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48,622 | 893f0bf32eda1c69b4d7a7fd7e9a2706450bd6ca | (CNN) -- Rafa Benitez's turbulent reign as Chelsea manager took another battering on the day his supposed successor, Pep Guardiola, agreed a deal to become the new manager of Bayern Munich. Benitez, who was appointed as Chelsea interim manager in November following the dismissal of Roberto Di Matteo, was left stunned after his team squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 with lowly Southampton. European champion Chelsea is now 13 points adrift of Premier League leader Manchester United with 16 games remaining and has failed to win any of their past three games at Stamford Bridge. Guardiola agrees three-year deal with Bayern . A 1-0 defeat by bottom side Queens Park Rangers was followed by a 2-0 loss in the League Cup against Swansea City. Benitez has managed just one home win in six attempts in all competitions since taking over, while he has triumphed in six of the seven away fixtures. But few expected Chelsea to drop points against a Southampton team which they had demolished 5-1 in the FA Cup on January 5. Chelsea suffers home humiliation . New signing Demba Ba and Belgian midfielder Eden Hazard had given Chelsea a comfortable advantage at the break as the Blues dominated. But Southampton, which has lost just two of its previous 12 league games, refused to accept defeat and launched a stirring fightback. Substitute Rickie Lambert headed home his 10th goal of the season with 58 minutes gone before Jason Puncheon netted a dramatic equalizer with 15 minutes remaining. The result leaves Chelsea in third place, six points behind Manchester City and just two ahead of London rivals Tottenham. James Gibson: The man who saved Manchester United -- twice . Elsewhere, Manchester United booked its place in the fourth round of the FA Cup and a home tie against Fulham following a narrow 1-0 win over West Ham. Wayne Rooney, who missed a second half penalty, scored the only goal of the game after nine minutes. Arsenal will play second tier Brighton in the fourth round after edging out Swansea 1-0 courtesy of Jack Wilshere's spectacular strike. Messi leads Barcelona to new record . Meanwhile, Barcelona was held to a 2-2 draw in the first leg of its Copa del Rey quarterfinal by 10-man Malaga at Camp Nou. Malaga, which was soundly beaten 3-1 by Barca in La Liga last weekend, took a surprise lead through Manuel Iturra after 26 minutes. But Barca, which has not lost a domestic game this season, hit back through Lionel Messi and Carles Puyol to lead 2-1 at the interval. Nacho Monreal, a halftime substitute for Malaga, was then sent off with 15 minutes remaining to leave the visitor facing an uphill task. But with Barca seemingly coasting to victory, Ignacio Camacho popped up at the death to fire home and ensure the two teams will start level on January 24. In Italy, Mattio Destro's extra-time strike booked Roma's place in the semifinals of the Coppa Italia. Destro scored the only goal of the game as Roma recorded a 1-0 win at Fiorentina to set up a last-four clash with Inter Milan. Valentine's Day comes early for Epinal . In France, Rennes sealed its place in the final of the French League Cup following a 2-0 win over league champion Montpellier. Julien Feret and Mevlut Erding scored the goals to set up a final clash with Saint Etienne on April 20. | Chelsea only manages 2-2 draw at home to struggling Southampton .
Manchester United and Arsenal progress to fourth round of FA Cup with nervy victories .
Barcelona held to a 2-2 draw in Copa del Rey by Malaga .
Roma through to semifinal of Coppa Italia . |
261,732 | def9dbd86cec0460231c44d8e1958dbb4b4c1eb1 | By . Victoria Woollaston and Mail Foreign Service . PUBLISHED: . 04:29 EST, 17 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:15 EST, 17 July 2013 . It is 76million years since it last dragged its massive frame across the Earth. But to palaeontologists, this fearsome-looking dinosaur is a new kid on the block. The previously unknown species, Nasutuceratops titusi, was unearthed in America’s vast Utah desert and has been nicknamed the ‘devil dinosaur’ due to the long horns that curve forward over its eyes. Palaeontologists from Denver and Utah have discovered the 76 million-year-old fossils of a devil-like dinosaur called Nasutoceratops, pictured. This artist's impression shows what it would have looked like with curved horns above its eyes and a large nose . This skull reconstruction was based on the fossils of the Nasutoceratops titusi discovered in Utah. The dinosaur is thought to have been a cousin of the Triceratops and has similar features including the curved nose . It is thought these were used as a threat to establish dominance over other males – and possibly as weapons in combat. Believed to be the cousin of the . Triceratops, the reptile had an oversized snout and a bony frill at the . base of its head. Scientists estimate it was 15ft long and weighed . roughly 2.5 tons. Researchers from Denver and Utah . universities discovered the dinosaur’s skull and other fossil bones . while excavating in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument area . of southern Utah. The huge beast is believed to have lived in Laramidia, a landmass . formed when a shallow sea flooded the central region of North America, . splitting west and east for millions of years. Laramidia stretched from Mexico to Alaska during the Late . Cretaceous period. The long-horned dinosaur is thought to be a cousin of the Triceratops. The name Nasutoceratops is Latin for big nosed horned face. Palaeontologists believe the creature was about 15ft long and weighed 2.5 tonnes. It lived around 76 million years ago. A clay model was then made from the skull and artists’ impressions highlight the plant-eating creature’s unusual features. The huge beast is believed to have inhabited Laramidia, a landmass . formed when a shallow sea flooded the central region of North America, . splitting west and east for millions of years. The bony frill, rather than possessing elaborate ornamentations such as hooks or spikes, was relatively simple and unadorned. Nasutoceratops, Latin for big nosed horned face, was about 15ft long and weighed 2.5 tonnes. It lived around 76 million years ago in a region that stretched from Mexico to Alaska during the Late Cretaceous period. The badlands, so called because of the dry, unusable terrain, would have been swampy and subtropical. Horned . dinosaurs, or 'ceratopsids', were a group of large, four footed plant . eaters that were around with T Rex up until an asteroid strike wiped . them all out 65 million years ago. Researchers from Utah used the fossils to create a skull reconstruction out of clay. They believe the creature was about 15ft long and weighed 2.5 tonnes. It was a horned dinosaur, or 'ceratopsid', which were a group of large, four-footed plant eaters . Dr Scott Sampson, from the Denver Museum of Nature and Science who described the dinosaur in the Proceedings of the Royal Society B, said: 'The jumbo sized schnoz of Nasutoceratops likely had nothing to do with a heightened sense of smell since olfactory receptors occur further back in the head, adjacent to the brain, and the function of this bizarre feature remains uncertain.' Instead, the horns and frills on these . creatures are believed to have been for intimdating other males and . attracting members of the opposite sex - much like peacocks do with . their tails, and deers do with their antlers today. Dr . Mark Loewen, of the Natural History Museum of Utah, added: 'The amazing . horns of Nasutoceratops were most likely used as visual signals of . dominance and, when that was not enough, as weapons for combatting . rivals.' The fossils were discovered in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Utah by researchers from the University of Utah, pictured. The 15ft beast is believed to have inhabited Laramidia, a landmass formed when a shallow sea flooded the central region of North America, splitting west and east for millions of years . Based on the fossil findings, artist Lukas Panzarin created this drawing of the Nasutoceratops' skeleton. The dinosaur's horns are believed to have been used for intimidating other males as well as attracting members of the opposite sex . In Laramidia, which was about the area . of Australia, there may have been more than two dozen giant dinosaurs . on a landmass a quarter the size. These Nasutoceratops drawings are by artist Samantha Zimmerman. It shows the underside of the dinosaur's skull as well its head in profile . Dr . Loewen said: 'We are still working to figure out how so many different . kinds of giant animals managed to coexist on such a small landmass.' During the past twelve years more than a dozen new dinosaurs have been found in the desert known as Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM). As well as Nasutoceratops, the collection includes plant eaters such as duck billed hadrosaurs, armoured ankylosaurs, dome headed pachycephalosaurs and two other horned beasts Utahceratops and Kosmoceratops. There have also been carnivorous dinosaurs from small 'raptor-like' predators to a megasized tyrannosaur called Teratophoneus. This has added strong support for a relatively fresh hypothesis of 'dinosaur provincialism' - isolated communities of giant dinosaurs. Dr Andrew Farke, of the Raymond Alf Museum in Claremont, California, said: 'Nasutoceratops is one of a recent landslide of ceratopsid discoveries, which together have established these giant plant eaters as the most diverse dinosaur group on Laramidia.' Dr Eric Lund from the Natural History Museum of Utah continued: 'Nasutoceratops is a wondrous example of just how much more we have to learn about the world of dinosaurs. Many more exciting fossils await discovery in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.' | The Nasutoceratops titusi is thought to be a cousin of the Triceratops .
It had two large curved horns above its eyes and a long nose .
The dinosaur would have been 15ft long and weighed 2.5 tonnes .
Its name translates from Latin to 'big nosed horned face' |
187,523 | 7ed85a08eb99cd5aa59c6d7ab34a133d914eb8ad | By . Alex Miller . Mario Balotelli’s £16million transfer from AC Milan to Liverpool has caused plenty of excitement on the red half of Merseyside, and according to industry experts, the Reds have kopped a bargain by paying £14m less than the Italian striker is currently worth. Analysts at Swiss-based CIES Football Observatory have placed ‘market values’ on top players from around Europe based on a wide range of ‘objective’ factors from age and contract expiry date to position, performance data and international experience. The comparison between transfer fees paid by clubs to sign new players and their current market value allows us to assess the best and worst recruitments from a financial perspective. Great value: Experts say Liverpool's purchase of Mario Balotelli for £16m represents excellent value, given that the player's true worth is nearer £30m . Ready for action: Balotelli in training at Liverpool's Melwood training ground ahead of a possible debut at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday . Mario Balotelli (Milan to Liverpool) Paid: £16m Value: £30m (-£14m) Diego Costa (Atletico Madrid to Chelsea) Paid: £32m Value: £40m (-£8m) David Luiz (Chelsea to PSG) Paid: £50m Value: £24m (+£26m) They calculate that Balotelli was worth £30m, based on a market rates for what a buyer should have reasonably paid for him this summer. That is £14m LESS than Liverpool paid for him and explains why manager Brendan Rodgers called the deal ‘outstanding value’. The Balotelli deal represents the best value signing for a Premier League club so far this window from a financial perspective, with Liverpool paying just over half of his transfer value. Jose Mourinho and Chelsea have pulled off the best sale involving a Premier League club so far during this transfer window, by offloading Brazilian defender David Luiz to Paris SG for £50m - £26m more than his transfer valuation of £24m. Good business: Chelsea did very well to get £50m for David Luiz, who is actually worth £24m . Shrewd operator: Jose Mourinho sanctioned the sale of Luiz, which has pocketed Chelsea £26m . Luis Suarez (Liverpool to Barcelona) Paid: £75m Value: £85m (-£10m) Angel di Maria (Real Madrid to Manchester United) Paid: £60m Value: £25m (+£35m) Alexis Sanchez (Barcelona to Arsenal) Paid: £35m Value: £23m (+£12m) Without the attraction of Champions League this season Manchester United appear willing to overpay to ensure they continue to attract the best players. Angel di Maria represents the most over-valued player brought in by a Premier League club. United paid Real Madrid £60m for the versatile Argentinian World Cup star, but is ‘worth’ just £25m - suggesting the club have overpaid by a massive £35m. However the club’s deal for Luke Shaw was close to his market value. The fee of £27m paid to Southampton to secure his services, was just £2.5m over his valuation of £24.5m. Over the odds: The research suggests Man United have paid £35m more for Angel di Maria than his value . Price is right: The research suggests Man United have paid the going rate for Luke Shaw . While Liverpool may have pulled off a coup to bring in Balotelli, it seems the Anfield club sold Luis Suarez to Barcelona for £10m less than his worth. Despite bringing in £75m to the club’s coffers, Suarez’s value was actually £85m. Uncharacteristically, Arsene Wenger appears to have overspent to secure the services of Alexis Sanchez from Barcelona. The Chilean winger was brought to the Emirates for £35m, £12m more than his book value - although his winner against Beskitas this week secured Champions League football for the Gunners again this season and will have paid much of that amount back. Other major transfers involving Premier League clubs have seen players move for amounts close to CIES valuations. Everton snapped up Romelu Lukaku for a club-record £28m, £2m less than his value, while Cesc Fabregas joined Chelsea from Barcelona for £26.6m. He was valued at £28.5m. Follow Alex on Twitter @alexmiller73 . Overspent: Arsenal have spent £12m more on Alexis Sanchez than his desk value . | Mario Ballotelli's £16m transfer to Liverpool is the best transfer business of the summer - £14m less than his transfer value .
Chelsea's transfer of David Luiz is the best sale, a whopping £26m over his transfer value .
Man Utd overpaid by £35m to land di Maria .
Luis Suarez is valued at £85m, meaning Liverpool undersold by £10m . |
270,737 | eaa8cfd8d3b2c524d903f5ad58cf3bf343fa2acc | London (CNN) -- British media have named entertainer Freddie Starr as the second celebrity to be arrested in connection with an investigation into sex abuse claims involving late BBC TV host Jimmy Savile. Starr, a well-known comedian in the United Kingdom, was arrested on suspicion of sexual offenses Thursday, British media reports say. In media interviews last week, Starr denied the allegations against him, which were made in a TV report. Read more: British police make first arrest in Savile investigation . Police did not release the suspect's name, identifying him only as "Yewtree 2," but said he falls under the "Savile and others" strand of their investigation, dubbed Operation Yewtree. He is from Warwickshire and in his 60s, London's Metropolitan Police said. He was released on bail early Friday. A London man, who British media reported to be 1970s pop star Gary Glitter, was arrested Sunday, also on suspicion of sexual offenses. Read more: How celebrity child sex scandal has rocked the BBC . A TV documentary a month ago detailed allegations of sexual abuse against Savile, who died last year. Police investigating the scandal are dealing with about 300 apparent victims, Cmdr. Peter Spindler told reporters. Savile's targets were apparently mostly girls in their mid-teens in what Spindler said was "alleged abuse on an unprecedented scale." The British TV icon died in October 2011 at age 84. But authorities have said they are preparing an arrest strategy for others, still living, against whom allegations have been made in connection with the Savile case. Jimmy Savile: National treasure in life, reviled 'sex abuser' in death . Countless Britons who grew up watching Savile on TV's "Top of the Pops" and his children's program "Jim'll Fix It" have been left reeling by the slew of claims against him in the past month. The reputation of the British Broadcasting Corporation, his former employer, has also been tainted by the scandal amid questions about how his abuse went undetected, and its decision to drop a program investigating allegations against him last year. "Now the BBC risks squandering public trust because one of its stars over three decades was apparently a sexual criminal; because he used his programme and popularity as a cover for his wickedness; because he used BBC premises for some of his attacks," BBC Chairman Lord Patten wrote in an editorial published Sunday in the Daily Mail. Read more: Former BBC chief explains dropped Savile investigation . The BBC has said it is horrified by the revelations and has launched two independent inquiries. NatWest Bank confirmed this week that the distribution of Savile's estate, most of which he is reported to have left to a charitable trust, "has been put on hold." It has been suggested the money could be used to pay compensation to some of his alleged victims if they file legal claims. Last Saturday, Savile's family made its first public statement since the claims of sexual abuse of underage girls destroyed the reputation of a man they had regarded as a hero. Savile's nephew, Roger Foster, had defended his late uncle -- who hosted shows watched and heard by a generation of young Britons -- in a newspaper interview before the allegations first emerged in the TV documentary a month ago. Read more: Relatives of disgraced Savile voice their anguish . But as those few claims snowballed into hundreds, the family had to face up to the horrific truth: that the man they were so proud of as a media star and tireless charity fundraiser had a far darker side to his past. "I watched the program in horror and could not believe that these allegations were about our uncle. This wasn't the man we knew and loved," Foster said. "We began to have doubts as to our own feeling towards our uncle. How could the person we thought we knew and loved do such a thing? "Why would a man who raised so much money for charity, who gave so much of his own time and energy for others risk it all doing indecent criminal acts? How could anyone live their life doing the 'most good and most evil' at the same time?" CNN's Laura Smith-Spark and Per Nyberg contributed to this report. | British media name the second suspect arrested as comedian Freddie Starr .
The suspect is in his 60s and from Warwickshire, British police say; he's out on bail .
A TV documentary has detailed allegations of sex abuse against TV host Jimmy Savile .
Police say they are dealing with about 300 apparent victims . |
107,440 | 168cc8b9e90a70dd4db04cc93dfbe5c2121e9d24 | By . Alex Greig . PUBLISHED: . 01:05 EST, 28 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:17 EST, 28 December 2013 . A Massachusetts mother found herself without propane to heat her family's home on Christmas day and reached out to her local community for help. The overwhelming support Danielle Ryder of Brewster received after creating a charity page amazed the married mother of two young children. Ryder wrote on her Go Fund Me page that she and her husband both work long hours to support themselves and their two-year-old daughter and four-year-old son. Young family: Both Ryder and her husband work long hours but often find it difficult to make ends meet . Cold comfort: 61 people have donated $1,995 to Ryder and her family so they can afford to heat their home . She said that between Christmas expenses, rent, food, gas for her car and health insurance, her 'take-home pay is minimal.' Her husband runs a flooring and construction business, but during winter work can be sporadic. Car troubles before Christmas cleaned the family out, so when their AmeriGas propane tank emptied, they faced a very cold Christmas. Ryder explained that the family's propane woes began the year before, when they ran out of propane. The company delivered propane after two chilly weeks, but it came with extra fees.'The company finally delivered to us after charging a "transfer fee" among "emergency relief" and "restarting"... we did not have the money to afford it then. We got help from local organizations to cover the down payment. We were to be put on budget billing. We never received a bill. When AmeriGas finally called us about our account, our account was in collection,' she wrote. Sleepless: Ryder wrote that she has been unable to sleep or even smile for worry about how to keep her children warm without using dangerous space heaters . Now that the tank is once again empty, the company refused to refill the family's propane until their original bill was paid, in addition to the cost of the new one: a total of $2300. 'I have $40 in the bank. I have a $20 bill in my pocket to dump into my gas tank to get to work tomorrow night..to make $60.00 to buy food for my children to eat. I go countless nights without eating, sleeping, or smiling,' wrote Ryder. Desperate times: Danielle Ryder reached out for help and was overwhelmed by the generosity of her community . Just two days after her heartfelt plea, Ryder is more than halfway to her goal of $2300, having raised $1,990 from 61 separate donations.She also got in touch with the powers that be at AmeriGas to express her dissatisfaction with the service she received from her local office. 'Last year we were told we would be put on budget billing but that the local office had no faith in us.. this was told to a local company helping us pay after two weeks of no heat or hot water with a 1 year old and a 3 year old. We then never received a payment plan contract, bill, no contacts were made. This same woman is now demanding all our past due amount plus this entire new delivery UPFRONT cost,' she said. Earlier Friday Ryder posted an ecstatic update: 'I'M GETTING FUEL TODAY!!!' she wrote.Ryder . had managed to speak to the corporate CEO of AmeriGas and demanded . emergency assistance. In exchange, she will pay the initial $860.58 due . from last year and be put on a payment plan for the remaining $1304.38. 'To the woman in the local office... I will no longer be dealing with you. Your boss is clearly upset with your service and floored by our community action to support my family. You were officially reported to your corporate CEO and a complaint filed against you,' she wrote.'I can't begin to thank each and everyone of you who shared, reached out and helped me. In less than 24 hours, with lots of support and donations, I have heat and hot water back. YOU ARE ALL AMAZING. I don't even know where to begin to pay it forward.' | Danielle Ryder and her family found themselves without propane to heat their home on Christmas day .
Their provider, Amerigas, demanded immediate payment of an outstanding bill and upfront payment of the new gas tank .
The Ryders could not afford the $2,300 .
Ryder, a teacher and photographer, began a GoFundMe page to ask her community for help .
She is more than 70 per cent of the way toward her goal .
The mother of two is overwhelmed by the generosity . |
282,238 | f99269980ac1ac263345ae92d6ad2151ff51dbb2 | Anne Mcintosh has been deselected from her safe seat . A senior Tory woman MP became the . first to be axed by the party for almost a decade last night after a . bitter deselection battle. Anne . McIntosh, a former shadow minister who now chairs an influential . Commons committee, was dumped after a secret ballot of members of her . local party. She is the fifth of the 49 Conservative women MPs who will not be standing for the party in 2015. In . an indication of the turmoil that has engulfed the Conservatives in . Thirsk and Malton, Miss McIntosh – who has been an MP since 1997 and . chairs the environment, food and rural affairs committee – claimed she . had been ousted by a ‘small cabal’. One . fellow Tory said Miss McIntosh, who used her Twitter account to issue . Biblical quotes apparently aimed at her detractors, was ‘a few peas . short of a casserole’. Another Conservative source said: ‘Anne has not helped herself. She is a menace.’ Earlier this week it was alleged that local Tory party officials conducted a dirty tricks campaign to oust Miss McIntosh. A . significant number of new members were co-opted on to the association’s . executive committee before a crucial vote last January to decide on the . MP’s future, it has been claimed. The . alleged irregularity has been called the Tory party’s ‘Falkirk moment’ – . a comparison to allegations of vote rigging over the selection of a . candidate in the Scottish constituency. Among . the names touted as potential replacements is Edward Legard, a . barrister and local councillor – and an old Etonian school friend of . David Cameron. Pollster Andrew Cooper, a Tory Party adviser and a . leading moderniser, expressed despair at the loss of another woman, . writing on Twitter: ‘Five down, 44 to go.’ Labour . frontbencher Jon Ashworth said it was a further blow to the Tories . following the departure of Louise Mensch and the announcement that Laura . Sandys, Lorraine Fullbrook and Jessica Lee will stand down in 2015. ‘What . on earth is the Conservative Party’s problem with women? With Anne . McIntosh deselected, the Tories look set to lose their only female MP in . the whole of Yorkshire and the Humber,’ he said. ‘David . Cameron has done nothing to stand up for one of his most senior women . MPs. His silence speaks volumes at a time when many people are asking . why the Conservative Party is so out of touch.’ Last night’s vote is highly unusual. Only four other MPs have been sacked by membership ballot in 25 years. Anxious wait: Miss McIntosh, pictured with fellow MP David Davies, has faced a deselection vote with the result announced on Friday . Miss . McIntosh, immediately announced that she intends to stand as an . independent in the seat which she held at the last election with an . 11,281 majority – a move that could split the Conservative vote in one . of its few safe northern strongholds. ‘I . do not intend to be thrown aside by a small cabal. It is for my . constituents as a whole to dismiss me if they wish to do so,’ the MP . said. ‘It is my intention to stand for Thirsk, Malton and Filey constituency at the next general election. ‘Meanwhile, . I remain committed to the Conservative Party locally and nationally and . shall continue with my constituency and parliamentary duties with my . customary passion.’ Peter . Steveny, a retired Army major and former Jockey Club stewards’ secretary, who chairs the local Conservative association is among those . said to have fallen out with Miss McIntosh. The . constituency will now re-open its selection process, and Miss McIntosh . will be free to reapply for the Conservative nomination. A . Conservative spokesman said turnout in the secret ballot had been high, . with 88 per cent of members taking part and Miss McIntosh being . defeated by a ‘significant’ majority. Tim . Yeo, the chairman of the energy and climate change committee, is also . facing a deselection battle with his local party and will learn his fate . early next week. | MP Anne McIntosh has been lock in a battle with her local constituency . |
81,924 | e82b51a8fafb6587ff6f0476df05d804f8dc8562 | Police are investigating whether a fatal car crash, which left three family members dead and a young child fighting for his life, was deliberately caused by the father driving the vehicle. The Milne family were travelling north along Enterprise Drive in Berkeley Vale on the NSW Central Coast on Sunday when their car left the road. The vehicle ploughed into a tree whilst travelling somewhere between 90 and 100 km/h. Sydney residents Darren Milne, 42, his wife Susana, 39, and their eldest son Liam, 11, were all killed in the crash, whilst their 7-year-old son was airlifted to Westmead Children's Hospital in a critical condition. Seven News report that Ms Milne was pregnant with the couple's third son. Scroll down for video . Police are investigating if Darren Milne (left) deliberately caused the crash which left his pregnant wife Susana (right) and his 11-year-old son Liam dead and his 7-year-old son fighting for his life . Susana Milne’s two boys on a day out at Taronga Zoo. The eldest, 11, died in a crash on Sunday along with his parents while the youngest, 7, is fighting for his life . Susana Milne spends a day at the beach playing with her two sons . Darren and Susana Milne were driving with their two sons in a silver Toyota station wagon heading north on Enterprise Drive at Berkeley Vale on the NSW Central Coast on Sunday afternoon when the car veered off the road and hit a tree . Police searched the family's Ryde home and removed documents and a computer . The seven-year-old crash survivor has undergone surgery for extensive head and internal injuries and whilst he is still critical, his condition has stabilised. Police allegedly 'have evidence that the father Darren deliberately drove off the road and into a tree', according to Seven News. An investigation is underway with evidence being collected for the coroner to determine whether the crash was an intentional murder-suicide or a tragic accident. Nine News also allege that strongest line of inquiry is whether Mr Milne intentionally failed to brake. Investigators searched the family's Ryde home and seized a computer and documents. Police allegedly found evidence that Mr Milne had been researching the Berkely Vale road where the accident occurred in the days leading up to their deaths, according to Seven News. Immediately after the accident, Tuggerah Lakes duty officer Inspector Colin Lott said, 'There are many scenarios that could be run by here — it could be inattention, it might be tiredness, so it's far too early to speculate at this stage,' he said. 'It was not a savage turn and the car was only a few metres off the road,' Inspector Lott said. 'Most likely the driver turned to speak to the children.' Susana Milne and her two sons relax during a family day out . Three family members have died and a young boy is fighting for his life after a tragic single-vehicle crash . The family of four were travelling north along Enterprise Drive in Berkeley Vale on the NSW Central Coast . The 42-year-old male driver and his wife aged in her late 30s, along with their 6-year-old son died at the scene . 'We would be neglectful if we didn't search the house or look for a suicide note,' Inspector Lott told AAP. 'We have to tick all the boxes. Part of the investigation is to eliminate all possibilities.' It is understood police did not find a suicide note but were seen removing other material from the house. Police had trouble locating the Milnes' next of kin, including Ms Milne's family who are in Mexico. Mr Milne was a senior engineer with Ausgrid, wife a fulltime carer for their children who had special needs, both struggling with Fragile X syndrome. NSW police Insp. Colin Lotte told reporters on Sunday: 'It's always a difficult scene for any fatality but to see potentially a whole family lost makes it even more distressing.' Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467. Police are investigating a number of possible causes and a report will be prepared for the Coroner . | Three family members died at the scene after a tragic single-vehicle crash .
Couple Darren & Susana Milne and their son Liam Milne, 11, were all killed .
The Milne's seven-year-old son is fighting for his life in hospital .
Ms Milne was reportedly pregnant with the couple's third son .
Police searched Milne's Ryde home and seized documents and a computer .
Family of four were travelling along Enterprise Drive in Central Coast NSW .
The oldest child has been airlifted to hospital in a critical condition . |
191,585 | 8418ddff4d6d89af2202d0bf014bf47bd49cf71b | An overweight mother of two shed five stone after being inspired to get healthy when her young son was left fighting for his life after contracting a dangerous bout of bronchiolitis. Librarian Anna Lloyd, 35, from Crewe, Cheshire, had weighed 16st 4lb after giving birth to Isaac in December 2011 thanks to her love of Indian takeaways and ready meals. But it wasn't until little Isaac's life hung in the balance at just 11 days old that Anna was inspired to make some changes to her lifestyle and get fit. Anna Lloyd vowed to lose weight after her little boy Isaac contracted bronchiolitis at just 11 days old - she wanted to be healthy for her family and now weighs 11st 4lb . Poor little Isaac, pictured in ICU in January 2012 was left with his life hanging in the balance after contracting the respiratory tract infection at just 11 days old . As Isaac, now three years old, battled against his illness, tied up to a respiratory machine, Anna made a 'bargain' at his hospital bedside that they should both get healthy. When Isaac recovered and was allowed out of hospital, she kept her promise by joining her local Slimming World group and started exercising and her weight dropped to a much healthier 11st 4lb. Anna said: 'At one stage it was touch and go for Isaac. It was like his lungs had given up and he was being constantly monitored. Anna has now lost weight and is happy with her family. She is pictured here with her husband Tim and their two children Isaac and Isabel . Anna cradled a new born Isaac when he was just three days old, shortly before he was taken back into hospital with an infection . 'I sat by his bedside and it dawned on me that he might not survive. It was the worst moment of my life. 'That's when I made a bargain with him. I said: "If you get healthy for me, I promise I'll get healthy for you."' She continued: 'Now looking at Isaac, you'd never guess what he went through when he was only days old. 'He's my inspiration and I'm going to make sure I stay fit and healthy so I can be the mum he deserves.' Anna said she always the 'fat girl' when she was growing up and was teased right through school: 'My parents tried to get me to eat healthily but you have to want it for yourself and I always loved sweets and chocolates. On her wedding day in 2007 Anna was a size 20, she said her husband, Tim, was one of the first people to accept her for her size . 'When I met my husband Tim I was a size 18 and 14st which made me very shy and self-conscious. I didn't think anyone would love me just for me but Tim saw passed my size and we got married in September 2007 with me in a size 20 dress.' In 2008 Anna fell pregnant and found that her weight spiralled out of control, as she felt like she had a 'green light' to eat whatever she wanted. With a BMI of 40, Anna was warned that hers was a 'high risk' pregnancy and she was closely monitored throughout. But everything went smoothly and her daughter Isabel was born in November 2008 weighing 8lb 4oz. At her largest Anna was gorging on take-aways and unhealthy ready meals. She has since joined Slimming World and dropped five stone . But Anna struggled to lose the weight she'd gained during the pregnancy and even stayed in her maternity clothes as Isabel grew into a toddler. By the time Anna fell pregnant with her second baby, in March 2011, she weighed 16st 4lb at just 5ft 4in tall. 'My doctor suggested I join a slimming group for overweight mums, which was mortifying, but I found it really helpful and it stopped me gaining more weight during my pregnancy,' said Anna. 'Isaac was born weighing 8lb 9oz but just a week after we brought him home he developed a nasty cough and it got so bad we had to rush him back into hospital. 'By the time we got him there, he was struggling to breathe and started to turn blue. Everything happened really quickly. A doctor said he had bronchiolitis and had oxygen piped into a headbox to help him breathe.' Anna is now a size 12 and she says she wanted to be healthy for her children . Lttle Isaac was hooked up to a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine which encouraged his lungs to work and was transferred by ambulance to Alder Hey Children's hospital in Liverpool where he was ventilated and won his battle for life. With Isaac on the road to recovery, Anna joined her local Slimming World group, cut out fatty takeaways and started to make her own healthy meals, incorporating lots of fresh vegetables and lean met. Along with her new healthy diet, Anna started walking regularly and even took part in a 5k Race for Life. After a year she started boot-camp classes and her fitness improved by leaps and bounds. Isaac is now happy and healthy and although he still has some problems with his breathing Anna has revealed that it hasn't stopped him living a good life . After three years of healthy eating and exercise, Anna has dropped an impressive 5st, now weighing 11st 4lb, with another stone to lose to reach her target weight of 10st 4lb. She now helps other people who are eager to lose weight as she leads two Slimming World classes each week. 'Losing weight has improved every aspect of my life,' she added. 'I can spend quality time with my family doing things I wouldn't have dreamed of before, like going for long walks and swimming. Now I'm a size 12, I can shop wherever I want, not just in plus size stores, which is fantastic.' As for Isaac, he's grown into a happy, confident and active toddler. He still has a weakness in his lungs and uses his inhaler three times a day but that doesn't stop him from jumping and climbing, she says. | Anna Lloyd from Crewe promised her son Isaac she would get healthy .
She joined Slimming World after the youngster's battle with bronchiolitis .
Anna lost an impressive five stone after ditching her diet of takeaways . |
60,743 | aca084144ded0c0b3e15162cc9be9f41cb566274 | (CNN) -- Chelsea's onfield successes this year have led to the European soccer champions' first financial profit during the nine-year reign of owner Roman Abramovich. The Russian billionaire has bankrolled the English Premier League club since buying it for a nominal fee in 2003, posting big losses every year since then as he has sanctioned spending sprees to sign some of the sport's biggest players. Last year ended in a loss of £67.7 million ($108 million) but the figures up to June 30, 2012 reveal a profit of £1.4 million ($2.2 million). Chelsea also announced on Friday that it had made a record turnover of £255.7 million ($407 million) -- which it said is the fifth largest of any European club. That was a boost of £33 million ($52 million) from last year, driven by the club's first UEFA Champions League title and a profit on player sales of £28.8 million ($46 million). The latter figure came despite offloading players such as Didier Droga, Nicolas Anelka and Salomon Kalou on free transfers while spending big on Juan Mata and Romelu Lukaku in that period. In comparison, Premier League rival Arsenal -- which has a more prudent transfer policy -- made a profit of £30.6 million ($48 million) on turnover of £243 million ($386 million) in figures released in September. Another key element in Chelsea's finances is that £166.6 million ($265 million) of intergroup debt was capitalized into equity -- effectively personal loans to the club written off by Abramovich -- to leave the club debt free. Chelsea is one of the clubs under the financial spotlight following the implementation of UEFA's new financial fairplay rules, which require teams to be self sufficient and limit the amount that benefactors such as Abramovich can spend with no expectation of return. If they don't meet these targets, which are being phased in over a number of years, then clubs face expulsion from top European competitions. "The big challenge is always to have a successful team on the field that wins trophies and to make a profit at the same time," said Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay. "The objectives have been set across the whole business, from the Academy to Under-21s and all the way through to the first team. "Our club philosophy is built on success. We had that success on the field this year, as we were the first London team to win the UEFA Champions League, and we enjoyed it off the field as well and this helps us inject financial investment into the team." Chelsea has also sought to boost its income streams, signing a three-year global energy deal with Russian corporation Gazprom in July while also taking full control of its digital media operations. "We're in favor of Financial Fair Play," manager Roberto di Matteo told reporters on Friday ahead of this weekend's home clash with Liverpool. "We're doing everything in our power to comply with the new rules, and this is great news for the club. "For the first time, we've been able to achieve a profit -- also thanks to the success on field, but off field as well, with new sponsor deals and also the transfer market. "Going forward, I think that puts Chelsea in a strong position to remain competitive at domestic level but also international level." It has been a mixed season so far for Chelsea, with impressive onfield performances marred by racism controversies. Captain John Terry has just completed a four-match ban for abusing a black opponent a year ago, while the club has lodged a complaint against EPL referee Mark Clattenburg over alleged racist remarks made to Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel. A Chelsea fan has also been arrested for making an alleged monkey gesture towards a Manchester United player during last week's English League Cup match at Stamford Bridge. | Chelsea announces profit of $2.2 million for the period ending June 30, 2012 .
It is the first time the English club has been in black since Roman Abramovich took over .
Russian has bankrolled Chelsea in recent years but new rules threaten to curb this .
Club says it now has the fifth largest turnover of any team in Europe . |
40,272 | 71a837fc78fb8b965e2381ae3216f709882e7506 | Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- The children of a Los Angeles woman found dead at a Mexican resort last month will not be allowed to attend a memorial service for their mother Sunday, a judge ruled Friday. A therapist hired by their father, a former "Survivor" producer named a "person of interest" in the investigation of his wife's death, said the service could be emotionally harmful to the young children. Mexican authorities detained the father, Bruce Beresford-Redman, as a suspect the day his wife's body's was found. He was released a day later. Sunday's memorial service is planned by Monica Beresford-Redman's sisters, who are also fighting for custody of the children. "We respect the decision of the court, but we are very disappointed the fact that the children were denied to participate in the celebration of their mother's life," Jeane Burgos said. Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff delayed any decision on changing the current custody arrangement. Beresford-Redman's parents were given temporary custody last month after he was told by Mexican police to remain in the country while they investigated. He recently returned to Los Angeles and filed papers for custody to be returned to him. The maternal sisters have also petitioned for permanent custody of the children, ages 3 and 5. Beresford-Redman was not in court Friday because of the swarm of reporters at the Los Angeles County courthouse, his criminal defense lawyer said. Defense Attorney Richard Hirsch used the gathering of journalists to ask that there not be "a rush to judgment" about Beresford-Redman. He said there have been other unsolved deaths and an attack at the Moon Palace resort, where Monica Beresford-Redman's body was found in a sewer. Hirsch cited the death of an elderly Scottish woman, who was found in a swamp weeks after leaving a pool for a walk, and a Canadian man who allegedly fell from a hotel balcony. Jeff Toews, a Canadian, was found dead in May 2007. Investigators decided he died from a drunken fall from a balcony, but his family did not accept that explanation. Julia Howard, a 77-year-old woman from Scotland, was found dead in a dense swamp six weeks after disappearing from a pool area last summer. Her family also rejected the police conclusion that her death was an accident. A woman reported an attempted rape in her hotel room "several days after Mrs. Beresford-Redman's body was discovered," Hirsch said. "We have brought this to the attention of the authorities and, in particular, to the attorney general in Cancun and asked them to pursue all leads before making a decision whether of not to charge our client," Hirsch said. "We feel that this case should not be a rush to judgment." "There are strange things going on, I think, that need to be pursued," he said. A spokeswoman for the resort has not responded to a CNN request for comment. The initial investigation suggested Monica Beresford-Redman "died of strangulation because of the bruising," Mexican regional police spokesman Adrian Cardena said. A source close to the wife has told CNN that she cleaned out the family bank account and took her two children to Hawaii because she was upset about her husband's extramarital affair. The couple later traveled to Cancun in an effort to repair their marriage, the source said. Bruce Beresford-Redman built his career as a Hollywood reality television show producer. He worked for several seasons on the popular CBS show "Survivor," in which contestants compete against each other in a variety of extreme outdoor scenarios. He was nominated for three Emmy Awards as a producer on the show and was last credited as a producer in 2004. He also worked on NBC's "The Contender" and "The Restaurant," as well as MTV's "Pimp My Ride," according to entertainment media company IMG. Monica Beresford-Redman, a native of Brazil, owned a restaurant in Los Angeles. | Mother was found dead at a Mexican resort last month .
Father named "person of interest" in investigation of his wife's death .
Therapist said emotional service could harm young children .
Father's lawyer says resort had other unsolved deaths . |
71,102 | c999df74248832224b6fa7e816b677461c755a13 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 00:02 EST, 29 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 00:02 EST, 29 July 2013 . Initiation: 19-year-old Esteban Sotelo was arrested Thursday after shooting a man in a gang initiation, while the victim shielded his toddler daughter from the barrage of bullets . A man was shot six times while shielding his toddler daughter in a gang-related shooting Thursday evening in Chicago. The shooting happened in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago when 19-year-old Esteban 'Sniper' Sotelo and a 14-year-old shot the man as part of a gang initiation. The 29-year-old victim had just left his mother's house with his wife and 20-month-old daughter. He was in the middle of putting the toddler in her car seat when Sotelo and the minor approached him. 'What's up?' Sotelo asked before opening fire, shooting the man six times while he shielded his daughter from the barrage. The gang members fled but were apprehended shortly after by Chicago Police officers. They found the weapon used in the shooting in a bag of mulch. Sotelo admitted in Cook County Bond Court Sunday that the shooting was an initiation for the 14-year-old into the Latin Kings gang. They believed the victim to be a member of rival gang Satan's Disciples. Multiple witnesses have identified Sotelo as the gunman. Sotelo is currently on probation for a felony cocaine-related conviction. His prior history includes delinquencies as a minor for robbery and aggravated battery. The victim is being treated at Mt. Sinai hospital for wounds on his legs, back and neck, according to Assistant State's Attorney Heather Kent. Kent also said that a round was lodged in the victim's nasal cavity below his eye . Sotelo was denied bail Sunday. | Esteban Sotelo, 19, and a 14-year-old shot a man six times, believing he rival gang member .
The victim was in the middle of putting his toddler daughter into a car seat when the gangsters opened fire .
Sotelo was denied bail Sunday after admitting to the crime .
The victim is being treated for gunshot wounds in the legs, neck and back at Mt. Sinai hospital . |
164,889 | 61353480b060e8d0d85033330c7989d725b35563 | With her long blonde hair, blue eyes and pale complexion, Alexandra Jenkins was constantly compared to Queen Elsa by customers while working as a John Lewis shop assistant. The 20-year-old would even be pestered by young Frozen fans who kept mistaking her for the fictional Disney character on a daily basis. Now Alexandra, who was forced to wear a disguise to look less like the cartoon queen, has decided to embrace her features - and has launched a career as a lookalike. Scroll down for video . Alexandra Jenkins was pestered by children who constantly mistook her for Disney's Queen Elsa . Alexandra, from Portbury, Bristol, now leads a double life, appearing at children's parties and corporate events during the evening and at weekends. She said her new venture became an obvious option after an increasing number of people began comparing her to the Disney princess. And she has even started singing lessons to perform Let It Go. 'It all kind of took off in January last year really. I was told by a lot of people I looked similar to Elsa and then it just kind of escalated from there,' she said. 'By the start of December I was getting told I looked like Elsa all the time; I get parents come up to me all the time telling me I look like Elsa, as well as the kids.' Alexandra says she can't go a day without someone pointing out her likeness to the Frozen character, right . As well as continuing her job at John Lewis Alexandra can now be hired to appear at children's parties . Alexandra says that she was 'recognised' so often by customers at John Lewis that she took to wearing thick spectacles in order to disguise herself. 'At work the only thing which is able to disguise me is the fact I have glasses, or sometimes wearing my hear down works,' she said. 'If I don't wear my glasses, or even when I do sometimes, the likelihood is I get a lot of people coming up to me telling me I look like Elsa. 'Over the summer lots of kids come in to get their back to school stuff and they tell me I look like Elsa, or their parents start pointing me out.' Alexandra will often do a shift in the department store and then go straight on to make an appearance as Elsa . Due to her icy blonde hair and pale complexion it takes Alexandra under an hour to make a full transformation . Alexandra has worked in the children's clothes section in John Lewis at Cribbs Causeway, Bristol, for almost three years but has found it easy to incorporate her new career into her life. Her blonde plait and poignant face-shape mean it only takes her half an hour to transform herself into the famous Princess after work or at weekends. 'My hair is real so I don't have to wear a wig which makes it a lot more believable for the kids. 'It takes me no longer than half an hour to transformed into Elsa, I just put on my dress, put my hair in plait and then put some purple eye shadow and the rest of my make-up on. Alexandra is so convincing as the Disney princess she was even offered the role of Elsa at Disneyland Paris . 'The make up takes the longest amount of time but it really isn't a big job.' Alexandra says that, thus far, her business has been a huge success and she has been thrilled with the response. 'I've had a great reaction. People are always asking me if I do events or parties. It helps that I genuinely look like her. People stop me in the street quite a lot.' Single Alexandra's likeness to Elsa has even been noticed by Disney who offered her the role of the character at Disneyland Paris. Alexandra decided to turn it down but is now booked for around four appearances a week. She has even taken up singing lessons to perfect the voice of the popular film character making her likeness even more authentic. 'I'm having singing lessons at the moment so that I can perfect Let it Go,' she said. Alexandra has even started singing lessons so she can belt out Let It Go . Alexandra, who can be booked for children's parties, says she's surprised how much it's taken off . 'With the role you get quite a lot of kids asking you to sing it, I don't want to let myself down. It also really helps you to get into character, blasting it out.' Despite her triumphs, Alexandra says that her new job can be quite testing and she does occasionally resent her uncanny appearance with the Frozen star. 'It can be frustrating sometimes. However much I look like her obviously I am still Alexandra as well and sometime people forget that.' Despite this she adds that she is flattered to be compared to Elsa and is very grateful for the attention. 'However it's lovely to be compared to such a popular character. People can obviously see the similarities as it draws attention to me all the time. 'I'm so surprised by how much it has taken off. There are so many other lookalikes around so I was amazed at how many people started booking me.' Visit Alexandra's Facebook page: www.facebook.com/queenelsauk . | Alexandra Jenkins is constantly mistaken by children for the Frozen's Elsa .
It was such a problem she even started wearing glasses to disguise herself .
Launched lookalike career and offered Queen Elsa role at Disneyland Paris . |
248,429 | cd6eb6bd09fb81afa0b94bca538ceb41dc40372a | By . Mia De Graaf . Authorities in China are dealing with what is believed to be the country's youngest alcoholic - a boy aged just two years old. Cheng Cheng first tried wine at 10 months, and downed his first bottle of beer before the age of one. Now, the toddler in eastern China's Anhui province screams for alcohol as his parents struggle to move him onto milk and soft drinks. Outrage: Two-year-old Cheng Cheng screams for bottles of wine and refuses milk or soft drinks . His habit has sparked outrage in local media, with doctors urging his parents to take immediate action to prevent life-threatening damage to . his organs. Social services are this week debating whether to place him in care. But incredibly, his parents and relatives have joked about Cheng Cheng's taste for alcohol. It started when he was a baby and his father gave him a drop of wine to stop him crying, reports claim. Habit: Doctors and social services are meeting to discuss the child's future as his parents insist they cannot do anything to ween him off alcohol . Not yet in school, the little boy can now allegedly drink up a whole bottle of beer without any noticeable effects. His aunt Cai Teng said: 'At that time, all of us in the family have already thought that this child can really drink a lot when he grows up.' Whenever his family takes out bottles of alcohol, he demands to drink some, she explained. His mother, fearing that she and her husband could face legal consequences over their questionable parenting, has reportedly tried to get him to swap booze for milk, juice or other drinks. But she said: 'His eyes are always on the alcohol bottles. We can only try their best to store the bottles in a place which in not seen by him.' Cai said that during big festivals Cheng Cheng would cry for alcohol when he saw relatives and friends drinking. She said: 'As sometimes he is really noisy, we have no options but let him to try a little bit of wine.' A few days ago, Cheng Cheng's father shared a bottle of beer with Cheng Cheng who downed it in minutes. Cai said that Cheng Cheng's ability to handle alcohol has made the family both surprised and worried. 'We will not let him drink or touch alcohol anymore as we afraid that it will affect his growth,' she added. Pediatricians in mainland China said that the body and organs in children at this age are not well-developed. A little bit of alcohol can easily harm their health. | Cheng Cheng, known as 'Little Winebibber', shuns milk for alcohol .
First tasted wine on father's chopsticks aged just 10 months .
Now screams for bottles of alcohol, drinks pints faster than his parents . |
239,812 | c274ac0bb2c62f159cbab0508caba52b5acd8495 | This in the cruel Taiwanese college student who stuffed her cat into a jar as a 'punishment for misbehaving'. Kiki Lin has now been charged with animal abuse after she posted a picture on to Facebook of her pet, also called Kiki, inside the glass container. The cat is seen with its face pushed against the sides of the jar and is clearly upset by the experience. Scroll down for video . Kiki Lin (pictured) posted the image of her cat, Kiki, saying the ordeal was a 'punishment for misbehaving' [caption . And seeing the shocking image prompted Facebook users to criticise the English major's actions. Many called Miss Lin an animal abuser, but she took to her account to say that the posters had 'too much time on their hands'. Following the backlash the student, who attends Taichung's Providence University, told The China Post that she has put her pet in the jar to experiment with different ways of transporting it. She claimed that she had only tried it once, but it didn't work because the trapped feline would not fit into a bag. Commenters on the photograph accused Miss Lin of being an animal abusers on Facebook . But she took to her Facebook account to say that the posters had 'too much time on their hands' She told The China Post that she has put her pet in the jar to experiment with different ways of transporting it . But when asked by the paper what she would say to those who had criticised her on Facebook she remained defiant. She said: ' I only have three words for them, ha ha ha.' However, it looks as though animal lovers will have the last laugh. After conducting an investigation, the Taichung City Animal Protection and Health Inspection Office charged Miss Lin with animal protection law violations. If found guilty she could face an expensive fine, and up to one year in prison. | Taiwanese student uploaded image of pet cat Kiki to Facebook .
Said that she was experimenting with ways to transport fluffy cat .
Has been charged and could go to prison for abusing her pet . |
171,641 | 6a2724cb465b63b415f4322347095182975a9f49 | By . Lydia Warren . PUBLISHED: . 10:40 EST, 3 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:06 EST, 3 May 2013 . A man bit a dog to stop it attacking his wife after the animal tore off her nose in a vicious attack. Laine Henry came to the defense of his wife Caren after the 50-pound Labrador retriever mix launched at her as they enjoyed a stroll with their pet beagle in Madrid, Iowa on Sunday. The black-and-white animal, which had bounded out from a nearby yard, sunk its teeth into the woman's right thigh, before biting her stomach and going for her face. She recalled how it scratched at her eyes and broke her sunglasses - which she believes saves her sight - before clamping down on her nose and ripping it from her face. Scroll down for video . Protective: Laine Henry, right, bit a dog's nose to make it stop attacking his wife Caren on Sunday . The dog then turned its attack on the couple's pet, biting the animal's side. Mr Henry lunged for the dogs and tried to pry the Labrador retriever's jaws open so that it would drop the beagle, and the dog bit Mr Henry's arm. Again, it would not let go. In a bizarre move, Mr Henry then bit down on the dog's nose - forcing the animal to release its jaws, the couple told the Des Moines Register. The Henrys jumped in their truck and drove to Mercy Medical Center in Des Moines. Mr Henry suffered a dog bite to his arm, which became infected, and received treatment. Quick thinking: After the out-of-control dog tore off Mrs Henry's nose, it started attacking the couple's own dog and Mr Henry had to bite the animal on its nose so that it would stop . Recovering: Caren Henry has undergone one surgery but will need many more to rebuild her nose . But there's a longer road ahead for his wife, who has already undergone one surgery. Doctors will use skin from her forehead and elsewhere and cartilage from her ear to rebuild her nose. 'We took pictures at the hospital, and . it was the most grotesque things I've ever seen,' the family's attorney Ryan Beattie told the Register. 'There's . just a hole where a nose should be.' But speaking from her hospital bed, Mrs Henry managed to stay upbeat. 'It could have been so much worse,' she said. 'If I hadn't been wearing my sunglasses, I'm sure I would be missing an eye. If it had gotten hold of my throat, I'd be dead.' Attacked: The couple had been walking with their beagle, pictured, when the other dog attacked . Visitor: Their pet, who was not badly injured in the attack, visited his owners in hospital, pictured . The Henrys' dog recovered from the attack and has even visited his owners in hospital. But the other dog is under quarantine as authorities try to determine who is responsible for it. The county does not have a vicious dog ordinance that would seek charges for the dog's owner and potentially lead to the animal being put down, the Register reported. The animal will be under quarantine for six weeks and then released to its owner. It is currently staying at the home from where it was seen running. Unprovoked attack: The Labrador retriever mix is now in quarantine but will not be put down (file picture) The man looking after the animal, Marcus Johnson, said it belongs to a local homeless man, Thomas Goodson, but said he occasionally takes the dog in to feed him. He claimed that the dog does not stay with him on a regular basis, which neighbors disputed. The Henrys said they had a lucky escape and fear what the threat the animal poses. 'I just can't imagine if this dog had gotten ahold of a little kid,' Mrs Henry said. 'It's just scary that this dog is on the loose.' See below for video . | Laine Henry came to the aid of his wife after they were attacked by a Labrador retriever mix during a leisurely stroll in rural neighborhood .
After attacking the woman, the dog turned on Mr Henry and it would only let go when Mr Henry bit the animal on its nose .
Mrs Henry will now need multiple surgeries to rebuild her nose . |
132,616 | 3780b36303c2ec84c705472b7c0550e152a26963 | KABUL, Afghanistan (CNN) -- Hundreds of excited music fans wait in line, on the lookout for their favorite singers on a hit television show. Elaha Sorur was the lone female finalist on this season's "Afghan Star." Just a few years ago, television and some music was banned in Afghanistan. Instead of spending the time outside a New York venue or Hollywood soundstage, though, these fans braved barbed wire and gun-toting guards in Kabul to attend Afghanistan's premier pop music event: the finals of "Afghan Star," the embattled country's answer to "American Idol." In line, bright mod outfits have replaced Kabul's normally conservative dress code. Onstage, men sport the latest styles. And on TV screens, a country's new battle between traditional and pop culture plays out. "For the young generation," says one fan in line, "it's very important to be cool, with a cool mind." Inside the concert hall, Jahid Mohseni, a 38-year-old Afghan-Australian media mogul, tries to manage the chaos he's created. Singers, child acrobats and TV technicians all compete to get his attention before the start of Afghanistan's biggest night of television. Mohseni, who started the country's top television network, Tolo TV, says he's just trying to revive Afghan culture after the fallow Taliban era, when music and television were banned. Watch performances on "Afghan Star" » . "Yes, we are promoting social change, but we cannot push Afghan society where it doesn't want to go. This is a commercial enterprise, and it's reflecting what people want," Mohseni said. In Afghanistan, more than 60 percent of the population is younger than 25, and judging by the popularity of "Afghan Star," "they're like people everywhere. They're not from Mars," Mohseni said. At the fourth-season finals this year, the audience included those who sat quietly as well as those who loudly cheered for contestants including Naweed Forugh (who would be named the "Afghan Star" winner), Naweed Sabirpur, Mehran Gulzar and Elaha Sorur, the lone female finalist. "Art is in the blood of Afghans and has been for centuries, and it is still," Sorur said. "During the years of fighting, the people haven't been able to use their artistry, but with time, it will get better and better. Afghanistan and the people of Afghanistan are ready for a change." But not everyone is happy with Mohseni's programming choices. Afghanistan's guardians of Islamic values, the Ulema Council, protested that "Afghan Star" and Tolo TV's popular Indian soap operas were not part of Afghan culture. Afghanistan's minister for information and culture even tried to stop the soap operas in court, claiming that it was a question of national security. Mohseni pointed out that Afghanistan is sandwiched between two powerful neighbors: India, with a population of 1.1 billion, and Iran, with almost 70 million people (compared with Afghanistan's estimated 34 million). "You just have to sit down with your critics and explain that if we don't have Afghan music and entertainment, Bollywood will take over," he said. "We're just trying to hold our own in the middle of what is effectively a cultural war." That culture war can be seen on Tolo TV. After meeting with the Ulema Council, Mohseni dreamed up another reality show called "Tartil," or "Koran Star." The three finalists were quizzed by religious authorities and judged on how well they've memorized passages from the Quran, Islam's holy book. There were no wild ovations when the winner was announced, but the finale still produced a bombshell: The winner was a shy 16-year-old schoolgirl named Uzra Mohamedi, who accepted the oversized $3,500 check without cracking a smile and while dressed in a traditional black veil. Other TV programming in Afghanistan includes state-run news and lifestyle shows, a popular local-produced drama about an extended Afghan family, a sketch comedy show -- and the hit Kiefer Sutherland show "24." Mohseni says that "Afghan Star" pushes his country forward in subtle ways, for instance teaching a few valuable lessons in democracy. Winners are picked by fans who can vote on their mobile phones -- one Sim card, one vote. In previous elimination rounds, losers sometimes stormed off the set, refusing to accept defeat. But now they thank their supporters and graciously congratulate the winners. "This is the educational component of our show, and hopefully it'll rub off on our politicians," Mohseni said. To coincide with Afghanistan's presidential elections in August, Mohseni created a reality show called "The Candidate" as a way to encourage a more robust political debate. Six young Afghans face off in mock presidential debates and compete in American-style election campaigns. In the future, Mohseni hopes the direction of Afghan culture will be decided democratically, without traditionalists imposing values by force or government edicts. Either way, Tolo TV has an avid audience: According to Mohseni, the finals of both "Afghan Star" and "Koran Star" won their nights' ratings races, easily beating the competition. | "Afghan Star" is Afghanistan's version of "American Idol"
The show, one of Afghanistan's most popular, has completed its fourth season .
"Koran Star" judges contestants' knowledge of Islam's holy book .
Many see TV programming as a culture war inside the country . |
254,059 | d4cdc0ecb0deaec089a7890ef225ad98a8277df6 | Married: Friends of Yusra Hussien, who went missing in October, say she has married in Syria . A schoolgirl who fled her family home in Bristol last year to join ISIS has told friends she has become a Jihadi bride, according to reports. Suspected teenage ISIS convert, Yusra Hussien, vanished when she was just 15 and is believed to have boarded a flight to Turkey in a bid to get to Syria with Samya Dirie, 17, from London. It is understood she has contacted friends to say she is now married - despite not getting in touch with her distraught family since her disappearance from her home in Easton, Bristol, in October. Her friends have reportedly told the BBC that the teenager contacted them on social media to confirm she was now married in Syria. However her family deny the claims and say they are unaware as to whether Yusra has got married. A woman who answered the door at the family's home today said: 'We have not heard from Yusra. Apparently she has told friends she has got married but we know nothing about it. 'We only heard this when a reporter called to ask us. As far as we know it's not true.' Speaking last night, family spokesperson Anira Khokhar added: 'The family have spoken to her close friends - which is only two - and they say she has not been in touch with them. 'It is all very difficult for the family who are trying to rebuild their lives.' Yusra told her family she would be home late from a school trip but her father raised the alarm when she failed to to meet him at nearby City Academy, where she was a talented student. Her aunt, Sucdi Ali, believes Yusra was radicalised online after spending increasing amounts of time on her laptop and smart phone. News of her apparent marriage comes as two British teenage sisters, who fled to Syria to marry ISIS fighters, posted pictures of themselves on social media during 'self defence training'. Zahra and Salma Halane, both 17, of Chorlton, Manchester left their homes last June after becoming radicalised online. The pictures have been posted on one of the twins' Twitter accounts, and shows four veiled women holding AK-47 assault rifles and handguns. They are believed to be part of an all-female religious police brigade alongside former public schoolgirl Aqsa Mahmood, 20, from Glasgow, who enforce Sharia law on the streets of Raqqa. Missing: Yusra disappeared from her home in Bristol and is thought to have caught a plane to Turkey before crossing the border into Syria in October . When 15-year-old Yusra went missing, her heartbroken mother Safiya Hussien, 40, pleaded for her to return. 'Please come back. Please, we miss you. Please,' she said. 'I'm your mum, I love you, please come back. Please, please, please we miss you. 'I love you so much, all your brothers and sister, we miss you so much, the house is not the same since when you left.' Her distraught family said the 'last thing' her brothers and sisters wanted to hear was that she had become a 'jihadist bride'. Speaking at the time of her disappearance, Ms Khokhar said: 'We have to ensure that as a community - a British community - we all come together and unite and protect those young kids. 'The last thing they want to see about their sister is words such as "jihadist bride" or "radicalisation" or "extremism" because that's not the case at this present moment.' Radicalised: Her aunt Sucdi Ali (left) said she believed the teenager was radicalised online after, pictured with mother Safiya Hussien (centre), and Ikram Mohamed (right) during a press conference . | Yusra Hussien vanished from her home and thought to have fled to Syria .
It is believed she contacted friends on social media to say she is married .
Teenager hasn't been in touch with family since disappearance in October .
Her family has denied the claims and say she has not spoken to friends . |
246,280 | cac09a34cf95b37a233e83888fe758cdbd13aa79 | A bear has escaped by the skin of its teeth after it was found not to be responsible for the killing of a Polish man. Stanislaw Puchala, 61, was found dead with marks of having been mauled by a bear near the village of Olszanica in the Bieszczady Mountains, southern Poland. The village hunting party sent out to shoot the bear was called off when an autopsy revealed Mr Puchala had been murdered. Stanislaw Puchala, 61, was found dead with marks of having been mauled by a bear in southern Poland . Puchala had been walking in forests near his home in Olszanica when he went missing. A search the next day had to be called off after the rescue team were attacked by a bear. When the man's mauled body was found the following day, it was assumed that the bear had killed him. But a post-mortem inspection has revealed Mr Puchala's death was not caused by the bear, and that that only after he was dead had his body been savaged by the predator. Innocent: An autopsy has revealed Mr Puchala's body was mauled by the bear post-mortem (stock image) Attacked: A party sent out to search for the missing pensioner on quadbikes were attacked by the bear . Murder investigation: Polish police officers in the area where Mr Puchala was last seen . Prosecutor spokeswoman Maria Chrzanowska said: 'I do not deny that there are wounds on the body which may have been made by a bear, but they were not the cause of death. 'Everything points to this being a murder.' Ms Chrzanowska did not comment further on the cause of death was but say police have now launched a full-scale murder investigation. The order to kill the bear was made after the body was found but it has now been cancelled after the autopsy revealed the animal was not to blame. The police spokeswoman Chrzanowska added: 'The bear did attack the quad bikes but at this time of year they are particularly active and no-one was hurt.' The bear is still being closely monitored. | Polish man found dead and mauled by a bear in the woods .
Autopsy finds man had been killed before bear attacked the body .
Police in south Poland believes Stanislaw Puchala, 61, was murdered . |
24,237 | 44c5cd11c5e1f7b8b295552f4d1bf23d2a4dc0c7 | The architects who designed Beijing's Bird's Nest stadium and Bayern Munich's Allianz Arena are looking at ways to increase the capacity of Stamford Bridge towards 60,000. According to the Architects' Journal, Herzog & de Meuron are working with Lifschutz Davidson Sandilands to potentially design a revamp of Chelsea's 41,837-seater stadium to satisfy demand for tickets at the Premier League leaders' home. Chelsea, who have previously looked in to building a new stadium at Earls Court, White City and Battersea Power Station, announced in June they had commissioned a study into how Stamford Bridge can be expanded. Chelsea are looking in to ways to expand their 41,837-capacity Stamford Bridge stadium . Chelsea had previously looked in to moving to Battersea Power Station (above) The stadium is surrounded by buildings and next to a railway line in the heart of the Fulham Broadway area and no viable expansion method has yet been found despite owner Roman Abramovich's best efforts since buying the club in 2003. According to the Architects' Journal, Swiss-based Herzog & de Meuron could recommend decking be built over the railway line to the east and the north of the stadium and have launched consultation on the extent of the plans. A statement released by Chelsea in June read: 'A study of the area from Fulham Broadway town centre to Stamford Bridge and beyond has been commissioned by Chelsea Football Club’s owner Roman Abramovich. Stamford Bridge is surrounded by housing, buildings and a railway line . 'This study will review the potential for improvements to publicly-owned areas along Fulham Road and the area around the football ground, including the possibility of decking over the railway lines to the east and north of the ground. This could create landscaped public walkways and cycleways, while also reducing pedestrian traffic on Fulham Road and nearby streets on match days. 'The study will also assess the feasibility of an expansion of the stadium within the existing historic site boundaries, potentially to enlarge its capacity, enhance its facilities and improve the movement of people and vehicles on match and non-matchdays.' Neither Herzog & de Meuron and Chelsea FC were available for comment when approached by the Architects' Journal. Chelsea are confident they could fill a 60,000-seater stadium should they find a way to expand their capacity . | Chelsea want to expand Stamford Bridge capacity to 60,000 .
Surrounding buildings and railway line provide construction obstacles .
Club consulting with Herzog & de Meuron, according to Architects' Journal . |
79,986 | e2b7b56197c13225009a11e6e26104519a9d60e9 | The National Football League believes the Adrian Peterson child punishment case has an important ripple-effect, but his lawyer insists Commissioner Roger Goodell is making the Minnesota Vikings running back a scapegoat. NFL executive vice president and general counsel Jeff Pash on Wednesday defended Goodell's decision to suspend Peterson for at least the rest of the season for an 'incident of abusive discipline' on his 4-year-old son. Pash told ESPN Radio the NFL had a responsibility to players 'unfairly tarnished by the misconduct of a few,' and to the fight against domestic abuse. Peterson pleaded no contest in a Texas courtroom earlier this month to a misdemeanor assault charge . Peterson gives his son Adrian Jr. a kiss following an NFL football training camp practice in August . 'One thing that Commissioner Goodell is absolutely committed to is to upholding not only the reputation of the league but the reputation of the thousands of men who play in the league and who are good, hard-working, decent, law-abiding citizens,' Pash said. Rusty Hardin, who represented Peterson in the Texas criminal case over injuries his son sustained from discipline he administered, said Peterson's no-contest plea to a misdemeanor assault charge did not rise to domestic abuse. 'A father believed he had the right to discipline his children. He made a mistake. In unintended consequences, his son was hurt,' Hardin said earlier on Wednesday to ESPN Radio. According to the Houston Police Department, these are injuries Peterson allegedly inflicted on his son. 'He pled to a court and accepted punishment and wanted to resume his career, and now the NFL has decided they're going to be the arbiter of what's appropriate discipline for a child and whether a person is or is not feeling significant remorse.' Peterson, originally charged with a felony, was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine by the court and perform community service. In an open letter to Peterson, Goodell said Peterson had 'shown no meaningful remorse.' 'They looked bad in the earlier things with Ray Rice,' Hardin said about the domestic abuse case by the former Baltimore Ravens running back captured by hotel security cameras. Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson (left) is tackled by Chicago Bears safety Chris Conte . 'They handled things badly publicly and now they just decided to make Adrian the scapegoat for all their past failings.' Hardin said Goodell was 'hypocritically self-righteous about Adrian not showing sufficient remorse. Who in the hell does he think he is?' Pash said reaction to the Rice case had galvanized the NFL into action. 'We're not prepared right now to hold ourselves up as the paragon for all of society,' Pash said. 'But we do think that the NFL has a role to play. We can set a good example.' | Adrian Peterson has been banned for the rest of the NFL season for an 'incident of abusive discipline' on his four-year-old son .
Peterson was ordered to pay a $4,000 fine and perform community service .
His lawyer said he is being made a scapegoat over past failings by the NFL . |
48,091 | 87c23363f9f15baa7380b6bc95fcd9968c13d3f7 | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 05:52 EST, 30 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:14 EST, 31 December 2013 . While satellites frequently beam down mesmerising images of Earth, detailed video footage of our planet has, up until now, been lacking. Now one San Francisco-based start-up is aiming to change this by using its own low-cost satellite to provide the first ever public high-definition video of Earth from space. The footage reveals details down to the metre-scale, such as cars moving on roads and vessels travelling through shipping lanes - all from a satellite positioned 600 kms above the planet. Scroll down for video... San Francisco-based start-up, Skybox Imaging, used its SkySat-1 satellite to reveal high-resolution views of the Earth. Pictured here is Perth in Australia . The video was taken by the SkySat-1 satellite and showcases high-resolution views of Tokyo, Bangkok, Baltimore, Las Vegas, and Aleppo, Syria. While it's currently available for free, the group, Skybox Imaging, plans to sell the footage to businesses in the near future. SkySat-1, which was launched in November, captured up to 90-second video clips at 30 frames per second to create the footage. The U.S. group is now planning a constellation of 24 satellites that will be able to cover almost the entire expanse of the Earth. SkySat-1, which was launched in November, is capable of capturing up to 90-second video clips at 30 frames per second. Pictured here is a view of Perth . Satellites today are capable of taking imagery better than a metre in resolution, but they weigh thousands of kilograms. SkySat-1 is 20 times smaller than traditional satellites. Shown here is a view of Abu Dhabi . SkySat-1, which was launched in November, captured up to 90-second video clips at 30 frames per second. Satellites . today are capable of taking imagery better than a metre in resolution, . but they weigh thousands of kilograms. SkySat-1 is 20 times smaller than . traditional satellites. The circuitry that drives it is about the size of a phone book and consumes less power than a 100w light bulb. The U.S. group, Skybox Imaging, is now planning a constellation of 24 satellites that will be able to cover almost the entire expanse of the Earth. SkySat-2, an identical version of SkySat-1, is scheduled to launch in early 2014. Its larger goal is to sell what it can analyse about the global economy to companies, providing details such as supply chain monitoring and the movement of humanitarian aid. ‘The most revolutionary fact is that SkySat-1 was built and launched for more than an order of magnitude less cost than traditional sub-meter imaging satellites,’ said Tom Ingersoll, chief executive of Skybox. Satellites today are capable of taking imagery better than a metre in resolution, but they weigh thousands of kilograms. SkySat-1 is 20 times smaller than traditional satellites. The circuitry that drives it is about the size of a phone book and consumes less power than a 100w light bulb. ‘Their small size means we can afford to launch lots of satellites, and provide you lots of timely, sub-meter imagery and video, along with powerful derived analytics,’ the group said on their website. SkySat-2, an identical version of SkySat-1, is scheduled to launch in early 2014. It competitor, Vancouver-based UrtheCast, is also planning to mount both a still and video camera onto the International Space Station to provide a similar service. The circuitry that drives SkySat-1 is about the size of a phone book and consumes less power than a 100w light bulb. The satellite took this high defintion view of Nice in France . The video reveals high-resolution views of Tokyo, Bangkok, Baltimore, Las Vegas and Syria (pictured) SkySat-2, an identical version of SkySat-1, is scheduled to launch in early 2014. Pictured here is Somalia . The U.S. group, Skybox Imaging, is now planning a constellation of 24 satellites that will be able to cover almost the entire expanse of the Earth. Pictured here is a power plant in Maryland . | Footage reveals Tokyo, Bangkok, Baltimore, Las Vegas and Syria in HD .
It reveals details such as vessels in shipping lanes and cars on the street .
Footage was taken 600 kilometres above Earth by the SkySat-1 satellite .
The satellite captured 90-second video clips at 30 frames per second .
While it's currently available for free, Skybox Imaging plans to sell the footage to businesses in the near future . |
64,294 | b69b63fb6b7bef3d58c3271347c8cdc4a60873fa | By . Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 08:52 EST, 29 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:59 EST, 29 December 2012 . Police searching for two missing Georgia brothers who are believed to have been abducted by their father have released surveillance photos Friday showing the trio in a Tennessee Walmart earlier in the week. The images from a surveillance camera inside the Chattanooga store depict Daniel Cleary, 46, and his two sons, nine-year-old Ben and seven-year-old Henry. The boys spent their Christmas break with their father in Roswell and were supposed to be back with their mother in Suwanee on Wednesday, but police say Daniel Cleary failed to return them to his ex-wife. First clue: This image from a surveillance camera inside the Chattanooga, Tennessee, Walmart, shows Daniel Cleary with his two sons, who are believed to have been abducted by their father . Hunt: The images were captured last Sunday and Monday while Cleary and the two boys, seen wearing blue vests, were on a planned trip to the Tennessee Aquarium . Wanted: Daniel Cleary, left, is believed to have abducted his two sons, Henry and Ben, right, after failing to return the boys to his ex-wife at the end of their weeklong stay . On Thursday, Roswell police issued the nationwide Amber Alert, known in Georgia as Levi’s Call, after discovering that Mr Cleary violated a court order by not communicating with the boys' mother, Theresa Nash, for several days about the whereabouts of their children. Officials believe Clearly is armed and may pose a danger to his sons . 'He bought a Glock a month ago,' Theresa Nash told WTVM. 'He is drinking. He is under extreme stress because he probably realizes that he's kidnapped the kids and there's now an Amber Alert.' The CCTV images released Friday afternoon showing Mr Cleary with his children shopping at the Chattanooga Walmart were captured on December 23 and 24. The boys' distraught mother sounded optimistic that the surveillance video will help police track down her children and ex-husband. 'I'm so hopeful, and i have not been hopeful until this moment,' Theresa Nash tearfully told WSBTV. Ben Cleary is described as 4 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 66lbs, with brown eyes, and brown medium length hair. He was last seen wearing a light blue winter vest. Henry Cleary stands at 4 feet 5 inches and weighs 60 lbs, with green eyes, brown medium length hair. He, too, was last seen wearing a light blue winter vest. Their father picked the kids up on December 19 and was supposed to return them to Nash by 2pm on December 26, but never made it. Distraught: The boys' mother, Theresa Nash, said her ex-husband, a recovering alcoholic, had recently bought a Glock hangun, and she fears for her son's safety . Getaway car: Police believe that Cleary ditched his car and switched to a 2002 silver Jeep Grand Cherokee, similar to this one, with temporary Georgia license plate No 10742627 . The woman said that she last heard from her ex-husband on December 22 when he called her to say that he and the boys will be spending a night at a Quality Inn motel in Chattanooga, Tennessee, after visiting the Tennessee Aquarium in town, according to 11Alive. Cleary made one final call from his cell phone on December 23 from Nashville, after which the device was shut off. With mounting concern, Theresa Nash drove to Roswell and went to Cleary’s home at 285 Crab Orchard Way, only to discover that the house had been cleared out of TVs and other electronics, leading police to believe that the man planned the abduction. 'He definitely doesn't look like he's coming back and he's doing some things overtly to say he's gone,' said Lt. James McGee, of the Roswell Police Department. McGee said his agency is working closely with Tennessee authorities because evidence suggests the trio could be in and around the Nashville area. Troubled relationship: Cleary regained joint custody of his sons only in October after a stint at a rehab facility, and the Christmas break was the first week the kids spent alone with their father . Cleary’s car was later found abandoned in a restaurant parking lot, leading police to believe that he may have switched vehicles to travel in a 2002 silver Jeep Grand Cherokee with temporary Georgia license plate No 10742627 on Interstate 40 west of Nashville, Tennessee. Theresa Nash said her ex-husband does not have any family in Tennessee, but he does have relatives in Nevada, Florida and California. Nash said that a friend of Cleary's confirmed to her that the 46-year-old man purchased a Glock handgun last month, and she said that police said that the firearm was on him. The mother also added that Cleary, whom she described as an alcoholic, had recently undergone treatment at a rehab facility in California, KOLO8 reported. The man regained shared custody of Henry and Ben only in October, and the Christmas break was their first week alone with their father. Nash said her ex-husband is volatile and that she cannot be certain he won’t cause harm to the children. ‘I can’t predict his behavior with logic. It always defies me when I try, so I don’t have certainty that he wouldn’t,’ she said. “He loves them very much but he is not of sound mind.’ According to court records obtained by Channel 2, Nash filed a petition for contempt against Cleary last November. The document stated that the woman smelled alcohol on his breath when he went to pick up the children, so she refused to let Cleary take them. The petition, however, was denied. | Ben and Henry Cleary, aged nine and seven, respectively, have stayed with their father, Daniel, since Dec. 19 .
Daniel Cleary was supposed to return boys to his ex-wife on Dec. 26, but didn't .
Boys' mother last heard from Daniel Cleary on Dec. 22 .
Friend said man bought a Glock handgun last month .
Father and sons are believed to be traveling in 2002 silver Jeep Grand Cherokee in Tennessee . |
277,442 | f370f9064eba5bd09f52bb38ba9f9888d3768321 | Arsenic may be something you think you last encountered in an Agatha Christie plot, but, in fact, the deadly poison can be found all around us, including on our plates. A Channel 4 Dispatches investigation has revealed that many popular rice products — including Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, Cheerios and some baby food — may contain potentially dangerous levels of the contaminant. This is because rice is grown in flooded conditions in countries such as India and Bangladesh. The water causes the arsenic that is usually locked up in the soil to be released and this is absorbed by the rice. A Channel 4 Dispatches investigation has revealed that many popular rice products — including Kellogg’s Rice Krispies, Cheerios and some baby food — may contain potentially dangerous levels of the contaminant . While there are strict regulations for levels of arsenic in drinking water, there are none for food. And though levels in rice aren’t toxic in the short term, no research on long-tern exposure has been done. The best variety of rice to choose is basmati, which absorbs less arsenic from the soil. It is also possible to remove 80 per cent of arsenic from rice in the cooking process. The key is to rinse thoroughly before cooking, to boil it in the largest volume of water possible (which allows the poison to leach out) and to rinse it again in boiling water after cooking. Scarily, however, arsenic is not the only poison being served up in our homes. Heavy metals ranging from lead to mercury can be found in many of our favourite foods. WHY VEGETARIANS ARE MOST AT RISK . Cadmium is found naturally in almost all vegetables and wholemeal grains. It builds up in the kidneys and can damage them in the long-term . Cadmium is found naturally in almost all vegetables and wholemeal grains, as they take it in from the soil. The metal is a carcinogen as well as a renal toxicant, which means it builds up in the kidneys and can damage them in the long-term, causing kidney disease in extreme cases. Shockingly, if you eat cadmium today, half of it will still be in your body 40 years from now — it lurks in the kidneys and liver. Andy Meharg, professor of biological sciences at Queen’s University Belfast, says: ‘Ironically, it’s people who are living most healthily and who have a vegetarian diet who often have higher exposures to cadmium. ‘South-West England has elevated cadmium in vegetables because of mining, and it is also a concern in industrial areas and allotments in cities.’ However, as with food containing arsenic, preparation can limit the impact. To get rid of cadmium you should peel — or at least wash — vegetables because much of the contamination comes from soil particles sticking to the outside of produce. HOW MERCURY HIDES IN TUNA . Mercury released into the ocean by industrial and mining processes can affect seafood like tuna . Mercury released into the ocean by industrial and mining processes can affect seafood. Once in the water, it is consumed by fish and accumulates as they are consumed by predators, meaning the creatures at the top of the food chain amass the highest amounts. Shark, swordfish and tuna are the main dietary sources of mercury, which can have a damaging effect on foetal and child development. In adults, it has been associated with depression, tremors, insomnia, headaches and personality changes. The metal builds up in the body, particularly in the kidneys and liver. The NHS advises that children, pregnant women and women trying to become pregnant should not eat swordfish, shark or marlin, and other adults should have no more than one portion a week. SWEETS LACED WITH ALUMINUM . Sweets can also contain aluminium (used in food colouring). Excess aluminium is deposited around the body, including the brain . Surprising research by the FSA last year said the highest level of aluminium was found in a sample of loose tea. Tea is grown in acidic soils — which contain relatively high levels of aluminium — and the metal is stored in the leaves. Sweets can also contain aluminium (used in food colouring). And it can also be found in water (purified with aluminium sulphate, which makes micro-scopic impurities clump into particles large enough to be filtered out). Every minute, 113,200 aluminium cans are recycled around the world . Christopher Exley, professor in bioinorganic chemistry at Keele University, has described this century as ‘the aluminium age’. He warns that excess aluminium is deposited around the body, including the brain, and contributes towards neuro-degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and multiple sclerosis. ‘In my opinion, there is no safe level,’ he says. ‘There are levels that may not impact upon health in a lifetime, but these vary between individuals. ‘The best thing you can do is take precautions. Avoid processed food — instead, buy fresh ingredients. ‘Avoid unhealthy fizzy drinks, particularly those in aluminium cans, as well as energy drinks and iced tea. ‘And don’t buy long-life drinks in those cardboard cartons which contain a layer of aluminium foil.’ THE DOSES OF LEAD IN PHEASANTS AND GAME . Wild game, such as grouse, pheasant and rabbit, has been traditionally killed with lead shot. Tiny fragments can remain in the meat after the butcher has removed these pellets . Wild game, such as grouse, pheasant and rabbit, has been traditionally killed with lead shot, although less toxic replacements have been introduced. Tiny fragments can remain in the meat after the butcher has removed these pellets. Scientists warn that even slightly elevated levels of lead in the body can affect intelligence and behaviour; in children, it can damage the developing brain. The Food Standards Agency says: ‘There is no agreed safe level for lead intake.’ Professor Meharg says: ‘Again, it’s those who think that they’re eating the healthiest food — that hasn’t been farmed, that’s wild, that’s lean — who will be most affected. If you’re having game only once a month, that shouldn’t be a problem. When you have it a couple of times a week, I would worry about it.’ | A Channel 4 investigation shows foods may contain dangerous metals .
Cadmium is found naturally in almost all vegetables and wholemeal grains .
It builds up in the kidneys and can damage them in the long-term .
Mercury released into the ocean can affect seafood like tuna .
Sweets can also contain aluminium (used in food colouring)
Wild game has been traditionally killed with lead shot . |
268,041 | e72506e0e7df9f88e6598830a6db4bd5de81db21 | By . Ellie Buchdahl . PUBLISHED: . 10:50 EST, 17 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:07 EST, 17 November 2013 . Nelson Mandela's ex-wife has dismissed speculation that the former South African president is on a life support machine, saying he is using facial expressions to communicate. Winnie Madikizela-Mandela said doctors had told her that the ailing 95-year-old could recover his voice, although he is still unable to talk. Mr Mandela has been at home since September after spending nearly three months in hospital, and the South African government has described his condition as critical and sometimes unstable. Free: Mr Mandela and his then wife stood hand in hand when he was released from the Victor Vester Prison after 27 years in February 1990 . Ms Madikizela-Mandela told South Africa's Sunday Independent newspaper that while her ex-husband was 'quite ill', he was not being kept alive with a life support machine, as some have speculated. Mr Mandela is suffering from a recurring lung infection. His home in a Johannesburg suburb has been specially adapted so he can receive intensive care. Ms Madikizela-Mandela said the Nobel Peace Prize laureate could not speak 'because of all the tubes that are in his mouth to clear (fluid from) the lungs'. 'He can't actually articulate anything... He communicates with the face, you see,' she said. 'But the doctors have told us they hope to recover his voice. Rumours: Winnie Madikizela-Mandela says doctors have told her her ex-husband could speak again . 'I have heard this nonsense that he is on life support - he is not. 'It is difficult for him. He remains very sensitive to any germs, so he has to be kept literally sterile. The bedroom there is like an ICU ward.' Mr Mandela's family has constantly reassured the public that he is as safe at home as he would be in hospital. Family members and the government have called for Mr Mandela's privacy and dignity to be respected. Mr Mandela became a pivotal figure in South Africa's democracy after his victory in the first multiracial elections in 1994 put an end to the apartheid system. Four years earlier, he was released from 27 years spent in prison under white minority rule, 18 of them at the notorious Robben Island penal colony. Family: Nelson Mandela, centre, with ex-wife Winnie, right, and daughter Zoleka, left, on his 86th birthday . | Winnie Madikizela-Mandela says Mr Mandela is not on life support .
Ex-wife of former South African president says he may recover his voice .
Mr Mandela has been receiving intensive care at home since September . |
211,414 | 9dc16a2f72c4a4624be57aa2521995e1a51400e7 | By . Nazia Parveen . PUBLISHED: . 19:07 EST, 6 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:08 EST, 6 December 2012 . Horrific: A care worker and her husband hid years of abuse by 'brainwashing' their children into thinking their punishments were 'horseplay' (file picture) A care-home worker and her husband who subjected their children to years of horrific abuse were facing jail yesterday after being convicted of cruelty. The couple hid their crimes for years by lying to social services and ‘brainwashing’ their daughter and two sons into believing their sadistic punishments were ‘horseplay’, a court heard. Details of their shocking attacks included: . ■ Pressing red-hot spoons against their children’s skin and holding knives to their necks; . ■ Beating them with belt buckles and metal coat-hangers; . ■ Making their daughter sleep in a tent for three weeks in freezing conditions after wetting her bed; and . ■ Stabbing her with a dirty needle and telling her she would die of Aids. Following a week-long trial the parents, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were convicted of four counts of child cruelty, having previously admitted five similar offences. They will be sentenced next year, and could face a maximum prison sentence of ten years. Judge Pamela Badley said: ‘This is a very distressing case, and one where your heart went out to the children whose bitterness while giving evidence was quite palpable. The children have clearly been brainwashed and each parent seemed to have their own agenda, blaming each other and saying they were manipulated by the other into carrying out the abuse. ‘The defendants are clearly going to be facing custodial sentences.’ Preston Crown Court heard how the father would punch his children in the groin and hold their heads underwater. Their mother, a care-home worker, boasted to a friend that she headbutted the children and once hit them so hard that she burst a blood vessel in her hand. However, despite complaints to social services and the children’s school by a family friend ‘every week’, the youngsters remained in their parents’ care in Chorley, Lancashire, until the eldest approached the police. The friend told the jury that her concerns were dismissed as ‘malicious’. ‘The children begged me to ring social services but my complaints were dismissed,’ she said. ‘I’ve lost count of the amount of times I rang.’ However, Ann Pennell of Lancashire County Council said it investigated every complaint of abuse. Hearing: The pair were convicted of four counts of child cruelty at Preston Crown Court (pictured) ‘All referrals that we receive, including those in this case, are investigated and acted upon accordingly,’ she stressed. The couple’s younger son said he had been driven to the brink of suicide by his treatment. ‘I was in constant fear,’ he said. ‘It got to the point where I would sit in the kitchen and think, “If I grab hold of a knife and ram it in my heart it will all be over”.’ The children were originally placed into foster care in 1997. Their parents separated shortly afterwards, and their father started a new relationship. However, in 2001, after the death of their foster parent, they were returned to the care of their father and his new wife. In 2003 their father divorced and resumed his relationship with the children’s mother, and went on to marry her. In 2004, care orders were made for all three children, but they remained with their parents. The abuse eventually came to light in March 2010, after the eldest child complained to the police. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | The Chorley, Lancashire, couple, who cannot be named for legal reasons, subjected their children to years of abuse but convinced them that their sadistic punishments were 'horseplay'
The parents were convicted of four counts of child cruelty having previously admitted five similar offences . |
92,709 | 033e0e3333b63d4d01327e4ae9854c155db6dd9a | London (CNN) -- Film-making was not an obvious career path for the young Annemarie Jacir. The daughter of Palestinian parents, she spent 16 years growing up in Saudi Arabia -- "a country of no cinema," she says -- where public movie theaters have been banned for more than three decades. Jacir, who is also a poet, thought she wanted to write fiction, perhaps do screenwriting. But the possibility of film-making was not something that occurred to her until much later. Just as well it did. The Jordanian-Palestinian director's second feature film, "When I Saw You," has been winning awards at film festivals around the world, part of a wave of Arab women filmmakers recently gaining critical acclaim worldwide. Having won prizes at film festivals in Abu Dhabi, Oran, Cairo and Berlin, the film will have its UK premiere next month in London at the Bird's Eye View Film Festival, an event devoted to championing women filmmakers and which is this year focusing on Arab cinema. Among the films on the schedule - six features, nine documentaries, plenty of shorts -- is director Haifaa Al Mansour's feature debut "Wadjda" -- the first ever feature by a Saudi woman, and the first feature film to be shot entirely in the conservative kingdom. Clearly things are changing. "In the last couple of years we've seen the sudden emergence of women from across the Arab region winning big awards at the international festivals," said Will Young, producer of Bird's Eye View, which was founded in response to the fact that only about 10% of movies worldwide are made by women. The week-long festival begins on April 3 in London. Watch: Saudi film breaks boundaries . Set in Jordan in 1967, Jacir's film tells the story of an 11-year-old Palestinian refugee, Tarek and his mother, displaced by war to the Harir camp in Jordan. "I was interested in the time period of the late '60s with the liberation movements -- the moment before everything went bad, everything got corrupt," she said. "Young people dreamed of a better world and had agency in their own lives." Jacir said that aside from funding possibly being harder to come by for women, she did not believe she encountered any particular obstacles related to her gender because, as a Jordanian-Palestinian director, she was creating films in a place without an established industry. "When you're coming from a country in which everyone's building up together, I don't feel boxed in as a woman," she said. "It's much easier to work as a woman in a country that doesn't have an established system the way Egypt or Hollywood does, one that women have traditionally been left out of." Watch: A great year for Middle Eastern cinema . Recent interest in the Gulf, as evidenced by the rise of film festivals in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, had led to increased funding opportunities, which she had taken advantage of for her second feature. "The Gulf is interested in film and supporting filmmakers," she said. "With my film, there was no censorship, there was no control of the subject -- that's a concern for a lot of filmmakers when you take funds, especially from conservative countries." Sabine El Chamaa, a Lebanese director whose latest short "Un Mardi (One Tuesday)" won first prize in the short film category at the Dubai Film Festival and will be screening in the Bird's Eye line-up, agreed. "There have been Arab filmmakers for a long time... it's just that the film industry, whether for women or men, is one that is difficult because there's no funding and you have to figure out your own manner of making films," she said. Even once films are made, filmmakers face obstacles, with distribution proving a particular challenge. While Jacir's films gained theatrical releases in a number of western countries, she also wanted to share them with Jordanian and Palestinian move-goers. "Your cast and crew are from that country," said Jacir. "You hope there's a broader audience but I think it's really important to prioritize your own audience and share your film with them." Read also: Man-made desert lake - bird-watcher's paradise or ecological disaster? But cinema owners in the region are often reluctant to support local films. "They say nobody wants to see local films, they want to see Hollywood films," said Jacir . Despite a positive reception at festivals, her first feature film did not gain theatrical release throughout the Arab world, leading her team to distribute the film themselves throughout the Palestinian Territories. It was then that she had encountered "the other problem for cinema in the Arab world" - piracy. "Go into any DVD store and for one dinar, all these films are available," she said. "I had dinner a recently with a friend of my mother's and she said really innocently, 'I loved Salt of this Sea, I found a copy of it then I made 100 copies and gave it to my friends. They don't see how that hurts the filmmaker." Despite the obstacles faced in bringing their vision to the screens, Young said the recent a success of Arab women filmmakers "was something incredibly exciting both within the industry and for audiences." "Both (Jacir and Al Mansour) come from countries that previously didn't have role models of women directors - hopefully that can encourage a new generation to express themselves." | Arab women directors will be showcased in a forthcoming film festival in London .
Their films have picked up awards at film festivals around the world .
The directors say their gender presents no particular obstacle to success in a tough industry .
Increased film funding from Gulf countries in recent years has boosted Arab cinema . |
247,296 | cc08a060d3c3e08cd168ec007b40e5af7bbb52a7 | British 'psycho' banker Rurik Jutting was today sent for psychiatric tests to determine if he is fit to stand trial for the murders of two Indonesian prostitutes. Jutting, 29, originally from Cobham, Surrey, appeared in a short court hearing in Hong Kong this morning charged with the double murder. The judge adjourned proceedings for two weeks while the psychiatric assessments are carried out and the banker was remanded in custody. As he left court, Jutting was pictured chuckling in the back of a prison van surrounded by security guards wearing face masks. His lawyer, who did not speak during the hearing, said he had not yet agreed to take part in a police reconstruction at the crime scene, but did not rule out giving consent in future. Scroll down for video . Seeing the funny side: British banker Rurik Jutting laughs as he sits in a prison van leaving the eastern court in Hong Kong after his case was adjourned for two weeks of psychiatric reports ahead of his murder trial . Relaxed: The judge adjourned proceedings for two weeks while the psychiatric assessments are carried out . Jutting, bearded and wearing black-rimmed glasses, remained impassive during the brief hearing at the Eastern Magistrate's court - his second appearance after being charged with the murders a week ago. He spoke only once to say 'I do' when the magistrate asked him whether he understood the arrangements. The case was 'adjourned... for two psychiatric reports on the defendant's fitness to plead', said principal magistrate Bina Chainrai. Reports by two different doctors are required under Hong Kong law, said prosecutor Louise Wong who confirmed Jutting is being held at the maximum-security Siu Lam psychiatric centre. He will next appear in court on November 24. Following the hearing, Hong Kong solicitor Michael Vidler, who is also acting in Jutting's defence, said it could be months before a plea is entered. Sumarti Ningsih, 23, was found dead in a suitcase at Cambridge-educated Jutting's apartment in the former British colony's Wan Chai district earlier this month. Police had been called to the property on Halloween night and first found 29-year-old Seneng Mujiasih with wounds to her throat and buttocks. She died a short time later. Jutting moved to Hong Kong from London in July last year and is understood to have quit his highly-paid job at Bank of America Merrill Lynch in the days before the incident. Remanded: A lawyer for Jutting, who did not speak during the hearing, said he had not yet agreed to take part in a police reconstruction at the crime scene, but did not rule out giving consent in future . Accused: Jutting, 29, appeared in a short court hearing in Hong Kong today charged with the double murder . Tight security: Two Indonesian women were found dead at Cambridge-educated Jutting's apartment in the former British colony's Wan Chai district earlier this month . Before leaving, he appeared to have set a sinister automatic response for his email account at the bank. The email response read: 'I am out of the office. Indefinitely. For urgent enquiries, or indeed any enquiries, please contact someone who is not an insane psychopath. 'For escalation please contact God, though suspect the devil will have custody (Last line only really worked if I had followed through).' His appearance in court came after an Indonesian nanny claimed she was allegedly invited back to his flat prior to the killings, but turned down his offer because she thought he was 'acting strangely'. The former public schoolboy was arrested after calling police to his £2,000-a-month high-rise flat following a night out at the Makati Pub & Disco. It was at the nightclub prior to his arrest that he reportedly began chatting to the mother-of-three, who has lived in the former British colony for four years and works as a nanny for a Hong Kong Chinese family. She claimed he approached her and a friend at the bar and said: 'Hi, girls. Where are you from? How old are you?' before buying them a round of drinks. After just minutes of chatting, he allegedly asked the nanny to return to his apartment with him but she said she denied his request because of his 'strange' behaviour. Sumarti Ningshi, a mother-of-one from Indonesia, was killed and stuffed into a suitcase at Jutting's flat . Tragic: Seneng Mujiasih, who used the pseudonym Jesse Lorena Ruri, moved from her village in Indonesia to start a new life in Hong Kong after telling her parents that she was going to work in a restaurant . More than 100 people attended a vigil for the two victims today, where many called for 'justice' for the women . She told The Telegraph's Tom Phillips: 'I said: "No, I'm with my friends. He was just walking around and around and around. 'He looked happy but I didn't understand why he was moving around all the time.' The woman, who is believed to be in her 30s, said she had witnessed Jutting pacing the club, occasionally grabbing women, before he approached her. Her comments come after it was revealed Jutting contacted his ex-girlfriend Ariane Guarin last month asking if she would fly out to visit him in Hong Kong. The message sent to the 22-year-old nightclub hostess from the Philippines was abrupt and to the point. It simply said: ‘Did you get your passport? If so, do you want to come to Hong Kong this weekend? And stay the week?' Prior to his arrest, Jutting, who studied at Cambridge University, sent a message to his former girlfriend of six months, Ariane Guarin (pictured together above), asking her to fly over to Hong Kong to visit him for a week . Miss Guarin, who had a six-month relationship with Jutting, said she felt 'lucky' not to have flown out to stay with him. She said: ‘I had a problem applying for my passport because I don’t have a valid identity card. 'He wanted me to stay for a week with him but I couldn’t go without a passport. 'I feel lucky. I am really thankful that it wasn’t me.’ Earlier today, more than 100 people attended a vigil for the two victims, who were both sex workers in Hong Kong's red light district. Jutting allegedly invited a nanny back to his apartment prior to the two killings after buying her a round of drinks at Makati nightclub (above), but she turned him down because she thought he was . Rurik Jutting's J Residence apartment building, where the bodies of the two women were found . Ms Ningsih's cousin, Jumiati, said at the vigil that she had last seen her relative in August in their home village in Indonesia. Jumiati, who goes by only one name, said she called police about a week ago to report that her cousin was missing and was later asked to identify her body. 'I hope the killer will be punished and will feel the same as what has been done to my cousin,' she said at the vigil. Susiati, a friend of the victim, broke down in tears as she remembered Ms Ningsih, who had a five-year-old son back home. 'I have lost my best friend, and I am devastated,' she said. Several in the crowd held signs demanding reforms to Hong Kong and Indonesian laws governing how domestic workers can find work and how long they can stay in the city. | Cambridge graduate is sent for tests to determine if he is fit to stand trial .
Lawyer says Jutting has not yet agreed to carry out police reconstruction .
But he has not ruled out giving his consent to re-enactment in the future .
He is accused of butchering two Indonesian sex workers at Hong Kong flat . |
44,931 | 7e9d939b9b8f0f782b93b785a16bc6e59aa8ac9f | (CNN) -- Representatives from both political parties on Tuesday slammed U.S. Sen. Saxby Chambliss after he said that hormones may be partly responsible for sexual assaults in the military. His controversial comments came during a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the subject. Addressing top military officials, Chambliss, R-Georgia, said: "The young folks that are coming into each of your services are anywhere from 17 to 22-23. Gee whiz -- the hormone level created by nature sets in place the possibility for these types of things to occur. 2012: Missouri Republican says "legitimate rape" rarely leads to pregnancy . "So we've got to be very careful on how we address it on our side, but guys, we're not doing our job. You're not doing yours, and we're not doing ours with the rates that we are seeing on sexual assaults. "As I said to start with, you recognize it. We recognize it, and we got to figure this thing out because we simply can't tolerate it." Military chiefs oppose removing commanders from sexual assault probes . The response was swift. Republican Rep. Mike Turner, co-chairman of the military sexual assault prevention caucus, issued a statement saying criminals, not hormones, cause sexual assaults. AC360: War on women, or politics as usual? "Perpetuating this line of thinking does nothing to help change the culture of our military. We must be focused on combating this issue directly. The numbers speak for themselves," the Ohio representative said. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, D-Florida, called for Chambliss to apologize. Navy football players investigated in sex assault complaint . "For a United States senator, or anyone, to write off sexual assault and the personal violation of a woman or a man to the raging hormones of youth shows just how dramatically out of touch the Republican Party is," she told MSNBC. "I think he should think about whether if, God forbid, a sexual assault happened to a daughter of his, would he think it was OK for a senator to just chalk the assault up to raging hormones?" Opinion: Soldiers and sex -- can men evolve? | Chambliss suggested hormones may be partly responsible for assaults in the military .
The Georgia senator commented in a hearing on sexual assaults in the military .
He was criticized by representatives from both parties .
Criminals, not hormones, are the cause, says an Ohio congressman . |
167,387 | 6479e3720cb46d7d38d59686c977f0e884585a50 | By . Press Association Reporter . On-loan Hull players Joe Arundel and Jay Pitts scored against their parent club as already doomed Bradford Bulls made it three wins out of three for the first time this season with a 34-28 victory over the Black and Whites at the Provident Stadium, Odsal. The Championship-bound Bulls had surprisingly beaten champions Wigan and Challenge Cup finalists Leeds in their previous two games and gained a third successive success by coming from 12 points down to outscore their East Yorkshire opponents six tries to four with Jamie Foster, who also had a spell on loan at Hull, adding five goals for the hosts. Hull have now won just one of their last eight games, ironically against Super League leaders St Helens, and this latest defeat virtually ends any realistic hopes of extending their season into the play-offs. Hull remain five points behind Widnes, who hold the eighth and final play-off place, with only three games remaining. Close win: Bradford Bulls' Luke Gale is tackled by Hull FC's Gareth Ellis during his side's Super League victory . The visitors took advantage of strong and blustery wind to get the better of a first half played in occasionally squally showers but, once the sides had swapped ends, the Bulls always held the upper hand. Helped forward by a penalty for interference, some slick handling and a neat inside pass from Dean Hadley put Jamie Shaul in beside the posts for his 15th try of the season with Joe Westerman converting to give the Black and Whites the best possible start. Luke Gale almost grabbed a try back but was forced into touch near the corner flag by Shaul. Westerman almost put Richard Horne clear but Brett Kearney thwarted the attack before Gareth Ellis helped double the visitors lead form close range after the Bulls had again been penalised, this time for reefing, near their own line. Poor ball control did not help the hosts' cause and they were forced to soak up more pressure before, on a rare venture forward, a Luke Gale kick was allowed to bounce fortuitously for the Bulls and Arundel, on a season-long loan from the KC Stadium, sent Jamie Foster racing over on the left to score, then convert his own try, topping the 1000 career points mark in the process. Hull had chances to restore their advantage as Westerman was denied a try by a forward pass, then Richard Horne intercepted a loose pass from Gale but Danny Addy executed a fine stop. But a minute later a Lee Gaskell break sent Arundel racing 30 metres into the corner to touchdown, although Foster was unlucky to see his conversion swept onto the near upright by the wind and bounce out again. Barely three minutes into the second half, good work from Gaskell created a chance for Adam Sidlow to power over and give the Bulls the lead for the first time. Five minutes later Arundel dummied his way over for a second try against his parent club, then Gaskell split the defence gifting Pitts with a try and, with Foster adding all three conversions, the momentum swing was complete at 28-12. Ellis grabbed a quick-fire try back for Hull and Danny Houghton was adjudged to be held up just before the hour mark as Hull tried to get back in the game. But an Addy try with ten minutes to go made the points safe for the Bulls, although Setaimata Sa claimed a late try and Tom Lineham added a further consolation for the Airlie Birds with Westerman finishing with four goals. | Bulls won their third consecutive match for the first time this season .
In their previous two games they beat champions Wigan and Challenge Cup finalists Leeds .
Despite being 12 points behind against Hull, they roared back to victory .
Hull have won just one of their last eight Super League games .
The latest defeat effectively shatters their dream of appearing in play-offs . |
4,148 | 0bf976470a6090d52273a4b142c03c111488c0fe | Riot police kept anti-immigrant protestors away from their rivals today as tensions remained high on the streets of Calais. A group called ‘Sauvons Calais’ (Save Calais) displayed their opposition to some 2,000 foreigners living around the port as they try to get to Britain. Meanwhile, it was revealed that the Government will offer to improve security by sending Calais officials the 9ft-high steel fences used to protect world leaders at last week’s Nato summit in Wales. Scroll down for video . Trying to get out: Migrants break into a lorry on Friday as it fills up with fuel at one of a number of automatic diesel stations on a road close to the port of Calais, known to truckers as Gasoline Alley . More than 12 miles of fencing was set up around venues for the summit in Newport and Cardiff, and the Home Office says this is much stronger than the current barriers in place at the French port. Immigration Minister James Brokenshire told The Sunday Telegraph that Britain would help by sending the fences, but warned it is up to the French to secure the port against illegal migrants. The Sauvons Calais meeting today took place in front of the town hall, where some 300 police officers formed a ring of steel. At one point, left-wing activists tried to attack the demonstration, leading to an uneasy stand-off between the two groups. ‘Left-wing scum are trying to stop us speaking up for the people of Calais,’ said Kevin Reche, a former member of the French National Front who was kicked out of the party for making a Nazi salute. ‘There are all kinds of people demonstrating for a safe Calais – from the far right, to those without any political views. We are all calling for justice.’ Helping hand: The Government will offer to improve security in Calais by sending the 9ft-high steel fences used to protect world leaders at last week's Nato summit (pictured) There were some 250 people at the anti-immigration rally, including skinheads with White Power flags. One wore a T-shirt saying ‘Charlemagne 1944’, in reference to a Second World War Nazi division made up entirely of French volunteers. ‘Heil-Hitler’ salutes also appeared . to be made by around ten demonstrators during the stand-off with their . opponents, but organisers claimed they were just being used to mock the . ‘left wing fascists’. 'Police are already warning of violence, but if there is any, it will come from the immigrants who are destroying a once great French town' Gilles Baudin, Sauvons Calais . There were also more moderate voices among those objecting to the presence of the migrants in Calais. ‘We just want a better future for own children,’ said Noelle Richard, 46, who was with her schoolgirl daughter. ‘Having lots of young men sleeping . rough in the town makes for a very unpleasant atmosphere. There is . always a great deal of trouble at all times of the day and night.’ The protests came as former home . secretary Michael Howard, now Lord Howard, said France needed to ‘get . its act together’ to deal with the growing crisis. Calais mayor Natacha Bouchart has . threatened to close the docks following an attempt by scores of mainly . Eritreans and Sudanese to storm a ferry last Wednesday. Mrs . Bouchart said she wanted ‘far more help from the British government’ to . deal with people attempting to cross the Channel illegally. French . nationalists, including many supporters of Marine Le Pen’s increasingly . successful National Front party, want more direct action. ‘That’s why we’re in Calais,’ said Gilles Baudin, one of those preparing to march. ‘Police are already warning of . violence, but if there is any, it will come from the immigrants who are . destroying a once great French town. ‘These people should be cleared out - we don’t care where they go, but we don’t want them in our country.’ Denis Gaudin, sub-prefect for the Calais area, said the route of the march had already been switched ‘for security reasons’. Mr . Gaudin said there was a ‘fraught climate’ in the town – one that was . likely to explode into violence if the demonstrators got near the . migrants. In turn, immigrant Lola Welday, a 40-year-old from Eritrea, said: ‘I have children here, and all we want is to be protected. Demonstration: Around 200 migrants marched through Calais on Friday chanting 'We want to go to the UK' ‘We are peaceful people, and all we . want is a new life in England – we want to live and prosper there in . peace. We get trouble from the French police, but what we really need is . increased protection.’ Lola and her daughter, Kidan, six, . were among 200 migrants who themselves marched through Calais on Friday . chanting ‘UK, UK - We want to go to the UK’, and ‘We demand our human . rights’. 'We are peaceful people, and all we want is a new life in England - we want to live and prosper there in peace' Lola Welday, immigrant from Eritrea . Sauvons Calais is demanding that the migrants are expelled from the Calais area, and that anyone sheltering or feeing them is arrested. There have already been attacks on squatters in Calais, and some temporary camps have been illegally burned down. Sauvons Calais will deploy a ‘security detail’ today aimed at countering the threat of a ‘far left rabble,’ according to one organiser, although he insisted ‘we will not cause any trouble’. Mrs Bouchart said: ‘My proposal to block the port still remains. We are sick of being ignored. Those of us living in Calais have been in this situation for 12 years. Wanting to make it to Britain: A new migrant camp in sand dunes close to the port of Calais, France, that the Sudanese inhabitants call 'White Africa', because conditions are as bad there as the war zones they have left . ‘Until now we have had no help, no . word of compassion and no support. It is time for the UK government to . face up to its responsibilities, otherwise this crisis will just go on . and on.’ 'It is time for the UK government to face up to its responsibilities, otherwise this crisis will just go on and on' Natacha Bouchart, Calais mayor . Britain’s ‘soft’ immigration policy means it is viewed as ‘El Dorado’, said Mrs Bouchard. She . has also demanded that the UK Border Force’s frontline passport check, . which has been inside the port of Calais for more than a decade, should . be moved back to Dover. The number of migrants in Calais has increased sharply in the past few months, and hundreds more are also camping out in other Channel ports including Dunkirk and Cherbourg. All play a nightly game of cat-and-mouse with the police as they attempt to break into lorries so as to get to the UK, where they will claim asylum or disappear into the black economy. Getting into a lorry: The number of migrants in Calais has increased sharply in the past few months, and hundreds more are also camping out in other Channel ports including Dunkirk and Cherbourg . A British woman told last week of her shock at finding a stowaway hidden in her Fiat Panda after she had travelled from France to the UK. 'We demand our human rights' What migrants chanted on Friday . The migrants are mainly from Somalia, Sudan and Eritrea, and have travelled from north Africa to mainland Europe, usually through Italy. Violent clashes between rival migrant groups and people smugglers have also broken out in the town. According to the Calais Prefecture, 7,414 undocumented migrants were arrested in Calais in the first six months of this year, compared with the 3,129 detained in the same period of 2013. Some 400 would-be stowaways were caught by French police last weekend alone. Those caught are then released, so they are free to try again and again until they succeed. | 'Sauvons Calais' group is against 2,000 foreigners living at French port .
Government will offer to send 9ft steel fences from Nato summit in Wales .
Lord Howard says France must 'get its act together' to deal with crisis .
Calais mayor threatens to close docks and wants more help from British . |
263,335 | e115f2f87648a311b7638065adfd1203d6cfeee9 | (CNN) -- Historically in the United States, communities of color and the police have maintained strained relationships. The death of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, has stirred up dormant, yet strong emotions. Brown was tragically killed by a police officer in August. His case has yet to be resolved. Residents in Ferguson plan to march starting Friday in a "Weekend of Resistance" to demand the resignation of the local prosecutor. When we pull the lens out and take a larger look at the issue we are faced with similar situations across the country, as in the case of John Crawford in Beavercreek, Ohio, or the case of Eric Garner in Staten Island, New York. When conflict between police and communities of color occurs, the issues of racism, profiling and bias simmer to the surface. These moments create pause for many Americans. Familiar questions come up: "Why did the police shoot? What made them make the decision?" Each of these regrettable encounters has to be evaluated case by case based on specific circumstances, even if there may be substantial historical and cultural undercurrents of racial issues that run through them. We cannot draw blind conclusions; we have to seek the truths. We have to seek answers that will provide both communities of color and police agencies with a better understanding of the problems and tools to fix them -- together. A collaborative effort could result in building better communication, and more importantly, trust. This week, I was invited to a community meeting in DeKalb County, Georgia, that was attended by about 100 people from diverse social and economic backgrounds. The event came about as a reaction to the vivid images in the media surrounding the conflict between the African-American communities and police. A 9-year-old asked me: "Why do police shoot people?" As I looked down into his face, it was clear that he was afraid. The fear in his eyes seemed to ask if he would somehow be deliberately harmed by police. A 16-year-old African-American asked what she should do if she is pulled over by the police at night. Then a woman asked: "If I were stopped by the police and asked to step out of the car, should I?" These are the types of questions that are often asked by people of color. The ongoing reports of incidents in the news have only increased their anxieties. But police have a hard job to do. They are here to protect and serve the communities they work and live in. They are trained to follow policies and procedures while working in potentially dangerous situations. Police officers do the very best they can in circumstances that are often unpredictable. In enforcing community laws, police officers are given a great deal of responsibility, latitude and discretion. It is essential that we support and respect police officers and the daily challenges they face. Their decisions and actions are constantly being evaluated and at times second-guessed. This creates an environment of suspicion and mistrust, which in turn creates a distance between the police force and those they serve. It is unfortunate that there are communities where citizens feel they can no longer trust their local police officers and other law enforcement agents. How we can remedy this situation? What do you do or say to ease the fear of a 16-year-old who is concerned about driving home at night and being pulled over by a police officer? As a first step, we need to start a discussion in communities. We need to listen to people's concerns and work together to forge a better understanding of each other. We must have trained professional police officers who will stand for us, be with us, and protect us. When we see police or hear police we should know that they are coming to help us or someone else. In order for our society to function optimally and effectively, we have to do away with the negative emotions. I strongly encourage that police and community members meet to dispel and reduce the anxiety and fear that is on both sides. Police officers are human, too. Across the country, there are police departments that are doing a fantastic job and there are others that are beyond challenged. But we all have to do our part to establish, maintain and nurture strong and collaborative relationships. We have to find a way to meet in the middle where both the community and police can trust each other; otherwise there will be anarchy. As the national president of the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives, I understand the importance of equality and human rights. We have to be fair and impartial to everyone and know that we all have a shared responsibility in maintaining a safe community. Trust is something we have to work toward in this country. | Residents in Ferguson, Missouri, plan to march about the case of Michael Brown .
Cedric Alexander: We have to find ways for police and communities of color to work together .
He says we should support and respect police officers who are trying to protect citizens .
Alexander: Let's find ways to dispel and reduce the anxiety and fear that is on both sides . |
8,005 | 16a32ca77cd361480464222782f06168605433cc | San Diego, California (CNN) -- For anyone who wants to make a serious play for the Latino vote -- and not just go through the motions -- here's what you need to know: Latinos are single-issue voters. The issue is respect. Or, as we say, respeto. Nothing else matters. If you want the votes of Latinos, show some respect. Or we'll show you the door. I know what you're thinking. What's so special about this constituency? Three things: Size, geography and unpredictability. In 2008, about 10 million Latinos voted; the 2012 figure could be higher. Latinos are well represented in "battleground" states (i.e. Colorado, Florida, Nevada, New Mexico). And, in the case of the Mexicans and Mexican-Americans who make up about 66% of the U.S. Latino population, they're in play because they have shown a willingness to vote for moderate Republicans even though most are registered Democrats. Polls show that Latinos are just like other voters in that they care about education, jobs, the economy and health care. But their antennae go up when they see politicians using the immigration issue to scare up votes -- and, in the process, treating them like piñatas. That is disrespectful. And while neither President Obama nor Mitt Romney has gone that far, there is still a problem. Neither of these candidates seems to respect Latinos, as evidenced by their cynical attempts to manipulate the immigration issue and take gimmicky shortcuts to get Latino support. This is why both are having trouble with Latino voters. "Trouble" is defined differently for each candidate. In polls, Romney is having trouble getting as much as 30% of the Latino vote. Political observers note that a Republican presidential hopeful needs at least 35% to win. Obama has more than twice that level of support but his problem is that there's an enthusiasm gap and, if Latinos don't turn out for Obama, Romney will win. Romney took a wrong turn when he lurched to the right in the Republican primaries to pander to the nativist wing of the party. He portrayed illegal immigrants as takers and usurpers of public benefits and giveaways. He knows better. He is well aware of the fact that illegal immigrants -- most of whom come from Latin American countries -- are lured here by jobs offered by U.S. employers. Romney should have learned this lesson when it came to his attention, during his stint as governor of Massachusetts, that he had hired a landscaping company that employed illegal immigrants. Romney claimed that he didn't know the workers tending to his lawn were in the country illegally. Nonetheless, the experience should have illustrated for him the law of supply and demand: Without a demand for illegal immigrants, there would be no supply. Obama is not much better. Raised in a black and white world, the president doesn't know much about Latinos. And he hasn't seemed all that interested in learning. Our most important institution is the family. One good way to get on our bad side is to divide hundreds of thousands of families by deporting more than 1.2 million people in three years. And when you accomplish that feat by roping local police into the enforcement of immigration law through a program like Secure Communities in ways that invite ethnic profiling, this isn't going to win you any friends among Latinos. Finally, when you get caught in the act and these things come to light, it's not a good idea to insist that most of the folks deported were criminals, when criminal activity has been cited as a reason for deportation in only 17% of the cases last year. So far, in 2012, that figure is down to 14%. Who makes up the rest? It's likely that the answer is gardeners, housekeepers and nannies who pose no threat to society. Naturally, neither Romney nor Obama wants to talk about immigration. When Romney spoke to a Latino business group recently, he talked about education but didn't say a word about the DREAM Act, which would give legal status to undocumented students who go to college or join the military. When administration officials recently invited a group of Latina bloggers to the White House, the main topics of discussion were education and health while immigration was conspicuously left off the agenda. Guess what? Immigration came up anyway, when the bloggers asked about it during the question and answer session. That's the thing about immigration. Unless it is dealt with head-on, it seeps into the discussion of other issues. It happened during the health care debate, when what consumed many conservatives was the question of whether illegal immigrants could access benefits under "Obama-care." Gentlemen, you can run but you can't hide. You have to talk about immigration. Until you clear the air, admit what you've done wrong, and try to make it right, you can't expect Latinos to listen to what you have to say on any other subject -- or if they do, to believe what they hear. Gov. Romney, stop pandering to racists and nativists in the GOP base by portraying illegal immigrants as takers; acknowledge that the only thing that lures them here are jobs provided by U.S. employers who need to be held accountable; stop proposing simplistic solutions like saying that all illegal immigrants should "self-deport"; and take up the cause of American businesses who can't find U.S. workers to do jobs that immigrants wind up doing because parents are raising their kids to feel entitled to avoid hard work. President Obama, stop saying you don't have the executive power to stop deportations when it has been established by a slew of legal experts, including nearly 100 law professors who recently sent a memo to the White House, that you do. Stop deportations of college-age students who would have been eligible for legal status under the Dream Act and the parents of U.S.-born children; stop portraying Republicans as singlehandedly preventing immigration reform, and take your share of responsibility for not getting it done; and propose to Congress a specific plan for comprehensive immigration reform. Do all that, and we'll be able to get past immigration and move onto other topics. Jobs. The economy. Education. The environment. Whatever you want. But immigration comes first, because it lets us assess your character. Or lack thereof. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette. | Ruben Navarrette: Among Latino voters, immigration is a test of candidates' character .
He says Romney pandered to anti-immigrant forces during the primaries .
Navarrette says Obama's policy of deporting illegal immigrants has broken up families .
He urges candidates to address need for immigration reform, then deal with other issues . |
124,160 | 2c7f28054133d06307d2f1ee238d4382e4191216 | (RollingStone.com) -- It's instructive to note what a killer actor Richard Gere can be when a movie rises to his level. "Arbitrage" is such a movie, a sinfully entertaining look at the sins committed in the name of money. For proof that we're in financial hell, look around. True, this territory has been covered from Wall Street to last year's "Margin Call." But Gere and first-time director Nicholas Jarecki put a tantalizing spin on what goes on in the head of a fraudulent hedge-fund manager when he decides to stick it to the rest of us, including his own family. Gere's Robert Miller is the picture of unflappable elegance. Good job on that, since he's just lost $400 million in a bad copper-mine investment, and if he can't cover it up and unload his company on a major bank, his career will go kaput along with his fortune. Fraud puts pressure on Robert's skill at deceiving wife Ellen (Susan Sarandon), French mistress Julie (Laetitia Casta) and chief accountant Brooke (Brit Marling), who also happens to be his daughter. But Robert keeps his cool until the sudden death of one of these women has him dodging a possible murder rap with the grudging help of Jimmy Grant (a terrific Nate Parker), the son of the family chauffeur and the only black man in Robert's circle of white privilege. That's when NYPD detective Michael Bryer (Tim Roth) smells a rat and Robert's world begins to unravel. There's enough plot here to stuff a miniseries or three, yet "Arbitrage" never descends to bland and predictable. Credit Jarecki, whose combustible directing debut gives "Arbitrage" the charge of a thriller and the provocation of a moral fable. Jarecki has an eye for the telling detail, not surprising given his start with the 2005 documentary "The Outsider" (about rogue director James Toback). Docs run in the Jarecki family, with half brothers Andrew ("Capturing the Friedmans") and Eugene ("Why We Fight") making notable contributions to the genre. As the son of two commodities traders, Jarecki has Wall Street in his DNA. And it resonates in his exceptional screenplay, which potently captures the gleaming seduction of Robert's world and the fear that festers underneath. Jarecki knows the territory. And Gere knows the man, inside and out. His rapt, watchful performance is a thing of toxic beauty. Gere digs so deep into this flawed tycoon that we come to understand Robert's actions without for a minute forgiving them. Wearing the trappings of wealth like a second skin, Gere invites us to see what Robert sees. And the glamour in his field of vision -- cheers to cinematographer Yorick Le Saux (I Am Love) for the sheen and composer Cliff Martinez (Drive) for the seductive mood -- is tempting enough to make us all complicit. Like the best movies, "Arbitrage" persuades us to ask tough questions about ourselves. And Gere nails every nuance in a role that holds up a dark mirror to the way we live now. Despite his box-office success in crowd-pleasers such as "An Officer and a Gentleman," "Pretty Woman" and "Chicago," Gere has long been underrated. No Academy love, not even for his sinister brilliance in "Internal Affairs," "American Gigolo" and "The Hoax," or for the battered heart he brought to the cheated-on husband in "Unfaithful." Gere's performance in "Arbitrage" is too good to ignore. At 62, he is at the peak of his powers. Watch him in the scene when Sarandon -- in full, feisty flower -- hits Robert with a lifetime of resentments. She can't rock his composure. But Gere gives us a window into the soul of a man who finally realizes that even money will no longer help him lie to himself. It's an implosive tour de force. See full story at RollingStone.com. Copyright © 2011 Rolling Stone. | Richard Gere stars as a fraudulent financier in the film .
Critic says Gere's performance is "a thing of toxic beauty"
The movie also stars Susan Sarandon and Laetitia Casta . |
93,540 | 044afb99b6cf396adb7ab063d528bd0fa13f8c1b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:58 EST, 27 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:05 EST, 27 September 2012 . A lottery millionaire who was jailed for battering his girlfriend has been sentenced to another four months in jail after he was caught with drugs. Jailed: Lottery winner Gavin Davies has received a four month jail sentence after being caught with cannabis . Former professional cagefighter Gavin Davies, of Ammanford, near Swansea, spent his winnings on cannabis two months after picking up a £1million jackpot. When the 30-year-old was unveiled as the lottery winner in January this year Davies said he 'won't waste a penny'. He said: 'I want to look after my son and look after my family. 'I'm going to use the money wisely and invest. But in July, the 30-year-old was jailed for 16 months after beating his girlfriend, Daniah Hussain, 22, inside his Audi. He had tried to strangle her with a seatbelt, knocked her to the floor and put his teeth around her nose. When he appeared at Swansea Crown Court he blamed the sustained assault on the strain of becoming an overnight millionaire. And today he received a second sentence of four months in prison at Llanelli Magistrates Court after admitting possessing the class B drug. Davies, who enjoyed spending his money on expensive cars including a Lamborghini, was arrested in possession of the drug just weeks after hitting the jackpot in December. He was revealed as the £1 million National Lottery raffle winner at a press conference in a plush Swansea hotel in January. He was pictured alongside a Lamborghini, provided for the day by lottery operator Camelot. But he was soon seen purring around his hometown in his own Lamborghini and his new Audi. At the time of the win, Davies said: 'Time will tell, but hopefully, you will see me one day with £10 million. 'The Lamborghini is my fun out of the way. The rest of the money is to look after my family.' Battering: Davies was jailed in July for 16 months for beating up his girlfriend in one his luxury cars . During the earlier hearing, Swansea Crown Court heard how he tried to strangle his 22-year-old girlfriend with a car seatbelt because of a row over a shopping trip. The court was told Davies blamed the 'sustained assault' on the stress of winning the lottery, moving into a new house and becoming a father. Motoring fan Davies bought three luxury cars after his win - including a Lamborghini LP560-4. The court heard how Davies and Miss Hussain were travelling in his 'everyday' car - an Audi - to go on a luxury shopping trip to spend some of their winnings. Family: Davies said he would spend his winnings wisely and use it look after his family . But the pair started arguing when . Davies tried to back out of the family shopping day because he had . meetings with financial advisors to discuss how to invest his fortune. The court heard Davies pulled over . and tried to strangle Miss Hussain with the Audi’s seatbelt, telling . her: 'If you don’t shut up, I will shut you up.' Davies was jailed for 16 months in . July after admitting causing actual bodily harm. The latest sentence for possession of the class B drug will run . consecutively to his earlier sentence. | Gavin Davies was caught with drugs just weeks after winning £1million .
Former cagefighter was jailed in July for beating girlfriend inside luxury car .
After winning money 30-year-old said he 'won't waste a penny'
Has received a four month sentence after admitting possessing cannabis . |
53,278 | 972018990c4849fc40291f45c8627b58c3390cdd | (CNN) -- The trainer at the center of a doping scandal that stunned the world of horse racing was banned for eight years Thursday by the governing body of the sport of Britain. Mahmood Al Zarooni, who worked at the world famous Godolphin operation in Newmarket, was handed the punishment by a disciplinary panel of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), sitting in London. The 37-year-old admitted a "catastrophic error" in administering prohibited anabolic steroids -- ethylestranol and stanozolol -- to 15 leading thoroughbreds. Eleven of the horses tested positive when a doping control team from the BHA visited Godolphin's Moulton Paddocks Stables on April 9. Al Zarooni volunteered information about the other four. All 15 horses, including the former 1,000 Guineas favorite Certify, were banned from racing for six months earlier Thursday by the BHA. Zero tolerance . "We believe that the eight-year disqualification issued to Mahmood Al Zarooni, together with the six-month racing restriction placed on the horses in question by the BHA, will serve to reassure the public, and the sport's participants, that use of performance-enhancing substances in British racing will not be tolerated," said BHA chief executive Paul Bittar. Godolphin, one of the world's most successful stables, is owned by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai. He issued a statement Wednesday admitting he was "appalled and angered" by the revelations of doping in his racing empire and had ordered the lockdown of his British operation. "I can assure the racing public that no horse will run from that yard this season until I have been absolutely assured by my team that the entire yard is completely clean," he said. Prompt action . Bittar acknowledged this prompt action: "The next objective for BHA is to take the necessary steps to ensure that overall confidence in the integrity of the sport is not at risk. "We welcome the proactive response of Godolphin and Sheikh Mohammed in announcing their intention to review the procedures of this stable and the need to ensure that all horses formerly trained by Mahmood Al Zarooni are tested and cleared before they race again." Al Zarooni, who has trained a string of big race winners since joining Godolphin in March 2010, was charged with rule breaches related to prohibited substances, duty to keep medication records, and conduct prejudicial to racing. After the hearing, he gave his reaction in a statement: "First and foremost, I would like to apologize to his Highness, Sheikh Mohammed, as well as all those involved in Godolphin and the public. Trainer apology . "I accept it was my responsibility to be aware of the rules regarding prohibited substances in Britain. I can only apologize. I have made a catastrophic error." Simon Crisford, Godolphin's racing manager, who accompanied Al Zarooni to the hearing, expressed his thoughts to gathered reporters. "Mr Al Zarooni acted with awful recklessness and caused tremendous damage, not only to Godolphin and British racing," he said. "I think it will take a very long time for Godolphin to regain the trust of the British public. We're shocked and completely outraged by the actions he has taken." Bittar said the case had highlighted "inconsistencies" about what substances are permitted to be used in the training of horses in different parts of the world. The use of anabolic horses is permitted for out-of-competition use in Australian racing, such as helping to overcome injuries. "While around the world, horseracing bodies quite rightly adopt a zero tolerance policy to the presence of anabolic steroids when carrying out post-race testing, the approach is not so consistent for horses in training. "In an age of increasing international travel and competition we will put the subject on the agenda for discussion with our international colleagues," Bittar added. | Leading horse racing trainer Mahmood Al Zarooni receives eight-year ban .
Al Zarooni had admitted to administering anabolic steroids to 15 top thoroughbreds .
Horses in question also suspended from running for six months .
Punishments handed down by British Horseracing Authority in London . |
119,708 | 26a6e3bc9c7676706575c5e3075d942725d546fa | By . Stuart Woledge . PUBLISHED: . 08:29 EST, 6 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:51 EST, 6 September 2013 . Passengers will be offered the chance to buy an all-inclusive ticket by easyJet for the first time in its 18-year history in a move that could signal a change in direction for budget airliners. The Luton-based firm has announced it is to start offering some passengers the opportunity to pay one price for their ticket, which will entitle them to choose their seat, place their bag in the hold, and pay by credit card. Up until now the firm has charged customers less than many of its rivals for the seat itself, but then boosted profits with a raft of costs for extra services, such as inflight food and drink, which other carriers include for free. Change: EasyJet is to charge one price for an all-inclusive ticket for the first time in its 18-year history . The airline claims its new all-inclusive fare will be lower than if customers had chosen to book all the extras on top of their standard ticket. To begin with, the deal will only be available to business travellers who book through corporate systems. But it is still being seen as a sign that the giants of the budget airline market could be about to change the way they do business. Some carriers, such as Irish firm Ryanair, even charge extra if customers book by credit and debit card when there is little alternative available. They argue that they are simply giving passengers the option to strip out extra costs that they do not need in order to secure the lowest possible price. Rival: Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary has argued customers should be given the option to strip out costs . EasyJet, one of the no-frills pioneers since it set up in 1995, is introducing an all inclusive fare in a bid to win more corporate travel bookings from big name rivals. They say that not only will the fare be cheaper than if customers were to buy each of the options separately, it will also be less time-consuming, a factor that might appeal to business travellers in particular. Head of sales Ruth Spratt said: 'We are really pleased to be able to offer an inclusive fare for the first time - part of our campaign to make ourselves easier to book and attractive to large corporates. 'It will help us to compete even more effectively with the legacy carriers as well as providing further choice and value for the 10million-plus corporate travellers who choose to fly easyJet every year.' Business customers will still have the choice of paying existing standard fares if they are not taking a suitcase or do not mind which seat they get. All-inclusive: The airline claims the cost of the ticket will still be cheaper than prices offered by rival carriers . Some of the extra charges invoked by budget airlines have caused an outcry in the past. Last year, Suzy Mcleod was furious after being charged £236 at Ryanair's check-in desk for printing out her boarding cards. Mrs MecLeod usually printed them at home, but had forgotten to on that occasion. When she set up a Facebook page asking people to support her if they thought she had been treated unfairly, 500,000 people gave her their backing. It did not cut any ice with chief executive Michael O'Leary, who branded her 'stupid'. Ryanair has also been banned from advertising flights without the tax included to give the appearance of a cheaper fare, although it does continue to give the pre-tax price on its website. Last month a flight from London to Ibiza was advertised for £42.99, although that rose to £95.79 once taxes and other costs such as web check-in and an EU levy are added. Both EasyJet and Ryanair have capitalised on charging people for food, which other airlines include within the cost of the ticket. EasyJet charges £6 for its all-day breakfast, £1.80 for a cup of tea and £2 for a Cup-a-Soup. Ryanair charges £2.50 for a cup of tea, £5 for a sandwich, and £5.20 for a small bottle of wine. Last month Mr O'Leary vowed to keep increasing the cost of placing luggage in the hold until nobody could afford to do it anymore. It now costs £50 to take place a 15kg bag in the hold for a return trip. EasyJet charges £26 for a 20kg bag. Mr O'Leary said by increasing the charges the number of passengers placing luggage in the hold had fallen to 19 per cent, saving the airline 'a fortune in money'. In an interview he even suggested he might consider charging for hand luggage at some point in the future. Both airlines charge customers extra to book using a credit card as opposed to a debit card. Typically this is about two per cent of the total ticket price with Ryanair, while easyJet charges slightly more at 2.5 per cent. | Business passengers to be offered chance to buy first all-inclusive ticket .
The move is being seen as a change in direction for budget airliners .
EasyJet says the new ticket price will still be cheaper than rival companies . |
73,892 | d180721c129ceb52013d52c8838d0d240dac5617 | Steve Jobs would probably be alive today if he had not put off conventional medical treatment in favour of alternative remedies, a leading cancer doctor has said. Dr Ramzi Amri, a researcher at Harvard Medical School, claims the Apple boss had a mild form of cancer that is rarely fatal and that his choice of treatment 'eventually led to an unnecessarily early death'. Writing on Quora, a forum frequented by Silicon Valley executives, Dr Amri said: 'Let me cut to the chase - Mr Jobs allegedly chose to undergo all sorts of alternative treatment options before opting for conventional medicine. Claims: Steve Jobs, pictured in June, would probably be alive today if he had not put off conventional medical treatment in favour of alternative remedies, a leading cancer expert said . 'Given the circumstances, it seems . sound to assume that Mr Jobs' choice for alternative medicine has . eventually led to an unnecessarily early death.' Mr Jobs died earlier this month due to respiratory arrest caused by pancreatic cancer. He was 56. His death certificate, released by the . Santa Clara County Public Health Department this week, said that Mr . Jobs had a 'metastatic pancreas neuroendocrine tumor' and there would . not be an autopsy. The certificate also stated that Mr . Jobs had the cancer for eight years before his death and that he was . first diagnosed in October 2003. Leading authority: Dr Ramzi Amri is an expert on pancreatic cancer who works at Harvard Medical School . Dr Amri claimed that Mr Jobs . succumbed to the disease more quickly because of his apparent refusal to . embrace 'conventional treatment', especially over the last year, the . period when he visibly began to lose weight. The pancreatic cancer expert wrote: . 'It seems that even during this recurrent phase, Mr Jobs opted to . dedicate his time to Apple as the disease progressed, instead of opting . for chemotherapy or any other conventional treatment.' For nine months between his diagnosis . in 2003 and at least July 2004, Mr Jobs 'decided to employ alternative . methods to treat his pancreatic cancer, hoping to avoid the operation . through a special diet ', according to a 2008 CNN Money article. But the rapid advance of the cancer . caused Mr Jobs to undergo an operation known as a 'Whipple procedure' in . which he had his pancreas and duodenum removed. Dr Amri suggests that this procedure, . which is only undertaken if the cancer is quickly spreading, might not . have been necessary had the Apple CEO pursued conventional medicine . sooner. He wrote: 'The only reason he'd have a . transplant would be that the tumour invaded all major parts of the . liver, which takes a considerable amount of time.' Tributes: A makeshift memorial for Mr Jobs was set-up at Apple headquarters in Cupertino, California, last week . Dr Amri claims that had Mr Jobs had . the cancer surgically removed immediately after the disease was . diagnosed then he may well have survived with 'no residual . side-effects'. He added that as Mr Jobs had . comparatively mild neuroendocrine tumors, compared to the far more . aggressive pancreatic adenocarcinoma tumours that 95 per cent of . pancreatic cancer sufferers have. He wrote: 'In my series of patients, for many subtypes, the survival rate was as high as 100 per cent over a decade.' Dr Amri said he had the 'profoundest respect for Mr Jobs and his legacy' and did not wish to offend anyone with his comments. But he added: 'I have done 1.5 years . of research on the type of tumour that affected Steve Jobs and have some . strong opinions on his case, not only as an admirer of his work, but . also as a cancer researcher who has the impression that his disease . course has been far from optimal.' When contacted by website Gawker, Dr Amri said: 'I wrote that on a personal title and it's my personal opinion.' It is unclear what 'special diet' Steve Jobs may have adhered to after he was diagnosed with the tumour. He was known to be a pescetarian, so ate fish alongside a vegetarian diet. He may have consulted a dietician after diagnosis because people with pancreatic disease often find it hard to digest fat. Enzymes are often prescribed to help break down food as the pancreas is not working as effectively. Alternative treatments that may relieve symptoms of the disease - such as nausea and pain - include acupuncture, herbal supplements such as plant-derived enzymes and massage therapy. However, there is no robust medical evidence any of these could actually fight the disease.We know that Mr Jobs didn't follow the controversial 'Gonzalez protocol', which is supposed to treat pancreatic cancer using vegetable juices, 150 daily supplements and having coffee enemas. This is because DrNicholas Gonzalez himself said the Apple-founder had not gone to him. He went on to say had Jobs done so he could have saved his life - although the early termination of a trial comparing chemotherapy to Gonzalez’ protocol would suggest otherwise. Meanwhile Dr David Gorski, from the Barbara Ann Karmanos Cancer Institute, is cautious about judging Mr Jobs’ decision to not have immediate treatment. He said on sciencebasedmedicine.org: 'While Jobs certainly didn’t do himself any favours by waiting nine months to undergo definitive surgical therapy of his tumor, it’s very easy to overstate the potential harm that he did to himself by not immediately letting surgeons re-sect his tumor shortly after it was diagnosed eight years ago.' He added: 'There is no information of how large the tumour was upon its discovery or by how much it grew during those nine months. Whatever the case was, the surgery was apparently a success, with complete removal of the tumour.' Mr Jobs originally had an islet cell neuroendocrine tumour, which tend to be slow growing and can be treated even if they spread to the liver. | Apple CEO's choice of alternative treatment 'led to an unnecessarily early death', Dr Ramzi Amir says . |
74,112 | d225cba42abfc2e75775526ddda079401b47b415 | (CNN) -- Jay Z and Beyonce continue to be full of surprises. In the midst of all of the hoopla surrounding the now well-known elevator incident involving the couple and Beyonce's younger sister, Solange Knowles, the superstar pair have released a "trailer" for their upcoming tour. The star-studded short features cameos from actors Jake Gyllenhaal (who is now part of meme history thanks to a recent courtside photo with the superstar couple), Sean Penn, Don Cheadle, "Scandal" actor Guillermo Dìaz, Blake Lively, Emmy Rossum, and sisters Rashida and Kidada Jones. Directed by Melina Matsoukas, who has worked with Beyonce on music videos, the minimovie is meant to promote the 16-city "On The Run" tour, which will mark the first time the singer and her rapper husband have toured jointly. In the trailer, the couple portray a pair of outlaw lovers seen making deals, executing a heist, running from the authorities and sharing tender moments in a hotel room. One scene shows them emerging from an elevator wearing masks -- which could be seen as a bit of irony, given the recent headlines following the release of a surveillance video showing Solange Knowles punching and kicking Jay Z in a hotel elevator while Beyonce stood nearby on the night of the Met Gala in New York City. The trio have since released a statement which says in part, "We love each other and above all we are family. We've put this behind us and hope everyone else will do the same." Music featuring the rap mogul and his wife play in the almost four-minute video, which hit the Web on Saturday. Titled "Run," it's listed as a joint production between Jay Z's Roc Nation and Beyonce's Parkwood Entertainment. The "On The Run" stadium tour kicks off June 25 in Miami. | The four-minute "trailer" hit the Web on Saturday .
Jay Z and Beyonce portray an outlaw couple .
There's an elevator scene in the minimovie . |
47,137 | 84d290efffe625ef5851ec96b42201f746565e36 | (CNN) -- There's nothing like soaking in the hot springs while soaking in the culture of a place that loves its bathing. If you're traveling first class, why not head to Japan or Iceland to enjoy a country whose people celebrate the waters and can pinpoint their various healing properties? If domestic travel is more your speed and budget, there are delightful natural spas to be had in the United States. And to spend even more time in nature but less in dollars, camping near a historic hot springs may be the way to go. An elegant Japanese ryokan . While Japanese ryokans have traditionally served the weary traveler looking for an inn and a soak, some modern ryokans are offering a more luxurious experience. "The finest ryokans are now very refined establishments which are the epitome of Japanese "omotenashi," a spirit of hospitality that takes into account all aspects of the guest's experience," says Japan expert Duff Trimble. One Trimble's favorite ryokans, Bettei Senjyuan, offers more than the opportunity to rest and mingle. Located just outside of the town of Minakami, about two hours from Toyko, Senjyuan has private rooms with outdoor baths, spa treatments and public baths fed from nearby Mount Tanigawa. "I love that Senjyuan is on its own private piece of land so it feels like a private retreat," said Trimble, president of Wabi-Sabi Japan, a Toronto-based travel agency which customizes trips to Japan. "I also really like the excellent variety of very well-designed rooms which, most importantly, all have a private rotenburo (outdoor hot bath)." Senjyuan offers several different room styles, including Western-style beds. While the ryokan has an English website, travelers should be prepared for limited English. Rates start at $450 per night and include breakfast, a full multiple-course dinner and a room attendant. Iceland's Blue Lagoon . Spa culture dominates Iceland, where locals soak and swim in naturally heated baths and pools all over the country. The Blue Lagoon, the nation's most famous hot spring spa, is an easy stopover because of its convenient location between the airport and the capital, Reykjavik. Icelandair offers an add-on package after landing or before departure. (Icelandair travelers on the way to another destination may stop in Iceland for up to seven nights without an additional airfare charge.) If you prefer simpler and less famous hot springs, try the new Laugarvatn Fontana spa. Fontana recently opened in the village of Laugarvatn, about 50 miles from Reykjavik. To mix with the locals at their hot springs or thermal-heated swimming pools, check the "Swimming in Iceland" website. There are about 150 thermal pools in Iceland and a similar number of natural bathing places or hot springs. Iceland's inside and outside pools are heated, and most of the bigger facilities include a sauna, slides and one or more hot tubs, ranging in temperature from 104° to 113° Fahrenheit, according to Swimming in Iceland's Robert van Spanje, whose website lists most of the natural springs and swimming pools in Iceland. Escape to the California desert . Surrounded by the desert and mountains, guests can soak in the three mineral water pools at the Spring Resort and Spa in Desert Hot Springs, California, about 20 minutes from Palm Springs. "The water is amazing," says resort owner Maria Lease. "The Spring Resort and Spa is located near the San Andreas Fault, and the water is actually held in place by the fault. It comes out at 170 degrees and it feels like silk." Guests can enjoy the waters and spa services on site and head to Palm Springs for a swanky dinner experience. Get an aerial view of the desert on the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, a 10-minute ride up the Chino Canyon cliffs to an elevation of 8,500 feet. Active travelers can explore nearby Joshua Tree National Monument, Big Morongo Canyon Preserve or Indian tribal lands. Rates range from $119 to $279 per night. Steamboat Springs, Colorado . Skiers tired after a long day on the slopes can soak their tired bones at Strawberry Park Hot Springs before heading back to luxury digs at the Steamboat Grand Hotel. Those wishing for a more rustic experience can book the Caboose or other rustic cabins on site, starting at $70-$110 per night (reservations must be made by mail). Overnight guests must bring all food, swimsuits, seasonal gear and flashlights or headlamps. The springs are open daily, weeknights until 10 p.m. and weekends until midnight. (It's clothing optional after dark.) Locals recommend nighttime guests bring a flashlight to see the path to the springs. A four-wheel drive vehicle is required from November 1 to May 1 for two miles leading up to the springs, but shuttle services are available. Hot springs in town . Those craving a historic and affordable hot springs experience will find it at Hot Springs National Park in Arkansas, preserved in 1832 by President Andrew Jackson. The oldest of current National Park Service parks, it predates Yellowstone National Park by 40 years and the Park Service by 84 years. Dating back to 1912, the Buckstaff Bath House offers traditional whirlpool mineral baths and other services within the boundaries of the national park. Services start at $30. Gulpha Gorge Campground charges $10 per night for campers and $24 per night for hookups. No reservations are accepted at the bath house or campground. | Each room at the Senjyuan ryokan boasts a heated outdoor bath .
Mix with the locals at Iceland's hot springs and thermal pools .
Flashlights are needed for night soaks at Strawberry Park Hot Springs . |
103,329 | 113d11bf38000c49b07aaca4ea525a6dd3a13750 | LONDON, England (CNN) -- She is one of the world's most likeable and photogenic leaders, has her own YouTube channel, and is determined to change the face of learning in the Middle East. Queen Rania's down-to-earth personality has won hearts and minds all over the world. She is also, according to you, the most inspirational leader featured on CNN's "The Spirit of..." in 2008. Thousands of CNN Web site users voted to award her the honor for her matchless energy working with Jordan's young people, ahead of luminaries such as peace advocate Kofi Annan, activist Wangari Maathai and environmentalist James Lovelock. This is Queen Rania's second award in as many months. In November, she was presented with the first ever YouTube Visionary Award for her bold use of the video-sharing network to discuss stereotypes about Islam and the Arab world. The channel fielded questions from young people about all aspects of Islamic culture. She could not be present to personally receive the honour at YouTube's Live event in San Francisco, but her pop-culture-savvy pre-recorded acceptance speech showed her to be possibly the coolest queen alive. She delighted viewers with a lighthearted top-ten list of reasons for registering her own YouTube channel, which included, "Because I didn't have enough friends on Facebook," and "Because anything Queen Elizabeth can do I can do better." The experimental venture gained her a faithful online following, and since then the channel has become a platform for entertaining, non-hostile debate. It is exactly this willingness to set aside her royal image and interact with the public that her fans say has shown Queen Rania's dedication to bringing about change. She first entered the international spotlight 15 years ago after marrying Abdullah II bin al-Hussein, the then future king of Jordan. In 1999, she was proclaimed Queen, the world's youngest at age 28. She wasted little time in applying herself to various causes, and soon made her name as an engaging advocate for women's rights and moderate Islam, and as a heavy investor in youth. The 38-year-old mother of four has said that she cares about her people as if they were her own children, and wants to ensure as many of them as possible get the most out of school. Queen Rania may be light-hearted in some of her approaches, but she is very serious when it comes to revitalizing education in the Middle East. She has made closing the Middle East's "knowledge divide" -- the gap in knowledge that has grown as a result of people in richer countries having more access to computers, the Internet and education than those in poorer countries -- a top priority over the next few years in the hope that it will unlock the economic potential of the region's population. Queen Rania certainly has a challenge on her hands. Earlier this year, the Arab League Educational Cultural and Scientific Organisation revealed that nearly one in three between the ages of 15 and 45 is illiterate. Alongside promoting equal rights for men and women and the importance of literacy, Queen Rania has strived to convince both the education and private sectors that existing education systems need reinvigoration. She has repeatedly called for creative instruction and explorative learning to be embraced in the classroom. In April of this year, Queen Rania launched the Madrasati ("My School") project, which encourages Jordanians to get their neediest schools back on their feet. Under the program, communities are working with the public and private sectors to raise funds and recruit volunteers to renovate school facilities and provide school supplies and equipment. This is expected to improve the learning environment for children, and ultimately have a ripple effect on the neighborhoods where the schools are located. Queen Rania's campaigns in various areas have helped to inspire other Middle Eastern policy-makers to see globalization in a more positive light -- a truly inspiring leader. | Queen Rania voted "The Spirit of..." most inspirational leader of 2008 .
Online readers acknowledge her work with education, women's rights and Islam .
Queen Rania personally encourages open dialogue through her YouTube channel . |
103,777 | 11de4971b285bce2a8135bd993992129d9858fe1 | Actress checked into centre on Monday for 30-day programme . Treatment described as 'maintenance' for bipolar II disorder . Catherine spent five days in a treatment centre in Connecticut in 2011 . Catherine Zeta-Jones has checked in to a centre to get additional treatment for her Bipolar II disorder. The 43-year-old Academy Award winner checked in to the treatment centre Monday and is expected to complete a 30-day programme. 'Catherine has proactively checked into a health care facility,' her spokesperson Cece Yorke confirmed to America's People magazine. 'Previously Catherine has said that she is committed to periodic care in order to manage her health in an optimum manner.' Happy and healthy: Catherine Zeta Jones was last seen at the 40th Chaplin Awards Gala Honoring Barbara Streisand in New York on April 22 with her husband Michael Douglas - she checked into a treatment centre for bipolar on Monday . A source tells the publication that . Zeta-Jones was planning to return to treatment as a way for doctors to . monitor her medication. 'There . was no big problem,' insisted the insider. 'This was just a good time . to do it. She is in between projects. This has always been part of the . plan. She would manage her health. She is vigilant about it.' Another source also told TMZ she has not had a relapse, adding: 'It's maintenance.' Jones first sought help in 2011, at . the time her spokesperson said that Catherine had 'made the decision to . check in to a mental health facility for a brief stay to treat her . Bipolar II disorder.' Catherine looked fine on April 22nd . when she attended the 40th Anniversary Chaplin Award Gala at Lincoln . Center with her husband Michael Douglas, who attended the White House . Correspondents' Dinner in Washington without her - an unusual . occurrence. In 2011 she stayed for five days, . joining 10 to 15 others in the £770-a-day detox centre at the hospital . in New Canaan, Connecticut. Going strong: Catherine looked radiant at the premiere of her last film, Side Effects, in January . Her publicist confirmed that she had received mental health treatment to help her cope with her traumatic personal life. ‘After dealing with the stress of the past year, Catherine made the . decision to check into a mental health facility for a brief stay to . treat her bipolar II disorder,’ she said. ‘She’s feeling great and looking forward to starting work this week on two upcoming films.’ New York Mental Health Consultant Stefanie Weiss, who has not treated the actress, believes that the decision to return to a treatment centre would have been especially difficult, given her high-profile identity. 'Bipolar disorder is a serious mental illness that is not easy for anyone to live with, especially when the Hollywood spotlight is constantly on you,' she told MailOnline. 'Catherine Zeta Jones going back into treatment for a disorder that she struggles with is an extremely difficult and private decision. It is unfortunate that she needs the added stress of reporting to the media and her many fans that she needs to take this time to improve her mental health. 'Hopefully, her courageous decision to seek help will inspire more people to do the same.' Facility: The actress spent five days at the Silver Hill Hospital near New Canaan, Connecticut . Douglas, with whom she has two young children, battled stage four throat cancer in 2010, enduring both chemotherapy and . radiation. Catherine showed signs that she was struggling to cope with her emotions when she broke down in public that September at the Ryder Cup Welcome To Wales concert at Cardiff Millennium Stadium. Catherine had been booked months before her husband fell ill to speak at the event and had to go to the event solo as he was treated back in New York. A traumatic event can sometimes cause symptoms of the mood-altering illness. Experts . say patients experience both elevated moods - which may lead to bouts . of increased activity - as well as episodes of depression. Unlike bipolar I, the 'up' moods do not reach full-on levels of mania. Rather . than descending into deep depressions, patients can be very outgoing, . functional and often more productive than normal, one reason why it . often goes undiagnosed. People . in a hypomanic state also often have a decreased need for sleep. They . are also said to be at a higher risk of committing suicide. Celebrities who have reportedly battled various forms of bipolar . disorder have included Britney Spears, Stephen Fry and Charlie Sheen. It is treatable with medication. Dr Michael Roizen, America’s first Chief Wellness Officer, claims genetics can also be a factor. ‘If one or more of your parents has the mood disorder, you are more likely to develop bipolar disorder. ‘Other . contributing factors include stress, illness, death, or a job loss. Also, researchers believe that bipolar disorder may be caused in part by . an imbalance in any or all of the brain chemicals norepinephrine, . serotonin, and dopamine.’ ‘Sometimes . a traumatic event that causes a lot of stress can cause bipolar II . disorder to develop. Other possible causes include an abnormal amount of . hormones and drug use,’ added a spokeswoman for the US Honour Society . of Nursing. But the strain was too much for her and she broke down when talking about him in her native Wales in front of the 13,000 strong audience. The 68-year-old . announced in January 2011 that doctors had declared him free of cancer . following six months of gruelling treatment. The actor accompanied his ‘emotionally distraught’ wife as she . checked into the hospital under the name Terrie Kirny, the National . Enquirer magazine claimed. A witness at the hospital told the magazine that the Welsh-born . actress, who was made a CBE in February, appeared ‘happy’ during her . stay. She apparently joined fellow guests for meals, jogs around the grounds and even poker sessions before bed. Miss Zeta-Jones often appeared to be on edge in public during Douglas’s treatment for throat cancer. She was close to tears at New York’s John F Kennedy airport after . she reportedly cut short a visit to the UK when her husband’s . conditioned worsened. In February, she flew into a rage at a photographer in London, . claiming he hit her as she and Douglas returned to their hotel after . dinner. The Enquirer also quoted an observer who said she had ‘really put the . red wine away’ during two recent visits with Douglas to a Manhattan . restaurant. Miss Zeta-Jones claimed in 2004 that a stalker’s threats against her . left her so shaken that she feared she would have a nervous breakdown. The Enquirer quotes a family source as saying: ‘It’s been the most . difficult year of her life. She’s been through hell! The pressure has . been almost unbearable.’ Claiming that the actress had suffered ‘more sleepless nights than . you could possibly know’ worrying about her husband, the source added: . ‘Catherine had a lot of trouble coping. She was chain-smoking and . drinking. ‘It was tearing Catherine apart to see such a vital man as Michael in such a weakened state. I think she was crumbling.’ Zeta-Jones said as much in an interview last September in which . she spoke of the pain of watching her husband dealing with cancer and . her ‘fury’ that doctors did not spot it earlier. The couple’s stress levels will not have been helped by moves this . week by Douglas’s first wife, Diandra, to revive her court battle for a . share of his Wall Street: Money Never Sleeps earnings. Family time: Catherine and Michael with their children Dylan and Carys at Disneyland in November . Her camp pressed a judge to reconsider his view that the . case belongs in California. The couple divorced there in 2000 after 23 . years together. His lawyer said her client's ex 'should be ashamed of herself' for . seeking more when she had already received more than $51 million in . their divorce settlement. Douglas' adult son Cameron, from his marriage to Diandra, was sentenced to prison last year on drug charges. Zeta-Jones and Douglas are parents to son Dylan, 10, and daughter Carys, who turns eight on April 20. The . actress' upcoming film projects include Playing the Field, a comedy . starring Gerard Butler, Dennis Quaid Jessica Biel, and Dali, a biopic . with Antonio Banderas. | Actress checked into centre on Monday for 30-day programme .
Treatment described as 'maintenance' for bipolar II disorder .
Catherine spent five days in a treatment centre in Connecticut in 2011 . |
183 | 008fc24ca9f4c48a54623bef423a3f2f8db8451a | (CNN) -- Barcelona put on a sumptuous display against Rayo Vallecano and it was no surprise that Lionel Messi led the way, rewriting the record books in the process. The four-time world player of the year scored two goals to give him 228 overall in the Spanish league, passing Alfredo di Stefano's mark and placing the Argentine into a tie for third with a man who, like di Stefano, made a name for himself at Real Madrid, Raul. Barring a serious injury and change of leagues, Messi -- who did miss two months this season with a leg complaint -- is sure to take over top spot from Telmo Zarra. The latter scored 251 goals, 17 more than Hugo Sanchez. "I'd like to think that Messi still has a bit to go before he's 100 percent fit," Barcelona manager Gerardo Martino told the club website. "If he wants, he'll break any record he sets his mind to. "He's only 26 years old and he'll lose count (of the records he breaks). Barca enjoy him and Argentina does as well." Barcelona's awesome display against Vallecano prompted the Catalan club's website to use the word 'caviar' in describing the affair and the free-flowing football on offer served as a warning for Manchester City, which collides with Barca next week in the Champions League. Messi's goals came in the 38th and 68th minutes at the Camp Nou, with Adriano, Pedro, Alexis Sanchez and the returning Neymar chipping in with the others. Neymar, the Brazilian whiz, had missed about three weeks with an ankle injury. "This month has been long," Neymar told reporters. "I was very eager to play." Despite the ruthless performance, Barcelona can't gain a significant lead over Atletico Madrid. Madrid earlier Saturday blanked Real Valladolid 3-0 at home, realistically claiming all three points with two goals in the first four minutes. It was relief for Atletico, which had lost three straight games in all competitions. "It was convenient, fast and what I like is the intensity with which the team went out with," Atletico manager Diego Simeone told the club website. Barcelona and Atletico each have 60 points, and Real Madrid can join them by winning at Getafe on Sunday. | Lionel Messi becomes the third leading scorer in the Spanish league .
Messi nets twice in Barcelona's 6-0 rout over Rayo Vallecano at home .
Atletico Madrid won earlier Saturday to temporarily go top in La Liga .
Real Madrid can join Barca and Atletico on 60 points Sunday with a win . |
77,698 | dc44f2374dc39c6168cede378e35703bdc788aae | A father-of-six who received a disability pension for 16 years has been ordered to repay $73,000 after it was revealed that he lied about his lucrative portfolio and impressive income. Victorian man Peter Kooyoufas claimed a disability pension whilst owning ‘multiple’ properties, a collection of extravagant vehicles, collected ‘hundreds of thousands of dollars’ in rent and secretly ran a poultry business. In April 2012, Centrelink ordered that Kooyoufas repay a portion of his pension after it was discovered he had purchased a poultry farm for $530,000 in Cranbourne South, 45 kilometres south east of Melbourne's CBD. Kooyoufas made an appeal against the order to the Administrative Appeals Tribunal, but was unsuccessful after investigations uncovered many years of deceit. Whilst receiving his disability pension, Peter Kooyoufas concealed his lucrative collection of cars, including a 1971 Rolls-Royce . The man, who also goes by the name ‘Pangioti Kooyoufas’, has been fined three and a half year's worth of payments to the sum of $78,813.71 . It was discovered that the man had operated 28 different bank accounts whilst he was on the pension from March 1996 until April 2012. The man, who also goes by the name ‘Pangioti Kooyoufas’, has been fined three and a half year's worth of payments to the sum of $78,813.71. This figure only accounts for the payments he received from Centrelink from November 2008 until his pension was cancelled. The Administrative Appeals Tribunal found that Kooyoufas continually rorted the department from the time of his initial pension application in 1995. "I have no hesitation on the evidence before me in finding that Mr Kooyoufas deliberately failed to disclose the ownership of (Mount Waverley) to Centrelink at the time of his applications in 1995 and 1996 for the DSP," AAT senior member Egon Fice found. Kooyoufas' deceit was first uncovered when the department were made aware that he had purchased a Victorian poultry farm for $530,000 and running it as a business . Kooyoufas’ claimed was that he was not the owner of many of the properties, nor was he running businesses. He insisted the poultry farm belonged to his father, and that his involvement with chickens was a 'hobby'. 'The poultry farm was registered in his son’s name, but advertisements listed the contact name as "Peter",’ argued AAT senior member Egon Fice. He told the AAT that the large number of cars believed to be in his possession, including a 1996 Mercedes-Benz, a 1971 Rolls-Royce and a 1988 Pontiac, technically belonged to his children . 'Even if he did not sell many chickens or other birds, it is simply not possible, on the evidence for me, to say that the land was used solely for private purposes.' He told the AAT that the large number of cars believed to be in his possession, including a 1996 Mercedes-Benz, a 1971 Rolls-Royce and a 1988 Pontiac, technically belonged to his children. His 28 bank accounts frequently received rental payments, but Kooyoufas insists the properties belonged to his parents. Whilst receiving his disability pension with Centrelink, the man had 28 bank accounts which frequently received 'hundreds of thousands of dollars' worth of rental payments from his multiple properties . | Peter Kooyoufas received a disability pension for 16 years .
Pension ceased in 2012 after $530 thousand farm purchase was uncovered .
He has been fined three and a half year's worth of payments - $78,813.71 .
Investigations found Kooyoufas owned a collection of luxury cars, including a 1996 Mercedes-Benz, a 1971 Rolls-Royce and a 1988 Pontiac .
Kooyoufas also received hundreds of thousands of dollars in rent .
He operated 28 different bank accounts while receiving his pension . |
80,397 | e3e7b85700a98292f2c810f5ec5fa5ba7c235f4c | (CNN) -- Pirates off the eastern coast of Somalia picked the wrong target this week when they tried to attack a U.S. Navy ship, the Navy said Thursday. Pirates off the coast of Somalia tried to attack the USNS Lewis and Clark on Wednesday. The attempted attack happened Wednesday against the USNS Lewis and Clark, a dry cargo and ammunition ship that supports the U.S. Navy 5th Fleet and coalition ships in the area, the Navy said. Two pirate skiffs pursued the Lewis and Clark for more than an hour as it headed north, the Navy said. They got as close as one nautical mile from the ship. The Lewis and Clark sped up and tried to escape the pirates, and the ship's security team issued verbal warnings to the approaching skiffs, the Navy said. The suspected pirates, who were then two nautical miles behind the Lewis and Clark, fired small arms at the ship. They fell a mile short of the ship's stern, the Navy said. The Lewis and Clark sped up and the skiffs stopped their chase. "The actions taken by Lewis and Clark were exactly what the U.S. Navy has been recommending to prevent piracy attacks -- for both commercial and military vessels," said Capt. Steve Kelley, commander of Task Force 53, assigned to the Lewis and Clark. "Merchant mariners can and should use Lewis and Clark's actions as an unequivocal example of how to prevent a successful attack from occurring," he said. Evasive maneuvers and other defense measures such as on-board security teams have worked to protect other ships and their cargo, the Navy said. That was the case late Wednesday morning in the Gulf of Aden, when a Greek vessel fended off a pirate attack. The Greeks hit the approaching skiff, causing the pirates' boat to capsize, the European Union's Maritime Security Center said in a written statement. A Spanish crew recovered seven pirates from the water and detained them, the statement said. No casualties or damage was reported. A Dutch cargo crew in the Gulf of Aden wasn't so lucky Thursday, the maritime center said. The small cargo vessel was hijacked, likely by Somali pirates, while sailing west in the transit corridor. The crew of eight Dutch sailors, who had Coca-Cola on board, altered the craft's course toward Somalia, the center said. The crew is believed to be unhurt. More than 30,000 vessels transit the Gulf of Aden each year, the Navy said. So far this year, there have been 97 attempted attacks on merchant vessels, 27 of which have been successful, the Navy said. The Lewis And Clark is one of six dry cargo/ammunition ships in the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command, which delivers supplies to the U.S. military around the globe. The ship also supported the counter-piracy task force in the area earlier this year, the Navy said. | Pirates fired small arms at USNS Lewis and Clark .
Commander praises evasive maneuvers that the crew used to escape .
This year 97 attempts to attack merchant ships have been made; 27 were successful . |
199,734 | 8e8e15bf03a6a09f7f81a97b4217b84275ef4787 | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 03:10 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:29 EST, 9 August 2013 . The meteor fireball that crashed into Russia in February was part of a 656-foot wide asteroid called 2011 EO40. Spanish astrophysicists analysed fragments of the meteor that were scattered across the Russian town of Chelyabinsk, where the meteor landed, and claim it came from the large Apollo asteroid that regularly crosses passed Earth as it orbits the sun. They added that the piece may have broken off because of the stress caused by the gravitaional pull of the planets and the sun, or could have been caused by the asteroid hitting into something else during its orbit. Scroll down for video . The meteor fireball, pictured, that crashed into Russia in February was part of a 656-feet wide asteroid called 2011 EO40. Spanish astrophysicists analysed fragments of the meteor and claim it came from the Apollo asteroid that regularly crosses passed Earth as it orbits the sun . Experts said the meteor that left a 50-foot hole in a frozen lake on the outskirts of Chelyabinsk, in the Urals, weighed around 100,000 tonnes and measured 55 feet in diameter . This caused the fragment to separate off and plummet towards Earth. The meteor fireball, also known as a superbolide, was seen over Chelyabinsk in the south of the country near the border of Kazakhstan and around 900 miles east of Moscow. It exploded over Russia's Ural Mountains and is the biggest space rock to have hit . earth in more than a century. The 10,000 tonne rock, measuring . around 55 feet in diameter, created a huge hole in a frozen lake when it . crashed into the ground. Over 1,000 people were injured by the exploding rock and scientists managed to recover more than 50 tiny fragments of the meteor, allowing them to study its contents and origin. Nasa scientists at the time said the shockwave caused by the crash was greater than 30 Hiroshima nuclear bombs and was so powerful it travelled twice around the world. The Russian meteor hit the Earth just hours before an asteroid called 2012 DA14 was spotted nearby but the two incidents were not found to be related. Viktor Grokhovsky, who led the expedition from Urals Federal University in February following the crash, said that 53 fragments of the meteor have been plucked from the ice-covered Chebarkul Lake . In February divers searched the waters beneath the ice for traces of space rock but surfaced empty handed, leaving some experts questioning whether the hole was indeed formed by a piece of falling debris . Professor Carlos de la Fuente Marcos and his brother Raul from the University of Madrid identified 20 possible sources from a cluster of asteroids dubbed Chelyabinsk asteroid family. They . told The Telegraph: 'The most probable parent body for the Chelyabinsk . superbolide is 2011 EO40. Under such conditions, the cluster cannot be . older than about 20,000–40,000 years.' However, the only way to confirm this theory, claims Marcos, would be to go into space and take samples of the 2011 EO40 asteroid. German . scientists are also set to publish finding later this year that claim . the meteor was made of a stony material called chondrite breccias.Most asteroids are made up of boulders, dust and ice. Professor . Carlos de la Fuente Marcos added that another similar incident is . 'unlikely' but smaller fragments might crash to Earth as the asteroid . continues its orbit. The meteor caused widespread property damage in Chelyabinsk city, with health officials saying that 46 of the injured remain . hospitalised. The debris narrowly missed a direct . and devastating hit on the industrial city which has a population of . 1.13 million but spread panic through its streets as the sky above lit . up with a blinding flash. Service pieces of a meteorite are displayed in a laboratory in Yekaterinburg after being recovered from near Lake Cherbarkul in the Chelyabinsk region. A total of 53 pieces have been brought for analysis to the university in Yekaterinburg . Paul Chodas of NASA's Near-Earth Object Program Office said at the time: 'We would expect an event of this magnitude to occur once every 100 years.' He told the Wall Street Journal: . 'When you have a fireball of this size we would expect a large number . of meteorites to reach the surface and in this case there were probably . some large ones.' Viktor Grokhovsky, who led the . expedition from Urals Federal University, said that 53 fragments of the . meteor had been plucked from the ice-covered Chebarkul Lake. The local governor estimated the . damage at 1 billion rubles (£21.5million) and said he hopes the federal . government will provide at least half that amount. The debris from the crash in February narrowly missed a direct and devastating hit on the industrial city of Chelyabinsk, which has a population of 1.13 million, but spread panic through its streets as the sky above lit up with a blinding flash . Lidiya Rykhlova, head of the . astronomy department at the Moscow-based Institute for Space Research, . said experts have drafted a program that envisages building powerful . telescopes, including space-based ones, to warn against potentially . dangerous asteroids, comets and other threats. As it raced through the sky, the . 50-foot wide chunk of space rock compressed the air ahead of it, . creating the enormous temperatures that meant it exploded in a fireball . somewhere between 18 and 32 miles above the ground at around 9.20am . local time on 19 February. Although . some debris fell to earth, ‘whipping up a pillar of ice, water and . steam’ and creating a 20-foot-wide crater, the damage in nearby towns . was actually caused by shockwaves created by the meteor breaking the sound barrier and then exploding. Collectors . from around the world will be keen to get hold of a piece of the meteor. Film . director Steven Spielberg is a noted collector. In October a 9in piece . of the Seymchan meteorite found in Siberia in 1960 sold in New York for . $43,750 (£28,200). Astronomers have also revealed that the meteor could have hit UK cities if it had hit at a slightly different time of day. The city of Chelyabinsk, 900 miles east of Moscow and close to the Kazakhstan border, took the brunt of the impact . Local residents said they witnessed burning objects in the sky of the Chelyabinsk and Sverdlovsk regions . | Experts say the meteor weighed 10,000 tonnes and was 55 feet wide .
The rock created a 50-foot hole in a frozen lake near Chelyabinsk .
Scientists have analysed more than 53 tiny fragments of the meteor .
It is thought to have been part of a large Apollo asteroid called 2011 EO40 . |
32,336 | 5bee7250a21085964d958b91977019b0e834c5e2 | By . Richard Hartley-parkinson . Last updated at 12:13 PM on 20th December 2011 . Prisons were not ready for the sudden influx of inmates that occurred following the summer riots, a report by inspectors has found. With 60 inmates arriving in the space of a week, Feltham Young Offenders' Institute in West London struggled to cope with the demand and fights regularly broke out with those already being held there concerned that rioters had 'destroyed their turf'. Many of those involved in the disturbances had also been abandoned by their families who had even considered moving home, shamed by their actions and affected by their communities' reactions. The number of young offenders put on . suicide watch increased by 200 per cent while many experienced gangs and . violence for the first time. Feltham Young Offenders' Institute struggled to cope after the riots as 60 prisoners arrived in a week - the normal number that is jailed there in a month . Inmates baulked at scenes played out on television inside the prisons by lashing out at those they saw as being responsible for putting their families at risk. Staff at the jail found that there was 'no central strategy to manage the unprecedented numbers of new arrivals and transfers, including those they were expecting as further arrests were made'. In one instance there was a 'copycat riot' in the young adults' gym at Feltham but a repeat in the unit holding those under 18 'did not materialise'. The report by prison inspectors said: 'Young people already in the prison . had negative perceptions of those involved in the riots as they felt . that they were responsible for the transfer of their friends to other . prisons. 'They had seen their home areas attacked on television and were worried about family and friends there.' Footage of the destruction sparked anger among inmates who then vented their frustration on those they saw responsible for causing the damage . Many young offenders were ostracised by their families after seeing the reaction of their communities and some have even said they want to move because of the fallout . Existing prisoners were moved to . prevent disturbances, but 'there had been attacks on those involved in . the riots and this was now the primary cause of fights', the inspectors . said. 'Young people on different units had . formed themselves into gangs and there had been fights between units. 'This included those who had not been involved in gangs in the community . before and who had become part of the unit gang to protect themselves. 'Young people who had not previously . experienced violence were witnessing it first hand in custody and some . had become more vulnerable as a result. 'Although there had been no actual . self-harming, the number of open ACCTs (assessment, care in custody and . teamwork assessments) had increased by 200 per cent due to staff . concerns for new young people.' As those involved in the riots were . dealt with swiftly by the courts, the number of new arrivals at Feltham . hit 60 in a week, the same number it would typically expect in a whole . month, the inspectors said. With . increasing pressure on space, 70 people had to be moved out of the . institution within a week with as few as two hours notice. Most . of them were transferred 200 miles away to Hindley YOI in Wigan and . many did not have time to let their families know about the move. Staff . also had little information about new arrivals and the 'huge increase . of movement across the whole of the under-18 estate' affected both . newcomers and the settled population. Chief . inspector Nick Hardwick said that while Feltham 'coped well' overall, . it was important for all institutions to 'work effectively with young . people held in custody for the first time to ensure they do not become . caught in a gang and criminal culture'. The . Howard League for Penal Reform also received reports that children in . prisons had been 'advised to walk around in pairs so they were not on . the landing on their own'. Frances . Crook, the group's chief executive, said: 'Other prisoners said that . the rioters had 'destroyed their turf' and beatings had been going on . all day. Similar to emergency services tackling the disturbances and fires, prison staff were forced to 'make it up as they went along' in the struggle to cope with the pressure . 'One of our lawyers said it was difficult to hear on the telephone as screaming and shouting could be heard in the background.' She added: 'The Government made it clear that those involved in the riots should expect to go to jail. 'Obeying . political pressure to respond quickly and punitively, the courts . over-reacted to the civil disturbances of the summer and sent hundreds . of children to prison, putting them at risk, blighting their life . chances, and stretching the prison system to its limit. Chief prisons inspector Nick Hardwick said that Feltham 'coped well' but other institutions should work to prevent young people becoming caught in gang culture . 'It is shocking that there was no coherent strategy from central Government for dealing with the massive influx of children sent into custody. Staff were forced to make it up as they went along.' Penelope Gibbs, director of the Prison Reform Trust's Out of Trouble programme, said: 'Feltham Juvenile YOI was inundated with new arrivals as a result of the riots and this report details the strain on the system. 'The system did cope, just about, but the report begs the question as to whether so many under 18-year-olds needed to be locked up on remand in the wake of the riots.' A Prison Service spokesman said: 'We have a zero-tolerance policy towards violence in prisons. 'Those suspected or convicted of rioting received the same treatment as all other prisoners, and any incidents which have taken place have been minor. 'Any incidents should be seen in the context of the age and challenging nature of the population at Feltham.' Michael Spurr, chief executive of the National Offender Management Service, added that inspectors found that Feltham was 'fundamentally safe, with good self-harm and violence management, positive staff-prisoner relationships, effective drug interventions and good healthcare and resettlement provision'. 'Feltham has a very challenging population and I am pleased that the work being undertaken to address gang issues has been recognised,' he said. 'At the time of the inspection Feltham was adapting to cope with a higher sentenced population of young people than previously. The Governor will use the chief inspector's report to develop the regime to match the young people's needs and improve activity provision.' | Inspectors noted a sharp rise in young offenders put on suicide watch following disturbances .
Many young offenders introduced to gangs and violence for the first time .
Inmates attacked youths they saw as being responsible for putting loved ones at risk and for forcing the relocation of their companions .
Feltham Young Offenders' Institute took on 60 inmates in a week - the normal amount it takes in over a month . |
125,901 | 2ec2514ac132bb3af6d53f18f1aa3c9bba5f4474 | If the infamous It’s a Royal Knockout show is becoming a faded memory, here’s why... Prince Edward turns 50 today. To mark the occasion Buckingham Palace have issued a charming new portrait of the Earl of Wessex, the title he was granted on his marriage, his wife, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex and their two children The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James, Viscount Severn. Taken in in the panelled dining room in their Berkshire home, Bagshot Park, by photographer Millie Pilkington, who also took the private photographs at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding, it is a particularly relaxed family portrait. To mark Prince Edward's 50th birthday, Buckingham Palace have issued a charming new portrait of the Earl of Wessex, the title he was granted on his marriage, his wife, Sophie, the Countess of Wessex and their two children The Lady Louise Mountbatten-Windsor and James, Viscount Severn . The Royal couple dressed smartly to celebrate their youngest son's half century birthday . The Queen wore a pearl necklace and matching earrings and a bright red lipstick to go with her cream coat . The Queen and The Duke Of Edinburgh arrive at Bagshot Park, Surrey for Prince Edwards 50th . Edward, . dressed in a lilac shirt unbuttoned at the neck to display a hint of . hairy chest, and bottle green trousers sits holding his giggling son, . six, on the arm of his chair. His . daughter, ten, wearing a grey pinafore and white jumper clutches his . arm affectionately, while his wife of almost 15 years, Sophie, smiles . broadly as she crouches behind. Aside . from the release of the official portrait, the prince has determinedly . refused to make a big deal of out his landmark birthday, granting a . single interview to a children’s news programme. He . will, however, conduct two public engagements with his wife in support . of the Wessex Youth Trust, the charity the couple set up shortly before . their marriage in 1999. The couple will then accompany the Queen and other senior royals to the Commonwealth Observance Service at Westminster Abbey. In . recent years Edward, often cited as the Queen’s favoured son, has . become something of the quiet man of the British monarchy, conducting . 258 engagements last year with little fanfare. He . is also considered the successor to his father’s Duke of Edinburgh . Awards scheme and been handed the plum role of International Trustee and . Chairman of the International Council. This has resulted in him becoming one of the most well-travelled members of the royal family last year. In . 2013 he conducted 87 engagement overseas, bettered only by his wife - . who carried out 95 - and Prince Charles, who also clocked up 95 jobs but . undertook two lengthy foreign tours on behalf of the British . government. The couple were in Barbados and Jamaica only last week. It is, perhaps, seen as a reward for years of quiet service after being forced to give up his chosen career. Lord Linley arrives at Bagshot Park, Surrey for Prince Edwards 50th Birthday Party . Tim and Lady Helen Taylor, first cousin once removed of Queen Elizabeth II, arrive at Bagshot Park . After leaving university, Edward famously joined the Royal Marines but dropped out of training within months. He . decided to pursue a career in entertainment, starting off as a . production assistant for Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Really Useful Theatre . Company but also produced the ill-fate It’s A Royal Knockout in 1987. In . 1993 he formed his own company, Ardent Productions, but was accused of . profiting out of his position by making a series of royal documentaries . The . company made a series of losses until, in 2001, one of his own film . crews invaded his nephew, Prince William’s privacy, while he was . studying in Scotland by secretly filming him, causing a public – and . private – furore. The . following year it was announced that he and his wife, whose own PR . business had been similarly dogged by controversy, would give up their . business interests to concentrate on their royal duties. Friends, . however, say Edward, who is now eighth-in-line to the throne, is happy . and relaxed in his new role as a dutiful son and now father. Bagshot Park, Surrey, the home of the Earl and Countess of Wessex . Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, turns 50 tomorrow and celebrations are being held today at his home . Prince Edward and wife Sophie, Countess of Wessex, were on tour in Barbados last week . He and his wife tried for several years to start a family and suffered the devastating loss of an ectopic pregnancy. One . friend said: ‘It really is lovely to see Edward and Sophie sitting down . on the floor playing with their children. They are such hand-on parents . and totally unstuffy. Louise and James were much longed-for children . and are the centre of their world.’ Earlier . this year it was revealed that Louise, the Queen’s youngest . grand-daughter, had undergone surgery to correct a severe squint she had . since birth. This latest portrait shows the surgery appears to have been successful. | Queen and Prince Philip's youngest son Edward turns 50 tomorrow .
Celebrations being held today at his family home in Bagshot Park . |
1,183 | 035a968aae45dfceb81e12dc504f39a7544b3ef0 | Tottenham welcome Arsenal to White Hart Lane on Saturday and both teams have already got the competitive juices flowing with derby 'throwbacks' being posted on their youtube accounts. The in-form teams go head-to-head in the north London derby with only two points separating the sides. Sportsmail looks at these 'throwbacks' and discusses some of the best goals. Tottenham . Jermain Defoe v Arsenal (November 2004) - White Hart Lane . The Sunderland striker scored a memorable individual goal when the home side were 3-1 down, as he glided past Cesc Fabregas and Patrick Vieira and curled a shot past the helpless Jens Lehmann and into the to corner. Jermain Defoe (left) had a fine Tottenham career but is now in the north east at Sunderland . Danny Rose v Arsenal (April 2007) - White Hart Lane . The left back had a debut he would never forget after scoring thunderous 30-yard volley. Gunners keeper Manuel Almunia cleared the ball from a corner and Rose hit it first time - giving Almunia or his defence no chance of stopping it. Danny Rose (left) has now established himself as Tottenham's first choice left back this season . Gareth Bale v Arsenal (November 2010) - Emirates Stadium . The Real Madrid star burst through from a devastating counter-attack involving Defoe and Rafael van der Vaart before slotting home past Lukas Fabianski and helping Tottenham fight back from 2-0 down to come away with all three points from the Emirates. Gareth Bale earned his record-breaking move to Real Madrid after being in blistering form for Tottenham . Kyle Walker v Arsenal (October 2011) - White Hart Lane . Walker scored a spectacular winner at White Hart Lane back in 2011, when he picked up a loose ball from Luka Modric's blocked shot and his swerving drive deceiving the helpless Wojciech Szczesny. England international Kyle Walker has since scored a number of long range efforts for Tottenham . Arsenal . Thierry Henry v Tottenham (November 2002) - Highbury . The Arsenal legend scored arguably the greatest ever goal in the north London derby when he picked the ball up in his own half, beat three Spurs defenders and slotted the ball into the bottom corner to give the home side the lead. Thierry Henry (centre) scored arguably the most memorable goal of the north London derby . Theo Walcott v Tottenham (November 2012) - Emirates Stadium . Arsenal fought from 2-0 down to beat Spurs 5-2 and winger Theo Walcott sealed the victory after controlling an Alex Song through ball and slotting home past the helpless Hugo Lloris. Theo Walcott's (right) return from injury is a welcome boost and he scored against Aston Villa on Sunday . Tomas Rosicky v Tottenham (March 2014) - White Hart Lane . The Czech midfielder scored the only goal in a tense affair but it was one he is unlikely to ever forget, after arrowing a shot from the corner of the box into the top corner, following a swift counter attack. Tomas Rosicky scored one of his best goals for Arsenal in the same fixture last season at White Hart Lane . Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain v Tottenham (September 2014) The England international scored a late equaliser at the Emirates Stadium to hand Arsenal a deserved draw. The winger smashed home from close range after the ball fell to him from a goalmouth scramble. Alex Oxlade Chamberlain (left) has had an injury-hit season but the England star is beginning to find his form . | Arsenal and Tottenham exchange pre-derby blows by posting videos of the most memorable goals scored in the clubs previous clashes .
Sportsmail has narrowed down the best goals from both teams .
Danny Rose's piledriver and Thierry Henry's wonder goal make the cut .
Tottenham vs Arsenal combined XI: Sportsmail picks its team .
Christian Eriksen vs Mesut Ozil: Who has been a bigger hit? |
258,017 | d9eb6921c414880e40f6173147c3262a8332f640 | New York (CNN) -- The FBI said Friday that white powder found at New Jersey hotels near the site of the Super Bowl and at the Manhattan office of former Mayor Rudy Giuliani proved to be non-hazardous. Hazardous materials teams and bomb squads responded after white powder was found at several hotels near New Jersey's MetLife Stadium, authorities said. In a statement late Friday, the New Jersey State Police said most of the locations that the Joint Terrorism Task Force and hazard materials responded to because of the suspicious powder had been secured. No injuries were reported. The FBI In New York tweeted Friday afternoon: "Substances in suspicious letters in New York and New Jersey deemed non hazardous. Additional testing to come." The contents of one letter sent to the Homewood Suites in East Rutherford were tested and determined to be cornstarch, East Rutherford Mayor James Cassella said. A New York police spokesman said the letter sent to Giuliani's office contained a "nontoxic substance." Still, eight employees in the mail room were decontaminated as a precaution, and no one has shown any sign of illness, he said. Giuliani told CNN's Wolf Bitzer on The Situation Room that the letter with white powder was addressed to his administrative assistant. "Of course, it created tremendous concern," he said. "But the police department showed up. My firm . ... is a security firm, thank goodness, so they knew how to handle it immediately. They did a a test. The preliminary test is that it's nontoxic... We don't know if it's connected to the six or seven that were sent in New Jersey." He added, "It's kind of a strange letter, more than a threatening letter. Said something about 'you're being my best friend' and this person is not my best friend or my assistant's best friend, or anyone we know. ... At this point, all we know is the good news is it's not toxic. The bad news is we don't really know if it's connected." The letter was postmarked from Toronto, Ontario, and contained a name and return address. New York law enforcement authorities were in touch with Canadian authorities to pursue the source of the letter, police said. In New Jersey, Hackensack University Medical Center evaluated some people who may have come in contact with the suspicious letters, a State Police spokesman said. No illnesses or injuries were reported. In a statement, the FBI said earlier Friday: "The Joint Terrorism Task Force and Hazard Materials units have responded to several locations that have received a suspicious letter and substance. There are no reported injuries at this time, and the locations are being secured." The scares come amid tight security before Sunday's game. More air marshals and behavioral detection officers, radiological detection teams and random baggage checks at transit hubs are among the security measures the federal Homeland Security Department deployed to help local police in New Jersey and New York secure the Super Bowl. The stadium's location near a major airport and busy commuter train lines presents security challenges. Unlike audiences for other championship games, spectators of Super Bowl XLVIII will rely heavily on mass transit. Chris Murray, business management president at the Quality Inn in Lyndhurst, said the hotel received a suspicious letter but he did not know what was inside the envelope. He said local police were at the hotel and that a Hazmat team and bomb squad were expected to examine the letter. Murray said other hotels on the same corner in Lyndhurst also received suspicious envelopes, including the Renaissance and Marriott Courtyard. The letter was sitting on a desk in his office, Murray said. Other hotels that received suspicious packages included the Econo Lodge, Holiday Inn and Hampton Inn in Carlstadt, and Renaissance Inn and Homestead in Rutherford. Law enforcement officials said six letters were discovered in New Jersey. CNN's Ross Levitt, Allie Malloy, Haimy Assefa, Haley Draznin and Julia Lull contributed to this report. | FBI says content of letters isn't hazardous .
An unknown powder is found at several hotels in New Jersey .
A letter with white powder sent to office of Rudy Giuliani . |
282,285 | f9a032387e153f67cadc247c586a6a3b609d7e82 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Former South African President Nelson Mandela is to be removed from a U.S. terrorism watch list under a bill President Bush signed Tuesday. Mandela and other members of the African National Congress have been on the list because of their fight against South Africa's apartheid regime, which gave way to majority rule in 1994. Apartheid was the nation's system of legalized racial segregation that was enforced by the National Party government between 1948 and 1994. The bill gives the State Department and the Homeland Security Department the authority to waive restrictions against ANC members. "He had no place on our government's terror watch list, and I'm pleased to see this bill finally become law," said Sen. John Kerry of Massachusetts. South Africa's apartheid government had designated the ANC a terrorist organization during the group's decades-long struggle against whites-only rule. Its members have been barred from receiving U.S. visas without special permission, and the bill Bush signed will lift that requirement, State Department spokesman Tom Casey said. "What it will do is make sure that there aren't any extra hoops for either a distinguished individual, like former President Mandela, or other members of the African National Congress to get a U.S. visa," Casey said. Mandela shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1993 with F. W. de Klerk, the South African president and National Party leader who worked with Mandela to end apartheid. Mandela replaced him as president in 1994 and served until 1999. Recognized as a symbol of freedom and equality, Mandela will turn 90 on July 18. iReport.com: Have you ever met Mandela? He spent 27 years in prison on charges that included sabotage committed while he spearheaded the struggle against apartheid. He was released in 1990. The bill is H.R. 5690, which "authorizes the Departments of State and Homeland Security to determine that provisions in the Immigration and Nationality Act that render aliens inadmissible due to terrorist or criminal activities would not apply with respect to activities undertaken in association with the African National Congress in opposition to apartheid rule in South Africa." | Nelson Mandela was on list for fighting South Africa's apartheid regime .
He will be removed under a bill President Bush signed Tuesday .
State Department, Homeland Security will waive restrictions .
Mandela spent 27 years in prison for fighting South Africa's racist system . |
113,073 | 1df483897f80324915cf1872f4acf63afb31e615 | By . Pete Jenson . Frustrated Cristiano Ronaldo let rip at Gareth Bale as Real Madrid slumped to their second defeat in four days and slipped behind Barcelona and Atletico Madrid in the La Liga title race . With Real trailing 2-1 in the closing moments at Sevilla, Ronaldo could not hide his frustration after £86million record signing Bale decided to take a free kick, instead of leaving it for the Portuguese forward, and lashed his effort over the bar. Ronaldo was caught by TV cameras aiming a verbal volley at Bale. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Real's Marcelo and Sevilla's Bacca reacting after the match . Fuming: Cristiano Ronaldo vented his anger at Gareth Bale after the Welshman took a late free kick . Who, me? Bale was the target for Ronaldo's frustrations as Real Madrid slipped to another defeat . What are you doing? Ronaldo cannot hide his frustration after Bale stole the free-kick . Can't face it: Bale looks despondent after his free-kick comfortably misses the target . Hands on hips: Ronaldo seems to be having a sulk after another damaging defeat for Real . It capped a dismal night for the . Welshman, who was off the pitch changing his boots, leaving Real . temporarily down to 10 men, as Carlos Bacca scored the winner in the 73rd . minute. Madrid's loss at the . Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium came four days after they squandered a chance to . effectively end Barcelona's title defence, with Lionel Messi out-duelling . Ronaldo by scoring a hat trick for a thrilling 4-3 win in the Spanish . capital. Atletico Madrid 1 Granada 0 . Barcelona 3 Celta Vigo 0 . Sevilla 2 Real Madrid 1 . These consecutive losses came after Carlo Ancelotti's side had gone undefeated for 31 straight matches. 'We have to keep working, fighting and ask our fans for forgiveness,' said Madrid full back Marcelo. 'It's . tough to do what we did, to keep winning for so many games. We have . lost two games. They aren't more important, but they are critical. Now . everything is much more difficult.' Unhappy: Ronaldo can't hide his frustration as Real Madrid slip to defeat at Sevilla . Bacca was collecting tickets on local buses in his home town in his . early twenties before he finally got his career on the right road. The Colombian striker arrived at Sevilla for just £6m in the summer and . has now scored 18 goals in all competitions this season. He . was the second-half hero scoring after a superb piece of skill from . Ivan Rakitic. The Croatia midfielder flicked the ball over Pepe’s head . and sent Bacca through. Pepe recovered to pursue the Sevilla forward . but he was quicker to the loose ball and sent his shot through the legs . of Diego Lopez to put his side 2-1 in front. With Atletico Madrid beating Granada . and Barcelona winning against Celta the result left Diego Simeone’s side . top and Real third. It . was a particularly frustrating night for Bale, who picked up his fourth . booking of the season and squandered several chances either side of . half-time with wayward shooting. Hot shot: Ronaldo put Real Madrid ahead with his 27th goal of the season as Bale looks on . Blocked: Bale's left-foot shot is spectacularly saved by Sevilla goalkeeper Beto . Floored genius: Ronaldo takes a tumble under challenge from Sevilla's Stephane M'Bia . Atletico lead . the way at the top of the league on 73 points after Diego Costa's 63rd minute header was enough . to give them all three points at home against Granada. Barcelona are second on 72 points, with Madrid third on 70, but Barca's victory was marred by a serious injury to . goalkeeper Victor Valdes which has likely ended his career with the club . and ruled him out of the World Cup. The . 32-year-old goalkeeper, who has long planned to leave the Nou Camp at . the end of his contract in June, fell awkwardly while saving a free-kick . from Fabian Orellana in the 22nd minute of the match, and could be seen . crying as he left the pitch on a cart. Barca confirmed an anterior cruciate ligament tear after the match. 'Victor . Valdes suffered an ACL tear on 22 minutes after saving a free-kick,' the club said on their website. 'The club's medical services confirm . that he will need surgery.' Clinical: Sevilla striker Carlos Bacca scores the equaliser against Real Madrid . The winner: Bacca slots the ball underneath Real Madrid keeper Diego Lopez . Just the ticket: Former bus conductor Bacca inflicted Real's second defeat in four days . Ouch! Victor Valdes is forced to leave the field on a stretcher after a suspected cruciate ligament injury . First choice: Valdes had been in good form for the Catalans despite his plans to leave the club . Goals: Two goals from Neymar and one from Lionel Messi did the damage for Barcelona against Celta Vigo . Deadly: Diego Costa scored the winner for Atletico Madrid against Granada . | Real Madrid lose 2-1 to Sevilla, their second defeat in four matches .
Cristiano Ronaldo frustrated after Gareth Bale steals free-kick .
Former bus conductor Carlos Bacca scored twice for Sevilla .
Barcelona beat Celta Vigo 3-1 and Atletico defeated Granada 1-0 . |
124,336 | 2cbcead1649e17919b387c20375c56cf68f41dd5 | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 06:28 EST, 6 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:36 EST, 6 March 2013 . Alexander Wright was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court after posing as a police officer and carrying out seven robberies at the homes of elderly victims . A bogus caller who dressed up as a policeman to target elderly people in their homes before robbing them has been jailed for eight years. Alexander Wright, 31, bought a dark blue top and trousers, smart white shirt and tie from a charity shop to carry out the con. To complete his costume he had a fake earpiece, a walkie-talkie radio and sported a four-inch ID badge bearing the word 'police'. His victims were aged between 67 to 91, and included an 87-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease. Wright denied seven burglaries but a jury took only 45 minutes to find him guilty after a three-week trial at Sheffield Crown Court. Jailing him, Judge Rosalind Coe said he was nothing more than a distraction burglar who went to great lengths to convince victims he was someone in authority. She said: 'You dressed as a police officer therefore persuading them you were somebody who could be relied upon. 'You took from them various amounts of money and belongings in circumstances where the victims were left uncomfortable and frightened in their own homes.' Prosecutor Ian West said Wright's trick was to prey on elderly and vulnerable people in their own homes. 'He does that by pretending to be a police officer who arrives at the premises and knocks on the door,' he said. 'He will claim he is a police officer and say there have been burglaries and ask to check their homes. This is a very clever and devious man.' Wright struck three times in Chesterfield and at homes in Huddersfield, Oldham, Sheffield and Rotherham last summer. He was arrested after fleeing a break-in and driving at 70mph in his white transit van trying to ram a police car, narrowly missing other vehicles and driving through red lights. Wright bought his uniform from the Minds Matters shop in Sheffield and conned his victims who were aged from 67 to 91, some of whom were short-sighted, into believing he was a policeman. 'He just needed to look presentable and the ruse worked,' said Mr West. 'He even had two sets of his chosen disguise.' When Wright was arrested officers found half of a pair of headphones in his van which he used to make a fake earpiece to pretend he was talking to the control room. 'One of the victims said he had this headphone in his ear and he was talking into it,' said Mr West. Wright stole bank books, a passport and £400 in cash from Elsie Swan, 88, at her home in Gleadless, Sheffield on Saturday, July 7. Three days later he struck at three homes in Chesterfield where the female victims were aged 76, 91 and 82 respectively. In Huddersfield he targeted an 87-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease and his 75-year-old wife, and robbed a 67-year-old woman in Oldham. Mrs Swan said a smart, clean shaven man with short hair in police uniform knocked on her door and said: 'I'm a police officer from the station.' At Sheffield Crown Court, pictured, Judge Rosalind Coe told Wright he was nothing more than a distraction burglar and left his victims uncomfortable and frightened in their own homes . He claimed two boys had been arrested who had burgled her house. She said he must be mistaken but he insisted and told her: 'Please hurry up, they're waiting for me at the station.' The victim said: 'I was frightened of him so I thought I had better check my money,' she said. She went upstairs and found everything was fine before later discovering her passport, £400 cash and two bank books had been taken from a downstairs room. 'I thought it must have been the policeman who took it,' she said. Wright was arrested wearing his police uniform after he leapt into his van, stuck up two fingers at officers and was pursued from the scene of an attempted break-in at Handsworth, Sheffield. The father-of-two , who lived on a caravan site in the Sheffield area, admitted buying the clothing but said he had split up from his wife at the time and needed shirts to look more professional for work as well as a tie for church. He claimed to have lent his white van, which was seen at the various crime scenes, to friends from the travelling community. He had bought the van from a traveller and was paying for it in instalments. The court heard Wright has five previous convictions for burglaries. He was also sentenced for three false representation offences, when he preyed on elderly homeowners offering gardening services before stealing cash. He was jailed for five years for the seven burglaries, another two years for the deception offences and a year on top of that for dangerous driving. He was also banned from driving for five years. | Alexander Wright stole from victims between the ages of 67 and 91 .
He robbed an 87-year-old man with Alzheimer's disease in Huddersfield .
Used a fake earpiece, ID badge and walkie-talkie to carry out the con . |
242,386 | c5bd251444992bc7c7f9a70f6020710897769c23 | By . Sam Webb and Glen Owen . PUBLISHED: . 12:58 EST, 3 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:02 EST, 3 November 2013 . Shocking details of the unpublished report into electoral fraud in Labour's Falkirk constituency have been revealed, showing evidence of forgery, coercion, trickery and manipulation. The Unite union has been accused of trying to fix the selection of the Labour candidate in the party's safe seat and Ed Miliband ordered an enquiry into goings-on, only to abandon the inquiry and refuse to publish what was discovered. However, extracts from the report are contained in a Unite document compiled to reject the accusations against the union. A report by Unite on Labour's investigation into alleged vote rigging by Unite members has revealed details of alleged fraud. Ed Miliband, pictured on the Andrew Marr Show last week, ordered the investigation but refuses to publish the findings . It says Labour's probe found evidence that signatures and documents were forged, new recruits pressured to join Labour and even tricked into signing up. There is also evidence that membership fees were paid by a third party. Published in today's Sunday Times, the report states: 'It is not unusual for complaints to be made about all aspects of the selection procedure but these complaints are of particular concern because of the number of members involved. 'There is a line to be drawn between recruting members who support the aims of the party and the recruitment of large numbers of paper members who have no wish to participate except at the behest of others in an attempt to manipulate the party.' The union has been accused of trying to pack the Falkirk Labour party with Unite members to win selection for his assistant Karie Murphy, left . The report also states that there are concerns over 112 applications or direct debit forms, and 14 show evidence of being paid for by someone other than the person named, a violation of party rules. Unite's document denies all the allegations outlined and today it released a rebuttal of the claims made in The Sunday Times, claiming their responses to questions sent to them by the newspaper were ignored. It said: 'This report is a rehash of issues already investigated by Police Scotland and the Labour party, both of which found that Unite had done nothing wrong, and had broken neither the law nor the party’s rule book as it stood at the time. 'Specifically, Unite entirely denies any involvement in or knowledge of the forging of signatures on application forms or of any documents whatsoever; the coercing of individuals to join the Labour party – however that might be accomplished; the recruitment of individuals to the party without their knowledge or any other breach of Labour party rules. 'Unite called for an independent public enquiry into what happened in Falkirk, and we remain entirely happy to assist such an inquiry – and draw appropriate lessons from it if necessary – should one be established. 'Some of the questions submitted, however, appear to relate to conduct by third parties, about which Unite cannot comment. 'Unite would also point out that once individuals join the Labour party they can involve themselves as much or as little in the party’s business as they choose, but Unite would certainly encourage any of its members to play as full a part in the party’s life as they can.' Today the Mail on Sunday reported Tom . Watson is at the centre of Labour’s vote-rigging row in Falkirk after . one of the candidates for the seat directly accused him of trying to fix . the selection. Gregor . Poynton, a Blairite communications expert, said Ed Miliband’s former . campaigns chief had used his power in the party to try to install his . union-backed office assistant as the candidate. Blairite Gregor Poynton, left, has accused Ed Miliband ally Tom Watson, right, of being key to the vote-rigging scandal in Falkirk, Scotland. Police investigated in May amid claims the party was packed with Unite members . Mr Poynton also claimed that Mr Watson had been involved in ‘all the shenanigans’, including trying to pack the Falkirk party with members of the Unite union to win selection for his assistant, Karie Murphy. He also alleged that the party leadership ‘knew what was going on’. It is the first time Mr Watson, who stepped down from his frontbench role in the wake of the row, has been publicly accused by another party figure of trying to influence the selection process. Mr Watson did not respond to messages but has previously denied any wrongdoing or involvement in the alleged ‘fix’ of the selection process in Falkirk. The explosive claims come just days before the contest to succeed Eric Joyce, who quit the party after a Commons bar brawl, is reopened in the Scottish seat. Mr Poynter is married to West Dunbartonshire MP Gemma Doyle, pictured . Labour suspended the selection in May after The Mail on Sunday revealed it was investigating allegations of vote-rigging by Unite and had referred the matter to the police. Ms Murphy and the local party chairman, Stephen Deans, were also suspended - triggering a knock-on threat of industrial action by Unite at the nearby Grangemouth petrochemical plant, where Mr Deans is a union convener. Mr Miliband dropped the investigation in September after key witnesses withdrew their testimony. Mr Poynton, the UK political director of communications firm Blue State Digital, made his remarks at a party fundraising dinner last week. He described an atmosphere of ‘serious intimidation’ during the selection process - claiming he and fellow candidates had ‘all been taken out in one way or another’. He told how Mr Watson had tried to help Ms Murphy by ‘packing’ the local party with Unite members, ‘getting them put on the membership list... they had a spreadsheet of names and a cheque, and he phoned up party office and said you need to accept this’. He described the reaction of Labour HQ as ‘it’s a bit dodgy... not sure about this’, adding about Mr Watson: ‘He was involved in it all behind the scenes... all the shenanigans, pushing things through’. But Mr Poynton said that when the party leadership uncovered the allegations it tried to broker a deal with Unite for Ms Murphy to quietly stand down: ‘The party came to a deal... we’re not going to investigate this stuff that’s gone on, we know what’s all gone on, but you have to pull out of the selection,’ adding: ‘Their preference was, we know it’s all happened but it’s better for everyone if you just pull out.’ Shortly before the process was suspended, Mr Poynton was eliminated from contention when an all-female shortlist was imposed. Mr Poynton, who is married to West Dunbartonshire Labour MP Gemma Doyle, said he still had not ruled out being selected when the process is reopened. The allegations follow the leak of emails last week which appeared to show Unite officials were involved in a bid to undermine Labour’s inquiry. Unite dismissed the suggestion and said neither the law nor party rules had been broken in the selection process. Last night, a senior party source said: ‘We have acted swiftly and decisively throughout the process, and the candidate at the centre of the issue has now withdrawn.’ Mr Poynton did not comment. | Unite compiled a dossier into Labour's unpublished report into voter fraud .
The dossier contains details of the report and denies all of them .
Union members 'coerced into joining Labour and had fees paid for them' |
214,795 | a215ee62ac41fe92bc086da571585e57c2c7e0bc | (CNN) -- Legendary singer Etta James has been hospitalized with a blood infection, her son told CNN Friday. Sametto James said his 73-year-old mother was admitted to a hospital in Southern California on Monday due to a urinary tract infection that led to sepsis. She remained in the hospital Friday, he said. "She's doing a little bit better, but she's not out of the woods quite yet," Sametto James said. Etta James, best known for her 1961 hit "At Last," was hospitalized in 2010 due to a dangerous staph infection. She was diagnosed in 2009 with Alzheimer's disease. CNN's Denise Quan contributed to this report. | Etta James' son says she was admitted to a hospital on Monday .
A urinary tract infection she was suffering from led to sepsis . |
91,740 | 0205f38d07a9a7661afe0fde06b129b3a64342dd | Tanya Frankum, 23, (pictured) has been jailed for more than four years for tipping a disabled pensioner out of her wheelchair to steal just £20 . A 23-year-old woman has been jailed for more than four years after she tipped a disabled pensioner out of her wheelchair - just to steal £20. Tanya Frankum offered to help Patricia Haskins, 67, when she found herself alone in Worcester city centre on August 26 last year. But instead of playing the Good Samaritan, Frankum wheeled her towards the River Severn close to the cathedral. There she tipped the pensioner - who suffers from a development disability - on to the ground before making off with her handbag and purse. Miss Haskins was later discovered by a member of the public in distress and helpless on the ground and was later treated for injuries to her knees. On Wednesday, Frankum admitted robbery and was jailed for three years and nine months at Worcester Crown Court. She was also imprisoned for an additional six months to run consecutively for an assault on a woman at a hostel in Worcester, for which she had previously been given a community order. Sentencing, Judge Michael Cullum said: 'You deliberately took her the wrong way and, in an absolutely shameful act, tipped that woman out of her wheelchair, robbed her then left her helpless. 'That was a wicked act. That vile abuse was bound to affect the independence of her victim.' He added that Miss Haskins had placed her trust in Frankum to get her home and said there was 'no excuse for such a callous act.' Jason Aris, for the prosecution, said Frankum acted around 10.15pm after offering to help the pensioner, whom she knew. He added: 'Before she could get her bearings, this defendant tipped Miss Haskins on to the ground and took her handbag and her purse, which was attached to Miss Haskins' belt.' Frankum wheeled Miss Haskins towards the River Severn near the Worcester cathedral (pictured) - before tipping over her wheelchair and leaving her stranded on the floor - she suffered injuries to her knees . Frankum admitted robbery and was jailed for three years and nine months at Worcester Crown Court (pictured). She was also imprisoned for a further six months to run consecutively for an assault on a woman . After she was arrested, Frankum claimed the man she was with had robbed Miss Haskins and she had gone to help the pensioner. But the man present at the incident was never charged and has since died, the court heard. Brendan Reedy, defending, admitted it had been a 'nasty and mean' offence to tip someone out of a wheelchair. But he said Frankum, who appeared via video-link from Eastwood Park prison, Gloucestershire, had been living 'back on the streets' and was in an emotional state because her baby had been taken away by social services. After the hearing, a spokesman for West Mercia Police said: 'We are pleased with the result from the Crown Court in this unprovoked crime which was carried out against a vulnerable and defenceless member of the community.' | Tanya Frankum, 23, offered to help wheelchair-bound Patricia Haskins, 67 .
Disabled Miss Haskins was alone in Worcester city centre in August 2014 .
But Frankum wheeled her towards the River Severn close to cathedral .
She then tipped pensioner on to the ground and made off with just £20 .
Was jailed for three years and nine months at Worcester Crown Court .
Also imprisoned for further six months for assault on a woman at a hostel . |
252,407 | d2b1782ffaad8e8967e90b70909f0ea95d9f1f13 | A surgeon infected with Ebola will be transported from Sierra Leone to The Nebraska Medical Center for treatment, a U.S. government official familiar with the situation said. The doctor, a Sierra Leone national and legal permanent resident of the United States, is expected to arrive this weekend, most likely Saturday, the official said. The official said it's not known whether the doctor was working in an Ebola treatment unit or some other type of hospital. The surgeon is married to a U.S. citizen and has children, the official said. Sierra Leone has seen more than 5,300 cases of Ebola and more than 1,100 deaths in this year's outbreak of the deadly virus, according to figures from the World Health Organization. The Nebraska Medical Center in Omaha is one of four hospitals in the United States that have biocontainment units and years of preparation in handling highly infectious disease such as Ebola. In a statement Thursday night, a spokesman said the hospital is still awaiting official confirmation about whether it will treat another Ebola patient. First, hospital spokesman Taylor Wilson said, air ambulance crew members will evaluate the patient when they arrive in Sierra Leone. "The members of the crew will determine whether the patient is stable enough for transport -- if he is, he would arrive in Omaha sometime Saturday afternoon," Wilson said in a written statement. "We will update you on the status of this patient as more information becomes available." Doctors at The Nebraska Medical Center have already treated two American Ebola patients. Dr. Rick Sacra was treated at the hospital and released in September. Ashoka Mukpo, a freelance cameraman who worked for NBC, was treated there and released last month. Sacra and Mukpo contracted the virus in Liberia and were later flown to the United States for treatment. So far, the limited number of Ebola cases treated in the United States have shown a higher survival rate than cases treated in West Africa. A number of factors could impact the latest patient's treatment, CNN Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta told "AC360." "We don't know how sick he is," Gupta said. "We don't know what stage of the disease he is (in)." Sierra Leone: In the eye of the Ebola storm . | Air ambulance crew to evaluate patient's health before transport .
Official: A new Ebola patient will be transported to the United States from Sierra Leone .
The patient, a surgeon who's a Sierra Leone national, will be treated in Nebraska .
The surgeon is a legal permanent resident of the U.S. and married to a citizen . |
210,672 | 9cdeeef3578b58b9f2dbc62667b772db5a71bde4 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 21:18 EST, 2 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:11 EST, 3 September 2012 . Some 10,000 people who stayed in tent cabins at Yosemite National Park this summer may be at risk for the deadly rodent-borne hantavirus, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday. Two men have died from hantavirus pulmonary . syndrome linked to the Yosemite outbreak and four others were sickened but survived, while the CDC said additional suspected cases were being investigated from 'multiple health jurisdictions.' The CDC urged lab testing of patients who . exhibit symptoms consistent with the lung disease, hantavirus pulmonary . syndrome, after a stay at the California park between June and August . and recommended that doctors notify state health departments when it is . found. Scroll down for video . Infected: Two men have died from a rodent-borne hantavirus that's linked to an outbreak in the Yosemite National Park primarily around guests who stayed in tent-style cabins, pictured . Most of the victims were believed to have been infected while staying in one of 91 'Signature' tent-style cabins in Yosemite's popular Curry Village camping area. 'An estimated 10,000 persons stayed in the 'Signature Tent Cabins' from June 10 through August 24, 2012,' the CDC said. 'People who stayed in the tents between June 10 and August 24 may be at risk of developing HPS in the next six weeks.' Yosemite officials earlier this week shut down all 91 of the insulated tent cabins after finding deer mice, which carry the disease and can burrow through holes the size of pencil erasers, nesting between the double walls. Park authorities said on Friday that they had contacted approximately 3,000 parties of visitors who stayed in the tent cabins since mid-June, advising them to seek immediate medical attention if they have symptoms of hantavirus. Warning numbers: An estimated 10,000 people stayed in the 'Signature Tent Cabins' from June 10 through August 24, 2012 according to the park making them susceptible to the virus . Shut down: All 91 of the cabins, the inside of one pictured, have been shut down since the outbreak . Nearly 4 million people visit Yosemite, one of the nation's most popular national parks, each year, attracted to the its dramatic scenery and hiking trails. Roughly 70 percent of those visitors congregate in Yosemite Valley, where Curry Village is located. The virus starts out causing flu-like symptoms, including headache, fever, muscle ache, shortness of breath and cough, and can lead to severe breathing difficulties and death. The incubation period for the virus is typically two to four weeks after exposure, the CDC said, with a range between a few days and six weeks. Just over a third of cases are fatal. 'Providers are reminded to consider the diagnosis of HPS in all persons presenting with clinically compatible illness and to ask about potential rodent exposure or if they had recently visited Yosemite National Park,' the CDC said. Spreading: Park officials have since been busy spreading the word to park goers, as well as those who previously visited, with one one seen handing information on the virus here . Symptoms: Pamphlets on the virus are seen with its flu-like symptoms including headache, fever, muscle ache, shortness of breath and cough . Although there is no cure for hantavirus, which has never been known to be transmitted between humans, treatment after early detection through blood tests can save lives. 'Early medical attention and diagnosis of hantavirus are critical,' Yosemite superintendent Don Neubacher said in a statement. 'We urge anyone who may have been exposed to the infection to see their doctor at the first sign of symptoms and to advise them of the potential of hantavirus.' Yosemite spokeswoman Kari Cobb said rangers have answered some 1,500 phone calls from park visitors and others concerned about the disease. But she said the outbreak had not triggered a wave of cancellations. 'Right now it's normal numbers for Friday,' she said. 'There have been cancellations, but it would be grossly overstated to say they're cancelling en masse. There's quite a bit of people out there still. It's still summer and a holiday weekend. It's still the summer crowds.' Attraction: The western Sierra Nevada mountains of California are seen in the park where up to 10,000 people who stayed in the lodging cabins may have been exposed to the virus . A national park service officials has said that public health officials warned the park twice before about hantavirus after it struck visitors. But it was not until this week that the hiding place for the deer mice carrying the virus was found. Hantavirus is carried in rodent feces, urine and saliva, which dries out and mixes with dust that can be inhaled by humans, especially in small, confined spaces with poor ventilation. People can also be infected by eating contaminated food, touching contaminated surfaces or being bitten by infected rodents. Watch the video here: . | The California park is warning approximately 10,000 guests who stayed in their tent cabins between June 10 and August 24 .
A deadly rodent-borne hantavirus is responsible for the death of two men that has sickened at least four others known . |
132,648 | 3787d2fc08f55702fbc8ed808d5e556700c1ac4c | This is the moment a rescue operation was launched after a swimmer narrowly missed being hit by a 4,000 tonne cargo ship in the River Blyth because he said it was a 'cheaper' swim than the local pool. Volunteers from Blyth RNLI, police and the local coastguard team all attended the scene. It is believed the man was drunk when he risked his life and entered the water. The incident occurred on Sunday afternoon and it prompted a safety warning from the RNLI’s volunteer crew at Blyth who urged people not to risk their lives. The swimmer was observed by a port employee and a person on the shore as well as a port employee who was involved in the berthing of the Karla C. The two observers said they had seen a person swimming in the river near the cargo ship just after 3pm as it was being ferried by a local pilot vessel to Battleship Wharf in the Port of Blyth. The video and pictures of the rescue operation were taken by on-board cameras moments after the near fatal collision with large cargo vessel Karla C. Rescue operation: An RNLI volunteer gets into the lifeboat as they launch their rescue operation . View from lifeboat: A picture of the inside of the RNLI lifeboat as they depart in search of the swimmer . The cargo ship had just travelled from the port of Vilanova in Spain and it was nearing the end of its voyage and travelling at a relatively slow speed when the swimmer was first spotted near the ship. A lifeboat was subsequently launched from Blyth and three volunteers were sent to attend the scene. Despite their presence and their warnings about the dangers involved the man refused to get into the lifeboat and rejected their assistance. The swimmer, who appeared to be drunk, then told the volunteers, 'I'm coming for a swim in here because its cheaper than the local pool.' Rescue: The RNLI lifeboat speeds along as it makes its journey towards the swimmer in the River Blyth . The man was informed of the presence of a plethora of smaller boats which were working on the river and he was warned that they could pose a threat to his safety. After some discussion between the volunteers and the swimmer the man eventually took their advice and he swam towards a ladder and made his way to safety. Immediately after the incident the police and the local coastguard team spoke to the swimmer. Blyth RNLI Deputy Launching Authority (DLA) Paul Raine told ChronicleLive: 'Is it really worth risking your life going swimming in the cold water of a working harbour to save paying a few pounds to visit the local heated swimming pool?' Erratic swimmer: The man makes his way towards the ladder after he has been warned by the RNLI . Operation: The local coastguard were among a number of units at the scene along with the police and the RNLI . | RNLI volunteers, police and the local coastguard attended the scene .
Man initially refused the assistance of RNLI lifeboat personnel .
Swimmer said he swam in river as it was 'cheaper' than 'local pool' |
247,784 | cc9f96fcc3475fbbdceb08963a1ba8027584a5f2 | By . Eleanor Harding . PUBLISHED: . 17:00 EST, 10 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:58 EST, 11 September 2012 . In two years’ time she would be Queen, her face printed on millions of stamps and banknotes. But at 23, she was still Princess Elizabeth – and this rare sketch offers a very private glimpse of that young woman, in all her girlish beauty. Drawn in charcoal and red chalk, the portrait shows the princess with rosebud lips and fine features, her large eyes lost in thought. The sketch has come to light ahead of its sale at Bloomsbury Auctions in London. Girlish beauty: The rare sketch shows the Queen - then a princess - at 23 The Queen, right, said she fondly remembered sitting for the artist . It was drawn in February 1950 by Dame Laura Knight, an impressionist painter also known for depicting the world of London’s theatre, ballet and circus. It has never been in the Royal Collection because Dame Laura made it for her own purposes, perhaps as a study to a larger portrait. But the sketch was recently shown to the Queen herself, who said that she fondly remembered sitting for the artist. At the time she would have been in the early stages of pregnancy with Princess Anne, who was born in August 1950. The portrait has remained hidden from the public since the father of the current owner, who wished to remain anonymous, bought it from Dame Laura in 1969, the year before her death. In a letter written to the buyer, she said: ‘I value the drawing of “Princess Elizabeth”, who bloomed like a flower in the field, and loved a bit of fun when occasion permitted.’ Mother: The Queen with baby Anne, left, in 1950. Pictured right is the artist Dame Laura Knight in 1936 . Robert Hall, pictures specialist at the auctioneer, said: ‘It’s a refreshing view of the Queen as a human. ‘You can see the beautiful spirit in her eyes. In terms of beauty she has always been overshadowed by Princess Margaret but you see here that she was a very pretty girl. She was in the bloom of youth. It’s a little window into the Queen that we have forgotten.’ The sketch, valued at up to £12,000, will go on sale along with a series of letters between Dame Laura and the buyer. A letter from Edward Young, deputy private secretary to the Queen, is also included. Dated February 2011, it confirms the sketch had been shown to the monarch. | The sketch was drawn in 1950 by impressionist painter Dame Laura Knight .
It has never been in the Royal Collection because Dame Laura made it for her own purposes . |
135,706 | 3b930b3a2a0a6c77adb7d6d416e67bb4c0e3b4bb | By . John Hall . This is the dramatic moment two Nascar drivers had a miraculous escape after a fiery crash at Kansas Speedway. Justin Allgaier, 27, and David Gilliland, 38, were able to walk away without serious injury after the collision at the Kansas City racetrack, with the latter's car taking to the air before bursting into flames. Despite the terrifying nature of the crash neither of the men were hurt, with Gilliland somewhat nonchalantly describing the incident as 'a tough way to end our night'. Scroll down for video . Crash: David Gilliland (left) and Justin Allgaier (right) were able to walk away without serious injury after the collision at the Kansas City racetrack. The latter's car took to the air before bursting into flames . Damage: Justin Allgaier is pictured being helped out of his car after crashing with 84 laps to go in the Five-Hour Energy 400 race. He was heard on radio telling his crew that he was fine, just slightly out of breath . Drivers: Despite the terrifying nature of the crash, both David Gilliland (left) and Justin Allgaier (right) were able to walk away without serious injury. The race later restarted with 74 laps to go . The crash took place with 84 laps to go in the Five-Hour Energy 400, shortly after the race restarted. As the cars went into turn three at 1.5mile long race track, driver A.J. Allmendinger made an attempt at passing Paul Menard in his Chevrolet SS. Unfortunately A.J. Allmendinger's left wheels touched the apron - the part of the track where the flat middle section of the track meets the steep bank - and he spun into the side of Allgaier's car. In turn the Sprint Cup rookie's own Chevrolet SS began to slide - directly into the path of Gilliland's oncoming Ford Fusion. Slide: The crash took place as the cars went into turn three at the 1.5mile long race track when driver A.J. Allmendinger (far right) made an attempt at passing Paul Menard (second from right) in his Chevrolet SS . Sparks: A.J. Allmendinger's left wheels touched the apron - the part of the track where the flat middle section of the track meets the steep bank - and he spun into the side of Allgaier's car (red vehicle, pictured centre) The collision between the Chevrolet and the Ford was particularly hard, sending Gilliland into the safety barrier and causing his car to become momentarily airborne. As it landed the vehicle burst into a ball of flames with its entire front end dramatically caved in. Shortly after the crash, Fox News replayed a radio interaction between Allgaier and his team in the pit lane and techical area. 'Holy c*** was that a hit,' he gasped, while telling his crew that he was fine, just slightly out of breath. During an interview after the race, Gilliland said the crash was 'the hardest hit I've had in a while'. 'It was just a tough hit and a tough way to end our night,' he added. Smoke: The collision between Allgaier's Chevrolet (top right) and Gilliland's Ford (top left) was particularly hard, sending Gilliland into the safety barrier and causing his car to become momentarily airborne . Lucky: During an interview after the race, Gilliland said the crash was 'the hardest hit I've had in a while'. 'It was just a tough hit and a tough way to end our night,' he added . Neither Allgaier or Gilliland suffered serious injury as a result of the crash, with both being treated and released at the Kansas Speedway's medical centre. The race restarted with 74 laps to go. There was another fiery crash at the racetrack just half an hour before the incident involving Allgaier and Gilliland. Jamie McMurray, who was in fourth at the time, suffered a rear tire blowout and crashed hard into the turn four wall on lap 150. Another Chevrolet SS driver, McMurray's vehicle caught fire and rolled some distance before coming to a stop. Officials pulled the 37-year-old from the burning wreckage but he was able to walk away unscathed. | Justin Allgaier and David Gilliland were able to walk away without injury .
The drivers collided with 84 laps to go in the Five-Hour Energy 400 race .
Gilliland's Ford Fusion took to the air and burst into flames during crash .
He ploughed into safety barrier after Allgaier's Chevrolet slid into his path . |
92,257 | 02a684b2443d50caa94b9ac762234d24008072e7 | (CNN) -- Did Jamie Oliver really shape up America's unhealthiest city? A spokeswoman for Huntington, West Virginia -- the city Oliver singled out as one of the unhealthiest places in America -- says local residents are exercising and eating better. But she's not giving much credit to the cheeky British chef and nutrition activist. "What people need to realize is there was already a movement to make Huntington healthier," says Brandi Jacobs-Jones, whose West Virginia hometown plays a starring role in Oliver's new macro-makeover show "Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution," set to debut on ABC on Sunday. Huntington first made its way into the national consciousness in 2008, when The Associated Press named it "America's fattest city," citing unmatched rates of obesity, heart disease and diabetes, and rates of toothlessness among older residents. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in a morbidity and mortality report released in February, said that 32.9 percent of the populace surveyed in an area that included Huntington and nearby Ashland, Kentucky, is obese. Jacob-Jones disputes those findings, saying the survey covered a broad tri-state area surrounding her college town. "People think we're all morbidly obese, walking around eating pizza," she grumbles. "We have 5Ks every weekend. When the production crew came here, I was like 'We have our teeth. We have master's degrees.' " Not everyone is so tough on the celebrity chef. Angela Harrison, a TV reviewer for the Huntington Herald-Dispatch, says the show doesn't portray Huntington badly. Actually, she says, "Oliver is very complimentary of Huntington and its people throughout the entire hour -- even when they give him a hard time." Harrison says "no one cuts him any slack" when Huntington residents learn about disparaging comments the Naked Chef made about them to British press. "I personally think it's the best moment of the show," Harrison says. Oliver and his crew descended on Huntington in the fall of 2009 with the admittedly ambitious goal of redefining its residents' relationship with food. His team spent five months consulting with cafeteria workers, coaching veggie-averse schoolchildren and opening up a community kitchen serving wholesome meals. "The health statistics here are some of the most crippling and scary in the world," Oliver says in a show promo, calling Huntington "a dark place." Oliver took on Huntington after successfully reforming the school meal system in the United Kingdom. In the UK, Oliver spearheaded a healthy school lunch campaign that persuaded the government there to allocate more than $400 million for the lunches. If the trailer can be trusted, he apparently assumed his résumé entitled him to a hero's welcome and was stunned to discover skeptics who didn't share his revulsion to processed chicken nuggets. Oliver burst into tears after a hostile interview with a radio host who said, "we don't want to sit around and eat lettuce all day." The trailer then cuts to a weeping Oliver: "They don't understand me," he says, "they don't know why I'm here." To the contrary, Jacobs-Jones says, the city of Huntington already had anti-obesity programs in place when Oliver showed up. His presence only served to "further the mission" by making healthy habits a popular conversation topic. "We are creating a committee to evaluate how we can implement some of Jamie's suggestions," she adds diplomatically. Jacobs-Jones suspects the lasting result of Oliver's extended stay might not be trimmer waistlines, but fattened city coffers. "I firmly believe anything that puts us on the national forefront is good," she says. "We're applying for a Google program right now, and maybe this will help. You never know." | Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver takes on obesity in Huntington, West Virginia .
Jamie Oliver's "Food Revolution" set to debut on ABC on Sunday .
Spokeswoman says residents are exercising and eating better, but not because of Oliver . |
163,241 | 5f14e45f11c01bc7f60d01cebe56c7d12acbd5fc | By . Kate Lyons . PUBLISHED: . 22:12 EST, 2 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 23:02 EST, 2 March 2014 . This week marks the thirtieth anniversary of the commencement of the miners' strike of 1984-1985. Three decades on and the effects of Britain’s infamous industrial struggle are still being felt. The strike started on March 6, 1984, when National Coal Board chairman, Sir Ian MacGregor, announced that four million tonnes of capacity was to be taken out of the industry, leading to a loss of 20,000 jobs across the North of England, Scotland and Wales, which would lose their primary source of employment. On March 12, 1984, the strike went national, with National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) president, Arthur Scargill, calling for NUM members in all coal fields to down tools. Miner's wife Gail Downes (left) was one of the many miners and their families who protested the closures of the mines across the country. She is pictured here outside Haworth Colliery . A picketer, injured during clashes with police at the Orgreave Coking Plant near Rotherham, is helped away by his comrades. An estimated 20,000 people were injured or admitted to hospital during course of strike and three people were killed . Police officers move into the picket lines at the Orgreave coking plant near Rotherham in 1984, where more than a dozen arrests were made . It was one of the most bitter industrial disputes in the nation’s history and a key part of Margaret Thatcher’s legacy as prime minister. Within a week, most of the country’s 183,000 miners had downed tools and a daily routine was established in many coal towns, of miners picketing outside collieries. The protests were often violent, with large numbers of police sent in to restrain picketers, with an estimated 20,000 people injured or admitted to hospital. During the course of the strike, three men were killed – two on the picket lines and a taxi-driver who was driving a coal miner, who had crossed the picket lines, to work. Families and communities were riven with division over the dispute and torn apart by the poverty brought about by a year of downed tools. The effects of the strike are still felt across the nation, with those ‘scabs’ who crossed the picket lines still snubbed in the streets of mining towns 30 years on. ‘People have long memories,’ explained Alan Cummings, 66-year-old former NUM lodge secretary in the ex-pit village of Easington Colliery, County Durham. ‘There's very few people [who] talk to them and it split families.’ Picketing miners make a run for it as violence flares at the Orgreave coking plant. The bitter industrial dispute began in March 1984 after the announcement that 20,000 jobs would be cut due to closures of coal mines across the country . Defining episode: The miners' strike was one of the defining moments of Margaret Thatcher's prime ministership . Arthur's Army: NUM President Arthur Scargill salutes at a march and rally by striking miners in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in May 1984 (left). (Right) Ian MacGregor, National Coal Board chairman after a meeting with mining unions in London . Ranks of police face the picketing line outside Orgreave coking plant near Rotherham. During the course of the strike, three men were killed . Police officers moving into the picket lines at the Orgreave coking plant near Rotherham . A mass rally of striking miners in Mansfield, Nottinghamshire in May 1984. The strikes began in March 1984 and continued for a year . The closure of the mines has devastated communities across the country. Mr Cummings says that Easington Colliery’s reliance on coal meant that the pit’s closure was disastrous. ‘It's been total devastation,’ he said. ‘It's my worst nightmare and I knew it was going to happen.’ Whereas the Germans planned pit closures in their coalfields, ‘here, they just wiped us out’. Mr Cummings says that the colliery houses were sold off to landlords in the 1990s, and there was an influx of problem tenants and class A drugs into the village. Shops closed down and the once vibrant community life died out. The strikers were known as Arthur’s Army after NUM president, Arthur Scargill, who became a fixture on British television and radio during the strike. There is no sign that Mr Scargill, who is now 76 and has removed himself from public life, will be attending the commemorative events planned for the 30-year anniversary. In 1984 he warned miners that the government had a long-term plan to destroy the industry, closing more than 70 pits across the country. The government denied these claims and Ian MacGregor wrote to every member of the NUM claiming that Mr Scargill was deliberately lying to them and there were no plans to close any more pits than what had been announced. Cabinet papers released in 2014, under the 30-year rule, indicated that MacGregor, who died in 1998, did wish to close 75 pits over three years. These revelations prompted veteran Labour MP, Dennis Skinner, to call on the Speaker of the House of Commons, John Bercow, to review statements made by the Thatcher government during the strike, to see how their statements from the Despatch Box matched with internal documents, reported the Mirror. More than 200 miners were arrested during the year of picketing and spent time in custody or jail . Arthur Scargill (left) was assisted by riot police after he was injured outside the Orgreave coking plant near Rotherham. (Right) Pictured in 1981, the NUM president is now 76 and does not live in the public eye. It is uncertain whether the man who was at the heart of the strike will be involved in the 30 year commemorative events . Jack Collins, Secretary of the Kent NUM, addresses the miners picket, watched by police at the Tilmanstone Colliery, near Dover, during the year-long miners strike . Two of the working NUM men, electrician Bill, and medic Roy (right) about to start a shift at the Kiverton Park colliery in August 1984 . Police helping an injured colleague outside the Orgreave coking plant, near Rotherham . Police clear a burning barricade so a bus carrying return-to-work miners can enter Whittle Colliery. Communities were divided by the miners' strike. 30 years later and those who crossed the picket lines are still snubbed by many in their communities . The strike was ultimately unsuccessful, with miners returning to work in early 1985 due to financial hardship, and the strike was called off on March 4 that year. Ken Capstick, 73, a former miner and vice-president of the Yorkshire NUM, told the Guardian this year that ‘the victory was in the struggle itself.’ ‘The way I would put that is this, if you've got a young lad at school and he's being bullied, and he comes out of school at the end of the day and the bully is waiting for him, to give him a good hiding … the bully may be bigger than him, but he has a choice. ‘He can either cower down and take his beating, or he can stand and fight, and hope to maybe land a few punches. He may still lose. But his victory is in the struggle itself. ‘We stood and fought against enormous odds, and not just for the pits – for our way of life.’ For many, the miners' strike is the defining moment of Margaret Thatcher’s prime ministership, with many mining communities reacting with glee to the former Tory leader’s death last year. Mr Cummings spoke of his village’s celebration at her passing, saying he did not care that it offended some people. ‘What an epitaph she has in these mining communities: death, a lot of people have committed suicide, and no hope. All down to her, and some of her spawn that's about now,’ he said. 20 striking miners were arrested when they attacked miners returning to work at the Tilmanstone Colliery, near Dover, Kent . Welsh taxi driver David Wilkie, pictured left with his daughter, was killed after a breeze block was thrown at his vehicle form an overhead bridge, while he was driving a working miner to Merthyr Vale Colliery. Right, anti-riot police watch as pickets face them against a background of burning cars in Yorkshire . Bitter dispute: The home of a working miner at Bolton-on-Dearne near Mexborough, was set on fire and graffitied . Police force back surging picketers in South Wales, as a convoy of 50 empty lorries left to collect coal from the Port Talbot works . End of the struggle: NUM members prepare to return to work in March 1985, at Mardy Colliery, South Wales at the end of the year long pit strike . The year-long strike was one of the most bitter industrial disputes in the history of the country . Many involved in the strikes carry bitterness toward Margaret Thatcher and celebrated the news of her death last year . Police officers stand guard at the picket lines near Rotherham . A clash ensued after seven miners crossed a 2,000 strong picket line in a van at Kiveton Park Colliery in Worksop in August 1984 . Miners entering the pit cage at Cynheidre Colliery near Llanelli as most of Britain's striking miners returned to work after a year of conflict . Picketing miners set fire to a portakabin at the Orgreave coking plant during the strike . Police escorted picketers away from their position in June, several months into the year-long strike . Women on the picket line at the Orgreave coking plant near Rotherham, where miners tried to halt daily convoys of lorries carrying coke from the plant to British Steel workers at Scunthorpe . An armoured bus carrying return-to-work miners drives with a police escort past a smouldering barricade on the approach to Whittle Colliery . Police clash with protesters near the Yorkshire village of Armthorpe in August 1984 . Labour MP Kevin Barron is led away with an injury from the picketed area outside Maltby Colliery in South Yorkshire . Arthur Scargill addressing 1,5000 striking miners in May 1984 . A policeman inspects the smashed window of a transit van after violence at the Markham Main NCB Colliery at Armthorpe, near Doncaster, Yorkshire . Police arrest a man during clashes at Kiveton Park Colliery after seven miners crossed a 2,000 strong picket line to report for work . A miner addressies a line of policemen outside Ramsgate Magistrates Court, where Kent miners' President Malcolm Pitt was remanded in custody for nine days, accused of two breeches of bail conditions in connection with picketing during the miners dispute . A twisted sign, felled concrete posts and a broken wall tell the story of violence outside a coking plant in Orgreave, South Yorkshire. The plant was invaded by striking miners' who stoned police in riot gear as the miners strike entered its 15th week . Seven miners were arrested near Llanwern Steelworks in South Wales. One is pictured here being led away by police . Arthur Scargill at the head of a march and rally by striking miners which left from Mansfield Leisure Centre in Nottinghamshire . | 30 years since the miners' strike of 1984-1985 began .
The strike was one of the most bitter industrial disputes in UK history .
Three killed, 200 imprisoned, and 20,000 injured during the year-long strike .
Dispute began in March 1984 after closures of coal pits were announced, costing 20,000 jobs across Northern England, Scotland and Wales . |
130,233 | 3459b6b9e90277fa03984b07ca159c25c1bc3bd9 | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 18:48 EST, 24 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 08:27 EST, 27 February 2014 . Scientists have pinpointed the exact source of many of the rocks used to build Stonehenge. The say the smaller stones, known as bluestones, came from a newly discovered site in the Preseli Hills in Wales. The stones' rock composition revealed they come from a nearby outcropping, located about 1.8 miles (3 kilometers) away from the site originally proposed as the source of such rocks nearly a century ago - and call into question the theory the stones were floated down the Bristol Channel on rafts. The researchers focused on the 'bluestones', the smaller rocks shown here - and found they came from a site in the Preseli Hills in Wales . Scientists have known the bluestones originated from the Preseli Hills since 1923, when H. H. Thomas from NERC's British Geological Survey recognised the distinctive dark grey spotty rocks, known as spotted dolerites, during fieldwork. Further work in the early 1990s then tried to tie down the specific locations of the rocks' origin by matching the chemistry of the Stonehenge bluestones with those at the proposed origin site. In fact, the rocks actually come from a different site three kilometres away, the new study found. The discovery of the rock's origin, in turn, could help archaeologists one day unlock the mystery of how the stones got to Stonehenge. The new study, published in the Journal of Archaeological Science, suggests that the site researchers had previously thought was the starting place of many of Stonehenge's rocks may not have been the source after all. The research focused on the smaller stones at Stonehenge, called bluestones. The chemistry of these rocks varies, but they all originate from the Preseli Hills in Wales and are thought to have been transported to the Stonehenge site over 4000 years ago. Around 80 of these bluestones, weighing up to three tonnes each, were transported 250 kilometres from southwest Wales to Wiltshire to build Stonehenge. Researcher previously thought they had found the site where the stones came from - but in fact, the rocks actually come from a different site three kilometres away. However, they team admit they still don't know how the stones were transported. 'The Holy Grail question is how were the stones moved and why,' explains Dr Richard Bevins of National Museum of Wales who led the research. 'Many people think humans transported the stones south, down from the Preseli Hills and then up the Bristol Channel on rafts. 'But a second school of thought says these rocks are glacial erratics that were transported by ice to Salisbury Plain and so were available in the local environment. 'We're trying to discover the source of the stones so archaeologists can excavate sites in order to see if they can find evidence for people working the source stones,' he said. Researchers found that at least 55 per cent of the dolerite bluestones came from a location, known as Carn Goedog (marked), which is farther north than the location Thomas had proposed in 1923, and about 140 miles (225 km) away from Stonehenge . The research could change the theory of how the rocks were brought to Stonehenge . In the new study, the team looked at the minerals, such as chromium, nickel, magnesium oxide and iron oxide, which are part of the crystallizing structures forming in the original magma. The researchers found that at least 55 percent of the dolerite bluestones came from a location, known as Carn Goedog, which is farther north than the location Thomas had proposed in 1923, and about 140 miles (225 km) away from Stonehenge, Bevins said. Scientists have known the bluestones originated from the Preseli Hills since 1923, when H. H. Thomas from NERC's British Geological Survey recognised the distinctive dark grey spotty rocks, known as spotted dolerites, during fieldwork. Further work in the early 1990s then tried to tie down the specific locations of the rocks' origin by matching the chemistry of the Stonehenge bluestones with those at the proposed origin site. 'The earlier research looked at the source of one of the spotted dolerites and tied it down to a specific outcrop, Carn Meini. 'When we looked at it again we realised the descriptions of the rhyolites from Carn Alw and those at Stonehenge didn't look the same at all,' says Bevins. The team took images showing the rocks at Stonehenge and the rocks at Carn Alw. They then asked members of the public with no geological background whether they looked the same. Pupils of Highworth Warnford School try to recreate the movement of stones to Stonehenge. The new theory means that the stones were unlikely to have been floated down the Bristol Channel. 'We asked people "does A look like B?" and everyone said no,' Bevins continues. 'This is astonishing because this has not been questioned since the original publication by Thomas in 1923.' The team used a new method of identifying the chemical makeup of the rocks, to match the rocks with their origin. They believe that they have now identified Carn Goedog as the source of at least 55 per cent of the spotted dolerite bluestones at Stonehenge. 'If Carn Goedog is the true origin of the dolerites, and Craig Rhos-y-felin is a source of the rhyolitic bluestones then it does bring into question the stones being transported by rafts down to the Bristol Channel, because both of these outcrops lie on the northern side of the Preseli Hills. 'The rocks would have had to be dragged up the hills, across the summits and back down again before they even reached the waterways. 'It's just not likely,' Bevins concludes. | Research focused on the smaller stones at Stonehenge, called bluestones .
All originate from the Preseli Hills in Wales .
Researchers say site they came from amkes it 'unlikely' they would have been transported via the Bristol Channel . |
247,607 | cc6c2ab5674b2c300f9d7219a4f4a56bef235ece | Up to 450,000 people may have eaten the frozen berries suspected of transmitting hepatitis A, as four more people were diagnosed with the disease on Saturday. 70,000 packets of the Chinese berries are sold each week in Australia, putting nearly half a million people at risk and sparking concerns over potential future cases. 18 people in total have been diagnosed with hepatitis A, which has an incubation period of seven weeks, leading health experts to believe that more cases will come to light. Scroll down for video . Up to 450,000 people may have eaten the frozen berries suspected of transmitting hepatitis A . Approximately two percent of the country's population may have consumed the berries, said Finn Romanes, public health physician and Victorian government medical adviser. 'We are still working on this outbreak and we think that there will be more cases come to light,' Mr Romanes told The Australian. Consumers are being urged not to buy or eat Nanna's Raspberries one kilogram packs, Nanna's Frozen Mixed Berries one kilogram packs and 300 and 500 gram packs of Creative Gourmet Mixed Berries. While only the Nanna's Mixed Berries product has been linked with the outbreak, and the other products have been recalled as a precaution, a Health Department spokesperson said that the source of the disease was still unconfirmed. 'However, the berries are the only common exposure for cases,' the Heath Department said in a statement on Saturday. Despite the Federal government refused to release statistics relating to the scare, it has been revealed that three Victorians were the first to contract Hepatitis A, between Christmas and New Years. The Victorians were all interviewed by health authorities, and found that all three had consumed the berries, corroborating similar findings in NSW. An estimated one in 100 people who have eaten the contaminated berries will develop the disease, a figure which the Federal Health Department labelled as 'worse case scenario'. Four frozen berry products imported by Patties Foods, and sourced from China's Shandong province, were recalled this week due to fears they are linked to the viral disease Hepatitis A . The Department of Agriculture is contacting companies that have imported Chinese berries to find out about the source of the berries and supply chain food safety management systems. Early last week, the Red Cross Blood Service banned those who had eaten the berries from donating blood for two months, but lifted the ban on Saturday when they found the blood supply was not at risk. It has been revealed the frozen berries are from the Shandong province in east China, the Daily Telegraph reports. Cities and villages in Shandong are reportedly plagued by chemical and industrial waste pollution, with farming land laying adjacent to factories and petrochemical plants. One river running through the village of Jinling is so polluted by nearby chemical factories that the water is red coloured and has a foul smell, according to local Chinese reports. The small town of Jinling in east China's Shandong province is located near the Qilu Chemical Industrial Park in Zibo City, according to the Epoch Times. A river which flows in the Chinese village Jinling in the Shandong province is one of China's most polluted areas, reportedly where frozen berries are grown and packed before they are imported and sold in Australian stores . The small town of Jinling in east China's Shandong province is located near the Qilu Chemical Industrial Park in Zibo City . In previous reports, there have been claims that the company releases chemical distribution into the river, which was once sparkly clear but has now visibly been contaminated and also emanates a stench. Residents also say there's a 'cancer virus' floating around the village as cancer is quite common in the town. This comes as reports emerged that health tests weren't conducted on any frozen berry products imported to Australia while similar goods have been tied to hepatitis breakout in North America and Europe,The Australian reports. Australia's largest juice bar chain Boost Juice has also distanced itself from a growing Hepatitis A scandal after it emerged the company sources frozen berries from China. Other major chains have taken Chinese Goji berries off the menu as a precaution amid growing customer concerns over imported fruit, after 13 cases of Hepatitis A in Australia were linked to frozen berry products imported from the country. Boost Juice general manager Adam Neill says the company imports raspberries and strawberries used in their smoothies from China. 'However, these berries are from different regions to those featured in current news reports and are not affected,' Mr Neill said. 'This fruit is Individually Quick Frozen (IQF) as it locks in all the health and nutrition benefits of fresh fruit and is packaged in Boost-dedicated facilities.' Mr Neill added that Boost Juice individually tested each batch of fruit in accordance with HACCP (Australian) and SQF (International) standards. 'One hundred per cent of our batches are also subject to microbiological and pesticide tests,' he said. 'Boost believes that any time Australian companies need to source product offshore, they should be testing every single batch.' A spokesman for Kick! Juice, which operates juice bars all over Australia, said the company sources their berries from the same Chinese supplier used by Boost. Four frozen berry products imported by Patties Foods, and sourced from China's Shandong province, were recalled this week due to fears they are linked to the viral disease Hepatitis A. A spokeswoman for juice bar chain Top Juice said the company had never sourced berries from China, but had decided to stop serving goji berries – which originate from China – as a precaution. 'For the time being we aren't supplying goji berries, the fact they are a Chinese berry we want to eliminate doubt from customers,' she said. 'We originally sourced [goji berries] from Australia and from the U.S., we've just removed that for the time being to maintain safety. 'We have never sourced our berries from China because we don't like the quality of them.' She added that Top Juice - which operates 35 stores in New South Wales and Victoria - sources its strawberries and blueberries from Australia, blackberries and boysenberries from New Zealand, cranberries from the U.S. and acai berries from Brazil. | 450,000 people may have eaten berries suspected of passing on Hepatitis A .
Figures from the company show up to 70,000 packets are sold each week .
Hepatitis A has an incubation period of seven weeks .
Health authorities fear this means the number of cases will rise .
Four more people were confirmed diagnosed to have Hep A on Saturday .
The total number of people with the disease now stands at 18 .
The outbreak came from three Victorians who ate the berries in December . |
162,692 | 5e55c54426216c7e66770b59420c3db1ef4fa0fd | By . Kerry Mcqueeney . PUBLISHED: . 06:56 EST, 24 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:05 EST, 24 September 2012 . They're not especially known for their savagery. However, one woman claims she was left bleeding 'like a stuck pig' when she was attacked by a Muscovy duck. Ingrid Cardozo had to be treated by paramedics after she was 'raked' by the large duck as she took pictures of ibises birds in Sarasota, Florida. The 78-year-old claimed she had been minding her own business in Arlington Park when the Muscovy appeared out of nowhere. Scroll down for video . Traumatic experience: Ingrid Cardozo relives her encounter with an aggressive Muscovy duck . 'Bloody mess': Ms Cardozo's leg wounds, which were tended to by paramedics. She claimed she was unable to walk for two days . She told ABC News: 'I wasn't bothering him, I wasn't feeding him, I wasn't doing anything to him. He raked my legs until I was a bloody mess.' Ms Cardozo dialled 911 on her cell phone and, according to ABC News, she was recorded telling the operator: 'I was attacked by a duck! I am bleeding like a stuck pig on both of my legs.' Despite treatment from paramedics, Ms Cardozo said the painful wounds meant she was unable to walk for two days and she was forced to seek additional medical advice from her own doctor. While attacks of this nature are uncommon, male Muscovy ducks are known for being territorial which can result in aggression. Territorial: Male muscovy ducks can be aggressive and this incident is likely to have happened because of Ms Cardozo's close proximity to the pond (file picture) Caution: Officials are now drafting signs warning visitors to Arlington Park (pictured) of the risks associated with Muscovy ducks . This incident is likely to have happened because of Ms Cardozo's close proximity to the pond, wildlife experts said. Damen Hurd, from Wildlife Incorporated, added: 'Muscovy's can weigh up to twenty pounds. When they are angry, they will bite and scratch you with their claws. 'They will attack other animals, in addition to humans, who are around their pond.' Ms Cardozo said she wants to warn others of the risk to prevent further duck attacks, which could result in more serious injuries should a small child be clawed or bitten. Signs warning of the risks are now being drafted by Sarasota County officials to alert park visitors to the potential aggressive nature of male Muscovy ducks. VIDEO: Ingrid Cardozo describes her 'bloody' duck attack... | Woman, 78, said her legs were a 'bloody mess' after the Muscovy attacked .
She claimed she was unable to walk for two days after the bird 'raked' her .
Park officials draft signs warning park visitors of the ducks' aggression . |
80,490 | e42ee8e222843b14cb0ce8c7ee97156ef8a99b73 | In a game that attracted a worldwide audience of around 400 million people, Real Madrid claimed El Clasico bragging rights with a 3-1 destruction of Barcelona. Luis Suarez impressed on his long-awaited debut but it was Neymar who silenced the Bernabeu by opening the scoring after only four minutes before Cristiano Ronaldo sent the teams in level with a penalty for his 16th league goal of the season. The second half belonged to the hosts who doubled their lead through a header from defender Pepe before Karim Benzema completed a beautiful passing move to slot home their third and final goal. Here, Sportsmail's Pete Jenson gives his verdict on how the players performed. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch . Real Madrid players celebrate after earning a 3-1 win against Barcelona in El Clasico . Luis Suarez (C) made his long-awaited debut for Barcelona but could not get on the scoresheet . Lionel Messi finished on the losing side in the latest installment of his personal rivalry with Cristiano Ronaldo . Real Madrid: . Iker Casillas - 7 . His first half save from Lionel Messi changed the game. Had it been 2-0 so early Barcelona would have controlled the game and passed Real into submission. Still the man for the big occasion. Dani Carvajal - 7 . Steady defensively and got forward well to support the attacks. Came back into the side for Alvaro Arbeloa and justified the recall. Portugal defender Pepe rises up to put real Madrid in the lead with a header from a corner . Sergio Ramos - 6 . Had to work overtime in the first half as Luis Suarez tormented Marcelo and found space in behind the often absent Brazilian full-back. The two continued their duel in the second half and he was as relieved as anyone when the Uruguyan departed on 70 minutes. Pepe - 7 . All over the place in the opening stages of the game but recovered his composure and his towering header was the most important goal of the game. Impressive display that shows why he still keeps Raphael Varane out of the side … just. Marcelo - 6 . Struggled defensively in the first half especially but always has that burst of energy to turn defence into attack and as Barça struggled with Real's counter-attacks in the second half really began to come into his own. Isco (R) was one of Real Madrid's star performers as he seized his chance in the absence of Gareth Bale . Toni Kroos - 7 . Still keeping his head above water in Real Madrid's Xabi-less midfield. Alonso's shoes are tough to fill but the German did well in his first real test this season. Set up Pepe's goal with a perfect corner. Luka Modric - 7 . Roared off in the second half as Carlo Ancelotti replaced him. The former Tottenham man is idolized by the Bernabeu and once again in the most difficult of games he stood up to be counted. Isco - 8 . Ancelotti said in midweek: 'Isco knows that if Bale is fit then Bale always plays' but how can the Italian coach leave Isco out on this form? Come to think of it how can Vicente Del Bosque leave Isco out on this form. Outstanding. Cristiano Ronaldo wheels away after equalising from the spot with his 16th league goal of the season . James Rodriguez -7 . Madrid's fourth midfield musketeer was involved in that lightning break for the third goal. He will never have Angel Di Maria's energy but he is starting to show that in terms of assists and goals he can match the Argentine. Cristiano Ronaldo - 7 . Not his greatest Clasico by any stretch but he still got his goal from the penalty spot and won the personal duel with Messi hands down. Was unhappy with various refereeing decisions but will be delighted with the way the game turned out. Madrid showed they can win without him putting in an extra-terrestrial performance. Karim Benzema - 8 . Another who was cheered off when substituted. And he deserved it. So often the most criticized of Madrid's BBC forward line, Karim Benzema stepped up in the absence of Gareth Bale to lead the line and get the goal that sealed the win. France international Karim Benzema finished a superb move to give Real Madrid a two goal advantage . Barcelona . Claudio Bravo - 7 . His handling was good and he did not deserve to be on the losing side. Finally conceded his first goals of the season but then none of them could be blamed on him. A decent showing. Dani Alves - 7 . Solid from a veteran of six years of Clasicos. Got forward and covered plenty of ground but his finally delivery often let him down when he got around the back of Real Madrid’s defence. Barcelona defender Gerard Pique is shown a yellow card that led to Real Madrid's equaliser . Gerard Piqué - 7 . Started well holding Barcelona together when Real reacted to conceding the early goal. But then slipped for the penalty that gave them a way back into the game. Barça need to build a defence around him and there are still question marks over whether they have done that with last summer’s signings – Vermaelen still out, and Mathieu shifted to full-back for this one. Javier Mascherano - 6 . The world’s best holding midfielder was back in the centre of defence and struggled against the charge of the white brigade in the second half. Was exposed by the open way that Barcelona played but should be used to that by now. Jeremy Mathieu - 6 . Far stronger defensively than the out of form Jordi Alba who was left on the bench but the Spain international has more in his locker going forward and at times the Frenchman could not make the most of the possession that he had. Barcelona coach Luis Enrique (R) lost his first Clasico as his side fell to their first league defeat . Xavi - 6 . Was the surprise selection in midfield ahead of Ivan Rakitic and for 45 minutes he justified that selection but tired badly in the second half. Still has the ability to keep the ball but people forget how much ground he covered in his pomp - was ultimately over-run and outnumbered by the home side. Sergio Busquets- 7 . Will be under pressure this season as Luis Enrique considers playing Mascherano in front of his defence. Busquets came back into midfield for the Argentine but Barcelona lost the midfield battle. Andres Iniesta - 6 . Disappointing. Was over-powered for the Benzema goal and unable to stop Isco spinning away into space. Barça's midfield trio looked lightweight against Madrid's four, especially when Xavi slowed in the second half. Lionel Messi celebrates with Neymar after the Brazilian opened the scoring after only four minutes . Lionel Messi - 6 . Missed the kind of chance he has spent the last five years scoring with his eyes closed and it was down hill from there. Picked up a first half booking and that seemed to sum up what was an uncharacteristic display. Luis Suarez - 8 . Short of scoring he did everything possible in the first half to put the game beyond Real Madrid. He set up Neymar for the first goal and Messi for what should have been the second. Luis Enrique was asked after the game if he felt he had made a mistake by playing Suarez from the start and he said: 'No, definitely not.' Neymar - 8 . Took his goal brilliantly but failed to last the 90 minutes. Has been around the world on international duty recently and perhaps that showed. Barça needed him to keep carrying the game to Real in the second half but the threat he offered lifted and Carvajal was gradually allowed greater licence to get forward himself. Luis Suarez (C) impressed on his Barcelona debut after completing his four month ban . | Real Madrid defeated Barcelona 3-1 to claim bragging rights in El Clasico .
Luis Suarez made his debut after completing a four-month ban for biting .
Brazil forward Neymar opened the scoring after only four minutes .
Cristiano Ronaldo equalised with his 16th goal of the La Liga season .
Portugal defender Pepe headed home from a corner to give Real the lead .
Karim Benzema completed a fine move to score Los Blancos' third . |
49,824 | 8ce3d3c9e68abfabc1762228f769df779840ab1c | By . Harriet Arkell . PUBLISHED: . 11:10 EST, 21 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:39 EST, 21 October 2013 . Dentist Joyce Trail who was jailed for conning the NHS out of more than £1.3m has been struck off by the dental regulator . A dentist jailed after she made more than £1million by fraudulently claiming for dental work on the NHS has been struck off by the dental regulator. Joyce Trail, 51, from Sutton Coldfield, had submitted 100 claims for patients who were dead, and triple-claimed for others during a scam involving 7,141 fraudulent claims. The General Dental Council has now announced that Trail, who also used her ill-gotten gains to send her grandchildren to private school, had been struck off following a hearing of its Professional Conduct Committee. A spokesman said: 'The gravity of Trail’s convictions offended fundamental standards of behaviour expected of a member of the dental profession. 'Her convictions go to her character and her actions are incapable of remedy. She has brought the profession into disrepute and remains subject to the lengthy custodial sentences imposed upon her by the court.' Last October Trail was jailed for six-and-a-half years at Birmingham Crown Court for conspiracy to defraudn and a further six months for perverting the course of justice. Between 1 April 2006 and 31 March 2009, she submitted 7,141 fraudulent claims to the NHS, claiming for patients she had not treated and for providing and fitting dentures for others who were not entitled to have their treatment paid for by the NHS. She also claimed for providing and fitting dentures for people who didn’t need them and for many others who were dead. In total she falsely claimed £1,376,423. Life of luxury: Dentist Joyce Trail has had to swap her spacious house in the West Midlands for a jail cell . Dental practice: Dr Trail, as she was, worked out of Medical Spa Studios in Handsworth, Birmingham . At Trail's trial the court heard how she was motivated by 'pure greed' - these diamond rings were owned by her . During the trial, the court heard how Trail had a taste for expensive holidays and Jimmy Choo shoes and used the money she had fraudulently gleaned to lead a lavish lifestyle. The judge told the jury that the dentist's collection of expensive Jimmy Choos 'would make Imelda Marcos proud' and said that Trail acted 'out of pure greed'. The court heard how she enjoyed holidays at £1,000-a-night hotel suites in the Caribbean, and designer bags and shoes. The case was described as one of the most complex taken on by West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service. Racks of luxury goods: A court last year heard that the dentist, a grandmother, was motivated 'by pure greed' Jewels: Money from Trail's fraudulent claims were used to fund her globe-trotting and indulgent lifestyle . | Joyce Trail, 51, from Sutton Coldfield, was jailed a year ago for claim fraud .
Today General Dental Council said she'd 'offended fundamental standards'
A spokesman accused her of 'bringing the profession into disrepute'
The grandmother had falsely claimed from NHS for work on dead patients .
She spent the proceeds of her scams on jewellery, holidays, and shoes . |
204,516 | 94c5733f4b0f750d2b0126ecda84a153f6f64cc3 | Spanning nine floors, a luxury flat in the clock tower of a Grade II* listed former church has gone on sale for £1million. The recently converted four-bedroom home is in what used to be St George's Church in the centre of Manchester. As well as a bespoke spiral stair case and private lift, the remarkable conversion also boasts a Jacuzzi-style tub, gym and sauna - but it also retains the church's original arches and decorative windows. And even without including its manicured gardens, the apartment covers 2500 sq ft. A luxury flat in the clock tower of a Grade II* listed former church has gone on sale for £1million. Pictured, the bespoke spiral staircase descending into a living area . A fitted kitchen on the second floor includes a built-in coffee machine, left, as well as a washer/dryer, dishwasher and stainless steel oven . Danielle Kelly the estate agent handling the sale at Bridgfords said: 'It's an incredible place in a very sought after area. 'The conversion is so unusual we've had people open-mouthed when they come to look round - I've never seen anything like it. 'A buyer could move straight in as it's been finished to the highest quality. 'I'm sure someone will snap it up soon.' The building was an early Gothic Revival church designed by architect Francis Goodwin, who also designed the original Manchester Town Hall, and was built between 1826 and 1828. It was a Commissioners' church, built to celebrate the victory at the Battle of Waterloo, and a sum of £15,000 was allotted for construction. The church was restored in 1884 by J. S. Crowther and designated a Grade II* listed building in October 1974, but the church was closed a decade later. A dining area features archways with arched stainless steel radiators, a large dining table and comes with brick and glass flooring . A master bedroom features a waterbed and velux window, telephone intercom system and beamed trusses as well as fitted wardrobes . An internal corridor from the dining area to the entertainment room shows off the original arched features of the clock tower . An en-suite bathroom features a Jacuzzi-style tub, an opaque glass wash basin, extractor ceiling light and designer tiled flooring . The sauna room, left, features an additional shower cubicle and tiled flooring and right, an en-suite bathroom with a glass opaque bowl sink with chrome splash back and porthole mirror . An entertainment room on the ninth floor features a skylight and leads on to the terrace, which can be used for outdoor entertainment . The flat retains the church's original decorative windows, left, and the gym, right, features a triple-heighted ceiling with multi-paned windows and oak flooring . The terrace encapsulates the church spire and features pitched and angled stonework with breathtaking views over Manchester . Spanning nine floors, the luxury apartment is in clock tower od the the Grade II* listed former St George's Church in the centre of Manchester . | The luxury apartment is in the Grade II* listed former St George's Church in the centre of Manchester .
Features bespoke spiral stair case and private lift, but retains the church's original arches and decorative windows . |
192,924 | 85c27948a6badc7e82838365f98bf531eb7b7c5f | With fillet steak from Somerset, scallops from Devon and cheese from the West Country and Hampshire, First Great Western's Pullman dining is featuring more food 'local' to its route than ever. Britain's only daily fine-dining service on the rails has launched a new menu designed by celebrity chef Mitch Tonks that includes 50 dishes made from ingredients found within 15 miles its routes. Restaurateur Tonks' menu, to be prepared fresh on board by the train's resident chefs, also includes fish from his own local Brixham market in Devon and quince jelly from Somerset. Celebrity chef Mitch Tonks speaks with passengers on First Great Western's Pullman dining car . Tonks, speaking with an on-board chef, has designed a new menu with items local to the train's routes . It also sources burrata (a fresh cheese made with mozarella and cream) from Laverstoke Farms in Hampshire which passengers can see when travelling from London to Plymouth. 'The south west is home to some of the best food in the world and with the new Pullman menu, passengers can enjoy top-class meals on the railway,' said Tonks, who was voted Tatler's restaurateur of the year. 'I've selected a variety of fresh seafood, meats, vegetables and wine which are favourites in my own restaurants.' While not all the wines are British, they are a selection from Tonks' award-winning The Seahorse restaurant in Dartmouth and include Knightor Trevannion, an aromatic white from near the Eden Project in Cornwall. Award-winning restaurateur Tonks sourced fillet steak from Somerset, scallops from Devon . Tonks' menu honours their 50:15 pledge, with 50 items from within 15 miles of the track the trains travel on . In total, First Great Western is sourcing 90 items from local suppliers. The company's head of customer engagement, Jo Elliott, said: 'We are both committed to supporting the communities we serve, and what better way to enjoy the view from the train than to eat expertly prepared food, produced from the very landscape you travel through.' Two additional services launching in March from London Paddington to Plymouth will take the Pullman to a total 12 daily services including routes to Penzance, Plymouth, Bristol Parkway, Cardiff and Swansea. | First Great Western's Pullman dining car menu made more local .
Chef Mitch Tonks' menu features 50 items from within 15 miles of track .
Ingredients include seafood from Devon and West Country cheese . |
256,249 | d7b04b7c368d7c970aaebf5217d434ed81f5e4d4 | Convicted Singaporean match-fixer Wilson Raj Perumal is categorically denying a story published by German weekly Der Spiegel alleging that the Cameroon team was involved in fixing a World Cup game in Brazil. The Cameroon federation -- known as FECAFOOT -- has pledged to investigate Der Spiegel's allegations, which focused on the national side's second Group A game against Croatia -- purportedly based on an interview with Perumal. "Contrary to the 'revelations' published by the German weekly Der Spiegel that were picked up by news outlets worldwide, I did not predict the result of the Cameroon vs. Croatia match played on June 18, 2014," said Perumal in a statement published online. "The Facebook chat with the Der Spiegel journalist took place a few days after the match -- June 21 -- as confirmed by my Facebook log, and was but an informal assessment of the behavior of the Cameroon team at the Brazil 2014 World Cup after they had played two of their three group stage matches, including the one with Croatia." CNN has been sent screen grabs of two Facebook conversations between Perumal and the journalist, Rafael Buschmann, by the fixer's representative. The first is dated the June 21 and the second is dated the June 26 -- in other words after the Croatia game -- where Perumal talks of "five to seven black sheeps," and "seven rotten apples" within the Cameroon team, adding "in my opinion they fixed all three matches." Perumal's Facebook account does not show public updates, so CNN was unable to independently verify those exchanges. "At no time did I make reference to four goals being scored or to a red card being issued," Perumal said. "At no time did I suggest that I had any way of corroborating or substantiating what was meant to be an educated guess based on my extensive match-fixing experience," added Perumal, who was arrested in Helsinki in 2011 and sentenced to two years in prison for fixing games in Rovaniemi, northern Finland. "Last but not least: at no time was I informed by the Der Spiegel journalist that our chat was going to end up in the German publication." The Der Spiegel journalist, Rafael Buschmann, told CNN that the publication was confident in its reporting of the story. "We firmly stand by our assertion that Mr. Perumal wrote in a Facebook chat with Der Spiegel some hours before the World Cup match Croatia vs. Cameroon, that the result of the match will be a 4-0 victory for Croatia and that a player of Cameroon will get a red card in the first half," Buschmann said. That alleged prediction largely came true. Midfielder Alex Song was red-carded during the game for lashing out at Croatia striker Mario Mandzukic, who scored twice in a 4-0 victory along with goals from Ivica Olic and Ivan Perisic. CNN contacted Song's agent but he was not immediately available for comment. Now living in Hungary, Perumal recently published a book -- "Kelong Kings" -- about his involvement in illegal match fixing, which was written in conjunction with investigative journalists Alessandro Righi and Emanuele Piano. "I apologize to the Cameroon FA and to its fans if I inadvertently offended them; it was not my intention," said Perumal. "I strongly believe that Der Spiegel should also do the same since they placed words in my mouth that I did not utter." "Kelong Kings" examines three decades of match-fixing efforts, including World Cup qualifiers, Olympic matches and the 2010 World Cup. "I am now back in Hungary where I have testified against my former associates in a local match-fixing trial," said Perumal. " 'Kelong Kings' is an honest account of what my life has been like until today. "I have now turned a new leaf and wish to put my expertise at the disposal of those willing to truly fight the scourge of match-fixing. "When the time is ripe I will share what I know with FIFA and UEFA, but I will not accept that my statements be manipulated at the detriment of others." A FIFA spokesperson told reporters Tuesday that football's governing body could not comment on whether an investigation was underway on the alleged manipulation of the Cameroon-Croatia match. FECAFOOT said in a statement Monday that "in 55 years of existence, it has never been sanctioned for, involved in, or even linked to match fixing or any fraud of any kind." | Match-fixer denies predicting Cameroon would lose 4-0 to Croatia at World Cup .
German magazine reported Wilson Raj Perumal told journalist result before game was played .
Perumal admits having conversation but said it took place after match .
Der Spiegel and journalist Rafael Buschmann stand by the original story . |
261,912 | df364a9194fd1f5827df9108dc39481dd2f96358 | Flight delays are nearly inevitable when it comes to holiday travel. But it turns out some of the most popular winter sun destinations have particularly dismal on-time performance ratings. New research has found that British passengers experience some of the worst flight delays while travelling between the UK and Orlando in Florida and the Spanish island of Mallorca. Flight routes to British holiday destinations Orlando and Mallorca have particularly poor on-time ratings . Virgin Atlantic's Gatwick to Orlando route has a history of delays and an on-time percentage of just 47% . According to statistics released by worldwide passenger rights specialist refund.me, more than one in two flights on Virgin Atlantic's London Gatwick to Orlando route departed late, with return flights performing on slightly better with 59 per cent of flights departing on time. One flight on the Gatwick-Orlando route was delayed by an astonishing five hours and 13 minutes, while a return flight endured an even longer delay of five hours and 34 minutes. And when it comes to Palma de Mallorca, another top holiday destination, similar travel nightmares are also commonplace. Two flights operated by Thomson from the island to London Luton and London Gatwick airports had on-time ratings of just 46 per cent and 49 per cent, respectively. In one instance, passengers returning to Luton were left waiting for four hours and 50 minutes. Thomson flights from Manchester had a similarly sub-standard on-time record of 56 per cent with Jet2's flights faring only slightly better with 59 per cent of flights arriving on time. Refund.me, which helps airline passengers claim compensation under EU legislation for delays, cancellations, missed connections and overbooking, analysed on-time records for UK airlines between August and October to find out which routes were most affected. All flights that leave from an EU airport, regardless of the airline or destination, are covered by EU regulations which guarantee eligible passengers compensation of up to £475 for disruptions. Two Mallorca-London flights operated by Thomson had on-time ratings as low as 46 per cent . Thomson flights from Manchester to Mallorca had a similarly sub-standard on-time record . Likewise, passengers entering the EU on flights operated by EU carriers are also covered. 'Flight delays when going on holiday can be particularly frustrating, and can really cut into vacation time,' said Eve Buechner, founder and CEO of refund.me. 'Unfortunately it is impossible to replace lost time, but at least we enable passengers to claim compensation from airlines when they are delayed by three hours or more – and for flights up to six years ago.' | Refund.me analysed on-time performance over the past several months .
Flights between UK and Orlando and Spain have frequent delays .
Some on-time ratings as low as 46% on popular Mallorca-London route . |
195,854 | 898041cdda97288f325f044f0f654c46b90aba7c | By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 19:17 EST, 9 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:07 EST, 10 September 2013 . Support: Former Chancellor of the Exchequer Lord Nigel Lawson backs tax breaks for married couples . Introducing a generous tax break for married couples would be the most cost-effective way to help families, a former Tory Chancellor said yesterday. Nigel Lawson backed the idea of a transferable tax allowance that would give married people extra money. But he said the Prime Minister’s plans for a tax break worth an extra £150 a year is ‘very limited’ and should be ‘much more generous’. The intervention from Lord Lawson, who was Chancellor in Margaret Thatcher’s government, comes as backbenchers continue to push David Cameron and George Osborne to carry out their pledge to give married couples a tax break. Mr Cameron promised the transferable allowance worth £150 before the election in 2010. The prospect was raised again this summer. Lord Lawson backed transferable tax allowances – which mean a stay-at-home mother can shift her own income tax-free allowance to her husband – in a report on how to help families from the charity Care. He said: ‘The case for transferable tax allowances remains as strong as ever. ‘They are not only family friendly but provide a far more cost-effective means of reducing the tax burden on low-income households than can be achieved by an across-the-board increase in personal allowances.’ Lord Lawson was the Chancellor who first proposed independent taxation of husbands and wives 25 years ago. Yesterday’s report said that the benefits of separate taxation were undermined by the failure to include transferable allowances. The Care report said: ‘Since 1990 income tax rates have come down. In 1990 the basic rate was 25 per cent; in 2013 it is 20 per cent. 'The tax threshold for single people has risen significantly, with the result that the burden on such individuals has fallen. ‘By contrast, the tax threshold for families is scarcely higher in real terms than it was in 1990, with the result that, even though the basic rate is lower, the income tax burden on some families is much the same as it was then.’ Nearly there: Although the former Chancellor supports David Cameron's tax break, he does not think £150-a-year is generous enough . The report said that the tax system rewards individuals but shows ‘insensitivity to family responsibility’. It added: ‘Independent taxation was intended to give married women privacy over their tax affairs but the two million couples with children who have to claim tax credits, or, in future, Universal Credit, have no privacy. ‘One-earner families face more fiscal discrimination in 2013 than they did in 1990 and marginal tax rates that apply to families are much higher than they were in 1990.’ The report said the unfairness had been worsened by changes to Child Benefit, which have deprived higher-income one-earner families of the benefit while two-earner families on the same family income have kept theirs. The pressure group for stay-at-home mothers, Mothers At Home Matter, welcomed Lord Lawson’s comments. Spokesman Anne Fennell said: ‘Unlike our current Chancellor, Lord Lawson clearly appreciates the injustice in the current tax system towards stay-at-home parents. ‘We welcome his initiative 25 years later to remedy the injustice caused by a tax system which does not recognise the family unit. Many more couples face a “couple penalty” today if they choose to live together as husband and wife than they did 25 years ago and this falls largely in the poorer half of the population.’ | Ex-Chancellor Nigel Lawson backs tax break for married couples .
Said it is a cost-effective way to help, but current allowance is not enough .
Lord Lawson branded Cameron's suggested £150-a-year 'very limited' |
212,947 | 9fc2609e7e842519db773a02fa9261705bdcee56 | (CNN) -- When a Phoenix teacher, way back in 2004, offered four students the option of learning marine science through textbook lessons or by building an underwater robot, the students chose the hands-on approach. It was a decision that revealed the power of experiential learning and created the opening scene for a Hollywood script. "I had nothing to do. I felt like a loser," one of the students, Lorenzo Santillan, told an Arizona newspaper in 2008. Without the robot club, "I would have probably just dropped out of high school." In fact, all four students graduated from high school. "All these kids have taken what they've learned and decided that they can be leaders in their community," the robotics teacher, Fredi Lajvardi, says in a new documentary film, Underwater Dreams. The film tracks four Hispanic students who started the robotics team at Carl Hayden High School in Phoenix, a decade ago. Working under gifted teachers, the guys build an underwater robot, nicknamed Stinky. The fun starts when they enter a national competition that pits their machine against robots from both high school and college teams. No need to spoil the finish. It's enough to say that the tale, with a tampon prominent in the construction of the robot, inspired a long-form piece in WIRED magazine, a new Hollywood feature starring George Lopez and Marisa Tomei, and the documentary film. As part of a deal with NBCUniversal and AMC Theatres, "Underwater Dreams" opens Friday, July 11, in Los Angles and New York, before rolling out to other cities. Underwriters include the Bezos Family Foundation, The Laurie M. Tisch Illumination Fund and the Virginia Piper Charitable Trust. While "Underwater Dreams" is a compelling tale about four kids who beat the odds, it carries a larger message about education reform. The need for reform is straightforward. In this century, economic growth depends on jobs for which Americans are not sufficiently trained, at least as compared to other countries. Absent reform, according to the The Jobs Council, U.S. firms will struggle to fill positions that require technical skill. How to implement reform is the sticky part. Reforming education means altering how teachers teach. When I took algebra, chemistry and physics, my teachers stood at the front of the classroom and lectured. If I learned anything, I learned by listening. Today, there is a belief that students learn more by doing. Sounds simple enough, but it's a challenge to reorganize instructional budgets, train new teachers, retrain veteran teachers and bring students and parents along. Instruction ends up looking different than your father's science class, as evidenced by the robotics poetry class offered at one innovative Pennsylvania middle school. "Underwater Dreams" adds weight to the argument in favor of hands-on, experiential learning by proving that it can be accomplished in a tough setting, without lots of new resources. The lesson is especially critical for STEM education -- science, technology, engineering and mathematics -- where we must set learning on fire for children who may otherwise disengage from school. I first heard about the Hayden robotics program shortly after the now-famous underwater competition, when the foundation where I work began making grants to support programs at the school. The students saw they could accomplish more than they ever could have imagined. Whether they went on to become an Army paratrooper like Oscar Vazquez or a chef, as Santillan has done, their high school experience helped. "With robotics, the kids fell in love with building, pure and simple," "Underwater Dreams" filmmaker Mary Mazzio told me in an e-mail. "They loved the kinesthetic learning of how things worked. Although they didn't call it engineering, that is what they fell in love with. Oscar first learned to make a catapult for Halloween -- and they concocted a giant catapult right out of Joan of Arc -- and had pumpkins smashing everywhere. He fell in love." From the film, I was struck by Dean Kamen's remarks on the need to develop talented young people. An inventor whose creations include the Segway, Kamen is also founder of FIRST robotics, which enables more than 350,000 students to build robots annually. I called Kamen to ask him whether the kids in "Underwater Dreams" represent a fluke, or whether all students could flourish this way. "You didn't find two needles in the haystack," Kamen said. "You found a stack of needles. They are all sharp. All they needed was a little guidance, a little support." Let's hope the release of "Underwater Dreams" leads to more schools uncovering more of these needles. Join us on Facebook.com/CNNOpinion. | A Phoenix teacher gave his students the option to learn by doing .
John Bare: The project motivated students to succeed and has important lessons .
He says America needs better education and training for job-related skills .
Bare: Hands-on learning can succeed even in schools hard-pressed for resources . |
190,847 | 831f35bdd473b0c61d74774f27a64d2fd166d37a | By . Jonny Singer . Joel Campbell has thanked Arsene Wenger for not sending him out on loan again and promised to repay his manager's faith in his first Premier League season. Campbell joined Arsenal in 2011 but has been loaned out for each of the last three seasons.But he is now back in London and ready to make an impact in the title race as Wenger gives him a chance in the first team. 'I've always dreamed of playing for Arsnal since I was a young kid watching Thierry Henry,' Campbell told The Sun. Ready to go: Campbell has impressed during pre-season and wants to make an impression in the first team . Faith: Arsene Wenger has trusted the Costa Rican, refusing to loan him out again this season . Time to shine: Campbell wants to repay his manager's faith by making his mark in the top flight . 'The manager has told me he wants me to be part of his plans and not send me on loan again - now I want to repay his faith.' Campbell was a star for Costa Rica at the World Cup this summer, scoring against Uruguay as the tiny island nation reached the last eight, qualifying from the group ahead of England and Italy. But the striker knows that now he has arrived in the Premier League he is no longer the stand-out name. 'Here I'm Joel Who? No one really knows who I am. But, hopefully, very soon everybody will know who I am - as that will mean I've done really well for Arsenal.' Impression: Campbell made a brief appearance in the Community Shield but could make the bench on Saturday . On the way: The striker's girlfriend Maria Fernanda is pregnant with their first child . Last year Campbell had a successful stint at Olympiacos, where he scored against Manchester United in the Champions League, but adapting to life in England represents a whole new challenge. The player revealed that a crucial part of the settling-in process is his relationship with long-term girlfriend Maria Fernanda. The 19-year-old, who is pregnant with Campbell's child, has moved with him, and the striker says she is hoping him get to grips with London life, looking after him, and cooking him his favourite lasagne which he describes as 'the best ever'. Arsene Wenger will be hoping that he lays off the carbs, and lays on the goals, as the Gunners start the season at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday. Impact: The Costa Rican striker scored against Manchester United last season in the Champions League . National hero: Campbell battles Arsenal target Kostas Manolas during a successful World Cup campaign . | Campbell joined Arsenal in 2011 but has spent three seasons out on loan .
Costa Rica striker starred at the World Cup and is set to start season in the Gunners first team squad .
Campbell grew up watching Thierry Henry and says playing in the Premier League is a dream come true .
The Arsenal forward also reveals that his pregnant girlfriend's cooking has helped him adapt to life in England .
Arsenal begin the season at home to Crystal Palace on Saturday . |
169,171 | 66df46810822883ed2c8a095f1d17763f77729ef | Sainsbury's suffered sliding sales over Christmas - its first fall over the festive period for at least a decade. The supermarket said today like-for-like sales fell 1.7% in the 14 weeks to January 3 - a fourth consecutive quarterly fall - and boss Mike Coupe said the outlook remained 'challenging'. It is the first time in at least ten years that the retailer has suffered a fall over Christmas even though it said it enjoyed a record-breaking week before December 25 with 29.5 million customer transactions. Sainsbury's is the first of the Big Four to announce its results for the Christmas period, but while sales were down they were better than expected. Mr Coupe, who replaced Justin King as CEO in July, said Sainsbury's sold 'the same amount of stuff we sold last year at Christmas, but the prices were lower'. Results: Sainsburt's has said like-for-like sales fell 1.7% in the 14 weeks to January 3 and boss Mike Coupe said the outlook remained 'challenging' Analysts had forecasted sales would be down between 2.5 and 4.4 percent and represents an improvement from a second quarter decline of 2.8 percent. As a result shares opened up 6p at 241p this morning. The decline means there is huge pressure on its new chief executive, Mike Coupe, to come up with a big idea to halt the slide in sales, which he believes will continue to drop. He said: 'Sainsbury's has provided a great Christmas for our customers. Food price deflation and falling fuel prices have enabled our customers to treat themselves over the festive period. 'The outlook for the remainder of the financial year is set to remain challenging, with food price deflation likely to continue. We currently expect our fourth quarter like-for-like to be similar to that of our first half. To date, the supermarket giant has largely remained aloof from the price battle triggered by the rise of chains like Aldi, Lidl and Netto, believing its quality would retain the loyalty of shoppers. It came as experts predicted a 'discount revolution' where one in four shoppers will switch to a budget supermarket to save money in 2015. To fight the trend of falling sales across the big four Asda was the first to announce price cuts this morning, and was swiftly followed by Sainsbury's. Tesco and Morrisons are likely to follow. Asda has promised to spend £300million slashing the cost of 'essentials', including fruit and vegetables, cereal, milk, meat, eggs, fish, nappies and toilet rolls. Price comparison: With price drops across Asda, Aldi, Lidl and Sainsbury's, we've compared some of the essentials (source: moneysupermarket.com) Cutting prices: Asda said today it is ploughing £300million into price cuts in the first three months of this year . Today Sainsbury's will announce more than 700 permanent price cuts tomorrow, which are added to reductions on more than 200 introduced in the run-up to Christmas. While the likes of Tesco, Asda and Morrisons battle to keep up with discounting rivals Aldi and Lidl, high-end supermarkets remain popular with consumers. Upmarket Waitrose, which is owned by the John Lewis Partnership, today reported a 2.8 per cent increase in store sales over the Christmas period, results which are predicted to outperform all of the firm's major rivals. The employee-owned company said total sales in the five weeks to 3 January, excluding fuel, were £728million, up 7 per cent year-on-year. The upmarket grocery chain's online sales also fared well, increasing by 26.3 per cent. Waitrose's managing director Mark Price said: 'As a business owned by the people who work here, we can take the long-term view and our Christmas results show the effectiveness of our strategy of investing in good value, in making our shops attractive destinations and in building our online business'. Although Waitrose has won sales from rivals it has not been immune to the ongoing industry price war. In September it posted a 9.4 per cent fall in first-half operating profit, partly because it had to cut prices and step up promotions to remain competitive. Mr Coupe has pledged a £150million investment per year for the next three years, which would translate into cuts to regular prices on more than 1,000 of the most popular items in customers' baskets and followed 200 lower prices put in place in November. Many products have been reduced by £1, such as a whole roasting chicken, a pack of ten Taste the Difference Ultimate Sausages, 460g packs of chicken breast fillets and 240g packs of salmon fillets. Sainsbury’s is promoting the fact that it is delivering big reductions on the cost of a full English breakfast fry up. It has cut the price of a large white sandwich loaf by 30p to £1, while a pack of eight pork sausages is down by the same amount to £1.10. Butter is down by 15p to 95p, a litre of UHT milk by 20p to 70p and a litre of orange juice down by 10p to £1. The price of a pack of large Happy Eggs Large free range eggs came down from £2.15 to £1.90 in the autumn. The update comes during a key week for the retailers announcing Christmas trading figures, with Tesco and Marks & Spencer due to disclose sales numbers tomorrow. Supermarkets are engaged in a fierce price war amid a squeeze on their market share by discounters Aldi and Lidl while upmarket food offerings from Waitrose and M&S are also doing well - with Waitrose yesterday reporting a 2.8% Christmas sales rise. Sainsbury's own high-end range, Taste the Difference, did well over the third quarter with growth of five per cent, including prosecco sales up 30 per cent. It also sold more than 57 million mince pies and more than 550,000 turkeys, up eight per cent year-on-year. Experts have said that although discount shoppers are happy with the prices, they found customers are getting increasingly upset about the shopping experience. Long queues, foreign workers and lack of choice are among the top moans of those more used to the comparative luxury of Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury's or Morrisons. Two studies revealed the growth of the called 'Lidl Class', shoppers who now do either a weekly or simple top up shop at the discount chains. According to comparison site GoCompare, 26 per cent of Brits will, this year, do more of their shopping at one of these chains as part of their moneysaving strategy. Other plans to rein in spending include giving up coffee shop treats and takeaways as their poll of 2,000 adults revealed 15 per cent are 'seriously worried' about their outgoings. Going down: Since the start of 2015, some of the UK's biggest supermarkets have further cut fuel prices . Since the start of this year, Britain's 'Big Four' supermarkets - Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's and Tesco - have knocked 2p a litre off their prices for petrol and diesel. Asda was the first to announce its fuel price cuts yesterday but it wasn't long before the other major supermarkets announced matching reductions. The cuts mean Asda customers pay no more than 107.7p a litre for petrol and 114.7p a litre for diesel. The latest price cuts marked the thirteenth time since September that Asda has reduced fuel prices since the end of September taking, in total, 19p a litre off petrol and 15p a litre off diesel. Mike Coupe said today that prices could hit a £1-a-litre or go even lower. | Supermarket says like-for-like sales down 1.7% in 13 weeks to January 3 .
It is the first drop in sales over Christmas for at least a decade .
Boss Mike Coupe says outlook is 'challenging' and sales will fall again .
New CEO admits petrol price could now drop below £1-a-litre in 2015 .
Sainsbury's and Asda have launched a £450m price war with Aldi and Lidl .
Experts believe one in four shoppers will head to the discounters in 2015 . |
195,137 | 88986f4415ee4a0ae1ab0af7b3227bec90652071 | By . Eleanor Harding . PUBLISHED: . 05:01 EST, 6 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:27 EST, 6 April 2012 . It sparked a nationwide treasure hunt in the 1970s. Now Kit Williams, creator of the Masquerade mystery, has challenged the public to another riddle – and this time even he doesn’t know the answer. The artist is appealing for the return of a bracelet made by him which was stolen by burglars 18 months ago, the only other piece of jewellery he ever made aside from his iconic golden hare amulet. Missing: Artist Kit Williams is desperate to see the return of his precious 22 carat gold bracelet which was stolen and a £5,000 reward is on offer for its return . The hare gained cult status after he . buried it in the ground 33 years ago and published a children’s book . containing clues as to its whereabouts. It is currently on display at the . Victoria and Albert Museum as part of an exhibition of the best British . designs of the 20th and 21st centuries. A reward of £5,000 has been offered to anyone who can find the bracelet, which was created soon after the hare amulet. Mystery: Those who searched for the elusive golden hare from the 1970s Masquerade mystery will finally be able to see it up close - when it goes on public display for the very first time . Popular: Williams's children's story Masquerade was a publishing sensation, selling almost a million copies when it appeared in 1979 . Williams, now 65, crafted the gold . bangle, featuring a frog and a linnet, for a friend to give to his wife . as an anniversary present. But it was taken when thieves raided the couple's home in Gloucestershire– and now it is feared it may be lost forever. Although it may have been melted down for scrap metal, the artist hopes it may still exist somewhere in Britain. He said: 'The burglars may well have . been kids or drug addicts. 'They probably just picked it up because it . was small and easy to carry away. I'm certain they had no idea what it . was. 'The most likely scenario is that it . has been melted down for scrap metal. 'My only hope is that someone at . the gold processors twigged that it was more interesting than just a bit . of gold and decided to preserve it. 'It's the only piece of jewellery I've . ever made aside from the golden hare, but I'd be surprised if it still . exists. 'They had no way of knowing it was made by me so won't know the . significance.' The bracelet, which is made of 100grms . of 22 carat gold, is engraved with the phrase, 'I am Love Eternal, no . manacle made of me.' On display: The amulet, created by artist Kit Williams, is to be shown at the Victoria and Albert museum as part of a new design exhibition. In a rare interview, he said he was glad his fans would finally have the chance to see it . Reunited: Kit Williams and Bamber Gasgoine, riight, with the Golden Hare that they buried together in 1979 . Williams made it for his Dutch friend . in 1984, along with an oval casket made from mahogany and a garnet set . on top which would open the container if moved in a certain way. The two animals make up the clasp, with the linnet carrying a ruby on its head which would open the bracelet when pressed. Williams said the couple, who want to remain anonymous, are offering the reward because it is of deep sentimental value to them. Finders keepers: Poster promoting the finding the hare in the 1970s - the hare was the prize for winning the puzzle from the book Masquerade by Kit Williams . He added: 'There is a special story . that I created to accompany the bracelet. 'There's a saying that the frog . is the Dutchman's nightingale, I suppose because it's quite marshy in . Holland. 'So the story is that a frog and a . linnet decide to have a singing contest – and against all odds, the frog . wins. Why? Because the judge was a Dutchman.' Williams's children's story Masquerade was a publishing sensation, selling almost a million copies when it appeared in 1979. Among the illustrations and story, he inserted clues to locate a golden hare amulet – which he buried in a field himself. But though two physics teachers . cracked the puzzle in 1982, they were beaten to the treasure by a . fraudster, who appeared to have found the hiding place through his . connection with Williams' girlfriend. The hare was eventually auctioned in December 1988, and sold for £31,900 to an unknown buyer in the Far East. It was only recently that the current owner came forward, and agreed to loan it to the Victoria and Albert museum. In a rare interview when the Masquerade Hare went on public display, its creator said he was glad his fans would finally have the chance to see it. Williams said: ‘The idea was to bury something in the cold wet earth. It was the romance of it, that whatever people were doing, that jewel was waiting for them. ‘It hasn’t been seen by the British public before, as it was taken out of the ground by a rather dubious man who didn’t want to show it. ‘The amulet looks the same as when I made it, although some of the green stones have turned black after being preserved in wax while underground. ‘The current owner is very nice, I have met her and I’m glad she’s got it. She didn’t realise it had this other life. ‘She’s delighted that it’s going on display in Britain.’ Williams lives in Gloucestershire with his wife, Eleyne, and paints for a living. If you think you have the missing bracelet, contact the news desk on 020 7938 6000 or email [email protected]. | Artist Kit Williams is appealing for the return of a treasured 22 carat gold bracelet stolen 18 months ago .
Fears mount that thieves have melted priceless jewelery down to sell . |
93,956 | 04cd5d9c8355279a9ed137281375f72ee5391e37 | This is the moment a university student disguised in a Muslim veil stalks her friend before throwing acid in her face, a court heard yesterday. Mary Konye, 21, was captured on CCTV using the niqab to hide her identity as she followed her victim home, before allegedly attacking her because she was jealous of her good looks, the jury heard. Her victim Naomi Oni, also 21, gave evidence about her ordeal yesterday, describing her shock when she was attacked late at night on a London street. Scroll down for video . Stalked: CCTV images shown to jurors show victim Naomi Oni, right, being followed by a woman in a niqab, alleged to be her friend Mary Konye who then doused her in acid . Followed: Naomi Oni, 21, circled, using her oyster card at a London station before she was attacked . Naomi Oni was left with life-changing injuries . 'Even if she did do it she wouldn't tell anybody': CCTV Mary Konye wearing a niqab following Naomi Oni as she walks through a tube station. Konye denies throwing acid in the face of her former friend . CCTV footage which shows a woman in a niqab following Naomi Oni through the station . Jurors were shown a CCTV image allegedly showing Konye following the victim while dressed in the Muslim veil, moments before the attack . This still shows Naomi Oni holding bags at Barking station in east London before she was attacked . Mary Konye is accused of being the woman in the niqab creeping up of Naomi Oni at Barking station . It is alleged that Mary Konye is the woman in the niqab and followed Naomi Oni before attacking her with acid . She said that after she saw the damage done by the attack, she thought to herself: ‘I’m ugly, no one’s going to marry me now.’ Yesterday, she described how, on her . way home from work at a Victoria’s Secret lingerie store, she got off at . her bus stop in Dagenham, East London, and felt a ‘presence’ before . turning to see someone in a niqab. She . then felt a ‘massive splash’ as the acid was thrown at her, scarring . her for life and disfiguring her face, dissolving her hair and . eyelashes and burning her tongue as she screamed. Describing how she . felt after the attack, she said: ‘Am I a bad person? Why has this . happened to me? I work hard ... No one’s going to marry me now.’ Chain of events: Miss Oli, left, left work for home, not knowing her attacker was behind her in disguise, right . Stalking: The prosecution say the woman circled is Mary Konye, who followed her friend on the Tube before dousing her in acid . Attack: Naomi Oni (pictured) had sulphuric acid . thrown in her face by a jealous friend who then changed profile picture . to Freddie Krueger, a court heard today . Miss . Oni also revealed that when she told her alleged attacker what had . happened, her friend texted back: ‘OMG. Can’t believe it.’ She also cried down the phone to Konye, who offered her support, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. Giving evidence: Miss Oni, pictured outside court today, is appearing as a witness at the trial . She . said: ‘I just had my bandages removed and it was the first time I saw . my face after surgery and I broke down and I had spoken to Mary that . night and I was crying on the phone to her and she was on the phone to . me telling me, “don’t worry, you’ll be OK”.’ Giving . evidence yesterday, Miss Oni described how she felt a ‘presence’ behind . her as she walked home. She said: ‘I was still on the phone to my . boyfriend and I felt a presence. I turned to my left and I saw someone . and a black abaya [cloak] or a black niqab. ‘I remember it facing me, staring. A presence directly looking at me. All I could see was eyes.’ She . then said she felt the splash as the acid was thrown in her face and . ran home shouting ‘acid, acid’. She said: ‘I immediately felt that . someone was trying to kill me and so my instinct was to run as fast as I . could to get home. ‘I . felt, it wasn’t burning, it was a dissolving type of sensation. It was . on my face and I remember, as I had my mouth open screaming, it burnt . my tongue.’ The court heard that the pair had a ‘rocky relationship’ and . had stopped speaking from April to September 2011 after a row over . Konye sending text messages to Miss Oni’s boyfriend. Miss Oni said: ‘I . remember asking her why she wanted to do that and I said she’s a . monster or something like that. 'I said you are a monster, you are an . ugly monster. I remember us insulting each other’s looks. 'She also told . me she was so angry she wanted to throw acid at me, but she was . advised not to by her friend. 'Her friend said, “That’s stupid, you . could go to jail for that”.’ Asked what she thought at the time about . the threat, Miss Oni said: ‘I thought it was quite bizarre, I felt . insulted again. 'But she seemed like she wasn’t serious. I thought she . was trying to frighten me a little bit.’ She . also said that Katie Piper – the model who had acid thrown in her face . by an accomplice of her ex-boyfriend – was her inspiration, adding: ‘I . remember being deeply moved by her story and me and Mary discussed it.’ Attack: Jurors heard Ms Oni (pictured) was oblivious to the fact she was being closely followed by Konye wearing a full niqab, a hooded black coat, gloves and a grey bag . Inspiration? The attack on Ms Oni mirrored an acid assault on Katie Piper (pictured), Snaresbrook Crown Court heard yesterday . Konye, . of Canning Town, East London, denies throwing or casting a corrosive . fluid with intent to burn, maim, disfigure, disable or do grievous . bodily harm. She admits following Miss Oni and to being the person wearing the niqab. The case continues. Mary Konye posted a picture of horror film villain Freddy Krueger online and wrote, ‘She better not mess with me or I’ll make her face look like this’ before the attack, the court heard yesterday. The university student then posted a second picture of the disfigured character from the Nightmare On Elm Street films after the attack on Naomi Oni, it is alleged. That post carried the message ‘Who looks like Wrong Turn now?’ – a reference to a film featuring disfigured characters. She also allegedly confessed to a friend that she wanted to throw acid in Miss Oni’s face so she would know ‘how it feels’ to be unhappy with her appearance. The court heard she admired Miss Oni ‘to the point of obsession’ and was insecure about her own looks. After a row, Konye allegedly quizzed another friend, who was studying chemistry at school, whether there was any acid stored in the lab. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Mary Konye, 21, allegedly disguised herself in Islamic veil before attack .
Naomi Oni, 21, suffered burns on her face and chest on December 30 .
2012 .
Pair were close friends but Miss Konye was jealous of her looks, jury told .
Konye allegedly posted picture of Freddie Krueger after horrific attack .
Miss Oni cried in witness box as she described moment she was injured .
'I felt a massive splash on my face. I .
immediately felt like somebody was trying to kill me', she said . |
200,016 | 8ef5da3ea642af2b2adf94f528d66d92f582d692 | By . Dan Bloom . From a battered metallic 'electric egg' to an angular rocket, these are how the world's top designers once thought the cars of the future would look. An exhibition has brought together 19 concept cars over the ages, and while some may resemble what we have today, others are out of this world. With names like Cyclone and Thunderbolt, the designs were almost never destined for sale. Instead they were a way for fiercely competitive car firms to flex their muscle and put a stamp on history. Electric Egg: French artist Paul Arzen built his three-wheeled L'OEuf électrique in 1942 to help him get around the streets of Paris during the war, and in many ways it was a precursor to the Smart cars of today . People-carrier: Fewer than 10 1936 Stout Scarabs were hand-produced by the U.S. Stout Motor Car Company, which wanted 'a virtual living room on wheels'. It was based on the scarab beetle and could seat seven . Made to order: Edsel Ford commissioned the Model 40 Special Speedster himself in 1934 because he wanted a sleek car like those he had seen in Europe. Many features were considered radical but appeared in later Fords . Sleek: French aeronautical pioneer Gabriel Voisin unveiled his C-25 Aérodyne at a 1934 show in Paris as a statement of modernist luxury. He had to adopt new techniques as the French car industry declined after 1929 . And they introduced revolutionary ideas which would go into mainstream production decades later, such as heated seats, proximity sensors and rear view cameras. The concept cars have been collected from across Europe and the U.S. for a new exhibition at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia. They were all built as fully-functioning cars - but many have not been driven for several years. Included in the exhibit are the 1942 L'Oeuf électrique (Electric Egg), created by French engineer Paul Arzens for his personal use in the streets of Paris during the Second World War. And the designs resurged after the war ended, with General Motors producing the rocket-shaped Firebird XP-21 in 1953 which had hints of the space race that was to come. Taking influence from a real jet, the car even ran on a gas turbine - which proved far too expensive to enter commercial production. Legend: Bugatti now make some of the world's fastest cars, and the Aerolithe was made by Jean Bugatti himself in 1935. Its rounded look was a departure from the boxy style of the day. Pictured is a 2007 recreation . Speedy: Only five 1941 Chrysler Thunderbolts were built but they were touted as 'The Car of the Future,' built to educate the public about aerodynamics and streamlining. They foretold many later designs in the 1950s . Chunky: The 1948 Tasco (The American Sports Car Company) included mobile fiberglass front fenders which turned with the wheels. The T-top roof design with removable panels influenced the 1968 Corvette . Pet project: American engineer Norman Timbs created the 1947 Special for his personal use. It was touted as a 'little workbench project' but took Timbs more than two and a half years to build and cost him $10,000 . Experimental and concept cars surged in popularity in the 1930s, after the automobile turned from . simply a modern mode of transport into a statement of style and . independence. They became known as 'dream cars' in the 1950s, and allowed engineers the freedom to invent new technology which would find a practical outlet in cars produced decades later. Hundreds were produced by designers as diverse as European artists and American car giants. The designs in the exhibition, which date from 1932 to the present day, chronicle battles to conquer fashion trends which either seem outdated, have since resurged or both. One such contest was for the 'ultimate wedge', won in the minds of some by Italian firm Carrozzeria Bertone's Stratos HF Zero in 1970 - rising just 33 inches off the road. Bizarrely enough, the bright orange triangular profile of the car resembles many of the European supercars of today. Razor-sharp: General Motors' Le Sabre XP-8 (1951) was its first post-war concept car made of exotic sheet and honeycomb aluminum, several large magnesium castings, and fiberglass. It even had heated seats . Screen star: Hugely ahead of its time, the Buick Centurion XP-301 (1956) had no rear view mirror - replaced by a rear-mounted camera with a wide-angle lens and 4x6-inch view screen embedded in the dashboard . Space race: Influenced by the Skyray jet, General Motors' 1953 Firebird XP-21 was the first gas turbine-powered car in the U.S. and described as a 'jet fighter on four wheels'. It proved too costly for mass production . Storm: The 1959 Cadillac Cyclone XP-74 had a soaring bubble canopy, sweeping fenders and dramatic fins - all cues from jet aircraft. Its proximity-sensing radar was a forerunner to beeping sensors found in modern cars . Streamlined: The 1955 Chrysler Ghia was designed by Italian Giovanni Savonuzzi who began a battle of the wedge, nicknaming his car Gilda after Rita Hayworth's sleek title character in the film noir of the same name . The exhibition opens on May 22 and lasts . until September 7. It explores the designs through five themes: individual . makers, the impact of styling, visionary designers, the design process, . and the influence of automobile fairs. As well as the actual cars, the exhibition includes conceptual . drawings, patents and scale models. Museum director Michael Shapiro said: 'Our previous . exhibition was tremendously successful in bringing new audiences to the . museum. 'With Dream Cars, we continue our commitment to showcasing the importance of design and encouraging future innovation.' Back to the future: Concept cars took a leap in 1970 with the Ferrari Pininfarina 512 S Modulo, which was just 37 inches high. It had sliding doors and bowling ball-inspired orbs on the console in line with the wheels . King of the wedge: The 1970 Lancia Stratos HF Zero debuted months after the Ferrari and was four inches squatter. The seats are between the front wheels and the only way inside is by raising the perspex windshield . Leap forward: The exhibition includes modern concepts such as this 2001 BMW GINA (the N means Infinity), which has tensile fabric stretched over a moveable body frame of aluminum and flexible carbon fiber . Modern: The most recent concept car is the 2010 Porsche 918 Spyder, the first to address its own environmental impact. Unlike most of in the exhibition, the car has recently come on the market - for $850,000 . | Some bizarre concepts resemble cars today - others are out of this world .
Vehicles were rarely sold but would be produced by car firms to show off .
They introduced heated seats, proximity sensors and rear view cameras .
Display of 19 concept cars is at High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia . |
32,770 | 5d22dbc5bfe2b1851642a7b7958c123e00ff7a0f | Mercedes are working on gaining a psychological edge over their opponents with the help of a New Zealand doctor. Dr Ceri Evans, who is credited with turning the All Blacks into World Cup winners, is offering professional help to the team of world championship contenders Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg. Employing psychiatrists is popular in modern sport. Steve Peters has worked with British Cycling, the England football team and cricketer Jonathan Trott among others, but the involvement of an equivalent figure in motor racing is rare. Dr Ceri Evans has been praised for his work with the All Blacks in the lead up to their 2011 World Cup win . Evans will work closely with the star Mercedes pair of Lewis Hamilton (left) and Nico Rosberg . Toto Wolff (right), pictured with the entire Mercedes team, is a big believer in sports psychology . However, Toto Wolff, the 42-year-old Austrian in charge of Mercedes, is a devotee of management manuals. A spokesman for Mercedes said: ‘We worked with Ceri at the start of the season and we are continuing to explore how we can work with him. It’s about developing a team-winning mentality — not for the drivers.’ Wolff said he had looked at how to cushion the blow felt by whichever Mercedes man loses out in the title decider in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. Employing psychiatrists is popular in modern sport with Dr Steve Peters working with British Cycling . Peters (right) has worked closely with Steven Gerrard in the past as well as the entire England squad . 'It would be particularly galling for Hamilton, given he takes a 17-point lead into the last encounter. Wolff said: ‘I was impressed by the way Alain Prost acknowledged Niki Lauda winning the championship by half a point in 1984. He went on to take three titles in the next four years. 'I’ve told our drivers that whatever happens this will not be the end of their Mercedes careers.’ | Dr Ceri Evans is offering professional help to the team of world championship contenders Lewis Hamilton and Nico Rosberg .
Evans credited with helping All Blacks achieve World Cup success in 2011 .
Employing psychiatrists is popular in modern sport .
Mercedes owner Toto Wolff is a devotee of management manuals . |
10,225 | 1d050b7c3c2e8c588f57fb25f273c4c3c8e902d6 | A drink-driver who crashed in a country lane phoned her passenger's father instead of 999, leaving the distraught man to find his dead son at the scene. Debbie Barker has been jailed for three years over the late-night crash which killed hotelier Tom Bannister as they drove home from his Coniston Hotel near Skipton, North Yorkshire. Police found Barker, 43, lying in a field in her nightdress four hours after she lost control of her Range Rover and hit a wall, a court heard. She was still over the drink-drive limit. Killed: Debbie Barker (left) has been jailed for three years after she crashed while over the drink drive limit in a country lane, killing Tom Bannister (right) as she gave him a lift home his hotel near Skipton, North Yorkshire . Event: The pair had left the Coniston Hotel near Skipton, North Yorkshire, which Mr Bannister's family owned . Bradford Crown Court heard Mr Bannister, 48, had accepted a lift with Barker after an event at the hotel his family owned on June 22 last year. As she wound through the Yorkshire Dales National Park near the village of Bell Busk, where he lived, the car rolled on a moderate bend and hit a wall, coming to rest in a field. Father-of-one Mr Bannister was thrown from the car while Barker survived, concussed and unable to remember the car leaving the road. She later told police that she did not have her phone, so she went to her friend's nearby home to raise help. Sentence: Barker arriving at Bradford Crown Court yesterday, where she was jailed for three years . Ian Howard, prosecuting, said she was unable to gain a response so she then walked across fields to reach her own house. But instead of phoning 999 she phoned Mr Bannister’s father, Michael, who went outside and found his son showing no signs of life. An ambulance finally arrived at 2.57am and the victim, who suffered severe head injuries, was pronounced dead at the scene. Half an hour later officers visited Barker's home, but saw she was not there and two mobile phones were on the kitchen table. After a short search, they found her in a field just yards from her home at 4.09am. Several breath tests revealed Barker was over the drink drive limit. Police estimated she was at around twice the legal limit at the time of the accident, believed to have been around midnight. Mr Howard said the call to Michael Bannister was 'probably made about two hours after the accident had taken place'. Barker pleaded guilty to two charges - causing death by careless driving while over the prescribed limit, and failing to report an accident. Prosecutors argued Barker knew she was over the legal limit and wanted to delay being tested. Malcolm Swift QC, defending, said the case was instead one of a 'ridiculous and stupid error'. He told the court: 'She was briefly concussed for a short period of time after the accident and had no recollection of the car leaving the road. 'She was lying down in the field about 20ft from the house (when she was found). She says she didn’t know how she came to be in the that position but she came round when she heard voices.' But Recorder of Bradford Judge Roger Thomas QC said Barker had done everything 'to keep herself out of the way and avoid detection'. He added: 'The only sensible reason is she was trying to lie low and avoid the situation'. The judge told her: 'You must have been significantly over the prescribed limit for driving. 'You failed to negotiate a fairly moderate bend in the road, going straight on a hitting a wall. It must have been apparent to you he was very badly injured.' The court heard the Barkers and the Bannisters were friends, and Mr Bannister’s family had supported Barker after the accident. Traffic Constable Andy Macleod, of North Yorkshire Police’s Roads Policing Group, said: 'Barker showed a callous disregard for Mr Bannister’s welfare when she left the scene of the collision. Isolated: Police said the crash was in a country lane (pictured) between the villages of Airton and Bell Busk . Businessman: Police said hotelier Mr Bannister was a popular member of the community and his family was on good terms with Barker's. His relatives remained supportive towards her after the accident, the court heard . 'The sentence reflects the gravity of the offences she committed and how seriously all agencies in the criminal justice system view them.' Gerry Wareham, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for Yorkshire and Humberside, added: 'By getting behind the wheel of her vehicle after she had been drinking she took a huge and irresponsible risk and, very sadly, Mr Bannister paid for it with his life. 'She then neglected to alert emergency services as soon as practicable and it was several hours after the accident before any potential help arrived. 'Thomas Bannister was very well-known and much-loved in the local community. He was a father, a son and a friend to many and will be sorely missed. 'This terrible case has resulted in the loss of his life and devastated that of many others. I hope it serves as a stark warning of the potentially tragic consequences of drinking and driving.' Barker, of Gargrave, North Yorkshire, was jailed for three years and banned from driving for five years. | Debbie Barker, 43, took Tom Bannister from Coniston Hotel, North Yorkshire .
Range Rover lost control on bend in country lane, throwing him from the car .
But she rang hotelier's father who found body, delaying ambulance's arrival .
Barker, who was over drink-drive limit four hours later, jailed for three years . |
76,991 | da527f0724e2bd0ef2cc71d38e1ebf77893482d8 | By . Emily Davies . PUBLISHED: . 07:43 EST, 10 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:23 EST, 10 February 2013 . A lump of ice the size of a bowling ball has smashed through the roof of a home after falling from an aeroplane. Jeff Scriven, 56, was working from home when he heard an 'almighty bang' and found the huge ball shattered on his conservatory floor. The IT manager believes the ball of ice fell from a plane as it flew over Clanfield, Hampshire. 'Lucky': Jeff Scriven expressed his relief that no-one was in the room when the 6ft by 2.5ft panel smashed . And the father-of-two said it could have been disastrous if someone was standing in the room when it happened. He said: 'It’s just lucky no-one was in there at the time. There was an almighty bang and I could not comprehend what it was. 'There was glass everywhere, it had shattered a 6ft by 2.5ft double glazed panel in the roof. 'The hardwood bamboo floor has also been damaged, as has the central support which holds it all up. Jeff Scriven was working from home when the ball of ice the size of a bowling ball crashed through the roof . 'It is clearly an ice ball - it was the size of a bowling ball - and I believe it came from a plane. 'I could not imagine where else it could have come from. We get a lot of planes overhead but we don’t normally hear them, just see them.' Experts believe the chunks of ice are frozen rainwater or toilet waste which fall from planes as they fly over. Mr Scriven has received a letter from the Civil Aviation Authority saying the incident had been logged. But it added it was unlikely the responsible airline will ever be identified. The damage is estimated at several thousand pounds and Mr Scriven will be out of pocket with a £50,000 insurance excess and will lose his no claims bonus. | Jeff Scriven, 56, was working from home when ice ball hit conservatory .
He will lose no claims bonus after thousands of pounds of damage caused . |
81,269 | e646a94194293f06a84c521b6eddbc684022edce | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 13:31 EST, 10 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 18:08 EST, 10 January 2014 . Touchscreens on smartphones are great most of the time, but sometimes fingers get in the way if you are trying to play a game or look at a detailed document. But now inventors in Minneapolis have solved this problem by transforming the back and sides of a smartphone case into pressure-sensitive pads to enable the whole phone to react to touch. The Sensus protective case will allow users to interact with selected apps using only the case, so they will get a clear view of the screen and effectively increase its area. Scroll down for video . Inventors in Minneapolis have created the Sensus case (pictured) which promises to transform the back and sides of a smartphone case into pressure-sensitive pads to enable the whole phone to react to touch . The case made its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas and claims to combine ‘the best of protections and functionality’ while still being relatively slim. A version for the iPhone 5 and iPhone 5S is set to go on sale in summer for $99 (£60). No release date or price for the UK has been announced yet. The Sensus protective case will allow users to interact with selected apps using only the case . It is designed to be used by gamers, . social media butterflies and business people and could even make . smartphones easier to use for some people with disabilities, according . to Canopy, the company behind the case. The case could be used to take selfies by squeezing its sides, or to play games using the back of the case to execute different manoeuvres. It works by using two different types of sensors - capacitive and resistive - which are already used in most mobile device screens. The capacitive sensor picks up upon electrical current in an individual's skin to indicate where a person’s finger is located, while the resistive sensor detects the level of pressure applied. Together they make the case as sensitive as a phone’s screen. When a person touches the sensors on the back and sides of the prototype case, the built-in processors in Sensus translate that data into information that interacts with compatible apps on the smartphone. The start-up said the case ‘gives interaction with apps a whole new variable and dimension that developers and users alike have never experienced before’. It will work with a number of apps – although only three are confirmed at the moment, - with an increasing number set to become compatible as the case becomes more widely adopted after its release. The start-up claims it will not drain a phone’s battery quickly and will protect a phone from 'bumps, drops and scratches'. A version of the case for the iPhone5 and iPhone 5S will be the first to go on sale, with a larger type for the iPad Mini following closely behind. Owners of an iPhone 5C or iPod Touch will be the next to get the cases and the company said it might develop them for use with Android and Windows Mobile smartphones too. An iPhone case called Yellow Jacket that comes with a 650K volt electrode, is capable of 'halting an aggressive adult male,' according to the firm that makes it. The case is fitted with a safety catch to make sure the electrode doesn't accidentally activate in a pocket, for example. The electrode is also protected by a cover. In addition to being used as a weapon, Yellow Jacket has its own battery and can charge a phone for up to twenty hours. The case can keep up to 10 per cent of this power in reserve to make sure that the stun gun can be used in emergencies, even if the phone's battery is dead. The Yellow Jacket case is sold in the U.S., where it is legal in 42 of the 50 states. Stun guns can only be bought by over 18s without a felony record and must also only be bought for self defence. Stun guns are illegal in the UK and considered to be firearms, which can carry up to a five-year jail sentence. Yellow Jacket does not offer international shipping. To discharge the stun gun, users need to pull the top corner of the case back and push the safety switch up. To fire the gun, users must press and hold the blue button. Once the electrode is no longer needed, users must pull down the safety button and replace the corner of the case so the device isn't accidentally activated in their pocket. The original iPhone 4S case went on sale in the U.S. last year, and the firm recently unveiled a redesigned iPhone 5 and 5S model at CES. A version of the case for the iPhone5 and iPhone 5S (pictured) will be the first to go on sale, with a larger type for the iPad Mini following closely behind . | Inventors in Minneapolis have transformed the back and sides of a smartphone case into pressure-sensitive pads .
Sensus protective iPhone 5 case will go on sale this summer for $99 but there is no news yet about a UK release date or price .
The case will only work with compatible apps . |
39,143 | 6e9be158ce96b7ab7c9f6fae58062417dcfa9a78 | By . Oliver Todd . Follow @@oliver_todd . Celtic 'hid' from calls and emails from Legia Warsaw about the ineligible player that cost the Polish club their place in the Champions League, according to the chairman of their country's FA. Celtic were gifted a place in the play-off round of Europe's top tier competition despite losing 6-1 on aggregate to Legia in the third qualifying round - courtesy of an admin mistake with the victors bringing on an ineligible player. Legia were stripped of their Champions League status and Polish FA chairman Zbigniew Boniek claims Celtic were unreachable as the saga unravelled, with calls and emails that could have seen their opponents put through ignored. VIDEO Scroll down for Celtic's reaction to being reinstated in to the Champions League . Keep your heads down, boys: Celtic have been accused of ignoring calls and emails from Legia Warsaw . Ineligible: Bartosz Bereszynski (right) was deemed to be playing illegally, seeing Legia stripped of their place . Bartosz Bereszynski is a Polish international who has won two caps for his country. He started his career at Lech Poznan in 2009 before joining Legia Warsaw in 2013. The 22-year-old was suspended for the match having picked up a three match ban last season after being sent off against Apallon in the Europa League. He could have served two matches of his suspension in the second round against St Patrick's but Legia failed to register the defender for those matches allowing Berg to choose from his full compliment of 25 players. Boniek claims that the Glasgow club's consent would have seen Legia allowed to stay in the competition but Celtic simply disappeared off the radar on the day. 'Had Celtic officially given up their place, Legia could have stayed in Champions League,' Boniek said in quotes translated by Polish journalist Robert Blaszczak. 'Celtic were unreachable that day. Didn't return the calls or reply to e-mails. They just hid and waited.' The Champions League play off round paired Cletic with Slovenian side Maribor while Legia are left to face Aktobe of Kazakhstan in the Europa League play off. The Polish club will be hoping to reach the final in their home city at the end of the season - although they are also expected to launch an appeal against UEFA's decision. 'We will definitely appeal,' manager Henning Berg said of the verdict. 'We will appeal it all the way. 'How far? As far as we can because we don’t think this is the right decision.' Embarassing: Celtic crashed out after losing 2-0 at home to the Polish club following defeat away . Appeal: Henning Berg wants to fight the decision but for now it looks like Legia will be in the Europa League . | Warsaw club were expelled for fielding ineligible player Bartosz Bereszynski .
Polish side beat Celtic 6-1 but were denied place in next round by UEFA .
Zbigniew Boniek claims Celtic could have let Legia keep their place .
Polish FA chairman says the Scottish champions 'just hid and waited'
Bereszynski came on as a sub for just four minutes at Parkhead .
Legia are now in the Europa League play-off rather than the top-tier .
They are planning an appeal which Henning Berg says will go 'all the way' |
282,724 | fa313b25e7f5894f8f1cce1171480f6617c28e6b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:37 EST, 16 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:38 EST, 16 January 2014 . The World Association Of Newspapers And News Publishers is meeting Culture Secretary Maria Miller . A world body on Press freedom has warned that the British Government’s plans for a Royal Charter on Press regulation could threaten the independence of newspapers and be used by ‘repressive regimes’ to justify censorship. The World Association Of Newspapers And News Publishers is visiting Britain and is meeting Culture Secretary Maria Miller and John Whittingdale, the chairman of the Commons culture select committee. The Royal Charter was drawn up by politicians and approved by the Queen last month, in the wake of the Leveson Inquiry into alleged wrongdoing by journalists. It underpins with statute a new body . to oversee the regulation of the Press, with publications that refuse to . comply facing ‘exemplary’ damages in libel cases. Newspapers . and magazines have refused to sign up to the new regime over fears it . would bring to an end 300 years of Press freedom. Instead, . the Press is establishing a fully independent body to police its . activities, known as the Independent Press Standards Organisation . (Ipso). It will be able to impose fines of up to £1million for serious . and systemic wrongdoing. Vincent . Peyrègne, chief executive of the World Association, said that the . Government’s plans for Press regulation could have ‘far-reaching . consequences across the globe’. The organisation’s missions are normally reserved for regimes where there are severe concerns about censorship, which have included Ethiopia, Libya, Yemen and Burma. Mr Peyrègne said: ‘Any threats to the independence of journalism in Britain could be used by repressive regimes worldwide to justify their own controls over the Press. ‘We will endeavour to investigate all elements that threaten the United Kingdom’s position as a bastion for free and independent media with the same rigour as we have approached other international Press freedom hot spots in nearly 70 years of defending freedom of expression worldwide.’ The delegation is also speaking to freedom of expression and civil society groups, professional bodies, various industry representatives and academics. The mission includes representatives of newspapers in Denmark, Norway, Finland, Canada, the United States and Pakistan. The delegation hopes to publish its UK report in February. | The World Association Of Newspapers And News Publishers warns charter could threaten independence of newspapers . |
121,956 | 29a857d2204a726cba5742ad27cb309895d3c3a6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A Spanish thug who pushed Scottish holidaymaker Stephen Mallon to his death during an anti-British mob attack abroad has been jailed for just three years. Jose Ivan Jimenez Martin, 28, was facing a 15-year jail sentence if he had been found guilty of homicide. But he was cleared of that charge and was instead convicted of the father-of-three’s manslaughter after a judge ruled he had provoked Mr Mallon’s fall from a 13ft ledge during a mass attack by a gang of Spaniards armed with weapons. Jose Ivan Jimenez Martin, right, was convicted of Stephen Mallon's manslaughter, left, more than four years after the 49-year-old father of three fell was pushed to his death following a fight in Competa, near Malaga . Mr Mallon died after being attacked outside 'La Estrella' bar in Competa, near Malaga, pictured . Roofer Mr Mallon, 49 and originally from Glasgow, died in hospital 11 days after suffering severe head injuries in the summer 2009 fall in Competa, near Malaga, where he owned a holiday home. His sons Peter and Carl, who were 16 at the time, suffered broken bones after being punched and attacked with a metal pole and were left with post-traumatic stress caused by their ordeal. Two other men were found guilty of assault with dangerous weapons in a 31-page written document released by Malaga’s Criminal Court number three yesterday. Mrs Mallon's widow Teresa, right, along with her daughter Jenny, left, attacked the sentences describing them as 'disgusting' claiming her family has also been let down by British diplomats and UK police . Luis Felipe Romero Allsop, convicted of hitting Carl Mallon with a metal bar and fracturing his right hand, was sentenced to two years in prison. Juan Ortega Gonzalez, who prosecution lawyers wanted jailed for five years for smashing a bottle over Mr Mallon’s head, also received a two-year jail sentence. The pair may escape going to jail, because in Spain prison sentences of two years or less are normally suspended for first-time offenders who pay compensation orders linked to their convictions. Ten of the 12 other defendants tried last month over the orgy of violence that led to Mr Mallon’s death were fined after being convicted of affray. Two were cleared. Last night, Mr Mallon’s widow Teresa criticised the sentences. She said: ‘They’re disgusting to be honest. We will be reviewing the sentencing document to see where we go from here.’ Fifteen Spanish men took the witness stand as defendants in a five-day trial which finished on May 26. Mr Mallon’s sons said when they gave evidence they were attacked by up to 40 men armed with coshes, knuckledusters, bottles and iron bars outside a disco-bar called La Estrella, simply because they were British. The defendants denied the claims and insisted they acted in self-defence after the Mr Mallon started attacking them. Some witnesses said the trouble kicked off over a girl who used to date one of the accused.Jimenez, accused of wilfully killing Mr Mallon, insisted when he took the witness stand he had only moved his arms about trying to defend himself after the Scot punched him. Lead judge Andres Rodero, one of three . who presided over the trial, concluded in the written ruling: ‘We . believe there is sufficient proof in relation to the origin of the fall, . in the sense that it was provoked by the accused and not the result of a . simple loss of balance.’ The . sentencing judges also ordered him to compensate Mr Mallon’s . hairdresser widow Teresa with 120,000 euros (£96,000) and his three . children with 90,000 euros (£72,000) each. The ten men convicted of affray will have to pay 10 euros (£8) a day over four months and face prison if they fail to do so. Mr Mallon, pictured right, was attacked with his sons, from left, Peter and Carl, who suffered broken bones, also pictured is Mr Mallon's daughter Jenny . Teresa . who has still not been able to cremate or bury her husband, said on the . last day of the hearing last month she felt let down by the lack of . support from British diplomats and UK police. She . added: ‘We would be worried for anyone who went to Competa for a day . because they could be attacked by a mob of 30 armed men.’ The . charge of homicide in Spain is a halfway house between manslaughter and . the more serious charge of murder and carries a ten to 15-year prison . sentence. Under Spanish law murder, like homicide, is a wilful killing but it must also be premeditated. | Stephen Mallon died 11 days after being attacked outside late-night bar .
His widow Teresa blasted British diplomats for failing her family during trial .
She has still not been able to cremate her husband who died in 2009 .
Thug may escape any jail time under Spanish rules concerning offenders .
Gang ordered to pay Mr Mallon's family almost £180,000 in compensation . |
285,759 | fe483da1edab87ed25a0bbfee30aaf70d1915734 | By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 10:03 EST, 18 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:20 EST, 18 September 2013 . America is the world's strongest military super power. Its vast and sophisticated armed forces are trained to handle anything from home security to the Iraq war with a moment's notice. But in case anybody had forgotten that, the US Air Force has refreshed our memories - by dropping a 2,000lb bomb worth $24,000 on a miniature pirate boat. Wielding power: A laser-guided GBU-10 targets the mini pirate ship at a training range in the Gulf of Mexico . Floating silently in the Gulf of Mexico on September 4, the boat looked far from threatening. But metres away, a B1 was creeping into the air, armed with a laser-guided GBU-10. Originally designed for the Cold War, the GBU-10 was touted as one of the most lethal weapons the Force could wield against Russia. However, it was not used until 1998 fighting Iraq. Ballistics experts have spent the last few years focussing on the weapon; tailoring it for modern-day use. The $23,700 bomb (£15,000) blasted the toy into cinders as another bomber and a fighter aircraft zoomed menacingly around. It was a demonstration to show how even their biggest bombs can obliterate small water-borne objects. Blast: The exploded boat was sent flying in pieces as the $24,000 bomb plunged into the sea . The pilots also dropped a 500lb GBU-54 bomb and five other explosives. Proudly displaying the images on their media page, the Air Force Dyess Air Base explained this tactic would be useful if targeting real-life pirate ships. The stunt sparked a torrent of jokes on Twitter. One person tweeted: 'Overkill defined'. Another said: 'This image is today's Americaniest thing'. And one man joked: 'Yay! Good guys win!' | Laser-guided GBU-10 built for Cold War dropped on toy in Gulf of Mexico .
Bomb worth $24,000 used to show big weapons can target small objects . |
238,866 | c1380bdc4f322ade5d0707e3103bbb4daaaeaaf8 | London (CNN)Cosmologist Stephen Hawking says he was "happy" to lend his trademark synthesized voice to actor Eddie Redmayne, who portrays the British scientist in the drama about his life, "to give him a bit of a boost in his efforts to win an Oscar." Although, joked the 73-year-old physicist, "Unfortunately, Eddie did not inherit my good looks." Hawking suffers from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. He irreversibly lost the ability to speak in 1985 after having a tube inserted into his windpipe during a bout of severe pneumonia and now communicates in instantly recognizable tones using an electronic speech synthesizer. "Before I lost my voice, it was slurred, so only those close to me could understand [it]. But with the computer voice, I found I could give popular lectures," Hawking said. "Although it gave me an American accent, I have kept that voice, because it's now my trademark." Hawking's comments came as he gave a personal guided tour of London's Science Museum to 24-year-old L.A.-resident Adaeze Uyanwah, who beat more than 10,000 entrants in a competition to be named London's Official Guest of Honor. Redmayne, 32, has been nominated for an Academy Award for best actor for his uncanny transformation into Hawking. The actor has already picked up an armful of awards for the role, including both the BAFTA and Golden Globe prizes for best actor, and is in the running to take home an Oscar when the winners are announced on February 22. "The Theory of Everything" follows Hawking from the 1960s during his early days as a bright postgraduate student at Cambridge University to the 1980s when he publishes the seminal "A Brief History of Time," and focuses on his relationship with his first wife Jane and his battle with ALS. It is based on the memoir "Travelling to Infinity: My Life with Stephen," written by Jane, who is played in the film by Felicity Jones. Initially, the filmmakers used a voice-box programmed to sound like the one Hawking uses, but after watching an early screening, the physicist was so pleased that he allowed filmmakers to use his voice, according to Newsweek. "He offered us his voice," Redmayne told Newsweek. "For me, that was the most wonderful thing." The British actor has confessed to nerves about playing a living legend and told Variety that he always knew that his toughest critic would be Hawking. But when the lights came up Hawking's nurse wiped a tear way from his face -- and he called the film "broadly true," Variety reported. During the tour, Hawking said the museum is one of his favorite places and "helped fuel" his fascination with physics. The physicist showed Uyanwah items from the museum of particular significance to him, including a rare copy of Newton's Principia Mathematica from 1687 and a reconstruction of a 1953 model of the famous double helix structure of DNA discovered by Francis Crick and James Watson. "We are now entering a new phase of what might be called self-designed evolution in which we will be able to change and improve our DNA," he told her. "Now that we have read the book of life, we can start writing in corrections, to make us more intelligent and better natured." As well as meeting the science legend, VisitLondon.com's Guest of Honor initiative, part of the "GREAT Britain" campaign, treated Uyanwah to a private tour of Shakespeare's Globe theater, a walk down the red carpet at the premiere of "The Second Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" and tea with London Mayor Boris Johnson. Uyanwah didn't leave her meeting with Hawking -- which she described as something she'll "never forget" -- without taking the opportunity to ask him what he would change about the human race -- and what virtues he would magnify. "The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had [a] survival advantage in cave man days ... but now it threatens to destroy us all. A major nuclear war would be the end of civilization, and maybe the end of the human race. "The quality I would most like to magnify is empathy. It brings us together in a peaceful loving state." The eminent thinker finished the tour by telling her that he hoped the objects he'd shown her would remind her to "hold on to that childlike wonder about what makes the universe exist." "Look up at the stars, and not down at your feet," he said. | Renowned cosmologist Stephen Hawking approves of "The Theory of Everything"
Allowed filmmakers to use his trademark computer-synthesized voice .
Says he hope it will give Eddie Redmayne's chance of a Best Actor Oscar "a bit of a boost" |
237,026 | bec7d633dacf88b7283ba96a49bd90ead7466bfd | A family of six woke up early Wednesday morning to discover their suburban Detroit home engulfed in flames after being firebombed. The attack on the house of Linda Bazzi in Dearborn Heights took place at around 12.30am and was caught on surveillance video, which captured the moment a man ran up to the residence, hurled a Molotov cocktail through the front window and fled on foot. For Bazzi, her husband and their four children, the first sign that something was amiss was that their house felt unusually warm. Scroll down for videos . Under attack: A surveillance camera outside a home in Dearborn Heights, Michigan, captured the moment a man ran up to the residence carrying a Molotov cocktail . Fire starter: The suspect hurled the firebomb through the front window of the two-story home . Inferno: The flammable liquid sparked a blaze inside the house, where a family of six slept . When Bazzi's husband left their bedroom and went downstairs to check, he discovered a raging inferno ravaging their first floor. ‘He screamed at the top of the lungs, “Get the kids! The house is on fire!"’ Bazzi told the station Click On Detroit. The homeowners and their four children were able to escape unharmed, but their two-story home on Charlesworth Street has been rendered uninhabitable. Despite losing all her possessions, Linda Bazzi is grateful. Targeted: The homeowners and local police believe that ti was no random act of violence . On the run: The suspect fled the scene on foot and still remains at large . ‘Everything can be replaced, but I'm so happy, I'm so blessed that they didn't win: I have my children and I have my husband next to me,’ Bazzi said. After watching the surveillance footage from the night of the firebombing, the family came way believing they had been targeted. ‘I'm scared for my life right now,' Mrs Bazzi told the station. Police in Dearborn Heights also do not believe it was a random act of violence. A relative of the family had his house firebombed four months ago, and investigators are now trying to determine if the two incidents are somehow linked. Aftermath: Linda Bazzi, her husband and four children were able to escape the house fire unharmed . All is lost: Mrs BAzzi said the attack destroyed all her possessions and left their house in ruins . Possible pattern: A relative of the family had his house firebombed four months earlier . Neighbors told MyFox Detroit that someone tried to firebomb another house on the corner recently, suggesting that the Wednesday night incident that left Linda Bazzi's home in shambles may have been a case of mistaken identity. Local police say they are investigating potential suspects. Meanwhile, Linda Bazzi and her family have moved in with relatives. | Linda Bazzi, her husband and four children were able to escape their Dearborn Heights, Michigan, home unharmed .
The firebombing left the two-story house on Charlesworth Street uninhabitable .
The family and police believe it was no random act of violence .
Bazzi's relative had his home firebombed four months earlier and someone tried to throw a Molotov cocktail at a neighbor's house recently . |
119,965 | 270bf97fc9f47dbaae061bf8936d5532d786104d | Justice? Julie McElhiney was 13 when she was killed by Curtin Tucker in 1974. Jailed on Friday, he was given a maximum sentence of five years . The family of a 13-year-old girl received an unusual apology from a judge who was sentencing their daughter's killer. Alameda County Superior Court Judge Larry Goodman apologized to family members of Julie McElhiney for the lenient sentence he imposed 66-year-old Curtis Tucker for killing her 40 years ago. Tucker was sentenced on Friday but the rules under which he was jailed are those which were in effect in 1974, when Julie was murdered. 'I wish there was more that I could do but there's a reason they changed the law so crimes like this would get punished more severely,' Judge Goodman said. Goodman, who appeared to be on the verge of tears, told McElhiney's family members, 'Sometimes there's nothing I can say. I can't imagine the pain you've gone through.' The ex-felon was sentenced for five years to life for his second-degree murder conviction. Tucker looked straight ahead and didn't show any emotion when McElhiney's family spoke in court and didn't make any comments before he was sentenced for killing Julie McElhiney at at her family's home in East Oakland 40 years ago. Tucker, who had prior convictions for sexual assault and burglary, pleaded no contest to second-degree murder on July 8, just before a trial was to begin on allegations that he sexually assaulted and murdered McElhiney. According to Oakland police, McElhiney, a sixth-grader at Sequoia Elementary School, was found face down on the second floor of her family's apartment. She was taken to hospital in Oakland but was pronounced dead. An autopsy said her cause of death was blunt force trauma to her head. The coroner also found that she had been sexually assaulted. The case was only solved in 2012 when Tucker's DNA was found on the clothing that McElhiney was wearing at the time of her death. Disappointment: Sentencing Curtis Tucker to five years in jail in the Oakland courtroom, Judge Larry Goodman could only apologize to the family that the term wasn't longer saying he was bound by 1970s law . Jenny McElhiney, one of Julie's older sisters, said, 'I pray that we never repeat an era like the 1970s when the life of little girls meant so little and murderers walked free after five to seven years,' she said to KTVU News. McElhiney said if her sister were able to speak to Tucker, she would ask him, 'Why did you hit me hard in the head with a wine bottle, force me into a dressing room, throw me against the wall, wrap an electrical cord around my neck, force yourself into my body, the body of a child, fill a bathtub with water and throw my naked body into it?' Another sister, Kathy McElhiney, read a letter signed by all the family members. They said that the death of their sister left them 'greatly traumatized' for the past 40 years and caused 'immeasurable anxiety and suffering.' The letter also reveals a number of flaws in the investigation with the Oakland Police Department at one point accusing one of Julie's brothers for her death. The letter said McElhiney's younger sister, who was only 10 at the time and slept in the same room with McElhiney has experienced 'grief and suffering that have never abated' and never married or led a normal life. The letter said, 'We have grave doubts about justice and not protecting children from predators. We waited 38 years for this crime to be solved and what kind of justice is that?' | 13-year-old Julie McElhiney was murdered in 1974 .
66-year-old Curtis Tucker was sentenced for her killing .
Judge was limited by 1970s law which only provided for five years in jail . |
145,798 | 4885d0a9e5264b3c4c29cbda42004893f76f1bd8 | (EW.com ) -- "Hercules's" muscles were no match for "Lucy's" drug-enhanced brain at the box office this weekend. Audiences turned out in earnest to see the Scarlett Johansson thriller, which earned an expectation-shattering $44 million from 3,173 theaters in its first weekend. Not only is it director Luc Besson's biggest opening, "Lucy" is also a career high for Scarlett Johansson as a lead. Audiences for the original feature were evenly split between genders, 35 percent were under the age of 25, and 29 percent were Hispanic. But even though the EuropaCorp-produced, Universal-distributed project appealed to a wide demographic swath, those who did see the R-rated action film were a little less kind in the exit polls, slapping "Lucy" with a poor C+ Cinema Score. "Hercules" (B+ Cinema Score), starring Dwayne Johnson, took the second place spot with an estimated $29 million from 3,595 locations in its first weekend in theaters. Audiences were 58 percent male and 36 percent under the age of 25. The Paramount and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer movie cost a reported $100 million to produce, so, although this domestic debut isn't ideal, it did still manage to beat the modest analyst expectations. Besides, international is what really matters for the Brett Ratner-directed sword-and-sandals feature, which took in $28.7 million from 25 territories and 3,264 locations. It took the No. 1 spot in Russia ($12 million), Australia ($3.5 million), Malaysia ($1.6 million), the Philippines ($1.2 million), and Taiwan ($1.2 million), to name a few. Next weekend it opens in Finland, India, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Serbia, and Slovenia. The rest of the top five were holdovers this weekend, which is down 13 percent from last year when "The Wolverine" opened to $53 million. After two weeks at No. 1, "Dawn of the Planet of the Apes" dropped 55 percent and earned an estimated $16.4 million in its third weekend in theaters. Meanwhile "The Purge: Anarchy" fell 67 percent in weekend two with $9.9 million across the three-day. Compared to other films, that might seem like a disaster, but it's expected for horror offerings, which are reliably front-loaded. The first had an even steeper 75.6-percent drop last year. Finally, "Planes: Fire & Rescue" continues to fly in competition-free skies and took in an estimated $9.3 million in its second weekend in theaters. Here's the top five: . 1. Lucy — $44 million (new) 2. Hercules—$29 million (new) 3. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes—$16.4 million ($172.1 million domestic total) 4. The Purge: Anarchy — $9.9 million ($51.3 million domestic total) 5. Planes: Fire & Rescue -- $9.3 million ($35.1 million domestic total) Clarius Entertainment's "And So It Goes" (B+ Cinema Score), starring Diane Keaton and Michael Douglas failed to break the top five, earning an estimated $4.55 million from 1,762 locations. In the specialty box-office world, "A Most Wanted Man" managed to snag 10th place with an estimated $2.72 million, even though it only played on 361 screens. Roadside Attractions released the R-rated, John le Carré adaptation which stars Philip Seymour Hoffman (in one of his last big-screen roles), Rachel McAdams, and Willem Dafoe. The comedy concert film "The Fluffy Movie" picked up $1.3 million from 432 locations, and Woody Allen's Emma Stone/Colin Firth vehicle "Magic in the Moonlight" debuted in 17 locations to $426,000. 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. | "Lucy" is a career high for Scarlett Johansson as lead .
"Hercules" took second place with an estimated $29 million .
This weekend was down 13 percent from last year . |
248,354 | cd563e3a816d69b0f4c9868ef3669ea2acbccd7c | Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola danced on stage as the club celebrated the end of the Bundesliga season. The Spaniard and his squad were at Munich's city hall for the party, hours after their final-day victory over Stuttgart in which Claudio Pizarro was the injury-time match-winner. Pizarro, a 64th minute substitute for Mario Mandzukic, is out of contract this summer but if he has played his last game for the club he has ensured he leaves on a high. Guardiola named a strong side for the final league game of the season, including Javi Martinez who has been linked with a summer move to Arsenal, and Manchester United target Thomas Muller. VIDEO Scroll down to see the Bayern players partying in Berlin after winning the Bundesliga . Party time: Pep Guardiola (left) and Bayern player Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg dance on the stage . On a high: Guardiola was in good spirits throughout the title celebration . Take the mic: Guardiola addresses his player, who were all wearing traditional Bavarian clothing . To cap it all: Guardiola poses with the trophy on the balcony of Munich's city hall . Message: Guardiola speaks to supporters who had gathered in the square outside of the city hall . Prize possession: Guardiola keeps a tight grip on the Bundesliga shield . Germany . midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger limped out of the game in the 37th . minute after picking up a knock, days after being named in Joachim Low's . squad for the 2014 World Cup. The . injury was not sufficiently bad for the midfielder to miss out on the . post-match celebrations which saw the players celebrate in front of . 71,000 fans at the Allianz Arena. And . Guardiola also showed a different side to his personality, soaking his . players in champagne before they returned the favour and left the former . Barcelona manager drenched as he posed for pictures with his side's . silverware. Mishap: Guardiola lets the salad bowl slip after being drenched in non-alcoholic beer . Delighted: Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola proudly displays the Bundesliga shield after being drenched . Drenched: A soaked Guardiola continues his celebrations in front of the Bayern fans . You can't hide: Guardiola tries to avoid a soaking from Daniel van Buyten but fails miserably . Beer shower: Guardiola submerges midfielder Toni Kroos beneath a blanket of Paulaner non-alcoholic lager . Champions: Bayern wrapped up the title back in March but did not celebrate until the season finished . History makers: Guardiola's side became the earliest side to win the Bundesliga in it's history . Drink up: Sporting director Matthias Sammer is included in the festivities by Arjen Robben . Jumping for joy: Claudio Pizarro is congratulated after scoring a late winner for Bayern against Stuttgart . Knock: Bastian Schweinsteiger was substituted in the first-half with an injury but joined in the celebrations . Double trouble: Guardiola must now turn his focus to the German Cup Final against Borussia Dortmund . | Bayern Munich finish Bundesliga season 19 points ahead of second place .
Claudio Pizarro scores in 92nd minute to seal victory against Stuttgart .
Pep Guardiola and Bayern squad celebrate at Munich's city hall .
Bayern must now turn focus to German Cup Final next Saturday . |
102,962 | 10b4ba38db5f3c420c32316fdf6ea079b9905e3b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:46 EST, 20 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:56 EST, 20 March 2012 . Cold case no more: Oral Stuart Jr was 18 when his nude body was found on November 10, 1974 . A body found naked in 1974 at a . California apartment complex is a U.S. Marine from Iowa who had been . listed as a deserter from Camp Pendleton, police revealed yesterday. The man known for more than 37 years as 'John Doe No. 155' is Oral Stuart Jr of Des Moines, Long Beach police said in a statement. His cause of death, previously listed as undetermined, has been reclassified as a homicide. The body of Stuart, who was 18 when he disappeared, was found on November 10, 1974, in the carport area of a condominium complex near Interstate 605, police said. Twelve days later, Marine officials at Camp Pendleton some 50 miles to the south declared him a deserter. Police looking into cold cases with a grant from the National Institute of Justice came to suspect the body may be a member of the military because of the man's tattoos and haircut. Stuart reportedly had a Marine tattoo on his shoulder, but it's unclear how investigators could not make the connection sooner. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service found that tattoos on the body matched those described in records on Stuart, and surviving family members confirmed his identity through photographs. Relatives told investigators that Stuart, who they knew as 'Buddy,' never would have voluntarily deserted. Mystery: Oral Stuart Jr vanished from Camp Pendleton in Southern California and had been branded a deserter by the Marine Corps . Marked: Stuart had a Marine tattoo on his shoulder when he was found dead at a carport in this apartment complex, but cops failed to make the connection . 'My parents both went to their graves not knowing what had happened to him and knowing they listed him as a deserter,' Carl Stuart of Phoenix, the victim's older brother and one of his few surviving relatives, told the Long Beach Press-Telegram. 'Now I know he didn't desert, he was taken from us. But I've known that all along'. Killer: Oral Stuart's brother believes the Marine may have been murdered by Randy Kraft, who's on death row . Carl Stuart said he believes his . brother may have been the victim of a serial killer. Speaking to CBS 5 in Phoenix, Mr . Stuart implicated California's notorious 'Freeway Killer' Randy Kraft, who . murdered at least 16 people between 1971 and 1983. Many of his victims . were members of the military. Kraft was convicted in 1989, and is currently on death row at San Quentin prison. Stuart's original autopsy from 1974 . showed blunt force trauma and other injuries, but coroner's . investigators said it was not clear how Stuart received them. Police have not named any suspects or identified a possible motive for the killing. They are seeking the public's help. Unlike many cold cases, where modern DNA technology is used to identify victims and criminals, Stuart was identified with techniques that were available at the time his body was found. Police in 1974 also suspected the victim was from the military, but it was not clear why investigators were unable to identify him. Outrage: Stuart was identified with techniques that were available at the time his body was found near this parking lot . 'Most of the coroner's files and our files from that time are missing,' police Lt Lloyd Cox told the Press-Telegram. Stuart's brother wasn't satisfied with that answer. Carl Stuart said: 'I always believed something must have happened to him. He loved the Marine Corps'. Watch video here . | Body of Oral Stuart Jr found on November 10, 1974 .
Identified after new push to re-examine cold cases .
Police treating Marine's death as a homicide .
Older brother believes he may have been the victim of California's 'Freeway Killer' Randy Kraft . |
77,558 | dbed0ab5043c2748d313fcfee59acf5d4aacd773 | An eye-catching two-toned lobster called Harley Quinn has become even more striking after moulting to reveal electric blue skin down one side of his body . He is the star attraction of the aquarium and it’s easy to see why. An eye-catching two-toned lobster called Harley Quinn has become even more striking after moulting to reveal electric blue skin down one side of his body. The strangely pigmented creature was captured near Bridlington in East Yorkshire in 2010 and has been looked after by curious staff who have since monitored his colourful transition at Scarborough Sea Life Centre. The chances of a lobster being two separate colours on each half of its body is around one in 50million and Harley Quinn is arguably even rarer as his claws are the opposite colours to the corresponding sides of his body, making him look like he has been divided into four. He is named after the comic servants called harlequins, who wore brightly coloured suits. The sea creature amazed experts when it was caught in 2010 with a yellow, red and black body, buts its unusual appearance has intensified with each moult. Harley, who is thought to be five or six years old, has now shed his unique armour for the second time since his arrival at the centre and his keepers were delighted to see his new suit is his most spectacular yet. ‘Whereas he was a reddish-black on one side and sandy colour on the other, he has now adopted a deep electric blue down one side,' said Amy McFarlane, of the centre. Lobsters shed their hard shells as they . outgrow them and need a quiet safe haven for a few days while a new . larger shell develops and hardens. A-moulting-mazing: The sea creature had surprised experts after it was caught in 2010 with a yellow, red and black body, buts its unusual appearance has intensified with each moult and it now has electric blue colouring. The lobster named Harley Quinn is pictured centre, with his two old coats, which have been carefully preserved . The lobster’s colour combination is rarer than one in 50million. Research suggests that one in every two million lobsters is pure blue, one in 30million is yellow and one in 100million is albino . The lobster is divided into two colours by a straight line down his carapace because of a genetic mutation. The two sides of the creature developed independently with one half having none of the blue colouring, crustacyanin. Selection for the animal pigmentation starts at the first cell division of the embryo so genes from one pigment went to one cells and the others to another, resulting in its half-and-half appearance. It is thought Harley Quinn has blue colouring because of another mutation. Research by the University of Connecticut discovered that the genetic defect that makes lobsters blue in colour is the presence of too much protein. Experts believe that the protein together with a red carotenoid molecule combine to create the striking colour. The colouring of most young lobsters . intensifies every time they moult and a spokesman for the centre told . MailOnline: ‘The process is much the same with normal lobsters but I’ve . never seen one that's half and half with a weird transfer of colour on its . claws – he looks like an old fashioned harlequin jester.’ 'The line down his back is dead straight. It’s almost as if someone has used a ruler and he was designed by a draftsman.’ The lobster’s two-toned colouring is the result of a genetic mutation. The two sides of the creature developed independently with one half lacking the blue colouring, crustacyanin. Ed Baker of the Office of Marine Programs at the University of Rhode Island told Science Blogs: ‘Selection for pigmentation starts at the first cell division of the embryo. Genes from one pigment went to one cell while the others went to the other. All subsequent divisions carry the same information.’ The centre’s spokesman explained that the aquarium has been home to albino lobsters in the past but the blue colour is also very rare. Whiter shade of pale: An albino lobster named Santa Claws was discovered off the coast of Bridport, Dorset. Only three albino lobsters have been found in britain in the last 20 years . Research by the University of Connecticut discovered that the genetic defect that makes lobsters blue in colour is the presence of too much protein. Experts believe that the protein combines with a red carotenoid molecule to create the striking colour. Ms McFarlane said: ‘He's such a striking individual he did extremely well to avoid predators like conger eels and seals when he was in the open sea. Now safe from attack, he could live another sixty or seventy years. ‘There have been unusual coloured lobsters found in the past but he is remarkable because he has two colours separated by a near perfect straight line along the back of his carapace.’ While Harley might be different to the other lobsters, he acts in the same way and ‘doesn’t know he’s different,’ according to the centre's spokesman. Lucky escape: A red lobster called Gumbo (pictured right) was saved from the pot in 2010 at Billingsgate fish market, London. Research suggests that one in every two million lobsters is pure blue, (left) one in 30million is yellow and one in 100million is albino. But red is so rare that it could be one in a billion . | The strangely pigmented creature, which lives at Scarborough Sea Life Centre has moulted for a second time to reveal its electric blue colouring .
He was captured in 2010 near Bridlington in East Yorkshire and his colour has intensified since .
The lobster's markings and colouring are a result of genetic mutations and the chances of finding one like him are one in 50million .
Harley Quinn's colouring is rarer than a pure blue or yellow lobster, but more common than an albino or brilliant red lobster . |
237,507 | bf62d1cf1bcebbb8b85c47f1290df5a325020819 | We're used to seeing professional athletes putting fitness gear through its paces in adverts, but now a sports brand has turned to every day runners in their latest campaign. Adidas has released a new video showing women running around London and the joy the sport brings them. While they may never be as fast as elite athletes like Paula Radcliffe, they can still strive to be the best they can be - and discover the beauty of scenery around them on their run. One of the 'real' runners featured in the film is Sophie Christabel, 25, from Bow. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Why I run: Sophie says she loves the sport because it clears her mind . A lawyer by day, the running enthusiast writes a fitness blog (BePrettyFit.com) in her spare time, telling readers about her top running tips, products and challenges. 'I run to clear my mind - it's a great time to be alone and think. I also run as I like using my body and testing it's potential,' she said.. 'I got into running at university initially to lose weight, but discovered so many other benefits to it once I had started and haven't stopped since. She added: 'I love running in London and seeing so many famous landmarks when you're running - it's very inspiring. I like seeing the architecture change as you run through different areas - you can always find somewhere new. 'It's such an honour to represent every day female runners and to be part of something that will hopefully inspire other women to run in London too.' It's not all about Olympians: The blogger is one of the 'real runners' Adidas have featured in their new campaign . The film shows London runners as they weave their way through the capital, taking in the sunrise over London Bridge, the urban scene of Hackney Wick and the bustling markets of Elephant & Castle, as the singer's voiceover says: 'This is my way, my city, and I will always find a way through.' As part of the campaign, Adidas has been encouraging runners to tweet pictures of themselves wearing their Boost trainers and revealing where their run has taken them with the hashtag 'fromwhereirun'. Adidas' latest campaign uses real runners over elite sport stars . Women are running in more numbers than ever before and Adidas wanted to create something that speaks directly to them . So far, Tweets have shown runners around the world pausing to take in the view as they run across fields, through cities, over mountains and around athletics tracks. Adidas brand director Nick Craggs said: 'We know that women are running in greater numbers than ever before and we wanted to create something that speaks uniquely to them. 'The project was completed at every stage by London-based women who run the streets for their own individual reasons; united by a mutual love of running and the city they choose to do it in.' The video is narrated by chart-topping singer Foxes, real name Louisa Allen, who has previously modeled for adidas' Energy Boost footwear and says she loves 'the whole sexy sportswear vibe'. Sexy sportswear: Chart-topping singer Foxes has previously modeled for Adidas, and is now the voice of their latest advert for Energy Boost footwear . London calling: The film shows London runners as they weave their way through the capital . 'I always loved what Sporty Spice wore and the way she dressed. I am particularly keen on the boost range, it feels like running on clouds, which is great for on tour when I'm trying to keep fit,' she said. Foxes says she isn't that keen on hitting the gym and prefers running around London Fields with her friends. 'It is quite hard to keep my fitness up because I am so busy. The best time for me to work on my fitness is when I am on tour because that way I am able to explore different cities by running around them.' As part of the campaign, Adidas has been encouraging runners to tweet pictures of themselves wearing their Boost trainers . The project was completed at every stage by London-based women who run the streets . | Adidas' new campaign uses every day runners over elite sports stars .
Encouraging women to share pictures of where they run .
Shows regardless of ability, all are united in love of running . |
9,461 | 1acf6871758cf427e2a806930e6959084bcc9b47 | (CNN) -- Running along the banks of the Seine Sunday, I take a lap around the giant hot air balloon in the south of Paris hovering gently over the Parc André Citroen. Essentially a giant weather balloon, its LEDs sparkled green -- Parisian air quality is just fine, a significant change from just two days before, Friday March 14, when the light flashed ominously red. Friday's visibility levels were so bad that most Parisians couldn't even see the balloon -- let alone the Eiffel Tower. Warmer temperatures and scarce winds caused particulate levels to reach record highs, spurring the city into action. Paris' City Hall launched unprecedented policies aimed at reducing traffic in and around the city. According to Laure Bencheikh of the RATP, Paris's transit authority, for the first time ever public transportation including the metro, regional trains, trams and buses were all free. Supplementary trains added 600,000 to 1 million seats across the various lines. It cost the city around €4 million ($5.6 million) per day. The measure, Bencheikh said, encouraged those who would normally take their cars to opt for public transport. The city also waived fees for the popular bike-sharing program, the Vélib, as well as the electric car share, Autolib. Both services saw 61% and 31% increases respectively during a five day period, according to City Hall. But do these measures ever actually help to improve air quality long-term? Varied results to date . There are some precedents. A 2013 study suggests that Beijing's particulate levels dropped by 20% thanks to its 2008 driving restrictions. Excessive restrictions during a religious celebration reportedly cut 30,000 tons of carbon emissions in Bali by abstaining from almost all carbon-producing activities. However, a partial car ban in Mexico City actually increased air pollution according to one study, as drivers bought extra vehicles. Parisians were warned to avoid strenuous activity as a result of the air, but runners weren't about to ditch the final weeks of marathon training before the Paris Marathon on April 6. Théo Bayssat organizes group runs through Jogg.in, but Thursday night's event just before the pollution hit its peak on Friday was an ordeal. "We really felt it. It was impossible to breath," Bayssat says. By Sunday, the air cleared up and I joined dozens of runners huffing along the riverbank. For the rest of Paris, free transport was the cherry on top of an otherwise perfect Sunday as the air quality improved -- momentarily. Jessica Walker, an American living in Paris, took advantage of the system, though said the smog was unbearable on Friday as she rode a Vélib. On Sunday, she took the RER C train to Versailles for some sightseeing at one of the world's most famous chateaux. "I went for the first time in over a year. The free ride facilitates things enormously," she says. Come Monday, it was a different story. Pollution flared again, and as Parisians headed to work, a system was implemented to allow only those cars with odd number license plates within Paris, with free parking for even numbered plates. Certain exceptions were noted on the city's website, including electric and hybrid cars, and vehicles carrying three or more people. The short-term improvements in air quality are most likely due to changing weather conditions, and not temporary car bans, says Charlotte Songeur, an engineer at Paris's air quality control Airparif. Nevertheless government intervention is still positive, she says. "Every solution that can reduce emissions is good for air quality," she says. "For one day, it's a good emergency solution." Long-term measures required . A study in San Paulo and other cities concluded that certain restrictions can alleviate extreme spikes in pollution, but only long-term measures will actually improve air quality. Twitter erupted with Parisians complaining about the restrictions as disruptions hit regional trains to the suburbs including the RER C and RER D. Around 4,000 defiant drivers were stopped on the way into the city at check points like the Place Vendome and Trocadéro by an added force of traffic police and fined €22 ($31). For those who couldn't drive, RATP maintained its free transport through Monday evening, and the measures ended Tuesday. The effectiveness of the free transportation will be hard to measure, and may be speculative at best. At many stations, access doors were simply left open, preventing an official count of those going through turnstiles or scanning passes, Bencheikh said. With no official figures available, she said that traffic volume on RATP facilities felt normal. Commuters echoed her observations. The situation has, however, opened the door for the inevitable capitalization by politicians vying for votes in this month's elections. Socialist candidate Anne Hidalgo called for electric buses to replace diesel ones on RATP lines, as well as implementing an electric scooter-sharing program, dubbed Scootlib. UMP candidate Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet used the pollution to criticize Hidalgo's party for a lack of environmental action. Even Nissan chimed in, using the event to push its 100% electric cars as a response to the driving restrictions with a well-placed Twitter ad. While some may be capitalizing on an otherwise discouraging few days, this weekend has been a wake-up call for Parisians, making air pollution a concrete issue for the first time. And Paris is not alone, as parts of southern France are reporting increasingly poor air quality. Jérôme Giacomoni, cofounder of Aerophile, the agency that designed Paris' weather balloon, said that the weekend's spike in pollution is rare, but everyone is participating in the conversation now. "Friday was the worst I've ever seen," he said, "but I think people are finally paying attention to air quality." Bryan Pirolli is a freelance correspondent based in Paris. | Paris made public transport free and partially banned cars to contain pollution levels this week .
Drivers unhappy, though some report improved air quality as a result .
Biggest changes likely due to weather, long-term measures needed say campaigners . |
80,595 | e46f3164b389dc843c8a1e6c29ca48b1a5ba6c34 | Kell Brook insists he will win his first world title on Saturday night but is unsure whether he will KO American tough guy Shawn Porter ‘in the first round’ or battle his way to a decision ‘at the end of a dog-fight.’ The moment of truth is likely to arrive somewhere between those two extremes and the manner of it will probably depend upon how long Brook’s self-confidence holds up under the pressure of what he must expect to be the most exacting fight of his career. The incentive for both these young men ‘to go through hell’ is most eloquently expressed by Brook: ‘The winner will hold the keys to Fort Knox.’ VIDEO Scroll down to watch Shawn Porter's incredible blindfolded workout . Focused: Kell Brook is finally ready to challenge for a world title after 32 fights as a professional . All smiles: Brook travelled to America early to ensure he is fully prepared for Shawn Porter . Eyes on the prize: Brook is the underdog against Porter but fancies his chances of causing an upset . In the case of Sheffield’s successor to Prince Naseem Hamed, the biggest treasure chest awaits if he can lure Amir Khan into a battle of Britain by dangling a world championship belt in front of him. For Porter the mother-lode would be a mega-bucks fight with Mr Money himself, Floyd Mayweather Jnr, to which he would edge closer with an impressive victory over Brook. An alternative bonanza for either could come in Mexico, with Juan Manuel Marquez ready to keep a watching brief at ringside this weekend while saying: ‘If I do decide to box again I want it to be against the winner of this fight.’ All very tempting but neither Brook nor Porter would be wise to get ahead of themselves. Their duel for Porter’s IBF welterweight title comes at a watershed moment in their careers. Both are coming into their prime, Brook at 28 and Porter at 26. For the victor the only way is up. For the vanquished it will be back to the small halls. The jury is out on each of them. So much so as far as the public are concerned that in order to come to close to filling the StubHub Centre in California promoters Golden Boy are having to stack the under-card with the high-profile likes of heavyweight knock-out sensation Deontay Wilder. The balance of risk is more or less even. Champion: Porter will need to be at his best against Brook to retain his title in California . Confident: Porter knows he must see off Brook if he is to earn the right to face Floyd Mayweather . Home comforts: Porter will defend his title on American soil on Saturday night . Porter has nothing to gain from putting his growing reputation on the line against a Brit who offers a genuine threat but is barely known in the in US. He says: ‘I have always been the one under pressure on my way to the top and I know I’m again the one with most to lose.’ Brook has to surrender home advantage to get the world title shot he regards as long overdue and America is never an easy place to secure an away win. He says: ‘I have to raise my game the way Lloyd Honeyghan did to win his world title over here when everyone expected him to lose to Donald Curry,.’ And raise his game he must if he is to emulate the Ragamuffin Man’s feat of 28 years ago. Many saw it as a sign of weakness when Brook was reported to have asked his handlers if he was ready to challenge Porter, even though title bids scheduled previously had been scuppered by injuries to himself and Devon Alexander. But if he did put that question, it was valid. Brook has been fed a diet of mostly moderate opponents so while he is talented and does pack a meaty uppercut he remains untested at the highest level in his 32 wins to date. Porter, by contrast, warmed up against increasingly hotter rivals. Now his 25-fight unbeaten career has been brought nicely to the boil by a final eliminator against Julio Diaz, his successful world title challenge to Alexander and a first defence against Paulie Malignaggi – all three of whom are former two-time champions. It is that elite experience which is missing from Brook’s resume and it is less than encouraging to recall that he only just held on for a squeaky victory over American journeyman Carson Jones as he faded towards the end of their first fight. Untested? Brook's biggest win came against former world champion Viacheslav Senchenko . Down and out: Porter was in a destructive mood when he stopped Paulie Malignaggi . Brook is a couple of inches the taller but Porter, a trimmed down light-middleweight, is a compact, powerful, heavy-punching athlete with, curiously, an equally long reach. The Ohioan is also as effective at close quarters as they both can be at long range. Brook says: ‘Porter is good but was not keen to take me on and has had to do it or be stripped of the title.’ Porter says: ‘I’ve wanted this particular fight for a long time. It is the ideal fight for me to prove myself as a top boxer and fighter.’ So who wins? I would be more of a British optimist if Brook had been tempered against better opponents. He has a chance but if he is going to pull this off away from home and with nagging doubts about his stamina then perhaps he had better do so sooner, like the first round, than later, via the scorecards. Brook vs Porter is live on Sky Sports this Saturday . Once again, good luck to Frank Maloney in a new life as Ms Kellie Maloney and freely admitting: ‘There is still a lot to overcome.’ And well done to Lennox Lewis for sending his best wishes to the manager who guided him to the world heavyweight title. | Kell Brook faces IBF world welterweight champion Shawn Porter .
Sheffield man is unbeaten after 32 fights but faces a big step up .
Porter won the title from Devon Alexander .
He then defended it against Paulie Malignaggi . |
31,383 | 5938bc2cca390fdf13044903b517898db3627b57 | By . Graham Smith . UPDATED: . 11:17 EST, 13 December 2011 . A schoolboy has become the latest teenager to post a video online detailing the painful experiences he has long endured at the hands of bullies. Emmanuel Perron is hoping his My Secrets, My Life film will help other bullied children find the strength to cope with their torment. The 16-year-old from Ottawa placed his moving four-minute short on video sharing website YouTube on Saturday. Scroll down for video . Fighting back: Emmanuel Perron has posted his My Secrets, My Life film online to help other bullied children find the strength to cope with their torment . It follows in the footsteps of another anti-bullying video, What's Goin' On, posted by 14-year-old Jonah Mowry. That film has received more than 2.9million views since August. In a simple set-up, Emmanuel shares his message using a series of handwritten cue cards to inform the viewer of his experiences. There is no talking during the film; the only noise on the soundtrack is Sarah McLachlan's song Angel. Emmanuel reveals how he has suffered physical and verbal abuse since kindergarten and that people he thought were his good friends began spreading rumours that he was gay and had raped an ex-girlfriend. One caption reads: 'Even if my sexual orientation were different from others, everybody should have the same respect.' Taking a stand: The moving four-minute short was placed on video sharing website YouTube on Saturday . Brave: Emmanuel shares his message using a series of handwritten cue cards . Emmanuel, who has been forced to . change schools twice to escape his persecutors, then goes on to reveal . how he has self-harmed and considered suicide as a result of the . relentless harassment. In the video he thanks two friends and his mother for helping him through the tough times. His message ends with the words 'We can't lose hope, together we can make it stop', and an appeal to anyone needing help to contact him. So successful has My Secrets, My Life already proved, that 80 people contacted Emmanuel via email and his Facebook page asking for help in the first 24 hours after his video was posted online. Using her appeal: Pop star Lady Gaga last week visited the White House and met with Obama administration staff to discuss bullying prevention . Emmanuel told the Ottawa Citizen . newspaper: 'I tell them to talk about it with a teacher they look up to . or a principal or doctor. 'Since . I'm only 16, I'm not qualified to give professional advice, so I want . to send them to someone who can offer more help than I can.' He added: 'I hope bullies are actually going to see my video and realise what they're doing to people. 'I hope people will have the same courage I had to talk to someone about the bullying and I hope we can all get together and make a difference.' Emmanuel's mother Lemay and her husband found the video so difficult to watch that they cried for an hour after viewing it for the first time. She said: 'I lived through it with him. It's very difficult as a parent to see your child go through this unfairly.' Earlier this year, a 14-year-old boy . who blogged about being suicidal due to incessant bullying at school . thanked Lady Gaga in his final post before killing himself. Jamey Rodemeyer, from Buffalo, New . York, posted a lyric from Lady Gaga's song The Queen on his Facebook . page which said: 'Don't forget me when I come crying to heaven's door.' He then posted a tribute to Lady Gaga, thanking her. Last week, the singer visited the White House and met Obama administration staff to discuss bullying prevention. Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett . praised the star as 'a source of strength for many young people who feel . isolated and scared at their schools'. Warning - Video contains some written bad language . | 16-year-old posts My Secrets, My Life film online to help others .
Using only handwritten cards, he details his ordeal and thanks the 'best mom' |
216,065 | a3b5027ec6927ad484129a8e40ff39fc41792cd6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:02 EST, 9 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:06 EST, 9 December 2012 . Sir Richard Branson last night attacked an advert for Virgin Mobile US that appears to make light of rape. The online advert shows a man standing behind a woman and covering her eyes with his hand before giving her a small present. The caption reads: ‘The gift of Christmas surprise. Necklace? Or chloroform?’ The advert provoked a furious reaction from Twitter users, who described it as ‘disgusting’ and ‘totally unacceptable’. Joke: The advert featured a picture of a man behind a woman with his hand in front of her eyes, giving her a small red box, and the caption read: 'The gift of Christmas surprise. Necklace? Or chloroform?' Virgin Group founder Sir Richard, 62, wrote on his blog: ‘Having just seen, for the first time, the Virgin Mobile US advert which has upset many today, I agree it is ill-judged. ‘Although I don’t own the company [it is owned by a US firm, Sprint Nextel], it carries our brand. ‘I will speak to the team there, make my thoughts clear and see what can be done about it.’ He later added: ‘They acknowledge a dreadful mistake was made. The advert will be withdrawn within the hour, never to be seen again.’ Sir Richard - a father-of-two who was . born in 1950, founded Virgin in 1970 and has a net worth of £2.6billion - . admitted to his 2.7million followers on Twitter that the advert was . 'pretty ill-judged'. Acknowledgement: Sir Richard Branson wrote on his blog on the Virgin Group website: 'Having just seen, for the first time, the Virgin Mobile US advert which has upset many today, I agree it is ill-judged' Twitter users roundly criticised the . advert, describing it as 'disgusting' and 'a publicity disaster waiting . to happen' - and @Becca_DP said on the website: '"Ill-judged" is a . bit of an understatement'. 'Virgin Mobile US usually get these things right, although on this occasion it is clear they have gone too far' Sir Richard Branson, Virgin founder . People had earlier been campaigning for . the company to take down the advert, with journalist Sally Churchward . saying on Twitter: 'Is a rape "joke" really part of your Christmas . campaign?' Charity project worker Sue Conway added: 'Using rape or domestic violence jokes to sell products (is) totally unacceptable'. Chloroform is an obsolete anaesthetic, although it is still available and used as an industrial strength cleaner - and has been employed by criminals in the past to knock out victims. A 35-year-old husband was jailed for eight years October 2011 after using chloroform to knock out his virgin wife - a Bangladeshi immigrant who was 21 at the time - and rape her in east London. | EXCLUSIVE: Virgin founder slams Virgin Mobile US team for online advert .
Says they 'acknowledge a dreadful mistake was made' and it will be pulled .
Sir Richard doesn't own the US mobile brand but 'made his thoughts clear' |
32,342 | 5bf29ad4acb6162243fdcf44f5f04fc89bd23609 | The website blamed for the death of Hannah Smith have offered to name the trolls who tormented her . The website linked to a string of teenage suicides including the death of 14-year-old Hannah Smith have offered to name the trolls who tormented her. Hannah was found hanged in her bedroom, in Lutterworth, Leicestershire, last Friday after suffering months of abuse from trolls on Ask.fm who repeatedly urged her to kill herself, cut herself and ‘drink bleach’. Founders Mark and Ilja Terebin, the wealthy sons of a Red Army officer, have promised to hand over details of her abusers after Prime Minister David Cameron urged parents, teenagers and advertisers to boycott the site. In an open letter they wrote: 'Although it is possible to post anonymously to the site, we would like to reassure parents that in almost all cases it is possible for Ask.fm to identify users – through IP technology, everything on the internet is traceable – and in extreme circumstances such as those we’ve experienced this week we work through existing legal frameworks to ensure this information is accessible to the appropriate legal authorities.' Firms such as Vodaphone, Laura Ashley and Specsavers as well as charity Save the Children pulled their adverts yesterday. The open letter came hours after the Prime Minister urged the Terebins, and those running similar sites, to ‘step up to the plate and show some responsibility’. Mr Cameron also urged parents and teenagers to avoid using the ‘vile’ websites. He told Sky News: ‘Just because someone does something online, it doesn’t mean they’re above the law. If you incite someone to do harm, if you incite violence, that is breaking the law, whether that is online or offline. The mother and father of the Soviet-born brothers deny that their sons are in any way culpable over the death of Hannah . Partners, from left: Marks Terebins, Oskars Liepiøö, Ilja Terebins of the Ask.fm website which has offered to name Hannah Smith's tormentors . Row: Ask.fm has said previously it does not take responsibility for what is on its site and does not monitor posts . ‘Also, there’s something all of us can do as parents and as users of the internet and that is not to use some of these vile sites. Boycott them, don’t go there, don’t join them – we need to do that as well.’ But some experts believe a ban is too simplistic. Holly Seddon, of parenting and technology website Quib.ly, told The Times: 'Even if (ask.fm) was taken down, there are many other avenues for online and offline bullying. 'There is a danger that if we just fixate on one product, we are not having the conversations we should have, whether that is in the government or with our kids.' | Hannah Smith was found hanged after suffering months of abuse from trolls on Ask.fm .
They told her to kill herself, cut herself and 'drink bleach'
Founders of the website have said they will hand over details of her abusers .
It comes as David Cameron urged advertisers to boycott the site . |
114,974 | 206037e9fa229112fc37ac633a17fb59d6a1165b | Apologetic: Pope Francis has revealed that he was forced to cancel a visit to a Papal hospital in Rome last month because he was suffering from a severe headache and nausea . Pope Francis has revealed that he was ill when he cancelled a key appointment last month, saying 'we have to accept fragility'. The Pope said he was suffering from a severe headache accompanied by nausea when he dropped out of a visit to the Papal Hospital in Rome at the last minute. Previously the Vatican had claimed he was suffering from 'a slight indisposition'. The visit on June 27 was to mark the 50th anniversary of the Agostino Gemelli hospital, where Popes John Paul II and Benedict were treated and a suite of rooms is on permanent standby in case of Papal need. Francis told Catholic TV station TV2000 on Sunday: 'Everything was ready, indeed, as you know, my closest colleagues were already waiting at the Gemelli, but, a few minutes before I was due to leave a severe headache that I had had since the morning and that I hoped would pass got worse, and along with it came nausea, so as things were, I could not go.' Apologising to the sick and the hospital staff, he said: 'You should know that I really wanted meet you but as you know we are not masters of our own lives, we cannot arrange things to suit us. We have to accept fragility.' Fears for Francis's health surfaced after he cancelled a series of meetings in May and June. The Pope, who rises at 4.30am every day, has been a whirlwind of activity since his election, but his advisers have been urging him to take a break after 17 months without a holiday. Francis has some underlying health problems, including sciatica and had part of one of his lungs removed in his youth. Close collaborator Cardinal Oscar Rodriguez Maradiaga of Honduras said: 'We have been asking him to have holidays this year. 'Because last year he didn’t and sometimes he’s very tired. So I think that during August he’s going to retire to rest.' Disappointed: Staff at the Gemeli Hospital in Rome erected a homemade banner welcoming Pope Francis, but the Vatican announced the Pontiff had an 'unexpected disposition' an hour after he was due to arrive . Traditionally, popes moved to the papal summer palace at Castel Gandolfo outside Rome during the summer months. Last year, Francis worked straight through the summer. Papal aides reportedly say that Francis thrives off a fast pace and 'eats work' and finds it hard to relinquish control to others. Some observers have claimed the pontiff has gained weight since his election and is having difficulty breathing, which they say could be a sign of a heart condition. | Pontiff said he was suffering from severe headache and nausea .
Vatican had previously claimed he had a 'slight indisposition'
Illness forced him to pull out of hospital visit at the last minute . |
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