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San Diego (CNN) -- You've probably read those articles about how, in the United States, minorities are becoming the majority. That's a polite way of describing what is really going on. Namely, that the U.S. population is becoming more Latino and less white. More than any other group, it is Latinos who are driving demographic changes. Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau reported that, of all the babies born in the United States in 2011, more than half were members of minority groups. Latinos, Asians, African-Americans and other minorities accounted for 50.4% of births last year, marking the first time in U.S. history this has happened. Immigration is a driving force. So is the fact that Latinos have higher birthrates because they tend to be younger and starting families. According to the report, Latinos have a median age of 27; with whites, it's 42. When I read these kinds of stories, I wince. Some people assume that making lawmakers, media and corporations aware of population trends will persuade them to see the value in diversity and cause them to reach out to nonwhite populations. In my experience, it doesn't have that effect at all. People tend to do what they want to do the way they've always done it. But what you can set your watch by is the backlash to these stories. It's rooted in fear, but also in human nature. No one likes being told they're being displaced or pushed aside, or that they're not going to be as relevant as time goes on. So when David Bostis, a senior research associate at the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, tells CNN.com as he did recently: "The Republicans' problem is that their voters are white, aging and dying off" and that "there will come a time when (Republicans) suffer catastrophic losses with the realization of the population changes," it is bound to set off shock waves. And it did. Conservative radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh saw the CNN story as a threat, and he went ballistic. "It is clear that this, and other similar stories like this, are meant to serve as a warning to Republicans and conservatives," Limbaugh told his audience of millions. "And the warning is: You are on the wrong side of history. And you are on the wrong side of demographics. You better do what the coming majority wants right now, or you're gonna suffer the consequences. There is an implied threat in this story. You're getting older. You're white and you're dying off. Pretty soon you're gonna find out what it's been like to not be you." "That's the implication of the story," Limbaugh insisted. "You've been the majority for all these decades, all these generations, but your time is coming when you're gonna be the minorities and there's gonna be people with majority power over you. So you better learn right. You better change your ways. You better get with the program so that everybody likes you." As is often the case when Limbaugh charges into matters of race and ethnicity, he has it all wrong. These aren't threats. These are facts. And they're presented not to pressure people to do "what the coming majority wants right now" as much as to highlight the value of doing the right thing by making our institutions more inclusive. Stories like this are supposed to enlighten us and give us a heads up about what's coming around the corner, so we can take advantage of the trend and not be overrun by it. Elected officials, media companies and the business communities can put off thinking about the future, but they can't escape it. Meanwhile, what people like Limbaugh seem to be trying to escape is a reckoning for what happened in the past. As he sees it, all this talk about changing demographics is tied to a larger criticism of the United States as having at times fallen short of its own principles of liberty, fairness and equality. "Part of it is payback because this evil white majority has arranged things so they get all the spoils," he said. "And then whatever they don't want is what gets handed down. Those days are about over, and the big change is coming." What needs to change is this kind of thinking. It's total nonsense. In nearly 25 years of writing about politics, race and ethnicity, I've never heard any member of a minority group talk about how they're looking forward to "payback" once they're in the majority. Not one. What I do hear quite a bit is that people of color believe in the greatness of this country, and they want to help write the next chapter in ways that benefit them and their families. They want a seat at the table, not because they feel entitled but because they feel they have something unique and valuable to offer. And they don't want to get even; they just want to get ahead. What's wrong with that? Nothing. In fact, it's in keeping with some of this country's greatest traditions. Have no fear. The face of America is changing. But it's heart and soul never will. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr.
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U.S. Census says that more than half the babies born in 2011 were minorities .
Ruben Navarrette: People like Rush Limbaugh see the change as a threat .
He says minorities are not looking forward to "payback" once they're in the majority .
Navarrette: Minorities just want a seat at the table and to offer something back to the country .
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By . Ted Thornhill . PUBLISHED: . 04:48 EST, 28 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 04:51 EST, 28 February 2014 . Beijing’s toxic smog finally lifted this week with dramatic before and after pictures taken on Wednesday and Thursday showing just how dense it had been. A strong cold front brought blue sky and sunshine to a city that had been masked by dense pollution for over a week. Earlier this week Chinese scientists said that pollution in Beijing was so dense that its effects were comparable to that of a nuclear winter. Remarkable: The above photograph was taken near the Forbidden City in Beijing on Wednesday and the lower one at the same place on Thursday . Relief: Blue sky and sunshine reappeared in Beijing on Thursday thanks to a strong cold front which dispersed the week-long smoggy weather . It has been predicted that if enough nuclear bombs were detonated, so many particles would be thrown into the air that the sun could be blocked out enough to alter the weather and damage the food supply. This process was under way in China’s capital city and six northern provinces, according to He Dongxian from China Agricultural University’s College of Water Resources and Civil Engineering. She warned that the toxic smog was hindering photosynthesis of plants and that if it lingers much longer, it could affect food production, according to The Guardian. Clear skies: The photo on the left shows the sharp contrast of air quality at the Temple of Heaven while on the right, software on a mobile phone indicates the sharp contrast in pollution levels . The sun is finally revealed: The corner tower of the Forbidden City on Wednesday and Thursday (left) and before and after shots of the Central Business District that show the beneficial effect of the cold weather front . Dongxian demonstrated recently that seedlings in Beijing were taking over twice as long to grow as those in a lab. ‘Every farm is caught in a smog panic,’ she told The South China Morning Post. Pollution had been so severe that aircraft were grounded, roads closed and tourists numbers hit, while the direct danger posed to human health was underlined by the World Health Organisation, whose readings in Beijing on Tuesday had alarming results. It was reported that the level of PM 2.5 particles, a key measure of pollution because they are small enough to be assimilated into the blood stream, reached 505 micrograms per cubic metre, far higher than the maximum level it considers to be safe, which is 25. Authorities have introduced anti-pollution policies and often pledged to clean up the environment but the problem has not eased. Beijing had been draped in stinking smog for more than a week and in an effort to cut pollution, 147 industrial companies in the capital had cut or suspended production as of Tuesday, according to Xinhua. City residents are growing angry and alarmed. ‘Of course, on days where pollution levels reach or even exceed the scale, we are very concerned and we have to see this as a crisis,’ Bernhard Schwartlander, the World Health Organization (WHO) representative in China, told Reuters. Road to nowhere: Vehicles clog a highway in Beijing on Wednesday as a hazardous smog enveloped the city . ‘There's now clear evidence that, in the long term, high levels of air pollution can actually also cause lung cancer,’ he said. Hebei, a major industrial region surrounding Beijing, has some of the most polluted cities in the world's most populous country. Shijiazhuang routinely recorded ‘beyond index’ measurements of polluting ‘particulate matter’ in early 2013. The China Academy of Sciences identified the province as a major source of noxious smog that hung over Beijing a year ago. The government said in an action plan for Hebei in September that it would ban new projects in certain industries, close outdated steel and cement facilities and slash coal use. The province has promised to cut total steel capacity by 86 million tonnes, about 40 percent of last year's production, by 2020. Official data suggests that is starting to happen. Meanwhile, a man in a smog-ridden northern city has become the first person in China to sue the government for failing to curb air pollution. Li Guixin, a resident of Shijiazhuang, capital of the northern province of Hebei, submitted his complaint to a district court asking the city's Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau to ‘perform its duty to control air pollution according to the law’, the Yanzhao Metropolis Daily said. The Shanghai Academy of Social Sciences recently ranked Beijing second worst in terms of living environment among 40 major cities around the world and said it was 'barely suitable' for living. However, China's naval chief has found a rather more positive side to the country's awful pollution.The smog, he says, provides an effective barrier against the emerging threat of laser weaponry. Rear Admiral Zhang Zhaozhong, a military expert at the National Defence University, spoke days after it was reported that the US Navy planned to deploy its first laser weapon aboard one of its ships in the Middle East. He said lasers were 'most afraid of smog' because it severely hampers the distance it can be fired. 'Under conditions where there is no smog, a laser weapon can fire (at a range of) 10 kilometres,' he told CCTV’s Haixia Liangan (Cross-Straits) current affairs program, according to www.news.com.au.'When there’s smog, it’s only one kilometre. What's the point of making this kind of weapon?'
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Scientists said that pollution in Beijing was so dense that its effects were .
comparable to that of a nuclear winter .
The smog that had been draped over the city was lifted dramatically on Thursday by a strong cold front .
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(CNN) -- Yemen's embattled president, still recovering from a violent attack last month, met with a top U.S. counterterrorism official in Saudi Arabia Sunday. Yemeni state television broadcast footage of the president's meeting with John Brennan, U.S. President Barack Obama's top counterterrorism adviser. The two met at a military hospital in Riyadh, where Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh has been recovering since he was wounded in the attack on his presidential compound more than a month ago. Video of the meeting shows Saleh wearing a suit jacket, his face still singed from the June 3 blast. Brennan wished Saleh "a speedy recovery" but also "emphasized the importance of resolving the political crisis in Sanaa," the White House said in a statement on Sunday's meeting. He urged Saleh to sign the Gulf Cooperation Council's political transition plan for Yemen. "The United States believes that a transition in Yemen should begin immediately so that the Yemeni people can realize their aspirations," the White House statement said. Saleh has voiced agreement with the plan by the GCC, which would ensure his gradual departure from office, but he has not signed it. Saleh told Brennan that the GCC initiative laid the groundwork for exiting the political crisis through national dialogue involving all political parties, Yemen's state-run Saba news agency reported. As Brennan and Saleh met in Saudi Arabia, clashes erupted between government security forces and armed tribesmen in one of the epicenters of Yemen's anti-government movement. Two people were killed and at least nine others were injured in the southwestern Yemeni city of Taiz Sunday, medical sources in the city said. Dozens of homes were also damaged in the fighting, which started early Sunday morning and stretched for more than eight hours, witnesses said. Saleh appeared on television in Yemen Thursday for the first time since the attack, telling viewers he was on the mend, open to talks with opposition forces and determined to strike back at his attackers. His speech from Saudia Arabia transfixed his home country, which has been enduring months of anti-government protests and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula militant activity. Saleh said he had had eight successful surgeries in Saudi Arabia, but the president, whose badly burned face was dark and who sat stiffly upright in a buttoned-up robe, didn't specify when he would go back to Yemen -- a return his supporters anticipate but his opponents hope will never occur. The United States has been aiding Yemen's military in its fight against Islamic militants amid fears that al Qaeda is exploiting the political chaos and leadership vacuum engulfing the unstable and impoverished Arabian Peninsula country. On Sunday, Saleh thanked Brennan for U.S. support of "Yemen's unity, security and stability," according to Saba. "He confirmed that Yemen needs to be supported and assisted to promote economic and development fields so as to reduce poverty and unemployment, which represent a fertile environment of terrorism," Saba reported. CNN's Yousuf Basil and journalist Hakim Almasmari contributed to this report.
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NEW:Clashes erupt in the southwestern Yemeni city of Taiz .
White House: "A transition in Yemen should begin immediately"
Yemeni state television shows Saleh and Brennan meeting .
Saleh has been recovering in Saudi Arabia since he was wounded in a June 3 attack .
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As deadly clashes between government forces and supporters of the Muslim Brotherhood continued in Egypt Friday, a disturbing video has emerged that appeared to show the military firing on unarmed demonstrators. The footage clocking in at just under a minute was uploaded to YouTube August 16. The caption written in Arabic read: 'The army shoots on peaceful protesters in Ismailia.' Ismailia is a city in northeastern Egypt, where Reuters reported that four protesters were killed Friday during a 'Day of Rage.' Scroll down for videos . Appalling conditions: After they were arrested at a protest in August (pictured), the pair said they were beaten and subjected to degrading treatment in the Egyptian prison . Under fire: About 30 seconds into the video, rapid gunfire erupts, prompting some of the protesters to drop down to a crouch and others to flee . It has not been established if the four deaths confirmed in Ismailia are related to the events depicted in the video. NBC News foreign correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin tweeted that the news agency Storyful had confirmed the video's authenticity. A YouTube user by the moniker ahmedkhtr wrote in the comments section, apparently referring to one of the protesters who was allegedly shot in the video: 'He is my friend. His name is Ahmed Hachim one of the best guys ever he is a communication engineer, had a family son&daughter.’ The unsettling clip begins with a group of men numbering more than two dozen marching on four tanks positioned on a city street. Defiant: As most people ran away, one man remained standing directly in front of a tank with his arms raised . Gunned down: The demonstrator (seen in background) appears to be struck repeatedly struck by bullets, and then falls down . Aftermath: The alleged shooting victim is seen rolling over on the ground next to another man . Fact or fiction? NBC News foreign correspondent Ayman Mohyeldin tweeted that the news agency Storyful had confirmed the video's authenticity . The demonstrators appear unarmed, many of them raising or waving their hands in the air. Two of participants are carrying an unfurled banner. About 30 seconds into the video, rapid gunfire erupts, prompting some of the protesters to drop down to a crouch and others to flee. As more shots are fired, most of the people abandon the street. One person, however, remains standing directly in front of a tank with his arms raised above his hand. Just seconds later, the defiant protester wearing blue jeans, a T-shirt and a white hat appears to be struck by a bullet in his leg. He then falls down after apparently being shot again. A young man in the foreground who witnessed the shooting grimaces and gesticulates in anguish before running away, while the alleged shooting victim is seen rolling over on the ground next to another man. Pivotal moment: The alleged shooting of the unarmed man was also captured on a cell phone video taken from a different angle . A cell phone video of the alleged shooting, recorded from a different angle by another eyewitness, was also posted to YouTube. That clip shows the protester getting shot directly in front of a tank. News reports said more than 40 people died in clashes that spread to Alexandria, Ismailia, Damietta, Fayoum and other cities. Egypt's military-backed government said there were 27 confirmed deaths nationwide. Last night, at least 91 protesters and police were feared dead in Cairo as a ‘Day of Rage’ ended in inevitable bloodshed. Supporters of ousted president Mohamed Morsi called for fresh demonstrations after more than 600 people were killed when attempts to clear protest camps earlier in the week turned into a massacre. The fresh violence erupted when tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets after Friday prayers. Fleeing for their lives: Friday's death toll has now reached 64 across Egypt, including eight police officers, . A member of the Muslim Brotherhood and supporter of ousted Egyptian President Mohamed Mursi shouts slogans after being injured during clashes in front of Azbkya police station . 'Day of Rage': Hundreds have been reported injured and around have been 50 killed in today's protests in the Egyptian capital . Street battle: A Morsi supporter is taken from the crowd after he was injured during a protest outside Al-Fath Mosque in Ramses Square, in Cairo . Home-made weaponry: Morsi protesters throw rocks, lamps and what appears to be kitchen appliances, near the Four Seasons hotel in Garden City area of Cairo . Twitter user @sarahcarr posted this picture of people jumping off 6 October bridge near a police station after the large crown was trapped by armed police . Dozens died when security forces opened fire in Ramses Square, the focal point for demonstrators. Some marchers heading towards the square jumped from road bridges to escape bullets and clouds of tear gas. Another 25 demonstrators were killed . outside the capital, according to reports, and security officials said . 24 policemen had died in the fighting. David Cameron was due to discuss the . crisis by telephone last night with French President Francois Hollande . amid urgent calls for EU foreign ministers to meet over the . deteriorating situation. It came as British tour operators came . under increasing pressure to suspend holidays to Egypt as governments . around Europe started warning their citizens to stay at home. Police violence: Morsi supporters carry an injured demonstrator during clashes outside Azbakeya Police Station . Temporary care: The Al-Fath mosque was turned into a field hospital after armed police opened fire outside Azbakeya Police Station . Residents and protesters: More prominently than during earlier violence, there were street battles between Morsi supporters and vigilante residents rather than police . Companies such as Thomas Cook are . cancelling holidays booked by German customers – but are still flying . Britons out to Red Sea resorts such as Sharm el Sheikh because of . differing advice issued by the two countries. The Muslim Brotherhood – the party of . the ousted president – called for a ‘Friday of Anger’ in response to the . mass killing on Wednesday when security forces cleared protest camps . set up after last month’s military coup. Beforehand the military-backed . government had authorised the use of live ammunition, warning anyone . attacking the police or official buildings would be dealt with . ‘severely’. Tanks and armoured vehicles blockaded key routes around . Cairo and when protesters converged on Ramses Square, police fired tear . gas and gunshots echoed around the capital. In a nearby mosque, transformed into a field hospital, one witness counted at least 35 bodies. Fury: Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood supporters walk towards Ramses square in Cairo as they take part in a 'march of anger'. Violent clashes have already left 17 people dead . Hurt: Protesters who support the ousted Egyptian President transport injured people following the clashes in Ramses Square . Desperate: Egyptian Muslim Brotherhood supporters carry a wounded protestor in Cairo's Ramses square . Fury: Muslim Brotherhood supporters in Sanaa shout slogans during the rally in protest at the recent violence in Egypt . Much of the anger was directed at Egypt’s army commander General Abdel Fattah al-Sisi. ‘The people want the butcher executed,’ said Mustafa Ibrahim, 37, as he marched with a crowd of several thousand demonstrators. But the population remains deeply . divided, with residents helping the army block access to Cairo’s Rabaa . al-Adawiya mosque, the focal point of Wednesday’s bloodbath when at . least 638 were killed and thousands injured. While the capital has seen the worst . of violence, there are increasing fears it will spread to popular Red . Sea resorts, just an eight-hour drive from Cairo. More than 40,000 British holidaymakers are in Egypt, predominantly in these resorts. Germany’s Foreign Ministry advised Germans not to go anywhere in Egypt, prompting Thomas Cook and Tui to suspend all holidays. Protests: Smoke rises near Al-Fath Mosque during clashes at Ramses Square . Unstable: Protestors run away from tear gas during clashes in Cairo . Angry: Supporters of Morsi throw stones at a gasoline station that belongs to the Egyptian Army in Cairo . Meanwhile in the UK, both Thomas Cook . and Thomson, owned by Tui, are continuing to fly out holidaymakers, . citing current Foreign and Commonwealth Office advice that it remains . safe to do so. Thomson said: ‘Should FCO advice change we have contingency plans in place and we will act accordingly.’ Thomas Cook said: ‘Further to our . FCO’s directive, Thomas Cook UK & Ireland’s booking conditions will . remain as normal until such a time as their advisory changes.’ Kuoni yesterday began offering UK holidaymakers worried by the violence refunds or a ‘suitable alternative holiday’. Tears: Egyptians mourn over the bodies of their relatives in the El-Iman mosque in Nasr City, Cairo . Aftermath: Egyptian soldiers and people sift through debris spread out by the Rabaah al-Adawiya mosque in Cairo's Nasr City, Egypt .
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YouTube clip was apparently shot Friday in Ismailia, northeastern Egypt .
Cell phone video shot from different angle also captured confrontation between unarmed protesters and army forces .
Over 90 people dead across Egypt after Friday's protests .
Morsi supporters and vigilante residents exchanged fire in Cairo .
Thousands of Brotherhood supporters converged on Ramses Square .
Egyptian army soldiers pictured around capital on armored vehicles .
Official death toll from Wednesday's massacre in Cairo come to 638 .
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By . Matt Blake . PUBLISHED: . 06:51 EST, 21 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:01 EST, 21 June 2012 . When a party host invited too many guests to stay at his hilltop home overlooking Lake Maggiore in Switzerland, he had to find space for them somehow. And with the guests arriving shortly, he knew it had to be done fast. So he flew in a micro-home by helicopter over the picturesque landscape to his luxury abode, which luckily took just four minutes and nine seconds to install. All welcome: The buyer had the home flown in especially by helicopter to house the extra guests that he didn't have space to house . Smaller than a snooker table, it . comprises a single space that's just 8ft 7in square, and even estate . agents might struggle to find a word other than 'compact' to describe . the living arrangements. But according to its designers, this small white cube could be the businessman's home of the future. Compact: The host had the micro home installed in just four minutes on the hillside overlooking Lake Maggiore in Switzerland . Just in time: Builders took just four minutes and nine seconds to instll the micro home . Made . from aluminium with a wooden frame, it is called a micro-compact home . (or m-ch for short) and comes with all mod cons including a plasma . screen, built in hi-fi and fully-fitted kitchen. Horden Cherry Lee architects came up with the original Micro Compact . home prototype back in 2005, which was constructed using a wooden frame . and based on traditional Japanese tea-houses. State of the art: Made from aluminium with a wooden frame, it is called a micro-compact home (or m-ch for short) and comes with all mod cons including a plasma screen, built in hi-fi and fully-fitted kitchen . Mod cons: There is a fold-away double bed (the five-place dining table also converts into a spare double bed in case you have guests), a shower and lavatory . Home of the future? According to its designers, this white cube could be the businessman's home of the future . There is a fold-away double bed (the . five-place dining table also converts into a spare double bed in case . you have guests), a shower and lavatory. In . fact, you won't need to buy any furniture at all if you purchase an . m-ch as everything you need has been cleverly incorporated into the . design. They are on sale with a guide price of £50,000, which includes supply and installation of one unit with all interior fittings and connection to water, gas and electricity services. High tech: The model has been modified to include a lightweight structure, optional roof photovoltaic solar panels that are combined with a small diameter vertical axis wind generator, long duration LED lighting and external walkways . Inspired: It was constructed using a wooden frame and based on traditional Japanese tea-houses . The firm's director Richard Horden initiated the m-ch concept at Technical University Munich, where he teaches. A case study 'village' of seven m-ch homes has already proved a hit with students in Germany. Mr Horden, who also happily lived in one for three days a week, has said: 'It is specifically designed for short-stay smart living and is suitable for a variety of locations, providing sophisticated compact accommodation for business or leisure use.' Made in Austria, the homes come with a five-year guarantee. Plans:The 2.6 meter (8.53 ft) wide cube home weighs only 1.8 short tons (1.6 metric tons), due to its light-weight aluminum frame and boasts an estimated energy consumption of 4-5 kWh per day . Blueprints: The design includes a lightweight structure, optional roof photovoltaic solar panels that are combined with a small diameter vertical axis wind generator, long duration LED lighting and external walkways . 'Like a car, the lifespan of the m-ch is dependent on the care in use,' said a spokesman for the manufacturers, adding: 'The layout is influenced by traditional Japanese teahouse architecture with space divided into distinct zonal layers. 'No one could really live in it all the time, but while you are it's very comfortable.'
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The micro home was flown in by host after he realised he had invited too many guests to stay at his hilltop home at Lake Maggiore in Switzerland .
At 8ft 7in square, it is smaller than a snooker table .
Horden Cherry Lee architects based its design on traditional Japanese tea-houses .
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A Wyoming college student visiting Denver on spring break jumped to his death after eating a marijuana cookie that his friend legally purchased in one of Colorado's recreational pot shops, authorities said Wednesday. An autopsy report lists marijuana intoxication as a 'significant contributing factor' in the death of 19-year-old Levi Thamba Pongi, a native of the Republic of Congo who witnesses say leaped from a Holiday Inn balcony on March 11. Pongi's death is now the first in the state listed with such a cause since Colorado legalized marijuana January 1. Scroll down for video . Tragic: Congolese exchange student studying at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming has reportedly become the first person whose death was officially ruled as caused--at least in part--by marijuana consumption following Colorado's legalization of the drug . Pongi's friends told investigators he ate the cookie and 'exhibited hostile behavior' that included pulling things off walls and speaking erratically, the report said. Attempts by the three friends to calm Pongi seemed to work until he went outside and jumped over the balcony railing, according to the report. Denver police ruled the death an accident and their investigation remains open. Michelle Weiss-Samaras, a spokeswoman for the Denver County medical examiner's office, told the Denver Post that investigators have no evidence Pongi had underlying psychological issues. 'We have no history of any other issues until he eats a marijuana cookie and becomes erratic and this happens," she said. 'It's the one thing we have that's significant.' Colorado law bans the sale of . recreational marijuana products to people under 21. Possession by people . under 21 is also against the law. Authorities said one of Pongi's friends was old enough to buy the cookie from a pot shop. The . medical examiner's office had Pongi's body tested for at least 250 . different substances, including bath salts and synthetic marijuana, . which are known to cause strange behavior. Rare fatality: Pongi died after leaping form a fourth story Holiday Inn balcony. He and some friends had driven to Denver over spring break to try legal marijuana . His blood tested positive only for THC, the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, according to the report. 'We were told they came here to try it,' said Weiss-Samaras . One of Pongi's friends also tried the cookie but stopped after feeling sick. The marijuana concentration in Pongi's blood was 7.2 nanograms of active THC per milliliter of blood. Colorado law says juries can assume someone is driving while impaired by marijuana if their blood contains more than 5 nanograms per milliliter of the chemical. Officials at Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming, say Pongi started taking classes as an exchange student in January. He was studying engineering. 'The Northwest College campus community continues to grieve after Levy's death,' the college said in a statement. 'All of us were deeply saddened by this tragic incident and feel for his family.' Sad: Marijuana cookies like these are legal to buy and consume in much of Colorado. However, Pongi was 19 and you must be 21 to buy pot in the state. Officials believe one of the teen's friends was old enough to make the purchase .
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Congolese exchange student Levi Thamba Pongi attended Northwest College in Powell, Wyoming .
He was in Denver with friends, reportedly to try legal marijuana when he threw himself off a Holiday Inn balcony .
Pongi's is the first reported death in which marijuana intoxication is listed as a contributing factor since Colorado legalized the drug .
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Twitter dug its heels in yesterday after French prosecutors demanded the details of users who have posted racist or anti-Semitic comments. In what could prove a significant test case for the micro-blogging site, lawyer Alexandre Neri argued that the company is only subject to US law and only a judge in America could force it to release the information. In October, Jewish student bodies asked . Twitter to remove a number of messages which appeared under the hashtag . #unbonjuif (#agoodjew), with some users posting examples such as: ‘#agoodjew is a . dead Jew.’ Offensive: A French court has ordered Twitter to hand over the identities of racist and anti-Semitic users after the hashtag #unbonjuif (#agoodjew) went viral in France last year . The hashtag became the third most popular in France, with . thousands attacking the religion. France has a number of strict laws aimed at combating hate crimes. [caption . The Union of Jewish Students of France . (UEJF) and three other similar groups took Twitter to a French court asking them to hand over the . names of all those responsible so they can be prosecuted. 'Because it does not take the necessary measures to identify where the tweets come from, Twitter is offering a platform to racism and anti-Semitism,' said Jonathan Hayoun, the president of the Union of French Jewish Students (UEJF), in a statement on Monday. But Mr Neri told the Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris that Twitter . ‘data is collected and stored in the United States’ – namely in San . Francisco, where the site is based. ‘Should I submit myself to the law of a different country to where I work?' he asked. He added that the differences between French and US laws on freedom of speech have created a ‘huge void, a question mark’. Stephane Lilti, counsel for the Jewish groups, suggested Twitter had a ‘commercial interest’ in protecting the anonymity of its users. ‘Twitter is playing a commercial game by raising a number of legal hurdles to not having to comply with its legal obligations,’ he told the court. Judge Anne-Marie Sauteraud will hand down a verdict on January 24. French ministers Fleur Pellerin and Najat Vallaud-Belkacem have said they will speak to Twitter executives about the controversy by phone this week. Last year Twitter shut down an account run by a German neo-Nazi group based in Hanover, following a request by German police. Facebook and YouTube complied with similar requests. A spokesman for Twitter said it always suspends accounts when they are illegal, or in breach of its rules, but would not hand over details of account holders unless ordered by a judge.
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Jewish students take site to court over offensive posts .
Huge rise in racist Tweets under hashtag #agoodjew .
Lawyer says Twitter only subject to US law .
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Some of the IRA’s most notorious terrorists have become multi-millionaires by flooding mainland Britain with illegal cigarettes. Fifteen years after the Good Friday Agreement paved the way for their release from prison, terrorists who once plotted carnage in the UK are supplying tens of millions of cheaply made and potentially lethal cigarettes on the black market. The cigarettes originate from the Far East and are made of second-hand tobacco and even waste. Under investigation: Brian Arthurs, 48, previously named as a member of the IRA’s ruling Army Council, is believed to be involved in the racket alongside convicted terrorist and cigarette smuggler Aidan Grew, 57 . They are packaged as recognised brands and sold at a cheaper price – depriving the taxman of billions of pounds in lost revenue. Details of the racket – which helps fund terrorism – emerged as a watchdog report said HM Revenue and Customs had failed to meet any of its targets on reducing the smuggling of illicit tobacco into the UK. Senior Gardai and Customs officers in Ireland told the Mail that leading figures in the dissident republican terror group the Real IRA are being investigated on suspicion of masterminding a global smuggling operation in cigarettes. They said that between 150million and 200million of its smuggled cigarettes end up in Britain each year, generating annual profits of up to £80million. Fake cigarettes: Suppliers in China employ ¿workers¿ to collect cigarette butts from rubbish bins and recycle the contents into new cigarettes . HMRC estimates that in 2010-11 alone, . duty was not paid on 9 per cent of cigarettes and 38 per cent of . hand-rolling tobacco smoked in the UK at a cost of £1.9billion in lost . taxes. Industry sources say . the lost revenue for 2012 will be up to £1billion more (£2.9billion), . after accountants KPMG said there was a 63 per cent increase in the . illicit cigarette trade last year. Suppliers in China employ ‘workers’ to collect cigarette butts from rubbish bins and recycle the contents into cigarettes for export through Eastern Europe, Greece and Italy. From there they find their way to Holland or Spain and then on to Ireland and the UK. They are sold by unscrupulous newsagents and on the streets throughout the UK. The man who is being investigated over masterminding the cigarette smuggling is Brian Arthurs, 48, previously named as a member of the IRA’s ruling Army Council. He was jailed for 25 years in 1995 for possession of explosives. Senior law enforcement sources say they are considering intelligence that Arthurs, once a commander of the IRA’s notorious East Tyrone Brigade, runs the operation with a convicted terrorist and cigarette smuggler called Aidan Grew, 57. Both men deny the allegations. In January, Arthurs admitted more than £250,000 of mortgage fraud at Belfast Crown Court. But controversially, he was given a two-year suspended prison sentence after being deemed not to be a threat to the public. Terrorist Grew got 15 years in the mid-1980s for a landmine attack on loyalists. He was also jailed for three years, suspended for two, in 2011 for failing to pay a £500,000 confiscation order relating to millions of contraband cigarettes. He had pleaded guilty in 2008 to evading duty. Probe: Senior Gardai told the Mail that leading figures in the dissident republican terror group the Real IRA are being investigated on suspicion of masterminding a global smuggling operation in cigarettes . Last month David Cameron blocked attempts to have all cigarettes in Britain sold in plain packets partly because it would further enrich republican terrorists. But despite the PM’s decision, new European laws, which Britain will be forced to adopt, could make Real IRA smugglers like Grew even richer and cost taxpayers billions more every year. The Tobacco Products Directive, which is currently being pushed through the European Parliament, will mean all cigarettes in Europe being sold in identical plain packaging and will ban menthol cigarettes completely. Britain will be forced to adopt the EU Directive or face huge rolling fines from Brussels for not implementing it. ‘These new laws are a fundraising charter for dissident republicans,’ said a security source who has spent his career battling the IRA. ‘Banning these products will give smugglers a huge and instant increase in the size of their black market at the expense of ordinary British taxpayers.’ Ex Ulster deputy chief constable Alan McQuillan told the Mail: ‘Cigarette smuggling is almost a Cinderella crime. There are few law enforcement agencies really focusing on it. The profits can be higher than drug smuggling and the penalties are far smaller. ‘Counterfeit cigarettes are often made in unhygienic underground factories where they can be contaminated with anything from rat droppings to polonium. ‘On every level this is a crime that damages the public purse, funds terrorism and crime and damages health.’ ■ Gillingham in Kent is thought to be one of the worst places for selling illicit cigarettes. A BBC survey found more than 50 per cent of empty packets – which came from Poland, Lithuania and Belarus – were either smuggled or fake.
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The illicit smokes are believed to be made in China from recycled stubs .
Gardai and Irish customs are probing two IRA leaders over the racket .
It is feared that profits from the smuggling are funding terrorist groups .
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By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 04:29 EST, 9 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:20 EST, 1 March 2013 . Lashing out: Neil Whittaker-Axon, 39, repeatedly punched a 65-year-old cyclist who had complained about being 'cut up' A bus driver jumped 80 feet to his death from a bridge following a road rage attack on a grandfather. Neil Whittaker-Axon, 39, had been fired after repeatedly punching a 65-year-old cyclist who complained about being 'cut up' in Manchester city centre. The father of two said he had 'embarrassed his family' by losing his job at bus firm Finglands. Although he found other work, he had a mental breakdown and became paranoid, claiming that someone had given him a pie which was poisoned and that he was being watched by police and social services. After telling a psychiatrist he had three choices - going to hospital, getting shot in the head or killing himself, Mr Whittaker-Axon plunged from the top of an aqueduct near Stockport, Greater Manchester. A post mortem examination revealed he had died from head injuries, which are believed to have been caused by his impact with the water. An inquest in Stockport was told that Mr Whittaker-Axon, from Manchester, had been married with two children, but his relationship ended in 2004 after he struggled with being a parent. His former wife Jessica told the hearing: 'He always kept himself busy and liked keeping fit by mountain biking. He struggled about being a father. He wanted to live a free life. 'During the latter stages of the marriage, I felt like he was drinking a lot. I mentioned it to him but he refused to admit that he had a drink problem.' In November 2011, Mr Whittaker-Axon was convicted of common assault at Manchester Magistrates' Court. No details of the assault were given at the inquest, but retired joiner Harry Clare told the trial he had been cycling through the city centre when the double-decker driven by Mr Whittaker-Axon forced him on to the pavement. The grandfather followed the vehicle to Manchester Piccadilly bus station and went up to the driver's window, thinking he might get an apology. But Mr Whittaker-Axon leaned out and began hitting him, then lifting him off the ground by his collar and smashing his sunglasses. At the time, Mr Clare told the court: 'I thought the guy might have apologised to me and I followed him there to say, "what on earth is the problem?". His body language said he wasn't going to shake my hand. I heard the window slam. 'He reached out and grabbed me by the back of the collar of my clothing. He yanked me to the side of the bus. I felt my head banging against something and something banging against my helmet.' Mr Whittaker-Axon insisted he was defending himself but was fined £150 and ordered to pay £100 costs and £175 compensation to the cyclist. Last June, he was admitted to Stepping Hill Hospital under the Mental Health Act after calling police the previous night, talking about being kidnapped. He told officers he believed he had been under surveillance and that his mobile and iPad had been hacked. Neighbours complained of him running around in the street wearing only his trousers and police tracked him down at an industrial estate in Stockport. Consultant psychologist Dr Aman Gupta, who treated Mr Whittaker-Axon, said he was 'very paranoid' and had complained about hearing voices. 'Psychotic episode': The father of two was admitted to Stepping Hill Hospital in June after calling the police, talking about being kidnapped. A month later, he jumped off the aqueduct and died . Dr Gupta said: 'He said somebody had given him a pie which was poisoned, his toothpaste was poisoned, he was being watched by the police and social services. 'He complained of having embarrassed his family. 'He said he had three choices - going to hospital, getting shot in the head or killing himself.' On July 11, Mr Whittaker-Axon was spotted jumping from the aqueduct into the water, leaving behind a black rucksack, brown jacket and silver keys. Recording a verdict of suicide, Coroner Joanne Kearsley said: 'We know he had a period as an in-patient for what appeared to be a psychotic episode. Having heard the evidence, it leads me to conclude that he has taken his own life.' An earlier version of this article suggested that Mr Whittaker-Axon took his life as a result of being fired from his position at Finglands bus firm. We are happy to clarify that this was not the case and that there were other contributing factors. For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details .
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Neil Whittaker-Axon had repeatedly punched a 65-year-old cyclist .
The father of two became convinced someone was trying to poison him .
He claimed he was being watched and that his iPad had been hacked .
His marriage broke down in 2004 after he 'struggled with being a parent'
An earlier version of this article suggested that Mr Whittaker-Axon took his life as a result of being fired from his position at Finglands bus firm. We are happy to clarify that this was not the case and that there were other contributing factors.
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c1fa8eae3161ea574189357c4b01b3c38b338897
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By . Freya Noble . Rivers, creeks dams and streams claim more Australian lives than even our roughest beaches, according to a new report . Over the past decade, 735 people died while swimming in rivers, creeks and streams, with 46 per cent of those incidents occurring in regional or remote areas. Released on Wednesday,the Royal Lifesaving Society's Drowning Deaths in Australian Rivers report reveals that nearly 40 per cent of those incidents involved alcohol. Remote rivers, creeks and streams claimed the most lives in Australia at 'aquatic locations' a new study revealed, pictured is The Murray River where more people drowned than anywhere else in the country . Of that 40 per cent, more than two thirds involved people with a blood alcohol concentration higher than 0.05, which is the legal driving limit. Royal Life Saving chief Justin Scarr told AAP that people underestimate the danger of entering these remote waterways. More... 'Today I lost a part of me': Boyfriend's heartache as body of University of NSW student Yessica Asmin, who was swept away by raging river in NZ, found 1.8km from where she was last seen . Dramatic moment three-month-old baby is winched to safety from Bosnian floods as new threat of disease emerges from corpses of drowned livestock . 'Rivers account for more drownings than beaches or swimming pools.' 'The flat, still appearance of rivers often lull people into a false sense of safety.' Less people lost their lives at beaches or swimming pools than in calm rural waterways . 'Time and again we see people taking unnecessary risks that often have tragic outcomes, especially where alcohol is involved.' he continued. The report also revealed that 80 per cent of those who died in creeks and rivers were male, while a quarter of all drownings were people aged 25 to 44 years old. Mr Scarr said people need to shift their thinking when undertaking activities in remote areas. Though there is knowledge of beach safety, less is known about preventing drownings in rivers the study says . 'It's high time that people treated rivers with the same respect they have learned to show when recreating at the beach.' The Murray River claimed the most lives of any location in the country, with a death toll of 43. The Brisbane River in Queensland and the Yarra River in Victoria ranked second and third. These were followed by the Swan River (WA), Hawkesbury River (NSW), Murrumbidgee River (NSW), Sandy Creek (QLD), Derwent River (TAS), Katherine River (NT) and the Macquarie River (NSW). Forty percent of accidents involved alcohol, and experts said many people were fooled by how calm the waterways looked .
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Over past 10 years, 735 Australians drowned in rivers, creeks or streams .
40 per cent of those were under the influence of alcohol .
Experts say still waters lull people into a false sense of security .
80 per cent of the people who died swimming in inland water were men .
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2d13cb57aaf55042071bf36606d5ea60452ea28c
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A business student whose mother has a brain tumour persuaded her friends to strip off for a saucy naked calendar to raise money for cancer sufferers. Cardiff University undergraduate Amy Morfoot, 21, came up with the idea after her mother Sarah was diagnosed with a non life-threatening tumour. She persuaded six of her course-mates to pose for a series of tasteful nude pictures shot in the chilly Welsh capital. Naked ambition: The girls celebrate the end of term wearing just mortarboards in the July photo . Family ties: Cardiff University student Amy Morfoot and her mother Sarah, who has been diagnosed with a brain tumour . Barefaced cheek: The front cover of the calendar, which features seven brave business students and is raising money for people with brain tumours . Ms Morfoot said: 'Earlier this year my mother was diagnosed with a grade 3 brain tumour which was devastating for my whole family. 'Part of the calendar was shot on the grounds of the University rugby pitch, where the groundsmen took a very keen interest, and the Cardiff University gym. 'The shoot took a whole day where we had to fight against the harsh Welsh elements to give us a gorgeous backdrop.' In June's saucy snap, three friends pose naked while reading complicated textbooks, and for July, Ms Morfoot and two others celebrate the end of term wearing nothing but mortarboard hats. I'll keep my clothes on! The girls make New Year's resolutions in the January image . Heartfelt: February's picture of the nude students in the charity calendar has a Valentine's Day theme . Eggcellent idea: The adventurous friends decided to make the calendar after Ms Morfoot's mother was diagnosed with a grade 3 brain tumour . Patriotic: Two students wrap themselves in a Union flag for the April photo on the anniversary of the royal wedding . Good sports: The May photo shows the girls having fun on the rugby field . No distractions: The Cardiff University students get down to some studying in the June photo . September's picture shows two girls dressed in lab coats and safety specs, conducting science experiments. Mrs Morfoot and husband Richard, both 51, run a jewellery distribution company from Bristol, and have two other children, Lewis, 19, and Archie, 15. Ms Morfoot said: 'My parents are so proud of me for doing this all on my own. 'However, my oldest brother is absolutely mortified about the calendar - he hates it. Archie really couldn't care less I think.' Ms Morfoot, from Bristol, hopes the calendar will raise £5,500 the Brain Tumour Charity to help research possible cures. Brain tumours are one of the biggest killers in the UK, claiming more than 3,500 victims annually. Ready for anything: They may still be unclothed in August, but the clever young women are prepared for unreliable weather with boots and umbrellas . Experimenting: The business students wear lab coats as they try to get their heads around a new subject for September . Trick or treat? The friends wear Halloween masks and pose with pumpkins in the October photo of the calendar . Sparkling smiles: The naked students have to be extra careful on Fireworks night . Perfect gift: Ms Morfoot says her parents are proud of her for making the calendar, which may be found tucked inside plenty of stockings this Christmas . That's a wrap: The students are hoping their photoshoot could help make a real difference to cancer patients' lives .
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The photos were shot in chilly Cardiff, where the girls are at university .
Amy Morfoot, 21, said her parents were proud of her efforts .
The calendar is only on sale at Pinnacle Lettings in Cardiff, but donations can be made at www.justgiving.com/AmyMorfootsNakedCalendar .
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e11d65a25e8b4957ad73cb1d071ce859bfaa787d
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Gunmen stormed a higher education college in northern Nigeria on Wednesday, firing on fleeing students and setting off an explosion in an attack that killed at least 15 people and wounded 35, police said. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the attack in the region's main city of Kano, but the Islamist militant group Boko Haram, which has repeatedly targeted civilians in the north, is likely to be a prime suspect. A police spokesman added that officers arrived on the scene and killed two of the attackers. Scroll down for video . Terrorists stormed the Federal College of Education in Kano, northern Nigeria, killing 15 and injuring 35 . Workers collected the personal effects of students who fled from the attackers who struck earlier today . He said: 'We heard several shots from the gate area and after a few minutes we heard an explosion at the theatre,' said Sanusi Umar, who lectures in English at the federal government college and watched the attack from a neighbouring building. 'The attackers were wearing suits and were running and shooting everywhere.' Insurgents from Boko Haram, whose name means 'Western education is forbidden', are fighting to carve out an Islamic state in Nigeria. Western-style schools are a prime target for their attacks, which include several secondary school massacres and the abduction of 200 school girls in April from the village of Chibok. By contrast, schools teaching Islamic doctrines have been left alone. Heavily armed police secured the area after the attack believed to have been carried out by Boko Haram . Police Commissioner Aderlere Shinaba confirmed one terrorist was shot dead by his men and a second died after he detonated a suicide vest as security forces attempted to retake the compound after the attack . The Kano area of northern Nigeria has been repeated attacked by Boko Haram in recent months . Since a military offensive began last year, the Islamists have taken out their anger on civilians in increasingly frequent attacks. They have also branched out to strike in areas far from the rebel strongholds. At least 82 people were killed in July in a double suicide bombing in the north Nigerian city of Kaduna in July. The group's leader Abubakar Shekau proclaimed a 'Muslim territory' in the northeast after seizing Gwoza near the border with Cameroon, to the east, last month. President Goodluck Jonathan's administration and the armed forces face mounting criticism that they are failing in the war to counter Boko Haram. Jonathan in a statement called the Kano raid a 'dastardly attack', adding that 'the government continues to do all within its powers to further enhance the ability of ... security agencies to prosecute the war against terrorism to a successful conclusion and provide greater security ... across the country.'
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Islamic terror group Boko Haram is believed to have been behind the attack .
Local police confirm that 15 people were killed and 35 injured earlier today .
Terrorists attacked the school in Kano, northern Nigeria without warning .
Nigerian president Goodluck Jonathan described it as a 'dastardly attack'
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40a8c5f038705a08ddebc2718ecb1ad8416380f5
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Operagoers walked a gauntlet of protesters calling for the cancellation of an opera that dramatizes the killing of a Jewish American on opening night Monday. Former mayor Rudolph Giuliani was among the public figures appearing at a rally against The Death of Klinghoffer, a 1991 opera by John Adams, at the Metropolitan Opera. On stage, actors depicted the 1985 hijacking of cruise ship Achille Lauro by four militants from the Palestinians Liberation Front, leading to the killing of wheelchair-bound New Yorker Leon Klinghoffer. Scroll down for video . Gauntlet: Protesters on both sides of barricades outside the Met held signs denouncing the production of the Death of Klinghoffer as operagoers entered . Some in the crowd booed after the opening piece, 'Chorus of Exiled Palestinians,' in which the destruction of a Palestinian's home is mourned, followed by the 'Chorus of Exiled Jews.' During the first half, a man in the audience repeatedly yelled, 'The murder of Klinghoffer will never be forgiven,' and after the intermission a woman shouted an expletive and walked out. The New York Times reports that the man was arrested for disorderly conduct. But the evening ended with a standing ovation that drowned out any heckling. 'There are obviously some people who came here to be heard, and unfortunately they’re disrupting the performance, but we were prepared for worse,' said Peter Gelb at intermission. Gelb, the Met's general manager, was a target of the protesters outside, who waved signs suggesting he took money from terrorists. For some critics of the work, the juxtaposition of Israeli abuses with the cruise ship hijacking is meant to absolve the terrorists depicted in the opera. Sit in: 100 protesters sat in wheelchairs facing the Metropolitan Opera in protest of the production of the Death of Klinghoffer . Indignant: Hundreds of protests filled police barricades, conflating the production with the Met dignifying terrorists . Attacked: Met general manager Peter Gelb was a subject of the protests, which also conflated the PLO with ISIS and other terror organizations . Klinghoffer's daughters, Lisa and Ilsa, have publicly decried the opera, which has debuted in several cities and is often hailed as a masterpiece of American opera, as making 'false moral equivalencies.' 'It rationalizes, romanticizes, and legitimizes the terrorist murder of our father,' reads a statement by the daughters printed in the Playbill of the new production. Ari Mandel, a New York University student attending his first opera told Haaretz the play was 'not doing any of that.' Murder: The opera dramatizes the murder of Klinghoffer, when a terrorist executed him and threw his body into the water off a cruise ship . Voices: The main terrorist, Omar, has an aria in the opera, but it is sung by a character called the Palestinian Woman, played in the Met's production by Israeli opera singer Maya Lahyani . Dramatization: The opera depicts the Palestinian Liberation Front holding the ship hostage, but gives voices to the individual characters . 'They don’t soften the blow,' Mandel said. 'They’re not trying to make the terrorists look like anything other than what they are.' The production was originally planned to be accompanied by a live high-definition broadcast in November, but drew protests from Jewish groups. After talking with the Anti-Defamation League, the Met decided to cancel the broadcast, saying it might be used to fan global antisemitism, according to the Guardian. The characters do not allow the killers to go without rebuke. As the play ends, the audience watches Klinghoffer's wife Marilyn being told her husband has been killed by the captain of the ship. 'You embraced them,' she sings in the final aria, condemning both her husband's killers and the captain for accommodating them.
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The Death of Klinghoffer has been controversial since it was first performed .
The subject of the opera, Leon Klinghoffer, was killed by the Palestinian Liberation Front during a 1985 hijacking of a cruise ship .
Klinghoffer's daughters have called the play antisemitic and an exploitative of their parents .
Protesters in wheelchairs held signs saying 'I am Leon Klinghoffer'
A heckler disrupted the production and was later arrested for disorderly conduct .
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A collection of costumes belonging to Action Man - the British toy figure version of US 'movable fighting man' GI Joe - is set to get collectors very excited indeed. The son of a retired toy rep was 'flabbergasted' when he heard that a rare Judo Outfit set he found in his father's loft could raise £20,000 at auction. For decades Doug Carpenter, 88, has kept boxes of pristine toys in his garage and attic, little realising there are collectors who will pay a fortune for the unpackaged toys from the 1960s and 1970s. Scroll down for video . Paul Carpenter, the son of a retired toy rep, was 'flabbergasted' when he heard that an Action Man Judo Outfit set (above) he found in his father's loft could raise £20,000 at auction. The judo item is so rare, it does not even feature in a specialist book of accessories . For decades Doug Carpenter, 88, has kept boxes of pristine toy accessories in his garage and attic, little realising there are collectors who will pay a fortune for the unpackaged toys from the 1960s and 1970s . Some of the forgotten gems will be sold off by toy specialists Vectis in Thornaby, Teesside in May or June. Above, a cataloguer from Vectis holds the 'Holy Grail' judo item . Even the ageing original cardboard box packaging is valuable to enthusiasts. The collection features clothing for a Battle of Britain pilot, Royal Hussar, Commando and Deep Sea Diver. But alas, there are none of the 12inch figures themselves in the set. Mr Carpenter and his wife Daphne have handed the hoard to their son Paul and some of the forgotten gems will be sold off by toy specialists Vectis in Thornaby, Teesside in May or June. Paul Carpenter, 51, who owns a dental lab, said: 'He worked for Palitoy as a sales rep through the 1970s to the mid 80s. He put pieces in the loft and in storage and it has all been forgotten about.' That was until his parents asked him to help clear the space, and he found the boxes of untouched toys. The pick of the find was a perfectly packaged Action Man judo suit so rare it does not even feature in a specialist book of the soldier's accessories. More collectors are looking for Action Man toys as the people who played with them reach back to their childhood. It was based on the US action toy GI Joe . A Royal Hussar outfit and Commando gear - including four grenades! - feature in the Carpenter collection . As the sporting range did not sell well compared with military outfits - probably as children preferred to keep Action Man soldiering - ironically those are the lines most sought after by collectors now, due to their rarity . There are also boxed football kits for Everton, West Ham, Spurs and Liverpool among others, an Action Man cricket set and racing cars. As the sporting range did not sell well compared with military outfits - probably as children preferred to keep Action Man soldiering - ironically those are the lines most sought after by collectors now, due to their rarity. Mr Carpenter, who has a brother, said: 'I am flabbergasted that this is worth anything like this amount. 'We played with these and we found a case of ours and they were all ripped to bits. We would have played with most of them. We had lots of friends coming round to play. 'To be honest, we didn't really appreciate it at the time. It was only later on we realised how lucky we were having all these toys to play with.' The pristine boxed judo set dates back to 1969 or 1970 - and such is its rarity, experts cannot even be sure when it was first produced. 1964: GI Joe action figures introduced in US by toy firm Hasbro, generating huge sales. 1966: Action Man launched in UK by Palitoy - a simple copy of GI Joe produced under licence. 1968: Action Man sportsman range launched, including footballer and cricketer. Talking military commander Action Man issues spoken commands when string in back is pulled. 1970: Palitoy develops distinct figures for UK market, initially with British / German World War II uniforms. Distinctive fuzzy 'flock hair' introduced, along with beards. 1973: Gripping rubber hands appear - a major improvement as earlier figures could barely hold weapons. Each figure sold with special thimble to protect delicate rubber fingers during dressing and undressing. Famous accessories include Scorpion tank, jeep, helicopter, motorbike and sidecar, inflatable boat with electric motor. Action Man was launched in UK in 1966 by Palitoy - a simple copy of GI Joe produced under licence . 1976: Eagle Eyes make first appearance. Small switch in back of head allows Action Man to glance left and right in faintly sinister style. 1979: Built-in blue underpants introduced, finally concealing Action Man's puzzlingly gender-free nether regions. New 'sharpshooter head position' allows more realistic fighting poses. 1980: New direction, as 'Captain Zargon the Space Pirate' and 'ROM the Robot' introduced. They fail to halt sales slump. 1984: Action Man is discontinued. 1996: New range of fantasy-style Action Man appears, with no connection to real military. 2006: Production of familiar figures ceased. Action Man brand name then attached to Hasbro's 'ATOM' range - smaller plastic fantasy figures, with no visible sign of Action Man pedigree. More collectors are looking for Action Man toys as the people who played with them reach back to their childhood. Vectis auction house hit the headlines when it sold a Boba Fett Star Wars figure last month for £18,000 belonging to superfan Craig Stevens. Valuer Kathy Taylor went to collect the rep's toys which now fill a wall of the auction warehouse. It took two trips with a white van to collect all the items. Eagle Eyes made their first appearance in 1976. A small switch in the back of the head allows Action Man to glance left and right in faintly sinister style . Paul Carpenter, 51, who owns a dental lab, said: '[My father] worked for Palitoy as a sales rep through the 1970s to the mid 80s. He put pieces in the loft and in storage and it has all been forgotten about' She said: 'There has been considerable interest already and a fever is building up for it.' Even small Action Man accessories, such as the tiny medals he wore, can be collectable. She said: 'The bits and pieces are in short supply as they tended to go missing when they got sucked up by the vacuum cleaner. 'A lot of the value is down to the packaging. They are very scarce in shop stock condition. 'These are very unusual in that they have come out of trade boxes, so they are shop stock.' But she felt there may be other perfect examples out there in lofts and cupboards that have not been opened for more than 40 years. 'Maybe somebody bought it for a present and never gave it - there are still things out there,' she said. Famous accessories launched in the 1970s included Scorpion tank, jeep, helicopter, motorbike and sidecar, and inflatable boat with electric motor. Above, some of the military accessories that will go under the hammer .
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Doug Carpenter, 88, used to work for British toy company Palitoy as sales rep until mid-1980s .
He kept boxes of pristine toy parts in garage and loft for decades, not realising their value to collectors .
Son Paul recently cleared attic and found them untouched; Action Man based on US toy GI Joe .
Action Man Judo Suit is so rare it does not even feature in specialist book of the solider's accessories .
Collection includes outfits and accessories for Battle of Britain pilot, Royal Hussar, Commando and Deep Sea Diver as well as boxed football team kits .
Will be sold off by toy specialists Vectis in Thornaby, Teesside in May or June .
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31340673c9405e8d69e9d00cd0b9b046eb9f919b
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Half of 26 to 35-year-olds were unable to correctly identify a vagina on a medical diagram of the female reproductive system, a new survey has found. In contrast, the majority of older women aged 66 to 75 were much better educated about their body parts. The study, by women’s cancer charity The Eve Appeal, found that less than a quarter of 16 to 25-year-olds said they felt confident they were well informed about gynaecological health issues, compared to more than 42 per cent of women aged 66 to 75. Half of 26 to 35-year-olds were unable to identify a vagina on a medical diagram of the female reproductive system, as part of a survey carried out by women's charity The Eve Appeal. As Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Cancer month launches, The Eve Appeal are campaigning for young women to face up to embarrassment about gynaecological health, in order to prevent cancers. Currently 55 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer every day in the UK. Shockingly, the charity found one in five women aged 16 to 25 surveyed couldn't name one correct symptom of any of the five gynaecological cancers, which affect the womb, cervix, ovaries, vagina and vulva. Consult your GP if you suffer any of the following symptoms: . Young women found it difficult to talk about their body parts. Nearly 40 per cent of 16-25 year olds resort to using names such as ‘lady parts’ or ‘women’s bits’ to discuss gynaecological health and 65 per cent said they have a problem using the words ‘vagina’ or ‘vulva’. Worryingly, more than one in 10 of 16 to 35-year-olds said they found it very hard to take to their GP about gynaecological health, and nearly a third admitted they had avoided going to the doctors altogether about gynaecological issues due to embarrassment. These figures dramatically decrease amongst women in older age groups, debunking the popular conception that because society is more open these days young women can talk more freely about gynaecological health issues. Helena Morrissey, chairman of The Eve Appeal said she wanted women to talk openly about gynaecological cancers. She said: ‘At the Eve Appeal we know how important it is to promote straight talking about the signs and symptoms of gynaecological cancers to women of all ages, and this survey has highlighted just how far we still have to go to make this happen. ‘These cancers have some of the worst outcomes for women, with a 40 per cent mortality rate. 'Understanding the symptoms will save lives, which is why we are urging women this Gynaecological Cancer Awareness Month to talk more openly about these life-saving issues.’ Every day in the UK 55 women are diagnosed with gynaecological cancer. These cancers have some of the worst outcomes for women, with a 40% mortality rate .
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Women's cancer charity The Eve Appeal is promoting 'straight talking' about gynaecological health .
Half of 26 to 35-year-olds couldn't identify a vagina on a picture of the female reproductive system, survey found .
Fifth of women aged 16-25 couldn't name any of the symptoms of the five gynaecological cancers .
Third of 16 to 25-year-olds had avoided going to their GP about gynaecological issues due to embarrassment .
Every day in the UK around 55 women are diagnosed with a gynaecological cancer, which affect the womb, cervix, ovaries, vagina and vulva .
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(CNN) -- A man who has been fighting for permanent custody of his daughter under Native American tribal law can continue to raise her for the moment in Oklahoma, a new twist in a high-profile legal case already decided by the Supreme Court. The Oklahoma Supreme Court issued an emergency stay on Friday to temporarily delay the transfer of Dusten Brown's daughter, Veronica, 4, to her adoptive parents in South Carolina. The order was made public on Tuesday. Attorneys for Brown and the adoptive couple, Matt and Melanie Capobianco of North Charleston, planned to attend a closed-door hearing at the Oklahoma Supreme Court later on Tuesday. It is unclear when that court would issue a ruling on custody. In June, a divided U.S. Supreme Court sided with Capobiancos when Brown sought to assert his parental rights. They had legally adopted her when she was a baby. The justices said the adoption was proper and did not intrude on the federal rights of the father, a registered member of the Cherokee tribe, over where his daughter would live. The court said Brown could not rely on the Indian Child Welfare Act for relief because he never had legal or physical custody at the time of adoption proceedings, which were initiated by the birth mother without his knowledge. Birth father arrested in 'Baby Veronica' adoption fight . Broad legal implications . The case raises issues about the scope of a special federal law aimed at keeping Native American families together. It also put at odds competing orders from courts in two states. South Carolina judges in recent weeks had finalized the adoption back to the Capobiancos, who are white. Following the Supreme Court order, a family court in South Carolina developed a "transition plan" to ease any transfer, taking into account the girl's age, sensitivities of the parties involved, and Native American heritage dynamic underlying the larger legal dispute. Brown refused to turn the child over and was cited for contempt. A warrant was issued on August 10 for "custodial interference." The father then took his case to Oklahoma courts. The South Carolina Supreme Court originally ruled for Brown. The adoptive couple has said separation from Veronica has been difficult. "We are looking forward to seeing her again soon when we have the opportunity to do so, because we miss her so very much," said Melanie Capobianco. Christinna Maldanado, Veronica's birth mother, also expressed satisfaction when the high court ruled in June. "Matt and Melanie are part of my family, and they have treated me like part of theirs. I'm hopeful that we will all be reunited with Veronica very soon," the statement said. Groups hopeful for father . Native American groups had remained hopeful Brown would maintain custody. Several parties have a stake in the outcome. These include the biological and adoptive parents, the federal government, the Oklahoma-based tribe, and a legal guardian appointed by the state to represent the child's interests. Brown had earlier signed a legal document agreeing to put the girl up for adoption, but his attorneys said he did not understand the extent of the waiver and that the birth mother misrepresented the child's American Indian heritage to social service workers when the adoption was finalized. At issue was whether Brown, as the onetime non-custodial father, could gain parental custody, after the non-Indian mother initiated an adoption outside the tribe. A special congressional law governs such interstate adoptions, since the current 556 federally recognized-tribes all fall under Interior Department oversight, giving those tribes certain unique benefits and rights. The Capobianco's lawyers had argued federal law does not define an unwed biological father as a "parent." Opinion: Should race be a factor in adoption? Relinquished parental rights . The Indian Child Welfare Act was a response to decades of often abusive social service practices that resulted in the separation of large numbers of native youngsters from their families, in many cases to non-Native American homes. The legislation was designed to "promote the stability and security of Indian tribes and Indian families by the establishment of minimum federal standards to prevent the arbitrary removal of Indian children from their families and tribes and to ensure that measures which prevent the breakup of Indian families are followed in child custody proceedings." Brown's relationship within the "federally recognized government" of the Cherokee Nation means Veronica is a member of the tribe and subject to its jurisdiction. "It's not anyone's intent ever to rip a child away from a loving home," said Todd Hembree, the Tahlequah, Oklahoma-based tribe's attorney general. "But we want to make sure those loving homes have the opportunity to be Indian homes first." But Brown argued he successfully established paternity under state law, and qualified as a "parent" under the tribal statute, thereby giving him proper control and custody of his daughter. He agreed to relinquish his parental rights in exchange for not paying child support, but said the mother never indicated she intended unilaterally to give the child up for adoption. And Brown claims the biological mother tried to "conceal" his Indian heritage during the adoption process with the Capobiancos.
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Top Oklahoma court issues stay of transfer of girl from father to adoptive parents .
Dusten Brown fights to keep daughter even though U.S. Supreme Court ruled adoption was proper .
Brown is member of Cherokee tribe and has based legal case on Native American law .
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b62a23977d23a344c2fe214045b300bea20fb926
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Parisian artist Anastassia Elias creates artwork using the insides of toilet roll . The 37-year-old spends hours cutting out tiny shapes to make the intricate models . Artist's work is depicted in her new book 'Rouleaux' By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 12:21 EST, 11 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:21 EST, 11 August 2013 . While most of us throw them away without a second thought, one artist has found inspiration in the humble toilet roll, creating intricate miniature artworks inside the discarded cardboard tubes. With scenes depicting a wheelchair basketball match, Wild West cowboys out on the range and even a fun-fair it is hard to believe that these silhouetted figures have actually been made out of the leftover insides of loo rolls. Artist Anastassia Elias spends hours painstakingly cutting out tiny shapes to make detailed models inside the tubes, using the paper the same colour as the cardboard to created her mini-masterpieces. Rolling along: Artist Anastassia Elias spends hours painstakingly cutting out tiny shapes to make detailed models - and then fits them inside used toilet rolls . Loo-py: Anastassia has created this detailed fun fair scene, including a looping rollercoaster out of toilet rolls . Home on the range: While many householders throw their used toilet rolls away Ms Elias has used them to create this Wild West scene . Boxing clever: Ms Elias uses paper the same colour as the cardboard tubes to build up the intricate pictures inside . The 37-year-old professional painter and illustrator by trade, uses manicure scissors and a scalpel to create the shapes which she then manipulates into position using tweezers. So far Ms Elias has created more than 75 toilet roll designs, with her pieces made between 2009 and 2012 now on display in her new book 'Rouleaux'. Ranging from Wild West cowboys to prehistoric jungles, the Parisian artist draws inspiration from anything she might come across in her everyday life. Tools of the trade: Ms Elias uses manicure scissors and a scalpel to create the shapes which she then manipulates into position using tweezers . Down the tubes: Ms Elias has so far created 75 toilet roll designs which are on display in her new book 'Rouleaux' Great and small: It is hard to believe this model of the Great Wall of China has been made inside a small cardboard tube . Illuminating artwork: The images really come to light when they are lit up from behind . 'I have a lot of fun exploring what is possible with recuperated materials,' she said. 'One day I looked at an empty toilet paper roll and wondered if I can do something with it. 'My work is inspired by the people around me, the cities I visit, by the movies I watch, in short I am inspired by my surroundings. At play: The artist says she has a 'lot of fun exploring what is possible with recuperated materials' A mine of inspiration: Ms Elias says she is inspired by the people around her and the cities she visits . 'People are often surprised and amused by my idea to make scenes inside the trivial toilet paper rolls. 'I know that there are some schools where they ask the children to create their own paper rolls during their art class. 'My favourite reaction is when people find my rolls inspiring. 'I've always loved to draw and create things using different techniques.' Skip to the loo: This tiny kangaroo was cut from paper the same colour as the cardboard tube . Painstaking: Ms Elias uses manicure scissors and a scalpel to create the shapes which she then manipulates into position using tweezers . Starry eyed: Ms Elias says she loves it when others find her unusual work inspiring .
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Parisian artist Anastassia Elias creates artwork using the insides of toilet roll .
The 37-year-old spends hours cutting out tiny shapes to make the intricate models .
Artist's work is depicted in her new book 'Rouleaux'
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db8086b754901b6df3688c889401a708865e2b0a
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Sumptuous velvet, delicate sequins, intricate beading: They are dresses fit for a princess -- Princess Diana, that is -- and if you've got a big pocketbook (with a designer label, naturally), they could have been yours. Ten dresses worn by the late Princess of Wales went under the hammer at Kerry Taylor Auctions in London on Tuesday. The top seller was the midnight blue number Diana famously wore to dance with John Travolta at a gala dinner at the White House in November 1985. That dress sold for $362,424 (240,000 British pounds) and was bought by "a British gentleman as a surprise to cheer up his wife," the auction house said. The entire collection fetched $1.2 million (800,000 British pounds), the auctioneer said. TV footage and photographs of the princess and the Hollywood star gliding around the room to the music of "Saturday Night Fever" were seen around the world, and Travolta later described the experience as having been "like a fairy tale." Diana also wore the "Travolta" dress, designed by Victor Edelstein, for her final portrait by Lord Snowdon in 1997. Auctioneer Kerry Taylor told CNN before the auction that putting a price on such items was "difficult," but that their high profile added value. Rare photo of teenage Diana sold for $18,369 . "You can look at what they sold for, you can look at how simple the thing is," she explained. "If it was worn on a state occasion, or if it was for a private dinner, are there photographs of the princess wearing it, are there film reels of the princess wearing it, and is there a human story that adds to it?" For example, as Taylor pointed out, a bottle green velvet evening dress, also by Victor Edelstein, bears what could be the traces of a young prince: "what looks like a little boy's (or little child's) handprint -- sticky fingerprints on the fabric." The dress sold for $36,281, including the buyer's premium. Also included in the sale were dresses by some of Diana's other favorite designers. Six werer by Catherine Walker, including the beaded black dress Diana wore for Vanity Fair's 1997 photoshoot by Mario Testino -- that sold for $163,264 -- and the black Bruce Oldfield gown she wore to the gala opening of "Les Miserables" in October 1985 and for another official portrait by Snowdon. That dress sold for $76,190. The outfits were originally sold in a charity auction at Christie's in New York in June 1997, just months before Diana's death in a Paris car crash in August of that year. Kerry says that despite the passing of the years, the princess remains hugely popular. "Diana was different," she said. "She was very much a 'people's princess' and the ups and downs of her life, her loves, people followed them avidly. I think there will always be a special place in people's hearts for Diana." Taylor also auctioned off the skimpy mesh dress worn by the Duchess of Cambridge -- then known as Kate Middleton -- during a fashion show at the University of St. Andrews, at which she is reputed to have attracted the attentions of her future husband, Prince William.
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Dress worn by Diana to dance with John Travolta sells for $362,424 .
A total of 10 dresses owned by the late Princess of Wales sells for $1.2 million .
Outfits were worn at state occasions, on official visits and for portraits .
Entire collection was auctioned in London .
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50310773c4ebb55d0f3b71a5234307ad3f8a1858
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 07:41 EST, 7 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:20 EST, 7 November 2012 . Lord McNally told peers he had tried in vain to block claims firms from calling him at home . A government minister has revealed his exasperation at being plagued by nuisance calls offering help claiming back PPI and has called on phone watchdog Ofcom to investigate. Justice minister Lord McNally said he . had added his number to a register to not receive the calls and was astonished to find it did not work. The exasperated peer has now written to regulator Ofcom to highlight the problem, which has plagued millions of Brits for years. There are thought to be almost 1,000 claims management companies offering to help people claim back PPI which was mis-sold by banks and secure thousands of pounds in compensation. But homeowners have been inundated with phone calls and text messages offering help they either do not want or need. Homeowners can register their number with the Telephone Preference Service, which is supposed to put a bar on marketing calls. But Lord McNally said: ‘We at home are supposed to be on this blocking mechanism that you sign up for, but the calls still get through.’ Speaking during questions in the House of Lords, he told Baroness Gardner of Parkes that he would investigate whether international calls get round the blocking. Baroness Gardner said she received six phone calls a week and sometimes three or four a day, 'all offering me wonderful things'. Lord McNally said: ‘I know that Ofcom is very much aware of this problem. I know that it is no use me telling the noble Baroness that she can go on to this register and that Ofcom is on the job and so on, because from the noises around the room and my own experience, I know that these nuisance calls are still getting through.’ Richard Lloyd, executive director of . consumer group Which?, said: 'Our research found that people who sign up . to the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) have about a third fewer cold . calls, so it is useful. But firms calling from overseas or flouting the . rules are still getting away with it. 'Despite . up to 10,000 complaints a month to the TPS, the Information . Commissioner's Office (ICO) hasn't issued a single fine for nuisance . calling. The ICO must take tough enforcement action now by naming and . shaming companies that are still calling people registered with the TPS . and fining those found breaking the rules.' Last month businessman Richard Herman won a major victory after taking a cold-call firm to court and winning compensation to a businessman for wasting his time. The 53-year-old turned the tables by invoicing one of the firms for £10 for every minute he wasted answering their telephone calls. He also recorded the calls, meaning . that when the unscrupulous company denied ever having rung him, he was . armed with incontrovertible proof to the contrary. Richard Herman at his home Sunbury-on-Thames in Surrey invoiced a 'cold caller' for his time and they paid up . The Ministry of Justice has set up a claims management regulation unit which is working with the Information Commissioner to investigate individual firms receiving leads or claims as a result of unsolicited text messages, and is taking enforcement action as appropriate. Labour's Lord Kennedy of Southwark said nuisance calls were a 'serious problem' and demanded to know what the government was going to do about it. 'The mis-selling of payment protection insurance was an absolute scandal, but the activities of some claims management companies are also a scandal, with unwanted text messages and phone calls.' Responsibility for tackling nuisance calls lies with media watchdog Ofcom and the Information Commissioner’s office, depending on the type of call being received. The ICO can take enforcement action to stop nuisance calls and messages and can now impose penalties of up to £500,000 for serious breaches of the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations. Ofcom maintains the Telephone Preference Service register which records the homes which do not want to receive direct marketing calls but the ICO is responsible for taking action against firms who breach it. Ofcom also deals with abandoned and silent calls and is currently investigating energy firm npower and phone and broadband company TalkTalk. The watchdog could issue fines of up to £2million. An Ofcom spokesman said: 'All organisations are banned from cold-calling consumers who are registered with the TPS unless a consumer has given the company their express permission to do so. We are concerned that consumers are still receiving unsolicited sales or marketing calls, despite being registered with the TPS. 'We would encourage all affected consumers to complain to the TPS who will contact the companies involved requesting that they remove the consumers’ numbers and will also send details of those complaints to the ICO, as the body responsible for taking enforcement action against companies who break the rules.' Former High Court judge Baroness Butler-Sloss also called for spam emails about PPI to be investigated. 'I get an enormous number of e-mails every day, generally about PPI but about a whole lot of other things, too. 'They all seem to be done at about three in the morning. E-mails are just as serious; I spend such a lot of time just deleting all these e-mails on a daily basis.'
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Justice Minister Lord McNally says he has registered to not receive cold calls but it has not worked .
Government urged to act after peers complain of three or four calls a day .
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c81ba049e8bf0f238153c617e449b7beecd805cb
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By . Tim Shipman and Laura Clark . PUBLISHED: . 18:31 EST, 7 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:43 EST, 8 August 2012 . David Cameron faced embarrassment last night after it was revealed compulsory PE lessons in schools have been scrapped – at the same time as he vowed to ‘get serious’ about investing in sport. The Prime Minister promised to keep ploughing money into British sport yesterday as he hailed ‘a golden summer’ of achievement by the Olympic team. But he faced criticism after the Department for Education confirmed schools will no longer be forced to provide two hours of physical education and sport every week – a requirement brought in under Labour. Golden touch: The Prime Minister with Ben Ainslie yesterday . The previous government had also . announced plans to extend this requirement to five hours a week. But . this proposal was scrapped shortly after the Coalition came to power – . and now the two-hour requirement has also been dropped. He told Sky News: ‘I think its time to get serious about putting money into sport. One of the great reasons why Britain did so well in Beijing and I think is doing well at these Olympics, is called John Major. ‘He introduced the National Lottery, and that National Lottery has provided and will go on providing great funding for sport.’ Mr Cameron spoke out amid warnings from Olympics mastermind Lord Coe and former Sports Minister Lord Moynihan - both Tories - that money must continue to flow to top athletes if the UK is to build a worthwhile sporting legacy to the Games. Mr Cameron spoke out amid warnings from Olympics mastermind Lord Coe and former Sports Minister Lord Moynihan - both Tories - that money must continue to flow to top athletes if the UK is to build a worthwhile sporting legacy to the Games . Education Secretary Michael Gove is also . under mounting pressure over his school sport strategy last night after . allowing 21 playing fields to be sold off despite a Coalition pledge to . protect them. The . Education Secretary invited accusations of hypocrisy after approving . every request he has received to dispose of a school playing field with . one application still under consideration. Mr . Cameron said gold medal winning sailor Ben Ainslie and sports . administrators have lobbied him for cash when he has attended events . over the last week. The PM said his highlight of the Games was last Saturday when he watched Jessica Ennis, (pictured) Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah all win gold in the space of an hour . Education Secretary Michael Gove is also under mounting pressure over his school sport strategy last night . ‘I was hearing that from Ben Ainslie and the sailing team down in Weymouth today, I was hearing it from Sport UK when I was sitting in the athletics stadium. The lottery has been a great boost to British sport, we must make sure that that goes on and is the case for the future.” The PM said his highlight of the Games was last Saturday when he watched Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah all win gold in the space of an hour. The Coalition had pledged in its 2010 agreement to encourage competitive sport and ‘seek to protect school playing fields’. But new figures released by the Department for Education show that Mr Gove has received 22 requests to dispose of school playing fields since May 2010 and has approved 21, with one pending a decision. But officials pointed out that 14 of the 21 cases related to schools that had closed while four were sites that became surplus to requirements when existing schools merged.
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The Prime Minister hailed 'a golden summer' of achievement by the Olympic team .
Highlight of the Games was last Saturday when he watched Jessica Ennis, Greg Rutherford and Mo Farah .
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eea7eb12756104b01a551252b6adcc84c2ce7faa
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(CNN) -- Rescuers pulled two more bodies from the wreckage of a collapsed building Sunday in Bangladesh, bringing the death toll to 1,119, the country's state news agency reported. While hundreds of bodies have been turned over to relatives, more than 200 have been unclaimed. The organization Anjuman-e-Mafidul Islam buried 234 unclaimed bodies at a graveyard in the capital, state news agency BSS reported. DNA samples were collected for future identification. Many bodies are decomposed beyond recognition, the news agency reported. The nine-story building on the outskirts of the capital city of Dhaka collapsed April 24. On Friday, 19-year-old mother Reshma Begum was discovered alive in the rubble. Doctors said she is improving steadily. Gupta: How could woman survive 16 days in rubble? Opinion: Stop cashing in on Bangladeshi workers .
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The death toll from the Bangladesh building collapse is up to 1,119 .
Some unclaimed bodies have been buried .
The nine-story building collapsed April 24 .
A 19-year-old mother was pulled from the wreckage alive on Friday .
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84d9c8ffa70224851d015e1faf398d2de304ae9a
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By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 08:10 EST, 1 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:13 EST, 1 August 2013 . Paedophile: Anthony Nelson, 52, pretended to be a 13-year-old girl on Facebook to try to groom victims . A paedophile posed as a 13-year-old girl on Facebook to groom children but was caught by an undercover police officer. Anthony Nelson, 52, tried to arrange meetings with the youngsters, some of whom were in primary school, so he could abuse them. But he became the victim of a double-bluff - because one of his targets was really an undercover police officer also pretending to be a child. Nelson, from Shildon, County Durham, is now facing a lengthy prison sentence after pleading guilty to a string of sickening charges in court. One of the charges includes the possession of more than 1,300 images of extreme child pornography. Last night, police warned of the dangers of social networking sites and called on adults to carefully monitor what their children do online. Twice-married Nelson was arrested in January when it emerged he had contacted an 11-year-old girl through a false Facebook account he had set up. He slyly gained the confidence of his victims by pretending to be a 13-year-old girl - persuading some of them to send him their mobile telephone numbers. The depraved dad then began engaging in sexually explicit text messages with the youngsters - some of primary school age - and tried to set up meetings. But he was unaware one of his intended victims was in fact an undercover officer from Durham Constabulary. A concerned parent had alerted the police about the Facebook messages sent to their own child - and detectives discovered there were many more. An examination of Nelson's computer showed he had contacted dozens of children from around the country over six months. Police have spoken to the parents of the youngsters and to schools to tell them what the former hotel night porter had been up to. Worry: A parent discovered suspicious messages on their child's Facebook account (posed by model) from the paedophile and told the police, who set up a sting . He pleaded guilty to making and possessing pictures of child abuse and bestiality, and inciting children to engage in sexual activity at Teesside Crown Court on Monday. Shameful: Nelson sat in the dock with his head bowed and sobbed when he said he wanted to sexually abuse children . With his head bowed and through occasional sounds of sobbing, he also admitted trying to arrange a meeting with a girl to commit a sex crime. He was remanded in custody and will return to court on August 13 to be sentenced. Speaking last night, Detective Constable Jonathan Stoker, who investigated the case, said that Nelson had preyed on his victims' naivety in a sickening way. He said: 'Nelson has taken advantage of young children, some of whom were still in primary school, to fulfil his sexual desires. 'While I have been speaking to some of the families affected by this case, one parent commented that 'it was like he had been in their house'. 'I would encourage parents and carers to make sure that if a child is part of a social network like Facebook, to check the account settings and to make sure it is as private as possible.' Nelson admitted two charges of causing or inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence. He also pleaded guilty to 17 counts of making indecent images of children, possessing 1,384 such images and possessing extreme pornography.
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Anthony Nelson was caught by an undercover cop pretending to be child .
Police traced Nelson after parent found messages on their child's account .
Paedophile faces jail and will be sentenced later this month .
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21b1973449f729629d78b31288929e00e69df8a0
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Knoxville, Tennessee (CNN) -- Heart-wrenching cries echo through the halls of the neonatal intensive care unit at East Tennessee Children's Hospital. Nearly half of the newborn babies in the hospital's NICU are suffering from prescription drug withdrawal. For over a year, the Knoxville hospital has been dealing with a dramatic increase in the number of newborns with neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS, which is the withdrawal process a newborn baby goes through after in utero exposure to certain medications. "When I first got into neonatology the most common problem -- and still the most common problem -- that we take care of is premature babies or babies with respiratory distress," said neonatology director Dr. John Buchheit, a 17-year veteran at Children's. "But I had no idea that we would be seeing this issue, to this degree." Narcotics used during pregnancy pass through the placenta to the baby. Once the baby is born, he or she no longer has access to the drugs and will likely go through withdrawal. According to Buchheit, opioids -- like oxycodone -- are the worst offenders for the babies suffering from NAS at his hospital. Between 55% and 94% of babies exposed to opioids prior to birth exhibit signs of withdrawal, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. The babies are easily agitated and cry constantly, and many cannot be near sound and light. Other symptoms can include a distinct, high-pitched cry, tightening of the muscles and seizures. While prescription drug abuse is a problem in nearly every neighborhood in America, it is particularly epidemic in Tennessee, which ranks among the top states in the overuse of prescription pain medications. Study: Every hour, a baby is born with NAS . A recent Tennessee health department survey found that about a third of pregnant women in state treatment programs are addicted to prescription pain meds. As a result, the number of babies born with NAS at East Tennessee Children's Hospital doubled from 2010 to 2011. This epidemic is tearing apart families in eastern Tennessee, according to Department of Children's Services Attorney Susan Kovac. "In Knox County, we're drowning," she said. "We've seen the number of children in foster care increase by almost 50% over the last few years, and that's just the tip of the iceberg because we're trying to keep the children out of foster care. We've got lots and lots of relatives who are raising drug-exposed infants." State caseworkers are called in to handle the worst cases of babies suffering from NAS. "We come and talk to the mom and try to find out, what's the level of her abuse, what's the level of her addiction, what can we do to get her clean so that she can be in a position to take care of her baby," Kovac explained. Since the epidemic is relatively new, there is no national protocol on how to treat NAS. East Tennessee Children's Hospital focuses its treatment on two areas: environmental and medicinal. Last year, the hospital created a wing of private rooms that is quieter, darker and easier to control for the massive influx of babies suffering from drug withdrawal. The hospital also trains volunteers, called cuddlers, to hold and comfort the babies. Bob Woodruff, a retired marketing professor and grandfather, spends six hours a week giving these babies a little extra love. "It's tremendously rewarding to take a stressed baby and work with that baby until that baby is feeling better or sleeping," Woodruff said. "It also makes the job of the nurses a lot easier. It's a lot easier for them to come into a room and deal with a calm baby, rather than a crying baby. So I feel like I'm really helping the nurses, as well as helping the babies." In addition to improving their environment, the hospital has also developed a successful drug treatment program for these babies, according to pharmacist Terry King. "When I first arrived, we were treating the babies and stabilizing them on methadone and then discharging them to have outpatient treatment," he said. "Then we decided that probably wasn't the safest and most effective way to treat them. So we decided to switch to the morphine." Treatments are individualized based on the severity of withdrawal and babies are given small doses of morphine every three hours with feedings. Over the following weeks, doses are gradually decreased to wean babies off the drugs. Since adopting the morphine protocol, the average hospital stay for these infants has decreased by several days, now averaging 24 days. As East Tennessee Children's Hospital continues to treat these defenseless drug-dependent babies and chip away at the underlying causes of drug abuse through education and proper medical care, Buchheit admits that the future for these newborns with NAS is uncertain. "There is no doubt that they are at an increased risk for problems with their learning and development throughout their childhood, and problems with behavior once they reach school age," he said. In the meantime, the hospital has become a pioneer in the treatment of babies with NAS. Other states are turning to them for guidance. "This problem is faced all over the country ... and people are interested in what we're doing because we know it's a safe, successful plan to administer," King said. "The process is complex to wean these babies and we think that what we've developed has helped make the complex, simpler."
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Tennessee ranks among the top states dealing with prescription drug abuse .
About half of all babies in intensive care at one hospital suffer from drug withdrawal .
Opioids, like oxycodone, are the main drugs in these babies' systems .
Most are diagnosed with neonatal abstinence syndrome, or NAS .
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7ccd2e302d3dc1e58ace4497e0293f55f2d121dd
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By . Jade Watkins . and Candace Sutton . and Sarah Michael . PUBLISHED: . 18:58 EST, 27 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:50 EST, 28 February 2014 . Charlotte Dawson's famous friends said goodbye to the Australia's Next Top Model host during an emotional memorial service held at The Beresford Hotel in Sydney on Friday. The TV star was found dead at the age of 47 in her Woolloomooloo home, last weekend. The service was held upstairs at the well-known Surrey Hills hotel, and among the mourners were Dawson's ANTM co-star Alex Perry, model Megan Gale, Sarah and Lachlan Murdoch, singer Delta Goodrem and Richard Wilkins. In memory of: Delta Goodrem posted a touching memoir to her beautiful friend on Friday evening . Head down: Delta Goodrem looked visibly upset as she left the service . On Friday evening, following the memorial Delta Goodrem took to Twitter to post a picture and write a touching memoir to her friend: 'Thank you for being there for me and showing me strength when I needed it..Your were an amazing woman and you will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace beautiful Charlotte 🙠.
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Red carpet rolled out in front of The Beresford Hotel in Surry Hills .
Mourners included several of Australia's Next Top Model contestants .
Eulogies read by Richard Wilkins and Charlotte's sister Vicky Dawson .
Ex-husband Scott Miller decided not to attend the service .
Beer and champagne passed around to guests and rock music 'thumping'
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cc9aafc00e9ef53570572cd7a8e18df2fbdfc699
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Search and rescue officials are searching for two hikers after rescuing two others in a remote corner of Washington after waist deep snow left them trapped in the wilderness. Alejandra Wilson was reported missing on the rugged Pacific Crest Trail Monday, while separate hiker Kristopher Zitzewitz was last seen in the Big Lava Beds area of Gifford Pinchot National Forest. Both are in the southwest of the state. Matt Margiotta and Kyla Arnold were hoisted aboard a Coast Guard helicopter Tuesday evening after being plucked from waist-deep snow north of Trout Lake, Washington and were transported to Portland, Oregon. They required no medical aid, said Skamania County Undersheriff Dave Cox. Scroll down for video... Missing: Hikers Kristopher Zitzewitz (left) and Alejandra Wilson went missing Monday from a remote corner of southwest Washington State . Rescued: Kyla Arnold and Matt Margiotta were rescued Tuesday after calling for help on Monday from the rugged Pacific Crest Trail in southwest Washington. The duo had gotten there all the way from Mexico, hoping to make it to Canada . They had walked all the way from Mexico on the trail only to run into early season snowfall in their attempt to reach the Canadian border. They called for help Monday after snow obscured their route. Ground searchers who had the pair’s GPS location got within three-quarters of a mile on Tuesday before the snow and fading daylight forced them to turn back. The helicopter from Astoria, Oregon, took advantage of a weather window to reach them. Wilson was reported overdue on Monday after she failed to check in with her father, Dane Wilson, of Portland, Oregon, as expected. She was believed to be about a day’s hike ahead of Margiotta and Arnold’s location, or about 20 miles farther north. 'We’ll keep trying to ping her phone, get a location on her,' Cox said, adding he hoped the weather would allow an air search. According to his blog, Zitzewitz had proudly lost some 300 pounds in recent years. The hiker was lost separately from the others, in an area of Gifford Pinchot National Forest . Safe: Margiotta was plucked from a trail near Trout Lake, Washington Tuesday evening after he and Kyla Arnold were trapped in a snow storm. They were uninjured and taken to Portland, Oregon . Sighting: Arnold (pictured), Margiotta, and Wilson all kept online hiking journals. Arnold's noted her seeing Wilson not long before a snowstorm trapped them all . Her father reported that he last . heard from her Friday as she was leaving Trout Lake, a tiny hamlet south . of Mount Adams, for White Pass, Cox said. More . than 40 ground searchers and four dog teams searched Tuesday for . Zitzewitz, 31, of Portland, who became separated from his partner in the . Big Lava Beds on Saturday. Cox . said his office requested that many ground searchers again for . Wednesday, as well as ATVs, 4-wheeled vehicles, and air support. Weather in that area was rainy, with temperatures dipping into the low 40s at night, he said. Margiotta, Arnold and Wilson all kept . online journals of their travels. Arnold last updated hers on Friday . and described having recently encountered Wilson, who has gone by the . name Rocket Llama. Wilson wrote of her excitement for hiking the trail in her journal titled Pacific Crest Trail 2013. 'PCT, . here I come! My name's Alejandra, and I'm going to thru-hike the . Pacific Crest Trail in 2013. It's my very first independently-planned . trip and long-distance hike and I'm SO EXCITED!' The young hiker wrote a foreboding message in her journal's bio page: 'I have promised to keep updating from the trail so the folks back home know I'm still alive.' Wilson's last entry was from home in Portland, Oregon on September 22. In deep: Margiotta and Arnold spent two days under this tarp after feet of snow fell in just around 18 hours . Arnold . also wrote of having nearly run out of food after storms forced her and . Margiotta to huddle under a tarp for four days — long delaying their . arrival in Trout Lake. 'We finally made it to Trout Lake today and another huge storm is rolling in,' Arnold wrote. 'Everyone says we can’t make it because of the weather situation, and . to be honest it’s quite terrifying, but I can’t fathom coming this far . and giving up.' Margiotta took to Facebook to relay his tale following the rescue. Missing: A view from the Pacific Crest Trail shows the area's ruggedness. Waist deep snow stranded hikers Matt Margiotta, Kyla Arnold, and Alejandra Wilson on Monday. Wilson is still missing . Separately: 31-year-old Kristopher Zitzewitz was last seen separately in the Big Lava Beds area of Washington's Gifford Pinchot National Forest. He remained missing Wednesday morning . 'My hiking partner and I were caught in a blizzard,' he wrote. Believe it or not dehydration was our biggest concern. After spending 2 days trapped in a tarp and realizing trying to hike out was a death sentence...we were forced to call 911.' The duo made the call fearing dehydration. But rescuers on the ground were eventually forced to call 911 themselves, he says. 'We are now safe and sound in Portland after being airlifted out by Coast Guard.' he wrote. Snow has been falling in the Washington mountains since the weekend, which was likely the first snow to fall on Pacific Crest Trail hikers, Cox said. Searchers encountered two other hikers on the trail and persuaded them to turn around. ‘The problem with all the snow on the ground is you can’t even tell where the trail is,’ Cox said. ‘Some folks try to push on and wind up getting lost.’ The Pacific Crest Trail runs 2,650 miles from Mexico to the Canadian border.
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Matt Margiotta and Kyla Arnold were rescued by helicopter Tuesday evening after calling for help on the Pacific Crest Trail near Trout Lake, Washington .
Alejandra Wilson went missing Monday 20 miles north of Margiotta and Arnold .
31-year-old Kristopher Zitzewitz was last seen separately in the Big Lava Beds area of Gifford Pinchot National Forest .
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Washington (CNN) -- Former White House Press Secretary Jay Carney -- a longtime journalist before he joined the Obama administration in its infancy -- is back in the media game as a political analyst for CNN. We caught up with Carney on Wednesday, in the hours before President Obama addresses the nation to outline his plan for dismantling ISIS, the brutal terrorist group that's roiling Iraq and Syria. A former White House insider, Carney had insight into how the President and his team are preparing for such a major address. But he also riffed on the state of the news media, the "not ideal" state of the White House press briefing, Hillary Clinton's potential campaign and how Twitter has accelerated the political news cycle. CNN: So pull back the curtain a little bit, if you can, before tonight's speech. What is happening today? Who is in the room with the president, and what is he doing in there? Carney: When speeches are important like this one, the president is the primary writer of the speech. He will get a draft, a very good one, from his team. From Ben Rhodes and Cody Keenan. But he will spend a good amount of time making sure it's really what he wants to say. I am sure as we get closer to speech time he will be fine-tuning it, working with his team. And he is keenly aware of the unique opportunity to give a speech to the nation. They don't come that often. There aren't that many occasions, outside of a State of the Union address, where a president in this media age has an audience as big as he'll have tonight. Analysis: Obama speech a do-over on 'no strategy' CNN: From a communications strategy perspective, when do you guys make the calculation that an issue deserves a national address in primetime? Carney: The truth is we would do it more, but the networks, especially the broadcast networks, are not always willing to say yes. The threshold question is, you know, is it of national significance on a major issue -- something that the president feels the American people need to hear about? Matters of military force are the most obvious circumstances that merit a primetime address. There are also issues around significant domestic legislation, or national issues. He did a national speech launching health care reform that was primetime. It's not a well you can go back to that often, though, because it requires the networks to give the time. I remember when I was there, we asked for time once and the networks shot us down, which was very frustrating. (The White House requested primetime real estate in April to tout health care enrollment numbers.) We did a little research, and there was a pretty good case to be made that the reluctance to give time has increased over the years. The ask we made might have been granted in past presidencies. But that's just the nature of the business. I don't think it's going to change. Obama is open to airstrikes on ISIS in Syria, wants to arm rebels . CNN: How frustrated is the president that Middle Eastern conflict is consuming his agenda right now, after taking a victory lap by ending the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and after the big 2009 Cairo speech that was aimed at repairing America's image in the world? Carney: I don't think he gets surprised or disappointed by the revelation that the world doesn't bend to your will and your agenda all that willingly. It's been the fundamental responsibility of being president, and a huge part of the job, to deal with these kind of crises overseas and potential threats to the United States. I don't think he is disappointed. I think he is realistic about the fact that there is still a lot of work he wants to get done. And he knows that the time he has left will go by pretty quickly. My guess is that he realizes that the absolute necessity of dealing with the Islamic State, and with the situation in Ukraine, reduces the amount of time and focus he can put on other topics. But it's not really a choice for him. You don't have the choice you just have to do it. As Obama prepares for ISIS fight, where are the doves? CNN: The president caught a ton of flak for golfing after making a statement on the beheading of James Foley. He said on 'Meet The Press' this weekend that the optics of politics don't come natural to him. The guy is obviously a talented showman and politician. Does he really not get the theatrics of politics at this point? Carney: Here is what I say about that. He definitely doesn't and never has approached the job in a way that puts a high priority or focus on optics, and I think that's because 10 years and a few months ago if you passed him on the street, you wouldn't have known who he was. That makes him wholly different. What that means is, he is a different kind of person than the kind of person who normally takes this office. Sometimes that creates problems, but I also thinks it's why he is president, and why he was re-elected. You can't be both somebody who emerged from outside Washington and catapulted onto the scene with a powerful message and also be a known entity to national political reporters and the general American public as somebody who was aspiring to the presidency for years. You can't be both. He is not a typical and never was a typical politician. That's an asset and a liability. You can't say, 'I wish he was more like this or that,' because if he were, he wouldn't be the guy who persuaded more than 50% of the country to vote for him two times in a row. That's a long way of saying he is never going to be the kind of president who is routinely focused on the optics and theatrics of the office. Sometimes that's going to cause him problems and frustrate his aides. When that happens, you also have to remember it's part of who he is. Obama: Golfing after Foley statement was a bad idea . CNN: Does he ever consult with former President Bill Clinton before big moments like this? Do they have that kind of relationship these days? Carney: I don't know how often they talk. I don't think it would necessarily be before a speech like this, but I could be wrong. He is certainly close to former Secretary (Hillary) Clinton and to President Clinton. He saw him not that long ago, in August. But there isn't a regular conversation that I was aware of. But it's not an infrequent one either. Bill Clinton and George W. Bush yuk it up . CNN: We're starting to see blind quotes from Hillary Clinton "aides" expressing criticism of Obama's handling of Syria and Iraq. If she runs for president, how does Hillary balance the thornier parts of Obama's record with her time in the administration? Carney: Obviously that's something that she will figure out if she decides to run. She was Secretary of State for President Obama for four years and she understands that record will be part of what she runs on. Her time as Secretary of State is something she should be proud of, and the President's record on foreign policy is something she is more likely to embrace than anything because she was a big part of it. 'Hugging it out': Hillary Clinton calls Obama to calm tensions . CNN: So what exactly is the point of White House briefings? Carney: It's become kind of theatrical and probably less helpful than either the White House or White House press corps wishes it would be. It's kind of ironic because now I am a contributor on a TV channel, but the reason that is, by and large, is because of TV. Mike McCurry, my predecessor, one of Bill Clinton's press secretaries, has apologized to every one of his successors for being the press secretary who agreed to televise the entirety of press briefings. Prior to that they were only televised for the first 10 minutes and then the cameras were turned off. It was inevitable anyway. But if you look at transcripts of a regular daily briefing in which the cameras are on, and compare it substantively and tonally to an off-camera briefing on Air Force One — the gaggles that I would do and press secretaries would do with traveling press on the plane. The White House ones — it's a lot of different. The ones not on camera tend to be more sober, more based in information and less gotcha-oriented. The format is not ideal anymore. The problem is if Josh (Earnest) or any successor of his were to suddenly announce we weren't doing it anymore there would be an uproar by the press, and by the TV press. If they were to say no more on-camera briefings, that would not be accepted. White House press secretary Jay Carney leaving . CNN: Does Twitter make your job easier or more difficult? Carney: Oh man. Much more difficult. Not in a bad way. It put what was already an extremely fast news cycle into warp-speed. Obviously this White House is the only one that has existed in the era of Twitter. These tools can be very useful for getting information out. The White House has become much more Twitter-focused with more people having Twitter handles on staff. The fact that Twitter has become such a driving force in breaking news creates a whole host of challenges. It's sort of like the challenges that CNN first created for White Houses back when they were the only 24-hour television news network. It just changed the pace dramatically. So Twitter and social media have done that again. CNN: Last one: What was the dumbest news cycle during your time in the White House? Carney: Wow. There are so many to choose from. The first one that came to mind was the birth certificate saga. There is one every week or every month competing with serious stuff. Look, everybody finds themselves chasing the ball down the field sometimes and they wish they hadn't. I think it's both reporters and White House. But everybody ends up being better served, included readers and viewers of the media, if everybody reverts back to stuff that actually matters.
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Former White House spokesman Jay Carney joins CNN as a political analyst .
CNN's Peter Hamby interviews Carney before President Obama's speech on ISIS .
Carney gives a behind-the-scenes look at speech writing in the White House .
Carney weighs in on the "dumbest" news cycle .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 05:38 EST, 16 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:51 EST, 16 May 2012 . Behind bars: Nek Alam (pictured), 72, and three of his sons have been jailed for subjecting a vulnerable member of their family, Ghalib Hussein, to a three-year campaign of cruelty . A father and three sons who subjected a child-like man to a campaign of 'Dickensian-like' cruelty because they regarded him as a financial burden on their family have been jailed. Victim Ghalib Hussain, 27, who cannot read or write, is said to have suffered regular beatings and threats over a three-year period by relatives who wanted to punish him as they believed he was 'slow in the head' and a 'mental case'. During his ordeal, it was claimed Mr Hussain, who was nicknamed 'The Clown' by his family, had one end of a pair of jump leads clamped onto his nose whilst he was hit with the other end and was whipped with a belt and a stick. A jury was told he also had to kiss the feet of his uncle whilst in a 'punishment position’ and was given what he called 'pigeon food' - bad food in the house or the leftovers. He was also not allowed to eat until he was told he could. On other occasions, Mr Hussain was also allegedly punched in the face when he failed to remember Arabic text taught in a mosque and was also warned he would be buried alive in a cemetery and have his tongue ripped out. He was later rescued by police who found him huddled on a settee at his home in Accrington, Lancashire, and unable to stand due to a broken right hip suffered when he was forced to the ground and jumped on. He had earlier been found wandering around the town centre and he clung onto a lamp-post in a distressed state when officers tried to take him home. At Burnley Crown Court, his uncle and Alam’s sons shopworkers Janghir Alam, 29, Zahir Alam, 33, and Zahoor Alam, 32, pleaded guilty to putting Mr Hussain in fear of violence by harassment, between January 2007 and July 2010. Nek, father of two Zahir and father of four Zahoor were each sentenced to 15 months imprisonment and Janghir also a father of four was jailed for 10 months. All were acquitted of more serious charges of false imprisonment, making threats to kill and causing grievous bodily harm at an earlier hearing. The jury was told Mr Hussain had been unable to read or write and to speak little or no English and had little or no formal education. He suffered from epilepsy, was described by certain family members as being 'slow in the head' with little or no knowledge of the world and was said to have no friends. Jeremy Lasker, prosecuting, said Mr Hussain came to Britain in about 2006 from his native Pakistan as a result of an arranged marriage to Nek Alam’s daughter, Sofia. Jailed: Brothers Zahir Alam (front left) and Janghir Alam (right), with their father behind, wanted to punish Mr Hussain because they believed he was 'slow in the head' She later rejected her husband and the victim was left 'stranded and alone' in the Alam household. Mr Lasker said: 'It’s pretty clear that he was not regarded with much affection by his relatives. Mr Hussain, the crown say, because of his problems, was unable to work in order to pay his way. 'As a consequence of that, the financial burden for his care and upkeep fell upon the rest of his family. 'It’s against this particular background that Ghalib Hussain was ill-treated and assaulted on a regular and continuing basis by his uncle and cousins. 'Those assaults or beatings appeared to have been carried out for the most part as a result of punishments, either because he had done something wrong or was perceived to have done something wrong.' Brutal: It was alleged that Zahoor Alam (pictured) took a pair of jump leads, attached one end to Mr Hussain's nose and used the other end to hit the palms of his hands . Mr Lasker said on June 26, 2010 police were asked to look out for a man described as vulnerable and found Mr Hussain, in traditional Asian dress, walking the streets. A member of the public helped translate and he was asked if the officers could take him home. But he became visibly distressed and was seen to cling to a lamp-post. 'He reported about being beaten and said the people living there would not let him return to Pakistan,' said Mr Lasker. A relative arrived at the scene and took him home where it is claimed he was subjected to another beating for daring to speak out. Four days later, a social worker visited the address with a police officer and insisted on speaking with Mr Hussain alone. He was initially told Mr Hussain was in London, but the victim was found huddled on a settee in a front room. The court heard the victim said he didn’t want to speak loudly in case he was overheard and then told the officer of his treatment. Mr Lasker said Mr Hussain, who was unable to stand up, was taken to hospital by ambulance on July 1 and had surgery to insert a number of screws in his broken right hip. He remained there until July 20. On his release, he gave an account of what he claimed had happened to him. The prosecutor said the crown alleged that on June 26, 2010, Mr Hussain had been forced to the ground and Zahir and Zahoor Alam then put their weight on him and jumped on his leg. Janghir Alam hit him with his belt. Mr Lasker claimed: 'The crown say he was made, whilst on the floor, to kiss Nek Alam’s feet whilst he was in a punishment position and told he would be buried alive in a cemetery and have his tongue ripped out. It was alleged that Zahoor Alam took a pair of jump leads, attached one end to the victim’s nose and used the other end to hit the palms of his hands. The father and sons were later arrested. Mr Lasker told the jury: 'These four defendants deny any of this cruel and violent behaviour which the crown say took place.' When interviewed and arrested, Nek Alam said Mr Hussain was 'mentally sick' and was spoilt by his grandmother. Janghir Alam said he was 'a burden', while Zahir Alam said he had 'a childish mind' and would be referred to as 'the clown or the mental case'. Mr Hussain was now in a care home and his immigration status was in a state of flux, as, was his future well-being. He gave evidence to the jury for several days, screened from the defendants. He had been accompanied by carers who now look after him. Sentencing, Judge Jonathan Gibson said: 'I am satisfied that this is a case where frustrated reactions to Mr Hussain’s behaviour, overflowed and the behaviour was clearly, it seems to me, as a result of Ghalib Hussain’s disability.' After the case, Det Sgt Julie Cross of Lancashire Police said: 'The victim was subjected to years of harassment and emotional abuse and has been treated in the most dreadful manner. To treat a family member in this way is appalling.'
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Ghalib Hussain claims he was beaten because he was 'slow in the head'
'Had jump leads clamped to his nose and was whipped with belt and stick'
'Was forced to kiss his uncle's feet and was not allowed to eat until told'
Nek Alam, 72, and his three sons jailed after admitting harassment charge .
Mr Hussain suffered from epilepsy and could not read or write, court told .
Rescued by police who found him huddled on sofa with a broken hip .
He moved to Britain after an arranged marriage to Nek Alam's daughter .
He was left 'stranded and alone' in the household after she rejected him .
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By . Laura Williamson . Follow @@laura_mail . Seven years ago Steve Way had high blood pressure, smoked 20 cigarettes a day and weighed 16-and-a-half-stone after gorging on takeaway curries and chocolate. On Saturday morning he will represent England in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games. Way, who now weighs just 10st 8lbs, will not just be running to make up the numbers, either. Going the distance: Steve Way will represent England in the marathon at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow . The 40-year-old was the third British man home in this year’s London Marathon, crossing the line in 15th place, just eight minutes behind Mo Farah, to earn his place at these Games. Not bad considering he had slept in a camper van on his cousin’s drive the night before to save money. Way, who works full-time in a bank in Bournemouth, found himself shepherded towards the recovery area in London with the elite athletes after earning his largest cash prize to date, £896. He had to politely explain to stewards that his kit was with the mass participants. Turnaround: Steve Way was overweight and unhealthy before he changed his life through running . His next target is to shave another 45 seconds off his personal best and break Ron Hill’s 1979 British record of 2hours 15.46secs, for runners aged 40 or over. It has been a quite extraordinary turnaround for a ‘fat bloke’ who decided to run the 2006 London Marathon ‘on a whim’ and ended up beating many younger, thinner, fitter club runners by clocking 3hrs 7mins 8secs. Fighting fit: Steve Way now runs 130 miles per week . Such an impressive time did not prompt Way to take up running properly. It was only 18 months later that he realised he needed to: not with any ambitions of joining the elite but for the good of his health. ‘Towards the end of 2007 I could hardly sleep,’ he told The Guardian. ‘I was coughing and waking up because of the smoking and it was impacting on my wife Sarah, too. ‘At that point half our meals were takeaways and I would eat chocolate and sweets all the time. I realised I had to do something radically different to break the cycle.’ Way trained for the 2008 London Marathon for 24 weeks, finished in 2hrs 35mins and changed his lifestyle completely. He now runs around 130 miles a week — averaging 11 miles a day for the past seven years — and believes he could win gold in the 100km (62-mile) World Championships in Doha in November if he can clock under 6hrs 20mins. He is a self-confessed ‘running nerd’ but still struggles to define himself as an elite athlete. There is clearly still disbelief that he found himself posing for pictures with Sir Bradley Wiggins in the athletes’ village in Glasgow and ‘casually ‘‘hanging out’’ with the guys I’m normally watching on the Diamond League circuit — even though I’m old enough to be most of their dads!’. Whatever happens during those 26.2miles around Glasgow tomorrow, Way has certainly earned a celebratory takeaway, that’s for sure.
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Steve Way will race for England in the marathon at Glasgow 2014 .
Way once weighed over 16st and smoked 20 cigarettes a day .
He changed his lifestyle and now runs 130 miles a week .
The 40-year was the fourth man home at the London marathon .
He is aiming to break Ron Hill's British record for runners aged over 40 .
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Al-Shabaab rebels have murdered at least 36 Kenyan quarry workers near the country's northern border with Somalia, police have confirmed. The gunmen crossed over the border and divided the Muslim and non-Muslim workers into two groups before opening fire. Kenyan police chief David Kimaiyo confirmed the massacre took place early on Tuesday in Mandera County. Scroll down for video . Kenyan soldiers gather around the bodies of victims at the quarry near Mandera . Kenya police say that at least 36 quarry workers were killed in the attack . Al-Shabaab lined up the non-Muslim workers, pictured, and shot them dead during this morning's massacre . The gunmen crossed over the border and divided the Muslim and non-Muslim workers into two groups before opening fire . Al-Shabaab have been raiding Mandera County on the Somali-Kenyan border killing non-Muslims . He has now been removed from his post, along with the Kenyan interior minister. President Uhuru Kenyatta said in a televised address to the nation that he had replaced interior minister Joseph Ole Lenku, and accepted a 'retirement request' from Kimaiyo. Kenyatta named opposition politician and retired army general Joseph Nkaissery to be the new Interior Minister. Police sources said the workers were ambushed as they slept in the camp at the Korome quarry. The non-Muslim workers were singled-out and killed. Eyewitnesses claimed that 32 of the victims had been shot while the final four had been decapitated. Mandera county governor Ali Roba said: 'It is sad that we have another 36 people who were attacked and killed late last night in the same manner it happened on a bus recently. It happened at a quarry about 10 miles from Mandera town.' Some 28 people were killed in the area last month when al . Shabaab militants hijacked a Nairobi-bound bus, causing . widespread anger. Kenya has suffered a string of gun and grenade . attacks since it sent troops into Somalia to fight al Shabaab in . late 2011. Eyewitnesses claimed that 32 of the victims had been shot while the final four had been decapitated . Members of the military gather near the bodies of some of the victims . Quarry workers who were absent at the time of the attack sit at their camp after coming back to work in the morning and finding their colleagues murdered . Security officers talk as they stand next to a mosquito net used by a worker who slept at the quarry that was attacked . A local peace activist (right) talks with a police officer (centre) and a Kenya Red Cross worker (left) at the quarry . Kenyan mortuary attendants carry in the bodies of the massacre victims . Grief-stricken: Waithera Nderitu, who lost her brother at the quarry . Rescue workers walk near a Nairobi-bound bus that was ambushed outside Mandera town, near Kenya's border with Somalia and Ethiopia, November 22, 2014. Somalia's al Shabaab insurgents said they staged the bus attack in northeast Kenya on Saturday that killed 28 people, all non-Muslims led out to be shot while passengers identified as Muslims were spared.Three in the group trooped out to be killed saved their lives by reciting Koran verses for the Islamist militants, a local security official said. REUTERS/Stringer (KENYA - Tags: SOCIETY CIVIL UNREST CRIME LAW RELIGION) The 28 non-Muslims were lined up by alShabaab and shot dead before the terrorists returned to Somalia .
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Al-Shabaab suspected of carrying out today's latest massacre in Kenya .
Terrorists shot dead 32 men before decapitating the final four victims .
The quarry is only a few miles from where al-Shabaab killed 28 last week .
WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT .
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By . Alex Greig . and Francesca Chambers . The principal of a Delaware middle school and her 10-year-old daughter have been killed in a car accident. Delaware State police and the Milford School District confirmed that 42-year-old Tricia Martin of Camden died at Christiana Hospital following the 10:40pm crash Friday near Frederica. Her daughter Taryn Martin was pronounced dead at 12.45am Sunday at A.I. Dupont Children's Hospital. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. this Saturday for both at the Torbert Funeral Chapel in Dover, Delaware. The burial will immediately follow from 12.30 to 1pm at Lakeside Cemetary. Tragic accident: Taryn (left) and her mother Tricia Martin (right) both died after a car accident Friday night . Unexplained: The mother and daughter were driving home around 10:20pm Friday night when their vehicle veered into the oncoming lane . According to the News Journal, Tricia Martin was driving a 2009 Acura MDX SUV westbound when her car crossed over into the eastbound lanes and veered off the road into a ditch, hitting a telephone box and fence. 'For unknown reasons the Acura crossed over the eastbound lanes and off the south side of the roadway where it drove along a ditch line, colliding with a telephone box and fence,' said police spokesperson Gary Fournier. It then hit an embankment and flipped onto its side back onto the road in the eastbound lane. Tricia Martin was in the car and her daughter got out to get help from a vehicle that had pulled over when another car hit both Taryn Martin and the Acura, pushing the car into the ditch and flipping it upright. Martin was the principal of Milford Central Academy, which has more than 1,000 students in 6th through 8th grades . Makeshift: A memorial sprang up Sunday at Tricia Martin's parking spot at the school after students and friends heard about the accident that claimed the lives of the mother and daughter . Tricia Martin was ejected from the car onto the road, and Taryn Martin was thrown onto the side of the road. The driver of the second vehicle was taken to hospital and treated for minor injuries. Martin was the beloved principal of Milford Central Academy, which has more than 1,000 students in 6th through 8th grades. Milford superintendent Phyllis Kohel says Martin’s death is 'heartbreaking' for the school district. Another colleague of Martin, Milford School District director of student support Slyvia Henderson, called her an 'outstanding leader.''She had a way, when she walked into a room, to make you feel better about yourself. ... It's been a somber day, a somber weekend. We're very sad. We're very blessed that we had her in our lives,' Henderson told Delaware Online. A sign at the entrance of Milford Central Academy displays a message of sympathy with those mourning Tricia Martin . Teachers and students turned Martin's parking spot at the school into a memorial on Monday. 'We have to live the rest of the school year for her,' one note at the memorial reads. 'Dr. Martin is in a better place. Her and her daughter are,' says another, Delaware Online reports. Tricia Martin's husband, John Martin, was a Navy reservist who served for a year in Iraq. A . touching video of his return from duty to surprise an eight-year-old . Taryn Martin at school was taken in 2012. A happy Tricia Martin can be . seen in the background. Happier times: John Martin, husband and father to Tricia and Taryn Martin, surprised an eight-year-old Taryn at school when he returned home from Iraq in 2012 - a smiling and tearful Tricia can be seen (right) as her daughter hugs her father .
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Tricia Martin, 42, and her daughter Taryn, 10, died after a car accident on Friday .
She was driving home when, for unknown reasons, she veered onto the oncoming lane and into a ditch .
Her car flipped on its side and Taryn Martin exited the vehicle to go to a car that had stopped to help .
Another vehicle then hit the Martins' car, ejecting Tricia Martin onto the road and throwing Taryn Martin onto the side of the road .
Tricia Martin died of her injuries later that night .
Taryn Martin died in the early hours of Sunday morning .
A funeral for both will take place this Saturday .
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Pakistan is optimistic about the Obama administration's commitment to its region and will work with the United States on trying to root out extremism within its borders, Pakistan's foreign minister said. Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi meets U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Following a meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi cited a "convergence of interests" between Washington and Islamabad and a "willingness to work together." "I see a lot of hope in the new administration, the new leadership, and Pakistan is willing to work with the American administration to fight extremism and terrorism," he said Tuesday. "We are determined to defeat terrorism in all its forms and manifestations." Qureshi is in Washington to take part in strategic review of U.S. policy to stabilize Afghanistan and neighboring Pakistan. The effort is being led by South Asian security expert Bruce Reidel and Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, U.S. special envoy. Afghan Foreign Minister Rangin D. Spanta also was leading a delegation from his country to take part in the review. He and Qureshi will meet with both Clinton and Holbrooke this week. U.S. President Barack Obama and Clinton tapped Holbrooke as special representative for the two countries, a signal of how the new administration considers Afghanistan and Pakistan intertwined in any solution to the war in Afghanistan and the terrorist threat along their shared border. "We are consulting very closely with the government of Pakistan on our strategic review of our way forward and I'm very grateful for the minister's advice and counsel," Clinton said after meeting with Qureshi. Last week Obama announced he is sending another 17,000 troops to Afghanistan to fight a strengthening insurgency, which Obama has called the "central front in our enduring struggle against terrorism and extremism." The troops will be sent to southern Afghanistan, which borders Pakistan and is a haven for Taliban insurgents. Pakistani officials have expressed concern the deployment will push the Taliban across the border into Pakistan and further destabilize their country. The Obama administration is conducting several reviews of U.S. policy in Afghanistan, including a review by Gen. David Petraeus, the commander in the region. Defense Secretary Robert Gates has said the original mission in Afghanistan was "too broad" and needs to be more "realistic and focused" for the United States to succeed. Pakistan is engaged in its own effort against Taliban militants in its Northwest Frontier Provence. The militants, who effectively control the country's Swat Valley, extended a cease-fire Tuesday as part of an agreement with the government, a deal the U.S. and NATO warn risks granting a safe haven to extremists near the Afghan border. Watch why the deal is being viewed as a capitulation » . Swat Valley was once one of Pakistan's biggest tourist destinations. It is situated near the Afghanistan border and about 186 miles (300 kilometers) from Pakistan's capital, Islamabad. In recent months, militants have unleashed a wave of violence that has claimed hundreds of lives across the province. The militants want to require veils for women and beards for men and to ban music and television. The fighting has displaced nearly half of Swat's population, officials said. The central government has long exerted little control in the area, but it launched an intense military offensive in late July to flush out militants. As retaliation for the military presence, the Taliban carried out a series of deadly bombings, beheadings and kidnappings -- and said the attacks will continue until the troops pull out. The Taliban said Tuesday it was indefinitely extending a cease-fire Taliban leaders declared eight days ago after signing a controversial deal with the government to impose Islamic law, or Sharia, in the region. The Pakistani government's decision now to negotiate with Pakistan has been met with international criticism. Holbrooke has said the Obama administration was "troubled and confused" by the truce in Swat. Holbrooke and NATO officials have expressed concerns that such an accord could cede effective control of the Swat Valley to extremists.
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Qureshi: "I see a lot of hope in the new administration, the new leadership"
He and Afghan foreign minister will meet with Clinton, Holbrooke this week .
U.S. troops will be sent to southern Afghanistan .
Taliban militants extend cease-fire as part of deal with Pakistan .
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181,633 |
7729175133a35de0e23cfd6c876370963436a8e0
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By . Sarah Johnson . PUBLISHED: . 05:58 EST, 1 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:20 EST, 1 August 2012 . A churchgoing mother has won a £20,000 unfair dismissal case after she was wrongfully accused of viewing hardcore porn at work. Elaine Buckley, 50, has been married for almost 30 years and regularly fundraises in her local community. But in 2010 the finance manager was called into her boss’s office to explain why she had been looking at porn sites during working hours. She strenuously denied the claims but her employers at Waters Edge Ceramics, a dental laboratory in Oldham, fired her for gross misconduct. Elaine Buckley, 50, was wrongly accused of watching porn at work . The mother-of-two said: ‘The whole experience has been so humiliating. I was just horrified when they first told me of the allegations. 'I am a normal 50-year-old mum. I like . walking my dog, spending time with my children and friends and generally . being a mum - not looking at pornography. 'I believe that what happens between a woman and a man or a man and a man or two women in their bedroom should be kept private between them.' Mrs Buckley said that in November 2010 the company announced that redundancies would take place. A week later she exchanged cross words with Gemma Taylor, her boss’s daughter, who had been brought in as her line manager after finishing university. The next day she was invited for a disciplinary meeting at which it was revealed that her computer had been used to view hardcore pornography. IT consultant Paul Burton printed off . a report of her computer use - which revealed that the machine had been . used to view hard-core pornography. Elaine said: ‘They kept using the words "obscene" and "pornographic" websites. ‘If . it was a cooking website then that might make sense because I could be . looking up a recipe for a colleague but not a pornography site. ‘I . kept denying it. I couldn’t understand why they thought I had been on . the sites. I had been working with the company for ten years, they knew . me. ‘My computer was used by other people too and the site could have been a pop up site where the cookies saved to the machine. ‘But they didn’t believe me. It was such a dark, dark time for me.’ Waters Edge Ceramics (pictured) dismissed Mrs Buckley (pictured above) after accusing her of watching porn at work . On November 11, Elaine was handed . with two letters announcing her suspension. On 17 December, she was . sacked from her role by a further letter. It . stated that she had ‘accessed inappropriate and obscene websites’, . spent a ‘wholly unacceptable’ amount of time on personal sites and . failed to follow an order not to do so. Elaine . tried to appeal within the company but was unsuccessful and so took . Waters Edge Ceramics to employment tribunal in February 2011. Manchester . Alexandra House heard that the sites could have been accessed by pop-up . sites that Elaine did not know were there or other people who used the . computer. The hearing was told the company had no evidence that Elaine had viewed pornography. On . November 2, 2011, Employment Judge Diana Kloss recorded that Mrs . Buckley was ‘unfairly dismissed’ under section 98(4) of the Employment . Rights Act 1996. Mrs . Buckley, who has undergone counselling as a result of the ordeal, said: . ‘Going to the tribunal was nerve wracking. After I had taken to the . stand, I was literally shaking all over. ‘I never drink but my husband took me to a pub just down the road and ordered me a Grand Marnier on the rocks. ‘The court accepted that I wasn’t to blame and I was innocent. But my boss has never apologised, he fought it to the death. ‘The . money was not an apology, it was for a loss of earnings. I had to have . counselling for eight months, up to three times a week.’ Elaine now works as a book keeper for the RSPCA, earning £8.50 an hour.
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Elaine Buckley, 50, was fired from her £19,000-a-year job for using the internet for personal use at work .
Her employer accused her of watching hard-core porn but she denied the claims and tried to appeal .
She was unsuccessful and so took her case to the employment tribunal .
No evidence was found to suggest that Mrs Buckley had viewed porn .
The court heard that sites could have been accessed by pop-up sites that Elaine did not know were there or by other people .
Mrs Buckley went through a ‘dark time’ and had to receive counselling .
She now works as a book keeper for the RSPCA, earning £8.50 an hour .
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bfd5a064f09bf2d31e46bae21c4350d24b6e0ef4
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By . Lucy Crossley and Chris Brooke . PUBLISHED: . 10:46 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:28 EST, 27 November 2013 . Confronted by a masked burglar in our home in the dead of night, most of us would scream or run away. When it happened to Viv Hulland, she suggested the intruder join her at the kitchen table for a chat. The 54-year-old, who works as a professional mediator, said she sensed from the balaclava-clad criminal’s body language that he was as frightened as she was. Calm: Viv Hulland, 54, calmly sat down with the balaclava-clad intruder she caught in her home and chatted to him at her kitchen table about what he had done . So . she invited him to sit down and spent around ten minutes chatting to . him before police arrived, pulled off the 17-year-old’s mask and . arrested him. Yesterday . Mrs Hulland – who spends her working day helping families and businesses . resolve conflict and reach agreement – admitted her behaviour during . the break-in was ‘bizarre’ but said she acted instinctively. ‘It wasn’t a . conscious decision, it just felt like the right thing to do at the . time,’ she said. ‘I could . see he didn’t mean any harm and he looked terrified. I couldn’t see his . face but I could just sense it through his body language. He didn’t seem . like a bad lad – he had just done something stupid. It was because of . that that I felt I could maybe get through to him by talking.’ Mrs . Hulland and her architect husband were asleep in their Leeds home in . May when they were woken at 2am by the sound of the teenager breaking . in. They rang 999 from the . bedroom and when they saw police pull up outside they went downstairs . to open the electric gates and let them into the garden. Apology: Ms Hulland later met the 17-year-old as part of the restorative justice programme when the teen told her he was sorry . The . couple then went into the kitchen and came face-to-face with the . burglar, who ‘leapt out’ in front of them. Mrs Hulland said they were . ‘very alarmed’, and although the intruder repeatedly told them ‘I’m not . going to hurt you’ he continued to walk towards them. But . instead of running, Mrs Hulland suggested they sit down for a chat. Moments later, they were talking at the kitchen table and her husband . Keith, 59, felt it was safe to go and find the police officers. She . said: ‘We have a big garden and the police got lost trying to find our . door so my husband had to go and bring them in. He could see the burglar . wasn’t going to harm me. I asked him what he was doing in the house. He . was happy to talk.’ The intruder told her that someone had made him carry out the burglary, but refused to say who. She said: ‘I felt sad for him, he was only a young lad and he was doing something that could mess up his life for good.’ The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was later given a nine-month referral order. He . met Mrs Hulland again under the restorative justice programme, when she . told him the incident had happened hours before her mother’s funeral. She said: ‘He was clearly moved and couldn’t speak but then managed to . say that he was sorry. I just asked him to promise me he would never do . it again.’ A West . Yorkshire police spokesman said: ‘It is very rare for a person to be . confronted by an intruder in their home. Our advice is to call the . police immediately on 999 and retreat to safety if possible.’
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Viv Hulland and husband Keith were woken in the night by the teenager .
She sat down with intruder and talked to him about what he had done .
Teen sentenced to nine-month referral order over the break-in .
Burglar later apologised during restorative justice meeting with victim .
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41,898 |
7625ca3ab5869f5e025de4384e782b2d79884b14
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By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 16:08 EST, 28 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 17:30 EST, 28 June 2012 . U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder was found in contempt of Congress on Thursday as the Republican-controlled House of Representatives sanctioned the nation's top law enforcement official for withholding some documents related to a failed gun-running probe. The mostly partisan vote of 255-67 marked the first time a sitting attorney general and presidential Cabinet member was cited for contempt by the full House. No Senate vote will be necessary in this House contempt citation. While 17 Democrats backed the censure, many refused to cast votes and Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi led many of her colleagues in a walkout from the House floor in protest. Eric Holder addresses the 83rd LULAC National Convention on June 28, 2012 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. The House of Representatives has voted today on a contempt of Congress charge against Holder . Following the vote holding him in contempt of Congress, Holder, speaking from New Orleans railed against what he called 'truly absurd conspiracy theories'. 'I had hoped that Congressional leaders would be good-faith partners in . this work,' said Holder. 'And some were. Others, however, have devoted their . time and energy to [creating political theater] and truly absurd – . truly absurd – conspiracy theories.' In a previous statement he had made in Florida, Holder was equally scathing. 'Today’s vote may make for good political theater in the minds of some, . but it is — at base — both a crass effort and a grave disservice to the . American people. They expect — and deserve — far better,' said Holder on . Thursday evening. The White House also issued a statement, condemning the contempt vote as a political gesture. 'Unfortunately, a politically-motivated agenda prevailed and instead of . engaging with the President in efforts to create jobs and grow the . economy, today we saw the House of Representatives perform a . transparently political stunt,' said the White House this evening. Later in the day, the House also was scheduled to vote on a resolution asking U.S. courts to force Holder to turn over documents being sought by the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee as part of its long-running investigation of the Fast and Furious. The Attorney General said that he had taken steps to 'facilitate robust congressional oversight' and that he had tried to work with Oversight Committee Chairman Darrell Issa and his allies. 'My efforts to resolve this matter short of such a battle were rebuffed . by Congressman Issa and his supporters. It’s clear that they were not . interested in bringing an end to this dispute or obtaining the . information they claimed to seek. Ultimately, their goal was the vote . that — with the help of special interests — they now have engineered,' said Holder. That could lead to a prolonged court fight with an uncertain outcome while a judge weighed the House demand against the Obama administration's claim of executive privilege to protect the documents. The unprecedented House rebuke of Holder was overshadowed by the U.S. Supreme Court's upholding of Democratic President Barack Obama's controversial healthcare law - a ruling that was reverberating throughout the country. Nevertheless, the House devoted much of its legislative session on Thursday to a sometimes bitter debate over Holder's role in 'Operation Fast and Furious,' which was aimed at following guns being purchased in Arizona to determine whether they flowed into Mexico for use by drug cartels. From left, House Minority Whip Steny Hoyer and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi right, and many House Democrats walk out of the Capitol during the vote to hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt . The Justice Department initially denied that a program was being run that allowed some guns to 'walk' into Mexico - a contention it later retracted, raising Republican suspicions. According to government figures, between 2007-2011, of 99,000 firearms recovered in Mexico and submitted to U.S. law enforcement, more than 68,000 came from the United States. In recent years, those weapons have shifted more and more from handguns to high-powered rifles. By early 2011, Fast and Furious had been terminated after disclosures that federal agents had lost track of many of the high-powered weapons, which subsequently were traced to crimes, including the murder of a U.S. Border Patrol agent. House Republicans and Democrats have engaged in arguments all year over issues ranging from budget and taxes to contraceptives. Thursday's debate was no exception. Attorney General Eric Holder speaks at the League of United Latin American Citizens National Convention in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. This is the first time a sitting Cabinet member has been held in contempt. Republican Representative Darrell Issa, the chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee, called the Arizona law enforcement operation 'reckless.' Issa added the contempt vote was being held 'because when we asked legitimate questions ... about Fast and Furious, we were lied to. We were lied to repeatedly and over a 10-month period.' Pelosi accused Republicans of using the election-year contempt charge to undermine Holder's efforts to combat voter suppression in some states. 'This is something that makes a witch hunt look like a day at the beach,' Pelosi told reporters. 'It is a railroading of a (contempt) resolution that is unsubstantiated by the facts.' The tussle between the Obama administration and House Republicans is over the release of a series of documents dating from February 4, 2011, when the Justice Department initially denied that guns were being allowed to 'walk' into Mexico. The dispute is both legal and political. Republicans asserted their right to obtain documents needed for an investigation of Operation Fast and Furious — focusing on 10 months in 2011 after the Obama administration initially denied guns were allowed to 'walk' from Arizona to Mexico. By year's end, the administration acknowledged the assertion was wrong. President Barack Obama asserted a broad form of executive privilege, a legal position designed to keep executive branch documents from being disclosed. The assertion ensures that documents will not be turned over any time soon, unless a deal is reached between the administration and congressional Republicans. In debate, however, Republicans framed the issue as the need for closure for the family of Brian Terry, a Border Patrol agent killed in December 2010 in a shootout with Mexican bandits. Two guns from Fast and Furious were found at the scene. Democrats said the contempt issue was a political stunt to embarrass the Obama administration in an election year, and added that holding the attorney general in contempt will do nothing to bring closure to Terry's family. For the past year and a half, . some Republicans have promoted the idea that Holder and other top-level . officials at the Justice Department knew federal agents in Operation . Fast and Furious had engaged in gun-walking. Attorney General Eric Holder testifies on Capitol Hill in Washington. In email exchanges with subordinates in February and March 2011, Attorney General Eric Holder expressed concern that something might have gone wrong in Operation Fast and Furious . Two . of Holder's emails and one from Deputy Attorney General James Cole in . early 2011 appear to show that they hadn't known about gun-walking but . were determined to find out whether the allegations were true. "We need answers on this. Not defensive BS. Real answers," Holder wrote. The . Justice Department showed the e-mails on Tuesday to Republican and . Democratic staffers of the House Oversight and Government Affairs . Committee, whose chairman is Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., in an effort . to ward off the criminal contempt vote against the attorney general. The . full contents of the emails were described to The Associated Press by . two people who have seen them. Both people spoke on condition of . anonymity because they were not authorized to speak about them publicly. Holder . has refused to turn over these and other communications unless the . oversight panel dropped its subpoena for the records — a condition . unacceptable to Issa. The . department withdrew the Feb. 4 letter denying gun walking took place on . Dec. 2, 2011, after documenting what had taken place not only in . Operation Fast and Furious, but in three other gun-walking operations . going back to 2006. In . Operation Fast and Furious, agents of the federal Bureau of Alcohol, . Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in abandoned the agency's usual . practice of intercepting all weapons they believed to be illicitly . purchased. Instead, the goal of the tactic known as "gun-walking" was to . track such weapons to high-level arms traffickers who had eluded . prosecution and to dismantle their networks. Gun-walking . long has been barred by Justice Department policy, but federal agents . in Arizona experimented with it in at least two investigations during . the George W. Bush administration before Operation Fast and Furious. The agents in Arizona lost track of several hundred weapons in that operation. Under pressure: The censure of Attorney General . Eric Holder (pictured), in which a number of Democrats are poised to . join Republicans, is a major embarrassment for President Obama . The high-stakes fight could jeopardize the jobs of some top Justice Department officials if Congress ultimately finds that they were hiding some important information related to Fast and Furious. Conversely, Republicans could be embarrassed if nothing turns up and they devoted so much time and energy amid the need to help the struggling U.S. economy - the top priority of voters in the run-up to the November 6 presidential and congressional elections. The National Rifle Association, a powerful lobbying organization that opposes gun regulation, has made the Holder contempt move a top priority. It has warned all 435 House members that a vote against the contempt citation would be a black mark against them. Republican Darrell Issa testifies to the House Rules Committee about a proposed vote to find U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress during a hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 27 . The NRA has argued that Fast and Furious was actually a back-door move by the Obama administration to lay the ground for new gun regulations by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, which ran the southwest border gun-running investigation. Obama administration officials point out that the Justice Department already has released more than 7,000 documents to Issa's committee and that they showed that top officials in Washington initially knew little about Fast and Furious, which was hatched by law enforcement officials in Arizona. House Democrats, meanwhile, have complained that Issa has rejected their calls to investigate Bush administration gun probes similar to Fast and Furious. House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio (left) defended the decision to find Holder in contempt while Republican Elijah Cummings (right) is seen testifying to the House Rules Committee . The fight between Republicans and Holder escalated last week, after the White House exerted 'executive privilege' over the post-February 4, 2011, documents, saying they were protected communications that any administration needs as part of its deliberative process. Issa's committee, in a partisan vote last week, charged Holder with contempt after negotiations to resolve the dispute failed. House Republican leaders immediately announced that the full House debate and vote would come quickly. While contempt of Congress charges generally are aimed at forcing officials to produce information to Congress, legal experts point out that they are very hard to enforce and the action could bring months or years of litigation and stalemate.
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The Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted 255-67 in favor of finding Holder in contempt of Congress .
No sitting Cabinet member had ever been found in contempt by Congress before today .
100 Democrats led by Congressional Black Caucus members, as well as House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi walked out and refused to vote .
Overshadowed the U.S. Supreme Court's upholding of President Obama's controversial healthcare law .
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69,045 |
c3cab987782a4000e5509103687bfbfe1de6e583
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By . Richard Hartley-parkinson and Allan Hall . PUBLISHED: . 08:06 EST, 9 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:54 EST, 10 May 2012 . The crisis threatening Greece's Euro membership tonight deepened after a second attempt to end a crippling political deadlock by forming a coalition government failed. This latest blow came after German politicians broke ranks and actively demanded that Greece gets out of the eurozone. The calls come amid a meltdown in financial markets across the globe and the common currency sinking further against the pound. No deal: Radical Left party leader Alexis Tsipras, left, leaves a meeting with New Democracy leader Antonis Samaras, right after failing to reach an agreement to form a coalition government and end the country's political deadlock . Greece now looks set to have to hold a second general election after Radical Left leader Alexis Tsipras gave up on attempts to raise enough support for his anti-austerity agenda. Tsipras, whose party was the surprise runner-up in weekend national elections, has been seeking support for a left-wing government that will reject the terms of Greece's international bailout - which critics say will lead the country out of the euro. Tsipras, 38, told a meeting of party . lawmakers: 'We saw that our proposal enjoys broad social support but . weak parliamentary backing. ‘We can't make our dream come true and . form a left-wing government.’ Tsipras was given the presidential mandate on Tuesday and tasked with forming a government after first-placed conservative leader Antonis Samaras - who backs the country's international bailout terms - failed to do so within hours of getting the mandate on Monday. Next in line is Socialist leader Evangelos Venizelos, Greece's former finance minister. If he also fails, the president will host party leaders in a last-ditch effort to avoid new elections next month. Antonis Samaras, leader of the New Democracy party, left, failed to reach agreement with Alexis Tsipras, head of the left party PASOK, right, during a bit to try and see if there is any possibility of forming a government . The pound is going strong against the euro as it reached a three-and-a-half-year high today . If he also fails, elections will be called in three or four weeks in the hope of breaking the deadlock. Venizelos said he would continue the search for a coalition when his turn comes but there seems little space for compromise between pro and anti-bailout forces, almost equally balanced in parliament. ‘We must form a government and give the country prospects for the future, hope and security,’ Venizelos said . Yesterday, Tsipras said Greece should . pull out of its bailout commitments, saying the financial pain hitting . ordinary Greeks has been too high. Samaras . stressed it was imperative for the country to remain in the euro. Although he has called for the bailout terms to be renegotiated, he said . pulling out completely would be disastrous. Portugal has axed four of its 14 national holidays in an attempt to boost the economy. They have been axed for a five-year period in the hope that extra working time will help boost GDP. The Catholic holidays All Saints Day and Corpus Christi have been scrapped. The day off to commemorate the formation of Portugal also goes - as does the day to celebrate independence from Spain. The Catholic Church reached an 'exceptional understanding' with the state over axing the holidays, the Diario de Noticias newspaper reported. Public sector wages have already been cut and taxes increased to reduce the budget deficit. Portugal accepted a £63bn bailout from the EU and the IMF last year. On . the markets the Euro Stoxx 50 index of eurozone bluechip stocks was . down 1.2 per cent on the back of the deadlock in the Greek government. There were also very slight losses on the FTSE100 and French CAC 40. The German Dax was up 0.32 percent after falling earlier. Spain's financial markets were also shaken as investors were worried about the fallout from Greece's political crisis and awaited details of the Spanish government's latest plan to shore up the banking sector. The yield on Spanish 10-year bonds rose to 6.02 percent by late afternoon, a jump of 0.24 percentage points on the day and uncomfortably high. Bond yields indicate the rate the government borrows at when it taps financial markets. Just . a few weeks ago it would have been heresy for Chancellor Angela . Merkel's supporters to suggest that Greece throws in the towel - but not . any longer. 'We should make . Greece the offer to leave the eurozone in an orderly fashion, without . leaving the European Union,” said Klaus-Peter Willsch, the budgetary . expert for Merkel's CDU party. He . told Wednesday’s business daily Handelsblatt it was 'not up to the . Germans to tell the Greeks how to live,' but that weekend election . results indicated they were 'not willing' to implement the . Berlin-dictated savings course. 'The dogma that no country can leave the eurozone has already caused too much political damage in Europe,' he added. President Karolos Papoulias, right, has given Tsipras, left, the mandate to try to form a government . Michael Meister, deputy chairman of the CDU in parliament, said; 'It is clear that if the new Greek government, contrary to expectations, does not keep to the contracts, it will have to accept the consequences already announced.' Frank Schäffler, a finance expert . from the CDU’s coalition partner the Free Democratic Party, also said he . was open to a possible exit of the Greeks from the eurozone. 'One must . be prepared,' he added. 'The government should now, at the very latest, draw up a plan B.' Germany's Michael Meister, pictured, said that if Greece fails to keep its side of the deal it will have to face the consequences . The head of economics at the Ifo Institute for Economic Research in Munich, Kai Carstensen, said: 'It is absolutely correct to develop a Plan B which would enable the exit of Greece in the most orderly fashion . 'At the moment that which many have feared is happening – the necessary internal devaluation through wage and price reductions is politically barely tenable.' Greece is in its fifth year of recession with unemployment at 20 percent – and had committed itself to earmarking in June another €11.5billion in savings over the next two years. All bets are off after the weekend vote which saw people vote against more austerity. Germany's Der Spiegel magazine ran the headline yesterday 'Welcome to Weimar' in an essay about Greece - a reference to the post WW1 republic in Germany that collapsed under chronic debt triggered by the Great Depression and which ushered in the Nazis. Alexis Tsipras, leader of Greece's Radical Left Coalition party (SYRIZA), has said that the recent Greek elections rendered the bailout agreement invalid, which sent tectonic shocks to stock markets around the world, including London. Germany has warned that it must stick to the savings course if it wants to remain in the euro. 'Greece must know that there is no alternative to the agreed to restructuring arrangement, if it wants to stay a member of the euro zone,' said ECB board member Jörg Asmussen. He said it country risked missing a 130 billion euro tranche of bailout money due soon if it backed away from the previous savings agreement. Sunday's parliamentary elections in Greece left the country with no clear winner, as voters rejected mainstream pro-austerity political parties, and split their votes among several splinter parties, ranging from the extreme left to neo-Nazis.
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Euro falls against pound and dollar as unease for single currency grows .
Stock markets across the world go into meltdown .
Left wing leader Alexis Tsipras fails in attempts to form coalition and break political deadlock .
German politician: 'We should make Greece the offer to leave the eurozone in an orderly fashion'
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e8d818aae499c01149927e59d08a0d42eec673ac
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Demossville, Kentucky (CNN) -- The U.S. special operations teams that led the American invasion in Afghanistan a decade ago did something that no American military had done since the last century: ride horses into combat. "It was like out of the Old Testament," says Lt. Col. Max Bowers, retired Green Beret, who commanded the three horseback teams. "You expected Cecil B. DeMille to be filming and Charlton Heston to walk out." Bowers spoke while sitting in the rural Kentucky studio of sculptor Douwe Blumberg, along with three of his former "horse soldiers." They, along with 30 fellow commandos on horseback, are the inspiration for a new monument that Blumberg is creating, dedicated to the entire U.S. special operations community. The statue is scheduled to be erected across from the World Trade Center site in New York on November 11, Veterans Day. The artist rounded up these "horse soldiers" to share their personal stories and mission photos as inspiration for the 18-foot, bronze monument. "It was unbelievable in 2001," Master Sgt. Bart Decker says to Blumberg. Decker, the team's Air Force Special Operations combat controller, who is now retired, sports a Fu Manchu-style mustache. "We all looked at each other [and said] 'We're witnessing a cavalry charge!' " he said. Blumberg listens in awe to the elite fighters in his art studio. He says he felt compelled to sculpt the monument after then-Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld first held up a photo of these special operations forces on horseback in northern Afghanistan during a 2001 news conference. "The image, I think, typifies the special operations mission of get the job done, however you have to do it, adapt, overcome," the artist tells Bowers and his fellow fighters. That image has also captured the imagination of Hollywood blockbuster producer Jerry Bruckheimer, who's making a movie based on the mission as told by Doug Stanton in his New York Times best-selling book, "Horse Soldiers: The Extraordinary Story of a Band of U.S. Soldiers Who Rode to Victory in Afghanistan." Blumberg learns that the inspirational photo was shot by one of the "killer elite" sitting casually in front of him in his art studio. The horse soldiers' stories . "If we wanted to move, horses were the only way," said Master Sgt. Chris Spence, the team's communication sergeant, who serves with 5th Special Forces Group. "Nobody will believe this! (So) I take my camera and (shoot) that photo." Bowers points at that famous photo, explaining to Blumberg: "The Afghans and intelligence officers (CIA) are clotted up in front together, and all our guys are spread out in a wedge behind them." For most of the Americans, it was their first time on a horse. But, their mission was critical: synchronize tribal warfare against Taliban and al Qaeda enemies by riding with, and advising, rival Northern Alliance warlords. 5 voices on Afghanistan success . The artist touches a bridle and an Afghan saddle the team brought from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, which are registered with the Smithsonian Museum. One of the nation's leading equestrian sculptors, Blumberg is fascinated with the little-known details of these special operators' horseback mission in the steep, mountain terrain of Northern Afghanistan. "Were you worried about the footing of the horse?" the sculptor asks the team. "Absolutely," replies Decker, the Air Force combat controller. "They were trying to scramble up the rocks, and their hooves, their shoes were sparking. You were worried about sliding off anytime, but you had to keep going." In the male-dominated Afghan culture, all war horses are stallions; there were no mares. The team tells the artist the stallions were constantly biting, kicking and rearing. "It was like riding a bobcat," Bowers says. "That's another big reason we separated, especially at night, when we're walking on that ledge, because you put two horses together, all they wanted to do was fight. You look down at the left side, there's a 500-foot drop-off," Decker adds. "It was a sheer cliff," explains Sgt. 1st Class Joe Jung, the team's Green Beret medic and sniper, who currently serves at U.S. Army Special Operations Command. "If someone would have fallen off, we would not have known," Master Sgt. Chris Spence says. That almost happened to Jung. When his horse slid backward, he jumped off, and the horse landed on him. "It was the first week. Winded up breaking my back," Jung says quietly. The sculptor's eyes are wide; his hand rubs his chin. "So, you rode the rest of the mission with a broken back?" Blumberg asks. "Correct," Jung answers, "Two shots of morphine to relieve the pain, and get back on the horse. I would not allow myself to be the weak link. It's not in my nature, and it's not in any Green Beret's nature." Jung and the others were each handpicked for this special operation by Bowers, who carried a piece of the World Trade Center during their entire mission advising the rival Northern Alliance warlords. "There were suspicions about our motives," Bowers says to the artist. "I pulled the bent piece of steel out and showed it to them [and said,] 'This is why we're here: We simply want to ensure that it's not a sanctuary for terrorist forces that have attacked the United States.' " Blumberg looks through the men's photos of the aftermath of a major battle in Mazar-e Sharif showing bodies and rubble from Air Force bombs. He realizes at that point just how tough the special operations forces' mission was, right after the September 11 attacks. Afghan man reflects on war, 10 years later . The battlefield is far removed from his studio, littered not with the carnage of war but with the dust and scraps from his sculpture. After that Mazar-e Sharif battle, as Green Beret medic Jung was treating wounded prisoners at a prison camp, he recalls hearing an odd voice nearby. "The accent was not there. Something just didn't sound right, it just didn't add up," he says. He got up and told the American intelligence agents who were questioning other prisoners. A linguistics specialist came over to help Jung treat another patient. "He was listening to the conversation [and] immediately scooped him up," Jung recalls. "It turned out to be Walker." It was John Walker Lindh, the so-called American Taliban from California. Blumberg sits forward in his chair. To him, the idea that an American was fighting alongside the men who helped carry out the 9/11 attacks is unthinkable. Months later, after the Taliban regime had fallen, the special operations teams chose Mazar-e Sharif -- the site of one of their fiercest battles and where CIA officer Mike Spann became the first American killed in action in Afghanistan -- to bury the piece of the World Trade Center that Bowers had carried their entire mission. "We took this piece of steel, put it in a body bag, folded American colors over it as when we lay our heroes to rest at Arlington," Bowers explains to Blumberg. "We thought that this piece of the World Trade Center [should] be buried in a spot that was full of al Qaeda terrorists and memorialized." The monument takes shape . Ten years later, these horse soldiers' stories will be memorialized in Blumberg's monument across from the World Trade Center site. It will be unveiled during the November 11 Veterans Day parade, with the help of New York City firefighters, police officers, other emergency responders and Port Authority members. "It will pay tribute to all U.S. special operations forces," Blumberg tells the team. "It will give New Yorkers an opportunity to honor the veterans who, worldwide, acted as New York's 'second responders' directly after the attack." Members of Wall Street banking firms, who were personally affected by the attack at the World Trade Center, commissioned the artist. They ask to remain anonymous, so the focus stays on the meaning of the monument. "They are an ad hoc group of grateful Wall Street bankers who personally survived and lost friends and many associates in the 9/11 attacks," Blumberg says. "They, and their community surrounding the World Trade Center, were permanently affected by the event. No public funds are being used." In a Manhattan office, two of those individual supporters are helping organize this at a grass-roots level. They say that after the attacks, and the years of war that followed, their families and friends across the country asked them: Where could they go to remember the U.S. troops overseas who are trying to tackle potential terrorist threats, every day? "We wanted to do something for the special operations community and all military service branches, because every day since 9/11, we've had to look at that hole in the ground," one of the private backers says. A piece of World Trade Center steel may be embedded in the monument's base. The statue will be installed on private property, owned by a supportive firm, close to ground zero. Back in Kentucky, Blumberg asks the horse soldiers assembled in his studio if they are concerned about whether anti-military groups, or detractors, will criticize the monument as glamorizing warfare. "It's just not about the soldiers that have fallen, it's about those that were in the towers, those that were on Flight 93, and the Pentagon; the children that lost their mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters," medic Jung tells the sculptor. "What everyone needs to know is: There are people out there like this team, like the Green Berets, that are willing to sacrifice at all costs for them." Spence, the communications sergeant who shot the photo that originally compelled the artist, agrees. "These are the guys that have your back. These are the guys that are now watching an eternal vigil over ground zero. The falling of these towers launched us off on horseback. Now, we're watching over you, and we have your back. That's what this statue is symbolizing."
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U.S. special operations forces invaded Afghanistan in 2001 on horseback .
It was the first time the U.S. military had done so since 1942 .
The "horse soldiers" are being memorialized in a new monument .
It will be unveiled at the World Trade Center site in November on Veterans Day .
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c733c2c1aa2b997854cc8026d88e70e73660ee38
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If Arsenal need a boost after their pre-season defeat against New York Red Bulls, they'll get it in the shape of Alexis Sanchez this week. In the grand scheme of things their 1-0 loss to Thierry Henry's side in New Jersey doesn't mean an awful lot. But if there were any glum faces on the six hour flight back to London on Sunday morning, the sight of their new £30million man should turn those frowns upside down. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Thierry Henry get emotional about about Arsenal in interview . Netted: Bradley Wright-Phillips scores against Arsenal . New York Red Bulls (4-4-1-1): Robles (Meara 81); Duvall (Kimura 77), Olave (Armando 46), Sekagya (Miazga 61), Miller (Alexander 46); Sam (Lade 81), Cahill (Bustamante 62), McCarty (Bover 70) , Oyongo; Henry (Luyindula 54); Wright-Phillips (Akpan 46). Subs (not used): Castano, Eckersely, Obekop, Stevenson. Goals: Wright Phillips 33' Arsenal (4-3-2-1): Szczesny (Martinez 46); Jenkinson (Bellerin 46), Hayden (Miquel 46), Monreal, Gibbs; Arteta (Diaby 46), Wilshere (Coquelin 46), Ramsey (Flamini 46); Zelalem (Akpom 46), Cazorla (Olsson 71 ); Rosicky (Toral 71). Attendance: 25,219 . Sanchez is due to report to London . Colney to start pre-season this week, with French duo Mathieu Debuchy . and Olivier Giroud due to follow soon after. Arsene Wenger takes his side to their annual Austrian training camp tomorrow afternoon knowing his squad is slowly taking shape. Defeat, . albeit in a friendly is never ideal, but their whistlestop tour of the . Big Apple was always more about commercial gain than football. Wenger . started with a strong starting XI, Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta, . Wojciech Szczesny, Santi Cazorla and Aaron Ramsey all selected. With Giroud still on his summer holidays, Wenger's lack of options at centre-forward saw Tomas Rosicky start as a lone striker. But it was the hosts who carved out the first chance, with no prizes for guessing who was at the forefront of the move. Henry's . perfectly timed run was spotted by former Leeds winger Lloyd Sam, but . for once the Frenchman's finishing was wasteful as he fired wide. Old friends: Thierry Henry embraces Arsene Wenger . Control: Santi Cazorla takes on Ambroise Oyongo . Clutched: New York Red Bulls goalkeeper Luis Robles claims the ball at Jack Wilshere's feet . Commitment: Henry tackles Wilshere . High riser: Goalscorer Bradley Wright-Phillips gets up for a header . Cazorla . stroked a curling effort from the edge of the area just wide before . Henry turned provider for Bradley Wright-Phillips - Gunners legend Ian . Wright's adopted son - in the ninth minute but the former Manchester . City missed the target. You . couldn't help but smile when Tim Cahill clattered into close friend and . ex-Everton team-mate Arteta in midfield, before Ramsey's strike from . Rosicky's pass rolled just wide of Luis Roble's far post. After . an action packed opening, the encounter started to settle down, though . flashes of Henry magic was enough to keep the crowd interested. And the the MLS side took a deserved lead in the 33rd minute through Wright-Phillips. Predictably, . Henry had a hand in the goal, his corner causing havoc in the Gunners . defence before Wright-Phillips nipped in front of Szczesny to toe-poke . home with a finish his dad would have been proud of. Wilshere, . making his first pre-season appearance of the summer, went close to . levelling five minutes later after a brilliant one-two with Gedion . Zelalem, but his effort from eight yards was brilliantly saved by . Robles. The England . midfielder, intent on getting back into Wenger's good books after his . infamous trip to Las Vegas, went close again four minutes before the . break - but his goalbound strike from the edge of the box was blocked by . Cahill. Wenger made a host of substitutions at half-time, among them French duo Abou Diaby and Mathieu Flamini. And the changes nearly paid instant dividend, when Chuba Akpom set up Cazorla only for the Spaniard to fire straight at Robles. Harried: Aaron Ramsey is fouled by Tim Cahill . Claim: Wojciech Szczesny rises highest to catch the ball . Tangle: Cahill battles for the ball with Arsenal's Gedion Zelalem . Henry, as you would expect, was given a standing ovation as he was substituted in the 54th minute. And . Arsenal nearly took full advantage of the Red Bulls talisman's exit . when Diaby, put through by Francis Coquelin, stroked the pall past . Robles - but the effort was ruled out for offside. But . the visitors' bright second half opening gradually waned, despite the . efforts of the impressive Coquelin in central midfield. Akpom . raced through with 12 minutes left on the clock, but with just Robles . to beat the Gunners choked in front of goal leaving the goalkeeper to . make a comfortable save. But . the hosts should have sealed victory just a minute later when . substitute Peguy Luyindula sent his free header over the bar after Ruben . Bover's cross.
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Bradley Wright-Phillips scores as New York Red Bulls beat Arsenal .
Thierry Henry lined up for the MLS side against his former club .
New signing Alexis Sanchez set to join up with squad this week .
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Andy Lee went through eight-and-a-half long years of a pro career before finally getting his hands on the middleweight championship of the world. He is now adamant he won’t let go of his WBO title without a hell of a fight, no matter who the challenger — and he is determined to make sure the defence takes place on home soil. Early signs point to former British Olympian Billy Joe Saunders to be the challenger, the undefeated European champion and mandatory challenger for the belt, but while the opponent may seem certain, the venue, at present time, most certainly is not. Andy Lee celebrates his win over Matt Korobov after their fight for the vacant WBO middleweight title . Billy Joe Saunders may be the challenger - but he'll have to travel to Ireland to do so . ‘It’s got to be in Ireland. It’s the biggest place, the biggest sell — the biggest possible arena for it,’ said Lee following his sixth-round stoppage win over the previously undefeated Matt Korobov, a fellow southpaw, in Las Vegas on Saturday night. ‘I’m the champ, I’m not going outside of Ireland, he can come to me if he wants to fight me, that’s it,’ added Ireland’s latest world champion, our 21st to hold a legitimate title, before the gentleman of Irish boxing added with a laugh: ‘Come try and take this belt away!’ The Limerick native (now 34-2 as a pro) was in celebratory mood from the moment referee Kenny Bayless had called a halt, at one minute and 10 seconds of round six in the Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas arena, after Korobov (now 24-1) had been overwhelmed by a fighter who would not be denied. The Russian, a two-time world amateur champion, had left himself open for a vicious right hook, which has now become a trademark for Castleconnell man Lee. Arguably more impressive, however, was the flurry of punches delivered by the determined 30-year-old, throwing around 18 unanswered blows to force Bayless to step in, with his 31-year-old opponent in no state to defend himself. ‘We were trading and a lot of the times he was having the better of it but my right hook is a killer punch. I thought he wasn’t going down but I wasn’t taking any chances,’ said Lee following the win, immediately giving thanks to friends, family and supporters, but reserving special praise for two men in particular. Until Lee stopped the unbeaten man, the fight had been tentative with neither fighter able to make his mark . Referee Kenny Bayless steps in to end the fight as Korobov looks stunned while Lee races to celebrate . One was trainer Adam Booth - a calm presence in Lee’s corner, betraying the mood of the fight up until that point, as his man, frankly, looked to be on his way to a lopsided points loss. Lee had connected with just 23 per cent of his punches (to Korobov’s 35 per cent), although he had landed 55 shots to the Russian’s 48. Korobov had just about edged five close rounds, with Lee possibly in with a shout for one or two, but Booth obviously knew something we had not. Lee’s other inspirational figure was obviously looking down on him, and will cash in a lucrative docket if St Peter keeps a book open for boxing’s dear departed. The late Emanuel ‘Manny’ Steward had touted Lee as a world champion from the day the young Limerick man turned pro under him in 2006. ‘I would like to say thank you to my manager (Booth), who has done so much for me over the last couple of years, but it’s also for the man who made me, Emanuel Steward,’ said Lee, speaking to HBO TV in the ring after the victory. ‘We spent seven, eight years together and he said I would win a world title. His wife, Marie, came here today, flew all the way from Detroit, so from everybody from Detroit and Kronk [Gym], thank you very much.’ The fight heats up in the middle of the ring and Lee was soon to finish it altogether with his stoppage . Thanks were also given to his wife, Maud, and a small but vocal Irish singing section. His patriotism was a notable theme of his immediate post-fight interview with HBO TV, climaxing with a roar of ‘Up the Irish — Get in!’ Later, speaking to iFilm London, Lee was keen to emphasise that he had won the title as an Irishman first and foremost when addressing unconfirmed reports that he is the first fighter from the Travelling community to win a world title. ‘Yeah, I don’t know if that’s true — maybe the Hiltons of Canada, it could be one of them,’ said Lee, a settled Traveller. ‘It [the title] is for me, for my family, for Adam, for his family. It’s a good achievement, I don’t know how long it’s been since Ireland has had a middleweight champion and I’m very proud to be a champion from Ireland.’ Lee lands a left hand on Korobov as he came into his own as the fight approached the halfway mark . No bonus points for that answer — Steve Collins claimed his first world title at 160lb after a fifth-round stoppage win over Chris Pyatt in 1995. It took the Dubliner seven-and-a-half years and two failed title challenges before reaching the Holy Grail. Lee was forced to wait a year longer, having been voted as champion elect by everyone from Steward to the vast majority of Irish boxing aficionados after becoming an Olympian in 2004 at the Athens Games. ‘There’s times when you don’t [think it will happen],’ said Lee, ‘but you have to persevere… If you keep working hard every day and remain focused on what you want to achieve, you’ll get it eventually.’ He got it, alright — in style.
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Andy Lee won the vacant WBO middleweight belt in Las Vegas on Saturday .
Irish boxer defeated Russian Matt Kobarov .
Billy Joe Saunders may be the challenger for the belt .
But Lee vows that fight will only take place on his shores .
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29a6d375c4e03220c8949ead18ab674bcda68860
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By . Jack Doyle and Matt Chorley . PUBLISHED: . 03:14 EST, 12 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:18 EST, 12 October 2012 . Heroin addicts should be handed free tin foil, to encourage them to smoke rather than inject the drug, the Government’s drug tsar said. Prof Les Iversen, chairman of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs, said inhaling heroin was safer than injecting it - because it removes the risk of catching dangerous diseases from needle sharing. Drug addicts can already access free needles and syringes from the NHS, and Prof Iversen said tin foil should be added to the list of approved paraphernalia. Prof Les Iversen said using foil to inhale heroin was safer than injecting it. This photograph is posed by a model . He said: ‘We recommended that aluminium foil should be part of legal paraphernalia. 'Heroin addicts and other injecting drug addicts can already obtain needles, sterile water and alcohol wipes etc legally so we’ve suggested that foil should be added to that list. ‘Foil can be used as a way of smoking heroin instead of injecting it and is thus considered safer, avoiding the hazards of injecting with possibly contaminated needles. ‘We’ve been subjected to a number of questions from the Department of Health about the safety of smoking versus injecting, and we are still waiting a response. 'We’ve been promised one by the end of the month.’ The Home Office insisted heroin is 'extremely harmful' but ministers will consider the advice. Prof Iversen said aluminium foil should be part of legal paraphernalia . Figures last month showed heroin usage had stabilised at 0.1 per cent of the population in 2010-11. But the number of people using methadone, which is prescribed by doctors as an alternative to heroin, has gone up from 0.1 per cent to 0.2 per cent over the last two years. Prof Iverson said the provision of foil to heroin users would reduce the risk of infection, cutting costs for the NHS. He added: ‘I think it’s a good idea because it avoids the harms associated with injecting drug use, both infection at the site of injection and also the danger of transmitting viral and bacterial disease. ‘That can certainly lead to a large charge for the National Health Service and if we can find a safer way I think we should use it.’ A Home Office spokesman said: 'Heroin and crack cocaine are extremely harmful and cause misery to communities across the country. 'The government is considering the advice of the Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs and will respond in due course.'
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Professor Les Iversen says aluminium foil should be 'part of legal paraphernalia'
Head of Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs argues idea would reduce infections, saving the NHS money .
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137,481 |
3dcda50b5b26506351aad8762820d2b43a3a6aa9
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By . Paul Bentley . PUBLISHED: . 10:24 EST, 11 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:20 EST, 11 June 2013 . Settling down in her kitchen with a cup of tea one morning last October, mother-of-two Mandy Brazil sat back and switched on Lorraine. It is a routine she has performed hundreds of times before - but this time it would save her life. After watching a special edition dedicated to spotting hidden signs of breast cancer, Mrs Brazil became concerned she might be showing symptoms of the disease and immediately booked herself an appointment with her GP. Mandy Brazil, 47, was diagnosed with breast cancer after seeing the symptoms on a special edition of morning TV show, Lorraine. After watching the programme she immediately made an appointment with her GP . Mrs Brazil (pictured before her diagnosis) realised she had the symptoms mentioned on the programme - these included a nipple suddenly inverting, dimpling around the nipple and pain in the breasts or armpits . Tests subsequently revealed she did, in fact, have a tumour and after chemotherapy and surgery she is now celebrating defeating cancer because she caught it early. A lump or an area of thickened tissue in the breast. A change in the size or shape of one or both breasts. Discharge from either nipple. A lump or swelling in the armpit. Dimpling of the skin of the breast. A rash on or around the nipple. Changes to the appearance of the nipple. Pain in the breasts or armpits. Source: NHS Choices . Mrs Brazil, who owns a lighting business with husband Glen, 51, says she owes her survival to Lorraine Kelly and Dr Hilary Jones, the on-screen expert with whom she discussed breast cancer on the show. ‘If it hadn’t been for me watching that edition of Lorraine I might have waited to go to the doctor and the cancer would have spread without me knowing,’ she said. ‘I now say that Lorraine and Dr Hilary saved my life.’ Mrs Brazil, 47, had ignored her . symptoms for months until she watched the ITV show that morning last . autumn, in which Lorraine, 53 - who has long supported cancer charities - . urged viewers to check themselves for abnormalities. As . part of a ‘breast awareness week’, the show discussed hidden symptoms - . such as women suddenly developing an inverted nipple, dimpling around . the nipple and unusual pain in the breasts or armpits. Mrs Brazil (pictured with husband, Glen, before her diagnosis) has endured surgery to remove the tumour, chemotherapy and radiotherapy . Mrs Brazil, from Redditch in . Worcestershire, was concerned she had two of the three symptoms and . booked an appointment with her GP. She was then referred to a specialist . and had a mammogram which revealed she had a 10p-sized cancerous tumour . behind her right nipple. She was treated with chemotherapy and had the tumour removed by operation in November. As a result of catching the cancer early, Mandy avoided having a full mastectomy. Yesterday she described the moment it dawned on her that she might have breast cancer. Mrs Brazil says she owes her survival to Lorraine Kelly (left) and . Dr Hilary Jones (right). During the show, Lorraine discussed breast cancer with the on-screen expert . ‘I generally always have the telly on . in the background in the morning while I’m pottering about in the . kitchen and settle down with a cuppa to watch Lorraine. ‘At . that time they were doing a breast awareness week and Dr Hilary Jones . was being interviewed and explained the symptoms and warning signs. ‘I . knew myself there was something wrong but had tried to ignore it up . until that point - I didn’t have any lumps so I thought it couldn’t be . cancer. ‘But they started talking about three different symptoms and I realised that I ticked two on the list.’ She added ‘Watching Lorraine and Dr Hilary gave me the nudge I needed. I said to my husband: “I need to get this looked at”. ‘I . thought: “I’ve got to face up to this” but when I got the news that . they had found a tumour my feet didn’t quite touch the floor. ‘They found cancerous cells in my lymph nodes so got me straight on to the chemotherapy. Mrs Brazil is going to appear on Lorraine next week to thank the presenter and Dr Hilary Jones for saving her life . ‘Luckily my body responded really well to the treatment and I only had to have a lumpectomy rather than a breast removal which was a huge relief.’ Last week Mrs Brazil completed an intensive course of radiotherapy to reduce the risk of the cancer coming back. To mark the end of her treatment, her daughter Kelly, 26, is running in her local Race for Life this Sunday to raise money for Cancer Research. And next week, Mrs Brazil is joining Lorraine on the sofa to thank her and Dr Hilary in person. ‘I’m so grateful to them. I think I’ll give them both a big hug. I just hope women everywhere check themselves regularly. It takes five minutes but can save your life,’ she added.
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Mandy Brazil, 47, saw edition of Lorraine dedicated to highlighting symptoms .
Realised she had some of the symptoms, so made appointment with GP .
Diagnosed with cancer and had surgery, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy .
Says that she credits Lorraine Kelly and Dr Hilary Jones with saving her life .
Symptoms highlighted include sudden inverting of nipple, dimpling around the nipple and unusual pain in the breasts or armpits .
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9543e5a3972c2a2f0fea0b4be1d7de71253ddb21
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A Massachusetts man said he was in 'complete shock' upon discovering that he was likely the father of at least two of four children authorities took from the house he shared with his girlfriend, and where the corpses of three infants were discovered. That man is the live-in boyfriend of Erika Murray, 31, now being held on felony charges including concealing fetal death and permitting substantial injury to a child after in the wake of the horrific August discovery of three infant corpses in the house on 23 St. Paul Street. Ramon Rivera III's reaction was relayed to reporters by a friend who wished to remain anonymous but said he spoke with the accused shortly after Rivera met with the state Department of Children and Families. The live-in boyfriend of Erika Murray, 31, says he was shocked to learn he's likely the father of her four surviving children . The anonymous source told The Boston Globe that for the last three years he had a regular seat at a card game held in Rivera and Murray's basement. On August 28, four living children ages 5 months and 3, 10 and 13 years were taken from the home. They are now under the supervision of the Department of Children and Families. The remains of the infant corpses were discovered on Wednesday and Thursday. Rivera was asked to meet with authorities shortly after the bodies were recovered. Simply cleaning the home took 90 hours at an estimated cost of $25,000. Upon learning that the two youngest children were definitely his - and that the older two likely were as well - Rivera's friend said he was 'in absolute, complete shock.' Both 'condemned' and 'keep out' signs are attached behind police tape to the front door of a house where a Massachusetts prosecutor said the bodies of three infants were found . 'Just like everyone else, he also thinks he should have known. She had everybody fooled,' the anonymous source said. Rivera is charged with growing marijuana in the house's basement. He has not, however, been charged in connection to the squalid conditions on the house's second floor where the children were kept. 'He wants the truth to be his support,' the friend said. Rivera also claimed to have been ignorant of the second floor's state as he often slept on the couch in the basement. Boyfriend Ramon Rivera has not been charged in connection to the squalid conditions on the house's second floor where the children were kept . There is a separate basement entrance that Rivera and his friend regularly used for card games. Murray had recently started working at Shaw's after a job at McDonald's where she and Rivera had both worked. While she had recently lost weight, friends say her home wasn't as bad as authorities have reported. 'She seemed a little lost,' said former co-worker Sabrina Wilson, 29. 'Like she was missing something.' Wilson agreed that Rivera spent most of his time in the basement, retreating from the family. 'He'd get home, give her a kiss, talk to the kids, see how their day at school was, and go to the basement,' she said. Police have been called to the house for several incidents over the last decade. Calls at the house resulted in reports on several occasions between October 2000 and March 2007, often relating to Rivera. The house is owned by Rivera's sister, Kristin Rivera. Calls at the house resulted in reports on several occasions between October 2000 and March 2007, often relating to Rivera. In May 2005 she was listed as 'calling party' in an incident where a child playing with the phone dialed 911. Another child's absence from school resulted in a police call in 2005. Murray talked to police about a 'medical transport of another party' in 2007. She called police again in May to complain about a dead cat on the sidewalk. 'While we will all wonder what could have been done to prevent this terrible tragedy, our officers continued to do their jobs well, and no one could have predicted the scene that investigators would find last week,' said Police Chief Ross Atstupenas.
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Ramon Rivera III may be father of all four of Erika Murray's four surviving children .
Rivera was confronted by authorities after three infant corpses were found in Murray's house.
Rivera was her live-in boyfriend .
Murray, 31, has been charged with concealing fetal death and permitting substantial injury to a child .
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Judges at the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal have controversially overturned the convictions of two Croat generals for crimes committed against Serbian civilians. The decision has sparked an outcry in Serbia where politicans accused the court of ‘selective justice’. Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic condemned the ruling, saying the tribunal had ‘lost all its credibility’ amid warnings the ruling raised questions about the handling of cases in The Hague and could bring into the open the thinly concealed animosity between the two Balkan neighbours. Controversial: Judges have overturned the convictions of Ante Gotovina (left) and Mladen Markac (right) for crimes committed against Serbian civilians. The decision has been met with anger in Serbia . ‘What happened (in the court) is a testimony to the selective justice which is worse than any injustice,’ he declared. The decision, by a 3-2 majority in the five judge appeals chamber, is one of the most significant reversals in the court’s 18-year history and overturns a verdict that dealt a blow to Croatia’s self-image as a victim of atrocities, rather than a perpetrator, during the Balkan wars in the 1990s. Neither Ante Gotovina nor Mladen Markac showed any emotion at the decision, but their supporters in the court’s packed public gallery cheered and clapped as Presiding Judge Theodor Meron ordered both men freed immediately. Gotovina and Markac were sentenced to 24 and 18 years respectively in 2011 for crimes, including murder and deportation. Judges ruled both men were part of a criminal conspiracy led by former Croat President Franjo Tudjman to expel Serbs. No credibility: Deputy Prime Minister Rasim Ljajic condemned the ruling . But the appeals judges said prosecutors failed to prove the existence of such as conspiracy, effectively clearing Croatia’s entire wartime leadership of war crimes in the operation known as Operation Storm. Some 600 Serbs were killed and more than 200,000 were driven from their homes during the operation when Croat forces retook the Krajina region. Gotovina’s and Markac’s convictions were one of the few at the tribunal set up in 1994 to punish perpetrators of atrocities against Serb civilians. Gotovina is especially popular among Croatian nationalists. The charismatic former soldier fought in the French Foreign Legion in the 1980s and spent four years on the run from justice before being captured in the Canary Islands in December 2005. The verdicts against the two generals had triggered anti-Western sentiments among nationalist Croatians ahead of the country’s planned European Union entry in July 2013. After the convictions last year, thousands of Croatian war veterans massed in Zagreb and ripped EU flags and denounced Croatia’s leaders who have made EU membership their goal. Yesterday there was jubilation in the Croat capital Zagreb where thousands of people - many dressed as war veterans - burst into applause after the verdict was announced. ‘Our generals are heroes because they risked their lives to save our country and liberate the people,’ student Andjela Anic, 26, said. But in Belgrade, the Serbian capital, the acquittals enraged hard line opponents of the U.N. court in who accuse its judges of anti-Serb bias - a kangaroo court, they say, whose main aim was to vilify and convict Serbs. Serbian President Tomislav Nikolic said : ‘It is now quite clear the tribunal has made a political decision and not a legal ruling. The ruling will not contribute to the stabilisation of the situation in the region and will open old wounds.’
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Ante Gotovina and Mladev Markac showed no emotion at the decision .
Sentenced to 25 and 18 years in 2011 for crimes, including murder .
Deputy PM Rasim Ljajic condemned ruling saying tribunal had 'lost all its credibility'
Decision is one of the most significant reversals in court's 18-year history .
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Floating in the middle of the sea, the first thing we noticed was the vast expanse of tarmac, roughly the size of three soccer fields. And then we heard the loud blasting sound of fighter jets preparing to take off. This was one of the world's most powerful warships, the Nimitz-class 'super carrier' USS George Washington, which the CNN crew and members of other media organizations were granted a rare opportunity to visit this weekend. After climbing up the equivalent of an eight-story building, staircase after staircase, one narrow hallway after another, we finally arrived at the "bridge," an elevated tower containing the command control center on the aircraft carrier. The U.S. nuclear-powered carrier was in the waters off the Korean peninsula for a routine patrol mission, which followed a trilateral "search and rescue" drill between the U.S., South Korea and Japan. The drill drew harsh rhetoric from North Korea earlier last week, warning the U.S. of a "horrible disaster" and claimed that its troops are on high alert to promptly cope with "blatant provocations." Standing on the flight deck of the USS George Washington, I realized North Korea probably had good reason to be on edge. The USS George Washington can carry about 80 aircraft, launch tactical fighter jets towards any location and is equipped with various types of missiles. Known as a "floating military base", it can also accommodate more than 6,000 crew, serve 18,000 meals per day and even has live broadcast television on the vessel. Back on the bridge, we saw fighter jets take off one after another at an impressive pace. This, I was told, was the work of a deck catapult, which slings the fighter jet forward, generating enormous speed. We experienced just that. Ending the tour, we strapped ourselves into a propeller-powered, windowless plane. After a roaring sound, the plane took off at an enormous speed, faster than any roller coaster ride I had been on. Training to go supersonic with South Korea's Top Guns . CNN reporter learns to fly supersonic .
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Rare visit to USS George Washington, one of world's most powerful warships .
Aircraft carrier in waters off Korean peninsula for a routine "patrol mission"
It is home to up 6,000 crew and 18,000 meals are served a day .
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Sports stars and their Twitter accounts…sometimes brilliant, occasionally controversial, often fist-bitingly ill-advised. From Mario Balotelli’s request for a kiss from the Queen, to the poignant #putoutyourbats Tweets in honour of Phillip Hughes, 2014 has been an eventful year for famous athletes and their social media accounts. Here are the highlights (and lowlights) from the past year. Funnies . Mario Balotelli’s expert trolling of Manchester United after their shock 5-3 defeat by Leicester became the most retweeted tweet from a sports star in 2014. Liverpool forward Mario Balotelli mocked Manchester United after they fell to a 5-3 defeat against Leicester . George Groves was searingly honest following his defeat by Carl Froch in front of 80,000 fans at Wembley in May. You did get 'knocked the **** out,' George! George Groves had a laugh at himself following defeat by Carl Froch in May . Colombia got knocked out by Brazil, James Rodriguez tweeted: ‘I can only say thank you Colombia.’ Not many failed to notice the massive grasshopper on his arm. After Colombia's defeat by Brazil, Rodriguez tweeted this, unknowingly with a grasshopper on his right arm . Balotelli again, and this time he was demanding a very particular prize if he helped England into the last-16 of the World Cup. Unfortunately he failed. Balotelli cheekily tweeted that he wanted a kiss from the Queen if Italy beat Costa Rice in the World Cup . After Rory McIlroy dumped Caroline Wozniacki days after sending out wedding invites to friends, our Queen of Twitter got a (small) measure of revenge with this dig at McIlroy’s height. Caroline Wozniacki sent out a sarcastic tweet mocking her former partner Rory McIIroy's height . Michael Owen. Need we say more? Michael Owen again gave us an indication into his exciting lifestyle in October as he discussed boring films . Celebration time . The most retweeted tweet on World Cup final day, Lukas Podolski celebrates winning the World Cup with Bastian Schweinsteiger on the Maracana turf. Lukas Podolski celebrates with team-mate Bastian Schweinsteiger after Germany won the 2014 World Cup . The man who scored the winner on the biggest stage of them all takes a World Cup trophy selfie. Mario Gotze - Germany's World Cup winning hero - celebrates with a selfie including the prestigious trophy . After winning his second Formula 1 world championship, Lewis Hamilton seemed almost in disbelief. Lewis Hamilton expresses his delight at recording his second Formula 1 world championship last month . Commiserations . Mere hours after helping Germany humiliate Brazil in perhaps the biggest shock in football history, Mesut Ozil offered his condolences. Germany playmaker Mesut Ozil pays his condolences to Brazil after his side's 7-1 thrashing against them . Despite being attacked with a large pair of teeth by one Luis Suarez, Giorgio Chiellini found it within himself to forgive the Uruguayan frontman. Italy defender Giorgio Chiellini says there are no hard feelings towards Luis Suarez after that bite in Brazil . Controversies . After Lewis Hamilton shocked Rory McIlroy be beating him to the BBC Sports Personality of the Year, Joey Barton explained why he thought the Formula 1 world champion was undeserving of the award. Joey Barton ridicules the notion of 2014 Sports Personality of the Year being awarded to Lewis Hamilton . Rio Ferdinand replied to some ‘banter’ by insulting a Twitter user’s mum. The QPR defender was given a three-game ban by the FA for using the word ‘sket’ – a slang term for a promiscuous woman. Rio Ferdinand received a three-game ban after this controversial tweet he posted in September . Radamel Falcao is proving a rather expensive occasional footballer for Manchester United. But two days before his switch to Old Trafford, the Colombian seemed to think he’d got his dream move to Real Madrid. The post was quickly taken down and Falcao denied he ever sent it… . Radamel Falcao denies he ever posted the above tweet about his delight at joining Real Madrid - before signing for Manchester United two days later . Mario Balotelli’s endless off-field problems culminated in an incredibly ill-advised Instagram post containing anti-Semitic comments. The Italian later apologised, but was forced to serve a one-game ban. Balotelli apologised for the controversial Instagram post via his Twitter account earlier this month . And finally . Australia cricketer Phillip Hughes tragically died after being fatally hit on the head by a delivery. IT worker Paul Taylor tweeted this, starting an international trend as sports stars, celebrities and fans alike all paid their tributes. IT worker Paul Taylor started a worldwide trend in memory of Phillip Hughes by putting a bat outside his home .
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Sportsmail's pick of the most memorable tweets of 2014 .
Mario Balotelli unsurprisingly features in the list after series of tweets .
The Liverpool forward requested a kiss from the Queen and mocked Manchester United after their shock 5-3 defeat by Leicester in September .
Caroline Wozniacki takes a dig at her ex-boyfriend Rory McIIroy on Twitter .
Lukas Podolski and matchwinner Mario Gotze post memorable selfies on the social networking site after World Cup triumph against Argentina .
IT worker Paul Taylor started worldwide trend #putoutyourbats following tragic death of Australian cricketer Phillip Hughes .
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f72eba272a841494917d64f7d1f4f6f2231949eb
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(CNN)Ask a New Zealander what happened on June 10, 1886, and they'll tell you the planet lost its "eighth wonder." The Pink and White Terraces of Lake Rotomahana were the world's largest silica towers and the South Pacific's biggest 19th-century attraction until a massive eruption at Mount Tarawera that momentous day blasted these natural wonders into oblivion. Out of that same eruption, however, a new wonder of the world was born. Waimangu Geyser roared into existence hurling black mud and sand some 1,500 feet (460 meters) into the sky, making it the most powerful geyser the world has ever seen. This new attraction ignited a whirlwind of global interest in New Zealand's volcanic North Island until it, too, vanished off the face of the earth in 1904 after a landslide changed the water table. The Pink and White Terraces and Waimangu Geyser may be lost forever, but their impression on tourists of the time is well documented. They are but two of many attractions of yesteryear that can now only be appreciated in the pages of a history book. Here's a look at 10 others. The current Penn Station may be a charmless catacomb of labyrinthine low-ceiling hallways, but New York's first Penn Station was a lavish masterpiece of the Beaux Arts style. The original facility's domed ceilings, soaring archways and handsome columns welcomed more than 100 million passengers each year during the station's golden era in the mid-1940s. But by the end of the 1950s, the dawn of the Jet Age and the birth of the Interstate Highway System took a heavy toll on visitor numbers. Plans for the new Penn Plaza and Madison Square Garden were announced in 1962, and a year later, the original Penn Station was knocked to the ground to make room for a smaller facility underground. The demolition of Penn Station in 1963 was not without controversy. The New York Times questioned at the time how the city would "permit this monumental act of vandalism against one of the largest and finest landmarks of its age of Roman elegance." The whole affair is regularly cited as the catalyst for the modern historical preservation movement in the United States. Within a decade of Penn Station's demolition, Grand Central Terminal was protected under New York City's new Landmarks Preservation Act. Guaira Falls was easily the most powerful cataract in the world in terms of total volume with 1,750,000 cubic feet of water passing through each second. That's more than double the flow of Niagara Falls and more than 12 times that of Victoria Falls. But good luck finding any trace of Guaira underneath the Itaipu Dam. More than three decades have now passed since one of the world's greatest waterfalls was drowned to pave the way for a massive hydroelectric project. This natural wonder, lost to the world in 1982, once lured hordes of local and international tourists to the Upper Parana River at the Brazil-Paraguay border. It contained 18 falls in total with a drop of about 375 feet, and its deafening roar could be heard from up to 20 miles away. At least three Globe theaters have graced the shores of the River Thames over the past five centuries. First there was the original Globe, built in 1599 by William Shakespeare's playing company, the Lord Chamberlain's Men. A fire destroyed it during a performance of Henry VIII on June 29, 1613, but a second Globe Theatre opened on the same site exactly one year later. It, too, closed in 1642 amid an outcry by Puritans who were opposed to theatrical performances. The legacy of the first Globe Theatre and the iconic plays it debuted to the world lives on at the modern reconstruction, known as Shakespeare's Globe, which opened its doors in 1997 approximately 750 feet from the original theater. When Sutro Baths first opened to the public in 1894, the three-acre complex housed a staggering seven pools (at varying temperatures) under a massive glass enclosure with springboards, high dives, slides and trapezes. The facility could hold as many as 10,000 people at one time and also had several non-aquatic attractions such as a natural history museum with Egyptian mummies and a sculpture gallery with artifacts from Mexico and China. The oceanfront property ensconced in the rocky San Francisco coast was considered a playground unlike any other the world had ever seen. Its Achilles' heel, however, was an outsized price tag to match its ostentatious offerings. With exceedingly high operational costs, the Baths were never a commercially successful business -- even after owners turned the pools into ice skating rinks during the Great Depression. The facility shut down for good in 1964 and was destroyed in a fire two years later. Its remains are now protected as part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. In an 1839 fairy tale called "The Garden of Paradise," Hans Christian Andersen describes a teenager named East Wind who flies home from the East and tells his mother, "I came back from China, where I danced for a while around a tower of porcelain and rang all the bells." The Danish author's fable may be a fantasy, but the tower of porcelain bricks was no figment of his vivid imagination. Considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages, the Porcelain Tower of Nanjing was built by the third emperor of the Ming Dynasty in the early 15th century and rose from a 97-foot octagonal base to a height of 260 feet. This glossy nine-story pagoda soared above the south bank of the Yangtze River in Nanjing for more than four centuries before it was destroyed under the Taiping Rebellion of the 1850s. Its rubble remained relatively untouched until 2010 when a businessman donated $156 million (the largest single donation in Chinese history) to rebuild the medieval icon. The New York Hippodrome was billed as the largest theater in the world when it opened to the public in midtown Manhattan in 1905, featuring a 100-foot-by-200-foot stage and the capacity to seat up to 5,300 spectators. This mammoth attraction lured the biggest acts of the day such as Harry Houdini and the "Jumbo" musical, but, like San Francisco's Sutro Baths, it racked up a hefty upkeep bill. Just 17 years after the Hippodrome opened, its owners refashioned the Moorish-style building into a vaudeville theater. Five years later it became a movie theater, then an opera house and finally a sports arena. The doldrums of the Great Depression dealt one final blow to the facility and it was torn down in 1939 to make way for an office building and parking garage. The Chacaltaya Glacier lies 17,400 feet up in the Andes and was once one of Bolivia's top tourist attractions, luring skiers the world over with the promise of tackling earth's highest ski run. Thanks to global warming, however, the 18,000-year-old wonder has been reduced to a few lumps of unskiable ice that no visitor would go out of their way to see. In its prime it had the first rope tow in South America (built in 1939) and the highest ski lodge in the world, at an elevation greater than Everest Base Camp. Chacaltaya was the closest ski area to the equator before it indefinitely closed in 2012. Known as the "bridge of ice" in the local Aymara language, Chacaltaya is but one of many glaciers currently retreating toward almost certain oblivion. Walt Disney World's very first water park, River Country, is looking anything but jolly these days after lying abandoned on the shores of Bay Lake, Florida, for more than a decade. The "old-fashioned swimming hole," replete with swings, slides and whitewater rafting, closed for annual maintenance in 2001 never to open again. Park officials cited declining business after 9/11 and the success of Walt Disney World's two newer water parks, Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach, as reasons for their decision. Bay Lake is also home to the only other Disney park to close permanently: Discovery Island. This abandoned (but not demolished) zoological park was yet another 1970s-era attraction that lost favor with visitors and eventually closed to the public in 1999. All animals were relocated to new homes at Disney's Animal Kingdom, a much larger zoo that opened in 1998. A warning to any urban explorers out there: Disney employees still monitor both River Country and Discovery Island for trespassers. Like the operas that brought its audiences to tears, the story of the Royal Opera House of Valletta is fittingly tragic. Designed by Edward Middleton Barry in the 1860s, architect of the Royal Opera House in London's Covent Garden, it was the crowning jewel of Malta's capital city for just six years before a fire gutted the interior. It was resurrected from the flames four years later, but tragedy struck again during World War II when the Royal Opera House received a direct hit from an aerial bomb. A few columns remain in place on the corner of Strada Reale, forming a backdrop for the open-air Royal Piazza Theatre, launched within the ruins of the Royal Opera House in 2013. Jonah's Tomb in Mosul, Iraq, is the newest addition to this list and one of a series of attractions lost to war. Militants with the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, or ISIS, planted explosives in July 2014 around Mosul's oldest mosque, which is traditionally held to be the burial place of Jonah the Prophet. Jonah is a key figure in both Christianity and Islam who, according to Islamic and Judeo-Christian traditions, was swallowed by a whale. His tomb was a popular place of pilgrimage and joins a growing list of holy sites deemed idolatrous under the puritanical strain of Islam practiced by ISIS. Mark Johanson is an American travel and culture writer based in Santiago, Chile.
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Unlike the current commuter hub, New York's original Penn Station was a lavish Beaux Arts masterpiece .
Guaira Falls was once the most powerful cataract in the world .
The Porcelain Tower of Nanjing was considered one of the Seven Wonders of the Middle Ages .
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By . Adam Shergold . PUBLISHED: . 11:06 EST, 20 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:41 EST, 22 November 2012 . This is the heart-warming moment a young orangutan called Terusan bounds joyfully into the Indonesian wild for the first time, his arms waving excitedly above his head. Even the cameraman struggles to keep up with the thrilled ape as he heads out to explore his new surroundings, to the obvious delight of his carers from the Borneo Orangutan Survival (BOS) Foundation. Terusan was one of 21 orangutans released into the wild at the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest earlier this month and their reactions - joyful, uncertain, apprehensive - were all caught on camera. And he's off! The cameraman can barely keep up as a young orangutan called Terusan bounds off into the Indonesian wild for the first time, running from the cage as soon as it is opened . No stopping me now! Terusan can't contain his excitement as he sprints off to explore his new environment at the Bukit Batikap conservation forest, to the obvious delight of his carers . The five mothers and their babies had been looked after at the Nyaru Menteng orangutan rescue and rehabilitation centre for several years and many had never experienced the wild. They were taken into rehabilitation as young orangutans who, although born wild, found themselves in captivity. It can take up to 12 years to prepare them for life in the wild, but pictures like these make all the work worthwhile. Another one shows Leonora and her baby . Lamar who, unlike the other orangutans, didn't have to be sedated for . the long plane and helicopter journey to the release area. Instead, the mother picked up her baby and walked calmly into the travel container without any fuss. Once . released, all the orangutans wasted little time in getting to know . every tree and branch of their new home - with some even making nests. Visit the Orangutan Protection Foundation's website at www.opf.org for more information. This is all new to me! Jamiat takes a good look at his new home before slipping out of the crate. He was one of 21 orangutans released into the wild by the Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation . New home: Leonora and her baby Lamar needed no encouragement to jump in the crate to the release area and were the only orangutans who didn't need sedation for the plane and helicopter journey . Not hanging around: Sif and Sifa get to grips with their new habitat and seem to have wasted no time in finding a branch to swing from . Not sure about this! Little Sifa looks a bit nervous as he embarks on the move from the Nyaru Menteng rescue centre to the conservation forest . Hold on tight: Baby Embong clings on to his mother Emen with more than a glint of anxiety in his eyes as they prepare to make their big move into the wild (left), but once there they didn't hesitate in finding a nice tall tree to climb (right). But while Emen is looking for a higher vantage point, little Embong just can't look down... They will now be monitored closely for up to a year to make sure they can fend for themselves. Meanwhile, the BOS Foundation is just starting its valuable work. Over . the next three years, they have more than 600 orangutans to release . from Nyaru Menteng in order to meet a government target to return all . rehabilitated orangutans to the wild. Bungaran Saragih, chairman of the BOS Foundation Board of Trustees, said: 'I have a mixed feeling of joy and sadness. 'I . feel sad for us to be separated from the orangutans we have cared for, . but I am also excited that 13 orangutans from the 21 to be released have . all successfully progressed through our reintroduction programme in . Nyaru Menteng.' What a view! All the orangutans were transported to the conservation forest by helicopter (left). Once there, Chanel surveys the panorama of the forest canopy but her baby Charlie only has eyes for the camera in front (right) Monkeying around: Embong climbs on his mother Emen's back for a better look around... but she doesn't look too pleased to be carrying the extra weight . King of swing: Leonora and Lamar take a whistlestop tour between the branches as they get to know their new territory . All in a tangle: Giant the orangutan seems right at home as she frolics amongst the vines and branches deep in the forest cover . A quick peep: Deep in the jungle, Emen and Ebong's crate is opened up and they get their first taste of freedom in the wild . The big move: Garu is wide-eyed in anticipation as he climbs into a crate for the journey into the wild . Time to go: Workers at the rescue centre ensure the sling load around one of the crates is nice and tight as they prepare to transport the 21 orangutans by helicopter . On our way: One of the apes is loaded onto the back of a pick-up truck en route to the helipad . No fuss: Leonora came out of her enclosure at the centre without any difficulties . Not letting go: Baby Embong clings to the belly of his mother as they're carried to transport waiting to take them to the helipad . Helping hand: Leonora didn't need any sedation to be lifted into the crates, instead walking calmly there with her baby . Out of it: Charlie though needed a little medical help to get through the journey and was sedated before lift-off .
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Five mothers and their 16 babies were released into the Bukit Batikap Conservation Forest in Indonesia .
One of them, Terusan, bounded from his crate with arms waving in wild excitement, to the delight of his carers .
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London (CNN) -- WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange urged the world Saturday to "stand with" Edward Snowden, the man who admitted leaking top-secret details about U.S. surveillance programs, according to the text of a speech posted on Twitter. As he appealed for a "brave country" to step forward and offer Snowden asylum, Assange also accused U.S. President Barack Obama of betraying a generation of "young, technically minded people." Assange was scheduled to speak from the balcony of the Ecuadorian Embassy in London on Saturday, but the appearance was postponed at short notice "due to a security situation," WikiLeaks said on Twitter. Wednesday marked a year since Assange sought refuge in the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden, where he is wanted for questioning over allegations that he raped one woman and sexually molested another. Assange has repeatedly said the allegations in Sweden are politically motivated and tied to the work of his website. Ecuador's government granted him asylum in August, but British authorities have said they will arrest him if he leaves the premises. As a result of his decision to seek refuge in the embassy, "I have been able to work in relative safety from a U.S. espionage investigation," said Assange, according to the text of the speech. "But today, Edward Snowden's ordeal is just beginning." Assange to Snowden: 'Go to Latin America' Assange's words came hours after Snowden was charged by U.S. federal prosecutors with espionage and theft of government property, according to a criminal complaint unsealed in U.S. District Court in Virginia on Friday. Snowden, 30, has admitted in interviews that he was the source behind the leak of classified documents about the NSA's surveillance programs. Those leaks were the basis of reports this month in Britain's Guardian newspaper and The Washington Post. He is believed to be in hiding in Hong Kong. The United States has asked authorities there to detain the former National Security Agency contract analyst on a provisional arrest warrant, The Washington Post reported, citing unnamed U.S. officials. Assange, in his published speech, said the espionage charge had come "like clockwork," making Snowden the eighth "leaker" to be charged with that count by the Obama administration. "Two dangerous runaway processes have taken root in the last decade, with fatal consequences for democracy," he said. "Government secrecy has been expanding on a terrific scale. Simultaneously, human privacy has been secretly eradicated ... The U.S. government is spying on each and every one of us, but it is Edward Snowden who is charged with espionage for tipping us off." Also among the eight "leakers" is WikiLeaks source Bradley Manning, Assange said. Manning is being court-martialed on charges he aided U.S. enemies by leaking documents he obtained as an Army intelligence analyst. Prosecutors: Bradley Manning 'craved' notoriety . He named the others as Barrett Brown, Jeremy Hammond, Aaron Swartz, Gottfrid Svartholm and Jacob Appelbaum. Assange suggested Obama was the real "traitor" for his failure to live up to his promises of hope, change and transparency in government. And he warned that the U.S. government will lose the battle if it tries to take on the tech-savvy people now calling its actions into question. "Edward Snowden is one of us. Bradley Manning is one of us. They are young, technically minded people from the generation that Barack Obama betrayed. They are the generation that grew up on the Internet, and were shaped by it," he said. "The U.S. government is always going to need intelligence analysts and systems administrators, and they are going to have to hire them from this generation and the ones that follow it. "One day, they will run the CIA and the FBI. This isn't a phenomenon that is going away." Assange added that charging Snowden "is intended to intimidate any country that might be considering standing up for his rights" and appealed for efforts to find asylum for him to be intensified. Guardian newspaper: UK security agency has spy program, shares data with NSA . CNN's Susannah Palk contributed to this report.
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Assange says President Obama has betrayed a generation, according to the text of a speech .
"Edward Snowden's ordeal is just beginning," Assange says of the NSA leaker .
Snowden is charged by federal prosecutors with espionage and theft of government property .
"This isn't a phenomenon that is going away," says Assange of young, tech-savvy leakers .
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London (CNN) -- Cyber security is big news right now. It seems a new high-profile breach is reported almost daily and yet this represents only the very tip of the iceberg. Backed by a highly organized black market worth billions of dollars, cybercrime has grown exponentially in scale and sophistication in recent years. In the face of this mounting threat, government and industry are manning the defenses. But finding the right people to protect some of our most valuable data isn't straightforward and requires a new approach. Over the past three years I have competed in a unique set of security games, backed by UK government, industry, academics and professional bodies, known as the Cyber Security Challenge. This aims to find talented amateurs by testing their skills with realistic competitions. Read more: International cyber attacks on the rise . In my time playing the Challenge I have come face to face (or face to screen) with many dangerous viruses and computer code, and defended networks from simulated live-hacking attempts carried out by the UK's leading cyber defense experts. Last week, I was fortunate enough to be crowned the UK's cyber security champion. It's an experience that has taught me much about the skills required to defend a computer system, but also about the difficulties the industry faces finding people with these skills. This is a major problem as cyber-attacks become more frequent and threaten us on various levels. The first aspect is the threat posed to the internet-using public. Scam emails and infected websites still represent a major source of income for cyber criminals. From a technical point these threats are easily solved through freely available anti-virus software and the use of decent solid passwords for your online accounts. However, the attacks continue due to the ease of bypassing these defenses by compromising the user. Technical defenses are of little use if the user clicks on the wrong link or accepts security warnings automatically without question. The fact these scams are still out there shows they are still effective and we have some way to go to educate the public on safe use of the internet. Above this sits corporate and industrial vulnerability that threatens organisations' most valuable data -- be it financial records, customer data or intellectual property. The UK government has placed the potential cost of a single corporate cyber-attack in the hundreds of millions and it's not just traditional technology and internet-based companies that are at risk. Whether it is the pharmaceutical industry where I work, aerospace companies or even the food industry, all own private information that could be of significant value and potentially accessible for those who know how. The highest level of threat represents the potential for state-sponsored attacks and future "cyber warfare" exposing vulnerabilities of our critical national infrastructure to online attack. While the nature of this threat landscape is uncertain, the potential damage a cyber-attack could pose to our internet-dependent telecommunications, power and even water infrastructure, has seen cyber security rise sharply up government agendas around the world in the last five years. With cyber security a recognized priority at all levels of society, it is not that surprising that employers of this profession such as those I have met through playing the Challenge are on the lookout for new talent to fill increasing job vacancies. However they face their own challenge uncovering people for these jobs. Our education system in the UK has yet to catch up with a young, rapidly growing and ever-changing industry. My IT lessons focused on the use of software rather than its development or how to secure it. And while there are people who like me developed this knowledge and skills off their own back, there is still limited information out there about cyber security as a career option. I always saw it as more of a hobby, or a source of intellectual challenges, but never a genuine job possibility with the potential to progress upwards within a business or organization. This has all changed since playing the Challenge where the excitement of the profession, and the variety and diversity of employers has shown myself and many of the thousands of other Challenge participants, what this sector could offer them. The key is how they have gone about it using realistic and engaging games and exciting problem-solving activities developed by the professions themselves that inspire talented potential recruits to utilize and hone their skills to tackle real-life problems. While the Challenge won't solve our recruitment issues on its own it is vital that countries like the UK look outside of the traditional academic pathways if they are to build a healthy pipeline of cyber defenders to protect internet users from those that wish them harm. As someone with no formal training in this sector, I know as well as anyone that the skills for the good fight can be in anyone and as a nation we must not ignore this pool of untapped talent if we are to keep the internet a safe place for us all to enjoy. The views expressed in this column are solely those of Stephen Miller.
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Stephen Miller is the reigning UK cyber security champion .
Miller: Cybercrime has grown exponentially in scale and sophistication in recent years .
Cybercrime is backed by a highly organized black market and is worth billions of dollars .
Cyber security is often regarded as hobby for young people rather than "genuine" career .
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It's an issue that's rarely spoken about, but groundbreaking new research has revealed alarming statistics concerning intentional self-harm among young Australians. Children as young as three are deliberately harming themselves, with 8,227 admitted to hospital in the past five years for self-harm related injuries, the Children's Rights Report 2014 shows. The alarming report, which comes from The Children's Commissioner, also shows five Australian children aged between four to 11 have died from intentional self-harm in the past five years. The Children's Rights Report 2014 reveals Australian children as young as three are deliberately harming themselves . The Children's Commissioner Megan Mitchell said she was prompted to compile the report because there was a pronounced lack of data on self harm for these age groups. 'I really focused on children under 18 in this study to find out what's happening and find out how to support them better,' she told SBS. 'What that is telling me is that we need to be getting in much earlier in working with children to build their resilience; identifying risk factors and encouraging help seeking,' The study revealed some marked differences between genders, with boys are far more likely than girls to commit suicide than girls. Boys are also significantly less likely to seek help when experiencing hardships, however they are more likely to speak with someone over the phone, rather than the internet. The Children's Commissioner Megan Mitchell said she was prompted to compile the report because there was a pronounced lack of data on self harm for these age groups . The report showed were over 18,000 hospitalisations in Australia for self-harm among people aged between three and 17, with 82 per cent of these cases resulting from self-poisoning. 'We really need to mount that really strong research agenda in order to intervene at the right time and provide the right supports to kids that we know will work for them,' Ms Mitchell said. She has called for more detailed surveillance of self-harm and suicide among the age groups in the study.
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The Children's Rights Report 2014 reveals Australian children are deliberately harming themselves .
8,227 children and young people have been hospitalised for self-harm in the past five years .
Five of these children, aged between four and 11, died from the instances of self-harm .
Report showed were over 18,000 hospitalisations in Australia for self-harm .
The Children's Commissioner Megan Mitchell said there must be closer surveillance of self harm among these age groups .
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Horse-drawn carriage drivers are preparing for a fight after New York's mayor-elect Bill de Blasio said he wanted to outlaw the iconic rides when he takes office tomorrow. Mr de Blasio used his mayoral campaign to protest against the rides, saying it was not humane to have horses vying for space with traffic on the city's congested roads. But those who make a living out of ferrying visitors around the park say banning the carriages will damage tourism in the city. End of an era: Carriage rides through Central Park could be a thing of the past once Bill de Blasio takes office . At a press conference on Monday Mr de Blasio said ending the practice of horse-drawn rides, a $15 million a year industry in New York, was a priority. 'We are going to quickly and aggressively move to make horse carriages no longer a part of the landscape,' he said. 'They are not humane, they are not appropriate for the year 2014. It's over.' Many of the 200 or so people who make a living out of the carriage-ride industry have threatened to take legal action against Mr de Blasio and the city. 'You cannot just get rid of a business, a perfectly legal well-regulated … just because a few people don't like it,' Christina Hansen, a driver and spokeswomen for the industry, told the Daily News. 'If he wants to ban them because they're dangerous and inhumane, he needs to prove that.' Sid Kolo, of New York Central Park Tours, said the rides were part of New York history and had been going since the park opened more than 100 years ago. 'Inhumane': The mayor-elect has vowed to ban the tourist attraction, saying it is dangerous . Pledge: Bill de Blasio, due to be sworn in as New York Mayor on January 1, says banning carriage rides is a priority . 'People expect us to be here. It’s like taking away the Empire State Building. It’s the same as taking the [Christmas] tree from Rock Center,' he told NBC News. Animal activists however pointed out that everyone in the city traveled by horse-drawn carriage when Central Park was first opened. It wasn't until the 1940s that a New York mayor first issued permits for carriage rides as part of the tourist industry, according to the blog Carriage Horses NYC. Rights groups have also argued that the horses lead a dangerous life, vying for space on the city's congested roads with traffic, and being confined to small stalls at night. At least three horses have died in road accidents in the past seven years. Although the owners are required to give the horses five-week vacations out to pasture, many argue that isn't enough to protect their health. Tourists appeared divided by the . prospect of a ban. Some, such as Kathy and Keith Walker said they had . booked their ride before leaving Washington on vacation. But others on sites such as TripAdvisor welcomed the ban and expressed concern for the future of the horses and their drivers. Future of travel: A model of the electric cars rights group NY Class has suggested tourists could ride in instead . Mr de Blasio, who has hired a legal team to work on the ban, wants to replace the horses with antique-looking electric cars. He said he would work with the carriage owners to make sure tourists still have a way to enjoy a ride around the park. The city council will have to approve any ban before it can take affect.
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Mayor hires legal team to work on outlawing $15 million a year trade .
Drivers prepare to fight de Blasio over plans to remove horses from city .
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France is launching a counter-attack over fears it's losing its claim as the world's top culinary destination in an 'Anglo-Saxon plot.' The French government is so concerned they have called on two multi-Michelin-starred chefs to draw up battle plans. They hope to be able to challenge the nations who are disparaging their cuisine in a bid to 'dethrone' them as global masters of gastronomy. Star chefs Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy, who will be putting together a 20-point plan for the special report in January, have admitted that France's global culinary influence 'is no longer the same'. Star chefs Alain Ducasse (right) and Guy Savoy (left) will be putting together a 20-point plan for the 'gastrono-diplomacy' report in January . Foreign minister Laurent Fabius' 'gastrono-diplomacy' drive also includes plans to include radically easing immigration rules for cooks wanting to work with top French chefs, and a project to promote French cuisine in hundreds of embassies around the world. In the report seen by The Daily Telegraph, the chefs said: ''A feeling is setting in that the French, those lovers of good flesh, can no longer keep quality cuisine in their heritage except in certain good bistros that remain unknown or far from tourist paths.' 'We must react. How can French cuisine and wine re-enchant the world? 'We must start by highlighting our strong points and teaching the French to love their local soil and their country anew.' 'There is on the part of the Anglo-Saxons an attempt to dethrone us, to say that France used to be good but that it's lost its edge,' added Philippe Faure, a former French ambassador and ex-chairman of the Gault & Millau food guide. The chefs warned that citizens of France were beginning to feel their heritage of quality cuisine would only remain in good bistros far away from tourist traps . As part of the drive, the ministry will launch the Good France project in March which will see 1,000 chefs of different nationalities serve French food and wine in restaurants and embassies across five continents. The elaborate four course meals aim to emulate those of celebrated 19th century cook and culinary ambassador Georges August Escoffier. Unesco has named France's 'gastronomic meal' a world treasure and the country still welcomes more tourists than any other nation. But there are signs that its proud culinary reputation is beginning to diminish. Not a single French restaurant was made it into the top ten of this year's World's 50 Best Restaurant Awards which was instead dominated by Spain, the UK, USA, Brazil with Denmark as number one. Only five made it into the awards at all. The chefs claim the awards were unfairly influenced by the 'players that subsidise it' but admitted France's mid-to-low range restaurants, particularity in tourist traps like Mont Saint Michel or the banks of the Seine, let the country down. French Foreign minister Laurent Fabius has launched a gastrono-diplomacy' to regain France's title as world's top culinary destination . The pair have now put together a long list of recommendations for regaining the country's culinary crown. They include restricting the number of starters and main dishes to three to ensure high quality, and ensuring only local, fresh, non-industrial ingredients are used. 'Red-tape' around wine and draconian alcohol advertising laws should also be cut by the government. Stricter criteria should also be introduced on food with the 'home-made' label in restaurants which currently allows most frozen and vacuum-packed food. Finally, the chefs propose that winners of the 2015 edition of France's coveted Michelin guide should be announced in a star-studded event at the foreign ministry.
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France blames an 'Anglo-Saxon plot' for its ailing global culinary influence .
Diplomats are now launching an offensive to reclaim its gastronomic crown .
Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse and Guy Savoy are drawing up a battle plan .
Chefs concede country's culinary influence is 'no longer the same'
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(CNN) -- Looking like a tourist can cost you money and pride. Looking like a local can open you up to even greater harassment. Read our survivor's guide, split the difference and come away with your upper lip intact. 1. Getting around . Travel around the UK is relatively simple. Yes, they drive on the left, but don't be daunted. Most roads are so narrow that it doesn't make any difference which side you're on. Be prepared when driving distances of more than 20 miles. These can be epic undertakings on Britain's congested highways, but the misery of gridlocked traffic will be more than compensated for by road signs pointing to places with names like Ramsbottom, Throcking and Goole. Britain has an extensive and efficient rail network, which only ever grinds to a halt when the weather turns hot, cold, wet or dry. Tickets are expensive but you can find cheap fares by booking eight or nine years in advance of travel. Try: The Night Riviera sleeper train from London to Penzance then a drive or hike around the spectacular Cornish Coast. More: 10 of London's oldest, greatest pubs . 2. Climate . There are warm days in the UK, but you know you're in a damp country when the merest hint of sunshine is front page news. Britain has four seasons, and while the transitions between them can be pleasant, each is typically as wet, gray and cold as the last. All are considered by Brits to be "ice cream weather." Whatever the climate throws at you, be prepared for endless conversations about it. These needn't be dull since, like Eskimos with snow, Brits have a impressive lexicon for rain. If you hear the word "mizzle," it probably means a light shower. Or maybe a low quality Snoop Dogg track. Try: The Royal Botanic Gardens. Dazzling spring and fall displays, but enough hot houses to ward off the worst of the weather (Kew, Richmond, London; +44 20 8332 5655). More: The world's best city is ... 3. Royalty . Don't be duped by Downton Abbey. Britain has come a long way since the days when ordinary folk were awestruck by aristocracy. This is a modern country where all are born equal and social rewards are based on merit. This is why few British people bothered turning up when a blue-blooded chap married his sweetheart in 2011. It's why barely anyone noticed when she gave birth a couple of years later. And it's also why no one batted an eyelid when his flame-haired brother got naked in Vegas. OK, none of that is true. British people are as in thrall to their royal family as you are. And they're willing to sell you a Wills 'n' Kate souvenir tea towel with matching oven mitts to prove it. Try: Windsor Castle. Sprawling royal residence west of London where Queen Elizabeth II can occasionally be spotted in her natural habitat (Windsor, +44 20 7766 7304). More: Photos: Prince George's christening . 4. History . Britain has so many ancient attractions, it's hard to know where to start. And if you do manage to visit all the sites of historical interest, archeologists will simply dig up the bones of another 15th-century king from under a parking lot, just to annoy you. But since some Brits are only aware of two key dates -- a French invasion in 1066 and an England soccer World Cup victory 900 years later -- you don't need to try too hard to catch up. Try visiting the northern city of York, where you can wallow in 2,000 years of British history in one location. Or Bath, where you can do the same and also wallow in a nice thermal bath (Hot Bath Street, Bath; +44 844 888 0844). Try: York Castle Museum. Compelling and sometimes gruesome stroll down Britain's memory lane (York Castle Museum, York; +44 19 0468 7687) More: 5 travel relationship killers . 5. Tea . There may be coffee shops on every UK street corner, but Britain is resolutely a tea-drinking nation. Vast lakes of insipid infusions are consumed on a daily basis. Visitors will note the almost mandatory provision of a miniscule electric jug, or kettle, in every hotel room. It will take four hours to boil half a cup, but for many Brits this is an essential lifeline. There isn't any crisis they believe can't be solved with a nice cup of tea, and perhaps a biscuit. When preparing tea, there are rituals to be observed. Use boiling water and, if you must resort to tea bags, always add the milk last. Failure to do so will result in such distress that it may take another cup of tea to calm everyone down again. Try: For posh tea, try Fortum & Masons (181 Piccadilly, London; +44 84 5602 5694). For normal, head to the Regency Café (17-19 Regency St., London; +44 20 7821 6596). 6. Language . Even if you're fluent in English, you may experience linguistic difficulties in the UK. Regional dialects vary extensively in the space of a few miles, resulting in bafflement even among locals. If you can't understand what a British person is saying, it's fairly safe to assume it's either a). something about the weather (see climate above), or b). an apology. British people love apologizing: they're sorry to trouble you, sorry they can't be more helpful, sorry about the rain and sorry about invading your country in 1762, or whenever it was. They also love apologizing when it's not even their fault: they're sorry that you bumped into them, sorry you knocked them to the floor and sorry that you are repeatedly thwacking them over the head and telling them to stop apologizing. Be warned though, it's contagious. Try: Glasgow. Scotland's second city is reputedly the UK's politest. Perhaps it's the impenetrable accents. Or the awful weather. More: Want better sex? Travel more . 7. Cuisine . Britain's bland national diet has been revolutionized by South Asian migrants whose spicy concoctions are now firm favorites sold on every high street. Meanwhile, pubs that once nourished customers with despondent sandwiches are now studded with Michelin stars. But don't be fooled. They might pretend to love fine dining, but when on the hoof, many Brits still prefer to fill their faces with offal and saturated fat. Few journeys are made within the United Kingdom that aren't catered with sausage rolls, Cornish pasties and Scotch eggs. Visitors troubled by the sight of greasy meat should also be warned of three words that will strike fear -- if not full-blown cardiovascular seizures -- into their hearts: Full. English. Breakfast. Try: Offally good food: St. John Bar and Restaurant (St. John Street, London; +44 20 7251 0848). Offally average: Any branch of Greggs bakery. 8. Television . Be sure to take time out from your travels to sample a few hours of British television, but seek not the polished period dramas that are easily exported to other countries. Where British TV excels is in its celebration of the lives of ordinary, dare we say boring, citizens. The UK's three most popular soaps focus not on the beautiful or the damned, but on normal folk engaged in humdrum tasks like buying cheese, arguing about pottery or tending to their farms. Talking of farms, every spring since 2010 British television has dedicated numerous prime time hours to some of the best reality TV ever conceived: live coverage of the annual lambing season. Keep up with that, Kardashians! Try: Tour locations from the UK's sheep-heavy "Emmerdale" soap: dull plots, stunning scenery (Brit Movie Tours; +44 84 4247 1007)
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Tedious road journeys are offset with entertaining place names like Ramsbottom, Throcking and Goole .
Prepare for endless conversations about weather -- probably identical whatever season it is .
Coffee shops everywhere, but Britain is a tea-drinking nation. Vast lakes of insipid infusions are consumed daily .
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(CNN) -- My parents always told me I could do anything I wanted. They told me I could be anything I wanted if I studied hard, got good grades and treated people well. They were right. They never said to me, however, that I could have it all. The notion that women can have it all, in the way society defines "all," is a ridiculous myth. That's OK. What matters is I have my version of "all." What is easy to forget at the core of it is: What do we actually want? Not what does society expect from us. And not what do our mothers and fathers expect from us, though the latter helps shape our fundamental views on this subject. The real question is: What will make us happy? It sounds simple. But it is not simple precisely because there has been so much buildup of expectations from society as to what a good mother and a successful career woman should be. And none of it is based in reality. As a Latina mother of two young children, I have chosen to follow a tough, grueling, demanding, sometimes discriminating, yet very rewarding career in communications, politics, community advocacy and the private sector, beating back cultural pressure to marry and have children in my 20s and early 30s. Sandberg: Speak up, believe in yourself, take risks . To the chagrin of my mother, my own motherhood choices came later in life. I had my first child at age 38, after I was able to carve out quite a bit of career success. This gave me the ability to find an executive position with flexibility and autonomy, which helped ease the burden of guilt and pain when I first left my baby boy -- and later my baby girl -- to go back to work full time. I could not have done any of this without an amazing husband and partner who sacrificed some of his own professional ambitions to partly stay home with our children during their infant years. (What would my old-fashoined machista Colombian father think about that?) But no matter how nurturing and caring husbands are and how much we trust them to fulfill our children's every need, the pangs of a working mother never subside. Guilt pangs, pangs of wanting to be there to not miss a single thing, pangs of letting your children down because you are not at their side every waking minute. For those of us who have chosen to be working moms, the flip side is also true. When you do have the fulfillment of being at home with the kids, there is a slight pang of guilt nudging you to work on that memo, that proposal, read those news stories, think through that new client pitch. Just this week, I left an important annual dinner, full of rich networking opportunities, to be home for my son so he could finish a school project. The concept of "having it all" is individual. Maybe it means being all you can be in the choices you have made and ensuring you are doing your best in the role or roles you are carrying out. Maybe it means trying to have one piece at a time. I chose to focus on my career first, to establish myself and then have some flexibility to have a more fulfilling family life. But many women don't want to wait that long to have children, or worse, have waited only to find heartbreak when they try and cannot get pregnant. Some of my childhood friends chose the opposite timing. They had children early and now that their children are grown, they are focusing on fulfilling their professional dreams. Confessions of a busy mom: 5 lessons . Some of my friends have chosen -- gasp! -- to either not have children and focus 100% on their careers or to give up their successful and lucrative professions to dedicate themselves entirely to their families. Both are perfectly fine choices to make. Instead of judging the choices women make, we should rejoice in the fact that we have the ability to make these choices at all. I believe that true feminism does not lie in having to prove that we can be both doting mothers and high-powered career professionals at the same time and do both 100% well 100% of the time. We can't. No one can. Anyone who says differently is lying or not facing reality. The beauty of what the feminist movement has brought today's women is that these choices are available to us. My mother did not have the luxury to choose. She married my father and took care of us. She worked early on as a secretary, and enjoyed it greatly. Then my father demanded she quit to focus on the family. She did. When I found out this family lore, I was outraged, having been brought up by this same mother and father to be an outspoken, independent-minded woman. But then I had to take a step back and realize it was a different time, a different era and a different country. For me and my husband, it is important that in our choices we are setting examples for our kids that it is natural for girls to be strong leaders and for mothers and women to work in demanding careers, and for boys to be nurturers and for dads and men to be the primary care-givers, and vice versa. My hope is that this "dilemma" will not even be an afterthought for my daughter. That she will choose what makes her happy. And that will be the definition of "having it all." Work, family and 'leaning in': Seven families trying to make it work . We must acknowledge that many women, because of differing circumstances, may not have the luxury to make choices. We are fortunate to live in a country that allows many of us to pave our own way and to make the choices that are best for us, our families, and if we decide to have them, our children. We can embrace our choice, or change it along the way, in the pursuit of happiness. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Maria Cardona.
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Maria Cardona: The notion that women can have it all is a myth .
Cardona: The real question for every individual is what would make you happy?
She says choosing either career or motherhood first is OK; there is no one formula .
Cardona: Don't judge the choices women make, rejoice that we have many choices .
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(CNN)The next time Ernie Banks plays two -- something he enjoyed, feeling one baseball game a day wasn't enough -- it will be in the diamond in the sky. The former Negro League upstart turned Cubs legend turned favorite son of Chicago died Friday of a heart attack in the Illinois city, family attorney Mark Bogen said. It was a week shy of his 84th birthday. A public memorial will be scheduled, Bogen said. Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts described Banks as "one of the greatest players of all time." "Words cannot express how important Ernie Banks will always be to the Chicago Cubs, the city of Chicago and Major League Baseball," Ricketts said. "... He was a pioneer in the major leagues. And more importantly, he was the warmest and most sincere person I've ever known." "Approachable, ever optimistic and kindhearted, Ernie Banks is and always will be Mr. Cub." Farewell to 'Mr. Cub' Ernie Banks, an elegant ambassador and all-time great . The thing is, Banks wasn't just a great baseball player, but a great champion for his sport and adopted city. The Windy City's mayor, Rahm Emanuel, called him "one of Chicago's greatest ambassadors." Emanuel said, "He loved this city as much as he loved -- and lived for -- the game of baseball." And baseball loved him back -- not just for the player he was, but the man he was. This sentiment was evident on social media, with one man writing, "I've heard a lot of Ernie Banks stories in my life, a lot. But not one of them showed him in a negative way." One person tweeted that, like the recently departed Stan Musial, Banks was "never too big for fans." "Mr. Cub will play 2 today," wrote another man. "He's with the Angels now and hopefully he'll get a ring." That message alluded to the fact that Banks, despite all his stellar play over his career, never earned a World Series ring. In fact, the last time the Cubs won baseball's ultimate prize was 1908. But you'd never know it from Banks' omnipresent smile. He became the Chicago franchise's first black player in 1953. That happened three years after the Dallas native started his professional career in the Negro Leagues with the Kansas City Monarchs, then spent two years in the Army. After the Monarchs sold his contract to the Cubs, Banks jumped straight to the Major Leagues -- hitting .314 in the 10 games he played in that first season. He became Chicago's starting shortstop the next year, then had his real breakthrough in 1955 when he racked up 117 RBIs. His 44 home runs that season were at the time the most ever for a shortstop. (He hit 47 homers three years later, still a National League record for the position.) Banks kept it up as his career rolled along. Late umpire Tom Gorman once recalled that in 1957, pitchers Don Drysdale, Bob Purkey, Bob Friend and Jack Sanford knocked down Banks with pitches, according to a story on the Cubs' website. "And each time he was knocked down," Gorman said, "Banks hit their next pitch out of the park." The accomplishments piled up through Banks' retirement after the 1971 season: 2,583 hits, 11 National League All-Star selections, two of the league's Most Valuable Player awards, and 512 home runs, including five seasons hitting more than 40 homers. And in 1977, six years after his last at-bat, Banks was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. It's no wonder, then, that he was voted the "Greatest Cub Ever" in a 1969 Chicago Sun-Times fan poll. After all, he was known both as "Mr. Cub" and "Mr. Sunshine." Hall of Fame manager Leo Durocher, who was known for saying "Nice guys finish last," made an exception for Banks. "Banks is one nice guy who finished first -- but he had the talent to go with it," Durocher said. And this from sportswriter Arthur Daley: "He rejoices merely in living, and baseball is a marvelous extra that makes his existence so much more pleasurable." Bogen, the family lawyer, said that Banks "would go right up to people and ask about their families and how they were doing rather than baseball." "He wanted to know all about people's lives. Baseball was not the first thing he would talk about," the attorney said. "He cared about people." His work on and off the field led to his receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, in 2013. "To have this award passed on to me is certainly a great joy," Banks told CNN's Jake Tapper at the time. "It's something I'll never forget." The slugger left an impression on President Barack Obama and first lady Michelle Obama, too. In a White House statement Saturday, Obama noted how Banks -- who made $7 a day coming up through the Negro Leagues -- never lost "his cheer, his optimism, and his love of the game." "He was beloved by baseball fans everywhere," Obama said, "including Michelle, who, when she was a girl, used to sit with her dad and watch him play on TV." People we've lost in 2015 .
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Banks started in the Negro Leagues, played for Chicago from 1953 to 1971 .
He was known as "Mr. Cub" and "Mr. Sunshine" for his positive, warm demeanor .
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The Department of Veterans Affairs misled Congress and members of the media about how many veterans died or suffered serious harm as a result of extreme treatment delays, according to a new report by the department's top watchdog. The VA shared a fact sheet in April with Congress and the press that said 23 veterans died and a total of 76 suffered serious harm throughout the nation while waiting months or years for health care since 1999. But the report released Monday by the VA's Office of Inspector General highlights multiple errors with these findings and a lack of evidence for statements the VA released about them. Amongst the misleading facts highlighted in the report, the VA overstated the timeframe of its review by eight years, since the VA said it examined unresolved requests for health care since 1999, but in reality only examined requests dating back to 2007. Moreover, the inspector general says there may have been "overstatements or understatements" about the number of deaths or illnesses resulting from delays at specific VA hospitals and that the fact sheet contained a number of other errors. These errors also included an incident reported to have occurred at one VA facility when it actually happened at another, and the number of "institutional disclosures" -- where the VA admitted delays caused severe harm -- as being overstated at one facility. The report raises questions about how many veterans may have had their appointments erased by VA staff before they received treatment. The VA reported that between September 2012 and April 2014, the number of appointments delayed more than 90 days dropped from 2 million to less than 300,000, but the inspector general found that the VA did not document how staff members were closing these appointments and did not ensure veterans received the care they were waiting for. As a result, the inspector general could not determine what happened to 1.7 million appointments. VA leaders, including a top VA health official, Dr. Thomas Lynch, shared many of these statistics on patient deaths and harm during a congressional staff briefing on April 7 and repeated them at a House Committee on Veterans' Affairs hearing on April 9. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Florida, the committee chairman, described the errors as either intentionally deceitful or grossly incompetent. "VA's statistics regarding the number of veterans harmed by department delays in care are almost certainly wildly inaccurate and we may never know the actual number of veterans affected by gaps in the VA system that existed for years," Miller said in a statement Monday. "Accountability for the VA leaders responsible for misleading Congress and the public on this important matter is sorely needed," he added. Miller also said the VA eventually contradicted itself in correspondence with the House committee by saying a review of delayed requests for health care dating back to 1999 would not be possible. The VA previously issued an apology for the misleading and incorrect statements saying, "VA inadvertently caused confusion in its communication on this complex set of reviews that were ongoing at the time. For that, we apologize. There was no intent to mislead anyone with respect to the scope or findings of these reviews." A separate VA audit released in June found that about 57,000 newly enrolled veterans were waiting at least 90 days for medical care and that almost 64,000 who enrolled in the past decade requested, but never received, appointments. VA Secretary Robert McDonald has since taken steps to reform the embattled agency by creating new partnerships with private organizations, giving veterans greater access to private health care and establishing a VA-wide customer service office, among other programs.
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A new report says the Department of Veterans Affairs misled Congress and the public .
The VA's Office of Inspector General highlights multiple errors in the department's previously reported findings .
Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Florida, the committee chairman, said the mistakes are either intentionally deceitful or grossly incompetent .
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For months the awe-inspiring display of poppies which filled the moat at Tower of London has wowed the nation - while also tugging at the heart strings of the millions who visited it. But today the display was reduced to mud swept lands and seas of brown after volunteers removed the final flowers leaving nothing behind but a patch of trampled earth. The artwork, devised by Paul Cummins who also did work for the Paralympics, served as a site of pilgrimage for the five million people who saw it before Britain paid tribute to its war dead this Remembrance Day, 100 years since the outbreak of the First World War. Scroll down for video . Mud swept land: This was the scene at the Tower of London today as the display of ceramic poppies has all-but disappeared from the moat . Before: A team of volunteers has spent days removing the 888,246 flowers - each on representing the life of a British or Commonwealth soldier killed during the First World War . Gone: The flowers, almost all of which have now been removed, have been sold to raise money for the Royal British Legion and will now be packed and posted to the buyers . Memorial: Only two parts of the display will remain, the Weeping Willow (pictured) and the Wave, which rose over the walkway into the Tower, which will stay until the end of the month before touring museums around the country until 2018 . Each of the 888,246 ceramic poppies, representing the number of British and Commonwealth troops killed in the conflict, will now be packaged and mailed to those who bought one, helping to raise money for the Royal British Legion. While the work is unlikely to ever be brought together in its entirety again, the Weeping Willow section - which poured from one of the Tower's windows - and the Wave - which vaulted over the Tower's entrance - will stay in place for the rest of this month before being toured around the UK until 2018. Meanwhile Mr Cummins and fellow artist Tom Piper have been tipped to receive OBEs for services to the arts in the Queen's new year honours list. Mr Cummins previously spoke about how the memorial display was inspired by an unknown soldier from his home town and by a poem, the first line of which reads: 'The blood swept lands and seas of red, / Where angels dare to tread'. Seas of brown: A workman inspects the muddy moat at the Tower of London as volunteers removed the last of the poppies earlier today . Crowded out: Around five million people visited the display in the run up to Remembrance Sunday - with the crowds so thick at one point that Tower Hill tube station was shut - but they have all gone now . Special delivery: The poppies will now be packed up and sent off to buyers with the money being used to support the Royal British Legion . Easy does it: A volunteer carries one box of the ceramic flowers away from the Tower of London as the last of the poppies are removed . He was also seriously injured in the making of the work, crushing his hand in a ceramic roller, leaving him with no middle finger and without the use of his index finger. Among the visitors to the memorial were the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, who came to walk among the flowers in August just as the display was taking shape. Also in line to pay their respects were Prince Harry, and the Queen and Prince Philip. Starting from July 17, a team of around 17,500 people helped put the poppies in place, leading up to Armistice Day when cadet Harry Alexander Hayes, 16, planted the final flower. Lest we forget: Cadet Harry Alexander Hayes salutes after planting the last poppy on Armistice Day, completing the installation . In remembrance: The artwork, designed by Paul Cummins, was inspired by an unknown soldier from his home town who wrote a poem which begins 'The blood swept lands and seas of red, / Where angels dare to tread' Permanent: The Wave section of the display (pictured) will tour the UK until 2018 when it will be given over to the National War Museums along with the Weeping Willow to form part of a permanent collection . Paying respects: The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge visited the display on August 5, shortly after the poppies began being planted . Royal remembrance: The Queen and Prince Philip also walked among the poppies in October, as the display neared completion . Previously, Mr Cummins has said: ‘I read through wills of First World War soldiers and came across one man who said everyone he knew had been killed. He wrote of “blood swept lands and seas of red, where angels dare to tread”. It read like a poem and it just seemed to fit.’ The artist, who is studying for a PhD at Derby University, added: ‘This is the biggest thing I have done. I am amazed that people have taken it to heart.’ Back to normal: A groundsman at the Tower does his best to repair the moat after hundreds of volunteers worked to remove the poppies . Top honours: Following the display, Mr Cummins and fellow artist Tom Piper have been tipped for OBEs in the new years honours list .
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Tower of London moat filled with nothing but mud and rain water after volunteers remove the last of the poppies .
Five million people went to see display, with Tower Hill tube station closed at one point because of overcrowding .
Artists Paul Cummins and Tom Piper, who designed project, have been tipped for OBEs in new years honours list .
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9ce3bc42e25af8986c53d691bdc43775d6045c31
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By . David Mccormack . Photo of Abraham Lincoln taken February 27, 1860 in New York City by Mathew Brady, the day of his famous Cooper Union speech . A previously unpublished letter written by Abraham Lincoln reveals the future president as a ‘nervous’ man not entirely comfortable with his then growing reputation rather than as the iconic American leader that he later became. The letter, dated March 6, 1860, was written soon after a historic turning point in Lincoln’s life as it was sent just a month after his famous Cooper Union address. The historic speech given on February 27, 1860, at Cooper Union, in New York City is a key moment that helped catapult Lincoln to the national stage and eventually to becoming the 16th president of the United States. Yet just a month later, the letter which is postmarked Hartford, Conn., shows Lincoln suffering from doubts and keen to return home to see his family. In the letter Lincoln declines an invitation to speak, saying that he feels ‘unfit’ to fulfill the obligations and wants to return home. ‘Yours of the 2nd was received late last evening,’ Lincoln writes. ‘I cannot speak in New Jersey this time. I have over staid my time - have heard something about sickness in my family - and really am nervous and unfit to fill my engagement already made here in Connecticut. Will you please excuse me?’ The letter which postmarked Hartford, Conn., finds Lincoln suffering from doubts and keen to return home to his family . Just four days prior to Lincoln’s letter, J.A. Freeman, secretary of the Republican Executive Committee of Orange, N.J., had written to Lincoln, saying his organization ‘most earnestly and cordially’ requested him to address the Republicans of Orange at his earliest convenience. ‘You have many warm political friends in this place who are very anxious to hear you, and as New Jersey is one of the doubtful states, we wish all the help that we can get from the eminent speakers of the Republican Party,’ Freeman wrote. ‘If you can comply with our request, please let me know upon what evening we may have the pleasure of hearing you, and where in New York you may be found so that some friends can meet and bring you out here.’ Until recently the letter had been in possession of descendants of the Freeman family. It is now up for sale by The Raab Collection, a Philadelphia-based dealer of historical documents, which has valued it as $40,000. Lincoln scholar, Harold Holzer, once called the Cooper Union address 'Lincoln's watershed, the event that transformed him from a regional leader into a national phenomenon' Until recently the letter, including the original envelope, had been in possession of descendants of the Freeman family . ‘It also allows us to see Lincoln at his moment of transition from local politician to national figure and to better understand his own story as a person, not a politician,’ Raab told FoxNews.com. Lincoln scholar, Harold Holzer, once called the Cooper Union address ‘Lincoln’s watershed, the event that transformed him from a regional leader into a national phenomenon. Here the politician known as frontier debater and chronic jokester introduced a new oratorical style: informed by history, suffused with moral certainty, and marked by lawyerly precision.’
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The letter, dated March 6, 1860, was .
sent just a month after his famous Cooper Union address .
Yet just a month later the letter shows Lincoln suffering from doubts and .
keen to return home to see his family .
'I have over staid my time - have heard .
something about sickness in my family - and really am nervous and unfit,' he writes .
Valued at $40,000, the letter is now up for sale by The Raab .
Collection, a Philadelphia-based dealer of historical documents .
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94,147 |
050496e06b7a067f4022a1c847428d29cd2977f8
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The gothic country house film setting for Dracula and the Rocky Horror Picture Show is going on sale. Oakley Court, which is currently used as a hotel, is being sold after the hotel business went into administration last week. The property has 118 bedrooms, including 11 luxury suites, as well as substantial meeting and conference facilities. For sale: Oakley Court Hotel is to go on the market after its owners went into administration . Lavish: The property comes with 118 bedrooms, including 11 luxury suites, and its own golf course . Extensive: The gothic country house was built in 1859 and has been used as a film set . Set: Scenes from Hammar Horror's Dracula, starring Christopher Lee, were filmed at Oakley Court . Included in the asking price - which has not yet been revealed - is a . nine-hole golf course, set in more than 37 acres of landscaped . gardens, leading onto a private stretch of the River Thames. Built in 1859, Oakley Court was a private residence until its last domestic owner Ernest Olivier died in 1965. While the house stood empty for the next 14 years it was regularly used as a film set for Hammer Horror films, because it was next to Bray studios. As well as being used in the Dracula films, it was Frank N Furter’s castle in the cult . classic Rocky Horror Picture Show. In 1979 it underwent conversion to a hotel and opened its doors to the public two years later. Recently the hotel hosted several members of Team GB . during the London 2012 Olympic Games. Facilities: There are several conference and meeting rooms at the hotel . Conversion: The house opened as a hotel in 1981 and has since undergone several renovations . Oakley Court, in Windsor, was built in 1859, in the style of a French Chateau . Grounds: The hotel is set in more than 37 acres of gardens which stretch along a private section of the Thames riverbank . Administrators KPMG said the country house hotel had a net turnover of £7.3million for the year end December 31, 2012. Julian Troup, Head of UK Hotels Agency at selling agent Colliers International, said: 'We are anticipating a considerable amount of . interest from a variety of different buyers, both in the UK and from . abroad. 'Given its impressive history, location and outstanding . reputation there will undoubtedly be great deal of interest. 'Oakley . Court is one of the most impressive hotel assets that has come to the . market in recent years and its quality will drive the level of demand.'
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Oakley Court Hotel to be sold after business went into administration .
Gothic country house was setting for several Hammer Horror films .
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1960a63b40bb4df2d2cf52c78eeb0bf2b1a44612
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(CNN) -- Police are investigating the gang-rape of a tourist in central India, the latest black eye for the country over violence against women. A Swiss couple was camping near a forest in India's Datia district when a group of men beat the husband and raped his wife, the district's deputy superintendent of police, R.S. Prajapati, told CNN. There were between five and seven attackers, he said. The couple arrived in Mumbai on February 3 and were on a cycling tour across the country, said D.K. Arya, deputy inspector general of police. The attackers stole a laptop, 10,000 rupees (US $185) and a mobile phone, he said. The victims went to police and the woman was hospitalized and later released. Twenty people have been detained for questioning, Arya said. The couple is staying at a guesthouse in the Datia district while the investigation unfolds, he said. The Swiss ambassador to India, Linus von Castelmur, has spoken with the couple and offered any support they will need. "Their health and treatment is the priority of the moment," the ambassador said in a statement. "The embassy has also been in touch with the local authorities and has requested for swift investigation and for justice to be done." The attack comes at a time in India when there are calls for stricter laws on sexual assault and changes in cultural attitudes toward women. In December a 23-year-old woman was gang-raped on a New Dehli bus, spurring protests in India, where most women have stories of sexual harassment and abuse on public transportation or on the streets, according to the Indian Council on Global Relations. That woman later died in a Singapore hospital. A panel appointed by India's home affairs minister as a result of the case criticized Indian attitudes toward sexual assault and called for policy changes, including creating an offense of gang-rape punishable by at least 20 years in prison, making it a crime for police to fail to investigate sexual assault complaints and making it illegal to consider character or previous sexual experience of the victim at a criminal trial. Turkish police identify suspect in U.S. tourist's death . Slaying highlights violence at Mexican tourist hotspot . CNN's Per Nyberg contributed to this report.
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NEW: Swiss embassy calls for swift investigation .
Police say a tourist was gang-raped in central India .
The victim and her husband were camping .
20 people have been detained for questioning .
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8c5b0086a1b8cf0e7457a5a23516e3a6c6557abb
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By . Rosemarie Lentini . A 16-year-old boy allegedly stabbed to death his classmate in the stairwell of their Connecticut high school after she reportedly refused to be his prom date. The unidentified teen allegedly slashed 16-year-old Maren Sanchez's throat and choked her following an argument inside Jonathan Law High School, Milford, about 7.15am this morning. The honors student was rushed to Bridgeport Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The school’s junior prom, scheduled for tonight, has been postponed. But in honor of their friend's memory, gieving students have planned to take their corsages to the school's new gym tonight. Scroll down for video . Heartbreaking: Maren Sanchez, 16, was fatally stabbed in the neck by a fellow Jonathan Law High School student this morning, hours before she was due to attend her junior prom (pictured wearing her prom gown) Victim: Maren Sanchez, a junior at Connecticut's Jonathan Law High School (pictured left and right), has died after being stabbed in the neck by a student this morning . Excited: Maren's drama teacher said that she had left rehearsals early on Thursday in order to get a manicure ahead of the big prom on Friday night . The horrific incident unfolded early this morning when, according to New York Daily News, the alleged attacker confronted Maren, his ex-girlfriend, in the school's hallway, armed with a kitchen knife he brought from home. He was reportedly furious that his ex dumped him. He allegedly threw her down the stairs and choked her, before stabbing her in the neck. 'She was screaming,' a student inside . the building at the time of the attack, told Daily News. 'There were students in . the hallway when it happened. The kids who saw it are all a wreck.' 'There was blood on her neck. It was awful,' 16-year-old Sam Garcia, a junior at the school, told Chicago Tribune. 'I saw the girl lying on the stretcher when they took her out.' Students were dismissed at 9am as the school went into lock down, after the alleged attacker was held down by a school resource officer and arrested by police. Grieving: A woman puts up a sign announcing counseling hours in the front entrance of Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Connecticut, after a student was stabbed to death . Police protection: Police guard the front of Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Connecticut after a 16-year-old boy stabbed to death a fellow student who reportedly refused to go to the prom with him . According to Police Chief Keith Mello, a school staff member witnessed part of . the hallway attack and tried to save Maren. He said the teen suffered 'some severe injuries . that were visible around the neck area', he but could not confirm what weapon was used, NBC Connecticut reported. He noted that investigators have heard 'rumors' that the assault was related to a spurned prom invitation, but said is was too soon to establish a motive. Scene: Police were called to Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Connecticut (pictured) about 7.15am this morning following reports of an attack . Scene: The unidentified male student who allegedly stabbed a girl at Jonathan Law High School (pictured) who refused to be his prom date, is in police custody . News of the shocking incident has rattled the school community, with student Sean Chester telling The Hartford Courant that Maren was a junior and the class president. She was also an athlete and a member of the National Honor Society. 'Everything you're doing right in high school she was doing,' he said. On Facebook, classmates described Maren . as 'a sweet girl with a big heart'. They said that Maren already had a . prom date - her boyfriend - when her alleged attacker asked her out. Formal announcement: Milford Police Chief Keith Mello (right) speaks while Schools Superintendent Elizabeth Feser listens during a news conference at Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Connecticut after the tragic stabbing death . Shut down: Students were dismissed at 9am as Jonathan Law High School in Milford, Connecticut went into lock down . School superintendent Elizabeth Feser said the high school was 'devastated by the loss of one of our students'. 'She was a 16-year-old junior, vibrant, very involved in (Jonathan Law), an incredible contributor, someone who was respected,' Feser said. She said counselors were available to members of the school community. Chris Kulenych, an English and broadcast journalism teacher at Jonathan Law, said Maren was active in the school community and was often a guest on the student news television broadcast. 'She did everything - people knew her that way,' Kulenych said. 'Today was just devastating.' Prom: The school's prom is scheduled for tonight at Vazzano's Four Seasons banquet hall in Stratford (pictured) According to a police statement, the incident was 'isolated'. Jonathan . Law Principal Fran Thompson had reportedly sent a message to parents saying . there was a physical altercation between two students at the school. She . also said one student required medical attention. The school's junior prom was scheduled for 7pm tonight at Vazzano’s . Four Seasons banquet hall in Stratford.
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Student allegedly stabbed Maren Sanchez, 16, in the neck at Jonathan Law High School in Milford this morning .
The accused attacker is in police custody .
The junior prom was scheduled for tonight but has been postponed .
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2b601b01312fca2bb70e1143cff4bd246dcd0259
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Did the National Football League make $10.5 billion in 2013, pay its chief executive Roger Goodell $44.2 million, yet pay no taxes to Uncle Sam? Well, yes and no. The National Football League pays taxes through its various money-making offshoots such as NFL Properties and NFL Ventures, but the league office in midtown Manhattan, which paid Goodell his very handsome salary, doesn't. The reason goes back to 1942 when the IRS ruled the NFL was a trade association for its now 32-member teams and therefore exempt from taxes as a nonprofit under section 501(c)6 of the tax code. Just to be safe, the NFL lobbied Washington in 1966 on the eve of its merger with the American Football League. Two powerful Louisiana politicians, Sen. Russell Long and Rep. Hale Boggs, wanted a football team in New Orleans. Then-NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle wanted antitrust protection and confirmed tax-exempted status for the league office. The Saints were born in New Orleans and in exchange, Rozelle got his wish slipped into an unrelated federal bill on investments and depreciation. Sports attorney and expert on the NFL's tax exemption, Andy Delaney, told CNN, "Pete Rozelle was a forward-looking guy, I can't imagine what those two lines (of text), maybe three is worth today." Millions, it turns out, according to Sen. Tom Coburn, an Oklahoma Republican who wants the tax-exemption for professional sports teams gone. For all the professional sports leagues -- including the PGA Tour and NHL among others -- that use the loophole, "It amounts to like $10 million a year. $10 or 11 million a year. Probably $110 million over the next 10 years. But the point is why should they have that?" Coburn told CNN. Coburn has introduced the PRO Sports Act to strip the NFL and others of the decades-old exemption. What the NFL pays -- and doesn't -- in taxes . According to NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy, "every dollar of income that is earned in the National Football League -- from game tickets, television rights fees, jersey sales and national sponsorships -- is subject to tax. None of this income is shielded in a tax-exempt entity. Instead, the NFL's 32 clubs pay tax on all of these revenues." But that's not 100% true, Coburn said. "The individual owners and teams pay taxes. We're not going after them, but what they do is they can put all this confluence of money into the league office and do this as a nonprofit, which means they're not paying taxes like every other business that would be in a trade business like they are," Coburn said. The nonprofit NFL raked in more than $326 million from April 2012 to March 2013, almost of all of which came from "membership dues and assessments" or league fees paid by the member teams, according to a CNN analysis of IRS documents. Those dues are tax deductible for the teams as "business expenses" according to the IRS. Delaney thinks the NFL calling itself a nonprofit is too much. "I don't think anything they are doing is illegal, but it is not in the spirit of a nonprofit, nonprofits don't have directors with salaries north of 40 million," he said. "It's a business, and they should call it that." Goodell's salary, which comes from the NFL's nonprofit arm, rivals some of the top-paid CEOs in the corporate world. Goodell's compensation would rank in the top 20 for CEOs of U.S. public companies and above the leaders of Disney, Visa and Yahoo, according to a chart of total compensation compiled by the AFL-CIO. NFL's team in Washington . Redskins owner Dan Snyder may lead D.C.'s on-the-field franchise, but former Obama adviser Cynthia Hogan just recently became the new team captain of the NFL's real powerhouse squad: its lobbyists. According to a CNN analysis, the NFL employed 20 lobbyists in 2014 and spent more than $1 million in efforts to sway lawmakers. In a swanky building just blocks down Pennsylvania Avenue from the White House, the NFL employs six lobbyists, including four on its own payroll. The other two come from powerhouse law and lobbying firm Covington and Burling, which also employs former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue. Tagliabue is not a registered lobbyist as of this writing, instead he "uses his experience as chief executive and board member of the National Football League, major businesses and nonprofits to advise clients on matters of organizational structure and governance, develop strategic risk mitigation approaches and assist in managing unfolding crises." Sheila Krumholz, executive director of the Center for Responsive Politics, which runs the transparency website Opensecrets.org, says the NFL's lobbying team is "all pro," and almost all are "former government employees, former Hill staffers. So they have good access by buying the help of people who know how to navigate Congress." Nineteen of the 20 worked for Congress, largely in the offices of House and Senate leaders, according to a CNN review of lobbying disclosures. The NFL even paid another influential lobby shop, Elmendorf | Ryan, to lobby against Coburn's bill, which thus far has been benched -- referred to the Senate Finance Committee with no action expected anytime soon. But that may be changing. Both Sen. Cory Booker, a New Jersey Democrat, and Sen. Maria Cantwell, a Washington Democrat, have introduced bills similar to Coburn's legislation. Booker wants the tax money to go to preventing domestic violence. Cantwell wants the NFL to scrap the Redskins moniker. If the NFL were to lose its tax exemption, there's precedence for it. Major League Baseball gave up its nonprofit status in 2007, and the National Basketball Association never had one.
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The NFL has for-profit business, but the league office is technically a trade association .
Therefore, it pays no taxes and owners can deduct the dues they pay .
Commissioner Roger Goodell makes as much as some of the highest paid CEOs .
Some in Washington are trying to change the law while others lobby against it .
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a08c1a85bbcf9182b77e5b33a002ac506b183a65
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Queen's granddaughter in Australia as ambassador for the Magic Millions . carnival's Racing Women initiative . Initiative is aimed at boosting the numbers . of female jockeys, trainers and owners in Australia . Responding to a reporter's question, Zara said she has 'no plans' to buy William and Kate's unborn a child a horse . By . Bianca London . PUBLISHED: . 06:32 EST, 8 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:19 EST, 9 January 2013 . Since taking home silver at the London 2012 Olympics, Zara Phillips has become a national treasure and she is clearly loving every second. She may be the Queen's granddaughter and 14th in line to the throne - . but she is accomplished and independent in her own right as she proved by her solo trip to Australia this week. The talented horsewoman is spending a . week on the Gold Coast as the ambassador for the Magic Millions . carnival's Racing Women initiative. Scrubs up well: Zara Phillips posed during the Magic Millions Opening Night cocktail party at Surfers Paradise foreshore in a grey floaty dress and nude court shoes . By day and night: Zara donned a casual white shirt and cowboy hat at the daytime event and looked stunning in a cocktail dress by night . The two-week Magic Millions event is headlined by a $500,000 female incentive race in which $2million . prize money will go to the first four 'all-female owned or leased' horses to cross the line. The brainchild of Magic Millions . owner Katie Page-Harvey, the initiative is aimed at boosting the numbers . of female jockeys, trainers and owners in Australia- a cause perfect . for keen jockey Zara- who was snapped up as Magic Millions Racing Women . ambassador just days after she won silver in the London Olympics. Here come the girls: (L-R) Francesca Cumani, Zara Phillips and Katie Page-Harvey pose during the Magic Millions Opening Night which champions female jockeys . Good cause: Keen horsewoman Zara believes it is a great cause . Donning a crisp white shirt with jeans . and ever-so-apt cowboy hat by day and a stunning cocktail dress by . night, the young Royal proved a hit with the locals. Speaking to AAP, Zara spoke about possible presents for Prince William and Kate's unborn baby - and shot down suggestions she would be buying the Royal baby a horse. Winners: Zara Phillips and Daniel Aurisch drew the first barrier during the Magic Millions Barrier Draw . Hand-picked: Zara was chosen to represent the cause and flown out to Australia just after winning gold at the Olympics . She said: 'No, . no presents, though I was thinking about getting some of the girls . together in a syndicate. Maybe next year.' A keen rider, Zara spoke with great enthusiasm about lending her support to the cause. She said: 'Men have always traditionally been portrayed . as the owners and whatever, while women are supposed to just come . along, . Enjoyment: Zara seems to be loving every second of her time in Australia . 'We want to change that and ensure more are taking part as the decision-makers.' When Zara returns home she has the joy of helping husband Mike Tindall train a horse he bought with his rugby friends following its win at the Welsh National last weekend. 'He's only just told me about that. I'm not sure what he wants me to do,' she said. 'I'll look at it when I get home.' Casual cool: Zara Phillips looked casual and stylish in jeans and a white shirt alongside founder Katie Page-Harvey .
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Queen's granddaughter in Australia as ambassador for the Magic Millions .
carnival's Racing Women initiative .
Initiative is aimed at boosting the numbers .
of female jockeys, trainers and owners in Australia .
Responding to a reporter's question, Zara said she has 'no plans' to buy William and Kate's unborn a child a horse .
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86,534 |
f59c36c2f42c72be7bb39b7412ec81eedabcf3f1
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By . Adam Shergold . He is widely tipped for stardom in the future and it seems Chuba Akpom is wasting no time in smashing records at Arsenal. The 18-year-old forward has broken the club's 10m sprint record, leaving the likes of Theo Walcott and Thierry Henry trailing. Akpom, who has opened the season with four goals in three matches for the club's under 21 side, set a new benchmark of 1.56 seconds and revealed the news on Twitter. He wrote: 'Club record in the 10m sprint: 1.56.' VIDEO Scroll down to see Akpom in action for Arsenal . Speedster: Chuba Akpom has broken Arsenal's sprint record over 10m . In form: Akpom, second right, celebrates the first of his three goals for Arsenal's Under 21s against West Brom last week, impressing the watching Arsene Wenger . Speed over short distances is essential for strikers and Akpom is certainly a highly-regarded member of Arsenal's emerging crop of talent as well as an England Under 20 international. He underlined his potential in front of manager Arsene Wenger last week with a hat-trick as the Under 21 team beat West Brom 4-2 at the Emirates. And it appears to be a matter of time before Akpom is given more minutes in the first team to add to the Capital One Cup outing he enjoyed against the Baggies last season. One record he may now set his sights on is to be the fastest over 40m. Young right-back Hector Bellerin beat Theo Walcott's previous benchmark of 4.42 seconds, which had stood for five years, last month. Waiting in the wings: Arsene Wenger has been watching Akpom's progress closely .
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18-year-old tweeted about setting new benchmark of 1.56 seconds .
Beats standard set by Theo Walcott and Thierry Henry .
Akpom has scored four goals in three matches for Under 21 team this season, including hat-trick against West Brom .
Fellow youngster Hector Bellerin broke 40m record over summer .
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58bb15e12e9132f620d4e806c3c1c0598eb602ec
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By . Amanda Williams . and Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 18:49 EST, 21 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:54 EST, 22 January 2014 . The heads of Gladiators brutally killed for the amusement of Roman audiences may have been fed to dogs, it has been revealed. Skulls discovered within the boundaries of ancient London a quarter of a century ago are now believed to be those of gladiators - and the first results from the analysis of them has uncovered shocking new details. 'It is not a pretty picture,' Rebecca Redfern, from the centre for human bioarchaeology at the museum of London, said. Skulls discovered within the boundaries of ancient London a quarter of a century ago are now believed to be those belonging to gladiators, brutally killed for the amusement of Roman audiences. This skull shows sharp force injuries . 'At least one of the skulls shows evidence of being chewed at by dogs, so it was still fleshed when it was lying in the open.' The first analysis of the haul of 39 skulls, discovered beneath the site of the Guildhall in the City of London, was published this week. 'Examination of the sample using techniques employed by forensic anthropology and entomology found that some of the material had been deposited in open waterlogged pits,' the report says. 'The majority of the sample was adult males who had evidence for multiple peri-mortem blunt- and sharp- force injuries; many also had healed injuries, suggesting that violence was a common feature of their life.' They were discovered in 1988 and were believed to have originated from human remains washed out of burial sites by the Walbrook, one of the area’s lost rivers. But now after 25 years in storage, the remains have been re-examined by an historian from the Museum of London, who believes they are the first evidence of gladiators in London. Studies have revealed that most of the skulls show signs of injury before death - despite them dying during peace time. The jawline of adult male with sharp force weapon injury. The studies reveal the skulls had almost certainly all been victims of violence . Rebecca Redfern, of the museum's Centre for Human Bioarchaeology, now believes that the skulls are either the result of sacrificial headhunting, or the remains of gladiators, killed for sport. Some of the heads had been decapitated and one of the haul had part of its jawbone sliced off - almost all had been the victims of violence - The Independent reports. 'The level of violence here exceeds the level needed to kill someone', Dr Redfern said, adding that they showed 'lethal, multiple blows to the head' alongside healed injuries consistent with a brutal life. The full findings of her research will be published this week in the Journal of Archaeological Science. The skulls were discovered in a pit beneath what is now a Waterstones bookshop - at 52 - 63 London Wall - which was excavated in 1988. The area was an industrial one in Roman times known as the Upper Walbrook Valley. An adult male jaw with marks of dog gnawing, examined by the team. The bones are believed to hold the first evidence of Roman gladiators in London . Although historians have known about the existence of an amphitheatre at the site for many years, Dr Redfern said it was the first time physical evidence of gladiators had been found in London. She said: 'It’s utterly, utterly amazing. We don’t have evidence for this type of thing in Roman London. She added: 'There is no primary source evidence for gladiators in London... There is a gladiator tombstone, but we think it was brought to Britain (from Europe no earlier than the 17th century). The Times reports that the remains were thrown into the pits between 120 and 160 AD - which was peace time in Roman Britain. Dr Redfern said the bones were not supposed to have been in the pits at all as this was within the walls of the City - where corpses were not supposed to have been buried. In August construction workers in London made an 'unexpected and fascinating discovery' during work on the city's billion pound Crossrail project. Around . 20 Roman skulls were unearthed by tunnellers working beneath . Liverpool Street Station, where the historic River Walbrook flows. A reconstruction drawing of Londinium. The skulls were discovered in a pit beneath what is now a Waterstones bookshop - at 52 - 63 London Wall - which was excavated in 1988 . Another haul of skulls and pottery was recently found below the site of the historic Bedlam burial ground. Bedlam hospital was a psychiatric asylum and patients who died while at the hospital were buried in a cemetery first established in the 16th century . Archaeologists believe the skulls, pictured, may have washed downstream along the River Walbrook. They were found six metres under the ground below what is thought to have been a 16th century burial ground for patients of the Bedlam hospital . Working . under the direction of Crossrail's archaeologists, the construction . workers carefully removed the human skulls and Roman pottery. They were found buried in clusters in the sediment of the historic tributary. For . safety reasons the archaeologists had to leave the work to the . tunnellers as the skulls were buried as deep as six metres below ground. The cross-London scheme has already led . to a number of exciting discoveries, including around 4,000 skeletons . found buried in the Eldon Street area. The River Walbrook formed from . tributaries coming from Shoreditch, Barbican and merging in the Finsbury . Circus area of Central London. It . flows through the middle of the City of London beneath the Bank of . England and joins the Thames between Southwark and Cannon Street . Bridges. It is believed to . be named after a brook that ran through the London Wall, built by the . Romans around London to protect the city. Romans . built the Temple of Mithras, which worshipped the ancient religion of . Mithraism, on the banks of the Walbrook in the 3rd century AD.This . temple was found during construction work in the 1950's. Following the invasion of . the Anglo-Saxons in the 6th century, Britons were forced to live on the . east bank of the Walbrook, while the Saxons lived on the west. The . Walbrook began being covered by buildings in 1440 and it now runs . entirely underground, running parallel to a street called Walbrook. Source: London's Lost Rivers . These skeletons will be carefully removed . during major archaeological excavations this year. The discovery of the skulls and pottery was made below the site of the historic Bedlam burial ground. Bedlam . hospital was a psychiatric asylum and patients who died while at the . hospital were buried in a cemetery first established in the 16th . century. Historically, Roman skulls have been found along the Thames tributary Walbrook during various excavations in the region. This . led to speculation the skulls found were heads decapitated by Queen . Boudicca's army during the rebellion against Roman occupation in the 1st . century AD.
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39 skulls discovered beneath the site of Guildhall in City of London .
Initial tests show 'clear evidence' once was chewed by dogs .
Believed they are first evidence of gladiators in ancient London .
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42ff93f95d6ddde35d732b0614c2bc9abbf98c23
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Suspected jihadist militants opened fire on Israeli troops near the Israel-Egypt border Wednesday afternoon, wounding a female officer and a male soldier, the Israeli military said. The militants shot at and fired an anti-tank missile at the troops, who belong to an infantry battalion responsible for defending the border, the military said. The attack happened at about 2 p.m. near Esoz, Israel. The wounded soldiers were taken by helicopter to a hospital in the southern Israeli city of Beer Sheva; details of their injuries weren't available. The militants' location at the time of the attack wasn't immediately clear. A post on the Israeli military's Twitter account said that the troops were hit by "fire directed at them from Egypt." Israeli military spokesman Peter Lerner later said only that the attack happened close to the border, near Esoz. Lerner did not say whether the Israeli military returned fire. He said more Israeli forces were being sent to the area, and the people who live in the area should stay in their homes.
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Female officer, male soldier hurt in attack by suspected jihadist militants, Israeli military says .
The wounded soldiers have been taken to a hospital .
The troops were injured "by fire directed at them from Egypt," Israeli military says .
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a4eb91cbe4177f0d97a5786242bbe40028891f01
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By . James Rush . A father has been charged for the murder of his two-year-old son after he admitted suffocating the child so he could leave the house and go back to playing online games at an internet cafe. Police arrested the unemployed 22-year-old, in the city of Taegu, South Korea, on Sunday after finding the body of his child in a suitcase wrapped in a trash bag near his home. The man, identified only by his surname Chung, had earlier reported the boy missing. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . An unemployed father has been charged with the murder of his two-year-old son. South Korean television aired closed circuit TV footage of Chung that showed him getting into an elevator with a suitcase and checking his hair in the mirror, apparently on his way to dispose of his son's body . Officers initially believed he had left his son to starve to death by abandoning him for 10 days while playing games. But Chung later confessed to 'covering the child's nose and mouth with his hand,' more than a month ago, killing him so that he could go to an internet cafe, a police officer said. The whereabouts of the infant's mother was not clear, although local news reports said she had been away from the house for some time working in a factory. South Korean television aired closed circuit TV footage of Chung that showed him getting into an elevator with a suitcase and checking his hair in the mirror, apparently on his way to dispose of his son's body. The man, identified only by his surname Chung, has reportedly admitted suffocating the child so he could leave the house and go back to playing online games at an internet cafe . Online game addiction is seen as a . serious social issue in South Korea which has near-universal . availability of high-speed internet. The government has tried to limit minors from going online to play late in the evening by cutting their connections. In 2012 a woman in South Korea was arrested after giving birth in the toilet of an internet cafe and abandoning the newborn, The Times has reported. The woman had reportedly been playing for days in the internet cafe.
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Police arrested 22-year-old man after discovering child's body near his home .
The man, identified by his surname Chung, had reported the boy missing .
Officers had believed he left his son to starve to death while playing games .
But he later confessed to suffocating the child more than a month ago .
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616c2e49b619a803b9bbc6f069200a50e57c3215
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A Missouri man pleaded guilty Thursday to a second-degree misdemeanor charge of endangering the welfare of a child in connection with a highly publicized sex assault case involving a teenage girl, a prosecutor said. Matthew Barnett, 19, was sentenced to two years' probation. Prosecutors said Barnett, then 17, gave alcohol to his victim, Daisy Coleman, until she was impaired, and left her outside her home in temperatures below freezing during the early morning hours of January 8, 2012. Barnett had been arrested and charged with sexual assault, but two months after the incident the charges were dropped when the original prosecutor said the Coleman family wasn't cooperating with the investigation. The girl's mother denied that contention in an interview with CNN. Jean Peters Baker was appointed special prosecutor in October and reopened the case. Coleman, who was 14 when she claimed she was raped, released a statement through Baker's office. "Today, I am grateful that the defendant took responsibility by pleading guilty to the charges. I am ready to move forward," Coleman, 16, said. Her mother said Baker did the best she could under tough circumstances, alluding to her belief that evidence had been altered, destroyed or lost. Barnett's attorney, Jay R. Hobbs, said the misdemeanor charge "accurately reflects the conduct of which he should be held accountable for." Baker said there wasn't enough evidence to file a felony sex assault or endangerment charge. "This is the outcome that we believe was the right and just outcome in this case," she told reporters. Coleman was in a hospital after a weekend suicide attempt, her mother told CNN on Tuesday. Melinda Coleman said her daughter had been harassed by several people through social media. Melinda Coleman was not in court Thursday, telling CNN that she wanted to stay with her daughter. CNN does not typically identify alleged victims of sexual assault but has done so in this case because Daisy and her mother had chosen to go public. The most important term of Thursday's plea deal, Baker said, was the condition that Barnett apologize to Coleman. The prosecutor said she believed the verbal apology was genuine and heartfelt. She will relay the statement to Daisy at a later date, she said. Barnett also will have to pay the Colemans $1,800, take drug tests and do community service. He is not allowed to be around alcohol. If he violates his probation, he will go to jail for 120 days. The case gained national attention last year when on the one-year anniversary of the incident the Kansas City Star featured the story. According to a Missouri State Highway Patrol probable cause statement filed by prosecutors, Daisy Coleman and a friend were drinking at the Coleman home in Maryville, which is in northwest Missouri, about 100 miles north of Kansas City. Coleman and Barnett were texting each other and after midnight, Coleman and her friend sneaked out to meet Barnett, who drove them to his neighborhood. The patrol statement didn't identify Coleman's friend, but Paige Parkhurst, 13 at the time, later came forward to the media. After they sneaked into Barnett's parents home, they drank in the basement, along with several other people. Coleman told investigators she started drinking vodka, then doesn't remember anything else until she woke up in her yard around 5 a.m. She was barefoot, dressed only in a T-shirt and yoga pants. Barnett said that, after about an hour of drinking, he drove Coleman, Parkhurst and a boy to another friend's house, where Barnett asked the friend to drive them to Coleman's house to drop her off, according to the statement. Barnett and a juvenile carried Coleman to one side of her home then came back to the car, the document says. Weather records indicated temperatures were in the low 20s that morning. The probable cause statement was filed by prosecutors as part of the plea deal. It focuses on the alleged endangerment and makes no mention of a sexual assault allegation. In a statement issued in October, a lawyer for the Barnett family noted that a felony charge of sexual assault was filed January 9, 2012, against Matthew Barnett, alleging sexual intercourse with someone who was incapacitated. "Mr. Barnett cooperated with the investigation and freely admitted to the sexual encounter," said the statement from lawyer Robert Sundell. "While many find Matt Barnett's behavior reprehensible, the legal issue was whether a crime was committed. "Subsequent investigation and interviews raised substantial doubt about the felony charge, specifically including whether the young lady was incapacitated during the encounter." Melinda Coleman has said she thought the charges against Barnett had been dropped because of his family's political connections -- one of his grandfathers was a popular four-term state representative. Parkhurst said she was raped by a different boy that same night. That case was settled in juvenile court. Melinda Coleman said in 2013 that her children had received threats and she was fired from her job as a veterinarian at a clinic. The Colemans have since moved to another town. The case gained traction after the newspaper article and the Colemans' appearances on CNN. The online activist collective Anonymous picked up the cause, releasing a statement that questioned how the case was being handled. Why Anonymous wants justice in the Missouri rape case .
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Mother of victim says she thinks prosecutor did what she could, but evidence was contaminated .
Matthew Barnett pleaded guilty to leaving Daisy Coleman drunk outside her house to fend for self .
He had been charged last year with sexual assault, but those charges were dropped .
Victim says she is happy that Barnett took responsibility .
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The United States has plummeted 13 places on a global index of 'personal freedom' since President Barack Obama's second year in office, according to a London-based think tank, landing behind 20 other countries. The Legatum Prosperity Index surveys people worldwide on their perceptions of a wide range of factors including health and education. The U.S. placed first globally in the health category, but Americans' view of how their personal liberties are treated put the nation in 21st place. Four years ago, America ranked ninth in that category, based on polling conducted during 2009 – President Barack Obama's first year in office. Residents of France, Costa Rica and the UK now believe they enjoy greater freedom than what Americans perceive they have themselves. CONFIDENCE KILLER? Edward Snowden's revelation of a massive electronic surveillance program in the U.S. may be one reason Americans are discouraged about their levels of personal freedom . BIG BROTHER OBAMA? Washington, D.C. protesters insisted in January that the U.S. government's surveillance programs have gone too far . Gallup ran the polling for Legatum, asking Americans how satisfied they are with how the United States handles civil liberties, freedom of choice, tolerance of ethnic minorities, and tolerance of immigrants, according to the Washington Examiner. 'This is not a good report for Obama,” Legatum Institute spokeswoman Cristina Odone told the newspaper. The organization found that since 2009 Americans' approval of how the U.S. helps secure their civil liberties and protects their freedom of choice has declined by 22 per cent. The 2014 Legatum Prosperity Index puts the United States below France and other Western European nations in terms of how its citizens believe their government supports individual freedoms. Since the person freedom category encompasses everything from people's opinions about their physical safety to their freedom of speech and information security, it's difficult to attribute the loss of confidence to any single event or trend. But the Obama years have seen growing concerns about the growth of government surveillance by the National Security Agency and other government offices, first exposed by the whistle-blower Edward Snowden. The advent of the Affordable Care Act, too, has eroded certain freedoms, mandating for the first time that Americans buy a product – medical insurance – or face a penalty. The United Kingdom came in 10th on the personal freedom scale, .
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Global ranking put America on top for health but in 21st place for personal freedom .
Was ninth place for freedom in 2009, the first year President Obama was in office .
Now France, the UK and Costa Rica rank higher, based on citizens' own descriptions of how 'free' they think they are .
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5e0b6723ad8c7ebf802ef50f50e6762819ed5229
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A convicted felon charged with kidnapping and killing an Arkansas real estate agent proclaimed his innocence in this week’s jailhouse interview, telling a reporter that Beverly Carter's death was 'an accident.' Arron Michael Lewis, 33, was arrested two weeks ago in connection to the disappearance and slaying of Carter, a married mother of two, who vanished after meeting with Lewis to show him a house. Carter's body was discovered five days later buried on the grounds of a concrete company in the town of Cabot. Scroll down for videos . Confessions of a dangerous mind: Murder suspect Arron Lewis, 33, said from behind bars that he did not kidnap or murder Beverly Carter last month . 'Claims of innocence': The ex-convict accused the prosecution of trying to pin the kidnapping and killing of Beverly Carter (right) on him based on his lengthy rap sheet . Speaking to a KARK-TV reporter, Lewis insisted that Carter went with him willingly, and that whatever happened to her was an accident . Lewis, an ex-convict with a lengthy criminal history, was apprehended by police September 29 and charged with capital murder, kidnapping and gun possession. He pleaded not guilty to all counts. Speaking to a reporter from KARK-TV this week from jail, Mr Lewis, clad in all white and sitting behind a glass divider, stated: 'I didn't murder her, and anything that did occur was an accident. Arron Lewis pleaded not guilty to capital murder in the slaying of real estate agent Beverly Carter in rural Arkansas . 'I never denied her going with me, [but] as far as kidnapping, I've never kidnapped anybody.' Asked about his meeting with Mrs Carter on the day of her disappearance September 25, Lewis said it had nothing to do with her showing the house. The 33-year-old reiterated that he did not put Beverly Carter in his car by force. 'I mean, somebody goes with your of their own free will, they're not being kidnapped,' he told the reporter. Sounding a defiant note, Lewis accused the prosecution of trying to pin the murder on him simply based on his past misdeeds, including convictions of credit card fraud and theft. 'It's not as clean-cut as they're wrapping it up to be,' Lewis said. The murder suspect added that while he has an extensive rap sheet, he is not the cold-blooded killer that the prosecutors are making him out to be. ‘My lawyer said that we're taking a beating in the media,’ Lewis lamented. ‘My response to him was I'm not taking a beating in the media - I'm being crucified.’ Investigators found the body of Beverly Carter September 30 at Argos Concrete Company in a rural area about 25 miles northeast of Little Rock. Hours later, Arron Lewis was charged with capital murder, kidnapping and multiple counts of gun possession. Carter's body was found more than 20 miles away from Scott, where she had an appointment to show a house five days earlier. Grim discovery: Mrs Carter's body was found in a shallow grave at Argos Concrete Company in a rural area about 25 miles northeast of Little Rock (pictured beyond the donut store) Perp walk: Lewis is seen here been led in handcuffs to a car that would transport him to Pulaski County Jail . Lewis was apprehended in Little Rock by the local police at around 10am September 29 in connection with the case. As he was being led in handcuffs to a car to be transported to Pulaski County Jail, a KARK reporter asked Lewis if he killed Beverly Carter. 'No,' he replied, adding that he has not seen her for two days. In response to a reporter's question 'why Beverly?' he replied: 'Because she was just a woman that worked alone, a rich broker.' It's understood that Lewis did not give up the location of the body, but that police received a tip that led them to the makeshift burial site in the 12100 block of Highway 5 in Cabot. Following the devastating discovery, the Carter family released a statement mourning the loss of their 'precious Beverly.' 'There is now a hole in our hearts that will never be filled,' the statement read. 'Mr Lewis robbed us of an amazing wife, loving mother and grandmother.' The Little Rock blog Forbidden Hillcrest tweeted that Lewis was captured in Pleasant Pointe apartments on Green Mountain Drive after allegedly pulling a knife on a bystander. A passerby recognized Lewis from the news coverage and approached him, sending the man fleeing towards the Pleasant Pointe apartments. Cornered: Lewis jumped from a window and tried to flee, but was surrounded by officers (pictured) Nowhere to run: Lewis is pictured with his hands cuffed behind his back outside a Little Rock housing complex . Humble abode: This is a house in Little Rock where murder suspect Arron Lewis once lived . As responding officers arrived outside the building, Lewis allegedly burst into the manager's office and jumped out the window in an attempt to flee, but was immediately caught. Lewis was named as a 'person of interest' after being involved in a car accident and taken to a hospital by police - before fleeing while officers thought he was having a CT scan done. Authorities released images of Lewis, of Jacksonville, Arkansas, with blood on his face following the crash in a bid to track him down. According to the Pulaski County Sheriff's Office, deputies received a call at around 10am September 28 about a single-vehicle crash in the 8700 block of Cato Road in Jacksonville, in which Arron Lewis' vehicle smashed into a concrete culvert. A bloodied Mr Lewis reportedly told the responding officers that someone had run him off the road. A witness told investigators that Lewis was driving at a high speed when he lost control of his vehicle in a curve, KARK reported.. Notorious: Lewis has criminal records in several states, including Arkansas, Missouri and Utah . The sheriff's office also has revealed that the 33-year-old is an active parolee with a long criminal history, including charges of felony theft; accomplice to theft; unlawful removal of theft device; obstruction of government operations, and other counts. Lewis also has rap sheets in Kansas City, Missouri, and in Utah. He was released on parole in Arkansas in August 2013. Earlier, Mrs Carter's husband of 35 years, Carl, made a tearful plea for authorities and residents to do all they can to find her. Mr Carter found his wife's car abandoned outside the house, which was left unlocked and open. Dark past: Lewis has a long criminal history and is currently an active parolee . Tragic: Mrs Carter was a realtor with Crye-Leike in Little Rock, Arkansas . Mr Carter, who raised the alarm after his wife didn't come back from her appointment after three and a half hours, has since received unusual text messages from her phone, but no other sign of her. Describing the moments he went to look for her, he told KARK: 'By eight o'clock I knew something was wrong - but I waited to eight thirty. I went up in the house, went through every closet, everything.' Matriarch: Beverly Carter has been married for 34 years and has four grandchildren . Property: Mrs Carter was showing this property in Scott, Arkansas, to an unknown buyer who reportedly said he would be willing to pay in cash . According to ABC News, the home had been foreclosed, and Mrs Carter, who worked for the Crye-Leike real estate company in Little Rock, was showing it to a buyer she had never met, who said he could pay in cash. Her husband said that he received unusual texts from her number at 1am the morning after she disappeared. He said: 'All of a sudden I received three texts in a row. One said "Yes." Then she sent another text that said, "My phone's low. The battery's down, and I'll call you whenever I get signal." 'And, then, straight back-to-back, I received a text that said "Oh, I'm out drinking with some friends."' 'Beverly's not a drinker…We just want our mom back, and my wife of 35 years…I need her.' Search: Mrs Carter's husband, Carl Carter (left), told how he went looking for his wife (right) and found an empty home and an abandoned car .
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Arron Lewis, 33, was apprehended September 20 in Little Rock after he was spotted by police in a car crash .
Beverly Carter, 50, went missing September 25 after showing a home in Scott, Arkansas .
Mrs Carter's body was found five days later buried on the grounds of a concrete company .
When asked 'why Beverly?' after his arrest, Lewis replied 'because she was just a woman that worked alone, a rich broker'
The 33-year-old told a TV reporter Carter got into his car willingly, and whatever happened to her was 'an accident'
He has pleaded not guilty morning to capital murder, kidnapping and gun possession charges .
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3de066a674579df2d6f3965276414d35367d37e8
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The "Downton Abbey" phenomenon just keeps getting bigger. Sunday's season four premiere of the upstairs-downstairs drama on PBS surpassed the comparable ratings for every previous episode. According to Nielsen data, at least 10.2 million viewers tuned in live (or within a few hours via digital video recorders) on Sunday night, up from 7.9 million at the start of season three and 8.2 million at the end of it. This was more than a "personal best" for "Downton." The season four premiere outperformed every other drama on Sunday night, too. CBS's "The Good Wife," for instance, had 9.2 million viewers; ABC's "Revenge" had 6.7 million. (All these totals will increase once several days of digital video recorder viewership is factored in.) PBS isn't rated like a traditional network because it doesn't carry traditional commercials. But even last season's "Downton" premiere was described as one of the highest-rated events in the history of the public broadcasting network; analysts said PBS hadn't seen numbers this high since the premiere of the "Civil War" documentary series in 1990. An apples-to-apples comparison is impossible because of changes in ratings methodology. But the season four premiere affirms that "Downton" is making history for the network. Season four, of course, debuted several months ago in the United Kingdom. PBS has received no small amount of criticism for its decision to delay the episodes in the United States, and the network's executives are aware that some fans get a sneak peek by finding the episodes illegally on the Internet. But they say the sky-high ratings two seasons in a row are proof that their scheduling strategy is a wise one. Paula Kerger, the chief executive of PBS, said in a statement on Monday, "I'm so pleased that millions of viewers have returned to 'Downton Abbey' on their local PBS stations for what has become a post-holiday tradition." Rebecca Eaton, the executive producer of "Masterpiece," added, "Julian Fellowes has written every word of all four seasons of 'Downton,' and I toss him a huge bouquet on behalf of his American fans." The premiere ratings suggest "Downton" could grow to be even more popular as the season progresses. Last year 8.2 million viewers tuned in on the night of the season three finale, and more than 4 million tuned in later, for a total of 12.3 million. The second-to-last episode of the season did even better once delayed viewership was totaled up: 12.4 million. That's the next "personal best" for the drama to beat.
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At least 10.2 million viewers tune in Sunday to season 4 premiere .
That's up from 7.9 million at the start of "Downton's" season three .
PBS executive says the show has become a post-holiday tradition .
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fd8dfc7b8c4c29b6c4bbc8cde93b02b25b43c9fc
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By . Richard Sears . PUBLISHED: . 03:27 EST, 22 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:28 EST, 22 December 2012 . A retired British economist and his wife are thought to have been bludgeoned to death at their home in Tasmania. Professor Gavin Mooney, 69, and Dr Delys Weston, 62, were found at the property in Tasmania on Wednesday. Professor Mooney was previously the director of the Social and Public Health Economics Research Group in Australia and held a number of senior positions at universities in the country. Bludgeoned: Scottish scientist Professor Gavin Mooney, 69, and his partner Dr Delys Weston, 62, were found dead in their home in Tasmania . He was born in Glasgow in 1943 and graduated from the University of Edinburgh before embarking on a career that saw him hold academic positions in the UK, Denmark and Australia. He moved to Australia permanently in 1993. Australian health minister Tanya Plibersek said the deaths were a 'tragic loss for the health community, both in Australia and internationally'. She said: 'Professor Mooney was a fearless advocate for social justice, and in particular the role of citizen juries, leading debates on the importance of consumers in determining how their health resources are allocated. 'Described as 'one of the founding fathers of health economics', his research was driven by real world challenges and geared towards identifying practical solutions. 'He was an inspiring teacher and supervisor, which when coupled with his extensive publication record, will ensure his legacy persists.' Australian media reports said Dr Weston's son had been arrested in connection with the deaths and is expected to appear in court in the new year. Scene: The family's Tasmania home where Professor Gavin Mooney and partner Dr Del Weston were found. According to local media reports Dr Weston's son has been arrested in connection with the deaths . Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons.
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Professor Gavin Mooney and partner Dr Delys Weston found dead .
Dr Weston's son arrested in connection according to local reports .
Mr Mooney born in Glasgow and moved to Australia in 1993 .
Described as 'inspiring' and a 'fearless advocate for social justice'
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d702188b911a913c8b89d68d83c8408fb57b7295
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Hundreds of fighters from the Russian republic of Chechnya have formed their own 'Death Battalion' to join the insurgency in east Ukraine. The 300 or so volunteers say they are mostly former state security troops in the mainly Muslim region, where Moscow has fought two bloody wars since the fall of the Soviet Union. Reuters reported seeing dozens of the armed men in camouflage uniforms chanting 'Allahu Akbar' as they trained in the snow in their camp outside Donetsk, east Ukraine. Scroll down for video . Seasoned fighters: Pro-Russian separatists from the Chechen 'Death Battalion' walk during a training exercise in the territory controlled by the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic, eastern Ukraine . Well drilled: The fighters hold their weapons in formation at their training camp just outside Donetsk . Seasoned Chechen fighters, whose combat experience often dates back to the 1994-96 and 1999-2000 wars, fight on both sides in Ukraine, adding to the complexity of a conflict taking on the character of a Cold War proxy war. The West says regular Russian troops are involved in the fighting, while Russia accuses Europe and the U.S. of engineering a coup in Kiev and supporting its new pro-West regime. 'This is volunteer battalion Death,' said the deputy commander of the group, who only gave his nickname 'Stinger'. He spoke to Reuters at a former tourist camp outside the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, east Ukraine, which he and his men have turned into their base. 'There are about three hundred of us in Donetsk region. We have battlefield experience from 10 to 20 years starting from 1995,' said the man, in his forties, a pistol fixed to his thigh. He had a little Chechen flag in green, white and red stitched to his cap and spoke Russian with a strong Caucasus accent. Several cars with Chechen registration plates were parked in the camp. In training: Seasoned Chechen fighters, whose combat experience often dates back to the 1994-96 and 1999-2000 wars, fight on both sides in Ukraine, adding to the complexity of the conflict . Divided region: In Ukraine, Stinger's men are sworn enemies with another group of Chechens who fight on the opposite side of the conflict and support the Kiev government troops . 'This is volunteer battalion Death': The deputy commander of the group, who only gave his nickname 'Stinger', told Reuters the unit was made up of around 300 Chechens with 10 to 20 years battlefield experience . Russia sides with east Ukraine's rebels but denies sending troops to reinforce them. Some fighters on the ground admit to being former Russian servicemen, or 'on leave'. Moscow says any Russians fighting there are volunteers. Chechnya's own separatist insurgency, in which the republic sought independence from the Russian Federation, was eventually squashed after two bloody wars, but unrest still simmers among Caucasian Islamist groups. Gunmen attacked a police post and captured a building in the regional capital of Grozny last week and at least 20 people, including ten police and ten suspected militants, were killed in gunbattles that ensued. Violence erupted hours before Russian President Vladimir Putin had been due to give a major speech in Moscow, a symbolic challenge to the man credited for the Russia's victory in the second Chechen war. Re-establishing Moscow's control over Chechnya and then introducing an uneasy peace under Ramzan Kadyrov, whom critics and rights campaigners accuse of heavy-handed tactics and human rights violations, is seen by Mr Putin's supporters as a key achievement. Hand to hand combat: Two Chechen fighters practice their wrestling in the snow while their comrades watch . Physical training: The men jog along the snow-covered roads of the war-torn region . Phew... But by this point they seem to have slowed slightly to rather less than a jog... Lots to work on: The formation appears to break up as the faster fighters speed off around the corner . In Ukraine, Stinger's men are sworn enemies with another group of Chechens who fight on the opposite side of the conflict and support the Kiev government troops. Some of them have Western passports after fleeing Russia following the two wars. They say Moscow is theirs and Kiev's joint enemy and that Chechnya is occupied by Russia. Stinger, however, said Chechnya was being destroyed in the wars of 1990s and became peaceful again only when some local leaders allied with the Kremlin. Some of those in the 'Death' unit said they had initially fought against Russia in Chechnya but later switched sides and were amnestied by a former Kremlin-allied head of the region, Ramzan's father, Akhmet Kadyrov. 'Now we are (former) soldiers and officers of the Russian army, of Russian special forces, mostly veterans of war campaigns,' Stinger said.
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Deputy commander says he has about 300 men in his volunteer battalion .
They have made a former tourist camp outside Donetsk into their base .
Most are former state security troops from the restive Chechen Republic .
They face other Chechens implacably opposed to Moscow on Kiev's side .
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Stuart Ankers admitted theft after stealing more than 50,000 Panini World Cup stickers . A driver stole more than 50,000 Panini World Cup football stickers from a warehouse, a court heard. Stuart Ankers could have filled nearly 80 albums with the snatched collectibles, if he did not get any duplicates. The 37-year-old helped himself to the haul of stickers from the Smiths News warehouse in Bredbury in Stockport, Greater Manchester. The former solder had a job collecting and distributing magazines to shops around the region, but instead he began stealing the Panini boxes, each worth £600. Stockport Magistrates Court was told he plundered the boxes over a five to six week period. Ankers, of Oldham, was caught when warehouse bosses became suspicious and installed CCTV. He was captured on camera scrambling up the shelves to help himself to the stickers. The thefts happened around May 2014, just before the World Cup in Brazil. Prosecutor Mark Angus said: 'He disputed the theft at first but when he was told there was CCTV he admitted the theft to his managers. 'A male in Oldham asked him if he could get World Cup stickers. He says he was paid by box he supplied.' Two mathematicians in Switzerland had previously worked out the World Cup sticker album would cost, on average, £450 to complete. With 640 stickers in the Panini World Cup sticker album and 50p for a pack of six it should cost just £63.99 to complete the collection. Stuart Ankers could have filled nearly 80 Panini albums, pictured left, with the snatched collectibles. In total he made off with 50,000 stickers, like those pictured right . Mathematicians in Switzerland had previously worked out the World Cup sticker album would cost, on average, £450 to complete . However, allowing for duplicates it is estimated that 899 packs are actually needed at a cost of a whopping £449.50. Ankers pleaded guilty to theft from an employer at a previous hearing. However, he told magistrates' the value of his thefts was between £5,000 to £6,000. The Crown Prosecution Service had originally placed the value at £12,000 before accepting Ankers's claim that he'd pilfered stickers worth only half the value. The driver, who had no previous convictions for dishonesty, had been warned that he could face a custodial sentence. He told the court: 'I was just stupid at the time, I apologise profusely.' Ankers was ordered to fork out £1,500 compensation, 150 hours of unpaid work, a three-month curfew and £85 costs. He has been sacked after his theft was uncovered but the court heard how he had since secured a fresh job with a haulage firm. Football stickers are popular around the globe . Collectible football cards and stickers have been swapped by young football fans since the late 1880s when they were frequently found inside cigarette packets. Italian company Panini started selling packets of football stickers in the 1960s and in 1970 produced its first World Cup album to tie in with that year's tournament in Mexico - selling the stickers outside of Italy for the first time. Football stickers took off in the UK in 1978, when the World Cup was being held in Argentina. A 1980s market research survey revealed that more than 90 percent of boys aged between nine and 11 had bought at least one packet of football stickers. And by the 1990s collecting stickers was a full blown phenomenon, with girls and boys alike eagerly trading 'shinys' as they tried to complete the set. In 1994 multiple re-prints were needed for sticker company Merlin's first official Premier League collection, such was the demand. In 2013, 29-year-old Portsmouth . fan and comedy writer Adam Carroll-Smith made headlines when he tracked . down the six players whose faces were missing from his 1996 Merlin . Premier League Album. It . took him six months to trace Keith Curle, Stuart Ripley, Scott Minto, . Gary Penrice, Philippe Albert and Lars Bohinen, visit them and take . their pictures to fill in the gaps in his album, documenting his efforts . in his book Six Stickers: A Journey To Complete An Old Sticker Album. Every year Panini prints more than a billion stickers, and as well as football stickers also print ranges featuring cartoon characters such as Peppa Pig and bands including One Direction. In the 2013/14 season Topps, which has owned the rights to Merlin since 1995, celebrated the 20th anniversary of the official Premier League Sticker collection. Topps also produces Match Attax, a trading card game which also features Premier League stars.
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Stuart Ankers stole more than 50,000 Panini World Cup football stickers .
The 37-year-old worked as a delivery driver for the warehouse in Stockport .
Helped himself to sticker boxes worth £600 each over a six week period .
He was caught after warehouse managers installed CCTV cameras .
Ankers admitted theft at Stockport Magistrates Court and apologised .
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Posing provocatively on a sofa while wearing a tight glittering dress, it's easy to see how this curvaceous blonde caught Prince Harry's attention during his now-infamous night in Las Vegas. Carrie Reichert claims she kissed the young Royal in a naked 'drunken fumble' and that she was alone with Prince Harry in his hotel room for up to 20 minutes during a party in Nevada's Sin City last month. Since the scandal broke Prince Harry has been inundated by media attention, but newly-released photos of Carrie reveal that the 32-year-old is not averse to playing up for an audience. Scroll down for video . Tell-all: Blonde Carrie Reichert claimed she was alone with Prince Harry in his hotel room for up to 20 minutes during a party in Nevada's Sin City last month . Strike a pose: The Royal was completely naked during their tryst, she claims, while she stripped down to a string bikini . The series show Carrie in a variety of poses including a snap of her in a cut-out black . swimming costume wearing sunglasses, which looks as if the beautician has . taken the photo herself in a mirror. In another photo seemingly taken on the same night as one of her posing on a sofa, Carrie is shown leaning against a balcony window with one leg against the glass while holding a large wineglass in her hand. She is the first woman to speak out about Harry's wild night in . Vegas, where he was pictured frolicking naked with a young woman during . a game of 'strip billiards'. Asked about the latest account to come out about the prince’s antics in Las Vegas, a St James’s Palace spokesman flatly denied the girl’s claims. ‘The story is untrue,’ they said. And a source close to the prince also questioned the woman’s account, saying: ‘This lady was not present with Prince Harry on the night in question or on any occasion.’ Invitation: The British-born beauty said she was approached by one of the Prince's entourage who invited her to party with them in his penthouse . Speaking out: The 32-year-old is the first woman to speak out about Harry's wild night in Vegas, where he was pictured frolicking naked with a young woman during a game of 'strip billiards' While she stripped down to a string bikini, she claims that Harry was completely naked during their tryst. However, despite the intimate nature . of their rendezvous, Carrie insisted their kiss was 'fun' and 'not . romantic'. She also claimed that, in spite of many people stripping off . at the party, it was not an orgy. Instead, she said, Harry was a 'gentleman' but added he was completely 'wasted'. Carrie looks more demure in a photo from her LinkedIn webpage in which she details her career and education . The spa-owner, . who had been visiting from San Diego with a group of girlfriends, . claims she was hand-picked to join the Prince's party after his friends . spotted her near the swimming pool at the Encore At Wynn hotel, it was . reported. The British-born . beauty said she was approached by one of the Prince's entourage who . invited her to party with them in his penthouse. She told The People: 'I'm not going to pass an opportunity to party with Prince Harry.' When she got upstairs, she said, the party was in 'full swing' with guests - and Harry - already naked. Wild times: Harry's partying in Vegas got him into serious trouble, forcing him into hiding when he got back afterwards. She added: 'Harry was already . undressed. It was just crazy, he looked actually delirious. There was a . pool table and he was playing air guitar with pool sticks.' Carrie said Harry took her by the hand and led her from the living room to his bedroom soon after introducing herself to him. Harry was already naked and she removed her dress to reveal a string bikini before she kissed him, she said. The pair then had a conversation about her childhood links with Britain before enjoying a 'drunken fumble'. She . added: 'We kissed for 15 to 20 minutes. I am sure someone stumbled in . as there were people going in and out of rooms all the time. We kissed . again and he said "That was great".' Controversial: Harry's now infamous trip to Vegas has been put in a little more context following today's news he is back in Afghanistan . The Prince had been spotted clearly enjoying himself with friends and young women at a pool party in Vegas . Carrie said they then both rejoined the party in the living room and carried on drinking until she went back to her hotel room. Harry was photographed on a mobile . phone in just a necklace with a naked female playmate hiding behind him . having played a game of strip pool in his VIP Las Vegas suite. Another . showed him giving the same topless woman a naked bear hug, which have . since been seen by tens of millions across the world. As well as the embarrassment, it did raise security fears about how well the prince was protected on his Vegas trip. Despite Met sources saying that there . was no security breach and that officers were not there to protect his . reputation, it is believed two of Harry’s most high-ranking personal . protection officers have already been interviewed by their bosses back . in London. They were accused of watching him . being photographed playing ‘strip billiards’ in his Las Vegas hotel . suite but failed to take any action.
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British-born beauty claimed she was alone with the naked Prince in his room .
Photos have emerged that show the 32-year-old beautician is not averse to playing up for an audience .
The Palace deny the girl was at the party and say her 'story is untrue'
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Oscar got a surprise visit from one of his Chelsea team-mates at his book signing at the club’s Cobham training ground. At the ripe old age of 23, the Brazilian midfielder has released his memoir ‘Oscar’s Brazil’ and was signing copies at Chelsea’s club shop on Friday. Little did Oscar know that his team-mate Branislav Ivanovic was waiting in the queue at the club’s megastore to get his copy signed by the new author. Oscar was unaware that Branislav Ivanovic was waiting in line at his book signing in the Chelsea club shop . The Serbian defender asks Oscar to sign his copy much to the amusement of the Brazilian midfielder . Ivanovic takes the opportunity to grab a quick selfie with his Chelsea team-mate . The duo are both in the Chelsea squad for Sunday's clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford . The tough Serbian defender waited patiently in line before meeting Oscar and even grabbed an impromptu selfie with his team-mate. The duo are both in Jose Mourinho's squad for the Sunday's clash with Manchester United at Old Trafford. Chelsea are currently unbeaten in the Premier League and currently lead second-placed Manchester City, who lost 2-1 to West Ham on Saturday, by five points.
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Chelsea midfielder was signing copies of his book 'Oscar's Brazil'
Branislav Ivanovic queued up in Chelsea club shop to get his copy of Oscar's book signed .
The Serbian defender grabbed a quick selfie with his clubmate .
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6d9fd720205fbcd9f4015df4868a6a45a74b4b28
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Boulder, Colorado (CNN) -- Authorities in Boulder, Colorado, warned some residents to prepare to evacuate Thursday as winds gusting as high as 50 mph threatened to drive a raging wildfire out of the hills and into city limits. The Fourmile Canyon fire already had charred nearly 6,400 acres of countryside and destroyed 169 homes west of Boulder by mid-morning Thursday. High winds that could whip the fire toward the city were expected to kick up Thursday evening and last throughout the night, forecasters predicted. About 8,000 people in the hills west of Boulder have already been forced to evacuate. No evacuations have been ordered for city residents yet, but Boulder municipal spokeswoman Sarah Huntley said they should "think about the possibility of evacuating" and have clothing, important documents and needed medication ready to go if necessary. "We absolutely hope this won't be necessary, but this is a really good reminder that we live in a community that does potentially have a fire danger," Huntley told reporters. "Obviously, some of our neighbors have found that out, and our hearts definitely go out to them. We're asking city residents to be on notice." Huntley said people living on the northwestern edge of the picturesque university city should "do what they can to help us protect their home" by cutting grass short, removing combustible material from yards and moving propane tanks to the east side of their homes and making sure they're "clearly visible" to firefighters. Boulder is about 35 miles northwest of Denver, at the eastern edge of the Rocky Mountains. The Fourmile Canyon fire was about 30 percent contained Thursay morning, and could be as much as 45 percent contained by the end of the day, said Winslow Robertson, operations chief for the Rocky Mountain Incident Management Team. There have been no deaths or injuries, and four people who had been listed as unaccounted for have been contacted and are unhurt, Boulder County Sheriff's Cmdr. Rick Brough said. But while overcast skies and a bit of rain helped firefighters on Wednesday, the projected high winds raised new concerns Thursday. "It takes one spark outside the line with the conditions tonight, and it's a new race," firefighter Rob Bozeman told reporters earlier Thursday. He said some portions of the blaze were "as extreme a fire behavior as I've seen -- not a front a mile wide coming at me, but fingers coming up." Bozeman said "entire chains of trees" were ablaze, running up the sides of the hills into subdivisions and setting houses on fire. "The fire behavior was so intense that when that heat hits, the firefighters have to pull back," he said. If firefighters can get back into the area and start spraying water onto a home, "You can save it. But if it's happening all over the place, you can't get to all of them," he said. The fire started Monday morning. Its cause was still under investigation, Brough said. Three subdivisions reopened briefly to residents Thursday morning, but authorities shut them off again after conditions worsened. About 550 firefighters were battling the blaze Thursday, with 160 others arriving for duty, said Laura McConnell, a spokeswoman for the Boulder County Incident Management Team. Aircraft were also being used, with more than 100,000 gallons of fire retardant dropped from the air Wednesday, authorities said. Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter declared a state of emergency this week, throwing $5 million into the battle to save homes and forests in the canyon. CNN's Jim Spellman contributed to this report.
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NEW: Some Boulder residents should "think about" evacuating, city says .
"Entire chains of trees" ablaze in Rocky Mountain foothills .
Wind-whipped fire claims nearly 170 homes .
No deaths or injuries reported since blaze started Monday .
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42cb4570a432d5dc7c689fcf225a8bf882e72f7f
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(CNN) -- Organizers of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar would be willing to host the tournament in winter if there was sufficient demand from the global football community. The quadrennial tournament is usually hosted in June and July -- during European soccer's offseason -- but there are concerns over the oppressive heat in Qatar in those months, though a switch to December or January would cause disruption to a number of major domestic leagues. "Our position hasn't changed," a Qatar 2022 Supreme Committee spokesman told CNN. "We've always reiterated that we entered the bidding race with the intention of hosting in the summer and are continuing with our plans to deliver a World Cup in the summer unless there is a unified consensus among the international football community for alternative plans." A potential switch has been a topic of discussion since Qatar was awarded the World Cup by world governing body FIFA in December 2010. Michel Platini, the head of European governing body UEFA, told British newspaper the London Evening Standard he hoped the 2022 competition would be staged across November and December. "We have to go to Qatar when it is good for everybody to participate. What is better for the fans?" said the UEFA president. "In 10 years we can manage to decide how we can postpone the season for one month. January is difficult for the World Cup because you have the Winter Olympic Games. "If we stop from 2 November to 20 December it means, instead of finishing in May, we stop in June. It is not a big problem. It is for the good of the World Cup, the most important competition in the world." Frenchman Platini voted for the tournament to be played in Qatar on the grounds it would take the World Cup to a region it had never been to before. "I voted for Qatar because it was time to go to a country in that part of the world," said Platini. "They bid five times." The former Juventus player, who was European Footballer of the Year in 1984, also denied he had elected to back Qatar after being asked to do so by French president Nicolas Sarkozy. "One day I was invited to dinner by Sarkozy where there was the prime minister of Qatar," said Platini. "Mr Sarkozy never asked me during the dinner to vote for Qatar. They invited me to the dinner but they know I will be independent, that I will vote for who I want." The decision to award Qatar football's biggest event has been surrounded by controversy, particularly over the world governing body's decision to decide the fate of both the 2018 and 2022 hosts at the same time with the suggestion it encouraged voting collusion between bids -- an accusation FIFA has denied. FIFA itself has been plagued by allegations of corruption and bribery. Concerns were also raised for gay fans planning on attending the tournament as homosexuality is illegal in Qatar, with FIFA president Sepp Blatter criticized for suggesting homosexual fans should refrain from sexual activity while visiting the country.
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Qatar World Cup 2022 organizers open to hosting the tournament in winter .
The quadrennial competition is traditionally hosted in June and July .
UEFA chief Michel Platini has already signalled he would prefer a November tournament .
The decision to award Qatar the competition has been source of controversy for two years .
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e9b6a512ceeff43c1e8190db28fee4defab28b30
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Radamel Falcao is about to get his wish and play in the Premier League. The Monaco striker is heading to England on a private jet to complete a dramatic deadline day switch to Manchester United on season-long loan. Sportsmail's Pete Jenson caught up with the Colombia striker ahead of the World Cup - which he missed through injury – where he revealed his desire to play in the Premier League. VIDEO Scroll down for Radamel Falcao has moved to Manchester United from Monaco . On the move: Radamel Falcao is set to join Manchester United on a season-long loan deal from Monaco . Danger man: The striker revealed his desire to play in the Premier League in an interview before the World Cup . 'I want to play in the English league at some time,' he said. 'I watch the Premier League and I see how competitive it is and how teams are very direct in terms of looking for the opposition’s goal. 'The football is very physical; it's a very interesting league.' Brief stay: Falcao has been with Monaco for just a year after joining from Atletico Madrid for £50million . New challenge: The Colombian striker is a fan of the competitive nature of the Premier League .
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Radamel Falcao is set to join Manchester United on a season-long loan .
The Monaco striker spoke of his desire to play in the Premier League before the World Cup in Brazil .
He described England's top-flight as 'a very interesting league'
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746b420dd4d6333c0071cef3ab803e26bad2f72b
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Three hunters are trying to make amends for causing an outcry after they killed a rare albino moose considered sacred by the indigenous Mi'kmaq people. The hunters, who have not been named, shot the animal in the Cape Breton Highlands of Nova Scotia in Canada during a recent trip to the area. They claim they did not realise that their trophy would spark outrage among the Mi'kmaq, who believe albino creatures to be 'spirit' animals. Backlash: The indigenous Mi'kmaq communities in Nova Scotia, Canada, are incensed that hunters shot this moose recently. The hunters originally posted this photo on Facebook. Since the backlash, it has been taken down . Slaughter: The hunters have apologized and are trying to make amends for killing the rare albino moose considered sacred by the indigenous Mi'kmaq people . Their calamitous error was spotted by Jim Hnatiuks, when the trio brought the carcass of the dead creature . into his hunting and taxidermy store in Lantz for it to be mounted. He said: 'The hunters are saying "we wouldn’t have shot the moose if we had known it meant that much." 'They thought they had a . successful moose hunt. It was odd that they shot a white moose, but to . find out "wow", there’s a lot more behind it.' Mr Hnatiuks insisted the hunters were unaware of the implications of killing the rare Spirit Moose. Blunder: Their calamitous error was spotted by Jim Hnatiuks, when the trio brought the carcass of the dead creature into his hunting and taxidermy store in Lantz for it to be mounted . They are returning the hide so the Mi’kmaq can perform a sacred ceremony. Chief . Bob Gloade, of the Millbrook First Nation, said: 'We’ve received full . cooperation from the hunters and from Mr Hnatiuks as well and, during . the ceremonies next week, they’re actually willing to participate. First Nation communities voiced their anger after photos of the hunters posing with the moose appeared on social media. Mr Hnatiuks is now acting on behalf of . the hunters to ensure the moose is disposed of in a manner . considered respectful by the Mi'kmaq. Sacred: Albino creatures are considered to be spirits by the indigenous Mi'kmaq people . 'It shows a willingness to cooperate and an ability to show respect to not only the Mi’kmaq people but also to the culture and history.' While it is not illegal to shoot a white moose . during the hunting season the Mi'kmaq believe it breaks an unwritten rule surrounding a cultural belief held by them for generations. Mr Gloade said the only protection open for the sacred animals is tradition, but he is hoping for legislation to protect spirit animals from being hunted. He added: 'To recognise the importance and significance to the Mi’kmaq people is the next step moving forward and it’s a way of building better relationships between the aboriginal and non-aboriginal community.'
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The 'spirit moose' was shot during a hunting trip to Cape Breton Highlands .
Hunters who killed it claim they did not realise it was sacred to Mi'kmaq .
They are returning it to the First Nation tribe to be disposed of respectfully .
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bd55d5cfc09f5f3538d0e50ca053958885d81f43
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(Health.com) -- The number of infants and toddlers under age 2 who landed in emergency rooms after ingesting too much over-the-counter cold medicine dropped by more than half following the discontinuation of medicines targeted to that age group, a new study has found. In 2007, drug manufacturers voluntarily pulled infant cough-and-cold medicines from store shelves amid concerns about the products' effectiveness and side effects, including a risk of rapid heart rate, convulsions, loss of consciousness, and even death. At the time, experts worried that parents would start dosing their toddlers with other, stronger medications, which would potentially cause even worse problems. Health.com: 9 ways to stay sniffle-free . "There was some controversy," says Daniel Budnitz, M.D., a medical officer in the Medication Safety Program at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in Atlanta, Georgia. "Some folks suggested that it would be a bad thing because parents would use adult-strength formulas for infants and not know how to dose them." But that doesn't seem to have happened. The new study, which was co-authored by Budnitz and appears in the journal Pediatrics, found that cold medicine-related ER visits by children under the age of 2 dropped by 55 percent in the 14-month period after the product withdrawal, compared with the 14 months immediately before. Using data collected from a representative sample of 63 hospitals across the U.S., the researchers estimated that there were about 2,800 ER visits before the product withdrawal and about 1,250 after. Health.com: How to sick-proof your winter . And there did not appear to be any uptick in problems related to other medications, such as antibiotics, that parents might have been giving their children instead of cough-and-cold medicine. Both before and after the product withdrawal, the vast majority of ER visits resulted from overdoses. More than half of the children under age 2 who landed in the ER had found and ingested the medicines on their own. The remaining visits were caused by caregiver errors -- such as a parent mixing up two siblings' medicines or confusing the abbreviations for teaspoon and tablespoon, for instance. (Many of the discontinued products were liquids.) Although Budnitz and his co-authors can't say with absolute certainty that the sharp drop in ER visits was caused by the product withdrawal, it does seem likely. The overall number of ER visits among kids under 12 remained the same in the pre- and post-withdrawal periods, which suggests that the decline was limited to infants and toddlers. Health.com: 5 most common myths about the common cold . Even after the 2007 withdrawal, doctors and public-health officials have continued to question the use of cough-and-cold medicines in young children. Aside from the safety risk, research has consistently shown that pediatric products are largely ineffective at relieving symptoms. In response to the safety concerns, medicine manufacturers have taken steps to standardize their dosing devices. And in 2008, after conferring with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), they voluntarily changed their product labels to say the medicines should not be used in children under age 4. The study findings support that change, says Budnitz. Neil Herendeen, M.D., a pediatrician at the University of Rochester Medical Center, in New York, says the study provides a compelling reason to withdraw all pediatric cough-and-cold medicines for kids under 12 from the market, a policy he supports. "This shows that if you take it off the market, it will reduce the adverse events," Herendeen says. Health.com: Top 7 natural cold remedies: do they work? Difficult as it is for parents to stand by and do nothing while their infants suffer with runny noses and hacking coughs, there really isn't any way to make a cold go away, only to ease some of the symptoms, experts say. "You're left with doing all the things your grandmother used to tell you: lots of fluids; vaporizers, but don't put any menthol medications in it, just plain water; blow your nose; and salt water drops," Dr. Herendeen says. Jeff Sleeth, M.D., an assistant professor of pediatrics at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health in Madison, says that it's important to keep a sick infant's environment as well humidified as possible. That "allows the mucous and secretions that are in the nose and back of the throat to stay nice and thin so, [so] when the child does cough, it's easier to clear the secretions out," Sleeth says. Copyright Health Magazine 2010 .
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In 2007, drug manufacturers voluntarily pulled infant cough-and-cold medicines from stores .
Many of the children under 2 who came to the ER had ingested the meds on their own .
Medicine manufacturers have taken steps to standardize their dosing devices .
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a8d65d30c3cd3f19db35a6431c83979dc8c1661e
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(CNN) -- Ash from an Icelandic volcano is continuing to affect European flights on Monday, delaying transatlantic aircraft and threatening flights over parts of Ireland and Portugal. Eurocontrol, the agency that manages European air travel, said: "During the afternoon, areas of higher ash concentration could move in a north-easterly direction from the Atlantic into the Iberian Peninsula." Ryanair, the budget airline, canceled 18 flights on Monday as it expected the airspace surrounding Kerry airport in the southwest of Ireland and Faro airport in Portugal to be affected by the ash cloud. Ryanair said in a statement on its Web site: "Passengers are strongly recommended to check their flight status before they go to the airport." Eurocontrol said much of the high-concentration ash cloud over continental Europe had dispersed and that despite the delays, all European airports were open on Monday afternoon. The UK Civil Aviation Authority said that transatlantic flights were still rerouting around ash that was lying between 20,000 to 35,000 feet in the atmosphere. A CAA spokesman told CNN: "The ash cloud is slowly disappearing, it's descending and dispersing, there isn't one big cloud... it's ash in the air over a very large area. Transatlantic flights are rerouting around it, causing delays." Eurocontrol said it expected approximately 28,500 flights within the European area, which is about 500 below average for a Monday at this time of year. Italian airports in Milan, Pisa and Florence as well as six airports in Scotland were closed over the weekend because of the ash cloud. Volcanic ash can be a serious hazard to aircraft, reducing visibility, damaging flight controls and ultimately causing jet engines to fail. The problems began in mid-April, when the volcano beneath the Eyjafjallajokull glacier in southern Iceland erupted and sent a cloud of ash into the atmosphere, closing most of Europe's airspace for six days.
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Eurocontrol: Ash from Icelandic volcano could affect Irish and Portuguese airspace .
UK airport authority: Transatlantic flights facing rerouting and delays .
Volcanic ash reduces visibility, can lead to engine failure .
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9e547f8b1d23053422383cf8d365823d3ea1d518
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 02:25 EST, 19 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:38 EST, 19 October 2012 . A 'Dad's Army' hand-grenade left over from the Second World War left 13 people needing hospital treatment. The casualties, who were not seriously injured, were exposed to toxic fumes after workmen disturbed the stockpile of phosphorous grenades left in the sealed-up cellar of a property in Bamber Bridge near Preston, Lancashire. It is thought one of the grenades, issued to members of the Home Guard during the last World War, was dislodged and cracked, Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service said. Lethal: The hand-grenade found was thought to be one issued to the Home Guard - now fondly known as 'Dad's Army' after the popular TV series - during World War II . The device is a glass bottle about eight inches high which on being thrown and hitting the target was intended to break and release the contents, a highly flammable mixture of phosphorus and benzene, self-igniting on exposure to air. It was to be used by the 'Dad's Army' of reservists against Hitler's Nazi occupiers if Britain had fallen to German invasion, but had been left and forgotten about for almost 60 years in the sealed-off cellar of a former fire station, now used as the premises of a printing firm. The cellar of the old fire station is linked with that of the former Town Hall next door - now an estate agent - and a further six such devices have been found in the shared cellar space. Both cellars had been bricked up for some years. Firefighters were first called to reports of a fire at the premises of Sprint Print on Station Road in Bamber Bridge at 12.23pm yesterday. But on arrival they soon established that wisps of smoke thought to be from a fire were in fact chemical fumes from a source, thought to be a small container or bottle of acid, in the cellar. Toxic: Six staff at the Royal Preston Hospital, where the casualties exposed to the grenade fumes were taken, subsequently complained of breathing difficulties . Two drainage company employees investigating a report from the occupier of damp masonry are thought to have inadvertently dislodged one of the bottles in the stockpile, causing it to leak and release fumes. They were exposed to the fumes and were injured along with three workers at Sprint Print. Of these five casualties, two suffered chemical burns and three experienced breathing problems. Two paramedics and six hospital staff at the Royal Preston Hospital - where the casualties had been taken, subsequently also complained of breathing difficulties. One casualty suffered blisters to the exposed skin of his arms but all 13 casualties have responded well to treatment and have been allowed home. The cracked grenade has now been made safe and removed from the building for disposal by an army disposal team and the rest of the stockpile will be disposed of in a controlled explosion, the fire service said. At the height of the incident five fire engines, a Hazardous Materials Unit, Mobile Fire Station and approximately 40 firefighters were sent to the scene and a 50-metre exclusion zone put in place.
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Workmen disturbed a stockpile of .
phosphorous grenades left in the sealed-up cellar of a property in .
Bamber Bridge near Preston, Lancashire .
Five people exposed to the fumes were rushed to Royal Preston Hospital .
Two paramedics and six hospital staff subsequently became unwell .
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d613f815ba4349dfc093c082c5286a2987730221
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By . Lucy Osborne . PUBLISHED: . 20:46 EST, 12 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:01 EST, 13 March 2013 . Dr Michael Nixon, president and chairman of the NHS Alliance, has said certain patients should be kept out of hospital as long as possible . Hospitals are dangerous places and only the most serious cases should be treated there, GPs warned last night. In an extraordinary attack on standards of care, the leaders of Britain’s family doctors have called for a shift in the way the NHS is run to avoid a repeat of the Mid Staffordshire scandal. The NHS Alliance, which represents GPs and other primary care staff, says many medical conditions could be better treated at patients’ homes. Dr Michael Dixon, president and chairman of the alliance, said: ‘Hospitals can be dangerous, particularly for older patients and those with long-conditions. There is a risk of infection and nutrition is complicated for those who cannot feed themselves. ‘We should aim to keep them out of hospital for as long as possible. ‘We need to work towards the point when acute hospital admissions should be regarded as a failure rather than a default position.’ Tens of thousands of vulnerable and elderly patients should be treated in the community, the doctors say, where they will be more safe than in hospital. The appeal follows the public inquiry into hundreds of avoidable deaths at Stafford Hospital. In the appeal, sent to The Times newspaper, the GP, along with his colleague Dr Chris Drinkwater, also said the alliance will submit a five-point plan today to the NHS Commissioning Board - the new body responsible for the health service and whose chief executive is Sir David Nicholson. Meanwhile, the health expert appointed to instil a culture of ‘zero harm’ in the NHS has said the health service can only be restored if there is a new culture that tolerates not a ‘single injury’. Professor Don Berwick, a former adviser to US president Barack Obama, says all staff should aspire to provide the ‘safest health care in the world’. ‘Assuring patient safety and high quality care is never automatic,’ he said. 'It requires the constant attention of leaders and continual support to the workforce.’ He added that he is committed to taking ‘serious and profound’ action to improve safety and that ‘there is no reason why English health care cannot aspire to be and become the safest health care in the world.’ Dr Nixon, along with his colleague Dr Chris Drinkwater, said the alliance will submit a five-point plan to the NHS Commissioning Board - the new body responsible for the health service and whose chief executive is Sir David Nicholson (pictured) The alliance has said tens of thousands of vulnerable and elderly patients should be treated in the community where they will be more safe than in hospital (file picture)
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NHS Alliance chairman calls for shift in way health service is run .
Dr Michael Dixon says hospitals are dangerous, particularly for elderly .
Vulnerable and elderly should be treated in community, doctors say .
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By . Ap . and Daily Mail Reporter . Former NFL quarterback Donovan McNabb was released Thursday from an Arizona jail after serving a one-day sentence for a DUI arrest late last year. Records released by West Mesa Justice Court show McNabb served his time Wednesday and was released about 1:30 a.m. Thursday. McNabb, 37, was arrested Dec. 15 in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community east of Phoenix, according to court records. Busted: McNabb was arrested on December 15 while doing 81 MPH in a 65 zone . Star: McNabb played 13 years in the NFL after being drafted with the second overall pick in 1999 . A copy of the citation shows McNabb was stopped on the Loop 101 freeway just after 3 a.m. and radar clocked his Range Rover at 81 mph in a 65-mph zone. He also was cited for DUI, but no information about blood-alcohol level was on the citation. McNabb pleaded guilty on March 27 and nine days of his sentence was suspended. Court documents show McNabb was ordered to pay a nearly $1,500 fine and enter an outpatient treatment program in Scottsdale from April 10 to July 8. The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office released McNabb's mug shot Thursday morning, starting a media frenzy about his arrest, which hadn't been previously reported. Infamous: Sheriff Joe Arpaio runs the jail where McNabb was held and has a history of placing his friends and celebrities in a facility known as 'The Mesa Hilton' Tent City: Many DUI convicts in Arizona serve time in Arpaio's 'Tent City' but it's unclear if McNabb was placed in the outdoor jail . The agency later said in a statement that McNabb was booked into a detention facility on Wednesday by order of the West Mesa Justice Court and released after serving one day for a misdemeanor DUI charge. McNabb's Phoenix-based attorney Stephen Benedetto didn't immediately return a call Thursday seeking comment on the case. The former quarterback joins a long list of professional athletes who have been convicted of DUI in the Phoenix valley - and who've spent time in the jails run by Maricopa County's infamous Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who has gained notoriety by implementing modern-day chain gangs and making jail inmates sleep in outdoor tents. It's unclear whether McNabb served his time in the 'Tent City' jail complex - where the majority of DUI offenders are placed -- or at one of the county's other facilities, like the cushy complex in suburban Mesa that is often referred to as the 'Mesa Hilton' because it is where Arpaio often places celebrities, friends and political allies who find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Other notable athletes busted for DUI in Arizona include former NBA star Charles Barkley, former baseball star Mark Grace and boxing legend Mike Tyson. McNabb played 13 years in the NFL after being drafted with the second overall pick in 1999. McNabb joins a long list of athletes who have been convicted of DUI in Maricopa County, including boxing legend Mike Tyson and NBA star Charles Barkley . He led the Philadelphia Eagles to four straight NFC championship games from 2001 to 2004 and one Super Bowl berth that ended in a 24-21 loss to the New England Patriots in 2005. McNabb played for the Washington Redskins in 2010 and Minnesota Vikings in 2011 before retiring. He currently co-hosts a sports talk radio show and has a home in the Phoenix area.
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McNabb was arrested in a Phoenix suburb on December 15 .
Information about his blood-alcohol level was not made available to the media .
The former quarterback is the latest in a long list of professional athletes arrested for DUI in the Phoenix valley .
Other notable sports personalities busted for DUI in Arizona include Charles Barkley, Mike Tyson and Mark Grace .
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By . David Kent . A video has emerged appearing to show Argentinean supporters attacking and robbing a Brazilian fan prior to their World Cup match with Nigeria in Porto Alegre on Wednesday night. The clip, recorded by Brazilian television company RBS, shows half a dozen fans in Argentine club shirts knocking a man wearing a black jacket with 'Brazil' on the reverse to the ground. He is then kicked by several of them while others reach inside his jacket to try and steal possessions. One walks away casually with his rucksack after dragging it off his back. Attacked: The man is seemingly surrounded by Argentine fans, pushed to the ground and kicked repeatedly. Others try to steal possessions from his jacket, while one makes off with his rucksack . Surrounded: The man was attacked by about half a dozen people in Argentine club shirts, before others intervened to stop the incident . Dazed: When the man gets back to his feet, it becomes clear why he was targeted - the jacket had 'Brazil' written on the back . Two of the clearly identifiable club shirts are Boca Juniors and River Plate, the Argentine league's biggest clubs. Thousands of Argentine fans descended on Porto Alegre as they completed their group stage campaign with a 3-2 win over Nigeria. Lionel Messi scored twice - including a lovely long-range free-kick - before Marcos Rojo scored what proved to be the winner five minutes into the second half. Large numbers: Argentina fans travelled in their thousands to the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre to watch their team's final group match against Nigeria . Fancy dress: Argentina supporters wear the masks of greats Juan Sebastian Veron (left), Diego Maradona (centre) and Carlos Tevez during the match . VIDEO England fans subjected to violent attack .
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Clip was filmed outside the Beira-Rio Stadium in Porto Alegre before Argentina vs Nigeria game .
Appears to show Argentine fans in club shirts attacking Brazil fan .
Thousands of Argentine fans poured into city for final group game .
Lionel Messi scored twice in 3-2 win over Nigeria .
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By . Associated Press Reporter . LPGA Tour Commissioner Mike Whan weighed in Friday on Golf Digest's provocative cover featuring Paulina Gretzky. 'Obviously, we're disappointed and frustrated by the editorial direction (and timing) Golf Digest has chosen with the announcement of its most recent magazine cover,' Whan said in a statement at the Kraft Nabisco Championship, the tour's first major tournament of the year. 'If a magazine called Golf Digest is interested in showcasing females in the game, yet consistently steers away from the true superstars who've made history over the last few years, something is clearly wrong... 'Growing the game' means a need for more role models and in these exciting times for women's golf, the LPGA is overflowing with them.' Cover model: Paulina Gretzky on the cover (left) and standing near the 18th fairway during the . first round of the Tournament of Champions golf tournament, in Kapalua, . Hawaii (right) The cover photo shows Gretzky in skintight capris and a bra. Known for provocative pictures on her social media accounts, Gretzky is former hockey star Wayne Gretzky's daughter and PGA Tour player Dustin Johnson's fiancee. Former LPGA Tour star Lorena Ochoa in 2008 was the last female pro to appear on the magazine's cover. Golf Digest featured Golf Channel's Holly Sonders in May 2013 and model Kate Upton posed with Arnold Palmer for the December issue. 'It's frustrating for female golfers,' third-ranked Stacy Lewis said. 'It's kind of the state of where we've always been. We don't get respect for being the golfers that we are. Obviously, Golf Digest is trying to sell magazines. But at the same time you'd like to see a little respect for the women's game.' Jerry Tarde, Golf Digest's editor in chief, released a statement about the cover. 'Sports figures, celebrities and models have appeared on Golf Digest covers since the magazine's beginning,' Tarde said. 'Paulina ranks at the high end of the golf celebrity scene today, and she has a compelling story to tell. She also might get some new people interested in the game.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Paulina Gretzky, daughter of hockey great Wayne Gretzky, is engaged to PGA star Justin Rose .
The commissioner claims the 'LPGA is overflowing' for women who should be on the cover .
Golfer Lorena Ochoa was the last female pro to appear on the cover all the way back in 2008 .
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By . Philip Ryan . and Mark Duell . Bankrupt: Tom McFeely, who used to live in the home in Ballsbridge, Dublin, is a former IRA hunger striker . Police today finished searching the former home of Priory Hall developer Tom McFeely following the discovery of more than €200,000 under floorboards. Officers from the Criminal Assets Bureau combed the gardens and interior of the IRA hunger striker’s former mansion on Ailesbury Road in South Dublin after an initial discovery of €140,000 (£117,652) last week. The money was found under a bath by a plumber carrying out renovation work on the house which was seized from the failed developer by the National Assets Management Agency. Detectives discovered an additional €60,000 (£50,435) in the same area of the luxury home when they searched the premises two days ago. Taoiseach Enda Kenny today said the discovery ‘smacks’ of the ‘prolificacy and greed’ of the Celtic Tiger years. ‘I understand that an inch by inch survey or investigation is being carried out both on this residence and on the grounds of the premises to see if there is any more there,’ Mr Kenny said. He added: ‘I think all of that smacks . of what happened during the so called Tiger Years when you had . prolificacy and greed and money sloshing around in so many places, this . is further evidence of what happened. House: The former home of one-time IRA hunger striker-turned-property tycoon Tom McFeely on Ailesbury Road in Ballsbridge, south Dublin, where another 60,000 Euros has been discovered stashed in the bathroom . Nama have a clear interest in this and we’ll see what transpires from the investigation, which is currently underway.’ The . money was found in €50 (£42) notes bound in elastic bands and hidden in . plastic bags under the bath in the Ailesbury Road mansion called . Coolbawn. The search . continued today in the garden, garage and a number of rooms of the . redbrick luxury home but Gardai are now satisfied there is no more . hidden money on the grounds. Detectives removed bags of evidence from inside the house for examination before finishing the search. Poster: Tom McFeely (centre right) was one of seven prisoners to spend 53 days on hunger strike in Northern Ireland's Maze jail in 1980. They were seeking the reinstatement of political prisoner status . No one has claimed the money since the discovery was reported and Gardai have yet to question McFeely. CAB today said it found no documentation relating to the ownership of the money, according to RTE News. Detectives are currently trying to establish the history of the notes through serial numbers and finger print tests. The . money will be placed in a bank account controlled by an appointee of . the High Court who was assigned to oversee McFeely’s assets after he was . declared bankrupt. McFeely, . who has debts of around €200million (£168million), told the courts last year he had . less than €1,200 (£1,010) in the bank following his bankruptcy. Probe: Detectives were satisfied that an extensive examination of the vast house in Ballsbridge, Dublin - including lifting floorbeds and pulling down partition walls - had found all the cash hidden inside . Discovery: The money will remain in a bank account under the control of an official assignee appointed by the High Court until a legitimate owner has been identified . The . Priory Hall developer’s failure to adhere to proper building . regulations when constructing the North Dublin apartment block . effectively left 180 people homeless when the property was deemed a fire . hazard. 'I . think all of that smacks of what happened during the so-called Tiger . years, when you had profligacy and greed and money sloshing around in so . many places, that this is further evidence of what happened' Taoiseach Enda Kenny . Former resident . Stephanie Meehan said the stress of repaying the mortgage on their . Priory Hall apartment led to her husband Fiachra Kelly taking his own . life. McFeely’s former . mansion, which once housed the German Embassy, was worth €15million (£12.6million) but . was sold earlier this year for €3milllion (£2.5million). The luxury home was bought by Hilary Hynes, the wife of PR adviser and former Irish editor of The Sunday Times, Rory Godson. The new owners requested the renovation works that led to the discovery of cash last week. Builders . working at other addresses on the exclusive South Dublin road today said they did not know who had carried out the renovation work for Ms . Hynes. Troubled era: Tom McFeely (left) spent 53 days without food during the 1980 hunger strikes at Maze prison in Norhtern Ireland. IRA fighter Bobby Sands (right) died in jail in 1981 after refusing food and water for 66 days . March: Children carry pictures of the hunger-strikers during a Republican rally to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the IRA hunger-strike at the Maze prison in Northern Ireland in May 2001 . McFeely, who served . 12 years in the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland for shooting an RUC . officer, made a €8.5million (£7.2million) settlement with CAB seven years ago. The . portly property developer spent 53 days on hunger strike while . imprisoned in the 1980s. The Derry native and former republican failed . in his attempt to declare himself bankrupt in the UK. His Dublin home was repossessed by Nama when he was eventually declared bankrupt in Ireland last year. He . avoided going back behind bars last July after successfully overturning . a contempt of court judgment. The developer appealed a judgment that he . broke court orders. He had . been ordered by the High Court in Dublin to carry out remedial works at . Priory Hall, but was sentenced and fined when he did not. Barristers . for McFeely appealed it was impossible for their client to comply with . orders because he had been evicted from the site. Demonstration: IRA prisoners went on hunger strike in Northern Ireland's Maze prison in 1980 . Tom McFeely was one of seven prisoners to spend 53 days on hunger strike in Northern Ireland's Maze jail in 1980. They were seeking the reinstatement of political prisoner status. IRA fighter Bobby Sands died in the prison in 1981 after refusing food and water for 66 days. Photographs of him emaciated and on the brink of death have become synonymous with the Republican movement's struggle. Mr Sands's death drew massive worldwide publicity and resulted in him becoming a martyr to the IRA. Poems he wrote while in prison heightened his appeal. His opponents, however, complain that by glorifying Mr Sands's determination his supporters overlook the fact that he had a lengthy criminal record and that he was part of a movement that killed hundreds of innocent people. Mr Sands's hunger strike was dramatised in Hunger, the debut film in 2008 by Turner Prize-winning artist Steve McQueen starring Michael Fassbender.
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Detectives believe they have found all the hidden cash in Dublin house .
Investigation at Tom McFeely's old home involved pulling down walls .
Plumber working on the bathroom found €140,000 hidden under a bath .
Days later search teams recovered €60,000 more, made up of €50 notes .
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It encourages unknown musicians to unleash their hidden talents on members of the public. No, this isn’t the premise for Simon Cowell’s latest TV talent contest. Instead, it is a concept pioneered by a British artist that sees brightly-coloured pianos dotted around cities across the world and inviting people to play them. British artist Luke Jarram created the 'Play Me, I'm Yours' project that sees brightly-coloured pianos dotted around cities across the world and inviting people to play them . The idea, which has become something of a global phenomenon since it launched in 2008, was created by Luke Jarram. He came up with the ‘Play Me, I’m Yours’ project believing it would inspire spontaneous communication between strangers. Mr Jarram first placed 15 pianos across Birmingham after the project was commissioned by Fierce Earth. The project becoming an instant success. Ayham al-Ahmed, a resident of Damascus' Yarmuk Palestinian refugee camp, plays the piano in the middle of the street near destroyed buildings . An audience watch a performance in London. Mr Jarram said the idea for the project came when he was visiting his local launderette and realised that no one was talking to one another . A man plays a piano in Stoke on Trent. Mr Jarram says he believes the idea has inspired spontaneous communication between strangers . Denver Center for International Studies Art Teacher Jessica Stellish works with students, Aaliyah Parra, 10, and Estefany Munoz, 9, while painting a piano on the 16th Street Mall in Denver . It was estimated that over 140 000 people played the pianos or listened to others play. Since then, more than 1,300 pianos with a simple instruction - "Play Me, I’m Yours" - have already been installed in 45 cities across the globe, reaching about six million people worldwide. Street pianos, often renovated by other artists or local communities, have appeared in city squares, parks, bus shelters, train stations, markets, bridges, ferries, and other public places. It was estimated that over 140 000 people played the pianos or listened to others play in Birmingham alone when the project was unveiled in2008 . Allan Decipulo play a piano in Times Square. Sixty pianos were placed on display in various parts of the city . More than 1,300 pianos with a simple instruction - "Play Me, I’m Yours" - have already been installed in 45 cities across the globe, including Sydney, Australia . The idea, which has become a global phenomenon since it launched in 2008, was created by British artist Luke Jarram . ‘The idea for Play Me, I’m Yours came from visiting my local launderette,’ said Mr Jarram. ‘I saw the same people there each weekend and yet no one talked to one another. ‘I suddenly realised that within a city, there must be hundreds of these invisible communities, regularly spending time with one another in silence. ‘Placing a piano into the space was my solution to this problem, acting as a catalyst for conversation and changing the dynamics of a space.’ A woman dances on the piano in Cambridge. The next city to sign up for the project is Florence, South Carolina, and which will begin in April . Bristol (above) São Paulo, Toronto, Sydney, Barcelona and New York are some of the other cities to have featured the project over the past six years . Video of people playing the instruments have been uploaded to websites including YouTube and the official ‘Play ME, I’m Yours’ website . Street pianos, often renovated by other artists or local communities, have appeared in city squares, parks, bus shelters, train stations, markets, bridges, ferries, and other public places . Video of people playing the instruments have been uploaded to websites including YouTube and the official ‘Play ME, I’m Yours’ website. Among the most popular include eight-year-old Jay Lewington, a self-taught musician who performs a version of Chopin at St Pancras station in London. Ryan Arcand, a homeless man living in Alberta, Canada, stunned onlookers with an impressive performance on a local piano. The next city to sign up for the project is Florence, South Carolina, and which will begin in April. São Paulo, Toronto, Sydney, Barcelona and New York are some of the other cities to have featured the project over the past six years.
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The 'Play Me, I'm Yours' project was created by British artist Luke Jarram .
More than 1,300 pianos have been installed in 45 cities across the globe .
Videos of people playing the instruments have been uploaded to YouTube .
Project began in Birmingham as way of getting strangers to talk to each other .
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ac03589a69e27e9dca10ec5c428a84e69692fdd0
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By . Sean Gallagher . WBA and WBO light welterweight champion Danny Garcia ensured he'd make the headlines after knocking out Rod Salka in devastating fashion in the second round of their non-sanctioned fight in Brooklyn on Saturday. The American made light work of Salka with the latter forced to retire after a stunning left hook knocked him out cold. The decision not to sanction the fight by either the WBA or WBO was vindicated, with Salka - usually a lightweight fighter - looking well out of his depth. VIDEO Scroll down to watch the moment Danny Garcia's amazing KO over Rod Salka . Brutal: Garcia lands a devastating left hook on Salka's chin causing the latter to drop to the floor in round two . Down and out: Salka lays on the floor with the referee alongside him after receiving a crushing blow to the chin . Light work: Garcia made light work of Salka in the second round of their non-sanctioned fight . Celebration time: Garcia (middle) soaks up his win alongside his team after the fight on Saturday . It only took Garcia two rounds to finish the job as he twice knocked his fellow American to the floor before the crucial intervention. After the fight Garcia said: 'I came here to purge. I told everybody tonight was going to be the Danny Garcia show. No matter who I fought tonight they were going to get beat. I was going to purge. Trainer Angel Garcia echoed his fighter's views adding: 'He did what he was supposed to do. Salka came here to fight. But that's what Danny's supposed to do with these kinds of guys. I'm not talking about Salka. I'm talking about anyone.'
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Danny Garcia made light work of opponent Rod Salka on Saturday .
The WBA and WBO light welterweight champion knocked out his fellow American with a left hook in just the second round .
Fight was not sanctioned due to Salka being ranked as a lightweight fighter .
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1d9511a42457151f0e496274ab429435f82eff30
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(CNN) -- This season on "American Idol," there's a huge question looming around Adam Lambert. Kris Allen, left, and Adam Lambert are battling it out to become the next "American Idol." No, not that one. The one about whether this season would have been as exciting had he not been a part of the show. Love him or hate him, Lambert has added an element to the competition that has been woefully lacking in seasons past: a contestant so unique that you can't wait to see what he will pull next out of his bag of tricks. Regardless on how the season concludes, with Lambert being named "American Idol" or losing the title to competitor Kris Allen, it's obvious that a star has been born, and we all got to watch. "I don't think there would be nearly the interest that there is if it weren't for Adam," said Brian Mansfield, who blogs about the show for USA Today. "Really, all season long it's been Adam and the rest of the field, and is there anybody in the rest of the field that can beat Adam." Read and watch the best "Idol" performances » . Indeed, the talent level for "Idol's" 2009 edition has been fairly high. Once upon a time, the show plucked apparent unknowns from auditions and thrust them before millions of viewers for a ready-made career. Now, "unknown" has become a relative term as more contestants like Lambert, who toured with a production of "Wicked," have shown the polish of veteran professionals. But not everything has worked at a high level. The show's ratings have declined a bit from unbelievable to simply juggernaut. And then there's the tried-and-true format, which producers attempted to mix up a bit this season. Among the changes: more semifinalists -- and fewer semifinal performance shows. That meant viewers didn't have the opportunity to see the contestants perform more than once. At least a few felt cheated. "It's a situation where they get who they want to get, and they pimp those people, which takes away from some of the really good singers," said "Idol" fan Ricky Hoggard Hollman, who gained fame during season six for correctly guessing the top 24 semifinalists. This season's robust group of 36 contained some fine potential finalists, Hoggard said, but he believed it wasn't a level playing field partly because producers chose to focus more on back stories than talent. There was also the addition of a fourth judge, Kara DioGuardi, to the longtime triumvirate of Simon Cowell, Randy Jackson and Paula Abdul, which in the end added nothing but time. Producers also added a "judges' save," which became a throwaway. Much of the criticism has fallen on DioGuardi, a Grammy-nominated songwriter who was supposed to bring a fresh and informed perspective. Instead, she brought uninspiring critiques, some crazy costumes based on the week's theme and the magical ability to force Abdul into a few weeks of coherent comments. Even Cowell wasn't acting like the Simon we have come to alternately adore and want to shake a finger at. He engaged in juvenile antics with Abdul (at one point drawing on her face) and at times stared into space with such complete boredom that you wondered whether Susan Boyle's "Britain's Got Talent" performance had forever altered his state of consciousness. "Simon has shown a level of disinterest and a level disdain for the show that I think is kind of alarming," said Michael Slezak, who writes about the show for Entertainment Weekly. "We sort of expect Simon to speak for us as viewers. We expect him to be up-front and honest and the voice of reason, and he's just been completely disinterested. "I think it's disrespectful to the contestants, and I think even more so it's disrespectful to us as viewers," Slezak added. "For better or for worse, and crazy or not, we take this show and what's happening up on that stage seriously. It's our escape from reality for the week." And boy, do viewers take it seriously. iReport.com: Who do you want to win? As CNN.com's regular "Idol" blogger, I have never been more lambasted -- pardon the pun -- than on the weeks I have dared to give Adam Lambert anything less than a flawless critique on the "American Idol" blog. My sanity has been questioned. So has my nationality. (Hey, critics: My last name is "France." It's not the location of my blog posts.) Question Lambert's ability, and the Lambs -- his devoted fans -- come out in force. I haven't been completely sold on Lambert. He can be over the top with the dramatics, and the way his tongue hangs out during certain notes is, frankly, bizarre to me. Yet, for all of his antics, Lambert is unbelievably interesting to watch. It took me a while to warm up to him, but with Lambert, I wanted to watch if for no other reason than I didn't want to be left out of the watercooler conversation the next day. He was the pathway that allowed me to also fall in love with Allen's musicality, Allison Iraheta's mature-for-her-years voice and Anoop Desai's determination to be the first Indian R&B star. I was able to cheer Scott McIntyre's persistence, jeer the lack of the use of the judges save for Alexis Grace and puzzle over Megan Joy's quirky performances. Regardless of who takes the title Wednesday night, Kris Allen or Adam Lambert, I can at least say I was entertained. And isn't that what good television is all about?
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Adam Lambert has added spice to season eight of American Idol .
Kris Allen and Lambert are vying to win "American Idol"
Show's producers tried new tactics this season to draw viewers .
Addition of new judge and antics at the judges' table have drawn fan ire .
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eac4706b00a0af2df43e3a8501174dbd14c1747a
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By . Hannah Roberts . PUBLISHED: . 03:31 EST, 27 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:38 EST, 27 August 2012 . Wellies, rain ponchos and stoic expressions... what better way to face the Bank Holiday weekend washout? Although these revellers at the Leeds Festival had to brave the occasional shower, others across the country found themselves in a marathon 12-hour deluge. Many of us had already rolled the barbecues back into the garden shed, resigned to the fact that the sunshine was over. Are those sunglasses really necessary? These music fans don't look too thrilled about being stuck in a field during one of the wettest summers on record . Dry ice: Music fans at the Leeds festival enjoy an ice cream as they protect themselves from the rain . Raining on their parade: Performers shelter from the wet weather at Notting Hill Carnival in west London . Then the heavens opened – and stayed open in some areas from first thing in the morning to well into the evening. And forecasters predict it's not over yet – heavy and persistent rain will sweep through large swathes of Britain today. Long rainy spells are due in the north west, west and Scotland with the wet weather continuing into tomorrow in many areas. Britons who had their hopes of a glorious Bank Holiday dashed by persistent rain are now dealing with another unpleasant side effect of the weather - an explosion in the mosquito and flea populations. The wet and humid conditions have created a perfect breeding ground for midges and mozzies and huge numbers of people have already reported bites. There are even fears of a new 'superflea' evolving - one that is resistant to existing sprays and creams used to tackle the problem. Tesco saw sales of creams shoot up by 150 per cent last week, while the number of people calling NHS Direct for advice on treating bites is at its highest level in three years. Sales of flea treatments are up 25 per cent year on year, according to BBC Radio 4's consumer programme You and Yours. Dr Tim Nuttall, veterinary dermatologist at the University of Liverpool, said the flea population has been rising for the past five years but that it has spiked more dramatically in the past two. He said the increase in numbers is almost all down to the cat flea, which - despite its name - also lives off dogs, ferrets and humans. Later in the week parts of the country . will shiver as temperatures plummet. They could go as low as 3C (37F) overnight on Thursday. Forecasters believe the summer of 2012 never . really got off the ground. Brendan Jones from Meteo group summed it up. 'Already the summer we never really had is drawing to a close,' he said. 'Given that June was one of the . wettest since the mid 1800s and July was another very wet month –if you . add all those together you're looking at a fairly cool wet summer. 'And there are some decent bouts of . rain to come.' Scotland faced the worst of the bad weather over the . weekend, with strong winds, and heavy rain leading to minor floods. At the other end of the country, Cornwall and Devon took the brunt of a wintery storm sweeping in from the Atlantic. The Exeter-based Met Office yesterday . issued a yellow alert, warning of localised flooding as heavy rain and . winds lashed the area. In St Mawes holidaymakers venturing . out for a stroll ended up soaked to the skin in minutes and running for . shelter. Deck chairs went flying and boats in the harbour smashed . against each other as near gale-force winds swept in. 'It really does feel like the end of . summer – and it's one we will want to forget in a hurry,' said Marilyn . Beacroft from Kent, who was in St Mawes for the wedding of her son, . James. 'Everyone's cold, wet and fed up with . this weather and it seems like we've endured this for weeks. We won't . want to remember the summer of 2012 for long!' Plastic fantastic: It's grumpy looks all around as Leeds festival-goers endure a deluge to round off the Bank Holiday . Drip-dry: That beautiful body paint isn't going to last long under the driving rain sweeping the country . Glamorous spot: One passer-by look rather pleased to be hiding from the grey skies alongside such colourful figures . Making a splash: Lewis Adams, 12, braves the chilly sea at Bournemouth beach, Dorset . Rare sight: Ross Mercer, 11, and Lewis Adams, 12, race each other to the choppy water on a beach deserted by other families . Who needs sunshine? Thomas McGrath, 10, and Ralf Dendle, 10, dig into the damp sand on the cold beach, left, while Dawid Czekajlo, 5, and Sophie Lenegan, 5, play in the grey sea . Saturday had already been a washout, with parts of West Yorkshire virtually submerged. In Gorble, 27mm rain fell in an hour. Sunday saw rare sunny spells in some areas, with families flocking to beaches in Devon to make the most of the brief respite. While the Leeds and Reading music . festivals continued despite the downpours, organisers had to cancel the . Creamfields festival in Daresbury, Cheshire, after the site flooded . overnight. It will be disappointing news for . those hoping for a relatively dry day like yesterday, when . festival-goers at Reading and Leeds were treated to some sunshine amid the seemingly interminable damp conditions. Great British summer: A holidaymaker struggles with his umbrella at the Fistral Beach in Newquay, Cornwall . Abandoned dunes: Tourists at the Cornish spot wander along a deserted beach, which is usually packed on Bank Holidays . Battling the elements: The patriotic day-tripper is not to be deterred by biting winds and lashing rain . Take cover! Red and yellow flags mark the end of areas where it is safe to swim - but who would dare in such uninviting conditions? Hazardous: Drivers had to take extra care while driving on the A130 near Chelmsford due to heavy rain . Caught out: This cyclist in Cambridge clearly didn't expect to be riding through a deluge . Braving the elements: These hardy punters were determined to enjoy the sights of Cambridge whatever the weather . Driving you mad: A Morris Minor battles through the downpours on a wet start to the Bank Holiday weekend . Go East: The M62 near Huddersfield was crammed on Friday as drivers fled their homes for weekend getaways .
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Heavy band of rain moving in from the East triggering flood warnings .
Strong winds of up to 55mph to batter parts of Britain .
Localised flooding and strong to gale force winds likely in extreme south .
Thundery showers expected later this week .
Environment Agency have flood warning in place on edge of New Forest .
Couple in Suffolk .
narrowly escape when bolt of lighting struck their home, causing .
thousands of pounds-worth of damage .
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4ab302954c09001be448da8e1f8a02b5488bed86
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Is there anything worse than thinking you've found a parking space in the distance outside a busy shopping centre only to find as you get nearer there's a small car already there? Well, a Facebook page has taken the frustrations of parking to a new level. 'You Park Like a P***k' has been set up to let drivers vent their anger on the liberties some road users take when they park their vehicles. The public group has so far 245 members who are encouraged to let loose about the ridiculous parking they've encounter their day and add photographs to back it up. Scroll down for video . You sure you need to be that far over? Sometimes parking is not as easy as it seems . Too close for comfort: The driver will do well to get out of the this parking spot . The Facebook group is 'dedicated to the eradication of p***kery everywhere and anywhere. Good parking is what separates us from the beasts. P***kery is where humanity and decency begin to unravel.' Sometimes one parking space is just not enough for some people . The bigger the vehicle, the more likely you'll be to commit a parking crime . There are no shortage of people wanting to get parking problems off their chest either. 'This is my recent collection ranging from Roxburgh Park shopping centre to Melbourne Airport. These people should be sent to Baghdad during peak hour,' commented Ali Yesilyurt, as he shared photographs of more serious parking crimes. One of Ali Yesilyurt's photographs on the Facebook page shows parking at its very worst . Another photograph from Ali Yesilyurt shows a great example of how not to park . While Karen Grega said that the Facebook page helped her to deal with her parking rage. 'Check out Bondi Road and you'll never be short of a pic or 20! Some people are such selfish parkers as I found out yet again at 11pm last night when I got home,' she commented. 'The space left between cars was absolutely ridiculous. Car after car was parked with large gaps in between, but not enough for another car to park. I think people just abandon their cars rather than park them. Vented, and now I feel better!!' Snuggling up: thoughtless drivers create a tight squeeze again . it all sounds very therapeutic, and one member even got all zen about it. 'It is in the car park that civilisation as we know it starts and ends,' he commented. 'Poor parking is the butterfly's wing that results in civic chaos if not ripped from the insect at the first flap.' What's the point in using only one parking berth when you can have two . There's no need to park properly at all when you can just leave your car in the road . Another member remarked: 'I believe this is my new anger management group.' While Campbell Fuller summed up the very reason for the page existing in the first place by saying: 'Tradie parked a metre from the kerb - and right across my driveway. P***k.' If only the many parking problems could be solved this easily .
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'You Park Like A P***k' page lets angry drivers have their say .
Terrible parking photographs back up motorists' grievances .
The public group has 245 members on Facebook so far .
Members find the page 'therapeutic' and 'good anger management'
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153,656 |
5291b9863e97f87576e417c5e38cd0d58bcc32e3
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By . Wills Robinson . A mansion on the site where fabled hero Robin Hood was said to have died has gone on sale for £1.3m. The 17th century Carr House, located on the Kirklees Estate near the West Yorkshire village of Hartshead, has four bedrooms and is surrounded by 750-acres of land. The Grade I-listed grand mansion is one of the most historic in Britain and features a 'flying' staircase and an oak room. Legend has it that the folk figure, who was in the estate's priory dying of old age, fired an arrow from his bed and demanded to be buried where it landed. His grave is in the back garden of the estate but is closed to the public. Hood's name was first mentioned in the late 13th century and has become a historic outlaw in folklore. Halifax estate agent Charnock Bates describe the four-bedroom house as offering 'unique and elegant living'. To the rich: The historic Kirklees Hall estate outside the West Yorkshire village of Hartshead, thought to be the final resting place of outlaw Robin Hood, has been put on the market for £1.3millon . Resting place: The fabled legend, who has been referred to in folklore since the late 13th century, was thought to have been killed by an arrow from someone in the priory on the estate . Robin Hood was first referred to in the late 13th century. He is said to have been a relative of the Prioress and moved there when he fell ill. His grave is nestled in the grounds but is not open to the public . Entrance hall: The 17th century Grade I listed grand mansion is one of the most historic in Britain and features a 'flying' staircase and an oak room . Grand: The carpet-lined stairs, with gold ribbon attached to the bannisters, leads up to the mansion's four bedrooms . Landing: A bust stands in front of the stairs of the large staircase. A corridor to the side leads to another wing of the house. Despite a recent renovation, the interior still boasts a spectacular array of original features . One of the four bedrooms in the house where a four poster bed sits under a chandelier. The property was last sold in 2009 for £1m . A spacious living room with curved, brick wall ceilings has three sofas and a coffee table. The whole estate was sold to a private buyer for £7m in February 2013 . Spacious kitchen: Owners have an Aga, granite worktops and an adjoining dining space to entertain guests. Halifax estate agent Charnock Bates describe the four-bedroom house as offering 'unique and elegant living' Dining room: The mansion went through a major renovation in the 1990s under the auspices of English Heritage but has still maintained a number of its historical features . Gardens: The entire 750-acre estate belonged to the Armytage family from 1565 and Lady Margaret Armytage, who died in 2008, was the the last to live in the grounds . The drawing room could provide adequate space for an office or even a library. Cross swords and a stag's head remain as evidence of the estate's history . A separate living room allows residents to relax on leather sofa in front of an old, stone-rimmed fireplace. A bookshelf sits next to a statue in the corner of the room . Study: A desk with a large leather chair sits in front or large bay windows. The no-classical drawing room is scattered with artwork and classic lighting . Latrine: The toilet, attached by the wall to a wooden block, comes with a sink and modern lighting underneath a curved brick ceiling . Washing: The bathroom is smaller than the toilet, but has a tub fit for a aristocrat. A marble busts sits on a stand in the corner of the room . Steps to back door: The folk hero who robbed the rich is thought to have bled to death in the grounds after being betrayed by the Abbess of Kirklees in the 1200s . Nature: The estate, on the outskirts of the West Yorkshire village of Hartshead, is surrounded by large areas of grass and leads onto a river . Protected: The oak wall panels which surround the majority of the rooms in the house are insured for £750,000. Three other historic listed houses on the incredible Kirklees Priory are also for sale and cost between £425,000 and £625,000. Luxurious: The formal living room has two large windows looking out onto the manicured ground. A library is neatly tucked away in the corner . View: Residents can look out into the Yorkshire countryside from one of the rooms upstairs. An open gate blocks the road which leads to the front of the house . Fable: Legend has it that Hood fired a bow from his bed at the Priory located in the grounds, despite being weakened by old age, and requested to be buried where the arrow landed . Military relics: A coat of arms stands holding an axe is placed next to a fireplace. Many stories surround the legend of Robin Hood, including one theory that he was a member of the aristocracy and dispossessed of all his possessions . Turquoise walls: Another of the bedrooms in Carr House with a full length mirror and large windows looking out onto the grounds . Robin Hood as portrayed by Jonas Armstrong in the BBC series . According to most versions of the Robin Hood story, the famous outlaw died after being bled - a common medical practice during the Middle Ages. Robin had realised that he was dying and so decides to be bled by his cousin, the prioress of Kirklees. His comrade Will Scarlett is not in favour of this, but nevertheless Robin sets off for the priory, accompanied by Little John having refused to take a bodyguard as recommended by Scarlett. In one version of the tale the prioress lets out too much blood, killing him, while in another the hero was stabbed by her lover Sir Roger of Doncaster. In both cases the prioress was seeking revenge for Robin's side of the family inheriting the land and titles. Other re-tellings leave out the pair's relationship and say the prioress killed Robin so that Maid Marian - who has hidden in the convent and taken orders in the belief that her lover was already dead - will inherit his title and lands, thus allowing the abbey to take on his property. When he realises he is about to die, Robin calls for Little John using his hunting horn, and although he is too late to save his friend, Little John is able to help Robin fire his last arrow from the window of the gatehouse - bowing to bury Robin wherever the arrow lands. Little John wants to avenge the death by destroying the nunnery and killing all the nuns, but is prevented from doing so by Robin - who chivalrously reminds his pal that their code has always prevented them from hurting women. In the film Robin and Marian, it is Maid Marian, now a nun, who poisons Robin and herself when he is seriously wounded in his last battle with the Sheriff of Nottingham and she wants to spare him the agony of never again being the man he once was.
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Carr .
House is located in the Kirklees Estate on the border of the West .
Yorkshire village of Hartshead .
The mansion has four bedrooms, a flying stair case and is surrounded by .
750 acres of land .
Legend has it the hero, who was first mentioned in the 13th century, was .
in the estate's priory during his final days .
He is said to have fired an arrow from his bed and demanded .
to be buried where it landed .
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270,291 |
ea0e93c42f0d154464a8bce5111bc8c5fb3e0aaa
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By . Hamish Mackay . With just two days to go before the Women's Rugby World Cup finals, England centre Claire Allan admits she's raring to go. Allan, who plays centre and full-back for Richmond and England, missed the last tournament after rupturing her anterior cruciate ligament just two weeks before it began. She said: 'This is a really proud moment for me. After missing the tournament in 2010 I can’t wait to get on the pitch . and see it also as a way of thanking my family, friends and the support . staff for all their help.' Physical: Allan said England know little about opponents Samoa or Canada except they will be physical . Preparing for a World Cup is hectic at the best of times, but especially for Allan who has to balance training with her career as a police officer. But the 29-year-old admitted she has enjoyed the punishing schedule. 'Training has stepped up with a lot of contact sessions,' she said, 'which some players have liked more than others. It has been great as we have been lucky to spend a lot of time with each other, so you can feel a rise in intensity from our Six Nations campaigns.' England have been drawn against Spain, Canada and Samoa in their group, and despite not knowing a great deal about their opponents, Allan was sure England will be prepared for whatever comes at them. Training: Bristol and England centre Amber Reed trains with the squad before the World Cup . Press-ups: Claire Allan says there has been a noticeable increase in intensity between now and the Six Nations . She said: 'We don’t know too much about Samoa and Canada but they will be tough, physical teams. We have played Spain a lot on the 7’s circuit and they have some really skilful, quick players. 'We are however just focusing on ourselves and what we need to do, taking each game at a time. There is a really good atmosphere in the squad and we are all really close. A lot of us have been playing with each other since we were 16.' The Women’s Rugby World Cup is live on Sky Sports from August 1.
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Women's Rugby World Cup kicks off August 1 .
England have Spain, Samoa and Canada in their group .
New Zealand are current champions .
Claire Allan missed last World Cup through injury .
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10a3de9257ba408746958de0e2f553947458e719
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Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo didn’t practice on Wednesday ahead of his side’s Wembley clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars on Sunday. Romo sustained a back injury in Dallas’s loss to divisional rivals Washington Redskins two weeks ago, and was absent for Sunday’s 28-17 defeat to Arizona Cardinals. Speaking at Saracens’ Allianz Park on Wednesday, Dallas head coach Jason Garrett confirmed Romo’s absence from the day’s practice. Tony Romo stands at Wembley having not practiced with the Dallas Cowboys on Wednesday . ‘Romo participated in the walkthrough but he will not practice today,’ Garrett said. ‘He’ll follow a normal schedule and we’ll listen to his body. ‘Getting feedback from the player as to how they feel and how they handle the workload is really, really important. Then you come up with what you need to do during the week to get them prepared to play their best on Sunday. ‘It’s always a medical decision first. It’s always a grey area when you’re dealing with injuries – it’s never black and white. But it seems like he’s moving around well.’ Dallas Cowboys Gavin Escobar (left) Joseph Randle (centre) and James Hanna attend a practice session in London Wednesday ahead of their clash with the Jacksonville Jaguars onSunday . Former Tottenham stars Steffen Freund (left) and Ledley King (second right) exchange shirts with Dallas Cowboys tight end Jason Witten (second left) and cornerback Brandon Carr during a community day event outside Wembley Stadium . Romo’s injury struggles and Dallas’s shaky form didn’t seem to be affecting Garrett, though - the 48-year-old spoke of his excitement at visiting London and playing in front of a sold-out Wembley crowd. ‘I have been over here a couple of times playing games, and the atmosphere at the old Wembley Stadium was fantastic,’ Garrett continued. ‘It seems like the British fan base for American football is strong. I feel like there’s a real interest in our game, and any time I’ve been over here they’ve really shown that to us. ‘It’s a great opportunity for us to come to one of the great cities and play in one of the great stadiums in the world.’ Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Gus Bradley laughs after accidentally knocking over a media microphone balanced on a cup with a hand gesture during a press conference at the Grove Hotel in Chandler's Cross . Jacksonville Jaguars wide receivers Cecil Shorts III (left) and Allen Robinson talk as they take part in an NFL training session at the Grove Hotel in Chandler's Cross . Bradley shouts encouragement during his team's NFL training session ahead of the clash with the Cowboys .
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Tony Romo suffering from back injury picked up two weeks ago .
Dallas Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett confirmed quarterback would not practice but claimed 'he's moving around well'
Two NFL sides clash at Wembley Stadium on Sunday .
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139,458 |
4054ae1bf7c3912499423cb2e1373714332f8a47
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Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- Leaders of oil-rich eastern Libya declared it Tuesday to be a semi-autonomous region and voted for a 79-year-old former military man to lead it. "We're talking about the whole eastern region of the country," said Ahmed Zubair al-Senussi, a member of the ruling National Transitional Council, in a telephone interview with CNN from Benghazi. Speaking through an interpreter, he said he wanted the central government in Tripoli to continue to run such matters as defense and the treasury, but to leave health, education and "social things" to be managed by local governance in the region, once called Cyrenaica. "We are not looking to split the country," said al-Senussi, 79, who said he was jailed for 31 years during the regime of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi for leading a failed coup d'etat in 1970. "We are not looking for division at all. Our target is to keep Libya united. We are hoping to run our region. ... We have the federal government, and we have the local government." Al-Senussi said he was elected by 4,000 to 5,000 tribal leaders, politicians, activists and academics who met Tuesday in Benghazi. "All of them agreed on my leadership to lead the region for the time being," he said. But a video posted Monday on YouTube indicated his support was less than unanimous. In it, scores of demonstrators chant, "Federalism is the path to divisions," "Oh, great, Libyan, do not accept divisions!" and "Tripoli is the capital!" Al-Senussi added that he had no interest in grabbing the oil wealth for the region's residents at the expense of the rest of the country. "The oil is for all Libyan people," he said. "It would be written into the constitution." He added that his first priority would be to stabilize the region. "Security is a priority now," he said. Al-Senussi said he had no immediate plan to resign from the National Transitional Council. "I was thinking of resigning, but I got advice from some people that I should take some time to see the reactions of the NTC first." That reaction came quickly. In a news conference Tuesday in Tripoli, NTC Chairman Mustafa Abdul Jalil denounced the declaration as a move to divide Libya, "a danger that threatens national unity." He called on all Libyans "to rally around the NTC that has international legitimacy." He said the government and NTC are working to establish a decentralized state with more than 50 local councils. Tuesday's move in Benghazi "puts the country in danger because the international community will not allow Libya to be divided, unsafe and undemocratic," he said. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh, Roba Alhenawi and Tom Watkins contributed to this report.
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"We are not looking to split the country," says 79-year-old former military man .
Tribal leaders, politicians, others vote for Ahmed Zubair al-Senussi to lead region .
"The oil is for all Libyan people," he says .
NTC chairman denounces the declaration as "a danger that threatens national unity"
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199,840 |
8eb3710f705c184686f7cd18194154ddaba736de
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By . Eleanor Harding . PUBLISHED: . 12:47 EST, 7 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:20 EST, 8 April 2013 . Joan Bakewell has called for a ‘proper debate’ on euthanasia, revealing she carries a Do Not Resuscitate card. The 79-year-old TV presenter said ministers needed to listen to ‘what people want’. She suggested doctors should stop keeping terminally ill people ‘full of tubes’ alive if that is not what the patient wants. Controversial comments: Joan Bakewell has waded in on the euthanasia debate . Outspoken views: Veteran broadcaster Baroness Joan Bakewell has many forthright opinions on growing old, feminism and party politics . The controversial comments come after Baroness Bakewell broke her foot in a fall and was forced to spend some time in a wheelchair. She said: ‘We have to address this whole business of dying. We need to hear the whole debate about what people want, so that people aren’t simply filled full of tubes to keep their body going, if they don’t want to be. 'I want to see it properly debated. I think the public want change. I think people would be pleased to have the choice, to decide over their own lives.’ Baroness Bakewell, who spent 18 months as the previous government’s Voice of Older People, also said too many older people were ‘living in misery’. During her campaign to improve social care to help the 1.7million elderly people living in poverty, she angered some Christian groups by voicing her support for assisted dying. In an interview, she said her DNR card instructs paramedics not to keep her artificially alive should she be involved in an accident or fall seriously ill. She revealed she also has a living will, in the possession of her solicitor and her family, giving clear instructions to ‘pull the plug’ in case of a calamity. Her comments come just a week after she became embroiled in a row with Great British Bake Off star Mary Berry over feminism. Dismissing feminism as a ‘dirty word’, Miss Berry had insisted she did not want women’s rights and said she loves it when men offer to carry her coat. Baroness Bakewell hit back by labelling Miss . Berry’s world view as ‘stable and unchanging’ in comparison to her own ‘whizzy’ life. On Saturday, the Labour peeress claimed she had not meant to attack Miss Berry after all – and had left a message for her to explain. 'Whizzy': Joan Bakewell, pictured in the sixties, said that she has lived a 'rackety' and exciting life over the years . Baroness Bakewell also talked of her next project, co-presenting a talent contest looking for the country’s best portrait painter, with Booker Prize winner Hilary Mantel as the sitter. She said she disagreed with the reaction to Mantel’s article on the Duchess of Cambridge – claiming it had actually been ‘sympathetic to royal women’ – but she added that she would like to hear more of Kate Middleton’s opinions. She told The Times: ‘I do think it would be quite interesting to know what she thinks about things. I would want that for her, to be able to express herself.’
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Veteran broadcaster says 'people would be pleased to have the choice'
She has given instructions to her family to ‘pull the plug’ in case of calamity .
Bakewell said that 'too many older people were ‘living in misery’
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3e7b221a0889ab72a7c1096b516db42247c7c24a
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Thousands of travellers saw their holiday plans thrown into jeopardy after power failures struck at Stansted and Gatwick airports. Passengers reported queues stretching the length of the main terminal building for departures at Stansted, where flights were still taking off despite the disruption. Meanwhile a signalling problem at Gatwick meant that no trains could run into or out of the airport's train station for at least 45 minutes - just three days before Christmas. Frustrated passengers found themselves stuck on trains, with many complaining that they were not told whether or not they were likely to arrive at the airport in time for their flights. Scroll down for video . Passengers reported queues stretching the length of the main terminal building for departures at Stansted Airport (file picture) Scrum: Passengers queuing at Gatwick Airport's train station after services were hit by a signalling failure . Cancelled: Many train services were scrapped or delayed in the aftermath of the signalling failure . At Stansted, one passenger tweeted that the mood was turning ugly, with police having to hold back the crowds. The power failure, which started in mid-afternoon, affected a satellite building and the track transit which takes passengers for boarding. Stansted said neither the main terminal nor the runway were affected and passengers were being taken by bus to their flights. Signalling problems at Gatwick apparently continued all day, because even after the issue was fixed there were tailbacks which lasted several hours and had a knock-on effect on services. This is the second Christmas in a row that Gatwick has faced severe delays - last year, a power outage caused by flooding led to days of chaos at the airport. After today's signal failure, just one Gatwick Express train was running from London Victoria to Gatwick every 45 minutes, compared to every 15 minutes under normal conditions. Southern Trains said a signal problem occurred at 11.45am. Normal service resumed only after 6.15pm last night. The problem had affected services run by the Southern, Gatwick Express, First Great Western and Thameslink train companies. Waiting: Passengers at Victoria station in London faced an anxious wait to see if they would catch the train . Warning: Passengers were told to assume delays of up to 70 minutes on their way to the airport . Passengers were warned to expect delays of up to 70 minutes, which many travellers said would cause them to miss their flights. On Twitter, Iona Spackman posted: ‘It’s the Christmas period you can’t not know how to sort the signal failure or tell your customers how long the delay will last Gatwick!!!!!!’ Others pleaded with airlines to hold up their flights. One Twitter user wrote: ‘@emirates all trains into Gatwick have been stopped, loads of passengers on your flight. Can you delay the flight? #help’. Maria May tweeted: 'Argh stupid Victoria station and Gatwick express - all delayed meaning I missed my flight. 4 hours to kill now at Gatwick.' Chris Grist added: '@GatwickExpress we've been stuck over 40 mins how much longer people are going to miss their flights soon.' And Jodi Gramigni wrote: '@GatwickExpress @GatwickAirport Pls advise on the delay. We have been on the train 1 hour & no info on arrival time. #ChristmasFail.' Scene: Following the delays, parts of Gatwick Airport looked almost totally deserted . Empty: Many customers complained that they were unable to get to the airport in time for their flights . Stansted Airport was also hit by technical problems, as the power failed in a satellite terminal and the track transit which takes passengers there. Authorities said neither the main terminal nor the runway were affected and that passengers were being taken by bus to their flights. At Leeds Bradford airport, 60mph winds meant planes had to abort landing attempts and fly to Manchester instead. Flights from Fuerteventura, in the Canary Islands, and Amsterdam were cancelled. At Dover, ferry passengers were held up by a train that broke down between Sandling and Folkestone West. Buses replaced trains from Ashford International to Dover Priory. Meanwhile, no trains ran between Clapham Junction in London and Milton Keynes due to staff shortages. In Guiseley, Yorkshire, services were cancelled after trees fell on overhead wires, while in Scotland floods stopped trains from Kilmarnock to Dumfries. And drivers sat in traffic for at least three hours on the M6 southbound, with junctions 16 to 17 near Stoke closed after an accident.
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Power failure at Stansted Airport cause queues as long as terminal building .
Signalling problems at Gatwick meant no trains could run for 45 minutes .
Services were heavily delayed all day thanks to the knock-on effect .
Angry passengers wrote on Twitter that they were likely to miss flights .
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151,471 |
4fd3ae2aa62875a52447f78cd5a47c57bb90c8ef
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(CNN) -- Doctors treating Arizona Rep. Gabrielle Giffords have scheduled a Friday morning news conference to provide an update on her progress. Giffords, who was shot in the head in an attack outside a Tucson, Arizona, supermarket on January 8, has been recuperating at TIRR Memorial Hermann rehabilitation hospital in Houston. She was moved to the facility in late January from the University Medical Center in Tucson, Arizona. "Two months after her injury, the congresswoman continues to improve," the Houston hospital said in a statement sent late Wednesday night. Six people were killed in the incident; Giffords was among 13 injured. Authorities have said they believe Giffords was targeted. On Wednesday, a federal judge in Arizona entered "not guilty" pleas on behalf of Jared Lee Loughner, the 22-year-old Arizona man facing 49 counts -- including murder and attempted murder -- related to the shooting. Judge Larry Burns also scheduled a May 25 competency hearing for Loughner, and attorneys on both sides will be allowed to hire their own experts to evaluate Loughner's competency to stand trial.
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Giffords is recuperating at a rehabilitation hospital in Houston .
She was shot in the head outside an Arizona supermarket in January .
A judge has entered "not guilty" pleas on behalf of the shooting suspect .
He also ordered a competency hearing for Loughner .
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Oculus Rift promises to bring virtual reality experiences to everyone but, with the general release not expected till next year, it's not yet widely available. But if you don't want to wait, or don't have the money to shell out for a developer kit, one company has an alternative solution. Their bizarre headset lets you strap an iPad Mini, or an upcoming iPhone 6 Plus, to your face and apparently gives wearers the same virtual reality experience as those enjoyed on Oculus Rift. Scroll down for video . Toronto-based Metatecture is seeking funding for its AirVR device. The £30 ($49) virtual reality headset works by strapping an iPad to your face (shown) AirVR, which will retail for £30 ($49), is a project from company Metatecture in Toronto, Canada. They are currently seeking $20,000 in funding on Kickstarter to bring the product to market. If funding is achieved they hope to begin rolling out the device later this year. Oculus VR was founded by 21-year-old college dropout Palmer Luckey. It is designed to provide users with an immersive virtual reality experience not only for conventional video games, but for other activities as well. Facebook purchased the company earlier this year when their $2bn (£1.2bn) deal to buy VR headset firm Oculus was approved. It will first be used for immersive games, but Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg promised the headset will 'change the way we work, play and communicate' - although virtual worlds could include advertising admitted Zuckerberg. A commercial version is rumoured to launch in 2015. The purchase of Oculus put Facebook in a battle with Sony, who has already unveiled its own version of a VR headset, destined for the PS4 next year. To use the headset an iPad Mini is slotted into the holder at the front, with its display then split into two identical screens just like on an Oculus Rift, providing a 3D virtual reality experience. The user then straps the entire device to their head with straps, while foam pads ensure a comfortable fit. Inside there are two lenses inside the headset which provide stereoscopic vision while looking at the iPad Mini. Attaching headphones through the iPad Mini’s standard headphone port will also allow for sound to be played to the user. While wearing the headset the user still has access to the buttons on the iPad Mini. And the device also works with compatible gamepads so the user can enjoy gaming through the headset. There is also a ‘TouchStrip’ of buttons on the headset to control AirVR in and out of the virtual reality experience. In addition, unlike other VR systems like the Oculus Rift this device does not require a power source in the headset; instead, it relies solely on the built-in battery of the iPad Mini. For true 3D experiences apps and movies need to be developed specifically for such a virtual reality device. To show off the technology Metatecture has developed photo, movie and panorama apps for use with their headset. By splitting the screen and providing two lenses the viewer then can be given a VR experience like Oculus Rift. The device will retail for about $49 and should be on sale later this year . The company is also developing a version for iPhone 6 Plus called AirVR+ (pictured). Previously they had tried to use the VR technology with the iPhone 5 but found the screen to be too small . ‘The advanced 64-bit Processors and Graphics Systems allow AirVR to immerse users in vivid 3D worlds and experiences without the need for an external computer,’ the company explains on their Kickstarter page. The company are also planning to bring the device to Apple's iPhone 6 Plus when it is released soon with AirVR+. Previously they had tried to use the VR technology with the iPhone 5 but found the screen to be too small. The larger screen size of the iPhone 6 Plus will allow them to replicate a similar virtual reality experience to that on the iPad Mini. ‘The advanced 64-bit Processors and Graphics Systems allow AirVR to immerse users in vivid 3D worlds and experiences without the need for an external computer,’ the company explains on their Kickstarter page . For true 3D experiences apps need to be developed specifically for such a virtual reality device. To show off the technology Metatecture has developed photo, movie and panorama apps for use with their headset .
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Toronto-based Metatecture is seeking funding for its AirVR device .
The £30 ($49) virtual reality headset works by strapping an iPad to your face .
By splitting the screen and providing two lenses the viewer then can be given a VR experience like Oculus Rift .
The device will retail for about $49 and should be on sale later this year .
The company is also developing a version for iPhone 6 Plus called AirVR+ .
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