Unnamed: 0
int64 0
287k
| id
stringlengths 40
40
| article
stringlengths 117
14.7k
| highlights
stringlengths 37
3.97k
|
|---|---|---|---|
142,716 | 44948de5560941a238e070d7bdc819e40dc07697 | Editor's note: Frances Fragos Townsend, a CNN contributor on national security issues, served as President George W. Bush's chief anti-terrorism and homeland security adviser. Townsend has spent more than two decades in the fields of intelligence and criminal justice and has served during the past three administrations. Townsend is currently a consultant to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Aspen Institute Homeland Security Program. Frances Townsend says the priority for the White House must be protecting the American people. WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The Washington Post recently reported that Gen. Jim Jones, President Obama's national security adviser, is reviewing plans to reorganize the White House National Security and Homeland Security councils. Some, if not all, of the functions of the Homeland Security Council may be folded into an expanded National Security Council. There is no more solemn responsibility that the president bears than to protect American lives. During my 4½ years at the White House, I came to believe that, for this reason, organization must be dictated by effectiveness. How best to maximize effectiveness will inevitably change over time as we as a country continue to weaken al Qaeda and other enemies, as the Department of Homeland Security gains strength, and as our government better integrates the capabilities that have been built since the tragedy of September 11. As the Obama administration considers the most effective means of organizing the White House structure, I respectfully submit that any structure should be judged against three fundamental criteria. First, there must be a single person both responsible and accountable to the president who monitors threat information and who has the authority to marshal all instruments of national power (military, intelligence, law enforcement, economic, diplomatic and public diplomacy) to defeat the threat. This individual cannot wait until threats arrive on our shores, but must have the responsibility and the means to identify those threats where they originate and to ensure a coordinated response to them. The president's homeland security adviser must not be constrained by geographic boundaries that our enemies do not respect. Second, the homeland security adviser must have direct and immediate access to the president. Ultimately, if terrorists successfully strike the United States, it is the president, and not his staff, who will be accountable to the American people for the failure. The homeland security adviser must be able to get to the president quickly without clearance from his or her colleagues on the White House staff. Unfortunately, there will be times when American lives are at stake and the president will need to be advised and operational decisions taken and communicated to the relevant Cabinet secretary in real time. These sorts of crises do not lend themselves to the normal bureaucratic process. Third, the homeland security issues faced by our government are diverse and many. They range from preparedness and response to natural disasters (ice, flooding, fires and wind) to pandemic planning and biological and nuclear threats. These issues are often distinct from the more traditional foreign policy issues faced by the National Security Council and require experienced staff with significant expertise. The staff must understand state and local emergency management policy issues and concerns. They must be organized, not simply to facilitate the homeland security policy process, but also to anticipate and respond to state and local political leaders in a time of crisis. The homeland security adviser requires adequate staffing to deal with the counterterrorism and homeland security issues. We remain a nation at war with a very determined enemy. We have troops deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, but the national security adviser has many important responsibilities in addition to those two theaters. For example, he must contend with the Middle East peace process and counter proliferation around the world, but most especially in Iran and North Korea. I worry that increasing the span of control of the national security adviser could dilute the homeland security mission and make it just one more item on a list already overburdened. That said, I wish to be clear. We should judge any reorganization by the substance and criteria that I have suggested above. We must be careful not to assume that a merger means the president cares less about homeland security. We must resist this easy organizational chart test and look to the substance of how responsibilities are allocated and how we are being protected. Let me suggest three questions the administration should ask before deciding on a new White House structure: (1) Is there one person responsible and accountable to the president who looks around the world at threats and advises the president? (2) Does this one person have direct and immediate access to the president? and (3) Does this person have adequate staff to fulfill his or her responsibilities? These are the questions that we should be asking and the criteria against which we should judge the effort. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Frances Townsend. | Fran Townsend: White House's top goal must be protecting American people .
She says Obama's reorganization might expand National Security Council .
Homeland security concerns must not be downplayed in the process, she says .
Townsend: Homeland adviser needs direct access to the president . |
217,440 | a580effa8443c59073fb5d170e10d65266042488 | By . Rob Cooper . PUBLISHED: . 04:05 EST, 22 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:19 EST, 22 April 2013 . Criminals are four times as likely to avoid a jail sentence if they offend in the right areas, research has revealed. Offenders face a postcode lottery when they appear before magistrates' courts with just 1.5 per cent being locked up in Warwickshire - compared with more than six per cent in Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire. Overall, the use of jail sentences fell by a quarter between 2001 and 2011, new figures revealed today. Easy ride: Prisoners are four times less likely to be jailed if they offend in the 'right' areas . Nationwide, just 3.8 per cent of offenders are jailed when they appear before magistrates, the report by the Howard League for Penal Reform found. In England, courts imposed immediate . custodial sentences in 3.8 per cent of cases in 2011, down from 4.9 per . cent in 2001. But the rate in Wales rose over the same period, however, from . 4.0 per cent to 4.3 per cent. Although the discrepancies may appear relatively small, courts are dealing with thousands of cases every day. Overall magistrates jailed 46,000 offenders in 2011 as they handed down 1.2million sentences. The figures show that in Warwickshire just 162 jail terms were handed down during 11,097 sentencing hearings. Sentencing postcode lottery: Map shows the percentage of offenders appearing before magistrates who are sent to jail. In Warwickshire, just 1.5 per cent of people are locked up. However, in Northamptonshire it is 6.5 per cent, and 6.2 per cent in Derbyshire . Areas where criminals are most likely to be jailed by magistrates. 1) Northamptonshire 6.5 per cent jailed . 2) Derbyshire 6.2 per cent . 3) West Midlands 5.8 per cent . 4) South Wales 4.6 per cent . 5) North Wales 4.6 per cent . Where criminals are likely to escape a jail sentence. 1) Warwickshire 1.5 per cent jailed . 2) Northumbria 1.6 per cent . 3) Hertfordshire 2.7 per cent . 4) Lincolnshire 2.7 per cent . 5) Lancashire 2.8 per cent . The Howard League - who want more criminals to be given community sentences rather than being jailed - welcomed the figures. In Derbyshire, Gwent and Northamptonshire, magistrates' courts jailed offenders more frequently in 2011 than they did in 2001. But the number of defendants sent to . jail fell during the same period in Bedfordshire, Dorset, Durham, Kent, . Northumbria, Staffordshire and Warwickshire. Frances Crook, the Howard League for Penal Reform's chief executive, said: 'One cannot ignore the striking . disparity in sentencing trends between different criminal justice areas. 'A short-term prison sentence is a . catastrophe for everyone. It does not help change the life of the person . sentenced – indeed, it is likely to compound issues such as drug . addiction and make them more likely to reoffend. 'It costs the taxpayer a fortune and it does nothing to help victims, who get no recompense or easing of trauma.' Magistrates' courts can jail criminals for a maximum of six months if they have only committed one offence, or a year if they have committed more. Soft on crime: Magistrates' Courts in Warwickshire jailed just 1.5 per cent of offenders, figures have revealed . More serious cases are dealt with by the crown court where longer prison sentences can be handed down. Justice Minister Jeremy Wright said the government was in favour of giving fewer offenders short prison sentences . 'Prison will always be the right place for the most serious and persistent offenders. But reoffending rates are unacceptably high - and are currently highest among those sentenced to short prison sentences,' he said. 'We are tackling this by changing the way we deal with these offenders, so there is greater supervision and rehabilitation.' A separate survey, conducted by the Howard League . and the Prison Governors’ Association, found that many prisoners . preferred a short-term prison sentence to a community sentence because . they were easier to complete. Others considered community sentences to . be a greater punishment than prison. | Just 1.5% of offenders locked up by magistrates in Warwickshire .
But in Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire more than 6 per cent faced jail terms .
Overall 3.8 per cent of criminals locked up by magistrates .
Magistrates' courts have the power to jail offenders for up to one year . |
216,547 | a45b433ac85b3a4b21a88ba73a24e1740e36325e | By . Nick Enoch . Last updated at 7:25 PM on 6th March 2012 . It's Sunday night, you're settling down to watch Dancing On Ice and hopefully see some witty banter from the judges. So what does one judge have to say about the skaters? 'Across the ice and the Samaritans and speedo you.' Or how about, 'Right is affecting their partnership. Pulled your ball up.' These are just some of the strange subtitles that have appeared on the show. And now, the National Deaf . Children's Society has slammed ITV for its 'bizarre and confusing' captioning on the hit celebrity figure skating contest. The National Deaf Children's Society has slammed ITV for its 'bizarre and confusing' subtitles on the hit celebrity figure skating contest . An interesting appraisal of Chemmy Allcott's skating . Presenter Phillip Schofield tells it like it isn't, to contestants such as Jennifer Ellison and Jorgie Porter . The programme has . attracted an audience of more than 7million but deaf viewers are outraged by . nonsensical wording claiming 'blasphemous' routines 'walk . straight in the fridge'. Leading . campaigners who want a good quality of life for deaf adults and children said incoherent subtitles makes second-class citizens out of disability sufferers. Campaigns officer . Ian Noon at the NDCS said: 'Shoddy subtitling shows that broadcasters are . not making access for deaf viewers a priority.' Presenters . Christine Bleakley and Phillip Schofield usually give a polished turn but appeared . to fluff their lines when talking about contestants including Jennifer Ellison and . Jorgie Porter. 'They will . be toasted to the limits,' claimed This Morning presenter Phillip. See, skaters? That's where you're going wrong. Good job you pulled your ball up . Muscle-bound Chico Slimani reveals the secret to his success on the ice with partner Katarina Witt . Could you say that one more time please, Phillip...? At one point, Louie Spence - judge and dance teacher to . the stars - admitted he does 'do occulta diagrams'. Meanwhile, muscle-bound . Chico Slimani has said on the show that the secret to his success on the ice with partner . Katarina Witt is an 'ageing achievement'. Skating legend . Christopher Dean is an expert on the rink and performing routines to Olympic . gold medal standard - but the subtitles portray him as a confused amateur. 'The jump . just walk straight in the fridge. It's Sebastian and Brianne,' he . exclaimed. Viewers can also . vote 'at the end of the shop' for their favourite ice-skating star. Presenter Christine Bleakley gives judge Louie Spence (seated left) a cryptic grilling . Mr Noon added: 'Deaf young people all too frequently find that the subtitles for their . favourite shows are riddled with mistakes and hugely out of sync with speech. 'There's no . excuse for poor subtitles like this - even on live programmes. But ITV is not . the only channel guilty of bizarre and confusing subtitles.' 'Through . basic planning such as involving the subtitler in rehearsals and sharing . scripts and plans in advance, broadcasters could dramatically improve live . television for deaf viewers.' Mr Noon also . revealed that ITV have been caught out before for their poor subtitling and he . secured a commitment to improve them on X Factor in 2010. Explanation? An ITV spokesman said: 'Dancing On Ice is a live programme and therefore has live subtitling which is a challenge for any broadcaster' 'After a . series of emails highlighting complaints from young people, ITV agreed that the . subtitles on X Factor were not of a good standard,' added Mr Noon. 'Now I . believe the production team send off a near-final edit of the programme the day . before which should improve the quality of the subtitles. 'ITV also . claimed they had committed to making sure that the repeats of the programme . have high-quality subtitles.' Despite being a . heavily scripted live programme, the popular talent show - which puts celebrity . amateur skaters with professionals - has bizarre and out-of-context wording. An ITV spokesman . said: 'Dancing On Ice is a live programme and therefore has live . subtitling which is a challenge for any broadcaster. 'We are now . also subtitling 70 per cent of the programmes on ITV Player, our on-demand . catch-up service.' The drive to . improve the quality of subtitles for deaf viewers has been led by Action on Aid . who were formerly called the Royal National Institute for the Deaf. An Action on . Hearing Loss spokesman said: 'We urge all broadcasters to monitor the . quality of their subtitling to ensure high standards and invest in technology . to reduce mistakes. 'We would . also like Ofcom to play a greater role in monitoring subtitling complaints and . we have called for new laws to ensure the provision of subtitles on all . programmes, regardless of whether it is traditional or catch-up TV.' Meanwhile, at the blundering BBC... The . BBC came under fire last October from groups for the hard of hearing for its . increasing number of bizarre gaffes, which have included calling the . Labour leader 'Ed Miller Band' and the Church of England leader the 'arch . bitch' of Canterbury. The . blunders are understood to be caused during live events where either a . stenographer types words phonetically or by speech recognition. This sees a person talking into a . microphone as they observe the broadcast and a computer then changes . what they are saying to subtitles. Error: This subtitle 'willies/wellies' mistake on BBC Breakfast became an internet sensation when an eagle-eyed viewer posted the shot, describing pigs, online last year . During the Queen Mother’s funeral, a solemn call for silence became ‘we will now have a moment’s violence’. When . a BBC announcer revealed the Government was ‘making helpful decisions’, . deaf viewers would have been left wondering why politicians were . ‘making holes for surgeons’. A report that mentioned pigs on a farm nibbling on ‘wellies’ became something much ruder. One politician talking to the Daily . Politics told presenter Andrew Neil was subtitled as saying he did not . believe in ‘soliciting’ himself when what he actually said was . ‘shortlisting’. Other gaffes have seen the Ireland rugby team renamed as Island and the sale of millions of . puppies in Britain was not about the trade in live dogs but actually a . story about people wearing poppies for Remembrance Day. The errors have become so common they have spawned their own dedicated website. The BBC is the only broadcaster in the world that subtitles all of its programmes. Groups for the deaf and hard of hearing . have admitted they receive regular complaints about the issue and called . on broadcasters to monitor the ‘quality of their subtitling’ and reduce . mistakes'. A BBC spokesman said: ‘We recognise . that subtitling it a hugely important service, and we endeavour to . ensure it is as accurate as possible. ‘There are occasions, particularly . during live broadcasts, when mistakes will happen but we do all we can . to keep this to a minimum and are constantly striving to improve . accuracy.’ | 'Across the ice and the Samaritans and speedo you'
'They will be toasted to their limits'
... and don't forget to vote 'at the end of the shop' |
54,300 | 99cbcc9f6136c1ed79d4bbe416e9e5aa5760ebc4 | Being a dentist is not always an easy job. Performing painful surgery on grumpy patients can test the patience - and nerves - of even the most experienced. But when that patient is a six-tonne elephant needing root canal or a lion with toothache, it makes the task all the more trickier. However, for Dr. Gerhard Steenkamp, it is all in a days work. The South African is one of the world's top vet dentists, operating on some of the wilds most ferocious predators. Scroll down for video . Tough job: Dr Gerhard Steenkamp is one of the world's top vet dentists, operating on some of the wild's most ferocious predators. He is pictured working on a hippopotamus' teeth in Pretoria . Talented: Dr Steenkamp operates on some of the wild's most ferocious predators. This the South African dentist in surgery with a bear . Global: Dr. Steenkamp's work has seen him travel to China, Egypt, UAE, and across Africa - performing around 500 surgeries a year. He is pictured operating on an injured elephant . Dr Steenkamp's work has seen him travel to China, Egypt, the UAE, and across Africa - performing around 500 surgeries a year. The dentist, from Pretoria, said: 'I've been really blessed in my career so far to work on a variety of animals. 'I've operated on everything from a small bat right up to a six tonne elephant. 'There's been plenty of carnivores too - lions, tigers, leopards, cheetahs. 'But the most hair raising experiences have been with the hippos and elephants. 'I've had elephants wake up on me in the middle of a surgery, and that can be because they are upset. Difficult: As well as working on large, fierce predators, Dr Steenkamp works with some of the world's smallest. He is pictured operating on a hedgehog . Tricky: The most common complaints from his animal patents are fractures of teeth, infections and abscesses. He . is pictured checking a dolphin's teeth . Multi-talented: The dentist performs a host of procedures including root canals, extracting teeth and scaling and polishing teeth. He can be seen operating on a cheetah . 'The majority of the big animals like buffalo, hippo, rhino, elephants, they're just so big and enormous it can be tricky. 'Their size makes it difficult to work with them, you cannot just quickly move then around or turn them on their other side, it has to be meticulously planned beforehand.' Dr Steenkamp, a trained dentist and maxillofacial surgeon, performs a host of procedures including root canals, extracting teeth and scaling and polishing teeth. The most common complaints from his animal patents are fractures of teeth, infections and abscesses. Problem patients: Dr Steenkamp checks the artificial tusks he attached to a walrus, left, and saws off a hippopotamus' tooth, right . Grumpy: A team attempt to roll a rhino after the dentist removes an infected horn in Pretoria . Hardened: After 15 years experience working with some of nature's most ferocious predators, there isn't much that fazes Dr. Steenkamp, including this elephant . As well as an anaesthetic, Dr Steenkamp has developed a special set of tolls to help him operate. And after 15 years experience working with some of natures most ferocious predators, there isn't much that fazes Dr Steenkamp - except grumpy hippos. The father-of-two said: 'The first time I worked on a hippopotamus was at Pretoria Zoo - that was quite an interesting experience to say the least. 'Anaesthesia in these animals is quite difficult. This particular animal halfway through the procedure decided to wake up and get to his feet unexpectedly. 'In a confined space with a 1.8 tonne animal, it can be rather hair raising.' Ferocious: Although dentists often have to deal with grumpy patients, its doubtful many can be as hot-tempered as this tiger . Surgery: This elephant has some emergency repair work carried out on its teeth . Fortunate: Despite the wild nature of the majority of his patients, Dr, Steenkamp has largely avoided injury. A lion is pictured in the back of his hatch-back . Thankfully, despite the wild nature of the majority of his patients, Dr Steenkamp has largely avoided injury. He added: 'I've been fortunate that often these animals are anaesthetised, so I'm not usually the first person to come into contact with them when they are in pain and wide awake. This is when they are most capable of injuring people. 'We have had some difficult situations as some of these animals are very huge, so you need to keep your distance. Looking good: A leopard shows off his new teeth following work by Dr Steenkamp . Fascinated: Schoolchildren watch at the talented dentist operates on a cheetah . Good work: Dr Steenkamp operates on a hippopotamus' teeth, right, and a cheetah, left . 'We try and make sure that everybody will be safe, including the animal, before, during and after the procedure. We spend a lot of time on safety and are very meticulous about that side of things.' For Dr Steenkamp, the most satisfying part of the job is making a difference. He said: 'I'm very blessed, I love my job. The amount of satisfaction I get out of working with these animals and being able to change their lives is great. 'With a lot of cases where you can repair something, you can instantly see them wake up and eat again free from pain. That is just really special to me.' Qualified: Dr Steenkamp is a trained dentist and maxillofacial surgeon . Sore: Dr. Steenkamp says the most satisfying part of his job is making a difference. This hippopotamus gets some emergency work carried out on its teeth . Difficult: The dentist enjoys the satisfaction he gets from working with the animals and being able to change their lives. He can be seen with a team working on an elephant's teeth . | Dr Gerhard Steenkamp is one of the world's top vet dentists .
The South African operates on predators including lions and tigers .
His work has seen him travel to China, Egypt, UAE, and across Africa . |
219,993 | a8bebfeee063a07aea9b766193b83880ec2ab3d5 | The Prime Minister and his deputy Julie Bishop have appeared in public together for the first time since news of a leadership spill emerged, with Mr Abbott declaring the motion will fail. He said he will take that as a an endorsement of his leadership, and also claimed the coalition was elected to end the 'Game of Thrones' circus of chaos and disunity during Labor's years in government. 'The last thing anyone wants is to see a government in this country turn into some kind of Game of Thrones,' he said in Townsville. 'Despite some distractions, I am just getting on with government.' Scroll down for video . On Saturday morning Prime Minister Tony Abbott and deputy Julie Bishop appeared as a united front in Queesland . Mr Abbott said the two backbenchers who foreshadowed the spill motion were entitled to take that action . He also revealed he believes the spill will fail and if so he will take that as an endorsement of his leadership . Mr Abbott said the two Liberal backbenchers who foreshadowed the spill motion were entitled to take that action and it would be dealt with in the party room on Tuesday in a secret ballot. 'Should this spill motion be defeated, as I expect, I will be taking that as a strong endorsement of the existing leadership team, as a vote of confidence in the existing leadership team,' he said. Mr Abbott said it wasn't about him. 'It's never been about me, it's always been as far as I am concerned about delivering good government,' he said. Flanked by deputy leader Julie Bishop, who offered her unqualified support, and Nationals leader Warren Truss, Mr Abbott said the people of Australia expected them to get on with the job of government not engage in navel gazing. Ms Bishop said as Mr Abbott's deputy, she supported the prime minister. 'I was elected the deputy of this party in 2007 and again in 2013. I understand from my colleagues that they look to me for stability and certainty,' she said. Ms Bishop said as Mr Abbott's deputy, she supported the prime minister . This public appearance comes after much speculation that Ms Bishop did not support Mr Abbott and would not stand on a ticket with him . The pair were in North Queensland to announce the government will provide the necessary immigration, customs and quarantine facilities to allow Townsville airport to begin receiving and dispatching international flights from March 1 . This latest public appearance comes off the back of weeks of turmoil in the Liberal party. On Friday, Liberal backbencher Luke Simpkins, a little-known West Australian MP, announced he had moved a motion to topple the Prime Minister in an email to his Liberal colleagues. In a fiery address, a clearly angered Mr Abbott said on the same day: 'We are not the Labor Party. We are not going to repeat the chaos and instability of the Labor years. 'I have spoken to deputy leader Julie Bishop and we will stand together to urge the party room to defeat this particular motion.' But Ms Bishop, who did not appear with Mr Abbott, would only issue a short and very qualified statement of support. 'I agreed with the Prime Minister that due to cabinet solidarity and my position as Deputy Leader there should be support for current leadership in spill motion,' she said. The prime minister was speaking in Townsville to announce plans for the city's airport . Luke Simpkins, pictured with potential leadership contender Malcolm Turnbull, has announced he will move for a federal Liberal leadership spill . Ms Bishop's support could be pivotal to the Liberal leadership. Scott Morrison has ruled himself out of the top job but Malcolm Turnbull has not. Mr Abbott said the MPs who called for the spill - Mr Simpkins and fellow backbencher Don Randall - were perfectly entitled to call for a challenge. However, he said: 'They are asking the Party Room to vote out the people that the electorate voted in in September 2013.' He said that the knighthood of Prince Philip, issued by Mr Abbott on Australia Day, was the final straw for him. In his email to his Liberal colleagues he wrote: 'The knighthood issue was for many the final proof of a disconnection with the people,' Simpkins wrote in the email. 'I think that we must bring this to a head, and test the support of the leadership in the party room. 'I have therefore submitted to the Chief Government Whip a motion to spill the leadership positions of the Federal Parliamentary Liberal party.' Chief Government Whip Phillip Ruddock said the matter had been listed for discussion for the Tuesday party room meeting. Text: This is the full email Luke Simpkins sent to all of his parliamentary colleagues . Prime Minister Tony Abbott will reportedly face a leadership challenge on Tuesday in Canberra . Meanwhile, Tasmanian Liberal MP Andrew Nikolic has branded the move to challenge Mr Tony Abbott as disappointing and divisive. In an email to backbench colleague Mr Simpkins, Mr Nikolic dismissed the move as the 'ill-disciplined and self-interested behaviours that the Australian people explicitly rejected in 2013'. The email was copied to other coalition MPs and senators. The note reportedly reads: 'Luke, Your actions are disappointing and divisive. 'In my view you are repeating the ill-disciplined and self-interested behaviours that the Australian people explicitly rejected in 2013. 'You do not have my support for this. 'I will be arguing strongly against your motion and in support of what I believe is a clear majority of colleagues and constituents who prefer stability and unity of purpose.' It's the first Liberal leadership challenge since 2009. After the internal fallout from the-then Liberal Party and Opposition Leader Malcolm Turnbull's support for the Rudd Government's ETS plan in 2009 (which split the Coalition because of the National Party's opposition to it) there was a three-way spill, involving Mr Turnbull, Tony Abbott and Joe Hockey. In the end, Abbott claimed the leadership by one vote over Turnbull, 42 votes to 41. No one has put up their hand to contest Mr Abbott, but Mr Turnbull would not rule out a challenge on Thursday evening. Communications Minister Malcolm Turnbull was reportedly left 'underwhelmed' after a meeting with the PM . | Tony Abbott had fronted reporters in Queensland saying the spill will fail .
Julie Bishop was by his side despite questions over her loyalty to the PM .
On Friday two Liberal backbenchers announced they would move a spill motion against Prime Minister Tony Abbott .
Scott Morrison has ruled himself out of contention but Malcolm Turnbull has not issued a statement .
WA backbencher Luke Simpkins said the Knighthood issue was the straw that broke the camel's back . |
113,162 | 1e10e2aa8ceaf470d7d641daf42ba218901d014b | By . David Rose . PUBLISHED: . 20:21 EST, 16 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:23 EST, 16 March 2013 . Councils across the UK are spending millions and employing hundreds of ‘low carbon’ officers to fight global warming – which now appears not to pose an imminent threat – at the same time as making sweeping cuts to children’s services, the arts and the elderly. The councils have increased their spending on salaries of climate change staff by 34 per cent since the 2008 crash, almost three times the rate of inflation, while grants from central government were slashed by 12 per cent. wind farm . Our investigation comes from data sought under the Freedom of Information (FoI) Act. It shows: . Big spenders: As budgets are cut councils are still ploughing money into their green policies . Our FoI requests asked for details of jobs primarily related to climate change, sustainable development and cutting emissions. The roles are variously described as ‘undertaking climate change awareness projects’, ‘collecting climate change data for national records’ and ‘conducting research on climate change issues’. Middlesbrough’s ‘sustainable communities project officer’ offers a salary worth more than £21,000. It grandiosely claims the council has adopted the ‘One Planet model’ for its operations. Some climate change officers are working closely with other parts of the ‘green economy’. In Stoke, a spokesman said that when the energy company E.on fitted 567 homes with solar panels, this ‘did not cost the council anything’. Despite this boast, the cost to the public was significant, as the scheme is subsidised by taxes and levies on consumers’ energy bills. 'Green economy': Some councils have become preoccupied with spending on climate change prevention and cutting carbon footprints . Stoke City Council’s ‘green enterprise’ cabinet member, Andy Platt, said the authority had been ‘hailed as a pioneer in the sustainable energy field’ and added: ‘Our climate change strategy is not just about getting people to cut down on energy use, it is about creating our own renewable energy and is producing great returns on investment.’ But in 2011, a plan in Brighton to spend £2.6 million on solar panels and recoup the cost from subsidies was thrown into doubt when handouts were reduced. Other massive solar panel schemes have been launched in Bradford and Oxford. Some green activities appear oddly personal. In Peterborough, a video called Gillian’s Footprint explains how council chief executive Gillian Beasley is reducing her carbon footprint with measures such as switching off her computer. ... And the MPs and peers who benefit from green causes . Twenty MPs and peers who help shape . ‘green’ legislation have personal interests in campaign groups and firms . which stand to benefit from such laws. The disclosure comes as MPs prepare . for a final debate on the Energy Bill, which seeks to bring in vast . subsidies for wind farms and is set to cost taxpayers and consumers . £110 billion. The two MPs who declared the biggest . personal benefits are Tim Yeo, the Tory chairman of the Select . Committee on Energy and Climate Change, and his Labour Deputy, Barry . Gardiner. They are also behind a radical . amendment to the Bill that would impose a target of cutting carbon . dioxide emissions from electricity generation by 90 per cent by . 2030.Many observers believe this goal would lead to frequent power cuts. It would also shut off all investment in new, clean gas-fired power . stations and fracking for natural gas in the countryside. Here are the most high-profile of the MPs and peers benefiting from the green cause: . The MPs . Influential: Barry Sheerman is a Labour Associate of Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group . Tim Yeo . Influence: Tory chairman of the Energy and Climate Change Select . Committee, co-sponsor of Energy Bill amendment to impose 90 per cent . emission reduction from power generation by 2030. How he benefits: Director of three renewable energy and transport firms . which last year paid him £135,970 – double his MP’s salary. Barry Gardiner . Influence: Senior Labour member of the Energy and Climate Change Select Committee, co-sponsor of Energy Bill. Benefits: Accepted travel and hospitality worth £29,432 from Globe, an . international group that campaigns for tough climate-change laws . worldwide. Barry Sheerman . Influence: Labour Associate of Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group. Benefits: Paid £5,000 for his services by Veolia Environmental . Services, part of a multinational with renewable energy interests. Graham Stuart . Influence: Member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Globe. Benefits: Accepted travel worth £5,226 from Globe. Laura Sandys . Influence: Parliamentary Private Secretary to Greg Barker, Minister for Energy and Climate Change. Benefits: Accepted travel worth £3,692 from Globe – which campaigns for . legislation in the field for which Barker is responsible. Ear of government: David Cameron, when he was leader of the opposition, talking to John Gummer MP, left, and editor of the Ecologist magazine, Zac Goldsmith, right . The peers . (Members of the Lords do not have to disclose the monetary value of their interests) Lord Deben . Influence: Chairman of Committee on Climate Change, an influential . official government advisory body on energy policy, carbon emissions . and targets. Interests: Chairman of Sancroft, environmental lobbying company of . which two of his children are directors. Chairman of Veolia Water UK . PLC, which connects wind farms to national grid. Chairman of Globe. Baroness Maddock . Influence: Lib Dem Associate of Parliamentary Renewable and Sustainable Energy Group. Personal interest: President of Micro Power Council, a lobby group run . by small energy firms which campaigns for a ‘mass market for . small-scale, low- and zero-carbon electricity and heat-generating . technologies’. Lord Hunt of Chesterton . Influence: Member of All-Party Parliamentary Group for Globe. Interests: Director of Globe. Director of Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants Ltd. Lord MacLennan of Rogart . Influence: Member of EU subcommittee on agriculture, fisheries, environment and energy. Interests: Chairman of Firth Tidal Energy Ltd. Lord Oxburgh . Influence: Member of All-Party Parliamentary Group for Globe; led . inquiry which cleared University of East Anglia climate scientists of . wrongdoing after ‘Climategate’ emails leak. Interests: Professional advice given to Evo Electric Motors Ltd and . Climate Change Capital Geothermal Engineering Ltd; director of Green . Energy Options Ltd; President of Carbon Capture and Storage Association. The implications of the inconvenient truth we publish today are profound. Since the Kyoto Treaty in 1997, Britain has been impoverishing itself in a lonely quest to cut its CO2 emissions – even though the world’s powerhouse economies, such as China and America, have refused to set any limits. It is clear that the science, supposedly ‘settled’, is deeply uncertain, while growing numbers of experts now say that the effects of greenhouse gases are much less bad than they feared: any warming is going to happen much more slowly than they thought a few years ago. It is time to join the dots. The way is open to solving this country’s most serious problems, all at once. The Chancellor, pondering next week’s Budget, knows the US is not only avoiding a triple-dip recession but is also expecting more than three per growth this year. This is thanks mainly to ‘fracking’ for the natural shale gas beneath its soil, which produces 37 per cent of the CO2 emitted by coal when generating cheap, clean electricity. In the US, once-moribund industries are being reborn, with jobs lost to China now returning home, while CO2 emissions are back to 1990 levels. Britain can follow this lead. We too have vast reserves of shale gas, as yet untapped. The time has come to scrap the Energy Bill, together with existing ‘renewable’ energy subsidies. It is now clear that we have decades to come up with the really serious low- carbon energy sources which may one day be needed. By abandoning wind, nuclear and other failed, risky or dubious ‘renewables’, and exploiting the benefits of shale gas, we can simultaneously boost our economy and shrink our national carbon footprint. It would be irresponsible to ignore such an opportunity. | Councils spend on a huge range of green jobs from Carbon Officers to Climate Change Managers while their grants are being cut .
Green staff spending has increased at three times rate of inflation .
Green salaries totalled £8.7 million in 2011 to 2012 at 65 councils, representing 17 million people – about one third of all councils. This sum does NOT include the cost of publicity materials urging people to cut their carbon footprints.
Spending on green salaries rose by 137 per cent in Stoke. In 2010, the council spent £137,000 on solar panels for its civic centre roof. It is now set to close it and build a new centre for more than £50m.
The highest-spending councils face deep cuts to core provisions. In Glasgow, where the green jobs spend of £390,000 is up 43 per cent on 2008 to 2009, the council is to cut £54 million from schools, social services and help for the disabled. In Birmingham, green salaries of £338,000 have risen 62 per cent, but £102 million is to be axed and 1,000 jobs lost.
In Bradford (where green salaries are up from zero to £289,000), the council has issued a 25-page booklet claiming locals face an influx of foreign migrants displaced by sea level rises and drought.
Not all councils are burning money on climate change. In 17 areas, green salaries have been reduced. The biggest cut was in Colchester which will now do without any climate change officers, having spent £23,000 in 2008 to 2009.
The hiring binge was sparked by the 2008 Climate Change Act. It demands a cut in CO2 emissions in the UK by 80 per cent by 2050. It was followed by the Low Carbon Industrial Strategy, putting the onus on councils. |
214,126 | a14ea1668a6cd155cade327099438b67f6764eb8 | Los Angeles (CNN) -- Former porn star Jenna Jameson was charged with battery over the weekend after police said she assaulted someone. The incident took place in Orange County on Saturday evening, police said. Authorities released bare-bones information about the incident Sunday night, saying little more than the person who was assaulted made a citizen's arrest and called officers. Jameson, 38, knows the person, but Newport Beach Police Lt. Evan Sailor said he didn't know what their relationship was. Police took Jameson to the Newport Beach Police Jail. She was later released without having to post bail. The battery charge is a misdemeanor. No one from the Jameson camp was available for comment. On Sunday afternoon, however, Jameson took to Twitter to offer a post that said she was robbed by a friend who "broke into my home and took everything." Jameson added that the friend "accused me of gusting her." At the height of her success, Jameson was an industry unto herself. She appeared in countless adult films, magazines, and strip clubs -- and as CEO of ClubJenna Inc., launched a film production and online licensing company. In a 2004 interview with CNN following the publication of her book, "How to Make Love Like a Porn Star: A Cautionary Tale," Jameson said she chose the right profession. "I mean, I've always been so overtly sexual. And I've always been driven to succeed at something that hasn't always been accepted by the American public," she told CNN's Anderson Cooper. "So I think I chose the right profession." She retired from porn in 2008. In recent years, the mother of twins has found herself in the headlines for her brushes with the law. Last May, she crashed her Range Rover into a light pole in Orange County. Police charged her with driving under the influence. In April 2010, the father of her twin boys, mixed martial artist Tito Ortiz, was charged with domestic violence when Jameson's father called police as Ortiz and Jameson argued. Ortiz and his lawyer told reporters later that he was upset because he thought Jameson had relapsed in her rehabilitation from a prescription drug addiction. Four days after the incident, Jameson was captured by cameras alternately saying Ortiz was "the sweetest, most amazing man" and saying that he had beaten her. | The victim makes a citizen's arrest and calls officers .
Police does not know the relationship between the victim and Jameson .
The battery charge is a misdemeanor . |
201,475 | 90dd7a335ac47ec06383780a1ea21ff667444192 | By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 09:47 EST, 19 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:10 EST, 19 July 2013 . A man who beat a church organist to death as he made his way to Midnight Mass on Christmas Eve has been told he will serve at least 25 years in prison. Jonathan Bowling, 22, who admitted murdering Alan Greaves, 68, in the High Green area of Sheffield as the pensioner was on his way to play at the service last Christmas, was handed a life sentence today. His step-brother Ashley Foster, also 22, was sentenced to nine years at Sheffield Crown Court today for the manslaughter of Mr Greaves. Scroll down for video . Sentenced: Jonathan Bowling, 22, left, was told he will serve at least 25 years for the murder of Alan Greaves, while Ashley Foster, also 22, was sentenced to nine years for manslaughter . Murdered: Church organist Alan Greaves, pictured with his wife Maureen, died after he was brutally attacked as he made his way to midnight mass on Christmas Eve . Mr Greaves’s widow, Maureen, said she was 'happy' with the sentences. Outside court she said: 'I really am extremely pleased with the result today. 'To think Ashley’s got nine years is the very best we could have got in the circumstances of the manslaughter. 'To think that Jonathan’s got 25 minimum and to think he’ll probably never come out, I really am wonderfully pleased with the result.' She told reporters she would not read a letter Bowling had written to her. 'To put it into my hands the days he was going to get sentenced, I didn’t think it was very appropriate,' she said. 'If he was going to write me a letter he should have written it a long time ago.' 'Soul mate': Bowling and Foster left Mr Greaves with injuries similar to those suffered by car crash victims when they set upon him with a pick-axe handle in Sheffield . The court heard that Foster and Bowling had left a family gathering earlier on the evening of Christmas Eve last year. According to prosecutors, they were angrily stalking the streets of High Green looking for someone to attack. If they had not killed Mr Greaves, a retired social worker, it would have been someone else, the jury was told. Senior police officers said the pair were simply out 'looking for trouble'. Prosecutor Robert Smith QC told the court today: 'It was a crime without motive. 'He was killed for no reason other than that he had been identified as a suitable victim.' Earlier today, the court heard how Bowling of Carwood Way, Pitsmoor, Sheffield, has a number of convictions for violence dating back to his teens. In 2005 he head-butted a 48-year-woman after she complained about him throwing snowballs at her windows. A year later, when he was 15-years-old, he was given a two year detention order after he attacked a jogger in Chapeltown, Sheffield, leaving his victim with serious head injuries, including a suspected broken cheekbone. Bowling was then convicted for brandishing a hammer when a police officer stopped him then threatening a woman with a hammer in a separate incident. In 2008 he and a girl pinned a 14-year-old boy to the floor before he kicked and punched the teenager in the ribs. The court heard he had served a number of detention orders in relation to these offences. Foster, of Wesley Road, High Green, had no previous convictions for violence. Foster and Bowling, who were both unemployed, had known each other since their early teens when Bowling's father was in a relationship with Foster's mother. They have been described as step-brothers. Mr Greaves was a social worker for 35 years before he retired about eight years ago. He and Mrs Greaves had been married for 40 years and have four children and two grandchildren. He was devoted to music and the church - playing the organ at different services around Sheffield - and also singing in choirs. Mr Greaves took part in a range of other community activities, including playing piano in the local primary school, serving as a school governor, helping in a charity shop and even launching a food bank for people in High Green. The sentencing came after Mr Greaves' heartbroken widow Maureen Greaves refused to condemn her husband's killers. Committed Christian Mrs Greaves, 63, . said she had no feelings of 'hate' towards the men behind the senseless . attack on her husband - who she described as her 'soul mate' - and . instead insisted she would pray for Bowling and Foster. She told of her hope that 'God's great mercy will inspire them to true repentance'. Mrs Greaves had spoken out after a jury found Foster guilty of Mr Greaves' manslaughter. Bowling had previously admitted murder. | Jonathan Bowling admitting murdering Alan Greaves as he walked to mass .
Church organist, 68, beaten and left for dead in Sheffield last Christmas Eve .
Bowling's step-brother Ashley Foster jailed for nine years for manslaughter .
'Looking for trouble' when they set upon Mr Greaves with pick-axe handle .
Church organists Christian wife says she will pray for husband's killers . |
211,937 | 9e7466be7316ff1a66805813118a490881e55ea7 | In the closing stages of this game, we were on familiar territory. Manchester United were close to victory and were exerting pressure. One shot was saved by the Burnley goalkeeper while another was hacked from the line. It could have been 4-1. Half an hour earlier, however, things were very different. Here was the real picture of this dispiriting night for the biggest club in English football. Back then – early in the second half – the United lead was 2-1 and they were firmly on the back foot, where they had been most of the night. Chris Smalling rises above the Burnley defence to score United's second goal on Wednesday night . Wayne Rooney – playing as a defensive midfielder – was being booked for persistent fouling and United were being booed by a small section of the Old Trafford crowd. They were not booing individual players, though some of them may have deserved it. No, they were showing their displeasure at something much worse. They were booing the style – the nature – of their team’s play. It wasn’t everybody in the ground – far from it – and it didn’t last long. But it was unmistakably there. It was there as United broke away and then, with a numerical overload beckoning, started to funnel the ball backwards towards the halfway line. It was there again, minutes later, when Rooney turned and played a free-kick from opposition territory back in to his own half. Injury-hit defender Phil Jones can't hide his disappointment after being forced off in the fifth minute . Substitute Smalling scored with his first touch of the ball after replacing injured Jones . Burnley keeper Thomas Heaton dives in vain as Smalling's header loops into the corner of the net . Smalling celebrates his first goal against Burnley at Old Trafford . Manchester United (4-1-2-1-2): De Gea 7; McNair 7, Jones 6 (Smalling 5mins 6), Evans 5, Rojo 6; Blind 6 (Herrera 38mins 6); Rooney 6, Di Maria 5; Januzaj 5; Falcao 5 (Wilson 74mins 6), Van Persie 5 . Subs Not Used: Mata, Valencia, Fellaini, Valdes. Goals: Smalling 6, 45, Van Persie 82 . Booked: Rooney, Falcao . Burnley (4-4-2): Heaton 6; Trippier 6.5, Keane 6.5, Shackell 7, Mee 7; Arfield 7, Kightly 8, Jones 7, Boyd 7; Barnes 7, Ings 7.5. Subs Not Used: Lafferty, Duff, Wallace, Reid, Gilks. Goal: Ings 12 . Booked: Kightly, Mee, Arfield . Referee: Kevin Friend . Man of the match: Michael Kightly . Att: 75,356 . CLICK HERE for all the stats, goals - including Chris Smalling's second goal (above) - and heat maps from Old Trafford . Over the years, we have seen just about everything at this great stadium. Most of it good, some of it not so. This, though, was almost unprecedented. United being outpassed, outplayed, outrun and outthought by a team that began the game in 19th place in the Barclays Premier League. Burnley were fantastic. Their midfield was superior all night, Michael Kightly emerging as the star. Particularly in the first half they threatened to take United apart. They dominated possession, created chances and scored a very good goal. Somehow, however, the Lancashire team ended the half a goal down. United managed to bookend the opening 45 minutes with set piece goals for Chris Smalling. In between those goals, however, there was only one team playing any football. Right from the start, Burnley were at it and United weren't. In the very first minute, former United central defender Michael Keane headed wide from a corner when it looked easier to score. We presumed it would be a rare offensive movement but we were wrong. We should have known better. Soon after, Phil Jones went off injured and Smalling came on. Within 21 seconds he scored. Daley Blind was also forced off injured in the first half after a clash of heads and replaced by Herrera . Smalling was caught out as Burnley striker Danny Ings was left unmarked to head the equaliser in the 12th minute . Ings peeled away from Smalling to convert a cross from Kieran Trippier in the 12th minute . A super volley from Patrick McNair was saved but when the corner arrived, a spot of head tennis saw Radamel Falcao nod the ball across for Smalling who gave United the lead with his very first touch. Momentarily that seemed to settle United. They had an early lead and, historically, that has meant only one thing. On this occasion, though, against this United team, Burnley merely steeled themselves and proceeded to dominate the game for the next half an hour. Within the first 15 minutes of the game they created four clear chances. Ings' 12th minute header to equalise was a beauty, the striker peeling subtlely away from Smalling to convert a cross from Kieran Trippier. As well as that, Kightly broke down the left and made David de Gea save, an Ings shot from a corner hit his own player almost on the goal line and a curling effort from Ashley Barnes missed by a foot. For a while it was embarrassing for United. Kightly was running the game, dumping Robin van Persie on his backside to steal possession one moment and nut megging Rooney to dart in to the penalty area the next. At the other end, Falcao and Van Persie were awful. Neither could hold the ball up. Neither found space. Smalling leapt above former United defender Keane to head his team back into the lead . Smalling became the first substitute to score a first-half brace in Premier League history . A Smalling mistake gifted a great chance to Ings just after half-time but he failed to convert from eight yards . Robin van Persie sealed victory from the spot after Angel di Maria had been upended by Scott Arfield . Relief all round after another unconvincing display by Manchester United at Old Trafford . United goalkeeper David de Gea shows his relief after Van Persie seald victory from the spot . Ultimately, though, Burnley didn’t score another goal and just as a patient home crowd were beginning to despair, United broke away to edge back in front. Rooney and Angel Di Maria worked a short corner on the right and when the South American crossed to the far post Smalling leapt above Keane to head his team back in to a most unlikely lead. Certainly it was tempting to wonder where the game would go from here. Would United take something from the fact they were ahead and go on to play some football? Or would Burnley continue to forage forwards in search of a reward they knew was there for them? The first few minutes of the second half told its own story. George Boyd eased down the right for Burnley and when he crossed, Smalling and Anders Herrera – on in place of injured Daley Blind – got in each other’s way to present Ings with a straight forward chance. Ings should have buried it. It was in his territory. This time, though, he hesitated and then contributed a poor first touch. That gave De Gea the chance to block at his feet and the rebound then flew over. Maybe that was the decisive moment of the game. Had Burnley scored at that point, United may have fallen apart. The crowd reacted impatiently. They knew what they were watching, they recognised the signs of a team mired in uncertainty, welded fast to a formation they aren’t uncomfortable with. Rooney’s role was remarkable. Pushed backwards by Blind’s exit, England’s captain and most prolific modern goal scorer spent his night so far away from the opposition net it was a wonder he could even see it. Bit by bit, minute by minute, in this rare atmosphere, United somehow edged towards a most unlikely victory. Di Maria appealed for one penalty and then finally won one in the 81st minute. Burnley – clearly tiring – lost possession from their own corner and when Di Maria broke, Scott Arfield took him down and Van Persie converted the penalty. At strange night, a strange result. Van Gaal called it a “lucky win” and on this occasion he didn’t need any pieces of paper to convince us he was right. Manager Louis van Gaal (left) has work to do after joint chairmen Avi Glazer, left, and Joel Glazer saw another unconvincing display . Van Gaal shakes hands with Radamel Falcao after he was substituted in the second half . Adnan Januzaj, right, fights for the ball against Burnley's Scott Arfield . Di Maria made up for a lacklustre display on Wednesday night by winning late penalty . | Manchester United moved up to third in the table with a 3-1 win over Burnley at Old Trafford .
Chris Smalling put United in front just 21 seconds after coming on to replace the injured Phil Jones .
Danny Ings equalised for Burnley with a superb diving header after 12 minutes .
Defender Smalling added his unlikely second with headed goal in first half injury time .
Robin van Persie converted from the spot after Scott Arfield fouled Angel di Maria in the box . |
203,258 | 9320f98e13c7b63353ec808d635c2d1c6c182f73 | By . Leon Watson . A masked Al Qaeda terrorist described as a former Arsenal player in an online video has been identified, it was claimed today. The man, who appeared in the film using a false name, has been identified as a Portuguese citizen, sources have disclosed. It is believed he had been living in Leyton, east London, but it is unclear whether he had trials with Arsenal or any association with the club. Scroll down for video . In a video posted on an extremist website on Saturday a man claimed to be a former Arsenal footballer now fighting in Syria . Sources told The Guardian they do not believe he was a full-time player but he may have attended coaching sessions when potential players are assessed. A spokesman for the club said: 'We do not recognise the individual from the published clips and we don't have any record of this man representing the club at any level.' False rumours had spread that he was former Premiership football star Lassana Diarra, 29, who played for a number of big name English clubs including Arsenal, Chelsea and Portsmouth. As a result, Mr Diarra was forced to deny claims that he had become an Islamic warrior fighting in Syria, saying he had never set foot in the war-torn country. Former Arsenal, Chelsea and Portsmouth player Lassana Diara (right) was forced to deny rumours circulating on Twitter that he is a jihadist fighting in Syria . A lawyer for the French national said he has never even set foot in Syria and currently plays football in Russia . The footage, which appeared two weeks ago and is apparently shot in Syria, shows the man calling on . Muslims in the West to travel to the war-torn region and fight with . radical militants. The man, whose face is hidden by a balaclava and is seen clutching an AK47 rifle, is identified as Abu Isa al-Andalus. According to FiSyria.com, the site . that posted the video, the man moved to London from his native country . to play for Arsenal after growing up alongside a world-famous . footballer. The man's face is covered during the video, in which he clutches an AK47 assault rifle . A spokesman for Arsenal say they have no record of a past player with his name . It claims . the man was radicalised in the capital two years ago before 'leaving . everything' to join the Al Qaeda-affiliated Islamic State of Iraq and . Syria (ISIS). He later adds: 'We have conquered . many cities and we are now implementing the Sharia. We have areas where . the kaffirs (non-Muslims) are paying us the tax. 'If we stay in the kaffir countries we have to pay (taxes) to them. Do you want to be humiliated by this? Think about it. 'If . you have family in these (Western) countries it's a must for you to put . your children in the kaffir schools. "Who is going to teach your . children?" It's going to maybe be a gay, maybe a drug dealer, maybe a . paedophile. 'It's very important for you to protect your children. Allah says they are the worst of creatures.' The . Russian-based website does not confirm the man's previous identity on . the page, which shows two videos each roughly four-minutes long. | Extremist appeared in video claiming to be a former Arsenal player .
It has now emerged he may be a Portuguese national, sources say .
Arsenal say they have no record of him as a full-time player .
Rumours had been circulating online that player was Lassana Diarra .
Diarra's lawyer denied the gossip 'in the most categoric fashion' |
134,359 | 39bc738117274b9e0182b5126146fc97f6c570d6 | The embattled head of the Internal Revenue Service blames faulty technology for what he called serious problems under investigation by Congress, the Justice Department and the Treasury inspector general. John Koskinen told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Thursday that he apologized to anyone who had their application for tax-exempt status held up by IRS targeting of political labels. "The improper criteria used to highlight organizations for investigation just by their name was a mistake," Koskinen said. "I apologize to anybody who ever had their applications held up needlessly. Everybody needs to be confident that the IRS is going to treat them fairly no matter who they are. Republicans, Democrats, whatever organization they belong to. So it's a serious matter." However, he maintained that evidence uncovered so far by six investigations found no involvement by the White House, as alleged by some Republicans. In particular, GOP critics contend a hard drive crash that wiped out e-mails of the woman at the center of the controversy -- former IRS official Lois Lerner -- looked like a cover-up. "It is suspicious. When we uncovered it, we pursued evidence," Koskinen said, adding that the agency also looked at other hard-drive failures in recent years. "I think we need to pull all this together, see what we know and proceed." At the same time, he noted technology problems occurred regularly, with 2,000 hard drives failing so far this year at the agency, which has about 90,000 employees. Fed official: IRS did not follow the line . Congressional Republicans pummeled Koskinen with questions and accusations this week, all but accusing him of perjury. But he hit back at committee hearings and in the CNN interview. "It's not my intention at all to play games with the Congress," he said, adding that "people need to feel comfortable that it's not a politicized agency, that it treats people fairly whoever they are." Asked by Blitzer whether he regretted taking the job, Koskinen joked he should have read the fine print ahead of time. No regrets, he added, citing the need to fulfill an important public service. A government veteran, the 74-year-old Koskinen is taking the brunt of congressional pressure after the agency admitted it lost thousands of e-mails wanted by lawmakers investigating the targeting scandal. Rep. Paul Ryan, a Wisconsin Republican, flat out questioned whether Koskinen was being truthful with Congress, and Darrell Issa, the Oversight chairman, called him out for being evasive. On Thursday, Koskinen repeated his belief that an independent prosecutor would be unnecessary and a waste of taxpayer dollars with the other investigations underway. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas said Thursday that Attorney General Eric Holder, a frequent target of GOP attacks, should be impeached for refusing to appoint a special prosecutor to investigate the missing Lerner e-mails. "Make no mistakes. These e-mails haven't just been lost," Cruz said on the Senate floor. "These e-mails have been deleted, taped over and the hard drive physically destroyed, according to public news reports." Asked by Blitzer whether a criminal investigation was warranted, Koskinen replied: "I don't think ... at this time there's any evidence of that." Top IRS official beats back Republican barrage . Lerner, who ran the division that carried out the IRS targeting, resigned last year after the Treasury Department's inspector general found those working under her used "inappropriate" criteria to scrutinize certain groups, particularly those with conservative political names. Since then, she has refused to testify at hearings, invoking her constitutional right not to do so. Earlier this month, the IRS told Congress that a 2011 crash of Lerner's computer hard drive meant that e-mails until that point had been lost. The IRS targeting was first noticed by the agency after that time. Koskinen noted Thursday that the agency had recovered 24,000 Lerner e-mails by other means and was cooperating fully with all investigations of the matter. When Blitzer noted that taxpayers believe the IRS would never accept the excuse of a hard drive crash for filing an improper return, Koskinen responded that the agency tries to work with people to resolve the situation. "We historically, if a taxpayer has lost electronic records, have said if you have other indications and evidence of what went on, we'll take that from you," he said. "If you lose a document, it doesn't mean you lose the argument. We actually work with taxpayers to say we'll look at other evidence ... and if we can find any evidence to support your case -- and, in fact, if the circumstances support your case, we'll support you and you won't have any problems." On Wednesday, a Republican congressman revealed Lerner e-mails that asked whether the IRS should look into an invitation for GOP Sen. Charles Grassley of Iowa to appear at a seminar. The disclosure of the e-mail exchanges by House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dave Camp of Michigan further inflamed GOP sentiment against Lerner. However, it was not clear from the e-mails whether Lerner was referring to an audit of Grassley personally or the group that invited him and was possibly offering to pay for his wife to attend. Her lawyer said Lerner acted appropriately, and Koskinen said Thursday the intent was unclear. Democrats accuse House Republicans of politicizing the IRS investigation, noting that some liberal seeking tax exempt status also were also targeted by the agency. E-mails: Ex-IRS official Lois Lerner queried Sen. Chuck Grassley invitation . | IRS chief John Koskinen is interviewed by CNN's Wolf Blitzer .
Koskinen apologizes to anyone targeted by IRS .
No need for a special prosecutor, he says .
GOP Sen. Cruz says Attorney General Holder should be impeached . |
97,280 | 092d90d61eb105b3955820cc4894ac2c4995ad1b | By . Jennifer Newton . The site of the world's worst ever nuclear disaster has still not be cleared 28 years on as these bleak pictures show. The photographs were taken by sales manager and photographer Toby Batchelor who travelled to the nuclear site at Pripyat, Chernobyl. The 34-year-old of Derby spent two days in the city where a nuclear reactor at Chernobyl Power Station exploded on April 26, 1986. During the accident itself, 31 people died and it has left devastating long term effects, such as cancer and deformities, which are still being accounted for. Mr Batchelor said: 'Each day when leaving the area you had to be scanned for high levels of radioactivity. 'In my images we can see everything from the school littered with gas masks to the abandoned cottage of a resident. 'It is a very tense place to be, as you have to pass through a couple of heavily guarded check points where they check you off with their list of visitors. 'There is a lot of shock and general interest from people when they see these photographs. It is something that you just can't imagine happening. 'It was very sad to see places that would have once been full of people, but very interesting to learn about.' As a result of lack of money, the project to clear the site is now ten years behind schedule and Ukraine's current political and economic meltdown could mean an even bigger delay is in store, with the intended finish of 2015 now out of reach. The abandoned seating area at the hospital in Chernobyl, Ukraine, which is within the radioactive site . Gas masks are left strewn across the floor inside one of the classrooms in the school in Chernobyl . Trollies remain inside a deserted supermarket which was devastated during the nuclear accident . The hospital waiting room, which once would have been bustling with patients, now lies empty . Inside the school sports hall, one of the city's local landmarks, which were devastated in the nuclear explosion . The bumper cars inside the theme park have been left to ruin in the radioactive site . A deserted cottage in the nuclear site. This month marks the 28th anniversary since the disaster devastated Chernobyl . Guests would have once walked down this hallway to their rooms in this hotel, left, but now it is abandoned. A hospital bed lies in the middle of the former operating theatre at the local hospital, right. No lunches are being served here in the former dinner hall at a school in Chernobyl . The round-about ride at Chernobyl's theme park is still lying in ruins . The Ferris Wheel is another local landmark now deserted . The bus station still remains but is now just a shell. The pictures were taken by photographer Toby Batchelor from Derby . The music hall, which would have once been full of sound is now eerily quiet . The site of the leaking nuclear reactor, left, which exploded in April 1986. A monument to those who died, right, stands outside the power station . The school gym, left, and the hospital, right might be abandoned but these objects including a clock as well as bottles and medical records remain . The men who work at the reactor take their lunch in the staff lunch room in Chernobyl . | Toby Batchelor went to Chernobyl and captured these bleak pictures showing the site of the nuclear disaster .
The 34-year-old from Derby said each day you had to be scanned for radioactivity .
Schools and residences are still left abandoned - 28 years after the accident .
The project to clear the site is now ten years behind schedule . |
217,113 | a51b15d051227e111dc76fb01bae5696be4e5058 | By . Marianne Power . PUBLISHED: . 16:29 EST, 7 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 16:54 EST, 7 August 2013 . Marianne Power tests two different 'seasonal' Spanx . The wedding was straight out of the pages of a magazine. The bride wore Fendi, the vows were exchanged in a garden overlooking Lake Como and the lunch was five courses of pure heaven. But the thing I remember most about my friend's perfect wedding last summer is just how hot I was. It's not that the temperatures were particularly scorching - in the pleasant mid-20s at most - but I still spent the celebration sweating like a pig on a spit, and looking about as attractive as one. By the end of the day I was so hot and bothered I was ready to pass out. The cause of this discomfort? My industrial-strength Spanx pants. I had bought the thickest and longest pair possible - the ones that go from your knees to your bust and suck you in so tight you can hardly breathe - in a bid to get away with the long, clingy dress I'd bought for the wedding. It never occurred to me in the cold London changing room that being trapped in some sort of giant compression bandage would not be the most comfortable attire for a Mediterranean summer's day. By the start of the evening, my shorts had been peeled off - after a five-minute battle in the loos - and all my lumps and bumps were wobbling in gay abandon on the dance floor. I learned my lesson that day - that summer and support wear don't mix. It's one of those cruel facts of life that the very time you need slimming the most - thanks to both a glut of weddings and lack of opaque tights - is the time that you have to go au naturel. Or is it? Spanx - which are worn by everyone from Princess Beatrice to Adele, Kim Kardashian to Gwyneth Paltrow - also offer a summer-friendly range it insists will help you keep your cool. The Skinny Britches range, first introduced last year but re-launched this summer with extra support panels, is made of lightweight breathable fabric, designed to tone lumps and bumps without causing hot flushes. The range of shorts, slips and body shapers, which claim to firm the tummy, hips, thighs and bottom, have been created with ultra-light, sheer fabric, a cotton gusset and a 'non-binding' unseamed waistband that won't dig in or create lumps and bumps. Spanx even includes a mysterious item called the 'skort', which, for the uninitiated, is a pair of shorts with a skirt over the top. The benefit being that if your dress or skirt rides up, you look like you're wearing a slip rather than a pair of control pants. It all sounds great on paper, but can they pass the comfort test during our hottest summer in years? I decide to try them out. Marianne test drives the summer Spanx and the 'skort', which means if your dress flies up in the breeze it will look as if you are wearing a slip rather than control pants . I start with a pair of Skinny Britches shorts (£44). The first impressions are good - they're delicate, semi-sheer and nicely silk to the touch. More sexy stocking than Elastoplast. In fact, the nude blends so well with my skin I can hardly see them and they're extremely comfortable. I tried them out under an unforgiving jersey maxi-dress, which normally shows up every lump and bump. They definitely smoothed out my silhouette, lifted my bum and controlled my tum -but, I have to admit, they didn't suck everything in quite as much as my old industrial-strength wedding shorts. That's because Spanx's 200 products (who knew women needed trussing up in so many different ways?) fall under three categories: Medium support, which 'smoothes your figure and offers a close, yet comfortably forgiving fit'; Super support, which 'shapes your body and flattens your stomach'; and Super Duper support, which 'powerfully transforms your physique targeting specific problem areas with zoned compression'. Summer Spanx come in shorts or skirt format - known as the 'skort' - for breeze-related emergencies . The summer Spanx, it turns out, offer only the Medium support - so they're lightweight in more ways than one. The real litmus test, however, came when wearing them out on a scorching London day. The temperature was in the early 30s and I was getting on and off the Tube and sitting in the park. But far from causing me to overheat, they were so comfortable that I forgot I was wearing them until I undressed again that night. So far so good. The next day I tried them out under a pair of light Capri pants, which always show my knicker line. These trousers fitted comfortably when I bought them last summer but now cling like leggings, thanks to a year of over-indulgence on the ice cream front. The shorts made them fit much better - no VPL and my bum looked less saggy, my tummy much flatter. 'The good news is that no matter what . crazy shapes I was making, my skort stayed in place without being too . constricting or making me overheat' In fact, they sucked in my tummy so much I realised that for both days I'd worn them, I'd been eating less. There's just not enough room to tuck into that extra helping. Could Spanx actually force me to diet? I wondered. Next up, I tried the Skinny Britches Skort (£52) under a shortish summer dress that I'm usually too self-conscious to wear. I don't like my bare legs and am always worried that a gust of wind is going to reveal too much cellulite to the world. The skort may be a ridiculous word but it's a good solution to this rather universal problem. A flimsy-looking bubblegum pink undergarment, this acts as both a slip and shorts in one, promising to keep both your dignity and wobbly bits under control. I liked it. When my skirt did fly up with a gust of wind, my pink slip stayed in place and looked much more respectable than a beige pair of Spanx would have done. Marianne gives the skort a thumbs-up... in spite of the silly word . Again, I wore it all day and felt perfectly cool and comfortable. For the ultimate test, I took my skort to a wedding in Surrey. The sun was blazing and the marquee felt like a furnace. I'd like to say that I stayed cool as a cucumber throughout but that wouldn't be strictly true. Only this time, it wasn't my undergarments that were making me sweat like I was at an aerobics class - I blame Beyonce. Or whatever else the DJ was playing that kept me on the dance floor all night. The good news is that no matter what crazy shapes I was making, my skort stayed in place without being too constricting or making me overheat. By the end of the night my head spun, my heels hurt but my wobbles stayed firmly under control. What more could a girl ask for? | Marianne Power test drives Spanx lightweight control underwear .
Made for summer, the Skinny Britches range are more breathable .
Also come as a 'skort', a slip for wearing beneath dresses . |
97,707 | 09c7ada25091e0807dd0f1fcf3e686db7b759fec | By . Lawrence Booth . Follow @@the_topspin . Stuart Broad admitted he had never seen anything like it as India collapsed to a sensational eight for four on the first morning of the fourth Investec Test in Manchester. The Indians were eventually skittled for 152, with a Test-record six batsmen making ducks and Broad taking six for 25. England closed on 113 for three, having lost Gary Ballance in the final over of a pulsating day. Broad, who confirmed he will have an operation on his right knee — either at the end of this series or the one-dayers which follow — said: ‘It felt like we could get a wicket any ball. To have them eight for four — I can’t remember when we’ve knocked over a top order like that. VIDEO Scroll down for Stuart Broad's six-wicket blitz puts England in command . Six-wickets: Broad enjoys the adulation of the Old Trafford crowd after walking off with the match ball . Enthusiastic: Jimmy Anderson screams in appeal during England's brilliant bowling performance on Thursday . ‘We got lucky with the overheads in the morning, when it became quite cloudy and heavy. But we weren’t lucky when it came to the skills we produced. With the nicks carrying, it was a huge advantage for us.’ Broad and Jimmy Anderson — who finished with three for 46 and barely said a word all day after the sledging rumpus ahead of this game — struck twice each as India lost their first four wickets without adding a run in the space of 13 scarcely believable deliveries. ‘When it’s swinging like that, Jimmy’s got it on a string both ways. He bowled beautifully and looks in great rhythm. And lots of his runs came from nicks to third man.’ Ducks: Murali Vijay, left, and Cheteshwar Pujara, right, leave the pitch after scoring 0 runs for India . VIDEO India can still comeback - Ashwin . Broad has faced speculation all summer about the tendinitis of the patella he has been suffering, and a specialist will arrive from Sweden at the end of next week’s final Test at The Oval to determine the precise date of the operation. He may be out for anything up to three-and-a-half months, but insisted he would be fit for the World Cup early next year. On Thursday, he bowled as if surgery was the last thing on his mind, and sang the praises of the Old Trafford pitch. ‘It was brilliant to challenge the batsmen on the front foot knowing the nicks would carry,’ he said. Bowled: India batsman Bhuvneshwar Kumar looks on after he is bowled by Stuart Broad in the fourth Test . ‘The top order didn’t get time to settle, and the bouncer went through pretty well too. When we lost the toss, I was a bit disappointed, but it turned out to be a fantastic toss to lose.’ Ravichandran Ashwin, one of only three Indians to make double figures, said: ‘I’m pretty blank at this point in time. But if we get some helpful conditions tomorrow and a couple of early wickets, we’re right back in this game.’ | The visitors were on eight for four at the beginning of day one in Manchester .
India eventually were skittled for 152, with a Test-record six ducks .
Stuart Broad was England's star on the day, taking six wickets for 25 runs .
England closed on 113 for three after losing Gary Ballance in early evening .
Broad confirmed he will have an operation on his right knee in near future .
After day one he said he had never seen anything like India's early collapse .
He said: 'I can't remember when we've knocked over a top order like that' |
108,943 | 187023528c6f99884d267bdb2881fe7645ddc5d1 | Google has given a rare glimpse inside the vast data centres around the globe that power its services. They reveal an intricate maze of computers that process Internet search requests, show . YouTube video clips and distribute email for millions of people. With hundreds of thousands of servers, colourful cables and even bicycles so engineers can get around quickly, they range from a converted paper mill in Finland to custom made server farms in Iowa. Scroll down for video . The online gallery reveal the interior of eight of Google's secretive server farms around the globe, from Finland to Iowa . Google's major data centers are located in: . New data centers are currently being built in Quilicura, Chile; Hong Kong, . Singapore and Taiwan. 'Very few people have stepped inside Google’s data centers, and for good reason: our first priority is the privacy and security of your data, and we go to great lengths to protect it, keeping our sites under close guard,' the firm said. 'While we’ve shared many of our designs and best practices, and we’ve been publishing our efficiency data since 2008, only a small set of employees have access to the server floor itself. 'Today, for the first time, you can see inside our data centers and pay them a virtual visit. 'On Where the Internet lives, our new site featuring beautiful photographs by Connie Zhou, you’ll get a never-before-seen look at the technology, the people and the places that keep Google running.' The site features photos from inside some of the eight data centers that Google Inc. already has running in the U.S., Finland and Belgium. Google is also building data centers in Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore and Chile. Virtual tours of a North Carolina data center also will be available through Google's 'Street View' service, which is usually used to view photos of neighborhoods around the world. The photographic access to Google's data centers coincides with the publication of a Wired magazine article about how the company builds and operates them. The article is written by Steven Levy, a journalist who won Google's trust while writing 'In The Plex,' a book published last year about the company's philosophy and evolution. One of Google's server farms in Council Bluffs, Iowa, which provides over 115,000 square feet of space for servers running services like Search and YouTube . Google colour codes its servers depending on their location, while piping in the buildings is coded depending on what it carries - with cool water in blue tubes and warm in red . Google's Douglas County data centre in Georgia is so large the firm provides Google branded bicycles for staff to get around on . A street view tour published by Google also reveals a hidden surprise - A Stormtrooper standing guard over a server in Google's North Carolina server farm . The data centers represent Google's . nerve center, although none are located near the company's headquarters . in Mountain View, Calif. As Google blossomed from its roots in a . Silicon Valley garage, company co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin . worked with other engineers to develop a system to connect low-cost . computer servers in a way that would help them realize their ambition to . provide a digital roadmap to all of the world's information. Initially, Google just wanted enough . computing power to index all the websites on the Internet and deliver . quick responses to search requests. As Google's tentacles extended into . other markets, the company had to keep adding more computers to store . videos, photos, email and information about their users' preferences. The insights that Google gathers . about the more than 1 billion people that use its services has made the . company a frequent target of privacy complaints around the world. The latest missive came Tuesday in . Europe, where regulators told Google to revise a 7-month-old change to . its privacy policy that enables the company to combine user data . collected from its different services. Google studies Internet search . requests and Web surfing habits in an effort to gain a better . understanding of what people like. The company does this in an effort to . show ads of products and services to the people most likely to be . interested in buying them. Advertising accounts for virtually all of . Google's revenue, which totaled nearly $23 billion through the first . half of this year. Even as it allows anyone with a Web . browser to peer into its data centers, Google intends to closely guard . physical access to its buildings. The company also remains cagey about . how many computers are in its data centers, saying only that they house . hundreds of thousands of machines to run Google's services. Google's need for so many computers . has turned the company a major electricity user, although management . says it's constantly looking for ways to reduce power consumption to . protect the environment and lower its expenses. Here hundreds of fans funnel hot air from the server racks into a cooling unit to be recirculated in Oklahoma. The green lights are the server status LEDs reflecting from the front of the servers . The Iowa campus network room, where routers and switches allow data centers to talk to each other. The fiber cables run along the yellow cable trays near the ceiling. Even the water pipes reflect Google's brand: These colorful pipes are responsible for carrying water in and out of an Oregon data center. The blue pipes supply cold water and the red pipes return the warm water back to be cooled. In Hamina, Finland, Google chose to renovate an old paper mill to take advantage of the building's infrastructure as well as its proximity to the Gulf of Finland's cooling waters. Google's server farm in Douglas County, Iowa . The exterior of a Dulles, Oregon server farm . Denise Harwood, a Google Engineer, diagnoses an overheated CPU. For more than a decade, Google has built some of the world's most efficient servers. A Google data center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Each server rack has four switches, connected by a different coloured cable. Colours are kept the same throughout data centres so staff know which one to replace in case of failure. | Data centres range from vast warehouses in Iowa to a converted paper mill in Finland .
Buildings are so large Google even provides bicycles for engineers to get around them .
Street View tour of North Carolina facility reveals Stormtrooper standing guard . |
253,027 | d37c70e1481efa7ae1bc00582017c1afbcfc78cc | The mother and grandparents of a 7-year-old boy who was so malnourished that one doctor said he looked like a Holocaust survivor pleaded guilty Friday to aggravated assault for failing to seek timely medical attention for him. The boy's mother, 28-year-old Mary Rader, and grandmother, 48-year-old Deana Beighley, acknowledged 'recklessly causing serious bodily injury' to the boy, who weighed 25 pounds when child welfare workers took him from his home in Greenville in June. The boy lived there with the three adult defendants and his three siblings. In cahoots: The boy's mother, 28-year-old Mary Rader, and grandmother, 48-year-old Deana Beighley pleaded guilty Friday to aggravated assault for failing to seek timely medical attention for the young boy . Tragic: Deana Beighley, left, and Mary Rader, right have pleaded guilty to starving and beating the 7-year-old boy. He was so malnourished that one doctor said he looked like a Holocaust survivor . Mercer County Judge Christopher St. John ruled this week that the boy's step-grandfather, 59-year-old Dennis Beighley, wasn't directly involved in the boy's care. The judge dismissed more serious charges against Dennis Beighley, who pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child. District Attorney Robert Kochems had argued the adults purposely withheld food from the boy at his grandmother's urging because she didn't like him. His siblings were well-fed and healthy, the DA said. The boy was removed from the home after a neighbor saw him outside and reported a 'walking skeleton' to authorities. He was taken to Greenville Medical Center, where a doctor reported: 'The young man is so emaciated he looks like a Holocaust survivor,' police said. Another doctor said the boy was one month from dying. House of horrors: Police say the boy was never let out of the house except to sit on the porch, where he would catch and eat bugs . Prisoner: Police say the boy was never allowed to leave the house after his mother took him out of school in August 2013 . Like mother, like daughter: The boy's mother, 28-year-old Mary Rader, and grandmother, 48-year-old Deana Beighley, acknowledged 'recklessly causing serious bodily injury' to the boy, who weighed 25 pounds . But Deana Beighley's attorney, Neil Rothschild, said the adults loved and cared for the boy and blamed his condition on a growth hormone problem. 'The factual basis for the plea is the boy lost a good bit of weight due to some health problems and eating issues, and they neglected to get him medical attention because they feared, correctly, that if he saw a health care professional, he'd be removed from the home,' Rothschild said. The step-grandfather's attorney, Matthew Parson, said his client 'probably, in the end, realizes he could have done more by at least calling the doctor or the hospital.' Parson said the man cares about the boy and regrets not doing more. The attorney for the boy's mother didn't immediately return calls seeking comment Friday. How could she? Mary C. Rader, center, is led from the courthouse at photographed in August 2014. Her son was removed from his home last June when a neighbor noticed his 'skeletal' appearance . At a preliminary hearing in August, a district judge had ordered all three to stand trial on charges including conspiracy to commit attempted murder. The DA said the prosecution hasn't budged from its theory despite agreeing to dismiss the attempted murder conspiracy charges and others in crafting a plea bargain at Friday's pretrial conference. The adults had been scheduled to stand trial next month. Kochems said Deana Beighley faces five to 10 years in prison when the defendants return to court April 27. That's the same sentence she would have faced if convicted on the attempted murder charge, Kochems said, explaining why he was comfortable dropping that count. Rader likely faces a minimum sentence of three to 4 1/2 years in prison, while Dennis Beighley could get less than two years in prison and serve his time in county jail instead of state prison, the attorneys said. | Mary Rader, 28, and her parents, Deana Beighley, 48; and, Dennis Beighley, 59 have pleased guilty to charges of aggravated assault .
They denied the 7-year-old boy regularly and hid him from public view .
He weighed just 25 pounds when caseworkers found him .
The boy was only allowed out of the house to sit on the back porch, where he would catch and eat bugs .
The boy's mother took him out of school in August 2013 .
Police say he was fed only tuna fish and eggs .
He was beaten with a belt when he would try to sneak food . |
278,909 | f5564e541fa11106b21a2b8833310e8e67be239d | Manchester City face the ignominy of being relegated to a third-placed Champions League seeding for next season’s competition if they don’t beat Bayern Munich at home on Tuesday night. Manuel Pellegrini’s side need victory over the German champions at the Etihad to have any hope at all of qualifying for the next stage of the tournament after losing two games and drawing two so far. However, City also need to make sure that if they don’t qualify then they at least finish third in the group and go in to the Europa League. If they were to finish bottom, they will be in grave danger of seeing their coefficient dropping so low that they would go back to being a third seed in next summer’s draw. VIDEO Scroll down to see Bayern destroy Hoffenheim in the Bundesliga last weekend . Sergio Aguero and David Silva pictured during training ahead of Tuesday night's Champions League game . Manuel Pellegrini's Manchester City side have not won a Champions League match this season . The Premier League champions have endured a stuttering start to the 2014-15 season . It was as third seeds that City were drawn in such impossible groups in their first two years in the Champions League. This time they were a second seed and that saw them handed a group that should – in theory at least – have been a little easier. Failure to beat Roma at home and just one point from six against CSKA Moscow, however, has left Pellegrini’s team in dire straits ahead of their game against Pep Guardiola’s outfit. It is expected that UEFA will change the seeding system a little for next year’s competition, with the winners of the Champions League and also the winners of each of Europe’s top seven leagues automatically receiving top seed status. City, though, would need to overhaul Chelsea and win the Barclays Premier League for that to be relevant. Yaya Toure and former Bayern Munich man Martin Demichelis (left) share a joke during training . City were beaten 1-0 when they last played Bayern Munich - former player Jerome Boateng scored the winner . The Bundesliga champions train in Manchester ahead of their clash at the Etihad Stadium . | Manchester City haven't won a Champions League game in 2014-15 .
Manuel Pellegrini's side are in danger of dropping down a seeding .
City face Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich on Tuesday night . |
66,721 | bd3613befdbc600506e4b823f9a6b92372fdf427 | East London will stop for a moment on Wednesday night. As Lionel Messi clambers off the Argentina coach on Green Street, hundreds will gather to catch a glimpse. Half of the world’s big two is in town for one week only. It’s not to be missed. Messi has already captured the imagination around West Ham’s Rush Green Academy base – particularly after playing a practice match against the club’s Under 21 side – and is set to dazzle under the East End lights. Lionel Messi practices his shooting as Argentina train at West Ham's Rush Green Stadium . The Barcelona superstar listens to Argentina coach Gerardo Martino during the training session . Messi and his Argentina teammates were wrapped up warm on a blustery night in east London . Messi will lead the World Cup finalists out against Croatia in an international friendly at Upton Park on Wednesday . Messi - pictured playing against Almeria on Saturday - will draw a decent crowd when Argentina play at the home of West Ham . Alen Halilovic (right, pictured while at Dinamo Zagreb in 2012) is set to play some part for Croatia during the friendly . Halilovic (left, playing for Croatia Under 21s) was snapped up by Barcelona but has only featured for the B team thus far . There are question marks over whether Atletico Madrid striker Mario Mandzukic will feature for Niko Kovac's side . Luka Modric (playing against Rayo Vallecano on Saturday) is likely to start on the bench for the Croats in east London . Sergio Aguero scoring for Manchester City against Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Rob Green during the weekend's 2-2 draw . That fleeting game was described as an ‘unreal experience’ by youngster Sam Westley as fever engulfs this pocket of the capital. Messi has sprinkled a little bit of magic already. But that will hit new highs when Argentina take on Croatia at Upton Park. Only Cristiano Ronaldo – with the added gravitas and swagger – is bigger business than Messi. For many, the little forward is their hero and any opportunity to see him in the flesh - in their own backyard - has to be taken. Although West Ham are only hosting a friendly, one which should be relatively one-sided, you only had to be down at Rush Green on Tuesday to fully realise what this means. Diafra Sakho might be banging in goals this season and on his way to becoming a new icon, but it is not often a three-time Ballon d’Or rocks up ready to play ball. The Barcelona star will play wide for Gerardo Martino’s team against depleted opposition. Add to that suggestions of Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero also playing, and there could be goals aplenty. There is also the added subplot in Tevez’s return to a place he is adorned for the first time since November 2012 on a night when he will end a three-year absence from international football. Only he won’t be a rival on this occasion, but a striker to celebrate and applaud. Javier Mascherano too, although his stock isn’t quite so high with Hammers. Manchester City striker Aguero is one of several Premier League stars selected in the Argentina squad . Argentina's players warmed up for their friendly encounter with a behind closed doors game against West Ham's Under 21 side . The 27-year-old appeared to be feeling the effects of the British weather away from the warmer climate in Spain . Former West Ham striker Carlos Tevez has been called up to the Argentina squad for the first time in over three years . Messi passes the ball to Di Maria - the Barcelona forward has been lined up for a place on the right side of Argentina's attack . Tevez has been in superb form for Juventus, including scoring a solo wonder goal against Parma at the weekend . Tevez will return to Upton Park on Wednesday after rescuing West Ham from relegation in 2006-07 . Argentina have an embarrassment of riches up front with Tevez (left) and Messi (right) likely to be accompanied by Aguero . While Niko Kovac’s Croatia are without a number of star names, likely to rest Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic while striker Mario Mandzukic may be on the bench. Modric would actually rather be out there amongst it. ‘Of course I’d love to play against Argentina,’ he said. ‘I’d be wonderful, but the match against Italy is much more important and we’re going to prepare well for Sunday. ‘I think the game against Argentina will be a good one. I think they’re scary and play really well, but we’re going to work hard to get a good result. I hope we can put up a good fight.’ But it does hand an opportunity to an 18-year-old who – if he continues a startling rise – seems primed to carry the hopes of a nation for the next decade and more. Argentina coach Martino has vowed to entertain the crowd by playing a strong side against Croatia on Wednesday . VIDEO Martino to experiment in Croatia friendly . Manchester United's record signing Angel di Maria arrives at the training ground in Romford, London . Di Maria has impressed at Old Trafford following his British record £60m transfer from Real Madrid . Alen Halilovic is the name and will definitely feature against Argentina. The midfielder has only turned out for Barcelona B in his short career so far but is drawing huge praise. Barca thought enough of him to hand the teenager a five-year contract after an encouraging spell in the first team at Dinamo Zagreb. There has been Premier League interest, but you fancy the Catalans want to keep him close. ‘Obviously he has great potential and there is a great career ahead of him,’ Kovac said. ‘He has the quality and has spoken with his Barcelona team-mates regarding Wednesday's match. I'm sure they are all looking forward to it.’ Watching Messi strut his stuff and having a look at a star in the making - Angel di Maria hasn't even got a mention. And they said international friendlies had lost all meaning. | Argentina warmed up for their international friendly against Croatia with a practice game against West Ham U21s .
Behind closed doors game featured the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Javier Mascherano and Angel di Maria .
Carlos Tevez is primed for a return to Upton Park - two years after his last game there .
Croatia are likely to rest Luka Modric and Ivan Rakitic but Alen Halilovic will play some part .
The 18-year-old plays for Barcelona B but has a bright future ahead of him . |
270,173 | e9e6170a823aee5f1246e9cab756eb14d9fe3664 | Washington (CNN) -- A proposal to reduce nuclear weapons highlighted the debate within the German government about when and how to get rid of nuclear weapons on its soil, a new WikiLeaks document shows. Its release also reveals the presence of nuclear weapons in several European countries and Turkey, information not normally released by NATO. During a meeting with two U.S. diplomats, German National Security Adviser Christoph Heusgen expressed his reservations about the German government coalition's proposal to remove all tactical nuclear weapons from Germany, according to a November 2009 U.S. State Department cable published by WikiLeaks. In February, five countries -- Belgium, Germany, Luxembourg, Netherlands, and Norway -- sent a joint letter to NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen, signed by their respective foreign ministers, calling for a debate about NATO's nuclear policy. German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has called for the removal of all nuclear weapons from German soil. However, Heusgen distanced the German government from the proposal they had signed onto, claiming that "this had been forced upon them by FM Westerwelle," the cable said. Heusgen told the U.S. diplomats that "from his perspective, it made no sense to unilaterally withdraw 'the 20' tactical nuclear weapons still in Germany while Russia maintains 'thousands' of them. It would only be worth it if both sides drew down," the U.S. cable said. U.S. Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Philip H. Gordon responded by noting the importance of considering the potential consequences of a German proposal before moving forward. The cable continues, "a withdrawal of nuclear weapons from Germany and perhaps from Belgium and the Netherlands could make it very difficult politically for Turkey to maintain its own stockpile, even though it was still convinced of the need to do so." Hans Kristensen, director of the Nuclear Information Project at the Federation of American Scientists, says the cable shows the intense deliberations going on in the German political process. "The new in that is that it shows the battle going on inside the German government between the foreign minister and other elements of the government on this issue of how to push this issue of tactical nuclear weapons within the alliance." The Nuclear Threat Initiative defines tactical or nonstrategic nuclear weapons as "short-range weapons" which can include land-based missiles with a range of less than 500 kilometers (about 310 miles) and air- and sea-launched weapons with a range of less than 600 kilometers (about 370 miles). According to the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, the United States has 500 tactical nuclear weapons in its arsenal, of which approximately 200 are deployed in Europe. The cable does not identify the origin of the nuclear weapons in any of the four countries, but the United States or NATO have military bases in all of them. According to Kristensen, these weapons are American. He points out that the British do not have tactical nuclear weapons, and the French keep their tactical nuclear weapons on their home soil. "We don't comment on the placements of nuclear weapons," NATO spokeswoman Oana Lungescu told CNN. "As a matter of policy, we don't comment on leaked confidential documents of any sort. We think diplomats should be able to talk to each other in confidence, because otherwise there is a risk that tensions can get out of control." As for Heusgen's reference to "the 20" weapons on his country's soil, Kristensen says it is not clear whether he is actually confirming that amount of weapons, or if he is using the estimate in a report written by Kristensen in 2005, which was picked up by German media and government officials as part of the debate. "Very few people in the German government know the exact number of weapons, and it's not clear to me that the national security adviser would know." On the coupling of German and Russian denuclearization proposed by Heusgen, Kristensen says that would make very little sense. "It would be very strange to see formal linking of very small number of weapons in Germany with the large inventory of tactical nuclear weapons Russia has in general. It's apples and oranges. Russian tactical nuclear weapons, their location and their mission is not linked to whether there are nuclear weapons in Germany." Kristensen estimates that Belgium, Netherlands and Germany each have between 10 and 20 tactical nuclear weapons on their soil, and there are 60 to 70 in Turkey. | The German national security adviser is cool to a proposal to remove nukes from Germany .
He said "it made no sense ... while Russia maintains 'thousands,'" a cable says .
The cable shows intense deliberations in Germany, an analyst says . |
283,648 | fb725ba5214f6496401ad96eae09481fd27071ff | By . Sean Poulter . UPDATED: . 07:03 EST, 5 January 2012 . Shopping centres have triggered a Big Brother row after installing equipment that allows them to track customers using their mobile phone signals. The technology has raised privacy concerns after it emerged that major shopping centre owner Land Securities has installed it at ten of Britain’s biggest malls. These include the giant Cabot Circus, Bristol; Gunwharf Quays, Portsmouth; Princesshay, Exeter; Buchanan Galleries, Glasgow; Bon Accord & St Nicholas, Aberdeen; and The Centre, Livingston. A tiny yellow sign in Exeter's Princesshay shopping centre is the only warning customers receive that their mobile phone signal is being 'tracked' by Footpath's scanners. There is no way to opt out except not to enter or to turn off your mobile . Malls using the FootPath system in the . London area include One New Change and New Street Square in the City; . Cardinal Place, Victoria; and The Galleria, Hatfield. Path Intelligence, which developed . the system in the UK, said it includes safeguards to prevent spying on . individuals and that no personal information is collected. Rather, it is designed to track . people’s movements to better understand what shops and services they . find most interesting or useful. However, most shoppers are completely . in the dark about the tracking technology, and the only way to escape it . is to turn off the mobile phone. The 'warning' sign in the Princesshay shopping centre. Nick Pickles of Big Brother Watch says, 'It is assumed that the shopping centre has the automatic right to track people's mobile phones - to me that's wrong.' Nick Pickles, of privacy and civil . liberties group Big Brother Watch, said the law needs to be tightened to . cope with new mobile phone tracking systems. ‘People are right to be worried that . their mobile phones can be turned into tracking devices very easily, . without their permission or knowledge,’ he said. ‘While we have been given assurances . that the FootPath technology is not capable of capturing personal . information or sending communications to people’s phones, other . technologies which would allow this are available. 'Such tracking and communications would be a significant intrusion on privacy.’ Shoppers told about the tracking were concerned that they were effectively being followed without their permission. Path Intelligence says that its use of phone-tracking technology is widespread on Britain's High Streets - and that 'major' chains already use the technology . A customer at Princesshay, Hilda . Luscombe, said: ‘This is another invasion of our privacy. We shouldn’t . have to switch off our phones to opt out. This is just spying on us.’ Another customer, Robert McConnell, . said: ‘In the George Orwell book 1984 everyone was saying ‘‘Big Brother . Is Watching You’’. In 2012, everyone is asking ‘‘Who’s watching Big . Brother?’’.’ How it works: The FootPath system explained . Path Intelligence chief executive . Sharon Biggar wouldn’t name all the malls using the system, to maintain . the privacy of the firm’s clients. So shoppers can only know it is being . used if they spot the small signs put up by the centres. Miss Biggar insisted the technology . had been misunderstood. ‘This is in no way an invasion of privacy, we . cannot identify shoppers’ information,’ she said. ‘We cannot identify phone numbers or who an individual customer is. It is very much like watching dots walking around a room. ‘We are very open with the public. We . ask our clients to have signage up where the system is operating. The . signs are exactly the same as the ones for CCTV.’ She insisted the system was far less . intrusive than the tracking used by internet giants who follow the . activities of online shoppers. Land Securities said the technology . ‘is fairly common in the retail arena’ and added: ‘We are not monitoring . a private individual. We record the movements of a mobile phone. We are . not holding any data on anyone, all we get is a red dot telling us . where it travelled to.’ Path Intelligence is combined with sales data to create a full 'picture' of the effectiveness of shop layouts . | Technology installed at ten of UK's biggest malls .
Will track movement but not personal information, developers insist .
Tiny yellow sign only warning of 'FootPath' scanners . |
75,236 | d550eed9a255994f07beea9140eeebb4ed7e8290 | Brussels is probing Ireland and other European countries offering tax sweeteners to companies like Apple that could help them keep billions of pounds of profits. Luxembourg and the Netherlands will also be investigated by Eurocrats to see if the rock-bottom corporation tax rates they offer to big brands like Starbucks are illegal. According to a US Senate report earlier this year Apple has a 'special deal' with Dublin and pays no more than two per cent tax on profits, at least 10 per cent below what some other businesses have to in Ireland. Complex: Apple uses five companies located in Ireland (pictured) to carry out its tax strategy, which politicians say helps them use the country as a 'tax haven' MPs accused Starbucks of using a similar system in Holland to help them slash their UK tax bill by claiming they had little or no taxable profit in Britain. The European Commission has reportedly demanded that officials in Dublin, The Hague, and Luxembourg fully explain their tax rules for big business. Tough: Apple CEO Tim Cook has been forced to answer probing question's about the company's tax strategy this year . 'At the moment we are simply gathering information on tax rulings,' the Commission told the Financial Times. Apple uses five companies located in . Ireland to carry out its tax strategy, a 40-page report issued by . the US Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations said earlier this year. The . probe, which saw Apple chief Tim Cook defending the brand before a . Senate panel in May, discovered that Apple employs a group of . affiliate companies outside America to allegedly avoid paying tax. The report said: 'Ireland has essentially functioned as a tax haven for Apple'. ‘Apple wasn't satisfied with shifting its profits to a low-tax offshore tax haven,’ Senator Carl Levin the subcommittee's chairman, said. ‘Apple sought the Holy Grail of tax avoidance. It has created offshore entities holding tens of billions of dollars, while claiming to be tax resident nowhere.’ Apple's five companies are located at the same address in Cork and they share . members of their boards of directors. While all five companies were incorporated in Ireland, only two of them also have tax residency in that country. That . means the other three aren't legally required to pay taxes in Ireland . because they aren't managed or controlled in that country, in Apple's . view. The company can legally shift profits to its different operations, which results in it paying less tax. Apple's . arrangement has allowed it to pay just 1.9 per cent tax on its $37billion in overseas profits in 2012, despite the fact that the average . tax rate for countries in its main markets was 24 per cent last year, the report. The . subcommittee's report estimates that Apple avoided at least $3.5 billion . in US taxes in 2011 and $9 billion in 2012 by using the tactic. Apple says it complies with the law and pays 'an extraordinary amount' of tax. Tax efficient: The Starbucks logo is seen in the window of one of its coffee shops. Huge payments to overseas subsidiaries meant it recorded a loss, helping it to avoid paying tax for a fourth year in a row . Starbucks has reportedly handed over just £8.6 million in corporation tax in 14 years of trading in Britain, although it has since agreed to pay £20 million after the public outcry. And Google reportedly paid just £7.3million in corporation tax on sales of £3billion. Tax experts say the figure should have been at least £200million higher. Vodafone has recently made a multi-million pound settlement with HM Revenue & Customs in the wake of a dispute over the tax it had paid in Britain. Telecoms giant: Despite employing no staff for five years in Dublin, Vodafone took advantage of Ireland's generous corporate tax rate to record a £324million annual turnover last month . The information was revealed after it was reported that the company ran an Irish subsidiary from a satellite office in Dublin for tax purposes. Employing no staff for five years, the telecoms giant took advantage of Ireland’s generous corporate tax rate to record a £324million annual turnover collecting royalty payments for the use of its brand. | European Commission demands answers on countries' tax rules .
U.S. Senate says Apple has 2% 'special deal' with Dublin to help keep profits .
'Ireland has essentially functioned as a tax haven for Apple', report said .
MPs also accused Starbucks of having similar arrangement in Holland . |
36,371 | 671ea8260e3f9512bb913c1924282b56513a8396 | The Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers are threatening to leave their hometowns and share stadium outside Los Angeles if both teams fail to get new stadium deals. The division rivals announced their $1.7billion plan in a joint statement Thursday night, adding another layer of complexity to a possible NFL return to the region. The plan creates the odd prospect of the teams suddenly sharing a home field, and of Los Angeles having two NFL teams after going two decades with none. The Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Raiders both played their last games in the city in 1994 - then moved to St. Louis and Oakland, respectively. The Oakland Raiders and San Diego Chargers are planning a $1.7billion shared stadium in the Los Angeles area if both fail to get new stadium deals in their current hometowns, teams said in a statement. (file photo) And it takes the muddled issue of the NFL's return to Southern California and makes it downright messy, with at least three viable stadium plans in the works. St. Louis Rams owner Stan Kroenke is part of a joint venture to build an 80,000-seat stadium at the site of the former Hollywood Park horse track just 10 miles from Carson in Inglewood. And a plan remains alive for an NFL facility in downtown Los Angeles. That stadium known as Farmers Field, until recently the leading candidate for the NFL's return to the area, now becomes a long shot with multiple competitors and no clear team attached. The proposed shared stadium for the Chargers and Raiders would be in Carson, 15 miles south of downtown LA and home to the Los Angeles Galaxy soccer team. The site of the proposed stadium - Carson Marketplace - is part of an old municipal landfill that the NFL has looked into buying at least three times, according to LA Times. The teams' statement says both have tried and failed for years to find stadium solutions in Oakland and San Diego, and without new agreements in those cities their hands will be forced. An artist's depiction provided by MANICA Architecture, is shown of the proposed football stadium on property in Carson, California, 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles . The site of the proposed stadium - Carson Marketplace - is part of an old municipal landfill that the NFL has looked into buying at least three times . 'We are pursuing this stadium option in Carson for one straightforward reason,' the statement says. 'If we cannot find a permanent solution in our home markets, we have no alternative but to preserve other options to guarantee the future economic viability of our franchises.' Earlier this month, the NFL sent a memo warning teams that the league itself will be behind any decision to move to Southern California, and established a committee of owners to review the options. The Chargers and Raiders statement says they will respect and adhere to the guidelines the league laid out. Both teams said they plan to work in good faith through 2015 to find new agreements to stay in their current homes. The Chargers' talks with San Diego City Hall to replace the nearly 50-year-old Qualcomm Stadium have grown increasingly contentious. Earlier this month, the NFL sent a memo warning teams that the league itself will be behind any decision to move to Southern California, and established a committee of owners to review the options . If plans to move continue, all NFL teams looking into stadiums in Los Angeles are targeting 2016 for relocation. The only two NFL teams to share a stadium currently are the Jets and the Giants, who play in East Rutherford, New Jersey . Mayor Kevin Faulconer appointed an advisory group earlier this month to recommend a site and financing plan for a new stadium that can go on the November 2016 ballot. But Chargers' attorney Mark Fabiani told the group that there may not be a publicly acceptable solution to the problem and warned them against using the team for political advantage. The Raiders are in the final year of their lease at the even older Oakland Coliseum. The rundown stadium had sewage and electrical problems in the past year and is now the only stadium in the United States used as the home for both an NFL and Major League Baseball team, the Oakland Athletics. The team wants to build a new stadium at the site but talks with the city have shown little progress. Though Los Angeles does not have a team now, it has been home to the Chargers, Raiders and Rams in the last 60 years. The Chargers' talks with San Diego City Hall to replace the nearly 50-year-old Qualcomm Stadium have grown increasingly contentious. Mayor Kevin Faulconer appointed an advisory group earlier this month to recommend a site and financing plan for a new stadium that can go on the November 2016 ballot . Oakland's rundown stadium had sewage and electrical problems in the past year and is now the only stadium in the United States used as the home for both an NFL and Major League Baseball team, the Oakland Athletics . The Chargers played their inaugural first season in Los Angeles before moving to San Diego in 1961. The Rams moved from Southern California to St. Louis after the 1994 season. After that same season, the Raiders returned to Oakland, where they had played from 1960, their first year a team, to 1981. The Rams's stadium struggle in St. Louis has made progress with a burgeoning plan for a 64,000-seat stadium there on the city's north riverfront. 'Our focus is 100 percent committed to keeping the Rams here in their home of St. Louis and ensuring that we remain an NFL city for generations to come,' said former Anheuser-Busch president Dave Peacock, who is heading effort to keep the Rams in St. Louis. 'We are very encouraged and thrilled with the progress we've made.' If plans to move continue, all NFL teams looking into stadiums in Los Angeles are targeting 2016 for relocation. The only two NFL teams to share a stadium currently are the Jets and the Giants, who play in East Rutherford, New Jersey. | Division rivals plan to share stadium if both fail to get deals for better accommodations in their hometowns .
Los Angeles has not had an NFL team since Raiders and Rams left after 1994 season .
Both teams currently play in stadiums that are more than 50 years old .
The $1.7billion stadium would be in Carson, 15 miles south of downtown Los Angeles .
St. Louis Rams have also proposed stadium in Los Angeles area, ten miles from Carson .
Plans for NFL facility in downtown Los Angeles is also in the works .
Only NFL teams to share a stadium are Jets and Giants in New Jersey . |
191,787 | 84573c51060478e2f3dcdff40772431111e7c69d | Berlin (CNN) -- German Defense Minister Karl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg resigned Tuesday, in the wake of claims that he had plagiarized parts of his doctoral dissertation. Guttenberg is quitting all political posts, he said, adding that he was "taking the step that I would expect others to take." He said he was stepping down not only because of the dissertation, but because the issue was becoming a distraction. "When I become the center of attention on the backs of the soldiers who I'm responsible for, then I cannot justify remaining in office," he said. "Because the German army, the academic community, and the parties who back me are in danger of being damaged, I am taking the step that I would expect others to take," he concluded. He'll stay in place until Chancellor Angela Merkel chooses a replacement, she said, adding she had "accepted Karl Theodore's resignation with a heavy heart. "Now is not the time to speculate about a successor," she added. The resignation is likely to have a significant effect on Germany's coalition government. Guttenberg, 39, is a member of the Christian Social Union party, closely allied with Merkel's Christian Democratic Union. Guttenberg studied law and politics in Bayreuth and Munich, according to his official biography. He had been defense minister since October 2009. | NEW: He will stay in place until a successor is chosen, Chancellor Angela Merkel says .
The resignation could affect Merkel's government .
Karl-Theodor Freiherr zu Guttenberg is quitting all political posts, he says .
He is accused of copying parts of his doctoral dissertation . |
103,760 | 11d843656cefb2aa4fa04852ad435afd650b49ba | (CNN) -- Poor Microsoft. People who use your search engine seem especially interested in ... Apple. Bing published its most-searched news stories for 2012, and topping the list -- ahead of the presidential election, Superstorm Sandy and the London Olympics -- was the iPhone 5, the newest version of Apple's iconic smartphone. In case we need it, the ranking is further evidence of the feverish speculation that accompanies major Apple product launches. Released in October, the iPhone 5 was the subject of countless rumors and news reports all year about its launch date, features and 4G capability. But still -- did people on Bing really care more about the iPhone 5 than the election? "Tim Cook might want to send a thank you card to Steve Ballmer this morning," wrote Taylor Soper on GeekWire. At least the presidential election beat out Honey Boo Boo. Other tech news stories on Bing's list included the launch of Amazon's newest tablet, the Kindle Fire HD, and Facebook's public stock offering in May. That's a big change from 2011, when no tech stories made Bing's most-searched list. The complete list of Bing's top news stories: . 1. iPhone 5 . 2. 2012 elections . 3. 2012 Olympics . 4. Hurricane Sandy . 5. "Honey Boo Boo" reality show . 6. "Gangnam Style" dance . 7. KONY 2012 . 8. Academy Awards . 9. Kindle Fire HD . 10. Facebook IPO . Reality TV star Kim Kardashian topped Bing's most-searched person rankings for the year, dethroning 2011 champ Justin Bieber. President Obama was 46th, while his GOP rival Mitt Romney was 43rd. Apple also dominated Bing's list of the year's most-searched consumer electronics, taking 5 of the 10 spots. Other popular products were the Samsung Galaxy S III phone, the Kindle and Sony's PlayStation 3 gaming console. Facebook topped Bing's rankings of most-searched social media, followed by Twitter and, perhaps surprisingly, MySpace. Fortunately for Microsoft, the company wasn't shut out of its own search results. On the consumer-electronics list were the Xbox and Windows 8. With a market share of 16%, Bing is the second-most popular search engine in the U.S. behind Google (almost 67%), according to comScore. | The iPhone 5 topped Bing's list of most-searched news stories so far in 2012 .
It ranked ahead of the presidential election, Superstorm Sandy and the London Olympics .
Kim Kardashian was the year's most-searched person . |
229,127 | b4b0159b43ee128548789d58e57ab4c8cef81650 | By . Jenny Awford for MailOnline . Whistleblower Chelsea Manning says the military is continuing to deny her sex change treatment one year after she was jailed for handing secret documents to WikiLeaks. The former US army private, sentenced to 35-years under the name Bradley, revealed she is being forced to live as a man at Fort Leavenworth prison, Kansas. Manning says the Defense Department has not followed through with its promises after defense secretary, Chuck Hagel, approved a treatment plan that includes allowing her to dress as a woman. Scroll down for video . Chelsea Manning, formerly Bradley, says the military is continuing to deny her sex change treatment . She is now prepared to sue the military over the failure to carry out any recommendations, except 'lip service'. 'Unfortunately, despite silence, and then lip-service, the military has not yet provided me with any such treatment,' she wrote in a letter to broadcaster NBC said. 'For example, in my daily life, I am reminded of this when I look at the name on my badge, the first initial sewed into my clothing, the hair and grooming standards that I adhere to, and the titles and courtesies used by the staff. 'Ultimately, I just want to be able to live my life as the person that I am, and to be able to feel comfortable in my own skin.' Manning was sentenced to 35-years in jail after being convicted of leaking nearly 700,000 documents to the site WikiLeaks. The documents revealed a 38-minute video of an American airstrike in Baghdad that killed two Reuters journalists and wounded children, as well as embarrassing diplomatic cables. Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel approved a treatment plan for Manning (pictured) that includes allowing her to dress as a woman, but the former US army private claims she has only received 'lip treatment' Manning (left) was sentenced to 35-years in jail after being convicted of leaking nearly 700,000 documents to the site WikiLeaks, under Julian Assange (right) Shortly after the sentence was handed down, Manning went public with her gender dysphoria - the sense of being a woman in a man's body. And the former intelligence analyst asked for a treatment plan that would consider three measures: dressing and living as a woman, hormone therapy and possible surgery. Manning's lawyer, David Coombs, said that the military has failed to carry out the recommendations and that he is prepared to sue. 'The military's failure to comply with the treatment recommendations and protocols for Chelsea's diagnosed gender dysmorphia violates her well-established constitutional right to be free from cruel and unusual punishment,' he said. The Army declined to say when treatment might begin. The October 2010 release by Wikileaks of hundreds of thousands of battlefield reports, diplomatic cables and a video of a U.S. helicopter attack that killed civilians, was the largest leak of classified material in U.S. history. Following the documents' publication Manning was arrested and the Wikileaks site closed down. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange recently announced that he will 'soon' leave Ecuador's embassy in London, where he has been holed up for two years to avoid extradition. Police have been stationed at the compound since Mr Assange requested political asylum from Ecuador in June 2012, ready to arrest him if he sets foot outside. In September last year, Manning requested a presidential pardon for handing U.S state secrets to the WikiLeaks website because it was done 'out of a love for my country'. Manning says she is being denied sex change treatment at Fort Leavenworth prison in Kansas . | Chelsea Manning says she is being denied sex change treatment .
Former US army private sentenced to 35 years under the name Bradley .
She handed 7,000 secret documents to WikiLeaks in October 2010 .
Diagnosed with gender dysphoria - sense of being a woman in a man's body .
Defence secretary Chuck Hagel approved treatment for condition in July .
Now Manning is prepared to sue military over broken promise in Kansas jail . |
243,644 | c75bfd920b67ce4e57195e27d64c53fcfe7540a7 | Struck off: Anthony Barton, pictured today, appeared before the General Dental Council in 2009 after it emerged he regularly groped nurses' bottoms and tried to undo their bras while at work . A dentist struck who slept with a teenage dental nurse at work, told another to wear a thong under her uniform, and left a third scared to come in after he groped her has been cleared to practise again. Anthony Barton, 41, insists he has ‘grown up a lot’ since groped dental nurses' bottoms, twanged their knicker elastics and tried to undo their bras at work. The General Dental Council nearly six years ago banned him from dentistry after it heard evidence of nearly eight years of ‘sexually motivated behaviour’ - including at work sexual liaisons with a teenage colleague. But his name will now be returned to the GDC's register after a professional conduct and competence committee today decided to let him to resume his career. Announcing the decision, committee Chairman Rachel O’Connell said Mr Barton was now of good character and fit to practise - albeit with conditions for the first 12 months. ‘The Committee is in no doubt that you are remorseful and ashamed of the conduct which led to your erasure in 2009 and that you have reflected extensively over the last five years,' said Ms O'Connell. ‘You understand now how inappropriate your offensive sexual behaviour was and the impact it had on those who were subjected to it.' Mr Barton had found work as manager of a dental practice, where he had told colleagues about his past misconduct and his disqualification from the GDC register, said Ms O'Connell. ‘You work closely with the dental team at your practice, including young female colleagues. There is no evidence of any further concern or issue raised regarding your behaviour,' she said, adding that eight female dental nurses had submitted testimonials in support of his character. Mr Barton was in October 2009 found guilty of ‘unprofessional and inappropriate’ conduct towards a one young dental nurse and was struck off for ‘a serious breach of trust of several vulnerable employees’ at Red Rose Dental Group in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The twice-married dentist had carried on an at-work affair with one nurse, prancing around his surgery in a leopard-print thong and meeting the 19-year-old for trysts in his office and the toilets. The affair came to light after several dental nurses complained of unwanted touching, including one who reported that he had asked her to wear a thong beneath her uniform. The dentist, who resigned from the practice after the allegations emerged, admitted the affair to a tribunal and was found guilty of ‘unprofessional, inappropriate and indecent’ sexual conduct towards three women between 2000 and 2008. Since his disqualification from dentistry, Mr Barton had found work as a manager at a Smiles Dental in Anglesey, Wales. He told the panel this week he has to endure a daily 180-mile commute from his home in Warrington, Cheshire. ‘I have come to understand where my conduct fell short of what was to be expected,' he said. ‘It is quite clear to me now looking back that a lot of my actions were completely inappropriate and had no place in practise at all. ‘I have grown up a lot. I think I was very immature. I was very young at the time when certain aspects of the behaviour began. ‘It seems like a different person and I can’t believe a lot of the behaviour which happened.’ Barton said he was trusted to be around lone females at the surgery and there had been ‘no complaints at all’. ‘Often, there may just be myself and another member of staff’, he said. Barton also discussed taking practical and online courses to keep his knowledge of dentistry up to scratch, including ‘tutorial sessions on professionalism and ethics’. He has taken ‘90 or 100 hours’ of instruction and has even practised on dummy heads, since he is not allowed to work with real patients. ‘After an hour or two of doing it, it started to feel very natural’, he commented. Affair: Twice-married Barton also had a relationship with one 19-year-old trainee and the pair would have sex in the toilets and in his office at the Red Rose Dental Group in Wigan, Greater Manchester, pictured . Gabriel Beeby, for the GDC, had introduced the case, saying Mr Barton ‘had been unprofessional, inappropriate and participated in sexualised conduct towards four dental nurses with whom he worked’. After a five-day misconduct hearing, he was in 2009 found guilty of 17 charges relating to his treatment of the women. One victim, known only as Ms D, told the hearing of her disgust when his sexual innuendos took a physical twist and he began to ‘gratuitously grope’ her bottom in the office. She told the hearing: ‘I remember my trousers fell down a bit so I pulled them up myself. Mr Barton was standing behind me and thought that was a good opportunity to feel my bottom. ‘I think that’s the day he said I had a nice a***.’ Mr Barton admitted having a six-month affair with dental nurse Ms B and was found guilty of having sex with her during surgery hours. He was found guilty of multiple allegations of touching Ms A, Ms C and Ms D, and that his behaviour was ‘unprofessional, inappropriate and indecent.’ | Anthony Barton was struck off in 2009 for sexual misconduct at work .
Three women complained he had subjected them to unwanted advances .
The 41-year-old dentist also had a relationship with a 19-year-old trainee .
He is found fit to work after testimonials from eight new female colleagues .
Since he was struck off he has worked as a dental practice manager .
He said he's 'grown up a lot' as he asked to be allowed back to dentistry . |
131,563 | 362032b9f5a0d080ac8fd2c3f6809f1c3adc000e | Israel has decided to suspend all working ties with the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland, and will not cooperate with the council's plans for an investigation of Jewish settlements in Palestinian territories, Israel's foreign ministry spokesman told CNN Monday. "Working relations, participating in debates and discussion and exchanging papers, sending information and requesting information, and organizing visits and so on and so on, this is all suspended," Yigal Palmor said about the decision by senior management of the Foreign Ministry. The move came in response to a resolution by the Human Rights Council to establish a "Fact Finding Mission on the Influence of Settlements on Palestinians," the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a posting on its website. It described the move as "yet another surrealistic decision from the workshop of a council that is instrumentalized as a tool to push for one-sided politicized moves instead of promoting human rights." It accused the council of seeking "to satisfy the Palestinians' whims and to harm future chances to reach an agreement through peaceful means." The statement said that turning to international bodies "is a breach of concluded Israeli-Palestinian agreements." It said Palestinians should resume "direct and unconditional negotiations on all core issues within the framework of a comprehensive agreement" if they want to solve the settlements issue."Their deliberate choice to foster confrontation and provocation rather than compromise and reconciliation is nothing but a destructive strategy that the international community should firmly reject." Boy, 9, wants Israel on his U.S. passport . Palmor said the Israelis were discussing possible punitive measures against the Palestinians. But Mohamad Shtayeh, senior Palestinian negotiator, dismissed the uproar and the threat. "We know Israel is not in a position to take any measures against the Palestinian Authority because the Palestinian Authority is taking peaceful measures to protect its land and its people and this is something very legitimate and legal under international law," he said. In a statement communicated by the media adviser to Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister berated the council as "hypocritical" and said it "ought to be ashamed of itself." In Washington, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the United States had "vigorously opposed the resolution" on the settlements as counterproductive. "It's just going to distract efforts to help parties resolve the issue directly, which is what has to happen here, and it takes up time and limited resources that the council ought to be spending on other issues," she said. | Israel says it will not cooperate with an investigation of Jewish settlements .
The move comes in response to a resolution to establish a fact-finding mission on settlements .
Senior Palestinian negotiator says the measures are intended to protect Palestinian land and people .
Netanyahu says the council "ought to be ashamed of itself" |
220,564 | a9810966be3a1edad13b5669e32eac8284c58d6d | By . Ruth Sunderland, Associate City Editor . PUBLISHED: . 22:41 EST, 8 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 22:52 EST, 8 December 2013 . Confidence is rising among UK firms and job vacancies are growing at their fastest rate since 1998, reports published today claim. They give another boost to Chancellor George Osborne with more evidence that the recovery is taking hold. One survey on the jobs market . found that the demand from companies for new staff is increasing faster . than at any time in the past 15 years. Recovery: Although millions are still out of work, reports published today suggest demand for workers is rising . The growth in salaries for those taken on in permanent positions is at a six-year high, because fewer good candidates are on the market. Demand for new staff was much stronger in the wealth-creating private sector than in the public sector, according to a survey by accountancy firm KPMG and the Recruitment & Employment Confederation (REC). Recruitment & Employment Confederation chief executive Kevin Green, pictured, said 'all regions' in Britain are in growth . The greatest demand for new permanent . staff was in the Midlands, indicating the economic revival is not . confined to London and the South East. Engineering showed the strongest growth among the professions, suggesting a pick-up in Britain’s manufacturing industry. Kevin Green, chief executive of REC, said . the report showed ‘all sectors, all regions and both the private and . public sector are in growth, which is fantastic news for British . businesses, the UK economy and people looking for work in 2014’. A separate report by accountants BDO found that firms’ confidence levels rose to a three and a half year high in November. Its ‘Optmism Index’ rose to 103.1 last . month, from 101.7 in October and just 91.4 in November 2012. A figure . above 100 shows that firms think growth will be better than the long run . average, while a reading of less than 100 indicates they are . pessimistic and believe it will be below the trend. ‘This is a strong and broad-based recovery’, said Peter Hemington, a partner at BDO. ‘I think we can finally say that the key economic battleground has . shifted from austerity to the new debate about how the government can . help UK businesses achieve sustained growth in the context of a dynamic, . internationally competitive economy.’ Relief: The reports will be welcome news to the Chancellor George Osborne, pictured on Friday visiting a JCB factory in Rocester, Staffordshire. His Autumn Statement was adamant that the recovery is well under way . The independent Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) said last week that more than one million jobs will be created in the next five years, with the number in work reaching a record 31.2 million in 2018. Unemployment is set to fall from the current rate of 7.6 per cent to 7 per cent in 2015 and 5.6 per cent in 2018. The OBR more than doubled its growth forecast for 2013 from 0.6 per cent to 1.4 per cent and for 2014 from 1.8 per cent to 2.4 per cent. That allowed the Chancellor to boast that Britain is now growing faster than any major developed economy, with job creation in the private sector more than making up for losses in the taxpayer-funded public sector. Research by Lloyds Bank also published today found business activity is strong across all regions of England. | Vacancies opening up in the private sector with a shortage of skilled staff .
Claims made in report by the Recruitment & Employment Confederation .
It said the Midlands and the engineering sector show the greatest demand . |
202,410 | 920a650068c89f4e24c125ea3f36e36dda2f9eb8 | By . Stephen Johns . Ministers have been warned to stop wasting money on projects such as climate-change schemes in wealthy countries. Development Secretary Justine Greening fears British taxpayers are funding poorly run projects in middle-income countries that do not need support. Miss Greening warns ministers in a letter that they risk breaching international protocols and face investigation by Britain’s aid watchdog if they continue to spend money on anything other than countries in extreme poverty. Scroll down for video . Wasteful? Projects funded with Britain's generous aid budget include the 'Ethiopian Spice Girls' Yegna, who received £3.8million . Hot air: British aid to China is being used to upgrade business parks, promote trade union rights and fund training for gay rights activists. £15million has also been used to curb the flatulence of Colombian cows (above) Recent projects to draw criticism include £3.8million spent on an Ethiopian girl band, and a £15million fund to curb the flatulence of Colombian cows. Although she did not single out any departments in the letter, seen by the Daily Telegraph, Mrs Greening fears that spending by the Department for Energy and Climate Change (Decc), in particular, on wasteful projects could undermine public support for overseas aid. The department, run by Liberal Democrat Ed Davey, recently gave £15million to cattle ranchers in Colombia, the world’s 30th richest country, to help cut flatulence in cows. It also funded projects in Turkey and Chile, which have also enjoyed rapid economic growth. Relief: Ministers have been warned to focus efforts on genuine hardship, such as that caused by Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines, where Britain was active in rescue efforts . Miss Greening’s department, which . accounts for a large share of aid spending, has cut back funds from 43 . countries to 28, including ending support to Russia and China. 'We send money all over the world. Now we need to give people down here the hope that they will get what they need' Ian Liddell-Grainger, Bridgwater MP . In . 2012, the UK spent £8.62 billion in overseas development assistance, . with 87 per cent, or £7.53billion, spent by Mrs Greening’s department. The . rest of the budget was spent by bodies which include the Foreign Office . (£268 million), Decc (£241million) and the UN and other global agencies . (£107 million). The Department of Health, the . Department for Work and Pensions, the Home Office and the Department for . Culture, Media and Sport also have aid budgets. Closer to home: The Mail has led calls for the aid budget to be diverted to help Britons suffering in the floods. Pictured is Tricia Tompkins in her garden in Wraysbury, Berkshire . Need: The Daily Mail has highlighted the plight of those whose lives have been made a misery by UK flooding and almost 250,000 have now signed a petition calling for overseas aid funds to be used for flood relief . The . Department for International Development spent £3.8million on a girl . band called Yegna, dubbed the Ethiopian ‘Spice Girls’. Warning: The letter was sent by Development Secretary Justine Greening . The five-strong group launched a radio show and released a string of videos that aim to empower women in the African country. Miss Greening’s letter, which was sent on December 23, was copied to the Prime Minister and Nick Clegg. She . warned her colleagues that aid spending must meet the strict criteria . of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, the . global club of developed countries. Departments . that fund wasteful projects may face investigation by the Independent . Commission on Aid Impact, Britain’s aid watchdog. She . wrote: ‘We are making sure spending is targeted to where it is needed . the most. Taxpayers rightly expect all overseas development aid, . irrespective of the spending department, to be high quality and well . targeted. ‘All departments need to make sure they are delivering this and show they are meeting the OECD eligibility criteria.’ Mrs . Greening has asked her officials to work with departments including the . Foreign Office, Defra and HMRC to ‘provide best practice advice’. Ian Liddell-Grainger, a Tory MP whose Bridgwater constituency includes the Somerset Levels, said: ‘We send money all over the world. Now we need to give people down here the hope that they will get what they need.’ A Decc spokesman said: ‘Around two thirds of greenhouse gas emissions are forecast to come from the developing world by 2020, so it is key to help those countries switch to renewables like wind and solar, and so stop climate change.’ Britain’s aid budget has increased by 30 per cent in the last year to £11billion. Plea: Ian Liddell-Grainger (right, with David Cameron), a Tory MP whose Bridgwater constituency includes the Somerset Levels, said 'we need to give people down here the hope that they will get what they need' Assistance: Members of the Surrey Fire and Rescue Service help make adjustments to a high volume pump to remove water from a housing estate in Staines-upon-Thames, Surrey . The Government has set a target of spending 0.7 per cent of GDP on foreign aid, but it remains a highly charged issue. 'Taxpayers rightly expect all overseas development aid, irrespective of the spending department, to be high quality and well targeted' Justine Greening, Development Secretary . The Daily Mail’s petition to divert foreign aid to help the flood crisis has attracted more than 230,000 signatures. Last . week, Mr Davey used the flood crisis to launch an attack on . ‘diabolical’ and ‘wilfully ignorant, head in the sand, nimbyist’ Conservatives who question climate change. In . January, the Mail revealed that Britain spent nearly £500 million on . aid in corrupt countries including Afghanistan, North Korea, Somalia and . South Sudan. | Taxpayers are 'funding poorly run projects in middle-income countries'
Justine Greening warns ministers they face probe by UK aid watchdog .
She fears spending by Decc could cut public support for overseas aid . |
111,397 | 1ba3f7ded7e5198940ebabfda07df857dcd7a549 | By . Associated Press . Busted: Leo Sharp was a drug courier and known as 'grandad' to the Sinaloa cartel . An 89-year-old drug mule for the notorious Sinaloa cartel known as 'old man' who hauled cocaine across the country should be spared prison because of his dementia his attorney said on Tuesday. World War II veteran Leo Sharp, is due back in Detroit federal court on his 90th birthday on May 7 for sentencing after being caught in 2011 with $3 million of drugs belonging to the Mexican cartel on Interstate 94. His attorney filed an 18-page sentencing memo, hoping to persuade a judge that home confinement would be appropriate for the Michigan City, Indiana resident. 'He is a colorful, self-made, charitable man who has worked hard throughout this entire admirable, extraordinary, and long life,' Darryl Goldberg wrote. 'Mr. Sharp made a monumental mistake at a moment of perceived financial weakness, and was exploited and threatened, but his conduct in this case was truly an aberration from a law-abiding life.' He admitted he was responsible for transporting more than 1,400 pounds of drugs that originated in Arizona. The government said it has evidence that Sharp was transporting marijuana and cocaine from the West Coast back in 2000. 'Mr. Sharp is dreadfully sorry,' Goldberg said. Scroll Down to Watch Video . Jailed: Leo Sharp is America's oldest drug mule after he was caught with 230lb of a Mexican cartel's cocaine . In preparation for the sentencing hearing, Sharp told court officials that he needed money. He said he was threatened when he tried to stop transporting drugs. Sharp was diagnosed with dementia and other health problems and would be an expensive burden on the government if sent to prison, Goldberg said. He is a World War II veteran who fought in Italy and was awarded the Bronze Star, the fourth-highest honor, for his service, Goldberg said. Sharp was arrested in October 2011 following a routine traffic stop. Leo Sharp was found guilty of transporting cocaine across America for a notorious Mexican drug cartel . When the trooper asked Sharp if he could search the truck, the octogenarian refused. So the trooper requested a backup unit with a dog trained to detect bombs and illegal drugs. As the animal walked around the rear of Sharp's truck, it alerted to the possible presence of narcotics, the complaint said. During a subsequent search of the truck bed, troopers found 104 bricks of cocaine stashed in five bags with a wholesale value of $2.9million. The married father-of-three made a highly amusing appearance at the court hearing, telling the judge he lost his hearing after a cannon fired close to him during the 'war'. When he was told he would have to take a drug test, he said: 'I've never used a drug in my life. Ever.' Sharp was charged with conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. If convicted, he faces at least ten years in prison. | Leo Sharp, 89, is due to be sentenced to five years in prison after being arrested smuggling $3 million of cocaine across the United States .
Was working with the notorious Sinaloa cartel to transport the drugs .
His 90th birthday is on May 7 - the day he is due to be sentenced .
His lawyer is arguing that Sharp is suffering dementia and should be spared jail .
Served with distinction in WWII in Italy and was awarded the Bronze Star .
Became a drug mule in his mid-80s after being approached by the cartel .
The logic was that an old man who never be stopped by police . |
270,680 | ea9253c7f910315a309f8bc5ced2fa23a76821f8 | A jealous husband who took his former wife's cat before dumping it at the end of her road has today been cleared of theft - despite the fact that she didn't see the animal again for four months. Jonathan Brewster, 45, told police that he had taken Tracy Brewster's beloved ginger cat Marmalade from her home in Maidstone, Kent, while she was at work in July last year. He said he took the pet in a fit of rage after an argument, intending to take it to his house, but relented at the last moment and left it 200 yards down the road, intending for it to walk back. However, the animal got lost and wasn't found until four months later, 40 miles away on the side of a motorway in Surrey. Estranged: Jonathan Brewster, 45, right outside court today, admitted taking wife Tracy's beloved cat Marmalade from her home in Maidstone while she was at work in July last year . Missing: Mr Brewster said he intended to take the animal to his house, but relented and let it out at the end of the road. However the animal got lost and wasn't seen again for four months . Marmalade, known as Marmie, was only located after Mrs Brewster began a social media campaign which attracted the support of poet Pam Ayres and Made In Chelsea star Lucy Watson. The awareness drive, which also involved sponsored walks, raised more than £1,300 but cost Mrs Brewster, a mother-of-two, her job as a housekeeper. But Sevenoaks Magistrate's Court today ruled in Mr Brewster's favour today after concluding that he did not intentionally deprive Mrs Brewster of the cat - a key condition of a theft conviction. The court heard that, the day before her pet went missing, Mr Brewster emailed his brother and said he was 'going to ruin the b****'s life', and said he wouldn't 'rest until she lost everything'. Magistrates in Sevenoaks, Kent, heard how Mr and Mrs Brewster had been separated for two years and were trying to 'rekindle' their relationship in early 2014. But Mrs Brewster, 52, ended the relationship for good in May last year and Mr Brewster, a contracts manager for a property company, took the 'relationship breakdown badly'. She changed the locks on her door after her estranged husband turned up unannounced on 12 July. On 21 July came home to find Marmie missing. Ruling: Mr Brewster was today declared innocent of theft after magistrates in Sevenoaks ruled he had not intended to deprive Mrs Brewster of her pet (picture together) - a key finding in a theft conviction . Celebrity fans: Mother-of-two Mrs Brewster launched a major social media campaign to find her pet, attracting high profile supporters including poet Pam Ayres, right, and Made In Chelsea star Lucy Watson, left . Mrs Brewster phoned her sister-in-law, who said Brewster had sent his brother an email the previous day that read: 'As for divorce I'm going to ruin the b****'s life and won't rest until she's lost everything just like I have'. The court heard that Mrs Brewster twice confronted her estranged husband about stealing the cat, but each time he denied it and said it must have 'gone off to die somewhere.' Distraught by the loss of her pet, Mrs Brewster enlisted supporters - dubbed 'Marmie's Army' - to try and raise awareness on social media. The push attracted over 3,500 Twitter followers including Made In Chelsea's Lucy Watson and actress Linda Robinson. Her Facebook page 'Find Marmie' attracted over 4,000 likes. Mrs Brewster also organised a 50-mile walk while dressed as Garfield to raise Marmie's profile. She spent so much time organising the events that she lost her job as a housekeeper, the court heard. Mrs Brewster added the cat was found between the A26 and M23 by a couple who said they did not want the reward, but she sent them money anyway. Mr Brewster helped Tracy put up posters and look for Marmie but Mrs Brewster said he was 'jealous' of the cat and was only using the opportunity to get closer to her. She eventually 'called his bluff' and told him a neighbour had CCTV of him taking the cat and Brewster called the police and told them he had taken it, the court heard. Mrs Brewster told the court: 'I was devastated. I couldn't believe he would want to hurt me and Marmie in that way. Distraught: Mrs Brewster, pictured with Marmie, said she was 'searching for days' when she discovered her pet was missing. She said her estranged husband text to say that he had taken Marmie . 'I was searching for days. I texted John to say he'd been seen on CCTV, that my neighbour had CCTV and she was going to be back from holiday and look at the footage. 'The camera was fake but I hadn't realised that at the time. 'He texted me to say he'd taken Marmie and he hadn't hurt him and he was sorry.' On July 29, Mr Brewster admitted to police that he took the cat and planned to take it home to Essex. He claimed it was a joint-owned cat and left it 200 yards from the house as he didn't actually want it and it was a silly thing to do. Piers Restell, prosecuting, said Brewster admitted in a text that he had dumped the cat - but said it was only up the road and not in Surrey as Tracy suspected. Mr. Restell said: 'He texted to say sorry, he hadn't hurt him and had put him on the corner of the estate and it was wrong to do it.' Mr Brewster then told police in August: 'What happened is we had a right big fall out, I was going to take the cat back to my place then I changed my mind. 'I thought it was stupid so I left it on the corner.' | Jonathan Brewster, 45, admitted taking cat from estranged wife's house .
Said he wanted to take it home, but relented and left it at the end of road .
But animal got lost and Mrs Brewster did not see it again for four months .
Marmalade discovered 40 miles away in Surrey beside a motorway .
Court rules Mr Brewster is innocent saying he did not mean to deprive Mrs Brewster of the cat - a key finding in any theft conviction . |
46,160 | 820382735fb91a4d2d65b2f1fe65d68f40696215 | Former Iraqi asylum seekers have been raking in millions of pounds by illegally sub-letting luxury London flats paid for by taxpayers, The Mail on Sunday can reveal today. The housing benefit claimants have been funded by the state to stay in lavish apartments in some of the capital’s wealthiest addresses. But rather than living there, the claimants have been renting them out to super-rich tourists for thousands of pounds a week. Scroll down for video . Palatial: The Art Deco Park West block, where flats have been sub-let to tourists for up to £3,000 a week . In one case, a family of six – who cannot be named for legal reasons – were being given £500 a week housing benefit to live in a £1 million flat near Hyde Park, which they then let out for up to £3,000 a week. Last week investigators swooped on 21 benefits cheats – the majority of whom were identified as Iraqi Kurds – at four expensive apartment blocks. They included Forset Court, a grand, nine-storey 1930s mansion building, and the Art Deco development Park West, both less than half a mile from Marble Arch. Properties in both blocks come with 24-hour security, manicured lawns and concierges. Luxury: Former Iraqi asylum seekers have been raking in millions of pounds by illegally sub-letting luxury London flats paid for by taxpayers . It is estimated the fraudsters have made more than £100,000 each by sub-letting the flats over a three-year period, while costing the taxpayer a quarter of a million pounds in housing benefit. Hany Hanna, an estate agent in Marylebone, said he had been aware of the scams for 20 years, but recently they had reached ‘epidemic’ levels. He said: ‘They come into my office asking which blocks are best to rent. Some of them will come to the UK with a piece of paper with instructions on how to do things. Westminster Council’s anti-fraud tsar, Councillor Lindsey Hall . ‘First you have to be pregnant, then go to the housing department – they give you a flat. ‘After you get the flat, you move into another place, give the [first set of] keys to an agent, he will find you a tenant and you’ll be making double whammy – money from the Government and making money from the flat the Government gave you.’ Westminster Council’s anti-fraud tsar, Councillor Lindsey Hall, said many of the families were former asylum seekers who had been granted refugee status. They receive up to £500 a week in housing benefit which they use to rent private flats in luxury blocks. They secure these tenancies through unscrupulous middlemen acting as estate agents, before moving into a cheaper flat. They illegally sub-let the more expensive taxpayer-funded apartment to wealthy Arab families holidaying in London from Gulf states such as Saudi Arabia. The Iraqi-born claimants and the crooked agents split the profits. The frauds are committed without the knowledge of the property owners, who receive the rent they are charging without realising their home is being let for much more. The 21 fraudulent benefits claimants Westminster recently apprehended have all had their housing benefit payments cancelled and face civil court proceedings to reclaim the money. But Ms Hall said it would be difficult to bring criminal prosecutions in most cases because of the high burden of proof councils need, which can be very costly. She added: ‘We are asking for a more rigorous system where the onus isn’t always on local authorities to spend tens of thousands of pounds and conduct months of work to prove that someone is claiming benefits fraudulently. ‘Tougher tenancy agreements would be a starting point, and a fully traceable, fully transparent money trail ahead of that agreement being put in place. ‘We need same rigour as in the private sector.’ | Former Iraqi asylum seekers raking in millions by illegally sub-letting .
Housing benefit claimants funded by state to stay in lavish apartments .
But are renting them to super-rich tourists for thousands of pounds a week .
Investigators swooped on 21 benefits cheats at four apartment blocks .
Estimated the fraudsters made more than £100,000 each in three years . |
17,638 | 31fa3a61dc4065e906880bd7cb1af3943cb69025 | Editor's note: Fawaz A. Gerges holds the Christian A. Johnson Chair in Middle Eastern Studies and International Affairs at Sarah Lawrence College. His most recent book is "The Far Enemy: Why Jihad Went Global." This is the first of two pieces by Gerges on the Iranian election. Fawaz Gerges says Iran's president is vulnerable on the economy and broken promises of women's rights. (CNN) -- In Iran, as in every country, all politics is local. While there exist few substantive differences among leading presidential contenders over foreign and nuclear policy, there are divisions over the economy. With uncertain and declining oil revenues and a global financial crisis, Iran has fallen on hard times. The nation suffers from high inflation and an unemployment rate that tops 30 percent (according to unofficial figures) -- one of the highest in the region, despite the country's huge oil exports. Public discontent over the faltering economy has seen President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad become increasingly unpopular. His reformist and conservative opponents alike have criticized him publicly for spending too much time agitating the U.S. and Israel and not enough trying to fix the crumbling economy. Regardless of which candidate wins on June 12 or in a potential runoff, he will inherit a grave economic crisis and a restive population. Dealing with foreign affairs is likely to be some way down his list of priorities. At his first press conference after announcing his presidential candidacy, Hossein Mousavi, Ahmadinejad's main opponent, pledged to increase freedoms for Iranians and curb controversial restrictions that require women to cover their hair in public. "Can a security patrol save our youths?" Mousavi said of the increase in the moral police operations to prevent women from allowing their hair to show in public. "Or can they be saved by the words of a grandfather who talks to his granddaughter?" he asked rhetorically. The patrols began after Ahmadinejad became president, though his government denies responsibility; many women claim that his administration has institutionalized discrimination against them. Criticizing the president's rhetoric and the strictures he has imposed on daily life and public discourse, Mousavi, who appeals to the youth vote and women, said social controls are the domain of the people, not the government -- a radical departure from the dominant orthodoxy of the ruling mullahs. Mousavi frames his reforms as an affirmation of Iran's constitution, which he says has been "violated and undermined" by Ahmadinejad. The reason for his rhetoric is that women and young voters could tip the balance of power in his favor. Half of the 46 million eligible voters are women. In 1997, more than 60 percent of the votes that brought former President Mohammad Khatami to power were cast by women, and in 2000 women voters were instrumental in giving reformists a sweeping majority in the parliament. Promising greater individual freedoms to Iran's young people was instrumental in the two landslide victories by Khatami in 1997 and 2001. Ironically, during the 2005 presidential election, candidate Ahmadinejad said he would loosen state control over people's personal affairs. Trying to garner support among women and young voters, in one of his pre-election television interviews he questioned the role of the morality police: "Let our children arrange their hair any way they wish. It does not concern you and me. ... The government should fix the economy of the nation and improve its atmosphere. ... People have variegated tastes." His broken promises to women voters could cost him the presidency on June 12. A reformist woman and a former member of parliament said in a newspaper article that the president's days are numbered: "The women's movement in Iran is gaining momentum and these elections may be the first step towards Ahmadinejad [being] forced out." Indeed, women have become critical players in Iran's electoral map. More women activists are making their voices and demands heard and have formed coalitions to defeat the incumbent. Almost 600 women have registered for the forthcoming 290-seat Majlis (parliamentary) election, which will be crucial in determining the future of the ultra-conservatives who broadly back Ahmadinejad. There are currently only two women in secondary Cabinet positions and 11 in parliament, but these numbers seem certain to rise. It is no wonder then that leading reformist contenders have appealed to women by pledging to give them a greater say in the political and social order. Mehdi Karroubi, a former parliament speaker, said he has always supported women's rights and that if elected, he would appoint a female minister to his Cabinet: "Having a female minister will make no major changes, but it will be a major step toward removing the obstacles to the active participation of women in Iran's politics." So although this month's presidential election is unlikely to cause a rupture internationally, either for better or worse, the result could have a critical impact on the domestic arena in Iran, particularly in terms of the empowerment of women. As such, the election will provide a glimpse of how far Iran has evolved and how far it has to travel. Regardless of who emerges victorious, neither Iran's foreign policy nor its geostrategic posture will dramatically change. Although the president is the human face and representative of the Islamic-based regime in Tehran, he is not the top executive decision-maker or commander-in-chief. He does not make decisions of war and peace. Rather, his authority lies in the domestic arena, particularly in managing the economy and framing the moral debate, and communicating Iran's message(s) to the world. iReport.com: Human chain in support of Mousavi . The most powerful and influential man in today's Iran is the unelected Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, assisted by a National Security Council that includes dozens of political leaders. Together they are responsible for constructing the country's regional and foreign policies, including the nuclear portfolio and relations with Western powers. They set the broad parameters of Iranian foreign policy and strategy, leaving the president with a limited ability to maneuver in determining the country's international relations. Nevertheless, the president's personality and discourse play an important role in Iran's foreign relations, either heightening tensions with the world or presenting a more accommodating stance -- as clearly shown by the contrasting styles of President Ahmadinejad and his predecessor Mohammad Khatami. While Ahmadinejad's aggressive rhetoric has caused a further rupture with Western states, Khatami's stress on civilizational dialogue and co-existence was warmly welcomed in European capitals and many U.S. circles. The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Fawaz Gerges. | Fawaz Gerges: Iranian election likely to turn on local issues, not foreign policy .
Iran's economy in trouble due to lower oil prices, inflation, joblessness, he says .
Women think Ahmadinejad has broken his promises to them, Gerges says .
Gerges: Women and young people have been key factors in past votes . |
266,851 | e5a1c9693b51097daccbe199955a3cd122663ed0 | A 20-year-old man arrested for driving a stolen car was handcuffed when he drowned in a Florida canal in a desperate bid to escape from police. Alexandre 'Mozart' Nicolas allegedly sprinted across eight lanes of heavy traffic when police stopped and cuffed him in a parking lot near Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami Beach about 5pm Saturday. With his hands bound, the North Miami Beach resident leaped into the canal but couldn't stay afloat. A Sunny Isles Beach officer jumped into the waterway after him, but the aspiring musician could not be saved. Tragic: Alex Nicolas, 20, was handcuffed when he drowned in a Florida canal in a desperate bid to escape from police on Saturday . Desperate: Alex Nicolas sprinted across eight lanes of traffic to escape police before jumping into a canal . Nicolas was rushed to Aventura Hospital where he died. News of Nicolas's tragic death has stunned friends and family, who described the Alonzo and Tracy Mourning High School graduate as 'the life of the party' and close to his family. He was nicknamed 'Mozart' for his love of music. 'This was a great person,' Frank Quiroz, one of Nicholas's former classmates, told WSVN. 'I met him in school. He was a great student. He was a great kid. Everybody loved him. Really, I'm not even lying when I tell you everybody loved this kid.' Sam Goldberg, who said he was with Nicolas at Duffy’s Sports Grill on the causeway about an hour before the incident, remembered his friend as 'well-connected'. 'He was supposed to be with me. We left and went to the beach to watch sunset with friends...The waiter wouldn't even give him a drink. They were joking about it,' he told Miami Herald. 'He was very well connected. He was friends with everyone, and knew all the club owners. He wasn’t great off financially, but he liked very expensive things. He would never leave me behind.' Scene: Nicolas was handcuffed when he jumped into a canal near 163rd Street and Biscayne Boulevard in North Miami Beach on Saturday . Scene: Police pulled Nicolas over in the parking lot of Area Code 55, a Brazilian steakhouse on Biscayne Boulevard at Northeast 163rd Street . Miami Herald reported Miami-Dade police pulled over Nicolas after a scanner identified the license plate on the older model . Mercedes-Benz he was driving as stolen. After Nicolas crossed the . 163rd Street Causeway, cops stopped him in the parking lot of Area Code 55 at 16375 . Biscayne Blvd. Nicolas, who reportedly did not have a criminal history, was ordered out of the car and handcuffed before he fled. 'We . have a car where the tag was identified as stolen, followed by . identifying the vehicle as stolen,' Miami-Dade police spokesman . Detective Roy Rutland said. 'At that point an officer clearly has . probable cause to make an arrest.' Party animal: Friends say Nicolas loved to party and was well-connected, but didn't have much money . The Florida Department of Law Enforcement . database shows Nicolas was charged with a non-moving traffic violation and . driving with a suspended license on Saturday. Police have not commented on why Nicolas ran from officers. Sunny Isles Beach police have turned over the investigation to Miami-Dade police. County . officers will investigate the death before passing it on to the state . attorney’s office, which will determine if there was any criminal . wrongdoing by police. Passionate: Nicolas, fourth from left, was nicknamed 'Mozart' for his love of music . | Alexandre 'Mozart' Nicolas, 20, drowned in a North Miami Beach canal about 5.30pm Saturday .
Police say he was arrested for driving a stolen car .
He ran, handcuffed, across eight lanes of traffic and jumped into the waterway to escape cops .
His friends say he was the life of the party and a musical genius . |
101,796 | 0f2fc6ba7e0ddd29abd99368ffd9a89c6835b3d3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:18 EST, 3 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 12:46 EST, 3 February 2014 . This athletic bear appears to be doing an impression of an Olympic shot putter, flexing his muscles as he throws rocks from a pond. The adult grizzly - named Coola - impressed conservationists with his Herculean efforts by hurling the debris several yards. Photographer Devin Manky captured the playful activity at Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, in North Vancouver, Canada. Power: This large brown bear shows a talent for the sport of shot put while launching a rock into the air . Devin, who manages the wildlife at the refuge and lives in a cabin nearby, said: 'Coola is such an awesome guy and such an easy going bear.' The grizzly was taken in by the refuge as an orphaned cub after he was found beside his mum's body by a roadside. She was killed by a truck. He is now one of two male grizzly bears that live in the large five acre natural mountainside habitat, which includes three ponds. Playtime: The bear finds a rock on the floor of the pond while playing at Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, in North Vancouver, Canada . Picture perfect: Photographer Devin Manky had his camera at the ready to captured the playful activity of the bear . Getting ready: The athletic bear clutches the weighty rock in its paws as it readiest itself for a throw . Coola is thought to weigh over 1,000lbs (71 stone), and is allowed to forage naturally on berry bushes and old ant-filled bogs. However, his diet is supplemented with carrots, potatoes, lettuce and fish. Devin said: 'Some conservation officers captured him and brought him to a local veterinarians office. 'At the time there was no rehabilitation and release of orphaned Grizzly Bear cubs going on in British Columbia and there was also no room in any zoo. 'It meant Coola might have been euthanized. Water sports: The adult grizzly - named Coola - gets bored splashing around the pool in Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, in North Vancouver, Canada . 'However, our wildlife refuge offered to take him in and introduce him to Grinder, our other bear who was found the same year. 'I started working with Grinder and Coola in 2003 and still do to this day. 'Coola now weighs over a thousand pounds but is still a very curious and playful bear. 'He . loves stashing little 'toys', such as sticks, stones, and chunks of . grass at the bottom of his pond and will occasionally pull them out and . start throwing them around for fun. Sports day: Having excelled at shot put, the athletic bear fancies a go at swimming . Cooling off: After spending some time showing off its power and strength, this bear relaxes in the cooling waters of Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, in North Vancouver, Canada . 'He can do that for a long time. 'He once threw a chunk of grass up in the air and it landed on his head like a toupe!' He added: 'Grinder and Coola know me well but we don't go in and have free contact with them because they are just so large. 'Even if they were just being friendly or playful we could be in trouble. 'Therefore these photos were taken from outside a fence.' | Bear played in Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, in North Vancouver, Canada .
Photographer Devin Manky was on hand to capture the antics . |
75,484 | d60fa5bb874fccc5f56af85884ada025d3b28f07 | By . Richard Shears . Scores of passengers miraculously avoided death or injury today when a powerful earthquake rocked New Zealand and sent a two-ton eagle sculpture promoting The Hobbit movie crashing down at Wellington airport. The 6.3 magniture earthquake rocked the centre of the country, damanging buildings and sending boulders rolling down hills up and down the country between Auckland in the north and Dunedin on the tip of the south island. The shudder was felt throughout most of the country but there were no immediate reports of serious injury or death. Scroll down to Video . The eagle has landed: One of two giant sculptures which were part of a promotion for The Hobbit lies on the floor at Wellington Airport . Hazard: Miraculously no passengers were injured or killed after the eagle toppled to the floor . Officials described the earthquake, 99 miles north-east of Wellington at a depth of 31 miles, as 'severe'. Walls fell and huge rocks rolled across roads during the one-minute-long earthquake - and authorities warned that a number of aftershocks were likely to follow with more damage expected. Most of the damage is believed to be in the Palmerston North area, north east of Wellington. Fires broke out, telephone lines and power poles came down and alarm bells sounding in numerous towns. Police inspector Mike Coleman, at the Wellington central command, said that windows had been smashed and crockery had been thrown around - 'the usual sort of movement with earthquakes.' Wellington Free Abulance service said that while there were no immediate call-outs to attend injuries, the service had gone into emergency management mode as a precaution . Karen Monk, who lives on a farm just north of the town of Masterton, told the New Zealand Herald that the quake was 'really violent'. She added: 'My baby daughter was in her cot asleep and I managed to leap across the hall and grab her and leap outside onto the lawn.' Ms Monk and the baby remained outside for about half an hour while aftershocks rolled through. Wipeout: Dozens of bottles of wine lie smashed on the floor in the small Wairarapa town of Eketahuna . A shake map released by the US Geological Survey shows the location and intensity of the quake . The cleanup: Staff members start to tidy up after the earthquake hit Eketahuna . Pam Lochore, wife of former All Black star Sir Brian Lochore, said photographs have tumbled from shelves in their Masterton home. The earthquake had also caused water in the pool to 'rock side to side' and a 'rugby ball went flying across the room.' One resident of Raumati South, Ms Leigh Nichols, described the earthquake as 'like a train going along the track. It was so noisy, everything was just rattling.' Office staff were evacuated from buildings and motorists were urged to drive with care in case roads had subsided or debris had spilled across roads. Reports later said that houses had suffered collapsed walls, fallen chimneys and broken windows in Ektahuna. Earthquakes are not uncommon in New Zealand, the worst in recent times being the Christchurch disaster of February 2011 which brought buildings crashing down in the city centre, killing 185 people. | 6.3 magnitude quake hit centre of country earlier today .
No reports of injury or death though some building damaged .
Eagle sculpture crashed at Wellington airport but missed passengers . |
96,620 | 08548a99c20347552e3b58f640e0c1fdec45c403 | By . Chris Pleasance for MailOnline . A letter penned by Horatio Nelson using his right hand months before he lost the arm in battle is due to go up for auction . A letter penned by Lord Horatio Nelson using his right hand months before he lost the arm during a battle is set to go up for sale. The note, which is dated August 16 1795, was addressed from the then-Captain to a diplomat in Genoa, Italy, named Francis Drake. In the note, Nelson boasts about the size of his squadron after being promoted to the rank of Commodore earlier in the year. He also explains his frustration about being kept 'completely in the dark' by the army about their movements on the continent. The correspondence, which is expected to sell for £10,000 when it goes up for auction, is a rare example of Nelson's handwriting before he lost his right arm following the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1797. In 1795 Nelson was serving as a Post-Captain on board HMS Agamemnon in the fleet of Admiral Hotham, disrupting French convoys in the Mediterranean. On March 13 and 14, during the Battle of Genoa, Nelson distinguished himself after taking on the French vessel Ca Ira. Despite being massively outmanned and outgunned by the larger ship, Nelson managed to inflict significant damage, which later led to the Ca Ira's capture by British forces. Later the same year Nelson was promoted to Commodore following the Battle of Hyeres Islands on July 13 when he was one of only a few British ships to engage Rear Admiral Pierre Martin's French fleet, causing one of the vessels to burst into flames and explode. Dated August 16 1795, the letter is from Nelson - writing with his right hand - to Francis Drake, a diplomat in the Italian city of Genoa . Nelson had just been promoted to Commodore before the letter was written, and in it he boasts of the size of his squadron, saying it 'may never be this large again' In the letter, which is dated August 16, a 37-year-old Nelson can be seen flexing his muscles after his recent promotion. In the note, Lord Nelson expresses his disappointment that Francis Drake will not meet Admiral Hotham until he returns from Leghorn. At the time Nelson was under the command of Admiral Hotham. In the letter he laments the fact that Drake will not get to meet his commander . Lord Nelson said: 'I went off a great distance and wrote to the Admiral but his resolution to go first to Leghorn was so fixed that nothing could turn him. 'His despatches from the Admiralty are of such a nature as require him to head his fleet together for constant readiness for service. 'Perhaps you will still come here with what I can do with my present squadron, which may never be so large again, you can rest assured will be done. Ever your most faithful Horatio Nelson. 'If you could, without great inconvenience, come for a day to Vado I should like to know from you, the exact plans which the army is to follow, at present I am completely in the dark.' The provenance of the letter is confirmed by a note on the reverse of the paper that it was given to a descendant of Admiral Drake in September 1868. The letter, which was found in a house near Derby, is estimated to fetch between £8,000 and £10,000 when it is sold at Hansons Auction House on September 27. Charles Hanson from the auctioneers said: 'We are pleased to offer such an important part of our maritime history. 'The letter highlights even our greatest maritime war hero was often “in the dark” as to the movements the army were to follow. 'We always perceive Nelson to be at the helm of every battle and conflict and clearly in this letter he was somewhat concerned.' In 1795 Nelson was serving in the fleet of Admiral Hotham in the Mediterranean, on board his favourite ship the HMS Agamemnon. While Nelson, who was 37 at the time, started the year as a Post-Captain he was promoted to Commodore by the end of July after distinguishing himself at the Battle of Genoa, and than again at the Battle of Hyeres Islands. The letter, dated August 16, shows Nelson flexing his muscles in his new command. Writing to Francis Drake - a diplomat in Genoa, not the famous explorer - he boasts of the size of his squadron which 'may never be so large again.' He also laments the fact that Drake will not get to meet Hotham as he the commander been asked to depart for Leghorn, otherwise known as the Italian port city of Livorno. And, showing that Nelson has not yet reached the peak of his career, he also asks Drake for information on what the army is doing on shore, confessing that he is 'completely in the dark' about their movements. Nelson penned the letter in his right hand, two years before it was removed after he was wounded at the battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1797 . | Letter written by Nelson in August 1975 when he still had his right hand .
In note he speaks about his squadron after being promoted to Commodore .
Also complains that he is being kept in the dark about army movements .
Nelson lost right arm following the Battle of Santa Cruz de Tenerife in 1797 . |
57,938 | a42a776772cb2c26f177770c2d8b5b89e1d24cd3 | (CNN) -- As the protests in Cairo enter a second week, CNN takes a look at some of the key questions surrounding them. What are the protests about? The protesters are calling for democratization -- for a government that they feel represents them. They want President Hosni Mubarak, 82, to step down after 30 years holding onto power, and an end to what they complain is a corrupt regime. Some have called for the government to face a trial. The anger is driven largely by economic frustrations. Egypt has seen a dramatic rise in the cost of living in recent years. While the government has offered food subsidies to help people handle rising prices, many are struggling. Egypt's economy was stagnant for decades, but in the past 10 years started to grow, creating bigger differences between rich and poor, said Juan Cole, a Middle East historian at the University of Michigan. "And I think some of the protest is over the ways in which the labor movements have gotten left behind and haven't shared in the economic growth," he said. Why now? What sparked the protests? A wave of protests in nearby Tunisia which overthrew the government helped inspire people in other nearby countries, facing similar frustrations, that it was time for an uprising. But the spark, in many ways, was one young man. Mohamed Bouazizi, a 26-year-old college graduate in Tunisia, was unable to find work, so he set up a fruit cart. Police confiscated it, saying he had no permit. According to the Federation of Human Rights Leagues, police also beat him. Bouazizi set himself on fire in protest, and later died. His self-immolation triggered the huge protests in Tunisia, which in turn helped inspire people in other nearby countries, including Algeria and Yemen, to take to the streets as well. There have also been protests in Jordan and Sudan. A Facebook page calls for similar demonstrations in Syria. A popular Facebook page that helped organize the Cairo protests beginning January 25 was dedicated to Bouazizi. Who are the protesters? Many are young men. The majority of Egypt's population is under 30, and the vast majority of its unemployed are as well. While the protesters include people from different socio-economic levels and different parts of the country, there is a "high proportion of the educated middle class," said Cole. There's "a feeling amongst that middle class that they're not being given the opportunities in life that their degrees warrant -- what historians would call a 'blocked elite,'" Cole said. Have the protests been violent? The protesters have generally been peaceful, chanting slogans and holding signs. Last week, police clashed violently with some demonstrators, leaving some dead and others wounded. Once the government sent in the military to take the place of police, the clashes came to a halt. The two sides have generally gotten along well. Some protesters have even posed for pictures with members of the military on their tanks. At times, the protests have even taken on the feeling of a music festival, with people wandering around, chatting, and celebrating. "This is the start of the rest of my life," one jubilant young man who appeared to be in his 20s told CNN. "As cheesy as it sounds, that's exactly how I feel right now." How did chaos begin in some areas? Police disappeared from the streets in parts of Cairo and some other areas, and some police stations were ransacked. Over the weekend, looters attacked stores and homes and torched some cars, and some prisoners escaped. Men gathered in neighborhoods to create vigilante groups protecting their property. In some places, people handed out knives, sticks, clubs, and baseball bats to men and teenage boys, encouraging them to fight any looters who came along. Some Egyptians said they worry the chaos could be part of Mubarak's strategy, getting citizens angry at the protesters for creating havoc and excited for government security forces to come along and bring order. But the crime has also built more frustration against the government among many Egyptians. How many have died? While it's difficult to ascertain a solid death toll, Human Rights Watch staffers have confirmed more than 120 deaths in Cairo, Alexandria, and Suez, according to a researcher for the group in Cairo. How is the food supply? Many families are fast running out of staples, and they are either unable or unwilling to shop for groceries. "I have three children, and I only have enough to feed them for maybe two more days. After that I do not know what we will do," school administrator Gamalat Gadalla said. Grocers have closed up shop or are running out of supplies themselves. "With the curfew, there are no restaurants, food or gas. Basic goods will soon be in shortage," Sandmonkey, an Egyptian blogger said via Twitter. Egyptian state-run Nile TV has set up a hotline for citizens to call in and report bread shortages. There has been no other indication of what the Egyptian government is doing to address the crisis. CNN's Ben Wedeman, Nic Robertson, Ivan Watson, Frederik Pleitgen, and Salma Abdelaziz contributed to this report. | Protesters seek representative government, economic opportunity .
A young man in Tunisia sparked waves of protests in several countries .
Many protesters are young, unemployed, middle-class .
A Human Rights Watch researcher says more than 120 have died . |
273,684 | ee83e2c143baf15fb249d2fcfc76c2a99c5298b1 | An undocumented Harvard University student was recently granted access to re-enter the U.S. after making the desperate decision to cross the border into Mexico to see his dying mother. Film student Dario Guerrero Meneses, 21, has been stranded in mexico for weeks after his mother's passing but on Tuesday he received the happy news that U.S. Customs would be allowing him back into the country as soon as next week. 'The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service did a great thing just a few minutes ago and they granted and approved Dario's humanitarian parole visa request so he can return to America. He should be back in America in a few days,' Guerrero's lawyer, Alan Klein, told ABC News. In limbo: Dario Guerrero, center, poses with his grandparents Dario Guerrero Garrido and Crescencia Garcia Vazquez at their home in the outskirts of Mexico City, where the Harvard junior has been living since the summer because the US government has barred him from returning home . Son's duty: Dario, left, accompanied his undocumented mother, Rocio Meneses Diaz, right, to a clinic in Mexico in a last-ditch effort to find a treatment for her terminal cancer . The Harvard junior was faced with an impossible choice this summer: his mother's life or his immigration status. Dario was brought to the US as a toddler by his undocumented parents, and was desperate to find a treatment for his terminally ill mother that he decided to take her to a clinic in Mexico without waiting for permission from US immigration officials. For Rocio Meneses Diaz, Dario's mother, the chemotherapy stopped working last spring, as did the radiation. Doctors had already removed one of her kidneys. So her son did what any computer-savvy kid might do for a dying parent — he searched online and jumped into action. Guerrero found clinics offering alternative treatments in Mexico and took his mother across the border, hoping to keep her alive. In an immigration system where even the smallest mistake can bring dire consequences, Guerrero knowingly broke a rule by leaving the US without federal authorization. 'He panicked. His dad and mom wanted him to go, and he did the best thing he thought he could do for his family,' said his lawyer Alan Klein. Guerrero had lived in the United States illegally since he was 2. His parents brought him from Mexico City to California, and they overstayed tourist visas. He breezed through school, earning a scholarship to a John Hopkins University summer school program at 13. Eventually, along with hundreds of thousands of other young immigrants, he was granted a temporary reprieve from the threat of deportation under a 2012 Obama administration order. The catch: If these immigrants ever leave the US without government approval, they lose their protected status. Guerrero was at his mother's side when she died weeks later. But now, instead of cramming for exams, the film studies major is stuck at his grandparents' house in a gang-ridden suburb of Mexico City, hoping to persuade the US government to let him come home. Real-life drama: Dario, a film major, records his surroundings with a video camera on the rooftop of his grandparents' home in the gang-controlled outskirts of Mexico City . In a phone interview with MailOnline Tuesday evening, Mr Klein revealed that the US government has just approved Dario’s humanitarian parole, clearing the way for him to return home in about a week. Klein said he has been unable to reach his client to give him the good news because his cellphone had been stolen by hostile locals in Mexico, but he is certain Dario 'will be stoked.' Guerrero will spend the next few days arranging the transportation of his mother’s body back to Long Beach for burial. According to the attorney, the 21-year-old soon will be reunited with his girlfriend, who is pregnant with the couple’s first child, and he likely will be able to return to Harvard. Klein pointed out that the Ivy League school has been very helpful and supportive of the student throughout the entire ordeal. Alan Klein explained to MailOnline that in June, Dario applied for advance parole, which is a permission for an undocumented immigrant to leave and re-enter the US, but in July his application was still pending. Dario Guerrero did not know he could expedite his request, according to Mr Klein, so when he had not heard from immigration by mid-July, he decided to go to Mexico anyway. 'My mom had a lot of ups and downs,' Dario told the Associated Press. 'The decision to actually leave was made overnight.' His lawyer, Alan Klein, told MailOnline: ‘He did what he had to do to take care of his family,’ said the lawyer, adding that as an undocumented immigrant, Dario’s mother did not have access to top-notch medical care in the US. ‘This young man is a hero,’ Klein said. ‘This kid is everything we want from someone who wants to come to the United States… he is the reason why we have the Statue of Liberty.’ Tale as old as time: Dario's parents, pictured with him as a boy, emigrated to the US when he was 2 and only told him they were undocumented when he started taking college courses . Any immigrants with pending cases need permission to go abroad, which is not difficult to get eventually, if their requests are deemed valid. But those who do not wait for sometimes slow responses are considered to have voluntarily given up their effort to remain in the US. Advocates say it should be easier for immigrants who have lived in the US for many years to get permission to travel. But no such provisions were included in last year's immigration reform bills, and they aren't expected to be included in any executive action President Barack Obama might announce later this year. Rocio Meneses Diaz died August 14 at the age of 41 at her oldest brother's house in the central state of Guanajuato. Guerrero's 16-year-old brother also was by her side. As a US-born citizen, he is allowed to travel freely. Their father, a building contractor in the US illegally, stayed behind at the family's Long Beach home with their 9-year-old sister. Guerrero says he regrets his rash decision most of all because he thinks his mother would have been happier living her final days in Southern California with her husband and children, 'but then we still had hope — and if we delayed that treatment any longer because of immigration issues, I don't think I would have been able to forgive myself.' Guerrero's parents had kept his immigration status secret for years. They came clean only when he began taking community-college engineering classes while still in high school, and the Social Security number his parents submitted bounced back. Before her death, Guerrero's mom opened up about the past and her reasons for leaving Mexico: Her father had been kidnapped twice; her father-in-law and other relatives faced extortion; armed thieves broke into her clothing and jewelry store, holding a knife to her stomach. Guerrero recorded her stories and her struggle with kidney cancer, hoping to turn it into a documentary back at school. Instead, he's passing time in a room next to a garage just big enough to fit his twin bed and bureau. A picture of his mother and a single rose hang above the bed. His grandparents rent out the nearest bathroom during weekends for a pop-up street market. Guerrero sees his cousins after they get off work, and 'writes poetry and stuff' at night. Former Harvard lecturer Eoin Cannon, who taught history to Guerrero, described him as 'one of the most thoughtful and creative and original students that I had the pleasure of teaching,' and 'an exceptional writer.' Guerrero tackled homelessness in a student film, and later co-produced A Dream Deferred - a documentary about other immigrants like himself at Harvard. Impossible choice: Guerrero could have waited for a special authorization to travel abroad with his mother, but the process was taking a long time - the one thing his dying parent did not have . All in vain: Mrs Meneses Diaz, seen in a picture behind Dario, passed away in August, and when her son tried to re-enter the US, he was turned back . 'He's as American as anyone I know,' Cannon said. 'The law needs to sort of recognize that and have a mechanism for accounting for that ... For the law not to be able to handle his kind of case is hurting America.' Dario's harrowing tale has drawn media attention on both sides of the US-Mexico border. The Spanish-language Noticias Telemundo aired a segment about the Harvard student's ordeal, which included an emotional interview with the Harvard junior. Guerrero says it's been liberating to have no term-paper deadlines to worry about, but the lack of a routine keeps him edgy. He watches his back when he ventures outside. Cartels have moved in, extorting neighborhood businesses. Weeks ago, a relative was mugged and shot in the stomach. Harvard has been supportive, granting him leave and helping him find sympathetic ears in Washington, including Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat. Guerrero now talks about when he'll return, not if. But when asked what's hardest about being stuck in Mexico, he loses his bravado and his voice drops to a whisper: 'That I don't have a mom anymore.' Asked about what might happen to Dario upon his return to the US, Alan Klein said he does not believe the high-achieving student with a spotless record and a baby on the way would face deportation, especially with congressional midterm elections right around the corner. Mr Klein pointed out that in Dario’s case, immigration officials did do the right thing. | Dario Guerrero Meneses, 21, a film major at Harvard, has been living in crime-ridden Mexico City suburb since the summer .
He traveled to Mexico this summer to take his cancer-stricken mother to a clinic .
Rocio Meneses Diaz passed away August 14, and when her son tried to re-enter the country, he was turned back .
Dario was brought to the US by his undocumented parents as a toddler but only found out about his status recently .
Illegal immigrants wishing to travel outside the US can submit a request for a special authorization, but the process is often time-consuming .
Dario's attorney, Alan Klein, told MailOnline his humanitarian parole request was approved Tuesday and he'll be able to return in a week . |
229,273 | b4db824fbe7091dcdf49beba7bb668c13f8ac4e6 | By . Luke Garratt . A man who ate more than 15 stone of Sugar Puffs a year has lost nine stone in sixth months after completely cutting the cereal from his diet. Andy Mack, 39, from Wigan, Greater Manchester, used to weigh 29 stone and ate three family size boxes a week - more than 150 every year. Mr Mack said this was a major reason for his original weight gain but he has now shed the pounds after replacing Sugar Puffs with a more healthy breakfast. Andy Mack's old diet consisted of 15 stone worth of Sugar Puffs a year and massive portions of rice and pasta. He has now lost nine stone in six months after cutting out the cereal and exercising more . Mr Mack said: 'I was told cereal was a healthy breakfast so I thought I could eat as much of it as I liked. 'I’d often find myself refilling my mammoth bowl just to make sure I felt full.' Mr Mack believes that it wasn't just the Sugar Puffs that had an effect - he also consumed a huge number of snacks throughout the day. He said: 'I pretty much had the diet of an elephant. I thought I was eating well. 'When I fancied a snack I would have an apple. But I never just ate one apple, I would eat about eight apples in a row. 'After that I would have five bananas to fill myself up.' Andy Mack used to eat three family sized boxes of Sugar Puffs a week, thinking that because 'eating cereal was healthy' he could eat as much as he wanted . Now that he has given up the cereal, he has lost around nine stone due to his new diet . Breakfast: A portion of Sugar Puffs in a fruit bowl - and possibly seconds. Snacks: Six or seven apples back-to-back, followed by four or five bananas. Lunch: A sandwich with four slices of bread instead of two. Fillings comprised of meat and cheese with mayonnaise or salad cream. Afternoon snack: Six or seven apples back-to-back, followed by four or five bananas. Dinner: Massive portion of rice or pasta with pasta sauce or meat - sometimes followed by a second serving. Once a week: A takeaway with all the sides, starters and extras available . Alcohol: 15-20 pints on one night a week . Exercise: Minimal . Breakfast: No cereal, instead he has a light breakfast controlled by his fitness program . Snacks: None . Lunch: A sensibly portioned light lunch, with healthy fillings if it is a sandwich. Otherwsie he has a salad. Afternoon snack: None . Dinner: A sensibly portioned dinner of regular food, such as pasta or rice, but limited to one serving and a regular sized portion. Takeaways are off the menu . Alcohol: None . Exercise: Andy now trains four times a week for an hour at a time at his gym - this includes cycling, running, weights and a mixture of cardio and free weight lifting . When it came to dinner, Mr Mack once again piled his plate high thinking he was being healthy. He said: 'On certain diets things like pasta and rice are "free foods" so I thought there was no limit on the amount I could eat. Andy Mack has been compared to the Honey Monster, the popular mascot of Sugar Puffs cereal . 'My portion sizes were as big as my head. I would have seconds too. 'The trouble is, the more you eat the more you want.' Mr Mack had always been overweight but had ridden bikes to keep his fitness levels up. So when an opportunity arose for him to do a bike ride last year in support of a charity set up by family friends, following their young son Jack’s diagnosis with a rare illness, he jumped at the chance. But he soon found that his weight was holding him back. He said: 'I thought it would be a ride in the park but I seriously struggled. This race nearly broke me. 'It . took me 10 hours to complete the race which took the average person . only six. I didn’t think I was going to make it to the finish line. 'I was so shocked at how much I struggled, I knew I had to do something. 'I decided I would lose this weight I had been carrying around for years and sort myself out.' Mr Mack set himself a target to lose nine stone in six months to raise money for the charity. Andy Mack (before his diet, left) struggled to ride his bike when he was at his heaviest and realised he had to start training (right). He now exercises more and has cut his portion sizes dramatically . He said: 'My friend Nick Wilkinson is a previous big weight loss loser and he came up with the idea that I should lose the weight for the "Joining Jack" charity.' Mr Mack, who plays in a pub band, would get free drinks during a gig, and would sometimes drink 20 pints in one night . The charity was set up by friends Alex and Andy Johnson, whose son suffers from the rare muscle wasting condition Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, which affects one in approximately 3500 boys worldwide and currently has no cure. They are hoping to raise money to find a treatment for the disease and Mr Mack's massive weight loss has helped in a huge way. He has raised £7,300 for the charity, at the same time as shedding nine stone in six months. Mr Mack said: 'I have drastically changed my diet and I have my portion sizes under control. 'I go train four times a week and follow their strict diet plan. 'No more Sugar Puffs for me.' His successful loss of nine stone and has taken 14 inches off his waist. After weighing 28 stone 8 pounds Mr Mack now weighs a much healthier 19 stone. He said: 'I’ve lost so much weight that people I know don’t even recognise me in the street. 'I just want to be fit and healthy and I am not going to stop until I am just that. 'Raising money for Joining Jack in the process is that added push and keeps me going.' Mr Mack has signed himself up for the same bike ride challenge he struggled to finish for later this year and is hoping to shave four hours off his current personal best. | Andy Mack, 39, used to eat three family boxes of Sugar Puffs a week .
Mr Mack, of Wigan, would eat giant portions of rice or pasta for dinner .
Some nights he would down up to 20 pints of beer during pub gigs .
He now exercises four times a week, eats less and has lost 9 stone . |
185,684 | 7c83e472fcb737f61ba4bc27f5fa52604d568da9 | By . Laura Clark . Children with TVs in their bedrooms and their own mobile phones suffer significant falls in reading achievement, a major international study showed yesterday. Research among 4,000 pupils in England has linked ownership of TVs, DVD players and phone handsets to markedly lower scores in reading tests. Two thirds of 10-year-olds have been given their own TVs, with similar proportions owning DVD players and mobile phones. Research among 4,000 pupils in England found children with TVs in their bedrooms and their own mobile phones suffer significant falls in reading achievement . But youngsters who owned these gadgets lost on average at least 20 marks in a reading test given to children in 45 countries and provinces. In contrast, owning a musical instrument was associated with a 30-mark boost in results. A linked study found that teenagers who spend hours on social networking sites do significantly worse in science and maths tests. The trends emerged in international research charting the performance of 10-year-olds in reading and 10 and 14-year-olds in maths and science. Pupils in English primary schools improved their standing in global rankings of reading achievement, rising from 15th place in 2006 to 11th - a gain attributed to back-to-basics 'phonics' teaching. But the number of weak readers remained high, with more than twice as many 10-year-olds 'stuck at a very basic level' compared with the US. Youngsters who owned a television in their bedroom lost on average at least 20 marks in a reading test given to children in 45 countries and provinces . And England tumbled down a world science league of dozens of countries and failed to improve in maths. Ten-year-olds slipped from 7th place to 15th in science after being leapfrogged by several nations including Hungary and the Czech and Slovak republics, while flatlining in maths, in 9th place. Performance by 14-year-olds in both maths and science also stalled. Our teenagers were ranked tenth and ninth respectively. East Asian countries including South Korea, Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan and Taiwan dominated the upper reaches of the tables. As well reporting achievement in key . subjects, the studies paint a picture of the home and school environment . in each country using detailed questionnaires given to pupils and . teachers at the time of tests. More . than one in six English teenagers are being taught in maths or science . classes that are severely disrupted by classroom troublemakers. The research linked ownership of TVs, DVD players and phone handsets to markedly lower scores in reading tests . Responses from teachers revealed how 17 per cent of 14-year-olds are taught in classes where disruption affects lessons 'a lot'. Teachers also said pupils' failure to get enough sleep at night affected significant numbers of lessons. A minority suffered a lack of basic nutrition, which also impaired teaching. It also emerged that more than a quarter of primary pupils and one in 10 secondary pupils reported being 'hit or hurt' for example by kicking or shoving within the last month. And tens of thousands of pupils - up to eight per cent - are taught in secondary schools not considered by their teachers to be 'safe and orderly'. The studies were conducted by the National Foundation for Educational Research in England, and overseen by academics in the US and Netherlands. Part of the research asked pupils whether they had mobile phones, TVs or DVDs of their own. The answers were compared with their performance in reading tests, where the average mark internationally was 500, and the highest 571. 'There was a negative association between achievement on the PIRLS tests and ownership of the following items - your own mobile phone, your own television and your own DVD player,' the study said. 'In each case, pupils who reported possessing the item obtained, on average, a lower mean score (by more than 20 scale points) than those who did not possess the item. 'Conversely, the 76 per cent of pupils who owned their own musical instrument scored an average of 31 scale points more than those who did not.' Pupils with their own DVD player, for example, scored 542, against 569 among those who didn't. It also emerged that one in five 10-year-olds spends at least three hours a day watching TV and DVDs. And 13 per cent of 14-year-olds reported using social networking sites for four hours or more on a normal school day. There was evidence that performance in science and maths declined as time spent on the sites increased. Education Minister Elizabeth Truss welcomed news that more children were reading for pleasure than in 2006, when the study was last carried out. But she warned of a 'long tail' of under-achievement in reading. 'Our lowest performers are stuck at a very basic level, only able to find and reproduce information with explicit guidance,' she said. A sharper focus on phonics in schools would boost results further, she said. | Two thirds of 10-year-olds have been given their own TVs and mobiles .
Research among 4,000 pupils in England has linked them to markedly lower scores in reading tests . |
238,174 | c04227f905f3ea9d82fc3b66a2823f99815f997b | Scotland's richest woman has been blasted by campaigners after she closed a Battle of Britain airport she purchased for just £1 and vowed to keep open for at least two years. Ann Gloag purchased Manston Airport in Kent in November for the nominal fee, but had to accept £23 million worth of loans inherited from the previous owners. In November, Ms Gloag vowed to keep the airport operating but within six months it has closed. Scottish Millionaire Ann Gloag purchased Manston Airport in November 2013 and pledged to keep it open for at least two years . However, the airport's owners entered into a consultation process with staff in March about the future of the facility . The airport closed for what could be the final time on May 15 . There are now plans to under consideration to built 1,000 homes on part of the site. It is understood that shortly before the closure, the airport's owners rejected a £7 million takeover bid to secure the future of the facility. Mrs Goag is the founder of transport company Stagecoach and is understood to be worth an estimated £500 million. Manston Airport was developed as an aerodrome during World War I as a base for the newly created Royal Flying Corps. It was also used by Sir Barnes Wallace to develop his 'bouncing bomb' which was used during the Dam Busters raid. Speaking at the time of the purchase, Mrs Gloag said: 'I am delighted to have purchased Manston Airport from Infratil as I believe there is real potential for growth that has not been fully captured. 'I have said for 25 years now that the airport will never really succeed until we have a one-hour link from London to Manston. That is achievable and on track.' The Save Manston Airport group claim that the airstrip is a vital piece of infrastructure in the South East . During the Second World War RAF Manston was right at the front for the Battle of Britain and was used by Sir Barnes Wallace to test his bouncing bomb used in the Dam Busters Raid . Manston Airport was originally used by the Royal Flying Corps during World War I . However, on March 19, the management advised staff that they were entering 'a period of consultation over the possible closure of the airport'. The announcement prompted KLM to suspend its twice daily flights between Manston and Amsterdam. The service began operating shortly before Mrs Gloag purchased the facility. Local residents and trade unions have expressed outrage over the closure which will cost almost 600 jobs in the Thanet area. Some residents want Thanet District Council to lodge a compulsory purchase order on the airstrip. The council has tasked an official will investigating the possibility and senior officials plan to meet Mrs Gloag to discuss her plans. A spokesperson said: 'The council has been clear that it supports activity that retains the existing footprint of the airport as an airport, and was disappointed that recent bids to save Manston were not successful. 'The council is also keen to dismiss recent inaccurate reports regarding discussions between the council and airport owners to develop housing on the existing footprint of the airport.' According to the Save Manston Airport Group, the facility is only 20 minutes from Brussels and 35 minutes from Amsterdam . Commenting on development plans, the council said: 'The owners of Manston Airport put forward a proposed site for allocation as part of the Local plan discussions, where options for the "Northern Grass" (redundant land - not currently used for airport activity) were raised, including the possible development of housing. 'However, as the proposal does not fit in with the council’s current approach to allocating housing sites, no decision, or indication that this would have been an acceptable proposal was made by officers. 'As part of this discussion, there was no reference to any plans to change the use of the airport or to develop the land which is used for airport activity.' A spokesperson added: 'The council has consistently recognised Manston Airport as an important economic asset for the district and has been explicitly clear of its commitment to work alongside the Thanet MPs and Kent County Council as part of a task force to support the retention of the airport.' Speaking to The Observer, Ian McCoulough of Unite who represent the airport's fire fighters said: 'She just wanted to strip the value of the land and the properties on it.' The paper said Mrs Gloag refused to comment about her future plans for the airport. According to the Save Manston Airport action group, if the facility is shut down permanently it will likely be developed into either 'shoebox houses' or retail park. A spokesperson said that more than 14,000 people have signed a petition to counter the closure. According to the group: 'The airfield is largely undeveloped and could suit a variety of uses, only being 20 minutes flying time from Brussels and 35 minutes to Amsterdam.' Last week several hundred people marched to the airport demonstrating against its continued closure. Residents fear that the 700 acre site will be used to build homes. | Campaigners fear Manston Airport will be redeveloped for housing .
Local council wants to meet owner Ann Goag to discuss the airport's future .
Airstrip was used by the Royal Flying Corps during World War I .
It was also used by Sir Barnes Wallis during the development of the bouncing bomb . |
14,874 | 2a39a88eb0cf1765d2f3ebe604b42345edb81023 | By . Jill Reilly . She may have been half her opponent's size, but that didn't stop this mini breakdancer from showcasing a fiery range of moves. The pint-sized performer was taking part in the Baby Battle division of the . Chelles Battle Pro competition held in an Eastern suburb of Paris, . France on Saturday. Kitted out in a mini grey tracksuit with pink stripes, Terra from Wolverhampton, performed an impressive array of moves. Scroll down for video . Setting the crowd on fire: Six-year old-Terra performs dance moves even her much older competitor can't handle yet . Special award: Terra won Best Dancer of the Baby Battle in the division of the Chelles Battle Pro competition held in an Eastern suburb of Paris, France on Saturday . Crew: Terra is part of Soul Mavericks - a London B-Boy dance crew . Dizzy: She slid across the floor, twisting and spinning in a way that would make most six-year-old's dizzy . At the start of the battle Terra's opponent dances on the stage and showcases his moves to a animated audience. Watching from the edge Terra then moves in and starts her set including headstands and handstands, her head protected from spins by a black hat. After her opponent took centre stage again, Terra ramps up her performance and it's clear the crowd are behind her as she flips three times while launching into another energetic routine. She slid across the floor, twisting and spinning in a way that would make most six-year-old's dizzy. Game on: Terra sizes up her competition before the B-Boy dance off commences . Decisions: The judging panel sat along the side of the stage . The tiny dancer looked like she was . thoroughly enjoying the attention and even made it seem like she had moved . away from choreography and was free-styling. At the end she went over and offered a . high-five to a supporter at the side of the stage as well as going back . into the middle and high-fiving her opponent . Although a dancer called Jalen won the overall Baby Battle - Terra won Best Dancer. Winning performance: Terra gives her father a high five at the side of the stage . Terra is part of Soul Mavericks - a UK B-Boy dance group. She was added to their roster in 2012 alongside her eight-year-old sister Eddie. They are the current UK National . B-Boy Champions and also one of the few UK based crews who are . representing in competitions worldwide on an international level against . some of the best b-boy crews in the world. Break dance developed as a street . dance in the 1970 as part of a part of hip hop culture among African and . Latino American youths in New York City. But it has spread across the globe . and is popular in countries including South Korea, United Kingdom, . Germany, France, Russia, and Japan. | Competing in Chelles Battle Pro competition held in Paris, France .
Terra is part of Soul Mavericks - a UK B-Boy dance group .
The pint-sized breaker was added to the .
Soul Mavericks roster in 2012 . |
134,990 | 3a9eb22c4f0115e938ab35dbb590316a77092e1e | By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 08:49 EST, 7 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 09:24 EST, 7 January 2014 . Getting and staying fit is one of the most declared - and broken - pledges of the New Year. But for those determined to stick to the resolution of a healthier lifestyle, MailOnline has teamed up with international rugby star James Haskell to make sure your plan lasts longer than your first trial month at the gym. Although the recipe hasn’t changed – eating smart and working out are still the only way to bake a healthy body - there are many, many of ways to get the result you are looking for, no matter where you are in life. Get fit like a pro: For rugby player James Haskell, staying fit is a full-time occupation - so he knows his stuff . STARTING YOU OFF: . Warm-up is key. If you are a member of a gym, foam rollers are readily available, and can be purchased in a sports shop or online. However, a rugby/American football ball for the main muscles and a golf ball to target trigger points are great alternatives. It is not painless, especially if you often run straight into a workout without warming up, but as it helps increase blood flow and warm up the muscle tissue it is a worthwhile practice to incorporate into your workout routine. Ten rolls back and forward on your main muscle groups (back, calves, glutes, quads and hamstrings) and your body will thank you. They see me rollin: Using foam rollers is an excellent way to get your muscles warm before a workout . All fired up: A good ten rolls back and forward on each muscle group will ensure that you are ready to start your workout and avoid straining your muscles . 'These warm up techniques can be used at any age, a lot of people go in to the gym, especially when you are young, don't warm up properly and go straight into lifting,' James says. 'You don't need to be there for hours, you don't need to be a yoga master, what you need to do is to get your body into a good position to lift, so that no matter what you do, whether it is a bench press or a squat, your body is in line and your muscles aren't sleeping.' Below, James has put together . exercises which can be adapted to your goal, whether it is to get fit or . get fitter, no matter where you are in life. He says that 2014 . is the year to be inspired by our childhood, no matter our age. 'If . working out becomes a chore, it will never last longer than the end of . the month, so make it playful and fun. 'These exercises are supposed to be about accessibility, they work for everyone, especially for women. 'Many women fear that lifting weights is going to make them bulky, but that is never going to be the case. 'If you have limited space and time, a kettlebell and some rubberbands will get you a long way.' Kettleball overhead lift: Hold two kettlebells as James is showing in the picture and lift both arms high . Medicine ball abdominal 1: Sit on the floor with your feet lifted, hold the medicine ball or equivalent with both hands and lift it from side to side, touching the floor on each side . Kettlebell swing: Create a stable base with your legs at shoulder width, 'ass to the grass', clench your abdominal muscles and swing the kettlebell from between your legs and out as you stand up . 20S AND EARLY 30S . For . many, our 20s and early 30s are about forging a career, building a . social network and navigating romantic pitfalls. But this is also the time when we build a base upon . which our fitness can rest when our lives are less self-centred. When . getting your cardio in, channel your inner 80s kid and get back on your . wheels. Roller skating or long-boarding is a different way of pounding . the pavement when you feel like mixing up your jogging. James . says: 'Rollerblading again will work your leg muscles and depending on . for how long and how fast you go, you will build some body conditioning . too.‘ . LATE 30S AND 40S . Stereotypically, . our late 30s and 40s is a time involving focus on family, partners and . children, turning life into less ‘heels and cocktails’ and more ‘walking . boots and milk bottles’. Hours . in the gym are exchanged for weekends spent in the park, which James . says is a perfect opportunity to fit in some training time. Get your old . skipping rope from the attic and even a few minutes will raise your . pulse. If you have a partner, get together and incorporate interval . training and body weight exercises such as using a park bench for . step-ups and dips and burpees and lizard crawls to keep your heart rate . up. Medicineball abdominal 2: Lie down on your back and hold the medicine ball over your head . Medicineball abdominal 2: Sit up, bringing the ball over your head, and slam it into the ground as you come down with your arms . With your legs at shoulder width, hold . the medicine ball at chest level. Squat holding the ball and as you come . back to an upright position, throw the ball as high as you against the . wall, and catch it on the way back . James says: ‘Skipping . works your legs, your calves, your quads as well as your cardiovascular . system. It’s a great exercise widely used by many sports people, . requiring an entire body hit of conditioning.’ In your 30s and 40s, focus should move from pure fitness to more mobility exercises in order to stay fit and healthy as you age. 50S, 60S, AND ONWARDS . Increasingly . independent children means time to enjoy adult life again, but if you . want to maintain your health, it is important to continue to exercise, . even if it is at a slower pace. James . says: ‘An hour’s walk over different gradients will raise the heart . rate and help to burn off some of calories. Just make sure you have the . appropriate supportive footwear and clothing on when you do so.’ James recommends adding a training supplement to get the best results from your fitness routine 2014. 'Getting the result you want is about training hard, training well, eating smart and ensuring you get a proper recovery process,' he says. No surprises then that James put his own expertise to the test to create Hades and Hella pre-trainer and fatburner supplements. Hades (for men) and Hella (for women) was created by James when he struggled to find supplements that he as a professional athlete could safely take. Hades, Hella and James' own Organic Virgin Coconut Oil Tagaloa are available on jhbodyfire.com . Even . 10-15 minutes of daily body weight routines such as squats and abdominal . exercises will see your health improve within weeks. 'Using a rubber band to stretch is particularly good when you have been working a long time and you may have problems with your back or legs, and they are easy to pick up online,' James says. 'Overhead dislocation sounds horrific, but it's not. Holding a rubber band at chest level and stretching it out over your head, behind your back opens up your chest.' 'Even if you cannot fit in going to the gym, a lot of exercises with bands and medicine balls is easy to do anywhere, even in your front room.' 'There is a difference between training, which is what you do in the early part in your life, when you are looking to get in shape, lose weight and perform, and exercising which is in the later part of your life when focus is on maintaining a healthy living.' Thanks to Crossfit Blackfriars London. | Rugby ace James Haskell gives his top tips on how to work out .
From ages 20 to 60+, there is an workout suitable for every part of life . |
173,878 | 6cfd2456a8f1aa710f0a9bd79ca5bdeec848948c | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 01:25 EST, 4 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:25 EST, 4 February 2013 . Fidel Castro has made a rare public appearance after he voted in the country's parliamentary elections. Millions of Cubans joined the 86-year-old former leader of Cuba to vote in what critics have branded a 'closed' election that offers no real competition. The revolutionary icon, who appears in public only occasionally now since he fell ill in 2006, was among those voting in Havana yesterday. Scroll down for video . Former Cuban leader Fidel Castro cast his vote for the general election in a school polling station in Havana . Government critics call Cuban elections perfunctory, noting that only the Communist Party is permitted on the island . The government has defended the process, saying it is a show of grass-roots democracy. Authorities say the lack of multiple . parties or political campaigning keeps corruption and special-interest . money out of elections, and point to high turnout as proof that it's a . participatory system. The elected unicameral legislature will meet on February 24 and pick a new parliament chief for the first time in two decades, with the body's longtime leader, Ricardo Alarcon, not on the ballot. The body is also expected to rename Raul Castro, whom state TV showed casting his ballot in the eastern province of Santiago, as president for another five years. Voting began last October with municipal elections. Term limits do not exist in Cuba, but on various occasions Castro has proposed limiting public officials including the president to two consecutive periods in office. Castro, who now appears in public only occasionally after his illness, was among more than 8 million islanders eligible to vote . Castro and his younger brother Raul have headed up the government for five decades . Government critics call Cuban elections perfunctory, noting that only the Communist Party is permitted on the island and only one approved candidate is on the ballot for each seat in parliament. Castro and his older brother Fidel, now retired, have headed up the government for five decades. Parliamentary candidates don't need to belong to the Communist Party, but those who don't generally are members of allied organizations. After casting his ballot at a school in an upscale neighborhood of western Havana, Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez 'It is a different electoral system. 'Personally I find it is more democratic than (others) I know.' More than 8 million islanders are eligible to vote, and will approve 612 members of the National Assembly and over 1,600 provincial delegates. The government said turnout in 2008, when the last parliamentary election was held, was 96.8 percent. 'I come to vote of my own volition with the hope that we will see the delegates and representatives do their job, that they don't just get comfortable, that we see improvement,' said Arnaldo Herrera, a 54-year-old electrician, at a polling site in historic Old Havana. 'They need to do something, for example fix buildings that have problems. Some of them are falling down,' Mr Herrera added. 'People need to feel satisfied by what they do.' Castro's appearance will quell rumours . about his health, as whispers that the former Cuban leader has died or . is near death have circulated repeatedly for years . Castro's health is considered a matter of national security in Cuba and few details are released. | Millions have voted in elections that critics say offer no real competition .
Revolutionary, who appears in public only occasionally now since he fell ill in 2006, was among those voting in Havana . |
36,620 | 67ba1bb963e9f24d235394ab2c2c6ad9b701015d | This week, I will campaign for Gov. Mitt Romney. I believe this election will and should be about moving America back from the edge of the abyss on which we stand, where our debt and spending threaten to overwhelm and drown us. Romney's belief in free markets, limited government and trade make him the clear choice to lead our country come January. I do not, however, support a call for intervention in Syria. And, if such intervention were being contemplated, it is absolutely necessary that Congress give any such authority to the president. No president, Republican or Democrat, has the unilateral power to take our nation to war without the authority of the legislature. At times, I have been encouraged by Romney's foreign policy. I agree with his call to end the war in Afghanistan sooner rather than later and with his skepticism of, and call for reform in, foreign aid, but I am a bit dismayed by his foreign policy speech Monday, titled "Mantle of Leadership." Romney chose to criticize President Obama for seeking to cut a bloated Defense Department and for not being bellicose enough in the Middle East, two assertions with which I cannot agree. Defense and war spending has grown 137% since 2001. That kind of growth is not sustainable. Opinion: Romney's sorta-kinda call to arms . Adm. Michael Mullen stated earlier this year that the biggest threat to our national security is our debt. If debt is our gravest threat, adding to the debt by expanding military spending further threatens our national security. While I would always stand up for America and preserve our ability to defend ourselves, a less aggressive foreign policy along with an audit of the Pentagon could save tens of billions of dollars each year without sacrificing our defense. To dismiss either idea is to miss the very compromise that will enable us to balance our budget. That compromise would be for conservatives to admit that not every dollar spent on the military is sacred or well-spent and for liberals to admit that not every dollar spent on domestic entitlements and welfare is necessary. In North Africa and the Middle East, our problem has not been a lack of intervention. In the past 10 years we have fought two full wars there, and bombed or sent troops into several others. This past year, President Obama illegally began a war with Libya, taking sides with the rebels to unseat an admittedly bad man in Moammar Gadhafi. There were several problems with this policy: First, the president did not seek or get the necessary constitutional authority from Congress for this military action. If our Constitution is to mean anything it must be applied even in times of war, when those seeking to exercise power do not find it expedient. Just as importantly, the Libyan rebels were assisted with virtually no one in the administration or in Congress demanding to know who these people were that we were arming and propping up. No one seemed to understand that in toppling Libya's dictatorship, we were leaving in its wake an unformed, unorganized government without a centralized structure, one that would have a difficult time keeping order among the more than 100 tribes that make up Libya. This "act first, think later" foreign policy has real consequences. We've seen our embassies and consulates stormed in more than one country. Our diplomats and security team were killed. Our flag is being burned, our country mocked. The proper response to this would be to step back and think of whether we really need to be involved in these countries in the way we have been. Instead, both parties rush headlong into more places they don't understand, exemplified Monday by Romney urging action to arm Syrian rebels and topple President Bashar al-Assad. But just who are these rebels? What will they do when in power? Is this really in our vital national interest? Opinion: Romney's foreign policy twilight zone . We've been 10 years in Afghanistan and we can't identify friend from foe. Do you think we can, with certainty, identify friend and foe in Syria? Before taking our country closer to war, shouldn't we at least ask the viewpoint of the significant Christian population in Syria? News reports indicate they are wary of the rebels and are either sitting the fight out or siding with al-Assad. Al-Assad is by no means a saint but Christians flocked to Syria from a war-torn Iraq because they feared al-Assad less than the Islamic government we brought into being. Before getting deeply involved, should someone ask: Are these rebels going to be implementing the death penalty for criticism of Islam? There is ample evidence the rebels are being funded and armed by the most extreme Islamist elements and governments in the region. Is that where we want our funds and weapons to end up? We need to stop and think before we act. I am not an isolationist or a pacifist. I heartily reject both labels. I believe in engagement in the world, with trade, commerce, diplomacy and a foreign policy that projects the greatness of America and her people. I would not hesitate to vote to send American troops to war to protect our country and our vital national security interests. Opinion: Obama, Romney -- Ignore Afghanistan war at your own peril . But we are in too many places, too often, and we don't seem to even know the reason -- or where we will end up when we're done. This foreign policy has created more enemies than it has vanquished. It has siphoned trillions of America's dollars. It has cost tens of thousands of casualties in the loss of the lives and limbs of our soldiers. We owe it to ourselves, our soldiers and our children to take a more careful look at our foreign policy, to not rush into war, and to not attempt to score political points with wrongheaded policy ideas. Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter . | Sen. Rand Paul: I support Mitt Romney but question some of his foreign policy speech .
He says Romney seeks more intervention in Mideast, where U.S. wars have fared poorly .
Paul says arming the rebels in Syria risks empowering some people with anti-U.S. agendas .
He says U.S. defense budget is too high, growing at unsustainable rate . |
121,087 | 28849a41b85d37922031548e4ac0d1993e2d51a2 | She wrote of being in love, falling out of love, fearing a marriage to a skirt-chaser and then loving that marriage, and believing in God to hold on to the hope of reuniting with her assassinated husband. Letters that a young Jacqueline Bouvier, and later a married Jackie Kennedy, wrote to a Catholic priest in Ireland offer a rare and revealing glimpse of the private thoughts of one of America's most admired first ladies. An icon of style and elegance, she came to symbolize an administration nicknamed Camelot that ended with the violent death of President John F. Kennedy in November 1963. Over a period from when she first met the Rev. Joseph Leonard on a trip to Ireland in 1950 until he died in 1964, she wrote him more than two dozen letters. She only met him in person once more, in 1955, but the letters being sold at auction in Ireland provide insight into the personal dreams, wishes and fears of a young woman who became one of the world's most popular figures. Revealing letters . Part of her popularity involved the mystique of Jackie Kennedy, the focus of near-rabid media attention who later married Greek shipping magnate Aristotle Onassis. While others sought to chronicle the woman and her life, she provided little help through the years. "It's so good in a way to write all this down and get it off your chest - because I never do really talk about it with anyone," she said in one letter. The correspondence shows the maturation of a high society girl who broke off an engagement with New York stockbroker John Husted before she met the dashing young politician she would marry. "So terribly much in love -- for the first time -- and I want to get married. And I KNOW I will marry this boy," she wrote of Husted. "I don't have to think and wonder -- as I always have before -- if they are the right one, how we'd get along etc. ... I just KNOW he is and it's the deepest happiest feeling in the world." Things changed, as she later described to Leonard. "I'm ashamed that we both went into it so quickly and gaily, but I think the suffering it brought us both for a while afterwards was the best thing -- we both need something of a shock to make us grow up," she wrote. " I don't know if John has -- I haven't seen him and I don't really want to, not out of meanness -- it's just better if that all dies away & we forget we knew each other -- but I know it's grown me up and it's about time!" The next time she gets engaged, she added, it will be "ALL RIGHT and have a happy ending!" "His career is the driving thing" That next time was to Kennedy, the scion of an influential Democratic family from Massachusetts who became the first U.S. president of the televised campaign era. "If he ever does ask me to marry him, it will be for rather practical reasons - because his career is this driving thing with him," Jackie wrote in one letter of Kennedy's political ambitions. A 1952 letter, written the year before they wed, showed her understanding of Kennedy's philandering ways, which continued in the White House. "He's like my father in a way — loves the chase and is bored with the conquest — and once married needs proof he's still attractive, so flirts with other women and resents you," she wrote. "I saw how that nearly killed Mummy." She also wondered about the glitzy life she lived, writing that "maybe I'm just dazzled and picture myself in a glittering world of crowned heads and Men of Destiny-- and not just a sad little housewife." "That world can be very glamorous from the outside -- but if you're in it -- and you're lonely -- it could be a Hell," she added. "God will have a bit of explaining to do" Despite such concerns, she later wrote Leonard that she loved being married to the man she called Jack. After Kennedy's assassination, Jackie wrote of trying to understand it all. "I think God must have taken Jack to show the world how lost we would be without him -- but that is a strange way of thinking to me," she wrote." God will have a bit of explaining to do to me if I ever see him." Another passage showed the depth of her grief. "I have to think there is a God -- or I have no hope of finding Jack again," she wrote. Jackie died in 1994. 50 years later, Jackie Kennedy's pink suit locked away from view . The letters to Leonard go up for sale next month at Sheppard's Irish Auction House. In effect, an "unpublished autobiography" "We are thrilled at Sheppard's to offer what is in effect the unpublished autobiography of Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy," said a statement by Philip Sheppard, the auctioneer. He told CNN on Tuesday the letters came from a private source and as a trained historian, he satisfied himself that "the source who gave the letters is authentic and that the letters are authentic as well." Jackie was 21 when her correspondence began with the 73-year-old Leonard, and her letters to the priest showed the value she placed on their relationship. In one, she discussed the difference between Leonard and the American priests she knew, complaining they gave her "a whole lot of trite little phrases that make you angry & resentful and farther away from the church than ever." By contrast, she wrote, Leonard was "someone who loves everything I love -- who you can have FUN with -- who can take you to Jammet's & the theatre as naturally as to Mass -- whom you can talk to about anything in the world and know you won't shock them -- and whose whole life is built on love -- love and not fear -- which is what always put me off." One letter to Leonard ended: "I REALLY must stop now Father L -- but bushels, barrels carts & lorry loads of love to YOU -- Jacqueline XO." | Jackie complained about American priests being trite .
The letters to be auctioned in Ireland show a society girl's maturation .
She knew her husband-to-be was like her philandering father .
Without God, no hope of reuniting with her assassinated husband, she wrote . |
158,045 | 5855b3411414f50189850ad3600872aeec844c08 | By . James Slack . PUBLISHED: . 18:19 EST, 11 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 05:47 EST, 12 July 2012 . Human rights law will be extended to include the right to claim benefits and enjoy a comfortable standard of living courtesy of the taxpayer under plans unveiled last night. A Government panel of experts is considering whether Labour’s Human Rights Act – which is already hugely controversial – should be extended to include so-called ‘socio-economic rights’. This would allow the jobless to take the Government to court if ministers did not provide a minimum standard of living. Earlier this week, a report by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation suggested a family of four needed an income of almost £37,000 to have a satisfactory lifestyle. Farce: Human rights law will be extended to include the right to enjoy a comfortable standard of living courtesy of the taxpayer (picture posed by models) The ‘Commission on a Bill of Rights’ was set up by David Cameron to end the rampant abuse of human rights laws. Originally, the Prime Minister had pledged to scrap Labour’s Act and replace it with a UK Bill of Rights, which would stop the system being abused by criminals and those who refuse to work. But, after being forced into a coalition with the Liberal Democrats he had to downgrade his pledge. Instead, he established the commission to decide the best way forward. Yesterday, despite deliberating for 15 months, the panel said it had not decided whether to recommend any change to the Act. But it said that, if it did decide to opt for a Bill of Rights, it wanted to consider suggestions from the public and pro-human rights groups on whether to add on yet more ‘human rights’ which must be respected by Parliament and the courts. Frustration: The Prime Minister set up the commission to end the rampant abuse of human rights laws . Under a section headed ‘Additional Rights?’, it suggests ‘a right to equality’; a ‘right to administrative justice’, which would build on the existing ‘right to a fair trial’; ‘rights for victims’; ‘children’s rights’; ‘socio-economic rights’; and ‘environmental rights’. The last two are likely to be the most contentious. Under ‘socio-economic rights’, it says: ‘Such rights, which are found in a number of bills of rights in other countries, can include rights to adequate healthcare and housing, a right to education, a right to a minimum standard of living, and a range of other social security entitlements.’ On benefits, the panel suggest copying wording from the South African Constitution. This promises a right to ‘social security, including, if they are unable to support themselves and their dependants, appropriate social assistance’. On the environment, the panel suggests that everyone should have the right to live in a world that ‘is not harmful to their health or well-being’ where there is ‘secure ecologically sustainable development and the use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development’. Critics fear this could lead to all building projects being automatically challenged under human rights law – creating a boon for lawyers but stifling economic growth. MPs said they were hugely disappointed with the report, which also suggests the courts having the power to strike down laws made by . Parliament. Currently, judges can rule that a law is incompatible with the Human Rights Act, but must leave it to the politicians to decide what to do next. Tory MP Dominic Raab said: ‘The Commission risks being hijacked by the human rights lobby. It is supposed to be looking at how to scale back the rights inflation and compensation culture that has undermined law enforcement, democratic accountability and personal responsibility. Compensation culture: MP Dominic Rabb said the commission risked being hijacked by the human rights lobby . ‘Instead, it has churned out proposals for even more human rights. That would give judges enormous power to set social policy without proper democratic accountability, and cost the taxpayer a fortune.’ Mr Cameron voiced his frustration in May at slow progress on his plans to scrap the Human Rights Act. He blamed delays on the compromises made necessary by being in a coalition, but said he remained determined to press ahead with the change. Sir Leigh Lewis – chairman of the panel, which will make its final recommendations later this year – said: ‘I am pleased that the Commission has published this second Consultation Paper. We want to hear from as many individuals and interested parties as possible.’ A spokesman for the Commission on a Bill of Rights said: 'We have not taken a decision on whether we need a UK Bill of Rights, or what it should contain. 'This consultation is merely seeking further public opinion on the issue and reflects the views we received following the discussion paper we published last year. It does not in any way pre-empt our views or recommendations, which we will provide to the Government for their consideration at the end of the year.' | Experts are considering whether Labour's Human Rights Act should include socio-economic rights .
Job-seekers could take the Government to court if ministers failed to provide minimum standard of living . |
258,642 | dabec4d3c79732f1b6e51089610b6462c06fbeef | By . Ashley Collman . PUBLISHED: . 18:04 EST, 14 June 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:04 EST, 14 June 2013 . After deliberating for less than an hour, a jury in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, found a babysitter guilty for the first-degree murder of a toddler who was in her care. They suggested a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole. The babysitter, 50-year-old Van Le, was tried for murdering 2-year-old Jessica Chau, the niece she had been babysitting for a year. Jessica died on September 24 after suffering for two days from injuries sustained under her aunt's watch. Le testified that she was only trying to revive Jessica, who was not feeling well and wasn't breathing. She picked her up, shook her, and put her on the floor 'very hard.' Guilty: Van Le leaving court Thursday after being found guilty of murdering her 2-year-old niece, Jessica Chau . 'I never hurt Jessica. I love Jessica,' Le said. But Le's testimony was countered with that of her 8-year-old son, who is now living with a foster family. He said his mother got angry with Jessica for jumping on the bed, so she grabbed the girl by the legs and slammed her head on the floor 'twice or several times.' The prosecutor acted this out for the jury, slamming a book and yelling 'quit jumping on the bed' to illustrate the force. Jessica was hospitalized for two days with a fractured skull and brain and eye injuries before dying on September 24. Mina Chau, Jessica's mother, had been leaving both Jessica and her 6-year-old daughter in the care of Le for about a year, while she worked at a nail salon. No more jumping on the bed: According to her son's testimony, Le was angry at Jessica for jumping on the bed when she grabbed the toddler by the legs and threw her on the ground multiple times . Jessica was 'playful' that morning, Chau testified, and had been riding a little pink bike before being dropped off at Le's house. Mugshot: Le will be sentenced by a judge on June 27. The jury recommended life in prison without parole . After the medical testimony, prosecutors say that Le changed her story to fit what doctor's said about Jessica's injury, something Assistant District Attorney Gayland Gieger believes attributed to the jury's speedy deliberation. 'I think the strength of the evidence is shown by the relatively short time the jury was out deliberating,' Gieger told NewsOK. 'She significantly changed her account of what happened after she heard the medical testimony. 'I think it's clear to all of us that she was lying to you,' Assistant District Attorney Marcy Fassio said in her closing argument. 'Clearly she has a motivation to lie to you.' Le will be sentenced on June 27. | 50-year-old Van Le was found guilty of killing her niece 2-year-old Jessica Chau, who she had been babysitting for over a year .
Le's son testified that his mother grabbed Jessica by the ankles and slammed her head on the floor .
Chau was hospitalized for two days before succumbing to her injuries .
Le will be sentenced June 27 . |
179,247 | 740fe533a1c8da42137593a04ed4aa897bbb4725 | By . Anna Edwards . PUBLISHED: . 02:41 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:46 EST, 31 July 2013 . A leading surgeon faces being struck off after he conned a wealthy widow out of hundreds of thousands of pounds by persuading her to 'invest' money into joint bank accounts and funding his children's school fees. Dr Ashraf Elnazir, a leading colonic specialist based at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, befriended Gabriella Adler-Jensen after her husband Harry died, leaving her a £1.4m estate. The father-of-three persuaded her to buy property, land and 'invest' money in joint bank accounts between 2003 and 2006, the Medical Practitioners Tribunal Service has heard. Dr Ashraf Elnazir is accused of conning wealthy widow Gabriella Adler-Jensen (right), out of hundreds of thousands of pounds and funding his lifestyle with the money . Dr Elnazira also suggested she transfer large sums of cash into foreign bank accounts then misappropriated the funds for his own gain. Mrs Adler-Jensen's financial position diminished 'in direct proportion' to the doctor's own wealth increasing, the hearing was told. She paid for him to go on a £5,000 holiday to Dubai in 2003, during which the pair developed a sexual relationship, the panel heard. He also used funds to pay airlines, his racquet club, dentist's bills, his children's school fees and to buy cars. The panel found his actions were dishonest and likely to bring the medical profession into disrepute and he could now be forced out of the profession. 'The panel is satisfied that you dishonesty misappropriated Mr's A's money and property,' said panel chair Sandra Sturdy. The leading colonic specialist, based at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, denies the allegations and said they never had a close relationship . 'The panel is also satisfied that you utilised Mrs A's financial resources for your own benefit and to the detriment of Mrs A. 'It considered that your actions were dishonest and, as such, in breach of a fundamental tenet of the medical profession. 'That being so, your actions had the very real potential to bring the medical profession into disrepute.' Dr Elnazir became close to the widow after the death of her 84-year-old husband in 2001. They were living in the same exclusive apartment block in Kensington when the grieving widow, who was herself in ill health, turned to the medic for guidance. The friendship blossomed and by the end of 2002 the pair regularly socialised and dined out together. After the decision yesterday Ed Morgan, for the GMC told the panel: 'The doctor was fully aware that Mrs A invested in him that degree of trust and was seeking his assistance to identify both security and safety. 'One symptom of the pattern of behaviour the doctor cultivated was repeatedly and consistently choosing his own interests and aspirations and relegating those of Mrs A,' he added. 'The pair opened a joint HSBC account for . 'business investments' into which Mrs Adler Jensen transferred around . £779,000 between 2003 and 2006' 'The doctor utilised funds and financial resources as his own, not seeking or gaining her consent for their use.' Mr Morgan continued: 'He caused Mrs A to incur significant cost in time, effort and emotional commitment simply to lay claim to that which she was entitled.' Dr Elnazir denied all the allegations against him and, giving evidence, told the panel he never had a close relationship with Mrs Adler-Jensen. 'According to the doctor he was the person who was abused. He classified the whole relationship as bizarre. 'He sought to persuade you that Mrs A was a colleague, that she was a business associate, that he didn't at any time consider her financial security and he didn't think there was any responsibility on him to protect Mrs A from herself,' said Mr Morgan. 'Having seen the opportunity the doctor lost no time in seeking to cultivate it and thereafter harvested the opportunities Mrs A represented under the guise of a close relationship.' In January 2003 Dr Elnazir persuaded Mrs Adler-Jensen to buy his flat in an exclusive block in West Kensington for £429,000, though it was only valued at £375,000. Despite her transferring sums of £134,000 £80,000 and £215,000 for the purchase of the property between February and September, Dr Elnazir retained joint ownership. He later claimed the sums were transferred as gifts for his children or that he considered them as a loan. When she transferred the sum of £215,000 he said he was 'beside himself and horrified' and thought the behaviour was 'bizarre'. But he used the funds to put towards the purchase of a new family home in Chiswick, London. Later that year the pair opened a joint HSBC account for 'business investments' into which Mrs Adler Jensen transferred around £779,000 between 2003 and 2006. The panel found Dr Elnazir withdrew around £70k for his personal use. Dr Elnazir and Mrs Adler-Jernsen also opened a joint US dollar account for currency trading in 2004 and the widow transferred large sums of money to foreign accounts on the doctor's request. She transferred a total of $645,645 including a sum of $440k to buy land in Egypt, which was never bought. On one occasion he told her his brother was in 'serious' financial trouble and asked her to transfer $20,000 because the Egyptian mafia would be 'after' him if the money was not paid. When Mrs Adler-Jensen sought recompense, first at the high court before reporting the medic to the GMC, Dr Elnazir branded her as 'the enemy', the hearing was told. 'Mrs A became the enemy and as the enemy he was able to concoct lies and further statements to her which were dishonest,' said Mr Morgan. 'We say the conduct was sustained, it was deliberate and it was targeted. There has been no expression of regret, nor any apology. 'Even now the doctor closes his eyes to his actions and the consequences that have befallen Mrs A as a result of them,' he added. 'You have found the doctor has been guilty of material acts of dishonesty. Those acts of themselves and collectively are a course of conduct that represents a significant and fundamental departure from good medical practice,' Mr Morgan told the panel. The panel must now decide if the doctor's actions amount to misconduct and if his fitness to practise is impaired as a result. If so he could be forced to work under conditions, face suspension or struck off the medical register. The doctor is not attending this stage of the hearing, which resumed yesterday for the third time after starting last year. The hearing continues today. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Dr Ashraf Elnazir befriended widow and neighbour Gabriella Adler-Jensen .
Father-of-three persuaded her to buy land and 'invest' in joint bank accounts .
Surgeon used funds to buy cars, property and his children's school fees .
Colonic specialist denied all the allegations against him .
Told tribunal he never had a close relationship with Mrs Adler-Jensen . |
70,059 | c6a2f1e5734e70b6a6b8f4ccf59b12aa043a34a7 | Colombia striker Jackson Martinez took the World Cup by the scruff of the neck last night with two brilliantly executed goals in his side's win over Japan. Fans of Portuguese giants Porto have become accustomed to such excellence and here Sportsmail give you the lowdown on the Colombian's super striker. Looking up: Colombian striker Jackson Martinez has excelled at this World Cup for the South Americans . I'm sure I've heard his name before? Definitely, if you haven't then you've been living under a rock for the past couple of years. Martinez has been prolific in the Portuguese Primeira Liga for Porto, scoring 60 goals in 89 starts for the club since arriving from Mexican club Chiapas. Prolific: Martinez has scored 60 goals in 89 appearances for Porto since arriving from Mexican side Chiapas . So is he just a two season wonder? Most certainly not. He carved himself a burgeoning reputation in South America, first with Colombian side Medellin before moving to Chiapas where he spent three seasons scoring 36 goals which alerted Porto to his talents. Curler: Martinez scores his side's third goal in their 3-0 victory over Japan in World Cup Group C . So how did his move to Porto come about? Then Porto manager Vitor Pereira had seen enough to splash out £6.5million on Martinez - quite a sum for a player who was largely unknown in European football during the time. But Pereira's faith paid instant dividends as the Colombian scored on his debut as Porto beat Academica in the Supertaca 2012. And Martinez hasn't stopped scoring since. His performances during his first season in Portugal earned him the nickname 'Jackshow Martinez'. Adored: Porto signed the striker for £6.5m in 2012 and he has since been dubbed 'Jackshow Martinez' Surely Porto will struggle to keep him? It will be difficult, yes. Europe's big guns are circling round the striker after his glowing performances. Arsenal were interested in January and continue to monitor his progress. But Arsene Wenger isn't the only interested party. Atletico Madrid have identified Martinez as a potential replacement for Chelsea-bound Diego Costa. Chelsea and Manchester United have also been linked with moves for the 27-year-old. Not camera shy: Martinez celebrates his third for Colombia, who have a 100 per cent record so far . How much will he cost? He has a £33.2m release clause. Well shouldn't a move for him for Martinez be straight forward then? In essence, yes. But the size of the release clause is the main stumbling block, it certainly was with Arsenal last season. While his goalscoring record in Portugal isn't to be sniffed it, the fear is whether he would be able to carry that form into the Barclays Premier League. And at £33.2m, that's a big gamble to take. Finish: Martinez grabs Colombia's second in the 3-0 win over Japan and is much sought after . Could Arsenal renew their interest this summer? His two goals against Japan on Tuesday night won't have been missed by Wenger, who is in Brazil working for French TV. With Karim Benzema set to sign a new deal at Real Madrid and complexities over Arsenal's interest in Mario Balotelli, Martinez could yet find himself at the Emirates Stadium next season. Interested: Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is an admirer of Martinez but may not meet the asking price . Pricey: Although he is much sought-after, Martinez's £33.2m buyout clause may put off suitors . | The striker scored twice for Colombia in 3-0 Group C win over Japan .
Martinez signed for Porto for £6.5m in 2012 from Mexican side Chiapas .
He has scored 60 goals in 89 starts for Porto since 2012 .
The striker has a £33.2m release clause in his contract .
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is an admirer but may not match that fee . |
200,142 | 8f1ce39e5ac35299a93f4e28ba7547a71ec384c8 | A 24-year-old male baby sitter from Florida was arrested in California Friday, eight days after the death of a baby boy who was in his charge. Joseph Lamay was wanted for questioning in connection to the sudden passing of 4-month-old Lorenzo Hernandez September 26, but police say at this point he is not a suspect. Lamay, who has an extensive criminal record, was taken into custody on a probation violation. Investigators in Palm Bay, Florida, will determine if the male nanny will face charges in the infant’s death. Scroll down for video . Person of interest: Joseph Lamay (left), 24, was arrested in California for questioning more than a week after his girlfriend's baby, Lorenzo Hernandez (right), died while in his care in Florida . Distress call: Police responded to this apartment complex in Palm Bay after getting a call from Lamay telling them that a baby in his care was not breathing after rolling off a couch . Police responded to an apartment complex in Palm Bay at around 1am September 26 after getting a call about a child in distress,ClickOrlando reported. Baby Lorenzo was rushed to Health First Holmes Regional Medical Center, where he passed away a short time later. According to detectives, Lamay was babysitting Lorenzo, his girlfriend Chastity Cintron's son, and was the only person in the infant's presence after the child's biological father tucked him in at around 10.30pm. Sometime after midnight, Lamay called 911 saying that the baby in his care was not breathing after hitting his head in a fall from a couch, according to WESH-TV. After the boy's death, Lamay was interviewed by police and let go. He was described as being cooperative at the time. Cross-country trip: Lamay boarded a bus in Palm Bay, Florida, and made the 2,500-mile cross-country trip to Garden Grove, California . Last photo: Chastity Cintron, Lorenzo's mother, posted his final photo on Facebook (left), mourning her son . Heartbroken: Lorenzo's mother, Chastity Cintron, and his grandfather, Frank Cintron, are comforting each other after making a plea for Lamay to come forward . Police in Florida believe the 24-year-old boarded a bus and made the 2,500-mile cross-country trip to Garden Grove, California, where the local police flagged him down Friday. WFTV reported that an autopsy will be performed on baby Lorenzo to determine the cause of death, but the child’s family believe he died from a brain hemorrhage. ‘My daughter right now is completely lost, she doesn't know what to think,’ Lorenzo’s grandfather, Frank Cintron, told the station. ‘She tells me that the guy was good to her and kind to her kids but sometimes you don't really know anyone.’ Joseph Lamay has a troubled past, including convictions for heroin possession and domestic violence. In April 2013, he was arrested in Palm Bay on charges of felony battery and damage to property. Criminal: The 24-year-old had been convicted in the past for heroin possession and domestic violence . | Joseph Lamay, 24, arrested in Garden Grove, California, on porbation violation .
Police in Florida say he is not a suspect at this time in the September 26 death of 4-month-old Lorenzo Hernandez .
Lamay was watching Lorenzo, his girlfriend's son, when he called 911 to report the baby had rolled off the couch and hit his head .
Lamay has a criminal record including convictions for battery and heroin possession . |
214,698 | a1f96b535bb20b0563d02b27447cef79203568a9 | (CNN) -- When a 21-year-old Abby Wambach made her debut for the United States on September 9, 2001, Mia Hamm scored twice in a 4-1 win over Germany. Twelve years later, aged 33, Wambach grabbed four first-half goals in a 5-0 win over South Korea to overtake Hamm as the leading scorer in women's international soccer history. Wambach equaled Hamm's record of 158 with her second goal after just 19 minutes of Thursday's friendly game at New Jersey's Red Bull Arena before adding two more to stand alone in the record books with 160 international goals -- the most by any male or female player. "It's surreal," Wambach told U.S. Soccer's official website. "I'm so thankful and my teammates were trying to get me those goals. "I can't thank them enough. As a competitor you want to be done with the things that put me at the forefront of conversations. This team is too good to be talking about one person." She added on her Twitter page: "Let me just say thank you to Mia Hamm for giving me something to chase, and to the fans for cheering me along the way. A special night." Hamm had earlier congratulated Wambach on her achievement. The New York native reached the landmark figure in 207 games, while Hamm scored her total in 275 international matches before retiring in 2004. "So proud of you, my friend. You are a warrior and true champion. Enjoy this," the 41-year-old tweeted. Blog: Can anyone stop Spain at 2014 World Cup? Wambach was part of the U.S. squads which won gold at the 2004 and 2012 Olympic Games, scoring the decisive goal in a 2-1 win over Brazil in the gold medal match in Athens nine years ago. She has also represented her country at three World Cups, helping the Americans to finish third on home soil in 2003 before repeating the feat in China four years later. At the 2011 tournament in Germany, Wambach scored an extra-time goal to put the U.S. 2-1 up in the final against Japan. Japan equalized to force a penalty shootout, which it won 4-1 -- with Wambach the only U.S. player to score her spot kick. | Abby Wambach becomes the highest goalscorer in women's international football .
The striker scored four goals as the United States beat South Korea 5-0 .
Wambach moves onto 160 goals, overtaking previous record holder Mia Hamm .
Wambach made her debut for the U.S. against Germany in September 2001 . |
90,924 | 00f17a84d6dfe653e4d258377042aff4da89c4a2 | By . Binky Felstead . If any of you guys watch Made In Chelsea, you'll know I've got an exciting adventure on the horizon. I'm heading off to stateside for a couple of months - we're taking MiC to NYC, so watch out America! A bunch of my best buddies from the show are coming along (and, yes, some of my not-so-favourite friends, too). It's going to be an amazing trip, but I'm such a homegirl that I know I'll miss the mates I've left behind. So me and my girl gang have booked a last-minute weekend away. We're heading off to the countryside for two days of pampering, gossip and giggles. I've gathered up my perfect weekend . beauty kit. I'm not taking tons of lotions and potions - just my . favourite selection of tried-and-tested travel products that keep me . gorgeous on the go. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . This week Binky tells you exactly what you should pop in your make-up bag for a weekend away . BINKY'S MINI-BREAK ESSENTIALS . Tisserand - Travel Survival Kit . I'm a great believer in the power of aromatherapy. Essential oils can work wonders, calming your nerves, boosting your energy after a long journey or soothing you off to sleep. This triple-pack of roll-on oils is a travel must-have for me - especially Sweet Dreams: a quick dab on my pulse points and I'm straight off to the land of nod. Philip Kingsley - Jet Set Soft and Shiny Pack . I give my hair a pretty hard time - constant styling, over-heating and extensions can leave my crowning glory looking less than glorious. This twin pack of products is the perfect solution. Together, the shampoo and conditioner will condition and nourish your hair, improving and maintaining its health to give it a renewed shine and bounce. Binky recommends a little aromatherapy after a long day traveling and some high quality hair repair for damaged locks . Batiste - Dry Shampoo . This is a Binky must-have. I'm always on the go and I don't always have time for a wash and blow dry, so if my locks begin to look limp over the weekend, I'll spritz in this miracle-worker and my hair will be transformed from flat and greasy to bouncy and gorgeous in seconds. Halo - Eye Make Up Remover Pads . I plan on really looking after my complexion this weekend, and that means thoroughly removing every last scrap of make-up each night. That said, I don't want to bring loads of lotions and potions away with me. Luckily, these brilliant cleansing pads swipe away all traces of eye make-up (including troublesome mascara) in a flash. Halo's eye make-up remover pads are very handy for light packing and Binky's nail polish adds a great pop of colour to a weekend look . Binky London - Gel Effect Nail Polish in Chelsea Coral . OK - I know this is one of my nail products so I'm bound to be biased, but it looks so amazing, I've been wearing non-stop recently. It's made with a high-end gel base that utilises the best in nail lacquer technology, giving you fabulously glossy results. Like all the Binky London products, it's also free from chemical nasties such as Dibutyl Phthalate, Toluene and Formaldehyde, so your nails will be both beautiful and healthy too. L'Occitane - Shea Butter Hand Cream . What's the point in having beautiful nails if your hands look dry and dreadful?! This award-winning hand cream really deserves it's reputation as an iconic skin saver. Its super-smoothing 20% concentration of shea butter cocoons hands in moisture, while antioxidant Vitamin E ensures your skin is protected from ageing free radicals. It smells yummy too! Binky loves the fresh summery fragrance of Marc Jacob's Daisy- Eu So Fresh and says L'Occitane's hand cream is a skin savior . Marc Jacobs - Daisy Eau so Fresh Delight Eau de Toilette Spray . A summer getaway calls for a fresh summery fragrance, and the don't come any lovelier than this one. It's vibrant fruity mix of blood orange, raspberry, apricot and amber lifts your spirits and leaves you smelling good enough to eat. Skinbreeze – Under Eye Brightener . I always reach for this serum to pick me up when I’ve had a bit of a late night – it works wonders in reducing puffiness and dark circles around the eyes. A must have if you plan on partying over the weekend! As always, I've tested every product I mention, and you can pick up my recommendations at online beauty boutique escentual.com. Binky says that the Vashi diamond pieces will look great against tanned summer skin . On a more luxurious note, I recently got some gorgeous diamond jewellery from Vashi.com on the recommendation of my friend Vashi Dominguez, This Morning’s resident diamond expert. The glitzy Diamond Star Pendant will be adorning my neck on many a night out this summer, while the Diamond and Pink Sapphire Ring in 9-carat White Gold will look stunning against tanned fingers - a real timeless piece. Visit Vashi.com if you’re after a touch of luxe but don't want to spend a fortune, as a lot of the pieces are surprisingly affordable given their quality. Diamonds are, after all, a girl's best friend... Got to rush - my bags are packed, the taxi's outside and the girls are waiting. So have a great bank holiday - I know I will! And always stay gorgeous! Love Binky! | Binky is heading off to NYC to take MIC stateside .
Before she leaves she is having a mini-break with the girls .
Here she shows you what beauty products she will be packing . |
174,247 | 6d81bdbddc1b462ce61f7f8f7c63af4a3bcef864 | (CNN Student News) -- September 30, 2011 . Download PDF maps related to today's show: . Chicago, Massachusetts & Washington, D.C. China . Puerto Rico . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. | The daily transcript is a written version of each day's CNN Student News program .
Use this transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
Use the weekly Newsquiz to test your knowledge of stories you saw on CNN Student News . |
175,794 | 6f8e71d9f8dc14299fe45c9d28293e2be837df0a | A five-year-old girl was treated to a royal surprise when she received an extra special letter through the post. After writing to her idol the Duchess of Cambridge, Scarlett Gillis was delighted when she received a letter back from Kate Middleton herself. Scarlett, from Didsbury, Manchester was chosen for the role of Kate Middleton in a school play where she dressed up to re-enact royal occasions alongside her leading man, Joshua Rogers, five, who played Prince William. Scarlett Gillis wrote the Duchess of Cambridge a letter after having played her in a school play and was delighted when she received a personal reply from Kate herself . Scarlett, a pupil at St Bede's College prep school in Whalley Range, enjoyed playing the royal so much she decided to write the duchess a letter. Scarlett told her about appearing in the school's play, A Tale Of Two Birthdays, and how she loved wearing dresses just like Kate's. She also attached a picture of herself to the letter, so Kate could see just what Scarlett looked like. And the polite little girl, who addressed the letter to 'Your Royal Highness' was even thinking about the future of the monarchy. The budding royalist wrote: 'My name is Scarlett and I am 5 years old. My school is called St Bedes. In my nativity I played you. I got a new red dress just like yours. I hope you like the picture of me.' She finished her letter by writing: 'I can't wait for you to be queen. I think you are lovely, yours sincerely, Scarlett xxxx.' Scarlett played the Duchess in a school play along side Joshua Rogers (left) also five, who plated William . In her letter Scarlett told the Duchess about playing her in the nativity and attached a photograph of herself . In return Scarlett received a letter from Claudia Spens (the head of general correspondence for the Office of TRH) on behalf of the Duchess of Cambridge which included a photograph of Kate . Scarlett had never expected a reply from the duchess, and her family were astounded when a letter, sealed with a red royal crest, dropped through their letterbox. Scarlett never expected a reply from the Duchess . The letter was written on behalf of the Duchess by Claudia Spens (the head of general correspondence for the Office of TRH). In the letter Claudia expresses how touched Kate was to receive Scarlett's letter. 'It was most kind of you to enclose the photographs of yourself wearing your wonderful red dress for her to see. 'She was interested to learn that you played the part of her in your school play. 'The Duchess of Cambridge hopes that you had a most enjoyable time.' The five-year-old was thrilled to hear back from kind Kate and says she thought the Duchess would be too busy to reply to her post. 'I was amazed, I didn't really think she would have time to reply to all those letters, but I was really happy and glad when I saw the letter and photograph of her she'd attached. 'I thought she was beautiful.' Teachers at St Bede's College said Scarlett was a natural when it came to playing Kate on the stage. Head of prep Claire Hunt said: 'Scarlett played the part very well and enjoyed every minute of it. 'She even wore jewellery that had been bought from a gift shop during a visit to the Tower of London. 'We were all very impressed with Scarlett's letter. It was beautifully written and we're delighted she got such a lovely response.' | Scarlett Gillis, from Manchester, wrote after playing Kate in the nativity .
Sent a photograph of herself and told the Duchess she was lovely .
Scarlett received a reply from the palace that included a photo of Kate . |
226,298 | b1085a6cd8b105acad357ba8e9e09e70f80b17d2 | A psychology professor has pleaded guilty in a California courtroom to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter in the murder nearly 20 years ago of her alleged rapist. Norma Esparza, 40, is one of four people accused of the 1995 killing of Gonzalo Ramirez, 24, whose body was found hacked to death with a meat cleaver on the side of a road in Orange County. A fifth suspect shot himself during a standoff with police in 2012. Esparza, a professor at Webster University in Geneva, Switzerland, was arrested in the cold case murder two years ago after she re-entered the U.S. for an academic conference. Norma Esparza, 40, is facing six years in state prison after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter in a California courtroom on Friday . Before changing her plea, the wife and mother of a four-year-old daughter had been due to face trial for one felony count of special circumstance murder - a charge that if convicted carried a life sentence without parole. She is now expected to be sentenced to six years in state prison and will testify against her co-defendants, announced the Orange County district attorney’s office on Friday. Esparza had previously rejected a plea deal that would have handed her a three-year prison sentence. 'The principle of what they're asking me is to plead guilty to something that they know I am not responsible for,' she said last November. Accused: Ex-husband of Norma Patricia Esparza, Gianni Van (left), and Shannon Gries (right) She told a grand jury that she never meant for Ramirez to be killed and that her ex-boyfriend, Gianni Van, forced her to point him out after she told him about the rape. Esparza’s attorney, Jack Earley, said his client, who is married and has a young daughter Arianna, was unwilling to risk a life sentence if convicted of murder. Though Esparza did not intend for Ramirez to be killed, he said, she was not forthcoming about the slaying when police confronted her about it almost two decades ago. 'She was frightened,' he told the LA Times. 'And she realizes that... there’s a chance people will hold her accountable for that. It’s very hard for someone to put themselves in her situation. At trial they’d be looking at a 40-year-old instead of what she was at the time, which was a 20-year-old girl.' Prosecutors have described the murder of Gonzalo Ramirez as a 'revenge killing.' They allege that on 15 April, 1995, a 20-year-old Esparza was at a bar with a group of friends, including former boyfriend Van, when she pointed out Ramirez, claiming he had raped her in her dorm room at Pomona College in Claremont, California, a few months earlier. Involved: Diane Tran (left) has plead not guilty in the crime, and Kody Tran (right) would have been charged had he not shot himself in a standoff with police in 2012 . According to the prosecution, Esparza, Van, Kody Tran, Diane Tran and Shannon Gries followed Ramirez when he left the bar in the early hours of the following morning. They intentionally rear-ended his vehicle, say prosecutors, forcing him to get out of the car to inspect the damage. He was then kidnapped. His body was found on the side of Sand Canyon Road in Santa Ana hours later. Esparza says she was forced by the aggressive Van to identify Ramirez and then coerced to keep the secret of his murder for almost two decades. Diane Tran, Shannon Gries and Gianni Van have also been charged. All have pleaded not guilty. Co-defendants Van, 45, and Gries, 43, are charged with felony murder in the commission of a kidnapping. They are expected to go on trial next year. A third suspect, Diane Tran, 45, of Costa Mesa, Calif., pleaded guilty earlier this year to voluntary manslaughter and is expected to be sentenced to four years in prison, prosecutors said. Esparza's current husband Jorge Mancillas, left, told reporters that Esparza was pressured into marrying Van so that she would not be bound to testify against him . Tran’s husband, Kody Tran, who was also a suspect in the case, shot himself during a standoff with police in 2012. Kody Tran died after shooting himself in a standoff with police in July 2012. Esparza says she met Ramirez in a Santa Ana nightclub. The next morning he asked her to breakfast and offered to drive her and some friends back to Pomona College. Once in her dorm room, he raped Esparza, who went to a school nurse and was given the morning-after pill. She was too ashamed to report the rape to authorities and the nurse did not advise her to do so. 'I don't think I was thinking at that time,' she said. 'I felt ashamed. I felt guilty. I didn't want to come forward because I didn't want my family to know.' Julie Ann Rojas, who was Gries then-girlfriend, testified that she was with Van and Esparza the night Ramirez died. She said Van, Gries and Kody Tran attacked Ramirez while she and Esparza went to a bar. After about an hour Roja and Esparza went to the transmission shop owned by Kody Tran where Esparza said she saw Ramirez tied and hanging from the ceiling. Esparza, who is married and has a young daughter Arianna, was unwilling to risk a life sentence if convicted of murder . After Ramirez's death, Esparza began dating Van again and the two were married. Esparza's current husband Jorge Mancillas told reporters that Esparza was pressured into marrying Van so that she would not be bound to testify against him. He said that his wife was told that Ramirez was 'roughed up' and was unaware of the murder until weeks later when she was questioned by police. Esparza, who says she suffered years of sexual abuse by her father as a child, said at a news conference last November that she lived in fear of Van for years after the attack. 'All I knew is that I wanted to survive,' she said. 'All I knew was that these people were dangerous and I just needed to stay quiet and withdraw and come out of that night alive.' Mancillas and Esparza have a four-year-old daughter Arianna. Until her arrest, the family had lived in a small town in France on the Swiss border and Esparza was an assistant professor of psychology and counseling at Webster University. | Norma Esparza, 40, is facing six years in state prison after pleading guilty to a reduced charge of voluntary manslaughter on Friday .
She is one of four people accused of the 1995 killing of Gonzalo Ramirez, 24, who she claims raped her .
A professor in Geneva, she was arrested in the cold case murder two years ago when she re-entered the U.S. for an academic conference .
She says her ex-boyfriend, Gianni Van, forced her to identify Ramirez and then coerced her to keep the murder secret for almost two decades . |
5,985 | 10fc2d822f9622cc15e827756d3e3e35fc0f34a6 | (CNN) -- A hunter mauled by a bear in Alaska survived 36 hours in the remote wilderness before rescuers using night-vision goggles found him, the Alaska National Guard said. The man, who was part of a guided hunting party, was attacked about 35 miles north of Anaktuvuk Pass. Helicopter rescue teams tried to reach the man several times, but had to turn back due to dense fog and weather, the Guard said. The hunter suffered significant blood loss but was stabilized by a medical professional who happened to be in another hunting group, the Guard said. "The pararescuemen credit him for saving the man's life. He provided expert care with limited resource for several hours, ultimately stabilizing, warming and rehydrating the victim," Air Force Master Sgt. Armando Soria said. Around 3 a.m. Saturday, a helicopter managed to land at the scene. Crews had to use night-vision goggles because they were operating during the darkest time of night, the Alaska National guard said. Rescuers flew the man to Eielson Air Force Base because the fog was too dense to land at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital. The man was later taken to Fairbanks by ambulance. The man was in stable condition Saturday night, hospital nursing supervisor Marlene Merdes said. Hiker photographs bear just before fatal grizzly attack . Bear naps on family's patio in Florida . | A nearby hunter happened to be a medical professional and helped save the man .
The attack took place in northern Alaska, about 35, miles north of Anaktuvuk Pass .
Helicopter teams had to turn back several times due to dense fog and weather .
The man was in stable condition at a Fairbanks hospital . |
163,778 | 5fd0641291e37cf8d91b347bd1cc45a7a1517988 | (CNN) -- When the Kansas City Royals moved on to the World Series on Wednesday, superfan Paul Rudd knew exactly what time it was: time to party. The 45-year-old actor was born in New Jersey but grew up in a suburb of Kansas City and is one of the team's true blue supporters. He was in town for the American League Championship Series game on Wednesday night, when the Royals beat the Baltimore Orioles 2-1 to advance to the World Series for the first time since 1985. Rocking a new baseball cap in support of his team, a hoarse and clearly thrilled Rudd told CNN affiliate KMBC that he's had faith the Royals could come this far. "I know for the last several years, every year, all of us Royals fans we have the same hope. ... When we went on that win streak this summer, it was like, this could legitimately happen," he said. "I've lost my voice, but I've lost my voice at just about every game since the Wild Card. (Tonight's win) was amazing. This entire town feels it." Lost voice or no, Rudd wasn't ready to call it a night. "I'm going to be partying at my mom's house!" he joked. "Party at my mom's, man. She's out of town; I've got a keg. It's going to be sweet! Five dollar cover!" Once the celebration dies down, Rudd's going to have to head back to work. He's filming the upcoming Marvel movie "Ant-Man" and got permission to leave the set to catch the third and fourth games of the ALCS before making his way back on Thursday. He's hoping he'll get to sneak away for another game when his Royals face the winner of the San Francisco Giants-St. Louis Cardinals series. "Now I'm going to pray that they can somehow let me go," Rudd told the Kansas City Star. "The higher powers make those decisions. ... (But) even if it's just one, I'm going to try and get here." 5 reasons to love the Kansas City Royals . | Kansas City Royals fan Paul Rudd was thrilled with Wednesday's win .
The actor joked that he was going to throw a party at his mom's .
He was raised in Kansas City, Missouri . |
128,428 | 31f77af406fa13df54751c21fdc85a453681a1bc | A massive raid earlier today in California turned up a staggering $65 million in cash. Federal agents descended upon dozens of businesses in the downtown Los Angeles Fashion District Wednesday morning as part of an investigation into suspected money laundering done for Mexican drug cartels. Among the cash seized was $140,000 in ransom paid by relatives and friends of a U.S. citizen who was kidnapped, beaten, shot, electrocuted and waterboarded while being held captive by a Mexican cartel. Scroll down for video . Historic haul: Feds seized $65 million in cash during a raid of 80 L.A. businesses earlier this morning that were suspected of laundering money for Mexican cartels . Black market exchange: The businesses were all located in L.A.'s Fashion District, and thought to be aiding in the Black Market Peso Exchange . In addition to the money, nine people were arrested as 1,000 officers with the DEA, ICE, IRS and FBI descended on approximately 80 businesses. 'We have targeted money-laundering activities in the Fashion District based on a wealth of information that numerous businesses there are engaged in Black Market Peso Exchange schemes,' assistant U.S. attorney Robert E. Dugdale said in a statement. 'Los Angeles has become the epicenter of narco-dollar money laundering with couriers regularly bringing duffel bags and suitcases full of cash to many businesses.' Kidnapping and torture: Some of the money seized was the ransom paid for an American man who had been shot and waterboarded by the Sinola caertel . The Black Market Peso Exchange is a complicated system in which businesses help to launder drug money for international cartels. Brokers in Mexico will find a business that wants to buy goods from the United States, and have a drug dealer in the United States who wants to convert their U.S. dollars to Mexican pesos purchase those goods for the Mexican business using their U.S. dollars. Then, once the Mexican business sells all those purchased goods in Mexico, which had been paid for by the drug dealer in the U.S. with dollars, they hand over the pesos to the broker, thereby converting the dealer's U.S. dollars into Mexican pesos without ever physically moving any cash. The most harrowing news to come out of the raid was the revelation that one business, Q.T. Fashion Inc., a maternity apparel wholesaler, accepted $140,000 cash and then sent sent clothes to a retail business in Culiacan, Mexico,according to the Los Angeles Times. That money had been for the release of an American drug distributor who was kidnapped and tortured by the Sinaloa cartel after U.S. agents intercepted a shipment of 100 kilograms of cocaine he was responsible for selling. The man had been shot, beaten, electrocuted and waterboarded on a ranch in Mexico. His friends and family members were the ones who brought the money to the business . Arrests were also made at three other businesses, Yili Underwear, Gayima Underwear and Pacific Eurotex Corp., accused of laundering money. | A raid in downtown Los Angeles this morning turned up $65 million in cash .
The 80 businesses targeted were all involved in the Black Market Peso exchange, a system that helps drug cartels launder money .
One business had accepted $140,000 from the friends and relatives of a man who was being held for ransom and tortured by the Sinaloa cartel . |
16,962 | 300adf78cf7143036586db9bec33ac8657649929 | Tom Brady experienced a career high on Sunday when he led his team The New England Patriots to a Super Bowl win over the Seattle Seahawks. And on Wednesday it was time to celebrate properly. The 37-year-old football star took his son Benjamin, aged five, to a Patriots parade in snowy Boston. Scroll down for video . Father and son: Super Bowl XLIX MVP Tom Brady with his youngest son Benjamin at the Patriots parade in Boston on Wednesday . Kissing the ball: Gisele Bundchen's eldest child planted a peck on the famous award which was also waved at fans below . An incredible turnaround: Before the Super Bowl, the Patriots had been accused of deflating their balls . You can get one of these in the future, son: The California native seemed thrilled that his little boy was so interested in the trophy . Let's take it home dad: Tom's mini me didn't seem to want to let go of the shiny football . Holding on tight: The University Of Michigan graduate put his arm around the tot as he sat on the top of the duck boat . Family first: Even though it was the MVP's day to lap up the attention, he was seen doting on his son . A good day to be Mr Brady: The Super Bowl hero holding up the trophy for fans to see as he pumped a fist while on his bus . His time to shine: Not seen at the event was his wife Bundchen, their daughter Vivian or his son John, aged seven, with actress Bridget Moynahan . The scene of the massive parade: Crowds gathered to see the Patriots even thought there were piles of snow on the ground . A sea of happy fans braving the cold: The duck boats were lined on each side by grateful Bostonians . Not seen at the event was his wife Gisele Bundchen, nor his son John with actress Bridget Moynahan or his daughter Vivian with the model. Earlier, Bundchen shared a photo of the pair getting ready for the big event. 'My boys ready for the Patriots parade,' the 34-year-old Brazilian captioned her snap. The Vogue cover girl added the hashtags for 'go pats' and 'super bowl champs' as well as 'sohappy.' In the image Tom is beaming at his son who has on a black beanie that reads Do Your Job on the front. Having fun in front of the camera: Tom pulled down Benjamin's hat to cover his nose and mouth as crews captured it on film . Time to be silly: The father of three waved as his boy had fun sticking his tongue out under his cap . Ready to celebrate: On Wednesday Bundchen shared this photo of Brady and Benjamin getting ready for the parade at home . He also has on a blue zip-up pullover in fleece and a black top. Brady has on a beige top and is holding a silver puffy jacket. The football favorite is also wearing a Patriots beanie in red, white and blue. At the parade, the Brady boys were seen holding onto the Lombardi trophy. Tom looked proud as his youngest son bent down to kiss the award. She sure looked happy on Sunday: The 34-year-old model at the Super Bowl with their son on her back . The kiss that 114m people saw: The Chanel spokesperson planted a smooch on her quarterback husband after his stunning victory over the Seattle Seahawks . His boys were there to cheer him on: 'Let's go daddy,' Bundchen captioned this image of his two sons . Fans chanted 'Brady! Brady!' and clambered atop massive snowbanks for better views as players danced and waved, according to local Boston site WCVB.com. 'Well-wishers blew kisses, pumped their fists and screamed themselves hoarse from behind barriers as the team rolled through downtown aboard the World War II-style amphibious duck boat vehicles that have become a staple of the city's championship parades,' the site added. Some fans climbed on piles of snow left from last week's blizzard to get a glimpse of Brady, coach Bill Belichick and other players. There were also the wives and girlfriends of the players. Confetti was thrown in the air and the Lombardi trophy was waved around. A power couple: The Brazilian and her Patriot spouse at the Met Museum gala in New York City in May . Fans wore No. 12 Brady jerseys, shouted the MVP's name and held 'We are the CHAMPIONS' placards, the site added. Gisele was on hand in Arizona on Sunday to plant a kiss on her spouse of nearly six years after he led his team to a victory. Dressed in a plaid shirt and with her blonde locks flowing down her back, the Chanel spokesperson looked casual for the massive event, which was watched by more than 114m people. He has a lot of support: Tom's two sons and his daughter Vivian hold up a card cheering on their father . | Brady led the New England Patriots to Super Bowl victory on Sunday .
The parade celebrating their win took place in Boston with snow piles .
The 37-year-old MVP doted on his son Benjamin, aged five . |
26,377 | 4ace238b63ffea5c5cb9a68c58da60e67905208e | The BBC has splashed more than £34.4million of licence fee cash on taxis in just three years, it can be revealed. The eye-watering spending splurge amounts to nearly £31,450 a day or 236,675 licence fees. The Corporation ran up a taxi bill of £10.7million in 2011-12, £11.8million in 2012-13 and £11.9million in 2013-14. It includes more than £200,000 to pay for cabs ordered, only to be cancelled on arrival and additional fees charged by drivers left waiting outside. The BBC has spent more than £34.4million of licence fee cash on taxis in just three years, it has been revealed . The figures, released following a Freedom of Information request, are taken from the Corporation's central booking system. But staff can also book taxis themselves and claim the money back on expenses, meaning the BBC's full taxi is spend will be even higher. A BBC spokesperson said: 'More than a third of taxis are to get guests to and from shows and many journalists and columnists are happy to use them when they appear on our programmes. We also make sure staff get home safe when they finish working in the middle of the night.' The BBC has broken down around 16% of the £34.4million by department, but refused to do so for the remaining 84%, which includes radio, TV and news. Of the £5.4million it was willing to detail, nearly £63,000 was spent on taxis cancelled on arrival, which accounted for 1.5% of bookings. Additional charges for waiting were added to 11% of bookings at a cost of £171,000. The departments covered in the breakdown are BBC Monitoring, Finance and Operations, BBC Trust, Strategy and Digital and BBC Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. They racked up a combined 252,746 journeys at an average cost of £21.40 each. | The spending amounts to nearly £31,450 a day or 236,675 licence fees .
Corporation ran up a taxi bill of £10.7million in 2011-12, £11.8million in 2012-13 and £11.9million in 2013-14 .
It includes more than £200,000 for taxis that were cancelled on arrival .
The figures are taken from the Corporation's central booking system .
But staff can also book taxis themselves and claim the money back on expenses, meaning the full taxi is spend will be even higher . |
198,209 | 8c8fa92c20260811b015202d3cde72692ad033e4 | It claims to be one of Los Angeles' trendiest clubs, where 'unrivalled hospitality never goes out of style' - but 1 Oak's hospitality didn't extend to V. Stiviano, who was denied entry last night. The Hollywood nightclub is one of LA’s most popular destinations for celebrities, boasting visits from the likes of Bono, Sean Combs - aka Puffy Daddy - and Robert Pattinson. Stiviano, 31, was pictured outside the club last night in a low-cut red dress and managed a smile for the paparazzi, despite not being allowed to go in. Scroll down for video . V. Stiviano was reportedly denied entry to trendy Los Angeles night-spot 1 Oak - but still managed a grin for the waiting paparazzi . Stiviano gained national notoriety earlier this year due to her alleged sexual relationship with Donald Sterling . A burly bouncer refused to grant her access, so Stiviano resorted to pacing up and down the sidewalk while photographers snapped away. At one point she phoned a friend, but that didn't help, with security politely asking her to step away from the entrance. Last week there was speculation that the model was back with her ex, the disgraced former NBA owner Donald Sterling. It surfaced after his ex wife Shelly reportedly called the police when she learned that Stiviano was at his Beverly Hills mansion. The tryst prompted her to claim to the police that Stiviano had broken into the property. However, police were told by Donald that the model was an ‘invited guest’, according to TMZ and she stayed in the property after they left. In August Stiviano claimed that the former L.A. Clippers owner is gay and that she spent three years acting as his 'beard' so no one would suspect his true sexuality. Stiviano, who gained national notoriety earlier this year due to her alleged sexual relationship with Sterling, made the bombshell allegation in documents filed at the Los Angeles Superior Court in answer to a prior lawsuit filed by Sterling’s wife, Shelly. In her original lawsuit, Shelly had accused Stiviano of taking gifts from the Sterling Family including a Ferrari, $240,000 in cash and a $1.8 million house on the outskirts of Beverly Hills in exchange for sexual favors. Donald Sterling’s wife Shelly reportedly called the police when she learned that V.Stiviano (right, with Sterling) was at his Beverly Hills mansion . Shelly (left) had accused Stiviano of taking gifts from the Sterling family including a Ferrari, $240,000 in cash and a $1.8 million house on the outskirts of Beverly Hills . Stiviano denies those allegations and even claims that Shelly Sterling was well aware of the exact nature of the relationship between Donald Sterling and Stiviano. ‘V.S. was D.T.S’s beard for three years prior to the filing of suit,’ the answer claimed. ‘V.S. is informed and believes that (Sterling) is a homosexual and enjoys sexual acts and or sexual congress with males.’ The answer said that Shelly Sterling was ‘acutely aware of his orientation and condoned’ his behavior, including his decision to give ‘gifts, money and other properties’ to Stiviano for her public companionship, reports the Daily News. Stiviano also says that she ‘was not ever a sexual partner’ of Donald Sterling. She also states that the gifts are considered separate property, not 'marital or community property,' because they were purchased with funds earned by Donald after separation or 'estrangement' from her wife. Stiviano also filed a $10 million defamation lawsuit against the Sterlings on Thursday. She claims they slandered her in the media by calling her a thief and saying she embezzled money and property from Donald. 'She’s delusional,’ Sterling’s lawyer, Max Blecher, told The Daily News. The drama began in April when a recording surfaced of Donald Sterling berating Stiviano for bringing black men to Clippers games. The audio spurred the NBA to ban Sterling for life and fine him $2.5 million. Shelly, his wife of 58 years, then took control of a family trust and negotiated a record $2 billion sale of the team to former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer. Shelly Sterling said she was initially given her husband's blessing to sell the team and he praised the deal she reached. When it came time to sign it at the end of May, however, Sterling said he would not sell and would sue the league. Ballmer officially became the new owner of the Los Angeles Clippers at the end of August. | V. Stiviano reportedly denied entry to trendy LA club 1 Oak .
The model still managed to grin for the cameras despite being turned away .
There has been speculation she is back with her ex, Donald Sterling . |
27,241 | 4d436a18ef0dd3cd4fb74fcf38951646fd9f797e | A fortnight ago, Tony Romo chipped two vertebrae. Now he looks set to play at Wembley. The Dallas Cowboys (6-3) are desperate to arrest a two-game losing streak and will risk their divisive quarterback against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 34-year-old, equally famed for thrilling fourth-quarter comebacks as he is for disastrous interceptions, has been told in no uncertain terms that he will return at the expense of back-up Brandon Weeden. Charismatic owner Jerry Jones made that clear before leaving for England, while at Saracens’ Allianz Park on Friday head coach Jason Garrett said: ‘He looked pretty comfortable to me.’ Tony Romo speaks to fans during the NFL fan rally at Wembley ahead of the 11th International Series game . A heavily padded Romo throws during training on Friday with the Cowboys quarterback expected to play . Romo has a history of playing through the pain, and in 2011 managed to do so against the San Francisco 49ers with a punctured lung and a broken rib. He won the game, too. But the injury is a notoriously painful one. Romo will be heavily padded and will struggle with mobility if he does suit up, . The Cowboys won’t want him to get hit, so expect their vaunted offensive line and the NFL’s leading rusher, DeMarco Murray to protect him. Murray became the first player to rush for 100 yards in each of the first seven games of the season. The bruising running back has 1,133 yards from 225 carries, and with the rejuvenating bye week to come, can expect a greater workload against a weak Jaguars run defense. Romo has thrown a touchdown pass in 36 consecutive games and Dez Bryant will want to get back into form after a quiet few weeks. DeMarco Murray leads the NFL in rushing yards and should feature heavily against the Jaguars . Dez Bryant will hope to wow the crowd with the wideout looking to return to form after two quiet games . The acrobatic wide receiver said he has ‘a little bit of extra juice’ since landing in England, so get set for fireworks as the Cowboys aim to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2009. Meanwhile, are the Jaguars as bad as their 1-8 record suggests? In a word, yes. The NFL’s youngest team, they possess an admirable head coach in the shape of Gus Bradley. But they will need to address points conceded (27.9) and yards per game (386.9) to trouble the W column. They are good at hassling the quarterback, however. And with 27 sacks - joint third in the NFL - their front seven are capable of making life difficult for Romo. In Blake Bortles, the third overall pick of this year’s draft, they have a rookie quarterback who has drawn comparisons with Ben Roethlisberger. But he is prone to errors of judgement and leads the NFL in interceptions with 13. Blake Bortles has made some rookie mistakes this season, but he is being backed to turn it around long-term . Denard Robinson has been a quarterback, wide receiver and a cornerback before settling as a running back . Bortles has some exciting weapons in the shape of Cecil Shorts III and undrafted rookie Allen Hurns, who hauled in seven passes for 117 yards, scoring two touchdowns in last week’s 22-23 defeat to the Cincinnati Bengals. And then there’s running back Denard ‘Shoelace’ Robinson, so called because he doesn’t tie them up. He will spearhead the ground game after averaging over 100 yards for the past three matches. On paper, the Cowboys win. But on Wembley’s hybrid grass, will the Jaguars make the Cowboys regret their decision to risk Romo? | Romo suffered two chipped vertebrae but is set to take the snaps at Wembley .
Both the Cowboys and the Jaguars have lost their last two games, with Dallas needing a win to keep the pressure on NFC East rivals .
Romo was awarded a new deal in summer and is expected to play through the pain .
The teams will wear poppies on the helmets and jerseys on Remembrance Sunday . |
20,862 | 3b35994dc24e85b28d552e25f95aa42a3a506cf8 | (CNN) -- Former England cricket star Chris Lewis was remanded in custody by a British court Tuesday, charged with attempting to smuggle drugs through an airport. Chris Lewis joined Surrey to play in Twenty20 matches for the 2008 season. The 40-year-old all-rounder, who played 32 Tests and 53 one-day internationals for England in the 1990s, was arrested Monday when border officials at London's Gatwick Airport found cocaine hidden in luggage that had arrived on a flight from the Caribbean island of St. Lucia. Four kilograms of cocaine with a street value of around $350,000 was seized by the UK Border Agency, the UK's Press Association said. The drugs were in a liquid form hidden in fruit tins, officials said. Lewis and basketball player Chad Kirnon, 26, both from London, were held and questioned by Customs officials and later charged. British Revenue & Customs spokesman Bob Gaiger told PA: "This was an excellent detection by UK Border Agency officers. "HMRC, together with UKBA, play a vital role in the fight to prevent illegal drugs from entering the UK and in protecting our communities from the violence and corruption that always accompany this hideous trade." The two men made a brief appearance at Crawley Magistrates' Court in West Sussex on Tuesday afternoon, where Lewis had a bail application refused, PA reported. They were remanded in custody to appear via video link in court next Wednesday. | Four kilos of cocaine worth $350,000 seized at Gatwick Airport .
Officials: Drugs were in a liquid form hidden in fruit tins in luggage .
Chris Lewis played cricket for England during the 1990s . |
133,950 | 3930d254658d1ae5ac7c52ef50a35d55453dcb4d | TOKYO, Japan (CNN) -- Japan has released a slew of economic data that paints a picture of a nation struggling amid the global economic slowdown. Japan's exports plunged 45.7 percent last month, as major exporters made further production cutbacks. The world's second-largest economy reported a drop of 10 percent in industrial output for January, compared with a year ago. The fall in industrial output is a record drop for the country, the government said. Industrial output reflects how much Japanese companies produce. Exporters have cut production sharply as world demand has slumped. Exports plunged an unprecedented 45.7 percent last month, as major exporters such as Toyota and Nissan announced further production cutbacks. Falling global demand for Japan's cars and electronics has led to increased unemployment. The government did report unemployment improved slightly for January, falling to 4.1 percent, versus December's 4.3 percent. But Credit Suisse economist Satoru Ogasawara called that report "a mystery." "I don't understand it," Ogasawara said. "How I see this is that jobless people are simply giving up looking for new work. I'm sure this figure doesn't mean employment is improving." Economist Richard Jerram at Macquarie Capital Securities also said the unemployment figure is "not reliable." He points to the ratio of jobs available to each applicant, which the government says stands at 0.67 for each job seeker. That is the 12th straight monthly decline. That indicates companies are reluctant to hire, offering fewer and fewer jobs to a growing pool of unemployed, Jerram said. Japan also reported household spending fell 5.9 percent in January, compared with a year ago, the steepest fall since the country slid into recession last year. The household spending figure indicates consumers are reluctant to buy, which means companies will see fewer sales and will then have to slash prices and production further. Watch how the economy is hitting Japan's workers » . The only bright news came in the key consumer inflation rate, which was unchanged in January compared with a year ago. | Japan's economy sees record drop of 10 percent in industrial output for January .
Exports fell an unprecedented 45.7 percent last month .
Household spending sees steepest fall since country slid into recession last year .
Unemployment figure slightly better for January, at 4.1%, but figure is questioned . |
21,591 | 3d52f48a7bc1b02df82f251e6cd41f90322855ad | Los Angeles, California (CNN) -- A Los Angeles County grand jury has indicted the former city administrator of Vernon, California, an industrial city that borders scandal-plagued Bell, on three felony counts after an investigation into questionable business practices. Court documents show that Donal O'Callaghan has been indicted on two counts of conflict of interest and a count of public officer crime related to the misappropriation of public funds. The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office says the counts against O'Callaghan, 54, involve an alleged misappropriation of more than $140,000. "The law prevents public officials from making contracts the have a personal interest in and Mr. O'Callaghan made a contract that paid his wife money," said deputy District Attorney Max Huntsman. "We're alleging he paid her more than $140,000." The grand jury was looking into business deals between O'Callaghan and his wife, Kimberly McBride. According to Vernon city records, the city hired McBride in 2009 as a $40-per-hour consultant and for "administrative account services." "It's preposterous that he was indicted for the hiring of his wife, which was done with the knowledge and consent of the city attorney and the City Council of Vernon," defense lawyer Mark Werksman told CNN. "We are seeing an overreaction and hysterical response to the scandal in neighboring Bell," he said. "They are looking for examples of municipal government corruption behind every bush. But it isn't here." Huntsman disagreed with Werksman's contention. 'I think it's a reaction to Vernon, which has a long history of criminal behavior by public officials. We heard complaints against Mister O'Callaghan, looked into the law and found a basis for the charges," Huntsman said. "The fact that it coincides with criminal charges against officials in Bell has to do with raised public awareness about corruption in municipal governments." O'Callaghan, who was not taken into custody, pleaded not guilty and posted a $50,000 bond, Huntsman said. His next court date is December 3. If convicted, his maximum sentence is four years and eight months in prison, prosecutors said. The former official was placed on administrative leave August 26 and resigned his city position October 14. The California attorney general's office also has launched an investigation into questionable business practices in the industrial city. Vernon has a population of a little less than 100 people, according to the Los Angeles Almanac. But Vernon is home to more than 1,800 businesses, including Farmer John, Tapatio Hot Sauce and Seven For All Mankind Jeans, stacked into just five square miles. The former city manager of Bell, along with four City Council members, two former council members and a former assistant city manager, were arrested in September and face charges that include misappropriation of funds, conflict of interest and making or receiving illegal loans. | NEW: Accused pleads not guilty .
O'Callaghan was city administrator in Vernon in Los Angeles County .
A grand jury was looking at his business deals with his wife .
County on a corruption witch hunt, Donal O'Callaghan's lawyer says . |
77,409 | db77275c1804eeda4cd4951978fe7e93733be220 | By . Larisa Brown . PUBLISHED: . 06:30 EST, 13 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:11 EST, 13 January 2013 . The mother of the young Indian woman who was fatally gang raped on a bus in New Delhi has called for the men who murdered her daughter to be hanged. Speaking of the gang who beat her 23-year-old daughter so badly she died almost two weeks later in hospital, she said: 'My soul will never know any rest if the men who tormented my daughter are not hanged.' The 46-year-old also spoke of how her daughter, a physiotherapy student, whispered to her on her death bed: 'Mama, I want them to be burnt alive.' The Ravidas camp, pictured, is the notoriously lawless slum where four of the six accused by police in the Delhi gang rape case, are said to be from. The victim's mother has said she wants the men who killed her daughter to be hanged . On December 16 last year the woman was attacked by a group of men using a tyre iron as a weapon as she travelled on a bus home with a male companion following a trip to the cinema. She suffered massive internal injuries, brain damage and a heart attack, dying in a hospital in Singapore 13 days after the attack. Her brutal murder has sparked furor throughout India, with mass demonstrations for women's rights and calls for tougher rape laws. The woman's mother, speaking to The Sunday Telegraph at her ancestral home in Medawara Kalan, in the northern state of Utter Pradesh, paid tribute to her daughter, saying: 'She was our life. 'I want only one thing. I want to see those animals hang.' The female victim and her male companion boarded what appeared to be an ordinary private mini-bus after watching the film Life of Pi together. Her male friend said a gang of six men aboard the bus - fitted with curtains and tinted windows - had planned to trap them. Accusations: A Delhi police van, believed to be carrying the accused in . the gang rape of a 23-year-old woman, enters a district court in New . Delhi . Claims: Policemen report for duty at the court. A lawyer for three of the men accused of the brutal rape and killing of a 23-year-old woman claims his clients have been tortured into admitting the crime . Once on the bus, he was attacked and the 23-year-old was gang-raped by a group of allegedly drunk men, including the driver, who also violated her with an iron bar causing immense internal damage that lead to her death, he said. The man, believed to be the only witness in the case, said he did his best to fight off the offenders. The attackers eventually discarded the two of them by a roadside. Ten days after the incident the woman was flown from a hospital in India to an intensive care ward in Singapore, where it was hoped specialists might be able to save her. By the time her parents were informed of the nature of the injuries and flown to be by her bedside in Singapore, she was barely able to speak, with much of her last communication being only in sign language. Her mother added: 'When one of few things she said to me was: "Mama, I want them to be burnt alive". The chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Akhilesh Yadav, handed over a cheque to the woman's family for £26,000 as compensation for their daughter's death. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav interacts with the media at the village of the Delhi gangrape victim . He also announced plans to build a hospital in the village, currently some 120 miles away from proper medical facilities. But the woman's mother said she was not interested in compensation, only the death of the vile perpetrators. Last week five men appeared in court charged with kidnap, gang-rape and murder of the woman. A sixth defendant, believed to be 17, faces charges in a juvenile court. Several of the accused came from the same notorious district of Delhi, a so-called 'slum cluster' called Ravidas Camp, which has a lawless reputation. A lawyer for three of the accused has claimed his clients have been tortured and coerced into admitting the crime. Manohar Lal Sharma told the BBC that one of the men had been tortured for 10 days. Mr Sharma said he plans to represent bus driver Ram Singh and his brother Mukesh as well as a third man Akshay Thakur and they planned to plead not guilty. Today marks the end of the formal Hindu morning period for the student, after 13 days of various prayers and rituals designed to let the soul pass peacefully to the next level of existence. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | 23-year-old suffered massive internal injuries, brain damage and heart attack .
Mother, 46, spoke of some of her daughter's last words on her death bed . |
185,383 | 7c1df471c4a9ba8920967b774df2ccd80500e25c | By . Alasdair Glennie . PUBLISHED: . 18:16 EST, 18 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:54 EST, 18 October 2013 . Disgraced former minister Chris Huhne was paid to appear on the BBC, apparently in breach of the corporation’s own editorial guidelines, it has emerged. The former energy secretary, who still has to wear an electronic tag after being released early from his sentence, is thought to have received around £150 plus travel expenses to conduct an eight-minute interview last week. He was ostensibly invited on to the Sunday Politics programme to discuss energy policy, but spent several minutes talking about his sentence. The BBC’s editorial guidelines clearly forbid paying ex-convicts for talking about their crimes. Platform: MPs criticised Huhne's appearance on the BBC's Sunday Politics programme . MPs criticised the corporation for giving Huhne a public platform to rehabilitate himself by plugging his post-prison ventures only five months after he was released from jail. Huhne spent the first two minutes of the interview talking about the reasons for his sentence. He served 62 days of an eight-month term for perverting the course of justice after he lied about speeding points which his ex-wife Vicky Pryce took for him on her licence a decade ago. He told presenter Andrew Neil he was prosecuted and jailed merely to provide a ‘deterrent effect’ to others. ‘It wasn’t a question of changing my character. It was actually about stopping people like you, Andrew, from doing the same thing and swapping speeding points... That was why the prosecution was brought. I had not offended for ten years on this,’ he said. BBC guidelines state producers should not pay criminals or former criminals ‘for interviews or other contributions relating to their crimes’, adding: ‘Payment of an actual fee will only be approved for a contribution of remarkable importance with a clear public interest which could not be obtained without payment.’ Court: Huhne, seen here leaving Southwark Crown Court, in central London, is still on electronic tag . BBC sources insisted Huhne’s interview did not break the rules because he was invited on the programme to discuss Labour’s proposal to cap energy prices rather than talk about his crime.If Huhne had served his full sentence, he would not have been released until November 13. Until then, he will have to wear an electronic tag and obey a night-time curfew at his home in London. Miss Price, who was also sentenced to eight months, has since published a book about her experience in Holloway prison, called Prisonomics. On Monday she gave her first broadcast interviews since being released, including BBC Breakfast and Radio 4’s Today programme. While discussing prison policy, she was allowed to plug the book, the royalties from which she is giving to a charity. A BBC spokesman declined to say whether she was paid for the interviews. Prisonomics: Economist Vicky Pryce went to prison for taking speeding points for former husband Chris Huhne. She has written a book about her experience in Holloway prison . Huhne has been appointed European chairman of energy company Zilkha Biomass Energy and has started writing a weekly column for The Guardian. He mentioned the column several times on Sunday Politics, saying it gave him a ‘great platform’, although he denied having a ‘strategy of rehabilitation’. Towards the end of the interview, Mr Neil said he wished they had ‘more time to talk’ and promised to have Huhne back on the show. Tory MP Conor Burns said: ‘If the interview was exclusively about energy policy, why was he asked about his rehabilitation? ‘There is no shortage of energy experts or even former energy secretaries. ‘Clearly the BBC felt his crime was itself newsworthy, and that’s why they wanted him on so much. ‘I find it extraordinary the BBC would use licence fee payer’s money to pay someone who was so recently convicted and who clearly hopes to re-join the political conversation.’ Tory MP Philip Davies, who sits on the Commons Culture, Media and Sport Committee criticised the BBC for paying Huhne when serving politicians are not paid for interviews about politics. He said: ‘I don’t see why he should be rewarded by the BBC financially for getting himself into the position where he was put in prison to talk about things he would have talked about as a minister. It seems perverse.’ A BBC spokesman said: ‘We are happy that Chris Huhne’s appearance was in accordance with BBC guidelines.’ | Disgraced former minister appeared on the Sunday Politics programme .
BBC guidelines forbids paying convicts for interviews relating to their crimes .
Huhne served 62 days of an eight-month prison term . |
18,838 | 3552252b1847b614dab6c902dc550105bb3eec7c | By . Ted Thornhill . When police arrested 60-year-old Judy Lynn Hayman at her San Diego home last month they thought they had finally captured someone who had been on the run from the law since 1977. But police have been left red-faced after it emerged that Hayman had been told by a California court in 1982 that she was a free woman. Hayman had escaped from a prison in Ypsilanti 37 years ago after serving eight months of an 18-to-24-month sentence for stealing clothes from a Detroit store. Scroll down for video . Error: Judy Lynn Hayman (pictured left in a 1976 police mugshot) was arrested in February as police thought she'd been a fugitive since 1977. She's pictured right at her subsequent court appearance . She legally changed her name to Jamie Lewis in 1983 and had been living in San Diego for several years. She . was arrested on February 4 after a Michigan Corrections Department . officer who was stuck at his desk because of bad weather pulled her . fingerprints and sent them to the FBI and other police agencies, thinking she was still wanted. After . the officer discovered the prints matched those of a woman living in . San Diego under a different name, he sent an investigator to California . and she was arrested. However, Hayman’s defence attorney, Lisa Damiani, submitted documents showing Hayman's prison sentence was suspended in 1982 after she'd surrendered. Deputy . District Attorney Richard Madruga asked the judge to dismiss the . fugitive charge after a Michigan judge confirmed that Hayman had indeed . been sentenced to time served. Hide out: Hayman, 60, was arrested at this gated community in San Diego . Escape: Hayman was serving a sentence for larceny when she ran away from this Huron Valley prison in 1977 . Neighbors . at her apartment complex blocks at Balboa Park . said she'd lived in the building for almost seven years. Her next-door neighbor told The Associated Press after her arrest that Hayman was a ‘quiet loner but basically a nice person.’ Theresa Padilla said Hayman spent most of . her time indoors, except when she walked her chihuahua, Monty, who was . old and had to be put down less than a year ago. Hayman . had photos of three sons on her wall, and at least one of them visited . often, taking out her trash and doing other chores, Ms Padilla said, . adding: 'Her three boys seemed like they were raised well.' Ms Padilla said Hayman didn't appear to be married or have a job. She said . she and Hayman spoke infrequently but did share their experiences in . battling cancer. Hayman also mentioned living in Detroit and being a fan . of Michigan basketball teams. One of her sons was visiting her when she was taken into custody, police said, and had no idea she was considered a fugitive. The . officer who found Hayman’s fingerprints, Lieutenant Charles Levens of . the Michigan Corrections Department, explained earlier that many police agencies . had fingerprints that matched hers, but under different names. He gave the information to an investigator, Tim Hardville, who tracked her down in San Diego. 'I . said, ‘Tim, you're going to get your girl here’,' Lieutenant Levens . said. 'There are two ways to get off our list: a death certificate or a . [live] body. It's what the state pays us to do. ... If you're a . fugitive, you have an obligation to pay your debt to . society.' | Judy Lynn Hayman, 60, escaped from an Ypsilanti prison in 1977 .
She was serving time for stealing clothes from a Detroit store .
Police arrested her in San Diego in February believing she was a fugitive .
However, it turns out a California court had freed her back in 1982 . |
129,068 | 32c7fc6d1e3c7ca7f93c930cb6d1eab1138654e6 | By . Daily Mail Reporter and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:43 EST, 10 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:49 EST, 11 March 2013 . Two teens who survived a horrific car crash that took the lives of six friends on Sunday escaped danger when they kicked out a window swam to safety after they plunged into a lake. The eight teens were driving in Warren, Ohio, when the Honda Passport suddenly struck a guardrail, leaving the road and falling into the lake below. When the SUV turned upside down in the water, Brian Henry, 18, and Asher Lewis, 15, made their way to the back of the vehicle, kicked out the back window and made it out alive. Scroll down for video . Wreck: The interior of the Honda Passport is pictured after the vehicle was pulled out of a lake following the crash in Warren, Ohio. Six teens were killed . Survivor: Brian Henry said that the impact of the crash caused his head to slam against the dashboard, knocking him out at first, but he was awakened when the cold water began rushing into the SUV . Belongings: Shoes belonging to crash victims rest in the pond where six teens died early Sunday . Henry and Lewis then ran a quarter-mile to the nearest home to call for help. Brian . said that the impact caused his head to slam against the dashboard, . knocking him out at first, but he was awakened when the cold water began . rushing into the SUV. He got out of his seat and tried to kick out the back window, but it wouldn't break at first. Brian told WYTV: . 'First thing I thought was that I just wanted to give up. I was like, I . can't go out like that. It took me six or seven times to bust the . window.' 'I wasn’t thinking . about myself,' he said. 'I was thinking about the other lives that were . left behind to get them help. I didn’t care if I was busted up. I just . had to get help there first.' Victims: The SUV's driver, Alexis Cayson, 17, and Andrique Bennett, 14, were among the six teenagers killed in the car crash . Tragic loss: Kirkland Behner, 17, Daylan Ray, 15, were also killed in the crash . So young: Ramone White, 15, and 14-year-old Brandon Murray were also among the six victims who died in the crash . Submerged: The Honda Passport vehicle carrying the eight teenagers crashed into a guardrail Sunday morning, overturned and landed in the pond in northeast Ohio . Solemn viewing: Carol Trimble, a family member of the victims, views the pond along Pine Avenue S.E. in Warren, Ohio where the six teens were killed in the crash, Sunday, March 10, 2013 . Grand theft auto: The SUV that left the road and crashed into the pond, killing the six teens, was reported stolen on Monday . It was revealed on Monday that the owner of the SUV was stolen, and that the teen behind the wheel was speeding and may have been drinking. On Monday, the SUV's owner, Marquis Stephenson, met with police and filed a stolen-car report; police said none of the teens were related to the owner or had asked to use the vehicle. Brian backed up the speeding claim, saying that he had asked the driver, Alexis Cayson, 19, to slow down moments before the crash. He told WYTV: 'I'd . been telling her to slow down. Before I turned around and looked at her, . the car had jerked out of control. I don’t know if she did it on . purpose or how fast she was going.' None of the teens were wearing seatbelts at the time of the crash. Five of the victims, aged 14-19-years, were found trapped inside the vehicle, which came to rest upside down in a swamp and sank after the shocking one-car crash 60 miles east of Cleveland. A sixth teen was thrown from the SUV during the crash and was discovered under it when the car was pulled from the water. Mourning: Lisa Williamson holds up a self-portrait of her son, Brandon Murray . Remembering the victims: Shannon Whetstone reads notes left at the scene where the teens were killed, as Andre Bennett Sr. talks about his son, Andrique Bennett . Sad day: Leaman Joe, left, hugs Michael Parker, at the crash site that killed their friends . Investigators said they believe excessive speed was a key factor in the crash, which took place in a 35 mph zone alongside a steel mill near what's known in the neighborhood as 'Dead Man's Curve.' Authorities did not say how fast the SUV was going. They were also awaiting the results of drug and alcohol tests. Ohio authorities on Sunday identified . the six teenagers killed, along with the two boys who were able to . escape from the overturned sport utility vehicle after it landed in the . pond. The Ohio State Highway Patrol do not believe the eight people inside the vehicle were closely related. Killed . were 19-year-old Alexis Cayson; 14-year-old Andrique Bennett; . 14-year-old Brandon Murray; and Kirkland Behner, Daylan Ray and Ramone . White, all 15. All six were from Warren, in northeast Ohio. While the father of one of the dead . said the teenagers were coming home from a sleepover at a friend's . house, the mother of another boy killed said that her son and his best . friend had lied about staying over at each other's homes that evening. She said she thinks they went to a party. 'If only he had listened,' said Lisa . Williamson, mother of 14-year-old Brandon Murray. 'I told him, `Don't . you go nowhere.' But they're kids.' Viewing the tragedy: Marquis Stephenson, the owner of the stolen SUV, looks over at the pond where the teens died . Dominique Ellison, left, and Rickie Bowling, of Warren, bring stuffed animals to a memorial in honor of their friends who died in the car crash . She said that her son called late Saturday night and said he was staying at the home of his best friend Ramone White. She said it wasn't until after the accident that she found out that wasn't true. 'It's what we did when we were growing up, too,' said Williamson, who was wearing a rubbery 'Jesus Loves You' bracelet that she took off her dead son's wrist. Andre Bennett Sr., whose son Andrique was among those killed, said that his son and the others had all stayed over at a friend's house and that a girl offered them a ride home. Chris Jones, 16, said he used to see most of the victims every day at school and in their neighborhood. He knew all but two in the crash. 'They're not always the best kids. They're not out there looking for straight A's,' he said. 'But none of these kids should be where they are today. This should have never had happened. 'All I know is my baby is gone,' Derrick Ray told CBS at the crash site after viewing his 15-year-old son Daylan's body at the county morgue. Major crash: The SUV they were in struck a guardrail, turned over and went into the pond . Two of the teens were brought to a hospital in full cardiac arrest and were treated for hypothermic drowning trauma, indicating they had been submerged in cold water . He said he knew his son was out with friends but didn't know they would be traveling. Daylan was a star football player who was looking forward to playing in high school, he told the news station. A . makeshift memorial was piling up yesterday at the stretch of road where . the teens were killed. Family and friends were leaving teddy bears and . notes after the tragic wreck. Daylan's half sister Mariah Bryant, who only learned he was her brother last year, was particularly distraught. 'It hurts, it really does, because they are so young and, like, they could have had so much more to life,' she said. 'We just really started getting close, and it's hard to believe he's gone.' Rickie Bowling, 18, a friend of Kirklan Behner, broke down at the scene as she recalled her pal. 'He was one of a kind,' she told CBS. 'Everyone knew him in the neighborhood. In school, he always made everyone laugh. Basically, enjoy every second in life. Enjoy life while you've got it and while you're here and enjoy people that you love.' The . Honda Passport vehicle carrying the eight teenagers crashed into a . guardrail Sunday morning, overturned and landed in the pond in northeast . Ohio, Lieutenant Anne Ralston of the Ohio State Highway Patrol said. What remains: Both airbags were deployed in the crash, but it did little to help the teens, who were not wearing seatbelts . Early morning emergency: The highway patrol received the first call on the crash at 7:15 a.m. Scene of the accident: An Ohio State Patrol vehicle sits along Pine Avenue S.E. in Warren, Ohio, where the vehicle the teenagers were traveling in went off the roadway and into a pond . Warren Fire Department Capt Bill Monrean said a cold water rescue team was deployed to the scene and got five teens out of the sunken vehicle. 'Being a cold water rescue situation, cold water extends life,' Monrean said. 'We knew we had a chance; even being in there a while.' Two of the teens were brought to a . hospital 'in full cardiac arrest,' St. Joseph Health Center nursing . supervisor Julie Gill said, and were pronounced dead there. She said they were treated for hypothermic drowning trauma, indicating they had been submerged in cold water. The two teen boys who survived were treated for bruising and other injuries and released, she said. The . highway patrol received the first call on the crash at 7:15am, . Ralston said. Divers helped the patrol, and local police referred calls . seeking information to the patrol. Officials the victims' school to offer counseling for their families and friends on Sunday night. Superintendent Michael Notar told CBS the crowded closed-door session was heartbreaking. | Investigators are still trying to determine how fast the Honda Passport was traveling when it crashed at around 7am on Sunday .
Authorities reveal that SUV had been stolen before the crash .
Killed .
were 19-year-old Alexis Cayson; 14-year-old Andrique Bennett; .
14-year-old Brandon Murray; and Kirkland Behner, Daylan Ray and Ramone .
White, all 15 .
All six were from Warren, in northeast Ohio . |
161,867 | 5d4c7c206e4ce7ec02c3dc7bdc3031d2693c211d | Formula One ace Michael Schumacher lost control when he hit a rock and ended up smashing his head into a bolder 34 feet further down the mountain, it was revealed yesterday. The horrific details emerged as it was announced that French investigators have ruled out any criminal wrongdoing in the freak accident. Closing the case, Prosecutor Patrick Quincy, in charge of the inquiry, ruled 'no infraction by anyone has been turned up'. Formula one World champion Ferrari driver Michael Schumacher holding his skis before a giant slalom race in Madonna di Campiglio . He cleared the French ski resort of Meribel of any wrongdoing. He . said the accident occurred just over 14 feet from the edge of the ski . run in an off-piste area and that the resort had conformed to the French . standards for marking ski runs. He . said: 'No one was found to have committed any offence. The accident . occurred in an off-piste area. The signage, marking, staking (marker . poles in the snow) and information provided about the edge of this slope . were all consistent with French standards in place.' He . said the rock that caused him to lose balance and the rock on which he . struck his head 'are 10.40 metres from each other and both are located . at 4.50 metres from the boundary of the piste'. His decision does not, however, prevent Schumacher’s family from taking civil action. It . was seven weeks ago yesterday that Schumacher, 45, suffered his . life-threatening accident while skiing with his son in the French resort . of Meribel, where he owns a chalet. He remains in intensive care as doctors try to ease him out of an artificially-induced coma. An investigation into the crash was launched immediately, as is usual in France for accidents of such gravity. It was conducted by mountain police in Bourg-Saint-Maurice and gendarmes in Meribel and Albertville. Formula One driver Michael Schumacher gesturing at the end of the Brazil's F-1 GP at the Interlagos racetrack in Sao Paulo, Brazil in 2012 . The former examined the terrain and the signage on the ski runs. Experts . from ENSA, the ski and climbing academy in the French ski resort of . Chamonix, performed tests on his equipment including his skis, bindings, . ski boots and a piece of his helmet. Tests were also conducted to see . if the presence of his camera on his helmet had weakened the structure . causing it to shatter so dramatically. But his equipment was not found to be faulty in any way. Schumacher . had been skiing on the piste with his son and family friends. But . shortly after 11am he 'deliberately' skied on to a patch of off-piste . located in between two runs 'with a number of dangers, notable rocks', . according to investigators. It . was here that he struck a partially-covered rock. He was not skiing . fast but he lost control and catapulted on to another rock. Corinna Schumacher, his wife, arrives at Grenoble University Hospital Centre where her husband is being treated . Lawyers . had argued that managers of the ski resort might face up to three years . in prison because the dangers lurking within the off-piste section were . not properly marked. But, . presenting initial findings 10 days into the investigation, police chief . Stephane Bozon said: 'The piste markers conformed to the regulations. 'Unfortunately . this off-piste area had a number of dangers, notably the rocks being . only barely visible, covered with five to 10 cm of snow because of the . poor snow.' Quincy, a former . policeman who has been the prosecutor at Albertville since 2009, added . that all safety procedures by mountain authorities 'had been respected'. The . resort hired a top lawyer, Maurice Bodecher, who is a specialist in ski . and criminal law. Up until 2010 he was the head lawyer for the French . Ski Federation. The footage . from Schumacher’s helmet camera, which includes audio, was minutely . analyzed by N-Tec, a research division within the police at Albertville . that specializes in new technology. The seven-time world champion is receiving round-the-clock care in intensive case in Grenoble University Hospital. Wife Corinna, 44, with whom the champion has two children Gina Marie, 16, and Mick, 14, has remained at his bedside. His . family issued a statement last week saying that they 'strongly believe' he will recover. But they admitted he was 'still in a waking-up . process'. The family . said the most important element of his recovery was not the speed but . that it progressed in a 'continuous and controlled way'. The update came in the wake of reports that Schumacher had contracted pneumonia. The . statement said: "Michael's family would like to again express their . sincere thanks for the continuous sympathy coming from all over the . world. The good wishes they receive help the family and we are convinced . they also help Michael, who still is in a waking up process. 'As . often in such situation, no day is like the next. The family is . thankful for ones understanding that they would not wish to disclose . medical details in order to protect Michael’s privacy. 'As . assured from the beginning we will continue to communicate any decisive . new information on Michael’s health state. We are aware that the wake . up phase can take a long time. The judge found there was no criminal wrongdoing and Schumacher fell more than 30 feet onto a rock . 'The . family continues to strongly believe in Michael's recovery and place . all their trust in the doctors, nurses and nursing auxiliaries team. 'The . important thing is not the speed of the recovery but that Michael’s . healing process progresses in a continuous and controlled way.' Schumacher . receives food through a tube to his stomach, oxygen via a hose from a . machine next to his bed as he still cannot breathe independently. Three . times daily his joints and muscles are massaged to prevent atrophy and . bed sores. The coma . suppressed his swallowing reflex, pain perception and his respiratory . drive. He has to be acutely monitored around the clock during this . wake-up phase to see if such things are returning naturally - if at all. His . blood is also thinned to prevent thrombosis and he is regularly turned . and even stood straight up at times to keep blood flowing. He lies on a . special air-filled mattress to prevent pressure sores and his urinary . tract is under constant vigilance because of the danger of waste . bacteria entering the bloodstream and causing another potentially fatal . infection. | Investigation on Schumacher's accident focused on his ski helmet .
Police were trying to find out why the Formula One star hit rocks so hard .
Have ascertained that Schumacher was only skiing at moderate speed . |
215,475 | a2ea3c86db8291e79093754e675686573621a3c7 | Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera was among a host of footballing figures named by Spain's anti-corruption prosecutor on Monday in an alleged case of matchfixing involving a La Liga game in the 2010-11 season. The United midfielder was mentioned alongside other prominent names such as Atletico Madrid captain Gabi and Japan coach Javier Aguirre. Spain's anti-corruption prosecutor filed its case in a Valencia court following a probe into Real Zaragoza's 2-1 win at Levante on the final day of the campaign, which meant Zaragoza avoided relegation. VIDEO Scroll down to see Ander Herrera in a predatory display of skill . Ander Herrera (centre) takes the ball past Steven Gerrard (left) in Manchester United's win against Liverpool . Japan coach Javier Aguirre was manager of Real Zaragoza for their game against Levante . Mexican Aguirre was coach of Zaragoza at the time, while Spaniards Herrera and Gabi were both playing for the club. Former Zaragoza president Agapito Iglesias and the club itself were also named as defendants, along with the rest of the players from both teams. In its court filing published on Monday, the prosecutor alleged that the Levante players were paid a total of €965,000 (£766,000) in cash to deliberately lose the game. Gabi (right), now at Atletico Madrid, has also been named in the alleged case of matchfixing . Zaragoza allegedly first made bank transfers to their players and officials, including Aguirre, Herrera and Gabi, and then took the money out of their accounts in cash and passed it on to the Levante players, the prosecutor said. The judge overseeing the case will now rule on whether to proceed with prosecution. Head here to Like our Manchester United Facebook page. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Ander Herrera alleged to be involved in a possible match-fixing claim .
Real Zaragoza's 2-1 win over Levante in 2010-11 being queried .
Coach Javier Aguirre and Atletico Madrid's Gabi also named . |
2,388 | 06fa8f7a1246651942d4ebb50b1c99fc2043e5c5 | (CNN) -- Australia leg-spinner Stuart MacGill has announced he will quit international cricket at the end of the ongoing second Test against West Indies. MacGill will retire after 10 years of Test cricket, in which he has taken 207 wickets. The 37-year-old made his Test debut against South Africa 10 years ago and has since gone on to take 207 wickets at an average of 28.28 over 43 Test matches. "Unfortunately now my time is up," MacGill said. "I am incredibly lucky that as well as providing me with amazing opportunities off the field, my job allows me to test myself in one of Australia's most highly scrutinised sporting environments. "Bowling with some of crickets all time greats such as Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne, Jason Gillespie and Brett Lee has made my job a lot easier. I want to be sure that exciting young bowlers like Mitchell Johnson enjoy the same privilege," he added. MacGill took the only wicket to fall on a rain-interrupted third day of the Test in Antigua. He had Ramnaresh Sarwan brilliantly caught at slip by Michael Clarke for a well-constructed 65, but otherwise drew blank on a frustrating day for the tourists. The ever dependable Shivnarine Chanderpaul (55 not out) and Dwayne Bravo (29 not out) took the West Indies to the close on 255 for four wickets. They were replying to Australia's 479 for seven declared and with only two days remaining a draw looks the likely outcome in MacGill's farewell appearance. Australia won the first Test in Jamaica by 95 runs. | Australian leg-spinner Stuart MacGill has announced he will quit Test cricket .
The 37-year-old made his Test debut 10 years ago and has taken 207 wickets .
MacGill took only wicket to fall in rain-interrupted third day of second Test .
Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Dwayne Bravo compile unbroken stand of 73 . |
97,059 | 08e76e80f48acb65031beb5d850183a4d0f6c00b | (CNN)NASA released new images Monday of the dwarf planet Ceres that hint at crater-like structures on the surface. The images of Ceres, the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, were taken by the Dawn spacecraft from a distance of 238,000 miles on January 13. With a diameter of about 590 miles, NASA describes the dwarf planet as "Texas-sized." "We know so much about the solar system and yet so little about dwarf planet Ceres. Now, Dawn is ready to change that," Marc Rayman, Dawn's chief engineer and mission director, said in a release from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California. NASA's Hubble Space Telescope took the best images to date of Ceres in 2003 and 2004. While the latest set of images is only at about 80% of Hubble's resolution, NASA expects the decade-old images to be eclipsed when the spacecraft has another imaging opportunity at the end of this month. Dawn, which was launched in 2007, is expected to enter the dwarf planet's orbit around March 6 for the first time. Scientists have long thought the surface contains vast portions of ice or even an ocean, and have previously detected water vapor. Ceres falls into the same unique category of dwarf planets as Pluto. According to the International Astronomical Union, this classification is for a celestial body that "is in orbit around the sun," "has sufficient mass for its self-gravity to overcome rigid body forces so that it assumes a hydrostatic equilibrium (nearly round) shape" but is not able to "clear the neighborhood around its orbit," meaning the body is big enough to clear objects like asteroids and debris out of its orbital way. | NASA's Dawn spacecraft delivers new images of the dwarf planet Ceres .
Dawn will enter the dwarf planet's orbit in March . |
263,041 | e0b38fed943d60f7eb9699d7c422ce6564037d01 | Republican leaders again urged President Barack Obama to sign legislation approving the construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline at a ceremony on Friday at which House Speaker John Boehner officially lent his own name to the bill. The White House has steadfastly promised to veto the legislation when it arrives at the Oval Office - a vow it reiterated on Thursday. Congressional Republicans hope to use Obama's opposition to building the pipeline that they say would create 42,000 jobs as a cudgel against the Democratic President. After listing the benefits of building the oil transportation system at today's press conference, Boehner told the president, 'Do the right thing. Sign this bill, and help us create more jobs in America and help us create a healthier economy.' Scroll down for video . House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio signs the bill authorizing expansion of the Keystone XL pipeline on Friday on Capitol Hill in Washington. From left are, House Majority Whip Steve Scalise, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Sen. John Hoeven, theSenate sponsor of the pipeline bill, Boehner, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Rep. Kristi Noem, Rep. Kevin Cramer and House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Rep. Fred Upton . Boehner is pictured here shaking the hand of North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven, who has long fought for approval of the pipeline expansion that would travel through his home state . Boehner's signature is seen on the Keystone XL Pipeline Approval Act as well as that of Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, President of the Senate Tempore. The hotly debated Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline cleared final Congressional approval and was bound for the desk of President Barack Obama, who has vowed to veto the law . The Republican House Speaker was flanked at the formal enrollment ceremony by Sean McGarvey, President of the North America's Building Trades Unions, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, and the bill's author, North Dakota Sen. John Hoeven, among other Republican members of Congress from states that would be directly affected by the realization of the XL portion of the transnational conduit. 'We're hoping common sense will prevail here, and the president will sign this extraordinary jobs bill,' McConnell said. Both the House and the Senate have OK'd the Keystone expansion multiple times yet never with enough votes to override Obama's promised vetoes. A House vote on Wednesday to pass the latest Senate bill drew 29 Democrats and passed 270 to 152, falling 20 votes short of what was needed. The president first said he would not sign the bill because the pathway of the pipeline was in dispute. Even after a Nebraska court sided with the system's makers, Obama said he would leave it to the State Department to approve or deny TransCanada's permit request. A White House spokesman confirmed on Thursday that Obama had not changed his mind. 'As you know, the approval process for this pipeline is one that predates this administration, and is hubbed at the State Department. We're going to let that process unfold,' Obama spokesman Eric Schultz told reporters travelling with the president. 'The President has announced that he would oppose and veto any legislative maneuvering to circumvent that process. So he will indeed be vetoing it.' The State Department paused its review process last spring as it awaited the verdict of the Nebraska Supreme Court and has not publicly announced plans to restart it. Not gonna happen: The White House has said in no uncertain terms that Obama won't lend his name to the Keystone XL expansion bill and anxious lawmakers will just have to wait for the State Department to resume its stalled review of the permit request for the oil transportation system . Though Boehner signed the bill today he will not immediately send it to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Following Monday's federal holiday, Congress is scheduled to be in recess for the remainder of the week. Hoeven told reporters on Thursday the legislative branch would wait until it resumed its activities to present Obama with the document 'so attention is brought to it' when he rejects it. The White House would not say on Thursday if Obama would make a statement to the press announcing his decision or if he would issue a written statement. Republicans' inability to force the bill into law, despite having majorities in both chambers of Congress and the support of more than three dozen of their colleagues across the aisle, highlighted the struggle the GOP faces during Obama's last two years in office. 'Now we have the Senate and so our constituents think "now you can stop Obama". Well we don't have 60,' Florida Rep. Tom Rooney told the Associated Press on Thursday, referring to the number of votes it takes in the Senate to overcome a minority party filibuster. 'Honestly it's going to continue to frustrate not only our side but the people who elected us that nothing is going to change until we get a new president,' he said, acknowledging the virtual stalemate. | Republicans hope to use Obama's opposition to building the pipeline that they say would create 42,000 jobs as a cudgel against the Democrat .
Boehner told the president today: 'Do the right thing. Sign this bill, and help us create more jobs in America'
Both the House and the Senate have OK'd Keystone XL multiple times yet never with enough votes to override Obama's promised vetoes .
GOP won't immediately send bill to White House; Congress is in recess next week and it wants to be in town to make a fuss when Obama rejects it . |
202,225 | 91cdcb5c18bf0934ab980f07b397cb87a21c04bb | It was probably unlikely that a TV comedy series about a Muslim community leader would pass without comment. And so it was that in the region of 200 complaints were made to the BBC yesterday after it broadcast the first episode of Citizen Khan. It was claimed that the programme ‘takes the mickey out of Islam’, was guilty of ‘stereotypes about Asians’ and was ‘disrespectful to the Koran’. Scroll down to watch the trailer . Controversial: The first episode of BBC comedy series Citizen Khan attracted in the region of 200 complaints . Provocative: The programme's British Muslim creator Adil Ray (second from left) stands with co-stars Bavna Limbachia (left), Maya Sondhi (second from right) and Shobu Kapoor (right) One scene that particularly provoked anger was where a heavily-made up girl, Mr Khan’s daughter, rushed to put on a hijab and pretended to be reading the Koran when her father entered. The six-part series, which aired for the first time on BBC1 on Monday at 10.35pm, has been created by British Muslim Adil Ray, who also plays the lead role. One viewer wrote on the BBC’s messageboard: ‘This is terrible stereotyping, ignorant and just dreadful.’ Another said: ‘HIGHLY disappointed especially when her father walks in and she dis-respectfully opens the Koran!!’ But others defended the show. One . said: ‘People are reading too much in to Citizen Khan, especially the . hijab thing, it happens!’ Complaints: The series, which follows the fortunes of a Muslim community leader, has been accused of being 'disrespectful to the Koran' Family argument: The first episode was about the troubled wedding plans of one of Mr Khan's daughters . @Saduf_I: Caked in makeup, a sleeveless top & tight clothes? A pathetic portrayal of a hijabi. The hijab defines modesty. This isn't it. @Sana_Choudery: Why did they have to make the hijabi like that? #citizenkhan Insult to all hijabis! @_Raja_Talat_ : Citizen Khan is very disrespectful.. they crossed the line when they brought religion into it. @MarwaZiane: Citizen Khan is honestly the dumbest show EVER. It's not even funny & quite disrespectful.@sayeedahassan1: When will BBC stop with racial sterotyping? Re:citizen khan @Original_Ted: Citizen Khan is just s***, why try make Islam look like that? @kalrlz: I was so disgusted with that Citizen Khan sitcom aired yesterday. Shame on the person who thought of such a concept.@j_sabre: Aaliyah on Citizen Khan? That stereotype does exist, it exists for a reason. Because its true! @BAPB00: I watched Citizen Khan.. And it is quite rude and i can see why people are getting offended but its alllllll trueee . The . series stars former My Family actor Kris Marshall as the mosque manager . and Shobu Kapoor, who is known for her work on EastEnders, who plays Mr . Khan’s wife. The comedy mocks Mr Khan’s self-importance, including his delusions about his position in the community and about his standing in the business world. Critics have complained that it repeats many stereotypes about British Muslims, with the first episode all about the troubled wedding plans of one of Mr Khan’s daughters, Shazia. Some claimed while Goodness Gracious Me, the acclaimed BBC2 Asian sketch show, had challenged stereotypes, the new show reinforced them. The two other writers on the show, Anil Gupta and Richard Pinto, had both worked on Goodness Gracious Me. A BBC spokesman said: ‘Citizen Khan has made a very positive start, launching successfully with 3.6million viewers and a 21.5 per cent share in a late-night slot. 'New comedy always provokes differing reactions from the audience. The characters are comic creations and not meant to be representative of the community as a whole.' In a recent interview with BBC Breakfast, Mr Ray said the show was allowing the Muslim community to laugh at itself. He said: 'I think it is a great opportunity, with Mr Khan as a Pakistani Muslim and the character, to take that kind of really rich content and laugh at ourselves and I am a firm believer in that.' 'Disrespectful': Critics have complained that the show repeats many stereotypes about British Muslims . Criticism: One viewer wrote on the BBC's messageboard that the show was 'terrible stereotyping, ignorant and just dreadful' | Viewers say the programme 'takes the mickey out of Islam' and is guilty of 'stereotypes about Asians'
Comedy series follows the fortunes of a Muslim community leader .
BBC1 show was watched by 3.6million viewers . |
197,132 | 8b27409bf52d8dc48baea558d42dd2cd96bf89de | (CNN) -- Is this the quintessential TMI Facebook post? Rep. Mark Sanford, the former South Carolina governor known for having an extramarital affair while his staff claimed he was hiking the Appalachian Trail, wrote in a 2,300-word Facebook post Friday that he and his Argentine fiancée have broken up. The congressman says the strains between him and his ex-wife have complicated his relationship with his three children, as well as his relationship with fiancée Maria Belen Chapur. Sanford and Chapur got engaged in August 2012, a few years after he publicly admitted that he had been cheating on his wife. The Sanfords divorced after the scandal, and the then-governor finished his time in office, leaving the governorship in January 2011. The Republican, who was once considered a potential presidential contender, mounted a political comeback and won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2013. In the Facebook post, Sanford says he's being summoned to court on Monday as part of what he described as "yet another lawsuit" by his ex-wife. Sanford's 'American Idol' lesson: Try, try, and try again . CNN's Eric Weisbrod contributed to this report. | Mark Sanford and his Argentine fiancée have broken up .
The Republican congressman announced it in a Facebook post .
He says tensions with his ex-wife have complicated his relationship . |
282,910 | fa770cc082f661c4896a6aae39a6a46b53628f0b | Los Angeles (CNN) -- TLC, the superstar girl group of the 1990s, is officially back with new music, a movie about them and plans to tour. "We had a great run," said Rozonda "Chilli" Thomas. "To be here two decades later and have another chance to do even more, I feel like the sky is the limit." Chilli and Tionne "T-Boz" Watkins had mounted other comebacks since Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes died in a car crash in 2002, but challenges -- including a brain tumor that blinded T-Boz for a time -- slowed them. "This is our baby" When VH-1 premieres "CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story" on October 21, a new generation of potential fans will learn about the groundbreaking trio. Chilli and T-Boz were closely involved from start to finish in developing the script, casting and preparing the actors, Chilli said. "This is our baby." T-Boz brings reality to TV . Actress-singer Keke Palmer plays Chilli, rapper Lil' Mama portrays Left Eye and Drew Sidora is T-Boz. "We basically took them under our wings and we shared a lot of stories with them," Chilli said. "We spent a lot of time with them, and they were very observant when it came to looking at how Tionne and I interact with each other, the chemistry that we naturally have." "We spent more time with Lil' Mama, since Lisa was not here," Chilli said. "So we really had to spend more time with her. She looked at a lot of video footage. She did a lot of research." The film includes sequences with Lil' Mama that closely echo the VH-1 documentary "Last Days of Left Eye." "We're really proud with how she portrayed Lisa, and I know Lisa would be very happy and I know her family would be very happy as well," Chilli said. Lil' Mama may join TLC . Lil' Mama may be on stage singing Left Eye's parts when TLC tours to promote a new album set for release next year, they said. "For sure, we're talking and thinking about it when we go on tour," Chilli said. She performed with Chilli and T-Boz this summer several times, including at Drake's OVO Festival in Toronto. The group is keeping details about next year's album -- their first in a decade -- a secret, other than to say it will have a lot of featured artists, including Lady Gaga. "We have some other surprises," Chilli said. Fans can already hear a new TLC single -- "Meant to Be" -- that they recorded with Ne-Yo. It was released this week as part of the soundtrack album for the movie. The ballad "kind of sums up our 20-year span as a group," Chilli said. "It will definitely pull on your heartstrings," said T-Boz. The rest of "TLC 20," which is available Tuesday, is a compilation of their greatest hits, including "Creep," "Waterfalls" and "No Scrubs." | VH-1 premieres "CrazySexyCool: The TLC Story" October 21 .
Keke Palmer plays Chilli, Lil' Mama portrays Left Eye and Drew Sidora is T-Boz .
Lil' Mama may tour with TLC next year, Chilli says .
Film's soundtrack "TLC 20" releases Tuesday with a ballad crafted by Ne-Yo . |
283,382 | fb14f77eed0ebc97f1ac7e3515e9b82228a83f9d | By . Louise Eccles . PUBLISHED: . 05:32 EST, 25 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:45 EST, 25 April 2013 . 'Attack': Malcolm Blackman, 45, allegedly twice raped a woman inside the Occupy London protest camp . An anarchist leader twice raped a woman at the infamous protest camp on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral, the Old Bailey heard yesterday. The alleged assaults happened at the squalid tent city set up by hundreds of anti-capitalists in the Occupy London group. Malcolm Blackman, self-styled leader of computer hacking group Anonymous UK, raped the woman in her tent twice in seven days, including once when she had passed out drunk, the court heard. The woman sobbed as she told the jury why she had not informed other Occupy members about the alleged rapes. ‘It was all, protest, protest, protest, and if you had any personal issues you were out of line,’ she said. She was scared to report the rapes for fear of upsetting the ‘togetherness’ of the group, which reportedly encouraged members to ‘focus on the protests’. The woman also claims she was raped a third time and her hands violently bound with plastic ties – although Blackman, 45, has not been charged with this alleged offence. Blackman apparently acted as a ‘leader’ and spokesman for Anonymous UK, the British wing of the global internet hacking group that carries out cyber attacks on capitalist targets and governments. The court heard that he started a sexual relationship with the woman shortly after they met at the makeshift encampment in November 2011. He moved into her four-man tent in the new year after claiming the zip on his tent was broken. The woman said: ‘He was a welcoming sort of character, people turned to him. He seemed to be a leader sort of person.’ But on January 14, while they were kissing in her tent, he apparently pulled plastic ties from his pocket and roughly tightened them around her wrists, before raping her. Giving evidence from behind a screen, the woman said: ‘One minute it all seemed to be normal and the next minute he’s putting ties round my wrists and it’s really hurting. He held my hands in one hand and he put the ties round really quickly.’ Protest site: The woman was allegedly attacked twice by Blackman, 45, inside the central London camp . Afterwards he cut the ties and she lay . sobbing while he fell asleep, she claimed. Asked why she did not tell . anyone, she replied: ‘I was ashamed and embarrassed. I didn’t know if it . was me perhaps not being experienced in a relationship. I saw it as . something I had done wrong in some way.’ When asked why she had not evicted him . from her tent after that, she said: ‘I could have but I didn’t. 'He was a . very strong character and I was probably frightened of upsetting the . general togetherness of the camp. I wanted to keep quiet, to keep in the . background and not make a big issue of it.’ 'It was all, protest, protest, protest, and if you had any personal issues you were out of line' Woman . The woman would spend every weekend at St Paul’s, returning to her job and home in London in the week. The following Saturday, January 21, she returned to the camp and drank brandy and wine with other protesters. Later that night, Blackman went into her tent and they had a conversation before she apparently ‘passed out’. She said the next thing she remembered . was him assaulting her, but she was too ‘shocked’ to protest and he . later fell asleep in the tent. Camp: Blackman frequently spoke to the media on behalf of Anonymous UK during the Occupy London protest . ‘I was scared of him,’ she said. ‘I was . confused about what to do. I was confused about the relationship.’ Activists spent much of their time at the St Paul’s camp drinking instead of protesting, the Old Bailey heard. During the Occupy protest, between October 2011 and February 2012, some of those involved spent the days inside each other’s tents downing bottles of whisky, brandy and other spirits donated by supporters. When they did attend protests, including those outside the US embassy and the Bank of England, they would return to the camp via ‘a few drinks’ in the pub. Giving evidence against Malcolm Blackman, the alleged victim said: ‘There was a lot of drinking going on. Malcolm would drink most of the day. Other people would drink during the day.’ She recalled spending one day drinking wine and brandy, another sharing a bottle of whisky. Blackman was linked to another protester around the time he was seeing the alleged rape victim, the court heard. Jurors were played footage of the carnival atmosphere at the camp, with people performing juggling acts, waving flags and dancing on the cathedral steps. In lieu of security, the camp had a ‘tranquillity tent’ where people were encouraged to go to discuss any problems. The woman, who said her feelings for . Blackman were ‘complicated’, returned to the camp on January 28, and . went to a pub with other members. In the evening she had a row with . Blackman. She alleges they both later fell asleep in the same tent, . along with a third man, something Blackman denies. She told the court she awoke to find a . belt tied around her neck in a noose. Blackman allegedly forced her to . perform a sex act on him. ‘He was quite forceful,’ she told the . court. ‘He said, “You know you want it”.’ She said Blackman then told . her she was ‘too touchy feely’, before climbing back into his sleeping . bag. The woman did not report the rape until June, by which time there was bitter in-fighting in Anonymous UK. Gordon Ross, defending, claimed the woman had invented the allegations against Blackman because she wanted to ‘take him down’. ‘Effectively what you and others were trying to do was destroy him and his leadership of Anonymous UK,’ he said. The woman admitted she was expelled . from the Anonymous Facebook group by Blackman, along with others, after . angry exchanges about the group. She also admitted confronting him over a . relationship he had started with another woman. The Occupy London camp – in which . Anonymous UK members camped closest to the cathedral – remained at the . site for more than four months before being broken up by police in . February last year. Blackman, of Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, denies two counts of rape. The trial continues. Sorry we are unable to accept comments for legal reasons. | Malcolm Blackman, 45, allegedly raped woman twice in her tent in London .
Activist frequently spoke to media during anti-capitalist protest at St Paul's .
He tied woman's hands behind her back with cable ties, Old Bailey hears . |
266,502 | e52e9455d415966a78c36ab10fa5f18a95945eb2 | By . Tara Brady . Ian Wright outside his home in north west London which was raided by knife-wielding robbers . Football legend Ian Wright today offered a reward to help snare the thugs that threatened to cut off his wife’s fingers during a 'terrifying' break-in. The former England and Arsenal striker flew back early from the World Cup in Brazil, where he was working as a pundit for ITV, to be with his family following the raid. Today he tweeted: 'Thank you everyone . for your kind words of support. 'There will be a reward for any . information leading to arrests. Justice will be done.' The gang of four broke into the house in Kensal Rise, north west London, after his wife Nancy, 39, opened the door. They dragged her through the house, snatching valuables, including his MBE and some rare watches. Then, they threatened to cut off the fingers of his daughters, aged four and two. Today, the star looked calm as he climbed into his black Range Rover wearing a purple T shirt and sunglasses. But he would not comment on the incident, suggesting it was the 'wrong time'. They held a knife to his wife’s throat and threatened to cut off her fingers, while their kids hid upstairs. When he returned from Brazil on Thursday, the former Aresenal striker Tweeted: 'You won’t get away with it.' Police are hunting four black men, aged 18 to 25, with London accents. Speaking to The Sun, he said the men who were wearing masks barged in after Nancy opened the door at 9.15pm. 'They . threatened to cut her fingers off and even threatened to do the same to . the children, who were both upstairs in their bedrooms. 'Nancy was praying the children wouldn't wake up. 'It would have been devastating for them to see what was happening.' According . to Wright, the men were hysterically shouting at Nancy to show them . where the family safe was and marched her from room to room. When the safe was found, Nancy pleaded with the men to stop and said she would open it if they stopped pushing her around. Scroll down for videos . Probe: Ian Wright returned home to his family after a knife-wielding gang broke into his house and threatened his wife and children. Pictured: Police conducted a fingertip search outside his home yesterday . Back in Britain: Ian Wright landed at London's Heathrow yesterday to support his family after the terrifying raid on their home last night. He tweeted 'You won't get away with it' before boarding the plane . A tired and shaken-looking Wright (left) headed straight inside when he returned home to his house in north-west London, before emerging to tell reporters that his family were safe (right) The star sent a message to the gang on Twitter before boarding the flight posting: 'You won't get away with it' Wright confirmed the MBE he was given by the Queen in 2000 for services to football was taken alongside rare watches. One . of the watches was given to him by former Arsenal teammate Dennis . Bergkamp while the other was an Arsenal watch with an inscription from . the club. However, Wright said the main thing was that his family was safe. In a short statement outside his home, he said: 'All I want to say . really is me and my missus, my girls, everyone's safe. The police are . trying to get on with what they are doing.' Police believe the family could have been followed home from a nearby park. Wright added: 'What's really disappointing is they're from an age group I've worked with and tried to help.' Wright confirmed the MBE he was given by the Queen in 2000 for services to football was taken . A . spokesman for Wright said today that he was left 'really upset and angry' after learning of the horrific incident/ . He . said: 'We are very grateful to ITV for being so supportive and getting him back so quickly. Nancy . is really shaken up. Their kids are so young that hopefully they aren't . going to read into it too much. They are all physically OK - Nancy and . the kids. 'Ian is just really upset and angry and just wants to come back and be with his family at this time.' Asked . if they had received any update on whether police have tracked down the . raiders, he added: 'Nancy may have, but we haven't heard anything . further from the police at this time.' The spokesman said Wright hoped other footballers and pundits over in Brazil covering . the tournament would not also become a target for robbers. Painstaking: Police searched every inch of the area around Mr Wright's north London home . It is understood four men armed with knives stormed their way into his home shortly after 9pm . Ian Wright (pictured, right, in Brazil this week) flew home after his wife Nancy (pictured, left, with Wright at a charity event in 2008) was held at knifepoint at their north London home . Crime scene: Remnants of police finger print dust on the front door of Wright's north west London house. The gang held a knife to Wright's wife Nancy's throat during the raid . Nancy (pictured with Wright at a charity event in 2008) is said to have been threatened by the four-man gang . Wright, pictured with fellow pundit Glenn Hoddle, has been following the England team for his work for ITV . He said: 'Hopefully, with enough media coverage, this won't happen to any . other players or people who are over in the World Cup. Ian is trying to . get the message out.' An ITV spokesman said: 'Ian travelled . home immediately to be with his family on hearing the shocking news. Our . thoughts and best wishes are with them.' Front door close-up: One the raiders told another to 'punch her, kill her' (Wright's wife) as they entered the property . Wright's neighbours expressed their shock at the robbery today and described him as a 'lovely family man'. Next-door neighbour Marianne Collinge, 70, said: 'I suppose they could be a bit of a target because they do have beautiful cars. 'But they are very unpretentious people. They are one of us and I'm terribly sorry for them, it's awful.' Chris . Martin, a neighbour in his 50s, said: 'We were watching the Spain game . when the police arrived last night and that's all we know about it. 'Ian . is a neighbour and a decent family man. He's been living here several . years and everyone around here respects his privacy.' Well-wishers today took flowers to Wright's door and posted messages through his letterbox, while police made door-to-door inquiries. Scotland Yard said it was investigating an aggravated burglary at an address in north-west London after they were called at 9.20pm last night. Four men, believed to be armed with knives, forced their way inside the house and stole a number of items, including personal property and jewellery, a police spokesman said. Detective Chief Inspector Mick Gornall, who is leading the investigation, said: 'We are trying to trace these four men, and I'd ask anyone who may know anything to get in touch with my team and help us. 'Fortunately no one was injured during the burglary, but it is still very frightening to have people force their way into your home and threaten you. 'Last night officers went to the address and started carrying out house-to-house inquiries. We are also seizing and reviewing CCTV.' Gary Lineker, who is fronting coverage of the World Cup for the BBC, offered Wright his support this afternoon . Athlete Denise Lewis was among a number of Wright's famous friends who tweeted their support . Christian O'Connell, who works with Wright at Absolute Radio, branded the gang 'cowards' on the website . | Ex-England star said 'Justice will be done' following Wednesday night's raid .
His wife and daughters were held at knife-point in their London home .
Gang 'held blade to wife Nancy's throat' while children were upstairs .
ITV pundit sends message to gang, tweeting: 'You won't get away with it'
He says his family are now safe and his wife is happy he is back from Brazil .
Police are hunting four black men aged 18 to 25 with London accents . |
98,213 | 0a71e6bc68aaa465b4666d4b0cd8f18a9f83e1a1 | Off the coast of East Africa (CNN) -- On board the HDMS Iver Huitfeldt, the captain has just had them execute what on land would be considered a three point turn. The huge frigate churns up the ocean as it neatly swings back around to its starting point ship and to an abrupt -- and complete -- stop. This is not what you'd expect from a gigantic naval warship, but this is no ordinary boat. The Iver Huitfeldt is one of the most advanced ships in the world. The average ship cruises along at roughly 9 miles an hour. The Iver does 30. With a 46,000 horsepower engine it can get to top speeds from a standing start, outrunning and surrounding its targets in a manner designed to make those on board think twice about putting up too much of a fight. The Iver is at what's been described as the sharp end of Operation Ocean Shield, NATO's counter-piracy mission in the waters off of the Horn of Africa. Commander Carsten Fjord-Larsen, the Iver's skipper, sees his high-tech ship as a very modern solution in the fight against an age-old problem. "Keeping the pirates at bay, keeping them ashore is the first key issue. We can sit on the pirate camps and prevent them from coming out, and if they go out we disrupt them." Operation Ocean Shield began life in 2008 as a United Nations-mandated mission to escort World Food Program ships through the Red Sea, one of the busiest waterways in the world. It later evolved into its current iteration, helping to drive down the frequency and success of piracy attacks. But it hasn't been easy, and Fjord-Larsen has a tinge of respect in his voice when he speaks about the pirate's capabilities. "They have been building up tactical procedures and we have seen that they are fantastic sailors, and now that we can come very close to shore, I've seen with my own eyes how they can negotiate the big waves along the coast." "They are well organized and they can easily put up an attack group, with the necessary money to do so and to get the men," he added. One of the ways the Iver's technology has helped is by taking much of the guesswork out of a potentially hostile approach. The ship is equipped with an infra-red camera, which has a range of at least seven miles. "We can see right into the small craft, we can see faces on people," said Per Moll, the Iver's executive officer. "We can see what they have in the craft. Is that fishing gear? We can see ladders, are there a lot of weapons on board?" "If we do have a pirated ship and we're doing an approach, trying to free the hostages or at least take back the ship, we can see who's actually in charge because you can follow the different people around the ship." The Iver Huitfeldt is one of four ships involved in Ocean Shield. The San Marco, an Italian ship, acts as the floating headquarters for the operation and a base for Admiral Antonio Natale, the commander overseeing Ocean Shield. The San Marco hosts joint training exercises to help build the pirate-fighting capacities of regional navies. We watched Tanzanian sailors looking on as the San Marco marine unit rappelled from helicopters suspended over the flight deck. This is what a hostile approach must look like for the hostages on a pirate craft -- goggle-wearing marines in camouflage snaking down suspended ropes before fanning out across the ship with guns cocked as the chopper's blades whip up the air and the sea. At least 212 crew members of various ships were held hostage by pirates off the Horn of Africa in 2012. And while another 60 have been held so far this year, Natale believes Ocean Shield is starting to turn the tide against the seaborne criminal gangs. "Right now the last hijacked 'unit' was in May last year," Natale told us. "There are some attacks but with no success and we've captured pirates who are in jail awaiting prosecution, so the situation seems to be going in the right direction." The huge amounts being spent here may be paying off, but piracy still effectively acts as a tax on every good coming through these waters. Many commercial operators now pay on board security contractors, and those that don't must cough up for the extra fuel expended in navigating around the pirates' operating zone, which is an area the size of Europe. Another option is a costly wait to be transported by NATO ships through the so-called "Internationally Recommended Transit Corridor." But Admiral Natale is optimistic that through the involvement of regional partners, a sustainable -- not to mention cheaper -- solution can be found. "Two years ago the international community paid more than $12 billion to face this problem; last year we reduced this amount to $7 billion and only a small part of this is related to governments, to the military." But Natale is clear that to truly defeat piracy once and for all in the Horn of Africa, the key lies in Somalia. "We've been successful at sea, but of course the roots of the problem are on land. In the last ten years this has been, we could say, the only 'job' for many young Somalis, the only way for them to work somewhere." "Any activity that will help train Somalis in order to stabilize their country will help bring about a final solution." For now though, the gains made at sea remain reversible. "As long as we're here we're putting on a strong pressure, and it would be naïve to think that if we leave that all would stay peaceful" Captain Fjord-Larsen said. "That's not the case. The funding [for pirates] is there and they would be able to launch pirate attack groups very shortly." | NATO's Operation Ocean Shield chases pirates off Horn of Africa .
Captain of high tech HDMS Iver Huitfeldt says top goal is keeping pirates on shore .
212 crew members of various ships in region were held hostage by pirates in 2012 . |
33,349 | 5ed0a71bc89cd29dbaaa2bc0ea2107981df2d872 | Ajdabiya, Libya (CNN) -- Outside the Libyan city of Ajdabiya, tents have sprouted in the rolling desert, where the sands blow and farmers grow figs and grapes. In the city, a fierce fight rages for control between the Libyan opposition and forces loyal to strongman Moammar Gadhafi, whose tanks lob shells to push their foes back. At night, coalition planes roar overhead, pounding Gadhafi's positions. Early Friday, British jets pounded Libyan armored vehicles. But they have not been able to stop the battle on the ground, and residents are escaping to safer ground. "I couldn't even begin to describe to you the horror that I have seen," one man said. "Leaving Ajdabiya, we saw dead bodies in the street. No one would ever dare go to recover them." He fled his hometown with his six children this week. One of his sons, maybe about 10, cradles his head as his father talks. He cries quietly. Other children gather around. When an oil tanker barrels down the road, they freeze and then scatter in fear. The people here have nothing: no change of clothes, not even water. They sleep on thin sheets of plastic and think they will keep themselves warm at night with firewood in a tin box that is only 1 foot in diameter. They keep hoping that when the next morning comes, they will be able to trek back through the barren land to their homes. But every morning brings more of the same. Two trucks arrive from Benghazi to the north. They bring rice, sugar, powdered milk for babies. The people say the aid materialized from the goodwill of their compatriots in Benghazi. Relief, however little. As the Libyan war goes on, humanitarian agencies report increasing numbers of Libyans displaced from their homes. The International Medical Corps estimates that 20,000 people have taken refuge in a small town east of Ajdabiya. The Libyan Red Crescent says another 5,000 are displaced in the coastal town of Derna. The United Nations refugee agency says it has sent two medical convoys to Benghazi and also shipments of blankets, sleeping mats and other basic items. But delivering aid is an issue. The agency does not have access to places other than Benghazi, the nation's second-largest city that is in the hands of the opposition. Reports like these are not uncommon in war. For its victims, life's only focus becomes survival. One man says Gadhafi's tanks roared down Ajdabiya's streets, firing into houses. What choice did they have but to flee? He says the troops were searching house to house. They took away five young men from his neighbor's place. He doesn't know what happened to them or whether he will ever see them again. CNN's Moni Basu contributed to this report. | Tents have sprouted in the rolling desert .
People fleeing Ajdabiya have nothing with them .
The situation is dire for Libya's war displaced . |
189,844 | 81d452936a32e866bcb1c3ce0160ee81f403c1ee | By . Mike Dawes . Victor Matfield will captain South Africa in their Test matches against Wales and Scotland this month. Matfield, 37, retired from playing after the 2011 World Cup, but returned to action earlier this year after signing a deal with the Pretoria-based Bulls. The towering lock will take over as skipper from centre Jean de Villiers, who is sidelined for eight weeks because of a knee injury. Experienced: Veteran lock Victor Matfield will captain South Africa against Wales and Scotland . Sidelined: Regular captain Jean de Villiers will resume the armband when he returns from injury . Matfield, who has won 110 caps, will take the helm for Saturday's appointment with a World XV in Cape Town. 'Victor's appointment as interim captain is something I thought long and hard about, and it wasn't an easy decision to make,' Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer told South African rugby's official website. 'The three candidates we considered - Victor, Bismarck du Plessis and Fourie du Preez - were all very strong options. 'It's only a short-term appointment as Jean will take over as captain again once he's recovered from his injury. 'Victor was a logical option. He knows the pressure associated with being Springbok captain, as he's been there before, and he has vast captaincy experience at all levels of the game.' South Africa face Wales in Durban on June 14, then Nelspruit seven days later, while they meet Scotland in Port Elizabeth on June 28. Wise choice: South Africa coach Heyneke Meyer said Matfield was the obvious candidate for the role . | Victor Matfield chosen as South Africa captain against Wales and Scotland .
Matfield has 110 Springboks caps and has been chosen for his experience .
Jean de Villiers will return to the role when he is recovered from injury . |
83,766 | ed99941e5f0d3349b7e8e7ffde7068513fd1fdae | (CNN) -- Like many aspiring singers on YouTube, 17-year-old Carley Allison has uploaded several videos of herself belting out covers and original songs. But her most popular YouTube video, which was later posted on CNN iReport, was shot just after doctors sliced a hole in her neck. A golf-ball-sized tumor -- what turned out to be an extremely rare cancer -- was causing her to have difficulty breathing, and she needed an emergency tracheotomy. Even after the tracheotomy, she could still sing. "Music has been my passion ever since I was young," the Toronto resident wrote on her blog. "I started taking guitar lessons when I was 11 years old, and I've been singing for as long as I can remember." Allison hopes that, despite the tumor, she'll still be able to pursue singing as a career. The diagnosis . Music wasn't always the primary focus of Allison's life. She initially hoped to become a competitive figure skater, training six days a week for more than five years. The intense training was something she learned from her mother, who was an Olympic marathon runner in 1996. It was through skating that Allison first suspected something might be wrong. "Her skating coach noticed that just walking up a flight of stairs, she'd breathe hard," said her mother, May Allison. It seemed unusual that such a young athlete might have trouble breathing. Allison and her family went for a year believing -- as doctors told them -- that she had asthma. But a CT scan in February revealed a clear cell sarcoma outside the trachea. Allison knew her skating career would be put on hold. Teen with cancer blogs her bucket list . A rediscovered passion . Without skating to fill her time, Allison turned her efforts to singing. She has uploaded seven videos to YouTube in the past year, where she has nearly 50,000 views. "Everything happens for a reason," she said of her condition. "It was an easy switch to put music as the biggest thing in my life right now ... and my music has taken off, which is nice." In April, her videos received the notice of actress and pop star Selena Gomez. Gomez tweeted, "Carley Allison you are so strong girl. Love you! And praying for you. Keep singing." The words echo many of the comments on Allison's YouTube and Twitter pages -- and helped her singing videos take off online. She has certainly followed Gomez's advice, too. Singing is "therapeutic for her in a way," said her mother. May Allison believes this is the best way her daughter has found to deal with the fact that she has a hole in her trachea and her hair has been shaved down, and it's how she has chosen to express herself. Her daughter put it this way: "Before February 4, my biggest problem was trying to find a prom dress." May Allison added, "She wants to make something of (her condition) instead of moping around." Allison's focus on singing isn't unusual for a patient, said Dr. Michael E. Kupferman of the MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. He has seen others with cancer turn to creative outlets. "Any kind of devastating medical situation will make people more introspective," he explained. "Artists' careers have sometimes evolved having gone through cancer. I've seen patients find that creativity to express themselves whether in music or in art. We've seen that for millennia. It changes the tenor of their art and productivity." What the future holds . Will Allison still be able to belt out her songs in the same way when her cancer is eventually surgically removed? Luckily, "her vocal cords are not involved with the tumor," according to her mother. Teen beating the odds after brain injury . However, she added, "The one side that the tumor's on, the vocal cord nerve may be affected by the tumor. It's very difficult to tell on the CT scan. We're hoping the chemotherapy will help the situation." Allison herself maintains a positive attitude. "There is a smaller chance there may be some permanent damage, but I try not to think about that," she said. Early on, there were some fears as well. Allison admitted that she was originally scared by her diagnosis after searching online. She has since mostly stayed away from searching for information on her illness. When the family learned about the tumor, May Allison said she and her husband got choked up. "(Carley) turned to us in a calm voice and said she was glad it was her and not anyone else in the family, because she knew she could handle it." Despite being told there was a 5% chance that chemotherapy would affect a tumor in the trachea, the tumor has become softer since treatment and has moved away from the thyroid gland, which makes it easier to remove surgically. No matter what happens, Allison still plans to pursue her passions. She's still thinking about a possible singing career, despite the fact that she had to cancel an audition for Boston's Berklee College of Music a few days after she was diagnosed. She looks forward to getting back on the ice one day as well. It's that unstoppable attitude that has been the most inspirational to witness, her mother said. "From an early age, Carley always knew what she wanted and had no fear trying to get it," she said. "For her, every day presents a new opportunity to take a step closer. The interesting thing about Carley is that she actually enjoys the journey as much as achieving her goals. When things don't go according to plan, she rallies quickly and moves on. She has the ability to make anything fun and finds it very difficult to sit still." "She's been able to touch people," May Allison added. "Her public school raised $5,000 in a fundraiser for (Toronto's) Sick Kids Hospital where she's having her chemotherapy. There are thousands of dollars coming into Princess Margaret Hospital where she has the link on her blog. She's very proud of that." In the meantime, Allison continues to inspire people on social media with her positive attitude. "For me to be able to reach out to other people throughout all this has been great," she said. "People want to hear from me and hear my music right now so it keeps me happy. I cherish every moment. I have a different perspective on everything now. In the end, I think it will make me a better person." 36 stories that prove citizen journalism matters . | Carley Allison has a cancerous tumor in her trachea .
Allison shared videos of herself singing on YouTube and CNN iReport .
Her videos received the attention of actress and pop star Selena Gomez .
She is eager to get back on the ice one day, but is pursuing singing as a career . |
14,696 | 29a7ec67253cca779fee3bfe9e2fc4c50049f885 | By . Liz Thomas . PUBLISHED: . 13:44 EST, 26 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:44 EST, 27 July 2012 . It was hailed as the future of cinema. But it seems Britain’s 3D boom may be over before it really began. Film fans fed up with inflated prices are choosing to stick with the traditional 2D format instead. The British Film Institute said 3D films accounted for a fifth of box office revenues last year compared to almost a quarter two years ago. Legacy: Film fans fed up with inflated prices and disillusioned by the lack of added value from watching many movies in the format, opted to stick with traditional 2D showings instead . While 47 3D films were released in 2011 – an increase of almost 20 on 2010 – takings were down. According to research compiled by the British Film Institute 3D films accounted for a fifth of box office revenues last year compared to almost a quarter two years ago. It found the average cinema in the UK made £32,000 from 3D films in 2010 but this had slumped by half to £16,000 in 2011. The BFI report said: ‘This year saw signs that UK cinema goers are becoming more selective in their choice of 3D films, choosing the format for films where it makes a real contribution to their experience but sticking to 2D where they don’t perceive any added value.’ It had been expected the 3D trend would soar after the success of James Cameron’s epic Avatar, which made £615 million worldwide, with 90 per cent of the audience watching in 3D, and the huge popularity of Toy Story 3. Hit: TT3D: Closer to the Edge was hugely popular in the format- grossing more than £1.2 million . But after an initial burst of interest it appears British cinema-goers don’t feel it represents value for money for every film. The major cinema groups charge customers of 3D films up to 41 per cent more than those seeing standard films and many charge an additional £1 for the special glasses. A spokesman for the BFI explained: ‘Perhaps audiences are becoming more discerning in terms of how they choose 3D and whether to pay the premium prices. ‘They will choose [to watch the format] when it enhances the experience. Audiences can see where the 3D conversion may not be worth the extra few pounds on the ticket. ‘ . He added that instead consumers were opting to watch in 3D when they felt it really made a difference. For example, motor-racing documentary TT3D: Closer to the Edge was hugely popular in the format – grossing more than £1.2 million, which made it one of the most popular documentaries of the year. Similarly the re-release of the Lion King in 3D was an “event” which meant many wanted to watch a classic in a new format, grossing more than £15 million. Avatar and Toy Story 3 were huge hits in the format in the UK in 2009 and 2010, grossing £67million and £73.8 million respectively in the UK. By contrast the only standout 3D hit last year was the final film in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, which was the final film in the franchise and grossed £73 million. Film fans: The only standout 3D hit last year was the final film in the Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows ¿ Part 2, which was the final film in the franchise and grossed £73 million . In this film publicity image released by Warner Bros. Pictures, from left, Emma Watson, Rupert Grint and Daniel Radcliffe are shown in a scene from "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2." (AP Photo/Warner Bros. Pictures, Jaap Buitendijk) The rest of the 3D top five for 2011, which included Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, grossed under £30 million. A recent YouGov poll found that almost half of Britons thought the format was “over-hyped and just a phase”. Another reason for the slump in interest, is that 2011 saw a rise in the popularity of character-led films in Britain such as The Kings Speech, which made £45.7 million, and Bridesmaids, which made £23 million, and these do not need the special technology. Daily Mail film critic Chris Tookey said that consumers have also wised up to the fact that sum of the “3D films” are simply a rip off. He has said: ‘Hollywood has jumped on the 3D bandwagon and is driving it hell-for-leather. ‘The irony is that many of the 3D movies that cinema-goers are paying over the odds for aren’t really in 3D at all.’ He pointed to Justin Bieber’s Never Say Never Again, which actually on featured just 30 minutes of his concert in that format. An additional problem is that some people feel unwell when watching in this format. Around 10 per cent of the UK population has poor binocular vision, which means it is difficult for them to see 3D effects in movies and video games. Instead, they see a blurry image, and will suffer headaches, eye strain and even nausea as a result. Experts do not recommend allowing children under eight to regularly use 3D glasses because their eye muscles are still developing. There are also question marks over whether 3D television will really take off, with some industry figures insisting that until a “glasses-free, affordable” option is available it is unlikey to. Some electronics manufacturers have issued disclaimers to protect themselves from legal claims warning that viewing 3D TV may cause ‘motion sickness’, ‘disorientation’ and ‘eye strain’. Last year, Sir David Attenborough warned 3D television would not take off in Britain. The veteran, whose documentary for Sky - Flying Monsters - was made in the format, insisted it would not become the norm for viewers because it was ‘too isolating’. Instead Sir David said consumers would opt to watch ‘big events’ in 3D such as World Cup football matches, Olympic sports, ground-breaking new nature or history shows. | While 47 3D films were released in 2011 – an increase of almost 20 on 2010 – takings were down .
The average cinema in the UK made £32,000 from 3D films in 2010 but this had slumped by half to £16,000 in 2011 . |
208,832 | 9a6b1a8e15de46f76499d5df369bd4369b1501a2 | By . Rob Cooper . Last updated at 8:16 AM on 15th February 2012 . As they watched a giant beast lurching through the water in outer Siberia, experts thought they had found evidence that the extinct woolly mammoth was alive and well. But the dramatic footage is a hoax the documentary maker who made the recording has revealed. Lou Petho filmed the video himself - minus the woolly mammoth - and said someone had doctored his footage. Scroll down to see the videos . Woolly Mammoth? A still from the video that purportedly shows a prehistoric elephant crossing a river in Siberia, Russia. The footage is a hoax . Hoax: The original footage, filmed by Lou Petho, shows the lake without the non-existent woolly mammoth . Divided opinion: Believers said they can see reddish-brown 'wool' or fur and clear white tusks. In reality, it was computer-generated . Inconclusive: The footage, reportedly taken by a government worker who was out surveying planned roadworks, is too grainy for anyone to get a good look at the creature . It was claimed the clip was caught by a government engineer in Chukotka Autonomous Okrug, Siberia. The video appeared to show an elephant-shaped animal with reddish-brown fur - which . would match the colour of mammoth hair dug up from the perma-frost in . frozen Russia - and a trunk dragging in the river. In reality the animal was nothing . more than a computer creation and the footage was recorded as part of a . documentary and captured by Mr Petho during a five-day trek. Leo Petho said in a video he . published on YouTube: 'I was alerted to the fact that a character by the . name of Michael Cohen took hold of some of my footage without knowing . it and created an elaborate hoax on the public.' He . added: 'They took this video and, through CGI I imagine, created a . woolly mammoth crossing a river. I did not give them permission to do . this.' He accused them of 'staling' people's footage and 'creating a lie with it' and profiting from it. Suspicious trunk: The mammoth's distinctive trunk seems to straighten out in some stills and hang lank in others - because a poor job had been done of the hoax . It looks a litle something like this: A replica of a woolly mammoth on display at the Royal British Columbia Museum in Victoria, British Columbia. Woolly mammoths roamed North America, Europe, and Asia . Paranormal writer Michael Cohen, 41, said at the time: 'It is highly possible that a number of species, . extinct elsewhere, survive in the area.' And he explained that the discovery of extinct animals still alive in Siberia would not be music to the ears of the Russian government. He added: 'If surviving woolly mammoths were found in Siberia, it could run against . Russia's plans to further develop and exploit the area's considerable . resources.' There is evidence of the woolly mammoth living up to 150,000 years ago across northern North America and Eurasia, with the best preserved carcasses in Siberia. But the species had disappeared at the end of the Pleistocene era (10,000 years ago), with an isolated population still living on Siberian Wrangel Island until around 1,700BC. Mammoth hoax: The original video before the footage was doctored . Hoax: Filmmaker Leo Pethro reveals it was a con . Video that shows the 'mammoth' | Filmmaker Lou Petho said someone doctored his footage . |
198,319 | 8cb5c7b3301f7ea42b7701d45cebe8433d8c3ff2 | By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 16:09 EST, 5 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 05:35 EST, 6 February 2013 . Ruled out: Nigel Farage has today said he will not be standing in the by-election for the Eastleigh constituency . UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage today ruled out standing in the by-election in Eastleigh, triggered by Chris Huhne’s decision to stand down as an MP. The Liberal Democrat former energy secretary formally left Parliament today, by the archaic procedure of accepting appointment to the Chiltern Hundreds, and a date for the by-election is expected to be announced soon. There had been speculation that Mr Farage would take the opportunity to fight a second by-election in the Hampshire constituency, having scooped 952 votes there in UKIP’s first bid to win a Westminster seat in 1994. However, there were doubts over whether the seat - a Lib Dem and Conservative marginal in the last four general elections - would be an attractive venue for a high-profile campaign for UKIP, even when the party is riding high in the polls. Writing on The Daily Telegraph’s website, Mr Farage said the idea of fighting Eastleigh 'has its romance'. But he said that he did not want to be distracted from his priorities of leading the party into the English county council elections in May and heading the UKIP group of MEPs in Brussels. 'Today UKIP is no longer a small group of idealists,' said Mr Farage. 'We are becoming a serious player in British politics. As leader I am responsible for what is in the party’s best interests. 'UKIP continues to grow, and as it does, so the calibre of its candidates improves. We already have a dozen excellent people who have put their names forward to stand as the UKIP candidate in Eastleigh. 'Whoever is chosen will have my full support, and the support of everyone in the party. We will fight this by-election as hard as we can, and expect to turn what people predict to be a two-way fight into a serious political battle.' Chris Huhne, the former energy secretary, formally left Parliament today and a date for the by-election is expected to be announced soon . | Speculation suggested UKIP leader was to stand for seat left by Chris Huhne .
Nigel Farage has ruled out possibility so he isn't distracted from priorities .
But he said the party will fight 'as hard as we can' for Eastleigh seat . |
127,592 | 30ec290b141749139d5f076f49b8f931b419d3e5 | A 13-year-old girl in Alabama was kidnapped, raped and sodomized for three days by at least five men, authorities said. Police in Bessemer say the girl, who didn't know any of her abductors, was 'passed around' by the five men in a variety of locations between July 26 and 28 . She eventually escaped on her own. Detectives are now treating the investigation as a human trafficking case, AL.com reported. Derion Shumpert (left) and Khalil Bradley (right) are two of the five people that police in Alabama say 'passed around' a 13-year-old girl while raping and sodomizing her for five days. At least two of the men involved are juveniles, though they may yet be charged as adults. The other three men are: Derion J. Shumpert, Khalil L. Bradley and Sammy Cooper Jr., all 19. Shumpert is charged with second-degree rape and has been released on $25,000 bond. Bradley faces one charge of second-degree sodomy. Cooper is charged with first-degree sodomy and remains at Jefferson County Jail, unable to post a $500,000 bail. Lt. Darron Hunter said police are investigating several other suspects, and more charges could be filed this week, WBMA-LD reported. | Investigators in Bessemer, Alabama, say the girl escaped on her own after being held against her will for three days .
Three 19-year-olds are charged with sexually assaulting the victim: Derion Shumpert, Khalil Bradley and Sammy Cooper Jr.
Two other suspects have been charged as juveniles, but they may be tried as adults . |
266,500 | e52df8dd274435ef44554e92ca6058af28002375 | By . Mark Duell . If you're wanting an alternative hotel, this could be it - after a married couple transformed a battered old horse box into a plush room on wheels. The 1975 Bedford TK lorry had been rotting in a field for a decade before they bought it for about £2,000 and turned it into a £135-a-night bolthole. Yvonne, 54, and Gary Harris, 46, renovated the lorry themselves, kitting out the box with a kingsize bed, sofa bed, kitchen and wood-burning stove. Unusual: The 1975 Bedford TK lorry had been rotting in a field for a decade before a couple bought it for about £2,000 and turned it into a £135-a-night bolthole . Transformation: Yvonne, 54, and Gary Harris, 46, renovated the lorry themselves, kitting out the box with a kingsize bed, sofa bed, kitchen and wood-burning stove . In the sunshine: The couple had planned to use their creation themselves for romantic escapes, but it proved so popular with friends they have turned it into a business . Popular: The box - which the couple have named Ges - has been such a hit that it is now booked up for three months in advance . Looking out: The side of the box folds down to create a sundeck and it even comes with a converted horse trailer with a walk-in shower, toilet and wash basin . Bedtime: The box is based in a wildflower meadow in Chiddingfold, Surrey, but can be driven to anywhere within a 40-mile radius for special occasions . The side of the box folds down to create a sundeck and it even comes with a converted horse trailer with a walk-in shower, toilet and wash basin. The pair wanted to use the creation for their own romantic escapes, but it proved so popular with friends they have turned it into a booming business. The landscape gardeners' horse box - which the couple have named Ges - has been such a hit that it is now booked up for three months in advance. It is based in a wildflower meadow in Chiddingfold, Surrey, but can be driven to anywhere within a 40-mile radius for special occasions. Ges is the latest addition to a host of unique places to stay managed by Bristol-based holiday company Canopy and Stars. Different type of holiday: Ges is the latest addition to a host of unique places to stay managed by Bristol-based company Canopy and Stars . Beautiful view: The battered old horse box was turned into a plush hotel room on wheels by the married couple who work as landscape gardeners . Cosy: The box 'had spent 10 years lying dormant in a farmer's field with brambles growing through it', according to Mrs Harris . Three years on: Mr Harris had an idea in September 2011 to buy a horse box that could be converted 'into a sort of retro motorhome' Retro: Neither Mr Harris nor Mrs Harris had any experience of carpentry but they are 'both perfectionists' and said they learned as they went along . Stained glass window: Since the couple began to start renting out Ges, it has been so popular that people are 'booking three months in advance' Mrs Harris said: ‘It all started in September 2011 when Gary came home one day saying he had a crazy idea to buy a horse box that we could convert into a sort of retro motorhome. 'It was battered and rusty and still smelled of horses, and had spent 10 years lying dormant in a farmer’s field with brambles growing through it' Yvonne Harris . ‘We wanted to have something we could use as an escape from our hectic landscape gardening jobs, but when Gary took me to see this horse box I was less than impressed. ‘It was battered and rusty and still smelled of horses, and had spent 10 years lying dormant in a farmer’s field with brambles growing through it. ‘However it was very mechanically sound and Gary was adamant this was the one for us and so I went along with it. As soon as we got it home I started to fall in love with it. ‘There was something really magical about it. Converting it into a motorhome was a huge job to take on but something we wanted to do for us. ‘We started work on it the following March. Neither of us had any experience of carpentry but we are both perfectionists and learned as we went along. In development: Mrs Harris said her husband Gary was 'adamant this was the one for us' when they found the battered old horse box . Painting: Canopy and Stars described Ges as 'horsebox turned off-grid house on wheels, with a door that drops down to make a sun-trap deck' Away from work: The couple wanted to have something they could use as 'an escape from our hectic landscape gardening jobs' Hoover: The couple - whose horse box has come a long way since these construction photographs - said that 'everyone who stays in it falls in love with it' ‘Two months later it was finished. We used it to chill out in it a few times and then some friends asked if they could stay in it. 'Ges is unique – a horsebox turned off-grid house on wheels, with a door that drops down to make a sun-trap deck' Rebecca Whewell, Canopy and Stars . ‘Friends of those friends then said they would like to use it and we thought “hang on, we might have a business here”. ‘We have now decided to start renting Ges out and it has just gone crazy – it is so popular that we’ve got people booking three months in advance. ‘I think people love it because it has an amazing feel to it. Everyone who stays in it falls in love with it. I guess we are victims of our own success – but we’re not complaining.’ Rebecca Whewell, of Canopy and Stars, added: ‘Ges is unique - a horsebox turned off-grid house on wheels, with a door that drops down to make a sun-trap deck. ‘The hay has gone, and in its place there’s a great supply of picnic kit like hampers and blankets, so you can set off on foot to find your perfect wildflower meadow.’ | 1975 Bedford TK lorry had been rotting in a field for a decade .
before Yvonne and Gary Harris bought it for £2,000 .
They renovated it themselves, kitting out the box with a kingsize bed, sofa bed, kitchen .
and a wood-burning stove .
The side of the box folds down to create a .
sundeck and it has a converted horse trailer with a walk-in bathroom .
Business is booming with £135-a-night hotel in Chiddingfold, Surrey, now booked up for three months in advance . |
144,396 | 46b9d920d760120a7904e70222d5fbf73641b53c | Luke Murphy and Sam Byram fired Leeds United to a crucial victory at Reading that boosts their chances of staying in the Championship. Murphy opened the scoring at the Madejski Stadium just after the hour when his shot from 25 yards bounced in despite a strong hand from goalkeeper Adam Federici. And Byram made sure in stoppage time when he headed in Steve Morison’s cross at the back post, sparking jubilant scenes in the away end. Luke Murphy (right) fires home the opener and sent Leeds on their way to a crucial victory over Reading . Murphy is mobbed by his teammates after his long range effort gave Neil Redfearn's men the lead . The only way is up as Murphy and Byram's goal saw Leeds climb the table and five clear of the drop . Sam Byram heads home on 90 minutes to seal the victory for Neil Redfearn's men at the Madejski Stadium . The three points will come as a blessed relief for manager Neil Redfearn and his team, who have been sucked into the relegation dogfight amid their off-field troubles. They started the night just five points above the drop zone and knew defeat wasn’t really an option against Steve Clarke’s men, who saw their play-off hopes all but killed off by this result. The hosts made two changes from the team that won 2-1 at Wolves on Saturday, a result that extended their recent run to just one loss in nine games in all competitions. Hal Robson-Kanu and Simon Cox made way for Oliver Norwood and Nick Blackman, while Deadline Day arrival Yakubu once again started on the bench. Lewis Cook and Oliver Norwood battle it out for the ball during Leeds' away win over Reading . Daniel Williams fires a shot towards the Leeds goal despite the pressure from Giuseppe Bellusci . On-loan Chelsea midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah (centre) is closed down by Alex Mowatt . The visitors made three changes from the side that lost 1-0 to Brentford at Elland Road, with Giuseppe Bellusci, Tomasso Bianchi and Alex Mowatt replacing Liam Cooper, Rudy Austin and Billy Sharp. The opening was disjointed, neither side finding any rhythm or looking capable of carving out a threatening opportunity. It took 18 minutes for either to even have a sniff of goal, when Reading captain Alex Pearce hacked clear after Steve Morison tried to find Alex Mowatt with a cut-back. Reading slowly roused from their slumber, with Blackman bursting down the left only to be denied by a last-ditch tackle from Giuseppe Bellusci. From the resulting Norwood corner, Pearce headed well over. Nick Blackman started for Reading tonight but was unable to break through the Leeds defence . Reading starting XI: Federici, Kelly, Pearce, Hector, Obita, Williams, Chalobah, Norwood (Mackie - 63), McCleary, Blackman (Yakubu - 71), Pogrebnyak (Cox - 71) Subs not used: Andersen, Cooper, Akpan, Robson-Kanu . Leeds starting XI: Silvestri, Wootton, Bamba, Bellusci, C Taylor, Byram, Murphy, Cook, Bianchi (Sloth - 30), Mowatt, Morison . Subs: S Taylor, Del Fabro, Doukara, Antenucci, Cani, Sharp . Yellow cards: Byram, Wootton . Scorers: Murphy 63, Byram 90 . The best chance of the half fell to Leeds on 36 minutes. After Norwood sloppily gave the ball away in midfield, Casper Sloth, a replacement for the injured Tomasso Bianchi, led a counter-thrust. He shifted the ball wide right to the eager Lewis Cook, who had the presence of mind to square to Morison. Cutting inside, the forward curled his effort onto the post with goalkeeper Adam Federici beaten. Reading came close shortly after the break when Michael Hector forced Marco Silvestri into a save with his legs at the near post from a Jordan Obita corner. Having fallen behind to Murphy’s strike, which Federici will be disappointed not to have kept out, Reading threw on Yakubu and Cox as they chased an equaliser. It nearly arrived with a quarter-hour to play. Danny Williams was played through on the right-hand side of the box but Silvestri did well to block with his legs. But they didn’t threaten again and it was left to Byram to round off a Leeds break and make sure of the points. Yakubu (right) came on as a substitute to make his debut for the Royals but was unable to make an impact . Leeds goalkeeper Marco Silvestri punches clear from a Reading corner despite heavily pressured . Steve Morison celebrates an impressive victory with the travelling Leeds supporters . | Luke Murphy scored the opening goal of the game with a long-range strike on 63 minutes .
Sam Byram sealed the win on 90 minutes with a back post header .
Neil Redfearn's side are now five points clear of the relegation zone .
Reading's four-game unbeaten run comes to an abrupt end at the Madejski . |
70,392 | c7874b9d350360c2cfb624c8b3f6c6ed60f5a169 | It is a symbol of division derisively known as the 'death strip' which once separated east and west. But now, 25 years after its collapse, the Berlin Wall has become something of a unifying influence in the city's booming property market. As the anniversary of the fall of the Wall in 1989 approaches, Berlin is belatedly attracting the kind of wealth normally associated with the capital of a major economic power. A fluke of history means the city has a . supply of vacant lots in coveted central locations along the Wall built . by East Germany's communists to keep capitalism at bay. When The Garden opens next year, only a metal strip across the courtyard retracing the Berlin Wall will remind its affluent inhabitants that 25 years ago this was the barrier on no-man's land separating east and west . Building on history: An artist's impression of The Gardens property development which is being constructed on the site of the Berlin Wall . Michael Ries of the property developer Pantera which is behind The Garden project (above) said: 'Clients, international and German alike, value living on historical ground' For many wealthy investors, its history is the big attraction, although some . developers are wary of being too brazenly commercial about this. 'Clients, international and German alike, . value living on historical ground,' said Michael Ries of the property . developer Pantera which is behind The Garden project and is the German . partner to Sotheby's International Realty. When luxury living quarter The Garden . opens next year, only a metal strip across the courtyard retracing the . Berlin Wall will remind its affluent inhabitants that 25 years ago this . was the barrier on no-man's land separating east and west. Instead . of barbed wire and sentries, residents will be greeted by a 24/7 . doorman and concierge service - and perhaps eventually, a growing, . city-wide pushback against gentrification. That same history has led to a less-than-linear growth path for Berlin's property market in the last quarter-century. Boom time: Property developer Nikolaus Ziegert says Berlin has emerged as a safe investment destination in the wake of the financial crisis . Prime real estate: Men walk past the construction of luxury lofts. On the anniversary of the fall of the Wall in 1989, the city is belatedly attracting the kind of wealth normally associated with the capital of a major power . Changing skyline: Andre Schlueter of Ziegert Property stands in the shell of a luxury apartment building in Berlin. A fluke of history means the city has a supply of vacant lots in coveted central locations along the Wall . Iconic structure with chequered history: Germans from East and West stand on the Berlin Wall in front of the Brandenburg Gate a day after the wall was opened in November 1989 . 'For the longest time, it was just not worth buying here. 'This changed once Germany and Berlin emerged as a safe business location and investment destination in the wake of the economic and financial crisis,' said Nikolaus Ziegert, whose consultancy has a 17.5 per cent slice of the luxury market. Economy Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has warned of the danger of a German property price bubble and the central bank has said apartments in some urban locations are over-valued by up to 25 per cent. But the financial watchdog sees no evidence of this and Berlin itself seems to be years away from any such risk. The former Karl Marx Academy that is being converted into the Metropol Park luxury property estate in Berlin . Hidden history: Sculptures on display in the windows of the former Karl Marx Academy that is being converted into luxury flats. The brochure does not mention its past as a training centre for communist cadres . 'Only if this price increase continues for years and years would we approach something close to a property bubble in Berlin,' said Franz Eilers, head of research at the VDP mortgage bank association. Last year 220 luxury condominiums were sold in Berlin, up from 185 in previous years, according to a report by consultancy bulwiengesa for Ziegert. International clients now make up half of the buyers in the luxury market, said Ries. Dubbed the 'epicenter of cool' and 'Brooklyn on the Spree' river by the foreign press, Berlin is seeing economic growth to match its trendy reputation. Its output grew 1.7 per cent in 2013, higher than the German national average. Work in progress: George Darbishire of Ziegert Property walks past a model room in a floor of the Metropol Park development that will be turned into a loft in Berlin . Modernisation: Men work in a 19th century house that is being turned into a luxury apartment as investors show increasing confidence in the property market after the financial crisis . Compared to London, New York and Paris, the Berlin market is still in its infancy. An exclusive complex, like Ziegert's Lux, is rare. It is more common to have a few luxury flats rub shoulders with normally priced ones, as in Pantera's The Garden. Legal disputes are often behind the long delays in building along the Wall's route. Not all developers agree that the Cold War history is a valid selling point. Annette Mischler of the Groth Group sees it as 'artificially resurrecting history' to put it in promotional material but Ries at Pantera said it would be to 'ignore important history if we didn't'. The Wall is not the only historical association on Berlin's luxury property market. Film enthusiasts can now buy one of 220 lofts in Ziegert's red-bricked Metropol Park, named for the Fritz Lang movie masterpiece 'Metropolis' of 1927. The most expensive flat in the complex went for 1.3 million euros (1.75 million). The brochures did not mention its past role as the Karl Marx Academy where communist cadres were trained, though it does add to the 'aura' of the building, the Ziegert consultancy's Schlueter said. Expansion: Economy Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble has warned of the danger of a German property price bubble, but the financial watchdog sees no evidence of this . A show room loft in Berlin: Compared to London, New York and Paris, the Berlin market is still in its infancy . Eva Maria Fallenberg, 42, a radiologist hunting for an apartment in Berlin, said such matters were 'not a priority' in her search but she was drawn to the Metropol complex's 'rich history', though she decided against buying there. 'I really liked the project's efforts to preserve and restore the exterior of the building, unlike projects by the Wall Park and the East Side Gallery,' she said, referring to two of the tourist landmarks along the route of the Berlin Wall. A 600-apartment project by the Wall Park, a former border strip turned into a park with live music and a flea market that attract about 50,000 people each weekend, has locals up in arms - part of an anti-gentrification backlash in a city better known for squatters and struggling artists than plush condominiums. 'The argument that they're helping the community by building much-needed new apartments is ridiculous,' said Alexander Puell, a 39-year-old member of the Wall Park Friends Association. 'Yes, we need a lot of new apartments, but there is no shortage of luxury apartments, what we need is socially responsible investment appropriate to this neighborhood,' Puell said as he promoted recycling at a school near the Wall Park. The Groth Group, which owns the site, said the plan is for middle-class housing, but for locals like Puell luxury begins much lower than the official definition of 5,000 euros ($6,700) per square metre. Parallel protests against a luxury project at the East Side Gallery, a 1.3-km section of the Wall covered with paintings, suggest there is a 'slowly crystallising network of Berliners concerned about city development', Puell said. | Berlin attracting investors on the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Wall .
Developers refurbishing a supply of vacant lots along the Wall's position .
One said: 'Clients, international and German, .
value living on historic ground' |
90,644 | 0098411502d3e027998b7e5313c395315d9beb77 | Spain planned to attack Britain's colony in Australia and force them from the land by using cannons filled with fire-spreading 'hot shot', newly uncovered documents reveal. According naval archives the Spanish planned to lay siege on Sydney from the Spanish colonies in South America with a fleet of 100 boats. The invasion was intended to prevent the southern colony from being used by the British to cause 'great harm' to Spain's colonial interests in the Philippines and in central and southern America. King Carlos IV approved plans for the Spanish navy to launch a 100-ship attack and to fire new fire-speading ammunintion in their fight to expel Britain from their colony in Australia, new archival documents reveal . Spain wanted to 'take the fight to the British in the Pacific', and according to the documents, they feared Britain could attack them using the 'castaway bandits' it was sending there. The Spanish documents reveal that King Carlos IV approved the plot after a Spanish expedition arrived in Sydney in 1793. The British established a settlement there in 1788. Chris Maxworthy of the Australian Association for Maritime History said the Spanish intended to use heated ammunition that could set fire to ships and buildings on impact. 'The goal was the complete surrender by the British and their expulsion from the Australian land mass ... The effect [of the hot shot] would be to not only impact the targets ashore but also create multiple fires in the wooden buildings of that era in Sydney, particularly if the plans occurred during the hot summer months,' he told The Australian Financial Review. Chris Maxworthy of the Australian Association for Maritime History, above, said Spain's goal was the 'complete surrender by the British and their expulsion from the Australian land mass' The Dutch and the French had coveted territory in the southern Pacific but abandoned their plans after concluding the land was unsuitable, but the Spanish were not deterred. Spanish naval commander Alessandro Malaspina reported back to his Government in the 1970s that Britain planned to use Australia for commercial reasons and to discover resources, rather than simply as a place to send their convicts. And he warned that Britain could use their colony as a base to launch an attack on Spain using an army of 'castaway bandits'. According to the historical documents, the deputy commander of the Spanish expedition, Jose de Bustamante y Guerra, proposed an invasion to King Carlos IV who approved it. He was then sent to Uruguay to start building the attack ships. But they never set sail. Mr Maxworthy said: 'As the military and naval commander, Bustamante was tasked to both defend South America from an anticipated British invasion, and to take the fight to the British in the Pacific.' If Spain had managed to seize the colony, historians say, Britain would have quickly recovered it. John West-Sooby, an expert on early Australian voyages, said the documents showed Spain was 'intended to strike first' and was concerned about the threat the British colony posed. He told the newspaper: 'The irritation of Madrid with respect to British 'incursions' into the Pacific during the eighteenth century is well known, but this confirms the bellicose attitude of the Spanish.' | Spain feared Britain could attack them with an army of 'castaway bandits'
It planned to use a fire-spreading ammunition to burn ships and houses .
Their goal was Britain's 'complete surrender' and 'expulsion' from the land . |
40,362 | 71e6aea3ad2345ecc8e51fa89fe6bf50183669b2 | White has overtaken silver as the most popular colour choice of car buyers, sales figures reveal. After more than a decade at the top, prestigious and upwardly mobile silver has given way to cool, classless white. One explanation for the colour’s resurgence has been dubbed the ‘Apple effect’ – referring to iPhones and other gadgets which come in the minimalist colour. Popular: White has overtaken silver as the most popular colour choice of car buyers, new sales figures reveal . The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said that a decade ago, more than a third of new cars (36 per cent) were silver. Last month, however, white was the biggest selling colour – accounting for 22 per cent of new cars – while silver was down the list at 13 per cent, in a tie with blue. Black (19 per cent) was the second most popular colour, followed by grey at 14 per cent. Red – once favoured by boy racers – fails to register in the new figures, despite accounting for 9 per cent of sales in March 2004. Inspirational: One explanation for the colour's resurgence has been dubbed the 'Apple Effect' - referring to iPhones and other gadgets which come in the minimalist colour . Buyers may be considering the resale value of their purchase. Research by car pricing experts CAP Automotive found that white cars typically hold about 5 per cent more of their value than the market average for a typical used car. Sales of new cars accelerated to their highest monthly level for a decade in March, giving Chancellor George Osborne another high-octane reason to smile. Sales were 18 per cent higher than in March last year. Sales were also boosted by demand for the new ‘14’ plate, low interest rates, competitive finance deals, and windfall PPI payouts to householders who were victims of the banks’ mis- selling scandal. Sales of commercial vehicles to ‘white van man’ – the small-trader backbone of the economy – are also soaring. The Treasury said the figures were ‘further evidence that the Government’s long-term economic plan is working’. A total of 464,824 new cars were registered last month – the best return since March 2004, when 466,954 sales were registered. An SMMT spokesman said: ‘People are feeling more confident and deciding to splash out on a new car.’ The top-selling models last month included the Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus, Vauxhall Corsa, Volkswagen Golf, Vauxhall Astra, Nissan Qashqai, Volkswagen Polo, Fiat 500, BMW 3 Series and Toyota Yaris. Market leader Ford said it had chalked up its highest monthly sales since 2008. Decline: A decade ago, more than a third of new cars (36 per cent) were silver. But last month white was the biggest selling colour - accounting for 22 per cent of new cars - while silver was down the list at 13 per cent . | Cool, classless white has overtaken silver as the most popular car colour .
One explanation, dubbed 'Apple effect', refers to white-coloured gadgets .
Black is second top colour, followed by grey, with silver and blue in a tie .
Sales of new cars rose to their highest monthly level for decade in March . |
234,203 | bb3352f3d358347c1c5e93c60d13976cc991c41b | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:52 EST, 5 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 01:42 EST, 6 July 2012 . More than half of firemen may be too fat to do their jobs properly, claim researchers. Fire Service regulations call for staff to have high levels of physical fitness to cope with potentially dangerous situations. They need to be fit enough to climb stairs in high-rise buildings, carry unconscious victims, pitch heavy ladders and haul bulky equipment. Flab fighting: More than half of firemen may be too fat to do their jobs properly, claim researchers . But a body mass index study of 735 firemen by Loughborough University found 53 per cent were overweight and 13 per cent were obese. The researchers carried out their study after it emerged obesity rates among firemen in the US were soaring, with 80 per cent classed as overweight or obese. In a report on their findings, published in the journal Occupational Medicine, the Loughborough experts said: 'Obesity among firefighters can present a hindrance to operational effectiveness. 'Given the negative implications of obesity for performance, there is a need for further investment in health promotion research and practice.' Calendar boys: While the popular image of firemen-themed calendars may portray them as toned, heroic hunks, the reality seems to be many are busy fighting the flab . Previous US research found nearly half of all on-duty deaths among firemen were caused by heart disease. Although . US firemen have the same rates of heart disease as the general . population, job stress and coping with life-threatening emergencies . every day put them at higher risk of a fatal heart attack. Not . only are obesity rates rising in the fire service, the researchers . found, but they are already higher than among the general population. And . while the popular image of firemen-themed calendars may portray them as . toned, heroic hunks, the reality seems to be many are busy fighting the . flab. When they first assessed the firefighters, in 2008, they found 11 per cent were obese and 54 per cent were overweight, the latest research shows that three years on things have not improved. Tough gig: Firefighters need to be fit enough to climb stairs in high-rise buildings, carry unconscious victims, pitch heavy ladders and haul bulky equipment . The report stated: 'Obesity among firefighters can present a hindrance to operational effectiveness. 'The proportion of firefighters who are either overweight or obese is lower in this UK sample than that found in US studies. 'But it was higher than that found in the general population. Given the negative implications of obesity for performance, there is a need for further investment in health promotion research and practice.' Previous research in the US has found nearly half of all on-duty deaths among firefighters are caused by heart disease. Although it found they had same rates of heart disease as the general population, the stress of the job and coping with life-threatening emergencies every day put them at higher risk of a fatal heart attack. | Firefighters need to be fit enough to do physical work like carrying unconscious victims .
Research follows similar conclusions following report in the U.S. |
16,422 | 2e98b7f49db66db4f751dcc01ad88561e5ee0afd | The 2014 World Cup is the most-streamed live sporting event in U.S. history after ESPN reporting that 30 million hours of soccer have been viewed so far via its website and app. The tournament in Brazil has comfortably beaten the previous record, the 2012 Summer Olympics, which generated 20.4 million viewing hours online, according to NBC. Earlier this year the Winter Olympics in Sochi generated 10.8 million viewing hours. There are several reasons why the World Cup has smashed steaming records, including the growing popularity of live steaming apps and the fact that a number of matches have been played during working hours in the U.S., reports CNN. Scroll down for video . The 2014 World Cup is the most-streamed live sporting event in U.S. history after ESPN reporting that 30 million hours of soccer have been viewed so far . During last Thursday's USA-Germany match, the WatchESPN app set a new record for the number of simultaneous viewers - 1.7 million toward the end of the match and that was despite some users complaining that the service didn’t work for part of the match. The previous record had been set the previous Sunday during America’s 2:2 draw with Portugal. From the beginning of the competition on June12 up until the end of Monday, ESPN has streamed 1.8 billion live minutes, or 29.8 million hours, according to a spokesperson. On Tuesday, the USA-Belgium match peaked with 1.5 million simultaneous viewers through WatchESPN. Julian Green of the U.S. celebrates after scoring a goal during extra time in the 2014 World Cup game against Belgium on Tuesday . It isn’t just ESPN which has been enjoying a World Cup-related boost. Univision has been live-streaming its Spanish language coverage of the matches and Sunday's Mexico-Netherlands match was streamed by an average of 303,000 viewers. It was also watched on TV by another 10.4 million people, which made it not only the 'most-viewed soccer match in Spanish-language television history,' but also 'the most-viewed telecast in Spanish-language television history.' The tournament ends on July 13 when the final will be held in Rio de Janeiro. Video: World Cup shatters streaming record . | More than 30 million hours of soccer have been viewed via ESPN's website and app .
That makes the 2014 World Cup the most-streamed live sporting event in U.S. history .
Comfortably beats the 2012 Summer Olympics which generated 20.4 million viewing hours online .
Univision's live-streaming of .
Spanish language coverage achieved an average of 303,000 viewers during Sunday's Mexico-Netherlands .
match . |
216,720 | a4928d10c974a244f6ae7f1843e28969f8e8c9c0 | By . Daniel Miller . PUBLISHED: . 07:35 EST, 27 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 09:49 EST, 27 December 2012 . The parents of a four-year-old girl have spoken of their heartbreak after their beloved daughter died of a suspected heart attack - just a week after starring as an angel in her first school nativity play. Little Madeline Campion-Marsh, known as Maddie, passed away at her family home in Broomfield, Kent, on the afternoon of December 19. The primary school pupil had been off ill at home with her mother Rosalyn Campion, 47, and 17-year-old brother when she suffered the suspected heart attack. Tragic loss: Madeline Campion-Marsh, 4, passed away from a suspected heart . attack just a week after starring as an angel in her first nativity play . at Herne C.E. Infant & Nursery school in Kent . Maddie had no history of long-term illness and her family do not know what caused her death. Her mother Rosalyn and father Paul Marsh, 39, said today that Maddie is now a 'real angel in heaven'. In a statement they said: 'We as a family are absolutely heartbroken, beyond any pain imaginable to lose our adorable little Maddie. 'She was an angel in her first school nativity play only a week before she passed away, and now she is a real angel in heaven. 'We are so overwhelmed and touched by the amount of people's kindness love and support, which has been a great comfort to us.' Emergency call: Kent Air Ambulance said they were called to reports Maddie had suffered a cardiac arrest at her home in Broomfield at about 11.30am on December 19 . Scene: A police spokesman confirmed officers were called to the home in Broomfield, Kent . Herne Infant School head teacher Liz Thomas-Friend said Maddie was a 'lovely little girl'. She said: 'Our school family are feeling the loss of such a lovely little girl. 'Madeline had only been with us since September but had already made her mark as an angel in our nativity just a short time ago.' The whole school community wish to offer their thoughts, prayers and love to the family at this time.' Kent Air Ambulance said they were called to reports she had suffered a cardiac arrest at about 11.30am. A spokesman for Kent Police confirmed officers were also sent to the family's home. | Madeline Campion-Marsh had no history of long-term illness .
Devastated family still do not know exactly what caused her death .
'Now she is a real angel in heaven', say her devastated parents .
Her infant school head teacher described her as a 'lovely little girl' |
243,017 | c6898e882a75a3bb18b6dd91afd79fe91f1f1b8e | Kolmanskop, Namibia (CNN) -- Vast and inhospitable, the Namib Desert in south west Africa is a land of ghosts. Along a notorious stretch of shoreline known as the Skeleton Coast lie the wrecks of ships stranded in the morning seafogs. Venture inland and you'll encounter even more spectral scenes: one of Africa's most famous ghost towns -- and even "ghost horses." Considered the world's oldest desert, the Namib has been dry for an estimated 55 million years. Stretching for hundreds of kilometers along Namibia's Atlantic coastline, its infamously hostile terrain has made Namibia one of the world's most sparsely populated countries. Yet amid this unforgiving landscape is evidence of once thriving human settlement. Kolmanskop -- Afrikaans for "Coleman's Hill" -- was once a diamond-mining boom town, complete with a grand ballroom, casino and skittle alley. Today it is an eerie ghost settlement, its sand-logged buildings slowly being reclaimed by the dunes. Named after Johnny Coleman, a man who abandoned his ox wagon there during a sandstorm, the area was the center of a diamond boom a century ago. In 1908, an African railway worker named Zacharias Lewala was shoveling sand from the tracks when he struck a glittering diamond. The ensuing rush brought a wave of European fortune hunters to the region, then part of a colony known as German South West Africa. With their newfound wealth, the settlers set about building a German-style village amid the dunes, complete with amenities such as a hospital with a rare X-ray machine, and a tram. Read also: The Namibian women who dress like Victorians . "Life was hard," said Kolmanskop tour guide Christo Biewenga, but made tolerable by the fact "they were organized in this town." During its heyday in the 1920s, Kolmanskop's population consisted of about 300 European adults and 40 of their children, supported by 800 local workers. Read also: Real-life 'Lion Kings' But when new diamond deposits were discovered in less extreme conditions further south, the fortune seekers drifted away. When the hospital closed its doors in 1956, the last remaining settlers left shortly afterward. Today, as a monument to the settlement's distinctive history, Kolmanskop is a popular tourist destination, although a permit is required to enter. This is because the site sits within the Sperrgebiet -- a "prohibited zone" declared by German authorities on the discovery of the diamond deposits. Although South West Africa was occupied by South Africa in 1915, and Namibia emerged as an independent state in 1990, diamond mining remains a lucrative concern and the area remains a restricted region under the control of Namdeb Diamond Corporation. James Alexander is a geologist for Namdeb, a joint venture between the Namibian government and diamond mining company De Beers. He said the early miners "took the easy ones, the ones on top." "They would glisten in the dunes in the light of the moon," he said. "Now we have to blast them out of the ground because the ground has cement in it. So it's harder and expensive, but there's still a lot out there... There's 400 million (carats) sitting somewhere." But Kolmanskop is not the only ghost of the Namib. Just as iconic a symbol of the area is the hardy population of 150 or so wild horses, who have adapted to be able to go without water for longer periods than domestic horses, surviving for generations on the desert's fringe. Read also: Mali's treasure at risk from uprising . Horses are not native to southern Africa, and the horses' origins have long been shrouded in mystery. According to Piet Swiegers, manager of the nearby Klein-Aus Vista lodge, the most likely theory is that they were German and South African military horses abandoned in the chaos of the First World War. "There was a water point close by," he said. "That's why the horses survived all these years." It is also thought the restricted human access to the region helped their survival, sparing the the feral animals from being caught or hunted. For generations, the horses existed largely out of sight of locals. "They were known as the ghost horses," said Swiegers. "We hardly saw them." But in recent decades their habitat has been reclassified as part of the Namib-Naukluft National Park, Africa's largest game reserve, bringing them into greater contact with humans. This has raised the question of if and how humans should support the horses to keep their numbers at a sustainable level. Experts have settled on a policy of limiting intervention, but providing some support, especially in times of hardship -- which has helped to bring people a little closer to these ghosts of the desert. "The behavior of the horses changed because they got used to people," said Swiegers. "They don't fear man because man feeds them in dry times." | Today a ghost town, Namibia's Kolmanskop was once a booming diamond village .
During its peak in the 1920s, it was home to about 340 Europeans and 800 locals .
Access to stretches of the Namib, the world's oldest desert, has been restricted for mining .
A population of feral horses has bred there for generations, becoming an icon of the Namib . |
27,021 | 4ca843fa6eec1257864440e8ecd103c2cd1e09ab | By . Suzannah Hills . PUBLISHED: . 15:05 EST, 4 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:57 EST, 4 January 2013 . Two 19-year-old women are still missing after disappearing from separate New Year's Eve parties nearly 500 miles apart in California. Sarah Alarid was last seen leaving a party alone near Shadow Pines in Santa Clarita in her silver Ford Focus. Her family raised the alarm on January 2nd after she failed to return home and police have been searching the surrounding area. Missing: Alyssa Byrne, pictured left, was last seen leaving the SnowGlobe Music Festival in South Lake Tahoe while Sarah Alarid, pictured right, was last seen leaving a New Year's party in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles . Around 470 miles away, another 19-year-old woman, Alyssa Byrne, went missing after a New Year's Eve South Lake Tahoe SnowGlobe Music Festival. Friends who last saw Alyssa just before she unexpectedly left the three-day festival at the Horizon Casino Resort shortly after midnight claim she wasn't acting like her normal self. Sheriff's Sergeant Pat Brooks, of Douglas County, Nevada, told the Mercury News that investigators found Alyssa's mobile phone was last used at three minutes past midnight that night. Investigators are also reviewing surveillance footage from all casinos in the area and appealing for any information regarding Alyssa's whereabouts. The last friend to see Alyssa, Micah Alex, from Petaluma, said he thought she may have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs when they briefly met in the lobby of the Horizon Casino Resort before she went missing. He told the newspaper: 'She just seemed like something was wrong with her - like she wasn't all there, you know? 'We're all really scared.' Alyssa is described as 5ft 3inches tall, weighing around 125 pounds,with fair skin, dyed black hair and blue eyes. She was last seen wearing a black sweatshirt, black snow boots, and black yoga-type pants with her hair pulled back. The women went missing 470miles apart in the state of California: Alysse Byrne disappeared after leaving the SnowGlobe Music Festival in South Lake Tahoe while Sarah Alarid was last seen leaving a party in Santa Clarita . | Sarah Alarid last seen leaving a party alone in Santa Clarita, Los Angeles .
Alyssa Byrne missing after attending a music festival in South Lake Tahoe .
Police are appealing for information on the whereabouts of both women . |
218,517 | a6e022092a66100d0e8d5b62cea4ba7e8369e970 | The co-pilot was at the controls of the doomed AirAsia flight just before it plunged into the ocean, Indonesia's lead investigator revealed today. The Airbus A320 vanished from radar screens in bad weather on December 28, less than halfway into a two-hour flight from the Indonesian city of Surabaya to Singapore, killing all 162 people on board. Second-in-command Remi Plesel was flying Flight QZ8501 prior to it crashing into the sea, not Captain Iriyanto - an experienced former military jet pilot - head National Transport Safety Committee (NTSC) investigator Mardjono Siswosuwarno announced today. Cpt Iriyanto, 53, is believed to have taken over control of the aircraft from First Officer Plesel when it started to ascend and then descend sharply, officials said. Captain Iriyanto (left) - an experienced former military jet pilot - is believed to have taken over control of the aircraft from First Officer Plesel (right) when it started to ascend and then descend sharply, officials said . Data from the black box flight data recorder has provided . the accident probe with a 'pretty clear picture' of what . happened in the last moments of the AirAsia flight, but . officials offered few details. 'The second-in-command, popularly known as the co-pilot, who . usually sits to the right of the cockpit. At the time, he was . flying the plane,' the investigator said, referring to First Officer Plesel. 'The captain, sitting to the left, was the pilot . monitoring.' Throughout his career as an engineer for the energy company Total, the first officer had wanted to fly, so a few years ago he quit his job and learned how to. He got a job with AirAsia, and at the time of the accident had earned 2,275 flying hours. His sister Renee, who last spoke to him on December 26, previously told France's RTL radio: 'Aviation was his passion and he was able to make it real. 'He told me that things were going well, that he'd had a good Christmas. He was happy. The rains were starting, the weather was bad, it was raining a lot. He was going to work the next day.' Indonesian officials examine the wreckage from AirAsia flight QZ8501 after it was lifted into the Crest Onyx ship in the Java Sea on January 10 . A coffin containing the body of a crash victim is unloaded from a military plane in Surabaya . The cause of AirAsia's first fatal crash, which occurred . about 40 minutes into the flight, is still unknown. Investigators said the cockpit voice and flight data . recorders showed that the plane had been cruising at a stable . altitude before the crash. The aircraft was in sound . condition when it took off and all crew members were properly . certified, they said. 'The plane was flying before the incident within the limits . of its weight and balance envelope,' investigator Siswosuwarno said. 'While the . flight crew had valid licences and medical certificates.' Indonesian officials previously said the aircraft climbed abruptly . from its cruising height and then stalled, or lost lift, before . plunging out of control into the sea. NTSC chief Tatang Kurniadi told the same Jakarta news . conference that Indonesia had submitted its preliminary report . on the crash to the International Civil Aviation Organization . (ICAO) on Wednesday, as required under global aviation rules. The report, which has not been made public, was purely . factual and contained no analysis, he said, adding that the . full, final report would take at least six to seven months to complete. Second-in-command Remi Plesel was flying Flight QZ8501 prior to it crashing into the sea, not Captain Iriyanto - an experienced former military jet pilot . A total of 70 bodies have now been recovered after the plane crashed with 162 people on board . It was also announced that the search for dozens of victims . still unaccounted for could end within days if no more bodies . were found. A multinational search and recovery operation has led to the discovery of 70 . bodies in the Java Sea. It was hoped more would be found following the discovery of the plane's fuselage, but days of rough weather and poor . underwater visibility hampered navy divers' efforts. Cpt Iriyanto was an experienced Air Force pilot who flew F-16 fighter jets before taking early retirement to become a commercial airline pilot. He had more than 20,000 flying hours, of which 6,100 were with AirAisa on the Airbus 320. | Second-in-command Remi Plesel was flying pane before it crashed into sea .
Captain Iriyanto, an experienced former military jet pilot, was 'monitoring'
He's thought to have taken control from Plesel when plane began to ascend .
Co-pilot had 2,275 flying hours when Flight QZ8501 crashed in December .
Search for victims could end within days if no more bodies were found . |
Subsets and Splits
No community queries yet
The top public SQL queries from the community will appear here once available.