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255,408 | d698437338b33652a8260ec96df5a8b1cfadbf39 | (CNN) -- Concerns about an impending terrorist strike are at the lowest point on record since the attacks of September 11, 2001, according to a new CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll. Sixty percent of Americans thought a terrorist attack was likely after the first anniversary of 9/11. Furthermore, only about one in 10 Americans says terrorism is the most important issue in deciding their vote for president, the poll found. Seven years after the attacks of September 11, just 30 percent of Americans said they think an attack on American soil is likely over the next several weeks, down 11 points since this time last year and down 30 points since the first anniversary of September 11. Only 14 percent of Americans say an impending terrorist attack is likely in their community. And Americans do appear to be more confident that Osama bin Laden will eventually be captured or killed: Just about half say the U.S. will ultimately find the September 11 mastermind, up 7 points from this time last year. But in frustrating news for the White House, Americans appear to give little credit to President Bush for the lack of a terrorist strike over the last seven years: Only 37 percent believe that the president and his policies are the chief reason there has not been a strike on U.S. soil. Overall, he has a 28 percent approval rating, tying his all-time low in CNN/ORC polling. Watch how the Pentagon is memorializing 9/11 » . Opinions on the war in Iraq, on the other hand, have changed slightly, with a slight majority (52 percent) now saying that the war is an essential part of the war on terrorism. That represents a shift from 2006, when a majority of Americans said the war in Iraq was a distraction. Support for the Iraq war is also up slightly over the past six months, from 30 percent in June to 37 percent now. But as Americans increasingly approve of the war, it becomes less of an important issue in their choice for president: Now, only 13 percent of registered voters said it was most important to their vote, compared with the 56 percent who named the country's economic woes as their chief concern. Just over 60 percent of Americans continue to oppose the conflict, however. Two-thirds want the next president to remove most U.S. troops from Iraq within a few months of taking office, numbers that appear to put Republican presidential candidate John McCain on the opposite side of most voters on that issue. "The good news for John McCain is that most Americans think he would be better at handling terrorism than [Barack] Obama," CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said. "The bad news is that terrorism seems to matter most to the people McCain already has squarely in his camp: Republicans. Just over 20 percent of Republicans say that terrorism is their number one issue; for Democrats and independents, that's in single digits." | Poll: About 1 in 10 say terrorism is the most important issue in voting for president .
30 percent said they think an attack on American soil is likely soon .
About half say the U.S. will find September 11 mastermind Osama bin Laden .
Watch 9/11 memorials in New York and Washington on CNN.com Live . |
210,325 | 9c6d4f48c9c54aeeae9554f47bd9f0656f9d707c | By . Francesca Chambers . President Barack Obama quietly sent a group of administration officials to the border on Tuesday to assess the need for a National Guard deployment. White House officials with knowledge of the trip told Reuters yesterday that a team of Homeland Security and Defense Department aides are on the three-day site visit to and will make recommendations to the president upon their return. While 'there's no foregone conclusion' to the president's plans, as one official said, the move signals that the Obama is taking Republicans' suggestions on how to handle the border crisis more seriously than the White House has previously let on. President Barack Obama is reportedly considering a National Guard deployment to border . House Speaker John Boehner and Texas . Governor Rick Perry have been asking the president to dispatch the . National Guard to the border for weeks. Perry tried to get Obama to commit to the measure during the president's trip to Texas earlier this month but couldn't get a straight answer from him. The Republican Governor sent a follow-up letter reiterating the need for troops but says he never received a response. On . Monday, Perry decided to act without the federal government and send as . many as 1,000 of Texas' reserve forces down to the border. There, they'll work hand in hand with the Texas Department of Public Safety to take down drug smugglers and cartels, his office said in a statement on the governor's announcement. The . additional National Guard members and other law enforcement resources . Perry directed toward the border will cost Texas taxpayers $5 million a . week, according to a leaked memo. National Guard forces alone will burn a $12 million a month whole in the state's budget. The funding for an enhanced National Guard presence on the border can only come from the . federal government if the Commander in Chief initiates the deployment. Until . then, Texans will be on the hook for the entire amount, causing . concern among Texas lawmakers, including Perry's allies. 'We are very grateful to the . Governor,' Republican Rep. Louie Gohmert said, 'but we need to see that Texas is ultimately reimbursed.' As . recently as Monday the White House was still dismissing a deployment as . 'temporary' solution to the crisis at the border. 'The President and this administration does not see it in any way as a . substitute for the kind of more enduring response that this . administration has sought both through the supplemental appropriations . request, but also through comprehensive immigration reform,' White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters. 'It seems to me that a much more powerful symbol would be the bipartisan . passage of legislation that would actually make a historic investment . in border security and send an additional 20,000 personnel to the . border,' Earnest said. Earnest admitted that the president indicated to Perry that he was open to the idea of sending down the National Guard when they met in Texas and said the subject could come up in the president's meeting that afternoon with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson. However, the White House spokesperson reiterated the administration would prefer Perry to 'take the kinds of steps that will be . constructive to solving the problem over the long term' and not just the kinds that attract attention. 'And to be . specific, that means that we hope that Governor Perry will support the . supplemental appropriations request that this administration put forward . a few weeks ago, and that Governor Perry will use his influence with . congressional Republicans in Congress and urge them to stop blocking . comprehensive bipartisan legislation in the House of Representatives . that would make an historic commitment to border security and address so . many of the problems that are plaguing our broken immigration system,' he said. The president's comprehensive immigration reform legislation has been stalled in the Senate for the last year and is almost certain not to get a vote in the House of Representatives before the end of the legislative session. His $3.7 billion emergency immigration spending package could come to a vote by the end of next week, however. If Democrats and Republicans on the Hill can't come to a consensus on how much of Obama's request to fund, however, the request for additional resources will be shelved until after Congress gets back from recess in September. Senate Democrats, led by Appropriations chair Barbara Mikulski, have rallied around a $3.5 billion bill that includes funding for wildfires and aide for Israel on top of the $2.7 billion it puts toward agencies that handle illegal immigration. House Republicans are discussing a $1.5 billion version of Obama's original ask. Their legislation also includes a stipulation about the National Guard. Conservatives in Congress say the current bill is still too much money, though, and want to see an even more stripped down version. Alabama Rep. Mo Brooks told the Associated Press he wouldn't vote for the legislation if it came to the floor because the U.S. can't be the 'world's sugar daddy.' Boehner's office this afternoon that the Republican caucus would hold a rare Friday morning meeting to discuss the bill one more time before heading home for the weekend because members needed more time to debate the bill. President Barack Obama is currently in Los Angelas and will not return to Washington, D.C. until late this evening. He is pictured here greeting a patron at Canter's Deli in L.A. this afternoon . Also at issue in the process is a 2008 trafficking law that disallows the U.S. government from immediately deporting illegal immigrant children who are not from Mexico or Canada. Initially, the president told Congress he would like to see changes to the law that would give his administration ability to deport Central American children - who account for the majority of more than 57,000 minors who have arrived at the border since last October - in a more timely manner. The president has since backed off that request amid pressure from him party. In a letter to the president yesterday, Boehner asked Obama to recommit to the proposal. 'Frankly,' he said, 'it is difficult to see how we can make progress on this issue without strong, public support from the White House for much-needed reforms, including changes to the 2008 law.' Worse, in recent days, senior congressional leaders in your own . political party have backpedalled and voiced unswerving opposition to . any changes at all. Frankly, it is difficult to see how we can make progress on this . issue without strong, public support from the White House for . much-needed reforms, including changes to the 2008 law. Worse, in recent days, senior congressional leaders in your own . political party have backpedalled and voiced unswerving opposition to . any changes at all. Frankly, it is difficult to see how we can make progress on this . issue without strong, public support from the White House for . much-needed reforms, including changes to the 2008 law. Today Boehner again challenged the president to step up to the plate. 'We've got a President that's AWOL,' Boehner told reporters. 'The President ought to get engaged in this if he actually wants something to happen.' Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell also called on the president to reassert his authority over Democrats in Congress. McConnell said Obama put forward 'modest policy recommendations,' but 'unfortunately, the far Left objected, and he’s since wobbled. 'That’s led to top Democrats in Congress balking at even the most modest of reforms,' McConnell said in a speech on the Senate floor. ' They now seem to prefer a blank check that would preserve the status quo instead. And the President will barely lift a finger to encourage his own party to support these simple reforms.' The top Republican lampooned Obama for his claims earlier this year that he going to use his 'pen and phone' to break through the gridlock in Washington. 'Use it,' McConnell said. 'Call the members of your party who object to what you said you wanted—and what we all know is needed.' The president has been out of town since Tuesday on a fundraising trip on the West Coast, and he will not return to Washington, D.C. until late this evening. Tomorrow he will meet with Central American leaders to discuss ways the U.S. can work with their countries to prevent children from ever leaving for the United States in the first place. Including tomorrow, the president has only six business days to come up with a plan that both political parties can swallow, or risk receiving no additional funding at all for border protection measures. | Republicans have been trying to get Obama to send the National Guard to the border for weeks .
The White House has not said no, in the past, but it criticized a deployment as a 'temporary' solution .
Texas Governor Rick Perry sent 1,000 members of the Texas National Guard to the border this week .
But until the president gives the go ahead, Texas is paying for it .
Obama is running out of time to come up with a solution to the border crisis that Democrats and Republicans can get behind . |
166,138 | 62d052deca505b3b7a61e387f6d26b8cf7d64bc4 | Lianne Burns had been living in Marigot on the French side of the tropical island - which has a population of just 75,000 - for 12 years . A drifter who strangled a British tour guide on a paradise Caribbean island then hid her body in a cupboard has been jailed for 20 years. Younes El-Mami wrapped the body of Lianne Burns, originally from Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in tape and left her head covered by a bag with the smiley face logo on it and the word 'Merci'. Lianne, 43, had moved to French-controlled Saint Martin in 1999 after visiting it on a cruise ship and falling in love with the idyllic island. Late in 2010 she started a relationship with El-Mami, 32, and gave him a home when he arrived on the island with no prospects. But four months into the romance the jealous Italian-Moroccan murdered her after another man complimented her at an awards do in April 2011. Lianne had collected an honour for her company Rendezvous Travel and witnesses saw controlling El-Mami become agitated. He killed her at her home then withdrew money from her account and went out drinking for the night. Lianne's body was found the following day when she failed to turn up for work and El-Mami confessed to her murder. He was jailed for 20 years on March 1 on the neighbouring island of Guadalope but despite a full trial his motivation for the killing remains unclear. Lianne's devoted sisters Kim Spooner, 34, and Lisa Burns, 45, both gave up their jobs and spent £45,000 on legal fees to ensure Lianne was given justice. Kim, a former communications manager, said: 'El-Mami was a drifter. He had just arrived on the island and she offered him a roof over his head. It was her kindness that was her undoing. 'The awards ceremony was a really happy day for Lianne. The next day she was in the local paper accepting the award. 'By that time Lianne was already dead. The witnesses said El-Mami got more and more agitated throughout the evening.' Younes El-Mami has been jailed for twenty years after being found guilty of murder but his motives for the killing remain unclear . Justice: Kim Spooner, left, has campaigned for two years to get justice for her sister Lianne (right) Devastated: Lianne's sister Kim Spooner (left) said the family, including step-dad Ian Spooner, are 'painfully happy' with 20-year sentence for El-Mami . Younes El-Mami (right) wrapped the body of Lianne Burns (left) in tape and covered her head with a bag with the smiley face logo on it and the word 'Merci' 'A 65-year-old man said Lianne looked lovely, as she was all dressed up for the ceremony, and he got angry about that. 'He had about eight to ten interviews with the police and in each one his story changed and he remembered different parts of the evening. 'He said he was playing a game where he pretended to strangle Lianne. But she did not find it funny. 'He said when she tried to walk away he killed her. We do not know what triggered it or why he killed her. He must have had so much pent up aggression to go from zero to murder. 'Not only did he kill her but he used two full rolls of tape to tie her up.' She added: 'The smiley face was Lianne’s symbol. She collected things with it on. Putting the bag on her head is a really macabre thing to do. Lianne worked as a fitness instructor in the UK and on board cruise ships before falling in love with Saint Martin and moving there in 1999. She was very close to her family and visited her mother Vivienne Spooner, 70, father Brian Burns, 73, and sisters in Britain at least once a year. Lianne's identical twin sister Lisa is a former hedge fund office manager who lives in Hong Kong. Kim added that the family were 'painfully happy' with the sentence on El-Mami. She said: 'El-Mami wanted to be financially dependent on women, but he also wanted to dominate them. 'Lianne was a successful career woman - she was never going to be dominated. So many people knew Lianne on the island - her death has had a huge impact. 'Our retribution is his sentence. 20 years feels like a fair sentence. We are painfully happy with it.' St Martin, population 75,000, is subject to the French legal system. The French-controlled island of Saint Martin lies in the Caribbean close to Puerto Rico . | Lianne Burns, originally from Essex, murdered in Caribbean island St Martin .
Jealous boyfriend Younes El-Mami strangled her and hid body in cupboard .
Jailed for 20 years after devoted sisters spent years campaigning for justice . |
244,276 | c823aa271420e3d77e9feb283b5baffa7fc457ff | Acapulco, Mexico (CNN) -- Mexican authorities are holding five suspects in connection with the alleged rapes of six Spanish tourists in Acapulco, Guerrero state Gov. Angel Aguirre Rivero said Sunday. The state attorney general has not yet released any information on the suspects or where they're being held, prompting demonstrations by family members concerned about their whereabouts. Fifty investigators have been dedicated to the case. The six women were among 14 people victimized by hooded gunmen who burst into a beach bungalow in the resort town before dawn February 4. There are seven suspects between the ages of 20 and 30, lead investigator Marcos Juarez said. In addition to the rapes, the men stole cell phones, iPads and tennis shoes from the victims, investigators said. Investigators believe the victims bought drugs from one or more of the suspects a day or two earlier, and that the victims knew the suspects, Juarez said last week. The Spanish nationals range from ages 20 to 34 and are under the protection of Mexican authorities in Mexico City. Rape case in Mexican resort city puts violence back in the spotlight . Seven men who were with the group were tied up with cell phone cables and bikini straps while the gunmen assaulted the six women, officials said. A seventh woman, a Mexican, was spared because of her nationality, Guerrero state Attorney General Martha Garzon said in a radio interview Wednesday. "She has said that she identified herself to the men and asked them not to rape her," Garzon told Radio Formula. "And they told her that she had 'passed the test' by being Mexican, and from that point they don't touch her." The gunmen's motive was robbery and "to have some fun," as they saw it, Garzon said. They do not appear to be a part of organized crime, officials said. Military checkpoints have been set up to apprehend the suspects. As they sift through evidence, investigators have cordoned off the area around the bungalow, which is in Playa Encantada. Last year, the city of Acapulco attracted half a million tourists -- most of them Mexicans. Mexico's Foreign Ministry said in a statement that the Spanish tourists received consular aid after the incident. The U.S. State Department says "resort areas and tourist destinations in Mexico generally do not see the levels of drug-related violence and crime reported in the border region and in areas along major trafficking routes." But the agency adds that resort city bars, including those in Acapulco, can be "havens for drug dealers and petty criminals." Salomon Kaufman reported from Acapulco, and Jessica King reported from Atlanta. | 50 investigators are working the case .
An official says investigators are pursuing strong leads .
Six Spanish women were allegedly raped . |
106,673 | 159b74a999413e5630a421b81ae50dcae99df96c | (CNN)The family of a girl who UK police say may be headed to Syria with two friends have a message for her: We're not mad at you, and please come home. UK police said 15-year-old Shamima Begum and two other London girls took a flight to Istanbul from London Gatwick Airport on Tuesday. Their families have reported them missing, and London's Metropolitan Police say the girls are believed to be heading to Syria, where militant groups and government forces are locked in a war, and parts of which have been taken over by the Islamist terror group ISIS. "We miss you terribly and are extremely worried about you," Shamima's family said in a statement that Metropolitan Police released Saturday. "Please, if you hear this message, get in touch and let us know you are safe. We want you home with us. You belong at home with us. "Syria is a dangerous place and we don't want you to go there. Get in touch with the police and they will help to bring you home. You are not in any trouble." The family said it understands that Shamima has strong feelings about wanting to help those she believes are suffering in Syria. "You can help from home, you don't have to put yourself in danger," the statement reads. "Please don't cross the border. Please come home to us. Our Mum needs you home and is really worried. We are not mad at you, we love you." Police said Shamima might be traveling under the name of 17-year-old Aklima Begum. Shamima is traveling with Kadiza Sultana, 16, and a third girl whose name police withheld at her family's request. On Friday, police released pictures of the three girls walking together through Gatwick Airport, carrying travel bags. Police say they are close friends who went to the same East London school. "We are extremely concerned for the safety of these young girls and would urge anyone with information to come forward and speak to police. Our priority is the safe return of these girls to their families," Metropolitan Police Cmdr. Richard Walton said Friday. "We are reaching out to the girls using the Turkish media and social media in the hope that Shamima, Kadiza and their friend hear our messages, hear our concerns for their safety and have the courage to return now, back to their families who are so worried about them." UK police are concerned about the number of girls and young women trying to head to areas of Syria controlled by ISIS, Walton said. "It is an extremely dangerous place, and we have seen reports of what life is like for them and how restricted their lives become," he said. CNN's Laura Smith-Spark and Laura Perez Maestro contributed to this report. | "We are not mad at you, we love you," missing girl's family says .
UK police say the three girls, two age 15 and one age 16, are thought to be headed to Syria .
They flew together Tuesday to Istanbul in Turkey, police say . |
202,975 | 92c94bf85e98be4ff81b31fc7cf9bdc738deadfa | By . Jamie Mcginnes . PUBLISHED: . 21:31 EST, 25 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:18 EST, 26 June 2012 . A British woman has spoken in public . for the first time about the ordeal of being snatched by Somali pirates . who killed her husband. Judith Tebbutt, 56, told how an armed gang abducted her last September from a beach resort in Kenya. Speaking yesterday via Skype at the . trial of a Kenyan man accused of abducting her, the partially deaf . social worker told how she and her husband of 26 years, David, 58, were . attacked just hours after arriving at the secluded Kiwayu Safari Village . resort, near Kenya’s border with Somalia. The mother-of-one, from Bishop’s . Stortford in Hertfordshire, told the court she had felt uneasy when she . arrived at the remote hotel because she and her husband were the only . guests. Scroll down for video . Witness: Judith Tebbutt, gave evidence via videolink to a court yesterday . Accused: Ali Babitu Kololo, in green, pictured last year during an appearance at Lamu court, Kenya . And her fears were born out when they were attacked on their first night at the resort. The widow then described how she woke up to see her husband grappling with somebody in the room. She said: 'The next thing I was aware of was that the lights were on and I heard David and he must've been shouting. 'He looked as though he was grappling with something that was taller than him, because his arms were raised above his shoulders. 'I was then aware of someone prodding me at my shoulder and at the same time I realised that the sheets were off the bed. 'I looked and saw there were two men . there, both had rifles, and I remember thinking "I wonder if this is . security or something", because it was just so unreal.' She continued: 'David was still grappling or fighting with something. Rescue: Mrs Tebbutt (left) is escorted to a plane at Adado airport after she was released in central Somalia . Ordeal: Freed hostage Judith Tebbutt (pictured) has spoked in public for the first time about being snatched by Somali pirates who murdered her husband . 'I got pulled out of bed and they . were inside the mosquito net, because one man was on my right-hand side . holding the tops of my arms very tightly and pulling me towards the . door. 'I remember shouting "what's . happening, what's happening" and I could still see David and the next . thing I knew I was out of the door.' Mrs Tebbutt told the court she . screamed as she was being pulled away from her husband and was hit . around the head by one of the gang. She said: 'I screamed twice and on my second scream I was hit around my head. 'Not very hard or anything, it was a bit pathetic really. It was just like a little tap. 'At this stage we were on the beach running very fast and I was getting out of breath. 'I stumbled and was pulled up by my hair, but I was able to reach back and I scratched a hand or something. 'I got hit in the lower back by what I . assumed was the butt of a rifle because I had seen them pointing rifles . at me in the room.' She was put on to a boat with five men and spent seven months in captivity before being released on March 19. Mrs Tebbutt realised the men wanted a ransom when she asked them where they were taking her. She said: 'This person was rubbing his thumb and fingers saying, "Money, money, money". 'I thought, "OK, I’m being kidnapped for money. That’s OK, they will ask for money. It will be paid and I will go home".' She did not go into detail about her time as a hostage or describe how or when she realised her husband was dead. Mr Tebbutt’s body was discovered in the couple’s bedroom after her abduction. He had been shot in the chest. Former hotel worker Ali Babitu Kololo, 25, is charged with robbery and kidnapping. Nightmare: Judith Tebbutt was abducted and her husband, David, killed while staying at the secluded Kiwayu Safari Village resort, near Kenya's border with Somalia (see map above) Uneasy feeling: Judith Tebbutt said she felt worried because her and husband's banda (pictured) had no doors or windows . The father of two, who was arrested . in the days after the kidnapping, has previously admitted helping lead . the gunmen to the Tebbutts' bedroom on the night of the attack, but . claims he did so only after they forced him at gunpoint. Mrs Tebbutt told the court she had . not seen him on the night of her abduction but said the gang of five . pirates had told her a sixth man was involved. She said: 'Since my return from . captivity, I have seen pictures on the internet in the presence of my . son Oliver of a black male in a green T-shirt who was obviously . handcuffed and detained in Kenya in relation to the death of David.' She added: 'David was grappling with . someone I could not see, so there could have been other people in the . banda I am unaware of.' Earlier Mrs Tebbutt had told how she . and her husband, whom she had know for 32 years, had been driven in a . golf buggy from a landing strip to the hotel, where they realised after . lunch they were alone apart from staff. Grappled with intruder: David Tebbutt, pictured, fought with his wife's kidnappers but was shot dead . She said: 'I was beginning to get this very strange feeling that something didn't feel right and I didn't feel comfortable.' Mrs Tebbutt, who wore a white blouse . and black suit as she gave evidence, described how the couple were led . along the beach to their grass-woven grass hut bedroom 'banda'. She felt uneasy when she realised the . couple's room had no doors or windows, but said her husband tried to . put her mind at ease by saying they would have a 'Robinson Crusoe . experience'. Mrs Tebbutt said: 'David and I . entered the banda, which was absolutely huge. I remember saying to . David, "I'm not sure about this, because there's no doors or windows". 'He replied "No, this is going to be a Robinson Crusoe experience". 'I remember thinking to myself that I was not sure if I liked a Robinson Crusoe experience. 'I wanted somewhere I could lock and again, it just didn't feel right, it didn't feel comfortable, but that was just a feeling.' Mrs Tebbutt recalled how the bedroom's front door was simply a roller blind. She described the inside of the . massive room, saying it had hammocks, a bookcase, sleeping and dressing . areas and a bathroom with twin sinks. A shower was located in an outside area backed by trees. She said: 'I thought "I've never been anywhere like this before", but it appeared very nice and very luxurious.' Mrs Tebbutt said she and her husband . were on the second week of their holiday when they arrived at the Kiwayu . Safari Village, having spent a week in Kenya's Masai Mara game reserve. The couple walked along the beach to . have a meal of fish and potatoes in the restaurant and Mrs Tebbutt said . it suddenly struck her that they should put their valuables in the hotel . safe. Paradise lost: Two seats on the beach at the Kiwayu Safari Village complex, where the Tebbutts were staying . Secluded: A Kenyan policeman near the Kiwayu Safari Village complex where David Tebbutt was murdered and his wife Judith Tebbutt was kidnapped . The Tebbutts later enjoyed some gin and tonics while chatting to the hotel owner in the bar and then returned to their bedroom. Mrs Tebbutt put her jewellery in a wooden box in the bedroom. She said: 'When I say jewellery I mean it was my earrings, three Tiffany bangles and my watch which operates my hearing aids.' On the first night of their Kiwayu stay, Mrs Tebbutt described how she and her husband held hands as they drifted off to sleep. 'We just got straight into bed and when we slept, we normally started off sleeping holding hands - we always did that.' And the next thing she knew, her seven-month ordeal was just beginnning. Kololo has been held in custody since . his arrest and was present to hear Mrs Tebbutt's evidence, which was . shown on a television screen in a courtroom on the Kenyan island of . Lamu. The widow spent two hours slowly reading her statement, which was translated into the suspect's native Swahili. Suspect: Ali Babitu Kololo (right) cross-examined Judith Tebbutt in court . Kololo was then given the chance to cross-examine the witness and asked her two questions to confirm she had not seen him at the hotel and did not know him. Mrs Tebbutt also gave descriptions of the kidnappers she had seen - none of which have been arrested and are thought to be in Somalia. It is thought the widow's release came after her family arranged to pay a £800,000 ransom to the gang. Her son Oliver flew to Kenya's capital Nairobi to meet her after she was freed in March. Kololo was remanded again in custody following yesterday's hearing, which also heard evidence from Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Neil Hibberd. The officer, who works for Scotland Yard's counter-terror unit, was one of a team of detectives who flew to Kenya to help probe the tragedy last September. He told the court that footprints found on the beach following Mrs Tebbutt's abduction appeared to match the brand of shoe that Kololo was wearing when he was arrested. The officer added that a trail of footprints suggested the gang had peered into other banda huts before targeting the Tebbutts. Several other Metropolitan officers are also believed to have returned to Lamu and are expected to give evidence when the trial resumes today. | Mother-of-one, 56, gives evidence in kidnapping case of Ali Babitu Kololo .
Mrs Tebbutt and husband of 26 years, David, 58, were attacked hours after arriving at secluded Kenyan resort .
She felt uneasy as room had no doors or windows, but her husband tried to reassure her by saying they would have a 'Robinson Crusoe .
experience'
Mrs Tebbutt woke in terror to see her husband fighting an intruder in room .
The body of her husband, who had been shot in the chest, was found in the couple’s bedroom after her abduction .
She spent seven months in captivity after kidnap before release in March . |
171,359 | 69cc37cadc3dca092cdc37d0525a8c1b1f033136 | By . Ray Massey, Transport Editor . Don't look now, but the traditional rear view mirror is about to be consigned to the scrap heap. Nissan is ready to replace the mirror with a screen showing footage from a camera mounted on the back of the car. The carmaker claims that its redesigned rear view mirror will boost safety because the image seen by the driver will not be obscured by back-seat passengers, headrests, piled-up luggage or dirty rear windscreens. Futuristic: How the technology will work. Crucially it will be able to switch back into being a normal mirror . It will also allow rear windows to be made smaller – allowing cars to be more streamlined and aerodynamic – which in turn will help cut fuel consumption. The ‘smart mirror’ with its LCD monitor is housed within the same structure as a conventional rear view mirror. However it renders normal visibility obstructions – such as the pillars either side of the window – ‘a non-issue’, a Nissan spokesman said, adding: ‘Rearward visibility from conventional rear view mirrors can be obstructed when there are tall passengers sitting in the rear seats, or when luggage has been stacked high in the rear compartment. ‘However with the electronic mirror, rearward visibility is free from obstructions. This helps the driver get a much better view of the traffic conditions.’ Nissan’s Andy Palmer said: ‘Smart rear view mirrors will give our customers the best possible view – no matter how tall the passengers in the back seat of the car are and no matter how bad the road conditions are. Backup accidents involving light vehicles cause an average of 210 deaths and 15,000 injuries a year, and victims often are children and the elderly, the U.S. government said . ‘It also offers the possibility of new and exciting designs because it gives us an alternative to a very wide rear window while preserving good visibility.’ The camera works well in rain and snow and at dawn and dusk, and crucially can be switched off to allow the mirror to revert to a conventional reflection if drivers want to check their appearance. Because despite putting themselves at risk of £100 fines as well as penalty points, some 42 per cent of women admit they use rear view mirrors to adjust their make-up. The car company says the technology is ready to be rolled out in Japan, and will be phased in across the rest of the world in 2015. Nissan also plans to use the mirror in its ZEOD RC race car in the Le Mans 24-hour race. Nissan’s race car president Shoichi Miyatani said: ‘Under the harsh driving conditions in the world of motorsports, retaining a clear view for the race driver is of the utmost importance. 'The smart rear view mirror will be a powerful tool for our drivers. We also have high expectations towards improving the cars’ aerodynamic design.’ | The LCD monitor would take the same shape and form as a regular mirror .
Nissan claims it will be safer because it will never be obstructed .
It even changes back to a mirror... so drivers can check their appearance . |
5,297 | 0ef9f24af07639c4868874a0b97833906f689205 | Washington (CNN) -- Federal civil rights lawyers filed suit Wednesday against Meridian, Mississippi, and other defendants for operating what the government calls a school-to-prison pipeline in which students are denied basic constitutional rights, sent to court and incarcerated for minor school infractions. The lawsuit says children who talk back to teachers, violate dress codes and commit other minor infractions are handcuffed and sent to a youth court where they are denied their rights. It's the first time a jurisdiction has been charged under a law designed to protect the due process rights of juveniles in such circumstances. 2010: Feds accuse Miss. county of rights violations . Also among the defendants were Lauderdale County, judges of the county's Youth Court and the State of Mississippi Division of Youth Services. About 6,000 mostly African-American students attend grades kindergarten through 12 in a dozen schools in the Lauderdale County School District. About 86% of the district's students are African-American, but all of those referred to the court for violations were minorities, the government suit said. The federal action came more than two months after the Justice Department warned local and state officials that they had 60 days to cooperate or face a federal lawsuit. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Roy Austin said Wednesday that Mississippi officials had failed to cooperate with the eight-month investigation. "We had no choice but to file suit," Austin said, giving examples of what he alleged are unconstitutional actions taken by the school district and court: . • Children are handcuffed and arrested in school and incarcerated for days at a time without a probable cause hearing. • Children detained wait more than 48 hours for a hearing, in violation of constitution requirements. • Children make admissions to formal charges without being advised of their Miranda rights. • Children are not routinely granted legal representation during the juvenile justice process. Austin said Wednesday that Meridian is not the only location in the country with such a system. However, he said, it is the only one to date where local authorities have not been fully cooperative with federal investigators. He pointed to Shelby County, Tennessee, as a school system where complaints had been received but where local officials had been fully cooperative with the Justice Department. Mississippi officials did not have an immediate response to the lawsuit. | Federal civil rights lawyers sue Meridian, Lauderdale County, agencies .
They say children at Youth Court are denied rights .
Youth Court sees minorities disproportionately, lawsuit says .
Justice Department had warned officials about lawsuit . |
9,799 | 1bc367517eb9d8999e0031a8679e11c7bb2d7ef4 | Washington (CNN) -- Rep. Vance McAllister, R-Louisiana, now known as the "Kissing Congressman" after the married father of five was caught on surveillance tape making out with a staffer who is also married, says his affair, despite his Christian conservative political platform, will not sideline his new political career. He said he will run for reelection unless "an outcry" of opposition persuades him not to. The fate of cheating politicians is a mixed bag. Some survive and some don't. Bill Clinton survived. Anthony Weiner and numerous other members of Congress did not, forced to resign or not seek reelection. But this story isn't about them. It's about the women who are the other half of politicians' extramarital affairs. And in many instances, when high-profile politicians cheat, their mistresses have a harder time recovering. Here's a look at where some of them are now: . Melissa Hixon Peacock: The latest "other woman" in a political affair is the staffer caught kissing McAllister. While McAllister maintains he will finish out his term, Peacock no longer has her job as his district scheduler. Her husband, Heath Peacock, told CNN that McAllister "wrecked his life" and marriage. Monica Lewinsky: She might be the most famous political mistress. Since her affair with Clinton, Lewinsky is attempting to live a normal life, her former publicist told CNN recently. Years later, Lewinsky is still "trying" to live a normal life. After a brief stint in the spotlight after Clinton's impeachment, the former White House intern has lived in relative obscurity. Rielle Hunter: One-time vice presidential nominee John Edwards has moved on since his 2008 affair with Hunter broke up his marriage, sunk his presidential campaign and bore a child. He recently started practicing law again. Hunter, on the other hand, has not had the same good fortune. She recently released an updated version of the book about the affair in which she apologizes for her behavior -- that included writing a book that "hurt more people." Cynthia Hampton: She was involved with former Nevada Sen. John Ensign. Both Cynthia and her husband, Doug, worked for Ensign. After he fired them in 2008, while the affair was going on, he paid them nearly $100,000 and found lobbying work for Doug Hampton. Ensign resigned from his Senate post three weeks before an ethics report was to be released and has gone back to his life as a veterinarian in Las Vegas, where he said he has been "humbled." "I used to own this practice, now I'm working for somebody. That's sometimes a very healthy thing to happen in life," Ensign told CNN's Dana Bash last year. As for Hampton, the Las Vegas Review Journal reported in 2011 that she filed for bankruptcy, left Las Vegas and moved to California to work for a Christian organization. But not all affairs end badly for the woman involved: . Maria Belen Chapur: She is the Argentinian woman with whom former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford was with when he disappeared for four days in 2011. Sanford and his wife split but his political career recovered. He won election to his former House seat in 2012. And his mistress is no longer his mistress but his fiance. She spends some time in Argentina still and is a columnist for a news website in Argentina. Her last entry was from December. The ups and downs of a political sex scandal . | In infidelity scandals, the woman's life often doesn't turn out as well as the politician's .
Vance McAllister's mistress is no longer working for the congressman .
McAllister says he plans to remain in public life after scandal emerged . |
26,829 | 4c299c31744bfcfabb750c4701f449726a1a640c | (CNN) -- Brendon Pelser said he saw pure terror in the faces of his fellow passengers after an engine fell from a wing as it took off from Cape Town, South Africa, Wednesday. Men were sweating profusely, women were crying. "There was fear on their faces," Pelser said. "Everyone started panicking." But the pilot of Nationwide Airlines' Boeing 737 Flight CE723 was able to fly long enough to dump fuel and make an emergency landing at Cape Town International Airport. Including crew, 100 hundred people were on the plane that departed at 3:50 p.m. on an hourlong flight to Johannesburg, South Africa. No one was injured. The jet had only been in the air about 10 minutes before the engine fell. "We heard something crash and bang, the plane veering left and right. A person on the right side said the engine was missing -- had broken clean off," said Pelser. Watch Pelser describe how the flight crew told passengers to "prepare for the worst" » . "They flew us in very slowly. We were all prepared for the worst. We went into the fetal position, head between the legs," he said. "Then we hit the runway." "I did kind of pray. I didn't want to die. I'm not really ready to die," the 33-year-old said. An object had been sucked into the engine as the nose wheel lifted from the ground and officials are trying to identify it. The engine-to-wing supporting structure is designed to release an engine "when extreme forces are applied," to prevent structural damage to the wing, Nationwide said on its Web site. The airline described the incident as a "catastrophic engine failure." As the nose wheel lifted from the ground, "the captain heard a loud noise immediately followed by a yaw of the aircraft (sideways slippage) to the right," the airline said in a news release. The flight instruments showed the No. 2 engine on the right side had failed, it said. Pelser said he spent the night in Cape Town, then flew back to Johannesburg where he lives, on the same airline. Nationwide said the engine had undergone a major overhaul in March 2005 at "an approved Federal Aviation Authority facility in the U.S.A." and had flown only 3,806 hours since then. "These engines typically achieve 10,000 hours between major overhauls," Nationwide Airlines' press release stated. E-mail to a friend . | Nationwide Airlines pilot dumped fuel until he landed plane Wednesday .
An object was sucked into the engine as the nose wheel lifted from the ground .
100, including crew, were on the plane; no one was injured .
Plane passenger: "Everyone started panicking" |
140,300 | 416ccc2ff820c54b64b01778fceb6a58e9427fbc | It seems these two real estate agents saved their dirty tricks for the bedroom. Coldwell Banker realtors Robert Lindsay and Jeannemarie Phelan have allegedly been caught on camera having sex numerous times in a New Jersey home which they were trying to sell about two years ago. Now they're being sued by the owners, Denville's Richard and Sandra Weiner, who claim the agents deliberately steered away potential buyers so they could use the house for their 'sexual escapades'. Dirty tricks: Realtors Robert Lindsay (left) and Jeannemarie Phelan (right) have been accused of having sex in a New Jersey home which they were hired to market and sell . The Weiners also claim Lindsay, a former Passaic County Board of Realtors president, made a duplicate . key and intentionally over-priced the home to discourage buyers from December 2011 to January 2012. NorthJersey.com reports the couple is suing both Lindsay and Phelan for committing the 'ultimate breach of trust' and Coldwell for violating the realtor code of ethics. According to the suit filed on December 6, the Weiners began working with Lindsay and Coldwell in early 2010 when Lindsay repeatedly told them the Wayne home would sell for $650,000. The couple contracted him to list it in December 2011. That's when the trouble allegedly began. On December 27, 2011, security cameras allegedly captured the agents hugging and kissing in the kitchen before undressing and having sex on the Weiners' bed. The suit says footage shows the pair allegedly hooking up many more times until they were busted by cops on January 23, 2012. 'Sandra Weiner happened to be checking the video cameras feed at . the time and saw strange people in the house with what she thought were . flashlights,' the suit states. 'The house was dark at the time. The Weiners called the . local police, who then went to the house. 'The police opened the . door to the house and found Lindsay pulling up his pants. Lindsay lied to police by telling them that he was there to . prepare the house for an open house. 'Instead, Lindsay and Phelan were . at the house to have sex.' After watching the footage, the Weiners claim 'they could no longer use the bedroom or the remainder of the house' and 'were uncomfortable and disgusted even being in their house, UPI reports. The Weiners filed the suit in state Superior Court in Passaic County (pictured) on December 6 . The suit accuses Coldwell of . violating the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the National . Association of Realtors, which requires that 'shall not deliberately mislead the . owner as to the market value.' Hal Maxwell, president of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in New Jersey, told NorthJersey.com the company no longer works with Lindsay or Phelan. 'Immediately after learning of the allegation of improper behavior at the property by two independent contractors in January 2012, we ceased our affiliation with the agents,' he said. 'These agents have not listed or sold properties on our behalf since the allegation of misconduct at the home was first reported.' The Weiners are seeking compensatory damages for invasion of privacy, infliction of emotional . distress, breach of contract, trespass of land and other civil counts. | New Jersey's Richard and Sandra Weiner are suing two real estate agents who they claim intentionally over-priced their home so they could use it as a 'play pad to have sexual relations'
Surveillance footage shows Coldwell Banker and realtors Robert Lindsay and Jeannemarie Phelan having sex throughout the house numerous times from December 2011 to January 2012 .
After watching the footage, the Weiners claim they 'were uncomfortable and disgusted even being in their house' |
170,053 | 681750c7fd33f8ac92d1173598676e5b17ed298e | (CNN) -- Did a "U.S. special force" commit acts of "torture" and "murder" in Afghanistan? That suggestion came out of a meeting of the ruling Afghan council led by President Hamid Karzai. NATO said Monday it has found no evidence to support the allegations, which appeared in a statement Sunday from Karzai's office. "It became clear that armed individuals named as U.S. special force stationed in Wardak province engage in harassing, annoying, torturing and even murdering innocent people," said the statement. It didn't indicate who identified the attackers as "U.S. special force." Nine people "disappeared in an operation" recently by a "suspicious force" in Wardak province, west of Kabul, according to the statement from Karzai's office. Wardak is important because it's often used as a main route for insurgents trying to gain access to Kabul. The statement also described an incident in which a student was taken from his home at night. His "tortured body with throat cut was found two days later under a bridge," the statement said. "Such actions have caused local public resentment and hatred," said Karzai's office. The shocking allegations follow months of U.S. Special Operations raids that have deeply offended some Afghans angry about foreigners entering their homes. U.S. officials have said the raids are vital to NATO's operation against insurgents. The U.S. military has said it is investigating and officials of NATO's International Security Assistance Force plan to hold talks about the allegations with Afghan officials. A joint investigation will be conducted by a commission made up of U.S., NATO and Afghan officials, ISAF spokesman Jamie Graybeal told CNN. "We have spent the day in discussions with the Afghan government and agreed to a joint commission that will look into the concerns of the people of Wardak," he said. ISAF said Monday via Twitter, "We will not start with the assumption that the allegations are true. We looked into the allegations" and "found no supporting evidence for them." Local officials told CNN the allegations came from residents in Wardak. Hazrat Janan, a member of the local provincial council, told CNN that dozens of people complained to him and a visiting delegation from Kabul about alleged attacks on civilians by "U.S. special forces." The delegation then reported it to Karzai, Janan said. NATO's response came a day after the Afghan government demanded that U.S. Special Operations Forces leave Wardak province. The Afghanistan National Security Council also said the ISAF must stop all special forces operations in the province. "Until we have a chance to speak with Afghan officials, we can't comment further on the statements of yesterday," ISAF said Monday. Janan told CNN that until recently, there had always been good coordination between the Americans and the Afghans. "But in the last several months this coordination had vanished and caused so many tensions including all these civilian causalities and complaints against them," Janan said. Wardak provincial spokesman Ataullah Khugyani told CNN there have been "too many complaints against U.S. special forces in different districts of the province." Another local official told CNN Karzai's order for U.S. Special Operations Forces to leave the province may have helped to avoid more trouble. "If President Karzai's hadn't made the decision, the people of the province were planning big riots and they wanted to block the Kabul-Bamyan and Kabul-Kandahar highways," said Esmat Hotak,a resident of Wardak's Jalriz district. "Just a month ago U.S. special forces blew up the gates of 12 houses in a single night and beat up 20 young men in Zewalat area of the province." However, some Afghans fear a Taliban resurgence if there are no U.S. special forces in the region. "In the last year U.S. special forces destroyed almost 70% of the Taliban and other insurgents in Wardak province without causing any civilian casualties," said an Afghan political analyst in Wardak who asked not to be identified, fearing retribution. "If the U.S. special forces leave the province, I am sure that the province would completely fall into the hands of the insurgents in less than a year and that would definitely have a negative impact on the security in Kabul and other neighboring provinces." Last April, the United States and Afghanistan signed a deal that effectively gave Afghan authorities veto power over controversial special forces missions. The agreement prevents ISAF from conducting such operations without the explicit permission of Afghan officials, a senior NATO official said. Special Operations Forces will operate under Afghan law, said a statement from Karzai's office. The complex system fully "Afghanized" such operations, putting Afghan commandos in the lead and giving American Special Operations Forces a "training and support role," a senior Afghan official said. Under the deal, U.S. Special Operations Forces would be on the ground but would not enter Afghan homes unless specifically asked to do so by Afghan commandos leading the operation, or by other Afghan officials, a senior NATO official said. CNN's Masoud Popalzai reported this story from Afghanistan, CNN's Barbara Starr reported from the Pentagon, CNN's Thom Patterson, Catherine E. Shoichet and Greg Botelho reported from Atlanta and Nick Paton Walsh contributed to this report. | NEW: A U.S.-NATO-Afghan joint probe will look at allegations against U.S. "special force"
NEW: Local Afghan officials tell CNN the allegations came from upset residents .
The Afghan president's office didn't indicate the source of the allegations .
"We found no supporting evidence," NATO says . |
124,450 | 2cde6247cec789fa1ff9ef76c6407bfb8b90007e | By . Associated Press . The widow of a man who died in New York City police custody after apparently being placed in a chokehold says he wasn't violent. Esaw Garner said Saturday that her husband, Eric Garner, 'was a quiet man, but he's making a lot of noise now.' Members of Garner's family spoke at the Harlem headquarters of the Rev. Al Sharpton. Comfort in death: Esaw Garner, right, is consoled by family members at the funeral for her husband, Eric Garner, at Bethel Baptist Church. Garner died in police custody after an officer placed him in an apparent chokehold . A quiet man: Esaw Garner said her husband was a quiet man but that 'he's making a lot of noise now' Garner's mother, Gwen Carr, said she wants justice for her son. Garner died last week as he was being arrested on suspicion of selling loose, untaxed cigarettes. An amateur video shows a plainclothes officer placing Garner in what appears to be a chokehold. Garner gasped, 'I can't breathe!' Autopsy results are pending further testing. U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder says the Justice Department is 'closely monitoring' the investigation into Garner's death. Victim: . Eric Garner, 43, died after being held in a 'chokehold' by NYPD officer . Daniel Pantaleo in Staten Island. An initial report into his death has . said he was 'not in great distress . NYPD . Commissioner Bill Bratton has since ordered all of the city's 35,000 officers . to be retrained in how they use force following the death. Bratton . said Garner's death was 'very tragic' and ordered Deputy Commissioner . of Training Benjamin Tucker to conduct a 'top-to-bottom' review of . officers' training. The . commissioner, who met with FBI officials following Garner's death, said . he anticipated a civil suit by the family and 'would not be surprised . if the U.S. attorney 'decides to open a civil rights violation . investigation.' An . initial report into Garner's death released earlier this week did not . mention a chokehold, claiming he 'was not in great distress' and his . health 'did not get worse' as he was held down. The . omission has sparked an angry reaction from City Hall, with state . senator Bill Perkins shouting: 'This is murder' during a rally. In the video of Garner's death, veteran officer Pantaleo waved to the camera as the father was taken away on a stretcher. One of the witnesses asked, 'Why is nobody doing CPR?' an officer responded, 'Because he's breathing.' Demanding . action: NYPD Commissioner Bill Bratton, pictured left with New York . Mayor Bill de Blasio during a press conference this week, wants a . 'top-to-bottom' review of how officers use force . Sergeant Dhanan Saminath said Garner was in handcuffs with officers 'maintaining control of him' according to the report. It also suggests that he 'resisted arrest' and failed to 'obey instructions' as police tried to handcuff him. However Sergeant Kizzy Adonis said she 'believed she heard the perpetrator state that he was having difficulty breathing'. The . New York City Medical Examiner's office has not yet been able to . determine what killed Garner - whether he died from a chokehold or an . underlying health issue. Pantaleo, . a plainclothes cop, has been forced to surrender his gun and badge and . put on desk duty while the NYPD investigates the case. Disturbing . footage: The father passed out after being held down by police. Minutes . later, Officer Pantaleo was caught waving to a woman recording the . incident (right) Treatment: A witness asked why no one was giving him CPR, to which officers respond 'because he is breathing' It has also . been revealed that he has seven civil rights lawsuit against him - . including allegations of illegal strip searches and arresting men who . were 'committing no crimes' at the time. One . resulted in the city paying $30,000 to two men who were unlawfully . strip-searched. The other lawsuit, which is still pending, alleges an . unlawful arrest. Garner's . grieving son, meanwhile, has called for the New York Police Department . officer who was filmed putting his father in a chokehold to be arrested . and thrown in jail. This . isn't the first time Pantaleo has been accused of abusing his police . powers, the Staten Island Advance reports. The eight-year veteran . officer has had two civil rights lawsuits filed against him. The . first was the result of a March 2012 traffic stop in which Darren . Collins and Tommy Rice were arrested and then strip-searched in broad . daylight on a Staten Island street. Gwen, Mr Garner's mother, said she was glad the incident was recorded so police could not shy away from what happened. Devastated: . Mr Garner's mother, Gwen, said she is glad the incident was filmed so . police could be held accountable for what happened . | Eric Garner, 43, died when police tried to arrest him over claims he was selling bootleg cigarettes .
Witnesses filmed as Garner shouted 'I can't breathe' before dying .
Two of the officers involved have been put on desk duty, one has had his gun and badge stripped .
Rev. Al Sharpton asked in a Sunday sermon 'Even if .
police procedure doesn't kick in, when does your sense of humanity kick .
in?' |
227,682 | b2ccd0ce0087110545455929f7308cab227ee0ed | By . Mark Duell for MailOnline . Small project: John Hay, 67, has decked out the former British Telecom box with First World War memorabilia in Barningham, County Durham . A retired marketing director has converted a rare green telephone box into what could be the world’s smallest war museum. John Hay, 67, has decked out the former British Telecom box with First World War memorabilia to create a miniature museum in County Durham. The phone box in Barningham has been renamed the Listening Post and is filled with newspapers and collectables from 1914. It contains historic items including newspaper front pages published between June and December of that year, as well as a replica of a brass tin which was given to every soldier by Princess Mary as a Christmas present in 1914. The phone box is also filled with a tin helmet, maps of some of the early battles and a copy of the village flyer, which has been disguised as the trench magazine the Wipers Times. Sandbags, toy rats and bully beef tins - all familiar sights in the trenches - have also been included. Mr Hay - a Barnington resident since 1987, who lives in a four-bedroom semi-detached house with his wife Sheila, 67 - decided to create the small exhibition after painting a portrait of his grandfather in his First World War uniform. He said: ‘I decided to create the miniature museum after I finished the portrait of my late grandfather from 1914 when he was just off to war. I hung the portrait in the phone box and my wife said to me why don’t you keep going. 'So I decorated it with poppies and converted the telephone box into a World War One display. My wife Sheila did a lot of the research. 'She researched how little bears which were tucked into soldiers’ top pockets as a keepsake and how women were known as "canaries" as they turned yellow due to prolonged exposure to sulphuric acid through their work making shells in the munitions factories. 1914: The phone box has been renamed the Listening Post and is filled with newspapers and collectables . Refurbished: The rare green phone box was sold by BT to Barningham Parish Council in 2012 for just £1 . Artwork: Mr Hay decided to create the small exhibition after painting a portrait of his grandfather in his First World War uniform . ‘We put the research inside the phone . box so other people could learn about it. I made the sand bags myself . and I managed to get a hold of a brass tin like the one sent to the . troops by Princess Mary in 1914. ‘Barnington . is a small village, yet there is 15 men on the war memorial who died in . the war. I have put a list of their names inside the phone box. ‘When . people see the display it makes them think a bit more about the . sacrifice these soldiers made. A lot of people in the village like it. They say, “Well done, it is a good display”, and it does make them . think. It means a lot to me.’ The green phone box was sold by BT to Barningham Parish Council in 2012 for just £1. Changes: Mr Hay, a member of the parish council, was asked to transform the phone box, which originally contained a carpet, a beer glass and a lot of spiders, two years ago . Remembered: Mr Hay said people who look at the museum 'think a bit more about the sacrifice soldiers made' Packed: The phonebox is filled with a tin helmet, maps of some of the early battles and a copy of the village flyer, which has been disguised as the trench magazine the Wipers Times . Mr Hay, a member of the parish council, was asked to transform the phone box, which originally contained a carpet, a beer glass and a lot of spiders, two years ago. 'When people see the display it makes them think a bit more about the sacrifice these soldiers made. A lot of people in the village like it' John Hay . He decided to bring a bit of eccentricity to his village’s green by filling it full of paintings. Mr Hay said: ‘I retired in 2012 when I was 65 and I was given the opportunity to transform the phone box. I turned it into an art gallery and would change the display every three months. 'At Christmas time I put a big tree in there. People who pass through the village stop and have a look what is inside the phone box. ‘I leave everything inside so they can pop by and open the door, have a look then close it again. We do not have any funding so it is interesting to see what is around and what I can make up.’ | John Hay, 67, has decked out green former BT box in County Durham .
The Listening Post is filled with newspapers and collectables from 1914 .
Includes tin helmet, battle maps, sandbags, toy rats and bully beef tins . |
163,145 | 5ef4abfc0fedd787aa44871072f632588540e2aa | (CNN) -- As part of an effort to share the best practices of modern business among organizations across the globe, CNN is talking to some of the world's top executives. In line with this, CNN will be hosting three events looking at modern strategies in today's business arena. The first of these master classes will be based at the China Europe International Business School in Shanghai and will be aired November 10 and 11. One of the guests at the event will be Howard Schultz, chairman of the international coffee shop chain Starbucks. He will be part of a live discussion at the master class and will take questions that you, the CNN audience, put to him. As the head of a coffee empire that now boasts over 12,000 stores and recorded revenues in 2006 of $7.8 billion, Schultz is well equipped to tackle questions on the best ways to succeed in today's business world. The CNN Boardroom Master classes will take place in the homes of the world's largest stock markets -- Shanghai, New York and London. It airs on November10 at 2115 and November 11 at 0115 & 1615 HKT. E-mail to a friend . | CNN will host three Boardroom Master Classes with business experts .
The first event will feature Starbucks Chairman Howard Schultz .
Schultz will take e-mail and video questions from the CNN audience . |
168,003 | 6547c67dbd79f25eb430b474f60402273eba1fd8 | Birmingham City have rejected a £1.5million bid from Bournemouth for prodigious teenage winger Demarai Gray. Gray has attracted plenty of attention since breaking through at St Andrew’s and announced himself to the Championship with a hat-trick against Reading in early December. But Birmingham are under no pressure to sell and remain determined to keep one of their most promising academy graduates at the club. Birmingham City have rejected a £1.5m bid from Bournemouth for teenage star Demarai Gray . The 18-year-old winger has announced himself this season with a string of impressive performances . Liverpool and Tottenham have maintained a watchful eye of Gray, a quick and technically-gifted player, while Crystal Palace had a £500,000 bid rejected in the summer. Gray’s contract has 18 months left to run and his he is in discussions about an extension. Gary Rowett has previously told Sportsmail: ‘He’s as good as any young player I’ve seen at this age. He gets the fans off the edge of their seats. 'I would expect if someone does want to buy him he’s not going to come cheap. There are not many young British players around who can go past people, are quick, and can score goals.’ Bournemouth are determined to bolster their attacking options by bringing in a speedy winger in the January transfer window and are now trying to negotiate a £5million deal for Wigan’s Callum McManaman, as Sportsmail has reported. | Bournemouth bid of £1.5m for Demarai Gray rejected by Birmingham .
18-year-old winger is one of the hottest properties in the Championship .
He scored a hat-trick against Reading in early December .
Blues feel no pressure to sell one of their most exciting players .
Liverpool and Tottenham are among clubs monitoring Gray's development . |
270,261 | ea050f82e6d10f8572046176da02385a945419ff | By . David Mercer . Hundreds of dangerous dogs were destroyed last year after being seized by police, new figures have shown. Some of the country’s biggest forces reported a rise in the number of dogs seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act, including banned breeds and those which attacked people and other pets. Animal charities have called for 'drastic changes' to dangerous dog laws ahead of changes set to be enforced on Tuesday, which will make it possible for owners to be prosecuted for dog attacks on private property. Friends arrive to place floral tributes near the scene where 14-year-old Jade Anderson who was savaged to death by four dogs - believed to be two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull terriers . It follows the death of 14-year-old Jade Anderson who was savaged by four dogs - believed to be two bull mastiffs and two Staffordshire bull terriers - as she was visiting the home of a friend near Wigan, Greater Manchester, in March last year. Freedom of Information (FOI) responses obtained by the Press Association from police forces in England, Wales and Scotland found a number of forces recorded a rise in how many dangerous dogs they seized. The country’s second largest force, West Midlands Police, revealed that the number of dogs seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act had risen by 50% compared with 2011. The force seized 412 dogs in 2013, up from 360 in 2012 and 275 in 2011. A total of 181 dangerous dogs were destroyed last year, compared with 159 in 2012 and 138 in 2011, West Midlands Police said. Elsewhere, Lancashire, Avon and Somerset, Surrey, South Wales, North Wales, Warwickshire, Cleveland and Gwent Police all reported a rise in the number of dangerous dogs seized last year. Japanese Tosa is one of the animals banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act along with Fila Brasileiro and Dogo Argentino . However Scotland Yard revealed a fall in the number of dangerous dogs seized last year. Britain’s biggest force said 585 dogs were seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act in 2013 and 95 were destroyed. This compared with 777 dangerous dogs seized and 103 destroyed in 2012, while in 2011, 499 dogs were seized and 110 were destroyed. Greater Manchester Police said it seized 198 dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act in 2013, compared with 203 in 2012 and 190 in 2011. Sixty dangerous dogs were destroyed in 2013, compared with 66 in 2011 and 85 in 2011, GMP said. Breeds banned under the Dangerous Dogs Act include any pitbull types, Japanese Tosa, Fila Brasileiro and Dogo Argentino. Dogs Trust charity said it had been arguing for 'drastic changes' in dangerous dog laws and claimed other legislation did not go far enough to tackle irresponsible dog owners. A spokeswoman for the charity said: 'We do not consider breed specific legislation to be effective and would like to see it repealed. 'We have become increasingly aware of the issues caused by ‘problem’ dogs or, more accurately, their problem owners. 'We believe that, in many cases, dangerous dogs are a social issue, rather than exclusively a "dog" problem. 'Crucially, non-legislative interventions to influence irresponsible owners and better educate the public are needed. 'Dogs Trust is encouraged by the Government’s commitment to improving dog control legislation. However, the charity does not believe that the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act goes far enough in tackling the various problems surrounding irresponsible ownership in the UK. 'There is a clear need for a fundamental overhaul of dog legislation.' An RSPCA spokesman said: 'The RSPCA is opposed to breed specific legislation. As an animal welfare charity we believe the law needs to focus on the actions of the owners at the root of the problem, rather than the types of dog. 'To focus on a specific breed or type of dog is to miss the problem itself. You can only legislate for the actions or inactions of humans (the owners) and not the dog. A spokesman for the Association of Chief Police Officers declined to comment ahead of upcoming changes to dangerous dog legislation. | Greater Manchester Police seized .
198 dogs under the Dangerous Dogs Act in 2013, compared with 203 in .
2012 and 190 in 2011 .
West Midlands Police revealed that the number of dogs it seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act had risen by 50% compared with 2011 .
Dogs Trust charity is opposed to breed specific legislation . |
64,126 | b61e0ac7b80d1575e0ef7735b6fe9690b1e5ba0b | By . Chris Foy . Follow @@FoyChris . England will storm the barricades of the All Blacks’ most forbidding fortress on Saturday, as an invading force stripped of half its firepower, but armed with a defiant mantra: ‘the greater the challenge, the greater the opportunity’. That is the tourists’ optimistic official line and on such a basis, this is the greatest opportunity England have had during Stuart Lancaster’s tenure. Eden Park is the venue where visiting teams’ ambitions go to die. Pass it on: Freddie Burns is watched closely by his teammates as the ball is moved from left to right . Fortress: The All Blacks are unbeaten at Auckland's Eden Park stadium for 20 years . Toughest test: Stuart Lancaster's England side face an almighty challenge in Saturday's match . New Zealand are unbeaten there since 1994 and England must try to shatter that home rule without more than a dozen key players. What awaits the men left standing in the path of the Kiwi juggernaut has the look of an ordeal, rather than an opportunity, but Lancaster has set a bullish tone ahead of this series opener. The loss of first-choice scrum-half Danny Care maintains the routine of every best-laid plan being systematically undermined by a combination of injuries and a calamitous fixture clash. This should have been the occasion for England to catch the hosts cold, before they settle back into their rhythm after seven months apart. Instead, the All Blacks have the luxury of finding their feet against chronically weakened opposition. Lancaster will send out a capable team, but how he would wish to have Luther Burrell, Owen Farrell, Dylan Hartley, Courtney Lawes, Billy Twelvetrees, Billy Vunipola and Tom Wood now, rather than belatedly in Dunedin and Hamilton. Steve Hansen can unleash a New Zealand side with a dangerous look about it, even without his playmaker Dan Carter or world player of the year Kieran Read. Test of strength: James Haskell pushes weights along the pitch as his teammates watch on . Resistance movement: Kyle Eastmond runs while dragging weights behind him as England keep up their strength ahead of the first Test . Hair-raising: Marland Yarde looks for teammates as England prepare for a stern examination against the All Blacks in Auckland on Saturday . The All Blacks have 968 caps to England’s 367, along with the momentum from a perfect return of 14 straight victories in 2013. They have power, unparalleled skills, home advantage and the scent of blood in their nostrils.Lancaster’s men have hope, without the expectation. The match-day script is seemingly set for an emphatic defeat — but they refuse to accept that the outcome is a foregone conclusion. Freddie Burns typifies England’s predicament here. The fly half who has left Gloucester to join Leicester after a season scarred by collapsing form will be asked to wield the conductor’s baton in the No 10 shirt, and he is adamant that he can cope with the task. ‘I’m just excited,’ said the 24-year-old. ‘I don’t see it as a task you can get too nervous about. It’s a massive opportunity. ‘To play the All Blacks at Eden Park is something that you can’t be daunted by. We’ve been in camp for two weeks so we are chomping at the bit. The support the coaches have given me in being able to stay in camp and stay up to scratch with how the team want to play has helped. It’s a case of me looking forward and seizing the opportunity.’ Lancaster justified Burns’ selection ahead of Danny Cipriani by suggesting that he had begun to climb out of his slump towards the end of the season. Burns . agreed, adding: ‘I feel confident now. In the last few games for . Gloucester I was getting back to myself. In this environment, where . everyone knows their roles, I feel back to my confident self. Prepared: New Zealand became the first team in the professional era to complete an unbeaten season in 2013 . Unbeaten: The All Blacks failed to lose last year, winning 14 of their test matches in 2013 . Bandaged: Brodie Retallick passes the ball during their training session at Trusts Stadium in New Zealand . ‘A big weight is off my shoulders. Last season has been put to bed. ‘I see myself as a player who thrives in the big games and big atmospheres. If I miss the first kick — which I won’t — I’ll have to move on and deal with it. I am more mentally strong now.’ He will also have to be physically strong, especially when the All Blacks’ monster centre, Ma’a Nonu, is rampaging around the midfield. Burns expects plenty of traffic coming his way and added: ‘I am sure to be targeted, but that is a gauntlet I have to relish.’ After a gaffe earlier in the week from New Zealand lock Brodie Retallick, who couldn’t name a single England player and referred to Courtney Lawes as ‘Michael’, the All Blacks were at pains to avoid dishing up more motivation to their rivals yesterday. One by one, the home players made diplomatic noises about their depleted opponents. ‘England are one of the best teams in the world,’ said full back Israel Dagg. ‘I’m sure whoever is playing will do a good job. It’s not going to be easy.’ Wing Ben Smith was similarly wary, adding: ‘England have shown they’ve got a lot of depth. A lot of the guys playing for them this weekend have played in the last 12 months and they will have a lot of motivation.’ Focused: New Zealand refuse to fall for the 'poor England side' front and expect a tough match . Roar: Sam Whitelock (right) pushing himself to the limit with his 'confident' New Zealand team-mates . Stretch: New Zealand look determined to extend their unbeaten run at Eden Park on Saturday . Lock Sam Whitelock suggested that the big visiting pack could cause problems. ‘If we don’t front up, we will be embarrassed,’ he said. And scrum-half Aaron Smith insisted the stereotyping of England in these parts as one-dimensional no longer applies. ‘They play a good brand of rugby now,’ he said. ‘England scored a lot of good tries during the Six Nations. They are a big animal and we have to show them respect.’ Sadly, English hopes of an upset have been shattered. Lancaster’s squad have sufficient fortitude to make a game of it but, ultimately, the gulf in experience and quality will be too great. If they can take the All Blacks to the edge then next week — when reinforcements are ready — the ordeal could become an opportunity after all. Tony Woodcock v David Wilson . The All Blacks loosehead is a Test veteran with 107 caps. The 33-year-old started all seven matches when New Zealand won the World Cup in 2011, scoring the crucial try in the final. He is a potent scrummager; a wily prop as well as a sturdy one. Wilson must resist Woodcock’s attempts to undermine England’s set-piece at the end of a season of considerable personal success. The giant Bath tighthead has responded well when deputising for the injured Dan Cole, but he was under the cosh in a scrum contest with Alex Corbisiero during his club’s recent defeat to Northampton in the Amlin Challenge Cup Final. Richie McCaw v Chris Robshaw . This is the clash of the captains, who lead their respective sides as opposing openside flankers. McCaw is the master of his craft – a legend of the modern era who has been named World Player of the Year a record three times. He is a renowned breakdown menace who attracts grudging admiration for his ability to keep referees onside while bending the laws to his will. Robshaw has become widely admired as England skipper and is an energetic, influential and increasingly dynamic figure, but he is not known as a poacher of turn-overs. He must resist the black tide in the rucks, but will count on assistance from the likes of James Haskell and Joe Launchbury. Ma’a Nonu v Manu Tuilagi . These wrecking-ball centres are not in direct opposition, as Nonu will wear 12 for the All Blacks and Tuilagi is at 13 for England, but they have similar roles. Both will be charged with generating space and front-foot attacking possession by blasting holes in the opposition defensive line. Nonu is a fearsome runner who has added layers of guile and artistry to his game. Tuilagi will serve as England’s attacking fulcrum and primary weapon. He is still developing the distribution range and awareness of his rival, but the strapping Tiger is an explosive force of nature in midfield, as New Zealand discovered to their cost at Twickenham in 2012. | New Zealand are unbeaten at Auckland's Eden Park since 1994 .
England are bidding to break that record with an understrength squad .
Opening match against the All Blacks will be the toughest test for Stuart Lancaster's side .
Fly half Freddie Burns says he will relish his opportunity in the starting XV . |
14,637 | 29845d62ee460012ca2b66bd85fc894ca07b4231 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 11:19 EST, 24 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:57 EST, 25 June 2013 . Some tennis fans may go to the lengths of camping overnight to show their support for Andy Murray. But Gemma, 24, and Johnny Hitchcock, 26, decided to lend their backing to Britain’s number one at Wimbledon in a rather more unusual fashion - by installing a tennis court in their living room. The couple, who live in a three-bedroom house in Woodville, Derbyshire, ensured that if rain stops play during the competition in SW19, they will be able to play a match in the comfort of their home. Come on Andy! Jessica King (far left), 18, Gemma Hitchcock (centre left), 24, Johnny Hitchcock (centre right), 26, and Keely Hodgekiss (right), 20, are seen in the living room tennis court in Woodville, Derbyshire . Anyone for tennis: The couple, who live in a three-bedroom house in Derbyshire, ensured that if rain stops play during the competition in SW19, they will be able to play a match in the comfort of their home . Mrs Hitchcock admitted she was not impressed at first with the idea which came from her husband, but now has accustomed herself to the new-look living room in their semi-detached home. ‘I thought he was joking but then he started looking into it properly and getting measurements done, and it just went from there,’ said Mrs Hitchcock, an account manager for a public relations agency. ‘We’ve had a bit of stick about it from friends and family who think we are nuts - but I think it looks good. It’s not every day you can boast about having a tennis court in your home.’ The couple - who were pictured in a photoshoot for their new living room with friends Jessica King, 18, and Keely Hodgekiss, 20 - will be playing host when the Scot takes to the court at Wimbledon. Not quite to scale: Mrs Hitchcock admitted she was not impressed with the idea which came from her husband, but now has accustomed herself to the new-look living room in their semi-detached home . Barking mad: The couple - who were pictured in a photoshoot for their new living room with friends Jessica King, 18, and Keely Hodgekiss, 20 - will be playing host when the Scot takes to the court at Wimbledon . Mrs Hitchcock added: ‘We’re going to have friends round when Murray’s playing and get the Murray mania in full swing. I’ve got a good feeling about this year.’ 'We’ve had a bit of stick about it from friends and family who think we are nuts - but I think it looks good' Gemma Hitchcock . Technical administrator Mr Hitchcock added: ‘It started off as a bit of a joke that was discussed one night in the pub and the more we talked about the more I wanted to do it.’ Their living room was turfed out by Bradleys Surfacing Systems of Birmingham. Company director Tom Bradley said: ‘We’ve done similar things to balcony’s in people’s flats and carry out tennis court installations on a regular basis. 'However this is the first time we’ve completed one in someone’s lounge before.’ | Gemma, 24, and Johnny Hitchcock, 26, installed court in their living room .
Husband admits he came up with the idea 'as a bit of a joke in the pub'
Couple from Derbyshire say their friends and family 'think we are nuts' |
55,831 | 9e4304a9c1802d073b70005c156c1ccc62356c03 | On the run: Hans Mills ditched his son, 10, who is fighting cancer, and a 14-year-old Down Syndrome daughter, to flee Canada . A Canadian father-of-four has been dubbed the 'world's worst dad' after he 'abandoned' his children for a new life in the Philippines. Hans Mills ditched his ten-year-old cancer sufferer son Steven, daughters Jackie, 14, who has Down Syndrome and Maggie, 17, who is fighting depression, and his eldest boy, a 19-year-old drug addict. The 53-year-old education software expert said a court ruling which made him pay $4,000 a month to his ex-wife in child support would financially ruin him. And so, with extensive work contacts in South East Asia, he sent his former love Donna Mills an email saying he had left the country for good. He wrote on November 2, 2011: 'The result of the legal instrument you recently designed and implemented is there's no possibility of a comfortable life or (secure) retirement for me in Canada at all. 'Therefore I have left the country to seek greener pastures elsewhere, and will never return. Well done Einstein. Good luck and goodbye.' It saw him join the legion of 120,000 parents in Ontario wanted for being in arrears on spousal and child support payments. Speaking to thestar.com from his new Manila home, he said he blamed a 'broken' Family Court system that 'forced him to cut and run'. He said: 'I did a terrible, awful thing, because I had no reasonable option. I miss my children terribly. I abandoned Canada, but not my children. 'My hope is some day I reconcile with my children, but not in Canada, a morally bankrupt state. The Philippines is about as far as I could go. If I'd a spaceship I’d be much further away.' He said his children were 'innocent bystanders who got caught in the crossfire' and added that it was 'not my intention to hurt them'. He also revealed he would 'never, ever, ever, ever' pay spousal support nor return to Canada. It is a blow for his ex-wife, who has spent eight months trying to get Ontario's Family Responsibility Office to find him. She told thestar.com: 'Financially, emotionally, physically, and spiritually, I am approaching bankruptcy. If I go down, the kids go down, and I can't let that happen.' Abandoned by their father: Donna Mills with three of her children (left to right) Steven, 10, Jackie, 14, and 17-year-old Maggie . The trouble began when the couple split in 2005. After a two-day trial, they agreed Mrs Mills would have sole custody of the children and stay in the $1.2million Lake Ontario house. He would pay child support, and she would pay $175,000 to buy him out of the house, which had a $600,000 mortage on it. She would also receive $2,000 a month in rent from a separate flat. But Donna later said she was 'rushed and . pressured and did not read' before signing, and that she did not . understand she would never receive any future spousal support. Mr . Mills said: 'Donna got the million dollar lakefront mansion and full . custody of the children with child support, but no spousal support, in . exchange for the house. 'Everyone at the time agreed that my spousal support obligation had been met fully.' The . feud grew for several years until a new trial was scheduled for autumn . 2011 after Mr Mills had reportedly tried to take his ex-wife to court . three times. She decided to . use it as an opportunity to ask a court to grant her spousal support. This was granted before the trial when, in June 2011, a judge issued a . temporary order for the payments. Happier times: Hans and Donna Mills with all four of their children before they separated in 2005 . He also awarded her retrospective . payments and court costs. Mr Mills left the country before the trial . could take place. He now lives in Dasmarinas City, 30 miles south of . Manila, with his new wife, former caregiver Rosemarie Espiritu. He . has since said his fleeing was a 'purely tactical response to an . untenable situation' and accused his ex of using their son Steven's . cancer as a 'weapon' against him. He . said that, as far as he knew, the disease was 'in check' and that their . eldest son, who is being treated on a methadone programme, was now an . adult and so not a dependent. And he said that he was not 'in greener pastures' by saying: 'I live in the Philippines for Heaven's sake. 'This . is not a country club. I have to keep a loaded shotgun beside my bed at . night in case of attack, of which there have been several.' Former . teacher Mrs Mills, a Danish immigrant with both a Canadian and European . passport, in the meantime said she cannot work because of her 'onerous' family responsibilities. And . the situation looks unlikely to change as the Philippines is beyond the . reach of Canadian laws, even though he owes $28,000 arrears and his . debt is growing by $3,772 per month. Escape: Hans Mills is now living near Manila, Philippines, after leaving Canada . Ditched: Hans Mills left his family home near Lake Ontario, Canada, for a new life in South East Asia . | Hans Mills, 53, ditched two sons and two daughters following court ruling .
They included cancer suffered Steven, 10, and Jackie, 14, who has Downs .
Maggie, 17, is fighting depression and his eldest boy, 19, is a drug addict . |
238,090 | c026b09e69b12e7f0e9983ff1421d39dad954a52 | By . Emily Allen . PUBLISHED: . 07:24 EST, 10 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:24 EST, 10 October 2012 . A Russian prostitute accused of murdering a wealthy retired accountant at his £1m home has tearfully told a jury how he had terrified her by locking her inside his house on previous occasions. Natalia Woolley, 38, said she had to climb out of a window of the four-bedroom detached property in Surrey at least once to escape 69-year-old Winston Fernandez. Widowed father-of-two Mr Fernandez, of . Epsom, Surrey, was found with 17 broken ribs and smashed . bones in his windpipe on February 17. 'Alluring to all men': Natalia Woolley, 38, who described . herself on escort websites as 'incredibly sexy . and curvacious', is accused of killing 69-year-old Winston Fernandez - who wanted to marry her, a court heard . His corpse was found almost a month after he was killed, by police who were called to the property by worried neighbours. Giving evidence at her trial, Woolley, who denies murder, said she only agreed to visit him again in exchange for a promise that he would never lock his front door again while she was there. In a police interview she said Mr Fernandez locked her into his house, demanded she perform oral sex on him as well as other sexual acts and attacked her by pinning her down and grabbing her legs. Woolley told jurors that she was trying to fight off Mr Fernandez when he grabbed her during a fight. 'He was so aggressive when he started to behave in that way. I couldn't see a way out. He didn't let me out. He started to grab my legs. I don't know, I just wanted to get away from him,' she told the court. Trial: Ms Woolley claimed when she arrived at his home he fell over heavily on at least three occasions and he had blood on him . Asked by David Lederman QC, of the . defence, if she was trying to escape, Woolley replied: 'Yes. He was a . dangerous. I couldn't understand what he was doing. He was not in a . normal state ... he was drunk. I had to leave from there. I just wanted . to go.' In a police interview read to the . court, Woolley said she slipped and landed on Mr Fernandez after he . lifted his head as he lay on the floor. The court heard that Woolley . repeatedly asked her friend Kevin Markey to call Mr Fernandez's home in . the days following the incident. She also tried to enlist the help of some of her clients by asking them to drive her to Epsom. One of them refused to get involved . after she told him that she needed to go to the Surrey address 'to see . if someone was alive', but another man did agree to drive her there on . January 22. Woolley, wearing a pink scarf and . long-sleeved black top, broke down in tears as she was asked why she . requested that Mr Markey delete text and Skype messages they exchanged . following her fight with Mr Fernandez. She also called her mobile phone provider 3 to ask if it was possible that her iPhone could be traced, the court heard. 'If I worried about this I would have probably deleted all my text messages and all my messages on Skype, ' she said. Guildford Crown Court heard that the . defendant went on holiday to Tenerife and visited her daughter in . Russia after Mr Fernandez's death, before returning to the UK where she . was arrested . The trial has already heard how the . pensioner had spent his money on escort girls and had developed a . fixation with Woolley who was one of a number of prostitutes who visited . him. Mr Fernandez was planning to ask Woolley to marry him, a jury had heard. But . he was intending to give her a strict ultimatum - that she would have . to give up being a call girl if they wed, it was claimed. Weeping . at times and her voice breaking with emotion, Woolley, a former student . at Hammersmith College, London, who had a passion for art and . photography, said Mr Fernandez was not an easy client. Court: Ms Woolley said that she stepped over . the pensioner as he was on the ground but in the scuffle that followed . she stumbled and her leg landed on his head. She said 'I fell on top of him' 'He was drunk every time I saw him. On various occasions, he locked me in and hid the keys,' she said. 'So I had to escape from a window,' added Woolley. Woolley said . she had extracted a guarantee from him in advance that he would never . lock her inside in future, on the night Mr Fernandez is alleged to have . died. 'I said what happened must never happen again. He promised not to lock me in again so I went round there,' she said. But she said when she arrived at his home, he fell over heavily on at least three occasions and he had blood on him. She . said he brandished a wine bottle at her before trying to smash a beer . bottle over the table leaving her fearful of being blinded by flying . glass. Jurors heard that he accused her of taking his money and not doing anything for him. Scene: Woolley is accused of murdering 69-year-old Winston Fernandez after he invited her to his £1million mansion (above) in Epsom, Surrey. She is accused of kicking and stamping the widower to death . The £600-a-night prostitute told the court: 'He said to me, "I paid you the money and you didn’t do anything".' She revealed to the court she was so terrified that she decided to leave as soon as possible. She said that she made for the front door but found that it was locked. 'I said, "Open the door otherwise I shall shout and scream".' She explained that he then asked her for sex, saying: 'You’ve not done any service.' Woolley said she went upstairs after he promised to unlock the front door. The court heard that Mr Fernandez demanded certain sex acts but said she refused. The defendant told the jury that the pensioner started to undo his trousers before grabbing her and forcing her on to the bed. 'He hit me on the back and I felt . something on my head. He was very angry because he couldn’t get what he . wanted. So he started throwing things about,' she said. She said that Mr Fernandez then fell very heavily. After . that, she said, he had grabbed her leg and tried to stop her escaping . and she kicked him four or five times in the midriff. She denied hitting Mr Fernandez with a chair. 'I was stressed and I was panicking. I was so shaken that I didn’t know what to do,' she added. The defendant said she then left the house after cutting his phone wires to stop him calling her again and walked to a nearby garage where she called a cab to take her back to her home in London. Woolley, of West Kensington, London, denies murder. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Natalia Woolley said she had to .
climb out of a window of the four-bedroom detached property at .
least once to escape Winston Fernandez .
Widowed father-of-two Mr Fernandez, of .
Epsom, Surrey, was found with 17 broken ribs and smashed .
bones in his windpipe .
Woolley admits kicking him but tells court she was trying to escape after he became angry that she wouldn't perform certain sex acts .
Guildford Crown Court heard that the .
defendant went on holiday to Tenerife and visited her daughter in .
Russia after Mr Fernandez's death . |
43,278 | 7a0b34a2603e30a85005933afe32e35476974418 | By . James Tozer . PUBLISHED: . 03:44 EST, 19 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:11 EST, 19 June 2013 . Killer: Brady, sketched at the tribunal yesterday taking notes, is not allowed a pen while in the secure hospital in Merseyside, after he carried it as a weapon . He committed some of the most notorious crimes of the 20th century – but Moors Murderer Ian Brady is now reduced to targeting those he dislikes by smearing jam and honey on their furniture. The child killer regularly wipes the spreads on a chair used by a patient he bears a grudge against, and spills cereal near another's room, a mental health tribunal heard yesterday. According to a psychiatrist treating Brady at Ashworth secure hospital, his bizarre 'surreptitious revenge' is a response to being incapable of physical violence as a frail 75-year-old. Dr James Collins, who Brady has refused to speak to since beginning a hunger strike over a decade ago, cited the breakfast-themed campaign as evidence of his paranoid schizophrenia. Brady also believed he could talk to Laurel and Hardy, Cilla Black and Indira Gandhi, Dr Collins added. Brady, who won the right to have the tribunal held in public, is being force-fed, but wants to be sent back to prison in the belief he will be able to starve himself to death. The hearing is taking place behind closed doors at the Merseyside hospital, but proceedings are being relayed to a courtroom in Manchester. Dr Collins, Brady's medical officer for more than a decade, said the killer regularly smeared jam or honey on a chair in the ward's day room used by a patient referred to as R. He described the tactic as 'surreptitious revenge by other means', prompted by Brady's failing health. 'When he was younger, he would have it out with these guys,' he explained. 'He's now frail and elderly. 'The smearing of jam and honey on this guy's chair in the day area is clearly designed to wind him up.' Dr Collins said there was no justification for Brady's campaign against R, which could only be explained by delusions caused by mental illness. Brady's food-related campaign also extends to spilling cereal outside the door to a patient's room, the psychiatrist said. The mental health tribunal is taking place behind closed doors at Ashworth Hospital on Merseyside . Two faces of a killer: A sketch of Brady at the tribunal hearing yesterday, feeding tube in nose, and, right, in 1965 when he was last seen . 'It's abnormal by any standards,' he . said. 'No one else is going around scattering shredded oats or whatever . they are outside people's doors in Ashworth, however ill they are.' Patient R was also the target of an incident last year when Brady accused him of making 'pig noises'. Dr Collins gave more details of the . incident, describing how it culminated in Brady holding an uncapped pen . in the face of another occupant of the ward in the style of a weapon. Brady, a prolific letter-writer, was later banned from having a pen. Along with Myra Hindley, who died in . 2002, Brady killed five children between 1963 and 1965 and buried them . on Saddleworth Moor. He is expected to give evidence next week. Moors murderer Ian Brady was glimpsed yesterday in the tribunal room at the maximum security Ashworth Hospital in Merseyside . Link: Proceedings are being relayed by video to Press and relatives of Brady and fellow killer Myra Hindley's victims at a court 40 miles away in Manchester . Moors murder victim Lesley Ann Downey, who was just 10 when she was sadistically murdered . Yesterday at the tribunal it was revealed Brady plotted to break out of his maximum security hospital with a female visitor. Brady gave the woman cash, clothes . and a picture of himself as he seduced her in an effort to get out of . Ashworth secure hospital in Merseyside. His personal clinician told a panel of experts that it was 'clearly a preparation' for an escape, which ultimately failed. The hearing was told the killer, 75, has also claimed to be in communication with a reincarnated Nazi and believed he could change the laws of physics. The tribunal is being held as Brady seeks to be released from the hospital so he can die at a prison in Scotland. Describing . the delusions which led to his being detained at Ashworth in 1985, Dr . James Collins said Brady had also complained of being controlled by . ‘green beings’. At one stage, he said Brady had been exchanging letters with a woman he believed to be ‘a reincarnated Nazi’. He told a prison visitor that he could ‘change the laws of physics’ and ‘walk through locked doors at night’, he added. Dr . Collins is Brady’s responsible medical officer at Ashworth but said the . mass murderer had refused to engage with him for more than a decade. He . believes Brady continues to suffer from paranoid schizophrenia, . recounting how the delusions escalated in the 1980s when he began adding . excessive amounts of salt to his food. Brady would wait for fellow prisoners to finish their meals then take plates of custard, gravy or rice pudding to his cell. There he would add salt ‘piled like snow’ and eat until he vomited while cursing himself and beating the walls. Asked why, Brady replied: ‘I like salt.’ Dr Collins said this was a . ‘ridiculous answer’ and in reality showed that Brady thought his food . was being tampered with – a psychotic symptom, he added. Although no further details of the escape plot were revealed, Dr Collins used it as an example of the killers powers of manipulation. He . told the hearing: 'It was clearly a preparation for an escape. There is . no doubt at all about that. He opened up to this woman more than anyone . else.' Brady also walked out of his mental health tribunal yesterday, complaining he had 'listened to this ad nauseam'. But he was quickly slapped down by the judge who warned him 'we will hear the evidence.' Innocent: Keith Bennett (left) and John Kilbride (right) were murdered by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley. Keith's body is still missing. Brady has never revealed the whereabouts of the 12-year-old's body . Grim search: Police scour Saddleworth Moor for the bodies of the children killed by Ian Brady and Myra Hindley in this 1986 file picture . Ian Brady (right) arriving at court by taxi in 1966. He is Britain's longest-serving prisoner . The child killer even suggested a panel member had fallen asleep at one point during the hearing. The . 75-year-old complained that he had heard all the evidence before as a . criminal psychologist was questioned over several hours about his mental . health. At the end of Dr . Adrian Grounds's evidence, Judge Robert Atherton, chair of the three-man . tribunal panel, asked if Brady wanted to say something. Brady, wearing dark sunglasses, a . dark jacket, white shirt and tie, spoke in a low, gravelly Scottish . accent. Many of his words were inaudible. Referring to Dr Cameron Boyd, who sits on the tribunal panel, Brady said: 'It even apparently lulls him to sleep.' In other evidence yesterday, the . tribunal was told that Brady is nocturnal and only leaves his room at . night. He shuns others, partly because of his superiority complex. Evil: Myra Hindley died in hospital aged 60 after suffering respiratory failure in 2002 . But he also fears other patients and . habitually carried a pen between his knuckles as an improvised weapon, . until it was taken away. As well as his 'nocturnal' existence, . Brady was described as contemptuous of his peers. He shows anger that . can erupt over minor matters and unleashes verbal tirades against staff . and other patients, the tribunal heard. He also targets individuals, both . staff and patients, attempts to manipulate others, bypasses security and . bends the rules to suit himself, the panel was told. He will only deal with people 'high . up' in the hospital hierarchy - consistent with his narcissistic . personality disorder, the tribunal heard. Brady, who has been on hunger strike since 1999, claims he has faked psychotic episodes by 'acting' in the past. The hearing was told of hospital records from January 29 this year stating how Brady has now 'almost totally isolated himself'. Following a seizure last July, . hospital notes recorded him saying: 'If I have to, I will never let them . see me in pain. I will act as if I have not a care in the world.' Brady is currently 'nursed' in the hospital setting because he is regarded as being severely mentally ill. Brady and partner Myra Hindley murdered five youngsters in the 1960s, burying their bodies on Saddleworth Moor above Manchester. Both were jailed for life at Chester Assizes in 1966. Hindley died in jail in November 2002 at the age of 60. The hearing is being held in a room inside Ashworth and relayed by video to Manchester Civil Justice Centre. | Brady suffers from constant paranoia, his mental health tribunal has heard .
He is convinced follow inmates and staff are spying on him on behalf of the Home Office .
He wished he could 'send cancer in an envelope' to one doctor .
Brady tried to escape by seducing a woman visitor with gifts .
Doctors used the plot to highlight the killer's powers of manipulation .
Ian Brady's pen taken away after he carried it as a 'potential weapon' |
191,806 | 845d124f6debb7f5bb042fdb81768ba7529d917d | By . Alex Finnis for MailOnline . Rizwan Arshad, who has been jailed for 21 years . A blind man has been jailed for 21 years after he was described as the 'mastermind' of two plots to flood the streets with more than £300,000-worth of Class A drugs. Despite his disability, Rizwan Arshad was the ringleader of an operation involving the distribution of heroin and cocaine and massive amounts of cutting agents in the Bradford and Huddersfield areas - the first in 2012 and the second while on bail last year. Arshad, 33, from Bradford, was one of six people jailed by Judge Jonathan Durham Hall QC for their parts in the 'sophisticated and planned enterprise'. The judge told Arshad that his barrister had asked for a discount because of the difficulties he will face in prison through his blindness, but said: 'That has not prevented you in the past committing offences of deception, it has not prevented you achieving degree status at university and it did not prevent your role in these conspiracies. 'It is an indication of your sheer intelligence being at the heart of the essence of these matters. 'It may be incredible to the observer that someone of your undoubted disability was managing to run and managing to co-ordinate and fulfil the needs of such a conspiracy.' Police observations showed Arshad, of Lower Rushton Road, Thornbury, had a BMW which he had gained through the Motability scheme and would rely on other drivers 'and lieutenants' to help him with his activities. Huge amounts of drugs and cash were seized from the group by police, including £264,000-worth of cocaine, £50,000-worth of heroin and 33 kilograms of bulking agents. Police surveillance also revealed regular meetings in Bradford, Huddersfield and South Yorkshire. Matthew Francois, 33, left, has been jailed for 10 years and Aftab Basharat, 25, right, has been jailed for eight . 'The object was to supply in the streets of this area a mass of cocaine or heroin with the aim of enriching you, Arshad, and those around you,' said Judge Durham Hall . Detective Insp Philip Little added: 'The investigations of Arshad and his associates showed him to be the head of an established organised crime group whose criminal activities in trafficking controlled drugs and cutting agents stretched across West Yorkshire and beyond. He will now spend a lengthy period in prison.' Andrew Kershaw, prosecuting, suggested Arshad had a second home in Salford Quays. He made at least one trip to Dubai and another to Amsterdam that year while also enjoying a holiday with his wife in Mauritius. Ramunas Venckus, who has been jailed for five years . The first case occurred between January and October 2012, and culminated in caffeine, Paracetamol and benzocaine - all of which were being used as cutting agents - being seized. In July that year he was found in a taxi with £108,000 of drug contaminated notes in bundles. He was arrested and granted bail, but continued to operate while being covertly watched by police. He was seen meeting with his 'lieutenant' Aftab Basharat, 25, and 36-year-old Matthew Francois - who headed up the Huddersfield side of the operation. Arshad also played a part in a third conspiracy in Burnley. He was found guilty by a jury at Bradford Crown Court of one conspiracy to supply class A drugs and pleaded guilty to two others. Francois, from Benny Park Close, Batley, was jailed for 10 years after admitting one charge of conspiracy. Basharat, of Derby Road, Thornbury, admitted two charges of conspiracy and was jailed for eight years. Lithuanian Ramunas Venckus, 43, of Watling Street, Dartford, Kent was jailed for five years after the judge linked him to the incoming drug supply. Samantha Colquhoun, 28, of Horse Bank Drive, Lockwood, who admitted permitting the use of premises for supplying Class A drugs, was given 18 months in prison suspended for two years with a 30 day activity requirement. | Rizwan Arshad, 33, jailed along with six others over drugs conspiracy .
Was first arrested in July last year, then continued scheme while on bail .
Plotted to sell the drugs on the streets on Bradford and Huddersfield .
Matthew Francois, 36, jailed for 10 years, Aftab Basharat, 25, for eight years and Ramunas Venckus, 43, for five years . |
149,672 | 4d860783e2849cc584198a808cc674538b74a665 | A thrill-seeking woman has escaped with her life after swimming drunk in crocodile-infested waters at Scotts Creek in the Djukbinj National Park. The 21-year-old Northern Territory woman had spent the day 'fishing and having drinks' at the shore and stepped into the water to cool off, despite knowing that there was a five-metre crocodile lurking nearby. Her friend Isha Yilmaz said she laughed when her friend jumped into the water and 'thought it was funny.' Scroll down for video . A thrill-seeking woman has escaped with her life after swimming drunk in crocodile-infested waters at Scotts Creek in the Djukbinj National Park . Ms Yilmaz said she wasn't worried about her friend being attacked by a crocodile and would have had no hesitations following her into the water. Her friend commented that being able to drink beers and swim in the water was 'the best part of being a territorian'. 'The water was crystal clear, I would have gone in after her. We know the area really well, we all swim in the creeks and drink a few beers up here,' 40-year-old Yilmaz told Daily Mail Australia. Ms Yilmaz, from Humpty Doo in the Northern Territory, said the pair had been enjoying a day of drinking by the creek with friends and that her friend was the first person to brave the murky waters. The 21-year-old Northern Territory woman had spent the day 'fishing and having drinks' at Scott's Creek (pictured) and stepped into the water to cool off, despite knowing that there was a five-metre crocodile lurking nearby . Isha photographed a crocodiles footprint in the mud two months before her friend took a dip in the croc-infested water. There was a a 12 gauge shot gun shell left in the footprint . She said there were 'heaps' of people in the area and once they saw her friend enter the water, they all decided to jump in. 'There was a family there and their young kids were in the water. They went further up the creek and I wouldn't recommend that,' she said. A four-metre saltwater crocodile was spotted in the area a few months ago and was killed when a rogue hunter shot it in the head. Djukinj National Park in the Northern Terriroty is known for it's crocodile population . Over 100 crocodiles were removed from Top End waterways in 2014 and sent to croc farms . The pair have been swimming in the creek since they were kids and weren't bothered by reports that a five-metre monster crocodile had taken up residence in the area. 'We're aware of the croc population up here and we did check it out, the water was clear.' she said. Over 100 crocodiles were removed from Top End waterways in 2014 and sent to croc farms. The Northern Territory government have expressed their concern at the public interference with the crocodiles in the Northern Territory . To the shock of onlookers the man is seen fishing waist-deep in crocodile infested waters . The Northern Territory government have expressed their concern at the public interference with the crocodiles in the Northern Territory. 'Saltwater crocodiles can just about be anywhere at any time so I urge everyone to stay safe and Be Crocwise in and around waterways' Senior Wildlife Ranger Tom Nichols said. 'I remind anyone heading into or near our waterways that croc danger is real, so don't risk your life.' Last week, onlookers were left dumbfounded by the behaviour of a man, who spent 'at least 15 minutes' wading into croc-infested water at Shady Camp on the Mary River in the Northern Territory. Jason Rogers was there fishing nearby and photographed the man in the water. He said that at the time there was a four-and-half-foot crocodile floating within 50 metres of where the man was fishing. Initially the fisherman just stood off the shore in shallow water as he fished . Mr Rogers had been fishing from the bank before the man arrived and caught 15 barramundi before the man started out into the water. 'He was in there for at least 15 minutes. When he was out in the water you couldn't even have shouted to him to warn him that a crocodile was coming because the river was rushing so strongly. I'll never know how he didn't get eaten,' he said. It's believed that the man was from Darwin Mr Rogers said, and that he had fished in the area before for barramundi. | A woman has been pictured swimming in croc-infested waters .
The 21-year-old was drinking a beer and smoking a cigarette in the water .
She knew there was a five-metre crocodile lurking nearby .
Her friend Isha Yilmaz said she 'thought it was funny'
She said there were 'heaps' of people swimming in the water . |
164,682 | 60f3a6a64fd6ec6ed45b2aaa41f5fbaa9ab788a9 | Antonio Cassano is on the look out for yet another club as Serie A bottom side Parma ripped up his contract on Monday after the striker asked for unpaid wages. A club statement said the agreement had been mutual. The former AS Roma, Real Madrid, Sampdoria, AC Milan and Inter Milan player has been the one shining light for Parma this term with the northern Italian club on only nine points from 20 games and 10 points from safety. Antonio Cassano (left) is looking for a new club after Serie A side Parma ripped up his contract on Monday . The striker, pictured on the bench on Sunday, is said to have angered the club after asking for unpaid wages . Cassano shares a joke with coach Domenico Di Carlo ahead of Parma's 2-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Cesena . Cassano has scored five league goals but his request for unpaid wages did not go down well with the club, who underwent a takeover in December. The 32-year-old, who came off the bench at half-time during Sunday's defeat to fellow strugglers Cesena, went to talk to fans after the match but was threatened by one supporter. The colourful former Italy international has had run-ins with many clubs due to his escapades down the years. However, Italian media have sympathised with him this time and home town club Bari in Serie B are favourites to re-sign him. | Antonio Cassano has played for Roma, Real Madrid and AC Milan .
The 32-year-old is on the lookout for a new club after leaving Parma .
Striker is said to have angered the club by aksing for unpaid wages . |
191,785 | 8456faf1ce16c2bf54b2711d959044488673eb48 | Developers want to bulldoze a 12th-century forest to make way for a motorway petrol station - in the first attempt to use a possible new planning loophole. In a crucial test case, Extra MSA Group has submitted a formal planning application to destroy 20 acres of ancient woodland, and offered to plant twice as many new trees nearby. The firm, which specialises in building motorway services, is the first to attempt to use the controversial process, known as ‘biodiversity offsetting’, for ancient woodland. Smithy Wood is a haven for a variety of ancient woodland plants, fungi and butterflies. But developers want to bulldoze the 12th-century forest to make way for a motorway petrol station . In a crucial test case, Extra MSA Group has submitted a formal planning application to destroy 20 acres of ancient woodland, and offered to plant twice as many new trees nearby . Environment Secretary Owen Paterson is very keen on the idea of offsetting as a way to balance economic development with environmental concerns. In January he proposed the idea of ‘mandatory’ offsetting, in order to force developers to plant new trees. But wildlife groups say it is a travesty to suggest that ancient woodlands, which in this case are 850 years old, could be replaced overnight. They are worried the proposals will create a loophole that allows developers to freely concrete over Britain’s forests. The new planning application is for £40million development at Smithy Woods near Sheffield, an ancient forest that dates back to 1161. The plan for the site at junction 35 of the M1 includes filling stations, shops, a food court, an 80-bedroom hotel and a huge car park with space for 639 vehicles. Smithy Wood is designated as a local wildlife site within Sheffield’s Green Belt, and is a haven for plants, fungi, butterflies and threatened birds including the song thrush, dunnock, bullfinch and stock dove. The firm, which specialises in building motorway services, is the first to attempt to use the controversial process, known as 'biodiversity offsetting', for ancient woodland . Sheffield City Council’s treatment of the application will be a vital test of offsetting - and of the ability of the Government’s planning rules to protect ancient woodland. Penistone and Stocksbridge MP Angela Smith, whose constituency includes Smithy Woods, said: ‘This application is a cynical attempt to overcome objections to the proposed destruction of ancient woodland by making use of “offsetting”. ‘Local people, however, will not be easily bought and will fight hard to defend this precious habitat. ‘Once lost, this woodland can never be replaced. ‘Surely it’s time to strengthen the protection of ancient woodland, given that we’ve lost so much of it already; what we have left, we must conserve rather than destroy.’ The Environment Secretary recently said destroying ancient woodlands would be a ‘travesty’ but admitted that offsetting could be used for even the most cherished sites. Crucially, he has said that planning regulations should be sufficient to protect ancient forests - something that will be put to the test in Sheffield. Mr Paterson told the House of Commons in January: ‘Should we bring in offsetting, all the regulations remain. Only at the last moment would we consider offsetting.’ But wildlife groups say it is a travesty to suggest that ancient woodlands, which in this case are 850 years old, could be replaced overnight . The Government has launched a consultation on the idea, which is due back this summer, but the Sheffield proposal will provide an early indication as to whether planning rules are robust enough to stop it being used for ancient woods. Nikki Williams, campaigner at the Woodland Trust, said: ‘The plans revealed by Extra Motorway Services might look at first glance to be very grand and environmentally friendly, but you need only scratch the surface to discover that this is an example of the attempted use of biodiversity offsetting at its very worst. ‘There is no escaping that 21 acres of ancient woodland will be destroyed should this application be approved and no amount of compensation will ever make up for the loss of this irreplaceable habitat.’ Extra MSA Group chief executive Andrew Long said: ‘Having established a clear requirement for a new motorway services area at Junction 35 of the M1, we are confident that our proposals can facilitate another flagship, job-creating development that will significantly enhance the local economy.’ The firm has pledged to create a new 39-acre woodland with 60,000 new trees open to the public for recreational use. Another 172 acres of privately owned woodland will be opened up to the public. A Government spokesman said: ‘Ancient woodlands are safeguarded and the planning rules are very clear that development should be avoided.’ | Extra MSA Group has submitted formal planning application in test case .
Want to destroy 20 acres of woodland, and plant twice as many new trees .
First attempt to use controversial ‘biodiversity offsetting' process . |
77,493 | dbb89a5aff669fa3a777b049030ed87ddd51cd1e | Golf's bad boy Dustin Johnson and his fiance Paulina Gretzky have had their first child, it was reported today. Paulina Gretzky - the daughter of NHL legend Wayne - gave birth to a boy on Monday just outside Los Angeles. However, the child's name is yet to be revealed, with the only detail known being that it starts with a 'T', it was reported by TMZ. It comes as 30-year-old Johnson hit back at claims he was twice suspended from golf for cocaine abuse and said he is turning over a new leaf. It was previously claimed the couple's baby was due next month after Paulina revealed on Christmas Day on her Instagram that she was having a boy. Scroll down for video . Paulina Gretzky announced over Christmas that she and fiance Dustin Johnson (left) were having a baby boy . Back in action: Dustin Johnson has been on an inexplicable five-month hiatus from the PGA Tour after he was rumored to have been suspended over drug use - something he denies . Johnson gave an extended interview to Golf.com in which he admitted he's working to clean up his act and 'simplify' his life since leaving the PGA Tour five months ago. He says he's been spending a great deal of time with Paulina's father - NHL legend Wayne Gretzky - who lives just half a mile down the road from Johnson's home on the Sherwood Country Club. Gretzky has been coaching Johnson, a kid from a divorced family in South Carolina, on how to cope with his fame and fortune - he's made more than $25million off PGA Tour wins alone. Golf.com previously reported that Johnson was disciplined three times by the PGA - twice for testing positive for cocaine and once for marijuana. The site reported that he is serving a six-month suspension from the PGA Tour as a result of his last drug test. When asked about the allegations, Johnson flatly denied them. 'I did not have a problem. It’s just something I’m not going to get into. I have issues. But that’s not the issue,' he said. The 25-year-old model has been dealing with pregnancy cravings - for celery, Johnson reveals . Lululemon high times pant . Get yours here! Visit site . We couldn’t be happier for the new parents Paulina Gretzky and Dustin Johnson on the news that they have had a baby boy. What we are going to miss however, is Paulina’s maternity wear wardrobe, a girl who can pull of Herve Leger at 8 months pregnant gets some serious fashion points from us! What is a lot easier to pull off with a baby bump however, is sportswear. The endlessly stretchy spandex of running tights and tank tops mean you don’t even have to buy maternity specific pieces, which is great for when you want to get back into shape postpartum. We’re loving these mesh panel cut-out leggings that Paulina took a photo of herself wearing a few weeks ago. Designed by Lululemon, you can buy Paulina’s running tights if you follow the link on the right. Or alternatively, check out the options below starting from just $29.95. Now where’s that gym card… . Michi spiral leggings at Shopbop . Visit site . So Low leggings at Bloomingdales . Visit site . Estradeur cut out mesh leggings at Nelly . Visit site . Zella 'double dare' leggings at Nordstrom . Visit site . Paulina and Johnson made names for themselves for the jetset lifestyle and frequent social media posts . However, he admitted to drinking too much. His booze of choice - Grey Goose and soda with lime. 'I don’t miss waking up with a hangover, and I didn’t drink very often. It was just when I did it was a little too much,' he told Golf.com. The talented golfer also denied reports that he had been to rehab - saying he hired a 'life coach' and a team of clinicians to hep him 'simplify' his life. However, he said he never underwent treatment for any addiction. Johnson revealed he's abstained from booze for January - ponying up $1,000 with Wayne Gretzky and several friends from the Sherwood Country Club as part of a bet to stay off alcohol for a month. He claims he's also selling his two Jet Skis, one of his boats and his $300,000 Aston Martin. He gave his souped-up 1976 Pontiac to his brother - all in an attempt to rid himself of distractions. Johnson says he plans to end his golf hiatus and return to the PGA Tour either at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, California, on February 5, or the following week at Pebble Beach. | Golf bad boy Dustin Johnson's fiance has given birth to a baby boy .
He has been away from the PGA Tour for five months .
Denies he was suspended for cocaine or that he has a 'problem' with drugs .
Admitted he used to drink too much - but his hard-partying days are over .
Paulina's father Wayne has become something of a mentor to him . |
166,957 | 63e5abbd9e406be59ae4d6ae75fd42cc819847ed | (CNN) -- It is the dark side of paradise, a tale of torture and murder. And this week, it plays out in a picturesque courthouse a few yards from the sun-kissed beaches of St. Maarten. The trial of the three men charged with killing Michael and Thelma King begins Tuesday. The defendants, who face a possible life sentence in prison if convicted, are accused of stabbing the South Carolina couple to death in a crime that has made headlines in the Caribbean and across America. Michael's brother, Todd King, told CNN that he and his family will attend the trial. "Everybody's coming," he said while remembering the two lives that were brutally taken. "Everybody loved Michael, he was just one of the nicest guys you would ever meet," he said. "And Thelma walked on water, as far as our family was concerned. She was just like a sister." Michael, who was 53, and Thelma, 57, loved St. Maarten, Todd said. They resided here for several months during the year and planned to invest in a local business. The Kings owned a condominium at the Ocean Club Resort in an area known as Cupecoy. They were killed in their beachfront apartment, and their bodies were discovered on September 21. Solicitor General Taco Stein told CNN the couple was slain in a home invasion. "As far as we have been able to establish, theft is the motive," Stein said. "So it's a robbery that went out of hand into murder." The victims were repeatedly stabbed, according to local officials. Thelma King was tied to a chair, Stein said. The suspects, who have been identified by their initials, are J.J.W, who was arrested on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands; J.C.M, who is 17; and M.K.J., 28, who Stein said confessed to his involvement in the killings. The trial is expected to last two days, with the judge issuing a ruling in early May. "I'm confident they will be found guilty," Stein said. Brenda Brooks, the attorney who represents J.C.M., expressed doubts about the prosecution's theory of the case. "I don't believe it," Brooks said, "that these guys kind of went on a joyride with someone else's car, and then went out drinking and ended up coincidentally by the Kings, and it was initially said to be a robbery and they end up killing the couple. "I think there is something else to that story. From the moment I heard it I said it doesn't add up." The double homicide and the upcoming trial have generated widespread attention and safety concerns for the hundreds of thousands of tourists who vacation on the island each year. Stein said violent crimes like this are exceedingly rare. "Murders do take place, let's face it," he said, "but this hasn't happened before." "The Kings were liked on the island. They came here often. The island is shocked." The couple had many friends, both on St. Maarten and at home in South Carolina. "They were the greatest people in the world," said Terry Tamblyn, who knew the Kings for 25 years. "Michael would give you the shirt off his back," he said. "It was a senseless killing." Bodies of couple are handed over to relatives . | The bodies of Michael and Thelma King were found in their apartment in September .
Three men are accused of stabbing the South Carolina couple to death .
Their trial begins Tuesday, and they face a possible life sentence in prison if convicted . |
161,421 | 5cb0e31c8c66ca3ccb17b45d41b72b42fecd1ecd | Two Red Bull pilots had a miraculous escape when their planes collided in the sky above the Aero India air show. Spectators looked on horrified as the pilots from the Czech Republic, known as the ‘Flying Bulls’, crashed while attempting an inverted loop. The video footage shows three planes in formation before one tails off upwards and away from the others. The remaining two, beginning their acrobatic manoeuvre, then turn into each other and their wing tips make contact. Forced to land, the two pilots were lucky to make it back down to earth without injury. But the same could not be said for the planes, as both received damage to their respective wing tips. Near-fatal collision: The heartwrenching moment the pilots collide in the sky as an acrobatic manoeuvre goes horribly wrong . After the accident the air show was stopped for half-an-hour while the runway was checked and cleared of debris before it was allowed to resume. The near-fatal incident occurred in the air over the Yelahanka Airforce station in Bangalore, which has this week played host to the Aero India show, and has been attended by around 450,000 people. Regulars to the event, the ‘Flying Bulls’ have performed in earlier editions of Aero India in 2011 and 2013 but it is unlikely that they will make another appearance at this year’s show. The 'Flying Bulls' have performed in earlier editions of Areo India but are unlikely to make another appearance at this year's show . The planes were forced to land and one (pictured) had a considerable amount of damage to its wing tip . | The pilots, known as the ‘Flying Bulls’, were attempting a stunt manoeuvre .
The planes collided in the air over Yelahanka Airforce station, Bangalore .
Both planes damaged their wing tips to the horror of the large crowd below .
Pilots were forced to land and were lucky to walk away unscathed . |
232,440 | b8fa855849b3a7c89ca5973ec3911ca578c5059f | How to react to Iran's new smiley-faced president, Hassan Rouhani? Smile back, but don't stop squeezing Iran with sanctions. Rouhani has offered a series of positive gestures since taking office in early August. He has released some political prisoners. He sent New Year's greetings to Jews in Iran and around the world. He took a phone call from the president of the United States. Does any of this portend real change in Iran? The case for skepticism is strong. None of the regime has changed in any way. Iran continues to make mischief through the region, most horrifically by supporting the brutal actions of the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria. As far as anyone can tell, Iran pursues nuclear weapons as determinedly as ever. Rouhani himself is no liberal and no Democrat. An early supporter of the Ayatollah Khomeini, Rouhani held senior positions in the Iranian state during the regime's most vicious period of international terrorism, the early 1990s - the years in which Iranian-backed terrorists carried out assassinations in Berlin and Paris and carried out two terrible bombings of Jewish targets in Buenos Aires, killing 114 people and wounding nearly a thousand more. As Iran's chief nuclear negotiator in the 2000s, Rouhani nimbly evaded international efforts to achieve a peaceful end to the country's drive for weapons of mass death. More fundamentally, the president of Iran does not govern the country's national security system. The military and the secret police answer to the supreme leader, the Ayatollah Khameini, who has very emphatic geopolitical ideas of his own. Compared with all that, a cheerful tweet and a few words of condemnation of Nazi crimes don't seem much of an offset. So, caution. But there is an "on the other hand." On the other hand, sanctions have been biting Iran hard the past year. The currency has plunged in value, inflation rages, goods have become scarce in the shops. Iran's leaders have seen other authoritarian rulers swept from power in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya - and pushed to the very brink in Syria. Has Iran's leadership become frightened that it could fall victim to similar grievances? If anything, Iran's economic situation has deteriorated further and faster than that of any of the countries in which leaders were toppled. Iranian elections are neither free nor fair. But Iranian elections do permit some controlled airing of public grievances. Rouhani has been quoted as saying that he does not approve of Iran's centrifuges spinning while the economy remains stagnant. As so often the case with him, these are very ambiguous words. Perhaps he means that he'd like to accelerate the spinning of both the centrifuges and the economy. Perhaps he is expressing a purely personal and ineffectual opinion. But it's worth the effort to explore whether he and his colleagues might mean something more. Western diplomats often succumb to the Iranian demand that we accept total responsibility for the Iran-West relationship while assigning Iran none. Last week, the New Yorker magazine indulged yet another example of this tendency when it quoted Ryan Crocker, former ambassador to Afghanistan and Iraq, as suggesting that we might have reached a deal with Iran in 2002 if only President George W. Bush had not bruised the mullah's feelings with his "axis of evil" speech, in whose drafting I played a role. The hope that some magic incantation might change Iran springs eternal, but states are more thick-skinned than that. They act for deep reasons of interest. Iran's policy toward the West originates inside the regime, and so will any changes of that policy. If those changes have begun, the United States should be ready to recognize and welcome them. But there should be no mistaking why those changes have begun: economic pressure from Western-imposed sanctions and fear of American-backed military action. End the pressure and the fear prematurely, and the changes will end. Iran's nuclear program must be closed down for good. Iran's long record of evasion and deceit requires more than mere promises - we must see decisive and irrevocable proof. Until Iran changes policy, we don't change policy. But if Iran changes its tone, we can change tone, too. A smile is a helpful start, so long as we all understand that it's only a start. | David Frum: In face of Rouhani's moves, U.S. should smile back, keep up sanctions .
He says there's reason for skepticism; Rouhani has history in terrorism-backing regime .
He says Khameini holds the real power; still, there's hope some change may begin .
Frum: Iran has long record of deceit; for progress, nuke program must be shut down . |
213,224 | a022dd0d34299b34a91a6dace7ac76a498002074 | TAMPA, Florida (CNN) -- Some Christian congregations, particularly in lower income, urban areas, are turning to an unlikely source for help -- the Church of Scientology. Rev, Charles Kennedy uses Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's book during a Friday night sermon. Scientologists do not worship God, much less Jesus Christ. The church has seen plenty of controversy and critics consider it a cult. So why are observant Christians embracing some of its teachings? Two pastors who spoke recently with CNN explained that when it comes to religion, they still preach the core beliefs of Christianity. But when it comes to practicing what they preach in a modern world, borrowing from Scientology helps. The Rev. Charles Kennedy, of the Glorious Church of God in Christ, a Pentecostal church in Tampa, Florida, and the Rev. James McLaughlin, of the Wayman Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Houston, Texas, are among the theological hybrids. Watch Rev. Kennedy preach » . They say they are not scared off by programs with ties to a church that critics say has aggressive recruiting, secretive ways and rigid theology. As men of God rooted in Christian values, they do not see Scientology as a threat to their faith, but rather as a tool to augment it. Scientology was founded in the 1950s by L. Ron Hubbard, a science fiction writer. Followers are taught that they are immortal spiritual beings called thetans. Although the church says there is a supreme being, its practices do not include worshipping God. "I'm looking for solutions, and the people that I help, they don't ask me who L. Ron Hubbard is," said McLaughlin, who works with addicts. "You know what they say? 'Thank God.' " Critic Rick Ross, a court-certified Scientology expert, sees something more sinister at work. He warned that mainstream acceptance makes it easier for the Scientologists to achieve their ultimate goal -- new recruits. "Their hope is that through these programs, people will become more interested in L. Ron Hubbard, what else Mr. Hubbard had to offer, and this will lead them eventually to Scientology," Ross said. The church has long been in the headlines for practices critics say are little more than cult-like mind control. It is also known for its stable of devout celebrity followers. And according to published reports, Scientology has been recently diversifying its outreach to include other religions and ethnic groups. Kennedy, McLaughlin and a handful of other Christian church leaders -- no one can say how many -- are finding answers to their communities' needs in Scientology's social programs. For Kennedy, it began two years ago when he attended a meeting at the Church of Scientology's spiritual headquarters in Clearwater, Florida. He was introduced to a book called "The Way to Happiness" -- Hubbard's 64-page, self-described "common sense guide to better living." In the book, which lays out ways to maintain a temperate lifestyle, Kennedy found a message he believed could help lift his predominantly lower income African-American congregation. He said the book's 21 principles help them with their struggle in an urban environment where there is too much crime and addiction and too little opportunity. Kennedy knew that before he could introduce any Scientology-related text to his congregation, he would have to prove that it did not contradict his Christian beliefs. And so, he found Scripture to match each of the 21 principles. Now Kennedy uses "The Way to Happiness" as a how-to supplement to his sermons. He believes it is easier to understand and clearer to follow than ancient Scriptures taken from the Bible. When asked whether Scientology's values contradict the religion of Jesus Christ, Kennedy replies, "Sometimes yes. Sometimes no." But he says his congregation can relate to "The Way to Happiness." Kennedy admits other pastors have criticized him, but the disapproval is not enough to discourage him. He insists that he has witnessed the changes "The Way to Happiness" has inspired in people. He also maintains that the Scientologists, many of whom he calls friends, are successful at outreach and getting desired results. At Kennedy's C. L. Kennedy Center, free tutoring based on Hubbard's "study tech" philosophies is provided to dozens of children and some adults. Kennedy's daughter, Jimirra, is one of the instructors. She said "study tech" and the Scientology orientation classes she attended helped her graduate from high school and become a poised woman. Though Jimirra Kennedy insists she does not ascribe to the religious side of Scientology, she still considers herself, at least in part, Scientologist. "We say this all the time and I know my father says this, but I am like a Pentecostal Scientologist, that's what we are." Critics like Ross are alarmed by such a blurring of the lines. They consider it a marketing win for Scientology. In Houston, McLaughlin says he is not one to argue with success. Driven by a need to address the rampant drug problem in his community, McLaughlin spent years searching for a solution before he discovered "Narconon," Scientology's nonprofit drug rehab center, in 2001. McLaughlin trained at Narconon and brought the techniques back to his community to launch "First Step Faith Step," a program that combines Hubbard's methods with the teachings of Christianity. He claims a 70- to 80-percent rehabilitation success rate. Kennedy and McLaughlin said they have never lost a member of their congregations to Scientology. "I think that they truly believe that this may help their communities, but in my opinion, they're naïve," Ross said. Scientologists, he added, "have their own agenda." The Church of Scientology would not grant CNN an interview, nor would its representatives answer questions about the Hubbard-based programs. E-mail to a friend . | Christian pastors borrow ideas from Scientology to preach temperate lifestyle .
Critics say Scientology is a cult, always looking for recruits .
Pastor in Houston, Texas, claims 70 percent success rate with addicts . |
282,337 | f9abd04337752d21a8293875bca62188cd818849 | By . Marie-louise Olson . Furious people took to Facebook to vent their anger over the recent profiling of shoppers in the New York retailer, Barneys. This comes as a fourth person has come forward with similar claims, this time against Macy's - the second in a week. Art Palmer says four plainclothes cops questioned him three blocks away from the flagship store after he bought $320 worth of Polo dress shirts and ties in April. The latest accusation echoes those by Trayon Christian and Kayla Phillips against Barneys and by actor Robert Brown against the same Macy’s. Shocking: Trayon Christian, 19, left, and Kayla Phillips, 21, claim they were interrogated by police after buying expensive items from Barneys . Palmer, a 56-year-old exercise trainer from Crown Heights, Brooklyn, said he made the purchase without incident, using both his Macy’s platinum card and his American Express card. He was walking to a gym on Park Avenue when police surrounded him and demanded to see his ID. The officers said they were suspicious because they had lost sight of him on the store’s surveillance cameras, he said. When asked if he believed he was racially profiled, he told the New York Daily News that there was 'no other reason'. He was allowed to continue on his way after he showed his receipt for the duds and the cards with which he purchased them. When Palmer returned to the store the next day to complain, a Macy’s manager blamed it on the cops and said officers frequently come into the store to monitor surveillance videos without permission, according to Palmer. Two black Barneys customers said this week they were detained by police after making expensive purchases, while last week actor Robert Brown said he was paraded through Macy’s Herald Square store in handcuffs and detained for an hour after being racially profiled and accused of using a stolen credit card to buy his mother a $1,350 watch. Robert Brown with Sean Connery who he starred with in the movie, Finding Forrester. Brown is suing Macy's for racial profiling . Target: World famous male model Tyson Beckford said that even he is racially profiled when he goes into stores like Barney's and elsewhere . Brown, one of the stars of HBO show Treme, was released after being in cuffs for about 45 minutes without any charges . Brown, one of the stars of HBO show Treme, was released after being in cuffs for about 45 minutes without any charges. He’s suing the store and the NYPD, charging cops racially profiled him and violated his constitutional rights. Fashion megastar Tyson Beckford, 42, told PIX11 on Thursday that he frequently gets judged on the color of his skin in Barney's and other places. 'I . might have the most recognizable face in the world. I still get . followed all the time, any time I go to a store,' Beckford said outside . Barney's. Trayon . Christian, 19, is suing Barneys, saying he was accosted by undercover NYPD . officers after using his debit card to buy a $349 Ferragamo belt in . April. Kayla Phillips, 21, . said she was surrounded and interrogated by police after purchasing a . $2,500 handbag from Barneys in February. On Barneys' Facebook wall, users have posted their opinions, said the New York Daily News. 'Love these shoes ... but having dark skin, my hard earned money may not be enough to allow the purchase at this establishment,’ Facebook user Amelia Rios Alex wrote on the page, which features glitzy photos of shoes, perfume, jewelry and apparel. Anger: Furious Facebook users attacked Barneys' website over what they call 'modern racism', including the likes of rapper, Jay Z . Barneys' menswear ad was bombarded with angry comments . An ad for a John Varvatos suit with the tagline, Modern Monochrome, attracted 72 people to vent about the profiling scandal. ‘Modern racism,' said John Renaud. ‘Monochrome is right. Whites only’, according to David Nieves. ‘Will I get arrested if I buy this?’ asked Ramona Morgan. ‘Do handcuffs [come] with this or are they sold separately?’ said Facebook user Glenny Lennox. Civil rights activist Reverend Al Sharpton has . threatened protests against Barneys and a possible . boycott for 'upscale racial profiling'. 'In major cities like New York, blacks . and Latinos not only worry about being “stopped-and-frisked” by police, . but they also fear the embarrassment of being “shopped-and-frisked” in . retail stores,' he said in an opinion piece for the New York Daily News. 'Perhaps . all retailers need a friendly reminder of the immense buying power of . blacks and minorities. We will definitely remember those who welcome us . and those who would rather profile us, and we will speak loudly with our . dollars — bottom line.' we . ever naively believe that our work is done?' Sharpton wrote. Time for action:The Rev. Al Sharpton has condemned 'shop and frisk' at Manhattan stores and called for a boycott of Barneys . Sharpton said it was a 'travesty' that police and retailers interrogate black people who buy expensive items. 'Barneys, . a high-end retailer with stores in major cities, must answer for this . pattern of biased behavior, as must the NYPD,' he wrote. 'Our . National Action Network (NAN) Brooklyn chapter President Kirsten John . Foy said it best when he called Barneys’ behavior schizophrenic. On the . one hand, they want to expand their brand to the urban market, but then . they turn around and see us as suspects rather than prospects. 'Barneys . and other retailers that openly discriminate against us must be held . accountable. Simply apologizing isn’t enough; we need to see a plan of . action as to how they are going to rectify their ways.' Accountability: Sharpton said Barneys, a high-end retailer with stores in major cities, must answer for its 'pattern of biased behavior' Sharpton has demanded . a meeting with Barneys CEO, Mark Lee, and is 'currently mobilizing . activists for peaceful direct-action against the store and the NYPD.' Earlier this week, Lee said the company had retained a civil rights expert to help review its procedures and offered his 'sincere regret and deepest apologies'. 'Barneys . New York has zero tolerance for any form of discrimination and we stand . by our long history in support of all human rights,' Barneys said in a . statement. In his comment piece, Sharpton also highlighted the experiences of 'Treme' actor, Rob Brown, and Oscar-winning actor Forest Whitaker. Brown claimed he was paraded through . Macy’s Herald Square in handcuffs and placed in a holding cell because . an employee suspected that his credit card didn’t belong to him in June, . Whitaker said he was accused of stealing and patted down after leaving a store in Morningside Heights. 'When international celebrities can be . disrespected and mistreated in such a humiliating manner, how can we . ever naively believe that our work is done?' Sharpton wrote. | Art Palmer, 56, of Brooklyn, is the fourth person to claim he has been racially profiled while shopping .
On Sunday he said four plainclothes cops .
questioned him three blocks away from Macy's after he bought .
$320 worth of Polo dress shirts and ties in April .
New York fashion retailer Barneys is coming under a lot of fire on its Facebook page after two young black people say they were stopped while shopping for expensive goods .
Barneys' Facebook wall is being bombarded with angry comments .
One user calls it 'modern racism'
Trayon .
Christian, 19, sued Barneys, saying he was accosted by undercover NYPD .
officers after using his debit card to buy a $349 Ferragamo belt in .
April .
Kayla Phillips, 21, .
said she was surrounded and interrogated by police after purchasing a .
$2,500 handbag from Barneys in February .
Reverend .
Al Sharpton has accused Barney's of 'upscale racial profiling'
He said blacks and Latinos worry about being 'stopped-and-frisked' by police and 'shopped-and-frisked' in retail stores .
Sharpton has demanded a meeting with Barneys and called for a boycott of the retailer .
Even fashion megastar Tyson Beckford, 42, has said he frequently gets judged on the color of his skin in Barney's and other places .
Meanwhile, Finding Forrester actor, Robert Brown, is suing Macy's for racial profiling . |
12,750 | 242607d00b747d2792e38e0d979ca72c1a3a5296 | London (CNN) -- Violent extremist attacks, of the kind that claimed the life of Drummer Lee Rigby in May 2013, do not come out of thin air. Rather they are often the end product of a radicalization process in which extremist recruiters target impressionable young people with poisonous, pernicious and, more worryingly, appealing hate narratives. Central to understanding why some young British Muslims are susceptible to Islamist- inspired hate narratives in the first place is the issue of identity. Growing up in Britain during the 1980s and 90s, as the authors of this piece did, was fraught with challenges for many from ethnic minority backgrounds. One would experience an acute sense of dual-marginalisation from a very early age, and this feeling would be exacerbated by daily experiences. On one hand it was a struggle to connect with your parents, who were raised in a very different cultural context, and on the other hand it was challenging to connect with mainstream society, from which one felt alienated and discriminated. This created a sense of rootlessness and dislocation that resulted in an identity crisis. One did not know where he or she belonged, nor which aspect of one's multi-faceted identity to emphasise. The out of touch and decrepit nature of the local mosques only served to heighten this acute sense of alienation and confusion. British imams, having been brought in from the Asian sub-continent, rarely spoke English and had very little understanding of the challenges facing young Muslims growing up in Britain. Furthermore, most mosques were tightly controlled by a group of elderly men, who ruled with an iron fist and kept women and young people on the fringes. In this troubling and delicate context a number of Islamist organizations emerged and began to offer a radical alternative. Taking advantage of the identity crisis that many young Muslims were suffering from, they presented Islam as a revolutionary political doctrine and being Muslim as a political, as well as religious, identity. They also focused their efforts away from the mosques, preferring to target educational institutions, as well as other ungoverned spaces such as the internet. This was because the strand of theo-politics they sought to promote was alien to the traditional religious establishments in the UK. Their radical reformulation of Islam had certain implications. It meant one could now reject the culture of one's parents, since they did not understand the true Islam, as well as mainstream society, since it was perceived as being opposed to Muslim interests. Local and international grievances were weaved together and construed through a very specific narrative in which the monolithically conceived West was at war with Islam and Muslims. This new identity also recalibrated one's sense of loyalty. Since one was now a Muslim only, with other nationalist identities being rejected, one's loyalty lay with fellow Muslims. This exclusive loyalty was also accompanied by a sense of mission and purpose. Conflict zones around the world that involved Muslims were re-construed as front lines of a global war between Islam and Western capitalism. There was no sitting on the fence in this battle. Muslim men in particular were encouraged to see themselves as warriors who had a duty to protect the lives and dignity of Muslims around the world, who were suffering as a direct result of western aggression and policies. It is this narrative, which has taken root in the UK for reasons outlined above, that inspired the killers of Lee Rigby to do what they did. In fact, Michael Adebolago articulated it very effectively during the trial, which he used as an opportunity to spout standard extremist propaganda. He described himself as a soldier, as did the ringleader of 7/7, Muhammad Siddique Khan, and highlighted the actions of British troops in Afghanistan. However, Islamist extremists only ever present a very selective and sanitised version of their narrative to non-Muslims audiences with view to eliciting a degree of sympathy. They fail, for example, to express any outrage at attacks on Muslims by al Qaeda, nor do they dwell on their ambitions of waging a global war of conquest against non-Muslims. The fact that the killers of Lee Rigby were converts to Islam, who had adopted the narrative from charismatic street preachers, illustrates that vulnerable people from a variety of different backgrounds can be seduced by the global Islamist narrative. A sense of victimhood and alienation needs to be present, as well as a strong anti-establishment sentiment. It, therefore, comes as no surprise that those with previous gang connections who exist at the margins of society are often targets of recruiters. Perpetual political instability in the Middle East, North Africa and South Asia also continues to provide recruiters with material to exploit and construe through a dogmatic political prism. In the meantime, the outreach potential of social media allows recruiters to target a much wider audience than ever before. Without an effective response that is cognisant of the psychology of the average recruit, and approach taken by the average recruiter, the efforts of extremists will continue unabated. This response needs to brave and prepared to venture into ungoverned spaces, such as the internet. We need to take the fight to extremists by challenging and deconstructing narratives of hate and division as well as offering new models which can be used to recalibrate political thought. For counter-extremism practitioners such as us, eight years after 7/7 it still feels like our work has only just begun. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Maajid Nawaz and Ghaffar Hussain. | Extremist attacks often end product of radicalization process, write Maajid Nawaz and Ghaffar Hussain .
Nawaz and Hussain: Growing up in Britain during 1980s and 90s was challenging for ethnic minorities .
A number of Islamist organizations emerged and began to offer a radical alternative, say the writers .
It is this narrative that inspired the killers of Lee Rigby, say Nawaz and Hussain . |
17,918 | 32c10308ffa88e7c036252a93411c61b0c05ecfb | A teacher has lost all of her belongings after a repossession company mistakenly emptied her house and took its contents to a rubbish dump. Nikki Bailey had been visiting her best friend in hospital when she arrived home as the workers for the repossession company were leaving. Her house had been completely gutted with only a few items remaining. Worrying: Nikki Bailey's home was left completely empty after a repossession company mistakenly emptied the wrong house . Emptied: Furniture had been removed from Mrs Bailey's home with books even taken from her shelves . Shock: Mrs Bailey had been visiting her best friend in hospital when she arrived home as the workers for the repossession company were leaving . For more videos, please go to WSAZ . Speaking to WSAZ news, she said: 'Everything was gone. Living room furniture, my Marshall . diploma, my high school diploma, my pictures -- my history.' The company quickly realised it had had made a mistake and was at the wrong house. But by this point it was too late and all of her belongings had been taken to a rubbish dump. The repossession company had been told by a bank to remove everything from a house on . Godby Heights in Logan. Mrs Bailey lives on Godby Street, Godby Heights in Chapmanville. Mistake: This map shows Mrs Bailey's house and the location of the house the repossession firm should have attended . Bare: Her house had been completely gutted with only a few items remaining . A lawyer is now working on the case to try and ensure Mrs Bailey is fully compensated for all of the items which she has lost. Mrs . Bailey's attorney Tim DiPiero said: 'It just seems kind of ridiculous . that this actually happened when a phone call could have stopped it.' He is now attempting to work out how the mistake was made. Although the repossession company went to the wrong house, the address it was given by the bank was not correct. Error: Clothes were also removed from her wardrobes . Mistake: The repossession company had gone to the wrong house . | Nikki Bailey caught workers for .
repossession company at her home .
Her house had been completely gutted and possessions taken to dump .
She is taking legal action to get compensation for items she has lost . |
249,930 | cf760e66fb0337e9f7b24e4b2b559497af62a204 | (CNN) -- Widely considered Japan's cultural capital, Kyoto is one of the country's top travel destinations among domestic and, increasingly, international tourists. Drawing 50 million visitors a year, it's the place to learn to whip up a cup of matcha green tea, admire the craftsmanship of a geisha's kimono and study the art of the zen garden in an ancient temple before sitting down for a $500 kaiseki (Japanese haute cuisine) dinner. Readers of "Travel+Leisure" magazine even voted it world's best city this year, citing its "emerging style scene that's cutting edge." Yet despite Kyoto's obvious allure, until earlier this year there was one glaring absence from the city's travel scene -- a top tier, super-luxury hotel brand. Ritz-Carlton ended that drought in February with the opening of its fourth Japan property, located close to popular downtown areas like Gion and Kawaramachi-dori, the city's retail and entertainment district. "It is actually quite odd that there have not been international ultra-luxe hotel brands in Kyoto until recently, considering the fact that Kyoto is an extremely popular tourist destination," says Catherine Heald, CEO of luxury travel planner Remote Lands. "Kyoto's Hyatt Regency is very nice and it has sufficed, but it is not a Park Hyatt which is more in line with Ritz-Carlton and Four Seasons. The most sumptuous accommodations to date have actually been Hoshinoya [by Japanese brand Hoshino Resorts], which is what I call a Japanese hybrid ryokan (a cross between a ryokan and a hotel), very little known outside Japan. " The decision to open in Kyoto was a matter of catering to demand, says Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto general manager Yuji Tanaka. "The Ritz-Carlton is constantly listening to its loyal guests and a constant theme for us is to build hotels where our guests want us to be and Kyoto was high on the list," he says. "Bringing the brand to Kyoto is a major milestone -- a global iconic city, a window to Japan while being sensitive to centuries of tradition. We were fortunate to be able to work with like-minded partners in a rare location." Billing itself a modern international luxury ryokan, the property has 134 rooms and suites and faces the Kamogawa River and the Higashiyama Mountains in the distance. What's inside . It's difficult not to dismiss the "luxury ryokan" term as marketing fluff. A ryoken is, after all, a basic Japanese inn and the Ritz-Carlton brand hardly conjures images of elderly kimono-clad women bringing you a pot of green tea once you awake from a night on a futon. But during a recent visit we found there's some merit to the claim, given the intense attention to detail and subtle touches, like tatami suites, where guests can enjoy a classic futon experience -- albeit while covered in 600-thread-count linens. The architects and designers infused the character of a traditional Meiji house and courtyard into the architectural structure of the building, while blending in modern design elements. This includes the use of patterned motifs created by local artists and the incorporation of zen gardens (karesansui) and water features, such as a stunning three-story waterfall positioned in the heart of the hotel that stretches down to the basement swimming pool. "Each Ritz-Carlton is designed with a strong sense of place," says Tanaka. "This property carries the heart and soul of Ritz-Carlton service while staying true to the community in which it is located. The Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto was designed very much as a peaceful sanctuary and with the principles of miyabi -- or Japanese aesthetic concepts -- in mind." The hotel's Mizuki Japanese restaurant is already gaining a reputation among locals for its incredible kaiseki expertise -- the world's most beautiful multi-course feast -- and also serves sushi, teppanyaki and tempura. Even the Italian restaurant pays respect to Japan's history. Inside the beautifully decorated venue they've reassembled a townhouse once owned by Kyoto magnate Denzaburi Fujitia and turned it into a private dining room. More luxury on the way . Though big brands are notably absent, luxury seekers in Kyoto have hardly been neglected through the years. There are a handful of top-end ryokans, but they fill quickly during popular travel times -- particularly cherry blossom season in spring and the changing of the leaves in fall. Tawaraya, for instance, has been described as the top ryokan in not just Kyoto, but all of Japan. "Most of our clients do two-week trips to Japan including three nights each in Tokyo and Kyoto, plus three or four other destinations," says Remove Land's Catherine Heald. "They typically want a mix of hotels and ryokans -- and I strongly urge all clients to do at least one ryokan. "Traditional ryokans include elaborate 12-plus-course kaiseki dinners every night, which are absolutely heavenly in my opinion, but they can be over the top for many Western travelers to have every single night, so it is nice to have variety and a mix of cuisines." The arrival of a branded super-luxury hotel is welcome news for high-end travelers who want the full amenities and service that come with a global brand -- or can't live without their bacon and egg breakfast -- yet also want to experience the finer details of Japanese culture. The Ritz-Carlton Kyoto isn't alone in recognizing this. Competition is on the way, with the Four Seasons due to arrive in 2016. "I think travel to Kyoto will inevitably increase with two new five-star world-class brands," says Heald. "In the past it has been very difficult to get rooms in springtime during cherry blossom season, so that situation should change a lot with hundreds of new rooms available." Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto, Kamogawa Nijo-Ohashi Hotori, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto, Japan; +81 75 746 5555; rooms from 53,000 yen ($510) CNN Travel's series often carries sponsorship originating from the countries and regions we profile. However CNN retains full editorial control over all of its reports. Read the policy. | Kyoto is one of Japan's top travel destinations, yet branded hotels are few .
Ritz-Carlton, Kyoto is the luxury brand's fourth Japan hotel .
Four Seasons Kyoto due to open in 2016 .
"Travel will inevitably increase with two new five-star world-class brands," says luxury travel CEO . |
112,893 | 1dac6420e2380bc41234f637746628fc3e066921 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- China has refused nine U.S. Navy ships and one Air Force jet entry to Hong Kong in the past month, U.S. military officials said Friday. China has refused the USS Reuben James, seen in a 1989 photo, a Christmas port call in Hong Kong. Senior Navy officials said that Beijing denied permission for the USS Reuben James, a Navy frigate, to make a holiday port call for sailors at the end of December. The rejection occurred last week, at the same time China refused to allow the USS Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier battle group into Hong Kong for a Thanksgiving holiday port call. A U.S. Air Force C-17 flight that had been scheduled for a routine resupply of the U.S. Consulate in Hong Kong also was denied permission to enter, Navy officials said. The Kitty Hawk battle group was eventually granted permission to enter, but by then the ships were well on their way to port in Japan. Days earlier, China refused to give two U.S. Navy minesweepers safe harbor in Hong Kong during a storm on the high seas. The United States has filed a formal protest with China over the decisions. U.S. officials are baffled about the reason or reasons for the port call refusals. China recently has expressed concerns about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan and President Bush's October presentation of a Congressional Gold Medal to the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. Watch China put the blame on the U.S. » . There is speculation that the Chinese may have been conducting military exercises that they didn't want the U.S. Navy to see. Others think the refusals may have been the result of a misunderstanding. Officials could not explain why the rejection of the Reuben James had not been disclosed before, even though reporters had repeatedly asked if there were any other pending port calls. One senior Navy official expressed dismay that the information had not been made public by the Pentagon. White House deputy spokesman Scott Stanzel told reporters the White House is "aware" of the latest refusals and referred reporters to the Pentagon. Stanzel said a "clarification" on the matter was being sought from Beijing. White House and other Bush administration officials have sought to defuse tensions with China, saying the United States wants to move ahead on broader issues of military cooperation. Navy officials, meanwhile, say Japan is tightening approvals for Chinese navy visits into its ports. Crew members from a Chinese ship making a port call in Japan may not be allowed to tour a Japanese Aegis warship. The U.S.-designed Aegis weapons system enables coordinated operations against threats from aircraft and missiles, surface ships and submarines. It is not clear if the Japanese decision was made at the request of the United States. E-mail to a friend . | NEW: China wouldn't let U.S. Air Force jet land to resupply Hong Kong consulate .
Frigate USS Reuben James not allowed to enter Hong Kong for port call .
China last week refused port call for USS Kitty Hawk battle group .
Two U.S. minesweepers denied safe harbor during storm . |
26,378 | 4acfea4ece7704d8bebfa4d2a7348f6dc2358b66 | The Louisiana family behind Duck Dynasty is also attempting to build a political dynasty. A nephew of patriarch Phil Robertson has announced plans to run for the U.S. house. Zach Dasher, a 36-year-old Republican, is looking to replace Representative Vance McAllister, who the famous family had previously supported. McAllister. who ran on a platform of conservative Christian family values, landed in hot water in April after video emerged of the married Republican enjoying a long smooch with a female staffer - the wife of one of his best friends. The 40-year-old has been branded the 'Kissing Congressman' after the incident. He initially said he would not run for reelection this year, but later seemed to renege on that pledge. Scroll down for video . Family name: Zach Dasher (right), the nephew of Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson (left), is running for Congress in the family's home district . Dasher, a pharmaceutical rep, has no previous experience in public office, but pledged to return God to the nation's capital . Dasher, a pharmaceutical rep with no experience in public office, pledged to bring God back to the nation's capital. 'I got to looking around at the problems in politics today, and what I see in Washington, D.C., is no God. There is no God. The elite political class thinks they can be running our lives,' he said in an interview with The Associated Press. 'I think there’s a vacuum in D.C. of people who understand where rights come from. Rights don’t come from men. They come from God.' Dasher said he hopes to introduce new abortion restrictions, rollback ObamaCare and pass a constitutional amendment requiring Congress to balance the budget every year. In Louisana's rural, deeply conservative Fifth Congressional District, the family behind A&E's hit show 'Duck Dynasty' hold enormous sway. Even as the show has slumped in ratings nationally after patriarch Phil Robertson made anti-gay comments, the wealthy family behind the Duck Commander brand of game calls has remained influential. Scandal: Rep Vance McAllister was pictured enjoying a long kiss with a female staffer shortly after he was elected with the endorsement of the Duck Dynasty clan . McAllister, seen here with Willie Robertson and his wife, will face off against a member of the Duck Dynasty family if he decides to run again . When Rep McAllister ran for the special election for the Fifth District seat last year, he sought and won endorsement from the family. If he decides to run for reelection, it seems, he will be facing one of the Duck Commander's own. Dasher's mom is the sister of Phil and Silas 'Uncle Si' Robertson. | Zach Dasher, a 36-year-old Republican, has pledged to bring God back to Washington, DC.
He is the son of Duck Dynasty patriarch Phil Robertson's sister .
Could face Rep Vance McAllister, who the family had previously endorsed .
McAllister fell out of favor after video emerged of the married Congressman kissing a staffer . |
199,019 | 8da7920ab690cd986b8de697cde01e6650136284 | Doctors were unsure if they were going to make it past their first few days, but now the McCaughey septuplets are celebrating turning 16 - and planning driving lessons, college degrees and careers. Kenny, Kelsey, Natalie, Brandon, Alexis, Nathan and Joel, the world's first septuplets to survive infancy, are marking the milestone on Tuesday, November 19 at their home in Carlisle, Iowa. 'It's sad how quickly it's gone,' their mother . Bobbi told a local newspaper of the past 16 years. Bobbi and her husband Kenny famously . declined selective reduction after learning they were pregnant with . seven children following fertility treatment, saying it was 'in . God's hands'. Celebration: The McCaughey septuplets (with their parents, Kenny and Bobbi, center, and their big sister Milayla, back left) are turning 16 on Tuesday. They are the world's first surviving septuplets . Together: L-R, Nathan, Brandon, , Kelsey, Natalie, Brandon, Kenny (light blue shirt), Joel and Alexis (laying across laps). The septuplets generated world wide attention after they were born November 19, 1997 . 'I will always remember the day we found . out there were so many,' Bobbi told the Des Moines Register. 'It wasn't like "yoohoo!" There were so many . doubts. To a lot of people this might sound trite, but God . determined the outcome.' Learning they had septuplets on the way sparked international headlines that would chart the children's every move. After the babies were born nine weeks prematurely in Des Moines in 1997, joining their big sister, Mikayla Marie, news crews swarmed their modest one-floor home. Amid the media frenzy, President Bill Clinton personally called the family to congratulate the family, Oprah welcomed them on her show and companies and strangers scrambled to help out the couple. Early days: Bobbi McCaughey, pictured in 1998, used fertility treatment and had refused selective reduction . Babies' day out: She prepares to take out her nine-month-old babies with the help of friends in 1998 . Helping hand: Mikayla, who was nearly 2 when her siblings were born, is pictured helping her mother . Staying healthy: Bobbi takes one of her sons to the doctors. Doctors were stunned they were all healthy . Doting: Big sister Mikayla helps out her parents by caring for one of her little sisters in 1998 . At the time of the conception of both Mikayla and the septuplets, Bobbi McCaughey was undergoing treatments of an ovulation-stimulating drug called Metrodin, which primes a woman's eggs for successful conception. But while it often takes repeated doses to get pregnant, with the septuplets, Bobbi conceived the children on the first treatment. A Time article about the family noted that while doctors can carefully control the number of embryos they insert with in-vitro fertilization, fertility drugs are basically a roll of the dice. She had been warned that in around 20 per cent of cases, women had seen multiple births - but they were shocked to learn she was carrying seven babies. While septuplets had previously been delivered, none had lived beyond a few weeks. So the McCaugheys' doctors suggested they undergo 'selective reduction' - in which several of the fetuses are aborted so the others have a better chance at being healthy. But the couple are religious Baptists and opposed to abortion so did not even consider the procedure. Among the donations, they received a . 5,500 square foot home, a van, a year's worth of Kraft's macaroni and . cheese, diapers for the first two years and . full college scholarships for any state university in Iowa. During the early months, the septuplets drank 42 bottles a day and went through 52 diapers. But over the years, the media coverage has waned and the coupons for free food have run out - encouraging the family to be frugal. And from their early teenage years, the septuplets have been helping out the family by carrying out chores, such as their own laundry. The family still lives in the same house that was donated after the births and continues to use the same van. And while the four boys and three girls are looking forward to being 16 and driving, their father, who still works at a metal coating plant, warned that they can only have cars once they get jobs. He is also up against other teenage challenges. 'The biggest challenge is making sure . they keep up with certain things but not keep up with certain things, . trendy things,' Kenny said of his teenagers. 'Three of them have cellphones and a couple . have iPads.' The family has saved to cover braces for several of the children and the medical needs of Alexis and Nathan, who were born with forms of cerebral palsy. Modest: A police officer guards the McCaughey . home before the couple arrives back after the births . Small: Following the arrival of their septuplets, the family was given a new home through donations . Surprise: A large capacity van was also donated to the parents - they still use the same one today . Huge team: The Iowa Methodist Medical Center personnel that participated in the McCaughey septuplet birth pose for a group photo at the hospital two days later . In demand: Media trucks line the driveway outside Iowa Methodist Medical Center after the birth . Proud: Bobbi holds Kenny Jr as she sits beside Kenny and NBC host Ann Curry four days after the births . Both of the children had surgeries, . including a spinal surgery to help Nathan walk, over the years but they . are doing well, the Des Moines Register reported. Alexis . has also started taking part in beauty pageants for special needs . children, taking the 2013 Teen Miss Dreams Made True award in Carroll. 'It feels really awesome,' Alexis told . the Carrolls Paper at the time. 'I love just interacting with all the . girls because they're really nice.' Amid the life lessons and support from their parents, the teens are also battling classes at school. Last . year they began high school and have become fully immersed in . activities; all are part of the band and perform at halftime at football . games. Happy and healthy: Natalie, left in hospital and right today, is a promising student and hopes to teach . Strong: Brandon, pictured left and right, enjoys wrestling and hopes to join the military after graduating . Tiny: Kelsey was the lightest baby at 2lb 5oz but she now enjoys soccer and wants a career in cosmetology . Hard workers: Kenny, left, also enjoys wrestling at school, woodworking, fishing and playing the drums . Fighter: Alexis, who suffers from cerebral palsy, is in cheerleading as a manager and hopes to teach . Impressive: Nathan, who also has cerebral palsy, hopes for a career in science after school . Last but not least: Joel was the 8th to be born, weighing just 2lbs 15oz. He now runs track and plays trombone . Five have run cross . country, another wrestles, one plays soccer and another enters speech contests, while six . were on the honor roll, the Register reported. 'It's fun to see the work pay off,' Bobbi said of her children. As their lives have become busier, . they have fallen from television screens and magazines - from Time . magazine to Dateline NBC - that they regularly graced throughout their . childhoods. While Bobbi said she missed the media, the children are less bothered. 'It was kinda cool but in other ways I never liked it, all these cameras following you around everywhere,' Nathan said. Talented: Alexis, with the family dog, has won local beauty pageants for women with special needs . Musical: All of the teenagers take part in the school band. Here, Kenny plays the drums at their home . Growing up: Front row left to right, Natalie, Nathan, Brandon, Kenny, Alexis and Joel. Kelsey is pictured top . The . family are also well aware that they luckily avoided the days of . reality TV and didn't get sucked into appearing with their children on a . show to help pay the bills. Putting their former celebrity behind them, the children are now considering their futures. Brandon . plans on going into military service after school, while Kenny hopes to . work in construction, Nathan in science, Joel in computers, Kelsey in . cosmetology and Alexis and Natalie in teaching. But while they admit it's a transition phase, they know one thing for sure. 'You never have to worry,' Kenny Jr. said, 'that you are alone.' | Kenny, Kelsey, Natalie, Brandon, Alexis, Nathan and Joel McCaughey, from Carlisle, Iowa, celebrate their 16th birthdays on Tuesday .
The septuplets were born after their mother, Bobbi, took fertility drugs .
The children achieved international headlines after they were born in 1997, with some criticizing their parents for refusing selective reduction .
Two of the children have cerebral palsy but all are healthy and are doing well at high school . |
22,661 | 40556350c01cb416dfde83b0c2df1dadcc1b16c1 | Bachmann said Senator Kent Sorenson had 'been offered large sum of money' By . Associated Press . Last updated at 11:16 AM on 29th December 2011 . Michele Bachmann's struggling presidential campaign saw her Iowa chairman defect yesterday to rival Ron Paul's side, an embarrassing blow that came as some called for her to leave the race to free up her supporters for other candidates. Hours after appearing with Bachmann at an event, State Senator Kent Sorenson gave his endorsement to the Texas congressman at a Des Moines rally. Mr Sorenson said he resigned from Bachmann's campaign to back Paul, whom he called the most conservative of the top-tier candidates. Behind the scenes: Republican candidate Michele Bachmann (C) with Iowa Senator Kent Sorenson in Indianola, Iowa in August. He switched his support to Ron Paul today . Bachmann said Sorenson made the jump after 'he was offered a large sum of money to go to work for the Paul campaign'. 'Kent said to me yesterday that ''everyone sells out in Iowa, why shouldn't I,'" Bachmann said in a written statement. 'Then he told me he would stay with our campaign. The Ron Paul campaign has to answer for its actions.' Paul . campaign chairman Jesse Benton said the campaign was not paying Mr . Sorenson and that he was puzzled why Bachmann would make such a claim . against an elected official popular with Iowa conservatives. Betrayal: Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann meets with voter in Greenfield, Iowa today after hearing her chairman for the state had defected to rival Ron Paul . Mr Benton said: 'We've always known . Michele to be an honorable person. She should stop slandering an . honorable Iowa state senator.' He . added that Paul campaign officials had been begun speaking to Mr . Sorenson 'in earnest' in the last few days, and that he had informed the . campaign yesterday that he was ready to sign on. Sorenson . announced the switch during a Paul veterans' rally in Des Moines. He . didn't immediately return a phone call from The Associated Press to . address Bachmann's charges that the move was financially based. In . a statement, he said: 'The fact is, there is a clear top tier in the . race for the Republican nomination for president, both here in Iowa and . nationally. Ron Paul is easily the most conservative of this group. Switching teams: Iowa State Senator Kent Sorensen speaks at a rally for Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul after suddenly leaving Michele Bachmann's campaign with less than a week to the caucuses . 'The truth is, it was an . excruciatingly difficult decision for me to decide between supporting . Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul at the beginning of this campaign.' Susan . Geddes, a veteran operative in conservative GOP political circles who . managed Sorenson's 2008 and 2010 legislative races, said Sorenson had . told her several times, as recently as last month, that the Paul . campaign had offered him money to leave Bachmann's campaign. Geddes . said Sorenson had damaged his political future in Iowa by abandoning . Bachmann's campaign less than a week before the caucuses. Forging ahead: Ron Paul waves to the crowd as he drums up support in Des Moines, Iowa today . 'The truth is, it was an excruciatingly difficult decision for me to decide between supporting Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul at the beginning of this campaign.' Susan Geddes, a veteran operative in conservative GOP political circles who managed Sorenson's 2008 and 2010 legislative races, said Sorenson had told her several times, as recently as last month, that the Paul campaign had offered him money to leave Bachmann's campaign. Geddes said Sorenson had damaged his political future in Iowa by abandoning Bachmann's campaign less than a week before the caucuses. 'He just committed political suicide,' she said. Bachmann has been on a frantic 99-county push across Iowa in an effort to recover from the slide that followed her Iowa straw poll victory in August. Paul was a close second in that contest. 'He just committed political suicide.' Susan Geddes, GOP insider, on Sorenson's late switch of allegiance . Earlier in the day, two influential pastors said they wanted either her or former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum to drop out of the running to keep evangelical voters from splitting their support. Bachmann insisted she would see the Iowa caucus campaign through. Sorenson, who has strong ties to Iowa's tea party, was one of Bachmann's earliest public supporters and joined her for an afternoon stop at a Pizza Ranch restaurant in Indianola. Standing by her side, he declined to speak to the crowd there, citing numbness from dental work. All day, Bachmann bashed Paul as 'dangerous' for having a hands-off foreign policy. It was part of a double-barreled attack on the two Texans in the race. She went after Governor Rick Perry for '27 years as a political insider'. The aggressive tone underscored Bachmann's role as a chaser in the final week of campaigning. She has bet heavily on Iowa, where she was born. Bachmann came hardest at Perry, who this week began a television ad lumping Bachmann with other Washington figures seeking the GOP nomination in his attempt to come off as the outsider in the race. 'Just because he's held office outside of Washington, D.C., does not mean he is not a political insider. It's what you do in your office that matters,' she said outside a small-town cafe. 'There aren't very many politicians who have spent more time paying off political donors than Governor Rick Perry has.' Perry has served Texas as a legislator, agriculture commissioner, lieutenant governor and governor. Bachmann also said Perry has engaged in 'crony capitalism' by helping donors with Texas government contracts or giving them political appointments. And she called Perry a double-dipper for collecting his gubernatorial salary and state pension at the same time. Campaigning in Indianola on Wednesday, Perry scored what appeared to be a double hit of his own. Although he didn't name his targets, he took aim at lawmakers who sound off in Washington without much influence on policy - a rap sometimes attached to Bachmann and Paul. 'Some campaigns are about their voting record, on bills that never make it to the president's desk. I'm campaigning on ideas that I've signed into law,' Perry said. As for Paul, Bachmann criticised him as misguided about foreign threats to U.S. interests. 'Ron Paul would be a dangerous president,' Perry said. 'He would have us ignore all of the warning signs of another brutal dictator who wants to wipe Israel off the face of the earth. I won't. He would wait until one of our cities is wiped off of the map until he reacted. I won't wait.' On Wednesday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich told CNN that he would find it personally difficult to vote for Paul if the Texas congressman were to become the party's choice to go up against President Barack Obama next fall. Bachmann refused to go that far, dodging two direct questions about her willingness to back Paul later on. 'He won't win the nomination,' she said. At stop after stop, Bachmann cast herself as America's Iron Lady, the nickname assigned to former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Bachmann sits on the House Intelligence Committee, which she said gives her a firm grip on world affairs. State Senator Brad Zaun, who had been Bachmann's Iowa co-chairman, was named full chairman after Sorenson's resignation. | Bachmann said Senator Kent Sorenson had 'been offered large sum of money' |
86,289 | f4daef4ea13ec9f6acd571a1bcaf85c38d960420 | By . Chris Greenwood . and Eleanor Harding . and Amie Keeley . PUBLISHED: . 13:51 EST, 27 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 19:51 EST, 27 January 2014 . The home of a top British diplomat was at the centre of a huge counter-terrorism search last night over fears it is being used to hide chemical weapons. Dozens of officers, including specialists in chemical and biological threats, were tearing apart the £650,000 property after a tip-off. The house belongs to Nicholas Sutcliffe, a first secretary to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office who has served in Brazil and Cuba. Searches: Investigators in protective equipment sift through material at the Streatham house tonight . Operation: Police stand guard outside the address in Stratford, where searches are also taking place . Through the night: This photograph, taken on Monday night, shows the searches continuing after dark . It is not known if the senior public . servant, who shares the property with his wife Carole and four sons, was . at home when the police raid began. A . 19-year-old man, believed to be one of his twin sons, was arrested . under counter terrorism laws and has since been released on bail. In . a second linked operation, a 36-year-old woman was arrested at her home . in Stratford, East London, under the same legislation. She remained in . custody last night. Neighbours . described a ‘motorcade’ descending on their street in Streatham Hill, . South London as more than 30 officers in a dozen vans, including a . satellite communications truck, surrounded the property and sealed the . road. Specialist officers . were seen entering the four-bedroom semi-detached home wearing . protective clothing and carrying breathing equipment. Within . hours they could be seen digging up the back garden as colleagues . searched the home. The search was then expanded to the garden of the . neighbouring property, which is owned by an unconnected family. Forensic tents were erected over the excavations and arc lights erected so they could continue working through the night. Arrests: Police stand guard outside the Streatham property earlier today . Search: Officers have set up tents in houses surrounding the Streatham address . Scotland . Yard described the raid as an ‘intelligence-led, pre-planned operation’ and it is not believed to be linked to an active terrorist plot. A spokesman said residents were not at ‘immediate risk’, adding that the protective clothing was a precautionary measure. The . teenager was arrested under the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act, . drawn up after 9/11. A key element allows the Home Secretary to . indefinitely detain, without charge or trial, foreign nationals . suspected of terrorism. It also covers aiding or abetting the overseas use or development of chemical or biological weapons. Mr . Sutcliffe is described in the Diplomatic Service List as a ‘First . Secretary’ to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office since 2001. He . was posted to Brazil as an economic expert, in 1990, and Havana, Cuba, . in 1998. His sons attended Graveney School in South London. Mr . Sutcliffe’s sister-in-law Jenny, from Chelmsford, said: ‘I don’t know . anything about it. It’s just lunacy. It just sounds so strange. We’re . talking about a normal, middle-class family here. It must be a mix-up.’ Searches: Officers approach the Streatham address, where police confirmed searches were continuing . Planned operation: The arrests were made over the weekend . Officers: Police could be seen around the address in Streatham, south London, where on arrest took place . His . brother Peter Sutcliffe, 49, of Huddersfield, a magazine editor, said: . ‘James and George are my nephews and they are 19-year-old twins. I find . it extraordinary police have made an arrest and I cannot believe either . James or George have involvement in terrorism.’ Neighbour . Serena Agnello, 22, said: ‘The police have come in to use my loo a few . times and one told me they found something. They said they’re going to . be here for the rest of the week.’ Others . described the Sutcliffes as a ‘quiet family’ and said they were . ‘stunned’ by the police operation which was ‘taking the house apart . piece by piece’. One wrote . on Twitter: ‘Scary, gas masks on and they won’t tell us anything!’ Neighbour Peter Petchey, 60, said: ‘They seemed like a very nice family . and they must have lived there for at least 12 years.’ The raid took place at 8am on Saturday. The Stratford operation was mounted at 4pm on Sunday. Local MP Chuka Umunna said police had told him there was no danger to other residents. | A 19-year-old man was arrested in Streatham, south London .
Thirty officers swooped on four-bedroom home worth £650,000 .
A woman, 36, was also arrested in Stratford, east London, yesterday .
Police have set up tents and are thought to be looking for chemicals .
Three addresses in London are currently being searched by experts . |
53,244 | 9704979ec96cd55d29d41d47a0424eac1bfe311b | (CNN)Formula One star Fernando Alonso is out of hospital after his high speed crash -- but the Spaniard will not take part in this week's final preseason test in Barcelona. The double world champion was concussed and airlifted to hospital when his McLaren ran wide during winter testing at the Circuit de Catalunya -- home to the Spanish Grand Prix -- on Sunday. "We are pleased to confirm that Fernando Alonso has now left hospital," McLaren said in a statement. "He has returned to his family's home in Spain for further rest and recuperation." Alonso gave a thumbs-up to photographers as he walked out of the Cataluna Hospital on Thursday and drove away with his girlfriend. Kevin Magnussen, who effectively lost his McLaren seat to the returning Alonso, will share driving duties with Jenson Button at the four day test which begins on Thursday. Alonso chose to leave Ferrari at the end of the 2014 season and rejoin McLaren, which is also renewing its technical partnership with Japanese engine manufacturer Honda for 2015. The 33-year-old -- regarded by his peers as the best driver on the grid -- is chasing a third world crown but, so far, he has not had chance to gauge the possibilities of realizing that ambition with McLaren. Early reliability problems meant Alonso had only completed 117 laps in the MP4-30 race car before his preseason was curtailed by the crash. McLaren had explained that Alonso's "accident was caused by the unpredictably gusty winds at that part of the circuit at that time." Turn Three, where the accident took place, is an area of the circuit where cross winds are known to affect the balance of the cars. The team statement continued: "We can also disclose that no electrical discharge or irregularity of any kind occurred in the car's ERS [energy recovery] system either before, during or after the incident. "That last point refutes the erroneous rumors that have spread recently to the effect that Fernando was rendered unconscious by an electrical fault. That is simply not true." McLaren sporting director Eric Boullier had described the crash as "one of those things that happens during testing." Alonso will be expected to return to driving duties for CNN sponsored McLaren in first practice for the season opening Australian Grand Prix on March 13. | Fernando Alonso leaves hospital three days after his crash in Barcelona .
The double world champion will recover at his family home in Spain .
Kevin Magnussen will drive for McLaren in final preseason test in place of Alonso . |
111,342 | 1b968a5e3d5c00db77cfb51843cc480500629702 | (CNN) -- Could another deep water -- or even shallow water -- oil drilling disaster be looming ahead? Experts warn it certainly could happen again. The Deepwater Horizon catastrophe, they say, highlights flaws in the drilling industry's main defense against oil and gas explosions -- the blowout preventer, which is supposed to shut down an oil and gas well if something goes wrong. Oil companies have treated such devices as virtually fail-safe. "They're certainly not fail-safe because they didn't close this well. If they had been 100 percent fail-safe they would have sealed, they would have closed," said Petroleum Engineering Professor Paul Bommer of the University of Texas at Austin. Indeed, there have been numerous rig blowouts, including a large gusher in the Timor Sea off the coast of Western Australia last year. A growing number of blowouts have caused offshore oil drilling to become sloppier in the past decade. There were 72 spills that dumped 18,000 barrels of oil into U.S. federal waters from 2000-2009, compared to just 15 spills that put 2,000 barrels into the water during the prior decade, according to data compiled by the Minerals Management Service (MMS) of the Interior Department, which regulates energy exploration. (The database excludes spills of less than 50 barrels). Avoiding such spills depends upon the reliability of the blowout preventer, which is essentially a faucet on top of the oil well that keeps oil and gas from gushing to the surface. Rig workers use the preventer to keep a well under control, especially when oil and gas surge or "kick up" from a well. When its valves don't do the job, the blowout preventer can choke off the drilling pipe-- like squeezing a straw while drinking. And, if that fails to work, a blowout preventer has yet another line of defense -- huge shear rams -- like giant scissors that are supposed to be able to cut and seal the drilling pipe. But, a mile underwater, where the pressure is intense, drill pipes need to be thick, especially the joints between them. And those joints are very hard to cut. "There are some parts of the pipe that the shears were never meant to cut," said Ford Brett, an expert in petroleum project management who is advising the Interior Department's oil drilling safety review. "No one's equipment will shear the drill collar body. That's a lot of metal. It's not going to be possible to shear certain things," added Benton Baugh, another advisor to Interior's review of the Deepwater incident and President of Radoil, which designs and manufactures oilfield and subsea drilling equipment. A 2002 study for the Minerals Management Service warned of such trouble in shearing drilling pipe deep underwater. Initial research painted, "a grim picture of the probability of success when utilizing this final tool in securing a well," wrote consultant West Engineering Services. West Engineering would not comment to CNN on its studies for the government. "The blowout preventers had a probability of failing to crush that pipe that approaches 50 percent," said Professor Robert Bea of the University of California at Berkeley who is familiar with the study. "It would be like getting on an airplane having a 50 percent chance of making it to your destination," added Bea. Based on 55 years of engineering experience, including a stint as chief offshore engineer for Shell, Bea is warning government investigators that blowout preventers are not reliable in the deep sea and he worries they could fail in the Arctic, where the industry is pursuing energy resources. "You can keep on pushing equipment to the point of where it breaks, and I think we broke it. All of the drilling operations underway of this nature in the world today depend on these devices as the final line of defense." In the harshest of environments, a mile underwater or in the Arctic Tundra, blowout preventers operate under great stress, increasing their potential vulnerability to wear and tear. "It is a mechanical piece of equipment. It is utilized in harsh environments. Yes, it can wear out," said Professor Steve Sears, chair of the Department of Petroleum Engineering at Louisiana State University. In fact, BP told congressional investigators there were several leaks in the hydraulic system that was supposed to power the shear rams of the Deepwater Horizon's blowout preventer. "It was a coupling that had not been tightened down adequately. It was several turns loose," said a person with knowledge of the investigation. BP officials also discovered a dead battery. The final safety switch for a blowout preventer that has lost communication with its oil rig is the "deadman" system that's supposed to trigger the blowout preventer to shut the well. It did not activate during the Transocean April 20th rig explosion. Another study West Engineering Services prepared for the Minerals Management System in 2003 found flaw with the deadman system. "The most serious drawback to this system ...is the mind set of the rig personnel. Many operator and contractor personnel refuse to arm the system from fear that it will either not operate when needed or activate inappropriately, causing downtime." Such downtime can be extremely costly. If the blowout preventer cuts through drilling pipe it can easily cost $10-million to replace that section of pipe and put the rig back into production, said Baugh. Given the multiple problems with blowout preventers energy experts concede the oil industry must quickly raise its safety bar. "We must improve the safety systems of blowout preventers. Obviously it's time to take it to the next level," said Baugh. "There are more strenuous conditions occurring and we must have more strenuous solutions for them." The Interior Department, facing the reality of energy drilling dangers, is in the process of toughening rules for offshore oil exploration. "We must ensure that offshore drilling is conducted safely and in compliance with the law," said Interior Secretary Ken Salazar. Drilling operations not subject to the administration's six-month deepwater drilling moratorium have until the end of the month to: . -- Provide independent third party verification of the safety and effectiveness of blowout preventers; . -- Install a secondary control system for subsea blowout preventers (current regulations do not require such a backup); . -- And, adhere to new inspection and reporting requirements for blowout preventers. By September the Interior Department intends to require blowout preventers to have two sets of sheer rams spaced at least four feet apart in case a drill pipe joint is in front of a shear during an emergency. The Interior Department says such steps will "increase the safety in offshore oil and gas development," but concedes they, "represent only the beginning of the Department's work." | Blowout preventers are supposed to cut off flow from oil wells .
Preventer failed on BP well in the Gulf .
Experts question reliability of device in extreme conditions . |
284,103 | fc15b3f05ea57abfdb42b8c3352bfbe43ccff467 | Venice, Italy (CNN) -- George Clooney, long considered Hollywood's most eligible bachelor, married British human rights attorney Amal Alamuddin Saturday in a private ceremony in Venice, Italy, his publicist, Stan Rosenfield, told CNN. Clooney arrived by motorboat at a star-studded bash at the Aman Canal Grande Venice resort, housed in the 16th-century Palazzo Papadopoli. "George, auguri!" Venetians could be heard offering their best wishes as Clooney waved. "Auguri!" Celebrities, paparazzi and the world's media have been congregating in Venice for the widely anticipated nuptials. The actor and his then-fiancée were photographed Friday cruising the sun-dappled canals of Venice ahead of their big day. Clooney, 53, and Alamuddin, 36, looked happy and impeccably glamorous as they were carried around the city in a motorboat appropriately named "Amore," or "Love," passing bemused tourists in gondolas as they went. The bride-to-be was dressed in a stylish black-and-white dress, while Clooney wore a sharply tailored gray suit and white shirt with dark sunglasses. The first celebrity guests to arrive were also caught on camera in the city famed for romance, notably actor Matt Damon, American Vogue editor-in-chief Anna Wintour and supermodel Cindy Crawford. "I guess this is, as Dean Martin put it, 'That's Amore,' the land of love," said a tourist visiting Venice from Canada, referring to the late crooner's signature song. "Yes, my heart is broken but I'm excited," his partner said with a smile. "He has made the right choice," an Italian woman said. "Because Venice is one of the most beautiful cities in the world." It's not been confirmed exactly how the wedding weekend will play out. But a notice from the city authorities said that because of George Clooney's marriage the city hall area will be closed on Monday from 12 p.m to 2 p.m. local or later if necessary -- presumably for a civil ceremony. Paparazzi throng canal side . Clooney revealed earlier this month at a celebrity charity event in Tuscany, Italy, that he and Alamuddin would be tying the knot in Venice. According to People magazine, Clooney was receiving a humanitarian award at the black-tie gala, and said during his acceptance speech, "I met my lovely bride-to-be here in Italy, whom I will be marrying, in a couple of weeks, in Venice, of all places." Plenty of paparazzi, cameramen and photographers were on the docks facing the Aman Canal Grande. Others were going up and down the Grand Canal on taxi boats. Power couple . The nuptials of Clooney and Alamuddin come hot on the heels of the long-awaited marriage of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie last month. The Hollywood power couple went for a low-key ceremony at their estate in France, in which each of their six children had a part to play. Clooney and Alamuddin seem set to make more of a public splash with their event, although since they became engaged in the spring, they've been largely protective of their relationship. When a Daily Mail report claimed that Clooney and his Lebanese future mother-in-law Baria were at odds, Clooney blasted the publication with a first-person piece in USA Today, and then refused to accept the Daily Mail's subsequent apology. CNN's Erin McLaughlin reported from Venice, Laura Smith-Spark wrote and reported in London, Ray Sanchez wrote and reported in New York, Rachel Wells reported from Los Angeles. Journalist Livia Borghese contributed to this report. | NEW: George Clooney and Amal Alamuddin are married in Venice .
Italians cheer Clooney as he arrives by motorboat for star-studded bash .
They were photographed Friday on a motor launch cruising Venice's canals .
Actor Clooney and Alamuddin, a human rights lawyer, got engaged in the spring . |
1,522 | 0467270364a5305e65f28296ead84e34b887500c | Former Manchester United trainee Josh King scored a famous FA Cup hat-trick as Stoke City boss Mark Hughes suffered a nightmare return to Ewood Park. Rovers fans mockingly chanted 'Hughesy, Hughesy, What's the score?' as their former manager watched his Premier League outfit collapse after being reduced to ten men on the stroke of half-time. Despite going in front through Peter Crouch, Stoke couldn't handle King, a 23-year-old Norwegian-born striker who left Old Trafford after making just two first-team appearances and was only playing on Saturday because Rovers star striker Jordan Rhodes needed a rest. Josh King scored a hat-trick against Premier League side Stoke City to ensure his side progressed to the sixth round . Blackburn Rovers forward King nets his first goal of the afternoon by flicking the ball past Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland . Former Manchester United striker King won a penalty after he was fouled by Stoke's Geoff Cameron . Blackburn's King celebrates his side's third goal by jumping in the air at Ewood Park . BLACKBURN (4-4-1-1): Eastwood 6; Duffy 7, Henley 6.5, Kilgallon 6, Olsson 6; Williamson 6.5 (Evans 45 6), Marshall 6 (Conway 11 6.5), Cairney 6, Taylor 6; King 9 (Varney 78); Gestede 6.5 . Subs not used: Steele, Spurr, Hanley, Rhodes . Goals: King 36, 50 & 55, Gestede pen 45 . Booked: Williamson, Cairney, Evans . STOKE CITY (4-4-2): Butland 5.5; Cameron 5, Wollscheid 6.5 Muniesa 5 (Sidwell 52 5.5), Bardsley 6; Arnautovic 5.5 (Wilkinson 45 6), Whelan 6, Nzonzi 5.5, Moses 7.5 (Adam 67 6); Crouch 6, Diouf 5.5 . Subs not used: Sorensen, Palacios, Teixeira, Shenton . Goal: Crouch 10 . Booked: Diouf, Wollscheid, Whelan . Sent off: Cameron . Referee: Anthony Taylor 6 . Attendance: 13,934 . He drew his side level with a header and after Rudy Gestede had put the Championship underdogs ahead with a penalty, King added two more in the second half by out-sprinting the Stoke back line. By that time, Stoke were a man short with Geoff Cameron dismissed for the foul that led to Gestede's spot-kick. 'Kingy will get the headlines and rightly so,' said Rovers manager Gary Bowyer. 'He has had a great education at Manchester United and shown here what he is capable of. 'The challenge for him now is to produce it on a regular basis. What can I tell you about him? He lives in Manchester and drives a car that's too fast, probably the same speed he can run.' Hughes, who was Blackburn's manager between 2004 and 2008 before leaving for Manchester City, wasn't happy that his players wilted so easily under pressure. 'Blackburn were direct but that is valid. They executed their game plan better than us. I have no complaints,' he said. Even so, Hughes will be hurting this morning. He won the FA Cup four times as a player and fancied emulating the Stoke team that reached the final in 2011, hence he named his strongest side - save for regular cup keeper Jack Butland for Asmir Begovic. It started well for the visitors when Peter Crouch turned in a Victor Moses corner to open the scoring after 10 minutes and they should have added a second when Mame Biram Diouf blazed over from six yards. However, Stoke's new vulnerability at set pieces cost them after 36 minutes, Shane Duffy headed a corner goalwards and King got the final touch off his head from a couple of yards to equalise. When referee Anthony Taylor signalled eight minutes of injury time at the end of the first half – due to a shoulder injury to Ben Marshall - Stoke were rocking badly. Butland fluffed a cross and needed Philipp Wollscheid to clear off the line. Stoke's indecision was becoming a problem and in the next attack, Gestede was brought down by Geoff Cameron, and Mr Taylor pointed the spot and sent off the American defender. 'The letter of the law says he has to be sent off,' said Bowyer, and Hughes wasn't ready to argue. Gestede coolly sent Butland the wrong way from the spot for his 13th goal of the season. Referee Anthony Taylor shows Cameron a red card after his foul on eventual hat-trick hero King . Stoke forward Peter Crouch had put his side in the lead until Blackburn hit back . Crouch poked home from close range to score his eighth goal of the season . Stoke look dejected after conceding a fourth goal against Championship outfit Blackburn Rovers . Hughes sent on Andy Wilkinson as a half-time substitute to cover the loss of Cameron but within 10 minutes Stoke had conceded twice more and were as good as out of the cup. Both goals, after 50 and 55 minutes, were similar. King's pace on the break taking him clear of the Stoke defence and finished off with low finishes past Butland. He was so quick for the first that Marc Muniesa pulled a hamstring trying to catch him and after collapsing in agony, needed help as he hobbled off to be replaced by Steve Sidwell. King then outpaced Steven Nzonzi to complete his treble. Stoke's miserable day was completed when their fans were involved in minor skirmishes with stewards who had moved into their section with a stretcher after had fainted. Stoke will launch their own investigation after claims that punches were thrown and one person suffered injuries. King is mobbed by his Blackburn team-mates after scoring his third goal of the afternoon . The 23-year-old scores past Stoke goalkeeper Butland to complete the scoring at Ewood Park . Butland failed to stop King from scoring Blackburn's fourth goal of the afternoon . Mame Biram Diouf and Steven N'Zonzi prepare to restart play after their side concede against Blackburn . Stoke boss Mark Hughes reacts to his side's disappointing performance by waving his hands in disgust . Stoke fans clash with stewards during the FA Cup fifth round match at Ewood Park . | Josh King ensured his side progressed to the sixth round of the FA Cup by scoring a hat-trick .
The former Manchester United striker had scored just one goal for Blackburn before match against the Potters .
Rudy Gestede scored from the spot after Geoff Cameron was sent off for a foul on King inside the penalty area .
Peter Crouch opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Blackburn hit back . |
176,292 | 703b082a3ba7f4200eebaa0af1c5f8263cd131e4 | By . Leesa Smith . and Emily Crane . The horrifying seconds of a crocodile trainer fighting for his life as hysterical zoo visitors helplessly watch on has been captured on video. Feeding time for John, the crocodile, in his enclosure at Shoalhaven Zoo on Monday descended into a horror show when Trent Burton was almost dragged to his death by his 3.7m reptile pal. Mr Burton, is seen in the footage, taken by a disturbed onlooker, coaxing the crocodile to snap up the fresh piece of steak he is waving in front of him. Scroll down for video . Trent Burton coaxes John the crocodile with a juicy piece of steak at feeding time at Shoalhaven Zoo . The crocodile snaps up the meat that Mr Burton offered him at feeding time to the impressed onlookers . But it all took a turn for the worst after Mr Burton jabbed at the meat in the crocodile's jaw and his left hand disappeared into the animal's jaw . John happily obliges before latching onto Mr Burton's left hand when he decided to jab at the meat firmly clasped in the crocodile's jaw. Mr Burton was dragged by the hand into the water and slammed into the fence, but managed to break free and jump the fence when the crocodile released his clasp after the trainer fell on his head. The screaming school holiday crowd were immediately reassured by the unusually composed trainer: 'everyone calm down' he can be heard saying as soon as he was in the all clear on the other side of the fence. Mr Burton was dragged into the water by the crocodile while being smashed into the fence . Mr Burton made a run for the fence when the crocodile released his clasp once the trainer fell on the animal's head. He told onlookers to 'calm down' as soon as he was in the all clear on the other side of the fence . Mr Burton escaped the ordeal with 3 – 4 tooth punctures and a 10cm gash in the palm of the left hand and a broken knuckle on his right hand. He underwent surgery on Tuesday to repair his left hand. Mr Burton, 31, who has been handling crocodiles for more than a decade, admitted to Seven News that it was a 'rookie' error when touching the steak in John's mouth. 'A very dumb small brain fart on my part - it seems more dumb when you watch it,' he said. ' I was fighting for my life.' Shoalhaven Zoo owner Nick Schilko told MailOnline on Monday that 'Trent was just happy that he had feeling in his hand and could move his fingers'. Mr Burton escaped the ordeal with 3 ¿ 4 tooth punctures and a 10cm gash in the palm of the left hand, and underwent surgery on Tuesday . 'We are just thankful that he is alright. He had a little bit of damage to his right hand that had a few stitches but his left hand needs specialist treatment,' he said. 'Trent was feeding the croc... He flipped the food at his (the crocodile’s) face. He caught it in his mouth and as he’s tried to flick it up to put it in his mouth further, Trent tried to reached and take it out of his mouth,' Mr Schilko said. 'He was beating himself up over what he did. Basically his hand got caught in the moment... the crocodile has gone bonus and started backing up to the water and dragged him all the way into the water' Mr Burton, 31, who has been handling crocodiles for more than a decade, admitted that it was a 'rookie' error when touching the steak in the 3.7m reptile's mouth . He managed to scramble out of the water and away from John the croc as a shocked school holiday crowd watched on . 'It was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life. I've seen them in the wild and at Steve Irwin's zoo but never anything like this,' Marlene Orr, from Shellharbour, said on Monday. Mr Burton was treated at the zoo by paramedics before being taken to hospital with puncture wounds to his hands. It's not known when Mr Burton will be back working at the zoo, but Mr Schilko said the crocodile handler would want to be back soon. 'He’s not a sook so he wants to be back at work as soon as possible. I will allow him to come back to work whenever the doctors say he can,' he said. Trent, pictured here with the zoo's two crocodiles - John and Dawn - has 10 years of experience handling crocodiles . The handler was holding out a piece of meat during the show when the crocodile snapped it up before he was supposed to, according to one woman in the crowd . | Footage shows the horror of when trainer Trent Burton's hand was snapped up by a 3.7 m crocodile at Shoalhaven Zoo on Monday .
The 31-year-old escaped with puncture wounds to his hands after the crocodile latched on and dragged him into the water .
He admitted to a 'rookie' error after he poked the meat inside the croc's jaw .
He was discharged from Shoalhaven Hospital on Monday night and is now undergoing treatment at a Sydney hand hospital .
Zoo owner said Mr Burton was recovering well and is thankful he is okay . |
19,697 | 37f0d40562932174ed5610deea7cd563f0c9647c | By . Kieran Corcoran . Sinea Nijjer, 20, is accused of falsely imprisoning a man while he was held at knifepoint and put through a degrading ritual . A man who claims he was 'tortured' by a prostitute and two men told a court today how he feared his genitals would be mutilated. The alleged victim - who cannot be named for legal reasons - says he was held at knifepoint by two men who ambushed him as he went to visit a prostitute in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. The man, who had pretended to be a footballer to impress 20-year-old Sinead Nijjer, claims he was lured to her flat by suggestive text messages, then jumped by her accomplices. Rico Awad, 21, and Leam Ryan, 22, allegedly held a knife to his throat, then forced him to perform press-ups naked on the floor before putting on women's underwear and kissing Nijjer's feet. He was later told to scrub his own face with a toilet brush and deliver an embarrassing 'confession' to an iPad, which the men used to film the entire ordeal, Aylesbury Crown Court heard. The alleged victim said that he only escaped by exaggerating his mild breathing difficulties so that his captors panicked and called an ambulance. He added that a fourth man attempted to persuade him to drop the case by offering £1,500. However, Nijjer and the other accused deny holding the man prisoner, claiming instead that he refused to pay for a sex session, and invented the blackmail claims to save face. Giving evidence from behind a screen, the man told how he pretended to be a semi-professional footballer to impress Nijjer. He said he went to her flat in Aylesbury, Buckinghashire, in July last year and paid £50 for oral sex, which he had done once before. The man claims that after arriving at her flat for a third encounter, he was grabbed by the neck and pushed against the wall by a man as Nijjer walked into her bedroom. 'Lured': The victim said he had visited Nijjer twice before and was tempted over by text messages - before being grabbed by two men . Denial: Nijjer and the other accused claim the alleged victim in fact asked for a dominatrix session - then refused to pay . He asked what was going on and was told . to shut up, noticing there was a second man in the flat holding a . kitchen knife and wearing a balaclava. 'He said "I’m going to cut you up",' the man told the jury. 'The black guy said to me "take your clothes off". I thought maybe they’re going to cut my penis off.' After being forced to apologise to Nijjer for disrespecting her, the man was put on the floor and told he was going to be 'taught a lesson'. Ordeal: The man claims he was made to do press-ups naked on the floor and kiss Nijjer's feet . 'The man said if you do what we tell you then you won’t get hurt,' said the alleged victim. 'I was kissing her feet for maybe 15 seconds. She took a sip of her drink and sprayed it all over me.' The man, a Muslim, said he was made to read a statement to the camera explaining that even though it was Ramadan he was going to see prostitutes rather than praying at a mosque. 'They were getting a buzz out of the whole thing,' said the man. 'They were laughing all the way through. I was scared.' Accused: Rico Awad is one of two men accused of forcing the ordeal on the alleged victim and falsely imprisoning him . The victim told the court: 'He said if you don’t we’re going to expose these pictures of you. He said all of these will go out and your whole family will be ashamed and your community will be embarrassed.' The man then began to have breathing difficulties, causing his alleged captors to panic. He decided to exaggerate the problem and asked for an inhaler, even though he did not use one. As the group became more panicked, one of the men allegedly told the victim: 'I’m a Muslim too. After all this is finished we are going to go to the mosque together and forget all of this happened. Just don’t die on me.' Eventually an ambulance was called and the man was able to alert a paramedic. Nijjer, 20, from Aylesbury, Rico Awad, 21, of High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire and Leam Ryan, 22, of no fixed address, claim they never harmed the victim or held him hostage, instead claiming he refused to pay for a domination session with Nijjer. In cross-examination, the man was asked whether he had spent an hour-long session with Nijjer before declaring 'I'm not paying'. But he denied that version of events, which he said was 'incorrect'. Nijjer, Award and Ryan deny charges of false . imprisonment, causing a person to engage in sexual activity without . consent, robbery, blackmail and common assault. A fourth man, Mohammed Awan, 22, of Aylesbury, denies intending to pervert the course of justice after allegedly offering the victim £1,500 pounds to drop the case. The trial, which is expected to last until the end of the week, continues. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Man - who cannot be named - was visiting prostitute Sined Nijjer, 20 .
Claims he was jumped by two men in flat in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire .
He was allegedly forced into degrading ritual which included kissing feet .
Aylesbury Crown Court heard he had to scrub his face with a toilet brush .
The man then claims he had to fake medical problems to escape .
Nijjer and two other men deny false imprisonment and other charges .
They claim that he went for sex session then refused to pay . |
256,536 | d808552d8adc13b12253789e72d6114ed07e269d | A British warship that served in the Falklands conflict could soon become a floating museum under plans lodged by Hull City Council. Council bosses have spent £540,000 on a bid to bring the recently decommissioned HMS Illustrious to the city. The proposal, part of the council's plans to turn Hull in to an international cruise terminal, is one of two being considered by the Ministry of Defence. Scroll down for video . HMS Illustrious could soon become a floating museum under plans lodged by Hull City Council . A previous bid from Portsmouth City Council to turn the 22,000-tonne ship into a tourist attraction in her home port was rejected. It is not yet known which is the third city to have made a bid. Illustrious, nicknamed Lusty, was decommissioned in July after 32 years’ of active service. It served in Bosnia and the Gulf as well as helping with the aid mission in the Philippines after Typhoon Haiyan, which claimed more than 6,000 lives. It was decommissioned at a service at Portsmouth Naval Base in July. HMS Illustrious, nicknamed Lusty, was decommissioned in July after 32 years’ of active service . Last year, the ship was involved in efforts to distribute relief in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines . The ship served in the Bosnian, Iraq and Sierra Leone conflicts, and evacuated Britons during the Lebanon war . Lady Sarah Chatto, daughter of Princess Margaret who launched HMS Illustrious in 1978, was at the event with hundreds of veterans. Negotiations are currently taking place to sell the ship and the Ministry of Defence has insisted that any buyer must keep HMS Illustrious in the UK. Dr Duncan Redford, senior research fellow in modern naval history at the National Museum of the Royal Navy, said it would be interesting to see where it ends up. He said: ‘The ministers in government have made it clear that they would like to see a heritage option in the disposal plans. ‘Illustrious is a big ship - there are going to be a limited number of ports and cities that will have the infrastructure that will be able to support her.’ Hull City Council confirmed it had put in a bid to try to turn HMS Illustrious into a floating maritime museum . A sailor looks through a drawer in his mess on HMS Illustrious. The vessel accommodated 600 personnel . Petty Officer Ray Jones demonstrates the use of a compass on the bridge of HMS Illustrious . HMS Illustrious was built by Swan Hunter shipbuilders on the Tyne, to join HMS Invincible and HMS Ark Royal. She was rushed into service to join the Falklands War effort, but then went on to sail nearly 900,000 miles around the world on her deployments. The ship served in the Bosnian, Iraq and Sierra Leone conflicts, and also helped evacuate Britons during the Lebanon war in 2006. Last year, the ship was involved in efforts to distribute relief in the wake of Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, which claimed more than 6,000 lives. The engine room onboard HMS Illustrious before the ship was decommissioned in July this year . HMS Illustrious was able to carry up to 22 helicopters as well as several Harrier aircraft . Hull City Council confirmed it had put in a bid to try to turn HMS Illustrious into a floating maritime museum docked in the city as part of its role as UK city of culture for 2017. The MoD refused to say where the other bids were from, but said it had also looked at proposals from private companies, charities and trusts. Businesses in Portsmouth last year expressed interest in securing the warship, to turn it into a conference centre and venue in the city. Earlier this year a Southampton firm unveiled ambitious designs to turn her into a yacht. | HMS Illustrious was decommissioned in July after 32 years' service .
It served in Bosnia and the Gulf and aid missions in the Philippines .
MoD are selling the ship but insist it must be kept in the UK .
Hull City Council have spent £540,000 preparing bid to bring the ship to city . |
81,907 | e8202ac343714e83326fa45781590f5cb049ea73 | By . Meghan Keneally . UPDATED: . 16:07 EST, 30 January 2012 . Facebook is due to become a publicly traded company on Wednesday when it will launch with an expected $100billion valuation, but one man in Mark Zuckerberg's social network won't be celebrating to the same extent. Joe Green is the former college roommate of Mr Zuckerberg who, unlike his famous friend, decided to stay enrolled in Harvard instead of dropping out to make Facebook. That decision is called his $400million mistake. Even in spite of the mistake, Mr Green now runs a charitable giving site called Causes and through that as well as the shares of Facebook which . he owns, he will still likely make a multi-million dollar profit . from the company's expected launch. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Mr Green (left) decided to stay in school and not become one of the founders of Facebook with Mr Zuckerberg (right) 'My father, who's a professor, was not too happy with the prospect of me getting kicked out of school,' Mr Green told Good Morning America. Instead of going on to launch the world's biggest social network, Mr Green graduated and went to work for John Kerry's 2004 presidential campaign, and is now running an online charitable giving service that is one of Facebook's largest applications. Though he wasn't one of the original founders of Facebook in full, Mr Green was a part of the company's original iteration and helped Mr Zuckerberg create the website's predecessor. The college boys first made a site called 'FaceMash' which allowed visitors to judge the looks of people online. After getting in some trouble with Harvard over the project- which involved them hacking into the university's online picture library of students- Mr Green was hesitant to get involved with another internet start-up at the risk of threatening his college education. 'We'd gotten into a little bit of trouble with the previous project,' Mr Green said. College days: Mr Zuckerberg (far left) and Mr Green (far right) are now back working together, though in an extended way as Mr Green runs one of Facebook's largest applications. The two friends in the center are unidentified. Friends in the background: The 2010 film The Social Network chronicled the creation of Facebook, and did not have a character that was meant to be Mr Green but rather he was likely one of the unnamed friends seen in the background . Earning the degree: Mr Green decided to stay at Harvard and graduate instead of quitting early to help Mr Zuckerberg launch Facebook in 2004 . Public service and political organizing were two of Mr Green's passions since a young age, and he was active in the local government of Santa Monica, California, where he grew up. After college, he worked in the . field, getting out the vote for Democrat John Kerry's doomed . presidential campaign, but that did not leave him disheartened. 'That experience made me believe in democracy,' he told The Los Angeles Times. Even though he didn't move out to . California with Mr Zuckerberg and crew immediately, he did make the jump . to San Francisco when he created a site called Essembly in 2005. Politically active: Mr Green posted photos of him with both President Obama (who was campaigning at the time) and former President George HW Bush and former first lady Barbara Bush (right) Done well: Mr Green has quite the view out of his Berkeley, California home overlooking the San Francisco Bay . Splashing out: Mr Green bought a Volvo C70 hardtop convertible just months before launching Causes . He then partnered up with Mr Zuckerberg's friend Sean Parker, the man known for creating the music . sharing site Napster (and telling Mr Zuckerberg to 'drop the The' which . used to be at the beginning of the social network site's name). The duo set up so-called shop in a popular Hollywood coffeeshop (where celebrity blogger Perez Hilton worked at the time) and started creating the charitable giving site now called Causes. In 2007 he partnered up with Sean . Parker, the man known for creating the music sharing site Napster (and . telling Mr Zuckerberg to 'drop the The' which used to be at the . beginning of the social network site's name), to create his new project . called Causes. Causes helps introduce people to different charitable effort or political issues and does so using Facebook. Thriving on his own: Joe Green now runs a charitable giving site, which is one of Facebook's top apps . While his tech friends were clearly helpful in the beginning, Mr Green has made a name for himself and was recently deemed one of Forbes Magazines' Top 30 Under 30. Causes is one of Facebook's biggest applications and has 170 million users who have raised over $50million for their efforts. Facebook's expected $100billion . valuation when their Initial Public Offering is launched, Mr Zuckerberg . will likely be adding many billions to his current net worth of . $17.5billion. While Mr Green may not have the same exorbitant pay day as his former roommate, he will be fine: he was sure to get a hefty amount of Facebook stock. Facebook's launch as a publicly traded company is expected to happen on Wednesday after months of speculation. In what would be the most hotly anticipated consumer technology offering for more than a decade, Facebook could start the process for an initial public offering of stock as early as Wednesday. The social networking site - which is expected to hit one billion users this year - would join McDonald's, Amazon.com, Visa and Bank of America Corp in the top ranks of the largest public companies in the world. The sale could raise as much as $10 billion (£6.4 billion) in an offering that would value the company at $75 billion to $100 billion (£48 billion to £64 billion), according to the Wall Street Journal. The windfall would dwarf the $1.67 billion (£1 billion) raised in Google's 2004 float. That offering gave Google a market value of $23 billion (£15 billion) - but the company is now worth $184 billion (£117 billion). The sale could be a boon for Facebook's employees too - Mr Zuckerberg suggested in an interview last year that if his company went public it would be possible to reward staff with 'equity and options'. Up to one third of Facebook's 3,000 staff could become millionaires. Mark Zuckerberg: . Age: 27 . Net worth: $17.5billionOwns 24 per cent of Facebook, previously worth $5.3billion . ROLE: Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Facebook . Currently creating his own monetary system 'Facebook Credits' to facilitate transactions and profits, according to Forbes. Dustin Moskovitz: . Age: 27 . Net worth: $3.5billion . Holds a 6 per cent stake in Facebook previously worth $1.3billion . ROLE: A co-founder and the . social-networking site's first chief technology officer, Moskovitz left . in 2008 and started Asana, a software company that allows individuals . and small companies to better collaborate. Eduardo Saverin: . Age: 29 . Net worth: $2billion . Most recently held a 5 per cent stake in . Facebook, previously worth $1.1billion, which he has since sold more . than half of to invest in new start-ups. ROLE: Co-founder of Facebook . Chris Hughes: . Age: 28 . Net worth: estimated at $700million . ROLE: Co-founder & original Facebook spokesperson. Most recently served as Barack Obama's . Director of online Organizing for his 2008 presidential campaign. Currently the executive director of a new social network called Jumo which connects individuals to global nonprofits. Sean Parker: . Age: 31 . Net worth: $2.1billionOwns 4 per cent of Facebook, worth over $880million . ROLE: Former Facebook president, helped capture initial investors for the company . Winklevoss twins: . Age: 30 . Net worth: They accepted a . $20million cash settlement and Facebook stock that could now be worth . more than $150million, according to AdWeek. ROLE: Claimed they invented Facebook which was stolen by Mr Zuckerberg . Box by Daily Mail Reporters . WATCH VIDEO HERE . video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player . | Joe Green chose to stay in school instead of starting the social media giant .
Now runs Causes, a charitable giving site that is one of Facebook's largest applications .
Mr Green will profit from the IPO launch because he has Facebook shares . |
265,611 | e3fe156fd7e4e316c32fdaa7b23c25e3cb8699e7 | By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 09:38 EST, 23 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:26 EST, 23 November 2012 . A Chinese Communist Party official has been sacked after images of him having sex with his mistress were posted on blogging websites. Lei Zhengfu, a district party chief . in the southwestern city of Chongqing, was fired after an investigation . by the party's discipline watchdog confirmed that it was he who appeared . in the video, the state-run Xinhua news agency said. The case highlights the influence of China's fast-growing blogging community, and the ruling Communist Party's increasing sensitivity to public anger over abuse of power, official impunity and corruption. Dismissed: Lei Zhengfu, (centre), was sacked by the Communist Party after a video of him having sex with his teenaged mistress were leaked on the internet . Screenshots from the sex video first appeared on Sina Corp's Weibo site on Tuesday. The agency reported on Thursday that Lei had told a reporter the video, shot in 2007, was a fake. The . party has stepped up its rhetoric against corruption, seeking to . counter anger from citizens over regular reports of graft and debauchery . among officials - but efforts to root out the problem are reported to . have been ineffective. China was hit recently by controversy over the murder of Neil Heywood by Gu Kailai, wife of former Chongqing communist party chief Bo Xilai. Bo, whose expulsion from the party overshadowed last week’s leadership transition, has been accused of engaging in ‘improper sexual relations with multiple women’, and other crimes. Bo, who also faces possible charges of corruption and abuse of power, has yet to stand trial. Net-savvy people in China have found a . potent weapon for fighting official corruption and abuse of power in . microblogs like Weibo, which is similar to social networking sites Twitter and Facebook, and has had more than 420 million users at the end . of the third quarter this year. In September, another official, Yang . Dacai, lost his job in the northwestern province of Shaanxi after . Internet users compiled photos of him wearing several luxury watches . that he was unlikely to be able to afford on a civil servant's salary. A . month later, an urban management official in the southern province of . Guangdong, Cai Bin, was sacked after online postings about him owning 22 . homes. Lei's sacking was among the most talked about topics on the hugely popular Weibo site on Friday. Revealed: Screenshots from the video showed Mr Zhengfu, the party boss of Chongqing's Beibei District, having sex with his mistress . Disciplined: The Communist Party held an internal investigation into the video after it was first posted . Bloggers: The sacking reveals the Chinese Government's growing sensitivity to public anger over perceived abuses of power in public office . The Chinese term for mistress — ;ernai,; or second wife — is thought to go back to the polygamous tradition that developed amongst some of the country's ruling elite during the country's imperial period. Keeping a mistress is still viewed as a status symbol among some senior Chinese government officials and wealthy businessmen as has been revealed by recent scandals - including that of Lei Zhengfu. Some Government ministers have been revealed to have had multiple mistresses. One former minister is believed to have had as many as 18 mistresses, according to the New York Times. The women involved are often bought lavish gifts by their lover, from jewellery to luxury apartments and sports cars. The issue has, however, led to a growing public backlash, as stories of the excesses involved have beaten the state's censors to been leaked onto the internet. | Lei Zhengfu pictured naked with young woman in graphic video on web .
Politician was disciplined following investigation by Communist Party .
Case highlights Chinese Government's .
growing sensitivity to public anger over perceived abuses of .
power . |
127,411 | 30aeda019444d888a9667955eb1a335830cfd7ba | By . Sarah Bridge . PUBLISHED: . 08:49 EST, 7 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:24 EST, 8 October 2013 . It is enough to send anyone diving for a bottle of chardonnay. One of the most anticipated books of the year, Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy has finally arrived and has received a mauling from critics and readers alike. 'A clunking disappointment' said the Daily Telegraph, who describes the book as veering between a 'disconcerting' Fifty Shades Of Grey manner and a 'sub-Mills and Boon style'. Bridget Jones has now become 'foolish' and unreal' while Daniel Cleaver makes just 'tantilisingly brief' appearances. The beginning is 'toe-curling', the first two-thirds are like listening to someone who once had perfect pitch but now can't sing a note and overall the book is 'v disappointing'. Bridget Jones is back - but the verdict on the latest book is not great . The Telegraph critic Sarah Crompton goes on to say that 'every line feels full of effort,' and that Fielding is on 'well-trodden territory', adding: 'If she is about to enter the fray, she had better have something original to say.' Bridget Jones: Mad about the Boy doesn't fare much better with the Sunday Times newspaper either. Sadly, there's no happy-ever-after for Mark Darcy and Bridget Jones . 'It isn't just the style that jars,' wrote its reviewer Christina Patterson, 'the random capital letters, the . subjectless sentences, the mannerisms that now seem awfully tired. 'It isn't just the rather hysterical tone. It isn't even the pile-up of . clichés: the room that "looked like a bomb had hit it" or the stare . "like a rabbit caught in the headlights". 'Or the fact that Fielding will never just . give two or three examples — of funny self-help books, of children's . names that sound like Latin declensions — when she can give 10. It's the . fact that I hardly believed a word of it.' It get worse: Patterson says the book is 'deeply uneven' as well as emotionally inauthentic and a brand which has 'lost its shine.' The Guardian's Justine Jordan was slightly kinder, saying that the book 'reads less like a satire on modern life and more like a good old Jilly Cooper' and adding: 'While the anxiety of the urban singleton was a fresh subject for comedy in the 90s, we've been reading this sort of thing for years.' More... 'The twists and turns of life go beyond happy endings of books': Bridget Jones author Helen Fielding on why she killed off Mark Darcy . She's back! Older, none the wiser and with some very odd dating advice for the newly single: Helen Fielding interviews Bridget Jones . The verdict from readers wasn't much better. Fans of the previous two books - and the wildly successful films starring Renee Zellewegger, Hugh Grant and Colin Firth - were already reeling from the news that the gorgeous Mark Darcy had been killed off by Bridget Jones author Helen Fielding, leaving Bridget once again out looking for love. Fans took to Twitter to express their shock and sorrow about Mark Darcy's demise . After the news of Darcy's demise broke, one contributor to the book reviews website Goodreads wrote: 'After the revelations by author Helen Fielding this weekend, I won't be reading this or any other new HF book ever again. I have been so excited about hearing what Bridget has been up to and to hear that HF has destroyed the story of Bridget Jones and shown such a lack of respect to fans is just unbelievable!!' Another wrote: 'Mr Darcy is dead?! I hate it! Toyboy for Bridget. Ridiculous!' while another disappointed fan wrote: 'I am no longer interested in reading this book.' One Bridget Jones book too many? Out this Thursday, Mad About The Boy is already at the top of the bestseller's list on Amazon, despite poor reviews RIGHT: Helen Fielding was at the forefront of the chick lit movement when she released the original Bridget Jones book in 1997 . The opening chapters of Bridget Jones: Mad about the boy, serialised in a Sunday newspaper last week, made for rather depressing reading. Not merely because Mark Darcy - the stiff but smouldering human rights lawyer who had captured Bridget's heart (along with several million others) in the previous books - was no more, but because this meant that our heroine had to go back on the dating scene. Again. Haven't we been here before? Bridget Jones' Diary was all about how hapless singleton Bridget battled with her weight, her embarrassing relatives and her 'smug married' friends - not to mention her irrational dislike for Mr Darcy - to finally find love, having gone off on a enjoyable but then heart-breaking diversion with serial cheat Daniel Cleaver. The second book, Edge of Reason, saw Bridget completely mess up her relationship with Mark and rather improbably imprisoned briefly in Thailand. Even then the comic touch that had been so brilliant in the first book - and the original newspaper columns where Bridget first appeared - showed signs of fading. How many more times could Bridget be hapless, clueless and loveless without it getting rather repetitive? But here she is again, on her own, summoning up the energy to go out on the pull once again. It's all here, the reluctant dressing up, the fish-out-of-water feeling in the latest trendy nightclub, the encouraging but dippy friends as they prod, poke and cajole Bridget to get out there and strut her stuff. How much more fun would it have been to have a glimpse of Bridget and Mark's married life? The romance of the newlyweds (Bridget organising her wedding would have had great comic potential - would she have turned into a Bridezilla or just so relieved to have made it out of singledom she would have spent her entire day trying to get her still-single friends to get together?) making way to happy - or otherwise - domesticity. Would they argue over who loaded the dishwasher, whether to pay for their children's education, whether Mark Darcy worked too much or whether to watch Strictly or X Factor? Or would they take off around the world having fabulous adventures and giving us yet another chapter in such a popular romance? We will never know. So we are left with Bridget still being single, Daniel still talking about Bridget's big pants and a huge Darcy-shaped hole in all of our lives. Last week Helen Fielding, 55, told Vogue magazine that her latest Bridget Jones Diary reflects how real life does not always have happy endings. She said that the death of her father in a car crash made her realise that life has many 'twists and turns'. 'It's like the keys of a piano isn't it?,' she said. 'There are white notes and black notes. 'And there's a tragicomic element in my writing; the happy ending is just where you choose to end a book. Life, with all its twists and turns, carries on beyond it.' Whatever the critics say, Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy will be a massive bestseller, already sitting near the top of Amazon's charts even though the title is not released until Thursday. But having read the reviews, Fielding could be forgiven for wondering whether it might be time to say goodbye to her most famous creation. Sarah Crompton, The Daily Telegraph . The news that Helen Fielding was bringing back Bridget after a 14–year . silence created a real sense of anticipation: but Mad About the Boy is a . clunking disappointment. The tone is all wrong. Reading the first two thirds of Mad About the . Boy is like listening to someone who once had perfect pitch, but now . can't sing a note. It lies as flat on the page as its heroine's . overcooked spaghetti. You feel the weight of that worry as Fielding . takes the staples of modern life – remote controls, tweeting, texting, . online dating – and strains to make anything of them. Christina Patterson, The Sunday Times . It . isn't just the style that jars: the random capital letters, the . subjectless sentences, the mannerisms that now seem awfully tired. It . isn't just the rather hysterical tone. It isn't even the pile-up of . clichés: the room that "looked like a bomb had hit it" or the stare . "like a rabbit caught in the headlights". Or the fact that Fielding will . never just give two or three examples — of funny self-help books, of . children's names that sound like Latin declensions — when she can give . 10. It's the fact that I hardly believed a word of it. I didn't believe . that a 51-year-old woman would tot up the number of minutes she'd spent . on Twitter, and spend meetings about her own film script sending saucy . texts. Justine Jordan, The Guardian . While the anxiety of the urban singleton was a fresh subject for comedy . in the 90s, we've been reading this sort of thing for years, in . countless slummy-mummy columns and books by Allison Pearson or Gill . Hornby (all influenced, of course, by Fielding herself). There's a . beautifully judged scene where Bridget is pierced with ridiculous . overwhelming love for her children, even as they poo and puke in the . grip of illness, but mostly the crushed rice cakes, lost car keys and . melon balls for the sports day picnic have been done to death. | Mad About The Boy to be released on Thursday .
Helen Fielding, 55, kills off Bridget's husband Mark Darcy .
Bridget, now 51, is juggling single motherhood and a toyboy .
But reviewers slam book as 'disappointing, tired and inauthentic'
Despite poor reviews it is already at the top of Amazon's bestseller's list . |
214,833 | a2215dc789a33e1ab3be1dfcc03e8f7f02d046d5 | (CNN) -- As a former Royal Navy officer, keen angler and the UK's heir apparent, it makes sense that Prince Charles would be inclined to worry about the future of fish and chips. Britons have been eating the iconic national dish since the mid-19th century, but with around 30% of the world's fish stocks thought to be over-exploited, the Prince of Wales has concerns. "When I was at school here in Scotland, I remember one occasion buying fish and chips from a shop in Inverness," he told an audience of scientists and fisheries executives at the sixth World Fisheries Congress. "It never occurred to me then that I was eating food that had such a reliance on how we treat a wild natural resource. But, of course, how we harvest the fish has a direct impact on how many are left to catch next time." Study: Organic yields 25% lower than conventional farming . In 2010, Prince Charles launched the International Sustainability Unit (ISU), a charity focused on monitoring and facilitating consensus on environmental management issues. Drawing on the ISU's latest research, the Prince noted that sustainable fisheries tend to have three things in common: "a strong economic rationale" for their efforts, "a robust management structure" under which rules are enforced, and a holistic approach that takes into account "the whole ecosystem, rather than individual stocks in isolation." "I am particularly encouraged to hear that the cod stocks in the North Sea have shown signs of recovery from what was, only a decade ago, a much depleted fishery," he said. "By reducing the effort at sea and other management techniques, the stock, I am told, has doubled over the past six years." Watch: Keeping fish on the menu . Prince Charles also met with members of the National Federation of Fish Friers (NFFF), winners of this year's Young Fish Frier of the Year competition, and fisheries executives gathered aboard a Scottish marine research vessel moored in Edinburgh's harbor to fry some sustainably sourced Scottish haddock, and discuss how to safeguard the future of a beloved national dish. Britons eat fish and chips twice as much as any other takeaway meal, with 382 million meals consumed a year, according to Denise Dodd, General Secretary of the NFFF. Collectively, Britain's 10,500 fish and chip shops use 10% of the UK's potato crop and buys 30% of its white fish, generating a turnover of $1.9 billion. "Many businesses are family owned independents, some second and third generation or more, and are the focal point of many communities," Dodd says. "Fish and chips have been firmly on the menu for 150 years and we'd like it to continue for at least another 150 years" Beauty trumps beast in conservation efforts . Although, Dodd says 90% of Britain's fish and chip shops "use frozen at sea fillets caught by large modern trawlers in well-managed waters." With input from Young Fish Friers, and from sustainability award-winning fish and chip shop owners, the NFFF, which turns 100 next year, intends to draw up a Responsible Sourcing Code to ensure that fish and chip shops are selling fish from sustainable fisheries. It will also work with the Marine Stewardship Council, which certifies sustainable seafood, to make it easier for fish and chip shops to gain Chain of Custody certification, so consumers can eat "conscience free" cod. Britons concerned about the provenance of the fish they're eating can consult the Marine Conservation Society's newly revised Good Fish Guide, which confirms that Scottish North Sea haddock, farmed organically or caught from sustainable or certified fisheries, is amongst the best choice they can make. | The Prince of Wales is concerned about sustaining stocks of fish, used in Britain's favorite meal.
Britons eat fish and chips twice as much as any other takeaway dish.
Industry reps plan to introduce a code to ensure fish is responsibly sourced. |
180,140 | 753da9da8a5a4e46bc953000f4c3bc052078359f | (CNN) -- Delayed, but a go. That's what "Fast & Furious" actor Vin Diesel told fans Sunday night about the franchise's seventh installment. He posted a message and photograph on Facebook that showed the last scene he and Paul Walker filmed together. "There was a unique sense of completion, of pride we shared... in the film we were now completing... the magic captured... and, in just how far we've come...," Diesel wrote, announcing a new release date for the film -- April 10, 2015. "P.s. He'd want you to know first...," he said. The movie had been scheduled for a July 2014 release, but production was put on hold following Walker's sudden death. Walker, 40, and the rest of the "Fast & Furious" cast were on a short break for Thanksgiving when he stepped into a red 2005 Porsche Carerra GT for a short ride around a Santa Clarita, California, business park. Investigators believe the car, driven by Walker's friend, was speeding when it clipped a light pole and was engulfed in flames, killing both men. Walker's ex-cop character, Brian O'Conner, was central to five of the first six "Fast & Furious" stories, and his death left the future of the next film in doubt. Millions of dollars are at stake, considering the franchise has sold $2.6 billion in tickets around the world since 2001. CNN's Alan Duke contributed to this report. | The film had been scheduled for a July 2014 release .
Production was put on hold after Paul Walker's death .
Walker, 40, was killed in a car crash last month .
"P.s. He'd want you to know first...," writes Vin Diesel . |
286,722 | ff7d70f5f4867a9537c0121453cab502f7016165 | Bad tenant: Leesa Wenman set fire to her council flat after two weeks because she 'didn't like the neighbours' A woman faces jail after she set alight her council flat a fortnight after moving in because she 'did not like the neighbours'. Leesa Wenman, 32, has been found guilty of arson after she started two fires in the bedroom of her home in Harlow causing £13,000 of damage. The local council moved her to the flat in the Essex town in late July last year but within two weeks she was having rows with neighbours. Chelmsford Crown Court heard how the 32-year-old was arrested on August 6 after her flat was torched. The court heard how neighbours called 999 when they spotted plumes of smoke coming out of Wenman's flat window. It took firefighters 30 minutes to control the blaze, which caused £13,000-worth of damage. Carolyn Gardiner, prosecuting, told the court that Wenman was 'not happy' with her new home. The court heard she started the fire shortly after she asked to borrow a cigarette lighter from a neighbour and then climbed out of a window and went to a friend's house. She told the court: 'Neighbours smelled smoke, it smelled like plastic was burning. They realised Wenman's flat was on fire. 'This defendant had motive - she had fallen out with her neighbours.' The fire service then had to break in to the flat and put out the blaze. Neighbour Kerry Roche told the court that Wenman had told her she hated living in the new house 'within a week' of moving in, saying she told her she 'did not get on with the neighbours'. Dangerous: Smoke pours from the windows of the block of flats that Wenman set fire to last year. She denied arson but was found guilty . The jury heard how two fires were started in the bedroom, with investigators finding burn marks on the floorboards and skirting board. Wenman was found guilty of reckless last Friday and faces sentencing on August 11. | Leesa Wenman, 32, started two fires in her bedroom in Harlow, Essex .
Tenant was 'not happy' with flat and fell out with neighbours within fortnight .
Borrowed a cigarette lighter, started the blaze, then climbed out of window .
Firefighters broke in and put out the fire, which caused £13,000 of damage .
Wenman found guilty of arson and could now face jail for her crime . |
132,539 | 37632ef69b4ccac34cf6cafb1c2035f3a2289806 | Sandy Thi Nguyen was sentenced to 90 days in jail after admitting child abuse and charitable fraud . A Colorado woman who convinced her six-year-old son he was dying from cancer to raise more than $25,000 in donations and get a free trip to Disneyland has been jailed. Sandy Thi Nguyen, 28, of Aurora, was sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years on probation on Tuesday. She had pleaded guilty to one count of charitable fraud and one count of child abuse in September. Prosecutors said Nguyen told her son that he had leukaemia and got his chemotherapy at night when he was asleep. She would also shave his head every morning before he went to school. Nguyen told people she was in severe debt because of treatments for her son. And at one point, she even said she had become pregnant in order to create a perfect match for stem cell treatment for her child. Several fundraisers were held for the child between April 2012 and March this year, when the scam was exposed. Hundreds of students at Rolling Hills Elementary School donated $18,405.46 and a charity run in Piney Creek Hollow Park raised $7,767.90, reported the Denver Post. But the fraud was exposed when Nguyen was overheard by a doctor at the hair salon where she worked discussing her son's treatments at the Children's Hospital in Denver. The doctor became concerned that she knew all the patients at the oncology unit at the hospital but did not recognise Nguyen's son. One of Nguyen's colleagues called police concerned that the family was receiving large sums of money from donations. Nguyen used $16,000 and also took her family on a Disneyland trip, the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said . The story of Nguyen's 'cancer-stricken' six-year-old son was also heavily featured in a charity race . After investigating, the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said in March that 'it was discovered that [Nguyen] did convince her son, family and community that her six-year-old had cancer and was receiving cancer treatment since approximately September 2012.' One year later, 'over $25,000' was gathered by Aurora residents, the sheriff's office said. It was revealed that 'over the last several months, Ms. Nguyen accepted at least $16,000.00 from that account as well as a trip to Disneyland for herself and her family, which was paid for by the donated funds.' Around $23,000 was found inside her home 'and in a subsequent interview, [Nguyen] admitted that her son does not have cancer, and stated that some of the money recovered was from donations received,' the Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said. Nguyen's son, in excerpts of an arrest affidavit published by CBS Denver, said 'he believes he has cancer and is going to die' and was under the impression he received nightly chemotherapy treatments. The boy also revealed 'his mom shaves his head every morning before school,' according to the published excerpts. It was reported Nguyen's 'cancer-stricken' son was also heavily featured in a charity race, and that she posted 'updates' on his treatment online. Officials said Nguyen allegedly posted a fake list of cancer treatments for her son online . The principal of the boy's school, Darla Thompson, said at the time: 'We are deeply troubled by these allegations and saddened to learn that an adult may have taken advantage of an innocent child and our school community.' 'But the allegations do not, in any way, diminish the concern and support demonstrated by the Rolling Hills community for a child believed to be facing a life-threatening challenge. 'It is important for our community to continue to show support and compassion for this child, who is also a victim in this case. 'The child was wrongfully led to believe that he was ill, and he was not responsible for the parent’s alleged actions.' | Sandy Thi Nguyen let her six-year-old son believe he had terminal cancer .
Nguyen shaved her son's head every day before going to school and told him he recieved his chemotherapy at night when he was asleep .
She pleaded guilty to child abuse and charitable fraud charges .
Sentenced to 90 days in jail and five years on probation this week .
The Arapahoe County Sheriff's Office said Nguyen used $16,000 and also took her family on a Disneyland trip . |
85,812 | f357a85acdcb90835f873789f18e8d7708c409b8 | By . Craig Mackenzie . PUBLISHED: . 07:40 EST, 26 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:44 EST, 26 August 2012 . Palace officials were relieved this weekend as no new revelations emerged over the party antics of playboy Prince Harry in Las Vegas. Two women are said to have approached PR guru Max Clifford about going on the record about his behaviour and the naked pictures of him taken on the boys-only trip. One of the 'hot chicks' in his VIP suite offered 'explicit' images and mobile phone footage to U.S. TV and magazines for around £158,000. Under fire: Prince harry could be reportedly grounded from flying Apache helicopter gunships if he misbehaves again . Royal team: Prince Charles in his role as Colonel in Chief of the Army Air Corps with his son Harry who flies Apache helicopters . It was Rupert Murdoch who ordered Sun executives to publish pictures of naked Prince Harry, it was claimed today. He reportedly did it against the wishes of the Royal Family because he wanted to send a warning shot to Lord Justice Leveson, the man leading the inquiry into press standards in the wake of the phone hacking scandal. Defending the Sun's move, Mr Murdoch posting on Twitter: 'Needed to demonstrate no such thing as free press in the UK. Internet makes mockery of these issues.' The News Corporation boss also urged people to give Harry 'a break'. He wrote: 'He may be on the public payroll one way or another, but the public loves him, even to enjoy Las Vegas.' But Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt today said the Sun was not acting in the public interest when it published the photographs and 'personally' he could not see a justification for printing the images. But he insisted that newspaper editors had to be free to make decisions on such issues. Nothing has come out so far, but the . prince will not escape the anger of defence chiefs who have reportedly . warned him he could be grounded from flying Apache helicopter gunships. The Ministry of Defence is said to be will be monitoring his behaviour and if he puts a foot wrong again he will lose his coveted role. A royal aide is quoted in a Sunday tabloid:' 'You need a cool head and sound judgement to fly an Apache. He accepts he behaved stupidly and there is no place for stupidity in an Apache cockpit. 'Anymore of this and he will be grounded. These are big destructive machines. You need an ice cool brain and have to know how to behave.' Harry is likely to be sent to Afghanistan as planned for a second tour, but Army chiefs are reviewing his career after the Prince was pictured naked with a girl at a party with women in his suite. The group played a stripping game and someone in the party is thought to have captured the images of the naked prince on a camera phone. Meanwhile, it was claimed that Prince Charles has banned his son from any more holidays with his male friends. Charles told Harry he can only go on trips with him and his wife Camilla or with a 'responsible adult', according to a Sunday tabloid. They are expected to meet face-to-face in the next few days. Harry is thought to be spending the Bank Holiday staying with friends back in the UK. A royal insider told the Sunday Star: 'The general view is Harry is drinking in the last chance saloon.' | No revelations from 'hot chicks' who were at VIP party in his suite .
Prince could be grounded from flying Apache helicopters if he steps out of line again . |
282,940 | fa806c1299408be968668d3cf6c305d0e97ed8c4 | Manchester United have 'lost the way a little bit' by offloading homegrown Danny Welbeck to Premier League rivals Arsenal and spending extravagantly to bring in players like Angel di Maria and Radamel Falcao, according to former assistant manager Mike Phelan. England striker Welbeck, a product of United's Academy who scored 29 goals in 142 first-team appearances, was sold to Arsenal on transfer deadline day on Monday. While Welbeck headed to London, United were busy splashing the cash by sealing deals for Dutch utility player Daley Blind and Colombia striker Falcao, who has joined on a season-long loan. VIDEO Scroll down for Radamel Falcao has moved to Manchester United from Monaco . Big money signing: Manchester United left it late to sign Radamel Falcao on deadline day . United, yet to win in the Premier League under new manager Louis Van Gaal and with no European football at Old Trafford, have spent big in a bid to quickly get back on track following their seventh place finish last season. Van Gaal's summer spending spree surpassed £150million, with a British transfer record of £59.7m pounds paid to lure Di Maria from Real Madrid. United also signed Ander Herrera, Luke Shaw and Marcus Rojo. Phelan suggested it showed a lack of faith in United's youth system, renowned in the past for its production line of world-class talent like David Beckham, Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes. Star signing: Angel di Maria joined Manchester United from Real Madrid for £59.7m . 'Interesting how things have changed at Manchester United now. A good young kid (Welbeck) coming through - part of the academy system - and they've finally decided now that might not be the way to go so they've moved him on,' Phelan, Alex Ferguson's right-hand man at Old Trafford between 2008 and 2013, told BBC Radio 5 Live. 'Obviously there is more and more money now in the game, looking further and further afield for players but probably they have lost the way of Manchester United a little bit in the fact that now rather than produce it may be the case where they're buying in. Spanish star: Ander Herrera joined United from Athletic Bilbao in the summer . 'One of the issues of the Premier League at the moment, and with English football at the moment, is getting them on to the football field, promoting them that way and waiting for those opportunities, providing the time and that hasn't happened.' Phelan said United's big spending now reflected a philosophy of wanting instant success under Van Gaal after the former champions stagnated under Ferguson's successor David Moyes. Concerns: Mike Phelan says Manchester United have lost their way a little bit . 'It's success now, and not later. In Danny's case. He's had a good run at it, he's come through the system... there's other kids there now in the system who will hopefully get a chance but there's been a lot of cash splashed out in the transfer window and I'm sure that will only get worse.' Former United youth team coach Eric Harrison has also shared his concern over the Red Devils' big spending this summer. He told the Manchester Evening News: 'I am very concerned to be honest. 'I cannot believe Danny Welbeck has gone. Okay he might not have been a prolific goalscorer but his work rate and effort was undeniable. 'There was a place for him and I am not too pleased he’s gone to Arsenal. It is sending out the wrong message when local home grown players like that are leaving.' | Manchester United spent over £150m on new signings this summer transfer window .
In addition to a £59.7m deal for Angel di Maria, Man Utd also spent big money on the likes of Luke Shaw and Ander Herrera .
Mike Phelan has criticised the club, suggesting Man Utd's transfer business shows a lack of faith in their academy system and homegrown players .
Louis van Gaal is yet to win a competitive game for Man Utd . |
129,586 | 338395a40aeb40229ccd3aec58d7e5233eb7afd3 | (CNN) -- Whisper it quietly, but after years of foreign domination the prospect of a French winner of the Tour de France is more than just a mere pipe dream. You have to rewind the clock to 1985 -- 29 long years -- to find the last time that a home winner stepped on to the podium on the Champs-Elysees -- with Bernard Hinault claiming his fifth and final victory. Hinault is ranked among the all-time greats and one of only six men, 2014 Tour winner Vincenzo Nibali included, to win all three of the sports major tours in Italy, Spain and France. But his legacy has been one of a steady decline with Richard Virenque's second place in 1997 the last time a French rider even made the podium -- until this year. Jean-Christophe Peraud and 24-year-old Thibaut Pinot may have finished around eight minutes adrift of Italy's Nibali in second and third spots respectively, but that hardly mattered to a French public desperate for success. Further hope came in the form of 23-year-old Romain Bardet, who battled it out with compatriot Pinot for the white jersey of best young rider, before coming home a creditable sixth. "The French, promise for 2015," read Monday's headline in the famous sporting newspaper L'Equipe, already anticipating next year's Grand Boucle. Pinot's burst to briefly distance Nibali on one of the 16th stage in the Pyrenees last Tuesday had set home pulses racing, although the team FDJ hope admitted he had made his move with thoughts of white rather the yellow jersey of the leader. "My big objective was to gain time on Bardet," Pinot said after his heroics. He had eventually to give best to compatriot Peraud, who despite being 37 has only been a professional on the road circuit since 2009, having previously won a silver medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics in mountain biking. Peraud's superior ability at individual time trialing (racing alone against the clock) saw him edge out his French rival but it was the young men, Pinot and Bardet, who hold most hope for the future. "It was great for the French to have two men on the podium," said Stephen Farrand, of Cyclingnews.com. "With Pinot I think they are really optimistic for next year, he's quite a character. "I think the Tour is always better when home riders are performing well, there's a lot more enthusiasm about the race and the French never need an excuse to be patriotic," he added. Over the past decade that patriotism has mostly been reserved for the never-day-die attitude of Thomas Voeckler, still making brave breakaways, for team Europcar on this year's Tour at the age of 35. Back in 2004, Voeckler became a national hero when he led the Tour for against the odds for 10 days with the fleeting prospect he could beat the all-conquering Lance Armstrong. Even back then there was the suspicion -- particularly in the French media -- that Armstrong was getting extra help from banned substances, while home riders, personified by Voeckler were manifestly "pure" and free of drugs. With Armstrong disgraced and stripped of his seven Tour titles, cycling is believed to have cleaned up its act and there have been no positive tests on the 2014 edition. Farrand believes the French have more to gain than most in the new era. "In the past nobody really knew what was going on," he said. "Now there are so many good signs, the French have always been anti-doping and now they are able to compete for the yellow jersey." Whether that's a realistic prospect, certainly for 2015, will depend on if Nibali is able to repeat his outstanding performances, four stage wins included, and Froome and Contador can return with a vengeance. "He's a most deserved winner," said Farrand of Nibali. "He had the yellow jersey for all but two days and his margin of victory is the second biggest in Tour history." Nibali's victory is also a shot in the arm for Italian cycling, which like its French counterpart, has been in something of a trough, hit by doping scandals and the poor state of its economy. Despite previous victories in the Giro d'Italia and Tour of Spain, he had been lightly regarded by the media, "only about half a dozen journalists attended his pre-race press conference," said Farrand, but proved them wrong. An audacious late break to win the second stage in Sheffield, England, saw him gain time on Froome and Contador and he rode brilliantly on the treacherous and cobbled fifth stage to open up a further gap. After his main rivals exited, Nibali proceeded to claim a further three stage wins in the Alps and Pyrenees and comfortably hold off the challenge mounted by his French rivals and Spain's Alejandro Valverde. Italy's main sports newspaper La Gazzetta dello Sport gave him top billing with a nice tribute from Hinault, who congratulated him on the podium in Paris. "Throughout the tour, Nibali has shown great wisdom, mastery, he never panicked," he said. The 59-year-old Hinault, who works for Tour organizers ASO, will doubtless be hoping against hope that over the next coming years he will be presenting the yellow jersey on the Champs-Elysees to a compatriot. It is not only Pinot and Bardet who could break the overseas domination of the top step of the podium. There are high hopes for 22-year-old Warren Barguil, described by Hinault as a "huge talent" after winning two mountain stages of the Tour of Spain last year. Barguil was left off the Giant-Shimano squad because it concentrated on helping Germany's Marcel Kittel win four stages of this year's Tour, including the blue-riband finish on the Champs-Elysees. French sprinting talent is also emerging, with young fast men like Bryan Coquard, third in the points classification to Peter Sagan this year and Nacer Bouhanni, who won three stages of the Giro d'Italia. Whether they can challenge the likes of Kittel and Britain's Mark Cavendish, who did not make it past stage one after hitting the tarmac in Harrogate, in the future is again open to debate, but it all points to a welcome renaissance for the traditional home of cycling. | France has two riders on Tour podium for first time since 1984 .
Jean-Christophe Peraud finished second and Thibaut Pinot third .
Last French winner was Bernard Hinault in 1985 .
Italy's Vincenzo Nibali won his first Tour Sunday . |
240,078 | c2ce50b38ece6dae13aef3e502490f9059a037ef | After floods revealed an ancient Roman site in Cumbria, archaeologists are beginning to uncover some of the many treasures buried within. Among the finds at the Papcastle site, in Cockermouth, is a statue of a local deity, believed to have been worshipped as a ‘Fertility Genius.’ The handheld carved figurine is seen holding a patera, a type of bowl, and a cornucopia, also known as a 'horn of plenty' - both seen as ancient symbols of fertility, nourishment and fortune - and it is described as being in ‘amazing’ condition. The ‘Fertility Genius’ statue (pictured) was found on a Roman site in Papcastle, Cockermouth and is said to be in in ‘amazing’ condition. Experts believe the statue is the image of a local deity and is seen holding a patera and cornucopia, both seen as ancient symbols of fertility . There is also an outline of what appears to be an altar, below the hand of the deity. Severe flooding in the Cockermouth region in 2009 revealed traces of significant Roman remains, and experts from Wardell Armstrong Archaeology began investigating shortly after. They uncovered a Roman fort on an area measuring approximately 27,000-square-feet (2,500-square-metres), dating back 1,700 years. The handheld carved figurine is seen holding a patera and a cornucopia, both said to be ancient symbols of fertility. The cornucopia, in particular, is a symbol of food and abundance dating back to the 5th century BC. It is also referred to as the Horn of Plenty and, in Greek mythology, was said to be the horn of a goat that was accidentally broken off when the animal was playing with Zeus. To say sorry, Zeus gave the horn certain powers meaning it could give its owner anything they wished for. It is often pictured full of fruits and flowers and is linked to fertility, fortune and abundance. A patera was a Roman drinking bowl from which ancient people believed they could drink the elixir of life. Frank Giecco, regional manager at Wardell Armstrong Archaeology said: ‘This [find] happens once in a lifetime. ‘You can work in archaeology all your life and never find anything like that. It’s incredible.’ Mr Giecco and his team also discovered two carved head statues - one male and one female. The archaeologists have speculated the male head is wearing what appears to be a Phrygian cap, which suggests it may be Mithras - a god worshipped between the 1st and 4th centuries. It could also be Attis, and if the male head does depict this Greek god, the female could be identified as Cybele. Phrygia was an ancient nation in western Turkey and its gods were worshipped across Europe. In Greece, Cybele was the goddess of nature and fertility, and in Rome she was known as Magna Mater, or Great Mother - both which tie in with the discovery of the fertility statue. A miniature stag and a Roman oil lamp were also discovered in the flood deposits. The dig is being run by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology on behalf of Grampus Heritage and Training as part of the Discovering Derventio project, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund. It is an ongoing three-and-a-half year project expected to run until the end of 2015. Severe flooding in Papcastle, Cockermouth (pictured) in 2009 revealed traces of significant Roman remains, and experts from Wardell Armstrong Archaeology began investigating shortly after. They uncovered a Roman fort on an area measuring approximately 27,000-square-feet (2,500-square-metre), dating back 1,700 years . The experts also discovered two carved head statues, one male and one female (pictured). The male head is wearing what appears to be a Phrygian cap, which suggests it is Mithras - a Roman god worshipped between the 1st and 4th centuries. It could also be Greek god Attis, which would make the female goddess, Cybele . ‘Work began at the southern extent of the investigation area, but it soon became apparent that the archaeological features identified through geophysical investigation were going to be difficult to identify on the ground’ said the archaeologists on a blog post. ‘This difficulty in identification is a result of extensive flood deposits, both pre-dating and post-dating the archaeological features, which limit the visual differences between the features and the surrounding natural ground. ‘After several days of exposure however, several features became apparent; the most notable being several enclosure ditches. ‘Forty two objects of significant interest were unearthed in the first week alone!’ A miniature stag (pictured) and a Roman oil lamp were also discovered in the flood deposits. The dig is being run by Wardell Armstrong Archaeology on behalf of Grampus Heritage and Training as part of the Discovering Derventio project, with the support of the Heritage Lottery Fund . Frank Giecco, regional manager at Wardell Armstrong Archaeology said: ‘This [find] happens once in a lifetime. You can work in archaeology all your life and never find anything like that. It’s incredible.’ One of the ditches uncovered at the Papcastle site is pictured . | 'Fertility Genius' was found on a Roman site in Papcastle, Cockermouth .
It is in ‘amazing’ condition and is said to be the image of a local deity .
Model is seen holding a patera and cornucopia - ancient symbols of fertility .
Other finds include the carved heads of male and female gods .
Experts have speculated these heads may be Greek gods Attis and Cybele .
Extensive Roman site was uncovered following floods in the region in 2009 . |
169,698 | 679c1d6b4f4d302bc9f6d056297bdacf101cae68 | By . Ben Spencer . PUBLISHED: . 19:28 EST, 14 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:35 EST, 17 June 2013 . Prince Charles bought a 396,000 sq ft warehouse complex in a vast supermarket depot near Milton Keynes . Prince Charles famously abhors modern architecure - especially the boxy ‘monstrous carbuncle’ buildings that he believes have blighted the face of Britain. But his strong views have not stopped the heir to the throne investing £38million in a vast supermarket depot near Milton Keynes, it emerged last night. The Prince bought the sprawling 396,000 sq ft warehouse complex from an Anglo-Indian property fund, one of the single largest acquisitions by his Duchy of Cornwall estate. The deal was competed 18 months ago but has only emerged now. Like other significant deals, the purchase of the warehouse in November 2011 from Indian property fund Meghraj Properties had to be approved by the Lord Commissioners of the Treasury. The depot is currently leased to Waitrose, who use it as a lorry distribution hub. Prince Charles sent shock waves through the architecture world in 1984 when he used a speech to the 150th anniversary of the Royal Institute of British Architects to lambast modern design, describing a towering extension to the National Gallery as a ‘monstrous carbuncle on the face of a much-loved and elegant friend’. His views have changed little since then. In 2009 he opposed a £1billion housing scheme at the former Chelsea Barracks in London. In the same year, he said: ‘I don’t go around criticising other people’s private artworks. I may not like some of them very much, but it is their business what they choose to put in their houses. ‘However, as I have said before, architecture and the built environment affect us all.’ Land Registry records list the distribution centre Brinklow in the name of the Duchy of Cornwall and the Prince’s full titles - ‘His Royal Highness Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales, Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay, Earl of Chester and Carrick, Baron of Renfrew, Lord of the Isles and Great Steward of Scotland’. The Prince called the Salisbury sing of the National Gallery a 'monstrous carbuncle' in a controversial speech . The sale price was £38,385,500. The Duchy’s full holdings are worth £693million and include Dartmoor Prison, the Oval cricket ground in central London, a Holiday Inn in Reading, the Prince’s private homes such as Highgrove and land in the Scilly Isles. Between 2009 and the end of 2012 the Duchy conducted property transactions worth at least £102million, the Independent reported last night. The management of the Duchy - including investment decisions on commercial - is carried out by a professional managerial team. But Prince Charles is known to take a close personal interest in the running of the estate. He voluntarily pays income tax on the income he receives from the Duchy - including £4.5million last year from income of £18.3million. The Prince of Wales has also criticised the redevelopment of the Chelsea Barracks . Last night a Duchy of Cornwall spokeswoman said the Milton Keynes property was acquired as ‘a commercial property investment.’ She added: ‘The Duchy of Cornwall is a private estate not a public body and is not funded by the taxpayer. ‘The Prince of Wales chooses to use his private money from the estate to pay for his public duties, as well as those of The Duchess of Cornwall, The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and Prince Harry. ‘He also chooses to pay income tax on the income generated by The Duchy. ‘The Duke of Cornwall manages the estate for present and future Dukes, and for the wider benefit of tenants, communities and the environment.’ | Prince Charles spent £38million in a supermarket depot near Milton Keynes .
The deal was competed 18 months ago but has only emerged now .
Depot is currently leased to Waitrose, who use it as a lorry distribution hub .
He once described the National Gallery Extension as a 'monstrous carbuncle' |
162,248 | 5dc64231cbb9f847d5683336b6df6253a7d99d0d | By . Snejana Farberov . Nearly a year to the day after Long Island college student Andrea Rebello was accidentally killed by police during a hostage crisis, her twin sister Jessica ascended the stage at Hofstra University Sunday to accept her diploma wearing a cap honoring the slain woman. Just hours before Sunday’s graduation ceremony, Jessica Rebello, 22, shared a snapshot of her homemade tribute on her Instagram account, showing the top of the graduation cap with her sister's purple initials, ‘AR,’ with a pair of white wings sprouting from the sides of the letters, a golden halo crowing the ‘A’ and a pair of hearts. Beneath the initials, Jessica laid out the name of their sorority, Beta Sigma Phi, and wrote on the other side of the mortarboard: 'always & forever.' Touching tribute: Jessica Rebello shared a photo on her Instagram showing her graduation cap decorated with the initially of her sister, Andrea, who was accidentally shot by police a year ago . Bittersweet moment: Jessica Rebello took the stage at Hofstra University and got a kiss on the cheek from President Stuart Rabinowitz before accepting her diploma a day after the one-year anniversary of her sister's killing . Momentous occasion: Ms Rebello was on hand for the commencement ceremony Sunday, graduating with a bachelor's degree in public relations . Ms Rebello accompanied the picture by the following caption: 'I don't know how I did it... but I did it... for you- ilu &miss you, always &forever... until we meet again Twinnie...' In the early hours of May 17, 2013, Andrea Rebello was in her Uniondale home, which she shared with her sister and two other roommates, when 30-year-old Dalton Smith, a convicted felon wanted for violating the conditions of his parole, forced his way in looking for money and got the 21-year-old in a chokehold. One of two Nassau County police officers who responded to the hostage situation heard Smith repeating the words, 'I'm going to kill her,' and then saw him pointing his 9mm gun at the cops. Joint at the hip: Andrea Rebello, pictured here, left, next to twin sister Jessica, was shot in the head May 17, 2013, in the Uniondale home the twins shared with two other roommates . Crisis: Dalton, Smith, 30 (left), a convicted felon, was fatally shot by police seven times while holding Andrea Rebello (right) in a choke-hold, but the eight bullet struck the hostage in the head . Crime scene: The Nassau County prosecutor ruled last month that the responding officer had no choice but to use deadly force in response to the home invasion in Uniondale . The officer, Nikolas Budimlic, opened fire striking the intruder seven times, but the eighth bullet hit Andrea Rebello in the head, killing her on the spot. On Sunday, one day after the first anniversary of her twin sister's killing, Jessica Rebello graduated with a bachelor's degree in public relations from Hofstra’s Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, when Andrea studied as well, Newsday reported. On her way to receive her diploma, Jessica was greeted by Hofstra President Stuart Rabinowitz, who exchanged a few quiet words with her and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Rebello's faculty adviser also gave the graduate a hug. Legal action: The twins' family filed a wrongful death lawsuit last week against Nassau County and its police force . The commencement ceremony came just days after the Rebello family filed a wrongful- death lawsuit against Nassau County and its police department, claiming that Officer Budimlic 'carelessly discharged his pistol' and 'recklessly and unnecessarily endangered' Andrea's life. The county prosecutor ruled last month that officer Nikolas Budimlic, an eight-year veteran of Nassau police, had no option but deadly force on the armed convicted felon. District Attorney Kathleen Rice concluded the 21-year-old Rebello's death was caused by a gunman breaking into her Hempstead residence with a gun, taking several residents hostage and refusing to surrender to police. Officer Budimlic ‘acted accordingly’ when he opened fire, killing not only the armed suspect but 21-year-old Andrea Rebello in May 2013, at an off-campus New York house, the Nassau County District Attorney's Office announced Wednesday following an 11-month investigation. | Jessica Rebello, 22, graduated Sunday from Hofstra University's Lawrence Herbert School of Communication with BA in public relations .
Twin sister Andrea, 21, was accidentally shot in the head by Nassau County police officer while being held hostage in her home May 17, 2013 . |
47,783 | 86d6f0307efbb60c506681048067a73add7e49a5 | Wichita, Kansas (CNN) -- At a table in Caffe Moderne, a coffee bar in downtown Wichita, sat a couple of young Kansans sipping coffee and working away on Macbook Pros. Terms like "content management systems" and "web integration" floated in the air as Clint Brauer taught a local about his business. Thirteen years ago, Brauer couldn't wait to get out of the Sunflower State. "I just didn't see the opportunities in Kansas," he said. "I grew up in a small town outside of Wichita, went to Kansas State ... and so I moved to the West Coast to get into high tech." Brauer traveled from the prairie to the Hollywood Hills and spent his 20s living the kind of life he'd fantasized about while growing up in the small town of Haven. "It was a really exciting time. Life was about work." Brauer worked, made a career in consulting, and became the managing editor of Cyberread, an e-book company. The coasts have always held a great deal of appeal for techies. Los Angeles and San Francisco, California, and New York and Washington are hubs for the young and cyber-savvy. 100 best places to live A generation of young workers flocked there at the turn of the millennium, drawn by job opportunities and the fast-paced lifestyle that the big cities provide. But the priorities of a 30-year-old can be dramatically different from those of a 20-something. "I started realizing that while I loved what I did, I wanted more balance. My goal wasn't to become the CEO of a Fortune 500 company anymore but to have a better quality of life." A change was coming for Brauer, and fortunately the Web would provide. "I'm OK that I don't have three different Cuban restaurants to choose from," he jokes. "Some folks couldn't deal with it, but I like going out to the country, going out to the lake, and enjoying the open skies." Not surprisingly, salaries in the heartland's Silicon Prairie are generally lower than California's Silicon Valley or New York's Silicon Alley. The average salary for software engineers in New York City is $97,370; in California, it's $109,000. In Kansas, the average salary for the job is $85,000, according to federal stats. But if you factor in the Midwest's dramatically lower cost of living, the possible benefits become clear. "As high technology has become more interwoven with everything in our lives, there are bits and pieces of these industries in virtually every city," said Mark Vitner, an economist with Wells Fargo. "We're getting to the point now that the jobs are spreading out across the country from Silicon Valley and New York." The next Silicon Valley? It may be New York . Midwestern tech is coming into its own. Jeff Slobotski produces an event called Big Omaha that includes more than 500 of the region's workers from Nebraska, Missouri, Kansas and Iowa. The annual event just took place in May. "We've got a real healthy and growing community," said Slobotski, innovation director at the AIM Institute -- a nonprofit membership organization for IT leadership. Recent jobs for developers, coders for backend structures, as well as traditional corporate IT jobs have been filled recently by workers from the coasts, he said. Slobotski, who runs a blog called "Silicon Prairie News" said high-tech talent and ideas are thriving in the region many coastal residents snidely refer to as "flyover country." Some of the newer companies in Nebraska include Agile Sports/ Hudl in Lincoln, and Hayneedle.com and Rockdex in Omaha. Biotech and green-tech industries are "still in the discovery stage," he said. "People are talking about how to grow that." In Silicon Valley, longtime human resources executive Aryae Coopersmith of HR Forums has noticed a change in the past year. "Now that the economy is waking up a little bit and there's more hiring, our members have shifted from few concerns about retaining employees to new concerns about retaining employees," said Coopersmith. The work-life balance in middle America could be more appealing, and there are benefits to being a bigger fish in a smaller pond. A lot of the growth is spurred on by people like Brauer, who returned to Kansas with a decade of experience and a phone full of business contacts. "I'd been sourcing people from all over the world for the last decade, so working for them didn't necessitate being in L.A." The nature of the new economy and the technological advances of the past ten years meant that he could be based anywhere and work for clients worldwide. "I remember one day sitting on a tractor at my parents' and needing to be on a conference call -- with clients in India. I turned down the motor, and since I had good cell service, I did it right there." "Business is going fine, it can be done. It's a little bit more difficult to grow your business but your costs are so low [in Kansas], your personal burn rate is much lower," said Brauer. "I'm at peace out here." | High tech workers on U.S. coasts moving to heartland for better lifestyle .
Recent openings include developers, backend coders, traditional IT positions .
Salaries can be 25 percent lower in some regions, but so is cost of living .
Consultant Clint Brauer left California for Kansas: "I'm at peace out here" |
79,338 | e0e9809482405e1127b8a54656a2683af6e021cb | (CNN) -- An Australian radio show whose prank targeting Prince William's pregnant wife went horribly wrong has been taken off the air for good. "The Hot30 Countdown" was suspended temporarily after the December prank, when the network expressed deep regret for the nurse who apparently committed suicide after routing through a call from the show's DJs to the royal ward. Over the weekend, the show was permanently taken off the air. The show's Facebook page directed listeners to the show's replacement called "The Bump." Opinion: DJs broke 'Do No Harm' rule . In response to a user comment, the Facebook page said the two DJ's, Mel Greig and Michael Christian, "continue to have our full support and we look forward to them returning to work when the time is right!" In early December, the two DJs impersonated Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles and called King Edward VII's Hospital to gain some information about the condition of Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge. The pair subsequently played the prank on air. The nurse who transferred the call through to the ward, Jacintha Saldanha, was later found dead after apparently committing suicide. An uproar followed. Who was nurse Jacintha Saldhana? Prank prompts backlash . The two DJs were taken off the air. And the network, Southern Cross Austereo, suspended all prank calls, pulled advertising and ordered a comprehensive review of relevant policies and process. Greig and Christian apologized in interviews with the Australian TV shows "A Current Affair" and "Today Tonight." "There is nothing that can make me feel worse than what I feel right now," Greig said on "Today Tonight." Aussie DJ scandal: Does radio share the blame? Christian told "A Current Affair" the prank had become "a tragic turn of events that I don't think anyone could have predicted or expected." The chairman of the hospital where the pregnant Duchess of Cambridge was a patient slammed the Australian radio station's decision to broadcast the recorded prank call as "truly appalling." "The immediate consequence of these premeditated and ill-considered actions was the humiliation of two dedicated and caring nurses who were simply doing their job tending to their patients," wrote the chairman, Simon Glenarthur. "The longer term consequence has been reported around the world and is, frankly, tragic beyond words." Nurse's family: 'We love you and will miss you forever' 'World's worst accents ever' Audio of the call posted online suggests a woman spoke briefly to the DJs before she put the call through to the ward where the Duchess of Cambridge was being treated for acute morning sickness. "They were the world's worst accents ever," Greig told listeners then. "We were sure 100 people at least before us would've tried the same thing. ... We were expecting to be hung up on. We didn't even know what to say when we got through." Off the air, Greig and Christian tweeted about the practical joke, promising "more on the #royalprank." The pair's Twitter accounts were later taken down. A St. James's Palace spokesman said the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were saddened to learn of Saldanha's death. Another palace spokesman told CNN that "at no point did the palace complain to the hospital about the incident. On the contrary, we offered our full and heartfelt support to the nurses involved and hospital staff at all times." Read more: How to recover from a mistake . | The show was suspended after the December prank .
Over the weekend, it is permanently taken off the air .
The nurse who routed the DJ's call later apparently committed suicide .
The DJs apologized . |
44,283 | 7cde8987ef4a912ae78b5c0d85e2e7a317f3c017 | By . Sam Adams . PUBLISHED: . 11:14 EST, 4 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:51 EST, 5 April 2013 . The Japanese wife of a retired British author has been banned from returning to the UK after leaving the country to care for her dying mother. Machiko Oyama, 56, a former teacher, has been married to William Judge, 70, for 18 years and lived with him in a £1million London flat. But she has been denied permission to re-enter Britain after her mother's death because she had been abroad for longer than the two years permitted. Dispute: William Judge and his Japanese wife Machiko Oyama. She had to return to Japan when her mother was diagnosed with a brain tumour but has been denied the right to return to the UK . Ms Oyama was given leave to remain in the UK two years ago after marrying Mr Judge in 1995, according to the Evening Standard. She left Britain to return to Japan in 2005 to care for her mother after she was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. Her mother died that year, as well as two of her aunts. Ms Oyama applied to return to the UK in February but was denied permission on the grounds that she had been abroad longer than the permitted two years under immigration rules. The couple had assumed a section of the legislation which makes an exception for those who maintain a strong connection to Britain would apply to them as a married couple. But now Mr Judge faces going before an . immigration tribunal to argue for his wife to be allowed into the . country - a situation he describes as 'ludicrous,' the Standard reports. Denied: Mrs Oyama was refused a re-entry visa on the grounds that she had been outside the UK for more than two years. The UK Border Agency said it does not comment on individual cases . He said the immigration rules were 'draconian' and that they could even infringe the couple's human rights. Together with their long marriage, Mr Judge says evidence he will use of their 'strong connection' will include his regular trips to Japan to see her, their daily phone calls and the property she owns in London - on which she pays council tax. Ms Oyama told the Standard her husband stayed at her mother's home for two to three months on each visit to Japan. A Border Agency spokesman told the Standard it does not comment on individual cases but that each case would be dealt with on an individual basis. | Machiko Oyama, 56, has been married to William Judge, 70, for 18 years .
She returned to Japan in 2005 to care for her terminally ill mother .
Denied re-entry to Britain because she was abroad longer than two years .
Mr Judge must now fight his wife's case at immigration tribunal . |
229,871 | b5ac1e3b70915bf3ada5fec599384034303d096d | Swansea City manager Garry Monk has insisted there were no internal issues with the Spanish contingent that has been broken up this summer. Michu has joined Napoli on loan, while the transfers of Chico Flores and Pablo Hernandez to Qatar were completed on Thursday. Jose Canas is also set to leave the club after being told he is surplus to requirements. Monk said: 'I spoke to Pablo and had good discussions with him. It comes down to the player himself. I wanted him to be here, but he was in the last year of his contract. He had a longer term offer from abroad and it was what he felt the right decision for him and his family. No issues: Swansea manager Garry Monk has said there were no internal problems with the contingent of Spanish players that are leaving the club this summer . Loan move: Striker Michu has been sent on a season-long loan to Italian side Napoli . New challenge: Chico Flores has left to join Qatar side Lekhwiya, who are managed by former Swans boss Michael Laudrup . 'Michu, Chico, Pablo were all in the same situation. They wanted new challenges and I wasn’t going to step in the way because I only want players who want to be at Swansea. 'I spoke to all of three. They are quality players and were part of my plans. But this happens many times at all clubs. You try to show their future can be here. 'Sometimes for different reasons players want something else. Pablo wanted security of three or four years that we couldn’t offer. That made his mind up. Michu felt he needed a new challenge after last season. I wanted all three to stay. 'I don’t care what nationality people are, for me it’s all about the football.' Middle East move: Pablo Hernandez has joined Qatar side Al-Arabi . Almost done: Swansea are close to sealing a deal for Argentina defender Federico Fernandez . Monk also confirmed that Napoli defender Federico Fernandez is on the verge of joining Swansea for a fee of more than £7m. He said: 'We have had good chats with Fernandez. Fees have been agreed with the clubs and hopefully he’ll be here for medicals this week. Not in time for Saturday (against Manchester United), though. 'He brings that pedigree of playing for Napoli and Argentina. He is at a good age for us and will suit Swansea City. We want players who add quality to the squad and he will.' Monk added: 'Two or three more players would be nice.' Strikeforce: Bafetimbi Gomis and Wilfried Bony train for Swansea before their Premier League opener . Captain: Swansea captain Ashley Williams has lost his centre-back partner, Chico, who has moved to Qatar . Depleted: Swansea have lost Chico, Ben Davies and Michel Vorm from their defence this summer . Lineup: It is not yet clear whether Gomis and Bony will play together in attack, or if Bony will play alone . Tactics: Gary Monk will have his work cut out this weekend when he faces Manchester United . Stretch: Swansea players do their stretches during preparation for Saturday's match . Signings: Gary Monk has brought in six new player this summer, including former Swan Gylfi Sigurdsson . | Swansea boss confirmed Fernandez is close to completing move .
Fee of over £7m has been agreed but he won't be ready for Premier League opener at Manchester United on Saturday .
Garry Monk insisted there were no internal issues with Spanish contingent that have left over the summer .
Michu, Chico Flores and Pablo Hernandez have departed the Liberty .
Jose Canas has been told he is surplus to requirements . |
218,053 | a65121d393351786fc623e77adfa98927373c03b | Thousands of domestic helpers took to the streets of Hong Kong yesterday to demand justice for an Indonesian maid who was allegedly enslaved and tortured by her employers for eight months. Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, 22, was reportedly left unable to walk following eight months of abuse in the southern Chinese city and was admitted to an Indonesian hospital in critical condition last week after returning home. Details of her torture has sparked widespread anger across Hong Kong, and yesterday a second Indonesian domestic helper came forward to claim that she . had suffered similar beatings and death threats at the hands of the same employers in 2010. Made to sleep on the floor, Erwiana said she worked 21-hour shifts, had no days off, was fed just a single bowl of rice a day and was beaten constantly, sometimes for no apparent reason at all. Scroll down for video . Tortured: Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, 22, was left unable to walk following eight months of abuse at the hands of her employers . Justice: Protesters on Sunday including maids, rights activists and migrant group members marched through the commercial area of Wanchai . In the final weeks of her ordeal, she . said blood and puss ran from her wounds so badly that her employer . complained it was staining the carpet. Rather than take her to a doctor, she said her boss wrapped her injuries in bandages and plastic bags, but it still seeped out. Finally, when her injuries had become so severe that she could no longer work, her boss bought her a ticket home, gave her 70 Hong Kong dollars (£5.50) and dumped her at Honk Kong airport, making her swear never to mention what had happened to her. 'She told me that she knew a lot of people in Indonesia and if I said anything she would have my parents killed,' Erwiana told Al Jazeera, surrounded by her family in a hospital bed in Sragen, Central Java. Healing: Doctors at Amel Sehat Islamic Hospital said she is suffering from swelling of the brain from repeated blows to the head and her feet are brown and swollen with cellulitis - an infection of the skin that resulted from her long-untreated wounds . Brutal: Erwiana said her employer beat her on a daily basis with a lot of different implements, usually with the handle of her mop, mostly on her head . Doctors at Amel Sehat Islamic Hospital said she is suffering from swelling of the brain from repeated blows to the head. She also has several broken teeth, a broken nose and her hands and feet are bruised and swollen with cellulitis - an infection of the skin caused by her untreated wounds. 'When I first came to Hong Kong I thought it was a kind of luxurious place, an amazing place. But it was not the reality for me,' she added. 'She would beat me with a lot of different implements, most usually with the handle of my mop. She would hit me all over, but mostly on my head. 'I had to work for 21 hours a day. I didn't have my own room so whenever I could sleep I would sleep on the floor. Demands: They handed a petition to Hong Kong Police Commissioner Tsang Wai-hun urging faster progress in the case before marching to the city's government headquarters . 'No more torture': Many of the protesters brandishing the Indonesian national flag, chanted slogans and waved banners with the words 'Justice for Erwiana' 'If [one of her two teenage] children found me sleeping when I wasn't supposed to be they'd tell her and she'd beat me again.' Protesters on Sunday including maids, . rights activists and migrant group members marched through the . commercial area of Wanchai, many brandishing the Indonesian national . flag and chanting slogans including 'Justice for Erwiana'. They . handed a petition to Hong Kong Police Commissioner Tsang Wai-hun urging . faster progress in the case before marching to the city's government . headquarters. 'We want the . investigation to speed up and we demand the Hong Kong government to stop . abuses on domestic helpers in Hong Kong,' Eni Lestari, chairwoman of . the International Migrants Alliance and rally spokeswoman, told . reporters at the protest. Also yesterday a 28-year-old maid, known only as Bunga, said she experienced ten months of abuse while working for Erwiana's alleged abuser. 'One time the employer got so angry she dragged me onto the balcony and threatened to throw me off it. She made me beg for my life,' Bunga said. 'I told her that she could beat me as much as she wanted but I went on my knees and begged her not to kill me because I had a son.' Bunga said she was never allowed outside the Tseung Kwan O flat and would be locked inside when the family went out. 'The woman threatened to pay the Indonesian police money to kill my entire family if I talked to others about the beatings,' she said. She was eventually helped to leave by an employment agency, but the agency urged her not to press charges. Campaign of torture: The march comes as a second Indonesian domestic helper came forward to claim that she had suffered similar beatings and death threats at the hands of the same employers in 2010 . Groundswell: Organisers claimed around 5,000 people participated in the rally . 'I'm speaking out now because I feel so sad I didn't do anything to help Erwiana,' she said. The allegations have renewed concern about the treatment of domestic helpers in the former British colony following a spate of similar abuse cases and recent criticism by rights groups. Hong Kong police had at first categorised the alleged torture as a miscellaneous case but last week launched a criminal investigation after an outcry by domestic helpers in the city. On Friday authorities said investigators will travel to Indonesia to speak to Sulistyaningsih, who remains in hospital in Sragen on the main island of Java. 'Without this kind of protest the case of Erwiana will never go to the public or go to the court. There will be no justice,' Lestari said, adding that two other maids have since come forward alleging abuse at the hands of the same employer. The agency that employed Erwiana has said they were unaware of her injuries until they were notified by their corresponding agency in Indonesia. More claims: The second alleged victim claimed the employer got so angry she dragged her onto the balcony and threatened to throw her off it before making her beg for her life . Growing trend: The semi-autonomous Chinese city is home to nearly 300,000 maids from mainly Southeast Asian countries - predominantly Indonesia and the Philippines - and criticism from rights groups over their treatment is growing . Organisers claimed around 5,000 people participated in the rally, a sharp increase in numbers from a similar march on Thursday which drew several dozen protesters. Hong Kong police were not immediately available for comment on Sunday. The semi-autonomous Chinese city is home to nearly 300,000 maids from mainly Southeast Asian countries - predominantly Indonesia and the Philippines - and criticism from rights groups over their treatment is growing. A Hong Kong couple were jailed in September for attacks on their Indonesian domestic helper, which included burning her with an iron and beatings with a bike chain. Amnesty International in November condemned the 'slavery-like' conditions faced by thousands of Indonesian women who work in the Asian financial hub as domestic staff and accused authorities of 'inexcusable' inaction. It found that Indonesians were exploited by recruitment and placement agencies who seize their documents and charge them excessive fees, with false promises of high salaries and good working conditions. Domestic helpers in Hong Kong are paid about HK$4,000 (£313) a month. | Erwiana Sulistyaningsih, 22, was unable to walk after 8 months of abuse .
5,000 protesters marched in Hong Kong's commercial area of Wanchai .
They claim the case would never go to court without a mass protest .
Now a second maid claims she too was abused by the same employers .
She says boss threatened to throw her off balcony making her beg for life . |
50,586 | 8f25a3eced088cfdc2d813d3ac66a3887ef158c4 | Louise Jerath was one of the first passengers to board the Condor flight from Manchester . A mother has told of her shock after boarding a plane with her young son and finding a blade under the seat. Louise Jerath, 44, who now lives in Mallorca, Spain, was one of the first passengers on an early morning flight from Parma to Manchester. After her seven-year-old son dropped his game on the floor, Louise bent down to search for it. But she said she was left astounded after discovering a large, double-headed blade lying on the floor under the seat in front. Ms Jerath has criticised Condor and Thomas Cook, with whom she booked the flights, for the incident, questioning how the weapon was able to get there. She said, 'I was travelling with my-seven-year-old son, we sat down but not long after he dropped his game on the floor. 'I couldn't find it immediately so I bent down and started patting around on the floor, and that's when I saw the blade - on the floor, under the seat in front. 'I picked it up and put it on the arm of my seat thinking "what am I going to do with this?" 'I was worried they would think I had brought it on board the flight. 'It's quite scary really, when you consider why it might have been there, or what could have happened. 'I decided to take it to a stewardess and I told her I had found it on the floor and it wasn't mine. The large double-headed blade was lying on the floor under the seat in front of Ms Jerath's seat. She had reached under to look for the game her seven-year-old son had dropped . 'She just wrapped it up in tissue and said thank you. I was expecting her to take my details, or a statement from me but she didn't.' Ms Jerath bordered the 7.55am Condor flight to Manchester, which she booked with Thomas Cook, to visit family members on 18 August. After finding the blade, the mother-of-one initially thought another passenger must have dropped it - but quickly realised no one in the vicinity had yet been seated. Ms Jerath said she immediately feared for the safety of her seven-year-old son who was flying with her at the time, as well as her own well-being. Blade find: Ms Jerath took pictures of the dangerous object to hand to the airline as evidence . Ms Jerath said, 'We go through so much security before we board the plane, I have no idea how anyone would be able to get a blade through. 'I was so glad my son didn't pick it up - it's so concerning to think anyone could have got their hands on it. 'It makes you wonder - that blade could have been put there for someone else to pick up on purpose.' After picking up the dangerous object, Louise immediately took some pictures, to hand to the airline as evidence. She then informed cabin crew members who wrapped the blade in a tissue before disposing of it. Ms Jerath had booked her flight through Thomas Cook and was on her way to visit family members . Ms Jerath claims they failed to take her seriously and have since neglected to look into her allegations. She said, 'When I picked it up there was no one sat next to, in front, or behind me, so it must have been there before we boarded.' A spokesman for Thomas Cook and Condor apologised for the incident and said it was being looked into. He said, 'We'd like to reiterate our thanks to our customer for bringing this to our attention on boarding the aircraft. 'All our aircrafts are cleaned and inspected prior to each flight so we are now working with Condor, our sister airline, to investigate how - on this rare occasion - a small blade was found on board.' | Louise Jerath was travelling to Manchester with her seven-year-old son .
Shocked to find the dangerous object under the seat in front of her .
Complained but cabin crew members didn't take her allegations seriously . |
108,213 | 178863cb9410d63aaadca1d198dfce972dc24387 | By . Mark Duell . and Martin Robinson . Motorists were facing hazardous conditions on the roads this morning after a thick blanket of dense fog descended over much of Britain overnight. Met Office forecasters issued a severe weather warning for most of England and central parts of Scotland with visibility in some areas down to a few feet. Photographs taken on the A13 near Basildon in Essex showed how traffic ground to a halt as drivers struggled to cope with the conditions. Other pictures showed the poor visibility in Central London this morning, with fog shrouding landmarks such as the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. A Met Office spokesman said: 'There is potential for fog to become more widespread overnight (Monday) and into Tuesday morning. Scroll down for video . High height: Viewed from Canary Wharf, the top of The Shard is just visible above the low fog over London, catching the early morning sunlight . Waking up: Big Ben, Westminster Bridge and the Houses of Parliament are seen shrouded in fog early this morning as Londoners make their way to work . Coming in to land: A Delta Airlines aircraft arrives into London Heathrow Airport through the fog . Tricky conditions: A United Airlines aircraft arrives at a London Heathrow Airport through the mist . Morning commute: Buildings are shrouded in fog behind Lambeth Bridge in Central London today, as motorists faced difficult driving conditions . Foggy weather: Joggers go for a morning run and traffic passes over Westminster Bridge in front of the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben in Westminster . Poor visibility: The top of the London Eye disappears into fog on the South Bank near Waterloo in Central London early this morning . Dark scene: Mist, fog and frost covers the South Downs in Sussex as Britain wakes up to a calm morning . Peeking through: The Cambridge skyline is obscured by fog as seen from Castle Hill this morning . Chilly start: A man enjoys the misty morning in Cambridge as he walks through a park . Sheep may safely grave: Mist, fog and frost cover the South Downs in Sussex this morning . Beautiful sight: Mist fills out the rolling hills of the Miserden Estate in Stroud, Gloucestershire . 'Some . places within the yellow area will not see fog, but where it forms it . could be locally dense with visibility falling below 200 metres . (650ft).' He added: 'The fog may be slow to clear on Tuesday in some places, especially across the east of the warning area.' The . A130 was closed in both . directions last night, after five vehicles were involved in a collision . and two lorries jackknifed on the opposite carriageway. Essex Police said the incident happened near . the junction between the A130 and A127 in Rayleigh - and the road was shut just after 11pm last night. Motorist . Andy Totham tweeted early this morning: 'Thousands of motorists stuck . in cars... We are trapped for the night. Crashes galore. Here until . dawn.' Driving in the morning: A cloud of fog covers the South Downs in Sussex as people commute to work on the roads . Misty: Met Office forecasters issued a severe weather warning for most of England. Two views of the South Downs in Sussex are pictured . Early: Another view of the South Downs in Sussex. Drivers said there were also issues with fog on motorways, including the M25, M1, M4, M5 and M11 . Gridlock: Motorists queue in thick fog in Essex this morning as a blanket caused poor visibility over much of England and other parts of the UK this morning . Difficulties: Officials warned people to take extra care in difficult conditions today. The A13 near Basildon in Essex is pictured in the early hours of this morning . Queues: A thick layer of fog hangs over the low parts of Hollingbury in Brighton, as the weather causes problems for drivers on their way to work today . East Sussex sunrise: Fog hangs over Hollingbury in Brighton this morning as motorists faced troublesome conditions on the roads . Skyline: Photographer Mark Savage took this stunning photograph of fog around Newcastle United football club's stadium, St James' Park . Picture of Britain: The Met Office issued a severe weather warning for most of England and central Scotland today, where the fog was at its most dense . Drivers said there were also issues with fog on motorways, including the M25, M1, M4, M5 and M11. Meanwhile, some airports urged passengers to contact their airlines as the fog could disrupt services. London City Airport said services were being delayed or cancelled 'due to low visibility'. Disruption was also being reported at Southampton Airport, while Lands End Airport was closed. Forecasters say that the fog will take some time to lift today. When it does in the South-East, it will be dry and bright with sunny spells. The West of the UK will be cloudy and wet as a band of slow moving rain edges east during the day, this wintry in the Scottish Highlands. Tonight the rain, heavy in places, will continue to edge eastwards, reaching south-eastern England by dawn. Behind the rain there will be clear spells and scattered showers. It came as it was revealed dozens of motorists who were believed to have driven carelessly and caused a 150-car pile-up in thick fog last September will be spared prosecution and sent on a driver awareness course instead. Police said it was a . miracle no-one died in the crash on the Sheppey Crossing in Kent, which . closed the bridge for more than nine hours. They added that some . motorists were driving without due care and attention and ‘at speeds . which prevented them being able to stop’. But a senior officer said . letting 32 drivers go on the course would be ‘far more beneficial’ than . prosecuting them. Those who decline will be automatically summoned to . court. Eight people suffered serious injuries and 200 were treated at the scene following the pile-up. The latest fog is more poor weather after . weeks of violent storms and flooding caused chaos, with some areas . having been under water for several weeks. Forecast: Tonight the rain, heavy in places, will continue to edge eastwards, reaching south-eastern England by dawn. Behind the rain there will be scattered showers . Looking out: Sheep grave as mist fills out the rolling hills of the Miserden Estate in Stroud, Gloucestershire . On the platform: BBC technology correspondent Rory Cellan-Jones took this photograph of passengers at West Ealing station in London, where delays were reported . Hard to see: Early morning fog shrouds the Houses of Parliament in Westminster, Central London . In action: Lambs running in a frost-covered field at Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset - the home of the Glastonbury Festival . Glorious start: A beautiful sunrise over countryside near Burton, north-west of Bridgwater in Somerset . Red sky in the morning: Another view of the spectacular sunrise over countryside near Burton in Somerset today . Watch out: The Environment Agency had 15 flood warnings and 99 less-serious flood alerts in place across England and Wales, with the majority in the South . Yesterday it emerged that 37 local authorities have indicated they need extra Government cash to cover their multi-million pound clear up costs after the Christmas and new year floods. Communities Minister Brandon Lewis said the authorities told his department they planned to claim under the Bellwin scheme, which gives compensation to areas facing exceptional costs from flooding. Meanwhile, the Environment Agency had 15 flood warnings and 99 less-serious flood alerts in place across England and Wales, with most in the South. Tonight: Rain over northern and western areas at the start of the night will push east, bringing some hill snow across parts of Scotland. Rain will reach into eastern parts of the UK after midnight, with clearer conditions and showers in the west. Some mist and fog will develop in the west too. Tomorrow: Rain across eastern areas will linger across parts of south-east England through the day. Further west, mist and fog patches may be slow to clear in valleys and other sheltered areas, but it will brighten up across most places through the day with hazy sunny spells and a few showers developing. Showery rain will move into Scotland through the afternoon and bring in thicker cloud. Thursday: A chillier day with rain spreading in from the north-west that will bring some locally heavy outbreaks to northern and western areas, with snow expected across higher elevations in Scotland. Some sleety conditions are also expected to fall across quite widely across lower elevations through the day. It will turn drier and brighter in the west later on with just a few showers. Friday: Any mist and low cloud across eastern areas will lift as a band of rain moves in from the west. Winds will freshen across western areas. | Severe weather warning for England and central Scotland as visibility drops to a few feet in some areas .
Flights delayed or grounded and photos show traffic grinding to a halt on A13 near Basildon, Essex .
A130 in Essex closed in both directions after crashes on both carriageways just after 11pm last night . |
5,142 | 0e9c45eb536d5704fd348b805266d1e5914ebc47 | The open enrollment period for federal Obamacare plans will begin more than a month later than it did last year, with this year's start date coming after the midterm elections. In 2013 consumers could begin signing up for plans on Oct. 1. This year they were scheduled to start their applications on Oct. 15. But the Obama administration announced late last year that the second enrollment period would instead begin on Nov. 15 - a full week and a half after the consequential federal elections taking place on Nov. 4. Both the White House and the Department of Health and Human Services have said politics aren't at play. The enrollment date was delayed this year to give insurers more time to calculate rates and consumers more time to familiarize themselves with healthcare plans available to them, they've said. A man receives information about health insurance options last Friday in Paterson, New Jersey. Americans enrolling in Obamacare through the federal exchanges have a month and a half longer to review their options this year than they did last year . Still, the move has the added convenience of allowing insurers to keep next year's rates a secret until voters have already cast their ballots for or against Democrats who voted for or support the health care law. At a news briefing last fall, then-White House Press Jay Carney confirmed the postponement of the fiscal year 2015 and denied that the timing of the midterm elections factored into the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services' decision. 'The fact is, we're doing it because it make sense for insurers to have as clear a sense of the pool of consumers they gain in the market this year, before setting rates for next year,' the White House spokesman said. CMS is the division of HHS that is responsible for implementing the health care law. An HHS official told Fox News at the time of the announcement that the purpose of the revised enrollment schedule was to give insurers 'the benefit of more time to evaluate their experiences during the 2014 plan year,' particularly after glitches with healthcare.gov caused numerous delays in the first enrollment period. The government was supposed to cut consumers off on March 31 but ended up allowing them to sign up for coverage well into April. Fox's HHS source tried to frame the fall 2014 delay as 'good news for consumers' because they 'will have more time to learn about plans before enrolling.' However, Republicans are crying foul. The way they see it, the administration is purposefully trying keep the true costs of Obamacare from Americans until after November's congressional elections. 'If premiums go through the roof in the first year of Obamacare, no one will know about it until after the election,' Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley said when CMS announced the postponement a year ago. The federal health care site has been under construction since the last open enrollment period for Obamacare ended in April. Among the changes to the site is a simplified application that only asks customers 16 pages of questions instead of 76. Glitches that caused the site to crash during peak traffic times have also been resolved, HHS told the Associated Press, and more than 125,000 people will be able to access the site at the same time. The next open enrollment period begins on Nov. 15. and ends Feb. 15. The Congressional Budget Office expects roughly 13 million Americans to sign up for Obamacare in fiscal year 2015, up from the eight million people who signed up last year. In a statement released last Friday Americans for Prosperity President Tim Phillips claimed, 'the President sold ObamaCare to the American people on the false promise that it would make health care more accessible and more affordable for those who needed it most. 'Sadly, ObamaCare has actually put affordable health care even further out of reach for millions of Americans,' the conservative non-profit head claimed.The administration’s decision to withhold the costs of this law until after Election Day is just more proof that ObamaCare is a bad deal for Americans.' Obamacare continues to be unpopular with many Americans, and Democrats should be concerned, if they already are not, that Americans facing sticker shock on their health care plans could take their anger out at the ballot box. Alaska, Iowa and Louisiana are all set to see premium hikes next year, and the Democratic Senators representing all three states are in danger of being knocked off by their Republican challengers. In Alaska two insurers, Premera Blue Cross and Moda Health, are planning double-digit rate increases, according to the Washington Times. The Times reports that 88 percent of Alaskans won't be dramatically effected by the rate hike because they qualify for government subsidies. However that hasn't stopped the Republican candidate in the state's senate race, Dan Sullivan, from using the news as a cudgel against incumbent Sen. Mark Begich, a Democrat who voted for Obamacare. 'Did you lose your coverage due to ObamaCare? Are your premiums set to skyrocket? Follow the link to share your ObamaCare story and stand up to the elected leaders in D.C. who sold Alaskans out,' Sullivan said in a Facebook post on Sept. 12. While Obamacare has taken a backseat to other prominent issues in this year's elections such as immigration, jobs and the economy and the war against the Islamic State, Republican Senate candidates in Iowa and Louisiana have also made the health care reform law a central issue in their campaigns. CMS didn't immediately reply to a request for comment from MailOnline on Republican's accusations that the 2015 enrollment period was pushed back for political reasons. | In 2013 consumers could begin signing up for plans on Oct. 1; this year they were scheduled to start their applications on Oct. 15.
The Obama administration delayed the fiscal year 2015 enrollment period to a week and a half after the federal elections taking place on Nov. 4 .
The White House and the Health and Human Services Department have said politics aren't at play .
But the move has the convenience of allowing insurers to keep next year's rates a secret until after voters have cast their ballots . |
129,811 | 33ca69f993ce3b67cdf8c7ca4cd20bae2fe254c0 | For years Muhammad has been racing up the chart of the country’s most popular baby names – and now he has been joined by his sisters Nur and Maryam. The two girls’ names have been among the most popular of 2014, according to website BabyCentre. The data shows a surge in Arabic names in the UK this year, with Omar, Ali and Ibrahim all entering the boys’ top 100 for the first time. Scroll down for video . The data shows a surge in Arabic names in the UK this year, with Omar, Ali and Ibrahim all entering the boys’ top 100 for the first time . For girls, Maryam has shot up 59 places to number 35, while Nur is a new entry in the girls’ top 100, jumping straight to number 29. And Muhammad has risen an astonishing 27 places compared to last year to claim the number-one spot for boys. Sophia was the top name for baby girls but the year’s biggest riser within the girls’ top 100 was Maryam, while the highest new entries were Nur, Emilia and Gracie. For baby boys, Teddy was the biggest climber within the top 100. The highest new entry was Kian. Sarah Redshaw, managing editor for BabyCentre, said: ‘With the increase of Arabic names, the top 100 shows the ever-increasing diversity of the UK today.’ The Royal relegation continued with George falling a further five places. The name slipped out of the top ten to number 13 shortly after the future king’s birth last year. Other royal names – such as Harry and William – also continued to fall in popularity this year. Popular names from the 1970s seem to be making a comeback, with Emma, Sarah and Maria up 10, 32 and 12 places respectively . Miss Redshaw said: ‘Parents have also been influenced by celebrity name choices. The Beckhams and Simon Cowell have been big influences this year. Eric, the name Simon Cowell chose for his son, increased by 314 per cent.’ The names of David and Victoria Beckham’s offspring proved popular with parents. Harper is a new entry in the top 100 this year, while Romeo is up 67 per cent and Cruz is up 400 per cent. Ariana entered the top 100 girls’ names for the first time, with singer Ariana Grande topping the charts this year. Game Of Thrones star Emilia Clarke inspired new entry Emilia at number 53 and Piper was up 267 per cent, thanks to TV series Orange Is The New Black. Breaking Bad also continued to influence parents, as Skyler, Jesse and Walter all increased in popularity. But Miss Redshaw added: ‘Parents are wary of names associated with celebrities who exhibit bad behaviour, the controversial pop singer Miley Cyrus being a prime example.’ The name Miley has fallen, as have Amy and Nick, following the release of the mystery thriller book and movie Gone Girl. Popular names from the 1970s seem to be making a comeback, with Emma, Sarah and Maria up 10, 32 and 12 places respectively. Angela, Joanne, Claire and Karen also all increased in popularity and John made it into the top 100. This year’s more unusual names included Wren, London, Genisis, Blue, Hendrix, Braxton and Apollo. | Surge in Arabic names this year with Omar, Ali and Ibrahim all in top 100 .
For girls, Maryam has shot to number 35, while Nur is new entry .
And Muhammad rose astonishing 27 places to claim the number-one spot . |
199,334 | 8e0a0a83fab0e986bdaddbd6b955c84b0be352cc | These eerie pictures show the demise of an abandoned Grade II listed home, once lovingly cared for by a local historian. Situated in the leafy, affluent suburb of Moseley, Birmingham it was once a stunning example of a quintessentially English detached house. It has now been repossessed after its current owners were declared bankrupt, after they left it to decay for at least eight years. Scroll down for video . The front of the Grade II listed home, in Moseley, Birmingham, which has been left abandoned for eight years after its owners went bankrupt . The view from the back of the abandoned property shows the lawn growing out of control and trees and vines climbing up the side of the house . The gardens in the Birmingham property remain overgrown and don't appear to have been maintained at all during the eight years the home has been deserted . The loft inside the home was left almost completely bare. A local history group is growing 'increasingly concerned' about the state of the abandoned property . The fireplace inside the historic stately English home, which was first built in 1916 and once lovingly cared for by a local historian . Couches and mould-covered walls have been left to rot. The building has now been repossessed and remains unsecured after its owners left it about eight years ago . The house tells the story of the changes in English society that have been felt particularly in the West Midlands. The exterior of the house still looks much the same as when it was completed for Albert Gosling, a butcher, in 1916. It maintains features such as the cupola on top of the garage, which allowed exhaust fumes to escape. Inside, many of the original wooden panels and stained glass windows remain. The kitchen has a distinct 1970s kitsch feel, whilst the living room has a picture of Mecca hanging. Fiona Adams, 67, Secretary of the Moseley History Society said: 'It was the home of Fred and Olive Price - the Moseley Local History Group had many meetings there. 'We’ve been increasingly concerned about the state of this charming Arts and Crafts house that Fred lovingly maintained.' Despite the fact the property has been ignored for a number of years, parts of the interior and living room appear to remain in relatively good condition . However, other parts of the home are in need of major repairs. Here the floor of the living room can be seen with holes while a spider has made a room its nest . A court order stuck on the property's window states the home has been repossessed, however the property still remains unsecured . The home is abandoned but little appears to have been done to clean up, with used teacups and cutlery left lying throughout the kitchen . Both the kitchen and one of the sitting rooms need major repairs, with building materials and mould visibly staining the walls . A large Sony television, along with newspapers and photos of Diana remain intact. Much of the house's exterior also remains as it was when it was completed in 1916 . Still in the house were used teacups, a large Sony television, photographs of Lady Diana, newspapers, made beds and family photographs showing Fred Price. Javid Sattar, who was the last owner of the house, is believed to be the President of the World Council of Muslim Youth. A business card stating Mr Sattar's job title and contact details was found in the home. There was also a photograph of Mecca, the Muslim holy site in Saudi Arabia, and a copy of a book issued during the Pakistan National Defence College's 2002 visit to the United Kingdom. A letter from a law firm has been put up in the house notifying Mr Sattar that it is now in their possession. However, the building hasn’t been secured. The house has slipped a long way from it’s former glory giving concern to neighbours who blame the decay for burglaries on their own properties, saying that it has enabled thieves to gain access through the abandoned house’s garden. These photographs show the former owner of the house, Fred Price (right with glasses), hosting a social gathering inside the Grade II listed family home . A copy of the Daily Mail from June 1, 2006, is left lying in the house - giving an indication of just how long the property has been left to decay . A large Sony television, with a thick gathering of dust on it, has been left in the living room. It was once the home of Fred and Olive Price, two local history enthusiasts . The home's dining area remains a mess, with clothes, rubbish, bowls and cutlery left scattered across the floor and dining table . These pictures show Fred Price, who once owned and cared for the historic property, prior to its latest owner abandoning it eight years ago . A photo of Mecca was left hanging on the living room wall inside the property. A business card found at the address states the former owner was the president of the World Council of Muslim Youth . A picture of Lady Diana remains the living room, while on the right is a book commemorating a Pakistan National Defence College visit to the United Kingdom. The former owner, Javid Sattar, is a property magnate who also owns numerous other properties in and around Moseley . | A Grade II-listed home in Moseley, Birmingham, has been left to decay after it was abandoned eight years ago .
Built for a local butcher in 1916, the English detached home's former owners left it after they went bankrupt .
It was also once occupied by a local historian, and campaign groups are concerned a piece of history will be lost . |
46,699 | 839437a9173ee54fb0bdc74a0af15c536dee9104 | The BBC is locked in a stand-off with MPs over its coverage of Europe. Furious MPs accused director-general Tony Hall of putting the BBC 'above accountability' by refusing to answer questions from the Commons European scrutiny committee about the corporation's alleged bias on the issue. Lord Hall was accused of 'hiding' behind historic rules that mean members of the House of Lords cannot be summoned to answer questions in the Commons. BBC director-general Tony Hall of putting the BBC 'above accountability' by refusing to answer questions from the Commons European scrutiny committee . David Cameron today urged Lord Hall to back down, saying that as a 'general rule' BBC executives should be willing to answer questions from MPs. 'The BBC needs to be, and is, publicly accountable,' he said. Tory MPs said the stand-off raised questions about whether peers should be allowed to run major public bodies. Conservative MP James Clappison said: 'It creates the impression that the BBC holds itself above accountability.' Fellow Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg said: 'It makes it difficult for peers to be put in charge of public bodies if they are going to hide behind their privileges to avoid questioning.' BBC chairman Rona Fairhead insisted Lord Hall could not answer questions about the corporation's coverage of Europe because it might threaten the BBC's independence in the run-up to the election. She insisted he was not using his privileges as a member of the Lords to stay away. Mrs Fairhead said that a number of BBC news executives had already appeared before the committee to answer questions on the issue. And she said she was also willing to discuss the broad issues around the BBC's coverage. David Cameron, arriving back at Number 10 after Prime Minister's Questions this afternoon, has urged the BBC chief to stay 'accountable' But she claimed Lord Hall's position as the BBC's 'editor-in-chief' meant it would be wrong for him to face questions on politically sensitive issues because it could cast doubt on the corporation's 'independence'. She told MPs: 'The director-general did not refuse to come because he is a peer. The question of independence is a very delicate one. 'There is a question of what is an appropriate level of scrutiny by parliament if the BBC is to remain independent.' Under Parliamentary rules, Commons committees can require almost anyone to appear before them to answer questions. Those who refuse risk being found in contempt of parliament, which is punishable by a jail term. Tony Blair, who was dragged to the Commons this week to answer questions about Northern Ireland, is one of a number of reluctant witnesses summoned in recent years. But peers enjoy an exemption from the rules and cannot be summoned. A decade ago, a major review by the former Cabinet Secretary Lord Wilson, reported a 'widespread perception' of 'certain forms of cultural and unintentional bias' in favour of the EU. Mrs Fairhead said a number of changes had been made since, including the appointment of a dedicated Europe editor. Richard Ayre, chairman of the BBC Trust's editorial standards committee, yesterday confirmed it receives numerous complaints about its European coverage - including eight separate cases over the last three years. But he said it had not upheld any complaints on the issue since at least 2007. Lord Hall's refusal to attend was raised with the Prime Minister yesterday. Tory MP Sir Roger Gale called for a review of the exemption for peers, saying: 'Lord Hall, is refusing to give evidence to another Select Committee on the grounds that he is a Member of Parliament. He is also a paid public servant. Is it not time that we reviewed the matter of parliamentary privilege?' Mr Cameron replied: 'The general rule should be that people involved in the senior management of the BBC who are summoned to appear in front of a Select Committee should come, because the BBC needs to be, and is, publicly accountable. I think Lord Hall does a very good job at the BBC, and I am sure he would give a good account of himself, but I will have a careful look at it.' A BBC spokesperson said: 'The Director General never has and never would use his membership of the House of Lords as a reason not to appear before a select committee. 'The BBC is editorially independent and accountable to the BBC Trust for our broad coverage of issues. 'The chairman of the BBC Trust will be appearing in front of the committee and we believe that this strikes the right balance between the BBC's independence and accountability to Parliament.' | Lord Hall was accused of 'hiding' behind historic Parliamentary rules .
Peers cannot be summoned to answer questions in the Commons .
PM urged Lord Hall to back down, saying the BBC had to be 'accountable' |
139,164 | 3ff64040015b75383cecf9e3332afe23cfaac598 | Conjoined twins who were connected at the chest and abdomen have been separated after an operation that has never before been successfully attempted. Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata were born in Texas last April and were welcomed by parents Elysse and John Eric. The couple, from Lubbock, were told that their twin girls would be conjoined and when they were born it was found their shared the same chest wall, lungs, pericardial sac (the lining of the heart), diaphragm, liver, intestines, colon and pelvis. Scroll down for video . Mother Elysse Mata goes to see one of her daughters in recovery and gives the thumbs up after her conjoined twins were successfully separated . Doctors and family members gather around the other girl as she recovers from surgery. The operation to separate them lasted a total of 26 hours . The twins, pictures before the surgery were connected at the chest and abdomen and shared several vital organs including the liver, lungs and intestines . Earlier this month, a team of more than 26 clinicians, including 12 surgeons, six anesthesiologists and eight surgical nurses at the Texas Children's Hospital operated to separate the 10-month-olds. The 26-hour surgery was the first time twins conjoined at the chest and abdomen in this way had been separated successfully. And now their mother Elysse says she can't thank the surgeons enough for giving her daughters the chance to live separate lives. She said: 'We know how much planning and time went into this surgery and we are so blessed to be at a place like Texas Children's where we have access to the surgeons and caretakers that have made this dream a reality. The girls' father John Eric struggles contain his emotion after both of his daughters survived the operation, which had never before been attempted . Mrs Mata strokes one of her daughter's hair after the surgery earlier this month. Both girls are still recovering in Texas Children's Hospital's intensive care unit . Mrs Mata struggles to hold back her tears of happiness, saying she can't thank the surgeons enough for allowing her daughters to live separate lives . Mr and Mrs Mata personally thank some of the medical team that operated on their daughters. In total 12 surgeons, six anesthesiologists and eight surgical nurses carried out the surgery . 'We also want to express our gratitude to all of the people that have prayed and provided support to our family over the last 10 months. To prepare for the major surgery earlier this month, both Knatalye and Adeline underwent a five hour procedure in December to place custom-made tissue expanders into their chest and abdomen. The tissue expanders helped to stretch the babies’ skin in preparation for their separation surgery. Models of their organs were also created so doctors could carry out simulations of the operation before the actual surgery. During the operation, the team worked for around 23 hours on Knatalye and for 26 on Adeline with the official separation taking place 18 hours into the procedure. Mrs Mata discovered she was carrying conjoined twins when a routine ultra-sound showed that the girls were connected at the chest and abdomen . Before the surgery Knatalye and Adeline underwent a five-hour procedure to place tissue expanders in their chest to prepare for the operation . The twins big brother, five-year-old Azariah gives them both a kiss before they are wheeled off to theatre for their 26-hour operation . Doctors prepare to begin the procedure after the girls are given anesthetic. The surgery was the first time it had been carried out successfully . Surgeons during the operation. Before the surgery, staff made 3D models of the twins' organs in order to practice how they would carry out the procedure . The full team that helped to separate the twins pose for a picture in the operating theatre. The girls will remain under their care until they are discharged . Dr Darrell Cass, paediatric surgeon said: 'This is the first time a separation surgery for thoraco-omphalo-ischiopagus twins with this particular configuration has been successful. 'This surgery was not without its challenges with the girls sharing several organ systems. 'Our team has been preparing for this surgery for months and we’ve done everything from working with our radiology experts to build a 3-D model of their organs, to conducting simulations of the actual separation surgery.' The girls are now being cared for in the hospital's paediatric intensive care unit, where they will recover for the next couple of months. There is no date for their release from hospital as it is thought they will have to undergo additional procedures in the future. | Knatalye Hope and Adeline Faith Mata, aged 10 months, were born last year connected by the chest and abdomen .
The twins shared several major organs including lungs, liver, intestines, colon, pelvis and lining of the heart .
They underwent a complex 26-hour operation to separate them at the Texas Children's Hospital earlier this month .
The operation saw a team of 12 surgeons, six anesthesiologists and eight surgical nurses carry out the surgery .
The twins are now recovering in the intensive care unit of the hospital and may have to undergo further procedures .
Mother Elysse says she can't thank the surgeons enough for giving her daughters a chance to lead separate lives . |
272,591 | ed1438b88344fd4dcbaf9fac3bc61a4acad5a5c2 | A playboy Saudi prince with multi-billion pound investments in Britain was today named as the royal robbed by a Kalashnikov-wielding gang in Paris. Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd, 41, was the victim of a movie-style heist at Porte de la Chapelle, in the north of the French capital on Sunday night. His 10-car convoy, including cars full of armed bodyguards, was on the way towards a private jet at Le Bourget airport when it was attacked. Scroll down for video . The Prince was the favoured son of the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who died in 2005, but is best known for his high-living lifestyle. He is pictured left in 2003 and right carrying the shrouded body of his father . In what looked like a crime involving inside knowledge, around eight balaclava-wearing thugs forced the lead car to a halt, pointing their guns at their victims. They then made off with a Mercedes van containing more than £200,000 in cash, along with a case full of documents, and medication belonging to the Prince. The Prince, who had just spent almost two months living in a luxury suite at the Four Seasons George V Hotel in Paris, was in a separate chauffeur-driven car. Nobody was injured in the raid. The gang's getaway BMW cars and the Mercedes were later found burnt out nearby, while three of the Prince's kidnapped aides were released. Sources at Le Bourget confirmed that the Prince was on his way to a jet from the Saudi Arabian embassy in Paris. Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd's investments in London include a share in Heron Tower in the City of London, and he is said to have a £4 billion property portfolio in the USA alone. He once left a £60,000 tip during a visit to a trendy restaurant on the Spanish island of Ibiza, and offered a mansion for sale in Kensington Palace Gardens, the so-called 'Billionaire's Row' in west London, for £100million last year. The Prince is said to have offered a mansion for sale in Kensington Palace Gardens, the so-called 'Billionaire's Row' in west London, for £100million last year . Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd's investments in London include a share in the Heron Tower (pictured) in the City of London . The Prince was the favoured son of the late King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, who died in 2005, but is best known for his high-living lifestyle. Following the raid, security was stepped up around the royal in Paris, where the authorities have become increasingly concerned about a spate of car-jackings of the super-rich. Billionaires from the Middle East, Russia and China are well known for offering cash for discounts on items like cars and jewelry - making them particularly vulnerable to attack. A source at the Saudi embassy in Paris said that Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd remained 'shocked but otherwise OK' following his ordeal, and was now believed to be back in Ibiza on holiday. An earlier version of . this article contained a photograph of Prince Abdulaziz bin Talal incorrectly . captioned as Abdulaziz bin Fahd. The caption also incorrectly stated a woman . pictured was Princess Sara. We are happy . to make the position clear. | Saudi prince named as royal who was robbed by gun-toting thieves in Paris .
Abdul Aziz Bin Fahd was victim of a movie-style heist in north of the capital .
10-car convoy was on its way to a private jet when it came under attack .
Thugs made off with £200,000 in cash, a case full of documents and medicine . |
156,670 | 56932e7ce6fb38d3714a79d24cd6154f41454afd | Mauricio Pochettino has backed Harry Kane to handle the pressure of carrying Tottenham’s assault on the top four. The 21-year-old has had a stunning season, netting 15 goals and, significantly, has been the club’s driving force in a run of seven games unbeaten in all competitions. He’s scored six goals in that run and played a major role in leading Spurs to fifth in the Premier League. With an England call up likely, the challenge for the striker will now be managing expectation s. Tottenham striker Harry Kane is mature enough to handle the pressure this season, says Maurico Pochettino . The new Spurs manager has been credited with giving Kane the chance he deserved up front this season . But Pochettino insisted on Friday he has no concerns about Kane enduring the pressure of his success. He said: ‘Harry is young and he can handle this moment. Yes, I think he is mature. He is young but mature and the process was the right process to arrive in this moment. I think Harry is clever and he knows how to manage the pressure.’ The subject of pressure and the wider team’s mental toughness has been prominent in Pochettino’s debut season. Their abject record against leading sides was held up as an example of that fragility, though the 5-3 demolition of Chelsea will surely go some way to instilling confidence in the side. Kane (tussling with John Terry) has proven he possesses the sort of physical attributes to succeed . Erik Lamela (right, pictured on New Year's Day) is still injured and won't play against Crystal Palace . Pochettino, whose side face Crystal Palace on Saturday, believes that win could prove essential in the chase for a Champions League spot. He said: ‘It is important to stop this idea. We must now believe we can beat sides like Chelsea. It was more than just one victory. It was a victory for getting belief into our tactics and the way we want to play.’ It remains to be seen how active Spurs are in the transfer market this month. The signs are that there will be movement, having signed Southampton’s head of recruitment Paul Mitchell, but Pochettino attempted to play down those prospects. He said: ‘We are happy with our squad and our players. I don’t think there will be many changes. There are many rumours in this period but we don’t comment.’ Ryan Mason and Erik Lamela are both injured and will not face Palace. | Harry Kane has been Tottenham's standout performer this season .
Mauricio Pochettino says the striker is ready for an assault on the top four .
Spurs face Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Saturday .
Click here for Tottenham transfer news . |
30,963 | 57f9cb518c1a09e78b8a39f030709b5d3c2888eb | By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 04:19 EST, 18 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:19 EST, 18 June 2013 . The father of murdered schoolgirl Tia Sharp is expecting a new child with his partner later this year, he revealed today. Steven Carter's girlfriend Melissa Potter is around 14 weeks pregnant and is due to give birth in mid-December. The 31-year-old said he was told he was going to become a father again a week before his daughter's killer Stuart Hazell went on trial. New start: Tia's father Steven Carter (left) revealed today that he is expecting a baby with his partner Melissa Potter in December. The couple already have a nine-year-old son . Mr Carter, who called for Hazell to hang after he was jailed for life, said that he saw the baby as 'a blessing from Tia'. He told MailOnline: 'We found out we were expecting another baby just before the trial but kept it under wraps because we just wanted to get justice for Tia. Victim: Tia Sharp, 12, who was murdered by Stuart Hazell . 'My family and a few close friends knew before the case got to court - but we wanted to keep it quiet. 'We feel the baby is a blessing from Tia, I know that will sound strange to some people, but it is something for us to look forward to now. 'We will never forget her but I don't think Tia would be happy with us just moping around and this is a chance to move on. 'At the end of this month we have got her birthday and then in August it is the first anniversary, so it is hard.' Mr Carter moved to Moulton, Northamptonshire, from New Addington, south London, after splitting up with Tia's mother Natalie Sharp when she was a baby. He already has an nine-year-old son called Thomas with his long-term partner Melissa and was delighted to learn that she is expecting again. The family have just returned from a short break in Majorca 'to get away from it all' after their harrowing courtroom experience last month. Mr Carter said that later this year he will face the difficult task of redecorating Tia's bedroom for the new baby, although they don't yet know the sex. And the father said that his son gave him a father's day card at the weekend signed from 'Thomas and Tia'. Mr Carter added: 'The card said love from Thomas and Tia. He said he knew Tia couldn't write it herself so he had to write it for her. 'He asks a lot of questions about Tia and I have hundreds of pictures of them together, so it is very hard.' Justice: Tia's father Steven Carter (right) reacts outside court after Stuart Hazell (left) was jailed for life . Mr Carter was in the public gallery for the first week of Hazell's trial at the Old Bailey in May before the killer dramatically changed his plea to guilty. Hazell, the 37-year-old cannabis-smoking boyfriend of Tia’s grandmother Christine Bicknell, had insisted for nine months that Tia’s death was a ‘tragic accident’. The father-of-one claimed she slipped and broke her neck while he was babysitting her at the home he shared with Miss Bicknell. He said he panicked, wrapped the body in sheets and hid it in the loft where it was discovered by police during their fourth search. Anguish: Tia's father Steven looks at flowers left for his daughter near her home in south London after she was murdered last summer . Steven Carter broke down in tears when Hazell finally confessed to the murder. In an impassioned statement outside the court, he called for the killer to face the death penalty. ‘The . four days of trial here were very hard to deal with, hearing the vile . things Hazell did to Tia,' he said. 'He should serve his time and then be hung. I do not see today’s events as justice for Tia, merely a legal conviction.’ Mr Carter said he is furious that Hazell is planning to appeal against his 38-year prison sentence. 'I go out to work and pay my taxes for Hazell to sit in his prison cell where he is protected. The whole situation is unbelievable,' he added. | Tia's father told days before killer went on trial that he would be a dad again .
Steven Carter, 31, said his partner is expecting a new child in December .
He will redecorate Tia's old bedroom for the baby later this year .
He split up with Tia's mother years ago but saw his daughter regularly .
Mr Carter already has a nine-year-old son with partner Melissa Potter .
His son gave him a father's day card signed 'from Thomas and Tia' because 'Tia isn't here to sign it' |
73,266 | cfc9e29370f410313bdb50feede33220747a464c | Andy Murray will defy the sceptics over his working relationship with Amelie Mauresmo by striking a more substantial coaching deal than expected with the former women’s Wimbledon champion. The 27 year-old Scot, who returns to action this week at the Canadian Open in Toronto, appears to have persuaded Mauresmo to travel 25 weeks per year with him, which in top level tennis terms amounts to a full-blown commitment. Some doubted how much time she would be prepared to give to Murray, or whether she wanted to do the travelling necessary, but she is set to put in plenty more weeks than Ivan Lendl was doing towards the end of his tenure as coach. Staying together: Andy Murray will defy the sceptics over his working relationship with Amelie Mauresmo by striking a more substantial coaching deal . Mauresmo has spent weeks at Murray’s recent post-Wimbledon training camp in Miami – another thing that some doubted she would attend – and has accompanied him to Canada as preparations for the US Open start in earnest. A notable absentee from Toronto, I understand, will be Dani Vallverdu, his assistant coach and long-time cornerstone of his support staff. He is known to have been disturbed that he was not initially kept in the loop about Mauresmo’s appointment, only finding out when its likelihood was revealed by Sportsmail. He is said to have smoothed that over with his long-time friend, who explained that the whole French Open-Wimbledon period was the most difficult in which to settle coaching arrangements. Vallverdu gets on well with the ex French player, but the new structure around Murray will not see him travelling everywhere with the Scot as happened before. The Venezuelan will still work with Murray, but has this week off and then will join up with him for the Masters level event in Cincinatti that immediately follows Toronto. Sorted: The 27-year-old Scot appears to have persuaded Mauresmo to travel 25 weeks per year with him . The delay of an official announcement about Mauresmo seems to have been caused by it being holiday time and relevant lawyers drawing up the paperwork being on vacation. Murray swiftly returned to training following his surprise Wimbledon quarter final exit. He is said to have been pleased with the training block in Florida and how it has gone with Mauresmo, who has firm ideas but a more consensual approach than Lendl, who was very much a ‘my way or the highway’ type of operator. This week represents the start of a new phase of the Scot’s career in many senses, as he no longer carries around the Wimbledon champion tag, is fully over his back surgery, and down to number ten in the rankings. When the draw for Toronto came out on Friday night he was slightly shielded from his new reality by being bumped up into the top eight seedings and therefore getting a bye, only due to the long-term absence of Juan Martin Del Potro and the shock withdrawal of Rafael Nadal with a wrist injury. Murray’s first opponent will be either Colombian Santiago Giraldo or Nadal’s conqueror at Wimbledon, Australian Nick Kyrgios. Should he survive that he may face Novak Djokovic in the quarter finals. Frustration: Murray was knocked out of Wimbledon at the quarter-final stage against Grigor Dimitrov . The British number one has made clear that he will be taking to the two Masters level events ahead of Flushing Meadows with due seriousness as he tries to regain momentum for New York. He is said to be very motivated and, given that he only has a relatively paltry 630 ranking points to defend for the rest of the year, it can be expected that by the end of 2014 he will be back among the top seeds. Nadal, on the other hand, may take quite a ranking hit if the injury to his right wrist tendon does not clear. He excelled this time last year, winning Canada, Cincinatti and the U.S Open, and so has nearly a third of his computer points to defend in the next five weeks. While the damage to his tendon is not said to be severe any wrist problem cannot be easily dismissed in tennis and it is difficult to see him lining up in New York having not played since the Kyrgios upset. Djokovic got married after Wimbledon and his wife Jelena is soon expecting their first child, so his life is about to become more complicated. Other issues to look out for as tennis revives from its post-Wimbledon slumbers are whether Roger Federer – turning 33 this week - can keep his SW19 momentum going and if Grigor Dimitrov and Milos Raonic can follow up on their semi-final appearances there. | The 27-year-old Scot appears to have persuaded Mauresmo to travel 25 weeks per year with him .
Murray returns to action this week at the Canadian Open in Toronto .
Mauresmo has spent weeks at Murray’s recent post-Wimbledon training camp in Miami . |
100,074 | 0cefeabb026b0d67fc2e895afcccfd7061e39aae | By . Ray Massey . PUBLISHED: . 21:21 EST, 22 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:21 EST, 22 March 2012 . Britain is lagging behind Croatia and Turkey in the number of road improvements carried out in the last year, a damning new international league-table of highway upgrades and maintenance across Europe reveals today (Fri) Analysis across 30 European countries by map and sat-nav experts TomTom show that 115,994 new roundabouts, carriageway lanes and one-way streets were created in the UK over the last 12 months. But this only places the UK at seventh place in the European league table, behind sixth place Turkey (118,352 improvements) and fifth place Croatia (129,301) which was part of the former Balkan state of Yugoslavia. A carriageway across the Krka Bridge in Croatia, which was ranked higher than the UK for road improvements . France topped the list with 263,409 road improvements, followed by Germany (169,111), Spain (145,641) and Italy (144,571). The damning data emerged after TomTom recorded more than 1.5 million road changes across Europe in the past year - the first time that such detailed road change information has been mapped. It comes just days after Government announced controversial plans to privatise the major road system, and in the wake of a highly critical ‘ALARM’ report on the parlous state of the nation’s increasingly potholed and crumbling highways. But the TomTom report says: ‘Despite the huge growth in population and car ownership, it seems that investment in the UK’s road infrastructure is lagging behind other European countries.’ Earlier this week Prime Minister David Cameron announced controversial Government plans to privatise England’s motorway and major trunk roads which could be run and maintained by private sector firms and investors, as well as allowing them to charge pay-as-you drive tolls on new roads or lanes which they create. The UK was ranked just seventh in a list of EU countries for its road improvement rating . The aim is to improve the biggest and busiest roads on the UK’s ailing 362,598 mile road network. Traffic congestion costs the UK economy about £7bn a year according to Government estimates. TomTom managing director Corinne Vigreux said:’The road network is constantly changing. New roads are built and the layout of older roads adapted, with extra roundabouts, lanes and one-ways added in. We need to ensure that every single change is tracked so that drivers are up to date. ‘TomTom has used its own unique methodology to measure and quantify all of these map changes and state the numbers are accurate.’ She added: ‘Given the huge number of . road changes in the UK every year, it is vital that drivers update the . map on their satnav device when new maps become available. Otherwise . it’s like driving round with last year’s road atlas.’ TomTom . used detection systems to record map changes country by country . throughout 2010 and 2011. In addition to satellite imagery and mobile . mapping vans, geographic analysts used field surveys plus national and . local source material to capture the changes. The map statistics also come hard on the heels of the Government’s ‘satnav summit’ designed to encourage local authorities and mapping companies to work more closely on communicating changes to the road network. TomTom said its mapping teams work around the clock to track down every single change across the globe so that their sat-nav systems are completely up to date. It also consults with local Governments and transportation authorities to build a real-time map. Prime Minister David Cameron announced plans earlier this week to privatise motorways and major trunk roads . Motorists are already enduring a ‘pothole pandemic’ as a £10billion backlog in crumbling road repairs is tackled by short-term and expensive patch-and-mend hole-filling, a major report revealed last week. The authoritative dossier backed by the AA reveals that the number of potholes filled in across England and Wales has nearly doubled in five years to almost 1.7 million. But the millions spent is a ‘ridiculous waste’ of taxpayers’ money as it fails to tackle the underlying problems and is simply ‘plastering over the cracks,’ said the Annual Local Authority Road maintenance (‘ALARM’) report by the Asphalt Industry Alliance (AIA). It is also ‘at least 20 times more expensive’ to patch and mend’ than to plan proper road maintenance, it says. The last three winter cold snaps alone have added an estimated £1.34billion to the nation’s repair bill, it notes. Critics said it was ‘a disaster’ and ‘putting lives at risk.’ Council chiefs admitted they were filling potholes ‘at a rate of one every 18 seconds’ but ‘chasing their tails’ on patching up roads rather than fixing them properly. Even as things stand it will take English councils 11 years to clear the road maintenance backlog, while Welsh councils will take 17 years, said the report. And some roads will go for nearly 100 years without being resurfaced at all, it reveals. Councils in England and Wales have a total annual road maintenance funding shortfall of nearly £800million, with the average for each English council being £5.3million. Road maintenance budgets fell by an average of 13 per cent last year to a total of £2.5 billion. As a result, one in five (20 per cent) of local roads have only five years of live left in them - dropping to 1 in 4 (27 per cent) in London. | France, Germany and Spain top list of road improvements made in past 12 months . |
191,693 | 843bf4b4511bb4180d62d00c6a87d4582dfde8f3 | By . Sara Nathan . Simon Cowell and love Lauren Silverman have officially decided to call their baby son Simon Cowell Jnr, MailOnline can reveal. The X Factor supremo, 54, and his girlfriend are expecting their son next month and he will be born in New York so Lauren can be near her eldest son, Adam. And although many thought Cowell was joking when he said that Simon was his favourite name, a friend of the couple said: ‘Simon and Lauren have decided that their favorite name for the baby is actually Simon.' ‘For a while it was between Simon and Eric- Simon’s dad’s name, but now it looks like Eric will be the middle name.’ Indeed, at Lauren’s baby shower last month, guests brought baby gifts emblazoned with the name Simon on them. Including gifts embroidered with the initials SC. Scroll down for video . Adorable! Simon looked like he had caught a little sun on his chest as the love-birds cuddled up to one another in Barbados last month . Nice to meet you: Simon Cowell took to a baby while vacationing in Barbados with his pregnant girlfriend Lauren Silverman . He's a natural: The TV star looked content while holding close the cute tot . 'There were baby clothes and little games all personalized with the name ‘Simon’', a source said . Cowell's . Beverly Hills mansion was decked out in blue and white and a . muscle-bound male server gave out drinks ; and a stunning floral . arrangement was composed using white orchids, yellow orchids, blue . hydrangeas and white roses. After the party the flowers were given to . the nearby Cedars Sinai hospital in Los Angeles. Cowell and Lauren, 36, are currently on vacation aboard the Silverstream yacht in St Barts.But it will definitely be all hands on deck when the couple return to Manhattan ahead of their baby’s birth at one of the city’s most exclusive hospitals on February 28. The couple will bring their son home to the $26-000-a-month apartment they are renting in Manhattan. Cowell said that Simon was his favourite name while being interviewed by his former girlfriend Terri Semour for Extra last month. The expectant father said: 'My number one choice is Simon because I like the name.' He revealed that his second favourite for his first child with girlfriend Lauren Silverman is Eric, after his father, who passed away in 1999. The music millionaire said: ‘His birthday is going to be very close to my dad’s birthday,' adding that his father would be proud and amazed if he were here. The X Factor judge said he would like to adopt the same parenting style with which he was raised. Happy: The duo looked the picture of domestic bliss . as they strolled hand-in-hand on the beach . Baby on board: Lauren, who is due in February, showed off her baby bump as she soaked up the sun with her lover . Pecs appeal: Simon's pectoral muscles were on display as he strolled on the beach shirtless . 'Be cool about it, and don’t worry . about things to much… the way my brother and I were brought up, it was . kind of relaxed. There were no self-help books.' Cowell . went on to say that he was looking forward to having his son follow in . his footsteps, and would like to teach him how to run the business. As fatherhood draws near, the star knows he'll at least be great at handing out advice. 'I’m . not brilliant with babies,' he told Parade. 'I never know what to do. But [once he’s older] I think I’ll be a good dad in terms of advice. 'And . then I’ll get to do all the things I want to do, like go to Disneyland . or Universal Studios, teach him how to drive - I love all that.' Lauren already has a seven-year-old son Adam with her ex-husband, millionaire property developer Andrew Silverman. She was said to be keen to have the baby in New York so she is near to Adam. But . the couple will be on the go as they will likely take the tot – who . will have dual nationality – back to the UK to Cowell’s Holland Park . mansion soon after his birth as Cowell will start filming TV hit . Britain’s Got Talent and will be based in the UK for weeks. Close enough? Lauren patted her man's chest protectively as they walked down the beach . Such bliss: The pair took a romantic stroll and walked arm-in-arm . What's the gossip? Something was making the pair chuckle as they enjoyed their time together . Holding on tight: Lauren kept a firm grip on her man as she enjoyed a walk on the sand . And the pair practiced for parenthood as they strolled the beaches of Barbados last month and Cowell looked comfortable as he held tight to a little blonde child, smiling as he bonded with the baby. Dressed . in a strapless black bathing suit with a black sarong, Lauren - who . seemed thrilled her boyfriend was so into the tot - showed pregnancy . isn’t affecting her style. The besotted couple held hands and linked arms on their stroll as they enjoyed a relaxing Christmas vacation. And . it's all change for Cowell, who recently revealed he will be giving up . his cigarettes and not smoke in front of his son, after he was . criticised for puffing away near his pregnant girlfriend. 'I . won't do that,' he told LBC 97.3. 'I've learnt that. I'm trying to . do electronic cigarettes, they're not bad. But moderation would be . better.' | Music mogul's first baby with girlfriend Lauren Silverman to be born in New York next month .
Guests brought gifts emblazoned with 'SC' to Lauren's baby shower . |
102,289 | 0fd487c015cf988577c625161440837925bb610e | LONDON, England (CNN) -- From Dallas, Texas to Dabancheng, China, energy companies are staking fortunes on harnessing wind power. Texan energy companies are investing heavily to build wind turbines following a landmark ruling last week. Several Texan transmission companies announced Monday they were forming a consortium to invest in the $5 billion cost of building new power lines to take advantage of the state's vast wind power. The consortium, comprised of existing transmission operators, includes Dallas-based Oncor, the state's largest power delivery company, Electric Transmission Texas (ETT) and units of American Electric Power Co. among others. Those new lines, dubbed by Oncor as a "renewable energy superhighway," will accommodate about 18,500 megawatts of wind generation by 2012-- enough energy to power 4 million homes. Texas currently leads the nation in wind capacity at about 5,500 MW. The companies are hoping to take advantage of a landmark ruling on Friday that gave Texas preliminary approval for a $4.9 billion plan to build transmission lines to carry wind power from West Texas to urban areas. It is said to be the largest investment in clean, renewable energy in U.S. history. Texas citizens will have to assist with the plan's construction; paying an extra $3 to $4 per month on their bills for the next few years. However, they stand to recoup these costs in what they will save in energy bills later. Not surprisingly, energy companies are eager to jump on the bandwagon to build a large part of the superhighway. Oncor Senior Vice President of Transmission Charles Jenkins said in a news release: "At Oncor we want to be an important part of the solution. Texas is already a leader in wind energy and this is the next step in maintaining that leadership position. The wind energy industry has benefited from the support of billionaire oilman T. Boone Pickens, who is planning to build the world's largest wind farm on about 200,000 acres in the Texas Panhandle. When completed, his 2,700 turbines will be capable of producing enough electricity to power 1.3 million homes. Pickens spoke to CNN about his plans to increase reliance on natural resources like wind and solar. He said: "What I want to do is to fold in the great resource we have in the central part of this country, which is wind. And then you have resource from Texas west to California. "You've got solar. Those two resources have to be developed. So when you develop the wind, you can then remove natural gas from power generation and put it into a transportation fuel market. "Wind power is ... clean, it's renewable. It's everything you want. And it's a stable supply of energy. It's unbelievable that we have not done more with wind." Meanwhile, China could well be on its way to blowing the U.S. out of the water when it comes to harnessing wind energy. This is a rare energy success story for a country whose carbon emissions were recorded as the highest in the world last year, according to the Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency. But the Chinese energy revolution has been quietly gaining strength, observers say. Like their American counterparts, Chinese tycoons are increasingly directing their investment into renewable power. Zhu Yuguo, ranks at 102 on the Forbes China Rich List, with a personal fortune of 5.71 billion Yuan and has invested heavily in the wind power industry. Steve Sawyer of the Global Wind Energy Council said: "China's wind energy market is unrecognizable from two years ago." "It is huge, huge, huge. But it is not realized yet in the outside world," Sawyer said in an interview with London's Guardian newspaper. China's wind generation has increased by more than 100 percent per year since 2005 and 20 per cent of the power supply to the venues of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games will come from wind generators, according to the official state agency, Xinhua. It was initially hoped the country would generate 5 gigawatts of wind by 2010, but that goal was met three years early in 2007. The 2010 goal has now been revised to 10 gigawatts but experts say this could well hit 20 gigawatts. The Guanting Wind Farm in Beijing has installed capacity of 64.5 megawatts and has supplied 35 million kilowatts of electricity to Beijing so far. The wind farm is estimated to supply 100 million KWH per year to Beijing, or 300,000 KWH per day, enough to satisfy the consumption of 100,000 households. However, China still relies heavily on using coal, which supplies 70 per cent of China's energy needs. But Junfeng Li of the China Renewable Energy Industries Association has a more optimistic outlook. In a paper last month, he wrote: "China is witnessing the start of a golden age of wind power development and the magnitude of the growth has caught policymakers off guard. "It is widely believed that wind power will be able to compete with coal generation by as early as 2015." | Texas energy group launch bid to develop "renewable energy superhighway"
Texas given preliminary approval for a $4.9 billion plan to build new power lines .
Wind energy production in China set to overtake the U.S. experts say . |
141,873 | 4377926b699866a2d5aeab4907674d232abc2bbc | Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Two more blasts struck Nigeria on Monday, bringing the total to five since President Goodluck Jonathan was inaugurated Sunday. One blast Monday was directed at a military patrol in Maiduguri, in northern Nigeria, military spokesman Mohammed Yerima said. No casualties were reported. The other was in Zaria, also in northern Nigeria. It was the second blast in Zaria in less than a day. On Sunday, an explosion struck a beer parlor in Zaria, wounding two people, National Emergency Management Agency spokesman Yushau Shauib said. There were no casualties reported in the bombings Monday. The other two blasts Sunday were at a market in Bauchi, east of Zaria, and a beer hall in Zuba, on the outskirts of the Nigerian capital of Abuja. In the Bauchi explosion, at least 13 people were killed and 20 were wounded, Shauib said. In the Zuba blast, two people were killed and 11 others were hospitalized, Shauib said. In recent weeks, the African nation has been rocked by a series of bombings thought to be engineered by Boko Haram, an Islamic group that has challenged Nigeria's government. Explosions in Nigeria's northeastern state of Borno killed a few and wounded dozens in late April in the days leading up to the national governorship elections. Police described the attacks as attempts to intimidate voters who had picked Jonathan. Northern Muslims in some areas charged that the presidential election was rigged. Armed protesters in the region took to the streets chanting the name of former military ruler Muhammadu Buhari, the main opposition front-runner. This is Jonathan's first full term. As vice president, he took over the presidency in May 2010 upon the death of then-President Umaru Yar'Adua, who had suffered from a heart condition. CNN's Christian Purefoy contributed to this report. | NEW: 13 people were killed in the Bauchi explosion .
The blasts strike a market, a beer parlor, a military patrol and more .
An Islamic group is believed to be behind recent attacks . |
235,540 | bcec3641a6285e3692d607e0343d4814195e1c43 | (CNN) -- Wal-Mart has agreed to pay nearly $2 million and take extra safety precautions after a stampede killed a store employee in Long Island, New York, last year. Wal-Mart says it will consider applying the new safety measures in its other stores. The top prosecutor in Nassau County said she struck the deal rather than pursue criminal charges in the death of a 34-year-old man who was trampled to death as shoppers flooded into the store. It happened as the store opened on the day after Thanksgiving, which is traditionally among the busiest days of the year for retailers. Wal-Mart agreed to pay $1.5 million for community programs in Nassau County and another $400,000 to compensate people who were injured in the incident and repay them for out-of-pocket expenditures, District Attorney Kathleen Rice of Nassau County said in a statement. The district attorney and Wal-Mart said they agreed on a crowd-management plan that the retailer will implement at each of its 92 stores in New York for after-Thanksgiving shopping. The plan was developed by experts who have worked on crowd management at Super Bowls and Olympic Games, said Hank Mullany, a senior vice president at the company. Wal-Mart "will consider how aspects of this plan could apply to stores outside of New York," he said in a statement. "We have never had a tragedy like this in our stores, and we don't want it to happen again," his statement said. "We are committed to learning from it and making our stores even safer for our customers and our associates." The agreement between Nassau County and Wal-Mart "does not include an admission of guilt or wrongdoing by the corporation," the district attorney said. Discussions that yielded the agreement, which was announced Wednesday, started after a temporary Wal-Mart employee -- Jdimytai Damour of Jamaica -- was trampled to death at the Green Valley Wal-Mart in Long Island around 5 a.m. on November 28. At the time, Detective Lt. Michael Fleming of the Nassau County police described "utter chaos" when Wal-Mart workers tried to open the store doors that day. By 5 a.m. that Friday, when the doors were unlocked, there were about 2,000 shoppers waiting to enter, and many "surged forward," breaking the doors, he said. Video showed as many as a dozen people knocked to the floor in the stampede of people trying to get into the Wal-Mart store, Fleming said. The employee was "stepped on by hundreds of people" as other workers attempted to fight their way through the crowd, Fleming said. "Several minutes" passed before others were able to clear space around the man and attempt to render aid. Police arrived, and "as they were giving first aid, those police officers were also jostled and pushed," he said. "Shoppers ... were on a full-out run into the store," he said. | DA makes deal with Wal-Mart in case of shopper stampede that killed employee .
Retailer to pay $1.5M for community programs, $400K to people injured in the melee .
Wal-Mart not admitting any guilt or wrongdoing, says DA in Long Island, New York .
Retailer agrees to new crowd-management plan for post-Thanksgiving rush . |
266,022 | e49190ae2f64436d70aa031e7b9a8ef7591f9d3f | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 01:13 EST, 9 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:27 EST, 9 November 2013 . Failed heist: Kyle Handley (pictured above) is one of the four arrested for kidnapping a medical marijuana dispensary owner and sexually mutilating him in the desert while trying to rob him . Four people were arrested and charged this week for kidnapping a man, burning him with a blow torch and severing his penis while trying to extort money they believe he buried in the desert. In addition to 34-year-old Kyle Handley, who was arrested a year ago, police apprehended Ryan Kevorikan, 34, and Naomi Kevorkian, 33, in Fresno, California on Friday. A fourth suspect, 34-year-old Hossein Nayeri, was arrested on Thursday in the Czech Republic and is facing extradition. He fled to Iran after the crime and was flying to visit family in Spain at the time of his arrest. Prosecutors said the four people in their thirties carried out a plan to kidnap the owner of a California medical marijuana dispensary when they believed he was hiding money in the Mojave desert. The plans for the kidnapping were put in motion after Handley went on an 'extravagant and expensive' trip to Las Vegas with the victim and other growers. Handley supplied the 29-year-old victim's marijuana dispensary. When he returned from the trip, Handley told the three others that the victim was 'extremely wealthy' and they developed a plan to rob him. For weeks, the four staked out the victim's home and followed him on several trips he took to the Mojave Desert. They believed he was hiding money in the desert, when in reality he was looking into an investment deal. On October 2, 2012, the four broke into the victim's home by using a ladder to climb up to the Balboa Peninsula home's deck. The plan: The group of four conspired to rob the 29-year-old victim who they believed was 'extremely wealthy' and his stashes of money in the Mojave Desert . Breaking in: After staking out the victim's home for several weeks, they eventually broke in on October 2, 2012 using a ladder to get onto the home's deck . Inside, they found their target as well as his roommate's 53-year-old girlfriend. They tied up both before driving them off to the Mojave Desert. In the secluded desert, the group tortured the man in an attempt to make him reveal his hidden stash of money. They beat him up, burned him with a blow torch and even chopped off his penis. That's when they knew for sure there was no buried treasure. They decided to abandon the man and woman in the desert, taking the penis with them so that it couldn't be reattached. They also poured bleach all over the man believing it would destroy any DNA evidence connecting them to the incident. Going for a trip: The group kidnapped the man and woman and drove them north to the Mojave Desert where they believe he was hiding money . After the group drove off, the woman ran for a mile down the side of the road and eventually flagged down a police car. According to authorities, the male victim spent 'an extensive period of time in the hospital recovering from his injuries'. Authorities connected the four to the crime after a 'thorough extensive investigation'. Initially, police pegged Handley because the car neighbors reported seeing outside the victim's home was registered to him. The other three were linked to the crime through DNA evidence. All four were charged Friday with two felony counts of kidnapping and first degree residential burglary. If convicted, they could spend the rest of their lives in prison without the possibility of parole. Handley already plead not guilty to all of the charges last month. | On October 2, 2012 a group of four people kidnapped the 29-year-old owner of a medical marijuana and took him to the Mojave Desert .
They were under the impression that he hid large amounts of money in the desert .
While torturing him to reveal the location of the money, they beat him up, burned him with a blow torch and even cut off his penis .
One of the suspects, 34-year-old Ryan Handley, was arrested shortly after the group abandoned the man and his roommate's 53-year-old girlfriend .
The other three were arrested this Thursday and Friday and all were charged this week .
According to authorities, the victim spent a significant amount of time in the hospital recovering from his injuries . |
121,935 | 29a021253f7f36b2736840d7421e5da2069bd576 | The funeral of four young children who died holding each other in a cupboard as their mobile home burned down around them was held today in Hartsville, South Carolina. Their mother Hope Kaneshia Hawkins, 21, has been charged with homicide by child abuse after the siblings were found allegedly home alone, where they died of smoke inhalation. She was arrested last Thursday night after the deaths of four-year-old Delonta Dixon, two-year-old Camaron Mason, and twin 10-month-old girls My'asia and Ky'nasia Hawkins. 'Loving': Camaron Hawkins, centre, and his twin sisters My'asia and Ky'nasia Hawkins. The children's aunt Janice Hawkins said that 'they were loved by all' in the neighbourhood . Tragic deaths: Four-year-old Delonta Dixon, right, and two-year-old Camaron Mason . Charged: Hope Hawkins, 21, had allegedly left the children unattended when the deadly fire broke out . When the firefighters reached the scene last Wednesday at 1:57 pm Hope Hawkins was in the front yard outside.They arrived to find over half the mobile home on fire. Captain Andy Locklair, spokesman for the Darlington County Sheriff’s Office explained: 'She said she was at home when the fire started and that she had tried to get the children out. But no one was there. When all the fire apparatus started arriving, I think she arrived then.' The fire is believed to be accidental . and started in the kitchen. Rather than escape, it seemed the . frightened children tried to protect themselves in the cupboard. Young deaths: Brothers Delonta Dixon and Camaron Mason at their funeral in Hartsville on Wednesday . Town in mourning: Cousins of the siblings served as pall bearers for Delonta Dixon, Camaron Mason, Ky'Nasia Hawkins and My'Asia Hawkins . Heartbroken: Family members leaving the church today, the children's aunt Janice Hawkins said 'they were just so loving' 'The one thing they teach firefighters is that kids hide in a fire,' Mayor Mel Pennington, also a volunteer firefighter, said. 'They were just so loving and caring and the whole neighborhood know them and they're loved by all,' their aunt Janice Hawkins told ABC KTRE. The town held a candlelit vigil for the children on Friday night and their funeral service took place on Wednesday, with their young cousins as pallbearers. The mayor said that the children's deaths had deeply moved him personally: 'First, being a father before I am a mayor, I extend the condolences of our city to the family that is struggling to deal with this tragic loss.' Burnt out: It is believed the mobile home fire was started accidentally in the kitchen . | Hope Hawkins charged with unlawful neglect and homicide by child abuse .
Four-year-old and two-year-old sons died and twin girls aged 10 months .
Hawkins said she tried to save them, but sheriff says that does not add up .
The funeral was held in South Carolina today . |
38,172 | 6bef7ee1a8da8ea525ff31326dda71e1fd8cb7d2 | By . Emma Glanfield for MailOnline . A van driver who threw his hands in the air in disbelief after getting caught speeding was hauled before the courts for letting go of the wheel and not being in control of his car. Dean Kenworthy, 50, already had 11 points on his driving licence and realised he faced disqualification when he was caught travelling at 7mph over the speed limit on the A614 near Shiptonthorpe, East Yorkshire. However, the painter and decorator was prosecuted for 'failing to have proper control of a vehicle', in addition to the speeding offence, after he raised his arms upon realising he had been clocked by the speed camera. Scroll down for video . Dean Kenworthy, 50, threw his hands in the air in disbelief when he was caught speeding on the A614 in East Yorkshire. However, his actions saw him hauled before court for 'failing to have proper control of a vehicle' Prosecutor John Thirkettle told Hull Magistrates' Court: 'There are two matters, which both occurred at the same time. 'This gentleman has fallen foul of a speed enforcement van that has recorded him travelling at 57mph. 'Kenworthy has, for some reason, lifted both hands off the steering wheel as if portraying an expression of surprise.' Magistrates were shown a still image taken from the speed camera, which is operated by Safer Roads Humber, . Monique Jarvis-Legg, defending, said her client had not realised the van, which he leased, was limited to 50mph in 60mph zones. She said: 'My client accepts responsibility. He was raising his hands in disbelief, because he thought he was doing the right thing in keeping within the national speed limit.' Courts are obliged to consider disqualifying drivers who have 12 penalty points on their licence. However, Miss Jarvis-Legg said her client would 'essentially be bankrupt' if magistrates were to exercise their powers and disqualify him. Kenworthy, of Castleford, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to both offences and was fined £250, ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £25 victim surcharge . 'Mr Kenworthy cannot do his job using public transport,' she said. 'He does not have any formal qualifications. He has no other skills. He could not move happily into another job.' Magistrates also heard about Kenworthy's previous motoring offences, including being handed three penalty points for driving while using a mobile phone in March 2011. In June 2012, he was handed another three points for speeding and last October he was given five points for speeding. Miss Jarvis-Legg said: 'One more offence and he would be disqualified. He is aware of that. 'He assures me he will look up relevant speed limits and print out a list that he can readily refer to. 'My client is of good character and he does not trouble the courts.' Graham Barnett, chairman of the bench, said he accepted Miss Jarvis-Legg's claim that disqualification would cause Kenworthy exceptional hardship. Addressing the defendant, Mr Barnett said: 'In this case, there will be three penalty points added to his licence. There will be no disqualification. 'You are now on a knife's edge. If you come to the attention of a court again in the short future you will be disqualified.' Kenworthy, of Castleford, West Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to both offences and was fined £250, ordered to pay £85 in costs and a £25 victim surcharge. No separate penalty was given for the 'failing to have proper control of a vehicle' charge. A Safer Roads Humber spokesman said: 'The officers in the safety camera vehicles are able to enforce a range of traffic offences, including exceeding the speed limit. 'Offences like using a hand-held mobile phone, not wearing a seatbelt or not being in proper control of a vehicle are just some of the offences detected and will be prosecuted accordingly. 'Safer Roads Humber urgers motorist to drive safely at all times.' | Painter Dean Kenworthy, 50, broke speed limit on A614 in East Yorkshire .
His van was limited to 50mph in zone but he was caught travelling at 57mph .
He threw hands in air in disbelief and was caught with both hands off wheel .
Hull Magistrates' Court handed him three penalty points - he already had 11 . |
189,132 | 80ee460b1c32da096548f169170edc9af5de69c0 | (CNN) -- Open Road Films will release its Steve Jobs biopic "Jobs" on August 16. Ashton Kutcher stars in the title role as Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. The film is directed by Joshua Michael Stern ("Swing Vote"). Originally set for an April 19 release as a gesture towards the anniversary of Apple's founding, in March Open Road Films pulled the film from that weekend hoping to find a better slot. The August 16 weekend is already fairly full, with wide releases including Universal's action sequel "Kick-Ass 2," The Weinstein Company's drama "The Butler," and Relativity's thriller Paranoia, not to mention limited releases like "Ain't Them Bodies Saints," "Austenland," and "Prince Avalanche," which all played Sundance. That weekend is, however, somewhat comfortably outside the territory of the tentpole summer blockbuster hopefuls. "Elysium," "Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters," "Planes," and "We're the Milllers" open the weekend prior. Jobs premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film festival and co-stars Matthew Modine, Dermot Mulroney, and Josh Gad as Steve Wozniak. In January, EW's Owen Gleiberman wrote that Gad's performance "strikes the most relatable note in the movie." See the original story at EW.com. | The Steve Jobs biopic will be released August 16 .
"Jobs" will star Ashton Kutcher .
The film premiered at the 2013 Sundance Film festival . |
234,626 | bbbf146dcc80e2042037cd675ec8ad4e35d0f27e | By . Louise Cheer for Daily Mail Australia . Convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby has been visiting the Bali home of Ben Panangian, who has been arrested for possession of marijuana, two to three times a week since she was released from jail, neighbours have claimed. Corby who was released on February 10 this year from Kerobokan prison in Bali is on strict parole conditions after spending nine years in jail. It was claimed this week that Corby and Panangian were not in a relationship after the two were pictured together in May and allegedly met in jail. Ben Panangian lives on the second floor of a South Kuta apartment on the Indonesian island of Bali . Ben Panangian - who is believed to be Schapelle Corby's boyfriend - has been arrested after police found marijuana in his possession . Behind the doors of Panangian's South Kuta apartment - south of Bali's capital Denpasar - a pile of men's and women's clothing were found . But the landlord at Ben’s rented apartment in South Kuta and a neighbour has told Daily Mail Australia that Corby visits Ben in the morning and afternoons at his house about two to three times a week. ‘She comes in the afternoon and leaves by the evening,’ landlord Myoman Yasa said. Arrested: Indonesian police allege Ben Panangian was in possession of marijuana . The neighbour, named Fitri, saw Ben being arrested on Wednesday night after two police cars pulled up in the courtyard. He appeared relaxed as they led him out of the room on the first floor of the apartment block. The police were holding a black bag, thought to be the bag of marijuana they found in his cupboard. The landlord gave Daily Mail Australia access to his apartment. Inside there was a double mattress on the floor, a red bean bag which had been torn open, an empty fridge and a cupboard that was full of neatly folded men and women’s clothes. A black and pink lacy g-string was just one item of woman’s clothing found in the wooden cupboard. The room also featured a small sink and stove, a water fountain and a small shower room where a bright pink sponge hung on the wall. Indonesian art adorned his bedroom wall, including two masks and a blue painting. Daily Mail Australia showed the neighbour and landlord recent photos of Schapelle and they confirmed that she was ‘definitely’ the woman they had seen visiting the house. The landlord said Ben had lived in the apartment block for three years and paid 700,000 Indonesian rupiah a month (64 Australian dollars) for the room. It costs Ben Panangian 64 Australian dollars a month to rent out the apartment (left) where a wardrobe full of clothes was found (right) Amongst the men's and women's clothing in the wardrobe, a black and pink lacy g-string was found . A surfboard bag and a double bed was found on a floor, along with a red bean bag . Panangian's landlord Ni Nyoman Yasa opened up his home and said he mostly kept to himself . Neightbour Fitri identified Corby from a photo and saw Panangian being arrested by police on Wednesday . He previously lived on a ground floor apartment in the modest complex but his friend now rents that room, they said. The two men often go surfing together and work in the same office but when Ben comes home he does not speak to his neighbours more than to say hello, the landlady said. ‘Ben is an introvert he doesn’t talk with neighbours he just comes and says hi and goes to his room,’ the neighbour added. She said a different ‘foreign’ woman used to visit the apartment but Schapelle began coming at the beginning of this year - once she was released from jail. In custody: Schapelle Corby's boyfriend Ben Panangian is pictured in orange prison scrubs marked with the number 99 and a balaclava at a police press conference . Schapelle Corby's boyfriend has been charged by Indonesian police after he was allegedly caught in possession of drugs in Bali . Schapelle Corby was released from a Bali jail in February after serving nine years for drug smuggling . Police have reportedly finished interrogating Ben now and he is being held at a police holding cell in Polresta in Denpasar. They seized his Honda Vario scooter when they arrested him, the neighbour said. Since his arrest, a friend has visited his room to pick up a surfboard and another friend came to pick up some clothes to take them to him in the police station, the neighbour added. The Indonesian boyfriend of convicted drug smuggler Schapelle Corby has been pictured in police custody after he was arrested for alleged possession of marijuana. Ben Panangian is shown alongside other drug suspects in photos taken at a police press conference wearing orange prison scrubs with a bizarre balaclava covering his face on Saturday. As police did not reveal the identities of the prisoners, Panangian could only be identified by his prison number 99 which is printed on his overalls. | Indonesian police allege Ben Panangian was in possession of marijuana .
The 32-year-old faces a maximum 12 years in jail if found guilty of charge .
Neighbours say Schapelle Corby has been visiting Panangian at his home .
She allegedly visits him two to three times a week after her release from jail .
But it has been claimed this week Corby and Panangian were not involved . |
269,212 | e8baf343bb0a5e82b3ff3e41d4ae7dbddf58363c | By . Dominic King . Follow @@DominicKing_DM . There were many fine displays for Mexico against Brazil but nobody outperformed Rafael Marquez. The 35-year-old, who is Mexico's most-decorated footballer, now plays for Club Leon in his native country. This was a record fourth time he has captained his country at the World Cup, but it is his most surprising campaign, as he had 15-month spell out of the side before he was recalled for the play-off win over New Zealand. Battle: Rafael Marquez challenges Brazil's David Luiz for the ball in the air . Fighter: The 35-year-old contesting with Brazil forward Fred during the game . He made his debut for his country in 1997, but was not selected in the squad that travelled to the 1998 World Cup in France. Since then, he has gone on to appear 120 more times for his country, scoring 15 goals in the process. At club level, he started off in Mexico at Atlas, before movng on to Monaco then Barcelona - where, in a seven-year spell, he won four La Liga titles and the Champions League twice. Embrace: The defender embracing his goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa after they both put in superb displays . | Marquez put in a superb display for Mexico against Brazil .
35-year-old is captaining his country at a record fourth World Cup .
Made his debut in 1997 before going on to win 121 caps so far . |
84,962 | f10087b95d5cfba0e1f5bded689acba65ffb3d76 | The Council of Europe has ruled that euthanasia and assisted suicide should be banned in every country across the Continent. In a declaration that will have huge implications on human rights laws in its 47 member countries, the Strasbourg-based organisation announced that such practices 'must always be prohibited'. The move will represent a major setback to assisted dying campaigners in the UK who want Britain to follow Holland, Belgium and Switzerland in allowing doctors to help to end the lives of their patients. Ethical issue: Euthanasia and assisted suicide could now be banned in 47 member countries across the continent (file picture) The explicit condemnation of euthanasia was inserted into a non-binding resolution entitled 'Protecting Human Rights and Dignity by Taking Into Account Previously Expressed Wishes of Patients'. The resolution had originally simply focused on the human rights questions of 'advance directives', or 'living wills', in which people set out how they wish to be treated if they became mentally incapacitated. But members of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe argued that living wills, which became legal in the UK under the 2005 Mental Capacity Act, were inextricably connected to euthanasia. They successfully moved an amendment forbidding euthanasia by 34 votes to 16 with six abstentions. The amendment said that 'euthanasia, in the sense of the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit must always be prohibited'. Among those fighting for the amendment was British member Edward Leigh, the Tory MP for Gainsborough. Thwarted: The move is a major setback for campaigners who had hoped Britain could follow Holland and Switzerland in allowing doctors to help patients end their lives (file picture) He referred to the case of Kerrie Wooltorton, a 26-year-old from Norwich who died in 2009 by poisoning after her living will prevented doctors from resuscitating her. He said: 'Can my fellow delegates here in Strasbourg imagine how they would feel if they received a phone call informing them that one of their children had drunk poison and that ambulance and hospital staff who had everything necessary to save the child’s life stood by not helping instead as the child lay dying? 'That is a situation that advanced directives or living wills allow,' Mr Leigh said. 'This is not alarmist talk - this is the historic fact, the track record.' But Paul Flynn, the Labour MP for Newport West, fought the amendment, saying it changed the 'entire nature' of the report. 'Eighty-five per cent of the people of Britain are demanding reforms and demanding change,' he said. 'We as legislators must also take into account the majority view of the people,' Mr Flynn added. 'It is an important human right to have the right to die in a manner of our choosing.' The Council of Europe was set up in 1949 to further European integration by harmonising human rights laws, although it is unable to pass laws itself. Its new resolution on euthanasia will, however, help to define the principles that should govern the application of living wills across its member states. It will be therefore hugely influential in helping governments to resist pressure to weaken or abolish laws prohibiting assisted suicide and euthanasia. The Council bases its work on the European Convention on Human Rights. It includes the European Court of Human Rights, which enforces the convention and to which Europeans can bring cases if they believe that a member country has violated their rights. | Delegates claim 'living wills' for mentally incapacitated are inextricably linked to euthanasia .
Tory MP cites death of 26-year-old who could not be resuscitated after drinking poison .
Labour MP says it is a human right to be able to die in manner of our choosing . |
155,309 | 54bd8afe3a4814b01aa8ae8cc4c30be5f7dd6ea9 | By . Sophie Borland . PUBLISHED: . 18:02 EST, 1 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 02:31 EST, 2 May 2012 . Family doctors are being ordered to slash the numbers of patients they send to hospital to earn extra cash. Six out of ten GPs said they face ‘inappropriate’ pressure to refer fewer patients and potentially deny them the best care. The controversial scheme can pay out almost £9,000 a year to surgeries. GPs could get extra cash for not sending patients to hospitals for treatment (picture posed by models) It started last May when ministers brought in a series of targets enabling GPs to be rewarded for cutting the number of patients sent to hospital specialists or A&E departments. However, a poll of 667 doctors found that 60 per cent were facing ‘inappropriate demands’ from managers. The proposals have left Chief executive of the Patients Association Katherine Murphy 'concerned' The NHS has been told to save £20billion over the next three years, leaving health trust managers looking for ways to cut costs. Primary care trusts are charged for each of their patients who is treated in hospital. One doctor in the survey carried out by GP Newspaper said the scheme was a ‘huge waste of time’ and ‘meaningless Government box-ticking’. Another admitted: ‘If patients knew how much external pressure we were under to keep them out of hospital, they would mistrust our motives.’ And one said he was so dismayed by the system that it was the main reason he had decided to retire. Katherine Murphy, chief executive of the Patients Association, said: ‘Once again, it is patients who are having to bear the brunt of supposed “efficiency savings” in the NHS. ‘Trusts and the Department of Health cannot continue to pretend that it is business as usual while patients suffer.’ The scheme is part of the controversial Quality and Outcomes Framework target system, whereby practices earn points which are converted into cash. They get 68.5 points if they promise to ‘review’ the numbers of patients referred to hospital. Each point is worth £130.51p, so a practice can earn up to £8,939 a year, which can be ploughed back into running costs or staff pay. | Controversial scheme can pay out almost £9,000 a year to surgeries .
Fears patients are having to bear the brunt of NHS 'efficiency savings' |
150,698 | 4ed7dccdefbfb1a1a5518c1fccaef8749ec6cb19 | (CNN) -- Seven Transportation Security Administration employees at Philadelphia International Airport face losing their jobs after an eight-month internal investigation into an alleged bribery scandal, the agency announced Friday. The agency said it removed 10 employees from security duties last November pending the results of the investigation by the inspector general of the Department of Homeland Security. "Since that time, three of the employees involved have resigned from TSA and seven others have been notified of TSA's proposed action to terminate their employment," the agency said in a release. According to the release, "a training instructor responsible for administering annual proficiency exams was found to have accepted payment from TSA security officers to ensure passing grades." The training instructor pleaded guilty in February to a charge of bribery, the agency said. "Any employee who willfully violates TSA rules will be held accountable for their conduct and appropriately disciplined," said Chris McLaughlin, the agency's assistant administrator. This latest incident comes two weeks after 43 Transportation Security Administration workers in Florida were disciplined for not performing additional screening on random carry-on bags and passengers. Last month, after a series of breaches at Newark Airport, a Homeland Security inspector general report found the agency is failing to adequately report, track and fix security breaches at airports. The agency responded to those incidents with "corrective action," according to the inspector general, but not all the problems received the same treatment. "There's a TSA disaster every week, and the security meltdown gets more and more outrageous," said Rep. John Mica, R-Florida, chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, in a release put out by his office on Friday. Mica, who has repeatedly called for privatizing Transportation Security Administration, said reforms "can't come soon enough." He added that hundreds of U.S. airports "still operate under the Soviet-style all-federal screening model." The Transportation Security Administration said that upon learning about the bribery allegations in Philadelphia, it notified the inspector general and worked closely with law enforcement during the investigation. | The TSA completes an eight-month investigation into bribery allegations .
It says a training instructor accepted payment from test-takers to ensure they passed .
Ten employees were suspended; three of those have resigned . |
202,895 | 92adbd7ffbf80958a38bb0c0dd91b93e45b63ea9 | By . Spencer Matthews . He is the Made In Chelsea lothario who's affectionately dubbed 'pug' by his co-stars and has a tendency to fall in love with (and then cheat on) most of the girls on the show. But this season, Spencer promised us we would see a more sensitive side to the usually outspoken womaniser - even if he's yet to prove it. Whether it's his pensive glances across the Thames or romantic French rambles, love him or hate him, Spenny is one of the reasons we keep tuning into the E4 show. And now, reality TV's most notorious man about town has launched a blog with MailOnline, where he will be providing his own take on each episode and giving fans a glimpse into the glamorous life of SW3's resident Casanova. Here, we bring you Spencer's first installment. Enjoy.... The author himself: Spencer Matthews has launched a brand new blog with MailOnline. 'Male Online' will delve deep into Spenny's innermost thoughts and give readers a glimpse into his glamorous lifestyle . Welcome to my first ever blog for the MailOnline. I am Spencer Matthews, best known for being on the E4 reality show Made In Chelsea, and the good people at DM online have kindly asked me to write a column entitled 'Male Online' (glad you see what they did there). The other part of the masthead states: 'Out and About with Made In Chelsea’s Bad Boy'. Well I suppose I have picked up a bit of a reputation on the show, so 'Bad Boy' is to be expected – but hopefully you will get a better idea of my life over the next few weeks with a quick trip around my guide to modern living for the metrosexual male. Welcome to his world: Along the journey we will be having a look at some of Spencer's favourite things: adrenalin sports, fine-dining, luxury travel, fast cars and some even faster women . Along the journey we will be having a look at some of my favourite things – adrenalin sports, fine-dining, luxury travel, fashion, male grooming, health, fitness, fast cars and possibly some even faster women. For those of you who don't follow the Made In Chelsea show, it’s a BAFTA award winning TV programme that is now in its sixth series on E4. It’s all about the loves and lives of a group of young people who live in and around the SW3 area of London. The show airs every Monday at 10pm on E4 for the next 12 weeks and I’m going to give you a running commentary of the main events just after it finishes at 11pm every Monday. I’m also going to do other blogs which will consist of other aspects of my life outside of the show, and those will come out most Thursdays. So here goes for my first blog about Made In Chelsea Series six, episode one. The show opens with one of my psychotherapy sessions in Harley Street. At the end of the last series I had rather acrimonious split from my then-girlfriend Lucy Watson and was accused of having fidelity issues. I thought it might be worth exploring these parts of my psyche in more depth and I have to say although I was nervous at first I feel as thought I get quite a lot from these sessions and continue to take them both on-and-off camera. Describing myself as an entirely changed man isn’t yet hugely accurate but at least I am trying to change. Slightly less therapeutic was when my ex Lucy Watson revealed on the show, that she thought I had cheated on her with at least four women. Case of the ex: 'It was apparent from yesterday evening's show that Lucy Watson isn't going to be repeating my mistake of serial dating,' observes Spencer . Now, I have to say I’m glad this is all in the past now, and have since fully apologised to her for my behaviour. Perhaps I was on the rebound from my relationship with Louise Thompson, but real feelings did develop for Lucy Watson and I certainly didn’t want to hurt her. But perhaps my wiser friends who warned me I was making a mistake rushing into another relationship so quickly were right after all. It was apparent from yesterday evening’s show that Lucy Watson isn’t going to be repeating my mistake of serial dating. She gave short shrift to a would-be new suitor at the pool-side party and the resulting scene was painful to watch. Lucy was approached by a young guy called Freddie asking her for a date. She treated him to a dose of her trademark froideur, and then nerves got the better of the poor guy, he shook Lucy’s hand a couple of times too many and she shot him down in flames, much to Rosie Fortescue’s amusement. New kids on the block: New boys Freddie and Miffy, prior to Freddie's unsuccessful attempt to get Lucy on a date . My other ex, Louise doesn't seem to have had much luck over the summer either and has managed to lose five phones in swift succession. Shares in Carphone Warehouse are in great shape as a result, but her relationship with Andy Jordan didn't appear to be doing quite so well. I paid her a visit on a purely platonic basis at the end of the episode to see how she was bearing up after a fierce row, only to face accusations of getting involved in things that are none of my business. Well she’s still a good friend and I do care about her, so what’s the crime in that? All that was left to do then was to have a nice atmospheric Steadicam shot of me walking through Sloane Square, whilst the credits rolled and the MIC theme tune 'Midnight City' by M83 played in the background. Verge of tears: Louise Thompson's cordial chat with Lucy Watson . I genuinely believe this will be the best series yet. Welcome back to Chelsea everyone. Lots of love, as always, Spencer. Xxx . PS – Catchphrase of the week comes courtesy of the wonderfully eccentric Francis Boulle. When questioned by Rosie of how he ended up naked in the pool, he coolly answered: 'Things happen'. | Spencer Matthews is our... Male Online (see what we did there?)
He will blog straight after ever MIC show - giving you all the insider gossip .
Find out what he gets up to when filming is over .
Get ready for: 'Adrenalin sports, fast cars and .
some even faster women' |
99,903 | 0cba3a46271d7ddee260a8ebb71205843a298d4b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 01:20 EST, 26 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:20 EST, 26 December 2013 . It's your lucky Christmas Day! Well, it was for some motorists in Melbourne, Florida, with police doling out warnings and tickets alongside scratch-off lottery games. Deciding that holiday traffic on the special day was particularly slow, local officers decided to put a unique spin on how they dealt the speeding offenders that would add some festive cheer. And perhaps make drivers more aware of breaking the law, according to Florida Today. Im issuing you a lottery ticket: Police in Melbourne, Florida, decided to give out a little gift on Christmas Day this year, even to people breaking the law . 'We’re just doing a little bit of a different technique,' Sgt. Jamie Rocque told Florida Today. 'When we pull the motorists over, we’re also giving them the scratch-off tickets that the officers bought with their own personal funds. 'It’s something good to do in light of the holidays. 'We’re getting a lot of surprised looks…people don’t know what to say.' By 1 p.m. Christmas Day, more than 30 scratch-off game tickets were handed out to speeders and other traffic violators in a bid to spread holiday cheer while keeping the roads safe. The officers say they have yet to receive any calls about people winning big with their police-issued scratch-offs . 'There are no special operations, but we are basically doing road patrol because we have to keep the streets safe,' Rocque added. So, any news of a big winner yet? 'I don’t know, but we wish them well,' Rocque said. The interesting move could possibly change the way people view speeding and the law by putting the work and attitude of police in a better . | Faced with slow holiday traffic, officers in Melbourne, Florida, decided to put a unique festive spin on how they dealt with offenders .
They bough scratch-off lottery tickets with their own money and issued them alongside warnings and speeding tickets .
Over 30 had been dispensed by 1pm Christmas Day . |
58,368 | a581b751347d82e0b8da817129307896ec9060f8 | By . Deni Kirkova . PUBLISHED: . 10:04 EST, 5 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:19 EST, 5 January 2014 . Julian Fellowes is sure to alarm fans of Downton Abbey as he suggests the latest series may be its final. The screenwriter has been commissioned to create what has been dubbed the American version of of the ITV1 show, but plans have been put on hold. 'It will happen when Downton finishes, because I just couldn't do both at once... I don't know yet if there is a season six, but it's not going to go on forever,' he said. Julian Fellowes can't get started on his latest project while working on Downton Abbey . The period drama made its debut in 2010, telling story of the aristocratic Crawley family. It is set to return to screens later this year for its fifth series. But Fellowes' latest bombshell which hints at Downton's possible demise will not come as good news to ITV1 executives. The show has been one of the channel's biggest hits in recent years. The screenwriter admits there is no way he could continue to write it while working on his next major project, The Gilded Age, for which he was commissioned almost a year ago by American TV network NB . Production is currently being held up by Fellowes's commitment to Downton, he reveals in a recent interview with the Wall Street Journal. Downton Abbey will return for a fifth series later this year - but Fellowes has suggested it may be its last . 'I haven't written [The Gilded Age] yet' he confesses. 'But it's about the old aristocracy, the Winthrops and the Stuyvesants and the new money of oil and gas and shipping in the 1870s. It will all be fiction – it won't be real people – but when those families descended on New York, they took over.' Fellowes previously said of The Gilded Age that it will chart 'the dizzying, brilliant ascents and calamitous falls' of New York society in late 19th century. It is being billed by NBC as ‘an epic tale of the princes of the American Renaissance and the vast fortunes made - and spent - in late 19th- century New York’. 'This was a vivid time in America,' said Fellowes. 'There was record-breaking ostentation and savage rivalry, in a time when money was king.' It had been suggested that Fellowes could hand over the main Downton writing responsibilities to others while he embarks on the American show. But in his latest interview he suggests that is out of the question, revealing that he writes alone, bouncing ideas only off his wife. Meanwhile, ITV tell MailOnline: 'No decision has been made on when Downton Abbey will end'. | Lord Fellowes, creator of ITV1 show, may end Downton soon .
Has been commissioned to write similar American drama, The Gilded Age .
Work has been put on hold as he 'couldn't do both at once'
Says 'Downton is not going to go on forever' |
156,110 | 55cb0c952558d34aa6686a3b3b2159543fcde72a | As Bitcoin’s value continues to rise, hackers have found increasingly sophisticated ways to illegally ‘mine’ the virtual currency. Now a new method has been uncovered which uses malware infected adverts on Yahoo to make computers into Bitcoin slaves. Yahoo has confirmed that the breach took place last week and experts now believe as many as two million European users could have been affected. Yahoo has confirmed that the breach took place last week and experts believe there were around 27,000 infections every hour the malware was live on the site . In this recent attack, the hackers used malware to exploit something known as ‘Bitcoin mining’. The mining process works on the premise that there are 21 million Bitcoins hidden across an internet-based network, which are expected to all be found by 2040. To unearth Bitcoins, computers have to solve the complex processor-intensive equations which hold them. The more powerful the machine the better it is at solving the riddle. Computer-makers have been creating high-powered souped-up computers so they can do it repeatedly and rapidly to collect the most coins. In this recent attack, the hackers used malware to exploit something known as 'Bitcoin mining'. The mining process works on the premise that there are 21 million Bitcoins hidden across an internet-based network, which are expected to all be found by 2040 . Bitcoin is a distributed peer-to-peer . digital currency that functions without any central authority, such as . the Bank of England. The currency was launched in 2009 and is traded within a global network of computers. Bitcoins can be bought with near anonymity, which supporters say lowers fraud risk and increases privacy. But critics say that also makes Bitcoins a magnet for drug transactions, money-laundering and other illegal activities. A . Bitcoin investor, Norwegian Kristoffer Koch, recently made more than . half a million pounds after he forgot he bought £17 of currency four . years ago. Bitcoin mining malware is designed to steal computing power to make it easier for criminals to collect the virtual currency, without using their own high-powered computers. Other than a slow computer, those infected with the maleware be unaware that their machine is being used in what could become known as a ‘bitnet’. Experts estimate that these criminal networks could be generating as much as $100,000 (£60,000) each day. The value of Bitcoin rose to over $1000 (£613) last year but is currently worth around $850 (£520). Unlike traditional banking, Bitcoin and its rival virtual currencies, can be bought with near anonymity which supporters say lowers fraud risk and increases privacy. Yahoo has come under for not or doing anything to help those who had been targeted with the malware, which attacked flaws in Java modules on systems. Fox IT, the Dutch cybersecurity firm which first disclosed the vulnerability to the public, estimated that there were around 27,000 infections every hour the malware was live on the site. Users in North America, Asia Pacific and Latin America, as well as those using Apple Macs and mobiles, weren't affected, the group said. ‘The attack focused on outdated software,’ Steve Regan of security site CSO told the Guardian. ‘The only way for the exploits to work is to have outdated versions of Java on your system. If Java is up to date, then the odds are, you're safe. ‘However, I don't trust Java, so unless you absolutely need it, my advice is to uninstall it from your system. It seems like I see more zero-day attacks aimed at Java than anything else, the risk isn't worth it for me.’ Bitcoin is a distributed peer-to-peer digital currency that functions without any central authority, such as the Bank of England . | Virus stole computer power to make it easier for criminals to mine Bitcoins .
There are 21 million Bitcoins hidden across an internet-based network, which are expected to all be found - or 'mined' - by 2040 .
Security breach took place last week affecting computers across Europe . |
46,362 | 82a5abcc72225069db1b056d774fc1f5ec9dcfb4 | By . Julian Robinson . A suspected burglar perched in a tree overhanging a railway line caused 17 hours of travel misery for commuters. The strong-willed fugitive climbed the tree near Charlton station in south-east London in the early hours of yesterday, and refused to come down throughout the morning rush hour. He had been chased by police after an alleged attempted burglary at a nearby retail park shortly before 2am, in a pursuit involving the Metropolitan Police helicopter. Emergency services spent hours trying to coax the man, pictured left, out of the tree . Delays caused by the incident sparked fury among passengers with a number of London-bound trains diverted or delayed. British Transport Police (BTP) sent specialist officers to try to persuade him to come down from the tree near Barney Close, but rail operator Southeastern was forced to close the track during the morning peak. Chief Inspector Jenny Gilmer said: 'Shortly after 7pm on Wednesday 13 August, a man was talked down from a tree near to the rail line at Charlton. 'The man had been in the tree since the early hours of the morning and his return to the ground marked the end of a difficult and lengthy operation involving British Transport Police, Met Police, London Fire and Rescue, Network Rail and Southeastern Trains. Delays: The strong-willed fugitive (left) climbed the tree near Charlton station in south-east London and refused to come down throughout the morning rush hour despite attempted to coax him down (right) 'The 32-year-old man was subsequently arrested on suspicion of burglary and obstruction of trains with intent and he remains in police custody. 'I'd like to thank all those who have worked tirelessly throughout the day to bring this operation to a safe conclusion and would also like to thank the local community and travelling public for their continuing patience and understanding during what was an extremely sensitive process.' Southeastern said that the tree overhangs the London-bound track and so it was not safe to run services while the man refused to come down - although trains out of London were able to run normally after an initial closure. London-bound services were diverted or delayed, and tickets were accepted on the Underground and buses. The incident unfolded close to Charlton station (pictured) in south east London and caused chaos during morning rush hour . But the delays angered passengers, many of whom took to Twitter to vent their frustration. Adam Martin-Lawrence wrote: 'How many people does it take to drag a burglar out of a tree at Charlton - apparently many, but none of them can lay a finger on the guy.' Another Twitter user, Jess Williams, posted: 'So just found out the reason my train was cancelled this morning was because a man running from the police was hiding up a tree at Charlton. A spokeswoman for the Metropolitan Police said: 'Police were called to reports of an attempted burglary at a commercial unit on the Stone Lake Retail Park, SE7, at 1.50am on August 13. 'On arrival, officers identified a suspect and began a pursuit which also involved the Metropolitan Police's Air Support Unit, during which the man was observed running close to rail lines. 'The suspect subsequently climbed a tree next to the rail lines off Barney Close.' Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Suspected burglar perched in tree overhanging line near Charlton in London .
He had been chased by police after an alleged attempted break-in nearby .
The incident caused 17-hours of travel misery for commuters yesterday .
Track was closed as specialist offices tried to persuade him to come down .
32-year-old was later arrested on suspicion of burglary and obstruction of trains . |
83,152 | ebc34db978e9835fc410c0fa298acac8e8043101 | By . Ray Massey . PUBLISHED: . 08:29 EST, 12 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:26 EST, 12 February 2014 . If you're California dreaming and have a spare £153,000 in your back pocket, this red-hot new Ferrari could be just the thing to blow away the rain-drenched winter blues of Britain. The new 200mph Ferrari California T is set to roar into the UK from September after its world debut at next month's Geneva Motor Show. And by then hopefully the current deluge will be sufficiently long gone to allow the new Italian supercar's retractable top to come down for a bit of wind in the hair motoring in the sun. Elegance, sportiness and technology: The Ferrari California T which will be unveiled in Geneva . The new V8 gives an intense sound and vivid acceleration across the rev range for the first time from a turbo-charged engine . And you may not even want to listen to the Beach Boys, Eagles, Mamas & Papas or other Californian favourites on the radio or 'infotainment' system. Ferrari reckon you'll really only have ears for the roar of its finely tuned engine and exhaust system. Powered by a mighty 3.8 litre twin turbo-charged V8 engine developing 560 horse-power – equivalent to nearly six Ford Fiestas - it will accelerate from rest to 62mph in just 3.6 seconds. Ferrari says the retractable hard-top will transform the car 'from a chic coupe into a sleekly sophisticated spider' open-top sports car in just 14 seconds. It is available in two launch colours – an intensely deep red inspired by called Rosso California inspited by classic Ferraris of yesteryear, and an elegant Blu California. A Ferrari spokesman said: 'The Ferrari California T epitomises elegance, sportiness, versatility and exclusivity: characteristics that have distinguished every California model since the 1950s.' Engineers at Ferrari's Maranello headquarters have created an entirely new engine which the firm says 'delivers absolutely superb levels of performance, blistering pick-up and the most exhilarating soundtrack any turbo has ever yielded.' Powered by a mighty 3.8 litre twin turbo-charged V8 engine it will accelerate from rest to 62mph in just 3.6 seconds . Inside the driver and passenger is swathed in luxurious Frau semi-aniline leather trim . With the engine up front it also promises 'ultra-sharp' and 'instantaneous' throttle response to the foot hitting the accelerator. Technologies honed in Ferrari's F1 cars are carried across to improve performance and efficiency in the new road car. Fuel consumption is improved by around a 25 per cent to 27mpg despite an added 70 horse-power and 49 per cent increase in 'pulling power' or torque. Emissions of CO2 are down by 8 per cent to 250 g/km. Top down: Ferrari says the retractable hard-top will transform the car 'from a chic coupe into a sleekly sophisticated spider' open-top sports car in just 14 seconds . It is available in two launch colours ¿ an intensely deep red inspired by called Rosso California inspited by classic Ferraris of yesteryear, and an elegant Blu California . Ferrari said: 'One major challenge involved in the design of the California T was to guarantee it a typically intense, exhilarating Ferrari engine sound. This was achieved through meticulous design work and the use of special manufacturing techniques for essential components.' 'The engine produces a powerful, engaging sound during both the intake and exhaust phases, becoming even more potent as engine speed increases. This the first time a result of this kind has ever been achieved with a turbo engine.' So you may not even want to take advantage of the California T's new infotainment system with an intuitive, high-resolution 6.5in screen featuring both touch-screen and conventional controls. The car also promises 'true sports car dynamics' thanks to improved steering responses and a new suspension set-up. Fuel consumption is improved by around a 25 per cent to 27mpg despite an added 70 horse-power and 49 per cent increase in 'pulling power' or torque . Price: circa £153,000 . First UK deliveries: September this year. First public viewing: Geneva Motor Show, March. Length: 15ft (4570mm) Width: 6ft 3 inches (1910mm) Height: 4ft 4 inches (1322mm) Weight: 1.625 tonnes . Top speed: 200mph . 0-62mph: 3.6 seconds . Engine: 3.8 litre twin turbo-charged V8 engine. Power: 560 horse-power . CO2 emissions: 250g/km . Fuel efficiency: 27 mpg . Time to put down roof: 14 seconds. The California T also has the latest evolution of the F1-Trac traction control system for maximum acceleration out of corners. And with such a powerful car you want equally powerful brakes. The high performance carbon-ceramic braking system will bring the car from 62mph to rest in the space of just 34 metres. The new Ferrari California's sleek proportions were penned by the Ferrari Styling Centre in collaboration with Italian styling house Pininfarina. A spokesman said: 'They are very much in keeping with the Ferrari front-engined ethos. The shape of the California T's flanks is inspired by the 250 Testa Rossa's famous pontoon-fender styling. The front wing line stretches back towards the compact, muscular rear, bringing an aerodynamic sleekness and movement to the sides.' Inside the driver and passenger is swathed in luxurious Frau semi-aniline leather trim. The interior space is flexible so that owners can make the most efficient use of the boot capacity even with the top down, thanks to the opening between the luggage compartment and rear seats. The Ferrari steering wheel includes integrated controls. Mounted centrally on the dashboard between two airvents is a so-called 'Turbo Performance Engineer' with a touch-sensitive which gives allows the driver to scroll through screens for information on the new engine's performance. The new car replaces the outgoing C Ferrari California which has sold since October 2008. | The 200mph Ferrari California T has 70 more horsepower than old version .
Fuel consumption improved from the old model by around a 25% .
The California T also has the latest F1-Trac traction control system .
And its brakes will bring the car from 62mph to rest in just 34 metres . |
149,790 | 4dad2173929164a2860d48d7253e9697bd8414cf | (CNN) -- The massive tornado that devastated communities in Oklahoma Monday touched down near the town of Newcastle just five minutes after the first warnings went out, according to the National Weather Service. But residents of Moore, which would be hardest hit by the killer storm, had about 30 minutes before the twister entered the western part of the city, CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said Tuesday. It sounds like enough time to act, but in the wake of tragedy, the question always persists: Could more have been done to warn residents of the monster tornado? The science and technology behind severe weather prediction continues to improve, and many of the tools in place were deployed during Monday's tornado. Once the tornado had touched down and meteorologists had determined that it was heading toward a populated area, the National Weather Service issued a "tornado emergency," said Harold Brooks, a research meteorologist at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration's Severe Storms Laboratory in Norman, Oklahoma, which is near Moore. The rarely used distinction is designed to make it clear that there is a dangerous situation. Moore in bull's-eye twice, science may know why . "When you hear that, the response is that you better get your act together, now," Brooks said. For the citizens of Moore, the tornado emergency was declared at 3:01 p.m., about 14 minutes before the tornado reached the city. "I think it was a very well-warned and well-forecasted event," Brooks said. EF5 tornadoes are terrifying perfect storms . The initial warning, which included the counties where Newcastle and Moore are located, would have been followed by alerts on television, radio, phone apps and sirens. Once forecasters recognized that the tornado was violent and that a "potentially extraordinary event was occurring," the emergency declaration set off another round of warnings, Brooks said. Still, at least 24 people lost their lives as a result of the tornado. Considering the size of the tornado and the number of homes it affected, the death toll could have been worse, Brooks said. "A lot of people survived the path of the tornado," he said. Basements scarce in tornado-prone area: Here's why . The science behind predictions . Currently, the Severe Storms Laboratory can forecast weather conducive to tornadoes about seven or eight days out, Brooks said. This is a vast improvement over 15 years ago, when forecasts were available for just one day ahead. In the case of the tornado that hit Moore, forecasters predicted severe weather in the Oklahoma area as early as Wednesday. But these forecasts are for weather systems that are capable of producing tornadoes, not predictions of where a specific tornado may hit. Advances in technology and science are continuously improving forecasts. "As computers have gotten more powerful, the models have gotten better," said Adam Sobel, a professor of atmospheric science at Columbia University in New York. Computers use the laws of physics and mathematics to make predictions based on simulations of the atmosphere that are represented on a grid. Opinion: How can we be safe from tornadoes? Just like pixels on the digital cameras have become smaller and smaller, the grid that these computers use has gotten smaller, allowing for more precise forecasts, Sobel said. But tornadoes are so small, relatively, that they are still too small for the models to see. The increased power of these computers have made it easier to spot storms systems that could spawn tornadoes. New research may increase the window of prediction from the current seven or eight days to 10 to 12 days before the event, Sobel said. NOAA is also working with several institutions to increase warning lead times for tornadoes and other severe weather. Known as "warn-on-forecasts," the new methodology would issue warnings based on forecasts rather than observations, said Jeff Trapp, a professor of atmospheric science at Purdue University in Indiana. The new method is promising, he said, but it is still at an experimental stage. It might allow forecasters to provide cones of uncertainty for a tornado, similar to those used to predict where hurricanes are headed. These warnings for tornadoes could come one to six hours before the tornado, as opposed to the current 15- to 30-minute warnings, Trapp said. Another innovation with the new research could result in forecasters providing the strength of a tornado at the time it is formed, instead of after the fact, as is currently the case. Residents may react differently if they know the intensity of the tornado heading toward them. The challenge, Trapp said, is the same one that all forecasters face: A forecast depends on the data available. Deadliest U.S. tornadoes on record . | Residents of Moore had time to prepare for tornado, but can more be done?
Forecasters can predict tornado-worthy storms up to eight days in advance .
New technology could yield more warning, "cones of uncertainty" like with hurricanes . |
119,300 | 26198806c51ec048dda8d5cdffcca5d650f45c6e | Former world heavyweight champion boxer and convicted rapist Mike Tyson tonight said he was 'greatly disappointed' when he discovered he is banned from entering the UK. Tyson, 47, was due in London this week as part of a promotional tour for his new autobiography Undisputed Truth, which included a photocall with journalists and a book signing at Waterstones. His publishers said recent changes to UK immigration laws meant he was unable to travel to the country and has been re-routed to Paris instead. Banned: Former world heavyweight champion boxer and convicted rapist Mike Tyson cancelled a trip after he couldn't enter the UK because of his conviction . Tyson is currently booked in for a British tour for his one-man Broadway show, directed by Spike Lee, which is booked for eight nights in March next year in London, Glasgow and Manchester. In a statement, Mr Tyson said: 'I was greatly disappointed when I learned of United Kingdom’s immigration law changes that went into effect December 2012. 'I have been coming to the UK consistently in the past decade so this change is disheartening since it affects my current entry standing. 'I apologise to my fans that were inconvenienced, however, please know I am currently working diligently with the proper authorities to regain access next year for my UK tour. 'I am currently stationed in Paris, attending to press that was scheduled for my visit this week in London. 'I am very much looking forward to talking about my book, Undisputed Truth, and UK tour, and very appreciative of the British press for being so accommodating in the interim. 'I have a great deal of respect for the laws of the United Kingdom and will continue taking the proper steps for re-entry.' Tweets posted on Tyson’s official Twitter account as recently as Friday suggest the boxer was unaware he would be hit by the changes until the last minute. He wrote: 'So, UK fans, who is brave enough to get in the ring and ask me a question?' And then in subsequent tweets added: 'Tweet me a question with #UndisputedTruthBook in it. The 5 best get to step in the ring & ask me it in person' and 'Ok, lots of questions there. If you’ve won, @harpercollinsUK will be in touch soon. Thanks everyone for participating.' A spokesman for HarperCollins said: 'There was a change in the UK immigration law in December 2012 of which we were unaware. For this reason Mike had to change location to Paris to salvage his press obligations for the UK.' He was convicted in 1992 for the rape of a teenage beauty queen, and served three years of a six-year sentence. He also has convictions for assault, cocaine possession and driving under the influence. Under the new immigration rules, any person who has been sentenced to more than four years in prison is barred from entering the country. Tour: Former heavyweight boxing champion Mike Tyson was due in London this week as part of a promotional tour for his new autobiography . The explosive boxer was the youngest man ever to become heavyweight champion of the world after he beat Trevor Berbick in 1986 when he was just 20. But throughout his career he also courted controversy. He bit opponent Evander Holyfield’s ear, went bankrupt, lost his four-year-old daughter in a tragic domestic accident, and was jailed. A Home Office spokeswoman said: 'We would not comment on the details of an individual case.'We reserve the right to refuse entry to the UK to anyone who is convicted of serious criminal offences. 'In December 2012 we toughened up the rules on entering the UK, replacing the previous discretionary approach with a clearer, stronger framework including mandatory refusals based on the length of, and time since, sentence.” Campaigning group Ending Victimisation and Blame, which tackles disbelief around domestic and sexual violence, said: 'We are delighted that Mike Tyson is not being allowed into the UK due to his previous convictions, one of which was for rape. 'We believe that this sends a message that his criminal actions have long-term consequences - sadly, the consequences for his victim seem to have been forgotten by both Mike Tyson and his supporters.' | Tyson, 47, was due in London this week as part of a promotional tour .
Boxer currently booked in for a British tour for his one-man Broadway show .
He was convicted in 1992 for the rape of a teenage beauty queen . |
131,162 | 359aba497c768c89e58e1e23eb46c8bc9d515ea6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 4:37 PM on 13th November 2011 . Searching for help, President Barack . Obama lobbied the skeptical leaders of Russia and China on Saturday for . support in keeping Iran from becoming a nuclear-armed menace to the . world, hoping to yield a 'common response' to a crisis that is testing . international unity. Yet Obama's talk of solidarity with . Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Chinese President Hu Jintao was . not publicly echoed by either man as Iran moved anew to the fore of the . international stage -- and to the front of the fierce U.S. presidential . race. Obama, at home in Hawaii and holding . forth on a world stage, also sought to show aggressiveness in fixing an . economy that has weakened his standing with voters. Agreement: Speaking to reporters Saturday, President Obama (right) said he and Russian President Medvedev (left) plan to 'shape a common response' to possible Iranian nuclear weapons . He pushed Hu about American impatience . with China's economic policy, touted the makings of a new pacific trade . zone and showered attention on the lucrative Asia-Pacific export . market. The United States' vast worries about . Iran grew starker with a report this week by the U.N. atomic agency that . asserted in the strongest terms yet Iran is conducting secret work with . the sole intent of developing nuclear arms. The U.S. claims a nuclear-armed Iran could set off an arms race among rival states and directly threaten Israel. Last month Israel informed Obama of no guarantees a strike against Iran would be notified in advance to the U.S., suggesting the country feels it no longer needs Washington's permission, a source briefed on the meeting told the Telegraph. 'They did not suggest that military action was being planned or was imminent, . but neither did they give any assurances that Israel would first seek . Washington's permission, or even inform the White House in advance that a . mission was underway,' a source told the Telegraph. The Israeli decision shows a dampening confidence in a diplomatic solution by the state, as Russia and China remain a roadblock to the United States in its push to tighten international sanctions on Iran. Pressed efforts: Despite President Obama's push (right) for Russian President Medvedev (left) to tighten control of Iran, both Russia and China has shown no sign of interest . Both are veto-wielding members of the U.N. Security Council and have shown no sign the new report will change their stand. With Medvedev on the sidelines of an . Asia-Pacific summit here, Obama said the two 'reaffirmed our intention . to work to shape a common response' on Iran. Shortly after, Obama joined Hu, in a . run of back-to-back diplomacy with the heads of two allies that hold . complicated and at times divisive relations with the United States. Obama said that he and the Chinese leader want to ensure that Iran . abides by 'international rules and norms.' Obama's comments were broad enough to portray a united front without yielding any clear indication of progress. Medvedev, for his part, was largely . silent on Iran during his remarks, merely acknowledging that the subject . was discussed. Hu did not mention Iran at all. Iranian operations: A nuclear power plant in Iran is eyed in a report released Friday by the International Atomic Energy Agency that raises concern about Iran's nuclear program . Fabrication: Iran's Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (center) claims a report released Friday on their nuclear program is fabricated but international concerns grow as the country warns nearby Israel of mass retaliation to any military attacks . White House aides insisted later that . Russia and China remain unified with the United States and other allies . in preventing Iran from developing nuclear weapons, and that Obama, Hu . and Medvedev had agreed to work on the next steps. Deputy national security adviser Ben . Rhodes said the new allegations about Iran's programs demand an . international response, and 'I think the Russians and the Chinese . understand that. We're going to be working with them to formulate that . response.' As the president held forth on the . world stage in his home state, Republicans vying to compete against . Obama for the presidency unleashed withering criticism in a 'Commander-in-Chief Debate' held in . South Carolina. On the defense: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (center) addressed the IAEA report in a cabinet meeting saying it strengthens claims that Iran is developing nuclear weapons . It was a rare moment in which foreign policy garnered attention in a campaign dominated by the flagging U.S. economy. 'If we re-elect Barack Obama, Iran . will have a nuclear weapon. And if you elect Mitt Romney, Iran will not . have a nuclear weapon,' said Mitt Romney, the former Massachusetts governor. Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann warned . that Iran's attempt to develop a nuclear weapon is setting the table . 'for worldwide nuclear war against Israel.' In competing plans by the presidential candidates, Rival Herman Cain says he would not use military action but . says he would move warships to the region to deter Iran. Instead, Mr Cain says he . would prefer to aid the resistance to Tehran to overthrow the regime. Candidates' debate: The 'Commander-in-Chief Debate' Saturday was the first foreign policy debate by the U.S. GOP candidates . Iraq: Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul likened the U.S.' handling of Iran to 'the war propaganda that went on against Iraq.' And rival Ron Paul, a congressman from Texas, says any use . of force against Iran would require approval from Congress, adding, . 'I'm afraid what's going on right now is similar to the war propaganda that . went on against Iraq.' Iran has insisted its nuclear work is in the peaceful pursuit of energy and research, not weaponry. U.S. officials have said the report by . the International Atomic Energy Agency was unlikely to persuade China . and Russia to support tougher sanctions on the Iranian government. But led by Obama, the administration . is still trying to mount pressure on Iran, both through the United . Nations and its own, for fear of what may come should Iran proceed . undeterred. Financial pressure: Texas Governor Rick Perry suggested a form of pressure to foreign countries would be scrapping their foreign aid to zero dollars and negotiating up from there . In a suggested form of pressure by Mr Perry at Saturday's debate, he proposed a cut to foreign aid to send 'a clear message to every country.' '...the foreign aid budget in my administration for every country is gonna start at zero dollars. Zero dollars. And then we'll have a conversation,' Mr Perry said. More broadly, Obama sought Saturday to . position the United States as a Pacific power, creating more . American jobs by tapping the explosive potential of the Asia-Pacific. For businesses, he said, 'this is where the action's going to be.' 'There is no region in the world that . we consider more vital than the Asia-Pacific region,' he told chief . executives gathered for a regional economic summit. The president went so far as to saying . the United States had grown 'a little bit lazy' in trying to attract . business to the United States. Obama's aides said he was blunt with . Hu in expressing concern about China's undervalued currency, which keeps . its exports cheaper and U.S. exports to China more expensive. Deputy National Security Adviser Mike . Froman said Obama made it clear that Americans are growing 'increasingly . impatient and frustrated' with the state of change in China economic . policy. Economy: President Obama and wife Michelle greet Chinese President Hu Jintao and his wife Liu Yongqing (left) ahead of the APEC summit leaders' dinner before discussing the U.S' desire for the Chinese currency to be permitted to rise . China had a $273 billion trade surplus . with the U.S. last year and U.S. lawmakers say the imbalance hurts . American manufacturers and taken away American jobs. Underscoring the search for some good . economic news ahead heading toward a re-election vote, Obama announced . the broad outlines of an agreement to create a transpacific trade zone . encompassing the United States and eight other nations. He said details must still be worked out, but said the goal was to complete the deal by next year. 'The United States is a Pacific power and we're here to stay,' Obama said. The eight countries joining the U.S. in the zone would be Australia, Brunei, Chile, Malaysia, New Zealand, . Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. Obama also spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda about Japan's interest in joining the trade bloc. Free trade: Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda (left) told President Obama Saturday of Tokyo's desire to negotiate a Pacific free trade area with the U.S. In a sign of potential tension with . China, Froman shrugged off complaints from China that it had not been . invited to join the trade bloc. He told reporters that China had not . expressed interest in joining and said the trade group 'is not something . that one gets invited to. It's something that one aspires to.' Addressing the European debt crisis, . Obama said he welcomed the new governments being formed in Greece and . Italy, saying they should help calm world financial markets. Obama's ever increasing attention to . the Asia-Pacific is driven in part by Europe's own financial woes and . the U.S. need to get more aggressive in tapping its export options. Obama will be in Honolulu through Tuesday, when he leaves for Australia before ending his trip in Indonesia. | U.S. Presidential candidates liken President Obama's handling of Iran to Iraq .
Romney says Obama's re-election will give Iran a nuclear weapon .
Perry says foreign aid will start at 'zero dollars' if elected for international pressure . |
113,809 | 1ed6398bc2a9a12fdcb748e48aac9065e8220eba | (CNN) -- From songs to poems to sayings on the side of coffee cups, everyone tries to define love in words. Liz Kelly donated her kidney to her fiance after he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. But often, it's the extraordinary actions we take in the name of love that really define it. Liz Kelly's fiance, Matt House, needed a kidney after he was diagnosed with congestive heart failure. In order to get him to the top of the donor list, Kelly signed up to donate hers. At first, she never dreamed she would actually be a match, but it turned out she was. The Springfield, Massachusetts, couple (he's 31, she's 29) spoke with CNN's Nicole Lapin about whether Kelly thought fate played a hand in finding him a donor match. The following is an edited transcript of the interview: . Nicole Lapin: Liz, I didn't know about the donor process, until we started talking to you guys. The donor process works whereby a friend or a family member can donate a kidney to get Matt higher on the list, so you decided that you were going to do that. Why did you decide to do that? Watch Nicole Lapin's interview with Liz Kelly and Matt House » . Liz Kelly: It was pretty much a no-brainer, I think. His sister was actually going to donate at first. But she didn't work out for health reasons. It's obviously better to have, you know, a family member donate a kidney, too. But since that wasn't going to work out, his stepfather stepped in because they were the same blood type. And that ended up not working out either. He had some heart issues and some other health issues. So, I said, you know what, I'll just donate to the list. And that's what I was intending on doing. And then I found out that we were actually a match, and it was amazing. Lapin: It was amazing, I'm sure, to get that phone call, because you did it just so that you could get higher on the list. A lot of people on our Web site are fascinated by your story, guys. [A viewer] has a question for you right now, Liz: Have you ever had any surgeries before this one? If not, how did your prepare yourself for this? Kelly: No. This was my first surgery, so that definitely made me very nervous. That was the definitely scariest part for me, just not knowing what to expect. But, Matt has been through several surgeries before. So I know I had him in my corner. And I looked up a lot online. I found out a lot of great information online. So that's definitely how I prepared. Lapin: And [another viewer] has a question in for Matt, actually: Were you scared that perhaps your body might reject Liz's kidney or were you always confident that the surgery would be a success? Matt House: I think I was pretty confident with her being the same blood type or us matching is pretty phenomenal, so I didn't expect it to reject it anyway. Maybe after the surgery if I would have a little pain down there or something like that, I would get a little nervous and think that it was going to reject, that there's something wrong. But that would just pass. It was me just being a little overanxious, I guess, but not really, no. I was pretty confident everything would go well overall. We're both pretty healthy for the most part. And being the same blood type was just you know really great, so it worked out good. So, I wasn't really worried at all. Lapin: Fate, some may say? House: Yeah, yeah, definitely. Lapin: Yours is a lot bigger. You're a little girl, but you happen to have a kidney that is perfect for Matt. Do you think it was meant to be? Kelly: I do. I definitely do. People tell me that all the time. When they told us that we were a match, I was very surprised at first, but then I thought about it a little more. Of course we were a match. How could we not be a match? | Liz Kelly offered to donate kidney to move her ill fiance higher on donor list .
Matt House had been diagnosed with congestive heart failure .
House's family members were unable to donate because of health reasons .
After recuperation is over, the Massachusetts couple plans to marry by summer . |
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