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13,108 | 25354989396398c4b208b553070e531fc6c67667 | (CNN) -- Deep down on the bottom of the Baltic Sea, Swedish treasure hunters think they have made the find of a lifetime. The problem is, they're not exactly sure what it is they've uncovered. Out searching for shipwrecks at a secret location between Sweden and Finland, the deep-sea salvage company Ocean Explorer captured an incredible image more than 80 meters below the water's surface. At first glance, team leader and commercial diver Peter Lindberg joked that his crew had just discovered an unidentified flying object, or UFO. "I have been doing this for nearly 20 years so I have a seen a few objects on the bottom, but nothing like this," said Lindberg. "We had been out for nine days and we were quite tired and we were on our way home, but we made a final run with a sonar fish and suddenly this thing turned up," he continued. Using side-scan sonar, the team found a 60-meter diameter cylinder-shaped object, with a rigid tail 400 meters long. The imaging technique involves pulling a sonar "towfish" -- that essentially looks sideways underwater - behind a boat, where it creates sound echoes to map the sea floor below. On another pass over the object, the sonar showed a second disc-like shape 200 meters away. See also: Quest for Sir Francis Drake's remains . Lindberg's team believe they are too big to have fallen off a ship or be part of a wreck, but it's anyone's guess what could be down there. "We've heard lots of different kinds of explanations, from George Lucas's spaceship -- the Millennium Falcon -- to 'it's some kind of plug to the inner world,' like it should be hell down there or something. "But we won't know until we have been down there," said Lindberg. The Head of Archaeology at Sweden's Maritime Museums, Andreas Olsson, admits he's intrigued by the picture, but remains sceptical about what it could be. The reliability of one-side scan sonar images is one of his main concerns, making it difficult to determine if the object is a natural geological formation or something different altogether. "It all depends on the circumstances when you actually tow the [sonar] fish after the boat," he said. See also: World's oldest warship gets facelift . "What are the temperature conditions, the wave conditions, how deep is your fish in relation to the sea bed etcetera and all those parameters also affects what kind of image you have in the end," he explained. Even Lindberg agrees the image "isn't the best it could be." But his crew are still planning to return to the site in the calmer waters of spring to investigate their find. It's a risky and expensive business, and not one that always pays off. British maritime historian, Professor Andrew Lambert, says the costs of recovery are now too high for most. "If you want to stand in a cold shower tearing up £50 notes, go shipwreck hunting," he said. "Most shipwrecks are rotting away, or carrying dull things -- all the romance has been taken out of it." It's a problem Lindberg and his team are aware of. "It's a very difficult industry to be in -- it's money all the time," he confessed. "The best thing it could be, would be 60 meters of gold -- then I would be very happy." "This thing is very far out, it's really off-shore, so first of all we need a bigger ship... more equipment.. and we have to do bottom sampling, water sampling, to see if it is something poisonous." But even if the mystery object doesn't contain retrievable treasure the site could still prove to be a gold mine for the Ocean Explorer team, with tourists and private investors paying to see it up-close, in a submarine. See also: How to survive a shipwreck . "The object itself is maybe not valuable in the sense of money it can be very interesting whatever it is, historical or a natural anomaly," said Lindberg. In the North Atlantic, one American salvage company is also hoping to beat the odds. Odyssey Marine Exploration -- a company made up of researchers, scientists, technicians and archaeologists -- have at least 6,300 shipwrecks in their database that they are looking to find. Their latest discoveries include two British war-time shipwrecks off the coast of Ireland that could be laden with hundreds of tonnes of silver. Mark Gordon, president of Odyssey, says at least 100 ships on their watch-list are known to have values in excess of $50 million dollars. "When you think about the fact until the mid 20th century, the only way to transport wealth was on the oceans and a lot of ships were lost, it adds up to a formula where we have billions of dollars worth of interesting and valuable things on the sea floor," he said. The lure of treasure has lead to an increasing number of discoveries in recent years. But one which doesn't come without its dangers, warns Olsson. "I think recently we're entering a time of a lot of discoveries," he said of the technological advancements in finding shipwrecks. "The professional shipwreck discoverers are doing a great effort for cultural heritage management in the long run... what we don't support is the action of actually taking up items and selling them," he said. | Swedish treasure hunters have captured images of a mysterious object in the Baltic Sea .
It's estimated around 100,000 objects, mostly shipwrecks, are littered throughout the Baltic .
Deep-sea salvage company Ocean Explorer uses sonar imaging to search for wrecks . |
258,243 | da378a11759a3b25512398ec2dd2a8c8f23ce132 | By . Scarlett Russell . PUBLISHED: . 10:47 EST, 26 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:29 EST, 26 February 2014 . In the age of over-sharing on the internet, photo sites such as Tumblr and Instagram are increasingly awash with glossy, 'food porn' style shots of swanky restaurant meals and elaborate home-cooked grub. Now though, humble office workers around the world are leading a backlash against gastro meals and posh puds by sharing snaps of their drab and often downright depressing lunches instead. Photos of 'sad food', including half eaten chicken and greasy looking pizza are taking the internet by storm with pictures of a boring bowl of tinned soup, wilted lettuce sandwich or just a plastic pot of humble vegetable sticks, pictures of ‘sad food' going viral on the blogosphere. One such dedicated blog site is Sad Desk Lunch, created by Kira Fisher, which aims to show the real side of office eating. A humble tin of sweetcorn and Oxo cube (pictured here) are an example of depressing food pictures that have taken the Internet by storn . Kira Fisher's website, Sad Desk Lunch, is inundated with submissions of user's dull lunches at work (pictured here) A meager portion of noodles, avocado and a boiled egg (pictured here) contribute to the Internet's new obsession with pictures of 'sad food' ‘62% of American office workers usually eat their lunch in the same spot they work all day,’ says the website. Users . have inundated Fisher with pictures of their sad lunches, including a . measly slice of toast smeared with tinned tuna and cheese on a cracker. One . user submitted a photo of herself at her desk, holding a tin of . pineapple, with the sarcastic caption; ‘Oh, let me just pull lunch out . of my drawer.’ Fisher, who is based in New York City, started Sad Desk Lunch in 2012 when she was working as a video editor. 'I was staring at my rather . unappealing lentil soup, which I was eating at my desk, and just thought "I can't believe I eat this gruel . let alone eat it alone at my desk pretending to work rather than going . outside or eating with others,"' says Fisher. 'That's where the idea came from. I started the . Tumblr and started harassing my friends to send me pictures of their . own sad desk lunches, then it took off and now people from around the . world submit everyday. Sad Desk Lunch, a website created by American Kira Fisher, aims to show the real side of office eating. Pictures of boring lunch options (pictured here) have sparked a 'sad food' fad online, with websites such as Sad Desk Lunch in the US featuring user's submitted snaps of their dull meals . Pictures of boring breakfasts, such as these, are submitted in their drones to website Sad Desk Lunch . 'I'm sitting on probably 500+ submissions right . now!' And she’s not the only one getting in on the sad-food-fad. Sites such as cooksuck.com dedicate pages to boring meals and other social network fans have started tweeting and Instagram-ing their very average cuisine. | Pictures of dull food are all over websites such as Instagram and Tumblr .
US website Sad Desk Lunch has been created by office worker Kira Fisher .
Users submit pictures of their depressing meals, replacing the 'glossy food' trend . |
195,786 | 896a9f18678249a0c1660d54fbe81023c003366a | (CNN) -- Another "Real Housewives" divorce is on the way. "Real Housewives of Atlanta" star Phaedra Parks is calling it quits with husband Apollo Nida. The couple's relationship has taken a bumpy turn of late because of Nida's legal issues and prison sentence. According to Parks' representative, the mom of two has "retained an attorney with the intent of amicably ending her marriage." The news comes a month after Nida reported to prison to begin an eight-year federal sentence for a fraud conviction. The reality star pleaded guilty in May to charges in a fraud scheme that federal prosecutors say stole millions of dollars from at least 50 people over four years. Nida, 35, must also serve five years under parole supervision after he completes his prison stint. He is being held at the minimum-security federal prison in Lexington, Kentucky. This is Nida's second prison sentence; he served five years for auto title fraud before marrying Parks in 2009. The pair joined the hit Bravo series in 2010, and have been lead participants since. The troubled couple play a big part in the show's upcoming seventh season, if the trailer is anything to go by. In July, Nida told Atlanta radio station B100 he had doubts his marriage to Parks would continue. "I mean, my wife didn't even ... show up for my sentencing, so I'm still kind of salty about that," Nida said. At the time of Nida's sentencing, Parks' publicist released a statement on her behalf. "Phaedra is now putting all of her energy into ensuring the well-being of her two children and making decisions that are in their best interests," the statement said. "This situation has put a tremendous strain on Phaedra and her family, and she is working hard to bring back a sense of normalcy to everyone's lives." The former couple has two sons, Ayden, 4, and Dylan, 1. | "Real Housewives" star Phaedra Parks intends to end her marriage .
Her husband, Apollo Nida, was sentenced to eight years in prison in July .
The couple have two sons together . |
209,145 | 9ad798496a241026b339333d1d7acbe39088a968 | By . Associated Press . The USS Forrestal set off under tow on Tuesday morning for its final voyage from Philadelphia to a scrapping facility in Texas. Pulled by the Foss Marine Towing boat Lauren Foss, the Forrestal was untied from its berth at the former Naval Ship Yard in the pre-dawn darkness and headed down the Delaware River for the start of what is expected to be a 17 to 18-day trip. The Navy has paid one cent under a contract to have the 60-year-old vessel dismantled by All Star Metals in the Gulf port of Brownsville. The decommissioned aircraft carrier Ex-USS Forrestal, pictured in 2010, is now on its final voyage to the scrap heap in Texas . The aircraft carrier USS Forrestal, pictured in 1956 undergoing jet plane training exercises in the Caribbean. It embarked on its final voyage today from Philadelphia to be turned into scrap in Texas . The USS Forrestal during a shakedown cruise off Guantanamo Bay, Cuba in 1955. The carrier was in service for 38 years before being decommissioned in 1993 . Charred Wreckage on deck of USS Forrestal which suffered heavy damage when fire engulfing the ship exploded bombs and rockets of aircraft off the coast of Vietnam in 1967 . The Forrestal, the first of the post-World War II supercarriers, was decommissioned September 11, 1993, after more than 38 years of service. The Navy had offered the carrier for use as a museum or memorial but said none of the applications it received was deemed viable. Under its contract with the Navy, All Start Metals assumes all costs of towing, insuring, and dismantling the vessel with the aim of recovering its costs and making a profit through the sale of the scrap. The warship remains the Navy’s property until dismantling is complete. The 1,067-foot ship is perhaps best known . for a fire which broke out on board in 1967 while the carrier was on . active service in Vietnam. Jimmie Stewart, of northeast Philadelphia, who was on the USS Forrestal from 1960 to 1962, stands near the decommissioned aircraft carrier . Allen Polixa of Nutley, N.J., who was on the USS Forrestal from 1980 to 1982, left, and Jimmie Stewart, of northeast Philadelphia, who was on the ship from 1960 to 1962 . Charred wreckage on deck of USS Forrestal which suffered heavy fire damage when on active service during the Vietnam War . A rocket from a fighter jet on board misfired and impacted another plane which was incidentally occupied by future Senator John McCain. Some 134 servicemen were killed in the tragic incident and 161 injured. All Star Metals President Nikhil Shah told Fox today: 'This is the largest ship that we’ve ever dismantled, and the largest ship the U.S. government has ever awarded to be dismantled. It’s a very big job to us.' Mr Shah would not give a specific cost for towing and dismantling the giant boat but said it was millions of dollars. The boat was built in 1954 by more than 16,000 workers and named after James Forrestal, the first U.S. Secretary of Defense. It cost $217 million - the equivalent of $2 billion today. Tugboat Alex McAllister pushes the USS Forrestal into the Delaware River on the aircraft carrier's final voyage from Navy Shipyard in south Philadelphia . Work crews with Foss Marine Towing untie the decommissioned aircraft carrier USS Forrestal as it prepares to make its final voyage from Navy Shipyard in south Philadelphia for a dismantling and recycling facility in Brownsville . The decommissioned aircraft carrier, USS Forrestal, begins it's long journey down the Delaware River on February 4 . The decommissioned aircraft carrier, USS Forrestal, begins it's long journey down the Delaware River on February 4 . Last-minute construction work is rushed on the U.S. Navy's super-aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Forrestal in 1954. The U.S. Navy craft will now be sold for scrap . | The 60-year-old vessel headed down the Delaware River to Texas at dawn on Tuesday .
The Navy paid one cent under a .
contract to have the ship dismantled by All Star Metals in .
the Gulf port of Brownsville .
The 1,067-ft ship is perhaps best known .
for a fire which broke out on board in 1967 while the carrier was on .
active service in Vietnam, killing 134 .
Senator John McCain was serving on the carrier at the time of the tragedy .
Boat was built by more than 16,000 workers and named after James Forrestal, the first U.S. Secretary of Defense .
It cost $217 million - the equivalent of $2 billion today . |
4,016 | 0b9175ced91a038282be6ccbfc28384f370da410 | (CNN) -- Sunday night's 55th annual Grammy Awards were as much about the performances as it was the actual statues handed out. The evening saw some powerful collaborations among artists, and all eyes were on one controversial performer. Here are the top 5 moments of the night: . 1) Killer performances . Take your pick. From a spirited performance of "The Weight" by an all-star group including Sir Elton John, T Bone Burnett, the Zac Brown Band, Mavis Staples, Mumford & Sons and Brittany Howard of the Alabama Shakes, to the many duets like R&B crooner Miguel with Wiz Khalifa and Miranda Lambert with fellow country artist Dierks Bentley, it was all thrilling. Fun. reminded us as to why we loved them when they performed "Carry On." But they won a big award of the night, song of the year, for their hit "We Are Young." And the stars in the audience were grooving along during a tribute to Bob Marley led by Bruno Mars, Rihanna, Sting, Ziggy and Damian Marley. Even Taylor Swift won us over when she took to the stage dressed as a ringmaster and surrounded by circus/carnival types to kick off the ceremony with her hit "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together." Grammy coverage on Marquee . But one of the most eagerly awaited performances was: . 2) The return of Justin Timberlake to the stage . The Grammys went sepia-toned for Timberlake's performance of his new single "Suit and Tie," which offered plenty of homage to the Rat Pack era with Timberlake in a tux with a bow tie and a big band with similarly suited backup singers billed as "JT and the Tennessee Kids." Jay-Z left his seat in the audience to run up on stage for his rap portion of the song. And Timberlake was cooler than cool as he segued into his new single "Pusher Love Girl." The performance marked the return of Timberlake to music since he took a four-year break to focus on acting. Welcome home JT. 3) LL Cool J pulls triple duty . Sure, he's a big acting star now, but don't forget that LL, aka James Todd Smith, got his start in the hip hop game. So it felt right when the Grammy host donned a knit cap, a black T-shirt and some subtle bling to perform alongside Chuck D, Travis Barker, Tom Morello and DJ Z-Trip. They closed out the show with "Welcome to the Terrordome" and shouted out the late Beastie Boy, Adam "MCA" Yauch, with a "No Sleep Till Brooklyn" chant. He also kept the audience informed of what folks were saying on social media, reading tweets and responding to some. The Grammys got its monies worth with him. 4) Adele didn't wear black . You can't not love her as she sings like an angel, is hilarious and just seems so normal. But just like you can always count on a practically flawless performance when she grabs the mic, we thought she was also a sure bet to show up in a black frock. It's kind of been like her thing. But no. When Adele took to the stage to claim the first award of the night, best pop solo performance for "Set Fire to the Rain," she was wearing a flowery, red and black Valentino dress. New life as a mom and clearly new fashion choices: It was almost as surprising as Prince showing up to present Gotye and Kimbra the record of the year award for "Somebody That I Used To Know. 5) The somewhat anticlimactic appearance of Chris Brown with Rihanna . Despite a few cutaways of the pair sitting together in the audience and Brown standing and clapping following her performance, seeing the two together was not as big a deal as the run up felt like it should be. Friday marked the fourth anniversary of Brown's assault on Rihanna, which occurred before that year's Grammy ceremony. The pair had been a huge focus of this year's Grammys as fans waited to see if they would arrive at the ceremony together and how much "togetherness" they would exhibit. But in the end it felt like really no big deal. More surprising was six-time nominee Frank Ocean not winning any of the big awards he was up for. Ocean scored best urban contemporary album and shared best rap collaboration with Kanye West and Jay-Z for "No Church in the Wild," but lost best new artist to Fun. and album of the year to Mumford & Sons. 55th Grammy Awards: The winners list . It was also more fun checking to see which artists ignored the reported Grammys memo asking them to cover up (we are looking at you and your rather exposed bosom Katy Perry). Jennifer Lopez even joked about it while presenting. "As you can see I read the memo," Lopez said, wearing a black dress cut extremely high and fully exposing one leg. CNN's David Daniel contributed to this story . | The 55th Grammy Awards were held Sunday night on CBS .
NEW: LL Cool J closes out show with a performance .
NEW: Mumford & Sons beat Frank Ocean for album of the year . |
210,699 | 9ce652feab2ca22ff889f34cdb01484efc603458 | (CNN)It's a sunny April afternoon at the University of Rwanda College of Education in Kigali. Some students huddle in groups conversing in hushed voices; others hurry between buildings carrying books. Exams begin in a week. On a grassy knoll behind an office block, Jean Claude Nkusi is giving his 24 children a talking to. "Study hard everyone," he says. "If you work hard you can improve your life and make it better." This isn't your typical family. Nkusi is 23. None of his "children" share his DNA. In fact, the only thing linking them is that they're all genocide survivors -- ethnic Rwandan Tutsis who lost their families in the 1994 violence that killed 800,000 people. 'It's because of history' Creating "artificial families" to help young genocide survivors cope is the brainchild of an organization called the Association for Student Genocide Survivors (AERG). Originally founded by 12 University of Rwanda students in 1996, they've expanded to 43,397 university and high school students from across the tiny east-central African country today. AERG initially creates families from members based on the secondary school or university they attend, after which the newly-formed family meet to democratically elect a willing father and mother from among their ranks. Though they don't all live together, they do help each other out financially and attempt to pool their resources. In the University of Rwanda's College of Education alone there are 21 such families, with hundreds more being set up across the country. "(We) Rwandans, we used to have big families but during the genocide many people were killed," says Daniel Tuyizere, AERG's second vice coordinator at the University of Rwanda. "To fight against that, we have to build artificial families so that we can go back to the way we were," he adds. "That's why you can find a father with 25 children -- it's because of that, it's because of history." AERG National Coordinator Constantine Rukundo explains that the concept stems from a basic necessity. "You need someone to care about you," she says, adding that the aim is that the families will stay together for life. "When you get married your family will be there; they'll be the first to help you." Scarred by war . UNICEF estimates that 95,000 children were orphaned as a result of the genocide. Seventy per cent witnessed murders or injuries, while many were victims of violence and rape themselves. Their problems continued after 1994. By 2001, an estimated 264,000 Rwandan children had lost one or both parents to AIDS, a disease which was partly spread through the use of rape as a tool of war. Today many of these young people suffer disproportionately from poverty, homelessness, trauma and legal issues, including having had their deceased parents' land taken away from them when they were too young to claim it. Bringing light back . Rwanda is currently in the middle of 100 days of mourning. The 20th anniversary commemorations have been upsetting for many of the young people who still carry both physical and mental scars from the past. Kelsey Finnegan, Project Officer at Survivors Fund, says that trauma permeates into many different aspects of their lives: "Many for example have difficulties studying, maintaining relationships, or have issues with drugs and alcohol." Kevin Mugina, 21, says that being in a family environment helps young people to deal with their emotions. "Some people used to be very angry." He says that together they discuss their feelings and how to control them enough so that they can live peacefully with their neighbors. Yet, he adds, trauma among his peers is still a huge issue. "We have kids who have been so shocked from genocide that they have a permanent shock -- that is one of our big problems." But overall, it seems that they are in good hands. Augustin Nsengiyumua, 27, calls up his artificial mother for all sorts of small things. "For example if I don't have a pen, or I don't have soap," he says. Younger than several of his artificial offspring, Nkusi says that fatherhood is a lot of responsibility but he relishes it. "You have to know every situation that your children are in -- if they're studying without any problem, if they're eating, everyday life. If one of them is sick I have to be the first one to know it." He has named their family Urumuri. "Urumuri," Nkusi says, "means to light something up. It's when something was dark, and now it is bright again." READ THIS: Intimate images capture the new Rwanda . READ THIS: Orphaned siblings create Rwanda's Craigslist . | Young genocide survivors are coming together to form "artificial families" in Rwanda .
They help each other financially and offer emotional support .
20 years after the genocide, many young people still carry scars from the past .
The country is currently in the middle of 100 days of mourning . |
126,171 | 2f1562594f881fdf91ef6bedfe97534cf63e843a | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 22:35 EST, 5 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:59 EST, 6 November 2013 . A man fell hundreds of feet to his death from a helicopter hovering above the shores of posh Newport Beach, California Tuesday and authorities believe it may have been a suicide. Gregory McFadden, 61, was seen plummeting from the private aircraft into the chilly Pacific around 1pm near the beach town's Balboa Pier. Authorities say the West Covina man simply opened the door and jumped out. He died at Hoag Memorial Hospital Presbyterian after rescuers plucked him from the ocean and began CPR. Scene: 61-year-old Gregory McFadden jumped from a helicopter near the end of Balboa Pier, here at Newport Beach, California . McFadden splashed down near the pier and a busboy at a restaurant at the end of the pier watched him fall from the white Robinson R44 craft, according to Ruby's Diner general manager David Saighani. Police in Huntington Beach were apparently the first to be alerted of the fall, which was reported by the private helicopter company according to a police release. 'The only passenger on board opened the door and jumped out into the water,' FAA spokesman Ian Gregor told KTLA. Huntington Beach authorities worked in symphony with Newport Beach lifeguards and Orange County sheriffs to find the man and pull him ashore. 'Lifeguards brought the man to shore and initiated lifesaving efforts,' police spokesperson Jennifer Manzella said. McFadden was taken to the hospital in critical condition and now police must solve the mystery of why this man fell and if he did so to take his own life. 'There’s probably more to it than what it seems to be,' said Sergeant Mike Robertson, of the Orange County Sheriff's Department. Suicide? Authorities are investigating what seems likely to be a suicide. The man was pulled from the chilly Pacific and given CPR. He died from his critical injuries after he was taken to the hospital . | Gregory McFadden, 61, jumped from a private helicopter above the Newport Beach shoreline around 1pm Tuesday .
McFadden was given CPR after rescuers plucked him from the ocean .
He was taken to an area hospital where he died of his critical injuries . |
202,396 | 920614bf1e25c0f9de71c3263f275c7ea32c0645 | It's the dilemma that haunts every British homeowner: how safe are my children from a zombie apocalypse? A Leeds merchant has finally answered public concerns by making a undead-proof shed - which will set you back a mere £69,995, plus £20,780 for installation, CCTV, riot gear and solar panels. The so-called Zombie Fortification Cabin also has an escape hatch, an interior garden, weapons storage and a 360-degree vantage point, all with a ten-year anti-zombie guarantee. A flamethrower or water cannon, however, will cost you extra. Scroll down for video . An Englishman's home is his Zombie Fortification Cabin: For the man who has everything, why not buy a zombie-proof shed for more than £90,000 including installation, weapons storage, an escape hatch, a ten-year anti-zombie guarantee and eco-friendly solar panels? Safehouse: The cabin contains bedrooms and an enclosed vegetable garden in case there is a long siege by bloodthirsty brain-eaters . Designed just in time for Halloween, the shed - ZFC1 for short - has not yet had any buyers, but that hasn't stopped it attracting a wide range of reviews on its manufacturer's website. One, Shaun of the Dead, called it the 'Winchester of Log Cabins' adding: 'In my time I’ve had little respect as an electronics shop employee, with no real direction in life. But when I bought this Zombie proof log cabin I became the envy of all my neighbours! 'It’s big enough for me as well as my girlfriend and rather vulgar unemployed best friend (who could quite easily be mistaken for a zombie!). With this, any potential zombie apocalypse which could overwhelm the town, I'll have a nice cup of tea and wait for it all to blow over.' Not everyone was happy, however. A disgruntled Roger Rotter the Zombie wrote: 'I officially HATE this zombie proof log cabin!! 'Having roamed our way through the land mines, in just about one piece, a cluster of us avoided the flamethrowers and made it to the walls. No matter what we tried (eating through the walls, climbing to the roof etc) we just couldn't break in. 'Unfortunately, as time wore on it became obvious this was a lost cause and some 28 days later we gave up.' Protection: The expansive shed includes a place to store shotguns and bombs, beside a set of instructions on how to kill the undead . Ominous: All the photos in this article are artists' impressions since, sadly, no one has yet bought one of the sheds for genuine use . The bizarre idea was dreamed up by Leeds firm Tiger Log Cabins, and although there haven't yet been any sales, there have been some allegedly serious enquiries from across the Atlantic. Managing director Ross Moran, 29, told MailOnline: 'We've had a few people from America interested who are taking it a bit literally. They're thinking about having it on their ranch.' He added: 'Obviously it's a bit of a joke but the cabin is buildable. So if we get someone who's genuinely interested and has the money we would keep to our word and go and build it for them.' The idea for the cabin came after a conversation in the office about what would happen in a zombie apocalypse. Marketing director Jack Sutcliffe said: 'The conversation went from there and one of the team jokingly suggested that we would all be OK because we could just build ourselves a special log cabin and all hide in there. From there the idea was born and we thought "well, why not".' There is one hitch, however: planning permission. Mr Moran conceded: 'We'd have to say what we tell all our customers - check with your local authority because they all have different rules, even when it comes to preventing a deadly swarm of the undead'. Diagram: The company has even produced 3D blueprints for the cabin's design, which could be a dangerous help to brainier zombies . Managing director Ross Moran, 29, said: 'We've had a few people from America interested who are taking it a bit literally' | So-called Zombie Fortification Cabin has been created in time for Halloween by Leeds-based shed manufacturer .
It costs a staggering £69,995 - plus £20,780 for optional installation, solar panels, riot gear and security cameras .
Buyers can rest comfortably with a separate kitchen, gym and garden... and a 10-year anti-zombie 'guarantee' |
110,244 | 1a21c420d262c7a8456ac14716f44ec4ca514cfc | (CNN) -- China had cause for a double celebration on Saturday after winning their first ever swimming gold medal as well as setting a new world record in the women's 400m medley. Sun Yang sealed a place in China's Olympic history with an impressive swim in the 400m freestyle final that was only 0.07 seconds off the world record to take gold. Defending Olympic champion Park Ta-Hwan was leading at the final turn, but the 20-year-old Sun surged past his South Korean rival in the final length to seal a place in Chinese Olympic history. "The feeling is very nice, it's beautiful. It's a big dream come true for me," said Sun. "Because it's the Olympic Games, I felt a little bit nervous at the start, and then at the end, I felt that I could get a medal." Twenty minutes after Yang won China's maiden gold medal, 16-year-old Ye Shiwen triumphed in the women's 400m medley, as well as breaking the world record set in Beijing four years ago. Ye rounded off a sparkling day in the pool for China as she claimed the title with a breathtaking final lap of 28.93 seconds. "I thought at the 200 meters that the race was lost, but then I realized I was in the top two or three and I was confident I could win on the last leg," said Ye. "I dreamed of winning the gold medal, but I never ever expected to break a world record, I'm overwhelmed." | China claims first ever Olympic swimming gold in men's events .
Sun Yang 0.07 off world record as he claims 400m freestyle title .
16 year old Ye Shiwen claims second Chinese swimming gold in 400m medley .
Ye breaks four-year-old world record . |
207,027 | 980d9d4e553fb678c5f92f0b56c31566139f52b7 | By . Daniel Miller . A childless couple desperate to adopt has told of their heartbreak after being duped by a woman who pretended to be pregnant, even calling them claiming she was in the delivery room giving birth. Mark and Tracy Dziekanski from Illinois, who are unable to have a baby of their own and could not afford to adopt in the traditional way, posted an heartfelt appeal on the Craigslist website. They were soon contacted by a woman called Heather Taylor from North Carolina who said she was expecting a baby, but could to afford to keep it and was looking for a 'nice couple' to take care of it. Ordeal: Childless Illinois couple Mark and Tracy Dziekanski were duped by a heartless con artist, who claimed she was pregnant and promised to let them adopt the child . The delighted Dziekanskis thought their dream had come true and agreed to support Taylor through the course of her pregnancy, promising her financial support. Over the next few weeks, heartless Taylor continued to string them along, sending them photographs of her posing with a mocked-up baby bump and giving regular reports on her supposed 'condition'. Then one day Mrs Dziekanski received a . call from Taylor who said she had gone into labour and was speaking to . them from the delivery room. Faked: Heather Taylor sent this picture of herself pretending to be pregnant to a couple who were looking to adopt . Taylor told them she was going to have a C-section and moments later played them a recording of a baby crying down to the phone to embellish the lie. In an interview with ABC News, Mrs Dziekanski recalled: 'She's having a C-section, and I'm ... on the phone with her in the delivery room. 'You could hear like ... the heart rate and everything, like she was really at a hospital. ... Then a couple of minutes later, there's a baby crying.' Taylor told the Dziekanskis that she had given birth to a baby girl and had named her Anna Rosemarie. She sent them a picture of a baby and promised to bring her to Illinois to meet her new parents. The Dziekanskis had been completely taken in and were overjoyed at the prospect of finally becoming parents. But before long they began to realise something was wrong. For a start, the photos Taylor was sending them of their daughter didn't appear to be of the same baby. Later Taylor told them she was in . Illinois and staying at a hotel close to their home, but said she had to . rush back home because her brother had been involved in an accident. Finally Taylor got in touch saying she had changed her mind and was going to keep the baby. The Dziekanskis went back onto . Craigslist and contacted other people who had posted adverts looking to . adopt children, asking them if they had come across anyone called . Heather Taylor. It . turned out she had played exactly the same trick on a woman from North . Carolina, who just like the Dziekanskis had been promised a baby. 'I’ll never forgive her,' Mark Dziekanski said. According to the North Carolina police,Taylor received less than $2,000 in total from both couples. Heartbreaking: Taylor later sent this picture of a baby after calling the couple claiming she was in the delivery room about to give birth by C-section . When contacted by ABC, Taylor said she hadn't done it for the money saying she did it for attention and to feel wanted. Taylor was sentenced to between 6 and 17 months in jail, which was later reduced to 36 months probation. She was also ordered to undergo mental treatment. Mark and Tracy Dziekanski say they now have a fostering license and hope to adopt children through the fostering process. | Mark and Tracy Dziekanski are unable to have a baby of their own .
Posted appeal saying the were looking to adopt on the Craigslist .
Heartless woman sent them pictures posing with mocked-up baby bump .
Even called them claiming to be in the delivery room about to give birth .
Con-artist was later found to have played the same trick on another woman .
She received little money, claiming she did it because she wanted attention . |
218,353 | a6ad5ceaf047d3ff9e17cdfc51d7c5a13d1a33e9 | By . Associated Press Reporter and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:23 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:23 EST, 31 July 2013 . President Barack Obama says he and the First Lady are constantly reminding their daughters that they're growing up in a 'slightly unreal environment' at the White House.In an interview published online Wednesday by Amazon's Kindle Singles, Obama lamented a shift in culture toward consumption and the focus on celebrity lifestyles.Obama says when he was growing up, 'Kids weren't monitoring every day what Kim Kardashian was wearing or where Kanye West was going on vacation, and thinking that somehow that was the mark of success.' 'Slightly unreal environment': The Obama girls, Malia (left) and Sasha (second from left) have spent many of their formative years with the President for a father . Obama says his daughters, Malia and Sasha, have family members who are in the middle class or even poor, so they see that others struggle and that their life is 'not the norm.' The President Obama President sat down for a 'Kindle Singles Interview,' a new long-form interview series for Amazon's e-reader before addressing Amazon employees in Chattanooga, Tennessee. During the tete-a-tete with Kindle Singles editor David Blum, President Obama explained how his past has informed his policies as President, and discussed plans to spur economic growth for middle-class families. Instilling wisdom: The President and his wife try to ensure their girls understand they are living a charmed existence . The interview was quite a coup for the online giant, which is using its Kindle Singles interview series to evolve from an e-commerce business into a multi-faceted media business. The company, in addition to its publishing interests, has opened a television studio. A TV series is in the works. Star power: Despite his comments about celebrity culture, the President is known to be personal friends with uber-celebs Beyonce and her husband Jay-Z . One-on-one: The President gave the interview to Kindle editor David Blum . The interview is available for download at the Amazon store. It is free and available for Kindle devices, reading apps for iPhone, Blackberry and Android phones as well as Mac and PC. Amazon launched the Kindle Single interview series with an interview with Shimon Peres, the 89-year-old Israeli President. The Obama interview is available today. Peres' interview, entitled 'The Optimist,' costs 99 cents. | A Kindle Single interview with President Obama was published today .
The 15-page interview is free to download . |
149,563 | 4d61027c8369a8a5ce083b6ca805858d4c6518b8 | Published: . 05:46 EST, 30 April 2014 . | . Updated: . 06:49 EST, 30 April 2014 . Clad in black from head to toe and carrying a formidable assortment of gear, Ken Andre, a 35-year-old father of two, is every criminal's worst nightmare. The Weymouth doorman is one of the UK's only ninja warriors and is regularly to be found prowling the streets of his home town, putting himself between the nastier elements of society and everyone else. Mr Andre, a former soldier who goes by the ninja name 'Shadow' has been practising martial arts for more than 25 years. He says he loves being a ninja so much, he'll never give it up - regardless of what critics might say. Crime fighter: Ken Andre (right) patrols the streets of Weymouth dressed in full ninja gear . 'They [critics] are entitled to their own . perceptions and opinions,' he told MailOnline in an exclusive interview. 'This is my destiny and this is who I am. If I . can give people inspiration and a bit of a message about living your life the way that's right for you, then I'm grateful to . carry on. 'At the end of the day, I'm out there doing something unique . and I'm happy and content.' One group who might not be quite so pleased is the Weymouth criminal fraternity who have to keep a weather eye out for Mr Andre as well as for the police. But although he has been known to intervene in fights, Mr Andre says most of his work involves talking to people in need of a sympathetic ear on the Weymouth clifftops and adds that if a situation appears too dangerous, he calls the police. 'A lot of time, I come across people who . are depressed or lost,' he explains. 'Back in . the day, I used to deal with violence or drug dealing. Training: Mr Andre (centre) gives TV presenter Darren McMullen a lesson in the spiritual side of ninja life . Skills: Along with fighting ability, ninjas traditionally had to be physically fit and intelligent . 'It's like second nature . to me now. I give first aid if it's needed, call the police if they're required and if someone is . vulnerable, then I will step in and defend them. 'The last person I met was . going to jump off a cliff so I shared some wisdom and knowledge with him . and gave him my time. 'Sometimes that's all they need. I try and be . loving in that situation and be the best I can be.' Mr Andre's martial arts career began at the age of eight, when a traumatic childhood event inspired him to learn self-defence. 'I've been a ninja for more than 24 years now,' he explains. 'When I was eight, I witnessed my mum being beaten up one night and I vowed from that moment to become a weapon and never a allow myself or my family to be touched again.' Later, he joined the army and spent 11 years in the forces, honing his already formidable fighting skills. 'I learned all about martial arts [in the army],' he says. 'I wanted to be so strong and powerful. I wanted to be a ninja master and learn how to overcome my physical limitations.' Now according to Mr Andre, his ninja skills have become second nature to him whether creeping undetected through the shadows or reading the wind. 'It's a consciousness now,' he adds. 'When I go out in the shadows, I know how to read the wind, the omens - it is a skill and it's inspiring. It's like a patrol, a ninja walk. I go out to meditate and use my skills.' Important: Mr Andre says many of the people who he meets are suicidal and just need a sympathetic shoulder . And, says Mr Andre, his family are happy to get involved too. 'My family are used to me now,' he chuckles. 'My mum even . started trying to develop the skills herself, although I think they are quite surprised that I'm still doing it [being a ninja] after all these years.' Shocked or not, Mr Andre says they can expect his crime-fighting career to continue. 'I can't stop - it's the essence of who I am,' he explains. 'Some people think I might have been a ninja in a past life. Either way, it's who I am and I'll never stop.' Ken Andre appears on Outsiders With Darren McMullen, Friday 10th May at 10pm on FOX . | Ken Andre, 35, a doorman from Weymouth, is one of the UK's only ninjas .
Goes by the ninja name of Shadow and regularly patrols the streets .
Calls the police if necessary but has been known to get involved himself .
Mr Andre says many of the people he helps are suicidal and on the clifftops . |
251,390 | d16665fd596e64c7a702f241697c89f3f8f953df | A family has begged for the speed limit to be cut outside their house after ten serious crashes in 18 months. The Pinnocks from Wickford, Essex, say it is only a matter of time before somebody is killed after another head-on crash last week left two people in hospital. They have taken pictures of almost all the accidents, including one which left a car on its roof, another smashed into a tree and one vehicle that destroyed their fence and ended up in their garden. Dangerous: An Essex family says that somebody will soon be killed after ten crashes in 18 months outside their home, including several who smashed through their fence and into their garden . Black spot: These two cars were totalled on February 7 2014 at 6am - which has led to calls for a cut in the speed limit from 60mph . Latest incident: Police inspect a vehicle after a crash that led to two men being taken to hospital last Tuesday . Alison Pinnock, 47, said: 'There have been 10 accidents on this stretch of road, in the past 18 months. 'A number of them have ended up with cars crashing in to our garden. 'We have written to the council a number of times about the problems here. 'We want to see the speed limit reduced from 60mph to 40mph or 30mph. People are just driving along here too quick. Dramatic: This vehicle was left on its roof following an accident ion December 1 last year. The family living next to the crash site say it will inevitably cost lives sooner rather than later . Another fence destroyed: This lorry piles into the Pinnocks' garden near Basildon in Essex on February 13 . In bad shape: This transit van was destroyed in yet another crash on December 30 last year, and the local council has now confirmed plans to improve the road . Another casualty: This smashed estate vehicle is towed away and just last week two people were treated in hospital after another crash on December 1 last year . 'We are frightened it is just a matter of time before someone is killed.' Councillors say highways engineers will be looking at changing the layout of the road as part of the redevelopment of the nearby Runwell Hospital site. Decimated: Vehicles have regularly lost control and smashed into the family's fence. This picture was taken after a crash in February last year . Last week two people were taken to hospital, one with serious injuries, following a head-on smash on the same stretch of road. Malcolm Buckley, Basildon Council member for regeneration said: 'There has been a proposal to for the entry to the site to be moved down the hill, from the Toby Carvery. 'We are also considering weight restrictions on Runwell Road to discourage people from using it as a cut through between the Rettendon Turnpike and Wickford. 'Changes to the speed limit would be part of the considerations by highways engineers.' Councillor Ray Ride, who represents Runwell, said he was aware of the problems in Runwell Road and was working with councillors at Basildon and County Hall. He said: 'It is a dangerous spot with a record of accidents all affecting the Pinnock's home. 'Within the redevelopment of the Runwell Hospital site, which is imminent, road improvements will go in. 'Those might well assist my view that there should be further protection for the Pinnock family and their neighbours. 'We are looking at what options are available.' The Pinnocks family are urging the council to reduce the speed limit after the following 10 crashes occurred outside their property within an 18-month period. 30 Nov 2012 - 5.30am, car overturns onto roof and driver is taken to hospital for treatment1 Dec 2012 - 1.30am, silver Ford hatchback crashes and leaves man trapped inside 1 Dec 2012 - 4.30am, blue hatchback crashes and knocks out electricity in the area 30 Dec 2012 - 9.20pm, white Ford Transit crashes15 Jan 2013 - Car spins around in road and crashes into next-door neighbour's tree3 Feb 2013 - 3.20am, crash outside property, no further details7 Feb 2013 - 6am, Ford Ka and another vehicle crash. Driver of Ka cut free. Road closed and electricity supply down13 Feb 2013 - 6am, lorry ploughs through garden fence1 April 2013 - 10.45am, car towing a caravan is involved in a collision with a cyclist11 May 2014 - Two-car collision, with one vehicle ending up in Pinnocks' garden . | Pinnocks from Essex say 'just a matter of time before someone is killed'
They have taken photos of the series of smashes outside their home .
Council have confirmed plans to change roads after ten serious crashes . |
265,583 | e3f5aa99450f4bee6c47e748589a54a1186e9e3f | Washington (CNN)Legislation to approve the Keystone XL pipeline is headed back to Congress after President Barack Obama vetoed the bill Tuesday. Obama's veto of the bill comes after a yearslong debate on the controversial pipeline which ultimately handed a legislative victory to proponents of the pipeline after Republicans took control of the Senate in January. The House and Senate may have come together to send a single piece of legislation to Obama, but don't expect that agreement to lead to construction permits for the pipeline project that would ship crude oil from Canada to U.S. refineries on the Gulf Coast. Republicans may have enough Democratic support to clear a filibuster, but they'll be hard-pressed to find the 67 votes to override a veto. So what's the big fuss? Why is this one pipeline such a contentious issue and is it really worth the fight for opponents and advocates of Keystone XL? Let's break it down: . How long would the Keystone XL pipeline be? TransCanada's full-fledged Keystone Pipeline system is waiting for U.S. approval to finish construction on 1,200 miles of pipeline known as Keystone XL -- the final piece of a 3,800-mile pipeline network. Wait. There's already a Keystone pipeline? That's right. Keystone XL represents just under a third of the entire Keystone project, and every other piece of pipe has been built and laid out. In fact, TransCanada's pipeline system is already shipping hundreds of thousands of barrels of crude oil from the Canadian oil sands across the U.S. border -- and into Illinois. The current Keystone XL proposal would run the pipeline through Montana, South Dakota, Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas . Oil sands ... that sounds familiar. That's because oil sands are one of environmentalists' biggest gripes over the proposed Keystone XL pipeline since extracting crude oil from the oil sands (oil + sand = oil sands) pumps about 17% more greenhouse gases into the air than standard crude oil extraction, according to a State Department review of the project. And either way, the State Department concluded the oil sands will be developed regardless of whether the pipeline goes through. But that's not all that's prompted environmentalists to protest Keystone XL and deploy an inflatable pipeline on Sen. Mary Landrieu's front yard last November when she was leading the charge to pass the bill. Environmentalists, local residents and indigenous tribes are also protesting the pipeline's planned route, which would cut across the Ogallala Aquifer, which is one of the world's largest. Aqui-what? Aquifer is just a fancy term for an underground layer of porous rock trapping large deposits of water that can often be accessed through wells -- there are about 2,500 within a mile of the would-be Keystone XL route. Aquifers are a key source of fresh water, and environmentalists are concerned the pipeline could pollute those reserves. But the State Department concluded in January -- amid continued objections from environmentalists -- that the impact on water quality "would be limited." You said indigenous tribes were also protesting the project? Yes. Native Americans are concerned about the societal impact of camps with thousands of construction workers living near their communities, which face a high rate of sexual assaults from non-indigenous men, representatives of the activist Wica Agli group said in an interview earlier this week. Angus King a 'no' on Keystone XL vote . And the pipeline would also run through the sovereign lands of some tribes. The Rosebud Sioux Tribe even declared that the House bill to approve Keystone XL last week amounted to a declaration of war. War? Sounds serious. If it comes to that, will the economic benefits be worth it at least? Depends what you consider to be "worth it." The State Department concluded in January the project would create about 42,000 jobs directly and indirectly during the construction phase (indirect: think commercial benefits for restaurants, shops, etc.). That total includes 3,900 construction jobs to actually build the pipeline. Fact checking Keystone jobs claims . All in all, the pipeline would inject $2 billion in total economic benefits, according to the State Department review. But once the construction -- which would last no more than two years -- wraps up, Keystone XL will have created just 50 permanent jobs -- the number needed to maintain the pipeline. Either way, the State Department's conclusions seriously undercut TransCanada's claims in 2011 that the project would create about 140,000 direct and indirect jobs. So if this pipeline goes through, what are the risks of an oil spill? Not too high. The State Department concluded the Keystone XL proposal "would include processes, procedures, and systems to prevent, detect, and mitigate potential oil spills." And will the pipeline help lower gas prices in the U.S.? Not really. The State Department said Keystone XL would have "little impact" on domestic gas prices. Alright, so the State Department released its findings on Keystone XL's impact in January. What's the hold up? The State Department concluded its review of the pipeline's impact in January, but was waiting on a Nebraska Supreme Court case over the pipeline's route to determine whether the pipeline project is in the U.S. national interest. That supreme court approved the pipeline's route through the state earlier this month, and the State Department has been reviewing that decision as it makes its final determinations. The State Department said the pipeline was not in the U.S. national interest in 2011, but TransCanada renewed its application in May 2012 after making changes to the proposed route. The State Department concluded in January 2014 that the Keystone XL pipeline would have a negligible impact on the environment . The White House has insisted it will let the State Department's process play it before Obama makes a final decision on whether or not to approve the pipeline. The State Department is expected to conclude its final review soon, once it finishes reviewing comments from various federal agencies including the Environmental Protection Agency, which urged the State Department in a February letter to reconsider the negative environmental impact the pipeline would have. Obama has said his top concern in making a decision will be "does it contribute to the greenhouse gases that are causing climate change." For now at least, Obama will veto the Congressional legislation and Keystone XL is facing a dim future. Why Keystone XL matters . | The State Department reported the project would have minimal environmental impacts .
Proponents have touted economic benefits, but the proposal would generate few permanent jobs .
The production of oil from oil sands emits more greenhouse gases . |
266,487 | e529c000e7e2a026242200e4ddbfaf6bb6da1a32 | By . Chris Waugh . They may be unfancied to win the World Cup as 150-1 outsiders but Mexico as good as it gets when it comes to the now ubiquitous 'selfie'. The Mexicans squad have become the latest side to try their hand at replicating the famous Oscar 'selfie' - by snapping a photo with their President. Coach Miguel Herrera captured the moment his squad met President Enrique Pena Nieto during a pre-World Cup ceremony at the Palacio Nacional in Mexico City by grabbing a camera and taking a snap. Selfie: Mexico coach Miguel Herrera (front right) takes squad selfie with President Enrique Pena Nieto (centre) All smiles: Javier Hernandez was smiling ahead of the World Cup, despite enduring a frustrating season at Manchester United . Inspiration: Mexican President Miguel Herrera's presence led to the Mexico squad's selfie outside the Palacio Nacional . Snappy: Coach Miguel Herrera smiles for the camera and he will be hoping to be smiling after a successful World Cup . The selfie includes the Mexican . President, the national coach, Manchester United's Javier Hernandez, the . rest of the Mexico squad, as well as team coaches and staff. The original selfie was posted by Ellen DeGeneres at the 2014 Oscars and holds the record for the most retweets in history on Twitter. Mexico face a tough task to qualify from Group C as they open their campaign on June 13 against Cameroon before taking on home favourites Brazil and darkhorses Croatia. Mexico host Israel on Wednesday night and they have friendlies against Ecuador, Portugal and Bosnia-Herzegovina before flying to Brazil. Herrera's 23-man squad includes a blend of experience and youth- with some players having won 2012 Olympic gold and the Junior World Cup - with Hernandez pivotal to their hopes. Pivotal: Hernandez may have struggled at United this season but he has 35 goals in 58 internationals . The United striker has endured a frustrating season at Old Trafford but he has 35 goals in 58 internationals and is a favourite of Herrera. Chelsea's Eden Hazard captured a Belgium World Cup squad selfie featuring many Premier League stars to seemingly start a trend. Manchester United duo Adnan Januzaj and Marouane Fellaini, Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku and former Blues midfielder Kevin De Bruyne all feature in the photo. Picture perfect: Eden Hazard (front centre) started the World Cup selfie trend as he snapped his team-mates including Adnan Januzaj (centre middle), Marouane Fellaini (centre back) and Romelu Lukaku (back left) | Manager snapped the players leaving the Palacio Nacional in Mexico City .
Had been attending a pre-World Cup event with the Mexican President .
Mexico in Group C with hosts Brazil, Cameroon and Croatia .
They play Israel tonight in a friendly and Hernandez could feature .
Belgium's Eden Hazard set the trend for World Cup squad selfies . |
48,835 | 89dd474fc3d799a2ca76969c5d2564f97185185b | Beatles fans with very deep pockets are being given the chance to own the house where John Lennon wrote some of the band's most famous songs. The beautiful mock Tudor mansion in Weybridge, Surrey, was home to Lennon and his first wife Cynthia between 1964 and 1968. The 1920s era estate boasts six bedrooms, a swimming pool, 1.5 acres of well-manicured, landscaped garden and a £15 million price-tag. Kenwood: John Lennon's former home in Weybridge, Surrey . Sprawling: The estate boasts 1.5 acres of 'well-manicured, landscaped gardens' Good neighbourhood: Kenwood was a stone's throw from Ringo Starr and George's Harrison's country piles . The property, named Kenwood, is described by estate agents Knight Frank as a 'luxuriously finished family home'. Happy couple: John Lennon with his first wife Cynthia, with whom he bought Kenwood . Originally called the Brown House, it . was designed by architect T.A. Allen, and built in 1913 by local . builders, Love & Sons. It was re-named former owner by Ken Wood, founder of the famous . food mixer company, when he owned the property. John Lennon bought the house for £20,000 on July 15th, 1964, on the advice of The Beatles’ accountants, Dr. Walter Strach, and James Isherwood. Cliff Richard and . Tom Jones had earlier bought homes on the St George’s Hill estate. It's also close to Sunny Heights, . the former home of Ringo Starr, and a short drive from Kinfauns, George . Harrison’s former home in Esher. During his time there, Lennon wrote a number of tracks for The Beatles' Sgt Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album. The house features also in scenes from a home movie which featured in the film Imagine: John Lennon. According to music legend, the rock icon spent . several days in the house taking drug LSD before proclaiming himself the . reincarnation of Jesus Christ to the rest of the Beatles. Lennon met Yoko Ono while living at Kenwood, which contributed to the downfall of his marriage to Cynthia. It's has been claimed Cynthia returned from a holiday to Greece and . discovered her husband and Ono in a compromising position and under the . influence of drugs. Luxurious: The indoor pool is a more recent addition. In Lennon's time the swimming pool was outdoors . Bargain: Lennon bought the house for £20,000 and sold it for £40,000 . One of six bedrooms: Lennon's first wife Cynthia caught him at the house in a compromising position with Yoko Ono . Though he reportedly regarded Kenwood as a 'stop-over' on the way to something better, Lennon spent twice the original . £20,000 purchase price on renovations, reducing its 22 rooms to 17, . landscaping the grounds and building an outdoor swimming pool. Much of the initial decoration was . left to interior designer Kenneth Partridge, whom Lennon employed after . being impressed by his design work at a lavish party held by Beatles’ manager Brian Epstein to celebrate the Beatles’ departure for their . first tour of the USA. However, when Partridge had completed . his work, Lennon and then-wife Cynthia immediately made a number of . further alterations and Cynthia’s mother was given an allowance to fill . the shelves of the house with antiques and antiquarian books, and a . heavy sliding wooden door was installed at the gate entrance to keep out . fans. On camera: Kenwood features in scenes from a home movie which appeared in the film Imagine: John Lennon . All in the name: The house was named Kenwood by a former owner, the founder of the Kenwood food mixer company . Kenwood has three floors and on the . ground floor during the Lennon period the front door opened on to an . entrance hall, where he placed a suit of armour and a gorilla suit. The . sun room was filled with articles such as a large, ornate cross, a . Mickey Mouse doll and a mortar and pestle, reportedly used by Lennon to . mix various combinations of cocaine, amphetamine, barbituates and LSD. There was also a yellow sofa or . chaise-longue upon which Lennon would spend much of his time. It was a . present from his aunt, Elizabeth Smith (nee Stanley) also known as Mimi. Behind the sunroom was the split-level . kitchen where state-of-the-art appliances were installed, so complex . that a tutor had to come and give the Lennons lessons in their use. Drugs: Lennon reportedly spent several days in the house taking drug LSD before proclaiming himself the reincarnation of Jesus Christ to the rest of the Beatles . Rising prices: The house has changed hands several times since lennon sold it. It was last sold in 2007 for £5.8 million . The house had six bedrooms, with five on the first floor. The giant master bedroom featured a huge double bed, white carpets and an en-suite bathroom complete with sunken bathtub, shower, Jacuzzi and ‘his and hers’ wash basins. Lennon wanted the guest bedrooms to contain works of art by students of the Liverpool Art College. In particular, two drawings by former Beatles’ bassist Stuart Sutcliffe were hung, for what Lennon described as 'sentimental reasons'. The first floor also had a study. On the top floor was the attic, which Lennon claimed as his own, painting the ceiling one bright colour, then changing to another when the paint ran out, and installing most of his musical equipment there. Lennon moved out of the house after his split from Cynthia and it was sold for £40,000 to Bill Martin, writer of songs such as 'Puppet on a String' and 'Congratulations'. It’s changed hands several times since then, and last went on the market, with an asking price of £5.95 million, in 2006 and was sold in January 2007 for £5.8 million. | Lennon lived in Weybridge, Surrey mansion between 1964 and 1968 .
Pop icon wrote a number of Beatles hits at the house . |
269,940 | e99a05a49a6c909d0e8dffa63f1e67797a27b078 | A swarm of locusts has crossed the border from Egypt into neighbouring Israel, raising fears that the country could be plagued by the insects over the forthcoming Passover holiday. A swarm of an estimated 30 million insects had been devastating crops in Egypt putting authorities in Israel on high alert. But a smaller swarm of some one million locusts has now hit Israel. Scroll down for video . Swarm: Locusts cluster on the ground in the Israeli village of Kmehin in the Negev Desert near the Egyptian border . Infestation: Locusts hang on a tree as a swarm arrives in Israel near the Egyptian border . Holiday food: Locusts are not only delicious, local Israeli chefs say, but also kosher and the perfect treat . Damaging: A swarms of locusts fly near Kadesh Barnea, in Jerusalem, Israel, yesterday after crossing the border from neighbouring Egypt . The country's Agriculture Ministry sent out planes to spray pesticides over agricultural fields on Monday to prevent damage by the locusts and set up an emergency hotline and asked Israelis to report sightings. The insects covered nearly 2,000 acres of desert overnight, officials said. Israel sprayed pesticides from the air and land to try to kill them in the early morning before dew on their wings dried and they could take off again. Miriam Freund, director of plant protection in the Agriculture Ministry, called it a 'medium-sized swarm' and her office set up a hotline for farmers to call in case they see it advance. 'We hope our actions are effective,' one of the pilots of a plane spraying the fields said on Army Radio. 'Let's hope the damage will be minimal.' Emergency measures: The agriculture Ministry has described the swarm as 'medium-sized' and is currently taking steps to protect crops . Beseiged: An Israeli motorcyclist negotiates the road despite a plague of locusts surrounding him . Super swarm: More than one million locusts have crossed the border from Egypt to Israel . Assessment: Two Israelis stand keep watch of the activity of the swarm close to the border with Egypt . Reports suggest that the insects are mainly concentrated in areas of southern Israel, but sightings have been reported elsewhere. The locust alert comes ahead of the week long Passover festival, which recounts the biblical story of the Israelite exodus from Egypt. According to the Bible, a huge swarm of locusts was the eighth of 10 plagues God imposed on Egyptians to persuade Pharaoh to free the ancient Hebrews from slavery. Pharaoh did not agree to let them go until after the 10th plague, the death of the first born in every Egyptian family. This year Passover begins on March 25. Pesticide spray: A light plane sprays deterrent on the ground in Israel near the Egyptian border in a bid to clear the swarm before Passover . Climbing trees: The locust swarm is damaging wildlife and authorities fear it could harm the Passover holiday in three weeks . Crackdown: A man holds locusts as the swarm is tested on the Israeli border with Egypt . Alert: Around 2,000 locusts have been spotted in Israel sparking fears that the country could be plagued by the insects come Passover week later this month . Pest: A locust sits on crops at a farm in the southern Gaza Strip today . Egyptian Agriculture ministers had said that the locusts pass through their country as part of their normal migration from north east Sudan to Saudi Arabia, emphasising that Egypt was just ‘a transfer station’ for the locusts, which were in larger . numbers this year. As the insects descended on agricultural farms in Giza and in Cairo, causing significant damage, it sparked fears that they could spread to Israel. Those fears have now escalated with the first insects spotted in the country yesterday. On the road: A road in the Negev desert is swamped by locusts as a driver passes through the swarm . A close up shot of the locusts which crossed the border into Israel on Monday . Passover plague: The bugs have fueled apocalyptic fears because of the infestation's proximity to the Bible story of Passover in which a swarm of locusts, the eighth of ten plagues, is imposed on Egyptians by God for enslaving and abusing ancient Hebrews . In a statement from the Food and . Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations, the infestation was . described as a ‘immature swarm’ which ‘appeared in the afternoon (on . March 2) in the eastern Cairo districts of New Cairo and Mokattam and . dispersed into several smaller swarmlets’. The statement read: ‘The locusts . originated from breeding that has been in progress since November in . southeast Egypt between Berenice and the Sudanese border. Killing crops: As the locusts have descended on agricultural farms in Giza and in Cairo, they have caused significant damage to agriculture . ‘As . vegetation dried out, small groups and swarms of immature adults moved . slowly north along the Red Sea coast, reaching Marsa Alam on 8 February, . Hurghada on the 16th and Zafarana on the 26th.’ As well as Israel, Lebanon and Jordan have been alerted. In Cairo, people had been burning tyres to . create black smoke to deter the locust from settling and there were . reports that swarms had been seen in Zafarana, about 124 miles from . Cairo, on the Red Sea and in the city of Qena, where the insects have . been sighted in at least three villages. According to the Israel National News, . the Egyptian Agriculture Minister Dr Salah Abd Al Mamon said: ‘Egyptian . armed forces and border guards are attempting to fight the swarm with . all means at their disposal. ‘I ask the families living in the locust-plagues areas not to burn tyres. This does not chase away the locusts, but only causes damage and could ignite large scale fires that would cost in lives.’ He said that strong winds were predicted in weather forecasts and he hoped that this would force the insects to migrate toward the Red Sea and Saudi Arabia. Crop duster planes were also going to be used to handle the infestation. Egypt and Israel was infested with . locusts in 2004. Israeli agriculture officials sent crop dusters into the . air to spray against the locusts that swept in from North Africa in the . first such invasion since 1959. The Egyptian Agriculture Ministry said that the locusts pass through the country as part of their normal migration from north east Sudan to Saudi Arabia, reaffirming that Egypt is just 'a transfer station' for the locusts . Farmers in 15 out of the 27 Egyptian governorates suffered significant agricultural damage as the insects devoured crops and flowers. The infestation comes as a study warns that yellow-legged Asian hornets that prey on bees are among the latest non-native species threatening UK wildlife, and even people’s health. A growing number of alien species, from killer shrimps to Spanish slugs, are set to soon reach our shores, a Europe-wide study warns. The Asian hornet, which grows to between 2.5cm and 3cm (1-1.2 inches), preys on native honeybees, wasps and other pollinators, potentially devastating hives and threatening honey and crop production. Battle with the bugs: Residents in Cairo burn tyres to create black smoke to deter the locust settling there as Israel's Agriculture Ministry set up an emergency hotline and urged residents to be vigilant in reporting sightings of the insects . Swarms descending: A swarm of an estimated 30million locust has descended on Egypt (including these insects seen over the Al-Mogattam district of Cairo) as Israel braces for the infestation to head their way . Plague: An illustration of the plague of locusts from a medieval Bible . The locust swarm has crossed into Israel just weeks before the Passover festival, which commemorates the biblical story of the Israelite exodus from Egypt. According to the Biblical book of Exodus, a swarm of locusts was inflicted on Egypt as one of ten deadly plagues sent by God to persuade the Pharaoh to release the Hebrews from slavery. The plagues included a plague of frogs, darkness and boils. The swarm of locusts was the eighth plague and began on the first day of the Hebrew month of Shevat. As with previous plagues, the Pharaoh was warned of the impending punishment by Moses. After having suffered enough, Pharaoh's officials begged him to let the Israelites go, but he would still not give in. He proposed a compromise to release the men but keep women, children and livestock. Despite Moses reiterating the warning that every last person had to be released, the Pharaoh refused to give in. The swarm of locusts cast a shadow over Egypt according to the Bible and consumed all the nation's crops. Pharaoh relented and God sent a wind that blew the locusts into the Red Sea. But the Pharaoh changed his mind and two more plagues were sent. The final plague, the death of the firstborn saw God tell Moses to inform all Israelites to put lamb's blood on their doors to spare their firstborn children from death. The Pharaoh was finally convinced to let the Israelites go and Moses led them from Egypt. | A small swarm of 2,000 locusts has been spotted near Jerusalem .
Israel's Agriculture Ministry set up an emergency hotline and task force .
The swarm was estimated to be made up of 30million insects while in Egypt .
The infestation has been devastating crops in Egypt ahead of Passover . |
167,725 | 64ee10dd235482d114e687bd3c2210ec1d228b63 | By . Chris Brooke . Last updated at 10:20 AM on 15th September 2011 . A philandering music teacher sobbed as he told police how he killed his fiancée after she ‘lashed out’ at him in an argument over the care of their daughter, a jury heard yesterday. Andrew Lindo, 29, described graphically how he first tried to strangle Marie Stewart at their home before battering her with a Winnie the Pooh chair and eventually stabbing her. Lindo claimed Miss Stewart, 30, the mother of his two children, had generally become ‘abusive, insulting, rude and demeaning’ towards him. Killed: The body of Marie Stewart was found after seven weeks; Andrew Lindo told police how he had killed her after they had an argument . He told police he had been driven to infidelity by his partner’s jealousy and concern about who he was texting. Describing the row in the bedroom that led up to the alleged murder, Lindo said Miss Stewart got ‘really angry and lashed out at me, hitting me. I was getting more and more upset. She just kept hitting me and I grabbed her arm.’ Lindo said he then grabbed his fiancée around the throat. ‘I just kept squeezing and squeezing and squeezing,’ he told police. ‘When I let go I was thinking “this is just a nightmare, this is just horrible’’.’Lindo dragged Miss Stewart downstairs but she started making ‘gurgling’ noises and he tied a belt around her neck to try to make it stop. Grief: Katie Stewart and Robert Stewart, the father and sister of murder victim Marie heard all the sordid details . In the dark: Marie Stewart's mother Helen at Bradford Crown Court, and right, Angela Rylance, the woman whom Andrew Lindo was having an affair with . But the noises continued and he thought ‘I’m obviously s*** at strangling you, I’m going to hit you’ and he picked up his daughter’s wooden Winnie the Pooh chair and struck Miss Stewart about the head, Bradford Crown Court heard. He said: ‘I just wanted her to shut up, just wanted her to be quiet, I just wanted the nightmare over.’ Lindo told police he dragged her into the garage and decided to cut her throat. ‘I put some bubble wrap round her face because I didn’t want her to look at me,’ he said. He grabbed a knife and ‘jabbed it in’. Then he put her body in a Virgin Atlantic flight bag and hid it at the back of the garage. ‘I wanted to lock the door and pretend it never happened.’ Scene of the crime: The house at Holmfirth, Huddersfield, where the body of Marie Stewart was found in a suitcase in the garage . He said he’d hoped to convince people she had run away with another man so that he could get on with his life with the children and he tried to ‘ignore’ the fact he had a dead body in the garage. But Miss Stewart’s family became increasing suspicious of her disappearance and seven weeks later police found the body. Lindo was having an affair with cashier Angela Rylance – who believed he was a single parent – at the time and had previously cheated on his fiancée with other unsuspecting women, the court has heard. Lindo told police he and Miss Stewart were sleeping apart after the birth of their second child. ‘We were in the house but we weren’t together,’ he said. ‘She went insular and very demonstrative towards me and insulting me – generally abusive,’ he said. ‘Her behaviour was so rude and so demeaning towards me.’ Lindo told police Miss Stewart was not maternal towards their children and he suspected she had mistreated their three-year-old daughter. He appeared to blame his fiancée for the affair with Miss Rylance as well.‘I just felt dogged,’ he said. ‘Marie was obsessed about my phone and about who I was texting when I was texting.’ He added: ‘It was almost as if I thought, well you know, b******* to it if you think I’m having an affair then.’ Lindo, of Holmfirth, West Yorkshire, denies murdering Miss Stewart last December but has admitted unlawful killing. The case continues. | First tried strangling her, before battering her with Winnie the Pooh chair and then stabbing her .
Told police he was driven to infidelity by his partner’s jealousy and concern about who he was texting . |
148,595 | 4c25debfe1bf29f2c8ea3e76a7988ed676df5289 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 08:07 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:57 EST, 14 November 2013 . A businessman sold a lump of clay instead of an iPad by Tesco was arrested on suspicion of fraud when he complained to the supermarket giant. Colin Marsh, 47, paid £470 for the Apple tablet computer in Whitstable, Kent, as a Christmas present last year for his young daughters - but he opened the box to find it contained three lumps of clay. The father, who runs two bakeries, immediately took it back to the store for a refund - but instead of reimbursing him, Tesco staff became suspicious and reported him to Kent Police. Arrested: Colin Marsh (pictured with his wife Sam and daughter Maddie) paid £470 for the Apple tablet computer in Whitstable, Kent - but he opened the box to find it contained three lumps of clay (seen in this image) Two days later Mr Marsh, father to Maddie, 11, and Daisy, eight - got a call asking him to report to his local police station where he was held for three hours, and accused of trying to scam Tesco. He spent two months on bail before being told he faced no further action. The iPad that should have been in the box was tracked down to Wales, more than 200 miles from where he had bought it. Mr Marsh, who has since got his money back, said: ‘You just can’t treat people like that. It’s absolutely disgusting. I couldn’t believe it when I saw what was inside the box. 'Maddie was devastated. I took it back to Tesco, but they said they couldn’t give me a refund and would need to carry out an investigation. Three lumps of clay: Tesco staff became suspicious and reported Mr Marsh to Kent Police . ‘Two days later, I got a call at about 8pm from the police asking if I could come down to the station to answer some questions. I just thought they wanted to know what had happened. ‘But the next thing I know I’m being bundled into a cell. I was in there for three hours. It was then they told me the iPad had been activated in my name. I just thought “how can that possibly be?” ‘It didn’t make any sense. I’ve run my own successful businesses for 22 years, and I own my own house. Why would I want to scam Tesco out of a £470 iPad? I wouldn’t want anyone else to go through what my family and I have.’ Mr Marsh, who is married to hairdresser Sam, 45, bought the iPad just before Christmas last year. He went back to complain on Boxing Day but was told staff needed to ‘investigate’. Police then called him and he voluntarily attended Whitstable police station on December 28 where officers claimed the iPad had been registered to him. Mr Marsh remained on bail until February 14 when the missing tablet was found registered in Wales. A Tesco spokesman said: ‘We were very disappointed to learn that the product we sold to Mr Marsh had been tampered with. 'We would of course never knowingly have sold it to Mr Marsh and we apologise sincerely for the problems this has caused him. Difficulties: Mr Marsh bought the iPad just before Christmas last year from this store in Whistable, Kent. He went back to complain on Boxing Day but was told staff needed to 'investigate' Shock: Mr Marsh (right) - father to Maddie (left), 11, and husband to Sam (centre), 45 - got a call asking him to report to his local police station where he was held for three hours, and accused of trying to scam Tesco . ‘We immediately launched an internal . investigation into how this happened and shared the information we . gathered with the police, which we believe was the right thing to do. 'You just can’t treat people like that. It’s absolutely disgusting' Colin Marsh . ‘The police investigation and the actions they took are a matter for the police.’ A Kent Police spokesman said: ‘Mr Marsh was arrested on suspicion of fraud following information that the iPad in question had apparently been registered in his name at some time between 21 and 24 December 2012. ‘This was investigated and as soon as it became clear that Mr Marsh had not committed any offences, his bail was cancelled and he was informed police would not be taking any further action against him.’ | Colin Marsh, 47, paid £470 for iPad in Whitstable, Kent, last Christmas .
But father, who runs two bakeries, opened box to find it contained clay .
Took it back to the store but Tesco became suspicious and told police .
Police arrested Mr Marsh and said iPad had been activated in his name .
Tesco: 'We apologise sincerely for the problems this has caused him' |
208,063 | 9960723dc769424944b0acb6fdf838d2a977e246 | Florida Senator Marco Rubio admonished president Barack Obama today for going behind Congress's back to get missing soldier Bowe Bergdahl released. Rubio said Obama 'didn't follow the law' when he unilaterally made the decision to release five Guantanamo Bay detainees with ties to the Taliban in exchange for Sgt. Bergdahl. 'We have a law in this country, it says you have to notify [Congress] within in 30 days,' Rubio, a Republican on the Senate's Select Committee on Intelligence, told MailOnline. 'He completely ignored it. He's gone rogue.' Sen. Marco Rubio, pictured here at a rally for Republican senatorial candidate Joni Ernst in Urbandale, Iowa, told MailOnline on Tuesday that Obama 'ignored' the law when he went around Congress to negotiate Bergdahl's release . The National Defense Authorization Act requires the executive branch to give Congress 30 days notice before it frees prisoners from Guantanamo Bay. In the case of the Bergdahl trade, members of Congress received notice just hours before the deal was to occur. President Obama tried to play down the significance of his administration's actions today, saying at a press conference in Warsaw, Poland, this morning that Congress knew his office was considering a trade for 'quite some time' before it happened. Members of Congress dispute that claim. 'I don’t know what he means by consulted Congress for some time,' House Intelligence Committee Chairman Mike Rogers, a Republican, told MSNBC this morning. 'In 2011, they did come up and . present a plan that included a prisoner transfer that was, in a . bipartisan way, pushed back. 'We hadn’t heard anything since on any . details of any prisoner exchange,' he said. House Speaker John Boehner backed up his colleague's timeline of events this afternoon, saying in a statement that more than two years ago the administration had a discussion with members of Congress about a trade, but 'the administration deferred further engagement because the prospects of the exchange had diminished.' 'The administration provided assurances, publicly reiterated by the White House in June 2013, that its engagement with Congress would resume if the prospects for an exchange became credible again,' Boehner said, adding that 'the only reason it did not is because the administration knew it faced serious and sober bipartisan concern and opposition.' Senate Intelligence Committee Chairwoman . Dianne Feinstein offered reporters a similar version of events, saying that when the administration approached the House and Senate Intelligence Committees in 2011 'there were very strong views and they were virtually unanimous against the trade.' 'The notification to us is important and I think that it would have . been a much better thing to do because you do try to work together,' Feinstein said. Feinstein said Deputy National . Security Adviser Tony Blinken called her last night to beg pardon for not notifying her of the trade sooner. 'He apologized and said it was an oversight,' the Democratic senator said after her party's weekly policy luncheon. 'The notification to us is important and I think that it would have been a much better thing to do because you do try to work together,' Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Chairwoman Dianne Feinstein told reporters today after the Democratic Party's policy luncheon . Administration officials say the White . House kept the swap secret to ensure Bergdahl's safety, but Republicans . are questioning the accuracy of that claim. 'The administration has invited serious questions into how this . exchange went down and the calculations the White House and relevant . agencies made in moving forward without consulting Congress despite . assurances it would re-engage with members on both sides of the aisle,' Speaker Boehner said today. Obama didn't notify members of Congress about the trade until it was happening, . <!-- . /* Font Definitions */ . @font-face . {font-family:"Cambria Math"; . panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;} . @font-face . {font-family:"Segoe UI"; . panose-1:2 11 5 2 4 2 4 2 2 3;} . /* Style Definitions */ . p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal . {margin-top:0in; . margin-right:0in; . margin-bottom:8.0pt; . margin-left:0in; . line-height:107%; . font-size:11.0pt; . font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} . .MsoChpDefault . {font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";} . .MsoPapDefault . {margin-bottom:8.0pt; . line-height:107%;} . /* Page Definitions */ . @page WordSection1 . {size:8.5in 11.0in; . margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;} . div.WordSection1 . {page:WordSection1;} . -->but the deal, involving the U.S., Qatar and the Taliban, likely took weeks if not . months to engineer. It's a near certainty that Obama knew about the swap when he secretly had former Secretary of State and presumed 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton over for lunch two days before Bergdahl's release. South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham told The Hill it would be 'fair game' to ask Clinton if she did indeed know about the trade before it took place. 'This has ramifications long term for the U.S., this prisoner swap,' he said. 'If Mrs. Clinton remains politically active, people will want to know what her advice was on the subject,' Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions, who sits on the Senate Armed Services Committee, told The Hill. If Obama did tell Clinton, 'it would be outrageous that he . notified someone who's outside government before he would even notify . members of Congress, including the Chairwoman of the Intelligence . committee, for example, or the Speaker of the House, for that matter,' Rubio told MailOnline. A spokesman for the National Security Council wouldn't tell The Hill what Obama and Clinton discussed at lunch,and Clinton's spokesman ignored reporters' requests for comment on Bergdahl today. Asked at a lecture about Bergdahl yesterday, Clinton said Obama faced a 'tough' decision and its one she dares not question. 'I don't believe in second guessing people who have to make these hard choices,' Clinton said. | Lawmakers are upset with President Barack Obama for going around their back to get Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl released .
The president violated a law requiring him to give Congress 30 days notice before releasing prisoners from Guantanamo Bay, Republicans say .
'He completely ignored it. He's gone rogue,' Florida Republican Sen. Marco Rubio told MailOnline .
The White House has since apologized for the 'oversight' |
227,326 | b25a5f3a8f0b6a11e917f7f285019782e20e031d | England flag-bearer Nick Matthew kissed his right knee after beating fierce rival and compatriot James Willstrop to retain his Commonwealth singles squash title. Matthew, 34, only had knee surgery five weeks ago, yet came through a five-game thriller to become the first man since sprinter Darren Campbell in 2002 to carry the flag at the opening ceremony and go on to win Commonwealth gold. The world No 1, who fell out with Willstrop after sledging him in the 2009 British Open final, was taken into a deciding game by the 30-year-old, but came through 11-5. Court in the act: Nick Matthew celebrates winning Commonwealth gold in squash . Full English: England's Nick Matthew (C), James Willstrop (L) and Peter Barker cleaned up in the squash . VIDEO Commonwealth Games: Day 5 review . Matthew said: ‘James is so good that I can’t play good squash against him. He brings out the worst in me. All I can do is just whack it to the back because he’s so good. If it was a boxing match I think they would have thrown the towel in, but I managed to dig in. ‘I’m a Yorkshireman, an only child and a Leo. Put that together and you’ve got one hell of a stubborn so-and-so.’ In control: England's Nick Matthew (left) plays a shot during his gold medal match with James Willstrop (right) On the stretch: Willstrop (left) leans forward to make a shot at Scotstoun Sports Campus . England’s Laura Massaro, 30, suffered double pain as she was beaten 3-0 in the final of the women’s singles by world No 1 Nicol David and bashed in the face by her opponent’s racket. To make matters worse, Massaro then lost the point in question to the Malaysian after attempting to appeal to the video review system. ‘I was disappointed with that,’ said Massaro, who had a game point to go 1-0 up but then lost the next two games 11-2 and 11-5 in just 20 minutes. ‘But ultimately my squash wasn’t good enough today . . . a silver is probably about what I deserved.’ | Matthew wins 3-2 successfully defend the title he won in Delhi .
The match was a repeat of the Commonwealth final from four years ago .
England's Peter Barker won bronze to complete a clean sweep . |
219,101 | a7968e8622f76b3861a5b2874d513149aecba3c4 | By . Emma Reynolds . PUBLISHED: . 06:06 EST, 28 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:39 EST, 28 August 2012 . Washing your mouth out with soap is normally a punishment. Looking at these enticing glycerin sculptures, however, you might be tempted to try it. The impressive creations by Aubrey Stephens, from Connecticut, US, come in the shape of sushi, bacon and eggs, cereal and toast. Something fishy's going on here: Artistic Aubrey Stephens has recreated every detail of sushi in this soap, down to each tiny grain of rice . Cool things and hot stuff: If you know which side your bread is buttered, you won't try to eat these mouthwatering lollies or this tasty slice of toast . Just eggs-cellent: A morning shower is not complete without this detailed soapy replica of a fried breakfast . For those with a sweeter tooth, the tempting treats also come in the guise of all kinds of confectionery, from ice lollies and biscuits to iced buns and gummy bears. The 31-year-old has even made a soap that looks so much like a frosty pint you may want to drink it - as long as you like your beer fragranced with flowers. 'A few holidays ago I was scrounging around for something to make my mother,' said Ms Stephens. 'I had decided I wanted to create perfume and after researching that stumbled into the art of soap-making. 'The first thing I ever made was little blocks of soap for autumn - I was handing it out to anyone I ran into. Beer at bathtime: A chilled pint is just the thing to make you feel refreshed and relaxed . Sweetest thing: It would be pretty tough not to devour these scented cinnamon buns . 'I couldn't stop dreaming up new soaps and trying to make things as realistic as possible.' Ms Stephens takes inspiration from bakeries, . confectionery and well-known meals and snacks. She melts glycerin soap, adds . colouring dyes and fragrances, and then moulds into shape before adding the finishing touches to her unique designs. 'Then I package it up as lovely as possible, design tags for each and ship it off,' she added. Tea for two: These pretty mugs of herbal infusions are best served with piping hot water on a lazy weekend . Gummy soaps: But these glycerin neon sweets might not be as chewy as their sugary counterparts . 'I'm a total foodie and adore finding . family-run bakeries with little confectionery jewels, I love fragrances . as well, so this creative endeavour matched up all my loves. 'People often find the soap realistic so . now I always want people to absolutely know it's soap and not edible, I . make sure to label everything as clearly as possible. 'I have heard a few hilarious stories . about people getting very close to trying to eat some of my creations, . before getting stopped and having the jokester explain what it really . is.' | Scented snacks come in the shape of gummy bears, iced buns and beer .
Moulded from glycerin by talented Connecticut soapmaker . |
204,925 | 954ecaad43c89dff648109706e066ca40f65c55d | Washington (CNN) -- The Obama administration has released more once-secret national security documents, this time detailing the origins of increased electronic surveillance to collect foreign intelligence in the months after the 9/11 attacks. Director of National Intelligence James Clapper said Saturday in a statement that the material shows that President George W. Bush authorized spy agencies to collect contents of some overseas communications, as well as the bulk collection of domestic phone calls and e-mail metadata. The 10 documents show deep concern within the U.S. government over the possibility that other terrorist cells were operating in the United States, plotting a domestic attack like the ones that struck New York, Washington and Pennsylvania on September 11, 2001. One such document, from 2007, explains the government's concern: "We have numerous reasons to believe al-Qaeda is still plotting another attack on U.S. soil," then-DNI Michael McConnell says in a newly declassified declaration as part of an ongoing lawsuit over the telephone records. "Besides Bin Laden's own statements, his deputy, Ayman al-Zawahiri, issued threats against the United States and its interests and enjoined Muslims worldwide to take up violent jihad in more than a dozen audio or video taped statements in 2006 and at least four thus far in 2007." McConnell adds, "The (U.S.) Intelligence Community assesses al Qaeda is most likely employing a diversified operational planning model, involving multiple, probably autonomous concurrent efforts." The agency over the summer began selected release of documents, following a pledge by President Barack Obama to increase transparency. Large sections of the newly released material were blacked out to "protect information that remains properly classified for national security reasons and because of the great harm to national security if disclosed," said the office of the Director of National Intelligence. The disclosure that the National Security Agency has been collecting metadata has stirred provoked from civil liberty groups worried about the impact on privacy rights. Bush's initial unilateral executive action in 2001 on the metadata collection was replaced by congressionally mandated updates to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act. That revised law said federal judges working for a secret FISA court had to periodically approve the surveillance. Officials have previously said the changes to intelligence gathering and data collection proved key to stopping further incidents of domestic terrorism. "President Bush issued authorizations approximately every 30-60 days," the Director of National Intelligence office said Saturday in a statement. "Although the precise terms changed over time, each presidential authorization required the minimization of information collected concerning American citizens to the extent consistent with the effective accomplishment of the mission of detection and prevention of acts of terrorism within the United States." Obama said Friday that he was considering making changes within the National Security Agency, after a panel appointed by him made specific recommendations. Since former NSA contractor Edward Snowden leaked thousands of highly classified documents this year, the president and the intelligence community have promised greater public scrutiny of spying and anti-terrorist operations. | The documents detail the origins of heightened electronic surveillance after 9/11 .
Intelligence chief says President George W. Bush authorized the moves .
They included bulk collection of domestic phone calls and e-mail metadata . |
270,881 | eaddde10415d829f7bb402e4bfd55ae223d79c4f | By . Ellie Zolfagharifard . PUBLISHED: . 12:51 EST, 13 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 05:17 EST, 14 January 2014 . The keen eye of Nasa’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has spotted the Curiosity rover meandering towards a giant Martian mountain. Its tracks can be seen in two separate images taken by the spacecraft’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on December 11 2013. The images show where the rover has zigzagged around obstacles on its route toward the lower slopes of Mount Sharp, its next major destination. The Curiosity Mars rover and tracks left by its driving appear in this portion of a December 11, 2013, image. The rover is near the lower-left corner of this view. For scale, the two parallel lines of the wheel tracks are about 3 metres (10 feet) apart . HiRISE first imaged the Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft while it was descending on a parachute to place Curiosity on Mars 17 months ago. Since then, it has provided updated views of the one-tonne rover's traverse, as seen from orbit. In the first image, the rover is near the lower-left corner of this view. For scale, the two parallel lines of the wheel tracks are about 10 feet (3m) apart. Two parallel tracks left by the wheels of the Curiosity Mars rover cross rugged ground. The image was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera on Nasa's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter . The central panel of this graphic is a view from orbit that includes tracks of drives made by Nasa's Curiosity Mars rover in October to December of 2013. The six images at left and right are rover's-eye views at the locations marked with yellow letters A through F on the central panel. mage A is from Curiosity's rear Hazard-Avoidance Camera, Image C from the rover's Navigation Camera, images B, D, E and F from the rover's Mast Camera . Mount Sharp, also called Aeolis Mons, is a layered mound in the centre of Mars' Gale Crater, which rises more than 5km (3 miles). The mountain exposes many layers where scientists anticipate finding evidence . about how the ancient Martian environment changed and evolved. Mission . scientists want the Curiosity to climb up the mountain's lower reaches, . reading a record of the red planet's changing environmental conditions . as it goes. A second image shows the Curiosity rover's tracks as seen by the orbiter spacecraft, but not the rover itself. Curiosity arrived inside Mars' huge Gale Crater in late in 2012 with a mission to determine if the red planet could ever have supported life. The mission has since accomplished its goal, when it uncovered an area near its landing site called Yellowknife Bay which was found to be habitable billions of years ago. In July 2013, Curiosity rover left Yellowknife Bay and began heading for the base of Mount Sharp, which is about 5km (3 miles). Mount Sharp, in the middle of Gale Crater, exposes many layers where scientists anticipate finding evidence about how the ancient Martian environment changed and evolved. Scientists want the Curiosity to climb up the mountain's lower reaches, reading a record of the red planet's changing environmental on its way. Curiosity is due to reach the Mount Sharp's foothills — which are around 8.6km (5.3 miles) from Yellowknife Bay — around the middle of this year. Curiosity is due to reach the Mount Sharp's foothills - which are around 8.6km (5.3 miles) from Yellowknife Bay - around the middle of this year . | Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spotted Curiosity rover on December 11 .
It is due to reach the Mount Sharp's foothills around the middle of this year .
Once there, scientists want Curiosity to climb up the mountain, reading a record of the red planet's changing environment on its way . |
69,637 | c568dfc2d5bf617ce5d974197999dff4112cedd6 | By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 10:42 EST, 3 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:34 EST, 3 December 2013 . America’s school children are falling even further behind other nations in the core subjects of reading, mathematics and science, according to a new study released this week. The worrying data, compiled as part of the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), found that the academic performance of 15-year-olds in the U.S. has remained relatively flat in recent years, while other nations have experienced significant growth. With the results leave the U.S. floundering around the middle of the world’s sixty-five wealthiest nations, the top performers in all three subject areas were from Asia. The high achievers included Shanghai, one of three educational systems in China that participated, Singapore, the Republic of Korea and Japan. America's school children are falling even further behind other nations in core subjects such as reading, mathematics and science, according to a PISA study released this week . The under-performance of American 15-year-olds was most striking in maths, where the average score of 481 was well below the average of 494 . ‘We are not seeing any improvement in the U.S. … our ranking is slipping because other countries are improving,’ Jack Buckley, commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), told CBS News. The United States’ under-performance was most striking in maths, where the average score of 481 was well below the OCED average of 494. Just nine percent of 15-year-olds scored in the top two levels of proficiency in math, compared with an average of 13 percent among industrialized nations and as high as 55 percent in Shanghai, 40 percent in Singapore, and 17 percent in Germany and Poland. U.S. students' strongest subject was reading, a score of 498 was two points above the OECD average but well behind the leading nations. Japanese high school students: The high achievers in the PISA tests included Shanghai, one of three educational systems in China that participated, Singapore, the Republic of Korea and Japan . U.S. students' strongest subject was reading, with a score of 498, which was just above the OECD average but well behind the leading nations . The average U.S. score in science was 497, slightly behind the OCED average of 501 left the country in 28th position out of 65 countries. For the first time three U.S. states - Connecticut, Florida, and Massachusetts - received separate scores. Massachusetts’s average scores were higher than the U.S. and OCED averages in all three subjects, and Connecticut’s average scores were higher than the overall averages in science and reading. Florida fared less well and was below both the U.S. and OCED averages on all three subjects. The National Education Association, the nation’s largest teachers union, was quick to blame the poor results on the effects of poverty on American students. ‘The United States’ standings haven’t improved dramatically because we as a nation haven’t addressed the main cause of our mediocre PISA performance - the effects of poverty on students,’ said NEA President Dennis Van Roekel. NCES's Buckley noted that American . students from families with incomes in the highest quartile didn't . perform as well as students with similar backgrounds in other countries. The NCES noted that American students from families with incomes in the highest quartile didn't perform as well as students with similar backgrounds in other countries . The average U.S. score in science was 497, slightly behind the OCED average of 501 and 28th out of the 65 nations included in PISA assessment which was released on Tuesday . Stanford University economist Eric Hanushek warned that the lagging performance would eventually start to have an impact on economic growth. ‘Our economy has still been strong because we have a very good economic system that is able to overcome the deficiencies of our education system,’ he told the New York Times. ‘But increasingly, we have to rely on the skills of our work force, and if we don’t improve that, we’re going to be slipping.’ Just over 6,100 American students took . the PISA international standardized tests. The assessment is administered every three years and was . first implemented in 2000. NCES highlighted Ireland and Poland as examples of countries whose average scores were not drastically different from the U.S.'s in 2009, but both have passed the U.S. in all three subjects in the latest report. The assessment was developed and organized by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) and was implemented in the U.S. by NCES. | While the academic performance of 15-year-olds in other developed countries is improving, it has remained static in the U.S.
As a result the U.S. is losing ground and economists fear it will have a knock-on effect for the nation's prosperity .
The top performers across reading, maths and science were all from Asia, including Shanghai, Singapore, Hong Kong and Japan .
The U.S.'s under-performance was .
most striking in maths, where the average score of 481 was well below .
the average of 494 .
Three states received separate scores and Florida managed to under-perform the U.S. average on all three subjects .
The nation's largest teacher union has blamed the mediocre results on high poverty rates .
Even students from high income families did worse than those with similar backgrounds in other countries . |
56,455 | 9ff5803bbdac847217fb7bdda64785b9ccf40c35 | By . Paul Harris . When a 200ft pentagram-shaped crop circle appeared in his prized wheat field, farmer Henry Arden was livid. And the arrival of hordes of sightseers when pictures of it spread rapidly online did little to calm his temper. But now Mr Arden’s views on the mystical design have turned full circle – he admits he has ‘grown to love it’. The five-point star appeared last week in his field near Tetbury, Gloucestershire. Within hours it was photographed and logged on internet crop-circle sites. The 200ft pentagram-shaped crop circle, which appeared in a wheat field in Tetbury, Gloucestershire last week . The reports went viral – and soon the design was drawing the crowds. A party of French nationals turned up by coach, offering to pay for a viewing. A Lyon-based TV crew filmed it for the Discovery Channel and a group of unannounced visitors got an earful from Mr Arden when he caught them on his land. But the pentagram, widely used in paganism, Wicca and other religions, seems to have had a calming effect on Mr Arden. He and his girlfriend Sarah Jennings – temporarily separated following a ‘falling out’ – repaired their relationship after spending time enjoying its tranquility at the weekend. The mystical design, which is widely used in paganism, Wicca and other religion had visitors flocking to Henry Arden's prized field . Mr Arden, who is also a professional photographer, said: ‘Sarah and I spent a wonderful, peaceful four hours there, chilling out. It happens to be on a part of the farm that is astonishingly beautiful. ‘I don’t believe in mystic powers and I certainly don’t want people to think these things are made by aliens, which obviously they’re not. But I have to say, it looks great.’ The first Mr Arden knew about the crop circle was when he saw a helicopter hovering nearby. ‘I went up there and found the circle,’ he said. ‘I didn’t really want hordes of people trampling over our finest milling wheat. I was so angry about it I was really rude to some people. However, I’ve grown to love it for various reasons.’ The new circle is a few miles from the Prince of Wales’s Highgrove estate. Prince Charles, a keen agriculturalist, took a public interest in the once-mysterious crop circle phenomenon before it was proven to be no more than a series of man-made hoaxes. Nevertheless, perpetrators have since striven annually to create the biggest, best or most intriguing circles. This one is believed to be the latest in a succession recorded recently in Gloucestershire, Hampshire and Wiltshire. Alas, Mr Arden’s circle of love may soon vanish through a more traditional use of English wheat fields. He is about to harvest the grain. | Henry Arden discovered 200ft crop circle in his prized wheat field last week .
At first was angry that people had trampled all over his milling wheat .
Reports of the circle went viral and visitors started flocking to farm .
But after spending time enjoying circle's 'tranquility' has changed his mind .
Now he admits he has grown to love it but will be harvesting the grain soon . |
141,690 | 433c5729336144b4aed2a4a30e9ad0574d42069c | The photo of Ben Kopp, who died in Afghanistan in 2009 was found on dating site Plenty of Fish . Photographs of a fallen U.S. soldier have appeared on a number of dating websites five years after his death in Afghanistan. Ben Kopp, from Minnesota, died while serving as an Army Ranger and his mother posted several pictures of her son online to honor his sacrifice and keep his memory alive. But Jill Stephenson was devastated to learn that the photographs of her son have been used fraudulently, Fox9 reports. The deception came to light after a complete stranger found a profile on Plenty of Fish and sent a screen grab to Ms Stephenson. The profile picture for the account DavidMerced35 is actually a photo of Ben. 'It made me sick to my stomach, to be honest,' Ms Stephenson told the news channel. 'They say imitation is the greatest form of flattery, and in this case, I don't think it is.' Ms Stephenson also fears for the safety of those who the user may be communicating with under false pretenses. 'He's luring them with a photo of a man who looks nothing like him, so they think they are going to meet this young, good-looking guy and they could show up and not know who he is,' she said. The picture of Ben has also appeared on other dating sites - including DateHookup.com and OkCupid.com - and a number of Army Rangers and Ben's friends have contacted those sites to try and find answers. 'One of them I did see is dated November of December of 2013, so we're going back almost a year,' Ms Stephenson added. 'This guy has been at it for a while, and it's time he stopped.' Ms Stephenson has spoken with an attorney to see if there are any legal steps that can be taken against DavidMerced35. So far, the PlentyofFish profile has been taken down. Ben, who died in action in 2009, was honored for the multiple life-saving organ donations his death made possible at the Rose Bowl parade in 2010 and has also had a scholarship created in his name. The photo of Ben was used as the profile picture for the account DavidMerced35. His mother fears for the safety of those who the user may be communicating with under false pretenses . Since Fox 9 first revealed that Ben had been misrepresented online, Ms Stephenson has received a stream of letters from women who shared similar stories of meeting DavidMerced35 onlilne. 'There's so many women he's duped, not just one,' she said. Ms Stephenson was also greatly disturbed when she read of letters to learn that some of the women had sent the fraudster posing as a military man a care package. 'To get a woman to believe he's serving his country and he's not - and getting them to send care packages, wow,' she added. 'That's appalling to me.' One of the women named as Yolanda wrote to Fox 9 News to say that she met DavidMerced35 on Plenty of Fish and even spoke with him on the phone. However, she said that whenever she tried to meet him face-to-face, he always had an excuse. | Ben Kopp, from Minnesota, died while serving for the U.S. Army in 2009 .
His photo was discovered on Plenty of Fish and other dating websites .
Mother fears for safety of women duped by fraudster using her son's photo . |
164,293 | 607297f465ddf8d38f74845faf23f058008a994b | Iran started suspending high levels of uranium enrichment Monday as an interim deal struck with six world powers went into effect, state media reported, making way for more talks and fewer sanctions. All of its voluntary moves will be completed by Monday evening, Iran's nuclear spokesman Behrouz Kamalvandi told state-run news agency IRNA. The United States and European Union announced that they were suspending certain sanctions for six months as part of the deal. "In reciprocation for Iran's concrete actions, the United States and its P5+1 partners -- the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, and China -- as well as the European Union will today follow through on our commitment to begin to provide the modest relief agreed to with Iran," said White House spokesman Jay Carney. "At the same time, we will continue our aggressive enforcement of the sanctions measures that will remain in place throughout this six-month period." Iran stopped enrichment of uranium to the 20% purity level and disconnected cascades of centrifuges enriching uranium in Natanz, a top nuclear official told state-run Press TV. A centrifuge is a mechanism used to enrich uranium. "From now on, the centrifuges which were used for producing 20% enriched uranium will be used for enriching uranium to the 5% purity level," said Mohammad Amiri, a director in the nation's nuclear agency. Iran's nuclear capabilities . International inspectors were present when Iran started implementing the historic deal, Press TV said. The action is part of a six-month interim agreement that gives Iran and the other countries more time to negotiate a permanent solution. Iran struck the deal on November 24 in exchange for lighter sanctions. Tehran insists its nuclear program is for peaceful, civilian energy purposes, despite concerns from the West that it's a guise for working toward a nuclear weapons program. Nuclear power plants use uranium that is enriched to 5% as fuel to generate electricity. As part of the agreement, Iran must eliminate its stockpile of higher levels of enriched uranium, dismantle some infrastructure that makes enrichment possible, and allow broader and more intrusive inspections of its programs. The six nations and the European Union are reviewing a report by the U.N. watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, which provided details of the nuclear activities on the first day of the deal, according to the U.S. State Department. "This is an important day in our pursuit of ensuring that Iran has an exclusively peaceful nuclear program," said Catherine Ashton, the European Union foreign policy chief. She said she's optimistic a new round of negotiations could come soon. Obama makes case on why Congress should not add sanctions on Iran . "Depending on how things work out today, I hope that we will start talks in the next few weeks," Ashton said. If all conditions are met, Iran will get sanctions relief totaling about $7 billion, including access to $4.2 billion in frozen assets, during the six months the interim deal is in effect. "The psychological effects of the lifting of sanctions will create a new atmosphere in the country," said Iran's Deputy Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi, according to IRNA. For years, Iran and Western powers have left negotiating tables in disagreement, frustration and open animosity. The diplomatic tone changed last year when Iranian President Hassan Rouhani was elected. And the deal appeared to be on the right track Monday. As part of the deal, Iran was required to dilute its stockpile of uranium that had been enriched to 20%. While uranium isn't bomb-grade until it's enriched to 90% purity, "once you're at 20%, you're about 80% of the way there," said Mark Hibbs, a nuclear policy expert at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The deal also mandates Iran halt all enrichment above 5% and dismantle the technical equipment required to do that. World leaders applauded the interim deal after years of a stalemate. "For the first time in nearly a decade, we have halted the progress of the Iranian nuclear program," U.S. President Barack Obama said when the deal was announced in November. | U.S. and EU suspend some sanctions for 6 months .
All voluntary steps will be done by Monday evening, Iran says .
Iran struck the deal in November in exchange for lighter sanctions from Western powers .
State media: Iran starts eliminating its stockpile of higher levels of enriched uranium . |
223,383 | ad3279e1d1e6913b6779e2b50f70a8fc80d1ae45 | French forces who secured the site of a crashed Air Algerie flight in Mali found one flight recorder but no survivors, French President Francoise Hollande said Friday. Wreckage of the jet was found in a "disintegrated state" in Mali, he said, making it the third major international aviation disaster in recent days. "Regrettably, there were no survivors. I share the pain of the families, who are going through terrible hardship," he said. Hollande said the families of the French nationals aboard the plane -- the largest group from any one nation -- would be welcomed to the Foreign Ministry on Saturday to be given all the latest information. Airline authorities said Flight 5017 was carrying 116 people when it took off early Thursday from Burkina Faso to Algeria. Less than an hour into the flight, the aircraft, an MD-83, disappeared from radar after changing its flight path because of bad weather, officials said. The one "black box" recorder found so far is being taken to Gao, Mali, and will be examined as soon as possible, Hollande said. "What we already know is that the plane's debris is concentrated in a limited area," he said. "But it is still too early to draw any conclusions, they will come in time. There are hypotheses, including weather conditions, but we are not putting any of them aside because we want to find out everything that happened." The plane's wreckage was found in Mali's Gossi region, not very far from the border with Burkina Faso, according to the French President. Turbulent area . Radar contact with the plane was lost 50 minutes after takeoff from the Burkina Faso capital of Ouagadougou, authorities said. The jet was supposed to arrive later that day at Houari Boumediene Airport in Algiers. Mali is between the two nations. Though the cause of the crash is unknown, the flight path took the aircraft through a turbulent area hit by regular thunderstorms at this time of year, according to CNN meteorologist Mari Ramos. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said the cause of the accident was still unknown but that "significant storms were active in the area and the crew explicitly had the attention to reroute due to weather before losing contact with aircraft," according to CNN's French affiliate BFMTV. Differing accounts continue to emerge of the number and nationalities of people on the plane. Air Algerie said the plane was carrying 110 passengers and six crew members, but Hollande gave a different number. "My thoughts go to the 118 victims, those close to them and their families," he said. Hollande said 51 French nations were on board but at a news conference later Friday, broadcast by BFMTV. Fabius put the number at 54. Fabius said the aim was to bring the victims' remains as quickly as possible to Gao, so that they can be identified and returned to their home countries. Mamadou Zoungrana told CNN Canadian affiliate CBC that his wife and two sons were on the flight. She had wanted to leave on an earlier flight. "I didn't want to change the flight," he said. "I said it will be OK. Maybe if I canceled." The plane's departure country of Burkina Faso had 24 people aboard, the airline said, while Lebanon had eight. The passengers also included six Algerians; five Canadians; four Germans; two from Luxembourg; and one each from Mali, Cameroon, Belgium, Ukraine, Romania, Nigeria and Egypt, Air Algerie said. Air Algerie said all six crew members were Spanish. The plane belongs to a private Spanish company, Swiftair, but was operated by Air Algerie. Burkina Faso's Prime Minister Luc Adolphe Tiao said 28 of those aboard were from Burkina Faso, four more than the number stated by the airline. The presidents of the European Commission and European Parliament, Jose Manuel Barroso and Herman Van Rompuy, expressed their "deepest condolences" to the families of the victims in a joint statement Friday. "We also wish to express our sympathy and solidarity to the governments of all affected nations, including to the French and Algerian Presidents," they said. Burkina Faso: No link to our role in Mali . The wreckage was located by a helicopter sent by Burkina Faso, Tiao said, according to his government's website. He also said there was "no link" between the crash and the mediating role played by Algeria and his own country in the ongoing conflict in northern Mali between government forces, backed up by French troops, and Islamist militants. He said the three countries must work hand in hand to clarify the situation and support the families of the victims. Air Algerie's crash came less than 24 hours after a twin-engine plane crashed while attempting to land Wednesday in Taiwan's Penghu Islands, killing 48 of the 58 people on board, and a week after Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was downed in Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. Air Algerie, Algeria's national airline, flies to 28 countries. Until this week, the deadliest incident in the airline's history occurred in March 2003 when a domestic flight crashed after takeoff, killing 102 people on board. One person survived. The MD-83 is part of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 family of twin-engine, single-aisle jets. Opinion: Despite plane crashes, it's safe to fly . Taiwan plane crash kills 48 and injures 10 . What to know about commercial passenger plane crashes . | French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius puts number of French victims at 54 .
"We are ruling nothing out," French President Francois Hollande says .
Wreckage found in Mali, not far from border with Burkina Faso .
The plane disappeared from radar after changing its flight path because of bad weather . |
251,918 | d20c647e41a0df6d7254a8e97989a21d0c09e797 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:58 EST, 31 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:21 EST, 1 August 2012 . Playing dirty: Robert Hartshorne, former top scorer for non-league Glossop North End, controlled a gang who moved cocaine and other drugs around the north-west . A semi-professional footballer who lived a Premier League lifestyle while leading a £1m drugs ring has been jailed. Robert Hartshorne, former top scorer for non-league Glossop North End, was also the leader of a seven-strong criminal gang who moved cocaine and other drugs around the north-west. The 28-year-old, who plied his trade at several non-league teams, owned six houses worth over £600,000, while organising the gang in Hyde, Greater Manchester. When police stormed Hartshorne’s home . in Hyde, they found wardrobes brimming with expensive designer clothing, . over £30,000 worth of designer jewellery and photographs of his many . luxury holidays. The footballer was then arrested, and has since been jailed for 11 years. Officers tried to arrest Hartshorne . earlier as he met with someone at a takeaway in Hyde, but he ran away by . jumping over nearby gardens and fencing. His car was searched, where £5,000 in cash was found along with a passport. In a separate search, police stopped a car driven by another gang member on the A556 in Cheshire, and found £77,000 in cash stashed in a specially-modified boot compartment. Hartshorne was sentenced along with eight other gang members for supplying cocaine. Alan Page, 35, was the last member of the gang to be jailed after a long police investigation. The gang were sentenced to more than . 54 years in prison, after police seized over £900,000 worth of drugs and . £110,000 in cash in a long investigation. All members of the gang pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. Haul: Police recovered cash, including this stash of £77,000, during a long-term investigation into Hartshorne and his gang . Alan Page, Michael Gaskell, Sean Cannon, Michael Tingey, Douglas Merron and Stephanie Merron were sentenced at Minshull Street Crown Court. Ill-gotten gains: Police who raided the home of Robert Hartshorne found cash, designer clothes and jewellery . The investigation was launched in November 2010 when police stopped a car in Stockport and recovered a large bag of cocaine, which had a street value of more than £95,000. The fingerprints of Michael Gaskell were discovered on the bag, and the investigation uncovered the dealings of the gang led by Hartshorne. Officers swooped on houses and cars during the investigation, uncovering huge amounts of money and cocaine - up to £345,000 worth at one time. Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Rick Williams from Greater Manchester Police’s Force Drugs Unit said: 'This case clearly illustrates that GMP will go to great lengths in order to bring to justice criminals such as these, who seem to think they are beyond the reach of the law. 'Over many months, this group were evidenced running a highly organised drugs supply business, whereby high quality cocaine was diluted with cheaper adulterants in order to maximise profits and fund the lavish lifestyles of the ringleaders. 'It was the actions of Hartshorne and his criminal associates that caused misery to the lives of the law-abiding members of the local community, and it is for that reason that I take great satisfaction in the sentences handed down to them.' Star: Hartshorne played for several non-league teams and was Glossop North End's top scorer. Pictured, their Derbyshire ground, Surrey Street . Superintendent Neil Evans from GMP’s Tameside division said: 'Drugs are a major driving force behind many other crimes such as burglary, robbery and vehicle crime and so by targeting dealers, we are making our streets safer. 'These sentences just go to show that crime really does not pay and work will continue in Tameside through hard-hitting drugs operations to tackle those involved in this industry. 'We will also take back from them the money and assets they have made from their criminal dealings. 'If you have information on anyone who may be committing crime in your area, please call police in Tameside on 101.' | Robert Hartshorne, a former non-league striker, owned six houses worth over £600,000 .
Police who raided his house found designer clothes, jewellery and cash .
He was prime mover in criminal gang who were jailed for total of 54 years . |
275,091 | f0598379a98883d5828c597786e69163db40559b | Los Angeles (CNN) -- A Los Angeles judge ordered doctors to resume water, nutrition and medication infusions for Casey Kasem on Monday. The decision came during a hearing in which a lawyer for the iconic radio host's wife accused Kasem's daughter of denying food, water and medication to her father to hasten his death. Monday's hearing was the latest in a series of court battles over control of health decisions for Kasem, 82. He suffers from Lewy body dementia, which has no cure, according to court documents. The retired "American Top 40" host is in critical condition at St. Anthony Hospital in Kitsap County, Washington, where his wife, Jean Kasem, took him last month amid the legal dispute with her stepchildren. Kasem's children hope family will put aside dispute in his last moments . Kasem "won't be with us much longer," Danny Deraney, the representative for daughter Kerri Kasem, said Friday. Jean Kasem's lawyer Steve Haney called Kerri Kasem "a godless woman" after Monday's hearing, referring to his contention that she is a member of the Church of Scientology. Deraney denies that Kerri Kasem has ever been a Scientologist, adding, "She loves studying religions. Jean picked out the most controversial one to distract from what's really going on." Haney told reporters outside the courthouse that Kerri Kasem's motive for speeding up her father's death was financial. "She's in a pretty serious economic situation that would be dramatically improved as the result of her father's death," Haney said. She "could cash in immediately" on her share of a $2 million life insurance policy when he dies, he said. Kerri Kasem was in Washington with her father Monday and not at the hearing, but her lawyer defended her. "I think Kerri has conducted herself in a way that demonstrates she's solely concerned about the health of her father," attorney Troy Martin said. Martin attacked Jean Kasem for ignoring court orders and removing her husband from a Los Angeles nursing home "where he had no bedsores, where he had no infections, and took him on a road trip, over a thousand miles, to a place that wasn't his home, and didn't give him proper medical care." Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Daniel Murphy will reconsider at a hearing Friday who should make medical decisions for Kasem: his daughter, wife or a neutral party. He ordered Kasem's court-appointed lawyer to travel to Washington to assess his medical condition and try to communicate with him. "He's not a vegetable. He can communicate," his wife's lawyer told Murphy. But the daughter's attorney told the judge that was false. CNN's Matt Carey and Jane Caffrey contributed to this report. | Doctors stopped food, water, medicine infusions at daughter's direction, wife's lawyer says .
Kasem "won't be with us much longer," daughter's rep says .
A court-appointed lawyer will visit the radio icon to assess his medical situation .
Kasem suffers from Lewy body dementia, which has no cure, court documents say . |
165,310 | 61c0ea251b4072b6460d2e29f9aa449d1dc7f7f7 | (CNN) -- Call it the debate before the debates. In this corner: Alex Anderson, a college student in Hillsdale, Michigan, pulling for GOP presidential nominee Mitt Romney. In that corner: Omekongo Dibinga, a longtime iReporter from Washington and a supporter of President Barack Obama. Both had a chance to see their candidates' political conventions, as winners of the Your Political Ticket iReport contest. With that experience behind them, we asked them to go head to head on Google+ previewing Wednesday's first presidential debate. They are two of hundreds of iReporters who have added their views to the iReport debate, an eight-month project that invites voters to make their voices heard this election season. What to watch in tonight's debate . We came away with three main points from the conversation, some of which you can see in the video above. 1. How important is a 'personal connection?' "The biggest plus [Obama] has over Romney are the social issues," said Dibinga. "When you look at issues such as immigration and his educational stances, it seems to me that President Obama is in line with the majority of Americans." Anderson said that the president may be able to connect personally with Americans on certain issues and in speeches, but rhetoric and action are two different things. "Through his time at Bain Capital, with the Olympics and his time as governor [of Massachusetts, Romney] had results from his actions. Candidates 'tics,' actions matter in debates . 2. Weighing the past versus the future . Anderson echoed Romney's contention that Obama has not left Americans better off than four years ago. He said that Romney has laid out incentives as to what would happen under his presidency, and portrayed Obama as saying that Americans should "ignore" the past four years. Dibinga said that Obama can't tout unemployment in this country as long as it's over 8%, but at the same time, Romney cannot point to his record as governor. "Some things [he did] such as health care are similar to President Obama. Romney will increase our issues as to the rich getting richer and the poor getting poorer; setting women's rights back; and setting education back." 3. Debate the big picture . Anderson hoped the debates will help paint a better picture of each candidate's plan for America. He also hoped that "small things" like "tax returns and birth certificates" would not dominate the debates. On this point, Dibinga agreed. "No cheap shots. Romney and Obama have very different views on where the country should go. The issues are strong enough for Americans to decide for themselves." Watch the video and let us know who won the debate by commenting below, and share your question for the candidates here, and check out the top questions other iReporters want answered. | Two iReporters who attended political conventions debated on Google Plus .
Omekonga Dibinga, for Obama, said the president and Americans agree on many issues .
Alex Anderson, for Romney, said the GOP nominee has shown he can get things done . |
199,534 | 8e4c701a04a96723a3a1c5eb4a82f54df17e2f5d | Manchester City will be entitled to up to £2million if Gareth Barry signs for Everton upon the expiry of his contract this summer. The 33-year-old midfielder’s deal at the Etihad Stadium runs out at the end of June and he will then be free to talk with clubs in England and abroad as he looks to find a club ahead of the new season. Barry was on loan at Everton last season and he enjoyed an excellent campaign as Everton challenged for a Champions League place before ultimately just falling short in their attempts to secure a position in the top four of the Barclays Premier League. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Roberto Martinez say Everton are stronger with Gareth Barry . Windfall: Manchester City could cash in if Gareth Barry completes a move to Everton . Everton manager Roberto Martinez is hopeful of persuading Barry to sign on permanently at Goodison Park this summer but it might come at some cost to the Merseyside team. Sportsmail understands that as part of last season’s loan agreement, a clause was inserted that entitles City to a staggered windfall if Barry decides to join Everton. Gareth Barry spent a successful season on loan at Goodison Park after being deemed surplus to requirements . VIDEO Transfer round-up . If he signs a one-year deal at Goodison Park, City will scoop £1m but that figure will rise to £1.5m if the contract is a two-year agreement. If Barry signs a three-year deal, then Everton will be obliged to shell out £2m to the Manchester club. Ordinarily, clubs are reluctant to offer players in their thirties deals that go beyond a year and a three-year contract would certainly represent a deviation from the norm, but with Everton facing competition for Barry’s signature, they may be forced to offer him a deal that he cannot refuse. Barry is expected to renew discussions with Everton later this week. | Manchester City could cash in if Gareth Barry joins Everton next season .
Former England midfielder spent last season on loan at Goodison Park .
Part of loan agreement is believed to include payments should Barry sign permanently, structured according to length of his contract . |
271,246 | eb5add054b13636c87f9f82696091f9dd6abdf41 | By . Katy Winter . PUBLISHED: . 09:05 EST, 11 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:05 EST, 11 October 2013 . An overweight shepherdess who kept being outrun by her sheep can now keep up with the flock after losing six stone. Sadie James, 39, tipped the scales at 20st after years of eating rich dairy products like cheese. Her weight meant she found it difficult to herd her 62 pedigree sheep and often ended up out of breath when chasing after them. Shepherdess Sadie James with her husband Bernie James on their wedding day in April 1999 . Sadie James, pictured before her weight loss with one of her prize winning sheep (left) has dropped to a trim 13st 8lbs and size 14 . She embarked on a diet last year and after reigning in her love of cheese, she has dropped from a size 28 to a size 14. Sadie, from Melplash, near Beaminster, Dorset, is now a healthy 13st 8lbs and has been nicknamed the Real Slim Sadie by friends. She said: 'I breed and show a flock of pedigree sheep as a hobby and when they had lambs in the spring they used to outrun me. 'I haven’t got a sheepdog so I have round them up myself but I would look really silly because I couldn’t keep up with them, especially the lambs. 'I started putting on weight in my teens because I was eating the wrong things like lots of cheese and milk. Sadie, pictured with her prize winning pedigree sheep, found it increasing hard to keep up with her flock . 'In my late teens I started getting teased at school about my size and I was just known as the large, jolly one. 'I joined Slimming World once and lost about two stone but I didn’t have the motivation to keep it up, so I put the weight back on and more. 'The maximum weight I reached was about 20st and I started having health problems so my GP offered to put me on an NHS-funded diet plan for 12 weeks. 'This time I saw it through and I have got down to 13st 8lbs. Sadie can now keep up with the demand of the flock after losing an incredible 6st on an NHS funded 12 week diet . 'I met my husband when I started putting on the weight and by the time we got married I was much larger. Looking back at pictures, I look like a sack of spuds on my wedding day. 'I now look in the mirror and often don’t recognise myself and I’m still getting used to being slimmer. 'The hardest thing to cut back on has definitely been cheese and milk, I used to milk cows so the temptation to have a bit of milk was very hard to resist.' | Sadie began gaining weight in her teens by over-indulging in dairy foods .
The shepherdess reached 20st and couldn't keep up with her flock .
Doesn't use a sheepdog, instead rounding up her pedigree sheep herself .
Was put on a NHS funded diet and cut down on her beloved cheese .
Now weighs 13st 8lbs and has gone from a size 28 to a size 14 . |
193,497 | 868104e00a6dd52818dd10853bbc2909ba16198b | By . Sarah Griffiths . A new study claims that young adults who care for an animal have stronger social relationships . Plenty of children pester their parents for a puppy or kitten. And now it might be harder for parents to refuse their pleas as a new study claims that young adults who care for an animal have stronger social relationships. U.S. scientists also found that looking after a pet might also boost teenagers’ connections to their communities as well. Animals are used in therapeutic settings where they can have positive effects on children, but little is known about the benefits everyday interactions with animals can bring to young people. ‘Our findings suggest that it may not be whether an animal is present in an individual’s life that is most significant but rather the quality of that relationship,’ said Dr Megan Mueller, a developmental psychologist and research assistant professor at the Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University, Massachusetts, who co-authored the study. ‘The young adults in the study who had strong attachment to pets reported feeling more connected to their communities and relationships,’ she said. Dr Mueller surveyed more than 500 participants aged between 18 and 26 about their attitudes and interaction with animals, for the study which was published in online journal Applied Developmental Science. The young adults in the study who had strong attachment to pets reported feeling more connected to their communities and relationships. A stock image of young volunteers planting a tree is pictured . Their responses were compared to their answers to questions designed to measure positive youth development characteristics such as competence, caring, confidence, connection, and character, as well as feelings of depression. The study found that young adults who cared for animals reported engaging in more ‘contribution’ activities, such as providing service to their community, helping friends or family and demonstrating leadership, than those who did not look after a pet. The more actively they participated in the pet’s care, the higher they scored on their sociable deeds. U.S. scientists also found that caring for a pet (illustrated) might also boost teenagers¿ connections to their communities . The study also found that high levels of attachment to an animal in late adolescence and young adulthood were positively associated with feeling connected with other people, having empathy and feeling confident. ‘We can’t draw causal links with this study but it is a promising starting point to better understanding the role of animals in our lives, especially when we are young,’ said Dr Mueller. To further the research, scientists need to look at how specific features of human experiences are connected with animal experiences, as well as how these relationships develop over time, and look at a larger, more diverse sample of people. | U.S. psychologists claim that young adults who care for an animal have stronger social relationships .
Tufts University study finds that looking after a pet might also boost teenagers’ connections to their communities . |
117,162 | 23464b26d18dae52a94a025c0c10cc273a699ebf | Survivor: At 107 Austrian born Mr Engleitner is the world's oldest known holocaust survivor, and has had a film made about his unfailing faith . Handed a simple sheet of paper Leopold Engleitner was given a choice - renounce your faith, or face death in a concentration camp. With a flick of ink, the Jehovah's Witness could have saved himself from his unknown fate, a fate which saw him starved and forced to labour in not one but three Nazi prisoner camps. He refused. At 107 Austrian born Mr Engleitner is the world's oldest known holocaust survivor, and has had a film made about his unfailing faith. Now Mr Engleitner will be guest of honour at the film's LA screening where with help of an interpreter, he will be talking to audience members. Ladder in the Lions' Den charts Engleitner's journey as survivor of three concentration camps, Buchenwald, Niederhagen and Ravensbrueck. Born in 1905 with a curved spine and raised in a village not far from where Hitler grew up, the young Engleitner was horrified by the atrocities of World War I and joined the pacifist religious movement in the early 1930s. When Austria joined the German Reich in 1938, Jehovah's Witnesses were rounded up and unlike their Jewish counterparts, given a choice. They would be allowed to get out of the camps if they signed a paper - the Ladder in the Lions' Den - turning their back on their religion and joining the Nazis. According to the film, the Austrian Witnesses, including Engleitner, refused to do so, with many losing their lives. The film charts their story, and details Engleitner's own horrific ordeal. When Austria joined the German Reich in . 1938, Jehovah's Witnesses were rounded up and unlike their Jewish . counterparts, given a choice - your faith or your life . Trapped: Prisoners in block 61 of Buchenwald concentration camp in April 1945. The construction of Buchenwald camp started 15 July 1937 and was liberated by US General Patton's army 11 April 1945 . One scene documents the time when, starving on a march back to camp from hard labour, his testicle was crushed by an SS guard's boot, the San Gabriel Valley Tribune reports. The incident prevented . him from ever fathering children. Determined: Witnesses were told they would be allowed to get out of the camps if they turned their back on their religion. Engleitner refused . The documentary's narrator and script-editor, Frederic Fuss, said that among the things that captivated him from the beginning was 'the strength of Leopold's unbroken will and determination never diminished his positive outlook, and the intensity of his trial never made him bitter'. He added: 'Ladder in the Lions' Den takes a slice of Leo's experiences and puts them into a more direct historical context. 'You get to the significance of the stand he took as a conscientious objector, not going along with Nazism and and its ideals. 'The name Ladder in the Lions' Den is about Leo's experience as a Jehovah's Witness in the camps. 'A document was regularly presented to the Jehovah's Witnesses, who were conscientious objectors and who objected to the principles of Nazism, and they did not subscribe to any of the racist ideas. 'To get out of the camp, they were told 'just sign this document where you renounce your beliefs, say you go along with Nazism and go along with Hitler'. 'They [Jehovah's Witnesses] would also not say the 'Heil Hitler' greeting, and the film comments on that, that the words ascribe salvation to Hitler. 'They said, no, he's not God so we're not going to do that.' The survivor is still active and tours schools around his home country telling children 'You don’t need to go along with peer pressure, you can stick by your conscience.' Survivor: Leopold Engleitner survived three concentration camps including Ravensbruck (pictured) Horrific ordeal: Despite living through terrible times at three concentration camps including Niederhagen (pictured), Mr Engleitner is still active and tours schools around his home country . | Leopold Engleitner was given a choice - renounce your faith, or face death in a concentration camp .
The Austrian chose his religion and suffered at the hands of the Nazis in three different camps . |
278,881 | f54e823fbefb7dfd92f83bacbb8dc8a9014130b8 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 07:28 EST, 31 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 08:02 EST, 31 October 2012 . More than 20 women and children have died and dozens others were injured when traditional celebratory gunfire at a Saudi wedding brought down an electric cable causing a fire to break out. A total of 23 people - believed to be mostly women - were electrocuted when bullets caused the high-voltage power line to fall on to a metal door at the wedding in eastern Saudi Arabia. According to local news reports sparks from the cable caused an electrical fire in a women's only marquee at the wedding party in Ain Badr, near Abqaiq. Aftermath: This photograph taken after the tragedy shows a large courtyard strewn with fallen chairs . Strict rules of gender segregation in the conservative Islamic kingdom mean women are typically kept separate from men at weddings. Children at the wedding would have been with the female guests. The tragedy at the party near Abqaiq - which left at least 30 more guests injured - occurred less than a month after Saudi Arabia banned the shooting of firearms at weddings, a popular tradition in tribal areas of the conservative Islamic kingdom. Hundreds of people are understood to have been inside the courtyard of the home in Ain Badr when the blaze broke out. Eastern Province official Abdullah Khashman said all those killed were from the same tribe. A further 30 wedding guests were injured in the incident near Abqaiq, a centre of the Saudi energy industry. 'At the wedding, the cable fell on a metal door and the 23 people who died were all electrocuted,' Mr Khashman said. Eastern Province governor Prince Mohammed bin Fahd ordered an investigation into the incident, the official Saudi Press Agency said. Disaster: Hundreds of guests are understood to have been at the wedding at a home near Abqaiq in eastern Saudi . Earlier this month Saudi officials introduced a zero-tolerance policy on the culturally accepted practice of shooting firearms at weddings and other special occasions, following previous accidental deaths. Interior Minister Prince Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz assigned police to monitor palaces, wedding halls and relaxation areas to ensure full compliance with the law, the Saudi Press Agency reported at the time. The announcement was made following an increase in fatal and serious injuries as a result of celebratory gunfire, the agency said. | Stray bullets brought down a high voltage power line at the wedding in eastern Saudi Arabia .
An electrical fire broke out at a women's only marquee at the celebration in Ain Badr, near Abqaiq, according to reports .
The cable fell on to a metal door at the party and 23 wedding guests were electrocuted .
Tragedy occurred less than a month after Saudi Arabia banned the shooting of firearms at weddings . |
173,643 | 6cb6d0d377a2d812d342ef2ecc15ddc7e936248c | Shamed former IMF-chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn has told a court that tales of his roles in sex parties with prostitutes have been exaggerated as he 'only' attended four per year. The 65-year-old, who is facing charges of 'aggravated pimping', tried to play down his role in the alleged sex ring, saying he only attended 12 orgies in three years. Topless protesters jumped on his car as he arrived at the court in Lille, north of France, this morning, where the disgraced finance boss gave evidence today. Accused: Former International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn, right, leaves a court in Lille, France, where he is facing charges of 'aggravated pimping', . Denial: Strauss-Kahn, pictured this afternoon, after attending the trial in the so-called 'Carlton Affair' where 14 people including Strauss-Kahn stand accused of sex offences including the alleged procuring of prostitutes . A topless Femen protester climbs on top of the car carrying former IMF chief Dominique Strauss Kahn to court this morning in northern France . The former chief of the International Monetary Fund was giving evidence today at the courthouse in Lille, where he said the frequency of sex parties was 'rare' and had been 'exaggerated'. But on his arrival, three women from the feminist group Femen, who had slogans scrawled on their half-naked bodies jumped on the vehicle carrying Strauss Kahn. They also hurled insults as the car he was travelling in attempted to enter an underground parking area at the court in Lille, northern France. They were eventually rounded up by police with pictures showing some of the women lying on the floor while officers tried to detain them. The protest came as Strauss Kahn arrived at court this morning where he testified in his alleged role in sex parties with prostitutes. The three women, who had slogans scrawled on their half-naked bodies also hurled abuse at the car carrying Strauss Kahn . Police eventually rounded up the three women with one of them being held on the ground as she was detained by officers . The 65-year-old is accused of participating in a French sex ring and instigating parties involving prostitutes in the northern French city of Lille, as well as Paris, Brussels and Washington DC between 2008 and 2011. His lawyers acknowledge their client took part in the parties but say he did not know the women were prostitutes and have rejected the charge against him of pimping, or 'procuring with aggravating circumstances.' But giving evidence today he said he rarely took part in sex parties adding that there were only 12 parties in total - that is four per year over three years. He also insisted that he hadn't committed a crime or any offence and attacked his accusers, saying he had done nothing wrong, and simply enjoyed a 'libertine' sex life. Looking tired and drawn, and dressed in dark navy blue suit, Strauss-Kahn stood with his hands folded as judges asked him questions. The protest this morning came as Strauss Kahn arrived at court for the trial where he is expected to give evidence today . One of the protesters from the feminist group Femen is carried away by police after attempting to jump on the car carrying Strauss Kahn . A fellow protester with a message scrawled across her back is carried away by police officers in front of the courthouse in Lille . A court sketch showing Strauss Kahn giving evidence during his trial in Lille . One of his accusers meanwhile told the court that she was 'forced into' certain sex acts against her will, while Strauss-Kahn stared at her 'smiling'. Referring to his co-defendants, Strauss-Kahn told the court: 'We didn't communicate daily. I had, without wanting to sound pretentious, other things to do at the time'. Strauss-Kahn, who was said to be the 'King of the Party' in the vice ring, added: 'One has the impression of frenetic activity, but we only had four meetings a year for three years.' Asked about the prostitutes who attended his sex parties, the man who is known in France by his initials DSK, replied: 'If you want to know if I was aware of the status of these young women, then the answer is no. 'I had no knowledge that they were prostitutes.' Four prostitutes identified as Melanie, Mounia, Sabrina and Sandrine are civil plaintiffs in the case. Today was the first time he has come face-to-face with two of them, now retired sex workers, since the parties. DSK, who was married to the journalist and art heiress Anne Sinclair at the time of the offences, denies all the charges. Investigating magistrates say that the charge applies because in France it covers any activity seen as facilitating prostitution . Strauss Kahn, pictured in the back seat of a car, arriving at court this morning. He faces charges of 'aggravated pimping' Dominique Strauss Kahn (file picture) risks as much as 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1.5 million euros (£1.1million) if convicted . In Strauss-Kahn's case, it is alleged that he allowed his rented apartment to be used for sex parties involving prostitutes and that the parties were organised for his benefit. The three-week trial began last week with 14 people, including Strauss-Kahn, defendants in the 'Carlton Affair' case, so named after the hotel in Lille that sparked the investigation into a sex ring. Strauss-Kahn, who was once tipped for the French presidency now says his political career is over and risks as much as 10 years in prison and a fine of up to 1.5 million euros (£1.1million) if convicted. He served as French finance minister in the late 1990s before becoming one of the world's most influential decision-makers in 2007 as head of the International Monetary Fund, a public lender that plays a central role worldwide in the rescue of failing economies. But his high-flying career ended in May 2011 when he was escorted handcuffed into custody in New York following accusations of sexual assault by a New York maid in 2011, which were eventually dropped. | Three Femen protesters attempted to jump on car carrying Strauss Kahn .
Came as former IMF chief arrived at court in Lille to face 'pimping' charges .
Women hurled insults at the car with slogans scrawled across their backs .
They were detained by police with some of the women thrown to ground .
Strauss Kahn is giving evidence for the first time today in his trial .
Accused of participating in sex ring and parties involving prostitutes .
Told the court sex parties were 'rare' and only attended 12 in three years . |
181,290 | 76b398ef5c2982e2969734f20146384663b4ce3a | Paul Lambert has advice for anyone caught in the crosshairs of Roy Keane’s latest book: ‘Take cover!’ The Aston Villa manager has been granted a preview look at his assistant’s autobiography update, titled ‘The Second Half’, which goes on sale on October 9. Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to come in for fierce words after the former Manchester United manager offered severe criticism of Keane in his book released last year. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Paul Lambert discuss his assistant Roy Keane . Roy Keane's (left) new autobiography will cause anyone mentioned to want to 'take cover' says Paul Lambert . Keane's new and updated autobiography 'The Second Half' will be released on October 9 . Former Manchester United captain Keane (left) is expected to criticise former boss Sir Alex Ferguson (right) Memorable quotes from Roy Keane: . 'I'd waited long enough. I ******* hit him hard. The ball was there (I think). Take that you ****.' On that tackle on Alf Inge Haaland . 'Brian Clough, without a doubt' When asked the best manager he had played under (a snub to Sir Alex Ferguson) 'You can stick it up your b*******' Keane to Mick McCarthy in 2002 . 'At home they (United fans) have a few drinks and probably the prawn sandwiches, and they don't realise what's going on out on the pitch.' Keane on the 'prawn sandwich brigade' 'Going to work was like going to war' On his attitude to his work . 'The players gave it their all tonight but we are just not good enough and maybe it's time to move on. Maybe it's the end of the road for this team.' On his Manchester United team-mates after defeat by Bayern Munich in 2001 . Mention of the Keane’s literary effort to Lambert, published two days before Ireland face Gibraltar at the Aviva Stadium, brought a smile to the face of the Aston Villa manager. He offered a simple but revealing review. ‘I’ve seen bits of it,’ he said. ‘And it’ll be… aye… listen, take cover like. It will be good reading put it that way. Great night-time reading.’ Lambert said the club had not needed to vet Keane’s writing, adding, ‘I’m pretty sure it will be alright’, and joked any passages about him would be minimal. ‘He’s got a full stop dedicated to me,’ laughed Lambert. On their relationship at Villa, Lambert added: ‘He’s been really great round about the place. 'We have a good laugh, it’s not all serious. He’s got great experience of football, a great guy to have beside me.’ Keane works as assistant manager for both Aston Villa and the Republic of Ireland national side . Lambert brought in former United captain Keane as his assistant manager at Aston Villa this summer . | Paul Lambert has seen an advanced copy of Roy Keane's autobiography .
Aston Villa boss says his assistant's book will be 'great night-time reading'
But Lambert joked that anyone mentioned in the book should 'take cover'
Keane is expected to criticise former manager Sir Alex Ferguson in book . |
21,022 | 3ba90795a516ebb5509fcd1f89a137962fe486bd | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:51 EST, 19 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:08 EST, 19 August 2013 . A New York police officer who was awarded for his bravery after chasing and shooting a thief who had shot him in the chest has proposed to his girlfriend during a Shakespeare play in Central Park. Ivan Marcano, 27, got down on one knee to propose to girlfriend Hilda Molina, 25, as they attended Shakespeare in the Park on Saturday - 10 months after she witnessed him being shot in the chest. The nearly 2,000 spectators gave the couple a standing ovation after Marcano presented the diamond and sapphire ring - and Molina, who is six months pregnant, promptly accepted. 'She's been there through thick and thin,' Marcano told the New York Daily News. 'Through the tears, I heard a "yes".' Romantic: An instagram picture shows the moment hero NYPD cop Ivan Marcano proposed to his girlfriend Hilda Molina during a performance at Shakespeare in the Park on Saturday night . She added: 'I was crying like a baby. I'm very excited. It's every girl's dream come true.' The proposal was witnessed by 20 relatives and friends, including Marcano's mother and step-father. He said the idea came to him as he watched the company's 'Comedy of Errors' earlier this summer. His brother, Victor, had helped with the big surprise by contacting Shakespeare in the Park and asking if Marcano could pop the question after Saturday's performance of Love's Labour's Lost. After the play, Marcano was introduced and called to the stage where he said, 'I'm one hell of a lucky guy', before calling up his girlfriend to the stage. Celebrated: Marcano and his now fiancee are pictured with Police Commissioner Ray Kelly in April . 'I loved him before that happened,' Molina said of the shooting. 'It brought us closer together. When you’re staring in the eyes of death, it changes your life.' The couple, who have been together for two years, have yet to set a date for the wedding. The happy news comes 10 months after Marcano, who was off-duty, was driving near Bronx Community COllege with his girlfriend when he spotted two men apparently robbing a cab driver. After getting out of his car and showing his credentials, Mr Marcano was shot in the chest. Despite sustaining injury, he managed to follow one of the suspects, eventually shooting him dead. After he jumped in his girlfriend's . car with the intention of going to hospital, they again encountered the . men, who had crashed into a livery cab and were attempting to escape on . foot. Fan: President Obama shakes hands with Marcano during a ceremony to honor the 2013 National Association of Police Organizations TOP COPS award winners at the White House in May . While applying . pressure to his own chest injury, Mr Marcano got out of his own vehicle . and fired two shots, killing one of the suspects, 18-year-old Prince . James, according to the Post. Mr Marcano was taken to the Bronx-Lebanon Hospital, where officials said the bullet narrowly missed his heart. After . the shooting, he was called a hero by New York Police Commissioner Ray . Kelly, and in May, he was pictured shaking hands with President Obama . during the National Association of Police Organizations 2012 TOP COPS . recognition ceremony. 'He . wasn't on the clock when any of this happened,' Obama said after . singling Marcano out from the 43 police officers being commended. 'This . was his date night. It's unbelievable.' Scene: Marcano was driving through the Bronx when he witnessed a robbery and approached the two suspects. He was shot in the chest but managed to chase the men and shot one dead . Weapon of choice: This is the gun used to allegedly shoot the off-duty NYPD officer . | Ivan Marcano was shot in the chest in October 2012 after approaching two men he saw robbing a third; he then chased the men, shooting one dead .
On Saturday, he proposed to his pregnant girlfriend, Hilda Molina, during Shakespeare in the Park - and she accepted . |
207,492 | 98a9968c80ba74fc822547870164d12f3cd16c40 | Steven Gerrard has confirmed what many Liverpool fans had never thought possible - he will leave Liverpool at the end of this season. The 34-year-old former England captain is out of contract at the end of the current campaign and he has taken the difficult and emotional decision not to renew terms. His glittering Anfield career spans across three decades and to celebrate his glorious achievements, Sportsmail remembers Gerrard's highs and lows through these stunning pictures. Steven Gerrard has been at Liverpool's academy since the age of nine but his uncle once dressed him in an Everton shirt (right) Gerrard (top) celebrates with future first-team ally Michael Owen (centre) during a FA Youth Cup match at Anfield in January 1997 . Gerrard made his Liverpool debut aged 18 in a 2-0 win against Blackburn on 29 November 1998 as a substitute for right back Vegard Heggem . A TV cameramen follows Gerrard off the pitch after he scored his first goal for Liverpool in a 4-1 victory against Sheffield Wednesday in 1999 . The agony on Gerrard's face is clear to see after he is shown the first red card of his career following a foul on Everton's Kevin Campbell (floored). Gerrard was sent off in the final minute after Campbell had scored the only goal of the game at Anfield in September 1999 . Gerrard's first goal in Europe came from a header during a UEFA Cup third round first leg against Olympiakos in Athens in November 2000 . Gary Neville (centre) is unable to stop Gerrard smashing in his first goal against bitter rivals Manchester United at Anfield in March 2001 . Gerrard wheels away to celebrate his first goal against Liverpool's local rivals Everton in September 2001 . These Liverpool fans were proved right as Gerrard scored his first Champions League goal at Dynamo Kiev in October 2001 . Captain Robbie Fowler (right) holds up the Worthington Cup after Liverpool beat Birmingham City in the final at the Millennium Stadium in February 2001. Gerrard punches the air next to Fowler after the penalty shootout victory, celebrating his first major trophy as a professional . Gerrard strikes Liverpool's second goal in the thrilling UEFA Cup final of 2001. The Reds would win 5-4 after extra time at the Westfalenstadion . (from left) Jamie Redknapp, Robbie Fowler, Gerrard, Gerard Houllier and Sami Hyppia show off Liverpool's cup treble in 2001 . Gerrard was named PFA Young Player of the Year at the awards ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London in 2001 . This two-footed tackle on Everton's Gary Naysmith during the Merseyside derby in December 2002 earned Gerrard a three-match ban . David Beckham (centre) looks on as Fabien Barthez is beaten by Gerrard's rocket shot as Manchester United concede the opening goal of the League Cup final in 2003. Michael Owen grabbed the second goal with four minutes remaining at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff . Gerrard wears the armband against Leeds in October 2003 after being appointed Liverpool's permanent captain in place of Sami Hyppia . Gerrard twice came close to signing for Chelsea but here he shakes hands with Liverpool chief executive Rick Parry after confirming he would stay at Anfield in June 2004. Parry said: 'It is slightly unusual today in that we are announcing that a player is not going anywhere.' Gerrard's thunderous 30-yard half-volley against Olympiakos sealed progress from the Champions League group stages in December 2004 following a scare. The goal is one of Gerrard's finest and caused TV commentator Andy Gray to scream the immortal line 'you beauty!' Gerrard headed an own goal in the 2005 League Cup final (left) and reacts to the 3-2 defeat against Chelsea after extra time (right) Jose Mourinho shakes hands with Gerrard after the Champions League semi-final first leg in 2005 and would again try to sign him that summer . Gerrard rises above the AC Milan defence to head home Liverpool's first goal in the 2005 Champions League final - they had been 3-0 down . Milan's Gennaro Gattuso (second right) brought Gerrard down in the box before Xabi Alonso scored the equaliser after his penalty was saved . Gerrard was left stunned along with everyone else after inspiring Liverpool's - and arguably football's - greatest comeback . Liverpool's captain gives European football's most coveted prize a kiss after Liverpool's penalty shootout win over Milan . Gerrard hoists the trophy after inspiring the Miracle of Istanbul and crowning Liverpool as European champions . A first hat-trick for Liverpool was sealed by this strike against Welsh club TNS in a Champions League qualifying round match in July 2005 . With Liverpool losing 3-2 against West Ham in the 90th minute of the 2006 FA Cup final, Gerrard scored a 35-yard thunderbolt on the volley . Gerrard soaks up the adulation from Liverpool's support at the Millennium Stadium after his latest heroics on the biggest stage . Rafael Benitez joins his captain to show off the FA Cup after Liverpool's eventual penalty shootout victory against West Ham . Gerrard collected the PFA Player of the Year award in 2006, while Wayne Rooney was named Young Player of the Year by his fellow pros . Gerrard's goal at Marseille in 2007 saw him become the first Liverpool player since John Aldridge in 1989 to score in seven consecutive games . FIFA president Sepp Blatter watches a dejected Gerrard after Liverpool were beaten by AC Milan in the 2007 Champions League final . Gerrard had inspired his team to another shock final but were powerless to stop the peerless Milan playmaker Kaka (centre) Gerrard celebrates scoring his 100th goal for Liverpool during a 3-1 Champions League victory against PSV Eindhoven in October 2008 . A 100th European club appearance for Liverpool was marked by two goals against Real Madrid in March 2009 . Gerrard kisses a TV camera after scoring one of Liverpool's four goals against Manchester United at Old Trafford in March 14 2009 . Just days later Gerrard tucked home a penalty against Aston Villa to secure his first Premier League hat-trick in a 5-0 win . Gerrard lifts his second League Cup, this time after beating Cardiff City on penalties at Wembley Stadium in February 2012 . The match ball went home with Gerrard after a hat-trick in the Merseyside derby in March 2012. It was his 400th Premier League appearance . Gerrard wore the Liverpool captain's armband for the 400th time in the 2-2 draw at Swansea in September last year . His goal against Crystal Palace in October last year saw Gerrard become the first Liverpool player to score in 15 successive seasons . Gerrard repeated his celebration of five years previous as he scored twice during Liverpool's 3-0 humiliation of Manchester United in March . His successful penalty against West Ham in April this year saw Gerrard overtake Kenny Dalglish on Livepool's all-time goalscorers list . Gerrard came agonisingly close to winning the Premier League title last season, giving his team-mates a tearful and rousing team-talk on the pitch after beating Manchester City (left) but slipping to allow Demba Ba to score (right) and Chelsea to end Liverpool's dreams two weeks later . Gerrard and several other Liverpool stars were benched for the Champions League clash at Real Madrid in November in a shocking move . Gerrard scored two penalties against Leicester on New Year's Day but announced on January 2 that he will be leaving Liverpool in the summer . | Steven Gerrard has announced he will leave Liverpool in the summer .
Gerrard has been at the club since the age of nine but looks set for move to MLS .
Midfielder helped club to Champions League glory in 2005, plus UEFA, FA and League Cup victories .
Gerrard revealed the decision was the 'toughest of my life' |
65,793 | bacae63fef2be663926aa3a37668bf13e4d6fcb0 | By . Stephanie Darrall . Last updated at 5:28 PM on 5th November 2011 . It looks like the aftermath of a tropical storm, but this scene of destruction took place on a farm in Worcestershire yesterday. A tornado uprooted trees and tore the roof of a stable as it swept past the village of Inkberrow in the mid-afternoon. Amazingly, the fierce winds threw the stable roof 20metres through the air before it came to rest stuck in the branches of a nearby tree. Other trees were left broken in half at the Knowle Fields Barn Farm complex. Twister: A tornado ripped the roof off a building and pulled up trees in Worcestershire yesterday . Waterlogged: Many roads in Essex became flooded on Friday, like this one in Ingatestone, after heavy rain . Incredibly, the storm passed over . workers in a nearby office building, who didn't realise the extent of . the damage until they stepped outside after it had finished. Dawn Wheatcroft, office manager at . partitioning company Waterson's Projects, which is based on the site, . said that the storm seemed to 'last forever'. She said: 'It seemed like forever whilst it was happening, although it probably lasted less than a minute. 'It was a bit of a grey day but you never expect something like that to happen, it was one of the worst storms I've ever seen.' Flooding: Heavy rain in the south . caused road closures in Southampton yesterday . Weather experts believe the tornado may have been a funnel cloud, which can still cause destruction if it touches the ground. Tornado sightings were also reported in nearby Redditch at the same time. If not a washout, Bonfire Night looks . set to be something of a damp squid as floods and torrential rain from . last night give way to light rain mainly confined to Lincolnshire, East . Anglia and South-East England. Across remaining parts of the UK it will be a dry night with mostly clear skies. Cold across Scotland and Northern . Ireland with a widespread ground frost and an air frost in places. Mist . and fog patches will develop too across parts of the north where winds . are light. Washout: Floods and heavy rain may turn Bonfire Night parties being held over the weekend into wet events forecasters have warned . | Fierce winds leave trail of destruction in rural Worcestershire . |
50,166 | 8de12cac0da3410ac4d3264a56cdf03ce8cfae99 | Internet providers have been accused of being 'complicit' in exposing children to porn by refusing to help parents block it from computers in the home. The Mail tracked down Steven Hirsch, who has made millions from hardcore pornography films for the internet, and along the way found it was not just him that stood to lose a great deal of money if a block was in place. We found he is just at the end of the line. Visits to explicit sites can last between 15 and 20 minutes, meaning that a large amount of data is downloaded handing Internet service providers large amounts of cash because of the way their fees are structured. Steven Hirsch admits he is worried about his multi-million-pound business. For 28 years he has ensured that his company, Vivid Entertainment, has been at the forefront of harnessing new technology such as the internet to become what he might call a ‘respected market leader’. Speaking from his lavish offices in Los Angeles, Hirsch exudes an evangelical zeal about his film industry. But rather than the blockbuster family movies Hollywood is so famous for, Hirsch offers a very different kind of on-screen experience. Since the mid-Eighties, Vivid Entertainment has been producing 60 hardcore pornographic films every year. And with the advent of the internet, business was soon booming. Porn baron: Steven Hirsch poses with Savanna Samson, one of his Vivid Entertainment stars . It is for that reason that Hirsch is very much against the Daily Mail’s Block Online Porn campaign, which is aimed at protecting children from the dangers of encountering his so-called ‘adult entertainment’. His arguments are jaw-droppingly self-serving. In a broad Californian drawl, the multi-millionaire chairman and chief executive says: ‘Ten-year-old kids are not interested in watching people having sex because they don’t have sex themselves. They are much more interested in watching the new Batman film.’ When I put to him the findings of this month’s parliamentary inquiry that one in three ten-year-olds have seen pornography online, he seamlessly shifts his position. ‘Ultimately, it’s the parents’ responsibility. They need to be aware of what their children are doing online,’ he says. ‘But kids don’t go online to look for porn.’ Point out that pubescent children naturally have a developing interest in sex, and younger children risk stumbling across obscene material by mistake or view it out of curiosity or the desire to be ‘daring’, and he abandons his line of argument and instead plays the civil liberties card. ‘I think we take a step back as a society when you allow the government to dictate what you can and can’t watch. I mean, just who are the moral police? This ultimately leads you down a path of taking our freedoms away.’ This well-worn argument seems to be the best Hirsch can muster to justify his opposition to restrictions on porn — restrictions that would limit him and others in his sordid profession from making vast profits from a business worth billions a year. And that’s the true reason. We both know the real reason he doesn’t want people having to ‘opt in’ to receive his movies, rather than currently having to opt out: because it threatens his business. ‘Look, some people may feel uncomfortable about letting their Internet Service Provider (ISP) know they want adult content,’ he says. ‘In a free society we should be able to take that decision for ourselves.’ But he would say that, wouldn’t he? The question is why many of Britain’s leading ISPs appear to be aligning themselves with porn barons like Hirsch by rejecting the idea of an opt-in system. For the answer, look at the latest research into the nature of internet usage. Of all the searches carried out on the internet, around a third are for sexual content. The world’s biggest adult website receives an estimated 4.4 billion ‘hits’ — or page views — each month. And while a visit to a news website lasts, on average, up to six minutes (just long enough to read one or two articles) a trawl of a pornographic site typically lasts between 15 and 20 minutes. That means more data is downloaded. But it’s not just a matter of how long you stare at the screen. A news site does not contain a large amount of data because it is often made up of just a few pictures and a lot of text. However, a pornographic site is filled with pictures and videos. Watching them involves downloading vast amounts of data. The more gigabytes of data a customer uses, the more likely they are to have to choose more expensive ISP packages — ones with the option of a higher or limitless download capacity. Obviously, that means more money for the provider. If a third of web searches are for pornography, the potential earnings are enormous. That is why, according to some independent academics, ISPs — which make £3 billion a year from selling internet access to consumers — do not want to have the ‘opt in’ to adult content option made law because it could affect profits. Not suitable for children: This screen grab from . Google shows just some of the free-to-view smut websites that can be . easily found through the search engine . Certainly, some ISPs structure their fees to rake in money from large data downloads. In one package, BT, for instance, charges £13 for 10 gigabytes downloaded each month (an hour-long movie, for example, can take up 1GB). If the customer exceeds that amount he will, after a one-month grace period, be charged a further £5 for each extra 5GB used, up to a maximum of an extra £15 a month. Sky TV customers receive 2GB each month as part of their free internet package. If they exceed that twice in a six-month period they will automatically be placed on the £7.50 a month unlimited package. Though the big six residential providers — BT, Virgin Media, Talk Talk, Sky Broadband, Orange and O2 — have 20 million customers between them, in real terms broadband prices are falling (the average monthly rental dropped from £26 in 2005 to £14 in 2010) as greater competition has cut prices. This means it’s more important than ever for ISPs that they win every customer they can — and extract as much money as possible from each of them. And it is hard not to conclude that if porn was effectively blocked at source, they would lose considerable sums in revenue from the drop in the amount of data being downloaded and paid for by customers. Among the major ISPs, only TalkTalk allows parents to block all adult material from the entire network affecting every device, from computers to mobile phones, that logs on to its broadband. The others insist that filtering software available in their packages can be used to protect children from the perils of adult material. However, these can be applied to just three computers in a household, and do not work on tablets and smartphones, the devices so popular with children. The Internet Service Providers’ Association, which represents the ISPs, insists it’s wrong to say its members are opposed to the ‘opt in’ to adult sites campaign because they fear it could cut profits. Instead they claim it would ‘lessen parental mediation, lulling them into a false sense of security’ and could even block sites that are not actually pornographic (asked for an example, they suggest a biology website which might be useful to a student’s studies could be blocked). ‘The objection is not because ISPs directly benefit from pornography, but because we believe that other filtering options provide better protection for children,’ said the spokesman. And Steven Hirsch insists he takes full responsibility for what his three children aged 16, 11 and eight view online, even monitoring their passwords. Compulsive: Internet service providers make much of their profits through high bandwidth downloads, much of which is pornography . Hirsch is not alone in his blithe promotion of the porn industry’s interests. Michael Klein, the president of the U.S. company Hustler — one of America’s leading porn conglomerates — is adamant that software filters currently available are adequate. He says it is the ‘responsibility and job of the parent’ to stop children being able to log on to adult sites. He effectively suggests that the rights of those wanting to view ‘good pornography’ are more important than protecting children. ‘What is being proposed in the UK would punish people who want to see good adult entertainment just because others are worried that parents can’t do a good enough job of stopping their own children from viewing such content,’ he says. ‘As long as what you are watching does not include any child pornography or any actual images of someone being hurt or injured against their will, then each person should be able to have freedom to watch and enjoy the programming that they want. ‘What if the next step is that they decide they don’t like martial arts movies or action movies, and decide that in their mind they want to block your ability to see that on the internet as well because they don’t think you are responsible enough to make sure that your kids don’t see that Sylvester Stallone or Bruce Willis action movie?’ Except, of course, that action movies do not irreparably warp children’s view of sexuality. As porn will continue to do, until the Internet Service Providers agree to clamp down on this sordid — but oh so lucrative — business. | Steven Hirsch said parents should take responsibility for what their children are looking at - not him .
Of all internet searches carried out on the internet, around a third are for sexual content .
The world's biggest adult website receives an estimated 4.4billion 'hits' each month .
Internet service providers rake in huge amounts of cash from visits to explicit sites because so much data is downloaded . |
234,084 | bb09ebd49ca5953ab323bef78dcc26ad15c36036 | By . Luke Salkeld and Ray Massey . PUBLISHED: . 04:42 EST, 27 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:43 EST, 1 October 2013 . London's flood defence system was activated yesterday for the first time since 2010 as Britain's wet weather threatens to bring flooding to the capital. The Environment Agency raised the Thames Barrier yesterday morning to prevent flooding from the current tides as extra rainfall, which has fallen further up the River Thames, flows downstream. It came as forecasters warned yet more downpours and storms are on the way to bring a soggy end to the wettest year in England since records began in 1910. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . The Thames Barrier has been closed because of the increased risk of flooding from tidal surges . The flood gates have been raised due to a combination of a high tide and extra rainfall further up the River Thames which could cause flooding in London . The record for the whole of the UK . will be broken if, as seems likely, just over 1.8in more rain falls on . Britain by the end of the year on Monday. With 50.8in having fallen on the UK . up to December 26, that is all it will take to beat the 52.6in that fell . in 2000, the UK's wettest year so far. The record for England has already been set with the 43.1in of rain that had fallen by Boxing Day, the Met Office said. Heavy rain is expected to fall in . many parts of the country today followed by storms with sleet and even . snow over the weekend. A storm brewing in the Atlantic could bring up to . two inches of rain and 90mph winds in some areas. That could extend the nightmare of . hundreds of home and business owners who have seen their property . repeatedly damaged by floods, with the South West hit particularly . badly. Yesterday the Thames Barrier was . closed for the first time in two years to prevent flooding to low-lying . areas of London. The Environment Agency raised the defence system to . stop floodwaters from further upstream meeting a high tide last night. This pub further up river from the barrier at Henley on Thames was left submerged . Flooding on the River Thames further upstream in Henley, Oxfordshire . The River Thames in Sonning in Berkshire, as a wet and stormy weekend could mark the end of one of the wettest years in history in Britain . A forecaster for MeteoGroup said: . 'New bands of rain will sweep across Britain from west to east bringing . some heavy showers. There will be some sunshine and clearer skies on . Saturday but it will be a stormy weekend and noticeably wet and windy. 'Winds will reach up to 50mph in the North and West of the UK, and up to 90mph along the west coast of Scotland. 'It's going to be a wet and stormy end to the year.' Upton on Severn has suffered serious flooding after torrential rainfall in the last week . A pub in Upton-upon-Severn sits under water with more heavy rainfall expected across Britain before the New Year . A van travels along a snow covered road in Nenthead, Cumbria where wintry weather covered many parts of northern England . Forecasters are predicting that Britain will be hit by more wild weather over the next few days adding more misery to flood hit areas . Snow covered roads in County Durham where the temperature plunged . Brave: A cyclist travels along a snow covered road in County Durham . Rail and road networks badly hit by appalling weather in the run-up to Christmas face further disruption over the coming days. Yesterday thousands of furious rail . passengers were left stranded and delayed as late-running engineering . work and bad weather combined to cause chaos which train bosses said . will run into the New Year. There were no trains between . Paddington and Heathrow Airport or Reading, and delays to services in . the East Midlands and parts of Scotland and Wales. Fields covered with flood water as the River Severn breaks its banks in Worcester . Worcestershire County Cricket Club lays under flood water as Britain faces one of the wettest years on record . More wet weather is expected voer thew weekend as flood waters gather on land close to Tewkesbury Abbey in Gloucestershire . A canoeist paddles past the winning post on flooded Worcester racecourse . A car enters flooding in Berkshire, left, while St Deny's church near Worcester stands under water, right . First Great Western continued to advise passengers not to travel to and from Devon and Cornwall. The weather has been blamed for a fire . at a school yesterday which is believed to have been started by . lightning during a thunderstorm. The blaze erupted in the roof of the . arts and theatre block at Lytchett Minster School in Poole, Dorset, . with 20ft flames engulfing the two- storey building. More than 60 firemen tried to put out the blaze which began just after 7am yesterday. A monkey sanctuary in Cornwall which . cares for sick and injured animals caught up in the UK pet trade is . appealing for help after being devastated by flooding. Staff at Looe Monkey Sanctuary are . also coming to terms with the loss of Pepper, a ten-month-old capuchin, . which died after contracting tetanus that may have been linked to the . floods. More than 60 firefighters battled a fire at Lychett Minster school in Dorset which is believed to have started after the building was hit by a huge bolt of lightning . There were darkened skies and stormy seas at Southsea in Hampshire as Britain's unsettled weather continues . Two young girls pose bravely at Southsea in treacherous conditions . The Rose and Crown pub in Worcester is under water after flooding . Another two inches of rain and winds of up to 60mph are expected hit Britain before the weekend . Seagulls rest on a bench after floods left this park in Peterborough, Cambridgeshire, waterlogged . A horse drinks flood water in Barrow upon Trent, Derbyshire, . A border collie enjoys the flood water at Branston Golf Club, Burton . A 300-year-old cottage was believed to have been flooded for the first time in its history in Cambridgeshire. The property in Hemingford Abbots was filled with two feet of water after the Great Ouse river burst its banks. Workers from Anglian Water are now working desperately to pump out the dirty water. The Environment Agency has issued 109 . flood warnings and 213 less serious flood alerts for the UK as the risk . of flooding continues. However, the agency has removed 76 flood warnings and alerts in the last 24 hours. The Scottish Environment Protection Agency has one flood alert in place around the Scottish Borders. Rail and road networks were badly hit . in the days leading up to Christmas, with a number of key routes struck . by weather-related delays and National Rail warned of further . disruption in the south-west today. First Great Western trains yesterday told people not to attempt travel today. Hundreds of homes have flooded in the past week, with the worst-affected areas in South West. England and along the south coast from Cornwall to Kent, along with Wales and northern Scotland. The sodden Christmas comes towards the end of what is expected to be one of the wettest years in Britain since records began. The UK's average rainfall in 2012, . excluding December, was 1,202mm - placing it 13th in the list of wettest . years since records began in 1910. Neighbours help out after a 300-year-old cottage flooded in the village of Hemingford Abbots, Cambridgeshire, for the first time in its history . Owners of the cottage awoke to find the property under two feet of water after the Great Ouse burst its banks . A tree had to be felled after it threatened the safety of monkeys in a sanctuary in Cornwall . Pepper, the 10-month-old capuchin monkey died after getting tetanus, possibly linked to flooding at the Looe Monkey Sanctuary in Cornwall . A dog walker is battered by strong winds on the Hamble seafront . Back in April that barely seemed imaginable with Britain in the midst of the worst drought since 1976. More than 20million people were subject to a hosepipe ban as the Environment Agency drew up contingency plans believing the drought could last until Christmas. But after the wettest summer in 100 years, Britain's climate swung back the other way. Professor Tim Palmer, from the University of Oxford, told the BBC the topsy-turvy conditions are the result of changes in the movement of the Atlantic jet stream which travels to our shores from America. 'When the jet stream moves up to the north, and then travels back down to the UK, it brings with it cold air, blizzards, very severe and unpleasant weather from that perspective,' he said. Professor Palmer predicted Britain will see more extreme patterns of weather with periods of drought followed by flooding and cold weather as the jet stream continues to be affected by climate change. 'The question of how it will change is still a very active research problem, and we don't have clear-cut answers yet. 'But I think there is quite a big possibility that what we will see is the jet stream undergoing quite dramatic and erratic excursions.' A large depression over the Atlantic is set to hit Britain bringing more rain and winds of up to 60mph . Flooding in Spring Cottage, Leicestershire, which is expected to see more wet weather over the weekend . A dog walker braves the downpours as Britain's relentless wet weather continues . Fossil hunters search the coast on Monmouth Beach in Lyme Regis, despite warnings form coastguards about possible landslides . The Environment Agency has issued an amber warning about possible landslides in coastal areas of the South-East . | 2012 is set to become the wettest on record in the UK, forecasters said .
Experts worried extra rainfall upstream and high tide could flood the capital .
Gates closed this morning for first time since March 2010 .
Flooding expected across Britain, with 312 warnings and alerts out .
Cold weather front expected to sweep in at 6am tomorrow .
Commuters returning to work hit by floods and rail problems . |
252,136 | d253432f5a359d9e247d31138adf38939d8ff230 | Hong Kong (CNN) -- For the first time in almost two weeks, the name of presumptive Chinese leader Xi Jinping has appeared in state media, but it wasn't to dampen speculation about his "disappearance" weeks before a major Communist Party congress. Instead, the 59-year-old vice president's name appeared on a message of condolence following the death on September 6 of a former official in Guangxi Province. "After the passing of Comrade Huang Rong, Hu Jintao, Xi Jinping, Li Yuanchao, Zhu Rongji and Li Zhaozhuo expressed their condolences and conveyed their deep sympathies to his family," it said. Xi's name appeared second on the list after current President Hu, and before other leaders including Li Yuanchao, head of the powerful Organization department who, like Xi, is tipped for a place on the Politburo Standing Committee, the nine-member team who leads China. Jockeying for position ahead of China's leadership jamboree . The message did not include any direct quotes from Xi, and its existence doesn't provide any explanation as to why Xi has dropped from public view. The vice president has not been seen in public since September 1 when he was reported to have given a speech to the Central Party School in Beijing. Images published by major news websites after the date showed Xi looking well and smartly dressed in a dark suit and purple tie. However, since then, the cancellation of a number of meetings with high-profile foreign dignitaries has created a storm of speculation as rumor and hearsay fill the void of official information. Who are the next generation of Chinese leaders? For a number of days, Chinese foreign ministry spokesman, Hong Lei, has declined to answer queries on Xi at the Ministry's daily press briefings. When Xi's meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Hilary Clinton was abruptly canceled on September 5, American officials said their Chinese counterparts had blamed a "scheduling conflict." No official reasons were given following the cancellation of other appointments, including a meeting with Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. The lack of comment has fueled unsubstantiated rumors, including wild plot lines ranging from a car crash, to an assassination attempt. Others say Xi has been sidelined by a suspected heart attack or stroke, neither of which have been denied or confirmed. It is not unknown for Chinese leaders to suffer serious illnesses in secret. In April 1993, Li Peng, the then premier, disappeared for six weeks after a heart attack. The foreign ministry said he had "a cold" and confirmation that he had been treated in hospital did not come until this July. "In most countries including in Asia, people are entitled to know the health of their leaders, but in China this is still regarded as state secrets," Willy Lam, a longtime China watcher who teaches politics and history at universities in Hong Kong and Japan, told CNN Monday. During Xi's absence, other Chinese leaders have made a number of high-profile appearances outside China. Hu has addressed APEC delegates in Vladivostok, Russia and China's top legislator, Wu Bangguo, met with Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad in Tehran. China expert Linda Jakobsen, of the Lowy Institute for International Policy in Australia, says that the mere presence of a high-ranking official on foreign trips indicates that China's leadership is not dealing with a crisis. "If Xi was gravely ill or had encountered political problems, which would call into question his anointment as head of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) at the upcoming Party Congress, senior leaders would not be traveling and the leadership would be convening in Beijing. That is standard CCP practice at a time of crisis," she wrote in a recent column. In a matter of weeks, more than 2,000 delegates are expected to meet in Beijing for the Communist Party's 18th National Congress. During their event, China's political elite are expected to announce the results of months of political maneuvering, and the names of the five to seven new entrants to Politburo Standing Committee. "The Chinese leadership is worried about social stability," said David Zweig, a seasoned China observer and a professor at Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. "But nothing creates greater social instability than this kind of lack of information about the leadership." Already, China's leadership transition has been marred by extraordinary twists and turns. In April, Bo Xilai, once considered to be among party royalty and a fast-rising star within the party, was stripped of his leadership positions for an unspecified "breach of party discipline." He has not been seen publicly since. Disgraced Party chief looms large over China's leadership . Bo's wife, Gu Kailai, was convicted last month of murdering Neil Heywood, a British businessman, and received a suspended death sentence. And Bo's former police chief, Wang Lijun, whose attempt in February to seek asylum in a U.S. Consulate triggered the scandal, was charged last week with defection and bribe-taking. Wang is awaiting trial. Although most analysts agree the all-important 18th Communist Party Congress will be held in the middle of next month, though authorities have yet to confirm the date. "More questions are now being asked about the transparency of Chinese politics since everything is in a black box," said Lam. Observers say the official silence could also signal last-minute negotiations among senior political figures before they present a facade of unity to the public. The current generation of leaders has been particularly sensitive to maintaining a united front since 1989, when the party hierarchy split over how to deal with pro-democracy protests in Beijing's Tiananmen Square. "Xi Jinping is already projected to be a weak leader because he doesn't have a power base of his own," said Lam, who predicted Hu will remain the head of the Chinese military for two to three years after relinquishing his party and state titles to Xi. "Hu could be the ultimate winner here -- he will be the power behind the throne." | Chinese media mentions Xi Jinping in statement of condolence .
Vice President Xi hasn't been seen in public since September 1 .
Chinese officials have failed to comment on why he's dropped from public view .
Xi is expected to replace Hu Jintao in the leadership transition later this year . |
254,940 | d5fade9f87ca1a95e5aa0a21e726296273096c68 | David Beckham and his son Brooklyn walked away from a nasty looking crash this weekend, but his car did not fare quite so well. Photos have emerged showing the driver's side of his Audi RS6 badly damaged while the other car - believed to be a Mitsubishi Colt Coupe Cabriolet - was written off. The former England captain had just picked up his eldest from Arsenal’s training ground on Saturday when the smash happened. David Beckham's road accident on Saturday happened near Arsenal's London Colney training ground . The photos show the driver's side of the former England captain's Audi RS6 was badly dented in the collision . Beckham, 39, had been at Arsenal's training centre at London Colney, Hertfordshire watching his eldest son play for the club’s Under 16 side against Brighton. The former Real Madrid and Manchester United midfielder was reportedly treated at the scene for minor injuries to his shoulder while Brooklyn was unhurt. Arsenal staff ushered onlookers away from the scene and Beckham was driven away in another car. Both were said to be shaken following the accident. One Brighton youngster, Archie Davies, tweeted: ‘Just seen David Beckham looks like he got in a car crash and hurt his shoulder.’ The teenager then added: ‘Star struck by seeing David Beckham tbh.’ And team-mate Thomas Cadman thought the whole episode was utterly surreal, tweeting: ‘Weird to play against Brooklyn Beckham earlier. Even weirder to be currently stuck behind David Beckham as he has crashed his car.' Beckham's airbags are said to have been deployed in the smash. David Beckham and his son Brooklyn (pictured with father, mother Victoria and brothers Romeo and Cruz last year) both walked away from the accident. David had a minor injury to his shoulder and Brooklyn was unhurt . Former England international David Beckham and sons Brooklyn (left), Cruz (centre) and Romeo (right) It's not the first time Beckham has been involved in an car accident - in October last year he collided with a car when pulling out of his driveway in Beverley Hills. He was allegedly in his black Range Rover Sport with what looked like his son Brooklyn, then aged 14, in the front passenger seat when the collision occurred on the afternoon of October 25. Police were seen leaving his home, then interviewing witnesses nearby for more information about the accident. Damage was clearly visible on the white Acura 4x4, as well as David's expensive Range Rover Sport, where the bumper was hanging off the front. Brooklyn was signed by Arsenal on a short-term contract earlier this month after impressing coaches at the Emirates. Brooklyn’s brother Romeo, 12, has also been playing for the club’s Under 13s, while youngest son Cruz, nine, has been representing the club’s Under 10s. Brighton footballer Archie Davies tweeted that it appeared as though Beckham was injured. He later tweeted he was 'star struck' at seeing the former England international . Thomas Cadman, another Brighton player, was stuck behind the Beckhams when the accident occurred . | Former England star was picking up his son Brooklyn after a youth match .
Beckham's Audi RS6 was involved in a collision as the pair headed home .
Photos show driver-side of his car dented while other car was a write-off .
Beckham had been watching game at club's north London training centre .
Brooklyn had played for Arsenal's Under 16 side against Brighton .
Arsenal staff ushered onlookers away from the scene of the crash .
Father and son walked away from the accident but the car couldn't be used . |
155,765 | 55568b3f45038f9cfbf96810a6048f8e103deaa2 | Police investigating the brutal death of a Brazilian footballer believe the killing may have been the work of gangsters he had tried to catch by posting their photos on Facebook, it was reported today. The mutilated head of Joao Rodrigo Silva Santos, 35, was delivered in a rucksack to his horrified wife Geiza Silva at their home in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday morning. Officers had originally suspected the grisly crime was the work of drug dealers from a slum where Ms Silva, 31, worked at a military police base which had been flushing out criminal elements. Scroll down for video . Killed: Police investigating the brutal death of Brazilian footballer Joao Rodrigo Silva Santos (seen here in his health food shop) believe the killing may have been the work of gangsters he had tried to catch by posting their photos on Facebook . Investigation: It has emerged the former professional footballer, had recently published photos (seen) on the internet of three men he claimed had robbed his new business venture, a health food shop called Forca Natural . Roberry: The 20 photos, which were posted on his shop's Facebook page two weeks ago, showed images from the store's CCTV cameras of the street in front of the shop just before the armed robbery in August . But it later emerged the former . professional footballer, had recently published photos on the . internet of three men he claimed had robbed his new business venture, a . health food shop called Forca Natural. The . 20 photos, which were posted on his shop's Facebook page two weeks ago, . showed images from the store's CCTV cameras of the street in front of . the shop just before the armed robbery in August. Mr . Santos had written: "Guys, help me put these shop thieves in jail, I . was robbed by these criminals, 13/08/13. Whoever recognises on of them . help me! The mutilated head of Joao Rodrigo Silva Santos, 35 was delivered in a rucksack to his horrified wife Geiza Silva at their home in Rio de Janeiro on Tuesday morning . Mr Santos had written: "Guys, help me put these shop thieves in jail, I was robbed by these criminals, 13/08/13. Whoever recognises on of them help me! Traumatised: Geisa Silva (centre), the wife of former soccer player Joao Rodrigo Silva Santos is escorted by policemen in Rio de Janeiro . Witnesses . claim a group of men snatched Mr Santos - who recently retired from . football after a successful career playing for teams in Rio de Janeiro - . as he was closing his shop late on Monday night. Ms . Silva, a police social worker, found her husband's severed head - minus . his eyes and tongue - after opening the rucksack which was dumped on . the doorstep of the couple's home at around 5.30am the next morning. Yesterday police said body parts, believed to belong to the footballer, had . been discovered beside the Guandu river in Queimados, greater Rio de . Janeiro. Mr Santos' brother-in-law told Brazil's Globo G1 website that family members had . positively identified the male torso because of a birth mark on Mr . Santos' stomach. Beheaded: The head of former footballer Joao Rodrigo Silva Santos, was found on his wife's doorstep . He also told the website that the player's wife, Geisa Silva, 31, stayed up all night after her husband failed to arrive home. He said: 'Every time a car passed by she would go to see. 'She was getting ready to go to work at around 5.30am when she heard a noise, opened the front door and saw his rucksack. 'When she opened it she discovered it contained his head. 'I did not want to look but the people who saw it said they had gouged out his eyes and cut off his tongue,' said the horrified relative. Neighbours living close to the crime scene reported hearing a woman screaming: 'My God, it's Joao! It’s Joao’s head.' A police spokesman said other body parts had also been found in the area and were being DNA tested. He said the murder bears the . hallmarks of an execution by drug gangsters, but stressed that "every . line of investigation" is still open. The couple had been together for 11 years and were described as ‘lovely’ by neighbours. 'They . were a happy, quiet couple,' said a neighbour, who asked not to be . identified. 'But you never know what may have motivated a crime as . stupid and as senseless as this.' Crime . ridden: Brazil still has an alarmingly high murder rate, and armed . thefts and carjackings continue to be facts of daily life . Mr Santos’ played as a professional footballer between 1996 and 2005 - during which he scored 33 goals in 103 matches as a striker. Nicknamed Humble Hero, he was signed to a number of second division teams. He also played abroad for Swedish Club Oster Vaxjo and Olimpia in Honduras. A recent United Nations report into drug trafficking-related crime in Brazil found that more than half of the homicides, robberies and thefts have a direct or indirect link with this criminal activity. | Witnesses saw armed men kidnap Joao Rodrigo Silva Santos on Monday .
They waited for him outside his health foods shop in Rio de Janeiro .
His wife discovered his severed head on her doorstep at 5.30am today .
The head was in Joao's own bag and his eyes and tongue were cut out . |
112,530 | 1d2ecc3dd7037a48edb2002ad63a2b11ed6aef1d | Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso (CNN) -- Following weeks of unrest, Burkina Faso's president has named a former ambassador as the country's new prime minister, state media reported. A statement signed by President Blaise Compaore named Luc Adolph Tiao, Burkina Faso's former ambassador to France, to the post, RTB, the national radio and television network, reported Monday. Before Tiao was an ambassador, he was president of the Superior Council of Communication of Burkina Faso, which regulates the media. The announcement came after several incidents triggered violence in the western African nation, sparked by different events. There was no information on how many people had been injured. Student protests have been ongoing in the nation since February, according to local media reports. The demonstrations came after a student reportedly died in jail. On March 30, protests erupted over a court case. According to media reports, a man sued a group of five soldiers, claiming they allegedly forced him to take off his clothes and walk home because he had dated a soldier's girlfriend. The court found in favor of the man. During the violence that ensued, the defense minister said his home was attacked. A small group of presidential security guards revolted Thursday night over a promised housing allowance, firing shots inside the presidential compound and taking to the streets, shooting guns, stealing cars and robbing people, according to officials with the Ministry of Defense. Two children of a defense official were shot at and hospitalized, officials said. The soldiers demanded a housing allowance they said the president had promised them. The Ministry of Defense said Friday in a statement the soldiers had been paid but the protests continued, with buildings in the capital city, Ouagadougou, set on fire. The president also reportedly replaced the head of the Army amid the violence. The president was at the palace when the demonstrations began and left briefly under heavy security, but he later returned. In recent days, a curfew was imposed, and sources in the city of Po said violence was also taking place there. A spokesman for the group of security guards, Moussa Ag Abdoulaye, appeared on RTB and reaffirmed the group's committment to the president and called for a cease-fire from other military groups. | The former ambassador to France was named prime minister .
Students have been protesting for months .
A group of security guards revolted last week . |
172,938 | 6bd0805e7653f5a5af2d2792a4d69e0f5e3f4a8a | Actress and former Miss America Vanessa Williams has spoken out about being molested by an 18-year-old girl when she was only ten-years-old and how it's had a negative impact on her psychologically. Vanessa Williams opened up on Oprah's Master Class and spoke about a traumatic summer before she entered the fifth grade when a much older 'cool girl' performed oral sex on her when she was staying with her friend's family's friends in California. Even though Williams thought that her friend's family friend's daughter was 'cool' at first she knew that what happened between them 'wasn't supposed to be happening.' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Vanessa Williams spoke of her traumatic experience of being molested by an 18-year-old girl when she was only 10-years-old . At only 10-years-old Vanessa Williams (left) didn't know how to comprehend the intrusive sexual encounter with the older girl . 'She was one of the cool girls,' said Williams. 'She made you want to feel like you were a grown-up.' One night when Williams and her friend were sleeping, the older girl sneaked into their room and woke Williams with a strange request. 'She told me to lie down on the floor. She took my bottoms off and she said, 'Be quiet,' Williams says. 'She went down on me.' Williams couldn't really understand what was happening and was conflicted about the encounter. 'I had no idea what it was, but I knew it felt good,' she says. 'I knew it felt good, but was also something that was not supposed to be happening.' Williams . never told her parents about what happened because the moment she . stepped off the plane she learned of a family tragedy and didn't have . the courage to bring up the incident with her family. 'I saw my dad's face and his face was gray. And I just found out that his brother had died,' said Williams. Williams spoke about how the incident made her sexually promiscuous at an inappropriate age . Vanessa Williams says she wished she could had the innocent experience of having her first kiss at 16 but that being molested made her act out sexually at a young age . 'That was a family drama. I never really talked to my dad about it. I kind of suppressed it.' Williams says that the incident sexualized her at an innapproproately early age and that in a way it took away some of her innocence. 'It awakens your sexuality at an age where it shouldn't be awakened,' said Williams. 'Had that not happened in my life and had I had an opportunity to have a normal courtship with a boyfriend at 16 or whatever... there wouldn't have been that shame that was always haunting me. It made me more sexually promiscuous and more sexually curious at a younger age than I should have been.' Williams, pictured here as a teenager, said her sexuality was awakened at an age that it shouldn't have been . | Vanessa Williams was accompanying her friends family on a trip to California when she was molested by an 18-year-old girl .
'She told me to lie down on the floor. She took my bottoms off and she said, 'Be quiet....She went down on me,' said Williams .
Williams says that the incident sexualized her at an inappropriately early age and it .
took away some of her innocence . |
253,960 | d4af3a9e615f8512d8a41d5a51f7d0544e540a48 | BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The Iraqi government says it has banned all organized visits to Saddam Hussein's grave amid concern over support for the late dictator's former party. An Iraqi poet, left, gives a recital while children carry pictures of Saddam Hussein over his grave. A Cabinet statement on Monday said it had directed authorities in Salaheddin province and the Education Ministry to "take all necessary measures" to prevent such outings. The former dictator, along with his two sons and other relatives, is buried in his hometown of al-Ouja near Tikrit in Salaheddin north of Baghdad. And, Hussein supporters and schoolchildren have made visits there on the late dictator's birthday and hanging date. There have been videos on sites such as YouTube of people at the site. One video shows schoolchildren at the grave in December; they carried banners at Hussein's grave that said "We won't forget you father" and they read pro-Hussein poetry. The government move was made after a recent visit by schoolchildren to the grave, but no reason was given for the decision. However, the move reflects the concern of Iraq's government over the presence of the Baath Party in Iraq, Saddam Hussein's political movement. The party and its symbols have been banned in Iraq. On Saturday, government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told reporters that while there can be government reconciliation with individual Baathists who have not committed crimes such as killing Iraqis, there can never be national reconciliation with the party itself. Salaheddin Gov. Mutasher Hussein Alaiwi, said he had not received any official directives yet, but said he would implement Cabinet orders when he receives them. The governor said that would apply to organized group visits, but they would not stop individual ones. A resident of al-Ouja told CNN the government had no right to stop visitors from going to their former president's tomb. "Even if they put police and army outside the door, they will not stop us from visiting our president, our leader and our father," said Mohammed al- Nasiri. Hussein was executed in 2006 after an Iraqi court sentenced him to death for crimes against humanity. | Iraqi government bans all organized visits to Saddam Hussein's grave .
Former dictator buried in his hometown of al-Ouja near Tikrit, north of Baghdad .
Government move was made after a recent visit by schoolchildren to the grave .
Move reflects concern of Iraq's government over presence of the Baath Party . |
119,420 | 2642cbc605cbac394f04dd4b7ef46a9fc1e9e417 | (CNN) -- Tattoos have had a variety of purposes over their 5,000-year history. In cultures from ancient Egyptian to Polynesian, they've served as medicine, rite of passage, good-luck charm, punishment, decoration, religious, political or status symbol, and, of course, tribute to a loved one. And many times, that loved one is Mom. "Just about anybody that's heavily tattooed, if they don't have it already, [a mom tattoo] is definitely on their list of things to get," said tattoo artist Alan Flores, who works out of 13 Roses Tattoo Parlour in Atlanta. What's thought of as the "traditional" mom tattoo -- a heart with a banner, stereotypically seen on World War II-era sailors -- is still a popular design. "I've done plenty of mom tattoos with banners around hearts," said Flores. But custom motifs, handwriting and even portraits are gaining ground -- check out the gallery above. "I did one the other day on a guy; his mom is a tennis player, so I drew up a head with a tennis racket," said Flores. And sometimes customers just come to him with general ideas -- "favorite flowers, things she likes" -- and then "it's up to me to create that image that they're picturing." In Flores' experience, people usually get mom or dad tattoos as memorials for a parent after they've passed away. Of course, they can also honor a special occasion or serve as a tribute. Kyle Divine, in the gallery above, got his tattoo on Mother's Day in 2006, and John Clarke got his for his mother's 70th birthday. Amanda Clifton and her mom got matching tattoos during a mother/daughter vacation. "When you have so much love for a person, it's hard not to show some love with ink," Clifton remarked. Pondering a tattoo of your own to honor mom? If you're thinking of a custom or unique piece, like a portrait, Flores recommends bringing in your tattoo artist from the start to refine your vision. "I know what works as a tattoo and I know what doesn't work," he said. "A lot of art can't be translated to skin." Once you've got your mom ink, be sure to share the love and show off your design on CNN iReport. Happy Mother's Day! | For more than 100 years, tattoos have been a popular way to honor mom .
Designs range from the iconic banner and heart to custom portraits and handwriting .
"It's hard not to show some love with ink," says one woman with a mom tat .
Have a mom tattoo of your own? Show it off on CNN iReport . |
121,259 | 28c47520e77877e53c3631f18e2d01ad58b7c018 | By . Hugo Gye . PUBLISHED: . 06:22 EST, 16 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 06:22 EST, 16 January 2014 . A group of yobs have been caught on CCTV vandalising a street by knocking over bins - then being forced to clean up their mess by police. The young men, who had apparently been on a night out in York, began overturning wheelie bins and throwing bags of rubbish into the street. With the roads deserted at 2.30am, they presumably thought their antics would go unnoticed - but they were being monitored on surveillance cameras the whole time. Scroll down to watch the CCTV footage . Caught on CCTV: A group of vandals were filmed rampaging down the street in York last week . Carnage: The yobs knocked over wheelie bins and threw bags of rubbish into the road . Intervention: The police arrived on the scene after being called by CCTV operators monitoring the situation . Punishment: Officers looked on as the vandals cleared up the damage they had done to the road . CCTV operators called the police, who rushed to the scene and stopped the vandals from continuing their anti-social behaviour. Officers gave the men a stern talking to - and told them to pick up the rubbish and restore the bins to their rightful place. In the CCTV footage, the culprits can be seen shamefacedly undoing all their damage. No further action will be taken over the incident, which took place in the early hours of the morning on January 7. Thoughtless: One of the young men was caught on camera throwing down several wheelie bins in a row . Making a break for it: A vandal runs away from the scene of the crime during his late-night rampage . Running around: Little did the perpetrators know that everything they did was monitored on CCTV . Wanton: The young men were throwing around bags filled with rubbish in the York street . York City Council and North Yorkshire Police have decided to publicise the video clip in a bid to let other would-be offenders know that they will not get away with anti-social actions. Councillor Linsay Cunningham-Cross said: 'This was a wasteful antic which thankfully was spotted quickly by our CCTV operatives and dealt within a matter of minutes by North Yorkshire Police. 'Working with the police this case demonstrates that our state-of-the-art technology has helped to keep residents safe and protected our communities from crime.' Stepping in: A police car drew up at the scene after being contacted by those monitoring the situation . Mess: Officers saw the extent of the damage after arriving at the scene of the anti-social behaviour . Turning the tables: Police made the yobs undo all the mess they had made in the street . Humiliation: But the perpetrators will face no further action over the incident on January 7 . Superintendent Phil Cain added: 'This particular incident was quickly spotted by CCTV operators allowing police officers to be on the scene within minutes to deal with the situation before it could cause too much concern or upset to the general public. 'I commend the officers involved for dealing with manner win a sensible and proportionate manner, and hopefully the lads in question will learn some lessons from this and improve their conduct in the future.' The council said that the incident showed the capabilities of the York Travel and Control Centre. Each month on average, the centre monitors over 1,000 hours of live CCTV footage, records more than 550 incidents and provides police with 40 pieces of evidence. | Young men seen rampaging along the street in York after night out .
CCTV operators called the police who rushed to the scene and intervened .
Officers made the vandals replace all the bins and clean up rubbish . |
147,380 | 4a8c273e4663eaf5e2e14fc098972ced8f195d0b | MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- About half of the staff of the National Hurricane Center have signed a petition calling for the ouster of the center's director, saying its "effective functioning" is at stake as the Atlantic hurricane season heads toward its peak. National Hurricane Center Director Bill Proenza said he was reprimanded for comments about replacing a key satellite. "An unfortunate public debate is now occurring over the ability of the National Hurricane Center to meet its mission," the petition, released Thursday, says. "The undersigned staff of the National Hurricane Center has concluded that the center needs a new director, and with the heart of the hurricane season fast approaching, urges the Department of Commerce to make this happen as quickly as possible." Twenty-three people signed the petition -- about half the center's total staff, but about 70 percent of those who were available and discussed the statement Thursday, said James Franklin, a senior hurricane specialist. The center's current director, Bill Proenza, took over in January after the retirement of Max Mayfield. Proenza caused an uproar last month with comments about a key hurricane satellite called QuikScat. The satellite is five years beyond its life expectancy and operating on a backup transmitter. Proenza said if it were to fail, forecast tracks could be thrown off by as much as 16 percent. He told CNN that Washington reprimanded him for the comments -- "They wanted me to be quiet about it." But one of the center's veteran forecasters said Proenza's comments were misguided. "QuikScat is another tool that we use to forecast," Lixion Avila said. "The forecast will not be degraded if we don't have the QuikScat." The Commerce Department this week launched an unscheduled review of the hurricane center after word of the staff's dissatisfaction started to become public, The Associated Press reported. Hurricane center staffers told CNN's John Zarrella they were not consulted before Proenza made the remarks and replacing the satellite would not be one of their priorities. But they said their dissatisfaction stems not only from Proenza's comments, but also from the environment at the center -- one of closed doors and the public airing of dirty laundry. Staffers say they are worried the hurricane center's mission is being undermined and that public confidence in the center could erode -- meaning the public might not take the center's storm warnings or evacuation alerts seriously, for instance. The statement was not sent to the Commerce Department, Zarrella said, but was sent to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's public affairs office. The National Hurricane Center is under NOAA's authority. E-mail to a friend . | 23 staff members sign petition asking for director's ouster .
Bill Proenza took over in January after Max Mayfield's retirement .
Staff unhappy with environment of closed doors, public bickering .
Commerce Department reviewing hurricane center's operations . |
19,708 | 37f6aab4b39e908824c07501b4e52b38a407631c | By . Joe Bernstein . Brighton have completed the signing of Chris O'Grady from Barnsley or an undisclosed fee. The 28-year-old striker has been brought to the south coast on a three-year-deal in order to replace Leonardo Ulloa, who looks set to move to Leicester City for £7million. O'Grady played 40 times for Barnsley last season, netting 15 times. New arrival: Chris O'Grady has signed for Brighton from Barnsley for an undisclosed fee . Strong presence: Hyypia says that O'Grady (right) will give Brighton an option they currently do not have . Ex-Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia, who manages Brighton, beat off competition from former Reds striker Nigel Clough who tried to lure O'Grady to League One Sheffield United. Hyypia told Brighton's official club website: 'He (O'Grady) is a strong physical presence. 'Chris gives us something different to the other strikers we already have here at the club.' O'Grady has previously represented Sheffield Wednesday, Leicester City, Rotherham United, Oldham Athletic and Rochdale among other clubs. He is available for selection for Brighton's friendly with Crawley Town on Wednesday. Goalscorer: O'Grady netted 15 times in 40 appearances last season for the Tykes . | O'Grady moves to the south coast club for an undisclosed fee .
He will replace Leonardo Ulloa who is due to move to Leicester for £7million .
Brighton beat off competition from Sheffield United to O'Grady's signature . |
123,709 | 2bf13558e4eed0d90eb8b2be502c4677d1355b30 | (CNN) -- For weeks, Nigerian officials said that more than 200 Nigerian school girls would finally be freed. When it fell apart, there was nothing but devastation. Over and over, sources told CNN's Isha Sesay that negotiations between the government and Boko Haram, the group that snatched the girls in April, were getting somewhere. The journalist was assured that the Islamist terror group had agreed to a cease-fire, and as part of that deal, the girls would be able to return to their families. For once, Sesay allowed herself to feel optimistic. A native of Sierra Leone, the journalist was personally drawn to the tragedy that inspired the global campaign "Bring Back Our Girls." "Those girls were poor, from a remote part of Nigeria," in Chibok in Borno State, Sesay said. The area has been long ignored, and the people there have gotten by on very little, she said. The girls were kidnapped while they were at school. "They were just trying to get an education," Sesay said. "But for the grace of God, I come from an educated family and my life has been different. It's the power of education that has allowed me to become a CNN anchor. These girls were in school to change their circumstances." Sesay got on a plane to Nigeria days ago as sources told her that the girls' freedom was imminent. When she landed she started to hear more from journalists who have extensively covered Boko Haram, and from those who knew how the terror group operated. They were suspicious, and doubted that the government was really in talks with the terrorists. There were other red flags. No one from Boko said anything about the supposed cease-fire. In fact, members remained active in northeastern Nigeria, and actually carried out more attacks and child abductions. Sesay and her CNN crew kept hoping. Maybe it was simple banditry in the north, she reasoned. It was hard to bear the idea that the girls wouldn't be freed. "We wanted to believe," she said. "We gave (Nigerian officials) the benefit of the doubt, I suppose." A crushing video . On November 1, a video appeared of Boko Haram leader, Abubakar Shekau saying no cease-fire been reached. The girls were not going to be released, he said, laughing. They had converted to Islam and were married off. "They are," he said, "in the marital homes." It was a crushing blow. "It was like he was saying, 'This is done,' " Sesay recalled. After the video was released, Nigeria's government asserted that negotiations had happened, and Shekau had gone back on promises he'd made during those talks. "We've heard about the video, and we can say the road to peace is bumpy -- and you cannot expect otherwise," a spokesman said. "Nigeria has been fighting a war, and wars don't end overnight." In late October, Human Rights Watch released a report on Boko Haram violence against women and girls in Nigeria. The group interviewed kidnap victims including a dozen of the Chibok girls who escaped. The girls had been imprisoned in eight Boko Haram camps in the Sambisa Forest Reserve, the report said. The women and girls who refused to convert to Islam were physically and sexually assaulted, HRW said, and some were forced to marry their captors. Men and boys who were abducted, the report says, were given the choice of joining the group or being murdered. What gives Boko Haram its strength? 'How could they do this?' Before she left Nigeria, Sesay called Obiageli Ezekwesili, a former Nigerian government official and one of the leaders of the Bring Back Our Girls campaign. "She sounded sick with grief when she answered the phone," Sesay recalled. "I said ... 'Are you OK?' which is ... so stupid. She was just -- her voice was hoarse with pain. She said, 'How could they do this?' " Ezekwesili said she wasn't sure if the parents of the girls would recover. Sesay said she is committed to continue to tell the girls' stories. Each is a person. Each deserves to live out their unique passions and paths. "We have to keep asking questions," she said. "We have set expectations low in terms of getting meaningful answers. That can't continue." Boko Haram -- the essence of terror . | CNN's Isha Sesay is personally driven to continue to tell the story of kidnapped Nigerian school girls .
She went to Africa because sources told her that terror group Boko Haram would release the girls .
Boko Haram's leader said that the girls would not be freed, but had been married off .
The turn of events felt like a crushing blow to so many who have fought for the girls to return home . |
21,759 | 3dd67a69768d1074019c0a6f04013258dcae0d29 | By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 12:41 EST, 27 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:39 EST, 28 September 2012 . A woman’s teenage lover murdered her severely disabled toddler while she was on the school run. She then desperately tried to cover up their affair with the boy, ten years his senior. Cameron Rose, 18, is alleged to have swung epileptic three-year-old Rhys Lawrie by his right leg into a hard object, causing massive head injuries, jurors at Old Bailey heard. Tragic: Three-year-old Rhys Lawrie, who was killed at his home in Eltham, south east London . The court heard how Rose had allegedly attacked the boy two times before the fatal attack while Sadie Henry, Rhys’ mother lied repeatedly to paramedics and police to try to cover up the relationship because she realised it was ‘ill-advised and inappropriate’. Rose of Eltham, southeast London claimed the injuries were caused by accidental falls and Rhys knocked himself during epileptic seizures the court heard. Rose is accused of beating Rhys four days before he died, and on another occasion in December 2010. Miss Henry was 26-years-old when she began her relationship with Rose, when he was just 16-years-old. Sally Howes QC, prosecuting, said: ‘While it is not illegal for a woman to have a sexual relationship with a 16-year old it may be considered by many to be a the very least ill-advised and inappropriate. ‘The apparent need to conceal the truth of the relationship between Sadie Henry and Cameron Rose forms the backdrop of the police investigation into the death of Rhys Lawrie. ‘Sadie Henry lied repeatedly to paramedics, hospital staff and unfortunately to the police in an effort to hide the true events and circumstances surrounding the death of Rhys and two earlier episodes of assault.’ A post-mortem examination found Rhys had suffered serious head injuries three to five days before death, and on the day he died. Rhys' mother Sadie Henry, left, lied repeatedly to paramedics and police to try to cover up the relationship with Cameron Rose, right, because she realised it was 'ill-advised and inappropriate' He also had extensive, fingertip-sized bruising to his face, ears, body and both legs and his right leg was fractured. Forensic expert Doctor Nathaniel Cary found that the injuries were ‘atypical for accidental origin’ and were ‘indicative of multiple blunt force impacts and or gripping to the facial area’. It is alleged that the tibia fracture was caused by Rhys being swung by his ankle. Sally Howes, prosecuting said that Dr Cary suggested that ‘the fatal head injury arose from Rhys Lawrie being forcibly swung from the right leg causing an impact to his head or face’. Rhys suffered from a severe epileptic condition and had to go a special school because he was barely able to walk. Miss Henry, a former army medic, met Rose in 2010 at a bonfire party and the pair kept their sexual relationship secret from his mother, who thought he was staying with his brother when he was at Miss Henry’s flat. Rose would stay with her from Thursday to Monday over most weekends and had only been left alone with Rhys for long periods three times. Sadie Henry desperately administered CPR and called the emergency services but nothing could be done to save Rhys . Miss Howes told the jury: ‘This is a man who, on the three occasions when he was alone with this child, this child ended up with injuries, and on the last occasion fatal injuries.’ On the first occasion Rhys was injured, nursery staff noticed that he had severe bruising on his face and was ‘wobbly’ in his chair in December 2010. When the nursery contacted Miss Henry about the bruises, Miss Howes said: ‘She gave the explanation that Rhys had been falling down quite a lot at that stage.' The mother later told police that Rose told her he had been playing a game with Rhys and he had fallen off the table. She did not suspect him because Rose had been so ‘calm and collected’ when he gave the explanation. On the second occasion, Rose claimed he had accidentally elbowed Rhys in the face while in bed. The toddler then fell off a kitchen counter as Rose bent down to the freezer to get something cold to hold against his face, he said. Miss Howes told the jury: ‘When she (Miss Henry) returned Cameron Rose met her in the corridor of the flat saying she was stupid to leave Rhys in bed with him as he had elbowed Rhys quite hard in his sleep.’ The boy’s face was so badly swollen that Miss Henry called an ambulance and said her son had suffered two fits because she knew he would have to be taken to hospital. Rhys was likely to have suffered brain damage in this incident and the injury could have caused ‘confusion and even unconsciousness’ but he was sent home after treatment. Four days later, Miss Henry left Rhys alone with Rose again. When she returned, Miss Henry asked Rose about Rhys’ whereabouts. Miss Howes said: ‘Cameron Rose responded that Rhys was in bed as he had a seizure. ‘He said he had choked and he had to bang him on the back quite hard.‘Cameron Rose added Rhys’ eyes were rolling and he had foamed at the mouth. ‘Sadie Henry went to the bedroom. Rhys was under the bedclothes. He looked blue in colour. She was later to tell police: “I knew Rhys was dead when I saw him”.’ The mother desperately administered CPR and called the emergency services but nothing could be done to save Rhys. After Rhys died, Rose told police he did not get on with Miss Henry’s older child, identified only as B, because he had hit him in the face once and he held ‘grudges’ but he claimed he got on well with Rhys. Rose denies murder and causing Rhys actual bodily harm. Miss Henry met the toddler’s father, Chris Lawrie, who was also in the Armed Forces, in 2003. Miss Henry left the forces shortly after she had Rhys and after her relationship with Mr Lawrie failed, she moved into a flat in Erith, south east London. The trial was adjourned until next Tuesday. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Cameron Rose allegedly swung epileptic boy Rhys Lawrie by his leg into a hard object, killing him .
Rose, 18, was in a relationship with Rhys' mother, Sadie Henry .
Miss Henry lied to paramedics and police to try and cover up her affair with Rose, ten years her junior .
Rose allegedly attacked Rhys two times before the fatal attack . |
80,640 | e48cd0f8a3e9037d1e9e39c46771494ab8d669bf | Seoul, South Korea (CNN) -- As winter recedes, winds whip through downtown Seoul and chill the crowds of commuters on their way home. The sun is dropping and the pale golden light streams between tall buildings. A girl smiles as she chats excitedly on her cell phone. Men in black suits cluster on a street corner debating their happy hour destination. Nowhere is there the slightest inkling that anyone in this second largest metropolitan area in the world -- is fearful or even anxious about the stream of threats emanating from North Korea. Just as sure as spring is coming, most seem to find it entirely normal that warnings of thermonuclear war, annihilation and utter devastation punctuate this, the season of joint U.S., South Korean military maneuvers. Opinion: Why North Korea regime is scary . "We are post-war, we don't worry about that," a journalist specializing in local news told me. "We take it for granted." He was just one of about 30 reporters I met in a session discussing news in the South Korean capital this week. Seoul is a scant 30 miles from the demilitarized zone dividing North and South Korea -- one of the most militarized places on the planet. If a full-scale war were to break out, the South Korean capital would be Pyongyang's prime target. It might only be minutes before artillery or rockets would come raining down. North Korea has an array of artillery and other conventional arms that make its military a credible threat, especially to South Korean. Pyongyang is also believed to possess thousands of tons of chemical agents, although it has denied possessing such weapons. I wondered aloud if South Koreans really weren't afraid or simply felt there was nothing they could do about it anyway? "We're insensitive," one offered in reply. It's not the futility of fear in their predicament; it's that they have lived their entire lives under a cloud of threats and warnings from the North. "We know North Korea doesn't want war," said another. "They want money and food," adding that Pyongyang has tried it all -- missiles, the nuclear threat, its million man army -- to try to blackmail the South. Former U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell visited this week and told hundreds of people gathered for the Asian Leadership Conference that North Korea knew well an attack on South Korea, much less the United States, would mean a "regime ending" retaliation. He encouraged his mostly South Korean audience to be optimistic because they were part of the world that has grown more democratic and wealthier, as opposed to the road chosen by the Kim family dynasty. Rather than being burdened by the dark clouds of threats, Powell urged them to pursue jobs and human dignity, to focus on the environment and poverty reduction. What's Kim Jong Un up to? South Koreans seem overwhelmingly willing to take that advice. In the week I've been here, I have only found one woman who remembers participating in civilian air raid drills. "It was 30 years ago," she told me. Today, Seoul's 25 million people have absolutely no ambition to live in constant fear. But Seoul isn't all of South Korea. "It's different for us than people on the islands," one told me, recalling the attack in 2010 that killed four South Koreans on Yeonpyeong island barely outside North Korea's territorial waters. In Seoul, the prospect of war is unthinkable. But in a select few flashpoint areas, the threat of armed provocation is very real, indeed. Korean nightmare: Experts ponder potential conflict . I paused on a street corner near CNN's Seoul offices and looked up at the jagged peaks rising behind the Blue House, which is the South Korea's presidential office. If missiles ever did come streaking toward the South Korean capital, they would likely arc above those mountains. The nearest shelter, I thought, would be the subway system. I considered how long it would take me to get there, even if I were lucky enough to see them still short of their targets. My calculations weren't at all comforting. Then, like about everyone around me, I decided to think about something else. iReport: What are your views on North Korea's threats? | No indication of fear or anxiety in Seoul toward North Korean threats .
South Koreans have long lived under a cloud of threats from North .
South Koreans seems to be carrying with life as normal . |
139,673 | 409f2ac022ba6a2a88837a2b15387cb28d4a4727 | (CNN) -- Bad weather, poor planning, a lack of safety equipment. Any one could put a boater in the kind of peril that befell two NFL players and their two friends off the coast of Florida last weekend, Coast Guard officials say. Ex-college football player Nick Schuyler clings to an overturned boat Monday in this Coast Guard photo. And such incidents happen all too often. The capsizing of the 21-foot fishing boat carrying the four men to a favorite fishing spot in the Gulf of Mexico was the latest of 200 such incidents reported to the U.S. Coast Guard in the past five months. "The oceans are an unforgiving environment," said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Chris O'Neil. "Weather can be unpredictable. Any time you are in an open environment, you are taking a certain amount of risk." That risk includes being lost at sea like Victor "Marquis" Cooper, an Oakland Raiders linebacker; Corey Smith, a Detroit Lions free-agent defensive end; and their friend William Bleakly. The fourth member of the group, Nick Schuyler, a former University of South Florida football player, was found around noon Monday clinging to the upturned boat in rough seas about 35 miles west of Clearwater, Florida. The four men had left for a fishing trip from Seminole Boat Ramp in Clearwater Pass on Saturday. The U.S. Coast Guard is unable to provide specific numbers of how many people go missing from boating accidents like this past weekend's, but officials say that since last fall there have been three people who have not been found after triggering Coast Guard searches. Those incidents can range from an unaccounted swimmer to a passenger gone missing after a boat sinks, said O'Neil, at the Coast Guard headquarters in Washington D.C. Capsizing is one of the leading boating accidents, according to the Coast Guard's most recent report on recreational boating in 2007. Officials report there were 398 accidents from capsizing, causing 204 deaths and 284 injuries in 2007. Capsized boats cost nearly $1.8 million a year in property damages, officials say. Collision with vessels or fixed objects and falling overboard are other major boating accidents. Last weekend, Florida state officials recovered the bodies of a 48-year-old man and his 7-year-old granddaughter after their 15-foot bass tipped over in Lake Okeechobee, according to CNN affiliate WPTV-TV in West Palm Beach, Florida. "The steering cable broke and the boat went out of control," family member Isabelo Santiago Jr. told WPTV. To remain safe on any body of water, Coast Guard officials stress having the proper safety equipment and being wary of changes in the weather. The NFL players' boat capsized off Florida in waves up to 10 feet high while being buffeted by winds up to 45 miles per hour, Coast Guard officials said. They reported 110 cases since this fall where a boat has been beset by weather. Boaters should wear a life jacket at all times, officials say, because an accident can occur so quickly that passengers may not have time to put their life jackets on. A life jacket that is bright or has deflecting tape to help catch the eyes of rescuers is recommended. Boaters should also keep a bag with flotation and communication devices, officials said. The Coast Guard encourages boaters to purchase Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacons (EPIRBs) that can cost between $200 to $1,500. This technology enables emergency signals to be sent out automatically or manually when a boat sinks. Some EPIRBs have global positioning devices that can help provide the rescuers with a more exact location. After a boat capsizes, passengers should always stay near the vessel to make it easier for rescuers to find them, especially in waves and high winds. Whitecaps on waves can also confuse Coast Guard searches. Schuyler, who was rescued on Monday, was easier to find because he was near the boat, Coast Guard officials say. Wayne Cathel says he and six of his friends were in a similar situation in 1993 when their boat capsized during a spear fishing trip in John's Pass in South Florida, according to CNN affiliate Bay News 9 in St. Petersburg. The group was stranded for 18 hours before being rescued by a helicopter. "We all had to cling on to the hull of the boat for the whole time until we were finally rescued," Cathel said. "You never leave the largest object in the water," he said. "I mean that's what you stick with." Sticking with the overturned vessel also helps the Coast Guard use advanced computer technology to find it, officials said. Called SAROPS, or Search and Rescue Optimal Planning Systems, the program takes into account external conditions such as weather, ocean patterns and information available about the case such as which dock the boaters departed from to map locations in the ocean where officers can search. The program, which has been used by the Coast Guard's Seventh District for nearly two years, helps officers narrow down the location, especially critical during the beginning of a search, said Petty Officer Jennifer Johnson of the Seventh District. For the program to work best, Coast Guard officials say, boaters need to be sure to tell people where are they leaving from and their final destination. Even with the technology, a sea rescue is no easy feat, Johnson said."It's very difficult to locate someone.... It's like trying to find a basketball in the ocean." | Officials report capsized boats caused 204 deaths and 284 injuries in 2007 .
Coast Guard recommends boaters carry beacons and emergency devices .
Two NFL players and another boater remain missing; one boater was found Monday .
"It's like trying to find a basketball in the ocean," says Coast Guard official . |
10,679 | 1e5b40f8e504632878ecb579cd240ecc6017d3f2 | (CNN) -- Former President Alfonso Portillo of Guatemala faces money-laundering charges in the United States, according to a federal indictment unsealed Monday. The indictment charges Portillo with embezzling tens of millions of dollars in public funds, "a portion of which he then laundered through bank accounts located, among other places, in the United States and Europe," the indictment says. A grand jury indicted Portillo in U.S. District Court in New York. Portillo engineered an embezzlement with co-conspirators that occurred from about 2000 through about 2003, the indictment says. Prosecutors allege the money-laundering took place through at least 2006. Portillo was the president of Guatemala from 2000 to 2004. Authorities in Guatemala started searching for him after the United States requested his extradition, a spokesman for the International Commission against Impunity in Guatemala told CNN en Español on Sunday. They executed search warrants in four locations but had not found him as of Sunday night, officials said. Portillo came into power promising to clean up corruption, but found his own government mired in the same accusations as his predecessors. According to the indictment, in one instance in 2000, Portillo funneled $1.5 million worth of donations for a literacy project from Taiwan into accounts in Europe controlled by his ex-wife and daughter. In that case, the indictment alleges, Portillo endorsed three $500,000 checks destined for a program to purchase books for libraries, but diverted the funds into a bank in Miami, Florida. That money was eventually laundered into his family's accounts in Europe, the court document states. In short, "this money was diverted, in a series of transactions and transfers designed to conceal the sources and origin of the funds," the indictment states. There was a second instance where Portillo allegedly embezzled money given to Guatemala by the Taiwanese, according to the document. In addition, Portillo is accused of embezzling money from his defense ministry in 2001. With the help of others, Portillo made large cash transactions that ended up in accounts belonging to him and his co-conspirators, the document says. Some of the money that Portillo took went to buy expensive watches and cars, the indictment says. | Indictment unsealed Monday charges former Guatemalan president with embezzlement .
Alfonso Portillo charged in U.S. court with alleged money-laundering scheme .
As of Sunday, authorities in Guatemala had not found Portillo . |
221,575 | aad447aebeb246147f73d8be8a8dca44ea85d60e | This is not your typical hot air balloon ride. While most tourists enjoy a tranquil glide through the air while enjoying the sights below, these thrill-seekers instead decided to throw themselves out of a hot air balloon basket and swing to a second balloon while attached to a rope. YouTube superstar Devin 'Supertramp' Graham and his team filmed the exhilarating moment which combined two seemingly tame activities, the hot air balloon ride and the rope swing, to create one heart-stopping stunt. A hot air balloon ride with a difference: Extreme sports enthusiasts have filmed themselves creating the world's craziest rope swing . Thrill-seekers: YouTube star Devin 'Supertramp' Graham filmed his crew throwing themselves from a hot air balloon . Cinematographer Devin, 31, specialises in extreme sports and adventure videos, pulling off mind-blowing stunts each week in videos watched by over 2.6million subscribers. In this video, Devin filmed his team swinging 180ft though the air and to the ground in the desert outside Las Vegas, Nevada, on October 29. The jumpers each held GoPro cameras, capturing the stunt from different perspectives, while a helicopter was also used to take a bird's eye view of the balloons. Stunt: The jumpers were tied to a rope that was attached to a second hot air balloon . The face of fear: The jumpers captured the moment on GoPro cameras with selfie sticks . The videos were made in collaboration with the Citi Double Cash Card, with the idea of combining two fun activities into a double stunt made epic. The thrilling video has had over 420,000 views since being uploaded one week ago. A behind-the-scenes clip shows Devin and his team setting up for the shoot in the desert, with some team members camping outside in the near-freezing temperature to protect the equipment. Up in the air: Six of the team members braved a swing of 180ft through the air and to the ground . Don't look down: The video was created in collaboration with Citi Double Cash Card . Remote: The stunt took place in the Nevada desert on October 29 . On his blog, Devin, from Salt Lake City, writes that they ran into a number of obstacles when pulling together the stunt, and had to change the plan a few times. His original concept was to create a 'Tarzan' scenario, with the crew swinging from rope to rope across multiple hot air balloons, but it was deemed impossible to pull off. That's when the idea of a rope swing created by jumping out of one hot air balloon while attached to another was born, with the plan calling for the team members to swing into a lake below. But the shoot had to be moved to the desert when the weather conditions became too windy. Despite the obstacles, the end result is undeniably spectacular. | Devin 'Supertramp' Graham filmed stunt in Nevada desert on October 29 .
Team jumped from one hot air balloon while tied to a rope attached to a second hot air balloon .
Filmed themselves with GoPros on selfie sticks as they soared through the air . |
51,264 | 911f4fe0e60be00b6d114dd11d0e4d4fef34caca | China's economy is continuing to grow at breakneck speed but - as these pictures show - the giant nation's infrastructure is quite literally buckling under the strain. At least three people were killed and five injured when this motorway bridge in Heilongjiang province in north east China collapsed today sending four huge trucks crashing 100ft to the ground below. The tragedy comes after what is claimed to be the world's largest 'sofa chair' was unveiled in Shanghai - showcasing the more positive side of China's incredible economic growth. Collapse: Huge trucks lie on their side after being thrown off the Yangmingtan Bridge after it collapsed in Harbin in Heilongjiang province, north east China . Horror: The bridge was only 10 months old when a large section broke off and tumbled to the ground below . Thrown off: A truck lies on its side surrounded by its spilled load after crashing to the ground when the bridge collapsed . Devastation: The shattered remains of the truck, and another behind it, show the force of the impact when they hit the ground . The bridge collapse is one of a number of . horrifying accidents on China's expanding road and rail networks in . recent years - leading to fears that safety is being sacrificed for the . speed of construction. Four trucks crashed to the ground, crushing their occupants and sending their loads spilling across the ground. The tragedy comes just ten months after the multimillion pound roadway was constructed and was one of two transport disasters to hit the . province this week, with a train crash at a railway station on Thursday . also injuring at least 24 people. Xinhua news agency said it was at least the sixth major bridge collapse across the country since July last year - fuelling fears over the safety of China's fast-expanding infrastructure. But despite fears about its infrastructure, China continues to amaze the world with the sheer scale of its economic growth. And . nothing could symbolise this expansion better than the world's largest . armchair, which has been put on display in a Shanghai department store. The . massive seat, which stands nearly 22ft tall and 25ft wide can be turned into a stage for performances at the weekend. Performances: The chair is so big it is used as a stage by performers on the weekend . Giant: Two children pose for photos in front of the 22ft high, 25ft wide chair in a department store in Shanghai today . Scale: A man sits in a regular size armchair as below him people pose for photos in front of the 6.8-meter-tall, 7.7-meter-wide sofa chair . The chair is so big that it can be turned into a stage for performance in the weekends. Though quite why the chair was made - other than to show off China's phenomenal economy - is not entirely known . The latest train collision occurred on Thursday evening at the Jiamusi railway . station in Heilongjiang, according to Xinhua. A railway . spokesman in the provincial capital said most of the injured were . preparing to get off a train when the other train collided with it, . causing them to fall. Two U.S. citizens were among the dead in December last year when a bullet train crashed off a bridge after leaving the Zhejiang provincial capital of Hangzhou. Safety fears: The latest accidents follow a series of disasters on China's road and rail network. In December last year two U.S. citizens were among the dead when a bullet train crashed after leaving Hangzhou . Devastation: Dozens of rescue workers battled to save the survivors of the train crash . Plummet: A lorry lies at the bottom of a huge sinkhole on Shiliuzhuang road, in Beijing, China in April last year. The driver and his passenger jumped out of the vehicle before it sank into the hole . Most of the injuries were slight and five people were under medical . observation. An investigation into the crash is now under way. Train and road accidents - like the one pictured below - are relatively common in China due to lax safety and maintenance procedures. Shocking: A truck hangs precariously on the edge of a bridge in China after structure's collapse in Sichuan province in 2009 . Casualties: Three people were killed and 12 others injured when the bridge collapsed . | Motorway collapse is one of a string of recent transport disasters in China .
Fears raised over safety standards on country's road and rail network .
Tragedy follows unveiling of 'world's largest armchair' in Shanghai . |
227,146 | b21dba34c35f5b5cc735542a654df6bbd009acfc | By . Emma Glanfield for MailOnline . A former soldier and game hunter shot himself dead in an apparent suicide following a domestic incident which led to a four-hour stand-off with armed police. Allan Ellis, 50, a licensed gun owner and butcher, threatened to harm himself when police arrived at his home following reports of a domestic incident at 10.55pm on Wednesday. Officers sealed off the residential street in Bacup, Lancashire, and coaxed a woman – believed to be his wife Heather- from the property as a negotiator tried to reason with Mr Ellis. Allan Ellis, 50, a licensed gun owner and butcher, threatened to harm himself when police arrived at his home following reports of a domestic incident. After four hours of negotiations, the former soldier took his own life . The former corporal with the Scots Guards spoke with specialised police officers for about four hours until negotiations broke down. Armed officers then entered the terraced house and found his body in an upstairs room at 3am on Thursday. Police confirmed they are not treating his death as suspicious and said no one else was injured in the incident. Mr Ellis' next-of-kin have been informed and are being looked after by a police family liaison officer. The former soldier served in the Army from 1980 to 1993 when a serious injury forced him to change career. He owned a game shop and went into hunting venison, rabbit, boar and other game, which he supplied to farmers' markets across East Lancashire. He also organised deer hunts, shooting events and ran a catering stand at food festivals. A Lancashire Police spokeswoman said the case has been referred to the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC), as is routine when a death occurs following police involvement. Police said the death of Mr Ellis (above) was not being treated as suspicious and said no one else was injured . She said: 'An investigation is under way and the family of the deceased are being supported by police liaison officers.' Neighbours spoke of their shock at hearing of Mr Ellis' death. An elderly resident, who has lived in the street for 40 years, told the Lancashire Telegraph: 'My husband went out at about 4.30am and there were three police cars outside. 'It really shocks you knowing that that's happened a few doors down. It's just awful. It must be terrible for Heather and her daughter.' Another resident, who did not wish to be named, said: 'It's terrible to think it's happened right on your doorstep.' Mr Ellis is thought to originally be from the village of Rushyford, in County Durham, and named his game dealing and shooting ware store in Burnley Road East after his hometown when he opened it 12 months ago. For confidential support on suicide matters in the UK, call the Samaritans on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here. | Police called to domestic incident at home of Allan Ellis, 50, on Wednesday .
Negotiators spent four hours talking to former soldier before he shot himself .
Officers coaxed woman from Bacup property - believed to be wife Heather . |
75,524 | d63326392f2952542f90009aa35a339d83e00766 | Manchester City will leave the grey skies of home behind after their clash with Arsenal on Sunday. Manuel Pellegrini's men will head for the sunnier climes of Abu Dhabi for a week of warm weather training in the homeland of their owner. The Premier League champions will be driven to the airport from the Etihad Stadium after the clash with the Gunners before taking a specially-chartered flight to the Emirates city. Manuel Pellegrini's side will head to Abu Dhabi for a week of warm weather training after Sunday's match . While in Abu Dhabi they will take on German side Hamburg on Wednesday in a friendly at the Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium before heading back to Manchester to take on Championship Middlesbrough in the FA Cup Fourth Round. The club's women's team, along with its Australian outfit Melbourne City, will also take part in the training camp. The trip represents a return to the scene of the bizarre Yaya Toure birthday cake row, although the Ivory Coast midfielder, whose agent claimed he was shown a lack of respect by club officials at an end-of-season trip last year, will miss out as he is at the African Cup of Nations. Meanwhile, City have distanced themselves from claims they are set to swoop for another club. Yaya Toure is unavailable for the trip as he is on African Cup of Nations duty with the Ivory Coast . Reports in Malaysia suggested they had been in talks with champions Johor Darul Takzim (JDT) with a view to adding them to an existing stable which includes New York City, Melbourne and a stake of around 20 per cent in Japan's Yokohama F Marinos. However, it is understood that while a delegation of officials met with JDT's owner, it was merely with a view to providing assistance with scouting and coaching. | Manuel Pellegrini's men take on Arsenal at the Etihad on Sunday .
Manchester City currently occupy second place in the Premier League .
City will play will Hamburg on Wednesday during their trip .
The club's women's team will also take part in the training camp .
City have denied they are set to swoop for another club .
READ: Sergio Aguero vs Alexis Sanchez . |
94,929 | 06009a6b11b30be4d7e857f84f7c8a053481cf33 | (EW.com) -- Gordon Ramsay is expanding beyond cooking and setting his sights on a new makeover target: Hotels. Fox has ordered a new Ramsay series where the reality kingpin will partner with a team of hospitality experts, traveling across the country to try and fix every aspect of struggling hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts. The working title: "Hotel Hell." The series is both familiar territory for Ramsay and a real departure, combining the business makeover format of "Kitchen Nightmares" with the internationally known chef moving beyond a cooking-centric show on Fox for the first time. Ramsay has hotel experience, having studied hotel management as a young man, and having worked and owned hotel-based restaurants throughout his career. 'DWTS': First dancer eliminated is... With this series, and presuming his other franchises continue, Ramsay will have four shows on the air, more than any other broadcast network reality TV personality -- including "Hell's Kitchen," "Kitchen Nightmares" and "MasterChef." "Gordon is amazing to work with and no matter what the premise, he delivers every time," said Mike Darnell, president of alternative entertainment at Fox. "With an unprecedented three shows already on the air, Gordon is an incredible television success, and we're really thrilled to put him through 'Hotel Hell.' " Emmys 2011: Best/worst style . Added Ramsay in a statement: "These are stories that everyone can relate to, because virtually all of us have had a bad hotel experience that's turned a holiday or business trip into a total disaster. It's time to put the hospitality industry to the test." Ramsay, Adeline Ramage Rooney, Patricia Llewellyn and Ben Adler are executive producers on the project, which does not yet have an air date. See full article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Fox has ordered a new series, "Hotel Hell," featuring Gordon Ramsay .
Ramsay will travel across the country to try and fix every aspect of struggling hotels .
He'll have four shows on the air, more than any other broadcast network reality TV personality . |
98,256 | 0a7fda356d5dc75fcdcf45f454b1e2a8bef2ff94 | Singles looking for a little affection on Valentine's Day can get some much-needed physical contact at this year's first annual Cuddle Convention. But don't get any bright ideas because the event is strictly non-sexual. Cuddle Con will happen on Saturday at several locations in Portland, Oregon and feature several workshops, classes and speakers. But the highlight will be an afternoon 'snuggle party' expected to be attended by about 100. Valentine's day plans: A Cuddle Convention will be held in Portland, Oregon this Valentine's Day. The event's organizer Samantha Hess pictured on the right in a previous broadcast about her cuddling business . Samantha Hess is the woman behind the event and she says that everyone attending the party will need to go through a 30-minute consent class before entering the cuddle room. In the class, cuddlers will be briefed on what types of touch are appropriate and how to communicate with each other. Only those 18 and up will be allowed to participate and nudity is prohibited. Ground rules: Hess says those who attend the convention's cuddle party must go through a 30-minute consent class where they will be briefed on appropriate touching . 'It has rules - it's touch that would be appropriate to do in front of children, basically,' Hess told the Oregonian. ' The space is big enough for about 100 people at a time.' 'Usually there's a lot of laughing, and sometimes we will get these things we call "puppy piles" with lots of people all just snuggling together. 'There will probably also be some people just chatting in the corner, too. It's not all cuddling.' The idea for Cuddle Con came about two years ago, when Hess had just finished going through a trying divorce and saw a man advertising free hugs on Facebook. At the time she thought she would definitely pay someone money just for a hug. That led her to start her own business, Cuddle Me Up, where she provides platonic cuddles to clients. The business has been so successful in Portland that she recently had to hire three more female workers. One of her clients is 47-year-old Kimberley Jenson who plans on attending this year's Cuddle Con. 'I hated Valentine's Day, and now I am looking forward to it. I am hoping to cuddle non-stop,' Jensen told CNN. 'Just because I don't have someone in my life doesn't mean I don't deserve affection and touch,' she added. Hess believes this year's Cuddle Con will show the many benefits of platonic cuddling, for both singles as couples. In addition to the snuggle party, Cuddle Con will also feature partner yoga, acro yoga, a dance lift class, a blues dancing class, a breathing class, a posture class and a massage class. Tickets to the event start at $25. | Cuddle Con will take place at several locations in Portland, Oregon this Saturday .
The highlight of the event is a snuggle party where about 100 will cuddle with each other in one room .
The event's organizer says the cuddlers will have to take a consent class prior to the party where they will be briefed on appropriate touching . |
37,894 | 6b41662b46bf2893067316aafc94369f0b557137 | What do Barack Obama, Thomas Jefferson, George W. Bush and the other past U.S. presidents have in common? Besides holding the coveted title of commander-in-chief, it appears that all of them but one are cousins. The remarkable discovery was made by 12-year-old BridgeAnne d’Avignon, of Salinas, California, who created a ground-breaking family tree that connected 42 of 43 U.S. presidents to one common, and rather unexpected, ancestor: King John of England. ‘They all have the trait of wanting power,’ d’Avignon told the station WFMY. Budding genealogist: BridgeAnne d'Avignon created a family tree that connected 42 of 43 U.S. presidents to one common ancestor . History detective: It took d'Avignon several months to search through more than 500,000 names and trace the male and female lineages of American leaders . King John, also known as John ‘Lackland’, is renowned for signing the Magna Carta in 1215, which limited the monarch’s power and helped form the British Parliament. John’s other claim to fame, or infamy, is that he was depicted as the villain in the Robin Hood tales. Common grandfather: The 12-year-old traced the lineages of nearly all of the U.S. presidents to King John, the signer of the Magna Carta . D’Avignon, a seventh-grader at Monte Vista Christian School in Watsonville, started the project in hopes of tracing back her own bloodline in France, but somewhere along the way she decided to take her genealogical quest to the highest level. In order to create the family tree, the 12-year-old spent months scouring through over 500,000 names in search of the ‘presidential Adam.’ Her 80-year-old grandfather, who has been tracing roots for nearly six decades, helped her make the presidential links. D’Avignon started with the first U.S. president, George Washington, she traced both the male and female family lines to make the connection. Prior to d’Avignon’s discovery, genealogists were only able to link 22 families of presidents, likely because they only focused on male bloodlines. The only former commander-in-chief not linked to King John is the eighth president, Martin Van Buren, who had Dutch roots. The teen also found out that she is the . 18th cousin of President Obama. She even wrote to her new-found relative . a letter to share her findings with him. So far, however, d’Avignon said she received only a generic response from the White House. Odd man out: Only the eighth president of the U.S., Martin Van Buren, was not related to King John because he had Dutch roots . D’Avignon created a poster of the presidential family tree and is selling signed copies of it in hopes of raising enough money to make a trip to Washington DC. The middle-school student says her goal is to hand-deliver a replica of her family tree to the president. 'I think we just all go back somewhere; it’s just a matter of proving it,' she said. Powerful relative: D'Avignon discovered that she is the 18th cousin of President Obama . | 12-year-old girl created family tree linking 42 of 43 U.S. presidents to King John of England, who signed Magna Carta in 1215 .
Only eighth president, Martin Van Buren, was not related to John . |
103,214 | 1113de6002bee5c720ddc614868e82cf37aca2fa | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Quds Force, the elite unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, provides "lethal support" to the Sunni-dominated Taliban for use against U.S. and NATO forces, according to information in the new U.S. sanctions imposed on Iran. Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, with Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, announces the sanctions Thursday. The Quds Force is the "Iranian regime's primary instrument for providing lethal support to the Taliban," and it "provides weapons and financial support to the Taliban to support anti-U.S. and anti-coalition activity in Afghanistan," the Treasury Department alleged Thursday in announcing economic sanctions against the Quds Force and other Iranian military and financial entities. Iran is a predominantly Shiite nation and is known to support Shiite fighters in Iraq, where Shiite and Sunni Muslims have been at odds in recent years, and in Lebanon. In the past, the U.S. military has said the Quds Force also supports the Taliban, the Sunni movement that once controlled Afghanistan and still harbors the al Qaeda terror movement. The Treasury Department statement, however, laid out specific details of that alleged support to justify designating the Quds Force as a supporter of terrorism. Watch an announcement of the sanctions against Iran » . "Since at least 2006, Iran has arranged frequent shipments of small arms and associated ammunition, rocket propelled grenades, mortar rounds, 107 mm rockets, plastic explosives, and probably man-portable defense systems to the Taliban," the statement said. The Treasury statement also says the Quds Force "has had a long history" of backing Hezbollah's "military, paramilitary, and terrorist activities, providing it with guidance, funding, weapons, intelligence, and logistical support." The Lebanese Shiite group runs training camps in Lebanon's Bekaa Valley and "has reportedly trained" more than 3,000 of the group's fighters at Revolutionary Guard training facilities in Iran, the Treasury Department alleged. The statement further alleges that the Quds Force provides roughly $100 million to $200 million in funding a year to Hezbollah and has helped the group rearm after the war in Lebanon with Israeli forces. The Treasury Department says the Quds Force provides "material support" to two Palestinian groups -- Palestinian Islamic Jihad and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine-General Command. The Quds Force is one of five branches of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The others are Ground Forces, Air Force, Navy and Basij militia. The Revolutionary Guard Corps "runs prisons, and has numerous economic interests involving defense production, construction, and the oil industry" and "has been outspoken about its willingness to proliferate ballistic missiles capable of carrying" weapons of mass destruction, the Treasury Department says. E-mail to a friend . | Treasury Department says Iranian force supplies small arms, RPGs, ammo .
U.S. also says Quds Force has given funding, weapons to Hezbollah .
Allegations used to justify designating Quds as a supporter of terrorism . |
47,615 | 8651363a15bd8f307bbca7acd2475983d5db4e3a | When the first Triple E Class cargo vessel sails out of the Daewoo Shipbuilding and Marine Engineering yard in Okpo, South Korea, on July 2, an intriguing new age of container shipping will commence. Roughly a quarter of a mile long, as tall as a 20-story building and built from enough steel to construct eight Eiffel Towers, the giant vessel will become the largest operating ship on the ocean -- although the first official voyage is not until July 15. Hosting a record-breaking capacity of 18,000 TEU (20-foot equivalent units) containers the Triple E has enough room for 11% more cargo than the world's current largest freight ship, the 16,020 TEU Marco Polo operated by French firm CMA CGM. To put these figures into perspective, 18,000 TEU containers provide enough space to transport 111 million pairs of sneakers. If stacked one atop the other, they would reach a staggering 47 kilometers into the sky. For Maersk, the Danish shipping firm which has 20 of these seafaring behemoths on order at a cost of $190 million each, the Triple E is more than just the next stage in the battle to be the ocean's biggest beast. It's also a vital component of a carefully considered strategy that aims to see the company facilitate long-term trade along the bustling AE10 shipping route between Asia and Europe as well as reduce its carbon footprint. See also: 8 spectacular infrastructure projects . But with the OECD, IMF and European Commission all expecting European GDP to contract in the near term, will such a cargo-capable fleet -- that is already too big for the Panama Canal and most American ports -- still be necessary in the years to come? We asked Maersk COO Morten H. Engelstoft to explain the thinking behind the Triple E and whether its colossal scale could provide a key market edge or end up counting against it. CNN: Why did Maersk decide to build the Triple E? Morten H. Engelstoft (ME): I think there is a clue in the name. The first E stands for economy of scale and this refers to the number of containers we can move in one go. The second E is energy efficiency. We expect the Triple E to reduce fuel consumed by approximately 20% compared to the most fuel-efficient vessel in our fleet today. And the third E is environment. By reducing fuel consumption it will also reduce our CO2 emissions by 20%. CNN: You talk about the environment but Maersk will also save a lot of money on fuel. ME: Absolutely -- fuel is the single largest operational expense we have, somewhere between $5 billion and $6 billion this year. We want to focus on reducing fuel because it is to a large extent within our own control. Our whole behavior is focused on reducing our fuel consumption. If we compare the Triple E with the normal 13,100 (TEU) vessel in the industry in terms of fuel consumption, the Triple E will be 35% more fuel efficient. Therefore, these vessels will help us be more competitive. CNN: How much of a challenge was it to oversee and put together a mammoth ship like this? ME: Clearly it's a big project where we have made a very big technological leap. We have spent a lot of time preparing the vessel, in designing the vessel and building the vessel with the yards. I'd say the most challenging aspect of a project like this is to find out how do you really get to the most optimized ships. See also: Could drones replace highways? If we had decided to make the vessel even bigger then we would have been able to reduce the fuel consumption per unit transported even further, but that would have added complexity. Similarly we have capped the top speed of the vessel at 23 knots. Capping the top speed reduces fuel consumption. We could have decided to cap the top speed at 21 knots. But we decided to have the flexibility that would allow us to go faster if we are late, for whatever reason, in order to catch up with our schedule and reduce the impact of incurring potential extra costs further down the voyage. CNN: Is the Triple E a risk given the current financial uncertainty in Europe? ME: It is clear that the world economy and certainly the economy in Europe is suffering from low growth. Therefore, as the Triple E will operate in the trade area from Asia to Europe, we will watch the market growth very carefully. What we have said is that we want to grow with the market -- we do not want to grow more than the markets. If the slow growth and weak economies continue then we will look to move other capacity from that trade line so that the capacity we deploy will be in line with the growth in the markets. CNN: Is it not a drawback that the Triple E will only be able to dock in a small number of ports initially because of its size? ME: It was always the plan from the outset that these vessels would be deployed in the Asia to Europe trade lane. First of all this is the biggest trade route for us, so it makes sense that we deploy the biggest vessels where we have the most cargo. Also, we have to take into account the terminals and port capabilities. The places that have facilities that can handle vessels of this size are indeed in Asia and in Europe. We have worked with the trade terminals early on to ensure they are ready. I would also expect in time that we will see more terminals being able to handle the vessels. See also: Could Danube be Romania's 'blue motorway?' One interesting thing is that the Triple E is able to carry 2,500 more containers than our current biggest ships, the E class vessels, but is only three meters longer and three meters wider. This means that these vessels do not really require much more capability requirements from the terminal compared to the already existing largest vessels in the world. CNN: Is there a certain prestige with having the world's biggest ship? ME: It's actually not the most important thing for us. We used to have the biggest vessels in the world with the E Class but now currently another company has introduced a bigger vessel. I actually think the way most carriers look at it is how optimized are these vessels. If we had built them even bigger it might not have given us additional cost advantages. For us it is much more important to have vessels that optimize cost efficiency rather than something that is the largest in the world. CNN: Will there be an even bigger ship in the coming years? ME: We are not thinking about it and I actually think an even bigger vessel may become problematic at least in the near future. I think we have reached a point where it will become more difficult. From an infrastructure point of view, the Triple E's can't call at all the ports in the world. A longer vessel will make it more difficult to maneuver in the ports that we are looking at. I'd say there has been a tendency that vessels have been built bigger and more energy efficient as years have gone by but I don't think we will see container vessels becoming any larger for quite a long time. | The Triple E Class container vessel will be the world's biggest operating ship .
Maersk has ordered 20 Triple Es at a cost of $190 million each .
The Danish shipping giant will take delivery of the first vessel on July 2 . |
56,994 | a16e63066e3140f373eae7ae078dd98653be7da1 | (CNN) -- James "Whitey" Bulger lived "a relatively comfortable lifestyle" with his girlfriend for the 16 years he was a fugitive, including numerous gambling trips to Las Vegas, according to a government document filed in his case Monday. Bulger, 81, and Catherine Elizabeth Greig, 60, were arrested Wednesday after he was lured out of his Santa Monica, California, apartment by an FBI ruse. The alleged East Coast mobster, who was on the FBI's Top 10 Most Wanted list, faces charges in 19 mob-related murders. The U.S. Attorney's office in Boston, where Bulger is being prosecuted, filed a response Monday to his request that the federal government pay for his defense because of his lack of money. Agents found $822,198 in cash -- "much of it in packages containing $100 bills that were bundled together and hidden inside a wall in the apartment" -- when they searched his home last week, prosecutors said. Bulger "waived his Miranda rights" and told agents who were taking him back to Boston that he had been "a frequent traveler as a fugitive." "Bulger acknowledged visiting Las Vegas on numerous occasions to play the slots and claimed he won more than he lost," the filing said. "Bulger also admitted traveling to San Diego and then crossing over into Tijuana to purchase medicines." Bulger told FBI agents he traveled back to Boston "on several occasions while 'armed to the teeth' because he 'had to take care of some unfinished business,' " the document said. Bulger refused to tell the agents any details of his Boston visits, it said. The government also said Bulger admitted to stashing cash away "with people he trusted," although he would not identify them, it said. Prosecutors suggested that Bulger's brother, William Bulger, "might also be willing to pay for an attorney to represent his brother." They asked the court to require him to submit an affidavit before a decision is made. James Bulger cannot be trusted to tell the truth about his finances, the government argued. "He has every incentive to lie and stick the taxpayers with the bill for his defense," prosecutors said. "Accordingly, the court should not simply rely on Bulger's own claims of indigence but instead should make further inquiry on this matter by requiring sworn affidavits from the defendant's brothers, William and John." | Bulger admitted to agents that he took trips to Vegas, Boston and Mexico, document says .
Investigators found $822,198 cash hidden in the walls of his home, filing says .
The document was filed by prosecutors who say Bulger should pay his own legal fees . |
41,085 | 73e2443c951ed823a680671c6a41fba2cae88c70 | By . Ruth Styles . PUBLISHED: . 08:28 EST, 11 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:21 EST, 11 June 2013 . A self described tomboy and mixed martial arts fighter has proved she’s got beauty as well as brawn, after reaching the finals of the Miss England beauty pageant. Nikki Sahota, 24, spends her days donning martial arts gloves and taking down male opponents twice her size in metal cages and even appeared alongside Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez as a kickboxing beauty in the Hollywood blockbuster Fast And The Furious 6. But this weekend, the West Bromwich fighter will replace the Octagon with the catwalk as she challenges for the Miss England crown in a glamorous dress and high-heels. Scroll down for video . Talented: Mixed martial arts specialist, Nikki Sahota, 24, has made it to the finals of this year's Miss England . Beauty: Despite her passion for martial arts, Nikki has already taken one beauty title - Miss Black Country 2012 . The former Territorial Army officer beat off hundreds of finalists to become Miss Black Country in January this year, discovering that she had won while sparring in the gym. As well as winning the the Miss England 2013 crown 5ft 7in Nikki says she is also hoping to become part of the Team GB kickboxing team at the Rio Olympics in 2016. The Staffordshire University student is currently enjoying a gap year before starting the second year of a psychology degree. Since taking up mixed martial arts . Nikki has gained sponsorship from Bad Boy MMA, one of the sport’s . leading clothing that sponsors UFC fighters. But despite running the risk of a black eye, size six Nikki revealed that taking up the UFC combat sport has helped develop her strength of character she needs to compete in the Miss England competition. Nikki said: 'Since I was really little I’ve always been a tomboy. I did boxing on and off at school and then last August I just wanted to see how far I could push myself so took up MMA [Mixed Martial Arts]. 'Now it’s like there’s two different personas. On one hand a girl with glamorous dresses and a crown and heels, but on the other hand, when I’m in my MMA gear I’m tough and empowered. Olympics: Nikki's dream is to represent Team GB at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in martial arts . Glamour: Despite taking on men in martial arts, Nikki says Miss England brings out her feminine side . 'It’s that transformation as soon as I put that gear on I feel so strong, this is me, the athlete.' And Nikki has needed her battling spirit, after being struck down by septicaemia and kidney infections weeks after winning the Miss Black Country prize in 2012. The illness meant Nikki, who is also the current Miss Asian Model, had to pull out of last year’s Miss England competition a few days before the final. But she has since fully recovered and says she is looking forward to competing in this year’s final at the Riviera International conference centre in Torquay between June 13 and 16. Nikki added: 'It’s exactly a year ago since I fell ill, but now feels like another life. I feel like I was in a glass snow-globe being shaken around, but I can see things clearly now. It feels like those things were happening to a different person. 'It’s mentally challenging when you get ill, you don’t look or feel great, you can’t do things and it is really tough. I would really love to win this year. 'Last year I said I was doing it because I wanted to be a role model, but this year I really believe I can be the new Miss England. Film star: Nikki appeared in the Fast and Furious film franchise as a glamorous female kick boxer . Sporty: Nikki, from West Bromwich, has a passion for all things equine but prefers mixed martial arts . 'I don’t think I’m the most beautiful girl or the most talented, but everything I do I put my heart and soul into. 'I feel like I’m already a winner because I’ve picked myself up from anything I’ve been through and started again. 'I want to inspire others to go and follow their dreams, especially when other people tell you that you can’t do things. 'There’s a great healing power in vulnerability and when you’re real about who you are, it gives others the courage to do the same.' A spokesperson for Miss England said: . 'Nikki epitomises the type of strong young woman that we now attract to . the Miss England competition. 'We’re really proud of how she’s turned adversity around and used it as a positive to be a role model to other young girls. 'It proves that with hard work and dedication you can achieve anything you set your mind to.” This weekend around 50 girls will . battle for the crown, a place at the Miss World competition and prizes . worth £30,000 including a luxury holiday to Mauritius. Fighter: Nikki had to battle back from a life threatening bout of septicemia before being able to compete . Powerful: Although part way through a psychology degree, Nikki has sponsorship for her martial arts career . | Nikki Sahota, 24, will take part in the Miss England final next month .
A mixed martial arts athlete, she hopes to represent Team GB at Rio 2016 .
Illness meant she was forced to pull out of last year's Miss England .
She hopes her story will inspire younger women to follow their dreams . |
110,121 | 19fc2996019c9d0c7a360178e65d823e321176fe | This is the moment an adorable baby chimp took his first faltering steps away from his mother. His beard and wrinkles belying his tender years, the brave youngster looked a little unsteady on his feet as he determinedly approached the camera in a bid to show off his confidence. But his courage soon faded and he fled back to the safety of his family. Brave explorer: The tiny chimpanzee wobbles slightly as he tries to look tough for the camera . Growing up: The young animal is clearly keen to become independent, left, but is still deeply reliant on his doting mother, right . Photographer Konrad Wothe captured the sweet little chimp making his first forays out into the big wide world in the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania, Africa. The 59-year-old's incredible, close-up shots reveal the true depth of the wide-eyed baby's heart-warming relationship with his family. In one photograph, the youthful chimp appears to smile as he is cradled in his devoted mother's arms. In another, he cautiously eyes the camera while sticking close to his parent's side. Mr Wothe, from Munich, Germany, was delighted to be able to photograph the young chimp from such close quarters. He said: 'As soon as the babies reach . the age of six months they start to explore and leave the safe body of . the mother and climb in the trees. Nuts to this: Konrad Wothe photographed the little chimp at the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania, Africa . I'd kill for a banana: The toddler relaxes with his mother in these rare and revealing close-up shots . 'This baby was trying to intimidate me with short attacks, but before it reached me it ran back to mum and showed me grimaces. 'Within six days with the chimps I only had one close encounter with the baby and I was happy to get such nice shots.' He added: 'You are lucky to find a female group of chimps and even more if they have a small baby among them. 'Each tourist or photographer has a limited time the apes. You are only allowed around an hour per day. 'The best time to see them is when they're on the ground. If they're up in the trees, it's very difficult to photograph them.' | Wandering chimp photographed in the Mahale Mountains National Park, Tanzania, Africa . |
168,520 | 65f88738c042a49689f0c1255b0765b670e7cfaf | By . Zoe Szathmary . A tiny Portland home listed for $30,000 has just been sold. The home, called Skyline, features one bedroom and one bathroom and was designed by Eric Bohne, according to its listing. Skyline, which the listing says was 'thoughtfully handcrafted from salvaged materials,' also has just 160 square feet of space. Small package: This tiny home, called Skyline, features just 160 square feet of space . Split: A split-level design allows for up to 4 adults to sleep in the home, according the listing . Relax: The home also features a small bar alongside the sleeping areas . The home reportedly features 'a split level living room/sleeping area which can sleep up to 4 adults in two queen size beds or allows for a sleeping area and living room,' the listing says. Alongside this arrangement is a bar with wooden stools. Near the front door are a series of shelves that can hold small items. An 'ingenious ladder in the bathroom allows easy access to overhead storage,' and Skyline's 'floor and walls are made of salvaged cedar and fir,' it also says. The house is currently leased by Caravan - The Tiny House Hotel, the listing notes. Guests at Caravan can stay in a number of different small homes for $125 per night, not including tax. Earlier this year, married hotel owners Deb Delman and Kol Peterson hosted an open house to view Skyline, Oregonlive.com reported. 'Skyline is our funkiest tiny house and feels and looks very "Portland,"' Delman told the website. Creature comforts: A small kitchen is also included, which comes with a microwave and minifridge . Well-read: A series of shelves offers space for books, magazine, and even tea . Functional: The 'ingenious ladder' above the toilet leads to a storage space . | The home, called Skyline, features one bedroom and one bathroom .
Skyline is currently leased by Caravan, a Portland hotel where travelers can stay in a variety of small homes . |
193,111 | 8604f2f11c471623b6575fdf88592c8d1cdc9cf9 | Mark Cavendish will return to the track next month to ride in the Ghent Six Day races. The 29-year-old Omega Pharma-QuickStep rider is bidding to recover peak condition after requiring shoulder surgery following a crash on stage one of the Tour de France in Harrogate. Cavendish, world Madison champion in 2005 and 2008, wrote on Twitter: 'Happy I'll be returning to @zesdaagseGent in November! Mark Cavendish will return to track next month, hoping he is fully recovered from his Tour de France crash . 'Honoured to finally partner track legend, my good friend & teammate @IljoKeisse.' The Ghent Six Day, which takes place from November 18 to 23, is a series of races taking place in front of a passionate Belgian crowd. Cavendish will compete alongside Iljo Keisse, his Omega Pharma-QuickStep team-mate. The Omega Pharma-Quickstep rider is looking forward to returning to race in Gent in November . Cavendish (left, on the floor) crashes into Simon Gerrans (right, on the floor) in Harrogate in July . | Mark Cavendish crashed in Harrogate during the Tour de France in July .
Omega Pharma-Quickstep rider will return to the track next month .
The Brit tweeted that he will compete at the Ghent Six Day races . |
84,350 | ef3f7b606d15c8580555d1d190825da59737788e | The hunt for life elsewhere in the universe is now essentially a three-horse race between finding microbes in our solar system, signals from an intelligent race or clear signs of organisms in the atmosphere of an exoplanet. But one expert has claimed that, while the other two ‘horses’ might be important, finding intelligent life would have the most profound impact - because it might not be ‘life’ as we know it. Instead, she says that the first life we find might instead be a form of artificial intelligence - and it could indicate that humans, too, will one day be more machine than man. Dr Susan Schneider from The University of Connecticut says the first intelligent aliens we find might not be biological. Speaking to MailOnline she said advanced aliens might be machines (stock image shown). Humanity is already heading in this direction, she claimed . Speaking to MailOnline, Dr Susah Schneider, an Associate Professor in Philosophy at the University of Connecticut and author of several articles on alien life, explained her theory. She has been working on it with Dr Seth Shostak from Seti (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence). ‘What I was focusing on was a bit unusual, because I was arguing that the most advanced alien civilisation would actually be forms of AI,’ she explained. She adds that they might not be the life we find first, with the discovery of microbial life in the solar system being more likely. Professor Stephen Hawking has warned that humanity faces an uncertain future as technology learns to think for itself and adapt to its environment. Speaking at an event in London this week, the physicist told the BBC that: 'The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race.' This echoes claims he made earlier in the year when he said success in creating AI 'would be the biggest event in human history, [but] unfortunately, it might also be the last.' He argued that developments in digital personal assistants Siri, Google Now and Cortana are merely symptoms of an IT arms race which 'pale against what the coming decades will bring.' But Professor Hawking noted that other potential benefits of this technology could also be significant, with the potential to eradicate, war, disease and poverty. ‘But it wouldn’t be the same as finding little green men,’ she added. ‘It wouldn’t be as Earth-shattering.’ What form that intelligent life might take, though, could come as somewhat of a surprise. ‘If you look at our own civilisation, people are becoming more immersed in computers, and we can already see signs of it in our own culture,' she continued. ‘Silicon is faster than brains. ‘The idea is that our brains are actually fairly slow; think about how hard it is to even remember a phone number. ‘AI researchers are doing quite well and most people in computer science think we are 50 years away from AI that is smarter than us. ‘So it looks like the next evolutionary step could be we are post-biological, we are sort of part computer in that people decide to “upload” themselves. ‘It sounds kind of crazy, and I don’t approve of this as a philosopher, but I think the thing is that that’s sort of the pattern a lot of people are starting to notice. ‘Aliens will be vastly older than us, so it looks like they may be sophisticated forms of AI that are far smarter than we are. ‘Kind of mind-blowing, isn’t it?’ Most regard the hunt for alien life as a three horse race at the moment between finding microbes in our solar system, signals from an intelligent race or clear signs of organisms in the atmosphere of an exoplanet (artist's illustration shown) Dr Schneider continued that she doesn’t necessarily think our transcendence to an AI-based race will be set in stone, and there will be some people who resist it. ‘In North America the Amish refuse the use of technology, and hopefully other people would think things through very quickly,’ she said. But she added she ‘wouldn’t be surprised if in 50 years we have the internet wired to our brains.’ Aside from a computational aspect, another limitation of our brains is their size and vulnerability, something that suggests a race more advanced than us would do away with them. ‘The idea kind of floating around Nasa and the Seti Institute is that the most sophisticated alien civilisations we encounter would not be biological. ‘Our brains are limited to the size of our skull, but a computer can take up an entire planet or city. ‘And if you need space travel, humans aren’t very durable. But with computers, you don’t have the same threat to worry about.’ 'The next evolutionary step could be we are post-biological,' said Dr Schneider. Recently experts in Washington DC discussed chances of finding alien life. Seti astromoner Dr Shostak said we 'could be the first' generation to know we are not alone . Such a discovery would suggest that the shift from biological to machine is something that takes place on other planets, and would ultimately indicate the direction humanity is going. And it would have a huge impact on our society, ‘like a science fiction novel come to life,’ according to Dr Schneider. ‘I think finding a more sophisticated form of life would be mind-blowing to most people. ‘Maybe they would just get back on with their lives after a week or so. But it would certainly shake them up.’ When, or if, such a discovery might occur, though, is anyone’s guess at the moment. Some people at Nasa and Seti think that alien life, perhaps just microbial and not intelligent, will be found in the next 20 years. But if intelligent life is one day found, the nature of it could have a huge impact on humanity today, and in the future. ‘In a way finding AI could be even more surprising than finding little green men,’ Dr Schneider concluded. Seti astromoner Dr Shostak says we 'could be the first' generation to know we are not alone. Pictured is the surface of Mars, where microbial life might one day be found . Another method of finding life might be through an indirect observation in the atmosphere of an exoplanet using something like the James Webb Space telescope, illustration shown, which is set to launch in 2019 . Earlier this year a researcher from the University of Cádiz in Spain says we shouldn't be looking for aliens - because we're not ready to meet team. Gabriel De la Torre claimed how his survey of students showed the general level of ignorance and influence of religion would leave us shocked if we made first contact. In the study he sent a questionnaire to 116 students in Spain, the US and Italy. De la Torre told MailOnline he used students because they 'will be the future politicians, scientists, the people in charge, so I wanted to know what their knowledge was.' The results were somewhat disconcerting for De la Torre. For example only 82 per cent of the students knew the first moon landing was in 1969. 'We're not ready to talk to extraterrestrials because global consciousness is not developed enough in the population,' he concluded. In the recent Astrobiology Symposium at the John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress in Washington DC, several experts in the field outlined their views on whether we are alone. Ultimately, the type of life we find first will dictate how we should react to its discovery. Seti astronomer Dr Seth Shostak explained that the hunt for life is a three horse race. First, there is the hunt for life - almost certainly microbial - in our own solar system. Next there is the possibility of detecting signs of life in the atmosphere of an exoplanet, perhaps a tell-tale signature in its atmosphere. And last, there is the work of Seti itself - which hunts the sky for signs of a signal from a distant intelligent race. It's unclear which of these methods will be first across the line - but whichever one is will have significant ramifications on Earth. 'There have been 10,000 generations of humans before us,' explained Dr Shostak. 'Ours could be the first to know [we are not alone].' Dr Shostak also went on to explain that he thought the first intelligent aliens we encounter might not be biological, but rather a form of artificial intelligence. With AI thought to become more advanced throughout this century, it's possible that just 150 years or so since the invention of radio, we will already have created artificial life. This would have important implications for the future of life on Earth. Some are of the belief that we will one day be able to 'emulate' our brains to achieve a form of immortality. 'The point is that, going from inventing radios to inventing thinking machines is very short - a few centuries at most,' Dr Shostak said. 'The dominant intelligence in the cosmos may well be non-biological.' | Dr Susan Schneider from The University of Connecticut says the first intelligent aliens we find might not be biological .
Speaking to MailOnline she said advanced aliens might be machines .
Humanity is already heading in this direction, she claimed, and an advanced race would likely have already made this evolutionary leap .
'The next evolutionary step could be we are post-biological,' she said .
Recently experts in Washington DC discussed chances of finding alien life .
Seti astromoner Dr Shostak said we 'could be the first' generation to know we are not alone . |
178,800 | 737c4ffb2b3ea2e662413e93fd30fec436102057 | 'I'm not nagging you, I'm… making a suggestion that you go for a run.' The micro-pause as my wife Emma searches for an alternative to saying nagging is excruciating. It all boils down to the fact that in her version of events she's 'proactively caring about my health' and in my version of events she's nagging. We used to have these conversations on an almost daily basis. Scroll down for video . Better half: Andrew Shanahan and his wife Emma were both overweight at one point (left). But after she slimmed down and toned up, she was keen for him to lose weight. After much persuasion, he eventually did (right) - but she went about nagging him in the wrong way, he says . In earlier, pudgier times we had been morbidly obese together, devouring slabs of Dairy Milk and carb-orgy Chinese takeaways on the sofa, while moving so little that some days the pedometers we laughingly bought each other would stay in single digits. But as the marriage vows warn us, for richer, for poorer, for fatter, for thinner. Through a combination of smarter eating and running, my wife returned to the coveted BMI category of Extremely Slinky. She discovered a life of health and energy; while I discovered a way of separating Oreos and rebuilding them into a Super-Oreo. So, her campaign of suggestions continued. She suggested we go trainer shopping (I got comfy ones that supported my fat ankles), she suggested we join a gym (she went on the treadmill, I lazed in the jacuzzi) and gradually the cakes she baked morphed from heart-thumping chocolate Malteser cakes into seedy, joyless flapjacks. In retrospect I appreciate the difficult position that my la-la-la-I-can't-hear-you attitude created. That said, I am now 60lbs lighter than I was and run a website for men who want to lose weight, so possibly I shouldn't discount the effectiveness of Emma's nagging. And surely it's part of her wifely duties to be worried about my health, isn't it? After all, if I was sat in the lounge doing lines of coke we would expect her to intervene, why should she be expected to stay quiet if I'm in danger of overdosing on pies? Mr Shananan says: 'My wife suggested we go trainer shopping (I got comfy ones that supported my fat ankles), she suggested we join a gym (she went on the treadmill, I lazed in the jacuzzi) and gradually the cakes she baked morphed from heart-thumping chocolate Malteser cakes into seedy, joyless flapjacks' Surely we want to protect our spouses from both deviated septums and diabetes? The fact is though that she was nagging all wrong. Women like to think that they're the Jedi Knights of husbandly persuasion but the truth is that men know how to nag men best. The mistake women make is couching their concern in niceness and thinking that makes it all the more palatable. Not a bit of it. Men like to hear it straight. Take the example of chef Jamie Brooks whose incredible 21-stone weight loss was motivated by his mates texting him on a daily basis calling him 'a fat f***' and telling him that he'll 'be dead by 40' if he doesn't change his ways. And you thought the texts about your PPI claim were annoying. Slimline: He eventually lost four stone and has launched his own weight loss advice website - but says other women need to learn the best way to nag their partners . His mates kept up that campaign for an incredible six weeks, after which time Brooks said that it finally made him face up to his weight issues. Presumably, it was either that or change his number. That is quality man-on-man nagging. Compare that to the softly-softly suggestions that women prefer and you can see why the female of the species is less effective than the male. In no way am I saying that you should subject you other half to a four-letter text tirade – from a woman to a man, a different strategy is needed. If you're looking at your husband and wondering how to make some healthy suggestions of your own that he might actually listen to then this is how you successfully nag your husband to lose weight… . Nag away, but realise that change happens in a person's own time . Yes, it would be wonderful if everything we said to our other half was instantly understood and acted upon down to the exact letter, but then you've got a husband not a Tamagotchi. Of course you can rage, rant, blackmail and threaten but all that will do is make them wish to appease you or fight back, it will not light the fire inside them – that will happen according to their own timescale. That doesn't mean that you can't provide them with plenty of kindling, firelighters and matches though. In our situation, Em was at goal weight for a whole year before I finally got the message and started to get healthy. Although I had developed an immunity to the weight discussions, there's no doubt that her weight loss left me questioning my own choices, which brings me neatly to… . Lead by example, don't expect him to follow . Inspire change: There's no point nagging your partner if you're not doing anything healthy yourself, he says . If you really want to change someone's mind-set about losing weight then enjoying an exemplary healthy life is the most compelling argument of all. If your other half sees you grating and hating carrots and whinging about Zumba then don't be surprised if it doesn't tempt him to join in. Try an anonymous tip-off . How's this for a simple, effective and free way to bring up the subject of his health without starting an argument. Go to www.manvfat.com/nominate and add his email address into the form. Leave your name off if you want to go undercover and hit Submit. He'll instantly get a challenge to take the three minute Health Report. This will ask him to add various information such as his weight, height, and sleeping habits and produce a series of detailed insights into his health and suggest lots of changes he can make. Easy. Motivation: Another way to spur him on is to suggest he takes the three-minute Man V Fat health report, which takes into account factors such as weight, height and sleeping habits . Be honest, but avoid ultimatums . It would be unhealthy if you hid your feelings about you husband's weight, but make sure you examine where your motivation comes from. Do you want to get him healthier because you want what's best for him, or because you're worried about him? If so, let him know. If it's because you're embarrassed about his size or hate the way he looks then consider carefully before sharing. Never give into the temptation to set a deadline or issue an ultimatum. It might work, but it will breed resent and when he's got healthy and hot he might just consider his own ultimatum... Litter the horizon with possible goals . Men love to have a goal to work towards and that focus can often be the impetus that they need to lose weight. Whether it's a 5k race, a cycle ride or a Tough Mudder, it doesn't matter. Alternatively, it could just be about finding an opportunity to re-kindle a dormant sporting passion. Check out www.beinspireduk.org, www.parkrun.org.uk and www.joininuk.org for inspiration. Then drop it into conversation or suggest it to a group of his friends – no man likes to feel that they're in danger of missing out. Make some subtle changes . Take charge: Even simple switches like stocking the cupboards with healthier snacks and gradually reducing portion sizes at mealtimes can make a significant difference . Seventy per cent of British women in relationships are mostly responsible for the food shopping and cooking. That's a pretty shocking statistic in itself but it does demonstrate how much power the average woman wields over her partner's calorie intake. Even simple switches like stocking the cupboards with healthier snacks and gradually reducing portion sizes at mealtimes can make a huge difference. He might moan, but then that's the perfect opportunity to allow him to level up the statistic of who does the cooking and shopping. Andrew Shanahan is the editor of www.manvfat.com. He's very grateful to Emma for making all those suggestions. The MAN v FAT Weight Loss Manual is out now. | Andrew Shanahan's wife Emma was desperate for him to lose weight .
She tried the nice, softly-softly approach, which he said was all wrong .
'Men like to hear it straight - don't couch things in niceties', he said .
Has now shed 4 stone and had written a guide to help other wives .
Includes accepting that change will take time, and leading by example . |
273,955 | eed8ccbba5b9a2fb0f88064511ece126cbc1e6b4 | A 17-year-old boy has been named prom queen at his high school and says he's making a point about gender labeling and discrimination. Nasir Fleming won the title last week at Danbury High School in Connecticut, where he's a popular senior. He was nominated as prom king and as prom queen but decided to be considered only for queen. Fleming told the News Times newspaper for a story on Tuesday that he's been openly gay since sixth grade and has struggled with bullying. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Nasir Fleming, prom queen, and his date Amanda Datillo at the big event last week . Nasir Fleming being crowned at the prom hosted by Danbury High School in Connecticut . He said he isn't sure whether the students who submitted his name were making fun of his sexuality but decided it was a good opportunity to make a point about the importance of being who you are. 'Either way, I'm still fabulous,' he said. Fleming said students at the prom were supportive and erupted in cheers when he won. His date Amanda Datillo told reporters that Fleming was 'happy and giddy.' 'I was flabbergasted,' he told the News Times newspaper. The audience was surprised and extremely supportive. The audience was more excited than I was.' Fleming said his selection as prom queen is a step forward for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people - but he wasn't expecting to win. His date to the prom, senior Amanda Dattilo, said the honor left him truly stunned. 'Afterwards,' she said, 'he was all happy and giddy.' Danbury High's principal, Gary Bocaccio, said students nominate their classmates and anyone can be nominated for king or queen. He said he didn't know if Fleming was the school's first male prom queen. The 17-year-old senior Nasir Fleming says he is gay and has been out since the sixth grade and has struggled with bullying for much of his young life because of his sexual orientation . The students at Danbury High School cheered for Nasir who was shocked and 'giddy' after winning the award . Fleming posted a video on his Youtube account of the magical event along with a statement. 'Even though I identify as male, winning this title is a statement against transphobia,' the statement reads. 'As gay people, more or less, are becoming accepted in society, transgendered people are still discriminated against severely.' 'If I can win a title that is outside of my gender, there is no reason why a trans-person should have any problems winning titles in his/her gender. Stop the hate, start the love.' Unfortunately there were a few negative comments on his Youtube page as well after he posted the video. One commenter claimed that Fleming was 'making a mockery' of the prom tradition. Fleming said merely that he 'loves controversy' and expected backlash when posting the video but was shocked to see comments coming from adults. 'It's so upsetting when you see a 45-year-old making comments about a 17-year-old,' Fleming said. 'It's disgusting.' He said he doesn't blame kids for their negative opinions regarding his life choices and sexuality. 'I didn't blame the kids,' he said. 'It's never the kids' fault. It's the parents' fault.' 'We need to push past tolerance and start having acceptance,' he concluded. | Nasir Fleming won the title as Prom Queen last week at Danbury High School, where he's a popular senior .
Fleming does not identify as transgender but wants to promote acceptance for both transgenders and gays .
'As gay people, more or less, are becoming accepted in society, transgendered people are still discriminated against severely' he said . |
7,580 | 1579eb1501dbd4f918fcf2f70f866b98cee33763 | (CNN) -- You're in a restaurant, or at an airport, or on a crowded street. The man or woman next to you crumples to the ground. Do you know what to do? Anyone trained in CPR knows the first step: Check for breathing, and check for a pulse. If there's no heartbeat -- what then? That question has been the subject of intense debate, especially since 2008 when the American Heart Association said that bystanders could try and keep a cardiac arrest victim alive just by pressing on the chest in a hard, quick rhythm. How fast? The exact pace of the Bee Gees' "Staying Alive." A big part of the thinking is that people are more likely to attempt resuscitation if they don't have to perform rescue breaths, also known as mouth-to-mouth. An unresolved question has been whether chest-compression-only CPR, sometimes known as CCR, is truly just as good as the original. Two large studies published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine seem to provide an answer: yes. The two papers are remarkably similar in design and results. One was conducted in Washington state -- mostly the Seattle suburbs -- and in London, England. The other study was done in Sweden. In both cases, patients whose hearts had stopped received either traditional CPR, or a version with chest-compressions only. The patients were divided randomly, with 911 dispatchers giving instructions to callers who performed the CPR. In the Seattle-London experiment, patients receiving chest compressions without mouth-to-mouth were more likely to survive without brain damage. In both experiments, patients getting chest-compressions only were more likely to survive, period. In both cases, the difference was small enough that it was not considered statistically significant. But the authors -- and an accompanying editorial -- all said the findings support the idea that bystanders should be encouraged to do steady chest compressions on victims of apparent cardiac arrest, without pausing to give breaths. Dr. Benjamin Abella, an emergency physician who helped develop the 2008 AHA guidelines, agrees. "Our fundamental position is that doing something is better than doing nothing. This [studies] confirms that there is very little benefit to giving breaths, in the majority of cardiac arrest cases," Abella said in an interview. Dr. Myron Weisfeldt of Johns Hopkins University, who wrote the editorial accompanying the two papers, cautioned in a separate statement that there are some exceptions to the rule. "It is very important to understand that the patients in this study were adults and that for most children who suffer cardiac arrest, such as drowning victims, we must do rescue breathing." He also said patients with chronic lung disease or acute asthma, should also receive mouth-to-mouth. The Red Cross issued a statement, saying it considers traditional CPR to be better, but that compressions without mouth-to-mouth "is an acceptable alternative for those who are unwilling, unable, or not trained to perform full CPR." There are some indications the new papers actually understate the overall benefit of CCR. Last November, at an American Heart Association meeting, a group from Arizona reported significantly better outcomes for people who received CCR from a bystander, than for those getting CPR with mouth-to-mouth. Chest compressions work by circulating oxygen that is already present in the blood. The bloodstream of a person breathing normally -- up until a cardiac arrest -- contains enough oxygen to sustain life for several minutes. However, oxygen can't nourish cells -- most importantly, brain cells -- unless it is circulated, either by a beating heart or by chest compressions. It's unclear whether CCR is effective simply because it minimizes interruption to chest compressions, maintaining a steady flow of blood, or if the explanation is more complex. Oxygen starvation triggers a cascade of damaging chemical reactions inside cells. Some studies suggest that returning oxygen to the mix too soon could make the damage even worse, and that it's better to keep oxygen levels relatively low in the first minutes after the heart stops. Whatever the mechanism, the new papers are likely to give momentum to an overhaul of the way CPR is done around the country. In Phoenix and Seattle, 911 dispatchers already teach callers to use chest compressions only, in cases of apparent cardiac arrest. Officials in Dallas and New York say their 911 dispatchers "stress" or "push" chest compressions. Ben Bobrow, director of Arizona's emergency services, thinks other cities will follow the same path. "I really believe these are landmark papers, and that they'll help communities move towards a system where dispatchers give compression-only instructions," Bobrow said. While the two trials described in NEJM involve rescue attempts by lay people, the same techniques also are being investigated for professional EMTs. This fall, a randomized trial will get under way in several cities, including Seattle, where some cardiac arrest victims will receive CCR while others get traditional resuscitation. After the first six minutes, when existing oxygen in the bloodstream would most likely be used up, all victims will receive additional ventilation. The experiments are part of a larger movement -- including better coordination of emergency response, and techniques like cooling patients who suffer cardiac arrest -- that has taken cardiac arrest from being a condition that was almost inevitably fatal, to one where substantial numbers of victims are saved. In Arizona last year, rescuers saved nearly a third of cardiac arrest victims who were considered "saveable" -- meaning that someone saw them collapse and their hearts still had at least faint electrical rhythms. According to Abella, the takeaway message is that it's easy for a bystander to radically improve the odds. If you see someone collapse without a pulse, he says, "You should at least provide chest compressions. The most important thing is to move blood." CNN intern Carrie Gann contributed to this report. | Pressing on chest in a hard, quick rhythm can keep cardiac arrest victims alive .
Oxygen can't nourish cells unless circulated by beating heart or chest compressions .
In Arizona last year, rescuers saved nearly a third of "saveable" cardiac arrest victims . |
125,844 | 2eaf111732a032766b758f30dc664ada8e8e0d37 | Azelle Rodney, 24, died in 2005 after being shot by a former police officer, known only as E7, as police sought to move in on him over a double stabbing . Firearms officers are threatening industrial action after a former policeman was charged with murdering a drug dealer during a Scotland Yard operation. Armed officers are said to be considering a staged walk-out after it was confirmed that the ex-officer will stand trial over the 2005 death of Azelle Rodney, who died in a hail of bullets when his car was stopped by police marksmen. Rodney, 24, was hit six times, once each in the arm and back, and fatally four times in the head in Edgware, north London. The man accused of murdering him, only the third policeman to be charged with committing murder in the course of his duties, can only be identified as E7 after being granted anonymity during a public inquiry. The secrecy order, made in accordance with Article 8 of the Human Rights Act which grants people the right to a family life, could be lifted when the ex-officer makes his first appearance in court in September. The decision to charge E7 was welcomed by Rodney’s mother, who has campaigned for justice for nearly a decade and may be in line for a huge compensation payout from the Met. But it has left Scotland Yard chiefs worried about possible ‘industrial action’ by some police firearms officers who might lay down their weapons in support of their former colleague. Deputy Chief Constable Simon Chesterman, the national lead for armed policing, said the move to charge E7 had left officers shocked. He told The Times: ‘Firearms officers volunteer for the role and many are now considering their future career choices. ‘Officers are not above the law and they are accountable for their individual decisions, but carrying a gun on behalf of the state is a big ask and it just got bigger.’ The decision to charge E7 comes after a three-month public inquiry into Rodney’s death, led by former judge Sir Christopher Holland. Director of Public Prosecutions Alison Saunders said: ‘We have carefully considered the new file of evidence submitted to us and have decided that a former Metropolitan Police officer, currently identified only as E7, will be prosecuted for murder. The individual currently has anonymity.’ The murder suspect will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on September 10. The shooting took place outside The Railway Tavern on . Hale Lane in . Edgware, north London. Forensic experts are pictured at the crime scene after the incident took place in April 2005 . After . the findings of a public inquiry into Mr Rodney's death were published, . his mother Susan . Alexander, pictured middle, called for an investigation to be opened. She is pictured with lawyer Daniel Machover, right and Leslie Thomas, . from Garden Court Chambers, left . Rodney’s mother Susan Alexander said: ‘I am very pleased at the decision to prosecute the officer who killed my son. I have waited a long time to see this day and hope this prosecution will lead to justice for Azelle.’ Rodney was hit by eight shots in less than two seconds from a high-powered carbine at almost point blank range. The rounds were fired from the open window of a patrol car within a split second of pulling alongside the VW Golf carrying Rodney. The murder charge against E7 is . believed to be only the third time in recent years that an officer has . been charged with murder while on active duty. PC . Chris Sherwood from Sussex Police was acquitted of murder in 2001, . after he shot James Ashley, 39, while he was naked and unarmed. The shooting had taken place while police searched his flat in Hastings, East Sussex. The officer said he believed Mr Ashley was mistakenly pointing a gun at him and was about to shoot. The . Chief Constable of Sussex, Martin Richards, who was the nominal . defendant in the civil case that followed, admitted negligence and . agreed to pay the family damages. But the force always strongly denied misconduct. In . an earlier case - and believed to be the first of its kind - . Metropolitan Police PC Patrick Hodgson was cleared at the Old Bailey of . the murder and manslaughter of suspected car thief David Ewin, 38. He stood trial three times after the jury failed to deliver a verdict on the first two occasions. He had always denied both the murder and manslaughter of Mr Ewin in Barnes, south west London, in February 2005. The . officer, then 49, was part of the crew of an armed response vehicle . that had spotted the stolen Toyota sports car parked outside a shop. Mr Ewin died from his injuries after the shooting. Officer E7 claimed he feared Rodney was about to fire a submachine gun. Wesley Lovell and Frank Graham, the other occupants of the VW Golf, were jailed for seven and six years respectively in January 2006 after pleading guilty to possession of firearms. Lovell was also convicted of allowing drug production in his Hammersmith home. In court he claimed that he had let Rodney use his flat as a crack factory to cancel out a drugs debt. At the time of his death Rodney was wanted over a double stabbing in Ealing. There have only been two previous cases where police officers were charged with murder. In 1997 Metropolitan Police PC Patrick Hodgson was cleared of the 1995 murder of suspected car thief David Ewin in Barnes, south-west London. The second related to PC Chris Sherwood, who was accused of murder after he shot suspected drug dealer James Ashley while he was naked and unarmed when officers searched his flat in St Leonards, East Sussex, in 1998. He was cleared in 2001. Leaders of the Police Federation, which represents more than 125,000 rank and file officers, held discussions about firearms officers conducting ‘unofficial strikes’ when marksmen faced the prospect of being charged with murder in two other cases. The shootings of unarmed decorator Harry Stanley in 1999 and Brazilian Jean Charles de Menezes in 2005 were mired in controversy but possible walkouts were averted when prosecutors ruled out murder charges. E7 has been supported in his legal battle by the Metropolitan branch of the Police Federation, whose chairman John Tully said: ‘Parallels may be drawn with the Harry Stanley case going back a number of years when two officers were arrested. ‘At the time there were concerns about the lack of support from senior management and Government. It’s a very difficult job.’ But he added: ‘I have not detected any similar feelings in the workforce currently. It could have an impact on morale.’ The Police Firearms Officers Association said the case had raised many issues. A spokesman said: ‘The decision by the CPS to prosecute E7 raises many issues around the role of armed policing and officers having confidence in the law should they be involved in a shooting.’ Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | 24-year-old died in Edgware, London, in April 2005 after being shot six times .
Azelle Rodney was wanted by police over double stabbing .
Marksman has only been identified as E7 after being granted anonymity .
Firearms officers said to be shocked at decision and may take stage walk-out .
Three-month public inquiry into Mr Rodney's death was published last year .
Sir Christopher Holland concluded that Mr Rodney's killing was not justified .
Have only been two cases when officer is charged with murder while on duty .
In both cases, the officers were acquitted of the charges after trial by jury .
Mr Rodney's mother Susan Alexander says she is 'pleased' at decision . |
138,027 | 3e82dc46927278bf967718b7876b75c1c3154e10 | By . Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 20:52 EST, 4 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:52 EST, 4 December 2013 . Ministers are hoping to halt the creep of wind farms across the countryside by offering larger cash incentives to build them at sea. George Osborne has secured a 5 per cent cut in wind power subsidies amid increasing concerns about the hostility turbines have caused in rural areas, and to head off a revolt by Tory MPs. But the green levies paid to companies building them off the coast – and out of sight – will increase slightly in the coming years. Controversial: The turbines have caused hostility in rural areas . It does not mean there will be no new turbines on land, where there are already more than 4,000, but sources close to the Chancellor said that ‘protecting our natural environment’ was a key factor in the decision. Payments to unpopular large solar farms – but not household solar panels – will also go down. Treasury chief secretary Danny Alexander said the cuts were due to manufacturing costs falling. But Renewable UK, which represents the wind industry, warned ministers against making these decisions for ‘political reasons rather than economic ones’ and said some smaller community-led wind farms onshore would be ‘lost’ as a result. Household bills will not fall as a result of the changes yesterday, as other forms of green energy will now win higher subsidies. Guy Newey, of the Policy Exchange think-tank: said: ‘We must wean renewable energy off the subsidy drip.’ But . he called for the Government to scrap its target to generate 20 per . cent of energy from renewables by 2020, as it ‘pushes up bills and means . we aren’t cutting carbon emissions in the cheapest way’. Providers of green energy are given a . fixed price for every unit of electricity they generate, and prices for . the next five years were published yesterday by the Department of Energy . and Climate Change. The market price for power is around . £50 per megawatt hour, but the government says they need a subsidy to . compete with coal and gas. Onshore . wind, which was due to be paid £100 per megawatt hour (MWh) from next . year, will now get £95, going down to £90 by 2017-18. Solar farms will . get £120 per MWh, down from £125. But wind turbines at sea will get £155 . per MWh going down to £140 in three years’ time. 'Protecting our natural environment': Ministers hope the changes will mean more wind farms are built at sea . The Department of Energy and Climate Change said: ‘This will support the growth of the offshore wind industry.’ Shaun Spiers, of the Campaign to Protect Rural England, said: ‘Any slowing down in the rate of growth of onshore wind is good news.’ But the TaxPayers’ Alliance said the increase in subsidies for offshore wind – which is more expensive than nuclear power – was a ‘catastrophe for families struggling with their bills.’ | George Osborne has secured a 5 per cent cut in wind power subsidies .
Comes amid concerns that turbines have caused hostility in rural areas .
'Protecting our natural environment' was a key factor in the decision .
Payments to unpopular large solar farms will also go down . |
116,592 | 227e4638f3e7c1f1445d945ab44cd351752ef5f4 | By . Associated Press . Raonel Valdez-Valhuerdis (pictured), 34, was booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail on Wednesday . A man accused of stealing more than 100 pounds of gold worth nearly $3 million in South Florida is back in the U.S. after being captured in Belize. Raonel Valdez-Valhuerdis, 34, was booked into the Miami-Dade County Jail on Wednesday, the U.S. Marshalls Service reported. He was detained in February by Belize immigration officials at the Guatemala-Belize border. He was spotted crawling through bush scrub by the Guatemala border and was carrying a Cuban passport, CNN reported. Authorities say Valdez and two other men robbed a Bolivian export company employee outside a Coral Gables apartment building in Miami in October 2012. The gold, worth an estimated $2.8 million, was on its way to an Opa-Locka refinery when he allegedly held up a man carrying the gold in suitcases. Valdez was arrested shortly after the robbery. Valdez was free on $75,000 bail in March 2013 when authorities lost track of his GPS monitor, and he disappeared. He was wearing an ankle monitor from a previous arrest at the time of his capture. Valdez allegedly assaulted and tried to rob his ex-girlfriend five months prior to the gold heist. He was ordered to wear the ankle monitor after being convicted of battery. Raonel Valdez-Valhuerdis was detained in February by Belize immigration officials at the Guatemala-Belize border . | Raonel Valdez-Valhuerdis, 34, was captured while crawling through bushes near the Guatemala-Belize border .
He was already wearing an ankle monitor from a previous battery charge .
He allegedly robbed a Bolivian export company employee for the gold with two other men in Miami in 2012 . |
278,861 | f547c571f2aa3317d957c884975a686309ff0c82 | By . Sarah Griffiths . Humans have been decorating graves with flowers for almost 14,000 years, say archeologists. The first evidence the tradition of floral tributes has been dug up in Israel where sage, mint and other plants were used in ceremonial burials. In modern times the tradition is used as a sign of respect or remembrance, but it is believed to have started thousands of years ago to disguise the stench of the rotting corpse. It was also hoped the scent of the plants would stop animals being attracted to the grave to dig up the body. The earliest evidence of humans burying their dead with flowers, 13,700 years ago, was discovered in the same location at Mount Carmel last summer. Researchers found sage, mint (pictured) and other plants buried with the skeletons. The latest findings suggest this ritual may have been more complex than first thought . The ancient Romans often laid out the ground of the tomb as a garden so the spirit could enjoy itself as it wandered. The latest discovery was unearthed at the bottom of 13,700 to 11,700 year-old graves at a scenic prehistoric burial spot known as Raqefet Cave overlooking the Mediterranean coast. Professor Dani Nadel and his team used radiocarbon dating on the lining of tombs containing 29 skeletons, of children and adults, with four containing large plant impressions identified as the stems of sage, mint and figwort. Professor Nadel, an archaelogist at Haifa University in Israel, said: 'Flowering plants possess mechanisms that stimulate positive emotional and social responses in humans. 'It's difficult to establish when people started to use flowers in public and ceremonial events because of the scarcity of relevant evidence in the archaeological record. 'We report on uniquely preserved 13,700-11,700-year-old grave linings made of flowers suggesting such use began much earlier than previously thought.' Part of plants cells called phytoliths from grasses, leaves, reeds and sedges were identified all over the cave and on its terrace. The discovery was unearthed at the bottom of 13,700 to 11,700 year-old graves (pictured) at a scenic prehistoric burial spot known as Raqefet Cave overlooking the Mediterranean coast. Prof Nadel believes that grave preparation was a sophisticated planned process, embedded with social and spiritual meanings reflecting a complex pre-agricultural society . The burial pits also had crafted and . natural stone objects - perhaps as markers or symbols - as well as a . prevalence of flints and butchered animal bones suggesting celebratory . feasts. Prof Nadel said: 'Some of the plant species attest to spring burials with a strong emphasis on colourful and aromatic flowers. 'Cave floor chiseling to accommodate the desired grave location and depth is also evident at the site. 'Thus, . grave preparation was a sophisticated planned process, embedded with . social and spiritual meanings reflecting a complex pre-agricultural . society undergoing profound changes at the end ofthe Pleistocene.' The only earlier evidence of flower burials comes from pollen grains in a neanderthal's grave in Iraq but these could have been left by a rodent with a habit of storing seeds and flower heads. The largest number of preserved plant impressions was in the double burial of a 12 to 15 year-old adolescent and an individual over 30. The two were lying on their backs parallel to each other with their elbows juxtaposed, according to the research published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The ancient burial pit dating to nearly 14,000 years ago contained impressions from stems and flowers of aromatic plants such as sage (left) and mint (right) Prof Nadel said: 'The finds from Raqefet Cave indicate 13,700 to 11,700 years ago the Natufians lined graves with a soft mud veneer and then placed a thick cover of fresh flowering plants -thereby providing colour and aromatic fragrance. 'Experimental studies have demonstrated flowers' significant role as external sources of emotional stimuli with measurable positive impacts on human social function. 'Flowers can be used to express sympathy, pride and joy. They also are used to express religious feelings; in some religions flowers are considered the direct route for spiritual communication. 'These relationships may benefit fitness in both humans and flowers and have been linked to the domestication of certain species of flowering plants more than 5,000 years ago.' The use of flowers much earlier in social events such as funerals could have served to enhance group identity and solidarity. Prof Nadel said: 'The development of group-specific burials and related practices likely reduced social tensions and improved group cohesion in a period of fluctuating environmental conditions, increasing population density and growing social conflicts. 'The emergence of cemeteries such as those at Raqefet Cave and Hilazon Tachtit Cave also may represent new and complex social organisations which could have included the establishment or strengthening of special interest groups, inheritance of corporate property, territorial ownerships and aspects of social organisation.' | The first evidence of floral tributes on graves has been found in graves almost 14,000 years old at a scenic prehistoric burial site in Israel .
Experts say the flowers could have been used to disguise the stench of rotting corpses - or prevent rats from digging up bodies .
The discovery suggests that the use of of flowers to decorate graves goes back much earlier than previously thought . |
285,261 | fda414bb7d9d18f0558188c26777e881aa8177c5 | (CNN) -- Sizing up the magnitude of Mexico's obesity problem is as simple as visiting a clothing manufacturer. At Arush, a clothing factory in Mexico City, the changing demand has modified production. Buyers, including Mexican giant retailers like Soriana and Liverpool, are increasingly asking for "large" and "extra large" sizes, which have all but replaced production of "small" and "medium." Designer Adriana Moreno, who works at Arush, said they're simply adapting to Mexico's new reality: an explosion of overweight and obese people, mostly in the last three decades. "In our market, I can tell you we've had a 50% growth in sales of large and extra-large sizes in the last three years," Moreno said. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, 69.5% of the Mexican population aged 15 and older is overweight or obese. This is the highest rate in the world, even higher than in the United States -- which historically had the highest rate -- and the United Kingdom, which has the highest in Europe. The Mexican government launched a campaign last year urging people to exercise, drink more water, and eat fruits and vegetables. President Felipe Calderón said that "since 1980, the percentage of overweight or obese Mexicans has tripled." The problem starts early: 4.5 million children between the ages of 5 and 11 are already overweight. Many school districts have banned junk food in their facilities, but it's readily available right outside, much to the chagrin of parents. "You can see how many stands there are outside. And they're all selling junk food! I think they should also control what they sell out here," Daniela Piña said as she waited for her child outside a grammar school in Mexico City's Doctores neighborhood. Adela Garcia, a stay-at-home mother, said parental responsibility plays a vital role in solving the problem. "It really starts at home," she said. "We as parents have to take that kind of food away from children so that they eat healthier." Mexico's Institute for Public Health reports that the number of overweight or obese school-aged children increased from 18.4% in 1999 to 26.2% in 2006. It also says that diabetes -- of which obesity is a contributing factor -- has become the No. 1 cause of death in Mexico. Other statistics provided by the institute are very telling. Mexicans drink 160.1 liters (42.3 gallons) of soft drinks per year. The institute also says that school-aged children get at least a fifth of their calories from drinks with a high content of sugar and other sweeteners. "We trust that the public interest will prevail over private interests and that the federal government will do, under the law, everything possible so that our proposals are quickly implemented," the institute says. Their proposals include increasing physical activity in schools and improving nutrition guidelines. Back at the clothes factory, Adriana Moreno is faced with a challenge: pleasing people in spite of their size. "It's a very demanding market, very demanding. People are always trying to look good, not seem so overweight. They look for a beautiful garment, a good design that doesn't make them look heavier than they really are," Moreno said. The war on drugs has killed 30,000 people in the last four years, and violence is front-page news in major newspapers across Mexico. But obesity, excess weight and their related health problems claim almost five times more lives than the war against drug cartels. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, individual prevention programs could avoid as many as 47,000 deaths from chronic diseases every year. Mexico's Health Ministry reports that obesity and excess weight cost the country $5.5 billion in expenses associated with treating people with diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and heart disease. CNN's Rey Rodriguez in Mexico City contributed to this report. | Diabetes is the No. 1 killer in Mexico, health agency says .
Nearly 70% of the population is overweight or obese .
Mexicans drink more than 42 gallons of soft drinks per person each year . |
24,302 | 44f4b5dcb638c9adf222baf2ddf37d6651602699 | (CNN) -- As he works around the clock trying to reach 33 trapped miners in Chile, an image flashes through Brandon Fisher's mind: the clothes he saw hanging in their lockers. They left them behind on August 5, the day they went into the depths of the gold and copper mine. "Seeing things like that, it really gets you thinking," he said in an interview with CNN. Outside the mine, family members are keeping vigil at a place they call "Camp Hope." Meanwhile, Fisher and a small crew of American drillers are the tip of the spear for Plan B, one of the three drilling teams racing to rescue the miners buried 2,300 feet below the ground. On Thursday, Chilean Mining Minister Laurence Golborne said the Plan B drill was expected to break through into the area where the miners are trapped by Saturday. It's a moment Fisher and other rescuers have been looking forward to for weeks. Fisher said the Schramm T-130 rig -- normally used for boring water holes -- was 61 meters (200 feet) away from its target Thursday night. It appeared likely that it would reach the miners ahead of the Plan A drill, normally used for drilling ventilation chimneys in mines and the Plan C method, normally used to drill for oil. "You can't predict the down times, the breakages, the formation issues," Fisher said. "I've felt since we got here, that as long as we had some luck on our side, we'd have a good chance of breaking through first." Fisher is based in Berlin, Pennsylvania, in the heart of the state's mining country, thousands of miles from Chile. His company, Center Rock Inc., aided in the rescue of nine miners who were trapped for more than four days after the 2002 collapse of the Quecreek Mine. He has drilled oil, gas and water holes -- and the foundation for the Trump Tower in Chicago, Illinois. But those assignments pale in comparison to the difficulties of rescuing 33 men who became trapped when the copper and gold mine they were working in collapsed around them. Even in the toughest times at the Atacama Desert mine, he said, thinking about the workers and their families has fueled rescuers' efforts. "That quickly sets you to where you need to be," he said. "You look down at your feet and you realize that 2,000 feet below us, there's 33 guys that are in a whole hell of a lot worse situation than we are." Depending on whether engineers decide to encase the rescue shaft with steel casing, the 33 miners could be extracted from the collapsed San Jose gold and copper mine between two and 10 days after breakthrough. Fisher, who only knows a few Spanish words, said he's still not sure what he'll say when they meet face-to-face. "I think it's just going to be a lot of handshakes and hugs ... It's going to be an absolutely overwhelming sensation," he said. CNN's Karl Penhaul contributed to this report. | Chile's mining minister says the Plan B drill could break through Saturday .
Brandon Fisher of Pennsylvania-based Center Rock Inc. is on the Plan B drilling team .
He says the miners and their families are inspiring rescuers . |
64,938 | b863552862710f8237dc2a8374c48d638c5b9be2 | (CNN) -- Injured New York Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez and Major League Baseball are negotiating a deal that would result in a lengthy suspension instead of a permanent ban, ESPN reported Wednesday night. According to the "Outside the Lines" report, a source familiar with the discussions said representatives for the three-time AL Most Valuable Player and 14-time All-Star are talking with league officials. The ESPN story said some baseball officials want the 38-year-old Rodriguez to be banned for life. Until now, his attorney has said he will fight any suspension or ban. The network also reported that Rodriguez has been shown the evidence against him, including documentation that Rodriguez coerced a witness in MLB's performance-enhancing drugs investigation. Those allegations claim Rodriguez had ties with the now-closed anti-aging Biogenesis clinic in Florida and its founder, Anthony Bosch. Rodriguez or Pujols: Whose contract is worse? In an interview with CNN earlier this month, the player denied any plea negotiations and didn't say whether he would fight an adverse decision . Rodriguez, now recovering from an injury, is considered one of the game's greatest sluggers. He has 647 home runs -- the fifth most-ever -- in 19 seasons. In 2009, he had an outstanding postseason in helping the Yankees win their most recent World Series title. He holds the largest contract ever in American sports, signing with the Yankees in 2007 for $275 million over 10 years. Performance enhancing drugs in sports . He has admitted in the past to using performance-enhancing drugs, but he also has denied taking any after 2003. He has never been suspended by the league for a drug violation. Rodriguez is supposed to take part in a practice game at the Yankees training facility in Tampa, Florida, on Thursday. The Biogenesis scandal has already to have ensnared one star: 2011 National League MVP and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun. Earlier this month Braun was suspended without pay for the rest of this season for violating the league's drug policy, baseball Commissioner Bud Selig announced. A-Rod could still get $61 million even if career is over . | Report: A-Rod and MLB are negotiating the length of a suspension .
ESPN says the star slugger has been shown evidence against him .
The Yankees slugger is practicing in Florida as he recovers from injury .
He signed the richest contract in U.S. sports in 2007, worth more than $27 million a year . |
275,100 | f05ceae8557735760b322832c05be9d8c5c5dfbd | Our violent past is all over our faces. Biologists say that as apes evolved into humans, their faces took on fighting features such as thicker jaws and foreheads. The characteristics were previously thought to be adaptations for a diet of hard-to-chew foods, such as nuts. But researchers at the University of . Utah point out that they developed around the same time as humans . acquired the ability to curl their hand into a club-like fist. Biologists say that as humans evolved, their faces took on fighting features like thicker jaws and foreheads . Professor David Carrier said the changes could have been to ‘better protect’ the face when punched. Humans evolved to be weedy so that there was more than enough energy for the brain. Scientists from the CAS-MPG Partner Institute for Computational Biology in Shanghai believe human muscle needed to alter drastically to free up energy for the brain, becoming puny as a result. Lead researcher in the study, Dr Kasia Bozek, said: ‘Our results suggest a special energy management in humans that allows us to spare energy for our extraordinary cognitive powers at a cost of weak muscle.’ Over the course of evolution, essential molecules have changed more rapidly in human muscle than in the brain. Molecules in the human brain evolved four times faster than in chimps. The results suggest special energy management in humans that allow us to spare energy for our cognitive powers at a cost of weak muscle. He said: ‘If indeed the evolution of our hand proportions were associated with selection for fighting behaviour you might expect the primary target, the face, to have undergone evolution to better protect it from injury when punched. 'When modern humans fight hand-to-hand the face is usually the primary target. 'What we found was that the bones that suffer the highest rates of fracture in fights are the same parts of the skull that exhibited the greatest increase in robusticity.’ Writing in the journal Biological Reviews, he said that many of these fighting features were softer in the modern human. However, the modern male face still exhibits some ‘fighting features’ that are less prominent in females. These include thicker, stronger bones in the forehead, cheeks, jaw and neck. And it seems that even over the course of four to five million years, some things have not changed. A spokesman for the research team described the early brawls as ‘the prehistoric version of a bar fight, over women, resources and other slug-worthy disagreements’. The features were previously thought to be adaptations for a diet of hard-to-chew foods. But they developed around the same time as humans acquired the ability to curl their hand into a club-like fist (file picture) | As apes evolved into humans, faces developed thicker jaws and foreheads .
Characteristics previously thought to be adaptations for diet of hard food .
But they developed at around the same time as humans acquired the ability to curl their hand into a club-like fist, note University of Utah researchers .
The changes could have been to 'better protect the face when punched' |
149,834 | 4dba060a959071e009926a920dd343386e9fec56 | (CNN) -- At the start of the 1980s there were more than a million elephants in Africa. During that decade, 600,000 were destroyed for ivory products. Today perhaps no more than 400,000 remain across the continent, according to Samuel Wasser of the University of Washington, who is widely recognized as an authority on the subject. It is a tragedy beyond reckoning and humanity needs to pay attention to the plight of the elephants before it is too late. In the past few years an epic surge in poaching has resumed the killing, thanks to the penchant for ivory in the Asian market -- especially in China, where ivory is now selling for over $1500 a kilo. Recently, Julius Kipng'etich, the head of the Kenya Wildlife Service, made a plea at the Library of Congress in Washington in an unprecedented appeal for the world to save Kenya's and Africa's elephants from the plague of poaching that has in recent years seen the decimation of tens of thousands of them. Interactive: Top 10 conservation hits and misses . It is an appeal that follows from Kenya's determination to torch about 10 tons of ivory last July near Tsavo National Park in a show of disdain for the destroyers of elephants and disgust at the resumption of poaching. If this level of killing continues, if elephants continue to be slaughtered for trinkets and statuettes, in 10 years' time most of Africa's elephants will be gone and an ineffable symbol of majesty and wonder -- and the linchpin in the ecology of an entire continent -- will have been consigned to oblivion. A recent Senate hearing in Washington called "Ivory and Insecurity -- The Global Implications of Poaching in Africa." underscores the significance of this issue. Iain Douglas-Hamilton, founder of Save the Elephants, John Scanlon, the secretary general of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and Sen. John Kerry underscored not only the implications of elephant and wildlife poaching, but also the criminal syndicates who make billions on the illegal wildlife trade, as well as its impact on local populations in Africa, global security and even terrorism. An urgent and concerted international will is needed to fund law enforcement to protect what remains of the elephant population of the world. Read more: Kenya finds illegal ivory in boxes disguised as diplomatic baggage . Growth in human population is a major concern. Millennia-old elephant migration paths have been disrupted. Climate change is a menace to the elephant and all life. But the wanton shooting of the innocents to satisfy vanity has reached a level of madness no one can ignore. This is perhaps made most clear in the recent destruction of 400 elephants in the Central African Republic by armed militia from Sudan. The killing of elephants is not just a wildlife issue. The world now understands that it is a global issue. Not long ago the United Kingdom's Independent newspaper proclaimed that the loss of biodiversity was the greatest threat to humanity. How, amidst NATO's missile-defense problems in Europe, a possible nuclear Iran and the economic failings of modern nations, unemployment and inflation, can the future of the elephant be so urgent? It is not on the radar of the media nor is it a priority for most people. The answer comes from our ability to affirm life in its moral, ethical and, I would urge humanity to consider, in its spiritual dimensions. The elephant helped us walk out of Africa perhaps 60,000 years ago. We learned from tribal elders in east Africa that elephants, because they knew where to find water, helped humanity survive. It was alongside them that we populated the New World. They are central to our evolution. Elie Wiesel of the Foundation for Humanity has even said that to save the elephant is "an urgent moral imperative." Read more: Beauty trumps beast in conservation efforts . In Nagoya Japan, in 2010, world environmental ministers agreed on a global strategy to combat the loss of biodiversity. Those countries in Asia that are the driving force behind the mutilation of the greatest land mammal on Earth must join the battle to save the elephant in Africa and the elephant in Asia and the planet's other endangered fauna, such as the rhino and tiger and all the other species that are being so ruthlessly ransacked. In so doing they will save face. In a society fixated on growth and money, TEEB, (The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity) has plainly demonstrated the irreplaceable value of biodiversity, which yearly provides trillions of dollars of value. The forests, oceans, whales and elephants of the world must now enter the balance sheet of ultimate consideration. We have reached the point as a global civilization where we must fight for life and the meaning of life, and much of that stands in the body of the elephant and other fellow species, as well as the forests and the oceans of the world. This battle must not be lost. Elephants are one of the pillars of existence. We must never tell nor have to tell the children -- "This is where the wild things were." The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of Cyril Christo. | Elephant figures are dramatically decreasing due to poaching and black market ivory trade .
Christo says in 10 years time, if slaughter continues most of Africa's elephants will be gone .
The world faces losing the "linchpin of ecology of an entire continent" |
61,584 | aef802a7cd8381f5e0a64e7de73a271fb4fbaa0a | For many years now, a tiny corner of rural Greater Manchester has been purely football. Past the Trafford Centre, throw a right at the roundabout, through the lights and you get to Carrington, home – among other things – to the training grounds of Manchester's two football clubs. Take a five-iron and strike it well from United's northerly pitches and the chances are those picking the ball up will be wearing City blue. So close they could hardly escape each other even if they wanted to. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Manchester City vs Tottenham Premier League preview: Essential stats you need to know . Manchester City have built a new £200million training complex which includes 16 pitches called the Etihad Campus . City have hailed their new training base as one of the best sporting facilities in the world . Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany was one of the first players to take a peek at the new training base . Spain playmaker David Silva visits the new complex walking past a poster featuring images from City's trophy successes . When United manager Sir Alex Ferguson talked of his club's 'noisy neighbours' this is what he meant. Today, however, it changes. Today City's players are turning their sports cars and their SUVs east towards the previously neglected Manchester suburbs of Gorton and Beswick. Here, opposite their own Etihad Stadium, lies their new training ground. Hailed – admittedly by City themselves – as one of the best sporting facilities in the world, the Etihad Campus has cost in the region of £200million to build, has 16 pitches, its own 7,000-seater reserve stadium, an accommodation block and even a sixth-form College to serve its local community. And those are just the things they have told us about. Carrington, it must be said, was somewhat different. City's home for more than a decade - they previously trained at the rather iconic Platt Lane centre in Manchester's inner-city – it didn't even have a security barrier for many years. Instead it had a rather fierce looking Scot named 'Michael' who spent his days peering at you from inside a one-man sentry booth decorated with City calendars, posters and gifts from the players. If he knew you, Michael would tell you his latest joke. If he didn't, he would probably scare the life out of you. City boss Manuel Pellegrini (right) has already taken training at the new base ahead Saturday's Premier League visit of Tottenham . Scott Sinclair, Fernando, Jesus Navas, Frank Lampard and Dedryck Boyata (left to right) are put through their paces at the complex . England and City No 1 Joe Hart gets acquainted with the newly-laid turf during goalkeeping practice at the £200m training base . This was City pre-Abu Dhabi, though. Things were different, then. The first manager I encountered there was Kevin Keegan. 'Nice to meet you, I hate your paper,' were his first words to me in the winter of 2001. Back then the media used to walk round the back of the main building, up some rather fragile-looking stairs that always needed painting and in to a room that doubled up as an analysis 'suite' – it had a round table and some chairs – when we weren't there. On a shelf on the side was a never ending supply of footballs and black marker pens. Once a week the players would file past and sign. Keegan was often late, usually because he had been playing head tennis with his coaches out the back. 'Don't say I admitted that,' he once said. 'It will invalidate my medical insurance on my back.' In the late Sixties, the days of City stars like Mike Summerbee, left, players were put through their paces on an athletics track at Longford Park. Here, the former England international is given tips by ex-Great Britain one-mile runner Stan Taylor . After the Christmas break in 1969, City players were sent on a 30-minute run at Wythenshawe Park to shed off any excess pounds . City's former first-team training ground Platt Lane is now used by the club's academy for matches . In those days, players such as Robbie Fowler and Steve McManaman ruled the roost at Carrington, waiting round the corner to fire footballs at team-mates emerging in to the complex's wide open spaces from a changing block that looked rather like something out of the film Kes. It was all very high school. Joey Barton, meanwhile, used to use that area as his own private driving range, golf balls pinging high in to the distance from his driver. A very good golfer, maybe Joey was aiming at Sir Alex across the other side of the hedge. Keegan once made his exit from Carrington under a blanket on the back seat of a car. His crime? To make a joke about Liverpudlians and hub caps as he signed Fowler. The Sun newspaper sent reporters dressed in black curly wigs to ambush him. 'Michael' on security would have eaten them for his breakfast. As time passed, things changed. The essence of Carrington never did, though. Even to this day – when City had to erect a big, cold tent to host Champions League press conferences – the throwback feel of the place remains. Stuart Pearce liked to hold press conferences at 8am. I think it was a macho thing. The problem was that, as results faded, the media just stopped turning up. Maybe that was the plan all along. The club's younger ranks are put through their paces ahead of their friendly against Barnsley in September 2013 . City entered a new era when Sven-Goran Eriksson introduced a table to sit behind when he spoke to journalists at press conferences . Sven made sure he knew everybody's name at Carrington during his time at City, and when he was sacked there were tears from some . Sven-Goran Eriksson, meanwhile, finally introduced a table to sit behind for press conferences. For City, that was progress. They loved Sven at Carrington, especially the women. He knew everybody's name. When it emerged that he paid for the £2,000-a-night top-floor suite at Manchester's Radisson Edwardian out of his own pocket every night, the Swede's legend only grew. City weren't bad on the field under Eriksson, either. When he was sacked – unjustly – they cried at Carrington. On his arrival, Mark Hughes did his best to tart things up a bit. He thought Carrington was 'unfit for purpose' and he was probably right. Given that he had come from Blackburn, though, it said everything. Mark Hughes was unhappy with City's Carrington training ground facilities upon his arrival from Blackburn . Hughes disliked the media getting too close so they built us a pre-fabricated hut just inside the entrance while money was spent on the dressing rooms, too. Pretty soon, Michael on security was no more. Someone didn't like his tattoos apparently. With the Arab money that soon arrived, Carrington got new signage and some trees lining the driveway that were rumoured to cost £1,000 each. The training ground soon got Roberto Mancini and Mario Balotelli, too. Mancini often used to cycle to work – with his faithful aide 'Jose' driving behind him in case of 'emergencies' – while the photographers that lined the public footpath nearby feasted on the punch-ups that, for a while, became part of the City story. I once suggested to one of Mancini's coaches that the club just erect a big fence to protect the sessions from the lenses. 'The council won't let us,' he replied. 'Anyway, it would be cheaper if the players just stopped fighting.' Micah Richards (centre) and Mario Balotelli (right) get a telling off after coming to blows during a training session in December 2011 . Richards (left) had to be restrained back by his City team-mates after his spat with Balotelli at Carrington . The maverick Italian forward (left) had to be led away by Vincent Kompany (right) as things turned violent . Roberto Mancini (left) tries to laugh off the feud between Balotelli and Richards (right) after their fight . Former Manchester City boss Mancini (left) came to blows with Balotelli (right) during a training session in January 2013 . For a while the bad publicity was a problem for City but, on the whole, they were impressively sanguine. Across the fence, Ferguson was paranoid about the secrecy of his training sessions, as indeed is Louis van Gaal now. City, though, took a different view. On learning that one geeky fan was climbing a tree to view sessions through binoculaurs, they didn't set the dogs on him. Instead they invited him inside for a guided tour and a meet-and-greet session. At the 'Etihad Complex' I suspect things may be a little different. That's what they call progress. If you want to spy on training this week, you may wish to hire a drone. Manuel Pellegrini and his players will want for nothing, that's for sure. The Premier League is a different place now. They will still moan, though. Players always do. For a start – from their homes in the Cheshire enclaves of Wilmslow, Alderley Edge and Prestbury – the new place is a lot more difficult to get to. VIDEO Liverpool must make Balotelli behave - Mancini . | Manchester City have hailed their new training complex as one of the best sporting facilities in the world .
City have spent £200m on the Etihad Campus which includes 16 training pitches and accommodation .
Etihad Campus is a monumental upgrade on the club's former Carrington base or the iconic Platt Lane . |
218,265 | a691069d5bc9e74595c63e28493105ff32d51ce8 | By . David Williams . and Emily Davies . and Jonathan McEvoy . and Kieran Corcoran . Olympic star Lizzy Yarnold was today enjoying the sweet taste of success - as she bit down on her gold medal after a presentation ceremony at the Winter Olympics. Basking in her victory in the skeleton competition, Miss Yarnold, 25, waved to the crowd and held her first-place medal - Britain's first in the 2014 games at Sochi - with evident pride. The former grammar school pupil had dominated the competition in Sochi yesterday, which saw her hurtle down an ice track at 80mph on a ‘tray’ nicknamed Mervyn. Scroll down for video . Golden girl: Lizzy Yarnold celebrates her win as she is presented with her medal at Sochi . Triumph: Miss Yarnold waves to the crowds in celebration of her gold medal win . Champion: A tearful Lizzy is all smiles after receiving her gold medal . Clear victory: Miss Yarnold peers through part of her gold medal after her skeleton win . Winners: Miss Yarnold, centre, celebrated alongside silver winner American Noelle Pikus-Pace (right), from the USA, and Russian Elena Nikitina (left), who took the bronze . With a time of 58.06, she beat American Noelle Pikus-Pace by just under a second . Victorious: Yarnold crosses the finish line 0.97 seconds ahead of her closest rival to claim the medal . Following her run Yarnold said the win was going to take a while to sink in . 'It's just me - Lizzy', she said in disbelief after the ceremony. 'I was crying before I even went out there. I had to look again and check that my medal was really this colour. 'It just made it worth every second of work - a whole lifetime of work - for this moment. I couldn't stop crying the whole way through. Royal mail is coming under pressure from MPs for refusing to mark Lizzy's win with a gold postbox at her home village of West Kingsdown in Kent . 'I cry a lot in private but when I've got a job to do I'm very set and serious. The ceremony was a lot more nerve-racking. I didn't know what to do out there.' After the last of her four runs yesterday she admitted she had been so confident of winning that she had even learned how to say ‘I’m champion’ in Russian. She had been cheered on at the track by the ‘Yarnie Army’ – her former PE teacher mother Judith, businessman dad Clive, and her sisters, Katie and Charlotte. Earlier today she was in tears on the podium as she held a Valentine’s Day card for her boyfriend James Roche, who works with the technical team for British Bobsleigh. Miss Yarnold, from Sevenoaks in Kent, said: ‘As an athlete you give up so much, but on a day like today, with a victory like today it’s so worth it. ‘I wanted to do myself justice and I can’t believe I won the race. It’s lovely that it’s Valentine’s Day today as well, there’s lots of romance in the air. ‘My mum and dad coming to watch me, my sisters, my best friends, everyone’s here that I can share it with; I couldn’t do it without them.’ Miss Yarnold had been determined to be a . successful sportswoman from the age of seven when she would beat her . farmer father Clive in races on the ski slope. Valentine: Yarnold was handed a valentine's card during the flower ceremony after her win . Young love: James Roach gives his golden girlfriend a kiss during the celebrations . Team Yarnold: As well as being her boyfriend, Roach is also Yarnold's coach . After prep school she had chosen to go to Maidstone Grammar School rather than accept an independent school scholarship so she could finish at 3.30pm to train as a county standard runner and swimmer. She had hoped to be selected for the modern pentathalon but after attending a Girls4Gold programme aimed at identifying future Olympic athletes she was told she was suited to the skeleton. After winning yesterday Miss Yarnold urged others to follow her example. She said: ‘Have a go, follow your dreams. Never limit yourself, never limit yourself to what you can achieve.’ Mr Yarnold said he had taught Lizzy to ski at the age of seven and soon she was beating him in races. Support: Yarnold's family were there to see her win, including sister Katie, father Clive and mother Judith . Yarmy army: Yarnold was watched over the line by her parents, friends and fans . Tearful moment: Fans, friends and family of Yarnold wept and she crossed the finish line in Sochi . He said: ‘She would get to the bottom and tell me to hurry up. ‘She was always a hard working, determined and dedicated girl, so strong mentally.’ To win gold Miss Yarnold had to negotiate a 1,500 metre course with 18 corners, a vertical drop of nearly 132m and an average gradient of 9.3 degrees. Her sled is nicknamed ‘Mervyn’ after Mervyn Sugden whom she met when she took a summer job at Hardy Underwriting – an insurance syndicate of Lloyd’s of London – to fund her training. Yarnold said the final run was a bit shaky, but that she had been relaxed and enjoyed it . Time lapse: A trick of photography captures a perfect turn by Yarnold which would have passed in milliseconds in real life . Making it look easy: With a commanding overnight lead, it would have taken a major error today to rob Britain of the title . Mr Sugden, a retired underwriter, was so impressed with her determination he brokered a deal with Lloyd & Partners to finance the British skeleton team to the tune of £100,000. Miss Yarnold, who relaxes by knitting and listening to the Archers, had been sent his good luck message before she competed. Before travelling to Sochi she had revealed the lengths she had gone to in order to achieve her Olympic dream. She had said: ‘Champions don’t happen by accident. ‘My whole life I have dreamt about becoming a British Olympian and for the last five years since I took up skeleton, Sochi 2014 has been my primary focus. ‘It helps if you are a little bit mad. You have to totally embrace what you are doing and accept your fate.’ Miss Yarnold is such an accomplished all-round sportswoman that she also represented Britain last year in team bobsleigh, finishing seventh at the 2013 World Championships in Switzerland. Convert: As a schoolgirl she competed in the pentathlon while still a teenager (left), and then converted to the skeleton in 2008 before winning gold today . Sporty: Yarnold (centre) collects a Sport Achievement Award aged just 15. Also pictured is Hannah Jelfs (left and Amy Barford (right) Making of a champion: Yarnold, who trained for five years to win the skeleton, competes in the long lump during an athletics meet in 2007 . Skeleton master: Lizzy took a commanding overnight lead in the skeleton, before clinching victory today . Home crowd: Pupils at St Michael's School in Otford, Yarnold's former school, cheer the athlete on . Winning moment: Yarnold's victory ensures Britain's second successive gold in the skeleton . Extra practise: Other countries are worried that Russia has a secret training base in the mountains . On . Thursday, in warm conditions which saw a group of Canadians walk around . bare-chested, Yarnold was the coolest competitor about. She observed . her usual patterns of listening to music and napping between runs. Her first 80mph descent immediately put her in charge. Her second run kept her there. ‘I was relaxed as soon as I got to the track,’ said the 25-year-old. ‘As soon as I stepped on to the start . line my coach really settled me. Once I started, everything felt so . natural and I loved it. ‘I . don’t feel the pressure, I’ve not been thinking about other people’s . expectations because I’ve got such high expectations of myself anyway. On Sunday Jenny Jones won Britain's first medal of the Games, with a bronze in the snowboard slopestyle . Jones (right) claimed the win after an Austrian competitor Ann Gasser fell over on her final run . With Yarnold's gold added to Jones' bronze, Team GB is now just one medal off of its three medal target . ‘I’ve . tried lots of different things in training and brought that through . into competition. I didn’t get curve 14 on the first run right and it’s . an uphill section so that bled my time. But the first and second runs . are the fastest I’ve ever gone. It’s not a bad day.’ Pikus-Pace, highly fancied coming into the Olympics but suffering a bad back, said: ‘It is hers to lose, I guess.’ Not everyone was quite as gung-ho as that. Nigel Laughton, GB team leader, called the margin a ‘good lead but not insurmountable’. The atmospherics will be different on Friday — Riviera conditions giving way to black skies and floodlights and adding a further frisson of excitement to the drama unfolding on the icy, twisting descent. None will feel the tension more than the travelling ‘Yarny Army’, comprising Yarnold’s friends and family. Yarnold was the day’s top British performer, eclipsing Shelley Rudman, the skeleton world champion, who struggled with the fast technical course and ended the day in 11th place. Creditable: James Woods finished in a respectable fifth place in the Skiing slopestyle final on Thurday . Another letdown for those of us watching was James Woods’ marginal failure to win a medal in the ski slopestyle. He seemed thrilled not only to have finished fifth, despite so painful a hip injury that it crossed his mind he might need to withdraw, but simply to be part of the jamboree. No British male skier has ever been placed as high as Woods at an Olympic Games. Congratulations to all the British slopestylists. Five out of six have made it into the top 10 here. Jenny Jones, has won the country’s only medal of these Games, a bronze. Now over to Yarnold to add the bullion. ‘It’s as good as it gets,’ she said. Not quite. God willing, Russian skulduggery notwithstanding, that comes on Thursday night. | Lizzy Yarnold beat U.S. and Russian competitors yesterday to take gold .
Family and friends wept at the side of the track as she sealed her victory .
It is Britain's second consecutive gold in the skeleton after Amy Williams won at the 2010 Vancouver Games . |
142,422 | 442c1c682cbda05936abea40e63ac6f3cd11c09d | An anti-drink driving group put out a glowing report of Uber after receiving a sizable donation from the taxi app, it has been revealed. Last week Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and Uber jointly published the study which suggested the ride-sharing service had helped reduce the number of drink-driving accidents. The press release stated that Uber can be 'a powerful tool in the fight to reduce the number of drunk-driving crashes' and found ridesharing is having a 'significant impact' on drink driving across America’s cities. Mothers Against Drunk Driving put out a glowing report of Uber- after receiving a sizable donation from the taxi app . Meanwhile, it has since been revealed that Uber started donating money to MADD last summer. Last year Uber and MADD announced a partnership in which the app would donate $1 for every ride taken and $10 for every new customer who used the service in a 24-hour period around the 4th of July, as long as customers used a promo code, UberMADD. Last weekend, Uber ran a similar deal on Super Bowl Sunday, where the service donated $1 for every passenger between 3pm and midnight who used the code ThinkandRide. Amy George, senior vice president of marketing and communications at MADD, said they were not backing away from the report . It is not yet clear how much money has been passed to MADD. After the report came under scrutiny, Amy George, senior vice president of marketing and communications at MADD, said that the figures in the report - that appeared to show a drop in drink driving in cities where Uber was used - was purely correlational. 'Nobody is saying that there is a causation relationship here,' she told Pro Publica. Ms George denied distancing herself from the study and said the anti drink-driving organisation would continue to back its findings. 'MADD strongly stands behind the report and that Uber is a powerful tool to reduce drunk driving,' she told Valley Wag. 'We have consistently said the data is correlative, and those correlations are valid at showing that Uber is having an impact.' In the report, Uber claimed that 'when empowered with more transportation options, people are making safer, better choices that are helping save lives.' Among the findings, the research found that drunk-driving crashes in California fell by 6.5 per cent among drivers under 30 in the markets where Uber operates - an estimated total of 1,800 crashes prevented since July 2012. With California the app's home state, the company claims that the drop demonstrates for a possible similar reduction in other Uber markets. It appears that the Uber taxi app service had started donating money to MADD last summer . | Uber and Mothers Against Drunk Driving published a joint report last week .
It suggested ride-sharing service helped reduce drink driving accidents .
Now it appears that Uber started donating money to MADD last summer . |
153,997 | 530a4234ba19f1998ed32969e8877d6d1a3c9c2c | Fox news host Steve Doocy said the movie empowered women by turning men into 'fools and villians' Disney's animated smash hit Frozen has been accused of spreading anti-male propaganda by a US news host. Steve Doocy slammed the film for its lack of strong male characters during an early morning talk show. He claimed that the movie empowered its female fans by turning men into 'fools and villains.' In a three minute segment on Fox and Friends Doocy discussed the so-called 'Frozen effect' with Penny Young Nance, the CEO of Concerned Women for America. To illustrate the point the show reportedly showed a clip from the movie of good guy Kristoff discussing picking his nose and another of villain Prince Hans confessing his evil plan. The 2013 movie is inspired by the Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale the Snow Queen and tells the story of a fearless princess who sets off on an epic journey alongside an iceman, his pet reindeer,and a naive snowman to find her estranged sister, whose icy powers have trapped the kingdom in eternal winter. 'They depict men as evil and cold and bumblers,' Ms Young Nance said on the show KSDK,com reported. ''It's not just Disney. 'It's Hollywood in general that has often sent the message that men are superfluous, they're stupid, they're in the way, if they contribute anything to the family, it's a paycheck.' Doocy is said to have later added that it would be 'nice' if there were more 'strong male figures' in movies such as Frozen, it was reported. Frozen took over a billion dollars at the global box office, and is the most successful animated movie of all time. It also won a Golden Globe for the best animated film. Doocy's comments come after a seven minute short film reunites the cast, characters, directors and even songwriters of the original 2013 movie, and will be screened ahead of Disney's Cinderella. The smash hit movie tells the tale of Princess Anna, pictured right, who sets off on an epic journey to find her sister Princess Elsa, pictured left, whose icy powers have inadvertently trapped the kingdom in eternal winter . Olaf, the beach loving snowman, Kristoff, and Sven the reindeer are all male characters in the Disney movie . The show reportedly showed a clip from the movie of good guy Kristoff, pictured left discussing picking his nose and another of villain Prince Hans, pictured right, confessing his evil plan . | US news presenter Steve Doocy slams Disney's hit film Frozen .
Claims it empowers women by turning men into 'fools and villains'
Issue discussed during segment on early morning talk show Fox Friends .
Animated movie took over a billion dollars at the global box office . |
96,471 | 0820628a2fff038f4104575266c7c9e977a6876f | By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 09:11 EST, 15 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:01 EST, 15 August 2013 . If you're wondering where all the good men are, new research would advise you to head north - at least if bedroom skills are what you're after. Yorkshire is the place where you'll encounter Britain's best lovers, according to results of the nationwide survey which found local men achieved 9.3 out of 10 in the satisfaction stakes. Warwickshire lovers, with an average score of 2.3 out of ten, were voted the least satisfactory. Women from across . the nation were also asked which men were most considerate of a woman's sexual needs. From this, it appears Warwickshire locals try hard (they came second for conscientiousness, with a 9.3 score), but to little effect. Devon men achieved an average top score of 9.5 for their thoughtfulness, while lazy Londoners came bottom of the list with just 3.3. Men living with their partners in Yorkshire scored the highest in satisfaction, with 9.3 out of 10 . The study takes a look into the bedroom habits and . preferences of those around the UK; focusing bedroom . satisfaction amongst men and women. More than 1,000 (1,802) women currently in a . co-habiting relationship, aged 18 and over, took part. All respondents were required to state which county/region in the UK . they and their partner currently lived in. The women taking part were initially . asked to rate their partner in terms of sexual satisfaction in the . bedroom, with 1 meaning their bedroom antics weren't at all satisfying . for them sexually; and 10 meaning that they were extremely satisfied. 1) Yorkshire - 9.32) Aberdeenshire - 9.13) Cornwall - 8.74) Shropshire - 8.65) Glamorgan - 8.46) Caernarfon - 8.37) Cambridgeshire - 8.28) Sussex - 8.09) Gloucestershire - 7.910) Berkshire - 7.6 . 1) Warwickshire - 2.62) Cumbria - 2.73) Essex - 2.94) London - 3.05) Leicestershire - 3.26) Kent - 3.37) Norfolk - 3.58) Cheshire - 3.99) Dumfries and Galloway - 4.110) Derbyshire - 4.1 . Yorkshire and Aberdeen men can pat themselves on the back as they scored highest, while Warwickshire and Cumbria locals did not go down so well in the satisfaction charts . Women were also asked what their partners thought of them between the sheets: 60 per cent felt their lover was 'very satisfied' with their sex life; . while just 6 per cent thought that their man was 'very . unsatisfied'. The majority of these, 56 per cent, though lack of sex could be to blame. 1) Devon - 9.52) Warwickshire - 9.33) Glamorgan - 9.24) Yorkshire - 8.95) Aberdeenshire - 8.7 . 1) London - 3.32) Essex - 3.53) Hampshire - 3.64) Lanarkshire - 3.85) Leicestershire - 3.9 . Warwickshire men were second most conscientious, but LEAST satisfying . Sarah Bailey of UKMedix.com, the online pharmacy specialising in sexual health who commissioned the research, says: 'Bedroom . satisfaction is vital for any healthy, sexual relationship; as a poor . or unhappy sex life can cause problems along the line. 'It seems that the North breeds quite a satisfying lover, . with blokes from the South West also rating quite highly in terms of . satisfaction and conscientiousness in the bedroom department. Perhaps . those in the city need to take a little time and put some greater effort . in - London featured low in both lists, so there may well be a . correspondence between city life and bedroom happiness!' | Londoners least concerned with women's sexual needs .
Warwickshire men second most conscientious, but LEAST satisfying .
Those from .
Devon most considerate in bed .
60 per cent of women say their partners are happy with their sex liveS . |
256,211 | d7a4dc76399f95c190af73c90ef8fe6e9663d336 | LAWRENCE, Kansas (CNN) -- It started with a sore throat. Then her chest was burning. Arielle Spiridigliozzi is one of 350 students who have contracted H1N1 at the University of Kansas. University of Kansas freshman Arielle Spiridigliozzi said she thought her symptoms were signs of allergies, or maybe even a sinus infection. It couldn't be H1N1, she thought. But it was. "I mean, I'd never, ever guessed that coming into freshman year I would get the friggin' swine flu," Spiridigliozzi said. Now she accessorizes her royal blue T-shirt with a mask. A stuffy nose, body aches, fever and coughing make up the litany of symptoms, Spiridigliozzi, 18, and her roommate, Kaitlyn Perry, 18, said they have suffered. For more than a day, the girls have been stuck in their suite, on what they call "lockdown." Watch more about life on "lockdown" » . University officials have asked the girls to stay in their dorm suite to limit exposure to other students. The school provides door-to-door delivery from the campus dining hall, giving the girls one less reason to have to leave their immediate four walls. Spiridigliozzi has abided by the the university's request, worried that she could infect another. But she doesn't understand how she ended up in this situation in the first place. "We took all the necessary precautions. Like, we really did. It wasn't like I was licking the handlebars of the bus or anything," she said. "I was hand sanitizing. I was being very careful. I don't know how this happened." But she only has to look to her roommates for an answer, as illness has rapidly made its way through her suite. When Perry became ill it struck her suddenly. While shopping, she came down with a fever and started feeling like she didn't have the strength to stand, she said. Perry's flu hasn't been confirmed as an H1N1 strain, but a third roommate, the first to get sick, they said, was diagnosed with H1N1. Then a fourth roommate got sick, illustrative of a spreading flu pattern the girls said is obvious from the empty seats in classes. The university estimates about 340 students, or 1 percent of the student body, have flu they suspect is H1N1, said Patricia Denning, medical chief of staff at Watkins Health Center. The number of cases could be higher if students were not seeking care from campus doctors and nurses, she added. She said she has not heard of any students being hospitalized because of the flu. Vaccines are unlikely to help much this year, because supplies are not expected until late October and require about five weeks from the first inoculation -- two are required -- before they become effective. So, to make life easier for the sick, the school's medical center has distributed what it calls a "flu kit," which includes a mask and a home-care instruction sheet, Denning said. The tip sheet borrows from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's information on H1N1. It says to drink lots of fluids, eat three small meals a day and get plenty of rest, Denning said. "And so it just goes through simple common-sense things that we all know we need to do that sometimes, when mothers and dads aren't around to remind them, this will help remind them," she said. Spiridigliozzi and Perry will get to wander outdoors again once their fevers have dissipated for at least 24 hours without the aid of fever-reducing medications, they said. They are eager to get back to their normal lives. Spiridigliozzi is tired of the soup and Jell-O, and Perry looks forward to playing Frisbee again. "So boring" is how Spiridigliozzi described their isolation. With all this free time, at least the freshmen -- on campus for only two weeks -- aren't falling too far behind in their school work. "I got all my homework done," Perry said. "Yeah, I've gotten all my homework done for the next two weeks, probably," added Spiridigliozzi. CNN's John Bonifield contributed to this report. | Spread of H1N1 among roommates illustrates how quickly virus jumps around .
"It wasn't like I was licking the handlebars of the bus," freshman says .
Girls quarantined in room, doing homework, until fever dissipates for 24 hours .
The University of Kansas estimates about 1 percent of student body has H1N1 . |
3,310 | 0992a7f9167458c0d9592015d557dd0e9934de40 | It's one of the best-known hits of his remarkable, 50-year career. And the words to Do Ya Think I’m Sexy may well have been running through Penny Lancaster’s head as she performed a raunchy, impromptu pole-dance for Rod Stewart on their holiday yacht. The 68-year-old rocker couldn’t take his eyes off his 42-year-old model wife as, in cropped pink top and black jeans and with blonde hair flying, she cavorted in front of him. Penny, the mother of two of Rod’s eight children, giggled as she gyrated round a deck post on the yacht during the Stewart family break in St Tropez in the South of France last week. Showtime: Penny Lancaster performed a raunchy pole dance for her rocker husband Rod Stewart as the pair holidayed on board a yacht in the south of France . Besotted: The 68-year-old rocker couldn't take his eyes off his 42-year-old model wife as, with blonde hair flying, she cavorted in front of him . All at sea: Penny limbers up as her besotted husband watches from the deck of their holiday yacht . Moments earlier, the pair looked more like honeymooners than a married couple when they embraced for a smoochy dance. Then Penny limbered up in front of Rod before discarding her pink sweater and throwing herself into action. It’s possible that Penny was secretly hoping Rod would remember a few of her professional-looking dance moves – after he was spotted earlier in the holiday performing a bizarre routine of his own. During a shore break with friends, Rod broke into a sequence of strange, robotic-type moves as he strolled along the quayside. Dressed in white shirt and trousers accompanied by a cricket-style cardigan, orange-and-white shoes and rock star shades, he had his companions in stitches as he walked along swinging his arms out to his sides and above his head. Rod and his clan were clearly in high spirits during their Mediterranean break – but then he has had plenty to celebrate. The Rod-bot: The star performs a strange robotic dance routine during a shore break with friends . Put your hands up: Rocker Rod performed his bizarre dance moves as he strolled along the Saint Tropez quayside . Man about town: Rod was dressed in a white shirt and trousers accompanied by a cricket-style cardigan and rock star shades . Rod’s new album Time, his first collection of self-penned songs for 20 years, hit the top of the charts last month. And he has revealed that one of the tracks on it was inspired by the pain of a two-week separation from Penny after she walked out on him. They enjoyed a subsequent reunion and are now clearly closer than ever. During their break the couple visited the beach with their two children, seven-year-old Alastair and Aiden, three. At the beach, Penny displayed her sun-tanned physique to perfection when she bounced enthusiastically on a trampoline in a sporty kit of white shirt and matching shorts. As the couple basked in the sunshine on the deck of their yacht, Rod, whose other hits include the worldwide No 1 Sailing, tweeted a picture of himself with his feet up, under the heading ‘Putting me sea legs to work’. Penny is Rod’s third wife. He was married to model Rachel Hunter for 16 years until 2006, and to actress Alana Hamilton for five years until 1984. | Rocker and wife Penny Lancaster holidaying in South of France .
Penny, 42, wore pink crop top as she cavorted on yacht .
Rod also spotted performing bizarre dance routine in Saint Tropez . |
251,717 | d1cce4954ed3d7f5c5742721060f740c3d0a204c | You might have one tucked away in the attic. But that old Tracy Island from Thunderbirds certainly won't be able to compete with the latest hi-tech version. The new Tracy Island – one of a raft of retro toys coming on to the market – has a wristwatch controller so children can activate mission sounds and commands for the International Rescue operation. Last time a Tracy Island was released, in the 1990s, demand was so great that Blue Peter designed a DIY version for children who had missed out. Scroll down for video . Last time a Tracy Island was released, in the 1990s, demand was so great that Blue Peter designed a DIY version for children who had missed out . The new model, which costs £79.99, coincides with ITV's revamped version of the 1960s TV show and will be unveiled today at the Toy Fair in London. Others toys include a 50th anniversary edition of the Tiny Tears doll, and every boy's favourite Corgi car – the James Bond Aston Martin DB5. The Wombles, which is returning to TV on Channel 5, will unveil a new collection of toys, along with BBC favourites The Clangers. Sooty and Sweep puppets are being unveiled to coincide with the CITV show, which returned to TV last September after an eight-year break and there is a new range of the Care Bears and a remodelled Bagpuss coming out in March. ITV is updating the hit 1960s children’s show, which will be aired in the Spring ahead of the launch of a hi-tech toy version of the coveted Tracy Island . Natasha Crooks, of the British Toy and Hobby Association, which organises the event, said: 'Children's television and toys do tend to be cyclical but 2015 is an incredibly unusual year. 'Not only are there a lot of anniversaries this year but there are a number of shows returning for the next generation, as parents love to share their favourite shows and toys with their children. 'What we will see at the Toy Fair is a lot of retro toys with a twist – they will be the original toys with new features and technology built into them.' | ITV is updating the hit 1960s children’s show, which will be aired in Spring .
Will also see launch of a hi-tech toy version of the coveted Tracy Island .
Previous Tracy Island toy was a sell-out success in the 1990s . |
140,708 | 41f0470ceb5208606373d8c9ae7f6727dca5a682 | By . Igor Nitsak . FC Shakhtar's training camp in Donetsk has been seriously damaged by overnight shelling, the Ukrainian club said on Saturday. 'Two shells hit directly into the main building destroying the upper level where the main squad of the team used to live,' the club said in a statement. 'The leisure zone and the exercise room were completely destroyed. Fire-brigades have been working hard all night to beat a huge fire. They managed to localise it but some parts are still burning.' Destruction: The main building at the Shakhtar training base was destroyed by shelling . Troubles: Shakhtar's stadium was hit by two powerful explosions last week as the fighting continues . Two days ago, the camp was hit by four shells causing minor damages as they struck the training ground while Shakhtar's Donbass Arena, which hosted a semi-final at the Euro 2012 championship, had also been damaged by shelling. Donetsk, a major industrial city, has become a stronghold of pro-Russian separatists who are fighting army forces controlled by the government. Shakhtar moved their headquarters from the strife-torn city of Donetsk to Kiev, with home games played in the western city of Lviv to escape from the ongoing conflict in eastern Ukraine. Not at home: Shakhtar have been forced to leave their stadium and move to Kiev and Lviv . | Camp suffers damage to where the team used to live .
Huge fire engulfs the camp as exercise room is destroyed .
Shakhtars's Donbass Arena also suffers damage .
The club have moved their headquarters to Kiev, with home games in Lviv . |
172,518 | 6b479a753077afee3e47637e05395f5ee1268078 | By . Nick Enoch . PUBLISHED: . 09:01 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:04 EST, 16 October 2013 . A transgender woman is suing for the right to have free breast cancer screenings after being turned away by a clinic for not being 'genetically female'. Jennifer Blair, 62, from Colorado, had gender reassignment surgery more than a decade ago and takes a daily dose of doctor-prescribed synthetic oestrogen. After noticing an unusual breast growth, Ms Blair, who does not have health insurance, went to the Planned Parenthood centre in Denver for a mammogram. Scroll down for video . Jennifer Blair, a transgender woman, is suing for the right to have free breast cancer screenings after being turned away by a clinic for not being 'genetically female' Ms Blair, 62, from Colorado, had gender reassignment surgery more than a decade ago and takes a daily dose of synthetic oestrogen . The state-run clinic is funded by the Women's Wellness Connection and offers free cancer screenings for women on low income. But Ms Blair was shocked to be told she could not have the mammogram because she was not born a woman. 'I was hurt. I'm a person just like anyone else,' Ms Blair told WUSA9. 'I have the same hopes, the same dreams, the same concerns as any other woman,' she added. After noticing an odd breast growth, Ms Blair, who doesn't have health insurance, went to the Planned Parenthood centre in Denver for a mammogram but was turned away for not being a woman . Ms Blair said that her daily intake of . sex hormone Estradiol had increased her risk of developing a variety of . tumours, including breast cancer, and believed her growth warranted further investigation. A spokesman for The Centers for Disease Control and . Prevention, which funds the programme, said it only covers clients who are 'genetically female'. But Ms Blair countered that after nearly 50 years of living as a male, it had not been an 'authentic' life and now describes herself as 'a real woman'. 'It's discrimination based on her . transgender status. I think that's pretty black and white,' her attorney, Sarah . Parady said. Ms Parady filed the lawsuit, claiming Ms Blair's experience was in violation of the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, adding it was a 'terrible injustice'. Legal analyst Scott Robinson is now arguing for legislation as federal law on transgender issues is not clear enough. Ms Blair has since raised the money to pay for a mammogram - and has found she does not have breast cancer. Her legal crusade continues, though, . as she does not want others in a similar situation to be denied such . screenings, and wants to hold public organisations accountable. The Colorado Civil Rights Division issued a written response, saying the state programme is only following CDC guidelines. The . specifics of the lawsuit have not been reported. No one from CDC was . available for comment due to the partial government shutdown. Attorney Sarah Parady filed the lawsuit, claiming Ms Blair's experience was in violation of the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, adding it was a 'terrible injustice' | Jennifer Blair, 62, from Colorado, .
had gender reassignment surgery more than a decade ago .
She takes daily .
dose of doctor-prescribed synthetic oestrogen .
Denied free mammogram at state-funded Planned Parenthood centre .
Her lawyer said what happened to Ms Blair was in violation of Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act . |
120,434 | 27a2f3af29df8b25cdac9df728b3610695acb1a6 | Arsenal have been handed a major injury boost by Olivier Giroud's return to full training. The France international has been on the sidelines since sustaining an ankle injury against Everton on August 23. But the centre-forward made his long-awaited return to full training at the club's London Colney HQ on Thursday morning. Arsenal striker Olivier Giroud goes through his paces at London Colney on Thursday . The France striker (right) has returned early to training after suffering a serious ankle injury in August . Giroud wasn't expected to be back in full training at least until the new year . He will now compete with Danny Welbeck for the lone centre-forward role in Arsene Wenger's starting XI. The news comes as a huge boost to the Gunners manager, whose side has been ravaged by injuries this season. Giroud joins Theo Walcott in regaining his fitness following a long-term spell on the sidelines. However, Arsenal are still without key-men Mesut Ozil, Mathieu Debuchy and Laurent Koscielny through injury. Giroud will now compete with Danny Welbeck to be Arsenal's sole centre forward . Giroud's return is welcome for Arsenal, who are missing Mesut Ozil, Mathieu Debuchy and Laurent Koscielny . Giroud (right) and Mathieu Debuchy watch Novak Djokovic beat Stanislas Wawrinka at ATP World Tour Finals . The France and Arsenal team-mates watched Serb Djokovic demolish Wawrinka 6-3 6-0 in the Group A game . Giroud and Debuchy look at a smartphone at the season-ending tennis tournament . Giroud beats Sylvain Distin to head home a 90th-minute equaliser for Arsenal against Everton on August 23 . That 2-2 draw with the Toffees was the last time the France striker appeared in an Arsenal shirt . VIDEO Podolski considering Arsenal exit . | Olivier Giroud has been out since August after suffering an ankle injury .
The Arsenal striker was expected to be out until the new year at least .
France star is well ahead of schedule with his rehabilitation .
Arsenal have relied heavily on Alexis Sanchez in Giroud's absence .
Arsene Wenger has insisted that summer signing Danny Welbeck can play up front together with Giroud . |
240,640 | c387492022b3bf18d526850ddcb3a4680c702f4b | (CNN)The Holy Land makes for inspiring, fascinating, confusing travel. To some, the chunk of territory between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea is all Israel. To others, it's all Palestine. For most -- as is true so often in this region of shifting truths and manipulated historical narratives -- it's a bit of both. More on CNN: Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown Season 2 . 1. For beaches, it's Red, Med or Dead . Israel is hemmed in by sea. Eilat has snorkeling and beach activities on the Red Sea side. Rosh HaNikra has stunning cliffs on the Mediterranean Sea side. At the Dead Sea you can float away at Ein Bokek, where the salty waters of this inland lake effortlessly support your body. 2. Identity is complicated . Onlookers frequently cast the conflict here as simply between Jews and Arabs. Axe-grinders on both sides like to evoke an enduring death-struggle between Muslims and Jews. But for long stretches of history, no such struggle existed. In truth, the problems of the last century or so are both religious and political -- and it's worthwhile knowing who's who. Most Israelis (a political identity) are Jewish (a religious identity) -- and most take pride in their country's ethnic diversity. European Jews, Russian Jews, African Jews, American Jews, Arab Jews and many others mix more or less freely. There's a reason for that. If you can satisfy Israel's religious establishment that you're Jewish -- according to complicated rules of birth, ancestry or conversion -- you instantly become entitled to Israeli citizenship and state benefits. Palestinians (a political identity) -- most of whom are Arab (a cultural identity) -- are chiefly Muslim, but there are substantial minorities of Palestinian Christians and others. 3. The security barrier is worth seeing . Take a walking tour of East Jerusalem, such as those run by Green Olive Tours, or a pilgrimage to the Palestinian city of Bethlehem -- where Jesus was born -- and you'll run into Israel's infamous security barrier. Israel built this barrier to keep suicide bombers from getting to Israel. It's eight meters (26 feet) high in places and includes concrete barricades, gates, barbed wire and patrol roads. While it has reduced the number of bombing attempts, it has also kept Palestinians from moving freely between the West Bank and Israel proper. Most of the barrier runs inside West Bank territory, rather than on the boundary line. This fact prompted the International Court of Justice to rule that the construction of the barrier violated international law. With its armed guards, watchtowers and fortified gateways, for travelers it can be a stark symbol of Israel's military control over the territory. 4. Eco travelers will love the desert . Vast, scorching desert fills Israel's southern third -- known as the Negev in Hebrew or Naqab in Arabic. Despite the camels and the tents, few of the Negev's hippyish ecotours have much to do with some of the oldest inhabitants of this desert. Bedouin Hospitality -- a social enterprise founded by civil rights activists -- offers a chance to hear Bedouin stories in person, hosted among Bedouin tribes. 5. Jerusalem resonates with religious meaning . Few people forget their first visit to the Old City at Jerusalem's core, still encircled by the crenelated walls built by the Ottoman sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1538. Within this tiny area, roughly one square kilometer, the Via Dolorosa -- walked by Jesus -- leads to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, where Christian tradition says Jesus was crucified and buried. Steps away, Jews pray at the Western Wall, the last structure remaining from the Jewish Temple, destroyed by the Romans. Nearby, the Al-aqsa mosque, mentioned in the Quran, stands alongside the golden Dome of the Rock shrine commemorating the Prophet Muhammad's mystical Night Journey. Al-aqsa and the Dome of the Rock stand on a hill known as the Noble Sanctuary, or the Temple Mount, considered holy by Muslims, Jews and Christians as the place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son. In terms of religious significance, that's quite a plateful. And among the holy sites, daily life roars on: souks crowd the narrow, stone-flagged alleyways, children go to school, libraries jostle with restaurants. Also on CNN: 10 of Israel's best museums . 6. Jerusalem has its own syndrome . For some, the city can be too much. Around 100 tourists each year succumb to Jerusalem Syndrome, a psychiatric condition linked to the city's atmosphere of intensity. Sufferers typically show signs of prolonged agitation and religious fervor, spending days -- often dressed in white robes (typically a hotel bed sheet) -- declaiming religious verses or preaching public sermons on moral purity. Most recover. 7. Tel Aviv feels like its own country . An hour away from Jerusalem, over on the coast, secular-minded Tel Aviv swings along amid beach parties, designer brands and hipster attitudes. During the Jewish Shabbat -- the day of rest, which runs from Friday sunset to Saturday sunset -- western Jerusalem remains quiet in prayerful contemplation, but Tel Aviv lives the high life, with seaside promenades, crowded stores and lounge bars packed. This hedonistic city, gazing west into the Mediterranean sunset, has also carved out a new identity as a gay capital, offering a uniquely accommodating welcome to LGBT visitors and residents. In a country where the Jewish religious establishment generally calls the shots, Tel Aviv embodies a bubble of liberality and easygoing apathy. 8. Countryside walks are fantastic . The West Bank is crisscrossed by walking trails. Many are devoted to nature, some -- such as Birzeit's Sufi Trails -- to culture. One of the best is the Abraham Path, linking the Palestinian cities of Nablus, Bethlehem and Hebron in a two-week trek. It's also manageable in shorter day-stages, with overnight stops at homestays and rural guesthouses. Israelis have a long tradition of nature tourism, centered on national parks, wildlife reserves and forest walks, including the stunning Jesus Trail, which coils through the hills above the sparkling Sea of Galilee. Visitors can plug into Israel's network of "zimmers" -- rural B&Bs ranging from farm stays to exclusive country retreats. 9. When you visit Israel, you're also visiting biblical Palestine . When you visit as a tourist, you're visiting two distinct places. See only one, and you see only part of the whole picture. The sovereign state of Israel came into being -- apologies for the euphemism, and for glossing over the previous few millennia of history -- in 1948, on a sliver of land along the Mediterranean coast, in the northern hills and the southern deserts, adding the western districts of Jerusalem after an initial outbreak of fighting with its Arab neighbors. This is where Israeli culture and the Hebrew language thrive. The eastern parts of Jerusalem (including the ancient walled Old City), plus the kidney-shaped piece of West Bank that surrounds Jerusalem on three sides, the Gaza Strip and the Golan Heights did not form part of the modern state of Israel at its creation in 1948, but they came under Israel's control during the 1967 war. Since then, Israel has effectively annexed East Jerusalem, putting it and other adjacent areas in the West Bank under full Israeli government control, while greatly expanding Israeli settlements in the West Bank. At the same time, it unilaterally pulled its military and settlers out of Gaza, but has maintained control over the area's borders (with the exception of the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt). The international community deems Israel's presence in East Jerusalem, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip as an illegal occupation. These areas are where Palestinian culture and the Arabic language are strongest. A Palestinian state, should one ever materialize alongside Israel, is likely to be centered on that kidney-shaped territory, known to most of the world as the West Bank, along with the Gaza Strip along the Mediterranean. Pockets of Israeli culture thrive across the West Bank in "settlements" -- Jewish-only townships whose presence is widely seen as contravening international law. And pockets of Palestinian culture remain strong across Israel, from the urban clamor of Jaffa and Haifa to rural hamlets in the countryside and desert. 10. It's prickly outside, but sweet inside . Sabra is the Hebrew word for cactus fruit -- prickly on the outside, sweet in the middle. It's also how native-born Israelis proudly describe themselves. The metaphor is apt. Social graces aren't high on Israel's list of priorities, and service in shops and restaurants can be brusque. But if you peel away the prickly exterior, there's generally warmth and affability beneath. Maybe even a smile. Intriguingly, the same word in Arabic, saber, connotes patience and tenacity. Tough hedges of cactus are still used to mark land boundaries across the West Bank, and the idea is linked to a key concept in Palestinian self-identity -- sumud, meaning steadfastness or quiet resolve. One plant, two people, three interpretations. So typical. Editor's note: This story has been revised to fix some inaccuracies. Freelancer Matthew Teller contributed to this story. Anthony Bourdain Parts UnknownNorth America/Latin AmericaPremiere episodes: Sundays, 9 p.m. ETReplays: Saturdays, 9 p.m. ETAsia/South AsiaPremiere episodes: Mondays, 9 a.m. HKTReplays: Fridays,10 p.m. HKT; Sundays, 9 a.m. HKT . | Jerusalem offers the chance to see many of the world's major religions in one city .
Some tourists suffer "Jerusalem Syndrome," spending days agitated with religious fervor .
An often neglected aspect is the countryside, which is great for hiking . |
166,734 | 639b4aa20b7339cc686ebf91e2c81c7bef57735a | By . Chris Wheeler . Follow @@ChrisWheelerDM . Manuel PelIegrini backed Stevan Jovetic to finally his make mark on Manchester City after seeing the Montenegro striker lead the demolition of AC Milan in Pittsburgh. Jovetic scored twice and was denied a hat-trick by an offside flag as City won 5-1 at Heinz Field. It was a demonstration of what the 24-year-old can do after his first season at City was decimated by injuries following a £22million move from Fiorentina. Scroll down for video . Determination: Stevan Jovetic has vowed to make an impact at Manchester City this season . Finisher: Jovetic scored twice as Man City beat AC Milan 5-1 on Sunday . VIDEO Pellegrini delighted at rampant City . Jovetic only made 18 appearances - including two Premier League starts - and scored six goals.Pellegrini said: 'With Stevan I think he had very bad luck last season. He had a lot of injuries the whole year. 'It's very difficult for a player to have an important performance when he cannot play three games in a row. At the end of last season he started playing very well. 'Now that he works continually he will demonstrate why he's here at Manchester City. I think he's a very good player.' Battle: Jovetic vies for the ball with AC Milan's Mario Balotelli . | Pellegrini backs Jovetic to make mark at Man City .
Montenegro forward scored twice in 5-1 win over AC Milan .
Made just 18 appearances during injury-ravaged debut campaign . |
150,889 | 4f1506e0aa25e11c2d863f8625ec548bb18a540e | By . Sophie Jane Evans . London's annual festival of cycling kicked off in spectacular fashion this morning by setting a new world record for the largest bicycle bell ensemble. More than 600 cyclists, led by Olympic gold medallist Laura Trott and former British downhill skier Chemmy Alcott, took part in the RideLondon event at Guildhall Yard, near St Paul's Cathedral. Accompanied by bell-ringing musicians from the Guildhall School of Music, they easily surpassed the previous record of 503 cycling bell-ringers set . in 2003 by the University of Leipzig in Germany. New record: London's festival of cycling kicked off in spectacular fashion this morning by setting a new world record for the largest bicycle bell ensemble. Above, Olympic gold medallist Laura Trott started the performance . Good turnout: Over 600 cyclists took part in the RideLondon event at Guildhall Yard, near St Paul's Cathedral . Athletes: They were led by Olympic gold medallist Laura Trott (left) and ex-British skier Chemmy Alcott (right) Miss Trott, 22, who was racing later in . the day in the grand prix event, said it had been worth getting up early . for what is her second world record. 'It was . really exciting. I was part of the one they tried to do last year and it . wasn't successful so it was really nice to see happy, smiley faces at . the end of it,' she said. 'Our team pursuit team actually holds the world record for the team pursuit so this is my second one.' The 30-minute attempt, involving a total of 639 cyclists, was carried out in front of officials . from the Guinness Book of Records. Official: The 30-minute performance was carried out in front of officials from the Guinness Book of Records . All smiles: Miss Trott, 22, and Ms Alcott are pictured grinning at the camera while holding bicycle bells . The orchestra was conducted by the school's Dominic Wheeler, who was working with bike bells for . the first time in his career to perform a specially-composed variation . on the Westminster Chimes. The performance kicked off a weekend of Prudential RideLondon cycling events in the capital, including the opening of a 10-mile traffic-free route on closed roads through the city. Around 50,000 people are expected to ride past iconic landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London. Landmark: The event kicked off a weekend of RideLondon cycling events in the capital, including the opening of a 10-mile traffic-free route on closed roads through the city. Above cyclists prepare to ride through London . Keeping fit: Around 50,000 people are expected to ride past iconic landmarks, including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament, St Paul's Cathedral and the Tower of London, this weekend. Above, cyclists today . Tomorrow, the RideLondon-Surrey 100 ride starts in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, in east London. Miss Trott, who lives in Essex, added: 'For me when I was growing up there was . never really those opportunities - they would never shut down a whole . city. 'For cycling to have come that far and be able to do that is . incredible.' Miss Trott and Olympic and Tour de France star Sir Bradley Wiggins will take part tomorrow in a 100-mile road race which ends on The Mall. Riding: Tomorrow, the RideLondon-Surrey 100 ride starts in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, in east London . The London-Surrey event will also star 2012 world champion, Philippe Gilbert, and 2014 Tour de France top 10 finisher, Laurens ten Dam. Miss Trott said she was slightly daunted by riding 100 miles for the first time. She is taking part with her father, uncle and her sister, a former professional cyclist. | RideLondon kicked off at Guildhall Yard, near St Paul's Cathedral, today .
More than 600 cyclists set world record for largest bicycle bell ensemble .
Led by Olympic medallist Laura Trott and ex-British skier Chemmy Alcott .
Guildhall School of Music performed a variation on Westminster Chimes .
Ten-mile traffic-free route was also opened today on closed London roads .
Estimated 50,000 people to ride past landmarks like Buckingham Palace . |
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