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5,094 | 0e7a92a6f06e94cdd613860d4a3f4b92a06a2b43 | (CNN) -- If we learned that the government was planning to limit our First Amendment rights, we'd be outraged. After all, our right to be heard is fundamental to our democracy. Well, our free speech rights are under assault -- not from the government but from corporations seeking to control the flow of information in America. If that scares you as much as it scares me, then you need to care about net neutrality. "Net neutrality" sounds arcane, but it's fundamental to free speech. The internet today is an open marketplace. If you have a product, you can sell it. If you have an opinion, you can blog about it. If you have an idea, you can share it with the world. And no matter who you are -- a corporation selling a new widget, a senator making a political argument or just a Minnesotan sharing a funny cat video -- you have equal access to that marketplace. An e-mail from your mom comes in just as fast as a bill notification from your bank. You're reading this op-ed online; it'll load just as fast as a blog post criticizing it. That's what we mean by net neutrality. But telecommunications companies want to be able to set up a special high-speed lane just for the corporations that can pay for it. You won't know why the internet retail behemoth loads faster than the mom-and-pop shop, but after a while you may get frustrated and do all of your shopping at the faster site. Maybe the gatekeepers will discriminate based on who pays them more. Maybe they will discriminate based on whose political point of view conforms to their bottom line. We don't have to speculate. We can look to the history of the media gatekeepers for examples. Back in the 1990s, Congress rescinded rules that prevented television networks from owning their own programming. Network executives swore in congressional hearings that they wouldn't give their own programming preferred access to the airwaves. They vowed access to the airwaves would be determined only by the quality of the shows. I was working at NBC back then, and I didn't buy that line one bit. Sure enough, within a couple of years, NBC was the largest supplier of its own prime-time programming. To take advantage of this new paradigm, Disney bought ABC, Viacom (the parent company of Paramount) bought CBS and NBC merged with Universal. And since these conglomerates owned both the pipes through which Americans received information (in this case, TV networks) and the information itself (in this case, TV shows), they developed a monopoly over what you could watch. Today, if you're an independent producer, it's nearly impossible to get a show on the air unless the network owns at least a piece of it. Now Comcast, the nation's largest cable provider, and NBC/Universal want to merge. This new behemoth would be able to charge other cable carriers more for NBC, MSNBC, CNBC, Bravo and the 35 other cable networks it will own in whole or in part. This means that other carriers won't be able to afford as many choices -- and it means that your cable bill will go up. Comcast is also the nation's largest home internet service provider. And as more and more of our television is provided through the internet, other internet giants such as Verizon and AT&T will have to look toward merging with CBS/Viacom or ABC/Disney. We'll end up with a few megacorporations in control of the flow of information -- not just on TV, but now online as well. From my seat on the Judiciary Committee, I plan to do everything I can to stop these mergers or at least put rigorous restrictions on them. But if this trend toward media consolidation continues, the free and open internet will be a thing of the past unless we write the principle of net neutrality into law right now. This isn't a liberal or conservative issue. Everyone has a stake in protecting the First Amendment. And it isn't even strictly a political issue. The internet's freedom and openness has made it a hotbed for innovations that change our lives. It's been an incredible engine of job creation. The internet was developed at taxpayer expense to benefit the public interest. If we let corporations prioritize some content over others, we'll lose what makes it so valuable to our economy, our democracy and our daily lives. Net neutrality may sound like a technical issue, but it's the key to preserving the internet as we know it -- and it's the most important First Amendment issue of our time. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sen. Al Franken. | Al Franken: Trend of media consolidation will mean end of free and open internet .
Mergers such as Comcast-NBC/Universal would control information flow, senator warns .
Far from "neutral," gatekeepers could discriminate on political views, who pays more, he says .
Franken: This is a bipartisan issue; all have a stake in preserving First Amendment . |
26,719 | 4bda583b237e41c2722b96b6577b6f52b0fb1319 | A pilot who crashed his plane into a mountainside after he was overcome with grief at losing one of his sons has miraculously survived with just scratches - and credits his son with saving his life. Mark Darling was flying alone from Baggs, Wyoming, to Greeley, Colorado on January 25 when he flew over Steamboat Springs, Colorado - where he raised his family - and thought of his son, Travis, who was just 23 when he was killed in a car crash in October 2012. Darling, 55, made a split-second decision to end his life. 'I make a bad decision at this point,' he told KCNC. 'I turn the airplane east toward the mountains. I say my last goodbyes... I closed my eyes and I wait for the impact.' Scroll down for video . Lucky escape: Mark Darling was overcome with grief about the death of his son as he flew his plane in Colorado last month and tried to take his life by crashing the plane - but he survived without a scratch . But it never came. Instead, he felt as the Cessna 172F high-wing plane cruised through trees and crumpled at it landed in the snow, miraculously leaving him without a scratch. He found himself stranded on the snow-covered mountain without any survival equipment. He had also not logged a flight plan so no one would have known where to look when he failed to return. Despite his earlier death wish, he said he suddenly felt determination to survive - because he heard his son speak to him. 'He's like, "Dad, you are not going out like this",' he recalled. '"You're going to get yourself up and you're going to build a fire and you're going to get yourself out of here".' He reached for his phone but could not find it anywhere in the wreckage. Loss: Darling's 23-year-old son Travis, pictured left and right, was killed in a car crash in October 2012 . Wreckage: Darling's plan was destroyed when he hit the mountain - but he did not suffer a single injury . At that point, his son spoke to him again and guided him to the other side of the plane, where he found his phone in the snow, he said. He called his sister and 911, and set up a fire as he waited for emergency responders. Seven hours after he crashed, eight members of Routt County Search and Rescue rode snowmobiles to him and took him to hospital. The NTSB is investigating the crash and Darling, who is married with three other sons and a daughter, has not yet spoken to investigators. His son Travis was killed in 2012 after his pickup went off the road near Rockdale, Texas and rolled over. The accomplished rodeo cowboy had moved to the area just a week before to start a new job on a ranch, according to an article in Steamboat Today. Saved: He says his son's voice guided him to his cell phone and he called family and 911. Seven hours after the crash, emergency responders reached him and stretchered him to safety, pictured . Despite the ramifications of speaking out publicly about his story, Mark Darling said he is now inspired to share the tale of survival with other people who are grieving. 'I've never felt more alive in my life,' he said. 'I don't know what direction it's going to lead me in but, heck yeah, I'm along for the ride now.' See below for video . | Mark Darling, 55, was flying over Steamboat Springs, Colorado last month when he thought about his son Travis, who died in a car crash in 2012 .
He turned his plane towards the mountain and crashed - but miraculously was not injured .
He says his son's voice encouraged him to survive and guided him to his cell phone, which had landed in the snow .
He called 911 and was rescued after seven hours in freezing conditions .
For confidential support call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
For support in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch, or click here . |
245,460 | c9b42da1cba93fee37434bf1c201b0702b1c0e08 | By . Lucy Osborne . Debbie Foster already watched one son die in agony from Leigh’s Syndrome – helpless to relieve his pain. So after hearing a second son had the same rare and terminal condition, she found some solace when doctors said a new procedure could relieve his agony. But this small comfort was cruelly taken away when just weeks before Jake, 13, was due to have the operation, NHS bosses refused to pay due to funding cuts. Terminally ill teenager Jake Foster was denied NHS funding for an operation to reduce his pain. But thanks to hundreds of MailOnline readers donating money to his fund, the youngster will be able to have the procedure privately . Jake (pictured with his parents, Debbie and Robert) has a very rare genetic condition called Leigh's Syndrome, which has already killed one of his brothers . Jake has lost most of the movement in his muscles, meaning he is in constant pain and confined to a wheelchair. While the procedure won’t save his life, it could prolong it significantly and at the very least make it a lot more comfortable. Mrs Foster, 45, said: ‘All we want to do is make Jake as happy and pain-free as possible and they’ve taken that from us. ‘It breaks my heart to hear him cry out in pain at night and not be able to do anything about it. There is nothing worse for a mother.’ It is not known how many weeks, months, or years Jake has left to live, but a child with the genetic disorder is only expected to live to the age of around six or seven. The mother of two, who lost her son Robert to the disease at the age of just four on Christmas Eve in 2000, said: ‘It makes me angry that a topless model is allowed to have a boob job on the NHS for cosmetic reasons or someone can have a tummy tuck, but a poorly child has to suffer.’ Jake (pictured as a child with his older brother, James, who has Asperger syndrome) has lost most of his movement as a result of his illness and it causes him extreme pain . ‘If a child is in pain and something can be done about it, how they can be denied treatment?’ Jake’s GP first recommended the procedure, called selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR), which is often also used to treat children with cerebral palsy. In October last year he was put on a waiting list for the operation at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham. But they . received a letter in the post in February, weeks before he was due to . have the operation, saying due to NHS funding cuts they could no longer . fund it. Aspring glamour model Josie Cunningham sparked outrage after her NHS-funded boob job - which has since been reversed - on the NHS . As the Mail reported earlier this year, while children such as Jake - and many suffering with cerebral palsy - are being refused funding for life-changing surgery such as a selective dorsal rhizotomy, there is plenty of cash to pay for cosmetic procedures. The case of Josie Cunningham sparked outrage when it emerged she had received breast enlargement on the NHS - and, after tiring of her new assets, a tax-payer funded reduction, too. Ms Cunningham had her 32A breasts enlarged to a 36DD with taxpayers’ money, after saying her flat chest was ‘ruining her life’. Her operation came after she was recommended for funding by her local GP. Under NHS guidelines, cosmetic surgery should be funded only in rare circumstances when it is needed ‘to protect a person’s health’. Then there was the case of morbidly obese Diane Wiggett, who cost the NHS £15,000 by having a gastric band fitted - then having it removed when she decided she preferred being fat. 'We were all excited about it and getting ready for it,’ she said. ‘We . have tried to fight it, tried to re-appeal saying Jake is a special . case but they just said a blanket “no” response. It’s like talking to . robots. ‘The people making these decisions aren’t from a medical background, so there’s no talking to them.’ Mrs Foster and her husband, Robert, 52, who live with Jake and his brother, James, 20, who has Asperger’s Syndrome, have been forced to try and raise the money themselves and have set up a funding page online. ‘We will do whatever it takes,’ she said. The couple have so far raised £3,000 through local fundraising events – a long way from the £9,898 they need for the procedure. Jake, a ‘happy child’ given his circumstances and a Birmingham City Football Club fan, spends his life in a wheelchair and is unable to sit up by himself. The teenager, who is much smaller than most boys his age, has very stiff limbs and one leg is stuck in one position, causing him extreme pain. Jake (pictured with his parents) was offered surgery to reduce his pain by cutting some of the nerves in his back. However, the offer of NHS funding was then withdrawn due to funding cuts . Jake's parents, Debbie and Robert (pictured with their other son, James), are now trying to raise £10,000 to pay for him to have the operation . Very . little is known about the inherited disorder that affects the central . nervous system and there is little by way of treatment. The SDR operation is the only way Jake’s pain can be relieved without the risk of serious side-effects. It works . by cutting the nerves in his back, enabling his limbs to move more . freely and therefore making him a lot more comfortable. Mrs . Foster, who with her husband is a full time carer for her two boys, but . also volunteers to help other parents with disabled children, said: . ‘Because he is in so much pain, he is not sleeping. ‘It’s all about energy and when they get tired, they’re more prone to getting infections and then their health goes downhill. ‘At the moment he has fits most evenings which is very frightening which keeps him awake.’ Mrs Foster (pictured with her husband and sons, Jake and James) says it is unacceptable the NHS will pay for weight loss surgery and for boob jobs but it will not pay for surgery to relieve the suffering of a dying teenager . Mrs Foster (pictured with her husband, Robert) said: 'All we want to do is make Jake as happy and pain-free as possible and they've taken that from us' Leigh's Syndrome is a severe neurological disorder which usually starts to show symptoms during the first year of life. It causes the progressive loss of mental abilities and of movement. It is usually fatal within a couple of years as it causes respiratory failure. Severe muscle and movement problems then develop and these cause loss of feeling in the limbs, weakness and balance problems. Eye, heart and breathing problems are also common in people with Leigh's Syndrome. The . symptoms are caused by patches of damaged tissue that develop in the . brains of patients and these lesions are often accompanied by the loss . of the nerve coatings. This reduces the ability of the nerves to activate the muscles used for movement and to relay sensory information to the brain. The condition occurs in about one in 40,000 babies. The condition is caused by mutations in one of more than 30 different genes. Source: Genetics Home Reference . Jake can only say a few words as the condition also affects the respiratory system. But Mrs Foster said if it wasn’t for his condition, Jake would be ‘a typical 13-year-old’. ‘He’s such a character and very mischievous,’ she said. ‘He . likes the baddies in films. Most kids are frightened of Captain Hook . and Cruella Deville but from a young age he just thought they were . funny.’ There have been several cases this year where poorly children have been refused funding due to cuts. In March two-year-old Sophie Thomlinson who suffers with cerebral palsy was told she couldn’t have an operation that would help her walk. A Daily Mail campaign helped raise the money so she could have the operation. Meanwhile, Around 5,400 gastric bypasses and 1,300 gastric band procedures are performed by the NHS each year and in 2012 it spent £3.5million on 790 breast implant operations. It is estimated Leigh’s Syndrome occurs in one in every 40,000 live births, though certain populations have considerably higher rates. James Hunter, Clinical Director for Musculoskeletal and Neurosciences, for Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust said: ‘Our exceptional funding request to NHS England for Jake’s surgery was unsuccessful. We continue to meet with the family as they explore self-funding Jake’s surgery.’ Visit www.gofundme.com/8i3518 contribute to Jake’s SDR fund. | Jake Foster, 13, has a rare genetic condition called Leigh's Syndrome .
It has caused him to lose most of his movement and is extremely painful .
He was offered surgery to reduce the pain by cutting nerves in his back .
But the offer of surgery was then withdrawn due to NHS funding cuts .
As a result, Jake's parents are now trying to raise the necessary £10,000 .
They still need £6,000 - you can donate by clicking here . |
268,102 | e7386078a8e2633165607c45520002c9281ba7dd | Chancellor George Osborne was today forced to defend a Conservative party advert aimed at working class voters, claiming 'they' enjoy bingo and cheap beer. Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps . took to Twitter last night to launch an advert devised by Tory HQ to . highlight Budget measures supposedly aimed at ‘hardworking people’. But it has been widely mocked online, and spawned spoof versions referring to whippets, clogs, eating swans, shooting poor people and suggesting the Tories think it is still 1961. Scroll down for video . 'PR disaster': Grant Shapps tweeted this Tory party advert about beer and bingo cuts in today's Budget . Tweet: The post was immediately slammed as 'ill conceived' by Labour's Ed Miliband . The . advert read: ‘Bingo! Cutting the bingo tax and beer duty to help hardworking people do more . of the things they enjoy.’ Mr Shapps urged Conservative supporters to ‘spread the word’. After waves of criticism and ridicule, a Tory source insisted: 'We stand by the advert.' But the Lib Dems accused their coalition partners of being 'patronising', Labour said it was ‘condescending’ and the writers of political comedy The Thick Of It said they would have rejected it from a script for being 'too far-fetched'. In a round of media interviews this morning Mr Osborne was repeatedly asked to defend the advert, distracting from his key announcements on help for savers and pensioners. Tory Chairman Grant Shapps, who tweeted the advert this afternoon after the Budget announcement . In yesterday's Budget Mr Osborne took . 1p off the price of a pint of beer and dramatically halved duty paid on . bingo from 20 per cent to 10 per cent. Both measures were seen as part of carefully crafted pitch to win over the skilled manual workers who backed Margaret Thatcher in their droves. But . the row over the advert - in particular the use of the word 'they' to . refer to people who like beer and bingo - has overshadowed the message . about help for bingo halls and pubs. 'These are important Budget measures, they are not the only Budget measures,' Mr Osborne told the BBC. 'This whole story... was whipped up by a Labour Party that didn’t have anything else to say about the economy. 'We . are communicating what’s in the Budget. The more people hear about the . Budget the more confident people can be that they are on the right . track.' But his Lib Dem deputy at the Treasury, Danny Alexander, made clear his unease at the ad from his coalition partners. He it was 'rather patronising' and 'demeans some quite sensible things' in the Budget. 'There . are good reasons to be supporting Bingo, there are good reasons to be . encouraging our pub sector to be stronger - that’s the analysis behind . those measures,' he told BBC 2’s Newsnight programme. 'This language, well that’s for Grant Shapps to justify.' Nick Clegg said Grant Shapps’ tweet of a Tory poster was “silly”, but should not detract from a strong Budget. Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: 'I think the tweet was a bit silly, partly because actually the issues involved in this Budget were really quite serious, including, by the way, giving support to the bingo industry – an important industry – giving support to our pubs and so on.' Speaking on his weekly radio phone-in on LBC, Mr Clegg added: 'There were just much bigger things at stake in the Budget as well, namely how are over 24million people going to benefit, which they will now do with an additional £100 tax cut. 'The very important package we’ve been working on for weeks to help savers... because people who save, first, should be trusted more with how they manage their own money, their own savings; but secondly, after years and years of low interest rates, we need to make sure as the recovery starts taking root that savers who haven’t really benefitted from that stand to do so from now on.' Stewart Wood, a senior aide to Labour leader Ed Miliband, described the advert as ‘ill-conceived’ and ‘condescending’. He said: ‘Of all the ill-conceived aspects of this Tory ad, it’s the condescending use of the word “they” that grates the most.’ Stephen Tall, editor of the grassroots . Liberal Democrat website LibDem Voice, described the ad as an . ‘embarrassment’, and said it ‘goes back to the 1950s’. Some Twitter users suggested the advert must be a spoof. Others . said it reminded them of Pulp’s hit record ‘Common People’ which mocked . the futile attempts of a rich student to understand the struggle faced . by working class people. Spoof versions of the advert were circulating on the Internet within minutes of its release by Mr Shapps. One said: ‘Cut the bingo tax and beer duty. That’s what you wretched proles get up to, isn’t it? 'So put on your clogs and grab your whippets and have at it’. But . some Tories were dismayed at the advert. One said: ‘Why are we talking . about beer and bingo, not cuts in income tax? We just look like we’re . talking down to people.’ Simone Blackwell, a writer on political satire The Thick Of It, said the ad was beyond satire . Lib Dem Treasury chief secretary Danny Alexander last night distanced himself from the Tory advert. He told the BBC’s Newsnight programme: ‘I thought it was a spoof at first. It may be our budget, but it’s their words. It’s pretty patronising.’ Labour’s shadow Treasury chief secretary Chris Leslie described the advert as ‘quite astonishing’. ‘What better demonstration do you need that they are out of touch?’ The . overwhelmingly negative reaction to the advert is a major embarrassment . for Mr Shapps, a grammar school boy who prides himself on his . understanding of ordinary voters. Mr Shapps has made it a major priority for the Tories to increase their effectiveness on social media, such as Twitter. He is now likely to face questions about who designed the advert and why he agreed to sign it off. It is also embarrassing for David Cameron, who is sensitive to charges that he is part of an out-of-touch metropolitan elite. A major poll conducted by former Tory Treasurer Lord Ashcroft last month found that the most common description of the Prime Minister by voters was ‘out of touch’. Mr Cameron has also faced discomfort over his reliance on fellow Old Etonians within his inner circle.Education Secretary Michael Gove sparked anger in Number 10 last week by describing the number of Old Etonians at the heart of Government as ‘preposterous’. In 2012, Andrew Mitchell, then chief whip, was . involved in a heated row with another police officer, Toby Rowland, . after he was refused permission to cycle through the main gate of . Downing Street. Mr Mitchell, accused of calling the officer a ‘pleb’, was forced to resign his post after a month of intense media interest. Two police officers were sacked over the so-called ‘Plebgate’. One, Keith Wallis, was jailed for a year at the Old Bailey for misconduct in a public office. | Party chairman Grant Shapps tweeted beer and bingo tax cuts advert .
It said Budget 2014 cuts helped 'hardworking people' do what 'they' enjoy .
Post was immediately slammed as a 'PR disaster' and 'ill-conceived'
Some Twitter users even suggested the post must be a hoax . |
178,811 | 73801dd2a832643d12bf384882bd93f257bca995 | CHENGDU, China (CNN) -- Rainy weather and poor logistics thwarted efforts by relief troops who walked for hours over rock, debris and mud on Tuesday in hopes of reaching the worst-hit area of an earthquake that killed nearly 10,000 in central China, state-run media reported. Setting out from Maerkang in Sichuan Province at 8 p.m. Monday, the 100 or so troops had to travel 200 kilometers (124 miles) to go before reaching Wenchuan, the epicenter of the quake, also in the province, Xinhua reported. After seven hours, they still had 70 kilometers (43 miles) to go. "I have seen many collapsed civilian houses, and the rocks dropped from mountains on the roadside are everywhere," the head of the unit, Li Zaiyuan, told Xinhua. Added CNN Correspondent John Vause: "The roads here are terrible in the best of times ... right now they're down right atrocious. They've resorted to going in one man at a time on foot." Nearly all the confirmed deaths were in Sichuan Province, but rescuers were hindered because roads linking it to the provincial capital, Chengdu, were damaged, Xinhua reported. Local radio quoted disaster relief officials as saying a third of the buildings in Wenchuan collapsed from the quake and another third were seriously damaged. The earthquake was powerful enough to be felt throughout most of China. Many children were buried under the rubble of their schools. The Chinese government said the death toll was sure to rise. An expert told CNN the 7.9-magnitude quake at about 2:28 p.m. Monday (6:28 a.m. GMT) was the largest the region has seen "for over a generation." Residents as far as Chongqing -- about 200 miles from the epicenter in Sichuan Province -- spent the night outdoors, too afraid of aftershocks to sleep indoors. Local radio in Sichuan quoted disaster relief officials as saying a third of the buildings in Wenchuan collapsed from the quake and another third were seriously damaged. Watch as the death toll rises » . The state-run Zhongxin news agency reported that a survivor who escaped Beichuan county in Sichuan Province described the province as having been "razed to the ground." The Red Cross Society of China, coordinating some of the international aid efforts, encouraged financial donations because of the difficulty of getting supplies to those most in need. At least six schools collapsed to some extent in the quake or aftershocks that followed, Xinhua reported. See a report on rescue operations at the school » . At one school, almost 900 students -- all eighth-graders and ninth-graders, according to a local villager -- were believed to be buried. See workers in Chengdu hiding under their desks during the quake » . At least 50 bodies were pulled from the rubble by Monday night at Juyuan Middle School in Juyuan Township of Dujiangyan City, Sichuan Province, Xinhua reported. "Some buried teenagers were struggling to free themselves from the ruins while others were calling for help. Eight excavators were working at the site. Devastated parents watched as five cranes worked at the site and an ambulance waited," Xinhua reported. "A tearful mother said her son, ninth-grader Zhang Chengwei, was buried in the ruins." Meanwhile, 2,300 people were buried in two collapsed chemical plants in Sichuan's Shifang city, and 80 tons of ammonia leaked out, Xinhua reported. Six hundred people died there. The plants were among a series of buildings that collapsed, including private homes, schools and factories. The local government has evacuated 6,000 civilians from the area and was dispatching firefighters to help at the scene, Xinhua reported. Much of the nation's transportation system shut down. Xinhua reported there were "multiple landslides and collapses along railway lines" near Chengdu. Quake victims have been sleeping outside in Chengdu » . Sichuan Province sits in the Sichuan basin and is surrounded by the Himalayas to the west. The Yangtze River flows through the province and the Three Gorges Dam in the nearby Hubei Province controls flooding to the Sichuan -- though there were no reports of damage to the world's largest dam. Monday's quake was caused by the Tibetan plateau colliding with the Sichuan basin, Zhigang Peng, an earthquake expert at Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, told CNN. "Earthquakes in this part of China are infrequent but not uncommon," he said. The last major earthquake in the region occurred in the northwestern margin of the Sichuan basin when a 7.5-magnitude quake killed more than 9,300 people on August 25, 1933. President Hu Jintao ordered an all-out effort to help those affected, and Premier Wen Jiabao traveled to the region to direct the rescue work, Xinhua reported. "My fellow Chinese, facing such a severe disaster, we need calm, confidence, courage and efficient organization," Wen was quoted as saying. "I believe we can certainly overcome the disaster with the public and the military working together under the leadership of the CPC Central Committee and the government." Peter Sammonds, professor of geophysics at University College London, called the earthquake "tremendous." "Particularly in the more remote, the more mountainous part where this has taken place, a lot of the buildings are built on sediments that are quite unstable. They're probably liquifying, causing the buildings to collapse. You might expect landslides to occur, which could actually stop the relief efforts going through on the roads, so this could be very grim in the remoter, more mountainous parts of this province." While many of the most immediate efforts were focused on Sichuan Province, Xinhua also reported dead and injured in Gansu, Chongqing and Yunnan provinces. A provincial government spokesman said they feared more dead and injured in collapsed houses in Dujiangyan City in Wenchuan County. A driver for the seismological bureau said he saw "rows of houses collapsed" in Dujiangyan, Xinhua reported. Bonnie Thie, the country director of the Peace Corps, told CNN she was on a university campus in Chengdu about 60 miles from the epicenter, in the eastern part of China's Sichuan province, when the first quake hit. "You could see the ground shaking," Thie told CNN. The shaking "went on for what seemed like a very long time," she said. Bruce Presgrave, a geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said this quake could cause major damage because of its strength and proximity to major population centers. Also, it was relatively shallow, and those kinds of quakes tend to do more damage near the epicenter than deeper ones, Presgrave said. An earthquake with 7.5 magnitude in the northern Chinese city of Tangshan killed 255,000 people in 1976 -- the greatest death toll from an earthquake in the last four centuries and the second greatest in recorded history, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Tangshan is roughly 995 miles (1,600 km) from Chengdu, the nearest major city to the epicenter of Monday's quake. Read an explanation about earthquakes » . After the quake struck Monday, the ground shook as far away as Beijing, which is 950 miles (1,528 km) from the epicenter. Residents of the Chinese capital, which hosts this year's Olympic Games in August, felt a quiet, rolling sensation for about a minute. See CNN's interview with an American in Chengdu » . Thousands of people were evacuated from Beijing buildings immediately after the earthquake. At least seven more earthquakes -- measuring between 4.0 and 6.0 magnitudes -- happened nearby over the four hours after the initial quake at at 2:28 p.m. local time, the USGS reported. A spokesman for the Beijing Olympic Committee said no Olympic venues were affected. The huge Three Gorges Dam -- roughly 400 miles east of the epicenter -- was not damaged, a spokesman said. The earthquake was also felt in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Taiwan, and as far away as Hanoi, Vietnam, and Bangkok, Thailand, according to the Hong Kong-based Mandarin-language channel Phoenix TV. Impact your world . CNN's John Vause and Jaime FlorCruz contributed to this report. | NEW: China says at least 10,000 dead but it expects figure to rise .
NEW: Rain hampering rescue, aid efforts in worst-hit area .
Nearly 900 children buried when a school building collapses, 50 bodies found .
7.9 magnitude quake is felt throughout much of China . |
116,725 | 22b2b96a06d0ff3df626db7c2a5037c8826fc811 | By . Eleanor Harding . PUBLISHED: . 18:17 EST, 24 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:00 EST, 26 January 2013 . Duncan Bannatyne, one of the richest men in the country, yesterday launched a bizarre attack on his ex-wife Joanne McCue, claiming she had financially crippled him in their divorce settlement. The Dragon’s Den star, worth an estimated £430million, went so far as accusing his family of ‘gold-digging’ and said he would have to make redundancies in his businesses after she demanded £1,000 a day. He also claimed he would no longer be able to support charities, and accused Miss McCue’s family of ‘taking food from the mouths of orphans’. Complaint: Duncan Bannatyne took to Twitter to reveal that his divorce had been confirmed . The health club tycoon’s extraordinary . attack on Twitter came after he received final confirmation of their . divorce. His claims could not be substantiated. He said: ‘It is a sad time. People . employed by me will be made redundant and I cannot continue supporting . charities. I am not allowed to discuss the settlement but Joanne said . she needed £1,000 a day. ‘I just feel like the family have . taken food from the mouths of orphans in Romania to buy themselves new . cars. There is nothing I can do about it.’ The couple, who married in . 2006 and split five years later, have two children – Emily, 13 and Tom, . 11. When asked for a comment Miss McCue . said: ‘I have never commented, but our children are 11 and 13 which . demonstrates how long we have been together.’ Claim: The Dragon's Den star told a follower he did not have enough money to buy a local shop . Attack: He went on to claim that members of his family were 'gold digging' during the Twitter rant . Divorce: Mr Bannatyne and his then wife Joanne McCue at their home in the south of France in 2009 . Bannatyne, 63, has previously said the . divorce costs will force him to lay off 43 staff. Last night, it was . confirmed that some jobs will be lost in his ‘new projects team’ although it is not known how many. He added: ‘I am trying my best to . save single parents from being made redundant and I’m doing everything I . can do to continue to support orphans in Romania.’ On Wednesday night he revealed on Twitter that he had received the certificate to dissolve his marriage. He wrote: ‘I just received my Decree . Absolute by email, isn’t that nice? #DivorcedForMoney by a . #GoldDiggingFamily’. In conversation with another Twitter user, he . added: ‘Have no spare cash & having to make staff redundent (sic) due to cost of divorce.’ Star: Mr Bannatyne with the other tycoons who appear on Dragons' Den on BBC Two . New challenge: The businessman is appearing on a Comic Relief edition of The Great British Bake Off with Simon Reeve, Warwick Davis and Andy Akinwolere . He also wrote: ‘Just want the world to know what disgusting parasites they are.’ Last October, he was taken to hospital after a suspected heart attack, which he later blamed on the stress of his divorce. A spokesman said: ‘A handful of . redundancies were confined to the new projects team as Duncan . consolidates the business in line with the cost of the divorce and . market conditions. Bannatyne funds several projects for . children in Romania. Last year, the Sunday Times Rich List put his . wealth at £430million but he is reported to have said that this is an . overestimate. He has three other children with his first wife, Gail. | Businessman's marriage to Joanne McCue has been formally ended .
Tells Twitter follower that cost of divorce has forced him to sack employees .
'#DivorcedForMoney by a #GoldDiggingFamily', Bannatyne writes . |
91,591 | 01d2e7a37637924113c3774d8095061ddd43ec97 | Sydney Swans AFL star Adam Goodes says he accepts that his stature as Australian of the Year and his desire to be outspoken about indigenous rights makes him a target for personal racist attacks. In the past week Goodes was racially abused by an Essendon fan, booed during the clash despite making no wrong moves, and was the victim of a series of vicious online attacks. However, the 34-year-old has vowed to not back down in his role as an indigenous leader, even if that means he's subjected to further abuse. 'I actually feel I've been in training for this role, to be honest,' Goodes said at a media conference at the SCG on Thursday. Scroll down for video . Adam Goodes said in a press conference on Thursday that he will continue to take his position as an indigenous role model seriously and defend himself against racist attacks . 'When you play at a football club and you don't play well, you do get your head knocked off'It's not the first time I've had to go through something like this. 'Yeah, I'm putting my neck out there and, at times, people want to knock it off. But I'll continue putting my neck out there because there are so many good people out there who are supporting the messages, who want to see some changes.' Despite some criticism about his front-foot-forward approach to dealing with discrimination, the Swans star maintains silence is not the answer. 'Unfortunately, some people don't want to have those conversations - they might not be ready. But I'm definitely ready,' he said. 'It's not a comfortable thing to talk about; definitely it's not a comfortable thing to go through. It's going to cause a stir and it's going to cause people to have conversations, but let's talk about it... Once we talk about it, see what it's like, then we can self-regulate and say that's not right.' In the past week the star Swans player has been racially attacked both at a game and on social media . Goodes was with his mother unveiling the new guernseys for the indigenous round, which the player's mum Lisa designed . Goodes was at the cricket ground with his mother Lisa to unveil the Swans' jersey for indigenous round that's been designed by her. This is the first time the Sydney Swans will wear an indigenous jersey for the round, and the design pays tribute to Goodes' late Auntie, according to Business Insider. Earlier in the week, the star centre half forward was labelled an 'ape', a 'hairy monkey' and a 'black dog' beneath a Facebook poll for AFL's most hated player, reports the Herald Sun. The offending comments have since been removed, however a number of crude anti-Goodes remarks remain on the 'Footy's Most Awkward Moments' Facebook page. The page, which boasts more than 54,000 likes, posted the results of a poll on Monday in which users were asked to vote for the player they hate the most in the AFL, with Goodes ranking second behind Richmond forward Jack Riewoldt. This is the first time the Swans will play in a different jersey for the indigenous round, and the design pays tribute to Goodes' late Auntie . 'These sort of comments are appalling, shocking and a stark reminder that we still have work to do in this area,' Swans chief executive Andrew Ireland told News Corp Australia. 'Racism has no place in society. Not on the football field, not in the stands, not on social media and not anywhere else. 'The positive from the weekend was the willingness of crowds to stand up and not tolerate this sort of behaviour, regardless of their allegiances.' According to the Herald Sun, fellow indigenous footballer Cyril Rioli took a number of screen grabs of the comments and posted them to his Twitter account. 'Goodes is a hairy monkey and deserves his place on this list,' was one of the comments shared by the disgusted Hawthorn forward. Vile: Administrators of the 'Footy's Most Awkward Moments' Facebook page asked users to rank their most hated AFL players . Sydney Swans veteran Adam Goodes earlier revealed his friendship with Eddie McGuire was over following the racial comments he made about the player last year. The dual Brownlow Medalist broke his silence over McGuire's on-air gaffe when he suggested Goodes, 34, be part of the promotion of King Kong the musical. It happened just days after one of the games most loyal servants was called an 'ape' by a 13-year-old girl during a match against Collingwood - the club McGuire is president of. Adam Goodes revealed he no longer considers McGuire a friend while speaking at a corporate business breakfast in Sydney. At the time of the incident McGuire, 49, went public with an apology and said he would remain as Collingwood President despite pressure for him to resign. 'Burns me to the core' Eddie McGuire said he felt deeply upset about the comments he made about dual Brownlow Medalist Adam Goodes last year . He said: 'It burns me to the core that I would be associated with vilifying.' AFL boss Andrew Demetriou said McGuire's comments would be investigated, but his position at Collingwood remained in tact. At the time Goodes singled the young fan out in the crowd, McGuire stood united with him in their bid to stamp out racial vilification in the game. He reacted by stepping in to support Goodes and even shook his hand in the dressing room after the final siren went. But all his good work was undone when the Triple M radio presenter made a terrible error in judgement by suggesting Adam Goodes be flown down from Sydney to Melbourne to help promote King Kong the musical. Target: Adam Goodes has suffered numerous racist attacks during his illustrious football career . According to Fairfax Media reports, Goodes said he would still be prepared to shake McGuire's hand, but would not regard the gesture as an act of friendship. 'To have a friend and someone there that night who shook my hand in the dressing room afterwards, to have him say what he did was disappointing and uncomfortable but that’s how friendships end,' he said. Goodes also said he did not regret singling out the young girl who had vilified him. 'It was just a natural part of what I would do on a footy field,' he said. 'It was part of me acting instinctively.' At 34, Goodes has played more than 300 AFL matches for Sydney and was twice named the best player of the year. He was crowned the Brownlow Medalist in 2003 and 2006 and was this year given the country's top honour when named Australian Of The Year this year. | Goodes says he will continue to combat racist attacks .
Revealed mother's design for Swans' guernsey worn in indigenous round .
In the past week been attacked on Facebook and booed at Essendon game .
Called a 'dog', 'ape' and 'hairy monkey' by users .
The twice-Brownlow medalist has been a serial target of racist attacks . |
11,501 | 20b11518df6520f552d691d5f6c0d02755d11809 | The worlds of politics and arts mingled Sunday at the annual Kennedy Center Honors, with President Barack Obama among those toasting five stars of stage, screen and music. "Each of them has been blessed with an extraordinary gift," the president said of the night's honorees. "Tonight, we thank them for sharing that gift with us." The festivities in Washington began with a White House reception, where Obama made his remarks flanked by the honorees. People moved from there across town to The Kennedy Center overlooking the Potomac River for a gala performance. The performing arts space, named in honor of the late President John F. Kennedy, is marking its 40th anniversary this year, and this is the 34th time that it has honored individuals in a "celebration of the arts." Past honorees run an entertainment gamut -- from the likes of Clint Eastwood and Sean Connery in the movie world, to Aretha Franklin and Bob Dylan in music, to Ginger Rogers and Mikhail Baryshnikov in dance, among dozens of others. This year's slate of honorees are similarly eclectic, though with a distinctly musical bent. Singer-songwriter Neil Diamond has sold more than 125 million records and scored 39 top-10 singles -- including "Cracklin' Rosie," "Sweet Caroline" and "America" -- according to a biography posted on the Kennedy Center's website. Legendary saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins has long stood out on the jazz scene even while playing alongside luminaries such as Miles Davis and Dizzy Gillespie. Atlanta-bred musical theater star Barbara Cook made her mark on Broadway. She's also toured the world and produced several studio albums. Yo-Yo Ma -- described in his biography as the nation's "cellist-in-chief" -- has won 16 Grammy awards over his illustrious career and last year was given a Presidential Medal of Freedom. Sunday night's only non-musical winner is actress Meryl Streep. She burst on the movie scene in 1978 in "The Deer Hunter" and "Kramer vs. Kramer," later winning plaudits for her roles in films such as "Sophie's Choice," "Out of Africa" and more recently "Julie & Julia." "We're just over the moon about this," Cook said of her conversations with the four others about being celebrated Sunday. "It's once in a lifetime -- there's nothing else like this." Others attending Sunday's events included actors Stanley Tucci, Robert DeNiro, Sarah Jessica Parker and Emily Blunt, and musician Smokey Robinson. They were joined by political players including Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, GOP presidential contender Newt Gingrich, and U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. Several of them -- including DeNiro, Tucci and Robinson -- took the Kennedy Center on Sunday night to celebrate the honorees. Others who spoke included Bill Cosby on behalf of Rollins, Jennifer Nettles and Lionel Ritchie for Diamond, and Stephen Colbert toasting Yo-Yo Ma. A two-hour recap of the gala will air the night of December 27 on CBS. Obama ended his lighthearted remarks Sunday evening with a call for people to support the arts, ideally helping a future Kennedy Center honoree and many others have the tools and opportunities they need to excel. "Let's make sure that our young people can dream big dreams and follow them as long as they can go," the president said. That sentiment was seconded on the red carpet by, among others, House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. "The arts are a very good investment because they're about the spirit of America (and) they encourage children to learn, to gain confidence through exercising their creativity," the California Democrat said. "Imagination is what keeps us number one." | "We're just over the moon about this," one honoree says .
Obama joins those in Washington toasting this year's Kennedy Center honorees .
They are Barbara Cook, Neil Diamond, Sonny Rollins, Meryl Streep and Yo-Yo Ma .
The president says each has "an extraordinary gift" they've shared with the world . |
19,764 | 381fada570e3964a6308f82f0ac0d990c324462a | A shape emerges under the murky green waters as a whale slowly glides, oblivious to the gasps of awe and camera clicks above it. Soon it is joined by another and the sound of shutter clicks resonate in the still, calm air. This was the special moment a group of lucky sightseers encountered the massive humpback whales of Canada. Once in a lifetime: The whale sighting was a 'spiritual occasion' for sightseers on a whale watching excursion . Unaware of the fuss surrounding their appearance, the whales continue to swim calmly. Furiously taking photographs, the tourists are mesmerised by the graceful movements of the cetaceans as they approach the boat. The pair of friendly humpback whales seem to have no fear of the boatload of watchers and swim ever closer to the vessel. Gasps of awe are heard as they experience the rare moment. Doug Davis, the owner of Prince Rupert Adventure Tours who organised the whale watching, spoke to CTV News Vancouver about the experience. 'People on the boat had never seen a whale before and all of a sudden you have these whales going right up to the boat,' Mr Davis said of the encounter. Up close and personal: Many of the tourists had not seen a whale before, let alone this close up . More videos of the encounter have since emerged on YouTube, uploaded by the sightseers on the tour . The whales were spotted off the British Columbia coast near Prince Rupert in Canada . 'It's a bit of a spiritual occasion. It puts us in our place a little bit.' According to Mr Davis, the whales behaved rather unusually, swimming around the vessel for the next few hours. He told the Canadian news agency that the group spotted a large pod of at least ten transient killer whales in the distance. Mr Davis believed the humpbacks were intentionally avoiding the orcas. 'If you look at the end of the video, I took the ID's of the whales,' he said. 'You can actually see the bottom edge of one of the tail flukes had teeth marks on it. 'Obviously this whale had an experience with killer whales before.' Mr Davis said this experience was among one of his best whale watching tours . 'You see this kind of stuff once in a while, not very often,' he said. 'To actually experience it – everybody was just totally in awe.' More videos of the encounter have since emerged on YouTube, uploaded by the sightseers on the tour. 'Fantastic weather. Great number of whales. Couldn't ask for a better way to spend a Saturday!' Eric Bombardier posted on YouTube. And tourist, Melanie Hooker, who was also on the boat that day posted a video on YouTube. 'Humpback whales "playing" around our whale watching vessel for about 45 minutes. Getting up close and personal,' she wrote. | The whales were spotted off the British Columbia coast near Prince Rupert .
Unusually for them, the mammals swam around the vessel for a few hours .
Doug Davis from the tour agency said 'everybody was just totally in awe' |
91,491 | 01b0fff8c241ef4c0e2b9e10d9b07df8af0b6d29 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 19:14 EST, 17 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:19 EST, 17 November 2012 . A zoo has appointed an unusual artist-in-residence - a five tonne Asian elephant. Karishma uses a tiny paintbrush gripped in its trunk to create colourful canvases at ZSL Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire. Now one of the 14-year-old female's artworks is going up for sale on eBay to raise money for conservation projects. Scroll down for video . Dextrous: Arty Asian elephant Karishma uses a paintbrush held in its trunk to create colourful pictures at Whipsnade Zoo . Trunk art: Karishma's artwork is going to be sold on eBay to raise money for conservation charities . Staff at Whipsnade say Karishma's . artworks are 'pretty amazing, if a little abstract', and fans obviously . agree as bidding has already reached £100 on the auction site. 'Karishma really enjoys painting and she's very talented at it,' keeper Elizabeth Becker told the BBC. 'It demonstrates just how dextrous elephants' trunks really are.' Colleague Rebecca Smith said the mighty elephant had been artist-in-residence at Whipsnade ever since keepers gave Karishma a paintbrush and watched as 'she immediately took to it'. While staff admire Karishma's use of 'sweeping strokes' and trademark spots and stripes, Ms Smith added: 'Perhaps the beauty is in the eye of the beholder'. Karishma's calf George has not inherited its mother's love of art, preferring to spend time playing rather than painting. Elephant in the room: Staff at Whipsnade say the 14-year-old creature's creations are 'amazing, if a little abstract' Artist in residence: The Asian elephant's trademarks are spots and stripes . Star: Karishma leaves other elephants at Whipsnade in the shade as it shows off its artistic flair . | Asian elephant Karishma grips a tiny brush with its trunk to create colourful artworks at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, England .
One of the 14-year-old female's paintings is being auctioned on eBay for conservation charities . |
280,270 | f71201fd6596983db25da82e99a2934e6300413a | Labour has been accused of a ‘shameful’ attempt to scare parents into thinking their young children will not get a place at school in September. Furious Education Secretary Nicky Morgan told MailOnline parents deserved better than ‘scare stories’ peddled by Labour politicians putting their own interests before those of the country’s children. It comes after Labour’s Tristram Hunt claimed there was a ‘crippling’ shortage of places, despite the government committing £7billion for increasing school sizes over the next six years. Education Secretary Nicky Morgan told MailOnline parents deserved better than ‘scare stories’ about school places . Parents had until last Thursday to apply for children to start primary school in the autumn, naming at least three schools where they want to send their child. Mr Hunt used the deadline to launch an attack on the government in an article for MailOnline, claiming many families will be left disappointed, with pupils forced to travel further or squeeze into over-crowded classrooms. He highlighted figures suggesting 18 per cent of schools said they did not have enough capacity for their pupils. ‘This year's primary school admissions process is complicated by a crippling shortage in places that will leave many parents disappointed,’ he claimed. It came after the Local Government Association warned schools could be pushed to breaking point over the next decade, with almost a million more places for pupils needed. Official figures show that by 2023 there will be a total of 4.7million primary age pupils, up from 4.3million in 2014 . But Mrs Morgan condemned both Mr Hunt and the LGA for using ‘the anxieties of parents’ to score political points. In an article for MailOnline, she said: ‘Robust debate in politics is fine. It’s what we politicians expect. ‘But I believe a healthy debate should be based on facts rather than scaremongering or special pleading. ‘At a time when parents and children should be looking forward with excitement to taking their first steps in education, they deserve better than to be exposed to scare stories peddled by those who seek to put their own interests before those of our nation’s children.’ She said it was ‘shameful’ that Mr Hunt had the ‘cheek’ to criticse the coalition, after Labour’s poor record on school places. Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt claimed many families will be left disappointed, with pupils forced to travel further or squeeze into over-crowded classrooms . Mr Hunt had ignored the fact that Labour cut funding for school places and took 200,000 primary school places out of the system. She added that Labour did this ‘in the middle of a baby boom and at the same time as letting immigration get out of control’. She said the government had already put an extra £5billion in providing ‘good school places’ in this Parliament, with a further £7billion for new places over the next six years. And she insisted the Tories would focus on improving the quality of schools, adding that under Labour a third of children left primary school ‘unable to read, write or add up properly and Britain stagnated in international school league tables while the rest of the world moved on’. Official figures predict that there may be around 900,000 extra pupils in England's schools over the next decade. Nicky MOrgan says the government has already put an extra £5 billion into providing good school places in this parliament and more has been allocated for the years to come . This is always a difficult and anxious time of year for those parents with children starting school in September. With the passing of the application deadline, some fear they may not be granted the place they desperately want, while others are left wondering if they’ve made the right choice at all. I’ve been there. I know what it’s like. And that’s why I think it’s such a shame that some have chosen to use . to play on and exacerbate those concerns simply to push their own political agendas. In the past week the Local Government Association – an organisation that according to its own website exists to ‘promote’ the interests of local councils – claimed that without a dramatic increase in funding for local authorities the country faces a ‘crisis’ in school places. The LGA, of course, ignored the fact that this government changed the system so that it picks up almost all of the bill for providing school places on behalf of councils who have the legal duty to do so. We have already put an extra £5 billion into providing good school places in this parliament and more has been allocated for the years to come. Of course, it is the LGA’s job to lobby on behalf of its members. I understand that. But it is a shame to use the anxieties of parents as peg on which to do so. It is more shameful still when done by elected politicians in positions of responsibility, like the Labour Party’s education spokesman. Ignoring the fact that his government slashed funding for school places; overlooking the uncomfortable truth that the last Labour government took 200,000 primary school places out of the system; and neglecting to mention that they did this in the middle of a baby boom and at the same time as letting immigration get out of control, Tristram Hunt had the cheek last week to criticise this government for failing to do enough. I think some facts might be in order. Firstly, one of the first decisions this government took was to double the funding allocated to creating new school places. As a result, local authorities have been able to more than make up for Labour’s cuts by creating 260,000 new places since 2010. We have also funded more than 250 new free schools that are providing essential and high-quality school places in communities across the country. 70 per cent of these have been established in areas where there is an essential need for extra capacity, and a third have been targeted to provide good school places in some of the most deprived areas of the country. The government has also allocated a further £7 billion for new school places over the next six years as part of our sensible, planned approach that has replaced the chaos of the Labour years. 90 per cent of the new places required for September of this year are already in place or underway. How do we know? Because this government introduced a basic need monitoring process that allows us to plan effectively. The coalition has funded more than 250 new free schools that are providing 'essential and high-quality school places in communities across the country', Mrs Morgan added . As a result, parents can be confident that there will be a school place available for their child when they need it. Under the last Labour government, no such monitoring took place. But that is not the limit of our ambitions. While guaranteeing every child the school place they need is vital, it’s also important to focus on quality. I want every child to have the chance to go to a good or outstanding local school where standards are high and discipline in strong. Fortunately, as a result of our plan for education, a million more children are learning in good or outstanding schools today than when we came to office. In fact, we now have more children in good or outstanding schools than ever before. Contrast that with the record of the last Labour government. Under them, a third of children left primary school unable to read, write or add up properly and Britain stagnated in international school league tables while the rest of the world moved on. All of this progress has only been possible because this government took the difficult decisions necessary to get the economy back on track. It’s because of this that we have been able to protect the schools budget in this parliament, spend an extra £5 billion on school places, and invest £18 billion to improve school buildings across the country - more than double the amount Labour spent in its first two terms combined. That’s what our long-term economic plan means for education, and we must stick to the course. Labour’s chaotic plans would mean more borrowing and more debt than our children and grandchildren could ever pay off. They have already announced £1.8 billion of spending commitments in education alone, yet have consistently refused to answer questions about how they would pay for them. Robust debate in politics is fine. It’s what we politicians expect. But I believe a healthy debate should be based on facts rather than scaremongering or special pleading. At a time when parents and children should be looking forward with excitement to taking their first steps in education, they deserve better than to be exposed to scare stories peddled by those who seek to put their own interests before those of our nation’s children. | Education Secretary Nicky Morgan hits back at Labour's dire warnings .
Accuses Labour's Tristram Hunt putting his own interest before children's .
Insists the government has earmarked another £7billion for next six years .
Hunt warned of 'anxiety' for parents over ‘crippling’ shortage of places . |
68,707 | c2d876c59432c12d35920c080f8f328a75c6a49b | (CNN) -- South Korea on Wednesday announced sanctions against Iran -- including government scrutiny of most financial transactions involving the country -- as part of global efforts to quash Tehran's suspected nuclear program. A key Iranian bank also will face "a heavy penalty," said South Korean Foreign Ministry spokesman Kim Young-sun, according to state media. The Seoul branch of Iran's Bank Mellat has allegedly facilitated hundreds of millions of dollars in transactions for Iranian nuclear, missile and defense agencies, the Yonhap news agency said. Korea also will expand a sanctions blacklist to limit the foreign-exchange transactions of more than 100 people and Iranian entities; step up inspections of suspicious cargo to and from Iran; put those blacklisted on a travel ban; and limit investments in Iran's gas and oil refinery industries. The blacklisted entities include Bank Mellat, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, according to Yonhap. The United States, a key South Korean ally, has lobbied other nations to step up sanctions against Iran. The European Union, Canada and Japan are among those that have done so. Iran is continuing its uranium enrichment activities in defiance of U.N. Security Council resolutions, according to a report released Monday by the International Atomic Energy Agency. Iran has rebuffed international demands to halt its uranium enrichment program, saying it wants the nuclear fuel for peaceful uses. The IAEA is not convinced. In low concentrations, enriched uranium can be used to fuel civilian power plants, but in extremely high concentrations, it can be used to produce a nuclear bomb. "Based on an overall analysis undertaken by the agency of all the information available to it, the agency remains concerned about the possible existence in Iran of past or current undisclosed nuclear-related activities involving military-related organizations, including activities related to the development of a nuclear payload for a missile," the IAEA report said. Last month, the United States extended sanctions against Iran, saying it was targeting a number of Iranian businesses and groups accused of helping organizations such as Hezbollah, Hamas and the Taliban. In June, the United Nations imposed some of its toughest sanctions yet of Iran. The new sanctions include cargo inspections, new controls on Iranian banks, restrictions on the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, a new U.N. panel of experts to help monitor and enforce sanctions, and asset freezes on 40 entities and individuals. Also in June, the U.S. Treasury Department announced sanctions targeting the country's nuclear and missile programs, identifying more than 20 companies and several individuals allegedly involved with those programs. | Measures include scrutiny of financial transactions and cargo inspections .
The U.S. has lobbied other countries to boost sanctions against Iran .
Iran has dismissed suspicions that it is enriching uranium to build a nuclear bomb .
The country has defied U.N. Security Council resolutions, the IAEA says . |
70,169 | c6e533b2e41701152b38570d1f94b2afe183612e | It's fabulously cheap swimwear. The only downside? They might go see through. Some K-Mart pink and white striped cossies which 'may go transparent' in the water were today named among the 'winners' of the awards no company wants to receive. Consumer group Choice's 'Shonky Awards' listed the swimmers alongside some of this year's most egregious product fails. And for the wronged fans of Thermomix, a popular kitchen appliance, it was the moment they finally extracted their revenge. These K-Mart bathers may appear to cheap and stylish, however... ... The tag says 'some garments may be transparent when wet' and should 'avoid excessive contact with suntan lotions, oils, rough surfaces, heated pools and spas treated with harsh chemicals' Manufacturers of the mixer - which has an almost cult-like following - came under attack in September after they released an expensive new model without giving their loyal customers any warning. Many customers who had recently purchased the old TM31 model told Daily Mail Australia they felt tricked by the surprise release of the first mixer in seven years. Georgina Shelley from Brisbane started a petition on Change.org, writing: 'Many like myself, asked the question before purchasing, if there was a new Thermomix on the way. 'My consultant told me that she hadn't heard anything about it.' Thermomix today received a Shonky award after Choice was deluged with more than 530 nominations. Controversy: A new model Thermomix costs more than a week's holiday in Bali and many fans were upset when the manufacturer sprung an expensive new model on them . To make things sweeter for the so-called 'Thermo Fans', Choice has referred the company to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. Even one of Australia's favourite brands, Arnott's, found itself a recipient of a Shonky. Earlier this year, the company released a new line of Tim Tams with a distinct peanut butter flavour. It was a mouthwatering prospect for many fans. But the consumer group today revealed that while there was one unusual ingredient included - paprika, a condiment - there were no peanuts. Missing something? Arnotts won themselves a Shonky award by failing to include an important ingredient - peanuts - in their peanut butter flavoured Tim Tams . That wasn't the only way consumers had been wronged. Choice also said consumers had been fobbed off, given Arnotts kept the same packaging but removed two biscuits from their usual serving. The Commonwealth Bank, BankWest, S-26 Gold Toddler and Junior and Amazon were also among the recipients. In a statement, CHOICE CEO Alan Kirkland said he hoped the Shonky awards would force businesses to clean up their act. 'The risk of receiving an infamous Shonky encourages businesses to sharpen up their act and put consumers first,' he said. | Consumer group dishes out its annual 'Shonky Awards'
List of the biggest Australian product fails of 2014 .
Manufacturers of the Thermomix kitchen appliance were big losers .
K-Mart also 'won' a gong for swimmers that 'may go transparent' |
92,813 | 0361c5253f8ef439ad19af84714480622f35436a | For 50 years, Harry Redknapp has been one of football’s most colourful and outspoken characters. Now he’s written a book every fan will want to read. In his new book 'A Man Walks On To a Pitch' - serialised exclusively by Sportsmail this week - Redknapp reveals the ways in which the Premier League radically changed English football. When we first heard about the Premier League, we all thought it was just a change of name. Division One was now going to be called the Premier League - but what a load of rubbish that turned out to be. Once the new league started in 1992, everything about our game changed. It became about foreign players, foreign coaches and foreign wages to keep up with the biggest clubs in Europe. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Redknapp say record signings used to get the bus to games . Harry Redknapp's new book, A Man Walks On To a Pitch, reveals how professional footballers' diets changed, with Jack Charlton (right) and Billy Bremner (left) eating spaghetti before a Leeds United match in May 1971 . Chelsea footballers enjoy hamburgers on Fulham Road in April 1972, showing how different diets were then . Redknapp (far right) watches on as (left to right) Jimmy Greaves, Peter Grotier, Bobby Moore and Clyde Best enjoy a selection of sausage rolls and snacks at a function in 1970 during his West Ham United days . Redknapp, pictured as Queens Park Rangers boss in 2013, believes the Premier League was revolutionary . The former West Ham United boss, taking training at Chadwell Heath, was forced to change his methods . An influx of foreigners, like Paolo di Canio (right), ensured that British managers changed their ways . The days of walking in, shouting and screaming and throwing teacups at players were gone. There is no point effing and blinding at a player who can hardly speak English. You had to talk to them, slowly, reasonably. An awful lot of British coaches ruled by fear and bullying, and the foreign players wouldn’t accept that. They weren’t used to being talked to like that, being embarrassed or humiliated in front of their team-mates. The whole dynamic of English football has altered. During one of their rows, Roy Keane accused Sir Alex Ferguson of having changed. Alex’s response was: ‘Of course I’ve changed. How could I have survived this long if I hadn’t changed?’ He’s right, of course. We’ve all had to change to deal with the demands of modern football. Roy Keane (right) accused Sir Alex Ferguson (left) of having 'changed' during his time at Manchester United . Scholes, Gerrard and Ferdinand make Redknapp's modern era Premier League XI . Giggs would have solved England's problems... he was born to play left wing . Keane, Shearer and Le Tissier make Redknapp's early era Premier League XI . Wenger heralded a change in English football... he introduced Prozone and scouting reports . Ravel Morrison has the class of Bale but his attitude is holding back his talent . Vieira and Keane are warriors... they were even prepared to do battle while working on TV! Why Redknapp fears that the English manager is in danger of becoming extinct . Vieira nearly crossed North London to join Spurs... and Suarez was close to signing too . Sportsmail's Head of Sport Lee Clayton interviews Redknapp about his new book . It’s not just that players have agents, it’s that those agents sometimes have a better line of communication to the chairman than the manager. And it’s not just that the players know who the chairman is - it is that they are on first-name terms and think nothing of putting in a call if they are unhappy with anything from team selection to training. What certainly altered was the way you tried to build team spirit. The old methods were very simple - bonding sessions, getting the lads to go out for a drink or have a day at the races. Everybody laughs, falls about, gets into a few scrapes. A typical jolly boys’ outing, but the foreign players didn’t want to know about that. I can remember during my time at Tottenham I took the lads to the Cheltenham races. I thought we’d have some fun, relax together, come back a bit tighter as a unit - but you would have thought I’d taken them on a prison visit. About eight of them were looking at their watches after half an hour. What are we doing here? Why have you brought us here? Tottenham's foreign players, who included Rafael van der Vaart, Emmanuel Adebayor and Younes Kaboul, pictured here in 2011, were not impressed when Redknapp took them to the Cheltenham races . Roman Pavlyuchenko, pictured scoring against Shamrock Rovers, looked bored all afternoon at the races . Redknapp realised taking players out for a bit of fun during his time at Tottenham was no longer possible . The Queens Park Rangers manager selects his best XI from the early era of the Premier League . Roman Pavlyuchenko never moved out of his seat all day. Just sat there, waiting for the time to get on the coach and go home. Wouldn’t watch a race, wouldn’t have a bet, just not interested in joining in. In the end, it has been the English footballers who have had to change because at most clubs now they are isolated. It is a different life for them now. I remember Paolo Di Canio brought his fitness coach to West Ham. The food at the training ground changed, too. Lunches at Chadwell Heath had barely altered since my day - steak and kidney pie, loads of potatoes, anything you could get. By the end of that first season with Paolo’s man, everyone had their own tailored, balanced food intake and a special dietician supervised that regime. Paolo Di Canio (left), pictured being tackled by Steven Gerrard, helped change dietary conditions at West Ham . My best team for this period includes possibly the most controversial selection of my whole book: Matt Le Tissier instead of David Beckham. I know some people will think I’ve gone mad. But David was a fantastic player in a fantastic team, whereas Matt was performing heroics that built a football club. Without him, Southampton couldn’t have stayed in the top division for so long, and without that they would not have been able to build their new stadium and its fabulous academy that saw players like Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott come through the ranks. Le Tissier’s 10 greatest goals would stand alongside those by Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo -even Diego Maradona or Pele. He was a one-man band there for a lot of the time, like Sir Tom Finney had been at Preston. Matt Le Tissier, pictured playing for Southampton, could have starred for a bigger club says Redknapp . The former Saints star was happy to remain at the club as it was close to his family in the Channel Islands . Redknapp believes Le Tissier's best goals are comparable to those of Diego Maradona (left) and Pele (right) People would ask ‘Why isn’t he playing for Manchester United then?’ He was just happy to be at a club he had known since he was 16, happy to be 30 minutes away from his family in the Channel Islands. I think he would have been brilliant at a club like Arsenal, but just because he didn’t make that jump doesn’t mean he’s not smart. Patrick Vieira was a different type of midfield player and one every club would like to take now. He almost came to me at Tottenham from Inter Milan. I thought it was an incredible decision by him, after he’d been such a hero at Arsenal. Patrick Vieira, pictured struggling with Frank Lampard, helped to introduce physicality into English football . Arsenal's 'Invincibles' side, who were champions in 2003-04, are up with the best teams ever, says Redknapp . The Invincibles are comparable with Manchester United's 'Busby Babes', pictured here in 1957 . The front cover of Harry Redknapp's new book . I met him at his house in Hampstead and he had no fear about what people would think or what reception he would get. He had enough confidence in his ability to just brush it away. I remember talking to Daniel Levy, our chairman, about him. He said the crowd would be hostile. I knew that - but if he had enough bottle to want to put on our white shirt after all that had gone before, I thought it said something about the man. In the end, his circumstances changed and he decided to stay in Italy. By the time he did become available - the following January - our needs had changed and Manchester City snapped him up. Patrick is the player Arsenal have never really replaced, but I still find it bizarre that he ended up in a blazer at Manchester City. Shouldn’t he be at Arsenal? It is ironic that so many associate Arsene Wenger with the beautiful game, yet his Arsenal teams, with Vieira - the ultimate box-to-box midfielder - did as much as anybody to introduce real physical power into the modern Premier League. Teams got bigger to compete with Arsenal because they were so strong. They were up there with any of the great post-War teams - the Busby Babes, Tottenham’s Double winners, Revie’s Leeds United, the great Liverpool teams, Manchester United under Sir Alex Ferguson - they deserve to be mentioned with any of them. A Man Walks On To A Pitch by Harry Redknapp is published by Ebury Press, priced £20. Offer price £16 until October 21. Order at mailbookshop.co.uk or call 0808-272-0808 - p&p is free for a limited time only. | Harry Redknapp's latest book, A Man Walks On To a Pitch, is being serialised by Sportsmail this week .
A Man Walks On To a Pitch includes more than five decades of memories .
Redknapp reveals how the Premier League revolutionised English football .
Professionalism, foreign imports and a new diet are just some of changes . |
196,773 | 8aa3750ca5e85bb76a221ff91d3cb0416fbeeb74 | By . James Nye . PUBLISHED: . 18:47 EST, 20 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:38 EST, 21 January 2013 . The National Transportation Safety Board has said that the lithium battery which caught fire in a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 was not overcharged and experts have said the cause could be because of a 'chain of events' on-board the troubled passenger airliner. An examination of the flight data recorder indicated that the battery which caught fire mid flight and forced the Boeing aircraft to make an emergency landing didn't exceed its designed voltage of 32 volts. NTSB investigators are continuing to look at the battery system and plan to meet on Tuesday with officials from Securaplane Technologies Inc., the manufacturer of the charger for the 787s lithium ion batteries, at the company's headquarters in Tucson, Ariz., said Kelly Nantel, a spokeswoman for the board. Culprit: The Boeing 787's lithium battery can self heat as a result of temperature and pressure changes, which may have caused this battery fire on a Dreamliner at Logan Airport, Boston on January 7 . 'Potentially there could be some other charging issue,' Nantel said. 'We're not prepared to say there was no charging issue.' Even though it appears the voltage limit wasn't exceeded in the case of the Japan Airlines 787 battery that caught fire on January 7th in Boston, it's possible that the battery failures in that plane and in an All Nippon Airways plane that made an emergency landing in Japan last week may be due to a charging problem, according to John Goglia, a former NTSB board member and aviation safety expert. Too much current flowing too fast into a battery can overwhelm the battery, causing it to short-circuit and overheat even if the battery's voltage remains within its design limit, he said. 'The battery is like a big sponge,' Goglia said. 'You can feed it with an eye dropper or you can feed it with a garden hose. If allowed, it will soak up everything it can from the garden hose until it destroys itself.' The . plane made the landing in Takamatsu after a burning smell was also . detected in the cockpit. Both All Nippon Airlines and Japan Airlines . have grounded their entire fleets of the problematic aircraft . Both Japan and the United States have opened investigations into the plane after a series of incidents have raised safety concerns . There are so many redundancies and safeguards in aviation that when an accident or mishap occurs, it almost always is the result of a chain of events rather than a single failure, he said. The Japan Airlines plane caught fire Jan. 7 while it was sitting on the tarmac at Boston's Logan Airport. In a separate incident on Jan. 16, an ANA flight made an emergency landing in western Japan after a cockpit message warned of battery problems and a burning smell was detected in the cockpit and cabin. An investigator in Japan said Friday that the burned insides of the plane's lithium ion battery show the battery received voltage in excess of its design limits. Since then, all 50 787s that Boeing has delivered to airlines' fleets have been grounded, and the manufacturer has halted deliveries of new planes until it can address the electrical problems. The batteries in two incidents 'had a thermal overrun because they short-circuited,' Goglia said. 'The question is whether it was a manufacturing flaw in the battery or whether it was induced by battery charging.' This preliminary finding, goes contrary to a Japanese investigation on Friday which found that the Japanese Dreamliners operated their lithium batteries at a voltage above its design limit. Following the report U.S. officials joined Japan's probe into the jets after all 50 of the 787s in use around the world have been stopped from flying. The new generation of light lithium batteries was going to deliver equal power at half the weight, but it appears that the chemistry inside the ‘thermal runway’ can self-heat if external temperature and pressure change, something which frequently occurs in aviation. Members of the press are shown the Dreamliner's innovative LED lighting system, which was designed to reduce jet lag during a tour of the aircraft in February 2012 . Concerns over the battery, prompted by an emergency landing of an All Nippon Airways plane on Wednesday, has seen the plane grounded across the globe. The American investigators - one each from the Federal Aviation Administration and the National Transportation Safety Board and two from Boeing Co. - today inspected the ANA jet on the tarmac at Takamatsu airport in western Japan. An initial inspection by Japanese officials of the 787 found that a flammable battery fluid known as electrolyte had leaked from the plane's main lithium-ion battery beneath the cockpit. It also found burn marks around the battery. Eight airlines fly the ‘plastic plane’, so-called because its fuselage is ‘spun’ from super-strong but lightweight carbon fibre, which cuts weight and fuel consumption, rather than constructed from aluminium. British Airways has ordered 24 and holiday firm Thomson Airways has ordered 8 of the planes – with their deliveries starting from next month – but say they are standing by the stricken airliner. Thomson is scheduled to be the first British flyer of Dreamliners in May. Complex: Parts for the flagship craft are constructed by firms around the world . GS Yuasa Corp., the maker of the lithium-ion batteries used in the 787s, said Thursday it was helping with the investigation but that the cause of the problem was unclear. It said the problem could be the battery, the power source or the electronics system. European air safety bosses acted just hours after America’s Federal Aviation Authority (FAA) issued an ‘Emergency Airworthiness Directive’ to halt flights of the planes - the first time a fleet of aircraft has been grounded across the world in 34 years. The FAA’s emergency directive said the action was ‘prompted by recent incidents involving lithium ion battery failures that resulted in the release of flammable electrolytes, heat damage and smoke’ on two aircraft.’ It said: ’The cause of these failures is currently under investigation’ but warned more ominously: . ’These conditions, if not corrected, could result in damage to critical systems and structures , and the potential for fire in the electrical compartment.’ The decision to ground the 50 planes currently in service is a humiliating blow to the world’s biggest aircraft maker, which has seen its shares plummet since the emergency ANA jet emergency landing on Wednesday. Grounded: . Passengers are forced to evacuate a Japanese Boeing Dreamliner using . the plane's escape slides following an emergency landing at Takamatsu . airport . on January 7th . Japan's two largest air carriers All Nippon Airlines and Japan Airlines voluntarily grounded their 787s following the emergency landing at Takamatsu airport . Out of service: One of United Airlines six 787s sits on the tarmac at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston . Some 137 passengers and crew members on an All Nippon Airlines flight were evacuated down escape chutes when smoke was detected on board. The Dreamliner is the first airliner to make extensive use of lithium-ion batteries. They charge faster and can be better molded to space-saving shapes compared with other aeroplane batteries. But the electrolyte fluid also conducts electricity, so as it spreads it can cause short-circuits and ignite fires. Its corrosiveness also raised concern about whether a leak might weaken a key support structure of the plane. Paul Czysz, professor emeritus of aeronautical engineering at St. Louis University said: . ‘Unfortunately, what Boeing did to save weight is use the same batteries that are in the electric cars, and they are running into the same problems with the 787 as the problems that have shown up in electric cars.’ The battery fire is just one of a series of problems - including two fuel leaks, a wiring problem, brake computer glitch and cracked cockpit window – to afflict the 787 which got off to a bad start when launched three years late. Touchdown: A Qatar Airways Dreamliner is seen coming in to land at the Farnborough International Airshow in July last year. The aircraft has been plagued with safety issues since entering commercial service in 2011 . Among the 50 planes grounded are the six Dreamliners owned by United Airlines, the only U.S. airline to operate the plane. The Indian government also ordered Air India to ground its fleet of six 787s. The two Dreamliners owned by Poland’s LOT Airlines were also grounded alongside the 24 in Japan. On Wednesday a Qatar airlines 787 flight from London’s Heathrow airport was also cancelled ahead of the global grounding. All will be subject to strict safety tests before being allowed to take off again. Jim McNerney, Boeing's chairman, president and CEO, said the company is working with the FAA to resolve the situation as quickly as possible. 'We are confident the 787 is safe and we stand behind its overall integrity,' he said in a statement. 'We will be taking every necessary step in the coming days to assure our customers and the traveling public of the 787's safety and to return the airplanes to service.' Mike Sinnett, chief engineer on the 787, said last week that the plane's batteries have operated through a combined 1.3 million hours and never had an internal fault. He said they were built with multiple protections to ensure that failures 'don't put the airplane at risk'. | The battery that caught fire in a Japan Airlines Boeing 787 in Boston earlier this month was not overcharged .
Experts have said the problem 'always is the result of a chain of events rather than a single failure'
All 50 of the world's Dreamliners owned by eight airlines now grounded . |
215,971 | a398154b25c141ae6f7ddc661e14b93d21c3f5dd | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 06:36 EST, 19 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:05 EST, 19 March 2014 . It sounds like the punchline to a joke but meet Jeffrey - the pet camel who loves to down pints of lager. The 11ft-tall bactrian's favourite tipples are bottles of Budweiser and Coors shipped in to his home in Sutton-on-the-Forest, north Yorkshire from his local gastropub. Jeffrey, who requires a wild animal licence is believed to be Britain's only pet camel, with others in the UK kept as part of commercial or tourist ventures. Punchline: Jeffrey the pet camel, pictured with his owner racehorse trainer Simon Grant loves to down pints of lager . Tipple: The 11ft-tall bactrian's favourite tipples are bottles of Budweiser and Coors shipped in to his home in Sutton-on-the-Forest, north Yorkshire from his local gastropub . Training: Mr Grant, a former jockey and racehorse trainer, has since schooled the camel so he lies down and stands up on demand and can be ridden around their 50-acre property . The imposing Russian camel, who . can survive temperatures as low as -25C, was imported from Holland seven . years ago as a 19th birthday present for Elizabeth Grant's son Tom. 'Tom happened to mention in passing that he liked camels and I managed to track one down,' said vet Mrs Grant, who cares for Jeffrey at her £2million home. 'He definitely wasn't expecting that. It was quite a surprise. Special treat: As a treat Jeffrey, who cost £3,000 and was four-years-old when he arrived at the farm, is allowed to enjoy a pint or two of beer from the local gastropub . Embrace: The imposing Russian camel, who can survive temperatures as low as -25C, was imported from Holland seven years ago as a 19th birthday present for Mr Grant's son Tom . Once of the family: Jeffrey, who requires a wild animal licence is believed to be Britain's only pet camels, with others in the UK kept as part of commercial or tourist ventures . Drinking buddies: Elizabeth Grant had read that camels like beer, and so decided to let Jeffrey have a taste . 'I read that camels like beer so I thought I'd see if Jeffrey did and he loves it. The landlord of the local pub brings the beer up here for Jeffrey.' Mrs Grant's husband Simon, a former jockey and racehorse trainer, has since schooled the camel so he lies down and stands up on demand and can be ridden around their 50-acre property. Jeffrey also responds to having his name called. As a treat Jeffrey, who cost £3,000 and . was four-years-old when he arrived at the farm, is allowed to enjoy a . pint or two of beer from the local pub The Rose and Crown, which is added to Jeffrey's feed. The Bactrian camel is the rarer of the two camel species (the other being the dromedary) and is recognisable by its two humps - which store large amounts of fat anabling the camel to survive for long periods without water. Bactrians are pack animals and traditionally found in dry regions. There are around two million Bactrians - most of which are domesticated, with a population of just 800 believed to be living in the wild, mostly in remote regions of Mongolia and China, migrating to rivers in Siberia during winter. Bactrians are known for their tolerance for cold, drought, and high altitudes, and although they prefer a diet of plants, the highly adaptable animals will feed on anything they can find, including bones and sometimes even rope or tents. They also eat snow to provide them with water, but beer-drinking camels are not unusual with some racing animals given it (in moderation) to make them livelier. The Grants said he was in a sorry state upon arrival but, thanks to good living on grass, horse feed plus his weekend pint, he has shot up and is now thriving. 'He was much smaller when we got him and his humps were floppy,' said Mrs Grant. 'Now they are high and firm, which mean he's in great health.' Mr and Mrs Grant, who have two grown-up children, Tom and Emily, have now put their luxury home on the market, and estate agents Carter Jonas are wondering whether to inform viewers of the property's USP or leave him and his pals as a pleasant surprise when they look around. As well as Jeffrey the couple also have horses, llamas, geese, goats, Murphy the donkey, Bertie the sheep, two pigs named Bangers and Mash, seven dogs, nine cats and three Highland cattle. Mrs Grant, who runs Longbridge Veterinary Services, said: 'It's like a zoo here and all the animals we have are pets. 'We thought he'd like to be with the llamas as they're from the camelid family but he hates them. 'He loves his cows and they love him. He is adorable and just looking at him makes you smile.' The pets will all move with the family when they downsize, although Tom, now 26, who is moving to his own home, has now outgrown his birthday present. 'He jokes that we'd better not leave Jeffery to him in our will,' said Mrs Grant. 'If they're well looked after, camels can live until they're 60.' Picture of health: The Grants said Jeffrey was in a sorry state upon arrival but, thanks to good living on grass, horse feed plus his weekend pint, he has shot up and is now thriving . Moving on: Mr and Mrs Grant have now put their luxury home on the market, and estate agents Carter Jonas are wondering whether or not to inform viewers of the property's USP . New home: As well as Jeffrey the couple also have horses, llamas, geese, goats, Murphy the donkey, Bertie the sheep, two pigs named Bangers and Mash, seven dogs, nine cats and three Highland cattle who will move with the family when they downsize . | Bactrian Jeffrey is believed to be one of Britain's only pet camels .
He loves bottles of Budweiser or Coors, shipped in from a local pub .
Jeffrey was bought by Elizabeth Grant as a birthday present for her son .
He has been schooled by racehorse trainer Simon Grant and can be ridden .
Family also have horses, llamas, geese, goats and three Highland cattle . |
22,194 | 3effc77ff0128ded101a827687f3c4060607318b | By . Jennifer Newton . This is the adorable moment a baby panda cuddled up to its mother after going on an inquisitive prowl around its enclosure. The baby bear is seen clambering to the top of a nearby tree in search of mischief, while perfecting its climbing skills. The giant panda is then seen kicking back with some tasty bamboo before the six-month-old bear scampers back to its mother in search of a comfy snuggle. The baby panda scurries back to his mother after exploring his enclosure, wanting to cuddle up to his mother . Mother and baby embrace, showing a very 'human-like' interaction with one another . The images were captured by Austrian wildlife photographer Josef Gelernter at Vienna Zoo . The cute pictures were taken at Vienna Zoo by Austrian wildlife photographer Josef Gelernter. When the 33-year-old saw the young cub exploring his enclosure, he knew he had to capture the moment on his camera. Mr Gelernter said: '"The cub was very active in exploring his enclosure, but always kept an eye on his mummy. Mr Gelernter says the young panda is a huge draw at the zoo, with crowds turning up to see the baby panda . Before cuddling up to his mother, the baby panda tried out his climbing skills and clambered to the top of his tree trunk . While at the top of the tree, the six-month old giant panda decided to snack on some bamboo . The young cub has been described as 'very active' but always keeps an eye on where his mother is . 'It appeared to have very close relationship to its mother, but at the same time it was very curious to check out its environment and climb around. 'You cannot imagine how many spectators the cub brought, it was actually quite funny. 'When the mother was visible there were only a few people watching but as soon as the cub appears, it gets very crowded within minutes.' Mr Gelernter said that the cub appeared to have very close relationship to its mother, but at the same time was very curious to check out its environment . After all of the climbing and exploring, the young cub decides to rest on one of the branches . Mr Gelernter added that he thinks it's the panda's human like behaviour that makes these pictures so fascinating. He explained: 'Cubs are wonderful to photograph as their eyes are bigger in relation to their body than the adults, which allows you capture their expressions. 'They are also very unique in their behavioural tendencies and at times can seem very human, I think that is why people find them so fascinating to watch. 'To me giant pandas are simply irresistible.' | The baby panda was captured cuddling its mother at Vienna Zoo .
The young cub is also seen climbing a tree and snacking on bamboo .
Images were taken by Austrian wildlife photographer Josef Gelernter .
He says cub was very active but kept a close eye on his mother . |
175,737 | 6f7c498c3f4add4a65a7cfc70d82b097391e5f5d | (CNN) -- Czech authorities announced Saturday that they have arrested a 29-year-old man who expressed admiration for Anders Behring Breivik, the self-declared ultranationalist who has admitted killing 77 people in Norway last summer. Video broadcast on Saturday by CT24, a public broadcast station in the Czech Republic, showed the handcuffed suspect flanked by police. Dressed in a short-sleeved shirt, the unidentified man appears to be smiling during much of the videotaped walk. Tomas Tuhy, a regional director of the Czech Republic Police, said authorities confiscated "police or prisoner" uniforms during their search of the suspect's apartment, as well as some police equipment. Pictures published on CT24's website showed explosive detonators, firearms, ammunition, and what appears to be a police uniform, that were seized as part of the investigation. The man from Ostrava, the Czech Republic's third largest city located in the eastern part of the country near the Polish border, may have intended to pass himself off as a policeman when waging an attack, police said, as reported by the Czech News Agency. Ostrava police chief Radovan Vojta told reporters Saturday that authorities exercised "increased caution" when they went into the suspect's apartment, fearful it might have been rigged with explosives. The suspect "sympathizes probably with known (killer) Anders Breivik," said Tuhy in a press conference covered by state broadcaster CT24. The Czech News Agency added, citing police, that the suspect indicated in e-mails that he was an admirer of Breivik. "Of course we are checking out that connection," Tuhy said, declining to elaborate on how the Czech and Norwegian men might be linked. According to Norwegian authorities, Breivik set off a fertilizer bomb outside the prime minister's office on July 22, 2011, killing eight people. He then took a ferry to Utoya Island, the site of a Labour Party youth camp where more than 700 young adults were meeting, and roamed the island shooting and killing 69 people. Breivik has admitted to carrying out the killings, which he says were necessary to protect Norway from multiculturalism. He is on trial, with authorities' determination of his sanity central to what happens next in the case. The Czech suspect was arrested August 10, according to the Czech News Agency, though authorities didn't announce it until Saturday. | Authorities in the Czech Republic announce they've arrested a 29-year-old man .
Weapons, ammunition and police uniforms were seized from his Ostrava home .
The suspect "sympathizes probably" with Norway mass killer Anders Breivik, police say .
Breivik is a self-declared ultranationalist opposed to multiculturalism . |
251,024 | d0df5f1d07991b4091e57c9f28512cf4b43f87f6 | Suffering in the grip of a brutal winter where temperatures have not risen above freezing in nearly a month, Ukraine has seen a wave of deaths related to the cold, and the country's ambulance service is inundated with calls for help. On one recent night, emergency services raced through the streets of the capital, Kiev, in response to a call about a homeless man passed out in the freezing weather. The man got drunk and either fell asleep or dropped unconscious outside, putting him at risk of frostbite. Vladimir Poddubniy, a passerby, found him, brought him indoors and called for an ambulance. When paramedics arrived, they found the homeless man, who gave his name simply as Kostya, squatting drunk on the floor. His hand was so swollen, he could barely hold his cigarette. Poddubniy said the man was freezing to death, so he brought him inside. "I felt sorry for him. But I also didn't want to find a body in the morning," Poddubniy said. Paramedics determined Kostya needed emergency hospital care for frostbite, and helped the intoxicated man to his feet. Kostya was so drunk, he could barely walk down the stairs. iReport: Beauty and danger of Europe's snow . But in a country where the cold has claimed at least 112 lives in the past month -- 90% of them alcohol-related, according to the government -- Kostya can consider himself lucky to be alive. About 3,000 people have been hospitalized because of the cold since January 27, officials said. Temperatures remained well below the average Thursday, with the mercury falling to -24 degrees Celsius (-11.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in parts of Ukraine. Authorities there have set up an emergency hospital to deal with people suffering from cold-related conditions, and distributed 3,000 emergency relief tents across the country, they said. The tents are heated, and people with nowhere else to go can get hot food and drinks. Dr. Anatoliiy Vershigora, doctor-in-chief at an emergency help station in Kiev, said many of those suffering from frostbite and hypothermia and some of those who died were alcoholics -- but others had been drinking in the mistaken belief it would help keep them warm. Ukraine's capital, Kiev, has more than 14,000 homeless people, among the most vulnerable to winter's bitter chill, authorities said. "It is an unfortunate fact that a lot of homeless people are alcoholic or dependent on other substances -- it may be why they are homeless in the first place," said Joe Lowry, a spokesman for the International Red Cross in Europe. "Alcohol creates the illusion of being warm, so it's not surprising that people are drinking and not surprising that they pass out," he said, adding that this is when hypothermia can occur. "Our approach would be to try to get to these people before they have too much to drink, if we can find them and get them to safety. Obviously, a full belly or hot drinks is far, far better for you than vodka." Red Cross volunteers have been working with authorities to help distribute warm clothing, boots, hot food and drinks in the Ukraine and elsewhere, Lowry said from Slovakia. But, he added, the people who are most in need of help are often hard to locate. "These people are outside the normal safety nets, difficult to find, and don't realize the great danger they are in." Kiev marked its 25th consecutive day of below-freezing temperatures Thursday. It would normally expect a high of -2 degrees Celsius (28 degrees Fahrenheit) at this time of year, CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller said. And there is little respite in sight for those suffering in the unusual cold. Another surge of frigid air is pushing westward out of Russia into the rest of Europe for the end of the week, with Central and Eastern Europe catching the brunt of the coldest air. The cities of Bucharest, Belgrade and Sarajevo saw their coldest mornings so far this winter Thursday, with temperatures dipping to -24 degrees Celsius (-11.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in the Romanian and Serbian capitals and -19 degrees Celsius (-2.2 degrees Fahrenheit) in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The region can expect below freezing temperatures through the weekend, CNN meteorologist Mari Ramos said. Parts of the Danube River, one of the most important rivers in Europe for commerce, have nearly frozen over for the first time in 25 years, showing not only the intensity of the cold snap, but also its longevity. At least four countries have halted shipping along sections of the 1,700 mile-long waterway because of the risk of damage to vessels' hulls, Ramos said, adding that the river is not only used for transport but for drinking water, irrigation and tourism. Areas along the Black Sea coast have also frozen over, she added. Western Europe can also expect more cold as the week ends, with snow forecast in many parts of England and Wales overnight Thursday to Friday. The sustained cold spell is putting a strain on power providers across the region. Germany announced Wednesday it would fall back on its energy reserves and restart several fossil-fuel power stations that have been dormant for some time. A combination of below freezing temperatures, insufficient yields from renewable energy sources, and interruptions to natural gas imports from Russia have aggravated a discrepancy in energy production left behind by Berlin's decision last year to rid Germany of nuclear power. Germany decided to phase out all nuclear energy in the wake of the meltdown at Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, triggered by an earthquake and tsunami. A spokeswoman from Germany's Federal Network Agency, the government body responsible for the country's electricity and gas infrastructure, said that when eight nuclear reactors were taken off line last year, the ability of Germany's four network providers to compensate for unexpected interruptions in service was affected. The energy supply situation is especially tense in the south because that is where much of the country's industry is concentrated, she added. The cold snap has raised questions over Europe's reliance on Russia for gas as supplies sent via Ukraine have dipped below the expected levels. Ukrainian Energy Minister Yuri Boyko said electricity consumption in the country is historically high. But in an interview with CNN, he rejected suggestions that Ukraine has been siphoning off gas as it transits from Russia to Europe. Gazprom, Russia's gas monopoly, has denied sending lower volumes of gas to Europe. At least 250 people have died across the region in the cold weather. | Severe cold is set to carry on through the weekend in many places, meterologists say .
Paramedics in Ukraine race to help a homeless man saved by a good Samaritan .
Doctor: Some victims of the cold are alcoholics, others drink in the mistaken belief it will keep them warm .
Ukraine's emergencies minister says 9 out of 10 of the deaths have been alcohol-related . |
23,888 | 43c7ec4357d895265cc6b3371f45c15eeb452fa0 | (CNN) -- When an overwhelmed Shreve Stockton tweeted: "I need an assistant!" she considered it more of a joke than a serious request, because she couldn't pay a salary. "I can't even offer room & board, only a camp trailer named the Psychedelic Jellybean & an unlimited supply of milk!" she tweeted last month. Shreve is not a celebrity or executive requiring a personal assistant, but a published writer and photographer who lives in a log cabin on 40 acres in the rolling hills near Ten Sleep, Wyoming. Her homestead includes a dog, tomcat, dairy cow, baby calf, young bull she's training to work like an ox, two horses and, of course, Charlie the coyote. She feels overwhelmed with the daily care of all the animals. But she'd also like to share her home with visiting assistants because "it's becoming so rare in America to have the time and space and the openness of the rural landscape that is shrinking." The only "luxury" she will be able to provide a starving artist is the time "to work on whatever they want art-wise" in their off time, without having the stress of coming up with money for rent or utilities. Her ad was only posted for a day or two but drew around 100 responses -- with one person offering to pay her for the opportunity to be her assistant. She directed them to an application. She shared a few of the forms with her boyfriend, Mike, a trapper with the Bureau of Land Management, who found all the applicants interesting and told her if he had to choose, he'd have to move into a tent so they could all move into his house. The application also came with an unusual warning to all would-be helpers that there would be no petting, no face-to-face time and no "hanging out" with Charlie. The wild-born Charlie earns his keep by allowing Shreve to take photos of his everyday activities and write about him in her book as well as on her blog -- both titled the Daily Coyote. She's raised him since he was 10 days old, after his parents were shot for attacking sheep. Although he walks on a leash, co-exists with Eli the cat, plays with Chloe the dog and often visits inside Shreve's house, Charlie does not like strangers. So for everyone's safety, her new helper will not be visiting inside the electric fence that surrounds his territory. But that's OK with self-taught artist Sarah Frary of Kentucky, who plans to move into the trailer and spend part of her days helping Shreve with household tasks such as cleaning milk pails and maintaining her Web site, and the rest of her time on her art. Frary, 23, expects the experience will have a "monumental" effect on her drawing, painting and screen printing. She describes her current drawings as "very primordial and ancient feeling," while her new boss calls them fantastic. Frary has already started blogging about her new life and plans to set off later this month. She sought out the position because Shreve's "energy and everything about her just completely resonates and it's something I connect with." Shreve was a little concerned about sharing her space with a stranger, but said she felt "a kindredness" with the young woman, who has been working as an apprentice tattoo artist in Louisville, Kentucky. Frary also performs "live art," which she describes as taking place in a theater during a concert or play with her perched near the edge of the stage, painting on a large scale that has her "throwing paint and finger painting -- getting crazy with it." The work-exchange program will give Shreve more time to "concentrate on her next artistic endeavor." She has a few ideas percolating and hopes to decide on one "the day after my new help arrives." Frary, a tattooed former military brat, feels her arrival won't go unnoticed, with her PT Cruiser covered in stickers she describes as bizarre and with an interior sporting a bobble-head Mr. T and feathers. Shreve landed in Wyoming after her own unusual journey, a solo, cross-country trip from California to New York on a motor scooter. After reaching her destination, she returned to the shadow of the Big Horn mountains to write about the trip on her Vespa Vagabond blog. While she fell in love with Wyoming instantly, the author says it still felt like another planet at first and it was a year and a half before she "fully got into the rhythm of this life." Because Frary's father was in the Air Force, she says she's used to having to uproot and adapt to new places. She also describes herself as being outdoorsy, pretty adventurous and a nature person who loves to challenge herself. The two women will have to work out their schedules and computer differences: the Wyoming resident only knows Macs, while the visitor has built her own PC. Shreve plans to teach Frary how to market her art on the Internet and is willing to teach her how to mend real fences and care for the animals. The older woman picked up her skills watching and helping her neighbors. "I'm a pretty gung ho, hardworking person, so I'll probably get my hands on everything," says the painter, who expects a full, disciplined life in the country with fewer distractions than the city. But there is one service Frary says she probably won't be able to provide to Shreve's satisfaction: cooking. She says her mother hated cooking so she never learned. She has been taking lessons from a vegan friend who doesn't use any animal products. Cooking takes a lot more planning on the homestead because the nearest grocery store is about an hour away. | Author and photographer tweets in frustration and gets an artist as assistant .
Shreve Stockton is the creator of DailyCoyote.net Web site .
Kentucky artist Sarah Frary is headed to Wyoming to be her helper . |
271,568 | ebc0c5a239776a70c61950dbc1a6540fe85514b7 | By . Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 19:44 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:44 EST, 23 December 2013 . David Cameron is promoting the Christian values of Christmas in his sermon, praising those who help their communities . David Cameron will today issue a highly religious Christmas message in a bid to rescue his Big Society concept. The Prime Minister praises those who help out in their communities for putting ‘their faith into action’, saying: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive’. Mr Cameron once likened his Anglican faith to the reception of Magic FM in the Chilterns, admitting that ‘it comes and goes’. But he is keen to reaffirm his Christianity in his message today, showing that he is more than happy to ‘do God’. ‘For me, this season is a time to think about the meaning of Christmas – the birth of Jesus Christ and the hope that gives to millions,’ he says. ‘In Handel’s Messiah, these words from the Prophet Isaiah are brilliantly put to music: “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace”.’ Mr Cameron also invokes scripture in a bid to revive the Big Society, his concept that charities and other groups should step in to help at times of austerity, which failed to win over voters at the election. The idea has been periodically revived but many Tory MPs believe that the Prime Minister’s failure to explain it properly to voters helped to cost him a majority in 2010. ‘There are those millions who keep on strengthening our society too – being good neighbours, running clubs and voluntary associations, playing their part in countless small ways to help build what I call the “big society”,’ he says. ‘Many of these people are Christians who live out to the letter that verse in Acts, that “it is more blessed to give than to receive”. These people put their faith into action and we can all be grateful for what they do.’ Mr Cameron also uses his message to reflect on the past year, claiming that the country has pulled together in tough times. The remarks will also be seen as an attempt to revive the Big Society concept . He says: ‘Looking back, 2013 has been a year when our country pulled together to overcome the challenges we face. ‘Together we have made real progress on strengthening our economy and creating more decent jobs so that people can provide for their families. ‘This progress is down to the efforts of millions who go out and work hard every day, putting in the hours, running businesses and keeping our economy going.’ Mr Cameron welcomes the arrival of Justin Welby as the new Archbishop of Canterbury and Pope Francis. ‘Both have come in with exciting plans to rejuvenate their respective churches, which should inspire Christians around the world,’ he says. The Prime Minister also praises the ‘brave service women and men who are helping bring peace here and around the world’ and those in ‘the emergency and caring services who are working hard to support those in need this Christmas’. More than Christanity: Ed Miliband (left) and Nick Clegg (right), who both don't believe in God, stress the importance of spending time with family in their Christmas messages . In messages delivered by other party leaders, Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg, an avowed atheist, insists that Christmas is about more than Christianity. It is, of course, one of the biggest events in the Christian calendar – a time for hope, kindness, family, and goodwill,’ he says on video. ‘For Christians it is a celebration of the birth of Jesus as a gift from God and someone who embodied the values of love and forgiveness to which we should all aspire. But what is so extraordinary about this time of year is that it brings together the whole country – religious, non-religious, Christian, non-Christian – to embrace these values and celebrate together.’ Labour leader Ed Miliband, who was raised in a Jewish family but is not a believer in God, made clear that his Christmas break would not have religious connotations. ‘Christmas is a special time of the year for many people,’ he says. ‘Lots of us take a break from the everyday pressures of work to spend time together with friends and family, strengthening the relationships that mean so much to us. ‘I would like to pay particular tribute to the many people, churches and charities who will be looking after those who are alone or homeless this Christmas time. ‘We should also pay tribute to those who will be working so that the rest of us have an enjoyable break, especially our medical staff, our police and our Armed Forces, thank you for your service.’ Mr Cameron’s Christian message comes after shadow foreign secretary Douglas Alexander suggested public figures have allowed ‘political correctness’ to prevent them talking about faith and the persecution of Christians in the Middle East, and Prince Charles warned that Christianity was beginning to ‘disappear’ from its own birthplace, as Islamists ‘deliberately target’ communities. | David Cameron has stressed Christian values of helping others in speech .
Comments seen as a revival of the Big Society message delivered at election .
Ed Miliband and Nick Clegg - both atheists - stressed importance of family . |
110,606 | 1a917d41ea9c75e6d1a900e02a730fff9bd7fd42 | By . Corey Charlton for MailOnline . A frog with no croak and the world’s biggest lizard are among the top 10 reptiles and amphibians avoiding extinction with the help of zoos, a report has said. The British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) has published the list of reptile and amphibian species benefiting from conservation efforts by zoos in the UK and Ireland. They include the axolotl, a critically endangered amphibian which retains its tadpole like appearance as an adult and has an extraordinary ability to regenerate limbs, and the golden mantella, a bright yellow frog which attracts a mate with clicks not croaks. The axolotl, also known as the Mexican salamander, has the ability to regenerate limbs . A frog called the golden mantilla is among the top 10 reptiles and amphibians avoiding extinction . The mountain chicken frog, native to the Caribbean, can grow up to 21cm in size . Lemur leaf frogs, a highly endangered species from Central America, are also being saved with the help of zoos . Also on the list is the Komodo dragon, with less than 1,000 left in the wild, and the mountain chicken, the world’s biggest frog which got its name as it is commonly hunted for food. One of the most sought after reptiles in the illegal pet trade, the ploughshare tortoise, also makes the list as does a UK species, the sand lizard. Dr Andrew Marshall, of BIAZA’s field programmes committee, said: 'Zoos are part of a global conservation community. 'Last year, BIAZA published a report of the top 10 mammals most reliant on zoos, which highlighted the work being done by zoos to help safeguard their future. 'This year, we have focused on 10 prevailing examples of reptiles and amphibians that zoos are working to save from extinction. The list includes some fantastic species, many of which are facing a dramatic decline and are in a desperate situation in the wild.' TV presenter and naturalist Nick Baker, who is backing this year’s top 10 campaign to raise awareness of the species, said: 'Zoos and aquariums have a very important role in this whole thing - at the scariest level they are the Ark. The komodo dragon, from Indonesia, is the largest living species of lizard and can grow up to three metres . Populations of the orange tailed skink, which is native to north Africa, are also improving . Sand lizards, found throughout Europe, are threatened and carefully protected under UK law . Madagascar's native ploughshare tortoise is also benefiting from the zoos' 'ark' populations . Left, the morelet's leaf frog from Central America and right, the round island boa, endemic to Round Island, Mauritius . 'They are where the insurance populations of these animals can be looked after and understood and studied.' He added: 'As much as BIAZA are very important in holding the ark population, they are also very important in being that interface between these animals and the public.' He said zoos helped people appreciate species which might not have an instant appeal to the masses, as they are not furry, and were using money from visitors and applying it 'directly to try and give these creatures a happy ending'. | List of top ten reptiles and amphibians being saved by British zoos released .
Includes colour-changing snake from Mauritius and giant Indonesian lizard .
Naturalist Nick Baker: Zoos act as 'arks', protecting species from extinction . |
29,122 | 52b745f488525cc83a23e2f79fe208fe0fd8ffaa | (CNN)At first glance, Mugly -- a 10-year-old Chinese crested dog -- is a rather unappealing and unfortunate-looking animal. With a few random hairs protruding from his snout, a pair of squinty, beady eyes and thin, patchy skin, his genetics didn't do much for his exterior. But beauty isn't skin deep. And that is exactly what photographer Bego Anton wants to portray through her pictures of Mugly. "Ugly Mugly is a reflection on how we relate to our pets and how what is close and important to us can change our perceptions on terms such as beauty," Anton said. Bev Nicholson is the owner of Mugly and five other dogs. None of the five is as provocative-looking as Mugly, yet he is her prized possession in more ways than one -- if his tiny outfits weren't already telling of her immense love. Along with winning the "World's Ugliest Dog" contest in 2012 and being declared "Great Britain's Ugliest Dog" by a national newspaper in 2005, Mugly works as a therapy dog in a local hospital and attends a ton of charity events. He helps raise money for small dog rescues in the United Kingdom -- like the one where Nicholson found him. He visits schools and takes part in the "Read to Dogs" program, where reluctant students can read to him without the fear of judgment and receive encouragement through his affection. Social media . Follow @CNNPhotos on Twitter to join the conversation about photography. Mugly has also appeared on television too many times to count, and he's even been to Parliament to switch on the Christmas lights. "Mugly's life is far from being an ordinary dog's life," Anton said. "He is more like a movie star." When Anton first decided to profile the dog, she thought he was ugly, too, she admits. But after spending a week with him, she said, "I discovered a sweet and lovable dog." She even called him the B-word: beautiful. Nicholson knew right away this dog was special. Anton could tell there was a wonderful chemistry between them. "I've never seen such an understanding between a human and her pet," she said. "They love each other so much and are capable of understanding each other with just one look." Bego Anton is a Spanish photographer. You can follow her on Facebook. | Photographer Bego Anton spent time with Mugly, the "World's Ugliest Dog" in 2012 .
She found that despite his unfortunate exterior, Mugly is living the life of a movie star .
He also gives back to the community, working as a therapy dog and helping children to read . |
62,671 | b214efedb47e26609b7e940026d90f30c168a62e | By . Chris Waugh . Follow @@ChrisDHWaugh . Inter Milan's new signings Gary Medel and Dani Osvaldo seem to have settled straight into life at their new club after enjoying a training session with their team-mates on Monday. They both enjoyed a laugh and a joke on the bench at Inter's training base in Appiano Gentile as they took a break from the session. The defensive-minded Medel completed a £10million move to the San Siro outfit last week following Cardiff City's relegation to the Championship. All smiles: Dani Osvaldo (left) and Gary Medel (right) enjoy a joke during their first Inter Milan training session . Flying high: Dani Osvaldo tries a jumping volley during training following his loan move from Southampton . Stretch out: Medel copies the fitness coach and leans to one side during his warm-up at Inter Milan training . Poised: Osvaldo readies himself to strike the ball during Inter Milan training at Appiano Gentile . Together: Osvaldo and Medel were both playing the Premier League last season but they are now at Inter . Laugh: Osvaldo (centre) finds something funny while sitting in the dugout during Inter's training session . Funny: Medel joins in the joke on the bench as he chuckles along with his team-mates at Appiano Gentile . Stern: Medel completed a £10million move from Cardiff City to Italian giants Inter Milan last week . Osvaldo, meanwhile, moved back to Italy on a season-long loan deal from Southampton having been deemed surplus to requirements by new Saints boss Ronald Koeman. CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . The striker was loaned out to Juventus earlier in the year after he headbutted team-mate Jose Fonte. Inter Milan begin their Serie A season away to Torino on August 31, but they will face Icelandic side Stjarnan over two legs in the Europa League qualification round before they start their league campaign. Hands on hips: Gary Medel looks on during Inter's training session at Appiano Gentile on Monday . On the run: Medel jogs along at a training session at Inter Milan's base in Appiano Gentile on Monday . Muscle man: Former Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic lifts weights during Inter Milan training . New boy: Dani Osvaldo shows off his Inter Milan shirt after joining the club on loan from Southampton . | Dani Osvaldo joined Inter on loan from Southampton this summer .
Gary Medel signed for San Siro outfit from Cardiff City for £10million .
The duo trained with their team-mate at Appiano Gentile on Monday .
Inter Milan begin their Serie A season away to Torino on August 31 . |
95,252 | 0666587769c3415a8f4ee4ec726f61930b2be0b5 | NEW YORK (CNN) -- The members of the band Naturally 7 are experts at blowing their own horns -- and they do it without a trumpet or trombone in sight. Naturally 7 engages in "vocal play" in performance, emulating the sounds of musical instruments. In fact, you won't see a single instrument when they hit the stage. They are the instruments. "People are always imitating instruments," said first baritone and arranger Roger Thomas. "People are driving; they hear their favorite song; it gets to the guitar solo part. ... They don't stop singing. They actually start imitating the instrument they hear. We just decided to be crazy enough to bring [that idea] to the stage." The septet even came up with a name for it: "vocal play," a total reliance on the human voice to mimic a range of instruments and sounds, including the harmonica, bass guitar, trumpet and DJ scratches. Watch the band do its thing » . Warren Thomas takes beatboxing to a whole new level with his imitation of a drum kit, complete with snare. (He also impersonates a mean guitar.) Rod Eldridge has never played a real trumpet before, though you wouldn't think that if you saw him duplicate the sound of one, lips pursed, his hands in front of him, pressing on imaginary valves. "To produce the sound, I have to visualize that I'm holding that instrument or whatever in my hand," he said. Only one Naturally 7 member has ever played the instrument he imitates, and that's Armand "Hops" Hutton, who uses his incredibly deep voice -- you have to step closer when he speaks -- to portray a thumping bass guitar. The group initially formed a decade ago in New York as an a cappella group (oh, yeah, they sing, too). But to make themselves stand out, Naturally 7 decided to be both a singing group and a band. The concept caught on when video of them performing on a Paris subway -- to hilariously mixed reactions from Parisian commuters -- hit YouTube. It has racked up almost 3 million views. And standing ovations became a regular part of the group's experience touring as the opening act for crooner Michael Bublé in 2007 and 2008. The musicians are about to embark on their own tour of Asia, Australia and Europe. With a recent performance of their aptly named song "Wall of Sound" on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and a new album in the works, they hope to boost Naturally 7's profile in the United States over the next year. Naturally 7 -- which also includes Jamal Reed, Dwight Stewart and Garfield Buckley -- spoke to CNN about the challenges of becoming instruments. The following is an edited version of the interview. CNN: Traveling and sound checks must be very easy for you. Roger Thomas: We don't have to lug around instruments with all the traveling we do, and that does make that part easier. The sound check part of actually becoming the band, where we're actually the singers and the instruments, that probably takes a longer time. CNN: How so? Thomas: I often call our sound man "Octopus Hands" because he's just got to do so many different things. We switch from being the backgrounds to being the lead vocals and then going back to doing a trombone. And these have different sounds and settings, so it's a lot of work on the performance side if we're using microphones. CNN: Are your "instruments" ever out of tune? Rod Eldridge: Every now and then. It is the voice, and if you're suffering and you have a cold, its not like you can have a guy come in and [say], "Oh, let me change my guitar string out." It's a human thing. Every now and then, you're not as perfect as you would like, but you are always working at it. CNN: Are you continually adding new instruments? Thomas: We definitely are. When we hear something that's brand new, we'll just try to get really close to that sound. There are a couple of things we can't do, like a piano. Piano is like a percussive and a string instrument at the same time, so we leave pianos alone. CNN: Who has the hardest job here, do you think? Thomas: I think we all think we have the hardest job. (laughs) Probably Warren. He has to keep up that drum flow for songs that go for five or six minutes and shows that go for almost two hours. That's a pretty difficult job. CNN: You were the opening act for Michael Bublé for a while. That must have been a great way to introduce you to a whole new audience. Armand "Hops" Hutton: Yeah, it was great. We started off with him in Rotterdam, and I don't think we were supposed to keep going after Europe, but the marriage between his set and our set was just so perfect that he kept saying, "I want to introduce you to my fans here, my fans there." We've been to Australia and Canada ... all over the world. CNN: How do people respond when you perform? Thomas: Shock, usually. On the Bublé tour, it would take people usually by the third song to actually get it. By then you can see them bouncing around, hitting each other, going, "This really is all voice!" CNN: Are you working on a new album? Thomas: We are working in the studio right now, getting ready for what will probably be our first world release. We don't know what we are going to call it yet, but we do know one thing: It will be all vocal. | Naturally 7 is a seven-man band that sounds like musical instruments .
Video of group on YouTube received 3 million page views .
Touring with Michael Bublé helped band make new fans . |
165,507 | 6205cd02f23ff5c7ec696a07de345e17908bd499 | (CNN) -- Mexican authorities set free a former teen cartel hit man on Tuesday and sent him back to the United States. The release of Edgar Jimenez Lugo, a U.S. citizen known as "El Ponchis" or "The Cloak," comes less than three years after a Mexican court found him guilty of torturing and beheading at least four people and kidnapping three others as an operative for the South Pacific Cartel. The teenager's age -- 14 at the time -- and his on-camera description of the slayings, brought international attention to the case. Analysts said the dramatic example showed how Mexican drug gangs were increasingly recruiting youths. On Tuesday, Mexican authorities said he had served his three-year sentence and had been sent back to the United States. The teen, now 17, boarded a commercial flight from Mexico City to San Antonio, Texas, on Tuesday morning, according to Jorge Messeguer, government secretary in Mexico's Morelos state. Asked about the teen's case, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokeswoman said the agency facilitated the return of a U.S. citizen on Tuesday. She declined to provide details, citing privacy restrictions. An aunt in San Antonio signed off on the teen's repatriation there, a state official in Morelos told CNNMexico. A judge released him five days early, Messeguer said, to steer clear of too much publicity in the high-profile case. "The judge determined she wanted to guarantee his privacy and safety," he said. After the teen's arrest in 2010, some children's rights advocates were critical of Mexican authorities who paraded him before television cameras and allowed him to answer reporters' questions. The teen answered the battery of questions, point-blank, as camera flashbulbs flickered. Troops standing beside him wore masks to hide their faces. But the teen's face was clearly visible. "I slit their throats," he said, describing what he said was the killing of four people. With his hands shoved into the pockets of his cargo pants, the teen told reporters he was paid weekly in dollars and pesos. But in answering questions about whether he knew what he was doing when he allegedly participated in the killings, the teen said he was under the influence of drugs and unaware of his actions. The teen told reporters a cartel leader threatened him. "I either work or he'll kill me," he said. On Tuesday, Mexican officials said they had been working with the teen to rehabilitate him. "We did not wait until two weeks before his exit to work with him. We have been working with him all this time on the therapeutic aspect, and saw results. But we cannot assure that it is a complete rehabilitation, because the time to work with him was limited," said Ana Virinia Perez Guemes, president of a court for adolescents in Morelos. "Really, the three years of imprisonment are not enough to achieve a complete reintegration." Perez said the teen would continue rehabilitation in the United States. "We think that we did the best we could with him, and the idea is that he can expect to have a better life in a different country, in his country of origin, when he gets the support that he needs, in an environment of understanding and of boundaries, and not of discrimination, where they can help him to return to a productive life," she told reporters, according to Mexico's state-run Notimex news agency. Rosalia Martinez de Leon, another judicial official, stressed that the teen was no longer serving time. "He is a minor who is requesting a return to his country of origin, and so ... he is owed all the due protection so that he can find the best place to continue," she said. 13-year-old assassin murdered in Mexico . From the archive: Children in Mexico: Criminals or victims . CNN's Jason Morris, Ed Lavandera, Mayra Cuevas and CNNMexico.com contributed to this report. | NEW: U.S. Customs and Border Protection facilitates the teen's return .
Mexican officials say they'd been working to rehabilitate Edgar Jimenez Lugo .
An aunt in San Antonio signed off on the teen's repatriation there, an official says .
The U.S. citizen was found guilty of torturing and beheading at least four people . |
92,905 | 0381a6cd1bd33dd44cb4e913547f4fb5db30ed9a | By . Craig Hope . Follow @@CraigHope01 . It is a fixture weighted in World Cup history; two finals, red cards, mass brawls, humiliations, penalty shootouts and more. Argentina versus Germany will climax the latest edition of football’s showcase tournament in Rio's Maracana Stadium on Sunday. It will be the third time they have met in the final – a record – having clashed in 1986 and 1990, and seventh time in total. Crowning moment: Diego Maradona lifts the trophy following Argentina's 3-2 victory over West Germany at Mexico 86 . There has been no shortage of incident, either. Here, Sportsmail takes a look at their previous World Cup encounters, starting with the two finals… . Italia 90 Final: West Germany 1 Argentina 0 . Let us deal with the minor details first; West Germany won 1-0 thanks to an Andreas Brehme penalty five minutes from time. For this final will forever be remembered for the savagery of the South Americans, and this from a team which included Diego Maradona. The captain, however, was complicate in the underhand tactics of his side, who were intent on spoiling their way through to penalty kicks. Protest: Maradona argues with the Mexican referee after Pedro Monzon was sent off . On top of the World: West Germany celebrate their victory in Rome . By the time Brehme’s winner arrived, Argentina were already down to 10 men, Pedro Monzon the first man in the history of the World Cup to be sent off in a final, a crude chop on Jurgen Klinsmann his crime. Gustavo Dezotti followed him for a second bookable offence three minutes from time and the Argentinean shame was complete. Mexico 86 Final: Argentina 3 West Germany 2 . Despite being contested in the searing midday heat of Mexico City, the two teams still found the fervour to share six bookings, which was a record until 2010. Happily, however, this final will be remembered for the five goals they also shared and the crowning of the marvellous Maradona as world champion. Argentina were 2-0 up thanks to Jose Luis Brown and Jorge Valdano with just 15 minutes remaining. Cool: Jorge Valdano puts Argentina 2-0 up amid the heat of the Azteca Stadium in Mexico City . Moment of glory: Jorge Burruchaga scores the winning goal past Harald Schumacher in the German goal . But the introduction of powerhouse frontman Dieter Hoeness - brother of Uli - had unsettled the South Americans and Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Rudi Voller capitalised to draw Germany level. As Rummenigge later recalled, however, they were greedy and chased victory, affording Maradona a momentary yard to unpick their backline and spring Jorge Burruchaga clear and he did the rest with a cool finish six minutes from the end. South Africa 2010 Quarter-Final: Germany 4 Argentina 0 . File this one under ‘humiliation’, for Maradona’s Argentina were out-thought and out-fought by the young Germans - and the majority of the protagonists will again take to the stage in Rio on Sunday. Indeed, as many as 18 players involved in Cape Town are likely to feature in this weekend’s final. Head boy: Thomas Muller heads Germany into an early lead in Cape Town . Net gains: Miroslav Klose strikes late on to seal the 4-0 victory . Germany had already crushed England 4-1 in the last 16 but this was even more emphatic, especially given the favouritism of an Argentina side boasting a front three of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez and Gonzalo Higuain. It took just three minutes for Thomas Muller to head the opener and, while Argentina did threaten parity early in the second half, Germany put the tie to rest with two goals in six minutes courtesy of Miroslav Klose and Arne Friedrich. Klose volleyed a fourth late on to compound Maradona’s misery. Germany 2006 Quarter-Final: Germany 1 Argentina 1 (Germany won 4-2 on penalties) Memory of this meeting exists outside the confine of 120 minutes – in which Klose had equalised Roberto Ayala’s headed opener - and for a penalty shootout and subsequent brawl which was, predictably, coined the Battle of Berlin. Spot-kick misses from Ayala and Esteban . Cambiasso were punished by four successful German efforts but an . ill-tempered melee ensued in which Argentina substitute Leandro Cufre . was sent off. Spot of bother: Jens Lehmann saves Roberto Ayala's penalty to send Germany into the last four . Relief: Germany celebrate their victory on home soil . Battle of Berlin: But a mass brawl broke out following the shootout . England 1966 Group Stage: West Germany 0 Argentina 0 . Having both enjoyed victory in their opening group matches, it was a case of damage limitation at Villa Park as the pair settled for the point which kept them at the top of the table. Both, of course, were ultimately beaten by England, Argentina at the quarter-final stage and West Germany in the final. Sweden 1958: West Germany 3 Argentina 1 . Holders West Germany opened their defence with a comfortable victory in Malmo. Despite falling behind in the third minute to an Omar Corbatta strike, the champions were ahead by half-time thanks to goals from Helmut Rahn and Uwe Seeler and the former added another after the break. The match was remembered for Argentina wearing the shirts of host city IFK Malmo after forgetting to bring their change strip. VIDEO We're underdogs - Aguero . | Germany and Argentina have met twice in World Cup finals .
Argentina were 3-2 winners in 1986 while West Germany triumphed 1-0 in 1990 .
Their third World Cup final in Rio on Sunday will be a record . |
98,282 | 0a8ace43fed97507a58b669a23d0e8608074867a | A rare collection of Beatrix Potter possessions including a never-seen-before recipe book is due to go on sale - but don't expect to find any recommendations for rabbit stew. The children's author, whose famous creations included The Tale of Peter Rabbit, compiled the collection with her solicitor husband William Hellis. The recipes, which are believed to have been handed down over generations, include sponge cake, roast turkey and curry. Rare find: The Beatrix Potter family heirloom is set to go on auction in, Ludlow, Shropshire on Thursday . The 161-year-old hidden gem was discovered among a trove of Beatrix Potter ephemera which is due to go on sale at Mullock's showroom in Ludlow, Shropshire, on Thursday. Enthusiasts are set to flock to the auction where the collection is expected to sell for several hundred pounds. The recipe book includes hand-written entries believed to originate from Beatrix Potter herself. She married William Hellis in 1913 and the settled in Lancashire but also spent many summers in the Lake District. The earliest entry is from 1851 and the book was updated over many years. Labour of love: Beatrix Potter, left, wrote the recipe book with her husband William Hellis, right. Potter died in 1943 aged 77. Many of her possessions were sold off at a sale in 1954 and it is thought that is where these items came from. But the private owner has now decided to sell them and there is a great deal of interest among enthusiasts. The collection includes a photo of William Hellis from 1910 which has never been seen before. Other items in the sale include legal documents relating to the Heelis family, financial ledgers, a notebook and a New Testament in Gaelic bearing the name “AJ Heelis.” Richard Westwood-Brookes, from the auction house, said: “These form an intriguing insight into the daily life of one of the world’s most loved children’s authors. "They came from the personal effects of her husband and we understand that the photograph of him as a young man as part of a typical Lakeland shooting party has not been seen before. "As far as the recipes are concerned, they are clearly the family recipes that had been handed down throughout the generations of William Heelis’s family. "They therefore came with him into the home he set up with Beatrix Potter. Children's favourite: Beatrix Potter's Peter Rabbit . Home treats: Beatrix Potter recipe for roast turkey . "It is an intriguing thought that she might well have used this very book to make ginger bread and marmalade and a whole host of other items for the family larder. "The books have clearly been compiled by various members of the Heelis family over the years, but some sections do seem to be in a hand which resembles that of Beatrix Potter herself. "While we cannot conclusively prove this, further research may prove that these humble books have a considerable literary significance.” Beatrix Potter published 22 books, beginning in 1902 with the Tale of Peter Rabbit. Her characters and illustrations remain popular worldwide, and her life was the subject of the 2006 film Miss Potter, starring Renee Zellweger. At home with Beatrix: Favourite recipes of children's author revealed . Pluck the bird carefully and singe all over with a piece of white paper; then . wipe it with a clean cloth; draw in and keep the liver and gizard. Wash the inside well and wipe it thoroughly dry with a cloth. Cut . the neck off close to the back but leave enough of the crop skin to . turn over; break the leg bone close below the knee; draw out the sinews . from the thighs and flatten the breast bone to make it look plump. Fasten . the neck with a skewer over to the back; run a skewer through the . pinion and thigh on the other side and press the legs as much as . possible between the breast and side bones.” A turkey of ten pounds will take about 2.5 hours to cook - a larger one three hours or more. Ingredients: . 3.5 lb wheat meal . 3.5 lb treacle . 12 oz sugar . 12 oz butter . 2 oz ground ginger . 1 oz pounded allspice . 1 pint of ale . Add two thirds of the ale to the other ingredients and beat . them well for some time then dissolve 1oz of common washing soda in the . rest of the ale and add it just before you put it into the oven. It . requires a slow oven - (let all the ingredients except the flour and . soda be put before the fire to dissolve for an hour or two.) | Rare collection of Beatrix Potter possessions up for auction .
Includes 161-year-old recipe book with recommendations for sponge cake, roast turkey and curry .
Enthusiasts set to battle it out for never-seen-before memorabilia . |
20,787 | 3afce08c5e1bafbf978831c0b751281a30c9fbc1 | By . Sami Mokbel for the Daily Mail . Follow @@SamiMokbel81_DM . Arsene Wenger claims his new-look Arsenal team are not ready for the start of new season. Following their Community Shield win over Manchester City last Saturday, the Gunners kick off their Barclays Premier League campaign against managerless Crystal Palace on Saturday. The Gunners have spent £60million on fresh talent this summer, with Alexis Sanchez, Mathieu Debuchy and Calum Chambers all arriving. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Arsene Wenger hint at another big signing for Arsenal! Up and running: Arsenal face a challenging start to the season . But Arsenal are faced with an testing start to the season, given they face a crucial two-legged Champions League qualifier against Besiktas - the first of which is on Tuesday. And Wenger insists his side are not at their optimum going into the new campaign. He said: ‘Honestly we are a bit short in our preparation because after the World Cup, we had 11 players at the World Cup and many of them had longer holidays after that. Concern: Arsene Wenger has warned players could get injured due to lack of preparation . ‘I think this year, the final of the World Cup was on July 13, the start of the league is August 16, if you want to give some holiday to the players your preparation becomes very short. ‘I think we could have done with one week later for all the competitions, the Champions League and the Premier League. ‘If you don’t give players enough holiday or enough build-up in their preparation and play them straight away then they get injured.’ Per Mertesacker, Mesut Ozil and Lukas Podolski will not be considered for Saturday's clash as they only reported back for pre-season training on Monday following Germany’s World Cup success. Mertesacker has retired from international football, aged 29. Dilemma: Captain Mikel Arteta has only been offered a one-year contract extension . Wenger will make a late call on whether to include Laurent Koscielny, who is struggling with an Achilles problem, against Palace given the first clash against Besiktas is just four days away. Wenger also admitted that his new captain Mikel Arteta must accept the club’s policy of offering 12 month contracts to over 30s. Arteta is out of contract at the end of the season and Wenger said: ‘You know the policy. Nobody accepts it but ideally you want to sign at 75 for one more year. ‘He is a strong personality, Mikel Arteta. I don’t really doubt that he will extend his contract but at the moment it is not done.’ | Arsenal kick off their Barclays Premier League campaign on Saturday .
Gunners also face two-legged Champions League qualifier against Besiktas .
Wenger says World Cup has affected his preparations for new season . |
214,143 | a15305a641acb171eb3d230d114ad5811089c005 | Game of Thrones star Natalie Dormer loves spending time in Bali. Whether it’s diving in Lombok or skiing with friends, the 32-year-old likes nothing better than going on holiday. The Reading lass loves adventure and counts her travels down the western coast of Goa as one of her most memorable life experiences. Natalie, who plays Queen Margaery Tyrell in the popular American fantasy drama, has a soft spot for London and enjoys spending time on the South Bank. Natalie plays Queen Margaery Tyrell in the popular fantasy drama Game of Thrones. Her character is known for her beauty, political cunning and ambition . The actress first went to Rome when she was 18, while backpacking around Europe with a friend . Here the talented actress, who travelled to Rome to narrate a story for travel brand Contiki, tells MailOnline Travel about India's rail system, her favourite places in London and two things she cannot travel without. What sort of traveller are you? What are your favourite types of holidays? I love all sorts. I love walking holidays and skiing with friends, but in recent years I've been so busy with work that I’m only able to go on holiday once a year. Lately it’s tended to be somewhere hot to unwind on a beach and scuba dive. Because of my job I get a lot of opportunity to grab a few days here and there in many cool cities for press commitments, magazine shoots and premieres —Barcelona, Madrid, Rome, Paris, Stockholm, New York, Berlin. I always try to get to a gallery or museum if there's time. Have you ever been to New Zealand or Canada and if you haven't, are they on your bucket list? I have been to Canada several times. It was autumn when I visited Vancouver and I will always remember the colour of the trees in British Columbia were stunning. I have shot in Toronto and find it a very trendy, friendly city. I look forward to having opportunity to go back for the film festivaI. I would love to go to New Zealand and try some of the adventurous stuff to be found in Queenstown. Both my cousin and my brother loved the Tongariro Alpine Crossing. As a family we were all brought up hiking so I'd like to do that. I definitely need to return to Asia. I got to Bali and Lombok last year. The Gili Islands gave me some of my best scuba diving experiences including tons of turtles. Natalie stars alognside Diana Rigg in the epic series. The adventurous actress loved shooting the series in Croatia . The 32-year-old has been so busy lately that she only gets to go on holiday once a year . 'The Gili Islands gave me some of my best diving experiences including tons of turtles,' Natalie says . What’s been your most memorable life experience? Travelling down the western coast of India. We travelled down from Mumbai and into Goa and then much further down into Kerala. I loved Kerala – fresh coconut juice every day! The train system in India is chaotic and fun – it's the best way to see the landscape. Being in with all the families and also being the odd animal is a colourful experience you’ll never forget. I would love to go to the Himalayas and cross over into Nepal to do the Darjeeling Himalayan Railway. What are your favourite places in London? I love the South Bank – there is always something going on down by the river there. It's home to some of our greatest cultural institutions like the National Theatre, the Hayward Gallery, the British Film Institute, the Royal Festival Hall. There’s also the famous outdoor book stall and the skate park with its funky graffiti and groups of young skaters. You can check out the food market down there, hit up great bars and restaurants and visit the Christmas market in December. Plus, you get incredible views of The Thames, St Paul's Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Big Ben and central London. You can just stroll along and take in the view. Natalie considers her trip down the west coast of India as one of her most memorable experiences . The actress surprised a group of young travellers in Rome and posed for photos and chatted to them . What is one thing you cannot leave home without and why when you travel? There are two things. First of all, my yoga mat comes everywhere. Keeps me stretched out after sitting still on all those planes, trains and road journeys. You need a great hat too. If it's hot it'll keep the sun off your face, if it's cold it will keep the heat in, if you need to sleep you pull it down over your eyes and if your hair is starting to get a bit greasy from all the travelling, it hides it when you're in desperate need of a shower! What’s the most amazing shoot location you’ve been on for Game of Thrones? The most amazing set where I’ve shot Game of Thrones is definitely Croatia, in Dubrovnik. It’s such a stunning country with lots of good watersports there as well. Just a beautiful, beautiful place. What attracted you to this particular project and why did you want to work with a youth travel brand? Travel is so important in its capacity to expand the mind. It’s exciting to start as young as possible – you get to see how other cultures live, challenge your senses and try different cuisines. Travel also shows you the diverse wildlife we share this planet with and gives you perspective on just how huge the Earth is. My first time to Rome was when I was backpacking with my best friend around Europe for a month at 18 years old, so I remember that excitement of being away from home properly for the first time. | Westoros Queen loves walking holidays and skiiing with friends .
The 32-year-old has been scuba diving in Lombok, Bali and Gili Islands .
She's an adventure lover and would like to visit Queenstown, New Zealand . |
83,703 | ed6dc0681c451343ebfb15798145dd377286976a | Washington (CNN) -- As portions of the Arab world struggle to extinguish decades of oppression and dictorial rule, the rights and opportunities for women in these societies stand at a delicate precipice, U.S. State Department officials told a Senate Foreign Relations subcommittee Wednesday. "This is not a favor to women, it is not simply a nice thing to do," Melanne Verveer, Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues, said at a hearing called to examine the role of women in the aftermath of the Arab Spring. "No country can get ahead when it leaves half of its people behind," and does not allow women an opportunity to participate in the economic development of their societies, she said. Verveer said Tunisia, with its long history of women's rights enshrined in its constitution, and strong middle class shows great promise. With its first election recently since the revolution in which close to a quarter of the seats in Parliament were won by women, Verveer said it would be interesting to see the role women play in pushing the Tunisia forward. On the other hand, Egypt is "extremely complicated and worrisome," Verveer said, with no women included on the committee that drafted Egypt's transitional constitutional declaration, and only one female member serving in the cabinet. Verveer also pointed out that the ruling Supreme Council of the Armed Forces has not appointed any female governors, and said some conservative and political forces are calling for a rollback on women's rights in the more open political environment. Sen. Jim DeMint, R-South Carolina, expressed concern for the rights of religious minorities in predominantly Muslim societies. "Certainly, if women cannot freely worship and are being threatened with murder their human rights are not being duly respected," he said, and questioned the role of women in Libya in light of recent calls by Libya's National Transitional Council to enact Islamic law in the country. While Verveer noted the NTC has said they have no intention of establishing an Islamic theocracy, "vigilance is critical, speaking out against violations is critical" in ensuring the rights of women and minorities are respected in this time of transition she said. "This moment of change presents a great strategic opportunity for the United States," Deputy Assistant Secretary Tamara Wittes told the committee. With the implementation of democracy and universal rights, Wittes said the rising Arab population of young men and women can push back against the narrative of extremists in their societies. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, R-New Hampshire inquired about but what kind of "buy in" the men in Arab Spring countries are giving to equal rights for women? "It's checkered," Verveer said. "No good cause for women happens without the good men," and working with those who understand that unless women are part of the political and economic process, their countries will be set back she said. The United States, which along with states like Iran and Somalia, has yet to ratify the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination Against Women, should do so, said Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-California. She said repressive governments could use that fact as a pretext to not live up to their own obligations under it. The U.N.-sponsored treaty has languished in the U.S. Senate since its adoption in 1979. | Senate panel holds hearing on role of women in Arab Spring nations .
While Tunisia's shows great promise, the picture in Egypt is "worrisome"
Some conservative and political forces are calling for a rollback on women's rights .
Rights advocate: "No country can get ahead when it leaves half of its people behind" |
174,957 | 6e71f6a3a51f9027d0507bf3370b568d0ca984f0 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Federal drug officials say they've arrested 124 people and busted 56 labs in the largest illegal steroid investigation in U.S. history. The Drug Enforcement Administration says it busted 56 steroid labs in 27 states. The 18-month investigation, dubbed "Operation Raw Deal," targeted traffickers who allegedly imported raw materials from China and used them to make anabolic steroids, human growth hormone and insulin growth factor, the Drug Enforcement Administration said. "Today we reveal the truth behind the underground steroid market: dangerous drugs cooked up all too often in filthy conditions with no regard to safety, giving Americans who purchase them the ultimate raw deal," DEA Administrator Karen Tandy said in a statement. Authorities made arrests in 27 states, including busts in Los Angeles, California; New York City; San Diego, California; Providence, Rhode Island; and Kansas City, Missouri. They seized more than 530 pounds of raw materials and 11.4 million steroid dosage units in the United States, officials said, enough to supply hundreds of users. Most of the arrests were made between Thursday and Sunday, the DEA said. Chinese authorities cooperated with the investigation, which targeted 37 companies in China, the DEA said. So far, one Chinese lab has been shut down, officials said. The Chinese "have done everything" they were asked to do, said DEA spokesman Rusty Payne. Watch DEA officials say bust is only the beginning » . The operation, according to the DEA, also cracked down on underground trafficking of counterfeit medications as well as Web sites that were distributing materials that helped in converting raw steroid ingredients into the finished product. "DEA successfully attacked the illegal steroid industry at every level of its distribution network-from the manufacturers in China who supply the raw materials, to the traffickers in the United States who market the deadly doses," the DEA statement said. Besides China, other countries which cooperated in the operation included Mexico, Canada, Belgium, Australia, Germany, Denmark, Sweden and Thailand, officials said. E-mail to a friend . | Authorities arrest 124 people, shut down 56 labs .
Investigators seize raw materials imported from China .
China cooperates with probe, shuts down one lab . |
153,347 | 52210837f605fdd9aa505afb4747181aeeb43068 | (CNN) -- Three quarters of the world's poor are living without a bank account, impeded by physical distance from banks and by bureaucratic roadblocks, according to a World Bank report. In a 2011 survey of 150,000 adults in 148 countries, it found that more than 75% of adults earning less than $2 per day are "unbanked" or do not use a formal financial institution. Of 70,000 respondents without a bank account, 65% cited not having enough money to use one as the most important reason. Other top reasons included the cost of opening a bank account being too expensive and a lack of trust in banks. "I hope policy makers will use this research to help make sure everyone, everywhere, has access to financial services," Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands and the UN Secretary General's Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development said in a news release. Among regions surveyed, people in the Middle East and North Africa have most difficulties, with only 18% reporting an account. In high-income economies, nine out of 10 adults have an account at a formal financial institution. Being 'unbanked' is linked to inequalities, according to The World Bank. The richest 20% of adults in developing countries are more than twice as likely to have an account as the poorest 20%. Also, in developing economies only 37% of women have a bank account compared with 46% of men keeping their savings in financial institutions. A bank account could enhance economic opportunities among the poor, as saving and borrowing enables them to start a business or invest in education. Instead, they often rely on money lenders charging high fees, the World Bank says. "Providing financial services to the 2.5 billion people who are 'unbanked' could boost economic growth and opportunity for the world's poor," says World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. Mobile banking is becoming a popular alternative to money lenders among the poor, especially in Sub-Saharan Africa. These money transfers through mobile phones enable them to pay bills or make deposits through a text message without traveling or setting up a formal bank account. Mobile banking is especially popular in Kenya, where about 7 in 10 adults have access to mobile money services, according to Safaricom, a leading mobile network provider that offers money transfers via text messaging through its M-Pesa service. The world's poorest live in the Sub-Saharan Africa region, with almost 70% of adults living on less than $2 a day. In South Asia, almost 60%of people and just over 50% in Middle East and North Africa live on less than $2 a day, according to the World Bank Report. | 75% of the world's poor do not have a bank account, a World Bank report says.
Among the reasons are a lack of money and required documentation to open one and travel distance.
Financial services could boost economic growth and opportunity for the world's poor, says Zoellick. |
204,340 | 9489300e856ac08f00c47fada572f55bbc283661 | (EW.com) -- Ready for America's Next Top Katniss? The CW has ordered two new reality shows, including one that's clearly "Hunger Games"-inspired. In "The Hunt," 12 tributes teams of two are dropped into the wilderness without food, water or shelter. They must compete in a game where they'll rely on their physicality, survival skills and hunting skills to endure the harsh conditions and kill "capture" one another. EW.com: 2012's five great cliffhangers . The second new CW reality series is called "Perfect Score." This is a dating show where two friends compete to see who can pick their ideal mate from a group of ... Yeah, so back to "The Hunt." The competition lasts a full month and the winner will receive a cash prize. No premiere date is set. It's been awhile since any reality show really made a successful run at a "Survivor"-style competition, so it will be interesting to see how this one turns out. The order follows The CW developing a drama series, "The Selection," that's been compared to "The Hunger Games" (the project is still alive, I'm told), and toying with the (ill-advised) idea of adapting ultra-violent Japanese cult favorite "Battle Royale," which has a very similar storyline to "The Hunger Games." EW.com: Critics press The CW on 'Battle Royale' plans: 'You know what it's about, right?' Perhaps "The Hunt" will be a way for the network to capitalize (Capitolize?) on the hit franchise, like "The Vampire Diaries" post-"Twilight" and "Arrow" post-"Dark Knight." See the full story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | The CW has ordered a new "Hunger Games"-inspired reality show .
Called "The Hunt," the show will send 12 teams of two into the wilderness .
They'll compete by relying on their hunting and survival skills to endure harsh conditions .
No premiere date is set . |
30,482 | 56a9cf9d7c09e80063ae7f5d62250b03621b1d28 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:20 EST, 16 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:56 EST, 17 May 2012 . Police investigating the disappearance of a young girl from her family's southern Arizona home said that child welfare workers went to the household in December, but authorities declined to provide additional details. The disclosure came nearly a week after the father of 6-year-old Isabel Mercedes Celis was barred from having any contact with his 10- and 14-year-old sons. Tucson police spokeswoman Sgt. Maria Hawke confirmed the visit but said she couldn't describe the circumstances that prompted it. The child welfare call was first reported by the Arizona Daily Star. Scroll Down for Video . Revelations: Police say that child-welfare officials went to the home of missing Isabel Mercedes Celis nearly five months before her disappearance . Tasya Peterson, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Economic Security, which oversees the state's child welfare agency, declined to confirm the visit or say why the girl's father, Sergio Celis, isn't allowed to be with his two boys. Authorities have been searching for Isabel since her father reported her missing April 21. Family members have said they last saw her in her bedroom the night before. A window was later found open with the screen pushed aside. A few days after the disappearance, a neighbor told KVOA-TV that she heard her dogs barking and male voices outside her bedroom window around 6:30 a.m. on the day Isabel was reported missing. The neighbor said there were no sounds that indicated a struggle. Police have declined to comment on those details. Missing since April 21, 6-year-old Isabel Mercedes Celis (left and right) was declared by police to have been abducted from her Tucson Arizona home . Earlier this week, police released 911 recordings of Sergio Celis reporting his daughter missing. He was calm while Isabel's mother, Rebecca Celis, was full of emotion. Calls to Sergio and Rebecca Celis weren't returned Thursday afternoon. And now after almost one month of the investigation into the disappearance of Isabel Mercedes Celis, including interviews with more than 500 sex offenders and examining 1,000-plus tips, police have acknowledged for the first time that the 6-year-old was taken from her home. But so far, authorities in Tucson, Arizona, haven't been able to name a suspect in the case. Revelations over the past week that Isabel's father, Sergio Celis, has been barred from seeing her two brothers raised questions about the focus and pace of their investigation. Yesterday, nearly a month since she went missing, police confirmed for the first time that she was abducted, rather than characterizing the case as a 'suspicious disappearance/possible abduction.' Authorities have been searching for the girl since her father reported her missing April 21. Family members have said they last saw her in her bedroom the night before. A window was later found open with the screen pushed aside. A few days after the disappearance, a neighbor told KVOA-TV that she heard her dogs barking and male voices outside her bedroom window around 6:30 a.m. on the day she was reported missing. The neighbor said there were no sounds that indicated a struggle. Police declined to comment on her account. Little girl lost: Authorities have been searching for the Isabel Celis since her father reported her missing on April 21. Family members have said they last saw her in her bedroom the night before . Pleas: Becky and Sergio Celis ask for the return of her daughter Isabel, six, at a volunteer center close to their Tucson, Arizona home last month . Authorities searched for Isabel in a three-square-mile area around her home, ponds, dry streambeds and empty houses. They also searched her house, but a judge has sealed those records until at least later this month. Police had examined the possibility that Isabel was in Mexico because of Tucson's close proximity to the border. Federal authorities have been in touch with Mexican police officials who checked hotels, bus terminals and other businesses as they looked for her. Meanwhile, Sergio Celis, an opera singer, sang 'Ave Maria' at a May 6 benefit to raise money for the search for his daughter. Finding Isa: Daniel Cadena, foreground, holds a candle along with his mother, Angela Sanchez, left and his aunt, Areliz Sanchez during a recent vigil . Missing: Police believe Isabel Celis, 6, was taken from her Tucson home the night of April 20 . Police announced in a news release late last week that Arizona's child welfare agency was barring him from having any contact with his 10- and 14-year-old sons. On Monday, after a regularly scheduled news conference, investigators released 911 recordings of him reporting his daughter missing. He was calm while her mother's reaction was full of emotion. Sergio Celis told a 911 operator that he believed his daughter was abducted. Asked to explain why he thought that, Celis said, he couldn't and that Isabel wasn't there when the family awoke. 'I want to report a missing person,' he said, calmly. 'My little girl, who is 6 years old. I believe she was abducted from the house.' Evidence: The video shows two males and three females walking in a parking lot in the direction of the Celis home on the night she went missing between 1 and 1:30am . The tone of Celis' wife, Rebecca, was frantic. 'She's only 6,' said the mother as she cried. 'Can you please hurry and get somebody over here?' Calls to Sergio and Rebecca Celis weren't returned Tuesday. Michael Piccarreta, a criminal defense lawyer in Tucson who isn't involved in the case but has followed it, said family members are normally eliminated as possible subjects at this point in investigations. In some cases, he said, police focus on family members longer than usual. 'That doesn't mean they are guilty,' Piccarreta said. 'It could mean the police are having difficulty with an alternative theory.' Police spokeswoman Maria Hawke said investigators have eliminated one theory. Innocent: Tucson police have scoured the girl's home and interviewed more than 500 sex offenders in the area since Isabel disappeared . 'She didn't get up and leave the house on her own,' Hawke said. She declined to discuss the evidence that led investigators to make that conclusion or reveal details about who they suspect took her. Experts say the abduction of a child from a home is relatively rare. Police are holding out hope that Isabel is still alive. Tasya Peterson, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Economic Security, which oversees the state's child welfare agency, declined to comment on why Sergio Celis isn't allowed to be with his two boys. She also declined to say whether there were any past calls at their home. Vanished: Isabel has now been missing for nearly a month and the search has expanded as far as Mexico . The Arizona Daily Star had reported early Tuesday that police concluded that Isabel was abducted. Lynn Jones, a criminology professor at Northern Arizona University, said the public will connect the decision to prohibit Celis from seeing his sons with the 911 recordings because they were both released around the same time. 'So law enforcement, I would imagine, would have to do some work if they don't want them to be perceived together,' Jones said. Hawke said it was a coincidence that the two pieces of information were released at once and that the child welfare decision was released to keep the public informed of the investigation. News organizations had been requesting the 911 recordings, which take a while to prepare and happened to be ready on the same day as the child welfare news conference. 'People are free to form their own opinions,' Hawke said. David Pike, who lives on the same block as the Celis family and whose sons used to play with Isabel's brothers, said he is perplexed by how calm the father sounded in the 911 phone calls. 'It just struck me as odd. I get excited easily if I think one of my kids are hurt ... and then there's times I've just sat there dumbfounded. 'Maybe that was a dumbfounding moment for him and he wasn't able to wrap his mind around it right away,' he said. 'Maybe he truly thought she was playing a game,' Pike said. Help: Mexican police are now helping in the search for the girl on their side of the border . WATCH VIDEO HERE . video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player . | Isabel Mercedes Celis was reported missing on April 21 .
Cops are yet to name a suspect in the Tucson, Arizona, mystery .
Search has extended as far as Mexico, with federal authorities asking Mexican law enforcement to search hotels and bus terminals .
911 calls reveal calm father reporting the girl missing, while mother is frantic .
Father Sergio Celis has since been barred from having contact with his other children, ages 10 and 14 . |
133,600 | 38c41c1a6159bc23819521c865838bd3c57453ef | By . Deni Kirkova . Samuel L. Jackson is giving FEMAIL readers the exclusive chance to win a £500 Harrods shopping spree. All they have to do is enter an online raffle and donate to his charity One For The Boys on new crowdfunding website MyGoodness.com. The Hollywood actor has teamed up with the innovative London-based fundraising platform to raise awareness and money for his charity - and now FEMAIL readers have an extra incentive to get involved. Scroll down for video . Jackson: 'By not getting checked you could lose those balls. Hell - you could lose your life! So boys, don't be dumb' Jackson . decided to support One For The Boys after he learned that friends had . secretly coped with cancer without telling anybody. And . now, people who enter the online raffle and donate have the chance to . win a money can't buy experience including a luxury weekend in London . and lunch with Samuel L. Jackson himself. They . will also receive an invitation to join the legendary actor and his friends at the . fashion ball he's hosting on 15th June 15 benefit One for The Boys. In addition to this grand prize, MyGoodness will offer exclusive rewards. Those . who contribute £5 or more will get an exclusive DVD or poster, donors . of £100 and the 'top sharers' (donors who get the most friends to make a . donation) will have the actor follow them on Twitter. Jackson: 'I offer you the chance to hang out with me in London, fully clothed by then, all you need to do is hit on MyGoodness.com and buy a raffle ticket or loads of them... to support One For The Boys' FEMAIL winners get exclusive prizes including a £500 Harrods shopping spree . And for the very top donors who contribute £1,000 or more, Jackson will record a bespoke voicemail on their mobile phone. MyGoodness . will offer FEMAIL donors exclusive rewards when they enter via http://www.mygoodness.com/daily. First prize is a . £500 Harrods shopping spree, second is a mini speaker Jawbone and third a UP wrist band. These are gifted on top of the incredible prize of meeting Jackson and going to the ball. The competition ends May 29 and winners will be announced June 2. Prizes for FEMAIL winners will be released June 5. To support the campaign, Jackson recently shared a video he recorded with his 3.7m Twitter followers. In it he urges men to visit a doctor to 'get themselves checked out'. He highlights the fact that a staggering 30 per cent more men than women die of cancer in the UK. The . Captain America star makes a passionate - and occasionally X-rated - . plea to men everywhere to be more open about sensitive medical issues, . and to see a GP as soon as symptoms occur. The clip - which is longer than two . minutes and was recorded in one smooth take - includes the following . soundbites from one of Hollywood's most celebrated speechmakers. 'By not . getting checked you could lose those balls. Hell - you could lose your . life! So boys, don't be dumb. If you've really got balls, show them to . your doctor... 'I . offer you the chance to hang out with me in London, fully clothed by . then, all you need to do is hit on MyGoodness.com and buy a raffle . ticket or loads of them... to support One For The Boys.' 'Fact: . 30 percent more men die of cancer than women. Whaaat? Get outta here! That's right: 30 percent. 30 motherf****** percent. Why? Because they . don't get themselves checked out early enough. They don't want to hear . or talk about it, because it ain't the manly thing to do. They're too . macho.' MyGoodness.com . enables the socially conscious shopper to find stylish handpicked . products while also giving back to great causes and charities. People who enter the online raffle and donate can win lunch with Samuel L. Jackson and an invite to his benefit ball. FEMAIL donors can win exclusive prizes including a £500 Harrods shopping spree . The opportunity to meet the Pulp Fiction star is the first of the company's new line of money can't buy experiences. 'We are . very excited to work with MyGoodness,' says Jackson, 'because Nathalie and Severine are . genuine philanthropists and were keen to provide us their platform to . raise money and awareness for One For The Boys. 'We . wanted to raffle off a 'money can't buy' experience to promote male . cancer awareness and MyGoodness was a perfect match for this campaign.' Head to http://www.mygoodness.com/daily to enter the competition for the chance for a £500 Harrods shopping spree, to meet Samuel L. Jackson for lunch and join him at the benefit ball, and many more prizes. | Jackson supports One For The Boys after friends coped with cancer alone .
Teams up with MyGoodness.com to run raffle raising money for campaign .
Those who enter and donate can win London weekend and lunch with him .
Join him and his friends at the fashion benefit ball he's hosting on June 15 .
3 FEMAIL readers get £500 Harrods spree, Jawbone speakers and UP band .
Organisers select winners randomly at the end of the campaign on May 28 . |
254,659 | d5a638eb8713e0dd726227399f433c0fdbae65ca | An imam and leader of the Shiite Muslim community in Trinidad and Tobago was sentenced to life in prison for conspiring to attack a New York airport by exploding fuel tanks and fuel pipelines under the airport, the Justice Department said Friday. Kareem Ibrahim and several other co-conspirators believed the 2007 planned attack would cause extensive damage to John F. Kennedy International Airport and to the New York economy, as well as kill many people, officials said. Ibrahim, 65, was convicted in May by a federal jury on multiple terrorism offenses after a four-week trial. The plot originated in 2006 when Russell Defreitas, a naturalized U.S. citizen from Guyana who used to work at JFK as a cargo handler, planned the attack and then recruited others, according to officials. In May 2007, Defreitas gave Ibrahim video surveillance and satellite imagery of the targets because Ibrahim had connections to militant leaders in Iran, the Justice Department said. During cross-examination at trial, Ibrahim admitted he advised the plotters to present the attack plan to revolutionary leaders in Iran and to use operatives ready to engage in suicide attacks at the airport, according to the Justice Department. On one of the recorded conversations entered into evidence, Ibrahim told Defreitas the attackers must be ready to "fight it out, kill who you could kill and go back to Allah." Ibrahim was arrested along with two others in Trinidad in June 2007 and later extradited to the United States. He was convicted of conspiracy to attack a public transportation system, conspiracy to destroy a building by fire or explosive, conspiracy to attack aircraft and aircraft materials, conspiracy to destroy international airport facilities, and conspiracy to attack a mass transportation facility, the Justice Department said. Defreitas was arrested in New York and convicted of terrorism charges in 2010 and sentenced to life in prison. | Kareem Ibrahim was convicted in May of conspiring to attack JFK airport .
He is sentenced to life in prison for his role in the 2007 plot .
Ibrahim was a leader of the Shiite Muslim community in Trinidad and Tobago . |
12,328 | 22ee5b33353e8535ceef693b0887f11831a86554 | Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger should sign either Sven or Lars Bender ahead of their international team-mate Ilkay Gundogan, according to former Premier League midfielder Dietmar Hamann. The Gunners have been linked with making a move for Borussia Dortmund's Gundogan in recent weeks but Hamann believes Arsenal already possess similar players to the deep-lying playmaker. Hamann insists Wenger should instead target a defensive midfielder in the mould of 'Nemanja Matic and John Obi Mikel at Chelsea; or Fernando and Fernandinho at City' such as Dortmund's Sven or Bayer Leverkusen's Lars. Arsenal should target either Lars (left) or Sven (right) Bender, according to Dietmar Hamann . Lars (left) plays for Bayer Leverkusen while his twin brother Sven (right) is a key player for Dortmund . Hamann does not believe Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger should sign Borussia Dortmund ace Ilkay Gundogan . Speaking to the Mirror, Hamann said: 'There are players out there, who would instantly make Arsenal a better team. They are supposed to be looking at Ilkay Gundogan at Borussia Dortmund. He’s a very good footballer – but he’s a typical Arsenal player. 'He won’t want to do the dirty work. His instinct is to join in further up the pitch, get a few forward passes going and try to weigh in with a few goals. 'For me, Arsenal would be much better served, going for one of the Bender brothers, especially Lars.' Arsenal are missing a defensive midfielder in the mould of Chelsea's Nemanja Matic (right), insists Hamann . | Dortmund star Ilkay Gundogan has been linked with a move to Arsenal .
Dietmar Hamann has instructed Arsenal to sign a defensive midfielder .
Arsene Wenger should sign Sven or Lars Bender, according to Hamann . |
111,549 | 1bd99ec279d9aead27409814bb55fee044715dba | By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 06:55 EST, 7 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:14 EST, 7 October 2013 . Jemima the goat has given birth to four tiny kids - much to the surprise of staff who delivered them. Even though goats usually give birth to twins, the new mother delivered double the trouble at the White Post Farm in Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire. Staff at the farm say the foursome - named Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione after the main characters of Harry Potter - are very mischievous, but are attracting scores of visitors. Scroll down for video . New family: Kids Harry, Ron, Neville and Hermione, pictured with mother Jemima, were born on Sunday . Up to no good: The quads were named after the Harry Potter characters as they are very mischievous . Five-year-old Jemima began giving birth just before 11am on Sunday. And when her third kid was born, farm manager Anthony Moore, 32, was surprised. Mr Moore said: 'I couldn't believe it. 'We've sometimes had triplets and that excites us but Jemima still looked big after the three and it was clear she was still in labour. 'Brett, the stocksman said, "I'm sure there's a fourth one", and we all had our fingers crossed because it has never happened here before. 'We were shocked when she delivered another. I've never come across quads before, it's really unusual. 'Obviously we're all really excited and they're all doing really well. Working their charm: Staff at White Post Farm in Nottinghamshire, say the foursome are a star attraction . 'They're still only hours old but they're in great nick, jumping around and getting along with each other and really playful. 'We decided to name them after the Harry Potter characters because like them, these kids are small, young and mischievous.' The white and brown goats - whose father, five-year-old Dave will stay together at the visitors farm with their parents. Anthony added: 'Their only job will be to be petted and look cute - and they're doing a great job of that already' 'Dave and Jemima arrived a couple of weeks ago from a nearby farm, along with two other female goats. Staying put: The family, pictured with staff member Sarah Hebb, will be kept at the farm with their mother and father, Dave, for the foreseeable future . 'We said that Jemima looked bigger than the other two females, who are also pregnant, but we never thought she would be carrying quads. 'She's in excellent form. She needed no help at all through the labour, it was very good. 'And she's a great mum already. She's got them all cleaned up and has been feeding them. 'They're all in a nice big barn because I'm sure there will be a lot of visitors wanting to see them. 'They're all very similar in size, and all healthy. 'They'll have a lovely family group. We're all glad they've all arrived safely.' | Jemima the goat gave birth to four kids yesterday ago at White Post Farm in Farnsfield, Nottinghamshire .
Foursome - named Harry, Ron, Neville .
and Hermione after the main characters of Harry Potter - are already attracting scores of visitors .
'Their only job will be to be petted and look cute - and they're doing a great job,' said farm manager Anthony Moore, 32 . |
211,422 | 9dc52a378f84c0f5b221fb3202143c9a9dd19c79 | Burnley boss Sean Dyche is relaxed about star striker Danny Ings' future and insists the England Under 21 international will be staying put in January. Ings was the SkyBet Championship player of the year last season and has followed up with some impressive displays in his first Barclays Premier League campaign. He has found the net four times for the Clarets and caught the eye with his clever hold-up play, alerting several top-flight rivals. Danny Ings, who has scored four goals for Burnley this season, is out of contract in the summer . The 22-year-old is out of contract in the summer and with no agreement apparently imminent, Burnley are braced for approaches when the transfer window opens. But Dyche is convinced there is no chance of the club cashing in their prize asset. '(I have) no concerns whatsoever. I've been asked that question for the last two years. But Burnley boss Sean Dyche has said that the club will not sell him in the January transfer window . 'The chairmen (Mike Garlick and John Banaszkiewicz) have come out and said he's going nowhere and I'm happy with that as a manager. 'We have open dialogue with him and his agent. 'It's just the reality of the situation. The club have made it quite clear how much they value the players we've got and we're in a good position cash-wise because we haven't spent a lot of money. 'If anything, we're thinking about add to the squad.' Ings was Championship player of the year last season and has impressed in the Premier League . | Burnley forward Danny Ings is out of contract in the summer .
But Sean Dyche insisted the Clarets will not entertain bids for him .
Ings was named Championship Player of the Year award last season .
Dyche said the club are looking to sign players in January . |
91,351 | 017d88a8b1a223215e0dd1bef5f37db641912079 | By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 08:53 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:17 EST, 15 March 2013 . A shadow has fallen over Middle Earth, battle lines have been drawn and a daunting quest to protect the good names of Gandalf and the Hobbits of the Shire is currently underway. But it isn't the dark forces of Sauron or the fiery breath of Smaug the dragon that threatens the peace of J.R.R. Tolkien's mystical land, but the hideous spectre of Lord of the Rings branded fruit machines. The Tolkien estate, which is fiercely protective of the late author's work, is up in arms following the appearance of the gambling machines in Las Vegas casinos. Wrangle: The Estate of J.R.R. Tolkien author of 'The Hobbit' and 'The Lord of the Rings' Gollum is locked in a legal battle with Warner Bros, makers of The Lord Of The Rings and the Hobbit films over gambling machines . Threat: The Tolkien estate is unhappy about the appearance of Lord of the Rings-themed gambling machines in Las Vegas casinos . They claim the use of Tolkien's characters to promote gambling is a clear breach of contract and that it damages the good name of Tolkien and the reputation of the books. Last year just days before the November premier of the Hobbit, they sued Warner Bros, In Line Cinema and Saul Zaentz owner of MIddle Earth Enterprises (MeE) which owns worldwide rights to elents of the Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings for at least $80million (£53million) over alleged exploitative . merchandising. Prized: The Tolkien estate is fiercely protective of the late author's work . The lawsuit claims the production of Tolkien based gambling games 'has outraged Tolkien's devoted fan base, causing irreparable harm to Tolkien's legacy and reputation and the valuable goodwill generated by his works.' Tolkien's family contends their merchandising agreement with Warner Bothers extends only to tangible products such as . figurines and clothing and not to electronic rights. But now Warner Brothers have counter sued claiming they have lost out on millions of dollars of revenue as a result of the Tolkien estate preventing from using the characters to the extent they might have wished. But the Tolkien Estate's legal team say this amounts to bullying and that they intend to dismiss Warner Bros's counterclaims. Their US attorney, Bonnie Eskenazi, said: 'The defendants’ amended counterclaims are nothing more than an effort to sue the Tolkiens and HarperCollins for suing them. 'They are entirely without merit and are a classic example of studio “bullying tactics.” 'The Tolkiens and HarperCollins filed this lawsuit in order to force Warner Bros and Zaentz to live within the boundaries of the contract to which they agreed. 'Warner Bros’ and Zaentz’s amended counterclaims are simply an attempt to punish the Tolkiens and HarperCollins for having the nerve to stand up to the studios and tell them that they can’t take more rights than were granted to them by contract. Blockbuster: The first part of the Hobbit Trilogy has reportedly already grossed $1bn . 'Luckily, the law protects people like the Tolkiens and HarperCollins from these kinds of intimidation tactics.'The adaption of the Tolkien's novels to the big screen has proved an impressive money-spinner for the Hollywood studio. The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, directed by Peter Jackson, earned an estimated $6 billion from . movie tickets, DVDs and merchandise. Money: The Tolkien estate was seeking $80 million from Warner Bros., its New Line subsidiary and producer Saul Zaentz (pictured) And the adaption of Tolkien's first Middle Earth book The Hobbit appears to be set for equally impressive results with the first of that trilogy already pulling in an estimated $1billion. Film fans and critics have accused Warner of being greedy by stretching the Hobbit, which as a book is roughly half the size of a single Lord of the Rings volume, into three films. It is not the first time Warner Bros have become caught up in legal proceedings with the Tolkien estate. Tolkien's . heirs settled a lawsuit over the 'Lord of the Rings' movies for an . undisclosed amount in 2009, allowing production to proceed on 'The . Hobbit'. That lawsuit against New Line Cinema . claimed Tolkien's trust received only an upfront payment of $62,500 for . the three movies before production began but was due 7.5 per cent of the . gross receipts. And last year none other than Gandalf actor Sir Ian McKellen had to step in after MeE demanded a Southampton pub called the Hobbit changed its name. After Sir Ian accused MeE of 'unnecessary pettiness', the company offered the bar a nominal licensing fee to settle the row. Warner Bros has been unavailable for comment. | Warner Bros studio counter sue Tolkien estate following $80m claim .
Estate says this amounts to bullying and they will dismiss counterclaim . |
203,341 | 9338564e909664a190729cc85a7e3124e5386f11 | An 18-year-old black student who was shot to death by an off-duty St Louis police officer had gunshot residue on his hands, jeans and T-shirt, laboratory results have revealed. Vonderrit Myers was gunned down by the unidentified 32-year-old in Shaw, Missouri, last week, less than 10 miles from where unarmed teenager Michael Brown was killed by a cop in August. Police previously said that Myers had fired at least three times at the off-duty officer, who was working with a security company at the time, and that his weapon was recovered at the scene. Scroll down for video . Killed: Vonderrit Myers (pictured with his mother) was shot to death by an off-duty St Louis police officer . Results: The 18-year-old (left and right) had gunshot residue on his hands, jeans and T-shirt at the time of his death, laboratory results have revealed. Police previously said he shot the officer at least three times . In a statement, the St Louis Metropolitan Police Department said the presence of residue on a person's hands or clothes could mean they fired a gun or were near a gun when it went off. However, it added the test results showed levels of residue that are consistent with Myers having been the shooter, because the off-duty officer was standing too far away, STL Today reported. Relatives and friends of Myers have argued the high school student did not have a gun at the time. It comes as demonstrations over the deadly August 9 shooting of Brown, who was also black, by officer Darren Wilson in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson have intensified. Protests outside Ferguson police station: It comes as demonstrations over the deadly August 9 shooting of Brown, who was also black, by officer Darren Wilson in the St Louis suburb of Ferguson have intensified . 'Stop killing our children': More than 50 protesters were arrested in the city and its suburbs on Monday as hundreds of people staged acts of civil disobedience to draw attention to race discrimination in policing . Dispute: The St Louis Metropolitan Police Department said the presence of residue on a person's hands or clothes could mean they fired a gun or were near one. Above, Myers is seen with a woman and child . Socialising: But the family of Myers (in white) have argued the teenager did not have a gun at the time . More than 50 protesters were arrested in the city and its suburbs on Monday as hundreds of people staged acts of civil disobedience to draw national attention to race discrimination in policing. The protests were peaceful and the activists mostly got themselves arrested as a symbolic act. The demonstrators were calling for the arrest and indictment of Wilson. A grand jury is considering the evidence from that shooting and it is unknown when they will reach a conclusion. Protesters who traveled from across the country for four days of protests that ended on Monday said they did not trust the police version of events in shootings in general, citing studies showing young black men are the most likely demographic to be shot by police. Rally: Demonstrators listen to speakers during a rally at Saint Louis University on Monday in St Louis . Arrest: Cornel West is taken into custody after performing an act of civil disobedience during the protests . On Tuesday afternoon, Myers' mother, Syreeta Myers, visited a makeshift memorial to her son in the Shaw neighborhood where he was shot, and cried. St. Louis police union leaders held a news conference on Tuesday to present the gunshot residue findings, saying they wanted to get facts out before the public, the St Louis Post-Dispatch reported. 'We're done, as a police union, standing in the shadows in these cases,' said Jeff Roorda, business manager of the St. Louis Police Officer's Association, according to the Post-Dispatch. 'We are actively defending the officer involved in the shooting.' Nearby: Myers's death unfolded less than 10 miles from where Michael Brown (above) was shot to death . | Vonderrit Myers, 18, shot to death by 32-year-old off-duty cop last week .
Police previously said Myers fired at least three times at security worker .
Now, lab tests have shown he had gun residue on hands, jeans and top .
Levels are 'consistent with Myers having been the shooter', police said .
However, teenager's family has disputed claims he had gun at the time .
Myers's death was miles from where Michael Brown was killed by a cop .
Comes as protests over Brown's shooting on August 9 have intensified .
More than 50 protesters were arrested on Monday for 'civil disobedience' |
168,007 | 65493bc718d8e6ebdf7bf31e00f550ce18f0885d | By . David Mccormack . Women working at NBC’s Dateline show are regularly asked to pose as ‘sexual bait’ for stories about prostitution, sex trafficking, and sexual deviants according to a female producer who is now suing the network. New York-based Kimberly Lengle, 33, says she quit the program last April after a senior HR director failed to follow-up on her complaints about the practice. ‘NBC filmed Lengle for dozens of scenes using hidden cameras. Some scenes involved her saying and doing things that made her feel uncomfortable and vulnerable because of her sex,’ states her civil suit. Women working at NBC's Dateline show are regularly asked to pose as 'sexual bait' for stories about prostitution, sex trafficking, and sexual deviants according to a former producer . Lengle was hired as a producer for the Dateline series Wild Wild Web by supervisor Dan Slepian in 2012, reports TMZ. According to court papers, Lengle claims Slepian criticized her for not dressing provocatively enough and even asked why she didn’t have any nude photos of herself to send to men looking for ‘personal assistants’, but who were really after sexual playthings. ‘As part of the story development process, the producers required her to engage in sexual role play and serve as bait for the targets,’ the filing said. When Lengle spoke about her concerns to NBC’s Standards Department, she was assured that she wouldn’t have to do anything that made her queasy, the suit states. In her lawsuit, Lengle singles out Dateline supervisor Dan Slepian and claims he criticized her for not dressing provocatively enough . A step too far for Lengle was when Slepian wanted her to post a photo of herself on Craigslist in response to an ad by a sexual deviant looking for a ‘human punching bag.’ ‘She told him that she believed it was dangerous for her to have sent her photograph, which the target could upload to multiple adult websites,’ the suit states. In the end many of the segments never aired. In her lawsuit Lengle also argues that male producers were never required to do stories based on sex. Any non-sexual stories that she pitched were either turned down or given to male staffers. An NBC News spokeswoman told TMZ that Lengle’s allegations were taken ‘very seriously’ but the company ‘determined that her claims were without merit.’ | Kimberley Lengle, 33, is suing NBC because she claims she was regularly asked to pose as ‘sexual bait’ for stories about sexual deviants .
Her lawsuit singles out Dateline supervisor Dan Slepian who questioned why she didn't have any nude photos of herself to post online .
She quit the program last April after a senior HR director failed to follow-up on her complaints .
NBC News said it took the allegations 'very seriously' but 'determined that her claims were without merit' |
196,655 | 8a7ea19a1170fcf202133d14a06bba8a3807ca9c | (EW.com) -- Even the First Lady can't get enough of ABC's "Scandal." Michelle Obama confessed to binge-watching the Washington D.C.-set political soap during an interview with Ryan Seacreast released yesterday (video below). Obama said she hadn't seen the Thursday-night hit until a recent trip. "You know what, I hadn't watched it until this past vacation — we went to Hawaii so I had a long flight — so I watched all the seasons," she told On Air with Ryan Seacrest. "I caught up on Scandal, I never watched it ... I love Kerry Washington, she is amazing, so it makes the show fun, it really does, it was fun to watch." Since ABC has 39 episodes available for streaming so far, that's a proper binge-fest. Presumably she had plenty of healthy snacks. Obama's husband has his own TV guilty pleasures, with the president previously citing HBO's Boardwalk Empire and Showtime's Homeland among his favorites. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | The first lady is caught up on "Scandal"
She watched while traveling Hawaii .
Said she loves Kerry Washington . |
175,493 | 6f22a4f7261b3b21a09f072e372683114929bb5e | By . Fehintola Betiku, Louise Saunders and Emily Davies . PUBLISHED: . 08:10 EST, 14 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:44 EST, 21 February 2013 . Being a mother is a stressful job. So it comes as no surprise that Octomom, real name Nadya Suleman, seeks ways to help her relax. However, sources have revealed she holds a medical marijuana card and bakes goodies laced with the drug to help cope with her anxieties. It was reported that the 37-year-old eats the pot cookies at home when she is in sole care of her 14 children, and believes they are not at risk when she has ingested the drug. Octomom, Nadya Suleman, who reportedly makes herself marijuana cookies, was seen at a McDonald's drive-thru in Los Angeles on Wednesday . Sources told TMZ Nadya . got the card 2 days after leaving rehab for Xanax addiction and bakes the marijuana products both at home and on the road during media appearances, but not when her nannies are present. There is no suggestion her children have ever been fed the pot-filled treats, but their diet may not be described as the healthiest either. Last week she was pictured in Los Angeles taking her kids for a McDonald's drive-thru for breakfast . Hiding her eyes behind a pair of shades, Nadya appeared to be wearing a grey hooded top as she let her dark hair fall at her shoulders. The mother-of-14 looked relaxed as she stopped at the order point to choose from the menu. With the meals purchased, the reality TV star turned adult entertainer was seen cruising around in her white Octovan. Cruising: After picking up her orders, the 37-year-old looked relaxed as she drove around in her Octovan . Last month Suleman's octuplets celebrated their fourth birthday but days later drama struck her household amid fears she had lost her seven-year-old son. Nadya Suleman notified her son's school after being convinced he had not been dropped off by the school bus at the usual time, and immediately panicked as she attempted to locate her boy. According to TMZ.com, school authorities were confused as the driver of the bus had 'personally witnessed' the mother-of-14 greet the child when he was dropped off by the bus. Happy days: Last month Suleman threw a party for her octuplets as they celebrated their fourth birthday . Police were called to the home of the multiple-birth mother after school officials contacted them on account of being 'concerned' about the situation. But by the time police arrived at the family home, the 37-year-old star had already located her son, who was sleeping in his bedroom. Despite the tot usually taking naps after school, Nadya told police she was confused about the situation as she doesn't remember meeting him from the school bus, and thought somebody else must have dropped him off. | Nadya Suleman holds medical marijuana card to help her cope with anxieties .
She eats cannabis cookies when in sole charge of her 14 children . |
204,645 | 94f3eb0d4e94ece0ad709792d5a5e2f1930dfcc4 | BEIJING, China (CNN) -- The death toll in China's outbreak of hand-foot-mouth disease has risen to 42 children, with the capital Beijing reporting its first case Wednesday, state media said. Parents sit with children being treated for the virus in Fuyang, China, last month. The child died on the way to a hospital Sunday, health authorities told the Xinhua news agency. Another child died of the virus at a Beijing hospital, but that death was counted in the child's home province of Hebei, which neighbors Beijing, the news agency said. So far, the virus has sickened 24,934 children on the Chinese mainland, authorities said. All 42 people who died have been children. The deaths are blamed on enterovirus 71, or EV-71, one of the most common causes of hand-foot-mouth disease (HFMD). The official count of infections has increased dramatically in recent days since an order issued late last week by the Ministry of Health mandating that all cases be reported. HFMD is not related to foot-and-mouth disease, which affects farm animals. HFMD can be caused by a number of intestinal viruses, of which EV-71 and Coxsackie A16 are among the most common. In mild cases, EV-71 causes cold-like symptoms, diarrhea, and sores on the hands, feet and mouth. Severe cases can cause fluid to accumulate on the brain, resulting in polio-like paralysis and death. There is no treatment for severe EV-71 infections nor does a vaccine exist. Adults with well-developed immune systems can usually fend off the virus, but children are particularly vulnerable to it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Public health officials expect the number of cases to peak this summer, since the disease thrives in warm weather. The virus is a concern for Chinese officials as the nation prepares to host the Summer Olympic Games starting August 8. Taiwan had a large outbreak of HFMD in 1998 with 78 deaths, and smaller outbreaks in 2000 and 2001, according to the CDC. China is also coping with the devastation left by a magnitude-7.9 earthquake that struck Monday, killing thousands and leaving even more people trapped in debris or simply listed as missing. | Hand-foot-mouth disease has sickened 24,934 children in China; 42 have died .
Illness is caused by virus; not related to foot-and-mouth disease in animals .
There is no vaccine and no treatment for severe cases, which can cause paralysis .
Adults with healthy immune systems can usually resist the disease . |
102,344 | 0fe6e5158d35e0cd84c16e089d6d138f41998b77 | Three police officers returning from the funeral of a slain New York City cop helped restrain a suicidal woman on a JetBlue Airways flight until the plane was diverted to Chicago. The flight, bound for Salt Lake City, Utah, landed instead at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport late on Sunday after the 32-year-old woman with a medical issue 'created a disturbance'. Once the plane arrived at O'Hare Airport, an ambulance took the woman to an area hospital, where she was being evaluated, Chicago Police Department spokesman Thomas Sweeney said. Scroll down for video . Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Terry Wall, left, and two other Utah police officers, including Detective Robert Odor (right) returning from the funeral of a slain New York City officer helped restrain a suicidal airline passenger as the plane was diverted to Chicago . The Long Island woman, who has not been identified, was allegedly intoxicated and reportedly so upset following a fight with her husband that she began threatening suicide with prescription medication that she was carrying. 'She started writing a note on a spiral notebook. It was in large letters. It was kind of in shaky writing. And what it turned out to be was a suicide note,' police detective Robert Odor told The Desert News. 'So I was reading it as she was writing it. She tried to take the remainder of the pills, I don't know how many. She tried to take the whole bottle. So at that point I intervened and took the bottle away from her, took the note away from her.' Detective Odor later told a press conference: 'It was street fight at 30,000 feet.' JetBlue Airways spokeswoman Sharon A. Jones said Flight 71 departed from John F. Kennedy International Airport at 7.45pm (EST) and arrived in Chicago around 9pm. The plane refueled before departing again. It landed at Salt Lake City International Airport around 1.40am (MST), around three and a half hours late. Salt Lake County Sheriff's Sgt. Terry Wall and two officers from the Unified Police Department described the experience at a news conference on Monday, saying the flight crew seated the woman near them about an hour into the flight. After being seated near the officers, the woman started having a medical issue and became combative. The officers said she tried to kick and spit at them and a doctor who was assisting her. Sgt. Wall said they did not handcuff the woman but held her arms and legs for about an hour and a half until the plane landed. Jones said there were no reports of injuries or any damage to the aircraft. The woman was not arrested and no charges were pending. Wall, Odor and Unified Police Officer Cody Stromberg were among the thousands of mourners attending the Sunday funeral of Officer Wenjian Liu, who was killed in an ambush shooting along with another officer while sitting in their patrol car in Brooklyn last month. A sea of blue: Thousands of officers from across the U.S. lined the streets of Brooklyn for the funeral of Detective Wenjian Liu in New York City on Sunday . | The flight to Utah landed instead at Chicago's O'Hare late on Sunday after the 32-year-old woman with a medical issue 'created a disturbance'
One of the officers who assisted the Long Island woman, said: 'It was street fight at 30,000 feet'
An ambulance took her to nearby hospital where she was being evaluated .
The Utah officers had been in New York for the funeral of slain cop Wenjian Liu who was shot dead in his patrol car last month . |
112,247 | 1ccb03c32bd943794ac9bcfb06f14f667751f5ff | The Arctic could be completely free of ice in just 40 years as a result of global warming, one of the world's leading climate change experts has warned. Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Oleg Anisimov said there is evidence that temperatures are rising four times faster in the frozen region than the rest of the planet. This means that there will only be open water in the polar region by the 2050s, with nothing more than a few floating icebergs at the North Pole, according to the Russian academic. Alarming: The Arctic could be completely free of ice in just 40 years as a result of global warming, one of the world's leading climate change experts has warned. This map shows rates of erosion on the Arctic coast, with the fastest rates marked in red . Professor Anisimov, from the State Hydrological Institute in St Petersburg, gave his stark warning during a lecture in the Sakha Republic - the coldest part of Russia. He forecasts that the region will see temperature rises of up to 7°C within a century. ‘For several reasons, the Arctic climate change is more intense and faster than in other regions. There is a reduction in snow and ice cover, which has a protective function,’ he said. ‘On average over the last year, the minimum area of sea ice has decreased from 5.4 to 5.3 million square kilometres [two million square miles]. Over the past 10 years, the reduction of sea ice in the Arctic was by 13.7 per cent. Shocking pictures from Siberia (one is pictured) show the collapse of buildings due to melting permafrost. According to environmentalists, as the snow and ice melts, the ability of the Arctic region to reflect heat back into space is reduced and the rate of global warming is accelerated once more . Nobel Peace Prize winner Professor Oleg Anisimov (pictured) said there is evidence that temperatures are rising four times faster in the frozen region than the rest of the planet . ‘By the middle of the century it may be that the Arctic Ocean will be completely ice free.’ Environmentalists and climate change scientists have long known about the potential disaster in the Arctic as a result of rising global temperatures. The Yakutia region is experiencing climate change at a rapid rate and a 1884 map (pictured) shows Arctic islands that have already vanished . The sea ice is already at the lowest ever level recorded, with the WWF warning that a rise of just 2°C would be enough to melt the remaining floes. As well as rising sea waters, climate change could threaten delicate ecosystems and marine life. According to environmentalists, as the snow and ice melts, the ability of the Arctic region to reflect heat back into space is reduced and the rate of global warming is accelerated once more. This could spark increasing numbers of forest fires and unpredictable storms and, at worst, bring a halt to the Gulf Stream which warms Europe. The Sakha Republic, also known as Yakutia, is experiencing climate change at a quicker rate than other parts of the world, The Siberian Times reported. A map of the region from 1884 is already radically different to today's, with Arctic islands having vanished under rising sea waters. Professor Anisimov predicts overall increases of about 7°C by next century in Russia's frozen north. Shocking pictures from Siberia highlighted by the academic show the collapse of buildings due to melting permafrost. In 2007, as part of an Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for research on the impact of global warming, and is considered one of the world's most eminent experts on the subject. He said: ‘If the global temperature got warmer by 0.85°C in 100 years, in Yakutia the winter temperature will have increased by 3.5°C. Professor Anisimov said: ‘If the global temperature got warmer by 0.85°C in 100 years, in Yakutia the winter temperature will have increased by 3.5°C.' This picture shows s house destroyed by melting ice on Yenisey - the largest river system flowing to the Arctic Ocean . As well as erosion (areas of which are marked on this map), climate change has been blamed for the series of unexplained craters appearing throughout Russia . ‘That is, global warming here is four times faster. According to our forecasts, the temperature in the north will increase by six to seven degrees by the 2100s.’ Other scientists have already speculated that global warming could be partly responsible for the series of unexplained craters appearing throughout Russia. They believe warming air is melting thick permafrost, leading to the accumulation and release of volatile ‘fire ice’ gases which then explode to create the giant craters. Almost two thirds of the Russian land mass lies within a permafrost zone and there are concerns that any melting of this could cause potential problems for infrastructure, such as buildings in cities and pipelines. ‘Projected changes in the permafrost seriously threaten the Russian economy, primarily due to the increased risk of damage to the infrastructure of the Far North,’ Professor Anisimov said. The US-based Natural Resources Defence Council said it is vital to pay attention to environmental changes at the top of the world. ‘The Arctic is global warming’s canary in the coal mine. Most scientists view what is happening now in the Arctic as a harbinger of things to come,’ the council said. Four new mysterious giant craters have appeared in the Siberian permafrost in northern Russia, sparking fears that global warming may be causing gas to erupt from underground. Scientists spotted the new holes, along with dozens of other smaller ones, in the same area as three other enormous craters that were spotted on the Yamal Peninsula last year. The craters are thought to be caused by eruptions of methane gas from the permafrost as rising rising temperatures causes the frozen soil to melt. It has sparked fears that the craters could become more common as climate change continues to warm and led to warnings that the area is facing a looming natural disaster. Unexplained: The first of the new craters discovered, named B1 (pictured above), shows signs of an huge eruption of gas. Four new mysterious giant craters have appeared in the Siberian permafrost in northern Russia, sparking fears that global warming may be causing gas to erupt from underground . One of new craters, surrounded by at least 20 smaller holes, is just six miles from a major gas production plant. Experts have predicted there could be up to 30 more are waiting to be discovered. Scientists, however, are still largely baffled by the exact processes causing the craters. Professor Vasily Bogoyavlensky, deputy director of the Moscow-based Oil and Gas Research Institute, part of the Russian Academy of Sciences, has called for 'urgent' investigation of the new phenomenon amid safety fears. Until now, the existence of only three Siberian craters had been established when great caverns in the frozen landscape were spotted by passing helicopter pilots. 'We know now of seven craters in the Arctic area,' Professor Bogoyavlensky told The Siberian Times. 'Five are directly on the Yamal peninsula, one in Yamal Autonomous district, and one is on the north of the Krasnoyarsk region, near the Taimyr peninsula. 'We have exact locations for only four of them. The other three were spotted by reindeer herders. 'But I am sure that there are more craters on Yamal, we just need to search for them. I would compare this with mushrooms. 'When you find one mushroom, be sure there are few more around. I suppose there could be 20 to 30 craters more.' Two of the newly-discovered large craters - also known as funnels to scientists - have turned into lakes, revealed Professor Bogoyavlensky. 'It is important not to scare people, but this is a very serious problem. We must research this phenomenon urgently to prevent possible disasters. 'We cannot rule out new gas emissions in the Arctic and in some cases they can ignite.' | Professor Oleg Anisimov said Arctic temperatures are rising fast .
This means that there will be open water in the polar region by the 2050s .
Forecasts that the region's temperature will rise by 7°C within a century .
Melting permafrost is already causing damage to buildings in the region . |
207,970 | 99431f4053c5c7384dc55efa49313bfce3979ab0 | (CNN) -- Ralph Lauren's 2014 holiday ad campaign for its RRL line was raked over the coals on social media this week for its "assimilation aesthetic," featuring what appear to be antique photos of stoic Native Americans dressed in Western attire. Now, the company is apologizing for the imagery and has since removed the images from its website. "Ralph Lauren has a longstanding history in celebrating the rich history, importance and beauty of our country's Native American heritage," the company said in a statement. "We recognize that some of the images depicted in the RRL look book may have caused offense and we have removed them from our website." Ruth Hopkins, a contributor to the site Last Real Indians, took issue with the campaign's use of Native Americans, claiming that the imagery is not only ignorant, it's a harsh reminder of a time of extreme oppression, and even genocide, for the nation's indigenous people. "What many people alive today fail to realize is Natives of the Assimilation Era wore western clothes because they were forced to do so," she wrote. The policy of cultural assimilation of Native Americans spanned roughly from the 1800s midway into the 20th century as a way to "Americanize" indigenous people through forced English education, sending children away to boarding schools and banning tribal religious traditions. Some policies were enforced through threat of violence. Hopkins urged the public to email the designer about their objections and to take the brand to task using the social media hash tag #BoycottRalphLauren. "It's wrong for him to use the portraits of our ancestors for personal gain," she told CNN in an email. Taking Native American fashion 'Beyond Buckskin' and headdresses . Hopkins told CNN she had not heard from the company at the time of publishing, but that she was thankful for the response from others who agree the use of the images is inappropriate. Ralph Lauren has been one of the world's most recognized names for American sportswear for nearly 50 years. "He seeks to champion classic Americana. Fine. So be it. But, there's one problem. We aren't your token Indians," Hopkins said. Native American designers fight cultural caricatures . | NEW: Ralph Lauren has removed the 2014 holiday ads from its site .
Ralph Lauren used images of Native Americans wearing its fashions in ads .
Critics say the images capitalize on the traumatic period of Native American assimilation .
The hashtag #BoycottRalphLauren highlighted opposition to ads . |
171,400 | 69d920cb7f4e0229081e2c739b87e623835e49ee | Baghdad (CNN) -- At least 12 people were killed and 24 others wounded in a suicide bombing Thursday in the Iraqi city of Ramadi, police said. The assailant, wearing a explosives-laden vest, blew himself up at a cultural center where people had gathered for a celebration of the Prophet Mohammed's birth, Ramadi police said. Among the injured was Hakmat Zaydan, the deputy governor of heavily Sunni Anbar province. Ramadi, the provincial capital about 100 kilometers (62 miles) west of Baghdad, was once a haven for al Qaeda in Iraq and witnessed some of the fiercest fighting in the Iraq war. Violence has dropped dramatically from a few years ago but attacks still occur. | 24 people were wounded in the attack in Ramadi, police say .
Among the injured was the deputy governor of Anbar province . |
158,453 | 58dc6a2df81e82e756c30ec805382f91cd0d43ba | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 08:34 EST, 31 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:49 EST, 1 August 2012 . Police have confirmed that the 999 call from a three-year-old girl to report her mother had fallen and was not moving was a hoax. Detectives investigating a 999 call to the ambulance service which claimed to be a three-year-old girl called 'Ellie' reporting her mother collapsed at home have now established the call was made by two ten-year-old girls. Unusually the number that made the call was not identifiable and could not initially be traced, prompting a frantic search for vulnerable 'Ellie'. URGENT APPEAL below . Urgent: Dr David Macklin, from Yorkshire Ambulance Service and Lisa Griffin, Detective Chief Inspector, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team were urgently looking for 'Ellie' A team of detectives from West Yorkshire . Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, made wide-ranging . inquiries to trace the family, including checks on police systems, . hospitals, and the public register of births. Today the mobile phone number was . traced to a Bridlington address where two ten-year-old girls living . there were identified and have been spoken to by officers this . afternoon. Officers are now liaising with the girls’ parents and partner agencies to take appropriate action. They have not been arrested. Detective Chief Inspector Lisa . Griffin, of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: 'We are pleased . that our investigation has shown that we don’t have a vulnerable little . girl out there with her mum collapsed beside her, although it is . obviously incredibly frustrating that this has turned out to be a hoax. 'We treated the call as genuine on . the basis of what was said what could be established in the initial . stages of the investigation. The girls had told the operator the girl's name as 'Ellie' and her mother was called Stacey Hall. Search: The little girl clearly said that she lived in Leeds . 'Ellie' said her house number was 23 . and had 'Court' in the street name and said she lived in Leeds and her . grandparents lived in Bridlington, East Yorkshire. During the call, which lasted 33 . minutes, 'Ellie' told the call-handler that she was nearly four years old . and that her mother had fallen over and would not get up. She said she had shouted at her mother . and wiggled her but she remained on the kitchen floor with a piece of . toast in her hand, not moving. 'Ellie' had worried 999 by saying the . front and back door were locked and she could not get out of the house, . prompting fears she was vulnerable and alone with a sick mother. Police traced a number of women called Stacey Hall to eliminate from the inquiry. Detective Chief Inspector Griffin added: 'We are very grateful to the public and . the media for all the support they have given us in appealing for . information over this incident. 'Our priority is always to help the public and protect life as was our overriding focus in this investigation. 'This incident again highlights how . misuse of the 999 system can cause significant unnecessary work for the . emergency services who have limited resources to deal with genuine calls . for help from members of the public. 'We hope it will help to remind people of the serious consequences of misusing the 999 system.' AUDIO: Who is Ellie? The hoax call . | Girl called herself 'Ellie' and said her mother had fallen and could not get up .
Two ten-year-old girls being spoken to by police about hoax call .
'Youngster' said the front and back doors were locked and she could not get out of the house . |
11,044 | 1f64d508de33fdb1b5e5b1d23e2aa675aa9d2f5d | A quiet revolution is taking place on the High Street. As you walk past shop windows, you may spot it: sleeves on dresses, flattering fits that are looser on the waist, and campaign shots that feature greying models. Elegant clothes for grown-ups, rather than styles for youthful fashion victims. And look around at who’s actually carrying bags, or shopping in giggling packs with friends — it’s not teenagers. They’re either buying online, or counting their pennies. Yamsin le Bon, 49, is the face of Winser London . The High Street is steadily being reclaimed by the 50-plus women it abandoned years ago. And no wonder: figures just this month revealed these women now spend £2.7 billion on clothes — accounting for 41 per cent of sales — with a staggering 90 per cent of British retailers seeing their fastest growth from this age group. Suddenly, shops are pulling out all the stops for a slice of the Grey Pound. For they’ve finally realised the over-50 woman — more likely to walk in, run her fingers over fabrics, and try on in dressing rooms, as opposed to buying blindly online before returning items (a huge hassle for retailers) — is the most desirable customer on the High Street. For stores that win her heart, the rewards are considerable. Bonmarché, aimed at the over-50s, has seen profits up 66 per cent in a year and even Marks & Spencer is starting to reap the benefits of its Leading Ladies campaign which featured Annie Lennox, 59, Emma Thompson, 55, and Doreen Lawrence, 61, with clothing sales returning to growth for the first time in three years. Winser London’s ‘face’ Yasmin Le Bon, who is fast approaching 50, is also a prime example of a new breed of mature woman. ‘Women over 75 are now shopping as frequently as those in their teens and 20s were in the Sixties,’ says the University of Kent’s Professor Julia Twigg, author of Fashion And Age. ‘Now, the lives of those in their 60s are not immensely different from those in their 40s. ‘It’s a difficult ask for the High Street. They’ve got to promote clothes that don’t have a label that says: “This is a frumpy dress for an older woman”, and yet cut in a way that flatters older figures. ‘The over-50s are not a funny little niche to be pandered to, but a market every bit as stylish, active and alert as their daughters — and with more disposable income.’ Jaeger is a case in point: in its new campaign, former fashion photographer Tessa Codrington, 70, looks directly at the camera, every bit as confident as her supermodel daughter Jacquetta Wheeler, beside her. The message is unequivocal: these are clothes that flatter older women, but are still fashion-forward enough to be desirable to her thirtysomething daughter. In fact, it seems the trick is to make this explicit enough to bring customers in, yet subtle enough to avoid offending said customers by telling them they’re ‘old’. Like much of the fashion industry — from M&S to Whistles and Next — Jaeger chased the glamour of youth and abandoned its core customer in the Noughties. ‘We tried to go too young, too fashionable — and that was a disaster,’ admits CEO Colin Henry. ‘We had to rethink.’ Lorraine Kelly, 50, modelling for JD Williams . The result is an autumn/winter collection that uses forgiving cuts and will work across generations, with a return to natural fabrics — more breathable, which can be useful for menopausal women. A simple grey jacket, £220, for example, is eminently wearable, but has details, such as raglan sleeves, that make it modern. But, while quality is often cited as an overriding concern for mature women, Professor Twigg also says much of the trick to luring back the over-50s is a good, old-fashioned bargain. While the babyboomer generation may be richer than their parents, they have also experienced 15 years of fast fashion, so are less willing to blow their pensions on one or two good items. And the section of the industry that responded first to that need was the catalogue and mail- order scene. The USP of brands such as JD Williams (which has signed up Lorraine Kelly as a model) Isme and Gray & Osbourn has long been offering a huge range of clothes carefully designed to fit the more mature figure, without losing out on the fun factor — providing an alternative to High Streets that, until recently, has made older women feel so unwelcome. They have helped spark a reassessment of just what the older woman wants to wear, exactly how it should fit, and how she shops. At JD Williams, contemporary fashions adapted for a more mature figure are key. What that means is more forgiving waists on well- tailored skirts and trousers, perhaps with hidden elastic or drawstring for flexibility, to account for the general redistribution of fat from hips to waist. Other popular features include secret support on jeans, lower bust darts to lift breasts, shaping panels on dresses, sleeves, longer hemlines, and slimming style details, such as bold patterns and ruching on the waist. Fabrics, too, are often less flimsy, with heavier cotton jersey, quilting, or knits that skim the body, rather than cling. Vibrant colours that flatter the skin and subtle neutrals are more popular than harsh black, which highlights wrinkles. ‘For our customers, looking good is a daily deal you make with yourself,’ says Rachael Thornton of upmarket Gray & Osbourn. ‘You can become “invisible”, and fall prey to bland, shapeless clothing, or you can rock what you’ve got.’ And this successful formula, which started among mail-order catalogues, now spans the High Street. Stores that have become huge successes, such as Whistles, John Lewis’s Kin, Damsel in a Dress, Jigsaw and even H&M’s spin-off Cos are packed with stylish, older women seeking out contemporary fashion, safe in the knowledge that the styles will fit and suit them. Marks & Spencer is starting to reap the benefits of its Leading Ladies campaign, which featured Baroness Doreen Lawrence, 61 (right) Emma Thompson, 55, and Annie Lennox, 59, starred in Marks & Spencer's Leading Ladies campaign . Perhaps one of the most telling examples of this sea change is jeans, once a youth staple. Now, they are available in styles — and with stretch and panelling — that flatter more mature figures. The options are seemingly endless: Isme alone has everything from super-soft jeggings in its South line for £18, to high-waisted bootcut jeans by Not Your Daughter’s Jeans for £150, while shape-boosting denim is available everywhere from M&S in classic black for £35, toWizard Jeans in chic purple for £125. This effect is not confined to clothing, either: Peter Taylor, managing director at Hotter shoes, has noted a distinct change in the requirements of his customers in recent years — they are now taking style tips from their daughters, unlike the more formal pre-war generation, who took their dress sense from their mothers. Over 50s are getting younger in their attitude and lifestyles (posed by model) ‘One of the best-selling shoes we have is a canvas-print, which has stretch panels in the side, and can be worn by anyone from an 18-year-old to an 80-year-old,’ he says. ‘Our customers loved our comfort, but wanted more style.’ Eighty per cent of over-50s have problems with their legs and feet, according to Taylor, though most simply don’t recognise that their feet are changing shape. ‘How we tackle that is the design of our shoes,’ he says. ‘we’ve done a lot of research in what is the right fit for people — things like the toebox area, that’s where there can be a lot of change and you need more room. Other considerations are adjustability, with Velcro,for example.’ Other traditionally comfortable shoe brands are also upping the glam factor in search of the grey pound: M&S’s sturdy Footglove range, for example, has had something of a makeover, with shoes every bit as stylish as the main range — but hidden benefits, including wider shapes, softer materials and Insolia Flex soft innersoles. ‘The generation now hitting their 50s are getting even younger in their attitude and lifestyles,’ says Taylor. ‘They’re highly active and highly social. Their footwear wardrobe is widening because they want a particular product for a particular aspect of their life, whether that’s adventure holidays, lunch with friends, fancy dinners, or fitness.’ Professor Twigg agrees: ‘A lot of the work on old age tends to focus on problematic things; difficulties — all very important, but it misses the fact that later years, for many people, aren’t necessarily problematic, but do contain all sorts of good things such as choices about clothing, leisure, those sort of things.’ Finally, it seems, the High Street has caught up. | Shop windows are boasting elegant clothes for grown-ups, rather than styles for youthful fashion victims .
Major campaign shots are featuring older models such as Lorriane Kelly, 50, or Yasmin Le Bon, 49 .
The High Street is steadily being reclaimed by the 50-plus women it abandoned years ago .
Over-50s women spend £2.7 billion on clothes, accounting for 41% of sales . |
50,595 | 8f293dd67263c3c738dd036cf5285a7753e3ca0f | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 20:53 EST, 19 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:26 EST, 20 November 2012 . Pictures of unidentified dead bodies will be posted online for the first time - allowing the families of missing people to search for their loves ones, it has emerged. The Missing Persons Bureau currently . holds records of around 1,000 people who have not been identified, some . dating back to the 1950s. The bureau has now launched a new website which is dedicated to finding the identity of mystery individuals. Tragic: Pictures of unidentified dead bodies will be posted online for the first time - allowing the families of missing people to search for their loves ones. This picture shows the tattoos on the arm of a man found collapsed in a north London street in 2007 . Unidentified: The man on the left died after he was hit by a train in Hertfordshire in 1995. This man, right, was found lying in a makeshift tent adjacent to the A1 in Bedfordshire in 1997. Both have never been identified . It will feature pictures of bodies, but any images deemed to be distressing will be marked with a warning and require confirmation before viewing. They include a photograph of the arm . of one body found collapsed in Islington, north London in 2007, easily . recognisable by the distinctive tattoos of panther and red Indian on his . right forearm. Many of the bodies have washed up on beaches, unrecognisable as a . result of being exposed to the elements, or have been discovered on . railway lines. Some . 250 people die on the UK's railways every year, most as a result of . suicide, according to British Transport police, and a significant number . of these bodies are never identified. Trying to find matches for the corpses against the list of the . missing is also very time-consuming. Unidentified: This computer-generated image is of a man found floating in the River Lea, near Newham, while the man on the left was found washed up on a riverbank on the River Avon . Search: The bureau has launched a new website which is dedicated to finding the identity of mystery individuals. This shoe belonged to a man who was found in 2003 in the sea, near St. Margaret's Island, Wales . Help needed: This clothing belonged to an oriental man found in the River Thames near HMS Belfast in 1989 . By law, local councils must cremate or bury unidentified corpses, to . avoid the risk of disease. This makes identification far more . difficult: cremation destroys DNA, while to exhume a buried body, . police must seek the approval of a coroner before any further . investigation can be carried out. The graves . are often marked with wooden plaques stating 'unknown male' or 'unknown . female'. The Missing Persons Bureau published a . report on the number of missing persons and unidentified bodies in . Britain based on figures provided by forces across the country on the . number of missing person incidents reported in 2010/11. The bureau are a total of around 1,000 unidentified cases which remain unidentified. Just six per cent of those involve . living people, most of whom have been found without identification and . suffer from a form of memory loss or dementia. The vast majority of cases - 83 per . cent - the bureau is desperate to solve involve dead bodies while there . are still more than 100 unidentified body parts (11 per cent) sitting in . police morgues across Britain waiting to be identified. with a small . number of body parts (11 per cent) and unidentified alive people (6 per cent) also still . awaiting identification. Joe Apps, from the Bureau, said: 'The . aim of the new site is to bring closure to the families and friends of . the people featured. 'With new unidentified person cases . we rely on modern forensic techniques for identification but on older . cases we look to use every tool available and believe that case . publicity is the best chance of getting images recognised. 'This will be the first time families of missing people have been able to search through records for themselves and it will empower families to play an active part in the search for their loved ones.' Members of the public will be able to search the cases and provide information online. Any relevant details will then be passed to the police or the coroner in charge of the case. Details of all unidentified cases, including bodies, remains and living people, will be posted on the website - apart from cases where remains are too partial to be of value. The site: The bureau has now launched a new website which is dedicated to finding the identity of mystery individuals . The bureau was unable to give any details of individual cases - other that the ones highlighted here - but a spokesperson said the website had already been significantly slowed due to the amount of traffic it has already received. The UK Missing Persons Bureau continually work with police forces and the public to try to put a name to these individuals, to enable them to be put at rest and to provide closure for their family and friends. The Bureau is also running a special project, called Operation Kharon, providing resources to assist police forces to identify their outstanding unidentified people, bodies and body part cases. Similar websites have been set up in certain states in the U.S, and by police in Belgium and Switzerland. The Missing Persons Bureau is part of the Serious Organised Crime Agency. To visit the website click here. | The Missing Persons Bureau currently .
holds records of around 1,000 people who have not been identified - some .
dating back to the 1950s .
It has launched a new website dedicated to finding the identity of mystery individuals . |
277,026 | f2e47c30b39594393798e30372cf78a4435853b7 | (CNN) -- There is a new man in Maria Sharapova's life. No, the Russian hasn't split up with tennis playing boyfriend Grigor Dimitrov. Instead she has hired Sven Groeneveld as her new coach. Sharapova has been without a coach since dumping former No. 1 Jimmy Connors in August -- they lasted one match together. Only a month earlier the four-time grand slam champion ended her long partnership with Thomas Hogstedt. In announcing her association with Groeneveld -- who has worked with Ana Ivanovic, Andy Murray and Caroline Wozniacki -- Sharapova also revealed she returned to practice after a worrying shoulder injury that has kept the 25-year-old off the tour since the summer. "I'm happy to announce my official partnership with Sven Groeneveld," Sharapova told her website. "We've been working together since I got back on the court and after seeing him on the opposing side for so many years, I'm excited to have him become a part of my team. "It has been a very seamless transition and I have had a lot of fun with the hard work we have put in so far. Looking forward to the year ahead." The tennis season just passed was a tale of two halves for Sharapova. She won 36 of her initial 41 matches in 2013 and reached another French Open final, losing to Serena Williams. But Sharapova hurt her hip in a second-round defeat to qualifier Michelle Larcher de Brito at Wimbledon and lost to highly touted American Sloane Stephens in Cincinnati with Connors in the stands. It proved to be her final encounter of the campaign, with the shoulder problems resurfacing. The current No. 4 underwent right shoulder surgery five years ago and there were fears her career might be over. | Maria Sharapova names Sven Groeneveld as her new tennis coach .
Sharapova has been without a coach since a brief spell with Jimmy Connors .
Groeneveld has worked with the likes of Ana Ivanovic, Caroline Wozniacki and Andy Murray .
Sharapova hasn't played since August because of a recurring shoulder injury . |
134,086 | 395a657c2e63f61a35b475f28676b60215d81f96 | A depressed rugby league player hanged himself just four days after his fiancée called off their engagement, an inquest heard. Anthony Hughes, 30, was set to tie the knot with Charlotte Thompson - who he had been going out with for four years - but his severe bouts of depression put too much strain on the relationship. She broke off their engagement on July 6 and four days later the devastated father-of-one texted her saying: 'I'm sorry for everything.' Later that day Mr Hughes was found dead by his mother after he had sent her a text urging her not to go to his house in Wigan, Greater Manchester. Tragic: Anthony Hughes hanged himself on July 10 - four days after his fiancee Charlotte Thompson broke off their engagement . Mr Hughes, who proposed to Miss Thompson last November, had struggled with depression for nine years after breaking up with his son's mother - but was not prescribed anti-depressants until 2011. He had twice made an attempt on his own life in the past. In 2005 he tried to take an overdose and last year he was found by police preparing to jump from a motorway bridge, but was talked down and taken to hospital. Speaking at the Bolton inquest into his death, Miss Thompson urged men suffering from depression to seek help and not be 'embarrassed' by the condition. She said: 'Anthony was amazing - a brilliant dad and a brilliant partner. He was really loving. 'But the depression did come on quickly so it was still a shock when it happened. People are still embarrassed by depression even though it is becoming more recognised now. Proposal: The couple got engaged in November last year and had been in a relationship for four years . 'It's not something to be ashamed of and men who feel as though they are suffering should go forward and get help as soon as they recognise they have a problem.' Earlier the inquest heard how Mr Hughes - a winger for Wigan St Pat's - had played rugby league for England schoolboys and worked as a sports youth development officer - alongside volunteers from the Prince's Trust. Miss Thompson said of her relationship with Mr Hughes: 'We had our problems as people do. He did have down periods and up periods with the depression which we worked through. 'There was a strain because of his problems and around the end of May we decided to have a trial separation where I moved back to my parents' house. 'Around July 6 I decided the relationship couldn't continue. I still saw him but he didn't take it well at all. I saw him and he was really upset. 'He didn't go to work that week and he was really down but I stayed with him on Monday July 7 then went to work on the Tuesday. 'He was still upset and wasn't going to work. During that day I received texts form him and some of those stated he intended to harm himself. Prone to depression: The father-of-one, 30, was said to have suffered from the illness since 2005 . 'He also threatened to kill himself during the texts. I didn't think he was being serious. 'I saw him on Wednesday July 9 and he seemed a lot more positive. He text me 6 o clock the next morning and said he had been up all night and it was as if he finally accepted the relationship was over. 'He was apologising, saying "I'm sorry for everything". Looking back it seems he had made the decision but he wasn't making threats like he had been. 'He rang me at about 12.20pm when I was at work. We spoke for about a minute and I said I would ring him back later. 'He paused for a while and said "bye" and that was it. I tried to ring him as soon as I could but couldn't get hold of him. 'He was very troubled by depression but from around November to May he had made lots of progress and was mostly back to his usual self but when we had a falling out he went right back down to rock-bottom.' Mr Hughes' mother Patricia, a pub landlady said: 'He was the perfect son. He was very active and enjoyed sports, especially rugby league. 'In his job he helped a lot of young people and found it very rewarding. His depression started around the time he broke up with his son's mum. Talented: Mr Hughes played on the wing for Wigan St Pat's rugby league team and had represented England schoolboys in the sport as a teenager . 'He became more withdrawn, his work suffered. Before that he never felt sad at any time, he couldn't process that feeling. 'He was happy-go-lucky and succeeded in everything he did but then everything just turned upside down for him.' She added: 'He and Charlotte were planning to be married but his last bout of depression came on so severely. I don't think any of us could see it coming. 'He had been getting on with his life. He came to me and it had been going on because he and Charlotte had split up which had been brought on with his depression. 'He came to see me and told me he was going to do it. He told me he was going to kill himself. We had arranged an appointment with the mental health crisis team for the earliest time we could. 'My last contact with him was a text on the day he died where he asked me not to go to his address.' Mr Hughes' GP, Dr Naveen Lokikere, said: 'We spoke about a possible suicide attempt when he had been found with a tie around his neck. 'He confirmed that he was feeling better but a further appointment was arranged. He said he had bounced back and was not feeling suicidal.' On the day of his death Dr Lokikere spoke to Mr Hughes and offered him an appointment but he failed to show up for it. Recording a suicide verdict coroner Rachel Griffin said: 'He was a popular young man with many friends, was very close to his family and was a very hard-worker. 'His most recent job as a youth development officer saw him help a lot of young people and he did considerable work to help others. 'Unfortunately Anthony had problems in his life. Depression is an illness and one that is difficult and challenging to overcome and quite clearly he had periods when he was well and in good spirits and also periods of very low mood. 'For years he battled with that illness and worked hard to combat it. 'In early July following a temporary separation and reduced contact with Miss Thompson, the relationship between them came to an end which distressed him very much and saddened him and he found it very difficult to deal with. 'This is a very tragic case as Anthony was clearly a very well-liked and well-loved young man who was instrumental in his work helping others, but sadly had his own problems to fight which he did try to.' For confidential support call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or go to www.samaritans.org . | Anthony Hughes, 30, proposed to Charlotte Thompson last November .
Youth worker, of Wigan, had played rugby league for England schoolboys .
But had suffered depression since 2005 and made attempts on his own life .
Illness put strain on relationship and she broke off engagement on July 6 .
Father-of-one found dead by his mother who he had warned to stay away .
Devastated Miss Thompson called him 'brilliant dad and a brilliant partner' |
106,667 | 159a3d675c14bf3dc04ca8454484f644def2bd85 | New York (CNN) -- Social media lit up Wednesday with reactions to Vice President Joe Biden's off-the-cuff remarks about fending off a would-be home intruder. But unlike most debates about gun control, on which Biden is leading a White House task force, the online commentary largely centered on the advice he apparently once gave his wife. "I said, Jill, if there's ever a problem just walk out on the balcony here ... put that double-barreled shotgun and fire two blasts outside the house," Biden said during an online question-and-answer session Tuesday. His comments were likely intended to underscore the position that shotguns were sufficient for self-defense, rather than high-capacity or semi-automatic weapons like the AR-15. But they also unleashed a torrent of online reaction after conjuring up the image of Jill Biden hypothetically firing off rounds outside the vice president's home in Delaware. "So when the cops come to arrest me for shooting off the porch, I can tell 'em Joe said it's ok," wrote one online user. "The scariest part about his whole statement is that he is encouraging people to blindly fire off rounds at unknown noises and in unknown directions," said another. NRA ramps up campaign against proposed gun control measures . The Obama administration has called on Congress to reinstate an assault weapons ban that expired in 2004, to restrict ammunition magazines to no more than 10 rounds, and to expand background checks to anyone buying a gun. But the White House has met stiff opposition from congressional Republicans and the National Rifle Association, a powerful lobby group that opposes new regulations governing firearms. "You don't need an AR-15," said Biden in the online forum. "It's harder to aim. It's harder to use. And, in fact, you don't need 30 rounds to protect yourself. Buy a shotgun." Online commentary was mixed in response. "An AR-15 (is) easier to shoot than a shotgun, there's less recoil in a .223 than a 12 gauge," wrote one online user. "A shotgun is not for everybody. Even in smaller (gauges), the recoil is too much for many people, and buckshot isn't nearly as precise as a rifle shot," wrote another. Obama: Overcoming violence hard, but can be done . Others hailed the benefits of a shotgun because "it doesn't need to be aimed precisely" and that "one or two shots should do the trick." "It's safer than pistols re: accidents at home, especially involving children," wrote one user. "Unfortunately, there are too many GUN NUTS out there w/vivid imaginations... who lie awake at night thinking up imaginary dangers." In the online chat, Biden said he does not favor constitutional amendments to adjust the Second Amendment, which is cited by both proponents of and those opposed to new gun regulations. But, he said, the Constitution "does allow the government to conclude that there are certain types of weapons that no one can legally own." The limits are imposed for "public safety," Biden said. White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Wednesday the nation needs to take sensible, common sense action to try to reduce "the scourge of gun violence in this country." He declined to further comment on Biden's remarks, though he added that the vice president is a law-abiding gun owner who has both a 12-gauge and 20-gauge shotgun locked up in a safe in his Delaware home. The Obama administration has been pressing for gun reforms since the December massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, where an AR-15-wielding gunman killed six adults and 20 children between the ages of 6 and 7. Gun violence plans: What's in the works . | Biden's comments were meant to underscore the position that shotguns were sufficient for defense .
"So when the cops come to arrest me for shooting off the porch, I can tell 'em Joe said it's ok," wrote one online user .
The Obama administration has been pressing for gun reforms since the massacre in Newtown . |
77,483 | dbb2920b04dc2942408839bb354ff36c3d44d1d9 | By . Keith Gladdis . PUBLISHED: . 17:46 EST, 12 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:46 EST, 12 June 2013 . A former minister has warned that high-stakes casino-style gambling machines in betting shops cause violence which can spill out into the high street. Stephen Timms said the fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) – branded the crack cocaine of gambling – were so addictive that users were often sent into a fury if they did not win. He said one betting chain had been forced to upgrade the reinforcement of its machines because they had been damaged so often by angry users. And he claimed the violence and abuse they cause inside betting shops is being continued out on to the street. Risky: A Labour MP says high-stakes casino-style gambling machines in betting shops can cause street brawls. File picture . The former Treasury Minister was giving evidence at Thames Magistrates’ Court where bookmaker Paddy Power is challenging a decision to block a licence for a new shop in Newham, East London. Newham Council states that betting shops fuel violent crime, street drinking and underage gambling. It claims that bookmakers are targeting poorer areas such as Newham with the roulette-style FOBTs, which can take stakes of up to £100 a spin every 20 seconds. Newark already has 81 betting shops, with 18 on one road alone. Mr Timms, the Labour MP for East Ham, said: ‘The proliferation of these shops and these very addictive terminals within them is destroying people’s lives. We are seeing families broken up and houses repossessed. Stephen Timms says one betting chain was forced to reinforce the betting machine as punters were lashing out at them in anger . ‘What happens is that people who lose money in these shops become very angry. I’m told Paddy Power has had to upgrade the robustness of the machines because people so often try to bash them up. And that is what often spills out on to the high street.’ Mr Timms, now shadow minister of state for employment, added: ‘Betting shops attract anti-social behaviour, including street drinking. ‘Some people tell me they walk a considerable distance to avoid it. It’s intimidating and stops people using the high street for what it is meant to be used for: shopping.’ Mr Timms was a member of the Labour government that brought in the 2005 Gambling Act which many claim has led to the proliferation of the casino-style machines. However, he claimed the technology behind the machines has developed quicker than ministers at the time could have expected. He said: ‘As a Treasury Minister I formed the view there was quite a sense of responsibility within the betting industry. Now it seems to have been entirely lost since the proliferation of these machines.’Newham Council initially wanted to make this licensing decision a test case that could halt the tide of FOBTs taking over the high street. It had employed a private detective to compile evidence from inside betting shops in the borough on the use of the machines. The report found up to 82 per cent of customers in Newham betting shops used FOBTs. But District Judge Paul Goldspring has declined to hear the evidence, claiming the machines were the primary source of profit for any future betting shop. | Labour's Stephen Timms says the gambling machines can lead to violence .
Frustrated punters can turn violent after they lose cash, he said . |
127,677 | 3109f2138ef6e6e0ce24ae969e4cbc401c06060b | By . Chris Parsons . He gained worldwide fame earlier this year after being declared the smallest man in then world, but Chandra Bahadur Dangi is now taking big steps on his journey to super-stardom. The 72-year-old from Nepal, who measures just 21.5inches (54.6cm) tall, has attracted an army of fans since claiming the Guinness World Record as the world's shortest man in February. Three months on, Australians at Sydney International Airport appeared to be struck down with 'Dangi fever' as the tiny superstar arrived Down Under for a radio appearance. Scroll down to watch the enthusiastic reception . Sitting pretty: Chandra Bahadur Dangi makes himself comfortable near the Sydney Harbour Bridge after his first ever trip to Australia . Walking tall: Dangi, officially recognised as the world's shortest man earlier this year, is realising his dream of travelling the world . Superstar welcome: Since achieving new-found fame in February, Dangi has been greeted by legions of fans who chant his name . Seeing the sights: Dangi is carried by his nephew Dolak past the Sydney Opera House during his whistlestop tour of the Australian city before later seeing some traditional Aboriginal sights . Australia's Nova FM had decided to bring Dangi to their country from his native Nepal - only the second time he has ever left his home country. Dangi, wearing a traditional Nepalese hat, was greeted at the airport with cries of, 'Dangi!' and 'He's so cute!' as he got to grips with his new-found fame before being whisked away from the airport. After his radio appearance, Dangi will visit sights including Sydney Wildlife Park and Bondi Beach during his whistle-stop tour. Radio station Nova FM said they had arranged for Dangi to come to Australia, and are also making a donation to his remote home village in Nepal, located 400km from Kathmandu. Warm welcome: Dangi is greeted in Aydney by Nova FM presenters Fitzy and Wippa, after the radio station arranged for him to come to Australia . Crowd favourite: Dangi admits he did not expect the rapturous welcome he received when he arrived in Australia . Meeting the locals: Dangi is introduced to a brush-tailed possum at a Sydney wildlife park after arriving to a warm welcome earlier on (right) Dangi, the seventh sibling of a family of six brothers and two sisters, does not remember his father and his mother, who died when he was 16-years-old. His immediate older brother and family have looked after him. Three of his five brothers were less than four feet tall, while his two sisters and two brothers are of average height. Dangi only left his village, Reemkholi in Dang district, for the first time five years ago. How low? A nurse crouches to the left and an official to the right as Chandra measures up... at just 22 inches tall earlier this year when he was officially declared the world's shortest man . Anxious wait: The ruler is placed against the . old man's head as officials confirm what he has always believed - that . he is the smallest man on the planet . Official: Chandra Bahadur Dangi, a 72-year-old . Nepali poses with his certificates after being declared the world's . shortest man by Guinness World Records officials at 21.5 inches . A big achievement: Chandra poses proudly again with his certificates alongside his average-sized family members . Asked why he did not stake a claim earlier to be declared the shortest man, he said his family was unaware of such a record, because they are uneducated. He overtook the previous shortest man Junrey Balawing of the Philippines, who is 23.5 inches (60 centimeters) tall. He had claimed the title last year from Khagendra Thapa Magar, 18, whose height is 26 inches tall. Dangi, who wears a traditional hat and tailor-made clothing, was looking forward to receiving the accolade after remaining out of the media spotlight all his life. He said: 'I feel good that I will be declared the world's shortest man.' Dangi claims he has never taken any kind of medication or been examined by a doctor. He admits he suffers the odd cold, but revealed he has a home remedy, saying: 'At such times I drink hot water and have tumeric power dissolved in water. The fever lasts for two to three days. 'I haven't been ill probably because my body is good.' | Chandra Bahadur Dangi was officially declared world's shortest man earlier this year .
He realises travelling dream after achieving worldwide fame . |
172,482 | 6b3b01a1bf944589c683cb97303f1d0e85009b8f | NAIROBI, Kenya (CNN) -- Heavy rains triggered by El Nino weather patterns could potentially prove devastating for east African nations that have been water-starved for months, the United Nations has warned. A Turkana boy holds an empty cup in a village in northwestern Kenya. Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda are facing mudslides, crop destruction, waterborne diseases and disrupted road networks, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Friday. Djibouti, Eritrea and Ethiopia could also be affected. The effects of flooding are expected to be exacerbated because so much greenery has disappeared in the drought. "More than 23 million people in pastoral, agricultural and suburban communities, as well as internally displaced people and refugees in the region, are reeling from the impact of water and food shortages, pasture scarcity, conflict and insecurity," said John Holmes, the under-secretary general for humanitarian affairs who is coordinating emergency relief operations. "While we cannot prevent these climatic shocks, we certainly can mitigate their disastrous effects through forward planning and the right funding from the donor community," he said. Uganda, hit by El Nino a decade ago, is planning to apply some of the lessons learned this time around, said Fred Opolot, a government spokesman. "The government has allocated funds and resources to areas that will be affected," he said. "Our disaster preparedness department is using press briefings, among other ways, to inform the public." Though the department is not very well-funded, he said, the government is working with groups such as the United Nations and international aid agencies to prepare for floods. "It is a multifaceted effort ... we want to ensure citizens are sensitized to the dangers of El Nino and things such as bridges are in good condition." The rainy season begins in the Horn of Africa in mid-October and runs through the end of the year. Meteorologists have forecasted that this year's rains will be more intense than usual because of the El Nino phenomenon, caused by a rise in temperature in the Pacific and Indian oceans. Aid agencies are already buckling under the weight of helping millions of people who have suffered through months of failed crops, drought and erratic rains caused by climate change. In Somalia, 450,000 people in the Juba and Shabelle river basins could suffer, the United Nations estimates. In neighboring Kenya, some 750,000 people -- 150,000 of whom are refugees -- could be affected. The Turkana, a pastoral tribe in northeastern Kenya, is already reeling from a severe drought that has left scores of people dead and remains of skeletal cows strewn across the flat, arid land. The remote region has no access to resources, making it especially vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods. CNN's Moni Basu and Faith Karimi contributed to this report. | U.N. humanitarian agency: East African nations facing flooding, mudslides .
Warning comes after months of drought in region which has decimated greenery .
Rainy season in Horn of Africa usually begins in mid-October, runs to end of year .
Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania, Uganda, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia set to be affected . |
114,514 | 1fc7c3d0c14e712f66b0bdb3526b808a779f7e6d | Evidence of rivers, streams, and lakes suggests that Mars was, at some point, warm enough for liquid water to flow on its surface, according to a new study. But, rather than having permanent bodies of water, as seen on Earth, the surface of Mars likely went through episodic periods. The study suggests that periods of temperatures warm enough for water to flow may have only lasted for tens or hundreds of years at a time. Scroll down for video . Research suggests that warmth and water flow on ancient Mars (illustration shown) were probably episodic. These temperature changes may have also been related to brief periods of volcanic activity that spewed tons of greenhouse-inducing sulphur dioxide gas into the atmosphere . The study was carried out by scientists from Brown University and Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science. These temperature changes may have also been related to brief periods of volcanic activity that spewed tons of greenhouse-inducing sulphur dioxide gas into the atmosphere. Evidence of water on Mars dates . back to the Mariner 9 mission, which arrived in 1971. It revealed clues . of water erosion in river beds and canyons as well as weather fronts and . fogs. Viking orbiters that . followed caused a revolution in our ideas about water on Mars by showing . how floods broke through dams and carved deep valleys. Mars . is currently in the middle of an ice age, so liquid water cannot exist . on its surface at the present time. However, the planet seems to have . been warmer and wetter in the past. In . June last year, Curiosity found powerful evidence that water good . enough to drink once flowed on Mars. In September, the first scoop of . soil analysed by Curiosity revealed that fine materials on the surface . of the planet contain two per cent water by weight. The work combines the effect of volcanism with the latest climate models of early Mars. With all that's been learned about Mars in recent years, the mystery of the planet's ancient water has deepened. The latest generation of climate models for early Mars suggests an atmosphere too thin to heat the planet enough for water to flow. The sun was also much dimmer billions of years ago than it is today, further complicating the issue. However, when volcanoes spewed out gas the atmosphere may have warmed enough for liquid water to form periodically on the surface. Co-author Dr James Head, Professor of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences at Brown University, said: 'These new climate models that predict a cold and ice-covered world have been difficult to reconcile with the abundant evidence that water flowed across the surface to form streams and lakes. 'This new analysis provides a mechanism for episodic periods of heating and melting of snow and ice that could have each lasted decades to centuries.' The work combines the effect of volcanism with the latest climate models of early Mars (mosaic shown). With all that's been learned about Mars in recent years, the mystery of the planet's ancient water has deepened. The researchers explored the idea that heating may have been linked to periodic volcanism . In this image from NASA's Curiosity rover in September 2012, a rock outcrop called Link pops out from a Martian surface that is elsewhere blanketed by reddish-brown dust. The fractured Link outcrop has blocks of exposed, clean surfaces that are consistent with deposits of water on Earth . The researchers explored the idea that heating may have been linked to periodic volcanism. Many of the geological features that suggest water flow date to around 3.7 billion years ago, a time when massive volcanoes are thought to have been active and huge lava outpourings occurred. However, on Earth widespread volcanism often leads to cooling rather than warming. Sulphuric acid particles and thick ash reflect the sun's rays, and that can lower temperatures. But the researchers thought the effects of sulphur on Mars's dusty atmosphere might have been different. To find out, they created a model of how sulphuric acid might react with the widespread dust in the Martian atmosphere. The work suggests that those sulphuric acid particles would have stuck onto dust particles, which would reduce their ability to reflect the sun's rays. Meanwhile sulphur dioxide gas would produce a modest greenhouse effect - just enough to warm the Martian equatorial region so that water could flow. Dr Head has been doing fieldwork for years in Antarctica and thinks the climate on early Mars may have been very similar to that of the cold, desert-like McMurdo Dry Valleys. Professor Head has been doing fieldwork for years in Antarctica and thinks the climate on early Mars may have been very similar to that of the cold, desert-like McMurdo Dry Valleys (pictured) in Antarctica . He said: 'The average yearly temperature in the Antarctic Dry Valleys is way below freezing, but peak summer daytime temperatures can exceed the melting point of water, forming transient streams, which then refreeze. 'In a similar manner, we find that volcanism can bring the temperature on early Mars above the melting point for decades to centuries, causing episodic periods of stream and lake formation.' But as that early active volcanism on Mars ceased, so did the possibility of warmer temperatures and flowing water. Dr Head said the research may offer new clues about where the fossilised remnants of life might be found on Mars, if it ever existed, and added: 'Life in Antarctica, in the form of algal mats, is very resistant to extremely cold and dry conditions and simply waits for the episodic infusion of water to "bloom" and develop. 'Thus, the ancient and currently dry and barren river and lake floors on Mars may harbour the remnants of similar primitive life, if it ever occurred on Mars.' | Scientists from Brown University and Israel's Weizmann Institute have claimed water on Mars could only survive briefly .
They claim it was only able to last for periods of tens or hundreds of years .
This was due to the temperature on Mars, which made water flow episodic .
Volcanoes spewed sulphur into the atmosphere and changed the climate .
When it warmed, it melted ices and snows, forming lakes and rivers .
But the climate would soon cool again, turning the liquid into ice .
This process may have occurred repeatedly in many episodes .
Evidence for water on Mars has been found in the form of dried up lakes, rivers and streams by the Curiosity rover .
But this is the first study to suggest water was episodic, not permanent . |
268,354 | e7966152d93cc1fbff9ecb3d0b025ed090661d48 | By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 07:34 EST, 11 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:54 EST, 11 June 2013 . If you're sick of walking around with an embarrassing gape in the front of your blouse, then Marks & Spencer could have the answer. The high street favourite has developed a 'No Peep' shirt, which uses a hidden placket - a finished opening that allows for movement - and concealed extra buttons to banish gaping for good. Although the innovation is currently limited to a couple of shirts in the Autograph range, from August, all shirts sold by the brand will include the 'No Peep' placket. No more embarrassment: Marks & Spencer's new 'no peep' shirts have hidden buttons and an extra placket . 'In the past, feedback sessions have found that many of our customers have had issues with their shirt buttons gaping open to reveal their undergarments,' said M&S Collection's Head of Design, Neil Hendy. 'In response to this we have developed the No Peep shirt. It’s ideal for women with a bigger bust but also helps provide a cleaner line for all shapes. 'They have been so popular since the launch in March that we will be incorporating this technology into all M&S Collection shirts with a placket by the end of July.' No Peep technology isn't the only design innovation made by the high street retailer in recent months. Last week, the retailer announced the launch of the 'Drop A Dress Size' dress, which uses a supportive lining to create the illusion of a slimmer physique. New talent: Former Jaeger CEO Belinda Earl has been hired to reinvigorate M&S womenswear . According to M&S, the slimming dresses give a more defined waist and a smoother silhouette thanks to the lining, which is made from fabric used in the retailer's shapewear line. Marks & Spencer has had a rough ride in recent years with commentators and customers deriding collections as dowdy and unflattering. That however could all be about to change thanks to the introduction of useful innovations such as the no peep shirt and the appointment of Jaeger's former CEO Belinda Earl as the retailer's new style director. 'I want women to be proud of a garment when they take it off and hang it on the back of a chair,’ Earl, who is also behind the no peep innovation told MailOnline columnist, Liz Jones. Earl, who says she is most proud of the brand's £25 no peep white shirts, added: 'Buttons are concealed so it stops you gaping, which is great if you have a big bust.’ | Shirt has extra placket (opening allowing movement) and concealed buttons .
Part of overhaul delivered by style director Belinda Earl .
Another innovation is the Drop A Dress Size dress . |
260,520 | dd5d7235fd4fbaaa37489cf35ec46d844059737b | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- In a time of economic turmoil, most Americans are being frugal with their money, but one freshman congressman is taking cost-cutting to a new level. Rep. Jason Chaffetz unfolds the cot that fits into a closet in his office. Newly elected Rep. Jason Chaffetz, R-Utah, opted out of renting an apartment in Washington, instead deciding on a cot in his office every night. "I will save $1,500 a month doing this," Chaffetz said. "I get paid a very handsome salary, no doubt about it, but you know, I've got expenses and a future for my kids and my family, too. " In a stroke of luck, Chaffetz was one of the few freshmen members of Congress to have the chance at an office with a window when he drew number six out of 55 in the office lottery. His office in the Longworth House Building comes with a half-bathroom, a closet that fits a cot, and what he calls his "breakfast nook" where he stores Fig Newtons, granola bars and mixed nuts. Watch more on the thrifty congressman » . The building also has a gym with a shower room, where Chaffetz starts his day about 5:45 each morning. "My home is in Utah. My wife and kids are there," he said. "I'm here to work." Cutting out travel to and from the office allows Chaffetz more time to serve his constituents and return more of their e-mail and phone calls, he said. The savings are certainly a plus for the congressman, who has three children to provide for, car payments and a mortgage to pay. But Chaffetz said his decision had a larger meaning. "We are now $10 trillion in debt. $10 trillion. Those are expenses that have to be paid at some point," he said. If he can tighten his belt in these tough economic times, Chaffetz said, Congress should be able to as well. "Our country has to learn to do more with less," he added. Although he is a relatively unknown freshman in the House, word of Chaffetz's sleeping arrangement is spreading. Republican Rep. Judy Biggert of Illinois, whose office is adjacent to Chaffetz's, said he isn't the first to sleep in his office, and he won't be the last. "This is a job that you have to have, really, two homes. One in your district where you're there on the weekends and then one here during the week, and it's expensive," Rep. Biggert said. "I'm really glad we have a neighbor here to make sure that the neighborhood is safe at night when we're not here," she joked, adding that Chaffetz is actually projecting the right image of the Republican Party by being a "fiscal conservative." Chaffetz said he is finally getting used to sleeping on his not-so-comfortable cot, but that doesn't mean he rests easy at night. "My biggest challenge is what goes on in the hallway at night," Chaffetz said. "There's this cleaning machine that comes down the hall at night. And it's got that obnoxious beep, beep, beep." Despite the din, Chaffetz has no plans to search for another form of housing -- unless his back gives out. "I've got to keep my back in check, but so far, so good," Chaffetz joked. "But look, our troops are sleeping on a lot worse than this." | Jason Chaffetz says he'll save $1,500 a month by choosing cot over apartment .
If he is tightening his belt, Congress should also be able to, he says .
Chaffetz, R-Utah, is a freshman congressman .
Chaffetz says noises in the hallway can make it difficult to sleep at night . |
275,806 | f148a8d8934215185cdc1f70e1f8aa65aedc3b9a | President Barack Obama's national security adviser said Friday that her full-throated praise of Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was appropriate given the former Taliban prisoner's willingness to go to war for his country -- despite questions about whether or not he deserted his Army colleagues. Susan Rice, who on Sunday said Bergdahl served the United States with "honor and distinction," told CNN in an interview that she was speaking about the fact the Idaho native enlisted and went to Afghanistan in the service of his country. "I realize there has been lots of discussion and controversy around this," Rice said. "But what I was referring to was the fact that this was a young man who volunteered to serve his country in uniform at a time of war. That, in and of itself, is a very honorable thing." The Obama administration has come under fire for the decision to trade five Taliban prisoners previously held at Guantanamo Bay for Bergdahl, who was held for nearly five years. Some soldiers who served with Bergdahl have claimed he deserted his post in Afghanistan. An Army-led investigation, which was conducted in the months after Bergdahl disappeared in 2009, found he left the outpost deliberately and on his own free will, according to a military official who was briefed on the report. Rice on Syria aid . There was no definitive finding that Bergdahl deserted, because that would require knowing his intent -- something Army officials couldn't do without talking to the soldier. The military said it is investigating the matter further. Rice said Friday that it was essential for the military to hear Bergdahl's side of the story before coming to conclusions about what prompted his capture by the Taliban. The six soldiers at center of Bergdahl debate . "This is a young man whose circumstances we are still going to learn about," she said. "He is, as all Americans, innocent until proven guilty. He's now being tried in the court of public opinion after having gone through enormously traumatic five years of captivity." If the military finds reason to believe Bergdahl deserted his Army comrades, consequences will be delivered, Rice said. "But in the meantime, let's remember this is a young man who volunteered to serve his country. He was taken as a prisoner of war. He suffered in captivity," she continued. "He's now trying to begin the process of recovery. Let's let that happen. And then let's know the facts including his side of the story, and then we can make a judgment." Rice's comments last weekend weren't the first time she prompted criticism over an appearance on one of Washington's Sunday talk shows. In September 2012, she appeared on several programs following the attack on the American diplomatic post in Benghazi, Libya -- and asserted the incident was prompted by a spontaneous protest against an anti-Muslim video made in the United States. The administration later acknowledged the attack was a terrorist assault on the U.S. compound. The "Susan Rice talking points" have become a political flashpoint, spurring congressional investigations, administration explanations, and -- potentially -- a major headache for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton if she runs for president in 2016. Rice has said she was simply providing the best information the administration had at the time -- and on Friday, she contended that just because the information she provided that day turned out to be inaccurate doesn't mean she's willfully misleading Americans. "I'm upfront with the American people and I always do my best on behalf of my country and I do my best to tell the facts as I know them," she said. In the case of Benghazi, Rice said she "provided the best information that the U.S. government had at the time. "Parts of it turned out to be wrong," she said. "I regret that the information I was provided was wrong, that I delivered to the American people. That doesn't make me a liar. That makes me a public servant trying to say what we knew at the time." | CNN conducts interview with National Security Adviser Susan Rice .
Bowe Berghdahl is being "tried in the court of public opinion," Rice says .
Rice says she never intentionally misled the public on Benghazi or Bergdahl .
She regrets that the information she provided on Benghazi was wrong . |
146,827 | 49e0af0efac2bf54d285d871f5533af197b29c64 | New Orleans, Louisiana (CNN) -- Copenhagen, Denmark, is 5,000 miles away from New Orleans, Louisiana. But representatives of the 192 nations gathering this week at the climate change conference need to keep the memory of a flooded New Orleans in mind. Two years ago this month, the Make It Right Foundation was launched to help the families of New Orleans' Lower 9th Ward rebuild their lives and community. That was already two years after Katrina, and the once-vibrant neighborhood was still in ruins, failed by government and frustrated by a lack of progress. Working with the Lower 9th Ward community, with families who lost everything in Katrina, with cutting-edge architects and inventive builders, we learned some truths and made some discoveries we would like to share with the climate change negotiators in Copenhagen: . We need urgent action. Climate change is real and happening now. The world already is reeling from the consequences -- rising sea levels, more violent storms, more frequent flooding and prolonged droughts. Hurricane Katrina, the killer heat wave in Europe, China's floods and the enduring drought in Australia are not anomalies, they are harbingers. It is not enough to attack what causes global warming; we also must prepare to live with it. We must reduce carbon emissions and adapt to the changing climate. Even if greenhouse gas emissions stopped increasing today, the climate would continue to change for generations because of the gases that are already in the atmosphere. People will go home, even if home is in harm's way. The pull of family, friends and happy memories proved irresistible for many in the Lower 9th Ward. The common history and culture of any community will keep people living in flood plains, along earthquake faults, and on shorelines, if those places are home. More people are moving into harm's way. The number of people who live at the water's edge will continue to grow. The Lower 9th Ward is not unique -- more than 50 percent of America's population lives within 50 miles of a coast, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The same percentage applies to the world's population. In the United States, NOAA predicts the number will rise as high as 75 percent by 2050 or sooner. Governments were formed to protect their citizens -- and not just from armed marauders. Solutions exist to protect people and allow them to live safely in their homes. The consequences of climate change require every community to make changes that will increase safety and survivability. In post-Hurricane Katrina New Orleans, we are building affordable homes designed to use less energy, reduce carbon emissions and run on solar power, as well as weather the next storm. Our storm-resistant features include high foundations to keep homes well above base flood levels; hurricane-resistant fabric to protect windows; increased structural durability to withstand 130-mph or higher winds; and access to the rooftop -- because so many of Katrina's victims died trapped in their attics. This approach should be adopted by coastal-area builders around the globe. Government has a unique and powerful role to play. Individual actions add up, but they pale compared to the reach and resources of government. We saw firsthand after Katrina how deadly and devastating it can be for a government to fail its citizens. Today, we still see boarded-up houses, razed landscapes and blighted neighborhoods across New Orleans -- over four years after the Army Corps of Engineers-built levees failed. There are large-scale solutions that only governments can provide -- such as setting emissions standards and initiating adaptation measures. These options are available to the participants in Copenhagen. It is time for the world's governments to step up. We are facing the most serious challenge to the health and well-being of the world since World War II. But instead of putting shoulders to the wheel, the leaders of the world are busy lowering expectations and tempering outcomes. Instead, we ask them to act with urgency to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and embrace solutions that will help our children survive and thrive in a changing climate. They have the power to put the planet on a smarter, safer path to a low-carbon future and to protect us and generations to come. We ask them to use it. To quote Richard B. Alley, a climate-change expert from Penn State University, "This is real, this is real, this is real. So act now, the ball's in your court." The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Tom Darden. | Tom Darden directs foundation that helps New Orleans residents rebuild their community .
He says Hurricane Katrina, flooded New Orleans offer lessons for Copenhagen meeting .
Darden: World is reeling from global warming; effects will continue and we must adapt .
Solutions exist, but it's time for the international community to step up, he says . |
134,818 | 3a62f1575939c8323d65556b5bed8e5c0a4a2ebd | A photographer is challenging society's views about what makes a glamorous model by transforming real women into beautiful pin-ups. San Francisco native Sophie Spinelle founded Shameless Photography in 2009, with the aim of helping women to 'feel safe, beautiful, and empowered' and has since photographed dozens of subjects. 'Doing this work has transformed my life,' Ms Spinelle told The Huffington Post. 'I've met the most amazing people, and they've been brave enough to share their fears and dreams with me, and to have that become part of the photographs. Scroll down for video . Iconic imagery: Photographer Sophie Spinelle wants women to be able to embrace their bodies and find their own beauty during their shoots . Fire power: During each photoshoot, the women get the chance to have their hair and make-up done professionally . Beautiful people: Ms Spinelle says that too many women 'have no idea' how amazing they are . 'I've learned how rare confidence really is, and how precious. 'You'd be amazed how many truly beautiful people have no idea that they're beautiful, and it has a huge affect on what they feel is possible for their lives.' The Harvard graduate hopes that her photographs will inspire other women to embrace their own beauty, rather than shying away from the cameras or the spotlight. She insists that nobody should not feel as though models and actors are the only people allowed to enjoy the limelight, and during each shoot, she encourages her subjects to embrace an aspect of role play and fantasy. 'The tools of makeup, lighting, and photography can create images that are part fantasy, part reality,' she explains on her website. 'It is a powerful thing to enter the realm of fantasy, and to know that you can do so whenever you choose. No model or movie star owns the realm of fantasy - we all do. Anything is possible: The Shameless Photography team have worked with women from all over the world on a variety of stunning images . Be yourself: The pin-up shoots are aimed at inspiring women to embrace their own bodies and their own beauty, rather than aspiring to look like someone else . Fantasy v reality: According to Ms Spinelle, a lot of women feel that actors and models are the only people who can have fun with fantasy or role play. She wants to change that perception . The perfect bombshell: Ms Spinelle explains on her website that everyone, 'no matter what shape, size, age, color, or ability' can be a model . 'In some small way, we hope that our business can help women to feel more empowered and embodied - and to see femininity as a space of play and possibility rather than shame.' So in order to ensure that every model feels entirely comfortable and confident during their shoot, Ms Spinelle and her team offer a variety of additional services to help each and every person truly step into the pin-up role. 'We’re in this to prove that you can be a bombshell, no matter what shape, size, age, color, or ability,' the website adds. 'We’re here to help every step of the way - from wardrobe to makeup to hair styling to pose and expression coaching - so that you can see your own beauty more clearly.' Shameless Photography also operates an annual Love Your Body contest, which is currently in its fourth year. The competition sees women from around the world writing love letters to their own bodies, which are then posted onto the company's Facebook page, in the hopes of winning the chance to take part in a Shameless photoshoot. Video from BrooklynTheoroughTV . Light up: The women in Ms Spinelle's shoots come from all walks of life, but many admit to lacking confidence when it comes to their appearance . Role model: Amber McDonald (pictured) won Shameless Photography's annual Love Your Body competition last year, after writing a heartwarming love letter to her own body . Transformation: Ms Spinelle told The Huffington Post that her work and the people that she has met through doing her shoots have helped to change her life for the better . Sit! The women involved in each of the shoots are encouraged to be silly and have fun . During the past three years, the team have had letters from a number of different women, all from different walks of life, from cancer survivors to pole dancers, rape victims to trans women. Last year's winner, Amber McDonald, described in her letter her ongoing struggle to try and embrace and love her body for what it - instead of always comparing it to someone that she felt was better or more beautiful than her. 'Dear Body,' she wrote at the start of her letter. 'You have not always been easy to love. 'Or rather, others have not always made it easy to love you. 'You were always too tall, too round, and too fat.' Her letter ended on a positive note however, as she remarked the ways in which she has slowly learned to appreciate her own body for what it is. Be proud: Ms Spinelle and her team want the women to feel confident and happy about themselves . Age is just a number: The Shameless Photography team have worked with women of all ages, shapes and sizes . I'm a survivor: The company's Love Your Body competition sees entries from women around the world, including cancer survivors, rape victims and trans women . Strength is beauty: Ms Spinelle admits that confidence is a 'rare and precious' thing . 'It took some time, Body, but I see that, yes, you are tall and round and fat, and you are everything I need to be. '...I understand, too, that it does not require a sickness to love you. 'People may admire you, Body, for you are beautiful and capable of amazing things. 'I am sorry it took me so long to know and love you in this way, but you are tougher than you appear, and you waited for me to come around.' The roller derby fan credited her discovery of the sport with helping her to realize how powerful her body is - and how strong and effective it is when it comes to competing alongside her team. 'These women, some with bodies just like you, gave themselves names like "Rhino-Might",' she added. 'They told us to "get low" and, amazingly, to "be big". And our wounds began to heal.' | San Francisco-based photographer Sophie Spinelle founded Shameless Photography in 2009 .
The company offers a variety of photoshoot packages, which include pre-shoot sessions with a make-up artist and hair stylist . |
58,313 | a556725523ed0b38c77aa440bc1d5d5f3929b397 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- Bad dubbing, angry men with extraordinary facial hair, balletic fighting and more blood than you can shake a nunchuck at: just some of the key ingredients to make a perfect kung fu flick. Tony Jaa may be the modern day Bruce Lee, and in "Ong-bak" he shows off his impressive skills. Whether it's a traditional tale of ancient Chinese fighting mystics, or a slickly made, modern bloodfest, kung fu has always been a rich part of cinema. We've compiled a list of 10 of the best. Don't agree? Think we've missed one? Share your views by using the Sound Off box below and we'll publish the best. 1. Enter the Dragon (Robert Clouse, 1973) Bruce Lee's last movie before his untimely death, this is him at his very best. A man on a revenge mission, Lee travels to a mysterious island to fight in a deadly tournament hosted by an evil billionaire. Along with being technically amazing -- the nunchucks scene is jaw-dropping -- it's the most stylish and iconic martial arts film ever made. 2. Ong-bak (Prachya Pinkaew, 2003) Tony Jaa is a modern master. He has appeared in very few major releases, but has already made a huge impact. "Ong-bak" is the perfect showcase for his extraordinary skills: whether he's fighting a roomful of people or taking part in the most exciting chase we have ever seen -- jumping through rings of barbed wire and sliding under moving cars while doing the splits -- he makes this film every bit the martial arts spectacle. 3. Wong Fei Hung (Once Upon a Time in China) (Hark Tsui, 1991) Part Chinese history, part gripping kung fu movie, this eastern epic has Jet Li demonstrating his talents as the eponymous hero who stands up to invading foreign forces in 19th century China. Armed with a limitless arsenal of martial arts moves, Li takes on masses of gun-toting, badly acting opponents. A visual delight and Jet Li's best work. 4. Kill Bill 1 & 2 (Quentin Tarantino, 2003/2004) Quentin Tarantino is a movie geek -- specifically, a B-movie geek -- and kung fu has long held a place in his heart. "Kill Bill," his tribute to the genre, ticks every box: revenge; a powerful, all-knowing nemesis; stylish fights, costumes and music; and blood, lots and lots of blood. 5. Wo hu cang long (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon) (Ang Lee, 2000) Every eye-catching detail of this touching and beautiful film works. A love story with outlaws, witches and Shaolin monks is augmented by breathtaking cinematography and some fantastic performances from Chow Yun Fat, Michelle Yeoh and newcomer Ziyi Zhang. This visual feast tugs at the heart strings better than any karate chop could. 6. The Karate Kid (John G. Avildsen, 1984) A simple but well-executed plot sees Ralph Macchio's underdog work his way up an unconventional path to take on the mean and nasty establishment. It spawned a spate of copycat films, while thousands of children signed up to after-school karate; everyone now knows how to defend themselves by waxing on or off and that the best fighting move is obviously The Crane. Hiya! 7. Ging chaat goo si (Police Story) (Jackie Chan, 1985) Jackie Chan is probably China's biggest export to Hollywood, well-known for doing his own death-defying stunts. This is one of the films that got him noticed in the United States. When he fights, Chan is unstoppable: he uses every prop on the set and puts himself in enormous physical danger. Out and out fun. 8. Shogun Assassin (Robert Houston, 1980) Referenced several times in Tarantino's "Kill Bill" films, this forgotten classic must have set a record for the amount of blood spilt as our hero crosses the country on a revenge mission. Early on, Tomisaburo Wakayama says "they will pay with rivers of blood"; he isn't wrong. Violent and wonderful. 9. Siu lam juk kau (Shaolin Soccer) (Stephen Chow, 2001) Should this be in the best or worst list? It's definitely unique. Once described as "the best kung fu football film of all time," this is one of the more ridiculous films of the genre. A group of down-and-out martial arts experts form a five-a-side football team to take on a group of evil, drug-taking clones. It's as simple, and as silly as that. And it's one of our guiltiest pleasures. 10. The Matrix (Andy and Larry Wachowski, 1999) A sci-fi spin on the genre, this modern classic has all the key elements: our hero has superhuman powers; the bad guys, led by the relentless Agent Smith, form part of a shady, all-powerful organization intent on oppressing humankind; and the fight scenes are fantastically technical. Against all the odds, it appears Keanu really does know Kung Fu. .................................... Don't agree? Think we've missed one? Read others' comments and share your views by using the Sound Off box below. .................................... And the mainstream films that lacked the killer punch ... Street Fighter (Steven E. de Souza, 1994) Jean-Claude Van Damme has made some good films, really he has. "Kickboxer" nearly made it into our top 10. But this is, by a huge margin, his worst effort. Most depressing, though, is that this was the last major outing for Raul Julia -- not the way he should be remembered. Great game; terrible film. The Karate Kid, Part III (John G. Avildsen, 1989) The franchise came out of part two with a little credibility intact, but this last installment -- unless you include "The Next Karate Kid" (which no self-respecting "Karate Kid" fan would) -- managed to kill off our last shred of enthusiasm. Where the original might have inspired you to take up karate, this would put you off the sport, and probably kung fu movies too. Bulletproof Monk (Paul Hunter, 2003) "I've got a great idea, let's take a well-respected Chinese actor and pair him up with an annoying teen-film actor in a mystical kung fu movie; it can't fail!" Unsurprisingly, this film was a disaster, shoe-horning silly fight scenes into a plot that spirals from implausible to disturbingly stupid. A frightful mistake, and one of our worst-named films to boot. Under Siege 2: Dark Territory (Geoff Murphy, 1995) The first "Under Siege" was a surprisingly good film, and Hollywood's best martial arts expert acquits himself well, but this follow up is laughable. Seagal still fights like the best, but has lost the ability to speak, and whispers his way through the dialogue. Considering the action takes place on a train, we were amazed his co-stars could hear him. Come on, Steven, you were so much better when you were just a lowly, lowly cook. Game of Death (Robert Clouse, 1978) Through no fault of his own, this is Bruce Lee's posthumous contribution to the list. This tacky movie features fight scenes shot before Lee died, interspersed with material filmed using lookalikes and a cardboard cutout of the great man. The fights are impressive, but the rest of the film smacks of a cash-in -- they even use footage from Lee's actual funeral. A desperate slur on Lee's memory. E-mail to a friend . | Iconic kung fu star Bruce Lee hits the top spot with "Enter the Dragon"
Tarantino's genre tributes, "Kill Bill 1&2," are stylish and bloody .
"The Matrix" is a sci-fi kung fu movie with slickly made fight sequences .
But Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Street Fighter" lacks the killer punch . |
45,106 | 7f2b953dd1509855661e96c2d2be373ccb40ad5a | (CNN) -- Football's new Financial Fair Play rules have got some of the world's biggest clubs worried. Facing the prospect of being punished with heavy fines and barred from European competition, they are desperate to make sure that generated revenues are equal or greater than expenditure. Barcelona was one of the first to address balance sheet deficits when it allowed its first shirt sponsorship in 111 years, agreeing a $185 million deal with the Qatar Foundation in late 2010. More recently European champion Chelsea, bankrolled since 2004 by Russian billionaire Roman Abramovich, signed a deal with energy giant Gazprom. One Turkish team has even gone down the surreal route of building a hydroelectric plant in a bid to raise revenue. Inter Milan, owned by Italian oil tycoon Massimo Moratti, is selling a $67 million stake in the club to Chinese investors. Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who owns AC Milan, is reportedly seeking investment from his friend at the Kremlin, Vladimir Putin, also via Gazprom. Are footballers on a par with bankers? The decision to seek foreign funds is alien to Italian football, where only one club in Serie A has an overseas owner, and illustrates how the need to seek global sponsorship is being used to work around the new UEFA framework. England's Abu Dhabi-owned Manchester City signed a $628 million deal with the emirate's airline Etihad that was described as an "improper transaction" by a Council of Europe Committee. Welcome to the crazy world of beating FFP. "Clubs are looking for more revenue-generating partnerships with sponsors in part to ensure compliance with the UEFA FFP regulations," football finance expert Daniel Geey of London firm Field Fisher Waterhouse told CNN. "The concern for many clubs if they breach the FFP requirements is whether they will be sanctioned through expulsion from UEFA competition. "Some sanctions for breaching the regulations may not be as harsh, but in order to fill a potential revenue shortfall clubs are looking for ways to beef up their accounts." Will football clubs play fair financially? Perhaps the most intriguing tale is that of Turkish club Trabzonspor, which has created a novel way of ensuring it does not fall foul of the FFP rules. Based in the Anatolia region of the country, which is fast becoming Turkey's economic center, the six-time league winner -- whose chairman Sadri Sener is a civil engineer -- is investing in its future. The Black Sea club will build a hydroelectric plant in a bid to raise revenues after receiving permission from the Turkish government, which is seeking an alternative source of energy after becoming reliant on the natural gas supplied by neighboring Russia, Azerbaijan and Iran. The plant is expected to cost an estimated $50 million, with annual revenues expected to pull in $10 million a year. The deal could prove a masterstroke as Turkey's energy market is growing by 8% each year. Trabzonspor, which will play in the second tier UEFA Europa League this season, is also considering plans for a second and smaller plant. "The club needs a guaranteed source of income, and we have the ideal conditions for hydro power," the Financial Times quoted a Trabzon club official as saying. The world's best-paid sports teams . The hydro project is just the latest in a line of schemes devised by clubs to work around the FFP which may come under scrutiny from European football's ruling body. "Many of the more recent deals like Etihad's long-term agreement with Manchester City and Chelsea's arrangements with Gazprom have prompted some to suggest such sponsorship deals are a convenient way to use the facade of a sponsorship deal to boost revenues," Geey said . "Such analysis will ultimately be done through UEFA's Club Financial Control Body. They will have to assess whether such transactions fall under the 'related party transaction' provisions of the FFP regulations and if so, what the fair value of the transaction really is. "Similarly, UEFA will also have to consider at the appropriate time whether Trabzonspor's innovative plan to build an energy power plant to boost club revenues would actually fall within what would be classed as relevant revenues for FFP calculations. "Such investigations will only occur come the 2013-14 season when clubs have to submit their accounts for FFP compliance for the first time." In a UEFA report published last year, it was estimated that about 50% of top European clubs were losing money and 20% were recording sizable deficits. Under the new rules, owners can only contribute a maximum of $55.5 million for the 2013-14 and 2015 seasons together, and $37 million during the period covering 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18. Current rules state that should clubs incur losses in excess of $60 million over a three-year period, they will be hit with sanctions as well as exclusion from the Champions League and Europa League. Bumper revenues for Premier League clubs tempered by soaring wages . But while the boardrooms are anxiously preparing for FFP, supporters across the globe may not see much change. Although spending within the August transfer window is down from $761 million last season to around $392 million so far this year, Premier League supporters will still enjoy a first-class brand. "People are talking about FFP more in the UK than elsewhere," Paul Rawnsley, director at Deloitte's sports business group, told CNN. "But I don't think the normal fan in the stands will really notice anything too different. "There won't be any radical changes and all it will do is bring a better balance over time. At the very top end of the game we've seen that football is quite resistant to economic downturn. "Players are still going to be rewarded well and this idea of FFP is not a new thing." Rawnsley predicts clubs will adapt to the new framework and that none of the major players will fail to meet the FFP criteria. "I'd be pretty surprised if some clubs across Europe weren't preparing for the FFP rules to come into place because this concept was approved back in 2009," he said. "UEFA has already said it will impose sanctions on clubs which don't comply and that could be a financial penalty or even exclusion from a competition." | Trabzonspor to build a hydroelectric plant in a bid to raise extra revenue .
Turkish club believes $50 million project will help bring in $10 million a year .
Teams across Europe looking at ways to raise extra revenue through sponsors .
Clubs submit accounts for Financial Fair Play for first time in 2013-14 season . |
136,591 | 3cb0860fca555bd7f812f312b40a6bbc609eaf8c | A 70-year-old man in Washington D.C. has spent more than 40 years locked away in a D.C. hospital for the criminally insane. His crime: stealing a necklace worth $20. Franklin H. Frye was sent to the psychiatric wing of St. Elizabeth's Hospital in 1971 after he was found not guilty by reason of insanity for stealing the necklace. Six years ago, a public defender filed a motion asking a federal court to grant Mr. Frye an unconditional release. In the motion, attorneys for Mr. Frye cited his recovery over the last four decades he spent in psychiatric captivity as grounds for his release. Frye's case, however, is yet to be heard by a judge. Psych ward: Franklin Frye has spent more than 40 years in the St. Elizabeth's psychiatric facility for stealing a $20 necklace . In what the Washington Times - which broke the story about Mr. Frye after reviewing his case and federal court records - describes as 'a serious judicial breakdown,' Mr. Frye's case seems to have slipped through the cracks. According to the paper, the original judge assigned to Mr. Frye's case died in 2007 - when the motion for Mr. Frye's release was first filed. The case wasn't transferred to a judge who is still breathing until the last few weeks. 'Mr. Frye has been waiting over five years to have this motion heard by . the court,' Silvana Naguib, a lawyer now representing him, wrote in a . Jan. 8 legal filing. 'Mr. Frye was accused of stealing a necklace that was valued at approximately twenty dollars,' Ms. Naguib continued in the motion. 'He has been at St. Elizabeth's Hospital almost continuously since.' Glacial pace: Frye's most recent motion for his release was filed six years ago - but is yet to be heard by a judge . Like St. Elizabeth's Hospital's most famous resident, John Hinckley Jr. - the man who infamously shot President Ronald Reagan in 1981 - Mr. Frye has been permitted to spend short amounts of time out of the hospital. Until December, he was part of an outpatient program at Washington Hospital Center. That program ended because of funding problems - and Mr. Frye was sent back to the psychiatric ward. Frye has filed several motions for his release over the last 40 years, including one two years after he was committed. In that motion, the hospital director recommended that Mr. Frye be unconditionally released. The judge, however, approved a conditional release so Mr. Frye could look for a job. 'In the early years of Mr. Frye’s hospitalization, Mr. Frye would sometimes get in fights with other patients, often over money, food, clothing and the other hotly desired commodities of institutional life,' Ms. Naguib wrote in her motion. 'However, in the last decade, as Mr. Frye has aged, these conflicts have all but vanished. Now, nearly 70, Mr. Frye displays no dangerous behavior of any kind.' Infamous: John Hinckley, the man who shot President Ronald Reagan, is also held at St. Elizabeth's Hospital . In his latest motion, Mr. Frye's attorneys reiterate the claims made in the 2008 motion that was never heard by a judge: 'Mr. Frye has recovered his sanity and no longer suffers from a mental illness as defined by law.' Just one day after Naguib filed the most recent motion on Frye's behalf, his case was transferred to a living judge. It's unclear when - or if - the judge will rule on the motion for Mr. Frye's release. | Franklin Frye has been locked away in the St Elizabeth's psychiatric facility since 1971 .
A motion for his release was filed six years ago but is yet to be heard by a judge .
The man who attempted to assassinate President Ronald Reagan is housed at the same facility . |
230,385 | b656dcaaad99e673e566ba17ff07571a71f72007 | A teenage girl was savagely attacked by her own German Shepherd after the puppy ‘suddenly flipped', tearing off part of her face. Iona Manson from Birmingham, needed two hours of facial reconstruction surgery and more than 50 stitches after the mauling, which tore a chunk out of her nose. And the 13-year-old, who had raised Fidden since he was nine days old, is still mystified why her 13-month-old pet suddenly attacked her. Attacked: Iona Manson, 13, needed more than 50 stitches after was mauled by her pet Fidden, who she had raised from a puppy . Remarkably plastic surgeons managed to . piece together Iona's face and today the teenager has barely a scratch . to remind of her of the terrifying attack. But her mother Mhairi Manson, 39, said she was still struggling to sleep after witnessing the ferocious incident. 'It was horrific,' said the former ambulance worker. 'Iona just bent down to give him his plate of food and he just went for her. 'He just flipped, even afterwards when we put him in a cage he growled and barked angrily every time one of us went near him, something had changed in his mind. Recovery: Iona Manson spent three days in hospital after the attack, the 13-year-old is now wary of stranger's dogs . 'When he got off Iona there was so much blood in Iona’s eyes that she couldn’t see a thing and we were sure the dog had got her eyes.' Luckily her father, Scott Manson, an army trainee nurse who previously served 18-and-a-half years as a tank commander, was in the living room and heard the dog growl and Iona scream during the attack. 'I rushed into the kitchen and saw Iona holding her face and screaming as blood poured out,' said Mr Manson. 'I grabbed the first thing I could find to dress the wounds and stem the bleeding which, as it happens, was socks from the washing basket. 'My wife called 999 and shut the dog outside whilst I just went into triage mode to treat my daughter.' And the family say they have no idea why Fidden, who was later put down, suddenly changed. Mrs Manson said they also adopted his brother, Bracken, who has never behaved aggressively. She said: 'The attack was so vicious, it even traumatised Bracken. He cowered in the corner and wouldn’t come out for days. 'We’ve had them since they were nine days old, you just do not expect that to happen from a friendly dog.' Iona spent three days in hospital recovering from the attack. She said: 'I don’t remember much which is probably a good thing. I remember Dad telling me to sit up so that he could see my face and then the next thing I can recall is being in the back of the ambulance and looking out of the window. 'I don’t even remember having a cannula in the back of my hand, and I hate needles.' Today: Iona Manson has made a full recovery and is still close to Fidden's brother Bracken . Greg Markham, a First Contact Practitioner from West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: 'We were told by control that it was an animal bite and, to me, it was one of those jobs that could’ve been nothing. 'When we walked into the house there was too much calm and it was very quiet. As we made our way into the kitchen we found a very calm but shocked Iona with bandages on her face, a lot of blood everywhere.' 'She’s an extraordinary young girl,' added Mrs Manson. 'When she came back from the hospital the first thing . she did was go up to the window to go and see our other dog. 'She’s not so sure about other people’s dogs but she’s not scared, I think the whole thing fazed me more than her. 'The . plastic surgeon has done a brilliant job, you can barely see a scar on . here which is amazing considering massive bite she had on her face.' | Iona Mason had raised Fidden since he was nine-days-old when 13-month-old 'suddenly flipped' |
247,302 | cc0b084fae908090762986234209072fa4b5c871 | Anyone with any knowledge of military history knows the golden rule – don’t mess with a Gurkha. But the knife-wielding mugger in this drama clearly had no idea what he was messing with. He pushed Taitex Phlamachha, a former member of the famous fighting force, up against a wall and demanded money. Father-of-two Taitex Phlamachha recovering in hospital following the attack which left him serious injuries to his left arm . In the fight that ensued, a knife blade was buried in Mr Phlamachha’s arm, but he still managed to get the better of his attacker. The 38-year-old shop owner was taking an evening walk with his wife Asha when they stopped to look in the window of a health shop in Maidstone, Kent. Suddenly he was hurled against a wall and allegedly told to ‘hand over the money’, or be stabbed. The former soldier and black belt in karate and taekwondo warned his attacker: ‘Don’t mess with Gurkhas. We’re trained to fight.’ The pair fell to the ground where the mugger knelt on Mr Phlamachha’s chest and tried to stab him. Mr Phlamachha blocked the attacks and at the same time even managed to throw his mobile phone to his wife so she could dial 999. An X-ray picture the six inch blade left stuck in Mr Phlamachha's arm. The handle of the knife broke off and was found later in the street . The attack happened near Maidstone town centre at around 10.30pm after the couple had taken out money from a cash machine. File picture . Week Street in Kent where Mr Phlamachha was pushed up against the wall by a robber and ordered to hand over cash . He threw the attacker off then disabled him with a kick before holding on to his clothes with one arm to stop him escaping for a full 15 minutes. The Iraq and Afghanistan veteran had no idea he had a blade in his arm until he saw the knife handle on the road. Medics rushed him to Maidstone Hospital before he was transferred to Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Pembury, where surgeons removed the blade. The heroic ex-soldier said: ‘I tried to warn him – don’t mess with Gurkhas. ‘I did say, “You need to know who I am”. But he didn’t listen. ‘My wife was terrified he was going to kill me. She was screaming for help so I threw her my mobile phone. 'Don't mess with Gurkhas. We're trained to fight': Mr Phlamachha is a second-dan black belt in karate (file picture) ‘Eventually I threw him off me but he tried to push my wife over. I kicked him and punched him then I heard him say, “I’m in trouble now”. ‘I saw the knife handle on the floor with no blade, then noticed all the blood coming out of my arm, so I said, “You’re in trouble. And I’m in trouble too”. ‘I was holding onto his hoodie but he took it off, so I just held on to his T-shirt instead until the police arrived.’ Mr Phlamachha, a Gurkha with Maidstone’s 36 Engineers for 13 years before retiring last year to open an off-licence, added: ‘I’m proud to be a Gurkha and I’m a proud father. ‘I will do anything to protect myself and my family.’ Jamie Hall, 39, of Maidstone, has been charged with attempted robbery, grievous bodily harm with intent, possession of an offensive weapon and common assault. He has been remanded in prison. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Taitex Phlamachha, 38, from Kent, warned his attacker 'don't mess with me'
The father-of-two served as a Gurkha with Maidstone's 36 Engineers for 13 years .
Jamie Hall, aged 39, has been charged with grievous bodily harm . |
96,394 | 0806f34211a5ed2e1640a3b73839d8e74d980932 | By . Mike Dawes . PUBLISHED: . 10:14 EST, 5 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 10:17 EST, 6 March 2014 . She's lit up TV screens for many years with her warmth and friendly persona but television presenter Gabby Logan has revealed an . altogether cattier side, describing Andy Murray as 'the moodiest most miserable b******' she has ever met. The 40-year-old revealed her view of the two-time Grand Slam winner in a talk to students at Leeds Trinity University. Speaking about Murray, the BBC Sports Presenter said: 'I was a big fan. 'Then at the Olympics he had just won a silver with Laura Robson and he was the moodiest most miserable b****** I've ever met in my life because he only won a silver. Moody: Presenter Gabby Logan said Andy Murray was miserable despite winning Olympic silver in 2012 . Grand plan: Logan (left) with Lord Sebastian Coe (right) as he discusses the London 2012 Opening Ceremony . 'If I wasn't on live telly I'd have gone 'cheer up'." It wasn't just the 26-year-old Wimbledon champion who Logan had a dig at. According to The Sun she also poked fun at Paula Radcliffe who urinated in the street during 2005's London Marathon saying: 'One guy tweeted and said my wife thinks Paula's dress is nicer than yours. So I showed Paula and she p***ed herself. Again.' Speaking about Gary Lineker, she is reported to have said that most people see him now as a crisp salesman rather than a footballer adding 'sorry they see him as a broadcaster.' Presenters: Logan (left) hosts TV show Splash! alongside Olympian Tom Daley (centre) and Vernon Kay (right) A spokesman for Mrs Logan told The Sun: 'These people are friends and acquaintances of Gabby's who she has the utmost admiration for and the quotes clearly formed part of a humorous speech.' Last month Mrs Logan revealed she suffered body ‘angst’ when she was a teenager and that she now secretly fears for her daughter’s health. The Splash! TV presenter admitted she and her husband worry that Lois, who is eight, could develop body image issues as she grows up. Mrs Logan represented Wales in rhythmic gymnastics but was forced to retire from the sport aged 17 due to sciatica. Fix up: Logan said he she had not been on live TV she would have told Andy Murray (pictured) to cheer up . Proud moment: Murray (left) and Laura Robson (right) display their mixed doubles Olympic silver medals . She kept a diary during her teenage years and admitted that she wrote about feeling uncomfortable with her changing body once she hit puberty. Mrs Logan who co-presented Olympics 2012 for the BBC alongside Clare Balding, made her comments in a wide-ranging interview in which she spoke about the importance of healthy eating in her family and being able to recognise hunger. Mrs Logan said: ’I would never want my daughter to think she had to eat less of something. We talk about over eating, about how that’s not good, to eat more than you need to. All in good jest: Gabby Logan also poked fun at Gary Lineker (left) and Paula Radcliffe (right) during the talk . ‘But at the same time you can give those messages without it being about body image, it’s about health again. It all comes back to health as opposed to being svelte or fitting into your jeans.’ Mrs Logan, who is married to Kenny, 41, said: ‘I was always aware, when you do gymnastics you’re always in a leotard – you can’t be any more, the next thing is being naked. And so you’re very aware of your body so when I hit puberty I didn’t want to change.' Mrs Logan has now joined a Tesco healthy eating campaign called Eat Happy. | Presenter remarks follow Murray's Olympic silver in the mixed doubles .
The Splash! TV star also dubbed Gary Lineker as a 'crisps salesman'
She joked about Paula Radcliffe urinating at the 2005 London Marathon . |
187,340 | 7e9f63a42fb543ca12070185b9423f95e2aa2cde | Ryder Cup star Patrick Reed has apologised for an ‘unacceptable’ foul-mouthed outburst on the opening day of the WGC-HSBC Champions Event in Shanghai, but is still set to be punished by the PGA Tour. Reed finished four off the pace at Sheshan International after a round of 71, but the American faces a hefty fine after being caught on camera swearing and using language which could be interpreted as homophobic. Television commentators apologised after Reed was heard saying to himself, ‘Nice f****** three-putt you f****** f****t,’ after he bogeyed the first hole, having started on the ninth. VIDEO Scroll down to watch . Patrick Reed (above) faces punishment from the PGA Tour for his foul-mouthed outburst in Shanghai . Reed carded a one-under par round of 71, but lost his temper after a three-putt for a bogey on his tenth hole . Reed was often seen reacting to the crowds at Gleneagles while playing in the Ryder Cup in October . The 24-year-old apologised on Twitter later in the day, writing: ‘I’m sorry for using offensive language today in China. My passion to play well got the best of me and my word choice was unacceptable.’ A PGA Tour spokesman said: ‘The PGA Tour’s regulations prohibit the use of obscene language on the golf course. The PGA Tour will deal with this matter internally in accordance with its regulations.’ Reed’s playing partner Graeme McDowell finished with a two-shot lead in Shanghai after a five-under-par 67. The Irishman had a blistering start, and was seven under after 12 holes. He then failed to get up and down from a bunker on the fourth and paid the price for what he called ‘a comedy of errors’ on the par-five eighth, where he missed his only fairway of the day and also pulled his approach left of the green. Graeme McDowell (above) leads the event in Shanghai after round one with a five-under 67 . ‘A key to this golf course is driving the ball well,’ McDowell said, ‘and I only missed one fairway. The greens are in fantastic shape and I putted very well. ‘Seven under par through 12 was a beautiful start. I dropped a couple coming in, but all in all I am very, very pleased with five under par on what was a reasonably tricky day.’ McDowell believes he is well placed to take advantage of the lucrative events at the end of the season. ‘This has always been a part of the season I’ve enjoyed,’ the 35-year-old said. ‘I take three or four weeks off around the Ryder Cup and prepare myself for this and I’ve normally played well.’ Martin Kaymer’s 69 was matched by England’s Tommy Fleetwood. The pair share second place with South African Tim Clark and American trio Rickie Fowler, Chris Kirk and Brandt Snedeker. McDowell of Northern Ireland plays his second shot in to the ninth hole in Shanghai . VIDEO McDowell takes early lead in Shaghai . Germany's Martin Kaymer (above) is also in contention after coming in at three-under par in his first round . Englishman Luke Donad walks with his caddie John McLaren on the second hole . | Reed heard on television saying 'Nice f****** three-putt you f****** f****t'
American faces a hefty fine after being caught on camera swearing .
He finished four off the pace at Sheshan International after a round of 71 . |
232,813 | b970b6c7fdc8ddc5ecc4e90bcad67fd0322add32 | Heavy drinking kills you more quickly than smoking and is especially dangerous among women, a study suggests. Researchers found that alcoholics die about 20 years sooner on average than the general population. People dependent on alcohol also live shorter lives on average than smokers, the findings indicate. Warning: Dependency on alcohol is particularly dangerous among women, a study of mortality rates has found. (Picture posed by model) Academics in Germany studied data spanning 14 years in relation to 149 adults with alcohol problems. They found that the death rate among alcohol-dependent (AD) women was 4.6 times higher than average. Research: Professor Ulrich John said that the findings appeared to show drinking could cause early death more frequently than smoking . The death rate for men with alcohol problems was almost double the level for men who did not rely on drink. The study, reported in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research, is groundbreaking because it looks at the impact of alcohol dependency over a long period. Previous research has highlighted the dangers of excessive alcohol, but those findings were largely based on clinical trials. Professor . Ulrich John, of University Medicine Greifswald, said: 'Clinical data . have revealed a higher proportion of individuals who have died than . among the general population of the same age. 'Gender-specific data are rare, even among clinical samples. Furthermore, these studies have two main limitations. 'First, . we know that only a minority of AD individuals receive treatment of . this disorder, but we lack knowledge about how this selection occurs. 'Second, . we have no evidence about potential effects of specialised alcoholism . treatment on mortality among people who had been diagnosed as AD. Alarming: Researchers in Germany found that the death rate among alcohol-dependent women was 4.6 times higher than average . 'We would like to know whether treatment might enhance survival time. 'For ethical reasons, no controlled trials are possible. 'Thus, longitudinal descriptive data as in this study are helpful.' Professor John's team looked at a . random sample of 4,070 respondents between the ages of 18 and 64, of . which 153 were identified as AD. Of these, 149 - 119 men and 30 women - were followed for 14 years. Professor . John said: 'First, we found that annualised death rates were 4.6-fold . higher for females and 1.9-fold higher for males compared to the age- . and gender-specific general population. 'Second, we found that the mean age at death was 60 for females and 58 for males, both of which are about 20 years lower than the mean age at death among the general population. Risk: Researchers found that adults who are dependent on alcohol die about 20 years earlier on average than the general population. (Picture posed by model) Groundbreaking: The study's conclusions are reported in the journal Alcoholism: Clinical & Experimental Research . 'None of those deceased had reached the age of life expectancy. 'Third, having participated in inpatient AD treatment was not related with longer survival compared to not having taken part in treatment, meaning that it did not seem to have a sufficient protective effect against premature death.' Professor John said that the findings appeared to show drinking could cause early death more frequently than smoking. He said: 'Smoking-related death cases are more due to cancers which seem to occur later in life than many alcohol-attributable causes of death do. 'Furthermore, drinking can also contribute to other risky behaviours such as smoking, becoming overweight, and obesity. 'Alcohol is a dangerous product and should be consumed only within guidelines.' | Alcoholics die 20 years sooner on average than general population, groundbreaking study finds .
Researchers in Germany spent 14 years following 149 alcohol-dependent adults to produce report .
Death rate among alcohol-dependent women was 4.6 times higher than normal, academics found .
Rate among men with alcohol problems was almost twice as high as the general male population . |
191,389 | 83d80deec724d0dd1709358317e89745fe15f45d | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 10:40 EST, 9 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:40 EST, 9 December 2013 . David Cameron today visited Norfolk to see for himself the extent of flood damage following last week's huge tidal surge. In Wells-next-the-Sea, the Prime Minister met the residents of homes devastated by a tide which reached the highest level for 60 years. Dozens of businesses were flooded in Wells and nine homes were damaged, despite sea defences which prevented the situation getting worse. Visit: David Cameron talking to members of the Fire Service during a visit to Wells-next-the-Sea, Norfolk . Damage: The Prime Minister with local MP Norman Lamb in a shop which was flooded last week . Smaller communities along the north Norfolk coast suffered even more - in the village of Hemsby, three coastal bungalows fell into the sea. Mr Cameron, who spent last week touring China alongside British business leaders, paid tribute to the emergency services and flood wardens for their response, but said more could be done. 'These were terrible floods and it was a very difficult event but the resilience of people here in Norfolk must be praised,' he told locals. 'The systems worked well, the flood wardens did a brilliant job and the police, fire service, lifeboats and the whole community pulled together. 'This was a bigger flood than 1953 when 24,000 homes flooded - this time only 1,400 homes were flooded. But that's no help for the people whose homes were flooded this time.' Concern: Mr Cameron with RNLI volunteers on the coast at Wells, which was affected by the largest tidal surge in Britain since 1953 . On the waterfront: The Prime Minister poses with the members of the Wells lifeboat crew . The Prime Minister called on insurance companies to pay out promptly, and vowed to ensure that householders had support in restoring their homes. 'There's always more to be done and always lessons to be learned,' Mr Cameron said. 'Whether that's personal flood defences that householders can put in, new flood defences the Government should be funding, or even better working between emergency services and local authorities. 'You can always do more but, if there had been no defences, some 800,000 homes could have been flooded and that shows how far we've come.' North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb, who has helped launch an appeal to assist those affected, escorted Mr Cameron on his visit to Wells. Rescue: Mr Cameron praised the work done by the emergency services during last week's flooding . Plea: The Prime Minister called on insurance companies to pay out promptly for flood damage . They visited the Standard House Chandlery which lost much of its stock as water levels reached four foot inside the store and the Golden Fleece pub on the quay front. Steve Brundall, who runs a restaurant above the pub, said: 'The water came up to the window sill and has damaged the walls, the floors, everything. 'Before the tidal surge we did everything we could to protect the place - we had to drive 30 miles to find sandbags because we couldn't get hold of any locally. 'We're now on the phone constantly to the insurance company, trying to get a pay-out. Hopefully we'll reopen this weekend but it won't be until March that we can have a full re-fit.' Chat: Mr Cameron talking to local police officers in Wells while drinking a mug of tea . Taking stock: The Prime Minister with shop owner John Crooks inspecting the damage in his clothes store . Mike Strong, who co-ordinates the flood response locally, said one obstacle in preparing for the flood had been a 'cry wolf' mentally as locals had become accustomed to regular flood warnings. 'We were going door to door warning people and we were met almost with contempt and derision,' he added. 'There is a tendency towards complacency and, while the flood defences here are very good, people need to be aware that they are only part of the protection. 'The flood has caused a lot of disruption and hardship further along the coast but, if it helps shake that complacency, it could prove a vital wake-up call.' Mr Cameron also visited the town's lifeboat station which was flooded and met RNLI crews. Horror: The scene in Hemsby, where a number of bungalows fell into the sea thanks to the storm surge . | David Cameron joined local MP Norman Lamb in north Norfolk coast .
He called on insurance companies to pay out quickly to help householders rebuild after worst floods for 60 years .
Dozens of homes and businesses in north Norfolk were damaged . |
6,469 | 12556a6d5224b1a2814f4857bae8f1af0fb6a58d | By . Sarah Dean . A shadowy Malaysia based company has applied to trade mark the word 'MH17' in what could be a sick attempt to profit from the tragic Malaysia Airlines disaster. A business called Remit Now International Limited lodged an application with the Australian Trade Mark Office on July 18, just hours after 298 people were killed when their plane was shot out of the sky by a missile above eastern Ukraine. Amongst the passengers on the doomed flight were 37 Australian citizens and residents. The application on the Australian Trade Mark Office website, seen by Daily Mail Australia, shows that it is currently being examined by officials. Sick: A mysterious Malaysia based company applied to trademark the word 'MH17' within 24 hours of the disaster happening . The company has applied for a Class 41 trade mark which includes entertainment, educational and cultural services which would cover film production, exhibition, curatorial and gallery services and live performances. A person who owns a trade mark in Australia may be able to stop other people using the same or a similar trade mark in the country. This means, for example, if someone wants to make a documentary about MH17 they may not be able to use the word 'MH17' or may have to pay the company for the right to use it. The mysterious business is registered to an address in an apartment block in Kuala Lumpur but they also have a post office box at the Australia Fair shopping centre on Queensland's Gold Coast. Offices? The shadowy business is registered to an address in an apartment block in Kuala Lumpur (pictured) The people behind the company are not named, they do not have a website and no contact details are available for them. A spokesperson for the Trade Mark Office, IP Australia, told Daily Mail Australia: 'The trade marks will be examined in due course'. 'Prior to that examination we are unable to say whether it will be accepted or not. However, there is provision within the Trade Marks Act to object to marks which are considered "scandalous", they fall under s42(a) of the Trade Marks Act,' they said. It typically takes approximately 4-8 weeks for a trade mark to be examined. 'If it were to be accepted for registration, any interested third party can oppose its acceptance. If a trade mark is registered it means that the registered owner of the mark has proprietary rights to use as a trade mark for the goods and or/services claimed, this does necessarily preclude others from using or referring to the term outside the parameters of the trade mark,' the spokesperson added. Cashing in? As families of the 298 people killed on flight MH17 grieve around the world, the company is trying to trademark the flight's name . Devastated: Family and friends attend a multi-faith service at St. Paul's Cathedral in Melbourne on Thursday for those who lost their lives on Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 . Asked whether they often received applications for trade marks based around disaster events, they explained 'it is not a common occurrence for these types of marks to be filed, but it can occur'. A Malaysia Airlines spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia that they are trying to block the application by also applying to trade mark the name. 'Malaysia Airlines has started the process of filing the trademark over "MH17". The purpose is to ensure no party takes advantage of the tragedy for their personal gains,' they said. Sadly this is not the first trade mark application for the word 'MH17'. A Belize based company named incorporated Seyefull Investments Ltd has applied to the European Trade Mark and Design Network website to trademark 'MH17' in Europe, Digital News Asia reports. A corporate lawyer told the website that the most obvious reason why one would want to register 'MH17' is probably due to the potential of movies or books being made around the event. 'However, one should also question whether they infringe the rights owned by Malaysia Airlines in applying to register such a mark in the first place. 'Usually, the Registrar would not allow registration should it feel that this infringes the existing rights of another party. MAS still retains the common law proprietary rights in the mark,' she said. Devastation: The crash site of the downed Malaysia Airlines flight MH17, in a field near the village of Grabove, in the Donetsk region of Ukraine . Tragic: This photo shows a Malaysian expert checking the debris at the main crash site of the Boeing 777 Malaysia Airlines flight . A trade mark registration initially lasts 10 years from the date the application is filed. It can also be renewed indefinitely by paying renewal fees. Earlier this week it was revealed the names and photos of Australian MH17 plane crash victims are being exploited by online scammers who have set up fake Facebook tribute pages to drive traffic to a dodgy external website. The Facebook pages, created on the day the plane crashed, baited people to click on another website with a link purporting to show footage of the MH17 disaster. 'Video Camera Caught the moment plane MH17 Crash over Ukraine.Watch here the video of Crash,' the link read. Scroll down for video . Scammers have created fake Facebook accounts for MH17 victims, including the three young Perth children who died with their grandfather . Victims targeted by the scam include young Perth siblings Otis, Evie and Mo Maslin, Canberra woman Liliane Derden and Fatima Dyczynski, who was born in Germany but was on flight MH17 because she was moving to Perth. The scam also exploited the names of victims from other countries, including Quinn Lucas Schansman from the US, British-born Kiwi Rob Ayley, Malaysia Airlines pilot Eugene Choo Jin Leong and Richard Mayne, Ben Pocock and Liam Sweeney from the UK. Facebook has taken down the pages but the external site goalshighlights.com remains live. It was registered in Bucharest, Romania in 2010 and the ISP address tracks back to the Netherlands. Ken Gamble, chairman of the Australian chapter of the International Association of Cybercrime Prevention, said it looked like the website had been hacked in order to divert to adult hook up websites and others selling counterfeit drugs. Online fraud experts said the pages were in poor taste but would only be forcibly removed by Facebook if they were criminal . 'I've seen this quite a lot, hackers get in, take control of a site and they then divert to a stack of stuff and use the bandwidth of this guy's website sometimes for illegal purpose sometimes or for getting the hits up on certain sites,' Mr Gamble said. He added that the websites that goalshighlights.com diverted to contained malicious files that would infect a user's computer if clicked on. Canberra mother-of-two Liliane Derden was one of the victims targeted by the scam . Mr Gamble added that fraudsters often capitalised on disasters like the MH17 crash. 'When a disaster like this happens it's a great opportunity for all sorts of scammers,' Mr Gamble told Daily Mail Australia. 'Everybody is out there looking for information at the moment, everyone wants to know more about what's happened. 'It's a great opportunity to prey on people's vulnerabilities and emotion is the greatest one.' Scammers aim to lure a portion of the high amount of internet traffic going to websites with MH17 information, Mr Gamble said. 'Some people will be using it for an opportunity to market their sites, it's a good way to bring a massive amount of traffic to someone's site,' he said. 'Other offenders will be doing this for more sinister purposes.' Before the Facebook pages were removed users expressed outrage, labelling them 'disgusting' and the person who created them a 'sicko'. Others reported the pages to Facebook as spam in the hope of getting them taken down. But some Facebook users did not realise the pages were fake, posting heartfelt messages to the page. 'Incredible, terrible...To lose your kids in this way...Such beautiful lovely children...no words...' one person wrote on the page of Mo Maslin. 'We pray for all the Australian people, especially the children god will take care of them in his safe hands let the stars shine bright for u so u know that ur not alone,' another person posted. A spokesman for Facebook said: 'We are disabling these profiles as soon as we are made aware of them. 'We encourage people to block those responsible and report suspicious behaviour to our team of experts via our reporting buttons so that we can quickly take the appropriate action.' | Company in Kuala Lumpur applied to the Australian Trade Marks Office to have the term 'MH17' trademarked .
Applied for the name on 18 July after 298 passengers were killed .
Trade mark would give them rights to ask for payment for using the name .
Malaysia Airlines has also started the process of filing a trade mark .
'The purpose is to ensure no party takes advantage of the tragedy for their personal gains,' an airline spokesperson told Daily Mail Australia . |
274,262 | ef3ab06c65233069930af5dbc38498e68596cb13 | By . Lizzie Parry . PUBLISHED: . 10:43 EST, 10 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:56 EST, 10 October 2013 . They are the gateway's to some of the world's top tourist attractions but rarely do airports top the discerning traveller's list of must-see spots. And while nothing may detract from the often painful experience of mass market air travel, there is a new breed of airports which are making flight delays a more pleasurable prospect. Ten terminals around the globe have been selected by international website DesignCurial to highlight the best in inspiring design and breathtaking architecture. Bilbao: Likened to a dove taking flight, the Sondika airport in Spain's northern city of Bilbao is among those chosen by experts at international website DesignCurial . But the bad news is that most of the . buildings are off the beaten path for most mainstream travellers, lying . in cities such as Osaka, Japan and Uruaguay's capital city Montevideo. In collating their top 10, designers from the site, said: 'Airports present a unique challenge for architects, engineers and developers, requiring large flat spaces, good visibility and favourable wind conditions. 'But they are also among our most amazing buildings.' UK holidaymakers eager to tick off some of the stunning buildings will find the three European terminals the easiest to reach. Madrid: The Spanish capital's Barajas airport was selected for its spectacular sculpture . Madrid: Spain was the only country in the world to feature two airports in the top 10 . Spain is the only country to feature two . airports on the list - represented by both Madrid's spectacularly . sculptural Barajas airport, and Bilbao's dove-like Sondika. And rounding off a trio of stylish European representatives, the Gardenmoen airport in Oslo, Norway joins Spain's top terminals. The airport's Terminal 2, constructed in 2008 and designed by Aviaplan, features a light, floating roof and is primarily constructed from wood, metal and glass. Oslo: The Gardemoen airport in Norway's capital, Oslo, completes a trio of European terminals singled out for its spectacular design . Asia also features three of the top 10 best-designed airports, led by the world's first ocean terminal. Kansai airport, in Osaka, Japan, was designed by the Italian architect, Renzo Piano - also responsible for London's Shard. Standing proud, in the . middle of Osaka Bay, the terminal was built in 1994 on an artificial . island - making it the first ocean airport in the world and visible from . space. Joining the Japanese spectacle, is Beijing's vast international airport and the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) in Malaysia. Osaka: Kansai airport, in Osaka, Japan, was designed by the Italian architect, Renzo Piano - also responsible for London's Shard . Kuala Lumpur: The Malaysian capital's international airport was one of three in Asia added to the top 10 best-designed terminals in the world . Beijing: With its dramatic, concave roof canopy, Bejing's Terminal 3 building is not only the second busiest airport in the world but among those selected as the most impressive . Surrounded by tropical rainforest and built around a central garden, the Kuala Lumpur International Airport opened in the Malaysian capital in 1998. With its dramatic, concave roof canopy, Bejing's Terminal 3 building is not only the second busiest airport in the world but among those selected as the most impressive. The stunning structure was completed just in time for the 2008 Olympics. Across the Atlantic in the US and South America, two terminals caught the sharp eyes of design experts at the website. Carrasco International serving Uruaguay's capital city Montevideo and Denver International, with it's Lords Cricket style tent like roof, mimicking the line of the Rockie Mountains, make up the Americas contribution. Montevideo: Carrasco airport in Uruguay's capital Montevideo features a vast flying saucer-type terminal building . Formed from a single, 1,000ft low arch, the terminal building features a glazed mezzanine, offering a degree of theatre for passengers. A dramatic series of giant tents sets the King Abdulaziz terminal in Jeddah in Saudi Arabia apart from the rest. The 1980's design still manages to provoke gasps from the millions of passengers passing through the terminal each year. While dwarfing the largest of passenger jets, the building serves to protect travellers from the searing desert sun. Jeddah: The giant tent-like roof at the King Abdulaziz terminal at Jeddah at Saudi Arabia, dwarfs the largest of passenger jets, but serves to protect travellers from the searing desert heat . Marrakesh: The Menara airport offers a stunning gateway to Morocco . And finally in Africa the stunning lattice work offering shade to passengers at the . Menara airport in Marrakech, Morroco completed the top 10. The extension, added in 2008, was singled out by designers, impressed by the celebration of Islamic geometry. | Stunning architecture is gateway to far-flung destinations .
Spain is only country to feature two of the most impressive terminals .
UK passengers left having to travel abroad to tick buildings off top 10 list . |
62,870 | b2a1f1b3f88893e010465aa1bf75c9e226d48166 | The locals complain that they are being swamped by wealthy city dwellers buying second homes in their seaside enclave. But the buy-up looks likely to continue after St Ives in Cornwall was voted the most sought-after place to live in Britain. According to a poll by property website RightMove, people believe St Ives would be the most ideal location to reside in. Scroll down for video . Trouble in paradise: St Ives in Cornwall has been voted the place we'd all most like to live - but the locals are not happy, because it means they can no longer afford to live in their own town thanks to investors . The coastal locations of Poole, in Dorset, and Brighton came second and third, followed by the historic cities of Edinburgh and York. Liverpool and Harrogate also scored highly, followed by Bristol, Cardiff and Dartmouth. St Ives families say they cannot buy homes in their community because outsiders have flooded the market and sent prices rocketing beyond their grasp. Last month, locals called for all future new-build homes to be restricted to permanent residents only. The proposal was contained in a draft version of the St Ives neighbourhood development plan, which they hope will be voted into local planning regulations next year. Andrew George, the town’s Lib Dem MP, said high numbers of holiday homes in Cornwall meant some areas became ‘ghost communities’ in the winter when holidaymakers returned to their main residence. He said: ‘Without a doubt, high numbers of second homes do have a detrimental impact on the opportunities for local families to buy.’ But while many dream of living by the sea, others simply want to live near a good pub. The RightMove survey found that being within walking distance of a pub was more important than being near a park or supermarket when choosing where to live. If money was no object, people would choose a detached house with three bedrooms, one kitchen, two living rooms, two bathrooms, a garden and a utility room. Miles Shipside, a RightMove analyst, said: ‘While we gave people the chance to choose a home fit for royalty, on average they said they would be happy in a more modest home with plenty of space and practical features, instead of rattling around in a massive mansion. ‘This shows that the perfect home for many is one that they know they could possibly live in one day, depending on where they are looking to buy, rather than a pipe dream.’ Idyllic: But St Ives' Lib Dem MP said high numbers of second homes were having an impact on residents . | Seaside resort topped UK poll by the property website RightMove .
But locals aren't happy - as they can't afford to buy in their own town .
They want a law only allowing permanent residents have homes built . |
180,183 | 754d22f7d7bdac3419e4c917a6874fd5cda90ddd | By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 14:50 EST, 30 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 14:55 EST, 30 December 2013 . Eighteen-year-old Karl Pierson, who opened fire on his high school in Colorado earlier this month, entered through a door that should have been locked, authorities have revealed. The gunman, who fatally shot a female student in the head and eventually took his own life, was clearly carrying firearms and ammunition when he walked through an outside door that had been left ajar at Arapahoe High School in Centennial on December 13. Arapahoe County Sheriff Grayson Robinson revealed new details in the tragic shooting at a news conference on Monday morning. Terror: Karl Pierson, 18, opened fire on Arapahoe High School on December 13 after entering the school through a door that should have been locked, but rarely was. He fatally injured Claire Davis before killing himself . He also revealed that Pierson, who is believed to have targeted a teacher at the school after being dropped from the debating team, had spent the morning of the shooting bowling alone. In an eerie parallel, it was initially reported in 1999 that the two Columbine High School shooters also went bowling before opening fire, killing 13 and then themselves. This has since been disputed. When Pierson entered the school through the door - which was rarely locked - he was armed with a shotgun, a machete, 125-rounds of shotgun ammunition and three homemade explosive devices. '[He] made no effort to conceal the fact that he was armed,' Robinson said, the Denver Post reported. He fired three rounds into the hallway and then two near the library before throwing an explosive at a bookshelf. He then used a sixth shot to kill himself. Escape: Law enforcement officers escort students, with their hands raised, out of Arapahoe High School . In the hallway, his second round was fired directly at 17-year-old Claire Davis, who was struck in the head. She died from her injuries on December 21. The school janitor was the first to sound the warning and a prompt lockdown followed due to the efforts of school resource officer James Englert and security guard Rod Mauler, Robinson said. 'James Englert is a hero,' Robinson said, adding that he will be a pall bearer at Davis' memorial service on Saturday. The whole ordeal lasted one minute and 17 seconds. Authorities are still investigating reports that Pierson was targeting his debate coach and the librarian Tracy Murphy after the student was dropped from the debate team. The new information comes little over a week since the death of Claire Davis, eight days after she was shot at blank point range and put on life support. Rest . in peace: Claire Davis, 17, was pronounced dead eight days after . being shot in the head by the gunman . Loss: Students payed their respects to Claire at the fence outside Arapahoe High School hours after she died . Pierson's parents, Barbara and Mark, . issued a short statement via email after their son's victim's death in . which they said that their prayers were with Claire’s family. ‘We are heartbroken to hear of . Claire's passing. Our hearts ache for her family as they deal with . unimaginable grief. Our prayers are with Claire's family & the . entire Arapahoe community,’ read the statement. Davis, . who spent just over a week in a coma, was surrounded by her family at . the time of her passing, according to a message posted on the hospital's Facebook page. At the request of her family and friends, The Denver Foundation announced it had created a fund in Claire's name on Dec. 16. The . foundation said the Arapahoe High School Community Fund honoring Claire . Davis will support mental health care, anti-bullying programs and other . community needs chosen by her parents, the fund's advisers. Debate team: Karl Pierson, left, was a member of . the debate team and previously competed at nationals for the school, . but his coach, librarian Tracy Murphy, right, allegedly demoted him . earlier this week . ‘Last . week was truly a paradox in that we lost our daughter, yet we witnessed . the wonderful love that exists in the world through the tremendous . outpouring of support we received,’ the Davis family said in a statement. 'Although we have lost our precious daughter, we will always be . grateful for the indelible journey she took us on over the last 17 . years - we were truly blessed to be Claire’s parents. 'The grace, laughter …and light she brought to this world will not be . extinguished by her death; to the contrary, it will only get stronger.' There was no indication that the gunmen knew her or was acquainted with her. Sheriff Robinson said that Claire wouldn't have had any time to run from the shooter, . correcting earlier reports that she may have been trying to stop him. Hundreds of Arapahoe High School students gathered for a candlelight vigil on Saturday December 14, the day after the shooting which left Claire Davis in a coma for eight days . A . friend who was with Claire at the time dragged her to safety in a nearby . yoga class, according to the Denver Post. Sheriff Robinson said that Pierson had legally purchased the shotgun on December 6, a full week before the incident. 'His evil intent was to harm multiple individuals,' Sheriff Robinson said. Arapahoe . High School is 16 miles from the Aurora movie theater where a . shooting occurred in June 2012 and only eight miles from Columbine High . School, the scene of a mass school shooting in April 1999. Around 2,230 students attend Arapahoe . High School, which is a part of Littleton Public Schools. | Karl Pierson, 18, opened fire at Arapahoe High School two weeks ago, fatally shooting a female student in the head and then killing himself .
His intended target is believed to have been a teacher, Tracy Murphy, who had demoted him from the debate team .
His only victim, Claire Davis, passed away 8 days after she was shot . |
187,478 | 7ecaf629d9bb390004bd38c1b6f39cc2ec01127f | Critic: Gay rights campaigner Alice Nkom (above) says homosexuals in Cameroon are often tortured by police to induce confessions . Ten women have been arrested in Cameroon on suspicion of being lesbians. They have been detained in Ambam, some 190 miles south of the capital of Yaounde, until they go on trial, Cameroon Radio Television reported. Consensual same-gender sex is considered criminal in the West African nation and punishable by a jail sentence from six months to five years and a fine. Gay rights defender and founder of the Association for the Defence of Homosexuals, Alice Nkom, says detainees in Cameroon are frequently tortured in police stations to force them confess. It comes as another African country, Liberia, prepares to consider a bill to strengthen its own existing anti-gay laws. Liberia's former first lady, Senator Jewel Taylor, submitted a bill last week that would prohibit same-sex marriage and make homosexuality a first-degree felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison. She said: 'We are only strengthening the existing law. Some media are reporting that I said anyone found guilty of involvement in same sex should face the death penalty. 'I did not say so. I am calling for a law that will make it a first degree felony,' she said. The current law considers gay relationships a first-degree misdemeanour, which carries a punishment of up to a year in prison. 'We are looking at it critically' and will put it before the entire Senate 'during our next sitting on Thursday', Senator Joseph Nagbe, chair of the Judicial Committee, said. Outlawed: Same-gender sex can be punishable by up to five years in prison in Cameroon . If passed by the Senate, the strengthened bill would then go the House and then the president. Liberia's president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, a recent Nobel Peace Prize winner, has said she will not sign any such bill into law. 'Liberia is a member of the global community and therefore cannot kick against the rights of others to do what they choose to do,' said Archie Ponpon, chairman of the newly-formed gay rights advocacy group the Movement for the Defence of Gays and Lesbians in Liberia. Mr Ponpon and his family have already faced hostility because of his fight for gay rights in Liberia. Weeks ago, his mother's house was set on fire and he and another advocate, Abraham Kamara, were mobbed by angry students while campaigning at the University of Liberia. 'We will not relent,' he said. 'People will come to the realisation that in this day and age, individuals should be free to practice what they wish.' A wave of intense homophobia has been washing across Africa in the past few years, where homosexuality is already illegal in many countries. 'It's getting worse,' Cameroon gay rights defender Ms Nkom said of homophobia. 'People accused of homosexuality are put in jail straight away,' she told reporters in November after three men were each sentenced to five years in prison for homosexual acts. Earlier this month, Uganda re-introduced a bill that would make the death sentence mandatory for gays who are 'repeat offenders'. U.S. President Barack Obama denounced the bill as 'odious', while Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called on Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni to reject it and some international donors threatened to cut aid if it became law. | Face up to five years in prison if convicted .
Liberia looks to toughen its anti-gay laws . |
144,870 | 4760226a631ad6b9c94246b59578e72a9e2cd16e | The secretive nation of North Korea had given away the status of its nuclear arms program months before its controversial leader, Kim Jong Un, openly declared he would order nuclear strikes, it was revealed today. Newsweek/Daily Beast today exclusively revealed that the country, known as much for its nuclear weapons as for its propaganda, had the resources to launch a nuclear attack in December. Part of a rocket launched by North Korea in December was recovered by U.S. officials, who then determined the true threat the nation posed. The debris provided valuable insight into what had been happening beyond the De-militarized Zone in the capital of Pyongyang. Hat tip: The U.S. Navy recovered debris from a rocket launched by North Korea on a Navy ship at Navy's 2nd Fleet headquarters in Pyeongtaek, South Korea, in December . Lookout: A South Korean navy sailor stands guard near a part of debris from a rocket launched by North Korea; the debris alerted U.S. officials over the country's ability to launch a nuclear attack . Recovery: Korean navy sailors carried the debris from a rocket launched by North Korea, in the Yellow Sea, off Gunsan, to shore . Sources told the website that members of . the U.S. Navy recovered what was assumedly a fuel container last . December, and revealed how exactly a nuclear missile could be deployed. The discarded rocket revealed much about North Korea’s capacity to launch a nuclear attack. ‘We looked at the wreckage from the launch, and we put it together with other kinds of intelligence and came to this judgement that they had figured out the warhead piece,’ a non-proliferation official told the Daily Beast. The officials’ confirmation coincides with a bungled report from the Pentagon that was mistakenly released earlier this month after marked ‘unclassified.’ The papers detailed that they have ‘moderate confidence’ that Pyongyang is able to launch ballistic missiles armed with nuclear weapons . In the report, a Pentagon agency concluded for the first time that the secretive country could have a likely ability to launch a nuclear-armed missile at its enemies, although this was later played down by the Obama administration. Safeguarding: Tourists take photos of the US Navy ship, the 'USS Peleliu', docked at Harbour City, Tsim Sha Tsui, in Hong Kong today as a show of force against North Korea . The document, called ‘Dynamic Threat Assessment 8099: North Korea Nuclear Weapons Program,’ is from March of 2013. However, shortly after its release by Rep. Dough Lamborn, R-Colorado, Pentagon press secretary George Little said in a statement that there was little reason to be immediately alarmed. ‘It would be inaccurate to suggest that the North Korean regime has fully tested, developed, or demonstrated the kinds of nuclear capabilities referenced in this passage,’ the statement reads. The armed thousands: Last week, North Koreans held a rally to gather their willingness for a victory in a possible war against the United States and South Korea in Nampo, North Korea (file photo) Response: Anti-North Korean protesters from conservative, right-wing and pro-U.S. civic groups, burn an effigy of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un during a protest in central Seoul April 15 . ‘The United States continues to closely monitor the North Korean nuclear program and calls upon North Korea to honor its international obligations.’ While the rest of the world hears whispers and rumors of nuclear demise, North Koreans themselves today set aside their fear-mongering and bravado to celebrate the birthday of their first leader, Kim Il Sung. Girls in red and pink jackets skipped along streets of the capital of Pyongyang, festooned with celebratory banners and flags and boys on inline skates took a break to slurp up bowls of shaved ice. There was no sense of panic in the North Korean capital, where very few locals have access to international broadcasts and foreign newspapers speculating about an imminent missile launch and detailing the international diplomacy under way to try to rein Pyongyang in. Cause for celebration: Workers visit the plaza park of Kumsusan Palace of the Sun in Pyongyang, to commemorate the 101st anniversary of the birth of North Korea's founder Kim Il-sung . Hands together: Audience members applaud during an outdoor performance at the Third April Spring People's Art Festival in Pyongyang today . Elsewhere in the region, however, the focus remained on the threat of a launch as U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry wrapped up a tour to coordinate Washington's response with Beijing, North Korea's most important ally, as well as with Seoul and Tokyo. In Seoul, South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-jin told a parliamentary committee Monday that North Korea still appeared poised to launch a missile from its east coast, though he declined to disclose the source of his information. Kerry warned North Korea not to conduct a missile test, saying it would be provocation that 'will raise people's temperatures' and further isolate the country and its impoverished people. He said Sunday that the U.S. was 'prepared to reach out,' but that Pyongyang must first bring down tensions and honor previous agreements. | Three North Korean non-proliferation officials said that the secretive country tipped off U.S. officials after members of the American Navy found part of a rocket in December .
Fuel container shed more light into DPRK's means of attack .
Comes three days after Pentagon dossier was mistakenly made public . |
110,842 | 1ae53c5031581378a3ae2c3f29132dc68ff20af2 | By . David Kent . Wayne Rooney had his designer luggage 'ransacked' by security after a nightmare start to his post-World Cup holiday with his wife Coleen. The Rooneys flew with British Airways to Sin City on Saturday for a family holiday - but without their luggage which arrived two days late in Las Vegas from Heathrow. Rooney was criticised for his performances in Brazil with England, despite scoring against Uruguay, and is now looking to cool off before returning for pre-season training under Louis van Gaal at Manchester United. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Rooney's son Kai cheer him on during training . The 28-year-old wife of England striker Wayne Rooney flew with BA to Sin City on Saturday for a family holiday . VIP: The Manchester United striker and his beau were seen partying with a group of friends . But the striker's holiday got off to a bumpy start as his luggage took two days to join him in the US. Wife Coleen tweeted: 'Feel sick..... just received my 4 cases 2 . days late from BA Heathrow to Las Vegas. 'Opened them all and they have been completely ransacked. 'Bags shoes bikinis, clothes, toiletries, underwear, pj's, makeup, toiletries taken. Disgusting & the customer service getting is terrible. She faced a . string of sarcastic comments from some of her followers who commented that she could perhaps afford to replace the items. However, . she angrily replied that it is not about the money, tweeting: ‘And you . can stick all the sarcastic comments about money. It’s not all about . money it’s about people going through my personal stuff and taking stuff . that I need for my holiday’. The couple are staying at the luxurious Encore Beach Club while the footballer enjoys a break before heading back to training with Manchester United. It is set to be another big season for the striker as he starts work under new manager, Louis van Gaal. British Airways told MailOnline: 'We are very sorry. We are contacting Mrs Rooney to apologise and have begun a full investigation.' Coleen may have been the victim of an airport computer glitch that meant some air passengers have still not been reunited with their luggage days after a problem started. The glitch began on Thursday at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 (T5) and has affected departing British Airways passengers. Missing: Despite arriving with a large selection of suitcases, Coleen tweeted that not all of them made it . Angry: Coleen took to Twitter to complain about the state of her luggage . Some of these travellers had to fly without their hold luggage and although normal baggage check-in has resumed at T5, not all the affected passengers have got their bags yet. T5 had a disastrous opening in March 2008 when thousands of bags went missing and there were long delays and cancellations. A Heathrow spokeswoman said today: 'We experienced intermittent issues with the T5 baggage system between June 26 and 29 which caused some bags to be processed manually. Passengers can now check in bags as normal. 'Manual processing led to some bags not making flights in time. While passengers are receiving bags all the time, it will take several days to reunite all passengers with their bags. 'We are very sorry for the disruption passengers have experienced and we are working round the clock with airlines to reunite passengers with their bags as quickly as possible.' Finish: Rooney scored his first World Cup goal as England went down 2-1 to Uruguay . Disappointment: But England and Rooney were left to rue missed chances as they crashed out . Heavy load: The Rooneys brought a large number of bags with them - but they went missing at Heathrow . | Rooney's wife unleashes a furious rant on Twitter about luggage .
After their suitcases arrived they found they had been 'ransacked'
Couple are taking a holiday after Wayne returned from the World Cup .
Striker finally scored his first World Cup goal in Brazil against Uruguay . |
103,785 | 11e1278d399fdd0450ef8107ef7054762c840caf | By . Scarlett Russell . PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 28 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 28 February 2014 . In two days, Hollywood actresses will grace the most glamorous red carpet in the world for the Academy Awards, with millions of eyes watching them. So no wonder they’re pulling out all the stops to look their best on Sunday – no matter what the cost. Manhattan-based dermatologist, Dr David Colbert, whose clients include Michelle Williams, Naomi Watts and Rachel Weisz, has set up a temporary pre-Oscar beauty clinic in Beverly Hills where actresses can swing by for a 20-minute version of his signature Triad facial. Naomi Watts (left) raves about Dr David Colbert's Triad facials and says it is her 'absolute favourite treatment.' Rachel Weisz (right), Michelle Williams and Heidi Klum are also fans . The famous Triad facial costs between $800-$1,200 (£550-£700), dependent upon the type and strength of chemical peel used and the number of laser pulses performed. The three-part facial, which takes around 30 minutes, combines microdermabrasion (to gently exfoliate), laser toning (to help boost collagen production) and, for the after-glow, lavender flower acid combined with Dr Colbert’s own line of products. Dr Colbert also unveiled his new new Tone Control Facial Discs - individual pads that promise a 'brighter complexion and even out skin tone' The 20-minute version in Los Angeles . already has a raft of celebrity fans: Robin Wright, Emma Stone, Rachel . Weisz, Michelle Williams and Heidi Klum have all booked in for the Triad . this weekend. The treatment claims there is no redness, so you’re red carpet-ready as soon as you leave. 'We offer a mini version of the Triad that’s tailor made for Hollywood’s Oscar red carpet,’ says Dr Colbert. 'It gives immediate results and, most importantly, there’s no downtime.’ Naomi Watts, who will be presenting an Academy Award during this year's ceremony, is a long-time fan of the treatment. ‘It is my absolute favourite treatment,’ she told Pret-a-Reporter magazine. ‘David and I have been friends for many years, nd over the years he has been taking care of my skin.' But the Triad facial is not the only treatment on offer in Beverley Hills . While in town, Dr Colbert is also unveiling two new products: Illumino Body Oil; $100 (£60), and Tone Control Facial Discs, $72 (£43) for 20 discs – individual pads that promise a ‘brighter complexion and even out skin tone.’ The Illumino Body Oil is a spin-off of Dr Colbert’s hottest-selling product Illumino Face Oil. ‘Michelle, Rachel and Naomi all use it under their make-up to give them a glow,’ he says. The body oil is a lighter weight version with hydrating passion fruit, orange and argan oils plus anti-aging retinol. ‘It’s for a sleek look overall and gives a nice healthy glow,’ says Dr Colbert, who added that many of the town’s top actresses will be gifted bottles in their Oscar goodie bags. ‘I think we will see it on some of the most beautiful women in Hollywood on Sunday’s red carpet.’ And you don't need to be a Hollywood star to reap the benefits. Both products are coming to the UK in March, and will be available at Space NK stores and online. Tone Control Facial Discs will be priced at £65, whilst the Illumino Body Oil will be £90. | Manhattan-based dermatologist-to-the-stars has a 'pop up' clinic in LA .
Dr David Colbert's Triad Facials are favoured by a string of Hollywood stars .
He's offering a pre-Oscar 20-minute version of the facial, from $800-$1200 . |
139,536 | 40717b022d8f3184e357c9d4ed4b800486944fe4 | A polygamist with five wives and 24 children has revealed the logistical nightmare he faces when it comes to Valentine's Day in the latest episode of TLC's My Five Wives. Brady Williams, 43, from Salt Lake City, Utah, is followed by cameras as he forks out a small fortune on flowers in a bid to keep his spouses happy. He then loads the bouquets into his SUV and darts from house to house to drop them off, performing the same kiss and hug ritual over and over. 'It's a lot of work!' the construction project manager tells viewers. Scroll down for video . Brady Williams, 43, a polygamist with five wives and 24 children reveals the logistical nightmare he faces when it comes to Valentine's Day in the latest episode of TLC's My Five Wives. However, he adds that he's got the holiday down to a fine art and he knows exactly what will win the ladies over. 'I have never gone wrong getting flowers,' he grins. 'They just love them whether it's just one or a dozen, it's all good.' When he visits a local florist he requests five large, rose-laden bouquets containing 'similar but different' stems. Newest wife: Brady with 34-years old Rhonda - the couple have been married for 14 years and have four children, Eden, 13, Lake, 11, Arwen, eight and Nikolas, two . Second visit for the day: Brady with his fifth wife Nonie - they have been married for 16 years and have five children, Paul, 15, Rachel, 13, Marissa, ten, Aeyden, eight, and Tailee, four . Fourth delivery: Robyn and Brady have been married for 21 years and have five children, Hannah, 20, Lauren, 17, Dane, 15, Thomas, 13 and Trey, ten . Wife number three: Rosemary, 40, has been married to Brady for 19 years and has four children - Kimberly, 18, Taylor, 15, James, 14 and Brandon, 11 . My number one: Brady has been married to Paulie, 41, longest - they wed 21 years ago and have six children together, Karlie, 21, Joshua, 19, Madeline, 17, September, 15, Maura, 13, and Camry, ten . When the store worker asks what to write on the accompanying cards, Brady casually replies: 'Just Happy Valentine's Day I love you and then five different names.' He later interjects: 'Are you catching on that I'm a polygamist?' to which the bemused woman replies: 'Either that, or you've got lots of girlfriends.' Brady visits his fifth wife, 34-year-old Rhonda first, followed by his fourth wife Nonie, 35, second wife Robyn, 40, third wife Rosemary, 40, and lastly, his first wife, Paulie, 41. 'I should have just got them delivered,' he says breaking a sweat. Brady has been married to Paulie the longest, and the two tied the knot 21 years ago. Speaking out: The Williams, whose children range in age from two to 20, said they took part on TLC's My Five Wives to dispel the myths surrounding their unconventional lifestyle . Fruitful: The six spouses have two dozen children between them . While his most recent marriage was to Rhonda, 14 years ago. Although polygamy is common within the Mormon community, the Williams' gradually withdrew from the fundamentalist church after reevaluating their core beliefs. Talking about their unusual living arrangement, Brady said: 'The reason we're together is because we love each other, we're committed and we want this. 'We've . got six people who we have to keep on falling in love with over and . over again and I think, personally, that that's a beautiful thing.' The Williams, whose children range in age from two to 20, said they took part on TLC's 'My Five Wives to dispel the myths surrounding their unconventional lifestyle. 'All of America's having sex,' Brady previously said in an interview with the Huffington Post. 'And it's no big deal to just answer it and to just say 'Duh no we're not perverted, we're not twisted, we're just normal. Normal times five.' | Brady Williams, 43, from Salt Lake City, Utah, forks out a small fortune on flowers in a bid to keep his spouses happy every year . |
106,302 | 151db8c4a3456670697e3e1ae5dd6be041b7dc0a | By . Graeme Yorke . Yaya Toure still seems to be nursing a niggling thigh injury that threatens to undermine his World Cup this month. The Manchester City midfielder had been receiving treatment in Qatar for an unspecified injury before joining up with his Ivory Coast team-mates at their training camp in the United States. He is the only one of the 23 players named in the squad by coach Sabri Lamouchi to miss the start of World Cup preparations in Dallas, and was spotted wincing slightly on Wednesday afternoon. Feeling it: Yaya Toure appears to be still struggling with a thigh injury in training for the Ivory Coast . Struggle? The Manchester City midfielder walked out to training with former Spurs man Didier Zokora . Wince: Toure will prove to be a central figure for Les Elephants during the World Cup this month . The . midfielder flew to the US last week to join up with his colleagues but . didn't play in their defeat against Bosnia on Friday. The Aspetar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital in Doha confirmed the African Footballer of the Year’s admission for what it called, in a statement, a 'minor injury' a fortnight ago. Toure had suffered a thigh injury in mid-April but returned after two weeks to help City secure the Premier League title. On the last day of the season on May 11 he went off in the second half with a reported hamstring injury as City beat West Ham. Toure’s build-up to the June and July finals in Brazil has been overshadowed by comments from his agent Dimitri Seluk who said the midfielder was upset with City after an apparent birthday snub and could leave the English champions. The Ivorians play El Salvador in Dallas on Wednesday before arriving in Brazil on Friday. They have been drawn in Group C and compete against Colombia, Greece and Japan. Out: Toure (right) went off with a hamstring injury during Manchester City's last game of the season . Main man: The Ivory Coast fans will be hoping Toure will be fit for their team's World Cup challenge . | Manchester City midfielder caught feeling his thigh before training .
Toure will be an integral part of the Ivory Coast's side in Brazil .
They play Colombia, Greece and Japan in Group C . |
283,781 | fba56b3ee63a1ee429f0cab11c09826f6f758c9e | Ever since Gothic novelist Bram Stoker’s charmingly aristocratic character Count Dracula first appalled and mesmerised late Victorian England, the vampire that sinks its fangs into the neck of its victims and can only be slain with a stake driven through its heart has been a mainstay of European fiction. The new incarnation of good-looking young vampires with American accents in television series such as Buffy The Vampire Slayer or in books such as the Twilight series, only serves to show how difficult it has been to kill off these bloodthirsty ghouls of the undead. But while we may think that vampires live only in the pages of books and on the cinema screen, an extraordinary new archaeological discovery shows that they were all too terrifyingly real to people in times gone by. 'Vampire': Bulgarian archaeologists have unearthed centuries-old skeletons pinned down through their chests with iron rods . Undead grave: An archaeologist cleaning a skeleton during excavations in the Black Sea town of Sozopol, Bulgaria . Archaeologists in Bulgaria claimed this week to have discovered two ‘vampire’ corpses in excavations near a monastery in the Black Sea town of Sozopol. Both of them are more than 800 years old and have been pierced through the chest with heavy iron rods. Bulgaria’s national museum chief Bozidhar Dimitrov said as many as 100 such ‘vampire corpses’ have been found in the country in recent years. ‘They illustrate a practice which was common in some Bulgarian villages up until the first decade of the 20th century,’ he explained. Even today, the vampire remains a very real threat in the minds of villagers in some of the most remote communities of Eastern Europe, where garlic and crucifixes are readily wielded, and where bodies are exhumed so that a stake can be driven through their heart. The notion of blood-sucking vampires preying on the flesh of the living goes back thousands of years and was common in many ancient cultures, where tales of these reviled creatures of the dead abounded. Archaeologists recently found 3,000 Czech graves, for example, where bodies had been weighed down with rocks to prevent the dead emerging from their tombs. The advent of Christianity only fuelled the vampire legends, for they were considered the antithesis of Christ — spirits that rose from the dead bodies of evil people. Such vampires would stalk the streets in search of others to join their unholy pastime of sucking the lifeblood from humans and animals to survive. In medieval times, when the Church was all-powerful and the threat of eternal damnation encouraged superstition among a peasantry already blighted by the Black Death, the fear of vampires was omnipresent. In some cases, the dead were buried with a brick wedged in their mouths to stop them rising up to eat those who had perished from the plague. Records show that in the 12th Century on the Scottish Borders, a woman claimed she was being terrorised by a dead priest who had been buried at Melrose Abbey only days earlier. When the monks uncovered the tomb, they claimed to have found the corpse bleeding fresh blood. The corpse of the priest, well known for having neglected his religious duties, was burned. But vampiric folklore largely flourished in Eastern European countries and Greece, where they did not have a tradition of believing in witches. And just as with witches in England, Germany and America, the vampire became a scapegoat for a community’s ills. The ‘civilised’ world came to learn of vampires in the 18th century as Western empires expanded and their peoples travelled to remote parts of Central and Eastern Europe. With the spread of Austria’s empire, for example, the West became aware of the story of the remote village of Kisilova (believed to be modern-day Kisiljevo in Hungary) after it had been annexed by the Austrians. Screen version: Christopher Lee stars in 1958 Hammer Horror as the Count . In 1725, the village’s cobbled streets were stricken with panic over tales of the undead spreading disease and strangling innocent people. Locals blamed the spate of unexplained deaths on one Peter Plogojowitz, a peasant who had been dead and buried for ten weeks. They demanded that his coffin be opened up to make sure he was properly despatched. When the Austrian Imperial Provisor finally agreed to have the coffin prised open, the legend goes that he saw the cadaver had blood dripping from its mouth, talon-like fingernails, long fangs and signs of healthy skin. He noted that the body had failed to decompose, and so the locals resorted to the tradition of slamming a stake through its heart and then incinerating the corpse. Their horror, in fact, stemmed from ignorance about decomposition. Nails and teeth do not actually grow after death; instead, the skin and flesh shrink back, giving the impression of claw-like nails and abnormally long incisors. Meanwhile, corpses can be bloated from gases caused by decomposition, giving the body the appearance that the dead has been enjoying a good meal or drink while in or out of its casket. For a time, skin can also appear flushed after death, and blood can pool around facial cavities. If this was not enough to scare the wits out of simple, God-fearing folk, it was also noted that there were unmentionable ‘other wild signs’ — a reference to how male genitalia can inflate during decomposition. In some areas, vampires were known as ‘shroud-eaters’, because the cloth covering the corpse’s face had apparently been eaten away, revealing those ferocious teeth. In fact, it was the bacteria in the mouth that had dissolved the linen. Bloodthirsty: Lee in his classic portrayal of Dracula . With these gruesome accounts, the vampire got its fangs into the imagination of the British people. About eight years after the peasant Peter Plogojowitz became the most hated corpse in Eastern Europe, the London Journal ran an article about ‘vampyres’ at Madreyga, again in Hungary, in what was probably the first English usage of the word. In 1819, the year that Queen Victoria was born, Lord Byron’s doctor, John Polidori, published his short story, The Vampyre, featuring an aristocrat who had a penchant for quaffing the blood of young women. Bram Stoker then refined the story with Dracula, published in 1897. The Transylvanian aristocrat’s thirst for the blood of swooning and pallid young women was rivalled only by his yearning for fine tailoring. When the play was performed in a London theatre the 1920s, a nurse was on hand to tend to traumatised members of audience. But vampirism is not yet consigned to the history book. One account from the 20th century saw a man in Greece awake from a coma at his own funeral. As he sat up, the congregation was convinced he was a vampire (or vrykolake) and he was stoned to death. In the 1960s, an anthropologist recorded how older residents of one Greek island could still recall the killing of the last known vampire. And just eight years ago, it was clear in Romania that belief in vampires had not disappeared. In the remote village of Marotinul de Sus, the body of Petre Toma, a former teacher, was removed from its grave, had its heart removed and impaled on the end of a pitchfork. The six men who’d dug up the 76-year-old’s body replaced it in the coffin and sprinkled it with garlic. The heart was then burnt to ashes to ensure that Mr Toma could not rise from the dead to drink their blood. After his arrest, the leader of those men insisted they were acting in the village’s best interests because Toma had appeared to many villagers in their dreams as a vampire. The gang also insisted that when Toma’s heart was removed, the corpse let out a deep sigh. Even though the authorities jailed them for illegal exhumation, many villagers praised them for their actions. For them, the vampire was no myth. | Archeologists uncover 800-year-old 'vampire' skeletons buried at the stake .
Iron rods used to impale the corpses found in Bulgaria . |
35,767 | 659aa7a70598dad065c60594372500606e8e9e2c | LONDON, England (CNN) -- British singer Leona Lewis was "understandably shaken" after a man attacked her during a book signing in central London Wednesday afternoon, a spokeswoman for her record label said. Leona Lewis was signing copies of her book "Dreams" when a man assaulted her, police say. A 29-year-old man was arrested after he punched Lewis at the Waterstones bookstore in Piccadilly Circus at 4:36 p.m. (10:36 a.m. ET), according to a Scotland Yard statement. She was signing copies of her new autobiography "Dreams" when the "unprovoked attack" happened, said Sarah Weinstein Dennison of the RCA Music Group. "The police were called immediately, and medical attention has been sought," Dennison said. "Leona is understandably shaken and apologizes to the fans she was unable to meet and complete signings." There was no information released on how seriously she was hurt. The police statement said the man was arrested on "suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm." "He is currently in custody at a central London police station," police said. Lewis, 24, got a career boost when she won the music talent competition on British television show "The X Factor" in 2006. She got three Grammy nominations last year based on her debut album, "Spirit." Her second album, "Echo," is set for release next month, according to her Web site. | British singer was signing copies of her book at London store .
A man is accused of punching her, police say .
Lewis won Britain's "X Factor" show in 2006; her new album is out next month . |
105,079 | 138ee388a4de6410e84d72473d08d05e7129581f | (EW.com) -- This just in: Ron Burgundy is no match for a fire-breathing dragon at the box office. "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" (CinemaScore: B) beat out "The Hobbit" sequel on Friday, but updated totals show the Will Ferrell-starrer trailing Peter Jackson's fantasy pic for the three-day weekend. In first place, "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" fell about 60 percent and brought in an estimated $31.5 million from 3,903 screens in its second weekend in theaters — spot on with Grady Smith's prediction. Its domestic take now stands at a healthy $127.5 million. But that total lags behind the first "Hobbit" film by a significant margin. In 2012, "An Unexpected Journey" dropped 56.4 percent in its second weekend, earning nearly $36.9 million and bumping its domestic total to $150 million. That film played in about 200 more theaters and had a stronger opening weekend. Meanwhile, Paramount's heavily marketed "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" opened in second place with a weekend estimate of $26.8 million. The PG-13 rated sequel opened in 3,507 locations Wednesday and is expected to net about $40 million for its first five days, much lower than EW's prediction. The first "Anchorman" opened in July 2004 to $28.4 million and went on to gross $85.3 million domestically. EW review: 'Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues' Coming in third is Disney's animated pic "Frozen" with $19.2 million, down only 15 percent from last weekend. The $150 million 3D musical has been in theaters for four weekends and boasts a $191.6 million domestic total. "Frozen" opened this weekend in Mexico, Italy, Lebanon, Greece, South Africa, Finland, Hong Kong, and Venezuela, and will continue its worldwide expansion in the coming weeks, including a release in China at a date still to be determined. Its current global total is $344.2 million. Director David O. Russell's star-studded epic "American Hustle" (CinemaScore: B+) took in an estimated $19.1 million (meeting expectations) from 2,507 theaters, landing it in fourth place. The '70s-set tale of con artists and strivers opened last weekend in limited release. Last year's Best Picture-winner "Argo" opened to a similar $19.5 million weekend. Russell's "Silver Linings Playbook," which also starred Bradley Cooper and Jennifer Lawrence, had a vastly different box office story last year, playing in fewer than 800 theaters for nine weeks before expanding wide closer to the Oscars. EW review: 'American Hustle' It would go on to gross $132 million domestically, making it the first Russell film to cross the $100 million mark. In addition to having the benefit of Russell's recent successes, Sony's "American Hustle" has the bonus selling points of stars Christian Bale and Amy Adams — both of whom are receiving raves for their performances. "Saving Mr. Banks" (CinemaScore: A), another Disney property, snagged the fifth place spot in its first weekend playing to a wide audience with a slightly sub-par $9.3 million, bringing its worldwide total to $15.4 million. Audiences skewed female (57 percent), and 39 percent of attendees were under age 35. Another awards contender (for Best Picture and Best Actress for Emma Thompson's portrayal of Mary Poppins creator P.L. Travers), the glossy PG-13 rated pic will likely enjoy a healthy holiday run. 1. "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug" -- $31.5 million . 2. "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" -- $26.8 million . 3. "Frozen" -- $19.2 million . 4. "American Hustle" -- $19.1 million . 5. "Saving Mr. Banks" -- $9.3 million . Fox's "Walking With Dinosaurs" (CinemaScore: B) opened outside of the top five to an estimated $7.3 million from 3,231 theaters. With the combination of "Frozen" and "The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug," the family market was a bit too saturated to allow any box office leftovers for Fox's 3-D dinosaur pic. The action-thriller "Dhoom 3" broke the record for a Bollywood opening in the U.S. with $3.3 million from 236 theaters. The Coen brothers' awards contender "Inside Llewyn Davis" expanded into 148 theaters and took in about $1.1 million for an impressive $7,169 per theater average. In the specialty box office world, Spike Jonze's futuristic love story "Her" opened in six theaters Wednesday and brought in $258,000 across the weekend. Jonze's film, starring Joaquin Phoenix, will open wide on January 10. Feng Xiaogang's Chinese comedy "Personal Tailor" made its U.S. debut in nine theaters and earned an estimated $104,000. Finally, Asghar Farhadi's Iranian mystery "The Past," starring "The Artist's" Berenice Bejo, opened in three theaters to $30,900. See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | "Anchorman 2" was no match for "The Hobbit" sequel .
"Desolation of Smaug" was No. 1 even after falling 60 percent .
It earned an estimated $31.5 million .
"Anchorman 2" opened in second place with $26.8 million . |
178,958 | 73b6d09fb55bb785b0d6105c9d7c8ec5bc52e450 | (CNN) -- In watching Mitt Romney's painful -- and self-destructive -- gaffe about the "47 percenters," it at first seemed inexplicable, as if the man was writing off half of the electorate. Never mind that the self-declared "victims" he's talking about include seniors (who actually voted Republican in 2010) and veterans (many of whom might be inclined to vote for the GOP). Or that they're also people who work hard and pay their payroll taxes, and might be getting some tax benefits for their children. So what is it about Mitt Romney, who should know these things -- and probably does -- that makes him so gaffe-prone? Another way to ask the question: Why does a smart man say such stupid things? iReport: I'm the 47% but - You're WRONG Mitt Romney! I have a theory about this. In spending a lot of time this year thinking about Romney -- and speaking with those who know him the best, politically and personally while reporting a CNN documentary -- this much appears to be true: Romney has a businessman's approach to politics. Which means: He sizes up a situation (or an audience). He figures out what he needs to do to cut the deal. Then he does it, and expects it to work. Ergo, Romney speaks to a group of conservative GOP fat cats, and tells them what he thinks they want to hear so they will cough up the dough. Belief is almost beside the point. He was closing the deal. Here's something to know: While Romney was born into politics, he's not a natural-born politician. His father may have been a three-term Michigan governor, but he told his son to go into business first. So he did. And now Romney is a numbers guy who came to the ideological part of politics late. And it shows, especially when you are asking voters to trust what you believe to become president. Some politicians are hatched out of strong loyalty to a cause or a party. Romney is a businessman who came to politics out of a strong sense of duty -- and belief in his own ability to repair what's broken. Getting elected is what you have to do so you can do what you're good at: fixing things. (In an odd way, kind of like President Obama, who also believes getting elected is what you have to do so you can do what you're good at: transforming things.) Romney has had much success painting the self-portrait as a Mr. Fix-it. While he couldn't defeat Ted Kennedy, he did become the governor of the liberal state of Massachusetts in 2002, running as a pro-choice moderate. Opinion: How Romney really feels about Republicans . Once in office, though, when confronted with the difficult issue of abortion -- and looking at a presidential bid in the ever more conservative GOP -- he flipped, explaining to me that it was a matter of conscience, tempered by the reality of political power. "I realized what sounded good in a campaign, when I actually became the governor and would be the person who would sign a piece of legislation which could take human life -- I simply couldn't do that," he told me. But there's no doubt about it: Romney had to move to the right to try and get the nomination, so he did in the 2008 campaign. And he did it again in 2012. In trying to explain Romney's jujitsu, former adviser Alex Castellanos told me that Romney's journey on social issues was the journey of a businessman who "mainly looked at governing as an economic proposition, all of a sudden confronting some social issues as a mature adult responsible for human life. And so he did evolve there." Fast-forward to the "severely conservative" candidate of the 2012 primaries. And to the latest fundraiser chat in which Romney says half of the American public believes it has been victimized, and the government needs to take care of them. CNNMoney: Romney's '47% . All of which leads to this question: Does Romney believe any of this stuff? In the end, it's hard to know. But I'll subscribe to a theory advanced by David Brooks in The New York Times today: that Romney is a "decent man who says stupid things because he is pretending to be something he is not -- some sort of cartoonish government-hater." Maybe that's what Romney thought he needed to be to cut the deal. But the problem is, presidential politics isn't just business. It's personal. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Gloria Borger. | Gloria Borger: Romney comment about the "47-percenters" inexplicable at first .
She says Romney views the world from the point of view of a business executive .
Romney was telling audience what he thought they wanted to hear, she says .
Borger: Romney views electoral politics as "what he has to do to get into office and fix things" |
193,162 | 861660beb9675efbc4a85668243014b4ed272243 | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistani Supreme Court on Thursday convicted Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani of contempt of court but gave him just a symbolic sentence that will not require him to serve time in prison. The court found Gilani guilty of the contempt charge after his repeated refusals to ask Swiss authorities to revive old corruption charges against the country's president, Asif Ali Zardari. That makes him the first sitting Pakistani prime minister to be convicted of a crime. But the court sentenced him only for the duration of the hearing, which lasted several minutes. He could have faced as much as six months in jail. An opposition leader said Gilani should resign following the guilty verdict, but members of the prime minister's cabinet insisted he would continue in his role and appeal the decision. The conviction means Gilani could be disqualified as prime minister, but that's a process that could take up to four months. "I think that after the conviction the prime minister should immediately step down from his post," Nawaz Sharif, a prominent opposition leader, said on Geo TV. By remaining in power, Gilani risks harming the credibility of parliament, Sharif said. But members of Gilani's government criticized the court's decision as being politically motivated. "The verdict is unconstitutional and immoral," Nazar Muhammad Gondal, the federal minister for capital administration and development, said on Express News, a local channel. "The prime minister has the confidence of the parliament, so he will continue as the prime minister," he said. Imtiaz Safdar Warraich, the deputy interior minister, said the government planned to appeal against the verdict. Gilani was convicted for "willful flouting, disregard and disobedience of this court's direction," said Justice Nasir ul-Mulk as he read out the decision. The judge said that "the contempt committed by him is substantially detrimental to the administration of justice and tends to bring this court and the judiciary of this country into ridicule." Gilani's lawyers argued that the prime minister had not followed the court's order to press for the reopening of the charges because Zardari enjoys immunity in Pakistan and abroad as a president in office. Most observers had expected that a conviction would come without a prison sentence. "They don¹t want to make a spectacle out of it," the columnist and analyst Muhammad Malick said earlier this week. "A prison sentence would create an unnecessary political drama." "Time in prison would create a wave of sympathy for the prime minister, and that's something the judges don't want to see," said author and political analyst Imtiaz Gul. This is not the first time Gilani has fallen foul of Pakistan's legal system. He served more than five years in prison between 2001 and 2006 on corruption charges brought by the previous military regime of Gen. Pervez Musharraf -- counts he said were also politically motivated. The corruption cases that the Supreme Court now wants reopened stem from money-laundering charges against Zardari and his late wife, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. A Swiss court convicted them in absentia in 2003 of laundering millions of dollars. After Musharraf granted a controversial amnesty in 2007 to Zardari, Bhutto, and thousands of other politicians and bureaucrats, Pakistan asked the Swiss authorities to drop the case. In 2009, the Pakistani Supreme Court ruled the amnesty was unconstitutional and called on the government to take steps to have the cases reopened. The government did not do so, and the court lost patience. Since Gilani is the head of the government, the court justices view him as responsible. CNN's Shaan Khan and journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report. | Opposition leader calls for the prime minister to resign .
Government ministers criticize the verdict as politically motivated .
The Supreme Court convicts Yousuf Raza Gilani of contempt .
But it gives him just a symbolic sentence with no jail time . |
283,216 | fae000f772d835d892b48291e3896d6feea29fe3 | She arrived for her annual summer break at Balmoral just five days after the Royal baby was born. And now, almost two weeks later, the Queen appears to have relaxed into her two month holiday with ease. She was greeted by hordes of well-wishers as she inspected the troops outside the gates of Balmoral today as she arrived to take up official residence. She had landed in Scotland more than a week earlier, on 27 June, when she arrived by private aeroplane with her two corgis, Holly and Willow, for the break. Jolly good show! The Queen inspects the Royal Scots Borderers at the gates to Balmoral as she takes up summer residence there . Until now, she had been staying in . one of the other houses on the estate before the tourist season came to . and end on 31 July and the main residence could be prepared for her . arrival. Dressed in a . powder blue suit and hat trimmed with a statement bloom, she looked . delighted with what she saw as the pipers struck up in her honour. The Queen traditionally spends the . entire summer in her Scottish residence, and is customarily joined for . the whole duration by Prince Philip, with other members of the Royal . family dropping in for portions of the break. Philip . is set to join the Queen at her private estate on Monday, after . carrying out his first public engagement two months since he was . admitted to the London Clinic on 6 June for exploratory abdominal . surgery. It will be the Duke of Edinburgh's first official engagement since the surgery. Philip, 92, will travel to Edinburgh where he will hand out medals at the Royal Society of Edinburgh, Buckingham Palace said. Others . who may join the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh include William and . Kate, who it has been suggested may decide to holiday at Balmoral, . travelling there from Bucklebury in Buckinghamshire where they are . currently spending family time at the Middleton's mansion. No wonder she's cheerful - the Queen will now remain at her beloved private estate until October . The Queen beamed as she was accompanied by Ballater Guard commanding officer Major Jules Kilpatrick to inspects the Royal Scots Borderers at the gates to Balmoral . The . Queen arrived at Balmoral on 27 July but stayed in another house on . the estate while she waited for the tourist season to end on 31 July. The main residence was then secured so the Royals could move in . Crowds of local well-wishers gathered to welcome the Queen . Although the queen arrived in Scotland nearly a week ago (August 2nd), she has been staying in a house on the Balmoral estate while Balmoral Castle was being prepared for her . | Monarch arrived 27 July but spent first 10 days elsewhere on the estate .
Had to wait until tourist season ended on 31 July, then another week for team to secure the main residence .
Queen expected to be joined by Prince Philip on Monday .
Other Royals likely to drop in - with suggestions William and Kate may spend some time there . |
279,912 | f69d15dff3be6ccf959ee01bad89dfabca20a831 | Washington (CNN) -- The Office of the Director of National Intelligence has released approximately 1,800 pages of documents that shed more light on the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court. The documents indicate that the National Security Agency violated its own internal guidelines relating to phone numbers it can "query" from among records the agency collects. Moreover, the documents indicate that the NSA presented false information to the surveillance court about the violation. "The people responsible for authoring the report did not fully understand how the operation was working," a senior intelligence official said. "That misrepresentation resulted in a factually inaccurate report." Opinion: What the government is hiding from you . The documents satisfy a judge's order pertaining to public records requests from the American Civil Liberties Union and the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a privacy advocacy group, about FISA Court interpretations of the section of the Patriot Act dealing with collecting metadata, the so-called business records provision. The metadata program started in 2006 and allowed the NSA to seek to obtain more information about a number if there was "reasonable articulable suspicion" that the number was linked to terrorism. The NSA also kept a separate "alert list" that was used to compare the new numbers that were coming in daily and consider whether new numbers should be added to the category of those with "reasonable articulable suspicion." The alert list started with about 4,000 numbers and ended up with 17,835, most of which did not have the required suspicion, officials say. The court ruled that the NSA was allowed to have the alert list, but the agency could not run it against the larger database because it did not have the reasonable suspicion. Every day, phone companies sent metadata, which went into an archive. But each day, the NSA ran the alert list against the new information to see if it could establish reasonable suspicion. This went on from May 2006 until January 2009. "To further complicate matters," an official said, "reporting to the court, we described the alert list but did not describe (it) accurately." NSA misrepresented scope of data collection to secret court . Senior intelligence officials attempted to assure reporters that the news was not so much the compliance violation, but the fact that the NSA uncovered the problem, reported it to the Justice Department and the FISA Court, "took steps thereafter to do a thorough scrub of operations," and reported back to the FISA Court after the changes had been made. In one declassified order from March 2009, Judge Reggie Walton said the court would "not permit the government to access the data collected until such time as the government is able to restore the court's confidence that the government can and will comply with previously approved procedures for accessing such data." A senior intelligence official noted "fairly strong language" by the court, but stressed that it did not find any "intentional attempt" to violate the law or abuse the program. Because there was such confusion about the program, the NSA instituted new steps to guard against future violations, including adding a compliance director, the officials said. Reports: NSA has cracked much online encryption . One official said this proved that there was "effective oversight by the executive branch and the court. NSA is not perfect and screws up from time to time." But there never has been any indication that these programs have been abused by spying for improper purposes or exceeding guidelines with improper authority, he said. The officials said they did not know of any NSA employee who was punished or fired as a result of the problem. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said in a statement that the incidents were promptly reported to the court, which ordered NSA to seek its approval to query metadata on a case-by-case basis, except when lives were under imminent threat. "The documents released today are a testament to the government's strong commitment to detecting, correcting, and reporting mistakes that occur in implementing technologically complex intelligence collection activities, and to continually improving its oversight and compliance processes," he said. Court renews secret U.S. surveillance program . The American Civil Liberties Union said the documents confirm that the agency "cannot be trusted" with such sweeping powers and that the "secret and one-sided" judicial review is not an adequate check. "The abuses revealed in these documents are alarming but also predictable. These violations are the inevitable result of allowing the NSA to assemble a vast database of sensitive information about every American," Alex Abdo, staff attorney with the ACLU National Security Project, said in a statement. The civil liberties group has challenged the constitutionality of the NSA phone records collection program in court. Internet companies fight to release more information on NSA requests . | Newly released documents show the National Security Agency violated phone-records rules .
Papers: NSA also submitted incorrect information to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court .
The papers were released to comply with ACLU, Electronic Frontier Foundation requests .
The court required the NSA to seek approval to query data until processes were improved . |
74,561 | d35ab89ea6458cad7e1a0dbfbfbfade1d4ed6075 | Moscow (CNN) -- Police arrested at least 250 protesters and an opposition leader in Russia's capital Tuesday in a second day of demonstrations against parliamentary election results. Protesters decried what they described as electoral fraud in Sunday's national vote, which kept Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's party in power but significantly decreased the number of seats it holds in parliament. Boris Nemtsov, a former deputy prime minister turned vocal government opponent, told CNN he was among those detained at a rally. Putin's United Russia party held a separate demonstration. Police said there were about 8,000 people there. Tuesday's anti-Putin protests drew much smaller crowds than a similar rally in Moscow Monday, where thousands of demonstrators turned out for an event state news agency RIA Novosti described as the largest opposition demonstration in years. Protesters who turned out Tuesday were met with a firm response from security forces, who dispersed many and made arrests. But some analysts said the presence of protesters was a significant sign that could prove a turning point in Russian politics. Read Daniel Treisman's piece on the significance of the election . "This isn't a surprise that the party got fewer votes. I think the real surprise are the number of people who went out on the street," said Toby Gati, a senior international adviser at the Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld firm. As simmering anger over allegations of official corruption and economic stagnation appear to be boiling over, Putin has promised to make changes, including reshuffling his Cabinet. He said the losses his party suffered in Sunday's elections were inevitable. "They are unavoidable for any political power, especially a political power that has held the responsibility for the state of a country for some time," he said after results were announced. One observer said Sunday's election results, which left United Russia with a slim majority in the 450-seat house, signal that the leader's grip on power was weakening. "Whatever else they reveal, Sunday's results undercut the image, common in the West, of Putin's regime as an effective authoritarian state," Daniel Treisman, professor of political science at the University of California, Los Angeles, wrote in a column for CNN. "In fact, it is a regime that cannot even steal an election decisively." Demonstrators at post-election rallies in Moscow and other Russian cities criticized widespread reports of ballot-rigging. "What you're seeing ... are expectations of a middle class, of people who believe they have a right to participate in their political process. And the real tragedy of having people going out on the streets and express their frustration is that was the only avenue left to them," said Gati, who helped develop the United States' policy towards Russia during the Clinton administration. The opposition Other Russia party sent out invitations to the protest via Facebook under the title "Is the Revolution Continuing? Yes!" But Matthew Rojansky, deputy director of the Russia and Eurasia Program at the Carnegie Endowment, cautioned that this week's protests were fueled by the frustrations of a "liberal fringe," not the majority of the population. "The bulk of Russians still have enough to lose right now in the system, and still have negative memories of the last time a government went down. They're not terribly interested in feeding chaos," he said. "It's not the Arab Spring on the streets of Moscow." A preliminary report from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe on Sunday's election said some political parties had been prevented from running and the vote was "slanted in favor of the ruling party." A draft report by the organization's election-observer mission details alleged attempts to stuff ballot boxes, manipulate voter lists and harass election monitors. The group, which monitors and promotes democracy and human rights in Europe, cited the lack of an independent body running the election or impartial news media. And there was "undue interference of state authorities" in the vote, the 56-member organization said in a statement. Speaking at a meeting of the organization in Vilnius, Lithuania, earlier Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton called for a "full investigation" of reported fraud and intimidation in the elections, citing "serious concern" about the vote. "The Russian people, like people everywhere, deserve the right to have their voices heard and their votes counted," Clinton said, as Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov looked on. "And that means they deserve free, fair, transparent elections and leaders who are accountable to them." Russia's Foreign Ministry dismissed the criticism Tuesday, saying "statements of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton concerning the parliamentary elections in Russia, as well as similar comments of the White House and State Department officials, are unacceptable." Russia expects that "the U.S. will refrain from unfriendly invectives going against the common positive vector of development of our bilateral relations," the ministry said in an online statement. Shortly after Clinton spoke, the Central Election Commission announced that Putin's party suffered a large loss of seats in the election. United Russia will have 238 seats, down from more than 300 in the outgoing parliament, or Duma, Central Election Commission head Vladimir Churov announced, with 99.99% of ballots counted. Meanwhile, the Communist Party will have 92 seats, A Just Russia will have 64, and the Liberal Democrats will have 56, Churov said. Alla Eshchenko and Phil Black reported from Moscow; Elise Labott reported from Vilnius, Lithuania; Matthew Chance reported from London; Catherine E. Shoichet reported from Atlanta. | At least 250 people are arrested in a second day of demonstrations, police say .
An opposition leader is arrested at the rally, organized on Facebook .
Analyst: "The real surprise is the number of people who went out the street"
Vladimir Putin's party will have 238 seats, down from more than 300, officials say . |
59,788 | a9d0a27e6c52d1a2d56580ec42357aa0222be1d5 | By . Daniel Mills for Daily Mail Australia . An Australian newsreader who declined a challenge to tip a bucket of ice over his head for charity has been met with criticism from people offended by his message. Sunshine Coast WIN sports presenter Lincoln Humphries delivered the on-air message to 'everyone, everywhere' encouraging them to stop 'pouring fresh water' over their head and 'wasting ice.' Responding to a viewer's request that he participate in the ALS Project, Humphries said it was a 'worthy cause' but wasting water wasn't necessary in aiding charity considering the shortage of it in other countries. Scroll down for video . Queensland newsreader Lincoln Humphries turned down an ice buck challenge on live television . He criticised people who poured ice and water over their head because it was a waste of the resource other countries are short on . He suggested a number of other charities as alternatives to the ALS challenge . He encouraged people to show their support for The Red Cross and Cancer Council, instead. 'Ice is for keeping fresh produce fresh, beers cold and your nipples hard,' he said. He also said charity was not about 'putting yourself through mild discomfort with a bucket of ice and water.' Reacting to unpopular feedback about his take on the charity challenge, Humphries reportedly apologised on Facebook where he said he shouldn't have used his position 'as a soap box.' He also called it a 'gross error of judgement', according to 9news. But Humphries wouldn't comment about the supposed apology when contacted by Daily Mail Australia. He did however defend the good work that ALS is doing. He also said he was 'pushing for a national, annual MND day' to ensure the cause lasts. 'The fundraising has been nothing short of astounding,' he said. Shane Warne jumped on board electing to get doused in ice-cold water by his 14-year-old son Jackson . After getting two nominations from fellow The Voice Australia coach Ricky Martin and from Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch, Kylie Minogue completed the challenge in true Kylie style . Jessica Mauboy took to Instagram on Saturday to share a picture of herself standing in a cosy white robe, doused in icy water . Iggy Azalea bared her body in a neon two-piece swimsuit before a bucket of chilled water was dumped over her after being nominated by Jennifer Lopez . 'But we need to make sure it's something with longevity and real meaning.' He said donating a day to the cause, like Daffodil Day which he is a strong supporter of, would help to maintain its longevity. '(It's) to ensure this isn't forgotten before the ice melts, so to speak, like so many Internet fads before it,' he said. It comes as a string of celebrities, both in Australia and around the world, have posted videos on social media showing their support for the ALS Project. Although he believed the ALS ice bucket challenge was a worthy cause he found a host of alternative charities people should donate to . The newsreader told viewers to 'deal with it' at the conclusion of declining his Ice bucket challenge . Donating or buying from the Salvation Army and St Vincent de Paul charity stores was also a suggestion of his . Since the ice bucket challenge went viral earlier this month, everyone from Oprah Wingrey to Iggy Azalea and have taken part in the stunt. Shane Warne, Kylie Minogue, Jessica Mauboy and Liam Hemsworth have been added to the list of homegrown Australian celebrities to show their support. Liam Hemsworth wore a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume to take part in ALS Ice Bucket Challenge . Ben Affleck livened up his take on the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge by grabbing his wife Jennifer Garner and throwing her in the pool after she dumped ice on him . Vogue editor Anna Wintour accepted the ice bucket challenge from her daughter and took an almighty drenching in the process . George W. Bush accepted his daughter's ice bucket challenge but in a hilarious twist his wife Laura surprised him with the face full of frigid water after the former president offered just to write a cheque . Oprah Winfrey had the bucket dumped on her head from behind . | Lincoln Humphries apologised for declining ice bucket nomination .
On Facebook he called the on air delivery an 'error of judgment'
He responding live on news to a viewer's request that he participate .
Mr Humphries said he is now pushing for a national Motor Neurone Day . |
196,175 | 89e4098dffb7c60c87125e48e5f7bf862dc641a5 | Cesc Fabregas saw the question coming from a hundred yards distance, and his answer was splendidly dismissive. ‘Do we feel invincible?’ he echoed. ‘This is a joke. Arsenal went unbeaten in 2003–4. That will never happen again.’ As a young player at Arsenal during that golden season, Fabregas is eminently qualified to make the judgment. But Chelsea have 22 points from the 24 available. The question will be repeated a time or two. His manager, Jose Mourinho, has been making the same response for most of October. And yet, after such a start, he is prepared to make cautious noises about the title. ‘If we were in another league, I’d say immediately, “Yes, we will do it”. In the Premier League, we “can” do it. But it’s hard to say we “will” do it. There’s a long way to go. There’s lots of good teams and difficult games in front of us. I’m pleased, but to win the title, it’s a long way away.’ VIDEO Scroll down to watch Jose Mourinho has journalists in stitches, writing 'big balls' on notepad . Oscar (right) gave Chelsea an early lead, scoring with a beautiful free kick in the 6th minute at Selhurst Park . Palace goalkeeper Julian Speroni (left) can only look on as Oscar's stunning free-kick sails into the top corner . Oscar (far left) is congratulated by his Chelsea team-mates for his brilliant dead ball strike . Crystal Palace: Speroni 6, Kelly 6, Hangeland 6, Delaney 4, Ward 6.5, McArthur 5.5 (Guerdioura 69), Jedinak 6.5, Ledley 5 (Mariappa 58), Puncheon 6 (Zaha 69), Campbell 7.5, Bolasie 7. Subs not used: Doyle, Hennessey, Gayle, Chamakh. Goal: Campbell 90 . Booked: Delaney, Campbell . Sent off: Delaney 43 . Chelsea: Courtois 6.5, Ivanovic 6, Terry 7.5, Cahill 5.5, Azpilicueta 4.5, Matic 7, Fabregas 8.5, Willian 5.5 (Luis 42), Oscar 8, Hazard 6.5 (Salah 86), Remy 7 (Drogba 90+1). Subs: Cech, Zouma, Mikel, Solanke. Goals: Oscar 2, Fabregas 51 . Booked: Fabregas . Sent off: Azpilicueta 40 . Referee: Craig Pawson (South Yorkshire) Attendance: 24,451 . Ratings by JACK GAUGHAN at Selhurst Park . True, all true, but there is something in Chelsea’s attitude which provokes outrageous expectations. It is clear that titles are not won at places like Selhurst Park, although Chelsea might concede that they lost last season’s crown through defeat at Palace. They might also admit that Saturday's victory could have been much more emphatic had Mourinho not insisted on restraint rather than aggression when Palace were there for the taking. Finally, they might agree that their back four is suspiciously vulnerable to genuine pace, which could prove costly against more potent sides than the one they met. But, after making all those concessions, they will be satisfied with the three points they expected from a strangely eccentric match. Everything is falling into place for Mourinho’s team. Even when they lost Cesar Azpilicueta to a red card on 40 minutes, Damien Delaney obligingly committed a second bookable offence within two minutes to restore the numerical balance. Chelsea then settled to unchallenged control; good players doing the simple things to emphatic effect. Oscar’s stunning free- kick had given them the lead within six minutes, and when Fabregas drove in the second soon after the interval, their task seemed blessedly simple. And yet control did not yield further goals, and they endured the closing moments in a state of something akin to panic, when Palace substitute Wilfried Zaha created a tap-in for deserving Fraizer Campbell. The eventful afternoon ended in traditional fashion, with the Palace manager, Neil Warnock, on the pitch, bawling at the referee and even his oen players. The Palace fans had greeted their visitors with a cheery pre-match banner which read: ‘Roman’s dirty money is a disease that has plagued our game’. The tone having been set, Palace made a bright start, speedily deploying Campbell and Yannick Bolasie. But all the promise was deflated within six minutes when they conceded a free-kick 25 yards out. Oscar’s crashing strike reduced the chance to casual simplicity, the ball flying into the far top corner. Cesar Azpilicueta (right) was shown a straight red card for a wild challenge on Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak . Azpilicueta (bottom) made the erratic tackle in the 43rd minute that left the Palace captain in a heap . The Spain international (front) immediately knew the severity of his challenge and apologised . Despite his apology Azpilicueta's challenge led to both set of players sharing heated exchanges . Cesc Fabregas (far right) tries to pull away Palace striker Fraizer Campbell (second right) from the angry fracas . Fabregas' (right) actions only inflamed matters more as Campbell (centre) and the Spain international came nose-to-nose . When the exchanges had died down, referee Craig Pawson (centre) had no choice but to show Azpilicueta (third right) a red card . Blues captain John Terry (second right) tries to defend Azpilicueta to referee Pawson but to no avail . Palace were reduced to 10 men too just three minutes later when Damien Delaney (bottom) fouled Loic Remy . Referee Pawson (second right) produced his second red card of the match for Delaney's tackle . CLICK HERE to see Sportsmail's brilliant Match Zone including the move for Cesc Fabregas' goal . MINS PLD KM MILES . Crystal Palace 103.3 64.2 . Mile Jedinak 90 11.2 6.9 . Joel Ward 90 10.5 6.5 . Fraizer Campbell 90 10.3 6.4 . Chelsea 102.2 63.5 . Cesc Fabregas 90 11.9 7.4 . Nemanja Matic 90 11.3 7.0 . Oscar 90 10.5 6.5 . On 28 minutes, John Terry became the latest to be defeated by the pace of Campbell, as he lunged hopefully and chopped him down. Referee Craig Pawson surprisingly decided against even a booking. Moments later, Delaney was booked for a similar assault upon Loic Remy, and the intensity of the match boiled over. The managers were inevitably involved; Mourinho playing to the crowd with his repertoire of expansive gestures, Warnock standing in his technical area, arms folded, white shirt clinging to paunch, bawling a stream of eye-bulging exhortations and looking like a noisy neighbour from a 1970s sit-com. The whole affair erupted, five minutes from half-time. Mile Jedinak won a ball near halfway, and Azpilicueta came lunging in, out of control. The referee rightly produced the red card. Willian was swiftly taken off, Filipe Luis came on, and Palace were required simply to get through to the interval. It was beyond them. Proving that the idiocy of footballers knows no bounds, Delaney needlessly grasped at Remy as the striker moved past. Having already been carded, he was off. Palace’s advantage had dissolved within two minutes, and Warnock’s rant as the referee left the pitch would have been better directed at his own absurd defender. Chelsea assumed assured control with the second half, their midfield dictating terms with some ease. And their command was reflected within six minutes when the endlessly influential Fabregas ran purposefully at a shuddering defence. He swapped passes with Eden Hazard and Oscar before striking his scoring drive with authority. A feeling of inevitability settled upon the stadium. There may be two or three teams in Europe who could hope to survive after donating Chelsea a two-goal lead. But Palace are not remotely among that number. The only genuine surprise came with the Palace goal, which saw substitute Zaha stepping nimbly along the byline to spread a perfect cross for Campbell’s eager acceptance. It was far too little, and much too late. They may not prove invincible, but the team which can beat them has yet to state its case. Fabregas doubled Chelsea's lead at Selhurst Park early in the second half of their Premier League encounter on Saturday . Fabregas (centre) scored past Speroni (right) after a neat move involving the Spain international and Oscar . Fabregas (left) celebrates his strike with Oscar - after being assisted by the Brazil international . Campbell (left) pulled one back for Palace late on, but it wasn't enough against the Premier League leaders . | Chelsea maintained their lead at the top of the Premier League with a London derby victory .
Oscar put the Blues ahead with a free-kick in the sixth minute at Selhurst Park .
Cesc Fabregas doubled Chelsea's lead early in the second half following a well-worked move .
Fraizer Campbell pulled one back for Crystal Palace in injury time .
Cesar Azpilicueta was sent off for the visitors after a wild foul on Palace captain Mile Jedinak in the 40th minute .
Damien Delaney also saw red three minutes later for a second bookable offence . |
150,591 | 4eacb92512350ed61e144d77d4e42b776af3efba | By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 07:33 EST, 22 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:25 EST, 22 May 2013 . Blow a dandelion and make a wish, goes the saying... and one dog-walker was certainly spoilt for choice today as the field before him contained thousands of them. Robert Wolstenholme, a nature . reserve warden for Natural England, had taken his dog Mazy for some exercise near his . home in Great Somerford, Wiltshire. To his amazement, the 52-year-old saw a sea of white seeds in the distance as he took his flat-coated retriever for a morning stroll. This was the scene in a field in Great Somerford, Wiltshire, today, as photographed by dog walker Robert Wolstenholme . Mr Wolstenhome could barely see the green grass in the field as thousands of the weed's seeds covered the ground. He said: 'I was walking my dog by the river and, when I looked across, I couldn't believe the sea of white in the field. 'It was a brilliant and breathtaking sight. You could hardly see any grass.' After walking around the huge five hectare field, Mr Wolstenholme stopped in the area that caught his eye to take photographs. He added: 'The field is huge and I . walked for a while to find the area that had the most dandelions so I . could capture the best moment. 'There were around 500 dandelions per square metre and it was covering it all - it was an amazing sight.' 'There were around 500 dandelions per square metre and it was covering it all - it was an amazing sight,' said Mr Wolstenholme . Mr Wolstenholme said that the lack of wind and rain in the area has resulted in an abundance of dandelion seeds. He continued: 'There hasn't been a lot of wind and rain in Great Somerford in recent weeks so the dandelion seeds haven't blown away like they normally would.' The dandelion seeds are normally dispersed after being carried on the wind like tiny parachutes. Dry and sunny for Bank Holiday... but first, a few showers . More wet weather is on the way but the Bank Holiday weekend looks set to be dry and sunny, forecasters say. After some heavy showers on Friday most of the country will enjoy decent weather with temperatures reaching up to 62F (17C) in the south - on par with Paris, Barcelona and Venice. Temperatures will be slightly cooler in the north and could dip to as low as 8C in some places. But Met Office forecaster Helen Chivers said this should clear away by the weekend, adding: 'It will be nice pretty much everywhere.' She added: 'We've got some cold, windy and wet weather to come over the next couple of days because of a low pressure system moving eastwards across the country. 'Thursday and Friday temperatures will not be terribly high, only reaching between 11 and 13C, and a bit colder in some places. 'But after that, Saturday and Sunday look pretty decent days for the Bank Holiday at the moment. 'It will be dry in most places with some sunshine as well. 'On Saturday, temperatures will reach 60F (16C) while we'll see temperatures of 62F (17C) on Sunday in the south. It might still feel a little cool in the shade but should feel pretty warm in the sun.' Ms Chivers said it won't top the 84F (23.8C) - the warmest day of the year so far - we had on May 7 in Drumburgh in Cumbria but will bring us back to average temperatures for this time of year. By Monday, the nice weather will tail off in some parts with spells of rain, particularly in Northern Ireland and western Scotland. And forecasters warned anyone planning a trip in the mountains should expect potentially hazardous conditions. 'Scotland will be the worst-hit place so if anyone is walking in the mountains, they should be careful to prepare themselves as there is likely to be snow and high winds. 'It will feel particularly cold,' Ms Chivers added. Dandelion seeds are carried on the wind like tiny parachutes . On a breezy day, a dandelion seed can be blown miles from its parent plant. The parachute part of the seed drops off when it strikes an obstacle, which is why so many grow in crevices next to walls. Above, golden dandelions by the Grand Canal in Dublin . | 500 dandelion seeds per sq metre seen in field in Great Somerford, Wiltshire . |
212,666 | 9f61f3792d2c6c143669877a083655c0639d397f | Imagine watching a film with a friend on the same screen where you watch it through the eyes of the villain, but they have the hero’s perspective. That’s just one of the many uses for Invisivision glasses, a product developed by PipeDream Interactive based in Ontario, Canada. The ‘smart glasses’ have an additional layer of lenses that can flip up and down, giving viewers two different experiences - or even entirely different films - when staring at a cinema screen. Scroll down for video . Canadian company Pipedream Interactive have unveiled their Invisivision glasses (pictured), which they say can provide viewers with different movie-watching experiences. When the lenses are flipped up and down they switch between two image streams, something that is commonly seen in 3D movies . The company are currently seeking funding for their design on Kickstarter. The patent-pending eyewear uses filters to separate streams of 3D images. Dual perspectives – Watch a scene through one of two views, such as through the eyes of the hero or the villain. Reveal and conceal – Flipping the glasses could show and hide subtitles in multiple languages. Adult content – The company says the glasses could let a parent and child, for example, switch between a PG and 18-rated version of a scene. Hidden scenes – Additional content could be hidden within a scene using the glasses. Video games – The glasses could be used to hide objects and easter eggs in video game worlds. Changed vision – Invisivision glasses could also be used to enhance gameplay, such as giving the player night-vision. By interspersing content within rapidly alternating frames of a movie, the technology could allow for some novel applications. These range from giving dual perspectives during a movie to providing subtitles for only those that want to see them. ‘When viewing content with Invisivision, the user simply moves the additional lenses in front to reveal hidden content,’ the company writes on Kickstarter. ‘Moving the additional lenses back restores the original content.’ The glasses make use of the fact that 3D movies work when two image streams are displayed simultaneously, but they are slightly offset. ‘In 3D entertainment, our brains then combine the two nearly-identical images, and thus depth is created,’ says the company. Using the two image streams separately, the illusion of two completely different scenes is created. In addition, having one side of the glasses up and the other down will produce a standard 3D effect. Later this year the company is planning to show off the technology in a movie they created with actors JP Manoux and Aaron Ashmore. And backers of the project on Kickstarter will be given early access to the premiere. One of the touted uses for the technology is the ability to watch hidden scenes from a movie by flipping up or down the lenses. Here, for example, only viewers with the glasses flipped in one direction will see the 'monster' sneaking up on actor JP Manoux . | Canadian firm PipeDream Interactive has unveiled their Invisivision glasses .
They say the product can provide new experiences for movie-goers .
For example, two viewers could watch different scenes at the same time .
The tech works by using the two image streams employed in 3D movies .
The lenses in the glasses can be flipped up and down for different views . |
201,823 | 9149f8107bf5877a58a02af4aa36df47384f49c6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 06:29 EST, 14 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:25 EST, 15 May 2013 . These pictures of West Highland White Terriers have been designed to cheer anyone up - whatever the weather. The wacky pictures are a new feature of the iPhone app Weather Puppy, which comes free but allows users to buy different themes. But canine-lovers worried about the welfare of these adventurous Westies need not panic, the images have been created using sophisticated digital techniques. British publishers Maverick Arts are behind the pictures and used image-manipulation skills to make it seem as if the dogs are indulging in adrenaline sports. Maverick managing director Steve Bicknell said: 'We are obsessed with the weather here in the UK and I think our pictures of the Westies should cheer people up whether they are at a sunny beach or hiding from the rain.' The images of the waterskiing Westies form a new theme for the iPhone app Weather Puppy . The wacky pictures have been created using image-manipulation skills to make it seem as if the dogs are taking part in adrenaline sports . The pictures have been designed to cheer people up, whatever the weather . British publishers Maverick Arts have created the images for the Weather Puppy app . The Westies appear to be showing some amazing skills on their water skis . The clever manipulation of the images makes it look as if they are holding on to a towrope as they stand on a ski . Some of the images even show the dogs waterskiing as the sun goes down . This idyllic scene shows two of the dogs waterskiing side-by-side . The numerous images show the dogs in several poses, including this one which is standing tall and proud . Westies are even driving the boats which are pulling the waterskiers along in the imaginary scenes . Canine-lovers need not worry about the welfare of the adventurous Westies as the images have been created using sophisticated digital techniques . Some of the dogs would rather take to the water on a surfboard, rather than the water skis . This West Highland Terrier is anxiously looking over his shoulder as he waits for an oncoming wave . The adrenaline junkie dogs even take to a spot of wakeboarding in the digitally-constructed images . Fancy a ride? This Westie decides to take his young pup out on to the seas with him . While these young Westie pups ride the surf in what appears to be a rubber doughnut . Riding high, a Westie shows off his windsurfing skills . | Pictures form new theme to feature on iPhone app Weather Puppy .
Shots of dogs waterskiing created using image-manipulation skills .
The app comes free but allows users to buy different themes . |
2,862 | 085e8b6f78cf22df7ea6636ac26946e6b752fc58 | By . Amanda Williams . Parents are petitioning against Tesco for labelling too many products - from potatoes to fruit juice - with the unlikely warning 'may contain nuts'. Mothers of children with nut allergies have complained that it is 'almost impossible' to feed their offspring if they take the over-cautious policy at its word. More than 12,500 people have signed a petition calling for the supermarket giant to 'Stop using blanket 'may contain nuts' labels'. Parents are petitioning against Tesco for labelling too many products - from potatoes to fruit juice - with the unlikely warning 'may contain nuts' It was launched by Claire Hussein, from Portsmouth, after she said that Tesco 'dramatically changed its labelling policy'. She said: 'Suddenly, many previously safe foods are now apparently unsafe as they have ‘may contain nuts’ on them. 'These products literally changed their allergy information overnight. 'We recognise there will be risk in some foods, such as chocolate and biscuits. 'However, when you attempt a weekly shop for your family and find that everything from baked beans to pizza, butternut squash, potatoes, fruit juice and more are suddenly labelled as being potentially unsafe it is very disruptive and leaves you with extremely limited options for feeding your family.' Tesco said that the foods would previously have been marked as having been made in factories where nuts were also used. But it told the Times that the need for a larger font has changed the warning. New rules come into effect in December which will make the labelling of possible food allergens compulsory. Ms Hussein added: 'Rather than making a genuine and careful assessment of the risks, it appears that Tesco is using a blanket 'may contain nuts' policy as a legal disclaimer and to avoid having to implement the proper controls to ensure even staple items of food are safe for our children. Tesco said that the foods would previously have been marked as having been made in factories where nuts were also used, but the need for a larger font has changed the warning . 'I am calling on Tesco to act now to change its labelling procedures to ensure they are true reflections of risk. They need transparent traceability for all ingredients so a may contain label is only used with real need. The guidance is to prevent blanket statements - yet this appears to be the stance Tesco is taking.' Tesco told the paper that it takes great care to label its products with allergy advice where necessary. It added: 'We only display these warnings where there is a risk of cross-contamination.' Up to ten people a year die from reactions caused by coming into contact with even minute quantities of peanuts. Peanut allergy, which is now thought to affect at least one in 50 children, can cause serious breathing problems. The most severely affected could experience a life-threatening anaphylactic shock or even die when exposed to just a trace of the nuts in their food. Sufferers have to carry an EpiPen, an autoinjector to administer adrenaline in an emergency. But the fear of accidental exposure can reduce their quality of life and severely limit the social activities of allergic individuals, their families and even their friends. | Tesco labels 'butternut squash, potatoes, fruit juice' with warning .
It has been accused of being over-cautious with the allergy policy .
Over 12,500 people have signed petition calling for it to change labelling .
Tesco said a need for a larger font has led to the warning being changed . |
203,890 | 93f6b4a5c21409df41a76995008bb09e1397848e | Trying to save the dog, the good Samaritan then needed to be saved himself . A good Samaritan had to be pulled from a freezing river after risking his own life to save a stranger's dog. The well-meaning 51-year-old man jumped into the icy water in Northumberland to try save a dog which was in trouble. But things soon took a turn for the worse when the good Samaritan himself began to drown - other park-goers ran to find buoys to throw to him. An unidentified good Samaritan jumped into freezing temperatures to save a stranger's dog from the icy waters of the River Wansbeck in Morpeth, Northumberland on the weekend . People then rushed to drag the man from the River Wansbeck in Morpeth, while others looked on anxiously. He then had to be helped to safety by passers-by, who threw buoys after the freezing conditions in the river took hold . Witnesses said it took around ten minutes for the man to be hoisted to . safety before the emergency services arrived to assess his condition. The man was taken to Wansbeck Hospital to be checked over while the dog emerged safe and sound. Police warned people not to go into icy water in any circumstances. Sergeant Niall Mackel, from Northumberland Area Command, said: ‘Although . this person was trying to help another member of the public by rescuing . their dog, this only serves to highlight the dangers of going into open . water. ‘Particularly with the recent freezing temperatures which can lead to even strong swimmers getting into difficulty. ‘We would always warn people against going into open water and to . contact emergency services so that they aren't endangering their own . lives in attempting a rescue. ‘Fortunately this didn't result in tragic consequences and I extend my . thanks to those people who assisted this gentleman prior to emergency . services arrival.’ John Phillips, from Morpeth, Northumberland, took pictures of the rescue while he was in the park with his son, Cameron, seven. The 38-year-old coach builder said: ‘I was down at the park in Morpeth . sledging with my son and I saw someone running with a buoy. ‘People were saying 'what is it, what is it?' and I looked along the . promenade and there was a man with two buoys wrapped around him with a . rope around them. ‘They were trying to pull him out of the water. ‘There was a woman shouting and everyone was wondering what was going on. ‘The ambulance, police and fire brigade came but the man was already out . by then. It was the public that got him out of the water.’ The man was taken to Wansbeck hospital while the dog emerged safe and sound . Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service said three fire engines and their . Swiftwater Rescue team were sent to the scene but the man was already . in the care of paramedics. Temperatures plummeted to well below freezing on Saturday night with heavy snow fall causing delays around the region's roads. | Trying to save the dog, the good Samaritan then needed to be saved himself .
During all the kerfuffle, the dog emerged from the water safe and sound .
Do you know the good Samaritan? Email us at: [email protected] . |
158,189 | 58891f7bb2067459bcda148c81d720e2e2ff1785 | Fort Meade, Maryland (CNN) -- Convicted leaker Army Pfc. Bradley Manning acknowledged Wednesday that by leaking tens of thousands of pages of classified documents he "hurt people and hurt the United States." "I understood what I was doing was wrong but I didn't appreciate the broader effects of my actions," he said during his sentencing hearing at Maryland's Fort Meade. "I only wanted to help people, not hurt people." The former Army intelligence analyst was convicted in July of stealing and disseminating 750,000 pages of documents and videos to WikiLeaks in what has been described as the largest leak of classified material in U.S. history. He was found guilty of 20 of the 22 charges against him, including violations of the U.S. Espionage Act. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange took the military court to task, saying it was out to humiliate Manning. "Mr. Manning's forced decision to apologise to the US government in the hope of shaving a decade or more off his sentence must be regarded with compassion and understanding," a statement from Assange, now holed up in the Ecuador's embassy in London, said. "Mr. Manning's apology is a statement extorted from him under the overbearing weight of the United States military justice system." How many years Manning spends behind bars is up to Col. Denise Lind, the judge in the case. She already found him not guilty of the most serious charge -- aiding the enemy -- and she later granted a defense motion that decreased the maximum penalty Manning faced from 136 years in prison to 90 years. Manning has claimed he leaked the material to expose wrongdoing and provoke discussion about U.S. military and diplomatic affairs. But in court on Wednesday, he told the judge that he now recognized he should have handled it a different way. "I should have worked more aggressively within the system," he said. Manning also said at the time he decided to leak the documents, he was "dealing with a lot of issues" -- a reference to his gender identity crisis that the defense has made a focal point in the case. But he told the judge it was not an excuse for what he did. While Manning said he recognized that he has to pay a price for what for he did, he told the judge that he hoped someday to get out of prison and lead a productive life. His statement followed testimony from a military psychologist, who said Manning appeared to be isolated and under intense pressure as a male soldier struggling with gender identity issues. "There would never be a time that he could be openly female," Capt. Michael Worsley testified. "And so seeking treatment for that, treatment was how to adjust to that, not treat the disorder, but how to be comfortable with that in the Army." Father: My son was 'grandstanding' With much of the testimony in Manning's sentencing hearing focusing on his gender identify issues, the Army on Wednesday released a full version of an e-mail he had sent to his sergeant titled "My Problem." While Manning does not specifically identify the problem he was referring to, the e-mail includes an image of him wearing a long blond wig and makeup. "It's not going away, its haunting me more and more as I get older," he wrote in the e-mail. "Now, the consequences of it are dire, at a time when it's causing me great pain in itself. As a result, I'm not sure what to do about it." Manning's sister, Casey Major, and his aunt, Debra Van Alstyne, asked for leniency in sentencing after providing the court with an intimate look at his upbringing, which they said was characterized by absentee, alcoholic parents. But the prosecution has offered a picture of a calculating Manning whose behavior was reckless, saying he put the lives of soldiers and civilians in danger. During the court-martial, prosecution witnesses testified Manning downloaded and leaked 400,000 Pentagon field reports from Iraq and 90,0000 similar documents from Afghanistan. There evidence also presented that he downloaded and leaked more than 250,000 State Department cables. The release of the classified material elevated what was once a virtually unknown WikiLeaks to a globally recognized name. Outside the courtroom, Manning's civilian attorney, David Coombs, said he hoped the judge would see that "Bradley is certainly a person who had his heart in the right place." Earlier in the case, Manning testified about his treatment by the Marines at Quantico Brig in Virginia. The judge ruled that the Marines' harsh treatment of Manning was out of line and granted him 112 days off his eventual sentence. Later, before the start of his court-martial, Manning read a detailed statement after entering guilty pleas on 10 lesser charges in hopes the prosecution would pursue fewer of the charges against him. It didn't work. CNN's Chris Lawrence and Larry Shaughnessy contributed to this report. | NEW: WikiLeaks founder calls Manning's apology "forced"
Bradley Manning says he understood what he was doing was wrong .
He tells the judge he was "dealing with a lot of issues"
Manning says he recognizes he has to pay a price for his actions . |
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