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117,848 | 24280958a16086e152a7bf318d288883438a5721 | By . Tara Brady . PUBLISHED: . 23:35 EST, 22 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:26 EST, 23 May 2013 . Women experience more mental health problems than men due to the stress of juggling many roles, according to a new book. Professor Daniel Freeman, of the University of Oxford, said the first systematic investigation of national mental health surveys showed psychological disorders are 20 to 40 per cent more common in women than men in any given year. Stress related to pressure on women to fill many different roles is likely to be a major factor for higher rates of everything from depression to phobias, according to Professor Freeman, a clinical psychologist. The investigation found that psychological disorders are 20 to 40 per cent more common in women than men . 'The biggest discrepancies occur in conditions for which we know the environment, rather than genes, makes the greatest causal contribution,' he said. 'It's certainly plausible that women experience higher levels of stress because of the demands of their social role. 'Increasingly, women are expected to function as carer, homemaker, and breadwinner - all while being perfectly shaped and impeccably dressed. 'Given that domestic work is undervalued, and considering that women tend to be paid less, find it harder to advance in a career, have to juggle multiple roles, and are bombarded with images of apparent female 'perfection', it would be surprising if there weren't some emotional and psychological cost. 'These are the kind of pressures that can leave women feeling as if they've somehow failed; as if they don't have what it takes to be successful; as if they've been left behind. And those kinds of feelings can lead to psychological problems like anxiety and depression.' Men have higher rates of alcohol, drug and anger problems, according to Professor Freeman . 'The Stressed Sex: Uncovering the Truth about Men, Women, and Mental Health', published today discloses that women have higher rates of depression, panic disorder, phobias, insomnia, post-traumatic stress disorder and eating disorders. Men have higher rates of alcohol, drug and anger problems, according to Professor Freeman and co-author Jason Freeman, a writer and editor. Professor Freeman is a professor of clinical psychology, a Medical Research Council (MRC) Senior Clinical Fellow, in the University of Oxford's Department of Psychiatry and an honorary consultant clinical psychologist at Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust. He said traditionally it has been said that overall rates of mental health problems in men and women are the same 'but the evidence shows that this is simply not the case'. 'Overall, in the current environment women are bearing the brunt of mental health problems,' he said. 'But let's be clear, even for problems that are more common in women - such as anxiety and depression - they also afflict very significant numbers of men. 'So it would be wrong to categorise mental health troubles as essentially a female problem. Rates of mental health problems are too high in both genders.' According to Mind, the mental health charity, around 300 people out of 1,000 will experience a mental health problem in Britain every year. Around 230 of these will visit a GP, 102 will be diagnosed with a mental health problem, 24 will be referred to a specialist psychiatric service and six will become inpatients in psychiatric hospitals. While women are more likely to report psychological problems than men, Professor Freeman said this does not explain the overall gender differences. He acknowledged that the findings are bound to be controversial but said the issue cannot be ignored because psychological disorders account for almost half of all ill-health in under 65s and affect up to nine million adults in the UK. In fact, Professor Freeman argues that the taboo around gender differences in mental health must be broken in order to tackle disorders more successfully in future. 'Given the extent of the burden on society and individuals alike, understanding what causes mental health problems, and thus being better placed to prevent and treat it, is vitally important,' he added. 'But our ability to do that is going to be hampered if we assume that gender isn't significant. In fact, it may often be a crucial contributory factor. 'Men and women are very much from the same planet but they may be breathing air of different qualities. If we ignore the potentially higher rates of psychological problems in women, we deprive ourselves of the opportunity to change the situation for the better.' | Psychological disorders are 20% to 40% more common in women than men .
Investigation found women are increasingly expected to function as carer, homemaker and breadwinner .
Men have higher rates of alcohol, drug and anger problems, according to University of Oxford's Professor Freeman . |
18,206 | 338b204f14110d3efa927e32c4d02ec5540bb29e | By . Becky Evans . PUBLISHED: . 12:55 EST, 29 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:25 EST, 30 March 2013 . Adrian Callen has been ordered to repay almost £30,000 of the money he fraudulently claimed . A landlord who fraudulently claimed over £73,000 in benefits despite owning ten properties has been ordered to pay back nearly £30,000 today. Adrian Callen, 57, claimed he had no income other than benefits and had just £250 in savings. But the grandfather was actually raking in thousands of pounds in rent from ten flats he had bought - worth around £100,000 each. He renovated the properties and used rent to pay for huge mortgages he had taken out on them during the eight-year scam. He . lied to Bristol City Council and the Department of Work and Pensions to . claim £59,886 income support, £8,923 council tax allowance and £4,882 . in job seekers allowance over eight years. By the time he was caught in 2011 he owned and rented out numerous properties in Weston-super-Mare, Bristol and Cardiff. He . repeatedly fraudulently filled in forms, lied in interview and failed . to update changes in his circumstances and eventually pleaded guilty to . nine counts of fraud. He was jailed for six months in November. He returned to court today for a Proceeds of Crime Application (POCA) to claw some of the money he illegally claimed. It was agreed Callen's criminal benefit was actually £68,673 and his available assets of £29,542.92 were confiscated. Callen, . whose main asset was the home where he lives with his son, was given . six months to pay or face eight months' prison in default. Timothy Rose, defending, said Callen had been forced to stop working so he could care for his four-year-old grandchild. Callen had a large property portfolio, including a flat in this block, and owned properties in Cardiff and Bristol . Callen, who owned ten properties, was caught out when one of his tenants applied for benefits . 'He invested in property but didn't make much money out of it,' Mr Rose said. He was caught in 2011 when one of his tenants applied for benefits and officials launched an investigation into the landlord's own finances . When he was jailed for six months, Judge Julian Lambert called Callen a 'greedy' cheat. He said: 'You had a gross worth of hundreds of thousands of pounds. 'What you did was deliberate and greedy. Yours was one of the worst types of this fraud. This behaviour makes honest folk who struggle to get by feel sick.' | Adrian Callen, 57, from Bristol, claimed he only had £250 in savings .
The grandfather owned ten properties worth about £100,000 each .
Callen ordered to pay almost £30,000 of the money he fraudulently claimed .
Has six months to repay money or faces further time in jail . |
80,326 | e3b34804e5c797bac42331b4c7cca727907928db | By . Helen Lawson . PUBLISHED: . 11:50 EST, 21 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:47 EST, 22 March 2013 . The longest continual zip wire in the northern hemisphere opened in a disused quarry today, with visitors able to whiz down a long zip wire suspended 700ft in the air above the Welsh mountains. Views from Zip World will include Snowdonia, Anglesey and the Isle of Man on a clear day, but riders of the wire may not be able to take it all in as they reach speeds of nearly 100mph. Today a grandfather-of-six became the first member of the public to experience the zip wire in Penryhn Quarry, Bethesda. Scroll down for video . The northern hemisphere's largest zip wire opened in Penrhyn Quarry, Bethesda, Bangor, North Wales today . Visitors will fly through the air at nearly 100mph for over a mile from 700ft in the air . Robert Davies became the first rider to try the zip wire at Penryhn Quarry, Bethesda, today . Robert Davies, 68, who lives near the attraction at the former slate quarry, described whizzing down the mile-long wire as 'one of the most amazing things I've ever done. 'I was just doing some part-time work in the office on the site and all of a sudden they said I would be going down the wire so I didn't have time to think about it,' said the former construction worker. 'I was a bit apprehensive when I got up there but not scared. It really is an amazing view and when you are flying through the air at 95mph it is a fantastic feeling. 'You could hear me screaming the whole way down.' Mr Davies described the ride as 'one of the most amazing things I've ever done' Visitors will ride the zip wire at 95mph for over a mile from 700ft in the air . The Big Zipper also has a smaller counterpart, the Little Zipper . Zip Wire Snowdonia officially opens to the public on Saturday. Riders will be driven up to the top of . the quarry, which was 1,200ft deep, in an ex-military vehicle for a tour of the region and a taste of its industrial history before . being given a weather-proof suit, helmets and goggles for the ride. The Big Zipper also has a smaller version called The Little Zipper for those who want to take it a little easier. A rider zips over the lake of the disused quarry, which was 1,200ft deep . Seb Thompson, marketing manager for Zipwire Snowdonia, said: 'It's a really exhilarating experience that you don't get anywhere else. 'We're hoping it's going to be really popular and put North Wales on the map as the UK's number one adventure location.' Zip World in Snowdonia overtakes the Laggan Outdoor Activity Centre in Dumfries and Galloway as the United Kingdom's longest zip line. Riders at the Scottish site can pair up on its double line or do a half a mile long ride. Plans for a mile-long temporary zip-line in the Lake District were rejected by the Lake District National Park Authority in January. At the Eden Project in Cornwall, visitors can ride a 0.45mile (740metre line) across the site. In Kronplatz, Italy, a zip wire is nearly two miles long but made up of smaller lines, unlike the one in Snowdonia. But none of these match up to the world's longest zip wire is in Sun City, South Africa. Riders speed along a 2,000metre line as high as 918ft above the ground. | The Big Zipper opens at Zip World at the disused Penryhn Quarry, Bethesda .
Riders will be as high as 700ft in the air over a lake .
Views on a clear day include Snowdonia, Anglesey and the Isle of Man . |
283,948 | fbdf2af89f3daef269241119b8110a4fc3373fb0 | Former Chelsea boss Ruud Gullit has revealed that the feud between Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar has resurfaced, and it's damaging Holland's squad. The Dutch legend claimed the pair's relationship has been strained ever since the 2010 World Cup, and said old problems came to the surface in Holland's recent 3-1 Euro 2016 qualifying win over Kazakhstan. The Manchester United forward and Huntelaar, who plays for Schalke, have competed for a starting spot in the national side for the best part of a decade, with successive managers failing to find a system that can fit both in at the same time. Dutch strikers Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar train ahead of their clash with Kazakhstan . Now, the tensions caused by this competition have reached boiling point once more. 'There has been irritation between them since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa,' Gullit told The Mirror. 'It was simmering at Euro 2012 and it all exploded. The problems have far from disappeared. 'Huntelaar was mouthing off again against Kazakhstan and his old confrontation with Van Persie surfaced straight back up.' Guus Hiddink's side are currently third in their qualifying group, six points behind both the Czech Republic and Iceland, who they lost to 2-0 in their last qualifier. Van Persie's relationship with Huntelaar has been strained ever since the 2010 World Cup in South Africa . Ruud Gullit said the tensions have resurfaced after Huntelaar was 'mouthing off again' against Kazakhstan . | Robin van Persie and Klaas-Jan Huntelaar have a strained relationship .
Ruud Gullit said it started at 2010 World Cup in South Africa .
Dutch legend said the problems have resurfaced recently . |
257,876 | d9b895bdcc49114e3a479de4250ef7bdd6010383 | Washington (CNN) -- Civil rights songs were the soundtrack of the movement that helped bring President Obama to the White House. On Tuesday, Obama welcomed an array of artists to celebrate those songs. An all-star lineup including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Natalie Cole, Smokey Robinson, the Blind Boys of Alabama, John Mellencamp, gospel singer Yolanda Adams and others performed some of the best-known numbers from what Obama called the "soundtrack" of the civil rights movement. The concert, "In Performance at the White House: A Celebration of Music from the Civil Rights Movement," was originally scheduled for Wednesday night but was moved to Tuesday as another snow storm moved into the Washington area. According to the White House Web site, the concert marked the beginning of the 2010 White House music series and celebrated Black History month. Black leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. decided on communities to organize when they saw the people were "disciplined and serious enough to be singing freedom songs," Obama said. "It's hard to sing when times are rough," the president said. The hymns of the civil rights movement "helped carry the cause of the people," Obama said. Actor Morgan Freeman served as master of ceremonies for the program at the White House, which will be broadcast on the Public Broadcasting Service. Highlight performances included Mellencamp on a rocking version of "Keep Your Eyes on the Prize," and Joan Baez with a spiritual "We Shall Overcome." Robinson sang an emotional version of "Abraham, Martin and John," and Dylan played an acoustic guitar on a raspy voiced "Times They Are a-Changin'." The Blind Boys of Alabama led the room of dignitaries including first lady Michelle Obama and presidential daughters Malia and Sasha, Vice President Joe Biden and his wife, Jill, White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and others in a rousing version of "Free at Last," eventually joined on stage by the other performers and Obama. | All-star lineup includes Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, Natalie Cole, Smokey Robinson .
Others include the Blind Boys of Alabama, John Mellencamp, gospel singer Yolanda Adams .
Concert was moved up to Tuesday because of a second round of snow in D.C. area .
Actor Morgan Freeman served as master of ceremonies . |
178,259 | 72c99fe8b34c6a33ef4604f50ff52518c2bb336e | (CNN) -- A retrial in the case of two people accused in the Bahamas of attempting to extort millions from John Travolta over the death of the actor's son was halted Monday just as it was about to get under way, according to the Bahamian attorney general's office. The prosecutor in the case filed a motion for "nolle prosequi," asking for the trial not to proceed, the attorney general's office said. A mistrial was declared last year after a not-guilty verdict was announced at a political rally while the jury was still deliberating. Travolta issued a statement Monday saying he had requested the retrial not to proceed due to the emotional distress caused by the ordeal. "The long pending status of this matter continued to take a heavy emotional toll on my family causing us to conclude that it was finally time to put this matter behind us," Travolta's statement said. "Therefore, after much reflection I concluded that it was in my family's best interest for me not to voluntarily return to The Bahamas to testify a second time at trial." Paramedic Tarino Lightbourn and former Bahamian Sen. Pleasant Bridgewater were charged with trying to extort money from Travolta after his son died from a seizure on January 2, 2009. The money allegedly was to be paid in return for not making public a document Travolta had signed, declining to have his 16-year-old son, Jett, transported to a nearby hospital. Travolta refused a demand for money. The actor, who also is a pilot, said he signed the document because he initially wanted to fly his son to a Florida hospital instead. Lightbourn and Bridgewater pleaded not guilty. In the first trial, Travolta had testified that his son was found unresponsive by a nanny at home on the island of Grand Bahamas, where the family was spending the New Year's holiday. Travolta said he initially told the ambulance driver to rush them to an airport where his private jet was parked. Travolta said he planned to fly his son to a West Palm Beach, Florida, hospital instead of driving him to one in nearby Freeport. The actor testified that while he and his wife, actress Kelly Preston, were riding in the ambulance with their son, they decided to take the teen to the hospital, instead of flying to Florida. At the hospital, Travolta was told his son "wasn't alive," he said. During the ambulance ride, Lightbourn asked Travolta to sign a statement releasing the ambulance company from liability. "I received a liability of release document. I signed it. I did not read it. Time was of the essence," Travolta testified. Travolta testified that he later learned about a demand for $25 million. If he didn't pay, "stories connected to that document would be sold to the press," the actor said. "The stories would imply the death of my son was intentional and I was culpable somehow," he said. | John Travolta cites "emotional toll" in asking for retrial to be halted .
Two people were accused of attempting to extort money .
The case ended in mistrial last year . |
59,203 | a80c3da9a9089115a6b2f28dd2e2b26536c00bfa | Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul is making good on his promise to sue the Obama administration over what he calls 'precisely the kind of overreach we fought a revolution over.' His targets are the National Security Agency, the FBI and other federal government offices that snoop on private communications at home and abroad. With former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli as his lead attorney, Paul filed suit Wednesday morning in Washington, D.C. federal court along with the conservative FreedomWorks organization. 'There's a huge and growing swell of protest in this country,' Paul said during a Wednesday morning press conference, 'of people who are outraged that their records would be taken without suspicion, without a judge's warrant, and without individualization.' The legal action, officially titled 'Rand Paul v. Barack Obama,' hit the court running with at least 350,000 plaintiffs, according to a source close to the process. Paul is aiming for 10 million, judging from a message on two websites run by his political staff. 'When we learned that the NSA was collecting the phone data of every American last year,' the senator said in a video message Tuesday night to supporters, 'it posed a serious Constitutional question: Do we no longer have a Fourth Amendment?' SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO AND THE LAWSUIT . Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul held up cell phones to demonstrate the prime qualification for joining his federal lawsuit against the president. It 'could conceivably represent hundreds of millions of people who have phone lines in this country,' he said . Big chill: President Barack Obama stands accused of presiding over systematic abuses of the Fourth Amendment's guarantees against 'unreasonable' searches and seizures . 'Libertarian rock star': Rand Paul is solidifying his base through a class-action lawsuit aimed at cornering the political market on Libertarian objections to the NSA. He said in a video message to supporters that his lawsuit would ferret out the broad 'general warrants' over which the early American colonists fought the British crown . Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli couldn't capture the governor's mansion in November, but he's committed to the anti-NSA lawsuit, sources close to the legal process say . The lawsuit argues that the president 'has publicly refused to stop a clear and continuing violation of the Fourth Amendment,' Paul said in a statement from his political action committee. 'I expect this case to go all the way to the Supreme Court and I predict the American people will win.' Wednesday morning he insisted that 'ultimately,the Supreme Court will be [the] arbiter of what the Fourth Amendment means.' And he predicted that his lawsuit 'could conceivably represent hundreds of millions of people who have phone lines in this country.' President Obama is named as a defendant, along with Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, Director of the National Security Agency Gen. Keith Alexander, and FBI Director James Comey. In a statement, the Justice Department defended the NSA's broad data collection, saying that 'we remain confident that the program is legal, as at least 15 judges have previously found.' Caitlin Hayden, the White House National Security Council Staff spokesperson, told MailOnline that 'we believe the program as it exists is lawful.' The NSA program, Hayden said, 'receives oversight from all three branches of government, including the Congress. More generally, the president believes that we should to take steps to give the American people more confidence that their privacy and civil liberties are being safeguarded.' Sen. Paul, son of the former Texas congressman and frequent presidential candidate Ron Paul, is attracting attention with an unusual blend of Libertarian policy that hat-tips social conservatism at every turn . Gen. Keith Alexander leads the National Security Agency and routinely . justifies his agency's secritive work to members of Congress and federal . judges in clandestine meetings outside of public view . Obama said during a lengthy January 17 speech about U.S. signals intelligence gathering – an oration that might be a preview of the government's courtroom defense – that 'the men and women of the intelligence community, including the NSA, consistently follow protocols designed to protect the privacy of ordinary people.' 'They're not abusing authorities in order to listen to your private phone calls or read your emails,' the president insisted. His press secretary, Jay Carney, followed up ten days later with assurance during a daily briefing that 'to the extent that the NSA collects information, it is focused on valid foreign intelligence targets and not the information of ordinary Americans.' 'Look,' he told reporters, 'I mean, terrorists, proliferators, other bad actors use the same communication tools that others use.' Other Democrats who are unsympathetic to Paul's position have been more crass about it. Former Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell told The Washington Times on Wednesday that the lawsuit just made him 'look like a petty politician.' 'Obviously the strategy is to appeal to the base,' Rendell said. 'Rand Paul obviously thinks he has a leg up now with [New Jersey] Gov. [Chris] Christie’s problems. He wants to show the base he’s a fighter, that’s what suing the president is all about.' But as Paul swings hard at Obama, other potential 2016 GOP contenders are softening on the NSA. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio told the Tampa Bay Times on Wednesday that, 'Certainly we should need protect America’s privacy expectations and privacy rights, but we also need an effective surveillance capability.' He worried aloud about 'five different organizations that brand themselves as al-Qaeda who every single day plot to attack our interests and our allies and even the homeland. We need to have surveillance capabilities to identify them. And we need to be careful about weakening those.' Sen. Paul's objection focuses on the so-called bulk phone-record 'metadata' that the NSA gathers routinely. The data includes phone numbers, dates, times, and the durations of calls. National security analysts say the massive tranches of data can be helpful when terrorism suspects are identified, because they allow investigators to establish who they have been talking to – and when. Instigator: Edward Snowden, a former NSA contract employee, absconded with millions of records and leaked them to The Guardian newspaper, exposing secretive government snooping programs that Sen. Paul is suing to eliminate . Paul's legal advisers thought about filing suit in a Kentucky federal court, MailOnline's source said, but decided on Washington, D.C. because its judges are accustomed to sifting through the thorny issues surrounding whether a class-action group deserves to be 'certified'–if, that is, its members have standing to sue. He plans a press conference in front of the federal courthouse on Wednesday morning to boast that he's protecting the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment from the White House's national security apparatus. 'The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated,' that Amendment reads in part. The senator first forecast his legal action in late December, and told the Fox News Channel that since the Obama administration 'has used the IRS to go after people ... we wonder if they would use the NSA that way.' 'Everybody who has a cellphone would be eligible' to become a plaintiff, he said. That interview came on the same day the NSA convinced a top-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act judge to green-light its metadata collection for a new 90-day period. That program, the subject of worldwide leaks by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden, has won reauthorization at least 36 times during the past seven years. Paul's odd mix of libertarian crusade and conservative button-pushing isn't new, and it might become the norm on the right as more Republicans try to find common ground between what amount to warring cousins. Scene of the crimes? This NSA eavesdropping facility in the Appalachian mountains, code-named Timberline, is reportedly used for domestic and international surveillance, including intercepting private phone calls. It's inside the National Radio Quiet Zone, a 13,000 square mile area where wireless communications like radios, cell phones, and wi-fi are severely restricted . 'Libertarian, or liberty, doesn’t mean libertine,' the GOP presidential hopeful told a red-meat right-wing crowd at a D.C. gala last week. 'To many of us,' he said, playing deftly to a room full of social conservatives, 'Libertarian means freedom and liberty. But we also see freedom needs tradition.' Matt Kibbe, who leads the influential right-wing Freedomorks organization, is managing the list of plaintiffs for Sen. Paul. His group is also a co-plaintiff . The speech came an hour after a lobbyist was heard introducing him to friends during a pre-dinner reception as a 'Libertarian rock star.' But Paul cautioned that 'I don’t see libertarianism as, "you can do whatever you want".' Now the federal legislator is applying that message to the executive branch of government, and hoping the judicial branch will see things his way. But while his lawsuit percolates, Freedomworks president Matt Kibbe will manage the plaintiff-lists and turn them into a political mobilizing tool. 'If you use a phone, you should care about this case,' Kibbe said Tuesday, adding that his group's 6 million members stand behind the legal effort. Names are initially collected on websites run by PaulPAC, the Kentucky senator's Political Action Committee, and by his political campaign – presumably one now engaged in planning for the 2016 presidential race. Both websites ask Web surfers to 'sign below and join my class-action lawsuit and help stop the government's outrageous spying program on the American people.' They also ask for donations. 'After you sign up, please make a generous donation to help rally up to ten million Americans to support my lawsuit to stop Big Brother,' a message reads. | Kentucky senator wants to end broad, non-targeted surveillance of Americans' communications, including so-called 'metadata'
He calls the NSA programs uncovered by former NSA contractor Edward Snowden 'precisely the kind of overreach we fought a revolution over'
'Rand Paul v. Barack Obama' filed in federal court Wednesday morning .
Former Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, who lost a gubernatorial bid in November, is lead counsel for the plaintiffs – all 350,000 of them .
In addition to the president, Sen. Paul is suing the leaders of the NSA and FBI, and the White House's director of national intelligence .
He's also raising money from his class-action participants for his next political campaign, likely a presidential run in 2016 . |
124,267 | 2ca419543c021d914e60374701807d6fc3f73319 | England's trip to Estonia might not be one to grab the headlines but, personally speaking, it certainly brings back memories. This is only the second time England have been to Tallinn but the first occasion we were there, on June 6, 2007 for a Euro 2008 qualifier, I realised that I could no longer carry on representing my country. That was the match that pushed me into international retirement. A fortnight earlier, I had just played in my second Champions League final in three years. That game against AC Milan came at the end of a season when my form had been consistently good, so I felt I had solid claims to be considered for a starting role for England. Jamie Carragher (left) was left on the bench as England beat Estonia 3-0 in a Euro 2008 qualifier in June, 2007 . Ledley King (centre) was chosen to partner John Terry (right) in the absence of the injured Rio Ferdinand . Midfielder Joe Cole (second from left) is congratulated after scoring against Estonia at the A. Le Coq Arena . On the Friday before we headed out to Estonia, Wembley hosted its first England senior game since its redevelopment, against Brazil. Rio Ferdinand was injured and I thought I'd take his place alongside John Terry but I played right back and wasn't overly thrilled with my performance. I had hoped it was just an experiment but Ledley King retained his place next to Terry for the game in the Le Coq Arena, which England comfortably won 3-0. I stayed on the bench and when Steve McClaren made that decision, I knew the final nail had been put in the coffin for me, internationally. It was in Tallinn that I knew the time had come to concentrate solely on Liverpool. Carragher (right) had started at right back for England in a friendly with Brazil at Wembley five days earlier . Brazil forward Robinho (right) tries to hold off a challenge from Carragher during the 1-1 draw . THIS WEEK I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO… Immersing myself in Roy Keane's book . I've just got my copy of The Second Half and although I am only a couple of chapters into it, it has not disappointed. People have their own opinions of Roy and some would be fearful of him, given how outspoken he can be. I have always judged people how I find them and I can honestly say that I have never found a fault in him. During Euro 2012, I worked with him on ITV as a pundit. As you can imagine, he was never afraid to say what he thought but, away from the cameras, he was always good company and he enjoys talking about football. This latest book has generated a lot of headlines but I don't think it should be forgotten what a magnificent player Roy was. Former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane poses at the launch of his new book at the Aviva Stadium . Carragher (second from right) and Keane (right) worked together as ITV pundits during Euro 2012 . I would have loved to have been on the same team as him and it must have been a joy for centre backs to have him standing in front, for the cover he would provide. Do not underestimate, however, the skill he had. I noticed Wayne Rooney said in a recent interview that he regarded Roy as the best passer of the ball he played with and I could see no reason to argue with that claim as his distribution was magnificent. He had a fabulous career and I know I’m going to enjoy reading about it. Keane lifts the lid on his career at Manchester United in his latest autobiography The Second Half . | England last faced Estonia in a Euro 2008 qualifier in June, 2007 .
Rio Ferdinand was out injured and Ledley King was chosen to partner John Terry in the centre of defence .
Jamie Carragher decided to concentrate on Liverpool after being left on the bench for the 3-0 win .
He had started at right back in a friendly with Brazil less than a week before .
Carragher has started reading Roy Keane's new autobiography The Second Half, which was released this week . |
86,303 | f4ec18a17fcdf40c006c00b5cdf0340288cd321c | By . Leon Watson . PUBLISHED: . 14:23 EST, 13 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 15:35 EST, 13 December 2012 . CCTV images have been released of a missing 14-year-old schoolgirl talking to a mystery man on the night she disappeared. Officers are becoming increasingly concerned for the safety of Shelley Pratt, who was seen talking to the stranger at around 9.30pm on the day she went missing in Croydon town centre, south London. Detectives say the man was seen chatting to other women earlier on November 8 and they are appealing for information about him. Shelley Pratt, 14, from Croydon, who has been missing for five weeks, walking with a young black man along Croydon High Street just after midnight on Friday, November 9 . Shelley Pratt, 14, from Croydon, was last seen on November 8. She has been missing since . Murder team detectives are leading the search for Shelley, who is white and around 5ft 6in tall with long brown hair. A police spokesman said : 'As time goes on, concern for her becomes greater. 'We have had several responses to our earlier appeals and these are being followed up, but we have had no confirmed sightings of Shelley since the night she went missing.' Shelley vanished after getting off a bus outside the Harris Academy in South Norwood, south London. Although she seemed to be heading towards her home, she failed to arrive. The CCTV pictures from show her wandering around Croydon town centre in her school uniform trousers. Her worried parents, Lisa and Tony Pratt, fear she has been abducted as she took no money, mobile phone or change of clothes with her. CCTV of schoolgirl Shelley Pratt, 14, (centre) who disappeared more than three weeks ago, seen here at George Street tram stop in Croydon town centre on November 8 . Today, they made a fresh appeal for her to contact them. They said: 'Shellz, please get in touch with us. We are desperate to hear your voice and know that you are safe and well. 'You are not in trouble. We love you and we miss you and just want you home, without you there will be no Christmas. 'Your presents are under the tree waiting for you. We are all missing you like mad. We love you, please, please come home.' Shelley was wearing a distinctive dark purple hooded jumper with the slogan 'I love London.' Police know she used her Oyster card to board a Number 60 bus for Coulsdon five minutes after she was seen in Croydon town centre, but they have no information about her after that. 'Shellz, please get in touch with us. We are desperate to hear your voice and know that you are safe and well.' Shelley's mother, Lisa Pratt . Detective Chief Inspector Mark Dunne, who is leading the hunt, said: 'It has now been five weeks since Shelley went missing and concerns for her safety and welfare especially in this extremely cold weather are heightened. 'Shelley has had absolutely no contact with friends or family since her disappearance and it is possible that she may be with someone, perhaps in a house or a flat. 'I am encouraging people, particularly Croydon residents to look closely at the image of the young man seen next to her. 'Do you recognise him or did you see him moments before approaching Shelley, talking to a number of passing girls on the opposite pavement - clearly trying to get their attention? 'As a result of our appeals, we have received a number of unconfirmed sightings during November and December which we are in the process of following up.' A Croydon police spokesman said Shelley's disappearance was still being treated as a missing persons' inquiry, although murder squad officers are running the investigation. The spokesman said: 'We only have five or six officers in our missing persons' team, while the specialist crime command under Detective Chief Inspector Mark Dunne has 20 officers. 'It is not being treated as a murder investigation at the moment.' | Shelley Pratt was last seen in Croydon town centre five weeks ago .
Officers becoming increasingly concerned for the safety of the teenager .
Still being treated as a missing persons' inquiry, although murder squad officers are running the investigation . |
175,088 | 6ea10b409d43aadf5d1687d3f1f03abbad312913 | By . Lillian Radulova . An Australian Insurance company has been accused of practicing 'predatory advertising' after they attempted to use the MH17 disaster to cash-in through their life insurance offers. The Lisa Group, which deals with loans, insurance and superannuation and is based in Victoria, allegedly bought the Google key words 'Malaysia Airlines' on the morning that news came in of the aviation tragedy. The company then ran an advertisement for their life insurance offers that would appear at the top of search results when someone would Google the words. The Lisa Group, a Victoria based insurance company, allegedly bought the Google key words 'Malaysia Airlines' on Friday morning before using the tragedy to advertise their life insurance offers . The words 'What a tragedy!' began the introduction to the 'special offer'. 'Up to 27 Australians were among 298 people on board a Malaysia Airlines passenger jet which was shot down over Ukraine with the loss of all on board,' the add read. 'Is it another sign to consider life insurance? #PrayForMH17.' The company has since removed their advertisements but continues to receive wide criticism for the insensitive move. When questioned about their marketing decision, the company's director, Warren Lazarus, told Mumbrella that their overseas partners were to blame for the poor decision. The company received backlash from social media users for the insensitive advertising . The company has since removed their advertisements and apologized for the insensitive move, claiming it was their overseas partners were to blame . 'We were made aware of the ads and immediately contacted our overseas partner and ordered it to be taken down,' Mr Lazarus said. 'I apologise for any distress this has caused, we have removed the add,' he added before allegedly hanging up. When the Daily Mail Australia approached the Lisa Group they were also told by Mr Lazarus that the company wanted to appologise for any distress caused. 'We were absolutely flabbergasted when we saw the advertisements ourselves in the office,' he said. | The Lisa Group bought the Google keywords 'Malaysia Airlines' on Friday .
The Victoria based insurance group then used the tragedy to advertise their life insurance offers .
It has since issued an apology and removed the offending adds . |
238,742 | c10b9890860eb99287aa433c11ead02284558dae | (CNN) -- Sunday's showpiece European Championship final in the Ukrainian capital Kiev pits Spain against Italy, between them the winners of the last two World Cups. Spain is on the brink of creating soccer history; never before has a country won three major international football tournaments in a row. And Spain, which won Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup, now has the chance to earn a place in the record books. Before the Euros, former Barcelona and England striker Gary Lineker said "La Furia Roja," or the Red Fury as the Spanish national team is called, was just one trophy away from greatness. "If they won three tournaments in a row, something no other team has done, you would have to put them up there among the all-time greatest teams," said Lineker, who helped England reach the World Cup semifinals in 1990. Spain reach Euro 2012 final after shootout victory . Vicente del Bosque's side enjoyed huge good fortune in Wednesday's semifinal against Iberian neighbors Portugal, winning 4-2 in a penalty shootout after a 0-0 draw. Cesc Fabregas scuffed the decisive spot-kick as it hit the inside the post and rolled along the goal line before creeping into Rui Patricio's net. Fabregas' penalty can perhaps be seen as a symbol of Spain's unconvincing performances at Euro 2012 so far, which have left a large proportion of the watching public unsatisfied as the team struggled to break down packed opposition defenses. The end of a love affair? For all their possession (Spain have enjoyed around 67% of the ball in their five matches), there has been frustration that the team has neither moved the ball around quickly enough nor created enough goalscoring chances. Instead, it has worn down the other team by making their players chase shadows before waiting for a mistake. Whisper it quietly, but some have even labeled Spain's previously much-feted tiki-taka style of play "boring" and claimed it is currently a more defensive tactic than offensive. That argument is perhaps backed up by the fact that Spain has now not conceded a knockout-stage goal in any tournament since the 2006 World Cup, a run of nine matches and a remarkable 900 minutes of action. Against Italy in the group stage and France in the last eight, Del Bosque even picked a starting 11 without a single striker -- a tactic designed to help Spain keep the ball better and lure the opposing defense out so they could get in behind. It hasn't worked flawlessly, but the team has churned out results regardless. Beautiful football might be what people demand, but results are what Del Bosque deals in first. Since taking over from previous coach Luis Aragones following Euro 2008, the 61-year-old has led the national team to an incredible 50 wins from 59 matches. Midfielder Andres Iniesta, who scored the winner in the 2010 World Cup final, says Spain isn't bothered by the "boring" tag. The 27-year-old instead focuses on the positives of the team's possession-based game. "When a team wants to attack and comes up against an opponent that sits back and tries to close the space and not try to create its own chances, that's not always the football you want to watch," said Iniesta. "It's easy to forget that only a few years ago this style is what changed the story of Spain." A change in mentality . It is a story that began at Euro 2008 -- and really, truly began with Spain's quarterfinal penalty shootout victory over Italy in Vienna, a match that defender Gerard Pique looks back on as the turning point. "I think it changed the mentality of the national team," said the Barcelona star. "Before, Spain played to avoid losing -- but afterwards they played to win." Italy was the World Cup champion at the time and the favorite to go through. The team, however, was missing the suspended Andrea Pirlo, who has been in such glorious form at this tournament. Pirlo was also injured at the 2010 World Cup and played only 34 minutes in the team's final group game as Italy crashed out at the first hurdle following draws with Paraguay and New Zealand and a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Slovakia. But the 33-year-old midfielder is enjoying a stunning renaissance in his career. A year ago, he was discarded by AC Milan after 10 years of service. He signed for Juventus and led "The Old Lady" to the Italian league title before showcasing the full range of his majestic talents for the world to see in Poland and Ukraine. With hardly a hair out of place and rarely breaking into a sweat, the masterful Pirlo has dictated the knockout matches against England and Germany with breathtaking class, providing an exhibition in how to create space and pass the ball. The master and the maverick . When looking long, Pirlo has often sought out Mario Balotelli, the maverick Manchester City striker who is as well known for his controversial lifestyle as his performances on the pitch -- something which may change after his monumental two-goal showing against the much-fancied Germans in the semifinal. Balotelli double sends Italy through to Euro 2012 final . Balotelli went into Euro 2012 considered a talented liability, as capable of moments of madness as those of brilliance. But he powered home a header to give Italy the lead and then crashed a stunning second into the top corner from 18 yards. Even German keeper Manuel Neuer had to applaud the 21-year-old's chutzpah. "Tonight was the most beautiful of my life -- but I hope that this Sunday is even better," said Balotelli after the game. "Along with Spain, we are the two best teams in the tournament. We are the only side to have scored against Spain so far. We proved that we are equal to them, if not more, and we want to win." Whoever wins on Sunday, it will provide a fairytale finish to a competition that has surpassed all expectations. Scare stories . The buildup to the first major football tournament behind the old Iron Curtain in eastern Europe was dominated by scare stories: the transportation infrastructure wasn't ready; there weren't enough affordable hotels for supporters to stay in; racism was a widespread problem in both host countries; foreign fans would not be welcomed in many of the host cities, and so on. Yet most of the fears have been unfounded. Yes, there have been issues with supporters that European football's governing body UEFA has had to deal with, and member associations have been fined for specific incidents of failing to keep their fans under control. Some of the magnificent stadia have not been full for every game, but that is probably due to the fact that Europe is going through difficult economic times right now and Poland and Ukraine are further away than most host nations have been -- resulting in increased traveling costs. But by and large, Euro 2012 has been an unqualified success. The group stage matches were full of attacking intent and fine goals. And the knockout stages have produced two penalty shootouts of unbearable tension, not to mention Italy's awesome destruction of Germany. Referees have let games flow and kept the card count down, and players have responded by concentrating more on their football and less on feigning injury and trying to artificially gain their team an advantage. Everywhere you looked, there was a story: Andriy Shevchenko gave Ukraine a memory it will never forget with two goals to see off Sweden; Greece put the country's vast financial problems aside to qualify from Group A; the much-fancied Netherlands went back home with its tail between its legs; and Spain and Italy quietly worked their way through the tournament. Sensational scoring . With 30 of the 31 matches played, we have seen only three red cards -- two of which came in the opening game as Poland drew with Greece. And there have been 21 goals scored from headers, which at 29% of the total 72, stands higher than at any previous Euros. Wonderful goals have crashed in with regularity, from the acrobatics of Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Balotelli to the gorgeous flick of Danny Welbeck, the emphatic volleys of Sami Khedira and Marco Reus, to the unstoppable rocket shots of Jakub Blaszczykowski and, again, Balotelli. And then there was Pirlo's "Panenka." With England leading Italy 2-1 after the first two penalties in Sunday's quarterfinal shootout, Pirlo produced a moment of genius to change the momentum entirely in Italy's favor. He watched the England keeper buzz around on the line trying to put him off, before coolly chipping the ball -- a la Antonin Panenka in the 1976 European Championship final shootout -- delicately into the net after Joe Hart had dived early and erroneously to his right. England missed its next two penalties and Italy triumphed. "Hart seemed to be very confident in himself. I needed to do something to beat him and it seemed to be a psychological blow," said the unflappable Pirlo. England boss Roy Hodgson added: "The cool, calculated way Pirlo chipped it, that is something you either have or you don't have as a player." The football world swooned, and Pirlo produced his second successive man-of-the-match display to help Italy slay Germany in the semis and continue the Azzurri's amazing record of never having lost a competitive game to "Die Mannschaft." On Sunday, Cesare Prandelli's team can keep another record intact: that of a country never winning three major international tournaments in a row. Spain are potentially 90 minutes away from sporting immortality. A captivating conclusion to Euro 2012 lies in wait. | Euro 2012 final takes place in Ukrainian capital of Kiev .
Spain aiming to become the first nation to win 3 successive major tournaments .
Italy looking for first Euro triumph since 1968 .
Spain's dominance and style has been labeled "boring" by some critics . |
216,991 | a4ef1e170a02a8f3f327fbe5c80ef3acf035c3cf | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:24 EST, 8 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 11:11 EST, 8 September 2012 . Sir Paul McCartney has been presented with France's highest public award, the French Legion of Honour, for services to music. The former Beatle was promoted to the rank of officer by President Francois Hollande in a private ceremony today in Paris. McCartney, 70, has joined the likes of singers Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli who received the honour from former President Nicolas Sarkozy. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Come together: Paul McCartney shakes hands with French President Francoise Hollande after receiving the Legion of Honour . I Want To Hold Your Hand: The French President and former Beatle were all smiles during the decoration ceremony . President Hollande decorated McCartney with the Legion of Honour in front of an audience of family and friends gathered at the Elysee Palace. After receiving the award, Sir Paul said: 'It is such an honour to be awarded this.' President Hollande praised McCartney's contribution to the arts and joked that he preferred the Beatles to the Rolling Stones. The French leader also said he favoured McCartney over fellow Beatle John Lennon when he was younger. Proud moment: Sir Paul, who has already been knighted by the Queen in 1997, receives the France's highest public award . French leader Francois Hollande told McCartney during the decoration he preferred him to John Lennon . The award is usually only given to French nationals and mainly those who have served in military or civil life. It was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802. Past British recipients have included Queen Elizabeth II, actor Sir Laurence Olivier, author Graham Greene and war veteran Henry Allingham. Sir Paul recently performed to a global audience at the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, and has already previously received a knighthood from the Queen. VIDEO: Paul McCartney receives honour from French President Francois Hollande . | He joins Barbara Streisand and Liza Minnelli in receiving top French honour . |
138,517 | 3f22a1ba6a74619cd18a8abe4e5960ad87cbd6f2 | Washington (CNN) -- Sen. Dianne Feinstein called Wednesday for President Obama to reverse a policy established last year that kept the suspect in the Christmas Day botched jetliner bombing from having been placed on a no-fly list. The failed bombing "is a reminder that attempts to attack the U.S. homeland continue and that al Qaeda and affiliated terrorist groups are searching for new ways to use explosive devices and operatives that will not arouse suspicion in order to carry out attacks in this country," the California Democrat wrote Wednesday in a letter to the president posted on her Web site. "We must therefore adjust to meet these developments and stay ahead of them." The chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence said that the U.S. government was warned about the radicalization of suspect Umar Farouk AbdulMutallab, 23, of Nigeria, more than a month before he flew from Nigeria to the Netherlands and then to Detroit, Michigan. "Yet apparently no action was taken other than to put Mr. AbdulMutallab in the Terrorist Identities Datamart Environment. He was not placed on a No-Fly or Selectee List for additional scrutiny and screening, nor was action taken to revoke his visa," Feinstein said. A U.S. government official said the United States had intelligence more than a month before the attack -- between August and October -- that extremists in Yemen were discussing operations; that someone known as "the Nigerian" was mentioned; and that U.S. intelligence had a partial name, Umar Farouk. Federal authorities have charged AbdulMutallab with trying to detonate explosives hidden in his underwear as the flight made its final approach to Detroit. The device failed to fully detonate, instead setting off a fire at his seat. Feinstein said she understood that AbdulMutallab wasn't put on a no-fly list because of a policy established last year during the administration of George W. Bush, "that limits the circumstances under which the government adds an individual to the watch list." She called the standard "too restrictive" and urged that it be changed. "The U.S. Government should watchlist, and deny visas, to anyone who is reasonably believed to be affiliated with, part of, or acting on behalf of a terrorist organization," she said. A U.S. counterterrorism official who asked not to be identified said the change to which Feinstein was referring was "designed to provide a clear, government-wide standard" for putting an individual on a terrorist watch list. Before the change, law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security agencies and departments involved with the list "applied moderately different standards," the official said. The 2008 change "made it a universal standard." But the official said the change did not make it more difficult to get a name on the watch list and represented the collective thinking of the nation's intelligence agencies. It was not clear who had sought the change, said the official, who would not comment on Feinstein's letter. On December 9, Timothy Healy, director of the Terrorist Screening Center at the FBI, submitted testimony before the Senate Homeland Security Committee explaining the policy: . "TSC accepts nominations into the Terrorist Watchlist when they satisfy two requirements," he said. "First, the biographic information associated with a nomination must contain sufficient identifying data so that a person being screened can be matched to or disassociated from a watchlisted terrorist. "Second, the facts and circumstances pertaining to the nomination must meet the 'reasonable suspicion' standard of review established by terrorist screening presidential directives. Reasonable suspicion requires 'articulable' facts which, taken together with rational inferences, reasonably warrant a determination that an individual is known or suspected to be or has been engaged in conduct constituting, in preparation for, in aid of or related to terrorism and terrorist activities, and is based on the totality of the circumstances. "Due weight must be given to the reasonable inferences that a person can draw from the facts. Mere guesses or inarticulate 'hunches' are not enough to constitute reasonable suspicion." The recommendation came as the administration briefed congressional staffers in private meetings on the matter. But several who attended told CNN Correspondent Candy Crowley that they learned little. Congressional hearings are slated for next month. Complaints also emerged Wednesday over how federal authorities handled the matter once it had occurred on Christmas Day. The Department of Homeland Security alerted 128 flights that were then en route to the United States from Europe and told them to take security precautions, CNN's Jeanne Meserve reported. But more than 3,000 other flights that were in the air at that point were not alerted, which drew criticism from some who asked why the department had concluded that they, too, were not at risk. Though it was not clear whether al Qaeda was involved in the failed Christmas Day attack, the terrorist organization's hallmark is to launch nearly simultaneous attacks, as occurred during the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States. Michael Chertoff, who served as secretary of the Department of Homeland Security under the Bush administration, urged caution in apportioning blame. "I don't think we have the full picture," he told CNN. "I don't want to rush to judgment." He said security officials cannot count on perfection and therefore have created a layered security strategy "so that even if one fails, another one gets picked up." Chertoff, who works as a security consultant for companies that make screening devices that can identify explosives hidden under clothing, urged that such machines be deployed more widely. The devices are opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union and privacy advocates. And, noting that British authorities revoked AbdulMutallab's visa this year but did not inform their U.S. counterparts, Chertoff urged that information-sharing between countries be made more open. "We've got to go back to the European Union and fight this fight all over again and tell them that their exalting privacy over security could very well have resulted in tragedy for Europeans as well as Americans," he said. CNN Homeland Security Correspondent Jeanne Meserve contributed to this report. | Sen. Feinstein: Failed December 25 airline attack shows U.S. must adapt .
Feinstein: Current standard for no-fly list too restrictive .
Counterterrorism official: Standard didn't make it more difficult to get name on list . |
49,406 | 8b8fd343c7315bb7878c8690546bcfc32c5aa9c1 | New York (CNN) -- AT&T will acquire T-Mobile USA from telecommunications company Deutsche Telekom for an estimated $39 billion in cash and stocks, the companies said in a joint release Sunday. The acquisition will expand AT&T's 4G network 1.2 million square miles and will be accessible to an additional 46.5 million Americans, the statement said. AT&T also expects to gain enough cell towers to increase its network density by 30%. "This transaction represents a major commitment to strengthen and expand critical infrastructure for our nation's future," AT&T chief executive Randall Stephenson said in a statement. The $39 billion purchase will include a $25 billion cash payment; the remainder will be paid using AT&T stock. AT&T can increase the cash portion of the price tag by up to $4.2 billion while cutting the stock portion. As part of the acquisition, Deutsche Telekom will have an 8% equity stake in AT&T and a company representative will join the AT&T board of directors. The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors at both AT&T and Deutsche Telekom. CNNMoney: AT&T to acquire T-Mobile for $39 billion . The new entity would be the biggest in the US, combining AT&T's 95 million customers with T-Mobile's 34 million users for a total of 130 million subscribers. AT&T said the transaction would quickly provide "the spectrum and network efficiencies necessary ... to address impending spectrum exhaust in key markets" due to the exponential growth of traffic on its network. The telecom giant added that it expects to gain enough cell towers through the deal to increase its network density by 30%. As part of the merger, AT&T committed to expand its 4G network 1.2 million square miles, making it accessible to an additional 46.5 million Americans, mostly in rural and smaller communities, the statement said. The AT&T release notes that its 4G expansion would help achieve the Federal Communications Commission and President Obama's goals to connect "every part of America to the digital age." The $39 billion purchase will include a $25 billion cash payment; the remainder will be paid using AT&T stock. AT&T can increase the cash portion of the payment by up to $4.2 billion while cutting the stock portion. AT&T didn't directly address how the merger would affect the new company's pricing. But on the website it built to announce the deal, www.mobilizeeverything.com, it notes: "Historically, during periods when carriers combined to achieve efficiencies, U.S. wireless prices fell." The company also cites a 2010 report from the U.S. General Accounting Office which found that the average cost of wireless services (adjusted for inflation) "declined 50 percent from 1999 to 2009, during a period which saw five major wireless mergers." The agreement has been approved by the boards of directors at both AT&T and Deutsche Telekom, but will be subject to regulatory approval. Fortune: Regulatory hurdles await merger . Charles Golvin from Forrester Research said: "AT&T's acquisition of T-Mobile, if approved, brings good news and bad news. The good news: high-speed mobile broadband service will improve in quality and coverage, including ? in the long run ? those in rural communities outside the reach of terrestrial broadband today. "The bad news: the cost of that service won't come down nearly as fast as customers would like, since AT&T and Verizon Wireless combined would own nearly three out of every four wireless subscriptions in the US. While clearly troublesome for Sprint and other mobile smaller mobile competitors, It's also bad news for cable operators, whose incipient mobility products will suffer in comparison to what AT&T and Verizon can offer." Fortune Magazine's Seth Weintraub and CNNMoney's Leigh Remizowski contributed to this report . | The acquisition will expand AT&T's 4G network by 1.2 million square miles .
T-Mobile parent company Deutsche Telekom will have an 8% equity stake in AT&T .
The agreement has been approved by both companies' boards . |
151,804 | 5033b8426a62b68d4923b05feefd877158be561f | London (CNN) -- More than a decade after the Iraq war, when one million people took to the streets to protest against intervention, British lawmakers have again been grappling with their consciences. In 2003, then-Prime Minister Tony Blair won a vote authorizing the use of force as part of a U.S.-led coalition to overthrow Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, but the war's chaotic aftermath left a bitter legacy. Last year British Prime Minister David Cameron lost a vote to bomb the Assad regime in Syria amid public opposition to another war. Political commentators said the failed vote by Washington's long-standing ally put a brake on President Barack Obama's plans to punish the Syrian leader for allegedly using chemical weapons on his own people. However, the task of Obama in building a coalition is likely to be made easier after Cameron easily won Friday's vote, by 524 votes to 43, authorizing the airstrikes against ISIS targets in Iraq. The opposition Labour Party supported the action against the Islamic militant group, despite doubts of some lawmakers on both sides of the House of Commons. Opinion polls also suggest backing for action has grown following the release of videos showing the beheadings of western hostages. In August opinion was evenly split (37-36%), according to one YouGov poll, but is now markedly more in favor (53-26%). Polling by Comres conducted before the death of British hostage David Haines also found similar backing for airstrikes: more than half of those who took part in the survey backed action -- a rise of 5% in a month. Cameron recalled Parliament after Iraq's Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi requested British military support in its battle against ISIS. Fighter planes from France and the United States have already started bombing in Iraq, but unlike in those countries the convention in Britain is for lawmakers to vote in Parliament before action is taken. Veteran political commentator Robin Oakley said MPs were more in tune with the public than a year ago. "The degree of ISIS' brutality has changed a considerable number of minds. "People who previously had doubts are now convinced that there is no alternative but force. Voices will be raised: some MPs believe that bombing ISIS may radicalize the population in areas that it controls. Local people who never liked the al-Maliki government and who may have been suffering ISIS may now offer it their support." Oakley said it was the brutal videos that had likely won over lawmakers -- in contrast to the Syria vote. "Last year Labour couldn't support the action because MPs felt there was no conclusive evidence that al-Assad had used chemical weapons against his own people. "MPs will worry about 'mission creep' when there is no obvious aim apart from to eradicate ISIS. Military action may destroy the leaders but it cannot eradicate ideas -- so the fear among lawmakers is that this intervention could be counter-productive." Outside Parliament, there were also doubts about the military action. Protests took place in central London on Thursday, organized by Stop the War. The group's spokesman Ian Chamberlain said that while it was important to listen to public opinion, "once people start to see the results and start to reflect, I believe support will fall." "Public support for military interventions in Afghanistan collapsed after the results of the bombing became clear. Bombing increases sectarian hatred of the west, and it's obvious that military intervention doesn't work. You can't destroy terrorism by bombing infrastructure. It just brings more terrorism." | Iraq war's chaotic aftermath left bitter political legacy in UK .
British lawmakers vote to launch airstrikes on ISIS militants .
Opinion polls suggest backing for action has grown in recent weeks .
Fear among lawmakers is that this intervention could be counter-productive . |
140,671 | 41e6996487aaf16b6848d7a880a56400428caf10 | Pristina, Kosovo (CNN) -- Kosovo's prime minster lashed out at critics Monday over a recent report alleging that officials may have stolen organs from prisoners of war and political rivals, calling it "pure fabrication." European authorities charged in a report released last week that executives who control the country may have stolen organs when the Kosovo Liberation Army was fighting Serbian forces in the late 1990s. "It is a political accusation based on no facts or proof," Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said. "Therefore, it is a pure fabrication." The report says Thaci, a former leader of the Kosovo Liberation Army, was the "boss" of a prominent faction in the militia that "apparently wrested control" of "illicit criminal enterprises" from rivals across the border in Albania. "Numerous indications seem to confirm that ... organs were removed from some prisoners ... to be taken abroad for transplantation," read the report. It suggested that illegal organ trafficking continued after the war ended. And links between "criminal activity" and "certain KLA militia leaders ... has continued, albeit in other forms, until today," the report charges. Thaci said he is looking into all legal and political possibilities to correct what he sees as the report's inaccuracies. It was not immediately clear what action he planned to take. "It is a lie for which Dick Marty will be accountable," the prime minister said of the author of the draft report. Nearly 1,900 people who disappeared during the conflict still have not been found, and another 500 disappeared after NATO troops arrived in June 1999, according to Marty. The report is based partially on investigations by European Union officials and was written for the Council of Europe's Committee on Legal Affairs and Human Rights. European Union officials in Kosovo have said that anyone with concrete evidence of war crimes or organized crime should step forward. Kosovo was a province of Serbia but declared independence in 2008. About 70 countries have recognized the declaration, but Serbia does not, and international organizations including the United Nations and European Union continue to have administrators in Kosovo. The Council of Europe, an organization with 47 member countries, seeks to promote democracy and human rights. The council's parliament plans to debate the report in January. "This (report) of course is a blow (for Kosovo), but this challenge will be overcome because it has nothing in common with the truth, and the truth is that Kosovo is a story of success," Thaci said. | Prime Minister Hashim Thaci says the report is "pure fabrication"
It says authorities may have stolen organs from prisoners of war and political rivals .
European Union officials have asked anyone with evidence of crimes to step forward .
"Kosovo is a story of success," Thaci says . |
59,001 | a7687b94b3757c146fe608e165eeaa2e8f574e5c | By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 11:54 EST, 15 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 16:02 EST, 15 November 2012 . George Roberts with his son Chris who took him to the parade and the parking fine he received while at a Remembrance Day service . A 90-year-old war hero, who risked life and limb for his country during World War Two, was slapped with a £70 parking fine as he attended a Remembrance Day service - because his blue badge was upside down. Disabled George Roberts, who served as a gunner and a driver transporting artillery across Africa, has hit out at jobsworth traffic wardens who gave him the ticket while he paid his respects to fallen comrades in Shrewsbury, Shropshire. The wheelchair-bound veteran was driven to the service at St Chad's Church by his son Michael, 43, who parked in a nearby disabled bay. But when Mr Roberts, who has also survived a stroke and four heart bypass operations, and Michael returned to the car after the emotional service, they were shocked to find a parking ticket on the windscreen. Attempts to reason with a traffic warden fell on deaf ears as the pair were told they would have to contact the local council. The warden even echoed the chilling excuse of some of Hitler's men when he claimed he had issued the ticket because he was 'following orders'. Mr Roberts served in the Royal Artillery Regiment in World War Two and attends the Remembrance Day procession and service every year. Earlier this year he was forced to stop driving but still qualifies for a blue disabled badge because son Michael is his dedicated carer and driver. George, who has four grown-up children, 13 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, said: 'I was struggling to get out of my car and I must have disturbed my blue badge. 'Many millions of men never came back from the war, and I went through it all without a bullet - only to get shot by this. Mr Roberts, pictured, was attending a service in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, when he was hit with the £70 fine . George, pictured (back right) in Rome, Italy during World War Two, received a World War Two campaign medal, Africa campaign medal, Italy campaign medal, Defence medal and War medal for his time in the armed forces . George, pictured in his wheelchair on Remembrance Sunday, attends the Remembrance service every year . 'I’ve been driving for more than 70 years and had never received a parking ticket. It was hilarious, my son was driving me and my granddaughter and her fiance were there. 'I laughed but my family chased the warden and he wouldn’t do anything. George Roberts who served with the Royal Artillery in WWII - Collect of George in Italy during the war . 'Incredibly, he muttered something about "just following orders" which I found incredibly insensitive considering the service we had just attended. 'I was in the war for five years and drove through Africa for three of those. I had to give up driving at the beginning of this year.' The pensioner witnessed dozens of his comrades killed during the bloody Allied invasion of north Africa in 1942. After the war George married his wartime sweetheart Edith who worked in canteens during the war in Shrewsbury. She died in 2001 aged 81. His grand-daughter Kerrieanne McMullen, 29, hit out at the traffic wardens - branding them 'disgraceful.' She fumed: 'The blue badge was displayed but the wrong way around so you couldn’t see the expiry date. 'To get a ticket on Armistice Day was disgraceful.' Red-faced bosses at Shropshire Council today apologised to George, and promised to cancel the ticket. The 90-year-old veteran is pictured, fourth from right, with his brass band shortly after war broke out in 1939 . Shropshire Council has apologised to Mr Roberts, who is largely wheelchair bound, and agreed to cancel the fine handed to him on Remembrance Sunday . | Wheelchair-bound George Roberts was attending a service in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, when he was hit with a £70 fine .
He served as a gunner and a driver transporting artillery across Africa during World War Two .
Mr Roberts, who has survived a stroke and four heart operations, said he must have moved the badge while struggling to get out of the car .
Red-faced bosses at Shropshire Council have apologised and agreed to cancel the ticket . |
147,412 | 4a97feb4d95dab57837c3fc03df5558398e3d87a | (CNN) -- The Rev. Billy Graham's son is requesting prayers for his ailing father. Franklin Graham said that his father, who turned 95 in November, is extremely weak, but his vitals are good. "Our family would appreciate your prayers for him that the Lord would strengthen him," the son wrote in a prayer request posted Tuesday on the website of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. "Only the Lord knows what is in store as we move forward in service to Him," he said. The elder Graham returned home late last month, two days after he was admitted to a hospital for pulmonary-related tests and observation. He was admitted to the hospital in October for similar tests. Graham, who lives in western North Carolina, has provided counsel to generations of U.S. presidents, beginning with Harry S. Truman. Staging revivals that he called "crusades" around the world, the founder of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has reached untold millions of people in person. Graham began his missionary work in 1944 when he started speaking at rallies for the Youth for Christ/Campus Life ministry. Five years later, he was holding a "crusade" in tents in downtown Los Angeles. "We value your prayers -- in fact, we depend on them," his son wrote in the request. "We find words of comfort and praise in the psalms, 'Oh, bless our God ... and make the voice of His praise to be heard, who keeps our soul among the living, and does not allow our feet to be moved. Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will declare what He has done for my soul. Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer.' " CNN's Janet DiGiacomo and Phil Gast contributed to this report. | The Rev. Billy Graham celebrated his 95th birthday in November .
He is extremely weak, but his vitals are good, his son says .
Graham was hospitalized last month for pulmonary-related tests and observation . |
94,925 | 05fff308d80adba54931a0da243dc0fa2440b493 | The ugly family feud surrounding radio legend Casey Kasem who died last Sunday was put on a temporary hold as his daughter Kerri agreed that widow Jean could claim his body. But behind the scenes, the battle wages on with Kerri's team accusing her stepmom, Jean, of cheating on her father with a much younger man as he lay on his deathbed. 'Jean has a boyfriend and Kerri believes their affair has been going on for at least two years,' Kerri’s private investigator, Logan Clarke, told the MailOnline in an exclusive interview. 'Jean has even moved him into the oceanfront condo she owns in Malibu.' Battle of wills: Casey Kasem's widow Jean and his daughter Kerri have been engaged in a tug of war over Casey - his care and his money - for years. Kerry's PI is claiming that Jean was having an affair behind his back . Top 40 king: Radio personality Casey Kasem died on Father's Day, finally succumbing to Lewy body disease, the most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's . A neighbor at the luxury, 10-unit building overlooking the Pacific confirmed that a man named John Paul (JP) Gressy is now living in the 450 square-foot condo that the Kasems have owned for many years. A maid who answered the door to the Kasems' condo also confirmed that Gressy lives there. It's not clear if Gressy is the man Kerri Kasem has accused of being involved with Jean. Neither Jean Kasem's representative nor Paul Gressy returned calls to MailOnline. Clarke described the alleged boyfriiend as tall, handsome, dark-haired man about 40 years junior to Casey, who was 82 when he died after battling Lewy body disease, the most common type of progressive dementia after Alzheimer's. One of Kerri’s Los Angeles lawyers, Troy L. Martin, also made reference to Jean’s alleged extra-marital activities, writing in court papers dated March 19 this year: 'Mrs. Kasem has been lying to Mr. Kasem for at least two years, telling him that they are divorced. What possible motive could Mrs. Kasem have for such cruelty. 'Perhaps the younger gentleman that is staying at the Malibu house and driving Mr. Kasem’s car could answer that question for us.' Love nest? Kerri Kasem's lawyer claims that Jean lied to Casey by telling him they were divorced. Why would she be so cruel, the lawyer asked in court papers. 'Perhaps the younger gentleman that is staying at the Malibu house...could answer that question for us,' he wrote . Room with a view: When a maid answered the door at Kasem's condo, she confirmed to MailOnline that a man named John Paul Gressy is living there . The cheating accusation is the latest in a seven-year battle between Jean Kasem, 60, Casey’s second wife, and Kerri and Julie Kasem - his daughters from his first marriage - over how to manage his deteriorating health. The daughters claimed Jean was treating their father cruelly and tried to prevent them from seeing him during the last month before his death from sepsis and dementia. Jean’s reps countered that the older children were trying to lay claim to Casey’s estimated $80 million estate. On June 13, just two days before her father died, Kerri Kasem, 41, raged at her stepmother, Jean, telling the Hollywood Reporter: 'I want this evil woman in jail for what she has done to this family.' And Kerri’s PI, Clarke told the MailOnline: 'I have been hired to gather the facts to prove that Jean Kasem committed a crime. Casey would be alive today - he probably would have lived for another year or more - if it had not been for Jean’s cruelty and abuse. ' Clarke said that the information he is collecting will be used by Kerri and Julie in 'possible legal actions - both criminal and civil' - against Jean. 'Wrongful death, elder abuse, defamation of character, any or all of these cases could be brought to court,' he added. 'Jean has caused and incredible amount of pain and damage to the Kasem family.' The 'crime' that Clarke says he’s trying to persuade Santa Monica police to investigate is Jean’s decision in early May to take Casey from a Santa Monica hospital to a house in Washington state, without informing other family members. Vows: Kasem married Jean, a statuesque actress in 1980, a year after his divorce from first wife. They went on to have a daughter together, Liberty, now 23, who firmly sides with her mother . 'The doctor at the hospital in Santa Monica told Jean that it could kill him if she removed his feeding tube,' added Carke. 'But she did it anyway. She put Casey in an SUV with a Mexican caretaker , no doctor or nurse. Then she got in another SUV with Liberty (Jean’s 24 year-old daughter with Casey) and took off out of California, first to Nevada, then to Washington. 'This whole trip was deliberately to prevent Kerri and Julie from seeing their father - and seeing what a sorry state he was in. Jean didn’t even get a proper hospital bed for him. That’s why he ended up with bedsores. 'Kerri and Julie were concerned about their father and wanted to see him because they knew about Jean’s terrible record of caring for him - they knew their dad was being horribly neglected.' But Jean said in a June 9 court declaration: 'I have spared no expense to ensure that Casey receives state-of-the-art medical treatment and 24-hour-a-day care.' But, said Clarke: 'The reality is nothing close to that. She would abandon him for 9,10, 11 days at a time. I have notes from doctors saying, "Mr. Kasem’s wife says she’s coming to visit him but she never shows up." 'One hospital he was in discharged him and Jean didn’t come to pick him up for seven days. He had to stay in the hospital for that extra week till she showed up.' The family feud over Casey’s health began in 2007 when he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. He signed a document giving his older children by his first marriage the authority to make decisions concerning his medical care if he was no longer able to himself. The document declared that he did not want to be kept alive if he had 'no reasonable hope of normal functioning.' Happier times: Court papers reveal how Kasem's three children from his previous marriage, Kerri, Michael and Julie were on good terms with Jean until his health deteriorated. But for seven years they have been fighting over who cares for him with Jean claiming they showed 'disturbing' behavior and want to secure his $80m . This snub to Jean came back to haunt the Kasem family six years later with nasty court battles and accusations from Casey’s older kids that as his health went steadily downhill, Jean was shutting them out of his life. On June 11, a Los Angeles judge, upheld Casey Kasem’s 2007 wishes, giving Kerri the authority to have doctors end his infusions of water, food and medicine after hearing from doctors that continuing nutrition would 'at best prolong the dying process for him and will certainly add suffering to an already uncomfortable dying process.' The court’s decision was condemned by Jean’s Los Angeles attorney, Steve Haney, who called it 'the functional equivalent of a death sentence.' Haney claimed that Kerri’s real concern over her father is that she wants to profit from her father’s death. 'Kerri was cut off in 2007 after she accumulated hundreds of thousands of dollars in loans,' he said in an interview with the Hollywood Reporter the week before Casey’s death. “Casey and Jean’s fear is that any money going to the Scientologist kids would end up in the Church. Instead he gave Kerri and her two siblings and Liberty a $2 million insurance policy. 'The kids did not come around from 2007 when they were cut off. They showed up in 2013 when they heard Casey was dying - a final, desperate effort to hook into his $80 million estate. Kerri, along with her Scientologist friends, picketed in front of Jean’s house, Jean received death threats, someone went though their trash.' Kerri, not surprisingly, completely denied these claims in the same Hollywood Reporter article. 'Absolute lies,' she ranted. 'This will be part of my defamation suit. I never took loans from my dad and he never cut me off. We have an irrevocable trust that was set up 30 years ago.'I have never gone a week without either seeing my dad or talking to him on the phone until Jean blocked me, my brother (Mike) and my sister Julie.' | Kerri Kasem, Casey's 41-year-old, daughter from his first marriage, has been engaged in a nasty battle with step-mother Jean, 60, for seven years .
Kerri's lawyer and private investigator are accusing Jean of cheating on her dying father for two years .
Kerri's private investigator Logan Clarke claims that Jean moved her lover into the oceanfront condo she owns in Malibu .
'Mrs Kasem has been lying to Mr Kasem .
for at least two years, telling him that they are divorced,' wrote Kerri's lawyer in court papers. |
24,699 | 460752f0f2693b86500796d0254c72354a00a3f3 | (CNN) -- When Hurricane Katrina walloped New Orleans in late August 2005, Kate Schneiderman was in New York, 10 states and 1,100 miles away from the storm. Kate Schneiderman, 24, is originally from New York, and works in politics in New Orleans. Fifteen months later, she traded New York's streets for those submerged during what the Federal Emergency Management Agency called the nation's worst natural disaster. "I literally quit my job, bought a car, packed it up, drove down," Schneiderman, 24, told CNN. She said a college friend who was living in New Orleans persuaded her to quit her Wall Street job in financial communications -- a career that didn't make her happy and didn't fit her political science degree -- and move to New Orleans. "It's the best decision I ever made," Schneiderman said. Now nearly a year into her position as director of communications for New Orleans Councilman-at-Large Arnie Fielkow, the native New Yorker has become a self-described "grizzled veteran" of the Big Easy. She speaks affectionately of the city's people and of its slower pace, although she laughingly notes that she'll "never ever" get used to the city's soupy summer heat. She says she's here for the long haul. "When I first moved down, I said, 'I'll give it two years...it'll be my little adventure.' And something sort of funny happened almost immediately," she said. "I felt immediately at home." Schneiderman is one of many young professionals who have arrived in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina ransacked the city, according to experts who study population trends in the area. Armed with college degrees and buoyed with seemingly boundless optimism and energy, these 20- and 30-year-olds have taken up work in various sectors of the community, ranging from business to politics, or in the several humanitarian programs helping to rebuild the city. "From what you can tell in talking to people and looking at organizations...there does seem to be a significant influx of young, usually very well educated college graduates...who have come to New Orleans to help," said Tim Ryan, the University of New Orleans' chancellor. "Many have decided that this is an interesting place to live, and decide, at least for some short period of time, to stay here." While there is speculation on whether the number of young professionals moving here actually constitutes a "significant influx," there is ample anecdotal evidence to show that beleaguered New Orleans is softly luring young people looking for meaningful and purposeful work. Dubbed New Orleans' "brain gain," these newcomers all have their own stories, their own path to the city. Some were volunteers who arrived soon after the storm. Others, like Schneiderman, came well after. Some are New Orleans natives, many are not. Regardless of their hometowns, their professions, their reasons for moving, they are bound by a common thread: a pull to this city that so many left behind. "In other cities," Mike Heid, a 26-year-old copy editor for an advertising firm, said, "I probably would have just done my job and gone home and been happy with that. Because those other cities ... I don't think would have needed my help as much as this city." Heid worked in New York for a time before he arrived in New Orleans, he said. "Just being down here ... even if it's just to help business down here," Heid said, "anything that's down here is helping." After volunteering for a short time with The Idea Village, a nonprofit group that supports entrepreneurs, University of Pennsylvania graduate Miji Park said she didn't want to leave. "Being involved in that and ... getting to understand the city made me realize that the impact I could make here was so much greater than at a boring real estate economic research firm back home," the 23-year-old said. She gave up the well paid "boring" job in her hometown of Berkeley, California, for a full-time job with The Idea Village. And she hasn't regretted it at all. "I believe in the power of place," she said. "I think history incorporates itself not only in the architecture, but also the atmosphere of different cities, and in New Orleans you definitely feel that atmosphere and you can feel the history. And I think that's what drew me closer to New Orleans." Richard Campanella, a geographer and associate director of the Center for Bioenvironmental Research at Tulane University, says there are probably 2,000 to 3,000 of these newly arrived young professionals in New Orleans. In an e-mail, Campanella said he bases this rough estimate on the 2006 Louisiana Health and Population Survey. However, amid the city's current population of 273,000, this group of newcomers is a "small segment of the population," according to Greg Rigamer, the chief executive officer for GCR & Associates Inc., a New Orleans research firm. They are by no means replenishing the approximately 40 percent of the city's pre-Katrina population who have not returned. "We are not the 'Mecca' in the country for these young people," Rigamer said. William Frey, a researcher with the Brookings Institution, which has kept detailed records and analysis of the city's population since the storm, said his analysis of 2006 census data released this month shows that those in the 25- to 35-year-old age range were least likely to be present in the city by July of last year. Still, Rigamer said, "There are a number of young people coming to help out." What makes this group's arrival notable, he said, is that before the storm, the city had difficulty drawing or keeping the young and educated. "We are attracting...young people that we weren't before," Rigamer said. Asked whether Campanella's estimate of 2,000 to 3,000 is accurate, Rigamer said it likely was. "It's really probably in that range," he said. Hanging over these young people, however, is a persistent question. Will they stay? "I don't think that many of those people have made permanent decisions," Ryan said, adding that the answer to that question depends on whether the city is able to fix many of its problems -- among them a weakened infrastructure, a high murder rate and limited career growth opportunities. "I think they're willing to certainly keep an open mind about the future and see how things go over the next couple of years," Ryan said. Rigamer concurred. "This is the most mobile segment of our community," he said. "So guess what? They're going to be mobile." For Harvard Business School graduate John Alford, 32, who arrived in June 2006, the rate of progress can be frustrating. Alford is the school leader of the Langston Hughes Academy Charter School. "[I'm] driving past the same potholes...since last year," he said. "They're not being fixed. I know that's just a pothole, but it's also a sign of where the city's at." For Heid and Schneiderman, crime is a concern. "Crime kind of freaks me out," Heid said, adding that he also grows anxious when storms draw near. But both say it isn't enough to push them out of the city. Likewise, Alford, a Brooklyn, New York, native, says he's here to stay. "This is my new home," he said. What about the question of whether to rebuild the city? Irrelevant, he says. "The question's already been answered. We are rebuilding it now." E-mail to a friend . Jackie Adams contributed to this report. | Experts say many young professionals have arrived in New Orleans .
Group probably comprises a small segment of the city's population .
Despite their love for the city, it is not certain if they will stay permanently . |
101,068 | 0e3dcf283954e15f644b965177ab1c712266c81f | ABC News' George Stephanopoulos landed the highly-prized first television interview with Officer Darren Wilson who broke his silence to defend shooting Michael Brown. Wilson sat down with the 'Good Morning America' co-host, less than 24 hours after a grand jury decided not to indict the 28-year-old officer in the death of Brown this summer. In a preview on Tuesday, Stephanopoulos told viewers that he spent more than an hour with Wilson in a 'secret location.' In television terms, the Wilson interview was one of the biggest 'wins' of the year - the officers's low-profile since the shooting means every media organization covering the high-profile story was eager to speak to him. Officer Darren Wilson (pictured) has broken his silence and given his first television interview to ABC after a TV battle for his first appearance . ABC News' George Stephanopoulos landed the first television interview with Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, speaking to him for an hour Wednesday in Missouri . Stephanopoulos tweeted a photo of the interview which showed Wilson sitting at a table wearing an open-necked blue shirt . The network interrupted its afternoon programming on Wednesday for Stephanopoulos to talk about the interview. He said Wilson told him that he is 'sorry' for the death of the 18-year-old, but that he would not do 'anything differently'. 'He says he did what he was trained to do. He has a clean conscience over his actions that day,' Stephanopoulos said. NBC's Matt Lauer (left) and CNN's Anderson Cooper (right) were among a high profile TV anchors who spoke in secret with Ferguson police officer Darren Wilson, but did not secure interview . Stephanopoulos tweeted a photo of the interview which showed Wilson sitting at a table wearing an open-necked blue shirt. Next to the photo the This Week host wrote: 'Just finished a more than hourlong interview with Officer Darren Wilson. No question off limits.' It is unclear if ABC paid for the interview - CNN'S Brian Stelter tweeted: 'TV nets sometimes find $$$ ways to 'win' exclusive interviews. But not Darren Wilson: ABCer says 'No payment, no licensing, no NOTHING.' CNN'S Anderson Cooper is doing his show from Ferguson as is NBC'S Brian Williams. ABC News plans to feature portions of the discussion on 'World News Tonight,' ''Nightline' and 'Good Morning America' and promised to post the full interview on its website. Speaking on his CNN Sunday morning show Reliable Sources, host Brian Stelter revealed that five anchors had all had off-the-record conversations with the police officer and that his list was not exhaustive. Within hours of his name being linked with having secret meetings with Darren Ferguson, Anderson Cooper tweeted to confirm that it had happened and was standard procedure . CNN host Don Lemon also tweeted to confirm that he had met with Darren Wilson to sound him out for a possible exclusive TV interview . 'My sense from my sources is that it's mostly the anchors doing the talking in these off-the-record meetings, it's mostly Darren Wilson listening and getting to know the person, said Stelter. Soon after the program aired on Sunday, both Cooper and Lemon confirmed via Twitter that the meetings had taken place. Another TV anchors who met with Wilson was CNN's Don Lemon . Both were keen to explain that such meetings are a normal part of the TV guest booking process in order to establish trust and comfort with the potential interviewee. 'For the record, I met briefly with Darren Wilson a few days ago to see if he wanted to do an interview with me. That's standard procedure,' Cooper wrote. Cooper denied that his meeting with Wilson was part of a pro-police conspiratorially and pointed out that he'd repeatedly interviewed Michael Brown's family members and their attorneys. 'I'd also like to interview the grand jury,' Cooper wrote. ' 'There is no conspiracy here. Reporters want to interview people and sometimes you have to meet them first.' He added that Wilson had chosen 'not to do an interview with me.' Cooper, on Twitter, drew a comparison to another man in the news that many journalists wanted to interview earlier this year: disgraced Los Angeles Clippers team owner Donald Sterling. 'Prior to interviewing Donald Sterling, for example, I also met with him to ask him to do an interview. That's how you ask for an interview,' Cooper wrote. Separately, Lemon wrote on Twitter that his meeting with Wilson was 'not out of the ordinary,' and that 'We've interviewed the Brown family, Dorian Johnson and all witnesses. Of course we'd want to interview Wilson.' Officer Darren Wilson, right, hasn't been seen in public - let alone interviewed - since shooting unarmed teenager Michael Brown in Ferguson, Missouri, in August . | ABC host landed the first television interview with the officer speaking to him for an hour Wednesday in 'secret location' in Missouri .
Wilson is seen sitting at a table wearing an open-necked blue shirt .
Stephanopoulos insisted there was 'No question off limits'
Wilson said his conscience is clear and he does not think he could have done anything differently .
Wilson not seen in public since August so interview was highly-sought after .
Reported that ABC did not pay for the interview with Wilson at all .
In television terms, Wilson interview was one of year's biggest 'wins'
ABC News plans to feature portions of the discussion on 'World News Tonight,' 'Nightline' and 'Good Morning America'
CNN's Anderson Cooper broadcasting in Ferguson as is NBC's Brian Williams . |
114,508 | 1fc424f50bc11e91e59aaa3c4a41d2f25b5c4e74 | Madrid (CNN) -- Two Spanish journalists experienced in covering wars have been kidnapped in Syria by a group linked to al Qaeda, the newspaper El Mundo said Tuesday. The two journalists -- El Mundo staff correspondent Javier Espinosa and freelance photographer Ricardo Garcia Vilanova -- were kidnapped September 16, foreign editor Ana Alonso told CNN. Garcia was traveling with Espinosa but not on assignment for El Mundo. After nearly three months of trying to secure their release quietly, El Mundo's top editor, Pedro J. Ramirez, said the paper, in conjunction with the family, decided to make public the kidnappings on December 10, which the United Nations designates annually as international Human Rights Day. "Their captivity is a flagrant violation of human rights, of their free movement, and of all citizens who have the right to receive their information and images," Ramirez said at a Madrid news conference Tuesday. Espinosa, 49, and Garcia, 42, have made numerous trips to war-torn Syria, often together, and they organized their most recent visit together, Alonso said. Espinosa was previously kidnapped while covering a conflict in Sierra Leone, and Garcia was kidnapped last year in Syria for about 12 days, said Gervasio Sanchez, a Spanish veteran war photographer who knows both men, at the Madrid news conference. Both were subsequently released. This time, the newspaper and families got word through intermediaries that the two men were alive and being treated relatively well as of a month ago, in the same Syrian province where they were kidnapped. Ramirez said the paper believes both are still alive, although it is not clear if they are being held in the same location. Spain is involved in trying to secure the release of the two kidnapped journalists, but "with absolute discretion," Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo said Tuesday. The government is in "constant contact with the families" Garcia-Margallo told reporters at an event in Madrid, the Foreign Ministry said. Espinosa's wife, also a journalist, pleaded for the return of her husband and his colleague. "Javier and Ricardo are not your enemy. Please, honor the revolution they protected, and set them free," Monica Prieto said during an emotional press conference in Beirut on Tuesday. "Today we appeal to the Syrian people and all armed groups to help release Javier and Ricardo, who have always been committed to show the human face and suffering of the Syrian people during these very difficult times." The newspaper reported the men were kidnapped at the Tal Abyad checkpoint in Raqqa province, close to the Turkish border, as they prepared to leave Syria after two weeks of coverage. Italian journalist held captive in Syria is headed home . Their captors are reported to be members of a group linked to the al Qaeda-backed Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and have not revealed demands to free the two. Initially, the captors said they wanted to ensure the two journalists were not spies, El Mundo said. The journalists were traveling with four fighters from the Free Syrian Army, who were also kidnapped, but released 12 days later. The fighters were supposed to have provided protection to the Spaniards, the newspaper reported. Last year, Espinosa was in the same makeshift press center in Baba Amr, Homs province, where correspondent Marie Colvin of The Sunday Times of London and French photographer Remi Ochlik were killed. El Mundo reported an activist from Homs contacted the al Qaeda-linked captors to plead, unsuccessfully, for the release of the two Spanish journalists, telling them that Espinosa had helped evacuate wounded from Baba Amr last year. Another longtime Spanish war correspondent, Marc Marginedas, 46, was kidnapped in Syria on September 4, apparently by jihadi combatants near the city of Hama, his newspaper, El Periodico de Catalunya, reported on September 24. CNN's Nick Paton Walsh contributed to this report. | NEW: El Mundo editor says abductions are in "flagrant violation of human rights"
NEW: Wife of one captured journalist pleads for the return of the two abducted men .
The two Spanish journalists were abducted in September, newspaper says .
Their captors are believed to be linked to an al Qaeda-backed group . |
270,986 | eb03ca90e923ff9dcae4e546b38cd185a7321ce0 | By . Alexandra Klausner . A woman sobbed in court on Friday as she was sentenced to 30 years in prison after being convicted on two counts of vehicular homicide for killing both a mother and her 3-year-old son. Arica Vlach, 31, told the courtroom she 'was truly, truly sorry' and that she hoped that the family of Nicole Enderle, 42, and her 3-year-old son Alexander would forgive her for the July 12 crash that killed them both. Enderle's 2-year-old daughter Zoe was in the car as well and survived the crash but suffered from injuries. Drunk driver: Arica Vlach, 31, was sentenced to 30 years in prison for drunk driving and killing a mother and her 3-year-old son in a crash . Victims: Nicole Enderle, 42, and her son Alexander, 3, died after drunk driver Arica Vlach hit their car on July 12 . 'If I could go back in time and change one single moment in my life, it would be to delete this tragedy,' she said as she weeped in front of 4th Judicial District Judge Timothy Schutz . The Gazette reports that Vlach was driving drunk on July 12 when she ran a stop sign at Judge Orr Road in eastern El Paso County. Vlach was given consecutive sentences of 12 and 16 years for the deaths of Enderle and her son and an extra two years for the injury to her 2-year-old daughter . According to Lifetips.com, one person is killed every half-hour due to drunk driving and 16,000 people die from alcohol related crashes each year. Alcohol is a factor in almost half of all traffic fatalities. The scene: Vlach was driving drunk on July 12 when she ran a stop sign at Judge Orr Road in eastern El Paso County . | Arica Vlach, 31, ran a stop sign on July 12 while driving drunk, killing Nicole Enderle, 42, and her 3-year-old son Alexander .
Enderle's 2-year-old daughter Zoe was in the car as well and survived the crash but suffered injuries .
Vlach was given consecutive sentences of .
12 and 16 years for the deaths of Enderle and her son .
She was given an extra two .
years for the injury to Vlach's 2-year-old daughter . |
73,178 | cf88657d3a40b96629fce83d7cd55ca6d207be16 | (CNN) -- Branden Grace duly completed his front running victory at the Dunhill Links Championships Sunday after coming under last round pressure from Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen at St Andrews. Grace, winning for the fifth time in a superb 2012, four coming on the European Tour, ended two ahead of Olesen after carding a final round 70 for a record 22-under total in the tournament. "It feels awesome," the South African told the official European Tour website after a victory that has lifted him to third in the The Race to Dubai. He has now targeted No.1 Rory McIlroy in the battle for the overall honors in Europe. "It's definitely in my sights," he said. Grace, who is yet another graduate of the Ernie Els Foundation, led from the first round at Kingsbarns where he shot a stunning 12-under 60. But when Olesen carded two straight birdies around the turn and Grace three-putted the short 11th for a bogey, they were level. But Grace pulled away with a stunning hat-trick of birdies only interrupted by a bogey on the Road Hole 17th. He still had a two-shot lead playing the last which they both birdied. Alexander Noren of Sweden finished third, four shots back, with Joel Sjoholm of Sweden in fourth. Scot Stephen Gallacher, a former Dunhill winner, was making superb last day progress until he accidentally played the ball of an amateur partner Steve Halsall on the 16th fairway. It cost him a two-shot penalty and he ended up running up a quadruple bogey to slip back into a tie for fifth. European Ryder Cup heroes Martin Kaymer and Peter Hanson finished in a tie for 34th. | Branden Grace wins Dunhill Links Championship .
Final round 70 at St Andrews give South African two-shot win .
Fourth European Tour title of season for Grace .
Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark pushes him all the way . |
88,510 | fb336671ac0fc84a9f74b70f78d76f99593822cc | By . Daily Mail Reporter . She was deprived of food and air for several days, but Olive is wagging her tail again after rescuers removed a plastic jar from her head. Michigan Humane Department officials said the three-year-old Chow mix could have suffocated or starved to death if a neighbor didn't spot her in an abandoned Detroit home and call for help. 'She (Olive) wasn’t happy about it…she didn’t . know what was going on,' Humane Society Rescue Driver Chris Ouwerkerk, who saved Olive, said. Scroll down for video . Happy again: Olive, three, is safe and healthy after Michigan Human Society officials rescued her from an abandoned Detroit home and removed a plastic jar from her head . He added: 'Once I got her outside, . with her adrenaline rushing and her being scared, she was breathing . really heavy, and you could hear the plastic jug - it was sucking the . sides in and they would pop out, so it was making some noise.' Ouwerkerk filmed the rescue, and MHS shared the heart wrenching video on YouTube. The kindhearted rescue driver said Olive panicked when she saw him approach and disappeared upstairs. When he found the terrified pup, he got her on a control stick and walked her outside. Heartbreaking: A neighbor saw Olive the dog in an abandoned Detroit home with a plastic jar over her head and called Michigan Humane Society . Tragic: After chasing the scared pup around the house, Humane Society Rescue Driver Chris Ouwerkerk got her on a control stick. He said he could hear her struggling to breathe . Tough: Humane Society Rescue Driver Chris Ouwerkerk tried to pull the jar of Olive's head, but it was secured tightly . Poor baby: Humane Society Rescue Driver Chris Ouwerkerk said he poked holes in the jar over Olive's head so she could breathe . Kind: Humane Society Rescue Driver Chris Ouwerkerk rescued Olive from the abandoned Detroit home . He said the clear, plastic jar was too difficult to remove, so he poked some holes in it to give the dog air. Officials don't know how the jar ended up on Olive's head. Back at the shelter a short time later, an animal officer carefully removed using lubricant. 'You’re not going to believe the look of relief on Olive’s face after the jar came sliding off of her head,' the humane society recounted on their website. 'It is a look and feeling that was shared by everyone at the shelter that day. 'She was finally free to eat, drink and breathe.' After going through treatment for heartworm disease, Olive is now awaiting 'a special and understanding adopter' to give her a 'forever home' 'She is a fun, loving dog,' Ouwerkerk said. 'It doesn’t take her very long, but she does open up and she warms up to people, and then she is all about that person.' Nearly there: Humane Society Rescue Driver Chris Ouwerkerk took Olive back to the shelter where an animal officer used lubricant to pull the jar off the dog's head . Relieved: Shelter workers said a look of relief crossed Olive's face after the jar slid off her head . Gorgeous: Olive is now looking for her forever home at the MHS Detroit Center for Animal Care . | A neighbor found Olive alone and suffocating in a Detroit home .
Michigan Humane Society officials rescued the three-year-old Chow mix .
She has been treated and is ready to be adopted . |
146,060 | 48dcdd1738ba8b1838d7a61922fd6508837784f6 | Mollycoddling teenagers can have a damaging impact on their relationships in adolescence and early adulthood, researchers found. A study showed teenagers whose parents kept tight control over them struggled to form relationships without losing independence and were more likely to bow to peer pressure. The University of Virginia study, in journal Child Development, followed nearly 200 youngsters aged 13 to 21. What are you reading? A study found mollycoddled teens found relationships more difficult (posed by model) It found 13-year-olds whose parents used emotional tactics such as guilt to control them were less able to keep balanced relationships at 18 and 21. The more psychological control teenagers had from their parents, the worse they got throughout their adolescence at establishing autonomy and closeness in their relationships, researchers found. The level of control could also predict the success of their future relationships, as the better their ability to be close to romantic partners yet maintain their own confidence and identity was at 18, the better it was at 21. Lead researcher Barbara Oudekerk said parents who used guilt, withdrawing love or emotional manipulation to control their teenage children were more likely to pressure them to make decisions in line with the parents’ wishes rather than their own. Get off my case! Parents keep a watchful eye on their offspring, and it's seldom appreciated (posed by models) She added: ‘Without opportunities to practice self-directed, independent decision making, teens might give in to their friends’ and partners’ decisions. ‘Parents often fear the harmful consequences of peer pressure in adolescence. Our study suggests that parents can promote or undermine teens’ ability to assert their own views and needs to close friends and romantic partners. ‘In addition, teens who learn - or fail to learn - how to express independence and closeness with friends and partners during adolescence carry these skills forward into adult relationships.' | Study at University of Virginia followed nearly 200 teens for eight years .
Guilt-tripped 13-year-olds were less likely to form balanced relationships .
Researcher Barbara Oudekerk said teens need opportunity to speak out . |
28,263 | 5028cb6c9b7d6ecf09fb9a1cf896cf2ea8bed0ce | In 1950, Detroit was America's fifth largest city and one of the most prosperous on the back of its booming motor industry. It prompted the construction of skyscrapers on the banks of the river and the development of vast suburban housing projects in the surrounding areas. But almost 55 years on, a dwindling motor industry and a dramatic fall in blue collar jobs has caused people to leave the Michigan city, abandoning their homes and businesses. These aerial photos reveal the tiny urban island that is left - a clutter of high-rises surrounded by empty housing plots now covered in grass. There are vast areas of open spaces dotted with crumbling industrial buildings and barely-standing Victorian homes until you reach the upmarket suburbs. The land then fills up with gated communities and huge estates complete with swimming pools, tennis courts and multi-car garages. Scroll down for video . Aerial photos show how downtown Detroit has been turned into a tiny urban island, surrounded by abandoned housing blocks . A city block, that was once the site of the John A. Own Elementary School, has been covered in grass to hide the rubble and the remains of the building. It was demolished as part of an initiative to get rid of vacant schools . The Jefferson/Mack neighborhood, which has suffered high rates of abandonment. Since 1950, when Detroit was the fifth largest city in America, around 1.3million people have left . Few homes remain in the Brush Park neighborhood outside of the city, however work is being done to regenerate the area . Graffiti covers the walls of Victorian homes in the area. Many of the two-storey properties stand alone while the surrounding roads are practically cleared of cars . The Packard plant on the outskirts of the city, regarded as a sophisticated auto production facility when it opened in the early 1900s, is now in ruins. It is surrounded by blocks of houses that have been left empty . This area at the edge of downtown Detroit is covered with parking lots. Many are completely empty and some have simply been abandoned . The photos taken by pilot and aerial photographer Alex MacLean, and first published in the New York Times, show the empty parking lots in the city bordering rows where only one or two houses are left. Following the recession in 2008, the metropolitan area was covered in rubble left from demolished homes as the the foundations in between the remaining properties. Now these spaces have been covered over with grass creating a countryside just outside the dense urban area. One building, The Packard Plant, was home to a sophisticated automobile production facility in the early 1900s, now it lies in complete ruin. In Detroit, the median household income is just $26,955 - with many of the poorest residents taking home much less - compared to a higher $101,094 in the suburb Grosse Pointe Park. Similarly, the Motor City last year declared the largest municipal bankruptcy in American history, while its neighbor's quaint shops, beer gardens and antiques stores are thriving with residents. And in relation to crime rate, Detroit's Precinct 4 takes an average of 30 minutes to respond to an incident, while Grosse Pointe Park police typically arrive in just 3.4. This is perhaps unsurprising considering that Detroit, once the industrial capital of the nation, was voted the most dangerous city in the country in 2012, for the fourth year in a row. The city, left ravaged by dwindling blue-collar jobs, the decline of the auto industry and rising unemployment. It has lost more than 200,000 residents in the last decade - and 1.3million since the 1950s - as citizens have fled the blighted city for better-off suburbs with lower crime and better education. Cordons surround the foundations where houses have been knocked down in the Fitzgerald neighborhood. Those still standing have boarded-up doors and windows . Beyond the collection of empty properties and crumbling industrial buildings lie the sprawling estates. This home in West Bloomfield, Michigan, is around 25 miles outside of Detroit . Just 10 miles from downtown Detroit is this mansion which sits on the banks of Lake St. Clair. The gated communities outside of the city have remained despite the 2008 recession and the declaration of bankruptcy . The historic James Scott Mansion, that was built in 1877, was abandoned and its structure is now crumbling. Developers have reportedly said it will take $7million of investment to restore it . Some of the spaces left vacant by abandoned houses have been turned into community gardens. In this North Cass Community Garden, there are 75 plots distributed to local businesses and residents . An enormous swimming pool and tennis court can be seen outside this enormous property in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, around 25 miles northwest of downtown Detroit . Earlier this year, the 'haves' of Grosse Pointe Park erected a fence on Kercheval Road, one of the few streets via which drivers can access Detroit. Officials claimed it was set up for a farmers' market, but the move sparked anger among Detroit residents. And last winter, the suburb allegedly deliberately plowed snow to form another barrier. The tension is such that at the five Grosse Pointe municipalities, dubbed 'the Pointes', residents must show an ID to enter public parks. It has also been reported that newly-elected Detroit Mayor Mike Duggan has now signed a deal with Grosse Pointe Park that could help ease the tensions. In accordance with the deal, Detroit will tear down some of the dilapidated houses around the border, while Grosse Pointe Park will remove the 'haves/have-nots' fences in return, it is said. In the booming post-Second World War era, Detroit was America's fifth-largest city, boasting an enormous population of 1,850,000 in 1950. The roofs of the houses in have crumbled and some have burned in Buena Vista Street in West Highland Park. Only one car sits outside a house on the street . Graffiti covers the walls of the buildings left in the East Market District. Many are still occupied but some have been left surrounded by rubble and debris . The Michigan Urban Farming Initiative's Brush Street farm, which covers an acre of land fills up space left by the abandoned houses . | In 1950, with a population of almost two million, the Michigan city was the fifth largest in the United States .
Almost 55 years on, 1.3 million people have left and the motor industry has crumbled, leaving homes abandoned .
These aerial photos reveal how the city looks now - a tiny Downtown urban island surrounded by empty lots .
There are vast open open spaces dotted with abandoned buildings until you reach the sprawling suburban estates .
The gated communities are filled with enormous mansions, swimming pools, tennis courts and multi-car garages . |
89,458 | fe03c7e7ace9f22ebbb2f965e3b1380684ed8a93 | With constant daily reminders on the radio, weather updates can sometimes fall on deaf ears. But police in Surrey made sure their messages were heard loud and clear on Thursday, by rapping their way through road safety rules in a string of Twitter posts. Officers took to the site to advise motorists, taking inspiration from the 1993 song, Boom! Shake the Room! Surrey Police got their message across loud and clear in a series of 90s style raps on Thursday . A spokesman for Surrey Police said they were glad to be able to inject 'humour and humanity' into their road safety warnings . Officers rhymed their road safety guidelines on the micro-blogging site to the entertainment of hundreds of other users . In an homage to the No 1 hit by The Fresh Prince and DJ Jazzy Jeff, officers posted: 'Yo, back up now and give a brother room. The roads are wet and . you're about to go #boom.' They continued: 'Hyped up, psyched up, slipping ‘n’ sliding, Standing water is a risk for colliding #boom', to the entertainment of hundreds on the micro-blogging site. Their finale mimicked the song's chorus, warning: '#Boom brake-brake-brakes need room...Back-back-back-back-Vroom!'. Surrey police also took to Twitter in December to warn drivers of road ice in a version of 80s song Ice Ice Baby . The posts took inspiration from a 1993 Fresh Prince song . They were applauded by Twitter users who appreciated their unusual campaign to improve road safety. But critics questioned whether it was a good use of police time posting such a bizarre message. A spokesman for Surrey Police told Metro: 'Surrey Police is always working to keep people safe and where we can insert some humour and humanity into our safety messages it seems to help them spread further'. 'Love it or hate it, the aim of the rap is to get people talking and thinking about road safety and if it prevents someone from getting injured then job done!' 'Hopefully it raised a few smiles on a wet Friday morning!' This is the second time the officers have rapped their way through weather updates, after taking on the 1980s Vanilla Ice hit, Ice Ice Baby, in December to warn drivers of frosty road conditions. They posted their Tweets after heavy fog caused a massive car pile up in Kent on Wednesday morning which officers described as the worst accident to have ever been caused by fog on British roads. More than 200 people were injured in the accident which saw 100 cars pile on top of one another along a 500 yard stretch of busy road. | Surrey Police post string of raps to spread road safety awareness .
Tweets take inspiration from 1993 hit, Boom! Shake the Room!
A police spokesman said the rhymes help 'spread message further' |
82,505 | e9edffd2cee2f5f86feb17df0e737ac37c86056b | A British helicopter pilot who performed one of the most daring rescues of the Afghanistan war is selling his gallantry medal to raise £100,000. Captain Tom O’Malley flew his Apache gunship into a Taliban stronghold with two Royal Marines strapped to the side in an extraordinary bid to save a wounded comrade. He flew the helicopter ship at 60mph then hovered just 20ft above a heavily-defended Taliban fort. Scroll down for video . Heroic: Captain Tom O'Malley, pictured right, flew an Apache attack helicopter into a Taliban stronghold to rescue a wounded comrade in one of the Afghanistan war's most dramatic missions . Hero: Captain O'Malley received a Distinguished Flying Cross for the daring raid under heavy enemy fire . Despite machine gun fire, incoming grenades and blinding dust whipped up by his rotor blades, Captain O’Malley landed in the compound. The two marines leapt from the helicopter and plucked Royal Marine Lance Corporal Mathew Ford from the fortress, allowing Captain O'Malley to fly him out again with minutes to spare. Lance Corporal Ford had been captured after a botched retreat which left him seriously wounded by friendly fire. Despite his comrades' selfless rescue, his wounds were too severe and he later died. However, the bravery of his volunteer rescuers was still commended, as it avoided the need for a ground rescue, which could have led to more casualties. Captain O'Malley was awarded the prestigious Distinguished Flying Cross for the action, which his superiors said was conducted with a ‘calculated disregard for his own safety... in the face of a lethal and determined enemy’. Medal haul: Captain O'Malley's Distinguished Flying Cross, left, is accompanied by a host of long service and campaign medals from his lengthy military career . Service: The medals show a long career involving stints in Yugoslavia, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan . Audacious: The above footage shows Captain O'Malley flying the Apache, into the compound, a marine strapped on each side . A pilot of a second Apache also received the DFC and the marines involved the Military Cross. Until now the identities of those involved in the mission have not been revealed. Captain O’Malley, 47, resigned his commission last year following 27 years army service and is now a civilian flying instructor. He has put his medal set up for auction for a pre-sale estimate of £100,000 pounds. His awards also include long service medals, and campaign awards for serving in Afghanistan, Northern Ireland and the former Yugoslavia. Steven Bosley, of Bosleys Auctioneers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, said: 'He has decided it is time to sell his medals. 'He has left the army and has a chance to start a new life and I dare say this money will help with that.' Captain O’Malley was sent on his second tour of Afghanistan in November 2006 and flew Apache Attack Helicopters with 656 Squadron Army Air Corps. On January 15, 2007, he was tasked with providing air support to around 200 Royal Marines in an assault on the Jugroom Fort in Garmisr, Southern Helmand. In a desperately confusing situation, Lance Corporal Ford was hit by machine gun fire from one of his allies. Military kit: The medals are pictured above on top of Captain O'Malley's flying suit, which he wore for combat . The fellow solider had mistaken the flash of a hand grenade for enemy gunfire, and shot back, wounding Lance Corporal Ford. The commandos withdrew but in the confusion left the mortally-wounded L/Cpl Ford in the compound and at risk of falling into enemy hands. Another helicopter spotted the marine’s body giving off a heat signal which indicated he was still alive. The four Apache helicopters fired at the Taliban to keep them away from the stricken marine while a rescue plan was worked out. Captain O’Malley came up with the suggestion of landing in the compound with two marines strapped to the helicopter, the first time such a mission had ever been carried out. After touching down inside the fort the two marines disembarked, leaving Capt O’Malley and the Apache exposed to the enemy which bombarded the Apache with fire. Captain O’Malley fired back with his cannon and directed air support cover before the marines returned with Lance Corporal Ford four minutes later. It later emerged that the marine received two bullet wounds to the arm and chest from friendly fire and a ricochet shot to the head from a Taliban bullet. It had been suggested Captain O’Malley might have faced a Court Martial as the mission had only tentatively been approved by his Commanding Officer. But upon their return to base the Royal Marines immediately recommended all the Apache pilots for gallantry medals, which saved their careers. Bernard Pass, from Bosleys, said: 'This was the most famous British helicopter action ever carried out, like something from a Hollywood film. 'The Taliban were desperate to capture an Apache helicopter and its crew. To fly one at 20ft behind enemy lines and land it in the middle of a firefight required the utmost bravery. 'But the mission was a great morale booster for the troops because it proved that the Royal Marines never left any of their men behind.' As well as Capt O’Malley’s nine medals, his flying suit worn on the day of the mission is also being sold along with photographs of the Apache with the marines sat on the side when it returned to base. The auction takes place tomorrow. | Captain Tom O'Malley, 47, flew daring rescue mission in Afghanistan .
Landed his gunship inside Taliban compound while marines rescued ally .
Was honoured with a Distinguished Flying Cross for his bravery .
Captain O'Malley has now retired from the military and is auctioning medals .
The sale, at auctioneers in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, is set to raise £100,000 . |
90,422 | 0050b976353b5fa92997493bba51838fe287ec55 | By . Corey Charlton . These stunning images may look like abstract works by the likes of Picasso - but they are actually aerial photographs of the world we live in. Known as the Overview Effect, these incredible views are sometimes experienced naturally by astronauts during spaceflight. While orbiting the Earth, the astronauts' perspective changes and they begin to see patterns in the natural and man-made world they just left. A website, the Daily Overview, is dedicated to this effect - posting daily patterns that can be seen on Earth from above using images from Satellite company DigitalGlobe. Some of the aerial patterns that can be found using DigitalGlobe's software are well-known wonders such as Central Park in New York, USA and the Palm Jumeirah, Dubai. Others are less common - like the cubist effect of Barcelona's streets or the cell-like patterns in some of Florida's towns. Abigail Van Uum, spokeswoman for DigitalGlobe, said the company had recently grown to include five satellites, creating the capacity to collect more than one billion square kilometres of imagery to its archive this year alone. 'We plan to launch a sixth satellite on August 13 2014 which will enable accurate satellite imaging through haze, fog, dust, smoke and other air-born particulates.' A stunning satellite view of Central Park in New York shows it as it has never before been seen - its perfect rectangular boundaries set among hundreds of buildings . The Palm Jumeirah in Dubai (left) is an artificial set of islands connected to the Dubai mainland by monorail and one which looks dazzling, while the obscure village of Bourtange in the Netherlands has found itself photographed alongside some of the biggest landmarks in the world due to its beauty from above . Kauffman Stadium and Arrowhead Stadium, in Kansas City, share a car parking site for their baseball and NFL teams - the Kansas City Royals and Kansas City Chiefs . The seaweed farms decorating the coast in Nusa Lembongan, in Indonesia, create an incredible pattern when seen through crystal clear waters from above . It isn't the best seat in the house, but this view has its own appeal. It is the Billie Jean King Tennis Centre in New York - the site of many famous US Open tennis matches . The almost symmetrical design in the Eixample District highlights the extraordinarily disciplined grid patterns used in the construction of the Barcelona suburb . The Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group in Tuscon, Arizona, is known as the 'Boneyard' due to its use as an aircraft and missile maintenance facility . This is Venice as you've never seen it before - the island city is famed for its beauty from the ground but is equally stunning when captured from high above . This image captures the word 'Lueke' on a Texas farm, which is famous simply for the landowner's decision to fell trees in a pattern which revealed his name . The Our Lady of Almudena cemetery, in Madrid, Spain, (left) looks dizzying from . above. It is one of the largest cemeteries in Europe with an estimated 5 . million buried in it, while pictured right is the district of La Plata, in Argentina, which is home to the famous South American football team Estudiantes de La Plata . | Images captured using satellites reveal how the world's landmarks, geography and architecture is seen from above .
Pictures include views of Central Park, Dubai's Palm Jumeirah and one of the biggest cemeteries in Europe .
Company that collects images launching sixth satellite in August to enable imaging through smoke, fog, haze, and dust . |
216,485 | a448b05c98f2d851f19604bc19ffa8c2c0a01ad8 | By . Sanchez Manning . Britain's canal network is at risk of being ravaged by the Government’s controversial High Speed 2 rail line, campaigners warned yesterday. The Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE) says the tranquillity of some of Britain’s most idyllic waterways – and canal boat holidays enjoyed by thousands of people each year – will be destroyed by train noise and ugly concrete viaducts built as part of the project. The group has identified more than a dozen historic canals threatened by the building of the HS2 rail line from London to Birmingham and the proposed extension to Leeds and Manchester. Ugly and noisy: What HS2 might look like crossing a peaceful canal in the British countryside, speeding past and creating a cacophony in the once peaceful canal network . Mock-ups of prospective designs for the HS2 trains, which have been widely protested inside and outside of London . These include picturesque Fradley Junction, where the Coventry and Trent and Mersey Canals meet, and neglected waterways such as the Sheffield and Tinsley Canal, which features in the film The Full Monty. The CPRE has called on the Government to move the line away from the canals in its response to the consultation on the proposed Birmingham to Leeds section, which closed on Friday. A spokesman said: ‘Nowhere in the consultation material have they considered the combined impact of all of HS2’s route on the canal network. The CPRE is calling for the route to be changed so it does not get in the way of canals and, where it crosses them, for viaducts to be designed so they fit in with the local scenery.’ Gren Messham, campaigns manager at the Inland Waterways Association, said: ‘These trains are very noisy – between 90 and 100 decibels. Where the rail lines have to cross a canal, HS2 Ltd needs to get better at reducing the noise.’ Stop HS2 protest signs in Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Support for the protests comes from across Britain, with many residents of towns that the HS2 lines will either cut through or go near voicing their concern . A protestor wearing a mask depicting Prime Minister David Cameron demonstrates against the High Speed 2 (HS2) rail line at Parliament on November 25, 2013 in London. Camden has had a large amount of anger towards the prospective high speed train, as it may carve up land both around and below houses . There are major concerns about the waterways at Fradley Junction, Staffordshire, a conservation area and tourist hotspot. The owner of the local Swan pub, Richard O’Kane, 51, said: ‘HS2 will be cutting across the canal and taking this beautiful and highly photographed landmark away from us. I see HS2 as a big threat.’ But in Sheffield, where the local canal has been derelict for years, Gordon Lambert, managing director of narrowboat company Calder Valley Marine, said: ‘The new rail link can only have a good effect. It will bring much-needed prosperity.’ Ben Ruse, spokesman for HS2 Ltd, said: ‘Building a railway that will create thousands of jobs and free up capacity on the country’s rail network is a challenging business, so it is vital we maintain meaningful dialogue with all parties around HS2. It is inevitable that HS2 will cross over a number of waterways along the line of the route. ‘The plans set out in the Environmental Statement accommodate extensive environmental mitigation and are the results of the largest public consultation and engagement scheme ever undertaken in the UK. People have until 27 February to submit their views on the environmental statement.’ The intricate system of canals in Britain would be crisscrossed by the HS2 network, which people are arguing would be a terrific eyesore to the countryside . | HS2 is set to travel through several major British towns, such as Oxford .
The scheme has sparked fears for ancient waterways in British countryside .
Trains are incredibly noisy, sparking fears for canal wildlife . |
256,233 | d7ab6a7ded8ad911cd41cbe01fdfc2eccec9b564 | Stretching across five terraced houses and using more than 15,000 bulbs, this is the Frozen-inspired Christmas lights display which drew a crowd so large for the switch on police had to close the road. The display, inspired by the Disney smash-hit movie was set up by father-of-five Andy McNab, who installed the lights outside his home in Dagenham, Essex. It took the 47-year-old a month to put up the display, which boast of 15,000 bulbs and stretches across the row of houses. Scroll down for video . The Frozen themed display, set up by Andy McNab outside his home in Dagenham in Essex which stretches across five houses . It took Mr McNab a month to set up the display and install the lights which boasts more than 15,000 bulbs . An aerial shot of the row of houses in Dagenham showing the Christmas lights display taken by the Metropolitan Police helicopter . But despite the lights paying tribute to the film, which tells the story of Princess Elsa, Mr McNab admits he has never actually seen the highly successful and popular children's movie. On Monday night, Mr McNab held the big switch on for the display in the Dagenham street, which saw more than 1,500 people turn up. The crowds were so large that police were even called in to close the road and direct traffic. The lights are switched on daily as soon as it gets dark and go off around 11pm but Mr McNab says that they 'still get cars turning up at midnight'. The grandfather was encouraged by family and friends to bring back the annual charity light displays that he created to amuse his children when they were younger - but on a much grander scale. He said: 'I was just talking, as you do, and people kept saying "why don't you do it" and now that I've got the grandchildren I thought that I might as well. The display has been inspired by the smash hit Disney movie Frozen, but Mr McNab admits he has never actually seen the highly successful children's film . On Monday night, the display had its official switch on and drew crowds of more than 1,500 people, which meant police had to close the road outside . Mr McNab pictured with his wife Lesley outside their home. The couple usually start planning their Christmas lights displays in August but this year did it all in a month . Mr McNab's family, pictured, urged him to put up the lights after he created annual charity displays when his children were younger . 'It was just one of those funny things where I thought it was about time. 'Now we have people turning up with their kids saying that they remember that they used come with their parents.' But Mr McNab and his wife, Lesley, didn't give themselves much time to get their display up and running. He admiited: 'In previous years we have started at the end of August or the beginning of September but we first discussed it at Halloween and only had about a month to get it sorted. The Dagenham display was based on the hit Disney film Frozen, which tells the story of Princess Elsa, pictured . 'But it has ended up being the biggest display that we've done yet.' Mr McNab has been backed by Barking Fire Station as they try to generate cash for the Children's Burns Club at Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford. Visitors to the display are being urged to make donations or buy raffle tickets for a chance to win one of a range of prizes donated by local businesses. | Andy McNab set up the display outside his home in Dagenham in Essex .
Lights stretch across five terraced houses and pay homage to film Frozen .
More than 15,000 bulbs have been used and took a month to put up .
The 47-year-old was urged to set up the display by his friends and family .
But despite the theme the father-of-five admits he's never seen the film .
On Monday the lights were officially switched on attracting 1,500 people .
Police had to be called and closed the road as the crowds were so large . |
277,925 | f40ba24f62b86e0fbf80bbca687c2ad7d0c09c43 | Chris Ramsey is now the leading candidate to take the Queens Park Rangers manager's job until the end of the season. Senior figures within the Rangers dressing room believe the caretaker boss will be handed the role. The move to install Ramsey is yet to be finalised but the club are moving in that direction. Chris Ramsey is now the leading candidate to take the QPR manager's job until the end of the season . Ramsey and Kevin Bond took charge for the 2-0 defeat of Sunderland in their previous outing . The QPR players have been impressed with the quality of Ramsey's training sessions . Sportsmail revealed on Wednesday that Ramsey had significant backing from senior QPR players. Chairman Tony Fernandes is due to jet in to London next week and he will be greeted by glowing references from players, who would now like to see Ramsey - alongside coach Kevin Bond - put in permanent control until at least the end of the season. Players have been thoroughly impressed by Ramsey's coaching sessions since he assumed control of first team matters last Tuesday. The quality of his coaching has been compared to that of Steve McClaren - who is widely recognised as one of England's best coaches. McClaren spent a spell at Loftus Road under Redknapp last season. Whether a team of Ramsey and Bond - with Les Ferdinand as director of football - is the 'dream' appointment Fernandes alluded to on Twitter remains to be seen. But Ramsey now looks to have manoeuvred himself into position to become the next QPR manager. QPR midfielder Sandro tackles Shaun Maloney of Chicago Fire during a friendly match on Thursday . Former Lyon, West Ham and Marseille midfielder Alou Diarra dribbles away from Adel Taarabt . Mauro Zarate dribbles with the ball while being hounded by Chicago Fire players . Former France international Diarra tries to block a pass made by Taarabt on Thursday . Full back Armand Traore wins a header while being chased by Lovel Palmer . Quincy Amarikwa of Chicago Fire rounds the keeper to make it 1-0 to the MLS side . Amarikwa celebrates the goal with his team-mates on Thursday afternoon . Matthew Watson of Chicago Fire tries to tackle Chilean forward Eduardo Vargas . QPR's Michael Petrasso attempts to evade the challenge of Watson . | Chris Ramsey is the leading candidate for the QPR manager's position .
The players would like Ramsey to take charge for the rest of the season .
Players have been impressed with the quality of his coaching sessions . |
90,828 | 00ce071198313a8b59747b8c3983c335253565d8 | By . James Nye . The body of tragic fashion designer L'Wren Scott was taken from a Manhattan funeral home on Sunday morning and flown to Los Angeles - where boyfriend Mick Jagger is making arrangements for her burial. Staff at Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on 81st Street and Madison Avenue took out the dark wooden coffin containing Scott at around 10am for her journey to Los Angeles. They carefully placed the coffin into the hearse along with a shipping box for its transfer to the Hollywood Forever Funeral Home and Cemetery - where actors such as Rudolph Valentino and Estelle Getty were buried. Scroll Down for Video . Solemn: The casket reportedly carrying the body of L'Wren Scott was moved from a New York City funeral home on Sunday morning to Los Angeles . The body of Scott has been at the Upper East Side funeral home since Wednesday - following her suicide on Monday morning. Tragic duty: Karis Jagger visits a Los Angeles mortuary to make arrangements for L'Wren Scott's funeral. Mick Jagger's eldest daughter was seen talking with staff at the mortuary as she toured their grounds . Scott, 49, who dated the Rolling Stones lead singer for around 13-years, took her own life inside her Chelsea apartment after her business had fallen $6 million in debt. Jagger, 70, was preparing to tour Australia when he heard the news and has been in Los Angeles with his family since Thursday with his children - including eldest daughter Karis - his daughter with model Marsha Hunt. Together the two have visited four memorial parks in Hollywood looking for a plot of land for Scott.The news comes after jewellery designer Jade Jagger arrived in the Californian city to be with her distraught father. The pregnant 42-year-old was spotted at London's Heathrow airport on Saturday making her way to the States to comfort Mick Jagger ahead of Scott's as yet-unscheduled funeral. The Rolling Stones frontman is believed to be staying at the house of his eldest daughter Karis, alongside three of his other children - Lizzie, Georgia May and James - who have rallied around comforting him. Jade, who is currently seven months pregnant, appeared to be showing the strain of the difficult past couple of weeks. The jewellery designer was joined by her husband Adrian Fillary, who carefully pushed all their luggage through the airport - and by the looks of the amount they have - they are planning an extended stay. Support: Jade Jagger and her husband Adrian Filliary were seen leaving London on Saturday to fly to Los Angeles . Watch Video Here: . Mick, 70, landed in LA last week after the Rolling Stones cancelled their planned Australian and New Zealand concerts following L'Wren Scott's death. He is believed to be be staying at eldest daughter Karis' house as he plans the Los Angeles funeral for his fashion designer girlfriend. Moving: A coffin carrying the body of L'Wren Scott, pictured, was reportedly moved Sunday from a Manhattan funeral home to be flown to Los Angeles . Jagger's eldest daughter Karis, 43, lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children, and her house is reportedly being used as the home base as she and her halfsisters have gathered there to comfort their father. Karis, who graduated from Yale in 1992, was raised early on by her mother, model Marsha Hunt who battled with Jagger until he admitted his paternity when Karis was 12-years-old. The pair have since built their relationship, particularly given his choice to take solace in her home. Jagger was in Perth on Monday night when news broke of his longtime partner's suicide in New York. His daughters Georgia May and Elizabeth- sisters whose mother is Mick's second wife Jerry Hall- flew to be with him immediately and accompanied him to California. The Rolling Stones plane refueled in Los Angeles before carrying on to England, but when it touched down in the U.K., Keith Richards was the only main band member on board. Jagger's spokesman has since confirmed that the rocker has stayed in California and now has most of his children- Karis, Jade, Elizabeth, Georgia May, and James- by his side. (The only ones absent are his youngest sons Gabriel and Lucas, who are 16 and 14 respectively. Watch Video Here: . Together: Karis, 43, is a Yale-educated mother of two and grew close to her father after he admitted paternity following a lengthy back-and-forth with her mother Marsha Hunt . The latest twist in the saga surrounding Scott's sudden suicide comes as her brother has reportedly agreed to allow Jagger to plan a West Coast funeral for her. The couple began dating in 2001 after meeting when she was a stylist on a photo shoot featuring the rock superstar. At the time, Scott had been living in Los Angeles and she maintained a home there in the Hollywood Hills neighborhood until 2009 when she sold the three-bedroom home for $860,000. 'I can’t help thinking, now, that a huge part of L’Wren’s spirit, what gave her grit and endurance, remained in the West. And without it, maybe she was maybe was a little lost, a little less sure of herself,' Scott's good friend Cathy Horyn, The New York Times fashion critic, wrote in a moving tribute to the designer. She went on to recall how Scott would host dinners at the house, including a memorable outdoor Thanksgiving dinner with a number of Jagger's bandmates and their significant others in the home's walled garden. Family: L'Wren (center left) had become close with Jagger's daughters from previous relationships, including Jade (left) and Georgia May (center right) whose mothers are his first and second wives respectively . Glamor couple: Scott was a well-known designer . in her own right but had become more famous name since she took her . relationship with Jagger public (seen together at the Met Costume ball . in 2012 at left and in 2011 at right) Heartbroken: Jagger, 70, is said to be torn apart over the 'tragic' death of his longtime partner, 49 (pictured together in December 2012) Scott's body was found in her Manhattan apartment on Monday morning by an assistant who had reportedly been told to come over by Scott via text just moments before she killed herself. Some close friends of the designer- including actress Ellen Barkin- went to the apartment and reportedly spent time with the body before the medical examiner removed it from the apartment. Though spokesmen had confirmed the suicide hours after the body was found, the medical examiner ruled it as such on Wednesday. Her body was claimed on Thursday but the medical examiner could not release the name of the individual who arranged the transfer to the Frank E. Campbell funeral home on the Upper East Side. The funeral home, which regularly handles high-profile deaths like that of Jackie Kennedy and more recently Phillip Seymour Hoffman, is now reportedly coordinating a transfer of her body from New York to California after The New York Post revealed that her brother Randall Bambrough agreed to Jagger's wishes. | Employees at the Frank E. Campbell Funeral Chapel on 81st Street and Madison Avenue placed a dark coffin into a hearse around 10 a.m. Sunday .
Mick Jagger's children have traveled to LA to comfort him as he makes funeral arrangements for his longtime partner L'Wren Scott .
His daughter Karis was photographed looking for plots for the tragic designer .
The body is reportedly being taken to the Hollywood Forever Funeral Home and Cemetery, where Scott is expected to be laid to rest .
The fashion designer committed suicide last Monday at her New York apartment .
Devastated Rolling Stone is planning a small funeral in the next few days . |
205,149 | 958d6db8b3379263fd0b370a0a3772b0d73519bb | Lauren Silverman, the married New York socialite expecting Simon Cowell's baby, had to wait over a year and a half to divorce her husband, sources say. According to a report in The New York Post, Silverman, 36, was holding off on breaking the news about her affair with Cowell until the 10-year mark in her marriage so the terms of her pre-nup would kick in - awarding her $3 or $4 million. 'This is just another example of her going for the money,' a source from Andrew's camp told the Post. Didn't trick him: Sources say Lauren Silverman was told by doctors that she couldn't get pregnant . Long affair: Silverman has been secretly dating Cowell since the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012, but had to wait to break the news so she could get her pre-nup payout . Friends of the Silvermans told MailOnline that waiting until the decade mark before divorcing was 'more lucrative' for Lauren. They also said that Andrew's parents didn't attend their wedding because 'they did not approve of the relationship, they didn't have a good feeling about her and the relationship.' The friends also said they were 'aware of the rumors of other conquests by Lauren.' The Silvermans plan to make their split official early this week. Payout: Friends of the Silvermans said it was more lucrative for Lauren, pictured shopping in the Hamptons, in New York, on Sunday, if she divorced her husband after a decade of marriage . Scrutiny: Silverman wore sunglasses while shopping after it emerged she is pregnant with Cowell's baby . Yesterday, Silverman looked despondent today as she took a break from the crisis talks with her husband to buy some toys for her son. Mrs Silverman, who is pregnant with Simon Cowell's baby, put her hands on the counter of the toy store and stared into space - looking like she had a weight on her shoulders. Her stare was only broken when she saw her son Adam, seven, come to her side and she broke into a smile and stared at him. Despondent: The custody battle over son Adam seems to be taking it's toll on Lauren Silverman - the married socialite expecting Simon Cowell's baby . Lauren had taken Adam away from her $4million home in Bridgehampton, New York as a break from crisis talks with her husband Andrew on her affair with Cowell. They left around 10am in a Range Rover being driven by her handler and drove for five minutes to a nearby shopping center where they went into a shop called Second Star Toys. Lauren browsed for a few minutes before taking a large box of Legos to the counter. Putting on a happy face: Silverman purchased some Legos for her son Adam . She could be heard apologizing to staff for all the attention she was getting and was led out the back door where the Range Rover was waiting. Lauren was dressed casually in a loose fitting white shirt with a red pattern on it, dark-colored shorts and tan gladiator sandals. So much for a vacation: Silverman looked tired and distant as she shopped the Hamptons toy store . A woman who works at Second Star Toys declined to comment after she had left. While Lauren was out Andrew drove off at speed from their home in his Mercedes Gullwing sports car. He declined to comment. Retail therapy: Lauren Silverman takes her young son toy shopping at Bridgehampton shopping center. Silverman came out of her home as she deals with pregnancy to Simon to Simon Cowell of TV's X-Factor. Clearing his head: Husband Andrew Silverman was spotted yesterday zooming off their Bridgehampton property . Coming home: Andrew Silverman spotted arriving back at his house in Bridgehampton, New York Friday . Snapshot: A picture posted online by Lauren Silverman of herself in a bikini, snuggling with Simon Cowell on his yacht during a holiday . Happy days: Cowell and Silverman vacationing in France last August . | Silverman started dating Simon Cowell at the end of 2011 or beginning of 2012 .
Sources said she waited over a year to break up with husband Andrew .
Her prenuptial agreement gives her $3 or $4million after a decade . |
22,398 | 3f9a8410859aa332b02873bb71dc540909e0deb3 | By . Robin Yapp . PUBLISHED: . 19:43 EST, 16 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:09 EST, 17 December 2013 . Most people would rather tell a lie or do a bad deed if asked than face the social discomfort of saying no, according to a new study. Researchers said we tend to underestimate the extent to which we can all 'influence someone else's ethical behaviour'. People urged to tell lies or commit minor acts of vandalism were much more likely to do as asked than those who made the request anticipated, they found. The research echoes Stanley Milgram's classic work, which found many more people than participants anticipated were willing to obey a scientist and administer a deadly electric shock. Milgram is pictured here, second from the right, in the 70s . The Canadian authors of the study, from the University of Waterloo in Ontario, said people may agree to do bad deeds to avoid the awkwardness of refusing. Alternatively, people might choose to see such unethical acts as simply being helpful to others or a way to win popularity. 'Instigators failed to recognise the social pressure they levied on actors through simple unethical suggestions, that is, the discomfort actors would experience by making a decision that was inconsistent with the instigator's suggestion,' they wrote. Lead author Dr Vanessa Bohns and colleagues carried out a series of experiments for the study, published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin. First they asked 52 students to estimate how many people they would have to approach to find three willing to lie by signing a form saying the participant had given them a verbal introduction to a new course. Participants guessed they would need to ask 8.47 people on average before three agreed but it turned out they only needed to ask around half as many - 4.39. More than nine out of ten students overestimated how many people they'd need to ask. The Canadian authors of the study, from the University of Waterloo (pictured) in Ontario, said people may agree to do bad deeds to avoid the awkwardness of refusing . In a second study 25 participants estimated how many people they'd need to ask before three agreed to vandalise a library book by writing the word 'pickle' inside in pen. Participants thought they would have to ask nearly 11 people on average but in fact approaching just 4.7 people on average was sufficient. Two further studies used hundreds of people recruited via Amazon's Mechanical Turk online survey website, asked to imagine they were either the 'actor', the 'instigator', or a neutral party in a range of hypothetical scenarios. They included buying beer for underage children, illegally downloading a film and claiming expenses on personal dinners. People playing the actor said they'd feel a lot more uncomfortable if a friend or colleague nudged them toward behaving unethically, compared with advising them to behave ethically. But those playing the instigator or a neutral party did not anticipate this difference. Researchers said this shows we underestimate people's willingness to comply with unethical requests because we fail to take their perspective. The research echoes Stanley Milgram's classic work, which found many more people than participants anticipated were willing to obey a scientist and administer a deadly electric shock. | Study finds people urged to tell lies are more likely to do so than thought .
Authors said people may agree to avoid awkwardness of refusing .
The research was carried out by the University of Waterloo in Ontario . |
58,567 | a61eafb2c5018b8134ecac7016cf88b6c857883f | Police have formed an unprecedented ring of steel around the Middleton's £5million country mansion to protect Prince George and his parents from intruders. Officers on horseback and a helicopter with heat-seeking technology on board have been patrolling the perimeter around the 18-acre Bucklebury Manor estate in Berkshire, where the royal trio stayed last night. The local council imposed no-stopping regulations on roads near the Georgian home where a team of armed royal guards, who accompany Kate and William everywhere, are also stationed. Scroll down for video . Back again: The couple spent a week at Bucklebury Manor shortly before Kate returned to London to give birth, and the Cambridges were back last night surrounded by police . Ring of steel: A police van parked on Pease Hill near Bucklebury Manor, which had its perimeter patrolled by police on the ground and in the air . Operation: Police on horseback kept watch around Bucklebury Manor while officers also stood guard and prevented cars stopping on surrounding roads as they protect the baby and his parents . Grand: The Manor House owned by Carole and Michael Middleton has 18-acres, and has the two-day-old future king inside today . Experts say that the security detail is much larger than when Kate and William visited before the birth because of the precious prince now inside. It is likely to be because royal children have been targets in the past. In the weeks after Prince William was born in June 1982, Michael Fagan forced his way into Buckingham Palace and then broke into the Queen's bedroom. Eight years earlier, Princess Anne avoided a kidnap attempt by a mentally ill man who shot four people on Pall Mall in the process. 'What you need is a combination of technical and human resources, and the police have done that by deploying people on the ground and a helicopter overhead,' former head of royal protection Dai Davies told the Daily Telegraph. 'The heightened security around the royal baby might seem excessive, but if an incident did happen heads would roll. In that sense the police are damned if they do and damned if they don't'. Very happy: Kate and William both smiled and waved to crowds outside the gates, but Kensington Palace would not reveal where they were heading . Visit to the in-laws: But the couple arrived in Bucklebury about an hour later to stay with the Middletons . The police cove on the ground and in the air would be to spot foreign photographers or criminals trying to get close to George. It has been estimated that the current security measures will cost £5,000 a day for police patrols and £900 an hour for the helicopter above. Their were clear hints that Kate and . William were off to Bucklebury last night after the heightened police . presence arrived yesterday lunchtime. Shortly afterwards, less than 24 hours after returning to . Kensington Palace from hospital with their baby son, the Duke and . Duchess of Cambridge headed to stay with Carole and Michael. Special moment: Prince William and Kate waved and smiled broadly as they carried their son George out of hospital for the first time . Happy: Carole Middleton and Michael Middleton leave The Lindo Wing after visiting The Duchess Of Cambridge and her newborn son, and now they have them staying with them . The new parents . drove away in a Range Rover at 1pm yesterday, with Prince George . strapped safely in the back. Earlier he had been visited by his . great-grandmother, the Queen, and uncle, Prince Harry. An . hour or so later the family arrived at the £4.8million Georgian mansion . recently bought by Kate’s parents in the leafy village of Bucklebury. Friends say Carole Middleton has been busy redecorating a . ‘nursery-style’ room for her first grandchild. Yellow . police cones with a 'no waiting' symbols lined both sides of the road . every few yards for around a mile either side of the majesticmanor. A . bright yellow sign stuck to a road sign confirmed an 'emergency' three-week bylaw prohibited any form of waiting in the road while a pair . of police officers stood at both entrances to the Grade II listed . Georgian pile, while marked police cars swept past the entrances every . couple of minutes. A . large police horsebox marked 'Mounted section' arrived in the . picturesque village at lunchtime and a small marquee surrounded by . marked and unmarked police cars was visible in a nearby field. It . was not possible to tell whether the Duchess' parents or her siblings, . Pippa and James, were at the vast estate, set in 18 acres of land and . boasting its own tennis court, swimming pool and library. Palace . officials refused to comment on the couple’s move, saying they were . keen to enjoy some ‘private time together, like any new family’. They . added: ‘They just want to get to know their son.’ | Police patrolling 18-acre Bucklebury Manor on foot, horseback and by air .
Experts say security significantly higher since Prince George's birth .
Royal babies have been targets by kidnappers and attackers in the past .
Kate, William and George stayed with Carole and Michael last night . |
595 | 01bafadfdbe1b9c77619564e49788166f33ed717 | Sergeant Blackman is said to have been devastated by the death of his wheelchair-bound father shortly before the tour of Afghanistan that was to end in shame. Brian Blackman, 73, was suffering from Parkinson’s disease and died in January 2011. A friend said it had a huge impact on his son, who tragically had been caught in traffic and unable make it to his father’s bedside to be with him as he died. It was against this emotional backdrop of regret and grief that the commando deployed to Afghanistan. Those close to him believe this played a part in the ‘moment of madness’ that ended in the execution of a Taliban fighter – and murder conviction more than two years later. Scroll down for video . Emotional: Alexander Blackman with his wheelchair-bound father Brian who died shortly before his tour of duty . Footage: The incident in which Blackman killed a Taliban militant was caught on camera by another Marine . Ironically, Blackman was a model soldier, a war hero with an exceptional record who had served in a number of conflicts. He proved his courage on six gruelling tours of duty in Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. And in 2001 he was part of the hunt for Bin Laden. He was among Marines flown in to help Special Forces as they fought Al Qaeda gunmen in Bora Bora. Blackman’s closest brush with death came on his tour to Iraq, when he miraculously survived being hit by a grenade during the assault on Basra. Identified: Sergeant Alexander Blackman has been revealed as the Royal Marine who was last month convicted a murdering an Afghan insurgent . Fighting had been intense, with an . officer describing the area as a scene from Dante’s Inferno. While . leading the assault on Basra, Iraq’s second city in a military vehicle, . his rucksack containing ammunition, water and rations was hit by the . warhead of a rocket propelled grenade in an ambush on his vehicle. Marines dived for cover as bullets and RPGs raining down on them, and one rocket smashed into his kit bag diverting it just past his head while bullets burst around them. After the attack, his fellow commandos could not believe that Blackman had not been killed. Despite the difficult campaign – which saw Marines locked in some of the fiercest fighting experienced by British forces – his combat report is said to have been ‘exemplary’ and he was recommended for promotion. His family in Brighton – his father, a former porter and lorry driver, his mother Frances, 74, a former hairdresser, brother and two sisters knew his love of the Marines and the lifestyle they offered. Blackman, a keen cyclist, runner and golfer, excelled while studying sports and physical education at Lewes Tertiary College in East Sussex. He had ambitions of representing Great Britain at canoeing until, aged 17, he was knocked down by a car while cycling. Desperate to challenge himself, he enlisted in the Royal Marines in 1998, passing the arduous tests with flying colours. Tours of Northern Ireland were followed by training in the US and Oman, and in November 2007 he deployed to southern Afghanistan. After returning from that tour he married Claire Warner, 38, an assistant director of operations with the National Trust in Somerset and Gloucestershire, and they settled in Taunton. Incident: The footage filmed by Marine B's helmet camera formed part of the court martial hearing . Revealed: Footage of the incident with Blackman's face uncensored has just been released for the first time . Highly regarded by senior officers, . Blackman had joined 42 Commando and J [Juliet] Company, known for its . discipline, fortitude and bravery – and members were tested to the full . during their six-month spring tour in spring 2011. He had previously seen some action in Afghanistan during the quieter winter months. But this deployment – later named the ‘Tour from hell’ by his colleagues – them attacked almost daily. Despite this hostility, the imposing 6ft 3in Blackman was credited with fostering ‘hearts and minds’ of the local population and helping oversee projects such as the building of a school. But the gruelling impact of losing friends and colleagues was to take its toll. During the proceedings leading up to his conviction for murder, Blackman said around 20 of his friends had been killed or maimed during the tour, including a popular young officer and a marine who had previously won a Military Cross for courage under fire. Film: The Marine could be heard quoting Shakespeare as he shot the Taliban prisoner . Trauma: Friends of Blackman have blamed the incident on the horrors he experienced while on duty . He said other comrades had suffered ‘life-changing’ injuries and described the effect the deaths had on commandos after the body parts of friends were hung in trees by insurgents. ‘It’s not a nice thing for the lads,’ he said. ‘Close friends they have lived with have been killed and parts of their bodies are displayed as a kind of trophy for the world to see.’ The Marines returned home as heroes, with Blackman earmarked for promotion to Colour Sergeant. It would have remained that way had a commando not been arrested by civilian police more than a year later and chilling head camera footage of the Helmand execution discovered on his laptop. | Brian Blackman, 73, was suffering from Parkinson’s disease .
He died in January 2011 just before the marine left on tour of duty .
Sergeant Blackman was unable to make it to his bedside when he died .
Friends believe it played a part in the 'moment of madness' that ended in the execution of a Taliban fighter . |
204 | 00a340f3a884fcbdad7c0399782d9ca9d2d68ef7 | Jailed: Joshua Sadler, 21, was sentenced to 12 months after admitting dangerous driving . The mother of a teenager who was killed when a friend crashed his car just four days after passing his test has spoken of her shock after the driver was jailed for only 12 months. Joshua Sadler, 21, lost control of his silver Renault Clio on a 60mph country road and smashed into a tree, killing front seat passenger Mikey Maguire, 19. Sadler had previously been convicted of a . string of serious motoring offences and twice banned from the road . before he even had a licence. He was seen on the night of the fatal crash performing handbrake turns and showing off in a car park. Sadler . pleaded guilty to causing death by careless driving and was sentenced . to 12 months in jail and banned him from driving for five years. Afterwards Mr Maguire’s mother Allison Jarman, 43, described the sentence as an ‘insult’. She said: 'When I was in court my head was in my hands and at one point I couldn’t even listen to what was happening. 'I . expected the sentence to be low because I have been doing a lot of . research online but when I heard it was 12 months it felt like a slap in . the face. 'Nothing can . bring Mikey back but 12 months for my son’s life is shocking. I was . absolutely speechless, he will be out in three months. 'Mikey and Joshua had known each other for years but I was under the impression that they weren’t close any more. 'He . had always been a bit of a troublemaker and had previous convictions . for driving offences. I always said he would end up hurting someone one . day, I just didn’t expect it to be my son.' The fatal crash happened on Huntick Road, Lytchett Matravers, near Poole, Dorset, on February 8 last year. Sadler, from Poole, lost control of his . car on a bend before it ploughed down a grass bank and struck the tree. Mr Maguire was pronounced dead at the scene. Victim: Mikey Maguire pictured on on holiday with his mother Allison, who described the sentence as an 'insult' to her son's memory . Sadler had previously been disqualified from driving after being convicted of two counts of aggravated vehicle taking. He appeared in court for one of the counts and driving without a licence and insurance in July 2010. In both incidents he lost control and caused more than £5,000 damage to one of the vehicles. Les Smith, defending, read out a statement from Sadler to Bournemouth Crown Court in which he expressed ‘regret and sorrow’ for the Mr Maguire’s death. He added: 'The incident haunts me every day and will do for the rest of my life. Nothing that is said or done to me can make me feel any worse.' As well as being jailed Sadler was disqualified from driving for five years and ordered to take an extended test at the end of the ban. | Joshua Sadler, 21, lost control on 60mph country road and hit a tree .
Front seat passenger Mikey Maguire, 19, was killed in the crash .
Sadler had previous convictions for a .
string of serious motoring offences .
He was twice banned from the road .
before he even had a licence .
Seen on night of the fatal crash performing handbrake turns in a car park .
Victim's mother described 12 month sentence as an 'insult' to her son's life . |
250,473 | d028f26175ee574d16de49c09be17162d0af13c5 | Facebook users are quitting the social network in droves due to privacy concerns and fear of internet addiction, according to new research. Increasing numbers are taking part in what's been dubbed 'virtual identity suicide' and deleting their accounts. Analysis of more than 600 people, by researchers from the University of Vienna, found that data protection issues and social pressure to add friends were also among the reasons for leaving. Others quoted shallow conversations, general dissatisfaction and loss of interest in the site. Facebook users are quitting the social network in droves due to privacy concerns and fear of internet addiction, according to research from Vienna University. Analysis of more than 600 people found that data protection issues and social pressure to add friends were also among the reasons for leaving . Privacy concerns: 48.3 per cent . General . dissatisfaction: 13.5 per cent . Shallow conversations: 12.6 per cent . Fear of becoming addicted: 6 per cent . More than half of residents in Canada, UK, Ireland, U.S, Australia and New Zealand use Facebook. Ireland has the most with 63 per cent, followed by Australia on 61 per cent. New Zealand has 58 per cent of people on the social network site, while the UK has 55 per cent and the U.S has 47 per cent. Facebook . in Ireland has 2.25 million monthly users. A third of Irish Facebook . users want less photos and more status updates and get annoyed by images . of their friends' children. Two in five Irish adults admitted to lying on Facebook. Source: Statcounters/Eircom B&A Survey 2013 . Earlier this year, reports suggested that Facebook lost nine million active monthly users in the U.S and two million in Britain. These figures originated from research carried out by SocialBakers in April. The figures come straight from Facebook's API, but is not the same as Facebook losing user numbers, for example. Monthly active users are the number of people who log into their account over a 30-day period. SocialBakers saw a drop in this figure prior to the report in April. However, only because a person doesn't log on for 30 days does not mean they have left the site entirely - which is where the distinction lies. That said, psychologist Stefan Stieger from the university recorded each of the 600 participants' responses to assessment measures based on their level of concern over various issues. Those who stopped using social media were more concerned about privacy, had higher addiction scores and tended to be more conscientious. Professor Stieger said: 'It could be possible that personality traits influence the likelihood of quitting one's Facebook account indirectly via privacy concerns and Internet addiction. 'In this case, the concern about . one's privacy and Internet addiction propensity would not be directly in . charge for quitting one's Facebook account, but would function as . mediators of the underlying personality traits. Quitters were older, on average, and more likely to be male. Reasons for quitting Facebook were mainly privacy concerns at 48.3 per cent, general dissatisfaction at 13.5 per cent, negative aspects of online friends, 12.6 per cent, and fear of getting addicted at 6 per cent . Compared to the sample of those who continued to use Facebook, the quitters were older, on average, and more likely to be male. Reasons for quitting Facebook were mainly privacy concerns (48.3 per cent), followed by a general dissatisfaction (13.5 per cent), negative aspects of online friends (12.6 per cent) and the feeling of getting addicted (6.0 per cent). Brenda Wiederhold, editor of the journal Cyberpsychology, Behaviour and Social Networking which published the findings, said: 'Given high profile stories such as WikiLeaks and the recent NSA surveillance reports, individual citizens are becoming increasingly more wary of cyber-related privacy concerns. 'With photo tags, profiling, and internet dependency issues, research such as Professor Stieger's is very timely.' According to journalist Sarah Kessler from FastCompany, leaving Facebook can be a long-winded and difficult process. After struggling to find the Delete Account option, which she eventually found by searching Google, she was met with photos of a selection of her Facebook friends with an automated message about how much they'd miss her if she left. She was then asked to tell Facebook the reasons why she was leaving, which she said was due to privacy concerns, before Facebook tried to persuade her to stay by explaining more about how the site handles private data. Facebook warned her that by deleting her account she'd lose all of her photos and posts, before trying to convince her to stay by telling her she could deactivate her account for as long as she liked, and then just login to reactivate. By deactivating, everything on her profile would stay where it is but would become hidden in case she wanted to return to the site. 'Facebook’s hard sell did not stop me from deactivating my account. But three days later, when I wanted to get in touch with an old friend, I reactivated my account like an ex-girlfriend who can't quite commit to a breakup--just as Facebook had designed,' said Kessler. Kessler claims that Facebook uses four persuasion techniques to make people stay and these include making it complicated, giving people the option to take a break rather than delete it completely, tapping in to personal friendships and connections and trying to solve any problems the user has. | Report suggests Facebook recently lost active users in the U.S and UK .
The majority of people quitting the site blamed concerns over privacy .
Other reasons included fear of addiction, and shallow conversations . |
28,348 | 506c8f67cfa804114e105f247eb9da69334e856f | (CNN) -- French club Monaco have served further notice of their intent to challenge at the top of world football by completing the signing of Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao. The five-year deal for the Colombian, who has found the net 28 times for Spanish Cup winners Atletico in the league this season, is the latest in a series of high-profile acquisitions by the newly promoted principality club. The transfer fee wasn't disclosed by Monaco, but it was reported to be almost $80 million. "I'm very happy to join AS Monaco and very happy to wear these new colors," Falcao said in a video message on Monaco's Web site. Earlier this month Monaco's owner Dmitry Rybolovlev -- worth $9.1 billion, according to Forbes -- funded the transfers of Porto pair Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez for $90 million. When Rybolovlev acquired a majority stake in the club in December 2011, Monaco were bottom of the French second tier. Italian coach Claudio Ranieri guided the team to the Ligue 2 title and will be expected to lead his expensively assembled squad towards the upper echelons of French football and, ultimately, into continental competition. "We are absolutely delighted that Radamel Falcao has accepted the challenge of coming to play for AS Monaco FC," Rybolovlev told the club's Web site. "We are proud to have secured one of the best players in the world and confident that he will help ASMFC regain its rightful status." The signing of Falcao is a major coup for the seven-time French champions. The 27-year-old arrived in European football from Argentina's River Plate in 2009 and went on to score 41 goals in 51 games for Porto as the Portuguese team won the Europa League. The Santa Marta-born forward moved to the Spanish capital in 2011 and his goals helped Atletico clinch the Europa League crown in 2012. Falcao's stock rose considerably after he scored a hat-trick against Champions League winners Chelsea in the 2012 European Super Cup, played at Monaco's Stade Louis II Stadium. He had been linked with a switch to Atletico's city rivals Real Madrid as well as a host of other illustrious European clubs. Falcao's status for Atletico's final game of the season, at Zaragoza on Saturday, wasn't known. | Radamel Falcao signs for Monaco after he was linked with, among others, Real Madrid .
Falcao has scored 28 goals this season, helping Atletico win the Spanish Cup .
Earlier in May, Monaco signed Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez for $100 million . |
168,674 | 6630d17a3000aa0b2e6627108f4c63a4d0dfb2ff | A deaf quadriplegic blogger who won the hearts of thousands with touching internet posts before his sister announced he had died from pneumonia has been exposed as a fraud. 'David Rose', a 24-year-old cerebral palsy sufferer, garnered legions of fans with his witty tweets and Facebook posts, which he said he typed using a Tobii computer that tracked his eye movement using infrared light. After his story gained national coverage, Rose's sister 'Nichole' revealed online on October 11 that he had passed away, leading to an outpouring of grief and sympathy from across the internet. But now a fellow blogger, who carried out web investigations after becoming suspicious of Rose, has exposed him as a fake, revealing just how he spun an intricate web of lies that fooled so many. Lies: A deaf paraplegic blogger named David Rose has been revealed as a fake after a fellow blogger grew suspicious of his claims. 'Rose' had used this picture on social networking sites . Ruse: The picture is actually of a man named Hunter Dunn and has appeared in news reports, pictured . After learning of Rose's death and his 'last blog post', published by his sister on Friday, blogger Kristi-Anne began to question the story. Writing a post exposing the fraud, she asked how a paraplegic who could only type four words a minute could keep in such swift and consistent contact with followers online. She also wondered how life must be for someone who was deaf and unable to sign as a result of his cerebral palsy - yet also noted how he described his friends and relationships with such detail. She then found that the photo Rose had been using was actually of Hunter Dunn, another young man with cerebral palsy, whose picture appears on the Tobii site. Kristi-Anne was unable to discover . Dunn's Facebook page, and noted that it was he who deserved the real . praise for being an inspiration man, rather than the fake 'Rose'. She . added that most of Rose's tweets had been sent using TweetDeck, a . social media dashboard where users can view multiple messages at once . and send their own. False: 'Rose' had also uploaded this photo of him using his Tobii computer to type messages with his eyes . Revealed: But the blogger also found that picture was of Hunter Dunn from the computer's website . After sending her findings to theCHIVE, who had followed Rose's 'inspirational' story, they agreed it made no sense that Rose could be using this technology. 'Somebody using a Tobii ocular reader . would never use TweetDeck,' wrote reporter John Resig. 'But somebody posing as . Dave could easily use the Deck.' Resig added on his own post that one of his friends, who had been in close contact with Rose, flew to Los Angeles to attend his funeral after learning about his death. But Nichole Rose made her excuses and . refused to meet the friend. TheCHIVE also discovered there was no death . certificate for Rose. After . Kristi-Anne published her blog post, a blogger immediately commented on . it, admitting that they had carried out the hoax - and lauding its . positive effects. Yet, while . identifying themselves as Nichole, the blogger added that that person . was also a character - and her pictures were of an actress from a music . video. 'No celebrity or . fame was intended in this ruse; it all came quite fast and was a total . surprise,' they wrote. 'Up until recently he only had a handful of . online friends. The quick and furious fame is actually what brought . about the end of it all. New persona: He wrote a blog, tweeted and posted Facebook messages, gathering thousands of fans. He spoke a lot about his sister 'Nichole' - who he now admits is also made up . 'In hindsight it probably would have been better just to shut it all down and have everyone wonder what the hell happened, but the final post was meant to have the effect it did. 'To inspire people to love and live a . better life, and the public knowledge that it came under this false . pretense takes it all away. I hope that people who were moved by it . still live by it, but it seems unlikely. It's possible that more damage . has been done in your reveal than in the original deception.' He added that he was 'just a guy with a twisted psyche who realizes he's caused a lot of damage' but that he would not reveal his identity as he didn't want to ruin his life. TheCHIVE added: 'We've all been victimized by this disturbed individual. 'It . never dawned on us that somebody with such an established internet . footprint would actually be mascarading as a deaf, physically handicap . person. It would seem absurd to believe somebody would go so far as to . fake a death.' Cheated: 'David' regularly posted tweets - both inspiring and witty - that fooled his readers . The revelations come after the fraud, who claimed 'David' lived in a residential home for disabled . people in Orange County, California, posted a 'last blog post' on Friday. 'You are all special. all of you . unique!' it read. 'Love each other and make each other smile. a good . joke is good medicine! make sure everyone around you have a smile ok? 'Always do what is right. always! but . forgive yourself if you forget sometimes. i have to go now. i love you . all. i really do. you are amazing. i will never forget you!" Maintaining the ruse of deafness, he added: 'First of all want to ask if there is sound in heaven. i guess there is but not sure if i want it! Fans: Twitter users sent kind messages to 'Dave' as they were deceived into thinking he was real . Reality: The blogger, who has not been identified, stole the pictures of a man named Hunter Dunn (front) 'Here on earth i been happy to be . deaf and nobody seem to be very good at describe what is sound, so i . have not miss it. but i guess if that part of the deal then i have to . take what i get!' Upon learning of David's death saddened followers of his social media postings wrote heartfelt tributes to him. 'Goodnight Dave and thank you so much for just being you brother,' commented on Twitter user under the handle @AlbusQ. 'In honor of David Rose, Am going to follow his advice and reach out to someone I haven't in awhile,' wrote @juanmagdaraog. Many . others posted messages with the words 'RIP' and 'goodnight', while the . Chive's editor Mac Faulkner wrote: 'We lost a good man today. @daveonwheels you inspired a lot of people and your incredible . personality will live on forever.' | 'David Rose' won legions of fans thanks to witty Facebook posts but his sister announced last week that he had died of pneumonia .
Suspicious blogger found 'David' had stolen pictures of another paraplegic .
No death certificate and family members refused to meet fans .
Unidentified blogger admitted to the ruse and said he was 'just a guy with a twisted psyche' but insisted it had helped people . |
266,476 | e525c2f2b98722eaa094cf6d243be2ed8f8c4858 | From the horrors of the Blitz to kamikaze attacks in the Pacific, World War II inflicted terrible suffering on troops and civilians alike. But as these photos reveal, soldiers fighting the war, whether in the Far East or Europe, did enjoy some more light-hearted moments. Hidden away in the attics of former servicemen for more than 60 years, the pictures, which show soldiers from the UK, Australia and the USA among others, shed fresh light on the friendships fostered between the men who fought. Enjoying themselves: A group of soldiers indulge in an al fresco (and au naturel) dip on a day off . Multi-tasking: A trio of British soldiers enjoy a convivial chat while cleaning up in a makeshift shower . Scrubbing up: A group of British soldiers enjoy a shower (left) while another takes a snooze (right( . The photos, which appear in a new book, My Buddy: World War II Laid Bare, are drawn from an archive created by Los Angeles based photographer, Michael Stokes, which contains more than 500 images of off-duty World War II soldiers. His extensive collection includes snapshots of soldiers and . sailors from Australia, the UK, France, Italy, Poland, Russia, and the . USA, cavorting on the sand in the South Pacific, shivering in the snow . of Eastern Europe, posing solo in the barracks, and in great happy . groups. Many are barely out of . boyhood, at their physical peak and are responding to the reality of battle by . living each day to the fullest. What's more, as the photographs reveal, 'buddy' relationships enjoyed by troops from all nations were an essential part of life on the front line - and even boosted soldiers' ability to fight. Having a splashing time: A group of solders pose for a photo during a lull in the fighting in the South Pacific . Oooh matron! Soldiers line up for a medical while another horses around and waves his bits at the camera . According to Stokes, commanders encouraged troops to form close relationships with one another, gaining, in the process, an important form of emotional support. Many of these friendships survived the end of the war, with men forging close bonds as they fought - and relaxed - side by side. While some of the more risque photos might come as a shock, they do offer a glimpse of the lighter side of life on the front line. Sadly, for many of the men enjoying a lazy day on the beach or macho fun in the barracks, these would be the last joyful moments of a life about to be cut short. My Buddy: World War II Laid Bare, edited by Dian Hanson, is published by Taschen and costs £44.99 . Relaxed: A group of soldiers let it all hang out as they sunbathe during a break from fighting the Japanese . Going commando: A cheeky soldier drops his pants for a photo while others strip off as they strike camp . Hosed down: A smiling group of sailors get an impromptu bath during a break from fighting . Entertainment: Soldiers form a human chain as they relax on a day off during the war in the South Pacific . | Images drawn from archive owned by photographer Michael Stokes .
Rare photos feature troops from the UK, USA and Australia among others .
Seen cavorting in the sand in the Pacific and relaxing in their bunks . |
77,868 | dcc0d3b0f3d0078ab60b04da0827278fc0cb0069 | (CNN) -- Real Madrid, the kings of Europe, will take on a team living one of the greatest fairytale stories in Bulgarian football history. Ludogorets Razgrad, which clinched its place in the group stage of the Champions League for the first time following a dramatic penalty shootout playoff victory, will travel to the Santiago Bernabeu stadium to face the defending champion. Real, which defeated city rival Atletico 4-1 in Lisbon last year to win "La Decima" -- it's 10th title -- is attempting to become the first team to successfully defend the Champions League. Ludogorets will also face five-time champion Liverpool -- back in the Champions League after a five-year absence -- as well as Swiss side FC Basel in Group A. Ludogorets defeated Romanian side Steaua Bucharest thanks to two penalty saves from stand-in goalkeeper Cosmin Moţi. Moţi , a defender, went in goal for the shootout after goalkeeper Vladislav Stoyanov was sent off with one minute of extra time remaining and made himself a hero. Surprisingly Liverpool have won all three of their European Cup matches against 10-time champion Real and have never even conceded a goal against them. Elsewhere, Bayern Munich will face Manchester City in a repeat of last season's group stage contests. Munich produced a fine performance to win 3-1 in Manchester but was stunned by the English club at the Allianz Arena, losing 3-2 in the return fixture. "We're coming up against familiar teams here," Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer told his club's website. "They're not easy opponents by any means, but we know from last year where we stand and can use that going in." Bayern and City will also have to negotiate tricky ties against Roma and CSKA Moscow if they are to progress. In Group F, Zlatan Ibrahimovic will face two of his former clubs after Paris Saint-Germain was drawn alongside Barcelona and Ajax. PSG, beaten in the round of 16 by Chelsea last season, will also have to take on Cypriot side Apoel Nicosia. "These are games where every team has the right to dream," Barcelona's director of sport, former Spanish international keeper Andoni Zubizarreta, told the club website. "We have our dreams, and they all have their own." It's a case of déjà vu for Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund after the two teams were drawn together for a third consecutive season. Dortmund, which was narrowly beaten by Real Madrid in last year's quarterfinal, triumphed against Arsene Wenger's side in London but was topped at home by "the Gunners." Turkish side Galatasaray, which reached the second round last time around, will also provide a stern test, with Belgian club Anderlecht completing the line-up. Atletico Madrid, which lost last year's final in extra time, will face Italian champion Juventus, Olympiacos and Swedish side Malmo in Group A. Juventus crashed out in the group stage last season. Olympiacos was beaten by Manchester United in the last-16 during the previous edition while Malmo is making its first appearance in the group stage. In Group C, Benfica, which has not won the competition since 1962, takes on Zenit Saint Petersburg, Bayer Leverkusen and Radamel Falcao's Monaco. Chelsea, the 2012 champion, will be confident of making it through Group G after being drawn against Schalke, Sporting Lisbon and Slovenian champion Maribor. Athletic Bilbao's reward for defeating Napoli in the playoff are games against Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk and BATE Borisov. Champions League draw: . Group A: Atletico Madrid, Juventus, Olympiacos, Malmo . Group B: Real Madrid, Basel, Liverpool, Ludogorets . Group C: Benfica, Zenit, Bayer Leverkusen, Monaco . Group D: Arsenal, Borussia Dortmund, Galatasaray, Anderlecht . Group: E: Bayern Munich, Manchester City, CSKA Moscow, Roma . Group F: Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Ajax, APOEL . Group G: Chelsea, Schalke, Sporting, Maribor . Group H: FC Porto, Shakhtar Donetsk, Athletic Bilbao, BATE Borisov . | Reigning champion Real Madrid drawn against newcomer Ludogorets .
Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain paired in Group F .
No team has ever successfully defended Champions League title .
The final will be held in Berlin on June 6, 2015 . |
23,443 | 42987e0c026da251e7da24d38f8244d27d72bf5d | By . Leon Watson for MailOnline . A jealous boyfriend left his girlfriend covered in blood and convinced her top lip had come off when he bit her during a kiss. Rhys Culley, of South Shields, Tyneside, had asked Chanttelle Ward if she loved him before he sank his teeth into her face during the horrific attack. Prosecutors said the 23-year-old had been jealous and insecure about what the 18-year-old could get up to while he was working away when he decided to disfigure her. Jurors at Newcastle Crown Court saw pictures of teeth marks in Miss Ward's upper lip after the attack, during which he smeared her own blood around her face and forced his tongue in her mouth. Chanttelle Ward, 18, was left covered in blood and convinced her top lip had come off when her boyfriend bit her during a kiss . Smirking: Rhys Culley outside Newcastle Crown Court where he was found guilty of wounding with intent . Culley, who had been in a relationship with Miss Ward for more than two years, denied wounding with intent but was found guilty after a trial. He will be sentenced next month and has now been remanded in custody. Greame Cook, defending, applied for the shopfitter's bail to be allowed to continue while he awaits sentence but Miss Recorder Wigin refused. The judge said: 'The sentence will inevitably be custody.' Jurors heard Culley bit down on the victim's lip with the same force that would be needed to bite through a 1cm thick piece of rubber. As well as the gruesome 'very deep' injury to her mouth, Miss Ward had bruising and scratches to her head and body after the attack, which started after a row about Facebook. Chanttelle Ward, who was left disfigured following a horrific attack when her boyfriend Rhys Culley sank his teeth into her face, leaving her convinced he had bitten her upper lip off . Miss Ward told jurors during the trial Culley had tried to kiss her and asked her if she still loved him before the bite. She said: 'He put his whole mouth around my lips and pulled, I thought that my whole lip had come off. There was blood everywhere.' The court heard trouble had flared at Miss Ward's home after a night out, when he chased her from room to room and attacked her. Prosecutor Emma Dowling said Culley kicked and punched Miss Ward, pulled her hair, threw her into furniture and threw things at her before finally launching the frenzied facial attack. The attack happened on February 22 this year, after the young couple had been out at the County Public House in South Shields. Miss Ward suffered not only the injuries to her mouth, but bruising to her arms and body, a scratch to her left breast and bruising of the face and ear . Jurors heard Culley, of South Shields, Tyneside, bit down on the victim's lip with the same force that would be needed to bite through a 1cm thick piece of rubber . They had been celebrating Miss Ward's mother's birthday and at about 10.30pm Miss Ward, the defendant and her aunt Susan Stewart shared a taxi home, dropping her aunt off first. When the defendant and his girlfriend got back to her house, the mood of the night changed. The defendant brought up a conversation that his girlfriend had had with another man on Facebook earlier in the month. The defendant then took Miss Ward's phone off her in a bid to look through her Facebook messages. After Culley had bitten his victim, he 'rubbed his face in hers, smearing the blood across her face and then he stuck his tongue into her mouth . The court heard how when he found that the messages were no longer there he became angry and started to shout at Miss Ward accusing her of having something to hide. At this point, Miss Ward told the court, she realised that something was wrong and that this wasn't a 'normal' argument for the pair, who had been together for almost two and a half years. She became scared and lifted her phone to call the defendant's mother to ask her to come and get him. But Culley is said to have taken the phone from his victim, he also locked the doors so that she couldn't escape. Later, when her phone was left unattended she made an emergency call but Culley again took the phone from her. Miss Dowling said that after Culley had bitten his victim, he 'rubbed his face in hers, smearing the blood across her face and then he stuck his tongue into her mouth'. 'When the police arrived they saw that they both had blood on them and over their faces.' Culley was arrested and Miss Ward was taken to hospital to have her injuries examined. She suffered not only the injuries to her mouth, but bruising to her arms and body, a scratch to her left breast and bruising of the face and ear. During his evidence Culley said he did not mean to harm his 'beautiful' girlfriend, who he knew he was lucky to have. | Rhys Culley sank his teeth into Chanttelle Ward's face during the attack .
He then smeared her own blood and forced his tongue in her mouth .
Culley had been in a relationship with Miss Ward for more than two years .
Culley, 18, denied charge but was found guilty of wounding with intent . |
22,514 | 3fe50f8a7a03e0aece313cebd69583fd43153d01 | (CNN) -- Benjamin Wallen, self-proclaimed biggest fan of HBO's "The Wire," thought it was well worth a $300 flight home to watch the highly anticipated series finale of the acclaimed crime drama with his best friends -- and fellow series diehards -- Sunday night. The finale of "The Wire" has raised intense interest -- all the more so because it's not available on demand. Though the season finale is not scheduled to air nationally until Sunday, HBO has made episodes of the series available through certain cable providers' on-demand feature up to a week before their national air dates. But when Wallen and his friends huddled around the television and switched on the cable box at 12:03 a.m. Monday, their hearts sank: The new episode wasn't listed. They tried an old trick, turning the cable box power switch on and off, hoping the episode would eventually appear. Finally, something did show up -- but not the finale. In the place where the show should have been, Wallen, 24, and his friends found a one-minute preview of the finale that ended simply with a title screen bearing the date "March 10," the day the show will be available on demand. Like thousands of other "Wire" fanatics who had similarly flocked to the presumed early screener Sunday night, the group sat stunned. "It completely killed the whole weekend," Wallen said. "We are diehard fans who have watched it every week -- a week early. We didn't think this week would be any different." The finale of "The Wire" has earned intense interest from fans who have followed the Baltimore-set show zealously since its premiere in 2002. The critically lauded show has never matched the audience of other HBO programs, such as "The Sopranos," but its viewers are a particularly passionate lot, following the show's motley crew of cops, drug dealers, struggling children, politicians and journalists with deeply probing blogs and running commentary. Gallery: Get to know the characters of "The Wire" » . They want to delve deeper into the show's portrayal of what creator David Simon has described as "what it feels like to live in the American city." Monday morning, the official HBO Web site confirmed that the series finale would not be made available early, but would premiere during its regularly scheduled 9 p.m. Sunday time slot. While the decision to not release the show early was a surprise to fans, it was one made back at the beginning of the final season at the urging of Simon, executives at HBO said. HBO vice president Dave Baldwin said that in seasons past, spoilers about season finales and the episodes themselves had leaked onto the Web, so Simon requested a change in the schedule. Baldwin acknowledged that there were many angry fans -- some of whom are calling HBO liars -- but attributed their rancor to their passion for the show. But what could he say? "Forgive us, we thought we were doing the right thing," Baldwin said. "And anything else that a husband would say to his wife [in] begging for forgiveness." The curtain of secrecy around "The Wire" finale is one Simon intends to keep tightly drawn until the show begins Sunday night. Aaron Barnhart, TV critic for The Kansas City Star, found out just how tightly guarded Simon intended to keep it when he posted an entry to his blog about the advance copy of the finale he received. Barnhart told CNN he intended not to spoil the show for fans, only discussing small details of the finale. But what Barnhart thought was a small detail -- the finale's closing song -- turned out to be otherwise for Simon. Less than three hours after the blog entry was posted, Barnhart received a voice mail from someone identifying himself as Simon, imploring him to take the post down, because there is a great deal of anticipation and betting on what the song will be. Barnhart said he had no idea the closing segment was such a big deal, saying it hadn't made a big impact on him in the past, but he realized that doesn't mean it isn't a huge deal to other fans. "I think it is a token of the strong bond that this show has to its small niche of fans," he said. "[Simon] wants to reward the devotion of those fans with a moment like that. He's decided it's important, and the fact that it's not important to me doesn't entitle me to spoil it." While some "Wire" fans who were duped out of an early release ranted on HBO message boards, Facebook and MySpace, Wallen said he and his friends decided to find the positive in it all. "I guess the consolation is that we have five extra days to be excited and talk about the show before it's over," he said. HBO is a division of Time Warner, as is CNN. E-mail to a friend . | "The Wire" has been available on demand, but not Sunday's finale .
Show has a hard-core audience of passionate fans .
HBO show, set in Baltimore, wraps up five-season run Sunday . |
97,721 | 09cce59d7d4018ecbda93ae91caec45b51062f12 | The White House suggested Friday that President Barack Obama was trying to work out his tensions when he played 18 holes of golf on Wednesday – complete with grins and fist-bumps – immediately after delivering a brief but moving speech condemning the gruesome execution of American photojournalist James Foley. And adding to the week of optics problems, Secretary of State John Kerry was spotted sailing off the island of Nantucket while the Pentagon and White House answered tough questions about the Middle East. 'Sports and leisure activities are a good way for release and clearing of the mind for a lot of us,' Deputy White House Press Secretary Eric Schultz told reporters in a makeshift briefing room on Martha's Vineyard, where Obama is on a two-week vacation. But 'I am not going to get into the president's mindset on that,' he added. The president drew fire this week after reacting for just five minutes to Foley's on-camera slaying by Islamist militants linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS), and then gripping his driver for five hours. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Deputy White House Press Secretary Eric Schultz briefed reporters Friday on Martha's Vineyard and hinted that Barack Obama needed to decompress just a bit on the golf course . The fist-bump: Less than ten minutes after delivering heartfelt words about the vicious killing of James Foley, Obama hit the links with friends . Obama's golf pals on Wednesday included NBA legend Alonzo Mourning (left) Less than ten minutes before teeing off, he had told a global audience that 'when people harm Americans, anywhere, we do what’s necessary to see that justice is done.' Then he was seen laughing with friends at the Farm Neck Golf Club. A day later he played golf again, although photographs taken Thursday depicted a more somber commander-in-chief recreating. Obama took first lady Michelle Obama hiking on Friday morning. Reporters and photographers were kept far out of range. Schultz acknowledged Friday the poor 'optics' of playing golf while a decapitated journalist's family mourned, but insisted that 'the president is focused on doing his job,' even while on vacation. 'Just because the president is in a different location doesn't mean he's not doing his job,' Schultz insisted, assuring reporters that domestic and international events have 'absolutely captured the president's attention while we've been here.' Donald Trump, the ubiquitous real estate mogul and golf course owner, told MailOnline that the White House should be taking advantage of Obama's golf outings as a chance to build compromises with Republicans. Golf 'is a perfect game to make friends and negotiate deals over,' he said Friday. But 'the only people Obama should be playing golf with are congressmen – legislators – and especially the opposition.' 'Obama should not be playing golf on the first day of bombings or after an American journalist is beheaded.' A spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told MailOnline that to his knowledge, the senior Republican lawmaker had never been invited to play a round with the president. Kerry hasn't been seen in Washington all week, and reporters have been unable to get an answer from the State Department about his location. But Instagram user Judy Durkin posted a photo of a sailboat on Monday that bears the same markings as Kerry's, cruising neat Nantucket – just a few miles from where Obama has been vacationing. Others tweeted Kerry sightings there as recently as Thursday. The Republican National Committee, predictably, was not amused. 'The Obama White House is MIA on the world stage,' RNC Deputy Press Secretary Raffi Williams told MailOnline. 'America’s influence around the world has been waning ever since Obama took office and now that the world is erupting in crises our top diplomat is sailing in Nantucket.' 'Americans want hands on leadership that tackles the tough problems head on. The out of touch leadership seen from Obama and Kerry is going to hurt 2014 Democrats.' The secretary of state's secret vacation plans are no longer a secret, thanks to Twitter . The Straight Wharf restaurant's website includes a menu with no prices, but it's not clear what kind of dinner $1,000 can buy there . The State Department hasn't said where John Kerry is this week, but an alert Massachusetts Instagram user spotted his sailboat cruising near Nantucket island . The State Department released a statement in Kerry's name on Wednesday, after the Foley video had made most of America cringe. 'We grieve for James Foley. We mourn for his family and his loved ones,' the statement read. 'We honor the courage and pray for the safety of all those who risk their lives to discover the truth where it is needed most.' 'And make no mistake: we will continue to confront ISI[S] wherever it tries to spread its despicable hatred. The world must know that the United States of America will never back down in the face of such evil.' Criticism of the president after he marked his scorecard Wednesday was fast and furious. 'Not only did he insult the Foley family; he sent a message to [ISIS leader] Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi and all of the other jihadi terrorist militants – now soldiers of a jihadi army – that he doesn't take it all seriously.' Texas Republican Congressman Louie Gohmert told Mailonline that Obama's detached attitude suggests he hasn't been engaged in the hunt for Foley's murderer. 'Unfortunately for those who want evil ISIS members eliminated before they kill more Americans,' Gohmert said, 'the president spent more time lining up his many putts than he did lining up efforts to stop the killers.' Lou Barletta, a Republican lawmaker from Pennsylvania, told MailOnline that the image of Obama golfing his cares away 'is disheartening, and sends the wrong signals to our enemies. ISIS needs to be stopped, and fist pumps between the president and his buddies won’t stop them.' Former U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney told Fox News host Sean Hannity that 'every day we find new evidence that he’d rather be on the golf course than he would be dealing with a crisis that’s developing rapidly in the Middle East.' ABC News political director Rick Klein added that 'the president himself clearly doesn't ... care about the way it looks.' 'Jihad John' (right) took the life of American photojournalist James Foley by decapitating him with a small knife, in a video released by ISIS fanatics on Tuesday . Serious – for 5 minutes: A stern and resolved Obama spoke to the nation briefly on Wednesday about Foley's murder, before taking a short limo ride to the first tee . 19 hours and off he goes: UK Prime Minister David Cameron made a brief stop at No. 10 to talk about James Foley before heading back to Cornwall for body-surfing . Obama's golf game found a parallel in the UK on Friday, as Prime Minister David Cameron returned to his own beach vacation just 19 hours after returning to No. 10 Downing Street to be briefed on the ISIS execution and deliver some brief comments. Cameron was photographed body-boarding through waves in Cornwall in a three quarter-length wet suit. Foley's killer spoke with a British accent on a video that ISIS released on Tuesday. Some former captives of the group believed to have held Foley for two years have said a three-man cell of UK terrorists were known to them as 'The Beatles.' A furious effort is underway – but without Cameron in his office – to identify the executioner, known now as 'Jihad John.' Government sources have insisted that the prime minister remains in full touch with Whitehall during his holiday, with a secure phone line set up for his use. Labour MP Ann Clwyd, the former British human rights envoy to Iraq, said it was 'extraordinary that he has gone off on holiday again after a few hours back in London – it is just not good enough.' 'If he is serious about the threat to Britain, as he says he is and as he ought to be, then he should not be pushing off on holiday. He should be recalling MPs to Parliament so that we can discuss the situation and debate our response.' | Obama spokesman suggested the president needs to blow off steam with 8 rounds of golf on vacation .
Eric Schultz insisted that Obama's work, and his concerns about domestic and international crises, travel with him wherever he goes .
Obama was slammed this week for grinning and fist-bumping through 18 holes just minutes after delivering somber remarks about James Foley's execution at the hands if ISIS terrorists .
Secretary of State John Kerry was spotted sailing off Nantucket while the Pentagon and White House answered tough questions about the Middle East .
Donald Trump told MailOnline that Obama should only play golf to cut political deals – preferably with senior GOP leaders .
UK Prime Minister David Cameron was walloped by the press Friday for going back to his own vacation just 19 hours after returning to London for a briefing about Foley and his apparently British killer . |
158,267 | 589fbbdf259de5f035229987ac080ac3781d13b1 | By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 05:41 EST, 5 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:54 EST, 5 September 2013 . Conjoined twins who shared spinal cords have successfully been separated during a gruelling eighteen-hour operation. The operation on one-year-old Nigerian sisters Hussaina and Hassana Badaru involved 40 doctors, and is only the fourth such separation to be carried out in the world. The pair, who were born with a condition called pygopagus in Kano, Nigeria, were joined at the hip and had spinal cord fusion, while also sharing a lower gastrointestinal passage and genitalia. Scroll down for video . Nigerian twins Hassana (left) and Hussaina (right) Badaru were separated during an 18 hour operation in New Delhi. They are pictured after the operation with their parents, Badaru Mannir and Malama Badariyya Badaru . Specialist surgeons at BLK Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi, India, conducted the separation on August 12. They carried out two procedures - one to divide the twins, and one reconstructive operation. The procedures - which cost an estimated £64,000 and were paid for by a Nigerian philanthropist - were so risky that doctors were forced to conduct practice runs on dummies before attempting it for real. Dr Prashant Jain, the paediatric surgeon who led the team, said: ‘The separation of the Badaru twins was a big challenge as they had unusual sharing of alimentary canal, genitourinary system and nervous system. ‘We overcame this with meticulous planning and team work. Rehearsals were carried out using dummies. ‘Every surgical step was defined and rehearsed over and over again till it reached precision. The operation on the sisters (pictured before surgery) involved 40 doctors, and is only the fourth such separation to be carried out in the world. The procedure was conducted at BLK Super Speciality Hospital . ‘The girls were colour coded, one pink and the other blue, for eight days before the surgery so that there would be no error at all. ‘All tubes, wires, catheters, leads, syringes, injections and drugs were also colour coded in accordance with the pink or blue code to avoid any error or miscalculation.’ Head of anaesthesiology, Dr Valecha, added: ‘The most difficult task in this surgery was the anaesthetist’s job which was challenging by the fact that whatever drug was given to one twin, the other would receive it inadvertently through a large sharing vein therefore it needed to be calculated and monitored carefully.’ The pair, who were born with a condition called pygopagus, were joined at the hip and had spinal cord fusion, while also sharing a lower gastrointestinal passage and genitalia. Scan shows the twins before their operation . he procedures - which cost an estimated £64,000 and were paid for by a Nigerian philanthropist - were so risky that doctors were forced to conduct practice runs on dummies . For the girls’ parents, father Badaru, and mother Malama Badariyya Badaru, it was the culmination of a long process to save their daughters. After the babies were born in Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, last year, they sought the help of local doctors to separate their twins. But the diagnosis was simple - one of the girls would have to be sacrificed to save the other in order to carry out the separation surgery. The girls (pictured before their operation) were born in Murtala Muhammed Specialist Hospital, Nigeria, last year, but doctors in Nigeria felt they would be unable to separate them without sacrificing one of the twins . Dr Prashant Jain, the paediatric surgeon who led the team, said that every step of the operation was practiced in advance. Image shows the twins and their parents after the operation . Desperate to save both their girls, they sought one last opinion, and were referred to New Delhi, where the chance of both surviving was deemed far greater. The twins were taken to BLK Super Speciality Hospital, and after multiple evaluations their extreme case was identified as them sharing spinal cords, a lower intestinal tract and a urinary tract. Their treatment was split into three stages. Image shows the twins, Hassana (left) and Hussaina (right) and their parents, father Badaru, and mother Malama Badariyya Badaru, with the doctors who carried out the surgery at a press conference . The girls are now recovering from their surgery. Hassana Badaru is pictured with her mother, Malama Badariyya Badaru (left) and Hussaina Badaru is pictured with her father, Badaru Mannir (right) The first, on May 25, used tissue expanders made from silicon implanted in their bottoms to generate enough tissue to cover the wound made in surgery. The second - and most crucial - was performed on August 12 with doctors physically separating the twins before plastic surgeons carried out extensive reconstructive procedures. The third stage is due to take place in three weeks’ time and will involve closing the temporary stool passage of both girls. Pygopagus conjoined twins are joined at the posterior - or rump. They account for about 19 per cent of conjoined twins. They usually have separate hearts but share a spinal cord. They also have one anus, two rectums, four arms and four legs. | Twins had fused spines, shared a gastrointestinal passage and genitalia .
Hussaina and Hassana Badaru, one, were separated on August 12 .
The surgery was carried out at BLK Super Speciality Hospital in New Delhi .
40 doctors were involved in performing the pioneering operation . |
85,447 | f25a077db258761b116e22d66f60f9cf68313d60 | By . Jennifer Smith . PUBLISHED: . 09:31 EST, 27 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:50 EST, 27 November 2013 . Marie Watton stabbed Jonathan Barras after he told her she was 'fit' in a pub in Telford, Shropshire . A woman who stabbed a man in the stomach because he told her she was 'fit' has been told to expect a lengthy prison sentence by a judge. Marie Watton, 25, was so offended when Jonathan Barras complemented her looks she stabbed him in the abdomen after sparking a violent pub brawl. The woman from Telford, Shropshire, was told to expect a 'double figure' sentence after pleading guilty to wounding with intent in Shrewsbury Crown Court. A group of Watton's friends attacked the victim in the Duke of York pub after he told her she was attractive on January 16. Barras punched one of the woman's friends amid the brawl, prompting Watton to go across the road to a friend's house to fetch a kitchen knife. When she returned, she stabbed the 27-year-old and tore through his liver, kidney and small bowel after seething: 'He is having it now'. Mr Barras required extensive medical treatment following the incident but has made a full recovery. Yesterday, Judge Robin Onions told the court: 'He said she was fit, didn't he? 'I though that was a compliment, isn't it?' Prosecuting Adam Warner said there was a 'significant degree of premeditation' to Watton's crime. 'There was a remark made to her by Mr Barras to which she took great exception. 'The . CCTV shows her moving towards him at the bar in an extremely aggressive . way, and it looks in all the world that she has in fact headbutted him. 'She did not, but fighting broke out and she took an active part. The 25-year-old went to a friend's nearby home to retrieve a kitchen knife before slicing through the victim's organs . 'Mr Barras punched Matty Warrender, a friend of Watton’s, hard on the nose and there was blood everywhere. 'Marie Watton saw that and immediately said "he is having it now"'. Though the kitchen knife was never found, a bloodstained leather jacket worn by Watton on the night in question was discovered by police in her loft. She was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on January 6. | Marie Watton was told to expect a 'double figure' sentence by a judge .
The 25-year-old attacked Jonathan Barras after sparking a pub brawl .
Watton retrieved a kitchen knife from a friend's home before stabbing him .
Mr Barras has made a full recovery since the incident in January .
Watton was remanded in custody and will be sentenced on January 6 . |
48,585 | 891d77907f3ef593fd368873d8dc779c3dcf635d | The barrage of threats from North Korea has sparked talk from within South Korea of the need to develop its own nuclear weapons. A recent poll shows that two-thirds of South Korean citizens surveyed support the idea, especially in the wake of North Korea's third nuclear test in February. "We, the Korean people, have been duped by North Korea for the last 20 to 30 years and it is now time for South Koreans to face the reality and do something that we need to do," said Chung Mong-joon, a lawmaker in the governing Saenuri (New Frontier) Party and a former presidential conservative candiate. "The nuclear deterrence can be the only answer. We have to have nuclear capability." The talk of South Korea arming with its own nuclear weapon used to be taboo in the country-- and there's no apparent official government move to do so. But the tensions between the two Korean nations have amplified over the weeks, becoming reminiscent of the Cold War. U.S. lawmaker questions North Korean leader's 'stability' Earlier this month, South Korean Defense Ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok responded to North Korea's threat to attack the South with a pre-emptive nuclear strike saying: "If North Korea is to attack the South with its nuclear weapons... Kim Jong Un's regime will cease to exist on the face of Earth." After North Korea conducted its third nuclear test last month, the South unveiled a cruise missile, which it claims to be so precise that it can target "a specific window of a North Korean military commander's office." Some commentators in South Korean media have been calling for a nuclear weapons option, claiming that the country has the technology and economy to develop them in a short period of time. And public opinion is following in line. According to a February poll conducted by South Korea's private think tank, Asan Institute, 66% of South Koreans said they support developing a nuclear weapons program. The poll suggests that just under half of South Koreans in 2012 believed that the United States would provide South Korea with what's known as the "nuclear umbrella" in the case of a North Korean nuclear attack, indicating a 7% decrease from 2011. Under the nuclear umbrella, the U.S. is to provide South Korea with defensive means to ensure deterrence against a nuclear threat. In recent times, South Korea has been known for little if no reaction on North Korea's provocations and threats. Its attitude changed after the 2010 attack on its battleship That killed more than 40 sailors -- North Korea was blamed. That same year, there was also outrage after the North shelled Yeonpyeong Island. South Korea returned fire and also began responding to North Korea with its own strong words. North Korea: Nuclear program not a bargaining chip . But not all South Koreans are rallying behind the cause of developing South Korean nuclear weapons. If South Korea makes nuclear weapons, nonproliferation in the region would soon fall apart, Han Yong-sup, professor at the Korea National Defense University said. "Japan and Taiwan could follow the suit. Then, a domino effect of nuclear proliferation will result," he said. To assuage anxieties in South Korea, "Washington needs to make an official statement in order to make U.S. extended deterrence more credible," Han added. Experts say that China, also a powerful economic partner with South Korea, will never agree with the idea of nuclear armed South Korea, because "it will affect Sino-U.S. ties," said Yang Zhaohui, a professor of international relations at Peking University. North Korean video shows imagined attack on Washington . But so far, China hasn't been pleased with Kim's nuclear ambitions, although it is North Korea's closest ally and economic supporter. China recently signed on to tougher U.N. sanctions against the north, targeting that country's nuclear program. "China appears to be getting impatient on North Korea," Yang said. "The Chinese government does not appear to be controlling its public opinion on North Korea anymore. North Korea is not popular here." Recently, criticism of North Korea have become rampant on Sina Weibo, the popular Chinese microblog. Kim Jong Un has even earned a nickname "Jin Sanpang" which means "Fat Kim the Third," and has become a popular subject of satire among Chinese netizens. An editorial printed in China's state-run newspaper Global Times in January warned North Korea that if it conducted a nuclear test it would not hesitate to reduce assistance to North Korea. "China's attitude towards North Korea appears to be changing," Yan said. "But China's priority is peace and stability in the region. It wants to maintain good relationship with both South and North Korea." U.S. to beef up missile defense against North Korea, Iran . | Under heated rhetoric from North Korea, some South Koreans call for nuclear weapons .
South Korea does not have nuclear arms because of the 'nuclear umbrella' provided by U.S.
Recent poll: 66% of South Koreans support developing nuclear weapons program . |
257,250 | d8f0f0823fe036e3d81495bf5d407e0c2cb0deaa | These daredevil performers are putting their lives on the line every day to impress tourists in Thailand. Fearless crocodile ‘wrestlers’ put their heads and hands inside the reptiles’ open mouths – all for visitors who spend £10 to watch the show. In some cases the adrenaline junkies narrowly avoid being snapped by the crocodiles’ powerful jaws, as shown in the below video. A daredevil performer puts his head inside a crocodile's mouth at Samphran Elephant Ground and Zoo . Workers at the Samphran Elephant Ground & Zoo, near Bangkok, are shown performing death-defying stunts in the style of Krai Thong, a legendary Thai crocodile hunter. In one scene, a man bravely sticks his head inside a crocodile’s gaping mouth for several seconds before he pulls back with a look of relief on his face. One of his colleagues is shown smiling and waving to the crowd while head his is between the reptile's jagged teeth. The crocodile shows are presented in the style of Krai Thong, a legendary Thai crocodile hunter . Along with their heads, the crocodile 'wrestlers' risk their limbs inside the snapping crocs' mouths as well . Another man carefully lifts the crocodile’s head and sticks his hand in its mouth, moments before its jaws snap down. The wranglers have been performing the stunts at the zoo on the outskirts of Bangkok since it was set up in 1985. The man puts his hand all the way into the crocodile's mouth during one of the twice daily shows . Today, the shows take place twice daily at the zoo, one hour west of the Thai capital. It is situated on 60 acres of land, where tourists can also pose for photos with captive tigers or ride elephants. Visitors can also watch elephant shows with re-enactments of ancient battle scenes in full regalia. In other shows, elephants ‘dance’ and play football. | Death-defying stunts take place at Samphran Elephant Ground & Zoo .
Visitors spend £10 each to watch shows twice a day at Bangkok-area zoo .
Daredevil workers narrowly avoid being snapped by crocs' jaws .
Tourists can also pose for photos with tigers or ride elephants . |
243,631 | c75790130ae41a68e16c63d1d521e10df05cf129 | An animal lover has served up a Christmas turkey feast for forty dogs with all the trimmings including sprouts, roast potatoes and even pigs in blankets. Claire Nash spent hours making the dinner and dishing it up to the animals at the Cardiff Dogs Home. The mother-of-four then watched in delight as the abandoned dogs wolfed down and enjoyed their Christmas treat. Scroll down for video . Claire Nash, who cooked and served a Christmas feast for 40 dogs who have been abandoned and are living at the Cardiff Dogs' Home . Mrs Nash, 44, made the animals a turkey dinner with all the trimmings including sprouts, roast potatoes and even pigs in blankets . The mother-of-four is a volunteer at the kennels and spent £70 on food for the dogs before cooking it and serving it up for them in their bowls . Mrs Nash said: 'Everyone deserves to be spoilt at Christmas and I'm happy to share a bit of festive spirit with all the dogs who don't have an owner to treat them this Christmas. 'It just makes me so sad knowing these dogs won't be curled up in front of a roaring fire being cuddled and petted, so I decided to make Christmas special for them. 'Some people think I'm barmy feeding dogs all this sumptuous food instead of humans but I like caring for the dogs who have no one else.' For the dogs, Mrs Nash prepared stuffing, Yorkshire puddings, six different types of vegetables and home made gravy made with pork dripping . Mrs Nash is a regular volunteer at the dogs' home where she can often being found walking the abandoned pets or cleaning out the kennels. She decided the homeless dogs and abandoned strays deserved a Christmas dinner and spent £70 buying food for them. The 44-year-old prepared stuffing, Yorkshire puddings, six different types of vegetables and home made gravy with pork dripping. The 40 Christmas dinners Mrs Nash served up for the dogs. She even defrosted the turkey two days before cooking it to make sure the dogs didn't end up feeling unwell . One of the dogs at Cardiff Dogs' Home prepares to get stuck into his Christmas treat of a full turkey dinner with all the trimmings . She even made sure to defrost the turkey two days before cooking it to make sure the dogs didn't end up feeling unwell. Mrs Nash added: 'It is costing me some money but I really don't mind. I am a dog lover and volunteering is a real passion of mine. 'They deserve a proper Christmas feast to enjoy. 'It is so satisfying to see them have a big stretch after their meal and fall into a restful sleep.' Mrs Nash made the Christmas dinner for the dogs a couple of days early so she can concentrate on her own family festive meal. But after cooking for her husband and children on Christmas Day, she plans to go and visit the dogs at the pound. | Claire Nash spent hours making the turkey dinner for 40 abandoned dogs .
Spent £70 on ingredients for the unwanted animals at Cardiff Dogs Home .
Even made trimmings such as sprouts, potatoes and pigs in blankets .
She then watched in delight as the dogs all ate their festive treat .
Mrs Nash, a mother of four says 'Everyone deserves to be spoilt at Christmas' |
105,377 | 13df4911b4805356a34cab2cef2b42c767bbdef3 | Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has called on striker Diego Costa to get in shape as he seeks to end his scoreless run. The Brazil-born Spain international hit the ground running after signing from Atletico Madrid in the summer, scoring seven goals in his first four Blues appearances. But he has netted only twice in his last seven, having been hampered by hamstring problems, and has been overtaken as the Barclays Premier League's leading scorer by Sergio Aguero of Manchester City. Diego Costa failed to score for Chelsea as they lost for the first time this season at Newcastle on Saturday . Newcastle goalkeeper Jak Alnwick punches the ball away as Costa tries to put him under pressure . Mourinho's men suffered their first defeat of the season at Newcastle on Saturday, with Costa again failing to trouble the scorers. But Mourinho told several national newspapers: 'For me, the problem is not the goals - they will come as a consequence of his condition. 'He has to improve his condition. He was injured and had many doubts because he went a long time without training. 'Obviously that must have an effect on a player in the way he runs, the way he moves and in his co-ordination. Costa celebrates with Cesc Fabregas (right) and Cesar Azpilicueta after scoring against Arsenal in October . Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho watched summer signing Costa draw a blank on Tyneside at the weekend . 'I don't think there is any problem but he has to recover.' It remains to be seen whether Costa will be given the chance to build his match-sharpness in Wednesday's Champions League clash with Sporting Lisbon, with Chelsea having already qualified for the knock-out stages. | Diego Costa has scored twice in his last seven games for Chelsea .
Jose Mourinho believes more goals will come with improved fitness .
Costa fired in seven goals in his first four Chelsea appearances .
Injury then hampered the Spain international's progress . |
257,372 | d91994b93280818452ab2271825fe54472ae8945 | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 03:08 EST, 9 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 03:47 EST, 9 July 2013 . Facebook has begun rolling out its Graph Search to English-speaking users, enabling them to find out specific details about their friends. Previously Facebook users could only search for brands or friends by name and location; Graph Search lets users find specific information including their friends' favourite films, restaurants, likes and dislikes, work and education history and more, using filters. For . example, users can search for friends in London who are vegetarians, . friends of friends who like yoga, or photos of a boyfriend from . a certain month or year. Scroll down for videos . Facebook has begun rolling out its Graph Search, pictured, which lets users find specific information about their friends using filters. Users can search for people who like cycling and are from London, for example, friends of friends who like yoga, or photos of friends or boyfriends from a certain month or year . One of the Facebook search result pages, showing friends who have interests in common. This search in particular looked for friends 'who like the things I like'. The data it used for this search was based on pages and activities that friends had 'Liked' on Facebook . The tool was launched in January to a select number of beta users and engineers. After months of refining and tweaking, it is now being launched to every Facebook user whose language is set to U.S. English. Unlike searches on Google, which are good for finding specific things like roasted kale recipes or Mizuno running shoes, Facebook's tool is most useful in unearthing information about your social circles. It can help users discover new music or films, or get restaurant recommendations from friends who have been there. Facebook claims that Graph Search is a better way to find out which of your friends have common interests. The first version of Graph Search focuses on four main areas -- people, photos, places, and interests. Facebook gives the following examples for searches:People: 'friends who live in my city,' 'people from my hometown who like . hiking,' 'friends of friends who have been to Yosemite National Park,' 'software engineers who live in San Francisco and like skiing,' 'people . who like things I like,' 'people who like tennis and live nearby' Photos: 'photos I like,' 'photos of my family,' 'photos of my friends before . 1999,' 'photos of my friends taken in New York,' 'photos of the Eiffel . Tower' Facebook's new search bar . Places: 'restaurants in San Francisco,' 'cities visited by my family,' 'Indian . restaurants liked by my friends from India,' 'tourist attractions in . Italy visited by my friends,' 'restaurants in New York liked by chefs,' 'countries my friends have visited' Interests: 'music my friends like,' 'movies liked by people who like movies I . like,' 'languages my friends speak,' 'strategy games played by friends . of my friends,' 'movies liked by people who are film directors,' 'books . read by CEOs' The tool uses ‘intelligent’ interpretation to . allow you to find friends by interest, for example Facebook suggests . typing in text such as 'Friends who like Star Wars and Harry Potter' when planning a film night. Yet it could also be used in the future by advertisers and marketers to learn more about you and target users with more personalised adverts. In recent months Facebook has been encouraging people to enter more information about themselves on their profiles, including work and education history, family information and so on. Graph Search uses any of this information about you that you have shared publicly - plus any pages that you've liked - including relationship statuses, addresses, phone numbers and check-ins. This includes data shared with friends and friends of friends. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced Graph Search at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park in January. He said at the time the tool was not a web search and is not an attempt to take on Google. He added that only publicly shared information and information shared with friends is scanned and used for the results . However, any information that is set as private, or has been shared with only a select group of people, will not be used to populate the graphs. Speaking at the launch in January, Facebook boss Mark Zuckerberg said it is 'not web search’ - but the firm has partnered with Microsoft's Bing search engine in a snub to Google, which has its own social network, Google+. Graph Search will appear as a bigger search bar at the top of each page. When you search for something, that . search not only determines the set of results you get, but also serves . as a title for the page. You can edit the title – and in doing . so create your own custom view of the content you and your friends have . shared on Facebook. Graph search uses the same privacy settings as a user's normal profile - nothing needs to be changed. Soon after Facebook launched the tool a number of joke blogs were set up looking at the less innocuous and more embarrassing queries. For example, with Graph Search you can find out which brand of condoms your friends prefer. A blog called actualfacebookgraphsearches.tumblr.com posted a collection of searches ranging from 'married people who like prostitutes' to 'current employers of people who like racism.' Both yielded more than 100 results. The blog was created to highlight how much personal information people share online. Facebook plans to notify users that it's 'getting easier for people to find photos and other things you've shared with them' along with a reminder that they can check 'who can see my stuff' under their privacy settings. 'The goal is to avoid bad surprises,' said Nicky Jackson Colaco, privacy and safety manager at Facebook. As well as information about a friend's location, likes and favourite films, Graph Search can be used to find photos from a particular time. This makes it easier for users to discover embarrassing baby photos, or photos from university, for example. This image shows photos of friends from before 1999 . But she stressed Facebook's view that the search tool 'indexes information differently than we have ever been able to do before, in a really positive way.' It's easier, for example, to find a long-lost classmate with a common name, or to find common interests with friends of friends. Facebook does not currently show users ads based on what they are searching for but the company may do in the future. Research firm eMarketer estimates that Google will take nearly 42 percent of all U.S. digital ad spending this year, well above Facebook's share of less than 7 percent. With its new search tool, Facebook is clearly trying to divert traffic and ad spending from its rival. Whether this will work will become more clear as more people begin using it. | Graph Search lets users find specific information about their friends - and which ones have common interests - using various filters .
Users can search for friends within five miles that like yoga, for example, or get restaurant and film recommendations from social circles .
It is being rolled out to all U.S. English speaking users . |
33,808 | 6022f79c712768a191b370b93530527207d895c2 | By . Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 18:32 EST, 2 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:38 EST, 2 October 2013 . Quizzed: Mr Johnson debated the burka with a Muslim mother who called in to the show . Boris Johnson backed a ban on veils in the classroom yesterday after he was confronted by a Muslim woman who wears the burqa on a radio phone in. The London Mayor said schools should have the right to force pupils to show their faces to teachers. He told London radio station LBC: ‘Normally I’m in favour of liberty and people wearing whatever they want. Where I do draw the line though, I think that the face veil is a very difficult thing to make work in a school. ‘I think that you’ve got to teach in a way that you can see how the kids are responding. They’ve got to be able to participate in the class. I think that it’s only fair that they should be able to react and take part in that way. ‘I don’t think that it can reasonably be called a standard piece of uniform to get little girls to cover their faces.’ Mr Johnson was quizzed by a woman identified only as Milam from South Norwood in South London, who said that her 15 year old daughter has voluntarily worn a full face veil since she was 12. She said: ‘I myself wear the burqa. ‘My daughter is 15. From the age of 12 or maybe 13, she decided for herself, her own free will that she would like to do it. 'As parents Boris, we are expected in society to teach our children to respect one another, to respect schools and so on. On the other hand Boris, you are asking us to go against school policies or school rules if it involves wearing the face veils.’ But Mr Johnson said: ‘I’m afraid that is my view I think in places of instruction where you’re asking kids to participate in a class, to have fun together when the teacher has got to see how the lesson is going down. ‘I’ve been a teacher, very ingloriously in the past. It is a terribly difficult job and you’ve got to know what, how your pupils are responding. And I think that is what I would like to see in classes financed by the British State that’s what I believe in.’ Mr Johnson said: ' I think that the face veil is a very difficult thing to make work in a school'. File picture . | Johnson says teachers must be able to see pupil's faces .
He was confronted by a Muslim mother who says daughter chooses veil .
He said: 'The face veil is a difficult thing to make work in a school' |
113,461 | 1e6eb636f49234551fc9eba571e36faf3196ade3 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 18:37 EST, 24 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 18:37 EST, 24 October 2013 . Court documents . signed by Aileen Wuornos, a chilling red handprint left by 'the killer . clown' John Watne Gacy and an amulet made by 'Boston Strangler' Albert . De Salvo have gone on display as part of a bizarre exhibition in the . United Kingdom. Murderabilia . - which is housed at Littledean Jail in, Gloucestershire, also features . an original 'execution in progress' sign from the Leavenworth State . Penitentiary in Kansas, a disturbing sketch of the devil with an axe . through his head by Ottis Toole and shockingly, bars of soap made from . human fat recovered from Auschwitz.. Andy . Jones - the 51-year-old owner and curator at the prison, which is now a . museum - said: ‘I'm more interested as a collector in the psychology of . these people, that's what fascinates me. Murderer: A chilling red handprint (left) by US . serial killer John Wayne Gacy (right), who was known as 'the killer . clown' because of his role as an entertainer at children's parties . All lit up: An original 'execution in progress' sign from the Leavenworth State Penitentiary in Kansas . ‘It's not a morbid fascination - . it's more that their letters give an insight into the twisted minds of . these people. You can read evil within the contents of the letters, . their drawings, their artwork.’ Gacy . was known as ‘the killer clown’ because of his role as an entertainer . at children's parties. He was executed in 1994 for raping and murdering . more than 30 boys and young men. Mr . Jones said some of the content he has received over the years is too . disturbing to put on public view, but some of the art looks more like . the work of a retired pensioner than a cold-blooded killer. The . 'Boston Strangler' Albert DeSalvo, admitted to killing eleven . Boston-area women between the ages of 19 and 67 who were sexually . assaulted and killed between 1962 and 1964, crimes that terrorized the . region and grabbed national headlines. Eerie: Court documents signed by Aileen Wuornos, the American serial killer played by Charlize Theron in the 2003 film Monster, on display as part of the 'Muderabilia' exhibition at Littledean Jail in Gloucestershire . And serial killer Aileen . Wuornos, who was executed over ten years ago for killing seven men and . was depicted by Charlize Theron in the 2003 movie "Monster" continues . to fascinate the public. Wuornos' life story is as lurid as her crimes. She was raped and abused growing . up in Michigan. Her father committed suicide in prison and her mother . abandoned her. She began selling sex at an early age and classmates . shunned her. Her . grandparents kicked her out at age 15 and she hitchhiked out of . Michigan, eventually ending up in Florida, where she survived selling . sex on the highways. She claimed she killed her first victim in . self-defense after he raped her. Jewellery: A necklace made by 'Boston Strangler' Albert De Salvo and sent directly to curator Andy Jones. DeSalvo admitted murdering 13 women in Massachusetts the 1960s, many of whom were elderly and alone . Eerie: A corset and LP said to have been owned by mass murderer Rose West, from her house in Cromwell Street in Gloucester, on display as part of the 'Muderabilia' exhibition at Littledean Jail in Gloucestershire . 'Thank you for the flowers': A handwritten letter sent from Holloway Prison by Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in England, before her execution . Death: Ruth Ellis was executed at the London jail in July 1955, for killing her lover, racing driver David Blakely . Axe in head: Drawn artwork signed by notorious serial killers Otto Toole (left) and Henry Lee Lucas (right) Bizarre: The original hangman's noose used in 1885 in the failed attempt to kill John 'Babbercombe' Lee - known as 'The Man They Couldn't Hang' after surviving three attempts to execute him for murder . Writings: A letter sent by Moors Murderer Ian Brady to a 'Thomas', warning him against a life of crime . Continued: The second part of the letter sent by Moors Murderer Ian Brady to a 'Thomas', at the exhibition . Killers: Rose West (left) was jailed for murdering ten young women. Moors murderer Ian Brady is seen (right) Heart: A cushion believed to have been handmade by Rose West during her time in prison, gifted to the curator by 'The Black Widow' Linda Calvey, on display as part of the 'Muderabilia' exhibition in Gloucestershire . 'It fills my heart with joy': A letter believed to be from Rose West to a friend, 'Paul', from her prison cell . Toole, who was . born in Florida and claimed his satanic grandmother called him 'Devil's . Child', said he had murdered more than 100 people along with crime . partner Henry Lee Lucas. He died in 1996. In . addition to the gruesome collection of American murderers, Jones also . has a huge collection of some of the most infamous killers from the . United Kingdom. Rosemary . West is one and she was jailed in 1995 for the ‘depraved’ murders of ten . young women mostly at the house in Gloucester she shared with her . husband Fred, who committed suicide before he came to trial. Armed: Andy Jones, owner of Littledean Jail and . curator of the 'Muderabilia' exhibition, holding a 1918 issue army knife . complete with knuckle duster and a German 1938 Luger pistol . Steam train: Original art work by British murderer Michael Sams, sent with a covering letter to museum owner and curator Andy Jones, on display as part of the 'Muderabilia' exhibition . Sinister: A spade and pitch folk believed to be from mass murderer Fred West's house in Gloucester . Handwritten: A signed letter believed to have been written by notorious Californian cult leader Charles Manson . Communication: A signed, handwritten note believed to be from criminal Charles Bronson to gangster Reg Kray . In the collection: A well-worn WW2 flying jacket believed to have belonged to 'Muswell Hill murderer' Dennis Nilsen, who killed 15 young men between 1978 and 1983 . The collection at the prison - built in . 1791 - includes a pink, heart-shaped hand-sewn cushion she reportedly . made in jail, which Mr Jones said was passed to him by the 'Black Widow' Linda Calvey. Calvey got the nickname because each of her previous lovers has ended up dead or in prison. Rare item: A hand-signed business card by the 19th century executioner William Marwood, the man who pioneered the 'long-drop' method of execution . Moneys: A handwritten and signed 1856 receipt from William Calcraft, the UK's most famous 19th century executioner, paid £12 and 12 shillings for carrying out an execution . 'Dear Yvonne': Moors Murderer Ian Brady's handwritten letter to a friend in 1986 is part of the exhibition . LP: A Chet Atkins record believed to have been owned and signed (top right) by mass murderer Rose West . Greeting: A hand-written Christmas message from Ethel, wife of murderer John Christie. Christie, of Notting Hill, west London, was sentenced to hang after murdering at least eight women - including Ethel . Shocking: Original 'human fat' soap used in the Nazi Holocaust death camps, alongside a coin, passed to Andy Jones by a curator at Auschwitz, on display as part of the exhibition . Scary: A view down the corridor at former prison and house of correction Littledean Jail, home of the exhibition . British murderer . Michael Sams, for example, submitted two traditional paintings of steam . trains. Sams was jailed for life in 1993 for murdering Julie Dart and . kidnapping estate agent Stephanie Slater. The . Murderabilia display forms part of the Crime Through Time collection at . Littledean Jail, a former house of correction, police station and . courthouse turned visitor attraction. The . collection also includes a number of historical artefacts, including . the original hangman's noose used in 1885 in the failed attempt to kill . John ‘Babbercombe’ Lee. He . was known as ‘The Man They Couldn't Hang’ after surviving three attempts . to execute him for murder. His sentence was later reduced to life . imprisonment, but he was released in 1907. | Odd display of objects at Littledean Jail in Gloucestershire in the UK .
Satanic sketch by serial killer Ottis 'Devil's Child' Toole is in collection . |
133,173 | 382f755d1f380f22f5150a3ed985a428da6b3a95 | By . Martin Robinson . PUBLISHED: . 07:38 EST, 9 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:17 EST, 10 July 2012 . Jailed: Youth offending team boss Peter Nicholson, pictured, led a gang of fraudsters who claimed wages for bogus employees at Newham Borough Council in east London . A youth offending team boss honoured by the Queen with an OBE has been jailed for five and a half years after stealing almost £300,000 from one of Britain’s poorest councils to fund his lavish family holidays. Peter Nicholson OBE, 58, fronted a gang of fraudsters who created ‘ghost’ employees at Newham Borough Council in east London and pocketed the wages. Nicholson had arranged trips to Canada for himself and relatives, all at the expense of the taxpayer, Snaresbrook Crown Court heard. On one occasion he and 10 others enjoyed a 10-day break to Canada worth £4,000 in February 2005. Nicholson claimed the council ‘rewarded’ him with the holiday after he was made an OBE, a title he is now likely to lose. But investigators rejected his claims as the trip was booked before the New Year’s Honours List was announced. Nicholson previously booked a nine-day break to Canada for himself and his daughter using council funds in 2002. The con took place while he was head of the Youth Offending Team at Newham Council between May 20, 2000 and August 31, 2007. Nicholson's job there was to turn around children with criminal records. On Friday he was found guilty of five counts of conspiracy to defraud after an eight-week trial. The court heard Nicholson authorised three ‘ghost’ employees to be paid by the local authority when they did not exist, in order to syphon off the cash. The payments were arranged by his finance officer, Shirin Bazrcar, 51, the manager of staffing agency Excel Employment, which received payments worth more than £65,000. Bazrcar’s firm hired David Tuck, 52, who ran Lads Construction Ltd and was paid thousands of pounds by the council for fronting bogus building projects. Nicholson was jailed for five and half years and Bazrcar was jailed for four years after being found guilty of four counts of conspiracy to defraud and two counts of money laundering. Victims: Newham is one of the poorest boroughs in Britain and the gang siphoned away crucial taxpayers' money . Tuck, said to have been ‘brought into’ the scam by Nicholson and to have played a lesser role, received an 18-month prison sentence after being convicted of three counts of conspiracy to defraud and a single count of money laundering. Passing sentence, Judge Neil Sanders said Nicholson abused the ‘very . high degree of trust’ placed in him by the council by setting up the . ‘sophisticated’ scam. ‘For all of you, this was the result of greed. ‘It’s clear the effect of these convictions will go beyond each of you as individuals and impacts greatly on your families. Aide: David Tuck was part of the gang and he was also jailed on Friday for his part in the fraud . ‘But I consider that given the seriousness of the offences, an immediate custodial sentence is appropriate.’ Prosecutor Alexander Goudie said the total amount stolen from the taxpayer was £281,771.90. He added that payments for bogus employees were put into accounts held by Bazrcar’s 16-year-old son, Ali. The address given for one ‘ghost’ was registered in the name of Nushan Mostani, Bazrcar’s sister. Scott Wainwright, defending Nicholson, said he was now a ‘broken man’ and had lost everything as a result of the scam. ‘During . his tenure at the council he did some very positive work, with the . Youth Offending Team being taken from the bottom to the top of the . league. ‘The OBE will doubtlessly be removed and he will be stripped of the pension he has contributed to. ‘He acknowledges that if it were not for his actions, David Tuck would not be sitting where he is now. ‘He is aware of the effect his greed has had.’ Martin . McCarthy, for Bazrcar, told how she suffered from a ‘troubled’ mental . state after the trial, requiring her to undergo treatment. Nicholson’s . sister-in-law, Kerry Butler, 46, was found not guilty of a single count . of money laundering but will face a retrial in November in respect of a . charge of conspiracy to defraud, after the jury failed to reach a . verdict. His ex-wife, Sheila Butler, was cleared of involvement in the scheme on Judge Sanders’ direction. Nicholson, of Bexleyheath, Kent, denied misconduct in a public office and five counts of conspiracy to defraud. Judge Neil Sanders directed a not guilty verdict against Nicholson on the misconduct offence. Bazrcar, of Hook, Hampshire, was convicted of three counts of conspiracy to defraud and one of money laundering. David Tuck, of Bexley, Kent, was convicted of three counts of conspiracy to defraud and one of money laundering. His wife Lorna Tuck, 45, of the same address, was cleared of two counts of conspiracy to defraud. Christopher Smith, 48, Erith, Kent, was cleared of a single count of conspiracy to defraud. | Peter Nicholson, who was handed an OBE by the Queen, was jailed for five and a half years .
He and a gang claimed wages for ‘ghost’ employees at Newham Borough .
Council in east London .
These staff never existed and cash was funneled off to pay for holidays .
Nicholson's job was to turn around youngsters with criminal records . |
269,596 | e934476b05485bbf5ee87613ef265a82910e9b84 | As Marussia follow Caterham into administration, former FIA president Max Mosley has warned that the two Formula One teams ‘may not be the last’ to struggle in the face of the sport’s high costs. 'It’s not a fair competition any more,' Mosley said. 'The problem is that the big teams have so much more money than teams like Caterham and Marussia.' VIDEOS Scroll down Marussia placed administration unable race Grand Prix . The Marussia F1 team have been placed into administration and will be unable to race in the US Grand Prix . former FIA president Max Mosley has warned that Marussia ‘may not be the last’ to struggle . Caterham (pictured) will also miss next weekend's US Grand Prix in Austin, Texas . Both teams have been allowed to miss the US and Brazilian grands prix while a buyer is sought. Mosley, 74, who led the sport's governing body from 1993 and 2009, tried to introduce a cost cap five years ago but those plans fell through and similar proposals were also abandoned earlier this year. 'In the end, they (teams such as Caterham and Marussia) were bound to drop off - and they may not be the last,' he added. 'From a sporting point of view, the sport should split the money equally and then let the teams get as much sponsorship as they can. 'A team like Ferrari will always get more sponsorship than Marussia, but if they all get the same basic money, then they all start on a level-playing field, particularly if you have a cost cap where you limit the amount of money each team is allowed to spend.' Medical staff gather around Jules Bianchi's car after the Marussia driver's horror crash in Japan . Marussia and Caterham have both been granted dispensation by F1 supremo Bernie Ecclestone to miss the next two grands prix in Texas and Brazil . | Marussia became second F1 team to enter administration after Caterham .
Marussia F1 team will miss the next two Grand Prixs in Texas and Brazil .
Bernie Ecclestone has granted both teams special dispensation . |
182,459 | 78448e308dd00e28aaeef5e78ad4d4810d3c046a | In an unusual opportunity a petting farm has popped up on the market, just a stone's throw away from a capital city. The Hahndorf Farm Barn is a farm and homestead in one with mountain views splayed over nine hectares of land. Located in the Adealide Hills, the sprawling property looks over Mt Lofty and the Hahndorf township - Australia's oldest surviving German township. Scroll down for video . The Hahndorf Farm Barn in South Australia is on the market . The property spans nine hectares and includes a huge homestead . The homestead overlooks the Adelaide Hills and mountains in the area . The large family home has recently undergone extensive renovations to bring it into the modern age . The farm has been in business since 1999, is a popular tourist attraction in the area and allows kids and adults alike to interact with animals and wildlife. Horse and motorbike riding, cuddles with the friendly farm animals and a chance to feed the wildlife are all offered at the the farm, which has grown by 140 percent under the current owners. And those owners are - but not for long - South Australian radio presenter Jason 'Snowy' Carter and his wife Kate, who have lived on the property for the past four years. The petting zoo is a popular tourist attraction in the area that has been up and running since 1999 . The homestead has five bedrooms with views over the vast land . There are also three bathrooms in the home . The kitchen is brand new with stone bench tops and plenty of storage room . Mr Carter works for Mix 102.3, and has four children with his wife. He grew up on a farm and wanted his children to have the same opportunity. 'The ability to be able to live on such an amount of land, and the kids be able to run around and ride horses and ride their motorcycles - it was always a dream of mine to have my family to be able to do that', Mr Carter told Arabella Hooper from Toop & Toop real estate. '(And with) the Adelaide Hills being so close to the city ... it's 20 minutes in fact to get to the town without all the hustle and bustle,' he added. The home features many open plan living areas and places for the family to relax . The large number of bedrooms in the house means it would be perfect for a big family . Most rooms in the house have a spectacular view of the sprawling grounds . The living room extends into a spacious outdoor area and then on to the acreage . 'The other thing for me too was just when we saw it we thought what great value for money, and it came with a business.' The homestead has been completely renovated to 'bring the home into the new age', according to Mr Carter, and brags five bedrooms, three bathrooms, a brand new kitchen and open plan living space. There's also a kid's playroom, home office, casual dining room and floor to ceiling glass in the lounge area showing off sprawling views of the hillside. The farm is a well-established business and despite the current owners having no experience in such areas, still easily managed to run it. | The Hahndrf Farm Barn has been put on the market .
Located in the Adelaide Hills it's 30 minutes from the city .
The property spans nine hectares .
The homestead was recently renovated .
It has five bedrooms, three bathrooms and huge open plan living areas . |
94,723 | 05b4aa4e719729ab6d69f6dd3bdbb4358bb8a19d | New York (CNN) -- Jenn Sterger, the woman to whom pro football quarterback Brett Favre allegedly sent sexually explicit text messages and pictures, has hired a law firm to represent her, as the National Football League carries out its investigation into the allegations, her manager and the lawyer told CNN Wednesday. "After much deliberation, LaRusso & Conway has been retained to represent Jenn Sterger and to advise her throughout the process," said Phil Reese, Sterger's manager and CEO of the firm Player Relations/Public Relations. "Joseph Conway will serve as lead counsel in this matter." Reese said the Long Island-based firm was retained Tuesday. Conway confirmed the arrangement. The NFL initiated an investigation into Favre's actions after the sports website Deadspin.com reported in August that the athlete sent voice messages, texts and pictures of his penis to Sterger in 2008, when he was the Jets' quarterback and she was working for the team as a sideline personality and host. Deadspin reported Wednesday that Milton E. Ahlerich, a vice president in the league's security department, asked Deadspin Editor A.J. Daulerio -- who wrote the Favre stories -- to meet "to determine the possibility of you sharing any and all details you and your media organization may have on this matter." Daulerio said in a website posting that he told Ahlerich he would "be willing to cooperate with the NFL's thorough investigation into Brett Favre's sexting habits," but would not divulge his source for the original story. "I told Mr. Ahlerich that any and all information we have to offer is available on the site and that I'm unwilling to give anything more than that right now. To this, he responded that he's read over what has been on the site many, many times, meaning this poor man ... has been looking at penis pictures for close to a week. Pity him." Daulerio said Ahlerich also told him he met Tuesday with Favre and that the meeting was "even-handed" and that the parties involved were "well-represented." Daulerio has acknowledged that third-party sources were paid for the story about Sterger and that he could not say definitively that the messages or photos the site posted came from the 41-year-old quarterback. Ahlerich did not immediately return a call seeking comment Wednesday. Favre has not publicly addressed the investigation. Asked Wednesday why he had not denied the stories, he told a reporter, "That's something that's within the league and I just have to leave it at that." Sterger, 26, is co-host of "The Daily Line," a sports program on Versus, a sports cable television channel. The Jets have given National Football League officials all the information they have regarding the incident, a team spokesman said last week. Jesse Derris, a spokesman for the Jets, told HLN's "Prime News" that the team has no role in the allegations against Favre, who played one season in New York and now plays for the Minnesota Vikings. Favre, who has been married for 14 years, signed with the Minnesota Vikings in August 2009 after emerging from retirement for the second time in as many years. Deadspin has also reported that a second woman has come forward to allege that she received other lewd messages from the quarterback and that a third woman, whom the site did not identify, also received similar messages. The site reported the two women were massage therapists hired by the Jets, and identified them only by pseudonyms. Derris said the therapists were hired for two days in the team's 2008 training camp and would not confirm whether they had any direct contact with Favre. CNN could not independently confirm whether the voice in the recordings belongs to Favre, or whether he sent the notes. Favre played most of his career with the Green Bay Packers, leading the team to a Super Bowl title in 1997. He was traded to the Jets after the 2007 season. | Jenn Sterger allegedly received lewd messages from NFL star Brett Favre .
The decision to retain counsel came "after much deliberation," her manager says .
The NFL is investigating the allegations against Favre .
Sterger worked for the New York Jets when the messages were allegedly sent . |
195,887 | 8988f1dce954f789b671bca69167d6b44c4bb650 | A man has been arrested after he punched an elderly man in the face for asking him to stop swearing inside an Applebee's restaurant in Florida. Mikie Dominic Sawyer, 26, was saying a string of expletives at the bar in the Dunlawton Avenue Applebee's in Port Orange when 80-year-old Harry Sander approached him and asked him to stop. According to police, Sander politely asked Sawyer to stop using the 'F' word and to stop talking so loudly about body parts. Punch: Mikie Dominic Sawyer, 26, punched an 80-year-old man in the face and pushed him to the ground . Gun range: In this shot posted to Facebook, Sawyer appears to be at a gun range firing a gun at a target . Guns: Sawyer has several pictures of guns on his Facebook page . Interests: Sawyer also posted this picture of a gun which apperas to be a rifle on his Facebook page . But Sawyer told Sanders he didn't have to stop cursing if he didn't want to before punching Sanders in the face and pushing him to the ground, according to WKMG. Police said an eyewitness backed up Sanders story and told police that he also heard Sawyer cursing loudly. The witness said that after Sander asked Sawyer to stop, Sawyer told him, 'I don't care where you are from, whether it be Russian or Dutch, take your (expletive) to the other side of the bar,' before punching him. Police said several other eyewitnesses described the incident similarly. However, one man said he thought Sanders may have also pushed Sawyer. Sawyer left the restaurant before police arrived, but was later pulled over after police got a description of his vehicle. Sawyer told police that Sander had been the one who actually punched him. But a police report showed that while Sawyer had no bruising to his face, he did have discoloration and bruising to his knuckles and fingers. Police arrested Sawyer and he was charged with battery on a person over 65 years of age and disorderly conduct. Sawyer was taken to the Volusia County Branch Jail, where he is being held on a $2,500 bond. Having a drink: Sawyer can be seen in this image enjoying a drink on a day out . Meanwhile, on his Facebook page Sawyer has several pictures of guns. In one image, he appears to be at a gun range firing a gun. He also has pictures of himself hanging out on motorbikes, clutching several drinks outdoors and at home. In another picture he can be seen sitting on a sofa with an unidentified woman. He also has an I.D card showing that he is an independent contractor at Lowe's. Hobbies: Sawyer appears to leaning on a bike in this photo which was posted on his Facebook page . I.D. card: The 26-year-old also has an I.D. card showing that he is an independent contractor at Lowe's . Home life: In this picture, Sawyer can be seen sitting on a sofa with an unidentified woman . | Mikie Dominic Sawyer, 26, was heard saying a string of expletives at the bar .
He was inside an Applebee's restaurant in Port Orange Florida .
Harry Sander, 80, approached him and asked him to stop saying the 'F' word .
But Sawyer told Sanders he didn't have to stop cursing if he didn't want to .
He then punched the 80-year-old in the face, according to eyewitnesses .
Police have arrested Sawyer and charged him with battery . |
204,081 | 9433073e0bc62b49b1130e6c6350f6ca1c77779c | By . Peter Allen . and Helen Collis . PUBLISHED: . 06:27 EST, 21 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:00 EST, 21 October 2013 . 'Totally unacceptable': France's Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, pictured in Luxembourg, summoned the US ambassador to the Elysee Palace to explain himself . American spies secretly listened in to 70.3 million private phone calls in France over less than one month, it emerged today. The astonishing figure gives an indication of just how easy it is for the US to monitor people’s activities across Europe and has caused outrage in France. The country's foreign minister has summoned the US ambassador 'immediately' to the Elysee Palace to explain himself and has described America's espionage activities as 'totally unacceptable'. The scale of spying by America on French individuals and companies was revealed in documents leaked by Edward Snowden, the whistleblower and former contractor at the National Security Agency (NSA). If repeated every month, more than 843.6 million calls a year would be intercepted in a country with a population of just 65 million. The report in Le Monde, co-written by Glenn Greenwald who originally revealed the NSA surveillance program, found that when certain numbers were used, the conversations were automatically recorded. Citing Snowden's leaked documents, Le . Monde says links to terrorism were not always necessary for an intercept . to take place, describing. All of the calls were hacked and taped in the period from December 10 last year to January 8 this year as part of an NSA programme called ‘US-985D’. The intercepts appeared under the codes DRTBOX and WHITEBOX, with the NSA intercepting an average 3million-7million calls each day. Communications involving selected numbers were intercepted, together with text message content. 'This sort of practice between partners that invades privacy is totally unacceptable and we have to make sure, very quickly, that this no longer happens,' French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said during a meeting in Luxembourg with his European counterparts. The country's Interior Minister Manuel Valls said the figures were ‘shocking’, and insisted that the American government would have to explain itself. Edward Snowden (3rd R), pictured receiving the Sam Adams Associates for Integrity in Intelligence Award, says he believes his actions were in the best interest of American citizens . Le Monde has previously reported that . France stores metadata of ‘all emails, text messages, telephone calls, . Facebook and Twitter posts’ in an underground bunker in Paris. Mr Snowdon is wanted in America on espionage and theft of government property charges after leaking top secret details of the NSA’s monitoring activities to The Guardian. He has been living in Russia since August 1 when he was granted temporary asylum there for one year and remains wanted by the US authorities. There was no immediate comment about today’s revelations from the American government. Similar programs have been revealed in . Britain and Germany. In Brazil, the revelations so angered the president . that she cancelled a state visit to Washington and publicly denounced . the U.S. for 'violation of human rights and of civil liberties'. The most recent documents cited by Le Monde, dated to April 2013, also indicated the NSA's interest in email addresses linked to Wanadoo - once part of France Telecom - and Alcatel-Lucent, the French-American telecom company. One of the documents instructed analysts to draw not only from the electronic surveillance program, but also from another initiative dubbed Upstream, which allowed surveillance on undersea communications cables. Le Monde’s report comes a day after the German news magazine Der Spiegel said the NSA ‘systematically’ eavesdropped on the Mexican government. It hacked the public email account of former Mexican President Felipe Calderon, which was also used by Cabinet members, according to Der Spiegel, quoting documents released by Mr Snowden. The former NSA employee said recently he believed he was was acting in the nation's best . interests by revealing information about the its surveillance dragnet . and huge collections of communications data. The latest report on US spying in France underlines the extent of the NSA's capabilities in listening and recording such vast amounts of personal data . The article in Le Monde was co-written by Glenn Greenwald, pictured, the American journalist who first published the documents leaked by Snowden . He has been blamed for threatening the national security of countries including the UK, by revealing how the US operates to combat terrorist activities. Snowden has insisted he has not taken any top secret data with him to Russia, where he remains protected until next summer, and that while in China he was able to protect the files from being intercepted by the country's intelligence systems. In a recent interview with the New York Time, he said intelligence officials in China as well as Russia could not get access to the documents he had obtained before leaving the US. Mr Snowden said he handed over all the documents he had obtained to journalists during his stay in Hong Kong, prior to flying to Moscow. He said his familiarity with China's intelligence abilities allowed him to protect the documents from Chinese spies while he was in Hong Kong. 'There's a zero per cent chance the Russians or Chinese have received any documents,' he said. Mr Snowden's leaks of highly classified material have resulted in numerous news stories about US surveillance activities at home and abroad and sparked debate about their legality, and the privacy implications for average Americans. | Calls by certain phone numbers were automatically recorded by the NSA .
Angered French foreign minister has summoned US ambassador to explain .
Data is latest to surface from Edward Snowden's leaked NSA documents . |
176,638 | 70aea0dc8cbe61f0acedcba873d4a948ae5ab8d6 | By . Leon Watson . A disgraced tycoon is the mystery buyer who snapped up Beckingham Palace for £11.5 million, it emerged today. Multi-millionaire insurance mogul Neil Utley, 52, moved into David and Victoria's sprawling Hertfordshire home last month. Mr Utley, the chairman of Hastings Direct, also picked up an Aston Martin and two Jaguars as part of the deal. Sold! The Beckhams reportedly sold Beckingham Palace, pictured, for £11.5million - a tidy £9million profit . Posh and Becks are believed to have pooled . the cash from the property as well as from the sale of a number of . their luxury cars, to buy a £45 million mansion in central London. Last . year Mr Utley was forced to pay £130,000 in tribunal costs and banned . from working in the Lloyds market for two years after admitting 'detrimental' conduct during his time at Equity Red Star. It stemmed from his alleged failure to take reasonable steps to ensure that there were sufficient financial systems and controls over personal injury claims. Mr Utley stepped down as chief executive of IAG UK, Equity’s parent company, by 'mutual consent' in July 2010. The Beckhams bought the 12-acre estate in 1999 just three months after their wedding. Their children Brooklyn, 14, Romeo, 11, and Cruz, eight, called it home for a few years before their move to Spain then Los Angeles because of their father's footballing career. The property comes with a second house nicknamed mini-Beckingham Palace, The Sunday People reported. Twelve acres of memories: The estate shortly after the Beckhams moved in 15 years ago. Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz all grew up in the Hertfordshire estate before David's career took them abroad . Insurance tycoon Neil Utley (right) is the mystery buyer who has snapped up Beckingham Palace for £11.5m. He is pictured in 2004 with executive chairman of Cox Insurance Holdings Peter Owen . New beginning: The couple moved their family to west London, near to where their children go to school . It also has a woodland chapel, fake . ancient ruins forming a playground, gardens including a Capability . Brown-style maze, barbecue area and professionally tended football . pitch. The house, a former children's home, boasts a recording studio, an indoor swimming pool, a snooker room and a gym. The family of six stayed in . the country mansion after returning from Los Angeles, after David's . football contract with LA Galaxy came to an end. Best of both: The family will reportedly holiday in LA during the breaks from their kids school so they can enjoy the Californian sun . Miss the place? David is said to have been sad to sell their first family home . Now . the retired footballer has more time on his hands to focus on his kids, . as well as outside ventures including his new restaurant with pal . Gordon Ramsay, Union Cafe in Borough. The . new mansion David and Victoria have reportedly bought is a . four-storey west London property in upmarket Kensington, which they hope Ramsay will design a . five-star kitchen for. They have also reportedly enlisted the help of . friend and interior designer Kelly Hoppen. Mr Utley was not available to comment. | Multi-millionaire Neil Utley, 52, is the mystery buyer .
Last .
year Mr Utley admitted 'detrimental conduct' at tribunal .
He was banned .
from working in the Lloyds market for two years .
Posh and Becks pooled .
cash to buy £45m mansion in London . |
245,604 | c9e69acf920ee0d711fb77a7f01bcc1c0c77e423 | (CNN)I can't believe I'm writing this, but: California, you've got a heck of a lot to learn from Mississippi. Not in terms of per capita income, obesity rates or LGBT rights. It's well-known that Mississippi falls at or near the bottom of 50-state rankings for a range of social and health indicators. But there's at least one stat where the Magnolia State shines: Its vaccination rate. A staggering 99.7% of kindergartners in Mississippi are vaccinated for measles, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That's the highest rate in the nation. In California, the rate is only 92.3%. (Colorado, meanwhile, has the lowest rate, at 81.7%.) Those numbers are significant. Even a very small percentage of unvaccinated kids can contribute to an outbreak, especially if they're concentrated in a single community, as is often the case in high-end, hippy-dippy California. According to the San Jose Mercury News, 87% of kindergartners at the Berkeley Rose School, for example, had exemptions from vaccination. Parents at the school "seek more alternative health care," a spokeswoman told that newspaper. Well, they're choosing an unsafe alternative -- one that puts their kids, and, importantly, all kids in the community, at greater risk. They shouldn't be allowed to do so. Those risks should be abundantly clear given the outbreak of measles that started at Disneyland. From January 1 to January 30, there were 102 cases of measles reported across 14 states. It's time for California's Gov. Jerry Brown to stand up to the so-called anti-vaxxer crowd. He has a moral responsibility to push for vaccine policies that are more like Mississippi's. It's clear, after all, that policies are what make the difference. Parents in California can exempt their children from life-saving vaccines because of philosophical or religious reasons. More-religious Mississippi, meanwhile, offers neither. It's one of only two states -- the other is West Virginia, with a 96.1% measles vaccination rate -- that requires parents to vaccinate their children unless they have a medical reason not to. The result: It's easy for misinformed parents to skip vaccinations in California. In Mississippi, it's hard. I'm not a scientist, but I do trust scientists. And if you listen to them, you know that higher vaccination rates make kids safer. As CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta has reported, vaccines do not pose a danger to children. They do not cause autism. Sure, there is always a slight risk of an allergic reaction or other complication. But the risk of serious allergic reaction to the measles vaccine, according to the CDC, is less in 1 in a million. Gupta smartly puts that in context: "It is worth pointing out that 12 out of 10,000 people who take an aspirin are at risk of intracerebral hemorrhage, or bleeding in the brain. People who regularly take too much acetaminophen (Tylenol) are the largest group of people hospitalized for acute liver failure. And, on average, one person in the United States dies every year from H20 intoxication, or drinking too much water. And yet, no armies have formed against aspirin, Tylenol or water." All 50 states offer the medical exemption, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures. That makes sense. Some children, such as those with cancer, cannot be safely vaccinated. But 48 of them offer religious exemptions. And 20 states -- California among them -- grant "philosophical exemptions for those who object to immunizations because of personal, moral or other beliefs," NCSL says. These laws cave to the anti-science, anti-vaccine movement. And they create unnecessary public health risks. In California, it's relatively easy for parents to obtain exemptions based on their personal beliefs. "Legislators tried in 2012 to make it tougher for parents to bypass vaccines, requiring counseling and signatures from health care professionals to gain an exemption," the San Jose Mercury News reports. "But two loopholes left it easy for parents to opt out: Counseling can be given by naturopaths, who practice alternative medicine and typically oppose vaccination. (And) people who oppose vaccination because of religious beliefs can skip counseling, a policy change that (California) Governor Jerry Brown instituted when he signed the updated law." In an e-mail, Brown's press secretary, Evan Westrup, told me that "the Governor believes that vaccinations are profoundly important and a major public health benefit." He cited data showing the kindergarten immunization rate for measles is up very slightly (from 92.3% to 92.6%) in the wake of the 2012 law. And "personal belief exemptions" are down from 3.15% to 2.54%. "It clearly has had an impact on exemptions in terms of providing parents with more information," Westrup said of the 2012 law. It's also clearly not enough. Two lawmakers in California are proposing legislation that would limit parents' ability to claim "personal belief" exemptions from shots, according to CNN affiliate KTLA. It's unclear if the bill would eliminate religious exemptions, as well, according to that network. It should. And I hope the bill will be the subject of much debate. For now, however, personal choice and fear are trumping reason in California. "It's good to explore alternatives rather than go with the panic of everyone around you," a California parent told The New York Times. "Vaccines don't feel right for me and my family." It doesn't matter what "feels right." It matters what's real. Vaccines don't cause autism. They save lives. And allowing parents to act on such misguided "beliefs" is negligent. California needs to take a cue from Mississippi and remove its vaccine exemptions. | John Sutter: California should boost its vaccine laws .
The state offers exemptions for religious and personal beliefs .
Sutter points to Mississippi as a better example; that state offers neither exemption . |
239,162 | c19fddbf5f7f2bd7e3cd7ba7daaaca6b3678e657 | (CNN) -- When Neil Armstrong became the first man to set foot on the moon, he uttered unforgettable words. But the next visitor to roam the lunar landscape may send back e-mail instead. One of the teams competing in the Google Lunar X Prize is considering this rover concept for the mission. Welcome to a new kind of space race, where the earthly guest will be a machine and the goal is as much exploration as seeking out new business ventures. The quest is part of the Google Lunar X Prize, which will put $20 million into the hands of the first privately funded team that can land a rover on the moon; have it travel on the surface for 500 meters or more; send back data, photos and video; and do it all by December 31, 2012. The prize drops to $15 million after that date and goes away altogether after 2014. One of the main requirements is to have as little government involvement in the project as possible. "We believe that space should be open to anyone and everyone, especially those people who want to go," said Becky Ramsey, the X Prize Foundation's director of communications for space projects. "The government has accomplished amazing things ... but we think that we can do it less expensively." The idea grew out of conversations between X Prize Chairman Peter Diamandis and Google co-founders Sergey Brin and Larry Page. "We thought it would be a good fit," said Tiffany Montague, technical program manager at Google and the company's main representative for the Google Lunar X Prize. "Many of us here are interested in space as a hobby, or we came from space backgrounds." Google, which is paying the main prize purse -- $30 million total, including bonus prizes -- hopes the competition will result in education, "interesting new content" and inspiration, she added. "What I think this prize is really about is inspiring young minds and inspiring the global population to compete for a dream," Montague said. 'Garage bands' of space exploration . There are 13 teams officially competing in the race, but the X Prize Foundation expects that number to grow to about 25. The multinational lineup includes Americans, Italians, Romanians and a "mystery team," which can hide its identity until July 20, 2009, under the rules. See photos of the teams and their rover concepts » . The competitors include university scientists, business people, engineers, robotics experts and even students. Ramsey said all of the teams are considered serious contenders, but not all of them are expected to be able to complete the task. "I liken our teams to the garage bands of the space exploration world," she said. "These are the people who have a dream, who have a passion, who have the knowledge and ability and the drive, and they think they can do this. So we're giving them the opportunity." The teams face a number of daunting tasks, including figuring out how and where to launch, designing a craft that can complete the journey and making sure it can execute a required "soft landing." "The craft has to alight on the moon a little like you'd expect an insect or a bird to land here on Earth, and it means that you can't impact or crash into the surface at high speed," said Red Whittaker, chairman and CEO of Astrobotic Technology, one of the teams competing for the prize. Once they land, the rovers must be ready to cope with extreme conditions. Whittaker listed a vacuum environment, radiation, temperature extremes and soft terrain as some of the special challenges of the lunar landscape. Expensive mission . Another big obstacle is the money. Reaching for the moon -- literally -- is an immensely pricey endeavor, and the mission is likely to cost much more than the $20 million first prize, a fact the sponsors freely recognize. "I think what's important to keep in mind is that this is an incentive prize and is not meant to cover the costs of development," Montague said. "Instead, it is meant to be a catalyst to shake up industry and inspire breakthrough." To help finance their plans, the teams are seeking out investors, partners and sponsors. Celestis, a company that launches cremated human remains into Earth's orbit, recently announced that it has reached an agreement with two of the teams, Astrobotic and Odyssey Moon, to carry human ashes to the moon. NASA could also be a customer for the teams, whose craft could carry scientific payloads, Ramsey said. The agency believes that there's potential for collaboration, but there's nothing formal in the works, said David Steitz, a spokesman at NASA headquarters in Washington. He added that NASA is giving a thumbs-up to the competition. "We're excited about anyone who's excited about space. We don't claim to have a monopoly on exploration," Steitz said. The business of the moon . Many of the teams regard the race as just the start of a long-term business plan. Astrobotic envisions a dozen lunar missions, scouting sites and offering payload services to businesses and governments, Whittaker said. Odyssey Moon CEO Robert Richards said his team also plans to keep coming back. "We are absolutely committed to an enduring presence on the moon," Richards said. Watch Richards demonstrate rover designs » . "If we don't win the prize, we will certainly cheer those who do, and we will continue with our efforts to provide a permanent, established mechanism for humanity to reach the moon in a very frequent and cost-effective way." But with so much money at stake, would it be possible for anyone to fake the mission in order to win the Google Lunar X Prize? Both Ramsey and Montague insisted that could not happen. "[The teams] have to file a mission plan with us," Ramsey said. "They have to send back images and video from the moon. I don't think in this day and age that it would be possible to fake this signal coming back." | Google Lunar X Prize goes to the first team that can land a rover on the moon by 2012 .
Rover must travel on the lunar surface for at least 500 meters, send back images .
There are 13 teams officially competing in the race; number is expected to grow .
The mission will probably cost much more than the $20 million first prize . |
59,950 | aa586c2dbbf9c61c6e79772cd1f93d14fedc4e20 | We know London was the capital of fashion in the Swinging Sixties. But, judging from the garments on show at a new exhibition at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace, the capital was also top of the style league 300 years ago. Though the 1660s were a dark time with deadly plague and the Great Fire destroying huge parts of the capital, it was also a period when haute couture reigned on the streets as much as the Stuart monarchs did from their palaces. Glamour: Frances Theresa Stewart, the Duchess of Richmond, displays ample cleavage in this plunging gold dress, one of a number of examples of 16th and 17th-century fashion on show at the Queen's Gallery, Buckingham Palace . If only they'd had a cat walk: Anne of Denmark and Queen Henrietta Maria . What's inside? Queen Mary II's patch box, made of enameled gold and set with diamonds, circa 1694 . The exhibition, at Buckingham Palace, celebrates an age when heaving cleavage and discrete beauty spots were a must for every female, and even the smartest man had no trouble sporting swirls of flouncy lace. It features more than 60 portraits of monarchs from the Tudor and Stuart eras juxtaposed with sculpture, jewellery and even some rare clothing from the era to examine the fashions of the time. The exhibition opens with familiar portraits of Henry VIII and his three kids, but nearby panels focus on their impressive and symbolic clothing. Princess Elizabeth, considered illegitimate at the time of this painting, is wearing the most regal of gold-threaded silks below her rich, crimson gown. To reflect the first fashion publications that emerged in the reign of Charles II, The Royal Collection Trust has published Robe, a glossy fashion magazine set in May 1667, and has invited comments from modern-day fashionistas. It looks at topical fashion quandaries of the day such as the best ways to wear pearls, whether to decorate gloves with embroidery or ribbons and how to cover up smallpox scars. Dashing: Henry VIII in a typical tunic and a fine example of how men dressed in the 16th-century . Beret nice: Charles I (left) and William Parr, 1st Marquess of Northampton . Striking a pose: Charles II is presented with a Pineapple at the British School . Fashionistas: Elizabeth I and the Three Goddesses in 1569 . Victims of the Great Fire are told how best to restock smoke-damaged wardrobes and there is an essential guide to those alluring, painted face patches. Asked about female fashion inspired by male attire, TV presenter Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen says: “Women look silly in codpieces… but strangely men can look sensational in lacy drawers.” Exhibition curator Anna Reynolds of the Royal Collection Trust says: “Fashion was hugely important. The rich and powerful used clothing to send messages about taste and status.” Regal: Mary of Modena, when Duchess of York, and a portrait of an unknown woman . Stern but stylish: Mary I cuts a handsome figure in this flattering ensemble . Dainty: These embroidered gloves, circa 1595-1605, are rather fetching . Bling: A gold and diamond signet ring given to Henrietta Maria by husband, Charles I, in 1628 . In Fine Style: The Art Of Tudor And Stuart Fashion at The Queen’s Gallery, Buckingham Palace. May 10 – October 6. For more details go to: royalcollection.org.uk . | Portraits of royals including Henry VIII and Mary I feature at Queen's Gallery .
The 16th and 17th-century pieces reveal clothing of great elan .
From plunging silk gowns to dashing tunics, the royals of the Tudor and Stuart eras knew had to cut a dash . |
86,431 | f55254febaee6d154e5108f45a8f3fc05c89d766 | Washington (CNN) -- New disclosures that the Internal Revenue Service targeted liberals as well as conservatives in assessing applications for tax-exempt status have reshaped perceptions of the scandal, shifting the focus away from Republican claims of political villainy. IRS targeting included liberal groups . Investigations by the FBI, congressional committees, the Treasury inspector general's office and the IRS continue, but Monday's revelations bolstered assertions by agency officials and Democrats that the problem was egregious mismanagement instead of intentional misconduct by the Obama administration. Shifting polls contradict key deposition . House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi of California told CNN on Tuesday that the priority now should be to ensure that laws and regulations prohibiting political groups from getting tax-exempt status are properly enforced, regardless of whether organizations are on left or right. "These groups are in some ways giving the appearance that their primary purpose is the common good, the common welfare ... when they are actively engaged in political activity, for which they shouldn't be getting a tax deduction," Pelosi said. However, Rep. Paul Ryan of Wisconsin argued too many questions remain unanswered to stop investigating whether politics played a role in the controversy. "What we still don't know is who ordered this kind of targeting, why did it take so long for them to clean it up?" Ryan, the 2012 GOP vice presidential nominee, told CBS. Asked if the claim of political motivation now seemed less valid, he responded: "I don't know the answer to that, so we're going to let the facts take us where they take us." In particular, Ryan said he wanted more details on why conservative-oriented groups had their tax-exempt applications stalled and experienced harassing behavior by the IRS, such as having to answer inappropriate questions about the beliefs and activities of members. At the same time, he sounded like Pelosi in saying the bigger question involved the practice of targeting, rather than who specifically got targeted. CNN Poll: Did White House order IRS targeting? "We know that the IRS did target people based upon their political beliefs," Ryan said. "Who cares whether they're right or left? ... The fact that they're targeting people for harassment based upon their political beliefs should be cause enough alone for outrage." That's a big change from inferences by GOP leaders in recent weeks that the Obama administration was likely behind the targeting that started in 2010 in an effort to subdue political rivals. With no evidence to date of any such connection, it was unclear how hard congressional committees would continue pushing the issue. The GOP-led House Ways and Means Committee has scheduled a hearing on Thursday on an initial review of the IRS targeting by the agency's temporary leader, Daniel Werfel. President Barack Obama appointed Werfel to clean up the IRS mess last month after an inspector general's audit uncovered targeting of applications that contained conservative-themed words such as "tea party." The audit by Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration J. Russell George only cited the targeting of conservative groups, which it said ended in May 2012. Read IRS watchdog's report . In his first substantive report on the agency, Werfel said Monday that its tax-exempt unit used multiple lists of inappropriate criteria in assessing tax-exempt applications until earlier this month, more than a year later than previously revealed. The "Be on the Lookout" or BOLO lists included liberal-themed words such as "progressives" and other politically oriented terms such as "occupy" and "medical marijuana" in alerting IRS workers to check for unacceptable political activities, according to copies made available by Democratic Rep. Sander Levin of Michigan. Werfel said he has suspended the use of BOLO lists in considering tax-exempt applications for now. A statement by Levin questioned why George's audit focused only on BOLO lists that contained conservative labels. The inspector general's report "served as the basis and impetus for a wide range of congressional investigations, and this new information shows that the foundation of those investigations is flawed in a fundamental way," Levin's statement said. A spokesperson for George later responded that the report focused only on BOLO criteria used to refer cases for extra scrutiny of potential political activity that would make groups ineligible for tax-exempt status. Republicans have claimed the controversy amounted to political retribution against enemies of the administration, an accusation denied by the White House and the IRS. McConnell: Obama administration a 'culture of intimidation' In response to Levin's statement, House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Rep. Dave Camp, R-Michigan, said the inclusion of "progressives" on a BOLO list did not prove that liberal groups underwent the same extra scrutiny of conservative groups cited in the inspector general's report. The release of George's audit last month ignited a political firestorm in Washington while fueling conservative mistrust of Obama's administration as an example of big government gone wild. Werfel noted Monday that his internal investigation, while still incomplete, found no evidence so far of intentional wrongdoing by IRS personnel or involvement by anyone outside the IRS. He also said no evidence had emerged that in appropriate targeting extended into other areas of the agency. Five IRS managers have been replaced, from the previous acting commissioner whom Werfel succeeded to the head of the unit based in Cincinnati that handles tax-exempt applications. In addition, Werfel created an Accountability Review Board to recommend within 60 days "any additional personnel actions necessary to hold accountable those responsible" for the targeting disclosed by the inspector general's report. White House spokesman Jay Carney said Monday that Obama believes Werfel's report "is an important step in ensuring accountability for any staff that acted inappropriately, identifies the failures in their systems that allowed the misconduct to happen, and takes a forward-looking systemic view at the agency's management." In his audit that disclosed the misconduct, George said there was no evidence of a political motive. However, he is continuing to investigate the matter, along with the FBI and the congressional committees. As part of his review, Werfel said 80 groups awaiting IRS action on their applications for tax exempt status for more than 120 days could self-register with the agency as long as they certified under penalty of perjury that they would comply with applicable laws and regulations. At the heart of the matter is what kind of organization can qualify for tax-exempt status. Regulations limit such status to groups primarily involved in social welfare activities, while political groups are considered ineligible. Confusion over defining what constitutes political activity versus social welfare activity contributed to the targeting by the IRS, Werfel said. An IRS statement on Monday said the "safe-harbor" option for self-certification would apply to groups that "certify they devote 60% or more of both their spending and time on activities that promote social welfare." "At the same time, they must certify that political campaign intervention involves 40% or less of both their spending and time," the statement said. Applicants meeting those thresholds would get approval within two weeks of seeking self-certification, it said. Earlier: What's a 501(c)(4)? Werfel said the IRS would continue checking on tax-exempt groups to ensure they were following the law. Separately, the House Oversight Committee, which has been aggressively investigating the IRS matter, plans to meet on Friday to consider a resolution aimed at resolving questions about whether a key agency official must testify. Lois Lerner was the director of exempt organizations when the agency filtered applications for tax exempt status. She appeared before the committee in May and said she had broken no laws or regulations and then invoked her constitutional right not to answer questions. Lerner pleads the 5th . Several committee Republicans questioned whether she waived that right by making her opening statement, and Oversight Chairman Darrell Issa said she could be called back at a later date if that were the case. CNN's Dana Bash and Deirdre Walsh contributed to this report. | Liberal and conservative groups seeking tax-exempt status got targeted .
Pelosi: The priority is stopping political groups from getting tax breaks .
Ryan: Unanswered questions require further questions .
A House committee holds the next hearing on the issue Thursday . |
31,838 | 5aa0e889834c1d4285419b9f4c49092e492115f8 | By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . PUBLISHED: . 07:10 EST, 12 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:31 EST, 12 August 2013 . Sensible: International Development Secretary Justine Greening defended giving aid to Nigeria, which has launched a space programme . Britain giving millions of pounds to Nigeria while it embarks on a space programme is a ‘sensible investment’, the government insisted today. The oil-rich country, which has accepted £300million from Britain in aid this year alone, has set in train ambitious plans to launch its own rockets and even put a man into space. But International Development Secretary Justine Greening was backed by Downing Street after arguing that it was money ‘well spent’ by Nigeria. However a Department for International Development spokesman was keen to stress to MailOnline that Britain is 'not providing any aid funds to Nigeria’s space programme'. The first Nigerian astronauts are being trained to join Russian, Chinese or American missions within the next two years. At the same time the UK taxpayer is sending £1.14billion in foreign aid to the country over the five years of the Coalition. The revelation sparked a storm of protest last week, coming after UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom accused the government of ‘treason’ for sending billions in aid to ‘Bongo Bongo land’ while making cuts to police and social services at home. But Ms Greening insisted the foreign aid sent to Nigeria would ‘help Nigeria progress and develop as a country’. She told BBC Radio 4: ‘I believe it is being well spent but we obviously have to make sure that we critically assess the projects underway. ‘We do expect them to invest in their country as well. The so-called space programme was in fact investment in satellites, weather satellites and for communication. ‘So actually this investment that they’re making in the so called "space programme" which is actually satellite technology, some of which is actually has been provided by UK companies based in Surrey, is a sensible investment and actually one that we would be expecting them to be making alongside the investment that we make.’ Space race: A Nigerian engineer at work on one of the country's satellites developed in a British laboratory . Nigeria’s space programme started in 2003 but its first satellite lost power and disappeared from orbit. It now has three in space, NigComSat-1R, NigeriaSat-2 and Nigeria-Sat X, the first to be constructed by Nigerian engineers. Although it has bought its own . satellites and launched on Russian rockets, Nigeria has built . laboratories which it hopes will produce its own space craft by 2028. The . National Space Research and Development Agency confirmed Nigerian . astronauts should be trained and ready for space travel within two . years. Big spending: Nigeria has already launched these surveillance rockets from Russia as part of its plans to join the space race . In July this . year, NASRDA’s director general, Professor Seidu Onailo Mohammed, . declared: ‘By our road map we are supposed to have astronauts prepared . by 2015. Before the end of the year, the recruitment of astronauts will . begin so that we have them handy and as soon as we get the nod we can . pick from that number.’ Critics last week asked why Britain . was, in effect, subsidising a space programme for a nation where 70 per . cent of people live below the poverty line. The £1.14billion Nigeria will receive . over the five years of the Coalition is double the £500million set . aside to prop up struggling accident and emergency departments at our . own hospitals. Backbench . Tory MP Philip Davies said it was ‘totally unjustifiable and . unaffordable’ for Britain to give this money to Nigeria, given the scale . of its ‘grandiose’ space programme. ‘We cannot go around the world saying “don’t worry, we will feed your public for you while you waste your money on all sorts of other projects”,’ he said. ‘We have got to say to these countries “you have got to spend that money on your people where it’s most needed not on some grandiose space programme”. We are against welfare dependency at home but at the same time we are encouraging welfare dependency abroad.’ The row surrounding Mr Bloom flared when he insisted that sending aid to Africa was tantamount to treason. He added: ‘How we can possibly be giving a billion pounds a month, when we’re in this sort of debt, to Bongo Bongo land is completely beyond me.’ He claimed foreign leaders frittered the money away on ‘Ray-Ban sunglasses, apartments in Paris and Ferraris’. Poverty: Millions of Nigerians are living in poverty, despite the country earning huge profits from its oil deposits . Resources: Nigeria generates millions in oil revenue every year but much of the population lives in poverty . The Department for International . Development’s budget is rising by 35 per cent in real terms by 2015. But . while aid costs are ballooning, spending on the military, the police, . border control and care homes is being slashed. Britain . is also spending about £280million a year on aid to India, another . country with its own space programme. Debate: UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom has reignited the issue of Britain's foreign aid contributions with his infamous 'bongo bongo land' comments . Despite Nigeria having the . second-highest national income of all African countries, most of its . people still live in poverty. It is also mired in corruption. The most . modest estimates suggest between £2.5 and £5billion is stolen from the . state’s coffers every year by corrupt officials and politicians. Jonathan Isaby from the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘When budgets are tight both for families and the . Government alike, people cannot understand why ministers are sending . more and more of our hard-earned cash overseas. ‘Taxpayers . find it especially unacceptable when their money is sent abroad as aid . to developing countries which then somehow find sufficient cash to fund . the likes of a space programme. ‘It . is totally unacceptable that British taxpayers’ money is effectively . subsidising Nigeria’s efforts to send an astronaut into space.’ The . Nigerian government has not released detailed figures on how much it is . spending on its space programme, but it is thought to be hundreds of . millions of pounds a year. British aid to Nigeria will increase by 116 . per cent under the Coalition government, from £141million in 2010/11 to . £305million in 2014/15. It amounts to a total of £1.14billion over five . years. The country has also been criticised for failing to crack down on corruption. The only senior figure from Nigeria to have been prosecuted over corruption in recent years was jailed by a British court. James Ibori, the former governor of the country’s oil-rich Delta state, was sentenced to 13 years for money laundering, forgery and fraud totalling nearly £50million. He used the money to live a lavish lifestyle, buying a house in London worth £2.25million and luxury cars worth over £650,000. Last night a spokesman for the Department for International Development said spending aid money in Nigeria would help cut crime and illegal immigration in Britain. ‘No UK aid money goes through the Nigerian government,’ she said. ‘Our investment goes into specific health, education and poverty reduction programmes. Nigeria is home to a quarter of the poorest people in Africa, and supporting their development will benefit our own trade and security.’ | International Development Secretary Justine Greening defends aid cash .
Oil-rich country has accepted £300million in aid this year alone .
Plans for Nigerian astronauts to join missions within next two years .
But 70 per cent of the country live below the poverty line of £1.29 a day .
Row ignited by UKIP MEP Godfrey Bloom's 'Bongo Bongo land' comments . |
232,326 | b8d364511f199823aa074502d102173bd0294289 | MADRID, Spain (CNN) -- More than 1,000 people rallied Sunday in support of Israel in front of the Israeli Embassy in the Spanish capital. Spaniards protest Sunday in support of Israel's military action in Gaza. The rally came a week after a demonstration across town in support of Palestinians in Gaza and sharply critical of Israel's attacks. Sunday's pro-Israeli demonstration featured the sounding of air raid sirens -- like those heard in southern Israel to warn of incoming Hamas rockets from Gaza -- and a speech by a Madrid official from the ruling Socialist Party, observers said. Last week's pro-Gaza, anti-Israeli demonstration included two national leaders of the Socialists, prompting a rare statement from the Israeli Embassy criticizing their participation. But the Socialist government and the Israeli Embassy appeared to have mended fences during the week, issuing conciliatory statements. Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos visited the Mideast last week, with stops in Syria, Egypt and Israel, where he was received by top officials. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero was in Egypt Sunday, attending the meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh organized by Egypt and France. The pro-Israeli demonstration on Sunday cut traffic on a broad boulevard in front of the Israeli Embassy. Israeli and Spanish flags were waved and one protest banner charged that "Hamas equals terror." Spain has earmarked 6.5 million euros ($8.5 million) in humanitarian aid to Gaza. | Pro-Israel crowd rallies in front of Israeli Embassy in Madrid .
Demo follows pro-Palestian gathering last weekend attended by ruling lawmakers .
Spain has earmarked euros 6.5M ($8.5M) in humanitarian aid to Gaza . |
272,901 | ed75d29ecbec969160c44a4d380d611424918d59 | A benefits cheat who pretended to be disabled to claim more than £30,000 was caught out after undercover investigators filmed her 'dancing on one leg' at a zumba class. Mary Thirsk, 44, claimed she could hardly walk and needed help preparing meals but was spotted exuberantly dancing and 'waving her arms around' during the 40-minute workout. Investigators from the Department for Work and Pensions also witnessed her carrying bales of hay and riding horses. Scroll down for video . Horse play: Mary Thirsk, pictured horse riding, claimed she could hardly walk and received thousands of pounds in disability benefits . Workout: Mary Thirsk's benefits scam was foiled after investigators filmed her during a zumba class . Thirsk's scams covered a period between July 2010 and May last year and involved her being overpaid by £30,300. One of the investigators, who filmed her at a zumba class, told Blackpool Magistrates Court: 'She was dancing on one leg, waving her arms around for about 40 minutes.' David Bengley, prosecuting, told the court that Thirsk had started to claim Disability Living Allowance (DLA) on the basis that she was 'virtuallly unable to walk and needed help to prepare a meal'. Roy Paul, DWP North West Fraud Manager said: 'It is our duty to ensure that benefit payments go to those who really need them and we are committed to cracking down on those who play the system. Thirsk, from Blackpool, Lancashire, admitted five offences of failing to notify a change in her circumstances . Dishonest: The 44-year-old, from Blackpool, had claimed more than £30,000 by claiming she was partially disabled . 'Our welfare reforms are vital to close the gaps that cheats take advantage of. 'It is unfair that some people get support when they do not have a disability, while many people depend on the benefits system to provide a safety net. 'Deliberately not informing us of a change in your condition that may affect your claim is a crime. Don't wait for our fraud investigators to find you. Tell us of a change now.' Thirsk, from Blackpool, Lancashire, admitted five offences of failing to notify a change in her circumstances. She was given a 14-week suspended prison sentence and 12 months supervision yesterday . The 44-year-old fraudster poses for a picture during another horse riding outing . Escaped jail: The benefits cheat was given a 14-week suspended prison sentence at Blackpool Magistrates Court yesterday . | Mary Thirsk claimed she could hardly walk and needed aid preparing meals .
But investigators caught her 'dancing on one leg' in 40-minute workout .
44-year-old was also spotted carrying bales of hay and riding horses .
She escaped jail yesterday and was given 14-week suspended sentence . |
196,261 | 89ff5d2672436b774282500dcbafd61c27a3b489 | A growing cult of Hindu worshippers in India claim that drinking fresh cow urine will help cure them of all diseases - including cancer. The Hindu believers regard the cow as a holy animal and say her urine has divine healing properties. Jairam Singhal, 42, has been drinking cow pee for over a decade and was keen to testify to its health benefits. Scroll down for video . A cult of Hindu worshippers in India is claiming that drinking fresh cow urine can help cure all diseases - including cancer . The Hindu believers regard the cow as a holy animal and say her urine has divine healing properties . In the north Indian city of Agra, dozens gather at the cow shelter of DD Singhal to have a fresh glass of cow urine . 'I had diabetes, but ever since I have started drinking cow urine, my diabetes levels have been under control,' Jairam said. 'Someone told me drinking cow urine is good for health. 'We have had cows here for over 12 years now, so first thing in the morning we take cow urine and drink it.' In the north Indian city of Agra, dozens gather at the cow shelter of DD Singhal to have a fresh glass of cow urine. 'Lots of people come here. And of late, the numbers have been rising. We all gather in the morning and drink fresh urine that Mother cow offers us,' Singhal said. 'Just a few years ago, there would hardly be anyone interested in taking cow urine from our shelter. 'But today lots of people come to our cow shelter. There are cancer patients sometimes - they want to see the benefits of cow urine.' Many say the recent increase in the number of people drinking cow urine can be attributed to campaigns run by spiritual leaders. Followers of the cult claim cow urine can successfully be used to combat cancer, diabetes, tumours, tuberculosis, stomach problems and much more. They also claim that drinking cow pee is the only effective solution for treating baldness. DD Singhal, founder of the Agra Gaushala Foundation, seen with some locals and his wife, worships a cow at his house in Agra, India . Followers of the cult claim cow urine can successfully be used to combat cancer, diabetes, tumours, tuberculosis, stomach problems and much more. They also claim that drinking cow pee is the only effective solution for treating baldness . 'Lots of people come here. And of late, the numbers have been rising. We all gather in the morning and drink fresh urine that Mother cow offers us,' Singhal said . Many say the recent increase in the number of people drinking cow urine can be attributed to campaigns run by spiritual leaders . Two little girls pose with a cow at a cow shed in Agra, India . Cows seen on the roof of D.D Singhal's house. 'Only two things are pure in this universe, in this world. One is the water from the Holy Ganges river and the other is urine from mother holy cow,' Ramesh Gupta, a Hindu priest, said . 'Only two things are pure in this universe, in this world. One is the water from the Holy Ganges river and the other is urine from mother holy cow,' Ramesh Gupta, a Hindu priest, said. 'Cow urine has been mentioned in ancient Hindu scriptures. No one can doubt the good effects it has on the human body. It is a divine gift from God.' Followers like Gupta, however, insist that urine from every cow cannot be beneficial. 'The cow, whose urine one has to drink, should be a virgin - she must not have delivered a calf. Also, the urine is to be collected just before sunrise - that urine has the best effect,' he said. However, there are people who oppose the claims made by preachers. 'People keep saying all kinds of things about cow urine, but we don't mind. People don't know what this is. They have never experienced the taste of cow urine or its effects, so how can they judge it,' Singhal said. 'It is just a matter of time before people realise the utility of cow urine.' He is now eyeing to cash in on the growing trend and has plans to start manufacturing cow urine products on a commercial scale. 'We can manufacture eye drops, medicines for stomach ailments, toothpaste, bathing soaps, herbal powdered medicine, among other things, from cow urine,' he said. 'Many cow shelters are manufacturing these products. There is a lot of demand for these products. They have good sales.' | The Hindu believers regard the cow as a holy animal and say her urine has divine healing properties .
In the north Indian city of Agra, dozens gather at the cow shelter of DD Singhal to have a fresh glass of cow urine . |
285,297 | fdb1ab635ce7ba461231224d1d24706143dbdd90 | Backs: L Williams (Scarlets), L Halfpenny (Toulon), T Prydie (Newport Gwent Dragons), G North (Northampton), A Cuthbert (Cardiff Blues), H Amos (Newport Gwent Dragons), S Williams (Scarlets), J Davies (Clermont Auvergne), J Roberts (Racing Metro), C Allen (Cardiff Blues), R Priestland (Scarlets), D Biggar (Ospreys), M Phillips (Racing Metro), R Webb (Ospreys), R Williams (Scarlets). Forwards: G Jenkins (Cardiff Blues), P James (Bath), N Smith (Ospreys), A Jarvis (Ospreys), S Lee (Scarlets), R Jones (Scarlets), R Hibbard (Gloucester), E Phillips (Scarlets), S Baldwin (Ospreys), A-W Jones (Ospreys), J Ball (Scarlets), B Davies (Wasps), L Charteris (Racing Metro), D Lydiate (Racing Metro), J King (Ospreys), S Warburton (Cardiff Blues, capt), J Tipuric (Ospreys), D Baker (Ospreys), T Faletau (Newport Gwent Dragons). Wales boss Warren Gatland has told autumn Test selection casualties Adam Jones and James Hook ‘the door is not closed’. Despite boasting more than 170 caps between them, Cardiff Blues prop Jones - a triple Six Nations Grand Slam winner - and Gloucester fly-half Hook have not been chosen in a 34-man squad for appointments with Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa next month. Gatland, whose squad includes six props, said: ‘It’s important that he (Jones) continues to keep working. We have had that conversation with him. ‘He looks in reasonable shape physically and there are other aspects of his game, particularly around the field, that we want him to keep working on and improving. ‘Definitely, the door is not closed for Adam Jones or James Hook. We know what Adam Jones is capable of giving us and I am sure if there is an injury or we need to look at bringing someone like Adam back, then we are able to do that. Veteran Wales tight-head Adam Jones, in action for Cardiff (right), has been left out of the 34-man squad . Gloucester fly-half James Hook has also failed to make the cut for the forthcoming Autumn Series . ‘With the scrummaging rule changes, that put a lot of pressure on tighthead props. It probably dropped the value of tightheads by half overnight and what has become paramount is the ability of front rows to be more mobile.’ Ospreys prop Nicky Smith is the solitary uncapped player, with Sam Warburton confirmed as captain. France-based players Leigh Halfpenny, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Mike Phillips, Luke Charteris and Dan Lydiate also feature. But 33-year-old Jones and 29-year-old Hook — both British and Irish Lions — find themselves on the outside looking in less than a year before the World Cup. Wales head coach Warren Gatland (left) has once again selected Sam Warburton as his captain . | Wales face Australia, Fiji, New Zealand and South Africa in November .
Head coach Warren Gatland includes uncapped Ospreys prop Nicky Smith in 34-man squad .
Eli Walker, Cardiff Blues hooker Matthew Rees and fly-half Rhys Patchell also fail to make the cut .
France-based players Leigh Halfpenny, Jonathan Davies, Jamie Roberts, Mike Phillips, Luke Charteris and Dan Lydiate all included .
Cardiff openside Sam Warburton confirmed as captain for Autumn series . |
235,102 | bc59c99fd39ddb74206134a49a755e3f722a6fee | Former Russian spy Anna Chapman is launching her own fashion brand, it was revealed yesterday. The 31 year old redhead - once married to a British man - launched her line of 'casual clothes' at a show in the Turkish resort of Antalya. Moscow's most glamorous secret agent hired talented young designers from Russian fashion colleges, said a spokesman for Fondservisbank, her main employer. Fashionable: The range includes dresses and women's handbags that are said to resemble books by famous radically-minded Russian writers . Launched at the Dosso Dossi Fashion show 2014, she wanted to produce clothes 'you could wear anywhere, from a big city to a backwater village', it was reported. 'Reporters and fashion magazines' buyers from all over the world will have a chance to see the first women's clothing collection by Anna Chapman,' said the spokesman. Her fashion range includes women's handbags resembling books by famous radically-minded Russian writers, it is understood. One is a mock-up of the book 'Who is to Blame?' by Alexander Herzen, a 19th century writer and thinker known as the father of Russian socialism. Variety: Anna Chapman (left) said she designed the clothes so they could be worn in a city or village . Designs: The former secret agent's interest in a clothes brand began three years ago . Another is modelled on Nikolay Nekrasov's 'Who can be Happy and Free in Russia?'. A third features revolutionary democrat Nikolay Chernyshevsky's 'What is to be Done?' The brand will be called Anna Chapman - the surname she took when she wed British former public schoolboy Alex Chapman who she met on a trip to London. The daughter of an alleged KGB officer, the flame haired agent was busted by New York police in 2010 on accusations of being part of a network of sleeper agents. She was deported in a Cold War-style spy swap along with nine others, and was then greeted by Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin who took part in a patriotic sing-song with her. Since her return to Russia, Chapman has dabbled in politics, taken part in risque photoshoots for men's magazines, and hosts a TV show about the mysteries of the world. Inspiration: A spokesman for the company said she wanted a Russian dress that would 'please her soul' Her interest in a clothes brand 'all began three years and three months ago when Anna returned to Motherland after jail in a prison shirt,' said a statement. 'She disliked these alien clothes and Anna went on to search for a Russian dress that would please her soul. She kept looking for it but did not find' She was previously reported to be interested in designing new uniforms for Russian cosmonauts, though the project failed to materialise. In July she hit the headlines with a Twitter proposal to wed American whistleblower Edward Snowden, who was at the time stranded in a Moscow airport. The femme fatale walked out of an interview on US television when she was questioned about the proposal. 'I'm not going to discuss this,' she told NBC's Richard Engel. 'OK, the interview is finished. I'm sorry.' She explained: 'I'm a very private, discreet person and I still don't do many interviews because I just don't like to share. 'I don't believe that people would be interested in knowing about somebody's life.' By . Misty White Sidell . Opinion: The designs are 'unimaginative and poorly constructed' While the concept of a spy-created fashion label is intriguing, Anna Chapman’s designs are unimaginative and poorly constructed. In the three photos provided to MailOnline, Ms Chapman’s work displays serious execution issues including rippled hemlines and skewed seams. If Ms Chapman wanted to impress with a novelty clothing line worth looking at, she would have created the kinds of sharply tailored separates that viewers of shows like Homeland and Scandal have come to associate with fashionable spies. Our fascination with fictitious, beautiful spies would have provided Ms Chapman with a vast demographic to sell her goods. But instead she has created conservative cotton-candy dresses that look like Disney Princess Halloween costumes – for the bible-toting set. A long, blue A-line dress – worn on a blonde model posing in an antiquated library – looks like a less magical version the dress Aurora wears to prick her finger in Sleeping Beauty. Its improperly-fitted bodice and twisted hem highlight the design’s likely cheap, synthetic fabric. Adding to the fairytale attempt is a book clutch design that mimics the signature miniaudieres of French label Olympia le Tan. But Ms Chapman’s book clutch does not boast the same handcrafted intelligence as the Olympia le Tan originals she tries to emulate. It’s brown velvet cover and machine-processed embroidery negates the concept’s overall charm. | The 31-year-old introduced her range of 'casual clothes' at a show in Turkey .
Includes dresses and handbags made to look like books .
Former spy hired talented young designers from Russian colleges .
Was arrested in 2010 after claims she as part of a network of sleeper agents . |
164,989 | 615b88a8c399448c3e32a791e561e7568d1440d3 | A German backpacker was allegedly lured to a rural property in Queensland and drugged, tied up and raped in a Wolf Creek-style attack. Queensland police will allege the 20-year-old tourist answered an online job advertisement for a nanny based in the Stanthorpe area, near the Queensland-NSW border. She caught a night bus to the area on August 13, 2013, and was picked up by a man who drove her around for about an hour. Actor John Jarratt plays Mick Taylor in the film Wolf Creek. A 47-year-old Brisbane man allegedly lured a backpacker to a rural property in Queensland and drugged, tied up and raped her in a Wolf Creek-style attack . Police say the Brisbane man drugged the young woman with chocolate laced with the sedative zolpidem, which is sold under the brand name Stilnox, before taking her to a shed on a property 30km southwest of Stanthorpe. The woman claims that when she woke up she was cable tied to a bed. She said she was fed more chocolate and when she next woke up, at 1am on August 14, she was outside by the side of the road. The terrified woman called her sister in Germany before managing to make her way to a property at Spring Creek where she was found at 7am that same day. Details of the alleged kidnapping emerged after a 47-year-old Brisbane man was charged with a string of offences including kidnapping, rape, stupefying in order to commit an offence and deprivation of liberty. Queensland police will allege the 20-year-old tourist answered an online job advertisement for a nanny based in the Stanthorpe area, near the Queensland-NSW border . He was refused bail in the Brisbane Magistrates Court on Tuesday. The court heard the man, a cleaner, was on bail for other charges when he was arrested on Monday. Defence lawyer Nathan Hounsell said his client should be granted bail because the evidence was circumstantial and he'd never failed to front court before. However, Magistrate Linda Bradford-Morgan said that after reading a police affidavit objecting to the man's bail she was satisfied there was a strong case against him. 'I am of the view that there is an unacceptable risk of reoffending or failing to appear if (he is) placed on bail,' she said. The case was adjourned until November 24. Outside court Mr Hounsell said his client would strongly contest the charges. 'He is clearly devastated at the refusal of bail however until the matters are finished he will remain in custody,' he told reporters. | German backpacker allegedly lured to rural Queensland property and raped .
The 20-year-old tourist answered a nanny job ad based near Stanthorpe .
Police say the Brisbane man drugged her with Stilnox-laced chocolate .
The woman claims that when she woke up she was cable tied to a bed .
She said she was fed more chocolate and when she next woke up she was outside by the side of the road .
The 47-year-old man was refused bail in a Brisbane court on Tuesday . |
70,393 | c787536391e79679754c84ac572b5d38bda1c7f4 | By . Freya Noble for Daily Mail Australia . A woman watching the football at home with her family said she got the surprise of her life when one of their snacks wasn't quite what they had bargained for. Jessiica McDonald, from Darwin in the Northern Territory, said she and her family were having a few quiet drinks on Sunday afternoon when her dad opened up a packet of beef jerky. 'We were just having a few beers watching the footy, and he grabbed a packet of jerky out', Ms McDonald told Daily Mail Australia. A Darwin family got a nasty surprise when they discovered a dried cane toad in their beef jerky . Without even realising it her dad then reached into the packet, and apparently pulled out a cane toad and took a bite out of one of its legs. 'He said it was really crunchy and had a really nasty taste', Ms McDonald continued. 'It wasn't beef jerky at all.' She said fortunately she was not the one to take a bite, but her father wasn't so lucky. Describing it as 'absolutely putrid' the Darwin woman told NT News her family were disgusted by the gruesome discovery. Her father was apparently so engrossed in the football he didn't realise what he had eaten until it was too late. Jessiica McDonald described it as 'absolutely putrid' and said her father bit into the toad without realising . Cane toads produce poison through its parotid gland and some parts of its body are poisonous for many species including humans. Ms McDonald said her father hadn't suffered any illness from ingesting the toad. However as cane toads continue to populate the Northern Territory, some cooks have decided to take the opportunity to create their own delicacy from them. The cooks have started using the legs of the pest species in six different dishes and are dubbing it the 'new feral fine food'. Some cooks in the Northern Territory have taken to cooking up the poisonous pests . Darwin food blogger Emma Lupin said earlier this year the cane toad was overlooked as a food source. Ms Lupin's blog – Growing and Understanding Local Produce – is part of a community project that focuses on using locally grown foods. She and other members of the GULP community have come up with many recipes that incorporate the pest, and have developed ways to kill the animal so it releases the least amount of poison possible. She and other members of a food blog have created dishes that incorporate the cane toad's legs . | Jessiica McDonald was watching the footy at home with her family .
Her dad opened some beef jerky and took a bite, but got a surprise .
He actually munched on the leg of a cane toad - a common pest in Darwin .
Other Northern Territorians have taken to cooking up the toad . |
164,593 | 60dad55a53b53cf7173af0f95d008af5011823b0 | Washington (CNN)At least three would-be Republican presidential contenders have said that vaccinating children should sometimes be done on a voluntary basis, but their careful comments on the issue underscore how problematic it could be for some of them in a primary fight. Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul joined New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie on Monday morning in asserting that the choice should be left up to the parents. And BuzzFeed highlighted comments made by former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina last week defending parents' rights on the issue. The scientific community overwhelmingly agrees that vaccines are needed to protect the public, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has provided assurances that the United States "has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history." With the outbreak of the measles epidemic in December — after the disease was eradicated from the U.S. in 2000 -- the scientific community is mobilizing to counter the "anti-vax" movement, which has grown over the past decade. RELATED: CDC says 102 measles cases in January, most stemming from Disney outbreak . Paul, in comments on conservative talk-radio show host Laura Ingraham's show Monday, said he's "not anti-vaccine at all." "But particularly, most of them ought to be voluntary," he added. Paul cited incidents where you have "somebody not wanting to take the smallpox vaccine, and it ruins it for everybody else." "I think there are times in which there can be some rules, but for the most part it ought to be voluntary," Paul went on. "While I think it's a good idea to take the vaccine, I think that's a personal decision for individuals to take." He also said he was "annoyed" that his kids were supposed to receive the Hepatitis B vaccine as newborns, and that he had doctors space out the 10 vaccines they wanted to give his infant children over time. And in a later interview with CNBC, Paul suggested he had seen the negative effects of vaccines that those in the anti-vax movement cite in their opposition. None, however, are widely supported by the scientific community, and Paul's office did not respond to a request for comment for details. "I've heard of many tragic cases of walking, talking, normal children who wound up with profound mental disorders after vaccines," Paul said. "I'm not arguing vaccines are a bad idea. I think they're a good thing. But I think the parents should have some input." Christie also took a measured approach, saying that while he vaccinates his own children, parents should be able to choose. "All I can say is that we vaccinate ours. I think it's much more important as a parent than as a public official, and that's what we do," he told reporters during his trip to England on Monday. He went on to say that's "part of making sure we protect their health and public health." "I also understand that parents need to have some measure of choice as well. So that's a balance the government has to decide," Christie added. Asked whether he was advocating leaving parents the option to not vaccinate their kids, Christie said "I didn't say I'm leaving people the option," but that "it depends what the vaccine is, what the disease type is and all the rest." "And so we have to have that conversation. [It] has to move and shift to disease type. Not every vaccine is created equal. Not every disease type is as great a public health threat as others," Christie said. He went on to say that the debate over whether to vaccinate children should measure "whatever the perceived danger by the vaccine is — and we've had plenty of that over a period of time — versus what the risk to public health is." Shortly after Christie's comments were picked up by national media, his spokesman, Kevin Roberts, issued an email clarifying the governor's position, asserting that states should have jurisdiction over the issue, as they currently do. "The Governor believes vaccines are an important public health protection and with a disease like measles there is no question kids should be vaccinated. At the same time different states require different degrees of vaccination, which is why he was calling for balance in which ones government should mandate," he said. Christie's careful dance on the issue reflects the potential political trouble brewing over the question of whether parents should vaccinate their children. The Democratic National Committee knocked Christie for putting on a "tin foil hat" and "bowing to junk science," warning him to "sit down and shut up, before people actually get hurt" in a release. Another group of potential 2016ers also weighed in on the need for children to be vaccinated. Texas' Sen. Ted Cruz told reporters Tuesday that "children of course should be vaccinated" and also jumped to Christie's defense, a potential foe for the Republican nomination. "This issue is largely silliness stirred up by the media," Cruz said. "Nobody reasonably thinks Chris Christie is opposed to vaccinating kids other than a bunch of reporters who want to write headlines." Cruz added in a statement that vaccines "have tremendous public health benefits." "But on the question of whether kids should be vaccinated, the answer is obvious, and there's widespread agreement: of course they should. We vaccinate both our girls, and encourage all parents to do the same," Cruz said. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida, who is also weighing a presidential run, was unequivocal: children should "absolutely" be vaccinated and the practice should "absolutely" be mandatory, he said Tuesday. Rubio added to the heap of doctors and experts who assert there is no link between vaccinations. And unvaccinated people, Rubio added, put infants at risk. "If enough people are not vaccinated you put at risk infants that are three months of age or younger that have not been vaccinated, and you put at risk immune-suppressed children that are not able to get those vaccinations," Rubio said. "So absolutely, all children in America [should be vaccinated]." Gov. Bobby Jindal said in a statement Tuesday he has "no reservations" about the benefits of vaccines and urged "all parents to get their kids vaccinated." "There is a lot of fear mongering out there on this. I think it is irresponsible for leaders to undermine the public's confidence in vaccinations that have been tested and proven to protect public health," Jindal said. "Science supports them and they keep our children safe from potentially deadly but preventable diseases. Personally, I would not send my kids to a school that did not require vaccinations." President Barack Obama weighed in on the issue during a Sunday interview with NBC, urging parents to get their kids vaccinated. "I understand that there are families that, in some cases, are concerned about the effect of vaccinations," he said. "The science is, you know, pretty indisputable. We've looked at this again and again. There is every reason to get vaccinated, but there aren't reasons to not." But despite Obama's insistence that the science supporting the need for vaccines is "indisputable," the vaccine debate has been problematic for Republicans in the past. Former Texas Gov. Rick Perry came under fire in the primaries from opponents during his 2012 run for president for issuing an executive order that mandated all young girls must receive a vaccine that protects against some forms of cervical cancer. He eventually flipped on the mandate and supported the Texas legislature's decision to overturn it, saying he made a mistake. "If I had it to do over again, I would have done it differently," he said then. Indeed, Carly Fiorina, in explaining her position to BuzzFeed, referenced that vaccine as one worthy of "concern." Paul decried it as well. She drew a distinction between "a vaccination when a girl is 10 or 11 or 12 for cervical cancer" and one for measles. "I certainly can understand a mother's concerns about vaccinating a 10-year-old," she said. "I think vaccinating for measles makes a lot of sense. But that's me. I do think parents have to make those choices." Richard Greene contributed to this report from London. | New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie was asked about requiring vaccines, while he was visiting London .
The scientific community overwhelmingly endorses vaccines and the CDC says the U.S. "has the safest, most effective vaccine supply in history"
Christie's spokesman later clarified his comment to say that Christie believes there's "no question" that kids should get the measles vaccine" |
5,324 | 0f1069cb2fd5d48df860c0380e7200100a46ecac | Daley Blind is set to join Manchester United from Ajax for £13.8million. The two clubs agreed the fee on Friday, and the player just needs to agree personal terms, which is expected to be a formality. Blind has not been included in the Ajax squad for their match at Groningen on Sunday after he was given permission by the Dutch club to hold talks with United. Blind's medical will take place this weekend in Manchester before he completes his move. VIDEO Scroll down for Edwin van der Sar on Manchester United target Daley Blind . Tough tackling: The Dutch international Daley Blind is set to join Manchester United for £13.8m . World Cup star: Blind impressed in Brazil with his passing range and ability to play in midfield and defence . Saying goodbye: Daley Blind will leave Ajax after six years at the club to join Louis van Gaal's United . United tweeted on Saturday morning: 'Manchester United has reached agreement with Ajax to sign Daley Blind, subject to a medical and personal terms. A further announcement will be made when the process is complete.' United have been linked with the versatile Dutch international throughout the summer, and the deal comes just days after Ajax director of football Marc Overmars said Blind would not be sold on the cheap. Blind, who can play at left back or as a defensive midfielder worked with Louis van Gaal at the World Cup, and has been keen to link up again with the United coach. | Manchester United and Ajax have agreed a fee of £13.8million .
The Dutch international will now have to agree personal terms - expected to be a formality .
Blind will have medical in Manchester this weekend .
The 24-year-old has not been included in the Ajax squad for their match against Groningen on Sunday .
Blind's arrival follows the signings of Angel di Maria, Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera and Luke Shaw this summer . |
16,604 | 2f12ea16282de34c6eda2c45662cbf50ae699366 | By . John Clarke and Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 11:44 EST, 21 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 03:00 EST, 22 October 2012 . Lance Armstrong appeared at an event for his Livestrong charity on Sunday as the bullying tactics used to intimidate his opponents were exposed. The Annual Team Livestrong Challenge opened in Austin, Texas, with some 4,000 cyclists setting out to ride 18, 65 or 100 miles in a show of support for cancer survivors. But behind the scenes the bribery-and-doping scandal surrounding Armstrong continues. Scroll down for video . Lance Armstrong speaks at the beginning of the annual Team Livestrong Challenge in Austin, Texas on Sunday . Members of the cycling community have described the difficulty they faced in standing up to Armstrong and tell the truth in the doping scandal. So powerful a figure was Armstrong within his sport that for years they felt too paranoid to come forward, frightened that their reputations would be damaged. Since then many victims have broken their silence, including Betsy Andreu, the wife of a former Armstrong teammate. She described receiving a voicemail from an Armstrong friend telling her she hoped 'somebody breaks a baseball bat over your head,' after her husband spoke out about doping allegations. At the time, victims told the New York Daily News, the feared voicing allegations against Armstrong would lead to being accused of being jealous, unpatriotic or even drunk. Some 4,000 cyclists will ride 18, 65 or 100 miles in a show of support for cancer survivors . Livestrong President and CEO Doug Ulman speaks at the begining of the annual Team Livestrong Challenge in Austin . But now they are following the lead of Frankie and Betsy Andreu and Greg and Kathy LeMond, who were among the first to speak out. 'I wanted to show what kind of treatment we were getting,' Mrs Andreu told the Daily News after the series of abusive voicemails were published in 2010. 'When I got those phone calls, I was worried on one hand and disgusted on the other.' In a separate incidents Mrs LeMond told how Armstrong offered to pay $300,000 to a former teammates to claim that he had seen LeMond using an oxygen-boosting drug. 'It shows how desperate Lance was,' she said. 'It is a huge example of what a bully Lance Armstrong is. He crosses lines no others will cross.' Betsy and Frankie Andreu are among those to have spoken out against Lance Armstrong . Greg LeMond and his wife Kathy are among those to have spoken out against Lance Armstrong . Armstrong has been . turned into an outcast in professional cycling and most of his personal . sponsors dropped him this week after the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency . released a massive report detailing performance-enhancing drug use by . the seven-time Tour de France winner. USADA has ordered him banned from . cycling for life and stripped of his Tour de France victories. The man who led the anti-doping investigation, USADA CEO Travis Tygart, has often spoken of the same motivation and he has paid a price to come this far. He previously said he was the target of death threats; he has been a constant target of Armstrong and his attorneys, who have called his mission a "witch hunt" and worse. He persevered, explaining: 'I've heard the stories from the athletes. I've heard them from the clean athletes who left their sport and felt personally robbed.' Tygart insisted he treated Armstrong the same as any other cyclist in his investigation but Armstrong sees things differently. 'This isn't about Tygart wanting to clean up cycling,' he wrote in a letter to The Associated Press. 'Rather it's just a plain ol' selective prosecution that reeks of vendetta.' Speaking on Friday in his opening remarks at Livestrong's 15th . anniversary celebration, Armstrong said . he had been through a 'difficult couple of weeks' and urged supporters . of his cancer-fighting charity to stand behind its mission. 'The . mission is bigger than me. It's bigger than any individual,' he said. Dark Days: Lance Armstrong, seen here during a conference last August in Montreal, celebrated Livestrong's 15th anniversary Friday night as new allegations surfaced about offering $50,000 bribes to fellow cyclists. Survivors: Armstrong is joined him are members of Livestrong's staff, many of whom are cancer survivors. Armstrong said he has been through a "difficult couple of weeks." Meanwhile, reports surfaced that Armstrong offered bribes to a cycling opponent to throw a race back in 1993. The Australian Broadcasting Corp. uncovered court documents indicating that Lance Armstrong offered to bribe other cyclists at a group of races back in 1993, including one in Philly. New Zealand cyclist Steven Swart gave a sworn deposition during a 2006 lawsuit involving Armstrong where he alleged that Armstrong offered an opponent $50,000 to help fix the CoreStates U.S. Pro Cycling race in Philadelphia as well as events in Pittsburgh and West Virginia. Armstrong, . who denies doping, didn't address the USADA report or the doping . charges in his remarks Friday night. Instead, he focused on the mission of the . foundation he started in 1997. Armstrong was diagnosed in 1996 with . testicular cancer that had spread to his lungs and brain. 'I . am ... truly humbled by your support,' Armstrong said after receiving a . standing ovation from the crowd of 1,700. 'It's been an interesting . couple of weeks. It's been a difficult couple of weeks for me and my . family, my friends and this foundation.' Armstrong said he's been asked many times how he is doing. 'I . say, `I've been better, but I've also been worse,'' said Armstrong, . making his first public appearance since the USADA report was released . last week. Guests Arrive: Robin Williams and Norah Jones were among the guests who attended the 15th anniversary celebration gala of Livestrong, Lance Armstrong's cancer-fighting charity. On Monday, the International Cycling Union is expected to announce whether it will appeal USADA's sanctions. The . celebration gala came two days after Armstrong stepped down as chairman . of Livestrong to help shield the charity from the fallout of the . controversy swirling around him. He remains on the board of directors. Armstrong urged the crowd to continue fighting to help cancer patients and survivors. Celebrity Cause: Actor Sean Penn arrives on the yellow carpet for the "An Evening with Livestrong" gala fundraising event in Austin, Texas. 'There's 28 million people around the world living with this disease,' Armstrong said. 'Thank you for your support.' Livestrong . officials expected to raise $2.5 million from the event, which included . appearances by actors Sean Penn and Robin Williams and singer Norah . Jones. Armstrong won the Tour de France every . year from 1999-2005 and his success on the bike helped propel the . foundation into one of the most popular and well-known charities in the . country. Livestrong has raised about $500 million in the fight against . cancer. In 2004, the foundation introduced the . yellow 'Livestrong' bracelets, selling more than 80 million and . creating a global symbol for cancer awareness and survival. The . silent auction included two Trek bicycles valued up to $12,000 - Trek . was one of the companies that dropped Armstrong as a sponsor on . Wednesday - and seven autographed yellow jerseys Armstrong wore on the . podium during his Tour de France victories. Gerry . Goldstein, a criminal defense attorney and friend of Armstrong for . several years, criticized USADA's investigation and sanctions of . Armstrong. Drug testers never caught Armstrong when he was competing, Goldstein said. 'I'm . a big fan of what he has done. Overcoming cancer and doing what he did, . who gives a (expletive) about anything else? That's so much more . important as a role model and a human being,' Goldstein said. 'Quit . whining about it.' Kansas City Royals pitcher . Jeremy Guthrie, who donated a pair of cleats to the silent auction, said . he wants to continue supporting Livestrong. Stepping Down: Armstrong resigned as head of the Livestrong Foundation this week. as a new report shows that he and his team used performance drugs. 'Obviously, . some things have a left a little scar, but people think it's still . important to come out and support Livestrong,' Guthrie said. The . charity has worked hard to separate its mission of fighting cancer from . Armstrong's troubles, said Doug Ulman, Livestrong president and chief . executive. Although Armstrong lost many of his . personal sponsorship contracts, Nike, Anheuser-Busch and others who . said they were terminating their contracts or would not renew them . because of the doping evidence, said they would keep supporting . Livestrong. 'We're proud of our history and . we're excited to celebrate. We've heard from so many grass-roots . supporters, program partners, corporate partners and a lot of them are . doubling down, saying they are going to come back even stronger in . 2013,' Ulman said. Watch video here . | Speaking at opening of the Annual Team Livestrong Challenge in Austin, Texas .
Some 4,000 cyclists will ride 18,65 or 100 miles in a show of support for cancer survivors .
Details of abusive voicemails left on teammate's wife's phone revealed .
Armstrong sidesteps bribery-and-doping scandal at gala .
Court documents he offered fellow cyclists $50,000 bribes to fix races .
Sean Penn, Robin Williams, and Norah Jones among guests at gala . |
107,189 | 163e6240e77a103085e08c2a0d31c05366803523 | By . Stephanie Linning for MailOnline . When Fusilier Lee Rigby was murdered last year, his son Jack was just two years old. Today he showed a courage beyond his years, clutching his mother's hand, surrounded by family, all paying their respects at the National National Memorial Arboretum - where his father's name was today etched into the wall of honour. Jack, who is believed to have turned four today, joined his mother Rebecca at the moving dedication service in Alrewas, Staffordshire, where they laid a wreath in honour of Lee Rigby. Scroll down for video . Brave: Jack, the son of murdered soldier Lee Rigby, held his mother's hand as he lay a wreath at the National Memorial Arboretum, where his father's name was today added to the wall of honour . Touching: Jack, who turned four today, joined his mother Rebecca at the moving dedication service in Alrewas, Staffordshire, which also commemorated service personnel who have died on active duty or through acts of terrorism in the last year . Grieving: Lyn Rigby, the mother of murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby, lays a wreath during the Service of Dedication. His family joined the loved ones of 16 other servicemen and women who were also honoured . They joined the loved ones of 16 other service personnel who have died on active duty or through acts of terrorism in the last year, all of whom were honoured at the moving service. Before making the walk with his mother, Jack could be seen clutching on to his Winnie The Pooh toy as he sat with the 180 loved ones who gathered to pay tribute. Fusilier Rigby's mother Lyn and father Phil McClure were among those who attended to remember Fusilier Rigby. The names of three SAS soldiers who died on a training exercise on the . Brecon Beacons in July last year, and two RAF officers who died in an . avalanche on the Cairngorms last February were also read out. Murdered: Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, was stabbed to death by two men outside Woolwich Barracks on May 22 last year . Jack was just two years old when Drummer Lee Rigby, 25, was stabbed to death by two men outside Woolwich Barracks on May 22 last year. Two men are serving life sentences for his murder. The brutal killing sparked shock and outrage across the country after he was run over with a car and then hacked to death by Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale in Woolwich, south-east London. The pair, who were known to the security . services, shouted ‘Allah Akhbar’ – Arabic for ‘God is great’ – as they . mercilessly slaughtered the defenceless serviceman. After attending Middleton Technology School in Greater Manchester and later Hopwood Hall College, Fusilier Rigby joined the Army in 2006 and was deployed to Afghanistan three years later. At the time of his death, he was working in a recruitment post for the 2nd Battalion the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers and also assisted with duties at the Tower of London. His estranged wife Rebecca, the mother of his son Jack, was living near her family home in Halifax, West Yorkshire. At the time of his death he was engaged to Royal Military Policewoman Aimee West, 22. The Armed Forces Memorial commemorates more than 16,000 people who have died on duty since the end of the Second World War. David Cameron has announced £1 million to maintain the Armed Forces Memorial honouring service personnel who have been killed in conflicts including Iraq and Afghanistan. Defence Secretary Michael Fallon said: 'In the same year as we commemorate the start of the First World War, it is important that we continue to recognise the sacrifices made by our Armed Forces and their families in service to this country.' The Government is committed to fund the monument through to the end of the next parliament, No 10 said. Agony: Philip McClure, second from right, the father of murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby, is supported as he approaches the national memorial, where he laid a floral tribute to his son . Killers: Michael Adebolajo (left) and Michael Adebowale (right) who attacked Lee Rigby last May. The brutal killing sparked outrage across the country after he was run over by a car and then hacked to death . | Lee Rigby's name was one of 17 added to the National Memorial Arboretum .
His son Jack attended the dedication ceremony with mother Rebecca .
They were two of 180 family members who attended the Staffordshire service .
Annual service commemorates service personnel who have died in last year . |
226,102 | b0cb6a96862cafeb9d312ece56df73966b59e302 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . Google is set to track the world's warships and make the data available to billions of internet users, raising concerns over the security of the American naval fleet. The search engine plans to offer the coordinates and identity of virtually all vessels at sea on Google Maps after spending around $3million on satellite technology. The company continues to consult with the U.S. Navy over the plans, as well as with the defence departments of countries around the world. Google has claimed that it is better placed to track the military boats than most governments. Ship-shape: Google will soon be able to show the location of every vessel at sea and maps of the ocean floor . Michael Jones, who is chief technology advocate at Google Ventures, told Aol: 'I watch them and they can't see themselves. It angers me as a citizen that I can do this and the entire DoD can't.' Google is not the first to track ships at sea, but claims to have improved on previous technology. All large vessels are fitted with the Maritime Automatic Identification System (AIS) - a series of transponders that transmit the boat's position to avoid collisions when it is dark or there is bad weather. At the moment AIS can detect boats 20 mile away from each other - however, there are ongoing attempts to improve the distance and accuracy. By comparison, from space the Google satellites can detect ships anywhere. The web power has already used its technology to track trawlers fishing illegally in foreign waters and passed the information on to governments. Despite fears over a risk to defence ships, the vessels can go incognito by simply turning off their transmitter so military operations were unlikely to threatened. All at sea: Internet users will be able to locate the coordinates and identity of the U.S. Navy's fleet via a simple Google search . Detractors of Google's plan to map the waters said the technology could be used by terrorists or pirates to attack ships. However one military source responded: 'It's not the ships you can see, but the ships you can't see that matter.' Google's plan to map the ocean floor over the next five years could reveal the resting place of spy satellites and send hostile foreign enemies on the hunt for 'sunken treasure'. It's not the ships you can see, but the ships you can't see that matter. Military source . Google Maps was launched in 2005, providing aerial or satellite images for most populated areas across the world. The service has often been controversial. Iran threatened to sue the company yesterday over dropping the name of the Persian Gulf on Google Maps. The threat came after it left the body of water between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula nameless on its online map service. Foreign Ministry spokesman Ramin Mehmanparast said that if Google does not restore the name of the Persian Gulf, it will face 'serious damages'. Into the deep: Google has said its capabilities of tracking naval vessels outstrips defense departments . Google reacted to the comments, saying that its maps service had never labelled the Persian Gulf. When asked by MailOnline if Google planned to include the title in the wake of Iranian threats, a spokesman said there were no plans to include the title on any amended map. A separate company insider told Mail Online that it was 'definitely not' a political decision not to have Persian Gulf on Google maps, and Iran's assertion that Google had had the label removed was 'simply wrong'. Iranians are highly sensitive about the name of the body of water, which has historically and internationally been known as the Persian Gulf. Some Arab states insist on calling it the Arabian Gulf. The issue has stirred up tensions between Iranians and Arabs . | Search engine has plans to map the entire ocean floor over next five years .
Google has spent $3million on satellite technology and claims it is better at tracking ships than most governments . |
109,534 | 19300a2604a35ea7c9f6ddda4d88294aaec02e72 | High Desert bunker killer: Collin Lee McGlaughlin, 24, will spend the rest of his life in jail over the 2008 murder of high school sweethearts in an abandoned Army dugout . A 24-year-old man obsessed with 'killing people at random' will spend the rest of his life in jail over the abduction and execution-style murder of a teenage couple in an abandoned Army bunker six years ago. Collin Lee McGlaughlin was yesterday handed a life sentence without the possibility of parole after making a plea deal in December to avoid execution. In a case which horrified Californians, McGlaughlin pleaded . guilty to forcing high school sweethearts Christopher Cody Thomson, 18, and Bodhisattva 'Bodhi' Sherzer-Potter, 16, into a desert bunker near Barstow before shooting them dead on January 5, 2008. The victims' families welcomed the sentence in court yesterday, which was handed down after they had delivered emotionally-charged impact statements. 'Collin McGlaughlin...you took my . son, but let me tell you what you did not take: You did not take my . memories, you did not take the things that made him what he was,' Pamela Thompson, Christopher's mother, said. 'He had everything you never had. And he was . everything you’ll never be, He’ll always be a better man than you, even . dead.' Bodhi's mother, Lorraine . Sherzer, said her daughter would have likely graduated from film school if she was still alive and would now be making movies, The Sun reported. 'There is no more laughter down the hall . or constant phone calls or text messages, no more arguments of ‘Are you . serious, Bodhi? Are you really going to wear that?' she said. 'There will be . no high school or college graduations, no wedding dress, flowers or what . colors to choose. I will never see her children or hold my . granddaughter. The day she died the world went gray.' Innocent victims: Young couple Bodhisattva Sherzer Potter, 16 (left) and Christopher Cody Thomson, 18 were sleeping inside their vehicle when Collin McGlaughlin and David Brian Smith forced them out at gunpoint and took them to a bunker where they were shot . In love: Victims Cody Thompson, 18, and Bodhisattva 'Bodhi' Sherzer-Potter, 16, met in film school at the Lewis Center for Educational Research, a prestigious charter school in Apple Valley, California . McGlaughlin, however, did not act alone: two other men, 25-year-old David Brian Smith, and 22-year-old Cameron Thomson, were also allegedly involved. The devastating crime unfolded in the early hours of January 5, 2008, as Christopher and Bodhi, standout students at the Academy for Academic Excellence, slept in their Jeep. They spent the night in their car after attending a party in the bunker in the High Desert. The were parked near the bunker, an abandoned military installation covered in graffiti which was a popular teen hangout. The victims' friends later told investigators that McGlaughlin, then 18, Smith, 19, and Thomson, 16, rocked up to the party in a Honda Odyssey van and asked if they could join. They brought a bottle of raspberry-flavored Bacardi which they handed around. It was when the party dispersed that McGlaughlin, the son of a retired Los Angeles Unified School District police officer, announced the plan to his two young friends. According to testimony, McGlaughlin ordered that Thomson stay in the van and act as a lookout. McGlaughlin and Smith, who was allegedly holding a gun, banged on the windows of the Jeep - the last car at the party - and forced the sleeping couple out of the vehicle at gunpoint about 4am . They marched the young lovers, half-dressed and barefoot, into the bunker, ordering them to drop to their knees, The Press-Enterprise reported. The bunker: The ruins of the World War II airfield and subsequent radio relay station for the military has since been demolished . McGlaughlin killed the pair in an execution-style shooting, however prosecutors believe the autopsy report suggests Smith may have fired at least one of the . shots, Daily Press reports. McGlaughlin later bragged in jail that he had killed a pair of high school sweethearts and said shooting someone was 'a hell of an adrenaline rush'. McGlaughlin and Smith were charged with multiple counts of first-degree murder, . kidnapping and robbery. Smith pleaded not guilty to the charges and still awaits trial. Thomson pleaded guilty in March 2011 to two counts of voluntary manslaughter. The bunker - the ruins of a World War II airfield and subsequent radio relay station for the military - has since been demolished. Court transcripts reveal Collin McGlaughlin (pictured) was feared in the years, and especially days, leading up to the January 5, 2008, murders, with his father reportedly locking up his own guns to keep his son from getting to them . Defendants: Cameron Thomson (left) and David Brian Smith (right) were also allegedly involved in the brutal 2008 double murder . In 2009, McGlaughlin pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. But two years later, a jury found the . dramatically slimmed-down man mentally competent to stand trial despite . claims by the defense that he was schizophrenic. His mother, Lynda McGlaughlin, yesterday said she was sorry the victims' families felt the way they did toward her son and her family. 'There . weren’t any winners,' she said. 'They portrayed Collin as a . monster. Others know differently. And I’m hoping we could move on.' While McGlaughlin said in a pre-sentencing hearing he was 'not proud' of his crimes, it was reported at the time of the incident that McGlaughlin was deeply troubled. Grieving: Leah Sherzer, center, holds a photograph of her daughter Bodhisattva 'Bodhi' Sherzer-Potter during the sentencing hearing for Collin McGlaughlin on Friday in Victorville, California . McGlaughlin was considered a 'ticking timebomb' who was . feared - including by his own family - leading up to the attack. His . father allegedly locked up his guns in case his son tried to access . them, while McGlaughlin's friends allegedly called him 'psychotic'. Redlands Daily Facts has provided a chilling profile of McGlaughlin, who was raised in a highly dysfunctional household. According to the publication, McGlaughlin had been prescribed myriad medications to stabilize his mood swings and diagnosed with multiple psychological disorders beginning at age five. In his teens, he began sharing with friends his dark fantasies around mass murder and mayhem. By the time of his arrest for the 'bunker killings', McGlaughlin had attended seven different schools, done stints in two boys homes and in juvenile hall and had been admitted to the hospital twice for psychiatric evaluation. McGlaughlin kept a chilling MySpace.com blog with photos of himself brandishing a shotgun and pistol, Los Angeles Times reported. He called himself an 'Equal Opertunity (sic) Merchant of Death' who listed 10 things he believed. At the top, he wrote: 'I entered this world screaming and covered in someone else's blood and thats how I intend to leave it (sic)'. He had also written on an internet blogging site about 'killing people at random', however police said he had no clear motive for the 2008 double homicide. | Collin Lee McGlaughlin sentenced over the 2008 kidnap and murder of Cody Thompson, 18, and Bodhisattva 'Bodhi' Sherzer-Potter, 16 .
He accepted a plea deal in December to avoid the death penalty .
McGlaughlin and David Brian Smith, 25, forced the couple at gunpoint from their vehicle and marched them into a deserted bunker in California .
They pushed the victims to the ground and shot them dead .
McGlaughlin allegedly bragged in jail that shooting someone was a 'hell of an adrenaline rush'
Smith, who has pleaded not guilty to the charges, still awaits trial .
Cameron Thomson, who was 16 at the time of killings, served as a lookout .
He pleaded guilty in March 2011 to two counts of voluntary manslaughter . |
11,790 | 217a844f1c4cf382f826039cc619c743c8e7c35c | (CNN) -- Radamel Falcao fired four goals as Porto demolished Villarreal 5-1 on Thursday night to all-but ensure an all-Portuguese final in the Europa League. The Spanish club took the lead through Ruben Cani just before halftime after dominating the opening period, but had no answer in the second spell against the Portuguese champions. Colombia striker Falcao extended his competition-leading tally to 15 this season, matching German legend Jurgen Klinsmann's record total in Europe's second-tier competition, while Fredy Guarin scored the other goal. Porto, who won the tournament in 2003 when it was still known as the UEFA Cup, will face either Benfica or Braga in next month's final in Dublin if they successfully negotiate the trip to El Madrigal. Benfica clinched a 2-1 victory at home, leaving the second semifinal evenly poised ahead of next week's return leg in Braga. Is Mourinho student the new 'Special One'? Villarreal, fourth in Spain's La Liga, had looked surprisingly comfortable away from home against a team that wrapped up the national league crown with five games to play -- and whose coach has everyone comparing him to his mentor Jose Mourinho. Andre Villas Boas could only look on as Ruben Cani headed Villarreal in front with a near-post effort from Nilmar's cross as Porto's defense was caught out again. But whatever the 33-year-old said at halftime, it did the trick as his team ran riot. Falcao equalized from the penalty spot three minutes after the break after being brought down by Diego Lopez, then just after an hour Fredy Guarin headed in a rebound after his first effort was pushed onto the post by the goalkeeper. Falcao made it 3-1 in the 67th minute as he lunged to volley in a perfect cross from Brazilian striker partner Hulk, then his diving header from Guarin's free-kick on 75 made it a three-goal advantage. The 25-year-old gave Villarreal a mountain to climb in the second leg with another stunning header from a corner in the final minute, sealing Porto's 13th successive victory in all competitions. Villas Boas is on course for a treble in his first season in charge, which Mourinho also achieved in 2003-04, with Porto also in the Portuguese Cup final. Benfica, a distant second in the league by 19 points and beaten 3-1 by Porto in the domestic cup last week, made a strong start against Braga as Oscar Cardozo had an 11th-minute effort ruled out for offside. And the Paraguay striker was involved when his team took the lead five minutes after halftime, with his header hitting the post after a superb run down the right by Argentine defender Maxi Pereira. Vieira Jardel converted the rebound for his first European goal. Braga, third in the Portuguese league a whopping 33 points behind Porto, stunned the home fans just three minutes later when midfielder Vandinho leveled. The 33-year-old Brazilian cleverly flicked in a header from a free-kick to leave goalkeeper Roberto helpless. It was a double blow for Benfica as the set-piece came from a foul by Argentine midfielder Pablo Aimar, who will now miss the second leg after being booked for his efforts. But Cardozo ensured two-time European champions Benfica will at least have a lead to protect, with the 27-year-old curling in a superb left-foot free-kick just before the hour mark. Earlier on Thursday, UEFA fined Rangers €80,000 ($118,000) and banned the Scottish club from selling tickets at two away games and one at home. The punishment stems from incidents during both legs of the Europa League last-16 tie against Dutch side PSV Eindhoven, with Rangers fans accused of "discriminatory behavior" -- or sectarian chants by the club's predominantly Catholic support. It is the third time UEFA has fined the Glasgow-based team for such an offense following incidents in European competition in 2006, 2007 and 2009, according the the UK Press Association. The ticket ban for one away match and the home one has been suspended for a probationary period of three years. Rangers have three days in which to appeal, and the club's chief executive Martin Bain said he would first wait for a written explanation from UEFA. "We are bitterly disappointed that our club has been placed in a position where we are subjected to these kind of sanctions by UEFA," he told the Rangers website. "The club put its own case very forcibly to UEFA, and the more draconian sanctions that were recommended by the disciplinary inspector have been mitigated to a degree. "To be clear, we condemn sectarianism and there is no doubt the mindless behavior of an element of our support has exposed the club to a very serious situation. The people who engage in this type of behavior are damaging the club they claim to support." | Porto poised for Europa League final after thrashing Villarreal 5-1 in home leg .
Falcao scores four goals after Spanish team take the lead through Ruben Cani .
Benfica take 2-1 lead into second leg of semifinal against compatriots Braga .
Scottish club Rangers punished by UEFA for fans' sectarian chanting . |
67,076 | be4562395683d8eb1ce3df5b5844ac2dffe00bb6 | By . Mark Duell . Last updated at 11:05 AM on 11th September 2011 . Former presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton might have grabbed most of the headlines for their speeches about courageous Americans at Saturday's dedication of a Flight 93 memorial. But it was the thousand-strong crowd of ordinary Americans in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, who really touched the hearts of the families of those who died in the crash on 9/11. Around 5,000 people attended, including 4,000 invited guests and the crash victims' families of those killed when the Boeing 757 crashed into a rural Pennsylvania field. Evening remembrance: Visitors gather at the Wall of Names where a candle-lit luminaria was held at phase 1 of the Flight 93 National Memorial near the crash site of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, on Saturday . Vigil: Visitors move amongst candle-lit luminarias at the Wall of Names at phase 1 of the Flight 93 National Memorial near the crash site of Flight 93 in Shanksville, Pennsylvania . It's an emotional day,’ Gordon Hasenei told AFP. His aunt boarded the ill-fated United Airlines flight in Boston for a holiday in San Francisco, California. ‘It's overwhelming to see everyone here.’ ‘This makes me proud to be an American,’ Reverend Kenneth Mills, who was the uncle of United flight attendant CeeCee Ross Lyles, told AFP. A seated section for the Flight 93 families had been set aside by organisations in front of the area where Mr Bush and Mr Clinton spoke of their determination to rid the world of terrorism. The public were mostly from the local rural parts of Pennsylvania, wore patriotic clothing, held U.S. flags and sat down on leisure chairs in the muddy soil, reported AFP. Together: Retired and active United Airlines flight attendants join hands at the Wall of Names . Reflection: Family and friends of the passengers and crew of Flight 93 gather at the Wall of Names after the dedication of the Flight 93 National Memorial on Saturday . Alice Hoagland’s son Mark Bingham died in the incident, and she comes to Shanksville every year on September 11. This year she decided to touch a granite tablet displaying his name. ‘It's a healing process and I expect to go through it through the rest of my life,’ she told AFP. Mr Bush was joined by Mr Clinton as the pair paid silent tribute to the victims of September 11 at the Pentagon and in Pennsylvania the day before the official anniversary of the terror attacks. Mr Bush was joined by his wife Laura, as he placed a wreath of white flowers by the 9/11 memorial stone embedded in the wall outside Corridor 4. Memories: United flight attendants Kris Mueller, left, Pat Kane, second left, Marilyn Walker, second right, and Emma Gilson, right, embrace as they view the names of their colleagues on the Wall of Names . Courageous: Following its dedication ceremony, roses and a photo button of United Flight 93 Captain Jason M Dahl lay at the base of his part of the memorial . It is close to where hijacked American Airlines Flight 77 crashed into the building, killing 184 people. Also at Saturday's brief ceremony were Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, former Pentagon chief Donald H. Rumsfeld and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Admiral Mike Mullen. Current vice president Joe Biden joined the former presidents, families of the victims and several hundred others under a slate grey sky. During the ceremony, the names of the 40 victims were read out, one by one, accompanied by chimes. Deep in thought: A relative of German victim Christian Adams touches the letters of his name at the newly dedicated Flight 93 memorial Wall of Names on the site where the United Airlines plane crashed in Shanksville . Quiet reflection: Airline crew gather at the boulder that marks the site of the crash of Flight 93 in Shanksville . On Sunday, President Barack Obama is to join a two-hour commemorative service at the spot where Flight 93 went down - lifting the profile of a sometimes overlooked episode of the 9/11 attacks. The memorial includes a walkway that sweeps past a circular field marked by a wreath-bedecked 17-ton boulder - the exact point where the Boeing 757 slammed at full speed into the ground. The adjoining wall bearing the names of the dead retraces the direction in which it came down. Planted by the entry to the walkway are three young elm trees, representing the three 9/11 sites. Notable upon the stage were the flags of Germany, Japan and New Zealand - in remembrance of wine merchant Christian Adams, 37, student Toshiya Kuge, 20, and lawyer Alan Anthony Beaven, 48. Bow: Former U.S. presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton and former first lady Laura Bush bow their heads during the remembrance ceremony in Pennsylvania . A U.S. Navy brass quintet in crisp white . uniforms played a prelude. Award-winning bagpiper Bruce Liberati . performed, as did Canadian singer-songwriter Sarah McLachlan. On Friday, family members of those who died on Flight 93 visited the site, read the guestbook and viewed the many mementos left by people who have come to pay their respects. Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar spoke at the site on Friday and noted that there is still work to be done on the memorial. It will eventually include a Tower of Voices with 40 wind chimes. Public and private donors have contributed $52million, but $10million more is needed to build a true visitors centre and to finish landscaping, Mr Salazar said. | Thousand-strong crowd of ordinary Americans among 5,000 in Pennsylvania .
Dedication of memorial for Flight 93 on 9/11 attended by former presidents .
Public attendees wear patriotic clothing and hold American flags . |
52,538 | 94e17fbc9da8716c8dccdb6291b7304910324cf1 | Washington (CNN) -- Political newcomer Ken Vaughn is betting big on his own run for Congress. The first-time candidate believes so strongly in the need for a new brand of leaders in Washington that, after careful consideration with his wife, he's cashed in a large chunk of his 401(k) in order to invest $100,000 in his campaign. "It's not nearly enough to win, but it's enough to get started," he said. "It takes a lot of money to run for office, but that's what it takes and like any businessman or whatever, you have to do what the job takes." A traffic engineer by trade, Vaughn is running for a House seat in Virginia's 11th Congressional District. If he wins the Republican primary set to take place in June, he'll take on two-term Democrat Gerald Connolly. His campaign's central issue is the national debt. "I am terribly concerned about what our congressmen are doing to this country with the debt, and we have to make a change," he told participants at a Chamber of Commerce breakfast last week in Woodbridge, Virginia, where he was seeking signatures to get on the ballot. "It's only a few years before everything is going to collapse just like it did in Greece and unfortunately, we don't have anyone to bail us out." While government spending is Vaughn's chief concern, as a candidate he'll have to worry about a different kind of spending: his own campaign's. It's getting more and more expensive to run for political office. "The cost of seeking office whether it's for state legislature or a governorship or a member of the U.S. House or Senate, these costs have been going up for decades," said Thomas Mann, a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution who studies elections and campaign finance issues. "It's kind of amusing to look back say to the 1970s, and you'll find many members of Congress then were spending, oh, $75,000, $100,000, $200,000 -- now that would almost be a rounding error." Long odds . In 2010, the average winning House candidate spent about $1.4 million, according to the Center for Responsive Politics. That's 70% more than a decade ago. The average price for winning a Senate seat reached nearly $10 million in that cycle. The high cost of running for federal office often puts newcomers facing well-known incumbents -- who often have more financial backing from supporters and political parties -- at a substantial disadvantage. "There's always an instinct on the part of incumbent members -- incumbent office holders -- to build a war chest even if they may not need to use a penny of it, and as a consequence challengers, those who are trying to break through for the first time, face an increasingly daunting challenge in raising enough money to get themselves known," Mann said. "There's not much room, not much opportunity for ordinary folks of modest income and wealth hoping to break into politics. It's a costly business. It's a highly competitive business and they face long odds." Brig. Gen. John Douglass, a first-time candidate who's running in Virginia's 10th Congressional District, is hoping to beat those odds. The former Air Force general and one-time assistant U.S. Navy secretary was an active supporter of Hillary Clinton and later Barack Obama during the 2008 presidential race, and he was recruited by the Democratic party last year to run against Republican Frank Wolf, who's been in the House of Representatives for more than three decades. "I think that right now our country desperately needs leadership in the Congress. I think particularly the House is in a stalemate right now," Douglass said, after a morning spent making fundraising calls from the kitchen of his farm house in Hume, Virginia. "I think I can add something to the national debate on where our country should be going. I think we are kind of at a tipping point. When I was asked by the party to consider running, I couldn't say no." Douglass has been a long-time advocate of early childhood education, which he says is an economic issue as well as a national security issue, another area where he believes his experience makes him a strong candidate. Unable to finance his campaign himself, Douglass has traveled extensively across his district talking to voters, but he says he spends at least 75% of his days on the telephone trying to raise money. Working with his small staff, he's made about 9,000 donor calls since May and has raised some $500,000. He hopes to raise another million for his race. Before running, Douglass had not paid much attention to the fundraising aspect of campaigns. "I don't think that's something that's on the average American's radar screen," he said. "You hear a lot of it being talked about now because of the presidential election and the enormous amounts of money that have to go into a successful campaign for the presidency and so it is an issue that I think all of us Americans are learning more about." High hopes . Both candidates are trying to keep their costs down this early in the campaign. Vaughn spends about $500 a month for rent on his newly opened campaign office, $50 a month for telephone service and about $5,000 a month on staff, and he's also been relying on volunteers. Douglass has three staffers and sometimes works out of the county Democratic headquarters to save money. The big expenses will come a few months from now, when much of the money the candidates raise will go to advertising. A Wesleyan Media Project analysis of data provided by Kantar Media/CMAG found that television ads for candidates running for Congress in 2010 racked up nearly 1.6 million airings at an estimated cost of $735 million, an amount that represents 61% increase over 2008. "It's definitely an uphill battle, but we also definitely have a shot, even more than a shot," Douglass said. Vaughn, who spoke with his pastor and prayed about whether to launch his candidacy, says "normal people" have to get out and run for office if they're going to make a difference. For him it comes down to faith. "Our country needs this," he said. "If you look at it from my Christian faith, I look at it as God will provide a way so, you know, it's daunting, but we're headed straight forward and we'll do the work that has to be done." | In 2010, the average winning House candidate spent about 70% more than a decade ago .
The average price for winning a Senate seat was nearly $10 million .
One first-time candidate says he spends at least 75% of his days trying to raise money . |
62,385 | b136e04ad7b3e85a32d3c8a861aa96af08dfb3c6 | Parking your car in a tight space is usually something to be proud of - but perhaps not in this case. Extraordinary pictures taken this morning show how a black Seat Leon Cupra ended up crashing through the window of a basement flat after breaking through a fence and nose-diving off a ledge. The car is thought to have slid on the icy road after a collision and amazingly the male driver escaped without serious injury. Scroll down for video . Tight spot: The black Seat Leon Cupra crashed into the windows of a basement flat after sliding off the road in north Edinburgh . Photos show police and fire and rescue teams attending the frosty scene, which was cordoned off, on Saxe Coburg Street, north Edinburgh early this morning. After a delay of several hours, the vehicle was finally removed from its precarious position in the early afternoon and police say they are not investigating any wrongdoing. A police spokesman said: 'The crash happened around 6.50am this morning. 'It seems as if the car has left the road and gone in the garden area. A couple of windows have been broken in the flat but that seems to be the only damage. Still there: The vehicle has not yet been removed from its precarious position as it is believed insurance agents are discussing the accident with police . Off-road parking: The car ended up nose down in the entry alley to the basement flat on Saxe Coburg Street, north Edinburgh . 'It was being driven at the time that it left the road. The driver was uninjured and was this morning arranging for the car to be removed. 'Fire and ambulance attended the scene. We're currently not investigating any wrongdoing.' A spokesman for Scottish Fire and Rescue Service said: 'We received a call at 6.56am to a road traffic collision involving a car that had left the road at Saxe Coburg Street in Edinburgh. 'On arrival one male occupant of the car was out of the car and being tended to by the ambulance crew. We stood by waiting on the arrival of vehicle recovery.' Removal: The car was finally hauled out of the tight space between the wall and block of flats in the early afternoon . Time to reverse: The black Seat Leon is suspended int he air as a tow truck pulls it out of the space . Damage: Parts broke off the front of the vehicle as it was towed away by a recovery team this afternoon . No serious injury: Amazingly, police say that the male driver was not seriously hurt in the extraordinary crash . Police officers and fire crews attend the scene this morning on Saxe Coburg Street, north Edinburgh . | Driver thought to have slid off road following collision in north Edinburgh .
After smashing fence, car nose-dived into entry alley to basement flats .
Amazingly, the male driver was not seriously injured in bizarre accident . |
83,431 | ecac5bc4b32c49f72c49bf53fcf10ff3bec5d653 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:39 EST, 24 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:27 EST, 25 December 2013 . New York City Mayor Elect Bill de Blasio's 19-year-old daughter posted a deeply personal YouTube video on Christmas Eve in which she details her struggle with drugs, alcohol and mental health issues. In the surprise confessional video, Chiara de Blasio claims she's struggled with depression and anxiety most of her life and that she turned to substances in order to cope. 'It made it easier the more I drank and did drugs,' said the Santa Clara University sophomore. Scroll down for video... In a surprise confessional video posted to YouTube Christmas Eve, the daughter of NYC mayor elect Bill de Blasio confesses to her history of drug and alcohol abuse and depression . Kicked the habit: Chiara says she smoked weed and drank in order to help her with her depression and anxiety in social situations. She says she's since kicked the habits thanks to a treatment program . The revelation comes just a few days before her father is sworn into office January 1, an office Chiara actually helped him win as she campaigned often with her family. 'Removing substances from my life has opened so many doors for me,' Chiara says in the video, her face alight with a big smile. 'I was actually able to participate in my dad's campaign and that was, like, the greatest thing ever.' But, she says, it was a difficult road getting to that point. 'Getting sober is always a positive thing,' Chiara says, but 'it's the hardest thing I've ever done.' Success: Chiara is now clean and sober, she says, and the change has allowed her to work with her father on his successful bid to become New York's first democratic mayor in 20 years . Chiara says it was her therapist who . first referred her to a treatment program, but that her family tried . hard to help even before that. 'My mom was trying really hard to help me, my dad was doing the same,' she says. 'As . parents, our instinct has been to protect our daughter and privately . help her through a deeply personal struggle,' Bill de Blasio and his . wife Chirlane said in a statement. 'But . not only has Chiara committed to her own health, she is also committed . to helping young people everywhere who face similar challenges. Strategic? Chiara, center, became a key part of the de Blasio campaign after it made the candidate's family (and hairdos) a key part of their strategy . 'Her courage to speak out demonstrates a wisdom and maturity far beyond her 19 years,' reads a statement from de Blasio (center) and wife Chirlane, 'and we are grateful every day for her commitment to lifting up those who need to know that they are not alone' 'Her . courage to speak out demonstrates a wisdom and maturity far beyond her . 19 years, and we are grateful every day for her commitment to lifting up . those who need to know that they are not alone. We are so proud of . Chiara and love her deeply.' More than just an airing of her laundry, Chiara reaches out in the video to others who might be going through the same thing she has through a website called ok2talk.org. 'Nobody can do sobriety on their own,' she says. 'You have to rely on those who've been there.' If you're 'honest, open and willing,' the politician's daughter says, 'you will see the most immense change you've ever seen.' 'We are so proud of Chiara and love her deeply,' said de Blasio, who will be sworn in as New York City's mayor on January 1 . | Chiara De Blasio, a college sophomore at California's Santa Clara University, says she's now clean and sober thanks to a treatment program . |
235,494 | bcdb2c8e74631d1fd9e466689fbc311837eb4bef | 'Mockery of justice': Convicted rapist Mustafa Abdullahi cannot be deported to Somalia because it would breach his human rights . A Somali rapist who held a knife to a pregnant woman’s throat as he raped her has been allowed to stay in Britain to protect his human rights. Mustafa Abdullahi, 31, was jailed for ten years after he threatened to kill his victim and repeatedly assaulted her. He was set to be deported on release, but immigration judges have ruled he cannot be kicked out because his mother and other family members live in the UK. They said he had been here so long, it would breach his right to a private and family life to force him to return to Somalia. The judges also gave him credit for having ‘faced up to what he has done’ and having put his criminal behaviour ‘behind him’. They also concluded he posed a ‘low risk’ of committing further offences, based on evidence from a psychiatrist who only saw him for a couple of hours. The case is the latest in a series of human rights judgments in which judges favour the rights of criminals over those of victims and the wider public. Tory MP Dominic Raab said: ‘This vicious man should be on the first plane back to Somalia. It makes a mockery of British justice and human rights to see such a dangerous thug dance rings around the UK system.’ Abdullahi came to Britain aged 11 in February 1993 to join his mother, brother and sister, who arrived three years earlier. They were all given indefinite leave to stay in 2000. But in 2007 he was sentenced to ten years in prison for the horrific sex attack, in which he repeatedly raped a ‘vulnerable’ pregnant woman in her early twenties who had been sleeping at her home, after holding a knife to her throat and threatening to kill her. Despite the evidence against him he refused to accept his guilt, forcing his victim to go through the ordeal of a trial. Even while in jail he refused to admit what he had done. When the Home Office began efforts to deport him, he immediately claimed asylum. This application was rejected last year, by which time he was out of prison after serving half his sentence. But Abdullahi’s lawyers appealed against his deportation on human rights grounds. Earlier this year, a Home Office lawyer told a tribunal Abdullahi should be deported because of the ‘very serious and disgusting nature of his offence’. The Home Office pointed out that even after he was released from prison he continued to show ‘no respect for the law’. For example, while on probation, he was caught using cannabis but instead of being returned to jail, he was given a £60 fine. Abdullahi said he was ‘afraid’ to return to the Somaliland region because of the civil war. He claimed that he wasn’t a practising Muslim, despite having ‘Allah’ tattooed in Arabic on his arm and chest. And because his parents had never taught him about the clan structure in Somalia, he would also struggle to fit in, he said. The tribunal accepted that because he had tattoos, which are considered un-Islamic in Muslim countries, he would be ‘vulnerable to serious harassment’, but concluded it was safe for him to return. Legal row: Abdullahi immediately claimed asylum when the Home Office, pictured, began efforts to deport him . However, they then allowed him to stay because of his right to a private and family life under Article 8 of the Human Rights Act. Despite not having any children or a wife in Britain, they said it would be wrong to send him home because of the length of time he has lived in Britain. The judges also decided he could stay because of his ‘close relatives’ here and ‘very regular contact with his parent and siblings’. First Tier Tribunal Judge Nadine Finch, sitting in London, said that even though he did not admit his guilt in prison, he had since owned up and completed a ‘victim empathy’ course while on probation. She concluded it was ‘shame and fear that he would be disowned by his family’ that meant he did not confess at the time, and attributed his lack of candour to the fact that it was his first time in prison and that the offence was ‘against the sensibilities of his own community’. Psychiatrist Dr Harriet Hunt-Grubbe said . that Abdullahi would be ‘deprived of the emotional support of his . mother and immediate family if deported to Somaliland’. After speaking to him for just two hours, she said there was only a low risk that he would commit serious sexual or violent crimes. She said he was ‘depressed as a result of possibility of deportation and from witnessing his brother committing suicide’. Sending him to Somalia would also increase his suicide risk because he would be unlikely to have access to the anti-depressants and therapy he receives on the NHS. She concluded that he was a ‘well-loved member of his family and his friendship network and that his deportation would have a negative impact on their own lives’. The Home Office appealed but this was rejected by an Upper Tribunal, which said: ‘Although he has committed serious offences, he has at last faced up to what he has done and has taken significant steps to put behind him that kind of criminal behaviour.’ Abdullahi, of Fulham, South West London, said: ‘I’m not commenting about the case. You’ll have to speak to my solicitor.’ His aunt, Sali Abdullahi, said he did not want to go back to Somalia because he had ‘no family or friends there and it is dangerous’. A Home Office spokesman said: ‘We are extremely disappointed with the court’s decision and plan to appeal. ‘Those who come to the UK must abide by our laws and if they do not we will seek to remove them. In 2012 we removed more than 4,500 foreign national offenders. ‘For too long the Human Rights Act has been abused by foreign criminals to avoid deportation. 'That’s why we introduced tough new rules to protect the public that are being included in our Immigration Bill.’ | Mustafa Abdullahi was jailed for ten years after threatening to kill his victim .
The 31-year-old was set to be deported to Somalia on his release .
But immigration judges have ruled he cannot be kicked out because his mother and other family members live in the UK .
They claim deportation would breach his right to a private and family life . |
80,367 | e3d93b2cdfb389280cba4ec7dde2f014b7c313d5 | Compounding the American military's difficulties on the Japanese island of Okinawa, a U.S. airman is under investigation over allegations he broke into a local family's home early Friday and assaulted a teenage boy before jumping off a third-floor balcony. The incident is likely to further deepen resentment among Okinawan residents about the significant U.S. military presence on the island. The situation was already extremely delicate following the arrest last month of two U.S. sailors accused of raping a local woman. That case prompted angry protests from Japanese officials and local residents. The U.S. military responded by imposing a nighttime curfew on its thousands of troops in the country -- a restriction the airman appears to have disobeyed Friday. According to Okinawa police, the suspect is alleged to have broken into the family's apartment in the village of Yomitan around 1 a.m. Friday, hit a 13-year-old boy who was in bed and damaged a television set. The boy was left with an injury to his cheek. The airman suffered "possible broken bones and internal injuries" after jumping from the apartment's balcony and has been admitted to a military hospital on the nearby U.S. Air Force base of Kadena, U.S. military officials said. Japanese Foreign Minister Koichiro Gemba called the incident "outrageous," noting that it took place despite the U.S. military curfew. He said the Japanese authorities would lodge a complaint with the United States. The U.S. ambassador to Japan, John Roos, said he was also appalled by reports of the incident. "Let me be absolutely clear: I am very upset -- it's an understatement to say I'm very upset," he told reporters in Tokyo on Friday, expressing concern about the well-being of the Japanese boy who was allegedly attacked. He stressed that the U.S. military forces in Japan are "undergoing a complete review of the liberty policies and other policies that will minimize, if not eliminate, any such incident in the future." "It is incredibly unfortunate that the purported actions of a few reflect badly on thousands of young men and women here in Japan, away from their homes, that are here for the defense of Japan," he said. American military officials on Okinawa, which lies south of the main Japanese islands, were trying to deal with the fallout from the situation. "It is extremely regrettable when an alleged incident like this occurs," said Col. Brian McDaniel, vice commander of the 18th Wing of the U.S. Air Force, which occupies the Kadena base, the largest American military installation in the Asia-Pacific region. "We are fully cooperating with Okinawan authorities on this investigation to ensure justice is served." Maj. Christopher Anderson, the head of public affairs for the 18th Wing, said he had met with the mayor of Yomitan on Friday. "This isn't how we want our people to conduct themselves," he said of the airman's alleged behavior. Japanese and U.S authorities declined to disclose details of the airman's identity Friday, other than that he was assigned to Kadena. The issue of violent crimes by U.S. troops in Japan has divided the two countries for decades. It came to a peak in 1995 when a U.S. sailor and two U.S. Marines were convicted of raping a 12-year-old girl. Tens of thousands of Okinawans took to the streets at the time demanding that the United States leave the island. Relations between the U.S. military and the people of Okinawa have also been strained in recent months over the U.S. Marine Corps' deployment of MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft to a base on the island. Some Okinawa residents are concerned because the Osprey has had a reputation for crashing. The Okinawan community has long been against the presence of the U.S. military, which recently announced that thousands of Marines will be moved to a base in Guam. | "It's an understatement to say I'm very upset," U.S. ambassador says .
A U.S. airman is alleged to have broken into an apartment and hit a 13-year-old boy .
The alleged attack is "outrageous," the Japanese foreign minister says .
Two U.S. sailors were arrested last month over accusations they raped a local woman . |
215,245 | a2a3850c220cc5f8ca9adb9e66132d55e2da060e | By . Adam Shergold . Follow @@adamjshergold . Zenit St Petersburg have completed the £12m signing of Benfica defender Ezequiel Garay, a player regularly linked with Manchester United. The Russian club, managed by Andre Villas-Boas, secured the 27-year-old centre-back on a five-year contract which begins on July 1. Garay, who has long been courted by United and a number of other leading European sides, enjoyed an impressive season with the Portuguese giants, who won the League, Cup and League Cup and reached the final of the UEFA Europa League. Russia bound: Benfica's Ezequiel Garay has joined Zenit St Petersburg in a deal worth around £12m . International duty: Garay in Argentina colours challenging for the ball in their group match with Nigeria on Wednesday . A statement on the Russian club's website said: 'Football clubs Zenit and Benfica have reached an agreement over the transfer of the defender of the Argentina national team. 'The contract has been signed for five years from July 1. The player will join the team after the World Cup.' Garay has started all three of Argentina's group stage matches at the World Cup as Alejandro Sabella's team bid to lift the trophy in the backyard of rivals Brazil. Garay thanked Benfica boss Jorge Jesus and his team-mates in an interview after the move was announced. Final appearance: Garay has twice played for Benfica in the final of the UEFA Europa League - suffered against Chelsea in 2013 and Sevilla in 2014 . Ghost: Garay watches Bosnia's Edin Dzeko closely as he controls the ball during the team's Group F match . 'I want to thank everyone who supported me in these three magnificent years I spent at Benfica,' he told the club's TV station. 'In particular the president, who believed and invested in me, and the coach who made me evolve and reach a level that i'm very proud of. 'Thanks also to all my team-mates with whom I had the honour of playing with for this club. 'I want to return all the love that Benfica and the supporters gave me. I'll take all the unforgettable moments I've had in Portugal in my heart. Thanks!' In all, Garay played in 128 matches for Benfica, scoring 12 goals. | Defender joins up with Andre Villas-Boas at Russian side on five-year deal .
Argentina international is currently at the World Cup .
Garay has regularly been linked with move to Manchester United . |
39,263 | 6eee36abb4785f45ca9ce67f2a535243da4c6fb7 | (CNN) -- Phillip Prince has been sitting in his tractor-trailer, stuck on Interstate 40 near Groom, Texas, for hours. Nine hours and four minutes, to be precise. Prince and his co-driver were due in California at 1 p.m. Tuesday, where they were going to drop off 25,000 pounds of frozen pizza. But then they came upon what the National Weather Service is calling "a crippling, historic blizzard." "It was pretty nasty when we first got into it," he said. "But then it turned into a whiteout." Prince, who has been a long-haul driver for nine years, says he's never seen it this bad, as he explained his situation on CNN.com's iReport. The line of trucks is five to six miles long. It's frustrating, the west-bound driver said, because he can see snowplows in the east-bound lanes. He hopes to get moving soon; he's down to eating his last box of Lucky Charms. The good news is that it has stopped snowing. The winds are still 55 mph, but the skies are clear though the roads are not. The storm has been moving east during the day, dumping records amount of snow along the way. In Woodward, a town in northwest Oklahoma, firefighters were unable to reach a burning house because they ran into 4-foot snow drifts. The snowplow sent to dig them out also became stuck, Matt Lehenbauer, the director of Woodward, said Monday afternoon. "At this point, we can't keep ahead of snowfall rates," he said. "Right now, the situation is pretty critical." At least six calls came in from other stranded motorists, he said. As of 3:30 p.m. (4:30 p.m. ET), 15 inches of snow had fallen in Woodward, the most snow accumulation since 1971, the National Weather Service said. Blizzard warnings were set to expire at midnight across the Texas Panhandle, CNN meteorologist Sean Morris said. The powerful storm will move northeast through Oklahoma on Monday night, prompting blizzard warnings there. Blizzard conditions are expected to move into south central Kansas early Tuesday, bringing another round of heavy snow to Wichita, which just experienced record snowfall last week. As the storm moves into eastern Kansas, winds will die down and whiteout conditions are less likely. However, heavy snow is still forecast with snowfall totals over a foot in some areas of southeast Kansas. The storm is leaving behind a huge mess in its wake. Almost all roads in the Texas Panhandle were impassable Monday, and the state Department of Transportation pulled virtually all of its snowplows off roads because of whiteout conditions, Texas DOT spokesman Paul Braun said Monday morning. On its Facebook page, the weather service posted a video of the wind and snow whipping a U.S. flag outside its Amarillo office. "If after watching the last video you thought you could still get out and travel, well you haven't seen anything yet!" the Facebook post said. And later, it followed that up with another indication of how bad things were getting. "Amarillo Airport just recorded a gust of 65knots/75mph! This is truly a historic blizzard!" the second Facebook post said. "Conditions have NOT improved. Please stay inside and do NOT venture out." As of 4 p.m. (5 p.m. ET), 19 inches of snow had fallen in Amarillo -- an all-time single day record for February, the weather service said. Monday's accumulation also ranked as the second highest single-day snowfall accumulation ever recorded there, the agency said. For some, the service's warnings didn't come soon enough. Emergency crews were having trouble reaching drivers who were caught on the roads, Texas Department of Public Safety Trooper Gabriel Medrano said. Cars were in ditches, he said, because drivers couldn't tell where road ended and ditch began. National Guard units were being sent to help stranded motorists, the Texas DOT said. CNN iReporter Jason Boyett in Amarillo posted a video showing near-whiteout conditions at 7:40 a.m., and followed that with another showing a drift nearly 3 feet high outside his front door. "We get high winds and we get big snowstorms, but they're not often combined," Boyett said. Track the massive winter storm . Whiteouts were also reported in Oklahoma, where as of 10 a.m. Central time, the state had closed all highways in six counties -- Ellis, Harper, Woodward, Beaver, Texas and Cimarron -- until further notice. "Roadways and ditches are snow packed with no visibility and are very slick and hazardous. All travel is discouraged," the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said. As much as 16 inches of snow could fall in western areas of the state, the weather service said. Oklahoma Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb declared a state of emergency for 56 of Oklahoma's 77 counties. Visibility was low in Fairview, Oklahoma, midway between the Panhandle and Oklahoma City, said CNN iReporter Brandi Whitacre. "Right now it is snowing so heavily I can barely see down our driveway, which is 100 yards or so. It is coming down," said Whitacre, who added that'd she'd lost satellite TV service and was experiencing intermittent power outages. Are you there? Send stories and photos . The blizzard is the second major winter storm to hammer the region in a week. The number of people under blizzard and winter storm warnings, watches and advisories totaled 35 million, according to CNN's weather unit. Wichita schools were closed for the third straight school day as the new storm roared in on the heels of one that dumped up to 22 inches of snow on some areas late last week. Kansas' governor on Sunday extended a state of emergency declaration to include the new storm. Gov. Sam Brownback said Monday that one person had been killed in a single car accident in Sherman County. Officials blamed the fatal wreck on icy roads. The Kansas Department of Transportation reported that many highways in the central part of the state, including Interstate 70, were completely covered by snow and ice on Monday morning. All flights in and out of Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport in Texas were canceled until noon on Monday. Preston Smith International Airport in Lubbock was also closed, CNN affiliate KCBD reported, and Texas Tech University in Lubbock shut down on Monday because of the storm. While millions will see snow -- including Chicago, where 3 to 7 inches of snow and sleet are expected by Wednesday morning -- rain may rule for the next few days in parts of the Southeast. In Mobile, Alabama, on the Gulf Coast, residents prepared for the possibility of heavy rain and wind gusts as strong as 30 mph by Monday night. The rain is part of a band affecting several Southern states where tornado watches were in also effect Monday night. CNN's Greg Botelho, AnneClaire Stapleton and Judson Jones contributed to this report. | NEW: Drivers trapped on highway in Texas for more than nine hours .
Emergency crews in Oklahoma get stuck on their way to fire call .
Whiteout conditions force plows from Texas highways .
Amarillo, Texas gets 19 inches of snow in one day . |
226,771 | b1a2e599ed8a8ed969ddc70f25e667e00cbd2a23 | (CNN) -- Two pilots safely ejected before an F-16 crashed during a training mission on Wednesday night near Luke Air Force Base in Glendale, Arizona, an Air Force spokeswoman told CNN. They were recovered a short time later by an ambulance crew, CNN affiliate KPHO reported. Air Force officials reported both pilots were uninjured. Witnesses said they could tell the plane was sputtering and popping just before it went down. "The jet exploded. It went boom," Eva DelaCruz, who lives near the base, told KPHO. "It exploded again and we looked up and saw the jet with a lot of flames. Like a lot of fire and I said that's not normal because we see jets left and right." The Air Force will investigate the crash, according to KPHO. | Air Force officials report both pilots are uninjured .
The fighter jet sputtered and popped before gong down, witnesses said . |
25,799 | 491bd20d525683deaba2c57161f692e0a2f1cbec | (CNN) -- She's the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history and now teen sensation Lydia Ko looks set for a long and lucrative career after teaming up with a major sports management firm. The South-Korean born New Zealander has signed with IMG, the company which once had world No. 1 Tiger Woods on its books. "Now officially an IMG family member :)," the 16-year-old announced on Twitter. Ko has enjoyed five professional wins since January 2012 and is ranked No. 4 in the world. In August 2012, two days after her 15th birthday, Ko won the Canadian Women's Open but was unable to collect the $300,000 winner's check due to her status as an amateur. It was the same story when she defended the title 12 months on, with Ko neglecting to turn pro to focus on her education. She also benefited from the backing of wealthy benefactor David Levene, who donated some of his fortune to Ko so she could remain an amateur and continue with her studies. Ko will have no such problems in the future as she joins the LPGA Tour in 2014. "I am excited to work with my new team at IMG as I embark on my professional career," Ko said in a statement. "My family and I spoke with many candidates and IMG emerged as the clear choice to represent me, in large part because of their global reach. I am comfortable knowing that IMG will commit the appropriate resources to help my career excel while I focus on golf." Ko was described by IMG's global head of golf Guy Kinnings as "an incredibly impressive young lady and an astonishing player." IMG's female golf stable already includes illustrious names such as 2010 U.S. Women's Open winner Paula Creamer and American Michelle Wie. | Teenage golf sensation Lydia Ko signs with sports management firm IMG .
Ko is the youngest winner in LPGA Tour history .
The South-Korean born New Zealander has racked up five pro wins already .
The 16-year-old will join the LPGA Tour in 2014 . |
28,436 | 50acefa6e06d5513c68649406bd549e15ea8c5e3 | It's the thought that counts, right? Tell that to the residents of 32 homes in the Dutch town of Ijsselstein, who were evacuated after a planned marriage proposal fell through. A Dutchman rented a crane intending to reach his girlfriend's window Saturday morning and pop the question, Dutch affiliate RTL News said. Instead, the crane tipped over, crashing through the roof of a neighboring home. Hours later, during an attempt to right the crane, it fell through the roof again, making the hole bigger. As a result, residents of 32 homes were evacuated as a recovery company made another attempt to stabilize the crane. The good news? No one was injured, and she said yes. The couple went directly to Paris to celebrate. 9 of China's craziest, most creative marriage proposals . | Dutchman uses crane intending to reach girlfriend's window and pop question .
Instead, crane topples over, crashing through neighbor's roof .
As a result, residents of 32 homes were evacuated . |
115,788 | 21730ae3510019bedd4c63dfe14fa3e1d9b0126c | When I was in fourth grade, I wrote Vice President Al Gore a letter about my passion for saving the planet. I was ecstatic when he wrote back. I believed then, as I do now, that he is a strong voice for science and the environment. Since writing that letter as a 10-year-old, I've earned degrees in atmospheric science and environmental engineering. At the same time, I've learned to value the role that science plays in informing public policy. Meanwhile, Al Gore has become the most visible champion of climate science in public life. He famously won the Nobel Peace Prize for his work on climate education, along with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of scientists that compiles climate research from around the world. They and other scientists have concluded that human activity -- primarily burning fossil fuels -- puts heat-trapping emissions into the atmosphere that makes heat waves more extreme, increases global sea level, and alters historic precipitation patterns. Unfortunately, Vice President Gore took some heat for some comments he made about hurricanes and climate change in an interview with the Washington Post. Initially, the paper misquoted him as saying a new "Category Six" was being added to the familiar hurricane scale, which maxes out at Category Five. Category Five storms are those that have sustained winds of more than 157 miles per hour. As Jason Samenow, the paper's weather editor, pointed out, there are no plans by the National Hurricane Center -- the federal office responsible for categorizing storms -- to create a new category. Later though, we found out that Gore merely indicated that some scientists were "proposing" a new category. Although there is no official proposal on the table, in recent years, at least one scientist has publicly stated the scale might need to be changed. For his part, Samenow later retracted the balance of his criticism . This isn't the first time there's been a public back-and-forth over the science linking hurricanes and climate change. Scientific understanding there is still evolving. And we know that even a sub-Category One storm can be terribly destructive, especially when riding atop rising seas. When discussing science, politicians -- and scientists -- should lead with what we know with more confidence. In the case of climate change, scientists know with great certainty that sea level is rising. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), global average sea level has risen 8 inches over the past century. And new NOAA coastal planning tools show that the United States can expect an additional rise of a foot or more in the next few decades. By the end of the century, scientists find, we can expect 3 feet or more, depending on how much more we overload our atmosphere with carbon. In human terms, that means many places we now call home will face growing risks from encroaching seas, including iconic shore towns and boardwalks and major cities like Miami. In the short term, we know sea-level rise is making every coastal storm, including hurricanes, more damaging and more deadly. The hubbub has also distracted from important points Gore made in the rest of the interview. The rest of Gore's interview was accurate -- and important. He correctly explained that atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide, the chief heat-trapping gas, continue to rise. Countries, including the United States, are far behind the pledges they made to limit warming. He also pointed out growing support at the local level for dealing with climate change. Communities from Florida to New Jersey are already grappling with how to zone and build and plan in a world of higher temperature and rising seas. Fortunately, there's increasing discomfort with rejections of climate science among the political class. While some supporters of climate policy reform occasionally overstate the effects climate change will have on extreme weather, opponents of climate policy often go completely off the rails, accusing scientists of possible criminal behavior and rejecting the reality of climate change itself. The latter actions are far more damaging to dialogue around climate policy. In fact, they poison our public discourse. You can't deal with a problem if you refuse to acknowledge it exists. The reaction to Gore's words -- scorn from his detractors and defense from his allies -- demonstrates just how broken the discussion has become. Our national discourse around climate change has fallen victim to growing political polarization and the outsize influence of special interests on our democracy. Far too many politicians are scared of even acknowledging climate change. Thankfully, there are some depolarizing voices in the debate, such as former Rep. Bob Inglis, R-South Carolina. He takes the science as a given and is pushing for climate policies that differ from those President Barack Obama recently announced. In other words, he's willing to have a real debate that respects the science. Those are the conversations we deserve, not more public arguments about the science. And I know my fourth-grade-self would agree. | Washington Post corrected report that Al Gore cited creation of Category 6 storms .
Gore was referring to a scientist's statement that such a category might be needed .
Gretchen Goldman: It's safer to talk about scientifically clear data such as sea level rise .
She says Gore's basic points were correct, including the rise in CO2 levels . |
64,491 | b71910a1381f659b168f888f9d99b9c513ef5c5c | HMRC has provoked fury after saying that people struggling to fill in their tax returns should publicly tweet their questions to get advice. Figures reveal that more than a third of calls to Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs are not answered. Some desperate callers are spending more than two hours on hold when contacting the jammed helplines to get advice on completing their self-assessment before the deadline at the end of this month. Margaret Hodge MP, pictured, described the suggestion that taxpayers should tweet the HMRC as 'laughable' New figures have shown that 2.4 million calls to the HMRC were not answered in September . The average time customers are left waiting on hold has more than doubled in the past year. MPs last night called for HMRC bosses to be brought before Parliament to explain themselves after it responded to the dismal waiting times by suggesting those who are unable to get through on the phone try using Twitter instead. They said it was ‘laughable’ to expect customers to sum up complicated tax questions in 140-character messages or to share them publicly. The latest figures show that 2.4million calls to the HMRC (34.5 per cent) were not answered in September, up from 1.2million calls (20.5 per cent) 12 months before. The average time callers with queries about tax had to wait has more than doubled in a year, rising to 11 minutes 51 seconds in September, up from 4 minutes 42 seconds a year earlier. Ten million individuals who self-assess have to submit their returns by January 31 with a £100 penalty for tax returns up to three months late. An HMRC spokesman last night admitted some customers ‘can struggle to get through on our helplines at very busy times’, but added ‘customers can get help with general self-assessment queries by tweeting us’. Shabana Mahmood MP, Labour’s exchequer spokesman, said: ‘It beggars belief that the Government’s response to taxpayers who can’t get through on their helpline is to urge them to publicly tweet about their tax affairs. ‘This is an unacceptable level of service to taxpayers and simply isn’t good enough.’ Margaret Hodge MP, chairman of the Public Accounts Committee, called the tweet suggestion ‘laughable’, adding: ‘No customer based service should tolerate such a poor service and both ministers and senior management should simply sort this out.’ Mark Garnier MP, a member of the Treasury Select Committee, said: ‘Only a small proportion of the country uses Twitter. I cannot think of even a simple tax problem that can be summed up in 140 characters. It is just rubbish, naive, stupid and facile comment.’ Chancellor George Osborne has announced new powers for the HMRC to seize assets of tax dodgers . David Hickson of the Fair Telecoms Campaign said: ‘It is ridiculous and absolutely appalling situation and no surprise that people having to wait more than ten minutes are giving up trying. While tweets may be suited to some types of enquiry, it is unacceptable for telephone enquiry lines not to be adequately staffed.’ The blunder comes at a time when HMRC is requesting new powers to take unpaid taxes directly from taxpayers’ bank accounts. In the Budget, Chancellor George Osborne announced proposals to allow HMRC to seize assets from anyone who owes more than £1,000 in tax or tax credits, subject to certain safeguards. HMRC’s helplines have been beset with problems for several years. In November 2013 it introduced a voice-recognition system, which it said would help cut overall call times. But a Which? survey in December found the automated system is struggling with certain words and phrases. Last month HMRC scrapped all of its 0845 helpline telephone numbers, which charge premium rates to callers. The numbers have been replaced with alternatives starting 03, charged at a local rate. An HMRC spokesman said: ‘We are working hard to improve our handling of customer calls and are moving up to 1,500 extra people on to the phones during January as the self-assessment deadline approaches. ‘HMRC receives around 70million calls a year and we know that some of our customers can struggle to get through on our helplines at very busy times … customers can get help with general self-assessment queries by tweeting us.’ | The HMRC failed to answer 2.4 million calls from taxpayers in September .
A spokesman said that customers could consider tweeting the HMRC .
However, Labour's Margaret Hodge described the twitter call as 'laughable'
More than one third of all calls to the HMRC are not being answered .
Taxpayers are being kept on hold for almost 12 minutes . |
280,388 | f735cdf6dc1c45112013c3f92c8fe5d806ebad80 | (CNN) -- An off-duty fire department official in Columbus, Ohio, had to be resuscitated Saturday after being struck by lightning, Columbus Fire Battalion Chief Tracy Smith told CNN. The lieutenant with the Columbus Division of Fire went into cardiac arrest after the lightning strike at the Columbus Crew Stadium, Smith said. He was transported to Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center where he remains in critical condition, Smith said. According to the firefighters union's Facebook page, the man who was struck is Lt. Stu Tudor, and firefighters as well as Columbus Police Department personnel are keeping watch at Tudor's bedside. The man was attending a charity soccer event, Smith said. The game was postponed because of the storm, according to the Columbus Crew Facebook page. Brad Williams, who was attending the game with his 5-year-old son, said he didn't see Tudor get hit, but was among the thousands caught up in the intense storm. "It was huge, we could literally feel it," Williams said of the lightning. "I could easily see everyone jump back gasping, 'Oh my God.'" CNN's Kristina Sgueglia contributed to this report. | Fan at game describes the lightning storm as intense .
Lt. Stu Tudor was struck by lightning at a Columbus Crew charity game .
He is in critical condition, fire official says . |
259,965 | dc9e6a9262bf8c44bbd57e9593be75f7c4f7614f | Manchester United made a late swoop to bring in Radamel Falcao on loan from Monaco just before the transfer window slammed shut. The former Atletico Madrid striker will give Louis van Gaal another impressive attacking option, but can he find a way to play him alongside star men Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie? We asked out three wise men - Jamie Carragher, Martin Keown and Jamie Redknapp - where Falcao will fit in this season. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Cristiano Ronaldo discuss Manchester United summer signings . Settling in: Radamel Falcao shows off his colours after arriving at Manchester United on a season-long loan . JAMIE REDKNAPP: He's one of the best No 9s I've ever seen. His movement and ability to hold up the ball is phenomenal. Anyone who can keep Diego Costa out of the Atletico Madrid team must be special. As long as he's fit after his cruciate-ligament injury, he will rip this league apart. He's athletic, has spring and can finish with subtlety or smash the ball into the top corner. Robin van Persie and Wayne Rooney might not be happy — Falcao's United's No 1 now. If Van Gaal plays 3-5-2, there will be so many unhappy players: where do Mata and Januzaj fit in? One thing is for sure — they have to get into the top four now they've spent all that money. No 1: Sportsmail columnist Jamie Redknapp believes Falcao will be first choice striker under Louis van Gaal . Options: Manchester United manager Van Gaal could play Wayne Rooney wide or behind his front two . Versatile: Rooney, pictured in action against Burnley, looks likely to move from his role as a central striker . JAMIE CARRAGHER: We used to love small strikers like Robbie Fowler or Michael Owen, but now it is all about the men who can lead the line on their own. Falcao is one of them, a forward with real presence who will score goals. Ever since his superb performance for Atletico Madrid against Chelsea in the Super Cup two seasons ago, I thought he would move to one of Europe's giants. It was a waste playing in the French league because a player of that quality needs to be somewhere better. I can see Wayne Rooney dropping back and taking Juan Mata's place in behind Falcao and Robin van Persie. But it will be tough for United to rotate players and give everyone game time as they have no European games or even the Capital One Cup. Not that Louis van Gaal will be afraid to drop people. Battle: Juan Mata (right) faces a fight to retain his place in behind United's two-man strike force . Rotation: Robin van Persie could find himself out wide in a 4-2-3-1 or on the bench in Van Gaal goes 3-5-2 . Fighting fit: Van Persie insists he is ready to lead the line for his former Holland boss Van Gaal . MARTIN KEOWN: He attacks things in the box and loves getting across the face of defenders. He's brave too. Maybe we'll now see United put more crosses into the box for their out-and-out No 9. Van Persie takes the corners and free-kicks, Falcao attacks them. He made his league debut at 13 and has been banging in goals ever since - he's a natural born finisher. Mata will miss out. You could play Falcao up top and a three behind of Di Maria, Van Persie and Rooney with Blind and Herrera sitting deep when everyone is fit. Like our dedicated Manchester United Facebook page. Getting forward: British record signing Angel di Maria can play in central midfield or further up the pitch . Trusted: Van Gaal (right) has the option of playing new signing Daley Blind (left) in defence or midfield . VIDEO Di Maria needs time to settle - Van Gaal . | Radamel Falcao joined Manchester United on loan on transfer deadline day .
The striker joins Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie at Old Trafford .
Manager Louis van Gaal has opted for a 3-4-1-2 formation so far this season .
Rooney could play in a No 10 role to allow Falcao to play as a central striker .
The Dutchman could also change his system to fit his new players .
Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind, Angel di Maria and Luke Shaw among signings . |
184,696 | 7b3dc38f354cf30b115bdc624ffa73b616cecb39 | Casey Anthony became the 'most hated mother in America' during her two-month trial for the murder of two-year-old daughter, Caylee. Now, defense attorney Cheney Mason, says that ‘the world owes an apology,’ to the young mother whom he has described as having ‘endured the unthinkable with the courage of a lion.’ It is three years since a Florida court acquitted Casey of the murder of toddler Caylee whose skeletal remains were found six months after she went missing in June 2008. Casey Anthony, who was found not guilty of murdering her daughter three years ago, is seen with Cheney Mason last summer, presumably taken at her home in an undisclosed location in Florida. Mason's new book 'Justice in America' has just been released . 'Chainless imprisonment': Casey Anthony's attorney says that despite her acquittal for the murder of her two-year-old daughter Caylee, she's still serving a heavy sentence . Today, with the publication of ‘Justice . in America,’ attorney Mr Mason provides an excoriating insight into . Casey’s prosecution and mounts an impassioned defense of Casey with whom . he and his wife, Shirley, have formed a close relationship. In a forensic examination of the case, and the very notion of justice in America, he has slammed Anthony’s prosecution as ‘corrupt’; revealed how evidence was suppressed; claimed defense witnesses were intimidated and told of his ‘astonishment’ at Casey’s father, George’s testimony in court. And he has revealed that, to this day, not only Casey lives ‘like a prisoner’ in an undisclosed location, afraid to go out and battling a bankruptcy case, but he, his wife, and other members of the defense team endure persistent and serious threats. According to Mr Mason the FBI, Secret Service and American Postal Service have all been called to investigate such threats. Meanwhile Casey lives in a shared house, somewhere in Florida, attempting to make some sort of living through clerical work from home. Speaking to CNN last week Mr Mason revealed that Casey who accused her father of sexually molesting her, ‘does not have any blood family anymore.’ Instead he and his wife, Shirley, have become surrogate parents of sorts to Casey who was 22 when the case was first brought to national attention in July 2008. No evidence: Mason says there was no forensic evidence linking Casey Anthony's car or her person to the death of her daughter . By then toddler Caylee had been missing for 31 days. Her mother Cindy and father George testified that Casey left the family house with her almost three-year-old daughter on 15 June. On 30 June the family car, being used by Casey, was towed and when Cindy and George contacted their daughter she claimed she was on a mini-vacation in Jacksonville, Florida. She . subsequently claimed that she had left the child with a babysitter and . returned to find both mysteriously gone. When Caylee’s disappearance was . discovered Casey claimed to have mounted an investigation of her own. On . 15 July her mother Cindy made three 911 calls, reporting her . granddaughter as missing and infamously stating in one, ‘I found my . daughter’s car today and it smelt like there had been a damn body in the . car.’ It . was, according to Mr Mason, a statement never borne out by forensic . evidence and yet, in spite of Casey’s ultimate acquittal that statement . continues to be a defining moment in the minds of many who reacted with . outrage at the not guilty verdict. Insight: Despite being acquitted, Casey Anthony has not been forgiven the crime by the American public, who largely believe she got away with murder, says Mason in his new book . In a methodical survey of the trial and coverage Mr Mason has knocked down what he presents as prevailing myths that cling to the case and point to Casey’s ‘guilt’. He has dismissed reports that Caylee’s head was bound in duct tape as a ‘distortion’ and untrue, pointed to the fact that no blood or incriminating stains were ever found in Casey’s car, or clothes and no toxic substances found on Caylee’s hair, or dirt similar to that of the discovery site found on Casey’s shoes or clothes. Exactly where, and when, the body was found is, according to Mr Mason a key and contentious point. Caylee’s remains were finally, officially, found in December 2008. In fact meter reader Ron Kronk first reported finding human remains there in August 2008. Breathtakingly, Mr Mason has pointed out, that the Sheriff’s office failed to follow up on the report at a time when the nation was gripped with the search for the toddler whom many hoped might still be alive. The area had already been searched on multiple occasions and Mr Kronk’s report was dismissed. It was only his persistence and return to the site that led to law enforcement following through and the grim discovery being made official. According to Mr Mason the fact that the . exact location where Caylee was discovered had been searched on multiple . occasions before Mr Kronk’s first report suggests that the body had not . been missed – it just hadn’t been there. He . is clear in his assertion that the body had been placed there somewhere . between the time of Casey’s arrest and its discovery. As Casey could . not possibly have done this from her jail cell Mr. Mason points to this . as proof of there having been another involved. The . prosecution suggested that the area had been under water when initially . searched. When their expert witness, an hydrologist, did not . corroborate this theory, Mr. Mason reveals, they simply did not call . him. Mr. Kronk was not called either. Similarly Mr. Mason points to the . prosecution’s assertion that a software search programme had revealed . that Casey had searched the word chloroform 84 times on her computer. Though the cause of death has never been established this was presented . as damning evidence. But the . expert who had testified to this in court had also subsequently informed . the prosecution that this was a mistake and that the data was wrong. In . fact there was only one search. The . defense team asked for that testimony to be removed and the jury made . aware of the mistake. The motion was denied by a court that, according . to Mr. Mason, was prejudiced against Casey and caught up in the media . circus that surrounded the trial from the start. Vanished: When Caylee¿s disappearance was discovered, Casey claimed to have mounted an investigation of her own . Public condemnation: Mason says that because of the prosecution and unfair media coverage, many believe Casey Anthony murdered her child, despite her being acquitted by a jury . During the trial Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi went on television and asserted her belief in Casey’s guilt – conduct which Mr. Mason has slammed as ‘reprehensible, unethical and grossly unprofessional.’ In an amusing aside Mr. Mason has revealed how he attempted to weed out potentially bias jurors with a simple enquiry as to whether or not they watched HNL’s Nancy Grace. An admission to doing so was enough to guarantee exclusion from the jury. On one occasion, Mr. Mason writes: ‘We noticed that Ms. Grace herself was in the courtroom …During a round of interviewing that was already going very well, I said to the prospective juror, “Ma’am, I realize that the question I’m about to ask you, and your answer, may prove to be very embarrassing to yourself; but remember, no one here knows your name, nor can they see your face, and I do need to know the answer.”’ Pausing for effect in the now silent courtroom Mr. Mason pressed on, ‘Ma’am, as hard as it might be to admit, do you watch Nancy Grace?”’ When the woman answered, ‘No’ to spontaneous laughter in the court Ms. Grace ‘stormed out slamming the door.’ But there were few moments of levity in the case that held the nation in thrall and exerts a powerful hold over the popular imagination to this day. One of the . most shocking days, for Mr. Mason, was the very opening of the trial . when defense attorney Jose Baez set out Casey’s allegations that her . father had abused her and the prosecution called George Anthony to the . stand and asked him about the claims made in Mr. Baez’s opening . statement. George Anthony testified that he was ‘appalled’ by the allegations, which he claimed never to have heard before. Two . and a half years earlier when the jail letters containing the . allegations first became known, Mr. Mason has no revealed that he called . George Anthony into his office to inform him of them ‘man to man.’ Convoluted: Defense attorney Dorothy Clay Sims displays a crime scene photo during the 2011 trial. Mason says a man reported a body in the area where Caylee's body was found but police failed to follow it up . Most hated woman in America: Casey Anthony (pictured after being acquitted) and her defense team still receive threats, three years after she was found not guilty . To Mr. Mason’s great surprise Anthony did not react, at all. He then called in Casey’s mother, Cindy, to tell her of her daughter’s claims. In a meeting which he has now described as ‘one of the most uncomfortable of my career,’ Mrs. Anthony wept openly at her daughter’s claims. In what Mr. Mason refers to as a ‘parade of truth’ he points to the witness who took to the stand admitting a long-term affair with George Anthony and stating that ‘Caylee’s death was an accident that snowballed out of control.’ But Casey’s acquittal has had little impact on the public hostility which still burns fiercely and sees Casey living a life ‘in hiding’ to this day. As an example of her ‘courage’ and innocence Mr. Mason points to the fact that the most vocal opponent of a plea deal, in a case in which conviction could mean the death penalty, was Casey herself. After just 11 hours of deliberation the jury acquitted Casey of the murder charges and convicted her on four counts of lying to detectives. Ultimately the court reversed two of the four counts but by then Casey had already served time for the wrongful convictions. In January 2013 she filed for bankruptcy claiming about $1,100 in assets and $792,000 in liabilities.Today she lives in an undisclosed location in Florida in what Mr. Mason describes as ‘her present chainless imprisonment.’ 'Justice in America: How the Media and Prosecutors Stack the Deck Against the Accused' by Cheney Mason is out today, published by Title Town $24.95 . | 'Justice in America' by defense attorney Cheney Mason out today .
Calls Casey Anthony's life now a 'chainless imprisonment' in hiding with no contact with 'blood family'
Anthony acquitted of murdering two-year-old daughter, Caylee in July 2011 .
Says evidence was supressed and witnesses intimidated .
Claims toddler's body was moved while Anthony was in jail .
Says there's NO forensic evidence of child's body in car or linking Anthony to the death . |
6,240 | 11ac8fe2e268328f97ec8dcba2c75ec418424f63 | (EW.com) -- For a comedy like "The Change-Up" -- which is to say, a comedy with a message about as deep as a bowl of beer nuts -- familiarity with Shakespeare's disguise plays and Aesop's Fables isn't a prerequisite for getting the picture. On the other hand, familiarity with both body-switch comedies and Judd Apatow laffers is indispensable for understanding just where this raunchy Apatow imitation with a heart of Lipitor goes wrong. The anatomy swappers here are Mitch (Ryan Reynolds), a swingin', irresponsible single guy, and Dave (Jason Bateman), a driven lawyer/husband/dad. The switcheroo goes down because the two buddies-since-childhood do something stupid during a Guys' Night Out in their hometown of Atlanta: They pee in a fountain. Specifically, they pee in a fountain presided over by a stony statue of the Greek goddess Metis while drunkenly declaring to each other, ''I wish I had your life!'' (For the record, Metis is the goddess of counsel, advice, planning, and cunning.) Dave thinks he envies Mitch's life of free sex and fiscal irresponsibility. Mitch, a wannabe actor, thinks he envies Dave's successful career, his loving home life, and his cute wife (Leslie Mann). Crash, lightning, temporary power outage, "Freaky Friday!" The deal is done. The next day each guy wakes up in the body of the other. Discovery of genital distinctions follows. Here's "The Change-Up's" first mistake: As set up by director David Dobkin ("Wedding Crashers") and writers Jon Lucas and Scott Moore("The Hangover"), the game is rigged. Dave may be burned-out, so much so that he has stopped appreciating his squeaky Leslie Mann of a wife. He may even feel a pang or two of extramarital lust at the sight of his beautiful law associate Sabrina -- as played by Olivia Wilde, who wouldn't? But no one would envy Mitch's directionless, idiotic Peter Pan life -- even if Peter entertains the ladies in a playpen of an apartment. The early Mitch is so excessively unsocialized and unlikable (I blame the script and direction rather than Reynolds' game performance) that there's no contest: Dave may need a little kick in the khakis to realize that he's got it pretty good at home, but he's clearly the movie's winner. In fact, early Mitch is so obnoxious that in the end, when the two friends regain their own bodies, having learned lessons in gratitude (oops, did I give something away?), Dave is more or less Dave again. But Mitch 2.0 bears little resemblance to early Mitch. He's still Ryan Reynolds-y, but he's now someone a lot more like Dave -- reformed by the traditional values "The Change-Up" endorses -- than like a guy who previously kept a weekly sex date with a lady he described as a tigress. I won't give away more about the tigress in question; let's just say she bounces and veers from "Hangover" turf into Farrelly brothers territory. And she also personifies "The Change-Up's" second mistake: The movie's scenes of id-fueled transgression are alternately desperate, trite, and an off-putting color of ugly -- as if the filmmakers were given the ingredients but not the cooking instructions for a successful crude-but-cuddly frittata. Gross-outs involving poop -- kids of all ages usually love 'em! -- are more humiliating than hilarious. (Really, the old toxic-baby-diaper gag?) Freakish-looking women are easy receptacles for disgust. And when jokes give way to the ''I love you, bro!'' finale, the tone oozes past charming happiness all the way to cloying self-satisfaction. Anyway! There's one consolation, and that's in watching the stars play opposite what is often their type of guy. Bateman, in particular, is enjoyably nimble and unbuttoned when he sheds his usual persona of responsible-and-exasperated guy and lets some devil out. Quick-witted and a pro at physical shifts, he finds more subtleties in his Dave Gone Wild than actually appear in his dialogue. And that resourcefulness rubs off on Reynolds, a pleasant if less complex performer. Acting here as if he were a vaguely disgruntled but resigned grown-up, Reynolds gets to escape the tonal confines of his boyish smile. Too bad "The Change-Up" has little use for such interestingness. Soon enough it's back to stale jokes about spousal date nights, the sight of moldy fast-food leftovers in a bachelor's refrigerator, and the timeless male joys of sharing a whiz in an outdoor fountain after a night of drinking and bulls---. C . See full article at EW.com. CLICK HERE to Try 2 RISK FREE issues of Entertainment Weekly . © 2010 Entertainment Weekly and Time Inc. All rights reserved. | The anatomy swappers are Mitch (Ryan Reynolds) and Dave (Jason Bateman)
They switch lives after peeing in a fountain presided over by a statue of a Greek goddess .
Bateman, in particular, is enjoyably nimble and unbuttoned . |
158,281 | 58a2ccb6628e0b2408fb807d76197a3148ff7202 | Three Americans detained in North Korea spoke out about their conditions and pleaded for U.S. help in interviews with CNN. Kenneth Bae, Matthew Todd Miller and Jeffrey Edward Fowle were presented to CNN's Will Ripley at a Pyongyang hotel Monday. Each was given five minutes for an interview. All three men said they hope the U.S. government will send an envoy to North Korea to help get them out of their situations, similar to how former President Bill Clinton helped secure the release of two journalists in 2009. Bae, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence for "hostile acts to bring down its government," said he is working eight hours a day, six days a week at a labor camp. North Korea claimed Bae was part of a Christian plot to overthrow the regime. "Right now what I can say to my friends and family is, continue to pray for me," he said. Despite what he called "hard labor," Bae said he has been treated "as humanely as possible." Miller, who is accused of tearing up his tourist visa and seeking asylum upon entry, implored the U.S. government for help during his interview. He said he wanted to tell the United States that "my situation is very urgent, that very soon I am going to trial, and I would directly be sent to prison." He said he will not learn of his charges until he goes to trial. Fowle, an American tourist accused of leaving a Bible in a hotel where he was staying, said he has "no complaints" about his treatment. "It's been very good so far, and I hope and pray that it continues, while I'm here two more days or two more decades," he said. All three men said they have signed statements admitting their guilt. North Korean officials monitored and recorded all three interviews, and CNN was unable to assess independently the conditions under which the men were being held. U.S. National Security Council spokesman Patrick Ventrell said Monday that securing the Americans' release "is a top priority and we have followed these cases closely in the White House. We continue to do all we can to secure their earliest possible release." State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said, "There is no greater priority for us than the welfare and safety of U.S. citizens abroad. "Out of humanitarian concern for Jeffrey Fowle, Matthew Miller, and their families, we request the DPRK release them so they may return home," Psaki said, using the initials for North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. "We also request the DPRK pardon Kenneth Bae and grant him special amnesty and immediate release so he may reunite with his family and seek medical care. We continue to work actively to secure these three U.S. citizens' release." The Swedish Embassy in Pyongyang acts as the "protecting power for issues involving U.S. citizens in North Korea," and the United States is in "regular, close coordination" with the embassy, she said. Swedish representatives visited Fowle on June 20, Miller on May 9 and June 21, and Bae 12 times since his detention, most recently on August 11 in a labor camp, Psaki said. Surprise meetings . The circumstances leading up to the CNN interviews were bizarre. A CNN team was on a government tour about two hours outside Pyongyang when it learned it had to leave immediately to meet with a high-level government official in the capital. The crew boarded a van to a secret location, where it found out the meeting was with the three Americans. Bae's family has been pushing for his release due to his worsening health. The 46-year-old suffers from diabetes and high blood pressure and has kidney stones. "I've been going back and forth between hospital and to the labor camp for the last year and a half," Bae told Ripley on Monday. He said his health has "been failing" over the past 1½ months. "My hands are numb and tingling, and it's difficult sleeping at night, and I was working in the field every day," Bae said. U.S. officials have repeatedly called on North Korea to release Bae but to no avail. Even former basketball star Dennis Rodman, who has visited North Korea and called its ruler Kim Jong Un a "friend for life," asked Kim to "do me a solid and cut Kenneth Bae loose." Terri Chung, Bae's sister, told CNN on Monday the video was "really difficult to watch" because her brother is generally "full of life and very cheerful. ... It is clear from the video that he is under a lot of stress. And he talks about his health failing and being in complete isolation for almost two years. And it is devastating for our family to see that on TV." But she told "New Day" that "I think he's doing the best he can. ... Two years of being isolated and working in a labor camp, I know it is not easy. So I think you can see it is taking a toll both physically and mentally." The U.S. government has been working "behind the scenes to try to procure his release, and we are once again reiterating our thanks, but also too pleading with our government to continue their efforts to secure his release immediately," she added, describing her brother as a "hardworking father of three." Chung later released a statement asking the North Korean authorities to have mercy. "It is in your power to release my brother. You could do it today. Please do so. He has confessed to the crimes for which he has been charged, and he has served a longer detainment than any other American since the war," Chung said. Miller: 'I deliberately committed my crime' Dressed in a black turtleneck and often staring at the ground in his interview, Miller said he has admitted his guilt -- even though he won't learn of his charges until he goes to trial. "But I will say that I prepared to violate the law of the DPRK before coming here," Miller said. "And I deliberately committed my crime. I have already admitted my guilt and apologized to the government of the DPRK and I have been asking for forgiveness." When asked why he reportedly sought asylum in North Korea, Miller said he already discussed his motive during his investigation and that "for the interview, it is not necessary." He expressed frustration that "there's been no movement from my government." "The American government is known for having a strong policy of protecting its citizens, yet for my case there is still no movement," he said. Fowle describes 'desperate situation' North Korea announced Fowle's detention in June, saying he had violated the law by acting "contrary to the purpose of tourism." "The charges are violations of DPRK law, which stems from me trying to leave a Bible," the 56-year-old told Ripley. "It's a covert act and a violation of tourists rules. I've admitted my guilt to the government and signed a statement to that effect and requested forgiveness from the people and the government of the DPRK." Fowle said he expects his trial to start within a month. "You guys should convey my desperate situation," he said. "I've got a wife and three elementary school-aged kids that depend on me for support." | Kenneth Bae's sister asks North Korean authorities to have mercy .
U.S. says Swedish reps have visited the three detained Americans since June .
All three men said they have signed statements admitting guilt .
North Korea monitors the interviews of Bae, Matthew Miller and Jeffrey Fowle . |
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