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65,304 | b97130ea07a4a8b4cf7d41ff75071f2d86065967 | (LifeWire) -- Older woman seduces younger man. Sound familiar? It's a scene from the 1967 coming-of-age classic "The Graduate." Actress Demi Moore is 15 years older than her husband, actor Ashton Kutcher. But high-profile Hollywood couples like Susan Sarandon and Tim Robbins (12 years her junior) -- who met and began dating while filming an on-screen romance in the 1988 movie "Bull Durham" -- have proven that life can indeed imitate art when it comes to matters of the heart. Theirs, however, is a real-life love story of an older woman and younger man -- something that is not so uncommon nowadays. A 2003 study by AARP revealed that 34 percent of all women over 40 in the survey were dating younger men, and 35 percent preferred it to dating older men. "Societal attitudes have definitely changed," says Susan Winter, 52, co-author of "Older Women, Younger Men: New Options for Love and Romance" -- and she would know. At age 40, she was dating a 19-year-old. "We had to break it off. Quite frankly, his mother made it so impossible," Winter says of the six-year relationship, which inspired her book. "But (that kind of discrimination) would not be allowable now." Hollywood in particular has defied the ageism stereotype, with celebrities like Madonna and Demi Moore marrying significantly younger men (a 10- and 15-year age gap, respectively, with director Guy Ritchie and actor Ashton Kutcher), and the public has come to accept it. See photos of some famous May-December couples » . Moreover, says Winter, women have experienced a significant financial and status shift over the past half-century. "When women as a group are able to have their own economic and social standing and have a power base, they are now able to pick the man that they want rather than having to choose the man to support them and give them social status," Winter explains. "Now we have choices." But these relationships aren't always portrayed in a positive light. Terms like "cougar" (slang for an older woman seeking a younger man) depict the woman as a predator, rather than an empowered, independent and loving person. NBC aired a reality dating show this summer -- "Age of Love" -- that pitted women in their 20s against women in their 40s in a battle for the heart of tennis star Mark Philippoussis. Meanwhile, online dating sites like GoCougar.com urge older women who seek younger men to "get what you want." Such pairings can and do work. Mary Pender, 37, a high school special education teacher in Huntington Beach, California, connected with a truck driver seven years her junior who she met on an online dating site. Though she'd always dated older men before, she "thought it was exciting to date someone younger" -- and, as it turned out, he thought it'd be just as exciting a match. "He thinks it's cool that I am comfortable in my sexuality," says Pender. "He likes that I am secure in our relationship and I have my own things to do without him." Indeed, the idea of dating an older woman is titillating for some younger guys. Jeremy Abelson, a self-styled dating impresario who organized the Natural Selection Speed Date event that paired wealthy bachelors with beautiful women this past February in New York City, can see the appeal. "Any young guy who has seen (the movie) 'American Pie' can basically say he was right there with the Asian guy and the white guy as they were cheering ... for Stifler's mom," says Abelson, 27. "I was basically standing there cheering with them. And I think that's a very common fantasy for young men." The potential issues between such May-December couples are the same ones that challenge the longevity of any relationship: different long-term priorities and emotional temperament. "He's not thinking about kids and marriage," says Pender of her boyfriend, "and he bugs me when I forget to dye my gray roots." If you can work through these issues, the adage holds true: Age ain't nothing but a number. "When I finally found out how much younger he was, I was a little shocked," says Kimberly Schmitz, a 34-year-old communications and public relations director in Tucson, Arizona, of her now-fiancé, Bobby Kern, 25, owner of a feed store and pet food distribution company in the same city. "(But) he is such an amazing man that I decided to let his actions speak more than his statistics. I was right. He is the most mature and sensitive man I have ever dated." For Kern, the attraction is mutual. "There was no fear in dating an older woman," he says. "I prefer to date older women, and for some reason I always have, even in high school. It seems that they are easier to get along with -- there is, for the most part, no drama. Older women know what they want, they usually are in a career, are financially secure and not looking for a man to take care of them." E-mail to a friend . LifeWire provides original and syndicated lifestyle content to Web publishers. Jocelyn Voo is a freelance journalist and relationships editor at the New York Post. | Study: 34 percent of all women over 40 in the survey were dating younger men .
Hollywood in particular has defied the ageism stereotype .
Madonna and Demi Moore have both married significantly younger men . |
28,915 | 520c0b4b73cfd2860f1fed2f207e859ea8bbb646 | By . Stephanie Linning . A drugs smuggler linked to an international network which used specially adapted clothing to smuggle heroin has been jailed for 16 years. Tahir Mahmood, 53, was jailed at Birmingham Crown Court after pleading guilty to five drug-related offences at an earlier hearing. Judge James Burbidge QC also jailed his 'right-hand man', Anwar Bashir, 43, for 15 years. Bashir, of Bradford, West Yorkshire, was found guilty of three offences. Jailed: Anwar Bashir (left) was sentenced to 15 years and Tahir Mahmood (right) was sentenced to 16 years. They were linked to an international drug trafficking network which used adapted clothing to smuggle heroin . Smugglers: A body suit that was worn by a drug mule linked to the two men. The suit, which was worn under clothes, is made up of a series of concealed compartments in which drugs could be stored . Concealed: Packets of heroin were tied into concealed pockets lining a specially-designed body suit. On one occasion a drug mule was picked up wearing a body suit that contained 87 packets of heroin . The court heard how the group smuggled large quantities of heroin from Pakistan into the UK using a network that passed through Dubai and a number of European countries. They used sophisticated concealed compartments and pockets within suitcases, books and specially-adapted clothing to hide heroin from customs officials. The National Crime Agency (NCA) said . Mahmood, of Stourbridge, West Midlands, was in charge of multiple . couriers - people who traffic drugs - based in Spain. Prosecutor Timothy Hannam told the court that Mahmood played a 'leading role - directing and leading on a commercial scale' with the aim of 'substantial financial gain' while Bashir was his 'right-hand man'. The court heard the offences took place between September 2011 and January 2012. The network’s activities spanned the UK, to the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Spain, Dubai and Pakistan. On one . occasion, Mahmood and Bashir met a drugs mule at Birmingham Airport who . was wearing a body suit stuffed with heroin under his clothes. The body . suit contained 87 packages of heroin, the court heard. CCTV . footage captured Bashir and Mahmood putting him into a taxi at the . airport. The taxi was later stopped by police and the man was arrested. Specially-crafted: The men also used suitcases with hidden compartments to traffic drugs. The network's activities spanned the globe - from the UK, the Netherlands, Germany, Austria, Spain to Dubai and Pakistan . On another occasion, heroin was found in a concealed compartment in a suitcase taken off a carousel at Birmingham Airport. Mahmood admitted three counts of assisting or inducing the commission of an offence abroad and two counts of trafficking. Bashir was convicted of two counts of assisting or inducing the commission of an offence abroad, and one count of trafficking. Sentencing . the pair today, the Judge Burbidge said: 'When heroin is placed on the . streets of Europe and England it creates misery to many. You wanted to . make money out of that. That was your aim.' Deception: The network used books like this one that had been hollowed out to conceal heroin from customs officials. Sentencing the pair, the judge said the drug 'creates misery to many' He added: 'You both expected substantial financial gain.' NCA Branch Commander Paul Risby said: 'We proved Mahmood and Bashir were linked to seizures totalling 46 kilos but I believe the network dismantled could have been responsible for many more importations - bringing misery, harm and violence to communities in Birmingham, Bradford and other cities. 'Tackling the supply of drugs on a global level and protecting our borders are priorities for the NCA and its partners. 'These two men are now behind bars where they belong.' Five couriers linked to the gang were prosecuted separately and received sentences ranging from five to 12 years. The NCA operation was supported by the Crown Prosecution Service’s Organised Crime Division, West Midlands Police, the Spanish Guardia Civil and other international law enforcement agencies. | Tahir Mahmood, 53, was jailed for 16 years after pleading guilty to five drug-related offences .
His 'right-hand man', Anwar Bashir, was found guilty of three offences and jailed for 15 years .
They were linked to an international network that smuggled drugs into UK .
Heroin was concealed in specially designed body suits, books and suitcases .
The pair were linked to drug seizures that totalled 46 kilograms . |
83,912 | edfed95a9b9e44f99767956da7cfd8831072db39 | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 07:30 EST, 14 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:30 EST, 14 July 2013 . Beyoncé called in a concert for a moment of silence for Trayvon Martin, rapper Young Jeezy released a song in Martin's memory and Russell Simmons called for peace after George Zimmerman was acquitted by a Florida jury in the death of the teenager. There was a wide range of reactions from celebrities after jurors cleared Zimmerman late Saturday of all charges in the 2012 shooting death of the unarmed 17-year-old Martin. Beyonce took a moment to honor Martin during her Mrs Carter Show World Tour concert at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee. Reaction: Beyoncé, pictured on stage in Tennessee on Saturday evening, called for a moment of silence for Trayvon Martin after George Zimmerman was found not guilty of the teenager's shooting death . Her concert started about 30 minutes after the Zimmerman verdict began to circulate. 'I'd like to have a moment of silence for Trayvon,' the pop star said as the stage grew dark with just a few key lights shining. Beyonce then sang the chorus of I Will Always Love You, a song, fittingly given the location, written by country music star Dolly Parton and brought to a global audience by the late Whitney Houston, before transitioning into her hit Halo. It was just one of several reactions from celebrities and artists following Zimmerman's acquittal by a six-woman jury. Much of it focused on the perceived outrage of the situation. But others had more poignant responses. Moment of silence: Beyoncé and other celebrities paid tribute to teenager Trayvon Martin who was shot dead by a neighborhood watch man George Zimmerman . Not guily: But Zimmerman's lawyers said he must remain in hiding because of the hundreds, perhaps thousands, of death threats he has received since he shot dead Trayvon . Young Jeezy posted a new song, It's a Cold World (A Tribute to Trayvon Martin), to his Facebook page with a comment: 'I am in no way shape, form, or fashion ... trying to capitalize off of the latest series of events. These are my true feelings and my form of expression about it.' Simmons, a producer and entrepreneur, posted a blog entry that said he'd be supporting the Trayvon Martin Foundation in helping to repeal laws like Florida's Stand Your Ground law. He signed off, 'God bless you little brother. Rest in peace.' He also called for those upset with the verdict to channel their energy away from violence on Twitter, telling followers 'we must remain peaceful. No matter what, remain peaceful'. 'If u have any anger this evening,' Simmons wrote on Twitter, 'put that energy into challenging these horrible laws that allow overly-anxious neighborhood watchmen to carry guns and shoot innocent people.' Figures from music, film and sport repeated the sentiment while angry and saddened by the court ruling. Stevie Johnson, wide receiver for the Buffalo Bills compared the Zimmerman verdict to Michael Vicks dog fighting case. 'Living in a world where you fight dogs; you could lose everything (Mike Vick).. If you kill a black man you're not guilty! #INjusticesystem,' Johnson wrote. Television star Kate Walsh made her feeling on the Trayvon Martin case known on Twitter . NFL star Stevie Johnson compared Martin's death to Michael Vick's dog abuse case, tweeting that a person can go to jail for dog fighting but can be acquitted for killing a black man . Basketball star Dwyane Wade reacted in disbelief on Twitter to the Zimmerman verdict of not guilty . Miami Heat's Dwyane Wade lamented the verdict Tweeting,' How do I explain this to my young boys????' Musicians also tweeted their frustration with the jury's verdict. Celebrities including Rihanna, Ice Cube, and Nicki Minaj criticized the court's verdict. Rihanna tweeted, 'This is the saddest news ever!!! #whatsjustice.' Ice . Cube wrote: 'The Trayvon Martin verdict doesn't surprise me. Stanford, . FL never wanted Zimmerman arrested. Now he's free to kill another . child.' American Idol judge . and pop star Nicki Minaj wrote: 'And our taxes paid for that trial. We . just paid to see a murderer walk free after killing an innocent unarmed . little boy. #GodBlessAmerica.' Actors spoke out against the verdict . as well, sending their prayers to the Martin family and expressing their . disapproval of the court's verdict. HBO . Girl's star and writer Lena Dunham sent her condolences to the Martin . family tweeting, 'No. My heart is with Sybrina Fulton, Rachel Jeantel, . everyone who loved . Trayvon and has been sent the message that his life didn't matter.' Mandy Moore called the trial verdict 'shameful' and mourned Trayvon Martin's death with his loved ones on Twitter . Pop star Rihanna tweeted, 'This is the saddest news ever,' in reaction to the court's verdict of not guilty . Nicki Minaj, of music and television fame, criticized the justice system after the not guilty verdict was handed down tweeted, 'And our taxes paid for that trail' Singer . and actress Mandy Moore responded similarly writing, 'My heart is . heavy...for all who knew and loved #TrayvonMartin. His life mattered. This is shameful.' Private Practice star Kate Walsh simply tweeted, 'Zimmerman verdict sickens me.' One star who overstepped the mark was New York Giants player Victor Cruz. The footballer wrote 'Thoroughly confused. Zimmerman doesn't last a year before the hood catches up to him'. The message was promptly deleted. Trayvon Martin's father also used Twitter as a public forum to speak after the verdict was handed down in his son's trial. Tracy Martin released several tweets shortly after the jury's verdict was announced. 'God blessed Me & Sybrina . with Tray and even in his death I know my baby proud of the FIGHT we . along with all of you put up for him GOD BLESS,' wrote Saturday night. Girl's star Lena Dunham tweeted her condolences to Martin's family . Rapper Ice Cube predicted that now the Zimmerman is walking free he is 'free to kill another child' Then . two minutes later Martin said, 'Thanks to everyone who are with us and . who will be with us so we together can make sure that this doesn't . happen again.' This morning he added: 'Even though I am broken hearted my faith is unshattered I WILL ALWAYS LOVE MY BABY TRAY.' Martin's mother, Sybrina Fulton, added: 'Lord during my darkest hour I lean on you. You are all that I . have. At the end of the day, GOD is still in control. Thank you all for . your prayers and support. I will love you forever Trayvon!!! In the name . of Jesus!!!' | Singer sang a verse of Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You after paying tribute to the teenager .
Rapper Young Jeezy and producer Russell Simmons posted reactions to Zimmerman not-guilty verdict on Twitter . |
266,505 | e530310b6bf664fb99d18366e754711af822050a | One of the world's most successful innovators and philanthropists defended the U.S. response to the deadly Ebola epidemic Monday, saying he doesn't think the government waited too long to act. Bill Gates, speaking at a discussion hosted by the website Politico, said he was thrilled when President Barack Obama decided to invest resources in containing the virus as it threatened to spread from West Africa into other regions and continents. "Was there some other government who took decisive action before we did? Was the data really clear?" Gates asked during the discussion. "Is there someone else who's research is going to give us the vaccine that will be the key to making sure this outbreak doesn't happen again? The U.S. is the leader on being able to move into areas like this and help out." The Microsoft billionaire, listed as the richest American by Forbes magazine, is co-chair along with his wife of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The two have tasked the foundation with battling the spread of polio and malaria as well as Ebola. Gates did acknowledge that it took time for countries and leaders to realize the seriousness of this particular outbreak. However, he sounded confident that the situation will be handled effectively. "Ebola isn't going to get to the level of something like malaria or an HIV, because I do think we're stepping up and will respond," Gates said. Gates praised U.S. ability to handle the logistics of such a large emergency operation -- by moving resources and medical workers in and out of the region quickly and efficiently. "The U.S., as usual on world problems, is stepping up in terms of the science, the understanding and the U.S. military's logistic ability to get supplies in and build hospitals that are critical," Gates said. The discussion, held in Washington just a block away from the White House with a sweeping view of the National Mall, also turned to political gridlock in Congress. Gates said the gridlock was concerning as it led to a Congress that failed to tackle immigration reform and allowed investment in energy and medical research to tail off. However, he also underscored that the United States has historically found bipartisan consensus on global health issues. Gates argues that the simple principle of treating all lives as equal, no matter where people live, is essential. "Of all the dollars spent by the U.S. government, the most impactful are these global health dollars. More lives have been saved and improved per dollar by a huge amount." Even as Gates remains optimistic about the U.S. government and its ability to help people, you won't see him donating millions to a political candidate any time soon. When it comes to changing the world, Gates explained, he tends to stay away from politics. "I don't think my backing, putting a lot of money into political contributions, is a way I'm going to try and improve the world," Gates said. "I just don't chose to pour money into that type of vehicle." However, that's not say he doesn't appreciate strong leadership. Gates said one of the leaders he admires most in the world is the late Nelson Mandela. "Mandela told people something they didn't expect to hear from him, which was that revenge and evening the score of how they'd been treated was not in their interest," Gates said. "The country had to move forward, had to embrace everyone who lived there, the economy had to lift everyone up." Gates also commented on the culture of innovation in the U.S. and Silicon Valley in particular. He said that even as tech companies focus on seemingly superficial problems such as hailing a taxi or counting calories, the digital revolution created tools that transformed philanthropy and nonprofit work around the world. "We are getting more and more people participating, and the very tools of the digital revolution, the ability to share things on the Internet and share large amounts of data, those tools are absolutely phenomenal," Gates said. "When you have this glum mood that people are in, they don't see that innovation is actually moving faster today than ever before." | Bill Gates: I was thrilled when President Obama invested resources in containing Ebola .
"Ebola isn't going to get to the level of something like malaria or an HIV," he predicts .
Gates says U.S. has the ability to handle the logistics of a large emergency operation .
Digital revolution has transformed nonprofit work, he tells D.C. gathering . |
212,125 | 9eb0a450e3b45b77b41d2abfeee26bb4235a35d1 | By . Kate Lyons . Authorities have issued a serious warning about toy chargers being sold across Australia after a remote-controlled toy helicopter was found packaged up with a deadly charger that could cause electrocution or burst into flames. Inspectors from NSW Fair Trading raided Sydney's Paddy's Markets yesterday and found a vendor selling a faulty charger contained within a toy helicopter packet. The 240-volt charger, which plugs into a power point, did not meet Australian safety regulations and could cause death by electrocution or fire, said Fair Trading Electrical Product Safety Expert Lynelle Collins. A toy helicopter was seized at Paddy's Markets by Fair Trading investigators. The packet was found to contain a faulty charger that could be fatal . 'The charger itself is the problem, using the helicopter with a different charger is fine,' Ms Collins told MailOnline. However since the charger is sold as part of a package with the helicopter, the concern is that people may use it without first checking if it is safe to be used. 'Our concern is that you could buy it for you child and the child could be recharging it and cause a spark or fire,' said Ms Collins. 'Electricity is so dangerous, we get complacent with it because we use it all day every day, but a 240-volt will kill someone,' she said. Left: The charger for the toy helicopter, seized at Paddy's Markets was found not to meet safety regulations. Right: faulty USB-chargers and travel adaptors were seized from a vendor in Campsie two weeks ago, after it was discovered Sheryl Aldeguer purchased the charger that resulted in her death from the store . The seizure was part of a statewide crackdown on unapproved electrical items following the electrocution death of Sheryl Aldeguer, a nurse and mother-in-two, in Gosford in April due to a faulty phone charger. Department of Fair Trading investigators have raided retailers across New South Wales and targeted vendors in Paddy's Markets after a woman in Wollongong reported that her son bought a cheap USB-charger that had sparked from a store in the markets. The vendor who sold the faulty charger inside the toy helicopter box is being investigated by NSW Fair Trading who will decide if he is issued with an on-the-spot fine of $500 or prosecuted, which could lead to a fine of $87,500 fine and two years' imprisonment. Investigators are cracking down on non-complaint electrical goods following the electrocution death of Sheryl Aldeguer (left) in Gosford in April . | Investigators found a faulty charger packaged with a toy helicopter .
The charger could cause death by electrocution and burst into flames .
Authorities are cracking down following the death by electrocution of Sheryl Aldeguer due to a faulty phone charger in April . |
92,306 | 02bac9ea68b2fdeb8d89a91bfef1088227eb2ad0 | Living it up: Kelly-Louise Goatley, who took exotic holidays while letting her council flat near London's Hyde Park . A benefits cheat made £24,000 by illegally sub-letting the council flat she had been given after she became pregnant aged 18. Kelly-Louise Goatley, who earns £29,000 a year as a secretary at City bank Mizuho International, took trips to Borneo, Australia, Spain and Corfu while she sub-let the property near London’s Hyde Park for more than £1,400 a month. Meanwhile, she paid Westminster Council as little as £94.72 per week in rent and was working full time. She claimed housing benefit for the flat, even though she was staying with either her boyfriend or her mother. Last week, having previously been found guilty of fraud, Goatley narrowly escaped a prison term by paying back £10,000 – less than half her illicit profits. If she had failed to pay up, the council had planned to take her back to Southwark Crown Court, where she was previously given a nine-month prison sentence suspended for two years. Goatley was given the one-bedroom flat, meant for the vulnerable, when she became pregnant in 2000, and said she had been thrown out by her family. She lost the baby but continued to live in the apartment in Gloucester Terrace, Paddington. She let it for £1,200 a month between September 2006 and April 2008. A couple from Spain then moved in during 2010 and lived there until February 2011, paying £1,408 monthly. Goatley used a lettings agent and signed a declaration that she was the flat’s owner. But she insisted her tenants not contact the council, telling them she would take care of council tax. She also requested that no ‘to let’ signs be placed outside. When a whistleblower reported her to the council’s fraud hotline, an investigator found the Spanish couple at the flat, who produced a tenancy agreement. Goatley claimed housing benefit for the flat in exclusive Gloucester Terrace, pictured, even though she was staying with either her boyfriend or her mother . Goatley managed to escape paying the full £24,000 she racked up because she no longer had the money. She had first claimed she was penniless, but fraud investigators uncovered a bank account containing almost £11,000. Westminster Council has now repossessed the flat. Goatley refused to comment. | Took trips to Borneo, Australia, Spain and Corfu while sub-letting the property for more than £1,400 a month .
Paid Westminster Council as little as £94.72 per week in rent and was working full time .
Claimed housing benefit for the flat, even though she was staying elsewhere .
Narrowly escaped a prison term by paying back £10,000 – less than half her illicit profits . |
281,238 | f850cb6aa4e3e4215dbb5ec7f908bed42d6f24e7 | (CNN) -- Muzak, the company that put pop, string-filled arrangements of rock songs in your elevator, filed bankruptcy papers Tuesday after it missed a $105 million payment to creditors. The Muzak company is best known for background music piped into places such as elevators. The pipeline of easy listening will continue to flow as Muzak restructures its debt during the Chapter 11 process, the company said. "Muzak is a solid business with an outstanding customer base, but we are burdened with substantial debt obligations established over a decade ago," Muzak CEO Stephen Villa said. Muzak's cash flows doubled in the last three years, Villa said, "demonstrating that our business continues to perform well even in today's challenging environment." Along with its ubiquitous elevator offerings, Muzak and its 14 affiliates -- all privately owned -- produce on-hold messages and install sound systems, digital signs and drive-thru systems for retail businesses. Bankruptcy documents showed Muzak owes its largest creditor -- U.S. Bank, as indentured trustee -- about $370 million, nearly all of it due this year. Muzak spokeswoman Meaghan Repko said the filing was voluntary and in cooperation with the creditors. The weakened global economy was not a factor, she said, noting the company's profits have been rising in recent years. The Chapter 11 protections will allow Muzak time to restructure the debt, which was incurred a decade ago, she said. | Muzak creates musical material often called "elevator music"
Company missed $105 million payment to creditors .
Cash flow is up, says CEO, but company has "substantial debt obligations" |
50,754 | 8f991f395e82cda235d2f2d533ac7c4fb13d2712 | By . Associated Press . and Zoe Szathmary for MailOnline . The New York Police Department said Friday it's under investigation for a second restraint-related death, this one involving a drugged, emotionally disturbed man -- four days before the fatal videotaped chokehold of Eric Garner that fueled community outcry and led the department to overhaul its use-of-force training. The medical examiner's office cited 'physical restrain by police' as a factor in the July 13 death of Ronald Singleton, who went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance and died on the way to a hospital. It ruled his death a homicide. Scroll down for video . Victim: The medical examiner's office cited 'physical restrain by police' as a factor in the July 13 death of Ronald Singleton, pictured . The police department is cooperating with the Manhattan district attorney's office, which is leading the investigation into Singleton's death, a police spokesman told the Associated Press. The district attorney's office did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment from the Associated Press. Police said Singleton became irate and combative while riding in a taxi cab around midnight and fought with an officer on foot patrol after exiting near St. Patrick's Cathedral. Emergency services officers, called in by the patrolling officer, restrained Singleton and placed him in a protective body wrap, police said. The medical examiner's office said the 45-year-old Singleton was in a state of 'excited delirium' related to severe intoxication from the hallucinogenic drug called PCP or angel dust. It cited heart disease exacerbated by high blood pressure and thickened arteries, as well as obesity, as contributing factors in his death. Singleton was to undergo a psychiatric evaluation at a hospital under the police department's protocol for emotionally disturbed people, police said, but the ambulance rerouted to a closer hospital when he went into cardiac arrest. He was pronounced dead on arrival. Wife Lynn Warren Singleton told The New York Daily News he 'was never good with police. He always went into hysterics — this is before he even started indulging.' She also told the newspaper '[The police] didn’t pay attention to him when he was crying for help. Someone having a heart attack is different signs than someone just bugging out.' Speaking to The New York Post, she said 'I was thinking this was very similar to Garner.' Police did not immediately respond to questions Friday about the status of the officers involved in Singleton's restraint. A spokesman for the city's largest police union, the Patrolmen's Benevolent Association, did not immediately respond to a message from the Associated Press . Singleton's death drew little attention at the time. But Friday's homicide ruling thrust it into the category of police-related deaths under scrutiny after the July 17 chokehold death of Eric Garner in Staten Island and the Aug. 9 fatal shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri. Probe: The New York Police Department said Friday it's under investigation for the restraint-related death . Garner, a 43-year-old father of six who had asthma, could be heard on an amateur video shouting 'I can't breathe!' as an officer placed him in a chokehold during an arrest on suspicion of selling untaxed cigarettes. The officer was stripped of his gun and badge after Garner's death. The Staten Island district attorney is assembling a special grand jury next month to hear evidence in the case. Police in Ferguson have said the 18-year-old Brown was shot after an officer encountered him and another man on the street and one of the men pushed the officer into his squad car and physically assaulted him. But several witnesses have said Brown was shot when his hands were up. Brown's shooting by the officer has spurred unrest in his community, and federal authorities are investigating. | The medical examiner's office cited 'physical restrain by police' as a factor in the July 13 death of Ronald Singleton, who went into cardiac arrest in an ambulance and died on the way to a hospital .
The New York Police Department said Friday this is the second restraint-related death it is under investigation for .
Police said Singleton became combative while riding in a taxi cab around midnight and fought with an officer on foot patrol after exiting near St. Patrick's Cathedral .
Emergency services officers, restrained Singleton and placed him in a protective body wrap, police said .
Singleton's death took place four days before that of Eric Garner, which fueled community outcry and led the department to overhaul its use-of-force training .
Wife Lynn Warren Singleton has said ''I was thinking this was very similar to Garner'
The medical examiner's office said the 45-year-old Singleton was in a state of 'excited delirium'
It cited heart disease, as well as obesity, as contributing factors in his death . |
230,109 | b5f7b4757902354b77fd839c5f65a04c06bf63ad | Newly released video shows a panting Rob Konrad looking to speak to his family after surviving an arduous swim for his life. The former fullback for the Miami Dolphins, 38, was picked up by police near the south Florida coast following an ordeal that started when a wave knocked him off his boat and the vessel went on without him on autopilot. Police video sees Mr Konrad, his hair still wet from his swim, sitting with Palm Beach officers inside their cruiser and asking to contact his loved ones. Scroll down for video . Video from a Palm Beach police cruiser shows former NFL player Rob Konrad, 38, right after his nine-mile swim . Mr Konrad, covered in a blanket, asked officers if he could call his family to let them know he was alive after the 16-hour ordeal . The man, who played in the NFL from 1999 to 2004, said 'Is there any chance I can get a phone to let my family know I’m alive?' Officers then called his mother and asked her to contact his wife Tammy, the video obtained by TMZ shows. He was given a bottle of water and the heat in the car was turned to the maximum, after he rang a beachfront house's doorbell and the police came, according to ESPN. Wrapped in a blanket, he was treated at a local hospital for hypothermia, dehydration, and the breakdown of his muscle tissue. The athlete, originally from Massachusetts, endured jellyfish stings and saw sharks below him during last month's 16-hour ordeal. He fell off nine miles from shore, but estimates that he swam a crooked 27 miles in the water from 1pm to around 5am in the morning. The former Miami Dolphin rang a beachfront house's doorbell after he completed what he estimated at 27 miles in the water . The athlete was treated for hypothermia, dehydration and the breakdown of muscle tissue after he made it ashore . Mr Konrad asked what time it was, and had previously thought it was only midnight, according to the Sun Sentinel. Neither a recreational fishing boat or a Coast Guard helicopter were able to spot him, despite his best efforts. Search parties were sent out after he missed a dinner date. He had been taking his 31-foot boat in for servicing when a wave rocked his boat right as he had hooked a fish. The boat, on autopilot, left Mr Konrad without a life preserver as it continued at 5mph. The former football player said that he decided he needed to swim to shore. 'After some time I just said look, I’m not dying tonight and I’m going to make it to shore,' he told a press conference. Mr Konrad will not face charges or be cited for any violations, according to the Palm Beach Post. The boat was later found in the Grand Bahamas with $70,000 worth of damage. Mr Konrad, an avid boater, was knocked off his vessel by a wave when he was fishing and the boat, on autopilot, cruised on at 5mph . | Former Miami Dolphins fullback, 38, seen asking to contact his loved ones .
Player, covered in a blanket, given water and police cruiser heat turned up .
Made contact with police after 16-hour swim following boat accident .
Mr Konrad was told it was almost 5am after he thought it was only midnight . |
109,032 | 189010ec09b745e7e648250a0aa2b2d478e80164 | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 7:09 PM on 16th July 2011 . He measured 25ft, weighed more than a ton and lived almost 100 million years ago. A palaeontologist has identified the oldest prehistoric crocodile of its kind in the world after the fossil of a Terminonaris was found at Lake Lewisville near Dallas, Texas. The realisation by Thomas L. Adams has also changed what we know about the species originally thought to have originated in Europe, because it now appears it was a native of Texas. Snap: A palaeontologist has identified the oldest prehistoric crocodile of its kind in the world after finding the fossil of a Terminonaris at Lake Lewisville near Dallas, Texas . Mr Adams, of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, identified the reptile from its long snout which is more than 2ft long and 7in wide, reported Physorg.com. It was discovered by Dallas amateur fossil enthusiast Brian Condon, who found the heavy pieces of the snout and a vertebrate in 2005 while fossil hunting, and donated them to the university. Mr Condon had originally thought the pieces were petrified wood. ‘This piece looked like a loaf of bread from Subway,’ he said. ‘It was all wrinkled. Then I picked it up and turned it over and saw it had big round conical teeth. I thought: “This is amazing. It's a jaw.”’ Big guy: The Terminonaris is a cousin of the modern-day Indian gharial, pictured, but was much larger - and it is a distant cousin of modern-day crocodiles and alligators . Find: Thomas L. Adams, of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, has changed what we know about the species originally thought to have originated in Europe, because it now appears it was a native of Texas . The discovery of the 96-million-year-old reptile’s fossil suggested that its head would have been about one metre long, Mr Adams said. The Terminonaris is a cousin of the modern-day Indian gharial but was much larger - and it is a distant cousin of modern-day crocodiles and alligators, reported Southern Methodist University. Mr Adams revealed the find ‘changes a lot about what we thought we knew about this group’. ‘Now we know the group had a wider distribution range, and that it's much older,’ he said. ‘It represents a unique find for Texas. This is the first occurrence of Terminonaris in Texas. ‘It's also the oldest occurrence of Terminonaris in the world and it's also the southernmost occurrence of Terminonaris anywhere.’ Scan: The discovery of the 96-million-year-old reptile's fossil suggested that its head would have been about one metre long . Located: The fossil was discovered by Dallas amateur fossil enthusiast Brian Condon, who found the heavy pieces of the snout and a vertebrate in 2005 . There are six other known Terminonaris fossil specimens - five from North America and one from Europe - and the European specimen from Germany was thought to be the oldest. Scientists had originally believed the prehistoric crocodiles originated in Europe and then migrated across the Atlantic before dispersing throughout the North America region. ‘Now we know Terminonaris most likely originated here in Texas and dispersed northward,’ he said. ‘Based on Nile crocodiles and the Indian gharial, which are both large crocodiles, a regression analysis indicates this Terminonaris probably would have been 23 to 25ft long.’ This is in contrast to today’s largest living crocodile - the saltwater - which can get up to 20ft long. Today there are only 23 species of living crocodiles, but in prehistoric times there were hundreds, reported Southern Methodist University. | Terminonaris prehistoric crocodile found at Lake Lewisville near Dallas .
Thomas L. Adams has changed what we know about the species .
The Texas native was previously thought to have originated in Europe . |
211,383 | 9db81f8ff84c33e3862928d086d12970abeb43ac | (CNN) -- Noah Baumbach is emerging as an emotionally acute, not to say eviscerating, observer of the middle-class intelligentsia, the kind of people who write letters to "The New York Times" and might plausibly pop up in a Woody Allen movie. Unlike the Woodman, Baumbach doesn't show his face on screen, but his films are no less personal for that: "The Squid and the Whale" was a sometimes wincingly autobiographical account of two boys torn between their divorcing parents, and he's not one to deflect an insight with a wisecrack. The cracks just cut deeper. I've rarely experienced an audience recoil from a character as passionately as they did to Nicole Kidman's toxically self-absorbed writer in "Margot at the Wedding" (maybe her best performance, incidentally). These are comedies in the sense that the characters are painfully ridiculous -- and all too recognizably real -- but Baumbach sure doesn't make it easy for himself, or us. Roger Greenberg (Ben Stiller) is another neurotic narcissist, a middle-aged loner who comes back to Los Angeles to house-sit while his brother enjoys a long vacation in the Far East. Greenberg (only his brother calls him Roger) can feed the family dog, but the truth is that he desperately needs to regroup and recharge after a spell in a mental hospital. He has one friend, Ivan (Rhys Ifans), who still has time for him and a wider circle of former friends who don't. We soon learn that Greenberg used to front a band, but it fell apart after he turned down a recording deal, and he's been in New York ever since, under-achieving on a permanent basis. "I'm trying to do nothing for a while," is how he explains himself to anyone who will listen. Stiller finds a note of defiance in this pathetic rationalization (along with his powerlessness, Greenberg has developed an angry streak), but it's clear to almost everyone how lost he really is. He's living in the past, fantasizing about his old girlfriend (a deftly ironic cameo by Baumbach's wife, Jennifer Jason Leigh) and scarcely able to look after himself, let alone his brother's dog. It's hard to believe this hunched misanthrope grew up in sunny California -- he can barely doggy-paddle and always dresses for rain -- but Stiller knows him inside out. He shows us someone trapped in his own disappointment, flailing and failing. Then there's Florence (Greta Gerwig), his brother's personal assistant/nanny, a wannabe singer who defaults to doormat status in almost any social exchange. Greenberg throws himself on her with an awkward mixture of condescension and vulnerability, and their fumbling relationship -- physical but scarcely intimate -- serves as a kind of love story, or at least the unspoken promise of one. It's crucial to Baumbach's strategy that Gerwig (a mainstay of the new millennial American independent scene) is ordinarily beautiful, not movie-star knockout. Florence is self-conscious and unsure of herself, which is why she'll drive Greenberg around (he doesn't drive) even after he's walked out on her twice. Uneventful (the dog gets sick, and, uh, that's about it), "Greenberg" resembles the kind of films Gerwig has been making ("LOL," "Baghead"), but on a bigger budget and with one of Hollywood's most accomplished cinematographers on board (Harris Savides, whose credits include "Zodiac" and "Milk"). That is, it coalesces around tentative, half-formed ideas about how to be a person in the world. "Greenberg" shows that young people aren't the only ones wondering what they're to make of themselves and whether it's already too late. Its best sequence, the climax, is an impromptu house party in which Greenberg finds himself pontificating, stoned, before a bemused audience half his age -- and at long last manages to accept himself. It's a small victory but worth savoring. | Director Noah Baumbach is best known for "The Squid and the Whale"
Ben Stiller's character is neurotic narcissist who returns to Los Angeles to house-sit .
Film involves ideas of what it is to be a person in the world . |
114,857 | 203b4ec83a6ae8ee17cba8bc30aeddcca84fbeaa | Millions of pounds worth of footballing talent has been casually tossed aside after the Premier League published their annual list of released players. William Gallas, David Bentley, Florent Malouda and Andrey Arshavin were among the high-profile casualties on a list of 154 players ruthlessly culled from their top-flight clubs. Though the appearance on the list of the retired Michael Owen, Paul Scholes and Jamie Carragher did not come as a surprise, plenty of high-class, and well paid, players have been jettisoned. Gone: Yossi Benayoun was one of eight players released by Chelsea . Competition: Petr Cech is the only goalkeeper in Chelsea's squad after Ross Turnbull's and Hilario's exit . Gallas was earning a weekly salary in the region of £60,000 at Tottenham and club-mate Bentley – who Spurs paid an initial £15m for in 2008 – has also left after failing to impress during his five-year spell at White Hart Lane. Youngster John Bostock has also been let go by Spurs after failing to make the grade. Across in west London, Malouda, who signed for Chelsea for £13m in 2007, had been picking up £80,000-a-week, despite being frozen out of the team and forced to train with the U21s. He did not play a single match for Chelsea last season, though his former club Lyon could provide him with a quick escape route back to France. Yossi Benayoun and goalkeepers Hilario and Ross Turnbull are others among the eight Chelsea players to be heading out of Stamford Bridge. Arshavin, who became Arsenal’s most expensive signing when he joined from Zenit St Petersburg for £15m in 2008, has also been discarded. Arsenal had confirmed earlier in the week that the Russian and fellow flops Sebastien Squillaci and Denilson were to be released. The three are among 14 players to have been released by the North London club – the most of any Premier League team. Shown the exit: David Bentley (left) and William Gallas (right) have both left Tottenham . Exit: Filippo Mancini was axed by Manchester City while Kolo Toure has agreed a move to Liverpool . Manchester City released a clutch of players, including three signed at a cost of more than £40m. Striker Roque Santa Cruz (£18m) was loaned out to Malaga last season, where he played under incoming City boss Manuel Pellegrini, but it seems the Paraguayan does not figure in City’s ‘holistic’ vision of the future. Also released were defenders Kolo Toure (£16m) and Wayne Bridge (£10m), though Toure will be joining Liverpool and Bridge will link up with Reading next season. And it seems that Roberto is not the only Mancini to have recently left the Etihad after his son Filippo, 22, was also shown the exit. Out the door: Hungarian Zoltan Gera (right) has been given his marching orders by West Brom . Thrown out: Rory Delap (left) and Jermaine Pennant (right) have both been released by Stoke . You could make a pretty good team of players released from their clubs... Goalkeeper: Schwarzer (Fulham). Defence: Simpson (Newcastle), Gallas (Tottenham), Upson (Stoke), Shorey (Reading). Midfield: Bentley (Tottenham), Neville (Everton), Gera (West Brom), Arshavin (Arsenal). Attack: Di Santo (Wigan), Cole (West Ham). Subs: Pennant (Stoke), Santa Cruz (Man City), Lichaj (A Villa), Benayoun (Chelsea), Bramble (Sunderland), Diarra (Fulham), O’Neil (West Ham). New Stoke manager Mark Hughes has only . just started his new role at the Britannia Stadium, but he has already . lost a major weapon in his attacking arsenal after long-throw specialist . Rory Delap was released. Other Stoke players seeking new clubs were . Jermaine Pennant, Dean Whitehead and Matthew Upson. Mark Schwarzer’s five-year career at Craven Cottage is also over after the Australian turned down Fulham’s latest contract offer and was released, though the 40-year-old shot-stopper is bound to attract interest from other clubs, notably Arsenal who have been repeatedly linked with him. West Ham’s Carlton Cole and Wigan’s Franco Di Santo could also provide somebody with an effective cut-price strike partnership after both left their respective clubs. Di Santo is one of 11 Wigan players to be ditched as they prepare for life in the Championship, and QPR and Reading have both dumped 10 and 11 players respectively as cost-cutting measures after their relegation from the top-flight. Arsenal . Arshavin, Andrey . Bihmoutine, Samir . Charles-Cook, Reice Jordan . Denilson . Eastmond, Craig Leon . Hajrovic, Sead . Henderson, Conor Alan . Meade, Jernade Ronnel . Oldfield, Spence-Neita Nigel Paul . Rees, Joshua David . Roberts, Philip James . Shea, James . Squillaci, Sebastien . Watt, Herschel Oulio Sanchez . Aston Villa . Barrett, Calum Alastair . Barton, Joshua . Cameron, Courtney Lee . Devine, Daniel Patrick . Lichaj, Eric Joseph . Marshall, Andrew John . Chelsea . Affane, Amin . Benayoun, Yossi . Deen-Conteh, Abdul Aziz . Ferreira, Paulo Renato Rebocho . Hilario, Meireles Alves Sampaio Henrique . Malouda, Florent Johan . Nkumu, Archange . Turnbull, Ross . Everton . Hammar, Per Johan Gustav . Hitzlsperger, Thomas . Kelly, Sam Alexander . Mucha, Jan . Neville, Phil . Fulham . Baird, Christopher . Davies, Simon . Diarra, Mahamadou . Donegan, Thomas David . Gameiro, Corey James . Karagkounis, Georgios . Musa, James Mzamo . Peniket, Richard James . Petric, Mladen . Schwarzer, Mark . Smith, Alex . Somogyi, Csaba . Liverpool . Belford, Tyrell . Carragher, James Lee . Stephens, James Edward . Wilson, Daniel . Manchester City . Bridge, Wayne . Mancini, Filippo . McGivern, Ryan . Santa Cruz, Roque Luis . Toure, Kolo . Manchester United . Brown, Reece . Cofie, John Erzuah . Fornasier, Michele . Giverin, Luke . Hendrie, Luke John . McCullough, Luke . Scholes, Paul . Van Velzen, Gyliano . Veseli, Frederic . Newcastle United . Harper, Stephen Alan . Moyo, Yven Rochild Victor . Simpson, Daniel Peter . Norwich City . Adeyemi, Thomas Oluseun . Camp, Lee . Durojaiye, Olumide Scott . Francomb, George . Jackson, Simeon Alexander . Martin, Christopher Hugh . Sheriff, Ramil . Smith, Korey Alexander . Tierney, Marc Peter . Ward, Elliott Leslie . Queens Park Rangers . Ben Haim, Tal . Campbell, Dudley Junior . Cerny, Radek . Champion, Frederick . Francis, Adam Royston Lawrence . Hewitt, Troy Roger . Hulse, Robert . Nelsen, Ryan . Parmenter, Taylor Louis . Trani, Tommaso . Reading . Bignall, Nicholas Colin . Church, Simon Richard . Harte, Ian . Hunt, Noel . Losasso, Charlie Carrington . MacDonald, Angus Lees . Pearce, Alexander James . Shorey, Nicholas . Tabb, Jay Anthony . Webb, Joshua Richard Charles Darren Morgan . Williams, Brett Anthony . Southampton . Butterfield, Daniel Paul . Dickson, Ryan Anthony . Forecast, Tommy Stephen . Hoskins, Samuel Tobias . Reeves, Benjamin Neil . Richardson, Frazer . Seaborne, Daniel Anthony . Seidi, Alberto Adulai . Stoke City . Clarkson, Michael Thomas . Delap, Rory . Gledhill, Matthew Benjamin . Hall, Jadan . Lund, Matthew Charles . Musungu, Andrew . Nash, Carlo James . Owen, Michael James . Pennant, Jermaine Lloyd . Rigg, George Benjamin . Sidibe, Mamady . Upson, Matthew James . Whitehead, Dean . Sunderland . Bramble, Titus . Callaghan, Anthony . Joyce, Wade Lewis . Kilgallon, Matthew . Noble, Ryan . Reed, Adam Michael . Wilson, Ben . Swansea City . Gower, Mark . Tottenham Hotspur . Barthram, Jack Patrick . Bentley, David . Bostock, John . Gallas, William . Munns, Jack Frederick . Nicholson, Jake Charlie . West Bromwich Albion . Fortune, Marc-Antoine . Gera, Zoltan . Jara Reyes, Gonzalo Alejandro . Sawyers, Romaine Theodore . Thomas, Jerome . West Ham United . Cole, Carlton . Larkins, Jake . O'Neil, Gary Paul . Powell, Jack Patrick . Rafati, Jami . Wearen, Eoin Patrick . Wigan Athletic . Aylmer, Peter . Crusat Domene, Albert . Di Santo, Franco . Jones, David Frank Llwyd . Lopez Rodriguez, Adrian . Lynch, Jonathan Paul . Morris, Callum Neil . Orsula, Filip . Stam, Ronnie . Sumner, Joshua Andre . Watson, Ryan . | Chelsea release Benayoun, Malouda, Turnbull and Hilario .
Gallas, Bentley and Bostock allowed to leave by Tottenham .
Roberto Mancini's son Filippo follows father out of Manchester City exit .
Long-throw specialist Delap departs Stoke along with Pennant and Upson .
Gera given marching orders by West Brom . |
111,561 | 1bde7cf65458bbe2e641199436648c54c30dfaf9 | (CNN) -- The Obamacare website is open for business. But the Charlton Memorial Hospital in Folkston, Georgia, is closed. Because Republicans in half the states have blocked the expansion of Medicaid, funds to public hospitals with large uninsured populations have been slashed. So far, at least five public hospitals have been closed this year and 5,000 hospital employees have been laid off nationwide. The closures are expected to worsen in the coming years. In Georgia, as many as 15 more rural hospitals may close "within months" and in Tennessee, which is putting off a decision on expanding Medicaid, almost half of the 61 rural hospitals in the state might face "major cuts or closure." This is a direct — and disastrous — consequence of Republicans' ideological opposition to Obamacare. When the Affordable Care Act was originally passed, subsidies to hospitals with large uninsured "charity care" populations were cut, figuring that the expansion of Medicaid under the law would replace this funding. But then the Supreme Court ruled that states could decide whether to expand Medicaid or not. Half the states have said they will not extend Medicaid or are putting off deciding. These are states mostly controlled by Republican governors, state legislatures, or both. There was really no downside to extending Medicaid to cover individuals who earn up to 133% of the federal poverty level. The federal government is covering 100% of the cost of Medicaid for the next two years and 90% afterward. Columnist Josh Barro has pointed out the bind: "(W)hen Republican state officials decline to participate, they will have to explain to both medical providers and potential Medicaid beneficiaries that they turned down free federal money just to spite the President." And yet the 25 states that have indeed refused Medicaid expansion will soon find they're not just spiting the President but also their own citizens. The people who rely on these "essential hospitals" aren't just low-income folks. Middle-class Americans who live in rural communities will have to travel 40 or 50 miles just to reach the nearest emergency room if these hospitals close their doors. According to Bloomberg News, Pam Renshaw crashed her four-wheeler in Folkston, Georgia, and suffered painful second- and third-degree burns on nearly half her body. But her local hospital had shut down. It took two hours for her to get to an ambulance center 20 miles away and then on to a hospital in Florida where she could get treatment. As more of these horror stories emerge and as more hospitals close, even the most diehard Republican voters in these rural communities won't care about ideological grandstanding. They'll just want their hospitals open. On the heels of news of rural hospitals shuttering come reports that health care costs overall are falling and that the cost of Obamacare is expected to be billions of dollars less than expected. Of course, some of the decline in health care cost is certainly the result of a still-sluggish economy. Yet does anyone doubt that if health care costs had risen in the same period to even a fraction of a degree, Republicans would be screaming from the rooftops, blaming Obamacare? We might not be able to expect fervent anti-Obamacare ideologues to act rationally in the face of facts — but what we can expect is that their constituents will be even more vexed to see that as health care costs nationwide are falling, the hospitals on which they depend are closing. Desperate to try to blame everything and the weather on the Affordable Care Act, Republicans have tried to pin the cuts in subsidies to hospitals on the dynamics of the law alone. A spokesperson for Georgia's Republican Gov. Nathan Deal blamed the Affordable Care Act for cutting subsidies to the hospitals that treat the uninsured while refusing to acknowledge the governor's power to expand Medicaid at the state level and solve the entire crisis. You heard that right: Republicans like Deal, constantly railing against the federal government and clamoring for "state's rights," are suddenly abdicating state responsibility and blaming the feds for not fixing the problem. It's the same hypocritical dynamic at work in more than 30 states that have turned their roles in setting up health insurance exchanges over to the federal government. It seems Republicans want state authority when it comes to pushing their conservative agenda but not when it comes to providing basic health care and access to insurance for their residents. Not that Republicans at the federal level are any more responsible. Congress refused to pass a law that would have delayed the subsidy cuts for rural hospitals until more states decide whether they're extending Medicaid. These acts of ideological intransigence by Republicans at the federal and state levels will not hurt Obamacare. The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, its components are broadly popular with the majority of American people and it will only become more so as it is fully implemented and most people see the quality of their care go up as their costs go down. No, Republicans are only hurting their constituents — folks in redder parts of red states who rely on rural hospitals for emergency room treatment, oncology visits, maternity wards and other basic care. Purely for ideological reasons, Republicans are creating a health care crisis — in their own states. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Sally Kohn. | GOP states blocked expansion of Medicaid, and public hospitals are closing .
Sally Kohn: Medicaid expansion was meant to provide funding for these hospitals .
Kohn: Republicans put ideology over health care; refused to delay cuts to hospitals .
Kohn: States trying to spite Obama will find they are only hurting their own people . |
28,654 | 5152bc11f63a6ea571ab2fc21f66ce90a4a33ba0 | (CNN) -- Alex Karras, the burly defensive lineman turned actor in the ABC sitcom "Webster," died Wednesday surrounded by his family in their Los Angeles home following a hard-fought battle with kidney disease, heart disease, dementia and stomach cancer, according to a family spokesman. He was 77. "Alex was known to family and friends as a gentle, loving, generous man who loved gardening and preparing Greek and Italian feasts," his family said in a written statement. The Gary, Indiana, native was an All-American at the University of Iowa who was thrust into professional football in 1958 with a first-round draft pick by the Detroit Lions, where he played until 1971. It was in Detroit where he helped the team's defensive line become one of several through the years to bear the nickname "Fearsome Foursome," earning a reputation for his formidable presence on and off the line. But in 1963, NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle suspended Karras and Green Bay Packers running back Paul Hornung for gambling on National Football League games, prompting the All-Pro tackle to try his hand at professional wrestling. SI: Karras helped revolutionize the NFL in the 1960s . The following year, after he returned to the gridiron, Karras reportedly refused to take part in a pregame coin toss. "I'm sorry, sir," he quipped to the official. "I'm not permitted to gamble." But Hollywood was calling. And according to his family, he "had always dreamed of being an actor" and got a boost when Lucille Ball "took him under her wing and allowed him to train in small parts." After various appearances on television shows, Karras landed breakout movie roles, including spots in "Porky's" and "Victor Victoria." He also played "Mongo" in the Mel Brooks 1974 satirical western "Blazing Saddles," slugging a horse and uttering the memorable phrase, "Mongo only pawn in game of life." He later joined the long-running television show "Webster," where he played George Papadapolis, the guardian of the newly orphaned Webster, played by actor Emmanuel Lewis. Karras also co-wrote autobiographies called "Even Big Guys Cry" and "Alex Karras by Alex Karras," and sat in the broadcast booth along with Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford during "Monday Night Football" broadcasts. "While his legacy reached far beyond the gridiron, we always will fondly remember Alex as one of our own and also as one of the best to ever wear the Honolulu Blue and Silver," Lions President Tom Lewand said. In April, Karras -- who had been battling dementia -- joined more than 3,000 other former NFL players who are suing the league for not better protecting them from head injuries. The players, who say they suffer from a variety of debilitating and potentially life-threatening concussion-related injuries, got a high-profile boost when the former Lion joined their ranks. His family said he also was a strong supporter of the environment. "His love of nature and most especially of the ocean, where he spent many happy days on his fishing boat, led him to support numerous organizations committed to protecting our environment for future generations," his family said. "In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to one of the organizations Alex Karras ardently supported: Natural Resources Defense Council, Bioneers, Greenpeace Foundation or the Pesticide Action Network." Memorial services are being planned and will be announced soon, his family said. People we've lost in 2012: The lives they lived . CNN's Sarah Hoye contributed to this report. | Lions President Tom Lewand: We "will fondly remember Alex as one of our own"
Karras sat in the broadcast booth along with Howard Cosell and Frank Gifford .
He appeared in movies, including "Blazing Saddles" and "Victor Victoria"
In April, Karras joined more than 3,000 other former players who are suing the NFL . |
217,010 | a4f6edba9d7b06196b62cee2ebd4c4415b41abe3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 09:17 EST, 22 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:36 EST, 22 August 2013 . The teenager who sparked fury across the Internet by posting a video of himself kicking a kitten off his porch has been charged with animal cruelty. The arrest of Walter Easley, 17, of Cordova, South Carolina, followed a campaign by users of the controversial image board 4chan to track him down. He faces a misdemeanour charge of animal cruelty and a possible sentence of to up to 60 days in prison. Scroll down for video . The six-second video shows Walter Easley lining up the cat on his porch before kicking it . The video of Easley kicking the cat that was originally uploaded to Vine sparked fury among internet users . Easley rose to worldwide notoriety . after last month posting a six-second video of himself kicking a tiny . ginger kitten off his porch. The clip shows Easley speaking to the camera before lining up the tiny ginger cat. He takes off his shoes before kicking the animal over his three porch steps and about 10ft into his garden. In the video the kitten appears to be unharmed and stands up immediately after landing on the grass. The clip soon spread to 4chan and Reddit where horrified Internet users . lined up to pour condemnation and abuse - some of it racist - on the . teenager. The youth initially responded to the reaction on Twitter with the tweet: 'Lol now I got something to laugh at all day.' But . as the outrage grew, Easley deleted the clip from video-sharing service . Vine after it went viral and also made his Twitter profile, . @SuckMy_Walt, private, reported the Daily Dot. By that time users of 4chan's random imageboard /b/ had begun a campaign to track down the youngster. Somehow . they managed to get hold of his address, mobile number and a link to . his sister's Facebook page, which they published on two different . Pastebin accounts. The clip was also spread across Twitter, LiveLeak and YouTube where it was viewed hundreds of thousands - if not millions - of times. The defenceless cat can be seen (top left) as it is sent flying by Easley's kick . In the video the kitten appears to be unharmed and stands up immediately after landing on the grass . Easley . was arrested on Monday, reported South Carolina's Times and Democrat . newspaper. The next day he faced a county magistrate where he was . formally charged with cruelty to animals. Officials . from Orangeburg County Animal Control examined the animal, which was . not reported to be injured and other animals at Easley's home were taken . into custody as well. Controversial imageboard 4chan, a favourite web hangout for Internet trolls, is not well known for its good deeds. Users . have in the past egged each other on to raid the Facebook remembrance . page of a dead teenager with abusive messages, targeted a Welsh woman . who launched her own campaign against Internet trolls and, hilariously, . gamed TIME magazine's Person of the Year poll to secure victory for . young North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un. However, . as the Daily Dot notes, users of the site's /b/ board did in 2011 help . track down a Texas judge caught on video whipping his disabled daughter . and, this past July, helped get an Australian man banned from his gym . after he photographed people working out and posted the pictures to . Facebook to mock them. Since the video went viral, Easley has been subjected to threats and racist abuse online . According . an Orangeburg County incident report, seen by the Times and Democrat, . Easley told police the video had been edited to make it look more . extreme. He is said to have . told police and Animal Control officers that he was 'hanging with some . friends' when they came up with the idea after watching a stand-up . routine by comedian Kevin Hart. Easley's next court date is scheduled for September 12. | Walter Easley's clip provoked stream of anger after it went viral .
Six-second video shows him kicking ginger kitten into his garden .
He was arrested on Monday after campaign to track him down . |
199,531 | 8e4bd01eaa8d2a9fb166f3634555b6bb17ce55d6 | Officers at a police station in New Mexico believe they are dealing with more than just criminals. One cop at the post in Espanola believes he came in contact with a ghost on Saturday night - and has video evidence to prove it. Officer Karl Romero was stationed in the surveillance room monitoring the CCTV cameras when he noticed something moving in the gated area. Romero claims that a spirit-like creature could be seen moving across a sally port, which is a controlled entryway completely sealed off. Spoooky: This murky white figure was caught on CCTV cameras apparently walking around the grounds of Espanola Police Station on Saturday night . What is it?: In the video, the figure, which one local cop believes to be a ghost, can be seen moving . Ominous: There have been numerous unsolved murders in the area, police say . Locked down: Officer Ramero illustrates how a person would not have been able to access the sally port at Espanola station . Unexplained: Officer Karl Romero was watching the surveilance cameras at Espanola Police Station in New Mexico on Saturday when he claims to have spotted a ghost . Detectives say there is no way in or out of the secured area without the gates opening and an alarm sounding, KOAT Action News reported. 'I do believe in ghosts,' Ramero told the station. 'I don't know (what it was on the video), but we've had some unsolved murders in the area.' The CCTV footage shows a murky image moving across the sally port. Ramero believes it clearly shows something with legs. Other officers say they have witnessed unexplained occurrences and sometimes felt as if someone was breathing on them. | Footage taken Saturday night at Espanola Police Station .
Officer Karl Romero believes the figure was a ghost walking through the locked-down sally port .
Other officers have reported strange occurrences before .
Numerous unsolved murders in the area . |
9,166 | 19fa64cb3eaa8d90a505a6442bc264363d6d1e33 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . It's obvious to choose a flight based on the cheapest option. But with so many add-on fees to consider as additional to the cost of a ticket, Business Insider reporter Sara Silverstein decided to go looking for the best price overall. The journalist decided to book flights for the Fourth of July weekend - one of the busiest American travel times - from New York to Los Angeles, to determine which airline offers the greatest deal. What she found was the most popular carriers, such as Delta and United, had the costliest extras. Don't forget the add-ons: Business Insider conducted a report into the cheapest airline to fly from New York to Los Angeles on Fourth of July weekend in terms of overall fees, and determined SouthWest offered the best price . The report found that JetBlue and Southwest Airlines did not charge customers to check in one item of luggage. However American Airlines, Delta and United all charged $25 to check a bag. Picking a seat is also an important and expensive option. SouthWest determines their seating arrangements on the order that people check in, but for $12.50 you can reserve a spot toward the front of the plane. JetBlue offer more spacious seats for $80. United has economy plus for $99, while Delta has economy comfort for $99. American Airlines has the fewest available complimentary seats. Upgraded seats cost between $66 and $86. SouthWest Airlines charged the least amount of additional fees overall, Business Insider concluded . The cost for a good seat and a checked seat one-way on Delta and/or United is almost $250. Silverstein determined that SouthWest were the best all-inclusive option. However that is without being able to choose a seat. Delta and United were the most expensive for Fourth of July when it came to additional fees. | Study conducted by Business Insider into the cheapest overall airline for Fourth of July Weekend .
Determined SouthWest offered the least in additional fees .
Delta, United and American Airlines charged steep add-ons . |
161,367 | 5ca0bea9b31e4ef2985de4124f24a50ed02664f4 | By . Rebecca Evans for MailOnline . Abducted: Mohammed El Gasim, from Hounslow, west London, was kidnapped by separatist militants in east Ukraine and held hostage for two weeks . A British medical student kidnapped and tortured by pro-Russian rebels in the Ukraine has told of his terrifying ordeal for the first time. Mohammed El Gasim, 21, was abducted by heavily armed militia in the self-proclaimed Donetsk Peoples Republic and subjected to daily beatings and forced labour. He was accused of being a spy and abused by the same Kalashnikov-wielding, drunk rebels accused of shooting down the MH17 plane, which killed all 298 passengers on board last month. After 15 days of ‘hell’ which he thought would never end, the young student was suddenly released and fled the city without his passport, which had been taken by his captors. With assistance from the British Government, he was helped to safety and arrived back in the UK last week. Visibly shaken Mr El Gasim, whose body is covered in bruises and cuts, said: ‘I just lived to get through each day. I didn’t understand why it was happening or if it would end. ‘I pleaded with the guards to either kill me or release me. I tried not to think about anything apart from surviving.’ Privately educated Mr El Gasim, of Hounslow, West London, arrived in the city of Donetsk, in eastern Ukraine, in November to study to be a surgeon. The area was then under the control of the Ukrainian government and was a safe place to be. However, in April this year it fell into the hands of separatists and Mr El Gasim had started to make plans to leave. But due to the bureaucratic mess created in the wake of the uprising, it had taken longer than expected to sort out the paperwork for him to be able to safely leave Donetsk. Three weeks ago, the young student was accosted on his way to a shop for not being able to speak Russian and accused of being a spy. He was attacked and on fighting back, was doused in pepper spray, thrown into the boot of a car and taken to a rebel compound. Once there, he was subjected to beatings by around 50 rebels, who hit him with their fists, feet and guns. He was denied food, forced to carry out physical labour, including digging trenches, and subjected to a barrage of racial abuse by the guards, who Mr El Gasim said used him as a ‘plaything’ for their own sordid amusement. He said: ‘I’d popped out to buy some cigarettes and a drunk Russian man started shouting at me. I understand a bit of the language and he was getting really aggressive because I was speaking in English. ‘Then he hit me, so I hit him back and someone called the self-proclaimed police force who are the rebels. There was about four of them. They started to hit me and started firing bullets around the street. They then sprayed pepper spray in my eyes and threw me in the boot of a car. ‘I just remember lying there in the dark and kicking out at whatever I could, trying to get out. ‘After what seemed like a long time we got to the rebel compound in the grounds of an old university hospital. ‘They all ganged up on me and kept trying to talk to me in Russian. Then the beatings started. ‘They were all kicking me and punching me, I was beaten with their machine guns and pistols. They did this every day, for hours. Most of the rebels were drunk.’ Scarred: Mr El Gasim shows what's left of a wound he suffered at the hands of the rebel fighters who he says also denied him food, subjected him to vile racial abuse and forced him to carry out physical labour . When not being attacked, Mr El Gasim was put in a disused garage, without food or water and with not even a mattress to sleep on. He said: ‘There was no food for the first week but even if there had been, I wouldn’t have been able to eat anything because of all the bruises I had. I was in too much pain. ‘I was their play thing. Sometimes they’d get bored and make you do sit ups or push ups for their amusement. I just went with it, I wanted to get out of there alive.’ Meanwhile back in Britain, his distraught parents had learnt of their eldest son’s disappearance and were doing everything they could to secure his release. Unbeknownst to Mr El Gasim, the rebels had placed his passport on the body of two dead Ukrainian soldiers and accused him of being a spy. His parents, property developer Salah, 53, and medical interpreter Honaida, 42, who have three other children, refused to believe their son was dead and kept up the pressure on the Foreign Office and hit back at the claims made by rebels online and in the Russian media. This international pressure did start to filter through and after a week, Mr El Gasim’s treatment became moderately better. He was still forced to carry out physical labour, but was no longer beaten on a daily basis. ‘After the first week I was told I was being held for hooliganism,’ he added. ‘They told me they’d let me go after 15 days, which in the end they did.’ Safely home: Despite reports of his death, Mohammed's parents, property developer Salah, 53, left, and medical interpreter Honaida, 42, right, who have three other children, kept up pressure on the Foreign Office . Lies: A blog written by separatist leader Igor Strelkov, pictured, claimed Mr El Gasim was a ‘black mercenary’ fighting for the Ukrainian government and that his passport had been found on the body of a dead soldier . War zone: A resident makes his way through debris as he inspects the damage to an apartment block in Donetsk, eastern Ukraine, after Ukrainian forces shelled the rebel-held city last week . His distraught parents did not learn of what their son had fully been through until he arrived home on Monday last week in case their phone calls were intercepted. Mrs El Gasim: ‘We have been in hell, all day and all night we would be on the computer trying to help or praying with family and friends. ‘I just wanted my boy home safe and sound. We didn’t know what was happening as there were so many lies coming out of Donetsk.’ His father added: ‘Every website we saw said our son was dead. It was terrible. We didn’t know what had happened to him. We used to speak to him every day and then he just vanished. We are so relieved he is back with us now.’ The city of Donetsk, a key holding for the rebels, is currently under siege from the Ukrainian army. After his disappearance, a blog written by separatist leader Igor Strelkov claimed Mr El Gasim was a ‘black mercenary’ fighting for the Ukrainian government and that his passport had been found on the body of a dead soldier. Ambition: Mr El Gasim as a child with his brother, Alwaleed, and sisters, Monuira and Dalal. He says he now hopes to continue his medical studies in England and one day become a surgeon . Mr El Gasim, who is a keen rugby player, said that he now hopes to continue with his medical studies in England pursuit of his dream of becoming a surgeon. He said: ‘I’m so happy to be home with my brothers and sisters. It hasn’t really sunk in yet what happened to me and it probably won’t do for a while.’ He said that before the city fell to the rebels, Donetsk had been a good place to live and study. ’I’d been enjoying my time in Donetsk,’ he added. ‘I had a girlfriend and enjoyed going out with friends. ‘When all the trouble started, things began to escalate. There were armed rebels everywhere, check points and curfews but this was the first trouble I’d got into.’ A Ukrainian university official in charge of foreign student welfare said this was this was the first time something like this had happened, adding: ‘This student happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.’ | Mohammed El Gasim, 21, was studying medicine in Donetsk, east Ukraine .
He was snatched from the street by rebels after a row with a local man .
They held him for 15 days and subjected him to beatings and racial abuse .
He was finally released after international pressure on the rebels . |
269,151 | e8a5a3397b070760fc369b7e2462c2a6a577f855 | Las Vegas (CNN) -- The International Consumer Electronics Show, the giant gadget convention that wrapped up on Friday, has brought some frustrating news for AT&T or Sprint customers who bought a cutting-edge 4G smartphone last year. That phone will soon be outdated. AT&T Mobility and Sprint Nextel unveiled some of the first smartphones that will tap into their new, even faster fourth-generation networks. But wait, Sprint has been talking about its 4G network since launching one in 2008 followed by its premier phone, HTC's Evo 4G, in 2010. And AT&T began adding "4G" to the names of many of its smartphones early last year. Now, two of the largest U.S. cellular carriers are ramping up yet another 4G system. They will have LTE, or Long-term Evolution, to compete with the one Verizon Wireless launched more than a year ago. T-Mobile USA says it has 4G, which is similar to AT&T's old 4G, but the carrier has not talked about plans for 4G LTE deployment. (Get all that?) Since AT&T and Sprint have already exhausted their usage of 4G in marketing, it's unclear how they will explain to customers the major investments they've made to have the latest network technology. "I don't think the majority of our customers understand the monikers," AT&T executive Glenn Lurie said in an interview here at CES. Sprint product chief Fared Adib declined to comment on the company's marketing plans. Lurie, who serves as AT&T's liaison to Apple, declined to comment on why Apple refused to adopt the 4G moniker in the iPhone 4S, which uses last year's HSPA+ technology that AT&T also describes as 4G. "Forget the G's for a second," Lurie said. "What it's called doesn't matter." Verizon has emphasized the speed enhancements offered by its version of 4G, and makes an effort to refer to the network as 4G LTE, rather than just 4G, to differentiate from competitors, David Small, the technical chief for Verizon Wireless, has told CNN. Verizon is on track to have its 4G network match the coverage of its 3G network by next year, a spokeswoman said Friday. At CES last year, Verizon hosted two large news conferences and operated a huge booth to promote the launch of its 4G network. This year, Verizon has kept a low profile. AT&T announced eight new LTE products at CES, including smartphones and tablets. The world's first LTE Windows phone, the Lumia 900, will arrive in March, Nokia wrote in a message to partners on Friday. "We use this as a way to kick off the year," Lurie said. "CES is becoming more wireless-centric than ever before." AT&T's loss in its bid to acquire T-Mobile has not affected operations, according to Lurie. The first 4G LTE phones for AT&T hit stores in November, before the breakup with T-Mobile was announced. At many of the large CES exhibits, 4G was pervasive. For example, a station at the entrance to LG's booth displaying a row of phones was called True LTE Expert. Sprint announced three new devices at CES: a portable wireless hotspot, an LG phone made from recycled materials, and the Galaxy Nexus from Samsung and Google. Sprint's new 4G LTE network is expected to match its older, slower 4G network by the end of this year, Steve Elfman, the carrier's network operations president, said in an interview. The company will stop selling devices that support its old 4G around that same time, and it will turn off access to that network in 2015. "The ecosystem is going to be larger in LTE," Elfman said. Not only will it be larger, but this 4G is likely to remain king for some time. | A new data network, called 4G LTE, took hold at CES .
The technology will exceed old 4G networks .
Old 4G phones from AT&T and Sprint are not compatible with it . |
268,695 | e809306a54e1f6bbc228d68678c6432a1bf19d1b | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 05:47 EST, 23 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:45 EST, 23 August 2013 . Memory 'sports' are the latest trend for intellectuals across the world to show off their mental prowess. The annual UK Open Memory Champions took place at London's Science Museum on Thursday and the intense event involved ten contestants lining up in front of chief arbiter of the World Memory Sports Council, Phil Chambers, as he put them through two days of rigorous memory tests. Tests include memorising as many decks of playing cards as possible, or recalling lists of thousands of binary digits. Chambers has now revealed some of the memory tips and insider secrets revealing exactly how memory masters are able to remember thousands and thousands of binary digits, in order. One method memory masters use to remember sequences of playing cards, or rows of numbers, is to assign them with particular celebrities, actions or objects. For example, the Queen of Hearts, left, could be assigned to Princess Diana, right. Stories are then made up using these people, actions or objects . Most playing cards memorised - 1,456 (28 decks), held by Ben Pridmore . Number of binary digits remembered in 30 minutes - 4,140, held by Ben Pridmore . Number of binary digits memorised in five minutes - 1,016, held by Ola Kara Rise . The first step, Chambers said, is to stop looking at the digits as numbers and start seeing them as everyday objects, because this makes them easier to recall. Chambers told The Times that the most effective way to do this is to use playing cards in place of numbers, and then assign certain attributes to these cards. For example, the ace card is one, the rest of the cards go in sequence and then a picture card can be 10. In the case of having to remember binary digits, another picture card could be used as 11. One method is to convert the names of the cards into the initials of a famous person - the Ace of Hearts converts to 'AH', which could be Adolf Hitler. The Six of Clubs would become SC, or Simon Cowell, and so on. It's also possible to take this method a step further and assign playing cards with celebrities, actions and objects. This makes it possible to pair cards together to form longer digits, and helps create stories that make it possible to remember the order of the digits. Memory expert Phil Chambers assigns the Four of Diamonds, left, with Neil Diamond, right, singing a song at a piano. He then creates stories such as Princess Diana met Neil Diamond, which becomes Queen of Hearts followed by Four of Diamonds, or the number 10 followed by the number four in a sequence . For example, Chambers said he assigns Princess Diana as the Queen of Hearts. The action is 'waving' and the object is a rose. Neil Diamond singing a song at a piano is what Chambers uses for the Four of Diamonds, while the the Ace of Clubs is Tiger Woods and a golf tee. A simpler method could be to use a person's initials, such as Adolf Hitler (AH) for the Ace of Hearts, for example . Chambers then creates a story using these, for example, Princess Diana saw Neil Diamond when they went to see Tiger Woods play golf. This technique has the double benefit of being able to remember sequences of playing cards, but the numbers on the cards can also be used to remember strings of random digits. This would be 10, for the picture card of the Queen of Hearts, four for the Four of Diamonds and one for the Ace of Clubs. This sentence helps Chambers remember the sequence of numbers 1041, or alternatively, in the case of binary digits, 1011111 - where the number four is converted into four individual umber ones. To reduce the amount of names, for example, this could also become Tiger Woods played a piano to a woman holding a rose. This would be the Ace of Clubs and the Queen of Hearts followed by the Four of Diamonds, also known as 1104 or 1101111. This method provides enough variables to remember thousands of digits and the current world record is 4,140 held by Ben Pridmore. | Method involves assigning people, actions and objects to playing cards .
The four of diamonds, for example, could be Neil Diamond singing .
Stories are then created by combining these attributes . |
104,496 | 12d593ae8e8fad846ba61424e1dca31a903119bf | (CNN) -- In what he described as a candid and comprehensive conversation, Kofi Annan, the special United Nations envoy to Syria, laid out proposals Saturday to President Bashar al-Assad that were aimed at halting the relentless carnage. It was the first time since Syria's long and bloody conflict that al-Assad met with such a high level diplomat. Even as the two men spoke, however, Syrian security forces continued to kill with impunity. At least 63 people were killed Saturday, according to the Local Coordination Committees (LCC), a network of Syrian activists. Another group put the toll at 98. Annan, a former U.N. secretary-general, spoke to al-Assad about a ceasefire, the release of detainees and allowing unfettered access to agencies like the Red Cross to deliver much needed aid, a U.N. statement said. Annan also proposed a start to an inclusive political dialogue that would "address the legitimate aspirations and concerns of the people." He was staying overnight in Damascus and will resume discussions Sunday with al-Assad. Annan also met Saturday with opposition leaders and young activists, as well as prominent members of the business community. Syrian state-run media said the meeting took place in a "positive atmosphere." It said Al-Assad told Annan that he was ready to find a solution but that such an effort would first require a look at reality on the ground and not relying on what "is promoted by some regional and international countries to distort the facts and give a picture contrary to what Syria is undergoing." He also reiterated that "political dialogue or action cannot take place or succeed if there are terrorist armed gangs on the ground that are working on spreading chaos and target the stability of the homeland," the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) said. The Syrian regime has maintained throughout the uprising that armed thugs are responsible for causing the bloodshed. That violence claimed more lives Saturday in villages, towns and cities across the nation. Among the dead Saturday were 16 Free Syrian Army fighters who died in an ambush in Jisr al-Shagur, not far from the northern city of Idlib. Activist Abdel Aziz told CNN that Idlib was suffering the kind of heavy shelling the world had seen in the besieged city of Homs and 46 of the casualties Saturday were in Idlib. He estimated shelling every two minutes and that many residences and buildings had been damaged or destroyed. He also reported that security forces were searching house to house to arrest activists. "The number of tanks is much greater than defectors," Aziz said. "This scenario is very similar to what happened in Homs." Violent clashes between government forces and defected soldiers erupted in the town of Daraya, opposition activists said. And in the Daraa village of Jezah, "the regime's army is indiscriminately bombing the city with anti-aircraft missiles. The village is under siege in all directions," said the Local Coordination Committees of Syria, a network of opposition activists. The group also reported heavy gunfire in Damascus neighborhoods and gunfire in Hama and Aleppo, where communications and electricity were curtailed. A demonstration in Latakia "chanted for the disaster-stricken cities and demanded the regime's ouster," it said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, another opposition group, said 98 people died, including 39 military defectors. Among 39 civilian casualties were 25 in Idlib, the group said. It also said 20 government troops, including a brigadier general in a Damascus suburb, were killed. CNN could not verify the casualty figures. Amid the fighting, Annan's visit presented "a small sign of hope, yet so dim," said Abdel Aziz al-Khair, a member of the National Coordinating Body for Democratic Change. "There is no way that we can have any dialogue with the regime until the security campaign ends," said al-Khair, who met with Annan Saturday. "They keep playing the victim role, (saying) that they are defending the innocent civilians while they slaughter them and blame the bloodshed on others," he said. Annan seemed extremely concerned about the humanitarian crisis in Syria and said he had received contradicting reports regarding the ongoing conflict, al-Khair said. Annan distanced himself from military intervention as did opposition members, agreeing that an armed conflict would only worsen the predicament of civilians, al-Khair said. Both Annan and opposition members agreed that plans for a resolution cannot be implemented as long as the bloodshed continues. "It is too early to apply a plan to resolve the crisis, " al-Khair said. "The situation on the ground ... is catastrophic." U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice said Annan was trying to "broker a swift transition in which ultimately Assad steps aside and the people of Syria are able to choose an interim government that's representative and leads to elections." Rice said she wants the situation to be resolved peacefully, "to the extent that that remains still a viable outcome." But time was running out for a diplomatic solution, said Haytham Manna of the opposition Coordinating Committee of Democratic Transition in Syria. "We are getting to the point of no return," said Manna, a Paris-based dissident. "If we can't reach a political agreement today, we will head toward the abyss. ... The regime is pushing the country as a whole toward a full scale armed struggle between the very well organized military institution and our people." Meanwhile in Cairo, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov agreed with his Arab League counterparts on key issues regarding Syria. They called for an end to the violence; independent monitoring; unfettered aid delivery; and support for Annan's mission. But there was no getting around to the contentious nature of Lavrov's presence at the Arab League meeting after Russia vetoed a key United Nations Security Council resolution condemning the Syrian regime. China also voted against the measure. Lavrov defended his nation's ties to the region. "We have always supported the rights of the Arab world for independence and free development," Lavrov said. "If you take the volume of economic ties with any of your countries then what we have, unfortunately, in trade and economy is in comparably low(er) than the volume of trade and economic ties with other outside partners." Arab leaders called for intervention given the situation within Syria and held firm to their position that al-Assad must step down. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim al-Thani said the Arab League supported Annan's mission but it was also time to send in Arab and other international troops into Syria. The United Nations says more than 7,500 have died in the past year, and at least one activist group says more than 9,000 people have been killed. CNN cannot independently confirm opposition or government reports of casualties or attacks from across Syria because the government has severely restricted the access of international journalists. But a vast majority of reports from inside Syria show a systematic slaughter in an attempt to silence dissidents. CNN's Saad Abedine, Salma Abdelaziz, Hamdi Alkhshali, Ian Lee, Moni Basu and journalist Mohamed Fadel Fahmy contributed to this report. | At least 63 people, perhaps as many as 98, were killed Saturday .
Annan proposed a ceasefire, release of detainees and aid delivery .
An activist reports heavy shelling of Idlib, in the vein of Homs .
If the talks fail, 'we will head toward the abyss,' says one dissident . |
96,405 | 08093fddf16ee3b256257bb48b0dff6daff7ab5c | Former President George W. Bush made an unannounced visit to the 9/11 museum on Sunday where he walked in silent contemplation among the exhibits. Bush, who was in office during the terrorist attacks 13 years ago, spent an hour at the Ground Zero site in lower Manhattan. He arrived at 6pm, while the museum was still open to the public, accompanied by his security team. Scroll down for video . Former president George W Bush is pictured at the 9/11 museum in New York City on Sunday evening, the first time he has visited the center . Onlookers said that former president George W Bush arrived quietly at the 9/11 museum on Sunday night and spent an hour look at the exhibits. He reportedly was particularly taken with 'The Final Column' (pictured in stock image from May 2014) According to the New York Post, some fellow museum visitors recognized the former commander-in-chief but respectfully did not approach him. Bush shook hands with police officers at the site and appeared moved by what he had seen, according to one cop. In particular, the former president, spent time viewing The Final Column - the last steel beam removed from Ground Zero at the end of the nine-month recovery effort in 2002. The artifact is covered in pictures of the fallen along with messages of hope and love from emergency responders and rescue crews. It was President Bush's first trip to the museum at Ground Zero. He was noticeably absent from the National September 11 Memorial & Museum dedication in May which was attended by President Obama and former president Bill Clinton. Instead, Bush's office issued a statement saying he and wife Laura 'thank all those who played a role in creating this inspiring tribute, and we send our best wishes to those gathered to dedicate it'. The September 11 attacks on the U.S. claimed the lives of 2,996 people. A few days after two planes crashed into the World Trade Center in lower Manhattan, Bush stood on top of rubble on the site, and using a bullhorn, reassured Americans. That bullhorn is in the museum as part of a loan from the the Bush Presidential Library. President Bush comforts New York City Fire Dept Lt Lenard Phelan of Battalion 46 in September 2001 following the attacks on the World Trade Center . | The former president, who was in office during the 2001 terrorist attacks, spent an hour at the Ground Zero site on Sunday .
Bush shook hands with police officers at the site and appeared especially moved by 'The Final Column' exhibit .
It was the former president's first trip to the museum after he missed the official opening ceremony in May . |
218,486 | a6d9d3d9b4c2df7abb9f6dcacef42d98809522a1 | News makers: Vanity Fair magazine released it's 'New Establishment' rankings for 2013, with music mogul Jay Z and his wife Beyonce taking the first position . A new ranking of American movers and shakers confirms what we all already knew: our first couple isn't the Obamas - it's the Carters. According to Vanity Fair's 'New Establishment' for 2013, musician couple Jay Z and Beyonce are the most important powers that be in the U.S. Mr and Mrs Shaun Carter were last ranked number eight, but their busy year propelled them to the number one spot. Helping them nab the top honor was Jay Z's new album, Magna Carter Holy Grail, which went platinum before it even hit store shelves thanks to a strategically planned pre-order release. Beyonce did her part too by booking a Super Bowl halftime performance, selling out her world tour and releasing a documentary about her life on HBO. Also in the top five were outgoing New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg, as well as the heads of Comcast, Disney and 21st Century Fox. New additions to the list include J. Crew's creative director Jenna Lyons and new Stars Wars franchise director JJ Abrams. Steve Jobs' widow Laurene Powell Jobs also made the list this year for her work on immigration reform. Since her husband's passing, it is estimated that Mrs Powell-Jobs is worth $11billion. And for starting the Beats electronics company, rapper turned producer Dr Dre came in at number six with his partner Jimmy Iovine. Scroll down for the full list . Power couple: Jay Z and wife Beyonce share the number one spot after a busy year of album releases, sold out tours and HBO documentaries . New faces: Rapper-turned-producer Dr Dre, left, entered the list this year for starting Beats headphones. J. Crew Creative Director Jenna Lyons, right, was also added to the list for injecting new life into the preppy clothes company . Here to stay: Michael Bloomberg may be leaving his office as mayor of New York City, but he still maintained a high place on the list as the public wonders what he'll do next . Of course there were a lot of old faces on the list, like New York Times editor Jill Abramson and film producers the Weinstein brothers . Jon Feltheimer, the head of Lionsgate, was knocked up to number 20 for his work acquiring three teen movie franchises: The Hunger Games, Ender's Game and Divergent. The TV production side of his business has been booming as well with hits like Mad Men, Nashville and Orange is the New Black. Most of the returning influencers only moved up and down a few rankings. The next generation: Filmmaker JJ Abrams recently nabbed the honor of getting to direct a Star Wars reboot. He ranked number 13 on the list . In charge: Jon Feltheimer, left, and Jill Abramson, right, both moved up on the list for their leadership of Lionsgate and the New York Times, respectively . Activist: Steve Jobs' widow, Laurene Powell Jobs, was on the list for the first time this year for her activism on immigration reform . Exceptions include Tim Armstrong and Arianna Huffington at AOL who fell 13 spots to the anchor position of number 25. Robert Thomson rose six spots for his recent promotion to Chief Executive of Rupert Murdoch's new News Corp, after working since 2008 as the managing editor of the Wall Street Journal. 1. Jay Z & Beyonce, musicians2. Michael Bloomberg, New York City mayor3. Brian Roberts & Steve Burke, Comcast4. Bob Iger, The Walt Disney Company5. Rupert Murdoch, 21st Century Fox6. Jimmy Iovine & Dr Dre, Beats Electronics7. David Zaslav, Discovery Communications8. Jill Abramson, editor of The New York Times 9. Jenna Lyons, J. Crew creative director10. Harvey & Bob Weinstein, The Weinstein Company11. Jon Stewart & Stephen Colbert, Comedy Central12. Robert Thomson, News Corp13. JJ Abrams, Filmmaker14. Lionel Barber, Financial Times15. Matt Drudge, Drudge Report 16. Michael Kors, Michael Kors Holdings17. Len Blavatnik, Access Industries 18. Laurene Powell Jobs, Emerson Collective19. Tory Burch, designer20. Jon Feltheimer, Lionsgate21. Peter Chernin, The Chernin Group 22. Trey Parker & Matt Stone, Important Studios23. Mike Allen, Politico 24. Ben Affleck, actor and director25. Tim Armstrong & Ariana Huffington, AOL . | Jay Z and wife Beyonce were rated the most powerful people in the American establishment by Vanity Fair magazine .
New additions to this years list include Steve Jobs' widow Laurene Powell Jobs and Jenna Lyons, the creative director of J. Crew .
Tim Armstrong and Arianna Huffington at AOL came in at last place, falling 13 spots from last year's list . |
123,096 | 2b22c99f63448fd6b3c52df75c6ca9157ac1c89a | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 06:08 EST, 3 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:57 EST, 4 April 2013 . Celebrity mothers Peaches Geldof (who updates her Instagram by the second with information about son Astala), Kourtney Kardashian (who relishes every opportunity to wear clothes matching those worn by children Mason and Penelope Disick) and Lily Cooper (who has been caught Tweeting that life is all dirty nappies and pureed food since the birth of daughters Ethel and Marnie), take heed. Baby-related social media updates, wearing clothes that match your child's, and bemoaning a lack of social life thanks to your growing brood have been voted the parenting habits we find most irksome. Being forced to listen to a newborn's gurgling down the phone and hearing friends do cutesy voices for their infants are also high on the list of annoying parental pastimes, according to a survey. From feeding habits to his friendship with Parpy the dog, Peaches Geldof loves sharing information, photos and anecdotes about her son Astala via Instagram and Twitter . Not disciplining unruly tots in public and swearing in front of your children also made the list of the most irritating traits of mothers and fathers, according to myvouchercode.co.uk. The survey also found . that British people aren't keen on parents who wax lyrical about how . perfect their children are... and are equally put out when they . criticise other people's. Mark Pearson, My Voucher Code chairman, said: 'It can be tricky to admit to . your friends what you find annoying about their parenting habits, even . more so if you don't have children yourself as they could return the . criticism by blaming you for not understanding what being a parent feels . like. 'I guess all you can do is try to see the funny side of these . things. And I'm sure even if most of us will agree to find at least one . of these things annoying, we'll all end up doing the same once we have . children.' Kourtney Kardashian commits the parental sin of dressing like her children, left, while Peaches Geldof overshares about her baby on Instagram . Lily Rose Cooper (nee Allen) takes to Twitter to explain why all her time is taken up with babies, a habit British people find irritating . 1. Using a 'cutesy' voice . 2. Baby-related status updates on Facebook . 3. Putting babies on the phone . 4. Not disciplining children when unruly in public . 5. Swearing in front of children . 6. Blaming their kids for not going out anymore . 7. Parents who constantly say how 'perfect' their child is . 8. Criticising other parents' kids . 9. Matching outfit between father/son – daughter/mum . 10. Using their children as an excuse to be unsociable . | Not disciplining unruly children and swearing in front of them also irritate .
British people don't enjoy parents continually praising their own children...
...or criticising other people's . |
12,028 | 221f2d979205e08e5bf59e24846ea8b7ec7bb4a1 | A schoolboy hanged himself after he was falsely branded a rapist by fellow pupils after pulling out of a playground drug dealing racket, an inquest heard. Tom Acton, 16, claimed that he was bullied into taking Ecstasy, amphetamines and cocaine in between lessons – yet when his mother, Gaynor, went to see staff at the 1,700 pupil Poynton High School and Performing Arts College in Cheshire, it was alleged that they refused to do anything about it. When she withdrew the boy from school, false rumours began circulating which alleged the innocent teenager had tied a girl to a tree then sexually assaulted her. Tragic: Tom Acton three month before he killed himself after being bullied by fellow pupils at Poynton High School, Cheshire . It resulted in mobs of up to 30 angry youths targeting him in the street and turning up at the family’s front door saying they wanted to kill him and ‘get rid of the vermin’. Tom began to self-harm with a blade and even carved the word ‘rapist’ into his leg. A friend had to stop him jumping from a railway bridge and he considered stepping into the path of heavy traffic. On October 31, days before he was due to testify at the trial of one of the bullies, Tom was found hanged in his bedroom by his father. The family home of Tom Acton in Poynton, Cheshire. After being called a rapist on Facebook, Tom hanged himself here in October 2013 . Taken to Stepping Hill Hospital, he died on November 2. Tom’s organs were used to save the lives of eight people.The tragedy occurred just months after Tom gained nine GCSEs. At an inquest in Warrington, Gaynor Acton questioned why the school refused to accept that they had a problem with drugs – even though the suspected drug dealer's own mother gave staff a similar story. Mrs Acton, 45, a former company director . of a hydraulics firm said that her son had been bullied into taking . drugs within the school and had started taking them in 2009. Tom Acton and his mother Gaynor. She believes that his school, Poynton High School and Performing Arts College in Cheshire, did not do enough to tackle drug taking among pupils . She added: ‘Tom was getting beat up a lot, being chased a lot, physically and mentally abused on a daily basis. ‘There were lots of police incidents recorded, school records. I tried working with the school to start with but the school wouldn't do anything about it, the next line was the police who again did nothing about it. ‘He was on Class A drugs that had been supplied to him from the lads inside of school, MDMA, amphetamines, cocaine, tablets. The only way we could get him to stop was to take him out of school; we took him out for three months.’ Asked by a coroner if he had explained to her why he took the drugs, Mrs Acton added: ‘Because if he didn't he would get bullied – if he did what everyone else did they would leave him alone. ‘Our doctor wrote to the school about peer pressure. But because he wasn't in school taking the drugs that's when they put it out on Facebook that he was a rapist.’ Tom Acton in his bedroom in December 2012. He was accused of being a rapist and gangs of youth came up to his front door threatening to kill him . She said Tom had first started talking about suicidal thoughts in February 2013 and added: ‘There were lots of times when he said he was going to do something. He never showed me any of the self-harm. It was only what he had told me. He just couldn't sleep. ‘Tom couldn't have a girlfriend because he was 'a rapist'. That's how the rest of the people saw him in Poynton. He loved going out with girls before the rapist allegations.’ She also confessed to buying cannabis for Tom in an effort to help his recurring insomnia. Dr David Ward, Tom's GP, said: ‘He told me that he was the victim of bullying and other children had offered him drugs and cigarettes. He said he was being intimidated by a school pupil that was actively seeking him out and verbally and physically abusing him. ‘His mum alleged they were spreading rumours that he was a dirty rapist – he was struggling to concentrate and his mood was low. He described it as being dead inside. In July 2013, she said Tom left Poynton and began studying music production and sound technology at South Manchester College– but had never got over the false rape allegations. Tom attended Poynton High School and Performing Arts College in Cheshire leaving in July 2013. His mother Gaynor claims that Tom was forced to take Class A drugs at the school . ‘He was very excited about leaving school, he couldn't wait to get away from it,’ said his mother. ‘He was ecstatic that he was leaving school and he wouldn't have to go back. ‘The bullies didn't know how to get to him since he left school. ‘But as regards the rape allegations, he was very upset and he never actually got over that. It was always on his mind. ‘I want to know, why, when presented with physical evidence of drug taking in the school, the school refused to accept it had a problem and no action was taken.’ Holly Spicer, Tom's ex-girlfriend, told the hearing: ‘About one month or so before his death I was talking to him in the kitchen and he was talking about the rapist allegations. ‘He said he cut 'rapist' into his leg and also showed the marks on his wrist. He said he was sorry, I can't quite remember why. He spoke how he was beginning to believe the rumours himself.’ Tom was left bleeding after being attacked by bullies (left) Another friend Jake Dwight said that Tom had been feeling worried about testifying against teenager Thomas Greenwood, 18, who gave him a hiding whilst shouting: ‘If I see you, you are dead.’ Jake said: ‘I knew he was very worried about the upcoming case. ‘A couple of people sat at the gates waiting for him, his mother had to pick him up. Tom's father Paul, a mechanical electrical manager, was asked if Tom had been anxious about the court case and he said: ‘Not for himself. We had spoken about it. I had asked him during the week if he was still okay with it and he said he was a bit nervous.’ He added that he had become a ‘prisoner in his house’ for three years before his death because of the rumours. Trial: Tom Acton (left) was due to testify at the trial of Thomas Greenwood (right) in December 2013. He admitted assaulting the teenager, but escaped jail as he was handed a 12-month community order and 100 hours of unpaid work . He said: ‘He was a very outgoing person, he made friends very easily. But because of the slander and the rumours that were spread he was isolated from everybody for the last three years of his life. ‘He never went around Poynton on his own, we had to pick him up and drop him off.’ Poynton High School headmaster David Waugh who was appointed after Tom left claimed school files showed the teenager had been both the ‘victim and the perpetrator’. He said there were, ‘various incidents where it was six of one and half a dozen of the other’. Mr Waugh said: ‘There were similar incidents where he had been bullied, where he had been verbally abused. ‘On a one to one basis Tom was exceptionally pleasant and engaged. His behaviour deteriorated in groups or class, or with a teacher he didn't get on with.’ Coroner Nicholas Rheinberg adjourned the inquest to call Sue Adamson, the former headmistress of Poynton, to answer Mrs Acton's claims. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Tom Acton was falsely accused of having tied a girl to a tree and sexually assaulted her .
The 16-year-old, of Cheshire, began self-harming and carved the word 'rapist' into his leg .
Mother blames school for not trying to stop drug dealing .
Father said Tom had become 'prisoner in his house' to avoid bullies .
At Macclesfield magistrates court in December Thomas Greenwood admitted assaulting Tom and was given a 12-month community order with 100 hours of unpaid work. There is no suggestion he was dealing drugs to Tom.
On Monday Fatimah Ahmed, 30, a former maths teacher at the same school, was given an 18-week sentence suspended for two years after she pleaded guilty to one count of concealing, disguising, converting, transferring or removing criminal property between November 2010 to February 2013 - relating to drugs money put into her bank account by her husband.
If you’re under 18 and need confidential help call Childline on 0800 1111.
For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details. |
119,856 | 26ebe1c600431d2f4362aea78a252de389b99a46 | A scarcity of lethal injection drugs has forced states to go back to the future to carry out capital punishments. Tennessee has brought back the electric chair and both Wyoming and Utah are considering the use of firing squads, according to reports. Republican Gov. Bill Haslam signed a bill into law Thursday allowing Tennessee to electrocute death row inmates when prisons are unable to obtain the necessary drugs, the state announced. Grim return: Tennessee has reintroduced the electric chair as an execution method (Virigina's electric chair, located at Virginia State Penitentiary in Richmond, is pictured) The drastic measure is just the first of what may be many as European drug makers are refusing to sell the cocktail of drugs normally used to execute death row inmates. Tennessee lawmakers overwhelmingly passed the electric chair legislation in April, with the Senate voting 23-3 and the House 68-13 in favor of the bill. The Volunteer State is also the first in the nation to bring the electric chair back into use without giving condemned inmates the option of an alternative method, according to Richard Dieter, the executive director of the Death Penalty Information Center. ‘There are states that allow inmates to choose, but it is a very different matter for a state to impose a method like electrocution,’ he said. ‘No other state has gone so far.’ Dieter said he expects legal challenges to arise if the state decides to go through with an electrocution, both on the grounds of whether the state could prove that lethal injection drugs were not obtainable and constitutional protections against cruel and unusual punishment. The electric chairs reintroduction to Tennessee came just as rumblings started in both Wyoming and Utah that those states are mulling over whether to bring back sharp shooters to carry out death sentences. Give them the gas: Wyoming law currently requires inmates to die in a gas chamber similar to this one if no lethal injection drugs are available, but no such facility exists in the state . A Wyoming legislative committee has begun drawing up a bill that would allow firing squads to end the life of inmates . Bob Lampert, director of the Wyoming Department of Corrections, told members of the Wyoming Legislature's Joint Interim Judiciary Committee the state has completely run out of the lethal injection drugs, and suggested an alternate method of executing inmates. ‘In the event that we had an execution scheduled and we couldn't carry it out as a result of lack of substances, I suggested to the Joint Judiciary that we may want to consider having an alternate means of execution, such as the firing squad,’ he said. Laws currently on the books call for the state to execute inmates using a gas chamber should the need arise. Wyoming has only one inmate currently on death row – Dale Wayne Eaton, who convicted in 2004 of the brutal 1988 sexual assault and murder of a teenage woman, according to the Billings Gazette. A vote will not likely be held on the measure until July, during the state’s next legislative meeting. The answer?: The execution chamber at the Utah State Prison is seen after Ronnie Lee Gardner was executed by a firing squad in Draper June 18, 2010 . Republican Utah legislator Paul Ray is also planning to float the idea later this year of bringing firing squad deaths back to the state. ‘It sounds like the Wild West, but it's probably the most humane way to kill somebody,’ said Ray. It has been only four years since the last firing squad death in Utah – five police officers used .30-caliber Winchester rifles in 2010 to execute convicted murderer Ronnie Lee Gardner. He actually chose to be killed by firing squad rather than lethal injection. The state had outlawed it in 2004 but left open the possibility of anyone condemned to a death sentence prior to the ban to have the option, Gardner took it. ‘The prisoner dies instantly,’ Ray insisted. ‘It sounds draconian. It sounds really bad, but the minute the bullet hits your heart, you're dead. There's no suffering.’ Dieter said that if Utah brought back firing squads as a default option rather than leaving it up to inmates to choose, as was the practice before 2004, it could also be challenged in court. Tennessee has 74 prisoners on death row and Utah has nine, state records showed. The Supreme Court has never declared a method of execution unconstitutional on the grounds that it is cruel and unusual. It upheld the firing squad in 1879, the electric chair in 1890 and lethal injection in 2008. Lethal injection is receiving more scrutiny as an execution method, especially after last month's botched execution in Oklahoma. In the Oklahoma case, inmate Clayton Lockett's vein apparently collapsed and he suffered a fatal heart attack 43 minutes after the process began. Many other states including Oklahoma, Missouri and Texas also use lethal injection for the death penalty. Authorities in those states have also expressed concern about difficulties obtaining the necessary drugs. | The states are looking for alternative execution methods as lethal injection drug supplies dry up .
Utah abolished firing squads in 2004 but last executed a man using one in 2010 because he chose the method prior to it being outlawed .
Wyoming law requires a gas chamber to be used should no lethal injection drugs be available - the state has no gas chamber . |
152,771 | 5172fa3f30e257d1af938521c646c48336a908e2 | By . Rob Preece . PUBLISHED: . 15:02 EST, 29 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:18 EST, 30 August 2012 . Gazing into the camera, this curious kitten is one of 30 new residents who have taken over an animal charity worker's living room. Carol O'Brien, of Sunderland, Tyne and Wear, is struggling to find new homes for the animals after they were abandoned or given away by their owners. They are among about 60 cats which the Sunderland charity Ms O'Brien works for, Animal Krackers, is trying to rehome - the largest number in the organisation's 10-year history. The charity has even warned it may have to start turning cats away unless new owners come forward. Needing a home: This kitten is one of 30 that have been taken in by Carol O'Brien in Sunderland, Tyne and Wear . Ms O'Brien is fostering 30 kittens at her home, while a further 30 mature cats are being cared by for by other charity workers. Ms O'Brien said: 'There are cats all over the place. Normally I have about half a dozen at a time, but now I sometimes get three or four pregnant cats a week. 'For the past two years, and especially since Christmas, numbers have been growing. 'I have had 17 pregnant cats since Christmas, then you will get four or five in a litter. The baby kittens used to be quite easy to re-home, but not now. 'I have been doing this for 11-years now, and my house has never been so crowded with them.' Some of the kittens are still with me after five months, which is very unusual.' Overrun: Ms O'Brien said the number of cats in her care had risen so quickly that her friends had offered to foster some until new homes can be found . Ms . O'Brien said the number of cats in her care had risen so quickly that . her friends had offered to foster some until new homes can be found. The sharp increase in numbers is being blamed on the recession. Staff say people who see animal breeding as a quick way of making money can later find they are unable to look after them. Ms o'Brien said: 'I think part of the problem is that it is so easy now to advertise animals for sale on Facebook. 'You get people eager to make some quick money by breeding cats. 'They think they are being clever business people, making £40 or £50 a cat, but often they can’t sell them quickly enough as people want the kittens when they are very young, and then they find they can’t cope. 'They don’t have to pay to advertise in a newspaper. Facebook is really convenient for them. 'Then the cats are getting dumped, or brought here.' Warning: Sue Hardy, the animal charity's co-founder, has admitted it may have to start turning cats away . Warning that pets 'always suffer' during a recession, Ms O'Brien called for more financial help to be made available to owners who need to have their cats neutered. She added: 'At the moment my house is completely crowded with cats, scratching my doors and making a mess. 'But I have some really lovely kittens and I just hope there are some people out there who are willing to give them a home.' Sue Hardy, co-founder of Animal Krackers, who has nine rescue cats at her home, said: 'We’ve just had our 10-year anniversary and this is the most amount of cats we’ve ever had to re-home. 'We get cats for a variety of reasons, sometimes people tell us they need to get rid of their cat because they’ve just had a baby or fallen pregnant, we’re getting an increasing number of people who say that the council will not let them have more than two pets. 'The council and housing associations seem to be cracking down on the amount of pets people can have in their properties in recent years. 'Sometimes people come to us with genuine reasons - for example. elderly people who are unable to care for their pet due to ill health. 'We get a lot of pedigree cats and people don’t seem to be getting them neutered. 'We’re getting to the point that there are so many, we might have to turn some away and we don’t want to do that.' | Sunderland charity Animal Krackers is trying to find homes for 60 cats .
Carol O'Brien is looking after half of them, and fellow workers have taken care of the rest .
Sudden rise in numbers blamed on the recession .
Charity warns it may have to turn cats away unless new owners are found . |
275,531 | f0f4182299ba9f8eb55973ff969ac82c17e6c0fd | Frustrated police still have no firm leads in their investigation into the disappearance of toddler William Tyrell, six weeks after the three-year-old disappeared from his grandmother's front yard. Detectives have spoken to every person they could locate who was in Kendall on the mid-north coast of NSW on September 12, when William, dressed in his favourite Spiderman costume, was last seen. The investigation into William's disappearance passed the six-week mark on Friday, as followers of a Facebook page set up to help find the little boy who loved fire engines topped 17,000. Scroll down for video . William Tyrell was last seen wearing his favourite Spiderman costume when he disappeared on September 12 . Missing toddler William Tyrell did not have a tendency to wander off . Strike Force Rosann detectives are now collating information including hundreds of calls from the public, a police spokeswoman said. 'There is nothing new, unfortunately,' the spokeswoman told Daily Mail Australia. 'It is very frustrating for police.' Detectives, who found no trace of William during an intense nine-day search and are concentrating their investigation on the theory William was abducted, have previously described the case as 'astonishing'. William disappeared from his grandmother's yard in Benaroon Drive, Kendall, about 10.30am on September 12, five minutes after he was last seen by his grandmother and mother. He had been playing with his four-year-old sister. A huge search of surrounding properties and bushland failed to find a trace of the boy. One lead police have investigated is a report of a 'well-dressed, well-spoken' man who reportedly asked a local shopkeeper for directions to Batar Creek Road, which leads to Benaroon Drive, on the morning William disappeared. State Emergency Service volunteers were among hundreds of searches who spent nine days looking for missing toddler William Tyrell . Searches combed bushland surrounding the home of missing toddler William Tyrell's grandmother . William Tyrell was last seen in the front yard of his grandmother's house at Kendall, on the NSW mid-north coast . Police coordinated a search for William Tyrell that involved SES, Rural Fire Service and Surf Life Saving volunteers . Police stopped motorists to ask if they had any information about he disappearance of William Tyrell . Earlier this month, Strike Force Rosann commander Acting Superintendent Tony Joice said police wanted to interview every person who was in Kendall on September 12 to determine what they were doing and why they were there. He described the case as 'astonishing'. 'If you were in the Kendall area, we need to know what you were doing, who you were visiting, what car you were driving, what you were doing there,' Acting Superintendent Joice told The Telegraph. 'It’s about putting the pieces together.' That task is now complete, a police spokeswoman said. The search for William included police from the dog squad, officers on horseback and on trail bikes, divers, Forensic Services Group members and a helicopter. Some ground was covered more than 10 times in the search for missing boy William Tyrell . Police are baffled by the disappearance of little William Tyrell from his grandmother's home . Volunteers from the State Emergency Service, Rural Fire Service, Surf Life Saving, and local citizens scoured the main search area for nine days without finding any trace of the boy. After five days police conceded the boy could not have survived in bushland alone. Some ground was searched more than 10 times. Police interviewed William's sister but she was unable to provide any information about his disappearance. William's family have remained out of public view but a friend, Nicole, has made several appeals for help. She said while William enjoyed being outdoors he had no tendency to wander off. 'He is a happy, cheeky, adventurous little boy who doesn’t wander off,' Nicole said. 'William is pretty much always happy. He was happy to play in the garden and be with his family.' 'Someone, somewhere' knows something about the disappearance of William Tyler, says Superintendent Paul Fehon . Family friend Nicole has appealed for help from the public to find William Tyrell . Mid-North Coast local area commander Superintendent Paul Fehon has said 'someone, somewhere' must know something about William's disappearance. William's family thanked searchers for their hard work. 'Thank you does not seem like the right sort of word to express our gratitude and heartfelt warmth we feel towards each and every one of you,' a statement from the family said. 'We have been completely overwhelmed with the way the public, SES, Surf Life Saving, RFS and the Police have rallied together to find our little Spiderman William.' Anyone with any information about William's disappearance is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. | William Tyrell has been missing since September 12 .
The three-year-old was last seen in his grandmother's front yard at Kendall on the NSW mid-north coast .
He was wearing his favourite Spiderman costume and sandals .
Police have spoken to everyone they could locate who was in Kendall on the day William disappeared .
Bring Little Spiderman William Tyrell home Facebook page has more than 17,000 followers . |
209,528 | 9b555f097b1b3a79ced981fcc5bd82d1c40184e5 | (CNN) -- It's going to cost vacationers more to visit with Mickey Mouse starting Thursday, when Disney parks in California and Florida will raise ticket prices. Disney posted an announcement about the price hikes Tuesday on its Disney Parks blog. At Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida, the base price for one-day, one-park passes will rise from $79 to $82 for ages 10 and up. Tickets for children ages 3 to 9 will go from $68 to $74. The additional fee for park-hopper tickets will jump by $2 for one-day access, to $54. One-day, one-park tickets to Southern California's Disneyland Resort will rise from $72 to $76 for ages 10 and up and from $62 to $68 for ages 3 to 9. Prices for one-day park-hopper tickets will go up by $4 for both age groups. Increases will also apply to multi-day passes at both parks. Prices for annual passes will rise by $10 to $18 at Disney World and by $20 for premium annual passes at Disneyland. Prices for tickets and passes already purchased will not be affected. Disney's blog provides links to information about the new pricing, going into effect August 5. | Disney announced ticket price hikes Tuesday on its Disney Parks blog .
One-day, one-park pass prices are going up by $3 to $6 .
Annual pass prices are also going up . |
158,756 | 5943bca1ee03eeb41fc031cbbc5ced872dbea259 | (CNN) -- Operation Serval, France's swift military intervention to roll back advances made by Jihadist elements who had hijacked a separatist movement in northern Mali, could be a turning point in the ex-colonialist's relationship with Africa. It is not, after all, every day that you hear a senior official of the African Union (AU) refer to a former European colonial power in Africa as "a brotherly nation," as Ambroise Niyonsaba, the African Union's special representative in Ivory Coast, described France on 14 January, while hailing the European nation's military strikes in Mali. France's persistent meddling to bolster puppet regimes or unseat inconvenient ones was often the cause of much outrage among African leaders and intellectuals. But by robustly taking on the Islamist forces that for many months now have imposed a regime of terror in northern Mali, France is doing exactly what African governments would like to have done. This is because the Movement for Unity and Jihad in West Africa (MUJAO), Ansar Dine and al Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) are a far greater threat to many African states than they ever would be to France or Europe. See also: What's behind Mali instability? Moreover, the main underlying issues that led to this situation -- the separatist rebellion by Mali's Tuareg, under the banner of the National Movement for the Liberation of Azawad (MNLA), who seized the northern half of the country and declared it independent of Mali shortly after a most ill-timed military coup on 22 March 2012 -- is anathema to the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS). Successful separatism by an ethnic minority, it is believed, would only encourage the emergence of more separatist movements in a continent where many of the countries were cobbled together from disparate groups by Europeans not so long ago. But the foreign Islamists who had been allies to the Tuaregs at the start of their rebellion had effectively sidelined the MNLA by July last year, and have since been exercising tomcatting powers over the peasants in the area, to whom the puritanical brand of Islam being promoted by the Islamists is alien. ECOWAS, which is dominated by Nigeria -- formerly France's chief hegemonic foe in West Africa -- in August last year submitted a note verbale with a "strategic concept" to the U.N. Security Council, detailing plans for an intervention force to defeat the Islamists in Mali and reunify the country. ECOWAS wanted the U.N. to bankroll the operation, which would include the deployment a 3,245-strong force -- to which Nigeria (694), Togo (581), Niger (541) and Senegal (350) would be the biggest contributors -- at a cost of $410 million a year. The note stated that the objective of the Islamists in northern Mali was to "create a safe haven" in that country from which to coordinate "continental terrorist networks, including AQIM, MUJAO, Boko Haram [in Nigeria] and Al-Shabaab [in Somalia]." Despite compelling evidence of the threat the Islamists pose to international peace and security, the U.N. has not been able to agree on funding what essentially would be a military offensive. U.N. Security Council resolution 2085, passed on 20 December last year, only agreed to a voluntary contribution and the setting up of a trust fund, and requested the secretary-general "develop and refine options within 30 days" in this regard. The deadline should be 20 January. See also: Six reasons events in Mali matter . It is partly because of this U.N. inaction that few in Africa would label the French action in Mali as another neo-colonial mission creep. If the Islamists had been allowed to capture the very strategic town of Sevaré, as they seemed intent on doing, they would have captured the only airstrip in Mali (apart from the airport in Bamako) capable of handling heavy cargo planes, and they would have been poised to attack the more populated south of the country. Those Africans who would be critical of the French are probably stunned to embarrassment: Africa's weakness has, once again, been exposed by the might of a foreign power. Watch video: French troops welcomed in Mali . Africans, however, can perhaps take consolation in the fact that the current situation in Mali was partially created by the NATO action in Libya in 2010, which France spearheaded. A large number of the well-armed Islamists and Tuareg separatists had fought in the forces of former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi, and then left to join the MNLA in northern Mali after Gadhafi fell. They brought with them advanced weapons, including shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles from Libya; and two new Jihadist terrorist groups active in northern Mali right now, Ansar Dine and MUJAO, were formed out of these forces. Many African states had an ambivalent attitude towards Gadhafi, but few rejoiced when he was ousted and killed in the most squalid condition. A number of African countries, Nigeria included, have started to deploy troops in Mali alongside the French, and ECOWAS has stated the objective as the complete liberation of the north from the Islamists. The Islamists are clearly not a pushover; though they number between 2,000 and 3,000 they are battle-hardened and fanatically driven, and will likely hold on for some time to come. The question now is: what happens after, as is almost certain, France begins to wind down its forces, leaving the African troops in Mali? Nigeria, which almost single-handedly funded previous ECOWAS interventions (in Liberia and Sierra Leone in the 1990s, costing billions of dollars and hundreds of Nigerian troops), has been reluctant to fund such expensive missions since it became democratic. See also: Nigerians waiting for 'African Spring' Its civilian regimes have to be more accountable to their citizens than the military regimes of the 1990s, and Nigeria has pressing domestic challenges. Foreign military intervention is no longer popular in the country, though the links between the northern Mali Islamists and the destructive Boko Haram could be used as a strategic justification for intervention in Mali. The funding issue, however, will become more and more urgent in the coming weeks and months, and the U.N. must find a sustainable solution beyond a call for voluntary contributions by member states. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Lansana Gberie. | French intervention in Mali could be turning point in relationship with Africa, writes Lansana Gberie .
France's meddling to bolster puppet regimes in the past has outraged Africans, he argues .
He says few in Africa would label the French action in Mali as 'neo-colonial mission creep'
Lansana: 'Africa's weakness has been exposed by the might of a foreign power' |
18,965 | 35a86bc15673afa08ea2c13f3891432d74835837 | Even after three decades, the triple-dog dare doesn't get old. The film A Christmas Story opened 30 years ago to mixed reviews but has shown its staying power as a holiday family favorite. Cleveland, where parts of the movie were filmed and hard-luck Ralphie dreamed big, is celebrating the anniversary with iconic leg lamps, holiday store windows like the ones that drew Ralphie's wide-eyed stares, and stage and musical versions of A Christmas Story. 'It becomes part of your fabric for your whole life,' said Kevin Moore, managing director of the Cleveland Play House, where the stage version of the story has become a holiday staple. Movie classic: 1983 film A Christmas Story celebrates its 30th anniversary this year. It starred Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Ian Petrella and Peter Billingsley . In the film, starring Darren McGavin as the father, 9-year-old Ralphie was transfixed by the brightly decorated storefront windows. And he dreamed of getting an air rifle as a Christmas gift, despite warnings that he might shoot his eye out. The plot follows his determined gift-begging, his encounters with bullies and his family's daily hopes and dreams - including a lamp in the form of a shapely leg. The Cleveland house where Ralphie's film family lived will highlight the anniversary Friday and Saturday with appearances by original cast members and a BB gun range in the backyard. The movie wasn't widely acclaimed when it debuted, with favorable reviews barely outnumbering bad mentions like the one that grumped, 'Bah, humbug' in the headline. But its quirky humor and love-in-family message struck a chord with audiences. Holiday hopes: The film featured 9-year-old Ralphie, who dreamed of getting an air rifle as a Christmas gift, despite warnings that he might shoot his eye out . Famous moment: A leg lamp is framed in the window of the house in Cleveland where much of the A Christmas Story movie was filmed (left). The scene in which the lamp featured (right) Like any holiday favorite, a sense of wonder is needed for A Christmas Story and 8-year-old Colin Wheeler thinks he has one to match Ralphie's. 'We both have really big imaginations,' boasted Colin, who plays Ralphie in A Christmas Story musical at Cleveland's Near West Theater. 'It's just a really quirky and yet incredibly sweet story and that resonates with Cleveland' It's not easy playing Ralphie in that ill-fitting pink bunny suit, Colin said. 'I'll tell you one thing that's hard: it's really hard not to laugh' while wearing that suit, Colin said. Across town, the Cleveland Play House production of A Christmas Story attracts multigenerational audiences of children, parents and grandparents, Moore said. The appeal in Ralphie's blue-collar hometown is simple, Moore said. 'It's just a really quirky and yet incredibly sweet story and that resonates with Cleveland,' he said. House guests: Visitors wait to tour the house in Cleveland where much of A Christmas Story was filmed . Retro decor: The kitchen of the house in Cleveland where much of the 1983 movie was filmed is restored to the 1940s look of the film . The Horseshoe Casino Cleveland has been decorated for the season to highlight the film's roots in the department store now housing the casino, with leg lamps atop some of the slot machines. Sheryl Peet, emerging from the casino, said she appreciates the movie and its humor, without regard to its Cleveland connections. 'I like it. It's got comedy, fun, Ralphie,' she said. 'I like it. It's got comedy, fun, Ralphie' At A Christmas Story house overlooking humming steel mills, visitors can re-enact movie scenes including ducking under the 1940s-style kitchen sink or looking out the back door where Ralphie trudged through the faux snow. The movie 'snow' was actually mostly firefighting foam, pressed into service amid a cold but rare snowless stretch during filming in winter-hardy Cleveland. Jim Moralevitz, now 73, lives down the street from A Christmas Story house and landed a cameo role in the film helping deliver the crate carrying the leg lamp. Worth traveling for: Judy and Michael Paulson, from Plano, Texas, view Ralphie's room in the Cleveland house where the 1983 movie A Christmas Story was filmed . The entrepreneur who developed the house as a tourist attraction, Brian Jones, gave Moralevitz a leg lamp seven years ago and it's mounted in a 6-foot outdoor Plexiglas box near the peak of the front roof. People sometimes mistake it for A Christmas Story house and stop to visit. In the neighborhood, 'I'm known for the most drive-by shootings (filming),' said Moralevitz, a retired tour guide stepping back into his old role for comic effect. Like many of the best holiday classics, the risky business turns cheerful at the end. Now families get together at holiday gatherings to watch the movie or crowd theater performances. 'It fills up the seats because it's a family experience' 'It fills up the seats because it's a family experience,' Moore said. The anniversary of the movie will be marked beyond Cleveland, with versions on stage from Boston to California. The musical has returned to Broadway for another run. A new bronze statue of the 'triple-dog dare' tongue-grabbing flagpole scene is on display in time for the holidays in Hammond, Ind., hometown of Jean Shepherd, whose stories inspired the 1983 movie. One of the boys in the movie takes the dare and gets his tongue stuck on the icy pole. The Hammond reproduction has become a big hit since it was dedicated in October, with families stopping by to take their Christmas card photos. But mimicking Hollywood might be risky, according to Nicki Mackowski with the tourist agency in Hammond. 'We're working on putting up signs as the cold weather gets here. You know: "Lick at your own risk" kind of thing,' she said. | The film 'A Christmas Story' opened 30 years ago to mixed reviews but has shown its staying power as a holiday family favorite .
The anniversary of the movie will be marked beyond Cleveland, with versions on stage from Boston to California. The musical has returned to Broadway for another run . |
55,409 | 9d0bab86f2fa6cde67d0abc9297d80e7e3fa9bc5 | A window into Boston's past has turned up in an unusual place: the head of a lion's statue on the building that once served as the seat of Massachusetts government. The Bostonian Society said Tuesday it had confirmed the presence of what had long been rumored to be a time capsule from 1901 tucked away inside the copper statue. The statue was recently taken down from the roof as part of a restoration effort. Window to the past: The golden lion at left was placed atop Boston's Old State House near the turn of the 20th century and has now been revealed to contain a time capsule from 1901 . Generations later: A woman purporting to be the descendant of the statues' sculptor claimed years ago that she knew for sure the lion contained a time capsule . A fiber optic camera was used to locate the time capsule - in actuality a copper box - in the head of the lion, according to Heather Leet, the society's director of development. The next steps, she said, will include an attempt to carefully open the statue without damaging it, followed by the removal of the box and examination of its contents. The group first learned of the potential existence of the time capsule several years ago from a woman who was a descendent of the original sculptor. 'She had a letter from him and a list of things in the time capsule,' said Leet. The society did some further research and uncovered a 1901 article about the time capsule in The Boston Globe, she said. Newspaper clippings and photographs from the period, along with letters from politicians and other prominent Bostonians of the era, are among the items expected to be found in the box, which could be opened as early as next week. Bostonians have whispered about the existence of a time capsule inside the head of the lion statue placed atop the city's Old State House for years. The rumors began when a woman purporting to be the descendant of the statue's sculptor came forward, but the denizens of the Massachusetts town have had to wait until now to know for sure. A 1901 article in the Boston Globe reported on the original placement of the statue, as well as the box inside that has nbw been found: . The work of the coppersmith is completed, and one of the last things he did was to seal a copper box, which is placed in the head of the lion, and which contains contributions from state and city officials, the Boston daily newspapers, the name of the maker of the lion and unicorn, and others, which will prove interesting when the box is opened many years hence.B . Source: Boston.com . Replaced wooden version: The copper lion and unicorn atop the building today replaced older wooden versions seen here in a lithograph that shows the reading of the Declaration of Independence . 'We're really looking forward to seeing what those letters say,' said Leet, adding that they could contain messages written to future generations. The Old State House, among Boston's most popular tourist attractions, has a storied history. It was one of the city's most important civic buildings in colonial times and later became a focal point of the American Revolution. The Boston Massacre took place just outside the building in 1770. In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read to Bostonians from the balcony. After the war of independence, the building served as the first seat of Massachusetts government until construction of the current Statehouse in the late 18th century. The first lion statue, along with that of a unicorn, was placed on the building in 1713 as symbols to mark the unification of England and Scotland, Leet said. The statues were destroyed amid the subsequent patriotic fervor, but were replaced more than a century later by the society as part of an effort to preserve the building and restore its historical look. Rich history: The Boston Massacre took place just outside the building in 1770. In 1776, the Declaration of Independence was read to Bostonians from the balcony. After the war of independence, the building served as the first seat of Massachusetts government until construction of the current Statehouse in the late 18th century . | The golden lion guards the clock atop the old headquarters of the Massachusetts government along with a unicorn .
Caretakers recently took down the lion and unicorn for routine cleaning and upon scanning the lion's head detected a shoe box-sized copper container .
The lion has been rumored to contain a time capsule containing Newspaper ephemera from the period, along with letters from prominent Bostonians . |
284,059 | fc0507fecbe7f41ab2752ea5935e8d040bb426d1 | By . Jessica Jerreat . Arrested: Murder suspect Nazira Maria Cross has been caught in Peru . A woman suspected of poisoning her husband in 2008 and burying his body on their Nevada ranch has been caught in Peru after six years on the run. Nazira Maria Cross was arrested at her home by Peruvian police on Wednesday morning, after the FBI received a tip off that the murder suspect had fled to the South American country. The 48-year-old professor is believed to have poisoned Michael Cross in California, before driving to Nevada to bury his body. Cross, who is originally from Costa RIca, is accused of fleeing the U.S. while authorities waited for autopsy results. In 2009, she was charged with first-degree murder over the death of the 55-year-old owner of two car dealerships. The . FBI claims that Cross poisoned her estranged husband in California in . July 2008, then drove his body to Lovelock, where they owned property, . to dispose of his body. After burying his body, Cross is accused of repeatedly driving over the grave. A year later the Nevada attorney-general . charged Cross and her two adult children with faking her death in South . America to obtain life insurance payouts. Her daughter was fined $1,000 and her son remains a fugitive, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. In a 2012 civil case, a Reno judge ruled that Cross was a 'culpable actor' in her husband's death. Fugitive: Nazira Maria Cross, pictured in 2008, is accused of poisoning her husband before fleeing to Peru . Scam: Cross is also accused of trying to fake her own death to claim insurance payments . The couple had been married for eight years, but divorced in the January of the year Mr Cross was killed. They had met when he vacationed in Costa Rica. On the day he was poisoned, neighbors claimed Mr Cross's wife asked for help getting him into her car, and told them he was sick and was on his way to hospital. When the neighbors didn't hear back from Mr Cross, they called police who discovered his body on the ranch, according to Inside Costa Rica. Cross's case has been widely featured, and her wanted poster was distributed across the U.S. and internationally. The case was also featured on America's Most Wanted. The U.S. has made a request for Peru to extradite Cross to face prosecution. | Nazira Maria Cross fled the U.S. just before being charged with murder .
48-year-old 'buried husband on ranch and drove repeatedly over his grave' |
116,166 | 21f1dc13532fd72359cc32a027993761912e9d00 | London, England (CNN) -- An interview with a Swedish footballer playing in his home country's fourth tier usually only engages the interest of the most parochial of soccer fans, but when Anton Hysen agreed to speak to a local magazine last month, it unexpectedly created headlines from Brazil to China. The 20-year old midfielder -- a former under-17 Swedish international now playing for Utsiktens BK of Gothenburg, a team that rarely attracts crowds of more than a few hundred -- made history as well as headlines. "I am a footballer and [I am] gay. If I perform as a footballer, then I do not think it matters if I like girls or boys," he told Swedish football magazine Offside. In a heartbeat Hysen became the world's only current professional footballer to go public on being gay, breaking the game's last taboo. Homosexuality in professional sport remains a controversial issue. But as attitudes have changed, sportsmen and women like Martina Navratilova, arguably the greatest women's tennis player of all time, to basketball's John Amaechi, have publicly announced their sexuality despite the pressure from both the locker room and the prejudice of fans. Yet whilst tennis, basketball, cricket and even rugby union have acknowledged the presence of gay players, football has been oddly, and stubbornly, resistant. Even in the past six months, for every Mario Gomez or Manuel Neur -- two German internationals who have urged gay players to go public -- there's a Vlatko Markovic, the head of the Croatian Football Federation, who told Croat newspaper Vercernji List that: "While I'm president of the Croatian Football Federation, there will be no homosexuals playing in the national team ... thankfully only normal people play football." And FIFA president Sepp Blatter was caught out too when he joked that gay supporters should refrain from having sex at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Homosexuality is illegal in the emirate. Football lags behind . But why is it that soccer, which has waged a largely successfully battle against racism and sexism in western Europe, remains one of the few bastions of homophobia in sport? The answer according to the "Justin Campaign" -- a group that campaigns for more tolerance for homosexuality in football -- is the fear of reprisals from fans. "Football, with its roots in working-class male culture, has always had a far more aggressive and vocal support," explains spokesman Alan Duffy. "That's not to say that middle class people aren't racist or homophobic. Simply that often they will keep their views to themselves. Footballers receive crowd abuse for everything and anything. Fans now know not to openly express racist views at grounds. We need to get to a stage where they know that homophobic chanting is unacceptable too." The campaign is named after the only other professional footballer, aside from Anton Hysen, who went public about their sexuality. Fashanu was a promising young English striker who in 1981 became Britain's first £1 million ($1.6 million)black player when he signed for then-European Cup winners Nottingham Forest. In 1990 he came out after a British newspaper planned to run an expose of Fashanu's affair with a politician. But according to gay activist and friend Peter Tatchell, the pressure of leading a double life, coupled later with the abuse he received from supporters everywhere he played, left an indelible mark. "During that decade of closeted double life he found it immensely difficult to cope with the strain of hiding his gayness in the macho world of football," he recalled. "Justin suffered racism too ... they would make monkey noises and gestures, and throw bananas on the pitch. But it was the anti-gay prejudice that ultimately dragged him down." Fashanu never fulfilled his potential and drifted down the divisions. In 1998, after falsely believing that a warrant had been issued for his arrest in the U.S. following allegations of a sexual assault, Fashanu hanged himself. He was 37 years old. According to the Justin Campaign, the experiences of Fashanu, and the vitriol it unleashed, has made it harder to persuade high-profile footballers to come out. Only last year, the English Football Association (FA) delayed the launch of a viral video tackling the issue of homophobia in the game when it emerged that every footballer and agent the FA approached had declined to endorse it. "I suspect agents and clubs shied away from it," Peter Clayton, chair of the FA's Homophobia in Football advisory group, told British newspaper the Daily Mail. "A player coming forward to appear in it would feel he might ignite more vitriol." Agents or fans? Indeed, new research has suggested that it is the football clubs and football agents themselves, rather than the fans, that might be the real barrier to players coming out. Dr Ellis Cashmore, professor of culture media and sport at Staffordshire University, conducted an anonymous survey of over 3,000 fans and footballers, and discovered that 91% believed that only a player's performance on the pitch mattered, whilst just 9% believed that a player's sexuality posed a problem. "Before we did the research the big homophobia barrier was fans and the players didn't want to confront hostile fans," Dr Cashmore told CNN. "But they [the fans surveyed] said that they thought it was the clubs, because no clubs want to take a risk because they feel it will hurt the brand of the club." It was sentiment echoed by Max Clifford, a UK media impresario who last year revealed that he represented two gay Premier League footballers but urged them to stay in the closet. "Do I think it's right? Of course not ... It's a very sad state of affairs. But it's a fact that homophobia in football is as strong now as 10 years ago." Dr. Cashmore agrees. "They [football clubs and agents] have read Max Clifford's remarks. Agents make money from commission. Agents will ask players: 'We have $6.5 million in endorsement contracts, would it damage your reputation [to come out]?' It's how they think about this. By nature they are cautious. You have two conservative forces here. Clubs who are institutions and agents who want to protect their own income streams. Many of them reluctantly concede that perception." The English FA believes it is now on the right track when it comes to dealing with homophobic abuse, perhaps even setting the stage for a footballer to follow Anton Hysen. "The FA is communicating with experts in tackling homophobia on a regular basis ...there is an FA strategy in place to implement those over the next 12 months and beyond," explained the FA's Matt Phillips. The next Hysen? Some, like Dr. Cashmore, believe that far from being a barrier to earning money, an openly gay player would be able to significantly raise their profile, an experience borne out by the interest in Anton Hysen's story. But even with the changing attitudes in society, gay footballers still look as much to the experiences of Fashanu as Hysen. "Would a player face the same vitriol as Justin? It's hard to say," said Duffy. "He may well do. But there would be also many many more words of encouragement. Something that would help and something that Justin didn't get, unfortunately." | Anton Hysen, a fourth division Swedish footballer, recently declared he was gay .
He became only the second professional footballer to do so .
The first, Justin Fashanu, hanged himself in 1998 .
CNN looks at the reasons why sexuality remains the last taboo in football . |
100,288 | 0d38af4f573c14bf20e5b03d4ad7cbcc87be44d1 | In many ways, the 2012 election was the year of the woman. Women — who have historically formed one of President Barack Obama's key constituencies — once again united behind him in large numbers and helped fend off defections from white male and independent supporters. A record 20 women will hold U.S. Senate seats next year—including newly-elected Wisconsin Democrat Tammy Baldwin, the first openly lesbian senator. The New Hampshire congressional delegation will be all female and, in Obama's home state of Hawaii, Democrat Mazie Hirono will represent the islands in the Senate. "I'm not sure if it was as much a coincidence as a perfect storm," said Jennifer Duffy, a senior editor with the nonpartisan Cook Political Report. "The conditions were right and the Republican nominee gave women pause." According to CNN's exit polls, 55% of women and 45% of men voted for Obama and 44% of women and 52% of men voted for Romney. That level of female support for the president made an especially big impact in swing states like Ohio where the gender breakdown mirrored the national figures. Big gains for women in 2012 . It is a gender advantage Obama clinched even as early as mid October when data showed that among white women, the president led 52%-46%. Back in 2008 when Obama carried Ohio, he received 47% of votes from white women in that state. Nationally, Obama received 56% of the female vote in 2008. "I think it's one of the things Republicans have to look at," Duffy said. "'Why are we the party of white men.'" Political experts also say Romney, who saw an early October surge of support among female voters, may have undone those gains during the second presidential debate when he said he used "whole binders full of women" as a hiring tool as governor, whiffed on an equal pay question, and alluded to helping women get home to cook dinner. "That a presidential candidate in 2012 can utter such superficial answers to a serious question about women's economic equity and autonomy reveals a lack of serious thought about issues of substantive importance to women," Kathleen Dolan, a political science professor at the University of Wisconsin, and Jennifer L. Lawless, an associate professor of government and director of the Women & Politics Institute at American University, wrote recently for CNN. "It also demonstrates a lack of commitment to the change necessary to allow women and men to lead fully integrated professional and personal lives," they said. But Republican woes with women cannot be blamed solely on Romney. Opinion: Women gain wider access to power . Verbal gaffes from down-ballot candidates such as Rep. Todd Akin, whose comments about a woman's body preventing pregnancy after "legitimate rape" may have cost him the election, also reinforced for some voters concerns that the GOP is out of touch with women. "Part of the reason Democrats had a good day was some conservative Republicans said some stupid things and it made some issues more salient than they usually are," said Andra Gillespie, an associate professor of political science at Emory University in Atlanta. "When people are making comments about legitimate rape ... it scares women who might not have thought about it. Even the conversation about contraception ... this was a way to make women's health issues very, very personal," Gillespie said. The first portion of this year's political season saw a heated partisan showdown over a federal mandate requiring religious institutions to offer contraception insurance coverage to employees. The ensuing back and forth sparked a "war on women" fight between Democrats and Republicans that bled into congressional hearings, the campaigns and talk radio and re-ignited the gender wars. Democrats were able to use the rhetoric to suggest that Republicans would threaten the right to contraception—something studies indicate the majority of the public supports, said Michele Swers, a Georgetown University American government professor. Move over boys, New Hampshire goes to the women . "The debate can be more framed on the aspects of the debate that were more popular with the general public," Swers said, adding that Democrats were also able to connect other GOP positions on abortion as extreme. There are some indications that social issues directly impacting women might have helped sway votes in some states. Tuesday's early exit polls showed 51% of Missouri voters said they believed abortion should be legal all or most of the time. Of those voters, exit polls showed 76% supported Democratic incumbent Claire McCaskill, who won Tuesday night, while 19% voted for Akin. Forty-seven percent of Missouri's voters said abortion should be illegal. Exit polls showed Akin netted 67% of this group's votes while 27% of people who think abortion should be illegal supported McCaskill. But much more than social issues, pocketbook economic issues most concerned women voters, exit polling showed. "Women like all voters felt the economics were most important," Swers said. "Women tend to be more supportive of government spending (such as cutting things as Medicaid, and food stamps) than men are ... so they were less responsive to Romney in that way and more responsive to Obama's message on empathy and helping the middle class." | Women were seen as the key to the election this week .
President Barack Obama got 55% of the female vote on Tuesday .
The U.S. Senate will see a record 20 women take seats next term . |
231,724 | b803b705c940b46381be09e6ea8f15b6741a6fa8 | By . Sally Lee . While silence isn't usually associated with a football match, a junior club has become the first in Australia to enforce a silent sidelines policy. That means no cheering, no talking and absolutely no abusive comments. The Gap Football Club, in Brisbane, is the first to introduce the rule in a bid to improve sideline behaviour by spectators, mainly parents. A Brisbane junior football club have adopted a new rule which allows its players to play an abuse-free game . The Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League also warned that misbehaving parents on the sidelines will be shamed by having their children eliminated from the game. The Gap Football Club will be the first junior sports club in Australia to enforce the 'silent sidelines' policy . But GBJRL president Shane McNally told the Courier Mail they have not yet suspended any players. 'When it comes to kids' sport, it tends to get a bit emotional,' said Mr McNally. 'Being a parent, you want the best for your kids and if you think your kids are getting a raw deal or they're not getting a fair go, well, sometimes emotions get the better of people.' While the GBJRL issued a timely reminder about their 'be positive or be quiet' policy, The Gap Football Club - which was established nearly 60 years ago - have opted for a tougher preventative measure. Gerry McAvoy, the club's technical director, said majority have shown support for the new rule while others thought their freedom of speech was being withheld. 'I've had two people who didn’t agree with it, who said "We feel that you're gagging us",' Mr McAvoy told Courier Mail. This follows a series of sideline brawls and fist-throwing parents aiming their anger at match officials during junior sports games. The grounds were junior players of The Gap Football Club will be able to play their game in peace . | The Gap Football Club, in Brisbane, has adopted the rule in a bid to tackle abusive parents .
Supporters have been banned from cheering and talking .
Officials have warned misbehaving parents will have their children suspended from the match . |
216,559 | a45e7a12aefa1cb79147719fe85685161ef70794 | Gangnam Style rapper Psy was mobbed by screaming fans as he arrived in London today before heading to Oxford Union to give a speech. The 34-year-old South Korean, whose music video is the second most watched YouTube clip in history, is the first east Asian pop star to address the historic organisation. The speech will be Psy's first public . address in English, and he has picked the perfect venue - an . organisation that Harold Macmillan once called 'the last bastion of free speech in the Western world'. Scroll down for video . Stylish: Psy looked overwhelmed as he arrived in London on the Eurostar to be greeted by hordes of fans . Quirky look: South Korean pop star Psy arrives at Oxford University's Oxford Union, where he made an hour-long address to students . First time: Psy, whose music video is the second most watched YouTube clip in history, outside Oxford Union where he was due to give a speech today - the first east Asian pop star to address the historic organisation . Psy delivers his first public speech at the Oxford Union . Showing them the moves: Psy teachers members of the Oxford Union how to perform the dance to his worldwide smash hit . 'A great feeling': Psy was happy to be in the UK for three days as he was welcomed by fans as he arrived at Oxford Union . Cool moves: Oxford University students (from left) Ines Allard, Maria Borsa and Leila Lutfi do the Gangnam dance to celebrate Psy's arrival . The union, which exists independently . from Oxford University and its students' union, has previously welcomed . welcomed high-profile figures from Jimmy Carter to Michael Jackson to . speak to its members. Psy, whose full name is Park Jae-sang, travelled from Paris by Eurostar and said he was visiting the UK for three days. He stopped briefly to pose for photographers and sign autographs at St Pancras station in a sleeveless leather jacket, cropped trousers and yellow-rimmed sunglasses. He said it was 'really exciting' to be in the UK and 'a great feeling' to be greeted by so many people. The rapper became a worldwide sensation when his humorous single Gangnam Style single shot to number one in the UK in September. International hit: The rapper became a worldwide sensation when his humorous single Gangnam Style single shot to number one in the UK in September . Wildly popular: Fans and students queue up to get a glimpse of the modern legend in their debating hall . Heavyweights: Psy follows in the footsteps of many world-famous stars who have spoken at the union, including pop star Michael Jackson, left, and actor Clint Eastwood, right . The video shows Psy making fun of the . extravagant lifestyle of the residents of Gangnam, a neighbourhood where . he grew up in the South Korean capital, Seoul. 'The president and Psy are both from Gangnam - the . area where the eponymous hit song takes its name.' Psy said: 'I'm going to Oxford today, it's really exciting, I'm looking forward to it.' His signature dance involves him prancing like a horse and wildly gesturing while posing in a sauna, a stable and even on the toilet. Unique: Psy's moves have become so popular, even presidential candidates are copying them . Toilet humour: Psy takes his music into the bathroom in the bizarre video for Gangnam Style . Dressing up: Psy tries on a range of brightly coloured tuxedos in the hit video . The bizarre music sensation was released in July and quickly eclipsed teen superstar Justin Bieber's latest single. Nobody was more surprised by the success . of the video Gangnam Style than Psy, a musician with a . decade-long career in his homeland who never thought he would break overseas. He said: 'The YouTube video never targeted foreign countries. It was for local fans. 'My goal in this music video was to look uncool until the end. I achieved it.' The video's popularity owes much to Psy's zany outfits and outlandish dance moves. Going global: Tens of millions of people have watched the unique music video on YouTube . Bigger than Bieber: Pop poster boy Justin Bieber is struggling to keep up with this chubby rival . Parodies have popped up from South Korea to the United States, with everyone from prisoners to royal Zara Phillips recreating the video. Even a few of South Korea's normally staid presidential candidates are imitating Psy's moves in an appeal to voters. The song was meant as a commentary on the rampant materialism and emphasis on appearance of today's South Korea - particularly in relation to Gangnam, which Psy terms Seoul's Beverly Hills. The musician explains: 'It is too hot, and the economy is so bad. So I just wanted the song - lyrics, dances and everything - to be full of gusto.' | He wore sleeveless leather jacket, sunglasses and cropped trousers .
It is the South Korean star's first speech in English .
High-profile figures from Jimmy Carter to Michael Jackson have addressed the prestigious Oxford Union . |
8,492 | 17f6e4e345070517c8b7d96edeacb3db51e374f3 | This is the moment a foul-mouthed rail fare cheat was on the receiving end of some rough justice, after being bundled off a train by a passenger. Footage of the teenage troublemaker being thrown off a train by a fed-up fellow traveller on the ScotRail service between Edinburgh and Perth has become a viral hit after being uploaded to You Tube. It begins when a conductor is told the teenager doesn't have a ticket and tells the driver of the train to stop until the youngster gets off. Scroll down for the video . Is there a problem? After the conductor has been remonstrating with the teenager (his white beanie hat can just be seen popping over the seats), the 'big man' stands up and approaches the conductor . Time to move on son: The burly passenger looks down on the teenager and offers the conductor his assistance . When the youth refuses a shouting match ensues until a passenger, later referred to as 'the big man' leaps to his feet and frogmarches him off the train - and keeps pushing him off when he repeatedly tries to re-board the service. A two-and-a-half minute video clip - ‘Scotrail No Ticket’ - was posted three days ago and has already been viewed almost 200,000 times. In the clip, the white-haired ScotRail worker tells the youth: 'I’ll sit here all night pal. I’m getting paid for this but they (the passengers) will start moaning.' The clip begins by showing the ticket inspector demanding the youngster leaves the train. He says he only has a single ticket to travel in the opposite direction. The youth responds by swearing back at him . The ScotRail worker then tries to embarrass the non-payer in to leaving . 'Fare dodging' passenger Sam Main, 19, has defended his behaviour after being tracked down by a local paper. He told the Edinburgh Record: ‘I had been out celebrating after an exam and I was half asleep on the train. ‘I did have a ticket but I must have handed over the wrong one to the conductor. The next thing I know this big guy is manhandling me to the door and throwing me off. University student Sam, who is studying surveying, added: ‘I couldn’t believe it when the footage turned up on YouTube.' He said he still has cuts and bruises over his cheeks (pictured above) and legs. The video continues with the lad . protesting his innocence and claiming that he showed the ScotRail . employee his ‘f*****g ticket’ while a group of stunned young children . sit close by with their furious mother. But the conductor adds: 'No you have not. Stop swearing.' The video goes on to show the boy, wearing a beanie hat, produce a single ticket that allows travel in the opposite direction. The . conductor repeats his previous threat telling the youth: 'No you are . off, we will sit here all night. Why should they pay and not you?' It is at this point that a tall, heavyset passenger gets up, approaches the pair and asks ‘Is there a problem here?’ before declaring ‘No problem - right you, off’. He then grabs the lad by the scruff of his neck and bundles him off the train, trying not to clatter into other passengers. The teenager tries unsuccessfully a couple of times to barge his way back on before the train doors close. As the large man heads back to his seat the carriage erupts into applause and one passenger is clearly heard saying 'Cheers, big man'. A ScotRail spokesman said: 'While we welcome the public’s support of our zero-tolerance stance on anti-social behaviour, our staff are trained in conflict management and we do not expect members of the public to take matters into their own hands. 'We are investigating the incident, which appears to show a person travelling without a valid ticket, refusing to pay for the journey, and swearing at a staff member in full view of customers.' Once at the train doors, the 'big man' and the ticket collector heave the youngster off the carriage . And out you go: The passenger pushes the teenager on to the platform. Each time he tries to get back in, he pushes him back out again . The ticket inspector waves away any further protests by the teenager . | Teenage 'fare dodger' Sam Main, 19, comes forward to defend his behaviour, saying he did have the right ticket and was 'manhandled' by the 'big man' |
135,801 | 3bafa45ce9ae9a47ffb809ccc63366ca3dfb6779 | Ally McCoist hailed match-winner Lewis Macleod on Saturday night for the spectacular piece of finishing that has eased some of the pressure on the Rangers manager. McCoist entered Saturday’s Championship clash at Livingston fending off questions on his future and ended up enthusing at the quality of Macleod’s eighth-minute overhead finish that secured a 1-0 victory and ensured no further ground was lost on league-leaders Hearts. It was not all good news, however, as the match was blighted by crowd trouble just before half-time. Ally McCoist hailed match-winner Lewis Macleod on Saturday night for his spectacular piece of finishing . McCoist entered Saturday’s Championship clash at Livingston fending off questions on his Rangers future . Macleod’s eighth-minute overhead finish secured a 1-0 win and ensured no further ground was lost on Hearts . It was not all good news, though, as the match was blighted by crowd trouble just before half-time . Livingston safety officer Alan Scott later confirmed that five arrests had been made, following an incident in the away section of the ground, and there were also reports of post-match scuffles outside. Macleod had been missing with an ankle injury as Rangers lost 3-1 to Hibs last Monday but his return helped galvanise the Ibrox men and McCoist admitted he could not recall scoring a comparable goal during his own prolific playing career. ‘I don’t remember striking too many with venom like that,’ he said. ‘I thought his one at Ayr United last season would take a bit of beating but that one might better it.’ Hearts’ 3-0 victory at Queen of the South ensures that Rangers remain six points off the top and McCoist acknowledged his own position will remain under scrutiny. ‘I don’t remember striking too many with venom like that,’ said McCoist after Macleod's fine overhead finish . ‘I’ve tried to explain that sometimes there’s no real middle ground,’ he said. ‘With us, it’s either up there or down there but we have a reasonable concept of what’s going on and know our own jobs.’ Of the crowd trouble, safety officer Scott said: ‘There were five people arrested and they will be reported to the procurator fiscal in due course.’ McCoist said: ‘I did see it and it looked pretty unsavoury but, until I get a report on it, I would be loath to comment — but we can do without incidents like that.’ | Ally McCoist thanks match-winner Lewis Macleod on Saturday night for taking pressure off the Rangers manager .
McCoist entered Saturday’s Championship clash at Livingston fending off questions on his future .
Macleod’s eighth-minute overhead finish secured a 1-0 victory and ensured no further ground was lost on league-leaders Hearts . |
250,109 | cfac46e23b7ab3fc113f255fa77814a58f801226 | (CNN) -- Amanda Bynes has had a rough few days -- some might say, a rough few months -- landing in jail after allegedly tossing a marijuana bong out of her 36th-floor New York apartment window. On Saturday, the 27-year-old actress took to Twitter with a simple message: "Don't believe any reports." And she didn't stop there. The New York police's story -- as related by spokesman Christopher Pisano -- is that officers were called Thursday to her abode in Manhattan's theater district after her building manager reported the 27-year-old was smoking an "illegal substance" in the lobby. Bynes had headed back to her apartment by the time police arrived, but she let officers in when they knocked on the door, according to Pisano. Once inside, the officers noticed a bong and other marijuana paraphernalia sitting on a coffee table, which Bynes immediately started to throw out a window. That account from police, Bynes insists, is "all lies." Amanda Bynes in trouble, again . Her story is that she was "sexually harassed by one of the cops the night before last" -- the same police officer who, she wrote, ended up arresting her. Bynes said she had opened her window "for fresh air" and didn't throw out any drug paraphernalia, claiming the officer "lied" when he claimed she did. Then, she alleged of the officer in her apartment, "He slapped my vagina. Sexual harassment. Big deal." Asked Saturday night about Bynes' claim the unnamed police officer had sexually harassed her, New York police Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne said: "As it would with any such allegation, regardless of its credibility or lack thereof, the NYPD Internal Affairs Bureau is investigating it." The actress had more to add. Bynes said she was handcuffed, "which I resisted ... then I was sent to a mental hospital. Offensive." The evolution of Amanda Bynes . "The cop sexually harassed me, they found no pot on me or bong outside my window," Bynes tweeted. "That's why the judge let me go." Police charged her with tampering with physical evidence, reckless endangerment and criminal possession of marijuana, Pisano said. Bynes was charged with endangerment because the paraphernalia could have hit someone below. According to media reports, she appeared in court Friday and was then released until her next appearance in July. This week's ordeal is the latest of Bynes' run-ins with the law. She has a DUI case pending in Southern California, while a pair of separate hit-and-run incidents against her were dismissed late last year. Earlier this month, the actress was sentenced to three years probation for driving on a suspended license. Along the way, her once squeaky-clean image -- she was a young teenager when she burst on the scene as the lead in Nickelodeon's "The Amanda Show" -- has taken a hit. After that program, Bynes starred alongside Jennie Garth in the sitcom "What I Like About You." She later scored roles in movies, including "Hairspray" and "Easy A." In 2012: Bynes facing hit-and-run charges . CNN's Jordana Ossad, Ed Payne and KJ Matthews contributed to this report. | Amanda Bynes was arrested Thursday after allegedly throwing a bong out her window .
She's charged with tampering, reckless endangerment and possession of marijuana .
Bynes says "don't believe any reports;" she says the arresting officer sexually harassed her .
Police are investigating Bynes' sexual harassment claim, a spokesman says . |
237,671 | bf9df7c28bee1de735c598ba5d8405417da32b5f | By . Matt Morlidge for MailOnline . Follow @@MattMorlidge . It's the Belgian Grand Prix weekend. The sound of the Ferrari engines are rhythmic in my ear as I look across the track and the Francorchamps landscape, while my heart is beating at around 140 beats per minute. This must be what a Formula One driver feels like. But as news filters in on Thursday about a soon-to-be dramatic race weekend, I am made aware of two special features on this course, snow and a neon rave. This is not Spa. Instead, I am taking on an experiment Fernando Alonso and Kimi Raikkonen took part in earlier that morning. Two laps around Shell's specially designed circuit, with excitement metres and hearbeat sensors connected. VIDEO: Scroll down to see how the Ferrari duo and Sportsmail got on on the track . Changeable conditions: Shell's special test track for the 'Science of Driving' experiment . Ready to go: Kimi Raikkonen and Fernando Alonso have their excitement levels tested using skin conductance . Neon rave, or a race track? The tunnel we would be passing through on our laps . Sportsmail were invited to this secret test track, just a stone's throw from the famous circuit, to truly appreciate Shell's long-standing partnership with Ferrari. £250,000 Toys were provided in the shape of an F12 Berlinetta and the 458 Speciale, but the results of mine and the two former world champion's experiences in truth couldn't be more different. An F1 driver's heartbeat rests at around 40BPM (no wonder Kimi's so cool), while they have to be extraordinarily fit to keep up a rate of around 170 on race day. By the end of today mine would have fluctuated between 70 and 150. Ferrari test drivers Marc Gene and Andrea Bertolini would be our pilots today as we look to uncover the Shell V-Power 'most exciting driving experience'. As I step foot into the 458 Bertolini is clearly more used to this than I am. 'This is really fun,' he says, grinning from ear to ear. Aren't these guys used to this? 'Shell always give us great events, but this is something else.' He tells me to wait and see. Fast and furious: We tried out the 458 Speciale with Ferrari test driver Andrea Bertolini . Contrast: Ok, so Kimi Raikkonen may pull off the Ferrari look better than me... The thrill is something else. While I am soon to be made a fool by Kimi and Fernando, the two laps are exhilarating. The Le Mans specialist is laughing as he drifts round a corner covered in snow, while my excitement percentage rises as we pass through the tunnel. The back-end of the 458 kicks out round sharp corners after using most of that V8 engine, one that is 'technically' more powerful than those being used in this year's F1 championship. Watching Alonso and Raikkonen take on their laps later makes me realise just how 'cool' these drivers are. They are paid a huge amount of money, yes, but they risk their lives week-in, week-out for their employers. To see them flicker a smile as they are presented with this custom-made track reminds you that this is their playground, their life. They're born to drive. Me, I'm just a passenger. 'Thanks to Shell, I now know to go looking for tunnels when I’m not on the track.' Räikkönen said. Speed: The 458's tail kicks out as it passes through the snowy section of the track . Life of a Formula One driver: These guys really know how to play it cool... week in, week out . As my lap finishes I am told more about Shell's partnership, and in particular their fuel technology. We are told that a version of V-Power Nitro is '99 per cent' the same as the 'Super Unleaded' fuel anyone can pick up today, so much so that we are told a Formula One car's performance wasn't drastically altered by using 'normal' fuel. Time to pretend you're an F1 driver. Shell have been the power behind the Ferrari at Grand Prix's since 1947, making it one of the most enduring partnerships in the sport. That much is clear throughout the race weekend, with Alonso and Raikkonen not shy to praise their contribution. It hasn't been the best of year's on the track for the motorsport giant but plans are certainly in place for next season. Approximately 21,000 hours of testing are put into just the fuel alone, and we are shown certain features in an on-site track lab. Despite the season's form suggesting otherwise, Alonso is bullish when assessing his chances for the weekend. Making the most of it: Alonso said he always believes he can win, no matter what car Ferrari give him . 'Mercedes obviously have the advantage,' he admits. 'But when I get in that car, I always think I can win.' These drivers aren't short of confidence. The Ferrari duo weren't overly unhappy with qualifying (rumours were Kimi was seen as a push to make it through to Q2), while their race pace was generally encouraging. And hey, despite the two contrasting personalities, there has yet to be a public fall-out between the pair. Shell found a place to let these spirits free. Maybe if Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton were to race round Shell's track, they'd start to have some fun together too. Watch Shell Motorsport's video here . For more information on Shell V-Power visit www.shell.co.uk . | Shell produce specially designed track for Ferrari drivers .
Heartbeat and 'excitement levels' are montitored throughout experiment .
Circuit just a stone's throw away from Spa ahead of Belgian Grand Prix . |
278,451 | f4b30e31cfdcd48c34f5fe2cf349defc79e3dffb | The BBC’s reporting of the Falklands War was considered so ‘treacherous’ by senior Tories that the Corporation only narrowly escaped a Government takeover, an official history reveals. Margaret Thatcher’s right hand man, Willie Whitelaw, was under huge pressure to invoke emergency protocols normally reserved for a nuclear attack against Britain in 1982. This would have allowed the Government to take charge of what was being broadcast about the Falklands conflict to protect Britain’s national interests and the morale of the country and the troops. Margaret Thatcher, pictured, was so outraged by the BBC's coverage of the Falklands War, she wanted to use emergency powers to take the corporation under the Government's control according to an official history . Mrs Thatcher, right, wanted her right-hand-man Willie Whitelaw, left, to move against the BBC . In a history of the BBC, published today, it emerges that Mrs Thatcher was incandescent with the BBC for apparently questioning support for the war and even refusing to call soldiers ‘our boys’. Inside Downing Street, there was particular fury at a May 1982 edition of Panorama which gave a platform to the war’s critics at Westminster and implied that senior military figures also had reservations about it. The Prime Minister, who had staked he political reputation on reclaiming the islands from Argentina, believed that – during the crucial second month of the conflict - the BBC had ‘exaggerated the case of a few dissidents. Her view, according to official historian Jean Seaton of the University of Westminster, was that it had let down ‘the Army, the country and her’. Her husband, Denis, later remarked: ‘I will never forget it. How could the bloody BBC question the integrity of the military? I was livid with rage and have hated them since that day.’ In response to the Panorama programme, the BBC’s soon-to-be director general, Alasdair Milne, and chairman Lord Howard were summoned to appear before a meeting of the Tory MPs’ Media Committee. The meeting was called by Home Secretary Mr Whitelaw, whose department was then in charge of overseeing the BBC, to allow Tory MPs to vent their fury. The book says: ‘Whitelaw wanted to ‘let them get it off their chests’. Whitelaw was under immense pressure, however, to use the power that Government’s possessed under the Corporation’s Charter to take it over and to direct what it broadcast. ‘These powers existed to cover the transition to war in a nuclear attack. ‘Whitelaw saw the blood-letting as a last-ditch attempt to protect the BBC from something far worse: government control.’ The BBC refused to refer to British forces heading to the Falklands as 'our boys' which angered Mrs Thatcher . During the meeting, MPs were so furious that one accused the BBC of being ‘obsequious’ to Argentina. In a separate row, Mrs Thatcher also accused the Corporation of ‘treacherously’ calling the troops ‘the British troops’ on Newsnight, rather than ‘us’ or ‘our’. The book, titled Pinkoes and Traitors, reveals this decision was based on official BBC guidelines, which went to everyone at the Corporation. The startling claims are contained withing a new book on the BBC between 1974-1987 . Underlined, this edict stated: ‘NOT OUR TROOPS’. It went on: We should try to avoid using ‘our’ when we mean British. We are not Britain. We are the BBC’. Throughout her time as Conservative leader, Mrs Thatcher was involved in regular clashes with the BBC, which she considered to be over-manned and a mouthpiece for Left-wing propaganda. She complained about bad language, pro-trade union bias and the effect of TV on children. Repeatedly, suggestions were made the BBC should be made to fund itself by screening advertising. The book, which chronicles the Corporation’s history between 1974 and 1987, states: ‘Maladroitly, it [the BBC] fell into the trap of being defined as an ‘enemy’. ‘At numerous levels within the BBC they discussed what to do for her, with her, how to ration her appearances on Savile shows, how to check her capacity to wipe the floor with interrogators’. The history also chronicles how BBC staff were regularly vetted by MI5 to see if they had extremist views or might pose a threat to national security. At one stage, 1,400 people were being checked every year by the Security Service – a defence the Corporation relied upon when under attack from Mrs Thatcher. In January 1980, the Prime Minister forwarded the BBC a letter accusing it of Left-wing bias because of a sequence on Nationwide about the use of flying pickets in a steel dispute. The BBC replied: ‘I expect you will know that anyone with access to programme decisions, and in certain other sensitive areas (about 40% of staff) is vetted at our request by the Security Service. ‘If therefore any ideological extremists slip through it is hardly our fault.’ | Margaret Thatcher was outraged over the BBC's coverage of the Falklands .
She accused them of not supporting the war effort in the South Atlantic .
The BBC refused to refer to British troops as 'our boys' during the conflict .
Mrs Thatcher put pressure on Willie Whitelaw to 'take over' the BBC . |
259,498 | dbf489f889e42cbbdaf3184064754ee5a4545baa | Britain's three biggest water companies are to lift their hosepipe bans tomorrow, the Mail can reveal. Anglian Water, Thames Water and Southern Water are to end restrictions because of the ‘exceptional’ rainfall over the last three days, on top of April’s record levels. It comes as parts of the South including the road, pictured below, leading into Bognor Regis, were left submerged after enduring almost two months’ worth of rain in as many days. A river runs through it: The A259 Felpham Way in Felpham, Bognor Regis, resembles a river complete with floating cars today after the heavy rain . Lapping waters: Felpham Way, in Felpham, Bognor Regis, was underwater today as were any unfortunate cars left parked on it . Messing about on the river: Locals wade through . the flood water in a boat along the road in Felpham near Bognor Regis, . West Sussex, yesterday . Water cycling: A man makes his way along the flooded road in Felpham, Bognor Regis today after the South East and mid Wales were worst hit by the rain which has battered Britain . No signs of receding: Resident John Sanson looks at the flooded road in Felpham Bognor Regis, from a safe vantage point yesterday . Water world: Much of the Riverside Caravan Park on Shripney Road, Bognor Regis lies underwater today after the region was hit with nearly a month and a half's worth of rain in 36 hours . Floating city: The Riverside Caravan Park in Bognor Regis was subject to a flood alert from the Environment Agency yesterday . Closed: Bracklesham Caravan Park on the edge of . Bracklesham Bay, West Sussex, was forced to close after being badly . flooded . Not so Smart... A couple braved this flood in . Hadham, Hertfordshire in their Smart car and miraculously made it . through without conking out yesterday . ...Unlike these two: Two cars sit in the flood water in Hadham after not quite making it through the water yesterday . Those reaching for the how to . emigrate handbook should be aware that scorching weather is predicted . for the first two weeks of July AND for a two-week spell in August. Long-range . weather forecaster David King said London was set to 'swelter' during . the second week of the Olympics, with temperatures hitting more than . 30C. Wimbledon will . also bask in sunshine during the second week of the tournament - but . only after rain has washed out the first week of tennis. Mr King, whose meteorological skills were used by the royal family when . planning Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, said: . 'Unfortunately this wet weather and cold easterly wind is going to stay . with us now until the end of June. 'But . the heat will arrive in the first week of July and last right through . to the 15th. Temperatures might even get to 30 by the middle of the . month.' And despite the . recent deluge of rain, Mr King said the hot, dry weather predicted for . July and August would mean the drought in the South East was likely to . continue into next year. The . 72-year-old amateur forecaster, who uses phases of the moon and his . observations of nature to predict the weather, said by the end of the . summer the drought would be worse than that of 1976 - when some . households were even left without tap water. Mr King, whose forecasts focus on London and the South East, also said there won’t be a repeat of last year’s glorious autumn. He said: 'The first two weeks of September will be pretty good, but then rain storms will come in.' Wet play day: A seagull swoops in to a flooded public park in Worthing, Sussex, after rain continued to pound the region today . Wading in June: A couple wade through flood . water at Barnham near Chichester after heavy rain led to . widespread flooding across the country . Not 99 weather: A trio trudge along Brighton . seafront as the rain lashes down. Parts of Sussex have been the . worst affected in the deluge . cow-tastrophe: A herd of cattle had to be rescued from a flooded field in West Sussex by the RSPCA after the River Arun burst its banks . Spraying the roadside: A car drives through a . large puddle on a road amid persistent rain in the village of . Winchfield, Hampshire . Dangerous: The standing water was a hazard on the road in Winchfield as cars and lorries were forced to slow down to cross it . Hazardous: A lorry prepares to negotiate . standing water on the A33, which is closed due to flooding in Chineham . near Basingstoke, Hampshire. The Environment Agency has put . out more than 40 flood warnings across the country . Be aware: The map on the left shows the rain concentrated in the South East this week while the map on the right shows the majority of yesterday's red flood warnings were located in the South East and East Anglia . Homes were evacuated, schools were . closed and dozens of areas were put on flood alert, with Bognor and . Brighton particularly badly hit. The hosepipe ban started on April 5 . and has been in place for just over two months, but ever since it began . Britain has been deluged by rain. April and the Easter holidays were a . washout for tens of thousands of families, and after a brief respite in . May the bad weather returned for the Diamond Jubilee celebrations last . week. The ban covered the use of hosepipes . for watering gardens, filling paddling pools and washing cars. Those . spotted flouting the ban faced fines of up to £1,000. Ministers are expected to announce . tomorrow that 15million of the 21million people currently covered by the . ban will be free to use their hosepipes again. A source told the Mail: . ‘The recent very heavy rain, the record rainfalls in April and the . reasonable amount of rain in May have all eased the problems. Four smaller water companies – South . East Water, Veolia Central, Veolia South East and Sutton and East Surrey . – are expected to keep the ban in place. The source said this is . because they rely far more heavily on groundwater pulled from bore holes . deep underground, where the heavy rain hasn’t yet managed to penetrate. Residents of Felpham Way, leading into . Bognor Regis, will have little need of their hosepipes just yet after . 36 hours of continuous rain in the South East turned the road into a . river. Floodwater rose almost waist-deep in places, cars were submerged . and some residents resorted to boats to get around. And in the village of Elmer, also in . West Sussex, emergency teams waded through water and used boats to reach . 250 vulnerable homes to make sure residents were safe following reports . of flooding up to 6ft deep. Last night it was the South West’s turn to . suffer the full force of what is rapidly becoming ‘Monsoon June’. Devon, Cornwall and South Wales all suffered torrential rain, and up to 60mm is predicted for today. The Environment Agency said there is a . ‘continued risk’ of surface water flooding from overwhelmed drains . across parts of London, East and West Sussex, Surrey and Kent. Last night 30 flood alerts and four . more serious flood warnings were still in place, with the wet weather . set to continue for the rest of the week and into the weekend. Rain-cation: Bedraggled tourists cross a Union . flag-lined Mall in the downpour as heavy rain hit the capital causing . miserable conditions for many . Dark and stormy: The UK is shrouded in rain clouds on a weather map yesterday morning . Have you taken any good weather pictures? From flooding in your area to people splashing in puddles we want to see them. Send them for publication - with plenty of caption detail - to the Mail Online on the email address: [email protected] . Yet as the South suffered a deluge, the North basked in sunshine. Daytrippers in North Wales enjoyed the . summer colours of the National Trust’s Bodnant Gardens, while Scotland . is enjoying unusually dry – if cool – weather for this time of year. Julian Mayes, a forecaster for . Meteogroup, explained: ‘The reason it has been so wet in the South is . because the jet stream has switched from its normal position just to the . north of Scotland to down over southern England this month, and . depressions follow that feature. ‘It’s a reversal of the average weather pattern,’ he said. ‘Normally it gets wetter as you go to the North West. This month it gets wetter as you go South.’ This is what summer's like! Visitors relax in Bodnant Gardens near Colwyn Bay, North Wales . | Anglian Water, Thames Water and Southern Water to end restrictions after 'exceptional' rainfall .
Homes evacuated, schools closed and dozens of areas put on flood alert .
'Continued risk' of flooding across parts of London, East and West Sussex, Surrey and Kent . |
11,964 | 21f56169105c0fa72e3462cd4e8aec50d9636002 | By . Lillian Radulova . Five people were stranded on a rocky island off Australia's central Queensland coast for nine hours before being winched to safety by a rescue helicopter. The group of three men and two women, wrote an enormous 'SOS' message on a nearby sandbank after their boat's anchor broke, leaving them stranded on the island. One of the five people rescued, Keswick Island resident Lyn Forbes-Smith, spoke to The Courier-Mail about the ordeal.Scroll down for video . SOS: Five people were found off the Queensland coast by helicopter after a SOS sand message was noticed on Monday afternoon . She explained that the group had come to terms with the idea that they would have to spend the night stranded on the island, but were confident that friends at home would raise the alarm once they did not return at a set time. 'We had reef walkers on thankfully, but we had no food, water, cream, no hats, not much at all,' Mrs Forbes Taylor said. 'We just looked for the highest ground, we looked for rocks where five of us could huddle together because we didn’t really want to separate, and we wanted to be out of the wind as best as possible.' Queensland Water Police were alerted to a possible emergency when they noticed a six metre boat abandoned and floating between Brampton and Cockermouth islands on Monday afternoon. Rescued: The two women and three men were left stranded after their boat anchor malfunctioned, stranding them on the rocky island they had stopped at to explore . Helicopters rescue crew noticed the SOS message after assisting water police in their search for occupants of an abandoned boat that had been found . After being unable to find the boat's passengers, they contacted the RACQ-CQ Rescue helicopter to help assist in the search at 2:15pm (AEST). It was at this point, more than three hours later, that the rescuers spotted the SOS message at nearby Wigton Island, where the boat's occupants had originally anchored their vessel in order to go ashore exploring before its anchor faltered, stranding them. The five people were found soon after their message and were lifted off the island via the rescue helicopter and taken to the RACQ-CQ base at the inland Queensland city, Mackay. The group had left Keswick Island at 8am for a snorkeling expedition before anchoring their boat on a sand bar near the rocky outcrop. After setting out to explore the rocky island, the group noticed their boat drifting away in the rising tide but were unable to retrieve the vessel which was traveling fast on the tide. Lost at sea: Queensland Water Police were alerted to a possible emergency when they noticed a six metre boat abandoned and floating between Brampton and Cockermouth islands . With their mobile phones and sun protection left on the departing boat, the group could only head for high ground and wait. 'Just as we got over to the rocks one of the boat co-owners … turned back and could see that the boat had shifted,' Mrs Forbes-Smith said. 'We knew the sandbar would go under but we were fairly confident that the tide wouldn’t have taken over the rocks,' Mrs Forbes-Smith said. Boats were not used in the rescue due to the island being inaccessible because of the shallow waters at the time of rescue. Safe and sound: The boat occupants were lifted off the island via the rescue helicopter and taken to the RACQ-CQ base at the inland Queensland city, Mackay . Aside from some minor sunburn, the boats occupants were confirmed to be safe and in good health after their rescue despite the long ordeal. It was only just over a week ago that a group of three fisherman also required rescuing via chopper off the Mackay coast on April 14. The men, aged 20, 28 and 69 suffered minor injuries after their 15 meter trawler hit the Trogolby Reef, leaving them to spend five hours in the water waiting for help. Rescue teams believed the fishing boat lost control due to the high winds caused by Cyclone Ita. | Three men and two women were stranded after their boat's anchor broke .
Water police began search after finding their abandoned boat adrift .
Five people were found by helicopter after SOS sand message was noticed .
The event marks the second helicopter rescue in the area in under 10 days . |
56,916 | a1385b87280ed7809ea0cf551d34219f118c8a90 | By . Sarah Griffiths . Stress is bad for our health, but it could also be undermining our relationships with other people, a new study has claimed. Stressed men tend to become more selfish and less able to understand their own emotions, as well as those of other people, which can mean they behave meanly, according to a team of international scientists. However, they discovered that the opposite is true for women, who become more ‘prosocial,’ perhaps because they are more able to share their problems and successfully harness external help. Stressed men (illustrated) tend to become more selfish and less able to understand their own emotions, as well as those of other people, which can mean they behave meanly according to a team of international scientists . The study found that men tend to become more self-centred and less able to understand other people's emotions. However, women become more 'prosocial' under pressure. They are not exactly sure why women can cope better when stressed. Dr Giorgia Silani thinks it could be because at a psychological level, women be able to internalise stress and then interact effectively with others to get support. 'This means the more they need help - and are thus stressed - the more they apply social strategies,' she said. The gender difference might be explained by the oxytocin system. The hormone connects social behaviours and a previous study has revealed that women have higher physiological levels of oxytocin than men when they are stressed. While women seem to apply social . straggles to cope with stressful scenarios, the study hints that men . find it harder to communicate and ask for help. ‘There's a subtle boundary between the ability to identify with others and take on their perspective - and therefore be empathic - and the inability to distinguish between self and other, thus acting egocentrically,’ said of Giorgia Silani from the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste in Italy. ‘To be truly empathic and behave prosocially it's important to maintain the ability to distinguish between self and other and stress appears to play an important role in this,’ she said. Stress is a psycho-biological mechanism that enables a person to recruit extra resources when they are faced with a demanding situation. This lets us cope with a stressful scenario by either trying to reduce the internal ‘extra’ resources or by seeking external support, she said. The researchers, who were also from the Social Cognitive Neuroscience Unit of the University of Vienna and the University of Freiburg, began their study with a starting hypothesis that stressed individuals tend to be more egocentric. The researchers are not sure why women cope better with stress but said that at a psychosocial level, females may have internalised the stressful experience so that they receive more external support by sharing their problems and interacting better with others (pictured) They said that taking a selfish perspective reduces the emotional and cognitive load and that they expected people to be less empathetic in the study, which was published in the journal Psychoneuroendocrinology. However, they were surprised to find that only men become more self-centred under stress. They created ‘conditions of moderate stress’ in a laboratory by forcing participants to take mental arithmetic tests and to make a speech. The participants - half of whom were female and the other half male - then had to imitate certain movements to demonstrate motor control, recognise their own or other people’s emotions or make a judgement taking on another person's perspective to display cognitive condition. ‘What we observed was that stress worsens the performance of men in all three types of tasks. The opposite is true for women’ Dr Silani said. The researchers were surprised to find that only men become more self-centred under stress. They created 'conditions of moderate stress' in a laboratory by forcing participants to take mental arithmetic tests (illustrated) and make a speech to come to their conclusion . The researchers are not sure why this happens but said they might try and find possible explanations in subsequent studies. ‘At a psychosocial level, women may have internalised the experience that they receive more external support when they are able to interact better with others,’ Dr Silani said. ‘This means that the more they need help - and are thus stressed - the more they apply social strategies’ Dr Silani said that at a physiological level, the gender difference might be accounted for by the oxytocin system. ‘Oxytocin is a hormone connected with social behaviours and a previous study found that in conditions of stress women had higher physiological levels of oxytocin than men,’ she added. The old saying 'a problem shared is a problem halved' may have been based on scientific fact, according to a study published in January. Researchers from California have proved that the best way to beat stress is to share your feelings - and sharing with someone in the same situation yields the best results. This is because sharing a threatening situation with a person in a similar emotional state 'buffers individuals from experiencing the heightened levels of stress that typically accompany threat,' claimed the study. A total of 52 female undergraduates were paired up and asked to make a speech while being taped by researchers from the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business. Prior to each speech, participants were encouraged to discuss how they felt about public speaking with the researchers, and their fellow participants. Other participants were told not to discuss their feelings. Levels of the stress hormone cortisol were measured before, during and after each participant's speech. The researchers found that stress levels were significantly reduced when the participants were able to vocalise how they felt about the speeches. This was most noticeable when the discussion was had with a fellow participant, in which they shared a common fear. | Researchers from the International School for Advanced Studies of Trieste, Italy, found men find it hard to understand people's emotions under stress .
They said that women become more ‘prosocial’ and sympathetic under stress - perhaps because they are able to communicate their feelings .
Scientists made study participants take maths tests and make speeches to put them under 'moderate' stress . |
147,695 | 4afbf4976b5a0d337400382cc76682e6e788ed31 | A healthy Italian woman paid a Swiss right-to-die clinic to take her life because she was 'unhappy about losing her looks'. Oriella Cazzanello, 85, travelled to a clinic in Basel, Switzerland, where she paid €10,000 for an assisted suicide. The elderly woman, who was in good mental and physical health, disappeared from her home in Arzignano, near Vicenza in northern Italy, without telling her relatives where she was going. Oriella Cazzanello , 85, who committed suicide using a Swiss euthanasia centre, because she was depressed about losing her looks. Her family only found out about her death ashes and a death certificate were posted to her lawyer in Italy . Building of the assisted suicide clinic, Dignitas in Pfaeffikon near Zurich, one of the major assisted suicide clinics that exist in Switzerland. Dignitas is the largest non-physician assisted suicide group in Switzerland, and is well known because of it's involvement in many British euthanasia cases . Her family, who had reported her to the police as missing, only learnt of her death after they received her ashes and death certificate from the clinic. Mrs Cazzanello chose to end her life because she was ‘weighed down by ageing and the inevitable loss of the looks of which she was proud’ the Italian news agency ANSA reported. The well-to-do pensioner was also suffering from loneliness. Her brother and other relatives had not heard from her since the end of January, but were not unduly concerned, as Mrs Cazzanello, was an ‘independent’ person who would often take herself on spa weekends. Assisted suicide amongst Britons and members of the EU has long been a controversial issue. In 2006, the Daily Mail reported the story of Anne Turner who ended her life to escape life with an incurable brain disease in a heartbreaking case which set the debate over assisted suicide raging . But as the days went passed they became worried and reported her as missing to the police. Earlier this week her lawyer received her ashes and death certificate by post and broke the devastating news. Assisted suicide is legal in Switzerland even if the person requesting it is not terminally ill. Although legal in Switzerland, assisted suicide is a criminal offence in the UK and carries a maximum prison sentence of 14 years. 16 per cent of those who travel to a suicide clinic had no serious health problem, but had become ‘weary of life’, a study by the University of Bern found this week. More than 200 Brits have died at Swiss suicide clinics in the past decade. Top orchestral conductor Sir Edward Downes, 85, and his 74-year-old wife Joan died at the Dignitas clinic in 2009. Lady Downes had terminal cancer while her husband was nearly blind and becoming increasingly deaf. Daniel James, 23, who was paralysed in a rugby accident, became the youngest Briton to die at the clinic in 2010. His parents Julie and Mark James said the ex-England under-16 rugby player had repeatedly said he wanted to die. | Oriella Caszzenello paid €10,000 for an assisted suicide in the Swiss clinic .
85-year-old woman from northern Italy was healthy mentally and physically .
She disappeared without telling her relatives where she was going .
Ended her life because she was 'losing looks of which she was proud'
Her lawyer received a death certificate and broke the news to her family .
More than 200 British people have committed suicide at Swiss clinics . |
194,603 | 87e5dac7853e3246a8d55d7446bd06e167134130 | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 15:54 EST, 2 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:55 EST, 2 December 2012 . Flying the flag: Gordon Brown with the Jolly Roger from Second World War submarine HMS Tantalus which has resurfaced after 40 years missing . A Jolly Roger flag flown atop a World War Two submarine has resurfaced - after going missing for 40 years. The flag was last flown on HMS Tantalus at the end of the war in 1945 and was given to the boat's youngest submariner, telegraphist Jack Brown, at the end of its service. But the Jolly Roger went missing following Jack's death four decades ago and has only just been found again by his delighted son Gordon in his sister's attic. He now wants to see the flag flying again. Mr Brown, 66, from Gosport, Hampshire, said: 'I was so pleased to have found it again, especially in such good condition. 'I thought it had been lost but I'd been nagging my sister to look for it and thankfully it turned up in her attic. 'Someone offered my £1,000 for it but I will never sell it. 'I want to see it flying again as it would be the first time since 1945 and then I will give it to a museum perhaps.' The history of HMS Tantalus is told by the symbols on the flag, with four bars representing the torpedoing of four ships and two daggers denoting the submarine's two 'cloak and dagger' operations. The eight stars in the top right corner surrounding crossed cannons represent eight times the deck gun was fired. Mr Brown’s father joined HMS Tantalus, which was a T-class submarine, at the age of 18. Gordon said: 'When my dad died he gave me the flag, a life jacket and his medals. Warship: HMS Tantalus was launched in February 1943 . Symbolic: Mr Brown holds the flag aloft, the symbols surrounding the skull and crossbones illustrate the submarine's history . Found: The flag flying atop HMS Tantalus at the end of the Second World War . 'I was only young at the time and I think I traded his medals for some marbles, which earned me a clip round the ear. 'I wish I hadn’t given away the medals now but at least I’ve still got the flag.' The first use of a Jolly Roger on a British submarine was in 1914 after it successfully torpedoed a German cruiser ship. The act was a humorous response to Admiral Sir Arthur Wilson's remark that submarines were ‘damned un-English’ and crews of enemy subs would be hanged as pirates. During World War Two British subs were allowed to fly the Jolly Roger on the day of their return from a successful patrol. The oldest surviving Jolly Roger flag, from First World War submarine E54, is on display at the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in Portsmouth. The Jolly Roger dates back to the 1700s when pirates flew it to make their victims surrender readily. HMS Tantalus was launched in February 1943 and served in the Far East for much of its wartime career. The submarine sank a long list of other vessels during its time in service including the Malaysian tug Kampung Besar and the Pulo Salanama in April 1944 and several Japanese Army cargo ships. The craft survived the war intact but was scrapped at Milford Haven in November 1950. The flag most commonly identified as the Jolly Roger today is the skull and crossbones, a flag consisting of a human skull above two long bones set in an x-mark arrangement on a black field. This design was used by several pirates, including Captains Edward England and John Taylor. Some Jolly Roger flags also include an hourglass, another common symbol representing death in 17th- and 18th-century Europe. Despite its prominence in popular culture, plain black flags were often employed by most pirates in the 17th and 18th century. Historically, the flag was flown to frighten pirates' victims into surrendering without a fight, since it conveyed the message that the attackers were outlaws who would not consider themselves bound by the usual rules of engagement—and might, therefore, slaughter those they defeated (since captured pirates were usually hanged, they did not have much to gain by asking quarter if defeated). The same message was sometimes conveyed by a red flag. Since the decline of piracy, various military units have used the Jolly Roger, usually in skull-and-crossbones design, as a unit identification insignia or a victory flag to ascribe to themselves the proverbial ferocity and toughness of pirates. In a non-naval context the skull and crossbones motif has additional meanings, for example, to signify a hazard such as poison. | Gordon Brown, 66, of Gosport, Hants, found the flag, which belonged to the HMS Tantalus in his sister's attic .
The flag had been given to his father Jack, a crew member on the submarine, but lost when he died 40 years ago . |
220,297 | a9267fc89963d0d331373dd38a0dcf0299ff1821 | By . Gerri Peev . Boris Johnson is under increased pressure to declare a return to the Commons after senior ministers declared it would be 'wonderful' to have the London mayor back as an MP. Speculation has been rife that Mr Johnson will make a pitch for a safe Commons seat in the 2015 general election – a year before his term as London mayor expires. Allies of Mr Johnson have suggested he could return as a backbencher and continue as London mayor because running the capital was as much work as one of the great offices of state. 'Soap opera': Senior ministers have declared it would be 'wonderful' to have Boris Johnson, the Mayor of London, back in Parliament . Backbench Tory MPs have been frustrated by the endless 'soap opera' about Mr Johnson's ambitions, warning it was a distraction from the local and European elections. But Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt and Foreign Secretary William Hague both said he would be a welcome addition to the Conservatives in their fight to win an outright majority in 2015. Asked if Mr Johnson could return to the Commons to lead the Tories, Mr Hunt told the BBC's Andrew Marr show: 'Well that would be wonderful. But the point is of course it takes longer than people would like, but I think the British people understand that Rome wasn't built in a day and we will get there but we have to have patience.' A source close to Mr Hunt insisted he had misheard the question and was simply welcoming the prospect of Mr Johnson coming back to Parliament rather than speculating on him replacing David Cameron. Mr Hague also hailed Mr Johnson as 'one of the great figures of our party' but signalled he would expect Mr Johnson to abide by his pledge to focus on being London Mayor. 'I have always been a tremendous fan of Boris Johnson and the rest of us in parliament would welcome his return to parliament as well as his continued commitment to the great job that he does as Mayor of London but that is for him to decide when and how he does that,' the Foreign Secretary told Sky's Murnaghan show. Foreign Secretary William Hague is one of the senior ministers putting pressure on Mr Johnson to stand for Parliament . Mr Johnson has told friends he will declare whether he will stand in the general election this summer. He is expected to pledge not to take a Cabinet post for the year he remains London Mayor if he makes a comeback as an MP. Running the capital is the equivalent of holding a big Cabinet post, his allies have said. David Ruffley, a Conservative MP (Bury, St Edmunds), said he believed Mr Johnson would return to fight the next election. 'He should because he's done a great job running London. I think he could come back in a Cameron Cabinet after 2015...you want your stars in your government,' he told the BBC's Pienaar's Politics. Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the Tories had to be 'patient' about Mr Johnson's return . Mr Ruffley added however that Mr Johnson should not just be seen as a rival leader to Mr Cameron. 'I think he could occupy any number of cabinet posts. This idea that it's either Cameron or Boris is a false logic. You could have Boris back in the Commons running a big department of state, why not?' But ahead of being re-elected mayor, Mr Johnson pledged not to hold down two jobs. He said: 'If I am fortunate enough to win I will need four years to deliver what I have promised. And having put trust at the heart of this election, I would serve out that term in full. 'I made a solemn vow to Londoners to lead them out of recession, bring down crime and deliver the growth, investment and jobs that this city so desperately needs. Keeping that promise cannot be combined with any other political capacity.' He has been advised by his former spindoctor and the PM's current spin chief, Lynton Crosby, that he needs to stick to his word if he wants to be taken seriously. Mr Johnson's friends have said the way to square that is to have him ruling out taking on any big Cabinet jobs while running London. They told the Sunday Times: 'That will go down well with people and it won't look like he is breathing down Cameron's neck. Boris can see that makes sense.' The Prime Minister has already said he would be happy to see Mr Johnson back in the Commons at the next election. But MPs have urged Mr Johnson to stop dithering. Charles Walker, vice-chairman of the 1922 committee of backbench Tory MPs, said: 'Undoubtedly, he would be a great addition to parliament, but he needs to get on and decide what he is doing if he is to be taken seriously.' A spokesman for the Mayor would not be drawn on speculation about his future.He told the Mail: 'The mayor is concentrated on three things: delivering for London, campaigning to return Conservative candidates in this May's elections and helping to return David Cameron as Prime Minister of a majority Conservative government in 2015.' | Speculation rife that Boris will make a pitch for a safe seat .
Allies suggest he could return and continue as London mayor .
Backbenchers warn 'soap opera' is .
a distraction from elections . |
221,869 | ab308e51d25d8256909743cf79394e00754540f5 | (CNN) -- Notorious serial killer Ted Bundy confessed to more than 30 murders before he was sent to Florida's electric chair in 1989, but experts have always believed there were more. Now, investigators across the country are hoping a vial of Bundy's blood -- kept as part of a case record -- will prove or disprove his involvement in cold cases dating as far back as 1961. Bundy's blood, recovered from an evidence lab in Columbia County, Florida, will be entered into the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) on Friday. Investigators say it's a major milestone in a decades-long search for evidence to complete the killer's profile. A reopened 1961 cold case involving a missing 8-year-old girl in Tacoma, Washington, was the impetus for the completed DNA profile. The girl lived along a newspaper route that the then-teenager Bundy worked, according to published accounts. Washington state homicide detective Lindsey Wade said her department, which has long suspected a connection between Bundy and Ann Marie Burr, contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement in search of a profile that could provide the needed link. "A profile will assist with whatever evidence you have," said Keith Kameg, spokesman for the department. "It doesn't mean someone did it, but it does mean they were there." Kameg's department contacted law enforcement agencies across the state seeking any evidence that could be used to build a profile on Bundy. A vial of Bundy's blood was recovered from the Columbia County Sheriff's Office, and though blood samples degrade over time, Kameg said the department was able to build a profile from that sample. Bundy was put to death in January 1989, convicted in two trials of three Florida murders. He had prolonged his life by confessing to other murders in other states and was suspected in many more killings. However, he adamantly denied having anything to do with the death of Ann Marie Burr. Criminal profiler Pat Brown of Washington, D.C., who has written extensively about Bundy, said though Bundy appeared on numerous suspect lists, his killing spree was able to last for years because detectives thought he didn't fit the profile of a typical serial killer. At the height of his killing spree in the 1970s, Bundy would feign a broken arm or leg and ask young women for help -- luring the victims he would later murder. At the time of Bundy's convictions, DNA typing was not widely used, but advances in the forensics field have revitalized efforts to link serial killers to unsolved crimes. "The technology in the past 25 years went from archaic to phenomenal," Kameg said. Though Bundy is long gone, Kameg said, his DNA profile could answer lingering questions for police and bring comfort to loved ones. CNN's sister network truTV contributed to this report. | Forensic analysts are building a DNA profile of Ted Bundy .
Bundy, a convicted serial killer, died in Florida's electric chair in 1989 .
Investigators are hoping the profile will connect Bundy to multiple cold cases . |
188,710 | 8068e29a3a10a97bbbdf772e2516d1761dabb004 | By . Lucy Thackray For Daily Mail Australia . and Lillian Radulova For Daily Mail Australia . Controversy continues for the Liberal party, with the exposure of yet another sexist and homophobic rant from member of Liberal parties on social media - the third incident in the past week. Tim Dark, 22, an Arts student and the vice-president of Swinburne University Liberal Club in Melbourne, was forced to resign after a rant he made on Facebook was made public. The comments referred to homosexuals as 'f*****s', questioned the gender of 'butchy lesbians' and critcised gay marriage for 'ruining' the social fabric of Australia. The Liberal party has already been criticised for two separate incidents in the last week, in which social media was used by their party members to write offensive, misogynistic comments. On the Swinburne University Liberal Club Facebook page, people are calling for an apology from the club for the statements by the disgraced former vice president. Posts on the Swinburne University Liberal Club Facebook page call for action after the revelation of homophobic and sexist comments, made by the club's vice-president, Tim Dark . Student members of the Melbourne University Liberal Club have been revealed to be behind a series of sexist and racist social media comments that were obtained by Fairfax Media . 'Are butchy lesbians considered women?' Mr Dark wrote in a post from 13 October, 2013. Mr Dark defends his position in another post. 'If people had thrown logical arguments forward to begin with it would have been different and I'm not fascist because if that were true then i (sic) would want all homosexuals dead. Not that they serve any real purpose anyway,' Mr Dark posted. Dark critcises gay marriage, saying 'I like the current social fabric of Australia and see no logical reason as to why this should be ruined.' Mr Dark also launches a bizarre rant about women with hairy underarms. Part of Tim Dark's bizarre rant which has been leaked, forcing him to stand down from his position as vice president of a Liberal club at a Melbourne university . Young Lib Tim Dark tries to defend his opinions during a homophobic rant on Facebook, citing that because he does not want homosexuals dead, he is not a fascist, even though homosexuals do not 'serve any real purpose' Tim Dark explains his views on gay marriage in his Facebook rant . Mr Dark comments that homosexuality is a 'lifestyle choice', stating that lesbians are misandrists and gay men are misogynistic. On Monday, Mr Dark apologised for his comments and stepped down from his position with the club. According to LinkedIn, he is also the vice president for the Keysborough branch of the Liberal party. In a statement, Mr Dark said, 'I sincerely apologise for any offence that I may have caused. Any comments were off the cuff remarks which were not to be taken seriously,' according to The Age. The latest controversy come after student members of the Melbourne University Liberal Club were revealed to be behind a series of sexist and racist social media comments. The offensive posts have been branded 'disturbing' by a senior lecturer at the university. The comments are said to have been made by the treasurer and vice president of the Liberal Club. Tim Dark resigned from his position as vice-president of a Liberal club at a Melbourne university after posts such as this one were made public, in which Dark says he has a problem with lesbians 'lifestyle choices.' This post shows part of a rant from Dark, in which he criticises lesbians for their 'hairy armpits.' Tim Dark's comments, in which he continues to make homophobic statements on Facebook and post bizarre comments about females with underarm hair. The Swinburne University Liberal Club celebrates the appointment of their leadership team in April, including vice president, Tim Dark. Tim Dark has stepped down from the position after a Facebook rant, posted in October 2013, has been made public. Fairfax alleges that in a comment made in January, the group's vice president described a venue as 'worth a visit' before saying the bar had 'lots of sluts', adding: 'get some sluts for me' in another post. According to Fairfax, the treasurer of the Liberal Club also sent derogatory posts, in which he allegedly said 'Just be careful of those mussrats. A lot of them are [a] bunch of Third World degenerate c***s.' when referring to Muslim people. Further comments from the same person describe academic and high-profile feminist Germaine Greer as a 'lying f***ing c*m guzzling slut … and a union member' adding: ''She doesn't believe in God. No kids not married … what do you [e]xpect from a melb uni educated former socialist c***,'. Dr Lauren Rosewarne, a senior lecturer in the School of Social and Political Sciences at the University of Melbourne, told Daily Mail Australia 'It's distressing that any students would make these comments. This is disturbing.' Politician often attend events organised by political university clubs, according to Dr Rosewarne, in order to boost membership as well as their own profiles. 'New talent comes from them, so it is a breeding ground for new candidates,' she said. The comments, which also obscenely target academic and high-profile feminist Germaine Greer, are claimed to have been made by the Clubs vice-president and secretary . Dr Lauren Rosewarne, a senior lecturer at the University of Melbourne, called the comments 'disturbing' and said the clubs are 'breeding grounds' for new party candidates . When asked if she believed the crude comments were damaging to the Liberal Party, Dr Rosewarne said there was some distance between the two groups despite them being heavily involved. 'Because it's not a liberal party candidate or a member of parliament, the Liberal Party head office gets to put a distance between itself and the university club,' Dr Rosewarne said. 'Although it does have affiliations with the university club, it's unrealistic to expect them to be able to control what their party members – rather than their candidates - say or do, or even when students go rogue on social media. 'But they can disendorse the club.' She added: 'Even candidates themselves can't be controlled on social media – that's why they have media teams and press releases.' The comments come only a few days after the resignation of two Liberal Party candidates, Jack Lyons and Aaron Lane. Mr Lyons was revealed to have made dozens of racist and sexist posts on social media while Mr Lane was found to have repeatedly used homophobic language on his own social media pages. Daily Mail approached the Melbourne University Liberal Club's president for a comment but are yet to receive a response. | Vice-president of Swinburne University Liberal club, Tim Dark, forced to resign after making sexist and homophobic comments on social media .
Second scandal this week involving offensive Facebook posts from members of Liberal parties at Melbourne universities .
This follows on from the resignation of two Victorian Liberal candidates, who made racist and homophobic posts on social media .
Mr Dark uses term 'f****t' to degrade someone and to refer to homosexuals .
The Young Lib questions the gender of 'butchy lesbians'
Further controversy for Liberal Party after yesterday's revelation of sexist and racist comments made by Melbourne University Liberal Club members .
A senior lecturer from the university said the club was a 'breeding ground for new candidates' |
267,976 | e711325444bce1302287e444b3c57d3255866086 | (CNN) -- Jenna and Barbara Bush know a lot about growing up in the White House. The Bush twins told Sasha and Malia Obama to "remember who your dad really is." The twin daughters of former President Bush were 7 when their grandfather, former President George H.W. Bush, was inaugurated, and 20 when their father became president. Like their dad, who left a note for President Barack Obama, Jenna and Barbara Bush wrote Tuesday to Obama's daughters about what to expect in the weeks and months ahead. "We also first saw the White House through the innocent, optimistic eyes of children," the twins wrote in an open letter published in Tuesday's Wall Street Journal. Growing up in the White House » . The twins reminisce in the letter about important events and historic moments they were able to be part of in a presidential family. But the Bushes also tried to prepare Sasha and Malia for some sobering truths. "Although it's an honor and full of so many extraordinary opportunities, it isn't always easy being a member of the club you are about to join," they said. "Our dad, like yours, is a man of great integrity and love; a man who always put us first. We still see him now as we did when we were 7: as our loving daddy." But as their father was increasingly criticized in the media and mocked by late night comedians, the twins said they learned a lesson. "He is our father, not the sketch in a paper or part of a skit on TV," they wrote. "Many people will think they know him, but they have no idea how he felt the day you were born, the pride he felt on your first day of school, or how much you both love being his daughters. So here is our most important piece of advice: Remember who your dad really is." It helps, wrote the Bushes, to surround yourself with loyal friends. The rest of the letter was more lighthearted, with the twins sharing some of their favorite memories of living in the White House, including playing house and hide-and-seek in what many children would consider to be the ultimate playground. "When we played house, we sat behind the East Sitting Room's massive curtains as the light poured in illuminating her yellow walls," the girls said. "Our 7-year-old imaginations soared as we played in the enormous, beautiful rooms; our dreams, our games, as romantic as her surroundings. At night, the house sang us quiet songs through the chimneys as we fell asleep." They also told the Obama girls to embrace any opportunity they had: "When your dad throws out the first pitch for the Yankees, go to the game." "In fact, go to anything and everything you possibly can: the Kennedy Center for theater, state dinners, Christmas parties (the White House staff party is our favorite!), museum openings, arrival ceremonies, and walks around the monuments." "Just go," they wrote. The twins also reminded Sasha and Malia to be themselves -- kids -- saying even if they travel over holidays like Halloween, the girls should dress up and trick-or-treat down a plane aisle. "Slide down the banister of the solarium, go to T-ball games, have swimming parties, and play Sardines on the White House lawn," the Bush girls said. "Have fun and enjoy your childhood in such a magical place to live and play." Jenna and Barbara Bush told the girls to cherish the pet that their father so publicly promised them. "Sometimes you'll need the quiet comfort that only animals can provide," they said. "Four years goes by so fast," they wrote. "So absorb it all, enjoy it all!" | Bush twins tell new first kids not to let sketches, skits of dad get to them .
Jenna, Barbara Bush tell them to embrace every opportunity .
Twins talk of playing house, hide-and-seek in historic White House .
Girls say to slide down solarium banister, trick-or-treat on plane if away from home . |
33,369 | 5ee20bb8f896d91b1a3f3d2fc510c29a143a7ed9 | By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 09:01 EST, 20 June 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 19:47 EST, 20 June 2012 . A girl who fell pregnant at the age of 11 and became Britain’s youngest mother is expecting her second child. Tressa Middleton from Bathgate, West Lothian, now aged 18, was forced to give up her toddler for adoption two years after giving birth in 2006. The decision came after she revealed the baby was born as the result of a rape by her own brother. Britain's youngest mother, Tressa Middleton is now pregnant with her second child . Although Tressa spent several years addicted to drugs and alcohol after quitting school, she says she has now . turned her life around and is ready to be a mother. She . is in a relationship with her fiance, trainee mechanic Darren, 25, who . she lives with, and she has announced that she is two months’ pregnant. Tressa told Closer magazine: 'I did not want to give up my daughter, but I was too young to be a mum. 'I feel ready now. My daughter can’t be replaced, but this is a second chance.' She . discovered she was pregnant first time round in 2005 and at first . claimed a local boy was the father to protect her mother, Tracey . Tallons, 39. After giving birth she describes that she never stopped the 'fags and drink', and soon spiralled out of control under the very noses of her social . workers. She ended up in a residential unit, . rather than with her child and it seemed inevitable that the authorities . were always going to take . Tressa's baby away . Unsettling: Pictures taken of Tressa Middleton soon after the birth in 2006 . When she was 14, she revealed that her twisted brother Jason was the father of her child. And when it came out, her family fell apart in the . event, and Tressa was left to sign papers authorising the adoption. 'I signed the papers because I knew I would lose in court and they . would take her from me anyway. This way I thought I would get visitation . rights.' In 2009 Jason Middleton was jailed for four years and has now been released and lives at home with his mother. He was 16 when the attack happened, at the family home in West Lothian, five years older than his sister. She says the rape was not a one-off, but part of a wider pattern of abuse. Talking about her daughter Tressa says: 'I would have given my life for her' - but it was a complex relationship. There were times I looked at her and I saw my brother Jason in her . face. That made it hard. But I still loved her, with all . my heart.' Tressa says that she and Darren, who had both experimented with heroin, have both been weaned off it after receiving support from a drug centre. She says she was jubilant when doctors confirmed her pregnancy. 'I was so excited and Darren was over the moon, too,' she said. 'I can’t wait to buy clothes and decorate a nursery for when the baby arrives.' Tressa, who sends her adopted child Christmas and birthday cards and gifts, added: 'My daughter is six now and at school. I plan to tell baby about their big sister. If I have a girl, she will take her name as a middle name. I hope we can all meet as a family one day, but meanwhile I will be the best mum I can.' | Tressa Middleton, now 18, was forced to give up her toddler two years after giving birth at 11 .
The teenager says she has now turned her life around after a battle with drinks and drugs .
Tressa says this time she will keep her baby and is now in a stable relationship with her fiance . |
62,590 | b1cfc6129ce717bfc42a88732b77b809f4d3b12e | An ambulance crew left the body of a dead man on the floor rather than take it to a mortuary, so they could finish their shift on time, an inquest has heard. James Harrison collapsed and died in a Cambridgeshire street in the early hours of September 24. The crew - who were due to finish their night shift at 6am - arrived at the scene at 5.30am, after he was found by a milkman. They were unable to save him, an inquest held in Chatteris,Cambridgeshire, heard today. Instead of extending their 15-hour shift to transport Mr Harrison's body to the mortuary at Addenbrooke's hospital, the crew took him to nearby Ely ambulance station and left the body to be collected by an undertaker. The undertaker never arrived and it was not until after 8am that another ambulance crew was sent to take him to hospital. The ambulance crew, who were from across the border in Norfolk, claim they were told by colleagues it was 'common practice' in the Ely area to leave deceased bodies at the ambulance station - providing there was police consent. An inquest into the death of James Harrison, 32, found his body was taken to Ely ambulance station and left overnight after he died and collapsed in a Cambridgeshire street on September 24 . David Glenton, centre, attended the incident along with first responder Dharamendra Narotam, left . Opening the inquest, coroner William Morris rejected an application from lawyers for the East of England Ambulance Service to restrict the inquest to the death itself and not the circumstances which followed. He said it was in the public interest to consider the 'indignity, distress and possibility of forensic evidence being compromised' by the delays. Mr Morris concluded that Mr Harrison's death was an accident, the result of taking a cocktail of prescribed anti-depressants and insomnia medication. Paramedic Steve Hibbitt, who investigated the incident, said crews in that area had failed to take bodies straight to hospital on seven previous occasions. On two occasions bodies had been left on the floor and on five occasions in the back of an ambulance. The inquest heard paramedics David Glenton and Ann-Marie Poole from 30 miles away in Downham Market, Norfolk, attended the incident along with first responder Dharamendra Narotam. Mr Harrison was pronounced dead at 5.53am - just before Mr Glenton and Ms Poole were due to finish their shift. Despite the fact they were already working overtime, the pair said they were happy to transport the body to hospital, Mr Hibbitt said. But Mr Narotam suggested the body could be left at the ambulance station and collected later. Mr Glenton did not question this decision. He told the inquest: 'He made it sound like it was common practice.' Mr Hibbitt added: 'The crew were not familiar with this procedure but were advised it was a normal local practice and several bodies had been left in this way before. 'The responder did not feel he was doing anything inappropriate and that he was doing something respectful by covering him in clean sheets.' James Harrison's family are pictured leaving today's inquest in Chatteris, Cambridgeshire . The inquest heard the ambulance crew were due to finish their 15-hour shift but were prepared to take Mr Harrison's body to the mortuary at Addenbrooke's Hospital (pictured). But instead, a colleague told them it was 'common practice' to leave bodies at the station . East of England ambulance chiefs were accused last night of risking patients’ lives to meet response time targets. The trust may have hastened the deaths of dozens of desperately ill people by downgrading emergency call-outs to non-urgent. This freed them from hitting a response time target of eight minutes. East of England Ambulance Service admits that 8,324 patients had their cases reclassified in this way in a two-month period last year. At least 57 were not taken to hospital and died. Some of those downgraded had a terminal illness or a ‘do not resuscitate’ order. It emerged last night that another major ambulance trust – Yorkshire – is also suspected of recategorising thousands of urgent cases. Managers made the calls ‘non-urgent’ when they realised ambulances were not going to reach patients inside the eight-minute window. Denise Burke, of the Norfolk-based campaign group Action on Ambulances, said: ‘They are playing Russian roulette with patients’ lives. ‘What is most shocking with East Anglia is the way patients who were near the end of life were treated. They were deciding on patients’ quality of life and whether they died then or in dignity a few months later. ‘Any of those families will be questioning whether their loved ones’ lives could have been extended by a few months.’ An internal investigation by East of England Ambulance Service found that in January and February last year managers agreed to downgrade calls involving terminally ill patients. Rather than being sent an ambulance within eight minutes, these patients were made to wait between 20 and 50 minutes. And in some cases ambulances crews were not sent at all and relatives were just given advice on the phone. The guidance had not been approved by the trust’s most senior management and was flagged up by concerned staff. Anthony Marsh, the ambulance service’s chief executive, said he immediately launched an investigation and ordered the reversal of the changes. He explained it was not ambulance service policy to do this but it was not uncommon for local crews to follow different and sometimes outdated procedures which also depend on police and coroner's practices. 'This may be due to lack of knowledge of accepted practice but may also be due to staff taking short cuts,' he said. Mr Narotam said police agreed with the decision to leave the body at the station. He said: 'I suggested that that we move the body out of the public eye and place it at Ely Ambulance Station if they were happy with that. 'There were many police officers of different ranks on duty. 'I mentioned that in the past we had removed deceased bodies back to Ely Ambulance Station without any problems. 'It was agreed with the police that we would do that. On arrival I opened the garage doors so the ambulance could back up to it. 'I put out clean sheets on the garage floor so we could out the deceased body bag onto it and covered it. 'At no point was the deceased left alone. 'The ambulance crew finished their shift at 6am. I believe the crew would not have had an issue had they have been asked to drop the body off at the mortuary. 'I was planning on taking the body to the mortuary but the day shift crew started at 8am so they were dispatched to take the body.' Mr Harrison's family were not informed about the incident until it was reported by the press when a whistle-blower claimed the body had been left by bins at the station. Mother Diane Harrison said she knew her son was on prescribed medication. She added: 'I was extremely shocked to learn he was dead. 'He would have not have done this on purpose, he would not have left me on my own.' Tracy Nicholls, director of clinical quality at the East of England Ambulance Service, said: 'We apologise wholeheartedly to the family for the distress this incident has caused - it should never have happened. 'The trust has carried out a full investigation into this matter and it is clear that incorrect decisions were made and the trust's procedures were not followed. 'As a result of this we immediately sent out an instruction to staff that such a practice is not acceptable and must not happen.' The members of staff involved are subject to an ongoing investigation, she added. | James Harrison collapsed and died in a Cambridgeshire street at 5.53am .
32-year-old's body was taken to Ely ambulance station where it was left overnight until another crew took it to Addenbrooke's Hospital at 8am .
Ambulance crew were told by colleague it was 'common practice'
They were due to finish their 15-hour shift at 6am but said they would be happy to transport Mr Harrison's body to the hospital .
Coroner rejected East of England Ambulance Service's request to restrict the inquest to the death itself and not the circumstances which followed .
He said it was in the public interest to consider the 'indignity, distress and possibility of forensic evidence being compromised' by the delays . |
76,888 | da11501eda76a6b56f84c4687cdc98f8c6c03a09 | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- "I like L.A., but there sure are a lot of ugly bastards running around here," says James Hunter, with a set of grotesque joke teeth in his mouth -- and tongue firmly in cheek. James Hunter has received raves for his recordings, but has yet to break through to big-time success. Midway through a lengthy tour, it's nice to know his sense of humor is intact. The boyish 46-year-old British retro-R&B singer is in a dressing room at the Sunset Strip's House of Blues, sitting in a throne-like chair festooned with Mexican Day of the Dead skulls. It's oddly fitting. Like that festival, Hunter is remembering -- through his music -- those who are no longer with us. His classic soul-inspired sound and concert style harkens back to the golden days of R&B and the men who practiced it: Jackie Wilson, Sam Cooke and guitarist Lowman Pauling, among others. "I think I probably stole a couple of tricks from people who were already dead by the time I started," he replies, when asked about his stage moves. Indeed, an hour later he's on stage and it's clear that if you put him in the "Back to the Future" DeLorean, traveled back to 1955 and dropped him off with Marvin Berry's band at the "Enchantment Under the Sea" dance, he'd be right at home. Watch Hunter perform for a sound check » . That authentic old-school sound has made him a cult favorite among jazz and blues aficionados. His first two albums -- 2006's "People Gonna Talk" and last year's "The Hard Way" -- were acclaimed by critics and the cognoscenti, with the Boston Globe calling "The Hard Way" "one of the year's smoothest and best discs." He's also earned praise as a dazzling live performer, one who is known for guitar acrobatics performed with a smile. But he has yet to achieve the mainstream success of British retro-soul contemporaries Amy Winehouse, Duffy and Adele. Could it be because they've found a way to blend contemporary lyrics with an older sound? Hunter acknowledges he doesn't do enough of that in his own music: "I think that's my downfall, to be honest. I think they picked up on a trick that I'm trying, that I've mastered. I mean, I think they're as much immersed in contemporary stuff as the old days. I think that's pretty cool. I'm trying to do that. "Stylistically, I'm more embedded, not in tradition -- I mean I'm not into genres -- but styles, you know," he continues. "The sound of things. I've got my preference in the sound and stuff. But, you know, I think I can afford to go their way a little bit, not because it's successful, but because it works." Interestingly, few American acts have embraced the retro-soul sound with the fervor of their British counterparts. Hunter has his theories on why that's the case. "It could be because you guys invented it, you know. I think it's possible," he says. "I'm not sure these days, but initially you had the Stones and people like that, even the Beatles who were much more in awe in this American music than Americans were. It all tends to be on your doorstep and you tend to be more cavalier to the stuff that's already there. It's like the thing when John Lennon told the reporters that he wanted to see Muddy Waters and they said, 'Where's that?' " But despite the love he has for the music of the classic soul era, Hunter understands that going forward, a healthy irreverence is what will keep it fresh for audiences -- and himself. "I think the downfall of any type of music is to treat it with too much reverence, because the people at the time weren't treating it with reverence and they were sort of bashing it out, that was the beauty of it, the spontaneity," he says. "But, when people are trying to preserve stuff -- you've got to be loyal to this or that kind of music -- that's so much nonsense." | James Hunter known for old-school R&B recordings .
British guitarist has earned raves, but still no big-time success .
Hunter admits that he's trying to combine contemporary lyrics with old sound . |
225,533 | b006890722c17c0fb54c9a01b79c87b0dda0d7b1 | (CNN) -- A Canadian sports doctor has been charged in Toronto with selling what some athletes consider to be a performance-enhancing drug, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police said Wednesday. Anthony Michael Galea, 51, of Oakville, Ontario, was charged with selling an unapproved drug, conspiracy to import the drug; conspiracy to export and smuggling goods into Canada. The investigation got under way last September, when Galea's assistant was taken into custody departing Canada with Actovegin, the RCMP said in a statement that alleged Galea was planning to administer the drug to some of his patients outside Canada. Actovegin, a derivative of calf's liver blood, is approved for use in some European countries. A report in Clinicaltrials.gov shows that it has been investigated as a possible treatment for nerve damage in diabetics, though it has not been approved for use in the United States. The RCMP investigators also allege that Galea administered the drugs to patients and conspired to export them to the United States. On October 15, Canadian officials executed a search warrant on Galea's medical facilities, the Institute of Sports Medicine Health and Wellness Center, resulting in the seizure of unapproved drugs, believed to be Actovegin, from the doctor's office, the RCMP statement said. Galea is to appear Friday morning at Old City Hall Court in Toronto. One of Galea's patients was Tiger Woods, whom he treated last year after the golfer underwent knee surgery. In a written statement, Woods' agent Mark Steinberg at IMG said his client received a "widely accepted therapy" from Galea. Steinberg disputed a New York Times report in which Galea claimed IMG referred Woods to him for treatment. "Despite totally false press speculation, no one at IMG has ever met or recommended Dr. Galea, nor were we worried about the progress of Tiger's recovery," Steinberg said. "The treatment Tiger received is a widely accepted therapy and to suggest some connection with illegality is recklessly irresponsible. That rehabilitation did not involve human growth hormone, a substance that Tiger has never taken." Galea has also worked with Olympic athletes and professional baseball, football and hockey players. Brian H. Greenspan, Galea's lawyer, denied his client ever supplied any star athletes with performance-enhancing drugs and said his client would prove his innocence of all charges. "Tiger Woods happened to be a patient he [Galea] assisted in his rehabilitation program after his surgery," Greenspan told reporters Tuesday. "According to all reports, he was very successful in assisting Tiger Woods to return to golf earlier than was anticipated," he added. | Four drug-related charges brought against Canadian sports Dr. Anthony Galea .
Charges relate to use of Actovegin, a potentially performance-enhancing drug .
Galea has treated several athletes, including golfer Tiger Woods . |
231,963 | b85474be7c473d85e5efb2192d88a32877e12415 | Sam Allardyce was positively brimming with bouquets. He praised his resolute defenders, he celebrated his strikers, he paid particular tribute to the brilliance of Alex Song, West Ham’s most influential contributor. But, in the wake of a genuinely momentous victory, he could not refrain from stealing a modest moment at centre stage. The cue was a suggestion that he might feel vindicated by the recent performances of his team, following the critical bruisings he had suffered last season. He started to mutter about the dangers of looking back, of dwelling on the past. Then he burst out: ‘It’s well documented: I’m still here!’ In fairness, only the meanest curmudgeon would deny the manager his satisfaction. If West Ham had found an available replacement, then Allardyce would surely have been on his way last spring. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch... Diafra Sakho celebrates scoring West Ham's second goal with Cheikhou Kouyate . Sakho rises highest to head home the second goal for West Ham to put them 2-0 up . Joe Hart fails to stop the header from Sakho as West Ham take a 2-0 lead . Hart lies helpless in the net as Sakho runs off in celebration after his goal . The goal line technology shows Sakho's header did cross the line despite the best effort of Hart . Sakho salutes the home fans after his goal put West Ham out of sight . West Ham (4-1-2-1-2): Adrian 7; Jenkinson 6.5, Collins 7, Reid 6.5, Cresswell 7.5; Song 8; Noble 7, Amalfitano 7 (Kouyate 67 6); Downing 5.5; Valencia 7 (Cole 76), Sakho 7.5 (Nolan 89) Subs not used: Jaaskelainen, Vaz Te, O'Brien, Poyet, . Goals: Amalfitano 21, Sakho 75. Manager: Sam Allardyce 8.5 . Booked: Amalfitano, Song . Manchester City (4-4-2): Hart 7; Zabaleta 5, Kompany 4.5, Mangala 3, Clichy 5 (Kolarov 78); Navas 5, Fernando 5 (Milner 78), Toure 5.5, Silva 7; Aguero 6.5, Dzeko 5 (Jovetic 59 5). Subs not used: Caballero, Demichelis, Sagna, Fernandinho . Goal: Silva 77 . Manager: Manuel Pellegrini 5 . Booked: Kompany . Referee: Martin Atkinson 7 . Star man: Song . Attendance: 34,977 . Ratings by SAM CUNNINGHAM at Upton Park . This morning, as his team reflect on their third win in succession and look down on all but a handful of the Premier League, his job seems blissfully secure. Allardyce spoke of ‘a terrific performance’ and ‘a massive, massive victory’. Indeed it was. As a consequence of a full-hearted, soundly-organised effort, the title ambitions of Chelsea have moved into sharper focus. As a further consequence, the continued tenure of City’s Manuel Pellegrini is coming into question. The Chilean denied feeling under any pressure, but since he also asserted that his team had deserved to win this absorbing match, his judgment may not be entirely reliable. For City are currently playing like strangers to their real form. A side which once reeked of class, now reeks of something like passive complacency, a malady best demonstrated by the man who was once their most devastating player. Until the team finally found itself, deep in the second half, Yaya Toure had performed like a weary irrelevance. His impact was minimal, his contribution belying the talent which had once made him one of the English game’s most illustrious imports. Just as Song toiled and sweated for the midfield control he enjoyed, so Toure seemed reluctant to join the battle. With Sergio Aguero untypically missing chances galore, with Eliaquim Mangala suffering a merciless chasing from West Ham’s front men, and with Vincent Kompany not only equally ineffective but hugely fortunate to remain on the field after a string of frustrated lunges, the wonder was that City remained in the argument for so long. Goals from Morgan Amalfitano and Diafra Sakho had carried West Ham clear and, despite a fine retaliation from the admirable David Silva late on, City never did enough to state a plausible case. They were left to curse a number of squandered opportunities, but they had done little to deserve equality. Their rally had arrived too late and carried too little conviction. They began with a degree of optimism. Aguero, running from half way, battered a drive which caught a deflection and saw Adrian scrambling at the foot of a post. Then Silva struck a free kick a foot over from 22 yards. And that was about as good as it got for City in the first half. As Song assumed total midfield control and the front runners Morgan Amalfitano and Enner Valencia began to persecute City’s centre-backs, the champions were reduced to hopeful retaliation on the break. A West Ham success seemed inevitable, and it came in the 21st minute. Song slid a pass down the right, Valencia sprinted on, reached the byline and pulled back an inviting cross. The ball evaded Pablo Zabaleta, and Amalfitano was awarded the simplest tap-in. It was no more than West Ham’s control had deserved. David Silva scores for Manchester City to make it 2-1 but it was not enough to take anything from the game . Silva celebrates his goal with captain Vincent Kompany as the Spanish midfielder halved the deficit . Morgan Amalfitano scores to put West Ham 1-0 up and celebrates his goal with team-mate Stewart Downing . Amalfitano (center) scores past Manchester City's goalkeeper Hart to give West Ham the lead at Upton Park . Hart looks back helplessly as the ball crosses the line from Amalfitano's shot . Amalfitano (right) celebrates his goal in the first half that put West Ham 1-0 up . Alex Song put in a commanding performance for West Ham as they beat City . Song's heat map shows he got around the middle of the pitch and was busy throughout the game . Song plays a 'rabona' pass in the penalty area during West Ham's win . Song salutes the West Ham fans after the win in a game in which he was named man of the match . Sergio Aguero speaks to referee Martin Atkinson as the City striker had a frustrating afternoon at Upton Park . Aguero was lucky to stay on the pitch after this over the top challenge on Mark Noble . MINS PLD KM MILES . West Ham 109.2 67.9 . Mark Noble 90 12.2 7.6 . Aaron Cresswell 90 11.0 6.9 . Stewart Downing 90 10.7 6.7 . Manchester City 104.8 65.2 . Jesus Navas 90 11.1 6.9 . David Silva 90 10.5 6.5 . Pablo Zabaleta 90 10.1 6.3 . The notion that Allardyce’s side have suddenly become a team of tap dancers is fanciful. They are strong, muscular, relentlessly direct. But this should have come as no great surprise to City. They knew precisely what would confront them, and they failed to cope with the problems. For a side with title pretensions, it was woeful. West Ham were winning battles all over the pitch, and might have scored a second when Valencia dived at a half-chance as a low cross came skidding in from Aaron Cresswell. Kompany was booked on 44 minutes for cleaning out Valencia with a peevish assault. Then, from the rarest of breaks, City might have equalised on the stroke of half time, when Aguero almost squeezed in a chance at the near post. He failed, and it would have been a travesty had he succeeded. Pellegrini sat in the dug out, shaking his head. This was not how the plot was supposed to unfold. The City manager sent out the same side for the second half, presumably obeying the managerial dictum which says: ‘You lot got us into this. You can get us out.’ Yet his team’s plight might well have grown even worse when the thoroughly rattled Kompany went crashing into Valencia and escaped the card which would have seen him dismissed. Nevertheless, City started to enter the game. Toure began to appear vaguely interested, and the appearance of Stevan Jovetic for Edin Dzeko introduced an extra sense of purpose. After 59 minutes, they had their best chance yet but Aguero’s shot was saved by Adrian’s knees. A minute later, the Argentine struck the bar and the ball bounced down to Toure, who drove it into the goalkeeper’s midriff from four yards. By now, the fight was on, and City seemed more likely to prosper when an interchange between Silva and Aguero allowed Toure to bounce a drive against the angle of post and bar. But in the 75th minute, West Ham appeared to strike the decisive blow, when Cresswell, advancing down the left, flighted a cross and Sakho, leaping immoderately, scored the header, becoming just the second player to score in all of his first six Premier League starts. But, as Upton Park celebrated, City began to play their most impressive football of the match. At last, the fluid movement which had been absent returned with a rush, and their reward arrived within two minutes. Silva picked his way nimbly from the right, deceived Mark Noble, and swirled the most precise drive inside the far post. From there on, the match was up for grabs, with City making despairing efforts to take the consolation of a point. But West Ham survived the frenzied attacks, and at the final whistle, they collapsed in claret and blue heaps all over the field; exhausted, but justly triumphant. Downing challenges Yaya Toure for the ball as the Manchester City midfielder looks to break away . West Ham's Cheikhou Kouyate (left) competes for the ball with Manchester City midfielder Fernando . West Ham's Carl Jenkinson (left) competes for the ball with City substitute James Milner . The Manchester City away fans shield their eyes from the sun as they watch their side lose at West Ham . Manchester City's manager Manuel Pellegrini looks dejected as his side fall behind to West Ham . West Ham manager Sam Allardyce masterminded his side's win over Manchester City . Hart looks dejected as he is consoled by Mark Noble at the final whistle . | Morgan Amalfitano opened the scoring for West Ham midway through the first half .
West Ham doubled their lead 15 minutes from time thanks to a Diafra Sakho header .
Manchester City pulled a goal back through David Silva near the end . |
251,708 | d1cb6d9ff49f1b555cc31dbae8b52b4a588ffd1b | This is the shocking moment that a voyeur was caught spying on his female housemate as she watched television in the early hours of the morning. A neighbour living opposite the Liverpool student house took these photos as the man lay outside the first-floor bedroom of 22-year-old Sam Walton. The man, who was performing a sex act on himself while looking at Miss Walton, had climbed on to the roof in order to reach his position at her window. He only moved when the neighbour shouted at him and disturbed him. Caught: A neighbour took photographs of the voyeur, circled, as he lay outside the bedroom of student Sam Walton, 22. He had climbed on the roof of the student house they shared in order to reach his position . But the voyeur climbed back up just five minutes later and continued performing the sex act. Concerned for Miss Walton, the neighbour's mother went over to the house to warn the drama student what was happening. Miss Walton was horrified to discover that she was sharing a house with the man, a foreign student, who was later recognised by the neighbours. But despite phoning the police and giving them this set of photographs, the suspect was never charged and was allowed to return to his home country unpunished. Miss Walton said police told her he was not being prosecuted because of a lack of evidence. She said: 'The pictures is just haunting. I was just sitting there watching Breaking Bad in my pyjamas and while I heard a noise I didn't think anything of it. Unaware: Sam Walton, pictured, was watching TV in her pyjamas when a neighbour spotted the man outside of her first-floor window in Liverpool . 'About 45 minutes I heard a knock at the door, and I answered and there was a middle-aged woman I didn't recognise. 'She asked if I was the girl who lived in the back bedroom on the first floor. 'I told her yes, and she said "My son has just woken me. There has been a man sitting on the roof outside your bedroom window." 'I freaked out. I was afraid whoever was out there might have climbed in through my open window while I answered the door, so I asked the lady to come up with me while I closed it. 'I also noticed footprints on the roof near my window. I arranged a house meeting, and naturally they were worried. 'When I saw the picture and saw how close he was, it made me think he had done it before.' Miss Walton's boyfriend and parents urged her to immediately leave the student accommodation in Liverpool after the incident in April but she stayed, determined to catch the person responsible. A few days later her neighbour's son went to check on her and recognised the man in the kitchen where he was sharing the house with Sam and three other students. Miss Walton noticed that the markings on his distinctive trainers matched the footprints on her roof. She added: 'He pulled me aside and told me he was 100 per cent sure that I was living with the guy that had done it because he recognised him when we were in the kitchen.' Miss Walton then phoned the police but said it took them two days to take a statement. She said the man - a foreign student - was arrested on suspicion of voyeurism but was released and allowed to return to his home country after 24 hours in custody. She was later told the investigation was dropped because there wasn't enough evidence. Speaking to student newspaper The Tab, Miss Walton said: 'Unfortunately, as you can see, the pictures weren't the best quality but you can see how close the man was. Distinctive: Miss Walton, who continued to live in the house after the incident, said that the patterns on the soles of her flatmate's shoes matched the footprints she found on the roof outside her bedroom, pictured . 'When they arrived the policewoman told me that, based on the statements and evidence we'd given, they felt they had enough to make an arrest. 'When they came to arrest him, they found clothes matching the descriptions and those seen in the photos. 'The whole situation was hellish, and now this pervert's got off scot-free. There are clearly some real weirdos out there, and what is worse is that the police didn't seem to care. 'Would they have waited until a violent crime had taken place before pursuing a conviction?' Miss Walton, who is still living in Liverpool, added: 'This whole experience has certainly taught me a lesson. 'Don't take it for granted that people know what acceptable behaviour is and what is not. 'If nothing else, I'm now much more conscious of my personal safety, even of just keeping my blinds drawn all the time. 'I'm also a lot more wary of people, even those who at first seem OK.' The alleged voyeur has since returned to the continent and did not respond to a request for comment. | Neighbour saw man performing sex act on himself outside Liverpool house .
He was spying on his housemate Sam Walton, 22, as she watched TV .
Police were given photos but said evidence was not enough to prosecute .
The voyeur, believed to be a foreign student, was allowed to leave the UK . |
544 | 01934bdb5bc1651223a635ae68576e426559f554 | By . Lucy Crossley . The son-in-law of a Monaco heiress shot dead as she left a hospital has withdrawn his confession to the killing, saying he did not understand 'all the nuances' of the French language. Wojciech Janowski, 64, last week confessed to playing a role in the shooting of Helene Pastor, the 77-year-old billionaire mother of his partner Sylvia Pastor, according to prosecutors. However, as Janowski appeared before a bail judge, his lawyer Erick Campana said that he had 'retracted his statements made while in custody' and 'denies having ordered' the killing. Withdrawn: Wojciech Janowski, 64, (left) has withdrawn his confession to killing Helene Pastor, 77, (right) saying he did not understand 'all the nuances' of the French language . Mr Campana said Janowski, who has served as Poland's honorary consul in Monaco, had 'misunderstood the meanings of the terms used by police and was speaking in French while he does not understand all the nuances of our language'. Mr Campana said he would demand that an appeal court nullify Janowski's detention - and the statements made while in custody - because he did not have access to a lawyer or interpreter during his 96 hours in custody. However, the judge ruled that Cambridge graduate Janowski must remain in custody pending trial. Janowski was arrested early last week by police on suspicion of 'masterminding' the killing of Mrs Pastor, who was shot multiple times with a sawn-off shotgun as she was leaving a hospital in the French Riviera city of Nice. Her driver, Mohammed Darwich, 64, also died from injuries sustained in attack on May 6. Probe: A police officer investigates a car at the site where Helene Pastor and her driver were shot . Questioned: Wojciech Janowski, hides his face as he leaves a police station in Nice, France, by car last week . Janowski was charged after prosecutors said he confessed to the contract killing, for which he allegedly spent some 250,000 euros (£198,000) to hire two alleged contract killers. The two men - a 31-year-old and a 24-year-old originally from the Comoros islands and living in Marseille's rough northern districts - were also apprehended last week and charged. Janowski's personal trainer was also charged with allegedly organising the murder and acting as a go-between with the killers. Prosecutors had alleged Janowski ordered the killing 'to lay his hands on the inheritance' due to Sylvia, Pastor's eldest daughter on her death. Sylvia was initially detained in the case but later released without charge. The two have been in a relationship for 28 years and have a teenage daughter. Couple: Janowski and Sylvia Pastor (right) have been in a relationship for 28 years and have a teenage daughter . Helene Pastor had inherited a huge real estate and construction business set up by her Italian grandfather Jean-Baptiste Pastor, a stone mason who moved to Monaco in 1880. As the sleepy principality on the French Riviera slowly grew into a playground for the world's rich and famous, the family's fortune skyrocketed. The real jackpot came in 1966 when Prince Rainier, whose fairytale wedding to Hollywood actress Grace Kelly helped catapult Monaco to international fame, gave permission to Helene Pastor's father Gildo to build high-rise buildings along the seafront. Janowski heads a Monaco nanotechnology firm and an oil business, and is involved in numerous charities in the principality. After he was charged, Poland announced it was stripping Janowski of his title of honorary consul 'because of the loss of the irreproachable reputation that is essential for this role'. It also noted that as an honorary official Janowski did not enjoy diplomatic immunity from criminal prosecution. | Helene Pastor was shot multiple times as she left a hospital in May .
Wojciech Janowski, 64, had admitted a role in the killing, prosecutors said .
But appearing before a bail judge his 'confession' was retracted .
Janowski's lawyer said he 'denies having ordered' the killing .
Cambridge graduate 'did not understand all the nuances of our language'
He did not have access to an interpreter, lawyer tells court . |
3,022 | 08c5c18d2006f566ac8519842dbe2c2c5b31a208 | (CNN) -- Inter Milan are once again five points behind rivals AC Milan at the top of the Italian Serie A table after crushing Genoa 5-2 at the San Siro on Sunday. But the defending champions had to come from behind to claim the three points, Genoa leading 1-0 at the break after Rodrigo Palacio fired home following good work from Abdoulay Konko. However, Inter were a different side in the second-half and three goals in seven minutes completely turned the match around. The home side leveled in the 50th minute when Giampaolo Mazzini slotted home Maicon's cross and they took the lead a minute later when Samuel Eto'o converted a rebound after Goran Pandev's shot was fumbled by goalkeeper Eduardo. And Eto'o added his second goal just six minutes later with a superb individual effort, the Cameroon striker's 18th goal of the season. Goran Pandev made it 4-1 in the 68th minute, after being set-up by Eto'o and Wesley Sneijder, and Yuto Nagatomo netted his first goal for the club to complete the scoring. Mauro Boselli's late header proved little more than a consolation goal for the visitors. Meanwhile, third-placed Napoli lost more ground on the top two after being held to a goalless draw by lowly Brescia at the San Paolo, with coach Walter Mazzarri sent to the stands in the first half for arguing with the referee. The Naples side are now eight points off the top and just two points ahead of fourth placed Lazio, who saw off Palermo 2-0 thanks to an early double from Giuseppe Sculli. Ever-improving Udinese are just a point behind Lazio in fifth place after a 1-0 win over bottom side Bari courtesy of Antonio Di Natale's second-half penalty, his 22nd goal of the season. In other matches, Adrian Mutu scored twice to help Fiorentina to a comfortable 3-0 win over Catania, while an injury time goal from Gaston Ramirez helped Bologna to a 2-2 draw against Cagliari. On Saturday, Gennaro Gattuso scored the only goal as table-toppers Milan saw off struggling Juventus 1-0, the Rossoneri's seventh win of 2011. In Sunday's two German Bundesliga games, Mainz claimed a superb 4-2 victory at Hamburg to move above defending champions Bayern Munich into fourth place in the table. Meanwhile, struggling Werder Bremen moved out of the bottom three with a vital 3-1 win at Freiburg. | Inter Milan are once again five points behind AC Milan at the top of the Serie A table .
The defending champions come from behind to crush Genoa 5-2 at the San Siro .
Third-placed Napoli lose more ground on the top two after being held 0-0 by Brescia .
Mainz win 4-2 at Hamburg to move above Bayern Munich into fourth in the Bundesliga . |
84,060 | ee653fe427240dd112b55acdceb1b40461b5702f | Seattle, Washington (CNN) -- Instead of the traditional bad guys, it was the costumed, self-styled superhero that ended up behind bars after an altercation Sunday in Seattle. Phoenix Jones, the moniker used by a man who dons a skintight black-and-gold rubber suit and mask, was arrested on four counts of assault after allegedly trying to break up a fight with pepper spray, the Seattle Police Department said. According to the statement, a group of men and women were leaving a downtown Seattle club at 2:32 a.m. Sunday and "were dancing and having a good time" when an "unknown adult male suspect came up from behind and pepper sprayed the group," the statement said. "He inserted himself and sprayed them with pepper spray," Seattle Police spokesman Mark Jamieson told CNN. Jones was arrested and charged with four counts of assault, Jamieson said. But Jones claimed he used the pepper spray only to break up a fight and to protect himself. "I would never hurt or harm another person if they were not causing harm to another human being," read a message from Jones on his Facebook page. For about a year, the masked Jones has patrolled the streets of Seattle, often with a film crew in tow, looking for crime and generating international headlines. Jamieson said it is unclear how many -- if any -- crimes Jones has assisted police with. Police urge people to call 911 rather than take the law into their own hands, he added. On a video released by Jones of the incident that led to his arrest, Jones is heard telling the film crew to call 911, then rushes into a crowd of people who appear to be engaged in an altercation. A spokesman for Jones said he had no recourse but to get involved. "The fight was a huge group of people against a smaller group," said Peter Tangen. "It was an unfair fight, he went there to break it up." A chaotic scene unfolds on the 13-minute video after Jones runs toward a man and woman who appear to be fighting. The man walks away and the woman then tries to hit Jones with her purse but instead falls onto the street. "What is this, Halloween?" another woman calls out to rubber-suited Jones. Eventually Jones is seen spraying several of the individuals with what appears to be a can of pepper spray. Police spokesman Jamieson said Jones' actions were overkill. "If you see something that warrants calling 911, call 911. You don't need to dress up in a costume to do that." Tangen asked CNN and other media not publish Jones' real name, which is listed in his police booking. "His family is at risk of retaliation from criminals," he said. Many, but not all, news outlets were going along with the request. After he was arrested Sunday and before he was released without bond, Tangen said, Jones was roughed up by two men in the cell he was being held in. The spokesman said Jones was wearing his costume but police had taken away his mask. Tangen said Jones was shoved but was not seriously hurt and plans to keep fighting crime despite his run-in with police. "He will always be an activist," Tangen said. | Phoenix Jones, as he calls himself, says he jumped in to stop a fight .
The people he hit with pepper spray say they were dancing .
"What is this, Halloween?" a woman calls out to rubber-suited Jones .
Jones patrols the streets of Seattle, often with a camera crew, looking for crime . |
54,401 | 9a15663058028878027f6aa039fb3185c2ff52c8 | The earliest surviving intact European book, which lay buried in a saint's coffin for hundreds of years, has been bought by the British Library for £9million. The seventh century St Cuthbert Gospel is on show at the library in King's Cross, north London. It was purchased and saved for the nation after a multimillion-pound fundraising effort. Europe's earliest book: The seventh century St Cuthbert Gospel lay buried in a saint's coffin for hundreds of years and has now been bought by the British Library for £9million . Time capsule: The book was produced in the north of England in the late seventh century . St Cuthbert was born circa 634 in Northumbria and is regarded as one of the most important medieval saints in England. He was inspired to become a monk, and later a bishop, after spotting a vision in the night sky while working as a shepherd in 651. St Aidan, the founder of Lindisfarne, died that same night - Cuthbert immediately vowed to follow a monastic path. He was a monk at Melrose Abbey between 651 to 664, after which he became prior at Lindisfarne until 676. In 684, he became bishop of Lindisfarne but resigned in late 686 as he thought he was on the verge of dying. He was buried at Lindisfarne Prior in 687 before his coffin was moved to Durham Cathedral to escape Viking raiders. Dame Lynne Brindley, the British . Library's chief executive, said: 'This was a once-in-a-lifetime . opportunity to secure the Gospel for the nation and we were both . grateful and touched that so many people felt moved to support our . campaign.' The . book was produced in the north of England in the late seventh century . and buried alongside St Cuthbert, an early English Christian leader, on . the island of Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumberland in around . AD698. The coffin was moved . off the island to escape Viking raiders and taken to Durham, where the . book, which is a copy of the Gospel of St John, was found when the . coffin was opened at the cathedral in 1104. Its original red leather . binding survives today. In the beginning was the word: The first page of the St Cuthbert Gospel, a remarkably preserved palm-sized book which is a manuscript copy of the Gospel of John in Latin . The book was produced in the north of England and buried alongside St Cuthbert (pictured) The single largest contribution to . the campaign was a £4.5million grant from the National Heritage Memorial . Fund but there were also donations from charitable trusts and the . public. Dame Lynne said: . 'To look at this small and intensely beautiful treasure from the . Anglo-Saxon period is to see it exactly as those who created it in the . seventh century would have seen it. 'The exquisite binding, the pages, even the sewing structure survive intact, offering us a direct connection with our forebears 1,300 years ago. 'Its importance in the history of the book and its association with one of Britain’s foremost saints make it unique, so I am delighted to announce the successful acquisition of the St Cuthbert Gospel by the British Library. 'This precious item will remain in public hands so that present and future generations can learn from it.' The book will also go on show in Durham next year. The Very Rev Michael Sadgrove, Dean of Durham, said: 'It is the best possible news to know that the Cuthbert Gospel has been saved for the nation. For the people of Durham and north-east England, this is a most treasured book. Buried with Cuthbert and retrieved from his coffin, it held a place of great honour in Durham Cathedral Priory.' Initial resting place: The book was buried alongside the English Christian leader at Lindisfarne Priory (pictured) off the coast of Northumberland in around AD698, before being moved to Durham to escape Viking raiders . British Library: The single largest contribution to its campaign was a £4.5million grant from the National Heritage Memorial Fund but there were also donations from charitable trusts and the public . | The seventh century St Cuthbert Gospel is on show at the London library .
Book is a copy of the Gospel of St John .
It was buried alongside St Cuthbert, an early English Christian leader, on the island of Lindisfarne off the coast of Northumberland in around AD698 .
Coffin was moved off island to escape Viking raiders and taken to Durham .
Book was found when the coffin was opened at Durham Cathedral in 1104 .
Its original red leather binding survives today .
Now bought by the British Library for £9million . |
94,350 | 05437bd99ec5f74125dde4129963b20114babe1e | An American town who were bidding to become the first in the country to ban tobacco sales have dropped the plan after widespread public outcry. Officials in Westminster, Massachusetts had proposed to ban the products from the town's stores to stop young people from taking up smoking . A vote on the plan had been due to take place last week, but a rowdy opposition made up of local people and businesses meant the public meeting had to be ended early. Opponents of the plan by officials in Westminster, Massachusetts to ban local businesses from selling tobacco products protest at a recent public meeting . Yesterday, the board reconvened and voted 2-1 to drop the proposal with chairwoman Andrea Crete the only one to say the plan should be kept under consideration. At the meeting board member Ed Simoncini explained how he was against the plans. In a motion to drop it he said: 'The Town is not in favour of the proposal, and therefore I am not in favour of the proposal.' After the vote was passed he then added: 'You made the difference. It didn't go as smoothly as we would have liked, but thank you.' Meanwhile Ms Crete said she was disappointed saying: 'We could have made Westminster tobacco-free in the sense children would have no exposure to tobacco at the stores. 'We didn't want to stop people from smoking in private but unfortunately that's the way it came off. The initial meeting when the vote was due to take place last week was ended after just 25 minutes when boos and shouts from some among the several hundred people who crowded a school gym began to drown out those registered to speak. Ms Crete and the other board members were escorted out by police, and the crowd dispersed. Westminster Health Board chairwoman Andrea Crete had backed the proposal and said it was unfortunate residents thought they wanted to ban people from smoking in their own homes . The proposal split the central Massachusetts town of 7,700 residents, with some fearing business would be lost if they were unable to sell tobacco products. Store owner Brian Vincent told the Boston Globe he helped gather recall signatures, as tobacco products make up more than 5 per cent of his sales and bring customers who buy other items. And fellow opponent Joyce McGuire said: 'I think people are really angry because they feel this is being shoved down their throats. Tobacco industry groups also called the plan bad policy. However, the American Lung Association said Westminster would be the first community in the U.S. to take such sweeping action. Town resident Vicki Tobin, a mother of three young boys, was among those who supported the ban, last week calling it 'a great step in a positive way to promote a healthy town.' | Officials in Westminster, Massachusetts proposed to ban tobacco sales .
Could have become first town in America to outlaw sale of tobacco .
Plan was aimed at stopping town's young people from taking up smoking .
But the proposal has been dropped after widespread public outcry .
Local businesses and tobacco groups called the bid 'bad policy' |
197,707 | 8be4a7b1720feb9b515848a244282ccfb4d572a9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . After spending her life at the bottom of the heap, Malavath Poorna has finally come out on top. The 13-year-old girl from India's lowest caste has become the youngest female to conquer Mount Everest, the world's highest peak. The 'untouchable', whose laborer parents earn less than $600 a year, reached the summit on May 25. Now the Dalit wants to be a role model for other poor children. 'The aim of my expedition was to inspire . young people and students from my kind of background,' she told BBC on a satellite phone from Base Camp, following her treacherous 52-day climb. 'For a tribal girl like . me, opportunities are very rare and I was looking for one opportunity . where I could prove my caliber.' On top of the world: Malavath Poorna, 13, has become the youngest female to scale Mount Everest . National pride: To immortalize her feat, Malavath Poorna (left) left a picture Dalit leader BR Ambedkar along with the Indian flag on the world's highest peak . Proud parent: Malavath Poorna attended a special ceremony with her father (both pictured) Her overjoyed parents couldn't contain their pride during a special ceremony to mark Malavath's achievement. 'We are . happy that our girl has set the world record. We know she will go . places. She is not only bright in academics, but also in adventure,' Malavath's parents told Times of India. They said they hoped their son Naresh would also conquer Everest one day. The . determined teen was among a group of 20 disadvantaged Indian students . handpicked by a government social welfare organization to join the . expedition. Times of India reported Andhra Pradesh Social Welfare Residential Educational Institutions Society picked more than 500 students from 299 schools, before shortlisting 20. The successful candidates trained at Darjeeling Himalayan Mountaineering . Institute between October 26 and November 16. In preparation for her . Everest climb, Malavath trekked through the mountains of Darjeeling and Ladakh. 'I . was initially afraid, but the training I received helped me overcome my . fear. I never thought of giving up,' Malavath told the BBC, following the . hazardous 29,000-foot hike. 'All around me were mountains. It was very beautiful.' She said the thing she missed most while climbing was her mother's fried chicken. Incredible: Malavath Poorna, 13, climbed the 29,029-foot-high mountain in 52 days . Brave: Just three days after Malavath Poorna's arrival at Everest Base Camp on 15 April, a deadly avalanche on the Nepalese side of the mountain killed 16 sherpas . Just three days after her arrival at Base Camp on April 15, a deadly avalanche on the Nepalese side of the mountain killed 16 sherpas. Undeterred by the tragedy, Poorna along with Shekhar Babu, an experienced mountaineer, her friend S. Anand Kumar, a 16 year-old-boy from a poor family like hers, and a group of sherpas, continued the trek. Kumar reached the top of Everest moments after Poorna did. Brave souls: Malavath Poorna was among a group of 20 disadvantaged students from India who climbed Everest . Difficult: The group trekked up the Tibetan side of the mountain, considered the more dangerous side . Officials said the duo's achievement is even more impressive as they climbed the peak from the more difficult Tibetan side. Most climbers scale the world's tallest mountain from the easier Nepalese side, but Nepal forbids climbers younger than 16. Poorna, meanwhile, is just a month older than the world's youngest Everest climber. American Jordan Romero ascended the peak in 2010 when he was 13 years and 10 months. Incredible feat: This graphic shows Malavath Poorna's treacherous 52-day trek up the Tibetan side of the world's tallest mountain . | Malavath Poorna, 13, reached the top of Mount Everest on May 25 .
The teen is a member of India's lowest caste, the Dalits or 'untouchables', and her laborer parents earn less than $600 a year .
She was among a group of disadvantaged students chosen for the expedition .
The student said she wanted her climb to inspire other young people from impoverished backgrounds . |
252,803 | d3279c761d9b74f37c86b887fed208acbe6b457e | (CNN) -- Imagine a star so luminous that it would burn the Earth up if it were anywhere near, a star that outshines the sun as much as the sun outshines the moon. A monster even in the abyss of space. The star is not some scientist's celestial dream. Astronomers used a Very Large Telescope -- the instrument's official name -- to detect the most massive star discovered to date. In scientific lingo, it's a "hypergiant." Led by Paul Crowther, professor of astrophysics at England's University of Sheffield, the team of astronomers studied two young clusters of stars, NGC 3603 and RMC 136a. R136a1, found in the RMC 136a cluster, is 10 million times brighter than the sun and is the heaviest star ever found, Crowther said Wednesday, with a mass that is roughly 265 times more than the sun. It was born even heavier, with a solar mass of 320. Astronomers previously thought 150 to be the upper limit. Several of the stars studied had surface temperatures of 40,000 degrees, more than seven times hotter than the sun. R136a1 is rare and resides in another galaxy called the Large Magellanic Cloud. Its home is more than 165,000 light years away from Earth's Milky Way galaxy. As such, said Crowther, it is not visible to the naked eye, nor with a rooftop telescope. "Owing to the rarity of these monsters, I think it is unlikely that this new record will be broken any time soon," Crowther said. Crowther's team used the sophisticated infrared equipment on the Very Large Telescope in a European Southern Observatory facility in Chile as well as data collected from the Hubble Space Telescope to detect the colossal star. The telescope is considered the world's "biggest eye on the sky" and is 8 meters (26 feet) in diameter. The research was published in the current issue of the British scientific journal The Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. "Unlike people, these kind of stars are massive when they are babies," Crowther told CNN. "They lose weight as they get older." At over a million years old, the star is already middle-aged, Crowther said, and could easily be a poster child for WeightWatchers, having shed a fifth of its initial mass over time because of powerful winds. In another million years -- a brief life span compared to the sun's 5 billion years of existence -- the giant star will probably explode as a supernova. It won't be noticeable on Earth because it's so far away. Crowther, excited about the new find, had to find simple terminology to describe it to his 6-year-old son Billy. Billy, in turn, wanted dad to name the monster star after him. That might have sounded a whole lot better than R136a1, but nonetheless, a star is born. | The newly detected star is 10 million times brighter than the sun .
Its birth weight was 320 times the sun .
Unlike humans, stars are born heavy and lose weight as they get older .
A team of astronomers used a sophisticated telescope in Chile . |
31,708 | 5a314395a3ee0085ecc921f049a81daf9fca3afe | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:41 EST, 8 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 12:42 EST, 8 November 2012 . Firestarter: Casey Fury pleaded guilty to starting a fire on a nuclear sub that caused $450 of damage . A former shipyard worker has pleaded guilty to starting a fire that caused $450 million in damage to a nuclear-powered submarine so that he could get out of work after troubles with an ex-girlfriend. Casey James Fury, from Portsmouth, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to two counts of arson on Thursday under a plea agreement that could send him to federal prison for nearly 20 years. The 24-year-old painter and sand blaster pleaded guilty to starting the fire, which carries a maximum of life in federal prison - but the defense and prosecution agreed to recommend a sentence of between 15 and 19 years. Fury told Navy investigators that he started the fire on the USS Miami - and another outside the submarine - on May 23 as he was suffering from anxiety and having problems with his ex-girlfriend. Flames ripped through the submarine which was dry docked at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Kittery, Maine, and it took more than 100 firefighters 12 hours to bring the fire under control. The fire had spread to spaces within the submarine that were difficult to reach, making it challenging for firefighters to combat to blaze, but the nuclear reactor remained in tact throughout. Five people were hurt while putting out the fire and the Navy faces years of repairs on the near-destroyed submarine. After an initial investigation, the . Portsmouth Naval Shipyard said the fire started in a vacuum cleaner used . by shipyard workers. It had been stored in an 'unoccupied space', they . said. Danger: Smoke can be seen rising from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard in Maine on May 23 . Inferno: The yard still smoulders the next day after it took 100 firefighters 12 hours to control the flames . At first authorities thought they would have to scrap the submarine, but the military concluded the USS Miami can carry . enough of a workload in the future to make it worth carrying out the repairs. Navy Adm. Jonathan Greenert, chief of . Naval operations, estimated they will cost about $450 million. It is expected to return to service in 2015. Damage from the fire was limited to the forward compartment spaces, which include crew living and command and control spaces, Rear Admiral Rick Breckenridge said in a statement at the time. There was no damage to the submarine's nuclear . reactor, located at the rear of the vessel. It had been shut down for . more than two months while work was carried out on the submarine. Selfish: Fury told investigators he wanted to finish work early as he was having problems with an ex-girlfriend . Damage: Officials thought they would have to scrap the USS Miami (file picture) as they estimated repairs would cost $450 million. But they concluded they will eventually get enough use from it to justify the cost . The submarine, which is based in Croton, Connecticut, arrived at the shipyard in March. It typically carries a crew of 13 officers and 120 enlisted personnel. According to the Navy's Vessel Register, USS Miami, an attack submarine, was commissioned in 1990, is 362 feet long, and is nuclear powered. Fury also pleaded guilty to setting a second fire in the dry dock area below the submarine, which was quickly extinguished and caused no injuries. David Beneman, Fury's attorney, said he anticipated that sentencing would occur in March. | Casey James Fury started fire aboard USS Miami in Kittery, Maine in May .
Took 100 firefighters 12 hours to extinguish flames; 5 were injured .
Fury faces between 15 and 19 years in federal prison . |
176,185 | 7016cc2b6e385d33c489a5363e02df213e992695 | Baghdad, Iraq (CNN) -- At least 36 people were killed and 71 hurt Monday in three vehicle bombings that rocked Baghdad, an Iraqi Interior Ministry official said. The blasts targeted hotels in central Baghdad. The three explosions happened in quick succession near the Palestine, Babil and Al-Hamrra hotels, the Iraqi official said. Some news organizations have offices in the Palestine and Al-Hamrra hotels. | NEW: More than 70 also hurt in three vehicle bombings in Baghdad .
NEW: Blasts targeted hotels in Iraqi capital . |
109,683 | 196146e5bdb6a1e1bbbc5b56620cf7716189dea9 | Phallic good luck charms, wooden buildings, an amber gladiator amulet, even documents -- all these are among a huge trove of Roman artifacts preserved by a lost river in London's financial district, archaeologists said Wednesday. The find has given an extraordinary glimpse into the bustling everyday life of Londinium, as the Roman city was known, the Museum of London Archaeology said. In the course of six months, the team has removed 3,500 metric tons of soil by hand and revealed some 10,000 finds covering the entire period of the Roman occupation of Britain, from around 40 AD to the early 5th century. Among them are leather objects and wooden walls standing to shoulder height, as well as timber plank floors. These materials rarely survive the tests of time, leading archaeologists to dub the site the "Pompeii of the north," the Museum of London Archaeology said. Among the finds is a mysterious leather object depicting a gladiator fighting mythical creatures that may have once adorned a chariot, it said. "The site is a wonderful slice through the first four centuries of London's existence," said Sophie Jackson of the Museum of London Archaeology. "The waterlogged conditions left by the Walbrook Stream have given us layer upon layer of Roman timber buildings, fences and yards, all beautifully preserved and containing amazing personal items, clothes and even documents -- all of which will transform our understanding of the people of Roman London." London rail excavation unearths suspected 'plague pit' The dig is taking place in Bloomberg Place, a three-acre site in the heart of the Roman city of London and home to the Temple of Mithras, built in the 3rd century. The temple was discovered during building work in 1954 but excavations for the construction of Bloomberg's new European headquarters have revealed new remains. These include a previously unexcavated section of the temple, as well as rubbish and ritual deposits from the Walbrook, including Roman coins. Among the haul is what the museum says is the largest group of fist and phallus good luck charms ever recovered from one site. A hoard of pewter, coins and cow skulls thrown into a Roman well as part of a ritual have also been unearthed, as well as the remains of a complex Roman drainage system used to carry waste from industrial buildings into the Walbrook, one of London's lost rivers, covered over and redirected by centuries of development. Experts will also examine nearly 700 boxes of pottery pieces, as well as more than 100 fragments of Roman writing tablets recovered from the site. The current excavations started with the dismantling of a 1960s reconstruction of the Temple of Mithras, a popular visitor attraction when it opened. At the peak of the dig, more than 60 archaeologists were working at the site. When work on the new Bloomberg headquarters is completed, the reconstructed Temple of Mithras and finds from the current excavation will be put on public display there. Body found under parking lot is King Richard III . | Archaeologists have found some 10,000 Roman artifacts in the heart of the City of London .
They include unusual wooden and leather objects, preserved by the wet ground .
A new section of the Temple of Mithras, uncovered at the site in 1954, has also been found .
The excavations are at the site of Bloomberg's new European headquarters . |
116,232 | 2206e742d7017e88280c45ed216925b5613f8fec | BUCHAREST, Romania (Reuters) -- In the mobile phone version of the "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix" video game, the torches hanging along the dark walls of Hogwarts glow in an eerily realistic fashion. Romania is known for its strong computing and language skills coupled with cheap labor. "We invented the technology, it's called 'dynamic lighting'," said Mihai Pohontu, general manager of Romania's mobile phone branch of Electronic Arts Inc, the world's biggest video game publisher. Romanian programmers, such as Pohontu's team, are among the most sought-after in the world as large international IT companies turn to the east European country to take advantage of strong computing and language skills coupled with cheap labor. Its computer literacy is not without its dark side -- the country has an unenviable reputation as a hotbed for computer fraud and a large community of hackers. But legitimate IT is one of Romania's fastest growing export sectors with turnover of about 1 billion euros ($1.38 billion). Roughly 90 percent of some 1,000 IT companies in Romania are foreign-owned and the government hopes exports will reach 1 billion euros in the next couple of years. In February, Bill Gates opened a Microsoft Corp. technical support center in Bucharest. The investment followed, among others, the launch of a development center by Amazon.com Inc in the university town of Iasi in 2005. That is the online retailer's only software development hub in Europe besides one in Scotland's Edinburgh. Other centers are located in India, the United States and South Africa. "Romanian programmers are exceptionally creative. And in games, you need to explore," said Pohontu. Prospects for large cash inflows from the European Union after Romania joined the bloc this January, cut-rate taxes and low wages add to Romania's appeal. "In Eastern Europe, Romania is appreciated as having the biggest growth potential together with Turkey and Russia," said Stefan Cojanu, head of Oracle Corp in Romania. The software maker, which has a support and software development center in Romania, has doubled its local staff to 1,000 over the last year since opening a tower office in central Bucharest. It plans to hire an additional 500 employees. "The geographical distance, the similar time zone and business mentality argue for us to develop our activities in a country where costs are also lower," Cojanu said. Romania's low wages of around $600 a month compare with $1,050 in Poland and $950 in the Czech Republic. Both countries also attract hefty investment in the IT sector. However, some see a risk the sector is overheating. Double-digit wage growth and a shortage of skilled labor is dampening the enthusiasm of some investors and Romania is struggling with emigration as workers leave for better pay. "The battle for specialists is very intense," said Ana Ber, head of human resources firm Dr.Pendl & Dr.Piswanger. "There aren't enough of them, especially as many emigrated." Industry observers say this state of affairs has prompted companies to focus on building support or software development centers, which need cheaper and lower skilled labor, rather than hiring high-end programmers. "Romania remains good for outsourcing but not for first-class software authors," said Dragos Stanescu, sales and marketing manager at GECAD, a Romanian company that sold RAV Antivirus technology to Microsoft in 2003. "The brains are already with companies that have good salaries and it is costly to buy them. A good senior programmer can earn 2,000 euros gross a month. Plus a 30 percent raise to buy him, and you have a salary of a good programmer in Germany." FBI data show Romania may be the biggest single source of online auction fraud in the world, a multi-million dollar industry that scams people using Web sites like eBay. "It's highly organized. They create fake accounts to trick people into thinking they are insured," said Gary Dickson, FBI representative in Romania. "If Romanians were stopped, the amount of online fraud would drop significantly." Experts say some 70 percent of software used in Romania is pirated, and salesmen still visit office buildings in central Bucharest to sell pirated CDs and DVDs. Some hackers hope their skills will help secure employment, although breaking into other people's networks for fame or as part of a job CV has its dangers. "The Romanian hacking community is quite large. They see the computer as a ticket out of the country. It is the easiest way to get a better-paid job abroad," said Victor Faur. He faces a potential 54-year jail term if convicted on charges of hacking into U.S. government computers, including NASA. He was indicted in 2006. "I saw a computer for the first time when I was 14. And I was glued (to it)," said Faur, 23. E-mail to a friend . Copyright 2007 Reuters. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. | Romania is known for strong computing and language skills and cheap labor .
Electronic Arts has a mobile phone branch in Bucharest .
Microsoft opened a technical support center in Bucharest in February . |
270,293 | ea0f2afea5002f368264c909d8541a6f2e56d308 | By . Laura Cox . PUBLISHED: . 20:13 EST, 21 August 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 23:40 EST, 21 August 2012 . An man who has spent the last 13 years in jail remains locked up despite being declared innocent in 2010. Daniel Larsen, now 45, was sentenced to 27 years to life in 1999 for possessing a concealed weapon. After 11 years in a Californian jail, Larsen's conviction was overturned by a judge who said his constitutional rights had been violated. Support: Larsen's fiancee, Christina Combs is among those to have signed a petition campaigning for his release . Magistrate Judge Suzanne H. Segal said Larsen's attorney Edward Consiglio, who was disbarred in 2008, was incompetent and had failed to call key witnesses at trial. However the innocent man has been told he will spend at . least another year in jail because the California Attorney General's . office has appealed Segal's ruling and it will take a minimum of 12 . months for the appellate court to make a decision on the case. Larsen's fiancee, Christina Combs launched a campaign to get her future husband released, describing him as 'my life' from where he is 'stuck in legal limbo'. They met 15 years ago, scpr.com reported, but reconnected two years ago, becoming engaged with Larsen in prison. The distraught wife-to-be has gathered 90,000 signatures on her petition, among them NFL hopeful Bryan Banks, who was himself exonerated of rape charges in May after spending five years in prison. It was delivered to the Attorney General on Monday and has also been posted online. Betrothed: The couple met 15 years ago and reconnected two years ago, becoming engaged as Larsen served his sentence . Standing by her man: Ms Combs said she is convinced her fiance is innocent . Ms Combs is supported in her efforts by the California Innocence Project which campaigns for the release of wrongly imprisoned citizens. 'Daniel's case is a tragic one, especially considering how easily it could have been avoided,' said project director Justin Brooks. 'His case highlights how important it is for defendants to get good, competent attorneys who conduct a thorough investigation. He is another innocent victim of a flawed justice system.' It was the project that first filed the petition in 2008 that led to the conviction being revoked but there is still a long way to go. Co-director Jan Stiglitz expressed disgust that Larsen is 'rotting in jail' as those legal battles are fought. Ms Combs told ABC LA: 'I have no doubts about his innocence. He has a very credible witness, the chief of police. He's innocent and he needs to be released. 'It's time for the Happily Ever After we deserve!' Wrongly convicted: Larsen was locked up in 1999 and will spend at least another year in prison . Larsen was imprisoned in 1999, after police arrested him outside Gold Apple Bar in LA. Officers were responding after gunshots were fired and said they saw Larsen reach into the waistband of his pants, pull out a metal object and throw it underneath a nearby car. After searching Larsen and the nearby area, they found a six-inch, double-edged knife underneath the car. Larsen was arrested and eventually convicted of being an ex-felon in possession of a knife. He already had two burglary convictions to his name. Under California's three strikes law a person convicted of three or more serious felonies automatically receives a life sentence. At two strikes the sentence for any new felony conviction is . twice the term otherwise required under law. The law was passed in 1994 after a spate of high profile murders were committed by ex-felons. Repeat offenders are the most difficult of criminal offenders for criminal justice systems to manage. Under California's three strikes law a person convicted of three or more serious felonies automatically receives a life sentence. At two strikes the sentence for any new felony conviction is . twice the term otherwise required under law. Nine witnesses pointed the finger at another man, William Hewitt, who they said had been in possession of the knife, not Larsen. Consiglio failed to present any of them at trial. As a result no one took the stand in defence of his client. It wasn't until 2009 that three of the witnesses, including the Chief of Police and his wife, testified that Larsen was innocent. Upon hearing the testimonies Judge Segal reversed Larsen's conviction. 'Had the jury been able to consider [the McNutts' testimony], no reasonable juror would have found [Larsen] guilty beyond a reasonable doubt,' she said. Consiglio's lack of investigation was 'absurd', she claimed, adding there was 'no question' that 'counsel's errors were so serious as to deprive the defendant of a fair trial, a trial whose result is reliable'. | A judge overturned Daniel Larsen's conviction in 2010 for possessing a concealed weapon .
Petition for release reaches 90,000 signatures - including NFL hopeful Bryan Banks who was exonerated of rape charges after 5 years in jail . |
138,318 | 3ee38d829e885df9e01bf3c607685845784bbc20 | Washington (CNN) -- Louisiana won't know which candidate will represent the state in the next Congress until December. Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu and Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy will face off in a December runoff, CNN projects. The two candidates also faced off against another Republican, tea party-backed Col. Rob Maness (ret.) in Louisiana's "jungle primary" system. The system gave candidates from both parties a chance to slug it out together instead of settling on a nominee in the summer like most states. But one candidate has to hit 50% of the vote to avoid a December runoff. The polls have favored a runoff for weeks now, with the No. 3 candidate Maness pulling enough votes from the right to keep Cassidy neck-and-neck with Landrieu and below the 50% threshold. Landrieu's rough fight for re-election came amid sagging approval for President Barack Obama in the state, where only 40% of Louisiana voters approved of Obama according to a CNN/ORC poll. The three-term incumbent even tied Obama's unpopularity in the state to racism in the South last week. "I'll be very, very honest with you. The South has not always been the friendliest place for African-Americans," Landrieu told NBC News' Chuck Todd, while also citing Obama's moratorium on off-shore drilling and energy issues as the "number one" issue for why Louisianans do not like the president. "It's been a difficult time for the president to present himself in a very positive light as a leader." And while Cassidy hammered Landrieu over those comments, he faced heat over racially-tinged remarks in September when he said Harry Reid "runs the Senate like a plantation." Like many other Democrats with tough reelection challenges, Landrieu has kept Obama at arm's length and has sought to deflect Republican attacks tying her to the President. Landrieu has also faced attacks from her Republican opponents over her reputation as one of the Senate's most frequent flyers -- billing the federal government more than $47,000 in flights in 2013 alone. And in September, Landrieu's campaign reimbursed the federal government more than $33,000 in flights that should have been billed to her Senate office. View the full results . | With no candidate reaching the required 50% threshold, the Senate race is headed for a Dec. runoff .
Sen. Mary Landrieu will face off against Republican Rep. Bill Cassidy .
Tuesday's race was a "jungle primary" where candidates from both parties slug it out together . |
191,704 | 843e3859bd1f62dd69a69e8c0168561109b5ec12 | The hermit thrush may well be the Beyoncé of the bird world thanks to its tuneful melodies, a study has revealed. Scientists have discovered that the North American songbird sings in 'harmonic series', a pattern of pleasing-sounding notes commonly used in popular human music. By studying how birds sing, experts hope to learn how much of human musical heritage is shaped by biology, compared to culture. Ultimate songbird? Scientists have discovered that the hermit thrush (Catharus guttatus) pictured, sings in harmonic series, which is a component in popular human music. A harmonic series stems from a base note and is followed by notes that increase in pitch, based on multiples of the original note . A harmonic series stems from a base note and is followed by notes that increase in pitch, based on multiples of the original note. Scientists found that around 70 per cent of the bird’s songs followed this pattern, Smithsonian reported. Male hermit thrushes (Catharus guttatus) sing between six and 10 types of song, which tend to be high-pitched and fast, beginning with a long whistle, the study revealed. Emily Doolittle, a composer at Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and Tecumseh Fitch, a biologist at the University of Vienna, analysed 144 different song types from 14 male hermit thrushes. Experts found that 70 per cent of the hermit thrush's (pictured) songs were based on notes in a harmonic series, making them similar to human compositions . ‘Listening to the songs full speed, they are very attractive, but we didn’t have any inkling that we would hear the harmonic series in them,' Dr Doolittle said. But after they slowed them down, the harmonic series patterns became clear and statisticians analysed the bird’s choices of pitch in the song. Around 70 per cent of the songs analysed followed harmonic intervals, compared to just five per cent which seemed to include random notes. Scientists are interested in why the bird sings in this way, because the bird’s vocal tract is not specially designed to produce the specific notes in the series. They believe that female hermit thrushes may pick their mate by his harmonic accuracy – or the combination of notes may simply be easier for them to remember, just as they are for humans. Dr Doolittle emphasised that the birds don’t deliberately compose their songs using scales, but noted that other birds also like intervals used in human music. For example, previous studies have shown that musical wrens use them and domestic chickens favour consonant notes – a combination of notes that sound pleasant when played at the same time. Dr Doolittle said: ‘The harmonic series is a physical phenomenon, not a culturally specific construct, like any scale, so it makes sense that this could be found in songs of a variety of different species.’ She believes that because humans share musical characteristics with other species, there may be something in our shared biology that makes certain note combinations attractive. The research was published in the journal PNAS. Europe has an estimated 421 million fewer birds than three decades ago, researchers claim. Experts blame modern farming methods and the loss and damage of habitats for falling numbers of many common species, according to the paper published in science journal Ecology Letters. ‘This is a warning from birds throughout Europe. It is clear that the way we are managing the environment is unsustainable for many of our most familiar species,’ said Richard Gregory of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, which co-led the study. ‘The conservation and legal protection of all birds and their habitats in tandem are essential to reverse declines.’ The study found that about 90 per cent of the decline occurred in the most common bird species, including grey partridges, skylarks, sparrows and starlings. Meanwhile the population of some rarer birds had increased in recent years, probably due to conservation efforts and legal protections. Richard Inger of the University of Exeter, who was involved in the study, said: ‘Significant loss of common birds could be quite detrimental to human society.’ The scientists estimated the loss of bird populations by analysing data on 144 species of European birds, collected from surveys in 25 countries. They have called for increased conservation through urban green space projects and environmental farmland schemes. | Researchers from the Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle and the University of Vienna, analysed 144 song types from 14 male hermit thrushes .
They discovered they sing in harmonic series 70 per cent of the time .
A harmonic series 0 used in popular music - stems from a base note and is followed by notes that increase in pitch, based on multiples of the original .
Studying the bird's innate musical taste, which is also seen in other bird species, hints that human music is a mixture of biology and culture . |
1,253 | 038cca146175d8fb88513019f7a64a859a82e845 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:02 EST, 29 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:05 EST, 30 November 2012 . An electrician who faced foreclosure on his home won $1million from the Powerball lottery because his ticket matched five of the six numbers. Larry Chandler, 34, claimed his winnings on Thursday after buying his ticket at a gas station in his hometown of Highland. He said that among his big plans is a dinner date with his girlfriend at Red Lobster. Taking home the check: Five of the six numbers of Larry Chandler's lottery ticket matched that of the Powerball so he took home $1million in the payout . 'It's amazing. I'm just ecstatic. You know, I've never won anything in my life. This is pretty big,' Mr Chandler said at the press conference in Indianapolis. Though the Powerball wasn't his first time playing the lottery, it was certainly his luckiest as he had never won more than $25 in the past. According to NBC News, his first priorities include taking care of his parents and setting up a college fund for his daughter, though there is no mention of whether or not he will try to buy back his house that he recently lost to foreclosure. One thing that won't change is his work schedule, as Mr Chandler said that he still plans to keep his job and will be back at it Monday morning. Big plans: Chandler said that he plans to keep his job as a union electrician but will start a college fund for his daughter and help his parents out . In the meantime, he is going to hire a tax advisor and financial planner to make sure that he does not fall victim to the perils of the newly-rich. Another success story is that of the Thompson family in Virginia, who have . two young children, are thrilled by being one of the other $1million . winners, since the money will allow Marvin to invest in his own business . while he continues to work as an independent truck driver. Three other midwestern winners turned in their winning tickets, though the luckiest winners from Wednesday night's draw were two unidentified winners- one in Missouri and one in Arizona- who split the jackpot by having all six of the numbers. Hesitant smiles: Amber and Marvin Johnson collected their winnings in Buchanan, Virginia . Security: Amber recently became a stay at home mom to their son Hayden, 6, and Haylee, 4 months, and Marvin will continue to work as an independent truck driver . The two winners could receive a . $293.7million share, which would be the largest jackpot prize ever . awarded in Missouri and the second largest Powerball jackpot awarded . nationally, Lottery officials said. They will share an estimated $385 . million after taxes if they opt to take the prize as a lump sum, or the . $587.5million can be paid out to them as annuities over three decades. The . winners have not yet been identified and an additional 8,924,123 . players won smaller prizes including Match 5 Winners like Mr Chandler and the Thompsons, who get $1million . prizes. | Larry Chandler, 34, had been living at his girlfriend's house because he had recently faced foreclosure .
One of a number of people who had five numbers matching the Powerball draw, but they only get the jackpot if all six are the same .
Big winners found in Missouri and Arizona . |
281,598 | f8c970efd7e7ef79a4c4000c847e96ab97cf9846 | It's a dog's life that's actually closer to a human's life. Forget doggy shoes and 'hair' salons, the latest must-have for dog owners is a subscription to a special canine TV channel. Filmmakers are calling DogTV a new breed of television - an eight-hour block of on-demand cable TV programming designed to keep your dog relaxed, stimulated and entertained while you are at work. To get the right footage, cameramen got on their knees and shot low and long. 'I shot from the point of view of the dog,' said Gilad Neumann, chief executive officer of DogTV. Unique: Filmmakers are calling DogTV a new breed of television - an eight-hour block of on-demand cable TV programming designed to keep your dog relaxed, stimulated and entertained while you are at work . In production, they had to mute colors, alter sound and add music specially written for dogs. There will be no commercials, no ratings and no reruns, although some might argue that watching a slug crawl is hardly exciting new programming. One million subscribers with two cable companies have access to DogTV in San Diego. It is doing so well that parent company PTV Media plans to offer it nationally in the next several months, Neumann said. It will cost about $4.99 a month, Neumann said. If you figure more than 46 million U.S. households have dogs (according to the American Pet Products Association) and 97 percent of U.S. homes have televisions, the future looks promising. Bleu, a year-old French bulldog, has been watching for a month and snorts and grunts his approval, owner Mary Catania of San Diego said. He used to perk up when Family Guy came on, Catania said, but he seems more intrigued by DogTV. Curious: The dogs will watch footage of things the experience on a day to day basis, such as traffic or other dogs . Stimulating: New technologies like digital TV, high-definition cameras, and enhanced production have changed the way dogs perceive the images, while big screens allow them to see from anywhere in a room . 'I always feel guilty leaving him alone all day when I'm at work,' Catania said. 'He's like my kid. I don't have any children so I really treat him like my child. Anything that makes him happy makes me happy.' For years, pet owners have been leaving a television or radio on when they go out so their pets have company, said Dr. Nick Dodman, director of the Animal Behavior Clinic in Department of Clinical Sciences at Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at Tufts University in Massachusetts. But Dodman said that according to research on the canine brain, with analog television, dogs could only see a flickering screen. New technologies like digital TV, high-definition cameras, and enhanced production have changed the way dogs perceive the images, while big screens allow them to see from anywhere in a room, Neumann said. Do dogs really understand what they're watching? Dodman said research is ongoing, but it appears that dogs not only recognize other dogs on TV, they may even respond differently to their own breed. They definitely recognize sounds, though, whether it's barking or sirens, and audio on DogTV has been tailored accordingly. A dog's best friend: To get the right footage, cameramen got on their knees and shot low and long so that the angles were from a dog's point of view . Technical: Based on dog sleeping pattern studies, programmers alternate footage and soundtracks designed for stimulation, relaxation and exposure throughout the eight hours . Because high frequency sounds can be very irritating to dogs, they've been removed. And music is written and tailored for their hearing, though it sounds like elevator music to humans. What you won't find on DogTV are the sounds that blare on regular TV: no gunshots, no explosions, no heavy metal music, Neumann said. Dogs can see blue and yellow, but not red or green, Neumann said, so colors are altered for DogTV too. Based on dog sleeping pattern studies, programmers alternate footage and soundtracks designed for stimulation, relaxation and exposure throughout the eight hours. Exposure is designed to acquaint dogs with things they will see each day. 'There are studies that show when young puppies are exposed to video images of other dogs, it acts as a form of socialization,' Dodman said. Sights and sounds during this part of the programming expose the animals to things like traffic, babies, other pets and doorbells. Relaxation segments feature sleeping dogs and nature scenes - like the slugs - accompanied by dog lullabies. Stimulation includes dogs running, playing and surfing, animation and a lot of panting. The idea behind this part of DogTV is to get a dog moving, even if it is home alone. Shows are 'refreshed' daily for variety. Fancy that: Dogs can see blue and yellow, but not red or green, so colors are altered for DogTV too . There has been a lot of feedback from viewers saying their cats like the show as well as their dogs, Neumann said. CatTV may be added later, but DogTV is strictly for the dogs, he said. The Escondido Humane Society, on the outskirts of San Diego County, isn't wired for cable yet, but DogTV offered to give them relaxation-only test videos. 'We handle 5,000 animals a year. We get high-energy, big dogs that need to calm down. When we plugged it in, we saw almost immediate results,' said development director Jean Loo-Russo. If an extremely active dog is confined for long periods of time, a chemical imbalance can occur and it can go kennel crazy, Loo-Russo said. You can prevent that with DogTV and 20-minute walks twice a day, she said. Every dog at the shelter can't see a TV, but they are all within hearing distance and that's helping too, Loo-Russo said. Pets may one day be able to sniff DogTV, Dodman said. 'The technology is here to add smell. There are boxes you can buy that have 60 different wells that you can fill with scents. Like fireworks, you can cue them with what's on television.' Too bad they can't control the remote. | 'Relaxation' shows include footage of a snail crawling along the ground while the stimulating programmes show dogs cavorting around .
Pooches won't have to put up with repeats or commercial breaks - there aren't any!
Creators hope that one day dogs will be able to sniff DogTV . |
198,865 | 8d6faa9159250dd562e0de36b71822d38570d850 | By . Sadie Whitelocks . PUBLISHED: . 13:25 EST, 23 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:46 EST, 23 December 2013 . With unflattering grimaces, pinprick eyes and over-sized hands, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge are barely recognizable as they appear cast in Play-Doh. The modeling brand sculpted the royal couple as part of its 2013 'Year In Review' project and looked back at the birth of their first baby together this July. The doughy depiction of the new parents shows them stood on a balcony of what appears to be Buckingham Palace with a 'large-nosed' Kate cradling her newborn, Prince George, in one arm. Unflattering depictions: With unflattering grimaces, pinprick eyes and over-sized hands, Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge are barely recognizable as they appear cast in Play-Doh . William meanwhile appears with a decidedly chiseled jaw and a generous mop of brown hair. For viewers unable to distinguish the ill-portioned characters, Play-Doh captioned an image of the scene posted to Facebook: 'We were thrilled to welcome Baby George to the royal family in 2013!' One commentator jokingly wrote in response: 'Perhaps the intern assigned to that one is not a fan of the royal family? Or is, in fact, a child playing with Play-Doh?' Leading lady: Jennifer Lawrence seen in her Dior couture gown picking up her Oscar . Boys back together: The NSync reunion at the MTV Video Music Awards in August is re-imagined in clay . What did the Play-Doh fox say? The lead character from the viral Norwegian dance song, which has amassed a staggering 299,498,409 YouTube hits since its release in September, was also cast in clay . Others to be immortalized in dough include February Oscar Winner Jennifer Lawrence and 64-year-old world record swimmer, Diana Nyad,. who became the first to swim from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage this August. On the music front, sculptors molded the boy band ' N Sync, in honor of their 2013 MTV Video Music Awards reunion. And 'The Fox' from the viral Norwegian dance song of the same name, which has amassed a staggering 299,498,409 YouTube hits since its release in September, was also cast in clay. Record-breaker: American 64-year-old long-distance swimmer Diana Nyad became the first person to swim across the Florida Straits from Cuba without a shark cage this August . Mouth-watering: The Cronut is the unique pastry creation by Chef Dominique Ansel that many have described to be a croissant-doughnut hybrid . Cause for celebration: The Boston Red Sox claimed the World Series win in October . Turning . to sports, Play-Doh chose to remember the Boston Red Sox's World Series . win in October and the Super Bowl in February, where the power turned . out. 'We hope everything stays plugged in next year,' the toy company wrote. Other momentous events for 2013 crafted in clay, include the inception of the Cronut, Twitter becoming a public company and the Blobfish being crowned the world's 'ugliest animal'. It's a blackout: Play-Doh remembered the power shortage at February's Super Bowl . No reason to smile: The Blobfish earned the title of the world's 'ugliest animal' this year . Flying high: Twitter became a public company in September . Play-Doh, which is composed of flour, water, salt, boric acid, and mineral oil, was first manufactured in Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S., as a wallpaper cleaner in the 1930s. When a classroom of children began using the wallpaper cleaner as a modeling compound, the product was reworked and marketed to schools in the mid-1950s. Since its launch on the toy market it has generated a considerable amount of ancillary merchandise such as The Fun Factory and in 2003, the Toy Industry Association included it on its 'Century of Toys List'. | The modeling brand sculpted the royal couple and their new baby as part of its 2013 'Year In Review' project .
The birth of the Cronut and the Blowfish being named the world's 'ugliest animals' were other momentous events remembered . |
246,710 | cb4ac6a6a221af6f0cb427df6196b6df1a17615d | By . Paul Sims . UPDATED: . 20:45 EST, 8 November 2011 . Jon Venables (pictured aged ten) abducted, tortured and then murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993. He was jailed last year after he was caught with a stash of depraved images . Child killer Jon Venables is being kept in prison for his own safety – because he cannot be trusted with keeping a new identity secret. Venables and his friend Robert Thompson were ten when they were jailed for life after they abducted, tortured and murdered two-year-old James Bulger in 1993. When they were released in 2001 amid a public outcry, they were given new identities to protect them from vigilantes. But after Venables was jailed again last year, when he was caught with of stash of child pornography, it emerged the killer had already blown his own cover. Officials have now ruled out giving him a second false identity – which costs taxpayers hundreds of thousands of pounds – on the grounds he would not be able to keep his real past hidden, sources have told the Mail. The extraordinary development means that Venables will remain in prison for the foreseeable future for his own safety. Denise Fergus, James’s mother, said: ‘In his twisted mind he believes the name Jon Venables makes him some kind of celebrity and he cannot resist telling people who he really is. ‘It seems he gets some kind of perverse thrill from it, and it’s clear he has no remorse about murdering my son.’ A surveillance camera shows James holding the hand of Venables as he is taken from the Bootle Stand shopping mall on February 12, 1993 . Draconian legal anonymity orders ban any information being revealed about the identities or whereabouts of Venables and Thompson, who killed James after luring him away from his mother in a shopping centre in Bootle, Merseyside. During Venables’s child pornography trial last year, his barrister claimed the strain of living under an assumed name and constant threats to his life had led him into drink and drug addiction. He then apparently became paranoid that friends had discovered his true identity and he began telling them who he really was, before calling his probation officer to raise the alarm. Victim: Jamie Bulger, 2, left, was murdered after being led away from a shopping centre and right, his mother Denise Fergus, who said Venables 'cannot be trusted outside prison' Officials are now convinced that if released after completing his two-year sentence he would not be able to keep secret a second identity, leaving him a sitting duck. ‘If Venables were to be given a new identity the chances are that he would compromise it,’ said a source. ‘That puts him in danger of vigilante attacks. ‘It is safer for him if he remains in custody until he no longer poses a risk of revealing his true identity. Venables received a life sentence for the murder of James Bulger, so they can keep hold of him for as long as they want.’ The decision not to give Venables a new name comes despite a High Court ruling that he was in ‘clear and present danger’ of being killed should his true identity ever be revealed. Last night, prison sources confirmed there were ‘no current plans’ to create a new identity for the 29-year-old killer, who is still using the alias he was given in 2001. ‘It would be a pointless waste of money giving him a new identity at the moment because he is unable to keep his real name a secret,’ said one source. ‘He remains at risk of revealing his true identity, and until that is resolved he won’t be given a new name or be released from prison.’ Harry Fletcher, of the National Association of Probation Officers, said: ‘Changing a criminal’s identity is an extremely expensive thing to do. The decision will not be taken if there is a risk the individual involved would fully disclose his identity to others. ‘For his own safety, to protect the individual from others, he would remain in confinement in prison.’ A Ministry of Justice spokesman declined to comment. | ‘If Venables were to be given a new identity the chances are that he would compromise it. That puts him in danger of vigilante attacks'
Jailed after caught with a sickening hoard of child pornography .
Abducted, tortured and murdered two-year-old James . |
173,248 | 6c352045d28a2af4d00b6843cfe87774a223f26d | Los Angeles (CNN) -- After being laid off from a corporate job, many people might use their severance money to pay bills or buy groceries. Keren Taylor used hers to launch a nonprofit. "A lot of people were wondering what the hell I was doing," Taylor said. The former sales executive dipped into her savings and began working 18-hour days to start a creative writing program for at-risk teenagers in Los Angeles. "Some of our girls face the greatest challenges teens could ever face: violence at home, violence in their community, huge schools with security guards in the parking lot and in the lunchroom," said Taylor, 50. "They need to know that their voice is important. Their stories are important." In the Los Angeles public schools, nearly one in five students drops out before high school graduation. In the last 12 years, Taylor's organization, WriteGirl, has helped around 500 girls graduate high school and go on to college. The power of a girl -- and her pen . This year, 350 girls from 60 area high schools are participating in Taylor's program. All the girls receive one-on-one mentoring to work on their writing, speaking skills and academics. This, Taylor says, gives them the confidence to speak up and reach out for help in school, in their relationships and at home. "There are so many girls with so many heart-wrenching stories," Taylor said. "I often wake up in the night thinking about them." About 150 girls take part in the group's "Core Program." Some meet with a designated mentor every week; others attend monthly workshops for mentor support. Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2014 CNN Heroes . Taylor expects all 60 of the seniors in the core program to enroll in college next year. "We are working feverishly to make sure they all go to college, even though this is the biggest number that we've ever had," she said. The other participating students are critically at-risk: Many are pregnant, have children or are incarcerated. "(Our van) takes our volunteers to them," Taylor said. "That's been really exciting to bring the program to girls who otherwise wouldn't be able to come to us." Finding their voice . Taylor says the program helps the girls improve their grades and their confidence. "They can walk into a WriteGirl workshop and they're not going to get criticized, judged, graded, any of that," she said. "They can just relax, let their ideas out and grow as individuals." Anastasia said she was flunking classes until she was paired with a WriteGirl mentor who took the time to work with her every week. "My grammar improved, my sentences were beyond amazing, so it was amazing how I transformed," said the 14-year-old. "I used to get F's, and now I get A's, B's and C's." "A lot of our girls have those ah-ha moments, like, 'Wow, I could be a journalist.' Or 'I could go on to go to college outside of Los Angeles,' " Taylor said. "They have these eye-opening experiences that really give them a lot more hope about their future." The talent pool . WriteGirl mentors include journalists, screenwriters, authors, poets and executives from varied backgrounds and ethnicities. Each is asked to commit at least one hour a week to their mentee. "Some mentors say it's the most rewarding thing they've ever done," Taylor said. "(They) tell us they get just as much as they give, if not more." Mentors and mentees also participate in monthly programs that explore subjects such as poetry, journalism and screenwriting. The girls can also receive help with college applications. Each girl has the opportunity to submit their writing for publication. Taylor has directed the production of more than two dozen collections of works by teenage girls and their mentors. WriteGirl publications have received numerous awards. Taylor, who didn't take a salary for two years so the the program could get going, says she has no regrets about her decision to abandon the corporate world. "I wanted to do something that would be inspiring and something that would have meaning for others," she said. "I wake up every morning and I think about how we can make a greater impact." Want to get involved? Check out the WriteGirl website at www.writegirl.org and see how to help. | Keren Taylor began WriteGirl, a writing program for at-risk teens in Los Angeles .
The former sales exec started the nonprofit with severance pay when she was laid off .
Participants get one-on-one mentoring to work on writing, speaking skills and schoolwork .
Do you know a hero? Nominations are open for 2014 CNN Heroes . |
140,384 | 4187101d451731d2f29e8b2449d0a214a527d86c | By . Jack Crone for MailOnline . It's not every day a superhero appears at your window unannounced - so these sick children got quite a shock when a gang of caped visitors began scaling the walls of their hospital. The young patients, some suffering from cancer, at Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora, watched in astonishment as the group abseiled down the side of the building. The stunt, which took place on Thursday, was performed by members of the City of Aurora Police SWAT team after a cancer survivor made the suggestion. Holy smokes Batman: Man dressed in Robin outfit drops in to say hello to child at Children's Hospital Colorado . Caped crusader: Unexpected visitor dressed as batman appears at the window to the delight of children . Heroes: The stunt was arranged with the help of the City of Aurora Police SWAT team after a cancer survivor made the suggestion on the Facebook page for The Bucket List Life . Hallie Wastell posted the idea on the Facebook page for The Bucket List Life, a website dedicated to helping others tick off life experiences. The site, which is liked by more than 30,000 people, thought the suggestion was so good they took it upon themselves to make the experience a possibility. Dressed as Captain America, Robin, Batman and Spiderman, the heroic gang took turns to scale down the building, some hanging upside down as they waved into children. On Facebook, Ms Wastell said: 'I am so grateful to The Bucket List Life, The Children's Hospital Denver, the Aurora SWAT team and so many more for helping me make this happen!' Describing photos she took on the day, the mother added: 'I so apologize for the over-posting, but these truly show what today was all about...the kids. 'These kids on the oncology floor...some of the bravest among us.' High five: Robin greets a masked boy (left) while woman dressed as Spiderman hangs upside down on rope . Long way down: One of the group bravely begins to journey down the side of the building . United: Members of Aurora SWAT team, dressed as Captain America, Robin, Batman and Spiderman, stand on the hospital's roof prior to the stunt . Hospital spokesman, Elizabeth Whitehead, said: 'Our patients, families and staff were simply delighted to see superheroes through the windows of the hospital. 'I think the police department had just as much fun - if not more - seeing the smiles and excitement on the kids' faces.' | SWAT team abseiled down wall and waved in to sick children on Thursday .
Young patients at Children's Hospital Colorado, Aurora, weren't expecting it .
Challenge was suggested by cancer survivor, Hallie Wastell, on Facebook . |
10,932 | 1f1623ccda86df40cfe1a09568f51c21cd6453bf | Scotland Yard detectives are preparing to return to Portugal after getting the go-ahead to quiz fresh witnesses in the Madeleine McCann investigation. New prosecutor Ines Sequeira has paved the way for a new British police visit to the Algarve by approving a fifth international letter of request which had been gathering dust following her predecessor's departure in the summer. Officers in Faro are now scheduling the interviews, which will take place at the PJ police station in the town where four suspects were quizzed at the start of July. It was thought three of the suspects would be given a new grilling when the Operation Grange team led by DCI Andy Redwood returned to Portugal. Madeleine's parents Kate and Gerry McCann have continued to fight to find their daughter after she disappeared seven years ago . But Mrs Sequeira, 49, is understood to have authorised only interviews with a string of witnesses who British police have never questioned directly. Respected Portuguese daily Jornal de Noticias said Scotland Yard opted out of asking for permission to reinterview the suspects in their fifth letter of request, which state prosecutors received in August. Around 10 witnesses are expected to be quizzed, including some who were questioned by Portuguese police after Madeleine vanished from her holiday apartment in Praia da Luz more than seven years ago. The unnamed witnesses are expected to receive police summons in the next few days. As happened during the July round of interrogations, British police will sit in on the interviews but they will be led by Portuguese officers who will ask questions on their behalf. Three-year-old Madeleine McCann vanished from the room she was sharing with her younger twin siblings in Praia Da Luz more than seven years ago . The Operation Grange team last visited Portugal three weeks ago. A small team of three officers including DCI Andy Redwood met Policia Judiciaria bosses in Faro for an update meeting before travelling to the university city of Coimbra a five hour drive north to visit a lab where many of the DNA samples collected after Madeleine's disappearance are held. British police told bosses at Portugal's Institute of Legal Medicine and Forensic Sciences they wanted to retest some of the samples to try to crack the mystery of Madeleine's disappearance. They are yet to send a sixth international letter of request which mother-of-four Mrs Sequeira will have to authorise before Met Police forensics experts are allowed access to the lab or given permission to take samples to Britain to analyse them. The forensic material includes hairs and pieces of the curtains that hung in apartment 5A at the Ocean Club holiday complex where Madeleine was sleeping with baby siblings Sean and Amelie, now nine, while her parents Kate and Gerry ate tapas nearby. It emerged last week nearly 100 strands of hair tested during the original Madeleine McCann investigation were never DNA-matched. Portuguese forensic experts analysed 444 hair strands they believed could hold the key to the youngster's May 3 2007 disappearance. They found 432 were human and 12 non-human. They were unable to DNA-match 98 of them and only obtained partial results from 19 of them, it was reported last week. Institute president Francisco Brizida, said after the October 14 meeting: 'I have the certainty they went away very happy. 'The tonic of the meeting was about the possibility of the tests on samples collected in 2007 being re-done. Lead investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Andy Redwood (second left) with British police and their Portuguese counterparts investigating the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in June of this year . 'The British police wanted clarification on the examinations the institute had carried out during the early stages of the inquiry in the areas of genetics and biology. 'We talked about non-identified material that was collected in Madeleine's apartment. 'I can't say for sure new DNA tests that didn't yield a conclusive result in 2007 could now yield an objective result. 'But technology nowadays allows us to go further than years ago in areas like genetic markers. 'Several possibilities are open. One could be that British police do the tests in Britain with British technology and another that the institute does them. 'But that's an area in which the institute does not have the last word. There's a situation of judicial cooperation and a new international letter of request would be necessary.' The Operation Grange inquiry is running in parallel with a new Portuguese probe, reopened in May more than five years after being shelved. Scotland Yard detectives suspect Madeleine, three when she vanished, was killed during a bungled break-in. British police shifting through soil on an area of wasteland during a search for Madeleine McCann in June 2014 . They dug up waste ground and inspected sewers in Praia da Luz in June in a grim search for her body. One of the suspects questioned in July was a former Ocean Club worker and another a 51-year-old schizophrenic drug addict. They both denied any involvement in Madeleine's disappearance. Portuguese police believe Madeleine was snatched by a foreigner no longer living in Portugal. However they have not ruled out the involvement of junkie burglar Euclides Monteiro, whose widow they questioned last year. Last month, it emerged the cost of the British police search for Madeleine will soon top £10 million - double the original amount estimated by the Home Office when the force was called in by David Cameron in 2011. The Home Office has defending the rising cost of the probe, insisting: 'The Government believes it is right that it does all it can to support the search for Madeleine McCann.' The Ocean Club in Praia Da Luz where Madeleine McCann was staying when she disappeared in May 2007 . | Prosecutor Ines Sequeira paved way for new British police visit to Algarve .
She is understood to have authorised interviews with witnesses British police never questioned directly after Madeleine's disappearance in 2007 .
Unnamed witnesses expected to receive police summons in next few days .
British police will sit in on the interviews led by Portuguese officers .
Three-year-old Madeleine McCann vanished from the room she was sharing with her younger twin siblings in Praia Da Luz more than seven years ago . |
251,898 | d205f484de3e4aa90739b647f47b0611b52006e8 | American citizens must pay their fair share of tax, the US ambassador to London warned today as Boris Johnson refuses to hand over more than £100,000. The American-born Mayor of London has said it is outrageous that the taxman in the US is chasing him for unpaid bill worth hundreds of thousands of dollars. Matthew Barzun, the White House's man in London, today defended the rules, insisting people who enjoy the benefits of being a US citizen must 'pay your fair share in taxes'. But he also leapt to the defence of US firms like Google, Facebook and Amazon, insisting they were doing nothing wrong by avoiding pay tax in the UK but were just 'playing by the rules'. Scroll down for video . Mayor of London Boris Johnson, who spent today playing in Ealing, has branded US tax laws 'outrageous' Mr Johns was born in New York and has both and British and an American passport . Mr Johnson was born in New York and has an American passport as well as a British one. The law means that American citizens must pay income tax to US authorities if they earn more than £62,000. The can also be taxed on capital gains on selling a main house made anywhere in the world. Rejecting the demands, Mr Johnson said: 'I think it's outrageous! No is the answer. Why should I?' But today Mr Barzun insisted that all Americans must pay their share, wherever they live. Speaking to a press gallery event in Parliament, he told journalists that he would not discuss Mr Johnson's tax affairs. He said: 'If you are an American citizen we have the Privacy Act where we as government officials don't talk about you or your tax or health or your other information without your express consent. 'I won't comment on a specific American citizen and their status because of that.' US ambassador to London Matthew Barzun said anyone who enjoys the benefits of being a US citizen must pay their fair share of tax . America wants Britain to stay in the European Union, Matthew Barzun said today. The US ambassador to London stressed the importance of the UK's membership of theEU days after David Cameron signalled he would be prepared to lead the country out of the 28-member bloc unless there are major reforms. Mr Barzun said Britain's membership of the EU was a 'really good thing' from an American point of view and US leaders 'really value a strong United Kingdom in a strong EU' because the nations see 'eye to eye' on a range of crucial international issues. The Prime Minister has vowed to renegotiate the UK's relationship with Europe ahead of an in/out referendum by the end of 2017 if he is returned to Downing Street after the general election. In a landmark speech less than a fortnight ago setting out plans to tighten welfare rules for EU migrants, Mr Cameron warned that he will 'rule nothing out' if other countries turn a deaf ear to British concerns. At a Westminster lunch, Mr Barzun was asked whether a British exit would reduce the importance of the UK's special relationship with the US. Mr Barzun said: 'If you ask us, we really value a strong United Kingdom in a strong EU because we see eye to eye ... on the important issues of the challenges we face - look at Isil, Ebola, climate change, Russian aggression - Europe and the UK are the first places we turn to deal with that. 'That's on the negative side. On the positive side, look at the transatlantic trade deal. 'We see eye to eye. So from a selfish point of view it's a really good thing. 'From a selfish point of you, it's a really good thing but it's entirely up to you folks to figure out your relationship with and within Europe.' But he made clear that any US citizen had to pay the tax that is due. He added: 'Look, I mean we have our rules and we expect people to play by them. 'And if you get the benefits of being an American citizen you pay your fair share in taxes.' However, he defended US companies who have been accused of using international law and cross-borders deals to avoid tax bills in Britain. Asked if US companies Amazon, Google and Facebook are 'international tax dodgers', Mr Barzun replied sharply: 'No.' He went on to insist that the tax rules are set by national governments which they then apply legally. 'I'm not the spokesman for any of those great American companies. 'These companies and other companies who do work are clever about using international, the rules that exist, as written by the way by all of us: that's US government British government, we make these rules and they are playing by them. 'And I hope that if and when rules change they will play by those new rules as well.' Last month, on a visit to New York, Mr Johnson revealed that he was refusing to pay a tax bill on the sale of his house in London. In an NPR interview designed to promote his new book, he said he was subject to Uncle Sam's 'global taxation' policy. He claimed he was facing a bill on the profits made from selling his first home in London, which is exempt from tax in the UK, but would be taxed in the US. It is thought he made around £720,000 on the sale. The relevant tax for 2009 sales was 15 per cent, which would give him a total bill of almost £110,000. Mr Johnson said: 'The great United States of America does have some pretty tough rules, you know. 'You may not believe this but if you're an American citizen, America exercises this incredible doctrine of global taxation...' 'Even though tax rates in the UK are far higher and I'm Mayor of London - I pay all my tax in the UK and so I pay a much higher proportion of my income in tax than I would if I lived in America - the United States comes after me...' 'Would you believe it? For capital gains tax on the sale of your first residence, which is not taxable in Britain, but they're trying to hit me with some bill. Can you believe it?' Mr Johnson claims he is facing a bill on the profits made from selling his first home in London, which is exempt from tax in the UK, but would be taxed in the US . Today he took part in the netball match at Ealing, Hammersmith & West London College . Earlier he had a coffee with Metropolitan Police Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe for a walkabout with local officers in Ealing town centre . When asked whether he would pay up anyway, Johnson replied: 'I think it's outrageous! No is the answer. Why should I? 'I haven't lived in the United States for, you know, well, since I was five years old. I could [afford the bill] - but I pay the lion's share of my tax. I pay my taxes to the full in the United Kingdom where I live and work.' The IRS rules state: 'If you are a US citizen or resident alien, the rules for filing income, estate, and gift tax returns and paying estimated tax are generally the same whether you are in the United States or abroad. 'Your worldwide income is subject to US income tax, regardless of where you reside.' However, Mr Johnson has made his own demands for the US Embassy in London to pay the congestion charge. Latest figures suggest Mr Barzun's embassy owes more than £8million for driving officials and dignitaries around London. But Mr Barzun made clear he will continue to refuse to pay up, citing rules which allow embassies to avoid paying tax which would affect business operating in host countries. | Ambassador to London Matthew Barzun says US citizens must pay up .
Boris Johnson was born in New York so faces a tax bill in America .
London Mayor has branded the Transatlantic rules 'outrageous'
Barzun defends US firms like Amazon and Google over tax dodging .
Insists they are just playing by the rules written by British government .
Insists the US 'selfishly' wants Britain to remain in the European Union . |
95,825 | 0732baccd24b8a7eed60931478f788bdcd8de947 | London, England (CNN) -- UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has ordered a full review of security measures at UK airports following the attempted Detroit plane bombing on December 25. In a statement published Friday on the prime minister's official Web site, Brown said the UK government will be working with the U.S. to "examine a range of new techniques to enhance airport security systems beyond traditional measures, such as pat-down searches and sniffer dogs." These new measures might include using "explosive trace technology, full body scanners and advanced x-ray technology." Writing on the first day of a new decade, Brown issued a reminder of the ongoing threat posed by international terrorism. "The new decade," he said, "is starting as the last began -- with al Qaeda creating a climate of fear. These enemies of democracy and freedom... are concealing explosives in ways which are more difficult to detect." The Detroit incident highlighted an "urgent" need to tighten airport security measures, Brown said. "The UK," Brown said, "will continually explore the most sophisticated devices capable of identifying explosives, guns, knives and other such items anywhere on the body." The alleged plane bomber, Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab is believed to have concealed explosives in his underwear. The 23-year-old Nigerian is thought to have linked up with an al Qaeda group based in Yemen after attending the UK's University College London. Brown said the plot was a reminder of al Qaeda's increasing influence away from "better-known homes of international terror such as Pakistan and Afghanistan." Yemen is becoming "a major new base for terrorism" which highlighted the need for "enhanced cooperation" between nations in the fight against international terrorism, he said. Brown added that the UK government is already supporting the government of Yemen's efforts to tackle terrorism and pledged further support. "By 2011 our already announced commitment to Yemen will exceed £100 million ($160 million), making the UK one of its leading donors," he said. It was also announced Friday that Brown had invited "key international partners" to a meeting in London at the end of January to discuss how to counter radicalization in Yemen. "We have already updated our counter-terrorism strategy to include further measures to disrupt al Qaeda's leadership and frustrate its attempts to recruit, train and direct a new generation of terrorists or to find a new haven for those leaders displaced by the efforts of our Afghan and Pakistani allies." The key to tackling terrorism was "vigilance" Brown said, but the Detroit incident was "a wake-up call...not just for security against terror but for the hearts and minds of a generation." | UK Prime Minister orders a full review of airport security following failed Detroit plane bomb plot .
Brown says the UK will explore the "most sophisticated devices"
New measures might include explosive trace technology and full body scanners . |
224,359 | ae84048e19c592d67e06f0124baac535bf6e4c1b | David Helens, 25, was arrested after making a false 999 call where he claimed a 'friend' had been shot . A man frantically called 999 to report a shooting and said his friend had stopped breathing but he was actually playing the computer game Grand Theft Auto, a court heard. David Helens, 25, from South Shields, Tyne and Wear, had been playing a long session of the violent video game when he rung emergency services saying his friend 'Max' was bleeding badly. He told a call handler that the man had suffered a gunshot wound to the chest and was 'slipping in and out of consciousness' before telling her he thought he was dead. The defendant then began screaming and shouting and said he had been attacked by a third person. Two ambulances were quickly dispatched to the house where they discovered the call was a complete fantasy and the events had in fact taken place in the video game. Helens was arrested when he told police he had been playing the guns and gangsters game shortly before making the call. Christopher Rose, prosecuting, said: 'The call lasted for approximately 12 minutes. 'The caller said he was at an address and that he was with another man called Max who had suffered a gunshot injury to his chest. 'He said the man was slipping in an out of consciousness and bleeding badly. 'An ambulance had to be dispatched and, once the call handler was told the man had stopped breathing, and that he might be dead, this information had to be treated as a possible cardiac arrest and a second ambulance was called.' He added: 'The defendant then said he himself had been attacked by a third person and feigned screaming and shouting. 'The call taker said that this caused her to be very concerned for his safety and that of 'Max'.' Helens admitted making the malicious 999 call on November 8, and was sentenced to a 12 month community order when he appeared at South Tyneside Magistrates' Court. The court heard a police interview in which Helens admitted making the call, and said that none of things he claimed while speaking to the call handler had actually happened. Helens had spent a long session on notorious and violent video game Grand Theft Auto before making call . He said he knew of the inconvenience he had caused to the ambulance and police services. The call taker, from North East Ambulance Service (NEAS), told the court in a victim impact statement that she had been left 'shaken' by the incident. The best-selling game has caused controversy over its adult content and violence . She said: 'This man's behaviour on the telephone made me feel concerned. The whole incident has left me feeling a bit shaken.' Laura Johnson, defending, told the court: 'It would appear that the phone call made to the emergency services coincided with him playing a violent shooting game on his computer. 'He tells me that he has very little recollection of the phone call. 'Mr Helens has significant health needs. He is deaf in his left ear, partially blind in his left eye and has speech problems. 'He accepts that he caused disruption and upset to the call taker and he apologises for his actions.' A spokesman for NEAS said: 'We welcome the result of this court case. 'This inappropriate call lasted 12 minutes and resulted in the dispatch of two ambulances, resources which will have been needed elsewhere for genuine emergencies. 'I hope it sends out a clear message to others who might consider misusing our services or abusing or assaulting our staff.' Helens was told to complete 120 hours of unpaid work and will be subject to a supervision requirement for 18 months. He must also pay £85 in costs and a £60 victim surcharge. | David Helens had been playing a long session of the violent video game .
He rung emergency services to say friend 'Max' was bleeding badly .
Defendant then began screaming saying he thought he had been attacked .
Ambulances were quickly dispatched and found call had been a fantasy .
He was arrested when he admitted playing game before making the call .
Magistrates gave him a 12 month community order and unpaid work . |
23,837 | 43a2c8da6b564c1157fd2eea694c88d90b66fbd5 | Maxim magazine has provoked outrage after it named ex-murder suspect Amanda Knox one of 2012’s sexiest women. The popular men's magazine included the American student in its 'Hot 100' countdown alongside the most beautiful celebrities in the world, including pop star Katy Perry and actress Megan Fox. Knox, 24, spent four years in jail after being found guilty of killing British student Meredith Kercher in November 2007, but she was cleared last October. Appropriate? The attractive American was voted one of the most beautiful women of 2012 after drawing huge levels of attention for her looks during her incarceration . Popular imagination: The men's magazine draws attention to its controversial choice with an an introduction that refers to 'sexy movie stars and murder suspects' Her high-profile trial and time behind bars was characterised by glamorous photos of the pretty ex student and endless comment on her appearance as well as her case. A light-hearted caption under the picture of her reads: 'Foxy Knoxy's murder rap was overturned after she spent four years in a hardcore Italian prison. 'We're guessing she hasn't hit the Olive Garden [a popular Italian food chain] since coming back.' The list was introduced with the flippant words: 'From movie stars to murder suspects to a cartoon, here are the sexy results.' Twitter users attacked the controversial move, with one tweeting: 'AMANDA KNOX Y'ALL ... Maxim Hot 100 list is once again criminally foolish.' Famous faces: Israeli model Bar Rafaeli topped Maxim's 'Hot 100' while Katy Perry came in at number four . Another added: 'Yeah...nothing sexier than being accused of killing your roommate while studying abroad!' The furore has eclipsed arguments over rival magazine FHM's 'sexiest women' list, which caused heated debate when X-Factor judge Tulisa was named number one shortly after her sex-tape scandal. Israeli model Bar Rafaeli, Leonardo Di Caprio's ex, topped Maxim's list, while Knox came in at 92, in between West Wing star Claire Coffee and U.S. TV personality La La Anthony. The list in the U.S. edition of Maxim was compiled from readers' votes, with the magazine writing: 'Our fellow Americans: As we're reminded every four years, democracy is the cornerstone upon which our great land is built. British beauties: Model and actress Rosie Huntington-Whitely, left, and Harry Potter star Emma Watson came high on the list . 'That's why this year, for the first time in Hot 100 history, we let you, the readers of Maxim, weigh in on who should comprise the definitive list of the world's most beautiful women. 'From movie stars to murder suspects to a cartoon, here are the sexy results. God bless America!' Model and Transformers star Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Underworld actress Kate Beckinsale made 11 and 12. Pippa Middleton also made the list at 81, coming in well behind Harry Potter star Emma Watson at 21. Comedian Stephen Colbert was ranked at 69, becoming the first man to make the list. Family Guy cartoon character Lois Griffin came 85th. | Outraged Twitter users label 24-year-old's inclusion 'criminally foolish' |
72,321 | cd0431ad48ea8afe5fad12c2ab7802889e47ba17 | By . Snejana Farberov . PUBLISHED: . 23:23 EST, 12 March 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 01:13 EST, 13 March 2014 . A 21-year-old aspiring model from Detroit was captured and charged with murder after police say she stabbed to death a convenience store clerk in Georgia during a robbery. U.S. Marshals Service spokesman Gavin Duffy said Skyy Raven Maria Mims was arrested at a Bartow County home Tuesday. Whitfield County sheriff's Capt. Rick Swiney said Mims tried to escape when officers converged on the residence but was quickly apprehended. Scroll down for video . What a difference: Skyy Raven Maria Mims, 21 (pictured left and right in her booking photo), was arrested and charged with murdering a store clerk . Caught on camera: A surveillance camera inside Kanku's Express in Dalton, Georgia, captured Mims in the moments before the murders . Whitfield County sheriff's deputies responded to a service station in Dalton, Georgia, Sunday night and found 37-year-old Dahyabhai Chaudhari dead on the floor in a pool of blood. The owner of Kanku's Express on Airport Road said Mims allegedly stole only a small sum of cash and a few lottery tickets, Atlanta Journal Constitution reported. Law enforcement officials finally caught up with the aspiring rapper and fashion model at around 5pm Tuesday and booked her into the Whitfield County Jail. According to police, they also seized a stolen Kia Soul, which Mims was reportedly driving on the day of the murder. Just hours after the deadly stabbing, the 21-year-old woman, who goes by the stage monikers ‘Yo Skyy’ and 'Gorgiee,' reportedly posted the word 'knowledge' on her Facebook and Twitter pages. Deadly confrontation: The aspiring rapper and model (left) allegedly stabbed to death 37-year-old Dahyabhai Chaudhari (right) during a late-night robbery . Meager loot: The owner of the convenience store said the perpetrator got away only with a small sum of cash and a few lottery tickets . The victim, Mr Chaudhari, was popular among his customers and known for his friendly and easy-going demeanor. He had worked at the gas station store for only a few months. Just before midnight Sunday, a woman in a hooded jacket and gloves later identified as Mims was captured on a surveillance camera entering Kanku’s Express. A customer later recalled to News channel 9 hearing the store clerk and the woman arguing before they both fell silent. She then got into her car and drove off. According to investigators, Mims found temporary refuge in the home of her boyfriend’s friend on Springmont Drive in Cartersville. Split personality: Mims, who went by the stage names 'Yo Skyy' and 'Gorgiee,' wrote about God and faith on her social media accounts . Waiting to be discovered: Mims has released this video online showcasing her dance moves . Cornered: Police acting on a tip tracked down Mims to this house in Cartersville owned by a friend of a friend, where the accused killer had been staying since Sunday . For two days, the 21-year-old murder suspect laid low, staying at the house with the family’s young daughter, who befriended Mims, reported the station WRCB-TV. Acting on a tip, police officers surrounded the private residence Tuesday evening and cornered Mims, according to WSB-TV. At around 4.30pm Wednesday, a makeup-free Mims dressed in red jail garb appeared before a judge for a bond hearing. She is due back in court Friday morning. | Skyy Raven Maria Mims, of Detroit, charged with killing 37-year-old Dahyabhai Chaudhari in Dalton, Georgia .
Mims is aspiring rapper and model who goes by nicknames 'Yo Skyy' and 'Gorgiee'
Police tracked her down to a friend's house in Bartow County and found a stolen car she had been driving . |
248,930 | ce20bb23f95fa09aec28005462c24d34cc2923bb | Lucky: Seven is seen as the world's favourite number - and it appears across many cultures and religions . Stop any person in the street and ask them to choose an odd number between 1 and 10. More often not, they will say the number 7. For ‘lucky 7’ is the world’s favourite number. There are seven days of the week, seven colours of the rainbow, seven notes on a musical scale, seven seas and seven continents. Snow White ran off to live with seven dwarves, there were seven brides for seven brothers, Shakespeare described the seven ages of man, Sinbad the Sailor had seven voyages. And when Ian Fleming was looking for a code for James Bond, he didn’t go for 006 or 008. Only 007 had the right ring. This week, a poll of 30,000 people confirmed that 7 is overwhelmingly our favourite number — with 3 in second place. A remarkable ten per cent of those surveyed gave 7 — from the infinite choice of numbers available — as their lucky number. But why do we prefer some numbers to others? What is so special about 7? And how can something as dry as a number generate such strong emotions? Our fascination with certain numbers goes back to the dawn of recorded history. For the Ancient Babylonians the most meaningful number was 60. They based their mathematics and calendar around it — and we, many centuries later, have inherited their system. That’s why an hour has 60 minutes, and a minute 60 seconds. In Ancient Egypt, 12 was considered special. In Egyptian mythology there were 12 realms of the dead. Indeed, 12 crops up throughout history — inches to a foot, pennies to a shilling, months of the year, the number of apostles. A day is split into two cycles of 12 hours. There are sensible reasons to venerate 60 and 12. Both divide neatly into halves, quarter and thirds, making them ideal units of currency and measurement. But that doesn’t explain why humans are still so hung up on 7 — a prime number that cannot neatly be divided by anything other than itself and number 1. Ian Fleming chose 007 over other numbers and Walt Disney chose seven dwarfs for Snow White . Mathematician Alex Bellos, who carried out the survey as part of research for his book on maths, Alex Through The Looking Glass, says an emotional attachment to numbers — and 7 in particularly — is surprisingly common. ‘When I give talks about maths and ask the audience if they have a favourite number, half stick up their hands,’ he says. ‘I suppose we are all a little bit obsessive compulsive. It’s comforting to have a favourite number.’ Favourite numbers are usually linked to birthdays, anniversaries or house numbers. But some people have the strangest reasons. When asked why she voted for 7 in the poll, one woman said: ‘It is a bit awkward; it can’t be equally divided and won’t bend to the rules so easily.’ Bellos argues that some numbers are inherently more appealing than others. Small numbers tend to be more popular than large ones, for example. We are most familiar with the numbers 1 to 10, and tend to pick our favourites from those. Most people see odd numbers as more exotic than even ones. ‘Our brains see numbers and want to try to split them in two,’ says Bellos. ‘They can’t do that with odd numbers so people feel their “personalities” are different and more appealing.’ Can numbers be funny? Author Joseph Heller spent some time deciding that 22 was funnier than 11 or 14 . We also seem to be attracted to prime numbers. Again, the fact that we can’t divide them cleanly makes them more distinctive. So when looking for a favourite number, that makes 3, 5 and 7 the most likely candidates. But Bellos’s survey also revealed people don’t like numbers ending in 5. We are so used to rounding up numbers to the nearest multiple of 10 that numbers finishing in 5 seem oddly unsatisfactory. That knocks 5 out the running, and three — the second favourite — misses out on first place, possibly because it is just too mundane. After all, we see groups of 3 everywhere we look: traffic lights with 3 colours, sets of knives, forks and spoons, 3 hands on a clock, 3 meals a day. So the less common 7, then, takes the crown. If you don’t believe our brains behave as predictably as this, try this mind-reading test on a family member or friend. Ask them to think of a two-digit number less than 50. Tell them both the digits must be odd and different. Say that they can’t have 11 but could have 13. When psychologists tried this in experiments, more than a third chose 37. The trick works because there are actually only eight numbers someone is allowed to choose from — 13, 15, 17, 19, 31, 35, 37 and 39. And by mentioning the number 13 in the preamble, you put them off that one. But time after time, despite having 7 combinations of numbers to choose from, the lure of 7 combined with the second favourite number 3 draws people to choose 37. It’s a prime number and the most ‘exotic’. And what about the numbers we don’t like? In Alex Bellos’s poll, people could nominate any whole number they liked. The lowest number that had no nominations was 110. Hebrew tradition states seven is the number of intelligence, and there are seven Great Holy Days in the Jewish year. Elsewhere, the traditional Menorah, pictured, has seven branches . Bellos is unsure why. However, his research has shown people aren’t as keen on numbers ending in 0 — perhaps because we are so used to seeing numbers rounded to the nearest 10 and so it loses its distinctiveness. If numbers can be attractive, can they also be funny? Are there people for whom 88 brings a wry smile, but who’d never laugh at 50? Joseph Heller, author of the war satire Catch-22 spent ages discussing numbers with his agent before deciding that 22 was funnier than 11 or 14. Douglas Adams, the creator of A Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy, said he chose 42 as the answer to the ‘ultimate question of life, the universe and everything’ because it was an ‘ordinary, smallish number’. He was right. The joke works because the answer — worked out by the most powerful computer in existence over seven-and-a-half-million years —is a crushing anti-climax. Fear of the number thirteen is called Triskaidekaphobia, a word coined in 1911, and superstitious sufferers associate the number with bad luck and misfortune. In Tarot cards, Death is the thirteenth card in a deck, while the end of the Mayan calendar's 13th Baktun, or cycle, was said to be the time of the apocalypse in 2012. In religion, Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus Christ in the Bible, was the thirteenth member at the last supper. Friday the 13th is considered the unluckiest day of the month. But in Italy, 13 is considered a lucky number, especially when gambling, whereas 17 is considered unlucky. Although it is not known why these numbers hold this significance in Italy, 17 is linked with bad luck because when written in Roman numerals XVII, it can be rearranged to spell the Roman word VIXI meaning ‘I have lived’ - found on ancient tombstones. Alex Bellos’s poll only asked people for their favourite number. But if it had asked for the number they hate, the answer would inevitably have been 13. The fear of 13 — or Triskaidekaphobia — is so widespread that one in ten people are thought to suffer from it. Many large hotels go straight from the 12th to the 14th floor. No one knows why 13 is thought to be unlucky, but there are many theories. One is that it represents Judas Iscariot, the 13th apostle, who betrayed Jesus at the Last Supper. Another is that it comes from Norse lore, where evil was introduced to the world by the mischievous god Loki at a party in Valhalla, the home of the gods. According to the legend, he was the 13th guest to arrive. The grip of 13 is so great that the risk of having a road accident goes up on Friday the 13th. Not because the day is unlucky, but because superstitious drivers tended to be more anxious — and so more accident prone. Getting hung up about numbers can also reduce your odds of winning a fortune. People who pick ‘lucky’ numbers such as 3 and 7 are just as likely to win the lottery as people who pick numbers out of the hat. But if they hit the jackpot, they have to split the cash with more winners. That’s what happened on November 14, 1995, when 133 tickets shared the £16 million prize — each winner got just £120,000. The winning numbers were 7, 17, 23, 32, 38, 42 and 48 — all popular numbers with players. There are some occasions when 7 is not so lucky after all. | Seven is the most significant number across religions and cultures .
It also appears in some of the world's favourite fictional works .
Poll of 30,000 people reveals 7 is overwhelmingly our favourite number . |
277,133 | f30c05c66456600ad903d2beb145c11d9c4ed8cf | Mexico City (CNN) -- While an estimated 10,000 women are victims of human trafficking in Mexico's capital, there were only 40 investigations of the crime and three convictions in the city last year, according to a report issued this week. The discrepancy is an "alarming figure" that shows a need to improve laws and policies, according to a study on human trafficking and sexual exploitation from Mexico City's human rights commission, which calls the phenomenon a "new form of slavery." "The authorities are not investigating, nor are they asking witnesses," said Eva Reyes, investigation coordinator at the Antonio de Montesinos Center for Social and Cultural Studies, one of the partners of the study. Cultural norms and social stigma prevent people from realizing that many prostitutes lingering in dark alleys of Mexico City are victims, officials said as they presented the report Wednesday. "They are seen as people who are doing it freely. That is the first obstacle to justice," Reyes said. More on modern-day slavery: The CNN Freedom Project . Authorities in Mexico City announced Monday that they had rescued 62 victims of a forced-prostitution ring -- including a 13-year-old girl. Five men and two women who police say ran the ring were arrested after an investigation that started when a minor involved reported the suspects to authorities. One victim told investigators that she was forced into prostitution in Mexico City after meeting two men in Oaxaca, a city more than 460 kilometers (288 miles) away. "After chatting with her, the victim told him that she was a domestic worker and the accused offered her a more comfortable life with well-paid work, and in a second encounter he convinced her to come live with him," the statement said. Such approaches are a common tactic for those involved in human trafficking, who frequently target women and girls in smaller cities outside the capital, Reyes said. In the southern border state of Chiapas, Central American women are frequently a target, Reyes said. But regardless of where victims are recruited, she said, they often pass through -- or end up -- in Mexico City, a sprawling metropolis of more than 21 million people. "In one case, 107 trafficking victims, both Mexican and foreign citizens, were freed from a factory disguised as a drug rehabilitation center in Mexico City; many of them had been kidnapped, and all were subjected to forced labor," according to 2010 report on human trafficking from the U.S. State Department. The State Department report noted that authorities had conducted raids on brothels suspected in human trafficking and a special prosecutor for trafficking in Mexico City sentenced one offender to 10 years in prison last year, "the first sentence under Mexico's federal anti-trafficking law and Mexico City's local anti-trafficking law." But more needs to be done, this week's human rights commission report said. "The high number of women who are victims of human trafficking are not achieving access to judicial resources and because of this, the large majority of these incidents remain in impunity. ... Their rights remain unprotected," it said. CNN's Catherine E. Shoichet contributed to this report. | Mexico City's human rights commission calls it a "new form of slavery"
The report is released days after authorities rescue 62 victims of a forced-prostitution ring .
Victims' rights "remain unprotected," the study says .
Researcher: "The authorities are not investigating, nor are they asking witnesses" |
95,588 | 06da26288c7380e4b2de3b1cdb1f6fdbe6f1f6f9 | San Diego (CNN) -- It used to be that when Americans thought of Mexico, they imagined a festive getaway where margaritas flowed, mariachis played, and every day was Cinco de Mayo. Not anymore. Horrifying stories of random shootings, mass beheadings and mass graves have become commonplace. Gunmen think nothing of mowing down a couple dozen teenagers in a disco with machine guns and tossing grenades indiscriminately into crowds during holiday fiestas. Mexicans have almost become immune to carnage, it seems. As a result of such wanton acts of terrorism, and government efforts to combat them, more than 47,500 have died in the last 5½ years. Many of the dead were believed by authorities to have been connected to the drug trade, but others were innocent civilians -- including women and children -- who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Many Mexicans wrongly put the blame for those deaths entirely on the shoulders of Mexican President Felipe Calderon. The argument goes that, if Calderon had only left the cartels alone, Mexico wouldn't be on fire. Calderon is a convenient target because he has made it his personal mission to destroy Mexico's drug syndicates. We're talking about a half-dozen drug cartels, each of which rakes in hundreds of millions of dollars annually in a country so poor that the average laborer is lucky to earn $8 a day. The cartels' customers are mainly Americans, who consume more than their share of illegal drugs. Is Calderon winning his war? Hard to say. It's true that a few cartels have been weakened; government officials say that the drug syndicate La Familia has all but been destroyed. What they don't say is that, from the ashes, has arisen a new group called Knights Templar. So the horror continues. Just recently, in a widely reported case, Mexican police found 49 mutilated bodies in a small town between the cities of Monterrey and Reynosa near the U.S.-Mexico border. Heads, arms and legs were chopped off, making it difficult for authorities to identify the dead. Q&A: 49 bodies - just another drug war crime? It's like a Shakespearean tragedy where every act is bloodier than the one before it, and they go on without end. A new generation of drug traffickers aiming to be bosses seems locked in a gruesome contest as to who can be the most vicious. As for blame, Mexicans should at least dole it out correctly. Calderon is responsible for his decision to use the Mexican military as the government's chief weapon against the cartels, in part because so many of the local police in Mexico are thought to be corrupt or corruptible. And so, when the military is accused of being heavy-handed with civilians and violating the rights of Mexican citizens, as it has been in recent years, that blame should go to Calderon. But the Mexican people also bear a responsibility -- for empowering the drug lords. For decades, Mexicans have romanticized the drug trafficking industry in film, music and other aspects of popular culture. There are many "corridos" (Mexican ballads) that tell the story of the rise-from-nothing fellow who becomes the head of a powerful syndicate by relying on his wits and strength. Recently, Mexican actress Kate del Castillo -- who coincidentally was cast as a powerful female drug lord in Telemundo's Spanish-language series "La Reina del Sur" -- tweeted that she has more faith in Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman than she does in government. Guzman heads the powerful Sinaloa Cartel, and once landed on Forbes' list of the world's richest people with an estimated net worth of $1 billion. There are even so-called drug saints that some Mexicans pray to -- inspired by Robin Hood-like figures who are seen as protectors of the poor against the government. Of course, the Catholic Church doesn't recognize these saints, but this fact hasn't made them any less popular. One of the most popular of the "narco saints" is Jesús Malverde, named after a bandit, who legend has it, was killed by authorities in the early 1900s. Known as the "generous bandit" or the "angel of the poor," Malverde is a folk hero to some in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. Mexico is in chaos. And many Mexicans are in shock. They don't know what to do, or even if they can do anything at all. Well, they can do this: They can stop making folk heroes out of murderers and terrorists. They can stop writing poems and songs that honor drug traffickers and instead start praising the Mexican law enforcement officers who are bravely trying to bring these outlaws to justice. And they can support their government and stand by their president in fighting a battle that needed to be fought. It's time to step up and take ownership of the drug war -- as well as the circumstances that made it necessary. People on both sides of the border had a hand in helping make this mess. It's going to take people on both sides of the border to clean it up. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Ruben Navarrette Jr. | Ruben Navarrette: Drug violence has become so common in Mexico, some are used to it .
He says some blame President Felipe Calderon, saying he should leave drug cartels alone .
He says Calderon not perfect, but other problem is Mexicans' romanticization of drug outlaws .
Navarrette: Mexicans share responsibility, should not be on side of drug lords in the battle . |
194,171 | 8757d934763bcda7bd3b9054e041e4163fc189ac | Jose Mourinho believes Fernando Torres needed a 'change of scenery' from Chelsea, but the Portuguese would have preferred if the Spain striker had moved to Inter Milan rather than AC Milan. Torres agreed a two-year loan move to Milan - and not Mourinho's former team Inter - after a challenging three-and-a-half-years at Stamford Bridge following his £50million arrival from Liverpool in January 2011. 'I'm an Interista and I would have preferred if he'd gone to Inter,' Chelsea boss Mourinho told reporters at a UEFA coaching seminar in Nyon. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Fernando Torres: I left Chelsea to feel important again . New home: Fernando Torres in training with AC Milan at Milanello on Wednesday . Getting shirty: The Spaniard has joined Milan on a two-year loan deal from Chelsea . 'However, I hope that he does equally well at Milan. What I can say about Fernando is that as a person and a professional, there is nothing to doubt about him. 'He's a fantastic boy and a great professional. However, he needed a change of scenery.' Torres has officially begun life as an Milan player, pictured in his first training session for the Italian giants. The Spanish striker, who made 110 league appearances for Chelsea after joining the west London club, fell out of favour with Mourinho and was shipped out on loan last week for the remaining two years of his contract. Run out of puff: Torres, whose nickname is El Nino, had a poor Chelsea career after his brilliance at Livepool . Upon joining Milan last Friday, Torres said of the move: 'I feel good, mentally strong. When everything goes well, you have more will power. I'm happy to train.' 'I can't wait to see the red and black supporters, to score for them and to win many titles.' Torres will wear the number nine shirt for his new club, something the now-Milan man knows has a lot of history. 'It's an honour to wear the number nine jersey. (It) has been worn by some of Milan's great champions, I hope to be up there with them.' | Fernando Torres has left Chelsea for AC Milan on a two-year loan .
Jose Mourinho let Torres leave Stamford Bridge after three-and-a-half years .
Mourinho is a former Inter Milan manager and admitted he would rather have let Torres join his former club . |
81,027 | e5a2205570036eafec688683b96bf4b0e34c3e59 | It was the Champions League against the Championship. A striker currently spearheading the favourites to win Europe’s elite club tournament against a central defence drawn from England’s second tier. Their respective profiles and earning power would suggest only one winner. But there are still some things that Robert Lewandowski’s reputed £150,000-a-week salary at Bayern Munich can’t buy. A goal against Scotland is one of them. Russell Martin and Gordon Greer, of Norwich City and Brighton and Hove Albion respectively, looked this superstar striker in the eye and vowed they would not let him score. Poland's Robert Lewandowski (left) reacts after a challenge by Scotland's Gordon Greer . Scotland's Russell Martin (right) is put under pressure by Poland star Lewandowski . They were as good as that intention demanded. Yet keeping Lewandowski under wraps came at a price elsewhere. The thumping equaliser netted by Arkadiusz Milik was a painful blow given how well Scotland had done to recover from losing a sloppy opening goal. Perhaps, though, any sense of disappointment at only drawing away to a team who had just sunk the world champions is a sign of how far Gordon Strachan’s side have come. This could yet prove to be a vital point on the long and winding road towards Euro 2016. Lewandowski had set up the clinching second goal in Poland’s historic win over Germany on Saturday, but was mainly reduced to a frustrated figure as Tuesday night’s match unfolded. Time and again, Martin and Greer denied him space or forced him out of the danger zone. Only once did he manage to unleash his formidable power on David Marshall’s goal. It was met with a superb flying save from the Cardiff City goalkeeper. Yes, Scotland lack a global name to compare with Lewandowski but this was further evidence of how far a genuine team unit might take us. Lewandowski (bottom) stretches for the ball as Greer keeps close to the Poland frontman . Martin (left) and Scotland captain Scott Brown applaud the fans after claiming a point in Warsaw . What a stage this was for Greer to make his competitive debut for Scotland after four friendly outings. Two months short of his 34th birthday, only Celtic great Ronnie Simpson has entered international football at such an advanced age. Having precious qualification points at stake may have been a new experience for Greer but, oddly enough, playing in this stadium wasn’t. He was part of the team that recorded a 1-0 friendly win here in March. Alongside him stood Martin, who has become one of the first names on Strachan’s team-sheet in recent months. Like Greer, the door to his progression was opened by injuries to colleagues. A starring role in the remarkable 1-0 win over Croatia in June of last year confirmed his capability to be an effective international performer. Neither was overawed by what they encountered in the Stadion Naradowy, a ground which is one of the most impressive in European football. Constructed for the Euro 2012 finals, four giant television screens hang from a central column its retractable roof. They featured the face of former Motherwell defender Tom Hateley in the countdown to kick off. Now with Slask Wroclaw, the full-back warned his adopted homeland not to expect old-fashioned route-one football from Strachan’s side. One thing the locals do not need a lesson in is how to sing a national anthem. The ground reverberated to the noise of Mazurek Dabrowskiego as plastic banners turned the stands into one giant Poland flag. Lewandowski has his eye on the ball during the Euro 2016 Group D qualifier between Poland and Scotland . The Tartan Army celebrate in Warsaw after Naismith's goal puts Scotland 2-1 ahead . The euphoria that filled this place after a first-ever victory over Germany was still lingering some 72 hours on. Dampening that rampant positivity and injecting some doubt had to be the early aim. Instead Alan Hutton arrived with a gift for Krzysztof Maczynski to fire Poland into an 11th minute lead via David Marshall’s left-hand post. It was a sign of Scotland’s confidence, however, that the recovery was both prompt and effective. Seven minutes was all it took for a fine move to end with Shaun Maloney placing the ball beyond Wojciech Szczesny. Around the first half flurries, the battle to contain Lewandowski was unfolding. Martin won the first direct duel with a thumping challenge near the touchline that rebounded off the Pole to bring a Scotland throw. It set the tone for the opening period as Strachan’s defence worked tirelessly to deny the 26-year-old space. Greer tested his fortitude with a crunching block on an attempted shot from 25 yards out. Lewandowski writhed in the ground in pain and continued chirping in the direction of Spanish referee Alberto Mallenco. If Greer’s intention was lay down a marker, to remind his illustrious opponent that he would not be cowed by reputation, then it seemed to have the desired effect. To help Martin and Greer in their quest, Strachan had opted to drop Andrew Robertson in favour of the superior physique provided by Steven Whittaker. There was no doubt the Poles were a powerful side and Whittaker’s selection was justified by one moment late in the first half. Scotland players celebrate after Steven Naismith (third left) gave the visitors a 2-1 lead against Poland . James Morrison (left) and Scotland manager Gordon Strachan leave the field after claiming a point . It looked for all the vodka in Warsaw that Lewandowski would score after Waldemar Sobota got in behind Hutton and delivered a ball that eliminated the centre-backs. Whittaker, though, stole in from the striker’s blind side with a terrific covering challenge that rescued the situation. Greer had been keeping things simple and steady in most of his work but allowed one pass to carelessly bobble him. Lewandowski was onto it in a flash but, just as he turned to home in on goal, he found Martin blocking his path. No-one could complain about the communication between the Championship pairing over the first 45 minutes. There were times in the second period when it was more fraught, despite Steven Naismith putting Scotland in front. The Bayern man was an inch or two away on getting his toe on the end a cross from the excellent Milik, before Marshall was finally required to deny him in impressive style. Lewandowski will now return to Bavaria with the club game’s greatest prizes in his sights. The aims of Martin and Greer are more modest, but on Tuesday night they were all equals. | Robert Lewandowski failed to score in Poland's 2-2 draw with Scotland .
Russell Martin and Gordon Greer were impressive for the visitors .
Greer was making his competitive debut for Scotland at the age of 33 . |
243,973 | c7cb2a53a11588ffb0742baa47efdc75047eaed4 | Tottenham are ready to join Sunderland in the race for Valencia midfielder Ever Banega. Black Cats boss Gus Poyet looks to be pole position to land the Argentina man ahead of next season. But new Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino, a compatriot of Banega, is also a fan and is keen to explore a move for the 25-year-old. Wanted man: Ever Banega (left), pictured here training with Argentina, is a target for Tottenham and Sunderland . Out of favour: Banega (left) was sent out on loan last season and could be available for just £5.5million . New man: Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino is keen on bringing his compatriot Banega to White Hart Lane . Banega was left out of Argentina's World Cup squad and will now concentrate on securing his next move. He was sent out on loan to Newell's Old Boys last season and is likely to be available for around £5.5million this summer. Pochettino has prioritised a new left-back and central-defender this summer. Swansea's Ben Davies os an option at left-back, while Southampton centre-back Dejan Lovren could follow Pochettino to White Hart Lane. Target: Tottenham are also interested in a summer move for Swansea left-back Ben Davies (right) On the move? Pochettino would like to be reunited with Southampton defender Dejan Lovren (right) at White Hart Lane . | Banega is a target for Sunderland but Pochettino is also interested .
The 25-year-old has been left out of Argentina's squad for the World Cup .
Banega could be available for £5.5million after being sent out on loan to Newell's Old Boys last season .
Tottenham are also keen on defenders Ben Davies and Dejan Lovren . |
237,434 | bf4cbbad1576e5b9cd291494193e4ae945053bf8 | Portland rallied past Toronto in overtime for a 102-97 win on Tuesday, extending the Trail Blazers' lead in the NBA Northwest Division into double digits. Elsewhere, Dallas inflicted Washington's heaviest defeat of the season, Memphis built their lead in the Southwest by downing division rival San Antonio, and Atlanta reclaimed sole leadership of the Southeast with a home victory over Cleveland. Portland's Damian Lillard had 26 points and nine assists while LaMarcus Aldridge, who returned from a respiratory illness, had 23 points and 13 rebounds for the Trail Blazers, who won their fourth straight game. Portland's Damian Lillard goes up for a basket as the Trail Blazers beat the Toronto Raptors . Lillard ended the game with 26 points as Portland extended their lead in the NBA Northwest Division . The Blazers rallied in the fourth quarter after trailing by 13 points but Toronto's late basket sent the game to overtime, where the hosts assumed control with three straight three-pointers. Kyle Lowry finished with 24 points for the Raptors, whose lead in the Eastern Conference was trimmed to half a game over Atlanta. The Hawks closed in with a 109-101 victory over Cleveland, with Paul Millsap's efforts enough to stave off a Cavaliers fightback. Atlanta led by 17 points early in the second half but resisted the Cleveland comeback, despite Cavaliers' Kyrie Irving scoring 35 points. Atlanta's Paul Millsap flies towards the basket as Atlanta Hawks beat the Cleveland Cavaliers . After the lead was reduced to three, Millsap scored Atlanta's next eight points. He led the Hawks with 26, including 10 points in the fourth quarter. Cleveland were without LeBron James, who sat out with a sore knee on his 30th birthday. Atlanta are a game clear in the Southeast ahead of Washington, who suffered a heavy 114-87 defeat by Dallas. Monta Ellis scored 20 points in 27 minutes for the Mavericks, including nine in the final 2:35 minutes of the second quarter to establish an 18 point half-time lead. Monta Ellis scored 27 points for the Dallas Mavericks as they beat the Washington Wizards . The Mavericks' 10 straight wins over Washington represent their longest active winning streak against any team. John Wall had 11 points and eight assists for the Wizards, who committed 23 turnovers. Dallas' victory closed the Texan team to within a game of Southwest leader Memphis, who earned a 95-87 win against San Antonio. Mike Conley had 30 points and six assists, while Marc Gasol added 17 points for the Grizzlies, ensuring they will be at least tied with the Spurs in their season series. Marco Belinelli and Cory Joseph scored 18 apiece for San Antonio, who went 5 of 22 from outside the arc. Marc Gasol scored 17 points for the Memphis Grizzlies as they downed San Antonio Spurs . Brooklyn ended Chicago's seven-game winning streak with a 96-82 road win, with Brook Lopez scoring a season-high 29 points. Lopez, playing his fifth game since returning from a back strain, replaced Kevin Garnett and went 13 for 21 from the field. Joe Johnson added 20 points and 11 rebounds for the Nets, who recorded only their second win this season against a team with more wins than losses. Mike Dunleavy led the Bulls with 23 points on 9-for-15 shooting, including 5 of 9 on 3-pointers. New Orleans beat Phoenix 110-106, snapping the Suns' six-game streak, with Tyreke Evans scoring 24 points, including eight straight in the final 2 minutes to guide the Pelicans to victory. Tyreke Evans led the New Orleans Pelicans to victory against the Phoenix Suns with 24 points . Golden State led by a gigantic 47 points before cruising to a 126-86 win over Philadelphia, giving the Warriors their 10th straight home-court win. Los Angeles' Kobe Bryant had 23 points, 11 assists and 11 rebounds for his 21st career triple-double, leading the Lakers to a 111-103 win at Denver. Detroit's Jodie Meeks scored a season-high 34 points off the bench, shooting 9 for 11 on 3-pointers, to lead the Pistons to a 109-86 win at Orlando. Utah's Gordon Hayward scored 11 of his 26 points in the final 4 minutes to rally the Jazz to a 100-94 victory over skidding Minnesota. | Portland edged past Toronto in overtime to extend Northwest Division lead .
Dallas inflicted Washington's heaviest defeat of the season .
Memphis extended Southwest lead with victory over San Antonio .
Cleveland were beaten by Atlanta as they took sole lead of the Southeast . |
39,773 | 704781ee3904ef0c97bc24333a55d79964659aa8 | A Melbourne man who is believed to have been killed fighting for ISIS in Syria reportedly only became a jihadist as an excuse to 'be a part of the violence' to satisfy his aggressive nature. It is reported that Mahmoud Abdullatif, known as the 'playboy jihadist', was killed over the weekend. Abdullatif's former girlfriend has come forward, opening up about the man she knew - a bully from Brunswick Secondary College who had a penchant for violence. Scroll down for video . Playboy jihadi: Mahmoud Abdullatif was known for his love of women and fast cars before he became a militant jihadi . It has been reported that Victorian woman Zehra Duman, pictured, had married Abdullatif . Sahini Sendeera, 21, says her ex-boyfriend was a man of extremes. Abdullatif was a rebel and a womaniser who never lived a religious lifestyle, yet was fiercely proud to be a Muslim according to Fairfax Media. 'I think he liked the extreme culture of Islam and I think he just wanted to be a part of the violence,' Ms Senadeera told SMH. 'I think for him Islam was just an excuse to behave like that.' Ms Sendeera explains that his approach to religion incorporated many double standards, purporting to be religious whilst acting aggressively and chasing women in clubs. Abdullatif was called 'Mushi' by his friends and was part of a troublesome group who were all allegedly kicked out of school in Year 11. Both his ex-girlfriend and a former friend, who did not wish to be named, always assumed Abdullatif's misbehaviour was harmless. 'He did have a reputation for being a wannabe badass but I never expected this, I thought he was just full of it,' the friend told Fairfax. However, his former girlfriend does concede that he made friends and admirers because he had a 'really interesting personality'. The message came from a woman purporting to be his wife on Twitter, who marked his death with an apparent celebratory message on Tuesday. 'Till we reunite in Jannatul Firdaws (heaven) my dearest husband,' the account said. 'You won the race! Heart of a green bird insha'Allah habibi<3!' Just a month ago, Abdullatif announced his marriage to the woman, reportedly Victorian woman Zehra Duman, on Twitter. At the time, he also said he hoped for a 'beautiful death. 'I got married today... insha Allah I receive a beautiful death as well. #jihadlife,' he wrote on December 19. Abdullatif was pictured just weeks ago accompanying Sydney militant Mohamed Elomar and a friend. Pictured: Mahmoud Abdullatif was reported killed in the Middle East . The image was captioned on social media: 'Aussie reunion in the land of khalifah (caliphate).' Abdullatif's purported killing is the latest in a spate of Australian deaths in the Middle East. Mohammad Ali Baryalei, a mid-level Islamic State commander, was reported dead in October. Authorities believed Baryalei responsible for the recruitment of as many as half of the Australians fighting for the Islamic State. | Wife reports Mahmoud Abdullatif, of Melbourne, has been killed .
'You won the race!' she congratulated him on social media .
Abdullatif was known for his love of women and fast cars .
His ex-girlfriend believes he wasn't particularly religious but was attracted to the violence in Syria .
Abdullatif was kicked out of his Brunswick high school in Year 11 .
He was a bully and a troublemaker but made friends because of his 'really interesting personality' |
264,853 | e30fc407adbd5e2b3526030f13df87a9070c0f76 | Many of us know someone who has struggled to pass their driving test. But spare a thought for the hapless learner who has set a record for failure. The unnamed 28-year-old, from London, has flunked the car theory test 107 times and is still yet to pass. They have so far spent £3,317 trying to pass the exam, which costs £31 a time. The test includes a 57-minute multiple choice exam, with a pass mark of 43 out of 50, and a hazard perception test with a pass mark of 44 out of 75. Fail: one determined Londoner still hasn't passed after flunking the test 107 times . Once you’ve passed both parts of the theory, there’s still the practical to overcome. One determined 40-year-old logged a record number of practical driving tests – passing on his 37th attempt. The unnamed man, from Stoke-on-Trent, forked out at least £2,294 trying to pass – which could have paid for a reasonable second-hand car. The practical test costs £62 to take on a weekday or £75 for a test on an evening, weekend or bank holiday. An AA Driving School spokesman said: ‘This is an unusually high number of test attempts, but it is important to remember that everyone learns at their own pace. Their determination to pass highlights how important learning to drive is to most people. 'It is a milestone that many people aspire to achieving because of the freedom and independence it brings.’ Costly buiness: The driver has spent £3,371 just on driving tests which costs £31 a time . | An unnamed 28-year-old has failed the theory test 107 times, and still hasn't passed .
The determined Londoner has spent £3,317 trying to pass . |
221,441 | aaa49f141e02b5e7bd5566edcc40c0d13d5a0cca | By . Naomi Greenaway . and Ruth Styles . At first glance, Lou Street, a 39-year-old mother of four, from Gravesend, doesn't appear to have a care in the world. But appearances can be deceptive and the reality is quite different. Although she looks healthy, this summer will be the last Lou and her family will ever enjoy together. 'What's killing me is motor neurone disease and the medication,' she explains. 'I've been told I only have a year to . go but I don't believe it. We'll see!' Brave: Lou Street, 39, is dying of motor neurone disease and plans to spend her last months with her family . Lou was diagnosed with motor neurone . disease, a degenerative condition that attacks the nervous system, on the 23rd December 2010 and told that she had just over two years to live. Three years on, Lou, who appears on tonight's Channel 4 documentary, My Last Summer, believes she has at least one year left, which she plans to spend with her husband John and her two youngest children, Ria, nine, and Mimi, six. 'I didn't want them to think I was keeping things from them,' reveals Lou, who told her family, including her two older children from a previous relationship, of the diagnosis immediately after finding out. 'I've never done that before so why start now?' While Mimi appears to be coping with her mother's illness, Ria took it badly and in a heartbreaking scene in My Last Summer, reveals that she wishes she hadn't been told. 'It was a shock,' says the nine-year-old, who says that she would 'be more happier' if she didn't know anything.' While Ria struggles to come to terms with the prospect of losing her mother, Lou herself has thrown herself into planning her last weeks and even her funeral. Brave: Lou (second right) with (from left) Andy, Jayne, Ben and Junior, who also appear in the documentary . 'I have made a decision,' she reveals. 'If I can't . swallow, you don't feed me, if I can't breathe, you won't make me breathe - I . don't want that stuff. 'I don't want to end up paralysed with a feeding tube and a breathing machine. You can go on for a very long time like that. 'When it comes to when I can't physically speak or can't move, I'll be too far gone for me to change anything about it - I'll be stuck.' Her funeral plans include a party led by a celebrant who will help her family relive happy memories and deliver her final goodbye from beyond the gravee. That, however, doesn't make the prospect of leaving her family behind, the two youngest girls in particular, any easier. 'The only thing I'm scared of [about dying] is who's going to find me and how will my children will cope. Mimi and Ria are young. Daddy . isn't going to plait their hair and give them the motherly chat about . periods. Tragic: Of the five to appear in My Last Summer, Lou is one of only two still alive to enjoy summer 2014 . 'And my fear is, he's going to make the wrong choice,' she says . stopping mid-sentence, her voice cracking. 'It . hurts knowing that someone else is going to have to step into my shoes . to be a mother to my children - and not knowing who they are. 'Because . you don't know if they're going to do right -- if they're actually . going to love them right. They need someone. He's a fantastic dad - but . he's not a mother. I wish I could meet them [potential step-mother] now. I'd like to choose . them, but John would have a fit!' Lou, ordinarily so composed, wells up. 'I'm dying...' she adds, her voice wobbling. 'My body's dying, my inside and my heart are dying - when I look at my children and when I can't do things with them. 'You've got to look it and say, "What would be the best thing?" The best thing would be to survive it. But it's not going to happen. It's not. It's just going to get worse and worse.' Lou Street appears on My Last Summer, tonight at 9pm on Channel 4 . | Lou Street, 39, from Gravesend is dying from motor neurone disease .
Tells of living with terminal illness in Channel 4 documentary Last Summer .
Wants to take her own life so her children don't have to see her deteriorate . |
106,865 | 15da44acdac06da02633c0e0bfa3082c4452e9f6 | (CNN) -- It was a homecoming rally to cheer on the Waverly Wolverines football team. They were undefeated this year. Everyone was proud. Then, in the midst of the cheers and a sea of red and white pom poms came a 30-second skit that, for some, turned an afternoon of school pride into one of shame. Three white male students involved in the skit made light of domestic violence, and they did it in racist manner, say some. Two were in blackface as they re-enacted a 2009 domestic abuse incident in which singer Chris Brown assaulted then-girlfriend Rihanna. The student who played Brown was vying for the school's "Mr. Waverly" title -- a school tradition in which skits are performed and the one that garners the most applause wins the title. On Monday, Waverly alum Matthew Dishler posted a photograph of the skit on CNN's iReport. He says someone shared the image on Facebook. The photo went viral. By Tuesday afternoon, the CNN iReport had more than 46,000 views and showed up on Huffington Post, Buzzfeed and Gawker and in local newspapers. Suddenly, Waverly High School became synonymous with racism and sexism. Twitter lit up with comments about the skit. Many were critical, but some defended the skit. "I don't think it was offensive at all," said Chelsea House, who earned her high school diploma from Waverly last year and moved to Alabama but returned for homecoming last week and saw the skit. "There's nothing wrong with blackface. There's nothing wrong with dressing up as a black person. Black is but a color," House said. Waverly Central School District Superintendent Joseph Yelich said Tuesday that he did not believe the students in the skit intended to offend anyone. Waverly resident Thomas Rumpff, a 2007 graduate of the high school, said he believed most of the kids were unaware of the historical context of blackface, a form of theatrical makeup used by white people in minstrel shows that perpetuated racist stereotypes of African-Americans. Rumpff said the Rihanna incident had also been satirized online and on television before. "Was this a little bit inappropriate? Yes," he said. But said the incident "has been completely blown out of proportion." Other incidents of blackface have surfaced this year, including a Colorado Springs second-grader who offended a teacher when he painted his face black to resemble the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. The Waverly High skit was approved by school officials before it was performed, Yelich said. He acknowledged the problem and said he was speaking with students, teachers and staff at the school in the coming days. "My concern is to start making something teachable out of this particular circumstance," he said. The desire to win likely fuels outrageous behavior, said Fran Bialy, assistant director of A New Hope Center, an agency that aids victims of rape, domestic violence, assault and hate crimes. Other skits at the pep rally involved Tarzan and a dairy farmer milking his cows. Last year, a student played Tiger Woods, also in blackface."I have heard about blackface, but ... they're portraying Hollywood events," alum Ryan Bronson said. "It would be the same thing if he bought a mask." Bottom line, Bronson said: People are being too sensitive. "They go crazy about every little thing," he said. "The school and everybody are going to basically stop letting kids be kids." Dishler said he posted the image not to cast a harsh light on anyone but to prod the school to do better with issues of diversity. "I don't believe the kids really knew what they were doing is as offensive as it is," Dishler said. "The administration was watching this go on, and they let it happen." Alum Vlad Chituc also blamed school officials. He said Waverly, a small town off Interstate 86 just west of Binghamton, New York, could easily be seen as a place that affirmed stereotypes of all sorts. Of Waverly's 4,444 people, 4,312 were white, according to 2010 census data. Chituc said he was "extraordinarily offended" by the skit and ashamed that his school seemed to be OK with it. "On the one hand, I can't blame the kids for being ignorant," Chituc said. "It's a small town, and the kids don't know any better. It's the responsibility of the administration to let the kids know this is not how you behave in 21st-century America. ... They've been failing at that spectacularly. "The administration should be creating an environment where minorities are welcome, not the butts of racist jokes that make light of domestic violence." Chituc contacted Waverly High School Principal Kim Forero by e-mail. He sent CNN Forero's response, which read in part: . "Thank you for your concerns. We will continue to address issues of diversity and respect for all. The format of pep rally will need to be reconsidered. I appreciate your concern for your alma mater." Yelich, for his part, said he could see how the skit could have been misconstrued and that he intends to set clearer expectations for behavior. "I have some opportunities here to make positive change," he said. CNN was not able to obtain the names of the students involved in the skit. Whatever their intentions were, one thing was clear: Their portrayals of Chris Brown and Rihanna fell short -- the kid who played the dairy farmer was crowned Mr. Waverly. CNN's Katie Hawkins-Gaar contributed to this report. | Some students at a New York high school don't see anything offensive .
Others are outraged that the school allowed such a skit to take place .
The superintendent doesn't believe the students were intentionally malicious .
A photo of the skit posted on CNN's iReport went viral . |
163,173 | 5f0061e3148e5fe4e64bac04fb7bdcab3b94ab7f | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:33 EST, 30 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:19 EST, 1 October 2013 . Former Russian spy Anna Chapman has refused to answer questions about her Twitter proposal to NSA leaker Edward Snowden in a bizarre television interview. The flame-haired femme fatale walked out of the interview with the Today show when pressed about her tweet in July, which read: 'Snowden, will you marry me?!' Chapman, who has appeared in sultry photo shoots, walked catwalks and featured in her own television show since she was arrested in New York in 2010, insisted she wanted to keep her privacy. 'I'm not going to discuss this,' Chapman, 31, told NBC's Richard Engel in the segment that aired on Monday. 'OK, the interview is finished. I'm sorry.' Scroll down for video . Keeping quiet: Former Russian spy Anna Chapman, pictured on the Today show, would not talk about her recent marriage proposal to Edward Snowden and insisted she is a private person . Anger: She left the interview when asked about her relationship to Snowden and the U.S. Chapman, who was deported from the U.S. after authorities learned she was leaking information back to Russia, is now the host of a Russian show about aliens and ghosts called 'Mysteries of the World'. Despite this new role in the spotlight, she insisted she was a private person. 'I'm a very private, discreet person and I still don't do many interviews because I just don't like to share,' she said. 'I don't believe that people would be interested in knowing about somebody's life.' She also denied being married, saying 'everybody would know' if she was. Proposal: Edward Snowden fled the U.S. in May after leaking sensitive government information . But she abruptly ended the five-minute interview with Engel after he asked her about the proposal to Snowden, who fled the U.S. in May and sought refuge in Moscow airport before he was granted asylum. 'I don't want to discuss America. I'm sorry,' she said. 'I think [the interview is] done because it's not going the right way.' After she walked out the room, Engel told the Today show: 'I get the sense that somebody had told her don't go there, don't talk about this.' Chapman, the daughter of a senior KGB agent, was arrested in 2010 with nine others, accused of working for a spy ring for Russa's external intelligence agency. In the limelight: Chapman, who was deported from the U.S. in 2010, poses during Moscow Fashion Week . She pleaded guilty to a charge of conspiracy and was deported back to Russia in July 2010 as part of a prisoner swap. She has since become a celebrity in Russia. After her arrest, a former boyfriend leaked explicit pictures of Chapman, which led to more sultry photo shoots for magazines. She also appeared on the catwalk at Russian Fashion Week in Moscow clothed in a skin-tight leather ensemble, edited a magazine, given lectures and now runs a foundation. Snowden, who left long-term girlfriend Lindsay Mills back in Hawaii when he fled the country, was holed up in the Moscow airport for weeks before he was granted asylum there in August. | Chapman, 31, walked out of interview after being quizzed about her proposal on Twitter to NSA leaker .
Insisted she is a private person despite taking part in fashion shows, photo shoots and new TV show in Russia . |
139,696 | 40a7979ececfa3f47b0279cdca35e7bd277e20f5 | Niall Horan, one fifth of the world's biggest boyband One Direction, was at the iPro Stadium on Tuesday night to cheer on Derby. Despite growing up in Ireland, he supports the club because of his dad, who pledged allegiance when Brian Clough ruled the roost. Horan has attended matches in the past – including the 2007 Championship play-off final – and was in a box here after performing on Sunday's X Factor final in London, alongside Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, wearing a Rams earpiece. One Direction star Niall Horan (right) left his band-mates to watch Derby take on Chelsea on Tuesday . Real Madrid had an interest in the match through Omar Mascarell, who is on loan at Derby from the Spanish giants. Jose Mourinho knows the midfielder. He gave Mascarell his first-team debut in his last match at the Bernabeu in June 2013, replacing Mesut Ozil with nine minutes left of a 4-2 win over Osasuna. Real Madrid loanee Omar Mascarell (left) challenges Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas on Tuesday evening . Jose Mourinho went mad at the people carrying the stretcher onto the pitch as Kurt Zouma lay stricken on the floor, physically pushing two of the quartet to hurry up. Cesc Fabregas and Cesar Azpilicueta then ran over to drag them along quicker. It was odd to see such medical staff walking but the doctors were already tending to Zouma and did not look in immediate need of the stretcher. Mourinho has history of agitation in similar circumstances, of course, attacking the Ambulance Service for the time taken to arrive at Reading's Madejski Stadium to collect Petr Cech in 2006. His claims were later rebuked. Chelsea duo Cesar Azpilicueta (left) and Cesc Fabregas help carry on the stretcher for Kurt Zouma . Richard Keogh was culpable for Chelsea's opening goal, just as his error led to Bobby Zamora scoring QPR's winner in May's Championship play-off final. His slip here allowed Cesc Fabregas to pick up his 15th assist of the season, 10 more than any other Chelsea player. Away fans cruelly taunted Keogh, chanting 'Are you Gerrard in disguise?' He did make amends of sorts with two excellent challenges on Didier Drogba in dangerous positions. Richard Keogh was at fault as Belgian forward Eden Hazard opened the scoring for Chelsea . | Niall Horan has followed in his dad's footsteps by supporting Derby .
He was at the iPro Stadium to watch their defeat by Chelsea on Tuesday .
Jose Mourinho gave Derby's Omar Mascarell his debut at Real Madrid .
The Chelsea boss was unhappy with the speed of the stretcher carriers .
Richard Keogh was at fault for Eden Hazard's opening goal . |
34,257 | 61540e07c1623ef66b60f66751d6318b9fd1ce01 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 10:23 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:23 EST, 18 October 2013 . A sacked PCSO who is suing London's Metropolitan Police for discrimination has successfully argued . Rachida Sobhi is suing Scotland Yard for disability discrimination after she was turned down when applying to become a PC due to failing a background check which revealed that she had a criminal record for stealing . she did not know she had amnesia when she failed to declare a conviction for theft. But a tribunal has reserved its decision on several key points that will determine whether her claims against the police force are ultimately successful. Rachida Sobhi, 43, took the Metropolitan Police to court after she was denied a role as a police constable in December 2009, claiming she was discriminated against because of a disability. She was denied the job - and has since been sacked - because she was reprimanded earlier that year for failing to declare a conditional discharge for theft in 1991. But Ms Sohbi had since argued at the time she did not remember being arrested because she suffered dissociative amnesia stemming from personal trauma she had experienced around that time. A preliminary hearing at the London Central Employment Tribunal today was tasked to determine whether Ms Sobhi knew she had amnesia when she filled out the security form and whether she should have mentioned that on the form. Ms Sobhi said she wasn't aware when she filled out the form and only had any recollection at all she might have been arrested when she was contacted by a vetting officer in February 2009, about two months after she filled in the security form, to ask why her fingerprints were in the police database. 'For some strange reason... I had a couple of small flashes of memory - nothing else," she said. 'I still did not know of the existence of the dissociative amnesia then. I didn't even know what on earth he was talking about.' Miss Sobhi also told the hearing that she felt the Met did not support her after she discovered her memory loss. 'I just had a feeling that some sort of assessment need to be done. It is not very nice experience to go through - they refused to provide me with medical assistance. 'Without the help of my family and . seeking psychiatric assessment I could have spent the rest of my life . not knowing what was going on with my memory. 'February . 26 (2009) was the first time I was aware there was an allegation of . theft that had resulted in the receipt of a conditional discharge.' Ms Sobhi said she only had any recollection at all she might have been arrested when she was contacted by a vetting officer in February 2009 . She added that she did not know what other memories had been lost because of the 'traumas' she had suffered making her condition 'long-term'. Not specifying the issues, she said: 'I don't know how many memories are still lost in my mind. They have to be triggered - that is the impairment. 'I have come to accept that I am going to have to live with this for the rest of my life, waiting for the trigger moment, or hopefully not.' As a result of failing to reveal her conviction for theft, believed to involve stealing £20 worth of makeup from a Brixton department store while she worked there as a cashier in 1991, Miss Sobhi was given a reprimand by the Met. She says that because she had a justifiable medical reason why she did not reveal her criminal record, she should never have received it. Miss Sobhi believes that she would never have been sacked if the reprimand was not on her record and should now be wiped off. Judge Sigsworth expressed his surprise it remained and said that the Met should look into removing it from the record.'She has genuine dissociative amnesia. Clearly it should be removed from the record,' he said. Charles Sparling, representing Metropolitan Police, said he accepted Ms Sobhi's amnesia was real and she did not know about it at the time. But citing medical evidence, Mr Sparling argued Ms Sohbi's disability was not long-term and she was not discriminated against because of it. Once she realised she had amnesia, it was no longer a disability impacting her work, he argued. However, Ms Sobhi said she had to live with the knowledge that certain triggers could spark repressed memories at any time, which rendered her amnesia an ongoing, long-term disability. Mr Sigsworth reserved his judgement over the point. 'This is not an easy case,' he said. How Ms Sobhi's disability is defined will affect up to five separate claims she has made against the Metropolitan Police. The latest claim came after she was fired following a disciplinary hearing into an £80 littering fine she received for throwing a cigarette butt. Ms Sobhi said she would never have been sacked if the reprimand was wiped from her record. She argued because she had a justifiable medical reason why she did not reveal her criminal record, it should have been. The reprimand still remained on her record, she told the tribunal. Mr Sigsworth said he thought it should not have remained there. 'She has genuine dissociative amnesia... (so) it clearly should be removed from the record,' he said. Both parties have been given a week to send Mr Sigsworth submissions over the point in contention. Ms Sobhi had previously asked for the hearing to be heard in private, arguing her reputation was being damaged by her case being reported by media. Mr Sigsworth rejected the request. | Rachida Sobhi has successfully argued she did not know she had amnesia when she failed to declare a conviction for theft .
She was denied a PC job - and has since been sacked - because she was reprimanded for failing to declare a conditional discharge for theft in 1991 .
Took Met Police to court after she was denied a role as a police constable, claiming she was discriminated against because of a disability .
A preliminary hearing will decide whether Ms Sobhi knew she had amnesia when she filled out the form and if she should have mentioned it . |
270,333 | ea1dada52f18fd2d9dc51728936dc41a511c40af | Britain looks set for another warm and dry weekend and could also enjoy temperatures of 21C in the first days of October - eight degrees hotter than the monthly average. And forecasters at the Met Office say the last weekend of September will be largely dry with temperatures in London reaching 23C on Sunday. The unseasonably warm weather has proved a boon for gardeners, who are seeing flowers grow much bigger and last much longer than usual. In Cornwall, caretakers at Trebah, near Falmouth, say the climate has produced their biggest hydrangeas ever and has left their garden looking like a Monet painting. Scroll down for video . The Met Office has predicted a weekend of warm, dry weather for most of the country, with the first days of October set to be up to eight degrees hotter than usual. The unseasonably warm weather has proved good for gardeners, such as those at Trebah, near Falmouth in Cornwall (pictured) For most people the weekend will be cloudy, dry and warm with the chance of scattered sunshine, perfect for taking a walk in the countryside . Caretakers say the wet spring conditions followed by a warm summer have lead to their biggest hydrangeas ever, with some growing to the size of a human head . Masterpiece: The large blooming flowers alongside the arched bridge have left the gardens looking like this famous Monet painting Les Nympheas Blancs . The combination of heavy rainfall over winter followed by prolonged sunny spells and warm temperatures has produced the most colourful season for the flowers. Head gardener Darren Dickey said: 'This year has been one of the best flowering displays ever and with more flowers still forming the hydrangeas will continue to light up the valley for weeks to come. 'The older flowers also bring added interest during the autumn with the whites taking on pinkish tinges and the blues going a lovely emerald green.' The news of warm, dry weather will also come as great news to golf fans watching the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, in Scotland, this weekend. A spokesman for the Met Office, said: 'The average temperature for England in October is 13.8C, but towards the end of next week we are predicting temperatures to be between 21-22C in the south. 'That's a huge difference. And Glasgow, which has an average October temperature of 11.5C could see temperatures of up to 19C. 'As for the weekend, it will be very windy in Scotland tomorrow but staying dry. It will be a cloudy start for most but brightening up for a sunny afternoon. By the end of next week, forecasters predict temperatures in the low twenties for England, well above the October average of 13.8C, which has allowed flowers to flourish much later than usual . Long-range forecast show that the UK could experience above average temperatures all the way into November, meaning more time to enjoy the outdoors . Tourists enjoy the warm weather at Trebah Gardens in Cornwall while taking pictures of the hydrangeas which have grown bigger than usual thanks to perfect conditions . 'There is an area of high pressure prevailing over the south, but with clearer skies there could be a frost overnight from Saturday to Sunday in exposed northern areas. 'Saturday will be mostly dry and cloudy for everybody but on Sunday there will be more sunshine with possible temperatures of 23C in London and the south. 'Temperatures in Scotland could be between 17C and 20C. That's five degrees higher than normal. 'Sunday will be a similar day, a cloudy start with a sunny afternoon, although the winds will be lighter which will be good news for the Ryder Cup. 'Monday will also start cloudy with scattered sunshine. There is also chance of rain overnight in the south and south east, which mat spread further north. 'Temperatures at the start of next week will remain in the low teen and high twenties in most towns and cities, with 17C or 18C possible in Scotland.' The three-day weather forecast from the Met Office - who say that Britain can expect temperatures of up to 23C in the south this weekend . The news of warm, dry weather will come as a relief to hundreds of golf fans enjoying the opening day of the 2014 Ryder Cup in Scotland today . The first day of play at the Ryder Cup got underway today in dry, sunny conditions, although high winds may pose problems as they arrive tomorrow . The Met Office has also predicted unusually warm overnight temperatures during the weekend - making it perfect weather for barbecue lovers hoping stay outdoors into the evening. Ms Young added: 'Overnight temperatures in most of England are going to be between 13C and 14C going from Saturday into Sunday. That's very warm considering an expected daytime temperature of around 20C. 'And it's not just England, Scotland will also see some warm nights. Even in the Shetland Islands, where Saturday overnight temperatures are expected to be around 11C. This is very unusual.' Long-range forecasts say Britain could also be in for above-average temperatures until the end of November. The Met Office's three-month contingency planner states: 'The latest predictions for UK-mean temperature favour above-average temperatures for September-October-November as a whole.' The Met Office has also highlighted that a split in weather between the north west and south east of the UK will develop more in the next few weeks, with rain and wind effecting northerly parts of Scotland and the south east remaining generally dry. A magnificent view across the lake as summer gives way to autumn at the National Trust Gardens at Stourhead near Mere, Wiltshire as September's Indian summer continues . A couple sit on a bench and enjoy the sunshine today at the National Trust Gardens at Stourhead near Mere, Wiltshire . A runner makes their way through a tree lined avenue in Clifton, Bristol, where colourful autumnal leaves are already starting to lay on the ground despite the unusually warm weather . | Met Office says the UK can expect a warm and mostly dry weekend with temperatures creeping up to 23C in the south .
Monday will also be dry and warm, although there will be a chance of showers in the south overnight into Tuesday .
Temperatures will remain in 20s until the start of October when the monthly average for England is usually 13.8C . |
146,248 | 491eab133891a3ae9c6909476690c4ed151b4bac | By . Jessica Jerreat . Accessing the Dark Web, where drugs and weapons can be purchased at the click of a button, just got easier with the launch of a search engine based on Google. Grams, which was launched last week, appears to have modeled itself closely on Google, from the brightly colored logo to the 'I Feel Lucky' search button. Unlike the mainstream search engine however, those wanting to use Grams have to access the Tor browser that provides an extra level of anonymity. Web search: Grams may look like Google but it helps users find drugs and guns . The site works by searching multiple illicit websites such as SilkRoad2, Pandora and The Pirate Market, which are known for providing access to stolen credit cards, fake IDs and drugs. Previously, accessing those sites would have meant knowing the exact URL to type in. 'I noticed on the forums and reddit . people were constantly asking "where to get product X?" and "which . market had product X?" or "who had the best product X and was reliable . and not a scam?",' the creator, who asked to remain anonymous, told Wired. 'I wanted . to make it easy for people to find things they wanted on the "darknet" and figure out who was a trustworthy vendor.' Going underground: Grams collects search results for illicit websites, similar to drug site Silk Road which was closed by the FBI last year . When a search request is entered into Grams, it returns a list of results showing the name of the seller, their location, and the price of the product. The site will also help users track down sites that have been closed by agencies such as the FBI, which closed Silk Road - where illegal drugs could allegedly be traded - last year. Other functions of Gram mirror Google, such as space to leave reviews, and the development of an advertising tool to allow sellers to pay for a more prominent listing. | Grams searches several underground sites to provide detailed results .
Buyers and sellers can also leave reviews on purchases . |
22,535 | 3ff4ac124e43276c67900f1fc4a8e81bdaa73beb | The U.S. Justice Department asked the Ferguson, Missouri, Police Department on Friday to order its officers not to wear bracelets in support of the white policeman who shot to death an unarmed black teenager last month, sparking protests. In a letter to Ferguson Police Chief Tom Jackson, the Justice Department said residents had told its investigators that officers policing protest sites on Tuesday in Ferguson were seen wearing 'I am Darren Wilson' bracelets. Wilson killed 18-year-old Michael Brown on Aug. 9, causing outrage in the mostly black St. Louis suburb of 21,000 people. Wilson has not been charged in the case. The U.S. Justice Department asked the Ferguson, Missouri, Police Department on Friday to order its officers not to wear bracelets in support of the white policeman who shot to death an unarmed black teenager last month, sparking protests . The Justice Department has opened an investigation into the shooting and the police treatment of protesters, which critics say was unduly harsh. The letter said the bracelets had 'upset and agitated' people and 'reinforce the very 'us versus them' mentality that many residents of Ferguson believe exists.' The DOJ said it had been assured by officials with the county and state police, which have been brought in to help in Ferguson, that their officers would not wear them. Ferguson police could not be reached for comment on Friday evening. In a separate letter sent to Jackson earlier this week, the Justice Department said its investigators had observed Ferguson police officers not wearing, or obscuring, their name tags on their uniforms, a violation of the police department's rules. 'The failure to wear name plates conveys a message to community members that, through anonymity, officers may seek to act with impunity,' the letter said. Jackson, following weeks of heavy criticism and calls for his ouster, issued a video apology to Brown's parents on Thursday. He later began marching with a group of protesters, but a scuffle broke out near him and several people were arrested. A letter from the Justice Department said the bracelets had 'upset and agitated' people and 'reinforce the very 'us versus them' mentality that many residents of Ferguson believe exists' In addition to the Justice Department probe, a grand jury in St. Louis County is examining the case. Protesters have pledged continued civil unrest until Wilson is charged in Brown's death and on Friday night several dozen people gathered in downtown Ferguson to call for Jackson's ouster. Police kept a low-key presence during the demonstrations, showing none of the aggressive tactics that had led to prior clashes with protesters. Although Ferguson is predominantly African American, its political leadership and police department are dominated by whites. Activists say Brown's death was the culmination of years of police unfairly targeting blacks. | Justice Department says the bracelets have 'agitated' people and led to an 'us versus them' mentality .
Officers policing protest sites have been seen wearing the bracelets saying 'I am Darren Wilson'
Wilson killed 18-year-old Michael Brown on Aug. 9, sparking outrage in the largely black St. Louis suburb . |
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