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220,498 | a968d15a4f012b2d91d3b435c7374bfbc6c32055 | A new treatment developed by British scientists could significantly improve the ability of radiotherapy to save the lives of cancer patients. More than 50 per cent of people with cancer are treated with radiotherapy, which kills tumour cells and boosts the body’s own ability to fight off the disease. But its success is limited by the ability of some cancer cells to become resistant to the treatment. Those resistant cells stubbornly survive and in some cases can grow into new tumours. Now scientists at the University of Manchester have discovered the reason why radiotherapy does not always work - and they have worked out a way to boost its success. Scroll down for video . Scientists have discovered that radiotherapy does not always kill all cancer cells because a protein called PD-L1 forms a 'molecular shield' around some cancer cells which go on to grow into tumours . The findings, published this morning in the journal Cancer Research, could significantly boost the power of radiotherapy, potentially saving countless lives. Pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca is already starting large clinical trials in a bid to turn the discovery into a widely-available treatment. Dr Simon Dovedi, who led the Manchester team, said the breakthrough had come with the discovery of a ‘molecular shield’ which helped cancer cells survive the radiotherapy treatment. The shield – a protein called PD-L1 – tricks the body’s defences into thinking that cancerous cells pose no threat. Dr Dovedi and his colleagues found that injecting an antibody into the blood stream of mice could block the PD-L1 protein, destroying the shield and allowing the cancer cell to be killed. It is now being tested in humans and Dr Dovedi is confident of further promising results. He said: ‘This treatment is being tested in clinics already. We hope we can reduce the rate of people who see their cancer return after radiotherapy. ‘These are very exciting discoveries.’ Dr Dovedi, whose team was funded by Cancer Research UK and AstraZeneca, said: ‘One of the ways that radiotherapy works is that it stimulates the body’s immune response against cancer cells. ‘But in some cancers patients with higher levels of this PD-L1 protein go on to do quite poorly. ‘It provides a molecular shield to the cancer cells, providing an immune escape so the body does not realise the cells are a threat.’ The new antibodies work by stopping the PD-L1 protein from working, allowing the immune system to destroy them. Researchers discovered that injecting an antibody could block the PD-L1 protein, destroying the shield and allowing the cancer cells to be killed. They called it an 'exciting discovery' PD-L1 proteins have been discovered in some patients with lung cancer, skin cancer and bladder cancer - and they may be active in other forms of cancer. Dr Dovedi added: ‘Combining certain immunotherapies with radiotherapy could make them even more effective and we’re now looking to test this in clinical trials to see just how much of a difference it could make.’ Professor Nic Jones, Cancer Research UK’s chief scientist, said: ‘Around half of all cancer patients are given radiotherapy and it has been at the heart of helping improve survival rates so that today one in two cancer patients will survive for at least ten years. ‘Doctors and researchers are constantly looking for ways to improve treatments and this approach could open the door to a whole new way of giving radiotherapy.’ Dr Robert Wilkinson, director of oncology research at MedImmune - the research arm of AstraZeneca - added: ‘MedImmune is committed to developing strong science led collaborations, and supporting research that helps further advance our scientific understanding in the important area of immunotherapy. ‘The findings described in the recent study with Cancer Research UK are extremely encouraging.’ | More than half of cancer patients are treated with radiotherapy .
But some cancer cells become resistant to it and grow into tumours .
Scientists discovered that proteins PD-L1 for a 'molecular shield'
This shield stops radiotherapy from killing cancerous cells .
Injecting an antibody can block the protein, destroying the shield .
Antibody allowed radiotherapy to work, killing all the cancer cells .
Has been called an 'exciting discovery' and now being tested on humans . |
63,620 | b4a44cc274088737058d23c615c01ca59c8a35f5 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 07:21 EST, 25 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:55 EST, 25 June 2013 . Google is not obliged to delete personal information from its search results, an adviser to the European court of justice has decided. In a defeat for the so-called 'right to be forgotten' privacy principle under debate in Europe, an adviser to the highest European Union court backed the internet search giant's position that it cannot erase legal content from the internet even if it is harmful to an individual. But he rejected the view of many U.S. internet firms that they are not bound by EU privacy law. Ruling: The European Court of Justice has said that Google and other search engines are not responsible when personal information appears on web pages they index . 'Requesting search engine service providers to suppress legitimate and legal information that has entered the public domain would entail an interference with the freedom of expression,' the Luxembourg-based court said in a statement setting out Advocate General Niilo Jaaskinen's opinion. While internet-based firms operating in the European Union must adhere to national data protection laws, that did not oblige them to remove personal content produced by third parties, the statement said. 'Search engine service providers are not responsible, on the basis of the (EU's) Data Protection Directive, for personal data appearing on web pages they process.' Lawyers agree that Google's search algorithms, which hunt and list weblinks based on how relevant they may be, would not be in a position to 'know' whether data was personal or not. 'A search engine is just a tool,' said Eduardo Ustaran, a London-based lawyer from Field Fisher Waterhouse. 'The nature of that information is irrelevant. It is just ones and zeros.' A final judgment on the case is expected before the end of the year. Judges in the European Court of Justice are not bound by an advocate general's opinion, but follow such recommendations in the majority of cases. Backed: An adviser to the highest European Union court backed the internet search giant's position that it cannot erase legal content from the internet even if it is harmful to an individual . The case stems from a complaint by a Spanish man that a public notice announcing that his home was up for auction after being repossessed infringed his privacy and should be deleted from Google's search results. His case is one of 180 similar examples in Spain in which people have sought to have content deleted from Google searches. The other cases are on hold pending the EU court's decision. The original auction announcement was from a Spanish newspaper, which said it was under a legal obligation to publish the notice. Google welcomed the advocate general's opinion, saying it supported the company's view that deleting such content amounted to censorship. 'This is a good opinion for free expression,' said Bill Echikson, Google's head of free expression in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, in an emailed statement. But Internet companies may be disappointed at the opinion that they should follow EU privacy law even if the data is handled outside the European Union. Many internet firms maintain that handling data outside the 27-member bloc means they are not subject to EU privacy law. The advocate general said that even the presence of an advertisings business, which is fundamental to the model of companies such as Google and which targets people in Spain, means they must follow EU law. If that view is upheld by the ECJ, it could put search firms under more pressure to protect the data of privacy-hungry Europeans. The European Union is finalising a major overhaul of its 20-year-old data protection law that would make internet companies follow EU rules if their services target European consumers. The overhaul is part of a push for increased data privacy in Europe, which has gained urgency after revelation of a large-scale U.S. Internet spying programme targeted at foreigners. Google also faces fines in both Spain and France if it does not change its privacy policy, which allows it to collect and combine personal data across its services such as email and Youtube. Privacy watchdogs in several other countries are also assessing Google's services under their national rules. The EU overhaul is also intended to give citizens 'a right to be forgotten' even though it is not yet clear in what circumstances that right could be invoked. The advocate general said such a right does not exist in current legislation. | Defeat for the so-called 'right to be forgotten' privacy principle .
Adviser to the highest EU court backed the internet search giant's position .
Rejected view that U.S. internet firms are not bound by EU privacy law .
A final judgment on the case is expected before the end of the year .
Judges not bound by adviser's opinion, but usually follow recommendations . |
28,933 | 521fc074071ca674c4e210ac76a785315a0e860e | (CNN) -- The Florida police sergeant fired for possessing shooting targets resembling Trayvon Martin defended himself Sunday and said the targets were meant to be used as training aids for "no-shoot" situations. Sgt. Ron King was fired from his job as a firearms instructor for the Port Canaveral Police Department on Friday after an internal review determined he possessed the paper targets and offered them to fellow officers for use during a firearms training session earlier this month. "When informed of the basic facts, (I) found the entire situation unacceptable," John Walsh, the interim chief executive of the Canaveral Port Authority, told reporters Saturday. "It is not the type of behavior that I want a police officer to have on both a personal and professional level. I find his conduct intolerable and I demanded that the chief immediately start procedures to terminate this employee." The paper targets show a faceless black hooded sweatshirt with a bull's-eye on the chest. In one hand is a can of iced tea and in the pocket is a pack of Skittles candy, the same items Martin was carrying when he was shot and killed last year in a case that has drawn national attention. King, in a video statement posted online, said he bought the targets because the two items -- the Skittles and iced tea -- were not threatening, which meant the target could be used to help train officers when not to shoot a suspect. King did not say where he bought the targets, but similar ones caused a controversy when they were first sold online a year ago. "While others have used it as a novelty, I view it as a tool for scenario-based firearms training," King said. Using "real-life situations" as training scenarios is not uncommon for firearms instructors, he said, and they help teach police how to respond to incidents in the future. "The only stupid act I performed was to believe that some of my coworkers would be mature enough and care enough to use a bad situation as a learning tool," King said, referring to the Martin case. Port Canaveral is just an hour away from Sanford, where the 17-year-old Martin was killed in February 2012 as he walked home at night from a convenience store. George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain, is awaiting trial on a second-degree murder charge in Martin's death. He says he shot Martin in self-defense. King, who was hired in January 2011, disputed some of the details Walsh gave to reporters, including that he offered the targets to other officers to shoot. He said he showed them to only one, a fellow sergeant, to find out whether he thought they could be useful training aids. King said he offered one of the targets to the sergeant after the sergeant said his son would "get a kick" out of them. Instead of taking it, he said, the sergeant took a picture and then used the image to file a complaint about King. "To the Martin family, I would like to apologize again for those law enforcement officials that chose to use your son's death as an element for their personal and political gains," King said. "I assure you that the use of these targets that are in question is to prevent a tragedy from taking place." On Saturday, Martin family attorney Ben Crump condemned the use of the targets as "absolutely reprehensible." "Such a deliberate and depraved indifference to this grieving family is unacceptable," Crump said in a statement. | Sgt. Ron King was fired Friday from the Port Canaveral Police Department .
He says the target was a training aid for "no-shoot" situations .
The target shows a faceless black hoodie with Skittles and iced tea .
An official calls his conduct "intolerable" |
253,127 | d3a1fe292fcbcc0bb1588e60ef7931416aa54e79 | A coroner has resigned after being barred from crime scenes and touching dead bodies because he stuck his fingers into the head wound of a shooting victim, authorities revealed. Coroner Terry Jarnigan, of Cocke County, Tennessee, was barred by a judge on Monday from disturbing or touching dead bodies, touching evidence or attending crime scenes. Jarnigan reportedly went Newport Medical Center on November 2 to determine whether a 39-year-old victim, who was found with a gunshot wound to the head, committed suicide or was a homicide. The corner stuck two fingers into a bullet exit wound on the victim's head and on realizing he had brain matter on his fingers, put it back into the wound and made a remark 'Oh, brains', according to a police affidavit. Coroner Terry Jarnigan reportedly went Newport Medical Center (pictured) on November 2 to assist in a death investigation and contaminate a victim's gunshot wound by sticking his fingers in it . A detective, Paula Wilson, was at the hospital to take forensic photos for the investigation, according to the affidavit seen by 10 News. Wilson said that Jarnigan was 'twisting his finger around' in the head wound. Investigators typically try not to contaminate bodies because it can damage potential evidence. Deputy DA General Brownlow Marsh alleged on November 19 that Jarnigan had contaminated evidence at other crime scenes after showing up uninvited. Jarnigan resigned on Tuesday, effective immediately. In 1977, Jarnigan, then known as Terry Lackey, was convicted of felonies including 'willful injury by explosives' and arson and detonation of explosives with intent to harm a person. He had his citizenship rights restored in 2002 after a court decided that he had 'the character of a person of honesty, integrity, respectability and veracity'. Don and Annette Heitman (pictured with their son Alex) have called for the investigation into his death to be reopened after the coroner who oversaw the scene resigned for mishandling of bodies and investigations . On Wednesday, a family whose son's death investigation was overseen by Coroner Jarnigan have called for Cocke County authorities to reopen the investigation into his death. Alex Heitman, 29, was found dead with a gunshot wound to the head in July 2011 in a remote part of Cocke County, 70 miles from his home in Knoxville. Mr Heitman, a business supervisor at Oak Ridge Schools, had moved to Tennessee in 2008 with his new wife Kristie. She was eight months' pregnant at the time of his death. His parents, Don and Annette Heitman, from Wisconsin, remain unconvinced of the official verdict of suicide. They have repeatedly asked that Alex's death be re-examined by authorities who have offered the family little cooperation. The Heitmans recently hired retired Assistant U.S. Attorney Hugh B. Ward Jr to represent them and obtained the assistance of Oak Ridge City Councilwoman Trina Baughn, to act as their Tennessee proxy. Ms Baughn told MailOnline in a statement on Thursday that according to 911 audio files and logs, Jarnigan supervised the scene of Alex Heitman's death for five hours. However, there exists no evidence that even a basic investigation took place. No fingerprints, ballistics, coroner’s report, police report or credible crime scene photos were ever discovered to have been taken. People who lived near the scene found evidence that had been left behind the following day, Ms Baughn said. According the Heitman family, this included portions of Alex’s brain matter and a shotgun shell casing. Ms Baughn said on Thursday: 'My heart aches for this family and I am willing to do whatever I can to help them find the answers they seek.' In a statement this week, the Heitmans said: 'We have exhausted tremendous time and financial resources over the last 3½ years with little cooperation from local authorities. 'It is our hope that with Mr. Ward’s help and that of Oak Ridge City Councilwoman Trina Baughn as our Tennessee resident proxy, we will finally obtain the answers we need to find closure and move on from the devastating loss of our beloved son.' | Coroner Terry Jarnigan, of Cocke County, Tennessee, was barred on Monday from touching dead bodies or attending crime scenes .
The corner stuck two fingers into a bullet exit wound on a victim's head and said 'oh, brains', according to a police affidavit .
Previously known as Terry Lackey, he was convicted of felonies including 'willful injury by explosives' and arson in 1977 .
Jarnigan oversaw investigation of newlywed father-to-be Alex Heitman, 29, who was found with a gunshot wound to the head in Cocke County in 2011 .
His parents have called for the case to be reopened after coroner's resignation as they remain unconvinced of the official verdict of suicide .
Heitmans' representative told MailOnline no fingerprints, ballistics, coroner’s report or credible crime scene photos were taken at scene . |
3,462 | 0a050dbe85bff2aa1efd4dbeb4628bc6fc9f46f1 | By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 14:32 EST, 11 April 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 14:32 EST, 11 April 2012 . Crushed to death: Gary Whiting, 51, died immediately when a co-worker switched on a machine he was inside . Arms maker BAE Systems is facing a fine of at least £100,000 after admitting responsibility for the death of a worker crushed to death in a metal press. Gary Whiting, 51, died immediately from his injuries when a fellow worker switched on the press at BAE's Brough plant in East Yorkshire without realising he was still inside. Mr Whiting, who lived with wife Jacqueline in nearby east Hull, had worked at the company for 21 years. He was due to retire the following year. At Hull Crown Court yesterday, BAE Operations Limited admitted health and safety breaches led to the maintenance man's death on November 10, 2008. In court, a specialist inspector from the Health and Safety Executive condemned the firm for failing to implement measures that could have avoided the tragedy. In particular, investigators were concerned that the press could be turned on while a person was inside. At the time of the tragedy, Mr Whiting had been working as part of a four-strong maintenance team, tasked with servicing the machine. The jury at the inquest was told the recognised 'safe system' of working involved checking if anyone was in the machine, and shouting to one another, before turning it on. However, John Moutrie, a specialist HSE inspector, criticised the system that was in place for workers using the machine. He explained that a safer system of working would be using ISO Locks, where each member of the team has a padlock to place on the machine if they are going inside. This would eliminate the risk of a worker turning on a machine, not knowing a colleague is inside, he said. Richard Lissack QC, representing BAE, said: 'The company accepts it failed to take all reasonable and practical steps to care for the safety of this man who died in this awful accident.' He added that the company accepted they could have had 'physical control methods' that could have been used to avoid Mr Whiting’s death. Entrance to BAe Brough Plant: This entrance is situated on Saltgrounds Road . The QC extended BAE's condolences to the Whiting family, saying: 'Mr Whiting was a valued and popular workman and highly experienced. 'His death was truly shocking, in the truest sense of the word, to those who knew and liked him for many years.' Mr Whiting was a member of both East Hull Harriers and Athletics Club and Holderness Bowling Club and loved his job, according to his family. Speaking after the inquest recorded a verdict of accidental death, they said they did not believe Mr Whiting was at fault as he was not told the machine was about to be turned on. They also made clear they do not hold Alan Abbott, who turned the machine on, to blame. In a statement, they said: 'The family do not hold the operator of the press, nor indeed any other individual, personally responsible for Gary’s death.' Judge Michael Mettyear adjourned sentencing until a date in June. Earlier this year BAE announced it was shutting down its Brough plant, ending more than 100 years of manufacturing at the site. | Firm criticised for health and safety failures .
Gary Whiting, 51, was one year from retirement . |
111,642 | 1bf7ee91bdac8f7359a588bbd757db8faf30b3a1 | Miroslav Klose, Philipp Lahm and Per Mertesacker were given a guard of honour and handed awards before Germany's friendly match against Argentina at the Esprit Arena. The trio all featured in their side's 2014 World Cup final win against Argentina before deciding to retire from international football. Klose, who is Germany's all-time goalscorer with 71 goals, called it a day after becoming the most prolific goalscorer in the history of the World Cup. Honoured: Per Mertesacker, assistant coach Hansi Flick, Miroslav Klose and Philipp Lahm were all handed plaques at the Esprit Arena . Captain fantastic: Bayern Munich defender Lahm was handed a certificate and Germany national team shirt . Winners: Lahm got his hands on the prestigious World Cup trophy after Germany beat Argentina in the final . VIDEO All Star XI: Philipp Lahm highlights . Delighted: Mertesacker looked extremely happy after picking up his award in Dusseldorf . Miroslav Klose (Lazio) - 137 caps, 71 goals . Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich) - 113 caps, 5 goals . Per Mertesacker (Arsenal) - 104 caps, 4 goals . The Lazio striker's former team-mates Lahm, who captained Germany to their fourth World Cup win, and Arsenal centre-back Mertesacker also decided to take their names out of the running to be named in Joachim Low's future squads after terrific international careers. Lahm, Klose and Mertesacker picked up a cumulative total of 354 caps and scored 80 goals between them during their time with the German national team. Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger has been chosen to replace Lahm as the captain of a much-changed Germany side. Mertesacker's plaque read, one-hundred-and-ninety-eight centimetres a world champion', while Lahm's said 'four-star captain' and Klose's referenced his somersault celebration. Assistant manager Hansi Flick was also awarded a plaque, with the text 'System team player'. | The trio were honoured before Germany's friendly against Argentina .
Miroslav Klose called it a day after becoming the most prolific goalscorer in the history of the World Cup .
Philipp Lahm captained Germany to their fourth World Cup triumph . |
257,595 | d962b2fa29357af991d3dee3be816ad6a0fd3b3b | (CNN) -- The one really big question hanging over President Obama's weekend vacation to Panama City, Florida, now has an answer. Will he or won't he dive into the water to send a message that the Gulf Coast is back? The answer: He will, and sooner than expected. "I think we're going to go tomorrow and as I just said Ed, I'm not going to let you guys take a picture of me with my shirt off," Obama jokingly told CNN Saturday. "You guys will tease me just like last time. I was on the front page ... People commenting." But just hours later, a photo was published on the White House Flickr page showing a smiling President Obama and his daughter Sasha taking a dip in the Gulf waters off Alligator Point in Panama City Beach, Florida. No reporters or press cameras were present for the swim, but the image will nonetheless send a message that the White House has sought to convey with the first family's trip: the Gulf Coast is open for business. Obama caused a bit of a tabloid stir when he took off his shirt to reveal a muscular physique during trips to Hawaii during the 2008 presidential campaign and subsequent presidential transition. But some are less concerned about Obama ending up on magazine covers, and more worried about the White House sending the right message. "Absolutely, I want him to take his shirt off and get in the water and show it's clean and safe," said Stephen Leatherman, a professor at Florida International University in Miami who puts together an annual list of America's best beaches. Leatherman rates the beach there as one of the top 10 in the country, and he said Obama has a unique opportunity to showcase the fact that the Gulf Coast is still open for business despite the worst oil spill in American history. "It's got lily-white sand, and frankly the oil didn't really make it there. It was pretty well spared," said Leatherman, who noted that the water is 87 or 88 degrees because of the steamy Florida weather, making it conducive to at least a quick presidential plunge. "There is no better symbol than the president of the United States showing us the way," Leatherman said. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs was cagey Friday when reporters asked whether the president will take a swim during the first family's 27-hour mini-vacation. "Stay tuned," said Gibbs, who grew slightly impatient and a bit bemused about getting so many queries about something as seemingly minor as a presidential swim. "Look, he's going to have some fun," Gibbs said. "Whether or not he gets in the water is up for clearly some debate. But, look, he will have an opportunity to enjoy ... the physical beauty of the Gulf and do some work at the same time." Gibbs turned it around on reporters and wondered whether they would bare their midriffs this weekend. "Are you bringing your suits?" Gibbs said with a smile. But Leatherman suggested it's no joking matter because the president's decision to swim or not to swim will carry tremendous symbolic weight. "I think it's very important that he gets into the water because I think there's this feeling that if you get in, you're going to get contaminated or get all kinds of diseases," he said. This is the president's fifth trip to the Gulf region since the April 20 explosion that sparked the oil disaster. The trip is generating criticism over whether Obama is giving the region short shrift by spending only parts of Saturday and Sunday in Panama City. White House officials announced the trip earlier this summer after critics wondered why the president and first lady had urged Americans to vacation in the Gulf but originally chose Bar Harbor, Maine, and Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, as the only locations for their own sojourns. Now, the criticism has shifted to whether 27 hours in Panama City is too quick of a jaunt, and the Republican National Committee released a statement Friday that also said Obama has included Florida in only a couple of his trips to the region in recent months. "It's nice to see the president take the time out of his busy schedule of golf games and campaign fundraisers to clear his conscience and visit Florida for only the second time since the oil crisis began," RNC spokeswoman Amanda Henneberg said. "As he meets with business owners in the Panhandle, it seems like the perfect opportunity for him to explain how his reckless spending, tax increases, and government takeover of health care are supposed to help the Gulf's devastated economy. Not even the Sunshine State can put a positive light on the president's failed liberal policies that have sunk his approval ratings to an all-time low." The president is accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama and their younger daughter Sasha. (The oldest, Malia, is still away at camp and will not be in Florida). Also making the trip is Gulf Coast recovery chief, Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus, to try to show the administration is committed to a long-term turnaround. Gibbs largely deflected questions about whether the trip was too short, saying the president is focused on promoting the "health of the region" with the vacation. "Tourism in Florida and along the Gulf Coast is the economy," Gibbs told reporters Friday. "This is an opportunity to highlight the notion that this important region of the country is still doing well and open for business." While Leatherman said he does think the trip seems too short, Obama should be applauded for carving out some time to help the region. "I think it's basically a photo-op, isn't it?" said Leatherman. "But I still think it's a good thing for the president to come down and show the world that it's clean and safe. That will go a long way to helping the Gulf Coast." Leatherman added: "The best thing that could happen is the president saying, 'I'm going in!' And I don't mean damn the torpedoes. I mean him saying, 'It's clean and safe, and I'm going in the water!' " | NEW: President Obama and daughter Sasha took a swim in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday .
White House released a photo of the swim on its Flickr page .
Obama had said he would swim on Sunday with press corps present .
Event is meant as a gesture showing that the Gulf Coast is open for business . |
6,098 | 1148a8e2323e952807fda306513455968bf7de82 | (CNN) -- Cadel Evans secured Australia's first ever Tour de France victory after the 21st and final stage of the historic race culminated on the streets of Paris. Evans, who rides for the BMC team, finished amidst the peleton in the 95km stage, to maintain his 1min 34sec lead over Andy Schleck of Luxembourg. Britain's Mark Cavendish, of HTC-Highroad, sealed a hat-trick of victories on the Champs Elysees to take the green jersey, awarded for the Tour's best sprinter. Samuel Sanchez, of the Euskaltel team, claimed the polka dot jersey and Frenchman Pierre Rolland, of Europcar, scooped the white jersey after becoming the best placed rider 25 and under. Cadel Evans: From the outback to Tour de France fame . Evans has twice finished runner up in the world's premier cycling event, in 2007 and 2008, and was mobbed by his teammates as soon as he crossed the line in the French capital. It was Evans' commanding performance in Saturday's individual time trial that secured him both the yellow jersey and an unassailable lead, and the final flat stage of the race was little more than a procession. Evans, who became Australia's first ever world road race champion in 2009, told reporters: "It's been 20 years since I watched my very first Tour de France on TV and I said I'd like to win it. A lot of people didn't believe it. "But some very good people believed in me, from my very first coach right through to the ones who turned me to the road. "It's been years of hard work and there were a lot of moments in this three weeks where our Tour was lost but to get here safely with all my skin, just that alone is a quest in itself. "But to be here wearing the yellow jersey -- for my team, my country, a group of people around me... it leaves me a little lost for words." An emotional Evans paid tribute to Aldo Sassi -- his mentor who died of a brain tumor a year ago. "Aldo Sassi always believed in me, more than I did myself," he added. "He said to me at one point, I hope that you can win a grand Tour and I hope for you it is the Tour de France for it's the most prestigious. If you do, you'll become the most complete rider of your generation." Andy Schleck finished second for the third successive year, with his brother Frank coming third. Frenchman Thomas Voeckler was fourth with last year's champion, Alberto Contador, of Spain, finishing fifth. "It's been a perfect Tour de France but there's only one who can win," Andy Schleck told the Tour's official web site. "We knew that from the start and that's Cadel and he also deserves this victory. He's been fighting for it. I was fighting too but he was stronger and I'll be back." A jubilant Cavendish, who has now won a total of 20 Tour de France stages, said: "This is absolutely my best Tour de France yet. The green jersey is an objective I've had in mind for a long time. It's incredible to get it." | Cadel Evans secures Australia's first ever Tour de France victory .
Evans wins by 1min 34sec from Andy Schleck of Luxembourg .
Mark Cavendish wins the final stage and takes the green jersey .
Samuel Sanchez takes the polka dot jersey and Pierre Rolland the white jersey . |
254,104 | d4e49be782e584cf1ecb36ce63d1286f37bc9666 | New York (CNN) -- One hour of recreation a day. Veal patties and noodles for dinner. New York's well-known Rikers Island jail complex has been featured in films, television shows and documentaries, but life on the other side of the bars appears less than glamorous. A number of well-known or infamous inmates have been at least briefly incarcerated there, from the late Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious to, more recently, former NFL receiver Plaxico Burress and rapper Lil' Wayne. However, many celebrities find the facilities in the Rikers Island complex a far cry from the surroundings they may be used to. International Monetary Fund head Dominique Strauss-Kahn is the latest well-known inmate at Rikers Island. He was transferred there on Monday after a Manhattan Criminal Court judge refused to grant him bail. Strauss-Kahn faces multiple charges stemming from an alleged sexual assault of a housekeeping employee at New York's Sofitel hotel. Rikers Island, actually a complex of 10 different units located in the New York borough of Queens, dates to the 1930s, when the first facility -- the James A. Thomas Center, formerly known as the Rikers Island Penitentiary -- opened, according to the New York Department of Correction. Once a 90-acre site, Rikers Island was enlarged to more than 400 acres using sanitary landfill, according to the department's website. It is an actual island, accessible only by a bridge from Queens, and its jails have a combined capacity of nearly 17,000 inmates. However, Strauss-Kahn is in protective custody, meaning he is kept away from the general population because of his status as a high-profile inmate, said a department spokesman who asked not to be named. He is in Rikers Island's West Facility, part of which is used to house inmates with contagious diseases, but other parts are used for inmates in protective custody, the spokesman said. Strauss-Kahn is awakened at 6 a.m. each day in his 11-by-13-foot cell, the spokesman said. He will not have interaction or contact with other inmates, and "his cell is the only one occupied on that side of the unit." When he is taken out of his cell for his daily hour of recreation or taken to the visiting area to receive visitors, he will be accompanied by a corrections officer and a captain, the spokesman said. Inmates travel outside their cells one at a time, meaning he will have no opportunity to encounter other inmates. The spokesman said Monday that Strauss-Kahn will be allowed to leave his cell periodically and walk around his housing area corridor, where he can watch television -- but he still won't come into contact with anyone else. Tuesday's menu for inmates included an apple, banana, cereal, toast, milk and coffee or tea for breakfast; vegetable chili, rice, green beans, carrot and celery salad and wheat bread for lunch; and veal patties, noodles, steamed cabbage, whole wheat bread, a piece of fruit and tea or a fruit drink for dinner. Inmates and others can deposit money into their commissary accounts, which can be used to purchase toiletries, snacks and haircuts, as well as buy daily phone calls, all of which are monitored and recorded, according to the department. Strauss-Kahn will be allowed three visits a week, not counting his attorney or outside doctor, if he has one, the spokesman said. CNN's Jesse Solomon contributed to this report. | Dominique Strauss-Kahn is in protective custody in Rikers Island .
The site actually has 10 different units .
Strauss-Kahn is in an 11-by-13-foot cell .
He must use his commissary account to buy phone calls and snacks . |
271,101 | eb24d5c050283fbadeb85eb271a58edd9be4ce66 | Members of Fee Welch's family have been trying to get rid of Sadi the doll for 40 years. But, mysteriously, every time she is about to be thrown out something happens and she ends up sticking around. Mrs Welch, from Rockhampton in Queensland, had forgotten the Chucky-like doll was in her house until three weeks ago when she was cleaning out her wardrobe with a friend. Fee Welch, from Rockhampton in Queensland, found Sadi the doll in her wardrobe three weeks ago. The doll has had a strange power over her family for 40 years and none of them could ever throw it away . As soon Mrs Welch unwrapped her out of her packing plastic, her whole family got sick. 'It’s a bit weird,' she told Daily Mail Australia. Mrs Welch, 37, was going to throw Sadi away but her husband found her in the bin and wouldn't let her throw the 'cute' doll away. 'The strange thing is my mum did exactly the same thing years ago, she found her in an old box and went to chuck her out,' she told Daily Mail Australia. 'But my dad stopped her and said "What are you throwing her out for, she's cute!" 'It's weird, the men like her.' Mrs Welch isn't sure what it is about Sadi that provokes such an extreme reaction in people. Last week she posted a picture of the doll onto a local 'buy, swap and sell' Facebook page to see if anyone ever seen anything similar and the post got so much attention it crashed the page and had to be taken down. As soon Mrs Welch unwrapped her out of her packing plastic, her whole family got sick . 'The admin staff had to delete it because it was clogging the site up and it caused a lot of problems,' she said. 'They said there were over 400 comments. 'People were saying things like "It looks like it belongs in the horror movie Chucky", "Get it out of your house" and "Take all the arms and legs off it and burn it".' Sadi first came into the family when Mrs Welch's mother bought her as a gift for her sister at a small toy shop in Biloela in central Queensland about 40 years ago. At some point Mrs Welch's parents packed it up and she isn't exactly sure how it ended up in her home. "It looks like it belongs in the horror movie Chucky" - the doll got so many comments on a buy, swap and sell page on Facebook that it crashed the page and had to be taken down . Sadi first came into the family when Mrs Welch's mother bought her as a gift for her sister at a small toy shop in Biloela in central Queensland . Since getting unpacked Sadi has taken up a permanent position on an old chair in the lounge room. 'I'm actually starting to warm up to her, even though she looks like a little freak,' Mrs Welch said. Mrs Welch said her 13-year-old son hates it but her six-year-old daughter is curious. 'My daughter just said it's weird, but I found her the other day changing her clothes and playing with her,' she said. 'My dog doesn't like her, he barks at her.' Since getting unpacked Sadi has taken up a permanent position on an old chair in the lounge room . Mrs Welch has been told Sadi could be worth as much as $2000 but she thinks she would struggle to let her go. 'I think with all this hype and stuff I don't think I've got the heart to throw it out,' she said. Even though the doll has creepy greyish skin and spiky black hair she doesn't think it is possessed. 'I don't think she's haunted I just think she's got a bit of a soul,' she said. 'She comes across like she's spooky and a lot of people are scared by her but deep down I think she just wants to be loved.' | Sadi, an the evil-looking doll, has a strange hold on Fee Welch's family .
Mrs Welch, from Rockhampton in Queensland, had forgotten the doll was in her house until she cleaned out her wardrobe three weeks ago .
Since finding Sadi, she can't bring herself to throw it out or pack it away .
Sadi first came into the family when Mrs Welch's mother bought her as a gift for her sister at a small toy shop in Biloela in central Queensland .
'I don't think she's haunted, I just think she's got a bit of a soul,' she said . |
32,786 | 5d2b021e5a90a895e97a9241f54005dade849504 | The mother of murdered soldier Lee Rigby has spoken of her shock as the brutal killing of journalist James Foley by a man with an English accent brought back horrific memories of her own son's death. Both men were murdered by Islamist fanatics and both deaths were captured on film and uploaded to the internet. 'The moment I saw the news about James's beheading, I felt my heart turn over and I just wept,' said Lyn Rigby speaking to The Sun from her home at Middleton, Manchester. American journalist James Foley before he was kidnapped in November 2012 . 'It was like watching the murder of Lee unfold all over again. 'My heart broke looking at the pictures of his mum and dad. I could see the dignity they showed but also the raw and desperate pain they are going through. 'I want to send them so much love and compassion because I have been through what they are experiencing.' Blood-stained Michael Adebolajo holds the meat cleaver that he used to murder Lee Rigby in Woolwich, south London in May last year . Michael Adebolajo (left) and Michael Adebowale speak to a member of the public near the Woolwich Barracks in London shortly after they murdered Drummer Lee Rigby . Drummer Rigby, 25, was hit by a car and then dragged into the road by two Islamist fanatics in Woolwich, southeast London, in May last year. Michael Adebolajo, 29, and Michael Adebowale, 23, set about him with knives and a meat cleaver in a bid to cut off his head. They had claimed that they were 'soldiers of Allah' and were motivated by the plight of Muslims abroad to carry out the killing. Killers: Michael Adebolajo (left) and Michael Adebowale (right) were sentenced to life for the murder of Lee Rigby. Both men in their twenties were born in London to Christian families before they converted to Islam . Adebolajo was born in Lambeth, south London, to a Christian family and educated in Romford, Essex. Adebowale was also born in the capital into a Christian family. Both men converted to Islam and were brainwashed by hate preachers. Drummer Rigby was returning to his barracks when he was murdered. Both were sentenced to life imprisonment but are appealing their sentences. Lyn Rigby has spoken of her heartache brought about by the video online of James Foley's murder. It has rekindled memories of her son's horrific murder . Mrs Rigby, 47, told The Sun that she cannot erase the memories of Lee's brutal murder from her mind and fears that the Foley family will be going through the same agonies. On Tuesday terror group Islamic State (IS) released a video showing Mr Foley on his knees reading an anti-American rant before he was decapitated by what is believed to be an English jihadist. The video is available online although Scotland Yard has threatened to arrest anyone who watches it or passes it on. Mr Foley's parents John and Diane have also asked people not to watch it. Diane and John Foley talk to reporters outside their home in Rochester, New Hampshire. Their son, James Foley was abducted in November 2012 while covering the Syrian conflict. Islamic militants posted a video showing his murder on Tuesday. The Foleys have asked people not to watch the video . Mrs Rigby said: 'I wholeheartedly support them. By refusing to watch, you are making a stand against the terrorists who are trying to push a nasty and violent agenda.' She added that she managed to cope with her hurt by turning to her family. Drummer Rigby was unaware of the plot to kill him but Mrs Rigby empathises with James Foley who would have been only too aware that his death was imminent. 'That poor man must have endured hell before he died,' she said. 'The fear he must have gone through is unthinkable but at least his suffering is over. It is his family that has inherited the suffering.' Victim of Islamic fundamentalism: Lee Rigby, 25, was murdered on the streets of London . Mrs Rigby said that the pain caused by her son's death is always with her and describes her life since as 'a hell on earth'. 'But I will never just give up, because my Lee deserves more than that. I owe it to him to live a good life and carry his name on until I am one day reunited with him.' | Lyn Rigby wept when she heard the news of James Foley's murder .
Foleys have asked people not to watch the video of their son's death .
Scotland Yard threatens to arrest anyone who watches or posts the video . |
222,116 | ab8308199548402357b6224a840ee5afe73cebd3 | (EW.com) -- On Sunday, Lifetime premieres "Liz & Dick," its Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton biopic starring Lindsay Lohan and Grant Bowler. Exec producer Larry Thompson openly admits Lohan brought with her a younger demographic (and headlines) but also risk. He first met with Lohan about the project last December but cameras didn't roll until June. "When we first met with her, she had two probations, and when we finally closed the deal with her, there was only one probation," Thompson says. "If we couldn't have gotten insurance, there would have been no movie. We wound up having to go to Lloyd's of London to get what we called incarceration insurance.... We had to protect ourselves that if she were to have violated her probation during production, we wouldn't have had to close down and lose our movie." ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How did you approach Grant Bowler after having cast Lindsay? LARRY THOMPSON: It wasn't until I had Grant that I slept. It wasn't until I saw Grant Bowler and Lindsay meet in that room and I saw the chemistry that I knew I could make Liz and Dick live again. EW: Was it difficult to cast someone opposite Lindsay knowing he might have concerns? EW Daily Poll: What will you do on Black Friday? Thompson: It was. I looked at every actor from Wales there was. I looked at every actor from the U.K. there was. And I wound up hiring a guy from New Zealand to play the most famous Welsh actor of all time. So it's the magic of Hollywood. I think Grant Bowler is just fantastic in the movie. EW: You were on the set every day. Is there a moment in the movie when you think Lohan most related to Taylor? Thompson: It was in the ethereal soundstage in black that she most related to Elizabeth Taylor. It was when they're speaking to camera and breaking the fourth wall. Liz and Dick were the first Brangelina, the most famous hunted couple in the world, the first paparazzi couple that's given birth to the celebrity-crazed world that we now live in. That's what fame's about. Fame is the accumulation of all the good, bad, true, untrue, flattering, and non-flattering things said and written about someone when you become iconic. We respect Liz and Dick so much that we wanted to give them the last word, meaning that fourth-wall interview of them speaking to camera [throughout the film] is the two of them speaking from the grave. We decided to dress them in the ultimate thespian outfit. They're sitting in a director's chair, in all black. It's almost like Hollywood heaven. And what they're saying is, "Listen, we were this, we were that. The paparazzi said this, the paparazzi said that. All these things written about us — let us tell you what they said about us, what was really going on, and how we really felt about each other." That device, which was my homage to Elizabeth and Richard, has allowed them the last word on themselves as icons and on what the media and the celebrity-crazed world can do with a couple. Maybe if we hadn't had all this attention paid to us, we could have kept it together, but there were too many balls we were trying to keep in the air. That's what Elizabeth's saying. That's what makes it tragic. Liz Taylor 'love nest' trailer trashed during filming . EW: Is there a scene in the movie that you're sure people will assume is totally made up that you want to assure them isn't? Thompson: I believe that the scene in which Eddie Fisher comes home to that party, and Richard in front of everybody forces her to confess her love for him in front of Eddie, seems so outrageous, but it is so absolutely true, having been reported many, many times over the years as happening just like that. As is every scene in the movie, by the way. The fact that they were denounced by the Pope, that's pretty strong. It's one thing to get a DUI, it's another thing for the Pope to denounce you... I know that when I was a kid, I used to go to the movies and when I would watch a true story about someone who was famous, I believed that to be THE movie. People who make movies have to understand the responsibility you have when you make a biopic. You have to be accurate. It takes a lot of effort and painstaking details to make these movies right, down to the wigs that take place over four decades, even after they're dead. [Laughs] That's hard. EW: Now that you have worked with Lindsay, are you hoping other producers give her a chance? Thompson: I want the best for Lindsay Lohan and anybody who ever hires her. But they have to know that making a movie with Lindsay Lohan is like jumping out of an airplane at 10,000 feet with a bolt of white nylon, a string, and a sewing machine. You're building a parachute as fast as you can. Lohan: Keep me on set, it's safer that way . EW: Your next planned biopic is on Oprah Winfrey. Thompson: I've optioned Kitty Kelley's book [Oprah: A Biography]. We have a fantastic take on her life, and we're talking to networks now, as we speak, and we're interviewing writers right now, too. I am from Mississippi, as is Oprah Winfrey, and I believe that her start on a rural country road in Mississippi to the world stage that she lives is a journey that is nothing less than miraculous. I think it will be the most fascinating biopic I've ever done. I've made the Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz movie [Lucy & Desi: Before the Laughter]. I've made the Sonny and Cher movie [And the Beat Goes On: The Sonny and Cher Story]. I've made the Duke and Duchess of Windsor movie [The Woman He Loved]. And now I've done Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. I think the only thing I could follow all those up with would be Oprah. See original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Larry Thompson says Lohan brought with her a younger demographic and risk .
He says Liz and Dick "were the first Brangelina"
Thompson will next work on an Oprah Winfrey biopic . |
47,310 | 85550659289d0b94256ab15743c170d752cd2683 | By . Adam Duggan . Buddhist monks arriving at an event to the sound of chanting and bells isn't outside the realm of possibilities for most people. But a crowd at New York's Union Square got the shock of their lives when four 'monks' broke from their solemn, statuette poses and started breakdancing to the Beastie Boys hit song Ch-Check It Out. The performance was produced to raise awareness for 'MCA Day', an annual event which honours the life of deceased Beastie Boy Adam 'MCA' Yauch. Breaking Out: Two of the 'Buddhist monks' are seen breakdancing to the Beastie Boys hit song Ch-Check It Out . The four dancers – identified as Franklin Chen, Jason Ng, Erich Reyes and Stephen Pyo – start their performance by solemnly entering Union Square dressed in robes, with their hands in a prayer-like motion. To the sound of bells and chanting, the men each make their way to a corner of the makeshift dancefloor – a black and white mat, featuring a logo promoting ‘MCA Day’ in the square's centre. Once in place, the group bow their heads, while the chanting and bells continue playing. Suddenly, the Beastie Boys hit song ‘Ch-Check It Out’ starts to play and the ‘monks’ break from their solemn stances and start busting their moves. Arriving in style: The four 'Buddhist monks' arrive at New York's Union Square . Why so serious? One of the 'monks' is seen looking very solemn, ahead of the performance . Like a prayer: Three of the 'Buddhist monks' are seen bowing their heads and gesturing that they were praying with their hands . Buddhist monks may seem like a strange way to advertise an annual memorial day for Yauch, who died in 2012 following a long battle with cancer. However, the former Beastie Boy was a practicing Buddhist and supporter of Tibetan Independence, after converting in 1994. Frank Anselmo, the man behind the video and creative director of New York-based advertising firm KNARF, claims he and his crew spent six months planning the stunt. On the question of whether or not the monks really are men of the robe, Mr Anselmo told the New York Daily News: ‘Of course they're not real monks.’ Spinning around: One of the 'monks' can be seen performing a spin on his head . Gettin' down: One of the 'monks' attempts to perform the splits . A 'monk' without any hang ups: One of the 'monks' performs a handstand, while being cheered on by his fellow performers . After auditioning several breakdancers, the team eventually narrowed it down to four that would be willing to shave their heads. Identical robes to the ones worn by the Dalai Lama were also ordered from Nepal. Having grown up in New York, Mr Anselmo idolised the Beastie Boys – who were also born and raised in the city. The third annual MCA Day took place in Brooklyn on Saturday. All smiles during a happier time: A picture of deceased Beastie Boy Adam 'MCA' Yauch with the Dalai Lama was shown at the end of the video . | Director spent six months searching for the right dancers .
Video created to raise awareness for third annual MCA Day .
Inspired by deceased Beastie Boy Adam Yaunch's Buddhist beliefs . |
274,311 | ef4995c9e5606114cd87410dfca8eea81967ca7e | By . Lucy Crossley . PUBLISHED: . 15:32 EST, 18 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:32 EST, 18 December 2013 . Suited and booted: Natalie Hynde, the daughter of musician Chrissie Hynde, arrives at Brighton Magistrates' Court following her arrest during anti-fracking protests . The daughter of musicians Chrissie Hynde and Ray Davies appeared in court today after she was arrested during anti-fracking protests. Environmental activist Natalie Hynde was charged with trespassing . on railway property at Balcombe in West Sussex on August 18. She had been due to stand trial at Brighton Magistrates's Court in Sussex today, although her case was adjourned until next year. No evidence was heard during today's hearing, with the 30-year-old's trial now set for March 17. The former model arrived at court today dressed in a suit, shirt and pink tie. She was arrested on August 18 as energy company Cuadrilla conducted exploratory drilling on the outskirts of the village at the height of anti-fracking protests. Hynde, of St Leonards-on-Sea denies the single charge of trespassing. Opponents of fracking - which involves high-pressure liquid being pumped deep underground to split shale rock and release gas supplies - feared Balcombe would become a site for the extraction method. In June, a British Geological Survey claimed there may be more than 1,300 trillion cubic feet of shale gas under the North of England alone. Industry experts claim even if 10 per cent is recovered – more than all of the gas produced from the North Sea – it will be enough to power Britain for 50 years. Now a similar study is being carried out in the South, with results expected next spring. Although no fracking, or hydraulic fracturing, took place there, Balcombe was thrust into the national spotlight over the issue, with a number of protestors attempting to block equipment from being taken into the site. Return date: No evidence was heard during today's hearing, with the 30-year-old's trial now set for March 17 . The anti-fracking movement led to dozens of protesters setting up camp outside the drill site and a policing bill of around £4 million, forcing Sussex Police to apply for Home Office help. Campaigners had turned up to the West Sussex site included Bianca Jagger and former Page 3 model Marina Pepper. Hynde, who with her dark hair closely resembles her famous mother, was born in 1983, the year before her parent's four year relationship ended. Protest: Hynde and her friend Simon Medhurst at the Balcombe site . Accused: Hynde denies a charge of trespassing on railway property at the site . During their time together the pair would regularly collaborate musically, with Pretenders recording a version of the Davies-penned I Go To Sleep. Pretenders singer Chrissie, herself an outspoken animal rights activist, went on to marry Jim Kerr of Simple Minds fame and later artist Lucho Brieva, while Mr Davies, of The Kinks was married three times. Hynde, who grew up in north-west London and moved to Leonard’s-on-Sea in Hastings two years ago, works as a painter and decorator. She is also a veteran of the Occupy London campaign. Parents: Musicians Chrissie Hynde and Ray Davies . | Natalie Hynde charged with trespassing on railway property in Balcombe .
Case at Brighton Magistrates' Court adjourned until March next year .
30-year-old is daughter of musicians Chrissie Hynde and Ray Davies . |
167,784 | 65045a4ea364fa7131d1d1d337e45631805e46fb | Asuncion, Paraguay (CNN) -- Relatives and a lawyer for a Paraguayan soccer player who was shot in the head in Mexico nearly a year ago reject a suspect's claim that he was not the triggerman. Jose Jorge "J.J." Balderas Garza was arrested Tuesday in Mexico City in connection with the January 2010 shooting of soccer star Salvador Cabanas at a bar in the Mexican capital. Cabanas suffered a gunshot wound to the head, but survived. Balderas was a suspect from the start of the investigation, but he eluded authorities for nearly a year. Once in custody, he denied that he was the one who pulled the trigger. "Of course he is going to say barbarities and things that are not true," Cabanas' wife, Maria Lorgia Alonzo, told a Paraguayan radio station. "For us, the worst has already passed. The important thing is that Salvador is alive and recuperating." Balderas pinned the shooting on his bodyguard, Francisco Barreto Garcia, who was arrested in June as an accomplice. But Cabanas' lawyer, Oscar German Latorre, told CNN that evidence points to Balderas. "Because of the caliber of the gun, and the testimony of (Barreto), I think J.J.'s defense will have an arduous task to prove the innocence of their client," he said. The Mexican authorities themselves have released the content of interrogations with Barreto and a bar employee that implicate Balderas in the shooting of the soccer player. According to the Barreto's testimony, he worked as a bodyguard for Balderas and they were both at a bar in Mexico City. Balderas went to the bathroom, and a few minutes later, Barreto followed, the state-run Notimex news agency reported. Barreto found Balderas and Cabanas confronting each other in the bathroom, and says he saw Balderas shoot him, he told investigators, according to Notimex. A bar employee who worked in the bathroom also witnessed the shooting and corroborated Barreto's story, the agency said. Meanwhile, Paraguayans were pleased that an arrest was made in the case. "Finally we're content. It was an atrocity that was committed against Salvador Cabanas and, well, we are confident in the Mexican justice system," said Carlos Ortellado. "The truth is, I hope that whoever shot at Cabanas spends a lot of time in jail because he robbed us of an idol," said another citizen, Jazmin Garcia. Journalist Sanie Lopez contibuted to this report. | Jose Jorge Balderas Garza was arrested in Mexico City this week .
He says that he did not shoot Salvador Cabanas .
Mexican authorities released testimony that implicates Balderas .
Cabanas family says Balderas is being dishonest . |
58,344 | a56d609cdaff0887038bd3416dc0aec6b9e00ecb | Washington (CNN) -- Two families, two political parties -- one family business. It's hard to understate the depth of the Bush-Clinton impact on American politics. Think of it this way: For 32 years, there was either a Bush or a Clinton in the White House or the Cabinet. And in 2016, the families could be competing again -- in a Jeb Bush vs. Hillary Clinton face off. Whether that should come to pass has been a topic of lots of debate and speculation -- even inside the Bush family. After Barbara Bush made her now infamous pronouncement last year on the "Today" show that Jeb should sit it out ("We have enough Bushes," she said), there's been lots of private family discussion. But in an exclusive interview with CNN, Jeb's brother, Neil, made it clear that his dad -- George H.W. Bush -- wants his son to run, no matter what his wife says. "If you asked Dad the same question 'Should Jeb run?' he'd say yes." Asked again whether Bush 41 would specifically be for it, Neil Bush replied, "Yeah, he would say yeah." Has Neil asked his father himself? No. But he allowed, "I have heard him answer that question." And right now, that's as close as you'll get to the family thinking. A common concern . Barbara Bush's concern -- that there are "other families" out there who can serve -- may be anathema to the family, but it's a common concern in the rest of the political world. Isn't it an advantage, for example, for a name brand to raise gobs of money from a standing start? Not to mention starting out with a ready made political organization. David Frum, a speechwriter in the George W. Bush White House, likens it to something, well, un-American. "The thing that they bring to the table that nobody else has is the massive preexisting ability to raise money," he said. "If we end up having a presidential race in which one dynasty plays off against another dynasty, you'll say is this America or is it the last days of the Roman Republic." He has a point. A Jeb-Hillary 2016 matchup wouldn't be the first time a Bush faced a Clinton. Bill Clinton defeated George H.W. Bush in 1992; now the men are the closest members of the ex-presidents club. "I think there is a great, you know, kind of bond ...," Neil Bush said of Clinton and his family. "I think George (W. Bush) calls him 'Bubba.'" The next chapter . What happens next with the Clintons and the Bushes is the story of great expectations. In many ways, said political commentator and author David Maraniss, Jeb Bush and Hillary Clinton have had similar trajectories. "Jeb ... was the chosen one. He was the one who would be president someday and succeed his father, but 'W' was the oldest and had better political skills and came first," Maraniss said. "And similarly with Hillary, there was a feeling before she even married Bill Clinton. People in the early '70s were starting to think someday there would be a woman president." Of course, not all Bushes and Clintons are created alike. Some have political skills and some don't. And former Bush 41 and 43 adviser Mary Matalin said both Jeb and Hillary offer some things others don't -- experience and ideas. "This campaign particularly at this time in our country's history is gonna turn on message, candidate skills, candidate policies -- not their names," Matalin said. "They can run as Hillary and Jeb Smith and people will be listening to what they are proposing." There are real downsides to carrying the Bush or Clinton moniker -- preexisting family friends and enemies, unwelcome comparisons to what came before, a sense that you can't be about "change" if you've been around forever. And one more thing: fatigue -- as in, aren't we just too tired of these families to watch another replay in 2016? A longing for familiarity . Well, maybe. But Maraniss figures that one of the reasons we keep coming back to them is the familiarity we can also scorn. "It's true that things are constantly changing and new names are arising all the time, but still there's a longing for familiarity and celebrity that lasts through all of that," he said. "It's just like Hollywood or anywhere else. There are certain names that stick and people remember." And close Clinton ally Paul Begala makes the case that Hillary Clinton earned this on her own. "They don't want Hillary to run because her husband did a great job. They want her to run because they think she'd be a great president," Begala said. As for looking like yesterday instead of tomorrow, Begala argued that, "When you're seeking to be the first woman president, it's kind of impossible to paint you as the past." The durability of the families is obvious. Not only because they're fixtures in American politics, but also because the younger generations have shown an aptitude for it as well -- Jeb's son, George P. Bush in Texas, and perhaps even Chelsea Clinton, who isn't ruling anything out these days. But if you call either of these families a dynasty, there's pushback from the patriarchs. "A dynasty involves people who get jobs solely because of what their last name is," Bill Clinton said in 2008 as Hillary Clinton mounted her first presidential run. "The question is where she should be eliminated because she happened to have married me a long time ago ... this is not a blood deal." George H.W. Bush had a similar take in 1999, standing next to his son George W. at the family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine, the day after he had announced his own White House campaign. "We never felt we were entitled to something. Dynasty at least connotes, has a connotation, of something coming your way," he said. Dynastic terminology . Neil Bush is one of the rare family members who seems to have no problem with the dynastic terminology. "I don't have a problem with it. My mother doesn't like to use the word 'dynasty' because she thinks it's elitist or whatever," he told CNN. "The fact that there happens to be name recognition or brand recognition of the Bush name or brand shouldn't be a handicap." Neil tells the story of watching his mother's candor on the "Today" show when she and the family were preparing to leave for the opening of the George W. Bush presidential library. "We were all watching Jeb standing in the corner just like ... What's your response to that? I don't know," Neil recalls. "You know, Mom is just going to say what's on her mind and she just really believes that it's time for the country to look at different families, but it's not going to affect Jeb's decision." For the Bushes, the family's political dominance is a matter of longevity and sheer size. For the Clintons, it's a newer business -- more of boutique operation. "It's a powerhouse. Clinton and Clinton. It's a law firm. It's a political law firm and a powerful one," Maraniss said. "The most powerful one in the country still." Will they run? While Hillary Clinton herself stays noncommittal about a potential second White House run -- despite all of the activity on her behalf -- her backers seem to be gearing up for another Clinton campaign. As for Jeb Bush, he's continuing to travel the country on behalf of 2014 Republican candidates, collecting chits along the way. Funders have shown more interest in his candidacy now that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's star has dimmed. As for Neil Bush, it's all in the family. He recounts a funny story about growing up Bush. He was 8 and big brother, George, was 16. There was a BB gun fight, and Neil lost — getting shot in a most uncomfortable place. "When Dad became president, it was like the fulfillment of an expectation. He's always been my hero. He's always been Mr. Perfect," Neil said of his father's election in 1988. In the end, Neil admired what his brother W accomplished as president, but early on he couldn't imagine it. To him, "W" was the the guy "who shot me in the ass." | It's hard to understate the depth of the Bush-Clinton impact on American politics .
For 32 years, there was either a Bush or a Clinton in the White House or the Cabinet .
A Jeb Bush-Hillary Clinton 2016 matchup wouldn't be the first time a Bush faced a Clinton . |
70,414 | c796c3f742cb51aad72293ec8f9a1a1344a85c3e | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 13:37 EST, 31 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:37 EST, 31 May 2013 . Justin Bieber’s pet monkey has been given a new home at an animal park in Germany after the teen pop sensation failed to collect him from customs. Baby capuchin Mally was seized by German officials in March when the Canadian singer was unable to provide vaccination and import papers for his monkey. Mally is now settling in at the Serengeti-Park in Hodenhagen where he will soon be able to play with his new capuchin family. Scroll down for video . Not a Belieber: Mally the monkey gives an indication as to his feelings about Justin Bieber's failure to collect him while playing around in his new home . After Justin Bieber failed to reclaim his pet, Mally was sent to the Serengeti-Park, which is home to Germany's only white-headed capuchin family. The tiny monkey was confiscated at Munich airport when Bieber landed for his European tour. When Bieber missed the deadline to send the correct documents for Mally, authorities issued an order transferring ownership of the animal to Germany. Bieber has been under heavy critique from animal experts for keeping such a young monkey as a pet, saying 23-week-old Mally should not have been taken away from his mother until he was a year old. After spending time at an animal shelter, Mally can now be integrated with others of his species and will no longer have to rely on a teddy for company. Monkey lost: Justin's monkey was confiscated by customs officials when the star failed to provide the correct documents when he brought him to Munich for his European tour . Settling in: Mally eats a grape in the quarantine at Serengeti Park where he will be kept before he can join his new capuchin family . Bieber's 'Baby': Justin Bieber has been criticised for keeping such a young monkey as Mally, as capuchins should stay with their mother for the first year . Mally was taken to the park in secret for his protection, but fans will now be able to visit the animal. ‘He will go into our capuchin monkey enclosure which has lots of trees so it will be a bit of a game to try and recognise him,’ said Dr Fabrizio Sepe, Managing Director of the Serengeti Park. While most animals stay in their transport boxes for the first three days, Dr Sepe says Mally ventured out soon after arrival. ‘He came out straight away and jumped onto the carer's head and was immediately curious about everything.’ Sepe said he had not heard from Bieber but added that he would be happy to give the singer information if he was interested. Cheeky monkey: Mally gnaws on a twig and plays with Dr Fabrizo Sepe, manager of Serengeti Park . Ein affe: The capuchin became property of Germany when Bieber missed the deadline to reclaim his pet, a 19th birthday present . Justin Bieber's management has not indicated whether the star will visit his former pet, a 19th birthday present. 'We are making all necessary preparations in order to ensure that Mally has the best possible transition to his new home and has no problems integrating with others of his species’. Due to statutory regulations, Mally first has to be put into a 25-day quarantine before he is allowed to join his new family - and he already has a sibling rival. His new family is made up of three males and three females with the latest addition, Molly, born in February, making Molly and Mally of similar age, much to the delight of the staff at the park. ‘That works out well. We are convinced that the integration will go off without a hitch’, Dr Sepe said. | Mally the capuchin was seized by Munich customs in March .
As Bieber failed to reclaim Mally, ownership was transferred to Germany .
The baby monkey will soon join a new family at the park in Hodenhagen . |
275,559 | f0ff5304c63b5aaafabd8180febcb7b3b521834e | Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- A suicide bombing at an Iraqi military base north of Baghdad killed at least 10 people and wounded 25 others Monday, police said. Most of the dead and wounded were Iraqi soldiers, according to Baquba police, who said the truck bomber ran into a barracks. Police combed through the rubble of the building looking for victims. The attack took place in the town of Kanan about 10 kilometers (6 miles) south of Baquba in Diyala province, which is ethnically mixed. The province used to be an al Qaeda stronghold, especially during the peak of sectarian violence in the country between 2005 and 2007. On Monday afternoon, a string of roadside bombings targeted Baghdad communities. One civilian was killed and two others were wounded in western Baghdad's al-Amriya neighborhood after a roadside bomb blast, police said. Eight other people were wounded earlier Monday when three roadside bombs exploded in Baghdad neighborhoods, the interior ministry said. | New: A roadside bomb kills one and wounds two in western Baghdad .
A suicide truck bomber hit a barracks for Iraqi soldiers .
Eight other people were wounded Monday in roadside bombs .
The suicide attack takes place in the Diyala province town of Kanan .
A truck packed with explosives is used in the attack . |
239,605 | c2376a1295e1a47c884b44ba34672b4d5f2db2b1 | (CNN) -- Last Monday the cheers and celebration of crowds lining Boylston Street for the Boston Marathon were overwhelmed by the blasts of two bombs. Today, at the moment the bombs went off, silence. A line of Boston police officers extended out across Boylston Street. A horseshoe-shaped group of first responders surrounded the site of one blast. Hundreds of people gathered at nearby intersections. Some wept. Union laborers stood beside police and other Boston residents, their heads bowed, as the city sat eerily quiet until a harp's song sliced the silence. After that, all that could be heard was the whoosh of the wind. "It's a new thing people are going to have to keep in their hearts now," said local student and Somerville resident Michael Sadler, who joined hundreds gathered at the corner of Hereford and Bolyston streets. "There's just a lot of memories on those blocks. But a lot of it doesn't make sense." The rest of the country paid its respects. The New York Stock Exchange went silent as well. So did the president and the U.S. Senate. But Boston has not been silenced by the tragedy. Signs calling for the city to "stay strong" were scattered throughout the area, as were hundreds of flowers and stuffed animals sporting Red Sox and Bruins T-shirts. A few American flags were attached to the wall of a bank. Outside the six-block zone barricaded by authorities, it was business -- and living -- as usual. People shopped at Prudential Center, strolled through the Back Bay, took the T to Downtown Crossing. The Red Sox are playing at Fenway Park Monday night. Though the grand Boston Public Library, not far away, remained closed, it is scheduled to open Tuesday. The Hub of the Universe does not give up. Last week was a shock to the system. How could it be otherwise? The sound of the explosions "was so strong the bar filled up with smoke and chairs tipped over," one witness told CNN. "I saw people -- it was like they were on a trampoline literally flying through the air." Mark Gordon recently moved to a high-rise apartment on Boylston Street and had a perfect view of the marathon from his balcony. It was a glorious day in Boston, the city he'd lived in for 12 years. He was doing household chores when the first bomb went off. "I'll never look out my window the same way again even though it's been six short days," Gordon said. The Marathon is usually a 26.2-mile party -- "the old, drunk uncle of Boston sports, the last of the true festival events," Massachusetts native and Boston-area resident Charles P. Pierce wrote on Grantland. It used to offer a bowl of beef stew to the winner. More than 100 years into its existence, it remains a celebration of humanity, its route lined with the whole spectrum of life, from little kids to old-timers, coming out to enjoy a sure sign of spring. "It's going to be a lot different next year," said Karen Russell, a Cambridge resident who works in Boston. "They'll probably have a lot more security. But it'll all be different." The flowers blooming this year are out for a different reason. But, as the Twitter hashtag had it, #BostonStrong. "Boston is a tough & resilient town," said one sign near Boylston Street. "So are its people." | Boston, nation observe moment of silence a week after bombing .
City urged to "stay strong" in aftermath .
"It's going to be a lot different next year," says one resident . |
16,916 | 2feac36352b9b7fd0643a16cdd6ab9380e5f016c | Obese patients and smokers face an immediate ban on routine operations according to a major NHS clinical commissioning group. Patients in Devon will be told today that if they have a body mass index of more than 35 (morbidly obese), they will be required to lose either five per cent of their weight or reduce their BMI to under 35 before they undergo surgery. Smokers will have to have given up eight weeks before any planned operation in a bid to slash heath costs and improve clinical outcomes. The North Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group is one of the largest groups in the country hand as almost 900,000 patients served by 130 GP practices. Scroll down for video . Obese patients and smokers in Devon face an immediate ban on routine operations. People with a BMI of more than 35, they will be required to lose either five per cent of their weight or reduce their BMI to under 35. Smokers will be forced to prove they have quit for eight weeks before any operation (file image) In a statement it said: 'The CCG decided that for those patients undergoing hip and knee operations with a body mass index of more than 35 (morbidly obese) they patient would be required to have a BMI of under 35 or to lose five per cent of their weight before planned surgery, whichever is the lesser weight loss.' The new restrictions will be extended to all non-urgent surgical procedures, however, it will not apply to cancer treatment or urgent cases. The statement added: 'The CCG also confirmed that it would not be restricting IVF treatment or Caesarean sections on medical grounds at this time. 'The quit smoking and the BMI requirements will be introduced with immediate effect.' Patients who have already been given a date for surgery will not be affected by the policy change although they will be offered support in losing weight or quitting smoking. Dr Tim Burke, chair of the NEW Devon CCG said: 'All of these temporary measures relate to planned operations and treatments, not those which must be done as an emergency or to save lives. 'Clinicians have carefully reviewed a number of measures, taking into account the impacts of their temporary withdrawal to decide which we will implement. 'We recognise that each patient is an individual and where their GP or consultant feels that there are exceptional circumstances we will convene a panel of clinicians to consider the case. 'We will continue to keep people informed about our decisions around the measures.' Dr Burke said that he was being forced to curtail some services because the CCG is currently running a deficit of £14.5 million. The new restrictions imposed by the North Eastern and Western Devon Clinical Commissioning Group will affect all non-urgent surgical procedures, including hip and knee operations (file image) He said he was now going to restrict access to second hearing aids as well as certain expensive drugs. He said: 'Other measures encourage patients to take steps themselves to reduce their risks from surgery and to improve their outcomes, such as losing weight and stopping smoking. 'As part of the review we looked at how long a person should stop smoking for before surgery and based on that evidence we have increased the previously discussed time of six weeks to eight weeks. 'We don’t under estimate how difficult it will be for some people to lose weight or stop smoking and we will continue to support them. If they are able to do this it will also have long term health benefits for them. 'We are committed to being open about what we are considering and how the decisions are being made. We are publishing our decisions and producing information for the patients affected about the available treatment options for them. 'The CCG has a legal duty to live within its financial resources and the prioritisation of services is helping us to do that.' It is understood that the CCG is expecting a new range of cuts. | NHS chiefs have banned obese people and smokers from routine surgery .
Almost one million in the south west will be subject to the new rules .
Obese people will have to lose weight before undergoing routine surgery .
Smokers will have to stop for at least eight weeks before their operation .
The experimental plan has been introduced by the NHS across Devon .
The Clinical Commissioning Group needs to make £14.5m in cost savings . |
169,158 | 66da98d6dda1ec0a5f5ddfe1da99bf5ef3cd94d3 | Bolton boss Neil Lennon will this week step up his efforts to sign Kris Commons from Celtic. Commons has become an increasingly peripheral figure under Ronny Deila and again had to be content with a place on the bench in Saturday’s goalless draw with Ross County at Parkhead. Celtic maintain that contract talks with Commons and his representative are on-going but, as yet, there has been no breakthrough to keep the player in Glasgow beyond the summer. Bolton Wanderers boss Neil Lennon will this week step up his efforts to sign Kris Commons from Celtic . Lennon is prepared to sign Commons on a pre-contract agreement but would prefer to pay for him next month . At 31, the former Scottish internationalist is ideally seeking a long-term deal but the club have been reluctant to offer such contracts to players of that age. Deila has denied that the best Commons can hope for is a flat one-year extension - but it’s thought that clauses which would potentially trigger additional years would be appearance-related. Former Parkhead boss Lennon, however, is willing to offer the player the long-term deal he craves at the Macron Stadium as he seeks to add to a squad that is now eyeing the Championship play-off places. Lennon is prepared to sign Commons on a pre-contract agreement but would prefer to pay a fee for him next month. Commons battles with Dundee United's John Rankin at Tannadice Park before Christmas . Ronny Deila denied that the best Commons can hope for with Celtic is a flat one-year extension . The Northern Irishman signed him for Celtic from Derby County for just £300,000 in January 2011 and he proved to be a revelation for that price tag. Commons hit 31 goals last term to land the player of the year awards from both the Scottish Football Writers’ Association and PFA Scotland but has often found himself surplus to requirements under the new Celtic regime. With midfielder Stefan Johansen the preferred option for his fellow Norwegian Deila in the role behind the striker, Commons has largely been demoted to the bench this campaign. And, although his preference is to stay in Glasgow, the offer of long-term stability south of the border looks set to take the former Stoke, Nottingham Forest and Derby player back there. | Kris Commons has struggled for appearances at Celtic this season .
The attacking midfielder has been in talks over a new deal .
But Commons is unlikely to be given the long-term deal he craves .
Neil Lennon wants to bring Commons to Bolton Wanderers .
Lennon will look to sign him in January if possible . |
240,048 | c2c36d463983fe2c2b0143fad0c1677f08dd8fec | The family of a terminally ill South Carolina girl who is dying of a rare genetic disorder have voluntary put themselves in quarantine for the last six months as they fight to find a cure for their daughter's sickness. Glenn and Cara O'Neil have had little-to-no contact with the outside world since May in an effort to prolong the life of little Eliza, who suffers from Sanfilippo Syndrome (Type A), a genetic and terminal disorder that means she lacks an enzyme vital for normal cellular function. The condition eventually causes a lethal buildup of a toxic material - heparin sulfate - leading to learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Victims typically die before they are out of their teens. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Quarantine: Four-year-old Eliza O'Neill (pictured), who suffers from Sanfilippo Syndrome (Type A), has not left her home in Colombia, South Carolina, since May after her family started a voluntary quarantine . Family: Eliza (pictured with her father, Glenn, mother, Cara, and brother Beckham) was born with the terminal disorder . Father and daughter: The youngster (pictured with her father) lacks an enzyme vital for normal cellular function, causing a lethal buildup of a toxic material - heparin sulfate - which leads to leaning and behavioral problems . Quarantine: Cara O'Neil wipes down groceries before allowing them into the house . Protective: A team from Inside Edition don special suits before entering the O'Neil's house . Outdoors: The height of the family's outdoor fun is doing circles on their yard on bikes . Mrs O'Neill has quit her job as a pediatrician and homeschools Eliza's older brother, seven-year-old Beckham. Mr O'Neil also works from home. The family's food is ordered online and all of the groceries have to be wiped down with disinfectant wipes when they arrive at the house. Everything else they need is ordered on Amazon. 'It was something that we could do to protect Eliza,' Mrs O'Neil told Inside Edition. 'We've heard, ''You're being overly cautious'', but how can you be overcautious when you're talking about the chance of life for your child?' Mr O'Neil added. While they believe the quarantine will help her live longer, Eliza's family realize the only way to really save her is to find a cure. They launched a fundraising campaign for the disease nearly a year ago. They expected her to lose her ability to speak by her fifth birthday, which was last weekend. Aalthough the she can still talk, Mr O'Neill said words do not come as easily to her and she appears to have stopped learning new things. 'It's the disease beginning to catch up with her,' he told ABC News. 'This disease just kind of taunts you. You don't know when things are coming but you see them happening.' To celebrate her birthday on Sunday, Eliza had a party with her father, mother Cara and brother in the family's backyard, where Mr O'Neill dressed up like a clown and juggle. As far as outdoor acitivites go, the family ride bikes in circles in their yard. At home and in hospital: When Eliza's family launched a fundraising campaign to find a cure for the disease nearly a year ago, they said they expected her to lose her ability to speak by her fifth birthday . Homeschool: Cara O'Neil quit her job and teaches her two children from home . Sick: And although the five-year-old can still talk, her father, Glenn O'Neill said words do not come as easily to her and she appears to have stopped learning new things. Above, Eliza is seen in hospital with her mother . Campaign: To celebrate her fifth birthday on Sunday, Eliza had a party with her family. The family hoped to raise $600,000 on the day as part of their push to find a cure . But even the milestone celebrations will not distract the O'Neill's from their fundraising efforts, with the family hoping to raise a staggering $600,000 on the day to help fulfill Eliza's wish to live. They have already gained more than $1.7 million on a GoFundMe page, and another $400 elsewhere, in a bid to fund an upcoming clinical trial for a gene therapy they hope will cure Eliza. Sanfilippo Syndrome (Type A) is a genetic and terminal disorder that affects around one in 70,000 live births. Victims lack an enzyme that is essential for normal cellular function. The condition eventually causes a buildup of a toxic material - heparin sulfate - leading to learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Sufferers typically die before they are out of their teens. There is no known cure. The funds - which have come from more than 26,000 donors from 70 different countries - means the family is close to their goal. Although there is no guarantee that the treatment will get approved or work - or that Eliza will get into the clinical trial - her father said he and his family had to try. 'If we don't get the trial funded, and we don't get it up and running, the guarantee is that she has no chance,' he told the news station. He added that the family has remained at home for the past six months to prevent Eliza from catching any viruses. Her mother, a pediatrician, has left her job, while her brother is being homeschooled. 'We're trying to do everything we can to keep her as happy and as healthy and as sharp as she can be,' said Mr O'Neill, who describes the disease as 'a parent's worst nightmare'. 'For the next however many months it takes to get to the point where, hopefully, she can be treated.' Siblings: The O'Neill's have already gained over $1.3million on a GoFundMe page, and another $400 elsewhere, in a bid to fund an upcoming clinical trial for a gene therapy they hope will cure Eliza (seen with her brother) Loving family: The funds - which have come from more than 26,000 donors from 70 different countries - means the family is close to their goal. Above, the O'Neill's laugh together in a still from their video campaign . Kindhearted: Donors have so far raised a staggering $1.75 million on the GoFundMe page (right) for Eliza (left) Sanfilippo Syndrome, named after pediatrician Sylvester Sanfilipoo, affects around 1 in 70,000 live births, said Doug McCarty, a researcher at Nationwide Children's hospital in Columbus, Ohio. While there is currently no cure, the hospital has found a potential gene therapy that, in a study, successfully rid mice of heparin sulfate buildup, according to Fox News. Researchers have proposed what they feel is a sufficient toxicology plan to move forward with the clinical trial. They aim to go ahead with the treatment in 2015. It is this therapy - a 'glimmer of hope' - that Eliza's family hope they will be able to fund. Trying his best: 'We're trying to do everything we can to keep Eliza as happy and as healthy and as sharp as she can be,' said Mr O'Neill (pictured), who describes Sanfilippo Syndrome as 'a parent's worst nightmare' | Eliza O'Neill, of South Carolina, suffers from Sanfilippo Syndrome (Type A)
Disorder causes buildup of toxic material; victims do not reach adulthood .
Five-year-old was expected to lose ability to speak by birthday on Sunday .
Although she can still talk, she finds it hard and does not learn new things .
Eliza's parents, Glenn and Cara, voluntarily quarantined their family to prolong Eliza's life .
Have had little contact with the outside world since May .
They are raising funds for possible gene therapy; have so far gained $1.75 million . |
113,112 | 1e018f5ac04506341557a67cb3e2aca2043529fc | (CNN) -- Doctors say Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is on her way to a full recovery after a blood clot was found in her head on Sunday night. She was discharged from New York Presbyterian Hospital on Wednesday after spending three days being treated, the State Department announced. Clinton's blood clot was located in the vein between the brain and skull behind her right ear, according to her doctors' statement. It is being treated with blood thinners and did not result in a stroke or any neurological damage. This type of blood clot is called a cerebral vein thrombosis and is relatively rare, said Dr. Mary Cushman, director of the Thrombosis and Hemostasis Program at the University of Vermont and chair of the American Society of Hematology's subcommittee on quality of care. A two-year study conducted in the Netherlands found cerebral vein thrombosis affects approximately 1 in every 100,000 people. In comparison, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says 1 in 1,000 people are affected by deep venous thrombosis (DVT) -- a similar clot found most often in the leg. Clinton, now 65, suffered from a DVT in 1998. Anyone who has had a blood clot in the past is at a higher risk of getting one again. About one-third of people with DVT will have a recurrence within 10 years, according to the CDC. "There are a handful of genetic conditions that predispose someone to these kinds of clots," Cushman said. "That's why you might see two different (types of blood clots) in the same person." It's unknown if Clinton has a genetic condition that may increase her risk. Other risk factors for DVT include smoking, use of oral contraceptives, age (the risk increases over age 65) and obesity. Blood clots: 4 things you need to know . A large long-term study published in the journal PLoS One in 2007 found the more frequently a person travels, the higher their risk of blood clots. The blood in veins is fighting gravity to get back to the heart, Cushman said, and needs the leg muscles to help push it along. When a person is sedentary for long periods of time -- especially on a plane or in a car where the legs are in the same position for hours -- the blood can start to clot. Clinton has logged many miles as secretary of state, in addition to the time spent traveling as a former presidential candidate and first lady. Although she plans to step down from the State Department soon, there is a lot of speculation about a run for president in 2016. Blood clots wouldn't deter her from campaigning if that's what she chooses, said Dr. Jack Ansell, an expert in thrombosis at Lenox Hill Hospital who is not involved in Clinton's care. "Travel is potentially an issue for the secretary, but I would imagine that when she travels she's not sitting in a coach seat, cramped up and sitting still," Ansell said. Experts recommend anyone with a history of blood clots stand up and walk every couple hours during long trips. They should also avoid alcoholic drinks prior to traveling -- dehydration can contribute to the formation of blood clots. Doctors often recommend wearing compression stockings, which help move blood along in the legs by narrowing the veins. Clinton may remain on blood thinners for several months or for the foreseeable future, said Dr. Evan Lipsitz, chief of vascular surgery at Montefiore Medical Center, who is not treating the secretary of state. "The current recommendations are for at least three months of treatment with a blood thinner following a clot. Each case much be individualized depending on the size and location of the clot and the risk of bleeding as a result of the treatment," Lipsitz said. Often patients on these medications are monitored closely, having their blood checked once a month or every couple of months to ensure the dosage is right. Lipsitz makes his patients aware of typical blood clot symptoms (sudden pain or swelling in the limbs, or chest pain and shortness of breath caused by a blood clot traveling toward the lungs) so they can spot them and get treated quickly. Patients on blood thinners need to avoid physical trauma, Cushman said, but are otherwise fine. So while an NFL player or a construction worker would probably be out, Clinton's career going forward is still full of possibilities. "I think her future is as good as her past," Ansell said. "She should recover fully and get back to work." CNN's Mary Snow, Danielle Dellorto and Elise Labott contributed to this report. | Hillary Clinton's blood clot is called a cerebral vein thrombosis and is relatively rare .
Anyone who has had a blood clot in the past is at a higher risk of getting one again .
It's unknown if Clinton has a genetic condition that may increase her risk . |
7,138 | 14364da85f15aaad66a0393a0a21f0c52e7f20d1 | By . Ben Spencer . PUBLISHED: . 03:06 EST, 14 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:06 EST, 14 June 2013 . Late care: New Government proposal could see schools staying open until 6pm, Education and Childcare Minister Liz Truss said . The school day could be lengthened and parents drafted in to run after-hour clubs to reduce the burden of childcare on working mothers and fathers, the government is proposing. Schools could stay open as late as 6pm under new plans to increase ‘school wrap-around childcare’ which are expected to be announced ‘shortly’, Childcare and Education Minister Liz Truss told a group of mothers yesterday. The proposals will set out plans for longer school days, which could see local childcare providers called in to look after pupils from 3pm or parents asked to run local school clubs, the minister said. Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, recently called for longer school days and a cut in the length of holidays to make life easier for working parents. Ms Truss said: ‘We are hoping to have new proposals out shortly, particularly on schools-based childcare and how we’re going to enable more schools to offer that.’ When challenged by one of the mothers present on how it could work, Ms Truss said: ‘This doesn’t mean teachers working longer hours. 'It can mean private sector nursery providers, voluntary sector providers or parents running an after school club.’ In her speech to about 50 working women, who are part of the networking group Citymothers, the Conservative minister said: ‘We want more schools to be involved in childcare. 'It’s crazy in this country that we have so many schools open 9am-3pm and then empty afterwards, when they have brilliant facilities. Many parents want to work longer than 9am-3pm. ‘We’re doing work to enable schools to be able to offer more of those services. 'There are some very good examples of schools that already offer 8am-6pm provision, either using teaching staff, teaching assistants, local nursery staff. There are many flexible ways it can be done.' Share the load: The later hours would see after school clubs run from 3pm-6pm by private sector nursery providers, voluntary sector providers or parents . Ms Truss, tipped for a promotion in a reshuffle next month, called on parents to be ‘more demanding’ of schools to stay open longer and make the burden of childcare easier. ‘In the case of schools they have an . opportunity to do more,’ she said. Parental support: The proposal is set to ease the burden of childcare on working parents . ‘As parents we need to be more . demanding of our system.’ Under the proposals, the minister also wants school nurseries to be allowed to admit two-year-olds, in order to help parents return to work. Currently nurseries have to seek permission and are only entitled to take on three to four-year-olds. During her speech, Ms Truss criticised the ‘complex’ childcare system, where British childcare costs are the second highest in Europe, behind only Switzerland. ‘Our parents pay more than double what parents in France and Germany are paying on childcare,’ she said, adding that government money put into the system doesn’t ‘flow through to the frontline’ as well as it should. ‘At the moment we have a system that isn’t working for parents.’ She also defended controversial changes to the childcare vouchers system, which at present is only available for a fifth of employees. The new system will make tax breaks available per child, although it will be less generous to higher-rate taxpayers. | Government to announce plans to keep schools open until 6pm .
Education Minister Liz Truss promised longer hours in speech yesterday .
New plans could see parents drafted in to run after-school clubs . |
138,002 | 3e7d22396c303525b3d3db772545acf20fef2dc8 | A mother who five-month-old baby was crushed to death on a baggage carousel at a Spanish airport has taken her case to court. Nathania Terry from Maryland watched in horror as her daughter Vashti Terry was killed last year at Alicante Airport. Ms Terry is now suing Netherlands-based Industries, a global supplier of luggage handling systems for airports and parcel and postal carriers. Nathania Terry from Maryland (right) watched in horror as her daughter Vashti Terry (left) was killed last year at Alicante Airport . She is seeking punitive damages for wrongful death, negligence, design defects and failure to warn, reports Court House News. Ms Terry had just landed in Spain in September 2013 after flying with her two children - Vashti and an older boy. 'Upon arrival in Alicante, Spain, Ms. Terry ushered her children toward the baggage claim,' the complaint states. 'Vashti was sitting in her car seat. Ms. Terry placed Vashti's car seat on a non-moving, or stationary, belt while she reached to retrieve Vashti's stroller from the end of the belt. The little girl was crushed in the gap, seen center, between two moving parts of the carousel . Her head reportedly became crushed between the two parts as her mother looked on helplessly . 'The belt suddenly and without warning turned on, throwing Vashti into a crevice where two different conveyor belts abutted. 'Ms. Terry frantically tried to rescue Vashti, but her efforts were unsuccessful. Five-month old Vashti was crushed to death on Sept. 18, 2013.' Ms Terry claims the conveyor belts at the airport, designed and manufactured by Vanderlande, had sensors that activated them when they detected objects. She says that when she put her daughter's car-seat on the belt it then started and there was no way to stop the conveyor and no warning about activating sensors. Vashti Terry was killed last year at Alicante Airport (pictured) Spanish authorities said in a statement last year that the luggage carousel complied with safety standards. In a statement, authorities insisted the machine was not to blame for the tragedy and that the luggage carousel adhered to legal standards. It was 'not attributable to the installation [of the machine], designed for the passage of luggage and not for the movement of people... It was due to neglect of those who were in charge of the child'. | Nathania Terry watched in horror as daughter Vashti Terry was killed .
The little girl died in September last year at Alicante Airport .
Ms Terry had put her daughter's car seat on conveyor belt when it moved .
Now suing Netherlands-based Industries, a global supplier of luggage handling systems for airports .
Lawsuit claims there was no way to stop the conveyor and no warning about activating sensors . |
29,354 | 536c81cae313a19587d6afa4bb58eedf914c7691 | (CNN) -- Dozens of people are missing after a mudslide that buried homes as Manuel pounded the country's Pacific Coast, Mexico's president said Wednesday. At least 58 people are unaccounted for in the municipality of Atoyac de Alvarez, Mexican Pesident Enrique Peña Nieto told reporters Wednesday, describing damage there as "catastrophic." The mayor of Atoyac, which is about 50 miles west of Acapulco, told CNNMexico that 15 bodies had been recovered and at least 70 people remained trapped under mud that buried 20 homes. Peña Nieto said hundreds of people have been rescued from La Pintada, the community in Atoyac hit by the mudslide. It's unclear how many people remain buried, he said. Manuel, which strengthened into a hurricane Wednesday evening, was one of three storms bringing devastating deluges and flooding to Mexico. At least 80 people were killed in the storms, Mexico's interior ministry said. In the Pacific resort city of Acapulco, thousands of tourists were stranded. "Unfortunately, this took us by surprise," Veronica Garcia told CNN en Español. "It rained uncontrollably. The streets flooded, and we had to stay inside our beach house." Garcia said her family was stuck on the home's second floor because of flooding. As if that wasn't enough, they had to face an agonizing decision: Who should be rescued? The Garcias were among some 40,000 tourists left stranded or cut off by weather that has claimed dozens of lives during a holiday weekend. As the water rose, Garcia and her four family members waited nervously on the upper floor for help, but no rescuers appeared to whisk them to safety. When local volunteers finally arrived with a small kayak, their relief was short-lived. Rescuers said the boat would only fit two family members. It was decided that Garcia would be rescued, along with one of her sons. A second round of agony followed as Garcia spent two days in a shelter before the rest of her family was rescued and everyone was reunited. The Garcias' story was only one of countless examples of tourists whose vacations were interrupted by severe weather. Mexico was being pummeled from nearly all sides Wednesday as Manuel, the remnants of Hurricane Ingrid and a new area of low pressure threatened most of the country with flooding or rain. Mexico's interior ministry said Wednesday that the storms are responsible for at least 80 deaths nationwide. And a state-by-state tally indicates the toll could be higher. In Guerrero state, where Acapulco is located, officials said at least 72 people were killed. Heavy rains and widespread flooding from Manuel there caused mudslides that cut off highways and buried homes, Acapulco Mayor Luis Walton told CNN en Español Tuesday night. "Acapulco is practically incommunicado," he said. On Wednesday, the rain eased and rescue operations and evacuations of tourists quickened. Manuel strengthened into a hurricane Wednesday evening and, as of 8 p.m. (11 p.m. ET), was churning with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph about 5 miles (8 km) southwest of the Pacific coastal city of Altata, Mexico, the National Hurricane Center said. Manuel is expected to produce 5 to 10 inches of rain over the state of Sinaloa, forecasters predicted. While Manuel cast a shadow over the Pacific Coast, a low pressure area on the Gulf side -- the remnants of Ingrid -- continued to batter the coastal states of Tamaulipas and Veracruz. Residents there sent photos to CNN showing streets that looked like rivers, with the tops of cars sticking out of the flood waters. And to the south, over the Yucatan Peninsula, another area of low pressure had a 70% chance of becoming a tropical cyclone within 48 hours, the National Hurricane Center said. More than 1 million residents across Mexico have been affected in some way by the storms, Interior Minister Miguel Angel Osorio Chong told reporters. Acapulco airport operator Centro Norte Airport Group moved its ticketing process to a convention center because of flooding in the passenger terminals. Several airlines were waiving fees and helping get passengers out as the airport began to operate again. A break in the rain allowed some 2,000 people to be flown from Acapulco to Mexico City as of Tuesday night. Mexico City resident Edgar Nava was one of them. When he arrived in Acapulco Friday and asked about the rains, he said police told him everything was fine. But Nava told CNNMexico he spent four nights terrified and trapped by flooding in an apartment with three friends. He flew out of Acapulco on a military airplane that evacuated tourists on Tuesday, leaving his car behind in the resort city. "I never imagined it would be like this .... There is no way to take the highway," he said. "Later I will have to figure out how to come back to get it." The Acapulco city government said some 40,000 tourists had been stranded in the resort destination. The government set up special hotlines to help tourists, and businesses were offering special discounts for those who found themselves stuck. "The aid is flowing," Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto told reporters. "A large deployment (of resources) is being made specifically to the most affected areas." The severe weather made it difficult for aid to be airlifted into the hardest-hit areas, but those efforts resumed Wednesday, he said. Wary Nebraska watches as Colorado overflow rolls east . 18 stranded in New Mexico 'ghost town' amid flooding . CNN's Shasta Darlington, Brian Walker, Catherine E. Shoichet and Marysabel Huston-Crespo and CNNMexico's Laura Reyes contributed to this report. | NEW: Mexico's president describes the damage as "catastrophic"
NEW: At least 58 people are missing in a community hit by a mudslide .
Interior ministry: Rains from storms have killed at least 80 .
Manuel has strengthened into a hurricane . |
82,162 | e8dad9d87ce3542e58674f09940b6ff500a96921 | Here we go: A new round of confrontation between the White House and Congress over the federal budget is in the offing, this time in a new attempt to avert the looming "sequestration" process. What is sequestration? It's a series of automatic, across-the-board cuts to government agencies, totaling $1.2 trillion over 10 years. The cuts would be split 50-50 between defense and domestic discretionary spending. It's all part of attempts to get a handle on the growth of the U.S. national debt, which exploded upward when the 2007 recession hit and now stands at more than $16 trillion. The sequester has been coming for more than a year, with Congress pushing it back to March 1 as part of the fiscal cliff deal at the end of the last session. By the numbers: Recent defense spending . Why does this seem familiar? It started with the 2011 standoff over the U.S. debt ceiling, when Republicans in Congress demanded spending cuts in exchange for giving the Obama administration the needed legal headroom to pay the federal government's obligations to its bondholders. In the end, Congress and the administration agreed to more than $2 trillion in cuts. About $1 trillion of that was laid out in the debt-ceiling bill and the rest imposed through sequestration -- a kind of fiscal doomsday device that Congress would have to disarm by coming up with an equal amount of spending reductions elsewhere. What were they thinking? The plan was that a special congressional panel, dubbed the "super committee," would find a less painful way to cut spending. It failed in November 2011. That left federal agencies facing what outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta called "legislative madness" in the form of harsh cuts that no one wanted. "For those of you who have ever seen 'Blazing Saddles,' it is the scene of the sheriff putting the gun to his head in order to establish law and order," Panetta said in a speech at Washington's Georgetown University. "That is sequestration." But for many conservatives, sequestration is a feature, not a bug. It's "the first chance we have for real savings and deficit reduction," the tea party-aligned lobbying group FreedomWorks tells supporters on its website. "President Obama already agreed to the sequester savings when he signed the debt ceiling bargain into law," FreedomWorks says. "He needs to follow through." Military pay in play in game of political poker . Where will the cuts fall? More than $500 billion will be cut from the Defense Department and other national security agencies, with the rest cut on the domestic side -- national parks, federal courts, the FBI, food inspections and housing aid. While the Pentagon has laid out plans ranging from furloughs of hundreds of thousands of civilian workers to combat readiness training and weapons maintenance, the White House budget office hasn't specified which domestic agencies would take the biggest hits. Panetta says that the $46 billion in spending cuts for 2013 would cut sharply into military readiness -- and the longer the cuts are pushed back, the deeper they'll have to be to achieve the required savings. Opinion: Republicans, be smart about defense cuts . So now what? Congress put off the sequester until March 1 as part of the last-minute fiscal cliff deal on New Year's Day. Without that agreement, economists warned that the one-two punch of sequestration and the expiration of the 2001 and 2003 Bush tax cuts could have thrown a still-struggling U.S. economy into reverse. Even with the fiscal cliff deal, the austerity moves already were slowing the economy, Obama suggested over the weekend. The Commerce Department said a large cut in federal spending, primarily on defense, contributed to the 0.1% decrease in gross domestic product seen in the last quarter of 2012. "Washington cannot continually operate under a cloud of crisis. That freezes up consumers," Obama said during a pre-Super Bowl interview with CBS. "It gets businesses worried. We can't afford these self-inflicted wounds." How our tribes cause gridlock in Congress . Tuesday, Obama urged Congress to pass a short-term deal that puts off the cuts, allowing some breathing room for a long-term deficit reduction plan. But Obama said any deal should include more revenue from ending some tax breaks -- a stance that inflamed Republicans who already had to swallow a tax increase for top earners in the fiscal cliff deal. "I don't like the sequester. I think it's taking a meat ax to our government, a meat ax to many programs that will weaken our national defense," House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, said Wednesday. But, he added, "Americans do not support sacrificing real spending cuts for more tax hikes." | Obama, Congress try to avert automatic budget cuts .
The $1.2 trillion in cuts were part of a plan to end the 2011 debt ceiling standoff .
Congress was supposed to replace them with other 10-year spending reductions, but failed . |
136,317 | 3c5896ab7d89531e9765c0b0bd20361d8d17d8f1 | By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 23:45 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 23:55 EST, 27 November 2013 . A 72-year-old man with advanced Alzheimer's has been shot dead by a homeowner after he rang the bell at the stranger's house when he became lost and confused in the middle of the night. Ronald Westbrook rang the doorbell of a home at 4am on Wednesday after wandering around in the dark for almost four hours in rural Walker County, Georgia. He had walked around three miles from his home by the time he approached the door. The shooter was identified as Joe Hendrix, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to Sheriff Steve Wilson said. Scroll down for video . Ronald Westbrook, a 72-year-old with advanced Alzheimer's, was shot dead by a homeowner after he spent four hours wandering around in the dark and banged on the man' door in rural Walker County, Georgia . Mr Westbrook rang the door bell and turned the door handle of the home in the new development where Hendrix had just moved in with his fiancée. The woman, who has not been identified, called 911 and was on the phone with a dispatcher when Hendrix confronted the elderly man in the yard with a 40-caliber handgun. Mr Westbrook, an Air Force veteran, did not respond to the commands that Hendrix issued to him because Alzheimer's Disease has left the72-year-old practically mute. Hendrix fired four shots with one bullet striking Mr Westbrook in the chest and killing him. The victim's body was removed from the scene at 10.30am on Wednesday. It is unlikely that Hendrix will be charged with any crime, according to The Chattanoogan. A sheriff's car at the scene in Walker County, Georgia in the early hours of Wednesday where a 34-year-old man shot dead a 72-year-old man who had wandered disorientated into his yard . | Ronald Westbrook rang the doorbell at 4am at a home on a new development after wandering for 4 hours in the dark .
Joe Hendrix, of Chattanooga, Tennessee, fired four shots after the man did not respond to his commands .
Mr Westbrook, a former Air Force pilot, had been left mute by advanced Alzheimer's Disease . |
459 | 01554ebb431ce8ba20ff4ded5e6db196990364a0 | A crippling strike by Air France pilots continues despite company bosses offering to withdraw controversial plans to expand the low-cost Transavia brand in Europe. With the costly strike now in its 11th day, Air France-KLM has called on pilots to return to work 'immediately' in exchange for its offer as it attempts to bring an end to a labour dispute that has grounded around half of the airline’s fleet. But the pilots, who walked off the job to protest the expansion plans, have remained defiant and are making further demands. Grounded: Air France says it has cancelled hundreds of flights since the pilots' strike began . In a statement issued Thursday morning, SNPL, the main pilots' union, said the strike is being ‘maintained’ for the time being, although negotiations were scheduled to resume in the afternoon after they broke off overnight. The union said it had made further demands regarding workers' terms of employment under the no-frills Transavia brand within France, but that management had refused these. The striking pilots have said they also want Air France pay and conditions to be extended to Transavia France pilots. On strike: Air France pilots continued their job action even though the airline has offered to scrap the expansion . Air France has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights since the pilots began their strike on 15 September at a cost of £16 million a day. SNPL is accusing the airline of trying to move jobs to countries with lower taxes and cheaper labour, and they fear the expansion would erode their pay and conditions. Air France-KLM had planned to develop Transavia with hubs in France, the Netherlands and other parts of Europe to compete with budget airlines. It previously offered to delay the expansion until December in a bid to convince the pilots to return to work. But the pilots threatened to extend the strike ‘indefinitely’, prompting the latest offer from airline bosses. Big loss: The airline says it is losing up to £16m a day while the pilots protest Transavia's proposed expansion . Facing mounting political pressure to make concessions, Air France-KLM said it proposed the immediate withdrawal of Transavia Europe, insisting there would be no outsourcing. The statement said: ‘This proposition addresses the concerns of the social partners and brings a new guarantee that there will be no delocalisation (of jobs).’ Signed by Air France-KLM chief executive Alexandre de Juniac and Air France chief executive Frederic Gagey, the statement said there is ‘no longer any reason to strike.’ Meanwhile, Vereinigung Cockpit, the union representing Lufthansa pilots, has warned that they could also go on strike as talks over early retirement scheme stalled again Thursday. The union has already held four strikes this year and a fifth could deliver more misery for European travellers. | Pilots went on strike on 15 September over proposed Transavia expansion .
Air France has been forced to cancel hundreds of flights .
Main pilots' union says expansion would erode pay and conditions . |
160,268 | 5b2cad16ce60cb1a3514121f8cfce8dc46605148 | James Haskell is confident he will be back to his fighting weight and in a fit state to face the All Blacks next week, despite a meningitis scare which led to a very anxious week in hospital. The Wasps captain was blazing a trail towards November’s QBE Test series at Twickenham as one of the form back-rowers in the country when he was abruptly struck down by a mystery virus earlier this month. What began as a cue for mocking jokes about man-flu and mad cow disease ended with a trip in an ambulance, medical confusion and extreme weight loss. James Haskell of England is tackled by Liam Messam of New Zealand at Eden Park in June . Haskell has teamed up with England at their Pennyhill Park camp after being bed-bound through illness . Haskell was on his way home from a trip to Manchester on October 16 when he began to feel unwell. The condition rapidly deteriorated and, by October 20, he was being tested in hospital amid fears he had contracted meningitis, which can be life threatening. That was eventually ruled out, but the savage virus he was struck down with proved hard to shake off. Having checked in for England duty last Sunday, Haskell relived the alarming episode yesterday, saying: ‘I’ve never been that ill in my life. It was weird, it just came upon me. ‘The Wasps doctor visited me at home and said, “There’s something wrong with you”. I said, “We all know that, but there’s something more wrong than normal!”. ‘They sent me to hospital. I went to Princess Margaret and they assessed me there, then they put me in Charing Cross on Fulham Palace Road. A week later, I came out on Friday. They thought I had meningitis and that was the big concern. That’s why they put me in an ambulance. They were saying, “You can’t mess around with that”. ‘They knew it wasn’t bacterial meningitis but they thought it might be the viral version because I had all the symptoms. So they got me straight on to the anti-virals and antibiotics. ‘The thing was, I got better a little bit so they stopped some of the stuff, then next day I hit rock bottom again. They weren’t sure what was going on so they did a lumbar puncture and took fluid out of my spine, and numerous blood tests.’ Haskell is an energetic character who did not enjoy being consigned to a hospital bed for the best part of a week. His usual routine of regular meals and punishing gym sessions were put on hold and it was an uncomfortable scenario for him. Haskell sits out of training on Tuesday as he continues to recover from his health scare . England head coach Stuart Lancaster instructs as his players are put through their paces at Pennyhill Park . ‘I’m not used to being inactive for that long,’ he said. ‘The big thing for me was not eating. I lost a lot of weight — about five kilos in a week. ‘I normally eat five or six times a day but I was struggling to get one or two meals in. The hospital food was good, but the lady was telling me off if I hadn’t eaten. ‘I couldn’t open my eyes because they were too sensitive to light. My lower back and neck were very stiff so I couldn’t really move out of bed. I spent hours lying in bed with a cold flannel on my head, in a dark room, on a drip, not eating or drinking — man down, really. My temperature was up to 38 degrees.’ By his own reckoning, Tuesday was the first day that Haskell felt more or less back to normal. The illness appeared to check his powerful charge towards an England starting place next month, but he remains convinced that he is well placed to feature against New Zealand. ‘I knew this (England) was coming up, I had been playing well and I wanted to keep that momentum going,’ he said. ‘The good thing was that I didn’t try to force my way back too soon. You’re only as good as your last game so I’m pretty positive because we got a good win against Bath — it was a few weeks ago now! ‘I trained with the forwards today, I did some stuff yesterday and I’m building back up every day. ‘I would be extremely disappointed if my illness had a factor in whether I am involved or not. ‘We have had two days of the camp. I have missed one session outside. I think that as of Thursday I will be back into the full mix of it, so I don’t think that is going to be an issue.’ England trained in Surrey where the team's brand new gym complex and Dasso pitch are located . Samesa Rokoduguni passes the ball during the England training session . | England gathered at Pennyhill Park on Monday to begin preparations .
James Haskell was in camp despite suffering from a recent virus .
The Wasps captain is hoping to be fit for the opening Test .
England face New Zealand, Samoa, Australia and South Africa . |
1,836 | 054cf733280ab456a52f50b2918d657a848f21e4 | Many men have been known to experience a nauseating sinking feeling the moment they utter those two life-changing words - 'I do'. For Peter Bolton, it wasn't cold feet that left him feeling queasy - but the prospect of falling hundreds of metres to his death after he lost his balance during the cliff-top ceremony in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Strictly speaking, he was not getting married but renewing his vows with wife, Faith, when the seemingly terrifying incident happened. Scroll down for video . Solid footing: Couple look steady as Peter Bolton reads his vows to his wife, Faith, in Sante Fe, New Mexico . A select few friends looked on in horror as Mr Bolton suddenly leant backwards, appearing to lose his balance as he stood on the edge of the precipice while reading his vows. He shouts and fearfully flails his arms in the air as guests look on and display very little reaction. Luckily, Mrs Bolton was on hand to grab her husband and prevent the happy occasion from turning into a tragedy. She manages to get a solid grip on his left arm before pulling him to safety. While the photos and video have proved a hit online, many are questioning whether the slip really was a close call - or in fact a choreographed stunt. Either way, the couple, who married in 2009, were able to laugh about the footage at the party that followed the mountain ceremony. Mr Bolton is rescued by Faith after losing his balance and leaning backwards over the precipice . The relieved husband was pulled back to safety and was then able to carry on with the ceremony . | Peter Bolton was confirming love for wife, Faith, in Santa Fe, New Mexico .
The couple chose to hold the ceremony in dramatic cliff-edge location .
But disaster strikes when Mr Bolton appears to accidentally lean backwards .
Luckily, wife comes to the rescue - quickly clutching hold of his flailing arm . |
156,201 | 55e5f312e769a9191423077d11164df6009514bd | It was the first thing they did on arrival at the hotel. To a man, the American team stepped forward to embrace the valued colleague whose very presence here may just represent the greatest triumph of the whole Ryder Cup week. Lance Bennett, caddie to Matt Kuchar, is back at work less than a month after the sudden death of his 39-year-old wife, Angela. It means a lot to Bennett, clearly, to be among friends. And it means everything to Kuchar to have his old friend back on the bag this week. Matt Kuchar (right) talks tactics with caddie Lance Bennett (left) who tragically lost his wife . Kuchar, pictured, will be able to call on Bennett's advice despite the caddie's recent loss . Darren Clarke played in the 2006 match at the K Club following the death of his wife Heather . ‘It’s been great,’ said Kuchar. ‘Lance didn’t come on the team charter and so, once everybody arrived, he and a couple guys that came early greeted us as we arrived. Everybody went up, gave him a big hug, got to spend some time with him. ‘Most guys are happy to see him back to some sort of normality. We felt so bad for his situation. It’s great to have him back as part of the family. 'We all felt like we lost a little something when we lost Angie. When she passed, we lost a bit of Lance, as well, so to have him back has been great.’ Kuchar explained that the nature of the Ryder Cup — a team event surrounded by friends — was probably a factor in Bennett’s decision to return to work so early. Lance Bennet (bottom centre) crouches below Matt Kuchar for the USA Team photo at Gleneagles . Rickie Fowler has paid tribute to Bennett's wife by wearing a cap with Angela's initials inscribed onto it . ‘I have one other friend that’s gone through a similar thing,’ said the 36-year-old. ‘He said, “There’s no rulebook in a situation like this. You make the decisions whenever you’re ready to do anything”. He shared those ideas with Lance.’ Kuchar’s warmth shines through even as he tackles the most complex subjects and it is not hard to see why he is one of the most popular members of the US team. Tiger Woods, who is not involved in this year’s tournament, was laughing last week as he said the only thing he would not miss about the Ryder Cup were Kuchar’s jokes. Kuchar, who is expected to partner 21-year-old Jordan Spieth on Friday, is playing in his third Ryder Cup, but that does not mean the experience is getting stale. He said: ‘The excitement, I don’t know if that’ll ever go away. A Ryder Cup is just so unique and I still feel every bit as excited to get going.’ VIDEO Butch's U-S-A . | Lance Bennett has shown up for work less than a month after unexpectedly losing his wife .
The caddie will carry Matt Kuchar's bags during the Ryder Cup .
Bennett has revealed he is excited to be travelling to Scotland despite his recent loss .
Kuchar says 'It’s great to have him back as part of the family' |
14,285 | 28880cd675cb8f659319730751699502759ce590 | By . Chris Wheeler . Follow @@ChrisWheelerDM . Ryan Giggs called for Adnan Januzaj to be given more protection on Tuesday night after the Manchester United youngster was injured in an incident with Hull midfielder David Meyler. Meyler will be waiting anxiously to see if the FA take any action after he appeared to deliberately stand on Januzaj's outstretched leg towards the end of the game. If referee Craig Pawson confirms on Wednesday that he did not spot it, then the FA will be free to act and Meyler's place in the FA Cup final against Arsenal a week on Saturday could be in jeopardy. VIDEO Scroll down for Giggs hails 'Class of 14' but says no decision on retirement . Nasty: David Meyler (right) leaves his boot in on Manchester United's Adnan Januzaj . Stamp it out: Meyler got away with the stamp on Januzaj late in the second half . It is the second time this season that Januzaj has been the alleged victim of a stamp after Fulham's Sascha Riether was banned for three matches in November after accepting a FA charge of violent conduct. Hull boss Steve Bruce insisted that he did not see last night's incident, but Giggs described it as 'a joke'. He added: 'I didn't see it but I've seen his leg. It's the second time it has happened to him this season. It's not great to see, and it's terrible his leg. 'He needs protecting. He's a brilliant, exciting player and the authorities need to sort it out. It's just the length of his leg, not cutting into his skin. It goes form his knee to his ankle.' Giggs came on as a substitute for his 963rd - and possibly final - appearance at Old Trafford in his last home game as interim boss, and admitted that he is still in two minds whether to play on next season. Thin line: Meyler was already on a yellow card for an earlier foul on Tom Lawrence . He used the occasion to give supporters . 'a glimpse into the future', giving senior debuts to James Wilson and . Tom Lawrence alongside Januzaj. Wilson, 18, scored two of United's goals and admitted that he only knew he would be in the team on the morning of the match. 'It . came as a shock but he had faith in me,' he said. 'I got out there and . tried to show what I could do. My family were out in full force tonight . and it was a great feeling. 'When the first went in it was total . euphoria. The second one was a great experience. It was about getting . used to the physicality and the pace of the game. I played here for the . Under-21s but it is different with 75,000 people.' Tough tackling: Meyler (right) makes a fair challenge on Januzaj during United's 3-1 win . Previous: Fulham's Sascha Riether stamps on the ankle of Januzaj during a Premier League match in 2013 . | David Meyler's place in FA Cup final against Arsenal could be in jeopardy .
Ryan Giggs has called for Adnan Januzaj to be given more protection .
Man United youngster was injured in the incident . |
177,924 | 7254d67bc8642fbaba91f6ba0a24ec9fabc29601 | Clubs who consider signing convicted rapist Ched Evans should take fans’ feelings into account first, according to Oldham Athletic director Barry Owen. Owen brought Lee Hughes to his club in 2007, who had been jailed for causing death by dangerous driving. Now debate has risen over whether Evans, who has been linked with a return to Sheffield United, should be allowed back into the game. ‘We were very mindful of the fans’ thoughts,’ said Owen. Ched Evans did not have his contract renewed at Sheffield United when it expired in 2012 . ‘One of the major points for us was that Lee had shown a lot of repentance for what he had done. That played a big role in our thinking. ‘A lot depends on the public perception of the crime and the type of offence. ‘It’s up to Sheffield United what they do. What I would say is that the law states that this man can be employed again.’ Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister has warned club bosses they cannot ‘wish away’ the Evans’ rape conviction and must remember that the players are not just a footballers but role models to millions of fans. An online petition against Evans return to Sheffield United had attracted 90,000 supporters at the weekend, but by last night, more than 145,000 had put their names to it. The petition, set up by feminist campaigner Jean Hatchet, calls on Kevin McCabe, chairman of Sheffield United, where Evans played until he was jailed, to ‘refuse to reinstate Ched Evans as a player’. It argues: ‘To even consider reinstating him as a player at the same club is a deep insult to the woman who was raped and to all women like her who have suffered at the hands of a rapist.’ Lee Hughes signed for Oldham after he was jailed for causing death by dangerous driving . Today Mr Clegg, an MP in Sheffield, appeared to suggest that he thought the club was wrong to offer Evans a way back. Speaking on his weekly radio phone-in, Mr Clegg told LBC: ‘I think the owners need to think really long and hard about that fact that when you take a footballer on, you are not taking just a footballer these days you are also taking on a role model. ‘You are taking on a role model, particularly for a lot of young boys who look up to their heroes on the football pitch on a team like that, and he has committed a very, very serious crime.’ Mr Clegg repeatedly insisted it was a decision for the club and not for politicians, but added: ‘I really do think that footballers these days, they are major public figures who have a public responsibility to set an example for other people. ‘My opinion is this; rape is an incredibly serious offence, unbelievably serious offence. Evans challenges Germany's World Cup-winning captain Philipp Lahm in an international in 2010 . ‘He has done his time but I just don’t believe that the owners of the football club can somehow wish away the fact that that has happened. ‘And that is what he will be known for and that is something which, particularly for the youngsters following that team they will always be aware of. ‘I think football players these days, they get paid a lot of money, they are public figures and you can’t ignore that.’ Rather than sack Evans when he was jailed, Sheffield United instead chose not to renew his contract when it expired in 2012 . And boss Nigel Clough says bringing him back to Bramall Lane should be a decision taken by the owner and not at football level. ‘We have had one or two discussions, we are awaiting a decision and the owners will make that in good time.’ Clough said. Sheffield United manager Nigel Clough said the decision lies entirely with the club's board . ‘I have been involved in decisions, but it is very much a decision for the owners and when the time is right to say something as a club we will do that. ‘It is that sort of decision - it’s above football level. ‘It’s my decision whether to put him in the team if he comes back, it’s not my decision whether he comes back in the first place - that’s theirs. ‘Until the decision is made there is no point talking about it. ‘It’s not been distraction within the camp. First of all he’s not out yet and secondly the club haven’t made a decision and until those two things happen it is irrelevant.’ | Former Sheffield United striker Ched Evans convicted of rape in April 2012 .
Evans sentenced to five years but scheduled for an early release this month .
Sheffield United fans have petitioned against the club re-signing Evans .
Oldham director Barry Owen signed Lee Hughes in 2007 after his release .
Owen says Sheffield United must consider fans' feelings first . |
73,486 | d05569074c466b8e78036a0f80811c4e5f9904ff | I suffered a number of concussions in my playing career and in those days it was very much the done thing to just shake it off and carry on playing. I lose count of the amount of times that happened. On some occasions it was actually seen as a bit of a joke, something to laugh about, when a team-mate or opponent was clearly knocked senseless and not in control of their faculties. But I’m pleased to say that culture is changing. As we learn more about the long-term repercussions of head injuries, it’s important that sports adapt accordingly and introduce measures which keep players safe, from grassroot level up to the professional game. No laughing matter: Head injuries used to be considered funny, but we're gradually changing that . Moving forward: Moody has agreed to donate his brain to medial science after death to speed up research . There is still a great deal to learn — and I for one have agreed to donate my brain to medical science after I die in an effort to help with that — but the key thing for me is that players, coaches, referees and parents are all educated about the symptoms and risks associated with concussion. I was delighted to join the Mail on Sunday’s concussion campaign when I was first approached more than a year ago and I’m proud to have played a part in helping to get people talking about what is a difficult but important topic. Putting your head where it hurts: Rugby is a great sport but safety has to come first . There’s more to be done, but it feels as if rugby is leading the way. It’s a brilliant sport and one that I want to see more and more children playing. But in order to do that we have to be able to look parents in the eye and say that their children will receive the best possible care if they do suffer a head knock. | In the past people used to laugh when players got knocked senseless and carried on .
Moody lost count of the number of serious head injuries he suffered .
Things are beginning to change and Moody has donated his brain to aid research once he dies . |
111,002 | 1b233d0bb108607548a182f8ba21ea712cbfd667 | (CNN) -- Scarlett Johansson's beau put a ring on it. But the wedding date is not yet set. The actress is engaged to Romain Dauriac, who co-owns an independent advertising agency. Her rep confirmed the happy news, but did not disclose when it occurred. "They haven't chosen a date for the wedding," she said. Johansson's marriage to Ryan Reynolds ended in 2011. Last year, the actress told Vogue magazine that their divorce was "comically amicable." But that did not mean it was a happy ending. "Of course it's horrible," she told the magazine. "It was devastating. It really throws you. You think that your life is going to be one way, and then, for various reasons or whatever, it doesn't work out." Johansson has appeared in various movies, including "Lost in Translation" and "Girl With a Pearl Earring." CNN's Denise Quan contributed to this report . | The actress is engaged to Romain Dauriac .
Her beau co-owns an independent advertising agency .
Johansson's marriage to Ryan Reynolds ended in 2011 . |
78,460 | de5a3744494d656632bfb34f5c6343b89c6403f9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 16:07 EST, 26 January 2012 . These are the gruesome party pictures a 23-year-old mother-of-three posted on Facebook just days before she shot herself dead. Cynthia Lee, of Michigan, appears alongside a scythe-wielding joker in the Halloween promotional photos - her friend holding the weapon close to her throat, both of them splattered in blood. The photos emerged after it was revealed she had updated her status on the networking site moments before she killed herself. She said 'I can't handle this s*** anymore' and added that her pain was 'too strong to handle any longer'. Macabre: Cynthia Lee posted these 'gruesome' pictures of herself, seemingly at a party, on Facebook just days before she killed herself . She concluded her cyber suicide note . with a message for her mother who died in 2007 aged 35, reports the . Smoking Gun, saying: 'Mom here I come'. Cynthia was reportedly having difficulty dealing with the loss of her mother and the recent arrest of her partner. The . farewell message also accuses her father of being a 'good for nothing . drug cheating loser' and stated that he was not to attend her funeral. She . goes on to express her love for a male friend named Ryan Jason . Hardwick, who was reportedly jailed for a parole violation by writing: 'im so sorry for hurting you just know U R MY TRUE LOVE.' Gruesome: In the pictures posted online by Cynthia Lee, she is seen in chains, next to a joker with the walls covered in blood . Tragic: Mother-of-three Cynthia Lee, 23, killed herself after posting a suicide note on her Facebook page . Director of Gladstone's public safety department, Paul Geyer told The Smoking Gun that officers had responded to 911 emergency call for a self-inflicted gunshot wound on Monday. Investigators discovered the young mother dead from a shotgun wound inside her grandfather's home after using his computer to post her suicide note online. Lee killed herself, Geyer reported, while other family members were home and with a weapon owned by her grandfather, . Lee’s Facebook page is no longer online. Excerpts from her page were first posted on Media Takeout. Suicide note: Cynthia updated her Facebook page, pictured, to say her final farewell before shooting herself dead . | Cynthia Lee, 23, also posted suicide note on networking site before suicide .
'I can't handle this s*** anymore' |
151,577 | 4ff32b235942fdbd980733d4094cfc88cb864232 | Paris (CNN)A man arrested after a knife attack on two soldiers on the streets of Nice in southern France was already known to intelligence services as having been radicalized, French Interior Minister Bernard Cazeneuve said Wednesday. The suspect, named by the Nice mayor's office as Moussa Coulibaly, 30, attacked a soldier and a comrade who came to his aid on Tuesday as they patrolled near a Jewish community center. They were slightly injured. Intelligence services had detected the suspect's radicalization in the Yvelines area, west of Paris, Cazeneuve said. They informed the General Directorate of Internal Security, or DGSI. The notification meant that when the suspect got on a plane to Turkey last month, an alert was raised, and Turkish authorities expelled him, Cazeneuve said. The DGSI questioned him but was not at that time able to establish any criminal acts in the works or a legal case against him, the minister said. Days later, while the DGSI was still looking into why he was in Nice, Coulibaly allegedly carried out Tuesday's attack. The authorities are conducting searches and have taken people into custody as they seek to pin down the suspect's profile, Cazeneuve said. According to CNN affiliate BFMTV, Coulibaly was from the Paris area, where he was handed prison time and fines between 2006 and 2009 for offenses, including shoplifting, violence and drug abuse. An official in the Turkish prime ministry told CNN on Tuesday that French intelligence was aware of Coulibaly and had alerted Turkish officials when he flew to Istanbul's Ataturk Airport from Rome on Thursday. He was put on a flight back to Rome that same day, the source said. The suspect shares the same last name as one of the three terrorists behind last month's deadly attacks in and around Paris. Officials cannot confirm he's related to Amedy Coulibaly, the man who killed a police officer in the Paris suburb of Montrouge, then took hostages in a kosher grocery in the French capital, a standoff that ended with him and four hostages dead. Coulibaly is a common name for families of Malian descent. The soldiers attacked were among the French military forces who have been out on the streets around sensitive sites following last month's terror attacks that included the massacre at the offices of satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. Philippe Pradal, Nice's deputy head of security, told BFMTV that the assailant initially didn't do much harm because the soldier he attacked had on a bulletproof vest. "After realizing the inefficiency of his stabs ... he tried to hurt him in the face," Pradal said. The attacker injured another soldier trying to assist before he was stopped, with help from a passer-by, public transit officers and municipal police. CNN's Sandrine Amiel reported from Paris, and Laura Smith-Spark wrote from London. CNN's Ariana Williams, Margot Haddad, Alexander Felton and Greg Botelho contributed to this report. | French interior minister says the suspect was on the radar of intelligence services .
The man, identified as Moussa Coulibaly, was known to have become radicalized .
Suspect flew to Turkey last week but was turned back, a Turkish official said . |
249,358 | ceae8ee505bd489a0de4809e9e25f7b47af28de6 | (CNN) -- Barmy about bunkers? Crazy about caves? From Congress's former nuclear shelter to the Viet Cong's tunnels and a Parisian necropolis, here are some of the world's best subterranean sights. Coober Pedy, South Australia . Tourists wanting to channel their inner Hobbit should head to Coober Pedy. Most of the South Australian town's 3,000 residents live underground, where they frequent a subterranean church, restaurant, hotel and shops. The town produces 70% of the world's opal, and the blazing outback sun is the reason residents most prefer to live underground, as well as working there. Coober Pedy comes from the Aboriginal term "kupa piti," which means "white man's hole in the ground." Find out more about Coober Pedy on the town's website . More: More camels than koalas -- 20 Australia discoveries . Wieliczka salt mine, Krakow, Poland . The Wieliczka salt mine, in southern Poland, was worked from the 13th century right up until 2007. Now a two-mile-long section of Wieliczka -- accounting for only 2% of the entire length of the mine's passages -- is open to the public. Things to see include statues, a chapel and a cathedral carved out by miners, all under light cast by chandeliers made from rock salt. Wieliczka salt mine, Daniłowicza 10, Wieliczka, Poland; +48 12 278 73 66; tours from $11.50 . The Paris Catacombs, France . The catacombs of Paris are ideal for people who like their tourist attractions a little on the dark side. The catacombs contain the remains of more than six million people whose bones were interred here between 1785 and 1860, when the city's cemeteries became full. A tour explores one mile of the 180-mile-long maze of tunnels, which lie at a depth of 20 meters. The neatly stacked piles of bones within include the remains of many who lost their heads to the guillotine during the French Revolution. Paris Catacombs; 1, Avenue du Colonel Henri Rol-Tanguy, Paris, France; +33 1 43 22 47 63; tours from $5.50 . Cappadocia, Turkey . The 200 so-called underground cities of Cappadocia -- dense elaborate networks carved into the soft rock of the Turkish region, capable of sheltering thousands of people -- may have been started as long ago as the 8th century BC. Whoever built them failed to leave their initials on the walls but the Phrygians (an ancient Indo-European tribe) may have been responsible, with later expansion by the Persians. It's known early Christians hid in the man-made caves while they were still being persecuted for their religion. Derinkuyu, extending to a depth of 60 meters, is the largest cave -- it once housed 20,000 people, as well as their livestock. Almost half of Derinkuyu is open to tourists. It's connected to another subterranean settlement you can explore, Kaymaklli, via an eight-kilometer tunnel. You can find out more about exploring the underground cities at Cappadociaturkey.net . More: How to drink raki: A crash course in Turkey's signature drink . Mary King's Close, Edinburgh, Scotland . Mary King's Close didn't used to be underground -- it was Edinburgh's busiest street until the plague struck in 1645. The densely inhabited close was infested badly and a quarantine imposed on the 500 or so people who lived there in a bid to contain the disease. Many of the inhabitants were simply left to die -- hence the stories of hauntings. The close was eventually opened up again and inhabited until 1753, when the residents were finally evicted to make way for new buildings built above the old street. Mary King's Close was sealed up for 250 years before being reopened for tours as a vivid snapshot of 18th-century life. Mary King's Close, 2 Warriston's Close, The Royal Mile, Edinburgh, Scotland; +44 845 070 6244; tours from $11.60 . Seattle Underground, Washington, United States . When the Great Seattle Fire destroyed swathes of the city in 1889, municipal bosses decided simply to rebuild it one or two stories higher. Built on mudflats, the original settlement had been prone to flooding. Several oceans of concrete later, the new city rose between three and 10 meters above the old. You can still visit the original Seattle, though, on a guided tour. It's fun to imagine the crowds once bustling along the shop-lined subterranean streets. Seattle Underground, 608 First Avenue, Seattle, Washington, U.S.; +1 206 682 4646; tours from $9 . More: Rooms with no view: Underground stays . G-Can flood surge tunnels, Tokyo, Japan . Anyone but claustrophobes should find this vast temple to underground engineering impressive. Begun in 1992, the tunnels -- 50 meters deep and six kilometers long and growing -- contain pumps and tanks dedicated to keeping Tokyo dry during the rainy season. The highlight is the enormous, temple-like main tank, which contains 78-horsepower pumps and is supported by 59 enormous pillars. Tours of the complex take place three times a day, Tuesday to Friday -- weather permitting, of course. G-Can project, Ryukyukan Showa drainage pump station, Kasukabe, Saitama, Tokyo, Japan; +44 117 370 9751; tours from $13 . More: Tokyo travel: 11 things to know before you go . Shanghai Tunnels, Portland, Oregon, United States . The Shanghai Tunnels are a series of passages that connect the basements of many downtown Portland bars and hotels to the waterfront on the Willamette River. Used prior to the 1800s to move goods from the ships that docked here, the tunnels got their name from the belief, probably false, that they were associated with "shanghaiing" -- the practice of kidnapping men to serve as sailors. Shanghai Tunnels, Portland, Oregon, U.S.; daily tours from $17 . Greenbrier Bunker, West Virginia, United States . In the late 1950s, the U.S. government asked the owners of the 700-room Greenbrier Hotel, in West Virginia, for permission to build an emergency relocation center -- a bunker -- beneath the property, to house Congress in the event of a nuclear war. Perhaps with some foresight (it's now one of West Virginia's most popular attractions), they agreed. The bunker remained fully stocked for 30 years before being decommissioned in the early 1990s. Daily tours of the facility inspect a 25-ton blast door, some of the 18 dormitories, a hospital and decontamination chambers. Greenbrier Bunker, 300 West Main Street, White Sulphur Springs, West Virginia, U.S.; +1 855 453 4858; tours from $15 . Cu Chi tunnels, Vietnam . The Cu Chi tunnels were used by the Viet Cong during large parts of the Vietnam War as living quarters, hospitals, supply routes and storage areas -- even a tank was found in one of the tunnels. This 120-kilometer-long complex, part of a much larger network throughout the country, now operates as a war memorial and visitors -- or at least those who can squeeze through the tiny trapdoors -- can explore several of the tunnels. Impress Travel is one company that offers tours of the complex . Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, Canada . The tunnels built beneath downtown Moose Jaw in the early 1900s were intended to protect Chinese railway workers from persecution during the so-called Yellow Peril, the racist panic whipped up about thousands of Asian immigrants who'd arrived to find work. Entire immigrant families lived in the tunnels while working above ground, but during Prohibition the tunnels were used for smuggling. Al Capone was among the smugglers believed to have used the tunnels -- daily tours are carried out by an Al Capone look-a-like. Moose Jaw, 18 Main Street North, Saskatchewan, Canada; +1 306 693 5261; tours from C$8.50 . City of Caves, Nottingham, UK . Bizarrely, the entrance to Nottingham's cave network is located in the city's Broadmarsh Shopping Center -- but that's a later development. The caves were used as housing from the 11th century until 1845, when the St. Mary's Enclosure Act banned the rental of cellars and caves as homes for the poor. Archaeologists are still trying to work out how far some of the caves extend. Visitors to the caves can see medieval wells and cesspits. City of Caves, Broadmarsh Shopping Centre, Nottingham, UK; +1 115 988 1955; tours from $8.50 . More: Survival guide to the UK . | In South Australia, a whole town lives underground to escape the heat .
Think Seattle's nice? Try the city beneath it .
Drainage systems sound dull but Tokyo's is an engineering marvel . |
176,410 | 705d8c8b97c694dcd34e616888ffb676ed310f0a | (CNN) -- The European Union is considering lifting some of its sanctions on Libya, a spokeswoman for the group of nations told CNN Wednesday, a day ahead of a top-level diplomatic summit on post-Gadhafi Libya. Sanctions will remain in place on Moammar Gadhafi and other individuals, the EU said, but restrictions on ports, oil and gas companies and financial institutions may be removed by the end of the week. And Italy and Spain announced Wednesday they were lifting blocks on Libyan assets frozen to put pressure on the Gadhafi regime. Italy is releasing 500 million euros ($720 million) "to give further support to our Libyan friends," Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said. He also said the Italian embassy in Tripoli, Libya's capital, will reopen September 1, and that diplomats, administrative officials and experts will begin arriving soon. Frattini said he would propose the appointment of the new Italian ambassador to Libya at Thursday's council of ministers meeting. Spain is releasing 16 million euros ($23 million) and may unfreeze more, Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero announced. And Germany recognized the rebel envoy to Berlin as Libya's official ambassdor, asking Gadhafi's representative to leave. Jamal El-Barag has until September 15 to leave, the German Foreign Office said after accrediting Aly Masednah El-Kothany as the new Libyan representative to the country. Separately, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, British Prime Minister David Cameron and NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen are among those meeting in Paris Thursday to hammer out a way forward on Libya. Debates are set to include the freeing of Libyan assets and what a United Nations mission to Libya would entail, U.S. and Western diplomats said Wednesday. A timetable for elections is also on the agenda, they said. Sixty delegations are slated to attend the Friends of Libya conference, which aims to formally welcome the north African nation back into the international community after the toppling of Gadhafi by rebels with NATO support. The new authorities, the National Transition Council, would have to formally request U.N. assistance on matters such as election support and institution-building, and the Security Council would have to approve the mission. The diplomats will also discuss helping Libya restore basic services and get the oil industry running again. The EU sent an assistance team to Libya Monday as Tripoli faced food and water shortages. CNN's David Wilkinson, Elise Labott, Al Goodman and Stephanie Halasz and Journalist Livia Borghese contributed to this report. | NEW: Italy and Spain release hundreds of millions of euros in blocked Libyan assets .
Restrictions on ports, the oil and gas industry and financial institutions could be removed this week .
World leaders meet in Paris this week to hammer out a way ahead on Libya after Gadhafi .
They'll discuss elections, freeing assets and how to restore basic services . |
133,301 | 385c7db5d6622f9e947a9a0a30db17e49e8b5d3c | Russian President Vladimir Putin has been known to play with tigers and ride horseback shirtless. Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev apparently prefers pachyderms. In between diplomatic meetings at the ASEAN summit that is underway in the capital of Myanmar, Medvedev visited one of this country's biggest attractions -- the white elephants kept in pens next to the giant golden pagoda in Naypyitaw. Medvedev had his shirt on, a Hawaiian shirt in fact, as he and a small entourage fed snacks to the elephants as his motorcade was parked just outside the Uppatasanti Pagoda. Obama in Myanmar: Rohingya crisis could dim ASEAN . My producer and I happened to be visiting the same pagoda at just the right time. Alerted to Medvedev's presence by the Russian flags mounted on a fleet of black stretch limos, we quickly seized the opportunity to see a Russian leader out in the wild. There was one small problem. We happened to be barefoot as it is customary to remove your shoes before entering a temple. With no time or shoe leather to spare, we scampered down the pagoda's steps and caught up with the prime minister. On the other side of the world, Obama determined as ever to bypass Congress . Medvedev was on his way to his limo as I shouted a few questions. CNN: "What do you think of the elephants?" Medvedev: "Excellent. Magical. Super." CNN: "Do you think the U.S. and Russia can come to an agreement on what's happening in Ukraine right now?" Medvedev: "Time will show." The Russian Prime Minister returned to his motorcade. I put my shoes back on. As it turns out, Medvedev and President Barack Obama spoke briefly about the crisis in Ukraine on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit. Following their encounter, the Russian news agency Interfax quoted Medvedev as saying he and Obama did not resolve their nations' differences over Ukraine. "Naturally, we discuss such nuances, but, obviously, it is not the kind of format that could allow us to resolve all existing problems," Medvedev said. Secret talks, long dinner led to historic climate agreement . The U.S. must "stop resorting to sanctions and return to normal, calm and productive talks" the Russian Prime Minister added. Two years ago, Obama infamously told Medvedev in a "hot mic" moment that he would have more "flexibility" in his dealings with Putin after the 2012 presidential election. "I will transmit this information to Vladimir," replied Medvedev, who was Russia's president at the time. Instead of feeding information back to Moscow, Medvedev on this day had the ears of a few grateful and rather hungry white elephants. The best moments from Obama's China trip in GIFs . | CNN's Jim Acosta caught up with Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in Myanmar .
Medvedev was visiting the white elephants next to the pagoda in Naypyitaw .
He said "time will show" whether the U.S. and Russia can come to an agreement on Ukraine . |
203,473 | 9364746e2604bd1d5b68b7020f8efe3adf381afb | Washington (CNN) -- The fact that Chris Christie rolled to a second term in New Jersey and Terry McAuliffe won in Virginia wasn't a surprise. Public opinion polls have consistently shown both men in the lead. But the exit polls showed two very different paths to victory. Christie steamrolled hapless Democratic nominee Barbara Buono, 60% to 39% with 80% of the vote counted, crushing her in almost every key demographic. It was the biggest victory for a GOP gubernatorial candidate in New Jersey since Tom Kean was running in the 1980s. What Christie's victory means for 2016 . McAuliffe's victory was much narrower than most of the polls indicated, 48% to 46% with 98% of the vote in. He didn't win every key group -- self-described independents broke for Republican nominee Ken Cuccinelli -- but he successfully stoked fears about Cuccinelli's strident brand of conservatism in an increasingly moderate battleground state. Let's start with New Jersey. Christie beat his female opponent among women by 16 points. He won self-described moderates by more than 20 points. He won independents by more than 30 points. He won voters making less than $50,000. He won voters making more than $100,000. Check the exit poll: N.J. governor's race . Christie did very well for a Republican with core Democratic constituencies. He won 49% of voters between the ages of 18 and 29. He won roughly three in 10 self-described liberals. He won 50% of the Hispanic vote. And he won roughly 20% of the African-American vote. These are all critical selling points for Republicans hungry to take back the White House in 2016. If there's one warning sign for Christie's 2016 hopes, it's the fact that the exit polls show he would lose his home state to Hillary Clinton by four points. That doesn't fit with the narrative that he's a Republican capable of winning in blue America. Half of New Jersey voters said Christie would make a good president. But that doesn't mean 50% of New Jersey voters would necessarily back him if he runs for the White House. Christie will have to walk a fine line over the next couple of years, bolstering his standing among national GOP primary voters while maintaining his credibility with more independent and Democratic-leaning voters. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney couldn't do it. As for Virginia, McAuliffe won by getting his base to the polls. Democrats were the biggest partisan voting bloc in the state, comprising 37% of the total electorate and backing the former Democratic National Committee chairman by a 93-point margin. McAuliffe hit Cuccinelli hard during the campaign on hot button social issues like abortion, and the strategy paid off. Cuccinelli actually won among the 72% of voters who cared most about the economy or health care. But among the 20% of voters who called abortion the most important issue, McAuliffe won by 25 points, 59%-34%. Check the exit poll: Va. governor's race . Half of Virginia voters called Cuccinelli's issue positions too conservative. Only 41% called McAuliffe's positions too liberal. In the end, Cuccinelli was hurt by the same tea party alliance that won him the nomination at the Virginia GOP convention earlier this year. Only 28% of Virginia voters said they support the tea party movement. Forty-two percent said they oppose it, and they broke for McAuliffe by more than 70 points. And no, Cuccinelli can't blame his loss on scandal-plagued outgoing GOP Gov. Bob McDonnell or third-party libertarian candidate Robert Sarvis. Despite his scandals, Virginia voters said they approve of McDonnell's job performance by 11 points, 52% to 41%. And if Sarvis had not been in the race, exit polls indicate McAuliffe still would have beaten Cuccinelli by two points, 48% to 46%. 5 things we learned from Election Night . | Christie crushed his Democratic opponent in almost every demographic category .
McAuliffe stoked fears about his Republican opponent's strident conservatism .
Bad news for Christie: Polls show he would lose presidential matchup against Hillary Clinton .
In Virginia, Cuccinelli was hurt by the same tea party alliance that won him the nomination . |
273,942 | eed4c88a70f506e0a4c0abc03efb1a9e936fef3e | By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 12:12 EST, 22 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:12 EST, 22 November 2013 . A four-year-old girl has taken her first proper steps thanks to the generosity of Britain’s biggest lottery winners. Chris and Colin Weir dipped into their £161million EuroMillions jackpot to pay for Skye Swinton, who has cerebral palsy, to have revolutionary spinal surgery. She has now undergone the complex operation and taken her first tentative steps with the aid of walking sticks. Skye Swinton, four, has taken her first steps after lottery winners Colin and Chris Weir paid for her to have pioneering cerebral palsy surgery . Her mother, Ruth, 39, hopes she will soon walk unaided and go on to live a normal life. Mr and Mrs Weir paid the £28,000 needed for the Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy operation after Ms Swinton wrote them a letter asking for help when her local NHS trust refused funding. She was stunned to receive a phone call informing her that the kind couple – who are Britain’s biggest single jackpot winners - would stump up the cash. Ms Swinton, from Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, said: ‘The operation was a success and so far she’s making good progress. ‘She is already walking better, which is fantastic, and where her muscles were tight before, it has taken that away. ‘She had to lie flat for 48 hours after the operation, but now she is moving well and can already notice the difference. Mr and Mrs Weir won an £161 million EuroMillions jackpot in 2011 making them Britain's biggest jackpot winners. They donated the money for Skye's operation after her mother wrote to them asking for help . Skye (pictured with her parents, Ruth and John) was dependent upon a wheelchair before she had the operation but she is now taking her first tentative steps . ‘In the past she couldn’t move her toes very easily whereas now she can. We’re really pleased with how it went, and of course extremely grateful to everyone who made it possible.’ Skye was born 13 weeks premature weighing just 1lb 15oz and suffers from spastic diplegic cerebral palsy, which has largely confined her to a wheelchair. She was unsteady on her feet, unable to walk any distance without tiring and dreamed of walking and running like other children. Her family and friends managed to raise £12,000 for surgery to allow her to walk normally but were still a long way from the £40,000 needed. So, Ms Swinton wrote to Mr and Mrs Weir, of North Ayrshire in Scotland, and asked them to donate the rest of the cash. Ms Swinton said: 'The operation was a success and so far she's making good progress. She is already walking better, which is fantastic, and where her muscles were tight before, it has taken that away' The operation at Frenchay Hospital, in Bristol, took four hours to complete. Although the procedure has been carried out in the U.S. for many years, it is new to the UK. Without the operation - which involves partially cutting the nerve roots where they join the spinal cord to loosen the muscles - she would have needed major corrective surgery in a few years and faced spending lots of her time in her wheelchair. Ms Swinton, a full-time carer for Skye, said she could already see the difference in her little girl. ‘The way she moved before put a lot of strain on joints and muscles which would have led to long-term problems,’ she said. ‘Now she is walking properly with the help of a tripod and she is getting stronger all the time. In a statement Mr and Mrs Weir said they hoped their donation would allow the Swinton family to concentrate on Skye's welfare . ‘We hope within a couple of months she will be able to walk unaided. ‘Certainly in the long term the operation will have a big impact on improving her quality of life. ‘Skye is in very positive spirits too which is wonderful to see.’ In a statement Mr and Mrs Weir - who scooped their jackpot in July 2011 – said they hoped their donation would allow the Swinton family to concentrate on Skye’s welfare. They said: ‘Skye faces many challenges in the next year and she needs her mum and dad to be focused on her. ‘That’s why we’ve given a donation. Without the additional worry and pressure of fundraising, their time can be spent on Skye.’ Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy is a neurosurgical technique used to treat spasticity (increased muscle tone) in the lower limbs. The lower vertebrae are opened to reveal the spinal cord which contains the neurones of the central nervous system. These neurones (bundles of nerve fibres) channel messages between the brain and different areas of the body. Electrical stimulation is used to identify and sub-divide sensory and motor nerves. This process continues until the specific nerves and nerve roots affecting the spastic muscles are identified and cut. Due to the size of the nerves and rootlets, this is a very precise procedure and therefore the surgery can last several hours and requires a general anaesthetic. Many months of physiotherapy are needed after the surgery to retrain the legs. | Chris and Colin Weir gave £28,000 of their £161m EuroMillions jackpot to pay for Skye Swinton to have the surgery she needed to walk .
Skye was born 13 weeks premature and has spastic diplegic cerebral palsy .
Before the surgery she was dependent on a wheelchair but she can now walk with the help of sticks - her parents hope she will soon walk unaided . |
105,091 | 1391ee61d32f36f970825af55362afb9f7878457 | (CNN) -- Thailand's recent political troubles may have worked in Japan's favor when it came to this year's Travel + Leisure awards, with Kyoto knocking Bangkok off its spot at the top of the magazine's world's best cities list. The Thai capital, which was placed under curfew earlier this year during a military coup, is nowhere to be seen in this year's top 10, voted for by the magazine's readers, despite repeat appearances in the number one spot. Kyoto, a city on Japan's Honshu island famed for its ancient temples and spring cherry blossoms, was praised by T + L special correspondent Sarah Spagnolo for "an emerging style scene that's cutting edge." Second on the list is Charleston, South Carolina, which, according to Spagnolo, improved on its 2013 seventh-place ranking thanks to accessibility, standout hotels (including the Planters Inn) and "a mouthwatering culinary scene where shrimp grits are just the beginning." Several tourism heavyweights, including Rome and Florence, maintain their places in the top 10, while others make the grade after failing to place in 2013. Siem Reap, the developing resort town near the Angkor Wat temple complex in Cambodia, New Orleans, Mexico City and Seville, Spain are all new entries. Surveys of T + L readers were also used to compile award lists in other categories. The Triple Creek Ranch in Darby, Montana, was named best hotel; Santorini, Greece, was named best island; Disney Cruise Line was named best of the "mega cruisers"; Singapore Airlines the best international carrier; and Singapore Changi Airport the best international terminal. Rancho la Puerta in Tecate, Mexico, was named best spa. T + L's World's Best Cities 2014 . 10. New Orleans . 9. Mexico City . 8. Barcelona . 7. Seville, Spain . 6. Istanbul . 5. Rome . 4. Siem Reap, Cambodia . 3. Florence, Italy . 2 Charleston, South Carolina . 1. Kyoto, Japan . | Annual list looks to Japan to name world's best city .
Travel + Leisure magazine awards based on a survey of readers, with destinations, venues and services rated .
Kyoto replaces longtime winner Bangkok, which dropped out of top 10 following political turmoil . |
7,520 | 154c002b08e0944fbb8199fea85faff8294d4e5c | (CNN) -- Consumer demand for mobile media is growing fast, but the smartphone app market has quickly become heavily saturated and fairly confusing. Perhaps one of the best ways for a company to increase its customer base is to go after the kinds of phones that the majority of mobile users in the U.S. and elsewhere currently have -- feature phones. Feature phones are usually cheaper devices that offer less computing ability than smartphones. This weekend, Facebook acquired Snaptu, a platform that delivers Java-based apps that run on most feature phone models. According to comScore, as of January 2011 only about 28% of all mobile phones in the U.S. were smartphones. This means 72% of U.S. cell phones are feature phones, most of which have a broad array of features, including the ability to run Java-based apps. In January, Facebook launched a Snaptu-powered feature phone app, which brought easier Facebook access to more than 2,500 mobile devices worldwide. But so far, Facebook's feature phone app is only for use in markets outside the U.S. Recently, the weblog ReadWriteWeb noted that feature phone apps make a lot of sense for companies seeking to grow their user base in emerging mobile markets worldwide. The market for feature phone apps represents a huge growth opportunity right here in the U.S. So I wouldn't be surprised if Snaptu and other feature phone app platforms, such as Getjar, start attracting more interest and investment and start rolling out richer offerings for U.S. mobile users. The main reason for this is that most smartphone data plans are likely to remain pretty costly, and the majority of mobile users are very cost-conscious. Increasing consolidation among U.S. carriers won't bring monthly bills down. For instance, AT&T's newly proposed acquisition of T-Mobile would increase market consolidation by absorbing the lowest-cost major U.S. carrier, which Consumers Union believes will lead to rate increases for current T-Mobile customers (among other problems for consumers). Earlier this year, Qualcomm announced that it's making Opera Mini the default browser on its BREW MP operating system, which powers a huge portion of U.S. feature phones. This move will make Web browsing much easier on feature phones, and it could spark a far greater appetite for mobile content and services among feature phone users. At the same time, feature phones are getting smarter and easier to use. For instance, the new HTC Freestyle, available from AT&T, emulates the HTC Sense Android interface, but it's powered by BREW MP and it doesn't require a two-year contract. When it comes to user experience, apps probably make much more sense on feature phones than smartphones in the long run. One of the great strengths of smartphones is their fully featured, easy-to-use Web browsers. Increasingly these will support HTML5 functionality, which allows Web pages to work more like apps. Since it's much easier and cheaper to develop for the mobile Web than for several native app platforms, a lot of smartphone services that are delivered mainly via apps today probably will migrate to a mobile browser experience. Feature phones will probably always lag behind smartphones in terms of Web browser usability. (Opera Mini is nice and fast, but it's definitely nowhere near the experience of Mobile Safari or Dolphin HD.) So on feature phones, apps are probably the best way to deliver a richer and more user-friendly experience. Of course, wireless carriers would have to play ball for the feature phone app market to grow. Right now, carriers control which Java-based apps customers can download onto feature phones. For the U.S. feature phone app market to take off, carriers would have to loosen restrictions. I doubt Facebook would have bought Snaptu if it only wanted to introduce apps outside of the U.S. They're probably also looking to get an early jump on a huge and largely underserved U.S. consumer market. Stay tuned. The feature phone app space is probably about to get very interesting. The opinions expressed in this post are solely those of Amy Gahran. | Facebook just bought Snaptu, a platform for apps that run on feature phone models .
About 72% of U.S. cell phones are feature phones .
Wireless carriers would have to play ball for the feature phone app market to grow . |
122,921 | 2adfc72752d22bc223d09606dab60bb4e0eafad9 | Campaigners are calling on the Filipino government to free the country’s only elephant and allow her to be sent to Thailand to spend her final years among her own kin after three decades of solitude. Mali the elephant has spent 35 years in a barren concrete pen at the Manila Zoo without any inter-species contact and only a small pool to entertain her. A celebrity backed PETA campaign is now demanding that the elderly elephant's years of loneliness come to an end and that she is reunited with other elephants at a sanctuary in Thailand. Scroll down for video . On my own: Mali is the only elephant in the Philippines and has been living alone for 33 years . Mali was torn from her mother in Sri Lanka at the age of three and sent to the Philippines as a gift to then-president Ferdinand Marcos in 1977. She has since spent her days in loneliness and boredom in the small enclosure at the zoo in the capital and is reportedly suffering from a number of ailments as a result of her captivity and age. Efforts to 'deport' Mali have increased in recent weeks as more groups have joined the campaign, backed by several celebrities including film diva Brigitte Bardot, artist Morrissey and Nobel laureate J.M Coetzee. They propose the lonely lady be sent to The Thai Elephant Conservation Centre in Lampang province, to be with an estimated 50 elephants in a forest setting. Old and lonely: Mali in the barren concrete pen which has been her home since 1977 when she was sent to the Philippines from Sri Lanka aged 3 . Open wide: Mali is examined by veterinarians brought in by campaigners to establish if the 38-year-old is well enough to travel to the Thai sanctuary . Ill-ephant: Vets found that the elderly elephant suffers from severe depression, as a result of her years of isolation, and also have foot problems which pose a grave risk to her physical health . Former Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri, the convenor of campaign group Pilipinas Ecowarriors, said in a statement to local on Tuesday: ‘Assuming Mali is fit to make the trip to Thailand, she would be better off in a designated sanctuary, rather than kept in a zoo here.’ Friends wanted: Campaigners want Mali to join 50 elephants in Lampang . Representatives from PETA Asia flew in a . specialist elephant physician who concluded that her isolation is . causing Mali ‘intense mental suffering’ and that her physical health is . at risk as a result of her severe foot problems. Philippine President Benigno Aquino personally entered the debate last week. He issued orders to the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau and the Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Animal Industry to see if Mali could even travel. The groups have begun asking about animal quarantine in Thailand, and whether Mali could even make the trip. A spokesman for PETA in London said: ‘PETA Asia has been campaigning for an end to Mali's suffering, but has been met with resistance at every step of the way. ‘After receiving a letter from famed . musician Morrissey, Philippines President Benigno Aquino III issued a . directive stating that Mali's health should be evaluated and she should . be considered for transfer to a sanctuary. ‘Following this ground-breaking directive, PETA Asia flew in elephant expert Dr Henry Melvyn Richardson to examine Mali. ‘Dr . Richardson's report indicates that Mali's confinement to a concrete . enclosure has led to severe foot problems - the leading cause of death . among captive elephants. ‘Not . only is Mali's physical health at risk if she continues to stay at an . institution that lacks the resources and knowledge to care for her . properly but her isolation from other elephants is causing her intense . mental suffering.' Although Asian elephants can live to be . up to 60-70 years in freedom, zoo animals rarely pass 20 years of age . due to stress, obesity and lack of exercise. PETA Asia say Mali needs to be retired . ‘without delay’ and reports that the The Thai Elephant Conservation . Centre have offered a place for Mali as soon as the Filipino government . agree on her release. | Mali the elephant is the only one of her kind in the Philippines .
She has spent the last 33 years alone in a concrete pen at Manila Zoo .
Campaigners want to send the elderly elephant to a sanctuary in Thailand . |
148,121 | 4b8580d11e2617aef04779cf1134a8ee2bbe3525 | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 14:52 EST, 14 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:11 EST, 14 December 2013 . A Meijer store employee in Gaylord, Michigan was recently fired for helping put out a fire in the store's parking lot. David Bowers was greeting customers at the front of the store last month when a shopper came up to him, saying his car was on fire . So Mr Bowers grabbed a fire extinguisher and left his post to put out the flames. Soon after he returned to his positions and continued his work. Good Samaritan sacked: David Bowers was fired as a greeter from a Meijer store in Michigan when he left his post at the front of the store to help a customer put out a fire in the parking lot . Breaking the rules? Store management let Mr Bowers go for not adhering to company policy. Above, a picture of the torched car Mr Bowers helped save . But it wasn't long before he was called into the store director's office where he was told he was being put on suspension. 'The one supervisor told me that my heart was in the right place, but my brain wasn't' Mr Bowers told UpNorthLive. Mr Bowers was officially fired later that week for 'not following company policy'. 'I thought that was what we were supposed to do. You know, you have somebody that is in need, don't you help them? But I guess not,' Mr Bowers said. Mr Bowers admits that he was put on suspension once before - for chasing a shoplifter out of the store. Since he was let go, Mr Bowers has been unable to find another job. Unemployed: Mr Bowers hasn't been able to find another job since getting fired from Meijer . Responding to criticism that Mr Bowers shouldn't have been fired, the company issued a statement to MLive.com, saying it 'was not a random decision'. 'We have well-established safety procedures for emergency situations and we train all team members on those procedures. These procedures help ensure the safety of everyone – both customers and team members, and our team members know there are consequences when they don’t follow them.' One customer especially peeved about Mr Bower's termination is the shopper he helped that day, Ken Kuzon. He says his car would have completely burned out if Mr Bowers didn't come to his aid. 'I just think it's ridiculous. Why should you be penalized for being a Good Samaritan?' Kuzon asked. And now the situation is turning into a PR nightmare for the company, as patrons have been posting on the store's Facebook page in protest and calling for Mr Bowers to get his job back. Thankful: Customer Ken Kuzon says his car would have been lost if Mr Bowers hadn't helped him put out the fire . 'Last night I pulled into your Gaylord Meijer's parking lot to do my weekly shopping. I thought about how David Bowers was always there to greet me and my 4-year-old and cheer her on while she played the claw game at your entrance,' wrote Pamela LaGuttata. 'Although I shop there almost exclusively, I reconsidered my decision to support your store and drove to Wal-Mart. I hope that you will reconsider your decision in the firing of a Good Samaritan.' Patron Randy Klepper said he read about the story in the local paper and questions how the store's founder, the late Frederik Meijer, would have dealt with the same situation. 'It tells me not to ever get hit by a car or have a heart attack in their parking lot. It would evidently be against company policy to get any help from a employee. Meijer should be ashamed for not wanting to have their staff help out in those type of situation...HE SHOULD GET HIS JOB BACK,' Mr Klepper wrote. | David Bowers was a store greeter at a Meijer in Gaylord, Michigan .
A customer came into the store last month asking for help with a fire that broke out in his car .
Mr Bowers grabbed an extinguisher and left his position to help the customer put it out and soon returned to his post .
The store director later fired Mr Bowers for not following the company's emergency protocols which dictated he shouldn't leave his position .
The firing of Mr Bowers has led Meijer regulars to protest the store . |
134,370 | 39bfb17b28d6a9627cbde7257de07a4c769c8e8d | Dead: Authorities said 27-year-old Sawyer Flache fired multiple rounds at a police helicopter in Austin before a police officer shot and killed him . A gunman was shot dead after repeatedly firing at a police helicopter dispatched to investigate reports of someone shooting out streetlights. Sawyer Flache, 27, fired multiple rounds at a police helicopter in a Southwest Austin neighborhood before a police officer on the ground shot and killed him in the early hours of Sunday. Neighbours called 911 after seeing a heavily-armed man, later identified as Flache, shooting at street lighting at about 10.30pm on Saturday. The helicopter was dispatched along with officers on the ground and a SWAT team. Police say officers on the ground took cover for about an hour a half while Flache kept shooting from his driveway. He was armed with pistols, rifles and other high-powered weapons. Flache began firing at the helicopter just after midnight, and continued firing multiple rounds for about the next 30 minutes, according to authorities. At least one of the bullets hit the aircraft's rotor blades. Police Chief Art Acevedo said the sniper shot and killed him as Flache continued to fire at the helicopter. He died at the scene. Flache's family have since paid tribute to the 'loving father'. 'Sawyer Flache was a loving father to two beautiful daughters,' the statement read. 'He lived his life to provide for his girls, and made many wonderful memories that will be cherished. 'The outpouring of support and love from his friends and family is a testament to his true spirit. He will be greatly missed.' Austin Police Department said three reverse 911 calls went out to 41 neighbors near SWAT standoff location. The chopper took at least one bullet to its blades, but safely returned to the station near Austin Bergstrom-International Airport. Manhunt: Officers respond to reports of man firing gun at streetlights before shooter turns gun on police helicopter in Austin, Texas . Shots fired: Sniper kills Sawyer Flache, 27, after he fired multiple rounds at a police helicopter, damaging a rotor blade . The officer who shot the man has been placed on administrative leave, as is standard procedure. Police are now investigating the home of the suspect. According to APD, two children, a boy and a girl, ages 4 and 6, were sleeping inside the house during the SWAT standoff. Flache reportedly has three prior arrests for possession of marijuana. Officers were called to the neighborhood in Southwest Austin after reports of a man shooting at streetlights. Sawyer Flache was killed by a police sniper after firing repeatedly at police helicopter . | Officers respond to reports of man firing gun at streetlights .
Gunman turns weapon on police helicopter in 30-minute shooting spree .
Sniper shot and killed suspect at scene in Austin, Texas .
Chopper safely returned to station after bullet struck rotor blades . |
46,658 | 837481956ec67b027d2e4ee698766ad91f98309f | (CNN) -- Atlanta-area authorities are investigating the death of Chris Kelly, half of the 1990s rap duo Kris Kross, as a possible drug overdose, Fulton County Police Cpl. Kay Lester said Thursday. Kelly, 34, died Wednesday at an Atlanta hospital after he was found unresponsive at his home, police said. After paramedics took him to the hospital, a woman who identified herself as Kelly's friend told an investigator that Kelly had taken a mixture of heroin and cocaine Tuesday night, and that she had brought Kelly home "to recover from his drug use," according to a police report. Betty Honey, with the Fulton County Medical Examiner's Office, said that an autopsy showed no signs of trauma or foul play. A toxicology report is expected to be complete in three to four weeks, at which point, a cause of death will likely be determined, she said. Kelly, together with Chris Smith, shot to stardom in 1992 with "Jump," which spent eight weeks on top of the Billboard Hot 100. A #TBT in honor of Chris Kelly . The duo opened for Michael Jackson that year on his Dangerous World Tour. Their penchant for wearing their clothes backward was, at least for a time, widely emulated. "I'm wearing my clothes to work backwards tomorrow," Michael Skolnik, edito-in-chief of the hip hop site Global Grind said, when he learned of the death. Leslie Tookes, a CNN project coordinator, lived next door to Kelly. Like others, she was saddened by his untimely death. "We often heard him playing classical music and the piano," Tookes said. "He was a low-key type of person who was very talented and courteous, friendly and wonderful to our 5-year-old twins. "Indeed, gone too soon." His family also mentioned the notable wardrobe adjustment in a statement mourning Kelly's passing. "To millions of fans worldwide, he was the trendsetting, backwards pants-wearing one-half of Kris Kross who loved making music. But to us, he was just Chris -- the kind, generous and fun-loving life of the party," Kelly's family said in a statement. People we lost in 2013: The lives they lived . Discovered at a mall . Kelly and Smith were 13-year-olds when they were discovered in 1991 at an Atlanta mall by producer Jermaine Dupri. Going by the stage name Mac Daddy (with Smith known as Daddy Mac), the pair followed up their smash "Jump" with the single "Warm It Up." Together, the songs pushed their debut album, "Totally Krossed Out," to multiplatinum status. Next came 1993's "Da Bomb." But the album failed to find the following of the duo's debut, in large part because the boys had hit puberty and they were marketed with a tougher image. Their career never again reached the heights of their debut, but they continued to make music. In 1996, the duo released the album "Young, Rich and Dangerous." The pair reunited for one night in February for a 20th anniversary party for Dupri's So So Def label. Rapper Da Brat, who also performed that night, wrote about Kelly's death, "REST IN PEACE TO MY LIL BRO CHRIS KELLY OF KRIS KROSS. Dam wasn't we JUST at rehearsal and doin a So So Def20 show?" Share your memories . CNN's Ed Payne, Chelsea Carter, Jason Hanna, Chuck Johnston and Tresha Lindo contributed to this report. | NEW: Autopsy shows no signs of trauma or foul play .
Woman told police Kelly had taken heroin and cocaine Tuesday night .
He died Wednesday at an Atlanta hospital .
Kris Kross topped the charts with "Jump" in 1992 . |
10,752 | 1e92aab49ff3428224745659feb76c7e24a5b424 | Snakes don’t rank very high on the list of items you want to find inside your handbag, but that’s exactly what happened to a Queensland grandmother on a picnic with her grandson. Marilyn Condon was relaxing in Tygum Lagoon in Waterford - 30 kilometres south of Brisbane - last Sunday, when her nine-year-old grandson noticed a red bellied blacksnake taking shelter from the sun inside her bag. The snake, native to eastern Australia, is considered highly dangerous, with a rating in the top 20 most venomous land snake bites in the world. Scroll down for video . This red-bellied black snake surprised a grandmother having a picnic with her grandson at the weekend . Logan snake catcher Grant Browne received a call at about midday. He explained that he had to call the local council before driving to the park. ‘They said they had just seen a two foot snake heading into the bag. Since it wasn't somebodies residence I needed to get the go ahead from the local council. ’ ‘It’s natural that they would want to escape into the bag-they might look scary but they’re very placid snake and prefer to avoid confrontation.’ The snake had crawled into the woman's handbag, before people tipped it out of the bag and chased it away . By the time a snake-catcher got to the park he had to locate it in the shrubbery beneath a tree . Mr Browne was in for an easy days work, but he arrived to find that some other bystanders had pushed the bag over and chased the snake away with some sticks, leaving him to relocate it. They advised him that it had gone towards a local tree, and knowing that the slippery serpent was unable to climb, he knew it must be hiding in the grass. Mr Browne said it was a unusual occurrence. ‘There were lot’s of people around-with how timid these snakes are, I find it very odd that they would be hanging around so close to the crowds.’ But in the end he managed to catch the creature and take it to an isolated forest area. The incident happened at Tygum Lagoon in Waterford, 30km south of Brisbane . The snake is one of the top 20 most venomous land serpents in the world . | Marilyn Condon noticed a red bellied blacksnake slithering inside her bag .
The snake is one of the top 20 most venomous land serpents in the world .
Some bystanders pushed the bag over and chased the snake away .
Local snake catcher Grant Browne said it was an unusual occurrence . |
92,705 | 033d077a8277edbe98f3cd0fff990c4d382dc95e | Old Navy is at the center of yet another controversy regarding its treatment of plus size customers. Just six weeks after the retailer was forced to defend its decision to charge its female shoppers more money for larger sizes, a plus size customer on Reddit has slammed the store for making its online plus size menu option twice the size of every other menu. 'Thanks for reminding me that I take up enough space for two categories, Old Navy,' user iChasedragons commented alongside an image of the offending menu, which seems to only appear on the brand's Canadian website. 'Thanks Old Navy': Reddit user iChasedragons said that the menu layout on the brand's Canadian website was a cruel reminder that she 'takes up enough space for two categories' The menu shows the different clothing categories offered in the online store, each of which feature an image of a model showcasing one of the store's chosen fashion looks. However under the 'Women' and 'Men' options, which sit aside one another, the 'Women's Plus' link sits astride two columns, a layout which - once pointed out - has caused outrage with a number of other Reddit users. Many users have gone on to question why the Women's Plus category requires its own menu option in the first place, when the men's plus size selection - Big and Tall - is just included in the main menswear category. 'The weird part is, Old Navy DOES have a Big and Tall selection in their men's clothing, but you don't really see it until you click on the item you want to buy,' user lilfunky1 pointed out. 'But the women's stuff is separated out as a whole new category of Women's Plus.' According to one beady-eyed user, the reason for the bizarre menu layout is that the Canadian version of the website doesn't appear to offer a maternity section for women - the category which sits alongside Women's Plus on the main US site. '[The Canandian site] don't have a Maternity category for some reason,' arnaudh explained. The smaller the size, the smaller the price: Old Navy's popular Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans are $34.94 if bought in sizes 0 to 20 . Unfair increase: Any women who buy a pair of the Rockstar Super Skinny Jeans in a plus size fit will be charged an additional $10, bringing the total price up to $44.94 . 'If you go to the US version, it doesn't display that way because of the additional category. starmartyr added: 'Why wouldn't they have a Maternity section in Canada? Does Old Navy believe that Canadians are hatched from eggs?' In November, New York-based merchandiser Renee Posey called for Old Navy to scrap its 'discriminatory' plus size up-charges, saying that the discrepancy between the prices for larger men and women is nothing other than 'straight up fat shaming'. And while the store insisted that 'unique fabrics and design elements' were to blame for its female customers being charged more money for larger sizes - while the menswear designs remain the same price regardless of size - Ms Posey insisted that the explanation wasn't good enough. 'Plus size women like myself are kind of fed up with being treated like second-class citizens by retailers,' the 34-year-old told Today.com. 'I think it's reached critical mass and people are ready for a change.' After Ms Posey started a petition on Change.org, calling for the brand to change their gender-biased price policies, a spokeswoman for Gap Inc, Old Navy's parent company, released a statement blaming the increased costs for plus-size womenswear on the fact that the larger designs require additional details not found in the smaller sizes . Fed up: Renee Posey (pictured) started a campaign in November to try and force Old Navy to scrap its 'discriminatory' prices . Fighting for change: Ms Posey's petition was signed by more than 33,000 people in a matter of days . 'For women, styles are not just larger sizes of other women’s items, they are created by a team of designers who are experts in creating the most flattering and on-trend plus styles, which includes curve-enhancing and curve-flattering elements such as four-way stretch materials and contoured waistbands, which most men's garments do not include,' spokeswoman Debbie Felix explained. 'This higher price point reflects the selection of unique fabrics and design elements.' But Ms Posey insisted that the statement did not address why there is not a single increase for any of the larger menswear designs, particularly as they also require the use of additional materials. 'Every woman knows how hard it is to find a good pair of jeans: a pair that is the right fit at the right price,' she wrote on the petition. 'That’s why I was shocked when, during a recent visit to Old Navy’s website, I noticed that they were charging $12-$15 more for plus-sized women's jeans - but not up-charging jeans for “big” men. 'If they are charging plus-sized women more to cover the cost of the fabric being used, then why aren’t they doing the same for men?' According to the prices on the Old Navy website at the time of publication, the same differences in price between the plus size styles and the regular styles are still in effect. | A Reddit user posted a screen grab from the store's Canadian site which shows the plus size menu option as being double the size of all the others .
In November, the retailer was forced to defend its decision to charge more money for its larger sizes . |
18,635 | 34b3525b0cb3649cf76b54ffafbdf40f32eb8478 | PAPEETE, France (Reuters) -- A passenger aircraft ploughed into the sea in French Polynesia on Thursday, killing at least 14 people, with another six still missing, French authorities in Papeete said. A Twin Otter aircraft similar to the Air Moorea plane that crashed Thursday after take-off from Moorea Island. An Air Moorea Twin Otter aircraft with 19 passengers and a pilot on board crashed after taking off from Temae airport in Moorea Island, en route to the local capital, Papeete, a short flight away. Police said 14 bodies, including that of the pilot, had been recovered but no survivors had been found. The search for the remaining passengers was continuing. All but two of the victims were French. A spokeswoman for Air Moorea said all 20 people aboard the aircraft were feared killed. "We heard a big boom," an unidentified fisherman told French television. "We didn't try to understand, we were just there, we took maybe 30 seconds to get there. We just saw a whole lot of debris on the surface and bodies as well." French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in a statement he was "profoundly saddened" by the accident and offered his sympathy to the families of the victims. Christian Estrosi, secretary of state for France's overseas territories, would go to the region to show the government's solidarity, he said. Television pictures showed police boats at the scene of the accident with divers in the water and emergency workers at temporary posts on the shore. The plane, a Dehavilland Twin Otter aircraft, veered to the right after take-off for the short flight to the main island of Tahiti and crashed into the ocean at around 12:15 p.m. local time (2215 GMT) on Thursday. Aviation authorities said weather conditions were clear. The plane came down one mile from the coast near fishermen, who tried to help those on board, Air Moorea said in a statement. It gave no further details. Moorea is one of around 118 islands scattered across an area the size of Europe in the South Pacific that make up France's overseas territory of French Polynesia. Authorities in Papeete said the victims included two tourists and two European officials posted to the region, who local media said had been visiting a water purification plant. Moorea is popular with foreign tourists and the crash occurred in the tourist high season. The bodies of all the victims found so far have been taken by French navy personnel to a mortuary. Air Moorea, a subsidiary of domestic airline Air Tahiti, said it had never had an accident in its 35-year history. E-mail to a friend . Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | Air Moorea aircraft crashes after takeoff in Moorea Island, en route to Papeete .
Police say 14 bodies recovered; all 20 people aboard 'feared dead'
Papeete authorities say victims include two tourists and two European officials .
Air Moorea says it had never had an accident in its 35-year history . |
30,556 | 56e5db38f4cfcd3e5eca637571618a9eacccf46a | Washington (CNN) -- While Jeb Bush is still publicly noncommittal about a possible presidential bid, his family is far less circumspect. And if recent comments by George P. Bush are any indication, Jeb Bush's eldest son got the go-ahead from the family. The bigger question, of course, is whether Jeb Bush got the go-ahead -- from himself. While George P. told ABC that "I think it's more than likely that he's giving this a serious thought in moving forward," it's still unclear whether his father is actually willing to dive into a presidential bid. One source with knowledge of Jeb Bush's thinking tells CNN "wanting to do this and doing it are two different things." In fact this source adds, "He hasn't made a decision yet despite reports to the contrary. He is seriously considering and is going through a thoughtful process. He appreciates the warm wishes and support, but he is a methodical guy and won't change his timeline." That timeline anticipates Jeb Bush making a decision by the end of the year. While some donors may be waiting to see what Bush does before they commit to a candidate, the source says Bush himself has not asked for them to stay on the sidelines. "They are calling him, but all he is saying is he hasn't made a decision. There is no organized outreach sanctioned by him." Several donors told CNN that that in private sessions, Bush has not given any more indication than he has publicly about his intentions. One of the donors said "he is behaving as if he is looking at it seriously," but his reluctance to talk about it is "wearing thin." The choice about whether to run, a source close to Bush explains is "a serious decision which he understands better than most." OPINION: Six Senate races to watch . With a brother and a father who have served in the highest office, that's a fact. But it's clear both of them -- Bush 41 and Bush 43 -- would like to him to run. "If you asked Dad the same question -- 'Should Jeb run?' -- he'd say yes," Neil Bush said in an interview with CNN earlier this year. "Yeah, he would say yeah." Former President George W. Bush told Fox News earlier this month he had encouraged his brother to run. "He and I did have a conversation. I of course was pushing him to run for president. He of course was saying, 'I haven't made up my mind,'" Bush said. "He's seen his dad, he's seen his brother. And so he's a very thoughtful man and he's -- he's weighing his options." One person who has not been enthusiastic about a possible Jeb Bush run has been his mother, Barbara Bush, who had told interviewers there were "enough Bushes" who had been President. However, Jeb told the AP that she was now "neutral, trending in a different direction." The notion of Jeb Bush running is something that has resurfaced after years of dormancy. "If you had asked me a few years back, I would've said it was less likely," George P. Bush, who is running for Texas Land Commissioner, told ABC. "The family will be behind him 100% if he decides to do it." WATCH: Are fear politics dominating the midterms? One calculation that seems to have changed recently is Bush's closest family support. He told the Associated Press earlier this month that his wife, Columba, is "supportive" of a possible run for the presidency. Before his statement, many in political circles assumed she would be reluctant -- even a stumbling block- to engage in a presidential campaign. Bush has been active on the campaign trail during the midterm elections, stumping for GOP candidates across the country -- and helping them raise money. He's clearly collected chits -- but then again, so have all of the potential Republican 2016 contenders. | Jeb Bush's son told ABC that "it's more than likely" that Bush is giving 2016 run "serious thought"
Bush is expected to make a decision by the end of the year .
Bush isn't giving any public indications of his thinking . |
51,336 | 91565585d3472aadc370f816fb30752aada995dc | (CNN) -- The body of Mary Kennedy, the estranged wife of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., was moved to "a sunny hillside" in a separate section of the Cape Cod, Massachusetts, cemetery where she was originally interred two months ago, her family said. Kennedy, who had been battling depression, was found dead May 16 in Bedford, New York, a small town north of New York City where she lived. The medical examiner's office determined Kennedy died as a result of asphyxiation due to hanging. She was 52. The decision to move her grave in St. Francis Xavier Cemetery was made because the original plot was closely surrounded by other graves with no room for expansion, Kennedy family spokesman Ken Sunshine said. Toxicology results: No alcohol in Mary Kennedy's system . "The grave is now on a sunny hillside, shaded by an oak tree in an area with room for her children and other family," Sunshine said. Kerry Kennedy, Mary's best friend and sister-in-law, and two of Mary's children selected the new gravesite last week, he said. Kennedy family members have since purchased some 50 plots surrounding the grave, including plots reserved for all six of Mary and Robert Kennedy Jr.'s children, he said. Learn more about the life of Mary Kennedy . CNN's Khara Lewin contributed to this report. | Spokesman: Grave moved because first plot offered no room for other family plots .
A medical examiner ruled Mary Kennedy died of asphyxiation due to hanging .
Kennedy family members purchased some 50 plots surrounding the grave . |
185,843 | 7cb2dd998dd4b8e6797b29486682ab37801c7f6c | A West Virginia man who fatally shot four people and then himself was apparently disappointed with people in his life, including his ex-girlfriend, Monongalia County Sheriff Kenneth "Al" Kisner told CNN on Tuesday. On Monday, Jody Lee Hunt, 39, of Westover, killed his ex, a man she was having a relationship with, a rival tow truck company owner and Hunt's cousin, Kisner said. Hunt shot himself to death in the woods, apparently using the same pistol, the sheriff said. When asked about Hunt's motive, Kisner said investigators looked at Hunt's Facebook page and found references to disappointments with people whom he considered friends. Kisner said Hunt also referred to a text from Michael Frum in which Frum said he was now dating Sharon Berkshire, Hunt's former girlfriend. Frum, 28, and Berkshire, 39, were found shot to death in the Cheat Lake area, CNN affiliate WDTV reported. Doug Brady, owner of another towing company, was shot to death at his business, WDTV reported. Hunt's cousin and partner in J&J Towing, 43-year-old Jody Taylor, was shot at Taylor's home, WTRF, a local station, said. Kisner said he didn't know the motive in the Taylor killing but noted that Brady and Hunt were vying for business throughout the county. Hunt planned to talk soon to a county commissioner because Hunt claimed another towing company had picked up an overturned truck when it was Hunt's company's turn in the rotation, WTRF reported. The sheriff said he wants to know how Hunt obtained a firearm, because the shooter had a criminal record. He had been imprisoned twice for firearms violations, Kisner said. In 2001, Hunt was convicted of wanton endangerment with a firearm and sentenced to five years in the West Virginia prison system, Kisner said. Hunt was convicted of abduction and use of a firearm in the commission of felony in 1999 and sentenced to three years in prison . Kisner said Hunt dated Berkshire about two years before they broke up. Berkshire filed domestic protection orders against Hunt in 2013 and 2014 but dismissed the orders and resumed the relationship with Hunt, WTRF reported, citing Kisner. | Sheriff: A man killed his ex-girlfriend, a man she was dating, a business rival and a business partner .
Jody Lee Hunt apparently killed himself with pistol used in the killings, sheriff says .
Text and social media provided clues to authorities, sheriff says .
Hunt had a criminal history and served time for abduction, firearms violations . |
251,786 | d1e3f00904cbbc8bcc4dd79901e3402e8232b87a | By . Michael Zennie for MailOnline . The Ivy League-educated girlfriend of a New York banana tycoon was so badly battered and abused by her married boyfriend that she once wrote on the back of a photograph 'if you find me dead, Thomas Hoey did it,' prosecutors have alleged. Despite her chilling words and what prosecutors say was years of abuse so brutal that she lost hearing in one ear and had her teeth chipped, Alison Bretherick is standing by her man - and fighting the Manhattan District Attorney's attempt to send Hoey away for beating her. Hoey, 46, is already facing up to 11 years in prison after he admitted that he refused to call 911 when another mistress, personal trainer Kimberley Calo, overdosed on cocaine that he had given her following a three-way sex romp at a luxury Manhattan hotel in 2009. Miss Bretherick was not with Hoey the night Calo died. Standing by her man: Alison Bretherick, 29, (pictured in May, left and last week, right) has appeared in court in support of boyfriend Thomas Hoey - despite years of alleged abuse and fears for her life . Facing prison: Thomas Hoey, 46, seen here in 2009, faces 11 years in prison after admitting he didn't call for help when a mistress overdosed on cocaine. He faces four more over charges he beat Alison Bretherick . The New York Post reports that Miss Bretherick, 29, is refusing to cooperate with authorities as they pursue charges that he savagely beat her and left her with a bloody scalp in 2012. She has even even showed up in court to support her alleged abuser. If convicted, Hoey could have four more years tacked on to his prison term. In court filings, prosecutors detail how Miss Bretherick was a promising University of Pennsylvania graduate who had just gotten into an executive training program at Macy's when she met Hoey in 2008, according to the Post. Hoey, the millionaire owner of the Long Island Banana Corp., had seen Miss Bretherick on the street on the Upper West Side and had one of his bodyguards stop her and tell her his boss wanted to meet her. On their first date, he picked her up in a limo and 'accidentally' spilled soup on her dress -- then showed her two new outfits he had already picked out for her. Kimberley Calo, a New York personal trainer, overdosed on cocaine after having a threesome with millionaire Hoey in 2009. She died when no one called for help . As the relationship progressed, however, Miss Bretherick was the victim of regular, brutal abuse at Hoey's hands, prosecutors alleged. According to the Post, police say he beat her for not picking up the phone fast enough and once bashed her head through a wall. The abuse chipped her teeth and left her with no hearing in her left ear, according to authorities. Miss Bretherick has publicly refused to turn on Hoey, but in 2010 she admitted to her cousin that she was terrified of him, authorities say. She wrote 'If you find me dead, Thomas Hoey did it' on the back of a photograph of her grandfather and showed it to her cousin, according to court documents. However, when a judge granted a protective order barring Hoey from seeing her in May, Miss Bretherick protested, telling the judge: 'I savor my trips to see Tom in jail; they are the highlight to my week.' | Thomas Hoey, the millionaire owner of Long Island Banana Corp, faces four years in prison for allegedly beating girlfriend Alison Bretherick in 2012 .
He pleaded guilty to charges related to the 2009 death of Kimberley Calo, who overdosed after a threesome .
Miss Bretherick, 29, has resisted prosecutors and even attended court hearings in support of her allegedly abusive boyfriend .
A University of Pennsylvania grad, Miss Bretherick met Hoey after one of his bodyguards stopped her on the street and said his boss wanted to see her . |
159,105 | 59a8a6cfaaa49b05f9ca350c2ea94f924b620691 | (WIRED) -- What's hot off the presses this week? Want an out-of-print book? With the help of Google, a machine may be able to print one for you. Any one of the more than 2 million books old enough to fall out of copyright into the public domain. Over the last seven years, Google has scanned millions of dusty tomes from deep in the stacks of the nation's leading university libraries and turned them into searchable documents available anywhere in the world through its search box. And now Google Book Search, in partnership with On Demand Books, is letting readers turn those digital copies back into paper copies, individually printed by bookstores around the world. Or at least by those booksellers that have ordered its $100,000 Espresso Book Machine, which cranks out a 300 page gray-scale book with a color cover in about 4 minutes, at a cost to the bookstore of about $3 for materials. The machine prints the pages, binds them together perfectly, and then cuts the book to size and then dumps a book out, literally hot off the press, with a satisfying clunk. (The company says a machine can print about 60,000 books a year.) That means you can stop into the Northshire Bookstore in Manchester, Vermont, and for less than $10, custom-order your own copy of Dame Curtsey's Book of Candy Making, the third edition of which was published in 1920 and which can only be found online for $47.00 used. Dane Neller, On Demand Books CEO, says the announcement flips book distribution on its head. "We believe this is a revolution," Neller said. "Content retrieval is now centralized and production is decentralized." Neller said the deal was clearly about the long tail of books, a reference to Wired magazine's Editor-in-Chief Chris Anderson's theory that hits become less important when distribution costs drop. One of the main benefits, according to Neller, is letting local book stores compete with Amazon.com by reducing their need to have expensive inventory. Other current retailers include the University of Michigan Shapiro Library Building in Ann Arbor; the Blackwell Bookshop in London; the Bibliotheca Alexandrina in Alexandria, Egypt; the University of Alberta Bookstore in Edmonton, Canada; and Angus & Robertson Bookstore in Melbourne, Australia. The company hopes to sell 60 more printers in the next year, bringing the number of machines globally to about 90. On Demand Books suggests that book stores price the books at about $8, leaving retailers with a $3 profit after both Google and On Demand Books collect a buck-a-book fee. Google plans to donate its share to a yet-unspecified charity, which might be a reaction to its messy legal and public policy fight over a copyright settlement that covers books that are still in copyright. (All the books that are being added to On Demand Books repertoire in this agreement are out of copyright in the country where it will be printed.) Starting Sept. 29, Bostonians can stop in the privately owned Harvard Bookstore in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and have their books printed in front of them. Or they can order it over the phone and have the store deliver it -- by bicycle. There's a certain irony to that, too, according to Google spokeswoman Jennie Johnson, since the bookstore is right next to Harvard's library, one of the libraries that partnered with Google to turn its millions of books into an online library of the future. "Most people can't get into the Harvard Library, but you can print their books next door," Johnson said. Or put another way, On Demand Books is betting that in the future, every old book will have 15 readers. What's of interest in these old books? Plenty, according to Google. One knitter discovered a long-lost book about knitting, and recreated the heirloom pieces and even built a loom from a long-lost design. Another reader, who works with subsistence farmers in Africa, currently uses PDFs of old farming techniques to teach still-relevant skills. Google already uses the public-domain books in search results, and users can read those books in full online and even download them as PDFs for free. Neither Neller or Johnson cared to speculate on how many of these books they expect to sell, but Johnson says some 80 percent of the public-domain books are looked at in a given month. Unfortunately, it's unlikely that the number of public domain books will grow larger anytime soon, since Congress added two decades to existing copyright protection in 1999. Copyright, which originally lasts about 14 years, now extends to the life of an author plus 70 years for newly created works. As for their quality? They feel like a typical paperback, and are printed using typical 20- or 24-pound paper, with heavier stock for the inkjet-printed cover, which currently all share one design. While turning bits back into paper seems a bit of a stretch for Google, Johnson said it fits with the company's goal of organizing the world's information. "We think people should be able to find and read these books," Johnson said. "We don't care how people end up reading them." Neller said he'd love to see the day when Google Book Searchers can press a button next to a search result and find the closest local printer, but Google says that's a long way off. So for now, book buyers of the future who want to buy books from the past will need to walk to a bookstore -- or get Harvard Bookstore to use the bicycle, a 19th-century invention, to bring them a book printed with 21st-century technology. Subscribe to WIRED magazine for less than $1 an issue and get a FREE GIFT! Click here! Copyright 2009 Wired.com. | Google Book Search is letting readers turn digitized texts back into paper copies .
Google scans millions of books and turns them into searchable documents .
Books can be printed on demand by a special machine in about 4 minutes .
The machine is only in a few dozen bookstores so far . |
49,097 | 8aab437ff91eebd1985c0c6cfdfe8e756b884e6b | By . Robin Cottle for MailOnline . The latest hot prospect to come out of Barcelona showed there is no end to the talent with a brilliant individual goal. South Korean teenager Seung-Woo Lee is currently competing for his country in the Asian Under-16 Championships in Thailand and lit up his country's clash with Malaysia. Picking the ball up just inside Malaysia's half, he wriggles between two players before skipping away from a couple of despairing sliding tackles. Still with plenty to do, Lee lifts the ball over the feet of a fifth Malaysian defender before slamming the ball into the bottom corner on the half volley from just inside the penalty area. The wonderkid joined Barca's famous La Masia academy three years ago and big things are expected of him. Talented: Seung-Woo Lee dances from the Malaysian Under-16 defence . Skilful: Despite some desperate challenges none of the defenders can stop Lee . Back of the net: The starlet finished off the run with a powerful right foot half volley . Starlet Lee has already been linked with moves to Liverpool and Chelsea in the Premier League and he has already been christened 'the Korean Messi' for his likeness to Barcelona legend Lionel Messi. And he actually outperformed Messi at under-15 level for the Spanish club, bagging 38 goals in just 29 games compared with the Argentine's 37 in 30, . | The 16-year-old dribbled past five players to score a sensational goal against Malaysia under-16s .
Finished off the run with an outside of the foot half volley .
Currently competing in the Asian Under-16 Championships in Thailand .
Big things are expecting of Lee, the latest exciting talent to come out of Barcelona's famed La Masia academy .
Joined Barca in 2011 from South Korean club Incheon . |
154,381 | 5382137707a9263f666ee2e4db2343510ddd4d59 | As Andrew Luck prepares for his third NFL season, he finds himself being mentioned in same breath as Peyton Manning, Tom Brady, Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. And just to increase the hype, Indianapolis’ past meets the present at Mile High as the Colts face the Denver Broncos. It is Luck’s lot to endure constant comparisons with Manning. Following in famous footsteps: Andrew Luck has had constant comparisons with Peyton Manning throughout his NFL career . After all, both are the offspring of NFL quarterbacks, Heisman runners-up and were taken by the Colts as the first overall draft pick. ‘If you are a fan of the NFL I am sure the storyline is intriguing,’ Luck says. ‘I know from my perspective I don’t have to worry about Peyton Manning, I have to worry about the Denver Broncos defense and it is a darn good one. I am sure it’s a fun storyline for the fans and media to get around.’ As Luck prepares to take his career to the next level, he can reflect on a successful sophomore season. On the way to winning the AFC South, the Colts inflicted a first defeat on Manning’s Broncos and found a way to outscore eventual champions Seattle. In the post-season, he orchestrated the second biggest play-off comeback in NFL history against the Chiefs, but threw seven interceptions in two games. It was another seemingly evergreen quarterback in Brady who ended the Colts’ season and Luck would watch fellow 2012 draft classmate Russell Wilson helping Seattle to stampede the Broncos in February’s Super Bowl. Does he fear a backlash following the one-sided rout? ‘I am not too worried about what their motivation is to come out and play well. I think any professional team is going in to come out and do their best to try to win, I am sure they are not happy about losing the Super Bowl but they are a great team still and I am sure they will play very hard.’ On the rise: Luck has 22 victories under his belt in his first two NFL seasons . With that in mind, what has Luck been addressing to help him and the Colts make the next leap?’ A big focus this offseason has been understanding situational football better. Third downs in the red zone in particular and figuring out how to get better in the red zone. ‘We need more touchdowns, can’t settle for field goal and definitely can’t turn the ball over – and how to convert third downs at a higher success rate. Offensively if we can do those I think we will be able to take the next step. ‘I know as quarterback a big part of that is understanding the situation and understanding how the defense change or adapt and what we need to do to be successful.’ The last time the Colts faced the Broncos, Robert Mathis was inspired, taking two sacks and a forced fumble. But he is suspended for four games after violating the NFL’s substance abuse policy. But the Broncos are missing key players too: both receiver Wes Welker and Pro Bowl kicker Matt Prater are serving four-game bans. And another hurdle for the Colts to overcome is the racket generated by Denver's fanatical fans. ‘We have had the speakers cranked up in practice to mimic the crowd noise every day. It is great preparation for how to handle communication. How you hand-check and audible at the line of scrimmage. ‘It will be a challenge but we will be prepared to handle that and as a player it is fun to play in a hostile environment, there is a little bit of a buzz in the air.’ And you suspect that buzz will be deafening if Luck gets the better of Manning again. | Luck led the Colts to victory over Manning's Broncos last season .
The teams meet again at Mile High in the 2014 NFL season curtain-raiser .
The Colts are the defending AFC South champions, while Denver were humbled by Seattle in the Super Bowl . |
276,684 | f2720b95b872d429604fcf2fb56bb4cb9a5ff051 | By . Zoe Szathmary . A Michigan meat packing company is recalling a reported 1.8million pounds of ground beef products after 11 E.coli cases, federal officials said Monday. Ground beef products produced by Wolverine Packing Company between March 31 and April 18 were recalled, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) said in a press release. Recall: Wolverine Packing Company, pictured, is recalling an estimated 1.8million pounds of ground beef products . So far, there have been 11 reported cases of E.coli O157:H7 across four states, with onset dates between April 22 and May 2, officials said. E.coli O157:H7 can be lethal and cause dehydration, bloody diarrhea and abdominal cramping, federal officials said. It also can cause kidney failure for children under 5 and older adults. The ground beef products had been shipped to Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio distributors for restaurant use, FSIS said. They were not sent to the Department of Defense, the National School Lunch Program or put up online. Dangerous: Side effects for E.coli strain O157:H7, pictured, include dehydration, bloody diarrhea abdominal cramping. It is also potentially lethal . FSIS said it was notified of the E.coli O157:H7 cases last Monday. Working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, FSIS linked the Wolverine ground beef products to the E.coli cases. Meat products should be cooked at 160 degrees Fahrenheit, FSIS warns. The agency has published a list of recalled products, all of which show the number 'EST. 2574B' on packaging. | An estimated 1.8million ground beef products produced by Wolverine Packing Company between March 31 and April 18 were recalled .
Company's products were sent to distributors in Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri and Ohio .
Products were linked to 11 reported cases of E.coli O157:H7 across four states . |
109,112 | 18a73b464ed85ff91c0f28db55788c6f668d899d | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 06:31 EST, 14 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:23 EST, 14 December 2012 . Avoids jail: Zoey Tomlinson, 18, of Manchester, was annoyed by the 20-year-old man's text messages . A teen mother laid a honeytrap for a man trying to woo her by saying she was having a bath at home before letting him in - where he was subjected to an attack by thugs, a court heard. Zoey Tomlinson, 18, of Gorton, Manchester, was annoyed by the 20-year-old man's text messages and asked friends to warn him off - but the thugs went too far, Manchester Crown Court was told. They subjected the man to a sustained attack last December in which he was punched, kicked and scalded with hot water. Tomlinson has avoided jail after Wednesday's hearing, but her three friends have been sent to prison. Tomlinson lured the man to her home after saying she was in the bath and would be 'waiting for him' - and later answered the front door in her pyjamas before beckoning him in, Christopher Beckwith, prosecuting, said. But her accomplices rushed out and attacked him, as her two-year-old daughter slept upstairs. Judge Michael Leeming told the court on Wednesday that the 'sustained and unprovoked attack' was 'wholly distressing' for the victim. Hearing: Tomlinson asked friends to warn him off but the thugs went too far, Manchester Crown Court heard . Tomlinson admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was given a nine-month suspended custodial sentence. Three of her accomplices were traced and have also admitted causing ABH . 'Sustained and unprovoked attack' Judge Michael Leeming . Kane Barker, 22, of Droylsden, was sent to a young offenders' institution for 16 months. Christopher Wilson, 20, also of Gorton, was sent to a young offenders' institution for 12 months. Plasterer Joshua Hatton, 19, also of Droylsden, who did not attack the victim but leant his support, was sent to a young offenders' institution for 10 months. | Zoey Tomlinson, 18, of Manchester, was annoyed by man's text messages .
Mother told him she was in bath and answered front door in her pyjamas .
But he was beaten up inside by her friends, who have all been imprisoned .
Attack took place while her daughter, 2, slept - but woman was spared jail . |
104,285 | 128e652161c7f157405af73d640d81bb82584ac6 | West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has rejected suggestions made by Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger that English football's work permit rule should be scrapped. Wenger pointed to the money going out of the country to overseas clubs to sign players like Angel di Maria, claiming he had wanted to sign the Argentina winger as a 17-year-old, and also suggested that opening up the restrictions would help develop young English players. The Frenchman said on Thursday: 'If you want to be the best league in the world then you have to accept that you have to produce the best players in the world, so the question is how can you produce the best players? 'If you put a young player with top-level players, he has more chance to develop. If you put him with average players he has more chance to remain average.' VIDEO Scroll down for Sam Allardyce rejects Arsene Wenger's calls scrap work permit rule . West Ham manager Sam Allardyce believes the work permit rule is needed to safeguard homegrown talent . Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger missed out on signing Angel di Maria (right) due to the work permit rule . Wenger thinks that exposing English players to the best foreign talent could help aid their development . But Allardyce was quick to reject that view. 'I don't agree with that at all,' he said. 'There's already a massive influx of foreign youth coming to academies and us losing the opportunities for young British players to take up those places. 'That (abolishing the work permit rule) for me, as an Englishman, is a real no-no. I'm sure Arsene, if he was working in France, would have a similar opinion to me. 'Protect your own. We very rarely do it in this country and haven't done it up until now. 'We've got to do it somewhere along the line and get more British players through. 'If we open up the doors, the floodgates would open and there would be very, very few British players who would even get the chance at a football club.' Allardyce feels that more should be done to ensure more clubs' academy players progress to the first-team . West Ham's James Tomkins graduated from the club's academy and has made 201 senior appearances . The rules state a player must have featured in 75 per cent of his country's international matches over the last two years - with his country in the top 70 of FIFA's rankings - to qualify for a 'Governing Body Endorsement'. Should a player fail to meet those criteria, a club can request an appeal hearing to 'consider whether the player is able to contribute significantly to the development of the game at the top level in England'. West Ham's signing of Ecuador World Cup star Enner Valencia required an appeal, as did Leicester's recent acquisition of Croatian Andrej Kramaric. Wenger and Arsenal would also need to succeed in an appeal should they agree a deal for Villarreal's uncapped Brazilian centre-back Gabriel Paulista. 'I think the rules are fine at the moment,' Allardyce added. 'You can get a work permit if there is an exceptional talent and it can be proven.' Some of West Ham's foreign players, like Enner Valencia, required a work permit to play in England . | Sam Allardyce says English football needs the work permit rule .
He believes club academies should protect homegrown players .
Arsene Wenger believes scrapping it could help youth development .
The Frenchman points to the advantage of exposure to foreign talent . |
167,618 | 64c41cd9b8dd3c8b27bfbe6dfa26d6c356dd1bba | A commuter train derailed in a curve in the New York borough of the Bronx on Sunday, killing four people and leaving dozens hurt, investigators said. All seven passenger cars and the locomotive jumped the tracks near the Spuyten Duyvil station, about 10 miles north of Manhattan's Grand Central Terminal, the National Transportation Safety Board reported. Three of the dead were thrown out of the train as it "came off the track and was twisting and turning," New York Fire Department Chief Edward Kilduff told reporters. Surviving passenger Amanda Swanson told CNN the windows of the coaches broke out, and "the gravel came flying up in our faces." "I really didn't know if I would survive," said Swanson, who put her bag in front of her face to block the rubble. "The train felt like it was on its side and dragging for a long time. ... The whole thing felt like slow motion." The train was en route to Grand Central from Poughkeepsie, 74 miles up the Hudson River, when it derailed about 7:20 a.m., NTSB member Earl Weener said Sunday. At least 67 people were injured, said Joe Bruno, New York's commissioner of emergency management, and 11 remained in critical condition Sunday evening, Gov. Andrew Cuomo told reporters. The diesel locomotive was pushing passenger cars through a 30-mph curve north of the station at the time of the crash, Weener said. He said that configuration is one of many things investigators will be examining as they try to determine the cause of the wreck. Investigators have recovered an event recorder from the locomotive and another car but haven't yet examined them, Weener said. "Our mission is to understand not just what happened, but why it happened, with the intent of preventing it from ever happening again," he said. About 150 people were on the train when it derailed, said Laureen Coyne, director of risk management for New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority, which includes the Metro-North railroad. One car came to rest just feet away from the Harlem River. "I heard this horrible, whooshing sound. ... It was very disturbing, very loud," said Hank Goldman, who lives near the tracks. "I jumped out of bed and looked out the window and I saw a light-colored object lying down. I thought it was the roadway to the train. Then I got my binoculars, and I couldn't believe my eyes, that the train had jumped the tracks right here." New York's Metropolitan Transit Authority identified the dead as Donna L. Smith, 54, of Newburgh, New York; James G. Lovell, 58, of Cold Spring, New York; James M. Ferrari, 59, of Montrose, New York; and So Kisook Ahn, 35, of Queens, New York. Lovell did freelance audio and was headed into New York to work Sunday morning, said Dave Merandy, a town council member in the Hudson Valley community of Philipstown. "He loved his family and did what was necessary to keep things afloat with his family. He was a great man," said Merandy. Lovell's wife, Nancy Montgomery, sits on Philipstown's council, and Merandy and Lovell were high school classmates, Merandy said. He leaves behind three sons and a daughter from a previous marriage. "We're just shocked. Completely shocked," Merandy said. The Metro-North Hudson Line had a ridership of 15.9 million last year, with hundreds of people riding the packed trains during weekday rush hour, officials said. The train operator -- who is among the injured -- told investigators he applied brakes to the train, but it didn't slow down, a law enforcement official on the scene and familiar with the investigation said. "That will be a key point of concern, whether this train was moving too quickly," Bruno said. A freight train derailed in the same curve in July, damaging about 1,500 feet of track, the MTA reported at the time. Weener said the NTSB would look into whether there was any connection between that derailment and Sunday's crash, but both he and Cuomo discounted the possibility. "The curve has been here for many, many years, right, and trains take the curve every day, 365 days a year ... We've always had this configuration. We didn't have accidents," Cuomo said. "So there has to be another factor, and that's what we want to learn from the NTSB." Investigators will look at the condition of the track, the signal system, crew performance and other factors. They'll also search for data and video recordings that may have captured details tied to the derailment, NTSB Chairwoman Deborah Hersman said. "We've got a lot of work to do," she said. "We don't have a lot of daylight hours to do it, but we're going to do as much as we can." Passenger: Train stopped with a thud . The incident quickly sparked chatter on Twitter and drew a crowd of onlookers to the scene. Passenger Frank Tatulli told WABC he thought the train was traveling "a lot faster" than usual. He escaped a derailed car on his own and had head and neck injuries, he said. Other passengers were still on the train, he told WABC. Another survivor told WABC that she climbed out of a train car that had overturned. Nearby, she said, she heard injured victims moaning and asking for help. "I almost feel guilty," she said. "I was just in a really safe spot on the train, just the way it fell." Swanson told CNN the train car she was in came to a stop with a thud. "I just closed my eyes and kind of hoped to God that I was going to be able to call my mom with decent news," Swanson said. She got off the train with her cell phone in hand: "The screen was shattered, but it still worked," she said. Among those hurt, one suffered a spinal cord injury that could leave him paralyzed from the neck down, said Dr. David Listman, director of the emergency department at St. Barnabas Hospital in the Bronx. New York-Presbyterian Hospital said it was treating 17 patients, four of whom were in critical condition. Federal authorities are also investigating another Metro-North incident in which two passenger trains crashed during rush hour in Connecticut in May. Though no connection between the incidents has been established, one state lawmaker said Sunday that the derailments are a sign that federal investigators should examine track conditions throughout the region. "It is important that the entire regional track infrastructure be examined to identify any chronic issues that have led to past derailments or could lead to future derailments in order to ensure the safety of the millions of people who use the trains every single day," New York State Sen. Charles J. Fuschillo Jr. said in a statement. Service was suspended Sunday on part of the Hudson Line and won't be resumed until the NTSB finishes documenting the scene and returns the track to the MTA for repairs, Cuomo said. "I think it's fair to say tomorrow, people who use this line should plan on a long commute or plan on using the Harlem Line," Cuomo said. Amtrak trains were suspended between New York and Albany for hours after the derailment. On Sunday afternoon officials said service would resume with restricted speeds in the area. "Some delays can be expected," Amtrak said. | Derailment victim "did what was necessary" to help his family, councilman says .
Locomotive was pushing cars at the time of the crash, NTSB says .
Gov. Andrew Cuomo discounts curve's role in the crash .
Investigators have recovered a recorder from the locomotive and another car, NTSB says . |
160,657 | 5bb337a2b02f17680a86c0f2151ccdb87edf50a7 | The U.S. Supreme Court has cleared the way for same-sex marriage in Alabama despite attempts by the state's chief justice to refuse licenses for gay couples. In a federal ruling, the justices rejected Alabama's bid to stop legalization from taking effect on Monday. It means Alabama is the 37th state to allow gays and lesbians to wed - paving the way for nationwide legalization. Ruling: Alabama has become the 37th state to legalize gay marriage after federal justices overruled the state's chief justice Roy Moore who tried to block the legislation. Today, Tori Sisson and Shante Wolfe married . Donna and Tina kiss after getting married in a park outside the Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham . Greg and Roger prepare to marry each other outside Jefferson County Courthouse in Birmingham, Alabama . Denied: Chief Justice Roy Moore urged judges to reject licenses for same-sex couples but has been overruled . 'It's about time,' said Shante Wolfe, 21, who has camped outside the courthouse with her partner Tori Sisson, hoping to be Alabama's first same-sex couple to marry. Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore spearheaded the attempt to block gay marriage in the Deep South state by sending an order to state probate judges on Sunday night. Moore has been one of the state's most outspoken critics of gay marriage. He called homosexuality an 'inherent evil' in a 2002 custody ruling against a lesbian mother. Last week, Moore sent a letter urging probate judges to reject the licenses. The head of the judges' association on Friday predicted most would issue the licenses. Moore upped the ante Sunday night by sending the directive. He argued that judges are not bound by the ruling of a federal judge that the gay marriage ban is unconstitutional. The letter sent on Sunday night read: 'Effective immediately, no probate judge of the state of Alabama nor any agent or employee of any Alabama probate judge shall issue or recognize a marriage license that is inconsistent with (the Alabama Constitution).' After marriages begun on Monday, Alabama's Attorney General Luther Strange slammed the ruling for causing 'confusion'. Overjoyed: Crowds cheered as Greg and Roger, now married, embraced following the Supreme Court ruling . Finally doing it! Sisson and Wolfe dressed in their finest for the occasion as they walked into the court room . Put a ring on it: Sisson puts a ring on Wolfe's finger as they say their vows after a tense wait overnight . One of the first: Wolfe and Sisson showed off their marriage license as many more queued for their turn . According to Pink News, he said: 'In the absence of a stay, there will likely be more confusion in the coming months leading up to the Supreme Court's anticipated ruling on the legality of same-sex marriage. 'With the lifting of the 14-day stay on Feb. 9, 2015, the U.S. District Court order remains in effect, enjoining me from enforcing Alabama's laws against same-sex marriage in my official capacity as attorney general. 'I advise probate judges to talk to their attorneys and associations about how to respond to the ruling.' It was a dramatic return to defiance for Moore, who was removed as chief justice in 2003 for refusing to obey a federal court order to remove a washing machine-sized Ten Commandments from the state judicial building. Critics lashed out that Moore had no authority to tell county probate judges to enforce a law that a federal judge already ruled unconstitutional. Waiting in line: Same-sex couples queued up outside the Jefferson County courthouse on Monday morning . Protest: Gay rights activists have been camping out by the courthouse to protest Moore's stance . Ecstatic: Tori Sisson and Shante Wolfe said 'it's about time' when they heard the news on Monday morning . He's been one of the state's most outspoken critics of gay marriage; in 2002 he called homosexuality an 'evil' in a custody ruling. 'This is a pathetic, last-ditch attempt at judicial fiat by an Alabama Supreme Court justice-a man who should respect the rule of law rather than advance his personal beliefs,' said Sarah Warbelow, legal director of the Human Rights Campaign. Warbelow urged probate judges to issue the licenses in compliance with ruling of U.S. District Judge Callie Granade. Susan Watson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Alabama, predicted that 'we will see marriage equality in Alabama' on Monday. 'I don't think the probate judges in Alabama are going to defy a federal court judge's order,' she said. On January 23, Granade ruled that the state's statutory and constitutional bans on gay marriage were unconstitutional but put her order on hold until February 9 to let the state prepare for the change. Ready to go: Wolfe and Sisson have been ready to wed outside Montgomery County Courthouse for days . Controversial: There remains deep opposition to same-sex marriage in the Deep South state . Justices are expected to issue a ruling later this year on whether gay couples have a right to marry nationwide. The same-sex couples queuing outside courthouses were left waiting until the last minute on Monday morning for the high court to issue a ruling on the state's request. Jessie and Cooper Odell brought their son with them to witness their marriage. Jessie, 42, said he was surprised by the speed with which Alabama's ban on same-sex marriage fell. 'I knew it was coming, but not this fast with our history on civil rights,' he said. | Federal justices denied Alabama's bid to block legalization .
State chief justice argued judges are not bound by federal ruling .
On Monday his bid was rejected, Alabama is 37th state to legalize gay marriage . |
244,352 | c83709e9354bdb3a072369f273d6cb19ddfe93d8 | By . Bianca London . While the honeymoon period may only last for the first few months of a relationship, love and romance can have long lasting positive effects, a new study reveals. Psychologists of the German Universities of Jena and Kassel have found that being in a relationship can have a positive effect on personality development in young adults - and even reduce neuroticism. Speaking about the study, published in the online edition of Journal of Personality, psychologists said: 'We were able to show that they become more stable in a love relationship, and that their personality stabilises.' The never-ending Honeymoon period? A new study has found that being in a long-term relationship can stabilize your personality and have lomg-term positive effects . Researchers analysed 245 couples between the ages of 18 and 30 and looked at the correlation between neuroticism and relationship satisfaction. Scientists also asked participants to imagine made-up scenarios and how they'd react. 'This part was crucial, because neurotic people process influences from the outside world differently,' explained one researcher. Positive effects: Researchers found that the longer someone was in a relationship, the less negatively they looked on situations, therefore making them less neurotic . 'For instance, they react more strongly to negative stimuli and have a tendency to interpret ambiguous situations negatively instead of positively or neutrally.' Researchers found that the longer someone was in a relationship, the less negatively they looked on situations. 'The positive experiences and emotions gained by having a partner change the personality - not directly but indirectly - as at the same time the thought structures and the perception of presumably negative situations change,' added researchers. | Study by psychologists of the German Universities of Jena and Kassel .
Being in a relationship stabilises your personality .
Makes you less likely to display neurotic tendencies . |
124,270 | 2ca5766281e7cb827818176bb9129d65d1821bb1 | By . Associated Press . The Mississippi martial arts instructor who tried to frame an Elvis impersonator of sending ricin-laced letters to the President has tried to change his original guilty plea by saying that he wants a chance to prove his innocence. James Everett Dutschke pleaded guilty in January to sending the tainted letters to Obama as well as Republican Senator Roger Wicker and Mississippi judge Sadie Holland. He was set to be sentenced Tuesday in Aberdeen, Mississippi but when he was in court, he told U.S. District Judge Sharion Aycock that he is innocent and wanted a chance to prove it. Changing stories: James Everett Dutschke argued today that FBI agents and federal prosecutors committed perjury, specifically regarding his DNA allegedly found on a dust mask (pictured today) Dutschke argued FBI agents and federal . prosecutors committed perjury, specifically regarding his DNA allegedly . found on a dust mask. Dutschke said he was making a harmless organic fertilizer not poisonous ricin. He . was so confident that the substance was harmless that he offered . prosecutors a 'free shot' by letting him eat the remaining substance . that's in evidence. 'I will . dump the contents of the two remaining letters on a peanut butter . sandwich and eat it and wash it down with a glass of chocolate milk,' Dutschke said. Chad Lamar, the chief federal prosecution in the case, said there was not perjury. 'The . defendant is simply mistaken,' Mr Lamar told Judge Aycock. Hoping for freedom: James Everett Dutschke originally entered a guilty plea for sending ricin-laced letters to the President and other officials but said in his sentencing on Tuesday that he wants to change that (pictured in April 2013) 'The mask he threw in . the coffee grinder box was the mask that tested positive.' Aycock did not rule immediately, saying she would look at arguments from the defense and prosecution. 'Your filing the motion to withdraw does not necessarily mean the court will grant it,' Judge Aycock told Dutschke. 'I do want you to understand that your withdrawal is in the discretion of the court.' She said she will likely hold a hearing before ruling on Dutschke's request. The ricin case drew national attention not only because of the threat to the President but also because of the internal small-town dynamics at play in the subsequent investigation. Rivals: Dutschke, a martial arts instructor (left), tried framing his longtime enemy Paul Kevin Curtis (right), an Elvis impersonator, of sending the letters last spring . Prosecutors in that case said Dutschke was trying to frame Paul Kevin Curtis, a longtime enemy and Elvis impersonator, who was briefly jailed before Dutschke was jailed in his place. The ricin charges are separate from three cases where he admitted to inappropriately touching three young girls who were students at his martial arts studio in Tupelo, Mississippi. Today's court appearance and his attempt to change his plea in connection to the ricin plot is not expected to have an effect on his admission of guilt for fondling three girls, who were 8- to 10-years-old when the incidents occurred from 2007 to 2013. | James Everett Dutschke originally entered a guilty plea for the ricin-sending case but has now asked to change it .
Claims the material that he sent to President Obama and other government officials was harmless .
Offered to 'dump the contents of the two remaining letters on a peanut butter sandwich and eat it' to prove it is not fatal .
Initially tried to frame his longtime enemy, an Elvis impersonator, with the crime . |
23,545 | 42db4893c225a088b761d7ebe8f6765bb84cee12 | The war of words over Delon Armitage’s three-month ban continued as disciplinary chiefs branded the former England international ‘an habitual offender’ with ‘an appalling disciplinary record’. Armitage was found guilty of conducting himself in an unsportsmanlike manner at Welford Road earlier this month, with details of the Toulon full back’s post-match bust-up with Leicester supporters revealed by Sportsmail. His lengthy suspension prompted a furious backlash from comic-book tycoon Mourad Boudjellal, who owns the Top 14 club and threatened to sue those who testified against the 31-year-old. Toulon's Delon Armitage was described by an official disciplinary committee as 'an habitual offender' The 31-year-old appeared in front of the independent panel following allegations he had sworn at some fans . Toulon supporters hold pictures of Armitage during the French Top 14 match between Toulon and Lyon . The independent disciplinary panel released their full judgment on Sunday and revealed that Armitage, who pleaded not guilty, admitted to twice telling Leicester supporters to ‘f*** off’ after the 25-21 defeat in the East Midlands. ‘We considered the player’s previous record and concluded that he is an habitual offender against the laws of the game, and one for whom there needs to be a deterrent to combat a clear pattern of offending, both on and off the field,’ read the judgment. ‘The player is without doubt an exceptionally talented individual, but he has an appalling disciplinary record, both on and off the field.’ In his time at London Irish the fullback was banned for five weeks for a dangerous tackle on Bath's Tom Biggs . The England star was also suspended from the Saxons squad after being arrested for an alleged assault . Armitage’s comments were made in earshot of children and his previous history counted against him when the three-man committee made their judgment. His latest rap is likely to be challenged by Toulon. The player was found not guilty of calling supporters ‘inbred *****’ at half-time but was found guilty for an altercation witnessed by Leicester fan Stephen Hampson, whose 11-year-old son approached Armitage for an autograph. ‘The player signed Master Hampson’s programme, though he declined to be photographed with him,’ said the judgment. ‘As the player left the pitch-level walkway and started to go up the steps, there was an interaction with a group of Tigers fans. Armitage faced a disciplinary hearing for this dangerous high tackle on Scotland's Chris Paterson . Northampton Saints fly half Stephen Myler was the victime of a punch by Armitage - then of London Irish . Armitage comes to blows with Munster's Keith Earls after a late tackle on his team-mate Paul Hodgson . ‘The player admitted in his evidence that he had sworn at them and had used the words “f*** off” twice and raised his hand/arm in a dismissive wave away, which he had not intended to be threatening. ‘Mr Hampson told the committee that the player seemed very agitated and was shouting in an intimidating and threatening manner and used the words “f*** off, I’ll f****** come down there and sort you out. F*** off — come on then, come on then f*** off”.’ In his defence, Armitage said that he had been the subject of ‘banter and abuse’. His previous disciplinary record meant the ban was extended from eight to 12 weeks. The judgment read: ‘We were not impressed by the player when he gave evidence and was questioned.’ The Toulon star holds aloft the 2013 Heineken Cup with Jonny Wilkinson following their win against Clermont . | Toulon's Delon Armitage stood in front of a rugby union disciplinary panel .
A hearing was called after a post-match incident led to an official complaint .
The disciplinary chiefs described the 31-year-old as 'an habitual offender'
Armitage was found guilty of misconduct and given a 12-week ban .
The England international admitted to using the words 'f*** off' twice .
It was said that there were around 12 children aged eight to 14 in the immediate area .
The hearing told that Armitage insisted his actions were not threatening . |
93,495 | 043eb0ea3f6fa831cefd1fedc8d8b2293f521c39 | (CNN) -- Steve Jobs often responded directly to fans and customers by e-mail, which were then posted to blogs, but a curious thing happened after the late Apple co-founder resigned in August and quieted his digital communications. E-mails from the new CEO, Tim Cook, began landing in the inboxes of enthusiastic Apple fans and on the same blogs that followed Jobs' every word. Cook replied to several people who sent notes of congratulations. "Thanks Gary," he told Gary Ng, who blogs for iPhone in Canada. "Thanks Zech," he told Zech Yohannes of Denver, Colorado. Cook graduated from Auburn University and is known to be a fan of its sports teams. So when an apparent graduate of his alma mater sent Cook a congratulatory e-mail, he responded: "Thanks Justin. War Eagle Forever!" Like Jobs before him, Cook has also started handling customer-relations inquiries. One person e-mailed Cook bemoaning the loss of file-and-preference synchronization in the transition from Internet services MobileMe to iCloud. The message was forwarded to the executive relations team that Jobs regularly tapped for similar e-mails, and a representative responded by calling the sender and explaining that Apple is open to bringing those features back if the company receives enough feedback requesting them. Boston-based blogger Ben Gold offered Cook a line of unsolicited advice when Jobs' deputy was named as Apple's chief. "I honestly have no recollection of sending this email (to Cook). It was actually a really stupid thing for me to write," Gold wrote on his blog afterward. "I'm totally qualified to be giving advice to the new CEO of one of the largest tech companies in the world, right?" What Gold wrote in his e-mail was this: "Don't be Steve Jobs, be Tim Cook." To his surprise, Cook wrote back. He replied: "Don't worry. It's the only person I know how to be." | After Steve Jobs resigned as CEO, new chief Tim Cook began replying to fans' e-mails .
Jobs replied to fans' e-mails throughout his tenure at Apple .
Cook has graciously accepted congratulations from fans . |
28,313 | 504d814f36952cf8a9eb70c1a030751900ed8c2f | Arnetta Welch, 42, pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension in two vicious gang killings in Camden, New Jersey . A mother has admitted that her home was the site of a gang-related double slaying and she helped two of her children conceal evidence after the killings. Arnetta Welch, 42, of Camden, New Jersey, pleaded guilty in Superior Court on Wednesday to hindering apprehension in the deaths of Burlington County couple Michael Hawkins, 23, and Muriah Huff, 18. The pair's bodies were buried in shallow graves behind Welch's house after the couple was tortured, beaten, gagged, stabbed and shot for hours at the home in February 2010, the South Jersey Times reported. Welch is thought to have purchased cleaning supplies and removed evidence of the brutal killings. She is expected to get a two-year probation term when she's sentenced in March. Her children Shatara Carter, 19, and Dennis Welch, 24, were among 10 defendants, believed to be members of the Bloods gang, who are serving 297 years in prison for various counts in the double murder. Carter, who was 14 at the time of the killing, was prosecuted as an adult and pleaded guilty last year to aggravated manslaughter and is serving 22 years in the death of Ms Huff. The young Welch pleaded guilty to the same charge in 2013 and is serving 25 years in the death of Mr Hawkins. The young man was beaten and stabbed before being shot. Arnetta Welch helped clean up after her children Shatara Carter (left) and Dennis Welch (right) were involved in a gang-related killing . Ms Huff was said to be beaten with a chair until it broke apart and choked before dying when she had a plastic bag put over her head, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported. Carter said at trial that her mother had tried to step between then-25-year-old gang leader Kuasheim Powell and Ms Huff during her beating. The younger Welch told police that he stayed with his mother in a nearby room for an hour and listened to music after saying that she didn't need to be involved in the incident. Gang members said they covered Mrs Welch's eyes as she left the room. The killers ranged in age from 14 to their mid-twenties. Muriah Huff, 18, was tortured before being killed along with boyfriend Michael Hawkins, 23, at Arnetta Welch's home in Camden, New Jersey . The bodies of Mr Hawkins, thought to be involved with the rival Crips gang, and Ms Huff weren't discovered for three days. Mr Hawkins, from Mount Holly, New Jersey, was killed over a gang dispute and a stolen bottle of liquor, authorities say. Ms Huff, from Cinnaminson, New Jersey, had accompanied Hawkins to the home and was killed to prevent her from identifying the attackers, they say. Camden routinely ranks high on lists of the most dangerous cities in America, though its murder rate has fallen in recent years. | New Jersey's Arnetta Welch, 42, pleaded guilty to hindering apprehension .
Children Shatara Carter and Dennis Welch were among 10 in gang killing .
Michael Hawkins, 23, and Muriah Huff, 18, were tortured before being killed .
Ms Huff bashed with chair until it broke apart and choked .
Mrs Welch had attempted to step between Ms Huff and her killers .
Mother expected to receive two-year probation term at sentencing . |
131,254 | 35bb0eef3c7230c4ef806d0af0967eefbbe36137 | By . Bianca London . Is your habit giving you wrinkles? The repetitive pursing of the lips can cause permanent creases and lines, and toxins found within cigarettes can weaken the muscles around the mouth, leading to an increase in women seeking non-surgical treatment . Yellow teeth, bad breath and lung disease are just some of the unwanted side effects of smoking but now female smokers are seeking surgery to help ease mouth wrinkles caused by the habit too. With recent research revealing that a higher percentage of women are choosing to quit the habit altogether, one company has seen a surge in women seeking treatments to tackle what has been dubbed as the 'Pack a Day Pout' in a bid to rectify years of damage. CACI, a company who provide non-surgical solutions, claims to have seen a 78 per cent increase in women looking for non-surgical treatments to help ease the lines that have appeared due to smoking. Dean Nathanson, MD of CACI . International, explains: 'The lines are due to the repetitive . pursing of the lips and can cause permanent creases, and toxins . found within cigarettes can weaken the muscles around the mouth - this . encourages grooves to appear on the epidermis which can be really . difficult to remove.' In . response to this increasing demand, CACI has launched the £25 Ultimate Lip . Plump - a 20 minute non-surgical treatment that claims to work by utilising a . combination of resurfacing techniques and patented 'wrinkle comb' technology. This, combined with high frequency . electrical stimulation and photo skin rejuvenation, claims to serve as . a non-invasive alternative to dermal fillers. The Pack A Day Pout is no new phenomenon and the cosmetic industry has been cashing in on the side effects of smoking for a while. Speaking about the effects on the lips and possible treatments, Dr Mark Holmes from McIndoe Surgical Centre said: 'Smoking increases lines by reducing blood flow to the area, direct damage from the heat of the cigarette and repetitive pursing of the lips. Before and after: CACI has launched the Ultimate Lip Plump - a 20 minute non-surgical treatment that claims to work by utilising a combination of skin resurfacing and patented wrinkle comb technology to beat the 'bar code' lines above the lips . 'I use volbella. A soft dermal filler by Juvederm to break up these lines - what I refer to as "bar codes". Results last up to 12 months.' Mr Brent Tanner, Consultant plastic surgeon who works out of the Spire Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Nuffield Health Brighton Hospital and Montefiore, Hove, added: 'The orbicularis oris muscle is a circular muscle around the mouth. When you smoke, suck, etc, it goes into activity. Beat the lines: CACI's treatment uses high frequency electrical stimulation and photo skin rejuvenation, which claims to act as a non-invasive alternative to dermal fillers . 'For people that smoke, this process is continually happening and so the skin above the muscle wrinkles, because all the little fibrous bands between the muscle and the skin are moving and the skin’s thickness, is thinned. 'Therefore, over the years, these wrinkles become very deep. If a person were to stop smoking these wrinkles would not get any worse and theoretically they might improve because the collagen in the skin can reform, however they are unlikely to completely go.' Dr Vincent Wong added: . 'Smoker's lines are very difficult to get rid of (especially when . they are deep) and usually require multiple sessions and a combination . of various treatments e.g. microneedling, Botox injections and . strategic placement of dermal fillers.' 'Treatments for this area include Botox into the actual lip area to stop them moving - however the problem is that this could potentially cause a lop-sided smile,' said Mr Brent Tanner. 'Fillers can be injected into the wrinkles and if done appropriately they can work as they thicken the skin. 'Another option is deep peels, such as a CO2 laser and phenol peels. They "burn" the skin down to the level of the wrinkle and it then re-heals and regenerates more smoothly. 'However, this is quite an aggressive treatment and you have to be very careful to stay out of the sun until it has completely healed.' Dr Raina Zarb Adami said:1. The ageing process: as we age, loss of fat under the skin occurs. This usually acts as a strut and support to the overlying skin. The middle layer of skin (the dermis), due to cessation of production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, and the epidermis thins. These depletions result in a thinner skin on the upper lip which therefore wrinkles. Also, with age, the cutaneous (white) upper lip lengthens and the red (vermilion) lip shortens and inverts into the mouth, appearing thinner. 2. Repeated action of the muscle around the mouth (there is a muscle surrounding the mouth opening lying immediately under the skin of the red and white lips, called orbicular is oris) cuses these wrinkles to appear more (same as the wrinkles that appear not he forehead in people who frown a lot). Skin wrinkles always occur in a direction perpendicular to the underlying muscle fibres. 3. Smoking accelerates the ageing process due to direct deleterious affect on elastin and collagen and on the enzymes which break down these building blocks (matrix metalloproteinases) Foundations with wrinkle-busting properties may have taken the beauty world by storm last year but this summer is all about lip glosses with anti-ageing benefits and the beauty maestros at NARS have the first offering. With a new formulation, NARS Lip Glosses claims to contain nourishing ingredients that hydrate and smooth fine lines leaving lips soft and supple. The addition of Sea Lavender claims to help protect against signs of ageing. Scientific results have proven that Sea Lavender Peptides, which are rich in the potent antioxidant polyphenol, significantly limit the stress on the skin caused by harmful UVA rays and radiation. With a new formulation, NARS £19.50 Lip Glosses claims to contain nourishing ingredients that hydrate and smooth fine lines leaving lips soft and supple . | Lines due to repetitive .
pursing of lips and can cause permanent creases .
Toxins in cigarettes weaken muscles around the mouth and cause grooves .
CACI launched £25 lip plumping treatment in response . |
248,915 | ce1d69f070fa37a6b341fe0fefefd112ad9e2c5d | Myitkyina, Myanmar (CNN)On the surface, this riverfront town looks prosperous, peaceful and green; a trading hub that profits from lucrative gemstone mines located in the hinterland of Myanmar's northern Kachin State. Dig deeper, though, and a dark undercurrent exists -- what community leaders say is a major heroin epidemic. Even on the campus of Myitkyina University, used syringes spill out of metal garbage bins marked with signs urging users to properly dispose of drug paraphernalia to avoid the spread of infections like HIV. More needles litter the rocky banks of the Irrawaddy River, near the terminal where boatmen ship fuel, vegetables and the occasional foreign tourist up and down the waterway. Community leaders offer shockingly high estimates for drug use among young people in this part of Myanmar. "Every family has this drug problem... I think 65% or 70% of young people use drugs," says Reverend Samson Hkalam, the head of the Kachin Baptist Convention, the largest group of churches in the state. "The drug is the first enemy of the Kachin people," he adds. How heroin kills you . Conflict zone . The Kachin are an ethnic and predominantly Christian religious minority in Myanmar, which is a majority Buddhist country. For much of the last half century, Kachin State has also been a battleground in a conflict between Myanmar's military and an insurgency led by militants from the Kachin Independence Army. Some Kachin community leaders argue drug abuse now claims more lives than the decades-long conflict, which is estimated to have forced more than 100,000 people to flee their homes in the last three years. But this claim is challenged by the top counter narcotics police commander in Myitkyina. In a phone conversation with CNN, Sai Thein Zaw downplays the sight of used heroin syringes on the town's streets. "Drug problems are not unique to Kachin state or Myanmar for that matter," he says, before claiming that government efforts to combat the region's drug problem have been successful. But a recent United Nations report suggests otherwise. The United Nations' Office on Drugs and Crime says poppy production in Myanmar more than doubled between 2006 and 2013, while opium production jumped 26% from 2012 to 2013. Myanmar ranks as the world's second largest producer of opium after Afghanistan. Desperate measures . In Myitkyina, desperate times call for desperate measures. Community leaders send out volunteers to clean used needles off the streets, while church groups organize raids against suspected drug dealers, sharing photos and videos of what they say are confiscated narcotics that they subsequently burn. In one unusual video filmed and released by the group Ram Hkye (or "Save Youth"), a pastor wearing a motorcycle helmet preaches through a megaphone at more than a dozen men squatted on a dirt road with syringes bulging from their biceps and hands. The pastor, backed up by a man playing guitar, distributes religious pamphlets to the heroin users, one of whom claps listlessly along with a hymn as a needle protrudes from one of his veins. Community groups have also gotten into the business of addiction treatment. At least a half dozen faith-based rehabilitation centers have sprung up in areas around Myitkyina in the last two years. One of them, the Light of the World camp, is a compound on the banks of the Irrawaddy surrounded by 10-foot high aluminum walls as well as a guard tower. The main gate to the compound locks from the outside. There is no handle on the inside of the gate. "We need to have the walls," says Zau Tu, a pastor leading the team who was treating at least 18 patients at the camp. "If they (the patients) can't see anything around them, it calms them down." For those patients who can't control their urges, there are more drastic measures available, including a cage next to the camp's bamboo chapel. "If they commit crimes, if they fight each other, they go in the penalty box," says Zau Tu. 'Jesus not methadone' At faith-based rehabilitation camps like Light of the World, counselors don't administer methadone -- the synthetic opioid often used to treat heroin addicts. "We use the words of Jesus instead of methadone," explains Nding Ahga, a recovered heroin addict and former rock star who runs the Youth for Christ Center, about a mile up the river from Light of the World. Ahga's camp is not walled. But patients spend their first week in rehabilitation overcoming drug withdrawal symptoms while locked in a prison-like room that Ahga called the "prayer room." All 12 of Ahga's patients are laborers who said they had come from the jade mines of Hpakant, located several hours' drive northwest of Myitkyina. No San, 29, showed the track marks and scars left in his arms and veins after years of heroin abuse. "I was hot, I was burning," he recalls, describing his first agonizing week of heroin withdrawal. He and the other patients say heroin and other drugs are bought and sold in the open in an outdoor market near the jade mines. "We can get drugs easily everywhere in Hpakant," No San adds. "All of the miners take drugs. It's not strange for us. You can buy drugs at the store easily." Nding Ahga shares footage he filmed secretly during a recent visit to one of the heroin bazaars in Hpakant. The video shows a row of crude shops and stalls that also served as a "shooting gallery," an area where drug users could inject heroin in the open without fear from law enforcement officers. Asked why counter narcotics officers do not intervene in Hpakant, Sai Thein Zaw of the Central Committee for Drug Abuse Control in Myitkyina blames the Kachin insurgency. "It is difficult to work in places like Hpakant because peace has not been achieved between the government and Kachin State," he says. "So it is hard to implement programs that work toward eliminating drugs in the region." Worst yet to come . Despite state and community-led efforts to battle the drug trade, many community leaders predicted the worst was yet to come in Kachin. Due in part to high unemployment in the region, Reverend Hkalam says many recovering addicts quickly relapse after rehabilitation treatment. "We see that the main problem is follow-up and vocational training," he says. "Because if they go back home, jobless, it's very easy to return to the drugs again." The scene at an overgrown cemetery near a camp for families displaced by the conflict underscores the scale of the heroin epidemic. Hundreds -- if not thousands -- of empty syringe wrappers litter the ground around crypts and tombs that had been nearly swallowed by vegetation. Used syringes and glass vials lay amid the graves. Against this macabre backdrop of death and drug abuse, our team encounters a couple of men injecting heroin at sunset. Surprised by foreign visitors, the men hastily hide their needles. One of the men, who identifies himself only as a 30-year-old farmer, uses leaves from a bush to wipe away blood dripping down his arm as he speaks. He says he can buy a dose of heroin for as little as 4,000 kyat, which is roughly equivalent to four U.S. dollars. "If I have more money, I will use more [heroin]," the man says. "There are no limits if I have money." After a 10-minute conversation, both drug users climb onto a motorcycle and ride away along the syringe-strewn path between the tombstones. Their used needles lie discarded in the grass. | CNN team encounters problem with heroin addiction in Myanmar's northern Kachin State .
Region has been unstable for decades due to conflict between government forces and rebels .
Community leaders estimate 65% to 70% of young people use drugs here .
Church and community groups battling to help addicts rehabilitate . |
135,131 | 3accbd1c480c13df8ea8b4a10a6f21fc8fb6555f | By . Leon Watson for MailOnline . The United Arab Emirates has advised its citizens to stay away from several shopping and nightlife districts in central London because of the danger of crime. London is one of the most popular destinations for Gulf Arab tourists looking to escape brutal summer heat. Many flock to the capital's most expensive areas such as Mayfair and Knightsbridge. However, reports of an attack on three Emirati women and their children at a London hotel in April and a masked robbery of an Emirati couple in their London apartment shocked the public in the UAE, where crime rates are low. Scroll down for video . The United Arab Emirates has advised its citizens to stay away from Oxford Circus in the commercial heart of Central London . A statement on the UAE's foreign ministry website told citizens to avoid areas 'where pickpocketing, fraud and theft are frequent and where it is not advised to live'. An attached map singled out Edgware Road, the area between Marble Arch and Tottenham Court Road, and the Oxford Circus and Bond Street area. It also identified Shepherd's Bush and Queensway as areas that were 'less dangerous'. When asked about the UAE foreign ministry's advice, the Metropolitan Police said London was one of the safest major cities in the world and that crime was falling. 'There is absolutely nowhere in London which should be avoided,' Metropolitan Police Service Commander Makhdum Chishty said in a statement. 'We understand the incident involving Emirati nationals earlier this year was shocking, but it was also very, very rare.' Warnings: A map singled out Edgware Road, the area between Marble Arch and Tottenham Court Road, and the Oxford Circus and Bond Street area as being dangerous places . Police deal with an incident in Tottenham Court Road, London, where tourists from the UAE have been advised to avoid because of crime (file picture) Emiratis interviewed by Reuters were not concerned by the warning. Basma Al-Mazmi, a 20-year-old Emirati, said she was not deterred. 'If I didn't go to these places then where would I go? London is all about these places, you know?' she said. Amna Mohamed, a university student, said that some Emirati tourists drew unnecessary attention to themselves by wearing extravagant clothes and accessories. 'I would still go because I know those places and I know what to wear when going to them,' she said. | London is one of the most popular destinations for Gulf Arab tourists .
Many flock to the capital's most expensive areas such as Oxford Street .
But they are now being warned about the dangers of crime in London .
It follows reports of two attacks on Emirati citizens visiting the capital . |
277,844 | f3f02a8eb8c97a777116c88eadb416be8ab7ceec | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 09:22 EST, 24 June 2011 . Hackers: The logo of LulzSec, who Team Poison have threatened to expose the names of its members . A rival hacking group has threatened to name each of the members of LulzSec. TeaMp0ison, (Team Poison) are racing against the police to expose the names of those involved with the group, who have already brought down Sony, Sega and the FBI. LulzSec’s members use a range of pseudonyms to cover their tracks while exposing others. They include 'Sabu', the groups alleged leader, Nakomis and Topiary. Now though, a member of Team Poison has claimed it will show their true identities. In an interview with Fox News, Hex0010, a member of the group said: 'We're here to show the world that they're nothing but a bunch of script kiddies. 'We're going to let them do what they do. Then we're going to do what we do,’ he said. 'We're going to hit them hard.' Hex, who refused to reveal his true name, claimed the next person to be identified would be from California. He would not reveal further details. The claim come just days after police named the first alleged LulzSec member as Ryan Cleary, a 19-year-old from Essex who was arrested on Monday. Cleary was later charged with a five offences and appeared in court yesterday. The loner is said to be helping . police with their probe into the organisation, with officers given three . extra days to question him about offences in America. Members? Sven Slootweg, left, who has had his website defaced by Team Poison, while Ryan Cleary has been charged by police for his involvement . The outcome of the investigation could lead to Cleary being extradited. LulzSec has since distanced itself from the teenager, using a Twitter account to claim the British police were 'desperate' and that they had arrested 'someone who is, at best, mildly associated with us.' Accused: Alleged member of LulzSec Casey Gardiner is seen here in his Marine uniform . However Hex believes that Cleary is connected with the group. 'Depends on how you look at it,' he continued. 'You can say he's one of the people that ran it, you can say he's a middleman. Depends on how you look at it. I think he's a middleman.' TeamPoison yesterday upped its attacks on users it believes are connected to LulzSec by defacing the website of Sven Slootweg. Slootweg, also known as Joepie, has been linked to the group but quickly issued a statement denying his involvement. He said: 'I am not a member of LulzSec (a statement I have made several times before in various places).’ Team Poison’s threats come just days after another hacking group, named Team Web Ninjas posted what they claimed where names, addresses, phone numbers and even pictures of what it considered LulzSec members. The group claimed that Sabu, a 34-year-old Brazillian, was the group's leader. They claimed to have full details but did not publish them. They also claimed that Slootweg was a member, alongside freelance journalist Barret Brown and a member of the U.S. Marines named Casey Gardiner. Team Poison are closely affiliated to the 'Mujahdeen Hacking Unit', which attacked Facebook in December 2010. They also have connections with the 'Pakistan Cyber Army'. Both groups are said to be anti-U.S., anti-Israel and anti-India. The group of computer hackers that infiltrated Sony and the CIA has leaked confidential details of law enforcement officers from Arizona in its latest on-line raid. LulzSec owned up to posting personal e-mails, intelligence bulletins, names, addresses and phoen numbers belonging to state Department of Public Safety workers. It said it carried out the hack because of opposition to an anti-immigrant bill that has been passed in Arizona. Several DPS workers said that within minutes of their details going on the Internet they had started receiving malicious phone calls and were trying to change their numbers. The raid came after LulzSec claimed credit for hacking into Sony's system and gaining access to data on its 100 million usersIt also defaced the PBS website and attacked the U.S. Senate and the CIA website. The new attack was on the Arizona Department of Public Safety because of the state's tough immigration enforcement law known as SB1070.LulzSec said in a statement it objected to the 'the racial profiling anti-immigrant police state that is Arizona'. It also plans to release 'more classified documents and embarrassing personal details of military and law enforcement' until its undisclosed demands are met. DPS officer Daniel Scott told the Washington Post that he had to get a new telephone number after his was posted on the Internet. 'I've never had it happen before. It's getting real annoying,' he said.'I let the department know and hopefully they can figure it out. I might have to change my phone number. It's all over the world.' Steven Loya, another DPS officer, also had his email and home address posted on-line. 'Well, they got my cellphone. It's not a good thing,' he told the Post.LulzSec started as an offshoot of hacking collective 4chan but has become notorious of late after British teenager Ryan Cleary was charged over his alleged involvement with LulzSec in cyber attacks on the CIA website. One of the charges also relates to bringing down the website of Britain's Serious Organized Crime Agency - the U.K.'s FBI equivalent - using a flood of traffic, in what is known as a 'distributed denial of service' attack.LulzSec has already taken revenge on two people it claimed had 'snitched' on them and landed Cleary in custody. And in a further sign of unrest a rival hacking group has now vowed to take down LulzSec members one by one as rivalry between such collectives intensifies. A member of TeaMp0isoN - pronounced Team Poison - said it would dismantle LulzSec because they were considered to be amateurs.'We're a group that consists of political hackers,' the 23-year-old calling himself 'Hex' said. 'A lot of people consider us being a religious type thing -- in reality it's not. When international governments are doing wrong and trying to hide from it, we're there.' Arizona DPS spokesman Steve Harrison confirmed its computer system had been breached and that additional security measures were being taken. A spokesman for the FBI's Phoenix division added it was aware of the situation but would not say if it was investigating. -by Daniel Bates . | Arizona police are the latest victims of LulzSec . |
286,695 | ff75250a363fc439e6acaebd4a2a4504ede11216 | By . Anthony Bond . PUBLISHED: . 07:26 EST, 5 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:37 EST, 5 February 2013 . A farmer who pocketed more than £100,000 in benefits after claiming he couldn't walk 10 metres unaided was caught on camera herding cattle and climbing over fences. David Millward was secretly filmed walking freely and carrying bags of animal feed around the field he rented in Coven, Staffordshire. He was also spotted climbing over a fence, . filling feeding trays and loading cattle into his trailer. He walked . without any aids and only displayed a slight limp. This is despite illegally . pocketing £75,532 in income support and £24,692 in disability living . allowance. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Jailed: Con man farmer David Millward pocketed more than £100,000 in benefits after claiming he couldn't walk 10 metres unaided but was caught on camera at work herding cattle and climbing over fences . Cheat: David Millward was also seen climbing a gate. Other images caught him filling feeding trays and loading cattle into his trailer . Jailed: Millward was today sentenced to 18 months in prison . Inquiries . revealed that he had been working as a self-employed livestock trader . and had been involved in the business since 1999. But . married 55-year-old Millward failed to mention this when he . successfully applied for income support and disability allowance in . 2003. Following a tip off, the scam was uncovered last year and the secret video was shot that . summer. Millward from Brewood, Staffs, pleaded guilty to two offences of cheating at Wolverhampton Crown Court. He admitted illegally claiming income support and illegally collecting disability living allowance. He was today sentenced at Wolverhampton Crown Court to 18 months in prison, with half to be served. Prosecution: Inquiries revealed that he had been working as a self-employed livestock trader and had been involved in the business since 1999 . Locked up: Millward can be seen in this image moving freely on his land . | David Millward was secretly filmed .
walking freely and carrying animal feed .
He was also spotted climbing over a fence and .
loading cattle into his trailer .
This is despite claiming £75,532 in income support .
He also claimed £24,692 in disability allowance .
55-year-old was today sentenced to 18 months in prison . |
257,937 | d9d0bc00bd9db2ea4744b279e35b8b3eb9fc27d2 | As police carted away evidence in brown paper bags, detectives refused to confirm reports that the 'suspicious package' found on a Sydney ferry was a bottle filled with liquid and nails. Detective Inspector Dave Richard Sydney City LAC said police would not comment on the nature of the item as it was 'early in the investigation'. However he did reveal that it was a member of the ferry staff and not a member of the other public who made the discovery. 'Our investigators are combing Circular Quay for CCTV at the moment and we will see exactly what transpired', Det Insp Richard said. NSW police deemed the object as 'not suspicious' around 3pm AEDT. The ABC reported earlier this afternoon that the item was a bottle with liquid and nails inside with wires hanging from the bottle. Scroll down for video . On the scene: Officers cleared Circular Quay train station and several wharfs during their investigations . An inscription on the top-right of the paper bag read 'evidence seal' Police were pictured carting away these paper bags from the scene of today's incident . Evacuated: Circular Quay was completely deserted as of 2:30pm AEDT . Two Navy landing craft were seen steaming nearby during police investigations, although a Navy official insisted they were not related to the incident . Deserted: Parts of Sydney's Circular Quay has been evacuated after a suspicious object was found on a ferry . Daily Mail Australia pictured officers carting away evidence from the ferry Friendship in brown paper bags. Meantime Wharf 5 at Circular Quay has been reopened and trains are now stopping at the station. The first service was expected to leave just after 4.30pm. An icecream store, a coffee shop and the ticket booth have all returned to business at the wharf. Emergency services were initially called to the scene around 1:30pm. Dozens of police vehicles including three police rescue vans blocked off Alfred Street in the CBD. Special operations officers entered the train station with large bags of equipment and helmets. Helicopters pictured two Navy landing craft steaming towards Sydney Harbour this afternoon, but a Navy official insisted their presence was 'purely coincidental'. Deserted streets: Police have evacuated Circular Quay around the station . A suspicious object was found on a ferry such as this . | A ferry worker discovered an object around 1:30pm this afternoon .
The worker raised the alarm and police evacuated parts of the Quay .
Normal train and ferry services have resumed .
Police would not confirm reports that the package was a bottle . |
157,026 | 57076fe281b80b8d9f20f1fbb0bfc210bfc84ae2 | A teacher has been arrested for allegedly raping a six-year-old girl at a public school in Bangalore, India, just one week after a nursery student was allegedly raped at a different school in the same city. Police arrested a 37-year-old Hindi teacher named Jaishankar last night after the alleged victim complained to her mother about pain in her genitals. She was taken to a doctor who confirmed she had been sexually assaulted. The mother then complained to the school. Anger: Demonstrators outside the nursery school in Bangalore, India, after a teacher allegedly raped a six-year-old girl in a school bathroom . Parents are furious after a series of rapes by current and former teachers in Bangalore schools of girls as young as three . The girl told police Jaishankar, who is understood to have a daughter at the same school, took her into the bathroom and abused her on two occasions. Police commissioner Alok Kumar said: 'The girl told her mother she was abused on October 28 and 29. JULY: Two gym instructors at the Vibgyor International School arrested and charged with the gang rape of a six-year-old girl. AUGUST: 63-year-old retired government employee teaching at a public school is accused of stripping a girl and molesting her. He is said to have abused seven girls over 45 days. OCTOBER 21: Three-year-old nursery student was allegedly sexually abused at another Bangalore school. OCTOBER 30: 37-year-old Hindi teacher accused of raping a six-year-old in a bathroom . 'We're questioning the Hindi teacher based on initial investigation.' Yesterday a large crowd of protesters gathered outside the school. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said: 'These cases are taking place particularly in private schools and we have issued circular to the management of the private school that they have to take care of this. We will take note of this and will act on this.' It is the fourth such case in the city since July. Last week a three-year-old nursery student was allegedly sexually abused at another Bangalore school. In July two gym instructors at the Vibgyor International School were arrested and charged with the gang rape of a six-year-old girl. And in August a 63-year-old retired government employee who taught at another public school was accused of stripping a girl and molesting her. He is said to have abused seven girls for 45 days. | Police arrested a 37-year-old Hindi teacher in Bangalore last night .
The alleged victim told police he abused her in a bathroom on two occasions .
She complained to her mother. Doctor confirmed she had been assaulted .
The teacher is understood to have a daughter at the same school . |
60,440 | abd1cde6d9050c6a6b49fd7ae9bda859cb322ef0 | By . Leon Watson . UPDATED: . 09:21 EST, 25 October 2011 . The audience will be expectant, and so will the performer. These are the first pictures of the brightly-coloured Brooklyn art gallery that's been converted into a bedroom - so an artist can give birth. Marni Kotak has created a cosy environment for the birth of her first child. It is brightly decorated with ocean blue walls, family pictures and photo-imprinted pillows and blankets of the mother-to-be. Everyday: Brooklyn-based performance artist Marni Kotak, who plans to give birth to her first child in front of a public audience . In the centre is an inflatable birthing . pool and air mattress for the midwife and doula lie near the bed. A . soundtrack of the ocean plays nonstop. Marni, 36, is a performance artist who has created a home-birth centre at the Microscope Gallery where she plans to deliver her baby as a work of art sometime in the next few weeks. The gallery has extended the days it is open to all seven days a week so Marni — as part of the project — can develop a rapport with members of the public who come to see 'The Birth of Baby X.' She and her painter-husband, Jason Bell, don't know the baby's gender and have not picked out a name. About 20 people a day stop by to talk to Marni or see the free exhibit, which opened on October 8. Visitors can leave contact information if they want to return for the birth. Marni said her audience 'won't be total strangers.' She said those who spend time talking to her about motherhood, birth and art and learning about the project will be notified when she goes into labor. If she's home at the time, she will go to the gallery. 'I'm developing an authentic relationship with these people,' she said. 'For me, it's like building a community of people who are really interested in this.' All set: Marni with her painter-artist husband Jason Robert Bell . About 15 people, mostly those on the list plus the birthing team, are expected to witness the birth — the most the room can comfortably hold. She doesn't plan to talk to her audience. 'However, I never know how a performance will progress and sometimes unexpected things happen,' she said. Marni's husband will document everything. No other cameras or video will be allowed. Should there be an emergency, a hospital is less than half a mile away. Marni, whose childhood was spent in Norwood, Massachusetts, said all her performances focus on everyday life experiences. She has been re-enacting events from her life for more than 10 years, including her own birth, losing her virginity in 'a sunny blue Plymouth' and her grandfather's funeral. Jill McDermid, a curator and co-director of the performance art Grace Exhibition Space in Brooklyn, called Marni's work 'daring, challenging and honest.' She said people shouldn't be shocked. 'The audience is very limited. Marni views them as people she can trust, who are interested in her work and in her,' Ms McDermid said. Expectant: Marni's performance will be at the Microscope Gallery in Bushwick, Brooklyn . Marni laughs as her artist-painter husband Jason Bell, plays with a rubber ball that is part of the birthing room . In combining the birth of her child with artistic expression, Marni said she wants to show 'this amazing life performance that... is essentially hidden from public view' and that addresses social taboos regarding the human body. Besides giving birth before an audience, she expects she will shower behind a clear plastic curtain during her labor and she plans to breastfeed her baby. 'She's in the tradition of using your life as your authentic material and shaping and forming it' — a tradition that goes back to 1959 when filmmaker Stan Brakhage recorded the birth of his first child as a work of art, said feminist artist Carolee Schneemann, whose own works deal with taboo themes of sexuality. 'She's vulnerable, she's exposed,' she said of Marni. 'It's the most basic visceral experience that also has the most taboos.' The entire gallery is given over to the installation, and Marni spends as much time there as she can. She carved out space for a tiny kitchenette and the portable shower with curtain pockets filled with photos from her three baby showers. And when she's not there, sitting on the bed or rocker, visitors have plenty of things to see in the small studio-sized space: A photo wallpaper border of Marni pregnant in a bikini on the beach; videos featuring some of her other performance art; a video projection over the bed of Marni and her husband on a beach; and a video from their Caribbean honeymoon shot through camera-equipped spyglasses. Ready: The gallery has been converted into a birthing room for Marni . The intimate space holds a double bed, originally Marni's grandmother's, then hers and later used to conceive Baby X. A wall display holds her pregnancy test and silver baby spoon and an altar displays the framed image of her ultrasound. Two 10ft high trophies tower near the bed — one for Marni for giving birth, the other for Baby X for being born. Amy-Clare McCarthy, 23, hopes to attend the birth. She missed the artist on a recent visit to the gallery but was impressed by the exhibit. All the components 'build up to that final event,' she said. 'I think it's really interesting to frame the birth as a performance piece,' said McCarthy, of Brisbane, Australia, who is doing a museum internship at MoMA PS. 1 in Queens. 'I'm interested in the blurring of art, of what makes art and what's life and how they're converging in the gallery space.' Henry Glucroft, co-owner of Little Skips Café next door to the gallery in Bushwick, said he found the exhibit 'interesting, crazy and intriguing.' 'I think the art project pushes people to question society's approach of giving birth, what our preconceptions are,' said Mr Glucroft. He declined to say whether he planned to attend the birth. Marni said she and her husband will share the details of the birth to their child 'over time as an organic process.' 'The overall message that we will communicate to the child is that he or she was born in an art gallery because, as artists, that is our sacred space, and in doing this we are telling the world and our child that his or her life is a precious work of art.' The exhibition runs until November 7. | Family pictures and personal decorations adorn Brooklyn gallery .
Audience of 15 expected to watch delivery in 'next few weeks' |
226,159 | b0dc06bb261dad85182547a6dbf8d17efc45563a | By . John Drayton . Mario Balotelli will bounce back from his disappointment with Italy at the 2014 World Cup and can even go on to match Zlatan Ibrahimovic's achievements for AC Milan, according to Christian Abbiati. Balotelli was part of the Azzurri squad which was knocked out of the World Cup in the group stage and has faced a summer of speculation about his future with Milan reportedly ready to cash in on him. But Milan goalkeeper Abbiati insists the striker can go on to become as important to the Rossoneri as Ibrahimovic, who scored 42 goals in 61 games and won the Serie A title during a two-year stay with the club. Recovery: Mario Balotelli can bounce back from Italy's struggles at the World Cup, says Christian Abbiati . Improvement: The AC Milan keeper also believes Balotelli can become as important as Zlatan Ibrahimovic . Silverware: Ibrahimovic scored the goals which led Milan to the Serie A title in 2011 . Serial winner: The Swedish striker has since gone on to win two Ligue 1 titles with Paris Saint-Germain . Wanted man: Balotelli has been linked with a move away from Milan with Arsenal reportedly interested . Abbiati told Gazzetta dello Sport:'He will be back in the squad bursting with enthusiasm after the World Cup. He wants to prove that things are different from how it went in Brazil. 'Can he become Milan's new Ibrahimovic? If he understands that he has to give his best in every training session, then yes. 'I am sure that with new coach Filippo Inzaghi he will succeed.' Milan finished eighth last season amid a managerial change and talk of dressing room unrest, but Abbiati believes the appointment of Pippo Inzaghi this summer can help the club get back on track. 'Inzaghi has brought a crazy enthusiasm, the team follows him as one. Inzaghi is a concrete example and credible because he is the first one that people respect.' Boss: Former Milan striker Pippo Inzaghi replaced Clarence Seedorf as coach of the club this summer . | Christian Abbiati backed Mario Balotelli to star for AC Milan next season .
The goalkeeper believes Balotelli must give his all in every training session .
Abbiati says Balotelli can become as key for Milan as Zlatan Ibrahimovic .
The Milan veteran also backs new coach Pippo Inzaghi to succeed . |
286,496 | ff376e74f43ee7112d3987640b8142f0156b6606 | (CNN) -- Ramiz Rafizadeh was driving past Syria's famous Ummayad Mosque in December when another vehicle abruptly cut him off. Two men got out and shot Rafizadeh to death in front of his deaf daughter, whom he had just picked up from her school in Damascus. "People who live in the neighborhood and witnessed the shooting talked to my mother and sister and said that the shooters were sitting in the car, waiting," said Rafizadeh's cousin Masoud. "The car was carrying pro-Assad slogans, similar to the cars used by Syrian intelligence." Rafizadeh's family wondered whether he was targeted because another cousin, Majid, is a U.S.-based Middle East scholar who has spoken out against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. But that's not the only possibility. 5 reasons Syria's war suddenly looks more dangerous . "Even though the neighbors said the gunmen were pro-Assad, the government told us terrorists killed him," Masoud Rafizadeh said. And that says much about the plight of Syria's Shiite community: a minority with many enemies, including an increasingly radicalized opposition that views them as outsiders and traitors and a desperate regime that questions their loyalty. The Alawite minority that dominates the Assad regime is an offshoot of Shiite Islam, but few Syrian Shiites are among its inner circle. "The minorities in Damascus, they are completely quiet; they don't want to side with any group. The minorities want nothing but to go to their place of worship and practice their faith." Majid Rafizadeh tells CNN. The Syrian government views minorities, including Shiites, Christians and Kurds, as a buffer against the rebels, who in turn have tried to recruit from among these groups. But many within the rebels' ranks are wary of the Shiites, suspecting some may have links to the Lebanese militia Hezbollah, whose fighters have begun appearing in Syria on the government's side. "(Shiites) end up being victims of a proxy war between rebels and the regime and are viewed with suspicion on both sides," said Abbas Barzegar, a professor of Islamic studies at Georgia State University. Barzegar says the Syrian revolution descended into civil war because of the sectarian nature of the opposition's rhetoric and its inability to control its sectarian tendencies. "The religious diversity of Syria was once a point of pride, so the destruction of this ideal has been catastrophic," he said. The Rafizadeh family's tale of horrors includes a niece and a nephew wounded in a car bomb blast, relatives turned refugees, assassinated cousins, kidnapped uncles and a family trapped by fear. "As my uncle left a funeral of a family who lost a teenage son, armed men took him and his sons by force from their car. My cousin who tried to resist was punched," Masoud says. Moyassar Saadi and his two adult sons were released after spending weeks as hostages of armed men claiming to be Free Syrian Army rebels. The family, however, believes the kidnappers were actually government forces posing as rebels in a bid to threaten Majid, the U.S.-based critic of the regime. Two days after his release, the 65-year-old father of four died of a heart attack. And it didn't end there. Kerry announces more aid to Syria . "On the New Years Eve of 2013, our cousin Issam was killed. He was heading back home with groceries where he lived in Sidi Miqdad in Damascus suburbs when armed men approached and shot him dead." Masoud says. "The government told us that the terrorist killed Issam, and those terrorists want to kill all Syrians. Issam was not a member of the public committees or pro-government militias, he was as innocent as Hamza al-Khateeb," Masoud says referring to the fatal torture and mutilation of a 13-year-old boy allegedly by Syrian intelligence during the outset of the uprising. The atmosphere of chaos means many minorities simply cannot know who or what group has attacked their loved ones and why. "You know, here in the U.S., we may ask, well, who did this? But for the families in Syria, it does not matter anymore. All they do is try and follow the kidnappers demands so they can get their relative back." Majid says. More than 1 million Syrians are now registered refugees in neighboring countries. The Rafizadeh family longs to flee the violence but remains trapped in a capital under siege. "I'm worried that the next target will be my mother or my sisters or my brother. I tried to get them out to Lebanon, but my mother is very sick and old; she can't walk." Majid says. "I try to call my family every two days to make sure everything is OK. But when I call, and they don't answer, I think someone has broken into the house and taken them or something." he adds. Majid and Masoud are Syrian Shiites of Iranian origin. Their family comes from a lower-class neighborhood in the Old City of Damascus. "In the Old City, we were close to different religions. We had Christians, Jewish, Sunni, Shiite. Growing up there it was more like a communal and collective society. People were always visiting each other, so there were strong ties between the families." Majid says. The brothers and their two sisters grew up in poverty during the secular regime of Hafez al-Assad. Members of his minority Alawite group were given top government and military positions, but Assad cultivated other minorities as a counterweight to the Sunni majority. Dissent of any sort was not tolerated. While Hafez al-Assad ruled Syria, the Rafizadeh brothers' father was detained and tortured by Syrian security forces for his involvement in a human rights campaign. Majid eventually escaped the crushing poverty and oppression, receiving a Fulbright teaching scholarship in the United States. Masoud remained in Damascus, quitting school by second grade to support his family by selling memorabilia and tea to tourists. When Hafez al-Assad's British-educated son Bashar succeeded him in 2000, Syrians hoped for political and economic reforms. They never materialized, and in March 2011 came the first protests against the regime. Six months later, a radical Sunni preacher issued dire threats against minority groups that did not support the uprising. "By Allah we will chop up their flesh and feed them to the dogs," Adnan al-Arour said in one of his inflammatory broadcasts on satellite station al-Wesal. As the civil war enters its third year, it is no longer a simple case of regime against rebels. There are overlapping and intersecting loyalties, foreign fighters and criminals taking advantage of chaos. "Mounting tensions have led to armed clashes between different armed groups along a sectarian divide. Such incidents took place in mixed communities or where armed groups had attempted to take hold of areas predominantly inhabited by pro-Government minority communities." a recent U.N. report concluded. "The people are being very cautious of all different groups. They are afraid of all groups. They are afraid of any group outside their home." Majid says. "The minorities are scared because there are a lot of rumors that there are some extremist radical Sunni groups. They believe that they have distributed fliers saying if you kill one person from a minority, we will pay 100,000 Lira, and there are videos where they mutilate the person." "The general view is very pessimistic for the minorities; the ones who can are leaving. They are immigrating to European countries. What they hope is that the opposition and Assad can reach an agreement. They don't care about the political structure. They just want the violence to stop," Majid adds. But there is every sign that the violence is becoming more sectarian and even more vicious. Earlier this year, fighters from the Sunni jihadist group Nusra Front, designated a terrorist organization by the United States sang "Just wait Allawi. We will come to slaughter you. Forget about any agreement ... We will come to slaughter you, Shiite." The Rafizadeh family clings to the hope that a political solution can be found. "I believe that most of the Syrians do not want to see violence in their homeland, and they want the safety and security to be back like it used to be. I don't get involved in politics and I don't want to. I want a normal life in Syria, and just want to live in peace," Masoud says. | Shiite family in Syria has endured attacks from all sides in civil war .
One cousin was shot dead in front of his daughter; others held hostage .
It's unclear whether attackers were with the Assad regime or the rebels .
Neither the government nor the rebels trust Shiites in Syria . |
140,574 | 41c5b20789a84059002cef70f71444c4232df72a | MOSCOW, Russia (CNN) -- As I raised my hands toward the ceiling and then pointed them toward my head, I had to wonder: How would the 19th-century Russian writer Nikolai Gogol feel if he knew that a bunch of foreigners were dancing the YMCA at a nightclub named after him? The iconic St. Basil's Cathedral in Red Square takes on a brighter, more colorful look at night. Gogol the man is considered the father of modern Russian realism, with works such as "Dead Souls." Gogol the cafe-club is considered a favorite hangout for Russians and expatriates alike, perfect for meals, coffee, fruity cocktails and music 'til everyone clears out around 2:30 a.m., when Moscow's "real" nightclubs heat up. Since the Soviet Union fell in 1991, Russia's capital city has progressed in many ways, breaking free of old social structures while struggling to maintain its cultural heritage. The city has preserved a lot of its old beauty, boasting monuments such as St. Basil's Cathedral and gorgeous landscapes such as Tsaritsino Park. At the same time, there are Internet cafes and 24-hour bookstores, and you'd be hard-pressed to meet someone who doesn't carry a cell phone. But, as an American studying abroad at Moscow State University, I sometimes felt perplexed in this immense modern metropolis that still makes certain familiar conveniences inconvenient. In Moscow, kiosks for adding money to your cell phone seem far more common than ATMs. Even nice restaurants with $40-minimum meals -- for example, the best beef stroganoff and fried cheese balls of your life -- accept only cash, no cards. After two weeks, I never figured out where to buy a nail clipper -- but I did see Vladimir Lenin's body, perfectly preserved since 1924. View more photos of Moscow » . At the university, I had to present a special ID card to one set of guards at the entrance, a dorm pass to another crew, and then confront a third layer of hallway-based security before arriving at my room. I also needed written approval from my floor's "administrator" to take luggage out of the building. Then, there's money. Moscow, or "Moskva" in Russian, holds the distinction of the world's most expensive city, according to Mercer's 2008 Worldwide Cost of Living Survey. Be prepared for fees from your bank and the Russian bank whenever you use an ATM. Try to stay away from touristy restaurants for meals, and do your souvenir shopping at Izmailovsky Market (Metro: Izmailovsky Park) instead of in stores. The expatriates I encountered all echoed the sentiment that Moscow is a city of constant stress. Maybe that's why I will always love most the Moscow I experienced at night. The monuments that look mildly impressive by day suddenly come to life with light against the onyx sky. You can look out over Sparrow Hills and see the endless glittering skyline, or settle down somewhere like Gogol (Metro: Tverskaya) for vodka-enhanced beverages and music from around the world. And, as long as you know "Mozhna?" ("May I?") and "Spasiba" ("Thank you)," it matters less that few people speak substantial English. Café Bilingua (Metro: Chistye Prudy) is another cozy place to mingle with locals and ex-pats for hours on end -- you can have your coffee in the tiny two-story book shop, or take it up to the restaurant and performance section. Another bar I liked is Etage (Metro: Pushkinskaya), right off Pushkin's Square near a large neon-light sculpture of flowers (how would the great poet feel about that?). Nightclubs dedicated to too-many-people-to-move dance floors don't start up until well after midnight. Propaganda (Metro: Lubyanka), conveniently located near the headquarters of the KGB, spins all kinds of dance music -- go on a Thursday evening for a less crowded experience. Then there's The Real McCoy (Metro: Barrikadnaya), so packed with people that merely crossing the room to stand in the bathroom line requires bumping bodies to the beat. At first we couldn't even get in because the bouncer shook his head at my Swiss friend. But, as always, it's all about who you know -- my Spanish friend's Spanish friend had VIP status, so we went as his entourage to an upscale restaurant-like room in the back. Part of my Moscow nightlife adventures included riding on an overnight train. For my trip from St. Petersburg to Moscow, I had been told at every ticket office that only seats were available. But upon boarding at midnight, I asked a crew member if I could have a bed. Five minutes and $80 later, the fleshy man who took my ticket had locked me into a less-than-closet-sized space with him. I prepared to claw at the door with my untrimmed nails and scream. "Close," he said. Then he unlocked it to demonstrate "open." He stepped out, gave me a stiff wave, and said, "See you in Moskva." I sighed and fell asleep on the child-sized mattress. Among the plethora of Moscow's unspoken rules: Do not talk in the elevators or hallways of your student dorm. Accustomed to the silence, one night I was surprised to hear the glorious sound of a Frédéric Chopin nocturne coming from behind a security guard's desk. "Mozhna?" I asked, pointing to the door his chair blocked. He just shrugged, so I quietly ducked behind him and pulled the handle. Behold, a secret two-story ballroom with tables and chairs and an upright piano in the corner, and a Russian student who abruptly lifted his hands from the piano keys when I sat down. We took turns playing (thus, my failed-love song "Sad Panda" debuted on a new continent) and, in broken but passionate English, he told me how he wished he could sound like the Russian-American pianist Vladimir Horowitz, and said he often comes with his friend to play around 9 p.m. As if it were the end of a great Russian novel, I never heard music in that hallway again. | The preserved body of Vladimir Lenin is on display in Moscow's Red Square .
Moscow has been named the world's most expensive city .
Izmailovsky Market has the best souvenir shopping at reasonable prices .
iReport.com: Show us your travel snapshots . |
246,881 | cb7dbf08ef9cf9b237eba288f05f3ba889f6b23c | Andre Schurrle impressed on his debut for Wolfsburg, claiming two assists in their 3-0 win over Hoffenheim. The Germany international, who joined Wolfsburg from Chelsea in a £24 million deal last month, provided team-mate Bas Dost with an inch-perfect cross to score from close-range after just three minutes. Schurrle then cracked a thunderous shot against the crossbar which fellow former Blues winger Kevin de Bruyne nodded into an empty net on the rebound on 28 minutes. Andre Schurrle joined Wolfsburg from Chelsea in a £24 million deal during the January transfer window . Schurrle congratulates team-mate Kevin de Bruyne after the Belgian scores Wolfsburg's second goal . Schurrle poses with Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking (left) and sporting director Klaus Allofs (right) When it became clear Chelsea wanted to sign the Colombian winger Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina, Schurrle was moved on to ensure the club's January dealings fell within Financial Fair Play regulations. The move seems to have benefited Schurrle, though, who will now relish a regular starting spot for Wolfsburg after falling out of favour at Stamford Bridge. De Bruyne sealed Wolfsburg's win with his second goal, which sees them sit second the Bundesliga table with 41 points, eight off the pace of leaders Bayern Munich but seven clear of third-placed Schalke. Wolfsburg's win sees them sit second in the Bundesliga with 41 points, eight behind leaders Bayern Munich . | Andre Schurrle grabbed two assists on his Wolfsburg debut .
Schurrle joined Wolfsburg in a £24m deal in the January transfer window .
He played alongside fellow former Chelsea winger Kevin de Bruyne .
Wolfsburg are second in the Bundesliga with 41 points . |
166,791 | 63ad43dfb927ede2515b6ad36b89ee136f3bc75d | By . Margot Peppers . Instagram users were outraged this weekend when the photo-sharing website appeared to have taken down a picture of two men kissing on their wedding day. Celebrity hairdresser Alberto Guzman posted the picture of himself and his husband Janeiro on Sunday in honor of Gay Pride Day, using a series of hashtags including #happy, #gaypride and #equalrights. But shortly after the photo went up, another user apparently flagged it as inappropriate, prompting the site to take it down - much to the disappointment of the couple and their followers. Reaction: Instagram users were outraged when this picture of celebrity hairdresser Alberto Guzman (right) and his husband Janeiro (left) on their wedding day was taken down . Pride: Mr Guzman (pictured left with his husband, whom he married in May after 16 years of dating) posted the photo using a series of hashtags including #happy, #gaypride and #equalrights . Mr Guzman, who married his make-up artist boyfriend of 16 years in May, voiced his outrage in a post on Instagram. 'I posted this photo of my wedding yesterday and Instagram took it off my . album for being "inappropiate", and on gay pride day of all . days,' wrote the hairdresser, who has worked with stars including Pink, Emily VanCamp, Bridget Moynahan and Molly Sims. The post attracted 160 'likes' and prompted dozens of people to re-post it and spread the word. 'Stunning photo,' wrote one friend. 'I don't see anything wrong with two people in love - amazing.' Another person said of the photo removal: 'Outrageous. Love you two! #love #pride #bestcoupleever'. Outcry: After someone apparently flagged the photo as inappropriate, prompting the site to remove it, supermodel Karen Elson was one of the people to jump to the couple's defense . Double standard: Many pointed out that Instagram has allowed pictures that are far more inappropriate . Even supermodel Karen Elson, who has more than 48,000 followers, jumped to the couple's defense, sharing the photo along with the caption: 'These 2 people just got married and the photo captured the moment, how can you find an expression of love offensive? #allyouneedislove'. 'The photo captured the moment, how can you find an expression of love offensive?' Others pointed out that the site has allowed far more inappropriate pictures. 'Crazy...especially when there's a gazillion half naked selfies on here daily!' commented one person. Instagram has since apologized and restored the original photo, calling the removal a 'mistake'. 'When our team processes reports from other members of the Instagram . community, we occasionally make a mistake,' a spokesperson told MailOnline. Unfair: Ms Nelson (pictured in November) wrote to her 48,000 followers: 'These 2 people just got married and the photo captured the moment, how can you find an expression of love offensive? #allyouneedislove' 'In this case, we wrongly . removed content and rectified the error as soon as we were notified. We . apologize for any inconvenience.' According to Instagram's community guidelines, users are not allowed to post pictures that contain 'nudity', 'mature content,' 'prohibited or illegal content' or 'extreme violence or gore'. 'If you wouldn’t show the photo or video you are thinking about uploading to a child, or your boss, or your parents, you probably shouldn’t share it on Instagram,' states the website. | Instagram has since apologized and restored the photo. A spokesperson said: 'We wrongly removed content and rectified the error as soon as we were notified. We apologize for any inconvenience' |
248,558 | cd9d9b0eab63815fa40ca2a820cca09c7b219e40 | By . Sarah Womack . PUBLISHED: . 07:43 EST, 27 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:41 EST, 27 January 2014 . It could have been a dog's life for Bluey who suffers from a seasonal allergy to the great outdoors - but no longer. The eight-year-old Weimaraner, from Pembrokeshire, South Wales, now wears special doggie boots throughout the cold months to overcome his paw ailments. Bluey was spending hours licking his paws after just a few minutes outside. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Come on you Bluey! The eight-year-old dog has rediscovered its zest for life . These boots are made for walking. Bluey overcomes his seasonal allergy with specialised footwear for dogs . Owner Julie Farr, 38, a nurse, had been aware of the problem since he was a puppy. But it worsened as soon as she moved away from the city. Thanks to a pair of special dog boots, Bluey can enjoy playing outside with his friend, Jack Russell Percy. Happy dogs mean happy owners, as Bluey romps through the grass with Julie and his best canine friend . Bluey wears boots throughout the winter months to overcome an allergy to the great outdoors . 'His feet were often inflamed and red. He would lick and bite them until I covered his feet in a blanket,' Julie said. 'I even tried tying carrier bags round his feet to ease the problem, but it wasn't very practical, so I found the boots online. 'At first he wasn't impressed, but now he will happily wear them.' It's no longer a dog's life for Bluey in his new boots . Bluey suffered a seasonal allergy and now wears special outdoors boots . As soon as the symptoms first appeared, Julie took Bluey to the vets, who was unable to diagnose exactly what the dog is allergic too, but said that it is likely to be something outdoors. The dog was already unable to eat any meat other than fish and turkey and had to take allergy tablets. Bluey had raw and inflamed paws before his new boots solved the problem . Bluey would spend hours licking his paws which were inflamed and raw . Paws for thought as boot is attached to Bluey . Julie said: 'If I give him tablets it has to Piriton - no other brand is safe for dogs. I also had to wash his feet in surgical soap, before putting E45 cream on and giving him some socks to wear to stop him biting at them. 'I decided to shop around and see if I could get Bluey some boots to wear. I couldn't stand to see my poor boy moping around.' Julie bought Bluey a set of Neo-Paws boots. Made in Canada, the boots strap to his feet using velcro. She said: 'I paid around $100 for them, but it's worth it for Bluey to feel better. The boots from Neopaws help Bluey overcome his allergy to the great outdoors . Doggie boots for dogs like Bluey, protect his paws, says his nurse-owner . Bluey's life worsened when his owner moved from the town to the country - but not any more, thanks to her efforts . Julie Farr and Bluey can enjoy the great outdoors again . 'It's lucky that it was Bluey and not Percy that needed the boots. If I so much as try to put a jumper on Percy he will refuse to move.' Bluey has now been wearing the boots for three weeks and his paws have almost fully recovered. Julie said: 'Bluey is getting on very well with the boots, prancing around like a puppy. 'He wasn't keen to put them on at all at first but I mentioned it to Ronnie, the lady at Neo-Paws, and she advised giving treats to encourage compliance, and just getting the boots on and going out so he doesn't have time to worry about them. 'He walked like a clown at first, very uncoordinated, but within a few minutes he was fine. He sounds like a horse now when he runs around. Julie and her dog can enjoy a day out in the country - thanks to his new boots . When are we going out? Bluey waits patiently for his next outing . Julie's dog problems are solved thanks to the boots from Canada . 'I think he quite likes them because they keep his feet warm and dry.' Neo-Paws' owner Roanna Sabeh-Azar describes her company as 'Nike to the dog world'. Bluey is waiting to have his boots put on, so he can go outside again . The outside world can be rough for canine companions if they are not dressed properly, she says, and her company specialises in pet clothing and other products. Products include orthopedic dog shoes and boots, dog safety jackets and vests, rain body suits, pet carriers, and dog and people jewellery. | Dog allergy sorted by $100 doggie boots which protect his paws .
Owner had tried everything, including tying carrier bags around his feet .
Bluey's now 'almost fully recovered' thanks to his new boots .
But you can hear him coming - Bluey 'sounds like a horse' when he runs . |
111,740 | 1c174147fe61bc4bbe3f6bc4f2633e370419dd30 | London, England (CNN) -- Britain's top legal official "misled" the government over the case for war in Iraq under pressure from then prime minister Tony Blair, a former Cabinet minister claimed Tuesday. Clare Short, who was Blair's international development secretary until she quit over the Iraq invasion, said Attorney General Peter Goldsmith withheld his own "doubts and changes of opinion" in giving the go-ahead for war. "I think he misled the Cabinet. He certainly misled me, but people let it through," Short told an inquiry into Britain's role in the March 2003 Iraq invasion. The inquiry -- Britain's fifth examination of its Iraq involvement -- has already grilled senior figures including Blair, former defense minister Geoff Hoon and Britain's top military commander Jock Stirrup. Short said that Goldsmith, who last week testified before the inquiry that he was initially ambivalent but later adamant over the legality of the war, was wrong to press the case. Goldsmith initially advised Blair in January 2003 that it would be unlawful to invade Iraq without a United Nations Security Council resolution but changed his mind a month later. "I think for the attorney general to come and say there's unequivocal legal authority to go to war was misleading." Short said Goldsmith was "leaned on" by Blair to agree to the war. "Lord Goldsmith said he was excluded from lots of meetings -- that's a form of pressure. "It was suggested to him that he go to the U.S. to get advice about the legal position. "You have got the Bush administration who have very low respect for international law. It seems the most extraordinary place in the world to go to get advice about international law." She added: "I think all that was leaning on -- sending him to America, excluding him and then including him." Her comments came just days after Blair appearance at the inquiry generated protests, with several hundred anti-war campaigners gathering outside the London venue chanting "Blair lied, thousands died" and other slogans. Blair denied claims he had struck a secret deal with U.S. President George W. Bush in 2002 pledging British backing for the invasion and said he believed "beyond doubt" his unfounded pre-war claim that Iraq was capable of launching chemical and biological weapons within 45 minutes. Blair: No 'covert' deal with Bush over Iraq . Analysts say involvement in the Iraq war remains a "live political issue" in the UK, because the same government -- now led by Gordon Brown -- was still power, whereas the parties of other leaders in the U.S. and Australia have been voted out of office. "The others have faced critical public scrutiny and been damaged by that," legal expert Glen Rangwala of Cambridge University told CNN. "The British haven't had a change of administration so in many ways it remains a live political issue because it reflects on people who are in government." CNN's Simon Hooper contributed to this report . | Ex-minister Clare Short says attorney general withheld doubts over Iraq war .
Short said Tony Blair leant on Lord Goldsmith to support UK involvement .
Inquiry is Britain's fifth examination of role in Iraq conflict . |
217,300 | a551289dbfe2881c30293b26f2b17a27b3075fbb | A new mother, who was committed to looking slim and healthy, worked out at the gym four times a week despite being pregnant - and now she's a finalist in a body competition. Jennifer Prosser, 27, would train six times a week before her baby bump appeared, running for up to an hour every day along with a half an hour toning session at her local gym and she didn't want to ditch her regime after falling pregnant. Jennifer, who lives in Didsbury, Manchester, said: 'When I turned 18 I enjoyed going out so I always made sure I was training to keep fit. Scroll down for video . Fighting fit: Jennifer Prosser, 27, trained six times a week before her baby bump appeared and she discovered she was expecting a baby girl. When she discovered she was pregnant, she continued to hit the gym four times a week and said it worked wonders . 'There was always a lot of peer pressure to look good during your teen years. I never wanted that to change even after I found out that I was pregnant with Madison. 'People always look at you when you're training with a huge bump in your belly - it almost feels like training when you're pregnant is frowned upon. 'But there's no doubting that there are great benefits as Madison was born fit and healthy.' The full-time mother, who gave up her job as a beauty therapist, even took up weight training during her pregnancy to keep her body in shape. Boyfriend Gavin Jones, 33, told Jennifer her body looked 'incredible' during her pregnancy but the mother said her fitness schedule turned many heads at the gym. Work hard, train hard: The fitness fanatic said she worked out lots before becoming pregnant and never wanted that to change (with Madison, above) Baby on board: The full-time mother, who gave up her job as a beauty therapist, even took up weight training during her pregnancy to keep her body in shape . Competitive: Jennifer is now in the running for Body Of The Year and despite her gruelling training regime still dotes on one-year-old Madison . 'Gavin actually said when I was giving birth that my leg and stomach muscles were working like crazy,' she said. 'I really had toned up. I just want to keep it up as much as I can and with a bit of luck I can hopefully win the Body of the Year title.' After the birth, Jennifer piled on two-and-a-half-stone and weighed 11st 7lbs. But within just 12 months of being a new mother she has shed the pounds and is now a size 8. Did it pay off? Jennifer says that when she was giving birth, her boyfriend noticed that her leg and stomach muscles were working 'like crazy' Chasing first place: Jennifer says she wants to keep up her regime as much as she can and with a bit of luck, she can win the Body of the Year title . Jennifer is now in the running for Body Of The Year and despite her gruelling training regime still dotes on one-year-old Madison. She said: 'I entered the competition through the Women's Health magazine at the beginning of the year. 'Then out of nowhere I got a phone call saying that I had been listed for the final 10 of the competition. 'I went to London where I had interviews about why I loved fitness so much and to do a range of photo shoots - it was a great experience. 'Then I found out I'd made the final five - I genuinely couldn't believe it. I just want to prove that mums shouldn't be scared to train while they're pregnant - I did and it worked wonders for me.' Is it safe? An NHS spokesman said: 'Exercise is not dangerous for your baby - there is some evidence that active women are less likely to experience problems in later pregnancy and labour' Judging: Speaking about working out when carrying, she said: 'People always look at you when you're training with a huge bump in your belly - it almost feels like training when you're pregnant is frowned upon' Jennifer beat more than a thousand entrants to be named in the top 10 of the competition and qualified for the final five in August. A spokesperson for the NHS said: 'The more active and fit you are during pregnancy, the easier it will be for you to adapt to your changing shape and weight gain. 'It will also help you to cope with labour and get back into shape after the birth. Keep up your normal daily physical activity or exercise for as long as you feel comfortable. In the running, literally: The former beauty therapist beat more than a thousand entrants to be named in the top 10 of the competition and qualified for the final five in August . 'Exercise is not dangerous for your baby - there is some evidence that active women are less likely to experience problems in later pregnancy and labour. 'You may need to slow down as your pregnancy progresses or if your maternity team advises you to. 'If in doubt, consult your maternity team. As a general rule, you should be able to hold a conversation as you exercise when pregnant. 'If you become breathless as you talk, then you're probably exercising too strenuously.' Voting for the competition ends on October 3. To vote for Jennifer, visit: http://www.womenshealthmag.co.uk/fitness/fitness-blog/1813/the-body-of-2014 . | Jennifer Prosser would train six times a week before falling pregnant .
Wanted to keep up exercise regime when pregnant .
Visited gym and did weight training and said it paid off .
Now in final five for Women's Health Body Of The Year competition .
NHS say exercise will help you to cope with labour and get back into shape . |
44,837 | 7e614d2944ef02da2e358cf1cf5785722f6de0ce | Four men have been detained by police as part of an investigation into the takeover of Glasgow Rangers Football Club in 2011. Gary Withey, David Grier, Paul Clark and David Whitehouse were held during early morning raids at a number of addresses across the UK. Police Scotland have been investigating the sale of Rangers from Sir David Murray to Craig Whyte for over a year. Controversy: Sir David Murray, pictured left, sold Rangers to Craig Whyte (right) for £1 in May 2011 . Mr Clark, Mr Whitehouse and Mr Grier worked for Duff & Phelps, the firm appointed as Rangers' administrators. Mr Withey worked for law firm Collyer Bristow, which represented Craig Whyte before he bought Rangers from Sir David Murray for £1 in 2011. The men were held in an operation which involved officers from Surrey Police, Cheshire Police and Thames Valley Police. A Police Scotland spokesman said: 'Following a Police Scotland operation on Friday November 14, four men have been detained as a result of the ongoing investigation into the alleged fraudulent acquisition of Rangers Football Club.' Rangers manager Ally McCoist said: 'Obviously I can't or wouldn't comment on a current police matter, but I would have to say I'm shocked. 'Obviously I can't pre-judge what is going to happen. 'Our concern has always been for the staff and supporters. What's happened to us in the last two and a half, three years has been very tough, particularly on the staff and supporters. 'We just want to continue with out attempts to get the club back to where we feel we belong.' It marks the latest development in three years of controversy for the blighted club. Four men were detained by police on Monday as part of an investigation into the 2011 takeover of Rangers . In May 2011, Mr Murray, apparently under pressure from his bankers to recoup a club overdraft of about £18million amid huge debts in his own business empire, sold Rangers. Mr Whyte bought an 85 per cent shareholding in the club £1 from the Murray Group and made several pledges in terms of future investment and paying off the club's bank debt. At the time, a large tax liability regarding the club's payments through an Employee Benefit Trust - which were later outlawed - was also in dispute. Rangers went into administration in February 2012 - less than a year after Mr Whyte took charge. Immediately after being appointed, administrators Duff & Phelps, where three of the men detained today worked, announced the club had failed to pay about £9million in PAYE and VAT since the takeover. They soon revealed that the club had paid off the debt with Lloyds Banking Group from a £24.4m capital injection from investment firm Ticketus, which was secured on the back of future season ticket sales. In June 2012, Charles Green's consortium, Sevco Scotland, bought the club's assets and business from Mr Whyte in a deal worth £5.5million. That same month a criminal investigation was launched into Craig Whyte's takeover of Rangers and the subsequent financial management of the club. It followed a preliminary examination of information passed to police by administrators. It was confirmed last year that Mr Whyte has lost a £17.7m court case with Ticketus and he has been ordered pay back the money to the ticket agency following a hearing at the High Court in London. Marty Dauer, Media Spokesperson for Duff & Phelps said: 'Duff & Phelps has become aware that three employees in the United Kingdom have been detained for questioning in connection with work performed for Rangers Football Club. 'This work was commenced while these employees were part of MCR Partners, prior to its acquisition by Duff & Phelps in October of 2011. 'Duff & Phelps has performed an internal investigation and commissioned an independent investigation of the related matters. As a result, we believe that our work for Rangers was conscientious, thorough, and properly performed in every respect.' 'The liquidator’s amended pleadings in English High Court proceedings commenced on April 8, 2011 validate the conclusions of our internal investigation and the independent investigation we commissioned. 'In addition, our assignments in this matter were comprehensively examined by the Insolvency Practitioners Association in 2013. The IPA’s review cleared the firm of any wrongdoing or conflict of interest, affirming the position of the firm.' He added that the company has cooperated with investigating authorities and has provided reports on its role in the administration of Rangers. 2000 - Rangers begin making payments through an Employee Benefit Trust (EBT), which was set up by major shareholder Murray International Holdings (MIH). 2006 - The club's annual report reveals a £9.2million 'contribution to employee trusts', the high point of the payments. The sum was included in staff costs of £28million. April 2010 - Rangers confirm they are under investigation by HMRC over offshore payments to players from 2001. Rangers say they will 'robustly' defend the case. December 2010 - EBTs are outlawed under new legislation. May 2011 - Craig Whyte bought Rangers from Sir Daivd Murray for £1 and made a commitment to settle its £18million debt with Lloyds Bank. The tax liability was still in dispute. January 2012 - A three-day first tier tax tribunal closes in Edinburgh, following earlier hearings to determine whether Rangers are guilty of tax evasion. February 2012 - The Glasgow club entered administration over a non-payment of tax totalling roughly £14million. It emerges during the administration process that Mr Whyte paid off the Lloyds Bank debt by pledging future season ticket sales to finance company Ticketus for £25million. March 2012 - The Scottish Football Association (SFA) confirms it will investigate claims made by former Rangers director Hugh Adam that payments made to players were not disclosed to the governing body. Three days later, the Scottish Premier League (SPL) confirms that its board has instigated an investigation into the alleged non-disclosure of payments made to players by Rangers, which prompts the SFA to drop its case. May 2012 - A BBC documentary team claims 63 Rangers players and 24 staff members received EBT payments and says 53 of them were provided with 'side letters' detailing the structure of payments. The following week, Duff and Phelps, the firm hired as Rangers' administrators, provide files requested by the SPL in their investigation into undisclosed payments. June 2012 - A criminal inquiry is launched into Mr Whyte’s takeover when the Crown Office asked Strathclyde Police, now part of national force Police Scotland, to investigate the purchase and the club’s subsequent financial management. Rangers enter liquidation after HMRC rejects a Company Voluntary Arrangement proposal. Charles Green's Sevco Scotland company buys the club's assets and business in a deal worth £5.5million and begins the process of relaunching the club as a new company. July 2012 - Mr Green accepted a vote that placed his new club in Division Three. August 2012 - The SPL appoints an independent commission to probe the contentious payments. Sir David Murray denies cheating took place during his stewardship. November 2012 - Oldco Rangers win their first-tier tax tribunal appeal in principle against HMRC's demands over EBT payments. January 2013 - The SPL commission begins hearing evidence. February 2013 - Oldco Rangers are handed a fine of £250,000 for breaching rules over disclosing payments but the club avoid being stripped of titles after the commission finds they obtained no sporting advantage. April 2013 - Mr Whyte was ordered to pay £18m to Ticketus after he lost a claim against him at the High Court in London. July 2014 - HMRC's appeal to the upper-tier tribunal is largely dismissed. September 2014 - Mr Whyte was banned from being a company director for a maximum of 15 years. November 2014 - Four men arrested by police in connection to the alleged fraudulent takeover of the club. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Gary Withey, David Grier, Paul Clark and David Whitehouse were detained .
The four men were held in a series of early morning raids on Monday .
They are being held in connection to 'alleged fraudulent acquisition of club'
Craig Whyte bought club from Sir David Murray for £1 in 2011 .
Three of the men detained today worked for Rangers' administrators .
Mr Withey worked for law firm that represented Mr Whyte .
Latest development in three-year saga involving the Glasgow football club . |
95,156 | 0643278dbae8c9b21f550df1115b2810d96b2e82 | Russell Bishop, cleared of the famous 'Babes in the Wood' murders, could now be freed from a life sentence he was later given for the rape and attempted murder of another young girl . The child sex attacker who was the prime suspect in the notorious 'Babes in the Wood' murders in 1986 could soon walk free from jail. Tragic Nicola Fellows, 10, and Karen Hadaway, nine, went missing 28 years ago today and their bodies were later found in a park in Brighton, East Sussex. Russell Bishop, then 19, was found not guilty of the killings a year later but was jailed for life for the attempted murder and rape of another young girl in 1991. Now Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has approved his case for review in a decision which could see Bishop walk free from prison. Nicola and Karen, who were neighbours on an estate in Brighton, were last seen alive on October 9, 1986, after going out to play. Relatives and friends, including Bishop, also from Brighton, joined more than 150 police officers in a hunt for the girls. They were found strangled in the city's Wild Park the next day, huddled together with Karen's head resting on her friend's lap. Police believed they knew their killer and arrested Bishop - then a teenager who lodged at Nicola's house for a short time - three weeks later. He was charged with double murder but was cleared at a trial at Lewes Crown Court in December 1987. Bishop was later sentenced to life imprisonment after being convicted of the abduction, molestation and attempted murder of a seven-year-old girl. He is serving a life sentence for those crimes and is one of the longest-serving prisoners in the country not convicted of murder. The latest decision by the Justice Secretary will see a ruling on whether he should be released from the prison within six months. Nicola Fellows (left) and Karen Hadaway (right) were found dead in a park in Brighton, East Sussex in 1986 . The girls' disappearance sparked a huge search, involving more than 150 police officers and scores of locals . A statement from the parole board said: 'We can confirm that it has received a referral of Russell Bishop's case from the Secretary of State for Justice and that his case is currently under review.' Bishop has always denied the murders, but his potential freedom comes as a blow to the girls' families, who remember them at the scene of their death each year. Nicola's uncle, Nigel Heffron, 60, recently spoke of his 'frustration' at the lack of answers over the crime. Mr Heffron said: 'Each year we hold a vigil in the park by the memorial and go there to remember them. 'It is a cold case. We haven't had any updates from the police. Each year goes into the other and we still look for answers.' Mr Heffron's brother, Ian, has said of Bishop's potential freedom: 'This is something that stops Nicky and Karen's families from being able to get on with their lives, even after this long. 'Every two years we have to go through this. We need him to be locked up for life and to get justice for Nicky and Karen to ever get any closure.' The girls' families say they are frustrated the case has still not been solved 28 years later . October 1986 - Nicola and Karen were snatched off the street close to their homes in the Moulsecoomb estate in Brighton after going out to play. Their bodies were found the following day, huddled together in a nearby park. Bishop, who knew both girls, was arrested three weeks later. December 1987 - A jury took a little over two hours to find the roof tiler Bishop, then 19, not guilty of the murders. 1991 - Bishop was jailed for life for the kidnap, sexual assault and attempted murder of a seven-year-old girl from Brighton two miles from where Nicola and Karen were found. 2005 - A repeal of double jeopardy laws meant Bishop could have faced a fresh trial if substantial evidence came to light, but the following year, the High Court ruled there was not enough evidence. 2014 - Justice Secretary Chris Grayling approves his case for parole for review. A decision is expected in the next six months. Police in Sussex say the 'important' case is regularly reviewed and they hope forensic technology may help . | Nicola Fellows, 10, and Karen Hadaway, nine, found dead 28 years ago .
Roofer Russell Bishop was cleared of strangling the girls a year later .
But he was later jailed for life for rape and attempted murder of another girl .
He is one of Britain's longest serving prisoners not convicted of murder .
Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has now approved his case for review .
Decision means he could be freed once case is reviewed in next six months . |
170,962 | 694572416b651dd723e96ad568f8f091ab5c3906 | A war of words have kicked off between departing Daily Show host Jon Stewart and wrestling champ Seth Rollins after the WWE star claimed that he could do a better job of hosting the Comedy Central show. Rollins, the current holder of the esteemed Money In The Bank title, was speaking from the ring during Monday night's edition of WWE Raw when he proudly boasted that he had aspirations beyond being 'the future of WWE'. 'Right now, I am the most talented performer in the entire world. I can do whatever I want, whenever I want,' Rollins told the crowd. Scroll down for video . Grudge match: A war of words have kicked off between Daily Show host Jon Stewart and wrestling champ Seth Rollins after the WWE star claimed that he could do a better job of hosting the Comedy Central show . 'Hell, if I wanted, I could become president. Or I could take over as host of The Daily Show for Jon Stewart and make that thing actually watchable.' Stewart, who announced earlier this month that he is leaving his award-winning show after 16 years, is a big fan of WWE and on Thursday responded to Rollins with a short video message in which he warned the wrestler that he was messing with the wrong guy. 'Seth Rollins, you've made a lot of mistakes in your life: Being a turncoat to the Shield, being a toady for the Authority, not being able to choose which color your hair should be – but this is the biggest mistake you ever made,' said Stewart. 'You just stepping in a world of hurt, my friend. I'm coming for you Rollins, and you're gonna see it: 160 pounds of dynamite.' Stewart then admitted that 'my bone density is not what it used to be,' and instead declared himself '160 pounds of wood, like a soft wood. My point is you messed with the wrong guy!' Rollins was quick to tweet that he is willing to take on the Daily Show host in the ring for a grudge match any time, any place. 'You know where to find me Mt Stewart. @WWEJJSecurity will even hold up the middle rope for you,' he tweeted. Rollins was speaking from the ring during Monday night's edition of WWE Raw when he proudly boasted that he had aspirations beyond being 'the future of WWE' Following Stewart's reply, Rollins was quick to tweet that he is willing to take on the Daily Show host . | A war of words have kicked off between the soon-to-depart Daily Show host and WWE star Rollins who claimed that he could do a better job as host .
'Seth Rollins, you've made a lot of mistakes in your life,' said Stewart in a short video posted on Thursday .
WWE fan Stewart warned Rollins that he had stepped 'in a world of hurt' and he described himself as '160 pounds of dynamite'
Rollins was quick to tweet back that he is willing to take on the Daily Show host in the ring for a grudge match any time, any place . |
194,003 | 87210b1e9119061a459760b92dbbe2ce4067ffee | A man who suffered devastating burns to much of his body after surviving the deadly 2003 Station nightclub fire has shared his joy at the birth of his baby daughter. Joe Kinan suffered third- and fourth-degree burns and lost his hands, ears and the sight in his left eye in the blaze in West Warwick, Rhode Island, which killed 100 people and injured more than 200. Despite suffering the most extensive injuries of any of the survivors, Kinan, now 45, has fought through 128 surgeries and is now the proud father of a six-month-old girl. He welcomed baby Hadley in April with his fiancee Carrie Pratt, a fellow burns survivor whom he met at a World Burn Congress conference in Vancouver in 2007. Scroll down for video . Joy: Joe Kinan, who suffered third and fourth degree burns across 40 per cent of his body in a deadly nightclub fire in Rhode Island in 2003, shows off his baby daughter, Hadley, with his fiancee, Carrie Pratt, right . 'Carrie has brought everything to my life,' he told People magazine. 'I feel happy, nervous, fulfilled... I'm just determined to be the best dad I can be.' Baby Hadley is Kinan's second child. He also had a 24-year-old daughter, Kate Sullivan, from a relationship before the life-changing blaze. 'I love making her smile,' he said of Hadley. 'She's brought me so much joy.' It's a life far from the emotional and physical pain he suffered in the aftermath of the Station nightclub fire, the fourth deadliest club fire in U.S. history. Kinan was 34 when he went to the West Warwick club on February 20, 2003 with a girlfriend to see a show by the band Great White, who used pyrotechnics in their set. To watch the full episode click here . Before the fire: Kinan, pictured, was 34 when he went to the Station nightclub to watch a band with a friend . Unimaginable: The Station nightclub in West Warwick, Rhode Island burned to the ground in about three minutes after pyrotechnics set curtains alights while band Great White performed. 100 people perished . Within seconds of the show starting, curtains caught fire and, within just five minutes, the entire building had been burned down. A hundred people died and more than 200 were injured as concert-goers desperately tried to escape. Some, like Kinan's friend Karla Bagtaz, suffocated among the crowd. 'It was just this wave of people falling on top of each other,' Kinan recalled, People reported. 'All I saw was black smoke... I was in terrible pain until my skin burned off. Then I had no feeling.' After suffering burns to 40 per cent of his body and nearly losing his scalp, he spent a year in hospital undergoing skin grafts. He lost his fingers, toes and his left eye. Proud: Kinan lost his ears, fingers and left eye to the blaze and in 2012, he underwent a hand transplant, which means he can feel his baby daughter's soft hair, he said. Hadley, left and right, is now six months old . Loving: Pratt, who herself suffered burns to her chest as a child, holds her daughter as Kinan looks on . When he left the hospital, he covered every mirror in his home and refused to go out. But after two years of suffering in seclusion, he decided to look at himself in the mirror. 'These scars couldn't be hidden,' he said. 'I had to accept it, or it was going to eat me up.' He met Pratt, who was badly burned by bad coffee on her chest and neck as a toddler, at the World Burn Congress in Vancouver in 2007. As soon as she met Kinan, she liked him, she said. 'His appearance was no big deal,' she said. 'He had a great outlook. I liked his personality.' The two became friends but slowly their relationship developed to something more. Fighter: He has undergone 128 surgeries since the tragedy, including a hand transplant in 2012, pictured . Family: Kinan is pictured left with his fiancee, while his older daughter Kate cradles her little sister, right . 'I felt safe,' she said. 'He wanted to take care of me. Joe is my rock.' The couple, who live in Lakeville, Massachusetts, became engaged two years ago, on the anniversary of their first meeting. Three days later, he went into surgery to receive a hand transplant - so he can now feel his baby daughter's soft hair, he said. To donate to Mr Kinan and help burn victims attend the World Burn Congress where he met his fiancee, visit his website. | Joe Kinan suffered third- and fourth-degree burns over 40 per cent of his body during the Station nightclub fire in Rhode Island in February 2003 .
The fire, which claimed 100 lives, was started by pyrotechnics on stage .
He lost his left eye, his fingers and ears and has undergone 128 surgeries .
But in 2007 he met Carrie Pratt, who herself had been burned as a child, at a burn victims conference and they are now engaged .
In April, they welcomed their first child Hadley . |
271,768 | ec056c7e48975c36bb939e6f838137f78f31ce03 | The Rugby Football League has ruled out the prospect of introducing two referees for every match next season. The RFL has been considering following the lead set by the NRL in Australia of having two officials in charge of all games, and trialled the system in academy fixtures this summer. RFL chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer said the feedback from the experiment is still being assessed and that more trials will take place in 2015, including some in Super League matches. Rugby Football League chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer (above) has reject the idea of using two referees . Rimmer said: "The two-referee system clearly has its merits but there is still some work to do, including trials in Super League fixtures next season. "With so many other changes taking place next season, the board believe that it would not be appropriate to operate a two-referee system in 2015 but we remain committed to exploring the option for 2016." The RFL has launched a recruitment drive to encourage more people to take up refereeing. | RFL chief operating officer Ralph Rimmer rejects two referee idea .
The NRL in Australia has two officials in charge of all of its games .
The idea was trialled here but it has now been ruled out . |
162,845 | 5e93051d90ec8bac671e539facb3788d976a7014 | Louis van Gaal admitted he was stunned to find 17 Manchester United players tuning in to watch El Clasico at the team hotel on Saturday evening. The Manchester United manager and his squad were staying at the Lowry when he stumbled across 17 of his 18 players watching the titanic battle between Real Madrid and Barcelona. Real won 3-1 at the Bernabeu. Van Gaal said: 'We went to the Lowry, we had a screen so I could watch the second half and 17 players of 18 were there. I have never experienced that before. We have a lot of Spaniards! Manchester United's whole team celebrates their goal against Chelsea - and they had all been together the previous night to watch Real Madrid beat Barcelona in La Liga . Manager Louis van Gaal admits he was shocked to find so many of his players watching El Clasico . Van Gaal said the players wanted to watch because of the quality of the game, which Real won 3-1 . ‘I won’t tell you which one wasn’t there. It was the quality of the game - Real Madrid vs Barcelona. 'I told the players, "You have seen what they have done because for example, Barcelona under Gerardo Martino pressed from the front, but under Luis Enrique it is from behind". 'Real Madrid pressed from behind, they drop in and they were very compact. After Real scored the second, the match was over because Barcelona don’t keep compact.’ Luis Suarez made an immediate impact when he set up Neymar's opening goal but Real roared back through a Cristiano Ronaldo penalty, Pepe and Karim Benzema. Like our Manchester United Facebook page. United earned a 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday, Robin van Persie scoring the late equaliser . Saturday's Clasico featured Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, the two best players in the world . | Manchester United manager says he 'had never experienced that before'
Only one of United's 18-man squad didn't watch the game .
Real Madrid beat Barcelona 3-1 at the Bernabeu .
United came from behind to earn a point against Chelsea on Sunday . |
272,575 | ed0ed190294bb12fa696b42cd34fa14ef131a21e | (CNN) -- Patrick Vieira knows what it takes to win football's greatest prize -- and the former France star believes Africa is close to claiming a historic first World Cup title. Only three teams from the continent have ever reached the quarterfinal stage of the tournament -- Cameroon in 1990, Senegal in 2002 and Ghana in 2010 -- yet none have made it to the last four. Despite high expectations, first sparked by Pele's prediction in 1977 that "an African nation will win the World Cup before the year 2000," there have been a series of disappointments. Undoubted talent has often fallen foul to ill-discipline on the pitch, arguments off it, ego problems, administrative issues and sheer bad luck. Cameroon, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Algeria will all be hoping to overcome these hurdles in Brazil this time and perhaps go even further than their predecessors. And Vieira, who helped France to World Cup glory on home soil in 1998 -- coming on as a substitute to set up Emmanuel Petit's goal in the shock 3-0 final win over Brazil -- is convinced it will not be too long before an African champion is crowned. "I believe (they can) and I really hope they will win the World Cup in the near future because I think that will help African football to develop even better, even more," says Vieira, who was born in Senegal but moved to France as an eight-year-old. "And when you look at how many big names African football has produced in the last few years, it's unbelievable," he told CNN. Those big names include the likes of Samuel Eto'o, Didier Drogba and Yaya Toure, who would all love nothing more than to add a World Cup winners' medal to their lengthy list of honors in Brazil. But while Cameroon and Ivory Coast have such world-beaters among their ranks, Vieira feels they will need to be at the top of their game to avoid past disappointments. Quality . Ivory Coast has earned the nickname "the chokers" -- cruel given the quality of opposition the nation has faced -- after a talented set of individuals struggled to perform when it counted most, failing to make it out of the group stage in both the 2006 and 2010 World Cups. "You need quality. When you look at the African national teams individually, they are really talented so they've got talent," Vieira says. "But I think to be in the World Cup, you need your talented players to be at their best because the quality will make you win, the quality will make the difference. "Quality will make the player make the difference at the right time when your team needs you. You may just go on to create one chance and you need to score the chance to go to the next round." Vieira, though, believes that for talented players to flourish they must be in a team that has togetherness and unity. Cameroon lacked in that department during its disastrous 2010 campaign, where the "Indomitable Lions" had been expected to do well in the first World Cup held on African soil. Eto'o threatened to snub the competition after being criticized by compatriot Roger Milla, himself a former World Cup star for Cameroon. And when he did turn up, the four-time African player of the year -- who had just won the European Champions League for the third time, on this occasion with Inter Milan -- struggled in South Africa after not being used in his customary striker's role. Arsenal's Alex Song, meanwhile, found himself on the bench and coach Paul Le Guen was forced to quit after the team failed to register a point for the first time in six appearances at the finals. "I would say togetherness (is important), and I think if you want to do well in the championship, in the World Cup, the team has to be together," Vieira says. "It has to fight for the same objective and I believe that togetherness will make them go to the end." Unity . Togetherness certainly played a role in France's 1998 win. Aime Jacquet's squad was seen as representing a new France, with Vieira born in Senegal, Marcel Desailly from Ghana, Lilian Thuram from Guadeloupe, Zinedine Zidane's family hailing from Algeria, while others were of Polish and Armenian descent. "We had the players from all around the world and I think we showed the diversity of the French national team, we showed what the diversity of the French people are," Vieira says. "We showed to the French nation what France is really." If an African side's unity can ever be questioned then it could be argued that it has been a result of African football's structural failings. The Federation Camerounaise de Football temporarily suspended Eto'o from playing for the national team in 2011 for instigating the boycott of a friendly in Algeria over unpaid bonuses. Emmanuel Adebayor, meanwhile, has criticized the Togo Federation in the past for its poor organizational skills, blaming the governing body for his late return to English club Tottenham following the 2013 African Cup of Nations. "The only problem in Africa is our leaders, who do not respect us," Eto'o told the Confederation of African Football's (CAF) official website. "Until we are respected, other (continents) will never have any consideration for us." Vieira adds: "I think what African football needs is better organization, better structure, and I think after that we'll help the players to be more professional when they're coming to play for their national team ... I think the structure around these players is not strong enough and I think if we don't have that, it will take time (for an African nation) to win the World Cup." The man in charge of African football -- CAF president Issa Hayatou -- however, feels the structures put in place by his confederation and its member associations should allow for a nation or two to go far in Brazil. "I do not see why Africa cannot have one or two of our representatives reach the semifinals or even the final," he told CAF's official website. Discipline . Two representatives from Africa reaching the semifinals or final would make for huge progress, given that there has never been more than one at a time to reach the knockout stages. That statistic could well have been banished in 1998 had Cameroon's players kept their heads when it mattered most. The Indomitable Lions picked up three red cards in just three games, including two in the final group clash against Chile -- a match they drew, when victory would have been enough for a place in the second round alongside Nigeria. "I would talk about discipline (as being vital if an African team wants to win the World Cup)," Vieira says. "Discipline and sacrifice, so that means you have to concentrate on your objective, you have to concentrate on what you have to do for the months to get at your best, and be at the peak of your game." Focus . Hand-in-hand with discipline often comes focus -- something Nigeria lost for a split-second in 1994, denying the team a quarterfinal spot, long before Senegal and Ghana's heroics. The Super Eagles were just two minutes away from becoming only the second African team to reach the last eight at their debut World Cup, but let a 1-0 lead slip against Italy before conceding again in extra-time. "(You must) focus on your objective because when you are in the World Cup, you can get your head a little bit all over the place," Vieira says. "And I think it's important for you to get focused on your objective, focused on what you want to achieve as a team." Luck . Having all these ingredients is no guarantee for success, however, as at a major international tournament the winning team often needs a little luck along the way. Ghana found this out the hard way after a run to the last eight of the 2010 World Cup that captured the imagination of much of Africa -- but was brought to an end in the most controversial of circumstances. With the Black Stars' quarterfinal clash against Uruguay destined for penalties with the scores tied at 1-1 and just seconds remaining, Dominic Adiyiah saw his goal-bound header cleared off the line by Luis Suarez's hand. Suarez was sent off for his actions -- and widely condemned by the world of football afterwards -- but the damage had already been done as Asamoah Gyan missed the resulting spot-kick, before Uruguay went on to win the ensuing penalty shootout. Luck was not on the side of Algeria in 1982, either. With the Desert Warriors having already played their final group game, West Germany knew that a one- or two-goal win over Austria would take the neighboring nations through to the second round at the expense of the debutant team. After 10 minutes, West Germany took the lead, before the two teams proceeded to kick the ball around aimlessly for the rest of the match. "You need luck, because you will not win the best competition if you do not have luck. But the luck, you have to provoke it to make it happen," says Vieira. "I think when you look at all the African teams who are playing in the World Cup, they lack one of the five ingredients (quality, togetherness, discipline, focus or luck). "So hopefully they will have built it all up in the last few weeks so they will get to the first game where the togetherness, the quality of the players, the focus, and of course the luck at the end (is all there), because luck is very important." | Patrick Vieira believes an African nation will one day win the World Cup .
An African nation has never advanced past the quarterfinal stage .
Vieira, born in Senegal, won the World Cup with France in 1998 . |
3,311 | 09930b3e95447fa3f0a4abf6f291ba9e61665d30 | By . Mark Duell . You might think you’re looking at an idyllic part of the Caribbean - but these photographs were actually taken off England’s south-west coast. Bathers were seen today enjoying outstanding tropical aqua seas off Porthcurno, Cornwall, as Britain basked in more glorious weather. With a high of 30C (86F) expected in the South and 28C (82F) in Scotland, Britons were experiencing warmer climes than parts of Portugal and Spain. Scroll down for video . Lovely spot: Porthcurno is located close to the southwesternmost part of England, around nine miles from the nearest major town of Penzance . Beautiful: Bathers were seen today enjoying outstanding tropical aqua seas off Porthcurno, Cornwall, as Britain basked in more glorious weather . Blue sky: You might think you're looking at an idyllic part of the Caribbean - but these photographs were actually taken off Porthcurno, Cornwall . Snorkelling in Porthcurno: With a high of 30C (86F) expected in the South of England, Britons were experiencing warmer climes than parts of Portugal and Spain . Up above: A spectacular overhead view of bathers enjoying the fine weather at Porthcurno, Cornwall, which had the look of the Caribbean today . Three-day forecast: Conditions are expected to remain warm but become more unsettled over the weekend, with the possibility of showers. Yesterday's high of 29.9C (85F) in . Solent, Hampshire could be beaten, according to the Met Office, which . predicted highs will continue until the weekend. And . the news was also good for the start of the Commonwealth Games, with a . sunny and warm day forecast in Glasgow tomorrow with 27C (81F) highs. There . is a 10 per cent chance of rain tomorrow, but this falls to just 2 per . cent on Friday, with temperatures again predicted to be in the mid-20s. Conditions are expected to remain warm but become more unsettled over the weekend, with the possibility of showers. In the water: Felicity Flood, 24, and Hannah Sullivan, 23, cool off in the sea on West Wittering beach in West Sussex . Summer holiday fun: A girl plays in a water fountain near Millennium Point in Birmingham . Soaking it up: Emma Bramley, 25, from Romford, enjoys the sun on Southend-on-Sea beach in Essex . Making a splash: Cooling off in Ullswater in the Lake District, father Alan Robinson is drenched by sons Joseph and William as they enjoy the summer weather . Spectacular: Customers enter The Churchill Arms pub in Kensington, west London. The 18th century public house has twice won the 'London in Bloom' competition . It's hot: A couple sunbathe in the warm weather on Brighton beach in East Sussex, as the conditions are forecast to continue for the remainder of this week . Going into the early part of next . week, the weather looks more mixed as the current easterly wind changes . to a westerly coming off the Atlantic. There . was a 2014 high in Scotland and Wales today, with 28.7C (84F) at . Porthmadog in Gwynedd, and 27.9C (82F) at Achnagart in Inverness-shire. However, . the Met Office has issued a yellow 'be aware' rain warning for tomorrow . afternoon and evening in Cornwall, Devon, Dorset and Somerset. And . ultraviolet radiation levels were very high for the UK today and . tomorrow - with the worst areas being the South West today and South . East tomorrow. But . forecaster Emma Corrigan warned that the hot weather brings a risk of . heavy downpours, saying that rain could hit the South West this week. Wet wet wet: Chldren play in a water installation called Apperaring Rooms by artist Jeppe Hein as the warm weather continues on the South Bank in central London . In they go: Groups of teenagers on summer holiday find a way of cooling off in the hot weather by jumping into the sea at Aberystwyth in west Wales . Unusual scene in England: Water buffalo cool down in a pond at Chippenham Fen Nature Reserve, near Newmarket in Suffolk . Under her umbrella: Strawberry picking in the sun in Runcton, near Chichester in West Sussex . Out of office: Neuroscience student Matt Hunter works on the beach near Brighton pier during a hot day in East Sussex . Packed again: Brighton beach was full of people yet again as the warm weather is set to continue for the remainder of the week . Cool in the shade: A lady shelters under a parasol as she overlooks Brighton beach after another day of hot, dry weather . On the pebbles: Student Georgina Sapak sunbathes on the beach during a hot summer's day by Brighton pier in East Sussex . Alerts: Ultraviolet radiation levels are very . high for the UK today and tomorrow (left) and the Met Office has issued a . yellow 'be aware' rain warning for tomorrow . She added: ‘There is a risk of isolated heavy thunderstorms in the south west on Wednesday and Thursday and perhaps into Friday.’ August, while expected to begin with fine and dry weather, could see lower temperatures than July as a ‘frontal feature’ pushes in from the South East. Billy Payne, a forecaster with Meteogroup, said August ‘should get off to a fairly dry and settled start’ with a build-up of high pressure. He said next week will bring a slight drop in temperatures but still possible highs of 23C (73F) in the South of England on Monday. While temperatures are likely to remain high this week, they will probably not beat the 2014 UK record of 32.3C (90F) set last Friday in Gravesend, Kent. | Beautiful scenes in Porthcurno, Cornwall, as Britain basks in 30C weather hotter than parts of Portugal and Spain .
Sunny and warm day forecast for start of Commonwealth Games tomorrow with 27C highs and 10% rain chance .
Conditions expected to remain warm but become more unsettled over the weekend, with possibility of showers .
2014 highs in Scotland and Wales today, with 28.7C at Porthmadog and 27.9C at Achnagart in Inverness-shire . |
75,946 | d757e7e7e1bedbba6048e6cf1f8186d572554975 | A jury on Friday convicted a 31-year-old man of killing and raping a University of New Hampshire college student following a trial filled with lurid details of sexual domination, experimentation and violence. The jury in Strafford Superior Court found Seth Mazzaglia guilty of first-degree murder in the death of 19-year-old Elizabeth 'Lizzi' Marriott of Westborough, Massachusetts, in October 2012. The key witness, 20-year-old Kathryn McDonough, was Mazzaglia's girlfriend when she lured Miss Marriott to their apartment. She testified that Mazzaglia, a karate instructor, wanted another woman to join their sexual escapades, which included bondage and discipline. Scroll down for video . Defendant Seth Mazzaglia enters the courtroom with defense attorney Melissa Davis today in Dover, New Hampshire. He was found guilty of the 2012 murder of 19-year-old Elizabeth 'Lizzi' Marriott, who was a student at the University of New Hampshire . Defendent Seth Mazzaglia, right, is lead from the courtroom on Friday after being convicted of first-degree murder. He will be sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole . McDonough first told investigators that Marriott died during rough sex between the two women that involved restraints. After getting immunity from prosecution, McDonough changed her story and said Mazzaglia strangled Miss Marriott then raped her. Elizabeth 'Lizzi' Marriott of Westborough, Massachusetts was choked to death by Seth Mazzaglia in 2012 . Mazzaglia was found guilty of one count of first-degree murder that stated he strangled Marriott 'before, after or while' sexually assaulting her. He also was convicted of conspiracy to falsify evidence and conspiracy to tamper with witnesses. He will be sentenced to life in prison without the chance of parole. Jurors began deliberating on Wednesday, after hearing 19 days of testimony. McDonough was on the stand for ten of those days. The trial hinged McDonough's credibility. Mazzaglia did not testify. McDonough initially told investigators that she killed Marriott during consensual sex but later said she made up that story because she loved Mazzaglia, thought they still had a future together and wanted to protect him. Defense lawyers, though, painted her as an opportunistic liar who killed Marriott then changed her story when she found out she could cut a deal and get less time in prison if she pinned the crime on her ex-boyfriend. The deal was conditioned on her testifying truthfully. In court, she testified that Mazzaglia . was the sexually dominant partner in their relationship and became . angry when she left for nearly two weeks at theater camp without . recruiting a sex partner for him. As what she called punishment, Mazzaglia told her to lure a woman - Marriott - to the apartment on October 9, 2012. After a game of strip poker which prosecutors say Miss Marriott willingly joined, Mazzaglia suggested she kiss McDonough. Bob Marriott, far right, father of Elizabeth Marriott, made a brief statement today at the court in Dover, New Hampshire, after Seth Mazzaglia was found guilty for the strangulation murder of his daughter . Miss Marriott said no, saying she was . in a committed relationship. Mazzaglia then asked if she would watch as . he and McDonough had sex. She again said no. The state's key witness, Kathryn McDonough, testifying on June 16 in Dover, New Hampshire. McDonough was on the witness stand for ten days as she testified against her former boyfriend Seth Mazzaglia . Prosecutors . said the domineering Mazzaglia was unaccustomed to being rejected so, . as the two women watched a movie, he sneaked up behind Marriott and . choked her with a rope. McDonough testified that she left the room briefly and when she returned, found Mazzaglia raping Marriott's limp body. The two of them threw her in a river that feeds into the Atlantic Ocean. Miss Marriott's body has never been found. Mazzaglia's . lawyers said McDonough, who pleaded guilty to hindering prosecution and . is spending 18 months to three years in prison, was interested in . experimenting with women and initiated the sexual activity that night in . the apartment she shared with Mazzaglia. Miss Marriott had transferred to the University of New Hampshire only weeks earlier to major in marine biology. She had been in a committed relationship with Brittany Atwood, who lived in Massachusetts. On . the night she died, Miss Marriot text messaged Miss Atwood minutes . before 9pm to let her know she was going over to 'Kat's' to watch a . movie. Atwood testified she was happy for her because she was finally making new friends. The text message was Miss Marriott's last communication. Twist: Kathryn McDonough can be seen speaking on a 2012 video, claiming she was involved in bondage play with Elizabeth Marriott before she died. Her ex-boyfriend, Seth Mazzaglia, is seen front . The New Hampshire Marine Patrol searched the Piscataqua River near a cliff on Pierce Island for the body Elizabeth Marriott, a missing University of New Hampshire student in October 2012. Her body has never been found . | Seth Mazzaglia guilty of first-degree .
murder in the death of 19-year-old Elizabeth 'Lizzi' Marriott of .
Westborough, Massachusetts, in October 2012 .
Key witness, Kathryn .
McDonough, was Mazzaglia's girlfriend when she lured Miss Marriott to .
their apartment for bondage sex play .
After getting immunity from prosecution, McDonough said Mazzaglia strangled Miss Marriott then raped her . |
4,066 | 0bb74d8936ea4764c0601c4cfc857dacaa0f3014 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:01 EST, 19 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 18:11 EST, 19 December 2012 . A NBA star has decided to give up his celebratory six-shooter gesture in the wake of the Sandy Hook school massacre. Joakim Noah, 27, who plays for the Chicago Red Bulls, has not used his trademark move since the attack last Friday where 20 children aged six and seven died along with six teaching staff. The player, who earned $11million this year, had celebrated success on the court by miming guns with his index fingers. Scroll down for video . Respect: Chicago Bulls' Joakim Noah reacts during an NBA basketball game against the Philadelphia 76ers on December 12, prior to the Sandy Hook school shootings . During the Bulls last game against Boston Celtics, which the Chicago team won 100-89, Noah did not once make the gesture - or at two other games in the past week. The player had been performing the celebration since the 2010-11 season. He told the New York Post: 'It was kind of like a funny, comical thing. But I guess we’re in a situation right now where it’s not funny.' He said that the high level of gun violence in Chicago added to his decision. On December 14, the star player tweeted: 'This is so f***** up... There needs to be some kind of gun control.. For real.' Joakim Noah has established a charity called Noah's Arc Foundation which helps underprivileged children through sports and arts programs. Tribute: The Bulls player has used the celebration for several seasons until last week when he said it was no longer a 'funny, comical thing' New York Giants receiver Victor Cruz has visited the home of the six-year-old Connecticut shooting victim who was buried in a replica of his jersey. Jack Pinto was among 20 children shot to death Friday in Newtown. Several elementary school-age children played touch football in the front yard of his family's home on Tuesday. Tribute: Victor Cruz's boots for Jack Pinto . Six-year-old Jack was a huge Giants fan and Cruz his favorite player. Many wore Giants jerseys or Newtown football or wrestling shirts as they laughed, smiled and hugged. The children and their families left after several hours. Young fans carried autographed Giants footballs and jerseys. About 45 minutes later, Cruz left the home in an SUV and an escort of five police cruisers, sirens blaring. He later tweeted that he has 'much love to the entire Pinto family. Great people with huge hearts'. Several people leaving the home confirmed Cruz was there. When the New York Giants took on the Atlanta Falcons this past Sunday, Cruz's boots were inscribed with the words 'Jack Pinto, My Hero', 'R.I.P. Jack Pinto' and 'This one is for you'. Cruz later said: 'There's no words that can describe the type of feeling that you get when a kid idolizes you so much that unfortunately they want to put him in the casket with your jersey on. 'I can't even explain it.' | Joakim Noah, 27, has not used the move since the deadly attack where 20 children and six teaching staff lost their lives in Newtown .
New York Giants player Victor Cruz visits family of six-year-old Jack Pinto, the little fan who was buried wearing his replica jersey . |
82,153 | e8d572b18419f85642b5aa8f88ff2a524481f2a9 | It has been called Surprize because of the reaction it gets when you take a bite. Now the new variety of apple, which is yellowy-orange on the outside and pink on the inside, is about to hit supermarket shelves. Sweet and aromatic, the Surprizes will be sold in around 120 Tesco stores and cost £1.75 for a pack of four. Scroll down for video . The pink apple called the 'Surprize', which has been grown in orchards in Tillington, near Hereford . Tesco fruit product developer Ciara Grace said: ‘This apple is a real head-turner on account of its unusual pale orange and yellow skin. ‘But the real fun starts when they take a bite and see the unique pink flesh inside. It was named Surprize because of the fantastic reaction it gets. ‘This is the first time it’s ever gone on sale and there are only limited supplies but if it’s a success we will stock it again next year.’ The Surprize has been developed by award-winning grower William Barnett at his 1,000-acre farm in Tillington, near Hereford. He previously created the Rosette Raspberry Ripple apple, which had red flesh. The Surprizes will be sold in around 120 Tesco stores and cost £1.75 for a pack of four . He said: ‘Britain can be proud of its 4,000 or so different apple varieties but what I’ve set out to do is create something a little different for apple lovers. ‘My apple mission is to develop better and more interesting varieties of English apple. ‘I set off on that mission 10 years ago and since then have helped develop several popular new varieties including the Red Windsor; Tillington’s Delight and the Rosette Raspberry Ripple.”. | The new variety of apple is yellow on outside and pink on the inside .
Called the Surprize, will be sold in 120 Tesco stores, costing £1.75 for four .
Grown in a Hereford orchard, they are described as sweet and aromatic . |
239,606 | c237df99192e487bf38ff704f85f5b1e5090e59c | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Last updated at 2:09 AM on 30th June 2011 . IT must have taken all her willpower, all her strength. Andy Murray’s mum cheered him on yesterday as he thrashed her favourite tennis pin-up Feliciano ‘Deliciano’ Lopez. How Judy must have steeled herself for this moment. On one hand, a mother’s pride at her champion in the making; on the other, the end of a beautiful Twitter relationship with the hunkiest player on the circuit. Victory: Andy Murray is victorious after defeating Feliciano Lopez and now faces Rafa Nadal in the semi-final . Straight sets: Andy Murray cruised past Feliciano Lopez of Spain in their quarter-final . 'My mum fancies you': Murray offers some words of consolation to his vanquished opponent . What enormous reserves of restraint . she must have called upon not to blow Lopez a goodbye kiss or give him a . wolf-whistle. But after all their mock flirting over the internet, you . might at least have expected the defeated Spaniard to send her an . affectionate Tweet. For 50-year-old divorcee Mrs Murray, whose public . infatuation with Lopez threatened at one stage to take on Mills & . Boon proportions, the dream must end. But 24-year-old Andy’s dream of . winning Wimbledon might soon be on the way to fruition on the strength . of his performance yesterday. He and 29-year-old Lopez faced each . other like gladiators on Centre Court as Mrs M looked down from a seat . in the players’ box alongside her son’s girlfriend Kim Sears. Murray had failed once again to shave . off his straggly facial hair. Steady now Judy, but it seemed his hunky . opponent had recently waxed his chest. Onwards: Murray punches the air after securing victory and now hopes to go one better than last year's title tilt . Cheered on: Murray delighted his fans by moving into he semi-finals - a point beyond which he is yet to progress at the All England Lawn Tennis Club . Both players had both spent the . morning practising in public. Andy had his family there; Lopez, who . somehow managed to make pouring a bottle of water over his head look . sexy – was watched by a cluster of 20-something females among the crowd. They cooed and purred at every movement of the bronzed body Mrs Murray had described 24 hours earlier as ‘like a Roman god’. We asked him if he would he blow a . kiss towards Mrs Murray. ‘Do you really think this is the right time to . ask these questions, man?’ he replied, clearly in no mood to join Judy’s . fun. On Centre Court, however, the crowd . quickly picked up on the tongue-in-cheek theme that Mrs M has kept alive . through schoolgirlish tweets about Lopez and racy remarks in . interviews. ‘Come on Feliciano,’ an English accent shouted. ‘Do it for . Judy!’ Mrs Murray smiled. Kim, not so much. Andy, not at all. Ladies day: Murray's mother Judy . applauds her son's victory from the stands accompanied by Kim Sears . In the sunshine: Thousands of fans gathered on Murray's mound to watch the match . This is the third time in a row the . Scot has qualified for the semi-finals. He plays Rafael Nadal tomorrow. Asked at his post-match press conference about the continuing . flirtation between his mother and his vanquished opponent, Murray . grimaced. ‘I haven’t spoken to her about it but I was embarrassed by . it,’ he groaned. For Lopez, it will have to be some other mañana. And – until next time at least – adios from Judy. Also bidding a dejected farewell to . Wimbledon was Roger Federer, who cruised to a two-set lead before . Frenchman Jo-Wilfried Tsonga launched an astonishing comeback to win in . five and earn a semi-final clash with Novak Djokovic. This was the Swiss master’s worst . result here since he took over from Pete Sampras as the King of Grass. The King is dead ... long live King Murray? The lady in red: Pippa Middleton and Alex Loudon were among the spectators to see a regal performance from Murray's . Best of luck: Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton and his brother Nicholas, left, talk to Judy Murray prior to her son's match on centre court . A kiss or Kim: Murray's girlfriend gets a peck on the cheek from pop mogul Simon Fuller . The British fourth seed was never threatened by the unseeded Spaniard Lopez who wilted under a relentless barrage of pinpoint groundstrokes and consistent serving. Murray served three successive aces to seal victory on his first match point and he will next play top seed Rafa Nadal or American Mardy Fish as he continues his bid to become the first British men's singles champion at Wimbledon for 75 years. Murray took the match 6-3 6-4 6-4 with the comfort of three match points to seal victory in the final game. Murray said: 'I thought it was good. I think Feliciano was a little bit tired but I served well for most of the match. I'm playing well. I'm sure in the next round I'm going to get pushed even harder so I'll have to raise my game even more.' Seize the day: Andy Murray of Great Britain reacts to a play during his quarterfinal round match against Feliciano Lopez . The British No 1 had begun his previous match against Richard Gasquet rather slowly but he quickly showed he would not make the same mistake again, piling the pressure on Lopez. The Spaniard is unseeded but a talented player on grass and making his third appearance in the quarter-finals. He had been hugely impressive in a straight-sets win over Andy Roddick in round three but few were predicting another upset here. Murray looked totally focused and a superb passing shot brought up another break point in the third game of the second set but Lopez, who has served more aces in the tournament than anyone else, quickly shut the door. The Spaniard was bound to be feeling the effects of a lengthy five-setter against Lukasz Kubot in round four, where he had fought back from two sets down, and his right thigh was heavily taped up. Lopez's stated belief that he could beat Murray for the first time in five meetings had to be called into question by his decision not to pull out of his mixed doubles match on Monday, and he was simply not playing at anywhere near the Scot's pace. A forehand volley dumped into the net gave the world number four a break for 3-2, and from there he was utterly untroubled, clinching the set 6-4 courtesy of yet another unforced error from Lopez. Murray had lost only eight points on his serve in the first two sets, and never more than two in a single game, but there were just signs at the start of the third that things might be changing. Lopez took the Scot to deuce for the first time in game three, finally stringing a series of good shots together, but his revival was quickly curtailed by another Murray break. It needed the 24-year-old to be at his best, with a forehand winner down the line followed by a stunning pass on the run. Up next: Murray now faces Rafa Nadal, who beat American Mardy Fish . Murray was nearly there, and he held to make it 4-2 without too many problems, but he began to grimace and struggle a little with his movement. The Scot did not call the trainer but in the eighth game he found himself facing his first break points of the match. Lopez, though, could not take advantage, and three successive aces helped Murray wrap up a simple victory. Now, with Federer out of the running for the final, Murray fans can finally allow themselves a glimmer of hope that maybe this is the year Andy Murray could win Wimbledon. With confidence behind Murray growing, ticket sales sites have reported that the price of tickets is soaring. According to one seller, ardent Murray fans could be willing to pay up to £20,000 a ticket to watch him if he gets to the Wimbledon final. Tickets for the men's final are trading for up £10,000 on one website. Edward Parkinson, director of viagogo UK, said: 'Tickets to see Murray are really driving sales - every time he wins, ticket prices for the men's semi-finals and final jump by around 30 per cent as the nation's hopes are raised. 'Tickets for the men's final are currently trading at £10,000. If he keeps winning, I expect some seats will go for twice this level if not more.' This time last year tickets were trading at £6,000 when Murray was still in the championships. Among the crowd showing their support for Murray were a sea of familiar faces. Pippa Middleton, wearing a red dress from high street store Hobbs' line NW3, watched with parents Carole and Michael and boyfriend Alex Loudon, from whom it was recently rumoured she had separated. Formula One driver Lewis Hamilton greeted Andy Murray's mother Judy, who was at the centre of attention after admitting to having a crush on Murray's rival Feliciano. U.S. Vogue editor Anna Wintour put in an appearance, after cheering on her friend Federer. | Murray glides past Feliciano Lopez in straight sets: 6-3, 6-4, 6-4 .
The Scot now faces Rafael Nadal in the semi-final . |
91,572 | 01cdc4c39086687f767e1b11e85129baf0b8501c | New York (CNN) -- Al Qaeda propagandist Sulaiman Abu Ghaith had a long plane ride last week to New York and an American jail cell located blocks from ground zero of the September 11 attacks. He filled that time, in part, by talking to U.S. investigators. It was an odd end to a journey that began just weeks earlier in Iran. Abu Ghaith, for reasons still unclear, left Iran and entered Turkey using a forged Saudi passport, Turkish media reported. The CIA tracked him to a Turkish hotel room. He was detained by Turkish officials in early February, but they refused for a month to turn him over to the U.S. Instead, Turkey expelled Abu Ghaith and put him on a plane to Kuwait, where he was born, sources said. U.S. law enforcement took him into custody during a stopover in Jordan. Members of HIG -- the High Value Interrogation Group, which includes the CIA -- were also involved in the operation. Abu Ghaith apparently wasn't quiet during his overseas flight with U.S. authorities. The conversations, confirmed by a U.S. official with knowledge of them, are expected to be part of the government's case to prove Abu Ghaith helped conspire to kill Americans and recruited members for al Qaeda. The Justice Department and FBI declined to comment on whether or when Abu Ghaith was read his Miranda rights after his arrest. However, intelligence experts say that is required if prosecutors intend to use his lengthy statement during trial. "That would be the way it was done," says Mitchell Silber, an executive managing director with the security firm K2 Intelligence and the New York Police Department's former director of Intelligence analysis. Sources and intelligence experts told CNN it's questionable how helpful Abu Ghaith, one of Osama bin Laden's sons-in-law, could be in terms of current intelligence, because he has been out of the loop for years. He has lived in Iran since 2002, mostly under house arrest. "He's a low-level target with high political value," Silber told CNN. "His main value would be (if he's) able to help quantify and assess the former top al Qaeda leaders with him under house arrest in Iran," Silber says. Silber added the U.S. would want Abu Ghaith to "describe the nature of the Iranian treatment of them," including "how adversarial the relationship is between Iran and al Qaeda." There is concern former al Qaeda leaders in Iran could rise to power again. But the relationship between the predominantly Shiite Iranians and the largely Sunni al Qaeda members is a complex one. Just how do the Iranians view al Qaeda? Do they see opportunities for cooperation? Or is the extreme Sunni philosophy of the group too much for them? It's something investigators would like to know, and Abu Ghaith may have insights. Strange bedfellows -- Iran and al Qaeda . On Friday, the fiery former al Qaeda spokesman walked into federal court with his hands cuffed. He was only about a mile from ground zero in the very country he had targeted in multiple video messages, warning Americans they would be attacked again after 9/11 by "airplane storms" and biochemical attacks. At his arraignment, his cuffs now removed, a not guilty plea was entered on Abu Ghaith's behalf by Philip Weinstein, the attorney appointed to represent him. Abu Ghaith told the court, through an Arabic interpreter, he had no money to pay for a lawyer. Prosecutors didn't reveal what Abu Ghaith had said to them, only telling the court he had made an "extensive statement" after his arrest that filled 22 pages. The charges in the indictment were sealed until his arrest. He is being held without bond until his next appearance in April. No trial date has been set. If found guilty, Abu Ghaith faces life in prison. | Sulaiman Abu Ghaith's statement, given after his arrest, is 22 pages long .
Expert says his value comes in assessing status of former al Qaeda leaders in Iran .
Concern is al Qaeda could gain power in Iran again .
Abu Graith is charged with conspiracy to kill Americans . |
43,530 | 7ac307e91f1e07e7f6f66a2183fd05de984c6c9b | Walked red carpet of Transformers 3 premiere in daring blue gown . By . Andrea Magrath . Last updated at 12:40 PM on 27th June 2011 . She earns a generous pay cheque for her work as one of the faces of Burberry. And Rosie Huntington-Whiteley proved excellent value for money by flying the flag for the iconic British designer in not one, but two stunning creations by the brand. After dazzling in a daring blue satin gown at the premiere of her film Transformers 3: Dark of the Moon in London last night, the gorgeous model, 24, changed into a chic white and gold dress by Burberry Prorsum for the after-party. Scroll down to see Rosie in the trailer for Transformers 3: Dark Of The Moon . Daring: Rosie Huntington-Whiteley wore a slashed white dress by Burberry to the after party of the Transformers 3 premiere in London . Rosie began modelling for Burberry in 2008, and was loyal to the company for one of the biggest nights in her career so far, as she celebrated her big screen debut on home soil. The Victoria's Secret Angel, 24, had . the crowds gasping at the London screening of her debut film . Transformers 3: Dark Of The Moon tonight when she turned up in a risqué . midnight blue gown. The . backless satin dress, custom made for her by Burberry, was slashed . almost to her navel with only modest drapes of material over her chest. Pins on parade: The Victoria's Secret model showed off her enviable long legs as she left the party . Spokesperson: Rosie, who models for Burberry, earned her pay cheque by wearing two gowns by the designer . Rosie chose a more covered-up, yet equally daring dress for the after party later in the evening at Morton Members Club in Mayfair. Her white frock had a high slit that showed off her enviable legs and a slashed front, revealing her décolletage. The dress featured fierce shoulder detailing and was teamed with tan strappy heels, also by Burberry. Sapphire and steel: The model looked ravishing in a blue gown by Burberry at the premiere of the film earlier in the evening . The model, who is dating fellow Brit . Jason Statham, appeared pleased with how the evening went, giggling and . smiling in the back of her car as she left the after party. Just last night, she looked equally incredible in a sparkling silver gown for the German premiere of her first ever movie in Berlin. She's been pushing out all the stops to . get maximum coverage for her role in the movie, which she wrested from . Megan Fox, by wearing a series of show-stopping outfits over the past . few weeks while promoting to film around the globe. Back to the future: Rosie, who looked sensational in the sapphire gown, is hoping to do more acting as well as continue with her modelling . Rosie replaced Fox as the female lead in the film franchise after Megan made derogatory remarks about the director Michael Bay, likening him to Hitler. She had worked with Bay on a Victoria's Secret advertisement shoot in 2009, and has told how later the director invited her to audition for the role. Rosie told Elle magazine in May that . despite the stigma of models branching into acting, she was determined . to make the most of the opportunities given to her. Keeping it together: Rosie had some toupé tape to keep herself decent as she posed with the movie's director Michael Bay . She said: 'I love being part of the . fashion industry but, after almost nine years as a model, I’d be a real . fool to turn down the chance to try something different. 'Now I have another amazing opportunity and I need to make the best of it.' Other stars at the premiere included The . Only Way is Essex stars Sam Faiers, Joey Essex, Jessica Wright and . Maria Fowler, Golden Compass star Dakota Blue Richards, fashion desinger . Christopher Kane, and reality TV stars Calum Best and girlfriend . Georgia Salpa. Transformers 3: Dark Of The Moon opens in the UK on June 29. Breathtaking: The star wore a sparkling silver backless gown to the German premiere of the movie in Berlin . Red carpet style: Rosie has been ramping up the . glamour as she promotes the movie in Moscow (left and centre) and Rio De . Janeiro (right) | Walked red carpet of Transformers 3 premiere in daring blue gown .
Changed into chic white frock for the after party . |
212,733 | 9f72b030f42ad9ff1e65b73d3b6c684cea17e665 | (CNN) -- Passengers on the US Airways flight that crash-landed into the Hudson River Thursday afternoon praised the actions and courage of the pilot, a safety consultant with 40 years of experience in the aviation industry. Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger, a former Air Force fighter pilot, has been with US Airways since 1980. Sources tell CNN that Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger was piloting US Airways flight 1549 from New York's LaGuardia airport to Charlotte, North Carolina, when at least one of the plane's engines failed. Passenger Jeff Kolodjay offered "kudos" to Sullenberger for a landing that minimized damage to the aircraft and its 155 passengers and crew. "All of a sudden the captain came on and he told us to brace ourselves and probably brace ourselves pretty hard. But he did an amazing job -- kudos to him on that landing," said Kolodjay, who was sitting in seat 22A. Sullenberger's wife told CNN that she was stunned to hear the news from her husband after it was all over. "I hadn't been watching the news. I've heard Sully say to people, 'It's rare for an airline pilot to have an incident in their career,' " said Lori Sullenberger of Danville, California. "When he called me he said, 'There's been an accident.' At first I thought it was something minor, but then he told me the circumstances and my body started shaking and I rushed to get our daughters out of school." US Airways said all 155 passengers and crew are alive and safely off the plane. The crash-landing has also earned the former fighter pilot and private safety consultant accolades from state and government officials. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg commended the pilot for not leaving the plane without checking to make sure every passenger had been evacuated. "It would appear that the pilot did a masterful job of landing the plane in the river and then making sure that everybody got out," Bloomberg said at a press conference Thursday. "I had a long conversation with the pilot. He walked the plane twice after everybody else was off and tried to verify that there was nobody else on board -- and assures us there was not." Sullenberger apparently was forced to make an emergency landing after geese were sucked into one or both of the jet's engines. An eyewitness working on the west side of Manhattan said the belly of the plane touched the water first. An official who heard tape recordings of the radio traffic from Flight 1549 reported the pilot was extraordinarily calm during the event. "There was no panic, no hysterics," the official said. "It was professional, it was calm, it was methodical. It was everything you hoped it could be." The pilot and air traffic controller discussed options, including landing at Teterboro airport in New Jersey, the official said. Then there was a "period of time where there was no communications back, and I'm assuming he was concentrating on more important things." Sullenberger's background in aviation appeared to have prepared him for such a situation. He has been a pilot with US Airways since 1980, following seven years in the U.S. Air Force. His resume -- posted on the Web site for his safety consulting firm, Safety Reliability Methods, Inc. -- lists piloting procedures, technical safety strategies, emergency management and operations improvement, as areas of industry expertise. He served as an instructor and Air Line Pilots Association safety chairman, accident investigator and national technical committee member, according to a biography on the site. He participated in several USAF and National Transportation Safety Board accident investigations, and worked with NASA scientists on a paper on error and aviation, his site says. For the passengers on flight 1549, Sullenberger's skill and expertise were apparent. iReport.com: Did you see the crash-landing? Send images . "I've flown in a lot of planes and that was a phenomenal landing," said passenger Fred Berretta said. Berretta was sitting in seat 16A right over one of the engines when it failed and the pilot turned the plane to align it with the Hudson River. He described silence in the plane as the passengers waited to hear from the crew. A few moments later, the direction to brace for landing came. "It was an amazing piece of airmanship," said Peter Goelz, a former NTSB managing director. | NEW: Chesley B. "Sully" Sullenberger has been a pilot with US Airways since 1980 .
NEW: Former Air Force fighter pilot has worked with NASA as safety consultant NYC mayor says pilot checked plane twice for passengers before leaving "I've flown in a lot of planes and that was a phenomenal landing," passenger said . |
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