year-old daughter home from school when they were accosted by Joseph Firek . Felon: 59-year-old Joseph Firek has a lengthy criminal record and was out on parole when he attacked Tingling . '[Firek] was staring at me up and down, eyeballing me and everything....and . then my dad, being a father, he got protective and put me behind . him...he told the guy to go away,' Masharah told WLS. As Tingling was attempting to protect his daughter, Firek allegedly pushed him and began yelling racial slurs. 'The defendant looked at the victim and said, "What's up n******." The . victim pulled his daughter behind him," Cook County Assistant State's . Attorney Glendon Runk said in court. Beloved: Tingling, a former boxer, was loved and respected in his Rogers Park neighborhood . Firek, authorities say, then started punching Tingling - who suffered from diabetes and heart problems - in the chest before he and his daughter were able to escape to a nearby store and call police. But Firek followed them - and Tingling collapsed. '[Firek was] like, "I hope he's okay, I hope I didn't kill him." And he's . telling me to calm down. I told him you have no right to tell me to calm . down...because that's my dad,' Masharah said. Tingling, who had a pacemaker to treat his heart condition, was pronounced dead at a nearby hospital shortly after the altercation. His death was ruled a homicide. Heartbroken: Tingling's daughter, Masharah, is heartbroken over the senseless death of her father . Firek, who was on parole following one of many burglary convictions, suffers from mental illness, his public defender argued, and received outpatient care at a nearby psychiatric center. Firek's been charged with first-degree murder as a hate crime and is being held on a $250,000 bond. Masharah Tingling, meanwhile, is without a father. 'I want my Dad back. I really want my Daddy,' she said. 'That man took my dad away from me...and now my dad can't see me go to . 8th grade graduation...and that's all he ever wanted to do was see me . graduate,' Masharah continued. | Michael Tingling was walking his daughter home from school when they were approached by 59-year-old felon Joseph Firek .
Firek allegedly brushed up against Tingling's 15-year-old daughter and then stood in their way and smiled .
When Tingling told him to get out of the way he called him the N-word and started punching him .
Tingling, who had a heart condition, died after Firek punched him in the chest several times . |
168,518 | 65f811ebf6c9794d7af8141f5794231c6dd58db8 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 22:20 EST, 30 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:35 EST, 1 December 2013 . A brave mother led rescuers to the wreckage of a plane crash she had survived in Alaska as she desperately tried to get help for her baby boy who died in the accident. Melanie Coffee walked for nearly a mile to find help after the light aircraft she had been traveling in with nine other people crashed in fog and freezing conditions on Friday. Four people, including Miss Coffee's five-month-old son, Wyatt, died when a single-engine Cessna 208, making a scheduled flight to Saint Mary's, crashed at about 6.30pm. Crash: The wreckage of the plane which came down near a remote Alaskan village . Raise the alarm: Melanie Coffee, pictured with her son, walked nearly a mile to find held . When efforts by the 25-year-old to revive her five-month-old son Wyatt failed, Miss Coffee made the agonizing decision to go in search of rescuers. 'I believe she's the real hero in this,' Saint Mary's Village Police Officer Fred Lamont Jr said. The village, like many in the remote region, is off the road system and residents rely on aircraft to get around. Miss Coffee had called emergency services but search efforts were hampered by the fog as rescue workers used cars and snowmobiles to try to find the site. Despite having chest injuries, Miss Coffee was able to find a rescue party and lead them to the crash site, where her baby, the pilot Terry Hansen, 68, and passengers Rose Polty, 57, and Richard Polty, 65, had died. The surviving passengers, four of them in critical condition, had to be carried away on stretchers and then airlifted to hospital. Loss: Five-month-old Wyatt Coffee was one of four people killed in the crash . They were named as Pauline Johnson, 37, Kylan Johnson, 14, Tanya Lawrence, 35, Garrett Moses, 30, and Shannon Lawrence. Everyone on board, except the pilot and Shannon Lawrence, lived in Mountain Village. Mr Hansen was from Bethel but the address for Shannon Lawrence was not known. Megan Peters, a spokeswoman for the Alaska State Troopers, said the aircraft would have been flying in freezing rain. Office Lamont described the conditions as ice fog with moisture that stuck to vehicles. NTSB Investigator Clint Johnson said the cause of the crash has not been determined and that the investigation was 'very much in the preliminary stages'. Two investigators were on their way to Bethel on Saturday to meet troopers for transportation to the crash site. Reaching the wreckage would depend on weather and safety considerations, Ms Peters said. Frantic: Melanie tried to revive Wyatt before going in search of rescue crews who were lost in the fog . Regular route: The plane, similar to this Hageland Aviation Cessna 208, was making a scheduled flight . 'There's no rush to get there,' she said. 'There's no reason to risk anyone's life because no one's life is in jeopardy.' A statement by Jim HIckerson, the president of Hageland Aviation, which owned the aircraft, described the crash as 'an unspeakable tragedy'. 'Hageland is working to gather information to answer questions and do what we can to ease the suffering of those involved in the accident,' he said. | 25-year-old Melanie Coffee led rescuers to wreckage after fog hampered search efforts .
Five-month-old baby and three others died when light aircraft went down .
Single-engine turboprop had 10 people on board . |
8,149 | 1708b757795b922be2729ac44077872d8f364e94 | A young woman who says she's addicted to sunbeds admits even getting skin cancer hasn't put her off tanning. Lucy Simm, 29, from Morecambe, was keen to get back on a sunbed as soon as she had recovered from an operation to remove a cancerous mole on her leg. She told Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield on today's This Morning: 'It's been very hard to stop, I want to hide away. I feel like a tan gives me a blanket and without it, I have to hide away. I tried fake tan and it's just not the same.' Scroll down for video . Addicted: Lucy, left, can't stop using sunbeds despite getting skin cancer. Her sister Sam has also had to have moles removed over fears they were cancerous . Mother-of-one Lucy appeared on the ITV show with her twin sister, Sam, who has also had a skin cancer health scare. The pair, who are care workers, both started tanning at the age of 14 and it quickly became a daily ritual. They liked the way the tan made them look and feel more confident. 'It was new to our town, it was a thing to do,' Sam explained. Mother-of-two Sam stopped going on sunbeds four years ago but some damage was already done. Dying for a tan: The twins started using sunbeds at the age of 14 and have both had health scares . She said: 'I noticed a mole on my side which I thought was chocolate because of how quickly it came but it didn't wipe off. I went to the doctors to have it looked at and they referred me and took it off straight away. 'There was a difficult four to five week wait to see if it was cancer but it was ok.' Despite Sam's scare, Lucy was not put off going on a sunbed. 'I put what happened to Sam to the back of my mind. I thought it wouldn't happen to me,' she admits. But then she also noticed an unusual-looking mole on her leg that was turning a dark blue colour. 'I showed it to Sam and she knew straight away there was something wrong with it,' she said. The mole was removed but further tests revealed Lucy was not as lucky as her sister had been. 'I was told it was cancer - melanoma - and I would need further treatment. I felt stupid, like I had done it to myself,' she said. Be safe: Fake tan is an alternative to using sun beds for those who want a tan without the dangers . A good way to tell the difference between a normal mole and a melanoma is to use the ABCDE checklist: . A stands for asymmetrical: Melanomas have two very different halves and are an irregular shape. B stands for border: Unlike a normal mole, melanomas have a notched or ragged border. C stands for colours: Melanomas will be a mix of two or more colours. D stands for diameter: Unlike most moles, melanomas are larger than 6mm (1/4 inch) in diameter. E stands for enlargement or evolution: A mole that changes characteristics and size over time is more likely to be a melanoma. Information taken from www.nhs.uk . 'I couldn't take it all in, I had to leave the room. It's still unbelievable. I had an operation on my leg and I've been left with a big scar.' But despite the shock diagnosis and treatment, Lucy still can't give up using sunbeds. She's been back on them following her operation and said she needs help to conquer what she calls an addiction. 'My face wasn't going right without the sunbed,' she said. 'I felt like the skin on my face was drying out and my make up doesn't sit right without a tan.' Presenters Holly and Phillip encouraged Lucy to try fake tan as an alternative to sun beds and invited her back on the show next week to test them. The show's resident medical expert, Dr Chris, who has suffered from skin cancer, advised Lucy to follow her sister's example and give up sunbeds for good. He told her to think of her son and how she was putting him in danger of growing up without his mother. 'I will be happy in my skin one day, it's just getting there,' Lucy said. | Lucy Simm, 29, from Morecambe, has had skin cancer .
She and her twin sister Sam used sunbeds daily as teenagers .
Sam has also had to have a mole removed .
Despite getting the disease, Lucy still uses sunbeds .
She said: 'I tried fake tan and it's just not the same' |
71,849 | cbb03ad0bbb8bb3da64f3efb95c88561658e9884 | A rugby fan in South Africa learned the hard way not to mess with players when he was kicked in the stomach by a member of team USA after tackling him during a game Saturday. The bizarre incident took place at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth during an HSBC Sevens World Series match between South Africa and the US. Cameras at the venue were rolling when a member of the audience ran onto the pitch in the middle of the game and tackled American player Perry Baker to the ground. Scroll down for video . Intruder: A man in white shorts and a blue T-shirt ran out onto the pitch during a South Africa-USA match Saturday and tackled American player Perry Baker . Getting his just desserts: Perry retaliated by kicking the unwelcome guest in the stomach as he lay on the field . When Perry got up, he kicked the intruder square in the gut as he was lying on the field, reported Fox Sports. One of Perry's teammates also gave the unwelcome guest a hearty shove, sending him on his way, after he struggled to his feet. South Africa crushed the US Saturday 26-0. Just hours after the game, Perry, 28, took to Twitter to apologize for lashing out during the game. 'I would like to apologize for my actions. i hope that my greatest fan in well. Boy they do love their rugby down here,' he wrote. Ousted: One of Baker's teammates gave the man a shove (center) sending him on his way . Contact sport: Philip Snyman of South Africa dives over with Perry Baker hanging on during day 1 of the Cell C Nelson Mandela Bay Sevens Series at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on December 13 . Contrite: Baker, 28, apologized for his actions on Twitter just hours after the kicking incident . Alpha predator: The American rugby player is seen here posing with a lion in South Africa . The 6-foot-one, 180-pound native of Daytona Beach, Florida, got his start at the Arena Football League's Pittsburgh Power before switching sports and joining the Eagles Sevens rugby club to pursue his Olympic dream. The Twitter-sphere was divided on Baker's conduct, with some saying that it was unsportmanlike to kick a man while he was down, while others saying that the hapless streaker brought it upon himself. 'No need to apologise,was a split second decision. He got off lightly,should have kicked him twice,' wrote supporter Tim Walsh. But user Danny Beasley was critical of Baker's actions, tweeting: ‘you should be kicked out. Feral dogs don't deserve that treatment. Typical arrogant p****! #onyabike.' Athlete: The 6-foot-one, 180-pound native of Daytona Beach, Florida, got his start at the Arena Football League's Pittsburgh Power before switching to rugby . | Incident took place Saturday during HSBC Sevens World Series match between South Africa and the US .
Team USA player Perry Baker, 28, later apologized on Twitter for kicking intruder . |
129,820 | 33cca174549d541de7f338b9ca9bfe4fdcb7a946 | (CNN) -- U.N. energy chief Kandeh Yumkella knows first-hand what access to electricity can bring to the developing world. Growing up in the West African country of Sierra Leone, he would often study by candlelight as frequent blackouts would leave his university dormitory without power supply. Today, as director general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), Yumkella is using his experiences to ensure no one in the world is left in the dark. An outspoken advocate of energy access, Yumkella is working to prove that there are smarter power strategies that can benefit all nations. "I advocate that let's have poor people get energy -- 1.3 billion of them who have no electricity at all," he says. "If we're going to lift eight billion people by 2025 or 2030, you need energy access." The passionate and influential energy leader was appointed director general of UNIDO in 2005. Now, in his second and final term, Yumkella is aggressively promoting the "Sustainable Energy For All" program -- a U.N. initiative bringing together governments, businesses and civil society groups to transform global energy systems by 2030. Read related: Harnessing pedal power to light up Africa . Yumkella, a former minister for trade, industry and state enterprises in Sierra Leone, travels the world encouraging world leaders and other highly influential people to join in what he believes will help fight poverty and strengthen nations. He wants to find and install cleaner, renewable alternatives that enhance energy production and are friendlier to the environment. Yumkella spoke to CNN about the U.N.'s energy strategy, plus his personal story and his work for Africa. An edited version of the interview follows. CNN: One of your big topics has been energy access to end energy poverty. Kandeh Yumkella: We are convinced that without access to energy you cannot achieve the Millennium Development Goals. I know from my experience growing up in Sierra Leone, going back there today, that if you don't have access to energy you can't talk about closing the digital divide...you cannot talk about getting manufacturing done. The Secretary General calls energy the golden thread that runs through all the development pillars. In fact, 60 to 70% of the greenhouse gases that are causing climate change come from energy systems. So if you want to fix climate change, you need an energy revolution. CNN: Do you think it's possible to eliminate energy poverty around the world by 2030? KY: We believe it's doable. We have the best minds working on this, our friends from the United Nations, friends form the World Bank, the international energy agency. We feel very excited because we just got a big boost in Rio...over 50 developing countries stepped forward wanting to be part of this initiative. The challenge now: we've got billions of dollars of pledges -- how do you convert pledges to real action on the ground over the next 10 years. Can we hold ourselves and countries and businesses accountable that what they pledged they really meant to do? Read: In the dark -- South Africa's haphazard electricity supply . CNN: Can you explain the connection between ending poverty and energy? KY: For me that's our role in the U.N., to make that connection to see the possibilities of transformative change that spreads prosperity for all. If we don't do it and we become nine billion and one third of mankind is still poor but yet we've taken all their raw materials to be prosperous, there will be insecurity around the world. CNN: What are your frustrations that you have, particularly when it comes to finance? KY: The frustration is that because sometimes of narrow political interests you see people knowing what to do, believing in what to do but for the sake of short term political gain -- because they have to stand for election in four years -- they decide not to support a cause. We call it in global governance short-termism. So you are trying to talk to them about transformative change for 10 years and they're like "OK, yeah, right. I have elections coming up next year. I need to talk about populist topics now." Read: Pay-as-you-go solar power lights up rural Africa . It's the same with development corporations we see for example in the context of Africa. People talk a lot about poverty reduction but they don't want to talk about wealth creation in Africa. But you have to create wealth in Africa, you have to help those economies move into the industrial age. If African population is going to be 1.3 billion by 2030, two billion almost by 2050, most of those people living in the cities you must to talk about wealth creation, you must talk about manufacturing to transform those economies -- otherwise there will be crisis. People forget that this so-called Arab Spring revolution started in North Africa, that's Africa -- it was about youths demanding jobs, yes, there was governance issues but at the end of the day it was about jobs and prosperity and lack of vote. The rest of sub-Saharan Africa need that change. But people rather talk about poverty alleviation, saving the poor people in Africa than talking about a true partnership with Africa to transform those economies. That's politics. That's an old paradigm of development in Africa: Africa as a receiver as a poor nation, "save their souls." No, it is about partnerships, it's about making Africa a viable entity in a 21st century global economy. That's the issue. Politicians will talk about poverty because it's a little bit more sexy. CNN: What needs to happen in Africa? KY: I always say to people, we Africans don't want to be basket weavers forever, that's not what my child is looking for. She's in a wonderful university somewhere, she wants to come back to Africa and have a good job. Africans themselves need to think differently today. They must believe that they can transform. Look at what globalization did in the last 20 years, lifting 200-300 million people out of poverty in India and China alone. If poor countries, particularly in Africa, depend only on commodities, they will remain poor. That is my message, that is my advocacy in the world -- and to do that, you need infrastructure, you need energy, good governance, education, market opportunities and global partnerships. | Kandeh Yumkella is the director general of the United Nations Industrial Development Organization .
He wants to end energy poverty by 2030 so no one on the planet will be left in the dark .
He is working to prove there are smarter energy strategies that can benefit all nations .
"Without access to energy you cannot achieve the Millennium Development Goals," he says . |
232,659 | b93ff61cef1ce4095c956492c5d373825a1614b4 | The authors of a study calling for GM crops to be fast-tracked into Britain’s farms and kitchens all have links to the industry, it can be revealed. The report was presented as the work of ‘independent’ scientists and was published on Thursday by a government advisory body. It was used to support a bid to speed up the development of the controversial crops in the UK, but it has emerged that all five authors have a vested interest in promoting GM crops and food – and some are part-funded by the industry. Opposition: Critics of GM described the 'independent' report as 'biased and downright dangerous'. Pictured is an anti-GM protest in 2002 . Critics of GM last night described the report as ‘biased and downright dangerous’, and accused the biotech giants and the Government of mounting a crude propaganda campaign to overturn public opposition. The academics behind the study were chosen by the Council for Science and Technology, the body that advises the Prime Minister on science policy issues. In the report presented at a press conference on Thursday, no information was given about the five scientists beyond their names and the institutions they work for. They include Professor Sir David Baulcombe, from Cambridge University, who works as a consultant for GM firm Syngenta, which gives his department research funding. Syngenta is behind a genetically modified maize or corn, called GA21, which could go into UK farms as early as next spring, making it Britain’s first commercially grown GM crop. Also on the list is Professor Jonathan Jones, of the Sainsbury Laboratory, which is at the centre of Britain’s GM research. It is part-funded by former Labour science minister, Lord Sainsbury, who is one of the country’s biggest supporters of the technology. Another co-author was Professor Jim Dunwell, of the University of Reading. He was a founder member of CropGen, which describes its mission as ‘to make the case for GM crops and foods’. The study suggested GM crops could save the hungry in the Third World from starvation and create new plants resistant to disease and pests. 'Sales pitch': Opponents have questioned whether the scientists' conclusions are to be believed . The authors argued that current EU regulation should be re-drawn to allow the UK to go it alone and plant the crops, even if the rest of Europe objects. By contrast, the study pulled a veil over evidence of harm to the countryside, insects and wildlife associated with industrial GM farming practices. The US has seen the emergence of superweeds that are immune to some chemical sprays and are now choking fields. Separately, there has been an absence of research into the health effects of eating GM. A spokesman for GM Watch, Claire Robinson, said: ‘By no stretch of the imagination can these people be described as independent scientists. ‘Their views should be treated with the same scepticism we would apply to any sales pitch.’ Critics say the timing of the release of the study and a supporting letter from the Government’s chief scientist, Sir Mark Walport, are highly suspicious. The details were sent to David Cameron in November – but Sir Mark and ministers delayed going public until now. Food and Farming Secretary Owen Paterson, who is a passionate supporter of GM farming, is trying to convince the EU to allow Britain to plant GM crops even if other states want a ban. The publication of the supposedly independent study calling for exactly this policy is expected to prove useful in those negotiations. The director of GM Freeze, Liz O’Neill, said: ‘A group of scientists with financial interests in the success of GM wrote a letter to the Prime Minister in November but waited four months to tell the Press about it – just in time for EU discussions about regulation. Something certainly smells a bit fishy.’ The administrations in Scotland and Wales have previously made it clear they want nothing to do with GM crops. 'Suspicious': The report is being used to speed up the development of GM crops in the UK . Dr Brian John, of the group GM Free Wales, said: ‘This extraordinary report, published very conveniently to coincide with Owen Paterson’s attempts within the EU to dismantle GM regulations and to repatriate powers to the UK, is in turns naive, biased, disingenuous, cynical and downright dangerous. ‘We find it incredible that five senior scientists can have been so dismissive of the work of scores of independent scientists who have discovered that GM organisms are directly and indirectly harmful to mammals and to the environment. ‘In the world of science there should be respect for those whose findings are “inconvenient”.’ Sir David yesterday confirmed his connection to Syngenta, but said: ‘I am independent in that I am not paid a salary by any corporate organisation. I do receive funding for research in my lab from Syngenta and consult for them – although I do not receive the fee as it goes to a departmental fund.’ Prof Jones said that while some might question his independence, he was simply ‘very well informed about GM science and technology’. Prof Dunwell said he was a founder of CropGen, but no longer had any ties to the GM lobby group. He added: ‘I am an independent scientist.’ The two other authors were Professor John Pickett, of Rothamsted Research, and Professor Pere Puigdomenech, of the universities of Cambridge and Barcelona. Rothamsted is heavily involved in GM research. Prof Pickett said: ‘I greatly value links with industry, particularly at the technology transfer level, and these are completely transparent interactions.’ Prof Puigdomenech was co-chairman of the seventh International Plant Molecular Biotechnology Congress, sponsored by Monsanto, Bayer and DuPont. He could not be contacted for a comment. Last night, the Science Media Centre, which released the report, insisted the authors were independent. A spokesman said: ‘They are not employed by government or industry and each works for different publicly funded universities and research institutes. For better or worse, it’s not unusual any more for universities and institutions to get bits and pieces of funding from government, charities and industry – indeed many can only access public money on condition that they raise a proportion of their funds from commercial or private sources. ‘This does not automatically undermine their independence.’ But Soil Association chief executive Helen Browning said: ‘It’s really just not good enough for a group of scientists who have a strong interest, it seems, through their funding sources, in persuading a reluctant public to accept the growing of GM crops in the UK, to be the ones who attempt to write the rule book on how that should happen.’ PROFESSOR JONATHAN JONES - Sainsbury Laboratory . Professor Jones proudly wears a T-shirt in his Twitter page image with the slogan: ‘GM food? Am I bovvered? I am not bovvered.’ He is group director at the Sainsbury Laboratory, and is also the founder of and adviser to biotech company Mendel Biotechnology, which counts Monsanto – a GM giant – as a major client. Mendel has been granted more than 20 biotechnology and GM patents. Mendel’s 2009 annual report noted two collaborative partnerships: one with Monsanto and the other with Bayer CropScience. Professor Jones co-founded the UK’s ‘first GM crop company’, Norfolk Plant Sciences, to find ways of commercialising Sainsbury Laboratory’s GM research into a new type of tomato. PROFESSOR SIR DAVID BAULCOMBE - University of Cambridge . Sir David is a consultant for the GM crop company Syngenta. The fees he receives, which are likely to be many thousands of pounds a year, go into a department fund to support his work. He was previously the head of the Sainsbury Laboratory, which is part of the John Innes Centre (JIC) in Norwich. The Sainsbury Laboratory is at the heart of Britain’s GM research. It has received millions of pounds in donations from Lord Sainsbury, a former Labour science minister and champion of GM. Professor Baulcombe is also Regius Professor of Botany at Cambridge University. PROFESSOR JIM DUNWELL - University of Reading . A founding member of the pro-GM lobby group CropGen in 2000. The group’s stated mission is to ‘make the case for GM crops and foods by helping to achieve a greater measure of realism and better balance in the UK’s public discussions on agriculture and food’. Professor Dunwell says that he has not been in contact with CropGen since 2002. However, he remains an advocate for GM. Recently, he wrote an opinion piece in which he accused the EU of slowing down the commercial exploitation of GM crops as a result of ‘unnecessarily tight’ regulation. PROFESSOR JOHN PICKETT - Rothamsted Research Station . He works at Rothamsted Research, which lists biotech firms Aventis, DuPont, Novartis and Syngenta as ‘partners’. Rothamsted, in Hertfordshire, is hosting a trial to grow GM wheat, which contains genes from the mint plant and gives off a scent that deters pests. Professor Pickett suggested the technology could be commercialised to generate money for its developers. In 1998, he was heavily involved in rubbishing research published by Professor Arpad Pusztai, of Aberdeen’s Rowett Research Institute, which appeared to show that feeding GM potatoes to rats had negative effects on the animals’ stomach lining and immune system. PROFESSOR PERE PUIGDOMENECH - Institute of Molecular Biology at Barceolna CSIC and visiting research fellow at Cambridge . HE has worked closely with Sir David and has links with The Sainsbury Laboratory, the John Innes Centre, and Rothamsted Research Station. Spain is the only country in Europe in which substantial areas are planted with GM maize. Prof Puigdomenech was also co-chairman of the seventh International Plant Molecular Biotechnology Congress, sponsored by Monsanto, Bayer and DuPont. | Government advisory body presented an 'independent' report on Thursday .
It was used to support a bid to speed up the use of GM food in the UK .
But in fact all five authors have a vested interest in promoting GM crops . |
126,459 | 2f6fa2c0e12d5a5307cd668975ee05d5ccea63cd | A toddler survived thanks only to a ‘miracle’ after suffering a severe allergic reaction to Nurofen, her parents said yesterday. Macey Marsh’s face broke out in scores of agonising sores and blisters after being given a child’s dose of the painkiller on the recommendation of her GP. She spent ten days in intensive care with her eyes glued together by mucus as doctors warned her terrified parents, Matt and Sarah, that even if she did live, she might lose her sight. Scroll down for video . Macey Marsh, pictured left before the incident, suffered a horrific allergic reaction to a dose of Nurofen for Children. Doctors warned her parents she was unlikely to survive after her entire body began to blister . To her parents' relief, Macey pulled through after nine days, but may still have permanent damage to her sight . Macey's father said: 'There were times when we were unsure if our little girl would pull through at all, let alone with her eyesight intact' But to their overwhelming relief, she recovered and reopened her eyes after nine days. Now they must wait to discover if she has been left with permanent damage to her sight. The youngster was diagnosed with Stevens-Johnson Syndrome, a sometimes fatal condition caused by a violent allergic reaction to a virus or a medication. Mr Marsh, 37, a photographer of Chertsey, Surrey, said: ‘The thought of losing her was just unbearable. We hit rock bottom. ‘Doctors explained her eyes may have started attaching to the inside of her eyelids and her corneas could be so severely damaged she may never see again. It was terrifying. ‘It’s an awful condition, you’re lucky to survive it. ‘She was still blind and her skin was blistering all over her body.’ Her parents Sarah and Matt (pictured before the incident) had taken her to the local GP surgery when she appeared unwell. There, a locum GP prescribed the Nurofen for Children . After nine days of fighting for her life, Macey opened her eyes. A spokesperson for Nurofen said the reaction the toddler had suffered was extremely rare . The family’s nightmare began six weeks ago, when the couple took their daughter to their GP because she had a rash and puffy eyes. A locum told them she was ‘run down’ and advised taking Nurofen alternated with Calpol. When her parents checked on her the morning after giving the medicine, her eyes were stuck shut with mucus. Stevens . Johnson Syndrome (SJS) is a severe adverse reaction to a medication. It . was named after two U.S paediatricians who described it in 1922. The condition is incurable and 40 per cent of people who contract the condition do not survive. It affects around two people per million and is more common among women. Symptoms include skin rashes, blisters in the mouth, ears and nose and swelling of the eyelids. If left untreated the condition can result in death. Possible complications include permanent blindness and lung damage. Once diagnosed doctors will immediately stop the patient taking the offending drug. Treatment includes IV fluids and high calorie formulas to promote healing. Antibiotics are given when necessary to prevent secondary infections such as sepsis. Pain medications such as morphine can make the patient more comfortable. They took her to A&E where scarlet . fever was diagnosed and she was sent away with penicillin. The next . morning, her face was covered in blisters that were starting to burst . and she was in agony. Her mother, a BA stewardess, called an ambulance and Macey was treated . by infectious diseases experts at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, South . London who diagnosed Stevens-Johnson Syndrome. She was given . morphine and moved to intensive care. Her parents said they were told it . would be a miracle if she survived. Thankfully, she recovered after . nine days. ‘Words cannot describe what that was like,’ Mrs Marsh told . the Daily Mirror. Mr Marsh said: ‘We’ve still got a very long road . ahead of us and it could take another year for her face to heal . properly. Luckily, she’s starting to act like her own bubbly self . again.’ The condition, which affects one in 500,000 children and young . adults, was named after two US paediatricians. SJS causes the cells in . the top layer of the skin to die before shedding. A spokesman for . Nurofen said: ‘We are very sorry to hear about Macey Marsh’s condition . and we wish her a swift and full recovery. ‘Stevens-Johnson Syndrome . is an extremely rare but known reaction to a multitude of triggers such . as infections, medications or illness. ‘The exact cause for the reaction is currently unknown and the reaction is unpredictable.’ She . said that although ibuprofen, the active ingredient in Nurofen for . Children, has been associated with rare cases of the syndrome, there is . no confirmed causal link. | Macey Marsh was prescribed a child's dose of the drug last month .
But within hours, her skin was covered in blisters and eyes full of mucus .
Doctors diagnosed rare allergic reaction with medication or virus to blame .
Called Stevens Johnson Syndrome, it kills around 40% of those who get it .
Macey spent nine days fighting for her life but eventually pulled through .
Her family still waiting to learn if she will suffer permanent sight damage . |
39,982 | 70d42be23187bcdfc0d2d28fc679cc647c352c21 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Britain should openly threaten Spain with legal action over its treatment of Gibraltar and set out a ‘more robust’ response to incursions into British waters, MPs said as they warned ministers it was time to ‘get off the fence’ in the diplomatic spat. An influential Commons committee said the Foreign Office had been too timid in responding to what it said was Madrid’s deliberate and politically-motivated use of border delays as a means of ‘coercion’, ‘cavalier’ raids by vessels and ramped up rhetoric. A cautious policy of trying to de-escalate tensions with a key ally was understandable but had so far had ‘little discernible effect’ beyond frustrating residents of the British overseas territory over the lack of firm action, the cross-party foreign affairs committee said. Scroll down for video . 'Too soft': A Commons committee said the Foreign Office had been too timid in responding to 'Madrid¿s deliberate use of Gibraltar border delays as a means of coercion' And with Gibraltarians now feeling ‘under siege’, the Government should set out what ‘naval and police options’ it plans to take to repulse incursions and tell Spain that it has six months to ease the situation or be taken to the European Court for breach of its EU treaty obligations. The Rock has been a long-running cause of friction, with Spain maintaining a long-standing challenge to Britain’s sovereignty over the territory which it has held since 1713. Tensions flared again last summer when Madrid imposed strict border controls in retaliation for the creation of what Gibraltar says is a concrete ‘reef’ but Spain insists was a deliberate move to block its fishing fleet. There have been severe delays at the crossing between Spain and Gibraltar and more than 600 cases of Spanish government vessels unlawfully entering British territorial waters around Gibraltar since the start of 2013. ‘The behaviour of Spain toward Gibraltar is unacceptable,’ the MPs said. ‘A Nato and EU ally is, as a matter of policy, deliberately impacting the economy of a British Overseas Territory. ‘It is time for the Government to get off the fence and take a tougher line. Tough lines: The group of MPs in the committee said the behaviour of Spain toward Gibraltar is 'unacceptable' ‘We have no doubt that delays imposed by Spain at the border with Gibraltar are politically motivated, and that the border is being used as a means of coercion. ‘The Government is right to look to the European Commission to address this matter, but it should state publicly that it will take legal action against Spain in the European Court if there is little improvement in the next six months.’ Article 259 of the Lisbon Treaty allows an EU member state to pursue through the European Court of Justice another which it believes has ‘failed to fulfil an obligation under the Treaties’. Ministers should also set out which ‘naval and police options it has identified and... intends to pursue’ to defend the waters off The Rock. Harsh words: Sir Richard Ottaway said Spain is 'deliberately impacting the economy of a British Overseas Territory' The Spanish ambassador has been summoned to the Foreign Office four times since the current government in Madrid took office in December 2011 to hear protests about incursions and Brussels has sent inspectors to the crossing. But the MPs said diplomatic protests were only being made weeks after the event ‘robbing them of all force’ and giving the impression officials were simply ‘going through the motions’. The ambassador should be hauled in more frequently, all incidents responded to in no more than seven days and Commission officials despatched to the crossing again at the shortest possible notice to both sides, the report recommended. Pressure should also be exerted on Spain - which is guilty of hypocrisy at best over its own claims on overseas territories - by threatening to drop UK support for its ambitions such as gaining a place on the United Nations Security Council, the committee said. The Government was also criticised for doing little to tackle an ‘unacceptable’ ban on cross-border military movements even by Nato allies, saying it was ‘not appropriate for the UK to simply work around it’. There was ‘merit’ in the idea of Gibraltar seeking to remove border controls with Spain by joining the EU’s Schengen no-borders area, they said, though there could be ‘considerable legal and economic implications’ as in Brussels terms it is part of the UK, which is not a member. Committee chair Sir Richard Ottaway said: ‘The behaviour of Spain toward Gibraltar is unacceptable. ‘We have a situation where a Nato and EU ally is deliberately impacting the economy of a British Overseas Territory. ‘But with the FCO taking far too long to register diplomatic protests, we are giving entirely the wrong impression to Spain about how seriously the UK takes these issues.’ The report was published as Europe Minister David Lidington made a visit to Gibraltar but the MPs said that in the light of what the Gibraltarians had gone through over the past year there should be ‘a high-level visit’ within the next few months. | MPs warn Foreign Office it's time to 'get of the fence' about Gibraltar .
Commons committee say responses to Spain have been 'too timid'
Spain has long tried to challenge Britain's sovereignty in Gibraltar . |
153,281 | 520da8667992dd649bc2571e8ae50169b3ec94f0 | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 03:24 EST, 1 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:24 EST, 1 October 2012 . A police officer hunting a mugger shot and killed an innocent pit bull in the back yard it was trained to protect, it was revealed today. It is the second time police have shot a dog in recent weeks, following an incident in New York when a pit bull named Star was gunned down in front of horrified shoppers. The latest victim was a four-year-old male pit bull, named Pup-pup. He was shot in the back yard of a home in Hollywood, Florida. Four-year-old male pit bull Pup-pup was shot in the back yard of a home in Hollywood, Florida . Dog owner Antonio Williamson said: 'I just heard gunshots as I was walking back to the house.' It happened just after Williamson came outside to ask why so many police officers were parked in front of his house. They were looking for a man who had punched another man in the face and stole his bike in front of a convenience store nearby. A witness followed the suspect and called 911. Hollywood Police Sergeant Lester Cochenour told Local10.com: 'The police suspected the robber may have gone into the back yard so they entered through a side gate. 'When they got to the back yard, they were confronted by a pit bull.' Dog owner Antonio Williamson said his pet was only protecting the back yard it was taught to protect . Officers carrying the body of the pit bull from the house in Hollywood, Florida . The back yard: Sergeant Cochenour said: 'It is an unfortunate circumstance that the dog and the police met.' The dog was shot multiple times and died in the back yard. Mr Williamson was angry that officers didn't knock first. He said Pup-pup was a humble dog and was great with children, but was also trained to protect to his property. 'There have been a lot of break ins around here, in this area for the last year and a half or so, and I have my dog out here just for that purpose,' Mr Williamson said. Under the law, police are allowed to enter private property if they are pursuing or searching for a felony suspect. Sergeant Cochenour said: 'It is an unfortunate circumstance that the dog and the police met. 'It was not the initial call but the officer had to shoot the dog to protect himself. 'Well, you know, they apologised about it but naturally the dog was protecting its area,' Mr Williamson told Local10.com. It comes after the horrific shooting of a pit bull was shot in the head by a New York City police officer on a crowded street last month. The dog named Star was gunned down in the East Village after it lunged at police officers trying to approach the animal’s homeless owner, Lech Stankiewicz, who was apparently having a seizure. The wounded pup was taken to the Manhattan Care Center, where it has been receiving veterinary care since the August 13 incident. | Pit bull named Pup-pup died protecting the yard he was trained to guard .
Second incident in recent weeks, following the death of a dog in New York . |
30,477 | 56a8538393fa0037c9ff7438716a22c7bd5f773f | Almost half of both France and Nigeria's starting lineups for their World Cup last-16 tie in Brasilia came from the Premier League. Here, Sportsmail looks at how the English-based contingent got on in Monday's game: . One winner: Kenneth Omeruo comes out on top against Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud in this duel . Familiar foes: Odemwingie and Evra came up against each other on the international stage . Troubles in front of goal: Victor Moses hooks Benzema's shot off the line as Nigeria looked to hold the French . Best of enemies: Kenneth Omeruo and Laurent Koscielny go up for a header during the last-16 tie . Anticipation: Chelsea youngter Omeruo tries to get in the way of a Giroud shot . 19 minutes: Tottenham's Huge Lloris gets beaten by Emenike at his near post. Luckily the goal is ruled out . 28 minutes: Olivier Giroud appears to aim an elbow at John Obi Mikel - but the incident goes unspotted by the referee. 37 minutes: Patrice Evra has his arms wrapped around Peter Odemwingie but the referee decides it does not warrant a penalty. 39 minutes: Finding himself running onto a pass on the edge of the box, Mathieu Debuchy blasts one of France's best chances wide. 48 minutes: John Obi Mikel brilliantly nutmegs Chelsea target Paul Pogba with a backheel . 63 minutes: Odemwingie flashes a snapshot at goal from the edge of the area but Lloris gets down low to save his powerful effort. 68 minutes: Victor Moses races back behind his goalkeeper to clear Benzema's shot off the line and keep the score at 0-0. 74 minutes: This time it's Mikel's turn to clear off the line as France turn up the pressure. Hugo Lloris (France, Tottenham) - 90 minutes . The Spurs 'keeper was perhaps lucky not to concede in the first half after Nigeria's Emenike was narrowly adjudged to be offside as he put Nigeria ahead, beating Lloris at his near post. Otherwise the sweeper-keeper was at his commanding best, dominating the high balls that Nigeria tried to send into the French penalty area. Mathieu Debuchy (France, Newcastle) - 90 minutes . The Newcastle man, starting ahead of new Manchester City right back Bacary Sagna ably supported Mathieu Valbuena down the right hand side. He was rarely tested defensively and even had a decent effort at goal towards the end of the first half with a shot that flew wide. Laurent Koscielny (France, Arsenal) - 90 minutes . Solid at the back, as he has been all season for his club. Koscielny dealt well with the high balls that Nigeria sent into the box but in truth he was rarely troubled except occasionally by Odemwingie's pace. Patrice Evra (France, Manchester United) - 90 minutes . Luke Shaw might find it difficult to find a place in the Manchester United side if their stalwart left back continues this kind of form. Evra was imperious down the left hand side but he perhaps could have conceded a penalty in the first half as he grappled with Peter Odemwingie - showing some of the worrying frailties that he displayed at Old Trafford last season. Olivier Giroud (France, Arsenal) - 61 minutes . Could be considered lucky to even be on the pitch for as long as he did after appearing to aim an elbow at John Obi Mikel in the first half. Giroud has been a frustrating figure for many Arsenal fans this season and he showed why against Nigeria. The French have experimented with pairing Giroud with Karim Benzema or playing the latter alone. Giroud's inability to combine with his strike partner upfront for France was one of the reasons they struggled to create much in the first hour of the game. France looked much better when he was withdrawn for goalscorer Antoine Griezmann. Battle: Giroud has to fight off the attentions of Omeruo as France seek to break down Nigeria . Bad boy: Giroud was substituted by Didier Deschamps as France went in search of a winner - which they found . Speed merchant: Chelsea loanee Moses uses his pace to get him around Manchester United's Evra . War: Victor Moses comes out on top in this challenge with Karim Benzema, with Odemwingie looking on . Kenneth Omeruo (Nigeria, Chelsea/Middlesbrough) - 90 minutes . Looked strong in the centre of defence against one of the World Cup's most effective offensive sides. While he seems unlikely to get a chance at Chelsea, Omeruo could be in line for a Premier League loan after a successful spell at Middlesbrough last season. John Obi Mikel (Nigeria, Chelsea) - 90 minutes . The Chelsea man was his usual self in the heart of midfield, keeping things ticking over and playing the unglamorous simple passes that are often under-appreciated. While he usually plays slightly further forward for his country, Mikel returned to his withdrawn role to combat France's runners from midfield. He found himself in the right place at the right time to clear off the line in the second half. His backheel on Pogba was brilliant. Victor Moses (Nigeria, Chelsea/Liverpool) - 88 minutes . Moses came into the side in place of the injured Michael Babatunde but struggled to make an impact. His clearance off the line with the score at 0-0 was brilliant though, and not something you would usually expect from the flying winger. He was unlucky to see his curling shot deflected by Debuchy as Nigeria tried to grab an equaliser. Peter Odemwingie (Nigeria, Stoke) - 90 minutes . Odemwingie has always been known as a bit of a troublemaker - and he was one of Nigeria's brightest sparks, using his space to cause problems for the French backline. He slammed one shot which Lloris did well to save but couldn't quite make the breakthrough for his side. We're through: Giroud might have had a poor game but he celebrates with North London rival Lloris here . On top: Hugo Lloris gets above three fellow Premier League players to punch the ball away . Clash: Debuchy tries to stop Chelsea's John Obi Mikel in his tracks as both sides struggled to create . | France and Nigeria started five and four Premier League stars respectively .
Olivier Giroud fails to impress upfront alongside Karim Benzema .
Arsenal striker was subbed as France searched for a winner .
Kenneth Omeruo helped Nigeria to keep the French at bay for periods .
Victor Moses and John Obi Mikel both cleared shots off the line .
Premier League's Nigerian contingent drop out after 2-0 defeat .
Giroud, Koscielny, Evra, Debuchy and Lloris advance to the quarter finals . |
107,784 | 16f4f652c2a39f5c4984e368b28266a6940403da | Before the transcontinental race in "Cannonball Run," the starter tells the gathered racers, "You all are certainly the most distinguished group of highway scofflaws and degenerates ever gathered together in one place." Ed Bolian prefers the term "fraternity of lunatics." Where the 1981 Burt Reynolds classic was a comedic twist on a race inspired by real-life rebellion over the mandated 55-mph speed limits of the 1970s, Bolian set out on a serious mission to beat the record for driving from New York to Los Angeles. The mark? Alex Roy and David Maher's cross-country record of 31 hours and 4 minutes, which they set in a modified BMW M5 in 2006. Bolian, a 28-year-old Atlanta native, had long dreamed of racing from East Coast to West. A decade ago, for a high school assignment, Bolian interviewed Brock Yates, who conceived the Cannonball Baker Sea-To-Shining-Sea Memorial Trophy Dash, aka the Cannonball Run. Yates, who played the previously quoted organizer in the film he wrote himself, won the first Cannonball in the early 1970s with a time of 35 hours and 53 minutes. "I told him, 'One day I'd like to beat your record,' " Bolian recalled. Ounce of prevention . It sounds like great outlaw fun -- and certainly, Hollywood added its embellishments, like the supremely confident, infidel-cursing sheik with a Rolls Royce and Sammy Davis Jr. in a priest getup -- but Bolian said it took considerable research and groundwork. Beginning in 2009, about the time he started working for Lamborghini Atlanta, Bolian researched cars, routes, moon phases, traffic patterns, equipment, gas mileage and modifications. He went into preparation mode about 18 months ago and chose a Mercedes CL55 AMG with 115,000 miles for the journey. The Benz's gas tank was only 23 gallons, so he added two 22-gallon tanks in the trunk, upping his range to about 800 miles. The spare tire had to go in the backseat with his spotter, Dan Huang, a student at Georgia Tech, Bolian's alma mater. To foil the police, he installed a switch to kill the rear lights and bought two laser jammers and three radar detectors. He commissioned a radar jammer, but it wasn't finished in time for the trek. There was also a police scanner, two GPS units and various chargers for smartphones and tablets -- not to mention snacks, iced coffee and a bedpan. By the time he tricked out the Benz, which included a $9,000 tuneup, "it was a real space station of a thing," he said, describing the lights and screens strewn through the car's cockpit. Yet he still wasn't done. "The hardest thing, quite honestly, was finding people crazy enough to do it with me," he said. Co-driver Dave Black, one of the Atlanta Lamborghini dealership's customers, didn't sign on until three days before they left, and "support passenger" Huang didn't get involved until about 18 hours before the team left Atlanta for Manhattan. If his difficulty finding a copilot wasn't an omen, Manhattan would deliver one. While scouting routes out of the city, a GPS unit told Bolian to take a right on red, in the wrong direction down a one-way road. He was quickly pulled over. Bolian got a warning -- and a healthy dose of relief that the officer didn't question the thick odor of fuel as he stood over the vents pumping fumes from the trunk. Speed of sight: The world's fastest blind daredevil . Record run begins . The trio ignored what some might have considered a harbinger and the left the Red Ball Garage on East 31st Street, the starting point for Yates' Cannonball, a few hours later. To be exact, they left October 19 at 9:55 p.m., according to a tracking company whose officials asked not be identified because they were unaware that Bolian would be driving so illegally when he hired them. They hit a patch of traffic in New York that held them up for 15 minutes but soon had an average speed of about 90 mph. In Pennsylvania, they tapped the first of many scouts, one of Bolian's acquaintances who drove the speed limit 150 to 200 miles ahead of the CL55 and warned them of any police, construction or other problems. They blew through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois, hitting St. Louis before dawn. "Everything possible went perfect," Bolian said, explaining they never got lost and rarely encountered traffic or construction delays. By the time they hit southern Missouri, near the Oklahoma border, they learned they were "on track to break the existing record if they averaged the speed limit for the rest of the trip," he said. Yeah, right. This wasn't about doing speed limits. They kept humming west, and as they neared the Texas-New Mexico border, they calculated they might beat the 30-hour mark, a sort of Holy Grail in transcontinental racing that Bolian likened to the 4-minute mile. Not one to settle, "we decided to break 29," Bolian said. The unnamed tracking company says the Benz pulled into the Portofino Hotel and Marina in Redondo Beach, California, at 11:46 p.m. on October 20 after driving 2,803 miles. The total time: 28 hours, 50 minutes and about 30 seconds. "Most of the time, we weren't going insanely fast," Bolian said, not realizing his definition of "insanely" is a little different from most folks'. When they were moving, which, impressively, was all but 46 minutes of the trip, they were averaging around 100 mph. Their total average was 98 mph, and their top speed was 158 mph, according to an onboard tracking device. "Apart from a FedEx truck not checking his mirrors before he tried to merge on top of me, we didn't really have any issues," Bolian said. Do not try this at home . He concedes his endeavor was a dangerous one, especially when you consider Bolian slept only 40 minutes of the trip, and co-driver Black slept an hour. But Bolian went out of his way to make it as safe as possible, choosing a weekend day with clear weather and a full moon -- and routes, when possible, with little traffic or construction. "I had plenty of people at home praying I'd make it safely, and, more importantly, had my wife praying that I wouldn't have to do it again," he said, adding he has no children, which was also a factor. "That was one of the spurs to go ahead and get this over with. That's probably the next adventure." Asked if the technological advances since the previous record holders made their run gave him an advantage, Bolian replied, "Absolutely." Because two teams broke the 32-hour mark in 2006 and 2007, he had a detailed "guide book" on how to do it, where they had to rely on word-of-mouth tales from the 1980s. "I thank Alex for that. We're all adding chapters to the same story of American car culture," Bolian said. Alex Roy did not respond to an e-mail seeking comment. Bolian had hoped to revisit that high school interview and tell Yates he'd followed through on that promise to break his record, but Yates now suffers from Alzheimer's. "I'll pay him a visit just for the sake of it," Bolian said, "but I can't tell him." Where the Cannonball scofflaws aimed to make a statement about personal freedom, Bolian said he has the utmost respect for law enforcement. His goal was merely to "add myself and pay tribute to this chapter of automotive history," he said. Bolian also hopes that he shattered Roy's record by such a stark margin that it discourages would-be Cannonballers from attempting to break his record, and it's not just a matter of his own legacy, he said. "It really isn't something we need a whole band of lunatics doing," he said. Follow Eliott C. McLaughlin on Twitter: @CNNWriters . | Atlanta native breaks record for driving from New York to Los Angeles by two hours .
GPS company says Ed Bolian and team made trip in 28 hours and 50 minutes .
Team needed laser jammers to foil police, bedpan to cut down on pit stops during trek .
Souped-up Mercedes reached speed of 158 mph, averaged speed of 98 mph . |
265,855 | e457efa17b3a2aee1f58799af9f8a4497da2ca68 | By . Graham Smith . PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 25 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:14 EST, 25 June 2012 . Accused: Nicholas Saunders, pictured arriving at Gloucester Crown Court today, had sex with his ex-wife's dog after she rejected his advances, it is alleged . A man rejected by his ex-wife went on to have sex with her bull mastiff dog shortly afterwards, a court heard today. Kelly Thacker claims to have found her ex-husband Nicholas Saunders, with whom she has two children, in her bed having intercourse with the animal on January 15 last year. The 46-year-old denies the charge but accepts he was naked in the bed with the dog. Gloucester Crown Court heard Saunders had been kicked out of his house following an argument with his girlfriend and had sought out sympathy at his ex-wife's home. The pair had remained on friendly terms following their separation and Saunders, from Lechlade, Gloucestershire, had visited Mrs Thacker and stayed overnight at her house in the past. But, the prosecution said, Saunders was looking for more than just comfort that night and when Mrs Thacker made it clear to him he did not have a chance with her he turned to the large dog, named Sasha. Frank Abbott told the jury of seven women and five men that Saunders had got undressed and climbed into Mrs Thacker's bed while she went downstairs to sleep. He said: 'A little later, the dogs - one of which is a bull mastiff, a large dog - came upstairs and laid on the bed. He said to the dog "You've just ruined my chances." 'Meanwhile, downstairs in the lounge, Mrs Thacker could hear things going on upstairs. She heard the defendant rummaging around. 'She then heard him whistle to the dogs, which had since gone downstairs, and they went upstairs. 'Sasha, the dog, got onto the bed. Mrs Thacker became curious and she went upstairs. 'She saw him, in fact naked, the dog on the far side of the bed facing away from the defendant and that he was clearly trying to have sex with the dog. 'She couldn't believe what she was seeing.' Defendant: Saunders, pictured leaving court with an unknown woman, had been kicked out of his house following an argument with his girlfriend and had sought out sympathy at his ex-wife's home . The jury was told Saunders claims he was in the bed with the dog, but denies trying to have sex with it. Following his arrest Saunders provided police with a sample from his genitals and forensic examinations showed the DNA of a dog was found, Mr Abbott told the court. He added: 'There is no doubt that that is the position and that supports what the witness said happened.' He told the jury they would have to consider the possibility the dog left DNA on the bed and because Saunders was naked it could have been picked up from the covers. But he also asked them to think about where the DNA had been found on Saunders' penis. Giving evidence, Ms Thacker, who was married to Saunders from 1999 to 2002, told the court the incident left her in 'utter shock'. Ms Thacker, who owns a male boxer as well as the bull mastiff dog, said her ex-husband turned up at her house at about 1.45am and was 'a little bit drunk' following the argument with his girlfriend. She said: 'He was staggering a bit. He said "She's f***** me about again". I presumed that she'd been seeing someone else.' She told the court that later that night she went upstairs and was looking through the banisters when she saw Saunders with the dog. A bull mastiff: The jury was told Saunders claims he was in the bed with the dog, but denies trying to have sex with it (file picture) She said: 'It was just too quiet, whereas he'd been mumbling before, so I thought I would just go and check. 'I didn't go all the way up, just halfway to the top banister.' Ms Thacker said she saw Saunders trying to have sex with the animal. She told the court: 'I think I must have hit some kind of shock and I hid back a bit. I then looked round again. 'He was on all fours holding her thighs. He was having intercourse with her. She wasn't even moving. 'I plucked up the courage to go upstairs and told him to get out. He jumped off the dog and laid down and just said he was tired.' Ms Thacker reported the incident to the police later that day after discussing the incident with their teenage daughters. But in cross-examination it was suggested to the court that it was Saunders who spurned Ms Thacker's advances that night. 'Isn't it right that as Mr Saunders climbed over the dog to get into bed that you said "I bet you'd rather shag the dog than me"?' Sarah Jenkins, defending, asked. 'No,' Ms Thacker said. Miss Jenkins went on: 'You were spurred by him that night. It was out of spite you made this complaint.' It was also alleged that Ms Thacker was annoyed that her ex-husband used her house as a bed for the night and it was for these reasons that she made the allegation against her ex. Mrs Thacker told the court: 'I don't lie. It's been a long, hard year and a half, but I stick to what I saw.' Saunders, of Bell Lane, has pleaded not guilty to having intercourse with an animal . The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Nicholas Saunders, 46, is accused of having sexual intercourse with his ex-wife's pet Sasha . |
54,089 | 994a48bf6a54f2260f0cdd5fda4ff4b934831586 | A range of dinosaur t-shirts aimed only at boys has landed both Marks and Spencer and the Natural History Museum at the centre of a sexism row. The store has been accused of 'gender stereotyping' and sending a 'perplexing message' to girls with the clothing line, produced in partnership with the London Museum. 'It is a real shame that children are being told implicitly what is for them and what is not,' said Ruth Lopardo, co-founder of Let Clothes Be Clothes. Marks and Spencer has found itself at the centre of a sexism row over its range of dinosaur clothing, produced in partnership with the Natural History Museum, aimed only at boys . 'All kids like dinosaurs. I am sure we can all remember the excitement of going to the Natural History Museum and seeing those great big skeletons and I don't think that is gender dependent. 'If Marks and Spencer is doing a range with the Natural History Museum, I cannot understand why they are limiting their market by half. 'It is perplexing message to send to girls at a time when the government are worried about the lack of women going into science and technology professions.' The campaign group has called for the range, which includes pyjamas, t-shirts and underwear, to be extended to include items for girls. Campaigners say the range is sending a 'perplexing message' to girls . It is currently priced between £8 and £18 and aimed at boys four to 14 years. They claim a Marks and Spencer customer service representative told them: 'As a Science enthusiast myself, I'm also a little unhappy to see that the range only caters for boys. Please be aware therefore that I have passed your comments onto our Kidswear Team.' Harriet Vickers who is a Second Year General Engineering degree student at Durham University and also on the WISE Young Women's Board said: 'I think the key point to pick out from this debate is choice. 'Providing children the opportunity to choose clothing that appeals to them because they are genuinely interested in the subject matter it depicts and not because they feel they feel inclined to choose it as it in the 'Girls' or 'Boys' section of a store. 'I don't feel it's a case of girls' clothing aiming to be similar to a boys range, but providing range which maximises option for both girls and boys. And parents are key to ensuring children feel confident to wear what they want especially when it comes to things that are seen as breaking stereo-types.' A spokesman for Marks and Spencer said that their design team was working with the National History Museum to expand the range to include products for girls. An M&S spokesperson said: 'This is a brand new partnership and, as with any new range, we have listened carefully to feedback from our customers on how they would like to see it evolve. 'Our design team is currently working with the Natural History Museum on expanding the range to include products for girls.' Marks and Spencer has launched the range in partnership with London's Natural History Museum, pictured above . The Evening Standard reported that the National History Museum said that they would do their 'best to ensure the range is accessible to all children.' | Marks and Spencer launches dinosaur range aimed only at boys .
Clothing produced in partnership with Natural History Museum .
Campaigners accuse store of 'gender stereotyping' by ignoring girls .
M&S say they are working to extend the range to include items for girls . |
188,743 | 80734a800a8e3fb5792af511a35f62567be748cd | (CNN) -- Egyptian authorities stopped two people suspected in the theft of a painting by Vincent Van Gogh, nabbing them just moments before they were to board a plane and flee the country, according to Egypt's official news agency, MENA. Egyptian Culture Minister Farouq Hosni said in a statement Saturday night that efforts to recover the stolen "Poppy Flowers" painting are still ongoing, despite earlier reports that the painting had been returned to Cairo's Mohammed Mahmoud Khalil Museum. Hosni said later that those reports were unconfirmed. Two Italians -- a man and a woman -- suspected of stealing the painting were preparing to board a plane to Italy when they were stopped at Cairo International Airport. An interior ministry spokesman told CNN that the man was arrested. The painting was stolen earlier Saturday. "Poppy Flowers" has an estimated value of about $50 million. It also had been stolen in 1978 and returned under unknown circumstances, causing some to think that the piece was copied in the process, according to MENA. CNN's Amir Ahmed contributed to this report. | NEW: Painting has not yet been recovered; earlier reports were unconfirmed .
"Poppy Flowers" was stolen from a museum in Cairo early Saturday .
Egyptian authorities stopped two suspects at Cairo International Airport .
The painting is estimated to be worth $50 million . |
41,726 | 75a898dfd0d1999e6b51c2f30d86ab0745bef182 | The widespread adoption of autonomous cars – which is predicted to happen within just 15 years – could lead to the death of railways, one expert claims. The damning prediction comes at a time when governments around the world are planning on ploughing billions into high speed rail projects, such as HS2 in Britain. One US expert thinks the investments could be made in vain, because the lure of self-driving cars, which could transport people in comfort to any location with minimal effort, will outweigh the appeal of high speed railway lines. The widespread adoption of autonomous cars – which is predicted to happen in just 15 years’ time – could lead to the death of railways, one expert claims This is despite the expected roll-out of high speed rail networks such as HS2 in the UK. A hub station in Crewe is illustrated . Futurologists predict that autonomous vehicles will be commonplace on roads in Europe and the US in just 15 years’ time, as companies such as Google, BMW and Toyota work on self-driving technology. A report by Lux Research predicts that the autonomous car market will be worth $87 billion by 2030, while the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) in New York thinks self-driving vehicles will make up 75 per cent of vehicles on the road by 2040. Randal O’Toole, a Senior Fellow of the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington DC, says that they will offer a compelling alternative to high speed rail links for distances of 200 miles (322km), rendering some high speed train lines obsolete, Forbes reported. One of the lines that could potentially be affected is the High-Speed 2 (HS2). The line, which is in the planning stage, would run between London, Birmingham and Leeds and would cost £42.6billion ($68.6billion). Britain is not the only country with high speed rail ambitions. There are also plans for a high speed rail link in Australia stretching from Brisbane to Melbourne, which could cost $114 billionAUD (£62.5billion). Futurologists predict that autonomous vehicles will be commonplace on roads in Europe and the US in just 15 years’ time, as companies such as Google, BMW and Toyota work on self-driving technology. Google's car is pictured. The expert thinks that the comfort of travelling in such as car will outweigh the speed of trains . The Prime Minister has backed plans for a high speed HS3 rail link in the north of England, the BBC reported. The government plans to put a strategy together looking at options and costs which is set to be released in March. The route would connect Newcastle with Darlington, York and Leeds, with another branch running west-to east, from Liverpool via Wigan to Sheffield and to Leeds and Hull. Mr Cameron said that improving connectivity and cutting journey times is 'crucial' to its long-term economic plan for the north of England. The Indian government is said to be interested in building a high speed network, while the Central Japan Railway Company has been researching new high-speed rail systems based on magnetic levitation since the 1970s, with plans to build a new route connecting Tokyo with Nagoya in 2025. In Britain, HS2 would be completed in around 2030 if it goes ahead, and would therefore be competing with autonomous cars, Mr O’Toole said. While high speed trains could carry passengers at up to 250mph (402kph), they would still have to get to a station to begin their journey. However, passengers in self-driving cars could enter their destination and be driven door-to-door, while working or watching films at around 100mph (161kph). Mr O'Toole explained that in the travel industry, there is a general wisdom that there is a ‘sweet spot’ for distances, where high speed rail travel looks more compelling than flying and driving. It says that trips shorter than 100 miles (161km) are best made by car and more than 600 miles (966km) by aeroplane, leaving distances in between, perfect for high speed rail. But Mr O’Toole said: ‘I am dubious that such a sweet spot exists. Many people are willing to drive hundreds of miles in order to have the convenience of their car when they get to their destinations, while flying is practical enough for trips of 150 miles or so that airlines currently offer 30 flights a day between Portland and Seattle airports, which are 161 driving miles apart.’ ‘Even if such a sweet spot exists today, self-driving cars will make it even less viable because they will change the way we look at travel time. He claims that if passengers can get on with work or be entertained in their cars, they will be willing to spend more time in them. ‘That means the 100 miles that is supposedly the range in which cars have a competitive advantage will easily increase to 200 miles or more,’ he said. Mr O'Toole believes that self-driving cars will transform the 21st century, just as cars changed the 20th century. Self-driving vehicles as well as new taxi and car-sharing apps like Uber could lead to the death of less flexible and reliable modes of transportation, such as trains, he added. However, trains may thrive for some time yet, because current autonomous cars are facing teething problems. Google’s self-driving cars can’t currently cope in heavy rain or snow – or find their way around 99 per cent of the US. According to MIT Technology Review, the current prototype cars are very reliant on maps to navigate and can’t react like a human driver, dodging potholes and other hazards. Chris Urmson, director of the Google car team, said this is because the detection technology is not yet strong enough to separate certain objects from weather conditions. While the cars’ cameras can spot a traffic light changing, they can be confused by strong sunlight. Despite the cars being allowed on public roads, they need to prepare to set off in more detail than a human driver, because a precise map must be created of exactly where to go – and a car cannot deviate from its route. An area has to be mapped multiple times by a sensor vehicle to record details such as driveways, in order to make the cars' routes - something that will probably have to change if self-driving cars are adopted all over the world. This graphic reveals how Google's prototype driverless car looks and works. The car makes turns and reacts to vehicles and pedestrians based on computer programs that predict what others might do, and data from sensors including radar and cameras that read, in real-time, what other objects are actually doing . The prototype two-seater cars have buttons to autonomously begin and end the drive. The car makes turns and reacts to vehicles and pedestrians based on computer programs that predict what others might do, and data from sensors including radar and cameras that read, in real-time, what other objects are actually doing. The route might be set by typing a destination into a map or using spoken commands according to Chris Urmson, the leader of Google's self-driving car team. The car will be powered by electricity and could go about 100miles (160km) before charging. Its shape suggests a rounded-out Volkswagen Beetle - something that might move people around a corporate campus or congested downtown - with headlights and sensors arrayed to resemble a friendly face. The front of the vehicle has a soft foam-like material where a traditional bumper would be and a more flexible windscreen, in a bid to be safer for pedestrians. In these prototypes speed is restricted to 25mph (40kph) and the ability to self-drive will depend on specifically designed Google road maps tested on the company’s current fleet of vehicles. Ultimately the vehicles will be faster and will be able to use Google's extended maps service. Driving works by using GPS technology to locate the vehicle’s exact position on an electronic map. A combination of radar, lasers and cameras sitting on top of the roof give the car a 360-degree ‘view’, with sensors linked to computer software able to ‘see’ and identify people, cars, road signs and markings and traffic lights. | Randal O’Toole, of the libertarian Cato Institute in Washington DC, thinks commuters will choose autonomous cars over high-speed trains in 2030 .
Technology is predicted to feature in lots of cars in the next 15 years and mean journeys could be used for working and watching films, for example .
He thinks such vehicles could be the death of the railways - even if billions of pounds are invested on faster lines across the world .
His prediction makes arguably plans for HS2 and HS3 unappealing in the UK . |
144,690 | 471ee953168a8f351a9ba5d843f284889aa5a00f | Hong Kong (CNN) -- The plan to raise what would be the world's tallest building in a dizzyingly fast time is in danger of not getting off the ground at all. According to reports in Chinese state media, Broad Group, the developers for Sky City, have so far failed to get the proper permits required to proceed with construction. The company put the first spade in the ground in the 202-story project to much fanfare on July 20. Developers hope it could be built within the year. The 838-meter construction in Changsha, the capital of China's central Hunan province, would rise ten meters higher than the world's current tallest building, the Burj Khalifa in Dubai. "Broad is still currently in the beginning stages of arranging the construction project," a Changsha Urban Planning Department representative told CNN. "So far, they've undergone the process to obtain 136 mu [22 acres] of land, but that's it. They're still in the very basic beginning stages. We've been giving a lot of attention to this case, and everything they've done has been according to law." For its part Broad Group insisted everything was above board. "We have not yet started work on Changsha's Sky City," a Broad Group press officer told CNN. He added that they have evidence to show no laws have been broken. Penalties for illegal construction vary widely across China between the countryside and cities, as well as between residential and commercial use. In Chengdu, the capital of Sichuan province, baseline fines for illegal construction range from 5% to 10% with investigative fees as much as doubling the amount. Additional penalties for various infractions can then double the original fine, according to one official government website. In the southwest megacity of Chongqing, the fine for the illegal construction of a commercial building is 50% of the cost of construction, according to another government site. If similar penalties exist in Changsha as for Chongqing, Broad Group could be fined nearly $750 million. Sky City's total construction cost is $1.46 billion. Construction advocates have touted Sky City's green credentials: It will save on energy and land use, creating an all-in-one home, office, shopping, farming and recreation environment for some 30,000 residents that no one ever needs to leave. Critics -- including architectural experts and the Chinese public -- worry about safety because of the use of non-traditional building techniques and the pace of construction. Broad Group pioneered the use of pre-fabricated steel-and-concrete blocks -- akin to Lego blocks -- that can be quickly hoisted into place. While the Burj Khalifa took five years to build, Broad Group says this "fast-building technology" means it can construct Sky City in just ten months. Sky City will be completed in April 2014, said Broad Group in earlier statements. However when questioned by CNN, the company's press officer hesitated to provide a start date for construction. He added that plans will be announced at an as-yet unscheduled future press conference, leaving construction plans for Sky City firmly frozen on the ground. | Chinese state media reports Sky City does not have required permits to start construction .
Sky City, developed by Broad Group, planned to be world's tallest building at 838 meters .
Broad Group to CNN: 'We have not yet started work'
Broad Group will use pre-fabricated steel-concrete blocks to build Sky City by April 2014 . |
86,374 | f52c7fb13aabdc20c7b924c76549b6e6bdc6a8ce | By . Victoria Woollaston . The discovery of Tutankhamun’s tomb almost a century ago gripped the world. It took 10 years to record and document the numerous artefacts found buried with the young king, and these items were sent to various museums around the world. The latest exhibition at Oxford’s Ashmolean Museum curates many related sculptures, jewellery and original drawings to give a greater insight into the ancient Egyptian teenage leader. Scroll down for video . The Discovering Tutankhamun exhibition at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum displays objects from ancient Egypt's Amarna Period between 1350 and 1330 BC as well as original drawings and photographs, and a replica funerary mask (pictured) In 1907, Lord Carnarvon George Herbert . asked English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter to supervise . excavations in the Valley of the Kings. On . 4 November 1922, Carter's group found steps that led to Tutankhamun's . tomb. He spent several months cataloguing the antechamber before opening . the burial chamber and discovering the sarcophagus in February the . following year. He recorded . these movements in his journal, and this diary is just one of the items . on display in the Ashmolean’s ‘Discovering Tutankhamun’ exhibit. Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, and ruled between 1332 BC and 1323 BC. He was the son of Akhenaten and took to the throne at the age of nine or ten. When he became king, he married his half-sister, Ankhesenpaaten. He died at around the age of 18 and the cause of death is unknown. In 1907, Lord Carnarvon George Herbert asked English archaeologist and Egyptologist Howard Carter to supervise excavations in the Valley of the Kings. On 4 November 1922, Carter's group found steps that led to Tutankhamun's tomb and spent several months cataloguing the antechamber. They opened the burial chamber and discovered the the sarcophagus in February the following year. Carter recorded these movements in his journal, and this diary is just one of the items on display in the Ashmoleum’s ‘Discovering Tutankhamun’ exhibit. It is opened on the entry for 26 November 1922, in which carter wrote the word ‘wonderful’ to describe his discovery. The diary is exhibited among other original items including reading glasses, brushes and a brass microscope. Carter numbered each of the 5,398 objects from the tomb, describing each item on cards, which are also featured in the display. These records, which show where individual items were found and describe their condition, were published in a three-volume collection, but Carter died before the catalogue was complete. In 1922, Egyptologist Howard Carter found steps that led to Tutankhamun's tomb in the Valley of the Kings. He opened the burial chamber and sarcophagus in February the following year. Carter recorded these movements in his diary (pictured), which is opened on 26 November and describes the find as 'wonderful' Many of the items on display have been taken from the archives of Oxford's Griffith Institute which was given more than 3,000 record cards and 1,800 negatives when Carter died in 1939. Other items are on loan from New York's Metropolitan Museum, including this limestone head of Tutankhamun from 1322 BC . Tutankhamun was an Egyptian pharaoh of the 18th dynasty, and ruled between 1332 BC and 1323 BC. He was the son of Akhenaten and took to the throne at the age of nine or ten. When he became king, he married his half-sister, Ankhesenpaaten. He died at around the age of 18 and the cause of death is unknown. Other exhibits on display include glass plate photographs of chairs and other furniture found during excavations on loan from Metropolitan in New York. In November 1922, Carter found steps that led to Tutankhamun's tomb. He spent several months cataloguing the antechamber before opening the burial chamber and discovering the sarcophagus in February the following year. Howard Carter and an unnamed assistant are shown inspecting Tutankhamun's inner-most coffin . On the outside of the tomb, decorations depicted Tutankhamun as Osiris, while wall paintings, pictured, showed the king being embraced by the underworld god. It is believed that if Tutankhamun was shown to be this powerful god it would quash a religious revolution taking place in the 1320s BC . Funerary treasure was found in his tomb, pictured, including an 24.2lb (10kg) solid gold death mask. However, the traditional heart scarab, used to show a body's worthiness for the afterlife, was missing. Religious texts claimed Osiris' heart was similarly removed by his brother Seth . They were taken by the photographer Harry Burton. Another item, on loan from New York, is a limestone head of Tutankhamun believed to date back to around 1322 BC. A second limestone fragment showing traces of paint reveals an image of Queen Neferitit offering a bouquet to Aten, dated to 1345 BC. The tomb was found in the Valley of the Kings, a valley in egypt where pharoahs and nobles from the 18th, 19th and 20th dynasties (known as the 'New Kingdom') in Ancient Egypt were buried from the 16th to 11th century BC . Other exhibits include glass plate photographs of chairs and other furniture found during excavations (pictured), also on loan from Metropolitan in New York. They were taken by photographer Harry Burton . A second limestone fragment showing traces of paint reveals an image of Queen Neferitit offering a bouquet to Aten, dated to 1345 BC. The right-hand image shows the head of a Tutankhamun statue on display . Additionally, the nose and mouth from a statue of King Akhenaten made of indurated limestone from Tell el-Amarna is on display, believed to have been created in around 1335 BC. Many of the items on display have been taken from the archives of Oxford’s Griffith Institute which was given more than 3,000 record cards and 1,800 negatives when Carter died in 1939. The institute used these records to publish nine volumes of Tutankhamun’s Tomb between 1963 and 1990. These records were also the basis for a replica tomb on display in Luxor. The exhibition runs from 24 July to 2 November. Carter's diary is exhibited among other original items including reading glasses, brushes and a brass microscope (pictured). Carter numbered each of the 5,398 objects from the tomb, meticulously describing each item on cards, which are also featured in the display . Additionally, the nose and mouth from a statue of King Akhenaten, made of indurated limestone from Tell el-Amarna is on display (pictured), believed to have been created in around 1335 BC . | Tutankhamun’s tomb was found in 1922 by Egyptologist Howard Carter .
Exhibition at Oxford's Ashmolean Museum displays objects from pharoah's tomb, buried during the Amarna Period between 1350 and 1330 BC .
It also features items from the excavation, including Mr Carter’s diary .
Original drawings are on display courtesy of the Griffith Institute .
Other items, including limestone statues, are on loan from the Metropolitan in New York . |
5,776 | 106550f0aca49e82dc248e2af4f47d619b097ab5 | (CNN) -- A tornado hit the south-central South Dakota town of Wessington Springs on Wednesday evening, briefly trapping some people in their homes. The Jerauld County Sheriff's Office said all have been rescued. "The tornado hit across the street from the hospital -- really just one block away -- and there is stuff and debris everywhere," said JoAnn Hettinger, director of patient care at Avera Weskota Memorial Hospital. Her facility received one patient, she said. In all, 11 homes and three businesses were damaged, according to Roger Dwyer, the Jerauld County emergency management director. "The Red Cross is on scene," he said. "Most of the folks (in damaged homes) are bunking up with friends and relatives." Gov. Dennis Daugaard has ordered 100 South Dakota National Guard soldiers to the community to help with recovery and cleanup, a statement from his office said. Wessington Springs is a town of about 950 people, about 100 miles northwest of Sioux Falls. On Monday, rare twin tornadoes spun through Pilger, Nebraska, wiping out the business district. As much as three-fourths of the town of 350 is gone, Stanton County Sheriff Mike Unger has said. Two people died during that storm, one a 5-year-old. The second death -- a traffic accident -- was probably weather-related, Unger said. CNN's Dana Ford, Dave Alsup and Kevin Conlon contributed to this report. | People were reported trapped in their homes, but have been rescued .
Spokesman for the governor calls the damage "significant"
Rare twin tornadoes spun through Pilger, Nebraska, this week . |
173,601 | 6ca66a79d91cbc5acc0aff8d140f9b44f57ce662 | By . Meghan Keneally . A new study has shown a link between Twitter usage and the number of relationships plagued by social media-related fights. More than 500 active Twitter users were surveyed and the results showed that the more time an individual spent on the social networking site, the more problems ensued in their relationships. 'Although a number of variables can contribute to relationship infidelity and separation, social networking site usage, such as Twitter and Facebook use, can be damaging to relationships,' the report's author Russell Clayton said. Watching over: A new study showed a connection between the amount that someone is active on Twitter and the likelihood that they will have a social networking-related conflict in their romantic offline relationships . Findings: Russell Clayton, pictured, is a doctoral student at the University of Missouri and previously examined the detrimental effects of Facebook . Mr Clayton, a doctoral student at the . University of Missouri School of Journalism, previously studied the . effect that Facebook had on relationships and now his examination into . Twitter proves that the newer micro-blogging platform is creating a . similar level of jealousy that he found for Facebook. 'Facebook-induced jealousy, partner surveillance, posting ambiguous information, compulsive Internet use, and online portrayal of intimate relationships can be damaging to romantic relationships,' he wrote in the study, released Sunday. 'Since Twitter now allows users to interact in a similar way as Facebook (i.e., write posts and upload images, videos, and location check-ins), the researcher theorizes that the effects of Twitter use on interpersonal relationships are comparable to those associated with Facebook.' For Facebook, he found that if partners stayed 'friends' on the social network, that would delay the healing process because they would go back and look through their ex's activity and photos. In the new study, called ‘The Third Wheel’, Mr Clayton went on to extrapolate that, as a result of the interview with 581 Twitter users, reports of Twitter-related conflict within couples 'significantly predicted' negative outcomes that included cheating and break ups. 'I found it interesting that active Twitter users experienced Twitter-related conflict and negative relationship outcomes regardless of length of romantic relationship,' Clayton said. Perils of Twitter: Though no specific numbers were released of the exact number of divorces were caused by excessive Twitter use, some high profile cases like that of Anthony Weiner and Huma Abedin make the likelihood of Twitter-related conflicts in marriages seem very likely . 'Couples who reported being in relatively new relationships experienced the same amount of conflict as those in longer relationships.' One solution that they suggest is to limit the individual's time on Twitter if they begin to notice the outbreak of Twitter-related disagreements. Another option is to take the secrecy out of the equation by having joint accounts that both partners use and have easy access to. | A University of Missouri study shows that Twitter usage can lead people to cheat and cause problems in relationships offline .
The study featured interviews with 581 active Twitter users .
Found similar effects to that of Facebook, where exes can keep track of one another which prolongs the breakup process . |
126,602 | 2fa516a4524e3366451efddaef5b29b554aaa8dc | A terrified 14-year-old girl has happened upon the body of her dead mother who was killed by her stepfather in a murder-suicide case in Phoenix this week. The incident occurred at a luxury home inside a gated community north of the city on Tuesday. The deceased, Jennifer and Blaine Palmer, both 52, were only divorced on Monday. The teenager had returned home from school about 4pm when she discovered the body of her stepfather in a bedroom with a gun nearby. Scene: The murder-suicide occurred Tuesday inside this home in a gated community in north Phoenix . Tragic: The victim has been identified as Jennifer Palmer, whose daughter found the bodies about 4pm. The suspect has been identified as Blaine Palmer, who was found dead in the bedroom with a gun nearby . 'She was backing out of the home not knowing what was wrong and discovered her mother shot in the garage,' Phoenix police Sgt. Trent Crump told CBS 5. The body of Jennifer Palmer was found shot to death in the drivers seat of a car that had multiple bullet holes in it. Neighbors told police that they heard gunshots around 7.30am, leading police to believe the murder-suicide occurred in the morning. A suicide note was also found inside the home. Under investigation: Phoenix police Sgt. Trent Crump said a suicide note has found inside the home . The gated community is located near 67th Avenue and Jomax Road in Phoenix. Neighbors described the couple as 'good people'. Sgt. Trump said that Blaine Palmer was expected to move out of the home within a few days. The 14-year-old is now in the care of her biological father. | Murder-suicide occurred Tuesday inside a gated community in north Phoenix .
Jennifer Palmer was shot dead in a car in the garage, with multiple bullet marks in the vehicle .
Blaine Palmer shot himself in the bedroom .
Couple had divorced on Monday and Blaine was expected to move out .
Bodies discovered by Jennifer's daughter after school . |
255,036 | d61bddaf2f6d8df0ac1d3967dbabe0d1fd86e544 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 5:22 AM on 4th December 2011 . Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has extended an olive branch to Pakistan's prime minister in America's latest bid to address strained relations between the two countries. It comes exactly one week after the NATO bombing that killed 24 Pakistani soldiers along the Afghanistan border in an apparent case of mistaken identity. Following the attack, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said his county is re-evaluating its relationship with the United States. Peace offering: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton spoke with Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani to offer her condolences for the 'unintended' deaths of 24 Pakistani soldiers . But on Saturday Clinton spoke with the Pakistani leader to express condolences to the soldiers' families and to the Pakistani people. A statement from the U.S. State Department said Clinton 'once again expressed condolences to the families of the soldiers and to the Pakistani people for the tragic and unintended loss of life. 'She reiterated America's respect for Pakistan's sovereignty and commitment to working together in pursuit of shared objectives on the basis of mutual interest and mutual respect.' She had hoped Pakistan would attend an international conference on Afghanistan scheduled for Monday in Germany. The country's attendance at the conference had been considered essential to ensure stability in the region stands a chance. But a government official told the AFP news agency: 'The cabinet has decided not to attend the Bonn meeting.' Pakistan refused to join in the U.S. investigation of the bombing and has moved to shut down supply lines the . U.S. uses to get food, fuel and equipment to troops in Afghanistan. Protesters burn a U.S. flag in Multan yesterday in response to the Nato air-strikes. It was today claimed that Nato forces may have been lured into attacking friendly Pakistani border posts by the Taliban . Last week U.S. military . reports suggested Nato forces may have been lured into attacking . friendly Pakistani border posts in a calculated manoeuvre by the . Taliban. The attack - which Pakistan claims went on for almost two hours and continued even after soldiers had pleaded with forces to stop - marked the deadliest friendly fire incident with Pakistan since the Afghanistan war began. A joint U.S.-Afghan patrol was attacked by the Taliban last weekend. While . pursuing the Taliban in the poorly-marked border area, the patrol is . said to have mistaken one of the Pakistan troop outposts for a militant . encampment and called in a Nato gunship and attack helicopters to open . fire. U.S. officials, . speaking on condition of anonymity, claim the reports suggest the . Taliban may have deliberately tried to provoke a cross-border fire-fight . that would set back fragile partnerships between the U.S. and Nato . forces and Pakistani soldiers at the ill-defined border. Student protesters shout anti-American slogans during a protest in Peshawar today. There is widespread anger across Pakistan following the air-strikes . The incident sent the perpetually difficult U.S.-Pakistan relationship into a tailspin. General . James Mattis, head of U.S. Central Command, announced he has . appointed Brigadier General Stephen Clark, an Air Force special . operations officer, to lead the probe into the incident. Brigadier . General Clark has been ordered to include input from the Nato-led . forces in Afghanistan, as well as representatives from the Afghan and . Pakistani governments. According . to the U.S. military records described to news agency the Associated . Press, the joint U.S. and Afghan patrol requested back-up after being . hit by mortar and small arms fire by Taliban militants. Before . responding, the joint U.S.-Afghan patrol first checked with the . Pakistani army, which reported it had no troops in the area, the . military account said. Some . two hours later, still hunting the insurgents - who had by then . apparently fled in the direction of Pakistani border posts - the U.S. commander spotted what he thought was a militant encampment, with heavy . weapons mounted on tripods. The . joint patrol called for the air-strikes at around 2.21am local time, . not realising the encampment was apparently the Pakistani border post. Heavily guarded: The 24 Pakistani soldiers who were killed in the attacks are buried yesterday . Salute: Pakistani soldiers march among the rows of coffins during yesterday's ceremony . Records show the aerial response included Apache attack helicopters and an AC-130 gunship. U.S. officials are working on the assumption the Taliban chose the location . for the first attack to create confusion and draw U.S. and Pakistani . forces into firing on each other, it is claimed. At . the White House, spokesman Jay Carney said President Barack Obama . considers the Pakistani deaths a tragedy, and said the administration is . determined to investigate. The . Pentagon released a four-page memo from General Mattis directing . Brigadier General Clark to determine what happened, which units were . involved, which ones did or did not cross the border, how the operation . was coordinated, and what caused the deaths and injuries. Brigadier . General Clark must also develop recommendations about how border . operations could be improved. His final report must be submitted by . December 23. The details of . the air-strike emerged as aftershocks were last night reverberating . across the U.S. military and diplomatic landscape, threatening . communications and supply lines for the Afghan war and the success of an . upcoming international conference. While . U.S. officials expressed regret and sympathy over the cross-border . incident, they are not acknowledging blame, amid conflicting reports . about who fired first. Attack: Nato helicopters similar to this one opened fire on the Pakistani army checkpoint close to its border with Afghanistan . In . recent weeks, military leaders had begun expressing some optimism that . U.S.-Pakistan military cooperation along the border was beginning to . improve. Just two weeks ago, . U.S. Army Major General Daniel Allyn told Pentagon reporters that . incidents of firing from Pakistan territory had tapered off somewhat in . recent weeks. Pentagon press secretary George Little last week stressed the need for a strong military relationship with Pakistan. He . said: 'The Pakistani government knows our position on that, and that is . we do regret the loss of life in this incident, and we are . investigating it.' The military fallout began almost immediately. Pakistan . has blocked vital supply routes for U.S.-led troops in Afghanistan and . demanded Washington vacate a base used by American drones. Pakistan . ordered CIA employees to mothball their drone operation at Pakistan's . Shamsi air base within two weeks, a senior Pakistani official said. The . officials spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss intelligence . matters. | Nato described the deaths as 'tragic and unintended'
Pakistan decides not to attend international talks on Afghanistan in Bonn . |
284,572 | fcb301dc78f2235de90caeca6d84bc2b624796cd | David Silva played his 200th game for Man City on Saturday. The club have spent a fortune on players, but if you want value for money, you need look no further than the little Spanish magician. In terms of consistency, his performances are hard to match. He doesn’t cause any problems, he looks like he trains hard and he is a fantastic, technical player. He must be a manager’s dream. City are so much better with him in the side, as the table below shows, and he is the kind of player you are happy to pay to watch. With West Brom, Burnley and Sunderland to come over Christmas, Silva could be just the man to help City get through their striker crisis. VIDEO Scroll down to see Harry Redknapp on QPR striker Charlie Austin . Spaniard David Silva struck a brace for Manchester City as they beat Crystal Palace 3-0 on Saturday . Silva heads out for Manchester City's Christmas meal on Saturday night after their victory . BENTEKE BACK WITH A BANG . It was good to see Christian Benteke back to his best against Man United. He is a class act and an absolute monster and I’m pleased he’s overcome his injury problems. Damaging your achilles tendon is always a worry — players don’t always get back to those same levels again. But Benteke is flying and I’m a big fan. It’s good to see players like him catching the eye now. It’s not just your Costas and Agueros who are shining: there’s Benteke, Austin, Wilfried Bony, Saido Berahino, Harry Kane. There’s a lot of striking quality in the Premier League this season and those players are scoring a high percentage of their team’s goals, as the table below shows. Even Andy Carroll has come back in and proved himself when it looked as if he might not get a game at West Ham. It’s so vital to have a front man who can lead the line well and score goals, and this season almost every team have one. All I know is I wouldn’t want to be a defender this Christmas. Christian Benteke struck in the first half of Aston Villa's 1-1 draw with Manchester United . Charlie Austin scored a hat-trick as QPR came from two goals down to beat West Brom on Saturday . GOAL MACHINE AUSTIN KEEPS ON MOTORING . What a vein of form Charlie Austin has hit. He can’t stop scoring. He doesn’t seem to get many chances but when he does, he sticks them away. He is an arch goal poacher and saved QPR in a fantastic game against West Brom. That’s 11 Premier League goals now this season, but as our map shows, the majority of them have been scored on or around the penalty spot. He loves to sniff out opportunities and pounce. His conversion rate is impressive, too. He’s seventh in the league in that respect, and behind top man Diego Costa. But he is above Sergio Aguero, which shows just how Austin is more than capable of coping at this level. Argentine Erik Lamela celebrates after giving Mauricio Pochettino's side the lead against Burnley . ERIK'S BIG CHALLENGE . Erik Lamela has taken plenty of stick from people, myself included. There was a feeling the £30million price tag didn’t add up to the quality we’ve seen. He’s scored two world-class goals this season, including the winner on Saturday, as our graphic shows. But one was in the Europa League and, no disrespect intended, the other was against Burnley. I still feel he’s a bit lightweight but credit where credit is due. The key for Lamela now is to go and affect big games. He needs to score in a derby match or do something where we can all sit back and say: ‘So that’s why they paid £30million.’ That’s the next challenge. VIDEO Goal will boost Lamela - Pochettino . Per Mertesacker appeared to duck out of the way for Liverpool's late equaliser at Anfield . NO DEFENCE FOR SLOPPY GOALS . Aside from Philippe Coutinho’s goal, the others conceded at Anfield summed up Liverpool and Arsenal’s seasons: too many sloppy mistakes. Both sides can be a joy to watch but they concede so softly. Martin Skrtel’s header was good but Kieran Gibbs showed no urgency to get back on the line and Per Mertesacker ducked out of the way. I’m sorry, but that’s just not good enough. I saw a lot of positives for Liverpool and it would have been a travesty if they had lost. They conceded goals last year but the difference then was they kept scoring — at the same stage they had 42 goals, twice as many as 2014-15, and Luis Suarez had 19 of them. That’s only two fewer than the whole squad this season. Daniel Sturridge’s return will help and on Sunday there were signs of improvement. AWAY THE LADS... Three wins in a row at St James’ Park is an amazing achievement for Sunderland and since they lost 8-0 at Southampton, they are undefeated away from home. That form is so important for the teams who are scrapping at the bottom of the table because it eases the pressure on your home games. Watching Adam Johnson, you always feel you want a bit more from him because he’s got so much ability. But scoring big goals against your rivals is the kind of thing that can make you an icon at your club. Liverpool's Martin Skrtel celebrates after scoring a dramatic late equaliser against Arsenal in injury time . Adam Johnson watches on as his powerful strike flies past the dive of Newcastle goalkeeper Jak Alnwick . ALL SYSTEMS GO . It didn’t take long for people to ditch 3-5-2 at the start of the season but it was back in fashion this weekend. Liverpool, Manchester United, Aston Villa, Hull and Southampton all played it and I wouldn’t be surprised if others join in. It can help you get more possession, rotation and movement so it’s definitely not dead yet. BOURNEMOUTH STRIKE IT RITCH . Last week my old club Bournemouth did OK against Liverpool but when Eddie Howe made six changes for that game, the next one was always going to be interesting. It made no difference. They hit Blackpool for six and Matt Ritchie scored two. I’d be surprised if he’s not in the Premier League soon, either with Bournemouth or another team. Andy Carroll races away to celebrate after scoring his first league goal with his feet since April 2013 . Spurs have won their last four Premier League games 2-1 when Harry Kane has scored . NUMBER CRUNCHING . Nine - Though Silva was undoubtedly the man of the match for Man City, much of the team’s second-half attacking impetus on Saturday came through full backs Pablo Zabaleta and Aleksandar Kolarov. The defenders — who both laid on goals — have provided nine assists each since the start of last season — a total betteredonly by Everton’s Leighton Baines. 27 - Andy Carroll scored his first Premier League goal with his foot since April 2013 — a period of 27 games. His last four goals have all come from his head. Eight - Following their 3-0 win against Crystal Palace, Man City have won eight matches in a row in all competitions — a run stretching back to late November. One - The pressure may be on Leicester manager Nigel Pearson with his side sitting bottom of the league, but Steve Bruce hasn’t fared much better this season — his Hull team are only three points better off than the Foxes, with just one win in their last 16 games. 2-1 - Spurs have won their last four Premier League games 2-1 when Harry Kane has got his name on the scoresheet — as he did against Burnley. 1,510 - Erik Lamela finally scored his first league goal for Tottenham on Saturday. The Argentina midfielder had to wait 1,510 minutes for his duck to end. One - Philippe Coutinho has been Liverpool’s best player on occasions this season, but his opener against Arsenal on Sunday was his first goal at Anfield since the 3-2 win over Man City last April. He is also yet to provide an assist in the PL. | David Silva has excelled for Manchester City this season .
Christian Benteke has scored 18 per cent of Aston Villa's goals so far .
Former Burnley man Charlie Austin has scored more than half of QPR's .
Erik Lamela needs to turn his talent into consistent performances . |
40,569 | 72742827984a6609ca16782330103420fe27176b | Jose Mourinho moved a stage closer to the first cup he won in English football, then scotched talk of winning four trophies. A 3-1 win at Derby put Chelsea into the semi-finals of the Capital One Cup but Mourinho said: ‘You spoke a few weeks about being unbeatable in the Premier League - we never did it. Now you speak about a quadruple but we must keep our feet on the ground.’ Mourinho, who won this competition in 2005, insisted Monday’s match at Stoke was his only consideration. He said: ‘We can win on Monday. But it will be difficult. We don’t chose competitions, the next match is the most important thing.’ VIDEO Scroll down for Sportsmail Big Match Stats: Derby 1-3 Chelsea . Captain John Terry celebrates with goalscorer Andre Schurrle during Chelsea's 3-1 win over Derby . Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho scotched talk the Blues could complete the quadruple this season . Mourinho also expressed frustration that medical staff carrying a stretcher did not reach Kurt Zouma quicker as he lay on the floor following a head collision with Petr Cech. Zouma will be available for Monday despite his injury. ‘He was just a bit dizzy,’ said Mourinho. ‘The stretcher-carriers came out walking. When a player is injured and the body language is that he has to go out I feel a bit frustrated. ‘The people with the stretcher want to help and if they didn’t run I have to believe that is the instruction they have.’ Chelsea defender Zouma had to be taken off the field on a stretcher following a nasty collision with Petr Cech . Chelsea's Spanish duo Cesar Azpilicueta and Cesc Fabregas helped paramedics carry Zouma off the field . Derby manager Steve McClaren was incensed that Jake Buxton was sent off in the 78th minute for pulling down Loic Remy, claiming his side were denied a chance to mount a late comeback with the score at 2-1. The former England manager said: ‘The disappointing thing is that we were robbed of the last 15 minutes. It is a big decision, a poor decision. It was six and two-threes, typical tussle between centre half and centre forward. ‘I’m so proud of the players, we grew into the game. We restricted Chelsea to very few chances.’ Derby centre back Jake Buxton is given his marching orders following a challenge on Loic Remy . Rams boss Steve McClaren, pictured sharing a joke with Mourinho, was proud of his player's performance . In the night’s other quarter-final tie, League One Sheffield United knocked out Premier League Southampton with a 63rd-minute winner from Marc McNulty. Meanwhile, League One Yeovil secured an FA Cup third-round tie at home to Manchester United after beating Accrington 2-0. Yeovil manager Gary Johnson said: ‘There is no greater prize, it’s a game against probably the world’s biggest team.’ | Chelsea defeated Derby 3-1 to progress to the Capital One Cup semi-finals .
Blues boss Jose Mourinho scotched talk the Blues could do the quadruple .
Kurt Zouma was taken off the field on a stretcher after a nasty collision . |
87,735 | f8f1d4e92c25f0dcb6e2e6aaac9d3ffa3204ff00 | By . Richard Shears . PUBLISHED: . 04:12 EST, 6 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:30 EST, 6 November 2013 . 'Sent angry texts': Simon Gittany arrives at court with his new girlfriend during his trial for the murder of his fiancee Lisa Harnum . The man accused of throwing his ballerina fiancée to her death from their high-rise apartment in Sydney sent her text messages pleading with her not to look at other men, a court heard today. 'Please don’t let any guy talk to you or please don’t look at any guy as your eyes should gaze on me, the one,’ said one of texts read out in the New South Wales Supreme Court where 40-year-old Simon Gittany has denied murdering 30-year-old Lisa Harnum. Asked by a prosecutor to comment on the text, Gittany said: ‘I was being cute.’ The court heard of a second text to Canadian Miss Harnum in which he wrote: ‘Who the f*** do you think you are walking around the house like you own it or coming and going without my permission? ‘You walk around like a peacock with your hair out.’ Gittany told prosecutor Mark Tedeschi that he and Miss Harnum had been arguing for two days at the time the text was sent. ‘I was angry and I shouldn’t have sent that message,’ he said. The texts were revealed to the court after Gittany had demonstrated how he tried to save his fiancée from plunging to her death from the balcony of their 15th floor luxury apartment. Holding both arms outstretched, with his palms down, he said one of his legs was resting on the handle grip of a treadmill as he tried to reach Miss Harnum who was on the awning of the unit - a wooden structure protruding from the actual balcony. Mr Tedeschi asked Gittany if he had used his ‘superior strength as a male to commit a serious act of aggression’ when he dragged Miss Harnum back into their unit on the morning. ‘Yes, I agree,’ Gittany replied, but added that he had not intended to be aggressive. Defence: The texts were revealed to the court after Gittany (left) had demonstrated how he tried to save his fiancée Lisa Harnum (right) from plunging to her death from the balcony of their 15th floor luxury apartment . The prosecutor asked what had happened in the 69 seconds between Miss Harnum being pulled back into unit 1503 and the time she fell to her death on that morning of July 30, 2011. ‘I suggest that you threw her off the balcony while she was still wearing the handbag she had been wearing in the hall (at the time she tried to leave).’ ‘No,’ Gittany said. '69 seconds after you committed this act of aggression, Lisa Harnum was dead,’ said Mr Tedeschi. ‘Yes.’ ‘Did you threaten her with death prior to her running out of the apartment?’ ‘No.’ The prosecutor asked Gittany if he was ‘apoplectic’ when he found out Miss Harnum was leaving him and that she had given clothes to her personal trainer, Lisa Brown. Struggle: The prosecutor asked Gittany if he had used his 'superior strength as a male to commit a serious act of aggression' when he dragged Miss Harnum back into their unit before her death (above) The accused man said he did not know . what apoplectic meant, resulting in Mr Tedeschi putting to him that he . was ‘berserk’ and ‘beside himself with anger’. ‘I . was angry, yes,’ he agreed, adding that he was ‘humiliated’ and . ‘embarrassed’ that his fiancee had involved the help of two outsiders to . help her leave him. Shimmers . of light in a hallway captured on a pinhole camera suggested that Miss . Harnum had tried to leave her apartment for a second time before she . plunged to her death, it was suggested by Mr Tedeschi. The . court had heard previously that Gittany had installed the pinhole . camera for security reasons, but the camera had also captured him with . his hands clasped around Miss Harnum’s mouth as she tried to leave the . apartment. The prosecutor . wanted to know if Gittany could explain why shimmers of light in the . hallway suggested that someone had tried to open the door a second time . after she had originally run into the hall and cried for help at a . neighbour’s door. Mr Tedeschi told the court the light flashes were evidence of a struggle between the couple. Evidence: CCTV footage shows Simon Gittany holding his hands on his head as he rides a lift moments after he allegedly threw his fiancee to her death off the 15th-floor balcony of their Sydney apartment . Gesticulating: Gittany throws his hands up in the air as he heads to the ground floor where the body of his girlfriend is lying in the street . ‘I suggest to you that she was screaming for help and banging on the neighbour’s door because you had said or done something that made her think her life was in imminent danger,’ said the prosecutor. ‘What do you say to that?’ ‘Absolutely not,’ Gittany replied - and he told the court he could not explain why the door may have opened a second time. He said he did not make any attempt to go near it after they were both back inside after Miss Harnum had first left. ‘She didn’t even have time to take off her handbag she’d had in the hallway before you threw her off the balcony,’ the prosecutor suggested. ‘Absolutely not,’ said Gittany. He was pressed on his claim that after Miss Harnum had been ‘subdued’ and dragged back into the apartment she had sat calmly on a sofa while he prepared her a cup of tea. ‘That just didn’t happen did it?’ asked Mr Tedeschi. ‘It did happen,’ replied Gittany. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Simon Gittany texted Lisa Harnum: 'Your eyes should gaze on me, the one'
Another said: 'Who the f*** do you think you are walking around the house like you own it'
Couple had been arguing for two days at the time text was sent, court told .
Gittany accused of being 'apoplectic' when he learned she was leaving him .
Miss Harnum 'tried to leave flat a second time after he dragged her back in'
Prosecutor: 'I suggest to you that she was screaming for help and banging on the neighbour's door'
He claims he tried to save Miss Harnum from falling off 15th-floor balcony . |
75,312 | d585110f8b08d79a1ccd2b6c6baecdf5c1c4dc7b | (CNN) -- David Beckham was not ready to make his eagerly awaited debut but his new Paris Saint Germain teammates marked his arrival at the club with a 4-0 win at Toulouse Friday. The comfortable victory leaves the Parisian giants three points clear of Lyon at the top ahead of the other weekend fixtures in France. Beckham signed for the Qatari-owned club Thursday to much fanfare, but having not played a competitive match since the end of the Major League Soccer season two months ago needs time to acquire full fitness. While 100 euro replica shirts bearing the name of the 37-year-old football icon were selling briskly in the French capital, his teammates traveled nearly 600 kilometers south for a key match as they bid to back up their big spending with the domestic crown. Carlo Ancelotti's men were ahead after just four minutes as Javier Pastore scored. The Argentina star had been on target in PSG's 3-1 French Cup win over the same opponents last week and the result never looked being any different despite Toulouse's home advantage. Sweden international Zlatan Ibrahimovic doubled the advantage before halftime with his league leading 20th of the season. The home side's Cheikh M'Bengue was sent off for a second yellow card just before the break and further strikes from Mamadou Sakhou and Gregory van der Weil put the three points beyond doubt for the table toppers. Blog: Top five signings of the transfer window? PSG's next league fixture sees them home to Bastia in a week's time when Beckham could conceivably make his first appearance in their colors. If PSG eventually win the French title with the former England captain's help it would mean he had won championships in four separate countries. He has achieved the feat with Manchester United in England, Real Madrid in Spain and LA Galaxy, where he spent five years, in the United States. His free agent move grabbed the headlines on the final day of the January transfer window, signing an initial five-month contract with PSG. Beckham, who has promised to donate his salary to local children's charities, revealed he had offers from several other clubs, including some in the English Premier League. His arrival has been generally well received in France, but leading sports newspaper L'Equipe was wary of the real motives. "With the signature of the 'Spice Boy' David Beckham yesterday, PSG pulled off a sensational publicity stunt. The sporting interest of the move is less clear," it said. But Le Monde trumpeted: "The former captain of the England team has an extraordinary understanding of space and distribution in the game, a brilliant technique and excels in the art of the long cross." In other European football action Friday, Roma saw their hopes of European qualification dented with a 4-2 home loss to Cagliari, while Werder Bremen beat Hannover 2-0 in a mid-table clash in Germany. | Paris Saint Germain win 4-0 at Toulouse in French Ligue 1 .
New signing David Beckham not in squad for away trip .
Zlatan Ibrahimovic scores third for league leaders .
Cagliari win at AS Roma in Serie A . |
25,358 | 47d23e36b60abb81ab8406a21ce1db5d9dd6efe2 | An enormous snail was discovered trying to slide past border control at Auckland airport. Biosecurity officials intercepted the mollusc, which was carrying around six eggs, and prevented it from entering New Zealand. Giant African land snails, which can weigh over 35lb and grow to eight inches in length, are known as a ravenous species, and can damage crop and forestry industries and even eat paint off the walls of buildings. The snail was intercepted at Auckland airport after travelling with a couple returning from Madagascar . Giant African snails can damage crop and forestry industries and even eat paint off walls (file photo) The animal was travelling with a couple returning from Madagascar, where the snails enjoy the optimal habitat for their enormous appetites. Ministry for Primary Industries clearance manager Craig Hughes said: 'At nearly 15cm long, it was the largest giant African snail many of our staff had ever seen.' 'When our inspector tapped the shell, a number of eggs fell out. We could have had a whole family take residence in Auckland if there hadn't been border controls in place.' Biosecurity officials at Auckland airport intercepted the mollusc, which was carrying around six eggs . Hughes said the couple had found the snail in a forest. 'The good thing is they declared the snail on their arrival card, thereby alerting our inspector of the biosecurity risk,' he added. 'They don't realise that the snail will often hibernate unseen at the tip of the shell and only emerge when conditions are favourable.' Passengers have been known to declare giant African land snails as sea shells, as they often hibernate unseen inside their shells, only making an appearance when conditions are suitable for them. | The African land snail was travelling with a couple back from Madagascar .
Ravenous species known to damage crops and even eat paint off houses .
When an inspector tapped the mollusc's shell, several eggs fell out . |
224,205 | ae5035169f529a103dba9bb86902513ccec28be1 | The teacher stood in the classroom, face-to-face with his 16-year-old student, who was holding a shotgun. Ryan Heber, 40, talked to the teen, trying to persuade him to end an armed assault in which one student had already been shot. Heber had no idea whether the student -- whose pockets were filled with ammunition -- would put the gun down or pull the trigger. Campus supervisor Kim Fields helped distract the teen, allowing other students in the classroom to escape, while Heber talked to him, according to CNN affiliate KGET. Eventually, the teen let go of the gun, and police took him into custody. That was how police described the frightening situation Thursday at Taft Union High School, about 30 miles outside Bakersfield, California. "To stand there and face someone that has a shotgun, who's already discharged it and shot a student, speaks volumes for these two young men and what they may have prevented," Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said Thursday. Heber, however, hates the term hero. He told CNN Friday that he doesn't want to be labeled anything except "teacher." Classes were canceled for Friday, the school website said, and on-campus counseling was being made available for students in the morning. The wounded student was in critical but stable condition Thursday night, and the shooter was in custody, police said. Heber and his wife, who also works at the school, visited the hospital Friday and met with the father of the victim. The name of the student in custody was not released. He will be charged as a juvenile with attempted murder, according to Youngblood, who added that prosecutors will decide whether he should be charged as an adult. Authorities searched his home, according to sheriff's spokesman Ray Pruitt. Heber, who teaches science, is known as a well-liked teacher at the school, according to his father, David Heber. He is himself a graduate of Taft, where he played football and served as student body president. David Heber wasn't surprised that his son played a key role in defusing the situation, saying Ryan Heber makes a point of getting to know his students -- including the suspected gunman -- on a personal level. "Because he knows the boy and the boy knows him ... I attribute that to why the boy talked and listened to my son," David Heber said. "It's all about kindness. It's all about my son being kind and caring about his students that makes this successful." David Heber also said his son, who was standing just a few feet away from the student who was shot, had been hit in the head with a shot pellet, but was fine and didn't seek treatment for it. Nonetheless, Ryan Heber will be coping mentally with a difficult situation, his father said, adding his son slept little Thursday night. "This was a very upsetting incident," David Heber said, describing his son as "emotionally worn out." "It was hard for him. ... but he's come to the conclusion that he did everything he could do." Ryan Heber told CNN that it wasn't just his students he was worried about as he faced the gunman -- it was also his wife, who works in the business office of the school, and his two sons, ages 5 and 3, at home. As the school went into lockdown amid the shooting, Heber's wife texted him from her office, reminding him to lock his classroom door. His response, according to his father, "The shooter is in my room." Ryan Heber said the ordeal has really made him want to come home to his family. The Taft shooting is the latest incident of gun violence that launched a fiery national debate over whether teachers should be armed. Last month the National Rifle Association called on communities to arm teachers or place armed guards in schools as a solution following a Newtown, Connecticut, shooting spree in which a 20-year-old gunman killed seven adults and 20 children at an elementary school. "The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun," said the NRA's Wayne LaPierre. The idea has been rejected by teacher's groups and mayors, including New York's Michael Bloomberg, Boston's Thomas Menino and Philadelphia's Michael Nutter. Related: NRA clarifies its stance on arming schools . The debate prompted CNN commenter Adika to weigh in Thursday, saying, "So let me get this straight. The NRA wants to have police officers in schools ... yet an unarmed teacher talked a student into surrendering his gun. Besides being one heck of a hero, that teacher just might have some advice for the NRA." Another CNN commenter, Frank455444, countered: "Well if the schools are armed and another nut shows up HE GETS SHOT! PROBLEM SOLVED!" In Utah it's been legal for a dozen years for teachers to be armed in class. Since the law took effect, there have been no school shootings in the state, nor accidents or incidents involving educators' firearms. Immediately after the Taft shooting Thursday, amid the frenzy of desperate parents coming to the school to retrieve their children, parents expressed concern about school security. "It just goes to show you that we're going to have to do a lot more to protect our students in this small town," an unidentified parent told KGET. "It might be a small environment, but there's always that one bad apple." | Teacher rejects the label "hero"
A well-liked science teacher persuades a student to give up his shotgun .
Also, a campus supervisor distracted the teen while other students escaped, police say .
Taft, California, high school classes are canceled Friday as students receive counseling . |
192,829 | 85a59fd5760b7e35ea07c863b248844f41ce09ab | The University of Michigan has spent a whopping $16,000 on a campaign telling students to watch what they say to avoid hurting other students' feelings. On posters and pamphlets plastered across its campus in Ann Arbor, the public college advises its 43,000 students to avoid words including 'I want to die', 'crazy', 'gay' and 'ghetto'. The notices are part of the university's 'Inclusive Language Campaign', which hopes to 'improve the day-to-day language of students on campus by providing education around words that are offensive', student campaign representative Kidada Malloy told The College Fix. 'Offensive': The University of Michigan has launched a campaign to educate students on words that others could find offensive, such as 'tranny' and 'retarded'. Pictured: A pamphlet explaining some of the words . Concerning events held on campus last year indicated the need for such material, Amanda McLittle, coordinator of Diversity Education in University Housing, told the Michigan Daily. Theta Xi held a 'Hood Ratchet' party last year, sparking the hashtag '#BBUM', which stood for 'Being Black at Michigan', where African American students shared their experiences online. 'We don't talk enough about how our language and the words that we use, and how they impact others,' McLittle told the paper. 'Last year's events showed that this has always been needed.' 'YOUR WORDS MATTER' the posters read. They ask questions including: 'If you knew that I grew up in poverty, would you still call things 'ghetto' and 'ratchet'?' In the pamphlets, the group lists offensive words and explains why they might be hurtful. For example, they warn students against using 'I want to die' because the words 'carelessly diminish the experience of people who have attempted or committed suicide'. Campaign: Photos shared to the campaign's Facebook page show submissions from students . Hurtful: The campaign was launched after officials were notified of a 'Hood Ratchet' frat party last year . The phrase 'that's retarded' 'perpetuates able-ism by implying that individuals with mental, emotional, or physical disabilities are abnormal, defective, or inferior', another section reads. The university's 'Inclusive Language Campaign' warns students that the following words may offend others: . 'crazy' 'insane' 'that's so retarded' 'that's so gay' 'jewed' 'tranny' 'gypped' 'ratchet' 'illegal alien' 'fag' 'ghetto' 'raghead' 'I want to die' 'that test raped me' Students have been involved in the campaign since its beginning and staff members have helped them hold focus groups to figure out the direction of the work. 'This program is intended to be educational, not regulatory,' University spokesman Rick Fitzgerald said of the campaign. 'We hope there is only the understanding that we all participate in, and have the power to influence campus culture.' When asked if the campaign stifled free speech, he added that the opposite is true. 'We believe it will make discourse more constructive by respecting the views and perspectives of others,' he said. 'A campus conversation about the impact of words is good for everyone.' The campaign was launched last semester and included a series of kick-off events. The costly campaign comes at a time when the college has raised tuition and fees for the past two years, The College Fix reported. Controversial: Some students have expressed shock that the campaign cost the public university $16,000 . | Posters and pamphlets telling students 'your words matter' have been displayed around campus as part of its 'Inclusive Language Campaign'
Campaign organizers and the university have said the project makes students aware that their words impact others .
The costly campaign comes after the public university has raised its fees for the past two years . |
9,901 | 1c158d7be304dd6254c999d7e29b9306ca164e28 | A French team of engineers has developed an artificial tree that can generate electricity using the wind. 'The idea came to me in a square where I saw the leaves tremble when there was not a breath of air,' said Jérôme Michaud-Larivière, the founder of the Parisian start-up which will market the Wind Tree in 2015. He added the energy 'had to come from somewhere and be translatable into watts'. It uses tiny blades housed in the 'leaves' that turn in the wind - regardless of its direction - and has the added advantage of being completely silent. Scroll down for video . Green energy: A French start-up has developed a 'Wind Tree' that generates power from air currents . Innovative: It uses tiny blades housed in the 'leaves' that turn in the wind - regardless of its direction . After three years of research, the team of engineers developed a 26ft prototype, which is now installed in the Pleumeur-Bodou commune in Brittany in northwestern France. He hopes they can eventually be used in people's own homes and in urban centres. The tree, which will sell for £23,500, can reportedly generate electricity on twice the number of days as a conventional wind turbine because it can generate power on winds of just 4.5mph. Mr Michaud-Lariviere said the tree - which has not yet been tested by an independent laboratory - is profitable after winds of 7.8mph on average over one year. 'The idea came to me in a square where I saw the leaves tremble when there was not a breath of air,' said Jérôme Michaud-Larivière, the founder of the Parisian start-up which will market the Wind Tree in 2015 . He hopes the tree can be used to exploit small 'deposits' of air currents flowing into town along the buildings and streets to feed, for example, LED street lamps, or a charging station for electrical cars. He admits there are more consistent winds 160ft in the air but they require 'monstrous machines', far from where energy is consumed, he added. He hopes the tree can be combined with other means of power generation such as photovoltaic, and geothermal, combined with energy-efficient buildings. In the future Mr Michaud-Larivière hopes to develop a 'perfect tree that has leaves with natural fibres, roots that could generate geothermal energy and 'bark' covered with photosensitive cells. However, Robert Bellini an engineering expert at the Environment and Energy Management Agency (ADEME), says the potential of small wind turbines in the city remains 'quite low'. | The 'Wind Tree' uses tiny blades housed in the 'leaves' that turn in breezes .
Developers hope they can be used in people's homes and city centres .
They claim the tree is less obtrusive and more viable than wind turbines . |
118,771 | 255e0f798c779c857a30b144792208b99114b172 | By . Laura Collins In Billings, Montana and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 16:23 EST, 6 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:28 EST, 6 September 2013 . Montana's highest court ruled today that a state judge does not have the authority to amend a controversial 30-day sentence he handed down to a former teacher convicted of raping a 14-year-old girl. District Judge Todd Baugh last week sentenced ex-Billings high school teacher Stacey Rambold to 30 days in jail for the 2007 rape of Cherice Moralez in his home. He said the girl, who committed suicide before the case went to trial, seemed older than her 14 years and was 'probably as much in control of the situation' as her teacher. Blocked: Montana Supreme Court voted 4-2 barring Judge Todd Baugh (pictured) from holding a hearing to possibly amend rapist's 30-day sentence . The lenient jail term and the judge's provocative argumentation sparked widespread outrage among women's groups and victims’ advocates. Amid public outcry and growing pressure from the persecution, who vowed to appeal the sentence, Judge Baugh apologized for his earlier remarks and called a hearing to re-examine and possibly amend Rambold's sentence - a move the state attorney general challenged as being outside Baugh's legal authority. On Friday, Montana Supreme Court agreed, ruling 4-2 against Baugh's planned unilateral action, and paving the way for prosecutors to file an appeal. ‘We conclude that the stated intent of the District Court (Baugh) to alter the initially imposed oral sentence in today's scheduled hearing is unlawful and that the proceeding should be arrested,’ the court ruled, without commenting on the validity of the sentence itself. The decision came down just hours before the state judge was to convene the hearing to reconsider the sentence. In a bizarre twist, the defense joined the prosecution in opposing the scheduled hearing , saying that it would be 'without legal authority.' The prosecution said the 54-year-old disgraced educator probably should have received a minimum of two years in prison instead of the 15-year-term with all but a month suspended that Baugh had given him. Earlier this week, Judge Baugh caused further outrage by claiming that his paltry sentence ‘actually upped’ the convicted rapist’s ‘debt to society’. In a written addendum to his sentence handed down in Billings District Court Monday the judge stated: ‘Had the defendant pleaded guilty or been convicted by a jury three years ago, he would have had a basis from which to argue for a minimum sentence.’ Victim Cherice Moralez committed suicide on February 6, 2010. She shot herself in her mother’s bed just three weeks before her 17th birthday. Horror: Cherice Moralez, pictured, shot herself dead in her mother's bed after being repeatedly raped by a teacher who will serve just 30 days in jail . Teacher: Rambold, 54, lost his house, his job, his teaching license and his wife as a result of the charges. His lawyer suggested, and the judge seemed to agree on Monday, that he had been 'punished enough' According to her mother, Auliea Hanlon, the pending trial of teacher Stacey Rambold - 49 when the rapes were committed - and trauma of the abuse were ‘major factors’ in her daughter’s death. Speaking to MailOnline Mrs Hanlon said that her daughter had been ‘in hell,’ shunned by classmates and bullied following the revelations of the abuse. Her death complicated the prosecution of former Billings Senior High School teacher Rambold, now 54, who was arrested and charged with three counts of sexual intercourse without consent in 2008. Prosecutors who had sought to put Rambold behind bars instead settled for a three-year deferred prosecution. According to the terms of the agreement the case would be dismissed after this term if Rambold pleaded guilty to one count of sexual intercourse without consent and entered a three-stage sex offender treatment program. But in December 2012 the case was revived when it transpired that Rambold had violated the terms of the program, having contact with minors and engaging in a sexual relationship [not with a minor] without informing his counselor. In his written explanation Judge Baugh maintained that these violations were ‘not significant’. He stated: ‘There were violations of the treatment program, but involved no violence, no inappropriate sexual conduct, and no new criminal activity. ‘Defendant’s old treatment provider recommended that the Defendant still be assessed as a low risk offender and treatable in the community. Critic: Auliea Hanlon, Cherice's . mother criticized the judge's apology as 'meaningless' ‘Knowing that the Defendant had enrolled in another sexual offender treatment program, the Court is faced with deciding if the Defendant should go to prison for relatively minor infractions.’ Judge Baugh went on to state that there was other information that could not be publicly released but had played a part in the court’s decision: a July 2013 pre-sentence report from the Department of Corrections, an August 2009 psychological/psychosocial evaluation of Rambold, and two interviews with the victim in 2009. Judge Baugh was forced to apologize for his comments in court, in which he claimed that the victim was ‘older than her chronological years’ and ‘in control of the situation’ in which she was raped in Rambold’s car, his then marital home and on school premises. Similarly he drew fierce criticism when appearing to diminish the crime as, in defending his sentence, he said: ‘I think people have in mind that this was some violent, forcible, horrible rape ... but it wasn’t this forcible, beat up rape.’ In his addendum he conceded: ‘Rape under any circumstances is a horrible violent offense. Some involved physical beatings, broken bones. Others, as here, involve young victims legally not capable of consenting. All are traumatic and all are crimes.’ Though he stated that he believed a prison sentence to be ‘appropriate’ in this case Judge Baugh stood by his decision to suspend all but 31 days of Rambold’s 15 years plus one day’s credit for time served. He said: ‘Based on all circumstances, the Court upped Mr Rambold’s debt to society from the almost expired three years Deferred Prosecution Agreement to the 15 years suspended sentence.’ Rambold’s sentence puts him on probation for 15 years and requires him to finish sex-offender treatment and to register as a convicted sex offender. Yellowstone County prosecutor Scott Twito is still reviewing the sentence with a view to finding some legal grounds for appeal, and Judge Baugh’s explanation and defense of his decision will do little to silence the voices of those clamoring for his resignation. 'Bad form': Judge Baugh is running for re-election next year. Protestors vowed to ensure he doesn't receive a fifth term . Tens of thousands have signed an online petition calling for him to be removed from his post and yesterday hundreds protested his sentence outside Billings District Court House. Speaking to MailOnline Cherry’s mother said: ‘Rambold took away everything beautiful in my life and he just gets to walk away. He confessed. He did it. ‘With this sentence the judge just lets everyone off – he lets the school off and he lets him off.’ | Montana Supreme Court voted 4-2 blocking Judge Todd Baugh from amending Stacey Rambold's sentence .
Cherice Moralez, 14 at the .
time, was bullied by classmates after charges were brought against her .
Montana teacher Stacey Rambold, 48 .
Rambold admitted to raping the vulnerable teenager on several occasions in 2007 in his marital home, car and office .
Judge Baugh gave .
Rambold just 30 days in jail instead of maximum of life because Rambold .
had 'suffered enough' and young Cherry was 'in control'
Protests held and nationwide petition calling for judge's removal has 10,000 signatures .
Cherice shot herself in her mother's bed when it became too much to bear .
School .
had issued Rambold with a warning over inappropriate behavior four .
years before he raped Cherice but left him in charge of minors . |
27,637 | 4e5559b30d0ee94490f3e208bd3bcb38c1a64eb9 | Real Madrid's results for the 2013/14 financial year have shown record revenues of £480million. The European champions published their financial report on their website, with their return having grown by 10.9 per cent with respect to the previous financial year. The club's net profit also increased by 4.4 per cent to £30.5million while Real's debt shrunk by 21 per cent and stands at £56.8million. VIDEO Scroll down to see Real Madrid's kit room looking like a fantasy football team . Money makers: Cristiano Ronaldo (R) celebrates scoring as Real Madrid complete 'la decima' Why did I have to go? The £60m sale of Angel di Maria to Man United will help balance books at the Bernabeu . 'We are extremely satisfied with the financial stability of the club which gives us institutional balance and sporting success,' club president Florentino Perez said at a press conference at the Bernabeu. 'For the 10th consecutive year we will be the club with the biggest revenue in the world. 'We have ended the financial year with a revenue of 603,9 million euros.' Big boss: Real president Florentino Perez, signing Javier Hernandez, was 'satisfied with the club's stability' Galacticos Mk II: Real have signed global superstars like £60m James Rodriguez (R) this summer . The financial report still has to be approved by the club's board of directors, which will hold a general assembly on September 21. This summer, Real have spent 122.5million euros in the transfer market having brought James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Keylor Navas on permanent deals while Javier Hernandez joined the Spanish outfit on a season-long loan from Manchester United. However, that figure is almost balanced out by the 114million euros received for Angel di Maria, Xabi Alonso, Alvaro Morata, Casemiro and Diego Lopez. | Real Madrid have posted biggest club revenue for 10th consecutive year .
Revenue for 2013/14 was £480m while profits rose 4.4 per cent to £30.5m .
Despite selling Angel di Maria to Manchester United, Real have signed the likes of James Rodriguez, Toni Kroos and Keylor Navas . |
3,882 | 0b2ddcfbaa33befdfcf3a46dad835d37211bc922 | It could be the wedding video to end all wedding videos. There are not many newlyweds who can say they received a call from the President of the United States on their wedding day. Granted, the President was calling to apologize after the bride and groom -- Natalie Heimel and Ed Mallue Jr. -- were forced to scramble to find an alternate location for their wedding, once they were informed by the Kaneohe Klipper Golf Course at Marine Corps Base Hawaii that Obama wanted to play through the site of their nuptials. "Listen. Congratulations on your wedding. I feel terrible. Nobody told us," Obama told the couple in a video provided to CNN by the bride's family. "If they had just mentioned that they were going to have a wedding on the 16th hole, we would have skipped the 16th hole," the President added. "I hope the wedding went OK anyway," he continued. In the video, Heimel and Mallue can be seen all dressed up for their big day, hanging on Obama's every word, and laughing as they carried on a conversation with the President that lasted several minutes. The wedding was just fine, Mallue and Heimel reassured Obama, who was clearly embarrassed by the mix-up. "Thank you very much. It was a blessing in disguise," Mallue said. "We just went right above the 16th hole. So we were watching you golf," Heimel joked about their new wedding site. Acknowledging he is far from an ace golfer, Obama quipped, "That must have been kind of painful." "What did you shoot, Mr. President?" Mallue asked. "I shot an 84. If I had skipped the 16th hole, I would have shot a 79," Obama replied. The conversation then turned to what sounded like an episode of the presidential dating game. "How long you been going out?" Obama asked. The couple proceeded to tell Obama they have been dating since 2011. The military couple, both captains, attended West Point, before moving to Germany where they met. They now live in Hawaii, which led to the President's next question. "Now, the only question is where do you honeymoon when you live in Hawaii?" Obama joked. "We haven't figured that part out yet," Heimel joked. "Might be Fort Polk, Louisiana," Mallue quipped. The couple then invited Obama to their reception. Fearing he might cause another wedding mishap, the President respectfully declined. "Everybody would have to be magged," Obama joked about his security needs. "Sorry for the change of plans. But sounds like you guys are gonna have a great wedding and at least you will have a good story to tell." "Congratulations and thank you both for your service," Obama added at the end of the call. | President Obama called newlyweds after his golf game interrupted their wedding plans .
"I feel terrible," he told the couple .
Obama said he would have skipped the 16th hole if he had known . |
64,191 | b64d58e2393adf2dab359582bde48691b47f7eb6 | New York (CNN) -- Americans can expect a roaring debate over social issues in the discussion of the next Supreme Court nominee, but in the end, President Obama's choice to succeed Justice John Paul Stevens is likely to be confirmed, CNN senior legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin says. Toobin, author of "The Nine: Inside the Secret World of the Supreme Court," said the large Democratic majority in the U.S. Senate gives Obama a strong chance of getting his choice confirmed. He says, though, that the ideologically divided court has undergone a lot of turnover in the past five years, and it's impossible to predict how it will evolve. Toobin notes that one thing is fairly clear: Obama will probably begin his search for a new justice with the candidates he did not select when he picked Sonia Sotomayor for the court last year. Toobin spoke with CNN on Friday. Here is an edited transcript. CNN: What do you think is the most significant role that Justice Stevens played on the court? Jeffrey Toobin: As the senior associate justice on the court, he had the second most formal authority to assign the writing of opinions after the chief justice, and he was undoubtedly the leader of the liberal wing and a very successful one. CNN: Now, who will assume that senior associate justice role? Toobin: The senior associate justice role would be Antonin Scalia now, but he votes with Chief Justice [John] Roberts most of the time. So the senior liberal on the court would now be Ruth Bader Ginsburg, who is a less outgoing person than Justice Stevens. CNN: Do you expect we'll see a marked change in how the court operates? Toobin: The court doesn't change dramatically in terms of its operations. But as Justice Byron White used to say, "You change one justice, you change the whole court," and I expect that will be true. By Supreme Court standards, the last five years have been a period of enormous turnover. It's not at all clear which side will be ahead when it's all over. CNN: Do you expect that there's any potential the president's nomination could change the complexion of the court? Toobin: I am certain the president will nominate someone who is generally sympathetic with Stevens and Obama's own politics, but history shows it's folly to predict with precision exactly how a justice will evolve over decades. CNN: What do you think are the two or three things that are most important to Obama in making this decision? Toobin: I think the most important criterion is a justice of integrity and intelligence. The second is a justice who shares his general views about law and the Constitution, and third is someone who can get confirmed. CNN: What kind of a justice does he need to nominate in order to get a confirmation that is relatively easy? Toobin: He has 59 Democratic senators, so it's overwhelmingly likely that anyone he nominates will get confirmed. It's important to remember that. By historic standards, this is a very large majority. Yes, it is possible there will be a filibuster, but there has never been a successful filibuster to stop a Supreme Court nominee in the modern era. CNN: And how important is age as a factor in his decision? Toobin: I think age is a huge factor, because one of the big appeals of Supreme Court nominations is that they serve for life, and a 49-year-old nominee will likely serve 10 years more than a 59-year-old nominee. CNN: Of the recent issues that have been before the court and the issues that are coming up, which of them are likely to be raised in the course of the debate over the nomination? Toobin: There are certain evergreens of constitutional conflict that come up, though nominees rarely address them directly. One is abortion, another is affirmative action, but to be sure, there will be questions about gun rights, there will be questions about the constitutionality of health care reform, and there will always be issues that we can't even anticipate. CNN: And do you think this resonates beyond Washington this year? Toobin: I do. When you're talking about the Supreme Court, you're talking about social issues, which many people care very deeply about, so I think this is not just a Beltway issue. CNN: You've said that you're a law school classmate and friend of [Solicitor General] Elena Kagan. What's your view of her? Toobin: I think she is a formidable possible nominee. She seems to meet many of the criteria that Obama has talked about: intelligence, integrity, a consensus-builder, and she was just confirmed by the Senate as solicitor general last year, which is not a guarantee that she would get confirmed but certainly can't hurt. CNN: In her role as a law school dean, she was noted for bringing on conservative scholars? Toobin: That's correct. She was known as a real defender of ideological diversity on the faculty. CNN: Who do you think are the two or three other leading candidates? Toobin: I think presidents generally don't like to reinvent the wheel with their Supreme Court candidates. The finalists before were Kagan, [Judge] Diane Wood of the 7th Circuit and Janet Napolitano, the secretary of Homeland Security. I expect the list will begin with them and may include others. One illustration of how much the country has changed is that Stevens is the only Protestant on the court. It is a court now of six Catholic justices and two Jewish justices, compared to a time when there used to be a Catholic seat and a Jewish seat. CNN: Do you think Obama would be mindful of that in making a selection? Toobin: I think religion now is more of a curiosity than a criterion for nomination. So, yes, he would be aware of it, but I don't think it would make a difference. | Obama will likely begin search for nominee with candidates he didn't pick last time .
Jeffrey Toobin says social issues will be front and center in debate over nominee .
He says Obama's majority in Senate means he will likely get choice confirmed . |
67,164 | be880bc881cdf272f68a425d474d50b41a91c548 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 13:16 EST, 26 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:45 EST, 27 November 2013 . A European probe that will map more than a billion stars in 3D is set to revolutionise astronomy, according to scientists, who have announced the start of its launch countdown. British scientists and engineers have played key roles in the design and construction of the 840 million pound spacecraft, called Gaia. The two-tonne robot is due to be blasted into orbit on a Russian Soyuz rocket from the European space port in French Guiana on December 19. An artist's impression of Gaia, the £840 million spacecraft that will map more than a billion stars in 3D. It will pinpoint many millions of stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way, with unparalleled precision and aims to yield clues about mysterious dark matter and dark energy . The mission, which will last five years, is designed to discover thousands of previously unknown objects, including exploding stars, planets orbiting other suns and nearby asteroids. It will also pinpoint many millions of stars in our galaxy, the Milky Way, with unparalleled precision and aims to yield clues about mysterious dark matter and dark energy. Gaia will operate from a stable location one-and-a-half-million kilometres from the Earth known as the L2 Lagrangian point. Situated with the Earth between it and the Sun, the spacecraft will be perfectly placed to observe the wider universe. As it spins slowly, two telescopes will sweep across the entire sky and simultaneously focus their light on the largest digital camera ever flown in space. Gaia's antenna in the test chamber at the Europe Space port in French Guiana. The five-year mission is said to be the most ambitious in space history . The flood of data produced by the mission will be enough to fill more than 30,000 CD ROMs. Britain's principal Gaia investigator Professor Gerry Gilmore, from Cambridge University, said: 'The results from Gaia will revolutionise our understanding of the cosmos as never before. 'Our understanding of what's out there has been driven by looking at what we can see. We've never had a genuine opportunity to look at everything, to know what's there, and to know where they are in relation to each other. 'We don't even know how much we don't know - there are sure to be objects out there that don't even have names yet, since we don't yet realise how strange they are. 'There are literally hundreds of questions like this - why is the universe the way it is? Where did the Milky Way come from? What's it really made of? Exactly how much does it weigh? How did it get to be like it is? The Gaia craft is tested in a lab in French Guiana before it was launched. It is Europe's successor to the Hipparcos satellite which mapped around 100,000 stars . 'We will go beyond what we can see to understand reality. We are going to discover completely new things - things we would think are impossible.' British universities and companies won around £67 million worth of contracts from the European Space Agency to build key components of the spacecraft, including its camera sensors and micro-propulsion system. A state-of-the-art processing centre at Cambridge will sift and digest massive amounts of raw data from the probe. Gaia will operate from a stable location one-and-a-half-million kilometres from the Earth known as the L2 Lagrangian point. Situated with the Earth between it and the Sun (illustrated), the spacecraft will be perfectly placed to observe the wider universe . Dr Floor van Leeuwen, manager of Gaia data processing in the UK, said: 'The sensors on board the spacecraft will be able to detect objects so faint the human eye would have to be nearly 4,000 times more powerful to see them. 'This accuracy is equivalent to measuring a shirt button on the moon as seen from the Earth. It means we have to have the highest-capability computers to analyse the data.' Gaia will help scientists investigating two of astronomy's greatest mysteries, Dark Matter and Dark Energy. As Gaia (pictured) slowly, two telescopes will sweep across the entire sky and simultaneously focus their light on the largest digital camera ever flown in space. The flood of data produced by the mission will be enough to fill more than 30,000 CD ROMs . Dark matter is an invisible substance that glues galaxies together, yet cannot be detected other than by observing its gravitational effects. DarkeEnergy is a strange propulsive force that appears to be hard-wired into the fabric of space itself and is causing galaxies to fly apart at an accelerating rate. The probe will also be able to detect far-off solar systems with their own families of planets, and, closer to home, spot potentially threatening asteroids whose orbits reach out as far as Earth. Gaia will help scientists investigating two of astronomy's greatest mysteries, dark matter and dark energy Here, Gaia's Service Module rests at the Europe space port in French Guiana . | British scientists and engineers have played key roles in the design and construction of the £840million pound spacecraft .
The mission is designed to discover thousands of previously unknown objects and to yield clues about mysterious dark .
matter and dark energy .
The two-tonne robot is due to be blasted .
into orbit on a Russian Soyuz rocket from the European space port in .
French Guiana on December 19 . |
121,970 | 29ad47d7fe1c07972574f925071c8f4f84c0df55 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 03:25 EST, 13 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:44 EST, 13 August 2012 . The Coalition is facing a serious crisis of public confidence as five out of six voters now believe it will not survive until the 2015 General Election. And the number who think the Government will collapse early has doubled in a fortnight as the Lib Dems and Tories continue to squabble in public, a new poll has revealed. It is more bad news for David Cameron and Nick Clegg, who have fallen out over reforming the House of Lords and constituency boundary changes. Confidence crisis: Only one in six voters now believe the Coalition will survive to May 2015 because David Cameron and Nick Clegg continue to squabble . The two leaders are continuing to stick together on the economy, but if they were to row over that then it could spell the end for the partnership. According to a Guardian/ICM poll only 16 per cent said the Coalition will survive to May 2015. This has halved from the 33 per cent who thought this when asked the same question two weeks ago. Meanwhile the number who think it will last to a few months before the 2015 election has also dropped from 23 per cent a fortnight ago to 19 per cent. And 43 per cent think it will implode in the next two years - double the 23 per cent who though this in late July. Happier times: Prime Minister David Cameron with Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg at their first joint press Conference in the Rose garden of Number 10 Downing Street in May 2010 . One in ten think the Lib Dem/Tory pact will break up even quicker. The Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister met for a 'clear the air' dinner on Friday to patch up the Coalition feud over reform of the House of Lords and parliamentary boundary changes. It is understood the two agreed to stop squabbling and focus on the economy instead before they both go on holiday today, leaving Foreign Secretary William Hague to run the country. The dinner in the Prime Minister’s flat was attended by the four senior members of the Coalition – the so-called ‘Quad’ of Mr Cameron, Chancellor George Osborne, Mr Clegg and Liberal Democrat Treasury Minister Danny Alexander. It came after mounting fears that the Coalition is on the verge of collapse. Mr Clegg last week retaliated against Mr Cameron’s failure to back him over House of Lords reform by publicly vowing to sabotage the Prime Minister’s plan to approve changes in parliamentary constituencies, which would boost Conservative hopes of winning the next Election. Guests: Chancellor George Osborne and . Liberal Democrat Treasury Minister Danny Alexander were also invited to . the 'clear the air' dinner on Friday night . In an interview with The Mail on Sunday, Mr Cameron said Mr Clegg was wrong to oppose moves to reduce the number of MPs and address the growing imbalance in the number of voters in each constituency. The Prime Minister said that the Lib Dems had broken their pledge to allow boundary changes in exchange for last year’s referendum on scrapping Britain’s first-past-the-post General Election voting system – which was defeated. Mr Cameron said he had invited Mr Clegg to dinner to put the recent disputes behind them and ‘hammer out what we will be doing this autumn and into the future’. Mr Cameron said: ‘I wouldn’t be giving up my Friday night to sit down with the Lib Dems if I didn’t want a bold reforming long-term government. 'Yes, there are arguments, but there are arguments in one-party governments too.’ Two polls published in other newspapers suggested the Olympics had done little to shift opinion on who to vote for. YouGov, for the Sunday Times, put Labour on 42%, the Conservatives on 34% and the Lib Dems and Ukip on 8% each. | Number who think Lib Dem/Tory pact will end early has also doubled in two weeks .
New poll shows public not impressed with squabbling over House of Lords reform and boundary changes . |
4,168 | 0c04e91bdf32cffa2af4de5c474e623372ab7034 | By . Tara Brady . A primary school has banned children from drinking squash because it is too unhealthy. Youngsters at Carlton Central Infant School in Nottingham are only allowed to drink a choice of orange juice, milk or water. However, some parents claim their children are becoming dehydrated and going without a drink all day because they will only drink cordial squash. Corbyn Richardson who has been told not to drink cordial at school pictured with his mum Nikki Richardson . Parents have branded the school’s claims that cordial drinks are unhealthy as 'nonsense' because the orange juice allowed is loaded with sugar. They accused the school of double standards because they happily allow crisps and chocolate as well as serving up fattening sponge cakes, cookies and cream and custard desserts in the school canteen. Mother-of-four Nikki Richardson, 32, says her four-year-old son Corbyn has been going thirsty while at school and has called for an end to the 'barmy' restrictions. However, scrooge school bosses have refused to back down on the rules, insisting parents must get a note from a doctor if they want their children to drink the cordials. Corbyn Richardson's parents believe their son is becoming dehydrated and going without a drink all day . Mrs Richardson, who sends Corbyn to school with a no added-sugar 10 calorie Fruitshoot drink each day, said: 'I was sending my son to school with cordial in his lunchbox and he was coming home with it at the end of the day. 'He was not being allowed to drink it. 'He was coming home thirsty. I asked the head teacher why and they said they weren’t allowing it on health grounds. Mrs Richardson sends Corbyn to school with a no added-sugar 10 calorie Fruitshoot drink each day . 'But there is sugar in pure fruit juice, so I don’t accept that explanation. It’s also very acidic, which isn’t good for his teeth. 'There’s less calories in the cordial I am sending him to school with. There’s three calories in the ones I buy and up to 115 calories in orange juice the school provides. 'Where is the logic in that? 'I don’t want him to drink milk in this hot weather as it’s not stored in the fridge and he doesn’t like water. 'My son won’t drink any of them, so what is he supposed to do? He is going thirsty and that is dangerous for his health. 'Ironically I asked about the chocolate and crisps in his lunchbox and they said "oh, that’s absolutely fine". 'That’s even more unhealthy than a no-added sugar cordial drink and they serve up custard and cream and sponge cakes quite happily. 'It’s just double standards really.' Full-time mum Nikki, who lives in Carlton, Nottinghamshire, with husband Matthew, 33, a bus driver, is now starting a petition to get the ban dropped. She added: 'I’ve had so much support, all the other parents think it is ridiculous too. 'We just want common sense to prevail in the end, it’s just nonsense and completely barmy.' Tiffany Antcliffe, whose five-year-old daughter Amber is also going without a drink all day, said: 'She has been coming out of school saying she is very thirsty. 'She won’t drink water and I want her to have cordial. Corbyn Richardson's parents have started a petition calling for children to be allowed to drink squash . 'But they have said that if she goes into school with cordial she will have it taken off her. 'I keep sending her with cordial. I don’t believe it is that unhealthy.' Another parent, who did not want to be named, said: 'I know kids, including my own, are going without a drink because of this. 'The school should reconsider. 'They are children, they don’t understand that if they do not take in liquids they can become dehydrated and very ill. Fruit shoot No Added Sugar 200ml . Energy: 10calories . Protein: Trace . Sugar: 1.6g . Fat: Trace . Orange Juice 200ml . Energy: 100calories . Protein: 1.4g . Sugar: 23g . Fat: Trace . 'The school is preventing them from drinking something they will actually take in and is putting our children in real danger.' Earlier this year, research by experts at Glasgow University revealed that drinking fruit juice, including pure orange juice, can be harmful. They said a 250ml serving of orange juice contains 115 calories. Carlton Central Infants said it was following county council guidelines. Headteacher Anna Spencer added: 'If parents don’t wish their child to bring in water for medical reasons, we have asked them to supply a doctor’s letter. 'The reason we introduced this policy is that although the majority of parents were sending their child in with water, some children were bringing in sugar-laden fizzy or still drinks every day, which were having an adverse effect on their behaviour by the afternoons when some were becoming disruptive in class. 'Bringing in water also means that children can easily top up their bottles during the day, especially when the weather is warm, to keep them hydrated.' Youngsters at Carlton Central Infant School in Nottingham are only allowed to drink orange juice, milk or water . A Fruit Shoot No Added Sugar contains 10 calories while a 200ml glass of orange juice has 100 calories . The school which caters for 179 children aged between three and seven was rated as 'Good' in all areas after an OFSTED inspection in 2012. The report claimed that the school needed to 'improve the effectiveness of leadership and management and quality of teaching.' In January this year Valence Primary School in Dagenham, Essex banned fruit juices from school lunchboxes due to their unhealthy calorie content. | Parents at Carlton Central Infant School say children are dehydrated .
Youngsters are only allowed to drink orange juice, milk and water .
A petition has been started calling for children to be allowed squash .
Carlton Central Infants says it is following county council guidelines . |
75,094 | d4e68636234d555db065620e54802ac50e4b9584 | Authorities came upon a grisly scene in Brooklyn Monday, discovering a woman who had lived with her mother's corpse for at least a year, putting it at the dinner table for a dining companion and cuddling next to it at night as she slept. 'It’s a scene right out of ‘Psycho’. . . This is one of the weirdest cases I’ve ever seen' said one law-enforcement source. According to The New York Post, Chava Stirn, 28, was discovered living with the corpse of mother Susie Rosenthal, 61.when emergency services was called to the apartment in Borough Park to respond to a complaint of a foul odor. Police arrived at this building in Brooklyn on Monday to find a woman who had been living with the remains of her dead mother for almost a year . Stirn was said to be behaving erratically and said she wanted to hurt herself. Her obsessions had gone so far that, like famous film murder Norman Bates, she even dressed up in her mother's clothes and was wearing the same black shoes and outfit Rosenthal had on when she died. The deceased's bones were resting on a bed of trash bags in the kitchen when authorities arrived. Stirn would often sleep next to the remains on a chair in the kitchen, leaving stacks of paper to cover her twin bed. Rosenthal's cause of death is uncertain. 'She may have been living there with the mom’s remains for two or three years . . . It’s a horrible scene,' the law enforcement source told the Post. An autopsy will be done to confirm the findings. Suspicions were only aroused when the building's super tried to investigate a leak coming from the apartment. Stirn refused to open up to emergency workers who were forced to knock the door down. They found her disheveled in her chair, with piles of trash around her up to her waist. She was apparently a shut-in who lived with her mother while the older woman was still alive. A relative would occasionally leave food outside her door. 'When I listened, she was screaming . . . [She yelled] ‘I kill myself, I kill myself!’' neighbobr Malka Le told reporters. Another unnamed neighbor said: 'I never saw her or her mother. They never came out. I never saw the door open.' Stirn was taken to the Maimonides Medical Center for a psychiatric evaluation. Both woman reportedly exhibited psychological problems recent years, neighbor said. No charges have yet been filed. | Police responded to the scene to deal with a complaint of foul odor .
Discovered Chava Stirn, 28, who was behaving erratically and said she wanted to hurt herself .
After taking Stirn into custody, authorities discovered the body of mother Susie Rosenthal, 61 .
Stirn would dress in her mother's clothes and have dinner with the body .
Neighbors described her as a shut-in with a history of mental health issues . |
246,307 | cacb76c9f3b6b090508f6726e92e9f9644a27ccc | The Duchess of Cambridge joined Princes William and Harry and Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice to cheer on their cousin . The Duchess of Cornwall also attended with Zara's mother Princess Anne and her son Peter with his wife Autumn . Zara and Team GB took home silver . Phillips . made an early mistake in her showjumping round, adding to . penalties clocked up by Team GB . The Royal family returned to Greenwich Park today to cheer on the Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips as Team GB took home a silver medal in the Eventing Team Jumping final of the three-discipline Olympic equestrian eventing competition. The Duchess of Cambridge along with Princes William and Harry joined Princess Anne and the Duchess of Cornwall to watch Zara compete. Zara Phillips and her team mates narrowly missed out on gold in the equestrian eventing today but spectators were still delighted. The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge with Prince Harry cheer and wave as Great Britain's Eventing team arrive to collect their medals during the Individual Eventing Jumping Final . William and Kate both cheered loudly, waving their hands in the air as it was announced that Zara and her team had taken home the silver medal . Prince William and his wife Catherine celebrate with Peter Phillips, son of Princess Anne, as Kristina Cook finishes competing in the Jumping Phase of the Eventing competition . Great Britain's Zara Phillips celebrates with her Silver medal during the Team Eventing Medal ceremony on day four of the London Olympic Games as the crowds cheer her on . Great Britain's (left to right) Nicola Wilson, Zara Phillips, William Fox-Pitt, Mary King and Kristina Cook with their silver medalsl during the Team Eventing Medal ceremony . Zara Phillips looked delighted as she galloped around Greenwich Park with her silver medal on High Kingdom . Zara Phillips wins a silver medal and gets a hug from her mother Princess Anne for GB in the team event . Zara Phillips and her team mates . narrowly missed out on gold in the equestrian eventing today but . spectators were still delighted. Phillips . made a heartbreaking early mistake in her showjumping round, adding to . penalties clocked up by Team GB in the previous three days of . competition, which cost them gold. Nicola . Wilson was given a tough score for her dressage on Saturday, while . William Fox-Pitt fell prey to time penalties in the cross country . yesterday. Phillips' mother, the Princess Royal, herself a former Olympian, is set to present her daughter with her team medal later today. The Queen's granddaughter was third up for the British equestrian eventing team this morning. Supporters . who had braved gloomy skies in Greenwich, south east London, fell into a . hushed silence as she tackled the course, which included jumps . featuring a miniature Nelson's column and bright red post boxes. But they erupted into enthusiastic cheers once she had finished, waving Union flags. Members . of the Royal family turned out again to support her, with the Duke and . Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry cheering her on. Harry . and William, both wearing white Team GB polo shirts, looked delighted . as the Britons secured silver, as did the Duchess, who was wearing a blue and white nautical striped top under the navy £500 Smythe blazer that she wore to yesterday's event. She accessorized her look with navy wedges and a navy clutch bag from high street brand Russell & Bromley. The Duchess of Cambridge left the event today carrying an umbrella after some rain showers earlier on. She wore a blue and white stripey top with a navy Smythe blazer, fitted navy jeans and blue cork wedges . Zara's brother Peter Phillips, Prince William, the Duchess of Cambridge, and Prince Harry seemed to be enjoying themselves as they laughed together in the stands . William and Kate seemed to be distracted by something up above whilst Harry concentrated on the event. Kate chose the same £500 navy blazer by Smythe as yesterday, this time teaming it with a chic Breton striped top . Great Britain's Zara Phillips celebrates with Tina Cook (centre) and Nicola Wilson (left) after they won silver in the Team Eventing Jumping Final on day four of the London Olympic Games at Greenwich Park, London . Zara Phillips celebrates with her husband Mike Tindall after her team won silver in the Team Eventing Jumping Final on day four of the London Olympic Games . There were still a small number of . empty seats in the arena, even though organisers had sold extra tickets . to fill unused spaces. Team GB began the day in second place . after Phillips and her four team mates put in fantastic performances in . the cross country yesterday. A number of riders fell on the tricky . course in historic Greenwich Park, but Phillips, Nicola Wilson, Mary . King and Kristina Cook all avoided penalties by finishing within a tough . time limit. William Fox-Pitt just missed out when his horse tired towards the end of the course. Phillips follows in the footsteps of . her Olympian parents Princess Anne, who competed in the 1976 games in . Montreal, and Mark Phillips, currently the US team's coach, who won . medals in 1972 and 1988. The 31-year-old, who was again watched by her mother today, said the crowd gave her a boost as she competed. She said: 'It's incredible, it gives . you a massive lift as you come into the arena. We're really grateful to . everyone who've come here to cheer us on.' Phillips recovered well after making an initial mistake and knocking a bar down on an early jump on her horse High Kingdom. She said: 'It was a bit slow in the beginning but after that he got faster, it was my fault, not his. I'm really proud of him.' Fans at the equestrian event were treated to spectacular views of the capital city taking in the historical Battersea Power Station, the modern towers of the financial district and St Paul's Cathedral . Kate and William cuddled up during the event but Harry didn't look as bemused as Kate as he sat with arms folded watching his cousin ride around the course . There were laughs all round for the young Royals as Kate and William cheered his cousin on in this afternoon's event . Things were tense on the course for 31-year-old Zara Phillips and her team but the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge looked relaxed and happy haring a joke in the crowd . The gloomy skies couldn't dampen the couples' spirits as they watched William's cousin Zara and her eventing team push for gold in the in the final day of the equestrian event . She said performing in front of a home crowd did not increase the pressure on her. 'It's the pressure that you put on yourself trying to get the best score you can for your team.' Yesterday was the first anniversary of . her wedding to rugby player Mike Tindall, but when asked if she had had . a chance to celebrate, she laughed and said: 'No.' High Kingdom lost both his front shoes in the cross-country yesterday but recovered well, she said. 'I'm really happy with him to be able to do that today.' Phillips entered the arena to rapturous applause, quickly followed by silence as she tackled the jumps. She said: 'It makes the noise of the poles falling even louder.' Audience members today included former prime minister Sir John Major. Kate and Harry once again displayed how close they are as they leaned in for a chat and smiled together whilst William watched the horses . The couple looked very much in love as they chatted and grinned at each other throughout the afternoon's event. Kate was sporting her trademark tousled locks . Britain's Zara Phillips and her horse High Kingdom compete in the show-jumping phase of the equestrian, where her team took silver . Phillips added: 'There was a mistake . that we shouldn't have had because he's a good jumper and obviously it's . disappointing for a team sport, but generally I'm really happy with . him.' When asked if the competition had been an emotional experience for her, she joked: 'It's like an emotional rollercoaster.' Family members have come to support her every day of the eventing. She said: 'It's nice that they've managed to come and watch.' Fox-Pitt's wife Alice, who works as a . racing journalist under her maiden name Plunkett, watched with her . five-year-old son Thomas and gave a massive cheer as Tina Cook completed . her round, bringing Team GB their silver medal. She said her husband was 'ecstatic' with the result. 'Gold was there for the taking, obviously it's really disappointing that they didn't get it,' she said. 'It is not Zara's fault there were . little mistakes. It's a team, it isn't about one person. William's time . faults yesterday were expensive, there's a whole host of reasons - it's . never down to one person.' Mrs Fox-Pitt said the team was still 'thrilled' with their silver, adding: 'Obviously there's still the . individual medals to play for.' The Queen's granddaughter Zara Phillips competing on High Kingdom to rapturous applause from the crowd during the Team Eventing Jumping Final on day four of the London Olympic Games at Greenwich Park . Resounding cheers from the Greenwich crowd left Zara visibly moved . The emotional Royal wipes away a tear after giving her all in the event . The Duchess of Cornwall and Zara's proud mother Princess Anne arrive to watch the Team Eventing Jumping Final. Camilla wore a rain mac in anticiption of heavy skies while Anne supported Team GB in style in branded accessories . In the stands William and Harry both . looked smart, with William donning a white shirt under a grey blazer and . Harry also wearing a white collared shirt. Kate and William showed their support to Team GB by wearing a gold and red Team GB badge fastened onto their blazers. The three young Royals laughed and joked together as they watched the event. Zara's mother Princess Anne sat with Camilla as they watched the riders gallop around the course. Anne looked extremely patriotic donning a Team GB bag and two Olympic pins on her navy blazer. Alongside . the family, Zara's brother Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn watched . on, both wearing full team GB gear, with matching hats. The Queen's granddaughter is one of five members of the team, who went into the final day of the competition in second place. The 31-year-old scored a . penalty-free ride through the treacherous cross-country event yesterday, . negotiating her horse, High Kingdom, over 28 obstacles and a slippery course that . claimed a dozen fallen riders. Bea and Eugenie showed their support for the second day running but today they didn't sit with their cousins and took a seat behind their mother and Camilla . Princess Beatrice of York and Princess Eugenie of York come and have a chat with the other young Royal family members at the event . Zara's brother and William lookalike Peter Phillips and his wife Autumn were also there to cheer on the team as they rode for gold, dressed patriotically in Team GB fleeces and caps . Showbiz Roundup! Kate & Kate gorgeous in grey plus Jackson family feud latest!... | The Duchess of Cambridge joined Princes William and Harry and Princesses Eugenie and Beatrice to cheer on their cousin .
The Duchess of Cornwall also attended with Zara's mother Princess Anne and her son Peter with his wife Autumn .
Zara and Team GB took home silver .
Phillips .
made an early mistake in her showjumping round, adding to .
penalties clocked up by Team GB . |
141,704 | 4340b01ae88eda694b14041b96a6a98a89c7c685 | White supremacist serial killer Joseph Paul Franklin was executed Wednesday morning after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected his final requests for a stay, the Missouri Department of Public Safety said. The execution, which had been scheduled for shortly after midnight Wednesday, was delayed for hours because of court appeals. Franklin was administered a lethal injection at 6:07 a.m. CT (7:07 a.m. ET). He died ten minutes later. Franklin refused his final meal and gave no final statement. He was on death row for the 1977 murder of Gerald Gordon outside a synagogue in St. Louis. He was blamed for 22 killings between 1977 and 1980 in a bid to start a race war. Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon denied clemency for Franklin on Monday, saying he had committed "merciless acts of violence, fueled by hate." In addition to the killings, Franklin admitted to the attempted assassinations of Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt in 1978 and civil rights leader Vernon Jordan in 1980. Flynt, who was paralyzed by Franklin's bullet, has called for clemency for Franklin, saying "the government has no business at all being in the business of killing people." Battle over drugs used . One of Franklin's final legal maneuvers focused on the drug used for the lethal injection, pentobarbital. His attorneys argued that the injection would violate the Constitution's ban on cruel and unusual punishment. On Tuesday, U.S. District Judge Nanette Laughrey granted a stay of execution, finding Franklin's lawyers showed the use of pentobarbital carried "a high risk of contamination and prolonged, unnecessary pain beyond that which is required to achieve death." An intimate discussion with a serial killer . "Given the irreversible nature of the death penalty and plaintiffs' medical evidence and allegations, a stay is necessary to ensure that the defendants' last act against Franklin is not permanent, irremediable cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth Amendment," Laughrey wrote. Another federal judge granted a second stay Tuesday, based on a separate defense petition contesting Franklin's competency. "The Court concludes that a stay of execution is required to permit a meaningful review," U.S. District Judge Carol Jackson wrote. The state appealed both stays to the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which decided early Wednesday that Franklin's lawyers had not provided enough evidence to warrant a stay. The U.S. Supreme Court denied Franklin's requests to step in and halt the execution. Missouri had planned to use propofol, the surgical anesthetic made infamous by the death of pop star Michael Jackson. But Nixon reversed that decision after being warned that the European Union -- whose members forbid capital punishment -- might halt shipments of the drug, leading to shortages for medical purposes. Missouri and other states that conduct executions have had to scramble for new drugs after European-based manufacturers banned American prisons from using their drugs in executions. In October, the state announced it would use pentobarbital, which would be provided by an unnamed compounding pharmacy. Franklin's lawyers argued that would raise the risk of contamination and a painful death. | Joseph Paul Franklin is executed after the Supreme Court declines to step in .
Two judges granted stays Tuesday .
He shot Hustler magazine publisher Larry Flynt .
He was executed for a 1977 killing outside a St. Louis synagogue . |
1,159 | 034aa3f5c0dd2a495017644045164623931922d2 | A dispute over the fate of a missing pig has landed one Missouri man in jail and another in the hospital with 23 stab wounds. Joshua Finke, 22, of St. Charles, was charged Tuesday with felony assault for allegedly attacking a 38-year-old neighbor with a screwdriver. The Lincoln County Sheriff's Department says Finke was accused by three roommates Monday night of stealing a 200-pound pig, and what started as a verbal spat between the men quickly turned physical. Skirmish sparked by a swine: Joshua Finke, 22, of St. Charles, was charged Tuesday with felony assault for allegedly attacking his 38-year-old roommate during an argument over the victim's missing pig . Court documents obtained by Stltoday.com indicate that the victim and his two roommates had been fattening up the pig for seven months for slaughter in their backyard east of Highway 79 in Winfield. Two weeks ago, the animal vanished from its pen and the pig's owners have come to suspect Finke of being the thief. When the roommates confronted Finke about the missing animal at around 10.30pm Monday, the 22-year-old allegedly lunged at the 38-year-old man, plunging a sharp object believed to be a screwdriver into his back 22 times and stabbing him once in the head. Pignapped: Finke was accused by three men of stealing a 200-pound pig (not pictured) that had been raised by one of them for meat . The unnamed victim was rushed to a local hospital for treatment and was released Tuesday morning. Finke is being held on $100,000 cash bond. The pig that sparked the bloody attack remains at large. | Joshua Finke, 22, of Missouri, charged with felony assault for allegedly attacking a 38-year-old man .
The victim and his two roommates had been fattening up the pig in their backyard for seven months . |
263,999 | e1ec33cc50be28847ace246e9df2a4715c0c4d77 | François Hollande did not thank his opponent, Nicolas Sarkozy, during his acceptance speech, after defeating the incumbent with 51.6% of the vote in the French presidential runoff. But he should have, as he ran an anti-Sarkozy campaign, promising to behave like a "normal president" in contrast to the impulsive, unpredictable and sometimes ostentatious Sarkozy. And it worked: Fifty-five percent of the voters who cast a ballot for him did it to defeat Sarkozy rather than to elect Hollande. This victory comes after an odd campaign on both sides. Sarkozy started off courting the center by emphasizing his record of reforms and his role in solving the eurozone crisis with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. But in March, he decided to take a page from his own 2007 campaign and raid the extreme-right electorate of Marine Le Pen instead. He emphasized themes like immigration, Islam and the necessity for a more protective, even protectionist, Europe. This time, however, the strategy backfired. Le Pen got a historic score in the first round, while Sarkozy sowed confusion in his own camp -- and lost. Hollande, betting on the anti-Sarkozy mood, refrained from making big promises, and even his signature reforms had a lot of fine print. For example, he announced that he would recruit 60,000 more teachers -- but by shifting existing civil service jobs from other ministries to education. He promised to roll back Sarkozy's pension reform -- but for only a tiny fraction of workers. He pledged to renegotiate the European Fiscal Compact Treaty that Sarkozy negotiated with Merkel -- but only to add a growth stimulus, not to alter the new disciplines it imposes. His prudence is easy enough to explain: French debt is close to 90% of GDP, the 2011 deficit was 5.2%, and Hollande has promised to rein it in to 3% in 2013 and zero in 2017 (Sarkozy was promising 2016). He will be closely monitored by the bond markets and the rating agencies, one of which stripped France of its triple-A in January. That is precisely one of the three big challenges Hollande will face -- to convince markets he can chart a fiscally responsible course and restore the competitiveness of France's economy while its southern neighbors are reforming fast and Germany is already very competitive. This in turn partly depends on a second challenge he faces, fashioning a new Franco-German, and then pan-European, consensus on the eurozone crisis. Merkel was furious when Hollande announced in December that if elected, he will renegotiate the Fiscal Compact Treaty. She went as far as to refuse to receive him in Berlin, as is traditional for French presidential candidates, and to announce that she would campaign for Sarkozy -- which in the end she didn't, given Sarkozy's own U-turn on Europe. But in recent weeks, the landscape has changed profoundly. Twelve European countries are now in recession, and the leaders of Italy and Spain have asked for balancing fiscal consolidation with growth measures, lest their drastic reforms be altogether rejected by populations suffering from austerity measures. This new "growth consensus" even includes Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank, who insists, however, on structural reforms rather than a stimulus with public money. For the difficult question facing European leaders is how to stimulate the economy without deepening the deficit. Hollande has put forward suggestions (pumping up the European Investment Bank, reallocating structural funds, issuing eurobonds for infrastructure projects, creating a financial transactions tax), and there is room for a compromise with Merkel, who cannot afford to be isolated. This could take the form of an additional protocol to the Fiscal Compact to make it more acceptable, including to the German opposition Social Democratic Party, whose votes are needed for ratification. For Hollande, this negotiation will be particularly difficult during his first month in office, because he will face a third challenge -- to win the legislative elections June 10 and 17. If he loses, the resulting situation of cohabitation (divided government) would be a disaster for France and the eurozone, as Paris would be largely paralyzed. This is why Hollande will be very careful not to antagonize French voters before the crucial votes. Fortunately for him, the pressure from the extreme left, which had a disappointing showing in the first round, is low. In the longer term, especially after the September 2013 German elections, much will depend on Hollande's vision for France and Europe. An interesting hint of what's in store might come from a man named Jacques Delors. In 1983, as minister of economy and finance, Delors successfully lobbied socialist President François Mitterrand to stay in the European Monetary System at the price of steep austerity. And between 1985 and 1995, as president of the European Commission, he became one of the founding fathers of the European Union, introducing the single market. One of his protégés was none other than François Hollande. | Justin Vaïsse: French president Francois Hollande avoided making big promises .
France's debt is near 90% of GDP, and the 2011 deficit was 5.2%, says Vaïsse .
Hollande has to be fiscally responsible yet restore France's competitiveness, Vaïsse says .
Vaïsse: Europe must find a way to stimulate the economy without deepening the deficit . |
253,064 | d3891721f0bbb4d80cde101d1b33952eb45a22ad | (CNN) -- Speculation has been rampant over what exactly has happened to North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. After all, Kim hasn't been seen in public in over a month, and the country's media took the unusual step of admitting that Kim is in an "uncomfortable physical condition." Some commentators believe this suggests Kim might be more seriously ill than the country is letting on. But others have speculated something more dramatic might have occurred -- namely a coup. Does the evidence back this up? The short answer is, no. For a start, there have been no unusual military or troop movements inside North Korea, particularly tied to the Pyongyang defense command or other key military units. On top of this, just this past weekend, Hwang Pyong-so -- political director for the Korean People's Army, and widely seen as the second most powerful man in North Korea -- and former KPA political director Choe Ryong-hae made a surprise visit to South Korea for the end of the Asian Games. The visiting officials brought with them a surprise: an informal offer from Kim to immediately resume high-level talks between North and South Korea. It is difficult to imagine that a regime facing an intense internal crisis or power struggle would dispatch two top political and military figures to South Korea, and make an offer in Kim's name, if there really were a silent power struggle going on back in Pyongyang. Finally, it was reported that all the achievements of the North Korean athletes at the recently concluded games were attributed to Kim, with lectures given to workers on October 4 titled "The faith and consideration of Marshal Kim Jong Un for the athletes and workers." Clearly, the regime is still placing Kim at the center of its propaganda. Is Kim Jong Un's sister in charge? Absent any sort of evidence of military upheaval or unusual political activity, the only way this could be a coup is if it were completely invisible, a very unusual sort of coup indeed. True, talk of coups against successive Kim regimes has been a staple of North Korea-watching for decades. But the legitimacy of North Korea's rulers has been centered on the Kim family since the country was founded, some seven decades ago. A coup would therefore not only have to physically replace Kim, but provide some sort of justification and legitimation for such action to the North Korean people. The role of the Kim family in North Korea is typically misunderstood as a "cult of personality," but the reality is more complex than that. In fact, one reason the North Korean regime has proved so durable is that it is grafted onto deep Korean social and cultural roots. In contrast to many other communist regimes that attempted to wipe away the past, the North Korean regime built its legitimacy on the basic idea that Kim Il Sung is the "true" Korean, the only defender of the Korean nation from its enemies. Is Kim Jong Un still in charge of North Korea? With this view in mind, the Kim family did not try to wipe out many of the existing cultural or social features of Korean life, but instead embraced them (in an admittedly warped way). For example, the Korean Worker's Party adopted the Confucian scholar's brush -- perhaps the most obvious representation of traditional Korea -- as part of its official iconography. The party also encouraged its women to wear traditional Korean dress as often as possible, another link to its past. But most important of all has been the use of the traditional Korean extended family as the basis of North Korean political rule. Korea is a clan-based, familial society, and Kim Il Sung simply melded himself -- and his son and grandson -- onto the entire country as patriarch. Kim's son and grandson have continued this patriarchal approach: Activities such as "on the scene guidance," and other personal interventions by Kim have emphasized the personal link between the Kim family and their citizens. Of course this effort at legitimation is warped and repressive. But it has also resonated with many North Koreans. All this suggests that while internal collapse is quite possible -- even likely -- if the Kim family itself should come apart, a coup by someone outside the family appears unlikely to succeed. Kim's absence from celebrations marking the founding of the Korean Worker's Party on October 10 would certainly raise eyebrows. But right now, without any kind of concrete evidence, speculation that there might have been a coup looks misplaced. Kim may be sick or even have had surgery. But he is also almost certainly still in power. | North Korean leader Kim Jong Un hasn't appeared in public for over a month .
Speculation that he may have been toppled in coup is misplaced, says David Kang .
Lack of unusual military or political movement suggests Kim still in power, Kang says . |
222,324 | abca01f2a8bf87d631ee8a6ef90af81dac53c034 | David Cameron today paid a personal tribute to his great great uncle who was killed in the First World War. The Prime Minister laid a cross at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium under the inscription to Captain John Geddes, who was the first of five members of the Cameron family to die during battle. Mr Cameron also spoke of the 'fear and horror' faced by distant relatives who now are remembered through fast-fading sepia photographs as the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War approaches. Family: Mr Cameron visited a memorial with the inscription of his great, great Uncle Captain John Geddes who died fighting in the First World War . Mr Cameron and Mr Kenny also lay wreathes at the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium . Message: Mr Cameron tweeted this picture of his message to fallen heroes at the Menin Gate . Mr Cameron visited Ypres, the Belgian town where Capt Geddes was one of 58,000 British soldiers who died in combat. Ahead of the visit, he told the . Telegraph: ‘Like many across Britain, I feel a strong connection with . all the members of my family who gave their lives in the war. ‘I look at those fast fading sepia photographs and see them posing stiffly and proudly in their uniforms. ‘I . imagine how they felt going off to war, and the fear and horror of what . they went through, and I reflect on their bravery and selfless . determination. ‘This means a great deal to me and I want my children to feel the same way.' During . his visit to Flanders, where thousands of British and Commonwealth . servicemen are buried, the Prime Minister announced a £5million fund will . be used to help conserve, protect and repair First World War memorials . and graves. Tribute: Prime Minister David Cameron visits the grave of Irish MP Willie Redmond who died in the First World War, in Heuvelland, Belgium . The Prime Minister said he felt a strong connection with all the members of his family who gave their lives in the war . The money has been raised from fines on . City banks accused of rate-fixing and will be spread over the four years . of the centenary of the conflict. There . will also be funding for new educational materials including . downloadable guides to help explain the importance of sites and to . honour the sacrifice of those buried or commemorated there. Mr . Cameron said: ‘Next year’s centenary of the start of the First World . War will be a time for the whole nation to reflect on the events that . saw so many young people of that generation make the ultimate sacrifice. ‘Nearly all of us in Britain have . some family connection with that conflict, and it is the many millions . of small, personal stories that resonate as loudly for us as the big, . world-changing battles and campaigns. ‘As . part of that, it is absolutely right that we help communities up and . down the country to ensure that their local war memorials are a fitting . tribute to the fallen and increase people’s understanding of what . happened. ‘We simply . should not tolerate damaged war graves in our country. Our memorials and . cemeteries must be places of respect and education. This funding will . help make it happen, and I am proud to be able to announce it today.’ Emotion: Mr Cameron (left) joined Irish Taoiseach Enda Kenny (second right) on the visit to the 'Island of Ireland Peace Park' in Mesen in Belgium . Funding: Mr Cameron announced a £5million fund for the conservation of war graves in the UK and Europe . Candlelit vigils will be held across . the country to mark the centenary of the outbreak of the First World . War. The . centrepiece of events held exactly 100 years since war was declared . will be a service held at Westminster Abbey, with a final candle . extinguished at 11pm – the moment Britain’s ultimatum to Germany passed. Children . from every state secondary school will travel to the First World War . battlefields while streets could be renamed after soldiers awarded the . Victoria Cross for bravery under an ambitious £50million package of . commemorations. At Westminster Abbey a ‘candle-lit . vigil of prayer and solemn reflection’ will finish with the last candle . being extinguished at 11pm. It will echo the famous remark . attributed to then Foreign Secretary, Viscount Edward Grey, who said: . 'The lamps are going out all over Europe; we shall not see them lit . again in our time.' On 4 August 2014 it will be 100 years since Britain entered the First World War, one of the bloodiest conflicts in history. Hundreds of thousands were killed in terrible trench warfare. The war - known at the time as the Great War - lasted for more than four years and its ending, on 11 November 1918, is celebrated every year on Remembrance Sunday. The Prime Minister today visited the Island of Ireland Peace Park and the Tyne Cot Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery with Irish prime minister Enda Kenny, as well as the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing where they were joined by the Belgian leader Elio Di Rupo. The Department for Culture, Media and . Sport is talking to key partners and stakeholders - including the . Commonwealth War Graves Commission, War Memorials Trust, English . Heritage, the Wolfson Foundation and others - about how to ensure . communities can access the new money, which will be available from next . year as grants to local communities who apply and whose application . qualifies. Frances . Moreton, director of War Memorials Trust, said: ‘War Memorials Trust is . delighted to hear about this additional funding and looks forward to . working closely with DCMS, English Heritage and others to ensure that . war memorials across the UK are repaired and conserved through the . centenary.’ Alan . Pateman-Jones, director-general of the Commonwealth War Graves . Commission, said: ‘Whilst the Commission is suitably funded to meet its . duty of care for the graves, memorials and records of Commonwealth . casualties of both World Wars, it is important to ensure that current . and future generations understand both the reasons for and the . circumstances of, the sacrifices made. ‘Such generous financial support will . enable the Commission to better engage and explain its worldwide task . and, through this, ensure ongoing commemoration.’ Horror: David Cameron said he wanted to reflect on the bravery and selfless determination of those who fought and died in the First World War . Simon Thurley, chief . executive of English Heritage, said: ‘We are proud to be playing its . full part in remembering the First World War. ‘As . well as protecting other sites relating to 1914-18, mounting . exhibitions, and sharing our research, we will be working with . volunteers from War Memorials Trust and listing 500 war memorials each . year. ‘These memorials represent the greatest wave of commemoration ever seen in this country: listing will ensure that they receive proper attention. 'They stand at the hearts of communities across the land and we want to help ensure that these highly poignant reminders are kept in a condition befitting their importance.’ | PM to visit Ypres where great great uncle died during battle .
He will pledge £5million to help protect First World War memorials .
4 August 2014 will be 100 years since the First World War . |
12,575 | 23a66e57acb14445e45e387461a5c491aabee0f2 | 'Crying': Shrien Dewani (pictured earlier in the trial) told police that his wife Anni was the one who decided to visit a dangerous South African township on the night she was shot dead, a court heard today . Shrien Dewani told police that his wife Anni was the one who decided to visit a dangerous South African township on the night she was shot dead, a court heard today. In a statement provided to police just hours after the 2010 hijack, Dewani is quoted as saying: 'I think my wife talked to [taxi driver] Zola about the townships. 'Zola then took us into the townships because my wife told him that's what she wanted.' The claim was revealed to Cape Town's High Court by South African police officer George Stefanus, who said he interviewed Dewani around four hours after their car was ambushed by gunmen. Asked about the Briton's reactions at the time, Stefanus told the court: 'He was crying. What he also said was: "I hope they didn't kill Anni" and 'I hope Anni's okay".' The policeman's recollections came on a torrid day for the prosecution, which argues that Dewani both planned and paid for his wife's murder on their honeymoon. Prosecutor Adrian Mopp had sought to reveal to the court a cache of 53 sexually charged e-mails sent to Dewani by an older man over a three-month period a year before Anni's death. The e-mails, Mr Mopp said, would help the court understand the prosecution's version of how Mrs Dewani died - a story, the lawyer admitted, that some 'may find peculiar'. Former Metropolitan Police IT expert Mark Roberts had flown to South Africa from Britain to present the e-mail evidence, which he discovered on Mrs Dewani's laptop computer. But before he was able to do so, Dewani's defence barrister Francois van Zyl objected to their disclosure, pointing out that the 34-year-old businessman already admits to being bisexual. 'This is communication between the accused and another person from June to August 2009 in which they discuss their sexual preferences - what one man wants to do the other', van Zyl told the court. 'Amongst this are two instances - maybe three - in which they clearly have discussions about whether to come out and also about marriage. 'It is clear that the accused is [sexually] conflicted. The advice from his friend is that commitment is serious but if that is what he wants, he would support him and so would his family.' Wealthy: The millionaire with his wife Anni, whom he is accused of murdering by hiring hitmen to stage a violent carjacking on their luxury honeymoon in South Africa four years ago . Van Zyl admitted that while the 17 pages worth of email messages contain a wealth of detail about Mr Dewani's sexual activity, they should have no bearing on his murder case - particularly since they were sent only shortly after Dewani first met his wife-to-be. Prosecutor Adrian Mopp argued however that they should be revealed because they show how Shrien Dewani was 'confused' about his sexuality. 'But we know he was confused!', said Judge Jeanette Traverso before ruling that the emails should remain secret. Murder scene: The taxi where Anni Dewani's body was found in the Cape Town township of Gugulethu . Mrs Dewani was murdered on the evening of November 13, 2010, after the taxi she and her husband were travelling in was hijacked in the dangerous Cape Town township of Gugulethu. The taxi's two hijackers ejected first the driver, Zola Tongo, and then Shrien Dewani before heading deep into the Cape Town townships where they killed Anni with a single bullet to the neck. Shrien Dewani, who spent four years fighting extradition from the UK to South Africa to face trial, denies all involvement in the crime. His murder trial, which started last week, was adjourned until next Monday after Cape Town's High Court heard that one of the prosecution lawyers had fallen ill. | Millionaire revealed wife's wishes in statement hours after taxi was carjacked .
Police officer said Dewani was 'crying' and said: 'I hope they didn't kill Anni'
Businessman accused of paying hitmen to kill his bride in staged robbery .
Prosecutor wanted to show 53 e-mails between Dewani and an older man .
Unnamed man offered Dewani advice on whether he should come out as gay .
But judge threw out application, saying they weren't relevant to the case . |
30,721 | 575f7972e9121bfe97bf8881492060b40b1a1999 | (CNN)Colombian beauty queen Paulina Vega may soon have a new role: peace negotiator. The newly-crowned Miss Universe got an invitation Saturday from Colombia's leftist FARC rebels to attend their peace talks with the government. Rebels took her up on an offer she's made in the past that she's willing to attend the negotiations in Cuba. "We have read with interest about your desire to contribute your services to achieve peace and reconciliation between Colombians," FARC said in a statement on its website. "We salute your willingness to travel to Havana at the same time that we invite you to make the trip to exhibit the development of the process of talks." Vega, 22, a business administration major at a Bogota university, was crowned Miss Universe in Miami last month. Though the native of Barranquilla has not responded to the offer, the rebels emphasized that her input is important. "Rest assured that there is complete willingness to respond to your concerns and to value your opinions as a valuable contribution to peace," the statement said. The talks are crucial to helping end 50 years of fighting between FARC and the government. Negotiations between the two sides have stalled several times over the years, and the group has been accused of bombings, murder, extortion and kidnappings. FARC started as an insurgency in 1964 and continues to champion leftist causes. But with Colombia being one of the world's top cocaine producers, the rebels have added drug trafficking to their list of atrocities. The group is estimated to make $500 million from the illicit trade per year, according to the Council on Foreign Relations. The United States and the European Union consider FARC a terrorist organization. CNN's Miguel Escalona contributed to this report . | Colombian Paulina Vega was crowned Miss Universe last month .
Talks between FARC and the government are crucial to ending 50 years of fighting . |
121,296 | 28cdc5511a6fb7a1c33d668500af1c46320d2b4c | By . Ed Wilson and Talal Musa . PUBLISHED: . 11:20 EST, 26 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:30 EST, 5 March 2013 . Rating: . Price: £39.99 / $63.00 (RRP) The Crysis games have always been known for their graphics and Crysis 3 is no different. Developed on the CryENGINE 3, Crysis 3 is visually stunning on the aging consoles, drawing every last drop of power from them. And thankfully, the beautiful settings and slick combat system are just about enough to distract gamers from the somewhat average storyline. Welcome to the jungle: Most of the levels look similar to the movie I Am Legend. Look closely enough, and you'll even see different animals running around . Crysis 3 takes place 20 years after Crysis 2. New York City has become an overgrown wasteland where nature has taken over. Dilapidated skyscrapers litter the land and dense foliage covers what is left of roads and pavements. Players take on the role of Prophet who wants retribution from the CELL Corporation. Whilst clinging to the remnants of his humanity he is flanked by his sidekick ‘Psycho’ who has been stripped of his Nanosuit and is struggling to adapt to his new found vulnerability. Their story is engaging if a little predictable in parts, and voice-acting is done well bar the few occasions where lips move to a different voice-over channel. Combat is slick and dynamic. Crysis 3 introduces the Tactical Bow to Prophet’s armoury alongside his Nanosuit. This lets you take out targets from a distance while staying cloaked. Fights are often carried out from far away with your tactical visor being used to tag enemies and objects of interest. Simply holding the visor's targeting reticule over an enemy brings up a host of information - from what weapons they are carrying, to the armour they are wearing. Different arrow types are readily available and easy to interchange. These range from explosive tips, useful to wipe out groups of grunts, to those that deliver a lethal electric shock - perfect for enemies unlucky enough to be wading through water. Similar to the earlier games, the Nanosuit allows you to cloak and engage an armour enhancement, both of which are subject to your energy bar that depletes the more intense your movements. There's no ability to activate 'Speed Mode' or 'Strength Mode' this time around, though. Still, combat remains very tactical. Enemies can be stealthily taken out, tight corners can be escaped, alien CEPH scared by de-cloaking right in front of them or you can run in wielding an impressive array of guns and alien weaponry. As players progress through the game, the Nanosuit can be upgraded with a variety of loadouts. Time for a change: As in the last two games, you can customise your . weapons to suit your gameplay style. A new addition is the bow, which . can be fitted with a range of tips - from explosive heads to those that . deliver an electric shock . Ammo capacity can be increased, the energy bar can made to deplete slower, and increased cloaking time are but just a few of the upgrades, all adding to a unique, enjoyable combat experience. A large part of this is down to the level design. Where Crysis 2 was largely criticised for being more linear than the original, Crysis 3 gets the balance just right most of the time. Levels are much more sandbox-like, and usually contain numerous ways to get to an objective. One level which sees you taking down a CELL dam is a particularly good example of this. Exploration is rewarded, too. Often venturing off the most obvious path rewards you with new weapons and modules you can use to upgrade your Nanosuit. Sadly, enemy AI can be hit and miss. They sometimes get stuck in the surroundings or run around like headless chickens when under fire. They also have a bizarre tendency to randomly launch grenades when searching an area. This game is extremely impressive visually, particularly on a high-powered PC. One of our testing units was running on an Nvidia 680GTX, which allowed the game to played at more than 30FPS on the highest settings. It is here where the gulf between console and PC graphics is at its largest. The somewhat blocky vistas on the console versions are replaced by intricately detailed panoramas, while up close, textures are eye-poppingly realistic. Open season: Crysis 3 represents a successful balancing act. Where gamers criticised Crysis 2 for being more linear, levels are now much larger and encourage exploration . This, coupled with superior lighting, draw distances and a host of Direct X 11 effects, means that to get the most from Crysis 3, it has to be played on PC. The game also boasts an impressive multiplayer, offering a good variety of maps and clever twists on the standard game modes. One such mode is Hunter that involves two cloaked hunters against a squad of troopers. Each killed trooper then switches sides and becomes a Hunter until there is one, scared, lonely trooper left. Crysis 3 is definitely worth getting hold of. The campaign is somewhat short but there’s plenty of excitement to be had with the multiplayer. Time to suit up. NOW WATCH THE LAUNCH TRAILER: . Follow us on Twitter: @DailyMailGames and on Facebook: Daily Mail Games. | Fantastic visuals squeeze every last drop of power from consoles .
Improved weapon and Nanosuit customisation makes each battle different .
Brilliant voice-acting throughout, backed up with a wonderful soundtrack .
PC version boasts far superior graphics .
Some enemy AI issues detract from gameplay . |
59,034 | a78d4b470d9da2aca168b2d763f1a61307635172 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 7:04 AM on 26th January 2012 . Unbelievable: Homeless teenager Samantha Garvey has won a semi-final place in a science competition which has a $100,000 top prize . Samantha Garvey's passion isn't one you might normally associate with a 17-year-old girl. While most of her peers enjoy a good gossip and thumb through pages of the latest fashion magazines, she loves nothing more than developing her research into mussels and their environment. Samantha's work has won her a semi-final place in a prestigious science competition with a potential $100,000 college scholarship for the winner - and all while being homeless. 'It’s unbelievable,' Samantha told . ABC News. 'It might as well be the lottery. I want to do better for . myself. I want a better life.' The . teenager, who studies at Brentwood High School in New York, and her . family have been living in shelters since she was very young. Her parents and two younger siblings had moved into a house seven years ago, but were evicted in February 2010. Despite not having a desk to carry out . her studies or a stable home life, Samantha now hopes her work on ribbed . mussels and how they adjust their characteristics in response to their . environment will help her change her own life. Scroll down for video . Chance for a new life: Samantha (second right) with her parents, sister and brother, who have been living in homeless shelters since she was very young . 'I get so excited to tell people about my mussels and crabs that I become a completely different person,' she told ABC News. Samantha, . who also plays the violin and speaks Italian, has been named one of 300 . semi-finalists in the Intel Science Talent Search thanks to her work on . a project called 'The Effects of Physical Environment and Predators on . Phenotypic Plasticity in Geukensia demissa'. All those selected as semi-finalists . will get a $1,000 award, while the 40 finalists, to be announced on . January 25, will go to Washington, D.C., where last year's finalists met . with President Barack Obama. Unbelievable: Samantha poses with her mussels which she has been studying for her project on the way they adapt to their environment . Determined: Samantha has a desk at school on which to study, but not at home, making her efforts even more remarkable . Individual: While many teenagers are studying the latest fashions, Samantha has been looking into how mussels adapt to their surroundings . They will also earn scholarships ranging from $7,500 to the top $100,000, according to Intel. Her father, Leo Garvey, told HLN: She is very special. 'She's a hard worker, very driven and dedicated to anything and everything that she does.' | Samantha Garvey recognised for research into mussels . |
62,930 | b2d1b9542cb8a39b86971363c4672fca988ccdcb | By . Daily Mail Reporter . and Ap . Authorities say two F-16 fighter jets escorted a small airplane out of restricted airspace in Washington, an apparently inadvertent intrusion that prompted evacuations at the U.S. Capitol and surrounding buildings. The plane - a Mooney M20C personal aircraft - entered the restricted airspace about 1:30 p.m. and was 'out of communications with air traffic controllers,' the North American Aerospace Defense Command said in a statement. NAADC spokesman Master Sgt. Chuck Marsh says military jets escorted the plane to an airport in Mount Airy, North Carolina, where it landed Saturday afternoon. Evacuated: The U.S. Capitol, surrounding office buildings, the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress were evacuated Sunday . Secret Service agents met the plane there and interviewed the pilot, who was with one other passenger on his was to visit his daughter in North Carolina, the Boston Globe reports. According to the paper, the pilot was lost when he entered the restricted airspace surrounding D.C., and was likely due to the fact that he was outdated maps. Transportation Security Administration spokesman Ross Feinstein wrote on Twitter that it appeared the pilot was just confused. The plane had departed from Westfield, Massachusetts. U.S. Capitol Police say the Capitol and surrounding office buildings were evacuated about 1:30 p.m. Aircraft: A MooneyM20C similar to the one pictured was the type of aircraft that entered the restricted airspace . Authorities say the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress were also evacuated, but that security at the White House was not affected. FAA records show that the owner of the plane is Craig Hewitt, of Falls Village, Connecticut. It's unclear whether he was the man piloting the plane when it entered restricted airspace. Authorities are yet to determine whether the pilot will face any criminal charges or civil penalties. | The small Mooney M20C entered the restricted airspace about 1:30 p.m.
The Library of Congress also was evacuated .
The pilot turned out to be a man en-route to visit his daughter in North Carolina .
The plane took off from an airfield in Massachusetts . |
155,200 | 54983eb55660fc38be854a04dbc7967e7b2bfea0 | Jese and James Rodriguez shot Real Madrid four points clear at the top of La Liga on Wednesday night as they beat Sevilla 2-1 despite a late goal from Liverpool loanee Iago Aspas. Carlo Ancelotti’s team took the points at a price with three key players ruled out of Saturday’s Madrid derby – first Sergio Ramos hobbled off hamstrung, then James Rodriguez, who had scored the first, went off with a metatarsal injury, and Marcelo was then booked meaning he will be suspended for the next game if Real are unsuccessful with a planned appeal. Sevilla also lost a player before the break with keeper Beto taken to hospital after clashing with Karim Benzema. Despite losing their keeper and going 2-0 down in the first half Sevilla made it difficult for Real with substitute Aspas reminding his manager Unai Emery and Liverpool coach Brendan Rodgers, that he knows where the goal is. James Rodriguez scored the goal of the game as Real Madrid beat Sevilla 2-1 during their La Liga encounter on Wednesday night . Rodriguez scored a diving header on 12 minutes to put the Champions League holders in front against Sevilla . The Colombia playmaker wheels away in celebration after scoring a delightful opener for Real during Wednesday's encounter . The midfielder (left) runs to the corner flag in celebration before being congratulated by team-mate Marcelo . The 23-year-old (centre) is mobbed by his team-mates after scoring a brilliant header for the Bernabeu outfit . Real Madrid (4-2-3-1): Casillas; Ramos (Nacho 9), Varane, Marcelo, Arbeloa; Khedira, Kroos; Bale, Rodriguez (Jese 27), Isco (Illarramendi 90); Benzema. Subs not used: Navas, Hernandez, Carvajal, Borges. Goals: Rodriguez 12, Jese 36 . Booked: Varane, Marcelo, Isco . Sevilla (4-3-3): Beto (Rico Gonzalez 35); Figueiras, Carrico, Kolo, Navarro; Krychowiak, Iborra, Mbia; Deulofeu (Vidal Parreu - 54), Bacca (Iago Aspas 67), Vitolo . Subs not used: Suarez, Andujar Moreno, Arribas, Munoz Munoz . Goals: Aspas . Booked: Figueiras, Carrico, Navarro, Mbia, Vidal Parreu, Vitolo . Referee: Ignacio Iglesias Villanueva . Attendance: 65,500 . Sevilla started the game brightly with Vitolo denied in a one-on-one with Casillas inside two minutes. Ramos then overstretched in a challenge and had to hobble off holding his hamstring. Madrid took the lead four minutes later when Rodriguez had the time and space to allow a Marcelo cross to bounce in front of him before heading it home. It was Rodriguez’s eighth league goal which is more than Angel Di Maria managed in any of his four seasons at Real Madrid. The Colombian has banished all lingering doubts that Real Madrid were wrong to replace one with the other last summer. Sevilla were by no means out of the game and when Vitolo slipped a pass through for Vicente Iborra the midfielder might have equalized but instead hit the post. With Sevilla’s next attack he again found space unmarked but this time his shot was saved by Casillas and Carlos Bacca couldn’t reach the rebound. Having already seen Ramos go off Madrid lost James Rodriguez to a right foot injury that Madrid will hope is not a metatarsal break. Jese was the logical change. The next man down was Sevilla keeper Beto who was flattened by Karim Benzema. The Portuguese keeper felt the full force of the Frenchman’s knee as both went for a Jese cross inside the six-yard box. For the second game running the Sevilla keeper was unable to finish a game and just as last weekend; he was replaced by substitute goalkeeper Sergio Rico. The first thing Rico had to do was pick the ball out of the back of the net. Bacca gave possession away and Isco took over spraying it wide right to Benzema whose intelligent pull-back was intended for Jese. Isco almost intercepted it but let it run for the substitute who drilled it past Rico. Bale then fed Alvaro Arbeloa and his pull-back was fired just wide by Benzema. Sevilla had the chances to be ahead but could easily have found themselves 3-0 down. It was little wonder they were losing their heads. Diogo Figueiras was booked for hacking down Jese and Fernando Navarro followed him into the book for a foul on Bale. Real were dealt a blow before Rodriguez's opener though when defender Sergio Ramos (right) appeared to pull a hamstring . The Spain international (centre) had to walk off the pitch injured on nine minutes and was replaced by Nacho . Raphael Varane was then booked for handball as Real did their best to coast to half time. Bale had been left alone by the boo-boys in the first half and he wowed the crowd inside the Bernabeu with a delightful scooped pass that played in Sami Khedira only for the German to squander the chance. The ridiculous debate about the effectiveness of a player who has won four trophies in less than two seasons scoring in three finals will continue, but most sensible Madrid fans accept Bale’s enourmous contribution. M’bia kicked, and trod-on, Khedira just before the break and was lucky to only be booked – the last thing Madrid needed was a third enforced first half change. The second half started with Real looking to finish Sevilla off as soon as possible. Bale created, but then missed, the first chance cutting in from the right and with Benzema in space to his left the boo boys had their chance but never took it. The extent to which the abuse aimed at Bale should not be taken seriously can't be underestimated – moments later Jese smashed a shot against the frame of the goal from a tight angle with other options on and there was nothing but applause for the local boy. Bale the serial trophy-winner remains the outsider; Ronaldo had the same problem not so long ago. Real doubled their lead on 36 minutes when substitute Jese (left) finished from close-range against Sevilla . The 21-year-old wheeled away in celebration after scoring Real's second goal of the night on Wednesday . Jese (centre) was congratulated by his Real team-mates as they took what it seemed a comfortable 2-0 lead against Sevilla . Sevilla were dealt a blow midway through the first half when goalkeeper Beto (left) was left stricken after colliding with Karim Benzema . Beto (left) is looked after by Benzema but is soon replaced by Rico Gonzalez after the head injury . Gareth Bale (left) was a constant menace to the Sevilla defence throughout the match at the Santiago Bernabeu . Bale was suffering at the hands of the opposition and Fernando Navarro should have seen his second yellow of the night when he up-ended the former Tottenham man. Madrid were now in full flow and Benzema failed to finish a sweeping move down the left that involved Jese and Marcelo. Sevilla brought on Liverpool loanee Aspas and with ten minutes left he pulled a goal back for the visitiors. Sevilla’s man of the match Vitolo dribbled along the byline from the left and Aspas tapped in from inside the six-yard box. The striker grabbed the ball from the back of the net and charged back up for the restart. Madrid had been showboating with only Vitolo’s dive over Arbeloa’s leg, for which he was booked, their only chance. The late goal meant Ancelotti’s team had to nervously count down the last few minutes but they held out. Aspas had proved a point, but Real Madrid had taken all three. Iago Aspas (far right) celebrates his strike for Sevilla as he pulled one back for the visitors on 80 minutes . However, the visitors' hopes were dashed as they failed to find an equaliser on Wednesday night . | James Rodriguez puts Real Madrid ahead against Sevilla at the Santiago Bernabeu on 12 minutes .
First-half substitute Jese doubled Los Blancos' advantage on 36 minutes .
Iago Aspas scored a late consolation for the visitors from close range on 80 minutes . |
148,572 | 4c1e9381491b63d75a6cd455cf7115f7dc02561a | A five-year-old is thought to have become one of the world’s youngest Karate black belts - despite battling juvenile arthritis. Jake Frood took up the martial art aged just three after watching the classic film, The Karate Kid. The youngster, from Leeds, West Yorkshire, enrolled at the city’s National Martial Arts College and now hopes to become a fully trained instructor by his tenth birthday. Scroll down for video . Jake Frood, five, has become one of the world's youngest Karate black belts despite having arthritis and an immune disorder. He suffers from stiffness in his limbs and falls ill frequently . He has achieved one of the sport’s top accolades despite suffering joint stiffness due to his condition. His mother, Kerry Frood, 31, said: ‘He watched the Karate Kid and absolutely loved it and has just gone from strength to strength. ‘There is no-one else at his age that we can find who has been given a black belt. ‘It’s just unbelievable and without martial arts he wouldn’t be the person he is today. ‘People just can’t believe how young he is and he is so small for his age too.’ Jake, who is just 3ft tall, was recently awarded his black belt after completing a gruelling challenge which included a two-mile run and four-hour martial arts test. Jake took up martial arts after watching The Karate Kid when he was three-years-old. His mother, Kerry, believes the sport has helped him to overcome his health problems . Ms Frood, who works as a nurse, said: ‘When Jake was first diagnosed with arthritis at three years old his legs were so weak. ‘He tried physiotherapy, but found it far too difficult. ‘He had started martial arts by this point and, even though he was finding that hard too, the doctors told him to keep on with it as it would make his legs stronger. ‘So he kept up with it and has flourished as a true champion. His legs are much stronger now too.’ Jake, who is just 3ft tall, was recently awarded his black belt after completing a gruelling challenge which included a two-mile run and four-hour martial arts test . She added: ‘I don’t think there are many children his age that could do what Jake does. He might be small but he is hard as nails, I’m so proud of what he has achieved.’ Jake also suffers from an immune disorder, which doctors are currently trying to get to the bottom of. His mother said: ‘Jake will always catch every single illness that is going round. His immune system is very, very weak. ‘But because of his love for martial arts he battles everything that comes his way.’ Ms Frood said: 'Jake will always catch every single illness that is going round. His immune system is very, very weak. But because of his love for martial arts he battles everything that comes his way' The youngster has had through several illnesses and operations and was even back training weeks after surgery on his hand. Ms Frood said: ‘He was back on the mat at martial arts within weeks of his op as he didn’t want to fall behind. Juvenile arthritis is that which occurs before a child turns 16. It causes one or more of the joints to become swollen, painful and stiff. Some children with arthritis also suffer eye and teeth problems as well as slow growth. Treatment options include steroids, painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications. Many people who have juvenile arthritis find their symptoms disappear before they reach adulthood. Source: Arthritis Research UK . ‘Martial arts have definitely saved his life and made him a stronger person. ‘Without his love for it he wouldn’t have had the determination to get through his illnesses. ‘He’s now saying that he wants to open up his own martial arts school when he grows up and by the age of 10 he should be a qualified instructor.’ Jake, who has a nine-year-old brother called Junior, is now set to take his black belt into school to show off to his classmates. Juvenile arthritis is that which occurs before a child turns 16. It causes one or more of the joints to become swollen, painful and stiff. Some children with arthritis also suffer eye and teeth problems as well as slow growth. Treatment options include steroids, painkillers and anti-inflammatory medications. | Jake Frood, from Leeds, suffers joint stiffness because of his arthritis .
He also falls ill a lot because he has a weak immune system .
He took up Karate when he was three after watching The Karate Kid .
His mother, Kerry, believes his dedication to martial arts has given him the determination to get through his illnesses . |
151,856 | 5041cb42f512428ac9b33abf908c1cdc135ba1b7 | The end of major roadworks is always a cause for celebration. Residents on one street, who had suffered disruption and delays for 19 months, were so delighted that the work was finally complete they threw a party. They adorned Chilwell Road in Nottingham with bunting, blew up balloons and set up the children’s face painting stall, while local businesses stocked up in preparation for a busy weekend. But the street’s jubilant mood soon fell flat – when it turned out the roadworks were not finished after all. Residents of the street in Nottingham were dismayed to learn the road works would be going on for another month (file image) The project to extend the city’s tram network was already nearly a year behind schedule – with the road originally due to reopen shortly after Christmas 2013. The work, which was meant to be completed in time for the party on Saturday, will now not be finished until the end of November. Julie Cameron, 50, owns a gift shop on the street, which she spent last week painting and decorating in preparation for the grand reopening. She said she will now only have a few weeks to sell £10,000 worth of Christmas stock. She added: ‘Everyone has been putting the bunting out for the full opening and we have been stitched up again. What are we all celebrating for if it is basically still closed? ‘I am so upset and now really worried about the future of my business. Christmas trade is make or break for many of the businesses down here ... we used to have 2,000 cars a day coming down here and for the last 18 months we haven’t had two.’ The street has been disrupted for more than a year with building works underway for the city's tramline . Contractor Taylor Woodrow Alstom apologised for the inconvenience, saying the latest delay was due to work on the water mains. A spokesman said: ‘Every effort is being made to ensure that the remaining works do not take any longer than necessary.’ But local Tory MP Anna Soubry described the lack of communication as ‘dreadful’. | Residents on Chilwell Road in Nottingham thought roadworks were complete .
Street has been ravaged by builders for 19 months to work on city's trams .
Bunting, balloons and face-painting stalls put up to mark end of disruption .
Council revealed the work will not be completed until the end of November . |
69,666 | c57bfef03060a921a3f2f5fa012c265f485b9622 | (CNN) -- People have strong views about the way police officers treat minorities -- and they're eager to share those opinions. That became clear after CNN asked people on Twitter to use #AskACop to pose questions to police officers. Police conduct has been in the spotlight since the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner. The idea was that the network would use that hashtag to mine social media for questions to ask current and former police officers for a show that aired Tuesday night. People on Twitter responded in force, making #AskACop a trending hashtag well into Wednesday. People posted message after message -- but many of them were eager to make a point rather than ask a question. This reaction was not necessarily what was intended when the network asked: "Are you curious about the police point of view re: recent US protests?" for the show on Tuesday night. The show featured a calm, civil, evocative conversation with police officers. What unfolded online was a different story, with the proposal stirring up a lot of raw emotion. A majority of these tweets echoed the views of protesters in recent weeks, who have loudly railed against police in America for -- in their opinion -- profiling African-Americans. Many of them claim that Brown, Garner and other unarmed black men who died at the hands of white police officers might still be alive today if not for the color of their skin. Some were sarcastic, like one man who asked, "if 1 Black man has zero guns, zero knives and 2 hands, how many bullets does it take to disarm him?" Another on Wednesday openly wondered, "If I'm only a quarter black do I get the benefit of the doubt before you shoot me?" Others expressed the distrust some minorities have for police nowadays. For example, a "young black/Hispanic woman" asked, "Any tips for who I'm supposed to teach my future children to go to if they need help?" Some slammed what they called the "senseless, excessive force and police brutality" of some officers. One person suggested that the words "Seek and Destroy" rather than "Serve and Protect" should be on cruisers. And one wrote, "When you were a child, did you want to grow & do heroic things? What went wrong?" Of course, even if such voices dominated #AskACop, this debate is anything but one-sided. Many have defended police, saying they put their lives on the line daily and must make difficult, split-second decisions intended to save others. They say police are civil servants who work, day and night, to make this country safe -- not to divide it. That sentiment was reflected some on Twitter, like one person who posted a picture of three white officers surrounding a young, handicapped black boy with the words, "Defend our first responders." Another wrote, "#AskACop if they know people are praying every day that they make the right choices in their stressful jobs." At the least, the #AskACop hashtag showed that, while grand juries have their made decisions on the deaths of Brown and Garner, this debate isn't over. Whether intended or not, this social media endeavor became another forum for people to voice their strong views on this topic. As one man tweeted, "if you really want to see what the public thinks of police officers just take a look at #AskACop." . | CNN starts #AskACop so people can pose police questions amid great debate .
Many Twitter users pick up on the hashtag, using it to vent at police officers .
Some suggest black people are treated differently, more at risk from police .
"Just take a look at #AskACop" to see public's view of police, one man tweets . |
41,105 | 73f0ee949cc0cc537a00b94bb842e329983a3f18 | Dublin, Ireland (CNN) -- Visualize an Irish pub: there's likely fiddles, pints, and smoke -- and lots of it. While that may be a reality in some Irish pubs abroad, that hasn't been entirely the case in Ireland for the last decade. March 29 marked the 10-year anniversary of a workplace smoking ban in Ireland, extending to pubs and restaurants. Ireland was the first country worldwide to enact such a sweeping ban. The initiative made smoking in enclosed workplaces illegal, punishable by a fine of up to 3,000 euros, or about $4,200. The ban has spawned copycat laws across the globe. Norway and New Zealand followed that same year, as did Uganda. Now, dozens of countries from Brazil to Bhutan have joined Ireland in creating a nationwide workplace smoking ban -- the United States not among them. Russia will join the list in June. Irish Minister for Health Dr. James Reilly has hailed the ban as a success, stating the proof is in the numbers. "Recent research found 3,726 fewer smoking related deaths than would have been expected if the smoking ban had not been brought in," said Reilly, who lost his father and brother to smoking-related illnesses, in a statement. "This is indisputable evidence that the ban is saving lives and improving our overall health as a nation." Indeed, Ireland's National Tobacco Control Office says the smoking prevalence rate has decreased more than 7% since the launch of the ban, dropping from 28.86% in March 2004 to 21.48% in December 2013. WHO: Imminent global cancer 'disaster' reflects aging, lifestyle factors . But while statistics demonstrate a national decline in post-ban smoking, you might not see evidence of that everywhere. Asked if the ban has helped her smoke less, social smoker Mary Byrne of Dublin counters: "More." "I wouldn't have smoked before the law," Byrne says. "You'd be inside and everyone was there. But when you went out to meet people, you'd be more inclined to take a cigarette because there was more pressure. Everyone was smoking outside, so you'd take one ... So, I think it's actually had the opposite effect." Even nonsmokers, a group with which Byrne identifies, are taking up casual smoking, "in hopes you might meet the perfect partner, I think," she adds. And statistically, Byrne's hypothesis is correct. Since the ban, the number of occasional (five or fewer cigarettes a day) and light smokers (between six and 10 cigarettes a day) actually has increased, according to Ireland's Health Service Executive (HSE). Meanwhile, the HSE shows 18-24 year olds now make up the largest group of smokers, edging out 25-34 year olds who dominated nationwide prior to the launch of the ban. Furthermore, when you examine the 3,726 lives estimated spared since the ban's initiation, they are primarily attributed to a decline in "passive smoking" or secondhand smoke, according to a 2013 report "Reductions in Cardiovascular, Cerebrovascular, and Respiratory Mortality following the National Irish Smoking Ban," published in the journal PLOS One. It seems smokers at pubs haven't stopped; they've just moved into the open air. Standing outside a Dublin pub with a cigarette, Jonathan Curran talks about the patron reaction to the ban. "(Dubliners) basically just do what they're told, so when (the ban) came in, they went outside straightaway," he says. Not everyone adjusted so quickly, however. One politician staged a very public protest. After lighting a cigarette at a bar inside the Parliament building just days after the ban's launch, John Deasy, the justice spokesman for Ireland's largest political party, was relieved of his position. One year later, Irish news site Politico.ie quoted him as saying he stood by his choice to light up, and always would. But 10 years later, Deasy is back in political office and has gone mum, declining comment on the ban's anniversary. In the tiny town of Milltown in southwest Ireland, bartender Trish Morierty says smokers at pubs will still smoke. "I'm still a smoker, unfortunately. Smoking less," says Morierty. "I know a few people that because they have to stand outside said it wasn't them, that they didn't want to be standing out in the cold, and have people seeing them standing out having a cigarette. It just wasn't right. Some of them tried to give it up, but they didn't succeed. They are still smoking." Largest-ever tobacco study finds 'urgent need' for policy change . It's that shaming, according to John Mallon, spokesman for smokers' rights group Forest Eireann, that makes the ban ineffectual. He says the workplace ban infringes on Irish freedoms and impedes business, especially in rural areas. "In small villages, the pub was really the social center in the town. That all came to a halt after the ban," says Mallon. "Slowly, but surely, the country areas were the ones most badly hit -- but everywhere was hit." Indeed, Ireland has seen a rash of drinking institutions close since the ban, according to the Vintners Federation of Ireland. In 2013, 1,300 fewer licensed premises were documented than in 2005, with rural communities showing the largest loss percentage -- a decline surely due in part to a recession in Ireland from 2008 to 2013. Despite this, Mallon says pub business is actually picking up these days, a shift he attributes to the introduction of the e-cigarette. "There's a bit of a drift back now, a social drift back to the bars, but it's got more to do with electronic cigarettes than anything else. And having discovered how bad the smoking ban could be for business, pubs now positively encourage you to 'vape' away in the corner if you want to, or at the bar. They don't mind. We still have no legislation on that, and don't need any either, incidentally." E-cigarettes and "vaping" have become common fare in Irish pubs, and offer a new loophole to the workplace law. The Irish government is examining where e-cigarettes will fit into the goal of a tobacco-free Ireland by 2025 (that's a smoking prevalence rate of less than 5%). Meanwhile, Ireland's Department of Health says two-thirds of the total population, and rising, are in favor of the smoking ban, including 40% of smokers. "I fully agree with the smoking ban in pubs," says Morierty. "Places are much cleaner. The stain smell of smoke, you don't have that anymore." Beyond fresher upholstery, pub patrons and staff are hailing cleaner lungs. In 2005, one year after the ban began, the Research Institute for a Tobacco Free Society examined secondhand smoke exposure in 42 Dublin bars and among 73 bar workers, finding an 83% reduction in air pollution in bars, an 80% decrease in airborne carcinogens, and an improvement in the respiratory health of bar workers. But businesses are still growing accustomed to managing a tradition employed by nearly a quarter of the total population, a percentage that surely escalates when specifically examining the habits of pub patrons. Is obesity the next smoking? Though few and far between, violators of the ban have received penance. In March, Ireland's Mercroft Taverns Ltd. received a 750-euro fine (about $1,040) after patrons were found smoking inside its popular Dublin pub, Market Bar. It's a lingering punishment that keeps patrons who puff tucked in a blue haze just beyond pub doors, for worse or, sometimes, for better. "I met my last two girlfriends from smoking outside with them, and they were both smokers. If you can't dance, I would say start smoking. That's where you're going to meet women," says Curran. | Ireland was the world's first nation to ban smoking in public places .
Health officials hail the ban as a success .
However, some in Ireland say they're actually smoking more .
E-cigarettes have become a popular alternative . |
167,421 | 6488bd345054339e8a68e9bab38be990c8fb7bea | A mother has told how bungling housing bosses sent a letter to her two-year-old son threatening him with action for 'laughing too loudly at Thomas The Tank Engine'. Jodie Holden, 22, was stunned when she opened a complaint letter addressed to her son Chenlair Bent accusing him of anti-social behaviour and branding him a 'noise nuisance'. Housing officials also warned the child - who can't read or write - to be 'mindful' of his neighbours in Walsall, West Midlands. Jodie Holden, 22, with her son Chenlair Bent and the letter sent to him telling him to not be so noisy when listening to Thomas the Tank Engine . But full-time mother Miss Holden claimed the only time her son makes any sort of noise is when he is laughing at his favourite TV programmes. Walsall Housing Group have since apologised to Miss Holden for the embarrassing error. The angry mother said: 'It is completely shocking. He is so young he can not open an envelope let alone read the letter. 'He is just a typical two-year-old boy he is hardly running around estates causing mayhem. 'The only time he ever makes any noise is when he is laughing in the back garden or watching Thomas the Tank Engine on TV. 'I find it hard to believe that he is causing that much of a noise nuisance. It is outrageous - he doesn't know what is going on. Chenlair Bent, two, was sent a letter telling him to not be so noisy when listening to his favourite TV programme . Jodie Holden's home (right) in Walsall where her son was told to be 'mindful' of his neighbours . The letter sent to Chenlair Bent, two, telling him to not be so noisy when listening to Thomas the Tank Engine . Miss Holden, 22, was stunned when she opened a complaint letter addressed to her son . 'I have spoken to my neighbours who have kids of their own and they don't have any problems with us. The letter also tells Chenlair to keep his family quiet. He is two. He doesn't have his own family.' The letter, dated May 1 was addressed to Mr Chenlair Blair and headed: 'Anti-Social Behaviour - Breach of tenancy conditions'. It read: 'Walsall Housing Group has received a complaint relating to noise nuisance and your property has been identified as the source of the noise. 'In this instance I do not intend to take any further action other than request you and your family are mindful of others living by who wish to enjoy to peace and quiet in their own home.' The housing association admitted it had made an administrative error. Ian Hill, Walsall Housing Group's head of communications and business improvement, said: 'We have already apologised to the customer for the error and wish to say sorry again for any upset caused. 'We will now continue our investigation into the anti-social behaviour allegations and have written to the correct member of the household.' | Mother Jodie Holden, 22, was stunned when she opened the letter .
It accused her son Chenlair Bent of anti-social behaviour . |
228,406 | b3bedba80869fe707a9627939d862f5008ef512a | Two Polish siblings tortured their elderly mother to death during an exorcism which they believed would rid her of ‘the devil’, when in fact the 75-year-old had Alzheimer’s. Piotr Majewski, 38, and Barbara Majewski, 39, from Ostrowiec, in south-central Poland, claimed they thought their 75-year-old mother was possessed by demons. The brother and sister carried out a violent ritual on their mother Irena which left her with broken ribs, a shattered jaw and severe brain trauma. 'Exorcism': Piotr, 38, and Barbara Majewski, 39, from Ostrowiec, Poland, left their mother Irena, 75, with broken ribs, a shattered jaw and severe brain trauma . The Majewski siblings tied their mother to a bed and carried out religious rituals, before proceeding to beating and torturing her to rid her of ‘the devil’. In fact, the 75-year-old suffered from Alzheimer’s. The brother and sister are now facing 12 years in jail for the murder of their mother. The Majewskis later told police the spirit of their late father was the channel between Irena and the devil, who wanted her soul. ‘They said at first they tried to banish his spirit from the house, and when that failed went ahead with the full blown exorcism,’ said a police spokesman. ‘They tied her to a bed, put a cross on her head and forced her to drink holy water and renounce the devil. Horror: The siblings believed their mother was possessed by the devil, so tied her to a bed and tortured her to drive out the demons (stock image) ‘When she told them she had had no contact with either Satan or her dead husband, they began beating and torturing her,’ said local prosecutor Miroslaw Cebula said. The popular belief is that demons are cowards, and cannot stand pain, which will see them fleeing a human host. An autopsy showed that Irena Majewski died from broken ribs, a shattered jaw and severe brain trauma. Exorcism is one of three types of sacramentals listed by the Catholic Church, alongside blessings and consecrations/dedications. Guidelines issued in 1999 by the Vatican states that Catholic exorcisms can only be carried out on a person claiming to be possessed by demons or the devil after an evaluations by a doctor ton rule out a mental of physical illness. | Polish siblings tortured their 75-year-old mother to death .
Pair believed their mother was possessed - she had Alzheimer's .
They performed 'exorcism' where they tied her up and beat her .
She died with broken ribs, a shattered jaw and severe brain trauma . |
112,354 | 1ced4e0c4b45181ceaf50815e06f0fb5bfdddde2 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Vladimir Putin has been branded a ‘thug’ and a ‘liar’ by one of Britain’s top diplomats as the European Union turned the screw on Russia's banks, arms traders and energy firms. Sir Peter Westmacott, the UK ambassador to the US, said Moscow’s aggression in Ukraine was starting to look like ‘the wrong call’ and the West’s firm response to the downing of Malaysian Airlines plane was starting to have an impact. David Cameron met families of British victims of the atrocity today, as he warns Russia has failed to stem the flow of weapons across the border to Ukraine since a surface-to-air missile was used to destroy flight MH17, killing all 298 people on board. Sir Peter Westmacott, the UK ambassador to the US, branded Russian President Vladimir Putin a ‘thug’ and a ‘liar’ EU diplomats met in Brussels today to agree a fresh round of sanctions designed to cripple the Russian economy and target allies of Vladimir Putin. The new measures include an arms embargo, a ban on the sale of dual use and sensitive technologies, and a ban on the sale of bonds and equities by state-owned Russian banks in European capital markets. Eight more officials - including four members of President Vladimir Putin's inner circle - are also expected to be subjected to asset bans and travel freezes. The White House indicated that additional US sanctions can be expected to follow the EU announcement. Mr Cameron said: ‘The sanctions relate to Vladimir Putin and Russia’s behaviour. 'We want to make it absolutely clear that Russia’s behaviour in destabilising another country is unacceptable and therefore the EU with the US will be imposing further sanctions unless that behaviour changes. ‘We are united in sending that tough message, and it is a message that will be backed by tough action.’ It marks the toughest package of measures against Russia so far, amid growing anger at Moscow's aggression. In an extraordinary public attack on the Russian President, Sir Peter said Mr Putin’s behaviour in Ukraine had been ‘thuggish, dishonest and reckless’. He added: ‘He thought he’d done pretty well after he stole Crimea. It doesn’t look so good now.’ Speaking on American television channel MSNBC, he said: ‘It’s starting to look like this was the wrong call. This is a defining moment for what is going on in Ukraine. ‘We’ve had some very bad behaviour from the Russian side for a long time now, and we’ve had this terrible atrocity - the shooting down of the aircraft. 'We have to change the cost/benefit analysis for Putin, for the Russian people, for the government that they have elected here.’ Last night Mr Cameron spoke to US President Barack Obama, French President Francois Hollande, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Italian PM Mario Renzi to back ‘a strong package of sectoral sanctions as swiftly as possible’. Prime Minister David Cameron will meet families of British victims of the MH17 atrocity today as Brussels prepares to step up sanctions against Russia . Defence Secretary Michael Fallon (left) announced Britain would send 1,300 troops to take part in Exercise Black Eagle during a visit to Warsaw with Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond (second left), meeting their Polish counterparts, Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski (right) and Defence Minister Tomasz Siemoniak (second right) Downing Street said Russia has ‘failed to take the steps necessary to de-escalate the crisis’ in Ukraine, including ending support for the separatists and stopping the flow of weapons across the border. ‘Indeed the latest information from the region suggests that even since MH17 was shot down, Russia continues to transfer weapons across the border and to provide practical support to the separatist,’ a spokesman said. However, former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind warned more than 'symbolic' sanctions are needed for Russian president Vladimir Putin to back down, former foreign secretary Sir Malcolm Rifkind has warned. The veteran Tory politician said the measures used to date had been 'pretty useless' and urged the international community to take more serious steps that would cause economic damage. He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: 'This isn't about his popularity, this is about imposing sanctions that will require Putin to change his policy. Up till now these measures used have been pretty useless. 'If you impose visa controls or asset freezes on 50 or 60 of his cronies, well I'm sure they are very disappointed, (but) why should Putin change his foreign policy? 'When you get into the situation of preventing them having access to financial markets, preventing high quality technology exports to their energy industry, that goes to the very heart of the Russian economy. 'We saw with Iran that the whole impact of financial, banking and economic sanctions is what has brought them to negotiate with the US and with the international community on their nuclear weapons. 'This is not about popularity, it is about economic damage.' Britain has been pushing for sanctions where there is ‘broad consensus’ with other EU countries, including ‘the financial sector, the defence sector and the hi-tech energy sector’. Carnage: Australia's deputy police commissioner warned that the crash site is a 'highly volatile area' and that the purpose of their visit is to conduct a detailed examination of the area . Tragic: The news comes as UN human rights chief Navi Pillay said the downing of flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine may constitute a 'war crime . Prime Minister David Cameron is to meet families of the Britons killed in the MH17 crash today. Ten UK nationals were among the 298 passengers and crew killed when the Malaysian Airlines flight was shot down over eastern Ukraine. Downing Street said all of the families have been invited to meet the Prime Minister and seven are expected at the meeting in Number 10. 'It is really for the Prime Minister to express his sorrow and condolences about what's happened personally, face to face,' a spokesman for Mr Cameron said. 'He will talk about the response so far from the UK and other partners in the international community.' Mr Cameron will also seek to 'establish if there are more things that we should be looking at and doing'. The deal on so-called ‘tier three’ measures covering whole sectors was agreed by EU ambassadors today. However, oil giant BP has warned that further international sanctions on Russia could have a "material adverse impact" on the company. The UK business owns a 19.75 per cent stake in Russian oil firm Rosneft, which is the subject of sanctions preventing it from using US financial institutions for new loans over a period longer than 90 days. There is also expected to be a new US and EU-wide embargo on future arms sales to the Russian military. It will be the first time that entire sectors of the Russian economy, rather than individuals or firms, have been targeted by the West. Last week EU member states agreed to add 15 individuals and 18 entities to the list of those subject to asset freezes under the 'tier two' powers. Among them are head of the Russian Federal Security Service Alexander Bortnikov, Sergei Beseda, head of the FSB department that oversees international operations and intelligence activity and four members of Russia's Security Council. The list, published in the EU's Official Journal, brings to 87 the total number of people subject to sanctions in relation to Russia's annexation of the Crimea. However, Mr Cameron wants to now go further and extend it to cover ‘those with influence on the Russian regime’. It will include travel bans and asset freezes aimed at the ‘cronies’ of Vladimir Putin whose billions depend on their influence in the Kremlin. Meanwhile, it emerged Britain is to send more than 1,300 British troops to Poland as a show of strength against Russia's annexation of Crimea and 'destabilisation' of eastern Ukraine. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said Exercise Black Eagle would be the largest British commitment to the region since 2008. The UK has already deployed RAF Typhoon jets to the Nato Baltic Air Policing mission. And at the end of light infantry troops from 1st Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment will take part in Exercise Sabre Junction in Poland, a US-led exercise involving 16 Nato and partner nation. British lawyer John Allen, 44, died with his Dutch wife Sandra and their three children, Christopher, Ian and Julian. Glenn Thomas (left), 49, from Blackpool, a media officer for the World Health Organisation, was among 100 delegates on their way to an Aids conference in Melbourne, Australia. Former RAF search and rescue co-ordinator Stephen Anderson (right), 44, moved to Malaysia four years ago with his wife Joanna, with whom he has a daughter. Andrew Hoare, a 59-year-old banker born and raised in Somerset, was killed along with his Dutch wife Estella and their two children Jasper (left), 15, and Friso, 12 . John Alder (left), 63, and Liam Sweeney, 28, were ardent Newcastle United fans killed on their way to a pre-season tour of New Zealand. Leeds University student Richard Mayne, 20, was on his way to Perth in Australia. He had recently completed a charity trek to Everest Base Camp. Father-of-two Cameron Dalziel (left), 43, was a helicopter rescue pilot. Robert Ayley, 27, from Guildford, wrote an email before the flight saying he was looking forward to seeing his wife and children in New Zealand. Ben Pocock, 20, from Bristol was studying International Business at Loughborough University. | EU agrees arms embargo and curbs on state-owned Russian banks .
BP warns more controls will have 'material adverse impact' on the firm .
UK ambassador to US Sir Peter Westmacott says Putin made 'wrong call'
Condemns the 'terrible atrocity' of flight MH17 being shot out of the sky .
David Cameron insists all EU countries must share burden of crackdown .
But senior Tory Sir Malcolm Rifkind says sanctions are purely 'symbolic'
Britain to send 1,300 troops to Poland as part of 'Exercise Black Eagle' |
278,870 | f54a0de0e042a273ff6b9211b8c8d3d58236da3b | George Osborne has moved his mortgage to an exclusive bank for the super-rich, it was claimed. The Chancellor is said to have cut his interest rate on the loan on his £4million house in Notting Hill, west London - which he rents out for £10,000 a month while living in Downing Street. Mr Osborne reportedly switched the loan on the house - which has doubled in value since he bought it in 2006 - from Barclays and C. Hoare & Co to RBC Europe, part of the Royal Bank of Canada. Change: Chancellor George Osborne is said to have cut his interest on the loan on the £4million house in Notting Hill, west London - which he rents out for £10,000 a month while living in Downing Street . RBC is a privately-owned firm specialising in super rich wealth management, reported The People. The 42-year-old is thought to be remortgaging to get a cheaper deal - and qualifies for RBC because he has excellent equity in his London home, and is wealthy enough to join a bank for the mega-rich. Ray Boulger, of mortgage firm Jon Charcol, told The People: ‘The rate will vary on the individual but someone like George Osborne is likely to pay 1 to 1.5 per cent above the base rate of 0.5 per cent. ‘You or me are not going to be going there (to RBC) - they are not in our market. I’m not sure what their minimum loan size is but it would be at least £500,000 or maybe £1million.’ A rate of 2 per cent is significantly lower than the average high-street mortgage - and Labour MP John Mann claimed Mr Osborne was ‘trying to get a cheaper rate than everyone else’. The Bank of England’s base rate has . been at 0.5 per cent since March 2009, but the economic revival had been . fuelling speculation it could be raised for the first time in nearly . seven years. Guidance: Bank of England Governor Mark Carney said last week that he would not raise interest rates for some time, even as Britain's economy records the strongest growth in the developed world . However, Bank of England Governor Mark . Carney said last week that he would not raise interest rates for some . time, even as Britain’s economy records the strongest growth in the . developed world. 'You or me are not going to be going there - they are not in our market' Ray Boulger, mortgage firm Jon Charcol . Mr Osborne switched the mortgage last month on the property - which has six bedrooms, four reception rooms and three bathrooms. He is married to novelist Frances, 44, and they have two children - Luke, 12, and Liberty, 10. His spokesman told The People: ‘George’s property is declared in the correct manner and unlike previous Labour Chancellors he does not claim any taxpayers’ money for it.’ | Chancellor 'cuts his interest loan' on home in Notting HIll, west London .
Osborne rents it out for £10,000 a month while living in Downing Street .
Switches mortgage from Barclays and C. Hoare & Co, to RBC Europe . |
28,434 | 50ab2632430179c1376d15be3456986498715ff6 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 13:45 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:08 EST, 1 August 2013 . Set for jail: Police officer Jeffrey Davies, 42, looked pale and a little shaken as the verdict was given . A plain-clothes police officer was today given a fortnight’s ‘mercy’ before being jailed for sexually assaulting two female crime victims - one of whom he asked to perform a sex act on him. South Wales Police detective Jeffrey Davies, 42, was found guilty at Swansea Crown Court of two separate sex assaults on women who came to him to report crimes. He was unanimously found guilty of one of the counts and guilty by a majority of 10 to two on the second. But he was cleared of a third of exposing himself to another female crime victim. Both assaults happened in 2010. On each occasion the vulnerable women were crime victims meeting the police officer only due to the process of reporting crimes they had suffered. Davies, a CID officer at Merthyr Tydfil police station, forced one woman’s hand on to his erect genitals through his trousers as she left a police interview room after giving a statement. She spoke of her shock at what he had done and the fact that it lasted for up to three minutes. In the second assault, Davies picked up another female crime victim one evening in the South Wales valley community where she was living. He drove her to a lane close to her home, touched her leg and repeatedly suggested she carry out a sex act upon him. The two sexual assaults were carried out . in 2010. The exposure count of which he was cleared was alleged to have . happened in 2011. Sexual assault: Davies, a CID officer at Merthyr Tydfil police station (pictured), forced one woman's hand on to his erect genitals through his trousers as she left a police interview room after giving a statement . Judge Paul Thomas QC adjourned sentencing until August 15 despite hearing that reports were unnecessary and Davies was resigned to a jail term. The judge said he wanted time to reflect before passing sentence and told Davies that, due to the ‘substantial breach of trust involved, there can only be one outcome possible’. But he released him on unconditional bail, saying: ‘I am prepared to show mercy so that you can put your affairs in order.’ He added: ‘But you must be prepared to lose your liberty when you return.’ Davies looked pale and a little shaken as the jury’s verdict was given. Neither of his female victims, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was present to witness the outcome of the trial. Trial: Davies, 42, was found guilty at Swansea Crown Court (pictured) of two separate sex assaults on women . South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Richard Lewis, speaking after the verdicts, described Davies’s actions as ‘a gross abuse’. 'His actions are completely unacceptable and abhorrent. His colleagues, who work so hard to keep their communities safe, will feel betrayed and let down' South Wales Police Assistant Chief Constable Richard Lewis . ‘Jeffrey Davies was in a position of great trust within the community he served, but he betrayed that trust with this criminal behaviour,’ he said. ‘A thorough and determined investigation by South Wales Police anti-corruption investigators revealed that Jeffery Davies had committed serious sexual offences against women victims of crime, at a time when they were vulnerable and facing personal trauma. ‘His actions are completely unacceptable and abhorrent. His colleagues, who work so hard to keep their communities safe, will feel betrayed and let down. ‘The actions of this officer were a gross abuse of position and power and will not be tolerated within policing. This investigation demonstrates our determination to robustly tackle any behaviour of this kind’. | South Wales Police detective Jeffrey Davies is found guilty in Swansea .
Forced one woman's hand on to his erect genitals through his trousers .
Repeatedly suggested to another that she carry out a sex act upon him . |
42,235 | 7735174f6d6c6ec11c1bd8f227c22705d60316a1 | London, England (CNN) -- Reports that Iran has sentenced a British embassy employee to four years in prison are "deeply concerning," British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said Thursday. Hossein Rassam "is a hardworking embassy official" who was "doing work that was wholly within the boundaries of diplomatic work," Miliband said at a news conference in Brussels, Belgium. The reported sentence is "wholly unjustified and represents further harassment of embassy staff for going about their normal and legitimate duties," Miliband had said earlier, in a statement issued Wednesday. Rassam is one of several British embassy employees arrested in the wake of Iran's disputed June 12 presidential election. Thousands of Iranians took to the streets to protest the official results declaring President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad the winner. Iran accused Britain and the United States of fomenting the unrest. Rassam was put on trial in August. The European Union, France and the United Kingdom denounced the proceeding. Rassam's lawyer has not officially been informed of the embassy worker's sentence, and he does not know where Rassam is, he told Iranian media. Abdolsamad Khorramshahi told the Fars News Agency that the terms of Rassam's bail did not prevent him from leaving the country. He said Rassam had been in Iran recently, but he did not know his current whereabouts. He said he could not express an opinion on the verdict before the court officially informs him of it, which he said normally happens after it is issued. The European Union condemned the reported verdict as "unjustified and harsh," and urged "the Iranian authorities to overturn it swiftly," the Swedish presidency of the 27-nation bloc said in a statement Thursday. "Any action against one EU country (a citizen or member of embassy staff) is considered an action against the entire EU, and will be treated accordingly," the statement said. France also condemned the sentencing of Rassam. Miliband said he understood the sentence could be appealed and urged "the authorities to conduct this quickly and overturn this harsh sentence." "This will be seen as an attack against the entire diplomatic community in Iran," he said in a statement late Wednesday. The Foreign Office summoned the Iranian ambassador to London, and Britain's envoy in Tehran spoke to Iran's deputy foreign minister, Miliband said. | European Union, France and the UK denounced the trial of Rassam .
Rassam one of several UK embassy employees after unrest in June .
Thousands of Iranians protested the results of the presidential election . |
97,153 | 0908198b9d33b36f368fb245ce5a6af46dbbee73 | Dali, Guizhou (CNN) -- Wandering through this remote village nestled among ancient forests and bamboo groves in China's poorest province, it's easy to imagine that life here has changed little over the centuries. Along narrow pathways shaded by the tiled eaves of wooden houses, men deftly balance bamboo carrying poles laden with chillies grown in fields nearby, while women wearing traditional indigo shirts pound dirty laundry in the river. But change is coming to Dali, a village of 300 households in the southwestern Chinese province of Guizhou. In January, the village, along with 20 others in the region, was added to a list of sites that China's leaders believe should qualify for world heritage status -- a step that could put the tiny settlement on a par with The Great Wall or Egypt's pyramids and transform it from a sleepy backwater to a tourist magnet. It's a big opportunity for villagers like Shi Tao, a 25-year-old migrant worker, who is home for the birth of his first child. He'd like to open a guesthouse to cater for the expected visitors. "We'll make more money if tourists come," he says, cradling his sleeping newborn. But for now he must leave his family and head back to the southern Chinese factory town where he makes electronic components for 3,000 yuan (US$490) a month. Untouched charm . As rapid urbanization threatens much of China's rural heritage, tourists will no doubt fall for Dali's untouched charm. At its core is a pagoda-like structure known as a drum tower sitting in a square where villagers dry their crops on rectangles of tarpaulin. The river that winds through the village is crisscrossed by covered wooden bridges where village elders gather to smoke pipes and enjoy the breeze. The river also feeds an ancient water system with separate pools for washing vegetables and laundering clothes. Its poverty and far flung location mean that the three story houses are built from local timber, unaltered by modern construction materials, and in a traditional style unique to the region. "It's a classic example of mountain village architecture," said Wang Hongguan, the director of the Guizhou Provincial Bureau of Cultural Heritage that is behind the world heritage bid. "They warrant proper protection so I hope they can be inscribed as world heritage sites as soon as possible." A final decision is made by UNESCO, a U.N. body, which has to decide whether the site is of outstanding universal value. According to the state-run People's Daily, in 2005 China had about 5,000 ancient villages like Dali but by June 2102 this number has decreased to less than 3,000, swallowed up by China's rapidly expanding cities or emptied as villagers leave in search of better prospects. It's a trend that's likely to continue as China's leaders push urbanization as a solution to slowing economic growth. Tourism costs . Despite their enthusiasm, few of the villagers grasp what attaining world heritage status might involve given the advent of mass tourism in China. Tang Shoucheng, the village chief of Xijiang, a picturesque village four hours' drive away, is well qualified to chronicle its highs and lows. Since the village was earmarked for tourist development in 2008, incomes have surged, with 10,000 visitors a day clogging the narrow streets each day during peak season. Residents receive an 18% share of the 100 yuan (US$16) ticket fee to enter the village and the arrival of tourists has created new business opportunities that have enticed people back from factory jobs in more affluent regions. But Tang says that the economic benefits have been uneven. Villagers like him, who live on the hilltop away from the main commercial street, complain they make less money than those who have shop fronts and live closer to the main commercial street. Development has also taken its toll on traditional village life. Once the most important man in the village, Tang says the villagers don't respect traditional relationships anymore. "Now people only recognize money," he says. "In the past, if you were from the same village, you would always help each other out." It's a problem not unique to Xijiang. Chinese world heritage sites in Lijiang in the neighboring province of Yunnan and Pingyao in northern Shanxi province have seen locals move out and karaoke bars move in. "Over-commercialization is a valid concern," said Wang, who decided to remove Xijiang from China's tentative world heritage list because of the unbridled tourist development. "The reason why these places failed is because of the desire for economic development -- culture has become a commodity and people approach it in a degrading way." Balance . It's no easy task to balance a desire for economic development and heritage preservation, says Han Li, China director of the Global Heritage Fund, a U.S. NGO. It has partnered with the bureau of cultural heritage to evaluate Dali and come up with a management plan for the village that, if successful, would be adopted elsewhere in the province. The organization jumped at the opportunity to undertake planning and conservation work in Dali before tourists arrive in any significant numbers. Tourism at some of GHF's other projects in China, where the organization was brought on board after the sites were awarded UNESCO status, was not well controlled, said Li. She is encouraged by the attitudes of local officials, who appear keen to make sure Dali does not turn into a tourist trap. "Heritage sites can bring income and development. Our challenge is to find a way to manage this process in a way that doesn't jeopardize the heritage and the traditional way of life," says Li. At a meeting in Dali's schoolhouse, village elders, some wearing the faded Mao suits of China's past, welcome the early plans for the village's future -- a wider road, a commercial area for hotels and a museum, plus upgrades to their homes. Snacking on watermelon, few expressed doubts about the pending changes. "We want to preserve our way of life but progress is important too," said Yang Zhou, who wants to find a way for his two children to grow up and stay in the village. | Remote village earmarked to become world heritage site .
Locals welcome opportunity to improve livelihood .
Rapid urbanization threatens much of China's rural heritage .
Fears traditional village life won't survive onslaught of mass tourism . |
140,775 | 4209369acbea6a33057a60b28f0874b0ab2b5a26 | (CNN)Today, as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I know there are those who will ask, "How long will it take?" How long until the dream is fulfilled? How long until our destination is reached? But, like Dr. King, we must continue to march on. We march on toward the realization of the American Dream. We are not diverted by those who would deny opportunity based on what we look like or where we came from or who would deny equality based on who we love. We march on poverty, until every child has the nourishment of body and mind needed to fuel their chance at success. We must find ways to bring those from the "outskirts of hope" closer to the circle of opportunity. We march on ballot boxes, because the rights for which we fought are too important to give up now. And no one should silence us simply because they might disagree with our views. We march on because all lives matter, not to be judged by the color of their skin. How long? Not long, because the images and words and fights of half a century ago still have the power to rouse us to march. How long? I don't really know. But as Dr. King once told us, "the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice." This year, I know I am not the only one with the Oscar-nominated "Selma" on my mind. Across the country, people are lining up in theaters and watching a raw image of the sacrifice 600 voting rights marchers made: as they pursued the right to vote, they were brutally attacked by police using billy clubs and tear gas. The lessons of the struggle depicted in this movie are important, important enough to be mindful of them every day. But we should be especially mindful as we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Today is a day of national reflection, but it is also a day of action. Remembering those who sacrificed before us is important, but carrying on their legacy and continuing to march forward is essential. The walk from Selma to Montgomery that turned into Bloody Sunday leaves us with a strong reminder of how much those before us gave for basic human rights. The walk is a strong reminder of how John Lewis stood side-by-side with Dr. King, so that today he can stand in the chambers of Congress and continue to use his voice to fight, as he did 50 years ago, for the right to vote. Because even though 50 years have passed since the marches of 1965 that led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, we are still in that fight today. Just last week, Republican House Judiciary Chair Bob Goodlatte said that it's not "necessary" to fix the mangled Voting Rights Act after the Supreme Court's decision left the door open to burdensome and unfair voting restrictions. All I can say is he either does not read the news or he doesn't think protecting all eligible Americans' right to vote is important. In the last election cycle, we saw the country take significant steps backward as more states restricted the right to vote. In Ohio and Wisconsin, Republicans passed measures limiting the times polls are open and cutting weekend voting typically favored by black and low-income voters. In North Carolina, Republicans passed what have been called the "nation's most restrictive voting laws," establishing rules that make it more difficult for people to register to, and actually, vote. In Texas, students were banned from using student IDs as a valid form of identification, while recently married or divorced women were stopped from voting if their names did not match their IDs. And it's important to remember that all of these new voting restrictions are aimed at addressing a problem that does not exist. Reported cases of voter fraud are incredibly rare, so it's puzzling why the GOP is so insistent on pushing these laws. One thing we do know is that these laws disproportionately affect women, young people, the elderly, African-American and Latino voters -- voters who traditionally vote for Democrats. Those negatively affected by these unnecessary, indeed oppressive, voting restrictions constitute over half of the voting population. The 2014 midterm elections left us with even more conservative state houses and more conservative governors, so it's never been more important that we remain vigilant in fighting back against these discriminatory measures. When more voices are heard, our country is better for it. When more voices are heard, the leaders better represent the views of those they represent. Our country has seen unrest this year, and as our civil rights leaders taught us, a vote is the clearest way to make our voices heard, to stand up for our convictions. We have such a pressing moral obligation to live up to the name of this day. For Dr. King who gave his life, along with many others including Jimmie Lee Jackson, Viola Liuzzo and the Rev. James Reeb, for the 600 individuals who made unbelievable sacrifices that day in Selma, for our children who should not have to face the same hardship the men and women before us had to face. Let's honor this day and those who fought for freedom before us, and let's keep fighting for the things we still believe make us the country we are today. Let us continue to march on. | Donna Brazile: Anniversary of Selma 50 years ago reminds us work on rights continues .
She says voting rights have to be defended anew against assaults over nonexistent voter fraud . |
176,053 | 6fea2f6c7bfc1cd267d71b38e06fbc05ee4a3251 | Ukip leader Nigel Farage has revealed his 'big regret' in life was spending too much time on politics – and not being able to see his daughters grow up. Mr Farage makes the admission in an booze-fuelled interview with Gogglebox 'posh couple' Steph and Dom Parker. The controversial politician is set to appear in a special Channel 4 spin-off from the popular show tonight – where he is interviewed at home with Mr and Mrs Parker. Scroll down for video . Over several pints of beer, glasses of champagne and port Mr Farage disclosed he had not spent enough time with his youngest children . Over several pints of beer, glasses of champagne, red wine, port, and alcohol-laced coffee, Mr Farage disclosed he had not spent enough time with his youngest children. He also admitted that he would never be Prime Minister – and did not want to be either. The Ukip leader said he prefered to 'do something' rather than 'be something'. Mr Farage has two sons in their 20s from his first marriage and two younger daughters from his second. He also claimed that he was 'poor' – despite earning around £80,000 a year. But he said this was 'about half of what the local headmaster or GP earns'. But when asked about his children, he admitted: 'I've got regrets about that. Big regrets. 'My first marriage - I got divorced in the 90s - I spent loads of time with my kids, the boys, as they were growing up. 'I worked in the City so 5, 6 o'clock on Friday it was over, didn't start again until Monday morning. 'So I had time for the kids as they were growing up, the boys. And I guess my daughters have seen less of me than they probably should have done.' Mr Farage, the Ukip leader, also admitted that he would never be Prime Minister – and did not want to be either . Nigel Farage insisted he had no regrets about going into politics - but claimed it had left him 'poor'. The Ukip leader said he earned 'about half of what the local headmaster or GP earns'. But Mr Farage and his wife Kirsten enjoy a lifestyle far beyond the reach of ordinary voters. The couple live in a home worth around £540,000 and have annual earnings of more than £100,000, including: . When asked if he would ever be Prime Minister, he told them: 'I doubt it'. The Gogglebox pair pressed him if he wanted to be the PM. He replied: 'Not really. There are two types of people in politics: those who want to be something and those who want to do something. I want to do something. Changing things in the country and changing the debate really interests me.' The programme, At Home with Dom and Steph, is based in Mr and Mrs Parker's bed and breakfast in Kent. The posh B&B sits in the constituency of South Thanet where Mr Farage will be standing in his bid to become an MP in the 2015 General Election. Over the course of the interview, Mr Farage joins the couple in their local pub before ending up wearing his host's trousers after spilling champagne down his after a 'rip roaring' evening. On LBC Mr Farage insisted that he did not collapse because of booze. He said: 'They wanted to get me to pose sitting on a concrete step with them having a glass of champagne which I did. 'My body isn't particularly great at getting down and getting up again with all the back and neck problems I've got. So I got up and missed the top step with my...with a sort of toe. 'And the glass of champagne came out of my hand. And my very light grey trousers were covered in champagne. 'So you know I've no doubt that one or two newspapers before this is broadcast next will say that I collapsed. But nothing could be further from the truth.' He added: 'We had a couple of pints and a few glasses of wine. It wasn't even...it wasn't silly I promise you.' Steph and Dom Meet Nigel Farage is on Channel 4, Monday December 15, at 10pm . Nigel Farage's Hamburg-born wife Kirsten keeps a very low profile and is rarely seen in public . In his early 20s Nigel Farage had the first of several brushes with death, when he was run over by a car in Orpington, Kent, after a night in the pub. He sustained severe injuries and doctors feared he would lose a leg. Mr Farage was treated by a nurse called Grainne Hayes - who became his first wife. He had two sons with Ms Hayes, who are both now grown up. After splitting with Ms Hayes he married German-born bond trader Kirsten Mehr in 1999. Months after recovering from his road accident, Mr Farage was diagnosed with testicular cancer. It is one of the great contradictions of the Ukip leader that while he rails against Europeans ‘coming over here’ and taking the jobs, homes and public services of Brits that he is married to a German who could move here under the rules which he wants to tear up. He jokes that being married to a foreigner is proof that he loves Europe. Hamburg-born Kirsten keeps a very low profile and is rarely seen in public. At Ukip conferences, she sits anonymously in the audience. She and Mr Farage met in Frankfurt in 1996, while he was travelling on business - and still married to his first wife. Of the moment he met Kirsten, he once said: ‘She was a stunning government bond broker whose brisk efficiency at first sight belied her ethereal appearance. 'She could have stepped into a pre-Raphaelite painting no questions asked.’ Later, he explained in typically flamboyant style: ‘My marriage, which had been on ice and torpid with its claws bound for so long we had both forgotten it was alive at all, finally expired.’ The couple divorced in 1997 and Mr Farage married Kirsten in 1999. Kirsten, gave up her career in the City, where she worked as an interpreter for a German bank, to look after the children - she and Mr Farage have two - and take her husband’s correspondence. She writes all his emails because he dislikes using computers and is paid a salary by the European Parliament of more than £27,000 and has amassed more than £200,000 since she began working for him. | Farage makes admission in booze-fuelled interview with Gogglebox couple .
The Ukip leader spent an evening with 'posh pair' Steph and Dom Parker .
He also admitted he would never be PM – and did not want to be either . |
164,073 | 602f251a90fddaeb5cfce860d909927ec25476e5 | (CNN) -- Mexican authorities said Friday that they have not arrested the son of drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman, contrary to what they had said a day earlier. The nation's navy announced Thursday that it had arrested Alfredo Guzman Salazar in western Mexico. A day later, after doing more identification tests, it said it had not arrested Guzman's son. El Chapo, who oversees the powerful Sinaloa drug cartel, is considered the most wanted man in Mexico. In 2009, Guzman Salazar was indicted in Illinois, together with his father, on various drug trafficking charges. . CNN's Kevin Gallagher contributed to this report. | Alfredo Guzman Salazar is the son of drug lord Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman .
El Chapo is considered the most wanted man in Mexico.
Father and son were indicted in Illinois on drug trafficking charges in 2009 . |
45,064 | 7f0dc5c5cc5485ab5d19f103a0fdb67eb06cd510 | (CNN) -- Mario Balotelli didn't score but, once again, it was still all about him. The Italian striker made his much anticipated reintroduction into English soccer Sunday when he started for Liverpool against Tottenham Hotspur. Liverpool ran out comfortable 3-0 winners with goals from Raheem Sterling, Steven Gerrard and new signing Alberto Moreno. But before, during and after the game, all eyes were on the mercurial Balotelli, who showed flashes of both his brilliance and profligacy. On any other day he might have had a hat trick, but he missed his three clear cut chances in the first half. Rodgers impressed . Yet Balotelli's work rate and approach play on and off the ball impressed his new coach Brendan Rodgers. "He is a good man and I think if you take away the circus around him, and the circus he invites himself sometimes, control the background noise and get him focused on his football, he'll make mistakes ... but he's going to be a real handful for defenders," Rodgers said after the game. Rodgers also revealed that Balotelli had never defended at a corner before coming to Liverpool. "For the first time in his life he marked at a corner," Rodgers revealed. "Serious. International player, won three titles, and we were doing corners and I said, 'are you picking up [opposition players] at the corners'. He said: 'I don't mark at corners.' You do now." It was almost a dream debut for Balotelli but he managed to head the ball straight at Hugo Lloris in the Tottenham goal. But Rodgers' new system, with Balotelli and Daniel Sturridge up front and Raheem Sterling playing behind, paid dividends. In fact it was Sterling who broke the deadlock when he scored at the near post following a Jordan Henderson cross from the right hand side. A Steven Gerrard penalty and a stunning Alberto Moreno strike made sure of the points and ensured Balotelli's return to English football was a winning one. Arsenal stutter . Later in the day Arsenal continued their indifferent Premier League form with a 1-1 draw against Leicester City. With the transfer window about to shut, Arsenal's depth of forward options had been under scrutiny before the game. But it was one of coach Arsene Wenger's big summer signings, Alexis Sanchez, who put Arsenal ahead before Leicester City equalized through a Leo Ulloa header. Arsenal had 24 chances during the match but couldn't break down a team who were promoted from English soccer's second tier last season. "Tough, tough," Wenger told Sky Sports after the draw. "A draw was fair. We didn't play well enough. We lacked a bit of creativity. We've had two tough weeks, three away games. It is not an excuse, but we are a bit jaded. In the end we could have lost it." Balotelli signs for Liverpool . | Liverpool beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-0 .
Mario Balotelli made his Liverpool debut .
He didn't score but showed glimpses of class .
Sterling, Gerrard and Moreno all on the score sheet . |
230,201 | b61883da76793308d4c46f06401572f790be9d80 | It is the missile that never misses - and could be the future of combat. This incredible video shows the latest test firings of the aptly named Brimstone missile. Launched from a Reaper drone, it shows nine attempt to hit a car moving at 90mph - and nine direct hits. Scroll down for video . xx . The truck is destroyed - a feat the missile repeats nine times, with perfect accuracy on each test. Weight: 110lb . Length: 71in . Diameter: 7in . Guidance: Millimeter Wave Radar and Semi-Active Laser . Warhead: Tandem Shaped Charge . The tests, conducted at the US Naval Air Weapons Station in China Lake, California, in December last year show the Brimstone-equipped MQ-9 Reaper Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) in action. The missile scored nine direct hits against stationary and maneuvering targets traveling at speeds as fast as 70 MPH, while launching from up to 7 miles away at altitudes as high as 20,000 feet. The tests were designed to show how Brimstone’s dual mode Semi-Active Laser and Active mmW radar seekers work in tandem to ensure direct hits, even against high speed and maneuvering targets. MBDA, the firm which makes the missile, says that when launched from a drone, 'Brimstone can now provide reaper crews with a weapon that reduces collateral damage risk and demonstrates first pass, single shot lethality against high speed maneuvering targets on land and at sea and in complex environments.' an artist's impression of the missile in flight: It has already been used in Afghanistan and Libya by UK forces . How it works: The Brimstone missile can be fitted with a range of warheads and systems . This missile was launched from a Reaper drone (pictured) The trials were undertaken on behalf of the UK Ministry of Defence by the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Air Warfare Centre Unmanned Air Systems Test and Evaluation Squadron, Defence Equipment & Support Weapons Operating Centre, United States Air Force’s BIG SAFARI Organisation, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Incorporated and MBDA. The RAF already uses the Brimstone on Tornado GR4 fast jets on operations in Afghanistan and Libya. MBDA claims the missile is the most accurate on the market. 'A split second decision, a one-time opportunity: missing is not an option,' it says in a promotional site for the missile. 'In today’s complex world, America needs to know we’re hitting the right target – and only the right target – every time. 'When you have to hit a target, have to hit a budget and don’t have time to waste.' | Can be launched from altitudes as high as 20,000 feet .
Trials carried out in California for UK Ministry of Defence . |
127,038 | 30361ca91b976712f8173d85c9d472f79cbc458e | (CNN) -- Charges against a police officer jailed in a two-state shooting rampage will be formally dropped Wednesday, a prosecutor said. Brian E. Dorian, 37, was to be released on his own recognizance Tuesday night, Will County State's Attorney James W. Glasgow announced. "I feel horrible that Brian Dorian went through this," said Glasgow, adding that evidence at the time and identification in lineups merited the charges. "At no time did we stop looking for exculpatory evidence." A forensic analysis of Dorian's home computer and its activity put Dorian at home at the time of the shootings and verified his alibi, authorities said. The officer also told them he was watching sports programs and using e-mail. John Dorian, the officer's father, told CNN affiliate WLS he was "relieved" and "never doubted his son." Dorian's attorneys spoke only briefly Tuesday evening. "He is relieved but concerned that someone is still out there who killed someone," said David Carlson. Dorian's boss at the Lynwood Police Department said the officer's "reputation has been damaged and his family and fellow officers have been dragged through the mud." The state's attorney owes the attack victims, their families, Dorian and Lynwood residents "an apology for rushing to judgment thereby causing a great deal of pain and suffering for everyone involved," Chief Russell L. Pearson said in a statement Tuesday night. Earlier in the day, Dorian appeared in court via a hookup from the Will County Jail. He did not speak but an attorney entered a not guilty plea, WLS reported. Several friends and relatives wore T-shirts bearing the message "Free Brian." "There's an innocent man sitting behind bars and somebody else is running around out there knowing that he got away with it. It's not fair," Jill Aggen, a friend of Dorian, told WLS. "No doubt in my mind. He's not capable of it." Dorian was arrested Friday in the killing of one person and the wounding of three others in the spree, which occurred south of Chicago, Illinois. He was held on a probable cause warrant, and bail was set at $2.5 million. Dorian, who according to WLS has been on medical leave for an injured shoulder the past year, was taken into custody Friday at his residence, said authorities. The shootings began about 10:30 a.m. October 5 at a construction site near Beecher, Illinois. The gunman killed one worker at the site and wounded two others, police have said. An hour later and about 10 miles away in Lowell, Indiana, authorities believe the same gunman opened fire again -- this time on a local farmer. Keith Dahl was shot in the left shoulder, arm and elbow, and then was robbed. Dahl told Lake County (Indiana) Sheriff's Detective Robert Martinez that the gunman approached him on his farm and started a conversation about bees before beginning to shoot. The gunman was believed to be using a revolver -- possibly a Colt .38-caliber or .357 Magnum -- because no shell casings were found at either scene, Lake County Sheriff Rogelio "Roy" Dominguez said. | Police officer will be freed in Illinois and Indiana shootings .
Analysis of computer shows he was at home at the time of crimes .
One person was killed and three wounded in shootings south of Chicago . |
150,280 | 4e4cd5e248f98a271243aa12498d55e61b38fc8e | NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- JPMorgan Chase & Co. said Sunday that it is buying troubled Wall Street firm Bear Stearns, amid deepening fears that Bear's demise could have sent shockwaves across already shaky financial markets. The deal to buy Bear Stearns is worth an estimated $236 million. The deal values Bear Stearns at $236 million, or just $2 a share. Shares had closed at $30 on Friday, down 47 percent that day. "Effective immediately, JPMorgan Chase is guaranteeing the trading obligations of Bear Stearns and its subsidiaries and is providing management oversight for its operations," said a statement released Sunday by JPMorgan. Shareholders must approve the deal, which is expected to close by the end of June. JPMorgan is taking immediate responsibility for Bear's trading obligations and assuming "management oversight" of the firm's operations. The deal has already been approved by the Federal Reserve and other regulators, according to the statement. The Fed is providing special emergency financing for up to $30 billion in Bear Stearns assets. "JPMorgan stands behind Bear Stearns," said Jamie Dimon, chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan. "Bear Stearns clients and counterparties should feel secure that JPMorgan is guaranteeing ... risk," he continued. The fast-track deal is expected to close by the end of June, the statement said. Bear Stearns was on the brink of financial collapse Friday when JPMorgan and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said they would provide the brokerage a short-term loan. Bear was dealing with a classic "run on the bank." The firm's short-term creditors refused to lend the firm any more money and simultaneously demanded repayment of outstanding debt. The one-two punch overwhelmed Bear's cash position. With the global credit crisis worsening, the Fed -- along with officials from the Treasury Department and other government agencies -- took the dramatic action to prevent the investment bank from going under and igniting widespread panic through the financial markets. Watch a discussion on the impact on global markets » . Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson said on Sunday that talks about how to rescue Bear had continued throughout the weekend. He defended the Fed's bailout on Friday as "the right decision" and said the Bush administration was ready to take other actions to bring stability to the financial markets. He would not say what might have happened had the government failed to step in. "I'm not going to speculate about what-ifs," he said. "I'm just going to say our clear priority right now -- our number one priority, everything we're doing in the economic arena -- is to minimize instability, minimize spillover into the real economy." Bear Stearns has approximately 14,000 employees worldwide. The deal marks an inglorious chapter for 85-year-old Bear Stearns, a storied Wall Street firm the unraveling of which has been fast and furious. Rumors that Bear Stearns was on the verge of collapse started buzzing around Wall Street trading desks last Monday. Chief Executive Alan Schwartz -- who took over as CEO in early January from longtime chief Jimmy Cayne -- appeared on television on Wednesday afternoon to reassure the markets that the firm was stable. But by Thursday night, Bear was in a severe crunch. Some firms that trade with it effectively stopped offering it credit because they feared that Bear was running short of short-term funding, or liquidity. "The past week has been an incredibly difficult time for Bear Stearns," said Alan Schwartz, president and CEO of Bear Stearns. "This transaction represents the best outcome for all of our constituencies based upon the current circumstances." White House spokesman Tony Fratto told CNN on Sunday that Paulson has briefed U.S. President George W. Bush on the Federal Reserve's role in helping to facilitate the purchase. "We appreciate the actions taken by the Federal Reserve this evening," said Fratto. "Secretary Paulson and Chairman Bernanke are actively engaged in addressing issues affecting our financial markets. Secretary Paulson has kept the President briefed on recent developments." Shares of Bear Stearns opened last week at $69.75 and traded as high as $159 last year. E-mail to a friend . | Acquisition values Bear Stearns shares at $2; shares closed Friday at $30 .
U.S. Fed providing financing for up to $30 billion in Bear Stearns assets .
Bear Stearns was facing "run on the bank" on Friday .
Deal, if approved by shareholders, will close in June . |
143,811 | 45fa84dbfab1189da383a7d38125059b131514a8 | By . Kerry Mcqueeney . UPDATED: . 17:03 EST, 7 March 2012 . A bright green bloom of algae 120 miles long and 60 miles wide is so big it can be seen from space. The 'remarkable' bloom has been caught on a satellite camera based 400 miles above Earth. It is thought to have occurred when snow was blown into the ocean from Antarctica. The mammoth growth was probably caused by a build-up of iron which came from the snow falling into the waters, according to Australian scientists who spotted the bloom on satellite images. 'Remarkable': The blooms of bright green algae floating in ocean waters off Antarctica are so large they can be seen from space . Phenomenon: The images were captured from the Modis instrument on Nasa's Terra satellite, located at least 400 miles from Earth . They say the phenomenon could be the largest growth in living memory and it has caused a feeding . frenzy for the surrounding sea life. Krill and plankton are feasting on the algae and, in turn, they are being eaten by larger predators such as whales, penguins and seals, it has been reported. According to the Telegraph, scientists say Antarctica's snow, which contains small concentrations of iron, were blown into the sea by strong winds in the region over the summer. Dr Mark Curran, from the Australian Antarctic Division, told ABC Radio: 'Very, very tiny amounts of iron act as a nutrient. 'Usually algae in this region are . iron limited and so when they get a small amount of iron and they have . everything else they need, that's enough for them to bloom. 'They die off, things like bacteria . comes through there and feeds on the material and then the material . eventually will sink to the bottom of the ocean - anything that hasn't . been consumed by predators higher up the food chain.' Blown away: The algae is thought to have occurred after high winds pushed snow into the ocean from Antarctica (pictured) In bloom: Tiny amounts of iron act as a nutrient which allows algae to form and thrive . Feeding frenzy: Penguins and seals are just a few of the sea life feasting in the area thanks to the algae . The images were captured from the Modis instrument on Nasa's Terra satellite, located at least 400 miles from Earth. This particular bloom of algae has been floating on the ocean's surface for three weeks but it is likely to disappear soon, with the parts that haven't been eaten breaking down naturally without any negative impact on the environment. Describing the phenomenon as a 'remarkable natural event', scientist Dr Jan Leiser, told The Conversation website: 'Iron is the limiting nutrient in that part of the world, so as soon as you have iron and as soon as you have sunlight and all the other conditions are right, then these algal blooms will quite happily grow and reproduce. 'Where the iron is coming from we're not quite sure. One idea is that it's been taken off the continent by strong offshore winds that take snow and sediment load in the snow into the ocean surface, and the snow melts there and releases the nutrient load.' | 'Remarkable' bloom caused by iron in snow blown across from Antarctica .
Mammoth growth is 'largest in living memory', say scientists .
Algae has sparked a feeding frenzy for surrounding sea life . |
86,906 | f6a67cdd6f03ae2910c02dfcc39126bc1f918353 | By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 05:37 EST, 19 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:18 EST, 19 November 2013 . Attack: David Rawson, 25, groped the woman in her bed after being mistakenly let into the room, Burnley Crown Court heard . A drunk wedding guest who managed to get into a woman's hotel room and groped her as she tried to sleep avoided a jail sentence after a judge told him 'you are no sexual predator'. David Rawson, 25, carried out his attack after being let in by the victim at 4am who wrongly assumed it was a female friend she was sharing a room with who was knocking on the door. She opened it and in the darkness did not realise it was former soldier Rawson so she went back to bed. The defendant then got in alongside the woman and began to grope her. The judge at Burnley Crown Court was told Rawson was was 'out of his head' after snorting . cocaine and drinking beer and wine during the wedding party at the 50-bedroom Oaks Hotel, in Brierfield, Lancashire. Prosecutor Mark Lamberty said Rawson had been invited to the wedding reception along with his victim. He said that as Rawson carried out his attack the victim suddenly realised what was happening and thrust him away before rushing to the reception area to try and get some help. Mr Lamberty said the woman returned to . her room and told the defendant to leave, but he refused. She got . dressed and left the room and police were called. After the incident a fight broke out between Rawson and his brother which culminated in him grabbing him by the neck and pinning him against the wall. He was eventually calmed down by others and started to cry. Rawson who works at a carpet making . factory was questioned, agreed he had been in a scuffle with his . brother, but denied going to the woman’s room and the sexual assault. But he admitted sexual touching and two counts of assault by beating following the incident on May 31. Defending him, David Bruce described the case as 'quite unusual and sad'. He said the year before, the defendant had left the Forces. Sex attack: The woman was staying at the 50-bedroom Oaks Hotel in Brierfield, Lancashire, in May when she was groped after a wedding reception . He added that Rawson had fallen out with his girlfriend of around a year a few weeks before the incident and had been hospitalised after trying to take his own life. Mr Bruce added: 'He has very little recollection of what went on that evening. He was out of his head. He had had a cocktail of anti-depressants, drugs and alcohol.' 'He describes this incident as at a time when he was in a very dark place. He can’t begin to explain it. He is devastated and feels very ashamed for what he has done on that particular evening.' Rawson, of Bury, was given 14 months in jail, suspended for two years, with 12 months’ supervision. He was ordered to sign the Sex Offenders’ Register for 10 years. Judge Beverley Lunt told Rawson: 'I accept it’s wholly out of character for you and I accept it because you had taken of cocktail of alcohol and drugs. You are not a sexual predator. You are not a sexual danger to society. 'Drugs and alcohol abuse was the root of this entire incident.' Wedding venue: Rawson, 25, was 'out of his head' after snorting cocaine and drinking beer and wine during the party . Sex attack: Rawson was involved in a fight with his brother following the incident. Police were called and the former soldier was arrested . | David Rawson, 25, was mistakenly let into the room by the victim .
She assumed it was her female friend at the door when he knocked at 4am .
Former soldier attacked the woman in her bed before she fled the room .
He avoids jail after judge says: 'You are not a sexual danger to society' |
143,722 | 45dc0e98aa0fba93f5fbe11e0e1d624f46b13a38 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 12:01 EST, 7 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:07 EST, 8 August 2012 . Sitting on board an Olympics 2012 boat, David Cameron appeared casual and relaxed as he watched the RS:X windsurfer medal race with Ben Ainslie, the greatest sailing Olympian of all time yesterday. But politics were still on his mind as he publicly rebuffed Nick Clegg yesterday . after the Lib Dems decided to wreck Government plans to slash the number . of MPs and redraw constituency boundaries. The Prime Minister said he would still hold a vote on the issue despite the betrayal of his Coalition partners – a move designed to humiliate the Lib Dems if they publicly oppose something they have vocally supported in the past. Nice view: David Cameron watches the sailing competition on London 2012 boat . Looking out to sea: David Cameron, right, talks with Britain's gold Medalist of Finn sail class, Ben Ainslie during the RS:X windsurfer medal race in Weymouth . Prime Minister David Cameron walks with Men's Finn Gold medalist Ben Ainslie on the pontoon at Weymouth and Portland ahead of the Men's RS-X Medal Race today . Crowd spirit: David Cameron and his wife Samantha take part in the wave cheer during a women's semi-final beach volleyball match between China and the United States . Tories will now personally target Mr Clegg, who has previously made impassioned pleas supporting boundary changes when he marshalled the legislation through the Commons. Mr Clegg said in September 2010: ‘To the people we serve it is patently obvious that individuals’ votes should carry the same weight, and if that means reforming the rules for drawing boundaries, that is what we must do. That unfairness is deeply damaging to our democracy.’ The 2010 Lib Dem manifesto also vowed to ‘reduce the number of MPs by 150’, yet the Deputy Prime Minister is now opposing a cut of just 50 MPs to 600. Mr Clegg unveiled the tit-for-tat move on Monday after Tory MPs refused to back his plans for House of Lords reform. Mr Cameron is under pressure from his backbenchers, who plan to summon him to their influential 1922 Committee next month to explain how he will win a majority at the next election now that the Tories seem unlikely to pick up the gains in seats boundary changes might have delivered. The Prime Minister made clear that he would not back down and now plans to pile pressure on Lib Dem ministers by arguing that it is fair and sensible that constituency boundaries be redrawn. Fight back: Nick Clegg, pictured leaving his home today, has accused the Conservatives of breaking their coalition agreement over the Lords reform . Decision: Visiting an activity centre in mid-Wales, Mr Cameron made clear he intended to push forward with the changes when they come back to the Commons in the autumn . The current system is seen as unfair since some seats contain nearly twice as many voters as others, so the Tories tend to need an 11 per cent lead in the opinion polls to win a majority compared with just 3 per cent for Labour. Mr Clegg’s decision to ditch support for the plans could cost the Tories 20 seats in 2015. The Deputy Prime Minister wants to see the boundary review abandoned. But Mr Cameron said yesterday: ‘We want the boundary change vote to go ahead. I am going to be saying to every MP, “Look, the House of Commons ought to be smaller, it ought to be less expensive and we ought to have seats that are exactly the same size”. ‘I think everyone should come forward and vote for that proposal because it is a very sensible proposal and it will be put forward.’ Mucking in: David Cameron takes part in a team building maze puzzle at the centre . Speaking out: Prime Minister David Cameron speaks to young adults in the National Citizen Service scheme who are taking part in team building exercises, at the Outdoor Education Facility . The Prime Minister also said he ‘doesn’t accept at all’ claims by Mr Clegg that the Tory party has broken an agreement with its Lib Dem coalition partners. Senior Tory backbenchers are furious that the Lib Dems have abandoned support and are agitating for Mr Cameron to kick them out of the Cabinet. An influential figure on the backbenches told the Mail that if Lib Dem ministers are not threatened with the sack for defying government policy, Tory ministers would now rebel themselves and the Coalition would collapse into ‘chaos’. Lib Dem Foreign Office minister Jeremy Browne insisted Lords reform and boundary changes were part of the same ‘constitutional package’ and should both be abandoned. He confirmed that he would vote against them. In fact, the Coalition Agreement linked the referendum on electoral reform to the boundary changes – not, as the Lib Dems claim, to House of Lords reforms. | Vowed to press ahead despite a warning his Liberal Democrat coalition partners intend to wreck the plan .
Deputy Prime Minister will order his MPs to oppose the new boundaries after a vote by Tory backbenchers derailed his plans to reform the House of Lords . |
222,420 | abe8570ff06ba33809cbc8291510ff5ff6a64be5 | Hosts Morocco demanded on Saturday that the African Cup of Nations be postponed for a year because of the widening Ebola epidemic. But a government statement did not answer an ultimatum from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) calling on Morocco to say whether it would still host the tournament from January 17 to February 8. The statement released by the Ministry of Sports said the country was faced with 'a strictly health linked case of force majeure' in making its call for a postponement 'from 2015 to 2016'. VIDEO Scroll down for African Cup of Nations crisis talks held due to Ebola fears . Nigeria celebrate their 2013 triumph but the 2015 edition is in doubt after Morocco refused to host . CAF president Issa Hayatou is adamant that the tournament should go ahead this winter as planned . Morocco had already called on CAF to push back the tournament but African football bosses had refused to change the dates. CAF is to meet on Tuesday to decide its next step. Last week it had ruled unanimously that the competition should go ahead, despite the health threat. The confederation pointed out that of the three countries worst effected by the disease, only Sierra Leone can still qualify, while there have been no incidents of Ebola in Morocco. | Morocco were due to host the tournament in January .
Goverment do not want the tournament to take place over Ebola fears .
But CAF adamant that the competition WILL go ahead this year . |
193,214 | 8625dd72201a1edeef5ee6df777ac8a376817a9f | (CNN Student News) -- April 25, 2013 . Media Literacy Question of the Day . What might be some of the benefits and drawbacks of getting news from Twitter? How can a person verify that this kind of information is correct? * . * . Daily Discussion Questions . What questions do you still have about last week's terror attack at the Boston Marathon? Do you think your questions will eventually be answered? If so, by whom? If not, why not? * . * . How are some veterans helping victims of last week's bombings at the Boston Marathon? What advice do you think these troops are offering? How might advances in medical technology play a role in patient morale? Can you think of other ways in which technological advances designed for the military have benefited civilians? Explain. * . * . What has been the impact of a recent bird flu outbreak in Asia? In your view, what could authorities there do to stop the spread of this disease? How might other countries try to prevent diseases from crossing their borders, while still allowing for trade and travel? Explain. * . * . What followed a false Tweet from the Associated Press' Twitter account on Tuesday? What might be the implications of this incident? What could a news organization do in response to false reporting from this kind of activity? Do you think this response would be effective? Explain. * . * . What is the newest information regarding an investigation into letters that were tainted with ricin and mailed to the White House and the U.S. Capitol last week? How might being a former suspect affect a person and his or her family if charges are dropped? Does anyone have an obligation to help former suspects who are cleared of wrongdoing? If yes, who, and how? If no, why not? * . * . Who was featured in today's segment about bullying? How does his mother describe his behavior before the documentary was filmed? According to his mother, why and how has he changed? Why do you think that bullying occurs? How do you think it might affect both the bullies and the victims? What do you think could be done to counter the causes and effects of bullying? Explain. * . * . | Use these questions to help students understand today's featured news stories .
Today's Daily Discussion includes the Media Literacy Question of the Day . |
23,281 | 4219a3e67b5f32c48d6bbae7f0f50fd980ac668e | By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 06:00 EST, 23 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:10 EST, 23 October 2012 . This is the lucky baby who has finally been declared cancer-free after battling seven tumours since her birth just nine months ago. Darcie Kay, from Canterbury in Kent, was diagnosed with infantile fibrosarcoma at just seven weeks old and is thought to be the only child in Britain to have been born with the rare form of cancer. She has battled through seven months of chemotherapy with a constant smile on her face, despite coming terrifyingly close to death after reacting badly to the drugs. Still smiling: Darcie Kay was diagnosed with infantile fibrosarcoma when she was just seven weeks old . Delighted: Mother Natalie, 30, puts Darcie's amazing recovery down to her ability to be endlessly cheerful . Terrifying operation: The little girl had an operation in August to remove the tumour from her back, along with three ribs and part of her lung . Her relieved parents Natalie, 30, and . Michael, 32, today put their cheerful daughter's remarkable recovery down to her naturally sunny disposition. They are now looking forward to celebrating her first birthday free from the fear that has affected Darcie's entire childhood so far. The little girl seemed perfectly healthy when she was born, weighing 8lbs 2oz, on January 7, but her mother soon noticed she was not feeding properly. When Darcie was just three weeks old, Mrs Kay felt a lump on her back and immediately took her to the GP. She was referred to the William Harvey Hospital in Kent, where doctors discovered a 7.5cm-long tumour growing from the tenth rib on the right-hand side of the baby's back. Shocking discovery: The tumour in the little girl's back was 7.5cm long when her mother found it three weeks into her life, before doctors spotted six more lumps in her lungs . An ultrasound showed the tumour had blood vessels and Mr and Mrs Kay were told it was cancerous. They also found a staggering six tumours in . Darcie’s lungs. Fortunately, seven gruelling months of chemotherapy killed them and shrank the tumour in her back to 2cm so that doctors could remove it. In August, she had drastic surgery at Great Ormond Street Hospital in London to remove the tumour along . with three ribs and part of her right lung. Cheerful Darcie beamed happily throughout the painful cancer-killing treatment, despite coming frighteningly close to death in May. Mother-of-four Mrs Kay said: 'Darcie has been absolutely amazing throughout her whole illness. 'People in the hospital would often comment that she hardly ever cried and she was always smiling. 'It was a real comfort for Michael and I to see her smiling - it kept us going. Darcie is such a happy little girl. Absolute trooper: In May, Darcie began bleeding from the nose after having an adverse reaction to the chemotherapy and nearly dying . 'I cannot put in to words how happy I am that Darcie has been given the all clear. Only now have I started to feel hopeful. 'Now we can hopefully have a normal family life and look forward to Darcie’s first birthday. 'Darcie’s illness has been really hard . for the whole family. She has missed out on family events as we had to . make sure she did not catch anything as her immune system was low. 'My sister even had to miss my 30th birthday as she had a cold sore and could not be near Darcie.' Darcie needed nine cycles of chemotherapy starting on March 13 and had to have blood transfusions to help with her anaemia. In May, she started bleeding from her nose and was transferred to Great Ormond Street Hospital. Specialist found she was having an adverse reaction to the chemotherapy which had poisoned her liver and she nearly died from hepatic veno-occlusive disease. But Darcie pulled through - her last chemotherapy session was on October 18 and her latest tests have all come back clear. The worry is over: Giggling Darcie has now pulled through and been given the all-clear at nine months . She has now tentatively been given the all-clear by medics, although she will still have to be monitored with three-monthly check-ups. Healthy Darcie is looking forward to playing with her older brothers ten-year-old Kyran, Ashton, six, and Ollie, three. Mrs Kay added: 'As soon as I felt the lump I knew it was not right. Darcie was as white a chalk.'When you hear the word cancer you think death. I thought "what have I done to deserve this?" 'If I could have died in that room I would have. I wanted a little girl so much after having three boys so I was devastated when I found out something was wrong with Darcie. 'I knew it was serious. After we found out we put Darcie in the car and Michael and I stood outside while I cried and cried. 'I pleaded with the doctors to save my little girl. The consultant oncologist Dr Tanzina Choudhury was brilliant and said "my aim is to save her", and she has worked a miracle. 'During Darcie’s treatment I planned her funeral in my head. I knew which songs she was going to have and I started planning what I would say. 'That is all I could do. I did not think there would be an end. 'Now we have her back.' | Darcie Kay thought to be only child in Britain born with the rare cancer .
Parents put remarkable recovery down to her sunny disposition .
Had surgery in August to remove tumour along .
with three ribs and part of her right lung .
Endured seven months of chemotherapy, which almost killed her . |
84,627 | f01aeb82f61559ea8521791c5fd252996ad652b4 | London (CNN) -- Former Barclays bank chief executive Bob Diamond will voluntarily give up bonuses worth $31 million after he resigned in the wake of a rate-rigging scandal, the bank said Tuesday. Diamond will still receive 12 months salary after his resignation last week, the bank said Tuesday. That's £1.35 million (about $2 million), according to the bank's annual report. It is twice as much as he is entitled to under his contract, which has a six-month notice period, bank chairman Marcus Agius said. Barclays will also pay Diamond's legal bills if he faces criminal investigation, a source close to the bank told CNN Tuesday. The source asked not to be identified because of the sensitivity of the information. Agius, giving evidence to the Treasury Select Committee inquiry into the scandal, said Diamond's decision was one which "the board welcomes and I am glad he has done it." In a statement, Agius said the board deeply regretted the circumstances that led to Diamond resigning from Barclays. "Despite having no personal culpability, he recognizes more than anyone the negative attention that they have generated and has taken characteristically strong action to address that," Agius said. Barclays' reputation has been hammered by a scandal over the rates at which banks lend each other money. The rate, known as the London interbank offered rate, or Libor, is is set every morning by banks posting the rate at which they are willing to borrow with the British Bankers' Association. The BBA publishes Libor as a result of this. The Libor affects how much interest ordinary people pay on everything from credit card debt to home mortgages and student loans. Barclays was fined $450 million by British and American regulators last month after admitted some of its trading desks purposely underreported its interest rates. Diamond said he hoped the decision on his pay and bonuses "will help close this chapter and allow Barclays to move forward and prosper." Agius' evidence follows that of Bank of England's deputy governor Paul Tucker Monday, in which he denied being pressured by politicians to ensure Libor rates were lowered. He also denied pressuring Barclays to lower its rates. Diamond last week said he was "sorry, I'm disappointed and I'm angry" about the rate-fixing. "This was wrong and I'm not happy about it, but we put all the resources we could to make sure it was dealt with." He said also "this doesn't represent the Barclays that I know and I love." Diamond blamed the wrongdoing on 14 traders out of "a couple thousand." A report from the UK's Financial Services Authority concluded the rate-fixing scandal was of the "utmost seriousness." Between 2005 and 2009, when Diamond was in charge of the investment branch of Barclays bank, traders were influencing the pricing of rates which impact up to $800 trillion of securities. E-mails revealed as part of the rate-fixing investigation showed traders were seeking beneficial rates for their trading positions. During the credit crisis of 2007 and 2008, Barclays' high Libor postings came under scrutiny and the bank, concerned about "unfounded negative perceptions," lowered its Libor submissions, according to Barclays notes to the Treasury Committee. A host of other banks, including Deutsche Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland, Credit Suisse, Citigroup, JPMorgan Chase and UBS, are being investigated by regulators. Lawsuits have been filed against the banks in the United States, and are being prepared in the UK. CNN's Jim Boulden, Irene Chapple, Richard Allen Greene and Nina dos Santos contributed to this report . | NEW: Barclays will pay the legal bills of former chief Bob Diamond if necessary, a source says .
Chairman Marcus Agius is giving evidence on a rate-rigging scandal .
Agius says Barclays deeply regretted the circumstances that led to Diamond resigning .
Diamond will still receive a year's salary, the bank says . |
190,569 | 82b8a3ef8d0db311f773503a5be8716ba9c7684a | (RollingStone.com) -- "Glee" creator Ryan Murphy is reportedly Sony Pictures' top pick to direct the forthcoming remake of the musical "Annie" starring Willow Smith. The movie is being produced by Smith's parents Will and Jada Pinkett Smith and their partners in a joint venture with Jay-Z. RollingStone.com: The Rocky Horror 'Glee' show . Though it's too early to tell whether Murphy will be interested in the project, much less have the time for it given his schedule as the executive producer of "Glee," Sony's offer cements him as Hollywood's top man for musicals. He's already been courted by Fox to remake the "Rocky Horror Picture Show" and Universal to make a film adaptation of the Broadway hit "Wicked." See the original article on RollingStone.com . Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone. | Ryan Murphy is reportedly Sony Pictures' top pick to direct remake .
Film is set to star Willow Smith, produced by Will and Jada-Pinkett Smith .
Murphy may not have time to do the project because of "Glee" |
283,722 | fb8e438d7cc34c410aafa64715229b9f2bbc8039 | Two mothers, who had grown frustrated with stereotypical clothing collections designed for little girls, have launched their own fashion line which features the cars, dinosaurs and pirates that were once exclusive to boys' clothing. Rebecca Melsky and Eva St. Clair, both from Washington D.C., took to Kickstarter on February 3 to raise $35,000 for production of their gender-bending Princess Awesome collection. Since then, their crowdfunding campaign has already made more than $90,000, making it the highest-funded children's clothing project in Kickstarter history. Scroll down for video . Pretty in blue: Princess Awesome is a line of dresses for little girls that are adorned with the kinds of patterns that were once exclusive to boys' clothing . Science project: Two little girls hug while modeling the Pi symbol dresses from the collection . 'Girls shouldn't have to decide between dresses and dinosaurs or ruffles and robots,' they explained on their fundraising page. 'We're a different kind of girly.' The Princess Awesome line includes colorful dresses featuring airplanes, pirates, spaceships, trains and classic art, as well as math and science symbols. Ms Melsky, a third-grade teacher with two children, told Yahoo that when her daughter was two years old, she insisted on wearing frilly dresses, but she would also wear boys' pajamas featuring spaceships and trucks to bed. Original design: The child on the left models a red A-line dress featuring a train pattern, and the girl on the right wears a play dress with a dinosaur print . Worth the money: Moms Rebecca Melsky (left) and Eva St. Clair (right) took to Kickstarter this month to raise $35,000 for production of their line. Their crowdfunding campaign has already made more than $90,000 . Lifelong interests: The child on the left models a play dress featuring a graphic print, while the toddler on the right dons a train pattern . 'She loved them,' Ms Melsky recalled. 'And I thought, "I wish she had a dress with spaceships" or, really, any of the patterns we could get on her "boy" jammies.' She teamed up with her friend Ms St. Clair, who is a mom of four, and they debuted their innovative designs in April 2013. They started by selling their unique dresses at the Christmas bazaar held by Ms St. Clair's church and later made their collection available online. Their original play dresses featuring dinosaurs and Pi symbols sold out within a few weeks of production. Group effort: A group of girls model Princess Awesome's popular Pi dresses . Multiple interests: The little girl on the left wears a bright blue A-line dress adorned with airplanes and helicopters, while the girl on the right dons a patterned dress featuring the periodic table . Baby genius: This child poses in front of her chart featuring the scientific abbreviations of elements commonly found in household products . 'The demand is there, but the supply is not,' Ms Melsky said in their fundraising video. Ms Melsky and Ms St. Clair's website is currently closed as they prepare to begin factory production and add new styles to their growing collection. Many online commenters took to Princess Awesome's Kickstarter page to praise the project and thank the moms for their designs. Variety of tastes: The baby on the left dons a Pi dress, while the little girl on the right wears a pirate pattern . Not just for boys: This little girl wears the Princess Awesome Pi dress while meeting Buzz Lightyear . Big business: The money earned from Ms Melsky and Ms St. Clair's Kickstarter page will go towards factory production of their designs . 'As a scientist and a mom, I couldn't be more excited about this movement,' one woman wrote. 'I hope your success and the budding popularity of your dresses is a signal to mainstream clothing/toy makers that parents want more for their daughters than what they currently offer.' She added: 'If I could have given more money, I would have! Thank you for being a voice for us!' Another mom added: 'I don't know who is more excited about your company, me or my daughter.' Ms Melsky explained that she and Ms St. Clair believe that a lot of girls like things that are 'traditionally girly' as well as things that aren't. 'As a parent, I want to honor my daughter’s love of feminine fashion choices and also foster her interest in math or science or construction all in one outfit,' she told Yahoo Parents. Extinction of stereotypes: This bright pattern from the collection features dinosaurs and volcanoes . Swashbuckling dress: This pirate-themed print is adorned with ships and cannons . Scientific method: This pattern from the collection features drawings of atoms . | Princess Awesome designs feature the cars, spaceships and pirates that were once exclusive to boys' clothing .
Moms Rebecca Melsky and Eva St. Clair have raised more than $90,000 on Kickstarter to produce their collection . |
273,846 | eeba697ba54331b183677a8bbb748d27ab7f5262 | If you always have room for dessert – and maybe even a second helping – you are about to be handed the perfect excuse. It may be in your genes. Scientists say that millions of Britons carry a rogue stretch of DNA that stops them feeling full and leaves them craving sugary and fatty foods. The FTO gene, carried by more than half of the population, was discovered several years ago. But while researchers knew it made people fat, they didn’t know how it did so. Scientists have shown that a rogue stretch of DNA carried by millions of Britons stops them from feeling full after eating. The 'hunger gene' prevents a drop in the hunger hormone ghrelin after eating . Now they have learned that it keeps people feeling hungry, it could lead to new ways to tackle the obesity crisis. The 16 per cent of the population . that carries two copies of the rogue DNA are 70 per cent more likely to . become obese than those without the gene. A rogue stretch of DNA - the FTO gene - carried by millions of Britons stops them from feeling full after eating. People with this DNA particularly crave sugary and fatty foods. Half of Britons carry the gene and they are 30% more likely to be obese. 16% of Britons carry two rouge copies of the rogue DNA and they are 70% more likely to be obese. They eat up to 200 extra calories a . day and are almost half a stone heavier than their average counterparts. And for those with the ‘hunger gene’ dieting is doomed to failure. Even those who have inherited just . one flawed FTO gene – 49 per cent of the population – are 30 per cent . more likely to be obese. The British-led research team asked . young men with and without the genetic flaw to rate their hunger before . and after a meal. Volunteers’ blood samples were then tested for . ghrelin, a hormone that triggers feelings of hunger. Levels of ghrelin are usually high before we eat, and fall afterwards. But in the men with the ‘hunger gene’, levels remained relatively high after eating. They also felt hungrier than the others. Next, the volunteers were shown . pictures of various foods after they had eaten and asked how appealing . they seemed. And despite just having had a meal, those with the gene . still found cakes, pastries, chips and burgers highly tempting. The scientists then used MRI scanners to peer into the volunteers’ brains. Those with the ‘hunger gene’ lit up . more at the thought of fatty and sugary foods, the Journal of Clinical . Investigation reports. People with the FTO gene particularly crave sugary and fatty foods - explaining why some people find dessert irresistible, no matter how much they have already eaten . Study leader Dr Rachel Batterham, of . University College London, said that some of us were simply . ‘biologically programmed to eat more’. She added: ‘Not only do these people . have higher ghrelin levels and therefore feel hungrier, their brains . respond differently to ghrelin and to pictures of food. It’s a double . hit.’ The work, which was funded by the . medical research charity the Rosetrees Trust and the Medical Research . Council, could speed research into new obesity treatments. Despite the scale of the obesity crisis, there is only one prescription-strength weight loss drug available in the UK. But drugs are not the only weapon against the hunger gene. Dr Batterham said: ‘We know that . ghrelin, and therefore hunger, can be reduced by exercise like running . or cycling or by eating a high- protein diet.’ Professor Steve Bloom, an obesity . expert from Imperial College London, agreed the research would spur on . the search for new treatments. It could also help in targeting any drugs . to those who would benefit the most, he said. | A rogue stretch of DNA stops millions of Britons feeling full after eating .
People with the rogue DNA - the FTO gene - crave sugary and fatty foods .
16% carry 2 rogue copies of the DNA and are 70% more likely to be obese .
49% carry one flawed FTO gene and are 30% more likely to be obese .
People with the 'hunger gene' do not experience a drop in hormone ghrelin after eating as they should - this hormone triggers feelings of hunger . |
33,365 | 5ede5d2ddde603a155892277853744c5701d73a4 | By . Charles Martland . World Cup winning midfielder Sami Khedira was given a hero’s welcome on a return to his boyhood club yesterday. The 27-year-old’s success was celebrated by TV Oeffingen, the side Khedira represented as a youth player before he joined nearby Stuttgart in 1995. The Real Madrid man pulled was also pictured pulling on a club shirt, which carried the slogan, 'Once an Oeffinger, always an Oeffinger,' as he met fans at Fellbach city hall before flying to the club’s stadium. All smiles: Sami Khedira received a hero's welcome at boyhood club TV Oeffingen after his World Cup triumph . Star man: TV Oeffingen have renamed their stadium in honour of Khedira's (left) displays for Germany . Sealed with a kiss: Khedira celebrates winning the World Cup at the Maracana Stadium . The club . also honoured Khedira in another way. Their sports ground will be . renamed as the 'Sami Khedira Stadium,' in recognition of his success on . the world stage. The . German, still on holiday after the World Cup, has been linked strongly . with a pre-season move away from Real Madrid. The arrival of Germany . team-mate Toni Kroos at the Santiago Bernabeu for £24million may hinder . Khedira’s chances of regular first-team football next season. Arsenal . are the club most likely to pounce should he become available. The . Gunners have been looking to secure a deal for the midfielder’s . services, despite concerns over wage demands, with Khedira reportedly . earning in the region of £75,000 per week. The . likelihood of any transfer remains doubtful, however with Khedira seemingly keen on fighting for his place at Real Madrid. He told the Stuttgart . Zeitung 'I now have my holiday until the 5th August, when I will return . for the first training session in Madrid.' Staying put? Khedira (right) has strongly been linked with a move away from Real Madrid this summer . | Sami Khedira was honoured by boyhood club TV Oeffingen in light of Germany's World Cup win .
Khedira pictured as pulling on a club shirt with the slogan 'Once an Oeffinger, always an Oeffinger,' on it .
TV Oeffinger have renamed their ground as the 'Sami Khedira Stadium' |
90,804 | 00c62cf59818178a15994170384fe1e7f5bd9fdd | By . Helen Pow and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:56 EST, 7 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:03 EST, 7 December 2013 . Happier: Cile Precetaj, pictured, learned late Tuesday that her case is being reviewed and she can remain in her Detroit home pending the outcome . An illegal immigrant from Albania with three American-born children who was to be deported Tuesday has been granted a reprieve, gaining at least one more year in America.Cile Precetaj, 41, has also had her ankle tether removed, much to her relief and that of her children, who were bothered by the government ordered device. Precetaj received a call from authorities Friday afternoon telling her to report to the immigration office in Detroit for the removal of her tether. While there, she was given a letter which informed her that her stay of removal request had been granted for one year. 'Now I can [chaperone] my son’s field trip to Ohio,' Precetaj told the Detroit Free Press.The Free Press notes that when Precetaj's one year is up, her lawyer will file another stay of removal request, which likely be granted as long as she complies with the law.'I am very happy. This is good news. All I want is to stay here and raise my kids and have a normal life,' she said. Precetaj was told to report for deportation at Detroit Metro Airport at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday but defied the order, choosing instead to stay home and wait for U.S. Immigrations Customs and Enforcement agents to come to her. But they never did, as late on Tuesday she learned her case was being reviewed. 'I was just hugging my kids, saying "thank you, thank you, thank you." I don't have to be scared,' Precetaj told the Detroit Free Press after hearing the news. Relief: Albanian immigrant Cile Precetaj and her family are celebrating her stay of removal order that came through yesterday . She said she was hopeful the authorities will allow her to stay in the U.S. permanently and 'raise my kids in this beautiful country.' 'I feel so glad, and I appreciate what they do for me right now,' she told FREEP. 'Hopefully, it's going to work for me and they're going to keep me here.' Precetaj came to the U.S. illegally through Canada 13 years ago fearing that if she stayed in Albania she would be kidnapped and sold into prostitution. She also had an abusive fiance. She immediately turned herself in and sought asylum. While in the U.S. illegally, she married Pjetero Gojcevic, who was born in Yugoslavia but moved to the U.S. 40 years ago, and the couple had three kids, Mikey, 11, Migena, six and Martina, four, all U.S. citizens. In a statement late Tuesday, ICE confirmed the hard-working mother, who has no criminal convictions, would have her case reviewed. 'ICE is presently conducting a review of Ms Precetaj's case, therefore her removal is not imminent at this time,' agency spokesman Khaalid Walls told FREEP. Tears: Precetaj, pictured with her three U.S.-born children Mikey, 11, right, Migena, 6, center, and Martina, 4, left, was told Monday that she had to leave . Gojcevic said he hoped the government gives his wife another chance. 'Hopefully, they'll have a change of heart,' Gojcevic told FREEP. 'I hope they find it in their hearts not to split up a family.' The review comes after Precetaj's heartbreaking case made national headlines Tuesday and prompted an outpouring of support. Gojcevic said the whole ordeal has had a devastating impact on the couple's three children. 'The girls want to know why they're not going to school. They're on pins and needles,' Gojcevic said. Devastating: Cile Precetaj, pictured right, who came to the States seeking asylum 13 years ago, was ordered to report for deportation at Detroit Metro Airport at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday for a flight back to her native Albania . 'There is a level of insanity in this . case,' Precetaj's attorney Andrew Johnson told . MailOnline earlier on Tuesday as he fought to keep Precetaj with her . husband and children. 'Someone is not doing what is ordinarily done. There is an abuse of power.' Precetaj . is the sole carer of her elderly mother-in-law, another U.S. citizen, . whose toes were amputated and needs help eating, walking and washing. But . her case for political asylum was rejected after a judge said her . testimony about fearing the prostitution trade and criminal activity in Albania lacked credibility. He . said even if her concerns were warranted 'young, attractive women are . not a social group for asylum.' Packing up: Precetaj, pictured center with her kids, chose not to go to the airport and remained at home with her packed bags, waiting for authorities but they didn't come . Seeking asylum: Precetaj came to the U.S. through Canada in 2000 fearing that if she stayed in Albania she would be kidnapped and sold into prostitution. She immediately turned herself in and sought asylum . After losing her appeal in 2008, she was given a deportation order. An estimated 500,000 people are . living in the U.S. with a deportation order, however, U.S. Immigrations . Customs and Enforcement only acts on a portion of cases and the Obama . Administration specifically said targeting people with criminal . convictions was the priority. Precetaj . has none. In fact, she's a glowing member of her community, described . by friends and her children's teachers as a hard-working mother who pays . her taxes and helps her kids with schoolwork, not to mention keeping . her elderly mother-in-law out of a government-funded home. 'Detroit . has gone off the map here,' Johnson said before the case review was announced. 'They are doing something . that has not been done around the country. This person probably has as . many positive evaluations as you can, she has three children who are . U.S. citizens and has been here for a long time. I'm just baffled.' Settled in: While here, she married Pjetero Gojcevic, who was born in Yugoslavia but moved here 40 years ago, and the couple had three kids, including Martina, 4, pictured . Precetaj . became concerned about two weeks ago, when at her regular six-month . check in with the deportation department she was fitted with a GPS ankle . bracelet. But the mother-of-three was convinced ICE wouldn't deport a . woman whose three kids are American-born. 'That is strange they put an ankle . bracelet on a mom with three kids,' Johnson said, referring to the low . risk of her fleeing. 'Then the day before her scheduled flight they said . "You're flying out tomorrow, here's your information." They didn't want . the bad press. 'I . think they wanted it to look as natural as possible because they . understood how egregious this case is. It just doesn't make sense.' If officials did not decide to review her case, the authorities would have been forced to collect Precetaj from her home yesterday and take her into custody. At midday Tuesday, she was pictured in her living room, with her family surrounding her awaiting ICE officers. Precetaj . and her children were crying as they hugged by the Christmas tree, and . the woman's mother-in-law was asking what would become of her if her . daughter was sent home. Other relatives, including a cousin, were . visibly upset at the heartbreaking situation the family has been thrown . into. Hugs: Precetaj has not decided, if she is in fact deported, whether to take the kids, who have never been to Albania, with her . Review: The mother's case will be reviewed . 'They will jail . her for one to three weeks, however long it takes to organize another . flight,' Johnson told MailOnline of the process. 'Then border guards will drive her to . the airport and take off her ankle bracelet like she's a mass murderer . or a terrorist going to Guantanamo.' Johnson and the family were working desperately for someone in Washington D.C. to interject. 'We need somebody in the White House, connected to ICE, to say "stop this immediately. This is wrong." If someone in DC hears about this, that is our best chance. Her story just hasn't been heard.' Understandably, Precetaj was beside herself, and was still trying to work out if she would take her children, who are enrolled in school and have never been to Albania, with her. Her husband works as a cook at restaurant in Detroit and said he can't afford to raise the children on his own. 'She is an emotional mess,' Johnson explained. Deportation: Precetaj was informed Monday that she had to report at Deport's McNamara terminal at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday as per the above order . Empty: But the terminal, pictured, was empty at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, as the mother-of-three defied the order by staying home . 'What she has been told by numerous people was that they don't deport women with three US citizen children and that is exactly what they're doing. 'She is crying all the time, trying to work out who she can take and who she can't. She's going back to Albania and that is not a good place to bring a 6-year-old girl, particularly.' He added: 'It happened in one day, she has no idea what to do.' Gojcevic told the Detroit Free Press Monday night the family was 'hoping for a miracle.' 'The basis of this request is that Ms. Precetaj would like to remain in the United States to care for her three children. After weighing the factors as related to Prosecutorial Discretion, I have determined that the stay of removal will be granted for a period of one year,' read the letter Precetaj received yesterday from the U.S. Immigration and Customs office. | Cile Precetaj, 41, of Detroit, Michigan, was told yesterday she has been granted a stay of removal for another year .
She also had her ankle monitor removed .
She had been ordered to report for deportation at Detroit Metro Airport at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday for a flight back to Albania .
She received a letter from authorities informing her of her deportation on Monday, a day before her scheduled flight .
In a desperate bid to buy time, she deliberately missed her flight, instead staying at home with her family around her .
She expected to be taken to jail as the authorities organize another flight before she got the good news, though her future still isn't certain .
Her husband has lived in the U.S. for 40 years and her three children, aged 11, six and four, are U.S. citizens enrolled in the local school .
She is also the sole carer for her elderly mother-in-law who can't eat or walk on her own . |
55,522 | 9d6816acb6dd05eadca4c6878d8ce20d39094c6d | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 08:38 EST, 3 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:34 EST, 3 February 2014 . North America’s woolly mammoth, giant ground sloths and sabre-tooth tigers were wiped out by a devastating comet 12,900 years ago. This is according to a controversial study by Californian Professor James Kennet which suggests that an ancient cosmic impact triggered a vicious cold snap. Now a research team from University of California, Santa Barbara, claims to have further evidence to back up Professor Kennett's 2007 ‘Younger Dryas impact theory’. Scientists from University of California, Santa Barbara, found nanodiamonds around rock sediment that formed during the Big Freeze 12.900 years ago. In these images nanodiamond textures in the sediment are shown using a high-resolution transmission electron microscope . The Younger Dryas, or the ‘Big Freeze’, saw a rapid return to glacial conditions in the higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere between 12,900–11,500 years ago. Researchers claim that debris thrown into the atmosphere from an impact may have tipped the Earth into global cooling, wiping out megafauna along with native cultures such as the Clovis people. The theory is partly based on the presence of nanodiamonds along Bull Creek in the Oklahoma Panhandle, which is one type of material that could result from an extra-terrestrial collision. North America's woolly mammoth, giant ground sloths and sabre-tooth tigers are thought to have been wiped out by a devastating comet 12,900 years ago . The research team re-examined the distribution of nanodiamonds in Bull Creek’s geological record to see if they could reproduce the original study’s evidence. ‘We were able to replicate some of their results and we did find nanodiamonds right at the Younger Dryas Boundary,’ said Alexander Simms, an associate professor the University of California. Researchers analysed 49 sediment samples representing different time periods and environmental changes. They identified high levels of nanodiamonds immediately below and just above Younger Dryas deposits and in late-Holocene near-surface deposits. The research team re-examined the distribution of nanodiamonds in Bull Creek's geological record to see if they could reproduce the original study's evidence . The excavation at Bull Creek shows the paleosol - ancient buried soil; the dark black layer in the side of the cliff -- that formed during the Younger Dryas . The late Holocene began at the end of the Pleistocene 11,700 years ago and continues to the present. The researchers believe that the presence of nanodiamonds was not caused by environmental changes, soil formation, cultural activities, or the amount of time in which the landscape was stable. They believe whatever process produced the elevated concentrations of nanodiamonds at the onset of the Younger Dryas sediments may have also been active in recent millennia in Bull Creek. A ‘recent’ meteorite impact did occur near Bull Creek but scientists aren’t sure exactly when. However, they claim this provide compelling evidence that the nanodiamonds were the result of a comet collision. The Younger Dryas comet theory has been criticised for a number of reasons, including suggestions that the human population didn't decline at the time, . Some scientists believe that the Big Freeze was a result of the North American ice sheet breaking apart and flooding the Atlantic Ocean with freshwater. This, they claim, prevented currents taking warmer water north, which caused a colder climate. A separate study last year found further evidence that a cosmic impact 12,900 years ago could have led to the demise of the ‘Clovis’ people of North America. A layer of platinum from an ice core taken in Greenland was dated back to the time of a known abrupt climate transition, known as the 'Big Freeze' that led to their demise. According to researchers at Harvard University, this provides evidence that a comet tipped the world into its colder phase, making dozens of species extinct. Researcher Michail Petaev and Harvard colleagues, writing in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found a 100-fold increase in platinum concentration in ice that is around 12,890 years old. | Researchers looked for presence of nanodiamonds in Oklahoma .
Nanodiamond is one type of material that could result from a collision .
49 sediment samples representing different time periods were studied .
Team found nanodiamonds below and just above Younger Dryas deposits .
Younger Dryas, or the ‘Big Freeze’, saw a return to glacial conditions in higher latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere 12,900–11,500 years ago . |
15,645 | 2c6dfa604b1da031a1a9db9d89393db747979340 | By . Lucy Crossley . A previously unheard Michael Jackson track set to be released on the singer's forthcoming posthumous album is about child abuse. The new song, entitled Do You Know Where Your Children Are, tells the story of a 12-year-old girl who runs away from her abusive stepfather and turns to prostitution. It is one of eight tracks recorded by the singer before his death in June 2009 at the age of 50 which will feature on the new album Xscape, set to be released in May. Scroll down for video . New release: A previously unheard Michael Jackson track set to be released on the singer's forthcoming posthumous album Xscape is about child abuse . In one of the song's verses Jackson sings: 'She wrote that she is tired of step-daddy using her/Saying that he’ll buy her things, while sexually abusing her,' according to the Daily Mirror. According to leaked lyrics from the chorus, the song continues: 'Do you know where your children are? Because it's now twelve o'clock/If they're somewhere out on the street just imagine how scared they are.' The track includes the line: 'Save me (from this living hell) Save me (cause I don't wanna know)', and fans of Jackson have speculated that it was written in response to abuse claims made against the singer. Lyrics: In the song, Jackson sings: 'She wrote that she is tired of step-daddy using her/Saying that he¿ll buy her things, while sexually abusing her' Not guilty: Jackson, pictured leaving the Santa Barbara County Superior courthouse with his father Joe, was acquitted of sexual abuse charges in 2005 . In the mid 1990s Jackson was accused of sexual abuse by the family of a 13-year-old boy Jordan Chandler. The case was settled out of court for about $25 million and no formal charges were brought against the singer. In . 2005, Jackson was tried and acquitted of further child sexual abuse . allegations and several other charges after a jury in Santa Maria, . California, found him not guilty on all counts. Album: Xscape, comprises of a collection of tracks 'contemporised' by L.A. Reid and a team of producers, including Timbaland (pictured) Dancer Wade Robson is suing Jackson's estate after claiming that he suffered sexual abuse over several years at the hands of The King Of Pop. In 2005, Robson was a key witness who . helped clear Jackson of molestation charges. However, he has since . claimed that he gave the favorable testimony after 'brainwashing' by the . singer. A hearing is due to take place in June. The new record, Xscape, comprises of a collection of tracks recorded before the singer's death and 'contemporised' by Epic Records boss L.A. Reid and a team of producers, including Timbaland. Jackson's estate provided Reid with unlimited access to four decades worth of material by the singer, resulting in the new album, due to be released on May 13. 'Michael left behind some musical . performances that we take great pride in presenting through the vision . of music producers that he either worked directly with or expressed . strong desire to work with,' said Reid. 'We are extremely proud and honored to present this music to the world.' The . name XSCAPE is a nod to the late singer's favoured naming process of . picking one of his songs to name his record after, in this case the . title track which was written and originally produced by Jackson and . Rodney Jerkins. A Deluxe . Edition of the record will also be released which will include all of . the sourced Michael Jackson recordings in their original form. Jackson's . last studio album was his 10th and final record Invincible, which was . released in 2001 and featured singles You Rock My World, Cry and . Butterflies. | Song Do You Know Where Your Children are recorded before singer's death .
Track is one of eight to be 'contemporised' and included on album Xscape .
Song tells of girl who is sexually abused by her step-father .
The track includes the lyrics 'Save me (from this living hell)'
Fans believe it was written in response to abuse claims against the singer .
In 2005 Jackson was acquitted of child sexual abuse allegations . |
167,215 | 643f5898fc4bc323c4a7541e4cb005795e4c167d | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- North Korea is to blow up a key part of its controversial Yongbyon nuclear reactor on Friday. Hyun Hak-Bong (right), North Korea's deputy negotiator to six-party talks, crosses the border into South Korea on June 5. The destruction of the plant's cooling tower is part of an agreement with the United States aimed at denuclearizing the Korean peninsula in exchange for loosening some restrictions on the highly secretive Communist country. The North Korean government has invited news organizations, including CNN, to witness the event. Earlier this year, Pyongyang agreed to disable its nuclear reactor and provide a full accounting of its plutonium stockpile, "acknowledge" concerns about its proliferation activities and its uranium enrichment activity, and agree to continue cooperation with a verification process to ensure no further activities are taking place. North Korea has been taking Yongbyon's main reactor apart, but imploding the cooling tower is an exceptionally important psychological step given that the highly recognizable shape of the structure is synonymous with nuclear power plants. The United Nations' nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, says it would take a year to rebuild if North Korea decided to go back on its agreement, and that the construction could not be done in secret. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice defended U.S. diplomacy toward North Korea last week, saying the deal with Pyongyang made Asia and the U.S. safer. Speaking at the Heritage Foundation, a conservative Washington think tank, Rice said that "North Korea will soon give its declaration of nuclear programs to China." China is the host of the six-party talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear program, along with Russia, South Korea, Japan and the United States. Rice spoke in advance of her upcoming trip to Asia where she will be attending a meeting of G8 foreign ministers and meeting with her Asian counterparts. Rice said once North Korea submits its declaration, President Bush will notify Congress he intends to remove North Korea from the U.S. list of state sponsors of terrorism and scrap some sanctions levied against North Korea because of nuclear concerns. But she noted that there would be no practical effect to loosening the restrictions because North Korea still was under the same sanctions because of other areas of U.S. law. Rice said a 45-day review would then begin to see if North Korea is telling the truth and living up to its end of the deal struck in the six-party talks. "Before those actions go into effect, we would continue to assess the level of North Korean cooperation in helping to verify the accuracy and completeness of its declaration," she said. "And if that cooperation is insufficient, we will respond accordingly." The United States softened its demand that North Korea publicly admit to having a highly enriched uranium program and to providing Syria with nuclear technology, key unanswered questions that have left negotiations stalled for months. North Korea has already handed over about 18,000 documents on its nuclear past to the U.S., which the U.S. says are critical to verify North Korea's claims. Rice said that the deal with North Korea wasn't perfect but offered the U.S. the best chance to learn about North Korea's nuclear history. "We must keep the broader goal in mind: the elimination of North Korea's nuclear weapons and programs, all of them," she said. "North Korea has said that it is committed to this goal. We'll see." Rice said that "no final agreement can be concluded" unless the U.S. verifies North Korea's claims. CNN State Department Correspondent Elise Labott contributed to this report . | North Korea plans to destroy nuclear plant's cooling tower .
Implosion is part of an agreement with the United States .
U.N. says the cooling tower would take a year to rebuild .
Long-term aim is to rid the Korean peninsula of nuclear weapons . |
202,829 | 929c7cc91fa537ab6a2345f396e31ca5d8ed07eb | (CNN) -- Spain's Marc Marquez claimed a 10th pole position in 12 attempts this season at qualifying for the British Grand Prix at Silverstone on Saturday. The Honda rider, who currently leads the MotoGP championship by 77 points, was 0.311 faster than his nearest rival, Italy's Andrea Dovizioso. The Ducati rider was narrowly quicker than Jorge Lorenzo who finished third -- the Spaniard will be looking to complete a third successive victory at the Silverstone circuit. Lorenzo's compatriot Aleix Espargaro is one place further back in fourth with Marquez's nearest rival in the title race, Dani Pedrosa, finishing qualifying in fifth. Marquez, who became the sport's youngest world champion last year, has utterly dominated 2014 winning the opening 10 races. The only blot on an otherwise perfect season came at the Czech Republic MotoGP earlier this month where he finished fourth. Read more: Marquez seeks to banish Brno blip in Britain . | Spanish rider takes 10th pole in 12 attempts this season .
Reigning world champion has dominated 2014 and leads championship by 77 points .
Honda rider won opening 10 races, finished fourth in 11th GP in Czech Republic . |
13,112 | 253747f5792f6d79201523c788e724bad5dc5899 | (CNN) -- She calls herself an artist, writer, chef, poet, stylist and philanthropist. The wife of her 80-year-old boyfriend (or ex-boyfriend) calls her a mistress and a gold digger. And now V. Stiviano, the woman who was a regular courtside presence at Los Angeles Clippers games next to owner Donald Sterling, is attracting more attention than the players. Audio recordings that surfaced over the weekend purportedly depict an argument between Stiviano and Sterling. If authentic, the recordings seem to reflect Sterling's embarrassment and frustration with Stiviano over her associating with African-Americans at Clippers games and posting such pictures on her Instagram account. Here's what we know about Stiviano. 1. She's the target of a lawsuit . Just last month, Sterling's wife filed a lawsuit against Stiviano, accusing her having an affair with the billionaire team owner. In the complaint, Rochelle Sterling accuses Stiviano of targeting extremely wealthy older men. The suit claims that Donald Sterling used the couple's money to buy Stiviano a Ferrari, two Bentleys and a Range Rover. Stiviano also took over a $1.8 million duplex through fraud and received about $250,000 in cash from Sterling, the court document claims. Stiviano fought back, saying in another court document that there was nothing wrong with Donald Sterling giving her gifts. She also said she never took advantage of the Clippers owner, who made much of his fortune in real estate. 2. Stiviano herself is of mixed race . In the audio recording on TMZ, the woman reminds the man that she is of "mixed" race and part black. In another part of the recording she says she is "black and Mexican." 3. She says she's not the one who leaked the tape . Stiviano's lawyer, Mac E. Nehoray, said Stiviano was not the one who publicized the conversation. "This office understands that the currently released audio tape of approximately 15 minutes is a portion of approximately one (1) hour of overall audio recording of Mr. Donald T. Sterling and Ms. Stiviano, and is in fact legitimate," Nehoray said in a news release. "Ms. Stiviano did not release the tape(s) to any news media." 4. She's staying mum . Stiviano, whose first name is Vivian, has just two words posted on her door for reporters: "No comment," CNN affiliate KCBS said. KCBS reporter Greg Mills saw Stiviano walk down a staircase from her duplex in Beverly Grove, California, but she darted back up the stairs when she saw him. 5. Stiviano loves photos of herself . Just take a look at her Instagram account. By Monday morning, the number of Stiviano's Instagram followers had skyrocketed to 137,000. Many of Stiviano's photos feature her posing in front of Clippers banners or wearing a bikini. She also has several photos of men wearing baseball caps that read "V. Stiviano." "One day I will look back at Instagram & say, 'I've been there & I've done that.' I do it all. Artist, Lover, Writer, Chef, Poet, Stylist, Philanthropist," Stiviano's Instagram bio says. The man alleged to be Sterling in the conversation takes particular exception to one photo he says the woman posted on Instagram. It was a photo of her and basketball legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson. "In your lousy f**ing Instagrams, you don't have to have yourself with -- walking with black people," the man says. "If it's white people, it's OK?" she responds. "If it was Larry Bird, would it make a difference?" The website TMZ said the conversation reportedly took place on April 9. One day later, Stiviano posted a photo of a wedding gown on Instagram. "I THINK IM READY?" she wrote, adding hashtags such as "#beautiful #amazing #grace #lover #modern #day #marriage to #myself #weddingdress #justforfun." "IM PATIENTLY WAITING," she added. CNN's Ralph Ellis, Steve Almasy, Kevin Conlon and AnneClaire Stapleton contributed to this report. | V. Stiviano is being sued by the wife of Clippers owner Donald Sterling .
Stiviano's attorney says she didn't release the tape that had racist comments .
Sterling's wife filed a suit against her, claiming she received lavish gifts . |
79,005 | dfe94b96d536dfe0ad2751b332c6a6f2d74b60d8 | PARIS, France (CNN) -- The chief of the French army resigned Tuesday after an accidental shooting at a military open house that left 17 people wounded. French Chief of Army Staff General Bruno Cuche salutes during a welcome ceremony in India. President Nicolas Sarkozy has accepted the resignation of Gen. Bruno Cuche, the Elysee said in a statement on its Web site. "The president ... as he has already stated, is closely following the various investigations now under way," the statement from Sarkozy's office said. Seventeen people, including some children, were wounded by live bullets Sunday as a commando parachute infantry regiment demonstrated a hostage extraction exercise at a military open house in Carcassonne, France, in the country's southwest, according to the French military's Web site. The soldiers in the demonstration were supposed to be using blanks, but one soldier shot live rounds that remained in his weapon after shooting drills, according to the French newspaper Le Figaro. That soldier was suspended Tuesday and will appear before a judge later in the day, the newspaper said. Defense Minister Herve Morin has called for a probe scrutinizing the procedures and rules governing the use of ammunition and the security provisions taken during public demonstrations of military exercises, a statement on his Web site said. He also called for an immediate suspension of the use of blanks in any public military demonstration. Brice Robin, prosecutor for Montpellier, said the shooting seemed unintended and that the soldier appeared to "have made a mistake while loading his gun," The associated Press reported. ."This act was absolutely not premeditated; I want to be clear about this point," the agency reported Robin as saying. | French president accepts resignation of the chief of the French army .
17 people injured, 4 seriously, after accidental shooting at a military open house .
Shooting demonstration used real bullets instead of blank ones, officials say .
Defense minister suspends use of blank munitions at public military shows . |
47,161 | 84e27f4464a564f8060817a429e701375cdd7a75 | (CNN) -- It's a big dilemma: Be with your wife for the birth of your first child, or stay at work with the hope of an $11 million payday. For golfer Billy Horschel, it's a no-brainer. "There wasn't much discussion. I brought up the question, she said: 'You're staying.' " Horschel is one of five players who can claim the $10 million jackpot for topping the PGA Tour's FedEx Cup playoff series by winning the $1.44 million Tour Championship finale in Atlanta. The 27-year-old made the best possible start Thursday as he tied for the first-round lead with longtime friend Chris Kirk, who heads the FedEx standings from second-placed Horschel. Horschel won last week's BMW Championship and was joint runner-up in the second of the four playoff events, so his hopes are high that he can secure his family's financial future this weekend. "My wife is totally on board," he told the PGA Tour website after his four-under-par 66. "She's a golfer. She understands what it all means. I've probably got the greatest wife out here." Their daughter, to be named Skylar Lillian, is due on September 27 but could arrive earlier. Horschel said if his wife Brittany does go into labor in the next few days, he doesn't want to be told until he completes his round. Then, with a private jet standing by, he will make the one-hour flight back to Florida. Because of the tournament's restricted 29-man field -- there would usually be around 150 players for the first two rounds of a regular PGA Tour event before the halfway cut -- he will have time to get back to resume playing the next day. "I won't find out on the course, because my focus may be taken away from the task at hand," Horschel said. "But after the round's over with, I will be flying home, spend a few hours and then flying back later that day or the next morning before the round of golf. "Having a chance to win $10 million and our first child on the way -- it's pretty amazing." Last year, Hunter Mahan -- who carded 74 Thursday to be well off the pace -- withdrew from the Canadian Open while he was leading to be at the birth of his first child. "Hunter did a great thing last year pulling out," Horschel said. "But I would think if he was in my position with winning, having a chance to win, roughly $10 million more, if you had the Tour Championship winner's check and everything, I think it would be maybe a no-brainer to stay put and keep playing and go home in between rounds." Impending fatherhood is only adding to the excitement for Horschel, who partnered the comparatively calm Kirk in the final group to go out Thursday. They have known each other since playing at rival schools and progressing through the amateur ranks. "He looks like he's a Fred Couples walking slow and nothing affects him," Horschel says of the 29-year-old Georgia native. "And I think I walk slow, but as I've seen on the coverage last week, it looks like I'm sprinting around the greens and the golf course ... The emotional level is a little bit different." They were one shot clear of another four players tied for third: Masters champion Bubba Watson, fellow Americans Jim Furyk and Patrick Reed, plus Australian Jason Day. World No. 1 Rory McIlroy -- who like Kirk, Horschel, Watson and Mahan can secure the bumper jackpot with victory Sunday no matter where any other player finishes -- was tied for 11th on 69 with Adam Scott, Sergio Garcia and Ryan Palmer. If none of the top five win, then the permutations get complicated, but it's possible for any player in the entire field to claim the $10 million with victory. | Billy Horschel shares lead with Chris Kirk after round one of Tour Championship .
Horschel's wife is due to give birth to their first child this month .
Golfer is in contention to win the $10 million FedEx Cup prize .
He says he will keep playing if his wife goes into labor during tournament . |
98,243 | 0a7af6ac4e5935414878c6d6410608f4dc8d259d | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 12:03 EST, 2 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:58 EST, 4 August 2013 . Foreign Secretary William Hague told of his 'grave concerns' over how the Zimbabwean election was conducted after it was confirmed Robert Mugabe has won another five-year presidential term. Zimbabwe election officials said this afternoon that Mugabe, 89, won the presidential election with 61 per cent of the vote, compared to 33 per cent for challenger Morgan Tsvangirai. The result infuriated Tsvangirai, who claimed the election had been stolen by Mugabe's Zanu-PF and claimed it was a ‘huge farce’ and ‘null and void’. He said the result had plunged the country into a constitutional crisis, saying his MDC party would no longer deal with Zanu-PF. His party vowed to ‘exhaust all legal remedies’ to overturn Mugabe’s landslide victory and claimed that electoral rolls contained thousands of fake names and that many MDC voters had been prevented from registering. Anger: Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, left, has claimed the country's election result has been stolen by Robert Mugabe's party . Crisis: Tsvangirai said the result had plunged the country into a constitutional crisis . Government: Morgan Tsvangirai also said his MDC party would no longer deal with Zanu-PF . Hague this evening also expressed concern over the election, . which has been plagued by claims of widespread fraud and vote-rigging. In a statement released by the Foreign . Office, Mr Hague said: 'People around the world are watching events in . Zimbabwe, following the announcement by the Zimbabwean Electoral . Commission that President Mugabe has won the presidential elections, as . well as the indications of possible legal challenges. 'I commend the people of Zimbabwe on . holding peaceful elections. However we have grave concerns over the . conduct of the election. 'The preliminary statements of the . African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (SADC) observation missions, and those of the domestic observer groups, have . outlined many of these significant concerns, and I hope that their final . assessments of the elections will take into account the full impact of . these irregularities on the outcome.' Vote: Robert Mugabe casting a a ballot during the vote, watched by his wife and daughter . Everyday life: Zimbabweans go on with there normal life putting out clothes to dry in Mbare, a high-density, southern suburb of Harare . Officials confirmed that Zanu-PF had won 158 seats in the 210-member chamber. Responding to Tsvangirai’s claims, Zanu-PF spokesman Patrick Chinamasa said : ‘My plea to him is to have recourse in the courts. ‘He should feel free to employ the best lawyers.’ Tsvangirai's party said yesterday it . has had calls from supporters to take to the streets in protest and was . assessing reports that Mugabe's loyalist military and police were . planning a clampdown and arrests of its party leaders. The . Movement for Democratic Change said Friday it rejected the observations . of African monitors that glossed over 'monumental fraud' by state . security agents and Mugabe's ZANU-PF party. The mood in some urban . strongholds of the MDC was muted. But the African Union dismissed complaints of fraud, while another observer urged all parties to ‘accept hard facts’. The 89-year-old president has been Zimbabwe’s ruler since independence from Britain in 1980. Olusegan Obasanjo, head of the African Mission, admitted there were ‘incidents which could have been avoided’ but said these would not have altered the overall outcome of the poll. He said his monitors noted some apparent irregularities but that they did not constitute evidence of systematic tampering. Scrum: Mugabe is surrounded by the press after casting his vote - he insisted he would leave office if defeated . Mugabe's supporters have rejected allegations of rigging and claimed victory. Wednesday's contentious vote has created fresh uncertainty in a country long afflicted by division and economic turmoil. ‘Yes, the election is free,’ Obasanjo said. He described the vote as credible unless any evidence to the contrary emerges, and asked election authorities to investigate reports that tens of thousands of eligible voters were turned away. Another poll monitoring group in Zimbabwe said as many as 1 million of the more than 6 million eligible voters were prevented from casting ballots. ‘If 25 per cent were not allowed, then, yes, the election is fatally flawed,’ said Obasanjo, a former Nigerian president. The head of the observer mission for the Southern African Development Community, a regional body, described the election Wednesday as ‘very free’ and ‘very peaceful’. But, he noted that there were some violations and a full analysis was still under way. It was too early to describe the vote as ‘fair’, he said . Tanzania's foreign minister Bernard Membe said: ‘The question of fairness is broad and you cannot answer it within one day. ‘And so be sure that within 30 days, through our main report, the question of fairness may come.’ Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, Mugabe's main opponent in the presidential vote, has declared the election ‘null and void.’ Mugabe's ZANU-PF party said Friday that poll returns showed that 3.9 million voters cast their ballots on Wednesday. Queue: Voters in the suburbs of Harare line up to have their say in the crunch election . Opponent: Prime minister Morgan Tsvangirai, pictured with his wife Elizabeth, was vying to be president . That 61 percent turnout was higher than in an uncontested referendum on a new constitution in March where no disputed voters' lists were used and only national citizens' identity documents were needed. Mugabe's Justice Minister Patrick Chinamasa said Friday his party was ‘headed for an unprecedented landslide.’ ‘If anyone is dissatisfied, the courts are there. I invite Tsvangirai to go to court if he has any grounds to justify what he has been saying,’ Chinamasa told reporters. Under the law, seven days were set aside for legal challenges, with another two days for rulings to be made and then the swearing in of a new government takes place. Obasanjo said voting itself was peaceful but the observers noted ‘incidences that could have been avoided and even tended to have breached the law.’ Support: Hundreds of MDC members at a rally in Harare ahead of the election . Dedication: Many voters had wrapped up warm in woollen clothes to protect themselves against cold weather . Long-serving: Mugabe, now 89, has been in power for 33 years and is the country's only ever black leader . Independent election monitors have alleged many people were unable to vote because of disorganized voters' lists and a chaotic program to register electors on those lists in the run-up to polling day. Obasanjo said some apparent irregularities were made in error largely after funding for the vote was late in coming from the nation's depleted state coffers. ‘I have never seen an election that is perfect,’ he said. ‘The process continues and we have to limit our comments.’ Aisha Abdullahi, the African Union's commissioner for political affairs, said observers reported that Zimbabwe had made improvements in the conduct of elections since the last violent and disputed elections in 2008 that led regional leaders to forge a shaky coalition between Mugabe and Tsvangirai, the former opposition leader. Celebration: MDC voters had been optimistic that Tsvangirai would finally be able to take power . Ballot paper: An electoral official holds up the ballot showing all five presidential candidates . Patient: Zimbabweans have overcome obstacles to travel to the polling stations and cast their votes . Democracy: Officials explain to an elderly voter how to cast a vote at a suburban polling station . Moment of truth: Elderly voters place their ballot in the election . But she said they expressed ‘grave concerns’ over voters' lists this time that were not made available in time for inspection and verification by voters, contesting parties and candidates. Public scrutiny of the voters' roll was of vital ‘strategic importance’ to verify the accuracy of the contents and establish correct numbers of eligible electors, she said. She said the electoral commission printed 8.7 million ballot papers for 6.4 million voters, or 35 per cent above the number of registered voters against the international standard of 5 to 10 per cent. Observers said a significant number of ballot booklets had missing ballot papers and papers without serial numbers. They also expressed ‘great concern’ over the high numbers of voters turned away. The late publicity on the location of voting stations just 48 hours before stations opened contributed also to voters who failed to cast ballots because they were not at correct polling sites. Abdullahi said observers reported a high number of disabled, elderly or other ‘assisted voters’ being helped to cast their ballots by polling officers who may have influenced them against their free will. In some outlying stations, one-quarter of voters were helped this way. She said some AU observers are to remain in Zimbabwe until August 14. | 89-year-old Robert Mugabe wins another five-year presidential term .
Opposition leader Morgan Tsangirai called the election a ‘huge farce’
Electoral Commission says Zanu-PF won 61 per cent of the vote .
Tsangirai claims result has plunged country into constitutional crisis .
He says MDC party will no longer deal with Zanu-PF . |
110,272 | 1a2b45215200b4139f6272b19a312cf2403b8779 | Their preparations for the World Cup have been meticulously planned by a dedicated team of sports scientists, physiotherapists and nutritionists. It is therefore something of a surprise that England's footballers were allowed to enjoy a feast of burgers the night after they returned to Rio after losing their opening game. BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan revealed that Roy Hodgson's men dined at a restaurant famous for serving some of Rio de Janeiro's best fast food, including a mammoth 10oz 'Mega Burger'. BBC presenter Gabby Logan talks to former England player Danny Murphy before Saturday's match in Manaus . In the process they denied her the chance to sample the Argentine beef patties for herself because they had booked out the whole place. The FA said the England players' nutritionists gave them special permission to have the treat at the Aquarela Burger bar in the five-star Royal Tulip hotel, where they are staying in Rio. Perhaps of more concern is that a month ago a Brazilian consumer group said it had found food well past its expiry date in the hotel. Restaurant reviews reveal that the burger restaurant has in the past been a favourite with players from Brazilian teams Vasco da Gama and Flamengo, and stays open until 1am every day. Hodgson has a more relaxed attitude to his team's diet, having already reinstated the use of tomato ketchup and brown sauce after they were banned by former England manager Fabio Capello. Logan, 41, who is also staying in the Royal Tulip, wrote on her blog of how the 'Three Lions' scuppered her dinner plans on Monday night. England players were given special permission to have the treat at the Aquarela Burger bar in the five-star Royal Tulip hotel, where they are staying in Rio . England's Jordan Henderson and Daniel Sturridge leave the team hotel, the Royal Tulip at Sao Conrado, for training . Logan, 41, is staying in the Royal Tulip where England are based in Brazil . She said: 'With filming wrapped I suggested to my producer we should try the hotel burger bar, they looked amazing when I saw ITV eating them last week and we haven't succumbed yet. 'You know when you have built up a food in your head all day and you want it so much you can taste it, it is the human equivalent to our Boxer Dog watching a Sunday Roast being carved.' But sadly for the salivating presenter, her hopes of tucking into one of the Royal Tulip's celebrated burgers were dashed. She wrote: 'As we approached the burger bar, I saw a sign saying 'Private Event – Closed”. My heart sank, my stomach flipped. Then I peered in to see who was eating my burger, it was Team England. 'So as Wayne, Steve G and the rest devoured the best Argentinian beef, I had a bowl of chicken soup in the restaurant next door, not that I begrudge them at all. There's always tomorrow….' A source close to the England team told the Daily Mail: 'Poor Gabby really missed a trick – yes, we were enjoying our burgers but she could have ordered one from the adjoining hotel restaurant. She should have read the menu.' An FA spokesman added: 'The team were given a special treat which was cleared by the nutritionists. 'They have been together for more than a month now and they have burnt off thousands of calories so having a burger was not deemed to be harmful in any way.' Several of England's rivals have also been allowed a few comfort foods between their matches in Brazil. Prior to the tournament it was revealed that the Italian FA's chef had packed parmesan, lots of olive oil and prosciutto ham. Team USA brought oatmeal, Cheerios, peanut butter and A1 Steak Sauce to the World Cup party, while the Mexican squad naturally required a little more spice and travelled with chilli peppers, chipotle chillies and cacti. Meanwhile, England's star striker Daniel Sturridge posted a candid selfie on Twitter to vent his frustration when his hotel room TV stopped working. The 24-year-old Liverpool forward was unwinding after training on Monday night by watching an American basketball game. But when the TV set started playing up, he uploaded an angry photograph of himself lying on his bed wearing his white England t-shirt and a second picture of the blank screen. Sturridge, who scored England's only goal in the opening match against Italy, wrote: 'Just when I start getting into the game and it's going off my TV starts acting up... I'm fuming right now!!!' Brazil 2014 is the first true 'selfie World Cup', with many players using Twitter and other social networks to share their personal experiences of the tournament. More than 10,000 people have retweeted or favourited a picture posted by Sturridge of the England team travelling on their coach the day before the Italy game. It is not just the footballers who have succumbed to the current fad for sharing photographs of oneself online. Iranian president Hassan Rouhani took a break from dealing with the jihadist onslaught in neighbouring Iraq to watch his country's 0-0 draw against Nigeria on Monday night. To illustrate his support for Iran's players, he tweeted an incongruous picture of himself relaxing in front of his TV, having swapped his normal black clerical robe and white turban for an Iranian football shirt and tracksuit trousers. In language far removed from the bombastic anti-Western rhetoric of some of his predecessors, Mr Rouhani wrote: 'Proud of our boys who secured our first point - hopefully the first of many more to come.' German chancellor Angela Merkel grinned in a selfie with Germany and Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski while celebrating her country's 4-0 victory over Portugal on Monday. She was earlier pictured with the team in their changing room before many of them had got fully clothed again. | BBC sports presenter revealed Roy Hodgson's men feasted on fast food .
Restaurant serves some of Rio's best fast food, including a 10oz burger .
Team had booked out the whole place - denying her a chance to eat there .
FA said nutritionists gave players special permission to have the treat . |
215,997 | a39f96a09fc39f1ba8a4cf33bc3285560377ae39 | (CNN) -- Those early birds who start their day with a visit to Facebook were met Thursday morning with a rare error message: The social media giant appeared to be down. News of the widespread outage spread on Twitter around 4 a.m. ET and lasted for about 30 minutes. The outage impacted both Facebook's website and its mobile apps. "Sorry, something went wrong," read the error message, which appeared when users tried to access Facebook. "We're working on getting this fixed as soon as we can." By daybreak on the East Coast of the U.S., all was well. But it was a rare blip for the world's most popular social platform, which co-founder Mark Zuckerberg has famously vowed would never crash. "Earlier this morning, we experienced an issue that prevented people from posting to Facebook for a brief period of time," Facebook spokesman Iain Waterman told CNN. "We resolved the issue quickly, and we are now back to 100%. We're sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused." New Facebook app forces you to trade messages . So what do Facebook's 1.2 billion users do when the network is down? Some of them flocked to Twitter, of course. Analytics site Topsy showed that tweets with the words "Facebook" and "down," usually barely a blip on the screen, rocketed to over 70,000 in Thursday's early hours. While some users bemoaned their inability to access Facebook, many took a lighter look at the issue. "Either Facebook is down or Mark Zuckerberg just set everything to PRIVATE," humor site 9GAG posted. They followed up minutes later: "Facebook users are now roaming the streets in tears, showing photos of themselves in people's faces & screaming 'DO YOU LIKE THIS? DO YOU?" A fate worse than social-media death, to be sure. "A moment of silence for all of those who had to interact face to face #facebookdown,"added user @topsupstore. But what of the vital information Facebook provides? "Facebook went down and I momentarily had no idea what someone I worked with in 2005's dog had been doing this morning," someone tweeted under the handle @cluedont. | Facebook was down for about 30 minutes early Thursday .
The site, and its apps, were offline around 4 a.m. ET .
Users flocked to Twitter to complain, joke . |
6,542 | 1292b59973cf86a0ddfdbbc9b32fd9ff8d76cc7c | The funeral for a Pennsylvania college student whose body was pulled from a river near his home was held on Friday afternoon. The disappearance of 21-year-old Shane Montgomery in Philadelphia on Thanksgiving Day caused a widespread search and led to a $65,000 reward for information about his whereabouts. On Saturday, volunteer divers discovered the West Chester University senior's body in the Schuylkill River near Kildare's Irish Pub in Philadelphia, where he had spent the night drinking until 1.45am on November 27. Found: The body of Shane Montgomery, pictured, was recovered from the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia on Saturday, close to where he was last seen on November 27 . Shane Montgomery's remains are carried from his funeral Mass at St. John the Baptist Church in Manayunk . Mourners embrace after Shane Montgomery's funeral service at St. John the Baptist Church in Manayunk . A line of mourners stretched out the door of St. John the Baptist Church in Philadelphia, where family and friends bid a final farewell. The mass was followed by a procession to Calvary Cemetery in West Conshohocken, where Montgomery was laid to rest. The medical examiner's office has conducted an autopsy to determine a cause an manner of death, but has not yet released the results. However, Montgomery's uncle Kevin Verbrugghe told the Allentown Morning Call that investigators believe his nephew's death was accidental. Verbrugghe did not elaborate on how they think Montgomery died. Bittersweet: His heartbroken parents, Karen and Kevin Montgomery,spoke with the media after their son's body was discoveredSaturday . Search: Teams had been searching the nearby canal for the last month but turned up no signs. Montgomery's body was found Saturday in the water behind the Manayunk Street Brewery . 'Today we have done what we have promised,' Karen Montgomery told NBC Philadelphia on Sunday. 'We have found and we brought Shane home.' Two weeks earlier divers found a set of keys belonging to Montgomery in the same section of water after they were tested on his parents' house. Montgomery was last seen leaving a bar in Manayunk in the early hours of Thanksgiving Day, having returned home from college for the holidays, and was caught on surveillance footage heading towards a parking lot. Recovered: Different clues lead search crews to Montgomery's body, especially the discovery of a set of keys nearby (left) in the Schuylkill River two weeks ago. Manayunk is a neighborhood of Philadelphia (top right) A bereft Karen Montgomery is comforted as she gets ready to speak with the media . Search: His disappearance has sparked a huge search involving the FBI, K-9 units and helicopters . The search predominantly focused on the nearby Manayunk Canal, with police not suspecting foul play. His heartbroken parents were sure something unfortunate had happened to their son. 'My son is somewhere in that river, and I need to find him and I need to bring him home,' Karen Montgomery previously said. Montgomery had been escorted out of Kildare's bar in Manayunk - a neighborhood of Philadelphia -at 1.50am on November 27 after he stumbled over the DJ's table. Missing: Montgomery, a student at West Chester University, had a distinct Celtic cross tattoo on his shoulder . He had spent the night of November 26 there with friends. It later emerged that he had a tab for $17 at the bar, indicating that staff had not served him an excessive amount of alcohol. The bar's owner said that he did not seem drunk and, when he accidentally bumped into the table, he was polite about it. One of the bar's employees walked him to the exit and saw him leave. Surveillance footage captured him walking across a footbridge over the Manayunk Canal to a parking lot on the other side. He was not seen returning. The footage has been withheld by authorities. The FBI has joined the search and K-9s, helicopters and marine units have been used to help find the student - but there has been no sign of him. His father, Kevin, previously told NBC: 'We're waiting for him to walk in the door, but you realize that each hour goes... it's just harder and harder.' | The body of Shane Montgomery was recovered from the Schuylkill River in Manayunk, Philadelphia, last Saturday .
On Friday afternoon funeral services took place for the young man .
Keys belonging to the West Chester student were found in the water two weeks earlier .
He was last seen leaving a bar in the early hours of Thanksgiving Day .
Medical examiner has conducted an autopsy, but has not released the findings . |
56,765 | a0d2847e99bfeed394695275f38b8837aead5bdc | By . Graeme Yorke . Manchester United do not need a big-name boss to lure the best players to Old Trafford in the wake of David Moyes’ sacking, says Gary Neville. The former United defender insists it is irrelevant who the manager is at Old Trafford, all that matters is the results. United struggled in the transfer market . last summer, and may find it tough again in the coming months without . Champions League football next season. Failed: David Moyes (right) blew his big chance at United with a series of colourless displays in defeat . Aura: Louis van Gaal is a big enough personality to deal with United stars such as Robin van Persie . Neville told Sky Sports: ‘The reality of it is that it doesn’t really matter who the manager is. What matters most to Manchester United fans is that they actually win football matches and get back to where they belong. ‘The suggestion that they need a big manager to attract players to the club, I find that a bit sad to be fair. ‘The idea that Manchester United . Football Club need to have a sort-of figurehead to be able to attract . players is a nonsense as far as I’m concerned. ‘Manchester United, as a football club, is big enough in its own right to be able to attract players - and they should be. ‘It . seems to be pointing in that direction and I suppose at the start of . next season, if they can spend the money that they have wisely and . there’s a new big-name manager then times will be exciting again.’ Inexperienced: Jurgen Klopp has won a title but has no real knowledge of how to spend £200m . Man for any job: Carlo Ancelotti would do a very good job for a number of Premier League clubs . Option: Given the right circumstances, Jose Mourinho would be interested in the United job . | It doesn't matter who the next manager of United is, says Neville .
It's nonsense to say United need a figurehead to attract players .
If they spend big there are exciting times ahead, insists Old Trafford legend . |
280,362 | f72d8a0f393e1d95f22b22bb434524d4d4a0dcb2 | A study has found that a quarter of teenagers in America have received explicit pictures on their cellphones (posed by models) Almost four in ten teenagers in America have received explicit pictures on their cellphones, new research reveals today. The study, by the University of Utah, also found that a fifth of youngsters have also sent a nude picture of themselves to someone else on their smartphone. This has prompted researchers to warn that the practice could be more widespread in schools and colleges than first thought. And they added that although the survey took place in the US, experts believe that the findings are applicable in most western countries where smartphones are widely used. The study surveyed 1,130 undergraduate students about their experiences of sending x-rated snaps in high school. Nearly 20 per cent reported they had sent a nude photo of themselves to another via cellphone while 38 per cent had received such a picture. Of the number who had received one of these messages, nearly one in five had forwarded the picture to someone else. Professor Don Strassberg, who conducted the study, said the risks of using a mobile phone to send intimate messages goes well beyond that of sharing print photographs as a form of flirting. He said: 'Nothing has changed in that realm - except that the technology makes it easy and thus, more vulnerable to misuse. 'You lose control of the image the moment you push send. 'From there the risks, which can be especially grave for teens, range from embarrassment and humiliation to unwanted sexual advances to cyberbullying and blackmail, and though rare, possibly to felony charges for pornography trafficking because they are minors.' The research was published online in the journal Computers in Human Behaviour and was conducted over a three-year period. Participants were students enrolled in undergraduate psychology classes and queried about their experiences of sending explicit messages during high school - after 2007, when it became more commonplace. Though the research was completed at a single, public institution, a quarter of the students surveyed attended high school outside Utah, and seven per cent outside the United States, providing a measure of economic and geographic diversity. The researchers have also warned that the practice of sending explicit pictures is more widespread in schools than first thought . Prof Strassberg added: 'Sexting is far from a rare occurrence and the ability of a recipient to forward on a sext to others can be problematic, especially for young women who share an explicit photo. 'Because once a sext has been sent, the sender has no control over who, or how many, will eventually see that picture. Other than the adolescent mentality that overestimates benefits over risks, we don’t yet know why teens are choosing to put themselves at risk.' The research also found that both men and women send explicit messages but significantly more males had received an initmate picture on their mobile phone. Professor Strassberg concluded that there are still a number of important questions about teen sexting that need reliable answers before adults can decide how - or even if - they should respond to the popular phenomenon. He said further study is needed to better understand teen motives, get a clearer sense of their appreciation of possible consequences of sexting and whether sexting increases or decreases initiation of physical sexual interaction, among other issues. | Researchers find a quarter of teens have received explicit pictures .
Also found that 20 per cent have also sent intimate pictures to someone else .
University of Utah say practice is more widespread than first thought .
Added they believed the findings would be applicable to most western coutries . |
74,275 | d29e732b7100611c7cbe734f9df0e7f0a55c0bf8 | By . Jennifer Smith . PUBLISHED: . 10:22 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:09 EST, 23 August 2013 . This is the moment a masked robber brandished a running chainsaw to frighten off anyone who may try to intervene while his gang mates raided a jewellery shop. The robbery, which took place in Wakefield in April last year,was just one of a series of heists across West Yorkshire in which the thieves took off with an estimated £250,000 worth of cash and jewellery. Leeds Crown court heard how the gang of four men used chainsaws, pickaxes, sledgehammers and knives during the violent raids which have cost them 57 years behind bars. One of the gang members stood outside Mr Hussain's shop in West Yorkshire wielding a running chainsaw to scare off any passers-by that tried to intervene during the raid . In one attack, three of the men plundered £150,000 of stock and £4,000 of cash in just four minutes after forcing shop owner, Nasir Hussain to the ground. The masked robbers smashed display cases with pickaxes and shoveled the jewels into a skip sack while their partner-in-crime stood outside, waving the chainsaw around in a bid to frighten off passers-by. Mr Hussain tried to chase the perpetrators after they made their getaway in a stolen Audi but was stopped short after they switched vehicles. The stolen car was found nearby having been set on fire. Before ransacking Mr Hussain's shop, WS Jewellers, the group had already robbed Sona Jewellers in Huddersfield using similar tactics. The thieves arrived at the store in a stolen Range Rover on February 25 last year carrying hammers. They transferred the expensive jewellery into builders' bags before taking off. 'Cold-blooded thieves': John Morrison (left) from Guildersome was jailed for nine years, while Patrick Lowther (right) from Rothwell faces 16 years behind bars . Garner Smith (left) and Steven Barker (right) who are both from Bradford have been jailed for 16 years each for conspiracy to rob . Their next target was Assad Jewellers in Batley on March 8 where, armed with pieces of wood and a large knife, the men forced their way in by reversing Volkswagen Transporter through the door. The owners managed to prevent them from coming in, but one member of staff suffered a slash to his arm and required hospital treatment. The court heard how the masked men also used sledgehammers during the terrifying attacks. Gang members Patrick 'Mandy' Lowther, 33, Steven Barker, 35, and Garner Smith, 33, were all jailed for 16 years after being convicted of conspiracy to rob. Fellow plotter John Boy Morrison, 40, was jailed for nine years after the judge ruled he had less involvement than the others. Judge Tom Bayliss QC said: 'The target of this conspiracy was a number of Asian jewellery shops in the area of West Yorkshire. 'The distinction between such shops and high street jewellers is they are often in quiet residential areas and often occupied by (lone) proprietors. 'In other words they present a soft target. But these yield valuable rewards to men like you.' The men from Guildersome, Rothwell and Bradford denied conspiracy to rob but were convicted after a three week trial. Nasir Hussain was forced to the ground by three of the thieves while they raided his shop, WS Jewellers in Wakefield. The group of men stole £150,000 worth of Mr Hussain's stock and £4,000 in cash . Judge Bayliss said: 'You knew exactly which part of the premises was most vulnerable. You knew what to go for in the shop. 'These were highly sophisticated, highly professional, well organised and carefully planned robberies.' After the case, Mr Hussain, 38, said: 'I was in shock because it happened so quickly and these guys were so professional. 'I realised there was somebody outside in the street who had got a running chainsaw. I could hear it and he was waving it. The father-of-four added: 'They are cold-blooded thieves. They are taking somebody’s livelihood. In four minutes they just took everything away. They got what they deserved.' Det Insp Paul Harrison, of Wakefield CID, said it was the first time in his 30-year career he had seen a chainsaw being used as a weapon of fear. 'There were a number of people around the shop. One certainly tried to approach this man. 'This chainsaw was actually activated. I have no doubt whatsoever the person with the chainsaw would have caused harm if they’d got closer.' | The gang of four carried out a string of raids on backstreet jewellers across West Yorkshire last year .
The thieves used chainsaws, pickaxes, sledgehammers and knives to steal £250,000 worth of goods .
The gang members have been jailed for 57 years collectively . |
191,874 | 8473934b4312b8728ccdfbaf1dd4d45727dd6132 | By . Abigail Frymann . PUBLISHED: . 11:01 EST, 16 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:26 EST, 16 November 2013 . Young brother and sister lion cubs squabble in a play-fight as their father relaxes nearby. When one of them picks up a stick, the other gets jealous and takes the fight to its sibling. But Dad is in a tolerant mood and joins in the action, wrestling with them on the floor as his six-month-old cubs climb all over him. Get off me! The cubs playfight like squabbling children, says award-winning photographer Mark Smith . Paws and claws: wrestling teaches the young cubs paw-eye co-ordination . Award-winning wildlife photographer Mark Smith watched the cubs at play in the late afternoon sun in the Savuti area of Chobe National Park in Botswana in southern Africa. After a long daytime nap, the cubs became restless, which meant Mr Smith was treated to a fantastic insight into their behaviour. Mr Smith, from London, said: 'The . brother and sister are wrestling and squabbling much like children do . whilst the parents continued to nap ahead of nightfall. 'In addition there are some images with the cubs having a wrestle with Dad. 'When . cubs are small, males generally remain at a distance from the pride but . older cubs are fascinated by their fathers, often approaching them and . trying to play. Get your paw out of my eye! One of the cubs clambers over his father's face . Get off! While Dad is helping his cubs to learn to fight and hunt, one day he and his peers will replaced as the coalition leading the large pride . When I'm grown up ...: Dad's paw isn't much smaller than his young cub's head . Come on, Dad: the cubs' father must have been in a tolerant mood, observed Mr Smith . 'This often results in either the lion . telling the cub to go away or, if the cub is lucky and the lion is in a . good mood, the male will play while teaching the cub fighting skills in . the process. 'Here, the cubs were just with Dad, who was in a very tolerant mood.' The family belong to an unusual 35-strong pride of lions which is run by a coalition of five males. According . to Mr Smith, once a coalition has taken over a pride, they usually have . two years before losing to a younger coalition. However, the larger the coalition, the better, because a coalition of four to six lions may last up to four years. Take that! Brother and sister playfight in the cool of the late afternoon in Botswana's Chobe National Park . He said: 'Lions are intensely social . cats while others are quite solitary which is largely an adaption of . cooperative hunting strategies. 'For that reason, lions are the cats you're most likely to see socialising and playing with each other in large groups. 'Like . many animals, lion cubs learn from playing as they learn how to . coordinate, control, and develop their muscles such as eye and paw . coordination. Lion down: after a long daytime nap the cubs had become restless . In training: the future top cats were learning skills that would stand them in good stead for hunting . 'Essentially it is preparing to learn on how to hunt. 'There were plenty of sticks around but once one had been selected, they both wanted it. 'It's likely the stick resembles prey or a toy and the wrestling over the stick is a cat way of demonstrating social ranking.' | British photographer captures lioncubs' play and squabbles .
The cubs from a wildlife park in Botswana persuade their dad to join in . |
62,329 | b10dc3bde835d149344a551a1e4b56a3f4ce68ad | For centuries mermaids have occupied the world of fantasy and fairy tale. This illustration was published in Hans Christian Andersens Fairy Tales around 1900 . For thousands of years they have occupied the world of fantasy, fairy tale and folklore. The half-human, half-fish creatures first appeared in ancient Assyria, now Syria, when the goddess Atargatis transformed herself into a mermaid out of shame, having accidentally killed her human lover. In history the seductive creatures have been linked to perilous events in European, African and Asian culture, including floods, storms, shipwrecks and drownings. And they are associated with Greek mythology, Homer having referred to them as sirens - dangerous, yet beautiful creatures, who lured sailors to shipwreck. Hans Christian Andersen's well-known fairy tale The Little Mermaid, was transformed into a Disney classic and mermaids have also been depicted in operas, paintings, books, films and comics. But could the concept actually have been derived from a real medical condition? Sirenomelia, also known as 'Mermaid syndrome' is a life-threatening illness, marked by the rotation and fusion of a sufferer's legs. The rare congenital deformity causes what looks like a single limb, resembling a fish tail, in the womb. Medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris, who has a PhD from Oxford University, told MailOnline the condition occurs from a failure of the normal vascular supply, when the umbilical cord fails to form two arteries. As a result there is not sufficient blood supply reaching the foetus, she said. The single artery 'steals' the blood and nutrition from the lower body, diverting it back up into the placenta. Suffering malnutrition, the foetus fails to develop two separate limbs. The condition is extremely rare, affecting one in 100,000 babies, but is 100 times more likely to occur in identical twins. Babies born with the condition rarely live beyond a few days with more than half of cases resulting in stillbirth. Dr Fitzharris, author of the blog The Chirurgeon's Apprentice, said: 'Over the course of my research, I've found very little about the disorder's history. 'There are snippets here and there which claim that foetuses born with sirenomelia were sometimes preserved in jars and put on display in 'freak shows' during the 19th century. 'But these sources are frustratingly vague. 'There is a brief mention of the condition in a four-volume atlas published in 1891 titled Human Monstrosities, but nothing that hints at how medical practitioners understood sirenomelia in earlier periods. 'Perhaps because the disorder is so rare, it's also been hard for me to locate specimens in anatomical collections. 'My search in the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons in London came up cold. But medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris said the inspiration for the mythical creature could come from a real medical condition. Sirenomelia also known as 'Mermaid syndrome' is a fatal illness, marked by the rotation and fusion of a sufferer's legs. Pictured are specimens on display at the Vrolik Museum in Amsterdam . Walt Disney transformed Andersens fairy tale into one of the most iconic animated films, The Little Mermaid, released in 1989 . A statue of Hans Christian Andersens's the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark, and right an illustration from Andersens Fairy Tales, right . 'I did, however, find an early 20th-century example at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington D.C. 'There are also three foetuses in the Anatomical Museum of the Second University of Naples, which have undergone 3D bone reconstructions.' But Dr Fitzharris said by far the largest collection of foetuses is to be found in Amsterdam at the Vrolik Museum. Another of the sirenomelia exhibits at the Vrolik Museum in Amsterdam, which has a vast collection of more than 5,000 human and animal anatomy . They stand in jars among more than 5,000 specimens of human and animal anatomy, embryology, pathology and congenital anomalies. Dr Fitzharris added: 'Sirenomelia is extremely fatal. 'There are no accounts of anyone with this condition surviving in the past. 'Most died within days of being born due to kidney and bladder failure. 'Even today, the odds are against those with sirenomelia, though there are a handful of examples of children living past infancy.' In 1988 Tiffany Yorks underwent surgery to separate her legs before her first birthday. She still suffers some mobility problems, because of her fragile bones, and uses crutches and a wheelchair to get around. At the age of 26, she is the oldest known surviving sufferer of the condition. Another notable survivor of the rare disorder is a Peruvian girl, nicknamed the Little Mermaid. In 2006 a team of eight specialists successfully carried out a second operation on the then two-year-old Milagros Cerron. The youngster, whose first name means 'miracles' in Spanish, was born with the rare congenital disorder. Her legs were fused from groin to ankles and her feet splayed, in the characteristic form of sirenomelia. Most of Milagros's internal organs, including her heart and lungs, were in perfect condition. But she was born with serious internal defects, including a deformed left kidney and a very small right kidney located very low in her body. Her digestive, urinary tracts and genitals also shared a single tube. Peruvian Milagros Cerron, known as the Little Mermaid, was operated on in 2006. Surgeons completed a second operation to separate her legs, fused together after she was born with sirenomelia . In June 2005 doctors successfully performed the first in a series of risky operations to separate Milagros's lower legs, to above her knees. The second operation was carried out to separate the remaining fused tissue, from her knees to groin. Surgeon Luis Rubio, who led the specialists, said after the second surgery: 'There were no problems, no complications from anaesthesia or from haemorraghing. ' He said Milagros had developed the ability to stand alone without help and take small assisted steps. In 2012 the then seven-year-old required a kidney transplant, part of surgery to reconstruct her urinary tract. Rubio said at the time that Tiffany Yorks, was the only other person known to have undergone successful surgery to correct the rare congenital defect. In 2006 the surgeon calculated Milagros would need at least 16 more operations over the course of the next decade to reconstruct and repair her digestive, urinary and sexual organs. | Mermaids have dominated fantasy and folklore for thousands of years .
The concept is thought to derive from a real medical condition, expert said .
Sirenomelia - also known as 'mermaid syndrome' - is a fatal illness .
It causes a single limb to form in the place of two legs .
Medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris, said it happens when the umbilical cord fails to form two arteries, leaving only enough blood supply for one limb .
It is extremely rare, affecting one in 100,000 babies born .
Babies with the disorder rarely survive longer than a few days .
There have been a few cases of sufferers living into their teenage years .
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT . |
20,021 | 38d3a047118bbf021b7146f2bba09b0cdeab7972 | By . James Rush . An international panel of experts are to re-examine all of the data gathered in the hunt for the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 to ensure search crews have been looking in the right place. Government officials from Australia, China and Malaysia today pledged not to give up searching for the aircraft that disappeared almost two months ago. They met in the Australian capital to discuss the next step in the search for the missing flight, which will centre around an expanded patch of seafloor in a remote area of the Indian Ocean off Western Australia. Scroll down for video . Australia's Transport Minister Warren Truss (centre) speaks during a press conference with Malaysia's Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein (left) and Chinese Transport Minister Yang Chuantang (second right) after talks about missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370. Experts are to re-examine information gathered so far . Officials met in the Australian capital to discuss the next step in the search for the missing flight, which will centre around an expanded patch of seafloor in a remote area of the Indian Ocean off Western Australia . The area became the focus of the hunt after a team of analysts calculated the plane's likeliest flight path based on satellite and radar data. Starting Wednesday, that data will be re-analyzed and combined with all information gathered so far in the search, which has not turned up a single piece of debris despite crews scouring more than 4.6 million square kilometers (1.8 million square miles) of ocean. 'We've got to this stage of the process where it's very sensible to go back and have a look at all of the data that has been gathered, all of the analysis that has been done and make sure there's no flaws in it, the assumptions are right, the analysis is right and the deductions and conclusions are right,' Angus Houston, head of the search operation, told reporters in Canberra. Investigators have been stymied by a lack of hard data since the plane vanished on March 8 during a flight from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing. A weekslong search for surface debris was called off last week after officials determined any wreckage that may have been floating has likely sunk. 'Unfortunately, all of that effort has found nothing,' Australian Transport Minister Warren Truss said. 'We've been confident on the basis of the information provided that the search area was the right one, but in practice, that confidence has not been converted into us discovering any trace of the aircraft.' Houston has warned the underwater search is likely to continue for up to a year. Houston and Truss met with Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Chinese Transport Minister Yang Chuantang in Canberra on Monday to map out the next steps of the underwater search, which will focus on a 60,000 square kilometre patch of seafloor . Angus Houston, head of the search operation, has warned the underwater search is likely to continue for up to a year . A map shows the possible path of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 as released by the Malaysian Transport Ministry last week . Houston and Truss met with Malaysian Defense Minister Hishammuddin Hussein and Chinese Transport Minister Yang Chuantang in Canberra on Monday to map out the next steps of the underwater search, which will focus on a 60,000 square kilometer (23,000 square mile) patch of seafloor. Financial responsibility is a major focus of the talks and Truss has seemed to open the door to Boeing, which produced the 777-200ER jet, and engine maker Rolls Royce, to contribute financially. 'They also have a vested interested in what happened on MH370 so they can be confident about the quality of their product, or take remedial action if there was some part of the aircraft that contributed to this accident,' he told reporters. 'So, I think we will be looking for increasing involvement from the manufacturers, and their host countries.' Officials are contacting governments and private contractors to find out whether they have specialized equipment that can dive deeper than the Bluefin-21 . Australian navy vessel Ocean Shield is pictured berthed at Fleet Base West near Perth as it replenishes its supplies and conducts routine maintenance and software modifications to Phoenix Autonomous Underwater Vehicle Artemis Bluefin-21 before returning to the search area . Commander Joint Task Force 658, Commodore Peter Leavy (right), United States Navy Salvage Supervisor, Captain Mark Matthews (left) and ADV Ocean Shield RAN Mission Commander, Commander James Lybrand (centre) hold a media conference in front of the Australian navy vessel Ocean Shield . Last week, Malaysia released its most comprehensive account yet of what happened to Flight MH370, detailing the route the plane probably took as it veered off course and the confusion that followed. U.S. President Barack Obama had publicly promised to commit more assets, but government sources say the United States is keen to begin passing on the costs of providing the expensive sonar equipment the officials say they are trying to source. Officials are contacting governments and private contractors to find out whether they have specialized equipment that can dive deeper than the Bluefin-21, an unmanned sub that has spent weeks scouring the seafloor in an area where sounds consistent with a plane's black box were detected in early April. The Bluefin has been limited by the fact that it can dive only to depths of 4.5 kilometers (2.8 miles) - and parts of the search zone are likely deeper than that. Adding to the difficulties is the fact no one really knows exactly how deep the water in the search area is. 'I don't know that anyone knows for sure, because it's never been mapped,' Truss said, adding that detailed mapping of the seafloor will be a key focus of the next phase of the search. In addition to deeper diving capabilities, the new equipment will be able to send information back to crews in real time. The Bluefin's data can be downloaded only once it returns to the surface after each of its 16-hour dives. It will likely take another two months before any new equipment is in the water, Truss said. The Bluefin will continue to be used in the meantime, though its search is currently on hold while the Ocean Shield, which has the sub on board, is taking on supplies at a base in Western Australia. The 21-foot-long autonomous underwater vehicle is designed for deep-sea surveying and is capable of staying submerged for 25 hours at a time without refueling, scanning regions at a speed of two to three knots. Shaped like a torpedo, it can operate almost up to three miles underneath the waves and is equipped with a variety of sonar and cameras that can search and map 40 square miles of sea floor per day. Bluefin-21 has a depth rating of 4,500m, meaning it has been at its limit in the Indian Ocean search zone. Bluefin 21 is designed for deep-sea surveying and is capable of staying submerged for 25 hours at a time without refueling . Searchers usually programme the propeller-driven vehicle with the coordinates for a back-and-forth search that has been compared to mowing a lawn. First, the vehicle will survey the area with side-scan sonar. The sonar readings are stored in the robot's removable memory, and retrieved once the sub comes back up to the surface. If the sonar scan turns up objects of interest, the Bluefin-21 would be refitted with high-resolution cameras for a visual survey. The robot would have to dive closer to the seafloor for a concentrated survey of the target area. One of the Bluefin-21's most recent claims to fame was its role in the search for wreckage from Amelia Earhart's airplane, which disappeared in the Pacific in 1937. Bluefin Robotics says its AUV can also be used for archaeology, oceanography, mine countermeasures, and unexploded ordinance. | Government officials met in Australia to discuss next step in MH370 search .
Search will centre around an expanded patch of seafloor in Indian Ocean .
Data collected since plane went missing early March to be re-examined to ensure search crews have been looking for the aircraft in the right place .
Head of search operation has warned it is likely to continue for up to a year . |
33,080 | 5df73867a5328a12c52efb549e7566fa98d8874d | (EW.com) -- Spider-Man has been knocked off ... and not by The Lizard. Fox's "Ice Age: Continental Drift," the fourth film in the animated franchise, won the weekend with an estimated $46 million opening at the box office. The family-friendly flick bowed in 3,881 theaters and earned an $11,853 per-theater average over the Friday-to-Sunday period. The film has already made roughly seven times that much in foreign territories. Compared to the previous installments in the "Ice Age" series, "Continental Drift" fell smack dab between the second and third film's openings. And thanks to an bullish "A-" grade from CinemaScore, "Continental Drift" should get some strong word of mouth and hold up well with younger audiences and their parents. In second place, Peter Parker & Co. spun $35 million over the weekend, a drop of 43.6 percent. If weekend estimates hold, the Sony tentpole will cross the $200 million mark, landing at $200.9 million. Psychologically at least, that's an important threshold for "The Amazing Spider-Man" -- especially with Bruce Wayne on deck at the multiplex. Taking the bronze for the weekend was "Ted" — Universal's Mark Wahlberg/Mila Kunis/talking bear comedy. The film scored a strong third week haul of $22.1 million, dropping just 31.2 percent — thanks in part to the fact that it added 47 playdates. Its total domestic take is now $158.9 million. In fourth, "Ice Age's" main 'toon challenger, "Brave," stayed strong adding $10.6 million more to its quiver. Its four-week total is now $195.5 million, which means it should cross the $200 million mark by next weekend. Rounding out the top five is Warner Bros.' stripper comedy "Magic Mike." The Channing Tatum flick bumped and grinded for $9 million in its third frame, edging out Oliver Stone's "Savages," and bringing its total to $91.8 million. One notable performance bubbling under the top 10 was this summer's indie critical darling, Fox Searchlight's "Beasts of the Southern Wild," which jumped from No. 21 to No. 16 after quadrupling the number of the theaters it was in. The film earned $775,000 on 81 screens for a terrific $9,568 per-screen average — second only to "Ice Age" in the top 20. See the full article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Fox's "Ice Age: Continental Drift" is the fourth film in the "Ice Age" franchise .
"The Amazing Spider-Man" came in second at the box office during the weekend .
"Ted," with Mark Wahlberg and Mila Kunis, took third . |
169,334 | 671a0e308123e61d88be8bda49acb82f4e2d84ca | By . Chris Pleasance for MailOnline . Karen McCann, 59, claimed just £443 in legitimate income between 2008 and April this year, but paid off her mortgage and went on expensive holidays . A school cleaner has been jailed for three years and four months after running a £150,000-a-year cannabis farm from her home. Karen McCann, 59, from Leicester, paid off her mortgage and went on £6,000 holidays despite declaring only £443 legitimate income between March 2008 and April this year, a court heard. When police raided her home in March they found £18,448 in cash, along with 66 cannabis plants growing in a bedroom and loft, and a complex hydration system along with fans and heat lamps. Leicester Crown Court was told the plants could yield more than 7lb of high-potency cannabis per crop, worth around £37,600, with four harvests annually. Jonathan Cox, prosecuting, said McCann used the money to pay off the mortgage on the home she bought in 2004. He said: 'There was evidence of a lavish lifestyle and documents at the premises related to a £6,000 holiday in Spain.' The road where McCann lives in Leicester has properties worth an average of £94,000. Mr Cox added: 'She accepts it was going on since early 2012. The annual yield would have been thirteen kilograms, fetching just over £150,000.' 'She wasn’t paying for any electricity, and saved thousands, because the meter was by-passed. 'It was done in a particularly dangerous manner, creating a fire risk. Cannabis separated into individual deals was also found in the airing cupboard.' McCann, a former dinner lady, admitted producing cannabis, abstracting electricity, possessing £18,448 of criminal property and money laundering. She told the court that she had not been claiming benefits while growing the Class B drug, and said she had been 'emotionally manipulated' into it by her former partner. McCann was convicted in 2007 for permitting her premises to be used for producing cannabis - involving the same former partner - and was given a conditional discharge on that occasion. However, Judge Simon Hammond said: 'I believe this defendant went into this with her eyes open. 'Cannabis farms and factories are very prevalent and provide huge profits. When police raided McCann's house they found 66 cannabis plants growing in a bedroom and the loft, along with a sophisticated hydration system, fans and heat lamps. They also found more than £18,000 in cash . McCann worked as a dinner lady at Merrydale Junior School until 2007 when she was convicted of allowing her home to be used to grow cannabis. She then worked as the school cleaner until she was caught again this year . 'In one year alone 47 cannabis factories were discovered in Leicester and these systems produce cannabis with very high THC, known as skunk. 'Skunk can cause serious mental health problems and is much stronger than cannabis that used to be imported from Morocco and other countries.' Sian Cutter, mitigating, said McCann’s previous partner had used her home and bank accounts to run the operation - although when she was arrested she refused to say who else was involved. McCann worked as a dinner lady at Merrydale Junior School in Leicester for 18 years until she was convicted in 2007, after which she went back to work at the school as a cleaner. Miss Cutter claimed her former partner later reconciled with her and persuaded her to give up work, promising to look after her financially. He put money into her bank account from legitimate profits from a cafe he owned, said Miss Cutter. But later he allegedly persuaded her to let him install another growing operation in her home, the court was told. | Karen McCann caught with 66 cannabis plants and £18,000 in cash at home .
Stole thousands of pounds of electricity after bypassing meter to run farm .
Court heard plants produced four harvests per year worth £37,600 each .
McCann, a former school dinner lady, jailed for three years and four months . |
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