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31,176 | 58a146e3e4cbadeda36fd11fe2d3f69f4bf137ba | By . Alex Ward . PUBLISHED: . 04:20 EST, 28 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:04 EST, 28 October 2013 . To counter a planned Westboro Baptist protest at the funeral of a local soldier, 2,000 town residents lined the streets. Oregon locals congregated en masse at Army Ranger Cody James Patterson’s memorial service after the Kansas-based church, notorious for offensively picketing the funerals of servicemen killed in action, decided to target his service. Oregon State University students Matt Enloe and Lexie Lynn Merrill organized a Facebook event, encouraging residents to peacefully counter the church’s protest. Scroll down for video . People power: Thousands of residents turn out to counter a protest by the Westboro Baptist Church at the funeral of a fallen soldier, killed in Afghanistan . The hugely successful counter protest meant the Westboro Baptists did not show up at the service at the Lasells Stewart Center on university campus on October 20. Pfc Patterson was killed in action during a suicide bombing earlier this month in Afghanistan. A YouTube video of the protest showed the incredible support of locals. The church claimed that Pfc Patterson, along with other soldiers were killed by God's wrath as punishment for the existence of homosexuality in America. They said: 'To deny us our First Amendment rights is to declare to the world that Pfc. Patterson died in vain and that America is nation of sodomite hypocrites.' Peaceful protest: The locals lined the streets after two students organized the counter protest via Facebook in response to the extreme church's plans . Notorious: The Westboro Baptist Church, known for their extreme views of homosexuality and disrupting the funerals of fallen soldiers (pictured), did not show up at Pfc Patterson's funeral . The voiceover said: ‘The Westboro Baptist Church did something good today. ‘They inspired thousands of people of . all ages, religions and beliefs to band together. Killed in action: Pfc Patterson was killed during a suicide bombing in Afghanistan earlier this month . 'Veterans, mothers, . fathers, the LGBT community, soldiers, military leaders, the Gypsy . Jokers, Republicans, Democrats, Liberals, Beavers and Ducks, students, . teachers, friends, and even those who just came to show their support to . a grieving family. ‘Thousands stood together today and in their silence, you could still hear one word loud and clear: love.’ Joseph Hedberg, a National Guard veteran, told Katu.com: ‘We want to be completely peaceful, and we want to just represent the country that he fought and died for by having the American flag out here to keep the signs covered.’ The church is widely known for its extreme positions against gay marriage and offensive demonstrations interrupting the funerals of dead servicemen. In protests they brandish placards with phrases such as 'Thank God for IEDs, 'Fag soldier in hell' and 'Soldiers die 4 fag marriage'. The small sect, which is believed to have just a few dozen members, was founded in Topeka, Kansas in 1955 by Fred Phelps. The organization teaches that homosexuality is the root of all evil and that anyone who refuses to denounce it is the cause of all tragedies, including war deaths. Inspired many: A YouTube video of the peaceful protest captured the huge support from the community . Something good: The video said that 'the Westboro Baptist Church did something good today' as residents stood in silence at the service . Extremists: The Westboro Baptist Church is a small sect, believed to have just a few dozen members, which preaches that homosexuality is the root of all evil . | Westboro Baptists targeted the funeral of Pfc Cody James Patterson .
Oregon students organised peaceful counter protest via Facebook .
The church never showed up at the funeral on October 20 .
A YouTube video said the church 'did something good today'
Pfc Patterson was killed during a suicide bombing in Afghanistan . |
198,268 | 8ca471705067bf5eca4f9fae88968e760599d6a3 | Hundreds of ethnic Kurds have turned out for the burial of three brave resistance fighters who died battling militants from the Islamic State in Kobane. The funerals of two men and a woman barely out her teens were held in the Turkish village of Suruc, within clear sight of the Kurdish fighters' besieged hometown over the border in Syria. The three Kurdish fighters were members of the People's Protection Units, or YPG, and died in fierce clashes in Kobane, which has been under assault by ISIS extremists since mid-September. ISIS still surrounds the town and holds parts of it despite being forced to retreat in recent days by the brave Kurdish resistance and sustained airstrikes by a coalition of American and Arab warplanes. Scroll down for video . Burial: The funerals of two men and a woman barely out her teens were held in the Turkish village of Suruc, within clear sight of the Kurdish fighters' besieged hometown over the border in Syria . Clashes: The three Kurdish fighters were members of the People's Protection Units, or YPG, and died in fierce clashes in Kobane, which has been under assault by ISIS extremists since mid-September . The graves of 20-year-old Hanim Dabaan 30-year-old Idris Ahmad and 25-year-old Mohammed Mustafa are pictured in Suruc . With her family absent, the Kurdish flag-draped coffin bearing the body of 20-year-old Hanim Dabaan was carried to her grave yesterday by women who didn't know her but wanted to show their support. 30-year-old Idris Ahmad and 25-year-old Mohammed Mustafa were laid to rest beside her, also carried by volunteers. In the chaos of Syria's multifaceted war, with a multitude of groups fighting each other as well as President Bashar al-Assad's forces, hundreds of thousands of people have been displaced and it is not always possible to locate the families of those killed in fighting. Turkey alone has seen an estimated 1.6 million refugees cross its borders in the four years of the Syrian war, according to UN officials. Tragic: With her family absent, the Kurdish flag-draped coffin bearing the body of 20-year-old Hanim Dabaan was carried to her grave yesterday by people who didn't know her but wanted to show their support . Bereaved: It isn't clear where the families of Dabaan, Ahmad and Mustafa were - or even whether they knew their loved ones were dead . At one point a rumor rippled through the crowd that the young woman's parents were on their way. But if they were, they never made it . 'Our house has been demolished in Kobane and we are living in tents. ... At least we can support our martyrs and we will accompany them to their graves,' said Fatma Muslim, one of dozens of women who turned up at the Suruc hospital morgue for the funeral procession to the nearby cemetery. It was volunteers - rather than family members, as is the Islamic tradition - who helped wash and shroud the fighters' bodies in preparation for burial. 'There is nobody to wash them,' said Akeed Hamad, 21, who came to the morgue with a friend and offered to help. 'There is only one doctor who can wash them, and the rest are volunteers.' It wasn't immediately clear where the families of Dabaan, Ahmad and Mustafa were - or even whether they knew their loved ones were dead. Kurdish are seen digging the graves of the three brave fighters who died at the hands of the Islamic State in Kobane . A group of Kurdish men are seen praying at the graves of the three brave resistance fighters killed fighting ISIS in Kobane . Peace: Hundreds of ethnic Kurds turned out for the burial of the three brave resistance fighters who died fighting ISIS in Kobane . Strangers: Out of about 30 graves in the section of Suruc cemetery given over to Kurds who died fighting in Kobane, only five of them have known families. Nonetheless ethnic Kurds supportive of the battle against the Islamic State mourn for those they did not know . At one point a rumor rippled through the crowd that the young woman's parents were on their way. But if they were, they never made it. Yet in Suruc's cemetery, in a part set aside for Syrian Kurds killed across the border, they are not the only ones buried without their relatives. Out of about 30 graves there so far, only five of them have known families, said Wahida Kushta, one of the volunteers who helped prepare Dabaan's body for burial. 'I do it to help. Let's support them now at least.' | Three brave resistance soldiers were killed fighting militants from the Islamic State in the besieged Syrian city .
Their bodies were taken over the border to Suruc in Turkey, where hundreds turned out for their funerals .
Fighters' families were not present at the service so coffins were carried to graves by scores of supporters .
Victims were Idris Ahmad, 30, Mohammed Mustafa, 25, and 20-year-old female resistance fighter Hanim Dabaan . |
156,475 | 564ae2816473c81901bf5a9799f229115616b861 | War widow Christina Schmid, who has campaigned for the armed forces after losing her bomb disposal expert husband Olaf in Afghanistan five years ago, has become a mother again. She has shown off her new baby Isabelle Rose, with partner Mark Clarke, to Hello! magazine as the nation remembers the war dead this week at remembrance events. Ms Schmid gave birth on October 20, 11 days before what would have been the fifth anniversary of the death of her Staff Sergeant husband - known to friends as Oz. Scroll down for video . War widow Christina Schmid, who has campaigned for the armed forces after losing her bomb disposal expert husband Olaf in Afghanistan five years ago, has become a mother again. She has shown off her new baby Isabelle Rose, with partner Mark Clarke, to Hello! magazine . She told the magazine: 'Anniversaries are tough. No matter how many you have, they are always raw and you always feel different on that day and in the days just before and afterwards. 'Then, almost straight afterwards, we have Remembrance Day and it's there again, that heaviness in your heart.' She went on: 'But this year, for the first time, I've felt less overwhelmed because I've had something so wonderful to focus on. It's no longer a time of year that I'll approach with dread. There's something positive to celebrate that balances out the grief.' Ms Schmid already had a son, Laird, before she married Olaf but he brought him up as his own. Ms Schmid already had a son, Laird, before she married Olaf but he brought him up as his own . She explained that she had received an overwhelmingly positive reaction since she has found love and happiness again with her new man. 'You are never going to please everyone, but 99% of the correspondence we got was encouraging. Widows and widowers from all walks of life got in touch to say 'Thank you for showing me that it is OK for my life to carry on and that I can find love again'. 'Old friends of Oz have been in touch to say they're happy for me. They loved him and want to see the cycle of life continue.' She is pictured at the funeral of her husband in 2009. Her husband died on his last day of duty in Afghanistan and was posthumously awarded the George Cross for making 70 devices safe . Her husband died on his last day of duty in Afghanistan and was posthumously awarded the George Cross for making 70 devices safe. 'If you find someone special, you have to harness that and live in the moment. Otherwise the grief will choke you and you'll go down with it. It's so important to grab life's positives,' Ms Schmid said. 'When I look at Mark with Isabelle, I feel so emotional, like my heart could burst with love.' The full interview is in the latest edition of Hello! magazine which is on sale now. | Christina Schmid, who has campaigned for the armed forces after losing her bomb disposal expert husband Olaf in Afghanistan five years ago .
She has shown off her new baby Isabelle Rose, with partner Mark Clarke .
Her husband died on his last day of duty in Afghanistan and was posthumously awarded the George Cross for making 70 devices safe . |
200,683 | 8fc685ed23566b0f773e30b9992b2d85444363a9 | A goal in the first minute from Gary Gardner gave Brighton a 1-0 victory over Wigan and their first league success in 12 games to relieve the pressure on manager Sami Hyypia. The Seagulls fast start proved enough to give them their first Championship win since August 23, leaving fellow-strugglers Wigan with just one victory in their last 11 games. Brighton boss Hyypia called up winger Elliott Bennett, on loan from Championship rivals Norwich, and he immediately made his presence felt as Albion dramatically took the lead after just 54 seconds. Brighton midfielder Gary Gardner scored what turned out to be the winning goal in the first minute . Kazenga LuaLua of Brighton & Hove Albion is tackled by Wigan Athletic's James Perch . Brighton: Walton, Calderon, Greer, Dunk, Bennett, Gardner, Forster-Caskey, E Bennett (Halford 89), J. Teixeira (Ince 70), Lua Lua, Baldock (Mackail-Smith 78) Subs not used: Colunga, Ankergren, McCourt, Holla . Wigan: Carson, Tavernier, Kiernan, Figueroa, Perch, Cowie (Riera Magem 75), Forshaw (McCann 84), McClean (McManaman 68), Maloney, Espinoza, Waghorn . Wigan subs not used: Taylor, Nicholls, Kvist, Watson . Referee: Lee Collins . Attendance: 23,044 . Bennett released Sam Baldock down the right and his accurate low cross was driven in from 12 yards by midfielder Gardner for his first goal since joining on loan from Aston Villa. Brighton had gone behind in 10 of their previous 15 league games and this was just the start that Hyypia would have been praying for. Former Newcastle winger Kazenga LuaLua caused plenty of problems early on and his good play set up Joao Teixeira in front of goal, but his powerful shot came back off the crossbar. Wigan threatened for the first time midway through the half when midfielder Roger Espinoza crossed and striker Martyn Waghorn put a glancing header wide of keeper Christian Walton's left-hand post. England Under 20 stopper Walton, 18, was making his home debut, with the Seagulls unable to play Ali Al-Habsi against his parent club. Waghorn was off target again with a shot on the turn which flew over after a cross by Irishman James McClean. Brighton's Elliott Bennett is fouled by Adam Forshaw of Wigan during the Sky Bet Championship match . Wigan keeper Scott Carson made a straightforward save to take a header from Elliott Bennett before opposite number Walton held a 20-yard free-kick by defender James Tavernier. LuaLua found himself in space on the edge of the area shortly after the interval and his low shot was taken by the alert Carson. Walton came to Brighton's rescue by saving a low shot from Waghorn before parrying a goal-bound drive by Adam Forshaw. Waghorn threatened again by getting in between Albion's two centre-halves but his left-foot shot was well saved by the diving Walton. Wigan made their first change when James McClean gave way to Callum McManaman while Brighton boss Hyypia sent on Rohan Ince in place of Teixeira. Utility player Greg Halford, signed on loan from Nottingham Forest, came on for his Seagulls debut in the closing stages with Bennet forced off after taking a blow to the calf. Wigan improved after the break but Brighton held on quite comfortably to record a much-needed victory. | Brighton picked up their third league win of the season against Wigan .
Gary Gardner scored his first goal for Brighton since completing loan move from Aston Villa .
Brighton boss Sami Hyypia was relieved after picking up all three points .
Wigan manager Uwe Rosler believes his side were unlucky not to take something from the game . |
84,180 | eebcdceb83f05d282230a8c449df13f8469a6508 | After only two years operating in the Canadian market, Target has announced that it is shutting up shop after enduring financial losses of almost a billion dollars a year. More than 17,600 employees will eventually lose their jobs when the U.S. discount retailer closes its 133 Canadian stores. Target Corp. Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell said on Thursday that the company didn't see a realistic way for the chain to become profitable before at least 2021. Cornell said on Target's corporate blog that its Canadian arm was losing money every day. Scroll down for video . After only two years operating in the Canadian market, Target has announced that it is shutting up shop after enduring financial losses that went as high as a billion dollars a year . The closing is Cornell's first major move since becoming CEO in August. Target will concentrate instead on improving its U.S. business. Cornell said Target Canada did not see the improvements it was looking for over the holiday period. Target entered Canada in 2013. While operations there improved before the holiday season due to changes in pricing and product assortment, Target still wasn't satisfied with its performance. Target faced problems from the get go when it entered Canada. There were costly regulations, a slow economy and increasing competition. Cornell said on the blog that when Target Canada first opened the company knew that many Canadian consumers already shopped at its U.S. stores and liked the brand. 'But, we missed the mark from the beginning by taking on too much too fast,' he said. Target Corp. Chairman and CEO Brian Cornell said on Thursday that the company didn't see a realistic way for the chain to become profitable before at least 2021 . Cornell said Canadian stores struggled with inventory and pricing problems and 'delivered an experience that didn't meet our guests' expectations, or our own.' Target's experience in Canada hasn't been unique, though. Big Lots Inc. and Best Buy Co. have shuttered stores there and Wal-Mart Stores Inc. has seen its sales in Canada weaken. Target said on Thursday that it expects about $5.4 billion in fourth-quarter losses from discontinued operations in Canada. It foresees about $275 million of losses on discontinued operations in fiscal 2015. Target expects cash costs for the exit to be between $500 million and $600 million, with most of those costs taking place in fiscal 2015 or later. The retailer said that it has sufficient resources to fund the expected costs. Target Corp. currently has 17,600 employees at its 133 Canadian stores. It has 1,801 stores in the U.S. Other U.S. retailers to have struggled in the Canadian market include Best Buy and Walmart . The company said it received court approval to voluntarily make about $59 million in cash contributions into an employee trust. Once approved by the court, the proposed trust would give almost all of Target's Canada workers a minimum of 16 weeks of compensation, including wages and benefits coverage for employees not needed for the entire winding down of the business. Target Canada stores will stay open during liquidation. Target Corp. expects the exit will increase its earnings in fiscal 2015 and beyond and boost its cash flow in fiscal 2016 and beyond. Target also announced that it now foresees fourth-quarter sales at U.S. stores open at least a year up about 3 percent. Its previous outlook was for an approximately 2 percent increase. The chain said its raised forecast was due to its performance for the holiday period including November and December. The Minneapolis company said that it had higher traffic and better-than-expected online sales. Sales at stores open at least a year is a key gauge of a retailer's health because it excludes results from stores recently opened or closed. Target expects fourth-quarter adjusted earnings of $1.43 to $1.47 per share. The company's stock gained $2.66, or 3.6 percent, to $76.99 before the market open. | Just two years after launching north of the border the retailer has announced that it is exiting the Canadian marketplace .
CEO Brian Cornell said the company didn't see a realistic way for the chain to become profitable before at least 2021 .
Isn't the first U.S. retailer to have struggled in the Canada and others have included Best Buy and Walmart . |
38,518 | 6cec4f18617cfd265b8d88d11bce2eb3b0d28f24 | (CNN) -- A tsunami watch issued for five nations after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean was canceled about two hours later. A tsunami watch in effect after an earthquake in the Indian Ocean has been called off. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center had issued the watch for India, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Bangladesh after the quake, which struck at 1:55 a.m. Tuesday (3:55 p.m. Monday ET). Its epicenter was about 163 miles (262 km) north of Port Blair in India's Andaman Islands, and 225 miles south-southwest of Pathein, Myanmar, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The earthquake's focus was about 20 miles below the Earth's surface. In general, earthquakes centered closer to the Earth's surface produce stronger shaking and can cause more damage than those further underground. Watch where the earthquakes hit » . "Sea level readings indicate that a significant tsunami was not generated," the warning center said in a bulletin. "Therefore, the tsunami watch issued by this center is now canceled." According to the geological survey, a 6.4-magnitude quake struck near the south coast of Honshu, Japan, 12 minutes after the Indian Ocean quake. The Japan Meteorological Agency issued a tsunami advisory following that quake, but said that the expected wave would be under 2 feet. CNN's Augie Martin contributed to this report. | Watch covered India, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Bangladesh .
It was issued after a 7.6-magnitude earthquake in the Indian Ocean .
Quake with 6.4-magnitude occurred near Japan 12 minutes later . |
156,764 | 56b0e7f441d7c2d44c4a35e679e42f61b82d34c9 | By . Diana Mccormick . Earlier this week MailOnline reported the shocking story of 25-year-old Gemma Wood's battle to get a diagnosis of bowel cancer. Despite telling her GP she thought she had the disease, it was nine months before she was eventually sent for the tests which confirmed her worst fears. The story brought back bitter memories for Rebecca Holden, 36, a PA from west London who lives with her husband Piers, 39, and their sons, Max and Nico. She too had feared she had the disease, but was repeatedly dismissed by doctors as being neurotic. It is only through sheer persistence that she is alive today. Desperate to raise awareness that bowel cancer doesn't just affect the elderly, she has shared her story with MailOnline... Rebecca Holden (with sons Max and Nico) struggled to get her bowel cancer symptoms taken seriously and says it is only through sheer persistence she is alive today . Earlier this week MailOnline reported the shocking story of the battle 25-year-old Gemma Wood had to receive a diagnosis of bowel cancer - something Rebecca Holden knows only too well . I was absolutely furious when I read the story about Gemma Wood and her struggle to get a bowel cancer diagnosis. It is an outrage that so many doctors are still refusing to accept this disease affects young people. Anyone presenting with these symptoms should be checked out for the disease because it does affect young people. Yes, bowel cancer is almost a taboo - after all, who wants to talk about their bottom and bodily functions in great detail with total strangers? But, having read yet another article about a young person suffering from this illness, I want to share my story so that more people are aware of the symptoms and understand that it is not just the elderly who should be concerned. Mrs Holden - pictured with Max just before starting her chemotherapy - was only diagnosed after seeing a private doctor . Mrs Holden (pictured in hospital after surgery to remove her tumour in May 2011) started to suffer stomach pain and bleeding when she went to the toilet when she was pregnant with her first son, Max . I was diagnosed with bowel cancer three years ago at the age of 33 and I’m living proof that if you listen to your body and follow your instincts, you can beat this deadly disease. Back in April 2011 I had just given birth to my first son, Max, and was enjoying my first year of marriage to my husband, Piers. In the past I had always suffered from . stomach cramps and had the odd pile but I just put this down to IBS or . to the fact that I was a keen runner – running can aggravate piles. I . also had blood in my stools - seriously unsexy - but we are all a little . bit British when it comes to talking about our rear-ends, and . embarrassment aside, this is a common symptom of bowel cancer which . should never be ignored. It was only four weeks after the birth of my son via emergency caesarean section when I realised something was seriously wrong. I . had severe abdominal pain which sent me to Charing Cross A&E twice, . yet both times I was sent home without any thorough investigation. After Max's birth, Mrs Holden (pictured with her husband, Piers) repeatedly went to A&E with agonising stomach pains but each time she was fobbed off and sent home without a diagnosis . On my third visit, I refused to leave until I was given an ultrasound - this was carried out grudgingly, but revealed no abnormalities. Yet again I was sent away and told if the pain persisted to see my GP - there was nothing the hospital could do. Despite being told I was suffering from constipation by both a GP and a consultant at Charing Cross hospital in London, I was certain that I was experiencing something more serious. Because of my age I never for one second thought it could be bowel cancer, but I knew it wasn’t constipation. If it weren’t for another GP, Dr Louise Cavanagh at the Hammersmith Surgery in London, I would not be alive today. Repeated trips to A&E and my local surgery to be told there was nothing wrong did not deter me. It was only through sheer persistence and listening to my own body that I managed to get the correct diagnosis so quickly. Mrs Holden (pictured with Max during her treatment) refused to believe there was nothing wrong with her and persisted until a GP suggested that she make use of her private health insurance and see a private doctor . I will never forget the time I overheard one consultant insinuating to his colleague that given the number of times I’d been to A&E, I must be suffering from postnatal depression, and I was only in hospital to get away from my baby. I was utterly shocked. Dr Cavanagh was the only doctor to take me seriously. As I was fortunate enough to have private healthcare as a benefit from my employer, she urged me to see a colorectal surgeon for a thorough investigation. I went home and Googled ‘colorectal surgeons’ - the first name to appear was Professor Sina Dorudi at the Princess Grace Hospital in London - I contacted him immediately. At Princess Grace I was given another . ultrasound which revealed a mass in my colon, Charing Cross Hospital had . performed the very same test and had managed to miss it. Professor Dorudi then performed a colonoscopy and I was given the life changing news that it was highly likely the tumour found in my colon was cancerous. Mrs Holden is now cancer-free but is still being carefully monitored. Her surgeon told her that had she had the operation a few weeks later the cancer would already have spread around her body. Image shows her sons . It is amazing how quickly things can happen if someone is paying for it. It was hard to believe that just two months ago I had given birth, and now I was dealing with a lethal tumour. I underwent an extended right hemi-colectomy in May 2011 which removed 50 per cent of my colon and my appendix. I was lucky that the tumour was high up enough to avoid needing a colostomy bag - at the time I didn’t care what I ended up with so long as I got rid of the tumour. Professor Dorudi told me that the tumour was literally about to perforate my colon wall and it could have been a matter of weeks before the cancer spread to my entire body and the outcome would have been fatal. Mrs Holden (pictured on holiday with her husband before she was diagnosed) had to have surgery to remove part of her colon and her appendix. She also had to have intensive and gruelling chemotherapy . He suspected the tumour had been growing for around three years and it was possibly the pregnancy that aggravated the tumour to the point it caused me so much pain. It was only with my second pregnancy I realised the constant pain throughout my first was abnormal. The pregnancy was not planned but I truly believe it happened for a reason and Max and I will always have a special bond – he saved my life. Due to the tumour being so aggressive (pathology results revealed it was T4, the most severe of the four stages), I was prescribed 12 cycles of Folfox chemotherapy under the care of Dr David Propper. Whilst the chemotherapy was brutal and put me in hospital five cycles out of nine (due to adverse reactions I didn’t manage the full 12 cycles), I knew the doctors were doing all they could to ensure this destructive disease never returned. Fast forward three years and I’m cancer-free. Mrs Holden (pictured with her husband on her wedding day) says it makes her angry when she hears about other young people struggling to get a diagnosis of bowel cancer . Bowel cancer is cancer which starts in the large bowel. It is sometimes also called colon cancer or rectal cancer. Symptoms include blood in the stools, a change in bowel habits, abdominal pain and unexplained weight loss. As the disease progresses, it can also cause fatigue and breathlessness. Bowel cancer is the third most common type of cancer in England and there are about 40,000 cases diagnosed every year. Approximately 72 per cent of bowel cancer cases occur in people who are over 65. People . who are older, who eat a diet low in fibre and high in fat, those who . are overweight and those who take little exercise are most at risk. People who smoke and drink a lot of alcohol, as well as those with a family history of the disease, are also at increased risk. Source: NHS Choices . Eight months ago I gave birth to my second son, Nico, despite being told the chemotherapy could make me infertile. Piers and I feel very fortunate that we were able to have another child. I am still undergoing regular CT/MRI scans and blood tests and my last check-up came back normal. It makes me incredibly angry to read about so many other young people who have been misdiagnosed because the NHS refuses to acknowledge that young people also suffer from this form of cancer. I also question why I was not offered an MRI or CT scan when admitted to A&E, and more importantly, why the radiographer at Charing Cross failed to see the mass in my colon. If I had not had the advantage of private healthcare who knows how long it would have taken for the cancer to be discovered, by which point it would have been too late. It’s bowel cancer awareness month and if just one person reads this and it gives them the courage to go to their doctor and insist on getting the correct scans, then my own battle has not been in vain. I am not unique - bowel cancer is the third most common type of cancer in the UK and it is clearly not just the over 65s who are affected. A spokeswoman for Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust said: 'We were deeply sorry to hear of Mrs Holden’s diagnosis and that she was unhappy with the care we provided to her. 'At the time, we thoroughly investigated the care we provided. 'Our clinicians had undertaken ultrasound scans, X-rays, blood tests and an examination as well as taking Mrs Holden’s history. These were all reviewed as part of the investigation. 'Unfortunately there was nothing on clinical examination or any of the investigations which would have pointed to a diagnosis of colon cancer. 'Our patient experience is very important to us and we are sorry that Mrs Holden felt her symptoms were not being taken seriously. 'We remain keen to meet with Mrs Holden, if she wishes, to further discuss her concerns.' For more information about bowel cancer, visit www.beatingbowelcancer.org . | Rebecca Holden, 36, experienced stomach pain while pregnant .
It was her first pregnancy so she didn't realise this was abnormal .
After the birth, the pain became worse and she developed bleeding .
She was repeatedly fobbed off at A&E and told there was nothing wrong .
She persisted and went to see a private doctor who found a tumour .
She had surgery and intensive chemotherapy and is now cancer-free .
Ms Holden says she is angry that so many young people struggle to get a bowel cancer diagnosis . |
189,328 | 8132440cafb7cc98df5be53757c8177e521b22d7 | A Vermont woman accused of working with her husband to murder a schoolteacher was tightlipped during his murder trial on Wednesday. Patricia Prue, 35, only answered two questions from Deputy County State's Attorney Kirk Williams during 33-year-old Allen Prue's murder trial, which asked about her address and March 25, 2012, when Melissa Jenkins disappeared,The Burlington Free Press reported. Prue invoked the Fifth Amendment 'under my lawyer's direction' following a third question about her memory of a March 25 phone call, the newspaper reported. Scroll down for video . Silent treatment: Patricia Prue invoked the Fifth Amendment during a Wednesday court appearance in her husband Allan Prue's trial . Not my fault: Allen Prue is seen last week during the start of his trial for allegedly murdering schoolteacher Melissa Jenkins in March 2012. His defense attorneys plan to argue that his wife Patricia is the real person behind the crime . Jealous: Allen's defense attorneys claim Patricia Prue (pictured left in March 2012) grew jealous of Melissa Jenkins (right) She then looked at Allen Prue and smiled at him during her short appearance, according to The Burlington Free Press. The Prues are facing separate trials, with Patricia Prue's yet to start. Forensic scientist Joseph Prue testified later that day that looking at Allen Prue's DNA and parts of a hat which was located near Jenkins' car 'indicates that the hat was most likely worn by Mr. Prue,' according to the newspaper. Last week, prosecutors argued that the Prues called Jenkins and told her their car broke down, tricking her, ABC News reported. Caledonia County State's Attorney Lisa Warren said Allen Prue confessed he and his wife wanted to 'get a girl' as someone 'they could play with,' ABC reported. She also argued '[Jenkins] got out of her vehicle, and as she did, she was strangled and beaten to death.' Allen's defense last week said that Allen admitted to the crime in order to cover for Patricia, the news site reported. Allen Prue's lawyer Robert Klaims reportedly argued a different view, that 'In [Patricia Prue's] crazy, twisted mind she had become obsessively jealous of Melissa Jenkins. The evidence will show that Patricia Prue strangled Melissa Jenkins without telling him she was going to do it, without planning it with him and without Allen Prue aware in any way shape or form.' Orphaned: Jenkins' was reported missing when a friend found her car abandoned on the side of a road, with her 2-year-old son alone inside . Weak minded: Allen's attorneys say his wife manipulated him in the murder manipulated . Up next: Patricia Prue's trial is set to start next month. She has pleaded not guilty, and her attorneys plan to argue the insanity defense . The couple then took Jenkins' body back to their home where they removed all of her clothes, poured bleach on the body and wrapped her in a tarp. They dumped the body in the Connecticut River, which separates Vermont from New Hampshire, weighing the body down with blocks, and burning the clothes and tarp. Allen reported an hour late to his job delivering papers that night. When news broke that he was involved in the murder, his mother said that he had never been in trouble before and doubted that he committed the crime. Both Allen and Patricia Prue may face life sentences. | Patricia Prue, 35, only answered two questions while she took the stand during the trial for her husband Allen Prue .
Both stand accused of strangling to death schoolteacher Melissa Jenkins, 33, in March 2012 .
Allen's trial started last week, and his attorneys have argued he did not know his wife planned to murder Jenkins .
They say Patricia Prue became jealous of Jenkins .
Jenkins was allegedly tricked by the couple, then strangled and dumped in the Connecticut River . |
234,839 | bc008bc40328dc29165ce2c729ed7f85899d7917 | By . Anna Hodgekiss . PUBLISHED: . 05:16 EST, 3 April 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 06:58 EST, 3 April 2013 . A little boy with epilepsy has not spoken a single word since he was diagnosed three years ago. Bobby Hughes, now six, has been silent since he began suffering seizures. The youngster, who is also autistic, may never be able to talk and his mother Cheryl communicates with him by recognising his noises. Ms Hughes, 42, from . Droylsden, Greater Manchester, said: 'Bobby could say a few words - . mum, dad, Woody from Toy Story, no - and then he developed epilepsy. Silent: Six-year-old Bobby Hughes was diagnosed with epilepsy at the age of three and hasn't spoken a single word since . Bobby, who is also autistic, may never be able to talk and his mother Cheryl communicates with him by recognising his noises . 'He had about five or six seizures and then his speech just disappeared. 'He was about three then and that's been it since. He has not said a word. It could be his autism or his seizures, we just don't know. 'Bobby and I can communicate. I recognise his noises like you do with a baby, but he can't communicate with other people at all. 'He doesn't like going out and meeting other people because he knows they can't understand him.' Both of the conditions Bobby suffers from may affect speech development. People with autism may have major problems with both speech and nonverbal communication. Speech problems include not talking at all, uttering grunts, cries, shrieks, or throaty, harsh sounds or humming or talking in a musical way. The person may also babble with word-like sounds or use foreign-sounding 'words' or robotic-like speech. Epileptic activity in the brain may affect the development of language in children, the results of a new study indicate. Bobby's mother Cheryl (with daughter Kyna) said he could say a few words before he suffered epileptic fits, but hasn't spoken a word since . Research from the University of Gothenburg has found that epilepsy is more common in children with speech and language difficulties. There is also a condition called Landau-Kleffner syndrome (LKS) - an age-related epilepsy syndrome of childhood. The condition usually starts before the age of six and affects twice as many boys as girls. Its main features are a loss of speech and language skills with seizures. The speech and language skills may improve over time. In an attempt to raise money for an iPad - in the hope it would help Bobby communicate - his late grandmother Pat launched the 'Give Bobby a Voice' appeal to collect more than 1,000 old mobile phones. They . hope to trade them in for iPads with communication software, through . the Hearts and Minds Challenge - a charity set up to improve the lives . of people with autism. Bobby's family are now trying to raise money for an iPad - in the hope it will help him communicate . His grandmother died last month before she could see her wish fulfilled but Cheryl has pledged to make it come true. Mother-of-four Ms Hughes, who volunteers for the RSPCA, wants to get iPads for Bobby and the five other children in his class at Dukinfield's Oakdale Special School, and will need 185 phones for each device. She said: 'The iPad would help him develop, help him lose some of the frustrations he has got and it would help him to be able to integrate into the outside world.' Ms Hughes needs to collect 185 mobile phones for each iPad. These phones will be given to the charity Hearts and Minds and then sent on for recycling. The money the charity is paid by the recycling company will then be used to purchase the iPads. For more information on how speech affects epilepsy: http://www.epilepsy.org.uk/info/syndromes/landau-kleffner-syndrome . For more information on donating mobile phones, visit: www.heartsandmindsphones.co.uk . | Bobby Hughes began suffering epileptic seizures at the age of three .
Until then, could speak a few words such as 'mum', 'dad' and 'no'
But since being diagnosed with epilepsy he has been totally silent .
Communicates with his mother Cheryl, 42, through noises . |
274,692 | efd38ff4be3158e4df0152a227c88890a4a0f015 | London (CNN) -- A 23-year-old English Premier League soccer player remained in intensive care Monday after suffering cardiac arrest during a game in London, his club Bolton said. Saturday's match between top-flight teams Bolton and Tottenham was called off after Fabrice Muamba, a Bolton midfielder, collapsed on the pitch before halftime. Medics came onto the field to try to revive him while fans and players looked on in shock. Muamba was taken to the Heart Attack Center at The London Chest Hospital, where he has been kept since. "Fabrice Muamba's heart condition is stable, but he remains critically ill in intensive care," read Monday's joint statement from Bolton and the hospital. Bolton manager Owen Coyle said Muamba's family appreciated the large amount of messages of support they had received. "The message is the good will, the prayers from everybody, they are so thankful and they want to put that on record -- to say 'keep up the prayers, thanks for all the support,' " Coyle told reporters outside the hospital after visiting the player Monday. "They have been inundated as we all have, both in the football community globally and family and friends. People are taking a genuine interest and a real concern with how Fabrice is doing." "It's a difficult situation but the family are bearing up as well as they can. They themselves are very positive people," Coyle said. "You look at what Fabrice has been through in life already and you can tell that he is a fighter. He has such a fantastic smile and that's what we all want to see again." Magunda also thanked fans via her account on micro-blogging website Twitter. "2 everyone out there thank u so much for all the love and support collectively as a family we appreciate it all. Plz continue 2 pray 4 fab x," she wrote on Monday. "Fabrice WILL!! Pull through because God is good. Love u so much @fmuamba keep strong we're praying for u honey xx" Bolton said Sunday that Muamba received "prolonged resuscitation" on the ground and en route to the hospital, where his heart eventually started working. "As is normal medical practice, Fabrice remains anesthetized in intensive care and will be for at least 24 hours," the club said. "His condition continues to be closely monitored by the cardiac specialists at the hospital." Players pray for Muamba's recovery . Muamba, who is from the Democratic Republic of Congo and has represented England at under-21 level, fell to the ground in the 41st minute with no other players near him. Referee Howard Webb consulted both teams before calling off the match at Tottenham's home ground in London, which was a quarterfinal tie in England's prestigious knockout competition, the FA Cup. A member of CNN World Sport's London staff was at the match at White Hart Lane and described the situation. "We were situated on the halfway line. ... Fabrice Muamba just hit the deck out of nowhere," assistant producer Zayn Nabbi said by phone. "We realized quite quickly that this was serious because the medical staff all rushed on and they were waved onto the field by the Tottenham players. From what we saw they were trying to resuscitate Fabrice Muamba." Bolton Wanderers announced Sunday that its match with Aston Villa, scheduled for Tuesday evening, was postponed after talks with the club and the Premier League. Bolton thanked them both for their support and understanding. Muamba's peers have been quick to show their support on micro-blogging website Twitter. "For all those asking, I know as much as you do," wrote clubmate Stuart Holden, a U.S. international. "Waiting anxiously for updates from teammates. Fab is a fighter! prayforMuamba." Tottenham's Rafael van der Vaart wrote: "Terrible what happened with Muamba during the game. We're all praying for him." The last player to die after collapsing in a match in Britain was Motherwell's Phil O'Donnell, who suffered heart failure during a 2007 game against Scottish rivals Dundee United and passed away on the way to hospital. The most high-profile such tragedy was when Cameroon international Marc-Vivien Foe collapsed during a Confederations Cup semifinal against Colombia in 2003 and died in hospital. There have been two similar incidents more recently in Spain, involving Sevilla's Antonio Puerta in 2007 and Espanyol's Daniel Jarque in 2009. Muamba grew up in Kinshasa, the capital of what was then known as Zaire. After moving to the UK in 1999 he began his football career with Premier League club Arsenal in 2005 but did not make a first-team appearance in the top division and was loaned out to Birmingham. He signed a permanent deal with the Midlands club in 2007 before moving to Bolton a year later for a fee of £5 million ($8 million). English Football Association chairman David Bernstein paid tribute to Muamba, who played for his country at most age-group levels. "Fabrice has played 33 times for England Under-21s, captaining Stuart Pearce's side during this time, and is a player -- and more importantly -- a person we care greatly for," Bernstein said. Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore praised those at the game for the way they reacted to the situation. "We would like to praise the players, match officials, coaching staff and medical teams of both clubs at White Hart Lane for their swift actions in attending Fabrice," Scudamore said in a statement. "The League would also like to commend the compassion shown by the fans of Bolton Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur." Those sentiments were echoed by Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy, who in a club statement, thanked both sets of fans for their support and behavior. Levy said: "Too often we read the negatives about football and yet last night, at a time of intense emergency and uncertainty, we saw the true humanity and empathy of the footballing family." | Fabrice Muamba still in critical condition in intensive care at London heart hospital .
Bolton says Fabrice Muamba will be anesthetized in intensive care for 24 hours .
Bolton's Tuesday match with Aston Villa is postponed .
Referee calls off quarterfinal match after consulting Bolton and Tottenham players . |
239,671 | c24ae2ea1e27761da91b09e424cbe0d5ee50bdbd | Northern Gaza (CNN) -- Mohamed Al-Batsh recalls a premonition he had the first day Israeli airstrikes began in Gaza. He saw his father's face. "He looked strange," Al-Batsh said. "I went to my room, closed the door, and I knew he would die. I put my head on the pillow and cried for my father and the people who would die." His father was a leader in Hamas' military wing. He was killed late Saturday in an Israeli airstrike, along with 17 others, in one of the bloodiest single strikes so far. One of the victims was just 10 years old. The attack in Shaja'ia, near Gaza City, highlights how residents of Gaza are trapped in war -- with no way out. By Monday, the death toll from nearly a week of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza had reached 186 -- all of them Palestinians -- with at least 1,390 wounded, according to Palestinian health authorities. Airstrikes have killed some militants; however, around 70% of the fatalities are civilians, according to the United Nations. Of the dead, more than 30 are children, the U.N. reported. Israel has said it will continue the offensive as long as the militant group Hamas keeps firing rockets into its territory. And Hamas shows no sign of letting up after launching almost 1,000 rockets at Israel. The scene of destruction is repeated in Jabalya, in northern Gaza. There, contents of a home are strewn in the road after another Israeli airstrike. No one was hurt. The house next door may have been the target, but half of the one beside it was destroyed. The Israeli military says its forces have struck 1,470 "terror targets" across Gaza, and that Hamas often hides missiles and other weapons in hospitals and private homes. "My son isn't here," says Mohamed Abu Hassan, a neighbor. He says he who doesn't understand why he and his family are being punished. "Is she fighting Israel?" he asks about his wife. "This is tyranny." | The death toll from nearly a week of Israeli airstrikes on Gaza had reached 186 .
Around 70% of the fatalities are civilians, according to the United Nations .
In one of the bloodiest single strikes so far, 18 people were killed late Saturday . |
90,797 | 00c400ae121839f68a311ee40a0f6f053a26a03c | Havana (CNN) -- The founders of Cuba's biggest independent music festival accused the government of "kidnapping" their festival on Wednesday, saying the Culture Ministry had taken over organization of this year's event and barred them from meetings. "They're kidnapping, stealing our festival," said founder and until-now executive director Michel Matos. "It's not a simple case of censorship, of them shutting it down. It's an abduction," he said during a small press conference in his living room. "On the one hand, they're taking it away from us and on the other hand, they are organizing it themselves through official institutions." The government was not immediately available for comment. The Rotilla Festival, a hugely popular three-day rave on a beach outside Havana, was launched in 1998 by Matos and a handful of friends. Last year, it attracted some 20,000 people. "Up until now, we were tolerated," Matos said. Often referred to as "Cuba's Woodstock," the festival's focus has traditionally been on apolitical electronic music and DJs, although last year the main attraction was the polemic hip-hop group Los Aldeanos. Matos said they collaborated with government officials on logistics and security and sometimes faced pressure. "Traditionally, there was a dialogue with authorities, where they pressured us so that certain groups wouldn't participate and we cooperated so that the festival would be permitted," he said. "It hasn't always been comfortable." Less well-known outside Cuba than some of the smaller, more political, rap festivals, Rotilla has long been a popular musical event for young people on the island. The festival was financially independent, receiving funding from the Serbian electronic music festival EXIT and the Dutch and Spanish embassies. The bands and DJs played for free. Matos said the Cuban government had taken over the festival without any warning or explanation. When organizers came to a meeting on logistics and security with local authorities, they were met in the parking lot and told they were no longer the organizers, he said. They have since been barred from meetings at the Culture Ministry, where he said plans are underway to stage a "Rotilla Festival" organized by the government on the same dates, but with a different lineup. The bands are being offered $1,000, he said. | Rotilla was largely apolitical 3-day rave .
Co-founder charges Cuba has barred organizers from meetings .
Festival was financially independent .
Government does not comment . |
159,584 | 5a47094e11d2a1b1be1bf4ae2a240f25b8ba9322 | Baghdad (CNN) -- A member of Iraq's governing coalition has told CNN he expects Tariq Aziz, Iraq's top diplomat under Saddam Hussein, to be executed next year. Saad Yousif al-Muttalibi said in an interview in Baghdad: "It will definitely take place, and it will take place after the Americans leave Iraq." A lawyer for Aziz, who served as foreign minister and later deputy prime minister, said he was surprised. "I did not expect the government would be that stupid; by doing this they will drag this country to the edge of the abyss," said Badi Arif in a telephone interview. "What about the national reconciliation that this government has been calling for? The government's position will be even weaker if they carry out the execution after the American troops leave the country and this will lead to more conflict among Iraqi factions." A Justice Ministry official said the execution of Aziz, like those of other former regime members, will be carried out once the Presidency Council ratifies the order and hands it over to the ministry. The execution "is not linked and has never been linked to the U.S. military presence nor to political pressure," the official said. Separately, a new law is under consideration that would require death sentences be ratified by the president within 15 days of their being handed down, al-Muttalibi said. Al-Muttalibi added that all of Iraqi society, including members of the three main sectarian groups -- Sunnis, Shiites and Kurds -- favor the law. Aziz was captured by U.S. forces in April 2003, shortly after the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Hussein. He appeared frail when he testified in Hussein's 2006 trial on war crimes charges, for which the ousted dictator was hanged later that year. Aziz was sentenced to death in October 2010 by the Iraqi High Tribunal for his role in eliminating religious parties during Hussein's regime. His family was shocked by the verdict, his daughter told CNN at the time. "My father served his country for more than 22 years. He delivered himself to the U.S. Army (after the fall of Hussein) because he wasn't afraid. He didn't do anything wrong. He served his country," Aziz's daughter, Zainab Aziz, said. "He has been wronged." Arif said last year that there was a political motive behind the death sentence. "Mr. Aziz used to always tell me, 'They'll find a way to kill me, and there is no way for me to escape this,'" Arif told CNN. "But from a legal perspective, this sentence is wrong; this is illegal and this is unexpected." Aziz served as deputy prime minister from 1981 to 2003, also holding the post of foreign minister for part of that time. After the verdict was announced, Amnesty International urged Iraq not to carry out the sentences, even as it acknowledged the brutality of Hussein's regime. "Saddam Hussein's rule was synonymous with executions, torture and other gross human rights violations, and it is right that those who committed crimes are brought to justice," said Malcolm Smart, Amnesty International's director for the Middle East and North Africa in 2010. "However, it is vital that the death penalty, which is the ultimate denial of human rights, should never be used, whatever the gravity of the crime," he said in a written statement. The Vatican also opposed the death sentence, spokesman Federico Lombardi told CNN. "This is not the most adequate way to promote reconciliation and reconstruction of justice and peace in a country that has suffered so much," he said. CNN's Arwa Damon and Mohammed Tawfeeq contributed to this story . | Governing coalition member: Aziz will be put to death after U.S. forces leave .
"It will definitely take place," says Saad Yousif al-Muttalibi .
A lawyer for Aziz says the decision is "stupid" and rooted in politics .
Amnesty International, the Vatican criticize the verdict . |
264,973 | e33467dcab0fb15ffc24db1670684f7d13ad44ce | Police have rescued 36 young girls from a house in Pakistan after they were taken hostage from their school in a bizarre debt row involving their teacher. Officers found the girls, aged between eight and 14, after they had been secretly moved to the capital Karachi from their rural madrassa without their parents' knowledge. The children were reportedly boarding at the school under the supervision of a teacher who was in dispute with the owner of the house over non-payment of a debt. Some of the 36 schoolgirls rescued from a locked house in the Pakistan capital of Karachi are taken into care by police after they were reportedly taken hostage in a bizarre debt dispute involving their teacher . Officers found the girls, aged between eight and 14, after they had been secretly moved to the capital from their rural madrassa without their parents' knowledge . The teacher, named by local media as Hameeda, is said to have loaned 200,000 rupees (£2,000) to the man who had reneged on promises to repay it. Hameeda reportedly responded by arranging for the girls to be taken to the debtor's house in the Liaquatabad area of the city, where he she insisted he look after them until the money was repaid. Local media reports have offered conflicting reasons for her actions. Some claim Hameeda intended for the girls to stay at the house until she had recouped the money through savings she made by no longer having to look after them at her madrassa. Terrified: The children were boarding at the school under the supervision of a teacher who was in dispute with the owner of the house where they were found over the non-payment of a debt . A girl seen in a van after being rescued from the hostage situation in the Pakistan capital of Karachi . Others say she was using them as leverage to force him to pay the money back directly. The girls were taken into care by the Senior Superintendent of Police and are being returned to their families, who learned of their disappearance yesterday. Two men have been arrested for their alleged involvement in transporting the girls to Karachi. The madrassa owner reportedly told police that she regularly took the children to Karachi to further their education. She claimed that she also arranged marriages of poor girls in the tribal region, it was reported by www.dawn.com. The teacher, named by local media as Hameeda, is said to have loaned 200,000 rupees (£2,000) to the man who had reneged on promises to repay it . The girls are escorted out of Karachi. The teacher reportedly arranged for the girls to be taken to the debtor's house in the Liaquatabad area of the city, where he she insisted he look after them until the money was paid . | Police found 36 girls aged eight to 14 at a house in Pakistan capital Karachi .
They were secretly moved from rural madrassa without parent's knowledge .
Home owner reportedly reneged on promises to repay their teacher £2,000 . |
170,434 | 689b845364179638c0ff1f2d1fbc13db0db1e447 | A former Massachusetts prosecutor says actor Mark Wahlberg should not be pardoned for a 1988 assault of two Vietnamese men because he has never acknowledged the crime was racist. Wahlberg filed an appeal with the Massachusetts Parole Board in December asking them to pardon him of a 1988 conviction for assault which saw him jailed for three months. The Oscar-tipped performer claims he is a different person from the man that committed the attack 26 years ago, and has tried to make up for his actions in later life. However Judith Beals, a former state prosecutor who led a case against Wahlberg for hurling stones and racial slurs at black children two years earlier, says the appeal should be turned down. Scroll down for video . Forgiveness: Actor Mark Wahlberg has asked the Massachusetts Parole Board to pardon him for a 1988 conviction for assault after he hit two Vietnamese men and tried to rob an alcohol store . Ms Beals said today that she believes in 'forgiveness and reconciliation', but that Wahlberg has yet to acknowledge the racial element of his crimes, which she says should be the key to a pardon. The case against Wahlberg began in 1986, when he and two white friends were caught chasing three black siblings in Boston's Dorchester neighborhood, throwing rocks and yelling racial slurs. The following day, Wahlberg and a larger group of white friends harassed a group of mostly black fourth-graders until an ambulance driver intervened. Ms Beals helped to prosecute the case against Wahlberg, then aged 14, and he was issued with an order which would allow for a criminal conviction in the event he committed another racially motivated offence. Two years later, in 1988, Wahlberg was back in court again, this time charged with hitting a Vietnamese man in the head with a stick while trying to steal alcohol from a convenience store. Court papers filed at the time say Wahlberg hit one man, named Thanh Lam, over the head with a five-foot wooden pole while yelling 'Vietnam f****** s***'. Denied: Judith Beals, who lead a case against Wahlberg for hurling stone and racial slurs at black children in 1986, says the appeal should be denied because he has never accepted his crimes were racist . Wahlberg went on the run from the crime scene, and before he was caught by police he punched another Vietnamese man, named Johnny Trinh, in the face. After he was arrested Wahlberg made references to 'slant-eyed g***s' in front of police. His previous court order was triggered, and he ended up being convicted as an adult and sentenced to three months in jail. He was released after about 45 days. He is now seeking a pardon for that conviction, saying he accepts he was high on marijuana and other drugs at the time, and has tried to become a better person as an adult. In an interview in December, the now 43-year-old said: 'I've been looking for redemption (since) the day I woke up and realized that I done some horrific things and was on a path of self-destruction, as well as causing a lot of people harm. 'When I decided to petition for a pardon, it wasn't based on the things I accomplished in my career. 'It's been the things I've been able to do in my personal life: giving back to the community and helping kids, especially inner-city kids and at-risk youth and kids growing up in that same situation.' However, Ms Beals pointed out that this apology does not acknowledge the racial element of the crimes, and therefore does not go far enough. Wahlberg (left) was 16 when he hit Vietnamese man Johnny Trinh (right) and another shop owner while making references to 'slant eyed g***s' Beals added that Wahlberg's status and wealth should not place him in a better position than others to erase his misdeeds. She also said that hate crimes should be held to a higher standard. Representatives for Wahlberg, who stars in new film The Gambler and also appeared in 'Boogie Nights' and 'Lone Survivor,' were not available for comment at the time of publishing. The state parole board has to hold a hearing on the request by Wahlberg and send a recommendation to the governor, who will decide whether to issue a pardon. Final say then rests with the Governor's Council, an elected body. Governors generally don't make pardon decisions until they're leaving office. Former Gov. Deval Patrick, a Democrat, issued just four in the final days of his eight-year tenure. His predecessor, Mitt Romney, a Republican, never issued one. Gov. Charlie Baker, a Republican, took office this month. | Wahlberg convicted for 1988 attack on two Vietnamese men in Boston .
Yelled 'Vietnam f****** s***' before knocking one of the men unconscious .
Asked state parole board for pardon saying he is now a different person .
Judith Beals prosecuted him in 1986 for a racial attack .
Says appeal should be rejected as he has not accepted crimes were racist . |
183,237 | 7956019f33427295300e0bc4392ce6372309cc4b | Sunderland are fighting to keep hold of miracle manager Gus Poyet as an internal power struggle ensues at the Stadium of Light. The Black Cats beat West Brom on Wednesday to become only the second club to escape Premier League relegation after being bottom of the table at Christmas. But Poyet’s future is far from certain despite his heroics in keeping the club in the top-flight - there is a clause in his contract that allows him to leave for a new job this summer . which was activated by Sunderland avoiding relegation. Uncertain: Gus Poyet could leave Sunderland this summer - despite keeping them club in the Premier League . Delighted: The Black Cats retained their top flight status with Wednesday night's win against West Brom . Poyet will hold talks with owner Ellis Short and Margaret Byrne after Sunday’s clash against Swansea, a meeting that is likely to prove pivotal in determining the Uruguayan’s future. The former Chelsea midfielder, who is in a strong position after his excellent work following his arrival at the Stadium of Light, wants greater control over the club’s footballing operation. Poyet’s official job title at the Sunderland is head coach, but it is understood he wants a role more geared towards what a traditional football manager would do. The 46-year-old is understood to have a good relationship with sporting director Lee Congerton, who will be at the forefront of the club’s summer recruitment drive. But Sunderland's transfer policy will be a key discussion point when summit talks take place. Questions: The Sunderland board have reservations about some of Poyet's signings, including Liam Bridcutt . There remain reservations from the club . hierarchy about Poyet’s January signings, Oscar Ustari, Ignacio Martin . Scocco and Liam Bridcutt. Ustari hasn’t played a league game since arriving from Almeria, Scocco hasn’t started a single game while Bridcutt has recently lost his place in the starting line-up. Another factor could be whether other Premier League clubs dispense with their managers and try to tempt Poyet. | Sunderland manager could leave after the season .
Poyet will hold talks with owner Ellis Short on Monday .
Board have reservations about his signings in January . |
88,551 | fb52ad9d3712861e691f8c994eceb2f299f08325 | By . Simon Jones for the Daily Mail . Leicester City's proposed deal for Marseille defender Rod Fanni, 32, has fallen through after he failed to agree personal terms. The France international had been training with the Foxes to establish his fitness after being allowed to leave Marseille for a small fee. The 32-year-old has been linked with moves to England for the past four years and Leicester wanted an experienced defender to cover for Matt Upson's injury. Collapse: Leicester's move for Marseille defender Rod Fanni has fallen through over personal terms . Experienced: Fanni, pictured with Reims' Antoine Devaux (right), has played in France for his whole career . Manager Nigel Pearson is looking at Pablo Alvarez, 30, of Catania. He also hopes to conclude a two year deal for Argentine midfielder Esteban Cambiasso, 34. Cambiasso, who turned 34 on Monday, also has interest from Sevilla. Meanwhile, Leicester have rewarded striker Jamie Vardy with a new four-year contract tying him to the Premier League newcomers until June 2018. The 27-year-old joined Leicester in the summer of 2012 from Fleetwood Town and has netted 21 times in 70 appearances for the club, including 16 goals last term as the Foxes won the Championship title. Vardy, who was named Players’ Player of the Year by his Leicester team-mates last season, told Leicester's official website: 'I’m over the moon.' CLICK HERE to start picking your Fantasy Football team NOW! There’s £60,000 in prizes including £1,000 up for grabs EVERY WEEK… . Free agent: Nigel Pearson also hopes to sign former Inter Milan midfielder Esteban Cambiasso (right) VIDEO Pearson content with Leicester start . | Leicester City's move for Marsille defender Rod Fanni has fallen through .
France international could not agree personal terms with the Foxes .
Nigel Pearson is still chasing Esteban Cambiasso and Pablo Alvarez . |
288 | 00e25cd73a0992fca39f7477d0d906b43d7525f6 | City girl: Billie Piper in London earlier this week . She put her wild child past behind her and settled down to a quiet family life in the country. But seven years later, it seems Billie Piper has finally tired of her rural idyll and is moving back to the bright city lights. The 32-year-old actress and her actor husband Laurence Fox, 36, have put their secluded Sussex cottage up for sale and bought a smart townhouse in north London. Miss Piper – who shot to fame playing the companion in Doctor Who and a prostitute in the TV drama Secret Diary of a Call Girl – has been flooded with work after struggling to find roles for several years. She is currently in stage farce Great Britain at London’s National Theatre and recently played a poor Irish immigrant in Sky Atlantic drama Penny Dreadful. Meanwhile Mr Fox – who is best known for starring in ITV detective drama Lewis – is busy recording a music album and made his own West End appearance in Strangers on a Train at the Gielgud theatre. It seems the young couple, who are parents to two sons Winston, five, and Eugene, two, no longer have time to relax in the countryside. When they married in 2007, they settled down in a picturesque, oak-timbered cottage near Midhurst, West Sussex, which they bought for £725,000. They soon learned to appreciate its views of rolling fields, large garden and friendly village pub, and bought a horse called Chutney, two pics named Boris and Barack and three chickens. Mr Fox seemed to appreciate the rustic simplicity even more than his wife. In 2011, he said he loved their ‘boringly normal’ life, adding: ‘I never liked London. I always said I wanted to live in the country. I’m an outdoorsy sort of person; I go fishing, take my dog out to the pub.’ But it seems Miss Piper, who often says she is less laid back than her husband, began to tire of the good life, especially when he had to spend time in Los Angeles looking for acting work. She told an interviewer she began to feel bored in the countryside after the birth of their first son. She said: ‘I did go a bit Sylvia Plath down there. Staring at the condensation on the window and wondering where it comes from. For sale: Piper is getting rid of her country house in West Sussex and moving back to London . ‘Following slugs in the garden that hadn’t moved a foot, and feeling a bit desperate. Laurence was filming when I first had Winston. I’d had an emergency caesarean and I could barely walk. I was alone in the country with a new born baby for three weeks.’ And it seems couple’s elderly neighbours did not immediately warm to the actress thanks to her racy reputation and role in ITV’s Secret Diary of a Call Girl. In 2010, she revealed: ‘A few of the older locals actually believe I’m a whore. They love Laurence because he’s in Lewis — his fan club are in their mid-60s upwards. ‘It’s sickening. They look at me and they are like, “That s***! How could you dirty yourself with her? She’s corrupted you”.’ Girl about town: piper starring asescort Belle in ITV's London-based Secret Diary of a Call Girl . Sci-fi: Piper playing Doctor Who's companion Rose, with John Hurt as the Doctor in the BBC hit . Two years ago, the couple sold their horse after it threw Mr Fox off repeatedly, rehomed the pigs at a nearby farm when they became too big to keep in the garden and gave the chickens to their local pub. Last year, they paid £1.7million for a four-bedroom house in north London. Now they appear to have decided to stay there for good as their acting careers flourish in the capital, putting their Sussex home up for sale with an asking price of £825,000 last month. While she may prefer city life, it appears Miss Piper has not yet adjusted to the busy London traffic. She was recently quizzed by police after she collided with a cyclist while attempting a U-turn in her Volkswagen Golf near their home. She was not arrested or charged. | Billie Piper and husband Laurence Fox have bought a London townhouse .
Couple, who have two sons, are selling their cottage bear Midhurst .
Piper said she began to feel bored of country life after having first child .
Former singer found fame in Doctor Who and Secret Diary of a Call Girl . |
102,197 | 0fb2d02488e496c3279bfc7d00c585a85b4710fc | Harry Redknapp insists he is not feeling the pressure as the uncertainty over his future persists. The Queens Park Rangers boss is favourite to be the next top-flight boss to be sacked after a disappointing start to the season. Plans to extend his contract have been shelved by owner Tony Fernandes - but Redknapp revealed he is going for dinner with the QPR owner to discuss the situation. VIDEOS Scroll down to watch . Harry Redknapp's side are currently bottom of the Premier League with just one win from seven games . He said: 'It is up to Tony what he does. If he is not happy come and talk to me - I'm a big boy. I'm going for dinner with him tonight. I'm not going to be there buying him dinner to keep my job - I will let him buy dinner.' The west London club are currently bottom of the Premier League, but the former Tottenham boss insisted he is not feeling the pressure. He said: 'What is real pressure? I don't feel under pressure. We've played seven games - it's not easy. 'No one is moping around. 'I wasn't bothered about signing a new contract. What are contracts? If you get the sack, you get whatever you get. Contracts mean nothing. 'I don't need assurances from anybody.' Tony Fernandes had intended to offer Redknapp a new contract, but those plans have now been shelved . Harry Redknapp and Glenn Hoddle, both former Tottenham bosses, watch on as QPR players train . Queens Park Rangers players train ahead of their weekend game against Brendan Rodgers' Liverpool . Karl Henry battles for the ball with summer signing and Chilean midfielder Eduardo Vargas . Former Chelsea and Manchester City midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips takes a shot in training . Former Tottenham players Steven Caulker and Sandro train together in west London . Charlie Austin initially struggled this season but has shown signs he is starting to find some form . The QPR squad warm down at the Imperial College Sports Ground in London . | QPR are currently bottom of the Premier League .
Harry Redknapp insisted he is not feeling the pressure .
Redknapp said he is unconcerned about signing a new contract . |
77,792 | dc92481c9e09de1e18fbd216ac6a044ded5ddb4f | By . From Simon Murphy In Lima, Peru . Melissa Reid made the warning on the eve of her 21st birthday . Drug mule Melissa Reid has issued a stark warning – from her grim prison cell – to youngsters starting their gap year not to follow her wild, drug-fuelled lifestyle in Ibiza. On the eve of her 21st birthday – a year after being caught smuggling £1.5million worth of cocaine out of Peru – she has warned of the perils of having too much ‘fun’ on the Mediterranean party island. In a diary entry from her new prison, Ancon 2 – surrounded by shanty towns hours outside Lima in the Peruvian desert – Reid, who is serving a near seven-year sentence, wrote: ‘A year ago today, if someone was warning me of the dangers of drug smuggling, I would probably tell them to f*** off. And how I would not be so stupid and how it would never happen to me. But look at me now, Modulo 1, Pabellon 3B of Ancon 2 prison, Peru. So just get the word out for me and tell anyone that will listen, it’s not smart, not big and definitely not clever. ‘As glamorous as the drug lords make it out, it’s not. Our generation are always finding a new, low budget, fast-hitting drug – if it’s not Ket [Ketamine], it’s pills or coke [cocaine], and why not throw a bit of acid in to make it a real night to remember! She writes ‘it’s this crazy lifestyle’ that got her into trouble in Ibiza. ‘The island of your dreams – oh sorry, you mean the island where everyone is living in a dream. Good luck when you come back to reality is all I can say!’ She added: ‘Who knows, I might even be back in Ibiza one day myself, although with a different head on my shoulders and the only thing I would do with the line of coke you put out for me on the key to our apartment, on the dance floor of a nightclub, is blow it back in your face! 'I will also now be watching my back for years to come and double checking the door is locked every night because, as everyone knows, drugs is a big boys’ game! ‘Once you have seen a man pulling liquid cocaine condoms from his a***; a woman being sick and having diarrhoea in a hole in the ground at the same time, and a child being separated from her mother at three years old so her mother can serve a 15-year prison service, as I have, you have had more than enough!’ Melissa, from Lenzie, near Glasgow, and Belfast-born Michaella McCollum Connolly, 21, had travelled separately to the Spanish isle of Ibiza last year to enjoy a summer of partying. Ms Reid, from Glasgow, was caught smuggling £1.5m worth of cocaine out of Peru . An extract from Melissa's diary, which she has written from prison Ancon 2 near Lima, Peru, warning others of the perils of having too much 'fun' on the Mediterranean island . But they ended up flying to Lima, where they were caught attempting to smuggle cocaine out of the country in their suitcases. They claimed they were forced into the drugs run by gangsters but they later dropped that tale and were each sentenced to six years and eight months after pleading guilty. Melissa’s parents are currently in Peru visiting their daughter and last Saturday her mother Debbie took a chocolate cake into the prison for her to celebrate her 21st birthday. Her parents Debbie and Billy, both 54, have travelled to Peru to visit their daughter in prison. They took her a chocolate cake to celebrate her birthday . The 54-year-old mother of four said: ‘This time last year I thought maybe Melissa might be home for her 21st. Obviously not. I took in lots of cards from friends and family. 'We got her a sash and everyone joined in when we were singing happy birthday.’ Her husband, Billy, 54, added: ‘We’re making the best of a bad situation. The key to the door takes on a new meaning in her predicament.’ Michaela McCollum Connolly, pictured left, and Melissa Reid, pictured right, was caught in August 2013 . The duo tried to smuggle £1.5m worth of cocaine on a flight to Spain from Peru. They are now sharing a cell together in the prison, along with six other prisoners . Melissa and Michaella share a cramped cell with six other prisoners, sleeping on opposite top bunks. Locked away from 6pm to 6am, they spend their time reading and, of late, knitting. The toilet in the middle of the cell is a hole in the ground. The pair, who have been dubbed ‘The Peru Two’, are clinging to hopes of a prisoner transfer to the UK. Earlier this month those hopes appeared to have been bolstered after it emerged Peruvian authorities confirmed they had ‘accepted’ Michaella’s prison transfer request. | Melissa wrote diary entry from her new prison, Ancon 2, outside Lima, Peru .
One of the so-called 'Peru Two', Melissa is serving seven years in jail .
Her parents have flown to Peru and taken chocolate cake to her in prison .
Melissa, from Glasgow, wrote: 'It's not smart, not big and definitely not clever' |
162,295 | 5dd3bc5bb8f993c1071333e0fa88d93385202457 | It was a striking image of fishing boat sheds with Lindisfarne Castle in the background and was heralded as the best landscape photograph among hundreds of entries in a top competition. But now the photographer who won the prestigious prize has been stripped of his title and the £10,000 prize money - because of his use of Photoshop. David Byrne, 43, from Cannock, Staffordshire, won the Take a View Landscape Photographer of the Year award last month as it was a 'clear favourite' of the judges who agreed it best captured an aspect of the UK landscape. A photographer showed how the position of the clouds and the light in David Byrne's winning photograph of Lindisfarne Castle was physically impossible because the sun would have to be in two different places at once. The red lines in the image point to two different points in the sky where the sun would be positioned if the shadows and light were correct . Striking: David Byrne's picture of upturned boats on the coast of Lindisfarne, Northumberland, England, was doctored to include clouds in the sky to make it look darker and gloomy . David's father's photograph of the same landscape, also doctored, was taken nine minutes later and the light is shown to be different . However after winning the prize, Mr . Byrne said he was subject to a 'witch-hunt' for adding clouds in the sky, leading to his . disqualification for employing excessive digital manipulation in his . winning entry. Two other photographers turned . detective and highlighted in their own blogs how the photograph was . realistically impossible and days later Mr Byrne was pulled from the . competition. Mr Byrne told MailOnline that he had . removed some moored boats in the middle of the harbour and doctored the . sky to make it look dark and gloomy by adding a few clouds. He said: ‘I added clouds because the sky was a . bit boring. Unfortunately, while I don’t . feel like I have done anything wrong, I didn’t read the regulations and . it does say that replacing the sky is not allowed. ‘The purists out there were not . happy. Messing about with pictures has been done for over 100 years. I . treat my photography as art and I try to make the best looking picture.' After winning the prize in October, . two landscape photographers posted blogs on the internet explaining . through a sequence of images why Mr Byrne's photograph could not be . real. One of the photographers, Tim Parkin, . who entered the competition the previous year, highlighted through a . series of red lines how the varying lights and shadows in the photograph . were realistically impossible. For the shadows on fishing boat sheds . and the light from the sky to be correct, the sun would have had to . have been in two different places at once - highlighted by where the red . arrows point to. While the red lines on the shadow on . the sheds point to the correct position of the sun, the arrows on the . other image point to a position in the sky where the sun would not have . been at that time of day, according to Mr Parkin. Atmospheric: David Baker's misty view of pines in the New Forest, Hampshire, England, won the 'Your View' category . Ambiance: Delamere Forest, Cheshire, England, the Classic View winner in the Take a View Landscape Photographer of the Year award . Mr Byrne, who has only been taking . landscape photographs for two years, said since winning the competition . he had received abusive emails from other photographers. He said: 'To me I feel like I have been hounded for days, it has been quite unsettling. 'I can’t blame Take A View, the witch hunt was not going to stop anyway. ‘I felt like I was being investigated by the FBI.' He said some of evidence used against . him was a picture that his father took nine minutes after him on the . same day - which showed the clouds in a different position in the sky. His father, Philip, told MailOnline: . 'It is quite accepted and desirable to add another sky to enhance the . characteristics and remove ugly modern day rubbish and graffiti etc, . after all this is art. 'Thousands and thousands of . photographers in camera clubs do this all the time, it is accepted by . the world ruling body F.I.A.P. as long as composite images are the work . of the photographer.' The contest's organisers, Take a . View, said Mr Byrne’s photograph was assessed in 'good faith' and was . the 'clear favourite' of the judges. Winner: This wistful image of Fishermen on Loch Ard, Trossachs, Scotland, was crowned winner in the Take a View Landscape Photographer of the Year award living the view category . Lines in the landscape: The 8:30 from Hamworthy crosses Holes Bay, Poole, Dorset, England in this picture which won the Network Rail Award . Charlie Waite, founder of the . competition said: 'This is extremely regrettable and it appears there . was no deliberate intention to deceive the judges but the level of . manipulation means that this photograph gained an unfair advantage in . this category and in winning the overall competition. 'The integrity of the competition is . very important to all involved and it was clear that disqualification . was the only course of action open to us.' A second photograph by Mr Byrne, which won the 'classic view' category of the competition, has also been disqualified. The new winning image is of Port . Glasgow by Simon Butterworth. t is the first time that an urban . landscape has won the main award. Other winners included Paul Bundle, . whose shot of Loch Ard in Scotland won the 'living the view' category, . and the 'urban view' award went to Simon Butterworth for his striking . shot of buildings on a hilly street in Port Glasgow. And a train speeding through a coastal . wetland scene in Dorset, taken by Graham Hobbs, won the Network Rail . 'lines in the landscape' award for pictures of the rail network within . the surrounding landscape. Stephen Colbrook, 16, won the Young . Photographer of the Year section of the competition for his film . noir-style black and white picture of a man in an Oxford street at . night. More than 100 of the best images will . feature in a free exhibition at the National Theatre in London from . November 12 and a book of more than 170 photographs is also being . published. Gritty: Stephen Colbrook, 16, won the Young Photographer of the Year with this picture of a man in an Oxford street at night, left, while Simon Butterworth's striking hilly street in Port Glasgow, right, was made the new winner of the competition following David Byrne's disqualification . | David Byrne, 43, added clouds in sky to photograph that won him Landscape Photographer of the Year award .
Other photographers were not happy that he doctored the image and highlighted conflicting light rays on blogs . |
146,796 | 49d4c69077b288c9efe73f274b7ae5fb65ce57ba | By . Ellie Buchdahl . PUBLISHED: . 11:10 EST, 14 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:26 EST, 15 September 2013 . Victim: Julie Roberts was watching TV in her living room when she was nipped by a spider . A woman who was bitten by a house spider had to be rushed to hospital and drip-fed antibiotics after the bite festered into pus-filled blister - which then burst. Julie Roberts, 41, was watching TV in her living room at her home in North Hull when the spider - which she describes as pale and whitish - scuttled up and nipped her ankle. What started off as just a small spot swelled over the course of a few days into a golf-ball sized lump and her ankle became stiff and painful. The mother-of-four went to the doctors and got some antibiotics for the bite. But she decided to go to hospital after nearly a week had gone by, and blisters began to form around the bite. She was kept in hospital for three days as doctors battled against the spider's venom and the boil burst - twice. Mrs Roberts, a secretary, said: 'The doctor said it could have poisoned my blood. The whole thing was terrifying. 'I was struggling to walk and started to panic. "The bite had become a huge bump and was leaking horrible yellow stuff.' Mrs Roberts said she had never been scared of spiders and simply brushed the animal off her leg. 'It's unlucky to kill them,' she said. 'I can't believe something so little could cause so much damage. You expect to hear things like this in Australia or Africa, but not in England.' Poison: Mrs Roberts went to hospital after her wound grew from a small bite mark to a huge blister over several days . Burst: Mrs Roberts still has difficulty walking after the blister ruptured twice while she was in hospital . 'It was a pale-whitish colour and had a really small body, but really long legs. 'A woman at pest control has since told me it could be a genus pholcus spider, but I don't know what kind it is, I hope I never see it again. 'I was in so much pain, I just couldn't believe such a little thing could have made me feel so ill. 'When I explained the injury the hospital admitted me straight away and put me on antibiotics through a drip. 'But my bite then turned white and continued to grow and grow.' Over three weeks later Mrs Roberts is still experiencing pain from the bitten ankle. 'At the moment it is healing quite well, but it has taken a long time, and it still hurts me,' she said. 'I will always have a scar on my ankle.' And she admitted the experience has turned her into something of an arachnophobe. 'I'm terrified it could happen again,' she said. 'My little boy used to love picking up spiders and insects all over the place. 'Kameron is only five and I'm petrified he could get bitten. He's still only little and I dread to think what could happen. 'Now as soon as I get in the house I'm on spider watch, then before bed it is spider watch again. 'I haven't had a night's sleep since it happened.' Only 12 species of biting spider are known to be found in Britain. The UK's most dangerous spider is believed to be the steatoda nobilis - known as the false black widow spider - which can land grown men in hospital with its bite. Experts have warned of an increase in the numbers of the false black widow in recent years due to a run of milder winters. Venomous: Mrs Roberts believes a Pholcus phalangioides spider bit her leg . | Julie Roberts bitten by spider while watching TV in own living room .
Mrs Roberts on drip for three days in hospital as doctors fought venom .
Secretary from North Hull says she is now terrified of spiders . |
61,981 | b00e5847d240fe93243017f46318d10acd3bff80 | A volunteer medic tweeted ‘I’m dying’ after she was shot in the throat, as violence exploded on the streets of Kiev again yesterday. Olesia Zhukovska, 21, was able to send the message just moments before she lost consciousness and was rushed to hospital for an emergency lifesaving operation. A shocking photograph of Ms Zhukovska being led from the protests on Independence Square with blood seeping from a neck wound has since gone viral, being shared thousands of times. Scroll down for videos . Shocking: This photograph of Ms Zhukovska being led from the protests with blood seeping from a neck wound has been shared thousands of times online . The 21-year-old was able to send this tweet, which reads 'I'm dying', just moments before she lost consciousness and was rushed to hospital for an operation . In the photograph Ms Zhukovska, a volunteer medic working with EuroMaidan protesters, can be seen clutching her mobile phone as blood soaks into her scarf and white medical vest. The tweet she sent would have been sent around this time as Ms Zhukovska reportedly lost concioseness shortly after leaving Independent Square.It is believed she was subsequently taken to Kiev’s Number 17 hospital, before being moved the Institute of Neurosurgery. Lawmaker Iryna Herashchenko of UDAR party visited her in hospital yesterday evening, reportedly telling the Kiev Post: ‘She gained consciousness already’. Ms Zhukovska’s profile on Maidaners media project suggests she has been a part of the protests in Kiev since they first erupted back in November. Although she returned to her hometown of Kremenets in Ternopil Oblast in January, she caught a bus back into Kiev two days ago as the violence grew, according to her profile. Just 20 minutes before she was shot, Ms Zhukovska wrote online: ‘We need your support. The carnage started this morning. It can turn worse later in the day. The incident comes as the bodies of 20 civilians lay strewn on the ground after riot police were authorised to use live ammunition in place of rubber bullets. There were reports of snipers firing at protesters. And, in a chilling twist, the demonstrators took at least 67 police officers hostage, according to Ukraine’s interior ministry. As many as 70 are believed to have died and up to 500 injured – on what was supposed to be a day of mourning for those killed earlier this week. A protest doctor told AP that at least 70 protesters were killed Thursday and over 500 were wounded in the clashes - and that the death toll could well rise further . Protesters burn as they stand behind barricades during clashes with police on Thursday . Grim toll: Activists pay respects to protesters who were killed in clashes with police . Protesters hurled petrol bombs and paving slabs at police in a three-hour battle to recapture Independence Square, where former hotels have become makeshift mortuaries. Just hours earlier President Viktor Yanukovych had agreed a truce with opposition leaders ‘with the aim of ending bloodshed’. But after the Ukrainian leader met an EU delegation of German, Polish and French foreign ministers to discuss a ‘road map’ to peace, demonstrators held police captive in Kiev’s occupied city hall. The country’s parliament building and the foreign ministry were evacuated because of fears that protesters would storm them. Last night, the EU imposed sanctions on senior Ukrainian figures as Foreign Secretary William Hague condemned the violence as ‘utterly unacceptable and indefensible’. Prime Minister David Cameron made an urgent telephone call to Russian president Vladimir Putin urging him to get behind the plan for negotiations put forward by the European foreign ministers in Kiev. Armed: An anti-government protester holds a shotgun as he mans a barricade on the outskirts of Independence Square . Escalation: A protestor takes aim with a double-barrelled shotgun during the clashes . Anti-government protestors have been seen with civilian firearms, such as rifles and shotguns . Explosive: Police take cover behind shields as anti-government protesters throw flares at them in Kiev's Independence Square . The opposition is insisting on Yanukovych's resignation and an early election while the embattled president is apparently prepared to fight until the end . A Downing street spokesman said: ‘The Prime Minister agreed with President Putin that they should both encourage all sides in Ukraine to get behind this emerging plan as a way to end the violence and open the way to a lasting peaceful solution.’ As the carnage intensified yesterday, footage on Ukrainian television showed protesters being cut down by gunfire amid the burning wreckage of the city’s streets. At least 21 bodies were counted on the edge of the smouldering protest encampment in central Kiev and one policeman had been shot 28 times, according to reports. Dozens of bullet-riddled bodies were seen by reporters laid out in white sheets on the marble floors of hotels around Independence Square, known as Maidan. As support for President Yanukovych began to crumble, there were reports of his family and top officials leaving the country with suitcases of cash. There were varying estimates of the death toll yesterday. But Dr Oleh Musiy, the top medical coordinator for the opposition, said at least 70 demonstrators were killed and more than 500 injured. It was reported that 28 were killed and more than 500 wounded in fighting earlier this week. Riot police fire at anti government demonstrators on the Independence square in Kiev . The police snipers made no attempt to conceal themselves . This officer appears to be brandishing an automatic weapon . Live rounds: A protester holds a cartridge and two empty cases he found during clashes with police in central Kiev on Thursday . The government blamed the opposition, saying the ‘calls for a truce and dialogue were nothing but a way of playing for time to mobilise and arm militants from Maidan’. But opposition leaders called the violence ‘an act of provocation’ by the authorities. This week’s clashes are the most deadly since protests began peacefully three months ago when Yanukovych abandoned closer ties with Europe in favour of Russia. Ukraine is a nation of 46million, ethnically divided between Ukrainians who favour closer ties with Europe, and Russians who prefer links to Moscow. The president opted to sign a deal with Russia, who offered a multibillion-pound bailout for Ukraine’s severe economic problems, rather than sign a trade deal with Europe. Shocking footage has emerged of protesters being shot by sniper fire . One clip begins with protesters advancing as a group behind shields . Suddenly several members of the group are sent sprawling, appearing to have been shot . Harrowing: An anti-government protester with severe head injuries received during clashes with riot police receives medical care at a makeshift hospital in Kiev . Desperate: Many protestors were injured by sniper fire and reports on how many are dead are conlflicting . Medics tend to a gravely wounded anti-government protester in the lobby of the Hotel Ukraine, which has been converted to a medical clinic and makeshift morgue . Protesters are calling for the resignation of Yanukovych and early elections, but the embattled leader was fighting on last night despite signs that his empire was crumbling. Leading figures left his party and troops were reported to have supplied protesters with weapons, while senior party members said he had ‘completely lost control of the situation’. European Union foreign ministers have agreed to impose sanctions on those ‘suspected of violence against anti-government protesters’. Mr Hague said yesterday: ‘Of course we call on all involved to turn away from violence, but some people are responsible for the violence and so we have decided to introduce targeted measures and targeted sanctions involving visa bans and asset freezes on those individuals who are responsible.’ Earlier the Ukrainian ambassador to London, Volodymyr Khandogiy, was summoned to the Foreign Office for the second time to be told that action to crush the protests was ‘unacceptable’. Prisoner of war: Protesters detain a wounded policeman during clashes. It has been reported that 76 policemen are in the custody of anti-government forces . Anti-government protesters detain a wounded policeman (centre) during clashes in the Independence Square . [caption . The White House is also urging President Yanukovych to withdraw forces from downtown Kiev immediately. Spokesman Jay Carney called for dialogue to address the people’s grievances. But Ukraine’s defence ministry said last night that the military may use weapons against citizens committing illegal acts in order to restore peace and stability. At the Sochi Winter Olympics, Ukrainian skier Bogdana Matsotska said she would not take part in protest at the treatment of demonstrators. play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . play video . | Olesia Zhukovska posted message moments before losing consciousness after being shot on Independence Square .
The 21-year-old is a volunteer medic who only arrived back in the city from her hometown two days ago .
Luckily she survived being shot after she was rushed to Kiev's 'Number 17' hospital for emergency surgery .
At least 50 people have died in clashes in Kiev that came just days after the crisis in the Ukraine seemed to be over .
Ukraine's Interior ministry says 67 police troops have been captured by protesters in Kiev . |
49,022 | 8a71a171743264c82290716f22686b3d92a49bfb | Andy Murray has been spotted out and about for the first time since landing in Heathrow on Tuesday after the tumultuous Australian Open. But his four-set defeat to Novak Djokovic was a world away as he went for a snowy dog-walk with fiancee Kim Sears. The couple strolled with their border terriers Maggie May and Rusty near their home in Surrey. Andy Murry and Kim Sears enjoyed a stroll through snow-covered Oxshott yesterday afternoon . Andy Murray wrapped up warn in clothing by his sponsor Under Armour while Kim held the dog leads . Kim kept her gloves on but Andy looked at this smartphone while walking their dogs Maggie May and Rusty . This is the first sighting of the pair since landing in Heathrow after Murray's four-set defeat in Melbourne . Murray lost his fourth Australian Open final to Djokovic in Melboune on Sunday . The walk will no doubt have done wonders for their jet lag after a 24-hour flight back from Australia, which is 11 hours ahead of the UK. It was only on Sunday when Murray was in Melbourne being beaten in his fourth final there by Djokovic. Ever gracious in defeat, Andy tweeted after the match, 'Ready to take off back 2 London.Thanks 2 everyone @ausopen for making it such a special event, well done on number 5 Novak incredible record.' Adding once he landed: 'Thanks to everyone who's been supporting me and believing in me after a tough year. I'll keep working hard to get better....Treat yourself. Sears herself was caught up in a controversy herself down under, appearing to swear on camera in Murray's semi-final win over Tomas Berdych, before wearing a shirt at the final which had 'Parental advisory: explicit content' written on it. Despite his defeat to Novak Djokovic, Andy seemed to be in good spirits, smiling and chatting on the walk . Kim was in charge of the dogs as they strolled on the snow-covered grounds, leading the Border terriers . After their long walk, the pair were seen climbing back into a grey Land Rover . The pair, who recently became engaged, are keeping a low profile after the Grand Slam at their Surrey home . | Tennis champ and fiancee took dogs Maggie May and Rusty for a walk .
First glimpse of the couple since touching down at Heathrow on Tuesday .
He was beaten by Novak Djokovic in four sets at the Australian Open . |
227,453 | b280737ddf9cc15825306354641ff58157d7fa2f | It was one of the most audacious missions of World War Two that saw false information about Allied plans to invade Italy planted into the hands of a German intelligence officer. And today a Jolly Roger flag from HMS Seraph - which had a crucial role in the clandestine mission known as 'Operation Mincemeat' - has emerged, 70 years after the famous event. In April 1943 the senior crew of the Royal Navy submarine dropped the body of a Welsh tramp, dressed up as a uniformed commando, a mile off the Spanish coast. A piece of history: A Jolly Roger flag denoting a Royal Navy submarine's clandestine mission known as 'Operation Mincemeat' has emerged after 70 years . Secret mission: The corpse of Welsh tramp Glyndwr Michael was dropped into the sea near to Spain by HMS Seraph's commander Lt Bill Jewell - a moment imagined in the film The Man Who Never Was, above . False identity papers showed the corpse to be that of Major William Martin of the Royal Marines and attached to his wrist was a briefcase containing secret bogus plans. The highly-sensitive papers falsely stated the Allies planned to invade Italy through Greece and Sardinia. As planned, when the body washed ashore in southern Spain the documents ended up in the hands of a local German intelligence officer. As a result the German high command diverted troops to Sardinia and Greece - away from Sicily where the Allies successfully invaded two months later. It gave the Allies a foothold on Hitler’s fortress in Europe for the first time since Dunkirk. 'Operation Mincemeat': Mr Michael's body, pictured, was taken from a London hospital and kept aboard the HMS Seraph in a canister - which most thought held a meteorological device . The extraordinary deception was later the basis of the film The Man Who Never Was. To mark the special operation the flagman on HMS Seraph added a dagger emblem to the submarine's Jolly Roger to go alongside five others for clandestine missions. It was tradition for Royal Navy submarines to have its own skull and cross bones after a World War One Admiral famously compared submarine warfare to piracy. Emblems were added to the flags each time the submarine sunk an enemy or completed a mission. One of the other daggers on the flag signified a bizarre special operation which involved the entire crew speaking in American accents to appease an English-hating French general they were rescuing. General Henri Giraud refused to board a British craft and so the sub hoisted the Stars and Stripes and pretended to be American. The HMS Seraph's Jolly Roger was kept by a junior rating, whose role was to update it, after it was replaced by a new one in 1944. He handed it on to his son who has now made it available for sale at auction and is estimated to fetch £10,000. Auctioneer Steven Bosley, of Bosleys of Marlow, Buckinghamshire, where the flag is to go on sale said: 'It is rare for these Jolly Rogers to come on the open market because most of them went to the submarine captain or ended up at a museum. 'It is hard to value it because they are so rare but this one does carry a premium because of the association with Operation Mincemeat. Imagined: A scene from film The Man Who Never Was shows the body being carried through the streets . The plan was the brainchild of an . eccentric 25-year-old RAF Flight Lieutenant named Charles Cholmondeley - . who took it to the chief of Section 17M, naval Lieutenant Commander . Ewan Montagu. Section 17M of the . British Intelligence Service was a group so secret that only 20 people . even knew of its existence. Codenamed . Operation Mincemeat by Montagu - as a bleak joke on the fact that it . hinged on the discovery by the enemy of a corpse - the cunning scheme . was hatched in a tiny basement beneath the Admiralty building in . Whitehall which had once been used as a wine cellar. It . was a plan that was to make history - but first it had to be approved . by British Intelligence's inter-service Twenty Committee (named after . the Roman numerals XX, or double cross), which oversaw the use of double . agents. Cholmondeley . told the Committee that his plan was simple - they would obtain a body . from a London hospital, dress it up in a military uniform, fill the . corpse's lungs with water, provide it with misleading documents, and . then drop it from an aircraft so that it washed up on the coast of . Spain. The plan . was all the more important as Britain's Prime Minister Winston Churchill, above, . had agreed with the U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt in January 1943 . that - in the wake of the Allied success in North Africa - the next step . would be to attack Sicily, as the first step to the invasion of Italy. The troops would then aim to take on the rest of Europe from the country. However, . as Churchill himself famously remarked, 'Everyone but a bloody fool . would know' that their objective was to attack Sicily - and so the . clandestine plan was hatched. It was hoped that if the Germans and their Italian . partners could be made to believe the Allies were going to attack . Greece, some 500 miles to the east, and Sardinia, the Germans might . divert some significant part of their forces, which would help the . invasion succeed. Attack: American soldiers landing on the coast of France in the Normandy landings June 6th 1944 - a year after the successful 'Operation Mincemeat' mission . So, at 4.30am on April 30, 1943, HMS Seraph . surfaced a mile off the Spanish coastal town of Huelva, and the vessel's commander Lieutenant Bill Jewell . and a few senior officers gently pushed the body into the sea. The body was supposed to be that of Major William Martin of the Royal Marines. It was found washed up by a fisherman at 9.30am and was reported to German agent Adolf Clauss. As . well as the ‘top secret’ documents, love letters from the body's . pretend fiancee were also placed on his body. By doing so, the men from the Ministry believe they saved the lives of some 40,000 British servicemen and women. 'The flying of a Jolly Roger on a submarine is a British tradition that still goes on today and whenever an operation has been completed a new emblem is stitched on to it. 'The provenance for this one is excellent. The vendor’s father served aboard HMS Seraph as a junior rating but it was his remit to look after the Jolly Roger and update it. Man with a plan: Lt Commander Montague, section chief of British Intelligence Service group Section 17M, pictured, worked with RAF Lieutenant Charles Cholmondeley to create the corpse's identity . 'A new Jolly Roger was taken into service when the submarine had a new captain in March 1944 and this one was preserved by the vendor’s father who took it with him on leaving the vessel.' HMS Seraph was chosen to take part in Operation Mincemeat because of its previous success with special operations. Its commander, Lieutenant Bill Jewell, knew the truth of the operation but he had to tell his men the canister carrying the body of the dead tramp, whose real name was Glyndwr Michael, contained a meteorological device. At 4.30am on April 30, 1943, HMS Seraph surfaced a mile off the Spanish coastal town of Huelva, and Lt Jewell and a few senior officers gently pushed the body into the sea. It was found washed up by a fisherman at 9.30am and was reported to German agent Adolf Clauss. As well as the ‘top secret’ documents, love letters from the body's pretend fiancee were also placed on his body to give the deception more credence. After the war HMS Seraph was broken up. Its conning tower was preserved as a memorial at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, US. It is the only shore installation in the US where the Royal Navy ensign is allowed to be permanently flown. The Jolly Roger flag, that measures 31ins by 48ins, is being sold by Bosleys on November 6. | Jolly Roger flag from HMS Seraph has appeared after 70 years .
Craft had a crucial role in mission - codenamed 'Operation Mincemeat'
Saw body of a tramp, dressed as a uniformed commando with a briefcase full of bogus 'secret plans' tied to his wrist, dumped off the coast of Spain .
Body was then picked up by German intelligence officer .
As a result, German high command diverted troops to Sardinia - where the papers claimed Allied forces would attack - and away from Sicily .
Allied forces invaded two months later, changing course of the war .
Piece to be auctioned next week - and expected to fetch £10,000 . |
165,181 | 6195b42b128052763ee2e48dfd48729f48c01517 | By . James Nye . The unsolved beheading of a retiree and the killing of his elderly wife has so rattled their gated, lakeside Georgia community that neighbors are casting about for even outlandish explanations. Was it a mob hit? A drug dealer? A hungry alligator? The peaceful neighborhood where the couple was found dead at the beginning of May hadn't seen as much as a burglary in recent memory. Then, in early May, concerned friends found the headless body of Russell Dermond, 88, in the garage of his home on Lake Oconee. Tragic find: Shirley Dermond's body was found in . a lake after searching for her since . May 7, when her husband Russell was found murdered in their $1 million . home . Shirley Dermond, 87, was originally thought to have been abducted until her body was found a few weeks later in the lake. Russell Dermond's head has still not been found. Even though law enforcement thinks the Dermonds likely knew the person or people who attacked them, their advanced age, the beheading after he was killed, and the fact that it all happened in a seemingly secure community that has a manned guardhouse has left neighbors rattled, according to Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills. 'It is the prime topic of conversation around,' said Ron Bridgeman, senior editor of The Eatonton Messenger, a weekly newspaper. 'It has consumed hours and hours and hours of our time.' Despite interviewing hundreds of people and looking through reams of records, Sills has been frustrated by the lack of obvious motive and is hoping for a breakthrough. And for the first time in his 18 years as sheriff and four decades in law enforcement, he's asked the public to donate to a reward fund. He believes someone knows something and while they may not feel compelled by a sense of what's right and wrong, he said: 'I've found that almost all of them will respond to enough money, and we intend to offer enough money out there to spark that mercenary side of somebody.' Sills says he can't even remember so much as a burglary in the Dermonds' community during his tenure as sheriff. The surrounding county sees occasional domestic violence or drug-related killings but the last time there was a 'whodunit' murder, where they didn't immediately know who the killer was, was about five years ago, when a body was found beaten beyond recognition with no identification, Sills said. But they made arrests in that case within a week. Gruesome: Russell Dermond's decapitated body was found at the couple's exclusive lake-front home on May 7 . Discovery: Officers dredge a lake during the search for Shirley Dermond. Her body was found by a fisherman . In quiet downtown Eatonton, about a dozen miles from the gated community of Great Waters where the Dermonds lived, antique shops, clothing boutiques and restaurants fill historic store fronts that have plaques outside saying what the building was originally — cotton warehouse, bank, grocery, barber shop. And people there are talking about the mystery, said Karen Bridgeman, Ron Bridgeman's wife and the newspaper's managing editor. 'There are as many different theories as there are people in the county.' Some of the most common are that the Dermonds, originally from New Jersey, had organized crime ties and were victims of a mob hit or that their deaths are related to the killing of their oldest son in 2000 in a drug deal gone bad. The craziest tip authorities got was that it was likely a female alligator seeking food for her young, the sheriff said. Sills is tired of all the theories and speculation. He has investigated the Dermonds' lives in depth and has determined that they worked hard, paid their taxes, went to church. There's no indication of any illegal activity or association with unsavory characters, he said. There's no indication that anything was taken from the home. He simply can't figure out who would want the Dermonds dead. Russell Dermond had a corporate job and moved around until finally ending up in the Atlanta area. After he retired, he got into the fast food business, buying a number of chain restaurants. When he retired for a second time, he and his wife moved south to Lake Oconee. He played golf regularly until a few years ago and still liked to take walks, the sheriff said. Shirley Dermond was an avid bridge player, rarely missing the twice-weekly meetings of her club. Concern: The alarm was raised when the couple failed to turn up to a Kentucky Derby party . They lived a remarkably simple life, Sills said. Russell Dermond only had two credit cards and put everything on those to rack up rewards points. He didn't even have an ATM card as he never carried cash, the sheriff said. They were regulars at the Lake Oconee Community Church, missing services only when they went to visit their children in other states, Pastor David Key said. They were social and clearly had money but didn't flaunt it, he said. 'They were just a nice, unassuming couple,' Key said. The Dermonds had three sons and a daughter. Their oldest son had a serious drug problem and was shot to death while trying to buy drugs in a rough neighborhood in Atlanta in 2000, Sills said. The Dermonds' oldest living son, Keith, did not return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment. The other two children could not be reached. But Sills said he's questioned all three at length and talks to at least one of them almost every day. They've been extremely cooperative, answering his inquiries quickly and getting him any information he needs, Sills said. Sills believes the Dermonds likely were at least acquainted with the person or people who killed them because there was no sign of forced entry and no sign of a struggle. While he's not positive the killer or killers arrived and left by boat to reach the secluded cove where the couple's home sits, he's certain a boat was used to dispose of Shirley Dermond's body, which was found in the lake about five and a half miles from their home. As he puts the pieces together slowly and hopes for some sort of a break, Sills said he remains undaunted. 'They've done a good job concealing themselves,' he said of the killers. 'We've got to do a better job of finding them.' | Russell Dermond's decapitated body was discovered in his garage on May 7 .
His wife, Shirley Dermond was found dead in a nearby lake two weeks later .
She had been killed by a blow to the head and dumped in the water .
Police still have no motive and no leads and have offered a reward to anyone with information . |
53,670 | 9833c45cbb627042dc0c811ad20391204bdb58bd | WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Those slick, intricate tests used by forensic investigators on shows like "CSI" look infallible, but that is the stuff of television. In the real world, forensic tests are much more ambiguous and rarely demonstrate a definite tie between an individual and a crime. The National Academy of Sciences found that U.S. crime labs lack uniform standards, training and oversight. That's what the National Academy of Sciences found when it studied the nation's forensic crime labs for two years. What the academy discovered was a "badly fragmented" system that produces inconsistent results and needs a major overhaul. In its report published Wednesday, the academy showed there is a serious lack of uniform standards, training and oversight. And, with the exception of DNA technology, the report concludes experts often overstate how much can be determined by forensic techniques running the gamut from fingerprinting to bite mark and hair analysis. According to the findings, except for DNA technology, "no forensic method has been rigorously shown to have the capacity to consistently, and with a high degree of certainty, demonstrate a connection between evidence and a specific individual or source." The report noted that forensic experts in court cases often overstate what can be proven by forensic methods and even attach a numerical percentage of accuracy that may not be based on clearly established scientific standards. The panel recommends that Congress create an independent National Institute of Forensic Science that could formulate standards for various forensic disciplines, regulate training and accreditation, and lead research. Another recommendation is that crime labs should be autonomous and not controlled by police departments or prosecutors' offices to head off any real or perceived bias toward law enforcement. The report also says many labs are "underfunded and understaffed, which contributes to case backlogs and makes it hard for laboratories to do as much as they could to inform investigations and avoid errors." One of the co-chairs of the study, Judge Harry Edwards, who sits on the U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., says much is at stake. "We determine whether people are innocent or whether they are guilty in part based on forensic science evidence, so as a nation it is terribly important to us that we do it as well as it can be done," Edwards told CNN. "And we are not doing it as well as it can be done right now." Edwards said the panel received input from members of the forensic science community who agreed that improvements can be made. Constantine Gatsonis, a professor of biostatistics at Brown University and the other co-chair of the study, says the goal of the forensic community should be "how to do the science better, how to report it more reliably ... and then how to practice it in a way that is uniform and according to standards across the country." The report does not examine specific cases but looks at various forensic techniques used in thousands of trials. In the area of firearm analysis -- a discipline used by police crime labs to determine if a bullet recovered in a crime might have come from a particular gun -- the report says, "Sufficient studies have not been done to understand the reliability and repeatability of the methods." Fingerprints are used by law enforcement every day. The report notes the quality of the prints can vary greatly and that individual analysts "make subjective assessments" in trying to decide if a print can be linked to a particular individual. Therefore, the report states, "zero-error rates are not plausible." On hair analysis, the panel found: "There appear to be no uniform standards on the number of features on which hairs must agree before an examiner may declare a 'match.'" While the report says DNA analysis has the highest degree of certainty, it says other techniques can help narrow the field of suspects in an investigation. Peter Marone, chairman of the Consortium of Forensic Science Organizations, said his group supports a comprehensive review of forensic science and efforts to improve standards and oversight. But Marone does not think the release of the report should be an occasion to "put down the work of thousands of scientists and forensic examiners." Marone, who also served on the National Academy of Sciences panel that produced the report, told CNN "the great majority of labs are doing first-rate work top to bottom, and make an enormous contribution to public safety." The study by the National Academy of Sciences was requested by Congress. The panel has no authority to institute changes in the nation's forensics labs, but Congress could act to implement its recommendations. | Crime lab system in the United States needs major overhaul, study contends .
National Academy of Sciences cites lack of uniform standards, training, oversight .
Fingerprinting, bite mark and hair analysis all found to have questionable reliability .
Academy looked at various forensic techniques used in thousands of trials . |
21,458 | 3cf49980a7e3e45a1e0c219b4293aa6a4bb9ceda | Pleasure in France is vice in England. The other week I made a documentary for French TV about Laurence Olivier and Vivien Leigh, for a series entitled Les Couples Mythiques du Cinéma. We are also covering Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Had it been England, these programmes would have concerned adultery and immorality. This being a Continental audience, the subject was a great love affair, a grand passion. Dirty Bertie: Edward VII went to France to indulge his 'pleasure-hungry nature' Here, moral prejudices are aired, tongues wag and, as Stephen Clarke points out in this fine historical romp, in 19th-century dictionaries, ‘French’ was a synonym for ‘devil’ and ‘cad’. Sarah Bernhardt, for example, was a famous actress in France — in London she was branded ‘a woman of notorious, shameless character’. Queen Victoria set the tone. She loathed the ‘luxuriousness, extravagance and frivolity’ of the French, so it is no wonder that Edward, Prince of Wales, was tempted by life on the other side of the Channel. The regulations of his mother’s court, where the sole amusement was shooting at Balmoral and listening to bagpipes, bordered on lunacy. If you fancied a cigar, you had to surreptitiously lie in the fireplace and blow the smoke up the chimney. And any idea of sex before (or outside of) marriage was an abomination. As Victoria put it, ‘the sacred mysteries of creation’ could only be countenanced if they remained ‘shrouded in holy awe’. Edward fled to Paris for ‘boisterous fun’ at the earliest opportunity. Dressed in Highland costume — including a sporran, described in the French press as a ‘hairy bag’ — he attended trade exhibitions by day, examining telegraph machines, saxophones, electric clocks and modern gadgets that ‘sliced, crushed, harvested, heated, cooled or transported any industrial or agricultural products you could think of’. By night he enjoyed assignations with ladies of ‘natural poise and delicate beauty’ in the tree-lined alleys of the Bois de Boulogne or in hotel suites — legs-in-the-air parties in ‘sumptuous private rooms with plush red sofas and walls swathed in velvet’. Where London life was puritanical and hypocritical, in Paris ‘there were flowers and plants everywhere, in vases along the walls and hanging from the ceilings like coloured chandeliers’. Edward was to decorate his own homes, Marlborough House and Sandringham, in French style, with Gobelins tapestries and ‘plenty of gilding on the woodwork’. Paris appealed ‘to Bertie’s pleasure-hungry nature’, but Victoria was predictably outraged . Paris appealed ‘to Bertie’s pleasure-hungry nature’, but Victoria was predictably outraged. In France, after all, men lolled on sofas with their hands in their pockets. Her solution was to get the Prince married off — to Alexandra, daughter of the King of Denmark, who is described ungallantly. ‘Her nose was too long and her forehead too low.’ The poor woman also had ‘the smallest head ever seen’ and to cap it all was stone deaf. In addition to these defects, she was obliged to turn a blind eye to her new husband’s myriad infidelities. Fortunately, Alexandra ‘seemed to have what it took to survive the humiliation’ — and her stoicism was even needed during the wedding, which was gloomier than a funeral. Exiled: Lillie Langtry - one of Edward's mistresses - was sent to a 'love nest' in Bournemouth . Victoria decreed that marriage was ‘a solemn holy act not to be classed with amusements’. In the official portraits, Edward wears a cloak, ‘the bulbously tasselled cord’ of which ‘hangs down over his crotch like an historic fertility symbol’. Though no oil painting — he was ‘very bald and chubby-faced’— Edward carried on womanising until obesity and bronchitis took their toll. We are told that the better to enjoy his ‘constant one-night stands and quickies,’ he invented an ingenious love-seat, a sort of saddle or bob-sleigh, with gynaecological stirrups attached. Less saucily — and ever fashion-conscious — he also introduced turn-ups on trousers to polite society, designed the first tuxedo and undid his lowest waistcoat button to accommodate a tummy that had swollen after many a 12-course dinner. To this day, a way of spotting a gentleman is to see if he has left his lowest waistcoat button undone, in homage to Edward VII. Turn-ups remain commonplace. My bet is that the love-seat has been inherited by his great-great-great-great-grandson Prince Harry. In France, Edward liked watching girls swirling on a carousel, with their ‘flying skirts and exposed calves’. Not only that, but because prostitution was legal in the Republique, the tarts were ‘under medical surveillance,’ and regularly checked for venereal diseases. Edward explored the bordellos of Montmartre and, having seen ‘the shadier world of street singers’, was inspired to chair a Royal Commission on the housing of the working class. LILLIE LANGTRY: MANNERS, MASKS AND MORALS by Laura Beatty (Vintage, ebook £5.99) A racy biography of Lillie Langtry, who rose form provincial origins to become Edward VII's mistress. Includes her letters to Arthur Jones, her childhood friend and secret lover. ‘Parisian poverty made him acutely conscious of the similar conditions that existed back home.’ Environmental health aside, however, back home carefree sex was compromised by rubber condoms ‘as thick as kitchen gloves’. Edward seemed to do without precautions and didn’t quite get away with each and every dalliance in England. When he gave his lover Harriet, Lady Mordaunt a pair of white carriage ponies as a token of his esteem, Sir Henry Mordaunt had the groom bring them to him and shot them dead on the front lawn. Living for the good times: Bertie died in 1910, his health ravaged by high living . Another mistress, Susan Vane-Tempest, was packed off to Ramsgate. Lillie Langtry was exiled to ‘a love nest in Bournemouth’ — which wasn’t exactly Biarritz. As he got older, Edward ventured forth to France for its health resorts rather than the brothels and salons. Biarritz was a favourite spot, as was the Cote d’Azur. ‘His less discreet mistresses complained that he stank of stale tobacco.’ He died in 1910, his health ravaged by high living. Alexandra sportingly allowed ‘big-busted’ Alice Keppel, one of his many beloveds (and Camilla Parker Bowles’s great-grandmother), to be present at the deathbed. Stephen Clarke maintains that Kaiser Wilhelm, Edward’s nephew, was so incensed at having to enter Westminster Hall by a side-door for the lying-in-state that four years later the World War broke out. | Edward VII, son of Queen Victoria, went to France for some 'boisterous fun'
In 19th-century dictionaries, ‘French’ was a synonym for ‘devil’ and ‘cad’
Edward made sure to satisfy his appetite for pleasure in Paris .
When he returned to England and married he was constantly unfaithful . |
66,830 | bd8d0cf2bfaeffdae2820cf615d57240783bdc7c | By . Rob Cooper . Last updated at 10:42 PM on 17th February 2012 . A mother today told how thieves rammed her sports car from behind and stole it with her five-year-old boy still inside. The woman, 24, got out of her silver Mitsubishi Lancer Evo when it was hit from behind by a silver BMW M3 containing two men. As she argued about who was responsible for the collision one of the man jumped in her vehicle and drove off in Waterlooville, Hampshire, yesterday. Sports car: The mother, 24, was driving a Mitsubishi Evo Lancer when she was rammed from behind and had her car stolen (file picture) The second man drove off in the same direction in the BMW. She later discovered the vehicle abandoned outside a school just a mile up the road with her son still sat in the back. A passing motorist picked her up and helped her search for the stolen car. The mother, from Waterlooville, who did not wish to be identified, said: 'When I approached the car I could see he was visibly shaken and he (my son) reached out for me. He was clearly upset.' The mother and child had visited a . local Asda supermarket and were on their way home when the BMW collided . with the rear of their car. She continued: 'As I imagine anyone . would do, I got out of the car to speak to the other driver. It never . crossed my mind that while I was doing this my car would be driven away. 'When this happened my first thought was for my son who was still in the vehicle. I panicked and tried to get help. 'It was an amazingly traumatic incident. Thankfully another driver stopped to help me and I'm so grateful for that. 'The relief of finding that the car had been abandoned with my son inside was indescribable. 'I really hope police can now find those responsible.' The boy was not injured. Witnesses say they saw two men leave . the Mitsubishi outside the school and drive away in a BMW, hitting a . white Mercedes van before fleeing. Police are not treating the incident . as an attempted kidnapping. Instead, they believe the 'organised . criminals' were trying to steal the 54-reg car which costs £35,000 new. Rammed: The two thieves were driving a silver BMW M3 when they fled with the mother's vehicle . No items were reported stolen from the Mitsubishi. One witness gave the partial registration number of the BMW as HY57. The car is believed to have damage to its front. Senior investigating officer . Detective Inspector Christopher Parry said: 'The evidence we have so far . strongly indicates these men had no deliberate intention of abducting a . child. 'This crime is being treated as an isolated case. 'Our investigation is focused on the motive of stealing a valuable performance car, not abducting a child.' A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman added: 'Thankfully, the boy was not harmed or injured. 'His 24-year-old mother was not assaulted or injured either but is extremely upset and shaken by what happened. 'Officers are in contact with the woman, her child and family to provide care and support. 'We wish to thank members of the public and witnesses who offered help to the woman immediately after her car was stolen. 'Police believe this was the targeted . theft of a high-powered car by an organised pair of criminals who did . not realise there was a child sat in the back of the vehicle. 'Officers are pursuing several lines . of enquiry to track and identify the suspects and their car, which was . described as a high-performance silver BMW M3 with four exhausts and two . doors.' The Mitsubishi was recovered by . police and is being examined for possible forensic evidence by . specialist scenes-of-crime officers. Both suspects were described as white, aged in their early 20s, around 5ft 6in tall with short dark hair. The first suspect was wearing a light . coloured top and dark trousers and the second was of medium build . wearing a dark hooded top and dark bottoms. | Vehicle later found abandoned with boy still in the back .
Police believe criminals were trying to steal Mitsubishi Lancer Evo - but did not realise boy was inside . |
124,490 | 2cec46765a097fcb22ebfcd48bf98a64304ea088 | (CNN) -- Hong Kong (CNN) -- Angel Lau adjusts her iridescent blue goggles over her cherubic face, steps to the edge of the pool and dives in head first. The 7-year-old is one of the lucky ones: Her mother enrolled her in private swim lessons since the age of 3. Many other young Hong Kongers are on lengthy wait lists as demand for public swimming lessons outstrips supply in a city that's surrounded by coastline -- yet a majority of residents can't swim, according to local water safety experts. "It's really hard to get placed," says Candy Kwok, Angel's stay-at-home mother. "I've got several friends who put their names in every year but they haven't been lucky." "And even if they get admitted, the classes are usually at the hottest time of the year. Public swimming pools are very crowded," adds Kwok, who send her daughter to Stanford Swim School. With an estimated 12,000 students across 21 pools, it's Hong Kong's largest private swimming institution. Hong Kong holds a lottery, what it calls a ballot system, for government-subsidized swimming lessons. Nearly 60,000 people applied for 47,000 swim spots in the most recent 2011-2012 year, according to the city's Leisure and Cultural Services Department. A one-hour session at Stanford costs about $15 for one hour, comparable to the cost for dance or piano lessons in this city. But publicly-backed lessons are a bargain -- a series of 10 one-hour sessions runs just $12 dollars. Hong Kong's failure to satisfy demand for public classes sets the stage for a private business opportunity. "I would say about 40% of all parents who cannot enroll in the government's programs choose Stanford," says Howard Fung, Director of Stanford Swim School. "And even if you are lucky and you get a chance to participate in the government program, you're not guaranteed to be allocated (a spot) in the next term." A majority of Hong Kong's citizens can't swim, says Alex Kwok, General Secretary of the Hong Kong Kowloon Lifeguards Union. Founded in 1968, it's the city's oldest and largest such organization. "I feel shocked," he says, "because Hong Kong is surrounded by water and it's a big city." This Chinese territory is made of more than 200 islands with 700 kilometers of coastline - more than the distance from London to Paris and double the distance from New York to Washington, D.C. Kwok, a lifeguard of a dozen years is well-known in Hong Kong's swim community and a vocal critic of the government. He estimates if the city's entire population of 7 million residents were thrown in the sea "less than 20% can survive". Howard Fung of Stanford Swim School thinks it is more nuanced than that. He believes 20% of Hong Kong's elderly can swim while that number jumps to between 40% and 50% for the city's youth. The Hong Kong government does not conduct surveys on the number of citizens who can swim. Regardless of numbers, Kwok blames Hong Kong society's emphasis on academics. "Most Chinese, especially Hong Kongers, are not as focused on swimming or sports because they think it's useless. But I think this isn't right because children have to learn more things. You have to teach them how to survive in the water." "Stupid thinking." he adds. "I hope more parents can open their minds." And the recent ferry collision - Hong Kong's most fatal water disaster in four decades - still hangs fresh on many minds. On October 1, amid fireworks for China's National Day holiday celebrating the founding of the People's Republic, 39 people died when two ferries collided. More than 100 passengers had been thrown into the sea. Watching the accident unfold, Angel's mother - who can't swim herself - had no doubt her daughter's time in the pool is well spent. "Since Angel can swim, she won't panic and can save herself. I think her odds of surviving a water-related accident are double." The Hong Kong government has since announced a nearly 7% expansion of public swim classes. But the Lifeguard Union's Alex Kwok is still critical. "I don't think this is enough. Even if they increase (public classes by) 700% it is not enough for Hong Kong's children." So for now, parents like Candy will go where the supply is -- at private schools -- if they can afford it. Those who cannot will have to hope their names will finally be chosen next year. CNN's Vivien Kam and Judy Zhu contributed to this report. | Waiting lists are long to get into public swimming lessons in Hong Kong .
Despite demand, head of lifeguard association estimates only one in five resident can swim .
The Chinese territory is made of more than 200 islands with 700 kilometers of coastline . |
281,587 | f8c60fac7fbf7e9652dc5b07730840d210f5db1f | (CNN) -- For Joey Kemmerling, it was his decision to reveal his sexual orientation that triggered relentless bullying at school. "I came out of the closet as gay in eighth grade and ever since I've been bullied. I was, for lack of a better word, and still am, the school faggot," the 16-year-old Joey recently told CNN's Anderson Cooper. The Pennsylvania native said his decision to come out to classmates not only evoked a firestorm of vicious taunts but also led to a threat on his life. "There was a point where a kid had a knife on school premises and said, 'I'm going to kill him. I want that faggot dead.' And I had to transfer schools," Joey said. The bullying persisted outside of school, both online and on the street. His mother, Joyce Mundy, said beyond her son being bullied online, she had to file a police report after two boys followed Joey on his walk home, making threatening comments the entire way. Read about CNN's weeklong coverage on bullying . Joey and seven other teens recently spoke to Cooper about the harsh realities of bullying. All eight youngsters said they were not surprised by the recent rash of headlines about suicides of apparent bullying victims. Joey said he believes that most kids who are bullied at some point have contemplated taking their own life. "If you're bullied for long enough, that's going to go through your mind," he said. He added, "You wake up in the morning and you just think, 'I have to go face them again. I have to spend another eight hours in that prison.' And you just don't want to be there and no matter what you do, you can't escape." Last week, authorities recovered the body of Rutgers University student Tyler Clementi, who committed suicide after his roommate and another college classmate allegedly placed a camera in his dorm room and streamed his sexual encounter with another male online. Read about Rutgers vigil for Clementi . The statistics on gay youth suicides are unclear since many youths do not admit to others that they are gay or bisexual. But gay and bisexual young adults, who reported higher levels of family rejection during adolescence, were 8.4 times more likely to report having attempted suicide, according to an article from the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2008. Bullying became so pervasive in Joey's life that he admits, in his darkest hours, he too had thoughts of suicide. "You feel so helpless, and day in and day out you're being called something, and they're telling you the same message: 'Your life is worthless.' And you start to believe it." "I believed that I did not deserve to live," the gay teen added. Have you ever been bullied? Share your story . Unlike some parents of bullying victims, Joey's mother was fully aware of both the treatment her son was getting and his emotional state. "He went through a really severe depression," Mundy said in a separate interview. "He talked to me about having suicidal thoughts and was very vocal all the way through. If you really become invested in dealing with your child being bullied, you sort of become peer, friend, counselor. ... Although I was aware how bad things were for him, it's still very scary. ... You never not want to take it seriously and make that mistake." Mundy got her son into counseling, which helped, but she said it was his decision to fight back against bullying online that really started to turn the tide. He began a Facebook page for bullying victims to share their stories, which has since grown into a nonprofit called the Equality Project with close to 6,000 members. Read about cyberbullying in a digitally connected world . "It's empowered him a bit to understand he's not alone. ... It's helpful for him to understand through discussions online that things get better. ... He's gotten much stronger through educating himself on the issue," his mother said. This year, Joey is in a new school and, armed with the support of his online community, has become an advocate for bullying victims everywhere. "People say 'Bullying can't be changed, it's been around forever.' But it really can," the teen said. "And how many people, deep down inside, have empathy, have that consideration that if you can really get down into their soul, and make them understand the way that the words affect people, then they can change." As both he and his mother read story after story of apparent bullying victims committing suicide, they said they see his mission as critical. "He knows he can't change every individual school, but he does want to change the system broadly," Joey's mother says, adding, "This really does have to be treated as an epidemic." Watch Anderson Cooper . 360° weeknights 8pm ET. For the latest from AC360° click here. | Joey Kemmerling says decision to reveal his sexual orientation triggered bullying at school .
Coming out evoked a firestorm of vicious taunts and life threats, Joey says .
Teen began a Facebook page for bullying victims to share their stories . |
130,227 | 3458934e6211e56c72993158fe6f2b8f06d57e7b | Holland struggled to a 3-1 victory over 10-man Kazakhstan in a European Championship qualifier on Friday. Defender Renat Abdulin gave 127th-ranked Kazakhstan a shock lead at the Amsterdam Arena with a powerful 17th-minute header from a poorly-defended corner and the Netherlands had an anxious wait until the 62nd minute when substitute Klaas Jan Huntelaar leveled. A deflected 82nd-minute shot by Ibrahim Afellay, who started his first international in nearly two years, put the Dutch ahead before Robin van Persie's penalty in the last minute of injury time secured the three points and coach Guus Hiddink's first win in three matches since taking over from Louis van Gaal after the World Cup. The Dutch players celebrate Robin van Persie's goal that secured three points for Holland . Leroy Fer (left) celebrates with Van Persie after the Manchester United striker's late penalty . Ibrahim Afellay points to the sky in celebration after putting his side 2-1 up on the night . Holland: Cillessen, van der Wiel, de Vrij, Martins Indi (Fer 81), Blind, Sneijder, de Jong (Huntelaar 56), Afellay, Robben, van Persie, Lens . Subs not used: Krul, Verhaegh, Bruma, Veltman, Clasie, Narsingh, Wijnaldum, Klaassen, Promes, Zoet . Goals: Huntelaar 62, Afellay 82, Van Persie 89 . Kazakhstan: Mokin, Miroshnichenko, Dmitrenko (Gurman 72), Vorotnikov, Abdulin, Suyumbayev, Dzholchiev, Bogdanov, Karpovich (Korobkin 79), Shomko, Khizhnichenko (Nurgaliev 90+1) Subs not used: Pokatilov, Konysbaev, Tagybergen, Zhanglyshbay, Beisebekov, Sidelnikov . Booked: Abdulin 33, Dmitrenko 55, Shomko 89 . Sent off: Dzholchiev 64 . Goal: Abdulin 18 . Referee: Matej Jug (Slovenia) 'In the end, it was a good result,' said Van Persie. In other Group A matches, the Czech Republic beat Turkey 2-1 in Istanbul and Iceland won 3-0 in Latvia to give both teams their second straight qualification victories and keep them at the top of the group. Umut Bulut gave Turkey the lead in the eighth minute, but defender Tomas Sivok levelled seven minutes later when he headed in a corner. Borek Dockal gave the Czechs victory with a neat finish just before the hour mark. Latvia held Iceland goalless for more than an hour before Gylfi Sigurdsson opened the scoring in the 66th minute and Aron Gunnarsson and substitute Rurik Gislason completed the comfortable victory. The Dutch win took the Netherlands to third spot in Group A. Hiddink's team takes on Iceland on Monday in Reykjavik, Kazakhstan hosts the Czech Republic and Turkey travels to Latvia. In Amsterdam, Hiddink's decision early in the second half to bring on Huntelaar produced the breakthrough his team badly needed after going behind to what was almost Kazakhstan's only effort of the match. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar (centre) celebrates with teammates after scoring Holland's equaliser . Renat Abdulin (left) scored for Kazakhstan, giving them a shock lead at the PSV Stadium on Friday night . Arjen Robben chases the ball during Holland's Euro 2016 qualifier with Kazakhstan in Amsterdam . The Schalke striker could have leveled only two minutes after coming on if Van Persie had passed to him unmarked in front of goal, but the Dutch captain instead flashed a shot across goal from a tight angle, prompting an angry response from Huntelaar. 'In that position, I had every right to shoot, so I thought the reaction was a bit over the top,' Van Persie said. Huntelaar grabbed the equalizer anyway when he headed in an Afellay cross. Two minutes later, the match turned when Baurzhan Dzholchiyev was sent off for a tackle from behind on Afellay, depleting the defensive wall the Kazakhs had erected in front of their goal. Robben (right) evades the challenge of Kazakhstan's Dmitri Shomko during the match on Friday night . Van Persie (right) holds off Abdulin (left) during Holland and Kazakhstan's qualifying clash . Robben (right) and Van Persie (left) react after going a goal down against Kazakhstan on Friday . 'It was like handball. You go from left to right, left to right. You have to find the holes,' said Arjen Robben, who was a constant threat on the right flank in his first international since starring as the Dutch finished third at the World Cup. Afellay did just that with a speculative shot in the 82nd minute that took a deflection in the crowded penalty area on its way past goalkeeper Aleksandr Mokin. Van Persie, who had repeatedly threatened Mokin's goal as the Dutch laid siege to the Kazakh goal, finally got on the score sheet thanks to an 89th-minute penalty. 'We can be satisfied,' Hiddink said. 'In the first half we put them under pressure and it is an unwritten law that if you don't score then you will score in the last 20 minutes.' Van Persie, scorer of Holland's third goal, runs with the ball during the first half . Jeremain Lens (right) vies with Sergei Khizhnichenko (left) during the Euro 2016 qualifier . Manchester United utility man Daley Blind appeals to the referee during the match in Amsterdam . | Kazakhstan took the lead when Rinat Abdulin scored in the 18th minute .
Holland fought back and equalised through Klaas-Jan Huntelaar .
The visitors were reduced to 10 men when Bauyrzhan Dzholchiev was given a straight red card for a tackle on Ibrahim Afellay .
Afellay was able to continue, and he scored to make it 2-1 to Holland .
Robin van Persie made sure of the win from the penalty spot late on . |
219,053 | a784d3133e7eac92f91d5c30814766891909c1f4 | Karla Washington worries how she will afford new school uniforms for her five-year-old daughter. Washington, an undergraduate student, earns less than $11,000 a year from a part-time university job. The salary must cover food, rent, health care, child care and the occasional splurge on a Blue's Clues item for her only child. 'My biggest fear is not providing my daughter with everything that she needs to be a balanced child, to be independent, to be safe, to feel like she is of value,' said Washington, 41. One in five in poverty: 14.7million - or 20 per cent - of children in the U.S. live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level . Washington's economic woes are seen throughout Nevada, where the nation's highest unemployment and foreclosure rates have combined to devastate families and empty neighbourhoods and construction yards. A national study on child well-being published today found Nevada had the highest rate of children whose parents are unemployed and underemployed. The state is also home to the most children affected by foreclosures — 13 percent of all Silver State babies, toddlers and teenagers have been kicked out of their homes because of an unpaid mortgage, the study found. Across the nation, the research by the Annie E. Casey Foundation found that child poverty increased in 38 states from 2000 to 2009. As a result, 14.7 million children, 20 per cent, were poor in 2009. That represents a 2.5million increase from 2000, when 17 per cent of the nation's youth lived in low-income homes. In the foundation's first examination of the impact of the recession on the nation's children, the researchers concluded that low-income children will likely suffer academically, economically and socially long after their parents have recovered. 'People who grew up in a financially secure situation find it easier to succeed in life, they are more likely to graduate from high school, more likely to graduate from college and these are things that will lead to greater success in life,' said Stephen Brown, director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. 'What we are looking at is a cohort of kids who as they become adults may be less able to contribute to the growth of the economy. It could go on for multiple generations.' Poverty: Karla Washington, 41, an undergraduate student, has a five-year-old daughter but earns less than $11,000 from her part-time job . The annual survey monitored by policy makers across the nation concludes that children from low-income families are more likely to be raised in unstable environments and change schools than their wealthier peers. As a result, they are less likely to be gainfully employed as adults. There are other social costs. Economically disadvantaged children can result in reduced economic output, higher health expenditures and increased criminal justice costs for society, the survey concludes. MISSISSIPPI - 31 PER CENT . ARKANSAS - 27 PER CENT . KENTUCKY - 26 PER CENT . NEW MEXICO - 25 PER CENT . ALABAMA - 25 PER CENT . LOUISIANA - 24 PER CENT . TENNESSEE - 24 PER CENT . TEXAS - 24 PER CENT . SOUTH CAROLINA - 24 PER CENT . WEST VIRGINIA - 24 PER CENT . NORTH CAROLINA - 23 PER CENT . ARIZONA - 23 PER CENT . MICHIGAN - 23 PER CENT . OKLAHOMA - 22 PER CENT . GEORGIA - 22 PER CENT . OHIO - 22 PER CENT . MONTANA - 21 PER CENT . FLORIDA - 21 PER CENT . MISSOURI - 21 PER CENT . INDIANA - 20 PER CENT . NEW YORK - 20 PER CENT . CALIFORNIA - 20 PER CENT . SOUTH DAKOTA - 19 PER CENT . OREGON - 19 PER CENT . ILLINOIS - 19 PER CENT . KANSAS - 18 PER CENT . IDAHO - 18 PER CENT . NEVADA - 18 PER CENT . COLORADO - 17 PER CENT . MAINE - 17 PER CENT . RHODE ISLAND - 17 PER CENT . PENNSYLVANIA - 17 PER CENT . WISCONSIN - 17 PER CENT . DELAWARE - 16 PER CENT . WASHINGTON - 16 PER CENT . IOWA - 16 PER CENT . NEBRASKA - 15 PER CENT . MINNESOTA - 14 PER CENT . VIRGINIA - 14 PER CENT . HAWAII - 14 PER CENT . ALASKA - 13 PER CENT . MASSACHUSETTS - 13 PER CENT . NEW JERSEY - 13 PER CENT . VERMONT - 13 PER CENT . WYOMING - 13 PER CENT . NORTH DAKOTA - 13 PER CENT . CONNECTICUT - 12 PER CENT . UTAH - 12 PER CENT . MARYLAND - 12 PER CENT . NEW HAMPSHIRE - 11 PER CENT . The research is based on data from many sources, including the Mortgage Bankers Association, National Delinquency Survey and U.S. Census Bureau. 'Even if you don't care about kids and all you care about is your own well-being, then you ought to be concerned,' said Patrick McCarthy, president of the Baltimore-based charity. 'We've got to think about what kind of state, what kind of country we can expect to have if we are not investing in the success of our children.' The report found some bright spots. In the two decades since researchers began compiling the annual report, infant mortalities, child and teen deaths and high school drop-out rates have declined. But the number of unhealthy babies have increased, and there were far more children living in low-income families. Programmes such as food stamps, unemployment insurance and foreclosure meditation have acted like a dam against the flood of poverty, McCarthy said, but that assistance has been threatened by federal and state government budget cuts. Mississippi kept its overall last place ranking in child welfare for the 10th consecutive year, according to the survey. It was closely trailed by neighbouring Louisiana and Alabama, a nod to the poverty that plagues southern states. Nevada ranked 40th overall, its worst ranking in 10 years, largely because of its economic decline. The rankings are determined by a state's achievement in 10 indicators that reflect child poverty, such as undernourished infants, infant mortalities, teen births and children in single-parent families. The top state for children was New Hampshire, ahead of Minnesota, Massachusetts and Vermont. In Mississippi, 31 per cent of children were living in poverty — the highest level in the U.S. New Hampshire had the smallest population of low-income children at 11 per cent. The federal poverty level this year is $22,350 a year for a family of four, but child advocates claim that figure should be higher. Nevada, Florida, Arizona and California and other states grappling with high foreclosures rates also were home to the largest populations of children affected by the mortgage crisis. North Dakota had the fewest, followed by South Dakota, Vermont, Wyoming and Alaska. In all, more than 5.3million children have been affected by foreclosure, the study found. Mississippi's rankings were least affected by the recession, only because it long ago secured its worst-case standing. Overall, Mississippi ranked last in seven of the survey's child well-being indicators. 'We are really tired of being in 50th place,' said Linda Southward, a social science research professor at Mississippi State University. Less than $21,756: Karla Washington is parent to one of the 14.7million children in poverty, as defined by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget . She said state policy makers have closely followed the rankings and have strived to promote early education as part of its strategy to reduce overall poverty. 'We are just extremely challenged given the economic hardships that we have,' she said. Nevada, meanwhile, has long had a difficult record on child issues because of its historically low-performing schools. The Kids Count survey found 11 per cent of Nevada teens were not in school and had not graduated from high school in 2009, the worst rate in the nation. New Hampshire was best at three per cent. At least 34 per cent of Nevada's children were living in families with both parents not working full-time in 2009, the largest increase in the nation, according to the survey. | 14.7million children in families with income less than $21,756 a year .
Child poverty increased in 38 states from 2000 to 2009 .
Mississippi is state with highest level - 31 per cent .
New Hampshire is state with smallest level - 11 per cent . |
270,267 | ea063c7e52021cafd14875514ec4956767abc457 | A mystery meat, which has defied the best efforts of scientists to identify it, has been found in a lamb curry as part of an investigation into food fraud. The discovery raises new questions about just what is going into the nation’s takeaways and processed foods. A BBC documentary to be aired on BBC3 tonight sent samples of curries and kebabs bought from six outlets in London for laboratory tests. Tests: A documentary team sent meat samples from six London takeaways to be tested. Meat from one lamb curry could not be identified as originating from any common meat source (stock image) The meat in a Beef in Black Bean Sauce dish turned out to contain high levels of chicken material including blood, while a burger contained no beef at all, other than blood and heart. However, most alarming of all was a curry. A spokesman for the programme said: ‘Just when we thought things couldn't get any worse, the results came in for an Indian Lamb Curry. ‘It did contain meat, but that meat was not lamb, not pork, nor was it chicken or beef. Not horse, and not goat either.’ Worry: A burger that was tested contained no beef at all, other than blood and heart . All of the many tests to date by the lab used by the programme have failed to identify exactly which animal was the source of the meat. The revelation raises many grim possibilities. There is evidence from Spain, for example, of meat from dog carcasses being processed for use in pet food. This is not the first time that a question mark has been put over the content of the take-out dishes eaten by millions of Britons every day. Just last year, a survey of 20 lamb curries in the West Midlands found all had been bulked up with cheaper beef, pork and chicken. Amazingly, four contained no lamb at all, rather the outlets used either beef or chicken which was hidden beneath a powerful and spicy sauce. At the same time, a meat cutting plant in Wales has been accused of supplying horsemeat from an abattoir in Yorkshire to companies making kebabs and burgers for hundreds of independent take-aways. The discovery of horsemeat in big brand products sold by supermarkets like Tesco and Asda, together with chains like Burger King and big brands from Birds Eye to Findus, has changed the nation’s shopping habits. The implication of take-out curries in food fraud could also hit the industry hard. Horsemeat Banquet, BBC Three, March 27, 10pm. | Samples of curries and kebabs from six outlets in London were tested .
The meat in a lamb curry could not be identified as common animal source .
One burger contained no beef at all other than blood and heart .
Beef in another dish was found to contain chicken material including blood . |
139,507 | 4065b8c793e05c43b3f524d5efccb631ec000e23 | By . Charles Sale . Follow @@charliesale . Roy Hodgson has scheduled an unprecedented meeting with England fans in Florida as part of his pre-World Cup charm offensive. The manager is due to take part in a question-and-answer session in downtown Miami on Thursday despite his England team being just a week away from their first game against Italy. Grilling: Roy Hodgson will sit down with fans in Florida ahead of the World Cup . The willingness of Hodgson to engage with fans contrasts with the approach of his predecessors, who might have taken part in stage-managed sponsorship events in the UK but never on the road with a tournament beckoning. After a remarkably calm build-up to Brazil, Hodgson’s dilemma over whether to play the out-of-form Wayne Rooney in Manaus on June 14 will surely be a subject he is asked about. And fans will not countenance FA spin doctors deciding what questions can be put to Hodgson, with even a query about David Beckham being ruled out at the last Press briefing. ................................................................................................... Steve Peters, the sports psychiatrist with the England World Cup party, sat in on Roy Hodgson’s pre-match media conferences at The Grove last Thursday. But it would have been far more beneficial for him to witness Hodgson in interviews straight after games when the pressure on any manager is so much greater. ................................................................................................... Pele is not just cashing in on the World Cup. Legends 10, run by former Tottenham director Paul Kemsley, have bought the Brazil icon’s intellectual property rights and are doing as many deals as possible to take advantage of the 2016 Rio Olympics build-up. It will not be one of his bigger paydays but Pele has agreed to do an interview with Gary Lineker which the BBC football presenter is flying out to Brazil early to record. ................................................................................................... Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore, who has promised to meet various anti-discrimination groups in the wake of his sexist email exchanges with TV rights lawyer Nick West, has started at the top. Scudamore had a meeting at the Ritz last week with CONCACAF confederation chief Jeffrey Webb, who heads FIFA’s anti-discrimination task force. ................................................................................................... Former FA vice-chairman David Dein, one of football’s great networkers, is expected to help Greg Dyke implement his commission findings. FA chairman Dyke, who is likely to receive a negative reception to his B team proposals at the Football League conference this week, needs all the support he can get to ensure his recommendations aren’t kicked into the long grass. And Dein, a close contact of Dyke’s since they were both part of the Premier League formation group, is understood to have discussed how he could assist — having strong views himself on improving the England team. An official role for Dein has yet to be agreed. Helping hand: Ex-FA vice-chairman David Dein is expected to help Dyke implement his commission findings . Culture secretary Sajid Javid has shown little interest in sport since arriving at the DCMS. But that is not stopping him taking a trip to Brazil for England’s third group game against Costa Rica in Belo Horizonte on June 24. Minister for Sport Helen Grant will be in Sao Paulo for the Uruguay match on June 19. FIFA snub to Cameron . The email files of disgraced former FIFA ExCo member Mohamed bin Hammam might not be the smoking gun that derails the 2022 Qatar World Cup, but they give more detail about England’s doomed 2018 bid. It is now clear that in the build-up to the Zurich election, Baroness Amos, Prince Andrew and David Cameron all failed to get time with Bin Hammam, whose vote they were courting. Meanwhile, just as the Premier League are considering a police complaint over secretary Rani Abraham acquiring chief executive Richard Scudamore’s private emails so, it is understood, is Bin Hammam over how the Sunday Times gained possession of his cache. Good luck message: Cameron visited England during their training session at St George's Park on Thursday . Sven Goran Eriksson, now coaching in China, jumped at every commercial opportunity during his time in charge of the England team. And the Swede has chosen the eve of the World Cup to launch his own red and white Italian wines for the Scandinavian market — named, unimaginatively, Sven. | England boss Hodgson has scheduled a meeting with England fans in Florida .
Pele has agreed to do an interview with Gary Lineker for BBC .
Richard Scudamore had a meeting last weekw ith CONCACAF chief Jeffrey Webb, head of FIFA's anti-discrimination task force .
Former FA vice-chairman David Dein is expected to help Greg Dyke implement his commission findings . |
193,081 | 85fdfb758a30852083501658c115135ff4295623 | New York (CNN) -- The alleged victim in the Dominique Strauss-Kahn sexual assault case has filed a libel lawsuit against the New York Post and five of its reporters after the newspaper reported that the woman was a prostitute, according to court filings. The woman, a native of Guinea who has not been identified publicly, accused the newspaper of publishing articles with false and defamatory information in the effort to bolster sales. Her attorney, Kenneth P. Thompson, filed the claim Tuesday in New York's Bronx state Supreme Court. A spokeswoman for the New York Post, Suzi Halpin, responded to the lawsuit saying "we stand by our reporting." The Post -- which has earned a reputation for its sensationalist headlines and provocative reporting -- on July 2 published the headline "Maid cleaning up as 'hooker,'" citing anonymous sources. The article said the woman -- a maid at a Manhattan hotel -- was "doing double duty as a prostitute, collecting cash on the side from male guests, The Post has learned." On July 3, the newspaper reported that the alleged victim, which the newspaper did not name in its stories, has "a regular fleet of gentlemen callers," ranging from "wealthy clients she met at the Sofitel (hotel) to counterfeit-merchandise hawkers and livery-cab drivers, said sources close to the defense investigation." The filing says The Post knew, or should have known, that the statements were false prior to publication. The newspaper's articles were then repeated by "multiple news organizations around the world," the filing said. CNN did not carry the Post reports. A source with knowledge of the investigation told CNN that so far, "no evidence has been found that she is a prostitute." The alleged victim, 32, accused the former head of the International Monetary Fund of criminal sexual acts and sexual abuse that allegedly occurred in May inside his Manhattan hotel suite. But the woman's credibility was largely undermined Friday when prosecutors announced publicly that she had been less than truthful with authorities about some aspects of her life and her whereabouts immediately after the alleged attack. The announcement appears to have left the case on shaky ground, but Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said he is not ready to drop charges. "Prosecutors said on Friday their investigation is continuing, and that remains the case," Vance spokeswoman Erin Duggan told CNN. "No decisions have been made." Meanwhile, Strauss-Kahn is facing separate accusations of attempted rape in France. A Strauss-Kahn lawyer in France said he had filed a counterclaim against Tristane Banon for "false declarations." French prosecutors are expected to review the complaint and determine whether there is enough evidence to press charges. CNN's Susan Candiotti contributed to this report. | The accuser has filed a libel lawsuit against the New York Post and 5 of its reporters .
The newspaper reported that the woman was a prostitute .
A spokeswoman for the New York Post said "we stand by our reporting" |
20,626 | 3a82bcedd0bfcf76b04bf66ca0deb64abdfb9596 | This is the moment a defenceless rabbit was snapped up and swallowed whole by a seagull. The incredible footage was captured by a rambler on the island of Skellig Michael off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. The bird can be seen vigorously shaking the rabbit before it attempts to swallow its lifeless body in one go. Scroll down for video . The seagull attempts to swallow the rabbit whole after knocking it over and shaking it vigorously . Michael Kelly, who captured the pictures in May 2010, had gone out to photograph puffins when he stumbled across the vicious encounter. He recalled seeing the gull swoop down beside him and ‘pull’ on the rabbits head. The rabbit can be seen attempting to put up a fight but there was to be no contest between the two. Mr Kelly told the Daily Mirror: ‘I couldn’t believe it! You’ll often see pictures of herons grabbing fish and you think ‘How the hell was that photographer there? How did he manage to get it?’ ‘This happened right beside me, it was amazing.’ He added: ‘They do the same with puffin chicks and razorbill chicks and I’ve often seen it happen but not with a rabbit.’ However, on the Skellig islands the carnivorous seagulls are not a rarity and have been spotted eating rabbits before. Visitors to the Skellig island look on after the seagull is spotted swooping down on the defenceless rabbit . The seagull is seen shaking the rabbit vigorously for a few minutes before it attempts to swallow its lifeless body . Michael Kelly, who captured the pictures in May 2010, had gone out to photograph puffins when he stumbled across the vicious encounter . After a few attempts the bird manages to swing the rabbit into its mouth whole and attempts to swallow it . | WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT .
Bird swoops on rabbit on Skellig island and attempts to swallow whole .
Footage caught by Michael Kelly who was out photographing puffins .
Mr Kelly has seen seagulls target puffin and razorbill chicks but not rabbits .
Seagulls have been seen eating rabbits whole on Skellig islands before . |
89,001 | fc96539941b7b6fb3d7a920f9cc5e1b08220b809 | Argentina coach Gerardo Martino has backed Sergio Aguero and Angel di Maria to deal with the expectation at their respective Manchester clubs. The South American nation take on Croatia at Upton Park on Wednesday night, with the Premier League duo key members of a star-studded side. Mainly talking about Aguero's fortunes, Martino insisted the striker, who has 12 goals so far this season, has what it takes to get Man City out of their rut. Angel di Maria (left) and Sergio Aguero (right) have swapped Manchester for the East End for a friendly . Gerardo Martino (left) has backed Aguero to cope with the expectation with the out-of-form Man City . The Argentina boss also says Di Maria is adapting well, and that Man United will improve . 'They are players that have a lot of expectations on them, but they are used to it,' Martino told the media, published by the Daily Mirror. 'Maybe the situation changes a little when the team is doing well or not so well. But I am sure Sergio can cope with those expectations, and that he is accustomed to having that pressure on him.' United are behind City in the table and were in fact beaten last week at the Etihad Stadium, but £60m Di Maria has better players surrounding him, according to the former Barcelona boss. Martino said that the winger does carry the burden, and backed United to improve as the team get used to each other. Aguero celebrates scoring against QPR on Saturday, his 12th goal in the Premier League this season . Martino was speaking at a media conference at the Rush Green Stadium in Romford . Lionel Messi will also line up for Argentina against Croatia at Upton Park on Wednesday night . 'It is hard to compare any team with Real Madrid, the best team in Europe and the most recent champions of Europe. 'Di Maria does carry the burden of being a top player, but the impression I have is that United have other players of high quality, whether it is Robin van Persie or Wayne Rooney. 'He is not isolated, he is playing in a team with other stars - top players. But they need time to get to know each other, and then they will all improve.' VIDEO Martino to experiment in Croatia friendly . | Gerardo Martino believes Sergio Aguero can deal with expectation at City .
Manuel Pellegrini's side are out of form but Aguero has 12 league goals .
Argentina coach claims Manchester United will improve .
Says Angel di Maria is a star player who can carry the burden . |
98,139 | 0a596084c20b85f19aabf848501d18712e8ab3bf | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 15:35 EST, 24 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:47 EST, 24 November 2013 . Monty Python star Terry Jones has secretly married the Swedish lover he left his wife of 42 years for. Jones, 71, revealed yesterday that he tied the knot a year ago with dancer Anna Soderstrom, 30, in a ceremony attended by just five people. The couple met when she asked him to autograph a book soon after she arrived in England in 2002 to study modern languages at Hertford College, Oxford. Tied the knot: Monty Python star Terry Jones revealed that he married his Swedish girlfriend Anna Soderstrom, 41 years his junior, last year . He divorced his wife, Alison Telfer, . last year, although he said he found the split ‘very hard’ and insists . he still loves the former biochemist. Jones, . who has a four-year-old daughter, Siri, with his new wife, said: ‘We . married last year. The divorce came through – sadly – so we got married. Low key: Jones (centre) and his bride had just five wedding guests, deciding not to ask Monty Python members John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle, and Michael Palin (right to left) ‘We kept it secret. We wanted to keep it quiet from the Press.’ Fan turned lover: Jones met Soderstrom at a book signing in Oxford when she was in her early twenties . To . keep it low key, the couple did not invite their families or the other . Pythons, he said, adding: ‘It was a very small wedding – only my . daughter and the next-door neighbours came.’ They . were married by a registrar at Highgate Literary and Scientific . Institution near their home in North London. But he said that now he was . in his seventies, they would not be having more children, adding: ‘Anna . is cool about it – she doesn’t really want to. We think Siri is . enough.’ The Welshman . revealed that a thief raided their hotel room during their honeymoon in . Paris and stole Soderstrom’s wallet containing cards and cash. He said: . ‘We went to Paris and we got burgled in our hotel suite. We had to move . hotels. ‘There was somebody . in the room when we came back from dinner. 'Anna said she saw a hand . disappearing through the toilet door so they must have been in the room . as we went back in. 'And they must have hidden in the loo. ‘The . other hotel we moved into upped our room because they said, “We don’t . want you to think all hotels are going to be burgled”.’ Jones, . who once said his hobby was sex, reportedly had an open marriage with . Telfer, with whom he has two adult children. But his affair with a . Swedish beauty 41 years his junior proved too much for his ex-wife. Spice up their love life: About a year into their relationship Soderstrom was photographed belly-dancing, saying that she joined a university Middle Eastern dance society because Jones enjoyed sex games and role play . First wife: Jones divorced his wife of 42 years Alison Telfer (pictured together) after having an affair with Soderstrom . No more children: Jones (pictured in 1979 film Life of Brian) has a four-year-old daughter with Soderstrom . Around . a year after meeting Soderstrom, she was photographed with a . belly-dancing troupe in Oxford, having joined the university’s Middle . Eastern Dance Society, apparently because Jones enjoys role play and . wanted to spice up their love life. Anna’s . father Torbjorn Soderstrom, who is a surgeon, supports the . relationship. He said: ‘I’ve never been against it in any sort of way. ‘I’m . very fond of Terry. I’ve been a Monty Python fan since I was a kid. 'I . have no opinion on the age difference. Relationships are not about . that.’ Jones and Anna are . said to be excited about his recently-announced stage reunion with . fellow Pythons Michael Palin, Eric Idle, John Cleese and Terry Gilliam. Jones . said that although it was billed as a one-off, it could lead to a . series of reunions for the Flying Circus team, with another five . already rumoured. He added: ‘There’s an indefinable air that we might do more shows.’ Making a comeback: The Monty Python stars Michael Palin, Eric Idle, Terry Jones, Carol Cleveland, Terry Gilliam and John Cleese (left to right) announced that they are reuniting for a one-off show . Dad's a fan: Soderstrom's father Torbjorn Soderstrom said that he is 'very fond' of Jones (far right during his Monty Python days) and a fan of the comedy show . | Jones married Anna Soderstrom last year at a London registry office .
The couple met at a book signing when she was in her early twenties .
Jones got a divorce from Alison Telfer, his wife of 42 years . |
191,231 | 839e00ba3aedecb0d8898e9399b7a95dd5c7b4cd | This is the moment Los Angeles police officers shot dead an apparently armed man near the city's famous Hollywood and Highland intersection. The officers, who have not been named, were called to the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue on Friday evening after receiving a report of an assault with a deadly weapon. When they arrived at the scene, they found a man wielding a knife and shortly after, fired at least one round at him, officer Jane Kim, of the LA Police Department’s Media Relations Office, said. WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT . SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Shooting: Police are pictured shooting a man near the Hollywood and Highland intersection in Los Angeles . Scene: The officers (pictured), who have not been named, were called to the corner of Hollywood Boulevard and North Highland Avenue on Friday evening after receiving a report of an assault with a deadly weapon . Weapon: When they arrived at the scene, they found a man wielding a weapon - belived to be this thick silver knife, pictured - and shortly after, fired at least one round at him, the police's Media Relations Office said . The man was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with serious injuries, where he remained in a critical condition for several hours before passing away, according to KTLA. No officers were injured. The events leading up to the shooting at around 7pm remain unknown.The busy intersection, which is in the heart of Hollywood’s entertainment and tourism district, has been blocked off to traffic. Lisa Bregman, who was driving through the intersection at the exact moment of the shooting, said she she heard a number of gunshots, then looked up and saw a man lying on the ground. 'It was more than one or two,' the social media strategist, who took a photo of the scene, told BuzzFeed in relation to the number of gunshots. 'Like maybe three or four.' Aerial view: The man was rushed to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center with serious injuries, where he remained in a critical condition for several hours before passing away. Above, an aerial view of police cars at the scene . Expressing her shock: Lisa Bregman was driving through the intersection at the exact moment of the shooting. She tweeted a couple of graphic photos of the incident, along with the comment: 'I'm in shock' Nearby: Twitter user, Raina Pratto, said she could hear police arriving at the scene, saying: 'Apparently LAPD just shot a man at Hollywood and Highland. I can see and hear the helicopters flying, sirens wailing' Ms Bregman later took to Twitter to express her shock at the incident, writing: 'Literally just saw someone get shot at the corner of Hollywood & highland. I'm in shock.' She added that the man appeared to be breathing when he was taken away by ambulance, while people in the area told her he had been armed with a knife. Witness Jordan White posted a photo of the shooting to Facebook, accompanied by the caption: 'Police just shot a man in the head 10 times for no reason right in front of me.' Another graphic picture of the incident, which occurred near the Hollywood Walk Of Fame, shows two police officers standing over the man with their guns pointing toward him. Intersection: Witness Jordan White posted a photo of the shooting to Facebook, accompanied by the caption: 'Police just shot a man in the head 10 times for no reason right in front of me.' Above, the intersection . Horrified: Twitter user Al Maddin expresses his shock at the inident, during which officers reportedly fired at the unnamed man 10 times. He wrote: 'Woah! #LAPD just shot a dude 10 times in the head' Details of the knife the man was supposedly wielding at the time remain unknown. The man's identity, including his name and hometown, are also yet to be revealed. A photo posted on Instagram by Steve Gregory, of KFI-AM 640, appears to show a thick silver blade with a black handle lying on the pavement near the spot the man was shot dead. According to Eyewitness News, a witness driving by the incident at the time heard officers with their guns drawn yelling, 'He's still got a knife'. Following the shooting, more patrol cars and an ambulance arrived at the scene, where they were photographed by dozens of shocked onlookers. According to several Twitter users helicopters could be seen flying ahead. One user, Abegail, wrote: 'Someone just got [shot] down the street from my apartment. Helicopters everywhere.' Another user, Raina Pratto, tweeted: 'Apparently LAPD just shot a man at Hollywood and Highland. I can see and hear the helicopters flying, sirens wailing.' Police are investigating. Tourist hotspot: The events leading up to the shooting at around 7pm remain unknown. The intersection, which is near the Hollywood Walk Of Fame (pictured) has been blocked off to traffic while police investigate . | Officers fired shots at man at LA's Hollywood and Highland intersection .
Man rushed to hospital in a critical condition, but has now passed away .
Police arrived at scene following 911 call of assault with deadly weapon .
There, they discovered man wielding knife in front of scores of tourists .
Officers shot unnamed man '10 times in the head', some witnesses said .
Area is currently blocked off to traffic while an investigation takes place . |
286,572 | ff5044fb2907b21bcb4555e24bb1568607862039 | By . Richard Arrowsmith . England World Cup stars put their club rivalries to one side as players from Liverpool and Manchester United competed in a basketball match. The game paired Wayne Rooney and Jordan Henderson against Raheem Sterling and Danny Welbeck - with an (over) enthusiastic video commentary from Daniel Sturridge. The Liverpool striker became so involved in what was, in truth, an extraordinarily average exhibition of co-ordination between professional sportsmen that he even turned away picture hunters by squealing: 'Not now baby! I've gotta record this'. Scroll down for video . Clash of the titans? The game's highlight came when Rooney blocked a close-range shot from Sterling . B-boys: Rooney (L) and Henderson (C) take on Welbeck (2L) and Sterling at basketball . From downtown: None of the four Liverpool and Man United players managed to score a basket on video . It's the shoes! Rooney was playing with the disadvantage of playing barefoot! Sturridge may as well have taken time out for a few pictures since none of the four players on court managed to score a single basket - although Rooney's decision to play with bare feet can't have helped much. Nonetheless, England's talisman was involved in the game's only highlight when he blocked a shot from the equally diminutive Sterling - not quite clash of the titles but enough to send Sturridge into hysterics. Unfortunately, the video ends just as Rooney shoots from the three-point line with a nicely arced shot, the outcome of which may never be known. Not now baby! Video commentator Daniel Sturidge was so engrossed he turned away photo hunters . Up in the air: Rooney and Sterling at England's training session in Rio on Monday . Pointing the way to glory: Sterling could start for England against Italy in Manaus on Saturday . Low expectations: Henderson celebrates after Rooney manages to keep out Sterling's effort . | England stars staged a mixed basketball game between Manchester united and Liverpool players .
Wayne Rooney and Jordan Henderson took on Raheem Sterling and Danny Welbeck with video commentary from Daniel Sturridge .
World Cup stars didn't manage to score a basket during the video .
Highlight came when Rooney blocked a close-range shot from Sterling . |
46,621 | 835ca66d3b0d863703e2192624e0f4bf67bd92fd | (CNN) -- The cricket world is mourning the passing of former England captain Tony Greig, a larger than life character who helped revolutionize the sport in the late 1970s before becoming a high-profile commentator. Greig died aged 66 on Saturday in his adopted home of Australia, having been diagnosed with lung cancer in October. Born in South Africa, the 6 foot 6 inch all-rounder qualified to play for England due to his Scottish father and represented his new country in 58 Test matches from 1972-77. However, he was stripped of the captaincy after becoming a leading figure in the breakaway World Series Cricket competition set up by Australian entrepreneur Kerry Packer, who owned the Channel Nine network that Greig would work for until recently. "Tony stood out as a player and captain, as an influential part of the Kerry Packer World Series Cricket era and then for decades as a familiar voice in millions of Australian living rooms each summer as part of the Nine telecast which revolutionized the TV presentation of cricket," Cricket Australia chairman Wally Edwards said in a statement. "His illness and too-early death comes as a terrible shock -- he will be greatly missed." Greig's fellow South African David Richardson, a former international player who is now head of the International Cricket Council, also paid tribute. "Tony played a significant part in shaping modern cricket as a player in the 1970s and then provided millions of cricket lovers with a unique insight as a thoughtful and knowledgeable commentator," Richardson said. "His figures in Test matches show that he was one of the leading all-rounders of his generation with a batting average of above 40 and a bowling average around 32." Australia's prime minister Julia Gillard issued a joint statement with sports minister Kate Lundy that was published in the Sydney Morning Herald. "Greig was a wonderful example of someone who came to Australia from somewhere else in the world and embraced his adopted country as his own," it said. "Most Australians would be deeply familiar with Greig the commentator, in particular his unique brand of colorful game-calling and entertaining banter. His life in cricket wasn't always without controversy, but no one could doubt his passion and commitment to the sport he loved." Greig, who went to England as a teenager in the late 1960s, was heavily criticized for an "unsporting" run out of West Indies batsman Alvin Kallicharan in 1974 that saw the home fans storm the pitch in protest. Greig then revoked his appeal and Kallicharan was reinstated. That ill feeling spilled over into the Caribbean team's series in England in 1976, before which Greig infamously said he would make the tourists "grovel." As recounted in the 2010 documentary "Fire in Babylon," the incident fired up the West Indian players, who perceived it as a slight by their former colonial rulers, especially coming from a white South African at the height of apartheid. It sparked a transformation that made the tourists the dominant side in world cricket for the next two decades, as their bowlers battered Greig's team with a fearsome pace attack. Greig, having lost that series 3-0, then redeemed himself as he led England to a first victory in India in 15 years -- but his time at the helm would prove to be shortlived. He successfully took the English cricket authorities to court after they tried to ban the Packer "rebels" but his own playing contribution came to an end after the inaugural series. Greig moved into commentating, with the Nine Network and broadcasters around the world, as he teamed up with former cricketing opponents such as Ian Chappell. He is survived by his wife Vivian and children Mark, Sam, Beau and Tom. Meanwhile, veteran Australian batsman Mike Hussey has announced he will retire from international cricket after next week's third and final Test against Sri Lanka. The 37-year-old's decision comes in the same month that former Australia captain Ricky Ponting ended his career. Hussey scored 19 centuries in 78 Tests, being Australia's 12th-highest run scorer with a total of 6,183 at an average of 51.52. | Tony Greig dies in Australia following a short battle with lung cancer, aged 66 .
Born in South Africa, he went on to captain England before moving Down Under .
Greig was one of the key figures in the breakaway World Series Cricket competition .
Australia's prime minister pays tribute to his "passion and commitment" |
112,978 | 1dccfc38e1aa36d3d0d654c3510b5f6b4b1644bc | Your wallet or purse was once an essential item that you couldn’t leave the house without. But now in the age of contactless payments, digital receipts and NFC chips, they are quickly becoming obsolete. And it seems their final death knell has been rung because soon you will be able to use your smartphone to display your driver's license. Iowa will allow residents to display their driver's license on their phone beginning next year, using a free app (shown left). It could be used at traffic stops and security checkpoints at airports. It follows contactless payments (right) and NFC chips in making wallets obsolete . The free app, under development by the Iowa Department of Transportation, will allow users to show the digital license to law enforcement officers and at security checkpoints at airports. For now it is only being rolled out in Iowa, but there are plans to roll it out to the rest of the US - and it has the potential to be rolled out other countries as well. - Make contactless payments . - Display your travel ticket . - Store photos of loved ones . - Show your insurance . - Get digital receipts . - Transfer money to friends . - Use QR codes for event tickets . - Save notes or ideas . - Collect loyalty points from shops . - Display your driver's license . The app will be trialled by state employees over the next six months before it is opened up to the public - which means it will be available by June 2015 at the earliest. ‘We are really moving forward on this,’ said Paul Trombino, director of the state Department of Transportation, reported the Des Moines Register. ‘The way things are going, we may be the first in the nation.’ Users of the app will use a pin for verification, and the app will then display all of the details that would be seen on a regular license. This includes the user's name, age, height and address, in addition to the type of vehicle they are allowed to drive. Residents will still be able to use a regular, card driver’s license. But for those who use the digital version, Mr Trombino said it ‘is basically your license on your phone.’ Residents will still be able to use a regular, card driver’s license. But for those who use the digital version, Paul Trombino, director of the Iowa state Department of Transportation said it ‘is basically your license on your phone.’ And it could be the final death knell for the humble wallet (stock image shown) The app will be able to send push notifications about traffic, or remind a user if their license is about to expire, reported the Washington Post. And the picture on the app will also rotate side to side, according to Gigaom, giving a more complete look of the driver. Fingerprint identification will also eventually be used, and possibly facial recognition as well, to add an added layer of security. Iowa is also one of more than 30 states that allow drivers to show their proof of insurance via an electronic device - yet another example of how smartphones are taking over our everyday lives. | Iowa will allow residents to display their driver's license on their phone .
Beginning next year all their details will be available in a free app .
Using pin verification they will be able to access their license .
Will be usable at traffic stops and security checkpoints at airports .
The app may eventually be rolled out to the rest of the US .
There's no word yet on whether it might be used in other countries .
It follows contactless payments and NFC chips in making wallets obsolete . |
81,556 | e71488ca3d1be5fcd7a94e198ccd8cf829b10d11 | (CNN) -- When Vincent Tan led a Malaysian takeover of Cardiff City in 2010, the Welsh soccer club was battling crippling debts -- and a long-awaited return to England's top flight was tantalizingly out of reach. The new owners, frustrated by two more near promotion misses, decided that a major overhaul was necessary. Along with major investment, the team's historic blue strip was last season changed to red to appeal to Asian supporters and a dragon put on the club crest in prominent place above its iconic bluebird. One Cardiff fan was so disillusioned that he auctioned his club loyalty on eBay. However, most supporters were won over when the "Bluebirds" clinched promotion to the Premier League as champions -- and their delight grew on Sunday with a shock victory over one of the richest clubs in the world. Manchester City traveled to the Welsh capital on the back of a 4-0 thrashing of Newcastle on the opening day of the season, but left smarting after a 3-2 defeat against a side widely tipped for an immediate return to division two. It was the first time Cardiff had hosted a top-flight match since 1962, and Malky Mackay's team had suffered a 2-0 defeat last weekend at West Ham -- a mid-table side last season. "This was the first time that we've played at home in the Premier League, and the first time in 51 years that we've been in the top division, so it meant a lot to a lot of people," he told reporters after two goals from former Manchester United striker Fraizer Campbell set up victory. "I'm very proud of a lot of people at the club; obviously the players but also the fans who made the atmosphere unbelievable today. Also, the people who work at the club, because they've been through some tough times -- to see them with smiles on their faces as I walked through the tunnel lightens my heart. "Manchester City are one of the top teams in Britain and Europe, and are full of top Premier League talent." As Manchester City's new manager Manuel Pellegrini commented afterwards: " I did not expect to lose." City, EPL champions two seasons ago, spent more than £100 million ($155 million) before the start of the season -- bankrolled by the club's oil-rich Abu Dhabi owners. However, it was Edin Dzeko -- himself a big-money buy during the tenure of previous manager Roberto Mancini -- who put the visitors ahead seven minutes after the break. But the Bosnia striker's stunning strike was soon canceled out by Cardiff's Iceland captain Aron Gunnarson, and one-cap England international Campbell then twice got the better of his marker Pablo Zabaleta to force home from successive corners. Substitute Alvaro Negredo, one of Pellegrini's acquisitions, gave the visiting City hope with a debut headed goal of his own in the 90th minute but Cardiff held on. "Playing against a Manchester City team that only lost one game from a winning position last season, and to come back and show that character today -- I thought we deserved to win the game," Mackay said. "My players are here on merit -- we proved that today." Meanwhile, Tottenham became the third team to start with successive victories after beating the EPL's other Welsh club, Swansea, 1-0 on Sunday. New signing Roberto Soldado scored his fourth goal in three games as the London club joined Chelsea and Liverpool on six points. The Spain striker scored the only goal from the penalty spot in the second half, as he did against Crystal Palace last weekend before netting twice in the 5-0 Europa League thrashing of Dinamo Tbilisi. Gareth Bale, Tottenham's top scorer from last season, was given the weekend off due to his apparent injury. The Wales forward is expected to be unveiled by Real Madrid in a world-record signing next week, but Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas said he expected the player to be at training on Tuesday. "There is interest from Real Madrid. Whether the transfer will happen or not, hopefully you will have more news in the next couple of days but at the moment there is nothing I can tell you," he added. "Tomorrow is a day off. Tuesday is training so I would expect him to be there." Villas-Boas wryly shrugged off Chelsea's Sunday announcement that the club had hijacked Tottenham's bid to sign Brazil forward Willian from Russian team Anzhi Makhachkala but confirmed that Steaua Bucharest defender Vlad Chiriches is set to join Spurs. "Maybe someone will steal him as well," Villas-Boas joked. Chelsea, meanwhile,will face a big test of the club's title ambition under Villas-Boas' former mentor Jose Mourinho in Monday's clash with EPL champions Manchester United. | Promoted Cardiff shock big-spending Manchester City with 3-2 victory .
Striker Fraizer Campbell scores twice for the resurgent Welsh club .
It was Cardiff's first home match in the top division in 51 years .
Tottenham's 1-0 win over Swansea gives London side second victory . |
191,143 | 8387998f8b6afa925b3870dae08aa618e2a50f24 | By . Martha De Lacey . PUBLISHED: . 05:38 EST, 21 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 09:25 EST, 21 August 2013 . We now only sleep for six hours and 41 minutes each night and half of us have no chance of a weekend lie-in, a new study reveals. A busy 48 per cent of us can't afford to waste precious time cramming in a well-deserved snooze when we're not working at the weekend. And it seems even during the week we are struggling to get enough shut eye. Worryingly, two-thirds (65 per cent) of us are only sleeping for six hours and 27 minutes, the study of 2,000 UK adults found. The figure is one hour and 33 minutes short of the recommended daily amount of sleep - eight hours. The new research, carried out by Travelodge, highlights that more than a quarter (27 per cent) are getting less sleep than they did a year ago. Most people in the UK sleep for just six hours and 27 minutes, and a quarter of us are getting steadily worse at shutting our eyes: 27 per cent of adults sleep less than they did a year ago . Instead of a weekend lie-in, British people are opting for 11 minutes of extra 'snooze button' time, which sleep experts believe could be detrimental to health. Four out of ten adults polled by Travelodge admit they set their wake-up call earlier than required, then hit the snooze button on their mobile phones twice for an additional 11 minutes' rest, in order to trick their bodies into thinking they are having more shut-eye. One of the key reasons we are becoming a nation of snooze button addicts is due to the fact that 68 per cent of Britons now use their mobile phone to wake them up every morning. Stevie Williams at the Edinburgh Sleep Centre, said: 'Setting your alarm clock much earlier than you intend to get up and continually pressing snooze actually makes you feel more groggy than refreshed after a night's sleep. 'Snoozing in this way can lead you to miss out on the vital REM sleep that occurs just before you wake up. 'It is more beneficial to your health to use the weekend to catch up on any sleep debt you have accumulated during the week.' Are you a weekend lie-inner or a weekend snooze buttoner? The latter could be detrimental to your health . Other key findings revealed that Coventrians, Brightonians and Belfastians are the worst sleep deprived individuals across the country - each of them are clocking even less sleep than the national average sleep figure of six hours and 27 minutes. 1. Money worries (32%) 2. Family issues (25%) 3. Work stress (18%) 4. Job security worries (17%) 5. Unfinished household chores (16%) Conversely, people in Aberystwyth, Plymouth and Aberdeen are the country's best sleepers, each notching up more than six and a half hours. The . sleep study also delved into the key reasons to why Britons are not . getting their recommended sleep quota of eight hours per night. A third of adults are . kept awake at night due to money worries, a quarter toss and turn over family issues, and just under one-fifth fret about work stresses. Shakila . Ahmed, spokesman for Travelodge, said: 'Although we are coming out of the . recession, Britons are still worried about money and work issues, which . is fuelling this sleep disorder. 'Not only is over a quarter of the . nation getting less sleep now, than they did a year ago but nearly half . of the adult population is too busy for a weekend lie-in so that they . can catch up on lost sleep. 'This . is a vicious circle and extremely detrimental to a person’s heath and . well-being. Britons have to stop treating sleep as a luxury and make it . more of a necessity within their lifestyle and strive for eight hours of . sleep on a regular basis.' Some 32 per cent of people are kept up at night with money worries . Further . research found that in an attempt to obtain extra slumber . Britons are forgoing a number of essential morning rituals so that they . can have more time beneath the duvet. One-fifth of adults skip breakfast, . while quarter of Britons leave the house without washing and styling . their hair so they can grab some additional kip. And 18 per cent of . British beds are left unmade every morning due to their owners being too . tired to make them. Aberystwyth Seven hours and 30 minutes . Plymouth Six hours and 42 minutes . Aberdeen Six hours and 41 minutes . Cambridge Six hours and 40 minutes . Bristol Six hours and 39 minutes . Leeds Six hours and 38 minutes . Oxford Six hours and 36 minutes . Edinburgh Six hours and 35 minutes . Southampton Six hours and 33 minutes . Swansea Six hours and 31 minutes . Coventry Six hours and five minutes . Brighton Six hours and 15 minutes . Belfast Six hours and 17 minutes . Manchester Six hours and 18 minutes . Liverpool Six hours and 21 minutes . York Six hours and 22 minutes . Glasgow Six hours and 23 minutes . Wolverhampton Six hours and 24 minutes . Leicester Six hours and 25 minutes . Cardiff Six hours and 26 minutes . | Recommended night's sleep for an adult is 8 hours .
Most adults in UK sleep for just 6 hours 27 minutes a night .
And 27% get less sleep now than they did a year ago .
Half of adults don't even have time for a lie-in on the weekend .
Some 40% of adults trick themselves into 'extra sleep' using snooze button .
Nation's worst sleepers are in Coventry, and the best in Aberystwyth . |
183,886 | 7a309d11d6a487b0f6aed2fa5994fa0dcf9f7a2e | By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 12:32 EST, 24 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 06:13 EST, 25 December 2012 . With the majority of the world's population now living in cities and towns a new breed of designers are coming through to help create urban settings a little more pleasing to the eye. The world's first ever school for mural art has opened in Lyon, the global leader in the field, in a bid to meet the demand for artworks which can transform cityscapes. The EcholCite School of Mural Art . specialises in teaching students how to create art that covers entire . sides of multi-storey buildings, as seen across Lyon. The French city of Lyon is now home to the world's first ever school for mural art - the EcohlCite School of Mural Art . Murals in Lyon have already transformed buildings across the city from drab concrete blocks into brightly coloured spectacles . The school's founder Gilbert Coudene said the city featured 150 murals, which had led it to become the world's capital of the art form, attracting tourists from across the world, the BBC has reported. Mr Coudene said this had provided the spark for the school, which he hoped would pass on the knowledge of mural painting. A mural in Lyon which covers the entire side of the building and features people who have left their mark on the city . The school's founder Gilbert Coudene said the city featured 150 murals . The demand for murals has grown as more and more people moved from the country to urban settings . The EcholCite School of Mural Art . specialises in teaching students how to create art that covers entire . sides of multi-storey buildings, as seen across Lyon . He said: 'We are responding to what we know to be a very strong demand all over the world to modify the way cities look, to make them more beautiful but also to create more social links through aesthetic tools, such as mural painting.' Mr Coudene said the demand had grown as more and more people moved from the country to urban settings. He told the BBC: 'Up to the days of our grandfathers life was rural, there was very few towns, but today 60 per cent of the world's people live in cities. 'It all happened so quickly, thousands of years in the country then suddenly in the city, and it means in the city we focus too much on the functional and not on all the other elements, the emotional, the aesthetic, which are what make the difference between animals and human beings.' | New school opened to teach how to paint murals to cover sides of buildings .
Founder says he is responding to a growing demand across the world .
Lyon is considered the world capital of mural paintings . |
14,584 | 295d48922b18baa8325895ff2846472ca9988660 | President Obama says his landmark visit to Myanmar is an acknowledgement of the democratic transition underway but not an endorsement of the country's government. Obama's words were aimed at countering critics who say his trip to the country also known as Burma is premature. While Myanmar has undertaken significant reforms, hundreds of political prisoners are still detained and ethnic violence has displaced more than 100,000 people. The President says his goal in visiting Myanmar is to highlight the steps the Asian nation still needs to take. He says he also wants to congratulate the people of Myanmar for having 'opened the door' to being a country that respects human rights and political freedom. Scroll down for video . Go East: Barack Obama and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra review an honor guard during a welcoming ceremony at Government House in Bangkok . Spiritual: Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton tour the Viharn of the Reclining Buddha with Chaokun Suthee Thammanuwat . Obama spoke on Sunday during a news conference with Thailand's prime minister. Barack Obama also said it is 'no accident' that he planned his first foreign trip to Asia after winning re-election. Speaking at a news conference on . Sunday in Bangkok, Obama emphasized that the United States is a 'Pacific . nation'. He says the Asia-Pacific region will be crucial for creating . jobs in the U.S. and shaping its security and prosperity. Thailand is Obama's first stop on a three-day tour of Asia that will also take him to Myanmar and Cambodia. Obama's praised Thailand for being a . supporter of democracy in Myanmar, the once-pariah state that is rapidly . reforming. He says he appreciated the Thai prime minister's insights . into Myanmar during their meetings on Sunday. While in Asia, however, Obama will be . dividing his attention by monitoring the escalating conflict between . Israel and the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. Glances: Obama enjoys a joke with Thai PM Yingluck Shinawatra during a state dinner in Thailand . Cheers! Clinton and the Thai PM toast at Government House in Bangkok . Quick trip: Obama and Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra arrive for a joint news conference during his three-day trip to Asia . Obama has been in regular contact . with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as well as with Egyptian . and Turkish leaders who might hold sway with the Hamas leadership. Obama landed in Bangkok on Sunday afternoon, greeted by 40 saluting military guards who flanked both sides of a red carpet. His schedule is packed with sightseeing, a royal audience with King Bhumibol Adulyadej, a private meeting with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, a joint press conference and an official dinner. On a steamy day, Obama began with a visit to the Wat Pho Royal Monastery, a cultural must-see in Bangkok. In stocking feet, the president and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton walked around a golden statue of a sitting Buddha. The complex is a sprawling display of buildings with colorful spires, gardens and waterfalls. Obama joked with a monk at the monastery that he hoped praying would help his administration reach a deal on the budget. At his news conference with PM Shinawatra, Obama said: 'I always believe in prayer. If a Buddhist monk is wishing me well, I’m going to take whatever good vibes he can give me to try to deal with some challenges back home.' Welcome tour: Thai Prime Minister Shinawatra, right, looks back at President Obama during a press conference in Bangkok . Friendly: Obama and Shinawatra burst into laughter during the press conference . Obama is also visiting Myanmar and Cambodia in his first trip abroad since winning a second term. The visit to Thailand, less than 18 hours long, is a gesture of friendship to a long-standing partner and major non-NATO ally. Still, . the two countries have faced strains, most recently after the 2006 . military coup that deposed Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and . Obama's visit offers an opportunity to restate and broaden the . relationship. 'It was very important for us to send a signal to the region that allies are going to continue to be the foundation of our approach' to establishing a more prominent presence in Asia, deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes told reporters traveling with the president aboard Air Force One. Time for reflection: Obama and Clinton admire a shrine during their monastery visit . Meeting: Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej talking to Obama along with the Secretary of State . Obama is also seeking to open new markets for U.S. businesses; the United States is Thailand's third biggest trading partner, behind China and Japan. Becoming a counterweight to China in the region is a keystone of Obama's so-called pivot to the Asia-Pacific region. Obama's trip comes on the heels of meetings in Thailand between Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and his Thai counterparts on security and military cooperation on issues ranging from fighting weapons proliferation to disaster relief to countering piracy. Alluding to the 2006 coup, Obama's . national security adviser, Tom Donilon, said in a speech ahead of the . trip last week that Obama would build on Panetta's outreach to reinforce . the relationship and 'support the continued peaceful restoration of . democratic order after a turbulent period.' On tour: Obama and Clinton at the Wat Pho Royal Monastery in Bangkok . Ceremony: Obama and Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on the red carpet at Thai Government House in Bangkok . After his time at the temple, Obama paid a courtesy call to the ailing, 84-year-old U.S.-born King Bhumibol Adulyadej in his hospital quarters. The king, the longest serving living monarch, was born in Cambridge, Mass., and studied in Europe. The centerpiece of the Asia trip comes Monday when Obama travels to Myanmar, the once reclusive and autocratic state that has begun instituting democratic measures. Obama has eased sanction on the country, also known as Burma, and his visit will be the first there by a sitting U.S. president. Obama aides see Myanmar as not only a success story but also as a signal to other countries that the U.S. will reward democratic behavior. 'If Burma can continue to succeed in a democratic transition, then that can potentially send a powerful message regionally and around the world...that if countries do take the right decisions, we have to be there with incentives,' Rhodes said. | Obama and Secretary of State Clinton visited Wat Pho Royal Monastery in Bangkok . |
81,228 | e62bcea7ed76769425cf7028f3d82781f451afd7 | (CNN) -- An American man accused of kidnapping his two young sons and sailing to Cuba was declared insane by a Florida judge. Josh Hakken is insane and will likely be sent to a hospital for treatment before he can stand trial for the alleged kidnapping, Hillsborough Circuit Judge Chet Tharpe said Wednesday, CNN affiliate Bay News 9 reported. The ruling adds another chapter to the bizarre story of Hakken, his wife and their two sons. Some of the tale unfolded last year on CNN. Last April, Florida authorities said Josh and Sharyn Hakken kidnapped their two boys, ages 2 and 4, after losing custody of them. The boys were taken from the Tampa home of their grandmother. The story gained international attention when authorities said there was evidence that Hakken could have fled the country with the boys. Later that month, CNN found the family of four on a small sailboat in Havana. Josh Hakken glared through his sunglasses at the CNN reporter who found him and said nothing beyond confirming his identity. The two boys are OK, said a woman matching the description of his wife, and she left it at that. Cuban security officials wearing sidearms appeared as a CNN video crew was filming and ordered them to stop. Cuban authorities then detained Josh and Sharyn Hakken. The boys were returned to their grandparents. Both Hakkens were also returned to U.S. to stand trial. As for the fate of Sharyn Hakken? Her trial has been postponed, Bay News 9 reported. The judge also wants to check her psychological reports. 'Back to normal' for abducted kids, grandmother says . | Hakken and his wife are accused of abducting their sons after losing custody .
The boys were returned to grandparents in Florida . |
236,330 | bde4a0d40c872912899bbb1946e402c0e312ee8d | In a throwback to the Cold War, a Russian spy ship caused a stir after unexpectedly docking in Havana on the eve of historic talks between the U.S. and Cuba. There was nothing stealthy about the arrival of the Viktor Leonov CCB-175, which was moored to a pier in Old Havana where cruise ships often dock. But the visit was not officially announced by Cuban authorities. The timing also raised eyebrows as it came on Tuesday, the eve of historic U.S-Cuba talks aimed at normalising diplomatic relations. U.S. officials in Washington played down the presence of the Russian vessel, saying it was perfectly legal and not at all out of the ordinary. 'It's not unprecedented. It's not unusual. It's not alarming,' a defense official told AFP news agency. Scroll down for video . Arriving unnanounced: The Viktor Leonov CCB-175, a Russian Navy intelligence warship, is seen docked to a pier in Old Havana after sailing into the harbour on the eve of historic talks between the U.S. and Cuba . The Vishnya or Meridian-class intelligence ship, which has a crew of around 200, went into service in the Black Sea in 1988 before it was transferred seven years later to the northern fleet, according to Russian media. The vessel previously docked in Havana in February and March last year, staying there for a few days. Those visits were also unannounced. The Russians said the visit was scheduled a long time ago and was yesterday opened up for the children of Russian diplomats. For Cubans, who became increasingly dependent on Russia after the 1959 revolution, the ship's latest visit has taken them down memory lane. Raphael Hernandez told ABC News: 'We have normal relations with Russia. 'One day, when we have normal relations with U.S., we could have an American ship visiting.' The highest-level U.S. delegation in 35 years will conclude two-day talks in Havana today with both sides cautioning an immediate breakthrough was unlikely. Senior U.S. officials say they hope Cuba will agree to reopen embassies and appoint ambassadors in each other's capitals in coming months. Nothing to see here: U.S. officials in Washington played down the presence of the Russian vessel, saying it was perfectly legal and not at all out of the ordinary . The United States also wants travel curbs on its diplomats lifted and unimpeded shipments to its mission in Havana. During talks on Wednesday, the Americans vowed to continue granting safe haven to Cubans with special protections denied to other nationalities. Cuba complained the U.S. law promotes dangerous illegal immigration and protested against a separate U.S. program that encourages Cuban doctors to defect, calling it a 'reprehensible brain drain practice.' As her deputy sparred with the Cuban officials over immigration policy, the lead U.S. negotiator in the diplomatic talks, Roberta Jacobson, arrived in Havana aboard a commercial charter from Miami. She became the first U.S. assistant secretary of state to travel to the communist-led island in 38 years and the highest-ranking visitor in 35 years. Cuban and U.S. delegations take part in negotiations to restore diplomatic ties in Havana on Wednesday . Her Cuban counterpart will be Josefina Vidal, director of the foreign ministry's U.S. affairs, who also participated in the immigration talks. The meetings are the first since U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban President Raul Castro announced on Dec. 17 they would work to restore diplomatic ties snapped by Washington in 1961. Despite resistance from some in Congress, Obama has set the United States on a path toward removing economic sanctions and a 53-year-old trade embargo against Cuba. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Wednesday he looked forward to formally opening a U.S. embassy in Cuba. Kerry also said he was prepared, when the time was right, to meet his Cuban counterpart Bruno Rodriguez, with whom he has only talked by telephone. 'And when it is timely, when it is appropriate, I look forward to traveling to Cuba in order to formally open an embassy and begin to move forward,' Kerry told reporters in Washington. In his annual State of the Union speech on Tuesday, Obama urged Congress to start work on ending the embargo. But critics say Obama first needs to win concessions on Cuban political prisoners and democratic rights, the claims of U.S. citizens whose property was nationalised after Cuba's 1959 revolution, and U.S. fugitives who have received asylum in Cuba. The former Soviet Union was Cuba's main patron during the Cold War. | Viktor Leonov moors up in Old Havana pier during key diplomatic talks .
U.S. officials play down arrival saying it was 'not unusual, not alarming' |
65,269 | b952860ec43f9604c6ab3240b0749494d49a486f | By . Richard Shears . PUBLISHED: . 04:41 EST, 16 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:03 EST, 16 October 2013 . A mother spent three hours performing CPR on her daughter's blind pet chicken after it fell into a swimming pool. Blind since birth, Chooky Wooky was pulled lifeless from a family pool in Sydney after she wandered too close to the water - and was blown in by a strong gust of wind. It seemed there was no hope for the soggy pile of feathers that the sightless Chooky Wooky had become - but Roberta Rapo wasn't giving up on the family pet just yet. Back to life: Roberta Rapo, left, spent three hours performing CPR on her daughter's blind pet chicken after it fell into a swimming pool . And for the next three hours she pumped the tiny hen's chest, hoping she could bring life back to the chicken, her 14-year-old daughter Rayna's special pet. As a distressed Rayna looked on anxiously, Mrs Rapo applied CPR but it seemed that all hope was lost - until with a faint 'cluck' Chooky Wooky started moving again. Remarkably, there seemed to be no sign of brain damage, leaving Mrs Rapo and her daughter to believe that the chicken had a tiny amount of life left in her when she was brought out of the pool. Determined: Mrs Rapo pumped the tiny hen's chest, hoping she could bring life back to her 14-year-old daughter Rayna's, right, special pet, until with a faint 'cluck' Chooky Wooky started moving again . Back to normal: Rayna Rapo with her parents and her beloved chicken. Mrs Rapo said Chooky Wooky was an important companion for Rayna who has autism . Mother and daughter rushed the bird indoors and turned a hair dryer onto her to put some fluffiness back into her feathers. Was Chooky thankful? No doubt about it, because a short time later, after being given the 'all clear' by a vet, she laid a celebratory egg. Mrs Rapo told Sydney's Daily Telegraph that Chooky Wooky was an important companion for Rayna who has autism and is more comfortable around animals than humans. The family had taken the unwanted blind hen into their home as a permanent resident - and one of Rayna's closest friends. 'She's my little baby,' Rayna told the paper. 'I raised her, I love her and I love chickens.' As for the hen's remarkable recovery, Rayna commented: 'She's a miracle chicken.' | Chooky Wooky was .
pulled lifeless from the family pool in Sydney .
Wandered too .
close to the water and was blown in by a strong gust of wind .
Roberta Rapo spent hours pumping the hen's chest and it finally worked .
After being given the 'all clear' by a vet Chooky Wooky laid an egg . |
87,305 | f7b02b3aecb15559c480959f85b126a151ef509d | Osh, Kyrgyzstan (CNN) -- Kyrgyzstan will investigate allegations that government troops were involved in ethnic violence, an official said Sunday. Col. Kursan Asanov, appointed by the Kyrgyz interim government to run the reconciliation operation in the southern city of Osh, did not say whether the investigation would include independent investigators. Asanov said that a government-imposed curfew in Osh that was due to expire Sunday had been extended to Friday. The curfew stretches from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. (10 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET). Ethnic violence between Kyrgyz and Uzbeks has displaced 300,000 people inside Kyrgyzstan and forced 100,000 more to flee Kyrgyzstan, the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees estimated. The clashes, which erupted last week, were the most serious outbreak of ethnic violence in the former Soviet republic since 1990, when hundreds of people died in Osh. The Kyrgyz news agency Kabar said Friday that 191 people died in the violence but Roza Otunbayeva, the acting president of Kyrgyzstan, said that toll should be multiplied by 10, according to the Russian news website Kommersant. She said many deaths in the countryside were not part of the official total of yet. Refugees fleeing Kyrgyzstan's surge of ethnic violence have accused the central Asian nation's security forces of carrying out some of the deadly attacks. Emerging video and witness accounts point to units of the Kyrgyz military taking part in the violence. Uprooted people on both sides of the Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan border said they are frightened by the Kyrgyz military. Zuhra Khuchkarova, 48, said her son was killed not by an angry mob, but by the Kyrgyz Army on a killing rampage. "He was shot in the street by soldiers sitting on top of a tank, surrounded by Kyrgyz men," she said. "He was just 23 and had a pregnant wife. Now he'll never see his child." She was sure it was the military, she said. No one else has tanks. Hikmat said soldiers protected people at first, but then turned and shot peaceful Uzbek civilians. Ikromjon, too, said he saw Kyrgyz troops spray a crowd with bullets in the southern city of Osh. The two only gave first names because they did not want to be identified. The refugees spoke of homes and businesses burned by rampaging militias, bodies in the streets and how their relatives were killed. And they shared video footage captured on their cell phones. One began with a crowd of Kyrgyz men, facing their ethnic Uzbek rivals. A few seconds in, there are gunshots and cheers. "Hurray, they're coming," someone shouts in Kyrgyz, as an armored personnel carrier drives into the area amid more gunfire. In the pandemonium, a voice can be heard shouting: "They're using live bullets, not blanks." An aide to the interim president said he heard reports that Kyrgyz security forces were involved in shooting Uzbeks based on their ethnic background. However, he said he was not speaking on behalf of the government and that he believed the reports were mainly rumors and provocations. U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake, who toured a refugee camp near the Uzbekistan border, urged the government to ensure a fair probe into the violence. "I think that's going to be a very important element. Both a very substantial investigation and also that the perpetrators are held accountable," said Blake, the top American diplomat for Central Asia. Blake said he wants Kyrgyzstan authorities to investigate who carried out the attacks on ethnic Uzbeks and to bring those responsible to justice. Many refugees have found shelter along the Uzbekistan border in squalid refugee camps where food and medicine are in short supply. The U.N. World Food Programme planned to airlift food over the weekend to augment ongoing distributions. Starting Sunday, planes will carry 110 tons of high-energy biscuits from the agency's warehouse in Dubai to the region -- enough to provide daily rations for 206,000 refugees and displaced people, the agency said Saturday. The United Nations announced a $71 million emergency appeal for food, medicine and shelter for 500,000 victims of the violence that broke out on June 10. While many are encamped along the border, many are trapped in neighbourhoods in Osh. "With a huge number of people displaced by the conflict, and thousands more trapped without food, water or supplies, there's not a moment to lose," said Josette Sheeran, executive director of the WFP. | Government plans investigation of claims that troops were involved in ethnic violence .
Officials say curfew imposed in Osh extended until Friday .
One woman says Kyrgyz army killed son .
Government aide: Reports of Uzbeks shot by Kyrgyz are rumors . |
191,708 | 843f1233124577587988d3f50f92828d6aa79aed | By . Tamara Cohen . PUBLISHED: . 18:12 EST, 12 March 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:39 EST, 13 March 2012 . Water companies unveiled an 11-point diktat last night to stop 20million people from beating a hosepipe ban. As the drought-hit South and East of the country faced drastic restrictions on consumption, bosses issued an extensive checklist to prevent households from exploiting loopholes. It includes a ban on using a hose or sprinkler to water plants, wash a car or boat, fill fountains, swimming or paddling pools, or to clean patios, driveways or windows. Even spraying your children to keep . them cool in the sunshine will be outlawed, and those caught breaking . the rules face a £1,000 fine. Seven water companies announced that . they would enforce Temporary Use Bans – affecting one in three UK homes – . from April 5 after the plans were revealed in the Daily Mail yesterday. The strict rules are an attempt to . close any loopholes after the last hosepipe ban in 2006 led to . widespread accusations of cheating, with thousands reported to water . companies by their neighbours or served with 'yellow card' letters . warning them to obey the law. Yesterday water companies stressed . that they hoped the ban would be enforced through goodwill and educating . people about the need to save water. No need for a bridge: The River Lavant has also totally disappeared at West Dean College, West Sussex . Water, water everywhere: Three years ago the River Lavant at West Dean was a picturesque waterway . The restrictions were brought in . following two years of chronically low rainfall which has left rivers . dry and reservoirs down to record low levels. Customers of Anglian Water, Southern, . Southeast, Thames, Veolia Southeast and Veolia Central – which cover . parts of London and the Home Counties – and Sutton and East Surrey Water . will be affected. Water companies said that without persistent above-average . rainfall for several weeks, the unpopular measures could last until the . end of the summer in the 14 counties which are already officially in . drought. Otherwise they face 'severe drought' by the summer, the Environment Agency warned yesterday, which could . result in extending restrictions to businesses. Hosepipe bans may also be enforced in . East Yorkshire and Wiltshire which are at 'high risk' of drought . conditions this summer, the agency's Drought Prospects report said. Its chairman Lord Smith urged . businesses to cut down on use, as electricity companies which use water . for cooling and water-intensive industries such as concrete . manufacturing could be affected. Predictions of continuing dry weather . have raised fears that restrictions could be extended to car washes, . road cleaning and public pools. Dry as a bone: The River Pang has run dry from Bucklebury to its source seven miles upstream at Compton . Scenic: A verdant stretch of the River Pang before the lack of rain of recent months took its toll . The Met Office's long-range forecast, . which is given to Government and businesses, revealed that the chances . of heavy rain are as low as 10 per cent between March and May, compared . with a long-term average of 20 per cent. The average person uses 150 litres of . water a day. Water company infrastructure across England and Wales . leaked 3.4billion litres a day in 2010/11 – a third of the UK's usage – . according to the regulator Ofwat. The latest figures revealed that . groundwater levels across the affected region are even lower than during . the 1976 drought when taps were switched off in some cities, and . residents had to use standpipes in the street. People enjoying the warm spring weather in St James's Park, London. Forecasters predict a week of sunshine with temperatures reaching 19 degrees, seven degrees higher than the monthly average . Golden hello: The rising sun greets a dog walker on Bamburgh Beech, while as the day warmed up sun-worshippers flocked to the beach in Old Portsmouth . Drought conditions are already . affecting fruit and cereal crops, as well as destroying wildlife . habitats and causing fish to die in low rivers. Justin Taberham of the Chartered . Institution of Water and Environmental Management said that if consumers . do not start curbing their water use at home, the economy will be . affected. 'If water levels in drought-stricken . areas don't improve, hosepipe bans could be just the beginning and . industry will start to be affected,' he said. Summer sun: A woman enjoying Brighton beach yesterday morning . Riding out: Rachael Foister enjoys the hot weather and spring daffodils at West Dean College, West Sussex . Taking the plunge: A couple look set to brave the sea in Old Portsmouth . 'The first companies to face bans will . be those who waste water unnecessarily and aren't seen as particularly . important, like car wash firms. 'If things continue to get worse, . that's when agriculture will be affected and public parks will struggle . with maintaining their gardens. 'As industries pay per volume of water . used, they are not as wasteful of water as homeowners who may leave the . tap running or not use watering cans. Simply put, if people want to . stop facing these bans, they need to think more about what they are . doing.' This is one of the largest hosepipe . bans ever implemented. The last in the South was in 2006 affecting . 12million people, and 7million in the North East were hit in 2010. Ciaran Nelson of Anglian Water said: 'Although it is a hosepipe ban, it . is really symbolic of urging people to do everything they can to save . water at home. 'We don't have sprinkler patrols and . helicopters in the air watching people, but we are confident they will . do the right thing at a very difficult time because of the exceptionally . dry two years we have had.' Martin Baggs, chief executive of . Thames Water, said water levels in the underground aquifers were some of . the lowest ever recorded. He said: 'We know these restrictions . will be unpopular, but they will save a lot of water. A garden sprinkler . uses as much water in an hour as a family of four uses in a day.' Dry run: The beautiful weather brings out the joggers in Portsmouth . Dawn of summer: The sun rises over Bamburgh Castle in Northumberland at the start of what forecasters are predicting will be a warm week . | Water bosses in the South and East issue checklist of restrictions for 20m people .
It includes washing cars and boats, filling fountains and cleaning windows .
Those caught breaking the rules face a £1,000 fine .
It follows two years of low rainfall that's left reservoirs at record low levels .
Predictions of more dry weather has led to fears of even more restrictions . |
82,903 | eb1754711e57c76530306892636b9dfdf2173bd6 | Juventus and Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo has been voted best player of the 2013-14 season in Serie A. Pirlo was selected by his fellow players as well as coaches and journalists, and the results were revealed at a ceremony in Milan Monday night. The 35-year-old Pirlo was one of seven Juventus players in the team of the year, including fellow veteran Gianluigi Buffon. VIDEO Scroll down to see Andrea Pirlo speak about the "exciting" Antonio Conte . Andrea Pirlo (left) was named Serie A player of the year at the fourth 'Grand Gala Football AIC 2014' awards . Coach Antonio Conte (right) smiles with Carlos Tevez after picking up the coach of the year award . Arturo Vidal and Paul Pogba take a selfie (left) while Kwadwo Asamoah attended the awards on crutches . Veteran Italy keeper Gianluigi Buffon was one of seven Juventus players named in team of the year . Former Manchester City striker Tevez enjoys the gala ceremony in Milan . Manchester United target Arturo Vidal smiles during the show as Juventus sweep the awards . Former Manchester United midfielder Pogba was another Juve star named in the team of the year . The duo were joined in the top 11 by teammates Kwadwo Asamoah, Andrea Barzagli, Paul Pogba, Arturo Vidal and Carlos Tevez, as well as Torino duo Ciro Immobile and Matteo Darmian, Napoli's Gonzalo Higuain and Roma's Mehdi Benatia. Antonio Conte was chosen as coach of the year, while Empoli defender Daniele Rugani, who is co-owned by Juventus, was voted best Serie B player. | Andrea Pirlo has been named best player in Serie A for 2013-14 season .
Juventus manager Antonio Conte picked up the coach of the year award .
The Old Lady had seven players named in the team of the year .
Empoli defender Daniele Rugani was named Serie B player of the year . |
252,246 | d27832bd301e1ba9edd5629026d04cbb1b7348a3 | Analysis of an ancient pelt buried with the remains of a Bronze Age princess has revealed that bears once roamed the hills of Dartmoor, experts have claimed . The animal skin was discovered inside a bog in 2011 on White Horse Hill. It was found wrapped around objects in the grave, including a woven basket and cremated human remains. All the finds discovered at the . 4,000-year-old site, including the fur and exotic beads, indicate the . grave was for a person of high status. Archaeologists believe that wild brown bears once lived on Dartmoor, after discovering a 4,000-year old fur pelt (pictured) buried with the remains of a Bronze Age princess . ‘It’s entirely possible bears were living in the local area,' said Fiona . Pitt, curator of Plymouth Museum, where the grave finds are on show. ‘We . think bears were spread around Britain at the time. Their natural . habitat was around woodland so they may have been around Dartmoor.’ Typical DNA analysis methods failed because of the effect of the bog . on the pelt, so it was sent to the Smithsonian Institute in the US where a . process called peptide mass fingerprinting was used. Vanessa . Straker, English Heritage’s science advisor for the South West said: . ‘Finding the right technique to analyse it took some time. The pelt was found in 2011 in a peat bog on White Horse Hill wrapped around artefacts found in the grave, including a woven basket containing precious amber beads and earrings, as well as the cremated remains of a Bronze Age princes (actor pictured) Fiona Pitt, curator of Plymouth Museum, where the grave finds are on show, said: 'It's entirely possible bears were living in the local area. We think bears were spread around Britain at the time. Their natural habitat was around woodland so they may have been around Dartmoor' Despite there being about 200 burial cists on Dartmoor, the moor has offered up few secrets before due to grave robbing. ‘This is the most outstanding site to have been excavated locally in over 100 years,’ said Ms Pitt of Plymouth Museum. ‘The items that were discovered in the cist are of national and international importance and provide one of the best glimpses into life in Bronze Age southern England that academics and scientists have ever had.’ They are now on show at Plymouth Museum. The results indicated that the pelt once belonged to a brown bear. ‘We . thought it would be one of the easiest finds to identify - it looked . very well preserved - but these things are so rarely preserved at all . that we have little experience of working on them.’ Other discoveries at the 4,000-year-old site include a hoard of about 150 beads. 'Some . of the beads were made from amber which would have been traded from . abroad, suggesting a person of high social status,' said Ms Pitt. In February, experts said that the buried artefacts could have belonged to a Bronze Age princess. The . basket held a collection of precious beads, wooden earrings and a flint . flake, shedding light on an advanced society capable of amazing . craftsmanship and international trade. The objects were the subject of a BBC . 2 documentary in March called 'Mystery on the Moor,' in which viewers saw . the coiled bag opened for . the the first time in 4,000 years. The basket (pictured) is around 4,000 years old and held a collection of ancient beads, wooden earrings and a flink flake, shedding light on a Bronze Age society capable of amazing craftsmanship and international trade . The objects were pulled from a prehistoric cremation burial chamber (pictured) in Devon and have allowed scientists to get one of the best glimpses into life in Bronze Age Southern England . Intriguing finds including prehistoric wooden earrings (pictured right), beads (also pictured), a studded bracelet and a near perfectly animal pelt have just gone on show at a new exhibition . The basket bag is fashioned from two circular . disks measuring 4.5 inches (12cm) in diameter to form a flat base and . lid, which is joined by a tube made using a coiled basketry technique . with cow hair stitching around the edge and was preserved in peat. The . wooden earrings inside, which measure up to an inch (2.5cm) in . diameter, have side grooves and are made from spindle wood – a hard, . fine grained tree that grows in Dartmoor which is traditionally used to . make knitting needles. The wooden earrings (pictured) measure up to two-and-a-half centimetres in diameter and and are made from spindle wood - a hard, fine grained tree that grows in Dartmoor which is traditionally used to make knitting needles . ‘The studs are unique in British . prehistory; they also represent the earliest evidence for wood turning . in the UK,’ experts at the Dartmoor National Park Authority said. Archaeologists . are used the objects to build up a picture of the person who was buried . at the site on Whitehorse Hill and it is thought they were of . considerable importance in the local community. They . speculate that the items, which also include precious jewellery, . belonged to a women between the ages of 14 and 25-years-old, who was . probably a princess. An . expert at Dartmoor National Park Authority told MailOnline that . archaeologists came to this conclusion as other lesser, comparable items . have been founded in prehistoric cairns. The princess was of incredibly high social standing, as evidenced by the high position of her final resting place 600 metres above sea level on the northern moors, which would have been visible to nearby settlements and the valuable items that were buried with her. A delicate woven bracelet with tin studs (pictured) was also unearthed. A total of 35 tin studs were held in place by a band of woven cow hair (although 32 remain). While the metal has oxidized, it would have been shiny in appearance . The ancient burial chamber (pictured) was deliberately positioned high upon a hill to show the princess' high status, experts said. They expect to find a settlement nearby . Bronze Age Britons were skilled at making tin and might have traded it with other far flung communities. They used to create elaborate jewellery, such as the delicate bracelet that was found. Other materials found at the site - including amber beads - show that people traded internationally. A stone flint also discovered, showed that while people used bronze tools, there were also still using earlier tools, which again, would probably have been traded. High status individuals were revered and were buried in elaborate burial chambers with precious possessions. It is not known how many people the princess would have ruled over but Dartmoor was well inhabited 4,000 years ago. The remains of 5,000 hut circles - Bronze Age houses have been discovered so far that had conical thatched roofs. Archaeologists have previously found small clusters of these houses in fenced enclosures that would have protected people from animals. People at the time had advanced cultural and religious beliefs. High status people also took care with their appearance and wore carefully crafted clothes and jewellery from fur pelts to tin beaded bracelets. Archaeologists first stumbled across . the chamber a decade ago when a stone fell out of the peat hag which had . been concealing it – far from other known prehistoric sites. 'The . find fills in the blanks of the local map in terms of Bronze Age . settlements, as before there was little evidence of inhabitation, so . there must be a settlement nearby,' one local expert told MailOnline. 'There's much more to discover in the area,' he said. A skilfully-made decorative sash or belt was folded around the cremated remains along with the pelt. It is composed of . textile and leather with a fringe of outward pointing leather triangles . made from thin calf skin. But the discovery of beads made of tin initially got archaeologists particularly excited because they are the earliest evidence of tin production found in the South West. Over 200 beads were plucked from and around the basket and some are made from amber. The precious material from the Baltic was associated with supernatural powers and used as an amulet, which therefore suggests a very high status burial as well as demonstrating that Bronze Age Britons traded with people from the continent. A delicate woven bracelet with tin studs was also unearthed. A total of 35 tin studs are held in place by a band of woven cow hair. While the metal has oxidized, it would have been shiny in appearance. ‘The use of tin for decorative objects . is exceptionally rare within prehistoric burial contexts in Britain and . despite tin being a locally available resource on Dartmoor, this is the . first time it has been found within a prehistoric archaeological . context,’ local experts said. Ms Pitt said: ‘This is the most outstanding site to have been excavated locally in over 100 years.' ‘The . items that were discovered in the cist are of national and . international importance and provide one of the best glimpses into life . in Bronze Age southern England that academics and scientists have ever . had.’ The artefacts have just gone on display at Plymouth City Museum and Art Gallery. Over 200 beads were plucked from and around the basket and some are made from amber, demonstrating international trade as the precious material comes from the Baltic. The grey beads are made from shale and the centre bead from tin - another precious material showing the wearer was of high social status . Here, a model wears modern replicas of what the prehistoric jewellery is thought to have looked like. The use of tin for decorative objects is exceptionally rare within prehistoric burial contexts in Britain and has not been discovered before . | Bear pelt was among a hoard of Bronze Age treasure unearthed in Dartmoor .
It's thought to have belonged to a princess aged under 25 years old .
Peptide mass fingerprinting was used to identify the fur belonged to a bear .
Experts say that brown bears lived in the area 4,000 years ago .
Precious jewellery made of amber and tin, plus delicate fur and fabric was preserved in peat and demonstrates craftsmanship and trade links . |
260,631 | dd7c95b7d70679669b5d925bef629044ac96e867 | By . Jill Reilly . PUBLISHED: . 04:32 EST, 13 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:55 EST, 14 May 2013 . A Hungarian man who sliced off one of his arms managed to drive 10 miles (15 kilometres) to hospital. The 37-year-old, known as Tibor A, sliced his arm off below the elbow in an accident while cleaning a machine that processes construction rubble. But he managed to retrieve his arm and drive through Austria clutching the severed limb. Hungarian worker Tibor A. recovers following surgery after he managed to drive 15lm to the nearest hospital after sawing off his right arm below the elbow . Plastic surgoen Oskar Assmann (centre) reattached the worker's arm in Vienna's hospital AKH . The horrific accident happened on Sunday in Purbach in eastern Austria. His arm was successfully reattached by plastic surgeons at Vienna's hospital AKH. He managed to operate his car and sped to the casualty department in nearby Eisenstadt, reported AFP. Police said the only reason the Hungarian did not bleed to death was that he was in a state of shock. He was airlifted to hospital in Vienna where doctors were trying to stitch the limb back on. The 37-year old was cleaning a machine that processes construction rubble when he sliced off his arm. He managed to retrieve his arm and drive to hospital . | The 37-year-old, known as Tibor A, sliced his arm off below the elbow .
Accident happened as he cleaned machinery that processes rubble .
Medics said he was in a state of shock so did not bleed to death . |
221,556 | aacb7c0a554fcbd91f114aae4a85a8ce21e2b291 | An Al Qaeda supporter from Brooklyn is suing the US, claiming that tight-fitting shackles have given him deep-vein thrombosis. Wesam El-Hanafi, 38, is due to be sentenced for helping terror network Al Qaeda. However, he is simultaneously suing the US, claiming that he's been mistreated since being detained and as a result has potentially life-threatening blood clots in one of his legs. El-Hanafi, an Egyptian-American, claims that his symptoms started after his arrest in Dubai in 2010. Trial: Wesam El-Hanafi, centre, during his initial appearance on terrorism-related charges at a US District Court in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2010 . Lawsuit: Wesam El-Hanafi claims that mistreatment after his arrest has left him with deep-vein thrombosis (stock image) He claims that his legs were shackled for three days and four nights and that his FBI handlers didn’t allow him to stretch his legs properly during the 14-hour flight back to America. His lawsuit claims that he was only allowed to walk around the plane once, for 15 minutes, so he could pray and use the bathroom. Despite his condition being diagnosed in 2011, he is alleging that it went untreated for nearly two years through a lack of compassion from prison authorities. The condition was exacerbated, he claims, when he was eventually given hospital treatment, but shackled so tightly that he was left in unbearable pain and needed another hospital stay two weeks later when he began coughing up blood. ‘He has trouble walking. He has constant pain,’ his lawyer Jake Harper told The New York Daily News. El-Hanafi, a computer engineer and former Lehman Brothers employee with a wife and three children, faces up to 20 years in jail. US authorities say that after meeting two Al Qaeda members in Yemen in 2008 he swore allegiance to their extremist organisation and taught them how to send undetected messages online. | Wesam El-Hanafi says he has been left him with a life-threatening condition .
The former computer engineer, 38, faces up to 20 years in jail . |
110,447 | 1a5ff6842b996e68b59fd0973fef171224d70398 | (CNN Student News) -- December 16, 2014 . Featured today: A hostage situation in Australia's largest city comes to a violent end, searchers scour the ocean floor for clues about what happened to a missing airliner, and a cyberattack exposes secrets at Sony Pictures. We feature a random segment involving animals and air travel, and we take you to what could become the hub of future space travel. On this page you will find today's show Transcript and a place for you to request to be on the CNN Student News Roll Call. TRANSCRIPT . Click here to access the transcript of today's CNN Student News program. Please note that there may be a delay between the time when the video is available and when the transcript is published. CNN Student News is created by a team of journalists who consider the Common Core State Standards, national standards in different subject areas, and state standards when producing the show. ROLL CALL . For a chance to be mentioned on the next CNN Student News, comment on the bottom of this page with your school name, mascot, city and state. We will be selecting schools from the comments of the previous show. You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call! Thank you for using CNN Student News! | This page includes the show Transcript .
Use the Transcript to help students with reading comprehension and vocabulary .
At the bottom of the page, comment for a chance to be mentioned on CNN Student News. You must be a teacher or a student age 13 or older to request a mention on the CNN Student News Roll Call. |
207,827 | 9915726fcfbdfc7473708d07e3720be4a16cc6ab | (CNN) -- Most people who travel by train on a regular basis rush through the station so quickly, they never stop to appreciate their surroundings. But some railway terminals deserve a long admiring look for their beauty, their heritage and their engineering accomplishments. Here are five that are on the right track. Grand Central Terminal, New York . For 100 years, New York's Grand Central Terminal has represented big-city hustle and bustle. About 700,000 people pass through it every day; yet, incredible as it seems today, Grand Central almost met its demise in the 1970s. It was rescued in large part by former first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, who became a driving force behind the campaign to protect and preserve the landmark building, saving it from the fate that befell New York's original Pennsylvania Station in 1963. Renovation and restoration has continued ever since Onassis stepped in. One milestone was the cleaning and restoration of the terminal's 25,000-square-foot cerulean blue and gold leaf zodiac ceiling, which was enhanced further in 2010 with the addition of LEDs to mark specific stars in the heavens. There's a small Transit Museum on the main concourse, and the lower level food court offers so many options, even locals eat there. The Campbell Apartment -- tucked away in a corner on the upper level -- is a clubby place for cocktails. To mark the terminal's 100th anniversary, a schedule of centennial events such as performances, exhibitions and art installations will continue throughout 2013. Where can you go from here? To suburban New York and Connecticut; as far as Poughkeepsie or New Haven and all points in between. The East Side Access project, scheduled for completion in 2019, will provide access to the Long Island Rail Road as well. Then again, this is New York, and you don't really need to go anywhere else to find things to see and do, starting with a guided tour of Grand Central terminal conducted by a docent from the Municipal Art Society of New York or a self-guided audio tour available in six languages. Liège-Guillemins Station, Belgium . In the past, Brussels and Antwerp might have cast a skeptical eye toward Liège, Belgium's third-largest metro area, but their skepticism turned to envy when the stunning steel and glass Liège-Guillemins Station, designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava, was unveiled in 2009. It's a remarkable achievement, not least because during the 10 years of its construction, the trains to and from Liège were never shut down. "It was very important for us to have an architect who had (designed) stations before and knew how to prevent the problems," said Louis Maraite, a spokesman for SNCB-Holding, which operates Belgium's rail stations. Before Liège, Calatrava designed Gare de Saint-Exupéry in Lyon, France, and Oriente Station in Lisbon, among others; he's currently working on a station for Mons, Belgium, that will open before the city becomes European Capital of Culture in 2015. His influence is apparent throughout Liège-Guillemins Station, from its gently peaked 35-meter-high glass roof to the designs of the shops and cafés on the main concourse to the children's day care facility, the first at a European station. He even makes himself felt in subliminal ways. For instance, there is no advertising on the train platforms; no posters or kiosks interfere with his vision or yours. It's as refreshing and uncluttered as a train station can be. Where can you go from here? The new station was built primarily to accommodate high-speed trains such as the Thalys from France and the Inter-city Express (ICE) from Germany. They will take you to Brussels in less than an hour; Cologne, Germany, in one hour and Paris in a little over two hours. Liège is a working city whose political and religious machinations date to when Charlemagne was a lad (he was born in the area). Local culinary traditions include the gin-like beverage peket, crunchy sugar-coated liègeoise-style waffles and delicious sweet-and-sour meatballs known as Boulet a la liègeoise, all of which can be savored at the station. Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building, Japan . Just shy of its 100th birthday, the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building received a facelift, bringing it as close to the way it looked when it opened in December 1914 as anyone can recall. The restoration was well-deserved; the elegant red brick building has weathered plenty of upheaval in its history. In 1923, the Great Kanto Earthquake rocked its foundation. In 1945, the Great Tokyo Air Raid destroyed the roof and much of the building's interior, and the aftermath of World War II resulted in the loss of the building's third story and two architectural domes. Kingo Tatsuno, a prominent architect of the Meiji Period at the turn of the last century, designed the station in a distinctly Western style, a reflection of his time spent studying in Europe. Yet, like his neo-Baroque Bank of Japan "Old Building" from 1896, the Tokyo Station Marunouchi Building is a Tokyo landmark. Even in a city that embraces the ultramodern, it would be hard for most residents to conceive of anything that could take its place. The restoration, completed in October 2012, brought back the domes and original architectural features and added Japan's largest seismic isolation system to limit the potential effects of earthquakes. The station's centennial celebration starts in 2014; events will be announced in the coming months. Where can you go from here? A walk through the surrounding Marunouchi business district takes you to the Imperial Palace. Tokyo Station is the primary hub for Japan's famed shinkansen "bullet trains." The fastest route on the Tokaido Shinkansen line covers the 246 miles from Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto in 2½ hours. The fastest route on the Tohuko Shinkansen line, traveling at up to 320 kmh, takes you from Tokyo north to Aomori, about 350 miles, in about three hours. Before you board, pick up an ekiben train station bento box for your trip; these flavorful box lunches are designed for train travel and feature regional food specialties. Helsinki Central Station, Finland . In 1923, architect Eliel Saarinen moved from Finland to the United States and became a professor at the University of Michigan. By that time, he'd already left Helsinki a lasting legacy: Helsinki Central Station. It opened in 1919 and remains one of the world's most stunning examples of art nouveau architecture, known in Finland as Jugend. Like many other landmark buildings in Helsinki (Helsinki Cathedral comes to mind), the station is majestic and arresting without being showy, and it represents the marriage of functionality and beauty that still defines Finnish design. Most majestic and arresting of all are the four granite giants who flank the station's main entrance. Created by Emil Wikström, they carry enormous globe lamps, lighting the way for the 200,000 passengers who travel to and from the station daily. Inside the station, people stop in to the Eliel Restaurant as much to see the lovely landscape by Finnish realist artist Eero Jarnefelt on its wall as they do for the light meals served there. Where can you go from here? Last year marked the 150th anniversary of the oldest section of track in Finland, the route between Helsinki and Hämeenlinna, birthplace of Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. Today an express train will take you there in just over one hour. In just over two hours, you can be in the charming, historic city of Turku, with its Swedish heritage, unusual architecture and internationally renowned shipyard where cruise ships are constructed. Farther still, the Allegro train runs from Helsinki to St. Petersburg, Russia; travel times vary. Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus, Mumbai . When it opened, it was called Victoria Terminus, in honor of England's Queen Victoria, who had taken the title Empress of India in 1877 and who'd celebrated her Golden Jubilee in 1887. (There was a ceremonial opening in the Jubilee year, but the trains weren't running in earnest until 1888.) Now celebrating its 125th anniversary, Mumbai's central station is known as Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus in honor of the first Maratha emperor, and it maintains its status as one of the world's great Victorian Gothic Revival buildings. British architect Frederick William Stevens gave the station all the ornamentation and grandeur of the Victorian age, and then he added a little bit more: architectural features such as domes and arches derived from Indian styles. Inside, it almost resembles a cathedral, from its vaulted ceiling to the stained-glass windows with images of locomotives instead of religious figures. In 2008, the terminal was the target of a terrorist attack that left the city deeply shaken, but three years later, in 2011, a flash mob of ordinary people dancing to a hit song joyfully "reclaimed" the station for the millions of travelers and commuters who pass through it each day. Where can you go from here? Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminus is the busiest train station in India; Central Railway estimates that 3 million people a day travel on the Mumbai Suburban train system. A regional train to Pune, where the real Chhatrapati Shivaji lived in the 17th century, will take about three to four hours. If you're taking your time, the Deccan Odyssey is an eight-day rail journey that starts and ends at the terminal and takes in palaces, forts, beaches and the UNESCO World Heritage Ellora Caves and Ajanta Caves. | Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava's Liège-Guillemins Station was unveiled in 2009 .
Grand Central Terminal features a 25,000-square-foot cerulean blue and gold leaf zodiac ceiling .
Eliel Saarinen's Helsinki Central Station is a stunning example of art nouveau architecture . |
272,831 | ed5be2396ccdee59811ed60ab5140599ae241e2a | By . Associated Press . PUBLISHED: . 15:28 EST, 8 October 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:28 EST, 8 October 2013 . The 64-year-old woman who swam from Cuba to Florida is now attempting to swim in a pool in midtown Manhattan for 48 straight hours to benefit victims of Superstorm Sandy. Wearing a pink swim cap, Diana Nyad dove into the 40-yard pool set up in Herald Square and began doing laps shortly before 9 a.m. Tuesday. Her aim is to raise money for people still struggling a year after Sandy. Distance Swimmer Diana Nyad during an attempt to swim for 48 hours straight in a constructed 40-meter pool in Herald Square, NYC . Diana Nyad is raising money for Hurricane Sandy victims - almost a year after the disaster . 'It's going to be so magical to be out there,' she said in an interview yesterday with The Associated Press. 'It's going to be a spectacle right in the middle of New York City.' Last month, the native New Yorker became the first person to have swum from Havana to Key West, Florida, without a shark cage. She said that one of her Manhattan swimming companions will be a dog named Roscoe that survived Sandy floodwaters. Also expected to join her are Olympic gold medalist Ryan Lochte and Richard Simmons, dressed in a suit graced with about 300 Swarovski crystals. Diana Nyad keeps hydrated before starting her 48 swim in a New York pool . Diana Nyad (right) hugs a volunteer swim partner from the Fire Department of New York . Nyad said she may break otherwise strict athletic rules by hugging some of the humans joining her in the two-lane pool. 'I'm going to feel the solidarity. And every penny is going to go right to the victims.' Contributions are being accepted by the disaster relief agency AmeriCares Foundation, which will distribute the funds. Nyad's fame for her swim from Cuba was accompanied by speculation that she had gotten into or held onto a boat during part of her 53-hour journey. But on Monday, she waved off critics, saying, 'there will always be naysayers.' Distance Swimmer Diana Nyad treads water during a snack break . Last month, the native New Yorker became the first person to have swum from Havana to Key West, Fla., without a shark cage . She insisted she wore no flippers, used no cage, did not get out of the water and was never supported by another human being for what she calls 'the most epic swim in history.' Nyad expects the Manhattan swim to be far more fun than her feat in the ocean, which she expected to be 'much more unforgiving' than two days of urban pool laps. After this, she said she's looking to more 'personal, creative' charity events using the portable pool — possibly to raise money for victims of tornadoes, tsunamis, terrorist attacks and other disasters. And, she added with a grin, she may want to try her hand at another solo event — maybe a one-woman show on Broadway. She offered no details. The 40-meter pool was constructed in Herald Square, NYC . | Nyad, 64, swam from Cuba to Florida without a shark cage last month .
Ryan Lochte and Richard Simmons are expected to join her . |
140,826 | 4218d72d2775d2d2f3d77216bdb171f070656b19 | Two helicopters performed dramatic low flights through Tower Bridge as amazed bystanders looked on in awe. The choppers are believed to have been filming an sequence for the London 2012 Olympic games opening ceremony on July 27. After a fly by over the top of the bridge last night the helicopters returned, performing the daring move three times. Scroll down for video . Dramatic: The two helicopters flew in close formation through iconic Tower Bridge which spans the River Thames in London . Stunt: The rear dark coloured helicopter had a front facing camera that appeared to be filming the first helicopter as they passed through Tower Bridge . Attraction: Huge crowds gather on both banks of the river as the helicopters flew in close formation in the direction of east London through Tower Bridge . The spectacular event was believed to be for the film The Arrival, a short film being directed by Danny Boyle. It is believed the piece will be shown will be shown during the opening ceremony at Olympic Stadium in Stratford, east London. Mr Boyle, whose previous directing credits include Trainspotting, 28 Days Later and Slumdog Millionaire, is in charge of the Olympic opening ceremony. Mission: This helicopter is believed to have been carrying Daniel Craig during the shooting of a James Bond sequence for the Olympic opening ceremony . Air: The two helicopters continue of their way towards Stratford after passing through Tower Bridge three times in front of appreciative crowds . It is rumoured that the film will see actor Daniel Craig as James Bond being given his next mission of 'launching' the Olympic Games. Vision: Danny Boyle, (pictured in 2011), is in charge of the Olympic opening ceremony . This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Bond film and Boyle with his crew have reportedly already been filming inside Buckingham Palace. In the film Bond is ordered on his mission at Buckingham Palace and then flys by helicopter to Stratford, where he parachutes into the arena. Crowds thronged both sides of the River Thames around iconic Tower Bridge as road traffic was stopped to allow the two helicopters to fly through. The only time an aircraft has previously flown through Tower Bridge was in 1968. Flight Lieutenant Alan Pollock . flew an RAF Hawker Hunter plane through the bridge as a protest against . the Government. Road traffic on Tower Bridge and river . traffic on the Thames was halted while the two helicopters made two . passes through the middle of the famous bridge. In 2009 a helicopter flew close to the bridge to film scenes for a Sherlock Holmes film, but did not actually fly through the bridge. Boyle's Olympic opening ceremony is reportedly going to be a £27m four-hour spectacular that will feature a tribute to the NHS, a torch lighting sequence and a cast and crew of 12,000. | Stunt thought to have been for short opening ceremony film being directed by Danny Boyle .
The helicopters may have been carrying Daniel Craig in his role as James Bond . |
26,332 | 4aa7786c105ac92ecea18649a2476710458a1caf | (CNN) -- Leading Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan says he was detained for nearly two hours Friday night at New Jersey's Newark International Airport because of his last name. Bollywood actor Shah Rukh Khan said he was detained by authorities at the Newark, New Jersey, airport. In an interview with CNN's sister network in India, CNN-IBN, Khan said immigration officials at the airport detained him for questioning after they said his name was flagged. "They kept on telling me that my name is common to some name that has popped up on the computer, so they need to follow procedure," he said. "It took them an hour and a half, two hours; they kept on asking me questions, if I could give them any ... numbers in America that they can contact and vouch for me and who I am." A U.S. Customs and Border Protection spokesman said the agency could not comment on specific incidents. "I was really taken aback because there were people who knew me there," Khan told CNN-IBN, referring to other travelers who were nearby. Rajeev Shukla, the secretary of India's ruling Congress party and a friend of Khan's, told CNN that the actor called him from Newark, as well as Khan's secretary and family. Shukla said Khan, who was en route to Chicago, Illinois, was allowed to leave after Indian Embassy officials intervened. In New Delhi, India, U.S. Ambassador Timothy Roemer issued a statement describing Khan as a "very welcome guest" in the United States and a "global icon." "Many Americans love his films," Roemer said. "We are trying to ascertain the facts of the case -- to understand what took place." The Indian government said in a written statement that it understood that Khan had been "taken aside for 'secondary questioning'" at Newark airport. "The consulate general of India got in touch with him immediately upon learning about the incident," the statement said. "Mr. Khan said that he was all right. The consulate offered him any assistance that he may require." The government said it has taken up the matter with the U.S. Embassy in New Delhi. CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report. | Indian movie star Shah Rukh Khan says he was held for two hours .
Immigration officials told actor his surname came up on computer, he says .
Officials asked for ID verification, though others at airport recognized him, he says .
Ambassador to India calls Khan "a very welcome guest" in United States . |
151,375 | 4fb46ef1f7e9d0f3600e3219d515ccef3d7dfd1a | A Blond robber in dark glasses casually points a gun at a terrified bank manager as she claims a stack of gold bullion. It may sound like the kind of scene you would hope to shield youngsters from – but this is actually a toy set aimed at children from four to ten. Anti-gun campaigners have hit out at Playmobil over its Bank and Safe pack, which comes with all the pieces needed to stage a violent heist, including a safe that opens to reveal a haul of valuables and armed bank robber figurines. Child's play: The blonde-haired doll points a gun at the bank manager as he hands over the gold bullion in the Playmobil Bank and Safe set which re-enacts a bank robbery . The German manufacturer claims the toy, on sale for around £35, encourages children to ‘imagine, invent, create’. But Danny Bryan of Communities Against Gun and Knife Crime, which works . to help youngsters avoid lives of violence, said: ‘We don’t want to be . encouraging young people to look at these sorts of things. 'I think it is . horrendous that young people are given all these images to shape them. It is sending out the wrong message.’ Aimed at . children aged four to 10, the set includes gold bars, cash, a big bag to . put the loot in, a pistol and a screwdriver to wrench open the cash . point machine. Smash and grab: The set, now on sale at Toys R Us, has raised eyebrows among the anti-gun community about the message it is sending our children . Heist at home: Aimed at children, the set is suitable for four to ten-year-olds but anti-gun campaigner Danny Bryan said it was 'horrendous' A description of the set on The Early Learning Centre website read: ‘Watch out. The bank . robber is after all the money in the bank and is demanding the key to . the safe - what will the bank manager do?’ The centre writes that the set is not . suitable for children under four-years-old - due to small parts, never . mind the re-acting of a violent crime. A Toys R Us spokesperson was unavailable to comment. German company Playmobil has caused controversy before, manufacturing construction worker play sets which come complete with shovels, tools and three crates of what appears to be beer. And this is not the first time toys have been considered controversial and inappropriate before. Impressionable age: Mr Bryan said it is 'horrendous that young people are given all these images to shape them' Last year police swooped on a shopkeeper’s business and seized a cache of gun-shaped calculators because they feared they could be used in a robbery. The 30 calculators were among a haul of toy guns confiscated by police in a raid on a warehouse in Sherborne, Dorset, which is owned by shopkeeper Mark Ashley Miller. Mr Ashley-Miller, who runs the gift shop The Present Finder, was stunned when officers descended on his warehouse and confiscated £1,140 of stock. They were seized after someone saw the toys on sale on The Present Finder’s website and made a complaint to firearms police. Back in 2007 Lego upset fans by giving some of its play figures, including stormtroopers, robots and Batman characters, realistic-looking guns and pistols. Could be used for crime: Last year police swooped on a shopkeeper's business and seized a cache of gun-shaped calculators because they feared they could be used in a robbery . | The Bank and Safe set costs £34,99 and is suitable for children aged 4-10 .
Toy comes with safe filled with valuables and armed robber figurines .
Anti-gun campaigner Danny Bryan said the set was 'horrendous' |
26,913 | 4c5f814ad9ad18c0f8508942a55b6f80bd48d7bd | An ex-fiancée has enthusiastically backed the heartbroken groom-to-be she jilted over Christmas after he chose to sell the chance for a new woman to join him on their honeymoon next month. John Whitbread, 32, from Donisthorpe, Leicestershire, is auctioning the spare ticket on his £1,950 dream break to the Dominican Republic - and already has offers over £1,100. His ex-partner Amy Jackson has said she 'didn't feel ready to get married' to him on Valentine's Day this year, but added: 'Fair play to John. I’m pleased that he’s doing something positive'. Mr Whitbread says he now is looking for a woman of any age with 'a good sense of humour' to join him on the two-week break at an all-inclusive four star resort in the Caribbean. He leaves for the Dominican Republic on February 16 and returns on March 3 and hopes he'll have a 'new friend' with him. Scroll down for video . Broken hearted: John Whitbread will no longer be getting married but is auctioning the chance for a new woman to join him on his honeymoon - which has been backed by his ex Amy, together right . Auction: Mr Whitbread has had two bidders so far with the highest offer now at £690 with nine days to go . Mr Whitbread wants a woman who must be an 'easy going down to earth' woman, a British citizen with a passport and 'good looking wouldn't go amiss', he says in his advert. But he has warned any new companion they would be sharing a room and said: 'I've got no criminal record but should be locked up for my snoring'. Explaining his decision to sell-off part of his honeymoon to the highest bidder he said: 'I was gutted when she said she didn't want to get married but I realised I couldn't mope forever and I didn't want what I'd already paid to the holiday to go to waste. 'Besides, I think it will be good for me to get away. I'm just looking for a new friend who fancies a holiday with someone fun.' He claims his girlfriend of two years, Amy, told him she had pre-wedding nerves and could not go through with their wedding due to take place on Valentine's Day this year. Two days later they were due to head off on their honeymoon. His ex-girlfriend Amy said: 'I just didn’t feel ready to get married and John wasn’t my soulmate. Obviously it’s difficult for John, I’m finding it hard too. 'It’s obviously not nice to finish with someone over Christmas but I thought it was better that he knew now, sooner rather than later. 'It was better that I called it off now than getting to the altar and not being able to go through with it. 'Fair play to John. I’m pleased that he’s doing something positive.' Reaction: Mr Whitbread said he was sad about his break-up but wasn't willing to 'mope' and wanted to enjoy his holiday . Positive: His ex Amy says she is pleased that Mr Whitbread is trying to get on with his life after they split . But when he tried to cancel their holiday the Co-op said he would only be able to claim half the cost back so he decided to keep the holiday and advertise for a new companion to join him. With the help of his best friend Craig Gibson, he set up an eBay auction to find someone to travel with him and the top bid now stands at £51. John describes himself as a slim, 5'9, with dark hair who enjoys a good laugh. His advert reads: 'I'm not boring, I'm adventurous otherwise I wouldn't be doing something as ridiculous as this'. Although the couple had been engaged for a year and due to marry in just five weeks' time on Valentine's Day, John says he harbours no bitterness to his ex-fiancee. Plea: The jilted boyfriend said there is nothing 'sinister' about his plan and is looking for a 'new friend' to join him on his trip of a lifetime . He said: 'I'm just really glad she told me before we went through with the vows on our big day - I suppose I've got to respect her honesty. 'But I'm certainly not going to let the money or the opportunity pass me by. 'When I found out at the travel agent I could only get half my money back I was looking at other deals and places I could go but I thought, 'No, I wanted to go on this holiday'. 'I called my best friend and he agreed so I headed straight to his house to make the ebay page. 'Everyone I know is taken and I'd rather go and enjoy it with someone new that I'd never otherwise get to meet. 'I'm not looking for a relationship - this could be an opportunity for someone who has never had the chance to take a holiday like this before. 'I'm not looking for anything apart from a fun holiday. If the girl is sporty and wants to do some scuba diving with me that would be great too. 'I really thought that I would only get about £100 on ebay - enough to pay the £50 name change fee and a bit of spending money. 'I can't believe how well it was going. So if you're up for a laugh and fancy a fantastic holiday - let me know!' Prize: The winning bidder, as long as it is a woman, will get to spend two weeks with John here at the Blue Bay Villas Hotel in the Dominican Republic . After being overwhelmed with the response, John has pledged to donate any money over £1,050 to testicular cancer research. He added: 'People have said I've got real balls to do this so I thought I might as well try and make some money for charity if I can to.' The flight leaves Manchester for Peurto Plata on Monday, February 16 at 9.45 and arrives back at 05.35 on March 3, 2015. Accommodation is four 14 nights at the four star Blue Bay Villas in Playa Dorado and interested bidders can find the ebay auction HERE . | John Whitbread, 32, wants a new woman to join him on February holiday .
Due to marry girlfriend Amy on Valentine's Day but she has 'jitters', he said .
Ex- fiancée Amy said: 'Fair play to John. I’m pleased that he’s doing something positive'
Bids on his eBay auction for two-week Caribbean break reach £1,100 .
He said: 'I couldn't mope forever. I'm looking for a new friend who fancies a holiday' |
19,370 | 36e83e6b85728a7f314c0840414ec3efbcf8cb02 | (CNN) -- Tuesday was a tragic day for girls everywhere. In Pakistan, 14-year-old Malala Yousufzai was shot by the Taliban on her way home from school on a bus. Although she was targeted specifically because she spoke out against the Taliban's suppression of women's education rights, her story serves as a reminder of the obstacles that girls face in trying to obtain schooling. In all my travels, from Liberia and the Democratic Republic of Congo to villages and towns across rural India, I have been struck by the unwavering commitment of every girl to do one simple thing: Go to school. Just like Malala, the girls I met know that education is their ticket to a better future: for themselves, their families and their entire communities. Girls would beg their parents to let them stay one more year in school, struggling to juggle their household chores with caring for their younger siblings, all so they can squeeze in one more day in the classroom. Unfortunately, girls around the world have also shared with me how pursuing an education can be dangerous, whether it's because of harassment and violence from teachers or the dangers they encounter as they walk to school. Opinion: Girl's courage, Taliban's cowardice . Today, as we celebrate the first United Nations International Day of the Girl by marking the progress that has been made for girls, we should keep in mind that we need to redouble our effort to create a future in which all girls can safely receive an education and reach their full potential. Violence keeps girls out of school. Globally, nearly half of all sexual assaults are committed against girls who are 15 and younger. Fear of this type of violence restricts where girls are allowed to go and when they are allowed to be out of the home. Often, parents do not send their daughters to school for this reason. Violence in the home can also hold girls captive and out of school. For instance, nearly half the girls in developing countries are married during their teenage years, with many before age 15. They may experience profound violence at the hands of their often much older husbands. But sadly, school does not equal safety. Even girls who are able to go to school still face violence -- in the classroom, of all places. A girl may walk up to five kilometers between home and school in the company of friends or an older brother to avoid the inevitable harassment by groups of men or boys she passes, only to receive more harassment from a teacher once she finally reaches school. In schools around the world, teachers pressure girls for sex in exchange for grades. In Zambia, for example, more than 2,000 cases of teacher rapes were reported in 2010 alone. Of these cases, only 240 teachers were convicted. While these numbers may be shocking, Zambia is not the only country with this problem. Schools should be a safe haven for girls, but instead, they are too often a place of fear and danger. International day of the girl: World's most remarkable women share advice . However, despite the violence that can happen in schools, going to school tends to increase girls' safety outside school. A recent study in Swaziland found that the risk of childhood sexual violence was greatest among those who were not attending school, suggesting that greater educational opportunities decrease vulnerability to violence. Girls in school have an opportunity to escape early marriage and early motherhood, and to gain skills that give them enhanced economic and social opportunities. As part of the global community, we can all do our part to help girls by making school safe and making sure they can get to school. Here are a few ways: . -- Invest directly in girls. Less than 2% of every international development dollar goes directly to adolescent girls, let alone toward protecting them from violence. We have made great strides globally in increasing the numbers of girls in primary school, but until we make girls' safety a priority we will not advance our educational goals. -- Ensure schools are accountable to girls by enacting and enforcing policies that prevent sexual abuse and exploitation by teachers. When a 13-year-old girl in Zambia was repeatedly raped by her teacher, the Adolescent Girls Legal Defense Fund supported the girl's court case against the teacher who raped her and the headmaster who knowingly allowed the assaults to occur. In 2008, the High Court of Zambia ruled that the Zambian government is responsible for protecting girls from sexual assault and providing recourse to victims. Schools everywhere must enact systems that protect girls and hold teachers accountable. -- Empower schools and girls through provision of safe spaces. One important outcome of the Zambian teacher rape case has been the wide scale adoption of safe spaces for girls in Zambian schools. -- Recruit, train and retain female teachers. Female teachers can reduce some of the major risks adolescent girls face in school. They can also serve as strong role models and help girls imagine different futures for themselves. The 10x10 Campaign is uniting people and organizations around the critical goal of removing barriers to girls' education. Likewise, so is the Adolescent Girls Legal Defense Fund. You can join them. The benefits of education for girls are undeniable. But until we can ensure that schools are places of learning, rather than places of danger, girls will be held back. When girls are educated—and safe—they, along with our entire societies, will flourish. On CNN iReport, tet us know why educating girls is #basicmath . The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Jennifer Buffett. | Jennifer Buffett: Girls everywhere want to go to school to get a better future .
Buffett: Sadly, pursuing an education can be dangerous as girls encounter violence .
She says on the first United Nations International Day, make girls' safety a priority .
Buffett: We can do our part to help girls by making sure schools are harmless places . |
61,315 | ae2844a7274fcfb2357b58e7903604e2bb18fcaa | (CNN) -- A couple with fish bowls instead of heads. A magician who can make cards fly in a perfect spiral. These images have to be real, our brains tell us. That's the amazing thing about photography, says Ronen Goldman: If the light falls on the object just the right way, if the shadows line up naturally, our brains allow us to believe the unbelievable. It's the guiding concept that drives 32-year-old Goldman, a conceptual photographer in Tel Aviv, Israel, who has been recreating his dream fragments in a six-year series called The "Surrealistic Pillow" Project. The project has appeared in the Affordable Art Fair in several cities. Goldman considers himself more of a photographer than a manipulator. He shoots all the elements of his photos on location at the same time under the same lighting to achieve the best optic effects. He then uses Adobe's Photoshop editing program to layer the images together and mask objects as needed to create the illusions. Analyzing the dream and figuring out how to execute the vision in the real world takes much longer than the photo editing, though that part of the process can also take many days, he says. "Surrealism in my view is not simply Photoshop or photographic technique," he says. "The most important in my mind is the intention, or the concept you want to convey. It's not about levitation or multiplication of objects -- those are just tools I happen to use to convey deeper concepts I find to be interesting." Sharing his work and deconstructing it for other photographers is a key part of his art. Goldman, who studied script writing at Tel Aviv University, learned about photography while on reserve duty for the Israeli army. Art photography: When 'reality isn't good enough' "Most of what I know today I learned from Internet resources, starting from shutter speeds and apertures, basic functions of the camera, to composition and Photoshop techniques. I bought my first camera and lens with the help from a guy I have never met," he said. "I basically look at hundreds of photos every day from around the world and try to learn what I like." Goldman uses his blog to take the audience behind the scenes of his photos, deconstructing the image or explaining where the props came from. He made a music video from the shoot where a woman is lying on a bed surrounded by iguanas, one of his favorite images from the series. That one, which represents a fear of relationships, was shot in his bedroom in Tel Aviv. There was actually only one iguana, and the girl really is in bed with the lizard. "I did all the lighting preparation beforehand and we just went along and placed the iguana on different spots on the bed. It started moving and that was kind of scary for her, but it was fine, and he got very relaxed afterward," Goldman said. "Then I layered those photos, like 30 different layers, and made that image." This week Goldman posted a batch of his photos on Reddit, the social news site where members create and run their own forums on topics of their choice and user clicks determine the popularity of posts. He agreed to post them on CNN iReport. The surreal photos were a hit on Reddit -- his link made it onto the site's front page -- and Goldman stayed up all night answering questions about where his ideas come from, how he remembers them, and his techniques for composing certain images. What the brain draws from: Art and neuroscience . Some photos, like his depiction of a woman lying upside down on a staircase, and a man rappelling down the wall, require little editing -- just creative angles and a discretely positioned step-stool, he explained. "I don't love telling everything, just for the reason of the effect on people -- like when a magician does something, you really don't want to know -- but if it helps an actual photographer to go out and do cool stuff, I'm for it," he says. "It's not like it's a big secret about what I'm doing." Want to try? Ronen Goldman has an assignment for you: . Take a photo of yourself using one element you can recall from a dream, using any type of camera or phone. The photo needs to tell the story of the dream, or part of it. In the caption, write what you remember from the dream. "If you don't like the result, do it again until you do," Goldman says. "Be prepared for the possibility of it being misunderstood or deemed a failure. It might just turn out to be the best thing you have ever done, and interest a whole bunch of people." Upload your photo to CNN iReport and it could be featured on CNN.com. | Photographer Ronen Goldman recreates his dreams through photos .
He's inspired by surrealist painters René Magritte and others .
Sharing the process is a key part of his art . |
202,844 | 929efbcdcec530e39f26b7a2b79aaa2535c4acbb | TEHRAN, Iran (CNN) -- Twenty-nine people convicted of various crimes, ranging from murder to being a public nuisance while drunk, were hanged in Iran, state TV said. A convicted Iranian drug dealer is hanged from a crane in the southern city of Shiraz in September. Iran's semi-official Fars News Agency reported earlier that 30 people would be put to death. It was not immediately clear if the last person's life was spared. The Iranian judiciary's statement said that all 30 were convicted of various crimes, which included: murder, murder in commission of a crime, disturbing public safety and security, being a public nuisance while drunk and being involved in illegal relationships -- relationships between men and women who are not married to each other. Kidnapping and using weapons while committing a crime were also among the charges. The statement also said that 20 of the convicts were convicted of drug and alcohol dealing, armed robbery and smuggling arms. The judiciary statement said that the convicts had their cases tried by the highest judicial authorities and were found guilty of the charges brought against them. The verdicts were final with their sentences carried out on Sunday. The judiciary said the hangings should serve as a warning to those who are contemplating committing such crimes, the agency reported. The statement also said that several other individuals are currently awaiting trial and their sentences will be carried out as soon as the verdicts are pronounced by the courts. According to Amnesty International, Iran executed 317 people last year, second only to China's 470. Iran's government launched a campaign March 20 to increase public security and bring the crime rate down. Police cracked down on alleged drug dealers, whom they called criminal gang members, and alleged habitual criminals who use guns in the commission of their crime. Alleged weapons smugglers and people who break social and religious laws, including adulterers, were also targets. National television showed scenes of what were described as criminals being paraded publicly in chains as a deterrent to others. The wave of arrests has now subsided, as officials are now prosecuting the alleged criminals and sentencing those convicted. Journalist Shirzad Bozorgmehr contributed to this report. | Twenty-nine convicts were hanged, according to Iranian state TV .
Convicts were found guilty of murder, rape, armed robbery and other charges .
Judiciary said hangings should serve as warning to those contemplating crimes . |
85,957 | f3ca7da25bcd751465b593be0ad9c27cd7038c7c | By . Ryan Gorman . and Associated Press Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 12:35 EST, 22 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:35 EST, 22 December 2013 . The centerpiece: This uniform once worn by Saddam Hussein is the focal point of the exhibit . An exhibit dedicated to the 10-year anniversary of the capture of former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein will open this week – in Oklahoma City. The Oklahoma Historical Society came into the items on display after they were donated by the man who led the US Army’s effort to topple the dictator. Mr Hussein was removed from power in 2003 following a US-led invasion spearheaded by retired Army Lt. Col. and former Oklahoma State Sen. Steve Russell. The exhibit will feature many of the former despot’s personal possessions, including a European-tailored military uniform worn by a younger Mr Hussein, several firearms and other objects. ‘We’re very excited to have this exhibit,’ Dr. Bob Blackburn, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society, said in a statement. ‘It is not every day that such historic items from recent history can be viewed by the public and we are very proud of the ties they have to Oklahoma.’ Those Oklahoma ties are in reference to Mr Russell, who is loaning the collection for a special temporary exhibit. He helped lead the hunt for Saddam and is also the author of ‘We Got Him!” His personal memoir of the hunt and capture of Saddam. Baghdad was captured months before the former Iraqi leader was infamously found hiding in an underground bunker . Deadly: Some of the many weapons formerly owned by the dictator . ‘For years I have kept low key about these artifacts,’ Mr Russell said in a statement released by the Oklahoma History Center. ‘I realize that they are an incredible part of our nation’s history that should be enjoyed by the public and hope the display will call to remembrance the soldiers wounded and lost during the hunt and capture of Saddam,’ he added. The exhibit will go on full display later this month and is open to the public. | The exhibit will feature a military uniform, firearms and other objects once owned by former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein .
The items were donated by one of the US Army soldiers who led the campaign to capture the former dictator . |
147,906 | 4b41fb3b6378c6cec70a8811424ca6e7bc33e51b | By . James Rush . PUBLISHED: . 13:33 EST, 7 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 02:56 EST, 8 March 2013 . More than 30 million smuggled cigarettes have been discovered in a shipment supposed to be full of wind turbines. Border Force officers first discovered 8.5 million cigarettes, which are believed to be counterfeit, crammed inside a cargo container at Southampton Container Port on March 1. Further investigation led them to another two 40ft containers full of the illegal imports, bringing the total seized to around 30.3 million cigarettes. Smuggled: Border Force officers discovered more than 30 million smuggled cigarettes in a shipment supposed to be full of wind turbines . Samples of the seized cigarettes are being tested, but are believed to be counterfeits made to look like Lambert & Butler and Regal brands . The matter was then referred to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) for investigation. John Cooper, HMRC assistant director criminal investigation, said: 'The diligence of Border Force officers has prevented a huge quantity of cigarettes, believed to be Chinese counterfeits, from reaching the UK’s streets. 'The sheer scale of this haul would undoubtedly have seen criminal gangs selling the tobacco to retailers, clubs, car boot sales and eventually UK consumers. 'HMRC will continue to work with Border Force to crackdown on tobacco fraud, which costs the UK Government around £1.8 billion a year.' The smugglers were trying to avoid paying over £8 million in taxes and duty and had described the containers’ contents as 'wind turbine parts' on import documents, the HMRC said. The three cigarette laden containers were loaded onto a cargo vessel in the Shenzhen area of China. Found: Officers first discovered 8.5 million cigarettes inside a cargo container at Southampton Container Port on March 1, and further investigations led them to another two 40ft containers full of illegal imports . Duty: The smugglers were trying to avoid paying over £8 million in taxes and duty . The investigation is continuing and no arrests have been made, a spokesman added. Samples of the seized cigarettes are being tested, but they are believed to be counterfeits made to look like Lambert & Butler and Regal brands. They have now been shredded and burned at a power station to fuel the National Grid. Andy Lumb, from the Border Force, said the containers were on their way to Glasgow, adding: 'This was cigarette smuggling on an industrial scale so I am delighted that our officers have prevented this haul of contraband from reaching our streets. Shredded: The cigarettes have now been shredded and burned at a power station to fuel the National Grid . 'Tobacco smuggling is not victimless - it is effectively stealing from the public purse, at a time when the country can least afford it. 'I would urge anyone tempted by cheap cigarettes and tobacco to think again. The black market cheats honest traders and it is totally unregulated so buyers have no way of knowing what they are actually getting. 'The size of the detection should leave people in no doubt that tobacco smuggling is a serious organised crime, worth big money to the criminals involved. 'By stopping this shipment we have hit the smugglers where it hurts the most - in the pocket.' Contents: The smugglers had described the containers' contents as 'wind turbine parts' on import documents, the HMRC said . | Cigarettes believed to be counterfeits from China .
Border Force officers discovered shipment at Southampton Container Port .
Smugglers had been trying to avoid more than £8m in taxes and duty . |
151,369 | 4fb2e608fbd27ce204186b05613f52f68a33b311 | By . Victoria Woollaston . PUBLISHED: . 14:11 EST, 20 February 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:11 EST, 20 February 2014 . Following weak sales and a drop in profits at the end of last year, HTC may be turning its attention away from phones and towards wearables. A source ‘familiar with the plans’ told Bloomberg the Taiwanese firm is planning to give previews of at least one smartwatch at next week’s Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona - but only to network operators. The company is not expected to publicly announce a wearable device, however, until later in the year. A source 'familiar with the plans' told Bloomberg that Taiwanese firm HTC is planning to give private previews of a smartwatch at next week's Mobile World Congress show in Barcelona. The device is rumoured to be based on Qualcomm's Toq watch, pictured . The rumours state that HTC is working on three variations of a smartwatch or similar wearable device. The . first is said to have been based on Qualcomm's Toq device. HTC is additionally . believed to be working on a bangle-type device that plays music and . tracks the wearer’s fitness in a similar way to Fitbit and Nike’s . Fuelband. The Qualcomm Toq . comes with optional headsets that can be used to control playback from a . smartphone and instead of a music band, this rumour could be for a HTC version of this headset. The third rumour states HTC is working on a Google Now smartwatch. Google Now is similar to Apple’s personal assistant app Siri. Experts believe HTC is working on three variations of a smartwatch, or similar wearable device. The first is said to have been based on Qualcomm's Toq device, meaning HTC’s watch could have the same, or similar, Mirasol colour touchscreen. HTC is additionally believed to be working on a bangle-type device that plays music and tracks the wearer’s fitness in a similar way to Fitbit and Nike’s Fuelband. The Qualcomm Toq comes with optional headsets that can be used to control playback from a smartphone, and instead of a music band, this rumour could be for a HTC version of this headset. The third rumour states HTC is working on a Google Now smartwatch. Google Now is similar to Apple’s personal assistant app Siri. It uses predictive analysis to make informed guesses about what the user will do next, before offering relevant help and information at each step without ever being asked. Other rumours state HTC is working on a Google Now smartwatch as well as bangle-type device that plays music and tracks the wearer's fitness in a similar way to Fitbit and Nike's Fuelband. Google Now, pictured, is similar to Apple's personal assistant app Siri . Despite the critical success of its HTC One handset, pictured left, the manufacturer reported weak sales and a drop in profits at the end of last year. It is thought the company could be turning its attention to wearables to boost income and rival the likes of Samsung's Galaxy Gear smartwatch, pictured right . For example, the software scans calendar entries to work out where a user is, or should be. It combines this with location data, taken from the phone or tablet’s GPS unit, as well as posts on social networks, email information and more. It will then present the user with Cards designed to offer support or help it thinks they need, such as transport options or directions. Reports earlier this year claimed a Google Now watch would be released at some point this year, and HTC may lead the way. Sony was the first major firm to release it SmartWatch, followed shortly after by Samsung and its Galaxy Gear. Apple and Google are also rumoured to be working on similar devices. | HTC is set to unveil a smartwatch during a private preview next week .
Bloomberg reports it will take place during Mobile World Congress .
HTC isn’t expected to officially launch a wearable device until later in 2014 .
Rumours claim the Taiwanese firm is working on three wearable devices .
The others include a band that controls music and a Google Now watch . |
104,710 | 1316e99d6d62c4dd1ff101f9c30fd63965ab6e75 | A Ferguson cop is being sued over claims he hog-tied a 12-year-old boy while he checked his family's mailbox. Officer Justin Cosma had a civil rights lawsuit filed against him in 2012 after he and another cop Richard Carter allegedly left the child with choke marks around his neck, cuts and bruises in June 2010. Cosma was reportedly part of a group of Ferguson officers who arrested two journalists who were in a McDonald's restaurant earlier this month amid the riots over the cop shooting of Michael Brown. Scroll down for video . Officer Justin Cosma had a civil rights lawsuit filed against him in 2012 after claims he hog-tied a 12-year-old boy outside of his family home . The lawsuit alleged that while Cosma was working with the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office, he became 'confrontational' with the child while investigating reports of a boy playing on the highway, the Huffington Post reported. The child denied that he had been playing on the road however, according to the suit: 'Unprovoked and without cause, the deputies grabbed [the boy], choked him around the neck and threw him to the ground. The boy was shirtless at the time, and allegedly 'suffered bruising, choke marks, scrapes and cuts across his body.' The lawsuit also claimed that the child was 'hog-tied'. The 12-year-old was treated at a medical center. The two cops reported the incident as 'assault of a law enforcement officer'. Prosecutors refused to take up a juvenile case against the child. The lawsuit was brought by the boy's family in September 2012, soon after he joined the Ferguson force. It is unclear why he left the Jefferson County Department. MailOnline was awaiting a comment from the family's lawyer today and from Ferguson police chief Thomas Jackson. The lawyer previously said he expected a trial date to be set for early next year. The Huffington Post reported that Cosma was one of the officers who arrested one of their own reporters and another Washington Post journalist at a McDonald's in Ferguson during the riots - but refused to give his name or badge number. At least ten journalists were arrested or detained since Brown, an unarmed black teenager, was killed August 9 by Ferguson officer Darren Wilson. Wilson is on leave and has gone into hiding pending the outcome of a civil rights investigation into the shooting death of the 18-year-old. Reporter Ryan J. Reilly is arrested when police officers suddenly closed a Ferguson McDonald's restaurant on August 13 . The casket of Michael Brown sits inside Friendly Temple Missionary Baptist Church in St. Louis today awaiting the start of his funeral . | Officer Justin Cosma had a civil rights lawsuit filed against him in 2012 .
Child allegedly suffered choke marks around his neck, cuts and bruises .
Alleged injuries occurred while Cosma and another officer were investigating reports of a child playing on the highway .
The cop was part of a group who arrested two journalists at a McDonald's while they were reporting on the riots following Michael Brown shooting . |
5,847 | 10964e9fb7aa2b7e58d79c4a7ed7c8ea6c3b56d2 | Pilot forced to head back to Stansted 20 minutes in to 1,000-mile flight to Riga, Latvia . Comes as company outlines ambitious plan to double number of passengers . Passengers with Ryanair have long been accustomed to the airline cutting financial corners. But when one party found ground crews applying sticky tape to a cockpit window, they feared the penny-pinching had gone too far. Twenty minutes after take-off, the service from Stansted airport to Riga in Latvia was forced to turn back when the patch came loose and started making a ‘loud’ noise. Running repairs: Airport staff work on the Boeing's cockpit using duck-tape . Ryanair has insisted safety was never at risk, but passengers said they were in fear of their lives. Anthony Neal, 33, from Bromley, Kent, who was with a group of friends for his stag party, said: ‘They were taping up the front window as we were queueing to get on. ‘One guy was up a ladder and another was hanging out of a side window of the cockpit. ‘About 20 minutes into the flight the pilot came on the loudspeaker and said there was a problem with the windscreen – that it had been damaged on a previous flight and they’d have to turn back to Stansted. People were terrified.’ The Boeing 737-800 took off on the evening of September 29 with around 200 passengers. A replacement plane was found after two hours . The Irish Aviation Authority has investigated the incident and said the tape was used to provide protection to sealant on a new window, adding: ‘At no time was passenger safety threatened.’ Before the 1,000-mile flight from . Stansted, Essex, to Riga in Latvia ground crew had been called out to . wrap the edge of the windscreen with the tape . The incident comes as the Micheal . O'Leary, chief executive of the airline, today outlined ambitious . expansion plans that would see it almost double the number of passengers . and stretch its reach across Europe. Mr O'Leary told the Financial Times . that he wanted to increase passenger numbers to between 120million and . 130million over the next decade - which would make Ryanair one of the . biggest airlines in the world. Controversial: The incident comes as the Micheal O'Leary, chief executive of the airline, outlined ambitious expansion plans that would see it almost double the number of passengers and stretch its reach across Europe . He said the airline is in talks with . plane makers Boeing, Comac in China, and Russia's Irkut over the . purchase of 200 to 300 new narrow-bodied aircraft. Dublin-based Ryanair carried . 72.1million passengers in 2010/11 but the plans could double the size of . its fleet of about 270 aircraft. Mr O'Leary added that Ryanair could . increase its share of the European market as the tough economic . environment boosts demand for low-cost travel. The outspoken Irishman said the . airline could deploy 50 new aircraft to serve Scandinavia and a further . 100 to service the Baltic states, Poland, Hungary and the Czech . Republic. All of Ryanair's planes are . manufactured by US manufacturer Boeing, and analysts said costs could . increase if it bought aircraft from another maker. Mr O'Leary is well-known for courting . controversy with his cost-cutting suggestions, which have included . charging to use the toilets on planes, removing a toilet, standing . passenger space, and scrapping the role of the co-pilot. | Pilot forced to head back to Stansted 20 minutes in to 1,000-mile flight to Riga, Latvia .
Comes as company outlines ambitious plan to double number of passengers . |
120,319 | 27831258820f2cb4b4491b8d6682494852f6b322 | Islamabad, Pakistan(CNN) -- Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs summoned Britain's high commissioner for talks Monday, less than a week after British Prime Minister David Cameron criticized the country's handing of terrorism. "We can confirm that the British High Commissioner to Pakistan, Mr. Adam Thomson, is meeting this morning with Foreign Minister Qureshi at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs," the British Foreign Office in London said Monday. The outcome of the session was not immediately clear. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has said he will proceed with a scheduled visit to the United Kingdom this week despite Cameron's remarks, a government official said. "There is no reason to bark at each other. We have had good relations in the past and we want to progress our relations," Pakistan Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira said Saturday. Kaira's remarks to reporters in London, England, came after a Pakistani military official confirmed that the country's spy chief's planned visit to the U.K. had been canceled after Cameron told an audience in India that Pakistan shouldn't export terror. "We want to see a strong and a stable and a democratic Pakistan," Cameron said in Bangalore, India on Wednesday, "But we cannot tolerate in any sense the idea that this country is allowed to look both ways and is able in any way to promote the export of terror, whether to India or whether to Afghanistan, or anywhere else in the world." Kaira described Cameron's statement as a "misperception" that was "against the facts" and "not in good taste," but he said he expected the bilateral meetings between Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and U.K. officials this week to be fruitful. "The president of Pakistan will have dialogue and good discussion, and he will explain the facts to the new government over here," he said. Some critics in Pakistan have called for the president to cancel his visit. One group of protesters burned an effigy of Cameron. Gen. Ahmed Shujaa Pasha, the head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence, planned to visit Britain in early August to discuss security cooperation between the two countries. But the trip was scuttled after Cameron's comments, according to a Pakistani military official, who asked not to be named because he was not supposed to talk to the media. Kaira said Saturday that the trip had been postponed due to other commitments. | British prime minister has been critical of Pakistan's handling of terrorism .
Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari has said he will visit the United Kingdom this week .
Pakistan says Cameron doesn't understand the facts . |
135,736 | 3b9b7914782eebc2ea4b69d9ff739b01678c2ee2 | Northampton's potential European Champions Cup group decider against French club Racing Metro has been given a Saturday afternoon billing. Tournament organisers have announced the days and kick-off times for the final two rounds of pool action, which begin on Friday, January 16 when Leicester host the Scarlets. Saints' January 24 meeting with Racing at Franklin's Gardens, when Dylan Hartley's team will push for a last-eight place, is among a number of key battles on the final weekend. Northampton Saints practice their line-outs ahead of Champions Cup dates being announced . Stephen Myler takes part in training, the Saints will face Racing Metro on Saturday January 24 . Elsewhere, Wasps will play their first European game at the Ricoh Arena in Coventry by hosting Leinster earlier the same day, while Saracens travel to face Clermont Auvergne the following afternoon, eight days after hosting Munster. The all-English Pool Two encounter between Harlequins and Wasps will take place at Twickenham Stoop on January 17 with a 7.45pm kick-off, with Bath ending their European campaign away to Toulouse on January 18, followed by entertaining Glasgow seven days later. The five pool winners and three best runners-up will contest the quarter-finals next April. Juan Imhoff and Dimitri Szarzewski (centre)of Racing Metro in action against Ospreys in the Champions Cup . The French club will welcome New Zealand legend Dan Carter at the beginning of next season . | Saints will play the French club as part of their final two pool rounds .
Aviva Premiership champions are pushing for a place in quarter-finals .
Five pool winners and three best runners-up will make the last eight . |
92,908 | 038219d1d9d166f2ede418bbcb9d629e6858ae83 | By . Emma Innes . PUBLISHED: . 06:06 EST, 9 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 19:47 EST, 9 July 2013 . It has taken ten years and some rather painstaking work, but horticulturalists have managed to grow orange raspberries. The new breed, called Autumn Amber, is the same shape and size as the red raspberry and tastes the same, although some growers have said they are slightly more tangy. And while normal raspberry plants bear fruit only once every two years, the Autumn Amber variety has fruit every year. Botanists are celebrating after breeding a new species of raspberry that is set to transform the fruit salad thanks to its striking orange colour . Horticulturalists at the East Malling . Research Centre in Kent crossed a red raspberry plant with the yellow . variety using natural cross-pollination techniques until they achieved . the perfect orange shade. The plants are now available to buy . and can be grown in the ground or a large container on a patio. Potted . plants are available in packs of two for £12.99 from Suttons Seeds in . Paignton, Devon, or from suttons.co.uk. The plants are now being sold in the UK for the first time and can be grown in the ground or in a large container. Tom Sharples, 65, a senior horticulturalist at Suttons Seeds, said: ‘The breeder used cross pollination techniques to make the orange coloured raspberries. ‘They used an autumn fruiting red raspberry plant with the yellow variety to make the orange shade. The fruit is exactly the same size and shape as its red cousin and even tastes the same, but is an unusually eye-catching shade . The new fruit has been dubbed 'Autumn Amber' because of its warm hue . ‘Normally raspberry plants only grow fruit on them once every two years but the Autumn Amber will have fruit every year. ‘The plants grow to a maximum height of 6.5ft tall and they can be harvested every autumn after planting in the spring. ‘This is the first time people can grow the orange variety in their garden and they can be grown in the ground or in a large container on the patio. ‘They taste very similar to the normal ones you would find in the supermarket but I would say they have more of a tang to them. ‘We suggest putting them in a fruit salad with red raspberries for a good contrast.’ Horticulturalists at a plant research centre in Kent have spent the last 10 years breeding the Autumn Amber raspberry by using natural cross pollination techniques . The East Malling Research Centre crossed a red raspberry plant with the yellow variety to make orange shades until they bred the perfect colour without the red pigmentation . | Autumn Amber has been created in Kent using cross pollination techniques .
It is the same size and shape as its red cousin and tastes almost the same .
It was created by crossing red raspberry plants with yellow ones .
The new plants are now on sale in the UK . |
26,007 | 49b149cde80d3375db5c4eadb168b4e3b7eb3f17 | Police were called to the chambers of Canterbury Council on Tuesday evening after a meeting erupted into heated discussions following a decision by council members to remove the general manager from office. Jim Montague, the 'king of Canterbury', came under fire recently when it was alleged that he had spent over $50,000 of taxpayers money at an Enfield restaurant, in Sydney's inner west, as part of the council's 'hospitality policy'. He denies the claims. Police confirmed that officers from the Campsie local area command were called to council chambers to 'ensure and maintain order' when six of Canterbury's 10 councillors voted to remove Mr Montague despite the mayor adjourning the meeting. Canterbury Council general manager Jim Montague (left) and mayor Brian Robson (right) The packed chamber became a hive of activity when Mayor Brian Robson, a close associate of Mr Montague and a regular lunch companion, declared that the meeting was adjourned, reported The Sydney Morning Herald. He requested that the meeting be postponed until after the Independent Commission Against Corruption finalised their investigation into the allegations surrounding the matter, including Mr Montague's own claims against members of council. Mr Montague has been accused of tallying up a $50,000 bill at Il Buco, in Enfield, including spending over $1000 on lunch and dinner in a single day. The meals included a $105 bottle of wine, and an entree of king prawns and veal. Mr Montague denied the figures, and said that the bill had been rung up over a period of five years, rather than four. Mr Montague has been accused of tallying up a $50,000 bill at Il Buco, in Enfield . Police were called to the chambers of Canterbury Council on Tuesday evening after a meeting erupted into heated discussions . Despite the Mr Montague and Mayor Robson walking out, the majority of councillors continued with their intention to vote, deciding on the spot to remove the general manager and appoint a new head of council. Tensions arose when security guards were unsure whether they had authority to escort Mr Montague from his office, as Mayor Robson declared that the councillors action were illegal and that the general manager was still in authority. A spokesperson from the Campsie Police Station said that there had been no illegal activity and that no one had come to physical harm. 'The officers were called by an anonymous person to attend the chambers and were there as a precautionary measure only,' they said. The meeting had been held in response to Mr Montague dismissing the selection of a planning chief for the council, despite a five-person panel, including Liberal councillor Michael Hawatt and Labor councillor Pierra Azzi, along with the mayor and general manager, selecting the candidate. A spokesperson from the Campsie Police Station said that there had been no illegal activity and that no one had come to physical harm . Mr Montague did not provide reasons for his decision, and councillors Azzi and Hawatt demanded the general meeting to push for the removal of him from office. Mr Montague, who has been the general manager of Canterbury Council for 30 years, maintained that his activity using taxpayer money was for council purposes. 'There were various people at Il Buco that we have been to see for various reasons,' he said. 'I understand the community's concerns and I apologise for this'. Mayor Robson said that the meals were held to conduct council business, and that he would often take the chance to 'sit down and have a quiet lunch with the general manager on a Friday,' reported The Sydney Morning Herald. 'It is evident that council's hospitality policy is out of step with community expectations.' | Police were called to the chambers of Canterbury Council on Tuesday .
Councillors demanded the removal of Jim Montague, the 'King of Canterbury' from office after he allegedly spend $50,000 on meals .
Six out of ten councillors voted to remove Mr Montague .
The mayor of Canterbury declared the actions of the councillors 'illegal' and maintained that Mr Montague retained his position .
Security guards attempted to remove Mr Montague from his office .
Police from Campsie Police Station were called to maintain peace .
Mr Montague has denied the corruption allegations . |
117,932 | 2447e9a4327b2bef275afc36456eccef522025da | By . Beth Stebner . PUBLISHED: . 21:07 EST, 3 December 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:15 EST, 4 December 2012 . The parents of missing college student Lauren Spierer voiced their anger, saying that they have been stonewalled by her friends, who may have been the last people to see the 20-year-old alive. Speaking with Katie Couric today, Robert Spierer said: ‘I’m angry. We’ve been stonewalled, to some extent, by the last people to see Lauren.’ Lauren Spierer mysteriously vanished on June 3, 2011 after a night out with friends. She was a student at Indiana University. Scroll down for video . Stonewalled: Lauren Spierer's parents, Robert and Charlene Spierer spoke with Katie Couric about their daughter's disappearance a year and a half ago . Demanding answers: Mrs Spierer, left, said that she must know the fate of her daughter, and if it was a random abduction or if Lauren's friends had anything to do with it . Speaking on Couric’s daytime talk show, Lauren’s parents said that their daughter’s friends are impeding the search for her. They hypothesized that the friends have made a pact of silence. ‘Despite their claims of doing whatever they could do, the fact of the matter is they refuse to meet with us…they refuse to take a police polygraph, which we feel is important for a number of reasons,’ Mr Spierer said. The television host also asked Lauren’s still-devastated mother if, more than a year after her daughter’s disappearance, she had any theories as to who might have taken her. ‘Our biggest dilemma is not knowing if it was a random abduction or if it was someone that Lauren knew,’ Charlene Spierer told Couric. She added that she now believes it to be someone who knew her daughter, based in part because of the lack of cooperation she and her husband have received from Lauren’s university friends. Mr Spierer added that while he and his wife now think their daughter is dead, they still cling to hope. ‘I understand that Lauren may no longer be with us,’ he said. ‘We ache for her. We want to bring her home.’ In August, Mrs Spierer posted a heartbreaking open letter to her daughter's killer describing the intense agony of not knowing what happened to the missing Indiana University student. 'I hope you have as many sleepless nights as I have,' Charlene Spierer wrote on a family blog. Missing: Indiana University student Lauren Spierer, 19, disappeared from Bloomington, Indiana, in June 2011. Police have few clues about her whereabouts . Missing: Charlene Spierer posted an open letter to her daughter's killer an in effort to prod him or anyone who knows about her disappearance to come forward . 'I hope that some day, your parents, your siblings, your friends will all be in a courtroom when your true self is revealed, the self which was born on June 3, 2011 when you took Lauren from us.' The search for Lauren has taken one frustrating turn after another. When the investigation kicked off, five of her male friends, who police believed could have offered insight into the final moments before her disappearance, have hired criminal defense lawyers and quickly stopped fully cooperating with police. 'We were shocked when several people hired attorneys within days of Lauren’s disappearance. Five young men, five attorneys. I’m still not sure why they felt it was necessary,' she wrote. Then, there have been multiple false leads -- possible suspects who weren't involved, remains found that didn't belong to Lauren. The most recent lead -- the skull discovered by a fisherman in mid July in the White River -- 50 miles from where she disappeared -- could take up to eight weeks for the lab to process. Waiting: The Spierers are still awaiting the results of DNA tests on a skill that was found 50 miles from Bloomington in the White River in Indianapolis . 'That’s 80,640 minutes of agony. We are waiting to find out if a skull found in the White River might be Lauren’s. It’s chilling to say the words. I find it incomprehensible that if by chance you are reading this, you know the answer already,' Mrs Spierer wrote to her daughter's as-yet-unidentified killer. She also described the intense pain of knowing her daughter was dead, but having no idea what happened to her. 'For me, living without Lauren, it’s the little things in my day-to-day life which are the most difficult. The things that aren’t mentioned. Getting mail addressed to Lauren, walking past her room just as she left it the last time she was home, still waiting for her return. 'The unpacked boxes I cannot bear to move. The notice Rob (Lauren's father) has hidden away among so many other pieces of mail, from the Department of Motor Vehicles. 'It’s Lauren’s. It arrived shortly before her 21st birthday. We try to shield each other from more pain. It is impossible to do,' she said. Seeking answers: This surveillance photo is the last known image of Lauren. Several of the people to see her last have hired lawyers and stopped fully cooperating . In Bloomington, a quiet college town that is known as one of the safest cities in America, the scars of Lauren's disappearance are visible even a year and a half later. Her smiling face is visible on posters plastered on street corners, hung around the campus and posted in nearly every bar, restaurant and shop downtown. Mrs Spierer says she is writing so that her daughter's killer, and presumably the other people who might know what happened to her, don't forget about Lauren. 'I hope I am making you uncomfortable,' she wrote. VIDEO: John Walsh's tips on how to protect your child from abduction... on Katie... | Lauren Spierer mysteriously disappeared on June 3, 2011 after a night of bar-hopping with friends .
Parents said that those friends are 'stonewalling' police investigation and refuse to take polygraph tests .
Mother Charlene Spierer said she 'aches for her' |
178,533 | 7320d29fd3cb331ac4aa76c723317e3556bdbf43 | (Lonely Planet) -- How's this for a space oddity? Forty years have passed since the historic Apollo moon landing, and yet the prospect of space tourism remains as distant as ever. Just as well, then, that getting that out-of-this-world feeling without leaving the planet is easier to do than a Vulcan salute. So all you cosmic cadets, moonwalkers and astral travelers out there -- prepare for lift off, as we take you to some of our favorite outer-space hotspots here on earth. Lonely Planet: The world's most unusual beaches . Valle de la Luna (Valley of the Moon), Chile . Buzz Aldrin could have been talking about Chile's Valle de la Luna when he described the moon's 'magnificent desolation'. Strange lunar landforms eroded by eons of wild weather crowd the horizon; bleak dunes and distant volcanoes amp up the surreality. For maximum impact, visit at sunset, when the valley is bathed in an unearthly purple, pink and gold glow... Volcanic Iceland . Dotted with dramatic steaming fumaroles, bubbling mudpots, weird rock formations and lava fields, Iceland is a sci-film waiting to happen. The starkly beautiful and gloriously strange landscapes around Mývatn will make you question what planet you're on. Southeastern Utah, USA . Mars is closer than you think! Canyonlands and Arches National Parks in southeastern Utah give the Red Planet a run for its intergalactic money with their rugged arches, bridges, needles, spires, craters, mesas and buttes. Touch down in high summer for that extra blast of Martian intensity. Lac Abbé, Djibouti . "...seen from out here everything seems different. Time bends. Space is boundless." Gazing awestruck upon Lac Abbé's natural smoking 'chimneys' and vast, eerie salt plains, you may recall these words spoken by astronaut George Taylor in "Planet of the Apes." Well, he should know: the movie was filmed here! Lonely Planet: Soaking in Iceland's social scene . Salar de Uyuni, Bolivia . This immense, shimmering sea of salt will haunt your daydreams for years to come. In fact, such is Salar de Uyuni's breath-taking, blinding-white otherworldliness, it might just send you into interstellar overdrive. Cappadocia, Turkey . With its exquisite fairy chimneys, valleys of cascading cliffs, and labyrinthine underground cities, Cappadocia is outer space as it might have been imagined by Jim Henson: picturesque and endearing. Lanzarote, Canary Islands . The extraordinary volcanic moonscape of central Lanzarote would make Armstrong and Aldrin feel right at home. The glowing green waters of El Golfo Crater might even tempt them to shrug off those cumbersome spacesuits and go for a paddle... Nazca Lines, Peru . Was Erich Von Daniken onto something? One of Peru's most impressive and enigmatic sights, the mysterious Nazca Lines could easily be mistaken for the doodlings of ancient astronauts. Deep in desolate desert, and only visible from the air, these mysterious lines will certainly stir your imagination... Great Barrier Reef, Whitsunday Islands, Australia . Plunge beneath the waves into the technicolor parallel universe that is the Great Barrier Reef. No spaced-out superlative could do this coral wonderland justice; no cinematic alien could come close to the marvelous marine critters that call it home... Nubra Valley, Ladakh, India . Sometimes known as 'Moonland', Ladakh is bound by mountains and comprised of mountains. Human habitation is sparse, and during the wild winter months, the region is only marginally easier to reach than the moon itself. The imposing, inhospitable Nubra Valley is its wild lunar heart. Lonely Planet: The world's hottest cool places . © 2011 Lonely Planet. All rights reserved. | From volcanic Iceland to southeastern Utah, otherworldly landscapes are all over the globe .
"Planet of the Apes" was filmed in Djibouti because of its eerie salt plains .
Visible from the air, the Nazca Lines in Peru will stir your imagination . |
228,439 | b3caf86967e721271f11c30343caab7c4d102342 | LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- Another Hollywood marriage is ending -- but this one was no flash in the pan. Robin Wright Penn and Sean Penn had been married 11 years. Sean Penn and Robin Wright Penn are divorcing, according to their representative, Mara Buxbaum. People magazine first reported the split Thursday night. The actors began dating after they met making the 1990 movie "State of Grace." They married in 1996, and have two children, Dylan Frances, 16, and Hopper Jack, 14. Previously, Penn was married to Madonna for four years, while Wright was married to actor Dane Witherspoon for two years. In addition to "State of Grace," Penn and Wright appeared together in 1997's "She's So Lovely" and 1998's "Hurlyburly," and both are set to appear in Barry Levinson's next film, "What Just Happened?," due out in 2008. Penn, 47, won a best actor Oscar for 2003's "Mystic River," and was nominated for best actor for "Dead Man Walking," "Sweet and Lowdown," and "I Am Sam." His latest directorial effort, "Into The Wild," has received four SAG Award nominations and two Golden Globe nominations. Wright, 41, is best known for her title role in "The Princess Bride" and for starring opposite Tom Hanks in "Forrest Gump." E-mail to a friend . | Sean Penn, Robin Wright Penn had been married 11 years .
Pair met while making 1990's "State of Grace"
Couple has two children; has made three films together, with fourth due out . |
113,514 | 1e7bfaf76bdc315f31fbf02c73749401262f4dcd | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 10:42 EST, 27 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:42 EST, 27 July 2012 . Penny, 3, pictured with mother Kate Riney, will have open-heart surgery in August . Penny Cope seemed a healthy, happy three-year-old as she rushed around at her pre-school's sports day. But a chance visit from the local vet revealed the little girl had an unexpected and potentially fatal condition. Vicky Tilston visited Penny's school Appleshaw in Hampshire to talk about her job, during which she asked the children to listen to each other's hearts with a stethoscope. She was called over by the group's supervisor Trudie Tobutt, who had noticed Penny's heart had an unusual rhythm and made a 'whooshing' sound when she breathed. Ms Tilston advised Penny's mother Kate Riney to get it checked out and next day the little girl had an ECG and a chest X-ray at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital at the end of June. Doctors found she had a hole in the wall of her heart and a narrowing in the artery, blocking the flow of blood to her lungs. Penny is now preparing for open heart surgery to fix the problem. Ms Riney, from Wherwell, said: 'If it hadn't been for the vet visiting the pre-school, this might not have been picked up in time. 'Penny has always been the healthiest little girl, running about everywhere. 'We had no reason to think there was anything wrong. When they found out about her heart condition, I just couldn't believe it. Words can't describe how I felt. 'There had been no symptoms at all. It makes me think she is definitely a strong little girl to have coped with it for three years. Someone is watching over Penny.' Surgeons will decide on August 8th when to operate on Penny but it should be later in the month.They hope a patch over the hole in her heart will solve the problem for life. Ms Riney wants other parents to be aware heart problems are not always picked up. Penny had an ECG at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester . She said Penny, who has a five-year-old sister Molly, had only ever suffered the usual coughs and colds and ultra-sound scans during pregnancy had not picked it up. 'She has never been a really sickly child so we had no idea at all,' she said. Congenital heart disease is one of the most common types of birth defect, and affects an estimated six in every 1,000 babies born in England. Two main categories are septal defects (a hole between two of the heart's chambers) and obstruction defects where there is a blockage of the flow of blood through the chambers of the heart. Symptoms of these conditions include breathlessness, tiring easily during exercise and swelling in the feet, however Penny showed no symptoms. | Vet asked the children to listen to each others hearts with a stethoscope during a talk about her job .
Helper realised Penny had an unusual heart rhythm . |
276,355 | f20e04b5277c953d1797ffe503c3cf36eb0d661f | You only had to look at the difference in Alastair Cook’s reaction at the end of this Test and at the end of the Lord’s game to realise how much winning Test matches for England matters to him. This win, and the fact he got runs, will be a massive weight off Cook’s shoulders. It is impossible to understand the pressure you are under as England captain unless you have been there. When things are not going well you feel as if everyone is against you and, while it might be possible to escape the limelight between matches, you still have to do the day-to-day things and you feel as if you’re letting people down. Cheshire grin: Alastair Cook cut a far happier figure after England defeated India in the third Test . They think it's all over... Alastair Cook and Jos Buttler (R) celebrate after victory is confirmed . You feel like people are looking at you and talking about your captaincy or how badly you’re batting. Not contributing to the team is the thing that hurts the most as captain. It was when I went through some of my darkest moments — walking down a hotel corridor in Sri Lanka, knocking on Michael Atherton’s door and asking if I should stay on as captain. It’s a horrible place to be. As captain it’s very rare that you are scoring runs personally and the team is winning. That means there is almost always a downside after a match and that is why Cook should relish this moment, because he’s had the double whammy of losing games and not getting runs. Keep calm and carry on: When Alistair Cook is batting well the the rest will follow . In a spin: Moeen Ali inspired England to victory by unexpectedly taking six wickets . VIDEO My best day - Moeen . We are all human and want to be liked, so the reception he got when he was batting will have given Alastair an enormous confidence boost. It is abundantly clear the England cricketing public want him to succeed. I am still of the view that the most important thing for England is Cook the batsman. A lot of things will fall into place, including maybe his captaincy, if Cook is getting runs. It was a brave decision for him to have a bat on a pitch with a little bit of grass on it here. But it was the right decision and he went in with a clear mind and deserved the luck he got at the start of his innings. Patriot games: The victory at the Aegeas Bowl obviously meant a lot to England's captain . When Cook is batting, everything is calm and comfortable. It is the most important thing for England and it transfers into his captaincy. I thought he had an excellent game as captain. Virtually every move he made paid off and tactically he was very good. He learned from mistakes and set some very good fields. The way he used Moeen Ali showed he is building trust and that is paying off. The fundamental point, though, is that the England team will be better off when he is scoring runs consistently, not sporadically, and the management must decide if he can be that batsman while he is captain or whether at some point someone else has to do that. | England defeated India in the third Test to level the Series .
Alastair Cook answered his critics after a week of scrutiny .
If England's captain is scoring runs then the rest of his game follows . |
218,614 | a6feeec9677e7802981cd550585da6965cabdac3 | By . Liz Hull . Convention has it that women worry most about their bodies. Men, however, are just as concerned, suffering the same lack of confidence about their shape – be it a tomato, brick, snowman or nacho. Hundreds were asked to give details of their figures, allowing researchers to identify seven types among British males. Scroll down for video . Snowman: James Cordon . Brick: Robbie Williams . Cucumber: Freddie Flintoff . String bean: Bradley Wiggins . Nacho: Tom Daley . Pear: Ricky Gervais . Tomato: Eamonn Holmes . PEARA little bit larger around the middle . CUCUMBER Straight up and down with no extra weight . TOMATO Slightly chubby all over . BRICK Broad all over . NACHO Broad shoulders and slim waistline . STRING BEAN Very skinny and lean . SNOWMAN Rounded around the stomach and chest creating a figure of eight like shape . Olympic swimmer Tom Daley's toned . torso shows off the triangular 'nacho', with his broad shoulders and . slim waist. Although the look is popular with women, only 5 per cent of . men thought they lived up to this muscular ideal. The biggest group – 49 per cent – . admitted being a 'pear' like comedian Michael McIntyre, carrying a . little extra round their middle. The most coveted shape was a 'cucumber', the lean figure sported by former England cricket captain Andrew Flintoff. Although 46 per cent wanted this, only 15 per cent managed it. The 'brick' or generally broad all . over figure similar to pop star Robbie Williams applied to 9 per cent of . the 1,500 men quizzed by menswear retailer Jacamo. On the chubby side . were the one in ten who confessed to being a 'tomato' like television . presenter Eamonn Holmes. Professor Brendan Gough, a body image expert at Leeds Metropolitan . University, said that media portrayals of men (left) are making the . average man (right) feel insecure about his looks . Fewer than 5 per cent were at the . extremes of the 'snowman' – with the rounded chest and belly of Robbie . Coltrane – or the skinny physique of a 'string bean' like cycling . champion Bradley Wiggins. Few of the men surveyed were happy . with their shape, with almost half admitting they needed to lose weight. In fact, almost three-quarters hated their body, proving that it is not . just women who feel self-conscious about their looks. Professor Brendan Gough, a . psychologist at Leeds Metropolitan University, said modern men care much . more about their appearance than previous generations. 'We live in a world where appearance . is very important for guys – in work, relationships and well-being,' he . added. 'Few live up to the models on magazine covers, but more are . moisturising, tanning and even wearing make-up. When men look good, they . feel good.' The survey found that men felt at . their physical best aged 28. But, as they aged, they lost confidence and . some even suffered depression about the way they looked. Many felt pressure from magazines to . look good but most admitted poor diets and lack of exercise stopped them . having a better body. According to the poll, Prince Harry, 28, probably feels quite confident about his looks . The age at which men feel most confident about their body peaks at 28, according to the same study. Around 40 per cent admit that at this age they have the perfect shape for their age. One in three men said they feel they can wear what they want . at that age, while 41 per cent think they have the perfect weight for . their size. Professor Gough said: . 'Men are changing and so is masculinity. In our younger years, we are . still struggling to find our identity and who we are. 'But when we get into our late twenties and reach 28 we become more comfortable with our bodies and assured about ourselves. 'At that age people are typically starting to get married, have children and establish themselves in their career. 'They become more comfortable in their body and it is the perfect age where you can still get away with eating less sensibility. 'When we get into our 30s our metabolism decreases and start to put on weight. The last opportunity where we can get away with eating more and still feel good about our body is around 28. | British men in fact fall into a diverse range of body shapes .
Study also found that men feel most comfortable in their skin aged 28 .
But regardless of body type, men are struggling with their self-esteem .
Back to Mail Online home .
Back to the page you came from . |
270,204 | e9ef2e59e0ab310505071a310f745e016ea98c83 | A report made public Thursday on events surrounding the deadly shooting spree at Fort Hood, Texas, in 2009 provides new details on the failure of anti-terrorism officials to act on e-mail traffic between Maj. Nidal Hasan and major terrorist figure Anwar al-Awlaki. The 173-page report by William Webster, a former FBI and CIA director, describes FBI policies and procedures that failed to prevent the shooting spree. Hasan is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder and 32 counts of attempted premeditated murder. Read the full report . The FBI and Defense Department were stunned by the shootings, and FBI Director Robert Mueller ordered a detailed review by the Webster commission, which Mueller appointed. According to the commission's report, in a May 31, 2009, e-mail from Hasan to al-Awlaki's website, Hasan discussed his views on suicide bombings. E-mail details: Hasan sought guidance on Islam, dating . "I would assume that a suicide bomber whose aim is to kill enemy soldiers or their helpers but also kill innocents in the process is acceptable." Less than six months later, officials say, Hasan jumped on a desk at Fort Hood, armed with two pistols, and began firing as he yelled "Allahu Akbar," Arabic for "God is great." There were 18 e-mail messages between Hasan and al-Awlaki between December 2008 and June 2009, the report said. A Joint Terrorism Task Force in San Diego that was investigating al-Awlaki passed two of the messages on to another task force in the Washington, D.C., area, where Hasan was living. Opinion: A tribute to Fort Hood's fallen . The report said the e-mails between Hasan and al-Awlaki should have been passed by the FBI in the Washington Field Office to the Defense Department bosses for whom Hasan worked. But the FBI saw no evidence of terrorist activities in his case, and believed the information in the e-mails was too sensitive to share because visiting extremist websites is not grounds for taking action. Remembering the victims . The report also said there was no clear system in place to determine which office would follow up on a particular lead and to make sure leads would be followed in a timely manner. In a statement Thursday, the FBI acknowledged "shortcomings in FBI policy guidance, technology, information review protocols and training." The FBI said it had reviewed 18 recommendations in the report and "has already taken action to implement them." Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Connecticut, said the report confirms many of the findings of his committee's earlier review. He said he is pleased "for the first time the report declassifies the communications between Hasan and Anwar al-Awlaki so that all Ameriicans, especially the families of the victims, can understand Hasan's radicalization and the full scale of the tragedy for which he is responsible." Lieberman added, "We are concerned that the report fails to address the specific cause for the Fort Hood attack, which is violent Islamist extremism" Hasan is scheduled to be tried in a military court in Texas. Al-Awlaki was killed in a targeted U.S. drone attack in Yemen last year. Opinion: Political correctness and Ft. Hood killings . 2009: Could Fort Hood have been avoided . Video: Fort Hood victim recovers . | Report says Nidal Hasan wrote numerous e-mails to Anwar al-Awlaki .
Messages were not passed on to proper authorities, report says .
Hasan is accused of killing 13, wounding 32 in Fort Hood shooting . |
85,079 | f14dc08f8bc8f0ba1efb08997c16ab82c08e3fe0 | Filipino doctors, priests, journalists and accountants will be allowed to arm themselves while at work under a controversial new gun law that takes effect in their country this month. Under the Philippines' Republic Act 10591, people working in these sectors -- along with nurses, engineers, bank tellers, and lawyers -- are considered "in imminent danger due to their profession" and will be allowed to carry small guns when outside their homes. To qualify for a special firearms permit, people in these professions have to pass drug and psychiatric tests, and show they don't have any criminal convictions or pending cases for crimes with punishments of more than two years in prison. This relaxes the requirements of the previous gun law, the Republic Act 8294, under which they had to prove they were under "actual threat" of danger to carry a firearm. The regulations could be good news for reporters in the Philippines, who live in one of the world's deadliest countries for the media, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Some 74 journalists, mostly covering politics, have been murdered in the Philippines since 1992, the press freedom group says. In more than 70% of cases, the killers have gone unpunished. With gun ownership high -- there were 1.2 million registered firearms in the Philippines in 2012, according to data from the National Police Firearms and Explosives Office, and estimates for unregistered weapons are in the hundreds of thousands -- firearms are often blamed for violence in the country. During New Year celebrations alone, at least 30 people were injured and one infant killed by stray bullets, the police said. Philippines' authorities say the new law will help them better regulate the use of firearms and curb gun-related crimes, according to local media reports. The law sets harsher penalties for individuals found guilty of possessing unlicensed guns, who now face at least 30 years in jail. The Republic Act 10591 also requires gun owners to have three separate permits: a license to own a firearm, registration for the gun, and a third permit to carry the weapon outside his or her residence. But not everyone who is eligible for the special permits will be rushing out to buy guns. Catholic priests criticized the law after it was signed by President Benigno Aquino III in May last year, saying that it was contrary to their belief that society needs peace, not violence. "Priests are supposed to be men of peace, not of war," the Union of Catholic Asian News reported Bishop Jose Oliveros from Bulacan province as saying. "Our Lord said: 'he who lives by the sword will die by the sword. We should not counter violence with violence." WATCH: Video shows test firing of 3-D-printed handgun . | A new law in the Philippines allows professionals "in imminent danger" of attack to carry guns .
Doctors, priests, accountants, journalists, and bank tellers are among those who qualify .
Philippines authorities say the law will help them to improve the regulation of firearms . |
106,559 | 156dcdf12d32ef07bad2d768eb494861153329b9 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:09 EST, 24 September 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:55 EST, 24 September 2012 . The father of two young boys found dead at the family home had told his wife he was leaving her hours earlier, according to a friend. Dawn Brown, 34, has been accused of killing her two sons and then hanging herself. Neighbors said she had been burdened with financial and legal troubles and that the family's electricity had been cut off for days. Her husband Murphy Brown was believed to have told his wife of eight years that he wanted to end their marriage on Friday night before going out for the evening in Clearwater, . Florida. Scroll down for video . Tragic: 34-year-old Dawn Brown, right, killed her two young sons, nine-year-old Zander, left, and five-year-old Zayden, before hanging herself in an apparent murder suicide . Devastating loss: Nine-year-old Zander and five-year-old Zayden were found dead at their home by their father . In the early hours of Saturday, police discovered Mrs Brown and her children, nine-year-old Zander and five-year-old Zayden, dead in the suburban home after receiving a call from Mr Brown. Friend and neighbor William Lavold told Tampa Bay Online that Mr Brown, 36, was distraught. He said: 'He can't function. He can't figure it out. He's done in. He's really done in.' Dawn Brown was charged last year with welfare . fraud and had faced foreclosure on the family home several times. A neighbor was supplying them with electricity via an extension cord. Authorities believe she murdered the children sometime on Friday night before hanging herself. The boys' cause of death will be released after an autopsy today. A neighbor of the family, Nichole Bell, told the paper that the two brothers attended McMullen-Booth Elementary School with her son, who was one of Zander’s best friends. 'Murder suicide': Police believe that the mother killed her sons before she hanged herself at home in the early hours of Saturday . Awful: Police found the three bodies shortly after 2am Saturday; authorities did not give a possible motive for the killing . 'I can't believe it. She was so interested in her kids' educations,' Ms Bell said. Bell told the paper that her son and Zander got in a fight at the bus stop on Friday morning and had to go to a guidance counselor when they arrived at school. Mr Lavold said that he was like a godfather to the young boys and that they had planned to go out on his boat at the weekend. Lavold said that he received a text about trouble at the home around 3am but only saw it three hours later and rushed to the house, by which time the mother and boys had died. Authorities did not give a possible motive for the killings. | Dawn Brown, 34, was found hanged at her home in Clearwater, Florida .
Neighbors said electricity had been turned off at the family home .
Brown had been charged with welfare fraud last year . |
168,903 | 6682d0cc98fc65d10193a641779f0d218f159b0b | Police have arrested a suspect in a brutal double murder where two sisters were killed more than 30 years after the killings took place. Edmond Beauregard Degan is accused of the murder of sisters Yleen and Lillie Kennedy in 1984 and is being held in Harris County Jail, Houston without bond according to city records. Edmond Beauregard Degan, left, has been arrested in connection with the double murder of Yleen and Lillie Kennedy in Houston, Texas, in 1984. Police at the time issued an artist's impression of the suspect, right . Police received a tip-off from a man who had been arrested that Degan was responsible for the murder. Officers checked DNA from the crime scene against Degan's and are believed to have discovered a match. Investigators found that Yleen, 33, was beaten, stabbed, shot and sexually assaulted while her younger sister Lillie, 23, was shot. Cold case officers managed to secure some DNA from the murder in 2009 and developed a profile of the killer. Police received a tip off late in 2014 that Degan may have been responsible for the killings and tested his DNA. He has previous convictions for aggravated robbery, assault, making a terrorist threat and possession of drugs. Degan is being held in Harris County Jail in Houston, Texas, pictured, following his double murder arrest . The tip off came as a man facing charges in an unrelated cases offered police information on the 30 year old murder. Sergeant Paul Motard of the Houston Homicide Division's cold case squad said: 'He tells his attorney, "I want to get this out" and just started telling us the story.' 'It was something this guy knew from the day it happened. He knew the defendant.' The unnamed informer had been charged with an offence which could see him spend between two and four years in prison if he's convicted. Officers had arrested and questioned Degan at the time of the murders but he had been quickly ruled out as a suspect. | Edmond Beauregard Degan has been arrested over the 1984 double killing .
He is being questioned about the murders of Yleen and Lillie Kennedy .
Police received a tip-off late last year linking Beauregard to the crime .
Officers tested Degan's DNA after he volunteered to give a sample .
Degan is being held in Harris County Jail, Houston without bond . |
97,710 | 09c96bc84f95e9fb8420591c10b2599413dc5ca1 | By . Sarah Griffiths . PUBLISHED: . 12:30 EST, 10 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:37 EST, 10 July 2013 . Nasa's next Mars rover has been given a mission to find signs of past life and to collect and store rock from the the red planet that will one day be sent back to Earth. It will demonstrate technology for a human exploration of the planet and look for signs of life. The space agency has revealed what the rover, known as Mars 2020, will look like. Scroll down for video... Nasa's next Mars rover (plans pictured) has been given a mission to find signs of past life and to collect and store rock from the the red planet that will one day be sent back to Earth. Mars 2020 will also demonstrate technology for a human exploration of the planet . It will share the body of Nasa's Curiosity Rover, which is currently searching for life on Mars and beginning the journey to its final destination. The new rover will use the same landing system as Curiosity, which used a ground-breaking chassis and 'sky crane' to arrive on Mars in one piece. It will also use some of the current robot's spare parts to save time on the new design as well as money. Mars 2020 is estimated to cost a princely $1.5 billion - one billion less than its predecessor Curiosity. The new design, which will collect rock samples, marks the next major step in fulfilling President Obama's challenge of sending humans to Mars in the 2030s. John Grunsfeld, NASA's associate administrator for science in Washington, said: 'Crafting the science and exploration goals is a crucial milestone in preparing for our next major Mars mission.' The 2020 mission plans on building on the accomplishments of Curiosity and other Mars missions. The Spirit and Opportunity rovers, along with several orbiters, found evidence Mars has a watery history. Curiosity recently confirmed that past environmental conditions on Mars could have supported living microbes. According to the Science Definition Team, looking for signs of past life is the next logical step. The rover will use its instruments for visual, mineralogical and chemical analysis down to microscopic scale to understand the environment around its landing site. It will also identify biosignatures or features in the rocks and soil that could have been formed biologically. Jack Mustard, chairman of the Science . Definition Team and a professor of geological sciences at Brown . University in Providence, said: 'The Mars 2020 mission concept does not presume that life ever existed on Mars.' 'However, given the recent Curiosity findings, past Martian life seems possible and we should begin the difficult endeavor of seeking the signs of life. 'No matter what we learn, we would make significant progress in understanding the circumstances of early life existing on Earth and the possibilities of extraterrestrial life.' There are plans for the next rover to collect and package as many as 31 samples of rock cores and soil with the intention of a later mission picking them up bringing them back to Earth for more definitive analysis in laboratories. In a bid to save time and money, the Mars 2020 rover will share the body of Nasa's Curiosity Rover (a model is pictured) which is currently searching for life on Mars and beginning the journey to its final destination. The new rover will use the same landing system as Curiosity, which used a ground-breaking chassis and 'sky crane' to arrive on Mars in one piece . The science conducted by the rover's instruments aims to expand our knowledge of Mars and provide the context needed to make wise decisions about whether to return the samples to Earth. Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division in Washington, said: 'The Mars 2020 mission will provide a unique capability to address the major questions of habitability and life in the solar system.' 'This mission represents a major step towards creating high-value sampling and interrogation methods, as part of a broader strategy for sample returns by planetary missions.' Samples collected and analyzed by the rover will help inform future human exploration missions to Mars. The rover could make measurements and technology demonstrations to help designers of a human expedition understand any hazards posed by Martian dust and demonstrate how to collect carbon dioxide, which could be a resource for making oxygen and rocket fuel. Improved precision landing technology that enhances the scientific value of robotic missions also will be critical for eventual human exploration on the surface, Nasa said. | Mars 2020 will collect up to 31 rock and soil samples from the red planet and will look for signs of extraterrestrial life .
The new rover will use the same landing system as Curiosity and share its frame, which has saved Nasa $1 billion .
The mission will bring the sapec agency a step closer to meeting President Obama's challenge to send humans to Mars in the next decade . |
143,672 | 45cac164c9f79e1aa89d6bd129d96b0aef3b6236 | (CNN) -- Virginia Johnson, the pioneering sex researcher who was part of the groundbreaking team Masters and Johnson, has died at age 88, her son, Scott Johnson, told CNN on Wednesday. Johnson died Tuesday morning in St. Louis of natural causes, though she had some complications from heart disease, he said. Dr. William Masters and Johnson conducted the first modern research on sexuality and the treatment of sexual dysfunction that paved the way for the sexual revolution. The pair wrote several books, starting with "Human Sexual Response" in 1966, a landmark work discussing the physiology of sex. Their second book, "Human Sexual Inadequacy," published in 1970, detailed how to treat sexual dysfunction. "The first research on 'sexual response' was unique and surprising," Dr. Julia Heiman, director of the Kinsey Institute, said in a statement. "No one had, with a fairly large number of men and women in a laboratory setting, tried to measure a number of physical responses (heart rate, lubrication, blood pressure, penile and vaginal size charges) during sexual stimulation and orgasm. Opinion: The woman who explained the female orgasm . "Then the second book, on 'treatment for sexual dysfunctions,' used a very non-medical approach (no drugs, physical aids, or surgery), incorporating behavioral treatments for sexual dysfunctions in men and women. And doing so within two short weeks of daily treatment," Heiman said. Johnson never had a degree, other than two honorary doctor of science degrees, her son said. She was working at Washington University's medical school in St. Louis when she met Masters, who was looking for a partner to help conduct his experiments and research. The two shared the work but complemented each other's strengths, Scott Johnson said. Masters. who died in 2001 at age 85, knew what made sense from a scientific perspective and Johnson was able to humanize it, helping their hundreds of subjects get comfortable enough to talk about their problems, and knowing how to address those problems without being cold and impersonal, he said. "The combination of the two may have been critical for the research to begin, continue and to have the lasting impact it did," Heiman said. Thomas Maier, author of "Masters of Sex: The Life and Times of William Masters and Virginia Johnson, the Couple Who Taught America How to Love," now a Showtime TV series, agrees that without Johnson, the research could not have happened. "She was the one who was able to watch what worked, she was the one who took the background interviews with all the patients," he said. "She put together all of these things and she understood what worked, because she just had a real native genius for understanding what made things click. She was really the brains behind the therapy." Masters and Johnson developed the practice of sensate focus, which helps couples refocus on each other through emotional skills and body awareness. In sensate focus therapy, sex is removed while the couples reconnect through touching and developing a heightened sense of sexual self awareness, says Ian Kerner, a sexuality counselor who blogs about sex for CNN.com's The Chart. Couples gradually develop a keener understanding of what feels good to their partner, he says. Sensate focus is the basis of sex therapy today, said Linda Weiner, a certified sex therapist in St. Louis who spent five months in the Masters and Johnson training program. "It's something she invented based on the relaxation she felt as a child when her mother would trace Virginia's face with her fingers to relax her," Weiner said. The practice helps couples learn "how to relax and deal with anxiety and performance, which they discovered was one of the major factors in sexual problems." Said Kerner: "Their essential work continues to be debated and appreciated and Virginia Johnson's legacy will always remind us of life before the little blue pill -- when couples solved their sexual problems the old-fashioned way: through communication and loving touch." People we've lost in 2013: The lives they lived . | She was part of the groundbreaking team Masters and Johnson .
She died Tuesday in St. Louis of natural causes, her son says .
The team conducted the first modern research into sexuality . |
249,057 | ce48f77e08b28b66364a2f863789d6dceb6ab746 | By . Chris Brooke . Last updated at 11:54 AM on 12th January 2012 . Caught: Owen Swift, 68, has been banned from driving for nine months after police officers caught him doing 147mph on the A64 in North Yorkshire . A pensioner on his way back from a round of golf was caught speeding in his Jaguar sports car at 147mph. Owen Swift, 68, was followed by police for almost four miles before they managed to catch up with him. When he finally stopped, the company director refused to get out of his £80,000 Jaguar XKR coupe and denied he was going too fast. He disputed the speed gun readings and criticised officers for not letting him off. ‘You can’t have got me,’ he said. ‘You were on the other side of the carriageway and crash barrier.’ He added that not being able to drive would affect his job, saying: ‘That’s it. At my age that’s my livelihood.’ When it was clear he was not going to be arrested, Swift refused a request to sign the police paperwork and drove off. Yesterday he denied speeding when he appeared at Scarborough Magistrates Court. Sergeant John Clayton and PC Ian Barrett said the Jaguar roared past their speed trap on the A64 near Malton, North Yorkshire. PC Barrett said they heard the car engine ‘working very hard.’ ‘It was quite a high-pitched noise,’ he said. The officers gave chase, with lights and sirens on, driving at more than 100 mph. When he stopped, Swift said he had spent the day playing golf and inspecting housing projects. He claimed to have been travelling at no more than 60mph. He refused to sit in the patrol car and wouldn’t sign a notice of intended prosecution. ‘We weren’t exactly seeing eye to eye,’ he told the court. ‘I was not too impressed with his attitude. 'We were reasonably civil to each other, but in the end I said “Either arrest me and get me a solicitor or let me go”. I was certainly not doing 100. I do not think the car is even capable of 147. It is limited to 155 on the speedo.’ Fast: Swift is seen getting out of a Jaguar similar to the one he was caught speeding in by officers . Swift was found guilty of speeding and fined £700 with £650 costs. He was also banned from driving for nine months. Magistrate David Harrison said: ‘In my experience of nearly 30 years on the bench, 147mph is one of the highest readings I have experienced.’ Later Sgt Clayton said: ‘This was the worst speeding offence I have ever come across. ‘My day job is a road death investigator. If something had gone wrong at that speed I might not have been dealing with Mr Swift, I might have been dealing with his family in a different capacity.’ | Owen Swift argued with officers when caught in his £81,000 Jaguar .
Told police on A64 in North Yorkshire they had stopped the wrong motorist .
Later fined £700 and banned for nine months . |
168,242 | 659ae0cb921c7c8827636dc01a17688fdd153b58 | Baghdad (CNN) -- A suicide bombing in a predominately Shia area of Baghdad has left 21 people dead and 25 people injured, according to a police source with knowledge of the incident speaking to CNN by phone. The source asked not to be identified for security reasons. The bomber targeted a Shia mosque in the city's northeast al Harithyia neighborhood, the source said. As of Sunday, there has been no claim of responsibility. U.S. airdrops weapons, medical supplies to fighters in Kobani . The past few weeks have seen a series of car and suicide attacks on Shia targets, some of which have been claimed by ISIS. Although Baghdad's perimeter has appeared to hold firm against ISIS encroachment, the militant Sunni group has made strategically valuable gains in the country's Anbar province, west of the capital. ISIS, which calls itself the Islamic State, has been accused of massacring Shiites in areas it controls. | The bomber targeted a Shiite mosque in northeast Baghdad .
ISIS has claimed responsibility for some recent attacks in Baghdad . |
155,251 | 54a99caccb1c969cd34a475e2cccc6ed61ae66df | (CNN) -- A charter plane carrying county government workers crashed on the Hawaiian island of Lanai on Wednesday night, killing three people and injuring three more, Maui County spokesman Rod Antone said. The pilot and two Maui County Department of Planning workers were killed when the plane crashed about 1 mile south of an airport of Lanai City, according to a news release from Antone. The injured were taken to a hospital. Two of them, who also were planning workers, were in critical condition Thursday morning. The third, an attorney, was in serious condition, the county said. No names were released. Information about what led to the crash wasn't immediately available. The group had attended a planning commission meeting on Lanai earlier Wednesday, and the plane -- a twin-engine Piper PA31, according to the Federal Aviation Administration -- was to bring them back, the county said. The plane took off from Lanai Airport at about 9:05 p.m., and one of the injured passengers called 911 to inform authorities about the crash at 9:23 p.m., the county said. UPS pilots complained of fatigue before fatal crash . Pilot in Tennessee plane crash heroically protected lives . CNN's Ben Brumfield contributed to this report. | Plane carrying county government delegation crashes on Hawaii's Lanai island .
Pilot and two Maui County Department of Planning workers are killed, county says .
Three injured people are taken to a hospital .
Group was on return flight after attending a meeting on Lanai . |
261,086 | de24117ae2bd0f2611d97c6597c2d728965283f6 | Prestwick Airport should maintain its status as a gateway to Glasgow and become a launchpad to outer space to secure its long-term future, a new analysis has concluded. The Glasgow Prestwick Airport strategic vision said the Ayrshire terminal's association with Glasgow, some 35 miles away, is its 'best asset'. A local campaign to change its name to Robert Burns International Airport, in recognition of the Alloway-born bard, would 'damage the airport's business prospects, notably with inbound passengers', it said. Prestwtick Airport is in need of modernisation as it aims to compete on the world stage . Officials at Prestwick believes the airport satisfies criteria to be the site of the UK's first spaceport (illustration) The vision also confirms Prestwick's bid to be the site of the UK's first spaceport, which it said will be 'the catalyst for transformational change'. In the meantime, Prestwick faces some challenges including aged infrastructure, a maintenance backlog, a railway station in need of a £4.75 million refurbishment, the need for a new primary radar within the next five years and Ryanair's expansion into Glasgow Airport. Scottish airports are also 'disproportionally affected' by air passenger duty (APD) due to their geographic location and Prestwick is calling for changes to UK aviation policy leading to a reduction in or removal of APD. Glasgow Prestwick chief executive Iain Cochrane said: 'We are currently under consideration to become Britain's first spaceport. A report has said that Prestwick Airport is a vital link for the city of Glasgow . 'We satisfy - and in some cases exceed - all the essential criteria such as infrastructure, weather and airspace, and securing spaceport status would be the catalyst for transformational change at the airport - from boosting revenue from space-related flight testing, establishing an attractive modernised hi-tech image and bringing in visitors and tourists. 'It will also bring significant economic benefits to both Ayrshire and Scotland.' Plans to rename Prestwick Airport the Robert Burns International Airport have been criticised, despite the bard being Scotland's most famous poet . Prestwick spaceport would be a magnet for tourists, industrial tenants, payload operators and sub-technology businesses, the report said. It added: 'Glasgow Prestwick Airport is a well-recognised name and its best asset is the Glasgow mention. 'Removing it will weaken its link with its main origination and destination market, being Glasgow. 'The airport will explore opportunities which may include the incorporation of a Robert Burns theme to form part of the general re-positioning of the airport landside area.' The report notes that Prestwick Airport was built in the 1960s and 'the infrastructure is aged'. 'In recent years the capital expenditure has mainly been focused on areas that were viewed as essential to maintain a safe and secure asset and keep the airport operational,' it said. 'This approach has resulted in a maintenance backlog in certain areas and also highlighted that there are some critical items of equipment which are coming close to end of life and will need replacement. 'The airport has developed a structured capital plan that will address much of the infrastructure backlog issues over the next few years. 'This excluded the costs in relation to the rail station. 'It also excludes the replacement costs of the existing primary radar which will be required within the next five years, though alternative funding options are being considered in relation to this.' Spaceport America, based in New Mexico: Could Glasgow host the UK's equivalent? Prestwick is in need of improvement, and remains a key component of Scotland's aviation market . It added: 'There is a significant need to refurbish the rail station and skywalk connecting it to the airport, with initial estimates of this being up to £4.75 million.' It continued: 'Scottish airports have been disproportionally affected by APD due to geographic location and therefore a comprehensive route development solution will be crucial to support the proposed passenger growth. Stornoway Airport, Scotland . Kinloss Barracks, Scotland . RAF Lossiemouth. Scotland . RAF Leuchars, Scotland . Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Scotland . Campbeltown Airport, Scotland . Llanbedr Airport, Wales . Newquay Cornwall Airport, England . 'Major growth will only be achievable if a substantial APD mitigation plan and route development support are put in place.' The Scottish government bought the struggling airport for £1 last year and later announced £10m in loan funding. The cash was committed towards operating costs, a repairs backlog and to make improvements to the terminal building. In July 2014 Ryanair announced the establishment of a base at Glasgow Airport in addition to Prestwick and Edinburgh. The immediate impact was 'an overall reduction in passenger volumes from the airport which has an adverse impact on its immediate revenue generating capabilities', it said. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: 'We have been clear from the start of this process that there is no quick fix for the airport but there are opportunities to improve in all areas of the business, from increasing passenger and freight traffic to putting forward a bid for the UK spaceport programme. 'We are confident there is a place for Glasgow Prestwick Airport in the evolving Scottish aviation market and look forward to seeing it grow and develop in the future.' | Airport is described as a 'gateway to Glasgow' in new report .
Hopes that Prestwick can be the UK's first spaceport .
Campaign to become Robert Burns International Airport criticised .
Infrastructure described as 'aged' with work essential to develop . |
76,024 | d7a2b2767ccdf646ff9fdd71d767b2ba4e3bfb12 | Former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder Raul Meireles is well known for putting a lot of time into his appearance, whether it be his bushy beard, carefully constructed mohawk, or his ridiculous tattoos. And the Portuguese 31-year-old has been flashing his latest ink additions as Portugal gear up for their second group game against Ghana. Portugal lost their World Cup opener 4-0 against Germany, with centre back Pepe receiving a red card and face a tough task to turn around their fortunes in Group G. Ink: Meireles has long been noted for his extravagant style and his tattoos are some of the World Cup's best . Faces: The full 'leg sleeve' tattoo features a rose on the midfielder's right knee above an old microphone . Faces: Meireles shows off two of the three faces pictures as part of the extravagant design . Meireles spent a year at Anfield with Liverpool before moving to Chelsea where he lifted the FA Cup and Champions League in 2012. Roberto Di Matteo decided the hard-working midfielder was surplus to requirements with the European Champions though, and allowed Meireles to join Turkish club Fenerbahce for £8million . Meireles has long sported tattoos but his full-length leg design has only been around since Janunary - and he welcomed the new addition to his 'ink family' by posting a picture on Twitter, although he claimed not to be in any pain. The tattoo includes the faces of three women, a pocket watch and one of Portuguese capital Lisbon's famous trams surrounded by musical notes and a black rose. Competitor: Meireles in action for Portugal in midfield up against Germany's Toni Kroos . Hard to miss: Meireles stretches with team-mate Ricardo Costa and shows off the tattoo at the same time . Tweet: Meireles gave a preview of his tattoo online in January and claimed 'It does not hurt!' Intricate design: Meireles' small socks worn in training gave a good view of his inked up limb . | Former Chelsea and Liverpool midfielder displays the brilliant ink design .
Tattoo features three women's faces, a Lisbon tram, a rose and a clock .
Meireles takes part in Portugal training as they aim to make up for 4-0 loss .
Midfielder also sports a mohawk and bushy beard when he plays . |
77,464 | dba245e153d7769ebe1e60f4b64fd0301d6c6bd7 | A raging punk rocker stormed into a dressing room and slashed two members of his former band with a hunting knife before a gig, it emerged today. Tattooed skinhead Harley Flanagan, 42, caused chaos when he knifed the pair - one of whom he also bit - at the Cro-Mags concert in New York. The band, who have a strong cult following, was about to take the stage at Webster Hall, East Village, around 8.15pm when Flanagan burst in. Former Cro-Mags bassist Harley Flanagan stormed into a dressing room before a gig and slashed two members of his former band in New York . The band's former bassist, and one of its founders, had forced his way through the venue's VIP section before unleashing his attack. Law enforcement sources and witnesses told the New York Post that nearly 30 guests on the balcony were sent into a frenzy. Security guards then jumped on the Jiu-Jitsu expert, who suffered a broken leg, before police handcuffed him to a chair. Witness Dave Gustav said: 'Someone was yelling, "Get his hands, get his hands, he's got a knife!"' Another witness told the Horns Up Rocks website: 'I talked to him outside minutes before it happened and I knew something was going to go down. Handcuffed and reportedly suffering from a broken leg, Harley Flanagan is taken out of Webster Hall by an emergency worker . The attack occurred last night at Webster Hall in Manhattan, New York before the band the 'Cro Mags' were due to take to the stage . 'He was like a lunatic outside. Next thing I know he’s in the VIP area stabbing people!' Eyewitness Justin Brannan said: 'People started booing him and throwing stuff at him. His hands were handcuffed but he still gave everyone the finger.' Bandmember William Berario, 45, was slashed above the eye and bitten on his cheek, the New York Post reported. Michael Couls, 33 - the band's current bassist, who is known in the hardcore world as 'The Gook' - was cut on his arm and stomach. Police are visible outside Webster Hall after Harley Flanagan disrupted a 'Cro Mags' gig last night in New York City . Both members of Cro-Mags were taken to New York's Bellevue Hospital with non life-threatening wounds. Flanagan, from New York, was also taken to the hospital. He was charged with two counts of 2nd degree assault and weapons charges. The show, which was part of the CBGB Festival and also featured the band Sick of It All, was cancelled . According to the New York Post, Cro-Mags lead singer John Joseph McGowan told the crowd: 'You can all thank Harley Flanagan for ruining the night for everyone.' | Harley Flanagan caused chaos when he knifed the pair .
One victim was his replacement as bassist in Cro-Mags .
Security pounced moments later and he broke his leg .
Witness said: 'His hands were handcuffed but he still gave everyone the finger.' |
55,844 | 9e4bcbd2b92cc3b68f0384a43b13b4927e22a600 | (AOL Autos) -- You've probably read articles about fighting traffic tickets -- but the reality is many of us (probably most of us) just don't have the money to hire a lawyer -- or the time/expertise (let alone gumption) to actually challenge a ticket on our own. Avoid a moving violation conviction even if it means paying a bigger fine. There are some alternatives, however. Plead guilty -- with explanation . Sometimes you can get a reduced charge by pleading guilty -- but with an explanation. Provided you have an otherwise clean record -- and the charge itself is relatively minor -- often, this can yield good results. Remember -- what they want most is money. The charge itself is of secondary importance. A great deal depends on the judge, however. Some are hard cases, others more reasonable. Before you decide to go this route, it's smart to get to court early and watch how your judge handles other cases -- especially those similar to your own. If you think, based on his actions, that he's going to throw the book at you -- you can always request a continuance; in many states, these are granted automatically upon request. Simply tell the judge you are not ready to go to trial. A continuance will push your court date off for another few weeks or so and give you time to prepare a defense -- or hire a lawyer. Bargain . Traffic courts are a lot like buying a new car -- because there's lots of haggling involved. You can ask the judge (or the prosecuting/commonwealth's attorney) about the possibility of agreeing to attend driving school and/or pay a fine in return for dropping the charge against you -- or changing the charge to a non-moving violation, which avoids DM "points" being assigned to your driving record. That means your insurance company won't have a pretext for a rate hike. In some counties/states, certain charges aren't reported to the DMV at all -- especially if it's an out-of-state ticket. (Mostly, these include non-moving violations such as "defective equipment" -- a common "lesser charge" that's often assigned in lieu of the original moving violation.) The key thing, however, is to avoid the moving violation conviction -- even if it means paying a larger fine than you'd otherwise have paid for just the ticket/offense you were originally charged with. A one-time hit to your wallet is infinitely preferable to having that ticket held against you for anywhere from three to five years -- the length of time it will be on your DMV record -- and used by your insurance company to justify higher premiums. The total cost of a single moving violation on your DMV record can easily exceed the one-time hit of a fine for "defective equipment" (or whatever) many times over. And keep in mind: If you should be unlucky enough to receive another ticket before the old one "drops off" -- your jeopardy has just doubled. The points stack up -- and your insurance goes through the roof. How likely is it you can go for another five years without getting nailed again? For many of us, that's a virtual impossibility! It's possible in some states to take the DMV-authorized "driving school" online -- and avoid the hassle of spending an entire Saturday reliving high school detention. Bottom line . Either of these alternatives -- pleading guilty with an explanation or bargaining your way to a lesser charge -- can be more cost-effective than hiring a lawyer or spending days/weeks of your own time doing what's necessary to fight the ticket yourself. Most of us have jobs and responsibilities that make that very difficult, if not impossible. And it can be very intimidating for a layman to go up against the system, subpoenaing records, questioning the ticketing officer in open court -- and so on. By challenging the system in this way, one also runs the very real risk of antagonizing the court -- and becoming the target of an angry judge looking to "teach someone a lesson." It's true you can always appeal a conviction (in many states, a traffic law case may even entitle you to a jury trial, if you want to take it that far). But that involves yet more time, yet more expense. How much of either can you afford to spend on a traffic ticket beef? Yes, there's the principle involved. If it's a really unjust ticket, you may be motivated to go all the way -- and do whatever it takes to beat the rap. But sometimes, it's smart to pick your battles -- and go for the best outcome you can realistically hope for given time and other constraints. E-mail to a friend . | Sometimes you can reduce a charge by pleading guilty -- with an explanation .
It's possible in some states to take the DMV-authorized "driving school" online .
Avoid the moving violation conviction -- even if it means paying a larger fine .
If trying to bargain, be careful of the very real risk of antagonizing the court . |
254,963 | d60405bdd39895ce0b6551241adabe2000dfa996 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . A bumbling arson suspect is feeling the burn after he appears to have set himself on fire while trying to burn down a building in Ohio last week. Adding significant insult to the clumsy injury is the fact that it appears that this is the second time the alleged firebug has failed to burn down the same building, a Masonic Temple in West Toledo. And not only did the ham-handed flame-thrower set himself on fire while failing to burn down the temple, video of the entire humiliating incident was recorded by surveillance cameras - and released onto the Internet by authorities looking to track down the culprit. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Oops: The unidentified firebug tried to burn down a Masonic temple in Ohio - and managed to set himself on fire in the process . Arson: The suspect approached the building about 5 a.m. Monday with what was later determined to be a brick with a rag attached to it . According to authorities in West Toledo, the suspect attempted to burn down the Masonic temple at 5025 Secor Road about 4:56 a.m. Monday. Surveillance cameras recorded the unidentified suspect drive up to the temple, get out of his vehicle and walk towards the building. Shortly after the suspects walks towards the building, a burst of light is seen coming from the side of the Temple as the suspect is seen scampering away. Bad aim: The suspect apparently was not satisfied with his first attempt to set the building on fire . Try, try again: After missing his target, the man goes back for the flaming brick to try again to set the building on fire . When the fire appears to burn out, the suspect is seen running towards the building, apparently to try again. When he backed away, the man's hand appeared to be on fire. He then jumped in his car and drove off. Police in West Toledo say that fire officials determined that the suspect had used a patio brick with a burning rag attached to it to break a window at the temple on the north side of the building. The rag, officials say, was found on the lawn. Bad idea: After his second attempt to torch the building, the man appears to set himself on fire . See ya: After failing to burn the building down - and setting himself on fire - the bumbling firebug ran back to his car and drove off . Still standing: Authorities say the suspect did about $300 in damage to the building in what appears to be his second failed attempt to burn it down . At the end of the day, the failed flaming brick did about $300 in damage. Authorities say someone attempted to set the same temple on fire on May 14. An investigation is ongoing to determine who attempted to set the building on fire, and whether the two attempts are related. | The clumsy firebug attempted to burn down a Masonic temple in Ohio .
Just a few weeks earlier, someone - potentially the same wannabe arsonist - failed to set the same building on fire .
After throwing a flaming brick at the building, and apparently missing his target, the man tries to retrieve the brick .
When he attempted to retrieve the brick, the suspect appears to set himself on fire before fleeing .
In all, the temple sustained about $300 in damage . |
42,902 | 78fea621c6b209b3c04b5267aadd5b295e7e14d1 | (CNN) -- Sara Hammon saw some of her sisters pulled out of school to be married to men they didn't know. She dreaded a similar fate. And so, she ran away from home before she was old enough to drive legally. Sara Hammon says the prospect of an arranged marriage was "like marching to the guillotine." She left behind 19 mothers, 74 siblings, and a father she says could never remember her name, even though he repeatedly molested her. And, she left behind a culture she says was oppressive for young women. Hammon recently gave CNN a deeply disturbing account of her life inside the polygamous sect whose leader, Warren Jeffs, goes on trial this week in Utah. Jeffs is accused of being an accomplice to rape. The charge stems from his alleged practice of arranging polygamous marriages between child brides and older male followers. Hammon is not directly involved in the charges against Jeffs, which concern an arranged marriage between a girl, 14 and her 19-year-old cousin. She left the sect before she could be placed in an arranged marriage. But she is one of its most outspoken former members. Watch Hammon describe her escape from a closed world » . "Probably the worst part of the whole theology," she said, " is the treatment of women and teaching women that they are not equal to men." "They have to have a husband in order to get to the highest degree of heaven, and not only a husband but they have to allow the husband to have two other wives," she added. Hammon was born in Hilldale, Utah, and raised in Colorado City, Arizona, towns where followers of Jeffs -- the President and Prophet, Seer and Revelator of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) -- freely practice polygamy. Hear the words of the prophet » . The FLDS broke more than a century ago from the mainline Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, based in Salt Lake City, Utah, over the practice of polygamy. The Mormon church, which gave up plural marriage more than a century ago, has renounced Jeffs' group. Hammon was the first 14-year-old girl to successfully leave the FLDS, she said. Almost 20 years later, she recalls the time she spent inside the compound as being filled with fear. She speaks out as part of her work with The Hope Organization, a non-profit group based in St. George, Utah, that assists victims of abusive polygamous relationships. "There was a tremendous amount of abuse in our home," Hammon said. "It happened on a daily basis and there was all kinds: sexual, physical, emotional, mental. My brothers were sexually abusive. Some of my mothers were physically abusive." But it was her father -- an FLDS church leader -- who terrified her. He began sexually abusing her before she turned 5, Hammon said. He even tried to molest her on his deathbed when she was 13, she said. "For me, he was a very mean person. I didn't know him while we lived in the same house for 13 years and he had to ask me my name every time he saw me. "In fact, the question he would ask is, 'What is your name and who is your mother?' and that was the only way he could identify that I was his child," Hammon said. Three of her older sisters were placed in marriages before they finished high school, including one who was 16 when she married a 62-year-old man, Hammon said. She recalled that one sister had two days notice before her wedding. Hammon said girls in the compound were prepared for a similar destiny all their lives, but she knew from a young age she didn't want any part of it. "It was like marching to the guillotine because I saw pictures of my mother before she got married and she was just so confident. "Her posture was just excellent and she had a beautiful face and smile... and then I watched her deteriorate after she got married and I watched her go through so much emotional pain and that was what I felt was in store for me if I got married," she said. Hammon described her father's wives as second-class citizens in the household who became shells of themselves the moment he came into the room. She called it mind control. Her mother had more than two dozen nervous breakdowns, she said. "I don't know how a woman can allow another woman to come into her home and cook some supper up with the family for her and go to bed with her husband that night and respect herself. "I don't see how that is possible. You have to let a part of yourself go. A part of something in you, you have to squash that down in order to live with that every day," she said. It was a fate Hammon escaped with the help of a family she'd been babysitting for outside the compound. About a year after her father died, she asked them if she could stay and they agreed. Hammon says her mother didn't believe she could stop her. Almost two decades later, the memories of her childhood haunt her. Hammon said she doesn't date much. "I watched my mom just die emotionally and I relate that to marriage," she said. Still, she doesn't entirely blame Jeffs for what she went through inside the FLDS community. "I think that Warren Jeffs is the fall guy for something that has been going on for generations," Hammon said. "Warren Jeffs is just a person to focus on. This system is a well-oiled machine, there's always going to be somebody to step up and take his place. What he has done is terrible... but I know a lot of other men who were out there and in charge who did some pretty terrible things too. Nobody was paying attention then," she said. Jeffs was captured August 28, 2006, in a traffic stop near Las Vegas, Nevada. At the time, he had been on the FBI's 10 Most Wanted List for months. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Randi Kaye contributed to this story. | Sara Hammon says women were told marriage was their ticket to heaven .
Hammon says she was sexually abused by her father and brothers .
She describes her father's 19 wives as second-class citizens in the household .
Hammon left the community when she was 14 years old . |
262,802 | e0658c0e7451da714bb8766da8e3c06807f1b449 | By . Sam Webb . PUBLISHED: . 12:20 EST, 19 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 12:31 EST, 19 February 2013 . Internet shopping giant Amazon fired a company that allegedly employed security staff with neo-Nazi links to intimidate its foreign workers. HESS security was linked to the country's far-right by an investigation made by German television documentary makers . Amazon came under fire for using the firm after German film makers filmed black-clad guards with military haircuts, who are employed to keep Amazon’s over 5,000 foreign employees in check. The film, broadcast on Germany’s ARD television channel, investigated the treatment of workers brought in as temporary staff at the company’s centres in Bad Hersfeld, Konstanz and Augsburg and unveiled a culture of threats and bullying. Backlash: Amazon was criticised for using HESS security, whose staff 'threatened' foreign workers dressed in 'neo-Nazi uniform', a documentary claims . The world's biggest online retailer said the security service in question would no longer be used by the company, 'effective immediately', according to CNN. 'As a responsible employer of approximately 8,000 salaried logistics employees, Amazon has zero-tolerance for discrimination and intimidation and expects the same from every company we work with,' the company said. The temporary staff come from across Europe for seasonal work at packing and distribution centres and stay in budget hotels and youth hostels where the HESS Security guards patrol. The boot-wearing guards dress in uniforms from designer brand Thor Steinar, a label which carries strong neo-Nazi connotations, . The brand has been banned by both the German parliament and the Bundesliga football association and Amazon themselves stopped selling it in 2009 due to its symbolic far-right message. The ARD documentary show the security guards searching bedrooms and kitchen at the foreign workers’ accommodation, allegedly frisking them for bread rolls when they leave breakfast in the morning. ‘They tell us they are the police here,’ a Spanish woman said. Hensel European Security denied any connection with far-right radicalism and pointed out it has a high proportion of immigrant workers of various religions. Accused: Amazon allegedly employ the guards to patrol the hostels and budget hotels where their foreign workers stay near Bad Hersfeld, Germany . The documentary makers went undercover at one of the budget hotels used by Amazon for their staff and witnessed the brutal ways of HESS Security first hand. ARD made further accusations against HESS Security, claiming its name is a reference to prolific Nazi Rudolf Hess, Adolf Hitler’s right-hand man, alleging that its director is associated with convicted neo-Nazis and football hooligans. Due to their temporary status, workers can be fired at will and many are paid less than they were promised. Amazon has faced a number of accusations about conditions at its warehouses in both the U.S. and Europe. A Financial Times report into an Amazon warehouse in the UK found workers often had to walk between seven and 15 miles each day. | Amazon fires HESS Security after TV documentary claims .
HESS staff 'intimidate foreign workers' at hostels .
They wore black uniforms from label with neo-Nazi connotations .
Documentary claim foreign workers were regularly frisked for food . |
206,713 | 97a3d602da5f4361c8f17dc0cadabc5edfc9c5e3 | By . John Stevens . PUBLISHED: . 19:27 EST, 1 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 20:00 EST, 1 November 2012 . ENGLAND'S oaks could be the next trees to fall victim to diseases threatening our countryside, experts have warned. They say that oaks are 'under . assault' from at least two new infections, with up to half of the trees . in some forests displaying signs of disease. The warning comes after the . Government's chief scientist said it could be too late to stop the . spread of ash dieback, a fungal disease threatening 80 million ash . trees. Under threat: Experts have already warned that the battle against the ash dieback could already be lost, with the killer fungus that causes it now discovered in 30 sites in the UK . The study, published yesterday by . the Countryside Restoration Trust, reveals how Britain's woodlands are . under threat from pests and diseases. It warns horse chestnuts are at risk . from a disease called bleeding canker, and the London skyline could be . changed by 'plane wilt', which threatens plane trees . These are found in many cities . because of their resistance to pollution. In total, 25 new pests and . diseases are either already established, recently arriving, on their way . or seen as likely threats to Britain's trees, woods and forests. The report warns: 'Even English oaks . are in trouble, declining under assault from two new, as yet . incompletely understood conditions.' The oak – our most common woodland . tree which is often used as a symbol for England – is threatened by two . of the top five diseases; 'acute and chronic oak decline', and the 'oak . processionary moth'. Peter Goodwin, of Woodland Heritage, . said of acute oak decline: 'Its impact is going to be far greater than . that of ash dieback. There is not a forester in Britain . who is not terrified of this one. 'The oak is the country's dominant . tree because of its size, importance and history. We really could lose . it because there is not a cure.' The other danger is from the oak processionary moth, first reported in south-west London in 2006. The report said: 'While the . caterpillars of the moth can strip trees bare of their leaves, the key . concern is the caterpillar's hairs, which can cause severe allergic, . potentially fatal reactions in people and animals.' Dr Keith Kirby, a woodland ecologist . from Oxford University, said the future of our oaks was at a . 'crossroads' because of the threat from acute oak decline. 'What is particularly concerning is the disease has attacked old trees,' he added. 'If it takes out younger trees it . does not matter too much, but if it takes out 300-year-old ones, they . take longer to replace and support more insects.' Tory MP Zac Goldsmith, who co-wrote . the study, said: 'We are seeing a torrent of new pests and diseases, the . majority imported accidentally, threatening our iconic and much-loved . native trees.' | Tory MP Zac Goldsmith has attacked the government for failing to deal with the problem .
Experts say the impact could be worse than the fate of the ash tree . |
118,860 | 257b5727d6308a8c79c16fdd1955193b29ff3a73 | By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 20:12 EST, 22 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 20:13 EST, 23 December 2013 . Britons in South Sudan are being urged to flee the troubled country on the UK’s third and final evacuation flight. The Foreign Office said a plane was being sent to the capital, Juba, today and warned that the British government would struggle to help anyone who chose to stay behind. Fighting has spread through the newly formed African state, which gained its independence from Sudan in 2011, after a coup attempt in the capital last weekend. Flight: Britons have been urged to evacuate South Sudan today on what will be the final rescue flight. Pictured: U.S. soldiers of the East Africa Response Force (EARF) are deployed in the capital on December 18 . Factions: A Sudan People's Liberation Army soldier in the capital Juba on Saturday . British military transport planes have been used to evacuate two groups of UK nationals over recent days. Three U.S. rescue planes were hit by incoming fire, leaving four American service personnel wounded. The UN has estimated that up to 500 people have been killed in fighting between rival factions following a coup attempt against President Salva Kiir by troops loyal to former vice-president Riek Machar. A Foreign Office spokesman said: 'Due to the continued violence in South Sudan, the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) is planning to send a third and final plane to assist any remaining British nationals to leave. Fire: A U.S. CV-22 Osprey aircraft similar to three which were hit in Bor in remote South Sudan . Danger: British citizens have been warned the government may no longer be able to support them . 'The FCO is planning to provide a charter flight to depart from Juba to Dubai during the afternoon of Monday, December 23. 'Following the assisted departure of British nationals earlier this week on military flights, this will be the final flight provided by the FCO for British nationals to leave South Sudan.' | Newly-formed African state was hit by a coup attempt in the capital Juba .
UN estimates up to 500 people have been killed in fight between factions .
Three U.S. rescue planes hit by incoming fire, leaving four wounded . |
177,513 | 71cc2da5849524c936ff176011f5a3266a847016 | A Cairns grandmother was charged with wilful damage to property after she allegedly placed a sticker on a pole. Four police officers raided the home of Myra Gold, 60, on August 24. The sticker, which was found by police on a pole at Raintree Shopping Centre, said 'G20 benefits the 1%'. Ms Gold told Daily Mail Australia the raid was an attack on freedom of speech. 'It's almost like the Thought Police,' she said. Ms Gold is accused of placing a tiny sticker, similar to this one, on a pole near Raintree Shopping Centre in Cairns. Myra Gold (left), pictured with a climate change poster, and the G20 stickers she was charged over. As many as 800 extra police are being sent to Cairns to guard the G20 finance ministers' meeting, held on September 20 and 21 at the city's Convention Centre. The finance ministers of the G20 - an influential international body - will hold a meeting in Cairns at the weekend. As many as 800 extra police are set to arrive in Cairns early this week. 'Over in Europe when they have things like this, they have thousands of people turn up to protest,' she said. 'They're allowed to protest. They understand people have a different different view.' Ms Gold said she has no memory of placing the sticker on the pole. She said she never expected this could happen to her. '(It) was quite stunning,' she said. Ms Gold is scheduled to appear in court on October 1. A spokeswoman for Queensland police refused to comment further because the matter is before a court. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article. | Cairns grandma Myra Gold charged over allegedly placing a sticker on a pole .
Four police officers raided Ms Gold's home over the sticker .
She was charged with wilful damage to public property .
Sticker protested G20 meeting in Cairns at the weekend .
The sticker said 'G20 benefits the 1%'
'It's almost like the Thought Police', Ms Gold said . |
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