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209,469 | 9b3e001888818e9aa2058925f2ed6e5f17ababa2 | (CNN) -- French soccer star Nicolas Anelka has been given a five-match ban and fined £80,000 ($130,000) by the English Football Association (FA) for making a "quenelle" gesture in a game last year. The West Bromwich Albion striker was charged by the FA on January 21 after making the gesture in an English Premier League match against West Ham United on December 28. The "quenelle" which involves pointing a straightened arm downwards while touching the shoulder of that arm with the other hand, is believed by some to be a Nazi salute in reverse and has been linked with anti-Semitism in Anelka's homeland. An Independent Regulatory Commission was asked to consider if the gesture was "abusive and/or indecent and/or insulting and/or improper," and "included a reference to ethnic origin and/or race and/or religion or belief." Both charges were proved, said the commission, but it added it did not believe Anelka to be a racist. "We did not find that Nicolas Anelka is an anti-Semite or that he intended to express or promote anti-Semitism by his use of the quenelle," the Regulatory Commission said in a statement. In addition to the ban and fine, Anelka has been ordered to undertake a "compulsory education course," the FA said. The 34-year-old, who denied the charges and asked for a personal hearing, commented on Twitter after the match that the gesture was "a dedication" to the French comedian Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala before adding: "I am neither racist nor anti-Semitic." Known as Dieudonne, he has popularized the "quenelle" gesture in France and faces investigation by the Paris prosecutor's office for his controversial stand-up routine. During a performance, he said of a prominent Jewish journalist: "Me, you see, when I hear Patrick Cohen speak, I think to myself: 'Gas chambers ... too bad (they no longer exist)." Anelka has seven days to appeal the decision. The Independent Regulatory Commission stated it will reveal how it arrived at its decision "in due course." Read more: Anti-Semitism row shines light on fractured French society . Read more: West Brom lose sponsors over Anelka row . | EPL player handed five-game ban and fined for gesture by English FA .
Anelka denied charges that gesture he made was "abusive, indecent or insulting"
FA Regulatory Commission "did not find Nicolas Anelka is an anti-Semite"
"Quenelle" popularized by controversial French comedian Dieudonne M'Bala M'Bala . |
270,974 | eafef0c184f5693b7b73c37c460e0f82d8525dd3 | Two years after a shocking doping scandal forced him from the charity he created, former elite cyclist Lance Armstrong may start a new cancer foundation if he is not allowed to return to the iconic Livestrong brand. Armstrong, 42, recently told reporters he was weighing his options as the people in charge of Livestrong consider his potential future involvement. He told the Des Moines Register that 'if I'm not welcome' he would likely either start a new foundation 'which is probably the most likely scenario, or just be willing and able to help, wherever I'm asked.' Scroll down for video . Armstrong, 42, recently told reporters he was weighing his options as the people in charge of Livestrong consider his potential future involvement . Livestrong President Doug Ulman recently told Esquire that Armstrong could potentially return to the foundation. However Chairman Jeff Garvey said that a reconciliation was 'not on the table.' Armstrong was removed from the charity in November 2012 just one month after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency hit him with a lifetime competition ban and he was stripped of his seven Tour de France titles. He founded the Lance Armstrong Foundation after his own battle with testicular cancer in 1997. Based in his hometown of Austin, Texas, it's raised more than an estimated $500 million. He claims to have used $7 million to $8 million of his own money to seed the foundation. Armstrong may start a new cancer foundation if he is not allowed to return to the iconic Livestrong brand . Armstrong said that even the possibility of a return was shocking. 'I . was surprised by that. That was never the impression I'd been given,' Armstrong said. 'To see the follow-up statement by the chairman, Jeff Garvey, . that was more in line with where I think they are. 'That's beyond . my control. I can't force that issue. But what I can do (is) stay . committed to the fight, stay committed to the cause.' Armstrong said he was still uncertain how he would respond to an invitation to return and that any answer would 'involve a lot of conversation.' 'I'm a big believer in the whole (author) Jim . Collins theory of 'Who's on the bus? Who'd been on the bus? Who wanted . to get off the bus? Who wants to get off the bus now?' he said. 'So we might have . to look at who's on the bus.' Armstrong said he used $7 million to $8 million of his own money to seed the foundation before he was removed following his doping scandal . However he acknowledge it was, at best, a remote possibility. 'I don't see that happening anytime soon. In fact, I'm almost certain that's not going to happen,' he said. He refuses to let that stop him from engaging with people battling cancer. 'I think it's convenient for them to put me on the sidelines,' he said. 'But I'm not staying on the sidelines.' | Disgraced former champion cyclist is 'almost certain' he won't be welcomed back .
Armstrong was banned in 2012 following revelations the former Tour de France winner doped .
Started the foundation in 1997 with roughly $7 million of his own seed money following battle with testicular cancer . |
163,601 | 5f8ca2bb6995aa54cf4f262829d7d9b966495045 | (CNN) -- Qantas has reached a settlement with engine-maker Rolls Royce over a 2010 incident that grounded its entire Airbus A380 fleet. Rolls-Royce agreed to compensate the airline in a deal worth US $100 million, Qantas CEO Alan Joyce said at a news conference. The deal was signed Wednesday morning and the terms will be kept confidential, according to Joyce. The settlement brings to an end the legal action between the two parties, Qantas said. The failure of a Rolls-Royce engine in early November resulted in an emergency landing of a Qantas passenger plane at Singapore's Changi Airport. The flight, carrying 440 passengers and 26 crew, was Australia-bound from Singapore when a fire on the plane's No. 2 engine not only caused half of the engine casing to fall off in flight, but it also damaged the aircraft's electrical wiring. Investigators blamed the fire on a potential manufacturing defect in the type of engine that caught fire -- a Trent 900 engine manufactured by Rolls-Royce. The incident caused the airline to ground its six A380s for more than three weeks. At Wednesday's news conference, Joyce also updated the company's financial outlook, forecasting annual profit before tax of between US $530 million to $580 million, despite a major impact from weather events and natural disasters. The airline has lost an estimated $219 million due to the Japan earthquake and tsunami, Queensland floods, Cyclones Yasi and Carlos, and the Christchurch earthquake. The Rolls-Royce settlement was included in the profit outlook. Joyce addressed the struggle of Australia's flagship carrier to turnaround its international business which hasn't kept pace with competitors, alluding that major changes will be made later this year. "The task must be to transition a great airline into a great business," he said. A major announcement on the future of the international business will be made on August 24. | Rolls-Royce agrees to compensate Qantas $100 million .
The terms of the deal are confidential .
The failure of a Rolls-Royce engine in early November resulted in an emergency landing .
Engine failure causes Qantas to ground six A380s for more than three weeks . |
163,039 | 5ed3aa9c5dc535645d9760e1d4e095856950882d | Bale hailed in Spain as 'run of a lifetime' From fresh-faced youngster to global star - the changing face of Gareth Bale . Step-by-step to Bale's wonder goal . Lineker claims Bale 'now a superstar' as Welshman savours perfect night . Ancelotti hails Bale as 'extraordinary' PETE JENSON: Bale now on same page as Zidane and Ronaldo in history books . Gareth Bale paid back all of his world-record transfer fee with one lung-busting, Spanish Cup-winning wonder goal. It was his 20th for Real Madrid, his first against Barcelona. The match had been dubbed the game of his life and he produced the goal of his career to settle it. There were shades of ‘Taxi for Maicon’ when he picked the ball up on the halfway line and steamed down the left. Bartra barged him off the field but he still went past the young defender, cut into the area and shot past Jose Pinto. Scroll down to watch Video shows Gareth Bale's face changing over the years . Magical: Gareth Bale jumps in the air as he celebrates his late winner at a packed Mestalla in Valencia . Roar of delight: Bale celebrates after scoring a late winner for Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final . They know what's coming: Barca fans behind the goal watch helplessly as Bale slots the ball past Jose Pinto . Stunner: Bale caps a sensational run by slotting the ball through the legs of Barca keeper Pinto . Dejection: Neymar (left) and Lionel Messi console each other after Barcelona suffer defeat . Presentation: Real Madrid's Iker Casillas holds the trophy aloft after winning the Copa del Rey final . Group photo: Real Madrid players pose together after the final as the celebrations begin . Silverware: Bale (left) and Luka Modric celebrate with the Copa del Rey trophy . Barcelona: Pinto, Bartra (Alexis 86), Alba (Adriano 46), Alves, Fabregas (Pedro 60), Xavi, Iniesta, Mascherano, Busquets, Messi, Neymar . Subs not used: Oier, Puyol, Song, Roberto . Goal: Bartra 68 . Bookings: Neymar, Mascherano . Real Madrid: Casillas, Pepe, Ramos, Coentrao, Carvajal, Bale, Alonso, Modric, Di Maria (Illarramendi 86), Isco (Casemiro 88), Benzema (Varane 90) Subs not used: Diego Lopez, Fernandez, Morata, Jose . Goals: Di Maria 11, Bale 85 . Bookings: Pepe, Isco, Alonso . The Madrid bench erupted with . substitutes and technical staff on the pitch and the white half of . Valencia’s Mestalla stadium got to their feet with the game all but won. There was still time . for Neymar’s shot to hit a post at the other end and roll back into Iker . Casillas’s arms but it was Madrid and Bale’s night. He had won the . battle of last summer’s big signings and his first trophy in Spain. At . the final whistle injured Cristiano Ronaldo and Real’s sporting . director Zinedine Zidane ran on to the pitch to embrace the Welshman. It . was a goal of which they would both have been proud. Real Madrid director and former Spanish Cup winner Emilio Butragueno said: ‘He ran 50 metres with a power that was frightening.’ The trophy could be the first of three for Bale this season with Real Madrid in the hunt for the Champions League and La Liga. Bale started strongly, as did Madrid. He was released by Isco and sent an angled shot just wide. Nutmeg: Pinto cannot prevent Bale from scoring a sensational late winner for Real Madrid . Delight: Bale wheels away in celebration as a dejected Javier Mascherano and Adriano look on . Hugs: Bale is congratulated by Real Madrid team-mate Xabi Alonso after scoring the winner . No stopping: Di Maria scores the opening goal after 10 minutes as Jordi Alba fails to intercept . Thumb on: Real Madrid's Argentinian midfielder Angel di Maria celebrates after scoring the opening goal . Rising high: Barcelona defender Marc Bartra guides his header into the net for the equaliser . Get in: Bartra celebrates after pulling Barcelona level with Real Madrid in the 68th minute . Iniesta . carried the greatest threat for Barcelona going down under Daniel . Carvajal’s challenge. The 22-year-old right back had got a foot to the . ball and referee Antonio Lahoz ignored penalty appeals. Bale . forced a corner off Javier Mascherano when fed by Karim Benzema as . Madrid pressed. His ability to take full advantage of the space left by . Dani Alves was an early tactic and on 10 minutes it paid off. Isco . robbed the Brazilian high up the pitch and released Benzema. He fed . Bale and the Welshman’s cross was controlled by Angel Di Maria. The . Argentine looked level with the last defender, the flag stayed down, and . although Pinto got a hand to his shot he failed to keep it out. Carlo . Ancelotti’s team had hit their rivals where they were most vulnerable. Well done: Bale is congratulated by Real Madrid assistant manager Zinedine Zidane (left) and Cristiano Ronaldo . The boss: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti is thrown into the air by his players . Getting a piece: Ronaldo holds the trophy as he joins his team-mates on the pitch after the game . On the run: Mascherano (cenre) and Sergio Busquets (right) chase after the advancing Bale . Confrontation: Real Madrid's Portuguese defender Fabio Coentrao (right) argues with Neymar . Heated: Tempers fray as Neymar argues with Real Madrid players during the first half . Be quiet: Bartra argues with referee Mateu Lahoz (right) who makes his feelings obvious . Carlo Ancelotti joins Jose Mourinho as coaches that have won the FA Cup, the Coppa Italia and the Copa del Rey. Having . taken the lead, Real retreated and Barca took the initiative. Bale did . go on another run across the face of the goal but this time pulled the . ball back to Di Maria and the move was snuffed out. For . Barcelona, Iniesta threaded a pass through to Cesc Fabregas but the . former Arsenal player overhit his pass and nobody reached it. Iniesta’s . magic apart, Barcelona were hitting too many long balls and Leo Messi . was struggling to get involved. Barcelona dominated possession but their . passes went in straight lines, not the defence-unlocking diagonals of . old. Challenge: Bale looks to tackle Messi (right) as the Barcelona forward dribbles with the ball . Up and over: Messi hits a free kick towards goal over the Real Madrid wall but is unsuccessful . Give me that: Messi tries to grab the ball as Luka Modric catches it above his head . Campeones: Real Madrid supporters celebrate as their team wins the Copa del Rey at the Mestalla stadium . Missing out: Cristiano Ronaldo (left) and Marcelo watch from the stands as their team wins . Watching on: Barcelona coach Gerardo Martino on the touchline as Xavi advances with the ball . Full house: The Mestalla is packed as Barcelona fans cheer on their team during the warm-up . Worst of all for . Barcelona, Neymar showboated down the right when most fans feel he . should play left. The pattern of the second half followed the first, . with Barcelona camping in greater numbers in Madrid’s area. But with . Isco always ready to steal possession and Bale, Benzema and Di Maria . quicker out of the blocks on the break, a second goal from Madrid looked . likely. Bale saw his . headed goal at the back post ruled out for a foul on the keeper. The . decision looked harsh and from Barca’s next attack they won a corner . which Xavi planted on Bartra’s head. He powered it between Casillas and . his left-hand post — the most un-Barca of goals. But Bale’s searing run delivered the eye-popping winner. | World record signing Gareth Bale scores his first goal against rivals Barca .
It marks the Welshman's first trophy for Real Madrid in his first major final .
Bale produced a man of the match performance in the absence of star man Cristiano Ronaldo, who was missing through injury .
Angel di Maria opened the scoring for Real before Marc Bartra equalised . |
107,628 | 16c5d18451a7199e95d6cec93c5ecaefb04856d5 | By . Mike Dawes . David Weir produced the fastest wheelchair mile in history — and has been tipped to go faster still by Sir Roger Bannister, a man who knows a thing or two about milestones. Sir Roger was at the top of The Mall in London to present Weir with his medal after he had crossed the line outside Buckingham Palace in 3min 7sec. That was two seconds faster than the time he set on the same route a year ago but short of the three-minute barrier he had targeted to mark the official 60th anniversary of the first sub-four-minute mile run by Sir Roger. Record breaker: David Weir recorded the fastest ever wheelchair mile in Westminster on Saturday . ‘It was wonderful to see him get so close, said Sir Roger. ‘I think he’ll do it next year.’ Weir, who was also cheered on by Mo Farah, duly retained his British Athletics men’s wheelchair road mile title, beating Japan’s Kota Hokinoue by 22 seconds, and vowed to be back next year to launch another attack on the three-minute barrier. ‘I gave it my best shot and I wasn’t too far off,’ said Weir, who clinched the fourth of his quartet of London 2012 Paralympic gold medals when he won the wheelchair marathon on these same streets two years ago. Agonising: Weir broke the world record but just failed to go under the three-minute mark in Westminster . ‘It was such an honour to meet Sir Roger and it would have been great to have broken three minutes in front of him. I’ll be back next year to give it another go.’ | Four-time Paralympic gold medal winner crossed the line in 3min 7secs .
Sir Roger Bannister has tipped him to go even faster .
Beat Japan's Kota Hokinoue to retain British athletics wheelchair road mile . |
272,752 | ed40c62513815ba6165b50de3e4e839e7fb8428f | Stephen Fry has admitted in his soon-to-be-released third autobiography to having spent an 'enormous amount' of time and money on cocaine. The actor, presenter and celebrity has revealed the extent of his drug use in his book 'More Fool Me', which follows on from his two previous autobiographies released in 1997 and 2010. The revelation was made in the Sunday Times in anticipation of the release of his new book in four days' time. Scroll down for video . Presenter and actor Stephen Fry reveals the extent of his cocaine use in his latest autobiography . He wrote: 'The only point of writing an autobiography, or so at least it seems to me, is to be honest. 'And in this book I have been utterly candid about a period of my life in which I spent an enormous amount of time and money on cocaine powder. 'I know how stupid that is, but I also know better people than me have found themselves on the same path.' Fry has previously gone public with a number of tumultuous incidents in his life. The actor and presenter, who has a history of depression, admitted last year for the first time that he was in a hotel room abroad when he tried to kill himself in 2012. In an interview with fellow comedian Richard Herring for the Leicester Square Theatre Podcast, Fry said that as president of mental health charity Mind, he felt he should talk about his own episodes of depression. Fry, pictured last year, has in the past spokenly openly about his battles with bipolar disorder . 'I am the victim of my own moods, more than most people are perhaps, in as much as I have a condition which requires me to take medication so that I don't get either too hyper or too depressed to the point of suicide,' said Fry, who first disclosed contemplating killing himself 19 years ago. 'I would go as far as to tell you that I attempted it last year, so I'm not always happy. This is the first time I've said this in public, but I might as well.' Fry, who hosts panel show QI, has long been open about suffering from bipolar disorder, also known as manic depression. The illness is characterised by episodes of mania and depression, with extreme episodes often lasting for several weeks. About one in every 100 people are diagnosed with bipolar disorder, with between 25 and 56 per cent of sufferers making at least one suicide attempt. Talking about his experience with the illness, Fry added: 'If un-medicated, there are times when I am so exuberant, so hyper, that I can go three or four nights without sleeping and I'm writing and I'm doing stuff and I'm so grandiose and so full of self-belief that it's almost impossible to deal with me. 'I can't stop speaking, I'm incredible, I go on shopping sprees.' | Stephen Fry reveals the extent of his cocaine use in third autobiography .
Due to be released this week, he admits spending large sums on the drug .
In the past Fry has also spoken openly about his battle with bipolar disorder .
For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or go to www.samaritans.org. |
173,904 | 6d07d7e96fb583d1fb5ebd9f679970e81b88f29b | It's not only new pencil cases, shirts, blazers, caps, lunch boxes and PE kits that Britain's mums have been preoccupied with over the last few weeks. Autumn fashion sprees, blow-drys and fake tans are also high on mothers' 'to-do' lists for the start of the new academic year. A new survey has revealed that fashion and beauty comes high on the agenda for back to school preparation with 64 per cent of mothers admitted they'd bought a new outfit for the new year and 76 per cent arranged . beauty appointments and treatments to coincide with their children's first day back. What type of school-run mum are you? 64% say they buy outfits for the school-gate fashion parade . Boots, knitwear, and coats were the most . popular items purchased, according to Debenhams survey. The store has . reported a 160 per cent increase in womenswear over the last month with winter . scarves, boots flying off the shelves. They've also found a 16 per cent increase . in handbag sales. In recent years celebrity mums such as Elle Macpherson, Myleene Klass, Samantha Cameron and Claudia Schiffer, who have all been photographed looking glamorous while taking their children to school, which has brought the spotlight on the school gate fashion-parade phenomenon. There are also a plethora of fashion bloggers specialising in school-run outfits. Along with her new term fashion snaps, one such blogger Susiesosoblogspot recently posted, 'Who says you’ve got to stop caring what you look like after . you’ve had children?'. Another, Poppystyle, says: 'I need to feel like a . woman as well as a Mom and why should I subscribe to the sweat pants . every day brigade?' But not all mums are so keen to join the parade, with one recent thread on Netmums asking, 'So who is dreading the school gate fashion parade?', with several mums bemoaning the 'judgemental' nature of the school gates and . asking for tips on what to wear, while others saying they 'don't give a . monkeys'. tFamous school-run mums: Myleene Klass (left) and SJP (right) But according to the survey, over eight . out of ten (82 per cent) mums who do the school run admitted they had planned . 'either the night before or earlier', what they were going to wear for . the first day of term drop-off. When it comes to hair and beauty, 76 per cent of mothers said they had arranged appointments and treatments to coincide with them looking their best for the start of term, including using self-tanning lotion, having fake tans, waxing, hair-colouring, highlights, hair-cuts and a blow-dry. Hair salon, Regis reported a 16 per cent increase in hair colouring appointments in the run up to the start of the school year. The most popular items purchased by mums in the survey were:1. Knitwear2. Jeans3. Scarf4. Coat/trench coat5. Boots . A whopping 83 per cent of mums said they would be wearing make-up to the school gates and half said they had bought a new item of make-up they would be using. Geography also seems to play a part in mums school-gate fashion habits. The biggest fashion followers were in the South East and the West Country. In the North West mums concentrated on hair and make-up. New jeans were especially popular in the East Midlands. The retailer commissioned the study after . seeing a surge in sales of women’s clothing and hair and beauty . products in the weeks leading up to the first week of September and the . start of a new academic year for UK schools. A spokesperson for Debenhams said: 'Obviously we see a jump in back-to-school clothing for children, but we are now also seeing a rise in categories of womenswear, footwear and beauty lines as well. Putting the style into school: Claudia Schiffer (left) and Elle McPherson (right) are two mothers you won't spot wearing pyjamas on the school run aption here . 'Some women are going for whole new outfits to wear to the school-gates, while others are just opting for one of two things like a new jacket, or skirt. 'Of course many of these items will also be for the office but it seems that the September back to school period triggers a wardrobe and make-up-bag revamp for mothers across the board.' However, for those who are a little less well put together on some mornings, you are not alone, 9 per cent of mums confessed that on at least one occasion in the past they had worn an item of sleepwear or slippers when dropping their children to school. Stylish mums: Jennifer Garner and daughter Violet Affleck (left) Sandra Bullock and Louis Bardo Bullock (right) | Nearly two in three women bought new clothing to wear on the school run .
Boots, knitwear, and coats were the most popular items purchase .
Mums admitted they .
had planned what they were going .
to wear .
76% said they had arranged .
beauty appointment .
Elle Macpherson, Myleene Klass, Samantha Cameron and Claudia Schiffer are amongst glamorous school gate mums . |
281,868 | f91f2b201bd0959bc53bfc9097b9f4bb6c4e956a | By . Alasdair Glennie . PUBLISHED: . 19:00 EST, 10 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:37 EST, 11 September 2012 . Being critical is Barry Norman’s job. But now the veteran film reviewer is facing some critics of his own. Readers have taken him to task over his weekly film review column in the Radio Times, saying it is sexist, misogynistic and stuck in the past. They pointed to his recent review of 1990 movie Pretty Woman in which he described Julia Roberts’s character as an ‘archetypal tart with a heart’ and ‘every man’s dream hooker’. And why not? Barry Norman, pictured here presenting one of his famous film review programmes, insisted he was merely describing how the movie depicted women . But Norman, 79, insisted he was merely describing how the movie depicted women rather than expressing his own views. ‘God Almighty, what is the matter with these people?’ he said. In the Pretty Woman review he wrote: ‘Nowadays this arouses the tut-tut of disapproval for its sexism and rose-tinted view of prostitution (as personified by every man’s dream hooker, Julia Roberts). ‘Richard Gere (every girl’s dream billionaire) is the businessman who picks her up in Hollywood and hires her for a week, partly for sex but mostly as arm candy to be worn at dinners and polo matches... ‘Roberts, of course, has been driven to the streets by harsh circumstances and is really the archetypal tart with a heart while Gere is not nearly so ruthless as he first appears. Charm: Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman . ‘Suspend disapproval and enjoy because it’s made and played with a great deal of charm.’ In another review Norman appeared to suggest women liked James Bond because of the spy’s ruthless approach to love. He wrote: ‘For a young man, what was not to like? We all wanted to be James Bond. And somehow, despite – or who knows, possibly because of – his cavalier and occasionally cruel treatment of their sex, women seemed to like him, too.’ In another review he described Marilyn Monroe’s 1953 classic movie How To Marry a Millionaire, saying: ‘It’s all very sexist (Women’s Lib hadn’t been invented then) but it’s amusing enough.’ In another, he referred to Julie Walters’s character in the 1983 movie Educating Rita as a ‘tarty working-class student’. Reader Jackie Grant, from Oxford, complained that Norman had made ‘four sexist remarks in just a few lines’, adding: ‘I’m tired of reading the misogynist (sic) comments Barry Norman injects into so many film reviews.’ Outspoken headmistress Dr Helen Wright, from St Mary’s Calne in Wiltshire, said Norman should take more care not to repeat negative stereotypes of women. Miss Wright, whose targets have included X Factor judge Tulisa Contostavlos for a foul-mouthed rant on Twitter, said the world had moved on and Norman should too. ‘While he is writing about films from a more sexist era, he should be careful not to suggest they are reminiscent of a glorious golden age,’ she said. ‘By repeating sexist phrases, you help reinforce sexist views. ‘Mr Norman is a witty and acerbic writer. Someone with that power of language needs to be careful not to reinforce outmoded ways of thinking. The world has moved on from the days when it is OK to describe a woman as a “tart with a heart”, and he needs to move on too.’ However, Mr Norman was scathing in his defence. ‘God Almighty, what is the matter with these people?,’ he said. ‘I was merely describing in shorthand how these films depict women, not advancing my own views. If people don’t have the intelligence to see that, it is not my fault. I’m not old fashioned. ‘These are phrases that have been used for years, and are still used now. I think political correctness can be very important, but it does go overboard sometimes. It is possible to be too prickly, possibly a little humourless about things.’ | Readers have taken the veteran film reviewer to task over his column in the Radio Times .
They pointed to his recent review of the 1990 film Julia Roberts film Pretty Woman . |
207,826 | 9914d9ec104864007e7d2820650c0b4cbc9a4664 | Aviva Premiership club London Irish have confirmed rugby director Brian Smith's departure from the club. Irish said Smith has been granted early release from his contract - which was due to expire on June 30 this year - on 'compassionate grounds' and he will return to Australia for family reasons. Exiles forwards coach Glenn Delaney will take on the role of interim head coach between now and the end of this season. Aviva Premiership club London Irish have confirmed rugby director Brian Smith's departure from the club . Former England attack coach Smith, 48, had two spells with Irish as rugby director. He was in charge between 2005 and 2008, guiding the club to a third-place Premiership finish and the European Challenge Cup final. He also took Irish to the 2008 Heineken Cup semi-finals, when they were beaten by Toulouse at Twickenham. Smith then spent three years with England, before returning to Irish. 'My family has to be my priority right now, which is why I have asked to be released from my contract early,' he said. 'I have thoroughly enjoyed my 10-year association with London Irish and I will look back on my time with fond memories.' Irish are currently 20 points above Premiership bottom club and red-hot relegation favourites London Welsh, effectively securing their top-flight status for another season. Irish said Smith has been granted early release from his contract - which was due to expire on June 30 . Smith guided London Irish to a 10th placed finish in the Aviva Premiership last season . Delaney, meanwhile, will be assisted by Richard Whiffin and Mark Tainton, and the club's academy coaching team of former Exiles players Nick Kennedy, Declan Danaher and Paul Hodgson. Irish host Grenoble in the European Challenge Cup on Saturday, still harbouring quarter-final ambitions in that competition. Irish executive chairman David Fitzgerald added: 'London Irish is grateful to Brian Smith for the contribution he has made to the club. 'He led us to the greatest experience we've had to date of European rugby, and introduced some great players to the club. 'We believe that, following Sunday's results at Madejski Stadium and Kingston Park (where Newcastle beat London Welsh), our Premiership status for next season is more or less secure and allows us to focus on preparing for next season. 'All involved with London Irish, especially the new owners, would like to personally thank Brian for his considerable contribution over the last two-and-a-half years, and wish him and his family well for the future.' Irish say they will announce a new head coach 'in due course'. Former Ireland boss Declan Kidney is thought to be in the frame. London Irish fought back to beat Exeter 28-26 in their Aviva Premiership clash on Sunday afternoon . | London Irish director of rugby Brian Smith has left the club .
He was granted early release from his contract on compassionate grounds .
Glenn Delaney will take charge for the remainder of the season . |
271,957 | ec486033790260be5281ff1204a9124c62932a0d | By . Associated Press . and Reuters . PUBLISHED: . 18:57 EST, 2 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:29 EST, 3 March 2014 . Police arrested hundreds of people who strapped themselves to the White House fence on Sunday to protest the proposed Keystone XL oil pipeline. The protesters were mostly college students who participated in a peaceful march that began at Georgetown University and ended outside the White House. They chanted 'climate justice now' and carried signs with slogans such as 'don't tarnish the earth' in an effort to persuade President Barack Obama to reject the pipeline. Scroll down for video . Demonstration: A group of mostly college students participated in a peaceful march against the proposed Keystone pipeline, starting at Georgetown University and ending at the White House . Chained: 372 of the protesters were arrested when they strapped themselves to the White House fence . Others wore white jumpsuits splatterd with blood while laying down on Pennsylvania Avenue in a simulated oil spill. Protesters were passionate but quite orderly. Police were waiting for them with buses and vans to speed the process. Protesters cheered as U.S. Park Police warned them that blocking the sidewalk or strapping themselves to the fence would lead to their arrest. In all, 372 were arrested, police said. Organizers estimate that about 1,000 people participated in the protest overall. The protesters were speaking out against the $5.4billion pipeline being proposed by Canadian energy firm TransCanada Corp. If built, the pipeline will transport crude oil from Alberta to refineries on the U.S. Gulf Coast. It's currently under review by the State Department and other agencies, but President Obama has a final say on whether it gets approved. Their cause: Some of the protesters held up signs like 'don't tarnish the earth' while others changed 'climate justice now' Climate change: The protesters believe the proposed pipeline will worsen global warming . Those against he pipeline fear it will cause oil spills and hasten climate change - which has led to much protesting outside the White House. 'If the Democratic Party wants to keep our vote, they better make sure President Obama rejects that pipeline,' said Nick Stracco, a 23-year-old student at Tulane University in New Orleans. Supporters for the pipeline however, believe it will be good for the U.S. economy by creating thousands of temporary construction jobs and improving energy security. 'Today's protest represents a fringe minority of people against any use of fossil fuels,' said Matt Dempsey of Oil Sands Fact Check. 'This extreme position is well outside the American mainstream. Even President Obama says we need an "all of the above" approach to energy. As a result, today's protest does little but expose the extreme nature of these last remaining Keystone XL opponents.' | An estimated 1,000 protesters participated in Sunday's demonstration which started at Georgetown University and ended at Pennsylvania Avenue .
They were protesting against the proposed $5.4billion Keystone pipeline which would bring crude oil from Alberta to refineries on the gulf coast .
Those against the project fear it will cause spills along the pipeline .
But supports argue it will help the economy by creating thousands of temporary jobs and improve U.S. energy security . |
15,751 | 2cb366c30e1763f2b68c3048887cd5759ca3d1f8 | By . Tom Sheen . Follow @@Tom_Sheen . Neymar was incredible for Brazil in a 4-0 demolition of Panama. The Barcelona superstar was at his brilliant best, scoring a sublime free-kick to open the scoring, before showing off a plethora of flicks and tricks that looked as if he was playing against children. But how did Luiz Felipe Scolari's Premier League based players get on? Brilliant: Neymar was the star of the show as Brazil beat Panama 4-0 in a World Cup warm-up . Good start: Luiz Felipe Scolari's team have just one game before they start their campaign on home soil . Still a contracted to Queens Park Rangers - though not for long it would seem - Brazil's No 1 was a commanding presence throughout. Panama rarely troubled Cesar but he did pull off one spectacular save. After slipping on a terrible pitch at the Serra Dourada, Cesar recovered and made an acrobatic leap to tip a looping header over the bar. He always looked assured and was given the captain's armband after David Luiz went off. Safe hands: QPR's Julio Cesar was in good form all night, pulling off one very good save after slipping . Quiet: Oscar was overshadowed by Neymar and Brazil were better when Willian was introduced . Looked a little bit lost positionally and was completely overshadowed by the brilliant Neymar. He wants to play behind the striker but he often ended up out on the left, with Scolari preferring to use the Barca man in the hole. His position for the World Cup opener looks under threat as he doesn't have the pace to operate out wide. Was replaced by Willian early in the second half. Struggled, as did his team-mates, in the opening 15 minutes as Panama started the better of the two. Overrun in the midfield at times in what can sometimes look like a 4-2-4 for the hosts, but eventually found his footing as well as providing the usual energy. Withdrawn at half-time and Brazil were much more confident on the ball with his replacement, Hernanes, but by then Panama had given up. Slow starter: Ramires started slowly but eventually showed his usual vim and vigour in the midfield . Came on and provided some much needed width, allowing Neymar more space in the middle. Was in the right place at the right time to score the fourth goal, and would have had two assists had two inch-perfect crosses been aimed at somebody other than Jo. Could be in line to start for Scolari, Brazil looked much more balanced with Willian if the manager intends to play Neymar as a second striker. Late claim? Willian's performance, including a goal, will give him a chance to start the opening game . Unused substitute. Unused substitute. Chelsea fans will be extremely familiar with the way in which the Brazil captain for the night picked up his yellow card. Rushing out from the centre of defence to challenge his man on the half-way line, the rash Luiz lashed out after being easily turned. Actually settled down after that but Panama offered little threat. Played a wondreful pass to Neymar in the build-up to Hulk's goal. Reckless; David Luiz was booked for the kind of tackle Chelsea fans will be glad to see the back of . | Brazil beat Panama 4-0 in their first World Cup warm-up match .
Neymar stole the show with a brilliant individual performance .
Luiz Felipe Scolari's team have just won more game before the tournament .
Six Premier League stars are in the Selecao . |
31,902 | 5ac77aeedc60eceb867f4161fb1144ffe42e7829 | (CNN) -- The man who collected the urine sample that led to Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun's now-overturned drug suspension says he did not tamper with the sample, as Braun has implied. "I followed the same procedure in collecting Mr. Braun's sample as I did in the hundreds of other samples," Dino Laurenzi Jr. said in a statement released Tuesday. "At no point did I tamper in any way with the samples. This situation has caused great emotional distress for me and my family." Laurenzi's statement comes after Braun publicly blasted Major League Baseball's drug testing system and an arbitration board tossed out a 50-game suspension imposed as the result of the drug test Braun took last year. Braun, the 2011 National League MVP, told reporters that nearly two days passed between when a collector took his sample and when it was delivered to a FedEx office. "What could have possibly happened to it during that 44-hour period? There were a lot of things that we learned about the collector, about the collection process, about the way that the entire thing worked that made us very concerned and very suspicious about what could have actually happened," Braun said during a news conference last week. Laurenzi said he collected urine samples from Braun along with two other players on October 1, a Saturday, and the samples were sealed, placed in a sealed bag and then placed into a sealed cardboard box. He finished the collection at 5 p.m. and took the samples home because there was "no FedEx office located within 50 miles of Miller Park that would ship packages that day or Sunday." Laurenzi said the testing policy requires collectors to take samples to their homes until FedEx can immediately send the sample to the laboratory. He said the sample was stored in his basement office in areas sufficiently cool enough to store urine. He then shipped the sample on Monday, October 3. "It is my understanding that the samples were received at the laboratory with all tamper resistant seals intact," Laurenzi said. The arbitrator's decision last week to overturn Braun's suspension marked the first successful appeal of a suspension under Major League Baseball's anti-drug policy. Braun, 28, led the Brewers to the team's first division title in three decades in 2011, with a .332 batting average, 33 home runs and 111 runs batted in. He was slapped with the suspension in December after the drug test, which the sports network ESPN, citing unidentified sources, said showed high levels of testosterone. Braun said at the time there were "highly unusual circumstances" that would show his innocence. The arbitration panel apparently agreed, voting 2-1 to overturn the suspension, according to the MLB Players Association. Major League Baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, Rob Manfred, roundly rejected Braun's accusations, though he said some changes may be made in the testing process. "Major League Baseball runs the highest quality drug testing program of any professional sports organization in the world. ... Our program is not 'fatally flawed.' Changes will be made promptly to clarify the instructions provided to collectors regarding when samples should be delivered to FedEx based on the arbitrator's decision," he wrote in a statement released last week. CNN's Alan Silverleib David Close and Kara Devlin contributed to this report . | "At no point did I tamper in any way with the samples," the collector says .
The collector waited nearly two days to deliver his sample, Ryan Braun says .
His 50-games suspension has been tossed out . |
111,034 | 1b2d042d061e852c0c5d5c081e2b8510e33ff234 | Queens Park Rangers are watching Blackburn strike pair Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede as they weigh up a January bid. Manager Harry Redknapp is keen to bring in a goalscorer to bolster his side's fight for Premier League survival and ideally wants players who can bed in quickly. He has reservations that Rhodes can not play as a lone striker but his goalscoring record means he has to be considered. The 24-year-old has 59 goals in 106 games for Blackburn with 73 in 108 for previous club Huddersfield. QPR are interested in signing Blackburn duo Jordan Rhodes (left) and Rudy Gestede in January . He has scored seven this season and was on the bench for Saturday's game at Brentford, where Redknapp was joined in the stands by assistant Kevin Bond. Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer started with Gestede up front at Brentford and the 26-year-old continued his rich vein of form with his 12th goal of the season in just 20 games. Gestede impressed Redknapp last season also and has now scored 23 goals in 38 games since joining from Cardiff City. Rhodes has also been watched by Real Sociedad while Hull City failed with a £10million offer for the Scotland striker in the summer. Gestede (right) was on target at Brentford on Satruday- despite their 3-1 Championship defeat . Blackburn may well have been wiser to take that offer in light of their transfer embargo imposed by the Football League on Monday. They will now be under restrictions to what, if any player, they can bring in. There is also interest mounting in Rovers' 23-year-old winger Ben Marshall, with several Premier League and Championship clubs represented at recent games. QPR have considered moves for the likes of Peter Crouch, Gary Hooper, Robbie Keane and Jermain Defoe but Keane will be staying in the MLS and Defoe is expensive. Stoke want to keep Crouch and Hooper is still struggling for form. A suitable offer for either Gestede or Rhodes could be timely. QPR are also interested in signing Stoke striker Peter Crouch but the Potters want to keep the 33-year-old . Premier League clubs have been alerted to the fact Fulham are willing to listen to offers for striker Ross McCormack just six months after signing him from Leeds United for £11million. The 28-year-old is content in London but the struggling Championship side are considering means to strengthen their squad elsewhere and a sizeable offer for McCormack would be considered. Fulham have put clubs on alert with news they're willing to listen to offers for striker Ross McCormack (left) Although Kit Symons has steadied the ship, Fulham are still 10 points off the play-off places following their poor start under Felix Magath and their prospects of promotion look slim. They are evaluating the squad and are prepared to make changes in January. Aston Villa are also among clubs keen on midfielder Bryan Ruiz. There is interest in the 29-year-old Costa Rica star from Holland and Spain also but Paul Lambert hopes to persuade him to make a quick return to the Premier League with Villa. McCormack's team-mate Bryan Ruiz (left) is attracting interest from Premier League side Aston Villa . Gremio want Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva. The 27-year-old is in and out of Brendan Rodgers' side at the moment and the Brazilian club sense he could be open to a return home. Lucas, however, has made it clear he would prefer to stay at Anfield if he has a fair chance of contributing. Napoli have been linked consistently also but Rafa Benitez is struggling to get the financial support he wants to push the Italian club forward. Liverpool want to sell to raise money for January re-inforcements and Italian striker Fabio Borini is at the top of that list. The club hope to raise around £10m to £12m for the 24-year-old but may yet find a replacement on loan rather than commit even more transfer funds with Daniel Sturridge due back from injury and Divock Origi arriving in the summer. Gremio want to sign Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva (left), despite his preference to stay at Anfield . Manchester United are looking at Belgian brothers Indy and Seppe Boonen. Indy, 15, is a left back who left Genk last year and has already had trials at United. He is training with United's youth sides at the moment while his younger brother 13-year-old Seppe is a promising goalkeeper. They are hoping to sign a professional contract with United when they turn 16. United have held off competition from neighbours Manchester City to sign Portuguese winger Venancio da Silva Monteiro. The 15-year-old left Benfica in April to train with United in the hope of winning a deal but his performances had attracted interest from City who were also keen to sign him. West Ham are reviving interest in Sporting Lisbon striker Islam Slimani. The 26-year-old Algeria forward impressed at the World Cup and is keen on a move to the Premier League. One concern though is Slimani's involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations. West Ham will listen to offers for Mauro Zarate. The 27-year-old forward has been used sparingly this season and wants more game time. Sporting Lisbon striker Islam Slimani (right) is being monitored by West Ham . West Ham will need cover for Diafra Sakho, who is also due at the Africa Cup of Nations in January but Zarate wants a regular role. He wants to play for his adopted country Chile when they host the 2015 Copa America but will struggle to stake a claim having played just eight games this season. Southampton are among clubs to have shown an interest so far but Zarate also has clubs from Spain, Brazil and Italy who are keen to take him either permanently or on loan. Meanwhile the Hammers are willing to listen to offers for 27-year-old striker Mauro Zarate . Orlando City are closing on a deal for Stoke City winger Brek Shea. Former Everton and Manchester City midfielder Adrian Heath is in charge of the MLS side and hopes to wrap up the transfer in the coming days. The 24-year-old Shea has struggled to win a first team role at the Britannia Stadium since the club fought to secure him a work permit in January 2013. The £2.5m signing has only made one start, in the League Cup, and has struggled to make a positive impression in loan spells at Barnsley and Birmingham City. Shea trained with Orlando in the summer but insisted he still wanted to prove himself in Europe. Stoke winger Brek Shea (left) has struggled to make a positive impression on loan at Birmingham City . Swansea City are keen to make Tom Carroll's loan from Tottenham into a permanent deal. The 22-year-old has impressed manager Garry Monk and is happy to make the switch from White Hart Lane, where competition among midfielders is fierce. Tottenham want to bring in three or four players themselves in January but are struggling to offload some of their surplus squad members. Swansea also have a liking for Kyle Naughton. Monk is in talks over bringing in a new full-back and a defensive midfielder with Exeter's Matt Grimes a confirmed target. A striker is also on Monk's wishlist with Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham among those continuing to admire £20m-rated Wilfried Bony. Swansea are keen to sign on loan Tottenham midfielder Tom Carroll (right) on a permanent deal . | Blackburn's Jordan Rhodes and Rudy Gestede are January targets of QPR .
Rhodes has scored 59 goals in 106 games for Rovers, while Gestede has netted 12 in 20 appearances this season .
Fulham are willing to listen to offers for striker Ross McCormack .
McCormack joined the club in a £11million deal from Leeds this summer .
Gremio want to sign Liverpool midfielder Lucas Leiva .
West Ham are reviving interest in Sporting Lisbon striker Islam Slimani .
Swansea want on loan Tottenham midfielder Tom Carroll permanently . |
83,423 | eca6f6584caf452b9653ca46b461298783c997e1 | New York (CNN) -- The tragic death of President Lech Kaczynski and Poland's political and military elite among the trees of the Katyn Forest is surreal, given that in those same woods, thousands of Polish prisoners of war were murdered by Joseph Stalin's secret police. The delegation was headed for the Katyn Forest near Smolensk, Russia, to honor the 22,000 Polish prisoners of war killed 70 years ago by the Soviet Union's NKVD, forerunner of the KGB. In 1940, Stalin ordered the assassination of Poland's military and political leaders in order to create a leadership vacuum so he could prop up a Communist puppet state in Warsaw. Many of those killed in Saturday's plane crash helped to overturn Soviet Communism in Poland in 1990. They included Poland's top generals, several bishops, the head of the national bank and several deputy government ministers. During the five decades of Soviet occupation of Poland in the Cold War, the Russians covered up the Katyn Massacre, claiming that Nazi Germany had murdered these officers. But forensic evidence found in mass graves proved that the Polish prisoners were taken into the woods, with their hands tied behind their backs, and one by one, they were shot dead in the back of the head by the Russians. The mass graves were discovered by German soldiers in 1943 when they saw pawprints of wolves that had been digging up the bones. In 1990, after the collapse of the Soviet Union, the truth began to slowly emerge with revelations by Russian leaders Mikhail Gorbachev and Boris Yeltsin. It's no secret that Moscow was not excited about Kaczynski's visit to Katyn, because he demanded to know the full truth about the murders. For the Kremlin, the official commemoration took place last Wednesday when Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and Kaczynski's political rival, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, took part in ceremonies at the same gravesite where Kaczynski was heading. But Kaczynski's delegation included family members of murdered officers who wanted the Russian government to open all of the remaining archives concerning the massacre. For decades, the cries of Polish families who want to know what happened to their loved ones have fallen on deaf ears. Kaczynski was their voice. Many will no doubt compare this crash to the 1943 death of Polish Prime Minister Gen. Wladyslaw Sikorski, who died mysteriously when his plane crashed into the sea near Gibraltar after he asked the International Red Cross to investigate the Katyn Massacre. At the time, the American and British governments were not willing to address the massacre because they were trying to help the Soviet Union fight Nazi Germany on the Eastern front. Let us hope the flight data recordings from Kaczynski's downed plane will provide enough evidence to dissuade conspiracy theorists. Ironically, because of Kaczynski's death, more people have already heard about the Katyn Massacre than would have heard about it had he simply placed a wreath at the gravesite. For those Polish officers in the mass graves at Katyn, Lech Kaczynski's death was not in vain. Many Russian government officials appeared on Polish television after the disaster expressing sincere regrets over the death of Kaczynski and his delegation. Putin has flown to Smolensk, where he said that he would oversee the investigation into the crash. Hopefully, these are signs that this tragedy will somehow lead to the full truth about Katyn and reconciliation between Poland and Russia. For decades, Katyn has been the symbol of the worst in Polish-Russian relations. That is why several months ago, the Kosciuszko Foundation began working on a conference about the Katyn Massacre to be held at the Library of Congress on May 5. The goal is to provide a forum for political leaders, scholars, authors and human rights advocates from Poland, Russia and the United States to discuss new details on the massacre, and the possibility of finding a path toward reconciliation between Poland and Russia. There will also be a display of rare Katyn photographs and documents on loan from The Council to Protect the Memory of Struggle and Martyrdom. Andrzej Przewoznik, secretary-general of the Council, was to be one of the speakers. He died in Saturday's crash. Now, this conference and exhibit will be a tribute to him, as well as to the other Polish leaders killed in Katyn during the 1940s, and in 2010. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Alex Storozynski. | Plane crash killed many Polish leaders headed to commemorate Katyn Massacre .
Alex Storozynski says the massacre by Soviets in 1940 remains a source of friction .
Polish president, killed in crash, was voice of those who wanted to know about the massacre .
Storozynski hopes for reconciliation for Russians and Poles still seeking full truth . |
4,181 | 0c0db7e14064dd65368ed9eb5bbcf7398e3338ae | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 12:08 EST, 29 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:24 EST, 29 January 2013 . Lee Clark, 27, denies manslaughter after his baby boy died . A father fatally shook his baby boy while his mother was buying Christening clothes, a court heard today. Lee Clark, 27, is accused of injuring five-month-old Charlee and causing brain damage while the baby's mother Natalie Holmes was shopping, a jury was told. Newcastle Crown Court heard that Charlee was 'smiling' and 'happy' when Natalie left the family home for Darlington, County Durham, on February 25, 2011 at around 10.45am. But when she returned to the home Gainford, County Durham, at 3pm, the baby, who was due to baptized two days later, was making a 'funny groaning sound', his 'eyes were rolling backwards' and he had bruises on each knee. Charlee was taken to Darlington Memorial Hospital where it was obvious he was 'extremely ill', the court was told. He was given oxygen and a brain scan during which Clark asked a nurse if Charlee's injuries could have been caused by 'shaking a baby', the jury heard. The scan showed that Charlee was suffering from bleeding round the brain, a swollen brain, bleeding at the back of his eyes and in his eyes, prosecutor Andrew Roberts told the court. Attempts were made to treat Charlee in the intensive care unit but he died days later on March 1. His Christening had been due to take place on Sunday, February 27. Mr Roberts said: 'Charlee, happy and normal, was left in the sole care of this defendant. 'The Crown allege that it was while he was alone with Charlee in the home that this offence occurred. 'Something must have happened while he was alone with Charlee because all the evidence shows he gripped and shook him vigorously. 'The first indication that Miss Holmes had that something was not quite right was when she received a text from the defendant saying the baby was unsettled.' Clark's mother had arrived at the family's home at around 12.10pm that day so the defendant could meet Miss Holmes in Darlington. Mr Roberts added: 'By that stage Charlee was a very different baby than the one Miss Holmes had left. 'Charlee was in his swing whinging and grizzling. 'When the defendant's mother tried to lift Charlee out of the swing, Charlee let out a scream.' Clark denies manslaughter. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Scan showed that baby Charlee suffered from bleeding round the brain and a swollen brain .
Tests also revealed boy was bleeding at the back of his eyes and in his eyes .
Father Lee Clark who was looking after child denies manslaughter . |
247,467 | cc3a86cfe3a4f84db1b83fb791eb3cc3b5e0e521 | By . Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 19:42 EST, 15 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:35 EST, 16 February 2013 . Radical plan: Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne could give away shares of the state's stake in the Royal Bank of Scotland . Everyone in Britain could be given Royal Bank of Scotland shares worth hundreds of pounds before the next election, under plans being considered by George Osborne. Senior sources say the Chancellor has decided to offload the State’s 82 per cent stake in the bank before 2015. And Tory ministers believe the most radical solution – simply giving the shares away – has huge political benefits. It would pump more than £30billion into the economy, providing a much-needed boost without the need for pre-election tax cuts. The plan, which is being explored by Sajid Javid, the Economic Secretary to the Treasury, would mean a share voucher being sent to everyone with a National Insurance number, or possibly even everyone over the age of 18. Treasury sources say the handout could be worth around £400, but it might be worth as much as double that. The giveaway could be announced as soon as this year, with bank shares offloaded in 2014. Voters would receive their windfall by January 2015 at the latest. An alternative plan would see the shares sold to taxpayers at a discount, in a reprise of the sell-offs of public utilities pioneered by the Conservatives under Margaret Thatcher. The previous government spent £45billion of taxpayers’ money on propping up RBS in 2008. Senior Treasury sources say the Chancellor has abandoned hope of recouping all the costs, with the Government’s shares currently worth just £31billion. However, as this loss has already been factored into the UK’s credit rating, officials believe that giving away the shares would not undermine the Government’s general economic strategy. Business Secretary Vince Cable . proposed a share giveaway in a speech earlier this month in which he . said any hope of privatising the bank at a profit looked like a . ‘distant’ dream. But the revelation that Mr Osborne and Mr Javid are taking the plan seriously will surprise the City. At the helm: Stephen Hester, Royal Bank of Scotland chief executive, has told insiders that he will clear most of the bank's toxic assets by 2014 . ‘George has taken the view that he . now wants to get this sorted out before the election,’ a senior figure . said. ‘He has given Sajid pretty wide latitude to sort this out. ‘There . is a realisation that there is no prospect of RBS’s share price rising . to the level at which we bailed the bank out, and it’s not good for the . bank or the Government to hold on to our stake indefinitely. ‘Obviously a giveaway to taxpayers before the election, who after all paid for it in the first place, is very attractive.’ Business Secretary Vince Cable proposed a share giveaway in a speech earlier this month in which he said any hope of privatising the bank at a profit looked like a 'distant' dream . A Tory source said: ‘One of the . options of course could be to put it in our manifesto – but then Labour . could do that as well. Wouldn’t it be much better if voters were getting . a cheque for £400 a few months before election day? It would also be a . very big stimulus.’ Allies . say Mr Osborne has decided he wants to offload the shares due to . frustration at the Government being dragged into a succession of . scandals such as Libor rigging and bankers’ bonuses. Insiders say . Treasury ministers are spending a ‘disproportionate amount of time’ dealing with these issues. ‘What . people don’t understand is that even though we own over 80 per cent of . the bank we can’t just tell them what to do,’ said one. ‘Our only real . power is to sack the whole board, and that wouldn’t exactly inspire . market confidence.’ The Treasury plan has been strengthened by growing confidence that RBS will be ready to sell as early as next year. Chief executive Stephen Hester has told industry insiders that the bank will have cleared most of the toxic assets from its balance sheet by spring 2014. However, experts believe the most likely scenario would see the Government sell a tranche of shares at a loss with the aim of boosting the share price, to give it a better chance of recouping its money by selling the rest. Although he plans to sell the RBS stake, Mr Osborne has no immediate plans to offload the Government’s 40 per cent slice of Lloyds. This is because the bank concentrates on high street business rather than controversial investments. | George Osborne could decide to give away RBS shares before 2015 .
They would be given to everyone with a National Insurance number .
Previous Labour government spent £45 billion propping up RBS in 2008 .
Treasury sources say the handout could be worth around £400 . |
210,718 | 9cef23d0094ddb6aef3e0cd5ef3402c854049aed | By . Tamara Abraham and Kristie Lau . PUBLISHED: . 12:12 EST, 8 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:15 EST, 8 June 2012 . Legend: Nolan Miller, the 79-year-old designer behind the Eighties show Dynasty, passed away on Wednesday after a long battle with lung cancer . Nolan Miller, whose over-the-top costumes on Dynasty defined Eighties fashion, has died. The designer, who was 79, passed away in his sleep on Wednesday at his home in Woodland Hills, California, following a six-year battle with lung cancer. His death was confirmed yesterday by longtime friend Joan Collins. The actress told her Twitter . followers: 'My dear friend Nolan Miller died peacefully in his sleep . last night. He was a huge part of my life and I will miss him terribly. Rest now NM.' Miller's lavish creations, including the extravagant-shouldered gowns . often seen on Dynasty's female stars, won him an Emmy in 1984 and six . nominations. He began designing costumes for the show in 1981 and the series ended in 1989. The sequined gowns, fur stoles and wide-brimmed hats he created for Joan Collins' character Alexis Carrington Colby became some of the era's most iconic style pieces. It certainly inspired the thick shoulder pad trend which proved prevalent during the Eighties. According to the New York Times, his weekly wardrobe budget was $35,000 and he created more than 30,000 costumes over the years. The Texas-born designer once said: 'I never want to see them wearing the same outfit twice.' As a friend of the late Aaron . Spelling and Douglas S. Cramer, who worked as executive producers on Dynasty, Mr Miller also worked on further projects with the pair. His designs featured in Charlie's Angels, The Love Boat and Green Acres as well as more than 40 feature films. He designed Morticia's famous long black gown in the Addams Family. A beige dress of his that was encrusted with silver beads was seen on Gilligan's Island, worn by Ginger who was played by Tina Louise. Razzle dazzle: The designer began creating costumes for the show (above l-r: Joan Collins, John Forsythe, Linda Evans) in 1981 and received six Emmy nominations for his work. He won an Emmy award in 1984 . Mr Cramer told the paper: 'It was Nolan's real vision of not just the clothes, but of the surroundings and milieu that were so important... I always referred to him as Aaron's secret weapon.' 'Everything matches; the suit, the hats, the gloves, the jewellery' The designer once said: 'Everything matches; the suit, the hats, the gloves, the jewellery. When she walks down the hall, you may not know who she is, but . you know she's rich, and you know you better get out of the way.' His on-screen designs were so successful that he launched his own collection of men's suits in 1987 within the Leslie Fay Company. After the Leslie Fay company went bankrupt in 1995, he began manufacturing his own work but the venture did not last long - he closed his business one and a half years later. But even after its closure, Miller was determined to create designs for the mass market. Talented: He also created Morticia Addams' famous black gown (left) which was worn by the late actress Carolyn Jones in the series, as well as many costumes from Charlie's Angels (right) He developed a costume jewellery line during the late Eighties which was sold on QVC, the home shopping network, up until last year. He even gave the suit business another go and signed a deal with the Morgan Miller brand which gave him his own line of suits. The designer was also said to be enamored by Hollywood's leading screen starlets. Bob Mackie, a costume designer who was friends with Miller, said: 'He very much loved that Hollywood lady. I would say three or four times a week, he would be seen with an actress on his arm wearing his dress.' Fancy: His creations, seen above, sparked the huge Eighties fashion trend of wearing thick shoulder pads . He married Sandra Stream Miller, his now deceased ex-wife in 1980 after meeting her through her daughter who he had designed a debutante gown for. The pair divorced in 1993. No other immediate family members of Miller's survive. He had been living at the Motion Picture And Television Country House And Hospital. | Close friend Joan Collins confirmed the news via Twitter .
Miller also created costumes for Morticia in the Addams Family and Charlie's Angels . |
111,888 | 1c4d6f65cd509e46012c848bd0919c76ae8fac16 | By . Sara Malm . Not-so-funny bunny: Hidden inside the ear of the bronze sculpture of Nelson Mandela is the rabbit which Pretoria officials demand be removed . A 30ft sculpture of Nelson Mandela has angered South African officials as the sculptors left a ‘signature’ on the artwork – a sculpted rabbit tucked inside one of the bronze ears. The bronze memorial, which was unveiled outside the government complex in Pretoria, after Mandela’s funeral on December 16, is billed as the largest statue of the South African leader in the world. Officials demand that the miniature rabbit is to be removed from the statue, claiming it mocks Mandela and his life’s work. The department of arts and culture said it didn't know the two sculptors, Andre Prinsloo and Ruhan Janse van Vuuren, had added a rabbit, said to be a discreet signature on their work. The bronze rabbit, sitting on its haunches with one floppy ear, is about half the height of the ear canal. ‘It doesn't belong there,’ said Mogomotsi Mogodiri, a department spokesman. ‘The statue represents what everyone in South Africa is proud of.’ His department said in a statement that there are discussions on ‘how best to retain the integrity of the sculpture without causing any damage or disfigurement.’ The giant work stands with arms outstretched, symbolizing Mandela's devotion to inclusiveness, outside the Union Buildings, where the his body rests. Earlier this week, South Africa's Beeld newspaper quoted the artists as saying they added the rabbit as a ‘trademark’ after officials would not allow them to engrave their signatures on the statue's trousers. They also said the rabbit represented the pressure of finishing the sculpture on time because ‘haas’ - the word for rabbit in the Dutch-based Afrikaans language - also means ‘haste.’ Scroll down for video . The 30ft bronze statue was unveiled day after Mandela's funeral in December . The statue was unveiled after much anticipation following Nelson Mandela's death in December . Paul Mashatile, arts and culture minister, said the sculptors have apologized for any offense to those who felt the rabbit was disrespectful toward the legacy of Mandela. The government had appointed Koketso Growth, a heritage development company, to manage the statue project. CEO Dali Tambo, son of anti-apartheid figure Oliver Tambo, said he was furious when he heard about the rabbit, and said it must go. ‘That statue isn't just a statue of a man, it's the statue of a struggle, and one of the most noble in human history,’ Tambo said. ‘So it's belittling, in my opinion, if you then take it in a jocular way and start adding rabbits in the ear.’ It would be, he said, like depicting U.S. President Barack Obama with a mouse in his nose. Never forget: The bronze memorial, which was unveiled outside the government complex in Pretoria, after Mandela's funeral on December 16, is billed as the largest statue of the South African leader in the world . Tambo said the artists, who belong to South Africa's white Afrikaner minority, were selected for their talent but also in part because the project was a multi-racial effort in keeping with Mandela's principle of reconciliation. He said their signatures could be added on the statue in a discreet place, perhaps on Mandela's heel. | Sculptors hid 'trademark bunny' in the ear of Nelson Mandela statue .
Pretoria officials demand the rabbit is removed as it 'mocks' late leader .
The 30ft bronze statue was unveiled day after Mandela's funeral in December . |
155,255 | 54ad0e932f85f00395946b603a2fd9d84d6140eb | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 14:58 EST, 19 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:02 EST, 19 August 2013 . Police have released audio of 911 calls made on Saturday night as a full blown riot erupted at an all-male juvenile-detention center in Polk County, Florida, which resulted in hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of damage. Violence broke-out at the Avon Park Youth Academy after a basketball game between two sets of inmates blew-up into a full-scale riot. In the 911 calls, officials at the center can be heard screaming for help and imploring emergency dispatchers to send as many units as possible. Scroll down for audio . Police have released photos of the extensive damage carried out at the Avon Park Youth Academy in Polk County, Florida . Hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of damage were carried out by inmates after a basketball game descended into a riot . ‘It's full-blown riot out here ma'am. We need to get everyone out of here we can get,’ one detention center worker said to emergency dispatchers. ‘Every unit is involved – everybody is fighting – everybody, everybody!’ the caller said. In a 911 call placed at 8:34 p.m. on Saturday and released by the Polk County Sheriff's Office on Monday, an employee in the facility's control room can be heard telling emergency dispatchers that she wasn't sure how many juveniles were involved, but that officials at the detention center needed ‘urgent assistance.’ ‘We have more than 100 youths, I don't know how many are involved. I'm in the control room,’ the woman says. In the 911 calls, officials at the center can be heard screaming for help and imploring emergency dispatchers to send as many units as possible . 'It's full-blown riot out here ma'am. We need to get everyone out of here we can get,' one detention center worker said to emergency dispatchers . Valuable: The fight broke out when a losing basketball team refused to hand over the agreed-upon prize of three instant noodle packages . Then, a man's voice can be heard . yelling in the background, presumably to other guards at the facility: . ‘We've got the authorities coming – stay out of it, aint nothing you can . do. Stay out of it!’ When a . group of offenders from St. Petersburg lost a basketball game to a . rival group from Orlando they refused to pay up the agreed bounty of . three packages of Cup Noodles, the instant ramen noodle snack served in a plastic form cup. The disagreement quickly escalated into a riot at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night involving the majority of the 138 boys living at the facility. The . riot lasted several hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of . damage was caused as the underage offenders burned buildings and stole . golf carts at a juvenile-detention center. Seven boys were injured, the most serious injury was a broken leg while others included lacerations and a concussion, reports the Orlando Sentinel. Carrie Eleazer, a spokeswoman for the . Sheriff's Office, said the juveniles' injuries occurred when they were . fighting with one another and not when the youth were being taken into . custody. The . private detention facility is maintained by the Florida Department of . Juvenile Justice, but run by the private correction company G4S. When they realized what was a happening, they called the police because they are not equipped . to deal with violence at the compound. The riot started after a group of offenders from St. Petersburg lost a basketball game and refused to pay up the agreed bounty of three packages of Cup Noodles . The disagreement quickly escalated into a riot at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night involving the majority of the 138 boys living at the facility . 'Employees . are not allowed to have any specialty equipment to include pepper . spray, which would have allowed them to deal with the fight before it . escalated to a riot,' Eleazer said. More . than 150 law enforcement officers from the Polk and Highlands County . Sheriff's Offices, the state Department of Corrections, Florida Fish and . Wildlife, and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the 911 calls and . the riot was contained by midnight. Some . juveniles gained access to an office building holding their records and . set it on fire as well as setting a dumpster on fire. Eighteen of the . 20 buildings on the compound were heavily damaged. By . the time authorities from several law enforcement agencies showed up, . they were handcuffing all of the teens in 'flex' handcuffs. The riot lasted several hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars-worth of damage was caused as the underage offenders burned buildings and stole golf carts . Seven boys were injured, the most serious injury was a broken leg while others included lacerations and a concussion . Sixty-four . of the juveniles were transported to the PCSO South County Jail in . Frostproof where they were placed in state custody. They are being . separated from the adult inmates. The rest stayed at the academy. Eleazer says the Sheriff's office is investigating the riot and will be issuing felony charges to those involved. None . of the riot was caught on camera since the facility doesn't have . surveillance monitors and the academy is in a rural area on the Avon . Park Air Force Range. The . juveniles housed at the academy are considered 'moderate risk'. Juveniles sent to the academy are between the ages of 16 and 18 and stay . an average of 270 days. More than 150 law enforcement officers from the Polk and Highlands County Sheriff's Offices, the state Department of Corrections, Florida Fish and Wildlife, and the Florida Highway Patrol responded to the 911 calls . Some juveniles gained access to an office building holding their records and set it on fire as well as setting a dumpster on fire . By the time authorities from several law enforcement agencies showed up, they were handcuffing all of the teens in 'flex' handcuffs . No cameras: A police spokesman said none of the riot was caught on camera as there are not security cameras in place at the rural facility . | The Avon Park Youth Academy in Polk, Florida was taken over for more than three hours by delinquents on Saturday night .
The riot was started when a losing basketball team refused to hand over the agreed-upon prize of three Cup Noodles packages .
Cops have released photos of the damage - estimated to cost hundreds of thousands of dollars .
On 911 audio also released, security at the center can be heard screaming for help . |
119,070 | 25c6df3af96627c6fa2c1cf7cf26311efbb2ae05 | EasyJet has apologised and dropped an advertising campaign after being accused of making ‘cheap jibes’ about a seaside town. The budget airline faced criticism after running poster ads on the rail network with the slogan: ‘This year, end up in Malaga, not Margate.’ Locals in the Kent resort took offence at the airline publicly poking fun at their town with some taking to Twitter to rally to the town’s defence. Sparked criticism: The poster advertising campaign for EasyJet angered passengers aboard Southeastern's Margate-London rail service . One Twitter user called @seasidelandlady tweeted: ‘@easyJet How VERY dare you talk about OUR town like that, you can keep your cheap trips, and cheap jibes £letsallstacationatmargate Grrr.’ Local resident and councillor, Will Scobie, said EasyJet had picked the wrong target for its advertising campaign. Took offence: Margate residents were angry about an EasyJet advertising campaign which publicly poked fun at their seaside town (pictured) with the slogan 'This year, end up in Malaga, not Margate' 'Wrong place to insult': Kent locals were quick to defend their town after EasyJet encouraged holidaymakers to go to Malaga (pictured) in Spain over their town. Resident Will Scobie said Margate was 'named as one of the top 10 places in the world to visit' Average temperatureMargate: 2-6 degrees in January, 14-22 degrees in JulyMalaga: 8-17 degrees in January, 20-30 degrees in July . Sea temperatureMargate: 9 degrees in January, 15 degrees in JulyMalaga: 17 degrees in January, 24 degrees in July . Rainy days in JanuaryMargate: 15Malaga: 9 . Number of touristsMargate: Almost 500,000 a year to the region of Thanet which includes the townMalaga: More than 850,000 a year . He said: ‘Margate is a fantastic town for people to visit. ‘We've just been named as one of the top 10 places in the world to visit. 'We've got exciting local shops that you can't find anywhere else, the new Turner Contemporary art gallery and an air show this summer. ‘EasyJet picked the wrong place to insult with their campaign.' EasyJet apologised and confirmed it had stopped running the ads. It said in a statement: ‘There was no intended criticism of the town but, of course, we apologise to any residents of Margate who have been offended by the campaign. ‘EasyJet has taken the decision to cease running the ads.’ Dropped advertising: EasyJet has apologised and confirmed it has stopped the ads and said that 'there was no intended criticism of the town' | The budget airline faced criticism for posters that read 'This year, end up in Malaga, not Margate'
EasyJet apologised and have stopped the advertising campaign . |
72,546 | cdb0c49302af4e94231570ffd93952dd246efc08 | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 07:34 EST, 18 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:00 EST, 18 September 2013 . Pre-orders for Apple's new brightly-coloured iPhone 5C have not been 'overwhelming', according to a U.S network operator. The unnamed source told Reuters that supply for the plastic handset, as well as for the top-end iPhone 5S, has been disappointing, leading to suggestions Apple's bubble with consumers may have burst. Both handsets are due to go on sale Friday and pre-orders opened last week. The handsets were announced in Cupertino on 10 September to a wave of criticism from industry experts claiming they were too expensive. Pre-orders for Apple's new brightly coloured iPhone 5C have not been 'overwhelming', according to a U.S network operator. The source told Reuters that supply for the plastic handset, as well as for the top-end iPhone 5S, had been disappointing, leading to suggestions that Apple's bubble with consumers may have burst . Apple's shares fell more than 5 per cent last week, following the announcement of the firm's' new iPhone 5S and iPhone 5C. The share price ended at a one-month low of $467.24 at midday after at least three brokerages downgraded the stock. It is thought that investors were put off by the price of the handsets, especially the so-called 'cheap' iPhone 5C which starts at £469, claiming they weren't low enough for Apple to attract new customers, especially in emerging markets such as China. At the event, Apple's CEO Tim Cook unveiled the two new models - the 5C and the more expensive 5S. He also announced the tech giant would be discontinuing the current iPhone 5 model. The colourful 5C had been dubbed 'cut-price' before the event, with rumours suggesting it would be a departure from Apple's focus on purely premium phones. However, with pricing for SIM-free versions of the device starting at £469, analysts predicted that Apple had made the 'wrong move' and the pricing was 'way off the mark.' Apple began taking online orders for the iPhone 5C, which comes in blue, green, pink, yellow and white, on Friday. The pricier 5S starts at £549 SIM-free in the UK and comes in grey, silver and gold. Both phones go on sale in major territories including the U.S and UK on 20 September. It will also be the first time an iPhone is sold in China from the day of launch, too. As well as unveiling the new iPhone 5C and 5S at an event last week, Apple's CEO Tim Cook, pictured, announced the firm would be discontinuing the iPhone 5 in favour of its new iPhone 5S, pictured, and iPhone 5C. Experts believe this is a strategic shift for Apple to keep profits high . The level of inventory Apple has said it would provide for the 5S and 5C on launch day and in the week after launch is very disappointing, the source said, adding that supply of phones to all carriers appears to be limited. Pre-orders are 'not overwhelming' either, the source continued, who refused to be identified because Apple had not disclosed the number of pre-orders for either of its two new smartphones. Both models will be available through all major mobile network operators in the UK, including Vodafone, O2, Three, EE, Orange and T-Mobile. Monthly prices vary depending on which operator the phone is bought from, whether the customer wants a 16GB or 32GB model and if they take out a 12-month or 24-month deal. | Demand has been 'disappointing' according to a U.S network operator .
The source claimed sales of the iPhone 5S were also underwhelming .
Pre-orders opened last week and the phones are due to go on sale Friday . |
275,675 | f120bb0baa8f3efcac132c6884a961180854b190 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . He is the world's richest man, with a personal fortune of $76 billion, but Bill Gates will not be leaving it all to his three children. In a rare insight into his personal life, the Microsoft founder and his wife, Melinda, have opened up about how they are raising their family. The couple, speaking at a TED conference in Vancouver, said their children will be encouraged to make their own way in the world without the help of billion-dollar trust funds. Family values: Melinda and Bill Gates say they will not leave their three children billion-dollar trust funds . Gates said that instead of money, they had given their two daughters and son a good education so they can learn how to rely on their own abilities rather than their parents' fortune. 'You’ve easily got enough money . despite your vast contributions to the foundation to make them all . billionaires,' conference organizer Chris Anderson said. But, according to Wired, Gates responded by saying: 'They . won’t have anything like that. They need to have a . sense that their own work is meaningful and important.' 'You’ve got to make sure they have a sense of their own ability and what they’re going to go and do,' he added. Anderson likened raising three children in the world's richest family 'to a social experiment without much prior art' before asking the couple, who run the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, how they had decided to raise their family. 'We want to strike a balance so they . have the freedom to do anything but not sort of a lot of . money showered on them so that they can go out and do nothing,' Gates said. He added that they have told their children most of the fortune would be left to . their charity, which tackles poor health and poverty. Melinda Gates also used the TED talks to give details about a trip to Tanzania she made with her eldest daughter Jen. Forward thinking: Bill and Melinda Gates, pictured with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon, plan to leave most of their $76 billion fortune to their charity . The mother and daughter stayed with a family in a rural area, which helped them better understand the barriers to education faced by girls in the country. During her description of the trip, Melinda Gates showed slides of their time in Tanzania, as well as pictures of her children. The couple rarely discuss their private life, but she said the children had agreed to their pictures being shown to show their support for the charity. They added that their parenting style was inspired by philanthropist Warren Buffett, who has taken a similar approach with his children. Like Buffett, the Gates have joined the Giving Pledge, which is committed to diverting wealth to philanthropy. The friends agree leaving a huge sum to their children was no good for their families or society. | Microsoft founder says most of his $76bn fortune will go to charity .
Gates tells TED talk his three children must learn to use their own abilities . |
17,369 | 31282e944087358b5c392beb2403fd3c9a03dc1c | A group of businessmen and retired mandarins are waging a behind-the-scenes propaganda war aimed at derailing moves to take Britain out of the EU. Appalled by the prospect of a vote to withdraw, they have formed ‘Business For New Europe’ to fight a public and private campaign to keep Britain in the union. They are raising a multi-million-pound war chest to secure support from international leaders in the run-up to the vote which they now suspect is inevitable. Campaign: A group of businessmen and retired mandarins are waging a propaganda war aimed at derailing moves to take Britain out of the EU. Roland Rudd, right, pictured with Lord Peter Mandelson, is the driving force behind the group . They are lobbying world leaders to go public with warnings that Britain will become isolated economically and politically if it votes to quit the EU. They hope if enough of them speak out British voters will take fright and vote to stay shackled to Brussels. David Cameron has promised a renegotiation of UK membership of the EU if the Conservatives win the 2015 general election, followed by a referendum two years later. It will be the first national vote on Britain’s membership of the EU since 1975, with the latest YouGov poll suggesting the number who want to leave comfortably outnumber those who want to stay by 43 per cent to 35 per cent. Roland Rudd, an arch networker and lobbyist who runs the successful City PR company Finsbury, is the driving force behind the group. He is a confidante of Tony Blair, Lord Mandelson, the former Cabinet minister and EU Commissioner, and David Miliband, Labour’s last foreign secretary. Pledge: David Cameron has promised a renegotiation of UK membership of the EU if the Conservatives win the 2015 general election, followed by a referendum two years later . They are intensifying their PR drive after heavyweight Tory eurosceptics including Education Secretary Michael Gove indicated they would vote to quit the EU. In the past week the diplomatic offensive has intensified. The Australian foreign minister Bob Carr, in a letter to the Foreign Secretary William Hague, said: ‘Australia recognises the UK’s strength and resilience and looks forward to seeing it continue as a leading economy and effective power. Strong active membership of the EU contributes to this.’ Two days earlier a leaked memo from the Japanese government submitted to Mr Hague warned that up to 1,300 Japanese firms with British outlets could review their position if Britain does not continue to play a ‘major role’ in the EU. Business For New Europe does not claim to have prompted the Australian or Japanese comments, but its supporters are talking openly of similar interventions in the coming weeks from Canada and South Korea, fuelling the suspicion that it is co-ordinating international and domestic opposition to the Cameron plan. One of Prince William’s key advisers also warned this week that leaving the EU would make Britain ‘an irrelevance’ on the world stage. Sir David Manning, a former British ambassador to Washington who was complicit in the secret deal between Tony Blair and George Bush to go to war in Iraq, is not a member of the group, but is known to be sympathetic with its aims. And when the Italian prime minister Enrico Letta visited Britain last week he held a dinner for a small select group of businessmen at the embassy in London. Mr Rudd and Lord Mandelson were both present. Mr Letta too spoke out against British withdrawal. As part of the ongoing behind-the-scenes efforts Mr Rudd led delegations to meet the Spanish foreign and economic minsters in Barcelona and their counterparts in the Polish government in Warsaw at the end of last year. Similar trips are scheduled for Berlin and the Netherlands after Germany’s elections in September. The pro-EU lobbyists’ offensive coincides with a raft of economic figures which show that Britain could actually prosper outside the failing eurozone. Only this week statistics showed that Britain attracted more investment from overseas than any other EU country last year. The number of foreign investment projects rose by 11 per cent to 1,559, according to a report by UK Trade and Investment. Want out: A poll suggests the number of Britons who want to leave the EU comfortably outnumber those who want to stay by 43 per cent to 35 per cent . The funding created or safeguarded 170,000 British jobs, a further sign that Britain is extending its lead over rivals in the eurozone. A report by the International Monetary Fund showed that every land mass in the world is now expanding economically except Europe. The Commonwealth is growing at 7.2 per cent, while the eurozone is shrinking. A report by the Office for National Statistics showed that exports to the EU are now at their lowest proportion of Britain’s overall trade since the present measure was introduced in 1988. Despite the plethora of positive figures there has been evidence in the past two months that the covert campaign by Mr Rudd is paying rich dividends. In May President Obama, speaking at a Downing Street press conference, infuriated Tory MPs by saying: ‘I think that the UK’s participation in the EU is an expression of its influence and its role in the world.’ It is no coincidence that one of the most senior backers of the Rudd group is Sir Nigel Sheinwald, a director of Shell, who is an ardent europhile. He was British ambassador to the EU from 2000 to 2003 and ambassador to the US from 2007 until last year. He is a hugely respected figure in the White House. ‘The Obama Exocets were the first big coup for Rudd and his group,’ said one senior government source. Mr Blair and Lord Mandelson, while not members of Business For New Europe, travel extensively overseas using their contacts in foreign governments to urge them to speak against Britain pulling out. Former diplomats who back the group include Lord Jay, who was senior mandarin at the Foreign Office from 2002 until July 2006, Sir Stephen Wall, who was senior EU adviser to Mr Blair in Downing Street, and Sir Andrew Cahn, the Chef de Cabinet to former Labour leader Lord Kinnock when he was an EU commissioner. Daniel Hannan, the leading eurosceptic Tory MEP, said: ‘Why should we take their predictions seriously? 'Mr Rudd and his supporters all warned us we would be doomed if we did not join the euro. I think they were wrong then and they are now.’ Mr Rudd was unavailable for comment. | They are appalled by the prospect of a vote to .
withdraw .
Have formed ‘Business For New Europe’ to fight a campaign .
They are raising a multi-million-pound .
war chest . |
53,452 | 979b9bd14b98fb68f0f9fd4698309cce7406c3b0 | By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 10:39 EST, 8 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:43 EST, 8 February 2013 . Michelle Obama will attend Saturday's funeral for the 15-year-old Chicago girl who was killed after returning home from performing during inauguration festivities for President Barack Obama, according to a White House official. Hadiya Pendleton was killed in a park close to the Obamas' home on Chicago's South Side. Police say a gunman hopped a fence and opened fire on a group of young people, killing the drum majorette. No arrests have been made. White House senior adviser Valerie Jarrett and Education Secretary Arne Duncan, both from Chicago, also will attend the funeral. Michelle Obama will attend Saturday's funeral for the 15-year-old Chicago girl who was killed after returning home from performing during inauguration festivities for President Barack Obama . Tragic: Hadiya Pendleton, 15, was shot dead as . she stood in a Chicago park with friends just a week after she performed . as part of her school band (pictured left in uniform) at Obama's . inauguration . Sorrow: Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy offers the city's condolences to the Pendelton family, Nathaniel Jr., Nathaniel Sr., and Cleopatra during a news conference seeking help from the public . Pendleton's death brought renewed attention to Chicago's homicide rate and the debate over gun violence in America. Chicago endured its most deadly . January in a decade this year, with Hadiya's death bringing the total killings . in the city since the start of the year to 42. Pendleton was huddled under a canopy in a South Side park to escape the rain before she . was shot in the back. A . witness said around 10 students in the park scattered when a man opened . fire. Hadiya and another teen collapsed a block away in front of one of . the upscale homes lining . Oakenwalk Avenue. 'It's very painful to see your big sister get slaughtered,' 10-year-old Nathaniel Pendleton Jr. told the Chicago Tribune about Hadiya's death, as tributes flooded in for the popular star student. 'I'm not worried about where she is . going, but I miss her,' her father, Nate Sr. added. 'A whole . section of my heart is gone. Get the guns out of the hands of people that don't need to have them.' Police said gang members were at the park where Hadiya was killed but she was not a gang member. Pain: Cleopatra Pendelton, left, is consoled by her sister Kimiko Pettis, the day after her daughter was killed . Missed: Hadiya with a friend in Washington D.C. last week after she performed at inaugural event . Instead, they believe she was an 'unintended target' when the gunman ran to the park and opened fire at 2.20 p.m. He then jumped into a waiting car and drove away, police said. 'As . usual, the bad guy aims, but he never hits the other bad guy. He hits . the one that hurts the most to lose,' Chicago Police Officer and . attorney Damon Stewart, 36, Hadiya's godfather, told Fox32. The other student who was shot, 17-year-old Lawrence Sellers, was hit in the leg and he is recovering. The tragedy camedays after Obama, . whose Chicago home is only a mile from the murder scene, announced plans . to ban assault weapons as part of a drastic overhaul of gun laws. As more details of Hadiya's death emerged, former Arizona Democrat Gabrielle Giffords, who survived being shot at point-blank range in 2011, spoke determinedly at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing on how to curb gun violence. The shooting occurred just a few blocks from the teenagers' school, . King College Prep, and a mile from the president's lavish Chicago home on Greenwood Avenue. 'The school is good but the neighborhood . is not,' student Anta Nije told Fox. 'When we step outside the school, . anything can happen to us.' In fact, relatives said Hadiya's mother was intending to move away to ensure her daughter's safety and a good education. 'Believe . it or not, her mom was just looking to move to Naperville,' Hadiya's . cousin, Shatira Wilks, said. 'Her mom wanted her to take her kids to an . even better community and make sure her education is number one. Her . daughter has never ever given her mother a problem, this girl was . literally a walking angel.' Performance: The King College Prep band is pictured in D.C. Hadiya also performed with the drill team . Loved: Hadiya is pictured (third from left) with her fellow Majorettes teammates at the elite school . Top student: One friend uploaded this photo of Hadiya taking part in the school band and drill team . Hadiya's death brings Chicago homicides this month to 42 - making it the most deadly January in Chicago in 10 years. The last time there were as many murders was in January 2002, when there were 45. It also comes after there were more than 500 killings in the city in 2012. This weekend, a Chicago mother lost her fourth child to gun crime. Shirley Chambers had previously lost two sons and a daughter in shootings stretching back 18 years, but on Saturday her only surviving child, Ronnie Chambers, was shot in the head while sitting in a parked car in the west side of the city. While there are strict gun laws in the state and city, police are finding more weapons on the streets of Chicago than much larger cities. They seized 7,400 guns in crimes or unpermitted uses in Chicago last year, compared with 3,285 in New York City, the New York Times reported. Authorities have confiscated 574 guns since the start of the year - 124 of them last week alone. Hadiya, a sophomore at King's, had attended the inauguration and performed at inaugural events with the school band and the Majorettes dance team, the Tribune reported. Friends added that she was a volleyball player for the school and well-liked - and even had plans to go on a French-exchange program. 'She was working on some sort of exchange program, where she was going to go to school in Paris,' her godfather said. 'She was a great student.' Hadiya had aspirations to become a pharmacist or a journalist and had interest in attending Northwestern University, relatives told the Tribune. 'There were a lot of good opportunities that were coming her way. She was just taking them all,' Lakeisha Stewart, 37, Hadiya's godmother said. 'She was the kid who you had to say, 'Slow down, you can’t do everything". 'I've known this little girl her . entire life. I can't think of a moment that this child did anything . wrong. She always strived to do the right thing.' Her cousin added: 'She's a huge reader, loves stories and . novels and was naturally smart, always on the honor roll. She was caught up in the violence of the city.' Fellow student Janai Bates, 17, said she didn't know of anyone who had any problems with either of the victims. Scene: She was at this South Side park with friends when a man ran towards them and opened fire . Location: The shooting took place just a mile from the Chicago home of President Obama . 'Lawrence and Hadiya aren’t the type of people to get in a conflict with . anybody,' she said. 'Everybody loved them, they joked with everybody, . they give out that warmth.' Students wore red to school in remembrance and were pictured taking part in a prayer circle. Police confirmed Hadiya had no arrest history and 'by all indications the female victim was an unintended target'. But their statement added: 'Preliminary information indicates that most of the members of the group were gang members.' Loss: Hadiya, pictured, died an hour later, while the other teenage victim remains in hospital . Popular: Friends said that the talented student was well-liked at school and 'gave out warmth' Roxane Hubbard, who has lived in the neighborhood for 19 years, told DNAinfo she has never heard of a shooting on her block. 'President Obama's house is like three blocks from here, so this is not typical,' she said. Students . in the marching band from the school went to Washington, D.C., to take . part in the Presidential Inauguration Heritage Music Festival. When asked about Hadiya's death, . presidential spokexman Jay Carney called it a 'terrible tragedy' for . someone to be killed when they had 'so much of their life ahead of . them'. Remembrance: Fellow students wore red and formed a prayer circle for Hadiya on Wednesday . 'The president and first lady's thoughts and prayers are with the family of Hadiya Pendleton,' he said. 'All of our thoughts and prayers are with her family.' Curbing gun violence across the city has been a major priority for Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, Obama's former chief of staff. He became emotional when he paid tribute to the murdered teenager. 'She is what is best in our city,' he . said. 'A child going to school, who takes a final exam, who had just . been to the inaugural.'You look at her, you look at how she talked about . her future. She took her final exams. She had dreams. And this . gang-banger, this punk took that away from Cleopatra. They took it away . from Hadiya. And in my view, they took it away from the city of . Chicago.' Grief: A photograph on Twitter shows photos, notes and toys placed by the teenager's locker . He added: 'If anybody has any information, you are not a snitch. You’re a citizen.' The city's police superintendent . Garry McCarthy also spoke out about violence in the city after returning from a meeting with the . president in Washington. He said he discussed the . 'reasonableness' of gun laws as he met Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, . Attorney General Eric Holder and Department of Homeland Security . Secretary Janet Napolitano. 'There seems to be a consensus now . among law enforcement, and as this consensus among Americans that the . reason ability of the gun laws has to be examined,' McCarthy said. VIDEO: Chicago teen gunned down after taking part in inauguration . | Murder of Hadiya Pendleton brings number of homicides in Chicago in 2013 to 42 - making it the city's deadliest January in ten years .
Shooting took place in upscale neighborhood a mile from Obama's home .
Hadiya's mother was planning on moving her family to a better area .
Cousin: 'She's never given us any problems - she was a walking angel' |
85,742 | f3324dd74ffa8991dbaf0d4a278e36aa647e6155 | By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 02:38 EST, 26 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:51 EST, 26 June 2012 . Promising tennis star Heather Watson lit up Wimbledon yesterday to become the first British woman to win at Centre Court in 27 years. The Guernsey-born 20-year-old, ranked 103rd in the world, beat a higher-ranked opponent in straight sets to provide the only ray of hope on an otherwise disappointing opening day for our players. She defeated the Czech Republic's Iveta Benesova 6-2, 6-1 to reach the second round in front of a cheering crowd on tennis's most famous stage. Triumph: British hope Heather Watson enjoyed a dream day on Centre Court, winning in straight sets . Write caption here . She has already got further in the tournament than five-time champion Venus Williams, who crashed out in straight sets to Russian Elena Vesnina - 6-1, 6-3. Thousands of fans roared Miss Watson to victory on a fine day when umbrellas were needed to protect from the sun rather than to keep off the rain. British men's number one Andy Murray will pick up the mantle today when he plays his first-round match this afternoon. His match against Nikolay Davydenko, the third scheduled match on Centre Court, is expected to start at about 5pm. Exciting: Miss Watson is through to the second round for the first time . Beaten: Iveta Benesova (left) had no answer to Miss Watson's scintillating play as the Brit won 6-2, 6-1 . The world number four admitted yesterday that he must 'find a way to do better and compete with the top three players' - Novak Djokovic, Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer. Other Brits in action today include Jamie Baker, 25, who will play Andy Roddick on Court 1, and James Ward, 25, who takes on Pablo Andujar on court 14. In the women's competition, former British junior Wimbledon champion Laura Robson, 18, lost in three sets Francesca Schiavone in her first-round match on Court 3. Robson won the first set 6-2 against the 2010 French Open champion, but Schiavone recovered to take the last two sets, both by the margin of 6-4. Agonising: Laura Robson crashed out of Wimbledon, losing in three sets . Not quite: The frustration on Laura Robson's face is clear for all to see as she bows out of Wimbledon . British number one Anne Keothavong, 28, was taking on Laura Pous-Tio and Elena Baltacha, also 28, was hoping to beat Karin Knapp on court 18. Miss Watson, who was beaten in the first round of Wimbledon in 2010 and 2011, played some sparkling tennis to knock out Miss Benesova, who was ranked more than 50 places above her. She appeared on Centre Court after a previous match between Ernests Gulbis and Tomas Berdych ended earlier than expected, with Gulbis winning in straight sets. Miss Watson said: 'This is my first singles win at Wimbledon in both the seniors and the juniors, so it was fantastic.' Over to you: Andy Murray takes a break during training. All eyes will be on him on Centre Court . Tough test: The British No 1 is due to play Nikolay Davydenko in the third match on Centre Court . The player, who is due to meet American Jamie Lee Hampton in the next round, had to wait until the evening to see where her match would be played, giving her little time to prepare. She said: ‘There was a lot of hanging around, at . one point I had a little nap, but I prepared myself well. ‘I had so much fun, the crowd was awesome, . I kept getting the tingles.’ Miss Watson is the first British woman to win a singles match on Centre Court since Jo Durie in 1985. The rain held off yesterday as thousands flocked to SW19, but spectators may not enjoy a dry day today with cloudier weather and some rain or fine drizzle possible. A beefed-up security presence is in place and police said the first day passed without any incidents. Djokovic and Federer both made it through their first-round matches yesterday, and Nadal is due to play today. Pleasant: Fans queuing for tickets got to laze in the sunshine as the rain stayed away . Nice start: The tournament began in fine weather and the players served up tennis to match . Crashing out: Miss Watson has already got further in the tournament than five-time champion Venus Williams, who lost in straight sets . Yesterday's winners in the ladies' singles included French Open champion Maria Sharapova. There was little cheer for British fans watching the action on the other courts. Former child actor Oliver Golding, 18, fell to seasoned Russian Igor Andreev and Basingstoke's Josh Goodall lost to world No 119 Grega Zemlja. In the ladies' singles, British No 6 Naomi Broady lost to Spaniard Lourde Dominguez Lino 6-4, 7-6. Drama: Oliver Golding loves a big stage . Struggle: Josh Goodall has never quite fulfilled his potential . Johanna Konta, born in Australia but now representing Britain, is second up on Court 17 today as she tries to pull off a shock against 28th seed Christina McHale. Konta, 21, took the first set of the match, but McHale hit back to take the second. Bad light forced play to be suspended at 9pm last night and the two will return to Court 17 today after Matthew Ebden finishes his game against Benoit Paire. Out: Naomi Broady was beaten . | Miss Watson, 20, becomes first British woman to win on the famous court since Jo Durie achieved the feat 27 years ago .
She beats Czech Republic's Iveta Benesova in straight sets .
But fellow British hope Laura Robson loses in the first round .
World number four Andy Murray plays Nikolay Davydenko today .
Murray is bidding to become the first Briton since Fred Perry in 1936 to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon . |
273,663 | ee7f07c331e206be4a581213d1f176e4d48b4e78 | Spanish newspapers Mundo Deportivo and Sport reflect on Barcelona's 2-1 Champions League win against Manchester City with much of the focus being on two-goal hero Luis Suarez. Suarez stole the show with a first-half brace during the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie, however the Spanish publications believe the Catalan giants still have a lot to do. Sport believe Barcelona 'showed their quality in a big occasion' as they scored two crucial away goals to secure a narrow win. Spanish newspaper Sport focus on Barcelona's 2-1 win against Premier League outfit Manchester City . Luis Suarez is the main image on Mundo Deportivo's front page while Marca preview Atletico Madrid's Champions League match against Bayer Leverkusen . Madrid-based newspaper Marca preview Atletico Madrid's match against Bayer Leverkusen - with their headline reading 'Atlei, now it is your turn'. The Spanish champions will be hoping to follow in the footsteps of Real Madrid and Barcelona by winning the first leg of their last-16 encounter. AS carry an interesting line regarding the future of Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea as they say Real Madrid still want the keeper and believe a deal is possible. They would face a battle though as United are close to a new deal for the stopper. Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has been a key man for Louis van Gaal's side this season . AS suggest De Gea wants to leave Old Trafford because of Louis van Gaal's 'bad character' Meanwhile in Italy, Juventus' 2-1 win against Borussia Dortmund is the main talking point in La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport. Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata netted against the Germans to hand the Italian side the initiative. La Gazzetta dello Sport and Corriere dello Sport reflect on Juventus' 2-1 win against Dortmund . | Luis Suarez helped Barcelona claim 2-1 win against Manchester City .
Spanish papers praise Luis Enrique's side for display at the Etihad .
AS cover Real Madrid's pursuit of Manchester United keeper David de Gea .
Juventus duo Carlos Tevez and Alvaro Morata scored against Dortmund . |
232,175 | b8a72b16c966d5b3760a73eff08fbf5f8ccd06e1 | (CNN) -- A 13-year-old boy who had confessed to being an assassin for a Mexican drug cartel was among six people found murdered execution-style, authorities in the central Mexican state of Zacatecas have confirmed. The boy, identified as Jose Armando Moreno Leos by officials, was arrested only three weeks ago by the Mexican Federal Police, according to Arturo Nahle Garcia, state's attorney in Zacatecas. Get the latest news from CNN.com . "After being detained, he confessed to authorities that he had participated in at least 10 homicides and that he was somebody who was good at shooting with a high-caliber weapon," Nahle Garcia said. After his February arrest, the Federal Police released the boy into the custody of the Mexican Attorney General's Office, which later set him free in compliance with the law. The Mexican constitution prohibits the incarceration of anybody under the age of 14. The constitutional ban also applies to correctional facilities. Mexico reports more than 26,000 missing . According to Nahle Garcia, Moreno Leos missed a court appearance on February 20. "Only his mother appeared before the judge to say that she had lost control of her son after he left the house at about age 11," the prosecutor, said. The court appearance was to determine custody and measures to help the teenager leave behind a life of crime. The boy's body was found Thursday alongside a highway in the municipality of Morelos. The bodies of five other people, four females and one male, were also found at the same location. Officials say they had all been shot execution-style with high-caliber weapons. Blogger vows to fight despite threats . "They all appeared to be young people, but we're still in the process of positively identifying the bodies," Nahle Garcia said. This is not the first time a teenager has admitted being a hit man for organized crime in Mexico. In 2011, authorities arrested a 14-year-old boy, identified only as "El Ponchis" -- "The Cloak" -- who admitted on camera that he had brutally killed people. In a video obtained by CNN, he told a military interrogator that he had beheaded four people. El Ponchis was found guilty and sentenced to three years in a correctional facility, the maximum allowed under Mexican law. Speaking about the most recent incident, Nahle Garcia said he's not surprised. "It's really unfortunate, but we're seeing more and more young men who drop out of school and end up selling drugs on the streets," he said. "They all end up the same. They either end up in jail or the cemetery." Mexican police nab drug-launching cannon near border . | Jose Armando Moreno Leos, 13, last month had admitted being a hit man, authorities say .
He was found this week murdered execution-style, a state's attorney says .
He had been released from custody in compliance with Mexico's constitution . |
95,067 | 0627020e5dcad7e6905c67132a3fb46b8f709a26 | New details of intimate texts exchanged between David Cameron and disgraced media boss Rebekah Brooks have been obtained by The Mail on Sunday. In one message, the Prime Minister thanks the former News International chief for letting him ride one of her family's horses, saying it was 'fast, unpredictable and hard to control but fun'. In another, a gushing Mrs Brooks tells Mr Cameron that she felt so emotional listening to his Tory conference speech she 'cried twice', adding: 'Will love "working together".' In close touch: Rebekah Brooks (left) pictured on the pone with her husband Charlie Brooks (right) The messages, with their horseplay tone, are part of a cache of texts and emails handed over to Lord Justice Leveson's inquiry into media ethics by Downing Street and Mrs Brooks. Only a very small number of the messages have so far been made public, leading to claims of a cover-up by No 10 and the inquiry. A furious Mr Cameron rejected a Commons demand by Labour MP Chris Bryant two weeks ago to disclose all the texts and emails exchanged with Mrs Brooks, the former chief executive of Rupert Murdoch's News International, which is at the centre of the phone hacking scandal. Her husband, racehorse trainer Charlie Brooks, is an Old Etonian chum of the Prime Minister. Mr Bryant suggested Mr Cameron's refusal was because the messages were 'too salacious and embarrassing for you'. He rounded on the Prime Minister: 'When the truth comes out, you won't be smiling.' When livid Mr Cameron refused to reply, Mr Bryant, himself a phone hacking victim, accused the Prime Minister of a 'hissy fit'. To add to the intrigue, Mr Bryant claims to have had contact with a No 10 'mole' involved in compiling Mr Cameron's texts and emails, whom the MP says has confirmed their 'salacious' nature. Cosy: Rebekah Brooks (right) was in close contact with the Prime Minister David Cameron . The Mail on Sunday obtained details of two embarrassing texts exchanged between Mr Cameron and Mrs Brooks, who awaits trial next year on charges of phone hacking and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice. Both texts were sent in October 2009, shortly after Mrs Brooks left her job as editor of The Sun and became chief executive of News International, which owns the paper. In one, Mr Cameron writes: 'The horse CB [Charlie Brooks] put me on. Fast, unpredictable and hard to control but fun.' He signed off 'DC.' Embarrassing: The newly leaked messages sent by Rebekah Brooks and David Cameron . Admission: David Cameron, pictured at a party with Mrs Brooks in 2009, was embroiled in the controversy surrounding the Met Police lending a horse to the ex-News of the World editor . In another, sent after his speech to . the Tory conference, Mrs Brooks said: 'Brilliant speech. I cried twice. Will love “working together.” ' They . shed further light on the extraordinarily close relationship between Mr . Cameron and Mrs Brooks, both members of the so-called 'Chipping Norton . set' based around their Oxfordshire homes. Mrs . Brooks told the Leveson Inquiry earlier this year that Mr Cameron . signed some of his missives to her 'LOL' – until she told him it meant . 'Laugh Out Loud,' not 'Lots Of Love'. Horseplay: The texts were about a police horse, this one pictured on duty . The light-hearted tone of Mr Cameron's leaked text echoes the way he reportedly congratulated Mr Brooks when he started his relationship with Mrs Brooks, saying: 'You'd better not mess this one up, Charlie. It's the most important ride of your life.' Today's fresh disclosures are bound to lead to further Labour demands that all messages between the pair are made public so the true nature of their relationship can be seen. Mr Cameron and Mrs Brooks met 22 times in a six-year period, an average of once every three months. Mrs Brooks said that at the height of the phone hacking scandal he sent her a morale-boosting 'keep your head up' message, and expressed his regret he could not be more loyal to her in public. Mr Cameron has gone out of his way to play down his connection with 44-year-old Mrs Brooks. He was caught out when it was revealed he had ridden a retired police horse, Raisa, lent to Mrs Brooks by the Metropolitan Police. The disclosure came amid claims that News International paid backhanders to police while pressuring them not to investigate phone-hacking. The Prime Minister spent days trying to deny having ridden Raisa, but eventually admitted it and was forced to make a grovelling apology – in the middle of an EU summit – for trying to conceal the fact. It seems unlikely Mr Cameron was referring to Raisa in the newly leaked text, as the horse was 22 years old when lent to Mrs Brooks by the Metropolitan Police in 2008 and would have been put down otherwise. The animal is now dead. The 'horsegate' saga was not the first time Mr Cameron had tried to cover up his horse-riding exploits with the Brooks. The Mail on Sunday was told as far back as 2010 that he had been riding with Mr Brooks. The Prime Minister's then head of communications, Andy Coulson, issued a flat denial and this newspaper dropped the story. Mr Coulson, who had succeeded Mrs Brooks as editor of the News Of The World before being appointed by Mr Cameron, was forced to quit No 10 in January 2011 over the phone hacking scandal. He now faces criminal charges, too. It is believed the Leveson Inquiry also has unpublished texts and emails between Mr Cameron and Mr Coulson. Lord Justice Leveson ordered Mr Cameron and Mrs Brooks to send a vast amount of correspondence, including emails and texts, to the inquiry, but only a small number were published. 'I am so rooting for you tomorrow and not . just as a personal friend but because professionally we're definitely . in this together.' Mrs Brooks . The inquiry's lead QC, Robert Jay, said he would only use 'relevant' texts and emails. The new leaked texts are believed to have been supplied to the inquiry by Mrs Brooks. Among the texts disclosed during the inquiry was one sent by Mrs Brooks to Mr Cameron on the eve of his Tory conference speech in October 2009. In it, she gushed: 'I am so rooting for you tomorrow and not just as a personal friend but because professionally we're definitely in this together.' Referring to another issue, she said: 'Let's discuss over country supper soon.' It concluded, excruciatingly, 'Speech of your life? Yes he Cam!' Crucially, the first line of the text, said to be 'humorous', was not read out on the grounds it was 'not relevant'. The two texts published today by The Mail on Sunday were not revealed either. Mrs Brooks's 'I cried twice' text, was sent immediately after the speech, in which Mr Cameron spoke movingly of the death of his disabled son, Ivan. The Prime Minister's text about riding one of her husband's 'fast, uncontrollable' horses was in the same month. A No 10 spokesman said: 'The PM has always been happy to comply with whatever Lord Justice Leveson has asked of him.' An insider said: 'These new texts are of no great significance.' A spokesman for Lord Justice Leveson said: 'We have no comment.' A well-placed inquiry source added: 'Only communications deemed relevant will be published.' Mrs Brooks declined to comment. | Messages from a cache of texts and emails handed over to Leveson inquiry .
Only a very small number of the messages have so far been made public .
Mrs Brooks awaits trial next year on charges of phone hacking and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice . |
243,110 | c6a33e8d9b8f0153a63c97deeb2a32a21db8ffb2 | By . Adam Duggan . When pulled over by police on Sunday, a 21-year-old Western Australian driver admitted to drinking 'non-stop' on a road trip from Perth to Albany. Officers pulled over the Mitsubishi four-wheel-drive after a motorist reported seeing it swerving across the Albany Highway. Josh Court's explanation to police for blowing more than three-times the legal limit was that he and two friends were seeing how much alcohol they were able to consume during the almost five-hour drive. 'It's a young, stupid mentality': Josh Thomas, 21, was pulled over by police on Sunday and admitted to drinking 'non-stop' during a road trip from Perth to Albany, on Australia's west coast . Police claim Mr Court, originally from Dunsborough in Western Australia's Margaret River, was visibly intoxicated and beer could be smelt in the car. He allegedly told police he consumed seven beers during the drive - about one every 30 minutes. Sergeant Al Keogh, of the Mt Barker district police, expressed his dismay with the three men in the car, for displaying such reckless abandon during a state-wide long weekend - when thousands of extra cars were using Albany Highway. 'It's a young, stupid mentality. All three of them in the car were tanked,' Sgt Keogh told The West Australian newspaper. 'His explanation was he and his two friends in the car were going to see how much they could drink in the time it took to drive from Perth to Albany, with little or no regard to other motorists or members of the public.' Roughly one beer every half hour: Mr Court blew more than three times over the legal limit during what should have been about a 4.5-hour drive . 'It's absolutely pathetic,' Sgt Keogh noted. 'You have a long weekend where there are thousands of extra cars on the road and you have this bunch of idiots thinking they'll get pissed as they drive at 110km/h.' Sgt Keogh was pleased the car was stopped before somebody was potentially killed. 'We do not tolerate this behaviour,' he added. Police served Mr Court with an immediate two-month driving ban and charged him with a drink driving-related offence. Concerned motorist alerted police: Officers were able to pull Mr Court's Mitsubishi four-wheel-drive over on the Albany Highway, as he was about to enter Mt Barker - a bit over half an hour away from their final destination . One of Mr Court's friends offered to drive the remaining 50km from Mt Barker to Albany, but was also too far over the legal limit to drive. Police remained at the scene to ensure none of the drunk young men got behind the wheel. 'People who drink at this level of intoxication need to experience the full weight of the law and these people have no right on our roads until they can show some responsibility,' Road Safety Council chairman Murray Lampard said. If convicted of driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.15 or more, Mr Court potentially faces a 10-month driving ban and a $2,500 fine, if this is his first offense. Mr Court is due to front Albany Magistrate's Court on June 26. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Josh Court, 21, and two friends stopped as they drove from Perth to Albany on Sunday .
Another driver alerted police after seeing their 4WD swerving on the road .
Police described the stunt as 'absolutely pathetic,' 'young, stupid mentality'
He will face court this month for high-range drink-driving . |
111,570 | 1be131537633abe4948411de949f94ae7c336ceb | By . Helen Collis . PUBLISHED: . 12:18 EST, 29 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:44 EST, 29 October 2013 . The dancer who was on the bridge when the Costa Concordia cruise ship hit a reef killing 32 people, has admitted at the captain's manslaughter trial that they were lovers. Domnica Cemortan also told the Italian court that she boarded as a non-paying passenger hours before the crash near the island of Giglio, saying: 'When you are someone's lover no one asks you for a ticket.' She dismissed the remark as a joke to her translator. Someone's lover: Domnica Cemortan, from Moldavia, addresses the media as she leaves the converted Teatro Moderno theatre this afternoon . Captain's lover: Left, Moldovan Domnica Cemortan, 25, pictured with a friend and right, as she left court today after telling the trial that they had indeed been lovers at the time of the shipwreck which left 32 people dead . Schettino was allegedly seen 'drinking' at dinner in the . company of Miss Cemortan the evening of the collision. The picture of . her on the right was taken on the bridge of the Concordia . Moldovan Miss Cemortan said she had worked on the Concordia for three weeks in December 2011. The Moldovan dancer admitted she was Captain Francesco Schettino's lover and boarded the Costa Concordia without a ticket . She tried to dodge the question of whether she was romantically involved with captain Francesco Schettino, and only responded positively after being told she risked criminal charges for refusing to reply. Earlier the trial heard that the ship hit the reef after Schettino was disappointed at not getting close enough to it on an earlier attempt, his trial has been told. Crew member Maitre d'Antonello Tievoli, who comes from the island of Giglio, said he asked the captain to make a close pass as a favour to his family who lived there. Mr Tievoli said Schettino obliged on January 6 last year, but decided the Concordia had not been close enough and ordered his No. 2 officer to plot a closer route next time. Exactly a week later, the Concordia smashed into the reef off Giglio and capsized. Schettino has blamed the helmsman for the botched manoeuvre. The sinking of the Costa Concordia in January last year is one of the worst maritime disasters in living memory. The frantic moments before the cruise liner hit rocks were revealed in court yesterday. Schettino is said to have cried out 'Madonna, what have I done?', as the cruise liner hurtled into rocks off the coast of Tuscany. Captain Francesco Schettino seen as he arrives for his trial at the converted Teatro Moderno theater, in Grosseto, Italy yesterday . The captain allegedly cried out 'Madonna, what have I done?' when the ship hit the rocks . Captain Francesco Schettino, who was in command of the ship on the night of the disaster, reacted with disbelief on the impact, asking fellow officers ‘Did we hit a reef?', according to a recording played in court in Grosseto, Tuscany. Schettino, 52, is facing 20 years jail time if convicted of dereliction of duty and multiple counts of manslaughter. His lawyers argue that he is not solely responsible for the tragedy. Salvatore Ursino, left, arrived yesterday with his lawyer Antonio Langher at court where he gave evidence that Captain Schettino ordered officers to make the boat go faster in the run-up to the disaster . Cruise ship Costa Concordia lies stricken off the shore of the island of Giglio on January 18, 2012, just five days after the disaster . Salvage operators in Italy lifted the Costa Concordia cruise ship upright from its watery grave off the island of Giglio in September, in the biggest ever project of its kind . Moldovan dancer Miss Cemortan had always denied an affair with the Captain even though her suitcase and bikini was found in Schettino's cabin. The 950 tonne ship was wrenched off the rocks last month in a mammoth operation and is expected to be removed from the island after the winter. | 32 people were killed when Costa Concordia hit rocks off Tuscany, Jan 2012 .
Captain Francesco Schettino is charged with dereliction of duty and multiple counts of manslaughter .
Court heard Domnica Cemortan, dancer on the ship's bridge, was his lover .
She said she boarded the Costa Concordia as a non-paying passenger .
If found guilty of the charges Francesco Schettino will face 20 years in jail . |
274,872 | f016587326b91cf3e603ba69b699e88ec7a12696 | By . Alex Gore . PUBLISHED: . 05:21 EST, 3 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:43 EST, 3 December 2012 . Suffolk Strangler Steve Wright has sparked anger by launching a third bid for freedom as his victims' families mark the anniversary of his twisted killing spree. Wright, 54, murdered five prostitutes in the Ipswich area over five days in December 2006 and was jailed for life in 2008. Brother David, 53, who regularly visits Wright in Long Larton prison, Worcestershire, has confirmed he is lining up a fresh attempt to overturn the conviction. Appeal: David Wright, right, confirmed his killer brother Steve, left, is to launch a fresh bid for freedom . The case could cost taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds, with Wright being entitled to legal aid. Brian Clennell, 63, whose 24-year-old daughter Paula was Wright's fifth victim, told The Sun: 'Are we never going to be allowed to grieve? This brings it all up again. 'The Government pleads poverty yet money can always be found if you are a criminal for appeals like this.' But David said: 'Steve's innocent and I've got the evidence. He hasn't shown any regret because he hasn't done anything wrong.' Victims: Top l-r Anneli Sarah Alderton, Gemma Adams, Paula Clennell, below Annette Nicholls and Tania Nicol . He also described his brother's luxury lifestyle behind bars, which includes daily gym visits and a television and PlayStation in his cell. Forklift driver Wright picked up his victims - Gemma Adams, 25, Tania Nicol, 19, Anneli Alderton, 24, Paula Clenell, 24, and Annette Nicholls, 29 - while his girlfriend was working nightshifts. He strangled or asphyxiated them when they were incapacitated with massive doses of heroin, and their bodies were stripped and dumped in remote countryside. Killing spree: The remote woodland at Levington, near Ipswich, where Paula Clennell's naked body was found . At his Ipswich Crown Court trial in 2008, Wright admitted having sex with four of the five victims but denied killing any them. He was told he would spend the rest of his life in jail. The former QE2 steward dropped his first appeal in 2009 and later that year had his second bid thrown out by the courts. During the six-week trial, forensic evidence revealed that Wright's DNA was on three of the murdered women and fibres linked him to all five victims. Evidence: Gloves seized from Steve Wright's Mondeo after his arrest . There was also CCTV footage of him cruising the red-light district by car. Wright told jurors he visited prostitutes after his sex life with partner Pamela Wright became 'almost non-existent'. | Steve Wright's bid for freedom would cost taxpayers tens of thousands of pounds .
Father of one of his victims slams the jailed killer's attempts to overturn conviction . |
284,805 | fd0a0984f9866059a1d05cbf1df678bc6163233e | A Swedish couple were mistaken for Islamic State supporters when passers by mistook the birthday balloons in the window saying '21' as 'IS' - an abbreviation for the terrorist group. They were in the window for Sarah Ericsson's birthday party held at her boyfriend's house last weekend according to Kvalls Posten, who reported the police came knocking on Monday. Someone then saw the balloons from outside Fabian Akesson's home in Karlskrona and reported it as Islamic State propaganda. Birthday surprise: Swedish couple Sarah Ericsson and Fabian Akesson were suspected of being Islamic State supporters when passers-by mistook the birthday balloons saying '21' in the window for 'IS' He was brushing his teeth when he noticed several police cars parked outside the house before there was knock on the door minutes later. Mr Akesson added: 'I laughed about it and even showed them a picture that we took. And from that perspective, it looked almost like the letters 'IS'.' Despite the huge misunderstanding, the couple were still asked to take down the balloons to avoid further attention being drawn to their house. Birthday girl Sara - who studies Spatial Planning at the Blekinge Institute of Technology - told the Local: 'It was a little strange.' 'We understand why someone would report it if they thought it looked like IS-propaganda, although everyone else just thought it looked like the number '12' from outside,' She was in class on Monday when the authorities paid a visit to her boyfriend's house, in what was a very unusual call-out for police in the area. Misunderstanding:Sarah Ericsson (pictured with Fabian Akesson) said she found the whole thing 'strange' Officer Kurt Erik Gunnarsson said: 'I've never heard of such a thing before. It was new. The patrol got there and found out that someone had celebrated their 21st birthday.' 'Extremism should always be taken seriously, and we did take the balloons down immediately,' Sarah Ericsson told the Local. 'I'm so surprised at all the attention. I will never forget my 21st birthday!' | Sarah Ericsson had 21st birthday party at boyfriend's house last weekend .
Passers-by thought they said 'IS' - an abbreviation for Islamic State group .
The police paid a visit to her boyfriend's house in Karlskrona on Monday .
Despite the misunderstanding, couple were asked to remove them anyway . |
12,674 | 23f50e17a24824bb6ba6301c1dd49b5bff0a3056 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:00 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:00 EST, 16 October 2013 . There's no better feeling than leaving the hairdressers with a brand new 'do. Now research has found that the average British woman changes their hairstyle 36 times in a lifetime. A study has quizzed 560 women between the ages of 18 and 65 on their hairstyle habits. Research has found that the average British woman changes their hairstyle 36 times in a lifetime. Victoria Beckham has cut her hair into a elfin bob but often returns to her signature long tresses . The former Spice Girl's styles have inspired copy cat looks - such as her well known 'Pob' (left) and her original long bob (right) The study by Fabriah.com found mere six per cent of women stick to the same hairstyle for life. The majority of the rest of us - 41 per cent - will change the cut every . two years, whereas 19 per cent change it yearly. Four per cent of women questioned change their look every six months. The most popular look for women was shoulder length hair - with 48 per cent of us returning to the mid length. A quarter of women prefer chin length cuts, six per cent prefer a crop, but 22 per cent prefer long hair. One respondent said: 'I tend to change my hair every few years but only very slightly. I may have a bit extra cut off the length, more layers put in or add a fringe. 'With colour I’m a bit more fickle – during the winter I like a warm, rich shade and in the warmer months something much lighter.' Model Kate Moss is well known for her flowing 'boho style' (left) but she has also sported a sleeker 'do (right) with well conditioned one-length locks and fringe . Another added: 'I’ve had the same style for about 25 years and wouldn’t dream of changing it. It works for my face shape and is easy for me to look after. 'In the past I’ve experimented with all sorts of styles from very long hair, a dreadful tight perm to a pixie crop. The cut I have now is definitely the one for me.' A third said: 'I’ve had the same hair colour for the last four years and am now thinking about changing it. Princess of Pop Kylie Minogue has also been somewhat of a style chameleon, with both boyish crops (right) and sixties style bobs (left) 'I love the shade, but as I get older my skin tone is changing so I need something a little warmer. I have a great hairdresser who will get the colour perfect.' A third of women change their colour every three years, whereas 12 per cent change the shade of their locks every two years. Some six per cent change their colour every six months, but 17 per cent have never dyed their hair. | Study quizzed 560 women between 18 and 65 on their hairstyle habits .
It found average British woman changes hairstyle 36 times in a lifetime .
The majority of the rest of us - 41 per cent - will change cut every .
two years .
Four per cent of women questioned change their look every six months . |
231,305 | b77bed489a366c330aca611395c7b1dbc29bde14 | By . Harriet Hernando . Plummeting at more than 60 miles per hour these amazing shots show a gannet making a beeline for its dinner just moments before it hits the water. The incredible photographs were captured by wildlife photographer Steve Ward around 25 miles out to sea from his native Crosby on Merseyside. Scroll down for video . A gannet dives towards the sea off the coast of Liverpool from heights of 90 metres in this shot by photographer Steve Ward, 34 . The gannet is pictured just milliseconds before it hits the water. Photographer Steve Ward, 34, from Crosby on Merseyside, said it was 'lottery' shot . He said: 'A friend organised a boat trip 25 miles from Liverpool Bay and we were lucky enough to see these birds fishing. 'These birds are fast. They fall out of the sky at up to 60 miles per hour. 'The light was tricky so getting this shot just before the point of impact is a difficult one to nail especially when they dive all of a sudden from about 30 metres in the air.' The seabird was fishing off the coast of Liverpool and emerged with a pouting fish, a relative of the cod. Gannets . hunt for fish by diving from heights of nearly 90 metres, allowing them . to plunge into the depths of the sea in search of underwater prey. Success: the gannet rises from the sea victorious having caught a pouting fish off the coast of Liverpool. Photographer Steve Ward, 34, said he was delighted with the shot . Mr Ward said: 'They really are amazing to watch fishing. I just managed to catch it before it hit the water which is the best shot and the reflection was a bonus. 'Even though my camera shoots 10 frames per second this shot is still a lottery to nail and on most attempts I ended up with just a splash shot, so I was delighted with this image.' Gannets are the largest seabird in the North Atlantic, with a wingspan of up to two metres. Known by the phrase people use to describe gluttons as 'eating like a gannet' there is little evidence that these birds really eat this way. | The seabird was fishing off the coast of Liverpool when photographer Steve Ward, 34, captured the incredible images .
Gannets hunt for fish by diving from heights of 90 metres which allows them to reach speeds up to 60mph .
The hunting tactic allows them to penetrate the depths of the sea with their streamlined body .
Mr Ward said the 'lottery' shot of the bird milliseconds above the water was hard to capture . |
181,273 | 76ac3ecbec263af76279a916505a4f5cf4ffca8d | Second-placed Bournemouth twice led at home to Ipswich through Yann Kermorgant and Matt Ritchie but had to settle for a 2-2 draw as Teddy Bishop and Daryl Murphy replied for Town. Clayton Donaldson scored the only goal of the game as Birmingham won 1-0 at Rotherham, while Britt Assombalonga, Matty Fryatt and Henri Lansbury struck in a 3-0 romp for Nottingham Forest at Wolves. Derby extended their advantage at the top of the table to three points thanks to a 2-1 win at Watford, as goals from Jordon Ibe and Craig Bryson either side of Gianni Munari's strike gave County victory. Yann Kermorgant (left) celebrates after scoring the opening goal for Bournemouth against Ipswich . Britt Assombalonga knocks the ball past Carl Ikeme in the Wolves goal to put Nottingham Forest one up . Malky Mackay was denied a dream start to his reign as Wigan manager as Middlesbrough came from behind to claim a 1-1 draw at the DW Stadium. Blackburn overcame the dismissal of Tom Cairney as a Jordan Rhodes brace helped them come from behind to beat Leeds 2-1 at Ewood Park, with Souleymane Doukara having put United ahead. Down at the bottom, Blackpool and Bolton shared the spoils in a 1-1 Bloomfield Road draw as Jacob Murphy put the Seasiders ahead but Chung-Yong Lee equalised for Wanderers. Jacob Murphy looks delighted to have put Blackpool ahead against Bolton, but they had to settle for a 1-1 draw . Adrian Colunga (right) put Brighton 3-2 up at Carrow Road, but Gary Hooper equalised for Norwich late on . Norwich and Brighton drew 3-3 in an action-packed encounter at Carrow Road, with Jonny Howson, Russell Martin and Gary Hooper netting for the Canaries, who had Bradley Johnson sent off late on. The visitors responded through Bruno, Kazenga LuaLua and an Adrian Colunga penalty. Charlton and Millwall drew 0-0 and the lunchtime Yorkshire derby between Huddersfield and Sheffield Wednesday also finished goalless, with Owls striker Stevie May going closest to breaking the deadlock with a 74th-minute shot that struck both crossbar and post. | Wolves endured their third straight defeat, losing 0-3 to Nottingham Forest .
Bournemouth had to settle for a 2-2 draw to Ipswich, despite leading twice .
Malky Mackay was denied a dream start in charge of Wigan - they drew 1-1 .
Derby extended their advantage at the top of the Championship . |
228,433 | b3c938e563992cce436acc0ff5b429b6de9ece69 | December 9, 2013 . As South Africa holds a national day of prayer, CNN Student News shows how Nelson Mandela is being honored around the globe. We also report on the latest U.S. unemployment statistics, and we hear about the end of an ordeal involving an American detained in North Korea. Plus, we examine why companies compete to be involved with the World Cup. On this page you will find today's show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, Maps pertaining to today's show, and a place for you to leave feedback. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. DAILY CURRICULUM . Click here for a printable version of the Daily Curriculum (PDF). Media Literacy Question of the Day: . What are some elements you could include in a video retrospective about someone's life? Key Concepts: Identify or explain these subjects you heard about in today's show: . 1. Nelson Mandela . 2. unemployment rate . 3. World Cup . Fast Facts: How well were you listening to today's program? 1. What is the current U.S. unemployment rate? Why is it significant? How many Americans are still unemployed? 2. What U.S. regions have recently experienced severe winter weather? 3. What country recently released American Merrill Newman after detaining him? Discussion Questions: . 1. What do you know about Nelson Mandela's life? What do you think will be his legacy? 2. What do you think is next for American Merrill Newman, following his release from North Korea? Why do you think Westerners travel to North Korea? Do you think the detainment of some Americans will have an impact on this? Explain. 3. What do you think might be the benefits and drawbacks of being an official sponsor of the FIFA World Cup? Why do you think some companies want to use World Cup sponsorships to attract young people to products? Do you think marketing products to young people through the World Cup is effective? Why or why not? CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists and educators who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show and curriculum. We hope you use our free daily materials along with the program, and we welcome your feedback on them. MAPS . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . AfricaSouth Africa . South AmericaBrazil . FEEDBACK . We're looking for your feedback about CNN Student News. Please use this page to leave us comments about today's program, including what you think about our stories and our resources. Also, feel free to tell us how you use them in your classroom. The educators on our staff will monitor this page and may respond to your comments as well. Thank you for using CNN Student News! Click here to submit your Roll Call request. | This page includes the show Transcript, the Daily Curriculum, and Maps .
Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
The Daily Curriculum offers the Media Literacy Question of the Day, Key Concepts, Fast Facts and Discussion Questions .
At the bottom of the page, please share your feedback about our show and curriculum . |
141,331 | 42c17bb23f5e6223c33f0ff728cf2a38ae8fb742 | It was one year ago Thursday that Jorge Mario Bergoglio became Pope Francis. From that moment, Jesuits around the world asked the same question: "Is he still a Jesuit?" If someone becomes a pope, and therefore head of all Catholic religious orders -- Franciscans, Dominicans, Benedictines, Jesuits and so on -- is he still a member of his religious order? Since then, that question been answered several times by Pope Francis, who in gatherings with his brother Jesuits has spoken of "We Jesuits." Beyond the Jesuit parlor game of "Is he or isn't he?" the Pope's Jesuit identity is a key way to understand this world phenomenon of a pontiff. In fact, many of the words and deeds that have so shocked the world flow naturally from his Jesuit background. Let's look at five: . Humility. Is there anyone who has not noticed Francis' humility? His first public gesture as Pope was not to bless the vast crowd in St. Peter's Square but to request the crowd's blessing. A few days later, he turned down the traditional papal digs in the grand Apostolic Palace in favor of a modest suite at a Vatican guesthouse. Just this week, a photo taken of members of the Vatican staff on their annual retreat showed the Pope seated in their midst, along with the other bishops and cardinals, as just another person on retreat. Humility of course is a Christian virtue, but it is also something that St. Ignatius Loyola, the 16th-century founder of the Jesuits, specifically asked Jesuit priests and brothers to embrace. There are three kinds of humility, St. Ignatius said. The first is exemplified by the person who does nothing immoral. The second is the one who, when faced with honor or dishonor, is "indifferent." The third is the person who chooses the humbler path, to be more like Jesus. Pope Francis exemplifies this "Third Degree of Humility." How to really measure the 'Francis effect' Poverty. Francis is the first Jesuit Pope and the first from a religious order since 1831. That means he is the first Pope to have lived under a "vow of poverty" since the mid-19th century. All priests are supposed to live simply, but members of religious orders take a specific vow of poverty. "Almighty and eternal God ..." begins the Jesuit vows: In other words, members of religious orders make a promise to God to live simply. Thus, for most of his adult life -- until he became a bishop and was released from that vow -- Jorge Mario Bergoglio owned nothing of his own. As all members of religious orders, he had to live on a strict budget. He had to turn into his community anything he earned and any gifts. He had to ask for cash for large purchases, such as a suit. This accustomed Bergoglio to a simple life, which many find one of his most appealing aspects. It also heightened his compassion for people who live not in voluntary poverty, as he did, but involuntary poverty, as the poor and marginalized do. Governance. Pope Francis had some longtime Vaticanologists scratching their heads when he appointed a group of eight cardinals to advise him and assist him in reforming the Vatican Curia, or central bureaucracy. The "G8," as the cardinals have inevitably become known, have already implemented changes in such complex areas as the Vatican Bank. Many wondered why the Pope didn't rely more on the heads of the specific Vatican offices for this kind of close consultation. Why weren't the "G8" the prefects of the largest Vatican congregations? But to most Jesuits his "way of proceeding," as St. Ignatius liked to say, was familiar. Before becoming archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio was the Jesuit "provincial," or regional superior, of Argentina. As all Jesuit provincials do, he selected province "consultors" who advise the provincial on all manner of decisions. Because they usually do not work directly in province governance, the provincial can rely on them to speak openly and candidly. With the "G8," the Pope is replicating the familiar Jesuit model of governance. Prayer. Often you will hear Pope Francis say something similar to what he said in a homily recently to a parish in Rome when he asked parishioners to close their eyes and imagine themselves in a Gospel scene, in this case at the Jordan River at the Baptism of Jesus. "Now speak to Jesus," he said. Last Easter he asked listeners to picture themselves with the women disciples approaching Jesus' tomb on Easter Sunday. This is a key characteristic of Jesuit prayer: asking the person to use their imagination and let God work through that. In homilies, reflections and speeches, Francis most often does not tell his listeners what to think, he invites them to imagine and think for themselves. It is not the Pope's Jesus whom you are invited to meet, but your own. Openness. Jesuits are asked to "Find God in all things." Again, this is not simply a Jesuit virtue but a Christian one. Yet that brief motto is the most commonly cited way of summing up Jesuit spirituality. And "all things" means all people. This includes those people who have felt excluded, or unwelcome, in the church. So although his message is based on simple Christian mercy, the world has witnessed the Pope repeatedly inviting the church to experience God in places that some other Catholic leaders may have overlooked or even ignored. Atheists, divorced and remarried Catholics, and gay men and lesbians, have all seen the Pope reach out to them. Francis is not so much trying to find God there -- because he knows that God is already there -- as he is reminding others to look for God in the lives of all these people. Other Jesuit hallmarks could be added to the list, such as flexibility, freedom and an emphasis on social justice. But overall, when Jesuits watch the Pope, we often nod our heads and say, "That's very Jesuit." Over the past year, Jesuits have been accused of being too proud of Pope Francis. I'm guilty myself. So at the risk of pride, I'll say that I think he's a great Pope, a great priest and a great Jesuit. And I'll bet St. Ignatius would be proud -- or as proud as he would allow himself to be. | James Martin: Jesuits wonder if Pope Francis, when elected, was still a member of their order .
Martin: He has identified with the Jesuits, and his life reflects the order's teachings .
Humility, poverty, prayer and "finding God in all things" are Jesuit ideals, he says .
Martin: Pope Francis is a great leader who would please St. Ignatius, founder of Jesuits . |
24,386 | 4534f9843d740499b84d718b03f5f044fb94e0ac | (CNN) -- French police were searching Friday for a Degas painting stolen from a Marseilles museum a day earlier. "Les Choristes," or "The Chorus," is worth about €800,000, or $1.15 million, Marseilles Police Commissioner Xavier Claudel told CNN. The 1877 pastel was on loan to the Musee Cantini from the Musee d'Orsay in Paris for an exhibition, Claudel said. It was discovered missing when staff opened the museum Thursday, he said. Investigators were going through surveillance camera footage for clues, but Claudel said he could not offer any more information about the case. Edgar Degas was a prominent member of the the Impressionists and produced a vast amount of artwork before his death in 1917 at age 83. His style, subject matter and artistic sensibility set him apart from his contemporaries, according to New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art. | The 1877 pastel was on loan to Musee Cantini from Musee d'Orsay in Paris .
Investigators going through surveillance camera footage for clues .
"The Chorus," is worth about €800,000, or $1.15 million . |
10,438 | 1db50f3d27c6fe1ae84a4fe28de9e95974c81206 | San Diego, California (CNN) -- Our politics have changed in America -- and, unfortunately, not for the better. With the Robert Bork hearings of the 1980s and later the Monica Lewinsky affair of the 1990s, we were introduced to the "politics of personal destruction." Today, we're living with the hangover and learning how destructive it can be when we take our politics personally. We're a nation divided, where people can no longer agree to disagree without becoming downright nasty. Cafferty: How many debates needed? Just ask Stacey Dash, an African-American actress who was attacked on Twitter for abandoning her support for Obama and daring to publicly endorse Mitt Romney for president. The actress, who starred in the movie "Clueless" and the cable TV drama "Single Ladies," tweeted: "Vote for Romney. The only choice for your future. Team Romney...Vote Romney." The liberal Twitteratti went crazy. One Twitter user wrote about Dash, who is also half Mexican-American, "You're an unemployed black woman endorsing Mitt Romney. You're voting against yourself thrice. You poor beautiful idiot." Another chimed in with: "I guess 'Clueless' star Stacey Dash endorsing Mitt Romney shows that she is indeed clueless." But the really ugly barbs came from fellow African-Americans who tweeted that Dash was a "jigaboo," "traitor," "house n-----." You get the picture. Many went further, urging Dash to do everyone a favor and "kill urself." Stacey Dash defends pro-Romney stance . Or ask Buzz Bissinger, a columnist for The Daily Beast who must have felt as if he was trapped in an episode of "Liberals Gone Wild" after announcing that he had -- after the first presidential debate in Denver -- decided to support Mitt Romney for president. A self-described "lifelong Democrat," Bissinger wrote in a column after the first presidential debate that he could "no longer back a president who no longer acted like he wanted to be president, who offered a vision for the country as original as those college essays you can buy off the Internet, who in front of 70 million viewers acted like he had 90 minutes to kill before going out to dinner with Michelle for their 20th anniversary." Bissinger was castigated by his wife and friends and liberal readers, who through what the columnist described as "thousands of comments on The Daily Beast website and Twitter and Facebook; writers from national media outlets trying to pick the column apart because they were outraged that one they considered part of the tribe, a journalist and author, would actually turn away from the ingrained liberal leanings of the profession." His takeaway: "Liberals preach tolerance, but 90% are every bit as nasty and vitriolic as the conservatives they rightfully condemn for being nasty and vitriolic." And ask Cornel West, one of the country's most prominent African Americans, who last year went into the liberal doghouse when he criticized Obama for abandoning African Americans and the working class. West called Obama a "black mascot of Wall Street oligarchs and a black puppet of corporate plutocrats." He won the wrath of the Rev. Al Sharpton, and fellow academic Melissa Harris-Perry responded by slamming West for making a "self-aggrandizing, victimology sermon." Photos: Why your vote counts . Of course, conservatives also know full well how to level personal attacks. Radio talk show host Rush Limbaugh stepped in it when he demeaned Georgetown University law student Sandra Fluke as a "slut" after she testified before Congress about the importance of requiring univeristy health insurance plans to cover birth control. Radio talk show host Glenn Beck, who formerly hosted a daily talk show on the Fox News Channel, once said that President Obama was "a racist" who had "exposed himself over and over again as a guy who has a deep-seated hatred for white people or the white culture." Then there are all those tea party activists, some of which, in combating Obamacare, thought nothing of holding up racist signs depicting the president as an African witch doctor. Naturally. At the end of the day, labels like "liberal" and "conservative" don't mean much. Human beings are all the same. Some are raised to be tolerant of different points of view, others not so much. The more secure you are in what you believe, the less likely you are to attack someone for believing something else. Opinion: I'm Mormon, and I'm voting for Obama . Meanwhile, in this country, a lot of people seem to be on the attack. If you oppose the president, his supporters will call you a racist; if you support him, his opponents will call you a socialist. You're either accused of not loving your fellow man or not loving your country. It's all part of where we've arrived, and how we've changed. We wear our ideologies on our sleeves. We keep our political views, and presidential choices, close to our hearts. And so when they're challenged, we feel personally wounded. So we get angry. These days, if you challenge someone's point of view or disagree with their choice in candidates, it's as if you're directly attacking them. It used to be that Americans could disagree over politics and still go out and have a drink. Not anymore. Nowadays, if you disagree, one of you isn't just wrong. One of you is a bad person. And who wants to go drinking with a bad person? Now, almost everything about politics seems less cerebral and more emotional. The business is no longer about compromising with your opponent; it's about conquering him. We don't just disagree; we're out to destroy. We don't settle for half a loaf; it's all or nothing. The goal isn't to find solutions; the objective is simply to win at all costs. McCain weighs in on war of words over Libya . After Tuesday's presidential debate, Obama was criticized by some Republicans for being too combative. But judging from the polls, Democrats are delighted with Obama's aggressive stance, and they want more of the same in the final debate next week. As for what got us to this point, maybe the politicians are to blame for leading the way, with their negative ads and their tendency to treat every political campaign like a contact sport. Or maybe it's generational, a result of what happens when baby boomers -- who, since the Vietnam War, have believed their values were superior to everyone else's -- control the government. Or maybe it comes from living in the Internet age in which everyone has an opinion and feels entitled to express it freely and without apology. Four years ago, with the election of Barack Obama, it looked as if the United States had taken a giant step forward. Now, it looks as if we're going backward. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette. | Ruben Navarrette: We're a nation divided into two camps that call each other names .
Navarrette: A black actress came out for Romney and got slammed and reviled .
Limbaugh calls activist a 'slut,' he says, columnist blasted for changing parties .
Nobody can disagree without going on the attack, he writes, and leaders just as bad . |
182,627 | 787fec5e80b8c5a8b97904c75768923d9c619d90 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Actor Graham Patrick Martin is allegedly being terrorized by a Twitter stalker who is posting abusive tweets from a fake account. TMZ reported the cyber bully has created a Twitter account with the Major Crimes star's name and tweets more than 100 times a day. The imposter allegedly tweeted messages including 'How unlucky I wasn't on board Flight 370?' and 'I sure have the likability of a Hitler youth.' Stalked: Major Crimes Graham Patrick Martin is allegedly being harassed on Twitter . TMZ reported the fraud is also allegedly abusing the 22-year-old's girlfriend, actress Ginny Gardner. 'I think it's sad dat now at her 30s w***e doesn't look older than 80, but tomorrow she'll look like infinity,' they allegedly wrote. TMZ claims Twitter shut down the account but the imposter just fired up a new one. It is not clear if that has also been deleted. The baby-faced actor has reported his stalker to police. A search warrant on Twitter has allegedly been executed. Martin, graduate of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York, starred in TV shows including Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Two and a Half Men, The Bill Engvall Show and The Closer. The alleged stalker is sending abusive tweets to Graham Patrick Martin and his girlfriend Ginny Gardner (couple pictured at screening in Hollywood, California, on January 1) | An imposter allegedly set up an account with the Major Crimes star's name .
The stalker 'sends more than 100 tweets a day', some abusive .
Twitter shut down the account, but the stalker has set up a new one .
Martin, 22, has gone to police . |
18,604 | 349f317c6b98a16fe6d23352016b07c45251b9f7 | By . Sara Nathan . The battle between Bethenny Frankel and Jason Hoppy for custody of their young daughter Bryn concluded today - with the pair agreeing to both share parental duties. The Skinnygirl millionairess, 43, accused her 42-year-old estranged husband of hacking into her personal email and says he reportedly 'sought to obsessively control her every move through their four-year-old daughter', as the pair fought over custody in court last week. But today, Bernard Clair, Hoppy’s attorney, confirmed that the custody part of the divorce case has been settled, stating: 'My client is delighted that this custody dispute has been resolved; that his co-parenting status has been acknowledged; that the parties’ child will have the benefit of being raised by both parents; and most importantly, that his daughter will no longer be at the mercy of a high profile courtroom battle. Scroll down for video . 'She's thrilled this has settled': Bethenny Frankel and ex Jason Hoppy have finally settled their ongoing custody dispute over four-year-old daughter Bryn - pictured here with her mom in Soho, New York on Wednesday - agreeing to share parenting duties . 'Jason . wishes Bethenny only the best of luck, and he looks forward to sharing . with her all of the joyous occasions, milestones, and blessings that . will be coming up in his daughter’s future.' Mr. Clair also said that . the specific terms of the settlement are confidential. It comes amid reports on Radar Online that Frankel testified she once threw water over a sleeping Hoppy, and also told the court: 'He would sit with Bryn and look over and say ... "You be the princess, I’ll be the prince, Mommy will be the witch."' Changing it up: On the same day, Bethenny was seen stepping out with a different outfit on later in the day . It got nasty: In the court case, Frankel recalled how Hoppy made their daughter 'start crying' on May 8 after a school party . Smartened up: For her second outfit of the day, Bethenny wore a sleek pair of white trousers and black vest top . In addition Frankel recalled how Hoppy made their daughter 'start crying' on May 8 after a school party. Frankel claims he said to Bryn: 'You don’t want to go with Mommy, right? You want to be with me.' Although . their divorce is still ongoing, the custody agreement was reached just . days after it threatened to spill over into a bitter and hate-fuelled . row with damaging allegations made in a New York courtroom. Frankel hired lawyer Allan Mayefsky, who repped Katie Holmes in her split from Tom Cruise. In opening . comments last week, Mayefsky claimed the Bravo star's husband went 'to . war' once their union crumbled in 2012, saying: 'He threatened to . destroy her. 'He had her followed and spied on along with their daughter. He hacked into her most private personal email.' Bitter battle: Bethenny had been in court battling with her estranged husband Jason Hoppy over custody (pictured today in New York) Finally over: Bethenny can now resume her parenting duties without having to battle in court (pictured in New York on Wednesday) 'He has . consciously placed his desire for revenge … over the best interests of . this family and particularly the child,' Mayefsky concluded. 'He has . sought to obsessively control their every move through their daughter.' Mayefsky said his client is a 'very, very involved mother' whose success will benefit the child. While Bethenny had been insisting on primary custody and sole decision-making authority for Bryn, Jason was asking for shared custody. Bitter split: Bethenny and Jason are seen at Manhattan's Family Court on May 28 accompanied by her lawyers . She means business: Bethenny refused to settle out of court (pictured at court on May 28) While under . attack, Jason showed no emotion. His attorney Clair, who has . also repped Simon Cowell's girlfriend and mother of his baby son, Lauren Silverman, also accused . the reality TV star and businesswoman of wanting to get even. One . of the examples mentioned was how Bethenny allegedly stripped their . shared condo on Hudson Street when she vacated it earlier this year. 'The clothes were gone, the favorite stuffed animals gone, the favorite dollhouse gone,' Clair said. He argued . the change made Bryn upset. When her father went to cook her a meal to . calm her nerves, he said the kitchen was almost empty. Real . love: Bethenny and Jason enjoyed a break in St. Barts after tying the . knot in March, 2010, two months before Bryn's birth. The happy time was . captured in Bravo reality show, Bethenny Getting Married . 'He . found that every single utensil had been taken but replaced with . plastic knives, forks and spoons like you would pick up from a takeout . place. One pot was left,' Clair said. Clair . also said Frankel used 'the child as a prop … in the pursuit of her own . career and her own brand.' He said she 'embarked on a secret endeavor . to have a children’s book published' this coming September about Bryn’s . life. 'Ms. Frankel even arranged for the illustrator to come to her home to follow . this child around so that every likeness and every sense of the child . could be presented,' Clair said. 'And that’s not all: This children’s . book has the Skinnygirl logo, Skinnygirl being the brand of Ms. Frankel, . throughout its pages.' According to RadarOnline, Bethenny was in 'tears' while on the stand, claiming her estranged husband said she was 'disgusting.' Once a close family: Bethenny and Jason with daughter Bryn and their dog in April 2012 . 'If you don’t want to be with me and you’re ending this marriage, I want nothing to do with you ever again. I’m going to destroy you,' she revealed Hoppy had told her. She added that Jason said, 'You’re already losing fans. I’m going to ruin you' and also saying, 'You’re dead to me. I want nothing to do with you. You think I want to be with you on the holidays? You’re a piece of s***. You’re garbage. You have no idea what I’ve got on you.' Bethenny filed for divorce from Jason 16 months ago. Jason had . reportedly been hoping to come to an out-of-court deal with his . estranged wife, who sold her Skinnygirl alcohol brand to Beam Global for . an estimated $39m with a similar amount promised if the brand hit . certain sales targets. But the source said Bethanny is refusing to . settle. 'Bethenny . sat outside the courtroom and made notes on what looked like a script . or a book draft,' an eyewitness told RadarOnline of the former talk show . host's appearance on Thursday morning. No, she's mine: Jason, 42, has been equally adamant about his custody right to Bryn as the couple's bitter divorce wrangle comes to a head after 16 months . 'There were no tears or emotions. Both Bethenny and Jason looked very somber.' In June 2010, the celebrity starred in the Bravo reality TV show Bethenny Getting Married, which documented her engagement to Jason, their marriage on March 28, 2010, and the birth of their daughter two months later. The brunette, whose show Bethenny was cancelled by Fox after just one season, is finding solace in the arms of her new beau, Michael Cerrusi. She has been dating the beefy 34-year-old son of a prominent New York attorney since the beginning of the year. New beau: The brunette has been dating 34-year-old Michael Cerrusi since the beginning of the year. The couple cuddled at the New Year's celebrations at Mondrian in New York . | Bernard Clair, Jason Hoppy's attorney says: 'My client is delighted that this custody .
dispute has been resolved...that the parties' child will have the benefit of being .
raised by both parents'
Mr Clair adds: 'Jason .
wishes Bethenny only the best of luck'
The custody battle for Bethenny and Jason's daughter Bryn saw a stream of damaging accusations made in a New York court last week .
It was reported Jason hacked into Bethenny's email - and sought to control her every move through their daughter .
Jason wanted Bethenny to be 'witch' in fairytale games with Bryn . |
247,024 | cbaab0385ef6141c49c08bd9f174229ce18eb2dc | By . Freya Noble for Daily Mail Australia . Clashing colours, mismatched patterns, dodgy paint jobs and cluttered corners are all on the list of cardinal sins when it comes to designing and decorating a lounge room. Poor scaling and positioning of furniture, drawing attention to the wrong parts of the space and misguided attempts to make rooms look bigger are also some of the most common faux pas. Interior stylist and buyer from The Home Emma Bloomfield told Daily Mail Australia the worst living room she had ever come across was one that featured a checkered couch alongside a brown leather one, which both clashed with the Persian rug on the floor. The Home are searching for Australia's Ugliest Living Room and interior stylist Emma Bloomfield said this one in NSW was the worst she had seen so far . The space in Queensland could be a certain contender for the ugliest room with its yellowed walls, cobwebs on the ceiling and a floor and lounge which don't look safe to sit on . This room in WA desperately needs a paint job matching furniture and a bigger TV unit that isn't dwarfed by the television . These brightly coloured and very old couches in a Victorian home also made it onto the terrible list . 'Mismatched colours equals a confused style,' Ms Bloomfield said. 'Persian rugs and a country check fabric don’t go together. Stick to similar styles for the big ticket items to keep from confusing the style.' She added a paint job on the wall wouldn't go astray and the rug - aside from clashing with almost everything else in the room - was much too small for the space. In light of this, homewares and interior design website The Home has launched an effort to find the ugliest living room in the whole of Australia. Shocking clashing patterns and couches without proper cushions seen here in a Victorian living room are a repeat offender . This room, also in Victoria, has an exposed brick wall which 'screams 1980s' according to Ms Bloomfield who said the room needed a paint job quick smart . In this tiled room in Victoria the couches clash with the textured tiles and the glass table is outdated . More messy than ugly this room in NSW would probably look a lot better with a tidy up above all else . In conjunction with Network Ten's Studio 10, they have asked homeowners to dob themselves - or their friends - in and the 'winner' of the competition will get their horrible lounge room replaced with a brand new one. 'Home may be where the heart is, but the living room is the soul of the home. It’s where you relax, rejuvenate and entertain, so you should have a living room you adore,' said Alexandra Mills, CEO of The Home. 'I know there are many neglected living rooms out there in Australia, so we want to find the ugliest one and transform it from mess to mesmerising. 'We also want to show how anyone can easily transform their own living rooms with a few updates and tweaks – it doesn’t have to be expensive!' Ms Mills added. Also in NSW this living room is 'too matchy matchy' and needs another colour besides blue and yellow to break up the space according to Ms Bloomfield . In Queensland this room needed to be broken up with pattern and texture otherwise you get a whitewash effect like this . This space in NSW needed one thing desperately - a paint job . This outdated living room - also in NSW- could do with some upgraded furniture and a little de-cluttering . Some features of some of the disaster rooms so far include strange and outdated patterns and prints, poor or completely forgotten paint jobs, too many items cluttered in to one room or not enough furniture spread around an area with too much space. Queensland presented a strong contestant for the worst room, with yellowed walls, cobwebs and cracks on the ceiling and a floor and lounge which don't look safe to sit on. The television looks as though it could have been one of the first ever made, and the curtains are straight out of the 1970s. In one of the terrible rooms from NSW, Ms Bloomfied said the colour scheme was way off and the owner needed to introduce some more neutral colours to break the room up. This Victoria lounge room was described as 'confused' and a poor example of a multi-functional living space . The small table over a patterned mat covering the floor which matches the couch makes this room a contender for the ugliest room . The cluttered corner behind the TV make the space feel smaller than it is, plus the tissues near the heater present a serious fire risk . This mismatched furniture crowded around a television in Queensland put this space in the running for the ugliest in Australia . 'Too matchy matchy. This room only has two colours, blue and orange. It's fine to try and match up some of your furniture but add in a few other splashes of colour to break it up,' she said. For another sparse looking situation also in NSW, the interior stylist had just one tip: 'Don't forget the most important thing - paint!' Queensland also had some horrors to offer in the form of a disparate lounge room with only one colour tone and a whole lot of space. Ms Bloomfield had this to say: 'Throw rugs add colour and texture to a room but not if they are covering your dated recliner chairs. Also, don't forget a rug, especially on tiles - winter without a rug looks like a cold one!' Missing tiles and clashing furnishing make this living space in Western Australia look confused . This room is on report for its couches that match the strange textured floor . Another offender in the bland colour scheme department in Queensland was too much neutral and not enough of anything else. 'Solid blocks of neutral colour like this need to be broken up with pattern and texture: add in some cushions, a floor rug and some artwork to add interest and personality to the space,' Ms Bloomfield suggested. For a room in NSW clutter was the key concern, and possibly an unwanted house fire. 'For easy viewing pleasure you should aim to keep the wall the TV is on free, don't confuse the situation by sticking photos on the wall above. Also, keep fire hazards to a minimum by storing all your junk and consider moving the tissue box away from the heater!' said Ms Bloomfield. | The Home is on the hunt for Australia's Ugliest Living Room .
Some of the worst faux pas are furniture that doesn't match .
Crowded rooms and unfinished paint jobs are also a repeat offender . |
25,768 | 49046fb1d33a681ea49e0a501fbd891972d1fc9f | Smithville, Mississippi (CNN) -- Top federal officials voiced admiration and vowed cooperation Sunday after touring tornado-ravaged areas in Alabama and Mississippi, promising help to those who made it through this week's storms as they reconstruct their lives and communities. "They're going to have to live and rebuild and recover," Craig Fugate, the head of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said in Birmingham. "Give them the respect that they're a survivor, not a victim." Fugate was joined by several members of President Barack Obama's Cabinet, including heads of the departments of homeland security, agriculture, and housing and urban development. They saw destruction in Birmingham, then headed west to Smithville, Mississippi, where 15 of the town's less than 900 people perished due to the powerful twister. See photos of the devastation . Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano explained that the group was diverse in order to best leverage the potential of the federal government, as it worked to help states, municipalities and ultimately individuals. She vowed that this effort will involve short-term fixes and a long-term committment in Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and other states hit the hardest. "We will work (the affected) states as well, and those communities as well, to help them recover from this spring of storms -- and to come back strongly," Napolitano said. About 148 devastating twisters Wednesday left a wide swath of death and destruction across 13 states. The death toll had climbed to 339 Sunday, according to emergency management officials in six of those states. On Sunday, some of those killed were laid to rest while others attended religious services, hoping to make sense of the calamity. iReport pictures from Tuscaloosa area . A tornado demolished the Smithville Baptist Church in Mississippi. On Sunday, the church's pastor Wes White urged several hundred congregants gathered under a tent not to lose hope, but to turn to Jesus, in the days and weeks to come. "We were changed. Our world will never be the same. This moment will forever be etched in the forefront of all our imaginations," White said. Hours later, the small town played host to Napolitano, Fugate and other members of the Obama administration. They noted that, despite the massive destruction, only 22 people are in shelters because most of those impacted were taken in by relatives, neighbors and fellow church members. This fact showed the strong community in Smithville and vicinity, but did not diminish the tremendous suffering and long-term challenges ahead, the officials said. Surgeon: 'I was just in shock' "When the Piggly Wiggly is not open, it's real bad, folks," Fugate said. "It don't get much worse ... This is going to be a tough recovery, but you are survivors. That's why we're here." The administration officials said assistance will be offered -- and red tape circumvented -- to help with everything from patching roofs to aiding the local timber industry to rebuilding businesses. They urged those affected to phone FEMA at 1-800-621-3362 to get registered and learn about the process. In many communities, the struggle is daunting. Throughout Alabama -- the hardest-hit state -- the death toll Sunday morning was 250 and the number of injured was 2,219, emergency management officials said. Nearly a half million customers in the state remained without power. Tuscaloosa Mayor Walter Maddox said his city, where at least 39 people have died, faces a "humanitarian crisis." Hundreds of people remain unaccounted for and many more have been rendered homeless, he said. Horror and hope in Tuscaloosa . Rescuers and volunteers have descended on the area from near and far, canvassing neighborhoods looking for the missing and offering help to those who are staying near their devastated homes. "We all got together and we wanted to help," Lorinda Rodriguez-Mitchell told CNN on Sunday from near Tuscaloosa, where she was coordinating the collection and distribution of items like diapers, cereal and water. "We're just going down there to deliver food. Some people have been there 40, 50 years and they're not leaving." In the Hispanic community, volunteer Martin Izaguirre said, many are afraid to go to shelters. He said some have told him, "We are afraid we won't be welcomed in places where Spanish is not spoken." While searchers fan out, some have taken a more high-tech approach. The University of Alabama's Crimson White student newspaper is trying to track down some of Tuscaloosa's missing using the #UAMissing hashtag on Twitter, said Hannah Mask, a former editor who has been working on the project. Hispanics struggle after storm . "It's been really efficient," she said, noting that the list of those unaccounted for seems to be decreasing. Damage to larger Alabama cities such as Birmingham and Tuscaloosa may have been greater than the damage suffered by smaller towns, but rural areas will likely have a harder time recovering, Red Cross spokeswoman Anita Foster said. "In terms of suffering, these people have lost their loved ones, they've lost their community. There are people who don't have home to return to," Foster said. She noted the sad response she received from one Hackleburg, Alabama, resident after asking her whether the town could recover. The woman simply shook her head, Foster said. CNN's Rob Marciano, Martin Savidge, Raja Razek and Gustavo Valdes contributed to this report. | NEW: Several members of Barack Obama's Cabinet tour Mississippi and Alabama .
NEW: FEMA's chief says: "This is going to be a tough recovery, but you are survivors"
Searchers and volunteers are out, looking for missing and giving aid to survivors .
The University of Alabama's student newspaper is trying to track down the missing . |
176,030 | 6fe23c25c01bd29d7d90c7ceced115073062c252 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 06:27 EST, 27 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:32 EST, 27 January 2013 . Grief stricken family members of British schoolgirl Imani Green, who was shot dead in a Jamaican grocery store, broke down at her funeral yesterday. Eight-year-old Imani was murdered earlier this month when she was caught in the cross-fire of what police believe to be a turf war over an illegal lottery scam. Her distraught father Richard Green, 38, had flown in from London for the . funeral and was seen crying on a wall outside afterwards while family . members comforted each other. Devastated: Imani Green's father Richard, 38, is pictured in tears outside a memorial service for the eight-year-old who was gunned down while on holiday with family in Jamaica . Tragic: Imani Green's pink and white coffin pictured after being carried into church for her memorial service yesterday . A 150-strong crowd of Imani's family and friends packed into a memorial service for the sickle cell sufferer in the town of Falmouth in Jamaica's north. The youngsters body was brought into the church in a pink and white casket for the funeral which was also attended by Imani's mother Donna, her siblings Jamila and Dean Palmer and her grandmother Sandra Fisher. Her mother is expected to fly her ashes back to the UK to be buried. One attendee, who wouldn't be named, said: 'Everyone was crying and sobbing, it was very sad. 'People couldn't hold back their grief . as the pastor spoke, saying how Imani had been so full of life and such . a happy girl. She was always willing to hep anyone and loved to be . around people.' Grief-stricken: Imani's grandmother Sandra Fisher (centre) is pictured comforting other members of her family during the memorial service . Imani's grandmother Mrs Fisher, 54, said: 'It was so, so . hard. I couldn't get up and say anything at the service. I wish I had . the strength to stand up and talk but I just couldn't. 'Donna felt the same, it was just too difficult. 'We had invited all of our friends so everyone who loved Imani could say goodbye to her.' Among those who paid tribute to Imani during the service was a woman police officer, while the congregation sang hymns including 'Jesus Loves Me'. Imani was shot dead on January 11 when a masked gunman burst into the family's roadside cafe in Trelawny, northwest Jamaica, and opened fire. The Tooting schoolgirl was shot in the head and shoulder and died in hospital. Tragic death: Imani Green (pictured left by . herself and right with her mother Donna, both in 2009) was at her . cousin's small shop on the island's north coast, when she was shot dead . Three of her older cousins were wounded but survived. Gunned down: Imani green, was murdered while on holiday with her family in Jamaica . Police suspect it may have been a revenge attack for a December shooting linked to a lucrative telemarketing operation which scams Americans by convincing them to hand over cash to collect bogus lottery winnings. Criminal gangs who collect the large sums of money are said to be locked in a feud which has recently erupted with deadly consequences. In the aftermath of Imani's death, police arrested eight local men and quizzed them but all have since been released. The murder investigation took on a fresh twist when a local man was shot dead in a broad daylight attack half a mile from Imani's death scene just three days later. Detectives say they have no one in custody for Imani's death but stress that their investigation is progressing. Imani had been given special permission from teachers to travel to Jamaica with her mother and sister just after Christmas. The sunshine holiday was also meant to help ease the constant pain of her genetic blood disorder in the warmer climate. | Mourners packed a memorial service for Imani Green, 8 .
She was shot dead while on holiday earlier this month .
Her father Richard Green was pictured in tears outside church . |
50,076 | 8d9a2d6ed6d55b2c51c2e49aa332d41839c643ae | By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 17:35 EST, 3 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:00 EST, 4 January 2014 . GPs are being paid nearly £1,500 a shift to work nights and weekends in crisis-hit A&E units. Four in ten casualty departments are . hiring family doctors – already paid an average £104,000 a year – to . help deal with the soaring numbers of patients. The figures emerged on the day doctors came under fire for suggesting that patients should be charged up to £10 a visit to a casualty unit to deter those who do not need to be there. Moonlighting: Of the 86 trusts which replied to FoI requests, 36 said they employed GPs in a range of roles including assessing patients when they arrived, treating the less seriously-ill and providing general cover . Critics said it was extraordinary that doctors, who for the past decade have been allowed to choose not to work out-of-hours, were moonlighting at stretched A&E units for extra cash. Using the Freedom of Information Act, the Mail asked all 130 NHS hospital trusts in England with A&E units whether they employed GPs in their casualty departments and, if so, how much they were paid. Of the 86 trusts which replied, 36 said they employed GPs in a range of roles including assessing patients when they arrived, treating the less seriously-ill and providing general cover. Hourly rates vary from £50 at Wirral hospital in Merseyside to £98 at Wrightington, Wigan, and £100 at Portsmouth Hospitals. At least one recruitment firm is offering family doctors £120 an hour for a 12-hour shift – a total of £1,440 – at St Thomas’ Hospital in South London. Primary Care People, which recruits for hospitals across London, also said it would pay £115 an hour for a 12-hour overnight shift at the Royal London hospital in East London, or £90 an hour for a day shift. A source at the firm said the rates were so good that doctors were travelling to the capital from all over the country, including one who drives 120 miles down from Birmingham to do two shifts a week. The firm covers all travel expenses and pays for GPs to stay in a three or four-star hotel if needed, on a budget of £60 a night, which is billed back to the NHS. Good rates: The Accident & Emergency department at St Thomas' Hospital in South London, where at least one recruitment firm is offering family doctors £120 an hour for a 12-hour shift - a total of £1,440 . A&E units across England are facing what is feared to be one of the worst-ever winters and many are struggling to cope with a huge influx in patients on top of desperate shortages of consultants. Over the past decade the numbers of patients arriving in casualty has soared by 50 per cent and this has partly been blamed on failings of GP out-of-hours’ care. GPs have been allowed to opt out of working evenings and weekends since a botched contract negotiated in 2004 and services are largely provided by out-of-hours firms, which many patients don’t trust. Last night Roger Goss, of Patient Concern, said: ‘GPs can’t be prepared to turn out for their own patients but they are happy to work elsewhere for a lot more money. ‘So much for the interests of the patients, it’s the interests of the doctors which are paramount. The reason patients are going to A&E is because they can’t get into their own surgery. It’s ludicrous.’ Britain has fewer doctors per person than nearly all other European countries, according to a report. There are an average of 2.71 medics for every 1,000 people, compared to six in Greece, five in Austria and nearly four in Italy. A European Commission report ranks the UK 24th out of 27 countries in the EU, ahead of only Poland, Romania and Slovenia. Dr Paul Flynn, chairman of the British Medical Association’s consultants committee, said: ‘Only by making working practices and environments safe and sustainable will the NHS be able to attract and retain the required number and mix of doctors.’ Rehana Azam, of the union GMB which represents NHS staff, added: ‘It’s extremely worrying, particularly as we are facing the toughest winter in years.’ Tory MP Sarah Wollaston, a GP who sits on the Health Select Committee, said hiring GPs in A&Es could result in even more patients turning up as they realised they could see a doctor more quickly. She added: ‘We need to make sure it’s easier for people to see a GP out of hospital.’ It emerged yesterday that a third of GPs want to charge patients up to £10 for going to A&E to try to reduce the number of ‘inappropriate’ attendances. A poll of 800 family doctors by the website doctors.net.uk found that 32 per cent were in favour of fees – with the money being returned to patients if they were seriously ill. John O’Connell, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘Too often extra staff are needed because people turn to A&E when they can’t get a GP appointment. ‘So it’s particularly galling that GPs are then paid so much to provide cover. Providing a genuine out-of-hours service would ease the pressure on A&E, thereby reducing the need for expensive temps.’ Shadow health minister Jamie Reed said: ‘Family doctors are now being pulled into the chaos at England’s hospitals. David Cameron has left A&Es struggling to recruit – and the worse things get, the harder it will become.’ Only a fifth of GPs do any out-of-hours work and those who do undertake an average of four hours a week. A Department of Health spokesman said: ‘It’s not unusual for A&E departments to employ in-house GPs – they provide a valuable source of expertise and help patients to be seen and treated promptly. ‘We know that the whole system of out-of-hours care needs to be changed. That’s why we’ve agreed a new GP contract, backed by doctors, which is part of a longer-term plan to bring back the personal link with patients so GPs can focus on giving people the care they need and preventing unnecessary trips to A&E in the first place.’ | Four in ten casualty departments hiring GPs to cope with soaring numbers .
Hourly rates vary from £50 in Merseyside to £120 in South London .
Critics slam GPs, who in recent years chose not to work out of hours . |
106,551 | 156c1cfd1316f46abf821151d064d5a879c90380 | By . Travelmail Reporter . The top 10 iconic departures that resulted in sporting history have been revealed - with Sir Ranulph Fiennes claiming the number one spot. The British explorer's flight to climb to the summit of Everest - and cross both polar ice caps - in 2009 was named the most significant journey from the UK over the past century. Coming . second in the list of legendary trips by leaders in sport is Andy . Murray's departure to the USA, according to the survey of 2,000 people by Heathrow airport. Number one: Sir Ranulph Fiennes's trip to Everest was named the most iconic UK departure in a survey . Second place: Andy Murray's flight to win the US in 2012 just missed the top spot . 1. Sir Ranulph Fiennes flies to summit Everest and cross both polar ice caps in 2009.2. Andy Murray flies to America to win the 2012 US Open.3. Ellen MacArthur sails from Plymouth to Rhode Island in 14 days and 23 hours in 2000.4. Sir Robert Johnston Knox departs to single-handed circumnavigation of the globe in 1968.5. England rugby team travel to Australia to win the Rugby World Cup in 2003.6. Naomi James sets off to be the first woman to sail around the world in 1978.7. England cricket team flies to Australia to win the Ashes in 2005.8. Sebastian Coe's flies to Los Angeles for the 1984 Olympics.9. Geoff Holt, the first quadriplegic yachtsman, sails solo around Great Britain in 2008.10. Tom Daley flies to China to be the youngest competitor at 2008 Olympic Games. The . visit in 2012 saw the British tennis player win the US Open, the first . British player since 1977 to win a grand slam singles tournament. In third place is Dame Ellen MacArthur's monumental sailing trip from Plymouth to Rhode Island in 2000. She made the journey in 14 days and 23 hours - setting the record for a single-handed woman monohull east-to-west passage, and also the record for a single-handed woman in any vessel. While Sir . Robert Johnston Knox's departure to single-handedly circumnavigate the . globe in 1968, and England rugby team travelling to Australia to win the . Rugby World Cup in 2003 made up the top five departures. Naomi . James, the England cricket team flying to Australia to win the Ashes, . Sebastian Coe leaving for LA for the 1984 Olympics and Geoff Holt's solo . sail around Great Britain also feature in the top 10. While Tom Daley's flight to China to be the youngest competitor at the 2008 Olympic Games scoops the 10th spot. Winning streak: The England cricket team - pictured in 2009 - made it to number five on the list . Tom Daley - pictured in 2012 - making the trip to China in 2008 was named the tenth most iconic departure . Historian Dominic Sandbrook, said: 'Britain has always been a land of explorers and entertainers, inventors and innovators. It's no surprise to see the great landmarks from international sport on the list. 'But I think the public's choices also reflect our historic strengths in everything from philanthropy and popular culture to science and technology. 'It's a valuable reminder that we're at our best when we face outwards, as a nation of international ambitions and global horizons.' John Holland-Kaye, Heathrow's Development Director said: 'For 70 years, Heathrow has witnessed amazing departures and welcomed an array of British talent back home. 'The many iconic journeys in sport that feature in the top ten all demonstrate how important it is to have a world class hub directly connecting the UK to future international success.' | Andy Murray's trip to the States to win the US Open ranked second .
Heathrow Airport quizzed 2,000 travellers for the survey .
Top five results also include Dame Ellen MacArthur's epic sailing trip . |
175,243 | 6ecee07fc1eacfa0f5b3c2c8180ef6d768192b02 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 12:30 EST, 28 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:26 EST, 28 February 2013 . Police in Sydney have confiscated a haul of methamphetamine worth £297million after they were tipped off by an anonymous source. They are hailing the find, the largest shipment of crystal meth they have ever seized, as a crippling blow to a powerful drugs syndicate, reports CNN. The shipment was intercepted as it came into port from Southern China after a call made five months ago from an anonymous tipster in New South Wales to the state's Asian Crime Squad, police said. Bust: Australian police seized the drugs after a tip-off from a member of the public. They are worth nearly £300million . Proud: Australian Federal Police officers with some of their largest ever seizure of methamphetamine . An Australian, a Singaporean and a Hong Kong man have been arrested and more arrests could follow. 'That one phone call was the one thread that allowed us to pull and unravel a syndicate that will be stopped forever,' New South Wales Police Commissioner Andrew Scipione said at a news conference. The drugs were found thanks to the involvement of numerous law enforcement agencies and months of monitoring shipments coming into Sydney. They were found last week hidden in bags of chemicals for cleaning products in a container from the southern Chinese trading hub of Shenzhen, according to police. Three men from Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong were arrested when they tried to recover the drugs . Crystal meth is a growing problem in Australia and police are trying to stamp it out . Stash: The drugs were hidden in a shipment of cleaning chemicals . In total, authorities seized more than half a tonne of methamphetamine, a drug that is growing in popularity throughout Australia. They were replaced with a harmless substance and delivered to a warehouse in Sydney, said Australian Federal Police Commissioner Tony Negus, and police swooped when the three suspects arrived and removed what they thought were the drugs. They have been charged with multiple offenses including attempting to possess a commercial quantity of a border-controlled drug. Stake-out: The shipment was detected after months of monitoring shipments coming into Sydney . Officers say the seizure could be a death blow to the drugs gang and more arrests could follow . If convicted they could face life in prison and a fine of £840,000. Officers also found a secret drug manufacturing laboratory during the operation. Officials described the bust as an important victory in the fight against the growing threat of crystal meth, which until recent years was only seen as a problem in North America. 'Make no mistake, this is a hideous, insidious drug,' Scipione said. 'It's the one drug that we know is so popular across Australia that we need to continue to do all we can to take it out of circulation.' Teamwork: A number of different law enforcement agencies were involved in the five-month operation . | Nearly half a tonne seized by Australian law enforcement after tip-off .
The drugs have a street value of nearly £300million .
Police say the haul has crippled an international drug gang . |
237,845 | bfda2f22299c52d24f375f07f95d87942f5dd357 | Fulham's woeful start to the season continued when they were thrashed 5-1 at Derby to pile the pressure on manager Felix Magath. His young side looked worryingly frail at the back and fell apart as Derby ran riot in the second half with Chris Martin scoring twice. Jamie Ward gave Derby a half-time lead and although Scott Parker equalised, Martin's double and strikes from Craig Bryson and Simon Dawkins made it a miserable day for relegated Fulham and Magath. All smiles: Chris Martin and Jamie Ward celebrate Derby's first goal against Fulham . Derby County: Grant, Christie, Keogh, Buxton, Forsyth, Hendrick, Eustace, Bryson (Hughes 84), Ward (Best 89), Martin, Russell (Dawkins 83). Subs not used: Naylor, Whitbread, Roos, Mascarell . Goals: Ward 23, Bryson 59, Martin 61, 87, Dawkins 88 . Fulham: Joronen, Hoogland (Voser 67), Bodurov, Burgess, Kavanagh, Roberts (Eisfeld 80), Williams, Parker, Stafylidis (Kacaniklic 60), Woodrow, McCormack . Subs not used: Hutchinson, Dembele, Hyndman, Bettinelli . Goal: Parker 54 . Att: 26,577 . Ref: Oliver Langford (W Midlands) Despite losing the opening three games, Fulham made only one change while Derby made two with 34-year-old midfielder John Eustace coming in for his first appearance since March in place of Will Hughes. Given those poor results, it was not surprising that Fulham started nervously and Derby had a chance in the third minute when Cyrus Christie found Johnny Russell just inside the area but the Scot volleyed over. Parker's measured passing got the Londoners moving but Derby had another opening in the 13th minute when the ball dropped invitingly to Christie but he shot straight at Jesse Joronen from 15 yards. Fulham were being stretched by Derby's movement and in the 23rd minute, they were behind once again when Russell crossed from the right and Ward steered a volley from eight yards into the roof of the net. The visitors needed a spark of inspiration and Ross McCormack nearly supplied it in the 37th minute with a shot from just inside his own half which Lee Grant had to back-pedal to take under his crossbar. But Derby had been the better side and they came close to scoring again in the 51st minute when Ward crossed from the right touchline and Richard Keogh headed over from eight yards. Fulham had created little but they were level in the 54th minute when McCormack chipped the ball in and Ryan Williams laid it to Parker who placed a low shot from 15 yards inside Grant's right post. Fulham woe: Felix Magath suffers his fourth straight defeat this season leaving him on the brink . Home and dry: Derby celebrate their 5-1 victory over Fulham to leave the visitors in trouble at the bottom . It stung Derby into a rousing response that brought them two goals in three minutes to leave Fulham sliding to another defeat. Jeff Hendrick played in Russell on the left in the 59th minute and his ball back across was swept past Joronen by Bryson. Fulham's defence was exposed again in the 61st minute when Martin was allowed to turn just inside the right side of the area and the striker arrowed a low shot across the keeper for his first Championship goal of the season.The closing minutes were a nightmare for Fulham as Martin tapped in after Dawkins hit a post in the 87th minute before Dawkins strode through another gaping hole in the defence to slide in Derby's fifth. | Felix Magath suffers his fourth straight defeat as Fulham boss .
There were second half goals from Bryson, Martin and Dawkins for Derby .
Scott Parker got on the scoresheet for the visitors at Pride Park . |
271,384 | eb8645cc101368970c444fee817dfc271d115627 | By . Zac Fine . PUBLISHED: . 07:08 EST, 18 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:49 EST, 18 April 2013 . A video of a woman dancing as she listens to music on headphones at a bus stop has become an internet sensation. Secretary Ellie Coles, 34, waggles her head, sways her legs and punches the air in the clip set to Abba’s Dancing Queen – which has been viewed more than 380,000 times on YouTube. Her daily performances waiting for the bus home from work cheered up locals and the effect now appears to have gone global. Jane Rowland, 45 - whose partner filmed it - owns a cafe opposite the bus stop in Eastleigh, Hampshire. Scroll down for video . Image from YouTube video of Ellie Cole dancing as she waits for the bus home from work . Miss Cole crosses her legs and opens her arms in uninhibited show in front of cafe in Eastleigh, Hampshire . Ellie Cole performs an air punch as she listens to music in her headphones . Ellie Cole performs a body roll in her dance routine at the bus stop . She said: ‘Everyone around here knows about her and drivers beep their appreciation for her moves as they go past. ‘She has no problems dancing away and is an inspiration to us all. ‘People watching it in America have said it's been the first thing to . make them smile after the horrendous attack in Boston at the weekend.' Miss . Coles revealed she is dancing to Knock Down by Britain's Got Talent . judge Alesha Dixon in the film which is titled Eastleigh's Got Talent . and has received 69,700 'likes' on Facebook. She finger points, waves her hands in circles, and seems to keep time with the Abba song dubbed over the clip. Before the bus arrives she produces a downward karate-style punch before . flagging it down with a small flourish at the end of her . routine. Miss Coles, from Southampton - who has now met . her fan Mrs Rowland - said: ‘I have my headphones in every day on the . way back from work and I just can't help myself - I just dance. ‘My mum thinks I'm bonkers. But I'm a normal 34-year-old woman who just loves to dance.’ Mrs . Rowland's partner Nigel Baker, a former DJ, said more than a quarter of . a million people watched the video within minutes of it being uploaded. Ellie Cole stops her routine and smiles as a pedestrian walks past the bus stop in Eastleigh . He said: ‘I chose a soundtrack of Dancing Queen by Abba as it seemed . so appropriate, though I had no idea what she was really humming. ‘Jane spotted Ellie dancing first and we thought it was worth recording. ‘We . shared it with a few friends online and it was a hit within minutes - . it's even being talked about on American radio stations. ‘We've had so many positive comments from people who love the video. It's a bit of fun and we all just love her.’ Mrs Rowland said: ‘I couldn't believe it when the video went viral - the reaction has been phenomenal. ‘I . think it's really served to cheer everyone up. We missed out on our . daily show yesterday as there was someone else waiting at the bus stop . too, and she was busy talking to them.‘Her performances always bring a smile to our faces in here and keeps our customers amused.‘The best bit is when she keeps dancing and does a special little move to flag the bus down. Ellie Cole, pictured left, has been . congratulated by Nigel Baker and . Jane Rowland, pictured right in front of Mrs Rowland's cafe in . Eastleigh, Hampshire . ‘We're on a busy road and you hear cars and vans beeping at her and she'll put her hand up to acknowledge them. ‘She's certainly got rhythm and we all love her cheerful attitude.’ Fans from Australia, Brazil and America have commented on the hit YouTube video. Nigel . Cox said: ‘I hope she realises just how fantastic she is. A really . positive advertisement of how life should be enjoyed, each and every . day.’ Rachel Connor posted: ‘What a sweetheart, she made my day.’ Paul K Davies wrote: ‘She is awesome! You dance, girl.’ | Ellie Cole, 34, was filmed by local admirer after raising smiles and getting beeps from passing cars with daily performances in Eastleigh, Hampshire .
She sways her legs, punches the air and seems to keep time with the Abba song dubbed over the clip .
YouTube video has been viewed more than 380,000 times . |
274,910 | f022e684cfcf9e0c09245dddc8111c0adc995324 | An eight-year-old boy was allowed behind the wheel of an SUV after his father had been drinking, police have alleged. Frank Gordon Conway, 46, had his son between his legs and let him take control of his Grand Cherokee, steering the car and operating the pedals, after while he was believed to have been drunk in Robinson township, 12 miles west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. After driving through front yards, a parking lot and the street, the boy hit the wrong pedal and caused the vehicle to slam into a tree. Charged: Frank Gordon Conway, 46, had his son between his legs and let him take control of his Grand Cherokee, after he had been drinking in Robinson township, 12 miles west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania . According to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, the child was left with chest and facial injuries. Court documents said boy was with his father for the evening, and his mother was asked to come to a house to try and stop the bleeding. The boy was then taken to the Indiana Regional Medical Center, Pennsylvania, where Conway was spoken to by officers. There they questioned a 'highly-intoxicated' Conway who said he did 'not see a problem' with letting the boy get behind the wheel. According to the paper, Conway was charged with child endangerment, reckless endangerment and two summary counts of permitting an unlicensed driver and permitting careless driving. He will appear before a District Judge on November 19. Crash: After going through front yards and a parking lot, the boy hit the wrong pedal and a car hit a tree. He suffered chest and facial injuries during the crash and and was taken to Indiana Medical Center (pictured) | Frank Gordon Conway, 46, allegedly had his son in between his knees .
Drove Grand Cherokee on the street and in parking lot at night .
Car then struck a tree in Robinson township, near Pittsburgh .
Conway said he 'did not see a problem' with his child driving .
Was given multiple charges and will appear in court next month . |
66,512 | bca5008ef1ac8e0a4eae2c171f1360cd7cf4a2cc | (CNN) -- Chinese media on Wednesday played up the positives in Xi Jinping's visit to Washington, avoiding mention of U.S. criticism of human rights but broaching issues of trade and U.S. discontent with the strength of the Chinese currency. A commentary in the official China Daily said U.S. President Barack Obama was deflecting criticism of his own domestic political problems by drawing attention to the rivalry over the currencies, but that the U.S. administration had little heart for an open fight over the issue. "When the Senate was about to vote on a bill to punish 'currency manipulators' last fall, the White House put it off with strong words and possibly behind-the-scene political maneuvers," the newspaper said in a commentary. "Senior economic officials in the Obama administration know that unless all the major Asian currencies increase in value, even a drastic revaluation of the yuan would simply mean U.S. imports from China would just switch to the other countries in the region." The U.S. has long called for the Chinese currency, the yuan or renminbi, to be floated to gain its true value. The administration claim that an artificially suppressed currency is unfair to U.S. exporters, making it cheaper for suppliers to source Chinese manufactured goods. The timing of the visit was not lost on the pro-government Global Times which said the Valentine's Day meeting showed all the complexity of a romantic story. "China is a newcomer on the diplomatic stage of major powers. It is still unfamiliar with how to use its power and how to deal with provocations from smaller countries," the newspaper said in an editorial. "Facing giants like the U.S. and Europe, China is accustomed to acting with care. It never stirs up trouble willingly, instead, when a crisis occurs, China's first reaction is to seek to defuse tension." A common theme in Chinese diplomacy and in its official media is that when backed into a corner, China must pursue its own interests. "China does not need to satisfy the West at the expense of its own interests. China will not provoke the U.S. and Europe, but it has its own principles to follow," the editorial said. "Chinese officials should take opportunities to make the world understand these." While the Chinese also have trade complaints against the U.S., in particular U.S. export controls on high-tech exports, there was no mention of issues that have seen China excluded from U.S. preferential trade right status. Similarly, there was little mention of U.S. criticism of China's human rights record or its position on Syria, both of them sticking point in Sino-U.S. relations. Xi -- who is being groomed for the Chinese presidency - is the highest-ranking Chinese official to visit since Obama launched a new U.S. policy in Asia in November designed to reassert its influence in the Pacific. Beijing has expressed misgiving about the U.S. "pivot" which is pushing for a new free-trade agreement with at least eight countries in the Asia region and has secured military basing rights in Australia. | Chinese media plays up positives of Xi's U.S. visit .
Muted commentary on issues such as human rights and Syria .
Chinese media says Obama deflecting criticism of his domestic policies . |
244,298 | c82a578f577c8ee97ea7f1cf183266accf705e62 | A devout Christian bed and breakfast owner who refused a bed to a gay couple was today ordered to pay them more than £3000 in compensation. Michael Black, 64, and his partner John Morgan, 59, began a legal battle soon after they were told they could not sleep together at the £75-a-night Swiss Bed and Breakfast in Cookham, Berkshire in March 2010. Owner Susanne Wilkinson told a court she was serious about her Christian beliefs and had also stopped unmarried heterosexual couples from sharing a double bed. Case: Gay couple Michael Black, 62 and John Morgan, 56, from Brampton, Cambridgeshire, pictured after their court victory yesterday, had their address posted online . Disagreement: Christians Susanne and Mike . Wilkinson refused to let gay couple Michael Black and John Morgan share a . room at their B&B . But a judge at Reading County Court ordered her to pay £3,600 in damages for discriminating directly against the couple, who have been together for eight years. Michael and John’s claim, funded by pressure group Liberty, was made under the Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007 and argued that it was unlawful for a person providing services to the public to discriminate on the grounds of sexual orientation. Michael and John’s claim was made under the new Equality Act (Sexual Orientation) Regulations 2007, which outlaws discrimination in the provision of goods, facilities, services, education and public functions on the grounds of sexual orientation. So, for example, a shopkeeper cannot refuse to sell goods to someone because they are gay. Previously, it was legal to refuse to serve homosexuals. In 2009 registrar Lillian Ladele, who refused to conduct civil partnership ceremonies because they were against her Christian beliefs, was ruled to have broken the law by Appeal Court judges. The landmark case was the most important legal test yet in the struggle between Christians and the gay rights lobby. In 2010 Chris Grayling, then Shadow Home Secretary but now Justice Secretary in the Coalition Cabinet, said Christian bed and breakfast owners . should be allowed to turn away homosexual couples. The Shadow . Home Secretary said that while hotels should not discriminate against . gays, Christians should be able to refuse anyone who offended their . faith from entering their homes, prompting a backlash. After the ruling Mrs Wilkinson, who lives with husband Mike, said: 'Naturally, my husband and I are disappointed to have lost the case and to have been ordered to pay £3,600 in damages for injury to feelings. 'We have the option to appeal and we will give that serious consideration. 'We believe a person should be free to act upon their sincere beliefs about marriage under their own roof without living in fear of the law. 'Equality laws have gone too far when they start to intrude into a family home. 'People’s beliefs about marriage are coming under increasing attack and I am concerned about people’s freedom to speak and act upon these beliefs. 'I am a Christian, not just on a Sunday in church, but in every area of my life - as Jesus expects from his followers. 'That’s all I was trying to do and I think it’s quite wrong to punish me for that especially after enduring over two years of vile abuse and threats. 'We find this a strange justice in a society that aspires to be increasingly tolerant.' Mrs Wilkinson's legal costs were paid by The Christian Institute, a national charity that endeavours to protect the civil liberty of Christians. Spokesperson Mike Judge said: 'Mrs Wilkinson’s B&B is a business but it’s also a family home. 'The law should be more flexible in allowing people to live according to their own values under the own roof. Scene: The Swiss Bed & Breakfast property in Cookham, owned by Mr & Mrs Wilkinson, that was caught up in the discrimination row . 'A bit more balance is needed rather than allowing one set of rights to automatically suppress another.' In 2008 civil partners Martin Hall and Steven Paddy launched a county court claim against Peter and Hazelmary Bull, the owners of the Chymorvah Private Hotel in Cornwall. They won £3,600 in damages because their human rights were breached by the guesthouse’s refusal to give them a double room, but the case is now going to appeal at the Supreme Court. Peter and Hazelmary Bull were ordered to pay £3,600 to a gay couple they would not let stay in their guesthouse, but are now taking their battle to the Supreme Court . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | In 2010 gay couple Michael Black and John Morgan were turned away from a Berkshire B&B because of the beliefs of the devout Christian owner .
They went to court under equality legislation, claiming they had been discriminated against by Susanne Wilkinson .
Now they have been awarded more than £3,000 in compensation after a court hearing today .
Mrs Wilkinson said people should be 'free to act upon their sincere beliefs' and is considering an appeal . |
91,102 | 012b8ad184e7b65c13fadb5dc40b38870f37fe6f | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 14:16 EST, 21 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:16 EST, 21 January 2014 . Thailand's government today declared a state of emergency in Bangkok as footage emerged of a suspected attacker throwing a grenade into a crowd of protesters. A total of 28 anti-government protesters were injured in the blast near Victory Mount in central Bangkok on Sunday. Horrifying CCTV footage shows a man waiting down an alleyway before throwing what appears to be a hand grenade into the main street where protesters had set up a tent. Scroll down to watch video . Horrifying: CCTV footage captures the shocking moment an attackers throws a hand grenade at a tent filled with protesters . A total of 28 people were injured in the grenade blast near Victory Mount in central Bangkok on Sunday . Escape: The man is then filmed fleeing the scene down an alleyway after the blast . The man, dressed in white trousers, a beige top and baseball cap with a bag draped over his shoulder, then flees in the opposite direction. He is then alleged to have fired shots at demonstrators who chased him, according to the Sunday morning herald. It comes as violent incidents across Bangkok reached crisis point - prompting the government to introduce a state of emergency which will continue for 60 days. The decree greatly expands the power of security forces to issue orders and search, arrest and detain people, with limited judicial and parliamentary oversight. The areas covered had already been placed under tougher-than-normal security under the country's Internal Security Act. Violence in the country has been escalating in recent months. Nine people have been killed and hundreds hurt in violence since the protests began in early November. But protesters escalated their tactics this month with a threat to 'shut down' the capital to prevent the government from functioning. Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra speaks to reporters following the declaration of a state of emergency in Bangkok . Thailand's Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said state of emergency order will remain in place for the next 60 days . Another grenade attack on a protest march last Friday killed one man and wounded dozens. No arrests have been made in either attack. Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the government, through a newly established Center for Maintaining Peace and Order, 'will take care of the situation according to international practices, which is something we have always said. Primarily, we have to use the principle of negotiation first'. Meanwhile protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban vowed to continue demonstrating and questioned whether the declaration was justified, saying the protesters had been peaceful. 'Whatever they warn us not to do, we will do,' he declared. 'We will march on the routes they ban ... If they order us not to rally, we will be here indefinitely. If they ask us not to use loudspeakers at night, we will just keep going 24 hours a day at every stage!' The protesters have been demanding Yingluck's resignation to make way for an appointed government to implement reforms to fight corruption. Yingluck called elections for February 2 but the protesters are insisting they not be held. The opposition Democrat Party, closely aligned with the protesters, is boycotting the polls. The announcement of the emergency decree said the elections would proceed as planned. Thai anti-government protesters hold signs calling for the Thai Prime Minister to step down during a rally at the victory monument intersection in Bangkok . City bus passengers look at a life-size figure of a traffic policeman erected at victory monument intersection during an anti-government protest rally . Supporters of the anti-government donate money to the ongoing protest groups in Bangkok . The protesters allege that Yingluck's government is carrying on the practices of Thaksin Shinawatra, her billionaire brother who was prime minister from 2001 to 2006, by using the family fortune and state funds to influence voters and cement its power. Thaksin was ousted by a military coup in 2006 after protests accused him of corruption and abuse of power. He fled into exile in 2008 to avoid a two-year prison sentence for a conflict of interest conviction. Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said 'the protesters have constantly violated the law, especially in closing down government offices and banks and harassment against civil servants to prevent them from working'. He added that Suthep's group 'had gone overboard, and attacks were carried out by ill-intentioned people, causing people to be injured and killed, affecting the country's stability'. Human Rights Watch criticized the emergency decree for allowing excessive use of power and possible human rights violations. Sunai Phasuk, a senior researcher for the New York-based group, said the security situation had not become so bad that police could not perform their duties, and the decree could be seen as having been implemented for political rather than public safety reasons. Thai protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, pictured top right, waves as he greets supporters donating money while anti-government protesters march in downtown Bangkok . An anti-government protester with Buddhist amulets around his neck, pictured left, while another holds up a placard against caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, pictured right, at a rally in Bangkok . As many as 200,000 people have joined the biggest of the opposition protests in the past two months. The demonstrators are mainly middle class, and are generally backed by big business and the financial elite. They include a large contingent of people from southern Thailand, a stronghold of the Democrat Party. Thaksin and his political allies have easily won every national election since 2001, with Yingluck's Pheu Thai party winning a majority of lower house seats in 2011. Thaksin draws support from the lower and lower middle classes, mostly rural people who benefited from his populist policies. The last time the emergency decree was invoked in Bangkok was when pro-Thaksin 'Red Shirt' activists staged their own disruptive protests in the capital in 2010 against a Democrat-led government. Suthep was then deputy prime minister and headed the agency overseeing its application. At least 90 people, mostly protesters, died in violence which peaked when soldiers in combat gear swept demonstrators from the streets. Suthep has been charged with murder for his role in the crackdown. Peaceful protests: Thai anti-government protesters perform some early morning yoga during a rally at Victory Monument intersection . Vocal: A Thai anti-government protester chants slogans during a rally at Victory Monument intersection in Bangkok . There are fears the current protesters are trying to incite violence to prompt the military to intervene. The powerful army commander, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, has repeatedly said he does not want his forces drawn into the conflict, but has also refused to rule out the possibility of another coup. 'The military will support the government's working by providing our force as it is needed,' deputy army spokesman Col. Winthai Suvaree said on Tuesday night. The trigger for the latest protests was an ill-advised attempt late last year by ruling party lawmakers to push through a bill that would have allowed Thaksin to return from overseas exile. Since then, demonstrators have steadily escalated their pressure, attacking Yingluck's office at government house and the city's police headquarters for several days in December with slingshots and homemade rocket launchers, and periodically occupying the compounds of several government agencies. Even if the polls are held, Parliament may fail to achieve a quorum and be unable to convene because the protesters have blocked candidates' registrations in several provinces. It is also possible that the courts, which have consistently shown an anti-Thaksin bias, could stage a 'judicial coup' that would force Yingluck from office for alleged corruption or violations of the constitution. Anti-government protesters take part in a rally of cars and bikes in Bangkok as the government declares a state of emergency . Road blocks: A barricade set up by anti-government protesters blocks a major road in central Bangkok . Protesters light candles in Banjasiri Park in Bangkok during a 'Respect My Vote' rally on Monday night following explosions in Bangkok . | Horrifying CCTV footage shows the moment attacker throws hand grenade .
Total of 28 anti-government protesters were injured in the blast on Sunday .
It comes as violent incidents across Bangkok are reaching crisis point .
Thailand's government today declared a state of emergency in the capital .
The emergency order will remain in place for 60 days . |
253,109 | d39a6671daf26502817bf58558047638e0aa0350 | (CNN) -- "That's the second unmanly thing you've done today," is the punch line of the most frequently played Miller Lite ad during NFL games. It ends with the ultimatum, "Man up." In a new McDonald's commercial, two newlyweds delay their honeymoon after the man hears that McDonald's is featuring the McRib sandwich again. The woman says in disbelief, "I married a 14-year-old." If popular culture is any indicator, manliness is on our minds. Six new TV shows this fall focus on man's role in society and the family, according to the Wall Street Journal. Three are appropriately titled, "Last Man Standing," "How To Be A Gentleman," and "Man Up!" Something is going on here. In all these shows, men have become the butt of the jokes. From weakness to irresponsibility to immaturity, the modern idea of manhood is in doubt. A shift in cultural norms, a changing workforce and the rise of women have left many men in an identity crisis. It makes for good comedy, but bad families. Although men remain at the top of the heap in terms of compensation and job status, particularly in fields like science, business, and politics, things are changing. This year there will be more women CEOs of Fortune 500 companies than ever before. And for the first time, American women now gain more advanced college degrees, as well as bachelor's degrees, than American men. My first CNN column on this subject identified what I think are the common problems with some men today: deficiencies in work, marriage and faith. The overwhelming response I received, from men and women alike, worries me. Many women told me the problems are much worse than I described. They explained to me how they have to lower their standards to find a man. Young women, in particular, complained that men are dragging them down and holding them back. As one woman told me, if 60 is the new 40 for men, then 25 is the new 13. Most feminists are not celebrating the decline of men and shouting it from the rooftops. Certainly, the far-left feminist movement has sought to diminish the role of men, but a majority of women want able, competent men of their equal. Strong men make stronger women (and vice versa) and stronger families, and women want that. Many men today aren't sure what they want. In developed Western countries, man has unprecedented freedom to chose, to a degree heretofore unknown, a life of his own wanting and design. A mere hundred years ago, man couldn't afford to dawdle in limbo between adolescence and manhood; manhood was thrust upon him for survival. Today, more opportunity lies at his feet than ever. Yet with this increased opportunity comes increased confusion, and the response on the part of some men has not been encouraging. Take the Occupy Wall Street movement, for instance. While diverse and scattered, some of the mottos and slogans on display are in stark contrast to the traditional and time-tested ideas of manliness. Instead of industriousness, responsibility and entrepreneurship, these men demand free college education, required living wages and greater distribution of someone else's wealth. Rather than look inward and rely on their own self-sufficiency, they look for a handout. A man's livelihood once depended on his hands, back and brain. Today, the government can do all that for him, if he lets it. The struggle between dependency and freedom has provoked many to ask the question: How does one be a man today? Boys become men through mimesis -- the Greek word for imitation. Boys look to role models, from parents to coaches to teachers to fictional characters, for actions they should imitate. The forces of imitation can be either constructive or destructive, making it essential that boys imitate the right kind of men. My brother and I were raised by a single mother, but she went through any pains necessary to put good men in our lives -- good priests, teachers and coaches. As a child, I had many heroes. I was drawn to Gary Cooper as Marshal Will Kane in "High Noon." He wasn't the toughest and coolest guy, but his compassion and strength were inspiring. Through the instruction of my family and teachers I was exposed to other heroes and heroines, like Lou Gehrig, Abraham Lincoln, King David, Esther, Mother Courage, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and so on. Today, heroes like these are in shorter supply. Ask a boy today who his hero or heroine is. The answer, or lack thereof, will speak volumes. We must teach our boys what is to be loved and imitated. As the writer Tom Wolfe said, we must engage in a great relearning. It is our generation's task to instruct and train our boys to be men. As Proverbs says, train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of William J. Bennett. | William Bennett: Ads, TV shows focus on the changing role of men .
In the shows, men have become the butt of the jokes, he says .
Bennett: The modern idea of manhood is in doubt .
He says it's important for people to train a new generation of young men . |
211,666 | 9e196221791554e7b87820e6e1c394afb82480b9 | (CNN) -- Teams from across the globe will soon learn whether their green designs will take top prize at Solar Decathlon Europe 2012 -- a competition that challenges collegiate designers to build houses powered exclusively by the sun. But beyond their use of photovoltaic panels, these sustainable homes of the future will also be judged on overall design, construction quality and the level of innovation. The 19 small houses that run solely on solar power were built over two weeks in September at Villa Solar in Madrid, Spain, and provide an architectural spectacle that the public can tour for free. Read more: Solar Decathlon Europe 2012 . Teams from Europe, China, Japan, Brazil and Egypt, designed these houses to produce minimal waste throughout the structures' life cycle. The lighting, heating and cooling must be fully functional in each house, as do any household appliances inside them, like televisions and ovens. Plumbing is the only component not set up in these showcase homes. During their final days on display, the houses accumulate points through a series of 10 mini-contests, each measuring specific parameters like architecture, engineering, energy efficiency and market viability. The team with the most points after the final judging wins. With two more contests to go, a French team's house, "Canopea," is leading the pack, followed by a Spanish team's "Patio 2.12" and an Italian team's house, called "Med in Italy." Ecolar, a team from Germany, is in fourth place right now but its team member, Jakob Winter, says just completing the house the way they had conceptualized it is gratifying enough. "The most rewarding thing is the feedback of the visitors," he said. "So many people have come to me after the tour to say what a wonderful building it is, and the atmosphere inside the house. We're just very happy because we feel the same inside our house." Feedback is important for a team like Ecolar, which is one of the teams that already has concrete plans to take its prototype to the market. "We already have several inquiries from all around the world of people who would very much like to purchase an Ecolar home," Winter said. Ecolar won the award for having the best engineering. It is a prefabricated modular home, meaning that they have designed several structures that can all be pieced together in a broader system. The team enhanced the house's "passive" temperature regulation to save energy, which meant using hemp in its walls, ceiling and floor for better insulation, and installing clay plates on the ceiling to absorb heat. Like several of the other houses, Ecolar uses vertical, semi-transparent solar panels on the house's façade, which lets in natural light while helping to supply energy. Sustainable materials were taken into consideration for most entrants. A team from RWTH Aachen University in Germany, which designed the Counter Entropy House, found several innovative ways to incorporate items normally thought of as unusable: melted CDs were used to build plastic panels for the house's facade, and salvaged beams and wood from the university's stadium also served as building material. The house was also designed so that all of its parts can be easily separated for recycling. Amid the boxy structures, one house, designed by the team from the Technical University of Denmark, took an unusual yet striking shape. The house is called Fold, which looks lopsided with slanted walls and a slanted roof. The angles are meant to be adjustable, depending on where the house is built, to maximize the solar panels' exposure to the sun. Like many other of the entrants, Fold produces more energy than it consumes, which means the excess power can be sent through the grid for other uses. At Villa Solar, the prototype houses' overall surplus energy powers event spaces. The competition was spun off from the original Solar Decathlon held biannually by the U.S. Department of Energy in Washington, D.C., and is the result of an agreement between the U.S. and Spain, which is hosting the European edition for the second time. | Solar Decathlon Europe brings together university teams from around the world .
The 19 small houses that run solely on solar power were built over two weeks .
The public can tour the houses at Villa Solar for free .
Many of the teams have plans to sell their houses commercially . |
258,417 | da76308dbdaddd348eb1ad08a8fe5bb0cf3081e8 | (OPRAH.com) -- I know money is tight. I know you're busy. And I know tackling money issues isn't fun. But here's what I also know: You wish you could once and for all get your financial house in order. A recent study by Prudential Financial found that less than 25 percent of women feel they are "very well prepared" to handle financial matters. Seventy-eight percent said it is very important that they not become a financial burden to their loved ones, but just 24 percent are confident they can pull that off. You don't need all that stress! What follows is your 2010 financial to-do list. It's divided into three sections. Get a Grip focuses on where you are today: what you have, what you owe. Find Hidden Savings is about making more out of what you have. And Build Security is about knowing where to put all that money you free up. Post this list on the fridge, the bathroom mirror, or your bulletin board, and take it on in little chunks. Make 2010 the year you find your financial confidence. Oprah.com: When you should stop listening to a financial adviser . Step 1: Get a Grip . Track your spending Why it's important: You know the big-ticket expenses in your life, but all the smaller spending can also be a killer. Take a look at your monthly outflow, and I guarantee you will have a few "Yikes, I had no idea" moments. Do this now: Gather up your bank and credit card statements. Then go to my Web site, SuzeOrman.com, and click on Suze's Expense Sheet. Input your average monthly expenses, and get honest about where your money is going. Oprah.com: What money can teach you about personal power . Calculate your net worth Why it's important: We tend to focus on assets and forget about debts. Financial security requires facing up to the big picture: assets minus debts. Do this now: Type "net worth calculator" into any search engine and you will find plenty of free online tools to help you take stock of your assets and debts. Check your credit profile Why it's important: Your credit score affects the interest rates you're offered on credit cards and loans, can be used to vet your job application, and in some states may influence your insurance premiums. So your credit reports, which determine your FICO score, need to be up-to-date and correct (mistakes abound). A score of at least 720 (the range is 300 to 850) earns you a gold star. Do this now: Go to AnnualCreditReport.com to get your free credit reports from the three credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Every year, you are entitled to one free report from each. If a site asks for your credit card to receive a report, you're at the wrong place! Scour your reports for mistakes, and follow the directions for filing a dispute. Once corrections are made, go to MyFICO.com to buy your FICO credit score. You may receive offers for free credit scores. They are knockoffs of the real deal -- your FICO score is what most lenders and businesses check. It costs $16 to see your FICO score; with so much on the line, that's a small price to pay. Cut Spending by 10 Percent Why it's important: The median pay raise for 2010 is expected to be around 3 percent (the lowest forecast in 25 years). So challenge your family to give your budget a 10 percent raise by cutting your spending 10 percent. Do this now: Once you input your income and outflow into the Expense Sheet on my Web site, print it out and circle every expense that is a want (not a need), then figure out how to reduce or eliminate it. Oprah.com: Cut spending and create an emergency stash . Step 2: Find hidden savings . Shop for Insurance Deals Why it's important: You're always looking for the best prices -- why not on home and auto insurance, too? You're nuts if you don't comparison shop for auto insurance; you could save 10 percent or more. (But don't reduce your level of coverage. You want the right coverage for the best price.) Do this now: Go to InsWeb.com and NetQuote.com to find premium quotes from a variety of home and auto insurers. (For auto quotes from Progressive and GEICO, go to their Web sites.) Raise Your insurance deductibles Why it's important: Low deductibles of $250 or so can entice you to make claims for small-ticket items. Do that too often and your insurer may boost your premium or boot you completely. And there's a nice payoff for a higher deductible: Raise your auto and home deductibles to $1,000 or more and your premium cost falls at least 10 percent. Do this now: Call your current insurer and ask for a new quote based on a higher deductible. (But do this only if you have an emergency savings fund that can cover the cost of the deductible. Don't have that emergency fund set up? Grrr. See Build Security.) Check out a credit union Why it's important: Credit unions are often a better deal than banks and tend to pay higher yields on deposits. Do this now: Go to FindaCreditUnion.com and look for one that is part of the federal insurance program run by the National Credit Union Administration (go to NCUA.gov and click on Consumer Share Insurance Information and Tool Kit to check). Coverage is the same as at an FDIC bank -- $250,000 per person per credit union is fully insured, and additional coverage is based on the types of accounts you hold. Challenge your property-tax assessment Why it's important: Your tax is typically a percentage of your home's assessed value. If that assessment doesn't reflect today's market -- home values are down an average of 30 percent since the 2006 peak -- you may be overpaying. The National Taxpayers Union reports that more than half of all assessments are too high. Do this now: Contact your county tax assessor to learn how to challenge your assessment. TheNational Taxpayers Union also has a booklet on the topic. Step 3: Build Security . Boost emergency fund to cover 8 months of living expenses Why it's important: By now I am sure you have started saving. The next step is to keep at it until you have at least eight months' worth of living expenses. Do this now: Go to MyFDICInsurance.gov for banks and NCUA.gov for credit unions to verify that your emergency fund is tucked away at an institution that is federally insured. Never invest your emergency savings in the stock market. Safe, not sorry, is all that matters. Get the maximum 401(k) match at your current job Why it's important: If you left it to your company to auto-enroll you in the plan when you were hired, there's a good chance your contribution rate is too low to max out on the match. Do this now: Call your human resources department or the company that runs your plan; boost your contribution so you qualify for the max match. Roll over 401(k)s from former employers into an IRA Why it's important: Once you leave a job, you can move your 401(k) to a brokerage or fund firm. You can roll over 401(k)s from multiple jobs into one new IRA; that's a great bookkeeping assist. An IRA rollover also frees you up to invest in low-cost funds, exchange-traded funds (ETFs), stocks, and bonds. Do this now: If you don't yet have an account at a discount brokerage or no-load mutual fund company, pick one and then ask for its IRA rollover kit. Fund a Roth IRA Why it's important: After you max out on the company match in your 401(k), turn your retirement investing attention to funding a Roth IRA. In 2010 the maximum is $5,000 ($6,000 if you're 50 or older) for individuals with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) below $105,000 and married couples filing a joint return with MAGI below $167,000. Reduced contributions are phased out for individuals once MAGI hits $120,000; for married couples, eligibility disappears with MAGI above $177,000. Do this now: Don't get thrown by high minimums. Ask if there is a program that lets you invest small monthly sums of $50 or so. Sign on for an auto-investment plan and you may get around the advertised "initial minimum investment." Leave your retirement funds alone Why it's important: Can't handle the mortgage? That's no reason to raid your retirement funds. When that money runs out, you'll still face foreclosure, but you'll have lost your retirement savings, too. Do this now: Don't cash out your 401(k) when leaving a job. In addition to an early withdrawal penalty (if you're under age 55), your shortsightedness will cost you future gains. Go to MoneyChimp.com and click on the Calculator tab. Under "current principal," input the value of your 401(k). Leave "annual addition" blank. For "years to grow," enter the difference between your age and 65. For "interest rate," use a conservative 5 percent. Calculate the future value. The difference between that and the current value is what you'd give up by cashing out. Convert to a Roth IRA Why it's important: As of January 1, anyone can convert a traditional IRA to a Roth IRA (previously there was an income limit). The advantage is that money in a Roth can be withdrawn in retirement with no tax due. Withdrawals from traditional IRAs will be taxed at your ordinary income tax rate. Do this now: Convert in 2010 and you can spread your tax bill over the next two years. If you have both deductible and nondeductible traditional IRAs, ask a CPA to determine your tax liability. Oprah.com: 10 solid-gold ways to save money . By Suze Orman from O, The Oprah Magazine, January 2010 . Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine for up to 75% off the newsstand price. That's like getting 18 issues FREE. Subscribe now! TM & © 2011 Harpo Productions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Suze Orman: Know your financial state, find savings, build financial security .
Track your spending, cut it by 10 percent, check your credit rating .
Shop for insurance deals, raise your deductible, find a credit union .
Build 8 months of living expenses and fund a Roth IRA . |
118,923 | 258eab2aa292c781456899f18b19ae96372df317 | The family of Michael Brown have said that the cop who shot him dead will 'feel the wrath of God's vengeance' after the officer claimed he was acting in self defense. Sheryl Davis, Brown's aunt, told MailOnline that she believes Darren Wilson committed murder and that he will suffer retribution in a 'mighty way'. She said that Wilson's actions were 'evil' and that he will be punished by a higher power for what he did - even if he is cleared. Anger: Sheryl Davis, left, with husband Eric, told MailOnline that Wilson will suffer retribution in a 'mighty way' Her comments are the most outspoken yet from Brown's family since Wilson's account of what happened was published in the New York Times at the weekend. The testimony - and alleged forensic evidence - has been described by experts as helpful to his defense and has provoked fresh outrage from the teenager's family and supporters. Wilson shot dead Brown, 18, on August 9, in Ferguson, a suburb of St Louis in Missouri, sparking nearly two weeks of violent protests and rioting. 'Self defense': Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson says he feared for his life as he shot Michael Brown . Struggle: According to FBI analysis Brown's blood was found inside Officer Wilson's patrol car. the cop claims he wrestled with Brown in the car and was in fear of his life. But the account is disputed . Unrest has continued since then as a grand jury decides whether it will indict Wilson. A decision is expected next month. Speaking to MailOnline Davis said: 'It's murder and they will feel and see the wrath of God's vengeance come upon them in a mighty way, just as he promised all who do evil in his sight.' Wilson's account gave the first insight into what he told the grand jury during his four-hour testimony in September, a process which is held in secret. He supposedly said that Brown pushed him back into his police SUV as he was trying to get out and pinned him down. At that point Wilson reached for his gun and fired two shots, one of which hit Brown - his blood was found inside the car. The account did not explain why Wilson then shot Brown five more times in the front as, according to some witnesses, he put his hands in the air to surrender. Solidarity: Protesters are pictured here in Ferguson Monday night continuing a vigil for Michael Brown . Tensions: Police officers watch over the residents who have taken to the streets again, more than two months after the shooting . Brown's supporters are worried that Wilson is trying to exploit the law in Missouri which allows a police officer more leeway if they feel they are under threat. Wilson's account also flatly contradicts that of a number of witnesses including Brown's friend Dorian Johnson, who was standing next to him at the time. Johnson has said that Wilson was the aggressor and grabbed Brown's throat before pulling out his gun and threatening to shoot. But another witness, whose name has been withheld, has also reportedly told the grand jury that Brown did not have his hands above his head when Wilson shot him but instead they were 'out to his sides.' He also said Brown 'staggered toward Wilson despite commands to stop' and that 'the two were about 20 to 25 feet apart when the last shots were fired.' Among those who have already spoken out to attack Wilson's statement is Benjamin Crump, the attorney for Brown's family. He has said that Wilson's account should 'not be taken as gospel'. He said: 'He can say what he wants to say in front of a jury. They can listen to all the evidence and the people can have it transparent so they know that the system works for everybody. Fervent: A woman holds up a sign protesting the treatment of black people by law enforcement . Memorial: Neighbors wait by a memorial set up on Canfield Street, Ferugson - the spot where Brown was killed . 'The officer's going to say whatever he's going to say to justify killing an unarmed kid.' The Rev Al Sharpton also called it a ‘Michael Dunn defense,' referring the Florida man who was convicted of shooting dead a black teenager because he was playing music too loudly. Sharpton has said: 'It didn't work in Florida and it shouldn't work in Missouri’. Residents of Ferguson fear that violence could return to their streets if Wilson is not indicted - which is a very real possibility. The New York Times reported that, according to officials with knowledge of the grand jury hearing, the forensic evidence does appear to support Wilson's account. Another issue is the potential civil rights prosecution brought by the federal government after Attorney General Eric Holder began an FBI investigation. Condemnation: Al Sharpton on Sunday hit out at Wilson's version of events. And the Brown family lawyer, Benjamin Crump, said: 'The officer's going to say whatever he's going to say to justify killing an unarmed kid' Peter Joy, a professor at the Washington University of Law in St Louis, has told MailOnline that a charge of civil rights abuse would be a much higher standard than murder or manslaughter. He said that this is because the jury would have to be certain Wilson intended to violate Brown's civil rights by shooting him dead. He said: 'The federal government does not step in to pursue a civil rights conviction unless they believe it was an intentional abuse. 'There are some criminal charges that don't involve that kind of mental state, like murder. 'For example anger. They can be guilty of acting knowingly and recklessly, but it is different to intentionally violating a civil right.' | Officer Wilson told grand jury that he felt in fear for his life when he was attacked by Michael Brown before shooting him dead in Ferguson, Missouri .
Officials said that the testimony and evidence was 'helpful' to his case .
Brown's aunt Sheryl Davis angrily told MailOnline that he'll suffer retribution in 'mighty way' |
72,874 | cea6692892379737767b7f024fdefe560d53c7c5 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . and Associated Press Reporter . Jose Angel Garcia-Jauregui: The 27-year-old, accused of killing a police officer and wounding another on Thursday, has died after being shot by police . A 27-year-old man accused of killing one deputy and wounding another in a violent shoot-out in Utah has died. Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui died in hospital yesterday after being shot by law enforcement officials on Thursday afternoon in Juab County, The Salt Lake Tribune reported. The Salt Lake County man was accused of opening fire on a two-lane highway, then clashing with officers during a 50-mile chase that ended with him wounded and arrested. The officer who was killed, Utah County Sheriff’s Sgt. Cory Wride, was shot while sitting behind the wheel of his police vehicle. He leaves behind a wife and five children. Wride had pulled up to a truck that appeared disabled near the town of Eagle Mountain, about 35 miles south of Salt Lake City. He spoke with the suspect and apparently was using his computer to do a background check when the truck’s back window slid open and the suspect opened fire, according to Utah County Sheriff Jim Tracy. The gunman shot and injured a second Utah County deputy, 38-year-old Greg Sherwood, near Santaquin, more than 30 miles into the chase. Sherwood remains in a critical condition with a head wound, but he is expected to recover, the sheriff said. The gunman took off again, driving south on Interstate 15, but he crashed his car and hijacked another at gunpoint, Tracy said. The man shot at other motorists who unwittingly stopped to help him, but he didn’t hit any of them, the sheriff said. Tragic: Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Cory Wride, 44 (left) was killed while Deputy Greg Sherwood, 38 (right) was shot in the head but is expected to survive . Tragic: Utah County Sheriff's Sgt. Cory Wride was shot while sitting behind the wheel of his police vehicle. He leaves behind a wife and five children . The suspect was captured near Nephi after a 20-mile chase and a gunfight with Juab County deputies. Krista Black, manager of the Maverick convenience store and gas station on the rural highway where Wride was killed, said her husband slowed to check on a disabled car he believes was the suspect’s about 10 minutes before the shooting. Her husband didn’t get out of his car to help because no one appeared to be in the other car. He instead drove on. 'It makes you nervous about who is out there,' Black told The Associated Press. 'My husband always stops to help people.' The sheriff said Wride was a 19-year veteran of the Utah County Sheriff’s Office. Scene: Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui was accused of opening fire on a two-lane highway in Utah, then clashing with officers during a 50-mile chase . Investigations: Law enforcement officials examined the scene following the shooting on SR-73 in Eagle Mountain on Thursday . Trail of violence: Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui was accused of clashing with officers during a 50-mile chase from Eagle Mountain to Nephi . Official: Utah County Sheriff Jim Tracy (pictured) confirmed the tragic death of Sgt. Cory Wride during a news conference . Wride leaves behind a 'really close family,' his cousin Blaine Wride told The Salt Lake Tribune. 'They’re always involved with each other.' The deputy and his wife had built a house on a section of his grandfather’s farm in the community of Benjamin, and owned horses and a few cows. Cory Wride also was active in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 'He was a good man,' Tracy said, according to KSL-TV. 'He was a very helpful person. And that’s what he was doing, helping people, when he was shot.' Authorities had searched the suspect’s house in Salt Lake County with a warrant, and a prosecutor told the AP he would have faced multiple felony charges, with the possibility of the death penalty. The Salt Lake Tribune reported Garcia Jauregui had previously served 4.5 years in prison for attempted murder and also had a felony charge for assault by a prisoner dismissed. Tracy said the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole released Garcia Jauregui, but it had issued a warrant for his arrest just days before Wride's slaying. The paper said that court records revealed Garcia Jauregui stabbed a man 21 times with a Phillips screwdriver after running him over with his car in Springville in 2008. After the stabbing, he assaulted another man with a tire iron or crowbar, causing a fracture to the man’s face. | Jose Angel Garcia Juaregui, 27, accused of killing Sgt. Cory Wride, 44, and critically injuring Deputy Greg Sherwood, 38, in Utah on Thursday .
Garcia Juaregui died yesterday from gunshot wounds .
Police say he shot Wride when the officer was doing a background check during a traffic stop .
The man led cops on a high-speed chase before he was arrested .
He had previously served 4.5 years in prison for attempted murder . |
142,722 | 4495ad94040e31f0c3c0a29e0df44754a545f680 | By . Sophie Jane Evans . PUBLISHED: . 08:21 EST, 13 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:02 EST, 13 March 2014 . A nine-year-old girl who was allegedly kidnapped and held captive for seven months has been rescued from deep in the Amazon rainforest. The child, from Catalonia, Spain, went missing last August after her parents allowed their 35-year-old Bolivian neighbour, Grover Morales, to take her on holiday. Police were alerted when the pair could not be contacted several days after they had been expected to land in Bolivia. Saved: A nine-year-old girl who was allegedly kidnapped and held captive for seven months has been rescued from deep in the Amazon rainforest. Above, the child - who has not been named - is comforted by rescuers . Arrested: The girl, from Catalonia, Spain, went missing last August after her parents allowed their Bolivian neighbour, Grover Morales, 35, to take her on holiday. Above, Morales is joined by police following his arrest . A search was launched by Spain's Civil Guard and Catalonia's Mossos d'Esquadra police forces, who worked with Bolivian authorities to try to locate where the girl and her alleged captor were hidden. Now, seven months later, the pair have been discovered deep inside a remote area of the Amazon rainforest, according to Catalan daily, La Vanguardia. They were found in terrain in Bolivia's Cochabamba region, which is barely reachable by car. Morales, who lived in the house next to the girl's parents in Hospitalet de Llobregat, is now facing charges of human trafficking and sexual abuse, according to The Local. Location: After seven months missing, the pair have been found deep in Bolivia's Amazon rainforest (pictured) Journey: They were found in Bolivia's Cochabamba region (left), miles away from the girl's hometown (right) Following his arrest, he claimed the nine-year-old's parents had granted him permission to marry her because he was a Muslim convert. According to the International Business Times, he told local media: 'I had her parents' trust. Her mother told me if you have intentions to marry my daughter you will be welcome and I will allow you to do so. 'So I filled the required paperwork, went with them to sign a power of attorney, and I was given the authorisation to take her. Hometown: Morales lived in the house next to the nine-year-old's parents in Hospitalet de Llobregat (pictured) 'I haven't stolen, killed, or kidnapped anyone.' The unnamed girl is due to undergo medical and psychological tests, before being flown back to Spain, where she will be reunited with her parents. A judge is expected to release further information in coming days. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Girl, of Catalonia, Spain, went missing last August with Grover Morales, 35 .
Alarm raised when pair could not be contacted days after landing in Bolivia .
Spanish and Bolivian authorities launched search in bid to locate the child .
Now, nine-year-old and captor have been found deep in Amazon rainforest .
Discovered in terrain in Cochabamba area, which is barely reachable by car .
Morales arrested and facing charges of human trafficking and sexual abuse .
Meanwhile, girl is due to undergo medical tests, before flying back to Spain . |
130,215 | 3453cd5398a174cf0726b866dd97bdaa01ee2835 | Victor Valdes is unlikely to figure in Manchester United's squad to face Arsenal on Saturday despite David de Gea dislocating a finger. Valdes, 32, has been training with United as he continues his rehabilitation from the posterior cruciate knee injury he suffered in March while at Barcelona, and Louis van Gaal could sign the goalkeeper if he proves his fitness after eight months on the sidelines. However, despite being satisfied with his progress so far, Valdes is still considered short of the fitness level required to be tested in a Premier League game. Victor Valdes (centre) is training with Manchester United ahead of a potential move to the club . The Spain goalkeeper (centre) was at Old Trafford for United's 1-1 draw with Chelsea in October . Valdes, pictured during El Clasico in March, has been out of contract since leaving Barcelona in June . Daley Blind: Suspected knee injury . David de Gea: Finger injury . Michael Carrick: Groin/pelvis injury . Marcos Rojo: Dislocated shoulder . Rafael: Muscular injury . Ashley Young: Groin/pelvis injury . Phil Jones: Calf/shin injury . Radamel Falcao: Calf/shin injury . Jonny Evans: Ankle/foot injury . Jesse Lingard: Knee injury . De Gea, who is United's only ever-present this season, suffered a dislocated finger when training with Spain last week and is a doubt for the Premier League clash at the Emirates which means Anders Lindegaard, who has not played for United since April, is expected to step up and deputise. It was originally suggested that United's No 1 De Gea was going to be out for four weeks, however Sportsmail understands he could be back before then. Valdes tweeted last week that he is 'almost ready' to return but medical staff believe he still has work to do before United consider registering him to play. Valdes is a free agent so can sign any time although they would have to apply for permission to include the player in their Premier League squad should they want to play him before January. United only named 24 senior players in their squad so have room to bring in Valdes. United are due to play a behind-closed-doors friendly with Blackpool on Tuesday with Van Gaal contemplating run-outs for some of his returning squad. Radamel Falcao is continuing to press for a recall this weekend after shaking off a calf injury. Like our Manchester United Facebook page. David de Gea is attended to in training after injuring his finger during a session on Friday . De Gea walks off the pitch in Huelva on Friday after injuring himself during the session . Anders Lindegaard could deputise for the the injured De Gea if he is ruled out of United's next match . | Former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes is training with Man United .
Valdes is still recovering from a serious knee injury he sustained at Barca .
David de Gea could be sidelined for four weeks with a dislocated finger .
United can ask the Premier League to name Valdes in senior squad . |
185,578 | 7c63ac63e4b54454c183ca21ab650539f883f659 | By . Mail Today Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:21 EST, 15 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:23 EST, 15 June 2013 . At least 14 people were killed and 23 injured in the Pakistani city of Quetta on Saturday, after a bomb exploded on a bus in a university campus and militants released a second bomb as they stormed the hospital where victims were being treated. The first blast ripped through a bus standing on the campus of Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University at Brewery Road while the students and faculty members were waiting to go home. Many women sustained severe burn injuries as the explosion triggered a fire. TV footage showed flames and black smoke emerging from the bus, which was reduced to a blackened heap of metal. Attack: A bomb blast tore through a bus carrying female university students in southwestern Pakistan killing several people . Militants blew up a historic building in Ziarat in violence-plagued in southwest Pakistan after shooting dead a guard in a predawn attack . Police officials said 14 female students were killed. About an hour later, another blast occurred inside the Bolan Medical Complex where the 23 injured, mostly students, were being taken in. The historic building that was blown up by militants in Ziarat had been the residence of Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan . Several militants began firing indiscriminately inside the hospital killing Quetta deputy commissioner Abdul Mansoor Kakar as reported by Geo News channel. Many civil and police officials, including the police chief and chief secretary of Balochistan, were also inside the hospital. No group claimed responsibility for both the attacks, which came hours after militants attacked and destroyed the historic 121-year-old building in Ziarat, about 120 km from Quetta, that was used by Pakistan's founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the last days of his life. A policeman was killed in that attack, which was claimed by the Balochistan Liberation Army militants. District police chief Asghar Ali said a bomb disposal squad had found and defused six more bombs, each containing about three kilograms of explosives. Another bomb attack was carried out at a security check-post in the North Nazimabad area of Karachi. Eight people, including two paramilitary personnel and a policeman, were injured in the attack. | Militants blow up bus at Sardar Bahadur Khan Women's University .
A second blast occurs at hospital where victims were treated . |
47,472 | 85dcbb7aec2ce6e5dfadf2d52c188b44174dab88 | Sam Kass has a to-die-for job as personal chef to the Obama family but whipping up their meals is probably the least important part of his portfolio. Mr Kass, 31, also has a fancy title as White House senior policy adviser for healthy food initiatives. That job has put him out front this month as the first lady marks the second anniversary of her campaign against childhood obesity. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Digging in: Sam Kass (left) has worked extensively with First Lady Michelle Obama on her healthy-eating initiative . Mr Kass has travelled the country to promote Michelle Obama's eat-right-and-exercise-more message, demonstrating along the way the pivotal role that he's come to play in helping establish policies that affect what millions of school kids consume each day and in trying to influence the American diet. When Mrs Obama was asked during a recent interview what was next for her ‘Let's Move’ initiative, she quickly passed the question to Mr Kass. ‘What you got?’ she demanded. ‘We've got stuff,’ he promised her. ‘You're going to be busy.’ On a recent trip with Mrs. Obama, the assistant White House chef was seemingly everywhere: emceeing a ‘Top Chef’ school lunch competition, moderating a round-table discussion between the first lady and parents, briefing reporters on federal nutrition initiatives, and more. Helping hand: Mr Kass has travelled the country to promote Michelle Obama's eat-right-and-exercise-more message, one such appearances was on the reality series Top Chef (shown above) Mr Kass, with his distinctive shaved head, wears a broad and relentless grin and speaks with an enthusiasm that's infectious as he gives shout-outs to people and programs that are ‘amazing,’ 'incredible,’ and ‘powerful.’ He has a knack for popping out just the right statistics about obesity, nutrition and exercise. Among the health-conscious recipes Mr . Kass has talked up in recent months: seared tilapia with fried rice and . broccoli and carrots, garden herb-roasted chicken with braised greens, . broccoli soup, sweet potatoes and greens, and cauliflower gratin. But no matter what his policy duties may be, five days a week Mr Kass retrieves his chef's coat in the afternoon and heads upstairs to fill the Obamas' plates with healthy and appealing meals at 6.30pm, when President Barack Obama cuts short whatever's afoot in the West Wing to head home for dinner. There's no need to consult with the first family on menu options — Mr Kass knows their likes and dislikes by heart. Mr Kass is discreet about what he feeds the family, often batting away questions with a ‘top-secret’ dodge. But he says the family ‘walks the walk’ on healthy foods, eating balanced meals often dictated by what's in season in the White House garden. With, of course, the occasional splurge to keep the kids happy. Feeding the family: Mr Kass (second from left) is discreet about what he feeds the family,but he says the family ¿walks the walk¿ on healthy foods, eating balanced meals often dictated by what's in season in the White House garden . Mrs. Obama, for her part, says her girls ‘can't stay out of the kitchen when Sam is cooking.’ Among the health-conscious recipes Mr Kass has talked up in recent months: seared tilapia with fried rice and broccoli and carrots, garden herb-roasted chicken with braised greens, broccoli soup, sweet potatoes and greens, and cauliflower gratin. His healthy snack suggestions include warm grapefruit with honey, and banana boats stuffed with raisins, nuts and crushed whole grain cereal. The star power that comes with his chef's jacket only helps reinforce Mr Kass' message about the importance of eating right. One minute he's demonstrating how to make turkey lasagna with spinach on morning TV or chatting with Elmo about healthy school lunches, and the next he's discussing new standards to improve meals on military bases or working with Wal-Mart to reduce the sodium content in packaged foods. Fresh produce: Both Mrs Obama and Mr Kass (pictured) have been scheduling more public appearances of late since the first lady's cook book will be released in April . ‘We're seeing real changes, both big and small, happening all over the country, and incredible partnerships and people stepping up in ways that we just never could have foreseen,’ Mr Kass says. ‘And this kind of effort has just been inspirational and gives us a lot of hope that we can truly overcome these problems in the years to come.’ It's a measure of Mr Kass' growing stature that he's gone from People magazine's ‘most beautiful’ list in his first year in Washington to Fast Company's ‘most creative people in business’ list in 2011. Tom Colicchio, New York restaurateur and co-host of Bravo's ‘Top Chef,’ says Mr Kass' passion for healthy eating and knowledge of the issue make him a natural for his dual role. ‘He knows this stuff inside out,’ Mr Colicchio said. ‘It's not him latching on to some trend. He's taken the time to learn it and understand it.’ When more than 500 chefs gathered on the White House lawn in 2010 to launch the ‘Chefs Move to School’ program, pairing up chefs to work with individual schools, ‘that came directly from Sam,’ says Mr Colicchio. ‘This is something he cares deeply about.’ Walter Scheib, White House chef for 11 years in the Bill Clinton and George W. Bush administrations, says it's a ‘wonderful thing’ that Mr Kass' cooking has become secondary to his policy work. ‘It's way overdue that chefs be involved in that component,’ says Mr Scheib. While past White House chefs might offer occasional behind-the-scenes advice on nutrition matters, Mr Scheib says, ‘We were always thought of as, 'Go back in the kitchen and be quiet.'‘ . Mr Kass' relationship with the Obamas began when he cooked for the family in Chicago before the 2008 elections. He was a history major in college, who discovered a love for cooking during a summer job at a Chicago restaurant. He finished his college years abroad, and ended up training in Vienna with an acclaimed Austrian chef. Hobnobbing with the stars: Mrs Obama and Mr Kass were featured with Dallas Cowboys football player Miles Austin (centre) when the appeared on Tom Colicchio's reality show Top Chef where they prepared healthy meals for students . Back in Chicago (where his schoolteacher . father taught Malia Obama in fifth grade) Mr Kass worked at the . Mediterranean restaurant Avec before opening a private chef business, . Inevitable Table, that promotes ‘a healthy lifestyle that focuses on the . quality and flavour of food to encourage good eating habits.’ These days, Mr Kass mixes plenty of cooking with his advocacy: He's fixed honey crisp apple salad at the Agriculture Department cafeteria, served Elmo a burrito bulging with peppers, lettuce, rice and beans, and prepared Swiss chard frittatas for children on the White House lawn. He doesn't see much of his basement apartment as he juggles the roles of cook, policy wonk and family friend — even golfing with the president when the family vacations on Martha's Vineyard and in Hawaii. He's also a big advocate for the White House garden, often helping troupes of schoolchildren harvest its bounty and teaching them about healthy eating. Encouraging good behaviour: Mrs Obama convinced TV host Jay Leno (who has notoriously bad eating habits) to try a vegetable pizza as a part of her campaign for a healthy eating initiative that she has worked on with Mr Kass . At a child obesity conference last summer in California, Mr Kass told about fretting over nightmare scenarios before hosting a group of schoolchildren for a summer harvest of broccoli, kale and other vegetables — an event that was to be observed by a sizeable press corps. He worried about the fallout if just one child set a vegetables-are-yucky tone that would derail the event. ‘I didn't sleep at all the night before,’ he confessed. ‘One kid with some broccoli that they didn't like would be a national disaster for us. ... Everything we're doing would've been set back two years.’ Instead, Mr Kass found himself having to rein in a girl who sneaked off to a back bench to stuff her face with fresh-cut cauliflower. ‘It's the only time in my professional career that I've ever had to ask a child to please put the vegetables back on the plate,’ he recalled to laughter, before turning serious. ‘These kids were engaged in some part of the process of what it meant to grow and eat food,’ he said. ‘And that little thing is absolutely critical to making the connection and having the foundation that kids will build on in the future to live healthier lives.’ WATCH VIDEO HERE . | Chef Sam Kass, 31, helps First Lady Michelle Obama with her national healthy-eating initiative . |
234,535 | bba0f303194704def47472e5aaf541eb9101a94f | Newcastle United fought back before eventually clinging on to edge Everton 3-2 in a thrilling festive encounter at St James' Park. Arouna Kone opened the scoring for the visitors after only five minutes before man of the match Papiss Cisse and Ayoze Perez clawed back a first half lead. Jack Colback appeared to have sealed victory for the Magpies after the interval, but a late strike from substitute Kevin Mirallas set up a tense finish. Sportsmail's Kieran Gill was at St James' Park to assess the performances of both sets of players... Papiss Cisse celebrates scoring during Newcastle's 3-2 victory over Everton . Toon manager Alan Pardew (left) gives Everton counterpart Roberto Martinez a consoling pat on the shoulder . NEWCASTLE UNITED (4-2-3-1) Alnwick: Newcastle’s makeshift goalkeeper. Not at fault for Kone’s point-blank opener and made brilliant one-handed save to deny Coleman later despite offside flag. Could not stop Mirallas’s fine finish late on - 6.5 . Janmaat: Got forward frequently and chose short passes well. Tidy one-twos in attack down right wing had Everton in circles during second half. Lost Mirallas for late Everton surge, though - 6.5 . Coloccini (c): Allowed Kone to get in front for simple finish early on but often Newcastle’s last man, leading from the back. Never gave Kone and Lukaku an inch after taking lead - 7 . Williamson: Newcastle have not won a game this year in which Gouffran and Williamson have appeared together, but got rid of that unwanted statistic by setting up Cisse’s equaliser with cute cut-back assist - 7 . Jack Colback (left) watches as his second half strike beats Everton keeper Joel Robles . Dummett: Missing at left back when Gouffran was undone for Coleman’s cross and Kone’s goal. Thankfully for him did not cost them in the end. Got more comfortable as game grew old - 6 . Perez: Few poor crosses and lacked silky touches in first half. Made up for it with composed finish in bottom-left corner after the break and was sharp in attack in later stages - 7 . Sissoko: Was one-on-one to equalise but fluffed lines with poor first touch. Much improved in second half and was dangerous whenever in attack as Newcastle looked to seal win - 7 . Tiote: Returned from suspension and did nothing wrong, though largely went unnoticed in centre of pitch. Thankless job - 6.5 . Goal scorer Cisse strikes a pose in front of a pitchside camera after scoring . Colback: Won the physical battle in midfield more often than not. Worked hard as per and was alert to punish Barkley’s defensive error and confirm win for Newcastle - 7.5 . Gouffran (replaced by Cabella 90): Undone by a McGeady through ball on his inside for Everton’s opening goal after five minutes. Didn’t convince as much as his team-mates in this win - 6 . Cisse (replaced by Riviere 73): Lucky to escape red for elbow on Coleman. Right place at right time for well-taken equaliser. Always a danger and deserved standing ovation. Now scored as many Premier League goals in last six appearances as he had in previous 17 - 8 . Ayoze Perez (centre) celebrates after sending Newcastle into the lead . Substitutions: . Riviere (on for Cisse 73): Decent in closing stages as Newcastle looked to seal win. Fresh legs for Pardew - 6 . Manager: . Alan Pardew: Had his side play the short game well and controlled possession. An important win to those doubting his ability as manager - 8 . EVERTON (4-4-1-1) Robles: No chance of saving Cisse’s close range equaliser or Perez’s winner. Few questionable moves, giving away the odd needless corner as he filled in for Tim Howard - 5.5 . Coleman: A perfectly-whipped cross from the right for Kone’s opening goal. Roughed up by Cisse and Co but took it in his stride. Unlucky to be on losing team - 6.5 . Distin: Age catching up to the 37-year-old. Careless passing at times as he manned the back. Lost his man too often - 5.5 . Alcaraz: Out of his depth at times. He and Distin did not look adequate at the back for Martinez - 5.5 . Everton defender Seamus Coleman (left) lunges in to prevent Cisse taking the ball . Garbutt: First Premier League start and was composed on the ball. Looked good getting forward but ultimately on losing side - 6 . Baines: Largely anonymous in first half but chased the ball well to make Newcastle uncomfortable. Fine ball through for Mirallas’ goal which gave visitors hope in final moments - 6 . Barry: Most booked player in Premier League history with 100. Not today. Was well disciplined in Everton engine room but lost physical battles - 5.5 . McCarthy (replaced by Barkley, 45): Workhorse as per, closing down Newcastle when home side were in possession. Substituted at half time for Barkley - 6 . Veteran midfielder Gareth Barry (left) shields Colback away from the ball . McGeady (replaced by Mirallas, 61): His ball inside allowed Coleman to cross for the opening goal. Sacrificed for Mirallas after 61 minutes. Looked frustrated to come off - 6 . Eto’o: Looked dangerous and wanted to get on ball plenty in role behind Kone. Once he got his chance after 63 minutes, however, he fluffed lines by sending shot well over crossbar - 6 . Kone (replaced by Lukaku 71): Got Everton on their way with a well-taken goal in his first Premier League start. Worked hard and chased the ball well - 7 . Ross Barkley's (right) mistake allowed Colback to score what was eventually the winner . Substitutions: . Barkley (on for McCarthy, 45): Scored in both Premier League appearances against Newcastle but not this time as a half time substitute. His mistake led to Colback goal, which confirmed Everton’s defeat - 5 . Mirallas (on for McGeady, 61): Gave Everton hope with goal in 84th minute. Composed finish under pressure from approaching goalkeeper Alnwick - 6.5 . Lukaku (on for Kone 71): Too little, too late to have an impact - 6 . Arouna Kone (centre) opened the scoring or Everton after only five minutes . Manager: . Roberto Martinez: Made seven changes and heavily rotated team. Lost the passing game and looked a hurried formation at times - 6 . Referee: . Craig Pawson: Should have sent Cisse off for elbow on Coleman before striker scored Newcastle’s equaliser three minutes later - 5 . | Newcastle defeated Everton 3-2 in their Premier League clash .
Papiss Cisse led the Magpies comeback with his fifth goal in six games .
Ross Barkley's mistake allowed Jack Colback to score the eventual winner . |
130,284 | 346f589e31ce03e84ae1370843acaa82403ccda3 | Samsung's smart TVs made the headlines earlier this week when its privacy policy suggested the sets are capable of listening to private conversations. It caused such a furore that the South Korean tech giant has since issued a blog post clarifying its policy and vehemently denying the claims. But now it faces further problems after users began complaining the TVs have started randomly showing adverts during the middle of movies. Samsung smart TV users have complained their sets have started showing a Pepsi advert while watching movies on the Foxtel, and Plex apps. The advert covers half the screen and disrupts the film. Samsung told MailOnline it is making an investigation into the fault its 'top priority' Concerns about the adverts appeared on Monday by users of the Australian TV app Foxtel, available on Samsung smart TVs, reports Gigaom. One user wrote: 'After about 15 minutes of watching live TV, the screen goes blank and then a Pepsi advert - taking up about half the screen - pops up and stops Foxtel playing. 'It's as if there is a popup ad on the TV. I have not installed any other software or apps.' The same issue was also reported by at least five other people on a separate thread. It was initially thought to be a problem with the Foxtel app, but another forum member said he didn't have Foxtel installed on his Samsung TV but was experiencing the same issue. Furthermore, a Redditor said they had also been shown a Pepsi advert while watching films on the Plex app on their Samsung smart TV. Earlier this week, Samsung was criticised over claims its smart TVs can capture 'personal or other sensitive' conversations (policy extract pictured) User NexVentor wrote on Monday that they had been using Plex for two months and the advert had never appeared before. 'Every movie I play, 20 to 30 minutes in, it plays the Pepsi ad. It has happened on six movies today.' On the Foxtel thread, a company employee responded: 'This absolutely should not be happening and has been escalated immediately.' Samsung told MailOnline: 'We are aware of a situation that has caused some smart TV users in Australia to experience program interruption in the form of an advertisement. 'This seems to be caused by an error, and we are currently conducting a full and thorough investigation into the cause as our top priority. 'We would like to apologise for any inconvenience experienced by our customers.' Earlier this week, The Daily Beast highlighted a line in Samsung's smart TV privacy policy that suggested its voice recognition technology has the potential to listen to conversations and capture 'personal or other sensitive information'. Following the news, Electronic Frontier Foundation activist Parker Higgins tweeted that the Samsung terminology is similar to an excerpt from George Orwell's dystopian novel 1984. The wording of the policy concerned privacy campaigners and Electronic Frontier Foundation activist Parker Higgins tweeted Samsung's terminology was similar to an excerpt from George Orwell's 1984 (shown) At the time of the initial claims, a Samsung spokesman told MailOnline it takes consumer privacy very seriously and that 'any data gathering or their use is carried out with utmost transparency. The firm has since posted a blog post further clarifying that its smart TVs 'do not monitor living room conversations' At the time of the initial claims, a Samsung spokesman told MailOnline it takes consumer privacy very seriously and that 'any data gathering or their use is carried out with utmost transparency'. The firm has since posted a blog post further clarifying where it stands on the issue. 'Samsung smart TVs do not monitor living room conversations,' said the firm. Voice recognition lets the user control the TV using voice commands. It has to be activated in the first instance, and can be deactivated at any time. Samsung 'listens' for voice commands and then sends them, along with information about the device, to a company called Nuance Communications. This service converts speech to text and the TV uses this text to search for content or carry out a task, for example. In addition, Samsung said it may collect and capture voice commands and associated texts for future use, so it can improve the features. Once enabled, Samsung told MailOnline that the voice data only consists of TV commands, or search sentences, only. Users can recognise if the voice recognition feature is activated because a microphone icon appears on the screen. A spokesman continued that Samsung doesn't sell voice data to third parties and the voice data is sent to a server, which searches for the requested content then sends it to the TV. He did not explain what happens to the captured data once it is no longer needed, and MailOnline has contacted Samsung for further information. It continued that language used in the policy -particularly the line: 'Please be aware that if your spoken words include personal or other sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party through your use of Voice Recognition - has led to confusion. To clarify its position, Samsung explained: 'If you enable Voice Recognition, you can interact with your Smart TV using your voice. 'To provide you the Voice Recognition feature, some voice commands may be transmitted to a third-party service provider (currently, Nuance Communications, Inc.) that converts your interactive voice commands to text. 'In addition, Samsung may collect and your device may capture voice commands and associated texts so that we can provide you with Voice Recognition features and evaluate and improve the features.' And the firm stressed that it only collects voice commands when users make a specific search request to the smart TV by clicking the activation button either on the remote control or on their screen and speaking into the microphone on the remote control. If people don't enable the feature, they can't use the interactive features, but users can disable recognition data at any time in the Settings menu. Samsung has still not explained what it does with the data it collects, and how long it keeps it for. Plus, at the time of writing, it hasn't updated the wording of the privacy policy to make this clearer. Yesterday, Microsoft's Xbox console was among other devices accused of snooping on users. Kinect-controlled Xboxes listen to everything around them, silently waiting for commands such as ‘Xbox on’ or instructions to play games including Tomb Raider or Halo. The technology means people can play games or watch catch-up TV without using the remote control. Samsung stressed that it only collects voice commands when users make a specific search request to the smart TV by clicking the activation button either on the remote control, or on their screen and speaking into the microphone on the remote control. The voice recognition features can also be disabled at any time . Yesterday, Microsoft's Xbox console (pictured) was among other devices accused of snooping on users. Kinect-controlled Xboxes listen to everything around them, silently waiting for commands such as ‘Xbox on’. The technology means people can play games or watch catch-up TV without using the remote control . The news follows years of concerns about how much data smart TV sets and voice recognition technology capture and send. In 2012, Malta-based security firm ReVuln posted a video showing how its researchers had learned to crack a Samsung television to access its settings - including any personal information stored on it. With such malware installed, hackers could use the TV's built-in microphones and camera to hear and see everything in front of it. Last summer, a Which? investigation then discovered just how much data the manufacturers can gather. Experts monitored streams of data coming from 2013 and 2014 models of smart TVs made by LG, Samsung, Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba. All the brands tracked people’s viewing habits to some extent, and users had agreed to this when they accepted the TVs terms and conditions. Most of data collected was encrypted to hide it from hackers, but a Samsung TV disclosed the tester’s location and postcode. The firm told Which? that location is needed to operate the TV, but that a postcode isn’t required. | Samsung smart TV owners said the sets have started randomly playing ads .
Reports claim ads appear while watching movies on Foxtel and Plex apps .
Samsung said it is making an investigation into the fault its 'top priority'
Earlier this week, Samsung was criticised over its smart TV privacy policy .
Samsung's privacy policy warns users about having private conversations .
It said: 'If your words include sensitive information, that information will be among the data captured and transmitted to a third party'
Firm has now written a blog denying the claims and clarifying the policy . |
61,187 | adcb3e7b4bef0f9efe7a838b56131ca99b587743 | A married couple who shed 12 stone between them to improve their chances of conceiving feel pregnant nine weeks ago. Tony and Joanne Young, from Felling, Gateshead, were clinically obese and thought they would never be able to have a second baby after trying for almost a decade. At their heaviest Tony, 41, tipped the scales at 28st whilst Joanne, 34, was a clothes size 24. Devoted: Tony and Joanne Young thought they would never be able to have another baby after trying for almost a decade. The pair have lost 12 stone between them . Before and after: Joanne and Tony Young were both clinically obese, left, and suffered health problems, but after joining Slimming World they lost six stone each in 18 months are now say they are happier than ever, right . The couple, who have a son Bradley, 11, lost six stone each after joining a weight-loss programme 18-months ago, which pushed them to swap crisps and takeaways for fruit and salad. Joanne, 34, who is nine weeks pregnant and expecting her second child in January 2015, said: 'I couldn't believe it when I found out that I was pregnant. I was crying as it was so overwhelming. 'We had been trying for a baby for eight years and nothing was happening. We knew that there was nothing wrong with our fertility and I was devastated that I couldn't get pregnant. At their heaviest Tony, 41, right, tipped the scales at 28st whilst Joanne, 34, left, was a clothes size 24 . Happy: Tony, left, is now 18st 9lbs and Joanne, right, is 14st. 'We have totally transformed our eating habits and I feel so much better,' says Joanne, who feared her heavy weight would lead to diabetes . 'I had resigned myself to the fact . that I wasn't going to have another child. We are just so excited and . can't wait to have our baby at the beginning of next year, it's . amazing.' THENBreakfast: Nothing.Lunch: Two cheese sandwiches with white bread, butter, two bags ofcheese and onion crisps, two glasses of Coke, two Mars Bars.Dinner: Doner kebab with chips, plus a 10in pizza and a can of Coke.Snacks: Crisps, packets of biscuitsand jelly sweets. NOWBreakfast: 35g of porridge oats made with water and semi-skimmed milk, with blueberries and strawberries. Coffee.Lunch: Omelette with lean ham, full tin of baked beans, fruit.Dinner: Kebab meat, fresh salad of red and white cabbage, red onion, cucumber, chips.Snacks: Fruit, yogurts, vegetable sticks with homemade dips, lean ham spread with pease pudding and a packet of crisps. The couple's . weight had gradually increased over the years as they slipped into bad . eating habits, eating regular takeaways and junk food. When Tony began to suffer severe pains . in his chest and struggled with back and leg problems, the pair made . the move to seriously slim down. 'I . was told by my doctor that if I carried on as I was then within a few . years I would be dead,' says Tony. 'I was petrified about the thought of . leaving my wife and young son behind.' Tony had considered undergoing weight-loss surgery but Joanne felt the risks of the operation were too great and she was keen for her husband to drop the pounds naturally. They signed up to their local Slimming World and began eating healthily and exercising. Tony is now a lighter 18st 9lbs and 5ft 9ins Joanne is 14st. 'We have totally transformed our eating habits and I feel so much better,' says Joanne, who feared her heavy weight would lead to diabetes. 'At my heaviest I was tired and . depressed. I used to put on a front of being happy when I was out with . friends. 'I felt I had to be the funny and outgoing one as I thought . everyone was looking at me. 'Now . I can go shopping and pick up any item of clothing without having to be . in a plus-size shop. 'Since I've lost the weight everything that I've . wanted has happened. 'I'm at a really good point in my life.' THEN:Breakfast: Cup of tea with biscuits.Lunch: Toasted cheese sandwich on white bread, bag of crisps, chocolate bar.Dinner: Pizza and chips with garlic sauce and can of Coke. NOW:Breakfast: Two slices of wholemeal toast with a tin of beans. Coffee.Lunch: Homemade vegetable soup, fruit salad with a yoghurt.Dinner: Chilli, with rice and side salad, roulade with berries.Snacks: Fruit, vegetable sticks dips, yogurts, lean ham or chicken, Freddo chocolate bar. Tony, . who is 6ft, used to wear clothes size XXXXXL as his waist was 68ins. He . is now a size XXL and his waist has dropped to 42ins. But the biggest benefit for the . dad-of-one is that his slimmer figure means he will be able to do more . activities with his new child, something that he missed out on with . Bradley. Tony said: 'I'm over the moon at . losing weight as I have more energy and do more activity. 'Before I . couldn't even walk to the shops without being out of breath. 'We . have always wanted a brother or sister for Bradley and when we found . out that Joanne was pregnant I broke down in tears. I'm happy that I'm . now at a weight where I will be to do more. 'I was so heavy that I could not kick a . ball with Bradley and I do feel guilty about that, I wish I had lost the . weight many years ago. 'It feels like I've been given a new lease of life.' The pair would like to thank their Slimming World consultant, Hilary Donnison, for her help and support. | Tony and Joanne Young from Felling Gateshead lost six stone each .
Joanne, 34, fell pregnant nine weeks ago and is due in January .
Before their weight-loss, they'd tried to conceive for almost a decade . |
71,625 | cafdb2911d9af6038659354058586d6bd5174338 | By . Bianca London . Trainers have been the . footwear staple this season; they were on countless catwalks at fashion week and every celebrity owns a pair of designer kicks. Sick of the trend? Sorry folks, it's here to stay for another season so grab yourself some sneakers. And no, we don't mean a subtle pair of black on black New Balance, this season the humble trainer has undergone a total re-brand and for AW14 it's souped up, wedged and, as Vogue says, practically on steroids. Once . the reserve of the super fit, the traditional . running shoe has been given some serious style credentials in its new funky form. Step to it: This season, the trainer trend takes a psychedelic twist and the louder and brighter, the better. This Giuseppe Zanotti design, left, will, however, set you back £1,025 and Chanel's offering, right, costs a cool £700 . It all started at Chanel, where Karl Lagerfeld sent Cara Delevingne and co down the catwalk in colourful tweed trainers and the fash pack followed suit. Since then Katie . Grand, editor of LOVE magazine, has collaborated with trainer makers . Hogan to create wild looking designs combining neon colours and animal . print, while Stella McCartney’s designs for trainer giant Adidas have . been a huge hit. Long-time fan: Model-of-the-moment Cara Delevingne is rarely . seen off duty without a pair of pimped up trainers on, like the . Alejandro Ingelmo Silver Trons (right) Delhi-born designer Ashish designed stand-out LED Buffalo Boots for Topshop.The light-up wedge trainers have already been spotted on Lily Allen, . Lady Gaga, Ellie Goulding and Rita Ora - however, at £350, they don't . come cheap. So high into the stratosphere of the . fashion gods has the blinged up, custom trainer risen, that Selfridges has devoted its entire shoe department (the largest in the . world) to sneakers. A massive central display is devoted to a single designer, alternating regularly to show all the seasons trainer trends. Helen . Attwood, shoe buying manager for Selfridges, says: 'It's a revolution. Out of all our footwear categories we are repeating orders mostly on . flats and trainers. They are selling out across every price point.' ‘From high street and sports labels to high fashion, it really is the most fun and democratic show trend we’ve seen in ages.’ Famous fans: Justin Bieber and Rita Ora love their souped up trainer styles and it seems they both have a pair for every day of the week . First look: The wacky shoes were unveiled at Ashish's AW14 runway show and they're coming to a store near you next week . Of course she's got some! Savvy dresser Lily Allen has already got her hands on the coveted trainers . And it seems the designers themselves also agree. Rebecca . Farrar-Hockley, creative director at Kurt Geiger, said: 'There's . definitely a radical shift towards lower heels. Sneakers are really on . trend. 'Girls are getting used to being able to run about and I don't think they are going back to the big high heels.' Celebrities . can't get enough of running shoes off duty, and the latest versions loved by . include creations designs in rare animal skins, bespoke pairs and . serious designer label bling. But how do you pull them off this season? Vogue's Jessica Bumpus mused: 'Wear them with your skate gear, wear them with your ballgown, this is footwear with cross-occasion appeal. 'Step out in glitter-bright or colour-blocked versions, or those with jewelled flower details - there's something out there to satisfy even the most reluctant of trainer-wearers.' Pricy: Isabel Marant is currently the queen of . sneakers, with one extremely long waiting list for her wedged trainer, . which comes in a variety of funky designs and costs several hundred pounds . DIY: The Nike Blazer (£85) can be customised on nike.com with a choice of colours , patterns and material for every part of the sneaker . Get creative: The classic Nike Air max 1 is as popular now as . it ever has been, but now comes in a kaleidoscopic range of designs and . colours (£150, nike.com) Trainers are also known as as kicks, trabs daps, sandshoes, gym boots or joggers, gutties, or canvers, according to Wikipedia. The . first athletic shoes, with a canvas upper and rubber sole, were . developed as beachwear in the 1830s by the Liverpool Rubber Company. They were known then as plimsolls or pumps. By . the early 1900s, sneakers were being produced by small rubber companies . who specialized in the production of bicycle tyres. U.S. Rubber, . introduced Keds in 1916, about the same time that Converse was marketing . its All Star. At first, the . market for sneakers was small and practically invisible, but after the . First World War, the US turned to sports and athletes as a way to . demonstrate moral fibre and patriotism. A . huge breakthrough came in when the Olympics were revived after the . Second World War, attracting more fans not only to sports, but to . sneakers as well. The . 1950s gave American families more leisure time, and as the baby boom . started, more families chose to dress their youth in sneakers as school . dress codes relaxed. In . the early 1960s, sneakers were imported to the US from Japan, but . accounted for only a small portion of the market until Nike founders . Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman began importing Onitsuka Tiger shoes . (1950s) under the name Blue Ribbon Sports. By . the 1970s and 80s there were shoes for football, jogging, basketball, . running - every sport had its own shoe and trainers had graduated to the . movies. Dustin Hoffman wore them while playing reporter Carl Bernstein in the . movie All the President's Men while Cybill Shepherd even wore a pair of . comfortable orange sneakers with her elegant black gown at the 1985 Emmy . Awards. Woody Allen wore them to the ballet and Led Zeppelin had them on in their 1976 documentary. Companies . like Nike and Adidas cashed in on the craze with major endorsements to . players - the largest to Chicago basketball player Michael Jordan, who . was given a contract with Nike to make his own signature line of shoes . and apparel. | Trainers go colourful, wedged and crazy for AW14 .
You can wear them with a ballgown or a trouser suit .
Cara Delevingne and Rita Ora love theirs . |
264,152 | e223b03afa4967cd6cafb3001b8cf8bf78ea0ddb | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 12:08 EST, 18 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:10 EST, 18 September 2012 . At first glance these images could be mistaken for an imminent alien invasion, but the mysterious 'UFOs' seen floating over a mountain range are in fact clouds. The rare formations - known as lenticular clouds - have been mistaken for UFOs thanks to their smooth, flying saucer-like shape and orange glow. The clouds, which form in areas of high altitude, often baffle onlookers and have sparked fears of alien attacks. Eerie: The rare cloud formations are often mistaken for UFOs because of their saucer-like shape and orange glow . Despite their sinister appearance, the cloud formations are a natural weather phenomenon created when moist air flows over a mountain or mountain range. If the temperature in the air drops, the moisture condenses forming a spiral-shaped lenticular cloud. These stunning pictures were captured in Chile by Russian amateur photographer Dmitry Dubikovskiy while he was travelling with friends. The 47-year-old was 'euphoric' when he spotted the rare cloud formations in the skies over Torres Del Paine National Park. 'It was a really stunning view,' he said. 'Lenticular clouds always look unusual and against teh light of a sunset they look even more magnificent. 'Whenever I go out for dinner with my friends, they all want to see the pictures and talk about how unique they are. 'I've only seen this sort of phenomenon a few times in my life but each time I see it I think it's amazing,' the photographer added. 'The feeling when I saw the clouds in Chile was similar to euphoria. 'Despite having to be out in the freezing and gusty wind conditions for a few hours to capture these pictures, it was completely worth it when I saw the finished work,' Mr Dubikovskiy said. Space invasion: The cloud formations were snapped in the skies over Chile's Torres Del Paine National Park . Spectacular: Amateur photographer Dmitry Dubikovskiy spotted the unusual cloud formations while travelling with friends in Chile . | Stunning pictures capture rare saucer-shaped cloud formations that could be mistaken for an alien invasion .
Clouds spotted above a mountain range in a national park in Chile . |
34,836 | 62ff34ea8218f7283835ab0f8209f65eeac48976 | By . Daniel Piotrowski for Daily Mail Australia . The federal government refused to let the son of a hero World War II pilot who fought and died for Australia become a citizen because his father died too early. Former English teacher Dr Mark Cremin, 74, from East Sussex in the U.K., was amazed when his application for Australian citizenship was denied earlier this year. His father, Flight Lieutenant Daniel Cremin, was born and raised in Sydney and took to the skies and died for his country as part of the RAF during World War II. The lieutenant was commended for his courage and his name is listed among countless other Australians at the War Memorial in Canberra. But that sacrifice was not enough for his son, Dr Cremin, to be recognised as an Australian citizen. Dr Mark Cremin, left, aged 74, was denied Australian citizenship even though his father, right, was an Australian war hero who fought for the Royal Air Force. Lt Cremin flew Spitfire and Hurricane aircraft as a flight instructor and part of 66 Squadron. Above, a squadron of Spitfire aircraft is pictured in 1944. Lieutenant Dan Cremin, pictured with fellow RAF members at a Royal Air Force base in Iraq. Lt Cremin's son, Mark, believes he was serving as a flight instructor at the time. A dashing Lieutenant Daniel Cremin was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross. The Cross is granted 'for exceptional valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy'. 'My father was, and his family in Australia are, as Australian as anyone else in the country,' Dr Cremin, from East Sussex, said in an impassioned plea to a tribunal last month. 'My father even gave his life for the freedom of Australia,' he said. Dr Cremin has extended family in Australia - his uncle even played for the Wallabies, the national rugby team. But he cannot become a citizen because of a legal technicality. Australians were considered 'British subjects' until citizenship laws went into force in 1949. But Dr Cremin's dad died seven years before he would have automatically become a citizen. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal upheld the ruling against Dr Cremin two weeks ago. Now he is unsure where to turn. Dr Cremin said the law was 'perverse', 'unjust' and did a disservice to some Australian heroes. 'My father was singled out for his bravery in action, and he shouldered the responsibility of commanding a front line squadron... and his war record marks him down as an Australian and he like all those on the war memorial in Canberra have been listed as Australian,' he said. 'Now this Australian-ness is denied, treating them as if they were mercenaries because they have been excluded from being called Australian, by the ruling.' Dr Cremin, pictured with a squadron of pilots in the World War II era. Lieutenant Cremin flew a number of planes, including a Spitfire (left) and a Hurricane (right) as a flight instructor for the RAF. A cartoon of Lieutenant Cremin drawn by one of his squadmates. Lieutenant Cremin with his wife and her sister in an image taken in Egypt before the war. Dr Cremin told Daily Mail Australia he wanted to become an Australian to be closer to the memory of his father who he never knew. 'The major reason is a sentimental one: of in some small way getting closer to my father,' he said. Dr Cremin's adult son, Daniel - who is named after his grandfather - told Daily Mail Australia he hoped the Australian government would reconsider how they interpreted the law. He said: 'I am very proud of my grandfather's courageous and selfless decision to leave his birthplace in Australia and travel thousands of miles to fight in the Middle East and Britain and eventually give his life for our freedom.' 'I'm sure there will be many Australians of my father's age who will be shocked to read of this unjust and discriminatory interpretation of a law that surely was not intended to preclude Australian war heroes and their children from claiming citizenship. A spokeswoman for Immigration Minister Scott Morrison said: 'Australian citizenship laws are necessarily very strict. 'These laws do not provide the Minister with discretionary power to grant citizenship in these cases.' Dr Cremin is considering an appeal to the Federal Court. | Dr Mark Cremin's dad, Daniel, was an Australian war pilot .
Daniel fought and died fighting for his country during World War II .
The Australian government won't let Dr Cremin become an Australian citizen .
Dr Cremin says it is an 'injustice', adding 'My father gave his life for the freedom of Australia'
His dad died before citizenship laws changed - otherwise he would have automatically become an Australian citizen .
Australians were considered 'British subjects' before 1949 . |
91,213 | 0155bdf0ab2ec0782030c6101470ba284f4c47ab | When it comes to Christmas, it seems you are never too old to take part in the festivities. Hanging out a stocking for Santa is not just for the children, with a third of adults under the age of 55 admitting they still leave theirs near the tree each year. And nearly one in every six adults pens a letter to Father Christmas, while one in five adults visits a grotto to visit him and his elves in person. Family time: For many Christmas involves making bog day special for their young ones, but some adults never grow out of their own festive routines . The survey of 2,500 adults also found that many of us remain big kids at heart, with one in three of 25-34 year olds given an advent calendar by their parents. We also remain fans of timeless traditions, with the research revealing the most special Christmas moment for adults is decorating the tree and seeing the Christmas lights being switched on. Where's mine?: One in six adults revealed they still write letter to Father Christmas . When it comes to food, 52 per cent think their family roast is unbeatable. As a result, more than half of cooks follow their mum’s Christmas recipes to the letter, while 50 per cent of us follow the same Christmas day schedule we enjoyed growing up. Tony Berry, from the National Trust, which carried out the poll, said: ‘Our research highlights how important traditions are to families at Christmas time, and so this year, National Trust places around the UK will be rekindling the magic of a family Christmas with events that embrace traditions old and new. 'Whether carolling, making your own decorations or mince pie tasting, our Christmas activities are the perfect way to enjoy some of the nation’s favourite customs - whatever your age!’ The conservation charity is inviting everyone to share in the magic of festive traditions old and new, as National Trust venues will be decked out with Christmas sparkle for all the family to enjoy. Over the yuletide season special events will take place across many of its sites, bringing spirit of Christmas to life, from food and crafts to winter lights displays and atmospheric grottoes. The survey also asked respondents to give their top ten special Christmas traditions, here are the findings: . 1. Decorating the tree . 2. Seeing Christmas lights . 3. Opening . your stocking presents . 4. Visiting a Christmas market . 5. Eating your . mum’s roast dinner . 6. Christmas music . 7. A family game e.g. charades . 8. Getting an advent calendar . 9. A Boxing Day walk . 10. Putting out your . stocking . | Survey found adults can't let go of childhood Christmas routine .
One in three middle aged Brits still use an advent calendar .
One third of grown-ups also leave gifts under the tree . |
76,261 | d84d4dfe6da3972a624703cd00d3c6a62e0bcfe9 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- A strong earthquake struck the southwestern Chinese province of Sichuan on Saturday, killing at least 179 people and injuring about 6,700 others in a region that suffered a catastrophic quake five years ago, the state-run Xinhua news agency reported Sunday. Thousands of emergency workers, including soldiers, rushed to reach the affected zones in the hilly region, and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang traveled to the area from Beijing, state media reported. Xu Mengjia, the Communist Party chief of Ya'an, the city that administers the area where the quake struck, told state broadcaster CCTV that because of landslides and disruption to communications, determining the total number of casualties may take some time. Students gather outside to escape the quake . The quake struck just after 8 a.m. local time Saturday, about 115 kilometers (70 miles) away from the provincial capital, Chengdu, at a depth of around 12 kilometers, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. There was conflicting information about the earthquake's strength, with the USGS putting the magnitude at 6.6 and the China Earthquake Networks Center gauging it at 7.0. It was followed by a series of aftershocks, some of them as strong as magnitude 5.1, the USGS said. Authorities have responded by sending rescue workers to the area around the epicenter, briefly halting flights at the airport in Chengdu and suspending high-speed rail operations, state media reported. The event stirred memories of the devastating earthquake that hit Sichuan in 2008, killing more than 87,000 people. First responders to Saturday's quake reported that the damage caused didn't appear to be as severe as what was seen in the aftermath of the 2008 disaster, according to CCTV. Fan Xiaodong, a student in Chengdu, said when the tremors began to shake buildings in the city, many of his startled classmates rushed out of their dorms, some of them wearing only the clothes they'd been sleeping in. At first, Fan said, he only felt a slight trembling as he dozed in bed. "I thought it was my roommates shaking the bed," he said. "But the shock became stronger soon, and it came to me that an earthquake happened." The epicenter was in Lushan country, a district of Ya'an. That area is home to China's famous giant pandas and houses the country's biggest panda research center. CCTV reported that the pandas at the facility, which is about 40 kilometers (about 25 miles) from the epicenter, were safe. Residents of Chongqing, a sprawling metropolis more than 300 kilometers (about 190 miles) from Ya'an, said the quake also shook buildings there. Are you there? Send your iReports . CNN's Jethro Mullen reported and wrote from Hong Kong, and Steven Jiang reported from Beijing. CNN's Feng Ke in Beijing and Henry Hanks in Atlanta contributed to this report. | NEW: The death toll rises to at least 179, authorities say .
About 6,700 people are reported to have been injured .
Chinese Premier Li Keqiang travels to the area .
The quake struck about 70 miles from the city of Chengdu in Sichuan . |
9,883 | 1c0883f67e5896d5be4baa7cdb923db0bfeed2ac | Rivals to Megaupload have seen a huge rise in traffic after file-sharing site Megaupload was shut down by the FBI and its flamboyant founder arrested in a high-profile raid. After the FBI shut down file-sharing site Megaupload and charged staff such as flamboyant founder Kim Dotcom - formerly Kim Schmitz - with copyright violations, users have flocked to rivals such as RapidShare, Hotfile and 4Shared. If the American authorities hoped that the move would dent the popularity of such 'cyber-locker' sites which are mainly used for sharing music and video for free they have been very much mistaken. Rapidshare, Hotfile and 4Shared, have reaped the rewards of the arrest of Megaupload's 'pirate captain' Kim Dotcom. One site, 4Shared, which has 2.5bn page views per month, is now twice the size Megaupload was before it shut down and the others have seen the numbers using their services nearly doubled. The high life: Dotcom, formerly known as Kim Schmitz and nicknamed 'Dr Evil', was arrested along with three other executives of Megauploads on Friday . Taken down: The Megaupload.com homepage boasted the endorsement of a string of high-profile celebrities . 4Shared is currently the subject of legal action in New Jersey, with a firm, Modulo Security Solutions, seeking to reveal the identities of individuals who uploaded and shared confidential documents. The 'cyberlocker' sites let users store large files and download them from anywhere. MegaUpload, which the U.S. government . shut down, was a Hong Kong-based ‘cyberlocker’ service that allegedly . allowed users to download pirated films, TV shows, music and e-books with . just a few clicks. It is accused of costing copyright owners £322million in lost earnings . and of making £113million by selling advertising and premium . subscriptions. A graphic created by web-monitoring firm Alexa showing the leap in traffic to 'cyberlocker' sites Hotfile, Uploaded.to, Depositfiles.com and Rapidshare.com . The traffic surge following Megaupload's closure is an embarrassment to many of the firms involved as it shines an unwelcome spotlight on how they operate. Such sites are keen to emphasise their legality in the wake of Megaupload's difficulties. 'This case has a great negative impact on file storage services and the . Internet overall,' a 4Shared spokesman said. '4shared has some of . the most strict house rules among all other file storage services and . there’s no need for any changes.' Cyberlocker sites are legal, and operate in the same way as YouTube - in that they take down illegal files whenever told to by copyright holders. As with YouTube, the volume of files means that every upload cannot be manually inspected. Megaupload is accused of knowingly violating copyright. Several Megaupload staff were arrested in New Zealand last week on copyright charges. The FBI also allege that the site was used for money-laundering. Its founder, 'Kim Dotcom' - formerly Kim Schmitz - owned a . £3million collection of 25 cars which was confiscated at the time of his arrest – mainly top-of-the range Mercedes with . number plates such as ‘STONED’, ‘HACKER’ and ‘GUILTY’ but also . including Maseratis, a vintage pink Cadillac and Dotcom’s runabout, a . £300,000 Rolls-Royce Phantom with the number plate ‘GOD’. Luxury: The property in Coatesville, near Auckland, New Zealand, which was raided today as part of the operation against the founder and executives of file-sharing site Megaupload.com . Lapping in luxury: Dotcom splashes out in the Virgin Islands with a mystery woman. Dotcom was also in a film posted online enjoying a 'crazy weekend' on a superyacht in Monaco said to have cost millions . Lavish: Dotcom also had a garish pink Cadillac in his collection of luxury cars, which was also seized by police . Confiscated: Others cars including a collection of Mercedes vehicles were removed from the Schmitz's home . Although music stars such as Kanye West and Alicia Keys have supported . MegaUpload, film and record companies say the seven-year-old . file-sharing site is making a fortune off their work without paying them . a penny. Hollywood film companies have been the main victims of piracy. The seven . accused MegaUpload executives – including two other Germans and a . Dutchman also seized in New Zealand – are each charged with five counts . of racketeering, copyright infringement and conspiracy, and could be . jailed for up to 20 years. In the dock: Megaupload executive Bram van der Kolk, left, Finn Batato, second from left, Mathias Ortmann and founder, former CEO and current chief innovation officer Kim Dotcom, right, appear in North Shore District Court in Auckland, New Zealand . | Instead of abandoning file-sharing, users flock to rival sites .
Huge surge in traffic to rivals such as Rapidshare .
One site, 4Share is twice the size Megaupload was before it shut down . |
249,108 | ce5a5189c6c7e9a283ff916f45b05168b94ba36c | Unite's Len McCluskey who told comrades they must 'consider the incredible offer' made by state-owned Bank of China for the Grade II listed property . Labour's union paymasters have held talks to sell a historic mansion to communist China for an ‘incredible’ £21 million – more than three times the asking price. Left-wing Unite, which gives £3.5 million a year to Ed Miliband’s party, owns Esher Place in Surrey. Set in eight acres of grounds and once visited by Edward VII, the grand country house lies on the site of a building where Sir Francis Drake’s family lived. An earlier building on the site was owned by the Church and Cardinal Wolsey was kept under house arrest in its gatehouse after falling out with Henry VIII. Britain’s biggest trade union uses the mansion’s ornate rooms for conferences and training and Labour leader Miliband has visited it on a party away-day. But although Unite thinks the Grade II listed property is worth only £6.5 million, and is running it at a loss, the state-controlled Bank of China has offered three times over the odds, raising questions as to the deal between them. Secret papers seen by The Mail on Sunday reveal staff of the world’s fifth-biggest financial institution have visited Esher Place a dozen times and made a series of increasingly generous offers to buy it. The move would improve Unite’s accounts and also give the Chinese an impressive base as they expand their investments in the UK. ‘Red’ Len McCluskey, the hardliner who runs the union behind some of the country’s most disruptive strikes, told comrades at last month’s policy conference in Liverpool that they must consider the ‘incredible’ offer to ease their financial pressures. But delegates warned it would be ‘ludicrous’ to sell Unite’s ‘jewel in the crown’, and have raised questions about their leaders’ links with Communist China. The final decision had been due to be taken in a vote by the union’s ruling Executive Council next month but last night the Bank of China claimed it had pulled out of the deal. Ed Sabisky, Unite’s executive director of finance, pensions and property, wrote in a recent letter to ‘address the queries, issues and concerns’ raised about the proposed sale that ‘the Bank of China’s extraordinary offer’ is far higher than any others received. He said Unite’s ‘financial situation remains tight’ and added: ‘If the union sold Esher Place to Bank of China for £21 million it would have more financial flexibility to meet the challenges of the coming years without having to increase member subscriptions beyond that otherwise deemed reasonable or to cut front-line services to members. Historic Esher Place in Surrey, which is owned by left-wing Unite. Set in eight acres of grounds and once visited by Edward VII, the grand country house lies on the site of a building where Sir Francis Drake's family lived . ‘Unite’s communications department has analysed the situation and cannot see any negative connotations for Unite by selling Esher Place to what is effectively the state of China (although doubtless we would be attacked by the Right-wing press because they attack us for everything we do).’ Critics said the sale’s boost to union coffers would increase Unite’s control over Labour and Mr Miliband, who has unsuccessfully tried to limit the power of the union barons who helped him become party leader. It comes after The Mail on Sunday revealed that Unite chief of staff Andrew Murray, representing the Communist Party of Britain, spoke at a rally in support of pro-Russian separatists fighting in Ukraine. An earlier building on the site of Esher Place was owned by the Church and Cardinal Wolsey, pictured, was kept under house arrest in its gatehouse after falling out with Henry VIII . David Morris, Conservative MP for Morecambe and Lunesdale, said last night: ‘What a tidy food chain! Communist China swelling the coffers of militant Len McCluskey, which will give him even more power over weak Ed Miliband. ‘The unions are already almost single-handedly funding Labour and practically writing their policies. It will only get worse now.’ A union insider said: ‘Why are the Chinese offering so much money, that’s the big question that’s being asked. The union isn’t short of cash but all of a sudden there appears to be a big rush to sell this place.’ Esher Place’s latest valuation is £6.5 million but the Bank of China has made six offers this year, topping £21 million, as well as promising to let Unite use the facilities until 2016. Bank of China is a commercial bank with a branch in the City of London, but is wholly owned and controlled by the Chinese state. Chinese banks and firms have invested billions in British industry, taking stakes in nuclear power stations and airports as well as companies such as drinks giant Diageo. A Unite spokesman claimed last night: ‘There is no offer from the Bank of China or anyone else.’ A spokesman for Bank of China’s property adviser CBRE said: ‘The bank will not be buying Unite’s property under any circumstances.’ | Unite, which gives £3.5million a year to Labour, owns Esher Place in Surrey .
The trade union uses the mansion's ornate rooms for conferences .
It is only worth £6.5m, but Bank of China has offered three times as much .
'Red' Len McCluskey told comrades they must consider the 'incredible' offer .
The deal has raises questions as to the deal between them . |
5,641 | 100f36b099d3980c0050b47670c15bd0be0e3d0e | By . Alex Greg for MailOnline . The IRS wants a bite out of Silicon Valley's free lunches, which the agency says are a fringe benefit and therefore taxable. Tech companies such as Google, Facebook and Twitter are known for their freebies - including lavish free lunch offerings for members of staff. The IRS has informed tech giants that the free gourmet grub could be subject to a tax of up to 30 per cent of the meal's 'fair market value.' No lunch tax breaks: The IRS has listed 'employer-provided meals' as a top priority for the next fiscal year . Facebook perks: Employees at tech companies such as Facebook have meals provided to them free of charge which the IRS says should be considered part of their taxable income . According to the Wall Street Journal, the IRS is scrutinizing the tax filings of companies during routine audits and seeking back-taxes on employee meals. Google reportedly serves 50,000 meals per day in its 120 cafes worldwide. Facebook has several free restaurants at its Menlo Park, California location. Twitter has coffee bars, four different types of kombucha tea and huge cafeterias serving everything from oysters to burgers. The IRS and the Treasury Department listed 'employer-provided meals' as one of their top priorities for the next fiscal year, an issue on which they are currently 'seeking guidance.' If free meals are classed as income, employees would be liable to pay tax on it, but it's more likely that the IRS will seek back-taxes from the companies themselves. Moving forward, companies would have to add the value of the free food each employee consumes when calculating their withholding tax. Hashtag lunch: One of the many areas of the Twitter cafeteria that offer various types of food free to employees . Feed the fire: Google restaurants and cafeterias around the world serve about 50,000 free meals a day . However, the argument isn't clear-cut. Meals are exempt from taxes if the companies can prove they are 'non-compensatory' and a 'convenience to the employer.' Proving that 'reasonable lunch breaks aren't feasible' is also a legitimate way to claim exemption. Tech workers are concerned at the possibility of being taxed for their free meals and snacks. 'You start doing that, well then, do you start taxing free coffee as well?' Nathan Grady, a front-end engineer at Weebly, told Fortune. 'It just doesn’t make sense.' A Wall Street Journal analysis estimates that if a meal's 'fair market value' is between $8 and $10, a Google employee who consumes two meals a day at work could be liable to be taxed on an extra $4,000 to $5,000 per year. Larger companies like Facebook and Google could offset the tax on the employee by supplementing their annual wage while maintaining the free lunches. However, smaller tech companies may have to scrap free meals altogether. Free meals are considered an essential employee perk in Silicon Valley, the provision of which is a major recruitment tool. The Journal reports that rather than pay the tax or pass it on to their employees big tech companies are likely to fight it out with the IRS in court. | The IRS wants to tax Silicon Valley tech companies' free lunches .
The agency has listed 'employer-provided meals' as one of its top priorities for the next fiscal year .
It says free meals for tech company employees should be classed as a taxable fringe benefit .
Tech companies such as Facebook, Twitter and Google all provide gourmet meals for their staff .
The agency would likely seek back-taxes from the companies themselves and tax employees going forward . |
179,890 | 74e9321bf53ced024b5b676193fec3ce8920b254 | A couple have been awarded £1,500 in compensation over a delayed Thomas Cook flight, three years after their plane was held back on the tarmac. Michael and Gillian Vick were travelling to Barbados to embark on a Caribbean cruise in March 2011 when their flight was delayed at Gatwick Airport for five hours. With no extreme weather affecting their travels, the couple from Sittingbourne, Kent, decided to find out if they were entitled to compensation for the inconvenience. Scroll down for video . Michael and Gillian Vick (pictured during a cruise on the Queen Mary 2) were awarded £1,500 by Thomas Cook for a delayed flight to Barbados . Three years later following lengthy legal proceedings, the holiday company has awarded them £1,049 and £500 interest for their troubles. Now Mr and Mrs Vick, who have two children, plan to spend their money on another holiday and may even book their next trip through the travel company. Speaking of the flight in 2011, Mr Vick, 64, said: 'When we left the house in the morning it was misty but the weather wasn't bad. 'We could hear aircraft going overheard. When we arrived at the airport a few flights were delayed but for no more than an hour, including ours.' At 10.30am, two hours after they were due to take off, the couple, who have been married for 35 years, were no closer to arriving in Barbados. 'Eventually they said it had been diverted to Stansted and we couldn't figure out why. 'We were sitting there watching the world go by rather than being on our way to Barbados,' the retired customer services trainer added. After more than five hours, their flight took off at 1.40pm. The couple, pictured in Hawaii (left) and Bora Bora (right), have saved their entire lives to be able to travel once in retirement. They commended the travel company for being 'fair and decent' Mr and Mrs Vick (in Budapest, above) plan to spend their compensation money on another trip abroad . According to the Civil Aviation Authority, when your flight is affected by disruption, your airline must take care of you and get you to your destination. Once the disruption has been resolved, you might also be able to claim costs or compensation. If the disruption was caused by extraordinary circumstances, then you will not be entitled to compensation, as long as the airline took reasonable measures to avoid the disruption. The EU law on flight compensation uses the term ‘extraordinary circumstances’ to refer to situations where delays or cancellations have been caused by things that are not inherent in the normal exercise of the activity of the airline and outside of the airline’s control. For a full list of extraordinary circumstances which can affect flights in Europe and for which airlines should not be held accountable, visit the European Commission website here. For more information on whether or not you are eligible to make a claim against an airline visit the Civil Aviation Authority here. Upon return to the UK, the couple decided to put their case to the Civil Aviation Authority to see whether or not they could be compensated for the experience. 'It was more out of curiosity. We'd seen an article which said we could claim so we got in touch. 'The CAA said they thought that Thomas Cook couldn't use the excuse of exceptional circumstance and said we would be able to take action in county court so we did,' Mr Vick added. After weeks of going back and forth with the company's lawyers, Mr and Mrs Vick were offered a settlement on November 26 of £1,049 with around £500 interest. 'We did it more out of hope than expectation but it's brilliant. 'They've done the right thing, they are a really good company. 'We'd never have claimed if it wasn't right but we spent hours researching things to check. 'If the CAA said we didn't have a case then we wouldn't have taken it on, but we were right. It wasn't our fault.' The couple, who saved their whole lives to be able to travel when retired, now plan to spend their settlement on another trip and said they would happily travel with the firm again. 'It's not put us off flying with Thomas Cook at all, as airlines go they're not the best or the worst. 'They have been fair and decent with us. We'd definitely fly with them again. 'But we just think how many other people are entitled to the same as us?' Thomas Cook has not responded to MailOnline's request for comment. Thomas Cook did not respond to MailOnline's request for comment. The couple said they had not been put off travelling with the holiday company as they had done 'the fair and right thing' | Michael and Gillian Vick were travelling from Gatwick to Barbados in 2011 .
Couple from Sittingbourne, Kent, were delayed for more than five hours .
They contacted the Civil Aviation Authority to ask whether they had a case .
They were awarded around £1,500 by Thomas Cook three years later .
Were you on Mr and Mrs Vick's delayed flight (number TCX20K) from Gatwick to Barbados on March 21 2011? Email [email protected] . |
74,792 | d4035f2d98fe61b8b683b4f80eaceca2c0a119e3 | Louis van Gaal hit out at his Manchester United players after watching them crumble to an embarrassing 5-3 defeat to Leicester. United raced into a 3-1 lead thanks to goals from Robin van Persie, Ander Herrera and Angel di Maria, who chipped Kasper Schmeichel with a delightful goal in the 16th minute before Leonardo Ulloa banged in a header. Marcos Rojo missed a clear header from four yards and full debutant Radamel Falcao struck the bar, but Van Gaal's team then went to pieces. Louis van Gaal and Ryan Giggs appear in shock after United's capitulation against Leicester . United players celebrate Ander Herrera's goal as the visitors raced to a 3-1 lead at the King Power Stadium . Jamie Vardy and Estebian Cambiasso found the net after some terrible defending while David Nugent and Ulloa also scored penalties to seal the Foxes' first home win over the Red Devils in 29 years. After enjoying such a comprehensive win over QPR last week, Van Gaal found the defeat at the King Power Stadium hard to take. 'We start last match against QPR very good with a new team, new players and then we played very well here, but we gave the game away,' the United manager said. 'Leicester had five shots on goal, and that was it. 'These five goals were existing because we made errors in ball possession. 'We created a lot of chances and made superb goals but you have to do that over 90 minutes, not 60 minutes. It was not enough today. 'You have to kill the game and we didn't do that.' Angel di Maria scored a contender for goal of the season with United's second strike of the game . At times in the first half, United were simply irresistible. Argentinian duo Rojo and Di Maria looked dangerous down the left flank while Falcao, Van Persie and Wayne Rooney looked a devastating front three. But in defence, United's concentration and marking was easily exposed by the Premier League newcomers. Eyebrows were raised when Van Gaal decided to not to spend any of his vast budget on a centre-half this summer, and it is easy to see why after this display. Chris Smalling, who came on for the injured Jonny Evans in the first half, was easily bullied by Leicester's front three. Rafael (C) and Wayne Rooney (R) argue with referee Mark Clattenburg after he Tyler Blackett was sent off . Tyler Blackett, one of only three players to start every game for United this year, was sent off when he hacked down Vardy to hand Leicester their second penalty while Rafael was at fault for the first spot-kick when he barged over the former Fleetwood man. United lacked the energy to mount a comeback late on as Van Gaal was forced to withdraw Falcao and Di Maria through fatigue. 'I had to change Falcao, not because he was bad - he played very well - but because I have to build (his fitness) up. That is my problem,' Van Gaal said. 'Di Maria also had a problem.' Radamel Falcao was taken off on his first start for United as the Colombian striker works towards full fitness . Van Gaal refused to criticise referee Mark Clattenburg for awarding the penalty against Rafael even though the Brazilian was fouled by Vardy in the build up. 'It was only 3-2 at the time, that was not a problem,' he said. 'The problem was we did not keep ball possession.' Van Gaal, who is already without Phil Jones because of a hamstring tear, may now be without Evans for a while. The Northern Ireland centre-half left the stadium on crutches after injuring his foot in a tackle with Ulloa. Defender Jonny Evans added to United's injury list after leaving the stadium on crutches . 'I don't know how bad it is,' Van Gaal said. 'We will see tomorrow, he will probably have a scan.' Van Gaal's opposite number Nigel Pearson lauded his players after their historic win. The Leicester boss reserved special praise for Cambiasso, who starred on his first start since moving to the Midlands club on a free transfer from Inter Milan. Pearson said: 'He had a very profound influence on the game. 'It's never easy for a player with such high expectations on him to come in against a side like Manchester United and run the show. Leicester manager Nigel Pearson (R) has praised the performance of new signing Esteban Cambiasso . 'Before today he had played 45 minutes of competitive football for us. 'He brings know-how, experience and quality.' Three years ago Vardy was playing his football in the Conference, but despite his amazing journey, he is in no mood to rest on his laurels. He said: 'It's massive. Obviously, it's not been an easy journey to come here, and now we are at the top, but it's all about staying here now. 'We managed to get three points today and that moves us up the table a bit.' | Manchester United were beaten 5-3 by Leicester in Premier League clash .
Red Devils led 3-1 with goals from Robin van Persie, Ander Herrera and Angel di Maria before falling apart .
Manager Louis van Gaal slammed players for not killing off the game .
Jonny Evans left stadium on crutches to add to defensive woes .
Nigel Pearson has praised Esteban Cambiasso's performance . |
169,333 | 6719eb2fe90c6297d9a2323115f729c271a86404 | Parents have condemned a school's decision to ban all pork products from the menu and replace other meats with halal versions. Pupils aged between three and 11 at Brinsworth Manor Infant and Junior Schools in Rotherham - which Ofsted identifies as having only a small number of pupils from minority ethnic groups - will no longer be able to enjoy sausages, bacon or ham. Parents at both schools, which share a site, were told of the decision in a letter from . Rotherham Council’s principal catering officer Ron Parry, who wrote that there had . been ‘minor adjustments’ to the lunch menu. Although just 20 per cent of the school's 600 pupils are Muslim the menu changes were reportedly brought in to make the school more inclusive . Parents were told of the decision in a letter from Rotherham Council¿s principal catering officer Ron Parry, who wrote that there had been ¿minor adjustments¿ to the lunch menu . The move comes as Britain's vet John Blackwell called for Muslims and Jews to use more 'acceptable' methods of killing. And parents have branded the decision 'a scandal' as only twenty per cent of the 600 pupils are Muslim and the decision to provide halal meat was up to individual schools in the town. A mother with an 11-year-old girl at the school, who asked not to be named for fear of being branded racist, said: 'At home I pay more for organic and free range food. I am a . Christian but I don’t do it because of that, it’s more for the respect . of how animals are killed. 'The way the animals are slaughtered for halal meat is a religious killing and I don’t feel it should be in schools. 'My . daughter has been anxious about the change as she has concerns about if . it is humane killing. I believe in animal welfare rights and standards . of meat production that halal does not follow. The school governors at both schools are understood to have agreed to the menu change to ensure the meals are more inclusive . 'I . feel as strongly against eating meat that had been blessed in the name . of a god I don’t believe in and the animal killed in a way I do not . agree with, as Muslims do against eating non-halal meat. 'The . children love pork and it’s a scandal to take these meats off the menu . to please, what I consider to be, a low number of children who require . halal meat. 'The majority of . the children are now having school meals that are made for the minority. The halal children have always had the vegetarian and fish options. ' Another mum of a son at the school said she believed that halal slaughtering was cruel. She added : 'My son is a really fussy eater and pork is his favourite meat. He’ll get bored having chicken all the time.' A mother of two said parents who do not know much about halal meat had not been given enough information or time to understand it. She said : 'Normally the school is good at consulting parents but with this we have just been told what is going to happen. 'I’d want to know more about halal meat before I’d be happy for my children to eat it. I’ve been told it is not as well refrigerated. 'It would have been good to have know what Muslim parents thought and if they were unhappy with the vegetarian option on the menu.' Halal slaughter is performed by a Muslim butcher in the name of Allah in a way to avoid severing the spinal cord. Halal slaughter is performed by a Muslim butcher in the name of Allah in a way to avoid severing the spinal cord . The school governors at both schools are understood to have agreed to the menu change to ensure the meals are more inclusive. A spokesman for Rotherham Borough Council confirmed that school meals at both Brinsworth Manor schools have changed and now include halal and non-halal meat on the menu. She added that the Schools Catering Service supplies about 17,000 school meals every day to children at infant, junior, primary and secondary schools in Rotherham. She said: 'The provision of both halal and non-halal is not unusual in Rotherham's school. Currently, nine schools out of 115, select one of our menus that provide a mix of both halal and non-halal meals. 'All meat on our menus, including halal, is sourced from reputable companies, which fully comply with the quality standards of the relevant individual meat boards. 'The meals are also nutritionally balanced and cooked fresh on-site every day using locally sourced meat, fruit, vegetables and dairy products where possible. 'Our menus are designed to meet both national nutritional standards and dietary requirements so that all the children of Rotherham benefit.' An Ofsted inspection last year found Brinsworth Manor Junior School 'required improvement' having been rated 'outstanding' after the previous visit. | Sausages, ham and other pork products have been banned at Brinsworth Manor Infant and Junior Schools in Rotherham .
Just 20 per cent of the 600 pupils at the two schools are Muslim .
Governors agreed to the change to make the school more inclusive .
Rotherham Council said only serving halal meat was a 'minor adjustment'
The move comes as Britain's vets call for Muslims and Jews to use more 'acceptable' methods of killing . |
51,331 | 91531c7a41845ff0b63cb5a0da7667bc434b8f20 | (CNN) -- Manchester United came a goal behind and shrugged off the early loss of Michael Owen to injury to beat German champions Wolfsburg 2-1 for their second victory in Champions League Group B. Giggis is congratulated by teammates after scoring his 150th goal for United. Owen, looking to impress watching England manager Fabio Capello, survived for just 20 minutes at Old Trafford before going off with a groin strain. His replacement Dimitar Berbatov proved highly effective but the enterprising visitors went ahead through a Edin Dzeko header in the 56th minute. Ryan Giggs equalized just three minutes later with his 150th goal for the Red Devils, his deflected shot finding its way home. The evergreen Giggs then set up Michael Carrick for the 76th minute winner as he curled home his shot from the edge of the penalty area. United manager Alex Ferguson paid his own compliment to the Welsh wizard as he reflected on a hard-fought home victory. "He's unbelievable, all the infinitives, all the praise over the years, I don't know if you can add to it. He's a marvellous player." Ferguson also revealed that Owen would be out for between two to three weeks with his latest injury. The three points leave United top of the group with two wins from two games after their eighth victory in a row in all competitions. In the other Group B action on Wednesday, CSKA Moscow bounced back from their 2-1 defeat to Wolfsburg in the first round of matches to see off Turkish champions Besiktas 2-1. Midfielders Alan Dzagoev and Milos Krasic scored for the hosts either side of half time, with Besiktas, beaten in their first two games, pulling a goal back thorugh Ismail Koybasi. In Group A, the heavyweight clash between Bayern Munich and Juventus ended in a goalless draw. Munich had several chances in their home Allianz Arena, but failed to convert them although they do top the group with four points. French champions Bordeaux are in second place on three points after a 1-0 home win over Israeli counterparts Maccabi Haifa. Having drawn with Juventus in their group opener, Laurent Blanc's men had wait until the 83rd minute for a vital breakthrough as Michael Ciani headed home from Gregory Sertic's corner. Juventus are third in the group after two draws, with Maccabi bottom after drawing blank. | Manchester United beat VfL Wolfsburg 2-1 in Champions League Group B .
Michael Carrick scores winner after Ryan Giggs equalizes for Red Devils .
Bayern and Juventus draw 0-0 in Group A clash in Munich . |
115,946 | 21a98bde11369151c6b00dbb7a0082a7c7a8c3d0 | By . Jonathan O'Callaghan . Today we’re spoiled by the abundance of advanced cameras available, whether it’s just a smartphone’s lens or a professional SLR. But these pictures of New York taken with a Game Boy Camera by photographer David Friedman are oddly alluring, despite paling in comparison to modern technology. Taken in 2000, the photos reveal various locations around New York in ‘stunning low definition’. Photographer David Friedman has revealed his amazing photos of New York life taken back in 2000 using a Game Boy Camera, a primitive accessory for Nintendo's Game Boy that once held the Guinness World Record for the world's smallest camera. Here we see a park bench as a street stretches into the distance . Nintendo’s Game Boy, released in 1989, pioneered the age of modern portable gaming – together with its successor the Game Boy Colour, it sold 118.69 million units worldwide. A little-known accessory released in 1998, though, was the Game Boy Camera. This tiny device, capable of taking black and white photos at a resolution of 256x224, attached into the Game Boy and in 1999 held the Guinness World Record for the world’s smallest digital camera. By modern standards the camera is incredibly primitive, but in 2000 it was a novelty to have such a small device capable of taking photos. And so, as Friedman explains on his website, he took to the streets of New York to give it a shot. Originally he had planned to work on a project adding colour to Game Boy photos, but first he decided to give the accessory a whirl on the streets. Here's two differing views of the Prometheus statue and fountain at the Rockefeller Center main entrance in New York. One is taken through the eyes of Friedman's Game Boy Camera in 2000, while the other is a photo taken on 15 June 2012 with a somewhat more advanced device. We'll let you decide which is which . Look appealing? Here Friedman snaps a classic shot of a slice of New York pizza . Surely anticipating the rise of the selfie, Friedman is seen here snapping a picture of himself with the camera . ‘When I first got the camera, I took a walk through midtown taking pictures,’ he writes. He had forgotten about the photos until recently when he decided to share them. ‘I was doing some general Lightroom file maintenance and was looking at some of my oldest digital images, and there they were," he told Business Insider. ‘These aren't actually my oldest digital photos, but they're close.’ Nintendo's Game Boy (left) was released in 1989 and went on to become a worldwide phenomenon in portable gaming, spawning many successors and imitators. The Game Boy Camera (right), meanwhile, was a little-known accessory launched in 1998 that was once the world's smallest digital camera . Guessing game: On one side, the New York Public Library as seen in the year 2000 through the eyes of a Game Boy. On the other, a more recent colour picture taken with a modern digital camera . Here is seen a Giacometti statue, one made by Swiss sculptor Alberto Giacometti, at the New York Museum of Modern Art . To make them easier to see, they are scaled up by 200%, as originally they were intended only to be viewed on the much smaller Game Boy screen. The photos highlight some iconic locations in New York, and also provide some glimpses of life in the city. In one photo we see the entrance to the Rockefeller Plaza in all its grainy glory; in another just a simple slice of pizza is given the Game Boy treatment. And Friedman even anticipate the rise of the selfie by snapping a picture of himself, all those 14 years ago. Two people on the New York subway are seen through the eyes of the tiny lens on the Game Boy Camera here . No, these aren't real taxis - here Friedman spied a number of toy taxis on the streets of New York and decided to snap a picture . Now you see it: Here a subway speeds past as Friedman grabs a quick snap with the Game Boy Camera . | New York photographer David Friedman has unearthed some old photos .
But these low resolution pictures were taken with a Game Boy Camera .
The photos, which highlight aspects of city life, were taken back in 2000 .
The grainy images have a resolution of 256x224 but are scaled up here .
In 1999 the Game Boy Camera was the world's smallest digital camera . |
273,520 | ee5131ca0e70cdc978c392a693cdc432737f5740 | (CNN) -- More than 2 million U.S. troops have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan since October 2001, and it has been estimated that one in five of those veterans are likely to be afflicted by post-traumatic stress disorder or major depression. Mary Cortani is working to help some of them enjoy life again. Through her nonprofit, Operation Freedom Paws, Cortani helps veterans train their own service dogs in northern California. She often helps match veterans with dogs from shelters or rescue groups. CNN asked Cortani for her thoughts on being chosen as one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2012. CNN: What do you hope this recognition will mean to Operation Freedom Paws? Mary Cortani: Since June, I have received emails and phone calls from all over the country asking for information on how to get service dogs for veterans. Some requests are coming from the veterans themselves, but most are coming from family members watching their loved ones struggle with PTSD, traumatic brain injuries and mobility issues. It's heartbreaking to learn about what these veterans and their families are going through, and even harder to hear their stories and know Operation Freedom Paws could help more of them if we had additional resources. I am hoping that with the recognition, we will (be able) to build the OFP Education Center and hire our mentor trainers, who are veterans that have completed or are completing the program. (We want to) put them and other veterans to work training others and expand into a national organization to help even more. But even more important, I hope it helps bring awareness to the issues that our veterans -- male and female -- face coming home injured. I hope it helps (our group) enlighten the public and government that service dogs can be a viable tool for assisting veterans, especially those suffering from PTSD and sexual trauma. The canine-human bond is an amazing gift that can make a difference for an individual to begin to feel and create their own new normal. How can we not support it? If we change just one life and make it better, why won't we? CNN: What was the reaction when you found out you were a top 10 CNN Hero? Cortani: This is an amazing journey. My life was already blessed, and this is icing on the cake. What an amazing group of people to be included with. I still cannot believe it is happening, and (I) have to pinch myself to know I'm not dreaming. This is not about me; it is about the veterans and the sacrifices that they and their families have made. This honor is for them. The veterans and clients that we work with every day are my heroes. The courage that they show every moment, just getting through the simple tasks or things that we take for granted, is my inspiration to keep moving forward and help even more. They do not even realize the strength they give me every day. Who should be the CNN Hero of the Year? Cast your vote now! CNN: How will you use the $50,000 award you receive for being selected as a top 10 CNN Hero? Cortani: I intend to continue using whatever funding and positive publicity comes our way to increase public awareness about veterans' invisible wounds and expand our service dog training programs. There are animals in shelters that will make outstanding service dogs, and there are veterans in desperate need of them. We just need to make the connections to start them on their path together toward a new normal. We will work toward building our new facility and helping more veterans and hiring veterans. CNN: What do you want people to know most about your work? Cortani: Conventional treatment is only part of the solution; we need to think outside the box and look at other treatments and tools that can help improve the quality of life for our veterans and others with disabilities. A dog that is highly trained to do specific tasks for an individual is one of those tools. The veterans still need the medical (treatment), but medical cannot address the spirit-soul. Therapy isn't there 24/7 -- a dog is. Combine what works, and maybe we can improve their quality of life. Service dogs work. Just ask any veteran who used to isolate (himself), get in fights, lost his family, had no hope for the future, thought about suicide -- they will tell you. We can make a difference, and we owe them a chance to enjoy life again. ... Being a veteran myself, I understand loss of purpose, the mission. Training their own service dog gives them that and more. It gives them a shot at a quality life again. Read the full story on CNN Hero Mary Cortani: . Man's best friend helping war veterans heal . More Q&As from top 10 Heroes: . 'A ray of hope' where girls didn't count . A voice for America's caregiving kids . After losing daughter, dad vows to change culture . Seeking justice for Haiti's rape victims . $50K to help 'Kliptown kids' rise up . Changing reality for impoverished teen moms . | Mary Cortani was named one of the top 10 CNN Heroes of 2012 .
Her group helps war veterans train their own service dogs in northern California .
These veterans are dealing with invisible wounds such as PTSD and depression .
Who should be the CNN Hero of the Year? Cast your vote now! |
88,462 | fb12a2d0b324a3400a8fc6733b5f93eefa007372 | Guns don't make a nation safer. That's the conclusion of a study that found a strong correlation between gun ownership rates and the risk of death by firearms in more than a dozen developed countries. The United States and Japan were on opposite extremes of the scale of gun ownership, with 88.8 guns per 100 Americans and 0.6 guns per 100 Japanese. They were also on opposite extremes for firearm-related deaths -- 10.2 deaths per 100,000 people in the United States versus 0.06 per 100,000 in Japan. Britain's death rate was also low, at 0.25 per 100,000. "This argues against the notion of more guns translating into less crime," said Dr. Sripal Bangalore, a cardiologist and director of the cardiovascular outcomes group at New York University School of Medicine, the lead author of the study. The study was based on data from the World Health Organization. The sole outlier was South Africa, which had 12.7 guns per 100 residents but nearly the same firearm fatality rate -- 9.41 per 100,000 residents -- as seen in the United States. The other countries were Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and Turkey. The study, published in the current issue of The American Journal of Medicine, also correlated the incidence of mental illness with crime rates in each of the countries and found a weaker, but still significant, association. (Crime rate data were obtained from the U.N. Surveys of Crime Trends and Operations of Criminal Justice Systems.) "The gun ownership rate was a strong and independent predictor of firearm-related death, whereas the predictive power of mental illness burden was of borderline significance," the investigators concluded. "Regardless of exact cause and effect, the current study debunks the widely quoted hypothesis that guns make a nation safer." Bangalore noted that his study looked only at correlations. But a sharp reduction in gun deaths in Australia after its gun ownership laws were tightened proved a cause-and-effect relationship there, he said. "I think it's reasonable to expand it to the United States," he added. Still, Bangalore said he would not go so far as to recommend changes, based on his work, in gun ownership laws. "We prefer not to go too political into this, but the evidence shows guns don't make the nation safer, and mental illness is also a contributing factor," he said in a telephone interview. "So something needs to be done. It is up to legislators and people who make policies to decide what that should be." Shootings in Aurora, Colorado; Tucson, Arizona; Oak Creek, Wisconsin; and at Virginia Tech spurred them to look for a relationship between mental illness and access to guns. The National Rifle Association did not immediately respond to a request for reaction. | The United States and Japan are on opposite extremes of gun ownership rates .
They're also on opposite extremes for firearm-related deaths .
South Africa was the sole outlier in the 27-nation study . |
142,555 | 445dd26459ea1597478441c6212f35cca9583be5 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 8:56 AM on 30th June 2011 . The Governor of the Bank of England Sir Mervyn King has suggested that interest rates would not rise until it was certain the economy was growing and there had been a drop in unemployment. He was giving evidence to MPs at the Treasury Select Committee along with other members of the bank. Sir Mervyn also indicated yesterday that a large cash injection directly into the economy to boost asset prices and spending was possible. Reprieved: Mervyn King, the Governor of the Bank of England, told MPs yesterday he was against a rise in interest rates . He said: 'We expect to see relatively weak consumer spending. The fall in house prices has come back a bit, activity is very weak. 'But the number of repossessions is way down from what we saw in the early 1990s. 'The reason we would raise interest rates would be in the context of a much stronger economy, with unemployment falling rather than rising. 'It should also be the case that the interest rates that borrowers face should not rise as fast as the rise in Bank rate.' Divided: Paul Tucker, Deputy Governor of the Bank of England, raised concerns over freezing interest rates again . Minutes from a meeting of the Bank of England's Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) earlier this month revealed conflict between members over what plan of action would be best for the struggling economy. Paul Tucker, the Bank's deputy governor, revealed he is close to voting for a rate rise. Mr Tucker, who has been tipped to . succeed Mr King in the top job in 2013, said: 'I'm one of those that is worried . about an upward drift in inflation expectations. 'The longer that inflation remains so . high, and we say it's due to another one-off factor, the more the . people of this country think we use this ''one-off factor'' in a . completely different way.' Mr Tucker, who has voted for unchanged . rates so far, said he was concerned slow growth was eroding supply . capacity, and with it Britain's ability to grow strongly in the future. Interest rates have been at a record low of 0.5 percent since March 2009, and earlier this year economists had expected a rise. Any prospect of that now looks likely to be left until next year. The development comes as official data showed the biggest fall in households' disposable income in more than 30 years. Gloomy predictions: Senior staff at the Bank of England think the economy will now take longer to recover . They showed savings shrank in the first three months of the year as families struggled to keep up with rising prices. Stagnant wages meant the savings ratio - the money they have left to tuck away after paying bills - fell from 5.1 per cent to 4.6 per cent over the three months to March. At the same time, households - while paying more - are actually buying fewer goods and services. Economy watch: GDP or gross domestic product fell 4.6 per cent in the 1980s recession, by 2.5 per cent in the 1990s . recession and by 6.4 per cent in the so-called Great Recession of 2009 . The amount bought . in those months fell by 0.6 per cent - the largest decline since the . depths of the recession in the spring of 2009, according to the Office . of National Statistics. The ONS revealed the volume of products and services bought has taken its biggest fall since the depths of the Great Recession but the amount spent has risen. House prices saw a further fall during May after all but the top end of the market experienced weaker activity, the Land Registry said. The average cost of a home in England and Wales dropped by 0.4 per cent in May, to bring the average cost down to £161,823 - 2.2 per cent lower than a year ago - according to the latest industry data. Housing activity also slowed sharply, with the number of transactions dropping by 13 per cent to 44,803 in March, the latest figures available, from 51,399 at the same time last year. The May decline was the seventh month out of the past nine that prices have fallen, with the average price now down by 3 per cent from its peak in August. London is the one place bucking the trend, with prices rising by 2.9 per cent over the past 12 months, though over the month the East Midlands also saw prices pick up slightly. The number of properties being sold worth over £1million also surged by 58 per cent from 511 to 805, highlighting the strength of the high end market, a lot of which is based in London. The weakest areas were in the North East, which saw an annual fall of 6.9 per cent, and Wales, where prices fell 3.5 per cent in May alone. Howard Archer, chief economist at IHS Global Insight, said the main support for house prices will come from the fact that interest rates are likely to ‘remain very low for some considerable time to come’. He added: ‘In fact, it is looking ever more likely that the Bank of England will hold off from raising interest rates until 2012.’ The ONS said the rise was 'driven by price increases, rather than the purchase of more goods and services . by households' with prices up 1.9 per cent in the first three months of the year. The amount of goods and services bought . in those months fell by 0.6 per cent - the largest decline since the . depths of the recession in the spring of 2009. The comparison on a year ago was more . pronounced with volumes bought falling by 0.5 per cent but household . spending up 5.2 per cent due to rising prices. It was also confirmed that economic growth is sluggish - meaning there is little hope of wages being increased. As a whole the economy grew by 0.5 per cent in those months. But this follows a 0.5 per cent fall in the final quarter of 2010. In response to the gloomy news, Sterling fell against the dollar and the euro in response. Analysts also . pushed back their forecasts for rises in the UK bank rate. Howard Archer, an economist at IHS Global Insight, lowered his . prediction for the end of 2012 from 2 per cent to 1.5 per cent for the base rate. 'The . drop in domestic demand was still appreciable and there was still . marked, worrying declines in consumer spending and business investment,' he added. Among the bad news revealed today was: . However, there was some encouraging news. Trade made the biggest contribution to first quarter GDP growth since 1977 and the economy saw the biggest rise in services output since early 2007. Exports continued to aid Britain's economic recovery, up to an all-time high of £74.6billion, but they are . still heavily outweighed by imports. The most recent figures for the current account deficit - the . difference between imports and exports - were also published today and show a narrowing to £9.354 billion from . £12.956 billion in the fourth quarter of 2010. This was the smallest . deficit since late 2009 but was still double what economists had . forecast. The all-powerful ratings agencies were focused on today's data release. Fitch responded by reducing its estimate for growth in the UK economy in . 2011 to 1.4 per cent from 1.6 per cent. It maintained its estimate for . 2012 at 1.7 per cent. It said the decline in consumption and investment served as a . reminder of how anaemic the recovery is with growth still held back by . households and banks trying to pay down debts or improve their financial . safety nets. | Rate rise would need a 'stronger' economy, says Bank of England chief .
Disagreements at bank on how to bolster the economy .
The first drop in industrial production since autumn 2009; .
Biggest fall in construction since early 2009; .
Lowest household saving ratio since the spring of 2010. |
132,392 | 3732e7115dc2742ac4ed149286982a681f95886f | Bryan Smith, 58, pleaded guilty to five offences of unlawfully engaging in consumer credit business, one of money laundering and one of acquiring or using criminal property, namely the proceeds of unlicensed money lending . A loan shark who lent £300,000 at interest rates of up to 255 per cent has walked free from court. Bryan Smith, 58, claimed his customers’ normal repayments, which he charged at around 60 per cent, were far cheaper than those demanded by pay-day loan firms. However, one woman who borrowed £300 had to repay £850 – an APR of 255 per cent. Smith, who began lending when he worked as a TV installer, did not have a consumer credit licence – a legal requirement. He made small loans so clients could buy white goods and other household appliances, Gloucester Crown Court heard. When police and trading standards officers went to his home in April they found almost £24,000 in cash, three diaries and several hundred handwritten A4 sheets of paper detailing the loans. Analysis of his bank account showed his only income appeared to be pension credits of £375 a month. But he was paying his mortgage in cash and rarely withdrew money, said prosecutor Simon Mortimer. ‘He lived his life in the cash economy,’ said Mr Mortimer. Smith was licensed when he began money lending in 2008. However, he did not renew his licence when it expired in 2011 – but continued to lend, going on to agree loans worth £304,330. Customers had no paperwork, making it hard for them to keep track of their debt – and easy for that debt to get out of control. Jeremy Barton, defending, said Smith had a heart condition and simply did not get around to renewing his licence. Mr Barton said a market-leading pay-day firm offered an annual percentage rate of 2,000 per cent, adding: ‘Another has an APR of 5,000 per cent. My client’s charges were less than what is being asked for by regulated, respectable businesses. ‘He is not a well man. He is remorseful and wishes he had given his attention to regularising his business. Smith was sentenced at Gloucester Crown Court (pictured) to 14 months in jail, suspended for two years, and ordered to do 250 hours unpaid work . ‘He loaned money to people in need of it.’ Smith, of Cheltenham, admitted five offences of unlawfully engaging in consumer credit business, one of money laundering and one of acquiring or using criminal property. Jailing him for 14 months, suspended for two years, and ordering him to do 250 hours of unpaid work, Judge William Hart said his rates were exorbitant, but not as high as well-known high street money lenders. | Bryan Smith, 58, loaned more than £300,000 to his customers .
Police found £24,000 cash and details of over 1,000 loans at his home .
He pleaded guilty to unlicensed money lending at Gloucester Crown Court .
But Judge Hart said rates 'did not bear comparison' with licensed lenders .
Smith was given a suspended 14 months jail term and 250 hours unpaid work . |
108,547 | 17f6697b148e5205e71d01a0f52d1a8f21f7a18a | By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 14:10 EST, 17 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:33 EST, 17 October 2013 . Health inspectors discovered 11 rats on an airliner after it arrived in China from Hong Kong, underneath a business class seat. The find, at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport in Fujian Province on September 30, is believed to be the largest number of rats ever discovered aboard an airliner. Video shows inspectors wearing protective suits and masks boarding the plane and searching through overhead lockers and behind seats. Scroll down for video . A health inspector holds up a mother rat discovered aboard an airliner in China . Nine of the 10 rat pups which were discovered in a nest underneath a business class seat . They then discovered a rat nest underneath one of the seats in the business class section containing what they described as 10 'suckling rat pups'. The mother rat was caught the following day. The aircraft's cabin was immediately closed while the airport launched a public health emergency plan. Luckily tests showed no viruses had been left behind by the animals. The plane was later given the all-clear after confirming its wiring was intact. The rats' nest was found underneath a business class seat on the flight from Hong Kong . The aircraft's cabin was immediately closed while the airport launched a public health emergency plan . Record: It is believed to be the largest number of rats ever discovered aboard a commercial flight . | Animals discovered by inspectors at Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport .
Nest found underneath a business class seat on a flight from Hong Kong .
Believed to be the largest number of rats discovered on a commercial flight .
Tests showed no viruses had been left behind by the animals . |
136,584 | 3caea7cdeaf50fbfc00397e296c01f6678a7bcb5 | (CNN) -- Singapore's first public housing blocks built to be environmentally sustainable have become the testing ground for future projects. From afar, the high-rises of Punggol Eco-Town look unremarkable, but they are the first large-scale experiment to make public housing eco-friendly in Singapore, a tropical city-state that is hot year-round. Over 80% of Singapore's residents live in public housing, called HDBs, after the government agency that builds them. "What we have done is that we put in various eco friendly features that helps in terms of capitalizing on the wind, enhancing greenery, reducing energy consumption, water usage, how to promote waste recycling, et cetera, all in one development," said Ng Bingrong, the project director, Treelodge@Punggol. The eco-friendly methods range from commonplace and practical to highly innovative. Plant-covered roofs naturally lower the buildings' temperature, and the towers' orientation, facing away from the sun, helps too. Painting the buildings white helps keep them cool and bring in sunlight. But white walls also look dirty more quickly, so the government is testing self-cleaning paint, which breaks down grime as it is triggered by sun exposure. Alan Tan, the director of HDB's Environment Sustainability Research team says the project's variety of experiments will have wider implications for future housing in Singapore. "Punggol Eco-Town is in fact a living laboratory for us," said Tan. "This is where we test bed a lot of urban solutions for us to identify which of those are workable and for us to adopt, for us to introduce more to our public housing," Inside the apartments, tap water that goes down the drain is used to flush toilets. Solar energy powers elevators, lighting and water pumps. And various indicators placed around the buildings, like the ones found in the elevators that show the amount of solar energy being outputted, provide constant reminders to the residents of the different lifestyle they are living. But being eco-friendly comes at a higher price -- the sustainable buildings cost 7% more to build than traditional apartments. The cost concerns have also sparked fiscal innovation, pushing the government to think of ways to make the eco-friendly features less expensive. One solution has been to lease, instead of buy, the building's solar panels from private companies. "It's very difficult for the government to continuously provide the funding. So what we have done is that we will try to partner with the private industry," said Ng. Under the scheme, the government subsidizes start-up costs, while the solar energy companies install the panels, maintain them and sell back the energy to the power providers to recoup their costs. | Punggol Eco-Town is Singapore's first large-scale experiment to make public housing eco-friendly .
The sustainable features range from practical to highly innovative .
The government is leasing solar panels in a partner scheme with private manufacturers .
It is hoped the project's variety of experiments will have wider implications . |
212,159 | 9eb8b7cd55e5462e1f793c6187a3a40793010fb0 | A pretty girl wanders off from an anniversary party and heads to the beach for a late-night swim. Shortly afterwards, the girl is found dead — apparently murdered. So begins a new TV mini-series, Ascension, which starts on British television tonight. The plot is not, however, quite as formulaic as it sounds. The party and even the beach, it soon emerges, are on board a vast spaceship. As for the milestone being celebrated, it is the 51st anniversary of the original 600-man U.S. crew blasting off from Earth in a rocket powered by nuclear bombs. They are halfway through a 100-year journey to colonise a planet so secret its existence was kept hidden from the public. Scroll down for video . A U.S. defence project, codenamed Orion, planned to send a rocket (pictured in illustration) the size of an ocean liner to other planets . The founders of Project Orion originally envisaged sending a 50-strong crew to Mars (pictured)... or farther . Project Orion was given the green light after Sputnik I (pictured) was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957 . This may all sound like a variation on Star Trek, if it weren't for the astonishing fact that Ascension is based on a real U.S. defence project, codenamed Orion, the details of which are so sensitive that many remain classified even now more than half a century later. In what must be one of the most incredible chapters of the space race, American, British and European scientists drew up plans in the late Fifties and Sixties for the U.S. Defence Department to send a rocket the size of an ocean liner to other planets. It would get there by exploding thousands of small atomic bombs. Project Orion might now sound like the stuff of Dan Dare — only infinitely more dangerous — but it was based on solid technical research and attracted some of the finest scientists of their generation, headed by a British physics and mathematics genius named Freeman Dyson. Back in 1957, when the Soviets launched the first satellite, Sputnik 1, into space, the U.S. was plunged into panic. President Dwight Eisenhower was ready to say yes to just about any proposal that might give the Americans a lead in the space race. Project Orion was certainly the boldest. The plan originated from General Atomics, a cutting-edge technology company and defence contractor near San Diego, California. The idea of using atomic explosions to provide a rocket with thrust had been put forward a decade earlier by one of the architects of America’s atom bomb project. The founders of Project Orion argued that it could propel the U.S. far ahead of the Russians. The original plan envisaged sending a 50-strong crew as far as Mars, but to get the multi-million-dollar government backing required, the project needed a scientist of international fame. They approached Dyson. A maths prodigy who would calculate the number of atoms in the Sun when he was four, Dyson was later involved in strategic planning for the RAF’s wartime bombing of Germany. He’d been given a job for life at Princeton University when he was asked to join Orion. The Belt Stars of Orion. The ultra-secret project was named after the highly-visible, recognisable constellation . Former US President Dwight Eisenhower (left) said yes to the original Orion proposal while his successor, President John F Kennedy (right), was 'reportedly appalled by the thought of a new space weapons race' when he was presented with blueprints for a floating military fortress inspired by the atomic bomb-driven rocket . French nuclear testing in the South Pacific. The scientists behind Orion envisioned propelling it through space by exploding thousands of small atomic bombs . Diagram describing the three-stage rocket which lifted Sputnik into orbit. The launch of the satellite is what prompted the Orion Project to begin . 1. Sputnik 2. Ejector mechanism 3. Battery . 4. Helium fuel compression 5. Fuel tank . 6. Oxidizer tank 7. Second stage engine . 8. Battery; 9. Fuel tank 10. Oxidizer tank . 11. Turbopumps 12. First stage engine . Illustration appeared in The Soviet Weekly and was obtained by the United Nations in 1957 . Dyson needed little persuasion: since childhood he had dreamed of travelling into space. He did a few calculations before announcing that, yes, he thought it could be done, and he and Ted Taylor, Orion’s project leader, recruited a 50-strong team of scientists. Many of them had worked on developing the bombs that had devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Like Dyson, they were driven by a high-minded hope that nuclear bombs could now be harnessed for good rather than destruction. What was special on paper about the Orion concept was that it not only provided a rocket with enormous thrust, but also the fuel was very efficient. Conventionally powered rockets wasted so much fuel just to get into orbit, and travelled so slowly, relatively speaking, that they couldn’t get anywhere useful in space in their crews’ lifetime — even if they had room for the necessary fuel. Its disciples argued that nuclear pulse propulsion, as it was called, was the only known technology that provided the thrust and speed to get to other planets and back in a matter of years. Even in those days of starry-eyed enthusiasm for atomic energy’s potential, the scientists knew they had to overcome a forbidding array of technical challenges. The spaceship would be propelled by a series of explosions from highly directed nuclear bombs dropped out of the back of the bullet-shaped rocket, each instantly generating temperatures many times hotter than the Sun. Wouldn’t the explosions simply vaporise the rocket? Apparently not. Tests with high-explosive fuel showed it could propel a scaled-down rocket up into the sky without destroying it. Obviously, an atomic bomb would create a far more powerful explosion than TNT. The bombs would drop out of the rocket in their thousands, one after the other, exploding some 20 metres behind it. One of Dyson’s most taxing problems was getting a level of acceleration that would be tolerable for humans. Consequently, the Orion would be protected by a 1,000-ton and immensely thick steel ‘pusher plate’, bolstered by shock absorbers, that would absorb the brunt of the explosion while propelling the rocket forwards. The scientists calculated it would take nearly 1,000 nuclear explosions to get into space, and thousands more bombs to accelerate it to its cruising speed of 50,000 mph. Simply lining up and ejecting the bombs correctly would be tricky. Looking for inspiration, the Orion teams consulted the Coca-Cola company for insights on its Coke bottle production lines. As for the rocket’s living quarters, the enormous power of its fuel source meant the spaceship could be as big and heavy as its designers liked. Various Orions were envisaged, their size depending on the length of their intended journey. The original design was one weighing 4,000 tons and as tall as a ten-storey building. However, a ‘Super Orion’ that might get even further than Saturn had a diameter of 400 metres and weighed eight million tons. It had enough room for thousands of passengers. Even on the smaller spaceships, the interior and fittings would include reading rooms, kitchens and lounger chairs for the astronauts to relax in comfort. Everything would be built from steel, and drawings show the interior looking more like a rather spacious submarine than a conventional cramped rocket. Even then, there were concerns about radiation, although Orion’s leaders claimed that fallout could be reduced to nothing if advanced nuclear fusion technology was used (where two or more atoms are fused into a larger one) rather than the conventional fission (when one atom is split). The intention was to launch at least the smaller Orion rockets from huge barges far out at sea. Today, surviving Orion scientists still go misty-eyed as they describe what a launch would have looked like — the mother of all firework displays as the huge rocket soared into the sky thanks to a series of progressively bigger explosions. The International Space Station in 2009. Unlike the Orion rocket, the ISS actually made it into orbit . An area of the southern Milky Way containing Eta Carinae, Crux and Alpha and Beta Centaurus. British physics and mathematics genius Freeman Dyson dreamed up a nuclear-powered spaceship that he believed could travel 4.37 light years away and reach Alpha Centauri . But where was it going to go? ‘Mars by 1965, and Saturn by 1970 was the slogan we went by,’ said Dyson, now 91 and living in the U.S. The team envisaged a four-year return trip to one of Saturn’s colonisable moons, where the itinerary would include time to explore the surface, try to grow some crops and then return to Earth. Dyson later unveiled two concepts for an even vaster nuclear-powered spaceship that he believed could reach Alpha Centauri, 4.37 light years away and the nearest star system to the Sun. This image sequence shows the explosion of the first atomic bomb during the Trinity test in New Mexico in 1945. Atomic bombs would have propelled Orion if the project had ever gotten off the ground . Dyson’s rocket would take as little as 133 years to get there, but would cost $3.67 trillion — or America’s annual gross national product in the late Sixties. The premise of TV’s Ascension is that the interstellar expedition is never revealed to the public. In reality, we can be fairly certain Orion never happened. It was, to some extent, a victim of its own success. Orion’s Pentagon paymasters realised its enormous military implications. The generals ordered plans for a floating fortress rather like the Death Star in Star Wars, bristling with nuclear weapons and orbiting above Russia. The blueprints were presented to President Kennedy, who was reportedly appalled by the thought of a new space weapons race. The last straw was the 1963 treaty signed by the U.S., the UK and the Soviet Union, which banned all but underground nuclear tests. By then, even Freeman Dyson was getting cold feet, after calculating that as many as ten people would die from the atomic fallout every time a rocket was launched. # . The project was quietly killed off at the beginning of 1965. Dyson still looks back fondly on what he insists would have been a major leap forward for human technology. ‘We were a bunch of crazies in a way,’ he said of the Orion team. ‘And it was an unusual time, when crazy people were given a chance to do their stuff.’ ASCENSION, a three-part mini series, starts on Sky 1 at 9pm tonight. | Sky's Ascension TV series is based on a U.S. defence project called Orion .
Project began after Sputnik I was launched by the Soviet Union in 1957 .
Scientists, including British physicist Freeman Dyson, planned to propel a giant rocket through space by exploding thousands of mini atomic bombs .
The project was quietly killed off at the beginning of 1965 . |
49,405 | 8b8ef00dc4378d18f501b22b9cbaec8aae0ee6e1 | More than 1,000 Swedish shoppers have signed up to make payments with a simple swipe of their hand, using new technology that 'reads' the patterns of their veins. The developers hope hand scanning will become an alternative payment method if it is a success during trials in the city of Lund in southern Sweden. The vein-scanning terminals have been installed in 15 shops and restaurants after an engineering student at the local university came up with the technology two years ago while waiting in line to pay. Scroll down for video . Handy idea! Developers hope hand scanning will become an alternative payment method for people if it is a success during trials in the city of Lund in southern Sweden (pictured) Some 1,600 people have signed up already for the system which its inventor insists is safer than credit cards. The social network is rumoured to be seeking regulatory approval to offer financial services - including electronic money and remittances - which would allow foreign workers to easily transfer money back to their families. If the social network does become an e-money institution, people in Europe could use the social network as a bank account of kind - to store virtual money. The services could offer remittances, which would let foreign workers securely transfer money to their home country. If Facebook offers the service to developing markets in the future, it could hook in millions of new users and make plenty of extra money in advertising. The service could prove attractive in areas where accessing and saving money securely is not as simple as nipping to a local bank. 'Every individual's vein pattern is completely unique, so there really is no way of committing fraud with this system,' said researcher Fredrik Leifland. 'You always need your hand scanned for a payment to go through.' While vein scanning technology existed previously, it has not been used as a form of payment before. 'We had to connect all the players ourselves, which was quite complex - the vein scanning terminals, the banks, the stores and the customers,' Mr Leifland added. Unique: While vein scanning technology existed previously, it has not been used as a form of payment before. Some 1,600 people have signed up already for the system which its inventor insists is safer than credit cards . The plan is to patent the system and expand it around the globe. To sign up, users have to visit a shop or restaurant with a terminal, where they scan their palm three times and enter their social security and telephone numbers. A text message is then sent to their mobile phone with an activation link to a website, with payments taken directly from customer's bank accounts twice a month. More than 1,000 shoppers have signed up to make payments with a swipe of their hand. Every person's vein pattern is unique, so there really is no way of committing fraud with this system, the maker claims . | More than 1,000 Swedish shoppers have signed up to make the payments .
Every person's vein pattern is completely unique, so there really is no way of committing fraud with this system, the maker claims .
The plan is to patent the system and expand it around the globe . |
263,967 | e1e15f277b4fb5e4f65c03ab00db828927722ded | LONDON, England (CNN) -- If Manchester United and Liverpool fans are expecting the arrival of superstar players ahead of the new season then they had better think again, as the cost of refinancing debt could significantly curb the club's spending power according to industry experts. Liverpool co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks took over the club in February 2007 . Financial prudence will be the watchword for the majority of the English Premier League in the transfer market as clubs look to consolidate their financial position in a move that could see a shift of power in Europe to Spain's La Liga. United have received $130 million for the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, but the Glazer family owners will not sanction anywhere near that amount for new players according to Professor Rogan Taylor at the University of Liverpool's Football Industry Group. The Americans' takeover of the Red Devils placed the club in $1,100m of debt, according to the holding companies' accounts of 2009; a situation that requires careful management. "The refinancing at Manchester United is structured in a very complex way but ultimately the economic difficulties now mean that there will be a reduction in Alex Ferguson's transfer budget," he told CNN. "Although some of the funds from the Ronaldo transfer will go back into the club's coffers there will be a tightening of the purse strings which will seriously impact on United's capacity to go after the top players. "Certainly, Ferguson would have wanted a top-class replacement for Ronaldo but with the need to keep the debt in order and -- being unable to compete with Real Madrid and Manchester City -- the funds available and the pool of players from which they can sign is a lot smaller." Liverpool's situation is even more acute as American co-owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks, through their company Kop Holdings, struggle to secure the finances to fund the club's proposed new stadium. A deal to refinance their $570m Royal Bank of Scotland loan appears to have been secured, but the long-term sustainability of the idea used to purchase Liverpool is serious under question. Will Liverpool and Manchester United splash the cash in the transfer market despite the financial problems? Who would you like to see them sign? Let us know your comments in the 'Sound off' box below. Professor Taylor added: "The whole model on which Hicks and Gillett bought Liverpool is flawed and Rafael Benitez may have to sell Javier Mascherano or Xabi Alonso before he can go out and spend during the close season. "Even then there is no certainty he will get the whole amount from the sale of either of those players back in the transfer kitty so it promises to be a difficult period for Liverpool as obviously expectation has been raised following last season's second-place finish. "The need to refinance the debt remains key to the American owners remaining in control of the club so that will be their priority -- at the expense of matters on the pitch." Jon Keen deputy chairman of the Football Supporters Federation, and an expert in the field of club governance and ownership, admitted the situation at both clubs will stir up further resentment among fans towards their owners. "The current refinancing situation in the top-flight is like a financial house cards which could come crashing down at any time," he told CNN. "We have already seen a situation unravel with the banking system which has angered a lot of people and something similar could well happen with football in the near future. "Ultimately fans want to see money raised from sales of players either put back into the transfer pot or levied against their own costs of attending matches, not simply servicing huge amounts of debt as is the case with Manchester United and Liverpool at the moment. "There needs to be a reality check about the way these clubs are operating. Certainly, I think the current economic climate will drastically reduce the spending power of clubs in the Premier League with the exception perhaps of Manchester City." Of course, this contrasts with Spain's Real Madrid who have recently splashed almost $300m on Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema -- and are not finished yet if president Florentino Perez is to be believed. The construction magnate and his powerful board are able to wield influence with banks and allow Real to secure credit on favorable terms which, combined with a lucrative domestic television rights deal, puts them in a stronger financial position. Ultimately this appears to have precipitated a shift away from the English Premier League to La Liga for the world's best players as Spain becomes the preferred destination of choice. Whether Real can convert this into a challenge to the recent English domination of the UEFA Champions League on the pitch remains to be seen. | Refinancing has left Manchester United and Liverpool short of transfer funds .
An new era of Premier League prudence reigns according to finance experts .
Real Madrid have spent $300 million on Ronaldo, Kaka and Benezma .
Spanish clubs present serious challenge to English domination in Europe . |
25,771 | 49058965f6fd5fccffcd8718b3c3ab52a7e301f9 | David Cameron has told EU chief Jose Manuel Barroso that the British people want migration from Europe ‘fixed’ – and he promised detailed proposals by Christmas on how he will do it. The Prime Minister hit back at Mr Barroso, who declared on a visit to London that curbs on migrants from the Continent would be ‘illegal’ and Britain would be left with not even ‘marginal influence’ in the world if it left the EU. Mr Cameron said British voters – not the head of the European Commission – were ‘the boss’, insisting reform of the right to free movement would be central to demands for a looser relationship with Brussels if he wins the next election. Scroll down for video . Strong words: David Cameron hit back at Jose Manuel Barroso (left), saying the voters were his 'boss' Senior Tories believe he will wait until after the Rochester by-election at the end of next month to set out his plans. The Daily Mail revealed last month that Cabinet ministers are examining the idea of an ‘emergency brake’ which could be applied to limit numbers if migration exceeded forecasts. Yesterday there were claims ministers also want to draw on current practice in Croatia, the latest country to join the EU. British workers wanting to live and work there for more than three months need a work permit, only issued with proof of accommodation, financial means of support, health insurance and a criminal background check. Mr Cameron said: ‘What we need in Britain is a renegotiation of our relationship with the European Union and a referendum where the British people decide whether to stay in this reformed organisation or do we leave it. Clashes: The EU chief had said proposed British curbs on migrants from the Continent would be illegal . ‘Now that’s what I will pursue, that’s what I will deliver and at the heart of that renegotiation we need to address people’s concerns about immigration. 'I’m very clear about who the boss is, about who I answer to and it is the British people. They want this, they’re not being unreasonable about it. I will fix it.’ But Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg claimed Mr Barroso was right to warn that Britain would be marginalised on the world stage if it quits the EU. He said: ‘Just ask yourself this – do you really think that people in Beijing, Washington, Tokyo are going to take Britain seriously in the future if we don’t stand tall in Brussels, Berlin and Paris? Ed Miliband has appointed one of Labour’s few remaining Blairite MPs as shadow Europe minister. In a mini reshuffle prompted by the resignation of Rushanara Ali over Labour’s support for airstrikes in Iraq, former business minister Pat McFadden was promoted. He is an arch-supporter of Tony Blair and is likely to sharpen Labour’s position on EU reform. ‘I just think bobbing around rather hopelessly in the mid-Atlantic, and having lots of major foreign investors pulling out of this country jeopardising millions of jobs…I don’t think is a way of making this country stronger and safer and more prosperous in the future.’ Mr Barroso, who steps down from his post at the end of the month, warned Britain would struggle to have even ‘marginal influence’ in the world outside the EU. It came as France unveiled proposed legislation which could mean EU migrants being refused entry if their ‘personal behaviour’ is considered a threat to ‘security or public order’. Will the options work? Analysis by JAMES SLACK . David Cameron’s immigration proposals are on hold until December. Home Affairs Editor JAMES SLACK looks at his options and whether they will work. AN 'EMERGENCY BRAKE' Controls would be imposed on EU migrants if the number of new arrivals have a ‘destabilising’ effect on the economy or public services. The measure would be strictly temporary – leaving Mr Cameron open to criticism he has not regained control of Britain’s borders. Achievable? Not impossible. There are precedents for short-term suspensions of free movement. The Open Europe think-tank says member states with high levels of immigration could support Mr Cameron to help him secure a Yes vote in an EU referendum. QUOTAS OR A LIMIT ON NI NUMBERS . Only a fixed number of EU nationals allowed in each year. One method would see a time limit placed on NI numbers – preventing people from working or claiming benefits indefinitely. This could prove a bureaucratic nightmare and it is unclear how the Home Office would be able to remove those without permission to be here. Achievable? Almost certainly not. It is illegal under existing treaties and other states would be highly unlikely to negotiate, having voted against a Swiss quota plan. Mr Cameron would have to threaten to leave the EU and hope countries such as Poland preferred some of its countrymen being guaranteed entry, rather than none if Britain quit. Making a stand: Does enough political will exist to defy Brussels over immigration laws? (file photo) A POINTS SYSTEM . EU workers would only be allowed in if their skills are needed. To appease Brussels, the threshold could be set lower for EU nationals than non-EU worker. Achievable? No. It would involve ripping up treaties and there is no appetite to even consider the idea among EU members. BENEFITS RESTRICTIONS . Mr Cameron has already tightened access to unemployment benefits. He could augment this with controls on benefits which top-up wages. This would reduce a major pull factor for families from countries such as Romania and Bulgaria, where wages are low. Achievable? Yes. Many member states share Britain’s concerns and would like to re-take control of their own benefit systems. MAKE A STAND AND DEFY BRUSSELS . Unilaterally re-impose border controls on EU nationals without bothering to first renegotiate the existing treaties. Achievable? Yes – if the political will exists. Britain would be hauled to the European Court of Justice but some Tories believe that, prior to an election, this could be hugely popular. QUIT THE EU . The Ukip position is that nothing short of full withdrawal will give back border control. Achievable? Yes, though it would require the support of the public in a referendum. Mr Cameron’s critics say that, unless he at least threatens to leave, he should expect to achieve nothing in negotiations. | PM hit back at European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso .
'I'm very clear about who the boss is, and it is the British people,' he said .
EU chief had declared curbs on migrants from the continent 'illegal'
Nick Clegg agreed with Barroso - saying UK would be 'marginalised' |
224,385 | ae8c799e5d98574d1bdfe13b2d1b8dab426615ad | Sunning herself on a Miami beach and laughing with friends in the sea, Nicole Minetti appears to have forgotten that she is facing five years behind bars. The Anglo-Italian showgirl was sentenced in July for procuring and grooming prostitutes for Silvio Berlusconi’s bunga bunga parties. But she seemed to have left the weight of the world behind her when she was pictured enjoying a break in the Florida coastal city over Christmas. What conviction? Nicole Minetti enjoys the sun on a Miami beach over Christmas while awaiting an appeal over her five-year prison sentence for procuring prostitutes for Silvio Berlusconi's bunga bunga parties . Fun in the sun: Minetti (left) frolics in the sea with a friend. The 28-year-old acted as a Madame running a stable of more than 30 young women for the ex-Italian premier's sex parties, a court in Milan ruled . A court in Milan ruled that the 28-year-old, whose mother is British, acted as a Madam running a stable of more than 30 young women for the ex-premier’s sex parties. However, she has been allowed to walk free while she appeals the decision. Minetti, a regional councillor for Berlusconi's People of Freedom party in Milan, helped to recruit 33 female guests, who were given envelopes stuffed with 500 Euro notes and expensive gifts after the dinners at the prime minister’s luxury villa near Milan. Prosecutor Pietro Forno had told the court that Minetti acted as 'the brothel manager, paying salaries and choosing locations'. Pimp: Minetti, a regional councillor for Berlusconi's People of Freedom party in Milan, helped to recruit 33 female guests, who were given envelopes stuffed with 500 Euro notes after dinners at his luxury villa . Guilty: In a separate but related trial, Berlusconi was convicted of underage sex with Moroccan nightclub dancer Ruby the Heart Stealer, who was then just 17 years old . Files included a telephone tap transcript in which a former police officer told a friend sordid details about the bawdy parties. He said: 'Minetti was there with her chest out kissing Berlusconi continuously. It was a real whorehouse. All the girls were given rings and necklaces.' Among the young girls recruited for the erotic parties was Ruby, a then 17-year-old Moroccan-born exotic dancer whose real name is Karima El-Mahroug. Among the young girls recruited for the erotic parties was Ruby (pictured), a then 17-year-old Moroccan-born exotic dancer whose real name is Karima El-Mahroug . Berlusconi was sentenced in a previous . trial to seven years in jail for paying for sex with Ruby and abusing . his prime ministerial powers to favour her. Showbusiness . agent Lele Mora and television host Emilio Fede were also sentenced to . seven years each for procuring Ruby and other call girls, while former . dental hygienist Nicole Minetti was given five years. All three, like Berlusconi, have denied the charges and are not behind bars because they are appealing the verdicts. Convicted: Television host Emilio Fede (left) and showbusiness agent Lele Mora (right) were sentenced to seven years each for procuring girls for the parties . | Nicole Minetti convicted of procuring women for bunga bunga parties .
She recruited 33 female guests who were lavished with cash and gifts .
Showgirl is not behind bars because she is appealing her conviction . |
278,353 | f4949dbc51bffb59a780d8e1fcbb0dbc334c1e67 | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 4:40 PM on 7th February 2012 . A broken heart, a gun and a bite mark will finally prove a former LAPD detective killed a love rival almost three decades ago in a fit of rage after the woman married her ex-boyfriend, a court heard. Stephanie Lazarus, 51, of Los Angeles, allegedly beat and shot dead Sherri Rasmussen, 29, in February 1986 after her lover John Reutten wed the hospital nursing director instead of her. Shocking close-up death pictures of the battered face of Mrs Rasmussen were presented to jurors in the trial of Lazarus on Monday, showing one eye swollen shut and the other wide open. Scroll down for video . Staring: Lawyers outlined their cases, portraying Stephanie Lazarus, 51, seen in 2009, as either a heartbroken, jilted lover driven to kill her romantic rival or an innocent woman in a web of mishandled scientific evidence . Mrs Rasmussen's mouth was open wide, her hands held up as if in a defensive posture. Prosecutors suggested the mayhem was inflicted by Lazarus after her lover married this woman instead of her. Another photo shows Mrs Rasmussen ethereal in a wedding gown and holding a bouquet of flowers. ‘Sherri Rasmussen was wearing the gown that Stephanie Lazarus believed was hers,’ Deputy District Attorney Shannon Presby said on Monday in his opening statement to jurors in a Los Angeles court. But a lawyer for the one-time top cop said she is being wrongly accused in a case so old some of the witnesses can’t remember it. And he said much of the DNA evidence has deteriorated over time. Retired LAPD cop Rodney Forrest testified about going to Mrs Rasmussen's home after the killing. But after he gave details including a description of her distraught husband, defence lawyer Mark Overland asked if Mr Forrest had told prosecutors last year that he remembers nothing of the case. In court: Stephanie Lazarus, 51, left, of Los Angeles, California, allegedly beat up and shot Sherri Rasmussen, 29, right, after her lover John Reutten married the former hospital nursing director instead of her in 1986 . Love triangle: John Reutten, right, married former hospital nursing director Sherri Rasmussen, 29, left, before Stephanie Lazarus, 51, allegedly killer her in 1986 . ‘Yes,’ said Mr Forrest, who acknowledged asking to see his notes from 1986. ‘Did you remember then?’ asked Mr Overland. ‘I remembered what was on the report and a few other things,’ he said. Mr Presby told jurors she understood memories have faded. Ronald Reagan was President when Mrs Rasmussen was found beaten and shot to death. DNA analysis had not yet been discovered. 'Sherri Rasmussen was wearing the gown that Stephanie Lazarus believed was hers' Shannon Presby, prosecuting . Lawyers outlined their cases, portraying her as either a heartbroken, jilted lover driven to kill her romantic rival or an innocent woman snared in a web of mishandled scientific evidence. In the courtroom audience sat Mrs Rasmussen's relatives including parents and her sister, Teresa Lane, who testified about the relationship between Mrs Rasmussen and Mr Ruetten. ‘They were walking holding hands like a happy couple,’ she said of a visit the day before the death. Rasmussen family lawyer John Taylor said outside court that the dead woman’s relatives would be there every day even though it’s ‘tough’ for them to view the evidence. Old case: A lawyer for the onetime top cop Lazarus, pictured, said she is being wrongly accused in a case so old some of the witnesses can't remember it . Scene: Lazarus allegedly broke into the townhouse that Mr Ruetten shared with Mrs Rasmussen, his new wife, then bludgeoned and shot her to death after a confrontation that left blood on the walls . ‘It took 26 years to get here finally,’ Mr Taylor said. ‘The family is pleased to get the trial going.’ Both sides said the proof of the cold case would be in the forensic evidence. ‘A bite, a bullet, a gun barrel and a broken heart,’ Mr Presby declared in the crowded courtroom. ‘That's the evidence that will prove the defendant Stephanie Lazarus murdered Sherri Rasmussen.’ 'They were walking holding hands like a happy couple' Teresa Lane, Sherri Rasmussen's sister . He said a bite on Mrs Rasmussen's arm contained saliva that was matched to Lazarus's DNA more than two decades after the killing. But Lazarus's lawyer Mr Overland said the DNA was corrupted over the decades, and a forensic dentist would testify that the bite mark does not match an impression taken of Lazarus's teeth. Mr Presby acknowledged the gun used in the killing wasn't found but said the bullets came from the same type of weapon that was sold to Lazarus at the LAPD gun shop when she became an officer. Mr Overland suggested police were correct when they initially suspected she was killed by burglars. Mum and dad: Neil and Loretta Rasmussen, the parents of shooting victim Sherri Rasmussen, seen in 2009 . Behind bars: Lazarus's lawyer Mr Overland said the DNA was corrupted over the decades, and a forensic dentist would testify that a bite mark does not match an impression taken of Lazarus's teeth . Mr Presby told a story of Lazarus being obsessed with Mr Ruetten, who did not return her feelings. When Mr Ruetten told her he was marrying another woman, he said she was driven to vengeance. He said she broke into the townhouse that Mr Ruetten shared with Mrs Rasmussen, his new wife, then bludgeoned and shot her to death after a confrontation that left blood on the walls. 'A bite, a bullet, a gun barrel and a broken heart. That's the evidence that will prove the defendant Stephanie Lazarus murdered Sherri Rasmussen' Shannon Presby, prosecuting . Mr Presby read part of a letter Lazarus wrote to her mother beforehand. ‘I'm totally in love with John and the past year has really torn me up,’ it said. ‘I don't think I'll ever understand his decision.’ Mr Overland said the relationship between Lazarus and Mrs Ruetten was not one-sided. They were college friends who later became lovers, and their sexual relationship lasted about a year. She became close to his family and thought they had a future. But he chose Mrs Rasmussen and a short time before the wedding, Lazarus appealed to Mr Ruetten to meet with her, Mr Overland said. He came to her home and the meeting ended with them having sex, the lawyer said, adding: ‘He told Stephanie Lazarus he was moving on with his life.’ Lazarus has been in custody since 2009. See video here . | Stephanie Lazarus, 51, on trial in Los Angeles court for 26-year-old murder .
'Beat and shot dead Sherri Rasmussen, 29, after ex-boyfriend married her'
Shocking photos of Rasmussen's battered face shown to jury on Monday . |
198,946 | 8d8d379f47f7465cec460fedbcf1a23fbed9d931 | By . Dominic King . Follow @@DominicKing_DM . Jack Butland insists he is over his World Cup disappointment and believes the experience will help him realise his long-term ambition of becoming England No1. The Stoke goalkeeper called up to Roy Hodgson’s squad for Euro 2012 after John Ruddy suffered a late injury and he made no secret that he wanted to force his way into the England head coach’s plans for this summer’s trip to Brazil. At the European Championships in Israel 12 months ago, for instance, Butland had said that “Rio was on everybody’s minds” and repeated his aim last November. Experience: Jack Butland says he is enjoying his time in Toulon, and is over the World Cup disappointment . Always learning: The youngster has been called up to the national team but was snubbed for the World Cup . Butland, however, only played four . times for Stoke last season and was sent out on loan to Barnsley and . Leeds, with his international commitments limited to eight appearances . for the Under-21s in their Euro 2015 qualification campaign. As . a result, Butland, who will tonight captain the Under-20s against South . Korea in their latest assignment at the Toulon Tournament, accepts he . never gave Hodgson a serious decision to make about who would be . England’s third keeper in Brazil. ‘Going . to the World Cup would have been a fantastic experience,’ said Butland, . who will go loan again next season if Asmir Begovic remains at Stoke. ‘Not being a part of the World Cup has only given me more motivation and . drive to push on and be a part of the next European Championships. ‘I . can’t make a statement to myself if I’m not competing at the same level . as the guys who have gone. Deep down I’m gutted not to be going to the . World Cup as you always want to be part of major tournaments. ‘I . can’t sit here, be frustrated or hold a grudge. If I was playing well . in the Premier League then I could say “yeah, I can make a statement” but that hasn’t been the case. It’s a target (to progress) for next . season. ‘But coming here . has been beneficial. Facing top opposition will test us and help us if . we want to win the Euros next summer. Playing against these sides here . is massively important for our development. The players want to be . accustomed to playing against the top sides.’ Representing: Butland was No 1 for Great Britain at the 2012 Olympics in London . Losing . to Brazil in Saint-Raphael on Monday means England must beat South . Korea to stand a chance of qualifying for third-fourth place play-off . and the 21-year-old is praying for a better result than the last time he . faced the same opposition. That . was at the Olympic Games in 2012 and he was powerless to prevent South . Korea winning a tense penalty shootout at the Millennium Stadium 5-4; . the memory of failing to get near a single spot-kick still lingers. ‘The . standard of the penalties they took was superb,’ Butland recalled. ‘I . was devastated because it was a one-off competition. But you can’t dwell . on disappointments for too long. We have got to make sure we clinch . third-place here now. ‘It . would be massive to come in the top four of this tournament. We want to . be in the top four, no matter which tournament we play in. We want to . be in the top two, we want to be in the top team. Those are the stages . of tournaments we want to be regularly getting to in the future.’ Lack of opportunities: Butland has struggled at Stoke this season . IN SAFE HANDS… JACK BUTLAND ON HIS GOALKEEPING IDOLS . MANUEL . NEUER (Bayern Munich and Germany) – It is his presence, he is a bit . nuts as well and I think you need that. His shot stopping and . distribution too has been very good with Pep Guardiola coming in. There . has been a lot of pressure on him to play out from the back. He’s done . it very well. As a presence and a shot stopper he has been phenomenal. JOE . HART (Manchester City and England) – When you have got the England No 1 . tag, it brings a lot more pressure and attention. He has dealt with it . fantastically in the time he has been England’s No 1 and Manchester . City’s No 1. He has played incredibly. That is obviously the position I . want to get to. When Joe is at his best, there aren’t many better. ENGLAND U20 (4-2-3-1, probable): Butland; Dier, M Keane, Moore, Smith; Ward-Prowse, Chalobah; Redmond, Forster-Caskey, Obita; W Keane. TV: LIVE on BT Sport 1 from 6.15pm (Kick-off 6.30pm). | Butland not surprised he wasn't picked for England's World Cup squad .
Says the experience at Toulon tournament will benefit him . |
53,501 | 97c353ad5ce3cbd743aa2eaf9428714acceb52d0 | NEW ORLEANS, Louisiana (CNN) -- The five remaining defendants in the racially charged "Jena Six" case will appear in court Friday and are expected to enter a plea, a spokesman for the district attorney's office said. Protesters converged on the small Louisiana town in September 2007 after the "Jena 6" were charged. Bill Furlow, spokesman for LaSalle Parish District Attorney Reed Walters, declined to say whether the defendants will plead guilty. "It's not a done deal until it's a done deal," he said. In December 2006, six African-American teenagers were charged with second-degree attempted murder and conspiracy in the beating of a white classmate. The incident followed months of racial tension in the community of about 3,000 people. Jena, Louisiana, is about 140 miles southeast of Shreveport in the north-central part of the state. The case drew national attention from civil rights groups, who argued that the charges were excessive. An estimated 15,000-plus demonstrators turned out for a rally on behalf of the teens: Carwin Jones, Jesse Ray Beard, Robert Bailey Jr., Bryant Purvis, Theo Shaw and Mychal Bell. The charges were eventually reduced. Bell pleaded guilty to battery in a juvenile court and moved to Monroe, Louisiana. In January, Bell said he had attempted suicide the month before by shooting himself in the chest but was recovering. Friday's hearing is set for 1:30 p.m. | "It's not a done deal until it's a done deal," spokesman says .
6 teens charged in December 2006 with beating a white classmate .
Incident followed months of racial tension in town of about 3,000 people .
One of the the "Jena 6" pleaded guilty to battery in juvenile court this year . |
156,188 | 55e1c901dcbd023d52da7a97e1656131d8856a32 | By . Kieran Corcoran . Gun owners in Georgia are now free to take weapons into churches, bars, libraries, schools and airports thanks to a new law relaxing gun control rules. New legislation, which came into effect yesterday, means that the 500,000 Georgians with a gun licence will be allowed to to enter the public buildings with their weapons openly displayed. Critics described the bill as a 'guns everywhere' law and say it is the most extreme in the U.S. and could lead to more violent crime. New law: The sweeping legislation was signed into law in April by Georgian governor Nathan Deal, centre . Opposition: Critics, who call the legislation a 'guns everywhere' law, protested against it but did not stop gun activists securing the dramatic expansion in the number of places they can freely bear arms . Gun enthusiasts have hailed the legislation, named the Safe Carry Protection Act, as a triumph of their constitutional right to bear arms. Bars and 'unsecured' government buildings, such as libraries, will be expected to allow gun carriers in by default, while other locations, such as churches, will need to opt in before guns are freely allowed on site. Airports are also covered by the legislation, although guns will continue to be banned in restricted areas and will not be allowed on flights. Jubilant gun owners celebrating at a shooting range in Atlanta yesterday said the new law vindicates rights 'given to us by God'. One activist told Sky News: 'It's a victory for the second amendment rights ... the right to keep and bear arms.' Another said: 'Those rights are protected by the constitution and are given to us by God'. The law faced heavy opposition while moving through the state's senate. Controversial clauses allowing guns to be carried on university campuses were struck out while the law was being drawn up. Some surveys showed that a majority of Georgians opposed the law, but lawmakers in the state had the powerful gun lobby to contend with, which piles pressure on legislators to support the rights on gun owners. The loosening of laws in Georgia could lead to the same happening in other states, while Tennessee, Oklahoma Missouri have recently passed their own laws. 'Idiotic': Critics fear that the new gun laws will lead to a rise in violent crime . Triumphant: Gun activists say it is their right to carry weapons where they like, and deny a link to violence . When the signing-in took place in April, Alan Gottlieb, the founder of pressure group the Second Amendment Foundation, told MailOnline: 'You will see other states start to adopt this concept and it will spread across America'. On social media, the law was roundly condemned, though some activists defended the rules. Briton Joe Difford tweeted: 'The "guns everywhere" legislation in Georgia is the most idiotic law ever. Having a gun won't make you safe because everyone else has one!' Sarah Jennifer added: 'Ah America, after more mass shootings earlier this year? REALLY?! You'll never learn, will you?' Michael Weston, a gun activist from the U.S., tweeted: 'New Georgia gun law set to take effect and Liberals say: the sky is falling, as usual, NO facts just faux hysteria.' | Safe Carry Protection Act came into force in the U.S. state yesterday .
Gun owners can now openly carry weapons in even more public places .
Bars and some government buildings will be open to gun carriers by default .
Churches can 'opt in' to allow guns - but campuses remain banned .
Critics fear increased violence from state's 500,000 licensed gun owners . |
5,216 | 0ec7e5d1c41cc93f03837fa15ec4a93ed96641a8 | By . Damien Gayle . Patients in a taxpayer-funded rehab centre were sent rake leaves in one boss's garden and hand wash his wife's knickers and bras, it is claimed. Murray Kaplan, court liaison for the J-CAP programme in Queens, New York, had former junkies over to his Westhampton home to do chores, sources told the New York Post. Now New York's office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services has launched an investigation into the allegations after hearing of them from the paper, which described the incidents as amounting to 'slave labour'. The shop front for J-CAP's Admissions Office on Sutphin Boulevard, Jamaica , New York: The drug-rehab organisation has been mired in controversy over claims that one worker asked addicts to do his housework . 'You have identified issues which we will now investigate,' an agency spokesman told Post reporters. The allegations come from former workers and patients at J-CAP, which offers residential care for up to 400 addicts to help them kick their drug habits. One worker told The Post of a veteran who lived at J-CAP who often visited Mr Kaplan's home. Then one day she turned up back at the clinic in tears, claiming she had been told to handwash Mr Kaplan's wife's lingerie. Another veteran resident of J-CAP told the post that Mr Kaplan asked him to rake leaves around his house, then paid him off with some hotdogs, $20 and a pack of cigarettes. Citing its sources, The Post claimed that Mr Kaplan had other recovering addicts for 'favours'. They included asking one to help move clothing from Manhattan to the home of Joseph Strasburg, head of the Rent Stabilisation Association. Mr Kaplan said he brings patients from J-CAP over to his house to enjoy the pool and have picnics, but he denied claims that he gets them to do his housework or any other chores. He told The Post: 'We have plenty of help in the house. We have gardeners. Certainly, nobody came over to do any work.' Mr Strasburg would not comment, The Post reported. MailOnline contacted J-Cap for comment, but nobody was available. J-CAP's New Beginnings Teen Parenting Program facility on South Road, Jamaica, NY: Murray Kaplan, court liaison for J-CAP, had former junkies over to his Westhampton home to do chores, sources told the NY Post . J-CAP is a taxpayer-funded residential drug treatment programme for adults founded in the early 1970s. Its website says its facilities can cater for as many as 400 patients in a group therapy setting. Patients are expected to contribute to the daily operation of what it calls 'the community', sharing in tasks such as housekeeping and meal preparation. The non-profit organisation, whose name stands for Just Caring About People, also runs a special programme for veterans, who are often at greater risk of alcohol and drug abuse. Patients are often referred to J-CAP by the courts, although the organisation says it accepts referrals 'from a variety of sources'. Its website says: 'We value our human and civil rights to education, health, dignity, privacy, confidentiality, and a desire to achieve real freedom from exploitation and harm.' But its future could be in doubt. The Post reports further reports that J-CAP has closed its biggest unit and is curtailing other programmes. | Lawyer Murray Kaplan had junkies over to his Westhampton home .
New York Office of Alcoholism and Substance Misuse services investigating .
Mr Kaplan denies getting recovering addicts to do his housework .
The only time they came over was for pool parties and picnics, he says . |
114,723 | 2010656c249df4616b949e35111ed8013bdf3c9c | By . Lizzie Parry . The parents of a sport-mad 11-year-old today told of their anger after school nurses branded him fat. Alfie Brady, who is 4ft 5ins and 6st, exercises every day taking part in tennis, gymnastics and netball classes. But after a check-up with the school nurses, his father David and step-mother Julie Haydon were sent a letter telling them Alfie is considered 'overweight' and is likely to become an overweight adult. The youngster, who rides his scooter to school everyday and regularly roller blades, said he has been left upset by the label, which his parents have branded 'outrageous'. David Brady, right, is furious after receiving a letter from school nurses telling him his 11-year-old son Alfie, left, is 'overweight' Experts today told MailOnline the BMI measure is a 'waste of time' unless at least three measurements are taken over a set period of time. Tam Fry, chair of the Child Growth Foundation said any BMI measurement must be taken in conjunction with an assessment with a healthcare worker, who can make an informed judgement taking into account a child's lifestyle. 'If . the boy is sporty that immediately tells you he will have more muscle, . which weighs one and a half times as much as fat - and BMI takes no . account of that.' Mr Brady, 41, said: 'To class Alfie as overweight is a disgrace - it’s outrageous. 'He is an active 11-year-old and, due to his gymnastics and other sports he plays, he has a good physique and is quite muscly. He is clearly not overweight.' The health and safety officer from Portishead, near Bristol, added: 'He was a bit bothered by the letter but we reassured him that he was fine and not overweight at all and that the tests didn’t take into account his muscle. 'Luckily Alfie is sensible enough to accept that there is nothing wrong with how he is. But I am angry that my son has been pigeon-holed in this way.' Alfie exercises every day, tkaing part in tennis, gymnastics and netball classes. But when measured by nurses at his school, his BMI - calculated from his height and weight - declared he was 'overweight' and in the 93rd percentile for someone of his age . Tam Fry, . chair of the Child Growth Foundation, said, told MailOnline: 'The thing to remember first . off is that BMI is a waste of time in that all it will do is tell you . how tall, how short, how thin or fat a child is on that given day. 'If . you are to make any kind of judgement about what is appropriate or not . for that individual child, you either have to measure them again in three . to six months or use clinical judgement to determine whether the boy is . normal or overweight. 'If . the boy is sporty, that immediately tells you he will have more muscle . which weighs one and a half times as much as fat, and BMI takes no . account of that. 'When . making a judgement on any individual you have to actually see the . person holistically and know a bit about them, whether they are sporty . or not, or tall for their age. 'It is really important a clinical judgement is made by somebody who knows what they are doing, a healthcare professional. 'Measurements taken at school are sent to parents at home without clinical assessment. 'A . computer inputs the measurements and BMI into a pre-formed letter and . that can annoy parents who know exactly how the child lives, exercises, . eats and their standard of living. 'It is the interaction between the health professional and parents which will achieve a sensible outcome. 'BMI . is a useful measure but only when taken sequentially, so a curve can . predict the child's growth, and whether it is normal or veering towards . overweight or underweight. And for that you need two, ideally three . measurements.' Alfie was weighed and measured by nurses . from the North Somerset Community Partnership who visited his school, . Trinity Primary in Portishead, near Bristol, two weeks ago. He was measured at 137cm, 39.15kg, putting him in the 93rd percentile for this age. In the letter, the school nursing team said: 'The results suggest that your child is overweight for their age, sex and height. 'If your child is overweight now, they are more likely to grow up to be overweight as an adult. 'This can lead to health problems. You and your child can make simple changes to be more active and eat more healthily.' Alfie, from Portishead, said he was upset by the letter and added: 'My mum and dad told me not to believe what it said. I’m pretty happy with the way I look.' Both Mr Brady and Ms Haydon, 43, are now calling for changes to how the letters are written. Ms Haydon said: 'The letter is written in a blunt way and is quite patronising. 'What concerns us is if this letter was seen by a child who was more impressionable and already had issues with self-esteem and how they looked. 'To be labelled as overweight like this could have a really negative effect on them and lead to problems with eating disorders in the future. 'What happens in your childhood can affect you for the rest of your life. Children these days are under enough pressure without being labelled like this.' The North Somerset Community Partnership - who has sent out letters to thousands of parents across the district - has apologised for any upset the letter may have caused. Fiona Owens, assistant lead for school nursing at NSCP, said: 'The letter was sent as part of the National Child Measurement programme in which all children in reception year and year six have their height and weight checked, unless their parents opt-out. Mr Brady said: 'To class Alfie as overweight is a disgrace - it's outrageous' 'The heights and weights taken are used to calculate a Body Mass Index (BMI). 'The BMI thresholds have four categories, underweight, healthy weight, overweight or very overweight and this falls in line with guidance from the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE). 'Across the country every health provider is asked to provide feedback to parents to try and encourage families to engage with the School Nursing Service. 'They can provide help and support if needed and actively ask parents to get in touch with any concerns. 'This letter was not meant to cause distress or upset and we apologise if this has been the case. 'The School Nursing Service will be contacting Mr Brady direct to discuss this issue further.' | Alfie Brady, who exercises every day, is 4ft 5ins and weighs 6st .
But his BMI - calculated from height and weight measurements - brands him in the 'overweight' category - the 93rd percentile for his age group .
Nurses sent a letter home to father David Brady to inform him .
He said: 'To class Alfie as overweight is a disgrace - it's outrageous'
Experts say taken on its own BMI is a 'waste of time', adding an assessment by healthcare professional has to take into account the child's lifestyle . |
92,135 | 027de0be0a5fd1bc28228d310c72d4f8eaad7aa1 | Tesco protest: Emma Thompson wants the supermarket to stay away . What are the biggest threats facing London today? Its soaring house prices? The continually expanding national debt? Extreme Islamist terrorists? Apparently not, according to Oscar-winning actress Emma Thompson. For her, the most urgent problem is the terrifying ogre of another source of fresh, reasonably priced food. She is campaigning to stop a new Tesco Express opening in Belsize Park, a charming neighbourhood near Hampstead Heath in North London, the heart of luvvie-dom and home of Left-leaning millionaires for half a century. ‘Belsize is a villagey area. It has no need of a Tesco and its very nature will be threatened,’ Thompson said in an open letter to Tesco. ‘The people who live there do not want it. They already have food shops, ones they trust and that retain a local feel to them. Wherever Tesco goes, the local feeling is destroyed by staff who neither know nor care to know the inhabitants.’ Thompson doesn’t actually live in Belsize Park — she lives in West Hampstead, two miles away from the proposed shop on Haverstock Hill. Still, why should that stop an actress with an inflated sense of self-worth telling genuine locals where they should do their shopping? She isn’t the only one. Other actors to sign a 2,900-strong petition to stop the shop opening in a former bank include Dame Janet Suzman and James Corden. ‘This idea of plonking chain-store locals into village High Streets, I think, is damaging,’ said the Shakespearean actress at a local meeting to discuss the new shop. ‘What it does is put a kind of unwanted marker down in our manor.’ Leading the protest is another actor, Tom Conti, who says independent shops are the lifeblood of the area. A photograph of Conti’s face greets you at the tills of nearby supermarket rival Budgens, also on Haverstock Hill. Next to his picture is the printed slogan: ‘WE DONT [sic] NEED, WE DONT [sic] WANT TESCO.’ Conti, best known for his roles in the 1989 film Shirley Valentine and as Miranda’s father in the BBC TV sitcom Miranda, is a one-man protest band in North London. In recent years he has also fought a housing development in nearby Kentish Town. I’ve lived in millionaire luvvieland all my life — first in my parents’ house in Islington, North London, and now in Kentish Town, a mile away from the proposed Tesco. And I’d be delighted if a new Tesco store opens. In fact, I’m delighted every time a cheap, reliable shop selling useful things, such as food and drink, opens. Conversely, my heart sinks when shops offering overpriced organic food and pointless knick-knacks start up. Celebrity protests against cheap food outlets are nothing new. I can remember the ‘Battle of McDonald’s’ that raged through the Georgian High Street of nearby Hampstead in the Eighties. For 12 years, from 1980 to 1992, the fast-food chain fought to open an outlet there, opposed by local activists who launched a ‘Burger off!’ campaign. Among them were Tom Conti, of course, and the novelist Margaret Drabble. ‘My loathing of McDonald’s is intense,’ Drabble said at the time. ‘There are advantages in development, provided it is the right sort, but there are already too many takeaway restaurants in Hampstead.’ Leading the protest is another actor, Tom Conti (left) while comedian James Corden (right) is among celebrities to sign a petition against the store's construction . That campaign was led by the now-deceased Peggy Jay, a Labour councillor and the mother of Peter Jay (the broadcaster and son-in-law of Labour PM Jim Callaghan). You might have thought Labour supporters would be keen on food that is popular with less privileged voters. Not, though, when it’s being sold on their own doorstep. When McDonald’s finally triumphed — after a battle in which the local council spent £25,000 of taxpayers’ money and which ended up in the High Court — a condition was that the restaurant had to be a middle class-friendly outlet. So it was given a discreet facade and classical music was played inside. The only other time McDonald’s faced such opposition was in Martha’s Vineyard, in Cape Cod, Massachusetts — America’s equivalent of Hampstead luvvieland. There, the chain failed to open an outlet thanks to heavyweight objection from gilt-edged Nimbys including singer Carly Simon and actress Mia Farrow. What must make the Tesco row even more infuriating for objectors is that the alternative plan for the site, which Tesco saw off, was a bid for a new restaurant from Nigel Platts-Martin, who owns five restaurants, including The Ledbury, a two-Michelin-starred establishment in even ritzier Notting Hill. Now you see what the Leftie protesters are really after — upmarket, super-priced food. ‘What do we want? Lobster, tomato butter and basil, like at the Ledbury! When do we want it? After a first course of scallops, shaved kohlrabi [fancy cabbage], seaweed oil and frozen horseradish!’ A four-course lunch at The Ledbury, without wine or service, costs £80 — nothing for a multi-millionaire actress. For many Londoners, though, that’s a day’s wages. But ordinary people don’t get a word in edgeways when they are drowned out by celebrities, who also don’t seem to care that Tesco is offering to provide 20 new jobs. ‘What on earth has it got to do with Emma Thompson?’ says Mark Bostridge, a writer who lives near the proposed shop. ‘She is a colossal busybody.’ The site of the proposed new Tesco store on Haverstock Hill, Belsize Park, London. Objected to by Emma Thompson and other celebrities . ‘Residents — many of whom live on limited budgets — are currently paying over and above what they could pay,’ said local Joseph Zarfaty in a letter to the local paper. To be fair, about half the residents I talked to shared Emma Thompson’s views. For example, Neville Lewis, a retired barrister, said the Budgens was adequate. ‘There’s a fair range and it’s a pleasant place to shop. Another Tesco will impact on local grocery shops.’ Meanwhile, there’s another celeb protest brewing in this neck of the woods — against the mansion tax. This, too, is surrounded by a whiff of Left-wing hypocrisy. The tax, which Labour says it would immediately introduce on houses worth more than £2 million if it wins the General Election in May, could mean people living in such homes having to pay, on average, an extra £23,595 a year. Boy, oh boy! The traditionally Labour-supporting bigwigs in this neck of the woods — normally so keen on tax rises and punishing the rich — are dead against it. Most of them live in £2 million-plus houses. This month Lord Mandelson, the Labour politician who lives in a house thought to be worth £8 million, attacked the tax, as have Labour peers Melvyn Bragg, who lives in a multi-million-pound home in Hampstead, and fertility doctor Professor Robert Winston. Critics claim a branch of Tesco will have a damaging effect on local shops in the area (pictured above) Tom Conti is also against such a tax being levied on the valuable Hampstead home he bought for a song 30 years ago. Last May, when the Lib Dems were proposing a similar tax, Conti said: ‘If the Stalinist Mr Clegg ever got his desire for a mansion tax, we wouldn’t be able to live here.’ The fact is, the millionaire celebrities want to keep this part of North London just as it was when they arrived here a generation ago. Or 55 years ago, in the case of Emma Thompson, who lives in the same West Hampstead street in which she was brought up. In the golden days of the Sixties and Seventies, people could buy a double-fronted house in desirable North London for £30,000. Now those same houses are going for £5 million and these fabulously rich actors want to preserve their neighbourhood just as it was, pulling up the drawbridge behind them — in just the same way that Labour politicians who went to grammar schools prevented others following their path by dismantling the selective schools that had done so much to help social mobility. It’s increasingly hard to afford to live in North London these days. And if this anti-Tesco campaign has its way, fewer people will be able to do their shopping round here, either. | Emma Thompson and other celebrities protesting against Tesco Express .
The proposed site for supermarket branch is in Belsize Park, north London .
Other residents are happy with plans as store will bring jobs to the area . |
9,163 | 19f739365136e09f6d5a76208b5d1d3d3b76b585 | A Puerto Rican kite surfer who saved a turtle from fishing nets was rewarded for his actions with a hug from the endangered sea creature. The underwater rescue and touching encounter with the turtle afterwards was filmed on a GoPro camera at the start of the year by two friends who were spear fishing off Baja on the Mexican coast. When kite surfer Cameron Dietrich and Colin Sutton spotted the distressed sea turtle they quickly dived in the ocean to try to rescue it. Scroll down for video . Touching: A sea turtle swims nose-to-nose with Cameron Dietrich after he freed it from tangled fishing nets . Rescue: Dietrich uses a dive knife to cut away the tangled mess of nets that had wrapped around the turtle . 'When I saw the turtle tangled up I jumped in the water and began to cut it free,' Dietrich told MailOnline. 'It was totally worn out from fighting for its life for last probably 12 to 20 hours.' Using a dive knife, Dietrich carefully cut away the tangle of rope and netting that had wrapped itself around a front fin, while Sutton helped the turtle to float. Once it had been freed, Dietrich described how he stayed beneath the turtle to make sure it had the strength to swim after its traumatic experience. Reassured that the turtle was going to be fine, Dietrich swam away from it, stopping a short distance away to watch the creature. But in an unexpected move, the turtle slowly circled back and returned to the surfer, stopping inches from his face and letting him gently hold it, as if to say thanks. Dietrich and his friends spotted the turtle in distress while they were spear fishing off the Mexico coast . Colin Sutton films on a GoPro camera as Dietrich dives in to help the turtle . Professional kite surfer Dietrich said sadly it has become common to see turtles and other wildlife injured by debris dumped in the oceans . 'It returned back to me on top of my chest and came right up to my face and . let me touch its under shell,' he said. 'It got right up to my mask then swam off.' 'For me, it was an unusual and wonderful moment,' he added. 'After it came up to my face it swam off into the blue straight.' Dietrich told MaiOnline that as a professional watersports athlete he has seen many animals trapped by the debris dumped in the oceans. 'We are being poor stewards of our ocean. It bothers me to both see the disregard for our planet but also the endangering of animals,' he said. Since the video of the touching rescue was uploaded on YouTube earlier this month it has been viewed more than 1.9 million times. The friends work quickly to free the sea turtle, which calmly allowed Dietrich to get close . The freed sea turtle started to swim away before suddenly turning back towards Dietrich . The turtle swims over to Dietrich and lets him embrace it . Dietrich floated under the turtle for a sort distance, fearing it would be too exhausted to swim after its ordeal with the nets . | Turtle was worn out fighting for its life, athlete Cameron Dietrich said .
Surfer shocked when freed turtle returned, stopping inches from his face . |
273,266 | edfe0263e02a799ef2326b08c675f047ea90a06b | Convicted murderer Jodi Arias was pictured yawning in court yesterday as a jury prepares to decide whether she will be given the death penalty for the brutal killing of her ex-boyfriend. The former waitress, 34, from California, looked somewhat bored with proceedings during the retrial of her sentencing at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix. Arias was convicted of murder last year for stabbing and slashing secret lover Travis Alexander nearly 30 times, slitting his throat so deeply she nearly decapitated him and shooting him in the forehead in 2008. Looking bored: Convicted murderer Jodi Arias was seen yawning during the retrial of her sentencing at Maricopa County Superior Court in Phoenix yesterday . On Tuesday, it was revealed that she was allowed to testify as a witness in secret during the sentencing retrial in Arizona because of fears for her safety after her lawyers said she received death threats. Arias' lawyers had told the court that she did not feel she would be 'able to fully communicate what she wanted to say, communicate her remorse and go through all the mitigating factors and get them out there in front of the jury with the public here'. A three-member panel of the Arizona Court of Appeals said the trial judge, Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Sherry Stephens, agreed to the request from Arias' legal team despite feeling manipulated by the defendant. A state appeals court ruled last month that the judge had been wrong to close those proceedings to the public, and the appeals court on Tuesday confirmed suspicions that Arias herself had been the mystery witness in question. Brutal murder: Arias was convicted of murder for stabbing and slashing secret lover Travis Alexander nearly 30 times, slitting his throat so deeply she nearly decapitated him and shooting him in the forehead . At her last trial, she testified for 18 days, describing for jurors an abusive childhood, cheating boyfriends, dead-end jobs, a shocking sexual relationship with Alexander, and her contention that he was physically abusive . 'A defendant who testified in open court during the guilt phase of the trial cannot decide she will only testify in the penalty phase if the press and public are excluded and her testimony is sealed until after any verdict,' the appeals court wrote. After murdering Mr Alexander, Arias left his body in his shower where friends found him about five days later at his suburban Phoenix home. She acknowledged she killed Alexander, but claimed it was self-defense after he had attacked her. Prosecutors said it was premeditated murder carried out in a jealous rage after the victim wanted to end their affair and planned a trip to Mexico with another woman . Prosecutors said it was premeditated murder carried out in a jealous rage after the victim wanted to end their affair and planned a trip to Mexico with another woman. Weeks after Arias was convicted, the jury failed to reach a unanimous decision on her punishment. Her attorneys have since sought, unsuccessfully, to dismiss the death penalty as an option. If another deadlock occurs, the death penalty would automatically be removed as an option, leaving a judge to sentence Arias to one of two options: life in prison or life in prison with the possibility of release after 25 years. Left for days: Alexander was here, in this shower, for around five days before friends found his decaying body . Arias left the body of her ex-boyfriend Travis Alexander in his shower where friends found him days later at his suburban Phoenix home. Crime scene pictures from the first trial (pictured) revealed the brutal nature of the killing . At her last trial, she testified for 18 days, describing for jurors an abusive childhood, cheating boyfriends, dead-end jobs, a shocking sexual relationship with Alexander, and her contention that he was physically abusive. Her first trial drew a global following and inspired spectators to wait in line in the middle of the night to get a coveted seat in the courtroom. The cost to Arizona taxpayers for Jodi Arias' defense now tops $2.7million and the figure will keep rising as her penalty phase retrial continues. | Arias convicted of murder last year but jury was deadlocked on penalty .
Former waitress stabbed, slashed and shot her lover Travis Barker in 2008 .
Prosecution pushing for death penalty at retrial of sentencing in Phoenix .
The cost to Arizona taxpayers for Jodi Arias' defense now tops $2.7million . |
170,774 | 6907fc8e6fe95d655354e8326864cd67ce511855 | Fifty Shades of Grey has a lot to answer for. Not only has the bestselling book sparked a revolution in bondage-inspired lingerie, been credited for reviving millions of sex lives and even encouraging people to experiment with light bondage, it’s now inspired a new range of sex toys - sex toys for men, that is. Launched by the UK’s leading sex toy . manufacturer, Lovehoney and developed with sex and relationship expert . and MailOnline contributor Tracey Cox, Edge is the world’s first . mainstream male sex toy range. From clockwise: The Stamina Sleeve, Stamina Pump, Stamina ring set, Vibrating Ring, Adjustable Ring are some of the new products from the Edge range for men by Lovehoney . Fifty shades of success: The bestselling book, left, has sold over 100 million copies worldwide and made it's author, E L James, right, a millionaire . Cox has spent years developing the products and interviewed thousands of men who want to improve their sex lives. She says: 'I have been writing, researching and talking about sex in books and on television and radio for 25 years and I get asked the same questions by men the world over. 'It’s always the same three: Am I big enough? Am I hard enough? How do I last longer?"' One for the boys! Lovehoney's Edge range of sex toys for men includes the Stamina & Enhancing Pump, £29.99, left and the Stamina Sleeve, right, £12.99, used to 'intensify a solo sex session and train him to last longer in bed' Play things: The Adjustable Stamina Ring, left, is a silicone ring designed to make erections, 'last longer and look more impressive,' say Lovehoney. It's priced at £14.99. The Stamina Ring Set, right, are available in three sizes for £9.99 . Tracey Cox added of the range: 'The time is right to launch the world’s . first mainstream range of products aimed solely at men and the aim of . Edge is to educate and inform men and to provide simple and effective . solutions to their top three sexual needs.' The innovative collection of products has been designed to improve male sexual performance and help men last longer in bed. Products such as the Edge Penis Pump can improve the size and quality of a man’s erection, according to research. That's one we've never seen before! Love Honey's Vibrating Stamina Ring promises to 'achieve harder, longer-lasting erections and stimulate her at the same time,' £14.99 . Sex toy boom: The TV show Sex In The City, which ran from 1998 until 2004, was credited for awakening women's sexual appetite. From left: Kristin Davis, Sarah Jessica Parker, Kim Cattrall, Cynthia Nixon . Lovehoney report that sales of . sex toys to men have soared since the book’s publication in 2012. Written . by British E L James, it’s sold over 100 million copies worldwide and . is currently being made into a Hollywood film starring Irish actor Jamie Dornan as it’s controversial antihero, Christian Grey. Grey, a gorgeous billionaire with a Red Room for his BDSM antics, has inspired British men to be better and more adventurous in bed, according to Love Honey. They credit the book’s phenomenal success . and - the TV show Sex and the City - for transforming the male sex toy . market, which is now worth a staggering £10 million a year and is . predicted to be the fastest growing sector of the sex toy industry in . 2014. Actors Jamie Dornan and Dakota Johnson filming a night scene on the set of 'Fifty Shades Of Grey' in Vancouver, December 2013 . Jamie Dornan, left, is playing billionaire Christian Grey, who has been credited for the male sex toy boom in recent years . ‘Sales of male sex toys have been steadily increasing over the . last decade and it is the fastest growing sector in the market,' says . Cox. 'We think lots of men will try out these new toys in the hope of improving their performance in bed. And lots of women will buy the products for their partners for the same reason!' The range includes the Stamina & Enhancing Pump, which 'creates a vacuum to improve blood flow to the penis, ensuring healthy, firm erections. Also, the Adjustable Stamina Ring, a silicone ring designed to make erections last longer and look more impressive and the Stamina Ring Set, doughnut-shaped rings in three sizes for contrasting tightness and intensity. Finally, the Intense Stimulation Stamina Sleeve is used to intensify 'solo sex' and Extreme Sensation Personal Lubricant can be used safely on both men and women. | Developed by Tracey Cox and Lovehoney over years of research .
Cox hopes they, 'educate men and provide solutions to their sexual needs' |
172,771 | 6b9bd074dc3698d42cad17a03e0d057fb4ab643d | There's a saying that a penny saved is a penny earned. That was certainly true for one Texas man who saved all of his pennies over a staggering 65 years and had a collection of 81,600 pennies worth $816. Ira Keys, 81, had been saving his pennies for nearly seven decades and finally decided to cash them in at a bank in Slaton, Texas. Thrifty: Ira Keys, 81, had saved his pennies for nearly seven decades and finally decided to cash them in . Heavy: His collection weighed in at around 500 pounds and nearly 'broke the springs' on his pick-up truck . Count: Bank staff carefully counted every single penny and said it was unlike anything they'd seen before . Keys said his penny-saving obsession begun after his father encouraged him to save his money when he was a young man and some were saved when he was just 17-years-old. He told KCBD-TV: '[My dad] says, 'Whatever you do son, save your money.' Keys said: 'Back when I started in '52, I didn't have a lot of money, so I saved pennies and I just kept saving them.' His collection weighed a whopping 500 pounds and Keys joked that he nearly 'broke the springs on his pickup truck' while he hauled them into the bank. Bank staff at Prosperity Bank took more than an hour to count the pennies which were piled high in coffee containers. Kari Lewis, a personal banker at Prosperity Bank, told KCBD that Keys' collection of pennies was unlike anything she has ever seen before. 'You see them on the ground and you're kind of like, 'Oh, I'm not picking that up,' but for him to collect it for years and years was pretty amazing,' she said. Keys admits that he still has a ton of pennies left at home which he kept and did not cash in and he already has a plan for what he's going to do with them . She added: 'We ended up with $816 in pennies. Not a typical day at the bank, at all.' However Keys admits that he still has a ton of pennies at home which he did not cash in and already has a plan for what he's going to do with them. 'I'm going to build a room divider and have pennies all in it,' he said, 'the shiny ones.' But the 81-year-old is still holding on to his father's valuable lesson about saving. He says he will keep his piggy bank full. 'It's just a habit I've got into, and habits are hard to break sometimes,' Keys said, 'but I don't think I'll have this many when I cash them in again.' He also believes that his father would have been annoyed that he'd cashed in his stash. He joked: 'He'd say, I told you to save...not to cash them in.' | Ira Keys, 81, had been saving his pennies for nearly seven decades .
He finally decided to cash them in to Prosperity Bank bank in Slaton, Texas .
His penny-saving obsession came after his dad encouraged him to save .
Keys plans to continue to save and admits he still has a stash of pennies . |
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