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123,007 | 2b0004d0fe5e7916ceb8eed4bdf8b92238b950f9 | By . Ben Spencer . PUBLISHED: . 03:54 EST, 9 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 21:04 EST, 9 February 2013 . Probe: Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has called for a police investigation into the Stafford Hospital Scandal . Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt has called for a police investigation over the Stafford Hospital scandal which led to the deaths of up to 1,200 people. An inquiry into the trust this week reported a ‘disaster’ in the care of vulnerable and elderly patients at the hospital and said it revealed failings at every level of the NHS. Mr Hunt said it was wrong that nobody had been ‘brought to book’ at Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust in the wake of the report. ‘I think it’s absolutely outrageous that potentially more than a thousand people lost their lives because of poor care and not a single person has been brought to book,’ he said. ‘This was a public inquiry that was designed to help us understand why the system didn’t pick up what went wrong but I think it is absolutely disgraceful with all those things happening, whether it is doctors, nurses or managers, nobody has been held to account.’ Asked whether the information should be passed to the police, he added: ‘Well that evidence is in the public domain. And you know, it’s there for the police - and it’s there for the professional bodies, the GMC (General Medical Council) and the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council) to look at and they should do that.’ Mr Hunt said that it was not for him to judge which individuals should be prosecuted. ‘As a politician, I am not in a . position to say this nurse is guilty, this nurse is not, and all these . things have to be decided at arm’s length following due process,’ he . told the Daily Telegraph. ‘This is about people’s careers and livelihood and there has to be fairness of course.’ Scandal: An inquiry found up to 1,200 patients died on casualty wards at Stafford between 2005 and 2009 due to an obsession with targets . Robert Francis QC, who led the . inquiry into the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Trust, said there were . failings at every level of the NHS and that the culture among . healthcare staff must change. He said: ‘What we need to avoid is yet another wholesale reorganisation of abolishing organisations and creating new ones. Sir David Nicholson, the head of the NHS, has resisted calls to step down over the scandal at Stafford Hospital . ‘This is about how people behave when . they go to work and their ability to raise concerns and be honest about . what’s going on in their hospitals.’ The . change would only happen when NHS managers, clinicians and staff . started to address the failings ‘rather than waiting to be told what to . do from Whitehall, or by the top of the NHS,’ he added. Sir David Nicholson, the head of the NHS, has resisted calls to step down over the scandal at Stafford Hospital. Heather . Wood, who headed an earlier investigation into the hospital in 2009, . said: ‘If this were a private sector organisation that had failed to . such an extent, we would be calling for the boss to take responsibility. ‘There is a big case to answer for the creation of that culture.’ Patients’ campaigner Julie Bailey, whose elderly mother Bella died at Stafford . hospital, called for individuals in the NHS to be held accountable for . the failings in care. She said: ‘This is an opportunity to put down the gauntlet and say enough is enough. ‘From today you will be held accountable for your actions - it’s no good saying in the future you will be held accountable. ‘We want accountability for the hundreds of deaths and the suffering our loved ones had to put up with.’ NHS . medical director Professor Sir Bruce Keogh has launched a review into . five other trusts where there were 3,000 more deaths than expected . between 2010 and 2012. Patients’ campaigner Julie Bailey, (left) whose . elderly mother Bella (right) died at Stafford hospital, called for individuals . in the NHS to be held accountable for the failings in care . A whistleblower at scandal-hit Stafford Hospital today urged others in similar situations to act as she did. Helene Donnelly, a former casualty nurse at the hospital, said healthcare workers who saw poor care had a duty to speak out. Asked on BBC Breakfast whether she would have blown the whistle if she . had known that nobody would be disciplined over what happened, she said: . 'Just because you think nothing's going to happen doesn't mean you . don't try, and that would be my message to other nurses out there right . now, who may be in a very similar situation, that if they're witnessing . poor standards of care, they have a duty to speak out.' She said the report by Robert Francis QC into the Mid Staffordshire NHS . Foundation Trust had highlighted that there may be a legal obligation to . report wrongdoing. 'But I think it goes much further. The Francis report can only go so . far, it's up now to the individuals and organisations to take that . forward to implement change.' Ms Donnelly said that people should be held accountable for their actions. 'I think individuals have to be accountable for their own behaviour, and . from a nursing point of view, you have a duty of care for your . patients, and if you are not delivering that, and particularly if you . are doing harm, you need to be made accountable.' Asked if there had been a culture of neglect at the hospital, she said: 'There was, and there was a culture of bullying as well, both towards . staff and patients.' She said there were 'immense' pressures on the nurses. 'We were hugely understaffed, and had very poor equipment, inadequate . equipment, and that obviously led to the nurses being under immense . pressure, and there was pressure to always meet the four hour accident . and emergency ward target. That had a knock on effect to patient care.' | Mr Hunt said it was wrong that nobody had been 'brought to book'
Inquiry reported a 'disaster' in the care of vulnerable and elderly patients . |
285,507 | fdf5128ffc1e7cb80887c0224f95e0958312b7bd | By . Charles Sale . West Ham striker Andy Carroll received a bigger shock than his harsh sending off against Swansea when he returned to the Upton Park dressing room...Sky Sports News’ glamorous presenter Charlie Webster was in the ice bath! An exhausted Webster had been given full use of the Hammers physio and treatment facilities after finishing a 250-mile charity run via 40 football grounds in aid of Women’s Aid. She had taken a bow in the centre circle during half-time. Webster was in the middle of a much-needed recovery session when Carroll came back prematurely after being given his marching orders on the hour. Sportingly, the striker allowed Webster to stay in the bath while he used an ice bucket for his post-match routine instead. VIDEO Scroll down for Charlie Webster's sexy FHM shoot . Seeing red: Andy Carroll was sent off during West Ham's 2-0 win against Swansea . Achievement: Charlie Webster (above) finished a 250-mile run for Women's Aid . Recovery: Carroll was shocked to find Webster (above) in an ice bath at Upton Park . Controversial: Webster angered Sky Sports News colleagues when she posed for an FHM photshoot . All smiles: Charlie Webster at the launch of a Bear Grylls TV series . Expert care: Webster gets some treatment at Bolton Wanderers during her charity challenge . Webster, before the start of her marathon to highlight the battle against domestic violence, had revealed she had been sexually assaulted by her athletics coach when she was 15. She infuriated some of her SSN colleagues last March when she posed scantily clad for lads mag FHM when Sky were promoting women in sport. How long can the RFU justify their annual seven-figure spend on their 50-odd councillor blazers whose travel and accommodation to all Six Nations games are met by Twickenham? The Paris trip included dinner on the Friday, lunch and dinner on the Saturday ands a lavish spread — foie gras and all — straight after the game. No wonder the other unions have refused to feed the English blazers’ partners. Tradition: Stuart Lancaster has no qualms with the post-match Six Nations banquets . In these days of elite athlete management of all nutritional needs, it seems outdated that England’s rugby team still have to attend post-match Six Nations banquets. Head coach Stuart Lancaster, has no complaints. However, England have brought in a strict 50-minute recovery time for players after games this season to ensure they’re not rushed off to dine with the blazers. .......................................................... Premiership rugby were making great play that January 31 was the deadline for sorting out the European club impasse or they would go their own way. However, such is the dysfunction, the RFU high command in Paris felt under no such time pressure to find a solution with the Six Nations kicking off. .......................................................... Members of the Lords and Commons all-party rugby team could be seen downing the San Miguels soon after leaving St Pancras on the 7am Eurostar last Friday and were still going strong well past midnight in the bars of St Germain in Paris. In the circumstances, the side, led by scrum-half Labour MP Paul Farrelly, did well to draw 10-10 with the French Parliamentarians the following day. .......................................................... England have got it clicked . England cricket’s over-reliance on . sports science analysis is seen as one area where the Andy Flower-led . regime might have got it wrong during the Ashes debacle. The . array of desktop screens, laptops and tablets operated by two . performance analysts in front of Stuart Lancaster, Andy Farrell and . Graeme Rowntree at the Stade de France shows the appliance of science is . of even higher importance to England rugby. Busy man: Gary Neville has given up his Mail on Sunday newspaper column . Gary Neville giving up his Sunday . newspaper column is the first sign - not before time - of him realising . that his media commitments, mainly as the lead Sky football pundit plus . his Manchester United ambassador position, do not sit comfortably with . his role as an England coach in a World Cup year. The Football League have prevaricated all season about taking action over manager Billy Davies’s agent Jim Price effectively running Nottingham Forest having not passed the owners’ and directors’ test. So how long will it take them to rule on Cagliari owner Massimo Cellino’s controversial 75 per cent takeover at Leeds? This is especially when his advisors in England, Italy and the United States are strongly contesting that Cellino’s suspended sentences for fraud in 1996 and 2001 were politically motivated, as was his arrest a year ago on suspicion of attempted embezzlement concerning the building of Cagliari’s new football stadium. Rule: The Football League are yet to act on Massimo Cellino's controversial 75 per cent takeover at Leeds . | Andy Carroll walks in on Charlie Webster in an ice bath after getting sent off for West Ham .
Webster had completed a 250-mile charity run for Women's Aid .
Gary Neville writes his final column for Mail on Sunday .
Stuart Lancaster happy to continue with post Six Nations banquets . |
265,007 | e33fbbcc16198f833be3f3d3c4c6176993d003cd | New York (CNN) -- The National Park Service announced that there is no projected reopening date for New York's iconic Ellis Island due to extensive damage it sustained during Superstorm Sandy last October. This uncertainty comes days after Interior Secretary Ken Salazar's announcement that the Statue of Liberty is set to reopen to the public by the Fourth of July. Although there is little damage to the museum collection in the Immigration Building, there is significant damage to the infrastructure as a result of the storm, according to the National Park Service. During the storm, water filled the basement of the Immigration Building, and there was also significant damage to mechanical systems and the building's fire suppression system. The National Park Service stated that it is "working hard to prioritize all the projects needed to reopen and will announce this information as soon as possible." According to the National Park Service, Salazar stated that repairs to both Ellis Island and Liberty Island could cost as much as $59 million. Located in Upper New York Bay, Ellis Island served as a gateway for millions of immigrants to the United States from 1892 until 1954. The Ellis Island Immigration Museum opened in 1990 and attracts 3 million visitors each year. Statue of Liberty to reopen by July Fourth . CNN's Madeline Fish and Brittany Brady contributed to this report. | Ellis Island sustained extensive damage during Superstorm Sandy in October .
Damage to the mechanical and fire suppression systems must be repaired .
The Statue of Liberty will reopen by July 4, Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said .
Repairing both may cost up to $59 million, Salazar has said . |
264,379 | e26aa2c55554a9bba3e432f589bc3c3d0c154fb4 | As he crawls around and babbles his first words, Lucas Moore is an exhilarating bundle of joy. But, remarkably, he could easily have not been here – if he had weighed just an ounce less at birth. He was born prematurely at 23 weeks weighing 520g, just 0.7 of an ounce over the hospital’s 500g cut-off point for intervention. Bundle of joy: Lucas Moore pictured with his parents Sylvia, 30, and Tom, 33, at home in Rugby, Warwickshire . Tiny: Born at 23 weeks - a week before the abortion cut-off limit - weighing a tiny 1lb 1oz, Lucas was so small and unwell that his parents claim they were advised to turn off his life-support machine . With severe health problems – including a bleed on the brain and a hole in his heart – Lucas’s chances seemed dire, and doctors warned there was a high chance of him suffering disabilities as a result. However, he defied predictions and has now celebrated his first birthday. The case will fuel the debate over guidelines governing whether hospitals try to save the lives of extremely premature babies. It will also raise fresh questions about abortion laws, which allow terminations up to 24 weeks. Proud: A year on, Lucas has no long-term health problems, his parents claim, calling him their 'miracle' baby . Lucas: The case will fuel the debate over guidelines governing whether hospitals try to save the lives of extremely premature babies . Lucas’s mother Sylvia Moore, 30, described her son as a ‘little fighter’, adding: ‘We know premature babies can make it. While the final decision of whether to help an extremely premature baby to survive is a decision primarily for doctors, in consultation with the parents, guidelines are set by the British Association of Perinatal Medicine. These state: . Less than 23 weeks: ‘It would be considered in the best interests of the baby, and standard practice, for resuscitation not to be carried out’. 23 weeks to 23 weeks and six days: ‘If… the foetal heart is heard during labour, a professional experienced in resuscitation should be available to attend the birth’. 24 weeks to 24 weeks and six days: ‘Resuscitation should be commenced unless the parents and clinicians have considered that the baby will be born severely compromised’. 25 weeks and greater: ‘It is appropriate to resuscitate babies at this gestation and, if the response is encouraging, to start intensive care’. The Nuffield Council on Bioethics has also issued guidance, which covers interventions in the case of even more premature babies. It suggests: . Between 22 weeks and 22 weeks and six days: ‘Standard practice should not be to resuscitate the baby’. It should only be considered if the parents insist and ‘the clinicians agree that it is in the baby’s best interests’. Before 22 weeks: ‘Attempts to resuscitate should only take place within a clinical research study that has been assessed and approved by a research ethics committee’. ‘If you say you will support a child that is 500g then what is the difference with one that is 495g? I think abortions are morally wrong after 22 weeks.’ Mrs Moore, from Rugby in Warwickshire, started experiencing complications with her pregnancy when her waters broke at 22 weeks. She and her husband Tom, 33, a car designer for Tata Motors, were told she would need bed rest in hospital to try and extend the pregnancy. Doctors at Coventry University Hospital warned that her baby faced being stillborn unless he had more time to develop – but she went into labour just nine days later, on August 28 last year. Lucas was unable to breathe for the first six minutes of his life as attempts were made to open his immature lungs. He was rushed to intensive care immediately – ending up spending 109 days in hospital. He had severe bleeding on both sides of the brain and [doctors] said it was worth thinking about whether we wanted to put Lucas through all this, added Mrs Moore, who is originally from Brazil. ‘I asked what they meant and they said there was a 99 per cent chance he would have cerebral palsy. He would be deaf and could be blind.’ But after ten weeks the bleeds had gone altogether, and by the time he left hospital he was overcoming the hole in his heart. Now the only signs of his ordeal are that he is small for his age and short-sighted because of a condition associated with his long-term use of an oxygen machine. Mr Moore added: ‘We said that if he started fighting we would fight for him and that’s what he did.’ A hospital spokesman said that medics had discussed the possibility of switching off Lucas’s life support simply to ‘prepare’ his parents in case he deteriorated. He added: ‘There was no sense of “giving up easily”.’ | Lucas Moore from Rugby was born last summer weighing a tiny 1lb 1oz .
At 23 weeks, this was a week before the legal cut-off deadline for abortions .
Doctors warned he wouldn't get any medical help if he weighed under 1lb .
And cautioned if he did survive, he would have no protection from infections .
Parents say they were advised to turn off life-support due to bleed on brain .
But they refused, and four months later they were able to take Lucas home .
Has just celebrated his first birthday and has no 'long-term health problems' |
148,187 | 4b9a7261196587fe971bf5098cb3bd6895991f28 | By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 15:18 EST, 29 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:03 EST, 29 September 2012 . A second cracked engine in a Boeing Dreamliner has been found just two months after a similar plane's engine cracked and failed during a test run that sparked a fire off its runway in South Carolina. Adding further federal scrutiny to the jetliner, an investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board uncovered the latest cracks after a recommended review of all Boeing 787 and 747 engines by the Federal Aviation Administration earlier this month. After the forward end of a fan midshaft (FMS) fractured and separated in a General Electric GEnx-1B turbofan engine on July 28 in Charleston, examination of other models revealed the second engine's crack. Advisory: A U.S. worker inspects a Boeing 747-8's engine earlier this year, one part of a federally advised review this month for cracks in the Dreamliners' engines . That GEnx jet engine, while installed on a 787-8 airplane, had not been flown yet, according to a release by the NTSB on Thursday. In an urgent letter to the FAA earlier this month by the NTSB requesting the engines' inspection, the safety board worried of similar engine explosions that spewed hot metal onto the runway of Charleston International Airport creating a small brush fire. The Boeing 787-8 was undergoing a low-speed taxi test during that incident, according to the NTSB with no passengers aboard or injuries reported. The news comes just days after a similar Boeing 747-8F with a GEnx-1B turbofan lost power during takeoff in Shanghai, China. The safety board said on Thursday that their investigation with the Civil Aviation Administration of China into the design and manufacture of the engine and aircraft is ongoing. Cautionary: After a General Electric GEnx-1B turbofan engine cracked and failed during a test run in South Carolina in July the inspection of all other engines used by the jet went underway . Warm welcome: A Dreamliner Boeing 787 taxis between celebrating arcs of water in Ethiopia last August marking the county's airline as the third to accept delivery of a new Dreamliner . Currently there have been no indications of cracking in that jet engine with its FMS found intact. All of the GEnx engines are manufactured at a GE facility in Cincinnati, Ohio, CNN reports, with GE being the largest maker of jet engines. While the Dreamliner is currently only operating by carriers outside the U.S., United Airlines plans to be the first U.S. domestic carrier of the Boeing jets come November. Earlier this month on September 8 India received their first Dreamliner at the Indira Gandhi International Airport in fanfare celebration making their first of 27 ordered by Air India. The national carrier's 787s will be powered by the General Electric GEnx-1B engines. Expanding: On September 8 Air India received their first of 27 ordered Dreamliners that will be powered by the General Electric GEnx-1B engines, pictured . 'We have done the checks on all our GE engines,' Jack Jones, Boeing vice president and general manager, said earlier this month at an international trade conference near Charleston, South Carolina. 'GE has done a great job of figuring out quickly what we have to do to ensure the integrity of the engine. We know that and we've implemented it.' Jones said the engine issue had not affected Boeing's schedule of delivering planes. 'It obviously didn't stop deliveries. That is absolutely critical,' he said. Playing catch up after a long and rocky start, the American-manufactured airliner has experienced massive cost overruns and hundreds of backlogged orders due to assembly problems. Previous problems and inspections have included concerns over the fuselage's structural stiffeners or shims along with software glitches that cancelled flights. | Discovery follows a review of all Boeing 787 and 747 engines by the National Transportation Safety Board .
Engine's forward end of fan midshaft found fractured similar to one that sparked a fire off a runway in South Carolina in July . |
7,733 | 15e9e1f85b03dbba4051d9fec1b7ff69aa7f0bd3 | A fake paramedic jailed for tricking a terminally ill pensioner into thinking he was a real medical worker and even drove his own ambulance has been sent back to prison for 'befriending vulnerable people'. Joshua Martyn had bought a fully marked paramedic first response vehicle and medical equipment online, despite having never completed anything more than a basic first aid course. The 21-year-old from Hove, East Sussex, was jailed for 18 months in August after he admitted fraud and theft charges, but was released in September as he had served most of his sentence while on remand. Fake: Joshua Martyn (left), who bought a first response vehicle (right) and tricked pensioners into thinking he was a real paramedic, has been sent back to prison for 'befriending vulnerable people' However, he was returned to prison earlier this month after breaching his licence by 'befriending vulnerable people', Sussex Police said. Martyn first came to police attention in 2010 while pretending to be a paramedic. However, because it is not currently an offence to impersonate a health professional, police found there was little they could do to stop him. He was eventually arrested in September 2011 for fraud and assault on a 71-year-old woman he was living with in Crawley, according to police. Difficulties: Police said that because it is not currently an offence to impersonate a regulated health or care professional, they found it difficult to know how to deal with Martyn . He had moved in with the woman, convincing her that he was medically trained, but in reality had no such qualifications. In March 2012, he was convicted at Lewes Crown Court of using an uninsured and untaxed vehicle, three counts of battery in relation to the 71-year-old woman, and two counts of driving without a licence. He was sentenced to a six-month hospital order and banned from driving for six months. Kit: A stash of medical equipment used by the 21-year-old, who managed convince pensioners that he was a real paramedic . However, just two months later, police were told that he was staying with a couple in their 80s in West Hoathly, near East Grinstead, West Sussex, whose concerned family were not convinced he was a registered paramedic. Last March, Martyn was convicted of fraud and assault against a terminally ill 80-year-old man from West Hoathly but cleared of one charge of witness intimidation. He was sentenced to five months imprisonment at a youth offenders’ institution and given a restraining order banning him from contacting the 71-year-old woman in Crawley. He admitted further charges of fraud and theft when he appeared at Hove Crown Court in August this year, and received the 18 month prison sentence. 'Joshua Martyn adopted personas that put him in contact with vulnerable people and in a position of trust,' said Pc Jacqui Thornton. 'He was well known in the community and fooled people into thinking he was qualified to administer medical care. 'He dressed as a paramedic, drove a marked ambulance response vehicle and carried medical equipment. 'It is not currently an offence to impersonate a regulated health or care professional, therefore it was difficult to deal with Martyn’s activities and behaviour. 'It took me three years of investigation to obtain the evidence required to put Martyn before the court for various offences linked to his activities.' Pc Thornton said Martyn’s case was not the first of its kind and that she was working with the South East Coast Ambulance Service (Secamb) to raise awareness and to amend legislation which protects those who are vulnerable and those who need medical care. Paramedic David Davis said: 'This case specifically highlights a current inadequacy in the law in that it is not currently an offence to impersonate a paramedic, or for that matter a nurse, doctor, physiotherapist or a social worker. 'Members of the public can always check to see if their paramedic or other allied health professional or social worker is registered, by visiting the www.hcpc-uk.org or doctor www.gmc-uk.org or nurses/midwives www.nmc-uk.org.' | Joshua Martyn, 21, bought a first response vehicle and medical equipment .
He had never completed any training apart from a basic first aid course .
Woman, 71, and couple in their 80s tricked into thinking he was a paramedic .
He was jailed in August for fraud, but released the following month .
Martyn has now been returned to prison for 'befriending vulnerable people'
It is not currently an offence to impersonate a health care professional .
As a result police said they found it difficult to know how to deal with Martyn . |
31,161 | 58976cd1f4324ddcc9af1fff586696277a13fc85 | Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- Prosecutors in the Anna Nicole Smith drug trial paid rent, utilities and moving expenses so a key witness could testify this week, according to testimony Wednesday. Smith's former nanny said the government also picked up the tab for eight family members to travel with her from the Bahamas to Los Angeles, California, for the trial. Quethelie Alexie and her sister-in-law, Nadine Alexie, both testified in the sixth week of the trial of Smith's boyfriend-lawyer Howard K. Stern and Drs. Khristine Eroshevich and Sandeep Kapoor. They are accused of a conspiracy to provide drugs to an addict and using false names on prescriptions for Smith. Both women worked for Smith in the Bahamas for several months after the birth of her daughter in September 2006. They were fired two months before Smith died in a Florida hotel in February 2007. "I left Anna in a bad condition," Quethelie Alexie said. The Haitian native spoke in Creole through an interpreter. While her testimony was intended to give jurors details of Smith's drug use in the wake of her son's death, a key part of it was stricken from the record. Judge Robert Perry ordered the jury to ignore it after she varied from what she said earlier during a preview for the judge. The defense also worked to cast doubt in jurors' minds by questioning Quethelie Alexie about the financial arrangements she made with prosecutors before she agreed to testify. Quethelie Alexie said she told prosecutors she and her sister-in-law would only travel to the United States if they could bring their six children and Nadine Alexie's husband. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's office is paying for their travel and hotel expenses. She told prosecutors when she arrived in Los Angeles on Sunday that she needed additional financial help to pay her rent and utilities for her home back in the Bahamas, she said. "I knew I had all of my things to pay, and I didn't know how to do it," Quethelie Alexie testified. The government will also help her relocate to a new home because she is afraid for her safety after her testimony, she said. She testified that she was in fear because a police officer in the Bahamas once threatened her. "My life is going to be in trouble now," Quethelie Alexie said. The two women are expected to continue their testimony when court resumes Friday. | The prosecutors agreed to pay rent and utilities for Smith's former nanny .
The witness insisted she bring her family to Los Angeles at taxpayer expense .
Smith's boyfriend-lawyer and two doctors are on trial . |
58,153 | a4da12c7764533049b99c8f7fb2003b26539db18 | GlaxoSmithKline said today it was investigating new allegations that its staff had used improper tactics to market Botox in China, but had so far found no evidence of bribery or corruption. The move follows a claim that GSK staff allegedly handed doctors cash and other rewards for prescribing Botox treatment, which the British group sells in China under an agreement with patent-holder Allergan. The latest allegations against GSK, which is already under investigation by Chinese police for unspecified 'economic crimes', were first reported by the Wall Street Journal. Did they bribe doctors? British pharmaceutical company GlaxoSmithKline is investigating new allegations that its staff had used improper tactics to market Botox in China . The newspaper said internal documents and email showed GSK's China sales staff were also apparently instructed to use their personal email addresses to discuss marketing strategies related to Botox. A GSK spokesman in London said the company believed the new allegations over Botox came from the same source who previously made claims over corruption in China - claims which GSK said earlier it had investigated and found to be without foundation. 'Nevertheless, we are investigating these new claims. However, our inquiries to date have found no evidence of bribery or corruption in relation to our sales and marketing of therapeutic Botox in China,' the spokesman said. 'GSK has some of the toughest compliance procedures in the sector. We are proud of our high standards and operate in accordance with them.' The Wall Street Journal said emails and documents it had seen also discussed a marketing strategy for Botox that targeted 48 doctors and planned to reward them with either a percentage of the cash value of the prescription, or educational credits, based on the number of prescriptions the doctors made. Claims: GSK staff allegedly handed doctors cash and other rewards for prescribing Botox treatment, which it sells under an agreement with patent-holder Allergan (file picture) The strategy was called 'Vasily' after the Russian World War II sniper Vasily Zaytsev. 'We have investigated the specific claim on the so-called Vasily programme. Our investigation has found that while the proposal didn't contain anything untoward, the programme was never implemented,' the company spokesman said. GSK is responsible for therapeutic sales of Botox in China - for example, to treat facial spasms - rather than its use as a cosmetic treatment to remove wrinkles. The allegations come as police in the south-central Chinese city of Changsha investigate high-level Chinese staff at GSK on suspicion of economic crimes. It is not clear if the Changsha investigation is related to any of the allegations. China is an increasingly important market for international pharmaceutical companies, which are relying on growth in emerging markets to offset slower sales in Western markets where many former blockbuster drugs have lost patent protection. IMS Health, which tracks pharmaceutical industry trends, expects China to overtake Japan as the world's second-biggest drugs market behind the United States by 2016. | Newspaper claims British firm used improper tactics to market procedure . |
282,713 | fa2d07dcbbea3f1fe32cb0c44d47b2603e0b435d | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 08:33 EST, 3 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:28 EST, 4 January 2013 . A 38-year-old woman has been arrested after she tried to purchase several . iPads with a food stamp card. Tracy Browning, of Louisville, KY, attempted to buy two iPads at Walmart with her Electronic Benefit Transfer card. But when the transaction failed she allegedly assaulted a store clerk and ran from the Valley Station Walmart with the gadgets. Charges: Tracy Browning, left, has been arrested after she allegedly tried to purchase several iPads with a food stamp card at a Walmart store . Police say Browning went to another . Walmart in the area a short time later and again attempted to buy . several iPads again with the card,, reported Whas11.com. She was stopped at the scene while allegedly attempting to flee with the iPads. Browning, according to police, has been banned from all Walmart stores due to previous incidents with the store, reported . She was taken to the Louisville Metro Jail and charged with robbery, shoplifting and trespassing. Thwarted: Police say Browning went to another Walmart in the area a short time later and again attempted to buy several iPads with an EBT card . | Tracy Browning, a 38-year-old from Louisville woman, was jailed after she allegedly tried to purchase several iPads with a food stamp card .
When transaction was denied, she allegedly assaulted a store clerk and fled from the store with the merchandise . |
185,205 | 7be9f69e5bca2a7bf0bdbec288e5fa964ce02331 | Washington (CNN) -- This week, Coca-Cola and Kraft announced they are pulling their corporate memberships from a conservative group that was behind the spread of "stand your ground" laws like the one highlighted in Florida by the Trayvon Martin case. The American Legislative Executive Council, also known as ALEC, is getting attention lately for its behind the scenes work pushing conservative legislation in the states. The group has gotten even more attention since a neighborhood watch volunteer shot and killed unarmed teenager Martin last month. The man who shot Martin, George Zimmerman, said he acted in self-defense. Police haven't charged him and legal experts say Florida's "stand your ground" law may shield Zimmerman from prosecution. The National Rifle Association worked with ALEC to spread similar laws that are on the books in at least 25 states. Those laws grow directly out of the Second Amendment ethos the NRA has championed: "the ethos of individualism, of having a gun, of individuals taking the initiative," said Robert Spitzer, a political scientist at the State University of New York at Cortland and at Cornell University who has studied and written about the NRA for decades. Opinion: When soda pop and politics don't mix . Less well known is that the NRA has also helped ALEC spread other conservative laws that have nothing to do with gun rights. ALEC drafts and shares model bills with state legislators to promote corporation-friendly and conservative social policy. A watchdog group called the Center for Media and Democracy first documented the NRA's role in these bills with ALEC. An NRA lobbyist, Tara Mica, helped shepherd a model bill that requires voters to show a photo ID at the polls. Many conservatives have pushed voter ID laws to prevent election fraud. Many liberals say these laws inhibit voting by minorities. Mica also helped preside over ALEC's passage of the model bill that became the basis of Arizona's immigration law. That's the law that requires police to arrest anyone who cannot prove when asked that they entered the United States legally. The NRA and Mica wouldn't talk with CNN, so it's not known whether Mica consulted with other NRA officials about the bills on voter ID and immigration. ALEC also declined to answer questions. Lisa Graves with the Center for Media and Democracy said the way ALEC works, "We know a bill cannot be approved as a model bill if the private sector members, like the NRA or Walmart, don't want it to become a model bill." Josh Horwitz heads an advocacy group called the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. He said the NRA's role with ALEC cements his view that the NRA is really a base for the conservative movement. "People think the NRA is just a gun group. It's really not." Horwitz said. Horwitz's group has created a cheeky website, "Meet the NRA.org." It lists the NRA's board of directors, and it has a rolling information bar that features some of their more colorful statements. The NRA's board includes Grover Norquist, president of Americans for Tax Reform, and David Keene, former chairman of the American Conservative Union. The board also includes Robert Brown, creator of Soldier of Fortune magazine, and rock guitarist Ted Nugent. Spitzer said the NRA has gotten involved in some other non-gun issues. For instance, he said, the NRA fought hard against campaign finance reform in the days of McCain-Feingold. "They were taking a very much free-enterprise, government-hands-off-the-campaign-process (approach)," he said. But Spitzer said the NRA will always be primarily about guns and what they stand for in the individualist American mythology. He said the NRA's work is cut out for it, because gun ownership is on the decline in America. | American Legislative Executive Council getting attention for pushing conservative legislation .
Group was behind the spread of "stand your ground" laws .
This week, Coca-Cola and Kraft say they are pulling corporate memberships from group .
The group has ties to the NRA, which has extended its reach beyond gun rights advocacy . |
92,049 | 02643d668436c011df0b570aeeb147aa19f5b590 | Frank Lampard has become the last member of England's 'golden generation' to retire from international football with the midfielder hailed as a 'superb representative' by national team manager Roy Hodgson. The announcement by Lampard, 36, comes as little surprise after his change of clubs this summer, and brings down the curtain on a fine England career that began 15 years ago in 1999 and ended at the World Cup in Brazil in June. The former Chelsea midfielder said the decision had been a tough one, but that his new club career with Major League Soccer side New York City - and his current loan spell at Manchester City - had persuaded him the time was right after winning 106 caps and scoring 29 goals for his country. 'Superb': Frank Lampard has been praised by England manager Roy Hodgson after his international retirement . England manager Hodgson said: 'Frank Lampard has been a superb representative of the English game - both as a player on the pitch and an ambassador off it. 'To reach in excess of 100 international caps is something very few professionals achieve and he is in exalted company. Decorated: Lampard's England career ends after 106 appearances and 29 goals for his country . 'He has served the national team quite brilliantly during his 15-year international career. It is with regret that I accept and understand the decision he's made.' Lampard made his final England performance in the World Cup against Costa Rica, and he follows Steven Gerrard in announcing his retirement. He said in a statement: 'I have taken the decision to retire from international football. It has been a very tough decision for me to make which is why I have given it so much thought since the World Cup. 'Due to my club career now going in a different direction it is of utmost importance for me to consider my family first - also, to concentrate on how I can perform consistently to the best of my abilities over my next few years in club football.' Lampard was part of a generation of hugely-talented young English players who emerged during the late 1990s - David Beckham, Gerrard, Michael Owen, Paul Scholes, Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole, Gary Neville and Sol Campbell were among the others. The closest that group came to securing major honours came at Euro 2004, when they were knocked out on penalties by hosts Portugal in the quarter-finals despite having dominated the game. They also departed at the same stage at the 2002 and 2006 World Cups, the last time England made the last-eight of a major tournament. Exalted company: Hodgson (right) said Lampard 'served the national team quite brilliantly' over 15 years . No one doubted the abilities of such a talented midfield, but successive managers struggled to accommodate Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes and one of them was often detailed to operate on the left, a tactic which rarely worked. Lampard's talent for scoring goals set him apart - no other midfielder has scored more for England and that talent was recognised by Gary Lineker, who paid tribute to him as 'a fine player, an outstanding finisher and a credit to the game of football'. Only an appalling decision by an assistant referee at the 2010 World Cup denied Lampard joining the ranks of those players who have scored 30 goals for England. Lampard's disallowed goal against Germany, despite clearly crossing the line, may however turn out to be his greatest legacy to international football: that was the incident that caused FIFA president Sepp Blatter to perform a U-turn and usher in goal-line technology. Final appearance: Lampard walks off the pitch after what would be his final game in an England shirt, their 0-0 draw with Costa Rica at the World Cup in Brazil . Lampard said that changes in youth development in English football now promised much. He said: 'It is now the time to move forward and I feel very confident that, with Roy Hodgson in charge, the young players that we have coming through and the changes that are being made throughout the development of the youth system in this country, we will have success in the future and a team that this country deserves. 'I would like to thank all the managers that I have worked under, all the players that I have been fortunate enough to play alongside, and all the England fans for their support, not only at home, but particularly on their travels with the team around the world. 'I now look forward to continuing to support the team as a fan and wish them every success for the upcoming campaign towards France 2016.' Young gun: Lampard scores in an under-21 win over Luxembourg in 1999, the year he made his full debut . Hodgson said he had not tried to persuade Lampard to change his mind. 'I've been aware since discussions in Brazil that Frank was considering his England future. I spoke to him since his loan to Manchester City about the possibility of him retiring, primarily due to the fact that he's taken on new commitments both here and abroad,' he said. 'I know it's not a decision he's taken lightly and, as with Steven Gerrard's decision, I promised Frank that I would accept his choice with good grace and not try to change his mind.' Lampard is the joint sixth most-capped player in England history, level with Sir Bobby Charlton, while his 29 England goals puts him joint ninth on the list of scorers. It’s not too late to play MailOnline Fantasy Football… There’s £1,000 to be won EVERY WEEK by the highest scoring manager . | Frank Lampard announced his retirement from the England team on Tuesday .
The former Chelsea midfielder played 106 times for his country over 15 years .
Current England manager Roy Hodgson said Lampard's in exalted company .
Hodgson said: 'He has served the national team quite brilliantly'
Now on loan at Manchester City, Lampard scored 29 goals for England .
Lampard made his full international debut in 1999 .
He was picked for three World Cup finals and a European Championship . |
251,893 | d20533ce441b7a95523ea9828633eeb63c43ab95 | By . Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 00:16 EST, 20 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 00:29 EST, 20 August 2012 . A pregnant teenager from the Dominican Republican has died from leukemia complications this week after her mother said the hospital had delayed her chemotherapy treatment due to the Caribbean nation’s stringent anti-abortion laws. Doctors at Semma Hospital in Santo Domingo were reluctant to give Rosa Hernandez’s 16-year-old daughter her chemotherapy because it could terminate the pregnancy, which is against the law in the island nation where the Catholic Church remains a powerful force. According to Article 37 of the Dominican Constitution, which was passed in 2009, ‘the right to life is inviolable from the moment of conception and until death.’ Heartbroken: Rosa Hernandez said she tried to convince the Dominican government to make an exception for her daughter and approve her chemotherapy, but to no avail . Dominican courts have interpreted Article 37 as a strict ban on abortion even in extreme cases of incest, rape and malformation of the fetus, CNN reported. A Dominican doctor who provides chemotherapy treatment for a pregnant patient that results in the termination of the pregnancy may find himself in legal trouble. As a result, medics are afraid to carry out the procedure because it’s unconstitutional. Hernandez said she tried to convince the Dominican government and the doctors to make an exception for her daughter in order to safe her young life, but her pleas fell on deaf ears. ‘My daughter's life is first,’ she told CNN. ‘I know that (abortion) is a sin and that it goes against the law…but my daughter's health is first.’ Hernandez said her daughter, who has not been identified due to her age, started getting treatment for her illness only 20 days after being admitted to the hospital. On Friday, she passed away, according to Dr Antonio Cabrera, the legal representative for the hospital. Too late: The pregnant teen's treatment started some 20 days after she was first admitted to Semma Hospital in Santo Dominican . ‘They have killed me, I'm dead, dead. I'm nothing,’ the girl’s grieving mother said. ‘She was the reason for my existence. I no longer live. Rosa has died. Let the world know that Rosa is dead.’ The body of the teen, dubbed ‘Esperanctia’ in the press, rejected a blood transfusion and did not respond to the chemotherapy, and her condition worsened, Cabrera said. National debate: Dominican Minister of Health Bautista Rojas Gomez said he favored chemotherapy over protecting the girl's pregnancy . The teen, who was 13 weeks pregnant, suffered a miscarriage early Friday. She then went into cardiac arrest, and doctors were unable to revive her. The plight of the 16-year-old girl has sparked a national debate over abortion in the Dominican Republic, with some lawmakers calling on officials to reconsider the abortion ban. Leaders of the liberal opposition took up the girl’s cause, calling on the government to reconsider the nation’s stringent anti-abortion stance, and even Dominican Minister of Health Bautista Rojas Gomez said he favored chemotherapy over protecting the girl's pregnancy. However, Pelegriin Castillo, one of the sponsors of the Article 37, said the ban does not bar doctors from administering the treatment to treat cancer, but rather prevents them from using chemotherapy specifically to induce an abortion. However, the teen’s doctors were allegedly hesitant to start treatment for fear of facing persecution if the chemotherapy were to end the pregnancy. Reuters reported that Amnesty International has found that that in countries where abortion is totally banned, the rates of maternal mortality rise because doctors are unable to provide life-saving treatment that endangers pregnancy even when such treatment is necessary to save the mother's life. | Girl, 16, was admitted to hospital in capital of Santo Domingo when she was 10 weeks pregnant .
Doctors delayed her chemotherapy so as not to terminate her pregnancy .
Dominican law passed in 2009 says that life begins at conception .
Island's courts interpreted the law as strict ban on all abortions even in cases of rape and incest .
Teen's case sparked a national debate about the country's blanket anti-abortion law . |
28,580 | 51132612a495fa0b9460a8995bfcc1a5eb01d481 | Proud daughter Jen Fitzpatrick wants to follow in the footsteps of her glamorous mum and become a top beauty queen. The 23-year-old, from Torfaen, South Wales, was inspired to hit the catwalk by her elegant mother, Merle, who won a string of pageants before her tragic death when Jen was just 11. Merle wowed the crowds at beauty competitions even winning the title of Miss Cardiff before falling pregnant - she then traded in her sashes and trophies to spend more time with her family. Beautiful Jen Fitzpatrick (left) hopes to win Miss Wales next month in honour of her late mother, Merle. Merle (right) was a former Miss Cardiff who gave up her sashes when she fell pregnant . A cute Jennifer poses with her mother on a fairground ride when she was a little girl . Merle cuddles a sleeping Jennifer, she gave up beauty pageants after becoming pregnant . However she passed away after a battle with breast cancer in 2003. Now Jen is following in her mum's footsteps and wants to honour her memory by becoming the new Miss Wales. Jen, a qualified nurse, said: 'I thought taking part could be my way of keeping mum's memory alive. 'My beautiful mum might not be here to cheer me on but I know that if that beauty queen crown is placed on my head her smile will be beaming down on me. 'I loved the idea of following in my mum's footsteps. I hope she would be proud.' When Jen turned 16 she started to notice the likeness she shared with her mum when she looked in the mirror. She really treasured their similarities and vowed to make her mum proud by working hard and qualifying as a nurse. Then in early 2014 she saw Miss Wales were welcoming applicants for the next year and she decided to apply. Jennifer is a finalist for the Miss Wales competition and hopes to win the title next month . Merle, who is pictured wearing a chic black swimming costume, was once crowned Miss Cardiff . Merle wore her Miss Cardiff sash whilst larking about for a photoshoot . Jen said: 'Mum was always so modest about her many successes as a beauty queen but I was fascinated and used to ask to see her old photos often. 'Her smile would just shine out of the pictures and she always looked so glamorous. She kept her trophies in the attic but I liked digging them out to play with. 'I was utterly heartbroken when mum died. It was hard for a very long time to keep it together day to day. 'I was even envious of friends when they moaned about their mums. I'd have given anything for a teenage row with mine.' Jen hopes to keep her mum's memory alive by winning the Miss Wales final in Swansea, South Wales, next month. Merle took part in many competitions when she was younger something which Jennifer now wishes to do . Jennifer was close to her mother who sadly died in 2003 from breast cancer . | Jen Fitzpatrick hopes to win Miss Wales in honour of her late mother .
Merle Fitzpatrick had been a beauty queen in her younger years .
She tragically died in 2003 of breast cancer . |
153,284 | 520efdcd434f91ea34421d46b262430779a4eca3 | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Department of Veterans Affairs is still struggling with an enormous backlog in claims for medical and educational benefits that are piling up despite efforts to diminish the paperwork, the secretary of the department admitted Wednesday. VA Secretary Eric Shinseki says the backlog for processing claims by veterans is too long. The VA has implemented an electronic records system, but faces a flood of medical claims each month. In July alone, the VA processed 92,000 claims, but another 91,200 came in. The department has 400,000 claims in the works, with more than a quarter of them left unprocessed for more than 125 days. "Regardless of how we parse the numbers, there is a backlog. It is too big and veterans are waiting too long for decisions," said Eric Shinseki, secretary of veterans affairs, in his opening statement to the House Veterans Affairs Committee hearing Wednesday. Shinseki was pressed on the backlog by Rep. Debbie Halvorson, D-Illinois, who asked about the problem of many claims having to be resubmitted. The secretary said it was a problem of trust between veterans and the department that he was trying to change, making every employee an "advocate" for veterans. "What I mean by advocacy is that when Shinseki walks in and says 'I want to put a claim in,' my intent is to put together the very best claim the first time with a very high probability of success," Shinseki responded. "Whatever is there right now is what we are addressing. It is a change in culture. It is a change in attitude." The department became a victim of the success of its new education program for veterans who have served since September 2001. The claims became so backlogged that the VA was forced to issue more than $70 million in emergency funds to veterans who were still waiting for money for supplies and living needs, weeks into the school year. "Uncertainty and great stress caused by these delays were addressed through these emergency procedures, which remain in effect," Shinseki assured the Veterans Affairs Committee. Despite the department's efforts to build a computerized system to process the new program claims, the system was not up and running in time. Problems facing veterans are even more acute for female service members, who have more difficulty accessing veterans programs, according to the advocacy group Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Association. The IAVA released a study on Wednesday highlighting the concerns women veterans have. More than 212,000 women have served in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, according to the IAVA, but they face a system that is designed more for the care of their male counterparts. Department of Veterans Affairs statistics show that women make up almost 10 percent of the veteran population, but their numbers are growing. One area of concern underscored by the report is access to female-specific medical care at VA facilities. "For most women, this translates into having a primary care physician handle general health care while a second clinician may handle gender-specific needs, and in some cases, a third provider may address mental health issues," the study said. In some cases, female veterans may be forced to travel more than two hours for routine gynecological care, according to a VA study cited by the IAVA report. At the House hearing, Shinseki was asked by Chairman Bob Filner, D-California, about women veterans being refused care at VA facilities because there was nobody to watch their children while they were being examined. Shinseki assured Filner that the issue was being addressed and that no veterans should be turned away for that reason. The VA got some good news, however, on its budget. On Wednesday the House and Senate finalized a bill to provide the department with funding for medical programs one year in advance. The move, which still has to be signed by President Obama, will assure the department more stability in projecting its ability to provide properly funded services. | Backlog of claims keeps growing despite efforts to streamline, VA head says .
Backlog "is too big and veterans are waiting too long," says Eric Shinseki .
VA secretary tells Congress he wants every VA employee to be an advocate for vets .
Women veterans face even worse problems than men, advocacy group says . |
98,551 | 0ae5a393cb21f9dec88b6ab5d8e49c5cc961d94d | By . Neil Sears, Larisa Brown and Francesca Infante . PUBLISHED: . 18:06 EST, 9 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:31 EST, 10 August 2013 . The boss of the Royal Mail has made a potential profit of nearly £400,000 in just 12 months on a luxury flat she bought with the help of taxpayers’ cash, it emerged last night. Moya Greene was controversially given £250,000 to help buy a home in London as part of a pay package to lure her from Canada. She put the money towards the 2012 purchase of a £1.6million maisonette located in one of the most expensive areas of the capital. Increasing value: The three-bedroom flat owned by Royal Mail CEO Moya Greene which has soared in value in just a year . The flat had been sumptuously refurbished by its former owner, a noted interior decorator, and was sold complete with art works and furnishings. But the area is so popular that Miss Greene’s three-bedroom home has rocketed in value to almost £2million in just a year, property experts say, giving her a potential profit of nearly £400,000. The £250,000 payment only emerged in the notes to Royal Mail accounts published last week and is to be repaid by Miss Greene, a divorced mother-of-one. Royal Mail claims the £250,000 payment ‘was not a gift’, describing it as a ‘single payment towards the purchase of a home’, approved when Miss Greene bought her flat with a mortgage from Barclays Bank. But there is growing political pressure for her also to return any profit she ends up making out of the deal. Under pressure: Moya Greene, CEO of Royal Mail, may make a £400,000 profit from the London flat she bought with the help of £250,000 of taxpayers' money . Business Secretary Vince Cable has already criticised the Royal Mail for giving the £250,000 in the first place. Mario Dunn, of the pressure group Save Our Royal Mail, said Miss Greene’s deal was ‘the kind of practice we associate with bankers’. He said: ‘Hard-pressed Royal Mail customers will not be pleased to learn they are paying for houses in London. ‘Unfortunately if Vince Cable goes ahead with privatisation there will be nothing that can stop this happening again in the future. ‘And consumers don’t want to have to pay more for their stamps to go toward higher pay, rewards and bonuses for senior executives.’ Miss Greene’s spokesman at the Royal Mail could not say how much of the profits she has made would be refunded and insisted that 59-year-old Miss Greene’s pay package – which last year totalled £1.5m – was ‘below the market average’. Miss Greene was previously boss of Canada Post, where she aroused huge opposition with her cutbacks including changing rules on staff sick leave benefits – earning herself the nickname ‘The Greene-ch’ who stole Christmas. Fine furnishings: Estate agent pictures show the living room in the flat occupied by Moya Greene in central London . State of the art: The galley kitchen in the flat helps increase the price . When she was brought to London in 2010 to prepare the Royal Mail for privatisation, she was given £127,000 in ‘relocation payments’, which included annual flights home to see her grown-up daughter. She initially rented a £5,000 a month terrace house in West London. But last year she decided to buy and settled on a sumptuous garden flat. Advertisements for the leasehold flat, set over the upper ground and lower ground floors of a handsome Victorian terrace, boasted about the ‘immaculate living space’ and ‘superb private garden’. The interior design meanwhile was described as being ‘luxurious and timeless’ including ‘state of the art modern lighting, audio visual and security facilities’. Labour’s shadow business secretary, Chuka Umunna said: ‘The £250,000 housing perk the Royal Mail board gave its CEO – nearly ten times the average salary – will be totally unfathomable to its customers. Fine dining: When the flat was put on the market last year, the estate agents boasted about the 'immaculate living space' ‘The decision to award this housing assistance in the first place is surprising and calls into question the judgment of the Royal Mail’s board.’ A Royal Mail spokesman claimed Miss Greene was underpaid compared to other chief executives – even though her total package last year was £1.4million, with another ‘long term bonus’ of £500,000 due shortly. She also said the £250,000 housing payment ‘recognises that London is significantly more expensive than Canada’. The spokesman added that Miss Greene had ‘voluntarily offered’ to return the payment and said that a share of the profits she made on her flat would also be given back to the Royal Mail. The spokesman would not expand on the note in the accounts which said: ‘The Remuneration Committee will also determine the process for the reimbursement of the company of any unrealised gain to date associated with this payment.’ Last month the Daily Mail revealed that fellow Canadian Mark Carney, the new governor of the Bank of England, was using his £250,000 a year housing allowance to rent a £15,000 a month six-bedroom townhouse worth £3million. | Moya Greene was given £250,000 of taxpayers' money towards a home .
Money was part of pay package when she took role as Royal Mail CEO .
She purchased a £1.6million London flat, now valued at £2million . |
53,866 | 98bfe07f62816d03d2a6edd6dc4247c060943120 | By . Charles Walford . and Michael Seamark . Updated: . 13:28 EST, 18 February 2012 . Rupert Murdoch came out fighting yesterday declaring his ‘unwavering support’ for Sun journalists and announcing that a Sunday version of the newspaper will be launched very soon. The media mogul flew into Britain to grapple with the crisis engulfing his News International group and immediately lifted the suspension of all staff arrested over alleged phone and computer hacking and bribery of officials. Staff have accused the company of a ‘witch hunt’ after an internal management committee passed information to police that led to the arrests of ten senior executives at the Sun. Scroll down for video . All smiles at The Sun: Rupert Murdoch smiles confidently as he leaves his home in Green Park and heads to The Sun's office yesterday . In a visit to News International’s . headquarters at Wapping, East London, Mr Murdoch told staff: ‘Everyone . is innocent unless proven otherwise.’ But he warned: ‘We will obey the law. Illegal activities simply cannot and will not be tolerated – at any of our publications.’ In an email, the 80-year-old News . Corporation chairman said recent events were ‘a source of great pain for . me, as I know it is for each of you’. ‘I’ve worked alongside you for 43 . years to build The Sun into one of the world’s finest papers. It is part . of me and is one of our proudest achievements,’ he said. Journalists at the tabloid are angry . that News Corporation’s Management Standards Committee gave police . information – including the identity of sources – that led to the . arrests, which include the deputy editor, picture editor and chief . reporter. Investigation: A detective leaves the home of Mike Sullivan, The Sun crime editor, with paperwork and other potential evidence last month after four of the paper's journalists were arrested . The MSC, which was formed to clean up . the company following the phone-hacking scandal, is trawling through . internal emails and passing details of suspected illegal activity to . Scotland Yard. The Metropolitan Police has arrested and bailed the ten Sun journalists, nine of them held in dawn raids on Saturdays. News International journalists fear further arrests. All were immediately . suspended on full pay in the wake of the arrests. But, Mr Murdoch . said he was doing 'everything to assist' them, including paying their . legal fees. He said they were free to work until any formal charges are made against them. He added: 'Everyone is innocent unless proven otherwise.' Despite . the invitation, it was not clear if all nine journalists would return . to work after it was reported that some were considering their . options. The heavy-handed police tactics have . drawn strong criticism, with the Yard accused of diverting officers from . murder, rape and terrorism investigations to join ‘Stasi-like’ raids . against journalists. Mr Murdoch, who dramatically closed . down the News of the World last July at the height of the phone-hacking . scandal, insisted journalists’ ‘legitimate’ confidential sources would . be protected. But he wrote: ‘We will turn over every . piece of evidence we find – not just because we are obligated to but . because it is the right thing to do. ‘I made a commitment last summer that . I would do everything I could to get to the bottom of our problems and . make this company an example to Fleet Street of ethical journalism.’ Mr Murdoch said he planned to remain . in London for several weeks and would build on the Sun’s ‘proud heritage . by launching the Sun on Sunday very soon’. Five staff at The Sun were arrested last weekend following information being passed to police by its parent company . Dear Colleagues: . I've worked alongside you for 43 years to build The Sun into one of the world's finest papers. It is a part of me and is one of our proudest achievements. The Sun occupies a unique and important position within News Corporation. I have immense respect for our heritage, your exceptional journalism and, above all, you, the talented women and men who work tirelessly every day to ensure our readers have access to such a trusted news source. I believe this newsroom is full of great journalists and I remain grateful for your superb work and for the stories you uncover to inform and protect the public. None more so than over the last three weeks. My continuing respect makes this situation a source of great pain for me, as I know it is for each of you. We will obey the law. Illegal activities simply cannot and will not be tolerated – at any of our publications. Our Board of Directors, our management team and I take these issues very seriously. Our independently chaired Management & Standards Committee, which operates outside of News International, has been instructed to cooperate with the police. We will turn over every piece of evidence we find -- not just because we are obligated to but because it is the right thing to do. We are doing everything we can to assist those who were arrested -- all suspensions are hereby lifted until or whether charged and they are welcome to return to work. News Corporation will cover their legal expenses. Everyone is innocent unless proven otherwise. I made a commitment last summer that I would do everything I could to get to the bottom of our problems and make this Company an example to Fleet Street of ethical journalism. We will continue to ensure that all appropriate steps are taken to protect legitimate journalistic privilege and sources, which I know are essential for all of you to do your jobs. But we cannot protect people who have paid public officials. I am confident we can live by these commitments and still produce great journalism. We will build on The Sun's proud heritage by launching The Sun on Sunday very soon. Our duty is to expand one of the world's most widely read newspapers and reach even more people than ever before. Having a winning paper is the best answer to our critics. I am even more determined to see The Sun continue to fight for its readers and its beliefs. I am staying with you all, in London, for the next several weeks to give you my unwavering support. I am confident we will get through this together and emerge stronger. Thank you, Rupert Murdoch . Labour leader Ed Miliband said yesterday he was 'outraged' that News Corporation executives were being criticised for co-operating with the police over claims of corrupt payments to public officials. Mr Miliband insisted Rupert Murdoch was 'absolutely right' to uncover what had taken place at the paper - and that the company ought to have helped police 'years ago'. 'I must say I think the people being outraged about what News International is doing to cooperate with the police - I'm outraged at that," he told BBC Radio 5 Live. 'Of course News International should be co-operating with the police. There is evidence, there are allegations anyway, of criminal activity. It would be quite wrong for them not to cooperate with the police.' Labour MP Tom Watson, who has been one of the leading figures campaigning against News International, said the launch of the new paper would not end the crisis. He tweeted: 'I'm told the PR line is to restate the plan for a Sun on Sunday. This will not draw a line under the crisis faced by News Corp in the UK.' Despite Mr Murdoch's charm offensive, many were still furious about the treatment of their colleagues at the hands of the MSC. In a sign of how low relations have sunk, one senior staff member dubbed former editor of the Daily Telegraph Will Lewis, an MSC member, the 'chief witch hunter' and said there would be demands that he be sacked. Sources close to the investigation believe they have . uncovered evidence of 'serious suspected criminality over a sustained . period' by some public officials supplying The Sun with information, . dismissing the suggestion from some reporters that they were being . investigated over 'trivial' matters, such as £50 lunches with sources. The MSC has been feeding Operation Elveden, the police investigation into corrupt payments, with information over the past few months. In all, 21 people have been held. The five members of Sun staff arrested last weekend were deputy editor of the paper Geoff Webster, chief reporter John Kay, picture editor John Edwards, deputy news editor John Sturgis and chief foreign correspondent Nick Parker. Also held in the dawn raids were a 39-year-old Ministry of Defence employee and a 36-year-old member of the Armed Forces. In January, senior members of The Sun's newsroom were held by police and later released on bail. They were head of news Chris Pharo, executive editor Fergus Shanahan, crime editor Mike Sullivan as well as former managing editor Graham Dudman and a 29-year-old police officer. In July last year, former chief executive of News International and ex-Sun editor Rebekah Brooks was questioned by detectives as part of Operation Elveden and those involved with Operation Weeting, the investigation into alleged phone hacking by journalists. In November, long-serving journalist Jamie Pyatt was also arrested in relation to allegations of corrupt payments to police officers. The arrests followed the shock closure by News International of the News of the World in July last year after lurid phone hacking allegations emerged. The new Sunday tabloid the Sun on Sunday will replace the News of the World. No date has yet been announced for the . first edition of the paper - but Mr Murdoch said it would be . 'the best answer to our critics'. Journalists at The Sun, which is owned by News International, said they are the victims of a 'witch-hunt' | Embattled Murdoch comes out fighting with shock announcements in bid to save scandal-hit paper .
He flies in to London and will stay for weeks to give staff his 'unwavering support' at a time of 'great pain'
Nine senior staff arrested amid claims police and officials were paid around £100,000 in return for information .
He clears them to go back to work saying 'everyone is innocent until proven guilty', but 'bruised' staff are said to be considering if they will return .
Sunday edition of The Sun to be launched 'very soon' will fill gap in market left by shut down News of the World .
Launch will not draw a line under the crisis, says Labour MP Tom Watson . |
121,676 | 29449f5842ac83ac1e679483c2cc0816e188669c | (CNN) -- Cyndi Lauper is one fabulous and fun sage. The girl had it goin' on way back in 1984 when she sang "Money Changes Everything." It does. Oh, I hear you. Everybody knows that. But not so fast. Fresh off her "we were dead broke" when we left the White House gaffe, Hillary Clinton told the British newspaper The Guardian that people in the middle class "don't see me as part of the problem." Why? Because, she says, when it comes to income inequality, "we [Bill and I] pay ordinary income tax, unlike a lot of people who are truly well off ... and we've done it through dint of hard work." The Clintons do come from humble backgrounds and they did work hard back to get to where they are, but Clinton's hard work today is in the eye of the beholder. Writing a speech then delivering it for $200,000 takes some brain work, but it's a lot easier than digging ditches. Or rushing home after an eight-hour shift at Walmart to cook dinner, take care of the kids, do the laundry and then do it all again six hours later. Let's face it, when you and your beloved are worth $100 million, most Americans find it difficult to relate to your past "hard work" when you now have the luxury of drivers, maids, Secret Service and a mansion in Chappaqua, New York. The Guardian reporter observed in his article that laughing appears to be Clinton's "way of acknowledging pain." Perhaps she realized her inelegance on some level, because she let out a burst of laughter after her response. As Lauper said, money changes everything. Wouldn't it have been grand if Clinton had said, "I worked hard, yes, but I've been blessed for so many years. I can't say I totally understand your life, but having been there once, I promise you, I'll try." But, it's a rare wealthy politician or millionaire who will admit they don't "get" the middle class or the working poor. What other explanation is there for Mitt Romney's comments during his 2012 presidential run about 47% of Americans? "All right, there are 47% who are with [President Obama]," Romney said, "who are dependent upon government, who believe that they are victims, who believe the government has a responsibility to care for them. ...These are people who pay no income tax. ... My job is not to worry about those people. I'll never convince them they should take personal responsibility and care for their lives." Billy Ray Valentine (Eddie Murphy) was so awesomely right when he said in the movie, "Trading Places," "The best way you hurt rich people is by turning them into poor people." Take Sting. The rock legend is worth a mint, but he, too, came from modest means. He so desperately wants his kids to know what it's like to have a "work ethic" that he expects them to earn their own money. In other words, don't count on a giant inheritance from mom and dad. It's worthy exercise, except you can't change entitled people by simply withholding cash. Alfred Lubrano, an award-winning journalist and author of "Limbo," said Sting's exercise is "doomed to fail." "When you grow up in a white collar home, kids have absorbed so many lessons of being entitled. It's no one's fault; it's simply how it works," Lubrano said. In other words, Sting's kids will never know what it's like to be "seen and not heard." They're used to having a place at the table, not working for one. Larry Sabato, director of the Center for Politics at the University of Virginia, says if the wealthy really want to understand those with more modest means, they should resurrect Sen. Bob Graham's 100 "Workdays." Back in 1977, when Graham was running for governor of Florida, he told voters he would "experience the lives of ordinary Floridians firsthand by working their jobs." In order to accomplish that, as Graham's website put it, he worked 100 days laboring at everything from "changing bedpans and cleaning invalids in a nursing home to wielding blowtorches as a steel worker and going without sleep as a long-haul trucker." Graham told me, "I learned a lot of intangibles. I learned by actually doing something as opposed to learning by listening to a lecture or reading it in a book." Not only that, Graham said, he learned "a lot about what government does that doesn't make sense in the real world." Wow! Perhaps millionaire politicians should give Graham's workdays a try. Or at least get a grip on their talking points. Joe Biden did -- yes, our vice president. He told a group of people at the Summit on Working Families: "Sometimes we talk about this stuff, about struggle. My struggle -- my God, compared to where I grew up and the way people are trying to go through things -- but here is the point I want to make -- I have been really, really fortunate." Did our VP just admit that money does change everything? | Hillary Clinton said she pays ordinary income tax and made money through hard work .
Carol Costello says when the Clintons are worth $100 million, it's hard for Americans to relate .
Costello: It's rare for wealthy politicians to admit they aren't in touch with middle class .
Rich politicians need to concede that "money changes everything," Costello says . |
266,225 | e4cfb719c6765d0e4bdee375fa597721f040a4b4 | Lionel Messi's legacy at Barcelona looks set to live on long after he has retired after his six-year-old nephew pulled on the famous strip for the first time. Augustine, the son of Messi's brother Rodrigo, plays for FCB Escola, a Catalan club for children aged between six and 11. He took part in his first training session this week, watched by his father, according to reports in Spain. Lionel Messi with his six-year-old nephew Augustus who is playing for Catalan club FCB Escola . Messi trains with Barcelona ahead of their trip to Levante on Sunday in La Liga . Should Augustine graduate to the Barcelona first team, he will be the third player from FCB Escola to do so. Marti Riverola made one substitute appearance in the Champions League before he joined Bologna. The 23-year-old is now on loan at Mallorca. The other is Sergi Samper, a 19 year old midfielder in the mould of Sergio Busquets who made his debut against APOEL in the Champions League last Wednesday. FCB Escola is run by Xavi Marce and Barcelona have schools across the world, including in Brazil and India. Sergi Samper graduated from FCB Escola and Messi's nephew has now joined the Catalan school . VIDEO All Star XI: Lionel Messi highlights . | Lionel Messi's nephew, Augustine, plays for FCB Escola, a Catalan club .
The six-year-old began training this week .
Marti Riverola and Sergi Samper both graduated from the school . |
195,638 | 893ab7785f409cc48a58dad5c5118a2645843d81 | (CNN) -- Vermont is weighing a bill that could make it the first state to legalize same-sex marriage without being prompted by the courts. Vermont could become the first state to legalize same-sex marriage without prompting from courts. The state's House Judiciary Committee has scheduled a hearing for Tuesday afternoon to consider a bill that the Vermont Senate passed Monday by a vote of 26-4. The House is expected to pass the bill. Republican Gov. Jim Douglas, however, has said he opposes the bill. "Governor Douglas agrees with President Obama that marriage is between a man and a woman. He supports Vermont's current civil union law, which provides equal rights, benefits, and responsibilities to Vermonters in civil unions," said the governor's spokeswoman, Dennise Casey. The governor "believes this bill is a distraction from the important work the legislature needs to do to pass a responsible budget and get our economy going again," Casey added. It is unclear whether both chambers of the state legislature would vote to override a potential gubernatorial veto. Vermont made history in 2000 by becoming the first state to approve civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. Massachusetts and Connecticut are the only states that allow same-sex marriage. Vermont, New Hampshire, and New Jersey allow civil unions for gay and lesbian couples. Vermont legalized civil unions nine years ago in response to a ruling from its high court. Nationwide, the issue of same-sex marriage remains highly divisive. A June 2008 CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll found that 44 percent of adult Americans believe gay marriage should be recognized by law as valid; 53 percent are opposed. The issue took center stage in the nation's largest state last November, when California voters narrowly approved a proposition amending the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage. California had been issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples since a May 2008 ruling by the state Supreme Court legalized the unions. California's high court heard arguments three weeks ago in a case tackling the constitutionality of the controversial ballot proposition. It has not yet issued a decision. The 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act effectively bars the federal government from recognizing same-sex unions by defining marriage as "a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and wife" and a spouse as "a person of the opposite sex who is a husband or a wife." | Vermont poised to pass legislation to legalize same-sex marriage .
It would be the first time a state took the action without being forced by courts .
Vermont's governor opposes the bill and has called the measure a 'distraction' |
222,476 | abfb36b9c2c8d6f4223c1aa62e11e5ee7a426c5b | These are the four men killed in a drive-by shooting shooting as they sat in a stolen car in an upscale part of San Francisco. Authorities named David Saucier, 20, Yalani Chinyamurindi, 19, Harith Atchan, 21, and Manuel O'Neal, 22 as the victims shot dead in Hayes Valley on Friday night. Police are yet to name any suspects in the killings, which police say involved shots fired from at least two and as many as four different guns. Victims: David Saucier, 20, (left) and Yalani Chinyamurrindi, 19, were both gunned down Friday . Shot dead: Harith Atchan, 21, (left) and Manuel Oneal, 22, (right) were also shot in the attack . Extra police patrols are in place, and the San Francisco Police Department's gang task force was put into action after well-heeled residents spoke of their shock at violence plaguing their neighborhood. Speaking to the San Francisco Chronicle, local Landon Fabianski said: 'I thought it was more of an upscale neighborhood. I never thought there would be a shooting of that nature here.' Heather Houston, 33, concurred, saying: 'It seems like such a nice, safe neighborhood.' The four men were shot dead a few blocks from San Francisco's golden domed City Hall where trendy cafes, antique stores and popular restaurants continue to open in a neighborhood long plagued by gang violence. Ten men and a woman are currently in jail awaiting trial on federal charges of murder, racketeering and a host of other counts connected to a gang authorities say is based in the neighborhood. It is not clear whether the gang is involved in these killings. Community leaders assembled at the African American Culture Center Monday said parents and residents were afraid of more violence in reprisal for the killings and were keeping their children inside. Attack: The men were sitting in a car, shown left with bullet holes, when the attack came. Police now say the vehicle was stolen . Emergency: Police and ambulances are pictured above responding to the shooting . 'Our community is bleeding,' said Mattie Scott, a community activist whose 24-year-old son was slain in the same neighborhood in 1996. 'Fear is a major issue right now.' A makeshift memorial of candles, flowers and handwritten signs appeared on the sidewalk next to where the shooting occurred across the street from the Samovar Tea Lounge and the San Francisco Zen Center. Two bullet holes remained visible in an empty store front. Graffiti mourning one of the men slain was spray painted on a nearby apartment building. A prayer vigil was scheduled for late Monday at the center. Yalini Chinyamurindi's mother told the Chronicle her son was at the 'wrong place at the wrong time.' Asale-Haqueenyah Chandler said her son worked at a nearby Japanese restaurant, was on his 30-minute break, and was headed to a liquor store to cash his paycheck. 'He called his friend to pick him up,' Chandler said. 'He only had a half hour. He wanted to give me some money toward our rent and save money for a car.' Witnesses reported more than a dozen shots were fired into the double-parked car. 'I heard 'pop, pop,' about 15 times in quick succession,' said Jason Palmer, who was walking his dog two blocks away when the killings occurred. Palmer, an actor who moved to San Francisco 18 months ago, said the neighborhood is plagued with graffiti and crime. | Four named, including David Saucier, 20, and Yalani Chinyamurindi, 19 .
Harith Atchan, 21, and Manuel O'Neal, 22, were also shot dead Friday .
Men were sitting in stolen parked car in upscale part of San Francisco .
Residents were shocked that well-heeled Hayes Valley was hit by violence . |
175,440 | 6f1185c16969b6bf88330cc04841d20e5697815d | Washington (CNN) -- The State of the Union address is held in the U.S. House chamber, where lawmakers, Cabinet officials and Supreme Court justices crowd the floor. Dignitaries and other invited guests pack the balcony. Still more stand along the back and down the aisles. The hall is smaller than imagined. The din ahead of the annual event is broken when the main doors to the ornate room swing open and the sergeant at arms booms: "Mr. Speaker, the President of the United States." Dating to George Washington, there are few ceremonial moments like it in Washington, and the historic moment has never been lost on Hollywood. The address -- or the floor of Congress -- has been a character, title or storyline in several films and TV shows over the years. Remember the final scene in the movie Dave? Or the opening of Episode 13, Season Two of "The West Wing?" But you won't find the actual State of the Union address in the 1948 Frank Capra movie called, well, "State of the Union." Some appearances of the State of the Union addresses or dramatic speeches before Congress include: . "State of the Union" (1948) One would think that a movie named "State of the Union" would include an actual State of the Union address. Nope. Maybe director Frank Capra was our nation's first ironic hipster. Either way, the film does deal with the politics of running for president and Spencer Tracy apologizes to the woman he loves and to the American people through a radio address. "Dave" (1993) In the 1993 film, the President of the United States falls into a coma after an embarrassing incident. So White House insiders scramble to look for someone who looks like him and keep up the charade. They find Dave. Played by Kevin Kline, Dave is an average Joe -- honest and kind -- who wants to actually help people. But the political powers want him gone and accuse him of corruption. In the key scene, Dave faces a joint session of Congress and the American people to address the accusations. After that speech, he's not the president anymore. Life's tough. "The American President" (1995) While many would've thought the climatic speech in this Rob Reiner-directed film featured Michael Douglas as president speaking before the joint session of Congress, the most dramatic and most quotable part of the movie was when Douglas, as president Andrew Shepard, spoke to a packed White House briefing room. Douglas defends his relationship with Annette Bening's character and in the process, talked about gun control and climate control. "The West Wing" -- Season 2, Episode 13 (1999) Played by Martin Sheen, Josiah Bartlet was the ideal president. His speeches were both passionate and pragmatic. In the episode "Bartlet's Third State of the Union," he speaks before the American people while dealing with a hostage situation in South America. The entire episode was built around the speech. Political jargon? Check. Melodramatic walk-and-talks? Check. An Aaron Sorkin-induced speechwriting masterpiece? Well, almost. "The Contender" (2000) Jeff Bridges plays a shrewd President Jackson Evans and in the pivotal speech of this 2000 drama, he goes before Congress during the State of the Union address to speak out against sexism, challenging them to confirm the first female vice president. It's a moving speech near the end of the movie, and you'd be surprised how it turned out. "Head of State" (2003) Sure, many of us would love Chris Rock as our president. In the 2003 comedy "Head of State," Rock runs for president and as expected, strikes a chord with the American people before hitting a few speed-bumps along the way. In the big scene, his character, D.C. alderman Mays Gilliam stops arguing with his opponent and instead speaks directly to the American people, touching on issues of foreign policy, crime, and even the pseudo-imperialism of American exceptionalism. But alas, while the setting looks like the chambers of Congress and the State of the Union, it's not. "XXX: State of the Union" (2005) This 2005 movie starring rapper Ice Cube is chock-filled with loud guns, loud hip-hop and really bad acting. But the actual State of the Union address does show up in this film, although it's where terrorists kidnap the president. "Commander-in-Chief" -- Season 1, Episode 1 (2005) We have had the first Catholic president, the first African-American president and, yet, we still haven't had the first woman president. On the small screen, Geena Davis played the part as President MacKenzie Allen in 2005. In the opening episode of this ABC drama, the first woman president goes before Congress and talks of hope and aspirations and of American being a force for good across the globe. "State of the Union" (2008) Another head-fake. Despite the title, there is no actual State of the Union here, either. Just a series of sketches performed by the experienced comedian Tracey Ullman, where she skewers American culture. Watching this 2008 comedy series on Showtime, though, was probably more fun than watching an actual State of the Union. "W" (2008) Of all the movies on the list, this one clearly feels the most surreal. An Oliver Stone creation, it's hard to judge whether the movie is actually a biography of George W. Bush as young collegian and as president. Josh Brolin does a fine job of portraying the 43rd president. In the film, Brolin convinces the country to go to war with Iraq. Interestingly, the speech that Brolin gives in the movie is an actual speech given by Bush while persuading the country to go to war, with the song . "What a Wonderful World" in the background and actual footage of real audience reaction weaved into the movie. | Several movies and TV shows have featured the State of the Union address .
Others have used the title, but the annual address never makes an appearance . |
109,649 | 1956a7360b2c100a64a448258c13b5221ac7f7fb | (CNN) -- Unseeded Frenchwoman Aravane Rezai produced one of the shocks of the year on Sunday by defeating favorite Venus Williams in straight sets to win the final of the Madrid Open. The 23-year-old Rezai -- who had only claimed WTA Tour titles at Strasbourg and Bali prior to Madrid -- continued her remarkable week with a 6-2 7-5 victory, adding Williams' scalp to her earlier surprise victories over former world number one's Junstine Henin and Jelena Jankovic. Williams, who returns to No.2 in the world behind younger sister Serena on Monday, lost the opening set in just 27 minutes and then failed to take advantage of a 4-1 lead in the second set. "I just cannot believe this," world number 24 Rezai -- who must now enter calculations for the French Open -- told reporters. "Venus played very well and I've always respected her as a player and a champion. I just tried my best today and it worked well for me." Williams, who was looking to secure her 44th career title, only converted two of her 13 break points in the match -- a statistic that contributed greatly to her defeat. | Unseeded Aravane Rezai claims victory in the Madrid Open final on Sunday .
Rezai secures a stunning straight sets win over favorite Venus Williams .
The success gives the 23-year-old Frenchwoman just the third title of her career . |
172,895 | 6bc185c4a6e3223c37bceff3edff410ff876bdd1 | (CNN) -- Researchers have made an unexpected discovery among the items a member of the Donner Party kept in a carpetbag on the group's ill-fated journey to California: a military document with Abraham Lincoln's handwriting on it. Donner Party member James Reed and his family carried muster rolls with Lincoln's name on them among their treasured heirlooms, the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum said in a statement released Monday. A team of librarians, historians and handwriting experts combined forces to confirm that Lincoln's writing was on one of the documents, which list Lincoln and volunteer soldiers who fought in the 1832 Black Hawk War. "We often find documents that detail fascinating stories about Abraham Lincoln's life and times, but it is rare indeed for the document to have such an intriguing history after it was written," said Daniel Stowell, director of the Papers of Abraham Lincoln. "That these documents detail part of Lincoln's military service and that they accompanied the Donner Party to California makes them doubly significant." All four of the muster rolls include "Private Abraham Lincoln" among the list of soldiers. On one of them, experts say two-and-a-half lines are clearly written in Lincoln's hand. And the documents reveal that Lincoln had a horse worth $85 and equipment valued at $15, noting that Lincoln received one tent that was United States property to be returned at the end of his service. The lines Lincoln wrote said: "Muster Roll of Captain Jacob M. Earleys Company of Mounted Volunteers Mustered out of the service of the United States By order of Brigadier General Atkinson of the United States army on White Water Rivers of Rock River on the 10th day of July 1832." The documents are part of the James Frazier Reed Collection at the California State Library. Reed's name appears just beneath Lincoln's on the list. He was one of the organizing members of the Donner Party, the group of pioneers known for resorting to cannibalism while enduring a harsh winter in the Sierra Nevada mountains. He likely inherited the papers from the military company's commander and took them with him when he left Springfield, Illinois, in April 1846 because they were part of his personal history, the Lincoln Presidential Library said. While historians believe the papers accompanied the Donner Party for their entire journey, Reed did not. He was banished from the group after fighting with a teamster and stabbing him to death, Monday's library statement said. He left the papers with his wife after being expelled from the party, and "she brought them safely in her bosom to California when helped by the first relief party which went to their assistance," daughter Martha Jane "Patty" Reed recalled. | Experts say military list includes Abraham Lincoln's handwriting .
The list, from the Black Hawk War, says Lincoln had an $85 horse and $15 of equipment .
Historians say an organizing member of the Donner Party carried the documents .
They are part of a collection at the California State Library . |
182,406 | 7834a48eb0b33b112ad3e13e2b31372776b5589f | Oslo, Norway (CNN) -- Anders Behring Breivik, who admits killing 77 people in Norway last summer, gave chilling details at his trial Friday of the gun rampage in which he systematically shot dead scores of young people. Without apparent emotion, he recounted firing more bullets into teenagers who were injured and so couldn't escape, killing those who tried to "play dead" and driving others into the sea to drown. Some survivors and relatives of victims in the courtroom wept as they listened to his detailed account of the attack on a youth camp on Utoya Island in which 69 people died. Breivik is on trial on charges of voluntary homicide and committing acts of terror in the July 22 attacks. He admits carrying out the Utoya attack and a bombing in Oslo that killed eight people. He boasts of being an ultranationalist who killed his victims to fight multiculturalism in Norway. Breivik told the court he had made use of lessons learned from al Qaeda in planning his attacks, and was inspired by the Oklahoma City and World Trade Center bombings. He said one other person knew of his planned attacks, but did not say who that was. Breivik recounted how he had arrived on Utoya Island by ferry, posing as a police officer and telling security officers on the island he was there to talk to them about the bomb attack. He told the court he had said to himself, just before he started shooting, "I just don't want to do this." But then, he said, he thought, "It is now or never." He considered for a minute, as "100 voices in his head said don't do it." Then he picked up his gun and started shooting. His first victim was the lone policeman on the island, Breivik said, whom he shot in the back of the head. The second was the manager on the island. Describing a scene of chaos at a cafe on the island, Breivik told how he shot young people who were paralyzed and could not run away in the head. He also tried to drive young people into the chilly waters around the island so he did not have to shoot them all, he said. He was shouting, "You shall all die today, Marxists," to scare people into the water, he said. He then fired at boats that ventured out to try to save some of those in the water, to frighten them away, he said. Breivik repeatedly tried to call a police chief to give himself up, but no senior officer spoke to him or called him back, he told the court. Concluding that the police did not want him to surrender, he decided to carry on shooting until he was shot himself, he said. Near the end of his rampage, he spared the lives of a girl and boy that he thought were obviously younger than 16, Breivik said, telling how the boy had burst into tears. Asked why he had aimed at the head in so many cases, he said it was "natural" when "the goal is to kill." The first two killings were the hardest, he said. "I knew it was wrong. Taking life is the most extreme action you can do." Breivik insists the deaths were justified by his mission but told the court he was in a "fight or flight" mode that meant the normal "ethical checks" in his brain seemed to have switched off. A grim silence, broken only by sobs, filled the courtroom as those present heard his account, some of it in militaristic language. Breivik earlier said he picked up the idea of wearing a police uniform for the gun massacre on Utoya Island from reading al Qaeda's online "magazine" for followers. He followed al Qaeda closely from 2006 to 2011 and studied the terror network's "media effect, what they have done wrong, what they have done right ... what it takes," Breivik said. He told the court he had gained tips from watching documentaries on the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Breivik also described how he had taught himself to switch off his emotions as prosecutors quizzed him on whether he felt empathy for others. "You ask if I have empathy and emotion. ... You could say I was pretty normal until 2006 when I started training ... desensitizing myself through meditation," Breivik said. "It's about atrocity, barbaric acts. I cannot even fathom what it must sound like to others. I have tried to distance myself from it," he said, speaking of his own actions. Prosecutors sought to uncover the roots of Breivik's ideas in earlier questioning Friday. Breivik told the court the issue at stake was freedom of speech, and how nationalists "have been excluded since the Second World War." He was driven to violence after trying unsuccessfully to get his views on multiculturalism heard, he said. "I had tried all peaceful means. I have personally found that this was futile. I tried to engage myself politically ... write essays and get through to the editors. ... Then there was only one possibility, that was violence," Breivik said. Asked if he considered his terror attacks to be cowardly, Breivik said it would probably have been "most honorable" to challenge Norway's military to a duel. "But when you are up against a massive strength, one is forced to do asymmetric warfare, and the only thing you have then is the element of surprise," he said. His attorney, Geir Lippestad, had warned that Friday's testimony, with its focus on the Utoya killings, was likely to be "the toughest day." Breivik told the court Thursday that he decided to carry out the gun attack on a Labour Party youth camp on Utoya after his initial plan to target a journalists' conference did not work out. He also hoped to kill former Prime Minister Gro Harlem Brundtland and decapitate her with a knife or bayonet, he said. He planned to film the murder on his iPhone and upload the video to the Internet, he said. Breivik used the video game "Modern Warfare 2" as training for his shooting, he testified. Players of the game, one of the "Call of Duty" series, work together as soldiers to shoot opponents. He also went through a period of playing the online fantasy game "World of Warcraft" up to 16 hours a day, he testified. The trial is expected to last up to 10 weeks. Breivik's testimony, which is not being broadcast due to a court ruling, follows his declaration Monday that he carried out the massacre but was not guilty because the killings had been "necessary." Breivik said in court Wednesday that he should either get the death penalty or be acquitted, ridiculing the idea that he would be sent to prison or a mental hospital for his actions. Norway does not have the death penalty. He boasted Tuesday that he had carried out "the most sophisticated and spectacular political attack in Europe since World War II" when he went on his gun-and-bomb rampage. Lippestad said it was important to his client that people see him as sane. Experts have given different opinions about Breivik's sanity, which will be a factor in determining what punishment he receives if convicted. Sentencing options could include imprisonment or confining him to a mental facility. Most of the victims' relatives did not want Breivik's remarks televised, and presiding Judge Wenche Elizabeth Arntzen rejected Breivik's claim that airing it was a human right. Court papers indicated the five judges hearing the case did not want the trial to become a platform for Breivik to air his political views, or for them to distract from the legal issues involved. Breivik has said his rampage was meant to save Norway from being taken over by multicultural forces and to prevent ethnic cleansing of Norwegians. In a 1,500-page manifesto attributed to him, Breivik railed against Muslim immigration and European liberalism -- including the ruling Labour Party, which he said was allowing the "Islamification of Europe." Journalist Olav Mellingsaeter contributed to this report. | NEW: Anders Breivik recounts how he shot the injured again so they couldn't escape .
NEW: He tried to call police to give himself up, but no one took his call, he says .
Breivik says he learned from al Qaeda methods, Oklahoma and World Trade Center bombings .
He admits killing 77 people in a gun-and-bomb rampage, calling it "necessary" |
40,471 | 723d12d5fb3d81528ff78dafaac6cddfb1f230e1 | Serge Aurier has completed his loan move to PSG with the French side having the option to buy the right-back next summer. The Ivorian, who was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal and Tottenham this summer, has settled his short-term future after passing a medical on Wednesday. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Serge Aurier dropping a hint that he was going to Arsenal . Step up: Arsenal and Tottenham target Aurier has joined the French Ligue 1 champions on loan . Aurier played 70 league games for . Toulouse after moving from Lens in 2012, and has 10 caps for Ivory Coast . having been part of their World Cup campaign in Brazil. Aurier said: 'To play with PSG's exceptional players is a dream I'll give my best to help the team reach the top. PSG . club president Nasser Al-Khelaifi said: 'Serge Aurier, a great hope of . world football who was courted by leading clubs, has chosen PSG to . assert himself on the European scene. 'We are particularly pleased to welcome this young player.' Hopes ended: Tottenham were hopeful of securing a deal to sign Aurier ahead of rivals Arsenal . VIDEO Wenger with unfinished transfer business  . | Aurier has moved on loan to PSG with an option to buy in 2015 .
Tottenham and Arsenal had been interested in the Ivorian .
Right-back played in the World Cup with Ivory Coast, and played 70 times for Toulouse . |
174,165 | 6d67b8fa5ba59c9c70f3dcda1a6c0a2ea3a3b988 | By . Daily Mail Reporter, Associated Press and Reuters Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:56 EST, 20 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:00 EST, 21 March 2013 . These are the faces of the seven young US Marines who were killed during a training exercise at a military base in Nevada. The men, one of whom was just 19, died when an accidental mortar explosion sent shrapnel flying into troops at Hawthorne Army Depot. All of the Marines killed on Monday night were based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, where the tight-knit community has joined in mourning their loss. Scroll down for video . Tragedy: Lance Cpl. William T, 21, (left) and Lance Cpl David P. Fenn II were among seven US troops killed during an accidental mortar explosion at a military base in Nevada . Casualties: Lance Cpl Mason J. Vanderwork, 21 (left) and Cpl Aaron J. Ripperda, 26, were also named among the dead . Fallen: Lance Cpl Josh Taylor, left, and Roger . Muchnick, were among the first to be named as victims in the training . exercise accident on Monday night . Hundreds of residents in the rural . community steeped in military history turned out to honor the fallen . troops as investigators arrived to try to determine what happened. Families with children clutching small . American flags were among the nearly 300 people who attended the brief . memorial service near Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, today, where a . trumpeter played taps at a city park as a giant U.S. flag flew at . half-staff across the street from the base. The victims of the blast whave been identified as Lance Cpl Josh Taylor, 21, of Marietta, Ohio; Roger Muchnick, 23, of Westport, Connecticut; Pfc Josh Martino, 19, of Dubois, Pennsylvania, Lance Cpl David P. Fenn II, 20, of Polk City, Pennsylvania, Lance Cpl. William T Wild IV, 21, of Anne Arundel, Maryland, Lance Cpl Mason J. Vanderwork of Hickory, North Carolina and Cpl Aaron J. Ripperda, 26, of Madison, Illinois. Living his dream: Pfc Josh Martino had wanted to be a Marine since he saw a TV special about the Marine Corps when he was a boy . Lance Cpl Taylor was engaged to be married, and had a wedding planned for May. His fiancee's father called him an exceptional person. Keith Malone told The Marietta Times: 'You don't meet many young men like him today. He was respectful to everyone, very humble, just happy, happy all the time.' Friend Christian Gentry added: 'You don't find people like him... Why would this happen to someone as great as Josh was? He had given so much into the Marines and [his] family.' Taylor is also survived by three sisters and a brother. Muchnick, who'd been in the Marines for about three years, had served in Afghanistan. He played high school lacrosse and football in Westport, and later played lacrosse at Eastern Connecticut State University, where he studied business. He was considering a return to college after his enlistment. In a biography on the university's website, Muchnick said the one thing he would like to do before he died was 'live,' and his most embarrassing moment was getting caught lip-synching in a school talent show. His grandfather, Jerome Muchnick, said: 'He was at the top of his game when this happened. You can't imagine losing a very handsome, 23-year-old grandson who was vital and loving.' Pfc Martino had aspired to be a Marine since he was a boy, when he saw a TV special on the Marine Corps. His mother Karen Perry said: 'Since he was probably 8 years old, he wanted to be a Marine. That's all he wanted to do.' Martino was a talkative former high school athlete and accomplished hunter who hoped to marry his fiancee later this year, Perry said. His mother said she first heard a radio news report about the Monday accident, then three Marines arrived at her workplace to say her son was among the seven dead. All three were based at Camp Lejeune. Solemn: All of the Marines killed in Monday night's accident were based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, where the community mourned its fallen soldiers on Wednesday . Demonstration: This file photo provided by the U.S. Marine Corps, shows mortarmen firing off illumination rounds during a training exercise at the Hawthorne Army Depot . Tragedy: Marine Brig Gen Jim Lukeman speaks to the media on Tuesday outside the gates of Camp Lejeune, where the Marines were based . Marine officers from the base, who arrived at the Hawthorne Army Depot on Tuesday, could not attend the memorial, as they began the task of figuring out what caused a mortar shell to explode in its firing tube. The accident prompted the Pentagon to restrict the use of the weapons until an investigation can determine their safety, officials said. The explosion on Monday night at the sprawling facility during an exercise involved the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force from Camp Lejeune. Seven men were killed and eight were injured, officials said. A Navy corpsman is among the injured. Hawthorne has been an important installation in American military history since World War II, when it was the staging area for ammunition, bombs and rockets. Historic: Hawthorne has held an important place in U.S. military history since World War II when it became the staging area for ammunition, bombs and rockets . Practice facility: The mortar blast occurred at the Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada, where members of the U.S. military conduct training . Area: The facility is made up of hundreds of buildings spread over more than 230 square miles. It is located about 140 miles away from Reno . The facility has downsized in recent years but still serves as a munitions repository and disposal site, along with being a training facility for troops as they take advantage of terrain and climate similar to places like Afghanistan. The facility is made up of hundreds of buildings spread over more than 230 square miles, and bunkers dot the sagebrush-covered hills visible from the highway. Even though the Marines were from the other side of the country, locals still feel a strong sense of pride in the military because the town's history is so deeply tied to the armed forces. Following the accident, the Marines issued an . indefinite moratorium on firing of all such mortars worldwide until an . investigation clears as safe the type of weapon and ammunition in the . tragedy. A Marine . Corps official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said it was not . immediately clear whether the mortar exploded prematurely inside its . firing tube or whether more than a single round exploded. Location: The facility is made up of hundreds of buildings spread over more than 230 square miles in Nevada. It is located about 135 miles from Reno . Preparedness: The military has called Hawthorne an ideal training facility for special forces . The . 60mm mortar is a weapon that traditionally requires three to four . Marines to operate, but it's common during training for others to . observe nearby. Maj Gen Raymond C. Fox said: 'We send our prayers and condolences to the families of Marines involved in this tragic incident. 'We . remain focused on ensuring that they are supported through this . difficult time. We mourn their loss, and it is with heavy hearts we . remember their courage and sacrifice. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. Hawthorne has held an important place . in American military history since World War II when it became the . staging area for ammunition, bombs and rockets for the war. The Nevada Division of Environmental Protection says that the depot employed more than 5,500 people at its peak. Blast: The cause of the explosion at the depot, pictured, is under investigation, and a moratorium on mortars has been imposed worldwide . The facility is made up of hundreds of buildings spread over more than 230 square miles. Nevada was chosen for the location . because of its remoteness in the wake of a devastating explosion at the . government's main depot in New Jersey in the 1920s. It opened in September 1930 as the . Naval Ammunition Depot Hawthorne, was redesignated Hawthorne Army . Ammunition Plant in 1977 when it moved under the control of the Army, . according to its website. In 1994, the site ended its production mission and became Hawthorne Army Depot. The . site currently serves several purposes for the military, including . storing ammunition and explosives and providing what the military calls . an ideal training facility for special forces preparing for deployments . to similar desert terrain in places like Afghanistan. It is one of the deadliest incidents to occur within a military facility in the U.S. Training: In a photo provided by the U.S. Army, military members practice during an evacuation training exercise at the Hawthorne Army Depot in 2008 . The . accident comes a week after a U.S. military plane assigned to a . Washington state Naval Air Station crashed during a routine training . flight, killing all three crew members on board. In . February 2012, seven Marines were killed when a chopper went two . military choppers collided in the Chocolate Mountains along the . California-Arizona border. Thirteen . service members were killed in the 2009 Fort Hood shooting, when Army . psychiatrist Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire on colleagues at the Texas . base. In March 2002, two training accidents over the course of few days totaled five deaths. In . the first incident, a Navy HH-1 Huey chopper crashed into Split . Mountain in the Sequoia National Forest. Two service members aboard the . helicopter were killed and another four were injured. A . mortar explosion was reported a day later at Fort Irwin in the Mojave . Desert. Three soldiers from Kansas were killed in that accident. Watch video here . | Accidental mortar explosion occurred at Hawthorne Army Depot in Nevada, which stores and disposes of ammunition .
All seven men killed - one of whom was just 19 - were based at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, where the community has joined in mourning .
Marine Corps issues worldwide moratorium against firing mortars until after an investigation is held . |
231,359 | b78d745e88870ed24edaf84f33f49e7bd6bfe089 | When you next visit your GP, or have to see a hospital consultant, you probably won’t mind whether he or she went to a private or a state school. What we want most of our doctors is that they should be competent and caring. But it is nonetheless a shocking fact that half the schools in this country do not produce a single pupil to study medicine. That means more than 2,000 institutions educating many tens of thousands of children cannot muster one prospective doctor between them. The devastating report by the Medical Schools Council also shows that about half of applicants to do medicine come from private schools (which educate only 7 per cent of children) and grammar schools (of which there remain a mere 164 in England). Half the schools in this country do not produce a single pupil to study medicine. That means more than 2,000 institutions educating many tens of thousands of children cannot muster one prospective doctor between them . There are only 8,000 places a year at medical school, and competition is incredibly stiff. Given the number of foreign doctors, some of whom speak bad English and are poorly trained, one wonders why there are not more places for home-grown students. In other words, your bright child hoping to be a doctor might as well forget it, unless he or she is fortunate enough to attend a private school, a grammar, or one of the best comprehensives. Of course, it’s very hard to be accepted to train to be a doctor. That’s the point. Half our schools have very few, if any, pupils achieving A* grades at A-level in subjects such as Maths, Chemistry, Biology and Physics. There are only 8,000 places a year at medical school, and competition is incredibly stiff. Given the number of foreign doctors, some of whom speak bad English and are poorly trained, one wonders why there are not more places for home-grown students. But even if there were, there’s no reason to suppose they would be filled by any of those 50 per cent of schools currently failing to supply any applicants. What’s true of medicine is also true of the law, investment banking and maybe even the media. Tens of thousands of gifted children are not getting a look-in because they are unlucky enough to be educated at what Alastair Campbell (Tony Blair’s spin doctor) once described as ‘bog-standard comprehensives’. There are still many hundreds of them. According to Ofsted’s annual report published yesterday, there are now 170,000 pupils in inadequate schools (up from 70,000 more than two years ago). Nearly a third of secondary schools are rated as requiring improvement. Isn’t Ofsted being wildly over-generous? The 50 per cent of state schools which are not producing any would-be doctors are surely all deficient, and stand urgently in need of a shake-up. Not that they are likely to get one. Think of the appalling waste and the injustice of it all — the thousands of able children, nearly all from poor backgrounds, who will never be doctors or lawyers because the education they have received does not even get them to first base. And whereas 30 years ago the acting profession was led by people from such a background, now it is brimming with those educated at private school, and quite often Eton. Hugh Laurie - pictured above in House - Dominic West, Damian Lewis, Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston all benefited from the wonderful theatrical resources at that school, while Benedict Cumberbatch went to Harrow . But it is not just the citadels of medicine and the law from which they are excluded. According to a survey in 2010, 60 per cent of pop singers are privately educated. That’s one line of business in which working-class people were once expected to predominate. And whereas 30 years ago the acting profession was led by people from such a background, now it is brimming with those educated at private school, and quite often Eton. Hugh Laurie, Dominic West, Damian Lewis, Eddie Redmayne and Tom Hiddleston all benefited from the wonderful theatrical resources at that school, while Benedict Cumberbatch went to Harrow. Half of Britain’s gold medallists at the 2012 London Olympics were privately educated — and thus enjoyed superior sporting facilities — though 93 per cent of children attend state schools. And, of course, we have a Prime Minister who went to Eton, a Deputy Prime Minister who attended Westminster School, and a Chancellor who, besides being the heir to a baronetcy, was lucky enough to go to St Paul’s School in London. Thirty or 40 years ago, this reassertion of privilege would have seemed incredible. Then, it seemed crystal clear that the hold which the privately educated had on the great prizes of politics and the professions was loosening, and that Britain was becoming an increasingly open and meritocratic society. Well, it hasn’t turned out like that. The clock has turned back. And the main reason it has done so is that the path by which clever children from poorer backgrounds were once able to advance has been narrowed by the virtual demise of grammar schools. It’s obvious that the Labour Party, which killed off most of the grammars, has no solution to the widening gulf between private schools and the state sector which is so injurious to our society. There was a time when the best grammar schools were academically equal, or even superior, to the best private schools, supplying as many, and sometimes more, students to Oxbridge. The few that remain generally do an excellent job, but are sadly limited to a small proportion of pupils. It’s obvious that the Labour Party, which killed off most of the grammars, has no solution to the widening gulf between private schools and the state sector which is so injurious to our society. All it does is wail covetously at the privileges and the facilities of private education, which it aims to undermine but dare not abolish. Meanwhile, the Conservative Party has fiddled at the edges. With the utmost respect to Michael Gove — who was a brave and enterprising Education Secretary until his recent sacking — his academies and his free schools, welcome though they are, will not fill the gap left by the abolition of the grammar schools. Ironically, I’m sure Mr Gove shares my analysis. He passionately believes that bright pupils from poorer backgrounds deserve a better chance in life. Yet he cannot bring himself to embrace grammar schools because David Cameron weakly regards them as too toxic an issue. Will there ever be change? Despite the obduracy of the Left and the feebleness of the Tory hierarchy, I’m not without hope because the weight of evidence is so irresistible, and the public increasingly realises that it is. The question politicians must address is how children from disadvantaged backgrounds are ever to be put on an equal footing with the children of the well-off without some sort of return of selective education for the brightest. No one has proposed a more plausible solution than the revival of grammars. The question politicians must address is how children from disadvantaged backgrounds are ever to be put on an equal footing with the children of the well-off without some sort of return of selective education for the brightest. No one has proposed a more plausible solution than the revival of grammars. Arguments about the evils of separating children at 11 are sterile. Selection could possibly be done later. And obviously no one is proposing a return to secondary moderns. Grammar schools would sit alongside, and compete with, comprehensives. Fortunately, there is some evidence of a shift in Tory sentiment. In recent weeks, Boris Johnson (another Old Etonian) has declared that scrapping grammar schools was a ‘real tragedy’ for Britain, while his rival as a future Tory leader, Theresa May, has supported the creation of a new grammar school in her constituency. Sixty Tory MPs, including ex-Defence Secretary Liam Fox and former shadow Home Secretary David Davis, are calling for an end to the ban on the creation of new selective state schools. If Labour should win the next election, the 164 grammar schools will be lucky to survive. But if the Tories were to emerge victorious, and David Cameron were at last to show some guts and conviction, there is a chance that the greatest single engine of social mobility could be restored. Look at the facts, and weep. Half of schools — half of schools — do not put forth a single candidate to become a doctor. What a shameful waste and dereliction this is. What a tragedy. Sir Alexander Fleming, the discoverer of penicillin, went to a fine grammar school that has become a less distinguished comprehensive. The same is true of Patrick Steptoe and Robert Edwards, the two pioneers of IVF. Would any of them even be admitted to medical school today? I doubt it. Like thousands of talented people abandoned by the state education system, they probably would not be given a chance. | Half the schools in the UK do not produce a single pupil to study medicine .
Tens of thousands of children are not getting a chance due to their school .
Pop stars, actors and top athletes are all coming from top schools . |
44,904 | 7e8ea03767aec56713a672f2dbe1e39195892f96 | By . Peter Allen . PUBLISHED: . 08:38 EST, 14 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:00 EST, 14 March 2014 . FRENCH president Francois Hollande is on the verge of dumping his latest mistress Julie Gayet and has been spending more time with the mother of his children, it has been claimed. Closer magazine, which broke news of the relationship in January, sparking a global scandal, is running a story with the headline: 'It smells like the end.' It says Mr Hollande, a 59-year-old father of four who has never been married, is becoming increasingly uncomfortable with Ms Gayet, a 41-year-old actress with whom he has allegedly had a two-year affair. French President Francois Hollande is reportedly seeing less of actress Julie Gayet - and more of his first partner and the mother of his children, Segolene Royal . Pictures published two months ago showed Mr Hollande wearing a crash helmet as he travelled to and from their central Paris love nest on the back of a moped. It led to Mr Hollande's live-in-lover, Valerie Trierweiler, 49, losing her job as France's first lady and being kicked out of the Elysee Palace. Now, according to Closer, Mr Hollande is seeing more of Segolene Royal, the 60-year-old Socialist politician he dated for more than 20 years and with whom he has four children. Julie Gayet (left) has been questioning Mr Hollande about his relationship with Segolene Royal . The magazine points to how Mr Hollande is now 'all smiles and feels free since the clarification of his relationship with Valerie Trierweiler'. It notes how Ms Gayet has been promoting her career alone, recently going solo to the French Oscars, where she was nominated for supporting actress award. But, the magazine adds, 'Since Closer Gate, the President and the actress have exchanged a lot of texts about the return of Segolene Royal into the life of Francois Hollande, and perhaps this is a brake on their relationship? 'Worried about the well-being of Valerie Trierweiler, wounded by their separation, is Francois Hollande looking to be with' Ms Royal? Valerie Trierweiler moved out of the Elysee Palace after Mr Hollande's affair with Julie Gayet became public . Last week, Ms Gayet claimed more than £40,000 in damages from Closer for allegedly breaching her right to privacy by revealing her affair with Mr Hollande. The revelations caused an international scandal and left Ms Trierweiler in hospital for more than a week. But Closer defended its reporting, saying that that the secret tryst threatened Mr Hollande's security, and was being carried out using taxpayers' money. The secret affair also reduced the position of French first lady to a farce, as Ms Trierweiler was carrying out functions while not being Mr Hollande's main partner. Closer editor Laurence Pieau said his magazine had published information which had been discussed openly at 'dinner parties' and even 'in television studios'. 'We did our duty as journalists in giving exact information that the public had a right to know', she said. Julie Gayet, pictured in 2006, has been a solo fixture on the Paris social scene in recent weeks, sparking rumours about the state of her relationship with Mr Hollande . Valerie Trierweiler was admitted to hospital after her partner's affair was exposed by Closer magazine . | Francois Hollande, 59, said to be getting restless with Julie Gayet, 41 .
Their two-year affair sparked end of relationship with Valerie Trierweiler, 49 .
She was admitted to hospital after being kicked out of the Elysee Palace .
Magazine which exposed the scandal claims he has been texting Segolene Royal, the mother of his four children . |
148,821 | 4c73410e4b60a161780cf0f9314d891f59471cd3 | (CNN) -- The FBI has rescued 168 children and arrested 281 pimps in a countrywide crackdown on child sex trafficking. The operation, which took place over the last week in more than 100 cities, involved nearly 400 law enforcement agencies, authorities said Monday. The message, said FBI Director James Comey, should be clear: "Our children are not for sale. ... We will respond and crush these pimps who would crush these children." Since 2008, the FBI and its partners have rescued close to 3,600 children. The agency said investigations have led to 1,450 convictions and the seizure of more than $3 million in assets. "These are not far-away kids in faraway lands. These are our kids, on our street corners, our truck stops, our motels, our casinos. These are America's children," Comey said. Speaking alongside the director, Leslie Caldwell, assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's criminal division, stressed scores of more children remain victimized. She urged anyone with information about such abuse to contact authorities. "Just one call, just one online report could mean all the difference for a child who now can only dream of a normal childhood and a life outside prostitution," Caldwell said. FBI crackdown nabs pimps, rescues children . FBI seeks victims of 'prolific' international child predator . | The operation took place over the last week in more than 100 cities, FBI says .
It involved nearly 400 law enforcement agencies .
FBI director: "Our children are not for sale" |
57,856 | a3f316275917b6826683f7e9e620060ee5b8f9c7 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 05:49 EST, 26 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:56 EST, 26 June 2013 . Rachel Yankey, the 33-year-old Arsenal Ladies midfielder, will today surpass Peter Shilton's record when she receives her 126th cap for playing for England in international games. She will become England's most capped player of all time, among both men and women. Playing for her country in Burton against Japan today - in England's penultimate match before July's Women's Euro 2013 in Sweden - Yankey will overtake the former England goalkeeper Shilton, 63. Yankey leaps into the air during the Women's International Match between England Women and Canada Women at The New York Stadium on 7 April . Yankey at the Best Of Africa Awards in London in 2012, left, and during the England Women's Team Squad Announcement for UEFA European Championships at The British Museum on 17 June, right . Yankey has spent nearly 16 years . representing England’s senior side since making her debut in a 4-0 win . against Scotland in August 1997. Speaking about equalising the record with Shilton's, she told MailOnline in April: 'To equal a record set by Peter Shilton, someone I grew up watching and was massive in the game, is just fantastic. 'To think I have played as many 11-a-side matches for my country as he did. I remember my debut, against Scotland in 1997. I got my first cap, I played up front and scored, so I would have just been happy with that.' When asked about any plans to retire, Yankey said: 'I don't know how long I will carry on. I still feel fit and healthy and I certainly don't feel my age. As long as I can make an impact and help the youngsters, I'll keep playing. 'They are going to be good players in the future, but if they come in and take my spot in the team they must be playing well.' Rachel Yankey, left, playing for England against Canada (pictured with Kaylyn Kyle) during the Women's International Match between England Women and Canada Women at The New York Stadium on April 7, 2013 in Rotherham, England . FA Chairman David Bernstein told MailOnline: 'I would like to congratulate Rachel on the magnificent achievement of winning her 126th cap, making her the most capped England player of all time in both men’s and women’s football. 'It is entirely fitting that she was made captain today against world champions Japan to commemorate such a landmark occasion. 'Since her England debut in 1997, Rachel has been a tremendous ambassador for her country on and off the pitch, and is rightly highly respected throughout the game at home and abroad. 'Of course, she shows no signs of slowing down and I wish her, Hope Powell and the squad all the best when England travel to the European Championship in Sweden next week.' Speaking about equalising the record with Shilton's, she told MailOnline: 'To equal a record set by Peter Shilton, someone I grew up watching and was massive in the game, is just fantastic' Peter Shilton, pictured left in 1988, has 125 caps, but nor Rachel Yankey, pictured right holding the Women's FA Cup Trophy for Fulham in 2003, will beat his record with 126 . England teammate Jill Scott, who plays for Everton Ladies, said: 'We always give Rachel Yankey a bit of . stick about her age because she's 33 and England's most-capped player, . but she still plays like an 18-year-old with her speed and skills on the . ball. 'It was always going to take something special to beat Canada in the . Cyprus Cup earlier this year and, sure enough, she delivered just that . by scoring the winning goal. Her strike showed the most fantastic . technique.' Rachel Yankey, left, launches Umbro's new England kit for women in 2003, alongside Casey Storey of Charlton Athletic . Steph Houghton, who has played with . Yankey for Arsenal and England and Team GB at last summer's Olympic . Games, said of her team mate: 'Yanks is brilliant. I can’t praise her . enough for the way she is on and off the pitch. 'She . leads by example and is one of the best players England has ever . produced. To play with her for Arsenal and England is an honour for me . and the rest of the girls. 'Off the pitch, she’ll have a quiet word with some of the younger girls and if you need any advice she’ll always be there. 'But . in other ways she’s the joker of the team as well, so a bit of the mix. That’s just the personality that she has. She’s a great influence on a . lot of people here (Arsenal) and at England. 'How long can she carry on? I think she’s the fittest she’s ever been. She’s looking so sharp in training.' | The Arsenal mid-fielder, 33, has 125 caps, and will today win her 126th .
Former England goalkeeper Peter Shilton, 63, has 125 .
Yankey will receive cap playing for England aginst Japan in Burton .
She took her first cap playing against Scotland in 1997 .
Players win a cap whenever they play for their national team . |
166,037 | 62b3b155229ace3eb0ee45a811e4f694fdbe86b0 | (CNN) -- What's the best source of information for anyone planning a move overseas -- the Internet, the bookstore or those carefully worded government travel warnings? Duh! It's the movies, of course. Why would anyone do any research when everything they need to know about their new lives has been laid bare on the silver screen? When cinema gets it right, it does a pretty good job of taking a hatchet to the expat dream of lounging around in exotic bars dressed in linen suits and Panama hats. Just as often, however, Hollywood's overseas adventures run into so much trouble it's a wonder it isn't now languishing in the bowels of a dank foreign prison hoping that someone at the embassy might be able to put in a few calls. To help navigate the celluloid jungle, here's our purely subjective list of the best and worst expat movies. Best . 5. 'The Wages of Fear' (1953) This brutal piece of black and white French cinema reeks of unwashed vests, but its depiction of nasty expat truck drivers worthlessly risking their grubby lives in the South American jungle is as explosive as the deadly nitroglycerine cargoes they're paid to deliver. Everyone is detestable, everyone dies and not even the dogs care. That's how expat life should be. Enlightening expat dialog . Dick: "When I was a kid, I used to see men go off on these kinds of jobs ... and not come back." 4. 'Straw Dogs' (1971) "Wild Bunch" director Sam Peckinpah takes a double-barrel shotgun to all those smug, honey-hued films about rural expat life in this tale about repressed American mathematician David Sumner (Dustin Hoffman) relocating to his wife's Cornish village. There are no hilarious misunderstandings with local plumbers, just thugs on tricycles. There's no sun-kissed romance, just a marriage disintegrating into domestic violence. And there are no life-affirming friendships, just a cat getting throttled. The film's brutality is a bit hard to stomach. The apparent need for a 2011 remake starring Kate Bosworth was also somewhat hard to stomach. Enlightening expat dialog . Henry Niles: "I don't know my way home." David Sumner: "That's OK. I don't either." 3. 'The Third Man' (1949) Expats don't come colder than Orson Welles' elusive Harry Lime, whose classic cuckoo clock speech justifying his racketeering in bombed-to-bits Vienna sounds suspiciously like the kind of cruel logic deployed by corporate stooges when plundering developing world countries in return for a fat salary. ("Free of income tax, old man.") If only real life saw these amoral exploiters hounded down, like Lime, in a subterranean sewer. If only real life was soundtracked by zithers. Enlightening expat dialog . Harry Lime: "Nobody thinks in terms of human beings. Governments don't. Why should we?" 2. 'The Year of Living Dangerously' (1982) With its eclectic if somewhat dated soundtrack and expansive mysticism of Linda Hunt's diminutive paparazzo, "Dangerously" emerges as an anti-expat classic, contrasting the seedy and sequestered lives of foreign hacks and diplomats in Sukarno-era Indonesia against the poverty and chaos of a country on the brink. All that plus a pre-rant Mel Gibson. Enlightening expat dialog . Billy Kwan: "Jillian is like a wavering flame that needs care to burn high. Without such care she could lapse into the promiscuity and bitterness of the failed romantic." 1. 'Casablanca' (1942) The closing scenes may not have the tear-jerking impact they once did, but if there's a film in existence responsible for dampening as much Kleenex as "Casablanca," it's probably porn. This film portrays expat life as it should be: outwitting mendacious cops and ruthless Nazis in the smoky haze of a North African piano bar while risking everything in the name of unrequitable love. Not playing golf for pity's sake. Who hasn't imagined themselves plunged into Casablanca's wartime plot of double-dealing and heartbreak? Perhaps as Humphrey Bogart, at his craggy best as jaded saloon owner Rick; Ingrid Bergman's impossibly lovely Isla Lund; or even Claude Rains' complicated French police chief Captain Renault. Sure the dialog has been quoted to death, and if Sam or anyone else plays "As Time Goes By" again, they're going to get the piano lid slammed on their fingers, but every fresh screening of Casablanca is still like the beginning of a beautiful friendship. Oh dear. We said it. Enlightening expat dialog . Ilsa (on the verge of tears): "I didn't count the days." Rick: "Well, I did. Every one of 'em. Mostly I remember the last one. The wild finish. A guy standing on a station platform in the rain with a comical look in his face because his insides have been kicked out." Worst expat movies . 5. 'The Beach' (2000) With its gorgeous Thai scenery and rumbling undercurrents of violence, jealousy and death, "The Beach" aims to deliver a serious message about the illusory nature of paradise, but doesn't. It's hard to say which is less credible, a bunch of backpacking muppets building a community on a hidden beach without an Internet cafe or Leonardo DiCaprio (as Richard) joining them and failing to get the French girl. Excruciating expat dialog . Richard: "I just feel like everyone tries to do something different, but you always wind up doing the same damn thing." 4. 'Under the Tuscan Sun' (2003) Unlucky-in-love American writer Diane Lane (as Frances) happens upon the only villa in Tuscany that isn't being rented out by middle class vacationers from London and buys it on a whim. In restoring the villa, she restores her own ... blah, blah, blah, whatever. So what's the message here? Don't worry if your marriage collapses, just buy a house in Italy, spend a bundle renovating it, then someone else will come along. There's a life lesson we can all relate to. Excruciating expat dialog . Frances: "I'll hire the muscular descendants of Roman gods to do the heavy lifting." 3. 'Eat Pray Love' (2010) Unlucky-in-love American writer Julia Roberts ... no, stick with us, this one's slightly different. Granted, Roberts as Liz Gilbert goes to Italy, but there's no villa, just the start of a year swanning around the world with no apparent worries about cash. In Italy, Roberts' character learns to eat Italian food (without gaining weight). She then moves to India to explore spirituality before traveling to Bali for love. Not love with some vacationing sleazeball. Love with Javier Bardem. Like that happens in real life. Excruciating expat dialog . Liz: "It won't last forever. Nothing does." (Except this film -- 140 minutes long!) 2. 'Mr. Baseball' (1992) Who needs jokes in your script when you've got foreigners? Simply send grumpy aging baseball star Jack Elliott (Tom Selleck) to Japan, where hilarity ensues as he grapples with their crazy cultural traditions -- and toilets! What should be a feelgood film about a fading star's last dash for glory winds up being a feel-queasy trot through every Japanese cliche known to Hollywood. Unsurprisingly, Universal Studios' new Japanese owners were unhappy at the time. The film does have some good performances, but not from Selleck, who was upstaged by his mustache, and not for the last time. Excruciating expat dialog . Jack: "Different language, same attitude! Let's go!" 1. 'Farewell to the King' (1989) Expats, eh? Always acting so damn entitled. But if you think they're annoying where you live, spare a thought for the tribe in Borneo, which winds up with Learoyd (Nick Nolte) in the midst of World War II. Not content to loudly drink his own body weight in alcohol every Friday like normal, decent expats, Nolte becomes their king -- a role that involves going topless and sporting Dog the Bounty Hunter's blond bouffant. Nolte cranks the ham dial up to 11 in this poor man's "Apocalypse Now," taking on Japanese invaders to protect his tribe which, despite being peopled with fearless headhunters, would apparently have been lost without a middle aged white guy there to save the day. Excruciating expat dialogue . Learoyd: "I have a special relationship with the spirits. I died once. I had to. I had to give up everything, even the will to live." Originally published February 2011, updated July 2014. | Cinema loves portraying the lives of expats -- but doesn't always get it right .
In "Casablanca" Humphrey Bogart plays a noble bar owner toughing out in WWII .
In "Farewell to the King" Nick Nolte plays a shirtless man with feathers in his hair . |
28,857 | 51ed3c812520697851f3c9b4de2bf1d680cd601e | Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- The Pakistan Taliban claimed responsibility Thursday for a suicide bombing outside a police station in northwestern Pakistan that left at least 25 people dead, saying it was part of a series of attacks to avenge the killing of al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. In a phone call to CNN, Taliban spokesman Ihsan Ullah Ihsan said Pakistani security forces and government officials are killing innocent mujahedeen and "we will take revenge from them by killing their loved ones, as we did in Thursday's attack." At least 56 people were injured in the explosion, which happened near local law-enforcement and court buildings, said Abdul Rasheed, the police chief of Hangu district. The district is in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, not far from the border with Afghanistan. The suicide bomber blew himself up in a car, said Masood Khan Afridi, a senior police official in Hangu. Pakistani Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani "strongly condemned" the attack, according to a statement from his office. "The prime minister, while reiterating the government's resolve to fight the terrorist elements until their complete elimination, said that those targeting the innocent people are in fact the enemies of humanity," the statement said. "They... have no regard for the human life or creed as they are following their own nefarious agenda." Gilani called on the population to unify and "defeat these anti-state elements," the statement said, adding that the prime minister also directed law enforcement to mount a rigorous investigation into the attack. A team of U.S. Navy SEALs raided bin Laden's compound and killed him May 2 in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Several al Qaeda-affiliated groups have vowed to launch attacks in retaliation. CNN's Nasir Habib contributed to this report . | NEW: Afghanistan's prime minister condemns attack by "enemies of humanity"
The Pakistan Taliban claims responsibility for the attack .
The blast happened outside a police station .
A suicide bomber blew himself up near law-enforcement and court buildings . |
126,403 | 2f5bd8f95a0dd2153693738978f728d4e9a2feb1 | The head gamekeeper at Belvoir Castle David Boynton (pictured) has been banned from the road for drink driving . The head gamekeeper at Belvoir Castle has been banned from the road for drink driving - after he had an afternoon 'tipple' with the Duchess of Rutland. David Boynton, 76, got behind the wheel of his Mitsubishi after he was invited to join the Duchess, Emma Rutland, for a sherry to celebrate his recent marriage. The court heard Boynton felt obliged to accept but tried to get rid of most of it without the Duchess noticing by pouring it into a nearby plant pot. Boynton was then stopped by police after he was seen driving erratically near his home on the 16,000-acre estate. Officers found the tipple had pushed him just over the limit- with 82 milligrammes of alcohol in 100ml of blood - the legal limit is 80 milligrammes. On Monday Boynton, who has been head gamekeeper at Belvoir Castle for three years, admitted to drink driving when he appeared at Grantham Magistrate's Court. He was handed a 12-month driving ban which would be reduced to nine if he completes a drink driver's rehabilitation course. He was fined £230, ordered to pay £85 court costs and a £23 victim surcharge. Prosecutor Marie Stace said: 'Police stopped the Mitsubishi Mr Boynton was driving on Eastwell Road in Belvoir. 'The officers could smell alcohol and after Boynton failed a roadside breath test he was arrested and taken to the police station, where a blood test was taken.' The Duchess, Emma Rutland, 53, provided a character reference for the defendant in a letter read by magistrates. They also heard that Boynton lives on the estate in Knipton, Leicestershire. Sonia Bhalla, defending, said Boyton had joined the Duchess of Rutland for a sherry at around 4pm on December 8 last year. Ms Bhalla, defending, said: 'Mr Boynton had been Belvoir Castle's head gamekeeper for the last three years, and on the date in question he had been to see his employer the Duchess of Rutland and she had offered him a tipple. Boynton had got behind the wheel of his Mitsubishi after he joined the Duchess of Rutland (pictured) for a sherry to celebrate his recent marriage . 'He felt obliged to accept, although recognised that he wasn't under duress. He did try to tip the alcohol into a nearby plant pot. He then left the castle and drove into the open arms of the law. 'Mr Boynton is an absolutely lovely individual, and it was his first ever brush with the law. I can tell you that this is an absolutely lovely individual. 'He has worked from the age of seven, and is still in full-time employment. He has been head gamekeeper at Belvoir Castle for the last three seasons..' Magistrates said that it was one of the lowest blood readings they had ever seen. Earlier this month a neighbour living next to the Duke of Rutland's daughters in London complained about the siblings raucous late-night parties. Boynton claimed he had tried to pour some of the afternoon sherry into a nearby plant pot at Belvoir Castle (pictured) without the Duchess noticing, but he still drank enough to tip him over the legal alcohol limit . Jackie Elliott wrote to the Duke, David Manners, who is worth around £125 million, claiming that it was like 'living next door to a nightclub..' The Duke's daughters, Lady Violet Manners, 21, and sisters Lady Alice, 19, and Lady Eliza, 17, live in a £2.6million mansion on Bovington Road, Fulham. David Boynton today refused to comment on his driving ban. Speaking from his farm house on the sprawling Belvoir Castle estate, he said: 'No comment. You can get off this land.' A spokesman for the Duke and Duchess of Rutland said: 'The comment will be no comment.' The Duke and Duchess of Rutland at home . Twenty years ago, the duchess was plain Emma Watkins, a farmer’s daughter from Radnorshire in the Welsh borders. But in 1992, Emma married David- the Duke of Rutland, whose ancestral home, Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire had been in the family since 1509. The Duke and Duchess of Rutland, went onto have five children – Violet, Alice, Eliza, Charles and Hugo. More than a decade ago, when Emma’s father-in-law Charles died, her husband David found himself 11th Duke of Rutland and the 36th generation of his family to inherit the castle and its estate. At the time, the castle was in crisis facing dwindling visitor numbers, death duties of almost £10 million and repair costs of up to an eye-watering £6.5 million. Thanks to the Duke and Duchess, today, Belvoir is the setting for national events such as the CLA Game Fair, rock concerts, weddings,product launches, TV shows and feature films. Eagle-eyed cinema-goersmay have spotted the castle in various guises in Hollywood movies suchas The Da Vinci Code and The Young Victoria. But while the estate was doing well, the Rutlands' marriage was crumbling. In 2012, the Duchess finally announced she was separating from the Duke of Rutland after a number of infidelities by her husband. Despite the end of their marriage, the couple have remained living in the colossal gothic castle, living separate lives in different wings. | David Boynton got behind the wheel after joining the Duchess for a sherry .
Duchess Emma Rutland been congratulating Boynton on his new marriage .
The head gamekeeper at Belvoir Castle claimed he tried to pour tipple away .
But he was stopped by police who saw him driving erratically and arrested . |
269,368 | e8ea5feac7469520c2f21bb3777187592cc2efa3 | By . Neil Ashton . PUBLISHED: . 07:14 EST, 16 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 11:12 EST, 16 January 2014 . Mauricio Pochettino is staying at Southampton following talks with owner Katharina Liebherr. Pochettino's future was thrown into doubt when executive chairman Nicola Cortese walked away from the club following a bitter dispute with Liebherr. Saints faced the possibility of manager Pochettino, who has steered them to ninth in the Premier League, and a host of star players following Cortese out the door. Staying: Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino greets a member of staff before his press conference . He's in not out: Pochettino walks into his press conference after saying he will remain at St Mary's . Gutted: Luke Shaw, arriving for training on Thursday, was upset at Cortese's departure . Hello and goodbye? Rickie Lambert (left) is a £7m target for West Ham . But the Argentine said: 'First of all I . want to show my complete gratitude to Nicola Cortese. He believed in me . and my staff and our families are full of gratitude. ‘Eight . months ago when we were speaking about things I said there would be no . sense for me to stay but it is completely different now. It is a . different situation now. Nicola knows about my decision to stay. ‘This . club is a society and there is no sense to change. I will be here on . Saturday and beyond. I have spoken with Katharina for five minutes . today. 'She has told me I . have her trust. We have spoken briefly to say 'hi' and she said I have her . full support. We have had no time to talk about other things. 'She told me we have her full support and . to be stable. Now we have to look to the future. 'It is too hard to say if I will be here in 17 months - but I am 100 per cent committed to the contract and I have a responsibility to the players and to the project.' Next move: Mauricio Pochettino is staying put at Southampton after talks with Katharina Liebherr . Cortese quit after Liebherr, who . inherited the club when her father Markus died in 2010, demanded a . bigger say in the running of Southampton. He resigned just after 7pm on Wednesday, shortly . after he had persuaded Pochettino to remain in charge . of the team for the clash with Sunderland on Saturday. Pochettino, . who arrived at Southampton on January 18 last year, had vowed to quit . St Mary’s in support of Cortese’s decision to resign but has relented. Testing times? Southampton manager Pochettino leaving St Mary's stadium after crisis talks . Trouble: Pochettino walks into the reception at St Mary's as he decides on his future with the club . Turmoil on the south coast: Chairman Cortese walking in to the main reception at St Mary's stadium . Luke Shaw on Twitter: 'Gutted with that news, but would just like to thank Nicola Cortese for everything he has done for me and the club! All the best to him!' Dejan Lovren on Twiter: 'Thank you Nicola Cortese for everything #respect.' There . are now widespread fears among staff at Southampton that Liebherr, who . has no previous experience of running a football club, will decide to . sell. She has appointed . herself non-executive chairman and released a statement to say that the . process to find a chief executive to run the business had already . started. Incredibly, Cortese was locked in talks with West Ham over the £7million sale of Lambert. Cortese . and Lambert were scheduled to meet at the club’s Marchwood . training centre, but that has been cancelled following the Italian's resignation. End of an era: The club have accepted the resignation of Cortese . Lambert, . who has a restricted role in the first team, fears his World Cup hopes . will be in jeopardy if he does not get regular football. West Ham are unwilling to meet his £70,000-a-week wage demands but are still keen to sign him. Some . of Southampton’s players are furious with developments and a number of . the prominent members of the squad will consider their positions in the . wake of Cortese’s departure. There . has been an odd atmosphere at training following the latest . developments on the south coast and Pochettino changed a session on . Wednesday when players were not responding. He added: 'I was very surprised to see Nicola leave and the players were surprised. It is a distraction from the game (on Saturday against Sunderland). We are professional but we are also human. We have relationships but we just need to think about the game on Saturday. 'I am sure the club will designate someone to listen to potential offers, but I want to make it clear no-one is for sale.' Man in the middle: Rickie Lambert (front) has hit seven goals this term, despite not being first-choice . World Cup hopes: Lambert (front) has seen his first team opportunities limited at Southampton . Luke Shaw, who decided to stay last summer despite interest from Chelsea, is wanted by Manchester City and Liverpool. Liebherr values him at an astonishing £30m and will sell if a club comes in with a bid. Shaw . tweeted: ‘Gutted with that news, but would just like to thank Nicola . Cortese for everything he has done for me and the club! All the best to . him!’ James Ward-Prowse . and Calum Chambers, two of the biggest talents to come through the . club’s academy, will be targeted by top teams. Authority: Katharina Lieberr, the new non-executive chairman of Southampton, at St Mary's . Relationship: Skipper Adam Lallana talking with Pochettino on the training ground last week . Liebherr said: ‘With great regret we have accepted the resignation of Mr Cortese. ‘He has done a wonderful job at the club and we very much wanted him to stay. A search has now begun for a successor. ‘In . the meantime, it is business as usual and we will ensure that the . manager, the team and all the staff at the club have all the help and . support they need.’ Better than expected: Southampton currently sit in nine points after a terrific first half of the season . Potential: England youngsters such as Luke Shaw (pictured) has made Southampton an example of how to integrate talent from a club's youth system into the first team . That . has finally happened after Liebherr informed Cortese at the end of last . year that she intended to have more say in running the club. Cortese, . who was retained as executive chairman by the trust when Markus . Liebherr died, had previously resisted her attempts to take a bigger . role. The Italian . banker, who said goodbye to staff before loading his car with his . possessions and departing, wanted more investment to fulfil the ambition . of playing Champions League football. | Mauricio Pochettino's future was in doubt after Nicola Cortese quit .
Cortese walked after row with owner Katharina Liebherr .
In brief meeting Liebherr assured Pochettino he had her trust .
Pochettino will be here 'on Saturday and beyond'
Player exodus on the cards with Rickie Lambert wanted by West Ham .
There are fears Liebherr will sell the club, currently ninth in the top flight .
Mood at training has not been right since behind-the-scenes turmoil . |
132,162 | 36ebd395c6efbece9eff5cf8e185abbd1bc48187 | By . Associated Press Reporter and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 17:19 EST, 15 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:19 EST, 15 March 2013 . The dollar fell on Friday, as investors locked in recent gains after a reading on U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly fell. The currency had gained against world currencies for the past six weeks. But much of the economic news released during the day was positive. Government reports showed U.S. factory output increased, led by the auto industry, and inflation remained modest outside of a spike in gas prices. But preliminary data for March from The Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan index of consumer sentiment showed a surprising drop. Dip: The dollar fell on Friday, as investors locked in recent gains after a reading on U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly fell . 'This was the first negative surprise for the U.S. economy in more than a week, suggesting that some of the headwinds that the bears have been talking about are finally starting to materialize,' said Boris Schlossberg, managing director for foreign exchange strategy at BK Asset Management, in a note. While he pointed out that the survey is not always an accurate gauge of consumer behavior, he said it does seem to indicate slowing consumer demand. The euro was up to $1.3060, from $1.30 late Thursday. Even though the 27 European Union leaders meeting in Brussels failed to deliver any fundamental changes in economic strategy, talk there of the need to promote growth rather than just cut debt was seen as a positive sign. 'European leaders are beginning to realize that a policy focused solely on austerity is failing miserably both an economic prescription and as a political stance,' Schlossberg wrote. Happier times ahead? Much of the economic news released during the day was positive. Government reports showed U.S. factory output increased and inflation remained modest . The British pound slipped to $1.5078 late Friday, from $1.5081 the day before, reversing an earlier rally. Traders were responding to remarks from Bank of England Governor Mervyn King that signaled the central bank does not want to see further declines in the currency. The pound had been in retreat for several few weeks on expectations of another monetary stimulus from the central bank. 'While we don't think the pound will sustain these gains, we think that future declines could happen at a slower pace,' wrote Kathleen Brooks, research director at Forex.com, especially if the government moves to address the weak British economy. Gains: The euro was up to $1.3060, from $1.30 late Thursday as E.U. leaders dicussed promoting growth rather than just cutting debt . The dollar fell to 95.36 Japanese yen from 96.02 yen late Thursday. Haruhiko Kuroda is expected to assume leadership of the Bank of Japan next week after some question about whether he would be confirmed earlier in the week. The dollar fell to 0.9392 Swiss franc from 0.9473 Swiss franc and to 1.0190 Canadian dollar from 1.0223 Canadian dollar. | Dollar drops against other world currencies as U.S. consumer confidence unexpectedly falls .
But American factory output increases and inflation remains modest .
European leaders discuss easing austerity as euro rises in value . |
87,001 | f6ea9d956476f6de138b2bf547404488d1993721 | (CNN) -- Why only reach back to right a wrong from a half-century ago? Why not correct a travesty that is occurring right now? I direct this question to President Barack Obama, who in March will award the Medal of Honor -- the nation's highest military honor for valor -- to a group of 24 veterans, only three still living, who should have been given the commendation decades ago. The men, who served over three wars, performed as heroes on the battlefield. But for 19 of the 24, the nation failed them. They had been passed over because of discrimination in the ranks. The belated recognition is a wonderful gesture. But there is something more Obama should do. The nation owes a Medal of Honor to Sgt. Rafael Peralta, a 25-year-old Marine from San Diego who died on November 15, 2004, when, according to many accounts, he smothered a grenade in Falluja, Iraq. He came to the United States as an immigrant from Mexico, and joined the Marines on the day he received his green card. Absorbing a grenade blast to save other soldiers is the very definition of valor. It all but guarantees the Medal of Honor. This was true for three other heroes: 22-year-old Marine Cpl. Jason L. Dunham, who died this way on April 22, 2004, in Karabilah, Iraq; 19-year-old Army Pvt. Ross McGinnis, who died in Baghdad on December 4, 2006; and 25-year-old Navy SEAL Michael A. Monsoor, who died in Ramadi, Iraq, on September 29, 2006. In Peralta's case, before the Marine covered the grenade, he had been shot in the head. And that fact fuels a debate. There are those who believe that Peralta should not receive the Medal of Honor, claiming that the gunshot killed him instantly, and so he was already dead when he covered the grenade. That would make the smothering of the explosive an involuntary action that would not constitute heroism. That group includes the last three secretaries of defense. Recently, the Pentagon announced that it will not reopen the nomination for Peralta. According to a news release, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and the Defense Department concluded that the evidence did not meet the "beyond a reasonable doubt" standard necessary for the Medal of Honor. Nevertheless, many disagree. Those who think that Peralta should get the Medal of Honor acknowledge that the Marine sergeant was shot but, point to assertions by a neurologist, two neurosurgeons and the surgeon for Peralta's battalion that the bullet was traveling at such a low velocity that it did not kill him instantly. They assert that he was able to reach out, scoop up the grenade, and place it under his body. That it was a conscious decision to give up his life to save comrades, and that it does amount to heroism. I've looked at this case for several years and written about it numerous times. I'm in Camp No.2. I believe Peralta deserves the Medal of Honor. This is also the point of view of the entire California congressional delegation, which pushed the Pentagon for years to reopen the nomination. (Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter, himself a Marine combat veteran who presumably knows a thing or two about valor, led the push.) And it's also the view of Texas pathologist Vincent Di Maio, an independent forensic expert who looked at the evidence and reached a different conclusion than the one arrived at by the Pentagon. And, it's the opinion of the Marine Corps, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Central Command. Furthermore, it is also the point of view of the real experts on what happened that day in Falluja: Peralta's comrades in Alpha Company, most of who joined the campaign for the Medal of Honor. They were there. And they don't need some bureaucrat behind a desk in Washington or some political appointee to tell them what happened. They saw it with their own eyes. Initially, all seven said they witnessed Peralta scoop up the grenade and sacrifice himself, and that it's because of that act of valor that they came home to their families, to weddings and children's birthday parties and anniversaries . But the Washington Post last week reported that two former Marines who were with Peralta on the day he died have broken ranks with their colleagues. At least one is recanting his earlier statements. The two former Marines claim that the narrative about what happened that day advanced by the other Marines is not true, and that it was concocted by the rest of the squad to honor Peralta's memory. They insist that the grenade exploded near Peralta but not underneath him. One of the former Marines, 30-year-old Davi Allen, who was close enough to Peralta to be wounded in the blast, spent years advancing the other version, and now he claims the new version is the truth. Was he not telling the truth then, or is he not telling it now? Both Rep. Hunter and the Peralta family have challenged the Washington Post article, which they insist contains inaccuracies and factual omissions. While admitting in a letter to the Post that the eyewitness accounts "have always differed," Hunter accused the newspaper of ignoring "the full body of evidence" and inaccurately describing the situation that day in Falluja. Moreover, according to Politico, the allegation that Peralta's fellow Marines concocted an alternate narrative had already been reported in the Marine Corps Times. Yet a colonel assigned to investigate the case found no evidence to back up that claim. It comes down to whom you believe. This much everyone seems to agree on: Those in the Corps used to call Peralta "a Marine's Marine." It sounds like it. There is one more member of the Peralta Fan Club, an expected one: The Pentagon. In 2008, as pressure started to mount, Defense Secretary Robert Gates offered the Peralta family a consolation prize: the Navy Cross. The citation read: "Without hesitation and with complete disregard for his own personal safety, Sgt. Peralta reached out and pulled the grenade to his body. That's right -- the very thing that his supporters have insisted all along. So the Defense Department adopts different narratives depending on the commendation? That makes no sense. The Peralta family turned down the Navy Cross, and held out for the Medal of Honor. It never came. President Obama, you don't have to look back a half-century to find a miscarriage of justice in our armed forces. Here is a perfect example. Now, do the right thing, and give a hero the recognition he deserves. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette. | Ruben Navarrette: Sgt. Rafael Peralta, who died in Iraq, deserves the Medal of Honor .
He says Peralta, by many accounts, smothered a grenade to save comrades .
Some said Peralta, who was shot, couldn't have done it consciously .
Navarrette: Many, including his comrades, think he deserves the medal . |
168,526 | 65fb5d73216086705ab6d4e98e9d892174722e6c | Films could be downloaded to smartphones in just one second with new ultra-high speed mobile phone broadband technology, Samsung has claimed. The fifth-generation technology will transmit data several hundred times faster than the 4G networks being rolled out across the country, says the communications giant. Homes could have the wireless 5G system by 2020 using a vast network of masts, which may prove controversial but would mean an end to broadband cables to connect to the internet. Samsung's Galaxy S4 smartphone: The Korean giant has developed 'ultra-high speed' fifth-generation technology that could allow users to download an entire film in a second . Samsung has been able to get speeds of 1 gigabit per second - far in excess of current 4G networks, which can makage 12 megabits per seconds. According to Samsung, 'subscribers will be able to enjoy a wide range of services such as 3D movies and games, real-time streaming of ultra high-definition (UHD) content, and remote medical services.' While 4G networks speed up standard . downloads to about 13 minutes, subscribers of the new service would be . able to download massive data files ‘practically without limitation’, . enabling almost instantaneous access to games and 3D movies or the . ability to stream ultra high-definition programmes in real-time. The South Korean company claims its . technology uses high-frequency wavebands previously deemed unsuitable . for mobile networks. Central to it is the creation of what bosses say is . the world’s first transceiver capable of providing 5G to a wide area . via a phone mast. Samsung announced the breakthrough . after tests in which data was transmitted at speeds of more than one . gigabit per second over a distance of up to two kilometres. However, analysts warned that faster . downloads may mean bigger bills and raised health fears that new high . powered broadcasts will fuel so-called ‘electronic smog’. Samsung announced the development after conducting a test where data was transmitted at speeds of more than one gigabit per second over a distance of up to two kilometres. Customers using 4G services - currently provided in the UK by EE - access average speeds of between eight and 12 megabits per second (Mbps). 'The new technology sits at the core of 5G mobile communications system and will provide data transmission up to several hundred times faster than current 4G networks,' Samsung said in a blog post. Samsung has already trialled the technology over 2km distances, and found download speeds of 1 gigabit a second were possible, far higher than current 4G networks . The company believes the equipment could provide a solution to recent surges in wireless internet usage. It . added: 'Samsung’s new technology will allow users to transmit massive . data files including high-quality digital movies practically without . limitation. 'As a result, . subscribers will be able to enjoy a wide range of services such as 3D . movies and games, real-time streaming of ultra high-definition (UHD) content, and remote medical services.' In . the blog post, Samsung claims its technology uses high-frequency . wavebands which were previously deemed unsuitable for mobile networks. It said: 'The implementation of a high-speed 5G cellular network requires a broad band of frequencies, much like an increased water flow requires a wider pipe. 'While it was a recognised option, it has been long believed that the millimetre-wave bands had limitations in transmitting data over long distances due to its unfavourable propagation characteristics. 'However, Samsung’s new adaptive array transceiver technology has proved itself as a successful solution. 'It transmits data in the millimetre-wave band at a frequency of 28 GHz at a speed of up to 1.056 Gbps to a distance of up to two kilometers.' | Samsung claims system could allow live high definition 3D video to be watched in real timed .
Allows 1 gigabit of data to be transferred in a second - and could be available by 2020 . |
181,225 | 769b236d224b016c9e9d39840a3fe92dba48c54e | Tripoli, Libya (CNN) -- For all the talk in diplomatic circles this week of finding peace for Libya, one thing remained clear Saturday: The war is raging unabated in Misrata. In the city under siege from Moammar Gadhafi's forces and mostly inaccessible for journalists, other than those on government-organized tours, residents reported disturbing new developments Saturday. An opposition council member told CNN that loyalists were using bombs that look like perfume bottles. Photographs suggested they were shells fired from a grenade launcher that either did not explode on impact or were deliberately masked and placed in populated areas. Either way, they were proving lethal. The council member said Saturday that people have had their limbs blown off and children have been killed. The report comes a day after Human Rights Watch reported its members saw three cluster bombs explode Thursday night over Misrata's el-Shawahda neighborhood. Researchers with the activist group inspected debris and interviewed witnesses about two other apparent cluster bombings, the report said. "We hear explosions that sound like one big explosion followed by many smaller ones. We were told this is a cluster bomb," said the council member. He, like many other Libyans, did not want to be identified for safety reasons. The Libyan government has denied the use of such bombs, which are banned internationally because of their indiscriminate nature and ability to harm civilians even after a conflict ends. Ahmed Hassan of the Misrata opposition council said at least five people were killed and 44 others were wounded Saturday, after one witness saw a hail of rockets fall on the central Libyan city. Gadhafi's forces also bombed several food and dairy production factories, including ones that produce milk and oil, Hassan said. Terrified residents are going out in groups of 20 or 30 to fetch bread. They are too scared to venture out alone. "No one and nowhere is safe in Misrata," Hassan said. Medecins Sans Frontieres said Saturday that it had evacuated nearly 100 people by boat from Misrata. Most were suffering war-related injuries. The boat arrived in Zarzis, Tunisia, on Saturday. The international medical humanitarian group (known as Doctors Without Borders in English) said ongoing fighting has cut off people from medical assistance and hospitals and clinics are overwhelmed with casualties. "For weeks now, health structures have been struggling to cope with the influx of patients," said Dr. Morten Rostrup, an MSF doctor who participated in the evacuation. "With the latest heavy bombardments in Misrata, the situation is worsening as hospitals have to discharge patients before their treatment is completed in order to treat those wounded by fighting," Rostrup said in a statement. The International Organization for Migration said Saturday that a chartered boat filled with hundreds of tons of humanitarian aid was heading to Misrata. The group's first boat rescued 1,200 migrant workers and their families who had been stranded around the city's port, which has been bombarded daily by Gadhafi's forces according to witnesses. Deeper inside the city, witnesses for weeks have reported dire conditions, including food shortages and the persistent fear of pro-Gadhafi snipers taking aim at anyone walking on the streets. A clinic director told CNN at least 700 people have died since the violence erupted in Misrata two months ago. Meanwhile, a Misrata opposition council member accused Gadhafi of using Libyan state television as an effective command-and-control center after NATO airstrikes damaged lines of communications and made troop control difficult. The council member said Gadhafi has been sending orders to his troops through coded messages aired on state television and the rebels have been trying to decode them in order to defend themselves. He gave these examples: . -- An anchor claimed that a bird laid a green egg in an area of Benghazi. The anchor hailed this as a miracle and a sign of an upcoming victory for Gadhafi's forces. The next day that exact area was attacked by what the councilman described as sleeper cells in Benghazi. -- During the weather forecast, a map indicated a large storm over the port area of Misrata. No storm ever appeared, but the next day Gadhafi's forces attacked Misrata by sea. -- An anchor claimed that a honey bee spelled out Moammar with honey in Darnah. Once again, it was hailed as a miracle and a sign of an upcoming victory for Gadhafi's forces. The next day, sleeper cells in Darnah launched an attack. Despite weeks of aerial bombardment by international fighter jets, Gadhafi has shown no signs of acquiescing. He remains as defiant as ever despite calls this week again from global leaders attending a Libya conference in Qatar and a sternly worded newspaper opinion piece by U.S. President Barack Obama, French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister David Cameron. But how to protect civilians has become an increasingly complex question. At a news conference in Benghazi, the deputy chairman of Libya's Transitional National Council appealed to the international community to help prevent further tragedy. He said 1.5 million Libyans were under attack every day. "We already have warned before that the regime was threatening real massacres against innocent civilians," Abdul Hafiz Ghoga told reporters. "The international community is now witnessing what this regime is capable of. The destruction in Misrata and other cities is unacceptable." In Tripoli, four thundering explosions were heard Saturday evening -- believed to have been caused by NATO airstrikes -- followed by about 30 minutes of sustained anti-aircraft fire. Later that night, hundreds gathered outside Gadhafi's compound in the capital, with some saying they'd be willing to act as "human shields" as long as NATO warplanes targeted the manpower and infrastructure being used in support of the Libyan leader. "Everyone here will die for Moammar Gadhafi," one young man told CNN. On the eastern front lines of the battle, rebels were still fighting to regain control of the oil town of al-Brega, which has changed hands several times already. "We need weapons to defend our people," Ghoga said. NATO has said it needs more precision fighter jets because loyalist maneuvers have made airstrikes much more difficult without harming civilians. "Now they hide their heavy arms in populated areas, where before many targets were easier to get to," said NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen earlier this week. "To avoid civilian casualties, we need very sophisticated equipment. So we need a few more precision fighter ground-attack aircraft for air-to-ground missions." A witness in Misrata said NATO planes were flying overhead Saturday, but he had not seen evidence of bombing. CNN's Reza Sayah, Fred Pleitgen, Saad Abedine, Salma Abdelaziz, Mitra Mobasherat and Hamdi Alkhshali contributed to this report . | NEW:Hundreds in Tripoli rally for Gadhafi, some vowing to act as 'human shields'
Witness: Gadhafi's forces are using explosives that can kill indiscriminately .
A hail of rockets attack Misrata again Saturday .
Transitional council leader says the rebels need weapons . |
40,705 | 72d7fd982b324da8335c36b8fbe2d5034402fff6 | By . Jack Doyle . PUBLISHED: . 19:21 EST, 17 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:01 EST, 18 December 2012 . Broadside: Conservative Justice Secretary Chris Grayling has accused European lawmakers of overstepping their authority and deciding matters best left to domestic courts . A senior cabinet minister last night accused European human rights judges of ‘overstepping the mark’ - in a significant ratcheting up of hostilities with the Strasbourg court. Justice Secretary Chris Grayling’s remarks are the strongest condemnation to date of the controversial court from a Tory minister. He accuses the judges of prying ‘more and more’ into areas that should be decided in domestic courts or by MPs in Parliament. His explosive comments came ahead of the publication today of the final report by a panel of experts set up to examine a replacement to Labour’s Human Rights Act. But the ‘Commission on a Bill of Rights’ which was set up by David Cameron to end the rampant abuse of human rights laws - is expected to recommend yet more rights. These could include a right to claim benefits, to have a pleasant environment to live in and to enjoy a comfortable standard of living. Insiders said the commission had split ‘down the middle’ between Tories and Liberal Democrats placed on the commission by Nick Clegg. Mr Grayling accuses the judges of moving ‘further and further away’ from the original European Convention on Human Rights - written in the aftermath of the Second World War to protect citizens against the horrors of Nazi Germany. And he says a Conservative view of human rights is that ‘with rights come responsibilities’ - and that rights should not be used as an excuse for operating outside societal norms. Mr Grayling said: ‘The human rights agenda that frustrates so many of us today has little to do with the freedoms that all of us still believe are worth fighting for. ‘Over more than half a century, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg has moved further and further away from the intentions of those politicians who shaped the original Convention. ‘It has pried more and more into matters that should be routine issues for national courts and parliaments to deal with.' He added: ‘As Conservatives we remain absolutely committed to the importance of human rights around the world. But we do not believe that people should be able to claim the right to family life as an excuse for operating outside the norms that apply to most people in our society. We believe that with rights come responsibilities. ‘And we believe that the European Court of Human Rights has overstepped its mark, and that things have to change.' Mr Grayling’s comments will be welcomed by Tory backbenchers who have demanded ministers confront the European court over its rulings. Powers: The European Court of Human Rights in the French city of Strasbourg. Mr Grayling says it has moved too far from its purpose of protecting the vulnerable . They are particularly robust given his other position in Government as Lord Chancellor, who by tradition does not criticise members of the judiciary. Article 8 has been used by hundreds of foreign prisoners to stay in Britain despite committing horrific crimes using spurious claims about their right to a private and family life. It has also allowed paedophiles and rapists to demand removal from the Sex Offenders’ Register. The commission’s interim report in July recommended creating a right to claim benefits, and other so-called ‘socio-economic rights’. It also called for new children’s rights and a ‘right to equality’. At the time, critics said the commission had been hijacked by the human rights lobby and would lead to further rights inflation and an extension of the compensation culture. An eminent academic, Dr Michael Pinto Duschinsky, quit the commission warning that the ‘the Lib Dem tail is wagging the Conservative dog’ as he claimed Nick Clegg and Ken Clarke had instructed the commission to ignore the will of Parliament. Mr Grayling is engaged in a standoff with the court over its demands for an end to the ban on prisoners voting. Rights: The original European Convention on Human Rights was written after The Second World war to try and prevent horrors similar to Auschwitz (pictured) Strasbourg has threatened to hand inmates compensation of £1000 each if Britain does not pass a law giving them the vote - despite MPs voting overwhelming against a change. Earlier this month, 71 Tory MPs, including former Crime and Justice Minister Nick Herbert called on ministers to scrap the Human Rights Act in a Parliamentary vote. The vote, and the commission’s likely outcome, will heap pressure on David Cameron to take a tougher line on Strasbourg. Last night Dr Pinto Duschinsky said Britain should withdraw if it cannot negotiate a ‘democratic override’ to allow Parliament to reject Strasbourg rulings. Dr Michael Pinto Duschinsky, constitutional affairs expert at Policy Exchange said: ‘Even if the Commission does decide to publish a British Bill of Rights, it is likely that the Strasbourg court will have final say on matters of national significance such as prisoner voting. ‘The UK must alter its relationship with the international court. Firstly by trying to negotiate an ‘override’ so that national parliaments can overrule Strasbourg. ‘If this proves impossible then the UK should give serious consideration to withdrawing from the ECHR.’ | Justice Secretary says European human rights judges are interfering with domestic issues .
They have 'lost sight' of the core principles behind human rights .
Rights are 'too open to abuse', Mr Grayling added . |
121,541 | 291712bede2351b78e8a18e903db7aaec54cdbdc | (CNN) -- It was Tuesday evening when I happened upon a popular Fark.com link to a story on The Consumerist website praising the record-breaking success of Doritos Locos Tacos at Taco Bell, which has now sold more than 100 million crunchy, nacho-cheesy bundles of love. One hundred million! Think about it. At about 6 inches long, if you stacked each of these 100 million tacos lengthwise from end to end, you would be ... doing something very pointless. Now, for those of you who haven't actually seen a Doritos Locos Taco in person (i.e. productive citizens who don't drink past 2:30 in the morning) they're just what they sound like. Tacos ... wrapped in shells ... made from giant Doritos. It's amazing! It's culinary Xanadu! It's as if Taco Bell's marketing executives were poking around in my dreams. (Note: I dream about Doritos and tacos. And lately there's also been a lot of gnomes. Things are weird at home.) As I write this, it's 10:13 a.m. on Wednesday. Early as it may be, I feel I can't properly do this column justice without having at least one of these tacos in front of me, allowing partially hydrogenated soybean oil to be my muse. (Which is a slight departure from the 4,000 ounces of Diet Coke I usually look to for inspiration.) So, you all hang tight. I'm heading downstairs to the food court and putting you on hold for a moment. (click) Do you believe in life after love? I can feel something inside me say I really don't think you're strong enough. (click) I'm back and I am so sorry for that. It's the only radio station we get here. But it could be worse, I once dropped five dollars in a jukebox, played Cher's "Believe" on repeat with all my credits, and walked out. It's probably the meanest thing I've ever done in my entire life. So, overall, I don't think I'm such a bad guy. Useless to society, yes. Otherwise, mostly harmless. Apparently This Matters: $1,300 HDMI cables . But let's get back to these tacos. The Consumerist cites an article by Nancy Luna in the Orange County Register that says this has been the "most successful product launch in Taco Bell's 50-year history." The article then quotes a Taco Bell spokesman who says the Crunchwrap has finally been "dethroned." Which is more than a little unsettling. Look, I'm just saying, if you represent Taco Bell, perhaps using the word "throne" isn't the smartest idea. Nevertheless, I'm proud to say that I am one of the millions who have helped the Doritos Locos Tacos become absolute world-beaters. I don't love them, but I do love the idea. It screams "America!" as I proudly shed a single red, white and blue teardrop. It's also possible that I have eye-herpes. Is that a thing? Anyway, I spent some time on the Taco Bell website today, mostly because it was a nice departure from doing actual work, and learned that they recommend you eat one of these with a Classic Limeade Sparkler. Someone received payment for pondering this pairing, and I'm sort of bummed that it wasn't me. Thus, I have to ask: How does one become the official Taco Bell sommelier? "Hi, Jim. Thanks for coming in. Tell us, what makes you uniquely qualified for this position?" "The ability to point at things on your menu." One hundred million tacos or not, sentiments on the Fark comment section for this link seemed to generally agree that, after about ten weeks of being in stores, Doritos Locos Tacos get an overall grade of: Meh. User Wade_Wilson wrote: Tried one. Don't see what all the fuss is about. Barely even tasted the Dorito. VideoGamePlaya agrees: I have eaten 8 of those loco tacos and they aint all that. if i am goin Mexican i prefer chipotle. And when Mexicans are going Mexican, they prefer... actual Mexican. But might I also suggest a 2012 Classic Limeade Sparkler? | CNN's Jarrett Bellini deciphers the online fuss over Doritos Locos Tacos .
More than 100 million Doritos Locos Tacos have been sold .
Doritos Locos Tacos could "dethrone" the Crunchwrap .
Taco Bell recommends a Classic Limeade Sparkler with the meal . |
238,637 | c0e80b3e86b170d39ab96d7b149b381b2ea18415 | Culture Secretary Maria Miller should be thrown out of the Cabinet and be forced to give up her Commons seat as punishment for making false expenses claims, according to a Mail on Sunday poll. Voters also want the embattled Minister to be stripped of her role in charge of introducing new press curbs following Lord Justice Leveson’s inquiry into media ethics. The damning findings come from the first survey conducted since Mrs Miller was forced to pay back £5,800 over-claimed on her mortgage and apologise to the Commons on Thursday. Damning verdict: Maria Miller (pictured making her apology on Thursday) should be thrown out of the Cabinet and be forced to give up her Commons seat after making false expenses claims, says a Mail on Sunday poll . The results will pile pressure on David Cameron to do a U-turn over his refusal to sack her. A senior Tory MP said last night that Mrs Miller was ‘dead in the water, politically speaking’ – and certain to be ditched in a Cabinet reshuffle before the summer. ‘It is natural for the PM to stand by her for now, but she will be gone by the party conference,’ said the MP. A total of 78 per cent of those polled by Survation for The Mail on Sunday say Mrs Miller should lose her Cabinet seat. 'A ridiculous claim': The house in Basingstoke, Hampshire, that Mrs Miller listed as her primary residence . Ominously, the number of Tories who . think she should be fired as Culture Secretary is 82 per cent. Only one . in ten say she should stay in the Cabinet. The survey also emphasises that, five years after the MPs’ expenses scandal erupted, public fury over politicians thought to be ‘on the fiddle’ is as intense as ever. Humiliatingly, most people believe that kicking Mrs Miller out of the Cabinet is not sufficient retribution: nearly seven out of ten say she should be made to quit as the MP for Basingstoke. Pressurised: The results will pile pressure on David Cameron to do a U-turn over his refusal to sack her . Defiant Mr Cameron’s decision to stand by her gets the thumbs-down from three-quarters of voters. And two-thirds say Mrs Miller should relinquish her responsibility for introducing new press curbs following the phone hacking scandal triggered by Rupert Murdoch’s News International’s newspapers. Fewer than one in five say she should stay in control of the issue. Mrs Miller’s 32-second Commons apology left voters deeply unimpressed – nearly three-quarters say her statement was inadequate. The damning public verdict came as it emerged that Mrs Miller had tried to browbeat the independent Commons’ standards watchdog investigating complaints over her expenses claims on her second home in Wimbledon, South London, where her parents lived. Mrs Miller listed her primary residence as a rented home in her Hampshire constituency. As part of a series of emails to Standards Commissioner Kathryn Hudson, the Culture Secretary even threatened to report her to the Commons’ Standards Committee if she did not conclude the inquiry, and branded one line of questioning from Mrs Hudson as ‘unwarranted and wrong’. The Culture Secretary’s adviser Jo Hindley was accused of trying to ‘flag up’ Mrs Miller’s key role in stricter press regulation in a bid to suppress coverage of the affair – a claim Ms Hindley rejects. No 10 has also denied trying to threaten a newspaper investigating the Minister’s expenses with tougher regulation of the press. Formal apology: Maria's 32-second apology to the Commons on Thursday was appalling, writes Mr Heath . Making a statement: It was written all over the Culture Secretary's face that she didn't want to do it, he adds . Mrs Miller was last week forced to apologise after a 16-month investigation. The Standards Committee was scathing about her attitude to the inquiry, accusing her of taking a ‘legalistic’ approach and providing a ‘totally inadequate response’ to one of Mrs Hudson’s inquiries. But controversially, it over-ruled Mrs Hudson’s insistence that Mrs Miller repay almost £45,000 of the £90,000 allowances she claimed over four years, claiming she had acted ‘reasonably’ in declaring the London property as her second home. It said she should only repay £5,800 overclaimed in mortgage interest in 2009. Political figures: Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg (right) declined to come to Mr Cameron's aid over the issue yesterday, but Conservative chairman Grant Shapps (left) said it was time to 'draw a line' under the controversy . Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg declined to come to Mr Cameron’s aid over the issue yesterday, saying: ‘All the issues to do with her position and indeed to do with the behaviour of her office, alleged or not, is entirely a matter for the Prime Minister.’ But Conservative Party chairman Grant Shapps said it was time to ‘draw a line’ under the controversy. Survation questioned 1,001 voters on Friday. 'I can't see Maria changing': Phil Heath is Mrs Miller's former campaign organiser . Years before Maria Miller’s dodgy expenses were reported in the media, I tried to bring it to the public’s attention. I noticed it soon after I started working on her campaign that resulted in her being elected MP for Basingstoke in 2005. I came to realise that she is the sort who claims for everything. It’s part of what I call ‘Maria’s culture’. She would even claim for parking in her own constituency. As for her insistence that the house in Wimbledon was her second home – thus allowing her to claim expenses on it – I thought it was ridiculous because she seemed to spend as little time as possible in Basingstoke. From what I could see, her family were based in Wimbledon. I tried to raise my concerns with Conservative Party officials but they didn’t want to know. In my view, the Commons Standards Commissioner got it right but MPs let her off the hook. It was a stitch-up. Talking to people in cafes around Basingstoke yesterday, they were saying: ‘She’s got away with it.’ Maria’s 32-second apology to the Commons was appalling. It was written all over her face that she didn’t want to do it. And I know that arrogant look so well. It says: ‘I’m right and everyone else is wrong. How dare anybody question me. Don’t you know who I am?’ But the people of Basingstoke are saying: ‘Hang on a minute. Never mind apologising to MPs, what about apologising to us, and what about apologising for taking public money that you aren’t entitled to?’ 'Maria's culture': Mrs Miller claims for everything, even for parking in her own constituency, says Mr Heath . I can’t see Maria changing. She has no truck with criticism locally and heaven help anyone like me who has the temerity to question her word. Nobody complains about Maria – not if they want to stay a Conservative, as I found out. It was like I dared to say the Madonna was not a virgin! Even though I helped her win a majority in 2005 of more than 4,500, on Election day itself she was ranting and raving and thought she was going to lose. 'Arrogant look': Mr Heath says he was 'so appalled' by Mrs Miller's behaviour that he voted for her Labour rival even though he was effectively her campaign manager at the time. Above, Mrs Miller outside Downing Street . I told her to get out of the room, saying that we would get her elected, and that she should leave everybody else alone. I was so appalled by her behaviour, I voted for her Labour rival even though I was effectively her campaign manager and I was a Tory councillor at the time. After a while, the Tories made it clear they didn’t want me. I later joined UKIP. It was the best thing I ever did. | Mail on Sunday poll reveals voters' fury over Mrs Miller's expenses dodge .
Majority say she should be thrown out of Cabinet and lose Commons seat .
They also want her stripped of role in charge of introducing press curbs .
Poll will pressurise David Cameron to do U-turn over refusal to sack her .
Senior Tory MP says Mrs Miller certain to be ditched in Cabinet reshuffle . |
101,154 | 0e5bcb79ca37a81792e38f254ed0ac65bd216f25 | A notorious fugitive who's been evading authorities since 1998, when he faked his own death just before his trial on child sex-abuse charges, has been captured in Montana. Daniel Clement Chafe, 55, was taken into custody Wednesday in Bozeman where he had been living under a different name, Lieutenant Gregg Hastings said. Chafe had been living in a city near Bozeman where he owned a computer business and used the alias Gwydyn Stryder Styarfyr. Captured: Daniel Clement Chafe, 55, was taken into custody Wednesday in Bozeman, Montana, where he had been living under an assumed name . The FBI said the married Chafe was recruiting girls between of the ages of 14 and 16 to form what he dubbed the 'Cobalt Clan' when he was arrested 15 years ago. 'His reported goal was to have sex with these young girls in order to produce a large number of children over which he could rule,' according to the FBI's most wanted poster. Wanted: Chafe was missing for 15 years before he was finally captured Wednesday . Police arrested him on charges of rape, sodomy and sex abuse of two teenage girls, and said they had identified other victims. Chafe moved to New Mexico during the investigation and worked as a computer technician. On September 13, 1998 - 10 days before his scheduled trial in Roseburg - a friend with whom he had gone fishing in Washington state told authorities that Chafe fell overboard and was missing. A search failed to find him, and investigators considered him a fugitive. He became the subject of several television shows, including 'America's Most Wanted,' and was in consideration for the FBI's Top 10 list, Hastings said. The friend who told authorities that Chafe went overboard has not been charged with a crime at this point, Hastings said. 'Obviously we've got to learn what's gone on over the last 15 years,' he said. Authorities in Roseburg declined to discuss the late 1990s investigation on Friday. Undersheriff Dan Springer of Gallatin County, Montana, said detectives have found no evidence that Chafe was trying to recruit Montana girls. Held: Chafe is in prison Bozeman, Montana but will be returning to Oegon his trial . 'We have no indication [of that] and we do not have any kind of investigation into charges of that nature,' he said. Chafe remains in a Montana jail pending extradition to Roseburg, where he faces six counts of third-degree rape, five counts of third-degree sexual abuse and seven counts of third-degree sodomy. Hastings said an Oregon State Police detective recently uncovered evidence that Chafe was living under an assumed name in Montana. Chafe was arrested during a traffic stop by FBI agents, the Gallatin County Sheriff's Office and the Montana Highway Patrol. | Daniel Clement Chafe, 55, has been arrested in Montana after 15 years in hiding .
He was on trial for child sex crimes in Oregon in 1998 when he went missing .
A friend called police and said Chafe had fallen out of a boat while the pair were fishing .
Police suspected he had faked his own death .
He was living in Montana under an assumed name and ran a computer company .
He was originally arrested for recruiting young girls to have sex with him and hoped to have a large number of children over whom he could rule .
Chafe will extradited to Roseberg, Oregon . |
230,858 | b6efe8ac3fefd141a38f83245d303c986c8f169f | By . Sean Poulter . Holidaymakers need no longer worry about returning home to an empty fridge. Waitrose has established a new system that will be allow families to order their groceries on their smartphone from a sun lounger and then pick them up from refrigerated lockers at the airport. The chain says it wants to install the lockers in ten locations, including the long stay car parks at Gatwick airport terminals as well as London underground stations and other travel hubs. Options: Waitrose is trying to make it easier for shoppers to buy groceries without visiting a store . The move is part of a wider policy by all the mainstream supermarkets to make it easier to order groceries on the web and then collect them without ever having to visit a store. While retailers see helping returning holidaymakers as a positive, the real boom is expected to be among commuters collecting their shopping on their way home from work from secure lockers. A whole new network of ‘click and collect’ points to pick up items bought on the web are springing up across the country. Argos has revealed that shoppers will be able to pick up eBay parcels from 650 stores by the end of this year. At the same time London Underground and Network Rail have both recently announced plans to turn their stations into pickup points for a host of different retailers, from Sainsbury’s to New Look. The Waitrose lockers are being tested by staff at the firm’s head office in Bracknell and they will then be installed at branches and other key locations from this autumn. Shoppers who place an order using Waitrose.com will receive a text message containing a PIN number. They can then drive up to the lockers, enter the number using a touch screen integrated in to the locker unit and collect their groceries. Multiple customer orders are stored in ambient, chilled and frozen temperature-controlled lockers that can be refilled several times a day. Fly by: Passengers flying in to Gatwick Airport will be able to grab their pre-ordered groceries on the way home . Commute and go: Tube stations on London's Underground could also see lockers for groceries popping up . In line with the delivery options already available on Waitrose.com, the service is free if the purchase is over £50 and an order placed before 11.45am can be collected the next day. Waitrose’s eCommerce director, Robin Phillips, said that the company was very excited to be offering the innovative service, which if successful, would be expanded further. ‘We are committed to finding shopping solutions that make the most sense for our shoppers and are as convenient as possible, as well as being ambitious in terms of the technology used,’ he said. ‘Giving our customers as many ways as possible to buy and collect their groceries on the move is key to building on the phenomenal growth seen at Waitrose.com. ‘Collection lockers will unlock the potential to reach customers in locations where we don’t have a shop and which are very convenient, such as on the way home from work or the school run. ‘More and more people are adding an online shopping mission to their way of buying from Waitrose and we will continue to invest in making sure that we give them what they want, when they want it.’ Sales at Waitrose.com have been outperforming the UK online grocery market and were up 50 per cent compared to market growth of 15.2 per cent in the 12 weeks to May 12, according to figures from Kantar Worldpanel. | Waitrose wants to install lockers in ten locations including Gatwick .
London Underground stations and other travel hubs also on the list .
Part of programme to make it easier to buy groceries without visiting store . |
265,184 | e37634d5c37272550fe889a0b22b6fc2ffb07810 | By . Olivia Fleming . PUBLISHED: . 09:54 EST, 17 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:54 EST, 18 September 2012 . Domestic violence and women's rights advocacy groups have attacked Conde Nast after Vogue Hommes International released its latest cover featuring Stephanie Seymour being choked by model Marlon Teixeira. The publisher's chairman Si Newhouse and editorial director Thomas Wallace received a letter from four organization leaders accusing the 'disturbing' image of 'glorifying violence against women as an act of love.' Asking Conde Nast to pull the . magazine from New York newsstands immediately, Sanctuary for Families, Safe Horizon, Equality Now, and the New York chapter of NOW wrote: 'Choking is not a fashion statement, and certainly not something that . should be used to sell magazines.' Fashion statement: Domestic Violence and women's rights advocacy groups have accused the 'disturbing' image of 'glorifying violence against women as an act of love' According to media blog Romenesko, the letter aimed to express the organizations' 'profound opposition' to the photo. They wrote: 'This truly disturbing image of a woman being choked sends a dangerous . message to anyone who sees this magazine – that choking is a sign of . passion rather than of violence.' Terry Richardson, who in 2010 was accused of sexually harassing a model he photographed, shot Ms Seymour and Mr Teixeira for the Vogue cover. The inside fashion spread also features Mr Teixeira touching Ms Seymour’s breast and Seymour . grabbing the fellow model's pants. 'Choking is not a fashion statement, and certainly not something that . should be used to sell magazines' The letter added: 'A 2008 Journal of . Emergency Medicine study of murders of women in 11 cities found that 43per cent . of women who were killed by intimate partners had experienced at least . one previous episode of choking before being killed. 'That is why, in . 2010, New York State made choking a violent felony, and advocates, . prosecutors, police officers and survivors throughout the State have . embraced the law as a way to save women’s lives. 'In New York, your magazine appears on numerous newsstands and has enormous reach with young men and women. 'While this cover was perhaps intended to shock and thrill potential readers, the truly shocking fact is that it glorifies violence against women as an act of love'. The organizations have also asked Conde Nast to pledge not to use . violent images like this in the future. | Women's rights advocacy groups have asked Conde Nast to pull the Vogue Hommes International cover off newsstands 'immediately' |
7,851 | 163b02b4cb67aa42a9151dd30d55be339fd02901 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 20:07 EST, 16 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:07 EST, 16 December 2013 . Emperor penguins maintain the tight huddle that protects them from the harsh conditions of an Antarctic winter with stop-and-go movements like cars in a traffic jam, a new study has shown. German researchers said an individual penguin only needs to move a mere two centimetres in any direction for its huddling neighbour to react and also make a small step to stay close to it. These tiny movements then flow through the entire group - which includes thousands of penguins - like a wave. Scroll down for videos . Emperor penguins maintain the tight huddle that protects them from the harsh conditions of an Antarctic winter with stop-and-go movements like cars in a traffic jam . The Emperor Penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) is the tallest and heaviest of all living penguin species and is endemic to Antarctica. The male and female are similar in plumage and size, reaching 48inches (122cm) in height and weighing anywhere from 49 to 99lbs (22 to 45 kg). Like all penguins the Emperor is flightless, but has a streamlined body and wings stiffened and flattened into flippers for a marine habitat. Its diet consists primarily of fish, but can also include crustaceans, such as krill, and cephalopods, such as squid. In hunting, the species can remain submerged for up to 18 minutes, diving to a depth of 1,755 ft (535m). It has several adaptations to facilitate this, including an unusually structured hemoglobin to allow it to function at low oxygen levels, solid bones to reduce barotrauma and the ability to reduce its metabolism and shut down non-essential organ functions. The Emperor is the only penguin species that breeds during the Antarctic winter, . It treks 31–75 miles (50–120 km) over the ice to breeding colonies which may include thousands of individuals. Their lifespan is typically 20 years in the wild, although observations suggest that some individuals may live to 50 years of age. The stop-and-go motion plays a vital role in keeping the huddle as dense as possible to protect the penguins from the cold, while the wave also helps smaller huddles merge into larger ones. Researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research (AWI), in Bremerhaven, Germany, used a mathematical model to recreate the positions, movements and interactions of individual penguins in a huddle. In a previous study, the same group of researchers studied time-lapse videos and showed that instead of remaining static, penguins in a huddle actually move every 30 to 60 seconds, causing surrounding penguins to move with them. Daniel Zitterbart, co-author of the . study, which is published in the Institute of Physics and German . Physical Society’s New Journal of Physics, said: ‘Our previous study . showed how penguins use travelling waves to allow movement in a densely . packed huddle, but we had no explanation as to how these waves propagate . and how they are triggered.’ German researchers said an individual penguin only needs to move a mere two centimetres in any direction for its huddling neighbour to react and also make a small step to stay close to it. This is a screenshot of the animation showing the stop-and-go movement of the penguins . To investigate this, the researchers used a mathematical model, which has previously been used to study traffic jams and compared the results with an analysis of video recordings of a real-life penguin huddle. Unlike a traffic jam, the researchers found that the waves of movements in a penguin huddle can originate from any single penguin and can propagate in any direction as soon as a sufficient gap, known as a ‘threshold distance’ develops between two penguins. To cope with the harsh conditions, the male penguins form dense huddles, often consisting of thousands of individuals, to maintain their body temperatures . This threshold distance was estimated to be around two cm, which is twice the thickness of a penguin’s compressive feather layer, suggesting the penguins touch each other only slightly when standing in a huddle without compressing the feather layer so they maximise huddle density without compromising their own insulation and warmth. ‘We were really surprised that a travelling wave can be triggered by any penguin in a huddle, rather than penguins on the outside trying to push in,’ said Dr Zitterbart. ‘We also found it amazing how two waves, if triggered shortly after each other, merged instead of passing one another, making sure the huddle remains compact.’ The stop-and-go motion of the penguins plays a vital role in keeping the huddle as dense as possible to protect the penguins from the cold, while the wave (illustrated in a computer model) also helps smaller huddles merge into larger ones . The Emperor penguin is the only vertebrate species that breeds during the severe conditions of the Antarctic winter. At this time of year temperatures can get as low as -50°C and winds can reach speeds of up to 200 kmp. To cope with the harsh conditions, the male penguins form dense huddles, often consisting of thousands of individuals, to maintain their body temperatures. Unlike other species of penguin, the male emperors are solely responsible for incubating their single egg during the winter, covering it in an abdominal pouch above their feet while the female returns to sea to feed. Unlike other species of penguin, the male emperors are solely responsible for incubating their single egg during the winter, covering it in an abdominal pouch above their feet while the female returns to sea to feed . | Researchers from the Alfred Wegener Institute said the stop-and-go motion plays a vital role in keeping the huddle as dense and warm as possible .
An individual .
penguin only needs to move a mere two centimetres in any direction for .
its huddling neighbour to react .
These tiny movements flow through the entire group - which includes thousands of penguins - like a wave . |
52,246 | 9401d02b4c4f24488f72c29c5fd375fb3160360e | Two drunk women who caused havoc on a flight to Tunisia that forced the captain to make an emergency landing have been jailed. Serena Meade and Karen Wildman caused misery to other passengers. Their antics were so bad the captain diverted the plane to Lyon and had them removed from the plane. That cost British Airways more than £4,500 and delayed the flight by four hours, New Year's Eve, 2012. Serena Meade and Karen Wildman have been jailed after their appalling behaviour on a 2012 British Airways flight to Tunisia (File Photo) The out-of-control pair swigged from a bottle of Malibu, hid inside toilets, swore in front of children and were aggressive towards air crew - Meade even lit up a cigarette at 30,000 feet. Both women were jailed for eight months at Lewes Crown Court last month after Meade admitted acting in a destructive manner on an aircraft and Wildman endangering the safety of an aircraft. The details of their case have now emerged for the first time as judges at London's Criminal Appeal Court cut Meade's sentence to six months. The court heard the friends were travelling on board a British Airways flight from Gatwick to Tunis for some winter sun on December 31, 2012, when they caused havoc. Meade and Wildman had both been drinking before boarding the plane. Judge Alistair McCreath said there was an 'unpleasant scene' as the pair were asked to move from the seats they had chosen. That was because Meade was in a wheelchair at the time and needed to be in the part of the plane reserved for disabled passengers. He said the pair were 'much the worse for drink' and began behaving badly, being abusive to staff and upsetting other holidaymakers. The pair were jailed at Lewes . The judge added: 'Passengers who were on their way to enjoy a winter holiday were affronted and disturbed by their behaviour.' When they were refused alcohol by staff, they opened a bottle of Malibu they had bought in duty free and swigged from that until it was confiscated. Their behaviour was so appalling that one air hostess served them with a written warning - which they ripped up in front of her. They then followed her into the galley, where she was confronted and pushed, before hiding in a toilet cubicle - where Meade started smoking. After seeing the drama unfold on CCTV from the cockpit, and hearing their raised voices, the captain took the decision they would have to be ejected from the plane and made an emergency detour to Lyon. Meade and Wildman were handed over to French police before being flown back to the UK. The diversion cost British Airways £4,683 and passengers were held up as the plane was delayed for hours. Judge McCreath said it was 'hardly surprising' the crown court judge sent both women to jail. He added: 'Their conduct was prolonged and caused distress to other passengers - not only by the delay and inconvenience, but also by the incidents themselves.' However, allowing Meade's appeal against the length of her jail term, he said her personal difficulties meant her sentence should be reduced. Sitting with Lady Justice Sharp and Mr Justice Blake, he added: 'We have come to this position entirely because of the nature and degree of the personal mitigation available to her.' | Serena Meade and Karen Wildman were on New Years' Eve flight to Tunisia .
Pair were drunk and abused cabin crew as well as swore in front of children .
Meade pushed air hostes and then hid in toilet and started smoking .
Pilot was forced into emergency landing at Lyon, France .
Flight was delayed four hours and cost British Airways £4,683 .
Pair jailed for eight months, Meade's reduced to six months on appeal . |
204,550 | 94d04fb62ca2fb24e4a23e27e471c4cf6399b42e | By . Tara Brady . Romania's prime minister has moved out of his office because he believes the country's president has bugged his phone. Victor Ponta cleared his desk in an office in the defence ministry to escape the alleged surveillance by President Traian Basescu. It is the latest development in a bitter feud between the two politicians. Victor Ponta has moved out of his office because he believes the country's president has bugged his phone . The president and prime minister have in the past accused each other of corruption and dislike for each other. Mr Ponta is expected to run against a candidate appointed by Mr Basescu, who is stepping down after two terms in office. According to The Telegraph: 'Since this morning I have moved office. I asked the defence minister if I could have an office in the ministry,' Mr Ponta said on Wednesday. ' As it's a military facility, everybody who comes in is registered,' he added. Mr Ponta believes an alleged phone call made from his office was cited in a corruption investigation involving a party colleague. Romanian President Traian Basescu has been accused of tapping the prime minister's phone . The prime minister has claimed the investigation is a 'set up'. Elections will take place in November. Critics of the prime minister have accused him of making the allegation up in the run-up to the political battle. Mr Ponta recently described the president as a 'corrupt communist' who 'will end up in jail'. | Victor Ponta cleared his desk in an office in the defence ministry .
He believes the country's president Traian Basescu has bugged his phone .
It is the latest development in a bitter feud between the two politicians . |
79,536 | e17d4b554f7b10b537c9ace0cc2c6e11c5435da1 | Mugshots don't often appear to bring out your best side, and unless you're blessed with model-like looks, odds are your picture will be an ugly one. Alan Dale Lee, 45, first came to the . attention of officers in Florida when he was arrested for alleged . aggravated battery and selling of marijuana in August 2009. Nicknamed by police ‘Dracula’ for his unsightly buck teeth, these series of mug shots have drawn horror from the public because of his strange and crooked teeth. Crooked crook: Alan Lee Dale was arrested in 2009 for alleged aggravated battery and sale of marijuana . His face shows the damage caused by using methamphetamine over the years. The gap-toothed 45-year-old came under . the gaze of the law again just over a year later, in October 2010, when . he was arrested for alleged sale and possession of marijuana. His face may be older but his distinctly crooked teeth remain the same. Undeterred by his embarrassing mugshots, Lee was back in the spotlight again in 2012 on another drugs charge. He was most recently arrested by Florida’s Dade City Police Department for alleged possession of methamphetamine. Lee's startling image is not the first police mugshot to provoke jokes and titters from the general public. Other alleged criminals have been mocked for their odd expressions, bad skin, bizarre tattoos and bedraggled appearances. From a man caught wearing a woman's wig to a man with a chin so large he was unable to escape police. Some of the characters look as though they're from a horror movie - which might make some sense when you consider many of them were photographed on Halloween! Unnamed police mugshot of a person arrested in Halloween make-up (left), Caius Veiovis, (right) charged with the kidnap and murder. The horns on Veiovis' forehead are known as subdermal 3-D implants . Bald patch: Both these men have unusual hairstyles as they are hauled in fron of the camera for their mugshots . These men look as though they have escaped from some kind of low-budget horror film . William C. Caldwell, III (left) arrested while dressed as an elf after telling a mall Santa Claus he had a bomb. Antonio Demond Younger (right) appears in mugshot wearing wig and pencilled-in eyebrows and moustache.. Matthew Alan Hamilton (left) wasarrested for DUI after crashing truck into bridge. Tammie Sue Benson Whitehead (right, a female), arrested in Iowa for failing to register as a sex offender . Matthew Herrera (left), arrested in Florida for failure to appear, with drawn-on mustache. while, right, this man appears to be compensating for a luck of hair on his head by proving he can grow it on his chin . Half and half: James Owings, arrested in Oregon for driving with a suspended license (left0, Salvatore Dichiera (aka Sal Punk), 28-year-old from Pennsylvania, arrested in Florida for an open container violation (right) Unnamed Michigan man, 32, (left) with scary make-up charged with being a parole absconder, Sean Payne was too drunk to hold his head up in his mugshot so police officers had to do it for him.. Victor Joseph Espinoza, 55, (left) was arrested after trying to kidnap a 10-year-old male on his way to football practice but was too heavy to escape over a fence. Serial offender Robert Mrah found himself 'posing' for another police mugshot after being collared for public intoxication . Retake: Tonya Ann Fowler (left) was arrested for calling 911 to complain about how she looked in her mugshot she was arrested again. Her first mugshot is on the right . Kelsey Smith (left) wasn't in the mood to be arrested if his mugshot is anything to go by. The Florida-resident was arrested after being found allegedly smelling of alcohol and sitting in his running car at an intersection. Iowa man David Jonathan Winkelman, 48, (right) arrested on a warrant for failing to appear in court. He has a radio station tatoo on his forehead . In recent days, Facebook users appear to be enamored with Jeremy Meeks, the man in a mugshot posted by police in Stockton, California page. The ice blue-eyed, strong-jawed likeness of Jeremy Meeks was quickly plastered across Twitter as thousands of social media users have themselves been arrested...by the 30-year-old's undeniable good looks. Meeks, already a convicted felon, was hauled in as part of a gang police sweep, but he's the one sweeping internet denizens off their feet. Stealing hearts: Jeremy Meeks, 30, was arrested in a gang raid by Stockton, California police on Wednesday. His arresting mugshot was subsequently posted to the police department's Facebook page and in fewer than 24 hours gained over 20,000 likes and received nearly six thousand comments and counting . The police puns continue on the Stockton Police Facebook page, where the photo had an unbelievable 5,800 comments by Thursday evening. Most comments stuck to the obvious jokes:' What is he guilty of?! First Degree Sexiness?!' wrote Ashley Pruitt Carden. Others, like Rhonda Cee, saw a moneymaking opportunity. 'He'll probably be on next years prison calendar...Mr....EVERY MONTH!' she wrote. By far, one of the most thing to post was a comment about Meeks having missed his calling as a model. 'He needs to be a model,' wrote Bettina Jones. 'I would buy whatever he's selling!' Meeks was charged with illegally possessing firearms and ammo, carrying a loaded firearm in public and criminal street gang activity, reports TMZ. The repeat offender is being held on $900,000 bail, but perhaps not for long. There's talk amongst the commenters of raising the funds to set him free. 'He didn't know any different. I could turn him into a "model" citizen. Where can I pay his bail?' wrote Deborah Ann Mitchell. | Alan Dale Lee, 45, first came to the attention of police in Florida after being arrested for aggravated battery and selling marijuana .
Lee's mugshot is in stark contrast to Jeremy Meeks, 30, who was arrested this week in Stockton, California .
The felon's face has attracted a huge group of fans with more than 20,000 'liking' his photo on Facebook . |
286,959 | ffcff3d0e642ed3ce72279372a45e7f002b65255 | By . Anna Sanders . PUBLISHED: . 14:23 EST, 13 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:30 EST, 13 June 2013 . Forget about demolishing that glass ceiling — women in the Senate are finally getting a much-needed update to their bathroom. Female senators have been forced to share a two-stall facility for 20 years, causing lines and headaches. But now that the Senate boasts 20 lady lawmakers, construction crews will expand the small bathroom after August recess, The Washington Post reported. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, a Democrat from New Hampshire, tweeted the renovations were 'a sign of the progress we are making'. Historic: The Senate is getting a new, larger bathroom for this Congress' record number of female lawmakers . 'We’re even going to have a window,' Shaheen told the Post. Ever since their numbers increased, the small size of the bathroom—the only one located just off the floor—became a 'running joke' for the group of senators, the Post said. 'For the first time, there was a traffic jam in the Senate women’s bathroom,' Sen. Amy Klobuchar, a Democrat from Minnesota, said a week after the election according to the Post. 'There were five of us in there, and there are only two stalls.' Klobuchar added the increase in female senators was 'wonderful', adding the group has dinners every other month. The New York Times reported the group is even using the bathroom problem to their advantage. Sen. Debbie Stabenow, a Democrat from Michigan, said that she and Sen. Heidi Heitkamp, a Democrat from North Dakota, strategized on a new farm bill while waiting in line. 'It’s a good problem to have,' Stebenow told the Times. 'We have enough of us now that we can negotiate in the ladies' room.' Women have come a long way since the first female senator was elected in 1922. Progress: Female senators have been forced to share a small, two-stall bathroom just off the Senate floor since 1993 . When Sen. Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington state, was sworn-in 20 years ago, females didn't even have the cramped bathroom. She told seattlepi.com that the only bathroom off the Senate floor was for men. 'We had to go upstairs and down a long hall,' Murray said. Eventually in 1993 a small, two-stall, restroom was constructed using space in from the men's facility, according to the Times. It was bearable when there were less than 10 female senators. 'It’s no longer convenient: There’s a line,' Murray told seattlepi.com. The women in the House of Representatives got their own update in 2011, when Speaker John A. Boehner, an Ohio Republican, directed the Architect of the Capitol to construct a female restroom adjacent to the House floor. Before construction, female representatives had to walk 'the length of a football field' for a toilet, according to the Times. 'It’s terrific to have this here,' Rep. Virginia Foxx, a . Republican from North Carolina, said when it opened. 'It’s a great facility for us to have after all these years . here. And it took a male Republican speaker to do it.' | U.S. Senate now boasts 20 female senators—the most ever .
The women have shared a tiny, two-stall facility just off the Senate floor for years .
New bathroom to be completed after the August recess . |
12,547 | 239511e488ad70517b679666356eb9d6cd657593 | By . Jennifer Smith . PUBLISHED: . 11:25 EST, 6 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:00 EST, 6 September 2013 . A teenager who beat up an ambulanceman as he tried to treat a barely conscious woman at a house party has been jailed. Reece Richmond, 19, assaulted Gary Stacey with his older brother, Samuel, last April after the paramedic was called to a party the boys were at . Reece Richmond, 19, assaulted Gary Stacey when he was asked to leave the rowdy party in Nelson, Lancashire, last April. Mr Stacey, 59, suffered a black eye, gashed eyelid and a puncture wound on the inside of his cheek when Richmond and his older brother attacked him, a court heard today. Mr Stacey went to the house on Hollins Road, Nelson, with his colleague, Sarah Walsh, after a 999 call alerted emergency services to the party. Burnley Crown Court heard today how the drunk mother was vomiting into a bucket while her toddler lay on a sofa, surrounded by rowdy drinkers between the ages of 18 and 24. The woman, a tenant at the house, was only partially conscious when Mr Stacey and Ms Walsh arrived. In the interest of her two children's safety, the paramedics asked people who were at the party to go home. Prosecutor Richard Bennett said it was at this moment Reece Richmond launched the attack, after Mr Stacey threatened to call police. Richmond reportedly warned: 'Why have you said that? He’s going to kick off', before standing up and striking the ambulanceman in the face. His older brother, Samuel Richmond, 20, then . stood up and joined in the attack which took Mr Stacey's ambulance off . the road for four hours. Ms Walsh intervened and was able to get the victim to their vehicle before phoning police. Both brothers had fled the scene by the time officers arrived, but were later arrested. When questioned, Richmond accepted the paramedic was only trying to carry out his job, admitting his actions were uncalled for. The teenager said he wanted to apologise to the victim. His brother claimed he punched Mr Stacey after he had started to push him and he didn’t like it. Mr Bennett said: 'The ambulance was out of commission for four hours, presenting a risk to the general public.' The court heard how Mr Stacey was anxious, had trouble sleeping and was hesitant in attending certain jobs for some time after the incident, before both brothers admitted assault causing actual bodily harm. Richmond and his older brother, Samuel, appeared at Burnley Crown Court today where they were sentenced to 30 weeks in jail and 30 weeks in detention, suspended for one year, with 150 hours of unpaid work, respectively . Richmond, who has previous . convictions for affray and battery, was sentenced to 30 weeks in jail . while older brother, Samuel, received 30 weeks in detention, suspended . for a year, and was ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work. Julian . Goode, defending the latter, said his client had been shocked by his own . behaviour and pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity. Martin . Hackett, for Reece Richmond, told the court his client accepted that . courts had a duty to protect public servants doing their jobs and knew . he would be going to jail. The incident occurred when Mr Stacey was responding to a call to a party on Hollins Road in Nelson (pictured) Mr . Hackett said: 'He accepts that he acted in a way which is wholly . contrary to that in which anybody should behave in a civilised society.' The . sentencing judge, Recorder Andrew Thomas, QC, said: 'Mr Stacey’s eye . injury was significant and it was a very serious offence. He had simply . been doing his job, putting himself in harm’s way. 'People . in that position, providing a service to the public, members of the . medical profession, are entitled to expect the courts to protect them . from offences of violence.' After . the case, PC Martin Vernon of Lancashire Police said: 'This was an . appalling attack on a man who only went to do his job and help someone . in need. He was set upon by the Reece and Samuel Richmond for no reason.' The 19-year-old admitted his actions were out of order and expressed a desire to apologise to Mr Stacey who suffered a black eye and gashed upper eyelid . 'Today’s sentence shows that we will not tolerate attacks or abuse against any member of the emergency services in the line of their duty. You will be brought before the courts and punished.' North West Ambulance Service Acting Director of Operations, Derek Cartwright, added: 'The violent and physical attack on our member of staff was absolutely unacceptable, and I fully welcome the custodial sentence given. 'The assaulted paramedic himself needed hospital treatment and, as a consequence, we had to allocate another emergency ambulance to treat the patient at the scene, when this resource could have been allocated to another emergency call. 'When paramedics attend the scene of any incident, they are there to provide professional medical attention to the patient, and should never be put in a position where they are subjected to any violence or aggression. 'We hope this sentence sends out a very clear message to anyone who assaults our crews - either verbally or physically - that they not only face the possibility of prosecution, but a prison sentence as well.' | Reece Richmond, 19, was sentenced to 30 weeks in jail .
His older brother, also involved in the attack, received a lighter sentence .
Police and ambulance services speak out against 'absolutely unacceptable' attack . |
7,104 | 141fb2e3ae1b449a3a27be8aad52052a1e6defbf | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 04:32 EST, 25 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:50 EST, 25 June 2012 . Knock-off movies are enjoying a resurgence thanks to the rise of online film distribution sites which make it easier to 'confuse' customers into buying the wrong flick. Production companies say distribution systems such as Netflix and Redbox provide a 'great opportunity' to sell their imitations, which are made at a fraction of the price. But consumers have taken issue with the . tactics because it is harder to distinguish between the two when glancing online as opposed to browsing in the rental store. Confusing: The DreamWorks blockbuster Puss In Boots (left) cost $130million, whereas its 'mockbuster' Puss In Boots: A Furry Tail had a budget of just $1million. The imitation was released around the same time on DVD . Slick: The DreamWorks version of Puss In Boots was made using the very latest an animation over four years . Mocked up: Behind the similar DVD cover design of Puss In Boots: A Furry Tail lies a rather less sophisticated animation . The knock-offs - known as . 'mockbusters' - are what the film industry calls a 'drafting . opportunity' which looks to piggyback off a box office smash by using . similarly titled versions. They . invariably come out on DVD at around the same time as their . budget-busting equivalent in a bid to cash in on the $18.8billion-a-year . home entertainment business. One example was last year's Puss in . Boots: A Furry Tail, which was made by 12 people in an office building . by Renegade Animation for less than $1million. By comparison, the DreamWorks version . Puss in Boots, starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek, was made by . 300 people for fours years at cost of $130million. Too similar: Production company The Asylum . changed the name of its Battle: Los Angeles mockbuster, Battle of Los . Angeles, to Attack Los Angeles because it was confusing buyers . Big budget: A scene from 2011's alien-invasion film Battle: Los Angeles . Cashing in: Battle of Los Angeles looked to exploit its blockbuster by creating a similar look to original . Its other knock-off The True Story Of Puss 'N Boots was given more than 1,300 negative reviews on Redbox. One customer said: 'I made the mistake of renting this thinking it was the Antonio Banderas version. BIG mistake.' Other mockbusters include Abraham Lincoln Vs Zombies . (imitating Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter), Kiara the Brave (based on . Pixar's Brave) and Life's a Jungle: Africa's Most Wanted (exploiting . Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted). David Rimawi, a partner at The Asylum, which has built much of its business on mockbusters, admitted to the Los Angeles Times that they are having to change the designs of their products to avoid such confusion. As a result, 2011's Battle Of Los Angeles became Attack Los Angeles. 'Preying on confusion': Disney's animation Brave (left) has an imitation in the form of the cut-price Kiara The Brave (right). The rise of sites like Netflix appear to be making it easier for consumers to pick the wrong film . Feeding off the box office hit: Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter and its knock-off Abraham Lincoln Vs Zombies . Piggybacking: The big budget DreamWorks production Madagascar 3 (left) and its mockbuster (right) Drafting opportunities have been given quite a free reign legally since 1993 when Disney lost a lawsuit against Good Times Entertainment, now owned by Gaiam, over their versions of Aladdin. A U.S. district court judge ruled that the VHS boxes were not similar enough to violate the law. More recently, Universal Pictures sued The Asylum over claims the latter's American Battleship knock-off was too similar to the former's Battleship. The companies settled out of court, with The Asylum agreeing to change its name to American Warships. 'As people have migrated to these new platforms, it has been a great opportunity for us," said Sam Toles, vice president of content and acquisitions for Gaiam Entertainment. 'We're not trying to confuse people. We're trying to take advantage of a level of interest in a concept that exists thanks to the major studio release', he told the Los Angeles Times. | Imitations enjoying a resurgence as they look to cash in on $18bn industry .
Rise of online film sites like Netflix make it 'harder to distinguish DVD covers' |
254,379 | d544643ea561316a909931ad4a34c8e7121e8c5c | (CNN) -- Bodies in the streets. Bloody faces pleading for help. Bandaged children in hospitals. The horrific scenes and pleas coming out of Syria mount as activists claim President Bashar al-Assad's regime has been ratcheting up attacks, which the government denies. What's behind the increase in violence, what effect did the Arab League monitors have and what may the future bring? CNN's Nic Robertson returned a few weeks ago from a rare look inside Syria, where the government has been placing restrictions on international journalists and refusing many of them entry at all. He explains what's happening in this Q&A transcript, edited for length and clarity. Q: What is happening in Syria and why is it seemingly getting worse? Robertson: (The violence) is significantly worse. It's become quantifiably worse since Bashar al-Assad unleashed the full force of his military army on Homs, on places like Zabadani that we visited with the Arab League monitors. When the monitors were there, the army wasn't shelling these towns. They weren't using tanks this way. They weren't firing mortars into these civilian areas. That's begun in the last week or so, all these injuries. And when we were there, there were perhaps 20 or 30 people being killed a day. Now the numbers are up in the hundreds. So it's quantifiably worse. Assad has decided to ratchet up the firepower, to crush this uprising once and for all to break their spirit, to seal these areas off so they can't get in, so that they can't get medical supplies in, so that they can't bring weapons in to support themselves. Q: Are these reports from people and what you saw on the ground about hundreds of people being killed, are they accurate? Robertson: We're not there and we can't verify the number of people that are being killed. What we see on the video that's sent out from there, that seems to be shot on cell phones, is maimed people. ... I've been in this business for a long time, and it's some of the worst I've seen. There was a young child with everything below his nose missing, caught by a shell, children that are killed. There's no doubt that there is shelling that is causing civilian casualties, that is damaging houses, that appears to be damaging hospitals, and we also understand, targeting the places where this video is being fed out of Homs. It is a siege in the medieval sense of the word. Q: Has it come to a crisis point, or are they close to a crisis point where all hell breaks loose? Robertson: Again, not being there, it's very hard to gauge. But when you listen to the desperation in people's voices, and you see the way that they're talking and the terms they're characterizing it in, yes, the situation is desperate. They say they're running out of medical supplies. Doctors are using secondhand sutures to stitch people up. They don't have anesthetics to give to people. When you have these kind of wounds coming in -- the survival rate is negligible. The young man who lost his face, he died for lack of treatment, nothing else -- for lack of treatment. Bread is in short supply. Basic food things are in short supply. What al-Assad is trying to do is crush the will of the rebels, of the opposition here, so that they will give up, so that they have no other option. He's also sort of trying to put the international community in a position whereby whatever the international community does through its desire to stop this (crisis), it will perhaps play into his hands, the idea of humanitarian envoys. Q: What about this notion that perhaps monitors on the ground or other people helping them out really plays into al-Assad's hands -- how so? Robertson: We've already seen it. The monitors were on the ground before, monitoring what was supposedly al-Assad pulling his troops and his heavy armor back. Their report at the end of a month said that he hadn't complied. These monitors don't have weapons. They have flak jackets, helmets and armored cars, some of them. They have no way of imposing their will, if you like, on Assad's forces. They can't stop them shooting. The notion that they could sort of get in between the opposition, these enclaves, and save them from the tank fire is a preposterous proposition. The only reason it would stop would be because Assad decided to tell his army to stop firing and stop shooting. And he appears to be nowhere near that kind of decision. ... If anyone thinks that Arab League monitors backed with some semblance of United Nations training can go in and stop the kind of artillery fire and gunfire that's going on, then think again. Because there were monitors there who wouldn't even cross police road checkpoints, never mind go into contested areas. There were some monitors who were willing to do that, but they're not set up and protected and equipped to go in and stop tanks firing and stop two forces shooting at each other. Q: So why are we even talking about this then? Robertson: One of the reasons we're talking about this is because al-Assad, backed by Russia, created a scenario on the ground where the West is watching huge, horrible humanitarian suffering. We're the ones that are saying: What can we do to help? How can we stop this? Russia and al-Assad would like nothing better than to see us divided, see the international community brought to a position where they will compromise for something less, i.e., not a removal of al-Assad, i.e., not going in with a military intervention. Maybe just protecting the people, saving the people. That's what they're aiming for in the short term right now. Q: You were recently in Damascus. How strong of support does the regime have in the capital city? Robertson: About 20 to 30% of the population supports al-Assad. There's 10% Alawite -- this is the sect that al-Assad is from -- (and) about 10% Christian. And the message that Assad sells his people is that, You're only going to be safe under me. The Sunni majority, if they get power, you will be forced out of your homes and businesses. Q: We saw what happened in Libya. Do you think that's ultimately going to happen in Syria? Robertson: We're a long way from that. Al-Assad still has 20 to 30% support of the population. They still buy his message that he is fighting terrorist groups who are backed by an international media conspiracy. He has the support of Russia right behind him. There's no strong U.N. resolution against him. And he is a smarter guy with a stronger army that hasn't given up on him yet. And the rebels there, the opposition, don't have what the Benghazi, the east of the country, a huge base where they can operate from. They have tiny little enclaves that we're seeing being shelled right now. Baba Amr and places like that. It's not that we haven't seen this type of thing before. If you think back to Bosnia, when Russia was supporting the Serbs there, politically, not militarily on the ground, there were tiny little enclaves, the infamous Srebrenica. The Serbs, after three years of standing back and shelling it, after the U.N. -- we're talking here about Arab League monitors, where the U.N. provided safety and security in Srebrenica -- the Serbs still went in and massacred 7,000 people. So what al-Assad and Russia are looking at here is a scenario where the international community could settle for something less, i.e., trying to protect these areas. And that will be no protection. | CNN's Nic Robertson recently returned from a rare look inside Syria .
He says violence in Syria is significantly worse since full force of army unleashed .
President Bashar al-Assad has decided to crush uprising once and for all, Robertson says .
He says outside monitors can't stop violence; their presence could play into al-Assad's hands . |
46,644 | 836bf631d41fd4cbee963aaae453e54626f1568a | CLICK HERE to read Dominic King's match report. Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher slammed Kevin Mirallas after the Everton midfielder refused to let Leighton Baines take a penalty against West Brom, only for the Belgian to then miss. Baines, Everton's regular penalty-taker, tried to convince Mirallas to surrender the ball after Roberto Marinez's side were awarded a spot kick minutes before half time during the 0-0 draw at Goodison Park on Monday night. But Mirallas ignored Baines and team-mates Romelu Lukaku and Steven Naismith, who both tried to reason with the Belgian, before firing his effort from 12 yards wide via the base of the left-hand post. Kevin Mirallas looks distraught after missing a spot kick against West Bromwich Albion on Monday . The Belgian stepped up to take the spot kick despite Leighton Baines also being on the field . Mirallas (right) talks to regulation-taker Baines and holds the ball in his hands, determined to take the penalty . Gary Neville described Mirallas' decision to take the penalty as a 'despicable breach of team orders' It proved to be Mirallas' last impact on the game as he was hooked at half-time, replaced by Bryan Oviedo, and pundit Neville was heavily critical of the winger. 'It was a despicable breach of team orders,' Neville said on Sky Sports during halftime. 'Letting your team-mates down. It was a selfish act on the pitch by taking things off a specialist. 'At 0-0 in such a crucial match, it's unacceptable. Free-kick and penalty-takers are usually listed and discussed in a team meeting.' Sportsmail columnist Carragher described Mirrallas' decision to take the penalty ahead of Baines as shocking and questioned why the club's senior players didn't intervene. Baines then slapped Mirallas across the face to offer some encouragement ahead of the spot kick . Everton boss Roberto Martinez did not look overly impressed from the sidelines by Mirallas' penalty . Jamie Carragher said Everton's senior players should have intervened and told Mirallas to let Baines take it . ‘Where are your senior players and why aren't they getting involved?' Carragher said. 'Gareth Barry walking back, Roberto Martinez talking to John Stones. In the back four you naturally would think Leighton Baines would be taking it. 'It doesn't matter how well you're playing, you don't take the penalty off the penalty-taker. It was a shocking decision. There's no bigger chance than a penalty. 'It's like kids football. Whoever got the ball first took the penalty. Kids fighting over the ball.' Baines' penalty record in the Premier League is brilliant - he has netted 15 of his 16 spot kicks - yet Mirallas was determined to take the set piece. Baines also slapped Mirallas on the side of the head in encouragement before the Belgian took the penalty . Baines wipes his face during the match between Everton and West Brom at Goodison Park on Monday . And that is despite the Belgian not having scored from the spot since March 2012. Gary Neville, while on commentary for Sky Sports, was fairly scathing in his analysis of the incident. He said: 'If he's gone against team orders it's despicable, but we have to wait until then.' Interestingly, Craig Bellamy took a penalty against team orders while playing for Liverpool against Birmingham City and was fined by then-manager Rafael Benitez as a result. Bellamy missed the penalty during Liverpool's last-16 League Cup victory over Birmingham in November 2006. Mirallas blows out his lips and looks devastated after missing the spot kick on Monday night . Romelu Lukaku (centre) ran across to take the penalty kick but Mirallas eventually took the ball himself . Mirallas (centre) runs towards the penalty area as his Everton team-mates try to reason with him . Player . Phillips, Kevin . Doyle, Kevin . Davies, Kevin . Nolan, Kevin . Boateng, Kevin-Prince . Horlock, Kevin . Mirallas, Kevin . Gallacher, Kevin . Penalties Taken . 18 . 8 . 7 . 2 . 2 . 1 . 1 . 1 . Goals (Penalties) 11 . 6 . 5 . 1 . 1 . 1 . 0 . 0 . | Kevin Mirallas missed a penalty for Everton against West Bromwich Albion .
Regulation spot-kick taker Leighton Baines was also on field for Toffees .
But Mirallas was determined to take penalty, but could only hit the post .
Gary Neville described it as 'despicable breach of team orders'
Jamie Carragher questioned why Everton's senior players didn't step in .
Baines has scored 15 of his 16 penalties in the Premier League .
Everton drew 0-0 with West Brom at Goodison Park on Monday . |
112,680 | 1d626a50381a702b468e8a7ed43018d79c550a3f | London (CNN) -- Actor Hugh Grant tried to persuade photographers stalking the mother of his child to leave her alone, but they just said: "Show us the baby," he told British lawmakers Monday. "Do you really think this is a way for grown men to be behaving?" he said he had asked paparazzi staked out at the home of the woman, but they ignored him. Grant was part of a panel of celebrities testifying before lawmakers examining press ethics amid scandals about phone hacking and police bribery by journalists. Comic Steve Coogan and former motor racing boss Max Mosley were also on the panel, alongside member of Parliament Zac Goldsmith. The witnesses were asked how much it cost to fight newspapers . "You've got to risk a million pounds to get justice," said Mosley, who successfully sued the now-defunct News of the World tabloid for libel. Coogan said it had cost him 15,000 to 20,000 pounds ($23,500 to $31,400) to have lawyers get a court order to keep a newspaper from publishing a story about one of his relatives, and he said he had spent "over 200,000 pounds" over the hacking of his phone by journalists. Mosley also talked about the difference between defamation and invasion of privacy. Mosley sued the News of the World after it ran a front-page article claiming he had organized a Nazi-themed orgy with multiple prostitutes. A court found in his favor, saying there was no Nazi element to the event. "If the News of the World had been forced to run a front-page picture with the statement 'Actually, this was a private orgy,' it wouldn't have done me much good," he said to laughter. The hearing is separate from a government-backed inquiry into press ethics. The Leveson Inquiry was set up in response to outrage at revelations of the scale of illegal eavesdropping and police bribery on behalf of News of the World, which was shut down in July over the scandal. Police are separately investigating phone hacking, computer hacking and bribery. They say that about 5,800 people, including celebrities, crime victims, politicians and members of the royal family, were targets of the practice by journalists in search of stories. Phone hacking involves illegally eavesdropping on voice mail by entering a PIN to access messages remotely. | The actor says he tried to shame press photographers but they ignored him .
Former motor racing boss Max Mosley says you have to risk a million pounds to get justice .
Lawmakers are looking into press ethics in the wake of the News of the World scandal .
Police and an independent inquiry are also looking into press activity . |
251,877 | d1ff9401fe162974193e760a193431059ca95d7e | A woman leaped nearly 200ft to her death from an office block after believing she had flunked an interview for a factory job in central China. Victim Hu Tai, 27, climbed out of the 17th floor window in Zhengzhou, a city in central China's Henan province, after her interviewers told her they would call her in a few days to tell her their decision. She walked out of the interview room back to the waiting area, opened the window, and climbed out. Desperation: A woman leapt nearly 200ft to her death from an office block after believing she had flunked an interview for a factory job in central China . Other interviewees told investigators she had hardly said a word to them while she was waiting for her turn but said she had travelled more than 100 miles from the city of Anyang for the chance of a job . Police say tragic Hu - a married mother with a four-year-old son - died instantly when she hit the ground below the tower block. Other interviewees told investigators she had hardly said a word to them while she was waiting for her turn but she had told them she travelled more than 100 miles from the city of Anyang for the chance of a job. One - identified as Mingmei Chou on local TV - said: 'She seemed very anxious and said how she really needed this job. Everything she owned was in a few bags in the lobby.' The victim walked out of the interview room back to the waiting area, opened the window, and climbed out . The recruiters said: 'They were all very good including her and we wanted to take some time to review them' Police say tragic Hu - a married mother with a four-year-old son - died instantly when she hit the concrete pavement below the tower block . Police say they believe Hu jumped when she was not immediately given a job by the factory owners conducting the interviews. Police spokesman Jin Wan said: 'There were 20 people there all applying for the same jobs. We believe she felt she had failed and made a sudden decision to kill herself. But in fact we had not made a decision on any candidate yet. 'They were all very good including her and we wanted to take some time to review them again.' If you need to talk to an advisor in confidence, the Samaritans can be contacted on 08457 90 90 90 . | Hu Tai, 27, jumped straight after meeting with factory bosses .
The married mother-of-one had travelled more than 100 miles for job .
Tragically, the potential employers said the woman was 'very good' |
134,376 | 39c1bafab39dbfdcb19cb97eecffa78ad0c80157 | By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 19:36 EST, 20 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:36 EST, 20 December 2013 . Some towns will see their population soar by more than a fifth over the next few years, according to new estimates. The Office for National Statistics says some areas will see expansion of more than 20 per cent between 2011 and 2021, in a population boom that looks certain to engulf much of the south of the country. The forecasts come at a time of political concern over immigration – responsible for around two thirds of current population increase – and the need for large-scale housing construction. Crowded streets: The Office for National Statistics says some areas will see expansion of more than 20 per cent between 2011 and 2021, in a population boom that looks certain to engulf much of the south of England . The Government is also facing pressure from conservation groups led by the National Trust, which says councils are now aiming to meet the pressure for development by building on Green Belt land. According to ONS projections, the population of England will rise from 53.1 million to nearly 58 million by 2021, up 8.6 per cent on 2011 levels. Growth will be at its slowest in the north, it says, with an increase of 4.4 per cent in the North West and 4.9 per cent in the North East. Hart in Hampshire is the UK’s most desirable place to live for the third year in a row. Factors such as life expectancy, crime rates, jobs and schools figure in the annual Halifax quality of life survey. Hart had the healthiest residents – 97.4 per cent in good or fairly good health and average male life expectancy of 82.9 years against a national 79. Nowhere in Wales or Northern Ireland made the ‘top 50’ list, but the Orkney Islands put Scotland in at number 50. This contrasts with a projected 14.2 per cent rise in London; 10.2 per cent in the East region; and 9.3 per cent in the South East. Population pressure will also be high in the East Midlands, which will have to make room for nearly 400,000 more people, an 8.6 per cent increase, and in the South West, where an expected extra 440,000 people will mean a 8.3 per cent rise. Increases of more than a fifth are expected in a string of London boroughs and the districts of Welwyn Hatfield, north of London, and East Cambridgeshire. The town of Boston in Lincolnshire, already one of the most popular destinations for immigrant workers from Poland and Eastern Europe, is set to take another 11,200 by 2021, pushing up its numbers by 17.4 per cent. The population increases in the south and east are in line with the past impact of immigration, which over the past 15 years has seen most new arrivals heading for London and its prosperous neighbouring areas. Citizens from Romania and Bulgaria, will have the right to work freely in Britain from January 1, 2014. | Forecasts come at time of concern over immigration and housing crisis .
England's population will rise to 53million by 2021, an 8.6 per cent increase .
Growth will be fastest in London and slowest in the North West . |
166,498 | 634d3c948f5d666270a01e2bb51eac689c75b18c | A woman has accused a beauty salon of botching an eyebrow wax, leaving her with two layers of skin torn from her eyelids. Ashley King, from Glendale, Arizona, paid $10 for the wax, only to emerge from the salon with patches of skin missing from raw eyelids and 'bleeding creases.' 'Never have I felt the fire-burning pain that I felt that day,' Ms King told AZ Family, adding that Annie's Fashion Nails, in Glendale, has since refused to take responsibility, and have instead suggested she merely has 'sensitive skin.' Scroll down for video . Ouch: Ashley King, from Glendale, Arizona, (pictured) paid $10 for the wax, only to emerge from the salon with patches of skin missing from her eyelids . Ms King said that after the first rip of the wax strip on either eyelid, she went 'numb' but as the waxist began tweezing around the area, she had to ask her to stop because it hurt ‘badly.’ As soon as she left the salon, Ms King reports her boyfriend warned her 'not to freak out' but that she had skin 'missing' from her eyelids. She promptly started to freak out. 'The doctor saw me immediately and said, "Yeah, there's skin taken from your eyes, and this was due to a burn”,' said Ms King. 'Looking at it, about two layers of skin was taken from my eyes.' Waxing lyrical: 'Never have I felt the fire-burning pain that I felt that day,' Ms King said following the procedure . On the mend: Annie's Fashion Nails has since refused to take responsibility, and has instead suggested Ms King merely has 'sensitive skin' Ms King, who said she 'couldn't stop crying' from pain, demanded a refund from Annie's Fashion Nails but was initially refused one. The owner reportedly told her 'it was not her problem.' Eventually, Ms King was refunded the $10, but insists the salon still refuses to accept responsibility. 3TV approached the salon with photo evidence of the botched wax job but was turned away. The owner allegedly said that she doesn't believe Ms King's injuries were her employee's fault, but if the employee did do this, then she's 'sorry.' Raw: Upon seeking medical attention the same day, a doctor informed Ms King, "Yeah, there's skin taken from your eyes, and this was due to a burn' Heated: The owner told this 3TV journalist (pictured) that she doesn't believe Ms King's injuries were her employee's fault, but if the employee - who has since 'quit' - did do this, then she's 'sorry' The employee in question has apparently 'quit' since the incident. Ms King has filed complaints with the Arizona State Board of Cosmetology, who are investigating Annie's Fashion Nails; as well at the Better Business Bureau, which has classified the salon as a D- establishment. 'Our goal is to make each client feel comfortable and special!' the salon's website states. 'We invite you to experience the difference in our services.' Difference indeed: Annie's Fashion Nails' (pictured) website reads, 'Our goal is to make each client feel comfortable and special! We invite you to experience the difference in our services' Under investigation: Ms King has filed complaints with the Arizona State Board of Cosmetology, as well at the Better Business Bureau, which has classified the salon as a D- establishment . Annie's Fashion Nails has four Yelp reviews; three of which are positive and mention 'great prices' and 'friendly staff.' The fourth however, is less than glowing. 'My toes look really nice, except for the chunks of skin missing around my nails,' wrote a woman from Phoenix, Arizona in 2010. 'It hurts to walk. Four of my toes have scabs surrounding my nails.' Ms King claims to have hired a lawyer and is seeking damages for her medical expenses. | Ashley King claims Annie's Fashion Nails in Glendale, Arizona, said her injuries were 'not their problem' and that she must have 'sensitive skin' |
197,928 | 8c3098c5f3245aad4a4b3c588c960a5c727d7300 | (CNN) -- It is one of the iconic modern cinema scenes: Mena Suvari, as Angela in Oscar-winning "American Beauty," stretches her arms wide as she basks in a sea of floating rose petals during one of Lester's (Kevin Spacey) frequent fantasies. But when Senegalese photographer Omar Victor Diop set out to recreate the provocative sequence for his latest project, finding a bed of red roses proved difficult. Undeterred, Diop found the solution by using a plant wall inside the hotel where the shoot was taking place. "The creative process of this series itself is very similar to the way African contemporary creation often takes place," says Diop. "We often have to tweak concepts and styles from around the world and adapt them to our context, while preserving their original feel." That series is "Onomolliwood," a dazzling collection of images in which Diop and Antoine Tempe, a Senegal-based French-American photographer, revisited several Hollywood classics to give an African take on some of cinema's most iconic moments. The two artists merged their passion for aesthetics and performance art to offer a collection of striking images infused with flowing swirls of color, vivacious textures and dynamic characters. "I wanted to imagine what these movies would look like if they were conceived and shot in Africa," explains Diop. Read this: Artists' road trip across Africa . Completely self-taught, the 33-year-old is a newcomer to Senegal's creative scene. He started experimenting with cameras on the streets of Dakar in 2010, at a time when he was still working in corporate communications for a multinational. But much to his surprise, Diop's first conceptual project, the futuristic "Fashion 2112," was selected the following year to be showcased at Bamako Encounters, Africa's premier photo exhibition. After that, Diop decided to fully pursue his passion for photography. He quit his job last year and quickly started building an eclectic body of work that spreads from conceptual art to fashion photography and portraits. CNN's African Voices spoke to Diop about revisiting cinema classics and the transition from the corporate world to art. CNN: "The Matrix," "American Beauty" and "Frida" are just some of the famous films featured in the Onomolliwood series. What was the inspiration behind the project? Omar Victor Diop: I worked on this project with French-born American photographer Antoine Tempe after an invitation by the Onomo Hotel Group. We thought that actually using cinema as a general theme would be a way for our respective creative universes to meet because cinema involves fashion and aesthetics, but it also involves an important performance dimension. We started working with the movies we liked, the movies that had influenced us. I remember watching in the 1980s the same movies as the young people of Paris and New York and maybe Bangkok. At the end of the day we're all the same young people regardless of where you were born and where you were raised and somehow I wanted to show this also through the choice of movies in the series. CNN: Is part of your artistic goal to show the modern side of Dakar and Senegal? OVD: Yes, and it's not even about the new Africa, it's just that because of globalization and the internet the modernity of Africa has sort of accelerated. But even back in the 1980s, when I was just a kid, I can tell you that Dakar was very modernized and international. Another advantage we had was that we were open to not only the Western world but the entire world -- we had African cultural content, Asian content, Chinese or Indian movies. It's just a shame that all of this, especially the urban life of the 1980s, is not documented. Read this: Photos show Congo in new light . So when I think about creating a new series I always make sure that not only the current Africa but also the one I grew up is somehow portrayed. I believe it's the responsibility of a photographer to not only conceptualize but also come up with some work that can be used as a reference in the future as a history document. CNN: How is it working as an artist in Dakar today? OVD: It's very exciting being part of the creative scene in Dakar right now. I think the period we are living in is a breakthrough, in the sense that there is a sustained and growing interest for "another Africa." Also, African artists are now aware that they can communicate to the world, and speak about and for themselves. It's terrific when you realize that you can actually write your own history as you live your passion. CNN: What kind of themes fascinate you? OVD: I am very interested in movement; movement of the human body but also of the fabrics, outfits and styles that are used to embellish the body. Even in my fashion photography I always make sure that there is a movement that is captured, and that tells a story. I'm also interested in the aesthetics of the 1970s and the 1980s, especially in Africa, and I always try to recreate that with the use of colors and styling references. And I'm also interested in personalities; that's why I've started a series of portraits called "The Studio of Vanities." The reason behind it was that I wanted to somehow pay homage and also document the youngest generation of Dakar's cultural entrepreneurs -- I'm convinced that many of these people are going to be very successful and are going to bring a lot of great things to the cultural sector in the next few years. CNN: How was the transition from the corporate world to becoming artist? OVD: I quit my job a year ago; it was a quite bold decision that scared many people around me because being an artist was not considered as a valid option. I come from a family where my mum is a lawyer and my dad is a chartered accountant -- both of them having very senior jobs throughout their careers -- and I attended top schools that were very advanced and quite expensive. With the money my family invested in me, of course you can imagine my mum being quite devastated, but I now have their full support. | Senegalese photographer revisits cinema classics to give an Africa twist .
The Matrix, Frida, among the movies he re-imagined .
Omar Victor Diop's work focuses on art and fashion .
His other work includes portraits of Africa's contemporary creative minds . |
28,100 | 4fa538908fb56b46163fb83e546dbf0e802bd49d | A 27-year-old student development specialist was one of three Americans killed in a deadly suicide attack in Kabul which claimed 21 lives on Friday. Lexie Kamerman, who had worked at the American University of Afghanistan since June, died when explosives were detonated outside the popular La Taverna du Liban restaurant, Chicago Sun-Times reported. The Chicago woman's devastated family have described her as 'an amazing young woman - smart, strong, beautiful, funny, stubborn and kind. And fearless.' Scroll down for video . Victim: Lexie Kamerman, a 27-year-old university student development specialist, was one of three Americans killed in a deadly suicide attack in Kabul which claimed 21 lives on Friday . Heartbreaking: The family of Lexie Kamerman, 27, described her as 'smart, strong, beautiful, funny, stubborn and kind' 'She took the job at the American . University of Afghanistan to help the young women of Afghanistan get an . education and take their rightful place as leaders in Afghan society,' the family's statement said. Kamerman completed a Masters in higher education at the University of Arizona in 2012 and was a keen water polo player. One of Kamerman's university colleagues was also killed in the blast, along with a U.S. victim identified by the United Nations as a Somali-American. Afghan police said 13 foreigners and eight Afghans died when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the Lebanese restaurant, which is popular with tourists, while two gunmen entered through the back door and opened fire. Two Canadians, one from Quebec and the other from Ontario, were also killed. The Samson and Associates employees were in the Afghan capital doing auditing work for the Canadian International Development Agency. 'This is the first time that we've ever had such a thing,' company chief Pierre Samson said, explaining that his firm has done work in Afghanistan for some time. 'As auditors we're not on the front so we don't usually go where it is very dangerous, but in a case like this the attack was directly in town, so it was not in a danger area. But unfortunately we were there at a bad time.' Scene: More than 20 people died when explosives were detonated at the gate of the popular La Taverna du Liban restaurant, a Lebanese eatery popular with tourists . European Parliament election hopeful: Labour leader Ed Miliband confirmed that Del Singh, right, who had been campaigning to become MEP for the South West, was killed in a suicide attack in Kabul . Samson said he was given the news Friday evening by the Canadian embassy in Kabul. He didn't identify the men because his firm is still trying to get in touch with family members. Others identified were two Britons - development specialist Dharmender Singh Phangura, also known as Del Singh, and close protection officer Simon Chase - two Lebanese, a Danish police officer, a Russian, a Malaysian and a Pakistani. Phangura, who along with the Malaysian worked as an adviser for Adam Smith International, was to run as a Labour Party candidate in upcoming elections for the European Parliament. Also among the dead were the International Monetary Fund's Lebanese representative, Wabel Abdallah, and Vadim Nazarov, a Russian who was the chief political affairs officer at the U.N. Mission in Afghanistan. Nazarov was one of the U.N's most experienced officials, fluent in the country's languages and with experience dating back to the 1980s. He was one of three U.N. victims. Operation: Afghan security forces arrive at the scene of the explosion in the capital, Kabul . The attack comes as security has been deteriorating and apprehension has been growing among Afghans over their country's future as U.S.-led foreign forces prepare for a final withdrawal at the end of the year. Afghan President Hamid Karzai, who is deferring signing an agreement allowing U.S. forces to stay past the planned withdraw until after the country's April 5 presidential election, criticized America while condemning the attack. 'If NATO forces and in the lead the United States of America want to cooperate and be united with Afghan people, they must target terrorism,' he said without fully elaborating on what America should be doing. He added that America had followed a policy that 'was not successful in the past decade'. Order: A solider organises his colleagues in the street outside the restaurant in the Afghan capital . Police: Armed officers surround the scene after the bombing. The Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack an hour later . Meanwhile, the attack was condemned by the U.N. Security Council, NATO, the White House and the European Union. 'There is no possible justification for this attack, which has killed innocent civilians, including Americans, working every day to help the Afghan people achieve a better future with higher education and economic assistance,' the White House said in a statement on Saturday. Insurgents have frequently targeted foreign interests around the country and in Kabul. However Friday's horrific blast has been described as . the deadliest single attack against foreign civilians in the course of a . nearly 13-year U.S.-led war. Wounded: Police carry an injured victim from the scene of a suicide bombing in a restaurant in Kabul, Afghanistan . Treatment: Kebab cook Abdul Majid is stretchered into the Wazir Akbar Khan hospital following the deadly attacked . Survived: The cook witnesses the attacked and was left with broken bones as he fled the scene . The . Taliban claimed responsibility within an hour of the attack, which was . said to be part of a stepped-up campaign of violence against foreign and . government interests. It . is believed the extremists are trying to send a message that they are . not going anywhere as the involvement of foreign troops winds down this . year. The attack was carried out at a time when the restaurant would have been busy with diners. The suicide attacker detonated his explosives outside the gate of the heavily-fortified restaurant, the country’s Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Ayoub Salangi said. Then two gunmen entered the restaurant and started shooting at survivors inside. The attackers were eventually shot dead by security forces when they arrived at the scene. The area is home to a number of foreign embassies and organizations. Jan Kubis, the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan, said: 'I strongly condemn condemn the targeting of civilians in any form, and, in particular, the continued use of suicide bombers. 'This violence is unacceptable and must stop immediately.' Patrol: Heavily armed soldiers with night-vision goggles attached to their helmets surrounded the restaurant after the nighttime blast . | Blast occurred at Lebanese restaurant popular with tourists in Kabul .
Three Americans killed, including 27-year-old Lexie Kamerman who worked at a private university .
The Taliban claimed responsibility within an hour of the attack .
Victims included 13 foreigners and eight Afghans . |
259,290 | dba831b150afc962242eacfc19abc2f493e02f7f | A dozen people, including former Marseille sporting director Jose Anigo, have been held for questioning as part of an investigation into France striker Andre-Pierre Gignac’s transfer to the club, judicial sources said on Tuesday. The sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity, added that people close to organised criminal gangs in Marseille were also being held. Anigo, who now lives in Morocco, was arrested when he got off a plane late in the afternoon, a judicial source said. Jose Anigo, former sporting director of Marseille (pictured in 2011) has been questioned by police . The transfer of Andre-Pierre Gignac (left) to Marseille from Toulouse in 2010 is under investigation . OM president Vincent Labrune, as well as former presidents Pape Diouf and Jean-Claude Dasier, were questioned last November. Investigators are looking into Gignac’s move to Marseille from Toulouse in 2010. Marseille are second in the Ligue 1 standings one point behind Olympique Lyonnais. | A dozen people have been held for questioning by investigators .
They are looking into into Andre-Pierre Gignac's transfer to Marseille .
Former sporting director Jose Anigo was arrested on Tuesday .
He was held by police as he got off a plane in the afternoon, a source said . |
118,359 | 24ceadf9da6996bed7b982897915d786e49893a0 | (CNN) -- An unofficial watch group is forming in a central Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, neighborhood, residents say, in an effort to protect themselves against a serial strangler responsible for at least three homicides. The 12-member unit has been patrolling the city's rough-and-tumble Kensington district since Friday, two days after the partially clothed body of the latest victim, Casey Mahoney, was discovered. "We are warning residents to go out in pairs," said group organizer Tom Potts. "I've been talking to women in the area. Most are carrying pepper spray." One of women has been walking with an electric stun gun, he added. Police are also trying to determine whether three strangulation assaults that occurred in the same area are also linked to the suspected killer. The victims were all white females, police said. Potts said the neighborhood group walks up and down Kensington Avenue and nearby streets each night in the drugs- and prostitution-riddled neighborhood. Their actions come as police ask residents for information of those involved in the attacks, but also warn the public against taking matters into their own hands. "We are cautioning people to wait and get the person identified," said police spokesman Ray Evers. "We need the public to be our eyes," he said, warning against the potential dangers of vigilante action. Some residents are pairing up when walking at night. "I've never felt safe alone," said Arianna Hall-Reinhard. The 22-year-old Kensington resident says she carries pepper spray and joins friends when she heads home from work. "It's a whole new level of having to be aware," she said. Others have taken to social media, joining a Facebook page called "Catch the Kensington Strangler, before he catches someone you love." The page featured an incorrect sketch of the suspected killer, prompting police to contact the site, Evers said. Elaine Goldberg, 21, and Nicole Piacentini, 35, were both killed in November attacks. Mahoney had been sexually assaulted and strangled on December 15, said police spokeswoman Jillian Russell. DNA has linked the slayings of three women, and authorities are offering a $30,000 reward for information leading to arrests and convictions, said task force Capt. James Clark. "We now know that this predator is responsible for three murders in this area," he said. Authorities say they believe the attacker likely is still in the 10-block radius where the attacks occurred. "It's time to bring this offender to justice," Police Commissioner Charles H. Ramsey told reporters. "Help us stop this brutal violence from occurring in the future." But authorities say they lack corroborating DNA evidence linking the assaults to the homicides because too much time had elapsed between the initial two assaults in October and when the victims notified police. "The assault victims did not come forward until police began combing the Kensington (neighborhood) for suspects and potential victims following the November homicides," Evers said. Federal agents joined the investigation earlier this month, bringing in resources from the FBI's behavioral analysis unit, violent criminal apprehension program, and National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime. "The investigation appears to be limited to Philadelphia," said FBI spokesman J.J. Klaver. "This could change if there are any indications that the subject or subjects responsible for the crimes ... are linked to similar crimes elsewhere." The assault victims described the attacker as an African-American male in his early 20s, weighing between 160 and 170 pounds. Police said a third assault victim was pulled into an alley earlier this month. Despite being choked, punched and hit on the head with a brick, the 33-year-old woman escaped, and her assailant fled the scene, according to a police report. All victims were involved in prostitution and narcotics, police said. | A resident watch group is forming to protect a neighborhood from a serial killer .
The 12-member unit has been patrolling Philadelphia's Kensington district since Friday .
Philadelphia police are looking for a serial strangler responsible for at least 3 homicides .
Police are investigating three recent assaults suspected to be linked to the killings . |
147,454 | 4aa50939e0b27022ce90b7308b79d98a93251280 | By . Mark Prigg . PUBLISHED: . 04:51 EST, 30 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:19 EST, 30 April 2013 . A breathalyser app that can automatically post results to Facebook or Twitter has been launched. While critics say the BACtrack mobile breathalyser could encourage drinking games, the firm behind it claims it will help users 'understand how alcohol affects their body'. Users can even create a drink diary of their evening, with pictures of every drink and how it affected their blood alcohol level. Scroll down for video . I need more beer! The handheld breathalyser uses an app to to share results on Facebook . Users can choose from varying levels of privacy - ranging from private, personal and 'fully social' Users even get to choose from varying levels of privacy - ranging from 'private', 'personal' and 'fully social', which posts results to their linked Twitter and Facebook accounts. And they can even take pictures of their drinks using the app as well as update their 'drink diary' where they can keep note and describe each drink they have. The pocket sized device has been designed to accurately track your blood alcohol levels and then plots it in a graph over time. The . gadget can also track how fast someone is getting drunk and most . importantly, when their levels will be at an acceptable level to drive a . vehicle. The firm has even produced a 'drunk map' showing anonymous users complete with their alcohol reading. The 'WorldView' map showing users of the system, and how drunk they are. The firm has created a live version of the map on its website . Users can even map exactly what they drank and where, creating a drink diary of their evening out, complete with photos . President of BACtrack Keith Nothacker said: 'We realised that adding smartphone connectivity opens up a wealth of new features for alcohol testing. 'Everything from tracking, analysing, and sharing results, to even making the actual breathalyser smaller because you're using hardware on the phone. The BACtrack Mobile Breathalyser is truly the most powerful yet personal tool available for understanding how alcohol affects your body. The invention costs $150 with over two years of designing and planning went into creating the device. BACtrack believe their invention will not only encourage responsible drinking but also save lives. It is currently available on Apple devices but BACtrack are in the process of launching an Android compatible version of the app. The gadget also changes colour depending on the alcohol level in the user's blood . | Small handheld breathalyser wirelessly connects to mobile phone .
App allows owners to post results to their Facebook page to Twitter account .
Firm shows users on a 'world drinking map' with their alcohol levels . |
45,829 | 812617fecf8dbea2ace50270782744f60ad1361d | When U.S. Sens. Jeff Flake and Tom Udall fly back from Cuba to the United States on Wednesday, they will carry the regret of not being able to take with them Alan Gross, a U.S. government subcontractor serving a 15-year prison sentence on the island. "Alan wants to come home," Flake, an Arizona Republican, said at a news conference after a two-hour meeting with the imprisoned American on Tuesday. The two senators, who are critics of the U.S. trade embargo on Cuba, said they had come to Cuba to again push for Gross' release. They said his imprisonment is an impediment to improved U.S.-Cuba relations. "Other people have tried to come and meet with him and not been able to," said Udall, a New Mexico Democrat. "That's an optimistic thing." Last week, CNN was the first to report that Gross was refusing to meet with U.S. diplomats in Havana, in protest over the slow progress to free him. Detained American Alan Gross 'withdrawn' Gross' attorney Scott Gilbert said his client told him he would be happy to see U.S. officials "at the airport, when he leaves Cuba, assuming he's alive." Flake and Udall said they also met Tuesday with Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla. The Cuban government has called for a prisoner swap: Gross for three imprisoned Cuban intelligence agents serving lengthy federal prison sentences in the United States. But the U.S. State Department has nixed the idea of a swap, saying Gross was an aid worker merely trying to help Cuba's small Jewish community get online despite Cuban government restrictions on Internet access. Frustrated by the diplomatic impasse, Gross has threatened to kill himself if he isn't freed soon. "I do feel we are closer," Flake said. "One, because of what Alan Gross has said himself. This is going to end one way or another. We have gone on five years and any benefit the Cuban government may have seen has to have evaporated." Gross was arrested in 2009 for smuggling in banned communications equipment to Cuba. He was convicted of violating the island's sovereignty and sentenced to 15 years in prison. Cuban authorities say he was part of a larger program by the U.S. Agency for International Development to undermine the island's single-party communist form of government. In 2014, USAID had to defend programs to create a text messaging "Cuban Twitter" program to stir dissent and another program to recruit future leaders on the island. On Monday, The Associated Press reported that the agency would soon cease all covert programs in Cuba. "There's been a statement that there wont be covert programs run out of AID anymore and that's a good thing," Flake said. "Its not just a source of tension between the countries, it puts Americans in danger and really cheapens AID's mission around the world." More on detained Americans . | Sens. Jeff Flake and Tom Udall are able to meet with Alan Gross .
Gross is a U.S. government subcontractor serving 15 years in Cuban prison .
Cuban government has called for a prisoner swap for Gross . |
182,847 | 78cc34dffb8ce503b58c747c08e9ae30fbdaefbe | Paul McGinley hopes that the 2014 Ryder Cup at Gleneagles will go down as the ‘noisiest’ in the event’s history. Europe’s barely believable comeback victory at Medinah two years ago was even more impressive for being achieved amid the din of fervent home support, which had been whipped into a frenzy by the likes of Bubba Watson, Phil Mickelson and Keegan Bradley. But Europe captain McGinley hopes Europe fans can roar his team on to victory in Perthshire next week and again silence the Americans, who are hoping to avoid an eighth defeat in the last 10 Ryder Cups. VIDEO: Scroll down to see Paul McGinley talking about the Ryder Cup . Paul McGinley speaks about the Ryder Cup in an exclusive video for Sportsmail . The Irishman is set to go head-to-head with US captain Tom Watson (left) at Gleneagles next week . McGinley, in an exclusive video for Sportsmail, has given an insight into his dreams for the upcoming contest in Scotland, as well as his memories of past competitions. The Ryder Cup captain, who is a staff player for adidas Golf, also reveals personal insights, such as his favourite golf course, ideal playing partners and most cherished Ryder Cup memories, all of which can be seen in the video below. While the 47-year-old, admits he has admiration for loud-and-proud American patriotism, the skipper admits he hopes Tom Watson’s team are silenced into submission by the home support at Gleneagles. ‘Home advantage is very important in the Ryder Cup,’ said McGinley. ‘We’re certainly looking forward to playing in front of our home crowd. It’s going to be a lot of fun and hopefully this will go down in record as being the noisiest Ryder Cup ever.’ Lee Westwood was the man who played a very successful practical joke on McGinley in 2010 . The PGA Centenary course at Gleneagles is the battleground on which the 2014 Ryder Cup will be won . McGinley is due to play a practice round with US President Barack Obama ahead of the showdown in Scotland, and he also gave an insight into the conversation he would hold with the leader of the free world, who is well known for his love of golf. ‘I’ll tell Barack Obama that the Ryder Cup is a great a sporting event and a great golfing event,’ said McGinley. ‘It’s all about passion and representing your country. ‘As much as we as Europeans are very proud to represent Europe I think it’s great to see the Americans, the American national anthem and how passionate Americans feel representing their country.’ If McGinley appears ready to poke a bit of fun at the President over recent US defeats in the competition, he also reveals that he was once the butt of the best practical joke at a Ryder Cup during the contest at Celtic Manor in 2010. A cheeky Lee Westwood was the culprit, which should make the Englishman even more grateful for his wildcard selection by McGinley. adidas Golf is an official licensee of the 2014 Ryder Cup. For more details, and to view the adidas Golf Ryder Cup collection, visit www.adidas.com . | Paul McGinley leads Europe against USA in next week's Ryder Cup .
Irishman hoping to secure Europe's eighth win in last 10 Ryder Cups .
Biennial showpiece starts at Gleneagles in Scotland on September 26 .
McGinley speaks about Ryder Cup hopes and memories in exclusive video for Sportsmail . |
183,073 | 79204a35c60a5135e587bfef14910caee7b0a0df | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 19:52 EST, 7 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:31 EST, 8 June 2013 . This is Ceyda Sungar, 'The Woman in Red' who became the symbol of Turkish protests after she was tear-gassed by police . This is the first picture of the Turkish academic since she became the unwitting icon of the country's mass protests after she was pictured being sprayed with tear gas. Dubbed 'The Woman in Red' because she was wearing an elegant red dress when she was gassed, Ceyda Sungar has said she is uncomfortable with her fame and has no desire to be a figurehead of the movement. 'There are a lot of people who were at the park and they were also tear-gassed,' she told Turkey's TV24. 'There is no difference between them and I.' Nevertheless, pictures have reverberated . around the world of Miss Sungar, an academic in city planning at Istanbul Technical University, turning away from massed riot police as one officer sprays . tear gas at her face. Endlessly . shared on social media and recreated as artwork on posters and . stickers, the image - dubbed 'The Woman in Red' - has become the . leitmotif for female protesters at recent violent anti-government riots . in Istanbul. But . the academic, who is part of the Taksim Solidarity Platform protesting . against the redevelopment of the park, has shied away from media . attention. She is believed to be uncomfortable with . her position as the focal point of the movement - although her image . alone has become a galvanising force for fellow protesters. In the early hours of this morning . thousands of protesters were digging in for a fresh weekend of . demonstrations Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's demand for an immediate . end to the worst political unrest of his decade in power. Iconic: Ceyda Sungar turns her head as a policeman showers her in pepper spray at close range . This is what democracy looks like: This combination of photos shows how Miss Sungar first faces off with the massed ranks of riot police before one steps forward to spray the gas right into her face . 'There are a lot of people who were at the park and they were also tear-gassed': Miss Sungar forced is to retreat coughing and spluttering as the gas-wielding riot policeman goes on to spray others at the protest . In . central Istanbul's Taksim Square, where riot police backed by . helicopters and armoured vehicles clashed with protesters a week ago, . activists spent the night in a makeshift protest camp. They slept in tents and vandalised buses, or wrapped themselves in blankets under the shelter of plane trees. What began as a campaign against the . redevelopment of Gezi Park in a corner of Taksim Square spiralled into . an massive display of public rage over the perceived authoritarianism of . Mr Erdogan and his Islamist-rooted AK Party. Worst unrest in a decade of power: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan has called on protesters to immediately clear the streets . Police firing tear gas and water cannon have clashed with groups of protesters night after night in Istanbul, Ankara and other cities across the country for much of the past week, leaving three dead and some 4,000 injured. Mr Erdogan yesterday demanded an immediate end to the protests, saying they were founded on a 'campaign of lies.' He has branded the demonstrators as looters and has said the protests are being manipulated by 'terrorist' groups. There are rumours that among the liberal protesters there are far-Right nationalists who seek a return to the kind of militant secularism that saw Turkish politics dominated in the 20th century by a string of military dictatorships. Mr Erdogan gave no indication of any immediate plans to remove the tent villages that have appeared in Taksim and a park in the capital, Ankara. But the gatherings mark a challenge to a leader whose authority is built on three successive election victories. 'Let them attack, they can't stop us,' shouted a member of the Turkish Communist Party, shouting through loudspeakers to a cheering crowd from on top of a white van in Taksim Square. 'The AK Party will go. This will be the end.' The protesters have built barricades of . paving stones and corrugated iron on access roads to Taksim to try to . protect themselves against a potential police assault. But their actions . have brought gridlock to part of central Istanbul and it is unclear how . long the authorities will tolerate their presence. The square is lined by luxury hotels that should be doing a roaring trade as the summer season starts in one of the world's most-visited cities. But a forced eviction could trigger a repeat of the clashes seen earlier in the week. During his decade in power, Mr Erdogan has enacted many democratic reforms, taming a military that toppled four governments in four decades, starting entry talks with the European Union, reining in rights abuses by police and forging peace talks with Kurdish rebels to end a three-decade-old war that has cost 40,000 lives. A gay rights activist holds a sign as he protests near Taksim Square in Istanbul last night: In the early hours of this morning thousands of protesters were digging in for a fresh weekend of demonstrations . Occupy: In central Istanbul's Taksim Square activists spent the night in a makeshift protest camp. They slept in tents and vandalised buses, or wrapped themselves in blankets under the shelter of plane trees . A advertising hoarding is covered in graffiti as people gather at Taksim square yesterday evening: Mr Erdogan yesterday demanded an immediate end to the protests, saying they were founded on a 'campaign of lies' Turkish women stand near political signs at Taksim Square: Protesters have built barricades of paving stones and corrugated iron across roads to Taksim to try to protect themselves against a potential police assault . A woman shouts slogans during a rally in Gezi Park yesterday: The protesters' actions have brought gridlock to part of central Istanbul and it is unclear how long the authorities will tolerate their presence . Passion: Another young woman shouts slogans. The square is lined by luxury hotels that should be doing a roaring trade as tourist season starts in one of the world's most-visited cities . Per-capita income has tripled in nominal terms and business has boomed under his rule. But in recent years, critics say his style, always forceful and emotional, has become authoritarian. Media have come under pressure, and the arrests of military and other figures over alleged coup plots as well as moves such as restrictions on alcohol sales have unsettled especially secular middle-class Turks who are sensitive to any encroachment of religion on their daily lives. The fierce crackdown, condemned by foreign powers, on what started as peaceful protests in Gezi Park were the final straw, has caused simmering frustrations with Erdogan's leadership to boil over. 'These protests are partly a result of his success in economic and social transformation. There's a new generation who doesn't want to be bullied by the prime minister and who is afraid their lifestyle is in danger,' said Joost Lagendijk, a former European parliamentarian and Istanbul-based academic. Very enterprising: A woman and her daughter sell Guy Fawkes to protesters at Taksim Square yesterday . All you need is love: Two protesters lie together on the grass of Gezi Park, which the government wants to clear . Battleground: A protester climbs aboard a burned-out truck damaged in fierce fighting with police at Taksim . Sources close to the AK Party that Mr Erdogan founded in 2001, and which only a year later crushed traditional secular parties in elections, suggest a sense of siege within the leadership, with influential if disparate forces keen to remove Erdogan. Citing a party source, the Radikal newspaper said an AK Party executive meeting on Saturday may discuss the possibility of calling early elections, although it could also change party rules to enable Mr Erdogan to seek a fourth term as prime minister rather than running for the presidency. Mr Erdogan has made clear he has no intention of stepping aside - pointing to the AK Party's 50 percent of the vote in the last election - and he has no clear rivals inside the party or outside, with the opposition fragmented on the streets and in parliament. | First image of academic Ceyda Sungar since she was sprayed .
She speaks out over iconic pictures of her during 'People's Revolt'
'There were a lot of people there also tear-gassed,' she tells Turkish media .
She is believed to be uncomfortable with her unwitting role as figurehead . |
50,142 | 8dce768f47ccc9ab198a2952a57a7b9fd784114a | Earlier this week scientists were left baffled by a huge feature that surfaced in the seas of Titan that measured a staggering 100 square miles (260sq km) - the size of Washington DC or the city of Birmingham in the UK. And in the latest speculation a number of theories have been considered including a giant iceberg and a huge field of bubbles. Speaking to MailOnline, two scientists explained their thoughts on what it might have been and that they hope to learn more upon repeated observations early next year. In this series of images from the Cassini spacecraft the giant object 100 square miles (260 square kilometres) in size is seen rising out of one of Titan's largest seas before disappearing again. In the latest image on the right the object still seems to be partially submerged beneath the surface . In July 2013 the giant feature was seen surfacing from under the liquid before partially disappearing again in August this year. Regarding the iceberg theory one scientist explains how, if it's the correct assumption, they might differ to icebergs on Earth. 'For a bit of background, on Earth it's quite a simple situation because ice floats in water,' Jason Hofgartner, a graduate student at Cornell University who works on the Cassini Radar Science Team, tells MailOnline. 'On Titan it's more complicated because you have a methane and ethane mixture, we think, and there's nitrogen from the atmosphere that also gets dissolved. The iceberg theory is one of the more favoured ones at the moment. This suggests some frozen mass, perhaps frozen methane and ethane, was dislodged from the seabed and rose to the surface. Another theory is that this may be a vast field of bubbles released by underground vents of volcanoes that are now resting on the surface. It could also be surface waves drifting across the sea, although this theory is unlikely as Titan is tidally locked to Saturn (the same face also points towards the planet) so its seas to not have tides as dramatic as those seen on Earth. One theory that that has been ruled out is that this is a land mass. Jason Hofgartner from Cornell University says if it was it would have been visible under the liquid in the previous images. 'So when you freeze it, it undergoes complicated composition changes. 'Whether you can get icebergs that can float is a matter for debate, but it's possible. 'When it warms those icebergs could switch from sinking to floating.' Hofgartner explains how the northern hemisphere, where the iceberg was spotted, is currently transitioning from spring time to summer. This process might be responsible for warming the sub-surface icebergs, which then caused them to rise from the seabed. Other processes like currents in the sea could also be dislodging such features. Another theory is that it is a bubble, although not necessarily a giant bubble across the whole feature. Hofgartner says it could be a series of smaller bubbles spread over the huge area, each perhaps just centimetres in size. The cause of these bubbles could be vents, undersea volcanoes or seasonal changes. One theory that can be ruled out, however, is that this is some sort of giant non-ice land mass that has risen from the depths. This is because the radar system on Cassini can penetrate into the liquid so it would have spotted such a land mass. 'If this was a land mass or mud flat under the sea, we should have seen it in earlier images because the radar would have penetrated,' he explains. A comparison image from 26 April 2007 (left) shows how no similar feature was previously spotted in the region of interest. The feature was spotted by Nasa's Cassini spacecraft, which is currently in orbit around the Saturnian system. On the right is an image of Titan in orbit around Saturn . Another feature of the images is that the object appears to be fading. 'I don't know if that's anything to do with what's under the liquid; we see it's decreased in brightness an extending. 'So what could be happening is it's spreading out and becoming less concentrated in one area, and spreading into a larger area.' The feature is certainly rare, although it's possible that more may be spotted in future. This specific area will be imaged by radar again early in 2015, and exactly what state the feature is in will surely be of huge interest. One of Nasa's future proposals to Titan is for a boat to sail the seas, but Hofgartner says features like this would not necessarily be a threat to such a mission. 'Perhaps the boat could help us nail down what is happening here,' he says. This is an artist's impression of the Titan Mare Explorer (TiME) capsule, a proposed mission to perform the first direct inspection of an ocean environment beyond Earth by landing in, and floating on, a methane-ethane sea on Saturn’s largest moon: Titan . Speaking to MailOnline Professor of Planetary Plasma Physics Emma Bunce from the University of Leicester, who also works on the Cassini mission, agreed that it may have been some sort of iceberg akin to something we see on Earth. 'It could be something floating that sunk and came back to the surface,' she says. 'I was thinking almost like an iceberg, similar to something in Earth's oceans.' But she doesn't rule out the possibility of it being some sort of giant bubble, or even surface waves. She goes on to explain that the feature may have arisen due to the change in season at Saturn. The first image in 2007 was taken 'around Saturn equinox [when the sun is above the equator], and then the latest image is now heading towards northern summer solstice on Saturn. 'That's sort of an ongoing theme for a lot of the Cassini results; a lot of things depend on the season at Saturn as it moves in orbit. 'Because this lake itself is actually near to Titan's northern pole, perhaps it is something to do with illumination conditions.' The feature was spotted in Ligeia Mare (shown), one of the largest seas on Titan, and was observed by Cassini's radar experiment. Several theories currently exist including surface waves, rising bubbles, floating solids, solids suspended just below the surface or 'something more exotic' according to Nasa . The feature was spotted by Nasa's Cassini spacecraft, which is currently in orbit around the Saturnian system. It was spotted in Ligeia Mare, one of the largest seas on Titan, and was observed by Cassini's radar instrument. In images from 10 July 2013 to 21 August 2014 the feature is shown rising and then falling below the surface. With its thick atmosphere and organic-rich chemistry, Titan resembles a frozen version of Earth several billion years ago, before life began pumping oxygen into our atmosphere. Because Titan is smaller than Earth, its gravity doesn't hold onto its gaseous envelope as tightly, so the atmosphere extends 370 miles (595 kilometres) into space. As on Earth, the climate is driven mostly by changes in the amount of sunlight that comes with the seasons, although the seasons on Titan are about seven Earth years long. Titan's 'water' is liquid methane, CH4, better known on Earth as natural gas. Regular Earth-water, H2O, would be frozen solid on Titan where the surface temperature is -180°C (-292°F). With Titan's low gravity and dense atmosphere, methane raindrops could grow twice as large as Earth's raindrops. As well as this, they would fall more slowly, drifting down like snowflakes. But scientists think it rains perhaps only every few decades. A comparison image from 26 April 2007 shows how no similar feature was previously spotted in that region. The mysterious feature appears bright in the radar images, suggesting it has a somewhat similar composition to the land nearby in the image. This supports one theory that it may be a solid structure that surfaced from under the liquid before sinking again for an unknown reason. The dark area in the image is the liquid hydrocarbon sea on Titan's surface, while the bright area to the right is land. Scientists on the radar team are confident that the feature is not an artifact - or flaw - in their data. They have also ruled out the possibility of it being due to evaporation, as the nearby shoreline has not changed much. Several theories currently exist including surface waves, rising bubbles, floating solids, solids suspended just below the surface or 'something more exotic' according to Nasa. The appearance of the feature may also be due to changing seasons on Titan, with summer drawing near in the moon's northern hemisphere. Monitoring these changes is a major goal of Cassini's current extended mission. 'Science loves a mystery, and with this enigmatic feature, we have a thrilling example of ongoing change on Titan,' said Dr Stephen Wall, the deputy team lead of Cassini's radar team, based at Nasa's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. 'We're hopeful that we'll be able to continue watching the changes unfold and gain insights about what's going on in that alien sea.' It's not just Titan that is thought to have an active surface; earlier this month scientists found the first sign of geologic activity on a solar system world other than Earth - Europa. Experts from the University of Idaho and the Johns Hopkins University, Maryland, say Europa could be more Earth-like than experts imagined. The latest find appears to solve a puzzle that has perplexed planetary scientists. It shows where old crust was destroyed and how the icy crust is expanding. Many parts of Europa's surface show evidence of extension, where wide bands - up to tens of miles wide - formed as the surface ripped apart, and fresh icy material from the underlying shell moved into the newly created gap, a process akin to terrestrial seafloor spreading, according to the study published in the journal Nature Geoscience. Europa's surface is considered to be relatively young at between 40 and 90 millions of years old, which can perhaps now be explained by plate tectonics. It has been a decade since Cassini entered orbit around Saturn (illustration shown). In June the Cassini mission celebrated 10 years of exploring the planet, its rings and moons. It arrived for a four-year mission but has since been continuously extended, although it will almost certainly end in 2017 . | Two scientists have told MailOnline that they think the giant object on Saturn's moon Titan could have been an iceberg .
Astronomers at Nasa in California were left baffled by its appearance .
It's possible the giant feature emerged from under the sea as Titan's Northern Hemisphere moves from spring to summer and heats up .
This may have dislodged the potential iceberg from the seabed .
However one expert says this would not be a threat to future boats planned to explore the seas of Titan .
The massive object appeared in one of Titan's largest seas in July 2013 before disappearing beneath the surface again in August 2014 .
It could also be a field of rising bubbles from vents or undersea volcanoes .
Monitoring changes like this is one of the key goals of Nasa's Cassini spacecraft that is currently in orbit in the Saturnian system . |
19,098 | 3613a789cec5cb9ac6f425e46b20f98091cbe07f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . UPDATED: . 04:57 EST, 23 February 2012 . Rowan Atkinson has claimed the BBC should have been allowed to axe Miriam O’Reilly from Countryfile without facing claims of age discrimination. The Blackadder and Mr Bean star criticised the presenter’s landmark ageism tribunal victory last year, saying it was an ‘attack on creative free expression’. The 57-year-old said ‘creative industries’ were ‘completely inappropriate environments’ for anti-discrimination legislation – and the ‘legal tools’ she used to win her case ‘should never have been available to her’. Wading into the row: Rowan Atkinson (left) said the BBC should have been allowed to axe Miriam O'Reilly (right) without facing discrimination claims . He said her complaint that she was axed from Countryfile due to her age – she was then 51 – was ‘no more sensible’ than Pierce Brosnan complaining he was dropped as James Bond for being too old, ‘which he was and which he is’. In a letter to Radio 4’s The Media Show, Mr Atkinson said if programme-makers wanted to replace an ‘old person with a young person’ or ‘a white person with a black person’ or a ‘disabled straight with an able-bodied gay’ they should have the ‘creative freedom to do so’. Revamped: Countryfile presenters Matt Baker, Julia Bradbury and John Craven . Miss O’Reilly, now 54, won her age discrimination case after she was dropped from Countryfile when it was revamped. Last night she said: ‘I think very few people will agree with Mr Atkinson. 'Television has an enormous influence on shaping society and how we see each other and we have got to have fair representation of everyone on TV.’ | Blackadder star said BBC should have been allowed to axe Countryfile presenter Miriam O'Reilly .
He criticised her landmark ageism tribunal victory as an 'attack on creative free expression' |
186,008 | 7ce2ff5f8013c4f5c565ae7f71e86a1bee75f58b | A bride who spent her wedding night in a cell next door to her new husband has admitted she racially abused and assaulted a hotel doorman after her credit card was declined. Kirsty Bigland, 30, was still in her white wedding dress when she called the Asian security guard a 'p*** b******' before spitting in his face and punching and kicking him. The attack happened at the £300-a-night Hilton Hotel, on Deansgate, Manchester, on May 31 when Bigland and her husband Nicholas, 25, were due to spend their wedding night. Wedding troubles: Kirsty Bigland, 30, spent the night in a neighbouring cell to her new husband Nicholas, right, after she racially abused and assaulted a security guard after they tried to book in for their wedding night . Magic moment: The couple had just enjoyed one of the biggest days of their lives but it turned sour after their credit card was declined . Aftermath: This picture taken on the night shows police talking to Bigland while she wore her wedding dress . But when they tried to check in after their reception they were told that their credit card had been refused and sparked a vicious row between the couple and members of staff. Police arrived at the hotel - a favourite of the city's Premier League footballers, musicians and other stars - and arrested both bride and groom to a nearby police station where they spent the night in neighbouring cells. Manchester Magistrates' Court heard staff had tried to usher them out of the Hilton but Ms Bigland began running at them swearing and spitting. During attempts to restrain her, she shouted 'get off me you black p*** b******' then attempted to punch one member of staff and spat on his shirt and jacket before yelled: 'F*** you - you should not be in this country'. She then spat in the guard's his face, punched him in the chest and kicked him once. Guilt: Mother-of-four Bigland was due to to stand trial today but changed her plea to a charge of racially aggravated assault to guilty. Her husband admitted a public order offence in September . Assault: Mrs Bigland was still in her wedding dress when she spat at and punched and kicked the security guard at the Deansgate Hilton in Manchester, before she called him a 'p*** b******' Her new husband stood in the way of a hotel barrier so cars could not leave and eventually had to be pinned down by security staff after he shouted: 'come on you k***heads - I will knock you out.' After they were detained they spent their first night of marriage in separate police cells. Mother-of-four Bigland was due to to stand trial today but changed her plea to a charge of racially aggravated assault to guilty. One charge of harassment and one public order charge were withdrawn by Sabrina Sohota, prosecuting. Bigland's husband admitted a public order offence when he appeared before magistrates in September. Prosecutor Miss Ruth Mann said: ‘A member of reception staff was dealing with the couple. At first he could not locate the booking and when he did find it the credit card was then denied. Payment was required before the room could be allocated. ‘‘The receptionist then heard Nicholas refer to another member of staff as a “f***ing idiot”. The defendant was using his mobile phone at the time and swearing to who he was talking to. Punishment: The couple, of Salford, are due to be sentenced on December 9 and were bailed on condition they do not contact witnesses or go near the hotel . ‘Kirsty was heard saying “f***ing monkeys” then “f***ing P***s”. He took this remark as a reference to the ethnicity of himself and colleagues and the couple were not allowed to remain in the hotel due to their behaviour.’ She added: ‘Kirsty ran at the staff swearing and spitting at them. Nicholas then made comments that he would assault them if they touched his wife. He was pinned down and stopped from hitting anyone. Kirsty ran towards the staff. They stopped her and she said “get off me your P*** b******”. She attempted to punch him and spat on his shirt and jacket. ‘The defendant clearly most responsible here is Kirsty Bigland.’ The couple, of Salford, are due to be sentenced on December 9 and were bailed on condition they do not contact witnesses or go near the hotel. | Nick and Kirsty Bigland rowed with Hilton Hotel staff on wedding night .
Reception refused to let them have room because credit card was declined .
Guard tried to eject them but mother of four swore, spat in face and hit him .
She said: 'Get off me you p*** b****** - you should not be in this country'
Husband Nicholas has admitted a public order offence after May wedding .
Couple spent the night in neighbouring cells at Manchester police station . |
182,364 | 78289a39e31ad4b24670ef50d0b7338b2692e9df | By . Damien Gayle . PUBLISHED: . 12:42 EST, 15 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:38 EST, 16 January 2013 . Britain's newest lottery millionaire picked up his cheque today and revealed plans to splash out and treat his wife to a new - kitchen sink. Grandfather-of-nine John Baxter, 63, also says the first thing he bought after realising he'd won £1,000,000 was a £9.99 pair of slippers from Tesco. Mr Baxter won the massive amount on the EuroMillions raffle draw with a winning ticket he admits he nearly threw away. Happy: John Baxter, 63 and wife, Carol, 64, celebrate their £1,000,000 Millionaire Raffle on the EuroMillions draw today . He has now vowed to buy his wife Carol, 64, the stainless steel kitchen sink she 'has always wanted'. Despite their great wealth and opportunities for foreign travel the couple say they will also enjoy their usual holiday - to Great Yarmouth. Mr Baxter, of Baldock, Hertfordshire, says he won't give up work and the couple are refusing to move house - because it has taken them so long to get it the way they want it. Lucky John, who works at Luton Airport, joked he might make his next buy a pair of trousers after turning up at the cheque handover - in shorts. He said: 'I went to the shop to buy my lottery tickets for the week which I have always done on a Friday. 'And I took the ticket from the week before to see if I had won anything - the honest truth is I nearly threw it away - but I took it down with me anyway. 'Gary, who works behind the counter, said 'oh Camelot has said you have to call them'. I thought it was a wind up. 'It's been madness we've had close friends and family in our house celebrating ever since. Its only just sinking in. 'I just couldn't sleep, I was guarding the ticket worried someone may come and pinch it. 'I went to the supermarket and splashed out a tenner on new slippers, I couldn't think of anything else I really needed. 'We are a very close family and exceptionally down to earth people - we won't let this go to our heads. 'I have worked hard my whole life and no intention to retire just because I have won the lottery. 'I have a couple of years left until my retirement, the airport were very good to me 11 years ago when I was unwell and supported me. 'I wouldn't want to leave them in the lurch and I want to do right by them too - I'm a bit of a joker, they still don't quite believe it's true.' Wealthy: Mr Baxter has now vowed to buy his wife the stainless steel kitchen sink she 'has always wanted' Father-of-three sons Mr Baxter didn't realise he was a millionaire winner until he decided to take an evening stroll to his local newsagents on Friday. While purchasing his tickets for the EuroMillions draw, he casually asked the shop keeper to check his ticket from the previous Tuesday. The stunned cashier at Basra's Store in Baldock, Herts., told technical services worker Mr Baxter he needed to call Camelot 'urgently'. He headed home to his wife and made the call to lottery organisers, who confirmed he had netted the seven figure prize. Mr Baxter said he was so stunned by the win he claimed he didn't sleep at all for 24-hours and has only bought himself a pair of slippers. Retired funeral arranger Mrs Baxter said money 'can't buy health or happiness' but they have always been happy with their lot - and will now treat themselves to a holiday. She said: 'We could go and see whales which is something I've always wanted to do - but I think I'm a bit too old now. 'I'm happy with a holiday in Great Yarmouth and we will continue to have day trips and holidays there too. 'It may be a lot of money but it won't change what we like. 'We won't be moving because we have finally got our house just how we want it and it's our home. 'Money doesn't buy happiness and we are very happy just as we are, this is just incredible luck which we hope to share with our family.' Wahey! Mr Baxter won the massive amount on the EuroMillions raffle draw with a winning ticket he admits he nearly threw away . Mr Baxter, originally from Stevenage, met his wife in 1967 in a working men's club and they have now been married 45 years. He said: 'That was in the days of mods and rockers, I was a rocker and she was a mod. I was near the bar and she stood on my toe and didn't apologise. 'We started dating and married a few months later. Our family is our world and we couldn't be luckier.' Despite failing health and triple heart bypass a 11 years ago, Mr Baxter considers himself very lucky. He and his wife plan to make a sizeable donation to The Meningitis Trust of whom they are big supporters. Mr Baxter, who is known by friends as the practical joker, added: 'We nearly lost our granddaughter Kimberley to meningitis when she was very young. 'Now she is 19 and here with us we are more than grateful for the charities support and our world wouldn't be the same with out her. 'We want to help other families but we don't wish disclose how much we plan to give at this point.' The couple today claimed they plan to continue buying their weekly ticket. | First thing grandfather-of-nine John Baxter bought after scooping the prize was a pair of slippers .
Now he has vowed to buy wife Carol the stainless steel kitchen sink 'she has always wanted'
And the couple say that despite their new-found wealth they will continue to take their usual holidays in Great Yarmouth . |
117,301 | 237ada3538bc0612ac16e3fe65dbd050410f616d | The last Boston bombing victim still in the hospital has finally been discharged - exactly 100 days after the devastating blast left him needing 49 surgical procedures. Marc Fucarile grinned as he left Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital on crutches on Wednesday morning with his fiancee and their son, while doctors and therapists gathered to say goodbye. The 34-year-old roofer lost his right leg, broke his left, suffered severe burns and still has shrapnel lodged near his heart after the second of two bombs exploded near him on April 15. He spent 45 days at Massachusetts General Hospital before transferring to . Spaulding for 55 . days. He has gone to the operating room 16 times, where he has undergone 49 surgical procedures. Scroll down for video . Relief: Marc Fucarile, followed by his fiancee and their son, left hospital on Wednesday - 100 days after the bombs detonated in Boston, claiming one of his legs and leaving him with shrapnel near his heart . Strength: He used crutches as he spoke to the media with his fiancee Jen and their son Gavin . But despite his immense battle and life-changing injuries, he was upbeat as he left the hospital. 'What's the first thing I'm looking forward to doing? Just sit down because my foot's hurting,' he joked as he spoke to the press before he left on Wednesday. 'Just to be with my boy,' he added. 'I know I have the rest of my life - thank you to the people that were there that day. I'd go through 100 more procedures just to be able to go home with him.' His fiancée, Jen Regan, said she was looking forward to having him back home after everything they've missed together. 'Just . the simple things you brush aside, like family dinners,' he said. 'Gavin hasn't . had his dad home for dinner in 100 days. Movie nights, cuddling… I'm . excited, it's really good.' Grateful: Speaking before he left, he thanked those who saved his life on the day of the bombings . Joy: He said he was looking forward to being home for his son, Gavin, whom he is seen touching on the head . Back home: Fucarile hugs Gavin after they returned to their Stoneham, Massachusetts home . Road to recovery: He sits with his fiancee back at his home as he shows his amputated leg . Fucarile still faces further procedures but has been undergoing physical therapy to strengthen his arms, and was able to leave the hospital on crutches. 'Just because I’m going home today, . by no means is that road over,' Fucarile said. 'Boston, please do not . forget about that day, or the people who need you.' Mr Fucarile was watching a friend take part in the marathon with four boyhood buddies from Stoneham, Massachusetts when the bombs went off. After the first . bomb detonated, brothers Paul . and J.P. Norden huddled with Jarrod Clowery, James 'Bim' Costello and Fucraile, not realizing they were inches away . from the second device. Fighter: Marc Fucarile, pictured in May, has become the last victim of the Boston bombings to leave hospital . Life changing: Fucarile, pictured with his fiancee Jen Regan in May, lost a leg and broke the other in the blast . Loved: He makes a sad face at his grandmother Mabel Callahan as she visits his bedside in May . When it exploded, both brothers and Fucarile . lost a leg, while Clowery suffered burns and shrapnel wounds and . Costello was hospitalized with serious injuries. Spaulding officials say Fucarile is the last person injured in the explosions to leave a hospital. A firefighter rushed to put a tourniquet on his leg and he was taken to hospital in a detainee van because no ambulance was . immediately available. In an interview with NBC News in May, he recalled how he pleaded with the firefighter. Relief: He is finally returning to his son Gavin, left, and his fiance Jen, right, for the first time since April 15 . Strong: Fucarile has undergone weeks of physical therapy at Spaulding and faces further procedures . 'I'm like, 'I don't want to die,"' he recounted. '"I . got a little boy and I got my fiancée. I don't want to die." He's like, "Just think of them. Just think of them. Keep them on your . mind. Just hang in there".' It wasn't until a week after the April 15 attack that Mr Fucarile opened his eyes for the first time. He has been constantly surrounded by family - including his fiancée Jen Regan and their son Gavin - who have taken off whole weeks from work to be by his side. Despite their support, Fucarile has previously said his injuries kept him isolated. In . an interview from his hospital bed in May, Mr Fucarile said he . struggles with anxiety and paranoia, aside from the physical pain. Support: His step mother Andrea and father Edward, who have spent weeks in the hospital with him, are pictured after updating the media about his condition just a week after the blasts . Emotional: Jen is surrounded by relatives as she reads a statement at Massachusetts General Hospital in April detailing his injuries, including the amputation, broken leg, burns and shrapnel near his heart . He told the Globe: 'I haven’t really talked to anybody because I don’t want to say the wrong thing being on medication like I am. To heal all the wounds I have. It’s pretty crazy.' His father, Ed Fucarile, was among those who attended the arraignment of bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev on July 11, and wore a Boston Strong T-shirt with his son's name on it. The suspect has pleaded not guilty to 30 counts - including killing four people - in connection to the bombings that he allegedly carried out with his brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev. Tamerlan was killed after a shootout with police in Watertown, Masachusettes on April 19, after their images were released to the public. Dzhokhar was captured later that day. | Marc Fucarile was standing with four friends when he was hit by bomb .
He lost his right leg, broke his left and was left with shrapnel lodged near his heart but has finally left Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital .
Two of his friends also lost a leg each . |
42,610 | 782540b11c6b3ef15de0e3d4d80872d6fae24f76 | By . Jonathan O'Callaghan for MailOnline . Spontaneously moving your hands to illustrate a point can help boost a child's language development, researchers say. Gesture-plus-word combinations can make it easier for children to grasp what certain words and phrases mean - even during sign language. The findings back up previous research which found gesticulating helps youngsters develop their language, learning and cognitive skills. Researchers at the University of Chicago say gestures help children learn (stock image shown). Study says it helps kids develop their language, learning and cognitive skills. Gesture is a flexible way of communicating, one that can work with language to communicate or, if necessary, can itself become language . In 2009, Dr Goldin-Meadow and her team found that boys and girls whose parents gesticulate a lot have bigger vocabularies when they start school. Advocating that parents start talking with their hands, the researchers said that simple gestures from nodding and shaking of the head to indicate yes and no, to flapping of the arms to indicate flying, could make all the difference. The US researchers studied the actions and gestures used by 50 toddlers and their parents as they played together. The researchers said simple gestures such as pointing prompted parents to introduce children to new words. Writing in the journal Science, they said: 'For example, in response to a child's point at a doll, a mother might say "yes, that's a doll", thus providing a word for the object that is the focus of the child's attention.' The connection could also be more direct, with gestures allowing children to use their hands practice meanings of words they have difficulty in pronouncing. Encouraging parents and children to talk with their hands could prove to be a cheap and easy way of boosting youngsters' word power and better preparing them for school. 'Talk to your children more, gesture more,' said co-researcher Dr Meredith Rowe. The new study, by Dr Susan . Goldin-Meadow, from the University of Chicago, examined how gesturing contributes to language learning in hearing and in deaf children. She concluded that gesture is a flexible way of communicating, one that can work with language to communicate or, if necessary, can itself become language. 'Children who can hear use gesture along with speech to communicate as they acquire spoken language, ' Dr Goldin-Meadow said. 'Those gesture-plus-word combinations precede and predict the acquisition of word combinations that convey the same notions. 'The findings make it clear that children have an understanding of these notions before they are able to express them in speech.' In addition to children who learned spoken languages, Dr Goldin-Meadow studied children who learned sign language from their parents. She found that they too use gestures as they use American Sign Language. These gestures predict learning, just like the gestures that accompany speech. Finally, Dr Goldin-Meadow looked at deaf children whose hearing losses prevented them from learning spoken language, and whose hearing parents had not presented them with conventional sign language. These children use homemade gesture systems, called homesign, to communicate. Homesign shares properties in common with natural languages but is not a full-blown language, perhaps because the children lack 'a community of communication partners,' Dr Goldin-Meadow writes. Nevertheless, homesign can be the 'first step toward an established sign language.' In Nicaragua, individual gesture systems blossomed into a more complex, shared system when homesigners were brought together for the first time. The gesture learning technique is apparently true for both hearing children and those who sign (research image shown). Gesture-plus-word combinations can make it easier for children to understand what certain words and phrases mean, which makes it easier for them to pick up language more quickly at school . These findings provide insight into gesture's contribution to learning. Gesture plays a role in learning for signers even though sign itself is based around gestures. As a result, gesture cannot aid learners simply by providing a second language. Rather, gesture adds imagery to the categorical distinctions that form the core of both spoken and sign languages. Dr Goldin-Meadow concludes that gesture can be the basis for a self-made language, assuming linguistic forms and functions when other vehicles are not available. But when a conventional spoken or sign language is present, gesture works along with language, helping to promote learning. The study will be published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society . | Chicago study says it helps develop language, learning and cognitive skills .
The same is true for both hearing children and those who sign .
Gesture-plus-word combinations can make it easier for children to understand what certain words and phrases mean .
Makes it easier for children to pick up language more quickly at school . |
212,617 | 9f4ecc601aaa64e85e6af04a612916da78d86836 | Kabul (CNN) -- Her big brown eyes, framed by long soft lashes, are wide open as she takes in the unfamiliar surroundings. She's never stepped foot into a place like this, with books, computers, classrooms and musical instruments. In fact Naghma has never been to school, let alone one that looked like this. The seven-year old dressed in a blue headscarf and a tattered, red dress, is at Afghanistan's National Institute of Music with her father, Taj Mohammad. He's a big man with kind eyes and wears a grey shalwar kameez, Afghanistan's traditional dress. Naghma's older brother, nine-year-old Wakhil, is also with them, popping in and out of every nook and cranny, exploring this new and foreign world. But as they walk along the hallway, Naghma refuses to leave her father's side. She is his shadow -- a daddy's girl. It's right beside him, holding his hand that she feels most comfortable. Fleeing conflict . But last year Taj Mohammad betrayed his little daughter's trust. It began when the family fled the fighting in the country's southern Helmand Province. Taj Mohammad moved his wife and nine children to a refugee camp on the outskirts of Kabul thinking this would be a better life. But unable to make a living, the family suffered, especially when the brutal winter arrived. His wife had to be hospitalized when she fell ill and then his three-year-old son froze to death. Taj Mohammad borrowed $2,500 to pay for his wife's medical bills and other family expenses. But when he couldn't repay the debt he decided the only solution was to marry off Naghma, then only six, to the money lender's 19-year-old son. "It was a difficult decision," Taj Mohammad tells me in a remorseful tone. "Everyone gives away their child but to give Naghma away like that was just so hard." When human rights groups found out they were outraged and contacted a U.S. lawyer Kimberley Motley. The former beauty queen and mother of three who lives between Kabul and Milwaukee, Wisconsin where her family is based, has been working in Afghanistan for the past five years. She arrived in 2008 as part of a U.S. State Department program to train and mentor Afghan defense attorneys. Anonymous donor . While it was only supposed to be a short-term stay, Motley realized there was a serious shortage of lawyers and decided to set up a practice. While her main clients are foreigners, embassies and corporations, she has made a name for herself with her pro bono work representing victimized Afghan women. When this case came across her desk, Motley jumped at it. Through her contacts and experience in the country, she arranged an assembly of Afghan elders known as a Jirga, and managed to get Naghma out of the marriage and back to her family. An anonymous donor then paid off Taj Mohammad's debt. "I'm certainly very happy that Naghma did not have to be married off at the age of 6, so I'm pleased with that," explains Motley. "But I'd like to make sure she gets an education and becomes successful." Which is the reason why they're visiting Afghanistan's National Institute of Music -- a school that takes orphans and underprivileged children and is offering placements for both Naghma and her brother. Motley who walks through the school with Taj Mohammad and the two children asks them what they think. Through an interpreter, Taj Mohammad says he likes it very much and would like his children to attend. He knows he and his children have been given another a chance. "When I couldn't pay my debt I felt like I'd been thrown into the fire and then someone rescued me -- that was Kim. She has been so kind to me I'm ready to do whatever Kim says." | An Afghan man and his family flee to a refugee camp amid fighting .
He borrows money to pay for his wife's medical bills .
When he can't repay the debt he marries off his daughter to the money lender's son .
A lawyer helps get them out of the deal and offers the family another chance . |
271,132 | eb305611f1375b2472929434ee0703bf28f8ae29 | (CNN) -- The accusations are ominous. Russia has fired weapons into Ukraine and boosted the number of troops near the border, officials have told CNN. And the Kremlin is staging a new round of military exercises this week. Western leaders stepped up sanctions, but Russian President Vladimir Putin shows no sign of backing down. What's his endgame? "He's got lots of options here, and he's playing it," retired Gen. Wesley Clark told CNN this week. "He's like someone fumbling with a lock, trying to find the right key to open the door." Here's a look at several goals Putin could have in mind: . Bolstering support at home . Putin certainly isn't winning many points worldwide in the court of public opinion. Western leaders slam Russia for backing separatists in Ukraine and fueling violence there -- accusations the Kremlin denies but can't seem to shake. But even as criticism grows abroad, things are playing out very differently inside Russia. Putin's popularity is soaring, said CNN's global affairs correspondent Elise Labott. "His ratings haven't been so high since he went to war with another former pro-Western neighbor: Georgia in 2008," Labott said. Taking over territory . This is the scenario that Putin's fiercest critics worry is in the offing. They point to Russia's annexation of Crimea in March -- touted by Russia as a legitimate reflection of the will of the people and slammed by the West as a violation of Ukraine's sovereignty. NATO warned this week that Russia could use "the pretext of a humanitarian or peacekeeping mission as an excuse to send troops into eastern Ukraine." "We're not going to guess what's on Russia's mind, but we can see what Russia is doing on the ground -- and that is of great concern," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu told Reuters in an emailed statement. Clark, the former supreme allied commander of NATO, said even though it seems like Putin hasn't made up his mind yet about what steps he'll take, it's clear he has his eye on eastern Ukraine. "He's building up his capacity to intervene. ... He wants that to be Russia," Clark said. Protecting Russia . Others argue Putin could have another goal in mind if he sends troops into Ukraine: protecting his own country. It's true that Putin is weighing intervention, said Stephen Cohen, a professor emeritus of Russian studies at Princeton University and New York University. But that doesn't mean it's a crisis of his making, said Cohen. "He's being told by people who are advising him that this is no longer a struggle for Ukraine, but a struggle for Russia. These cities that are being attacked by the Ukrainian army are close to Russia," Cohen said. "He's being told, if you let these cities go, if you lose those cities, you will fight tomorrow in Russia." Alexander Nekrassov, a former Kremlin adviser, offered a similar take in an opinion column for CNN.com in March. "As Ukraine was slipping into anarchy and chaos, with all sorts of radicals causing mayhem, President Putin's endgame became obvious," he wrote. "He needed to do anything in his power to prevent Ukraine from becoming another Iraq, with a possibility of a civil war breaking out and violence spreading to Russia at some point." Keeping Ukraine unstable . But could there also be an incentive for keeping things chaotic in the nation next door? Plenty, Labott said. "For years, Putin has made keeping Ukraine from joining the European Union and NATO a major strategic goal," she said. But the February ouster of former Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, who was closely allied with Russia, made that much tougher. "One way to stop Ukraine from joining the West," Labott said, "is to make it too unstable by keeping this insurgency running." Growing Russia's regional influence . Russia has spent billions of dollars in recent years building up its arsenal of warships, military planes and helicopters to go along with what remains the largest nuclear arsenal in the world, CNN's Jim Sciutto said. Now come the reports of troops amassing near the Ukrainian border and renewed military exercises. What's the point of flexing all this military muscle? You don't have to look too far back in history to see an example of a similar situation that -- from Russia's point of view -- really paid off, Sciutto said. In 2008, Russia sent troops into neighboring Georgia. "There's a view in Russia that that's when the world started taking Russia seriously again, because for years Russia had seen itself as being far behind, hopelessly behind the West in military terms. And that's a problem that Russia's leadership wanted to correct," said Sciutto, CNN's chief national security correspondent. Sciutto said the focus is what Russia calls "the near abroad" -- former Soviet republics like Ukraine and Georgia. "Russia wants to expand, reassert its influence (there) once again," Sciutto said. "And it feels it needs, in order to do that, to expand its military." Putin issues retaliatory ban on food imports . CNN's Alisyn Camerota contributed to this report. | Analysts say Vladimir Putin is weighing his options with Ukraine .
The Russian President could have a number of goals in mind .
Putin's fiercest critics worry he's pushing to take over territory .
The crisis sparks criticism abroad, but boosts Putin's popularity at home . |
251,580 | d1a55b9435d914d1a3edc3998fbb1af1a48f5f72 | By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 11:15 EST, 15 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:15 EST, 15 October 2013 . One in 2,000 people in the UK carries abnormal proteins linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) - the human form of mad cow disease . One in 2,000 people in the UK carries abnormal proteins linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) - the human form of mad cow disease, new research has shown. Experts said their study has 'important implications' for how blood and blood donations are managed and for the handling of surgical instruments. The findings suggest a 'high prevalence of infection with abnormal prion protein, indicating vCJD carrier status in the population'. But the researchers noted that, despite the higher number of carriers, just 177 vCJD cases have been reported to date in the UK. vCJD is a fatal, degenerative brain disorder which is the human form of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE). The disease is believed to have passed from cattle to humans through consumption of meat products contaminated with BSE. Large numbers of the UK population were exposed to BSE prions in the late 1980s and early 1990s. The new study, published online in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), involved analysis of more than 32,000 appendix samples from people of all ages who had their appendix removed between 2000 and 2012 at over 41 hospitals in England. Of these samples, 16 tested positive for abnormal prion protein, indicating that one in 2,000 of all people are likely to be carriers. The researchers, including a team from Public Health England, found that prion protein in those born between 1941 and 1960 did not differ significantly from those born between 1961 and 1985. Presence of the protein was also similar in both men and women. The researchers expressed concern that some of the 16 samples produced information which might suggest people may be susceptible to developing the condition over a longer time than previously thought, or may not show any signs of disease at all. But they said the number of patients diagnosed with vCJD is still well below the number suggested by the prevalence of abnormal proteins. Professor Noel Gill, lead investigator . at Public Health England, said: 'Prevalence studies such as this are . important as they enable us to interpret the impact of the BSE epidemic . on the population of Britain and strengthen the basis for ongoing risk . assessments. A scientist examining a screen with a segment of brain displayed showing the incidence of CJD on a human brain (indicated with black rings round the white cells). 177 vCJD cases have been reported to date in the UK . 'There are already extensive measures in place to prevent the potential spread of infection. 'Prion diseases can have very long incubation periods, and an understanding of prevalence can help researchers devise measures to prevent further transmission of the disease.' It is not known whether all infected individuals will develop disease. The peak of the vCJD epidemic in the UK was in 2000, where 27 probable or definite cases were diagnosed that year. Only one case of vCJD has been diagnosed in 2013 in the UK.' He said further research on samples from the 1970s and earlier - before BSE appeared - were now underway to see whether prion proteins also occurred then, which could reduce the significance of the new findings. Dr Graham Jackson, from the Medical . Research Council Prion Unit at University College London's Institute of . Neurology, said: 'While the study is much needed and offers both . confirmation and refinement of previous studies, further work is still . required. Further research on samples from the 1970s and earlier - before BSE appeared - are now underway to see whether prion proteins also occurred then, which could reduce the significance of the new findings . 'Given the high levels of infection indicated by this research It is now crucial we establish how many people in the UK harbour that infection in their bloodstream in order to adequately assess the risks of transmission through contaminated blood donations. 'Studies to develop new blood tests for CJD must remain a priority to assist with screening and protecting the UK blood supply.' Professor Azra Ghani, a reader in infectious disease modelling at Imperial College London, said: . 'The results from this large-scale survey are important in confirming the presence of a higher prevalence of abnormal prion protein compared with the 177 confirmed cases of vCJD. 'While the lack of new cases remains reassuring, these results highlight the need to maintain both case surveillance and precautionary measures to prevent onward transmission, over the coming decade.' | The abnormal proteins are linked to variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (vCJD) - the human form of mad cow disease .
The BMJ study has 'important implications' for how blood and blood donations are managed and for the handling of surgical instruments .
But despite the higher number of carriers, just 177 vCJD cases have been reported to date in the UK . |
165,651 | 623c1ec0ff7b5b7551f98f3d81a8b38651f32347 | Beijing (CNN) -- China is all set to give out its own first-ever peace prize Thursday, a move apparently to counter the Norwegian Nobel committee's choice of imprisoned Chinese dissident Liu Xiaobo as this year's laureate. Organizers told CNN they will present the Confucius Peace Prize -- which comes with an award of $15,000 -- in Beijing to promote the ancient sage's philosophy, a day before the Nobel committee honors Liu in Oslo. "China is a great nation that has been influenced by the Confucian concept of peace for a long time," said Tan Changliu, chairman of the awards committee. "We want to promote world peace from an Eastern perspective." "Europe is full of small countries that had fought each other for centuries," he added. "We don't want to see people who don't understand peace to ruin the concept." Tan declined to give details about his group -- other than saying it is a non-government organization -- or how the five-judge awards committee operated. His committee has released a vaguely worded statement on its criteria for choosing the winner, but announced this year's nominees included Nelson Mandela, Bill Gates and the Panchen Lama, a Tibetan Buddhist leader loyal to Beijing. China has responded furiously since the Nobel committee announced its decision on October 8. Officials have repeatedly called Liu -- currently serving an 11-year sentence for "inciting subversion" -- a common criminal and the award a Western plot against China. A businessman first proposed a rival peace prize in a commentary on the November 17 edition of Global Times, an English-language newspaper published by the Communist Party mouthpiece People's Daily. Echoing government spokesmen, Liu Zhiqin said that by awarding the prize to a criminal, the Nobel committee created 1.3 billion "dissidents" in China. "We often stress the need to fight for the right to speak," he wrote. "China's civil society should consider setting up a 'Confucius Peace Prize'... to declare China's view on peace and human rights to the world." China has warned other countries of "consequences" if they attend Friday's Nobel ceremony in Oslo. A foreign ministry spokeswoman said Tuesday that more than 100 countries and groups had joined China in boycotting this year's event. The Nobel committee, which said it had sent out 65 invitations to embassies in Oslo, counted 19 countries that had declined so far -- including China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, Iraq and Iran. Tan, the awards committee chairman for the Confucius Peace Prize, would not divulge the guest list for his event. He confirmed the first honoree is Lien Chan, Taiwan's former vice president, for his contribution in bridging the gap between the island and mainland China. Lien's staff said they were surprised to hear the news. "We know who Confucius is, but don't know anything about this prize," said Ting Yuan-chao, director of Lien's office in Taipei. Despite the perceived rivalry between the two peace prizes, they may have one important thing in common -- the absence of their recipients at this year's award ceremonies. | The Confucius Peace Prize comes with $15,000 .
The group releases a vaguely-worded statement on the criteria it uses .
This year's nominees include Nelson Mandela .
China has responded furiously to the Nobel committee's decision to honor Liu . |
191,765 | 84516e6478d5956b8885deaeda69fd774d8993d4 | Guatemala City (CNN) -- A week ago, the genocide trial of former Guatemalan dictator Efrain Rios Montt appeared headed to a historic conclusion. Today, it is at a standstill, the result of procedural missteps that have cast uncertainty over the process. The country's Constitutional Court on Tuesday began to answer some of the legal questions that are holding up the trial. But the biggest one -- whether the trial proceedings will be annulled -- remains to be clarified. Guatemala confronts a dark chapter . The court ruled that the case file must be transferred from the judge who was overseeing the trial to another judge who at one time had been on the case but was removed. The new judge in charge of the case, Carol Patricia Flores, is the same judge who last week ruled that all of the testimony heard in the trial is annulled and that the proceedings should revert to a pretrial phase. The plaintiffs appealed that ruling and are awaiting the decision of the Constitutional Court. The charges against Rios Montt, who ruled Guatemala from 1982 to 1983, are considered historic because it is the first time a former head of state has been tried for genocide by the country's own justice system. Rios Montt and his then-intelligence chief, Mauricio Rodriguez Sanchez, are accused of responsibility in the killings of more than 1,700 indigenous Ixil Mayans. Rios Montt's defense has argued that the leader never ordered the extermination of the Ixil. For more than three weeks, the trial moved at a fast pace under judge Yassmin Barrios, with dozens of witnesses testifying each day. Dozens of Ixil Mayans told of brutal killings and rapes that they suffered, stories that often left those watching the proceedings with their jaws dropped. Rios Montt's attorneys presented their case, too, saying there is no record anywhere of him ordering the killings of Ixil. The Mayan subgroup was not singled out for its ethnicity, the lawyers said. The trial was nearing closing arguments when Flores put the brakes on it with her ruling on the invalidity of the testimony. The three-judge Supreme Court panel overseeing the proceedings had pushed forward with the trial despite unresolved objections to procedures in lower courts. Flores ruled that because all of the issues at the lower courts had not been settled, the current proceedings were invalid. Judge nullifies testimony in Guatemala genocide trial . The case is back in Flores' hands, but until the Constitutional Court rules on the appeal, it is not a certainty that the case will revert to its pretrial phase. It is still possible that the trial will pick up where it left off, but with Flores now as judge. Other related rulings that the Constitutional Court handed down on Tuesday, however, point to how complicated untangling the legal web is. The court ruled that the trial court had erred by dismissing one of Rios Montt's attorneys during the first day of the trial. The Constitutional Court also said the court erred by ordering lawyers for Rios Montt's co-defendant to defend the former leader, too. Rios Montt came to power in a coup and led a military junta while Guatemala was in a bloody civil war between the army and leftist guerrillas. The war did not end until 1996, leaving more than 200,000 people dead and 1 million as refugees. CNN's Mariano Castillo wrote this story and contributed from Atlanta. Journalist Miguel Salay reported from Guatemala City. | Guatemala's Constitutional Court orders genocide case to new judge .
The new judge had previously annulled the proceedings .
That decision is now being appealed at the Constitutional Court . |
150,592 | 4ead3d2e98abc7a8e47458f8a69e5ba4b83c1536 | By . Mark Duell . PUBLISHED: . 10:37 EST, 24 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:23 EST, 24 June 2013 . A woman gave a feeding bottle containing bleach to a stranger's baby, a court heard today. The 11-month-old boy drank some of the liquid and vomited after being handed the bottle in a branch of McDonald’s in Eltham, south-east London, Woolwich Crown Court was told. Elaine Joyner, 53, of Deptford, south-east London, is charged with administering a poison or noxious substance so as to endanger life - but Judge Andrew Lees ruled today that she was unfit to plead. Scene: The 11-month-old boy drank some of the liquid and vomited after being handed the bottle in a branch of McDonald's (pictured) in Eltham, south-east London, Woolwich Crown Court was told . A trial to decide whether Joyner carried out the act went ahead in her absence. Peter Clark, prosecuting, told the jury that the incident took place last September at the McDonald’s branch. He said: ‘Elaine Joyner, say the prosecution, gave to a complete stranger’s baby a feeding bottle that contained a poisonous or noxious substance, a fluid that contained bleach, or something very similar. ‘The baby, who was 11 and a half months old, took some of that fluid in his mouth and was immediately rendered ill by it. He retched and vomited over himself and turned very pale.’ His grandmother seized it from the pram to prevent further harm, Mr Clark said. The baby - who cannot be identified for legal reasons - made a good recovery with no long-term ill effects, he added. ‘Ingestion of bleach can prove fatal, and in the case of such a young child is particularly hazardous.’ Mr Clark said there was good quality CCTV . from McDonald’s, which did not show the precise handing of the bottle, . which was just out of shot, but one could see the frame of the pram. ‘You see someone passing a bottle, and you can be sure it’s Elaine Joyner,’ he told the jury. At the defendant’s home was located . distinctive clothing and a carrier bag she had worn and carried that . day, counsel added. Other CCTV footage showed her in the street, walking . with a distinctive ‘waddle’, and going into McDonald’s. A . statement from the child’s grandmother was read, in which said she was . looking after the baby in McDonald’s while his mother was at the counter . and she saw him retching and dribbling. ‘I reached for a bottle that was in . his pram. As I looked into it I noticed it was orange in colour with . white milk particles in it. It was extremely frothy on the top. ‘I . realised that he had drunk something that we had not given him. Three . black girls said that a woman had walked past and given him a bottle.’ Home: Elaine Joyner, 53, of Vaughan Williams Close, Deptford, south-east London, is charged with administering a poison or noxious substance so as to endanger life. The road on which she lives is pictured . The . mother said in statement: ‘Some random person had given my baby a . bottle, which he had drunk from and was vomiting. As far as I was . concerned, my baby had been poisoned.’ A . statement was read from Joyner’s partner Fred Warwick, 68, who had gone . out that day. Joyner had told him she would be at home for most of the . day and watching the racing. She . told him as they were having tea in the evening that she had ‘popped . out’ to Eltham. ‘Elaine didn’t tell me what time she left or what time . she arrived home,’ he said. 'Some random person had given my baby a bottle, which he had drunk from and was vomiting. As far as I was concerned, my baby had been poisoned' Mother of baby . The judge told the jury: ‘In this case the defendant has been found by me to be unfit to stand her trial. ‘I have decided on the evidence of two specialist medical practitioners, one instructed by the defence, one by the prosecution, that she is mentally ill, such that she cannot understand the proceedings, cannot understand the evidence, and cannot give valid instructions to her legal team.’ It was appropriate that she did not attend, he added. In such circumstances, there would not be a finding of guilty or not guilty, but the jury should decide whether she did the act she was alleged to have done. Trainee Detective Constable Sandra Voak - formerly a uniformed Police Constable - told the court she had identified Joyner from a CCTV photograph from that day last September as someone she had dealings with in 2011. She said she spent an hour with her in July that year, including 15 minutes sitting next to her in a car. Asked by Stella Harris, defending, if she was sure that the person she had seen in the CCTV image was the same woman she had dealings with in 2011, she said: ‘I am absolutely certain that is the same person.’ The trial was adjourned to tomorrow. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Elaine Joyner charged with administering poison so as to endanger life .
Judge Andrew Lees rules she's unfit to plead at Woolwich Crown Court .
Baby boy 'drank some of the liquid and immediately vomited over himself' |
3,445 | 09f8a8a06dbfa272a3f5258f7b730a7c3de5af2d | (CNN) -- A free Lamborghini in Miami, Florida. Brazos, a new luxury condo development in Austin, Texas, will auction off its rooms at deep discounts in May. Complimentary housekeeping in Phoenix, Arizona. Two bedrooms for the price of one in Atlanta, Georgia. It's a buyers market again for condominium shoppers after years of artificially high prices and speculation. Marketing gimmicks, along with auctions, upgrades and incentives, continue to be wildly popular for developers desperate to relieve the inventory glut. "We want to move the products as fast as we can," said Summer Dunham, marketing manager for Starpointe Communities, which develops luxury condominiums in Scottsdale, Arizona, one of the first states slammed by the nation's housing crises. "It was very slow in 2008. Everyone had difficulty selling." So in February, the determined company auctioned off 20 four-story condominiums overlooking a golf course, private park and three swimming pools against a mountain backdrop. The upscale properties were priced as high as $1.6 million before the market sank. The auction was declared a success for the company, which sold nearly all of its units in a weak market where only 115 out of nearly 2,000 available units have closed in the first quarter of this year, according to a report by Metrostudy, a research firm tracking the condo market. And bargain hunters were jazzed to pay, on average, $600,000 for a unit at the auction. "Developers will bend over backwards to sell these units," said Brad Hunter, chief economist at Metrostudy. "There is no limit on the number of ways they will work with someone to sell at this point." Condominium sales continue to sag amid soft demand from buyers. Metrostudy reported that sales prices nationwide have dropped from a massive and unsustainable pace that reached a crescendo in 2006. Sales are at a virtual standstill today. For example, only 158 units closed out of 3,137 available units in Palm Beach County, Florida, during the first three months of this year, according to Metrostudy. The situation has only worsened with the economic downturn, Hunter said. Buyers are tightening their wallets and demanding lower prices. Recovery isn't expected for several more years in some markets, the firm says. Even more troublesome, thousands of new units are entering saturated condo markets such as Miami, Florida, and Phoenix, Arizona. Much of the financing from the projects came before the condo market collapse, experts say. Meanwhile, the value of existing condominiums is falling. The National Association of Realtors found that the prices for existing condos has dropped nearly 16 percent since 2006. The small number of recent sales probably were brought on by the deep discounts, said Walter Molony, spokesman for the group. "The condo market is starting to improve, but you still have a long way to go," Molony said. Other prospective buyers are having trouble obtaining loans to make down payments in a tight credit market, housing experts say. This month, Fannie Mae implemented additional fees on condominium loans regardless of applicants' credit scores. Some private mortgage lenders are also refusing to give loans to buyers for condos that are empty or have delinquent owners. But if buyers do have the cash saved up, now may be the best time to finance. Interest rates have fallen to under 5 percent in some places. In some condo markets, marketing teases are still popular. While they may not make the sale, they spark interest, sellers say. "At one point, they were giving away free flights, free Vespas," said Ben Kakimoto, a Realtor at John L. Scott Real Estate specializing in condos in Seattle, Washington. Kakimoto said at least five more high-rise luxury condos are set to open in downtown Seattle this year in addition to the oversupply already on the market. His research shows there is a 9.2-month supply of condos in Seattle -- the highest number his company has ever seen. A healthy market should have about five or six months of supply, he says. High-end shoppers will find luxury properties like the South of Fifth development in South Beach, Florida, which offered a free Lamborghini worth $260,000 when buyers purchased one of the multimillion-dollar properties, said Sildy Cervera, who managed the sales. "The fear factor is still holding people back," said Cervera, who ended the promotion this month after receiving ample inquiries but few buyers. In recent months, auctioning has become a popular way for developers to liquidate their properties. When consumers name a price, they can feel confident they are getting rock-bottom prices, said Chris Longly, a National Auctioneers Association spokesman. Auctioning also can encourage more buyers, he said. Next month in Austin, Texas, Kennedy Wilson, a California company that handles auctions nationally, will auction units at the Brazos, a sophisticated development with prices previously at $200,000 to $1.6 million. Instead, the starting bid prices will range from $80,000 to $600,000. Kennedy Wilson President Rhett Winchell said he has received four times as many inquiries for auctions in the last year, compared with the previous year. "We can sell out 30 to 50 properties at one single event," he said. Last month in Atlanta, sellers auctioned off The Horizon at Wildwood, where sleek contemporary condos originally priced at $375,000 went for $200,000. In Atlanta, only 645 units units sold, leaving more than 6,000 units unsold in 2008, according to Haddow & Company, a real estate consulting firm. It was here, at the Horizon auction last month at a W Hotel -- where drinks and finger foods were served -- that cattle rancher George Drake, 73, and his wife purchased a new two-bedroom condo for nearly 40 percent off. "I got a fine deal," said Drake, who is currently painting the walls before he and his wife move in next month. "I am really pleased." | Condo market continues to see slow sales in cities like Miami, Phoenix and Atlanta .
Thousands of units will come onto the market this year despite declining demand .
Auctions are selling upscale properties at 40 percent off to cut their inventory .
Marketing gimmicks like free cars, housekeeping or upgrades are also offered . |
180,612 | 75cd719ff1724aed3e670471d7930e12d8394bea | (AOL Autos) -- Since there have been cars, people have chosen their rides based on what their cars say about them. AOL Autos put a list of cars before automotive industry experts to capture their take on several popular cars. Drivers of the dependable Camry know what's important in life, says expert. Our panel consisted of Stephanie Brinley, senior manager at Auto Pacific; James Bell, editor and publisher of IntelliChoice and Jim Markwalder, veteran automotive consultant from Detroit. Rest assured, these experts did not pull any punches. Toyota Prius: Green no matter its color . Brinley looked through the company's vast data on the Toyota Prius . "Buying a Prius shows the world that you love the environment and hate using fuel," said Brinley. "Compared to the overall industry, Prius buyers are more often women, have fewer kids and more often have college educations." Bell adds, "New Prius buyers want to be part of the 'green' club." "Prius drivers like the video-game challenge of continuously trying to best your own fuel economy achievements," said Brinley. Markwalder opines: "There's a good chance that if you come upon a line of slow moving traffic, a Prius driver will be at the front of the line, self-righteously driving under the speed limit on his or her way to save the world." We're just quoting here, folks. Chevrolet Corvette: Performer for the mid-life crisis . The Chevy Corvette "seems to be more often a reward car. Its buyers are older than the industry average, with 88 percent born before 1946, according to Auto Pacific data. Only 11 percent of Corvette owners are in Gen Y or Gen X." Bell adds: "Sadly, the usual stereotype of the Corvette buyer as a 57-year old male deep in a mid-life crisis is proven." Better car than its image suggests . Bell sees another side to the Corvette. "It is the absolute greatest performance bargain on the planet," said Bell. "It's an affordable giant-killer." Markwalder adds, "There have been 1.5 million Corvettes produced since 1953, and while plenty of old guys drive them, they are an engineering marvel that will run 180 mph or return 30+ mpg highway fuel economy." Toyota Camry: A major transportation appliance . "I think the Camry gets a bad rap for being the 'microwave oven' of the car industry," said Bell. "It's boring, reliable, efficient, and common. But to many drivers, these words are exactly all they are looking for, making the Camry their own personal rock star. A Toyota Camry in the driveway tells everyone that you know what is important in life, and it's not your car." Dodge Challenger: The transcendent pony car . The Dodge Challenger looks more like its original than the 2010 Ford Mustang or Chevrolet Camaro. According to Brinley, the Challenger appeals to Baby Boomers who like styling and power. But almost 30 percent of Challenger buyers are Gen X or Gen Y. Surprisingly, this beats out the Prius, a more forward-looking vehicle; only 18-percent of its buyers are Gen X or Y. Auto Pacific's data shows that the Dodge Challenger is winning buyers too young to remember the original 1970-74 Challenger. "All ages stop and stare at this car," said Bell. "Especially when it's in Hemi Orange, from old-skool Hot Rodders to the Import Tuner crowd." This wide appeal makes pegging the Challenger owner more challenging. Ford F-150: Working man's truck . According to Auto Pacific data, the driver of a Ford F-150 work truck (a plain, regular-cab model), is an employed man. Markwalder confirms with this: "Basic Ford trucks, like the XLT, make a good tool for the guy who works hard for an honest living." Bell adds, "We'll see fewer non-work trucks because using them for commuting has lost its shine." Mercedes-Benz R-Class: A marketing mystery . "With 2008 sales of only 7700 vehicles, we don't have enough information about buyers to provide a strong picture of why somebody drives an R-Class," said Brinley. "The more expensive GL-Class and ML-Class SUVs each sold three times as many." Markwalder states, "The R-Class has always been a contradiction, looking like a minivan but not delivering on functionality." Bell quips, "My experience tells me that its few buyers are attracted to its three-pointed star (badge appeal) or the large discounts because the R-Class hasn't sold well." The R-class, a "tweener" that is somewhat minivan, somewhat wagon and somewhat crossover, has few rivals. Only the Ford Flex and the new Toyota Venza seem to come close. Experts' first thoughts . Bell on Chrysler Sebring Convertible: "I hope it's a rental." Brinley adds, "It's an old person's cars, with only four-percent of its buyers from Gen Y." Bell on the Honda Insight: "They're members of the Prius Alternative Club for Honda lovers." Markwalder on Smart ForTwo: "Experimenters with a sense of humor who would rather sprint away from a light than hold up traffic." | The model of car you drive may be telling people all about you .
Prius drivers: College educated, want to be part of the "green club"
Corvette: An "affordable giant-killer" for men in midlife crisis .
Smart ForTwo: "Experimenters with a sense of humor" who sprint away from stops . |
105,244 | 13be5c03bfcfed903c719e5f79c232d88d31c9eb | Amelie Mauresmo watched as Andy Murray edged himself towards a place in London's season-end finale, her face almost as inscrutable as that of her predecessor Ivan Lendl. Mauresmo takes a much more consensual approach than Lendl, and is delighted with the recent results which now see her client just one match away from ending any arguments about making the Barclays ATP World Tour finals next month. After a comfortable 6-3 6-4 win over her compatriot Julien Benneteau in the Paris Masters his entry can be confirmed if he beats Grigor Dimitrov. Andy Murray acknowledges spectators after beating Julien Benneteau in the Paris Masters . Murray's coach Amelie Mauresmo (front right) watched on as Murray defeated her compatriot . Mauresmo will regard qualification as a satisfactory conclusion to the first five months of their groundbreaking coaching arrangement, although she acknowledges it will up the ante for next season. As she made clear, she is certainly different to the my-way-or-the-highway style of Lendl when it comes to coaching, suggesting that Murray is more in the driving seat than he was under Lendl. 'It's a manager's role without being a dictator, you are just there to be a guide,' she told L'Equipe newspaper. 'The driving force is the player. It's the player who drives the whole team with their obsession, their concern for each detail and their strong goals. 'The champions always question things. The demand is constant so you look around trying to find solutions and ways to adapt. It's the challenge that is interesting to me. If you have a beautiful adventure together it's great. If for any reason he wants to change or stop it's not a problem. 'Maybe when we arrive in Australia there will be more pressure. In the 2015 Grand Slams there will be more expectation. At present he is in a rising phase, at these moments you don't feel the pressure so much. What counts is not what people or the media says, the most important thing for me is the project. I'm not thinking "If he doesn't win I will be questioned".' VIDEO Hard work paying off for Murray . Mauresmo, pictured watching Murray in a practice session, is hoping the Scotsman can really kick on in 2015 . Murray and Ivan Lendl (right) went their separate ways in March 2014 when they ended their partnership . The sometimes seen erratic on-court behaviour of Murray since the authoritative Lendl departed was absent as he dismissed Benneteau in 72 minutes, making light of the draining schedule which is now seeing him play six consecutive weeks. Mark Petchey (2005–2006) Brad Gilbert (2006–2007) Miles MacLagan (2007–2010) Alex Corretja (2010–2011) Ivan Lendl (2011–2014) In 35 days there have been 19 victories, and the Scot has actually won more matches this year – 57 – than any other player bar Roger Federer. No wonder morale is high around the camp, but the real test for the Murray-Mauresmo partnership is likely to come next season. It is the kind of dominant form that was proving so elusive for the British No 1 around the time that Dimitrov provided the most crushing disappointment of the season, the Wimbledon quarter-final defeat when he appeared to be tormented. Amid SW19 mania there was much speculation about some he was supposed to have shouted at his box about something happening 'five minutes' before the match, although more reliable sources said it was '45 minutes'. It was an unusual episode for Murray on the Centre Court – where he is usually so controlled, and hence the brouhaha – but more common at other less visible events. 'The stuff that I say on the court, anyone that knows anything about how my brain works would know it doesn't really actually mean much,' he said. 'It was complete nonsense. It had no bearing on the outcome of the match at all. It was turned into something that was supposedly that I was having big problems with my team or with Amelie or with Danny (Vallverdu) or whatever. But it was completely not the case.' | Amelie Mauresmo is delighted with Andy Murray's recent results .
However she hopes the Scotsman will push on in the 2015 Grand Slams .
Mauresmo has made a conscientious decision to manage rather than dictate Murray's career . |
27,923 | 4f21bb41d5655b2c57614cc03e36ad4d3b5916da | Three-year-old Aden got the ride of his life when his dog decided to take HIM for a walk. Aden's Belgian Malinois, called Eteo, walked on his hind legs, while pushing his pint-sized companion's toy car along the boardwalk. Onlookers in the seaside town of Newburyport, MA, couldn't help but stop and snap photos of the sweet moment between the two. Scroll down for video . Three-year-old Aden was taken for a walk by his dog, a Belgian Malinois called Eteo . Eteo hopped onto his hind legs to push the yellow and red toy car along the boardwalk . Eteo is a personal protection dog trained by Protection Dogs Plus in New Hampshire. While taught to take out bad guys, this playful pup makes a great family pet, as well. And Eteo is clearly well-trained - he refused to be distracted from his important task, even when another mutt approached the impossibly cute duo. The dog was trained by Protect Dogs Plus - a pet training facility in New Hampshire . Eteo may have been trained to take out bad guys, but he also makes a perfect childhood companion . Onlookers in the duo's seaside Massachusetts town couldn't help but smile and take photos on their phones . Even when approached by another pup, Eteo did not get distracted from the task at hand . | Three-year-old boy pushed along boardwalk by family dog, Eteo .
Eteo was trained as a protection dog, also a great childhood companion .
Refusing to be distracted, Eteo pushed his owner while onlookers smiled . |
182,360 | 782617013391123cae1439ac7968cc074b26eafe | New York (CNN) -- When a Goldman Sachs employee unexpectedly wrote a scathing op-ed in the New York Times in March 2012 about why he was leaving the investment bank, he painted a picture of a "toxic" workplace that embraced morally corrupt practices at the expense of their clients. Edith Cooper's reaction wasn't rooted in damage control. Instead, as the firm's global head of human capital management -- overseeing more than 30,000 employees -- she wanted to know why. "It was to figure out why it was that there was an individual who worked at Goldman Sachs who felt that the only way they could voice their experience was to write an op-ed in the New York Times," she recalls to CNN's Poppy Harlow. "We've emerged from what was one of the most challenging periods of financial services history, and we've come into a better, more normalized position ... We've been able to take a step back and really think about the future," says Cooper. As one of Wall Street's most sought after investment banks, named one of Fortune's 100 Best Companies to work for this year, Cooper has led the human capital management department for the past six years and is responsible for recruiting the best and brightest talent for the firm. "We continue to be amazed by the extraordinary talents of this generation. They are smart. They get information instantly. And they ask really tough questions. As a result we've got to stay on our toes. Data drives performance . To find the best candidates, she explains, Goldman Sachs uses employee performance metrics. "Value add is being able to mine all the data that's out there. Think about the people landscape right now ... We develop, we invest, we compensate thousands of people every year. How are we using that data to inform our decisions going forward? "If you had asked me 30 years ago, 'would I be on the management committee at Goldman Sachs and be the influence of our success through our people?' Oh no way. And so, I think that I've come to expect the unexpected," she says. As one of the most powerful people on Wall Street, surprisingly Cooper never planned for a career in finance. As a young woman, her ambition was to own her own clothing boutique in New York City. To make her dream a reality, after graduating from Harvard College Cooper decided she needed to go to business school. She took a job at a Chicago bank while attending business school at the same time at Northwestern's Kellogg School of Management. Three decades later, she's still in finance and the clothing store is a fond but distant memory. Broadening horizons . Looking back over her career, Cooper credits much of her rise at Goldman Sachs to her time spent working overseas in the firm's London office. "I think in today's economy, operating outside of your comfort zone is really, really important. I can't think of any industry where it's not important to be able to take that risk of stepping forward into the unfamiliar." She describes moving abroad as an "extraordinary experience" where she reveled in learning how to work with people from all over the world. With some 30,000 employees around the globe, the management skills she honed in London continue to help Cooper in her role today. "I'm responsible for them -- the good, the bad and the not so perfect," says Cooper. "[I] need to make sure that we are continuing to be viewed as a terrific place to work." Cooper is also one of four women on Goldman Sachs' 29-member executive committee. It's a number she says needs to rise and notes diversity in all areas -- not just gender -- is key to success. "There are four women, but I also see that there's other types of diversity as well and we need more of everything." We can't be the great firm that we need to be, to be relevant to our clients, if we don't have diversity at every level." Corporate confidants . As she has risen up the ranks, Cooper is well aware of the help she has received from peers along the way. She recalls when she joined the management committee and was pulled aside after the first Monday morning meeting by the bank's president and COO Gary Cohn. "He said, 'You know what? You did not represent what you do and what you know at the management committee this morning. Going forward, every Sunday ... we have a call -- you're going to go through with me what you're going to talk about." Had she failed? Had Goldman Sachs made the wrong decision in promoting her? These questions raced through Cooper's mind. But in retrospect she says it was the guidance she needed. In the end, she had only two calls with Cohn. It was all she needed. "It meant that I wasn't alone in the experience. "A lot of times, mentoring is listening and feeding back to people that they can actually figure it out but they just need the confidence boost to do that," she explains. "I'm successful because other people have gotten behind me. It's my passion to be there for other people as well." CNN's Poppy Harlow contributed to this piece. | Edith Cooper is executive vice president of investment banking firm Goldman Sachs .
Since joining in 1996, Cooper has worked her way up the ranks .
She is also global head of human capital management in charge of finding new talent . |
26,151 | 4a1de02b50578df33ea7b0cb384bdd6aaf4ee119 | The Supreme Court was the scene of an unusual disturbance during its public session on Wednesday, when a man interrupted an oral argument. The incident occurred near the end of debate between the nine justices on the bench and counsel, in a case over attorney fees in patent disputes. A man in a suit and dark tie rose from near the back of the marbled courtroom, and began loudly talking. Witnesses said he spoke about the need to keep campaign finance reform laws in place to regulate election spending and contributions. "Money is not speech," he reportedly said. "Overturn 'Citizens United!'" referring to a 2010 high court decision loosening a century of federal restrictions on corporate spending by "independent" groups like businesses and unions. He was only able say a few words before police escorted him from the courtroom, and did not resist. Supreme Court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg identified the man as Noah Newkirk of Los Angeles. Newkirk has been charged with violating federal law that makes it a crime to "harangue" or utter "loud threatening or abusive language in the Supreme Court Building." The justices ignored the incident. The court's official written transcript of the argument made no mention of the remarks. Such outbursts are rare. Court officials say the last time it happened was eight years ago, during an oral argument over a federal law restricting a certain type of later-term abortion procedure. A similar interruption occurred about two decades ago. The courtroom has about 330 seats available to the public. Court security instructs spectators before each public session to remain seated, not to speak, or demonstrate. Signs also are not allowed, nor are any electronics or cameras. Protester loses appeal in military protest case . | Man seated in courtroom began talking loudly about campaign finance reform .
Spectator outbursts are rare at Supreme Court .
The justices ignored the incident, and the man was led out by security . |
65,089 | b8ce82314155fafd7fb018bd794eabf90a0d9b35 | Manila, Philippines (CNN) -- A powerful bomb exploded on a passenger bus Tuesday afternoon in Manila's financial district, killing four people and injuring 15 others, police said. "It's a huge explosion; it's so huge that it created a hole at the side of bus where it is presumed that the bomb was placed," said Makati Police Chief Froilan Bonifacio. Bonifacio said the explosion occurred around 2 p.m. The bus, owned by Newman Bus Lines, was approaching a Metro Rail Transit station on Buendia Avenue in Makati City, Manila's financial district, when it blew up. The area has been placed on high alert, according to Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay Jr., who arrived on the scene a short time after the blast. He said most of the victims were taken to nearby hospitals for treatment. "We are still trying to determine what kind of bomb was used," Bonifacio said. An initial investigation showed the explosive device could have been placed under a seat on the bus, he said. Journalists Arlene Espirtu and Winona Cueva contributed to this report. | A police chief says the bomb might have been planted under a seat .
Investigators are trying to determine the type of bomb .
The explosion blows a hole through the side of the bus .
Makati City is Manila's financial district . |
262,697 | e047c066353239750ddc9d3dce0274d68a52fcc2 | DJ Neil Fox today vowed to clear his name after being arrested over over alleged sex offences against two women. Speaking outside the £3million home in Chelsea, south-west London, which he shares with his 41-year-old wife Vicky and their three children, Fox said he had found yesterday ‘stressful’. The 53-year-old Magic FM breakfast show host - who was bailed last night after questioning at a Metropolitan Police station in central London - insisted he would ‘work hard to clear my name’. 'I'll work hard to clear my name': Speaking outside the £3million home in Chelsea he shares with his wife Vicky, 41, and their three children, Neil Fox (pictured above) said he had found yesterday 'stressful' Radio DJ: Neil 'Dr' Fox was arrested at the studios of Magic FM in central London, just moments after he finished presenting his breakfast show yesterday morning. He was then questioned at a police station . Broadcaster: Fox has been married to wife Vicky - pictured together in 2012 (left) and last year (right) - since 1999. He was bailed last night after being questioned over alleged sexual offences . Fox, who wore a black shirt and jeans and appeared to be exhausted, told reporters this morning: ‘Obviously I had a very stressful day yesterday - it was a complete surprise. ‘I haven’t really got much very to say in terms of a statement at the moment. I need to go and speak to my lawyer and see where it all stands and just see where we are.’ The father of three was questioned for more than seven hours over four alleged offences. Three against him are historic and the fourth relates to an incident earlier this year. He added: ‘I’ve got three young children trying to get on with their school life and you have to respect their privacy in all of this. It’s nothing to do with them, obviously. On TV: Fox (far right) is perhaps best known as one of the judges on Pop Idol with (from left) Simon Cowell, Pete Waterman and Nicki Chapman. He has also presented a Channel 5 show based on the Top 40 Chart . Earlier this month Fox (right) hosted Magic FM's London's Biggest Breakfast which was attended by Mayor Boris Johnson (left), who hosted a breakfast club at the event. He joined the commercial radio station in 2005 . ‘It’s to do with me and the serious allegations made against me, and obviously what I want to do is work hard to clear my name. As and when I’ve got more to say I will.’ Today, Fox missed his morning show on Magic - which he has presented for nine years. He was arrested at the central London offices of the radio station yesterday just moments after coming off air at 10am. Officers searched his Chelsea home, as well as a countryside property he owns in West Sussex. A Scotland Yard spokesman said yesterday: ‘The man was arrested at a business address in W1 and taken to a central London police station. ‘Officers subsequently searched addresses in SW6 and the Littlehampton area of West Sussex. The man has now been bailed to return on a date in early December pending further inquiries.’ Radio star: Fox (left, in 2011), who is known by nicknames 'Dr Fox' and 'Foxy', started his career in local radio. He is also pictured (right) with Pamela Anderson at the National Television Awards in 2002, where Pop Idol won . The probe – the latest in high-profile inquiries into the conduct of ageing celebrities – does not fall under Operation Yewtree, which investigated the Jimmy Savile scandal. A spokesman for Bauer Media confirmed Fox had been arrested. He said the presenter would be off air from today ‘to enable him to devote his full attention to dealing with these matters’. The spokesman added: ‘All other aspects of his contract will remain unchanged while matters are resolved. We can make no further comment at this stage.’ Fox rose to fame as a radio DJ in the 1990s, but is perhaps best known as one of the judges on Pop Idol, a forerunner of The X Factor, alongside Simon Cowell , Pete Waterman and Nicki Chapman. The series ran on ITV from 2001 to 2003 and set the format of TV talent shows based on audience voting for the next decade. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Neil Fox, 53, was arrested at Magic FM studios in central London yesterday .
Father of three was questioned for seven hours over four alleged offences .
Three claims 'historical' and one is alleged to have taken place this year .
Police searched homes in Chelsea, south-west London, and West Sussex .
Fox is known as judge on Pop Idol with Simon Cowell and Pete Waterman . |
178,241 | 72c260e80d2aeff8f7af5231310b82a656456149 | By . James Black . PUBLISHED: . 05:20 EST, 28 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:16 EST, 28 December 2012 . Former show-girl turned Italian MP Nicole Minetti is seen here soaking up the heat in Miami, as she enjoys her Christmas break in the sun. The 26-year-old former girlfriend of Silvio Berlusconi has recently re-launched her fashion modelling career after being dragged into the playboy's most recent scandals. Berlusconi is now threatening a return to politics as he plans to run in the coming Italian elections hoping to gain office for a fourth time. Italian politician Nicole Minetti soaks up the sun on a beach in Miami . Ms Minetti dons a purple bikini and thong as she tops up her tan . The 26-year-old has recently re-launched her modelling career after being dragged into former boyfriend Berlusconi's sleaze scandal . Ms Minetti stands accused of procuring prostitutes for Berlusconi's infamous Bunga-Bunga parties . However, he faces yet more court cases surrounding the use of prostitutes at his so-called Bunga-Bunga parties. Bilingual Miss Minetti, whose mother Georgina Reed is from Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, treated Berlusconi's broken teeth after he was hit in the face with a statue at a rally in December 2009. Berlusconi invited her to become a politician and she was shortlisted for the upcoming elections which made her the victim of much criticism. At a fashion show in September Ms Minetti claimed that fashion and politics were the perfect mix . Friend Raffaella Zardo joined Minetti for her Christmas holiday in the sun . Minetti was appointed councillor of Lombardy despite having no political experience . Once describing Berlusconi as 'the love of her life' she recently told the Italian press that he no longer returns her calls . The former dental nurse recently posed for the Parah New Generation Catwalk show for the Milan Womens Fashion Week . Berlusconi subsequently appointed her a regional councillor in LombardyShe was also involved in the so-called Caso Ruby scandal and it was discovered that she owned four apartments which were occupied by showgirls. No stranger to headlines, in 2011 prosecutors asked for her to be charged with recruiting prostitutes for Berlusconi - a probe involving a teenage prostitute allegedly paid for sex by the controversial politician. Milan prosecutors are also investigating whether she improperly requested state reimbursements for €27,000 (£22,000) in spa treatments, hotels and dinners. Berlusconi stepped down in November 2011 amid an economic crisis and the growing row over his Bunga Bunga parties. Since then his Freedom People party has been damaged by repeated sleaze allegations which have toppled regional authorities in Lazio and Lombardy. Twenty-two regional councillors from the Freedom People and Northern League parties are being investigated over expenses on items including lottery scratch cards, bullets, cigarettes, takeaway pizzas and fireworks. Berlusconi now faces renewed allegations ahead of the coming elections in February. Nicole Minetti recently stated that she thought Slivio Berlusconi's new fiancee Francesca Pascale (right) would make an 'excellent first lady'. The 27-year-old former dancer is now being groomed as the wife of the playboy who is now hoping to run once more for Prime Minister. Miss Pascale, the daughter of a wedding photographer who grew up in Naples, began dancing for a kitsch show on Telecapri station when she was 14. She later left showbusiness, studied political science and became a provincial councillor for Mr Berlusconi’s centre-Right PdL party, but stepped down in July. Earlier this month the billionaire media mogul confirmed their relationship on television, calling her 'beautiful on the inside and the outside'. Miss Pascale is said to be friends with Mr Berlusconi’s daughter, Marina, who is chairman of Italy’s largest magazine publisher, Mondadori.Miss Pascale met Mr Berlusconi in 2004 when she was 19 and has proved a loyal political collaborator. | Italian MP Nicole Minetti soaks up the sun in Miami .
The 26-year old has recently re-launched her fashion modelling career . |
258,323 | da5d3f67010357ba7b1047512b9e9730c0e738b1 | Tarik Hassane is among five young men arrested on suspicion of terror offences . A Muslim medical student arrested during terror raids in London complained that incest and homosexuality in the UK was rife before being taken in by police, it has been reported. Tarik Hassane, 20, was among four young men arrested by Metropolitan Police this week as part of an ongoing investigation into terrorist offences. The group is thought to have been orchestrating the first UK-based Islamic extremist attack since the spread of ISIS. The medical student, who was studying in Sudan before returning to London this summer, shared his views on Islam on Twitter and by answering young Muslims' questions on an ask.fm page. On one occasion, he is believed to have said that jihadist fighters in Syria were 'fulfilling the greatest deed in Islam,' the Sunday Times reports. But in a separate response, he told followers he was 'not with ISIS'. 'I don't know about ISIS, I'm not with them and know barely anything about them.' Later he reveals he will not be waging jihad anytime soon and wants to make his parents 'happy'. Hassane is one of five friends arrested in west London last week as part of an ongoing investigation into terrorist offences. Yasir Mahmoud, Rawan Kheder, Gusai Abuzeid and a fifth man who cannot be named for legal reasons, were also taken into custody. The 20-year-old, who claims to be half Moroccan and half Saudi, was arrested following a tweet sent to his friends which read 'Oi lads... I smell war'. Police raided the flat Hassane lives in in London this week alongside those of his friends as part of an ongoing investigation into terrorism . The men all grew up in London with some thought to have attended Westminster City School. Hassane (left top) is pictured with fellow suspect Gusai Abuzeid (left). Rawan Kheder is pictured, right . It was claimed he had recently been in Syria and returned to the UK, though friends dispute the post was related to a suspected terrorist plot, insisting he is not a violent person. Following the men's arrest, Metropolitan Police were granted a warrant for further detention until October 14. All are thought to have attended Westminster City School for Boys and are UK nationals. Hassane's arrest sparked controversy online with thousands of Twitter users citing a #JusticeforTarik hashtag when he was detained. They claimed he was sharing a joke with friends when he wrote the post and not referring to ongoing tensions between extremist Muslims and the West. | Tarik Hassane reportedly made the comments online before arrest .
The 20-year-old was among five men arrested over terrorist offences .
Suspected of travelling to Syria from Sudan while studying medicine .
He came back to the UK recently where he grew up in London .
In separate posts he said he 'wasn't with ISIS' and 'didn't know about them'
Controversially arrested after writing on Twitter: 'Oi lads... I smell a war' |
272,946 | ed872c088ca1e052254ba9c5d0c9e32aa3e9ba76 | Crowds will once again flock inside the Colosseum, after the Italian government backed plans to rebuild the ancient amphitheatre's arena floor. Some 1,500 years after barbarians were devoured by wild beasts for the crowd's enjoyment, Dario Franceschini, the Italian culture minister, said that people should be able to 'enjoy monuments by bringing them to life'. Currently the labyrinthine corridors and cells for wild animals and slaves that were built under the arena lie exposed after excavations in the last couple of centuries. Scroll down for video . The Colosseum in Rome is to be used as an entertainment venue once again after the Italian government backed plans to rebuild the ancient amphitheatre's sandy arena . But 19th century photographs that reveal how the arena floor would have looked intact give visitors much more of a sense of where the fighting and executions took place, archeologists say. Mr Franceschini said the reconstructed arena where 35,000 watched fights, executions and animal hunts could be used for 'classical concerts, theatrical spectacles or productions of ancient plays', although he drew the lines at football matches. He told a press conference in Rome yesterday: 'I am convinced that with an intelligent reconstruction of the arena of the Colosseum, the symbol of this country, it could become much much more attractive.' 'Imagine the beauty of going up in the original lifts that could have carried gladiators up to the arena and seeing the Colosseum from the centre as they would have seen it.' The corridors and cells for wild animals and slaves that were once hidden under the arena floor are currently exposed after years of excavation . Archaeologist Daniele Manacorda, pictured, said the plan to replace the arena's long-disappeared floor is aimed at restoring the Colosseum to its original state so visitors can better appreciate its ancient splendor . 'We are not talking about Bayern v Roma, but if we choose classical music concerts, ancient plays, spectacles that have an enormous commercial value clearly in terms of the TV rights'. Earlier he tweeted images of plans by archeologist Professor Daniele Manacorda of Roma Tre adding: 'All it will take is a bit of courage.' Archaeologist Daniele Manacorda of Roma Tre university said his suggestion to replace the arena's long-disappeared floor is aimed at restoring the Colosseum to its original state so visitors can better appreciate its ancient splendor — not turning it into a heavily trafficked concert venue. 'It's the most normal idea in the world,' Manacorda said. Critics have feared the Colosseum would be turned into a venue for rock concerts, viewed as both unbefitting of its stature as an ancient wonder and likely to inflict damage to the structure already weakened by earthquakes, notably in 443 and most recently in the 1700s. Critics feared the Colosseum would be turned into a venue for rock concerts, viewed as both unbefitting of its stature as an ancient wonder and likely to inflict damage to the structure already weakened by earthquakes . Italian Culture minister Dario Franceschini said the reconstructed arena where 35,000 watched fights, executions and animal hunts could be used for 'classical concerts, theatrical spectacles or productions of ancient plays' Visitors entering the Colosseum today can look down into the stadium's labyrinthine belly to the rooms where bears and lions were once caged, and where gladiators prepared for mortal battle. Those utilitarian spaces were covered by the wooden floor of the arena itself during the nearly five centuries that the Colosseum functioned as a center of entertainment, with spectacles including exotic animal hunts and sea-battle re-enactments. Italians are not in principle against using their ancient monuments as backdrops for entertainment. Verona's Arena, a Roman amphitheater, attracts thousands each summer to its opera series, and performances are set regularly among the Baths of Caracalla in Rome. The Colosseum itself has housed occasional performances, and is visited every year by the pope during the Stations of the Cross. The Colosseum, however, enjoys a unique status as the most predominant symbol not only of Rome, but of Italy, making sensitive any discussion about altering the status quo. 'It is so important and bulky in its presence, that to transition it into a venue where you perform opera is beneath its dignity,' said Giorgio Croci, a structural engineer who is one of Italy's leading experts on the Colosseum. 'The image of the Colosseum needs to remain beyond that practical use. It needs to remain an icon, a point of reference with all its history and its past.' The Colosseum itself has housed occasional performances and is visited every year by the Pope during the Stations of the Cross . | Government backs plans to rebuild Colosseum's sandy arena floor .
Venue could be used for classical music concerts or ancient plays .
Critics fear damage to the structure already weakened by earthquakes . |
168,099 | 656a7a191fea9a00b13a794783aeb5d229580b80 | By . David Kent . Australia captain Michael Clarke has withdrawn from his Twenty20 commitments with the Sydney Thunder next winter due to a hectic international schedule. The Big Bash League takes place from mid-December until late January in Australia and clashes with Australia's Test series against India and the one-day triangular series featuring Clarke's men, India and England. Patriotic: Michael Clarke has decided to put his country before his club . Commitment: Australia coach Darren Lehmann (left) will be delighted with Michael Clarke's latest comments . The World Cup then comes hot on the heels of those events in February and Clarke has decided it would be best for the Thunder if he gave up his place in the squad. 'Having looked at the fixture list for the upcoming summer it became apparent that my opportunities to play for the Thunder would be extremely limited,' he told the club's official website. 'I think it is in the best interests of the club if I make myself unavailable for selection this season and allow the Thunder the chance to offer a contract to a younger player who would really benefit from the opportunity. 'I will continue to support the club and monitor the situation in future seasons regarding availability.' Valuable asset: Clarke will captain Australia for their matches against India and England . | Michael Clarke will miss the Sydney Thunder's winter fixtures .
Clarke will instead represent Australia in Test series against India . |
223,839 | add3eb18ff2b9eff3d2b30c03e597e85448a72a7 | Decades after the last concentration camps of the Second World War closed their doors, many guards who were in charge of overseeing them are now being tried for suspected war crimes. To secure convictions, prosecutors are using a mixture of testimonies and archived paperwork alongside modern techniques, including 3D modelling. One model of the iconic Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland could even reveal exactly how much the guards were aware of during their time at the death camps, although images of this are yet to be released to the public. A German prosecutor built a 3D virtual model of Auschwitz-Birkenau, stock image pictured, that model provides a 360-degree view of the concentration camp. It can be programmed to show what individual guards would have seen from watchtowers. This could be used to prove they were aware of deaths in the camp, for example . Officers from Queensland are using a . handheld 3D scanner to perfectly record computer models of indoor and . outdoor scenes of crime. Called . Zebedee, because of the way it moves like its namesake in The Magic . Roundabout, the scanner has previously been used to produce models of . famous landmarks and shipwrecks, yet this is the first time the . technology has been used to fight crime. Using Zebedee, also known as ZEB1, . police can now easily access these hard to reach places and map confined . spaces where it may be difficult to set up bulky camera equipment and . tripods. It also means less disturbance of the crime scene and scans can be uploaded in almost real-time. The surge in cases follows a landmark ruling in 2011 that set a precedent for guards to be tried for murders that happened during their watch, even if they weren’t individually involved in the deaths. John Demjanjuk, a former guard at the Sobibor camp in Poland, was convicted for being an accessory to the murder of 28,060 people who died during 1943. Up until then, cases required evidence linking suspects explicitly to specific killings. Many guards have previously claimed the camps were so large they couldn’t possibly have known what was going on in individual rooms and sections. While building a case into suspect Hans Lipschis, now 94, Stuttgart prosecutor Ralf Dietrich, used 3D modelling software to reconstruct Auschwitz and its outbuildings. The digital model can be used with online tours, pictured, of the the camp, as well as other information, including the years guards served, and any changes that were made to the layout of the camps . His model provides a 360-degree view of the camp and it can be set to show what was visible from individual watchtowers. Lipschis was a cook at Auschwitz and the model also reveals what was visible from the kitchen. ‘Many former guards say that they didn’t know anything because they couldn’t see from where they were serving,’ Dietrich told Melissa Eddy at the New York Times. ‘This allows us to go in and look at whether that is true. What could one see from a watchtower? Could you see the chimneys of the crematoria? Could you see smoke?’ The model can also be used with online virtual tours of the the camp, as well as other information, including the years guards served, and any changes that were made to the layout of the camps. In February, the case was dismissed due to the age of the defendant but Dietrich claims its model could be used in future cases. | A German prosecutor built a 3D virtual model of Auschwitz-Birkenau .
His model provides a 360° view of the concentration camp .
It can be set to show what guards would have seen from watchtowers .
This could be used to prove they knew about camp deaths, for example .
Cases have recently been opened into Nazi officers after a 2011 ruling meant prosecutors didn't need evidence linking guards to individual deaths . |
280,853 | f7d618dd266703026994fa941f8d4a814572c8a6 | Thousands of American Indians are now in line to receive part of a $3.4 billion settlement with the federal government, ending a long-running dispute over government mismanagement of tribal lands and accounts. After an initial agreement was outlined in 2009, Congress approved it in November 2010 and it spent the last two years going through an appeals process. It was finalized Saturday, with government officials announcing and touting it on Monday. "I welcome the final approval of the Cobell settlement agreement, clearing the way for reconciliation between the trust beneficiaries and the federal government," President Barack Obama said in a statement. The settlement is named after the late Elouise Cobell, a member of Montana's Blackfeet Indian tribe. The deal follows a class-action lawsuit, filed in 1996, which accused the U.S. Department of the Interior of failing to account for and provide revenue from a trust fund representing the value of Indian assets managed by the government. The missing funds at the center of the class-action case involve what are called Individual Indian Money accounts, which are supposed to represent the property of individual Indians. The accounts are held by the United States as trustee. The lawsuit had accused the government of failing to account for the money, failing to make proper payments, and converting tribal money for the government's own use. In making the announcement Monday, Obama remembered Cobell for "her honorable work." In 2009, she said that many represented in the class-action lawsuit "subsist in the direst poverty," and that the settlement is "significantly less than the full amount to which the Indians are owed." "It's not fair," Cobell said then of the long process to reach a settlement, but "in the future we may be treated more fairly." The agreement calls for $1.5 billion to be distributed among those who were part of the lawsuit. Another $1.9 billion will go into a "land consolidation program" that will allow people to sell fractions of land they own, which are slivers of once larger ancestral plots that have been divided and subdivided over generations. The group ownership of land by American Indians dates back more than 100 years, before American Indians were permitted to write wills. As a result, the government says many pieces of tribal lands are held by many owners -- possibly hundreds, if not thousands of people per parcel. Officials have said the project allows individual landowners to receive greater value for their share, while cutting administrative costs for the federal government, which manages the Indian land trust. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar said he hopes the agreement helps the government and American Indians turn the page on the ordeal. "With the settlement now final, we can put years of discord behind us and start a new chapter in our nation-to-nation relationship," he said. Who's a Native American? It's complicated . Opinion: Just say no to Indian dress-up . Crazy Horse memorial not done after 64 years . Activist Russell Means dies . | Thousands of American Indians sued the government for financial mismanagement .
Under the finalized settlement, $1.5 billion will be distributed among individuals .
Another $1.9 billion will go toward buying some Indians' slivers of land .
Obama says the settlement clears "the way for reconciliation" |
146,742 | 49c2f6ce8d056272f6c941190e846dc62ab0ef34 | (EW.com) -- When "Fast and Furious 7" opens in theaters in 2015, audiences can expect to see Paul Walker. The actor died in a car accident on November 30 before he finished filming the next installment of the popular action franchise. The tragedy not only was a devastating shock to the production, a creative team that prides itself on its sense of family, but it put in doubt whether the new film could be completed at all. Gone Too Fast 1973-2013 . Universal quickly shut down production — which was approximately halfway done — and postponed its summer 2014 release date while it reconsidered its options. Would Walker's character be removed from the film and the script rewritten? Could his scenes be saved by filming additional footage with a double or CG effects? That remains unclear, but over the weekend, Vin Diesel took to his Facebook page to inform fans that "Fast and Furious 7" will now open April 10, 2015. Universal followed with an official statement that confirmed that Walker still would be part of the picture. Paul Walker death shatters 'Fast and Furious' car fantasy . "Continuing the global exploits in the franchise built on speed, Vin Diesel and Paul Walker lead the returning cast of Fast and Furious 7, which will be released by Universal Pictures on April 10, 2015. James Wan directs this chapter of the hugely successful series, and Neal H. Moritz and Vin Diesel return as producers." See the original story at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2011 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | Fans can expect to see the late Paul Walker in "Fast & Furious 7"
Studio has confirmed that the actor will still be a part of the picture .
The actor died in a car accident before he finished filming the project .
The tragedy put in doubt whether the film could be completed at all . |
179,656 | 749dcc3d68c909ccf74fa8ab459db64ce8575cd4 | By . Mark Duell . The great leader certainly left his mark on this vehicle, which was specially modified with a heated footwell, an extra-wide passenger seat and a wooden box believed to be for his bricklaying tools. Now the 1954 Series 1 Land Rover which was custom built for Sir Winston Churchill's 80th birthday has sold at auction in Sutton, Cambridgeshire, for £129,000 - more than twice its estimate. The model - which was first registered as UKE 80 in the name of the ‘Rt Hon Sir Winston Spencer Churchill KG. OM. CH. MP. Chartwell, Westerham, Kent’ - has less than 13,000 miles on the clock. Present: The 1954 Series 1 Land Rover was custom built for Sir Winston Churchill's 80th birthday . Working fine: The Land Rover is in good condition today and has less than 13,000 miles on the clock . It was modified so the former British . prime minister could be chauffeur-driven around his sprawling 300-acre . Chartwell estate, and was sold with the original logbook . registering it to him. The vehicle, which had been expected . to fetch only £60,000 at the Cheffins auction, was sold for just £160 by . Churchill’s relatives more than five years after his death in 1965 aged 90. It had been presented to Churchill as . an 80th birthday present in 1954 by Rover, and was registered ‘UKE 80’ just three days later, with the 'UKE' thought to refer to the 'United . Kingdom Empire'. The manufacturers also added a padded . fold-down arm rest in place of the eight-inch wide middle seat, and a . leather-clad grab handle was fitted to the bulkhead. Provenance: The logbook shows the name and address of Sir Winston Churchill in Chartwell, Kent . Inside: The Land Rover was fitted with an extra-wide passenger seat to accommodate the prime minister . Churchill retired from politics in . 1955 and it was later passed onto his son-in-law, the politician Christopher Soames, before it was sold off in a farm sale in . the early 1970s for £160. The vehicle was bought by a Norman . Mills, who asked his friend Frank Quay to help transport it. But when Mr . Quay found Churchill’s name in the logbook, he immediately bought it . for double the price. However it was used to tow the . Quay family’s horse box before they put it away for storage - aware of . its fascinating history - and it had been kept in a shed in Kent since . 1977. Mr Quay believed Churchill used the . wooden box, fitted into the pick-up bed, for storing a trowel . and mortar so he could indulge in his hobby for bricklaying whenever it . suited him. Churchill became prime minister during . World War Two in May 1940 and helped inspire the nation to victory, . before losing power in 1945. He was prime minister for a second time from 1951 to 1955. | 1954 Series 1 'UKE 80' Land Rover has got less than 13,000 miles on clock .
It was used by previous owner to tow horse box before being stored in shed .
Former PM was chauffeur-driven around 300 acre Chartwell Estate in Kent .
Sold for more than double its estimate at auction in Sutton, Cambridgeshire . |
261,177 | de41e158f2791004c8a9dc247495e96d575126ce | (CNN) -- Juventus took an important step towards retaining the Serie A title with a battling 1-1 draw at the Stadio San Paolo of nearest rivals Napoli Friday. Negotiating the testing away fixture with honors even left Juve six points clear of Napoli at the top with just 11 games remaining. The league leaders had to put an ugly pre-match incident behind them, with Italian news agency ANSA reporting that a window in their team bus was broken by a missile as they traveled to the ground. Nobody was injured in acts described on Italy's Sky TV by Juve general director Guiseppe Marotta as "deplorable and with little to do with sport." The game itself started at a frantic pace with the visitors taking the lead after just 10 minutes as Giorgio Chiellini headed home. He had been recalled to the starting line-up and connected with an Andrea Pirlo left wing cross to score. Juve might have added to their advantage while Napoli's leading scorer Edinson Cavani continued his lean spell -- failing to net in his last seven matches. However, Napoli did level just before the break as Gokhan Inler's fierce shot deflected past Gianluigi Buffon. The visiting keeper had to save smartly from Marek Hamsik at the start of the second half as Napoli pushed for the winner. Another Hamsik effort was parried out to Blerim Dzemaili, but the Swiss international wasted the chance. There was still time for Inler to test Buffon again, but Juventus hang on for a valuable draw. Antonio Conte's men will now look to secure their place in the quarterfinals of the Champions League, entertaining Scotland's Celtic in midweek and leading 3-1 from the first leg. But Conte played down premature talk of the Italian championship being wrapped up. "The title is far away, we are six points in front which is a good advantage . "But there are another 33 available and don't forget we still have to play Milan, Inter and Catania," he told AFP. | Juventus hold Napoli to a 1-1 draw at Stadio San Paolo .
Draw leaves Juventus six points clear of their rivals at the top of Serie A .
Giorgio Chiellini put Juve ahead in the 10th minute .
Juventus team coach pelted with missiles on the way to the ground . |
286,448 | ff267187f5e71fbeea8ce3adf08c7374120c2212 | By . Amanda Jones . and Emma Innes . Amanda Jones, 71, lost her 33-year-old daughter, Rebecca James, to breast cancer 11 years ago. Since then Mrs Jones has been tirelessly campaigning to raise awareness of the disease. She regularly visits prisons and other women’s institutions to educate people about the signs of breast cancer. Mrs Jones, from Camberley, in Surrey, has also raised more than £200,000 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer. Now, as Mothers’ Day approaches, the retired radiographer pays tribute to her daughter. Amanda Jones (left) lost her daughter, Rebecca James (right) to breast cancer when Rebecca was 33 . ‘Happy Mummy's Day! This is my best card of a horse EVER for you!’ Small, round, auburn haired, little red wellies on her feet and my riding hat jammed on her head, my youngest child, Rebecca - Becs - competed noisily with her elder sister and brother in the giving of cards and receiving of cuddles. It would be the same picture being enacted all over the country on that special day - and every Mother’s Day since - precious memories of love and laughter. Becs was born, two weeks late, on June 7, 1969. I'd spent some time in hospital during the pregnancy, due to a threatened miscarriage, so she arrived with determination to get on with life, against the odds. And that's how her character continued to develop - always holding her own with her siblings, Camilla and Dominic, while they made a formidable, loyal and loving trio. She made her way through nursery, primary and secondary schools, making great friends while not overdoing the academic side of life! Mrs James found a lump in her breast when she was just 32 and was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had surgery to remove the lump as well as chemotherapy but the cancer returned and spread to her liver . Mrs James (left) died just 11 months after her initial breast cancer diagnosis. She is pictured with her mother, Amanda Jones, and sister, Camilla . She played first the violin, and then the French horn. She was in the school orchestra and she indulged the dramatic side of her nature in the annual musical - she was always an entertainer, fun-loving, outgoing and simply so loving. Rather reluctantly, she went off to college, in the same city where Camilla and Dominic were studying, and it was much later that I heard about the rescues of Becs that the two of them had carried out, retrieving her from less than salubrious situations and returning her to her rooms. Her social life definitely took precedence over her studies! Source: Breakthrough Breast Cancer . After a year at college, she went off to . France to spend the summer working for Canvas Holidays and there the . course of her life changed. She went to a camp site outside Nice for the season, with the intention of returning in October. But, as the date approached, she spoke more and more about the son of the campsite owners, with whom she'd been working all summer. And that was how, at 19, she found her soul mate, Christian, and France became her home. We, the family, spent so much time with them throughout the years - weeks of such joy, in the sunshine of the south of France, where her auburn hair turned golden and she became our Rayon de Soleil, our Golden Girl. Just after her 32nd birthday, she rang to say she'd found a lump in her breast and was having it removed the next day. Christian phoned, so distressed, from the hospital to say it was cancer and we went over at once to be with them both. When I look back on that fateful call now, I remember all the hope and optimism and determination they both showed, giving us the example we so needed. Becs received the very best treatment from that day on from specialists who would never give up THEIR hope for her. During her first course of chemotherapy, a further lump was found in her breast and then she had a mastectomy, something that the surgeons had hoped not to have to perform on someone so young and so beautiful. Since her daughter's death, Mrs Jones has campaigned to raise awareness of the signs of breast cancer. She is pictured (left) with her children - Camilla (centre), Rebecca (second from right) and Dominic (right) - and her daughter-in-law, Joanna . Mrs Jones said: 'I saw my darling daughter draw on reserves of courage and strength that, to us, were superhuman.' Her children (including Rebecca, right) are pictured the last time Rebecca was able to go outside . On New Year's Eve, 2002, we were all in the mountains above Nice, Becs with no hair, dancing on the table and so full of joie de vivre, so full of courage and optimism. In March of 2003, it was found that Becs had developed secondaries in her liver. From then on, I saw my darling daughter draw on reserves of courage and strength that, to us, were superhuman. She never stopped thinking of others, even when so exhausted. The love that she and Christian had for each other, 14 years after they first met, had such an effect on us all through those last few weeks. On May 27, 2003, just eleven months after she was diagnosed with breast cancer and at the age of 33, Becs died peacefully, with Christian and all the family beside her. It was such a privilege to be with her at that moment. Mrs Jones (pictured with her three children) wrote: 'I know that she is with us all forever, inspiring US to live life to the full and giving us HER courage when we tire and HER laughter when tears are too close' As I had brought her into the world, so I was with her as she left her all too short life, leaving me with the gift of unconditional love that she gave me and the inspiration of her courage. She left so much undying love for her sister and brother and, for us all, the memories of her living life to the full, from the moment she and I shared her birth through her years with us, so full of love, fun and laughter. I miss her desperately every single day, I hear her voice saying ‘Hi, it's me’ on the phone, I see her swimming with Christian in the warm Mediterranean waters and I know that she is with us all forever, inspiring US to live life to the full and giving us HER courage when we tire and HER laughter when tears are too close. On Mother’s Day, I shall think, as always, how endlessly blessed I am to have three deeply loved, amazing, supportive children, even though the youngest of them is now just out of reach, ‘just down the road’, as Becs used to say, but whose presence fills my heart every moment. For more information about breast cancer, visit the Breakthrough Breast Cancer website. | As Mother's Day approaches, Amanda Jones pays tribute to Rebecca James .
Miss James found a lump in her breast when she was just 32 years old .
Was diagnosed with breast cancer and had surgery to remove the tumour .
During chemotherapy another lump was found in her breast .
She had a mastectomy but developed secondary tumours in her liver .
She died when she was 33 - just 11 months after her initial diagnosis .
Her mother now campaigns tirelessly to raise awareness of breast cancer . |
48,840 | 89ded46b81941c9241c21cf626b40b36ba43fc2f | By . Corey Charlton . and Mark Duell . Found: Jemima Reade, 16, was being taken to school by her mother when she spotted her brothers in a field. She got out of the car and did not return . Three teenage siblings who went missing from their home were last night found safe and well. The last sighting of the group together had been at a shopping centre on the same day the eldest, Jemima Reade, 16, disappeared. Ben Reade, 15, and his brother James Reade, 14, left their home in Guestling, near Hastings, East Sussex, on Thursday evening last week. The next morning their sister Jemima was being taken to school by her foster mother when they saw her two brothers in a field in the same area. Jemima then got out of the car but did not return. The last sighting of them together was at around 4pm that day in the Priory Meadow Shopping Centre in the town centre of Hastings. But Sergeant Jane Batcheler of Sussex Police said on Twitter just after 9pm yesterday: ‘The three missing teenagers have been found safe and well. Big thanks to everyone who called in with information.’ Before the teenagers were found in Hastings town centre yesterday, Sergeant Simon Barden had said the force was ‘becoming increasingly worried about their welfare’. The sergeant added that they had been seen in Rye, Winchelsea and Hastings - which are within a 12-mile stretch along the East Sussex coast - and police believed they were still in the area. He described Ben as 6ft, slim build, with short brown hair. He was last seen wearing a quilted black jacket, dark jeans and bright green trainers. Siblings: 14-year-old James Reade (left) and his 15-year-old brother Ben Reade (right). The two, along with their sister, had not been spotted together since Friday afternoon until last night . Spotted: Before they were found yesterday, the last sighting of the siblings together was at around 4pm on Friday in the Priory Meadow Shopping Centre in Hastings (pictured) James was described as also about 6ft, . slim, with short brown hair. When he disappeared he was wearing black . and dark grey patterned fleece, jeans or jogging bottoms and grey . trainers. Jemima is 5ft . 7in, with shoulder length light brown hair. She was wearing a dark blue . hooded top with white and orange writing on the front, jeans and blue . plimsolls. A Sussex Police spokesman said today: ‘Three siblings who had gone missing from their home in Hastings were found safe and well on Monday night. 'Ben and James Reade, who are 15 and 14, went missing on Thursday and their sister Jemima, 16, who went missing the following morning were located in Hastings. The public and media are thanked for their assistance.' | James Reade, 14, and Ben Reade, 15, had disappeared last Thursday .
Jemima, 16, then vanished after she spotted her two brothers in a field .
But the siblings, from East Sussex, were found last night safe and well .
Police sergeant: 'Big thanks to everyone who called in with information' |
97,602 | 09a2f280737599fe13d38d074d342ad7f9ac94f7 | By . Mark Prigg . Ebay did not tell customers about the cyber attack that compromised the details of 145 million users immediately because it thought the customer data was safe, the site's boss has revealed. The auction site initially believed that customer data was safe as forensic investigators reviewed a network security breach discovered in early May, global marketplaces chief Devin Wenig has revealed. He declined to say when the company first realized customer data was involved or how many days it took them to prepare Wednesday's public announcement about the massive breach in which hackers accessed data belonging to all 145 million eBay users. Scroll down for video . Ebay initially believed that customer data was safe as forensic investigators reviewed a network security breach discovered in early May, its boss has revealed. The eBay database was hacked between late February and early March. It gave hackers access to encrypted passwords and other non-financial data. This included eBay customers' name, encrypted password, email address, home address, phone number and date of birth. However, the database did not contain financial information or other confidential personal data. Cyber attackers accessed the information after obtaining ‘a small number of employee login credentials’. The online market place added that it had no evidence of there being unauthorised activity on its members' accounts. But security experts are warning hackers could still use personal details to commit identity fraud. eBay became aware of the hack a fortnight ago but is still unsure exactly how it happened. It is unclear why it has taken eBay so long to make users aware of breach.'When we found out that there was, we moved swiftly to disclose,' he added. 'For a very long period of time we did not believe that there was any eBay customer data compromised,' Wenig tole Reuters in the first comments by senior executives since the company disclosed the breach this week. 'When we found out that there was, we moved swiftly to disclose,' he added. The auction site has been blasted for an 'inexcusable delay' in taking action after it was revealed that its servers were hacked three months ago - compromising the personal details of 15 million British users. The email, home . addresses, passwords, phone numbers and birth dates of every eBay . account holder - 145 million worldwide - are now in the hands of the hackers. The company has told users to urgently change their passwords amid the biggest criminal raid ever carried out . online. It has been revealed that hackers accessed eBay databases by using the accounts of company employees as long ago as February. MPs have rounded on the American company for the 'inexcusable delay' in informing its customers. Keith Vaz, the chairman of the Commons home affairs select committee, told the Telegraph: 'We . have urged companies to take much more seriously the threat of hacking. It is inexcusable that a company as important as eBay has failed to . inform its customers immediately that this has occurred. We need a full . explanation. 'We will be writing to them to ask how this happened and whether this problem has been resolved.' In a statement on their website, the . US auction site said it was asking all its users to reset their . passwords after an attack ‘compromised a database containing encrypted . passwords and other non-financial data’. Often consumers use their eBay . password for a host of other websites, including their banks, so they . may also need to make changes to these to protect their accounts from . being hijacked. Paul . Martini, the chief executive at iboss Network Security, said that the . online auction site was the 'golden goose of hacking targets' due to . the sheer amount of information which is held. He . said that the damage could have already been done and warned that while . hackers may not be taking money or goods out of eBay - they may be . using personal information to target other sites. An eBay spokesman said: . 'We discovered unauthorised access to our corporate network earlier in . May and immediately began a forensic investigation which discovered this . issue leading to yesterday’s announcement. The auction site added that it had no evidence of there being unauthorised activity on its members' accounts. But security experts are warning hackers could still use personal details to commit identity fraud . 'eBay is a global marketplace and this thorough investigation worked as quickly as possible.' The company . owns and runs the internet payment system PayPal, but claimed that this . was not involved in the raid, saying: ‘PayPal data is stored separately . on a secure network, and all PayPal financial information is . encrypted.’ The firm has . 145million active users and accounted for £126billion worth of commerce . in 2013. A spokesman added: . ‘Working with law enforcement and security experts, the company is . aggressively investigating the matter and applying the best forensics . tools and practices to protect customers. ‘Information . security and customer data protection are of paramount importance to . eBay Inc, and eBay regrets any inconvenience or concern that this . password reset may cause our customers.’ The cyber attack was made between late February and early March, giving hackers access to eBay customers' name, encrypted password, email address, physical address, phone number and date of birth. The firm said it will be emailing users later today to inform them of the breach . ‘Our customers are our highest priority; and to . ensure they continue to have a safe, secure and trusted experience on . eBay, we will be asking all users to change their passwords. ‘There is no evidence that any financial information was accessed or compromised; but we are taking every precaution.’ But . Graham Cluley, independent security expert, said: ‘Obviously they’ve got . hold of names, addresses and dates of birth. All of this can be used to . commit identity fraud. ‘If . they have your password, and you have the same password for other . websites, hackers could access your email, your Amazon account and who . knows what else.’ And . internet security expert Paul Martini said: ‘eBay users must act and . follow the advice to change their passwords. But the damage could have . already been done, as the time lag is months between the cyber breach . and the discovery of the breach. ‘It . could well have been viewed as the golden goose of hacking targets. Its . popularity means that it holds personal details, making its a potential . gold mine.’ He added: . ‘Cyberhackers may not hit the obvious target of siphoning money or goods . out of eBay; they may take the personal information gained from the . database and target other popular sites.’ The . internet is still recovering from the Heartbleed bug, a flaw in the . OpenSSL encryption on computers that protects user information when . someone is online. The flaw . had been present for two years undetected, and offered hackers a way . into personal accounts across the web. UK parenting website Mumsnet was . the first to admit they had been a victim of the bug. Fixes, or . ‘patches’, have since been applied across the web as sites recover from . the breach in security. What personal details were stolen? Hackers gained access to eBay customers' names, encrypted passwords, email addresses, physical addresses, phone numbers and dates of birth. It is unclear whether all, or any, of the details were taken but security experts are warning people to assume the worst. Are my credit cards details safe? The firm said that the infiltrated part of the network did not contain any financial details, so in theory, yes. Will changing my password solve the problem? Changing passwords will stop hackers from being able to use any login details that were stolen. However, they could still use names, addresses and birth dates to commit identity fraud. It’s a good idea to change passwords following any attack such as this. It’s also important to update login details on any sites that use the same password. If a hacker has your password and email address they could use it to attempt to access other sites that use the same combination. As a rule, the same password should never be used across different sites. Should I change my PayPal password as well? PayPal, which owns eBay, has confirmed its accounts and customers have not been affected by this cyber attack. However, as a matter of course, it’s good practice to change all related passwords across different sites, including PayPal. Which countries are affected? At the moment, we can assume that all eBay customers worldwide will be affected by this breach, until eBay says otherwise. Is this hack a result of the Heartbleed bug? When Heartbleed was exposed, eBay announced its customer’s account were secure and had not been affected. This suggests the latest hack is a separate attack. How did hackers steal the information? It is unclear how the hackers got hold of the information but eBay said it is working with forensic teams to get an answer to this question. Why did it take so long for eBay to inform customers of the breach? MailOnline has contacted eBay for an answer to this question. It is unclear what caused the delay. Typically, following cyber attacks, a firm will investigate the breach to try and determine how many people are affected, and the severity of the attack, before issuing advice. | Attack made between February and March and affects 145 million users .
Hackers infiltrated the corporate network after stealing employee .
logins .
This gave hackers access to eBay customers' name, .
encrypted password, email address, home address, phone number and .
date of birth .
Firm said there is no evidence to suggest PayPal accounts were affected .
But security experts are warning hackers could still use personal details to commit identity fraud - even after the password has been changed . |
70,667 | c85c540b0086770f5d92c72f86f220555fb6d087 | Socialite Lady Victoria Hervey has sparked fury for tweeting a picture of bruising she suffered on a bobsleigh and claiming she was rocking the 'battered housewife look'. The photo shows her posing in front of a bathroom mirror and revealing bruising on the underside of her arm which she sustained while training for the upcoming series of reality TV show The Jump. In the caption underneath the photo, the 38-year-old wrote: 'Rocking the battered housewife look. New war wounds from bobsleigh, can we please get an arnica sponsor asap!' But her apparent suggestion the bruising was comparable to injuries suffered by victims of domestic violence has been branded 'vile'. Lady Victoria Hervey's photo caused anger after she compared the bruising on her arm to injuries suffered by 'battered' housewives . The socialite posted the image and claimed the bruising was caused while training for TV show The Jump . One Twitter user said Lady Victoria's pictured and accompanying comment disgusted her . Victims counsellor Kel Ashley said: 'It's just the sort of comment I'd expect the privileged elite to come out with,' The Mirror reported. She added: 'No one "rocks the battered wife look". They endure being a being a battered wife and hope it never happens to them again.' It also provoked anger online, with one Twitter user writing that it proved how 'utterly trivially' domestic violence was treated. They added: 'It needs to change. It's not a joke. Ever.' Training for the second season of Channel 4's The Jump is currently taking place in Austria, with celebrities including Joey Essex, Ashley Roberts and Mike Tindall competing across a range of winter sports. Lady Victoria has previously tweeted about the rough and tumble required for the series - on January 7, she wrote: 'Feeling really beaten up from the skeleton. Wrist and ankle. Can't wait till that bit is over. #TheJump #Innsbruck.' Nor is it the first time contestants on the show have been injured - Sally Bercow and Ola Jordan were both replaced after sustaining injuries. Bercow, 45, was forced to pull out after breaking two ribs while training in Austria, while Jordan, 32, suffered a serious leg injury. MailOnline has requested comment from Lady Victoria's publicist. Lady Victoria Hervey, pictured left in Austria for The Jump with her pet D'Artagnan, has previously claimed to have suffered knocks and bruises while training for the show. On the right is a selfie she tweeted in which she said she was 'feeling really beaten up from the skeleton' Lady Victoria also hit the headlines last week after she revealed the extraordinary request made to ensure she remains relaxed during The Jump – she insisted that producers pay for her new puppy to be flown out to be with her wherever the show is filmed. Her six-month-old Norfolk terrier, D’Artagnan, will go back and forth from Los Angeles, where she lives, to Britain, Germany and Austria, covering 17,500 miles. She said: ‘That was part of the agreement. I got it in my contract. The training is very difficult, so when we have had a long day he acts as a bit of a stress reliever for everyone.’ Lady Victoria had just bought the puppy in October from a breeder in Stafford when she was approached for the series. She was so anxious about leaving him that she asked for a special contract clause guaranteeing his air travel costs would be covered. Before Christmas, he flew with her from London to LA, at a cost of £1,000, for two weeks. Then he flew back to join Lady Victoria for training at an indoor ski slope in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire. | Lady Victoria Hervey posted a bathroom mirror selfie of bruise on Twitter .
In the caption, she claimed the injury was a 'battered housewife look'
Her comment has sparked fury among anti-domestic abuse campaigners .
She sustained the injury while training for TV show The Jump in Austria . |
131,599 | 362876bb36b9158206bddf4b78286105a5981c8c | Golf players just keep getting younger. First there was Guan Tianlang, who at the tender age of 13 became the youngest player to participate in a European Tour event. But this May, a Chinese 12 year-old will eclipse Guan's record to become the European Tour's youngest ever golfer. From the city of Dongguan, Ye Wocheng finished two under par at the Western China qualifier to earn one of the three spots on offer for the China Open -- the tournament where Guan made his European Tour debut in April 2012. Now 14, Guan will become the youngest player to compete in the Masters when he takes to the course at Augusta next month. Competing as an amateur, Guan finished tied for 150th at last year's China Open event, which was won by South Africa's Branden Grace. Ye, whose father caddied for him, shot a four-under-par opening round of 68 on Tuesday to put himself in contention before pulling clear of the field over the front nine on Wednesday. Four birdies saw him head to the turn on seven under, but Ye collapsed at the par five 16th where he dropped three strokes. But the 12-year-old had done enough to ensure he finished third on the leaderboard behind joint winners Li Xinyang and Jin Da Xing. Should Ye do the unthinkable and win the China Open, which will take place at the Binhai Lake Golf Club, he would assume Matteo Manassero's mantel as the youngest ever winner on the European Tour. Italy's Manassero won the 2010 Castello Masters at the age of 17 years and 188 days. | A 12-year-old Chinese golfer will become youngest European Tour player .
Ye Wocheng finished third at a qualifier for May's China Open .
Guan Tianlang will become the youngest player in Masters history .
The 14 year-old played at last year's China Open . |
196,230 | 89f29bb6a10852f3e8481958b0109078c5ccc5e7 | Abidjan, Ivory Coast (CNN) -- The U.S. Embassy consular section in Abidjan may reopen Monday, but it initially will provide limited services, according to the State Department. The department continues to warn American citizens against traveling to Ivory Coast despite the arrest of former President Laurent Gbagbo, who defied calls to step down after an electoral commission declared he lost a presidential election in November to Alassane Ouattara. A violent power struggle followed the standoff, with supporters loyal to both sides taking to the streets in protests since December. Hundreds have been killed, according to the United Nations and the International Committee of the Red Cross. Ouattara has been recognized internationally as the legitimate winner. "Contacting the Consular Section before making a visit would be prudent under the circumstances," the State Department said in a statement Thursday. "We need to reiterate that because of the conditions in the country, the Embassy has severely diminished capacity to assist U.S. citizens and that in the event of a temporary flare-up in violence sheltering in place is often your best option." The statement claims there are continued reports of lawlessness in various neighborhoods of Abidjan, the nation's largest city and commercial center. | Consular section expected to reopen on or about Monday .
State Department continues to warn against travel to Ivory Coast .
Statement indicates there are continued reports of lawlessness in Abidjan . |
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