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When Stephanie Van Pelt needed to care for her son after surgery, her company gave her the option to work from home. "They didn't lose my productivity," Van Pelt posted on Google+. "They gained an intensely loyal, hard-working employee that was so pleased with not having to take (time) off." Van Pelt was weighing in on the recent news that Yahoo is ending its work-from-home policy. The change, announced Monday by Yahoo human resources chief Jackie Reses, is expected to affect hundreds of employees. It is one of many changes CEO Marissa Mayer has made since being hired last July. But Van Pelt doesn't work for Yahoo. She doesn't work for Google, Twitter, or any high-profile tech company. Instead, Van Pelt represents how the changes at Yahoo have gotten the attention of workers everywhere, regardless of industry. "This is just ridiculous," she continued. "Glad I have no desire to work for Yahoo!" A 2011 study by Telework Research Network found that working remotely increased 73% from 2005 to 2011 in the United States. Parenting is not at the heart of the issue, despite expectations Mayer would be more flexible after the recent birth of her first child. In the thousands of social media posts made about Mayer's decision since Monday, people have attempted to classify the policy as a statement about everything from feminism to incompetent management. On Tuesday Yahoo issued a short statement, saying "This isn't a broad industry view on working from home -- this is about what is right for Yahoo right now." But two themes seem to anchor the discussion, and they center on debate about what it takes to create a truly innovate workplace -- something Yahoo needs -- and the role morale plays in productivity. Opinion: CEO right -- Yahoo workers must show up . On innovation . Psychologist Eve Ash wrote for SmartCompany.com that, "The combined efforts of a group can provide quantum leaps in innovations." Hired to essentially reinvent Yahoo, Mayer is clearly attempting to reignite the "spirit of collaboration." In an opinion piece for CNN, Raymond Fisman said Mayer has it exactly right: Personal interaction is still the most effective way of conveying a company's direction. The assertion that new ideas spring up through "chance encounters" is backed by academic research, he says. David Hirsch, who uses @startupman on Twitter, agrees. As a managing partner of Metamorphic.vc and a father of two, he says for every restart or start-up, real-time collaboration and strategy needs to happen "every 5 minutes." "As a parent who occasionally works from home -- I feel bad for all those impacted," posted JD Fairweather. "As a consultant who has seen the challenges of managing remote workers and the complications of rebuilding a company -- it's the right move." "Yahoo needs employees who want to live breathe and evangelize Yahoo," wrote tech blogger Shawn Farner. "The company needs employees in Sunnyvale, walking the halls, eating lunch with colleagues, brainstorming on whiteboards, gathering around monitors -- basically, doing the things you'd see a small start-up doing in companies that emphasize collaboration and comradery." A work-at-home mom defends Mayer . On productivity . Richard Branson, founder of Virgin Group, quickly posted his opposition to Mayer's policy, saying a big part of successfully working with other people depends on, "trusting people to get their work done wherever they are, without supervision." Donald Trump tweeted that Mayer is right to expect Yahoo employees to come to the workplace. "She is doing a great job!" Lynn Dang, a former IBM employee posted to Facebook that the policy is silly and short-sighted for three reasons. First, unproductive staff will be unproductive anywhere. Second, Yahoo now risks losing top performers, and third the policy speaks of control and distrust unlikely to boost morale and engagement. "I do think team building and interaction are useful but it doesn't have to be an all or nothing approach like this," Dang posted. "Especially in 2013. Especially for a tech company." In an article on HLNTV.com, Sarah Evans, owner of Sevans Strategy, a public relations consultancy, wrote that each year, $1.4 trillion is lost in productivity regardless of where a worker's desk is physically located. "Finding a better way to work should be a company's priority -- not telling people where they can do said work," Evans said. For Scott Jordan, the policy signaled a much greater issue, which is that Mayer and her team have not planned and deployed technology properly. "There should be no time when an employee is more than a couple of taps away," he posted to Google+. Opinion: Allow Yahoo workers to work at home .
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Yahoo's new policy will encourage innovation, some workers say .
Requiring workers to go to the office may hurt morale, others argue .
Working from home increased by 73% between 2005 and 2011, according to a study .
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By . Tom Gardner . PUBLISHED: . 05:04 EST, 6 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 04:23 EST, 10 December 2013 . Children have been warned not to venture outside as Shanghai's hazardous smog levels reach crisis point. Authorities in China's financial hub also ordered a halt to construction work as the city suffers one of its worst bouts of air pollution in history. The dense and dangerous smog - which reached more than 24 times the World Health Organisation's safe limit - caused visibility in China's most populated city to fall to just a few dozen metres, obscuring its spectacular skyline. Scroll down for video . Grey day: A man stands on the Bund in front of the financial district of Pudong during a hazy day in Shanghai . Clearing: The smog gradually lifted, allowing a glimpse at the world famous skyline during the day . Clear: This is a similar view of the Shanghai skyline without the dangerous smog . Authorities say the city's . concentration of tiny, harmful PM 2.5 particles was 602.5 micrograms per . cubic metre early Friday afternoon, an extremely hazardous level. That compares with the World Health Organization's safety guideline of 25 micrograms. The . Shanghai environmental authority today even took the drastic move of . lowering air pollution standards in an attempt to reduce the number of . alerts being issued. Smog: An electronic screen and buildings are seen amid heavy smog at the financial district of Pudong in Shanghai today . Choking: A man wears a face mask while walking on the Bund in downtown Shanghai this morning . Alerts had previously been activated when the concentration of PM2.5 reached 75 micrograms per cubic metre. Shanghai weather authorities could soon be given the all clear to use cloud seeding to generate rain. The aim is the showers will to purge the atmosphere of dangerous particles. It is part of the government's plan to invest 1.7 trillion yuan ($277 billion) in tackling air pollution. The technique involves firing rockets carrying a payload of silver iodide particles into the clouds, according to New Scientist. Ice crystals then form from super-cooled liquid water in the clouds, using the particles as nucleation points onto which the hazardous air particles latch and fall to earth. But now the warning will be triggered by Shanghai's Environmental Protection Bureau when the dangerous particle concentration hits 115 micrograms per cubic meter, according to a report by the China Daily. Experts . blame Shanghai's pollution on coal emissions in the region combined . with weather patterns that have left the city's air stagnant. The . issue of air quality has now become a serious concern for China's . leadership as it plays into popular resentment over political privilege . and rising inequality in the world's second-largest economy. Health dangers from the severe pollution are also becoming more apparent. Smog . in China’s most populated city is being blamed for a fertility crisis . as the incidence of low sperm counts among its men reaches record . levels. Doctors in financial capital . Shanghai say air and water pollution is a ‘major culprit’ for the city’s . predicament and warn that action needs to be taken urgently. Gloom: Shanghai's skyline is almost invisible through the thick smog which hangs over the city . ‘If we don’t protect the environment now, mankind will face a worsening infertility predicament,’ Dr Li Zheng, a sperm expert at the city’s Renji Hospital told the Shanghai Morning Post. Only a third of the semen at Shanghai's main sperm bank, run by Dr Li, currently meets World Health Organisation standards. And smog levels are rising. A 2012 study, coordinated by Dr Li, . concluded that over the last ten years, worsening environmental . conditions were keeping pace with the falling quality of sperm and . aspermia, a condition that causes men to produce no semen at all. A . year ago, China's infertility rate stood at 12.5 per cent of people of . childbearing age, according to China state news agency Xinhua. Twenty . years ago it was just three per cent. Grinding to a halt: A man wears a face mask while walking his pet dog on a street during a hazy day in downtown Shanghai as authorities stop major construction projects in the city . Seeing through the smog: Aircraft are barely visible through thick smog on the tarmac of Hongqiao airport in Shanghai as severe pollution blankets the city on .
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Harmful PM 2.5 particles hits 602.5 micrograms per cubic meter .
World Health Organisation safety guideline sets limit of 25 micrograms .
Authorities order halt to construction in China's financial hub .
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LONDON, England (CNN) -- Spain's Fernando Alonso has torn up his contract at McLaren and quit the Formula One team after a stormy year which has seen him deposed as world champion. Alonso clashed with teammate Hamilton and team boss Dennis in a difficult 2007. Alonso, who finished third in the 2007 standings behind teammate Lewis Hamilton and new champion Kimi Raikkonen, is now free to join another team . A source with knowledge of the Alonso-McLaren talks told CNN that it is not yet known where Alonso will go next. The 26-year-old has been linked with a return to his former team Renault or may sit out 2008 awaiting a possible spot at Italian giants Ferrari. Alonso, who had two years left on his contract with British-based McLaren, courted controversy for his strained relationship with Hamilton and team boss Ron Dennis and his departure appeared almost inevitable. "Since I was a boy I had always wanted to drive for McLaren, but sometimes in life things do not work out," said Alonso in a statement released by the team. "I continue to believe that McLaren is a great team. Yes, we have had our ups and downs during the season, which has made it extra-challenging for all of us, and it is not a secret that I never really felt at home. "I know there have been suggestions of favoritism within the team and people say a lot of things in the heat of battle, but in the end I was always provided with an equal opportunity to win." Dennis added: "Everybody at Vodafone McLaren Mercedes, especially McLaren's Spanish partners Banco Santander and Mutua Madrilena and the team's title partner Vodafone, want to wish Fernando all the best for the future." Alonso has been in intense negotiations over his early exit with McLaren, who said on their Web site that he had left "in the best interests of both parties." The 2007 season had started promisingly for McLaren, but rookie Hamilton's early successes appeared to unsettle Alonso as the title race boiled down to a four-way race between the McLaren drivers and Ferrari's Raikkonen and Felipe Massa. The first clear sign of friction occurred at the Hungarian Grand Prix in August when Alonso was accused of preventing Hamilton from completing a final qualifying lap. He was demoted from pole position to sixth on the grid by race stewards. More serious was the Formula One 'spy scandal' which saw McLaren fined over $100 million by the sports governing body, the FIA. During the FIA investigation it was alleged Alonso had threatened to go the FIA with sensitive information and Dennis revealed that he had not spoken to Alonso in several weeks. A fragile peace was established for the championship decider at the Brazil GP, but it proved a disastrous finale for McLaren as neither Hamilton or Alonso could secure the points they needed to win the title and Raikkonen prevailed. E-mail to a friend . CNN's Madrid Bureau Chief Al Goodman and CNN Sports Producer Chris Eldergill contributed to this report .
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Spain's Fernando Alonso quits McLaren with two years left on his contract .
Alonso was deposed as world champion after a controversial 2007 season .
The two-time world champion may return to former team Renault .
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Christie Brinkley's ex-husband Peter Cook has lashed out at the supermodel this week in an explosive court document countering claims he owes her child support. The 58-year-old former Sports Illustrated cover girl quietly filed a motion to resolve claims Mr Cook owes $32,000 in expenses for their two children, including school tuition and summer camp fees. But Mr Cook reignited their bitter custody dispute, claiming in a 91-page document at Suffolk County Supreme Court in New York that she in fact owes him money - calling her a 'narcissistic egomaniac'. Happier times: Christie Brinkley and Peter Cook, pictured together in 2006, reached a divorce settlement in 2008 after months of very public court disputes . Glamorous: Model Christie Brinkley pictured at a fashion show last month in New York . The architect, 53, claims he is owed . $25,000 from Ms Brinkley for caring for their children while she . performed in Chicago on New York’s Broadway and London's West End, . reported the New York Post. He also claims Ms Brinkley is dragging . their two children into their disputes, claiming she has called him . 'truly narcissistic', and once wrote an e-mail to their son that Mr Cook . 'is jealous of my success'. Neither party has yet commented. Ms . Brinkley met Mr Cook in 1998 and had her third child, Sailor, with him. Mr Cook legally adopted her son with ex-husband Richard Taubman, Jack. She also has a daughter, Alexa Ray, . with first husband, singer Billy Joel. Ms Brinkley appeared in the video for his 1983 hit Uptown Girl but their marriage only lasted for nine years. But Ms Brinkley, who has been married four times, has been trading . insults with Mr Cook ever since their acrimonious split in 2008. Bitter divorce proceedings revealed Mr . Cook spent thousands of dollars a month accessing internet porn. He was . also romantically involved with a neighbour’s daughter, . then-18-year-old Diana Bianchi. During their 2008 divorce, the court was told that he had paid Ms Bianchi $300,000 in the hope of her keeping the liaison quiet. Former family: Christie Brinkley is joined by Peter Cook and children Sailor and Jack in New York in 2004 . Christie Brinkley, right, has a daughter with first husband, Billy Joel, left, seen together in 1994 . Ms Brinkley meanwhile charged that Mr Cook was a bad father who used 'overwhelming' physical force when . disciplining the children. The court psychiatrist said both parties needed therapy. Blue-eyed and blonde-haired Ms Brinkley was born in Monroe, Michigan, but grew up in Malibu, California, before moving to Paris, France, for art school aged 18. She then spent three years as an illustrator before being noticed by an American photographer - and then proceeded to appear on 200 magazine covers in the 1980s. Ms Brinkley is most famous for appearing on three consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition covers from 1979 to 1981, and for her appearances in perfume and shampoo adverts.
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Comes after heated split in 2008 between model and architect Peter Cook .
She wants to resolve claims Cook owes $32,000 in expenses for their kids .
But Cook claimed in a New York court filing that she owes him the money .
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By . Chris Wheeler . So there will be no Manchester derby in Miami after all following the second penalty shootout defeat to befall Manuel Pellegrini and his Premier League champions in the space of four days. They did not seem particularly upset about that as the squad flew out of Minneapolis in the early hours of Sunday morning and headed for Manchester instead of Florida where neighbours United will now face Liverpool on Monday night. With the remainder of his World Cup contingent due to report back at the start of the week and Frank Lampard arriving on Wednesday, Pellegrini was just grateful there were no injuries on a pitch he had described as ‘high risk’ beforehand. VIDEO Scroll down to watch Pellegrini talk about Manchester City's Premier League rivals . Blow: Manchester City drew 2-2 with Olympiacos in Minneapolis but were defeated 5-4 on penalties . Shot stopper: Roberto Jimenez Gago was the hero for the Greek side in the shootout . Big win: The Greek contingent in the United States grapple for a shirt of their heroes . Opponents . Olympiacos had even refused to train on the temporary grass surface at . the University of Minnesota’s TCF Bank Stadium and the game only went . ahead after urgent talks on Friday night. It passed off without any . problem after the surface was heavily sanded and watered overnight and . then touched up with painted green. City . twice went ahead through Stevan Jovetic’s fifth goal in three games on . tour and an Aleksandar Kolarov penalty only to pegged back on both . occasions – just as they had been by Liverpool at Yankee Stadium on . Wednesday – as Dimitrios Diamantakos claimed both goals for the Greeks. Joe . Hart’s unconventional save with his foot from Avraam Papadopoulos sent . the shootout to sudden-death after James Milner and Scott Sinclair both . saw their attempts saved, but Micah Richards blasted wildly over with . what may prove to be his last kick for City and Anastasios Papazoglou . wrapped up victory. At . least Pellegrini now has two more days at home to prepare for next . weekend’s Community Shield against Arsenal. ‘I said the pitch was a high . risk but they worked hard on it to improve it and fortunately nothing . happened,’ he said. Hope: Joe Hart did make a fine save with his leg during the penalty shootout . Teamwork: Stevan Jovetic is congratulated by Edin Dzeko after he put Manchester City in front on Saturday . ‘The . tour has been extremely useful and the team have been professional. We’ve had some great performances but the condition of the pitches . condition has hindered us. ‘The . positive of these few games has been the quality of the games and the . levels my players reached. The negative will be the travelling . distances. ‘We are not ready for the new season yet because the rest of our squad are only coming back on Monday.’ Jovetic . fired City ahead in the 35th minute after Samir Nasri flicked the ball . to him near the left touchline. The Montenegrin produced a burst of pace . to get away from three Greek defenders, and when two more closed him . down inside the box he steered a clever shot between them and inside the . neat post with goalkeeper Roberto wrong-footed. Olympiacos . were level two minutes later, however, when a neat move opened up the . City defence. Captain Ionnis Maniatis squared the ball to danger man . Diamantakos who drilled it past Hart despite the keeper getting a hand . to it. Both . teams had a goal ruled out for offside, Diamantakos in the second . minute after another incisive move and Edin Dzeko shortly before . half-time. In form: Jovetic scored five goals in three games in the International Champions Cup . Poacher: But Dimitrios Diamantakos was impressive two, notching a double for his side . Blow: Olympiacos replied almost immediately in Minneapolis in the International Champions Cup . OLYMPIACOS: Roberto, Elabdellaoui, Manolas (Ghazaryan 63), Siovas (Papadopoulos 13), Masuaku, Samaris, Maniatis, Kasami (Bouchakalis 63), Dominguez (Avlonitis 63), Saviola (Dossevi 46), Diamantakos. Goals: Diamantakos (36, 66). MANCHESTER CITY: Hart, Clichy (Milner 46), Kolarov, Boyata, Rekik, Fernando (Garcia 46), Navas (Silva 46), Toure (Richards 46), Nasri (Zuculini 46), Jovetic (Sinclair 75), Dzeko (Guidetti 46). Goals: Jovetic (34), Kolarov (53, pen). Booking: Kolarov (45), Milner (50). There . was also one penalty appeal apiece with Olympiacos coach Michel . striding onto the pitch gesticulating angrily when Dedryck Boyata’s . challenge sent Diamantakos tumbling as he raced in on goal. It was a . 50-50 call by referee Fotis Bazakos but Michel, for one, certainly felt . as though he had got it wrong. City . were equally aggrieved on the stroke of half-time, Kolarov talking his . way into the official’s notebook as he protested against the decision . not to award a penalty against substitute Papadopoulos when his untidy . challenge upended Jovetic. City . had the best of the other first-half opportunities. Nasri dragged his . low shot wide when Yaya Toure picked him out unmarked in the box, . Jovetic sidefooted over from an even better position following good work . by Jesus Navas and Dzeko who then squared a wonderful pass that invited . a close-range finished from Nasri but the Frenchman seemed a little . reluctant to go into the challenge with the keeper. Tough tackle: Manchester City forward Stevan Jovetic worked tirelessly throughout the match . Tight marking: Two Olympiacos players double up on City winger Jesus Navas . Wrestle: Samir Nasri is tugged back by Avraam Papadopolous during the game . It . was Nasri’s last contribution to the game because he was one of six . changes made by Pellegrini at half-time. The City boss would probably . have done it anyway but the intense heat – the players twice stopped for . a water break – and state of the pitch no doubt played a part in his . thinking as well. It . was one of the substitutes who earned City the penalty from which . Kolarov restored their lead in the 53rd minute. David Silva combined . with Jovetic and then cut inside Kostas Manolas who clearly brought the . Spaniard down. There was no hesitation from Mr Bazakos on this occasion . and Kolarov steered his spot-kick into the roof of the net. Diamantakos . struck again in the 66th minute, however, when Olympiacos levelled . against the run of play. Neither Boyata nor Karim Rekik were alive to . the danger when Gevorg Ghazaryan slipped a pass in behind them, and . Diamantakos took the ball around Hart before scoring from a tight angle. Neither . side were able to produce a winner, meaning that City were already . relying on Liverpool losing against AC Milan before they went into the . shootout. It went against them again but Pellegrini is unlikely to have . lost much sleep over it on the flight back.
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Manchester City draw 2-2 with Olympiacos in Minneapolis .
Stevan Jovetic and Aleksandr Kolarov on target .
Diamantakos nets double for Greek side .
Liverpool will top International Champions Cup regardless of AC Milan result .
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c45812852f92a5bf15e99bcbac2989eec19480a7
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Islamabad, Pakistan (CNN) -- Floods resulting from monsoon rains have killed 422 people and left nearly 3,000 injured across Pakistan, a disaster agency spokesman said Saturday. Some 350,000 people have been forced from their homes and another 4.7 million people affected by the flooding since August 22, Ahmed Kamal of the National Disaster Management Authority said. More than 15,000 villages have been affected and many houses destroyed or damaged in the past five weeks, he said. Pakistan has suffered a series of devastating inundations, affecting millions of people, in recent years. Pakistan, India hit by deadly flooding . Flooding last year killed 470 people and impacted 9.1 million others, Kamal said. In the worst-affected area of Sindh province, in southeastern Pakistan, the waters submerged more than 4.5 million acres of farming land, damaging an estimated 80% of cash crops. Many in the country were at that point barely recovering from massive and deadly flooding in August 2010, which left a fifth of the country submerged by water, according to the National Disaster Management Authority. Those floods lasted for weeks, affecting more than 20 million people and leaving 1,985 people dead, Kamal said. Much of the land inundated in 2010 was in Punjab province, Pakistan's breadbasket, where many people live off the soil and their livestock. Great hardship followed for millions in the wake of the flooding. Journalist Nasir Habib contributed to this report.
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Flooding in Pakistan has left more than 420 people dead and nearly 3,000 injured, official says .
The floods, which have also displaced some 350,000 people, follow monsoon rains .
Pakistan was also hit by devastating floods last year and in 2010 .
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George Osborne is set to hand the gambling industry a multi-million-pound tax cut as part of an incentive to bring the offshore internet gaming business back to Britain. The highly controversial move comes the day after the Chancellor faced nationwide protests over the Government’s failure to crack down on massive corporation tax avoidance by companies including Starbucks, Google and Amazon. Last night, fair tax campaigners criticised any new tax concession to the online gaming industry, which is linked to alarming increases in gambling addiction, with children suffering as families are plunged into debt. Controversial move: George Osborne is set to hand the gambling industry a multi-million-pound tax cut as part of an incentive to bring the offshore internet gaming business back to Britain . Britain’s biggest gambling companies moved their internet gaming operations offshore after Labour brought in a 15 per cent tax for all internet betting seven years ago. But The Mail on Sunday has been told the Treasury is considering slashing the gambling levy by a third to recoup some of the £2.1 billion in revenues that has been lost over the last seven years. Yesterday, tax avoidance campaigners said they were protesting at dozens of Starbucks cafes across the UK, despite the firm’s pledge to pay millions of pounds of extra corporation tax for the next two years. The organisers, UK Uncut, say the coffee company’s promise to pay £20million is ‘a desperate attempt to deflect public pressure’ from itself. Public protest: Tax avoidance campaigners have protested at dozens of Starbucks cafes across the UK, despite the firm's pledge to pay millions of pounds of extra corporation tax because they say it is 'a desperate attempt to deflect public pressure' A draft Bill published this week proposes a tax that will bring offshore gambling companies in line with bookmakers based and regulated in the UK. Opponents to the tax concession point out that other EU countries impose higher gambling taxes of 20 per cent and, in the case of Germany and America, have laws that greatly restrict all online gambling. John Christensen, a director of Tax Justice Network, said: ‘It really doesn’t make much sense to lower the rate of taxation to try to bring them back to the UK. The tax rate should remain as it is.’ Dr Mark Griffiths, director of the International Gaming Research Unit at Nottingham Trent University, said: ‘Online gambling exacerbates the problems associated with addictions because it is available 24/7 and 365 days a year.’ He added: ‘It is much more difficult to regulate and to make sure children don’t use online gambling.’ But a senior Government source says the Treasury is close to accepting the argument that the rate should be slashed by a third. Fair tax criticism: Campaigners criticised any new tax concession to the online gaming industry, which is linked to alarming increases in gambling addiction, with children suffering as families are plunged into debt . Eighteen of the 20 big betting companies who operate most of the 2,500 gambling websites in the UK use offshore bases like Gibraltar to market and operate their services. On the Treasury’s own estimates, a five per cent cut would save the companies nearly £100 million in tax each year. But a Government source said the argument for lowering gambling taxes from 15 per cent to ten per cent was almost won. ‘There are two separate arguments – what is the appropriate rate of tax and should people pay it?’ the source said. ‘On the second of those two questions, the answer must be a firm yes. ‘I’m all in favour of lower taxes but we have got to work out how it is going to be paid for. There is an argument that you should lower taxation in order to incentivise the firms to come back.’ The draft Bill focuses on online betting scandals, including potential match fixing, as justification for bringing the offshore companies under the tighter regulation controlled by the Gambling Commission. Minister for Sport and Tourism, Hugh Robertson, said of the new Bill: ‘These proposals will ensure that British consumers enjoy consistent standards of protection, regardless of where a gambling business is based.’
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There has been nationwide protests over the Government's failure to crack down on massive corporation tax avoidance by some companies .
Chancellor is set to give the online gaming industry a new tax concession .
Britain's biggest gambling companies moved their internet operations offshore after Labour brought in a 15 per cent tax for internet betting .
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By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 15:46 EST, 18 July 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 21:37 EST, 18 July 2012 . Convicted fraudster Colin Fell plundered almost £400,000 of company cash to live the life of a wealthy 'country gentleman' A greedy managing director who stole company money and lived the high life of a ‘country gentleman’ whilst his staff was made redundant was today ordered to pay back more than £400,000. Already a convicted fraudster, Colin Fell set up fake PR and advertising firms to divert money into his own bank accounts. The 54-year-old refrigeration business boss used the money to pay for renovations of his half million pound farmhouse, luxury holidays and private schooling for his two children. His £527,000 home on moorland near Rawtenstall, Lancashire included stables, horses and a fleet of quad bikes. The extensive thefts forced the owners of the refrigeration firm ran to make stringent cost cutting and ultimately led to the majority of the staff being made redundant. Mr Fell was given six months to pay back over £400,000 at Liverpool Crown Court today. A total of £560,000 went missing from international commercial refrigeration firm Norpe UK. When the loss was discovered Fell tried to frame a colleague by claiming the senior figure knew of his illicit activities. Fell of Roe Green, Salford, was caught after Norpe UK made an internal investigation which exposed the phantom firms which had invoiced Norpe for non-existent advertising and promotional campaigns. It also emerged that Mr Fell had already served time for a £1m fraud in the eighties for which he served four years. After admitting stealing £390,000 between 2003 and 2006 Mr Fell was jailed for four-and-a-half years at Manchester Crown Court. Allegations relating to another £170,000 were not proceeded with. Liverpool Crown Court ruled today that he is to be was given six months to pay back £410,092.29 under the Proceeds of Crime Act - or face another four years in jail. Greater Manchester Police said the amount took into account the loss of revenue for the company on the stolen proceeds. Lavish: Pictured is Fell's former farmhouse home in Rawtenstall, Lancshire . Ian Horrocks, Financial Investigator said: ‘Fell helped himself to thousands of pounds by deceiving the system. ‘He lived a life of luxury as a result and, meanwhile, other ordinary people trying to make a living were left jobless as the firm went through stringent cost-cutting measures to off-set the missing money. ‘Fell has now lost the wealth he made off the backs of the company that employed him. ‘Today’s result once again demonstrates that we will not stop until criminals have paid back their debt to society and their victims - in this case the company.’ Fell began working for Norpe UK in Stockport, the UK subsidiary of Norpe - a Scandinavian refrigeration company, in 1996 and was in a position of trust as managing director. But Fell set up bogus companies and invoicing Norpe for products and services that were non-existent including technical support, public relations campaigns and trade exhibition services. In attempts to cover his tracks he invented a series of different personalities behind the firms as well as even crashing Norpe’s accounting systems by deleting incriminating records. He had hoped that his thefts would go unnoticed because the company was making losses. Norpe’s international financial . director brought in a forensic accountant in November 2006 after . receiving complaints about the management of its UK branch and . identifying some irregularities with suppliers. Fell was immediately suspended and the . accountants discovered a number of forged and falsified invoices and . called in police in October 2007. It took the inquiry team until . February 2010 to get to a stage where they were able to arrest Fell due . to the complexities involved in the theft of the money. Repayment: Mr Fell was ordered to give back £400,000 at Liverpool Crown Court earlier today . Fell failed to accept any responsibility for his actions during a series of interviews and falsely claimed at one stage that a senior figure at the firm had known what he had been up to. He maintained his innocence until his trial in June 2011 at Manchester Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to seven counts of theft on the first day. The court heard that Fell had been . jailed for 42 months in the 1980s after defrauding finance companies he . worked for in a plant machinery scam although there is no evidence that . he hid this conviction from bosses at Norpe. Passing sentence upon Fell Judge Clement Goldstone QC said ‘This was a massive breach of trust. ‘You . were given a golden opportunity to get back into the world of commerce . and yet you abused it. You did not learn your lesson from your first . experience of prison. ‘When . it suits you, for your own purposes, you can be utterly and shamefully . dishonest with no thought for the consequences as far as others are . concerned.’ Mr Fell has since split with wife Susan. Fell was disqualified from acting as a company director for seven years.
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Colin Fell, 54, stole money to pay for holidays, private schools and renovating his £527,000 country home with stables and quad-bikes .
The managing director of a refrigeration firm set up bogus companies which invoiced PR and advertisement into his accounts .
A total of £560,000 went missing from commercial refrigeration firm Norpe UK in Stockport .
Fell was convicted for fraud last year and jailed for four years .
A court ordered today that he repay £410,092.29 of what he stole - within six months .
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(CNN) -- Comedian/actor Bill Hader has departed "Saturday Night Live" after eight seasons, but it's not like he's strapped for work. This Friday, Hader will be seen prominently in the raunchy summer comedy "The To Do List" opposite Aubrey Plaza, Rachel Bilson, Donald Glover and Scott Porter. The film comes from Hader's wife, writer/director Maggie Carey, so he's particularly close to this project. Later this summer, he'll reprise his role as the voice of Flint Lockwood in "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2." CNN spoke with Hader about his Emmy nomination, why he's moving back to California and his take on humor's long shelf life. CNN: "The To Do List" is set in the early '90s, an era that a lot of people these days feel nostalgic about. What's funny to you about this time period? Bill Hader: I don't really know what's funny about it. Everything is so tech now; everyone is so connected that way. It's interesting in this movie that I have to tell Aubrey Plaza's character something, and I have to go to her house. Which you would never do now. The whole movie would be done in two seconds now. It was the last time when things were in that '50s vein. Now, if I leave my cell phone at the house, I assume my house is on fire. CNN: You play a slacker pool manager, but you yourself are not a slacker. Did you ever go through a stoner phase? Hader: No, I never did. I actually don't smoke pot that much. I've never been a big pot smoker. And when I do smoke pot, friends always say, "I feel like I'm smoking pot with my dad." I was always the designated driver; I never drank that much. Not out of some moral thing. It's that I wasn't that interested in that. I was more of the drinking coffee at the coffee shop crowd. Oddly enough, I wasn't a very good student. I didn't apply myself that well. I wasn't good at doing things I wasn't interested in. I used to think I was just slow, and a nice teacher said, "oh, you're actually really smart, you don't give a s*** about anything." CNN: Along with playing the lead, you're also billed as a producer. Are you looking to do more behind-the-scenes work in the future, like, say, Will Ferrell does? Hader: Yeah. I'd love to direct a movie. That's initially what I wanted to do. Acting was never something on my radar. I just did it as a fun extension of wanting to direct. I thought I should act to know what actors go through. I realized the acting thing really took. (Laughs.) CNN: Last week, the Emmy nominations came out, and it was the first time a male "Saturday Night Live" cast member has been nominated twice for "Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series." Have you been in a "comedy sweet spot" the last few years, the way a basketball player might get hot shooting three pointers? Hader: I don't know if it's that or ... I don't know. I try not to think about it too much, or I'll go crazy. I used to always think that there was a shelf life on being funny. But I work with ("South Park" creators) Matt (Stone) and Trey (Parker), and their show is in its 16th season, and every season is funnier. They figure out new things to do. Martin Short, when he comes by ("Saturday Night Live"), he's still the funniest human being on the planet. Fred Willard still makes me laugh. All these people I liked growing up are still making me laugh. I try not to think about it too much in terms of myself. CNN: That's probably good. You need to get some sleep. Hader: It's not very healthy to think about yourself on those terms. You'll go nuts. Oddly enough, I have really bad stage fright -- getting up in front of people. And I made a living going on live television. CNN: Would you be paranoid about the reactions after, or was it more of a "once it's done, it's done"? Hader: I'd be done with it. I've done sketches on the show -- I don't think I've ever finished anything and thought, "oh, that was great." I'm always like "uhhhh ... Why didn't I do this?" It's like a trap that I try to wiggle out of on-air. A mental trap. I prepare stuff so compulsively. I'm constantly rereading. I'm constantly rereading the sketch, going over it. So I know it so well, and if the slightest thing doesn't get a laugh, it used to throw me. Toward my last couple seasons on the show, I'd purposely do something I've never done before. Not so much say things but give a different look or pause differently. Something that my brain would say "oh, you screwed up," and suddenly I would relax. Every Saturday morning, I'd wake up, and I'd immediately start pacing. I could not make my body stop moving. I thought if I stopped moving, it would sink in that I have to go on live television tonight. CNN: It seems like leaving "Saturday Night Live" might be good for your health. Hader: Yeah, good for my mental health. No, I say all this, but in the moment, when it's happening, it's actually fun. Especially if people are laughing. CNN: What was the conversation with Lorne Michaels like? How does someone resign from this iconic show? Hader: I went into his office in February, and I think he knew that I was going to move to California. That's what it was really about. We got a family, and I want a backyard. That's how it started. It was really just excruciating small talk and then getting into the issue of the leaving. Generally, Lorne said, "I totally get it, you have a family. I would love it if you stayed, but I get it." Around May, I said I wanted to announce it, and that's how it went. It definitely was hard. People will say that they cried. I thought I was going to pass out. When it was addressed and happened, it felt like a weight had been put on my shoulder or a weight had been lifted. All I know is that the room started tilting a bit. It was a physical reaction to saying the words "I'm leaving." It was crazy. I didn't have a career. I worked as an editor on "Iron Chef: America" before "SNL." It's the reason people know me. CNN: That's quite a jump, from "Iron Chef: America" to "SNL." Hader: It was scary. For four years, I was waiting for them to figure out they made a giant mistake. I still can't really believe it. CNN: Stefon has certainly entered the hall of fame of "SNL" characters. Was he your favorite? Hader: He was one of my favorites. Herb Welch, the reporter who was a real ****head, I loved playing him. What I liked about doing Stefon is that you could play it kind of subtle. It was right at the camera.
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Bill Hader has a busy summer after his exit from "Saturday Night Live"
He'll star in "The To Do List" and "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs 2"
The star says he's come a long way from his days editing "Iron Chef: America"
He hopes he'll soon direct a movie .
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By . Anna Hodgekiss . Brave: Stephanie Brown suffers from a rare skin condition which means any form of anxiety can lead to her breaking out in large spots . For most schoolchildren, slipping up in the playground can cause the odd graze and a bit of embarrassment. But for Stephanie Brown, any form of anxiety could trigger a head-to-toe rash - and leave her entire body covered in scabs. The six-year-old suffers from an extremely rare skin condition called Diffuse Cutaneous Mastocytosis (DCM). Any form of emotional or environmental stress triggers a flare up, causing thickening of the skin and blistering. In the past, the only part of her body that hasn't been affected is the tip of her nose. Stephanie's condition is so extreme that people often stop and stare at her in the street during a flare-up. Her mother Maria, 42, said: 'If she's anxious or gets upset, or even if it's just too cold, she comes out in big red blotches. 'Within seconds, her whole body is covered in big pinky brown coloured spots, and they won't go away until she calms down. 'It's events that trigger it, so if she falls over in the supermarket or if someone says something she's not sure about. 'Only the other day, one of her friends asked her to come and play. But because she didn't know what to say, it sparked a break out.' 'Depending on the flare up, I will give her antihistamines, but generally a cuddle with her mum will help her to calm down.' Stephanie's condition is caused by her body producing too many 'mast cells'. These are blood cells formed in the bone marrow to help fight off infection and illness. Mrs Brown, a learning mentor, and her husband Nigel, 40, a lorry driver, first noticed something was wrong when Stephanie was born. Battle: Stephanie as a baby. Her condition, called Diffuse Cutaneous Mastocytosis (DCM), means any form of emotional or environmental stress trigger a flare up . Anxiety: 'Within seconds, her whole body is covered in big pinky brown coloured spots, and they won't go away until she calms down,' says Stephanie's mother, Maria . 'We spotted a hive on the middle finger . of her right hand,' said Mrs Brown. 'We asked the midwife about it but . she said it was nothing - it was quite common and her skin just had to . get used to the environment.' Over the next few months the couple were given yet more reasons, such as a clothing or dog allergy. In the end, Mrs Brown was so desperate for a diagnosis she took Stephanie to Dewsbury and District Hospital, near the family home in Mirfield, West Yorkshire and pleaded with doctors to help. 'By sheer luck there was a dermatologist there and he recognised it as a form of mastocytosis,' she said. Diffuse cutaneous mastocytosis is an extremely rare condition. It is caused by the accumulation of mast cells in the skin. These cells contain substances, such as histamine, that regulate allergic reactions. The condition is usually found in children and typically resolves itself by puberty. It causes thickening of the skin and agonising blisters. There is no cure but treatment helps most patients. Typical treatments include taking antihistamines to prevent the effect of mast cell histamine. Source: Genetic and Rare Disease Information Centre . Stephanie's official diagnosis of DCM came the following month after she was referred to a clinic in Newcastle, Tyne and Wear. Despite their daughter being only one of three children in the country with the condition at the time, Stephanie's parents say they were relieved to finally have a diagnosis for her. Mrs Brown said: 'When it all started and no one could tell me what the real problem was, I did a lot of my own research on the internet. 'After about two weeks I was pretty certain it was DCM. It affects 1 in 500,000 people in the UK but Stephanie suffers with a rare strain of it - which meant it was harder to diagnose.' Stephanie, whose two-year-old sister Gracie does not have the condition, is said to be the first infant in the UK to undergo a pioneering course of 'sun bed' treatment to blitz the disease, where she was showered in bursts of ultra-violet light. While the treatment has dramatically improved her skin condition, she still has behavioural swings and phobias as a result of the condition, her mother says. 'Some days it will cause her to just run away and hide - but other days she copes well with it. 'She even shames people in the street who gawp at her by shouting "What's that lady looking at, mummy?"' 'I tell her, "she's looking at you because you're so beautiful."' The six-year-old was told by a doctor that the rash would have a drawback, however. Discussing her future, Mrs Brown claims the doctor told her daughter: 'It won't stop her doing anything she wants to do - unless she wants to be a model.' Recovery: Since having treatment with UV light, Stephanie (left with Maria, her mother and Gracie, her sister) has shown an improvement. Many children grow out of the condition by the time they are teenagers . But the comment upset Stephanie and her family, who have always encouraged her that her condition is nothing to be ashamed of. Mrs Brown said: 'As a first time mum to a little girl, I was devastated to hear these words. 'I would love her to get a shot at modelling. Not a career, just a one-off thing, so that we could say "well actually she is".' There is an 80 per cent chance that Stephanie will grow out of the condition by her teenage years, but either way, her mother hopes the condition won't hold her back from anything. She added: 'It's not just a condition, it's a place - and in the early days it was a really dark place. 'We've come so far, and we want people to know about the condition, so that those who suffer from it are treated no differently to anyone else. 'The condition itself has been easier than the prejudice we have had to face.'
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Stephanie Brown has a skin condition called Diffuse Cutaneous Mastocytosis .
Any form of anxiety or embarrassment can trigger a flare-up .
This causes her entire body to be covered in large pink-brown spots .
She has now been treated with UV light to try and ease her reactions .
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c9dad5afbae34c026fd6203d2635884b729703c9
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They roared their team on in expectation of the win. The Emirates is rarely a placed for fiery passions but the home fans make an exception here for north London derbies. And those Arsenal fans knew the victory should be theirs. Arsenal had largely dominated against their neighbours. They had by far the best of the attacking play. They had a sprinkling of delightful offensive options in Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil and Santi Cazorla, a trio that would grace almost any team in the world. Only Younes Kaboul and Hugo Lloris, giants in the Tottenham defence, stood between them and three points. Surely those points would come? Surely such an array of talent should be enough to overpower teams such as Spurs? Arsenal forward Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain (left) scores the equaliser against Tottenham . Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain celebrates scoring the equaliser against Tottenham at the Emirates . Arsenal: Szczesny, Chambers, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs, Arteta (Flamini 28), Oxlade-Chamberlain, Ramsey (Cazorla 45), Wilshere (Sanchez 63), Ozil, Welbeck. Subs Not Used: Rosicky, Podolski, Ospina, Coquelin. Booked: Oxlade-Chamberlain, Wilshere, Chambers. Goals: Oxlade-Chamberlain 74. Tottenham Hotspur: Lloris, Naughton, Kaboul, Vertonghen, Rose (Dier 83), Mason, Capoue, Lamela, Eriksen (Lennon 62), Chadli (Bentaleb 80), Adebayor. Subs Not Used: Soldado, Vorm, Townsend, Fazio. Booked: Lamela, Chadli, Adebayor, Lennon, Mason, Rose. Goals: Chadli 56. Att: 59,900 . Ref: Michael Oliver (Northumberland). And yet it was not to be. Arsenal’s infamous brittleness had cost them again. Games they should win, they draw; games in which they ought to be competitive, they end up being comprehensively beaten. It is almost pointless to single out the individuals — last night it was Mathieu Flamini, losing the ball in front of his own penalty area — as almost all the team are serial offenders. Spurs will be grateful for their draw. But until Arsene Wenger can address the vulnerabilities he has in shielding his defence — and he shows no sign of wishing to do so — there will be many more Groundhog Days like this. There was much speculation as to whether Ozil would feature in his favoured central role — or be shunted out to the left. As it was, he started out wide, but swapped the position regularly with Jack Wilshere, the two of them undertaking the wide left duties as though it were an undesirable job-share. And this derby felt a very Anglo-Saxon affair early on. Certainly the tackling was of a certain vintage. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Wilshere received yellow cards, all too keen to make their impression — literally — on Tottenham, before Erik Lamela added his own Latin mark, cautioned for a late challenge on Kieran Gibbs. And the football was of variable quality in that first half. What there was, was mainly created by Arsenal. Danny Welbeck was the first to inject some class into the game with a lovely flick past Jan Vertonghen and, leaving the Belgian in his wake, he was only denied by the assiduous covering run of Kaboul. Welbeck shot unconvincingly at Lloris on 22 minutes but it wasn’t until 28 minutes that Arsenal conjured another clear chance. Aaron Ramsey raced down the right and released Welbeck, who touched the ball back to Wilshere, who in turn struck the ball ferociously from the edge of the box with Lloris well positioned to save. Wilshere attacked Tottenham’s penalty area on 32 minutes, eventually falling under a challenge from Danny Rose and apparently twisting his ankle badly. Whether he was tripped or stumbled was a moot point, but referee Michael Oliver opted for the latter interpretation. Tottenham midfielder Nacer Chadli scores the opening goal against Arsenal on Saturday . Tottenham celebrate Nacer Chadli opening the scoring against Arsenal at the Emirates . MINS PLD KM MILES . Arsenal 110.9 68.9 . Mesut Ozil 90 11.0 6.8 . Calum Chambers 90 10.5 6.5 . Kieran Gibbs 90 10.4 6.5 . Tottenham Hotspur 115.3 71.7 . Erik Lamela 90 11.9 7.4 . Ryan Mason 90 11.6 7.2 . Etienne Capoue 90 11.4 7.1 . Yet Arsenal remain a delight for positive-minded opponents. If Tottenham had more confidence or incision in their attacking positions they would surely have made more of the wide spaces in around Arsenal’s defensive line. Time after time players mis-controlled, stumbled over the ball or lost possession. Typical of their first half was the opening for Emmanuel Adebayor on 38 minutes. Set up nicely by Lamela, he simply prodded the ball too far in front of him. Similarly, from a tight angle but with a clear sight of goal, Nacer Chadli pulled his shot lamely wide on 45 minutes. Shortly before that Chadli chance, Arsenal created the best move of the match, Ramsey executing a lovely dummy before feeding Oxlade-Chamberlain, whose strike from outside the box tested Lloris to the full on 44 minutes. Sadly it was Ramsey’s last significant contribution, the Welshman limping off before half-time, joining Mikel Arteta, who had been withdrawn injured on 30 minutes. Ryan Mason was doing his utmost on his Premier League debut, having impressed against Nottingham Forest in the Capital One Cup in midweek. But though he pressed forward, troubled Arsenal with driving runs on occasion, it was a big ask to pit against one of the finest midfields. Both he and Chadli were struggling to impose themselves. And Arsenal started the second half with similar attacking intent to the first. Substitute Cazorla ghosted past his man and forced Kaboul to divert his cross-shot for a corner. Then Wilshere found Ozil, with the German forcing a good save from Lloris from 12 yards. Yet Arsenal’s fragility when in possession is almost the defining feature of their football in the later Wenger years. So it would prove again. Flamini was caught by Christian Eriksen on the ball just outside his own area on 56 minutes. The Dane found Lamela, who played in Chadli. With Szczesny to beat, the Belgian didn’t disappoint, pulling the ball confidently past the keeper before turning to celebrate directly with a cupped ear in front of the Arsenal fans in a glorious breach of the usual etiquette, which earned him a booking. Arsenal, stirred, almost responded immediately, Per Mertesacker rising ever upwards to head a free-kick goalwards. For a moment it appeared he had scored before Lloris scrambled the ball away off the line. Arsenal, though, had dominated the attacking play and it seemed unlikely they would be denied for 90 minutes. So it proved on 75 minutes, when Lamela scuffed a clearance, which fell to Alexis Sanchez. The Chilean dragged the ball back to Cazorla but his shot was deflected and the chance seemed to end in calamity, when Welbeck hit an embarrassing air shot just yards from goals. But amid the confusion caused, Oxlade-Chamberlain was following up and smashed the ball high into the net from six yards. Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's heat map shows he was a constant threat - click here for more stats in our matchzone . Arsenal's Jack Wilshere (bottom) winces in pain after being kicked in the ankle . Jack Wilshere of Arsenal grimaces as he receives treatment for an injury on the pitch . Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey sits on the pitch after picking up an injury . Aaron Ramsey of Arsenal holds his leg as he walks off the pitch after picking up an injury . Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil takes on two Tottenham defenders during the north London derby . Arsenal striker Danny Welbeck has a shot on goal against Tottenham on Saturday .
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Gunners captain Mikel Arteta and Aaron Ramsey were both been forced off in the first half with injury .
Jack Wilshere turned his ankle when pressing into the Spurs penalty area, where he looked to be tripped by Danny Rose, but after limping off for treatment was able to play on .
Tottenham took the lead on 56 minutes when Nacer Chadli raced clear and slotted the ball under Szczesny .
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain smashed home an equaliser for Arsenal in the 74th minute .
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Wrexham will travel to Stoke armed with hope for their FA Cup third-round tie, even if boss Kevin Wilkin is fearful of being on the wrong end of a Britannia Stadium thrashing. The non-league Dragons will make the trip to Stoke aiming to write another memorable FA Cup chapter in their history following on from their 1992 scalp of then-league champions Arsenal at the Racecourse. Stoke boss Mark Hughes, who was born in the North Wales town of Ruabon - less than six miles from Wrexham, will be mindful of his hometown team causing another shock in this competition. Wrexham manager Kevin Wilkin remains fearful of being on the wrong end of a Britannia Stadium thrashing . Stoke boss Mark Hughes will be mindful of his hometown team causing another shock in this competition . However, Wilkin is weary that Hughes' side have the potential to heap plenty of misery on his Vanarama Conference outfit. 'You look at anyone in the Premier League, they are all athletes, they are all big strong powerful men, and they can play a bit as well, so we are under no illusions; we know what to expect and we will take it on on the day,' he told the Daily Post. 'Clearly we will be the underdogs - a Conference side playing a Premier League side, you would expect no different. 'We can go there with no fear, you want to go into the game with no fear but we very much respect what Stoke can do and we are very aware of what they can do to teams, and one thing you don't want to do is go there and be on the end of a real good thumping, but the gulf between what they are and the money they can spend and what we spend is huge. Wrexham caused an upset in 1992 against then-league champions Arsenal at the Racecourse . Steve Watkin (right) scores the winning goal for Wrexham in the FA Cup third-round match against Arsenal . Wrexham players celebrate after their FA Cup third-round victory over then-league champions Arsenal . 'Hopefully we can have a day where things happen for us and things drop in to place and we can give a good account of ourselves, if we do that then I don't think anyone can ask for anything else from us. 'I don't think anyone is daft enough to overlook the gulf in leagues that there is between the two sides, and on the day you need things to happen for you and need a little bit of fortune on the day and if you get that then who knows what can happen?' However, one thing Wilkin is not banking on is local lad Hughes underestimating his men. 'I am sure Mark won't take anything for granted, and that is the reason why they are having such a fantastic season and Mark Hughes is the manager he is,' he added. 'He is very professional in everything he does and if we can learn one or two things off him as we go along then hopefully it will stand us in good stead for the rest of the season.' Stoke City manager Hughes will be expected to beat mid-table Conference outfit Wrexham easily .
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Wrexham manager Kevin Wilkin will aim for an FA Cup third-round upset .
'We can go there with no fear, you want to go into the game with no fear but we very much respect what Stoke can do,' says Wilkin .
Stoke manager Mark Hughes was born six miles from Wrexham .
Hughes will be mindful of his hometown team causing a shock on Sunday .
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fde1de410666cec7e926aa5d8871ac33a1a18001
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MK Dons have joined the race for former Chelsea midfielder Filipe Morais. The 29-year-old, who currently plays for Bradford, is attracting interest from a host Championship and League One sides following a string of impressive displays for the Bantams. Morais signed a short-term deal with Bradford in the summer - but the contract is due to expire next month. MK Dons have joined the race for Bradford's former Chelsea midfielder Filipe Morais (right) And his contract situation has alerted Sheffield Wednesday Bolton to his availability, nut now MK Dons have registered their interest in Morais . Bradford manager Phil Parkinson is hopeful of keeping Morais, but could face an uphill battle should those higher in the English football pyramid solidify their interest. Morais has played a key role for the Bantams this season, but the club are yet to strike a deal to keep him. Morais played in Jose Mourinho’s first-ever match as Chelsea manager in a pre-season friendly against Oxford in 2004. Phil Parkinson is hopeful of keeping Morais, but could face an uphill battle in January . He signed his first professional deal in 2005, but never made a senior appearance for the Blues before rejecting another 12 month deal ahead of leaving for Millwall in 2006. ‘It’s incredibly hard, almost impossible, for youngsters to break through at Chelsea,’ he said in 2007. ‘There was the offer of another year, but I knew it was time to move on. I had to get first-team football to improve myself.’
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Former Chelsea man Filipe Morais is wanted by MK Dons .
The 29-year-old is currently at Bradford on a short-term deal .
Midfielder has impressed for the Bantams in League One .
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By . Tania Steere . Girl Guides will learn about beauty myths and the tricks of airbrushing as part of a scheme to boost young girls’ self-esteem. They will be taught to spot which magazine pictures have been touched-up and discuss unattainable body traits to win a new ‘Free Being Me’ badge. The badge will also be available to Brownies, aged seven to ten. Guides are aged ten to 14. New initiative: Girl Guides will be taught to spot which magazine pictures have been touched-up and discuss unattainable body traits to win a new 'Free Being Me' badge . Girlguiding has teamed up with the Dove Self Esteem project, which aims to promote body confidence. A Girlguiding survey found 87 per cent of young girls think they are judged more on looks than ability and one in four girls aged between 11 and 21 would consider cosmetic surgery. One in five girls of primary school age say they have been on a diet and more than a third of teenage girls have skipped meals to try to lose weight. Chief Guide Gill Slocombe said: ‘Along with Girlguiding’s 100,000 amazing volunteers, I am committed to helping girls develop into happy, self-confident young women ready to take on the world. Long-running: Girl Guides at Windsor World Guide Camp, held at Windsor Great Park in Berkshire in 1957 . Check: They will look at fashion images, such as this Emporio Armani shot, to work out if they are touched-up . ‘Free Being Me will play an incredibly important part in this mission – helping young women to develop in confidence, so they grow up to become unstoppable.’ 'Low body confidence is a serious issue that is having a vast and damaging impact on the quality of life of many young girls in the UK' Lucy Attley, Dove . Lucy Attley, Dove UK and Ireland Brand Director, said: ‘Low body confidence is a serious issue that is having a vast and damaging impact on the quality of life of many young girls in the UK. ‘The Dove Self-Esteem Project (DSEP) was created to help tackle this issue by providing support and tools to young people to help them raise their self-esteem. ‘Our partnership with Girlguiding in the UK to launch the Free Being Me badge builds upon the great work being done by the DSEP, allowing us to reach more young people and positively affect their body confidence and self-esteem so they can realise their full potential in life.’
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Girls will learn about airbrushing to earn new 'Free Being Me' badge .
Badge will be available to Guides (10-14) and also to Brownies (7-10)
Girlguiding has teamed up with Dove Self Esteem project for badge .
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adee6d9f7da580dc3a321cb9ba344b52842bb465
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An eastern Pennsylvania man was charged Wednesday with fatally shooting his stepdaughter and burying the 33-year-old woman in his yard. Gregory Graf was arrested after police found Jessica Padgett's body on his property in Northampton County. Padgett, a mother and day care worker, had been missing since Friday. The motive for the slaying appears to be sexual assault, District Attorney John Morganelli said. He didn't elaborate. Police began focusing on the 53-year-old Graf after he gave inconsistent statements following Padgett's disappearance, he said. Graf later gave a statement admitting he fatally shot her, Morganelli said.Padgett's body was found buried behind a shed on the property where Graf lives with Padgett's mother. Gregory Graf was arrested after police found Jessica Padgett's body on his property in Northampton County.Padgett, a mother and day care worker, had been missing since Friday . The couple operates a fence company at the site.The mother was away in Florida last week. That 'gave him an opportunity to commit the crime ... in secret,' Morganelli said.Graf was described as an avid hunter with several firearms in the house. 'We are devastated by the loss of Jessica,' the victim's family said in a statement. 'She was a beautiful, vibrant young woman who was beloved by her family and friends. The world shines less bright today.' Graf is being held without bail. It was not immediately clear if he has a lawyer.
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Gregory Graf was arrested after police found Jessica Padgett's body on his property in Northampton County .
The motive for the slaying appears to be sexual assault, District Attorney John Morganelli said .
Padgett, a mother and day care worker, had been missing since Friday .
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5e5fb9c3b7c8a68d7004370dae6a13f5393f6ead
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By . Nick Lester . PUBLISHED: . 10:48 EST, 13 September 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 11:51 EST, 13 September 2013 . Corrupt court clerk David Kelly, 47, has been jailed for six years for helping more than 70 motorists to falsify their driving records and escape bans . A corrupt court official who helped more than 70 motorists to falsify their driving records and escape bans has been jailed for six years. David Kelly, 47, committed a 'gross breach of trust' in a betrayal of the criminal justice system, his colleagues and the general public, said a judge. Debt-ridden Kelly operated the scam from his workplace in the admin department at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court. He assisted 71 drivers in removing details of their convictions, disqualifications and penalty points on 110 occasions between 2004 and 2010. Preston Crown Court heard that drivers would pass on cash to 'middle men' who had contacts within the Liverpool underworld and their details would be handed to Kelly. The defendant then sent forms from the court to the DVLA to request the alterations. Sentencing him, Judge Graham Knowles QC said: 'Liverpool City Magistrates’ (Court) ran like every other magistrates’ court. 'The magistrates, the clerks and the office staff dealt with penalty points, so did the staff of the Central Ticketing Office. Civil servants in Swansea (at the DVLA) kept the drivers’ records. 'But unknown to all of these decent people, you, Kelly, were running a corrupt business at the court, bypassing justice after everyone thought it had been done.' It is understood that most of the corrupt payments from members of the public were made in pubs across Liverpool with £100 thought to be the going rate for erasing one penalty point. DVLA officers in Swansea first became suspicious of Kelly in September 2008 when he faxed a number of bogus forms, said the Crown. But Kelly, of Southern Crescent, Toxteth, was cleared to continue working after an internal investigation and was finally caught in April 2010 when court staff discovered bogus forms and driver details in a confidential waste sack. Yesterday, a jury found him guilty of conspiracy to pervert the court of justice. Three of his 'customers' who were in the dock with him - Shaun Robinson, Samantha Evans and Mark Camello - were convicted of perverting the course of justice. Camello, 33, of Nightingale Road, Toxteth, was jailed for 14 months, while Evans, 25, of Meldon Close, West Derby, and Robinson, 24, of Britannia Crescent, Toxteth, were each jailed for 12 months. Kelly had worked at the court for 20 years before he turned to corruption. Kelly ran the scam from Liverpool Magistrates' Court, pictured, where he worked . Judge Knowles told him: 'You perverted justice systematically and cunningly. You acted in gross breach of trust. 'You betrayed justice, the public, the magistrates and your decent, hard-working colleagues who like court staff everywhere are proud to play their part in justice.' He said Kelly continued the scam despite suspicion falling on him in September 2008, as he took on extra precautions such as changing his handwriting. Kelly also attempted to 'cast wholly unfounded suspicion' on former colleagues as his trial approached, the judge added. Addressing the other three defendants, Judge Knowles said: 'However much or little thought you gave to it that there had been a corrupt official to tamper with your records, there had to be make the scheme work. Three of Kelly's 'customers' (left to right) - Mark Camello, Samantha Evans and Shaun Robinson - were convicted of perverting the course of justice. Camello, 33, of Nightingale Road, Toxteth, was jailed for 14 months, while Evans, 25, of Meldon Close, West Derby, and Robinson, 24, of Britannia Crescent, Toxteth, were each jailed for 12 months . 'You knew that the corrupt official had an agent in the field - meeting you and many others in pubs and wherever else. 'You took your details and cash to hand them to the man you now know as David Kelly. 'Whether you were approached or you approached them, it is clear you were joining yourself to an ongoing and widespread crime and lining the pockets of a corrupt court official and a middle man. 'You thought what you was doing was easy and cheap at the price. That must be seen as wrong. 'It is my duty to deter other people from joining in this type of scheme and this type of offending. 'You thought you could buy off justice with corruption. That strikes at the heart of the system and makes a mockery of justice.' All four defendants had denied the charges. The court heard Camello had a previous conviction for conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm. He had wanted to avoid a second driving ban after a previous disqualification for drink driving. Robinson had only learned the day before yesterday’s conviction that he had earned his Bachelor of Science degree. This had now been 'sabotaged by his conviction', said the judge. A number of motorists involved in the scam have already been jailed for committing the same offence and Judge Knowles said he could not make an exception for Robinson. 'They include people with established families, careers, businesses, and people without those things,' he said. 'People of all ages, people in various states of health. Many will not have the opportunity you will have in time to start afresh.' Preston Crown Court, pictured, heard that drivers would pass on cash to 'middle men' who had contacts within the Liverpool underworld and their details would be handed to Kelly. Following sentencing, detective chief inspector Andy O’Connor said: 'The public quite rightly have high expectations of those who work within the criminal justice system. 'Public corruption is an extremely serious offence that undermines public faith in the integrity of those who work in the criminal justice system. 'Public servants are required to act with integrity, honesty, objectivity and impartiality but Kelly’s actions could not have been further from each of these. 'His actions have undermined the criminal justice system and the very laws which he was employed to uphold. 'We are quite clear, no one is above the law, Kelly abused his position and also let down his colleagues who day in, day out provide a professional and quality service to the people of Liverpool. 'The investigation into this matter took more than three years and I would like to thank all of those involved for their hard work in bringing this man to justice.' Fingerprint evidence and a handwriting expert proved that Kelly wrote and submitted numerous documents to the DVLA to request that points be removed from the licences . Dana Gledhill, senior crown prosecutor for CPS North West, said: 'Fingerprint evidence and a handwriting expert proved that Mr Kelly wrote and submitted numerous documents to the DVLA to request that points be removed from the licences. 'Computer evidence showed that he then checked the progress of these requests on the computer system which was linked with the DVLA. 'He was first caught out when points were removed from licences on cases which had not even been sentenced at Liverpool Magistrates’ Court; cases which he had no authority to deal with. 'He abused his position within the court system to commit these offences and his actions and subsequent conviction jeopardise the public’s faith and trust in the criminal justice system. 'The Crown Prosecution Service and the police will seek to bring before the courts all those who commit such offences.'
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David Kelly, 47, ran scam from Liverpool Magistrates’ Court .
£100 thought to be the going rate for erasing one penalty point .
Kelly had been cleared by an earlier internal investigation .
Finally caught when court staff discovered bogus forms and driver details .
Three of his 'customers' were also jailed for perverting the course of justice .
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afb99fceb6c0532a769b61a81e8dfeb7cb70a86a
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(CNN) -- Hours after he was deported from the United Kingdom to Jordan on Sunday, radical cleric Abu Qatada denied the terror charges against him in Jordan, legal sources close to the case told CNN Arabic. Abu Qatada was tried and convicted in absentia in Jordan in 1999 on two charges of conspiracy to cause explosions, court documents say. Jordan will hold a fair trial for Abu Qatada for alleged terrorist attacks in 1999 and 2000, government spokesman Mohammed Al-Momani told the official Petra News Agency. The constitution will guarantee respect for human rights, he said. Abu Qatada's deportation early Sunday ended a years-long legal battle to force the Jordanian national to leave the country. Britain had been trying to deport Abu Qatada since 2005, but his legal appeals kept him there. "His departure marks the conclusion of efforts to remove him since 2001 and I believe this will be welcomed by the British public," Home Secretary Theresa May said in a written statement. "I am glad that this government's determination to see him on a plane has been vindicated and that we have at last achieved what previous governments, Parliament and the British public have long called for. This dangerous man has now been removed from our shores to face the courts in his own country." In January 2012, the European Court of Human Rights blocked Britain from sending him to Jordan because of fears that evidence obtained by torture could be used against him at the trial planned by the Middle Eastern country. UK authorities accuse Abu Qatada of raising funds for terrorist groups, including organizations linked to the late al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden, and say he has publicly supported the violent activities of those groups. Videos of his preaching were found in a German apartment used by some of those involved in the 9/11 attacks on the United States, including ringleader Mohammed Atta. Abu Qatada has denied the allegations against him. Also known as Omar Othman, Abu Qatada arrived in the UK in 1993 and applied for asylum on the grounds that he had been tortured by Jordanian authorities. He came to Britain on a forged United Arab Emirates passport, according to court documents, and claimed asylum for himself, his wife and their three children. He was ordered back to prison in April after evidence suggested he had violated his bail conditions. These include an order that prohibits him from allowing cell phones to be turned on in his house, and a ban on devices such as rewritable CDs and flash drives. CNN's Mohammed Tawfeeq, Caroline Faraj, Mitra Mobasherat and Antonia Mortensen contributed to this report.
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Legal sources: Abu Qatada appears in court, denies the charges against him .
He was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to cause explosions .
Britain had been trying to deport Abu Qatada since 2005 .
Videos of his sermons were found in an apartment used by some involved in 9/11 attacks .
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A Neo-Nazi group created a perverted board game based on Monopoly where Jewish people get sent to death camps so they could pass the time between murders. The game, where the winner is the person who deports the most to the gas chambers, has featured at the trial of 'Nazi bride' Beate Zschape in Munich. Zschape, 39, is allegedly the sole-surviving member of the National Socialist Underground neo-Nazi death squad which allegedly murdered nine immigrant businessmen and a female police officer in Germany in a 13-year reign of terror which also included bank robberies, bombings and weapons seizures. The gang called the game 'Pogromly' - from the word pogrom meaning a violent riot that were often organised against Jews in Russian and eastern Europe over several centuries . The NSU is a far-right German terrorist group which was uncovered in November 2011. They have been accused of a series of murders of nine immigrants in 2006, murdering a policewoman and attempted murder of her colleague, the Cologne bombings in 2001 and 2004 and 14 bank robberies. In January last year, Beate Zschape was committed to trial accused of ten counts of murder.Miss Zschäpe, who denies the charges against her, has refused to give evidence. She has been described as a quiet woman who kept her political views to herself. The gang called the game 'Pogromly' - from the word pogrom meaning a violent riot that were often organised against Jews in Russian and eastern Europe over several centuries - and features a skull wearing a German helmet in the centre of the board, S.S. runic flashes and plenty of swastikas. Zschaepe, 39, is allegedly the sole-surviving member of the National Socialist Underground neo-Nazi death squad . Prosecutors at the Munich trial of Zschape and several accomplices say she and her now-dead NSU sidekicks invented the game to pass away the time between assassinations and robberies. The aim of the game was to annihilate Jewish life in German cities and send Jews to death camps. It became a major exhibit on day 85 of the trial which is the biggest neo-Nazi process ever heard in postwar Germany. Prosecutors said Zschape invented it with gang members - and her lovers - Uwe Boehnhardt, 34, and Uwe Mundlos, 38. Both of them committed suicide two years ago after a botched bank raid, leaving Zschape to torch their hideout. The gang allegedly hoped that by randomly murdering immigrants they would force hundreds of thousands of people to leave Germany for their homelands. A police officer who investigated the game told the court: 'The idea was to get Jew-free towns.' It features a skull wearing a German helmet in the centre of the board, S.S. runic flashes and plenty of swastikas . Instead of the four railway stations that feature on every Monopoly board the gang had the name of four notorious concentration and death camps: Auschwitz, Dachau, Ravensbrueck and Buchenwald. Chance and Community Chest cards had instructions like: 'Go to the next concentration camp and hand in the captured Jews and make the owner pay twice the normal rent.' On another: 'You fought off a horde of red lice using a machine gun. Reward; 2,000 Reichsmark.' The gang made several copies of the game which they sold to far-right fanatics themselves across Germany for around £80 a game. The proceeds went towards financing their life underground as they carried out their murder missions. The indictment against Zschape states that the helped devise the game 'in an insidious way and identifying completely with the genocide of the Jews in the Third Reich.' The trial continues.
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Details of game revealed during trial of alleged member of neo-Nazi group National Socialist Undergound .
Game, where Jewish people are sent to death camps, sold to fund extremist activities, court hears .
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(CNN) -- Palermo edged Inter Milan 4-3 in a thriller in Sicily, while Juventus opened their new stadium in style by defeating Parma 4-1 in Sunday's Italian Serie A matches. A double from Fabrizio Milito and goals from and Abel Hernandez and Maurizio Pinilla gave Palermo a dream start to the season as Inter lost despite Diego Milito twice giving them the lead and Diego Forlan scoring on his debut. Meanwhile, in Turin, debutants Stephan Lichsteiner and Arturo Vidal, along with Simone Pepe and Claudio Marchisio, all found the net for Juventus, who conceded a late consolation penalty from Sebastian Giovinco. Elsewhere, new Roma coach Luis Enrique had a disastrous debut as his team lost 2-1 at home to Cagliari and finished with 10 men. Meanwhile, in the day's two English Premier League matches, Nigerian striker Peter Odemwingie scored a third-minute opener -- but then missed a penalty -- as West Bromwich claimed their first win of the season with a 1-0 success at Norwich. In the other game, bottom side Blackburn earned their first point of the season, but Bobby Zamora's well-taken equalizer gave hosts Fulham a 1-1 draw after a fine strike from Ruben Rochina had put Rovers ahead. In the German Bundesliga, both matches finished 2-1, with two Timmy Simons penalties giving Nuremberg victory at Cologne. Meanwhile, Schalke missed out on the chance to claim a top three place when they let a 1-0 lead at Wolfsburg, for whom Mario Mandzukic scored twice. There were only seven goals scored in the five Spanish Primera Liga matches with Rayo Vallecano versus Real Zaragoza and Racing Santander against Levante both ending 0-0. Ruben Castro's late winner gave Real Betis a 1-0 success over Mallorca as the Seville-based club joined Real Madrid and Valencia on maximum points after two matches. Elsewhere, Osasuna beat Sporting Gijon 2-1 for their first win of the season while Espanyol defeated Athletic Bilbao by the same score.
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Palermo beat Inter 4-3 and Juventus thump Parma 4-1 in Italy on Sunday .
West Brom get their first win in England while Blackburn remain bottom .
Real Betis make it two wins from two in Spain after a 1-0 win over Mallorca .
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By . Daily Mail Reporter . A woman has described the horrifying side effects she experienced after having black market butt injections. In ‘Buttloads of Pain’, a documentary produced by Vice, Oscarina Busse, 35, from Miami, Florida, admits that the illegal fillers made her skin crust, ‘peel like an onion,’ and droop. She was forced to undergo life-saving surgery that saw more than three pounds of rotted, rock-hard flesh removed from her derriere. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Forever changed: Oscarina Busse (pictured) received two butt-enhancing treatments that resulted in a near-death medical condition . Lethal behind: A majority of dancers at Miami's King of Diamonds strip club (including the one shown above) have received the same illegal injections that caused Oscarina Busse (not pictured above) serious medical issues . The hair salon owner had paid approximately $6,000 for her two augmenting treatments that cost nearly $70,000 to repair - with additional procedures still on the way. Ms Busse, a mother of one, chose the illegal injection rather than its legalized fat transfer or implant counterparts for its comparably cheaper cost ($3,000 versus up to $13,000 for the legal version) and short recovery time. The practice is becoming commonplace, even an epidemic, in Ms Busse’s native Miami - a location whose body-obsessed culture makes most women unhappy with their bodies, she says. ‘It wasn’t because I didn’t have it. I just wanted it to be better’ As a Dominican woman, Ms Busse says that she already had a curvy figure before the shots. ‘It wasn’t because I didn’t have it. I just wanted it to be better.’ she said of the reason behind receiving her butt enhancements. Ms Busse received her first round of shots in 2002 followed by another round in 2009, the latter of which turned out to be a nearly-fatal experience. Like many women, Ms Busse did not receive either treatment from a licensed medical professional. Instead, she received the injections at a ‘spa’ that she found through word-of-mouth. Under review: Dr Mendieta shows Vice a series of botched illegal butt-enhancing treatments which display symptoms similar to those experienced by Ms Busse . ‘I got the shots and six months later my butt turned purple, the product had eaten off my muscle, and my skin peeled like an onion,’ she said of her body’s reaction. According to Vice, those who receive illegal butt injections rarely know what substance is really being implanted into their bodies. The most typical materials used are mineral oil and non-medical-grade silicone, but there have been reports of Fix-A-Flat tire remedies or concrete being injected too. Some of the most notorious butt ‘doctors’ have even used Krazy Glue to help seal the syringe entry spot, to stop the caustic materials from leaking out, the film says. Ms Busse is not sure what caused her reaction, but it seems like hers occurred much sooner than the norm. Many women begin to experience something similar within five to ten years after their own procedures, as her plastic surgeon explained. Ms Busse kept her condition a secret for months before finally sharing her pain with a client, showing her the predicament in the privacy of a salon back room. Life-altering: Once symptoms such as these appear, it is nearly impossible for women to ever get back their natural butt . In an accompanying article, Vice writes, ‘her a** was rotting off.’ The client’s reaction prompted Ms Busse to seek out help. After consulting many doctors who would not treat her out of fear that she may eventually die anyway, Ms Busse found Dr Constantino Mendieta – a Miami-based plastic surgeon who specializes in butt surgeries. Dr Mendieta told Vice that while many women 'will turn to any measure' to achieve a more perfect butt, 'many of these patrients may die over time because of the injections that they are getting.'' Her savior: Plastic surgeon, Dr Medieta (pictured) helped piece Ms Busse back together and says that her case is one of the worst he has seen in his career . He says that the injections 'destroy' body tissue, and that receiving them is a 'lifetime event that you'll never be able to change back [completely].' By Ms Busse’s own accounts, Dr Mendieta saved her life. Her condition was one of the worst he had seen in his career, and required such extensive surgery that it was broken down into two rounds of procedures. 'I had to cut a great deal of flesh out with the silicone because it had impregnated her tissue,' he said of her first surgery. 'We pulled out a pound and a half of pure, rock-hard substance from each cheek,' he elaborated, of the $70,000 procedure. The silicone material allegedly used . in Ms Busse’s butt injections was first invented during the Second World . War as a transformer fluid. Prostitutes in Yokohama, Japan began to steal the solution from the docks of U.S. marine bases to inject it into their breasts. A trend began, landing inside the bodies of sex workers and First Ladies (like Nancy Reagan) alike. But in 1965, when it was discovered how silicone has a propensity to travel within the body, attach itself to organs, trigger strong autoimmune reactions, and potentially cause lethal septic shock, the solution was outlawed from medical use. It then became a strictly-underground pursuit, often favored by transsexuals, Vice says. Ms Busse is by no means the only woman to undergo illegal butt injections. In . its report, Vice visits a Miami strip club where it’s estimated that . 75 to 80per cent of the dancers have received such treatments. Worth the risk: Miami-based stripper, 'Seven', says that her injections are worth the risk because of the amount of money she now making because of them . While . these women’s backsides are culturally perceived as attractive thanks . to their treatments, it is likely that in five to ten years’ time they . could suffer a predicament similar to Ms Busse’s. But that risk is worthwhile, according to a dancer who goes by ‘Seven'. She said: 'I got my butt done on a Tuesday. I came back to work on a Friday and made triple the amount it cost in one night. My money went from regular stripper to superior stripper.' If Ms Busse’s surgeries are any indication, Seven should probably start saving, as Doctor Mendieta - one of Miami's few surgeons willing to repair the injections' destruction - does not come on the cheap.
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Oscarina Busse had paid approximately $6,000 for her two augmenting treatments that cost nearly $70,000 to repair .
Life-saving surgery removed more than three pounds of rotted, rock-hard flesh removed from her derriere .
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56,073 |
9eed9be6ba6a5fe509c4ab53883916a6b4b085a0
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Donkey seen lying in the road as Street View car drives off in Botswan . Search engine responds to accusations saying animal is 'alive and well’ By . Daily Mail Reporter . PUBLISHED: . 07:44 EST, 18 January 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 07:44 EST, 18 January 2013 . Google has been forced to deny killing a donkey with its Street View car in Botswana. Images of the animal lying at the side of a dirt track in the Kweneng region of the African country spread online earlier this week. This lead to complaints and accusations of a Google hit-and-run from concerned members of the public. As the Street View car approaches, the donkey is shown lying at the side of the road. Concerned members of the public complained to Google and some accused it of hit-and run . The donkey is then shown getting up and moving out of the way of the Street View car. Google said the animal was 'perhaps enjoying a dust bath' In its official blog, the Californian-based company denied the accusations saying the donkey was ‘alive and well’. Kei Kawai, Group Product Manager at Google Maps added, ‘Because . of the way our 360-degree imagery is put together, it looked to some . that our car had been involved in an unseemly hit and run, leaving the . humble beast stranded in the road.’ He then went on to say the donkey ‘was perhaps enjoying a dust bath’. A shot taken from the back of the Street View car shows the donkey looking back inquisitively at the passing vehicle . Google also released a series of images to prove its innocence. The pictures show the Street View car approaching the donkey while it’s laid out on the road. And another two of the donkey stood up after the car has passed it.
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Donkey seen lying in the road as Street View car drives off in Botswan .
Search engine responds to accusations saying animal is 'alive and well’
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fef93d6a89b10f4b5a7513d32e2adc6985fc529d
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(CNN) -- A struggling German soccer team is offering a refund to its fans who traveled to another city to watch it suffer a 4-0 loss. Cottbus are second from the bottom of the German Bundesliga. More than 600 Energie Cottbus supporters saw their team suffer its sixth loss in seven games when it received a 4-0 drubbing Friday at the hands of another team, Schalke. Cottbus are second from the bottom in the German Bundesliga's ranking and is in danger of being relegated to a lower league at the end of the season. The team posted a Web statement Saturday headlined, "Sorry, Energie Fans!" In it, the team said its players "did not manage at any time to stand up to a high-class opponent with our particular qualities of passion, dedication and one-on-one duels." "Certainly one can lose at Schalke," the team manager Steffen Heidrich said in the statement. "Nevertheless we did not put up enough defense against the class of the individuals of this opponent." The team said it will announce details in the coming weeks of how fans can receive a refund on their admission ticket. "I welcome the apologetic gesture of the team to its fans," Heidrich said. "Real compensation must actually be given in the coming matches." CNN's Ben Brumfield contributed to this report.
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More than 600 supporters watch their team suffer its sixth loss in seven games .
Energie Cottbus are second from the bottom in its league's ranking .
The team will announce details of how fans can receive a refund on their ticket .
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4dd4953a8dd2990d9a81178f282a130295af4bc9
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Ahead of this weekend's Premier League action, Sportsmail will be providing you with all you need to know about every fixture, with team news, provisional squads, betting odds and Opta stats. Here is all the information you need for Swansea's home clash with Leicester... Swansea vs Leicester (Liberty Stadium) Kick-off: Saturday 5.30pm - Sky Sports 1 . Odds (subject to change): . Swansea 5/6 . Draw 12/5 . Leicester 7/2 . Referee: Mike Jones . Managers: Garry Monk (Swansea), Nigel Pearson (Leicester) Head-to-head league record: Swansea wins 8, draws 8, Leicester wins 10 . Team news . Swansea . Jonjo Shelvey is set to return for Swansea's Barclays Premier League home game with Leicester on Saturday evening. Shelvey served a one-match ban last weekend for picking up five bookings and England Under-21 international Tom Carroll deputised for him in the controversial 2-1 defeat at Stoke. Leon Britton (knee), Jordi Amat (knee), Dwight Tiendalli (groin) and Jazz Richards (knee) are still missing as Swansea seek to end a run of five league games without a win. Provisional squad: Fabianski, Rangel, Fernandez, Williams, Taylor, Ki, Shelvey, Dyer, Routledge, Sigurdsson, Bony, Tremmel, Bartley, Carroll, Montero, Emnes, Gomis, Shephard, Fulton. Wayne Routledge (right) has been in impressive form for Swansea City so far this season under Garry Monk . Leicester . Riyad Mahrez could return for Leicester at Swansea after he was left out of the Foxes' 1-0 defeat at Newcastle United. Boss Nigel Pearson did not want to risk the winger after he only returned from international duty with Algeria 24 hours before the clash with the Magpies. Pearson has virtually a full strength side to pick from with only Matt Upson (ankle) and cruciate knee ligament injury victim Zoumana Bakayogo - who was not named in the Foxes' Barclays Premier League squad - out. Provisional squad: Schmeichel, Hamer, Morgan, Moore, De Laet, Konchesky, Wasilewski, Drinkwater, Hammond, James, King, Cambiasso, Albrighton, Mahrez, Knockaert, Vardy, Ulloa, Nugent, Schlupp, Wood. Key match stats (supplied by Opta) The last six meetings between Swansea and Leicester have been home wins. Leonardo Ulloa scored five goals in his first five Premier League appearances but has not had a shot in the subsequent three matches. Wilfried Bony has scored in his last two Premier League appearances for Swansea City – he’s never scored in three successive Premier League appearances for the club. Gylfi Sigurdsson has had a hand in seven goals (six assists, one goal) in eight PL appearances for Swansea City this season. Leicester City's Leonardo Ulloa scored five Premier League goals in his first five games this season but has failed to have a shot on target in his last three top flight matches . Swansea have taken just 17 corners in eight league games this season. Swansea have scored 10 of the 11 penalties they’ve been awarded in the Premier League. No team has thrown away more points from leading positions than Swansea (8 – level with Hull) this season. Leicester have conceded more shots on target (46) than any other Premier League side this season. Swansea are one of four teams yet to score a header this season in the Premier League (along with Liverpool, Burnley and Aston Villa). After opening the season with three wins, Swansea have taken just two points from five games.
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Swansea City host Leicester City at the Liberty Stadium (Saturday 5.30pm)
Jonjo Shelvey is set to return to Swansea's line-up for the game .
Riyad Mahrez could return for Foxes after missing trip to Newcastle United .
Garry Monk accused Stoke City's Victor Moses of diving in 2-1 loss .
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Ronald Koeman believes the summer of change at Southampton helped rather than hindered him as an incoming manager. Saints have been the surprise package of the Barclays Premier League season so far, after a player exodus that many thought would harm the club's chance of making progress actually providing the perfect platform for an early charge out of the blocks. Southampton head to Hull on Saturday with 19 points from their opening nine Premier League fixtures - a points haul bettered only by leaders Chelsea. New boss Ronald Koeman (L) has guided Saints to second in the Premier League after nine games . Koeman saw star players including Adam Lallana (L) and Calum Chambers (R) leave St Mary's . When the likes of Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Luke Shaw and Calum Chambers all left during the summer, the doom-mongers gathered to predict tough times ahead for Koeman. However, the Dutchman thinks being able to stamp his mark on the team from the off has contributed to Saints' flying start to the campaign. 'It helped, although (Dusan) Tadic was already on the scouting list at Southampton,' said Koeman. 'It also came down to positions. Lallana left, so we have to bring in a similar player to Lallana. Lambert goes, so we have to bring in another striker. Spending the money in the positions that we needed was the most important thing. 'But what happened is not normal. Normally you would have to change one or two new players, instead of six or seven players. But this way it is more my team as I have my own players rather than what was left by the other manager. 'Good players, good quality players, can adapt, although it usually takes some time. This team looks like it has already been together for two seasons. But that is down to the players because they are good players.' The Dutchman revealed that star playmaker Dusan Tadic was already being scouted by Southampton . Graziano Pelle (C) has been one of the finds of the season after replacing Rickie Lambert up front . Asked if he thought Southampton could maintain their momentum and realistically challenge for a top-four place this season, Koeman replied: 'We can keep this, I'm not afraid about the situation. 'If I look at the rest of the teams, I don't think a lot of them are better than Southampton. 'I think we have gone under the radar. Maybe some people are very surprised but from the start of the season I saw what I had and I had belief, belief in the players and their spirit. 'Okay, maybe not to be second in the league at this moment, but we have good players and we play good football and everybody enjoys how we play. This is very important.' It is not only in the league that Southampton have excelled this season. Saints won at Stoke in midweek to reach the quarter-finals of the Capital One Cup, where they will face Sheffield United. This graphic shows how much the Saints have improved in attack and defence this season . While Koeman accepts being paired against the Sky Bet League One side gives his team an excellent chance to progress, the Dutchman is not getting carried away by thoughts of Wembley just yet. He said: 'I think it is a good draw because I think it can be worse, maybe Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool away. 'You have to be lucky about the draw in a cup. Again it is an away game, that's a pity, but it is a good chance to reach the semi-finals. 'We are doing a good job in the Capital One Cup, we have played three matches away and we have three wins, we have to keep that up in the next game.' 'But it is too early (to start thinking about Wembley), maybe if we reach the semi-final when it is more clear, then it is more realistic.' Another new signing Saido Mane (L) is expected to return against Hull after sitting out of the League Cup win . Sadio Mane could return to the Southampton squad at Hull. Mane was rested as a precaution against Stoke on Wednesday night. The midfielder was expected to train on Friday in the hope that he will be included in the squad that travels to East Yorkshire. Koeman, whose team have won six of their last seven Premier League matches, otherwise has a full squad to select from.
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Southampton are second in the Premier League table after a storming start .
New manager Ronald Koeman believes summer upheaval assisted him .
Players including Dejan Lovren, Adam Lallana, Rickie Lambert, Luke Shaw and Calum Chambers all left St Mary's .
Saido Mane is expected to be back in contention to face Hull City .
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Lies: Nicole Richess, pictured outside Bournemouth Crown Court today, falsely accused two Army soldiers of raping her on a night out in 2012 . A woman who falsely accused two soldiers of attempting to rape her after having sex with them on a drunken night has admitted she made up claims of the attack. Nicole Richess was too ashamed to tell her boyfriend she had cheated on him with the two men so she lied and said they had forced themselves on her. The 20-year-old now faces jails after pleading guilty to perverting the course of justice yesterday. The court heard that Richess had been on a night out with friends in Bournemouth, Dorset, in November 2012, when she bumped into a group of four soldiers. They went on a bar crawl with the servicemen, who were based locally at the time, and Richess invited the men back to her house, where she later had sex with two of them. Richess, who was 18 at the time, reported the soldiers after she told her boyfriend and he made her go to the police. The two men were then questioned by police and faced disciplinary action over the accusations. The soldiers said the claims had 'left them petrified' and had 'impacted their friends, family and their work'. Following two weeks of investigations, officers were satisfied Richess had made up the claims and she was arrested for perverting the course of justice on November 26 that year. Richess denied the offence and her trial was due to start at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday. It has taken more than two years to come to court as Richess pleaded not guilty and the two soldiers, aged 23 and 24, and witnesses were serving overseas in the Army. But Richess, a former carer who has had to give up work for health reasons, changed her plea to guilty before the trial was due to start at Bournemouth Crown Court yesterday. A judge warned her that she now faces jail for her 'selfishness and lies'. Afterwards, the two soldiers told of the impact the false rape allegations have had on their lives and careers. They have already faced disciplinary action over what happened. The 24-year-old solider, who does not want to be identified, said: 'When the allegation was made I was petrified, I've never been so scared in all my life. 'It didn't just impact on us, it impacted on everyone we knew - friends, family, work. It could have been the end of my life. 'That stigma you have attached to you the whole time is horrible, it affects everything, like relationships. I'm glad it's over and hopefully she will get what she deserves.' The other man said: 'My family were distraught about the allegations and the worry has been the biggest thing for me. 'It's a big weight of my shoulders that it's done now. I'm just relieved and happy it's over.' Distraught: The two men who were falsely accused by Richess, pictured outside court today with their faces muzzed to protect their identities, said the claims had 'impacted everyone they knew' Prosecutor Sophie Stevens said in a statement yesterday: 'Attempting to rape someone is a very serious criminal offence. 'Nicole Richess made false allegations that two soldiers had attempted to rape her because she had been confronted by her boyfriend who had been made aware that she had been unfaithful. 'The investigation into her allegations revealed that she went out for the evening with girlfriends in Bournemouth. 'They went clubbing and she, with one of her friends, met four young men, army soldiers. Richess then took the two soldiers to her home where they had sexual intercourse. 'What she did not know is that her boyfriend of three years would be aware of what happened through rumours, as a result he confronted her. 'Scared she started to make up stories and after three days of being pressurised by her boyfriend she went to the police and said the soldiers had attempted to rape her. 'She maintained her story during the police investigation, which quickly revealed discrepancies in her statement. 'Her selfishness and lies had serious consequences professionally and personally on the two young men, who had to be disciplined according to the Army policy. 'The investigation went on their record and this limited their opportunities to be mobilised abroad. 'Their private lives had been exposed only because Richess could not take responsibility for her actions. We hope that with this conviction, they will be able to move on with their lives.' Isabelle Gillard, defending at Bournemouth Crown Court, said Richess was of good character and came from a respectable background. She said: 'At the time she was 18 and on the evening in question drink and drugs had been taken, in her case for the first time in terms of the drugs. 'The police investigated, the soldiers were traced and gave their account - that she had taken them back to her own home and had consensual sex with both of them. Convicted: Richess, a former carer who has had to give up work for health reasons, changed her plea to guilty before the trial was due to start at Bournemouth Crown Court, pictured, yesterday . 'They gave consistent accounts of what they said happened and the police came to the conclusion that what she said was not what happened and she was arrested. 'She is a girl of previous good character and she comes from a respectable background, she worked as a carer.' Richess had her sentencing adjourned for reports but Judge Jonathan Fuller QC said that an 'immediate custodial sentence would be at the forefront of his mind.' Afterwards Detective Constable Stef Belton, from Dorset Police, said: 'We spent a huge amount of time investigating the original rape allegation but it was clear very early on that there was another offence going on. 'The investigation has taken two years to come to court. The victims of this case have been waiting for that long to have their names cleared so I'm very pleased with the result in court today. 'We take allegations of rape very seriously and fully support genuine victims of rape. 'We also take any false allegation very seriously because there can be very serious consequences for the people that get arrested for those offences, particularly rape because rape has a stigma attached to it and it can ruin people's lives. 'People who make false allegations make it more difficult for true victims to come forward but they should be reassured that we fully support any victims of rape and will always investigate any allegations that are made to the police.' It has taken more than two years to come to court as Richess pleaded not guilty to the offences and the two victims and witnesses were serving away with the army. Richess will be sentenced for perverting the course of justice on March 26.
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Nicole Richess was 18 when she met a group of soldiers on a night out .
She later invited the men back to her house and had sex with two of them .
Too ashamed to tell her boyfriend, she accused the men of attempted rape .
The men were questioned by police and faced disciplinary action at work .
One said he was left 'petrified' and that it 'impacted friends, family, work'
Richess, now 20, has pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice .
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(CNN) -- Disgraced American sprinter Justin Gatlin made a successful return to competition on Tuesday following his four-year ban for drug use. The 28-year-old, who won Olympic gold in the 100 meters in 2004 and two world titles the following year, made his comeback at an athletics meet in Eastern Europe. He was the fastest in the 100m heats with a time of 10.34 seconds, qualifying ahead of his compatriots J-Mee Samuels and Rubin Williams at the Kuldliiga meeting in Estonia. Gatlin, who tested positive for excessive levels of testosterone in April 2006, then triumphed in 10.24 in the final from Samuels (10.31) and Williams (10.54). He had told reporters ahead of the event that he hoped to break the 10-second mark, but was nowhere near threatening his personal best of 9.85. He will again run on Sunday at an event in the Estonian capital of Tallinn. Gatlin had equaled Asafa Powell's former world record of 9.77 in May 2006, but this was later expunged from the books. During his time away from the track, Gatlin spent time working with American NFL teams Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tennessee Titans and Houston Texans but did not manage to earn a playing contract.
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Former Olympic and world champion sprinter Justin Gatlin wins on comeback in Estonia .
The American wins his heat and the final of 100 meters at Kuldliiga meeting .
He was banned in 2006 after testing positive for excessive levels of testosterone .
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(CNN) -- Can we predict the future of medicine? Although designer babies and a disease-free world may or may not come to pass, you can get a glimpse of the most promising and upcoming medical innovations each year, via the Cleveland Clinic. The clinic's Top 10 Medical Innovations list, which has been an annual undertaking since 2007, contains treatments and technologies that are expected to significantly change patient care and save lives. To be considered, each innovation must have a good chance of being available to the public in the upcoming year, says Dr. Michael Roizen, chief wellness officer at the Cleveland Clinic and chairman of the committee that decides the list. The committee must also expect it to have a significant impact on a large part of the population. The process starts with a panel of Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists who submit their ideas. These suggestions, which Roizen said totaled about 700 for the 2015 list, are then narrowed down and voted on by 40 physicians in a variety of health fields. Here's what they selected for 2015: . 1. Mobile stroke unit . Videoconferencing has made its way into ambulances, specifically for treating stroke victims on the go. Hospital stroke neurologists can interpret symptoms via a broadband video link and instruct an onboard paramedic, critical care nurse and CT technologist on treatment. This new technology should improve the speed of medical care, which is important as strokes quickly damage and kill brain cells. 2. Dengue fever vaccine . The World Health Organization reports that about half of the world's population is now at risk for dengue fever, which up until now was preventable only by avoiding mosquito bites. The disease is a leading cause of death and illness in children in some countries. A new vaccine has been developed and tested, and is expected to be available in 2015. 3. Painless blood testing . For those who hate large needles, a nearly painless way to sample blood will be a welcome relief. Plus, it will be cheaper and provide faster results than today's blood test. The new technology takes blood from your fingertip, and the Cleveland Clinic reports that over 100 tests can be performed on just one drop of blood. 4. New way to lower cholesterol . New self-injectable drugs called PCSK9 inhibitors have shown to be very effective in lowering cholesterol. These drugs may prove to be helpful for people with high LDL cholesterol who don't have good results with statins. The FDA is expected to approve the first PCSK9 in 2015. 5 ways to lower cholesterol . 5. Cancer drug that doesn't harm healthy tissue . Although chemotherapy can save lives, it can be hard on the body and attack healthy cells as well as cancerous ones. A welcome breakthrough in the world of cancer treatment, antibody-drug conjugates can deliver targeted treatment without damaging healthy tissue. 6. Immune booster for cancer patients . Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been shown to prevent cancer cells from "hiding" from the immune system, allowing the body to more effectively fight these abnormal cells. Combined with chemotherapy and radiation treatment, the drugs have shown significant, long-term cancer remissions for patients with metastatic melanoma, one of the most deadly forms of cancer. 7. Wireless cardiac pacemaker . Until this point, wires have been a necessary component in pacemakers. A new wireless pacemaker about the size of a vitamin can now be implanted in the heart without surgery. Its lithium-ion battery is estimated to last about seven years. 8. New medications for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis . Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis is a life-threatening disease that causes scarring in the lungs, leading to breathing difficulties and a shortage of oxygen in the brain and other organs. Life expectancy is only three to five years after diagnosis, but those numbers may change now that the FDA has approved two experimental drugs that slow the disease: pirfenidone and nintedanib. 9. Single-dose radiation therapy for breast cancer . The National Cancer Institute estimates that 40,000 women in the United States will die from breast cancer in 2014. The Cleveland Clinic cites multiple chemotherapy appointments, sometimes requiring the patient to travel long distances, as a hindrance to successful treatment. Intraoperative radiation therapy is a new solution. It treats a breast cancer tumor during surgery in a single dose, reducing time and cost spent on treatment. What you should know about reducing your risk of breast cancer . 10. New drug for heart failure . About 5.1 million people in the United States suffer from heart failure, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. It is managed with a combination of drugs, but a new drug, angiotensin-receptor neprilysin inhibitor, has been granted fast-track status by the FDA because of its ability to cut the risk of dying from heart failure more effectively than current treatments. For more information on the annual medical innovations list, including descriptions and videos, download the "Innovations" app or visit the website. A "where is it now" feature also includes updates on innovations that made the top 10 list in prior years. "We look in past to see what we voted on to improve the process," Roizen said. "With one exception, we've been pretty good."
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The Cleveland Clinic has published its Top 10 Medical Innovations list since 2007 .
110 Cleveland Clinic physicians and scientists submitted ideas for 2015 .
Three innovations are cancer treatments .
Other innovations will help stroke and heart patients, and those at risk for dengue fever .
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A Democrat candidate in Arkansas has admitted to moonlighting as a male stripper in the past who source claimed went under the name 'Metro Express'. John Burkhalter, who is vying to become lieutenant-governor in Little Rock, said he took on the gig while he was also buying cows for 17 acres of land he owned and was trying to make ends meet. The married father-of-two daughters admitted in an interview last week that he had used his athletic physique to turn his hand to exotic dancing. Scroll down for video . Magic Mike? Democrat candidate for Arkansas's Lieutenant-Governor John Burkhalter, pictured at a food festival in August, revealed in an interview last week that he used to be a male stripper . Burkhalter, pictured left with his wife Penny at a charity ball in September along with other guests. He is hoping to become the next lieutenant-governor for the state of Arkansas . He told 5News: 'I’ve always been an athlete, and I was actually buying cows from a farm.' On an online chatroom called Old Chippendales, one user called 'very married', wrote: 'John was once a major body-builder and moonlighted as a male stripper in so-called straight strip joints in a low-end southern Chippendale style circuit. 'He wore white tuxes with tails and handed out long stem roses to ladies, then took everything off.' His stripper name used to be Metro Express, according to one commenter on the Arkansas Times. MailOnline did not receive a comment today from Mr Burkhalter's campaign. Rumors about the Democrat's stripper job first emerged when an automated call which referenced his past was placed to the homes of Arkansas residents last year. Mr Burkhalter graduated from the University of Arkansas with a degree in civil engineering in 1980. He grew his small firm into a company across 27 states with hundreds of employees. He has made no secret about his hard-working past saying that he had jobs hauling railroad ties from box cars, cleaning theaters and working in chicken plants. The politician and his wife, Penny, have two young daughters. Mr Burkhalter is up against Republican U.S. Representative Tim Griffin for the Arkansas lieutenant governor's office. The two are vying to become the state's No. 2 leader along with Libertarian Chris Olson. The office has been unoccupied since Republican Lt. Gov. Mark Darr stepped down in February amid an ethics investigation. The politician pictured on the campaign trail earlier this year with his wife and daughters. He admitted during an interview last week . Mr Burkhalter is a self-made millionaire who has said that he did many jobs in the past on his journey to making his fortune .
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John Burkhalter, who is vying for the state senate in Little Rock, admitted his saucy past in an interview last week .
The married father-of-two daughters said he moonlighted as a stripper while working on a farm as his day job .
Sources claimed his stripper name was 'Metro Express' and he stripped while wearing a tux and white tails .
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Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has claimed that his team are defending well, despite their 5-3 humiliation at Leicester. United head into Saturday’s home game with West Ham at Old Trafford still reeling from Sunday’s embarrassment and missing 10 players through injury and suspension. Van Gaal says he is determined to get to the root cause of the physical problems his players are suffering and is looking at the club’s day-to-day training methods in minute detail. Louis van Gaal says his Manchester United have defended well bar last Sunday's match at Leicester . Van Gaal admits he has a selection headache of Manchester United's home clash against West Ham . Van Gaal was a frustrated figure as Manchester United (centre) capitulated to Leicester 5-3 on Sunday . Manchester United have conceded eight goals in five Premier League matches this season and 12 in all competitions following their 4-0 Capital One Cup second round thrashing at MK Dons. 16 Aug - Man Utd 1-2 SWANSEA . 24 Aug - SUNDERLAND 1-1 Man Utd . 26 Aug - MK DONS 4-0 Man Utd . 30 Aug - BURNLEY 0-0 Man Utd . 14 Sep - Man Utd 4-0 QPR . 21 Sep - LEICESTER 5-3 Man Utd . However, the Dutch coach still feels there has been an over-reaction to events at Leicester, which saw his team concede a 3-1 advantage in the final half-hour to suffer one of their worst Barclays Premier League defeats in recent memory. Asked if he felt any sense of panic, Van Gaal said: ‘No. It is happening, it’s about overcoming it. It’s not a regular occurrence when you see our figures in the Premier League. Except (for) this match, we are defending well, our average is less than one and we scored a lot of goals. ‘I think we are fifth or sixth in terms of goals, I don’t know. I see the difficulty as, more or less, a lot of journalists. I say only that you are looking the other way. Maybe you can listen very carefully. Defender Jonny Evans will miss Saturday's match after being substituted against Leicester with an injury . Chris Smalling has come in for criticism in the heart of United's defence . England defender Phil Jones (left) is also ruled out of Saturday's match with a hamstring injury . ‘We have had some wins and should have (had more) wins. When you are 3-1 ahead after 60 minutes you have to win. Then we are two points off second in the table. But because of the loss we are sitting here and you are talking like that and questioning me like that. ‘If we had won this game it was a different story, so you don’t have to make an incident sound as if it is a regular basis. We will overcome and the season lasts more than one competition day.’ Van Gaal confirmed Sportsmail’s story from Thursday that defender Chris Smalling had become the latest player to break down in training. Smalling will join Jonny Evans and Phil Jones on the sidelines, while Tyler Blackett is suspended after being sent off at the King Power Stadium. The manager added: ‘I have to admit that I’m never in this situation before, so that’s strange, and that is also what I have said in former press conferences. Van Gaal added that he believes United can finish in the top three or four this season . VIDEO United can still be successful - Rooney . Evans (centre) has a badly bruised bone and van Gaal says he won't take any risks with him . ‘For me it’s difficult to understand, because we are evaluating what we can do in a different way, but you have to train on a certain level because otherwise you can’t play a game. ‘I’ve already said I will adapt to a certain level but I cannot train lower because then you can’t perform in the right way. ‘We have a lot of injuries, nine injuries now, and Blackett suspended, so that means that 10 are out. All the three right sided centre halves are out. ‘Evans is a very difficult thing. His bone is bruised a lot and we have to wait and see — and evaluate. ‘Smalling, yesterday in a training session he ran out because he had stiff legs so we’ll wait and see what that’s meaning, but I don’t take risks. You have to be fit and I always trust younger players. ‘So I have to go to the youth team to pick players and I have also said that in former press conferences. The younger players can pick their chances now and that’s also the policy of this club. I have read that differently in the media, but it’s like that. Tyler Blackett (right) was sent off for United during their humbling at the King Power Stadium . Van Gaal read his team the riot act after Sunday’s defeat but refused to blame them for one of the most bizarre United performances of recent times. He added: ‘I don’t think my players are robots, they are human beings and I think that human beings make errors and faults. I’m a manager who always wants to evaluate and discuss. That’s the way I do it and I have done it this week also. ‘The young players are always ready. They have hunger to play. Manchester United youth education has a certain level that can provide that. ‘It’s a big difference from youth level to Premier League but in one game you can show yourself better than regular.’ Asked if this was the hardest challenge he had faced in his career, Van Gaal was candid. He said: ‘At this moment, maybe, but you have to see in a year and not in one week when we have nine injuries and a red card. I don’t think that you can judge the effect. ‘As a manager you already know in advance that it’s a big challenge and this club is in a transition. Now we are in very difficult circumstances again but we can win.’ Like our Manchester United Facebook page.
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Louis van Gaal has hit back at criticism of Manchester United's defence .
United conceded five goals in defeat at Leicester on Sunday .
Van Gaal believes the Old Trafford side have defended well bar that game .
Dutchman insists the Red Devils can finish in the top three or four .
Chris Smalling, Phil Jones and Jonny Evans are all out injured .
United entertain West Ham at home on Saturday in the Premier League .
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cfaf9a10bd2f454438f41531bf2bf01edbda245a
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Chelsea Under 18s blazed their way into the quarter-final of the FA Youth Cup with 6-0 demolition of Swansea Under 18s at Aldershot's Recreation Ground on Wednesday. The youth cup holders started strongly and Tammy Abraham netted the first of the night after only 14 minutes after a neat interchange from Kyle Scott and Jay Dasilva. The lead was doubled before half-time, when Abraham received a pass from Scott and fired in powerfully off the underside of the crossbar. Chelsea's under 18 team blasted their way into the quarter-finals of the FA Youth Cup . Tammy Abraham (right) propelled Chelsea to victory with a hat-trick against Swansea . Dominic Solanke (centre) celebrates scoring Chelsea's third of the game, 30 seconds into the second half . Chelsea upped the gears further in the second half and made their superiority pay. Dominic Solanke got the third only 30 seconds into the second half with a delicate chip before Abraham converted Dasilva's cross to make it four and complete a ruthless hat-trick. Substitute Kasey Palmer then weaved past two challenges before tucking the ball past Swansea goalkeeper Lewis Thomas, before Solanke got his second goal of the night with a low shot. Chelsea will face either Sunderland or Newcastle in the quarter-final.
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The Youth Cup holders ran riot at home to Swansea in FA Youth Cup .
Chelsea will play either Newcastle or Sunderland in the quarter-final .
Tammy Abraham scored a hat-trick as Chelsea eased through .
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126,629 |
2fafcb2ba2c605d4fccb246a2a0504a924f98ec6
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Holly Anderson was found hanged at home after leaving a note to her estranged boyfriend saying she was trying to win him back . A young hairdresser was found hanged at home after leaving a note to her estranged boyfriend saying she was trying to win him back. Holly Anderson, 19, was found by her uncle at her flat in Failsworth, Oldham, on September 11 last year. He raised the alarm was after climbing in through a window, but paramedics couldn't revive her, Rochdale Coroners Court heard. Miss Anderson - who was described by her family as an independent, happy-go-lucky teenager with everything to live for - had left her boyfriend a note and had sent him a series of text messages, the court was told. The inquest heard she wrote 'I am trying to win you back' in the note to her boyfriend she left in her bedroom and said she was 'lost' without him. She also sent her sister text messages and photographs hours before her death. The coroner was told that she had sent her sister a text asking her to call her boyfriend and get him to ring her 'one last time'. But the inquest heard he had had no credit on his phone. A coroner recorded a verdict of misadventure, saying he believed she was trying to 'elicit a response' from her boyfriend and might not have intended to kill herself. Coroner Simon Nelson said: 'She was doing whatever was in her power to gain his attention. I do not believe that I can be sure that Holly intended the consequences of her actions. 'Very sadly, she had gone that one step too far.' Her mother Lisa Robinson, from Moston, spoke of the family's loss at Rochdale Coroners Court. She said: 'She was a happy-go-lucky girl who had everything to live for. 'She will be very sadly missed. This has shocked us all and we are totally devastated. 'She had a lovely personality. She was a happy girl who had so much to look forward to. I have no idea what was going through her mind at the time.' Miss Anderson - who was described by her family as an independent, happy-go-lucky teenager with everything to live for - had left her boyfriend a note and had sent him a series of text messages, Rochdale Coroners Court was told. The inquest heard she wrote 'I am trying to win you back' in the note . The teenager worked as a hairdresser after studying hair and beauty at Manchester College. She met her boyfriend at the age of 16. He didn't attend the inquest and no statement was read from him. A cause of death was given as hanging. Holly's father Lee Stanley, from Newton Heath, said in a statement that he believed they had split up a month earlier. Paying tribute, he said: 'She was very proud and I was very proud of her.' Mr Nelson said Holly was upset and 'finding it difficult' to come to terms with the end of the relationship. For confidential support call the Samaritans in the UK on 08457 90 90 90, visit a local Samaritans branch or click here for details .
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Holly Anderson, 19, was found by her uncle at flat in Failsworth, Oldham .
He raised the alarm was after climbing in through a window, inquest heard .
She sent her sister text messages and photographs hours before death .
Teenager wrote 'I am trying to win you back' in the note to her boyfriend .
Rochdale coroner Simon Nelson recorded a verdict of misadventure .
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It looks like an underwater tornado - but these divers are actually swimming in the middle of a huge school of fish. The fish swarmed around Mika Woyda in their thousands as she swam off the coast of Cabo Pulmo, Mexico. Her husband Caine Delacy snapped the breath-taking images of Mika in scenes he revealed he had never witnessed in 20 years of diving. Caine Delacy snapped the breath-taking images of him and his wife Mika Woyda as they swam off the coast of Cabo Pulmo, Mexico . The huge school of fish swarmed around the couple in their thousands as they swam in the depths of the ocean . Marine biologist Caine, 34, said the scenes were like nothing he had ever witnessed in the 20 years he has been diving . Caine even managed to snap a few selfies while the fish, commonly known as Big-eye Jacks, swam in the background . The formation created by the school of fish made it look like the divers were swimming through an underwater tornado . Before entering the water the couple, who live in Boulder, Colorado, had some shots in mind, but they never imagined what they would capture. Marine biologist Caine, 34, even managed to snap a few selfies while the fish - commonly known as Big-eye Jacks - swam in the background. Caine, from Ballarat, Australia, said: 'I've seldom experienced these kinds of schools. 'This was one of the biggest schools of fish I've seen and to witness this amount of life was surreal. 'My real profession is as a marine biologist so throughout my career I've witnessed the end result of too much fishing. 'Being in the middle of all that life was unique and spectacular.' Caine, who is originally from Ballarat, Australia, said he has seldom experienced these kinds of schools of fish . Caine said that as his profession is a marine biologist, throughout his career he has witnessed the end result of too much fishing . The couple were swimming off the coast of Cabo Pulmo in Mexico, which is a popular spot for scuba divers . Before entering the water the couple, who live in Boulder, Colorado, had some shots in mind but never imagined what they would capture . The huge school of fish made some incredible formations, which diver and marine biologist Caine caught on camera . Caine, who took the stunning images, described being in the middle of all that life under the sea's surface as being 'unique and spectacular' The fish, commonly known as Big-eye Jacks, earn their nickname from their large, distinctive eyes and are known to travel in large schools . Caine said that this was one of the biggest schools of fish he has ever seen and 'to witness this amount of life was surreal' The couple were planning to take photos while they were diving but they said they never imagined they would capture images quite like this . The divers found themselves stuck in the middle of a huge school of fish - and took the opportunity to capture these breath-taking images . Caine has been diving for two decades but he said he has never seen anything like the scenes he and his wife witnesses in Cabo Pulmo .
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Marine biologist Caine Delacy snapped the breath-taking images of his wife Mika Woyda while they were diving .
The couple were swimming off the coast of Cabo Pulmo, Mexico, when they were surrounded by thousands of fish .
Caine, 34, says he has never experienced scenes quite like these in all the 20 years he has been diving .
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1c13f294d59ac3b9a09f1fba76a4ef26b1b8f03f
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Government study found people who go to the library are much happier than those who take part in fitness activities such as going to the gym (file picture) Fitness fanatics have long weighed up the relative benefits of whether they should bother to take out an expensive gym membership. Now they don’t need to bother - because a government study has been commissioned to find out if it is actually worth it. And the conclusions are that those who fork out regular sums to attend keep fit class are significantly unhappier than those who don’t. A bizarre report, commissioned by ministers, ranks different leisure activities based on how much money they are worth to the people who take part in them. Dancing and swimming, apparently, appear to have such a positive effect on well-being that they are worth a salary boost of more than £1,600 a year. Going to the library is also beneficial - and was worth the equivalent of a £1,359 hike in pay. But fitness activities, such as going to the gym, are actually associated with people being unhappier than they would otherwise be. On top of the huge amount that people pay in gym membership, the study found that the level of unhappiness associated with keeping fit was worth a pay cut of £1,318. Performing music is also associated with making people unhappy, according to the study - to the tune of £1,248 a year. The report was carried out by academics commissioned by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, which until recently was headed by Maria Miller who resigned over her expenses earlier this month. Although the research - written by three academics - will have cost the taxpayer thousands of pounds, it said it is not possible to prove a causal link between gym membership and unhappiness; only that there is a correlation. Last night campaigners asked why the Coalition was spending so much on pointless pieces of research that do not even reach a conclusion. The report ranked different leisure activities based on how much money they are worth to the people who take part in them. Going to the library was worth the equivalent of a £1,359 pay rise, according to the study . Jonathan Isaby, of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said: ‘It is absolutely staggering that ministers saw fit to . spend taxpayers’ money commissioning this ludicrous report. It beggars . belief that anyone could think this a reasonable way to spend our . hard-earned cash. ‘[New Culture Secretary] Sajid Javid needs to wage a war on waste inside his new department and cut out the spending on this kind of nonsense as a matter of urgency.’ Participating in dance - £1,671 . Regular swimming - £1,630 . Visiting libraries - £1,359 . Taking part in team sports - £1,127 . Arts and crafts - £1,020 . Attending plays - £999 . Individual sports - £828 . Attending concerts - £742 . Source: London School of Economics . The DCMS study, published late last . week, is called Quantifying and Valuing the Wellbeing Impacts of Culture . and Sport. It follows the much-derided work of the Office for National . Statistics in measuring the well-being of the nation.. The . academics who compiled the report looked at a survey of 40,000 people . who were asked about their participation in arts and sport, as well as . their level of ‘subjective wellbeing’ (SWB). Using this data, and taking into account . other information such as salary and age, they worked out which . activities were associated with happiness, and which were not. Under the scheme used, if an activity increases the SWB by one index point, and an increase in household income of £5,000 a year also increases SWB by one index point, the researchers concludes that the activity is worth £5,000 to them. The report concluded: ‘We identify statistically significant associations between cultural and sport engagement and individual wellbeing, and a range of other social impacts. ‘Arts engagement was found to be associated with higher wellbeing. This is valued at £1,084 per person per year, or £90 per person per month. ‘A significant association was also found between frequent library use and reported wellbeing. Using libraries was valued at £1,359 per person per year for library users, or £113 per person per month. The study found that the level of unhappiness associated with keeping fit was worth a pay cut of £1,318 (file picture) ‘Sport participation was also found to be associated with higher wellbeing. This increase is valued at £1,127 per person per year, or £94 per person per month.’ In particular, dance is associated with the happiest people, and was worth £1,671 a year. Swimming is next, with an effect worth £1,630. But it also concludes: ‘The following activities are negatively and significantly associated with life satisfaction - fitness (such as going to the gym) and performing music.’ However, while the report is happy to say that engagement with the arts and libraries may be the cause of higher wellbeing, it rejects such a causal link when there is a negative association. ‘The negative relationship between life satisfaction and fitness and gym exercise might be due to people with lower life satisfaction in the first place “selecting” into gym exercise - in other words, that people who feel bad about themselves (overweight, unfit etc) may be more likely to go to the gym,’ it said. ‘In this case we would be wrong to conclude that fitness and gym exercise are bad for life satisfaction. ‘A similar story could be said of the other negative relationship between playing music and life satisfaction - i.e. the sad musician. Likewise, the positive relationships we see may be being driven to some extent by unobservable factors such as personality traits.’ Last night a spokesman for the DCMS, said: ‘This research makes an interesting contribution to understanding the wide variety of social benefits, in education, health and wellbeing alongside the more established economic value of the arts and sport.’
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Study found fitness activities tend to be associated with unhappier people .
Survey asked 40,000 people about their participation in arts and sports .
Various leisure activities ranked on how much they are worth to well-being .
Government study carried out by Department for Culture, Media and Sport .
TaxPayers' Alliance said 'ludicrous' report was unreasonable spend of cash .
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By . Beci Wood . A warning to those preparing to jet off abroad this summer: taking a mobile phone with you can be a very costly business. While we all know to be careful when using our smartphones abroad, the true cost of using the internet on holiday has been revealed in a set of shocking new statistics. The research comes as the European Union slashes data roaming charges by more than 50 per cent from today in a bid to encourage people to use their mobile phones more abroad. Risky business: Travellers should be careful not to overspend on data when overseas . The new law comes too late for Carissa . Grice, 18, from Greater Manchester, who managed to rack up a £3000 bill . while using Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp to chat to friends in Turkey, . downloading 630MB of data. Thankfully Orange since slashed the £2,907 bill to £250 for the 'devastated' trainee nail technician. A second recent incident saw a teacher faced with a £2,600 bill after downloading a Neil Diamond album while on holiday in South Africa. The new rules about mobile phone costs state that the maximum charge for outgoing calls is 19 cents (Around 15p) excluding VAT, six cents (around 4p) for outgoing text messages and 20 cents (15p) for a MB download of data. However, the new caps only apply when you use a mobile within the EU, the rest of Europe is exempt. But statistics show, just half of travellers realise the new rules are limited to European Union countries. Endsleigh Insurance has researched the exact cost of using the most popular mobile apps outside the EU and in the rest of the world. Based on O2 data roaming charges, the results make for some scary reading. It costs 3p per megabyte of data roaming in Europe, but a whopping £6 in the rest of the world. Based on a photo taken from an iPhone 5 camera (which has an average size of 2MB) it would cost 76p to upload a photo onto Facebook, Instagram or Twitter. Holiday: Carissa amassed a huge bill on her mum's phone while on holiday in Turkey . Vulnerable: Kids should be careful if they want to remain in contact with their friends while on holiday . 1. Turn off push notifications in apps2. Use data Bolt Ons or data cap usage3. Switch off video auto-play4. Disable weather apps5. Preload Google Maps with Wi-Fi6. Switch on aeroplane mode7. Use a pay and go SIM8. Switch off your voicemail9. Switch off high volume email accounts10. Connect to WiFi . This estimate also does not include being on Facebook itself which would use data too. Especially if the users scrolls through friends status’, which can be text, images or videos which all require data to load. Facebook also now auto plays videos which can push the cost of browsing up further if this feature isn’t turned off. Streaming a 30 minute episode of a show abroad could cost up to £540, the equivalent of a flight to Mauritius with Thomas Cook. Chatting to friends of Whatsapp will set you back up to £12 while browsing the Internet for 30 minutes could cost up to £60. Sara Newell, Gadget Sector Manager at Endsleigh Insurance said: ‘We are so accustomed to using our phones every day for entertainment, keeping up to date with news, and staying connected with friends: everyday apps we take for granted in the UK, if used in the same way abroad, can rack up unexpected bills that can exceed the actual cost of a holiday. 'We’ve seen bills rack up into the thousands, so would advise on planning ahead to avoid a nasty surprise when you get back. 'Check data roaming charges with your provider, get prepared with a data bolt on or usage cap, or switch off data roaming on your phone altogether!’ Cost per megabyte for data roaming. Europe (outside EU) = £0.38, Rest of the world = £6 Uploading a photo to Instagram/Facebook/Twitter. (Based on a photo taken from an iPhone 5 camera) Europe = £0.76, Rest of the world = £12 Downloading a 2MB email attachment. Europe (outside EU) = £0.76, Rest of the world = £12 Having Google Maps open for 10 minutes. Europe (outside EU) = £2.28, Rest of the world = £36 Having a 5 minute Whatsapp conversation. Europe (outside EU) = £0.76, Rest of the world = £12 Browsing the internet for 20 minutes. Europe (outside EU) = £3.80, Rest of the world = £60 Streaming TV for 30 minutes. Europe (outside EU) = £34.20, Rest of the world = £540 Streaming radio for 10 minutes. Europe (outside EU) = £5.70, Rest of the world = £90 Streaming music on Spotify. Europe (outside EU) = £1.90, Rest of the world = £30 . Luckily, roaming charges are set to drop by more than 50 per cent from today thanks to new European Union rules. It comes after research in February revealed that less than 10 per cent of travellers use their mobile phones abroad in the same way they do at home due to excessive charges. Which? has also published new research showing that one in six people have been shocked by their mobile phone bill after returning from a holiday.
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New research highlights the cost of using popular mobile apps .
It costs 3p per megabyte of data roaming in Europe, but £6 anywhere else .
Research comes as data roaming costs are lowered within in the EU .
Results come after teenager racked up £3000 bill on holiday in Turkey .
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By . Kerry Mcdermott . PUBLISHED: . 12:57 EST, 30 October 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 13:52 EST, 30 October 2012 . A school nurse accused of chasing a pupil down a corridor and pushing her against a door after enduring a torrent of abuse from the 'volatile' schoolgirl could be struck off. Theodora Armah is alleged to have lost her temper and pursued the girl - described as 'one of the nastiest kids in school' - after being sworn at by the Year 8 student at an east London girls' school, a misconduct hearing was told. Armah, described as a 'calm and collected person' by colleagues, denies chasing the girl through the corridors at break time at Haggerston School in Hackney, and pushing her against a door outside the headteacher's office. 'Calm and collected': School nurse Theodorah Armah is alleged to have . assaulted a Year 8 pupil after losing her temper on a visit to . Haggerston School in Hackney . Fellow nurse Doreen Patterson said she saw Armah chasing a group of girls before returning to the classroom. ‘I saw a group of girls running towards us and Ms Armah in pursuit of the girls running behind them,' she told the Nursing and Midwifery Council. 'We asked what had happened and she just smiled and carried on running. ‘Ms Armah came back and said a pupil had called her a f****** b****. ‘She said she had chased after the student to find out why she was being rude. ‘She caught up with the student and was able to ask this.’ The hearing was told how nurses were regularly abused by students when they visited the girls secondary school. One nurse was called a ‘f****** p****’ by a different pupil, but the health professionals who visited the school to offer vaccinations and carry out other medical checks were afraid to report the abuse, the council was told. ‘The girls were very aggressive and rude on this day’, Ms Patterson said. ‘When I asked some of the girls to wait outside, one came up to me and shouted at me. ‘I felt very threatened because there was no one to support me,' she added. She told the hearing her boss did not want to help ‘because most of the children are in gangs’. 'Challenging': Armah is accused of lashing out at a Year 8 pupil during a health visit at Haggerston School in East London . Ms Patterson added that Armah had been verbally abused by a student the day before she is accused of lashing out. Armah allegedly harangued the unnamed pupil before violently attacking her, a claim she vehemently denies. The hearing was told the girl, referred as child A, had a history of abusive outbursts and was on a child protection register. Grace Rooney, from Hackney's school nursing service, who investigated the alleged attack on child A, described her as one of ‘the nastiest kids in the school’, and noted: ‘She can even attack you physically within a second.’ Defending Armah, David Welch said child A had climbed out of school windows in the past, and once danced on a teacher’s desk. ‘She was an extremely volatile child’, he said, to which Ms Rooney answered: ‘There are children who have challenging behaviour.’ ‘This is not challenging is it’, Mr Welch said. ‘It’s downright dangerous.’ Fellow nurse Doreen Patterson . The alleged assault by Armah happened on December 10, 2009, during a regular visit to the school on behalf of City and Hackney Community Health Services. Ms Rooney said headteacher Dr Jane Keeley overheard the argument between Armah and the girl and came out moments after the alleged attack. ‘It was the break for all students and Dr Keeley heard raised voices in the corridor’, Ms Rooney said. ‘That’s why she came out of her office. ‘It was break but I do believe it wasn’t just the noise of children having a break.’ The incident was not reported to the police or social services, which Ms Rooney accepted was a ‘major oversight’. It took almost two months for the school to get a full account from child A of what happened. Mr Welch suggested the reasons she was reluctant to co-operate with the investigation was because she had invented the allegations. Ms Patterson said Armah is a ‘calm and collected person’, and doubted she would have lost her temper in this way. ‘She is not the type of person to be accused of something like this’, she said. ‘The school should take some of the blame for letting the students abuse us,' she added.Armah denies running after Child A, shouting at her and pushing her against the wall. If the panel finds her fitness to practice is impaired by reason of misconduct she could be struck off. The hearing continues.
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Theodorah Armah lost her temper after the 'volatile' schoolgirl swore at her, a hearing was told .
Year 8 pupil had a 'history of abusive outbursts'
Colleague described the school nurse as a 'calm and collected' person .
Nurses were often subjected to abuse from students on visits to the girls' school, hearing was told .
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By . Luke Salkeld . PUBLISHED: . 13:00 EST, 27 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 10:38 EST, 28 November 2012 . In his short career, he survived being shot down from the sky three times and escaped from the Nazis in occupied France. Now, 70 years after his death, the . diary of brave Battle of Britain fighter pilot George Barclay has . brought his remarkable escapades back to life. In what is thought to be the only . record of its kind, the heroic Squadron Leader chronicles taking to the . skies in the cockpits of Hurricanes and Spitfires – and even describes . being shot down for the first time as a ‘most novel experience’. Battle of Britain pilot George Barclay in the cockpit. He flew Hurricanes and Spitfires in the Battle of Britain, the Sweeps over France and the North African campaign - and survived being shot down three times . A page from the secret diary of Battle of Britain pilot George Barclay. George kept a day-to-day record detailing his life in the skies. In this entry he illustrates wing formations for their next outing. He writes: 'We went off just before tea by ourselves and climbing up to 23,000ft over Maidstone... I was leading yellow section and looking after the squadron's tail' Pilots were banned from keeping diaries for security reasons, so Barclay resorted to secretly recording his thoughts in exercise books. His entries display the stiff upper lip that helped our heavily outnumbered pilots win the crucial aerial battle that thwarted Hitler’s invasion plans. Battle of Britain pilot George Barclay with his Hurricane Mk1 . Battle of Britain pilot George Barclay with his godson Leo in 1940 . The telegram sent by the RAF informing of the death of Battle of Britain pilot George Barclay . But tragically, they end before the . Allies secured victory. Barclay was killed in action aged 22, commanding . a Hurricane squadron during the 1942 Battle of El Alamein in Egypt. The grave of Battle of Britain pilot George Barclay in El Alamein . Previously his squadron had played a . key role in the 1940 Battle of Britain, and it was then that the . Cambridge-educated pilot began secretly putting pen to paper. His first entry in September of that . year begins: ‘Yesterday evening we were told we were to move to North . Weald, Essex, today to relieve the war-weary and much shot up 56 . Squadron. We grabbed beds in the hut and slept soundly, wondering what . the morrow held in store.’ Just six days later, on September 7, . Barclay’s plane suffered a direct hit as he duelled with a group of . German Me109 aircraft. But remarkably, his stricken plane landed ‘wheels . up’ in a field near his airfield. Of the 12 British planes in his patrol that day, one pilot died and four – including Barclay – were injured. He wrote afterwards: ‘The odds today . have been unbelievable (and we are all really very shaken!). There are . bombs and things falling around tonight and a terrific gun barrage. Has a . blitz begun?’ After being shot down a second time on . November 29 at 22,000ft he recalled: ‘I was shot down today – a most . novel experience... ‘As I fell out and down on my back one of my boots fell off, apparently to me falling upwards as I left it behind.’ George Barclay (far right) as a child with his brothers Charlie and Richard . George Barclay (back right) as a child with his mother, father, brothers and sisters . George Barclay (second left) with his brothers Richard (far left), Charles (second right) and father Gilbert (far right) getting ready to go out on a shoot . The Battle of Britain was the German air force's attempt to gain air superiority over the RAF from July to September 1940. It was one of the turning points of World War Two and prevented Germany from invading Britain. The battle began in mid-July with Luftwaffe concentrating on attacking shipping in the . English Channel and attacking coastal towns and defences. From 12 August, Hermann . Goering, one of the leaders of the Nazi regime, shifted his focus to the . destruction of the RAF, attacking airfields and radar bases. (Pictured above, RAF scrambling to their planes in 1940.) Convinced that Fighter Command was . now close to defeat, he also tried to force air battles between fighter . planes to break British strength. However, Goering grew frustrated by . the large number of British planes that were still fighting off his . attacks. Luftwaffe switched tactics again and, on . Hitler's orders, set about destroying London and other major cities. Eleven days later, on what became 'Battle of Britain Day', the . RAF decimated the huge incoming Luftwaffe formations in the skies above . London and the south coast. He was shot down for a third time on . September 20, 1941, after being ‘jumped’ by five Me109s as he flew over . France in a Spitfire. His parents, Reverend Gilbert Barclay and wife . Dorothy – who lost another son, Charles, in the war – received a letter . reporting that he was missing. It stated: ‘He was very popular in the Officers’ Mess and his cheerful personality will be greatly missed.’ Remarkably, however, Barclay had . survived, and ended up in a French field. He turned his uniform inside . out to hide the insignia that would reveal his identity, and pretended . to be a farm worker as Nazis came looking for him. He was helped by many French civilians . and managed to escape through Spain over a three-month period. His . diary entry on September 26 describes how he was given shelter by a . French woman called Madame Salingue. He wrote: ‘I was given a very friendly . welcome. Immediately we arrived Madame cooked us two eggs and chips . each. 'Apparently that is what the troops asked for before Dunkirk. Burbare had quite a large number of British troops billeted there and . wherever I went I was shown photos of them. The French liked them very . much.’ After returning home to Cromer, . Norfolk, Barclay was put in charge of battle-weary 238 Squadron and led . them out to patrol the El Alamein area of Egypt – where he was fatally . shot down. He received a posthumous salute from England in January 1943, when he was Mentioned in Despatches in New Year Honours. His parents did not discover his diary . until a few years after his death. A version was published in the . 1970s, but an extended edition has now been compiled by historians and . his brother Richard, now 86, a retired banking director. The father of four from . Minchinhampton, Gloucestershire, said: ‘We had no idea that he was . writing a diary, he never mentioned it when he was on leave. ‘It tells of squadron life and the . numerous pressures and battles which demonstrate the extraordinary . dedication and self-sacrifice of all the young men in the country. He . wrote his diary in such a straightforward way, you really feel as if you . are sat next to him on the plane.’ The book’s editor, Humphrey Wynn, a . historian with the Ministry of Defence Air Historical Branch, said it . was the only daily account of the Battle of Britain kept by a pilot of . either side. On 10 July 1940, German and British air forces went to war and the Battle of Britain began . The Hawker Hind which Battle of Britain pilot George Barclay crashed during training .
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George Barclay wrote it despite MoD's security ban on such journals .
He joined RAF aged 20 and survived being shot down THREE times .
Airman escaped occupied France by turning his uniform inside out .
Killed in action, aged 22, commanding Hurricane squadron at El Alamein .
His family unaware of diary, which has now been published, until recently .
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1d40d11206a773005f2fabea43fa4239340767f7
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Police have launched a criminal investigation into the death of a nine-day-old baby who contracted an infection from a suspected contaminated drip. Officers from the Metropolitan Police's Homicide and Major Crime Command are investigating the death of Yousef Al-Kharboush, who died in the neonatal intensive care unit at St Thomas' Hospital, south London, on June 1. They are also 'investigating the circumstances' of a second baby who died at the same hospital ten days later. Detectives from Cambridgeshire are investigating a third baby death. A criminal investigation has been launched after two babies died at St Thomas' Hospital, pictured, in June . A Metropolitan Police spokesman said it was focussing on the production of the intravenous feeds and not the NHS trusts which run the hospitals where the babies died. The families of the babies involved have been notified, the spokesman added. The source of the infection was allegedly linked to an outbreak which is believed to have been caused by a batch of intravenous liquid called total parental nutrition (TPN). The feeds, manufactured by ITH Pharma in north west London, are designed to be given to babies born prematurely who are too weak to eat on their own. It is thought they were given to babies in intensive care units in 11 hospitals across England. During the outbreak, there were 19 confirmed cases of babies developing sepsis, from which three babies died. The outbreaks occurred at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, The Whittington Hospital, Brighton & Sussex University Hospital NHS Trust, Addenbrookes, Luton and Dunstable University Hospital, Peterborough City Hospital, Southend University Hospital, Stoke Mandeville Hospital, Basildon University Hospital, and Harley Street Clinic. The Met Police spokesman said: 'Officers from the Metropolitan Police Service's Homicide and Major Crime Command launched a criminal investigation following the death of a baby at a London hospital in June 2014. Detectives from Cambridgeshire are investigating a third baby death, which took place at the Rosie Hospital in Cambridge, on the same site as Addenbrooke's (pictured) 'Following discussion with the Crown Prosecution Service, we are investigating the circumstances of a second baby at the same hospital. 'The deaths took place of 'baby A' on Sunday, 1 June and 'baby B' on Tuesday, 10 June at Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust. 'Officers have also been liaising with colleagues in Cambridgeshire Constabulary about a third baby who also died in similar circumstances at the Rosie Maternity Hospital, part of Cambridge University Hospitals. 'The families have been notified of this investigation by the forces concerned. 'The current focus of this investigation is on the production of intravenous feeds. We are not investigating the health trusts. 'The MPS is working with a number of agencies to progress matters. 'We are aware of a small number of other babies who received this feed and are working with relevant agencies to speak to those families.' A spokesman for ITH Pharma said: 'ITH Pharma is aware of a police investigation and will fully co-operate as and when required. 'There has never been, nor should there be any suggestion of intentional wrongdoing by ITH Pharma or its employees. We understand it is normal practice for the police to investigate such circumstances and it would be inappropriate for us to make any further comment during the investigation.' The investigation came after Public Health England (PHE) and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) completed their investigation into the outbreak of the infection, called Bacillus cereus. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Murder team probing death which took place in intensive care unit in June .
Also 'investigating the circumstances' of second baby's death ten days later .
Infection allegedly linked to outbreak caused by batch of intravenous liquid .
Scotland Yard said it is investigating supplier of drip feeds, not NHS trusts .
Officers in Cambridgeshire are also investigating death of a third baby .
ITH Pharma, which manufactured feeds, said it is co-operating with police .
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ca785120547c8f7cb03c358aa0b702404a8ee37e
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By . Matt Chorley, Mailonline Political Editor . Prostitution and drug dealing provide a £10billion boost to the economy, new research revealed today. Bizarre new European rules mean that for the first time illegal activities must be included in the official estimates of the size of the economy. It means a booming sex trade or an expansion in cannabis factories will provide a boost to George Osborne’s economic outlook. Illegal drug production and dealing accounts for £4.4billion of the UK economy while prostitution is worth £5.3billion to GDP, the ONS said . Every three months the Office for National Statistics produces an estimate of the size of the economy, or Gross Domestic Product (GDP). It covers every area of activity, from manufacturing and construction to agriculture, public services and tourism. However, from this autumn the figures will also have to include the value of illegal drugs and prostitution for the first time. It will cover the import, production and sale of illegal drugs and the ‘provision of prostitution services’ Based on 2009 levels, the prostitution is expected to add £5.3 billion to the economy and £4.4 billion attributable to illegal drugs. The new economic rules mean a booming sex and drugs trade would be good news for Chancellor George Osborne . In all years between 1997 and 2009 the impact ranges from £7 billion to £11 billion. The data will class growing drugs or importing them as ‘production’, buying them for home use as ‘expenditure’ and selling them as ‘income’. It covers crack cocaine, powder cocaine, heroin, cannabis, ecstasy and amphetamines. In a detailed briefing note, published today, the ONS examines how ‘UK cannabis production is not balanced’ because ‘domestic output increases by the value of sales and this is the increase in supply’. It adds: ‘Household final consumption expenditure (HHFCE) increases by the value of sales; less the value of electricity consumed, and intermediate consumption increases by the value of the seeds and planting stock and electricity used in production. ‘So there is “extra” demand equal to the value of the seeds and planting stock used. This is because we assume that the seeds and planting stock were previously recorded on the supply side but not the demand side.’ For prostitution, spending on renting brothels, and buying condoms and ‘working clothes’ will be classed under ‘production’. While some EU countries give a detailed breakdown of prostitution types such as ‘street’ and ‘escorts’, the UK is not able to do this with the data available. The ONS adds: ‘Extensive data gaps have been filled with assumptions, recognising that this area of the economy is very difficult to measure.’ It will look at the total number of men aged over 16 - the ‘size of the market’ - as well as rises in the cost of clothes, condoms and renting rooms. A raft of changes to GDP is expected to add a total of £33billion , or 2.3 per cent, in current prices in 2009. It includes changes to financial services, household spending, families buying brand new cars and people building their own homes.
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New rules on calculating GDP come into force from September this year .
Levels of activity in the sex trade and drug deals will be included .
Office for National Statistics says prostitution is worth £5.3billion .
Growing, dealing and buying drugs adds £4.4billion to the economy .
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Authorities in the Colorado movie theater massacre found an AR-15 rifle drum magazine Friday capable of carrying 100 rounds, and the police chief said thousands of rounds of ammunition for various weapons had been bought online in the weeks prior to the shooting. Police took suspect James Holmes, 24, into custody Friday after they say he set off two devices and sprayed the theater with bullets from an AR-15, a 12-gauge shotgun and at least one of two .40-caliber handguns police have recovered. Investigators are confident that Holmes acted alone, police said. Aurora, Colorado, Police Chief Dan Oates said Friday night that Holmes had purchased four guns at "local metro gun shops," and bought over 6,000 rounds of ammunition through online transactions. Assessing what authorities have pieced together about the shooting and the weapons recovered, Oates told reporters, "As far as we know, it was a pretty rapid pace of fire in that theater." Life and death decisions within Aurora theater . Chad Weinman, CEO of TacticalGear.com of Chesterfield, Missouri, told CNN earlier that his company had a receipt matching Holmes' name and his Aurora address. The receipt showed that Holmes bought an $106.99 Blackhawk urban assault vest, a $52.99 Blackhawk Omega Elite triple pistol magazine, a $52.99 Blackhawk Omega Elite M16 magazine pouch, and a $77.99 Blackhawk Be-Wharned silver knife. With shipping costs, the total bill came to $306.99, according to a copy of the receipt provided to CNN. The firm sells equipment to military and police personnel -- as well as weekend warriors, Weinman said. The gear that the firm believes it sold to Holmes is manufactured by a company called Blackhawk Company, a "popular brand in tactical circles," Weinman said. "We were pretty shocked to have discovered it," Weinman said. Families of victims receive tragic confirmation . "Oh, my God, we couldn't believe it" was how one of the company's owners reacted, Weinman said. Holmes paid for a two-day air delivery when he placed the order on July 2, which would seem to indicate he wanted the materials in a hurry, Weinman said. Purchasing a 100-round magazine for an AR-15 is unusual, weapons experts said. The AR-15 is designed for easy reloading. "Even without the grand-sized mags, many people who are practiced can reload in 1½ to 2 seconds," said Steven Howard, a Michigan attorney and security and firearms expert. Howard said a crowded theater offers an ideal location for a gunman -- particularly one armed with a shotgun -- to target dozens of victims. A large room such as a theater -- where people are seated in rows -- makes moviegoers easy targets, even for an inexperienced shooter, Howard said. Investigators focus on suspect's apartment . Screaming, panicked moviegoers scrambled to escape from the gunman, who wore a gas mask and randomly shot as he walked up the theater's steps, witnesses said. "The very nature of theaters makes them perfect killing zones," said Howard. A shotgun would do more damage among a tightly packed theater audience because its ammunition comes out of the weapon in a reverse funnel shape and would disperse across a wider area, according to Howard. In a theater scenario, he said, "so many people's heads are lined up next to each other that if you fire down these rows of people ... one blast is going to kill or seriously injure 10 or 15 people, depending on a number of variables." An AR-15 nonmilitary model, Howard said, shoots one bullet at a time and that bullet "may go through two people." Theater shooting unfolds in real time on social media . No weapons expertise would be necessary to execute an attack such as the one in Aurora, said Howard, a former U.S. Border Patrol agent. "Any idiot can do it." Holmes was apprehended outside his white Hyundai parked in the back of the theater, police said. Three of the weapons were in the car and one was left at the scene inside the theater, said authorities. Howard offered these details about the weapons police say were used in the attack: . -- AR-15 rifle: A rifle that commonly fires bullets .223 inches in diameter. Originally manufactured by Colt before its patent ran out, but now also made by others. Cost: around $900 and up. Its military version is a machine gun, which allows a shooter to fire continuously by holding the trigger down. The nonmilitary AR-15 is a semi-automatic which shoots one bullet at a time, with each squeeze of the trigger. Ammunition magazines for the AR-15 commonly hold five to 15 rounds. Aurora Police Chief Oates said Friday night that investigators had determined the suspect bought more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition for the rifle. As for the 100-round rifle drum and the weapon's firing capability, Oates said he did not know whether the rifle was fully automatic or sem-automatic but "even if it was semi-automatic, I'm told by experts that with that drum magazine, he could've gotten off 50 to 60 rounds ... within one minute." -- 870 Remington 12-gauge shotgun: One of the most popular shotguns in history. It can be modified to have a short or long barrel. Oates said the suspect had purchased 300 rounds for the shotgun. -- .40-caliber Glock handgun: Common weapon for police. Similar in size to other popular handguns. Oates said some 3,000 rounds of ammunition for the two Glocks had been bought through online purchases. Opinion: Can we feel safe in a crowd anymore? The attacker also used tear gas in the attack, according to police. Tear gas and smoke bombs would "add to the panic" and make victims less likely to be able to defend themselves against an attacker, Howard said. The dozens of wounded victims in the attack could well have been hit by ricocheting bullets. "Once bullets hit a wall, they tend to ricochet down a wall, but they don't bounce like pool balls like a lot of people think and like the movies show. They follow the last surface they hit," Howard said. Carpeted walls, which are common in movie theaters would reduce the risk of ricochets, said ballistics expert Jon Nordsby. Bullets that have first passed through objects such as theater chairs might cause worse wounds. The bullets start tumbling after they first penetrate the object. A tumbling bullet will tear more flesh when it hits, he said. Gun debate renewed after shooting . Crime scene investigators will likely pay close attention to the location of ammunition shell casings and bullets to learn more details about the attack. They also will likely document the locations where victims fell to determine the trajectory of the bullets. Share your tributes to the victims on CNN iReport.
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"It was a pretty rapid pace of fire in that theater," the police chief says .
More than 6,000 rounds of ammunition was bought through online purchases, he adds .
AR-15, Glock handgun and shotgun used in deadly movie attack .
Expert: Shotgun blast across row of theater seats could kill or wound 15 people .
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Scott Brown has closed the door on a possible move to England by pledging the next four years of his career to Celtic. With his present contract expiring in 2016, speculation was mounting that the 29-year-old may be tempted to explore avenues down south sooner rather than later. Crystal Palace were the latest side to be linked with the Fifer last week but Brown has now headed off any such moves at the pass by committing his future to Celtic until he turns 33. Celtic captain Scott Brown has signed a new deal keeping him at the club until the summer of 2018 . The 29-year-old has been at the club since 2007, when he joined the Scottish giants from Hibernian . Brown, who now looks set to end his playing days as a Celtic player, said: ‘It’s an absolute privilege to extend my contract with Celtic, a brilliant football club and with such incredible supporters. This is a place that I call home. ‘Being Celtic captain is a tremendous honour and it is a role which I cherish dearly. The team is in a great place just now and we’re all right behind the manager and the backroom team as they build for the future. ‘I will do all I can with the manager and all the players at the club to deliver the success which our supporters deserve.’ Celtic have previously been reluctant to offer bumper long-term deals to players approaching the age of 30 but they have made an exception in the case of the man who is also now skipper of Scotland. Brown is keen to pursue a coaching career and it’s understood the prospect of gaining such experience while still playing formed part of the contract negotiations. Brown talks to assistant manager and Scotland legend John Collins during a Celtic training session . National captains Brown and Wayne Rooney shake hands before the recent friendly at Celtic Park . The midfielder came through the ranks at Hibs and made his debut in 2002 before winning the League Cup with the Easter Road side in 2007. He moved to Celtic for £4.4million that summer and has gone on to make nearly 300 appearances for the club. After a sluggish start to life in green and white under Gordon Strachan, he has developed into an invaluable part of Ronny Deila’s side. The Norwegian feared Brown might miss much of his first season at Celtic when he was stretchered off in a pre-season friendly against Rapid Vienna, but the midfielder recovered from what proved to be a serious hamstring injury in just two months. In signing the new deal, he has given the clearest indication yet that he’s content with every aspect of life at Celtic. A winner of four Scottish Championships, two Scottish Cups and a League Cup in his time at Parkhead, Brown is now in line to complete 11 years’ service with the club – a rarity in the modern age. However, he will be watching from the stands when his team-mates host Dundee after being sent off against Aberdeen before the international break.
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Celtic have tied down their captain Scott Brown until June 2018 .
The 29-year-old, who is also Scotland captain, said it was a privilege .
Brown is looking for his fourth consecutive Scottish Premiership title .
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Activists, actors and politicians gathered Saturday in New York City to honor civil rights leader Malcolm X with a ceremony at the Harlem site where he was killed 50 years ago today. About 300 people converged to hear remarks from one of Malcolm X's six daughters, Ilyasah Shabazz, as well as elected officials, including Reverend Al Sharpton, who said believes the civil rights icon would have been proud of the demonstrators across the country who demonstrated who protested the deaths of Eric Garner and Michael Brown. The ceremony was held at the Malcolm X & Dr. Betty Shabazz Memorial and Educational Center, formerly known as the Audubon Ballroom. Scroll down for video . In memoriam: Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X, speaks about her father and family on Saturday as activists, actors, and politicians remembered the civil rights leader during a ceremony in New York . About 300 people converged to hear remarks from one of Malcolm X's six daughters, Ilyasah Shabazz, as well as elected officials, including Reverend Al Sharpton . Remembering an icon: Ilyasah Shabazz spoke of her father's legacy and keeping it alive, while Sharpton spoke of how he believes Malcolm X would have reacted to the protests over Eric Garner and Michael Brown . A blue light shone onto the floor in the exact spot where he was killed. A mural with images of Malcolm X adorned a wall. 'He was just a young man who gave all that he possibly could,' Shabazz said after a moment of silence marking the time of his death. 'I felt so compelled to try and do whatever it was that I could for my father, not because, again, he was my father, but because of the work he did for all of us,' she added, according to NY1 News. 'So I don't think it's only my responsibility - I think it's all of our responsibilities.' Killed: February 21 was the 50th anniversary of the assassination Of Malcolm X . Malcolm X, whose full name was El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, was 39 when he was shot in the theater on Feb. 21, 1965, as he was preparing to address several hundred of his followers. By the time he died, the Muslim leader had moderated his militant message of black separatism and pride but was still very much a passionate advocate of black unity, self-respect and self-reliance. Three members of the Nation of Islam were convicted of murder in his death. He had repudiated the Nation of Islam less than a year earlier. In an interview with The Associated Press on the eve of the anniversary observance, Shabazz said she was pleased that the site is now a place for people to get a sense of empowerment. Scene: Human rights activist Malcolm X is tended to as he lies mortally wounded on the stage of the Audubon ballroom in the Harlem on February 21, 1965, after being shot multiple times . 'One of the great things about Malcolm is that he redefined the civil rights movement to include a human rights agenda,' she said. 'So while we are focusing on integrating schools, integrating housing and all these other things, Malcolm said that we demand our human rights 'by any means necessary.' 'And that means ... that we have to address these problems. That we have to identify them, and absolutely discuss them.' Respect: Thousands gathered for the funeral of Malcolm X following his death . Plans for the ceremony also included a keynote address by social and political activist Ron Daniels, and a reading by actor Delroy Lindo of a eulogy for Malcolm X that was written by the late actor and activist Ossie Davis.
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Malcolm X was 39 when he was assassinated in Harlem, New York, while preparing to give an address on February 21, 1965 .
Hundreds gathered Saturday at the same theater to keep his legacy alive .
'He was just a young man who gave all that he possibly could,' said one of this six daughters, Ilyasah Shabazz .
Sharpton said Malcolm X would have been proud of the protests that followed the police shootings of Eric Garner and Michael Brown .
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By . David Mccormack . PUBLISHED: . 13:33 EST, 18 May 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 17:09 EST, 18 May 2013 . The body of a 36-year-old Army veteran and soon-to-be college graduate was found on Thursday at a remote Orange County canyon in California. Maribel Ramos had been missing for two weeks. Her roommate, Kwang Chol ‘KC’ Joy, 54, has been arrested by authorities in connection with the murder. He voluntarily submitted to an interview with detectives on Friday morning and was later arrested on suspicion of killing Ramos. The body of army vet Maribel Ramos, 36, was found on Thursday at a remote Orange County canyon in California . Roommates: Ramos' ex-roommate KC Joy was taken in for questioning by cops early Friday and was later arrested, he is suspected of her murder . Right before Ramos disappeared she had asked him to move out, say her family, and neighbors had reported Joy acting suspiciously since her disappearance. Ramos was honorably discharged from the army in 2008 after serving eight years, including tours in Iraq and South Korea. She was set to graduate with a degree in criminal justice from Cal State Fullerton later this month, reports Fox. Ramos was last seen on security camera video on May 2 at her Orange apartment complex, authorities said. According to Maribel's family she had asked KC Joy to move out of her apartment just before she disappeared . Maribel Ramos was last seen on surveillance video dropping off her rent check on May 2 in Orange, two weeks later her body was found in the brush near Modjeska Canyon . The next day, she failed to show up . at a veterans event at which she was scheduled to speak, then missed a . softball game she had played weekly with one of her cousins for years. Friends and relatives said it was out of character for her to walk away from her commitments without telling anyone. ‘She doesn't do anything like that,’ cousin Frank Campos said before the body was found. ‘She's not the type of person to get up and go. There had to be something.’ Family members said that when they went to her apartment after she first missed appointments, her car and her dog - a Chihuahua mix named Mia that was often at her side - were still there. Family and friends organized walks through her neighborhood, handing out fliers and looking for clues. Her body was found in the brush near Modjeska Canyon. Lucero 'Lucy' Gonzalez holds a photo of her sister Maribel Ramos whose body was found on Thursday after she had been missing for two weeks .
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Maribel Ramos disappeared two weeks ago from her home in Orange, California .
Police have arrested her ex-roommate KC Joy on suspicion of murder .
Army vet Ramos had served in Iraq and South Korea and was due to graduate this month with a degree in criminal justice .
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(CNN)Let me say at the start that there is no way around the topic of nakedness in front of your children without getting personal and slightly uncomfortable. I'm already feeling somewhat tense as I type this. I joke that the only person who should have to see me naked is my husband. He signed up for it, right? My kids certainly didn't. A lifetime of body image issues means I'm not one to walk around naked at home. But I don't cover up around my daughters, 7 and 8, when I'm getting dressed or in the bathroom, either. I don't want them to think there is anything wrong with my body or theirs. And when they ask hilarious questions such as "Mom, why do your boobs hang?," I can't help but laugh and use the opportunity as a chance to tell them my body has changed over time and theirs will, too. 'Brutally Honest': When is it OK to leave your teen home alone overnight? In conversations over email with mothers and fathers across the country and in Canada, it's clear there is no "one size fits all'" approach to the questions of whether it's OK to be naked in front of your kids and if there's an age when it's no longer OK. Rhonda Woods, a mother of three, says ever since her children, now 20, 13 and 13, were little, she and her husband have been teaching them not to be ashamed of their bodies. They have also never hidden their bodies from their kids, she said. "As they get older, my husband is more discreet around our daughters and I am more discreet around our son. Not because we are uncomfortable, but because they may be," said Woods, a real estate agent in New Milford, Connecticut. "So when it is time for me to undress, I tell whichever of my kids is in my room talking to me, that I plan to do so and they have the option to leave." 'Brutally Honest': What if you don't like your kids' friends? Comfort is key . A common theme I heard from parents is comfort. If both you and your children are comfortable with you being naked in front of them, there isn't anything "inherently wrong with that at all," said Avital Norman Nathman, who says her 8-year-old son is used to seeing her and her husband naked on occasion when they are getting dressed or in the shower. "If my son were ever to say or even act as if he was uncomfortable by it, we would of course respect that," said Norman Nathman, editor of the motherhood anthology "The Good Mother Myth: Redefining Motherhood to Fit Reality" and founder of the blog The Mamafesto. "Nudity, when it's within your home and 100% nonsexualized, isn't going to traumatize a child, especially if you're all on the same page, are all consenting and are all comfortable with it." Nancy Friedman, a New York City mom of two middle schoolers, said while every child is different, most kids make it clear when their mom or dad's nudity no longer works for them. 'Brutally Honest': Mean girls are getting younger . "I think your kids let you know when it's time to stop being naked in front of them -- usually about the time they decide they don't want to be naked in front of you," said Friedman, co-founder of the video sharing site for tweens called KidzVuz. As children age, they certainly develop their own sense of modesty around others, said Micky Morrison, a mom of two in Islamorada, Florida, and founder of BabyWeightTV. "But even my 12-year-old son doesn't hesitate to undress in front of me. I figure that he will one day, and that's OK," said Morrison. "Perhaps one day he will avert his eyes or become uncomfortable with my nudity as well. And that's OK, too." Amanda Rodriguez, a mom of three boys in Frederick, Maryland, said she reached a point with each of her sons, usually no later than age 5, when she thought it was no longer OK to be nude around them. "I began to feel uncomfortable being naked in front of them because of the questions and the poking and prodding and search for Mommy's 'inside penis' -- that's what they thought a vagina was," said Rodriguez, founder of the blog Dude Mom. "I don't think it makes them terrible people or scars them for life if they stumble into the bathroom while I'm going, but it's easily avoidable awkwardness none of us really needs to experience on a daily basis." Terry Greenwald, a divorced father of three, puts himself solidly in the no-being-naked-in-front-of-kids' camp. "It would be very difficult to teach children any sort of modesty and humility if a parent thought it OK to be naked in front of their children. It also would bring up questions and conversations they might not be ready to handle," he said. Blogger: Why I want my sons to see me naked . A few months back, a post by blogger Rita Templeton about why she wants her four sons -- ages 2, 5, 6 and 9 -- to see her naked, was republished on The Huffington Post and went viral. Templeton said she wanted her sons to see what "real" women look like before they are bombarded with an ideal in the media that doesn't match reality. "Before they are exposed to boobs that are as round and firm as cantaloupes and pictures of taut, airbrushed, dimple-less butts, I'm exposing them to a different kind of female body. Mine," wrote Templeton, who blogs at Fighting Off Frumpy. Her words led to an onslaught of hate mail, nasty tweets and accusations she's sexualizing her sons, she said. Buzz Bishop, a father of two boys in Calgary, wrote a blog post of his own in part as a response to all the outrage. He says he has been playing games called "naked baby" and "naked daddy" at bath time since his children were little while at the same time he teaches his kids not to stare when they are in the open shower in the men's bathroom at their neighborhood pool. "Rita's doing what works for (her). I'm doing what works for me. You're doing what works for you. And we're all just trying to teach our kids a little respect for each other, and themselves," said Bishop, who writes about parenting on his blog Dad Camp. There doesn't seem to be much science to help guide us on whether it's better or worse for your child, or it makes no difference at all, if they see you naked. I couldn't find many studies when I searched for them, and those I found had conflicting findings. For instance, one study found no negative impact on adolescents who regularly saw their parents naked at ages 3 and 6, but another study found that parental nudity when kids were ages 6 to 11 resulted in more permissive attitudes about sex and increased sexual frequency. For some parents, like Maryellen, a mom of two young girls on Long Island, who only wanted to use her first name, it's all about convenience. "I'll be honest. Sometimes it's easier and faster just to pull them into the shower with me," she said. "But my girls are 4 and 6. A year from now I may not be doing it any longer. By then, they may be showering by themselves (dare to hope?)" Do you think it's OK to be naked in front of your kids? Share your thoughts with Kelly Wallace on Twitter or CNN Living on Facebook.
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In "Brutally Honest" video series, Kelly Wallace tackles provocative parenting questions .
There is no one size fits all answer to whether it's OK to be naked in front of your kids, parents say .
Studies show conflicting findings on the impact of parental nudity on kids .
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By . Samantha Brick . PUBLISHED: . 09:51 EST, 5 August 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 08:47 EST, 7 August 2013 . Journalist Samantha Brick has been on the receiving end of online abuse but believes the #TwitterSilence campaign was a waste of time . Sunday 4th August was a day to celebrate, not just because it was my youngest sister’s 20th birthday, but also because on a certain social network there was a distinct lack of the usual pompous, self-promoting prattle. In case you missed it – then let me enlighten you: some of Britain’s foremost ‘twitterers’, who also happen to be ‘feminists’ (although their definition of the term seems to change by the day) had – in a spectacular paddy – decided to ‘protest’ against Twitter and not use it on Sunday 4th August. The reason? Certain opinion formers had received abusive Tweets and, even though Twitter had already caved into their demands of formulating an abuse button, forged ahead - galvanizing their followers with a 24 hour protest. Heaven! This meant that they and their merry band of toadies would neither be indulging in the usual self-congratulatory claptrap or selling themselves via inane tweets for a whole 24 hours. The usual suspects who took part in '#twittersilence' – who primarily use the site to flog themselves and their god awful products - included Myleene Klass, Gok Wan, Kirstie Allsopp, Jenny Eclair and Richard Madeley. Naturally a Twitter-lite Sunday was chosen for the ‘protest’ - how on earth would those hallowed celebrities and writers truly cope if they couldn’t promote the usual tat and self-promoting baloney they persistently foist on us the other six days of the week? You’d be forgiven for assuming that I too joined the hallowed ones in their protest – after all I’ve received death threats, crude insults and the like ever since I penned ‘that’ piece about being beautiful last year. But you would be wrong if you presumed that I would entertain the silly season’s latest luvvie cause. You see I don’t subscribe to the UK’s version of the ‘sisterhood’: I adore my husband, I’m proud of the fact he comes first in my life and I come first in his. I’m unrepentant of the fact that I prepare a meal for him every night in my spick and span home. I could have joined in with the 'feminists' and listed my own impressive roll call of insults – but why bother? The ‘threats’ (truthfully they're just mindless prattle) are as likely to be acted on as I’m to be invited to ‘sups’ at Ms Moran’s house. For it was Caitlin Moran who led the #twittersilence campaign. Lucky you if you don’t know who Ms Moran is! A ‘writer’, perhaps best known for wittering on about popular culture in a broadsheet and emphasising her point in SHOUTY CAPITALS (and I thought it was only my Dad – who left school at 14 – who resorted to such writing). Writer Caitlin Moran (left) led the #TwitterSilence campaign in protest against online trolls and presenter Kirstie Allsopp (right) was another celebrity to take part in the Sunday silence . Ms Moran can do no wrong in the eyes of the chattering classes –Jemima Khan and her ilk. Naturally then, when she decided to take a stand against ‘twitter abuse’ she also encouraged her followers to do the same. This from a woman who has tweeted that Catholics 'hate women and gays and f*** kids'. Moran and her ilk are, to my mind, little more than jumped up attention seekers desperate for a cause – and any ole cause will do. As for Mary Beard, I fear her university and broadcasting career have been eclipsed by her dogged whinnying about the threats she’s apparently received. I don’t deny it - it’s horrible to be on the receiving end of such abuse. But I’ve performed my own reality checks in the past: is someone really going to announce on Twitter that they’re going to rape, bomb or do something to one or other of my bodily parts? Highly doubtful. Furthermore it’s a waste of public money to insist the authorities investigate such messages. Which is why whenever I receive such missives I treat them with the contempt they deserve – deleting them and getting on with my life. Tweet relief: Samantha and showbiz editor Dan Wootton were two journalists happy to see Caitlin and co. off Twitter for the day . Summer 2013 isn’t a period in time we’ll look back on as women with our heads held high. The bonkers ‘project’ Everyday Sexism hasn't helped (which I have tweeted about – calling it the ‘he looked at me, therefore he wants to rape me’ website). And now this! We women are in danger of replicating the mass hysteria last seen in the Salem Witch Trials. I’m ashamed right now to be a woman when I read some of the foul diatribe aimed at men. Why? Because stunts like this really do prove that we are the weaker sex. Was Twitter any the worse for the lack of celebrity posturing yesterday? Was it filled with abuse? No, it wasn’t. In fact many of Moran's happy band continued to tweet and retweet throughout the day - laughably undermining their objective. As for yesterday's 'campaign', channelling the spirit of Caitlin Moran I have this to say: ‘#twittersilence? TWITTER FAIL DUDE. Samantha says that she doesn't subscribe to the UK's version of 'sisterhood' and is proud that her husband Pascal is the top priority in her life .
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Group of media opinion formers took part in their own protest on 4th August .
Campaign pioneered by feminist writer Caitlin Moran .
Other members of #TwitterSilence group were Kirstie Allsopp and Gok Wan .
Silence on the social networking site meant as protest against trolls .
Samantha Brick has been target of online abuse .
Says is a waste of public money for authorities to investigate every message .
Enjoyed a day without 'pompous, self-promoting prattle' on Twitter though .
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By . Mia De Graaf . Barred: Vicky Haigh, 43, was jailed for approaching her daughter in 2011 after a bitter custody battle. She is now barred for three years and cannot challenge the ruling in that time . A former jockey and racehorse trainer has been banned from going near her daughter for three years - and cannot challenge the ruling until 2017, a High Court judge ruled. Vicky Haigh, 43, was first barred from the ten-year-old girl in 2011 after she falsely accusing her former boyfriend, the father of her child, of being a paedophile during a bitter custody battle. She was then jailed for three years when, weeks later, she approached the child in a petrol station. Today, Family Division judge Mrs Justice Hogg set up a 'no go zone' around the child identified only as 'X'. Ruling the measures were a means of 'protecting' the little girl, she also banned Ms Haigh from making any more court applications for three years. She said further litigation was 'not conducive to peaceful existence. Litigation is anxiety making.' She added: 'It is not good for a child to be the subject of litigation, and after eight years it really has to come to an end for X’s sake.' In August 2011, at the height of the custody battle between Ms Haigh and David Tune, also 43, then-Family Division President Sir Nicholas Wall ordered her to be unmasked and be named and shamed as he branded the 'scandalous allegations' a 'pack of lies'. He said they were made up by Ms Haigh, who had also 'coached' her daughter to make the false claims. He said the couple should be named to clear Mr Tune of the child abuser smears. She now has a second daughter 'R', by a new partner, who will be three in May. In December 2011 she was jailed for three years for defying court non molestation orders forbidding contact with X. Ms Haigh's jail sentence in December 2011 came after she approached the girl in her father’s car at a petrol station near Doncaster, and opened the door to talk to her. She had the sentence reduced to two years and three months and was initially released on licence from prison in September 2012. But after attempts to get X to attend her half sister’s christening she was returned to prison for breaching the terms of her licence. She was freed again in May last year. Smear: Ms Haigh's internet campaign branding former partner David Tune a paedophile was branded a 'scandalous pack of lies' by the judge, who ordered for her to be named and shamed . In December last year, she was back in court after she attempted to make contact with X by sending her a birthday card, and was given a conditional discharge. The local council Doncaster Metropolitan Borough Council started care proceedings as long ago as 2006 and X has lived with her father since. Initially, Ms Haigh was allowed contact but that stopped after she launched her email and internet campaign against Mr Tune. They returned to court this month to seek the exclusion zone around X’s home, school, the secondary school she hopes to go to, as well as her paternal grandmother’s home where she spends a lot of time. The judge said X had been spoken to by a social worker for her views, and offered birthday cards and gifts from her mother, half sister, and maternal grandmother. But she said she did not want them. She told the social worker the best thing in her life was 'living with Daddy'. Ms Haigh, who now has another daughter by a new partner, tried to get her daughter to attend the younger child's christening, and also tried to send her a birthday card . She said : 'That is awesome, she was happy and wished for things to stay the same.' As . for Ms Haigh, the judge said: 'The mother throughout these proceedings . has not and never has accepted the findings in the original care . proceedings. 'She does not accept that she coached her child to tell lies about sexual abuse. She does not accept that she has behaved inappropriately in any way, and has a very firm view that she is innocent, as she puts it, of any crime, that she and X are being punished.' She added: 'She wants contact and cannot . understand why she has been prevented. 'She would like her two daughters . to know each other and believes it is in their best interests for that . to occur.' She wants contact and cannot . understand why she has been prevented . - Mrs Justice Hogg . She added: 'Fundamentally the mother does not understand and can see no reason why she cannot see her daughter. 'She believes that no contact is not in her daughter’s interests, and is detrimental to her contrary to her and her own Human Rights and respect for family life, and contrary to the interests of her own younger child who is X’s half sister.' The judge said she had taken the views of the mother and X into account and decided that X does need protection from her mother. The exclusion zone was necessary 'to protect X from a deliberate or accidental meeting by the mother with her daughter.' She said it is there 'to protect X and to give X some peace of mind, and that is what she needs.' She said when the exclusion zone comes to an end in 2017, there may be a different situation. 'It may be that X will have her own views, maybe the mother will have come to a different view about the past.' Banning Ms Haigh from making further applications over the next three years, she said of X: 'She needs to be able to continue her life with her father, do well at school, she has the 11-plus coming up, and I hope very much she will do well and get to the school that she wants. 'If there were further litigation this could deflect her from what is otherwise prospective success.'
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Vicky Haigh falsely called partner David Tune 'paedophile' in custody battle .
Court banned her from daughter but jailed her when she breached ruling .
Released after two years three months, re-jailed after breached again .
Now banned for three years and cannot challenge ruling for three years .
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A jobseeker was shocked after he was branded as 'irritating', 'rude' and 'obnoxious' in a cutting email accidentally sent to him by a prospective employer. James Allen was told he was an 'old, aesthetically challenged guy with no teeth' by the director of a window and conservatory firm, who sent the note after meeting with him about a job opening. In the email, Sarah Haseler, from Right Price PVCu, also claimed Mr Allen was 'one of the most irritating, rude, obnoxious and arrogant people' she had ever had the 'misfortune' to meet. Cutting: The email, pictured, from Sarah Haseler at Right Price PVCu, also claimed Jame Allen was 'one of the most irritating, rude, obnoxious and arrogant people' she had ever had the 'misfortune' to meet . Ms Haseler said the 'therapeutic rant' was sent by mistake and that she had written a second, more professionally-worded one that was intended for Mr Allen. Mr Allen, a former serviceman, met with Ms Haseler for an informal conversation about an opening for a self-employed labourer at the company, based in Plymouth, Devon. He claims he thought their initial meeting had gone well and that Ms Haseler had agreed to get in touch later that day. When he heard nothing back, Mr Allen sent her an email saying: 'Just a quick email to say that you promised to phone me today. 'You did not. I rang your mobile but you did not answer. I sent a text you did not answer. When you promise something you carry it through.' He then received the e-mail, which contained several expletives. Infomal interview: Mr Allen, a former serviceman, met with Ms Haseler for an informal conversation about an opening for a self-employed labourer at the Right Price PVCu, pictured, based in Plymouth, Devon . One line in the message read: 'I only wish I'd have seen your CV beforehand, to save us both the time, as I would have probably noticed your main job role as professional p****.' The 48-year-old, from Princetown, Devon, said his confidence had been knocked by the personal attack. He said: 'There's no way as a professional, and especially as a director of a company, that you would treat somebody that way. I really didn't expect something as nasty as that.' James, . Sincere apologies for not replying to you today, as it happens I actually have a job, and other things to do with my day other than reply to you, when I had already had the misfortune of wasting 30 very long minutes of my life speaking to; not only the most inappropriate person for this job role, but probably for any role, you will spend the next few years applying for, only to get rejected as soon as they meet you. You are without doubt one of the most irritating, rude, obnoxious and arrogant people I have had the misfortune to meet, and your email just solidifies this. Also, for an old aesthetically challenged guy with no teeth you have an unbelievable amount of confidence! So you say, you didn't notice the word 'professional' on our website... belive me, if I had been anything other than 'professional', I would have told you what I was actually thinking which was 'this guy is an absolute ****, get the **** out'. But no, alas, I stayed 'professional'. I only wish I'd have seen your CV beforehand, to save us both the time, as I would have probably noticed your main job role as 'professional p****'. Good luck for the future . Sarah . Ms Haseler admitted she had sent the wrong email, but defended its message, saying she had been left 'genuinely shocked' by Mr Allen's behaviour, claiming he was 'belittling and offensive'. She said: 'Ironically, I had read something that day which said if you are angry or upset you should write it down and get it all out to move on. 'So that evening at home I did this. I then wrote another email reply to James. 'Unfortunately, I now realise that it was in fact the other email which was sent in error, which was never supposed to be seen by him. 'I must stress this was my personal opinion, and not the opinion of the company, and the email written, although sent in error, was in retaliation to a person insulting me.' Ms Haseler claims the meeting with James was not an official interview as they were looking for a self-employed labourer to help carry out basic tasks such as carrying materials and dig holes. She added: 'James was so unbelievably rude, inappropriate and insulting, towards me personally and also the company. 'I actually thought it was a joke. I was waiting for the hidden camera crew to jump out and say "ha, got ya". 'I was genuinely shocked, hurt and angered by his behaviour and attitude, and the things he said. 'We have worked very hard to build this family business up and when someone is insulting the business it does feel like they are hurting a member of your family. 'He was derogatory, belittling and offensive and I felt extremely uncomfortable the entire time he was there. When he left I politely said 'Thanks, I'll give you a ring to let you know'. 'That evening, a few hours later on the same day he came in, he sent an email, which was also rude, insulting and harassing. 'James had therefore rejected the self-employed role in this email, so he was not looking for feedback. He said he was not interested.'
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James Allen met with boss of window firm for informal meeting about job .
The 48-year-old was later sent cutting email by director Sarah Haseler .
But Ms Haseler defended her note, saying Mr Allen was 'rude and insulting'
Explained she had written more professional email but had sent wrong one .
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32,608 |
5cb4279e9d6d2a30ca82e4225c205429efafa56e
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New York (CNN) -- Politicians will be barred from speaking at this year's commemoration ceremony on the anniversary of the 2001 terror attacks, according to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum. According to Joe Daniels, president of the National September 11 Memorial and Museum, the foundation "is focused on honoring the victims and their families in a way free of politics, and this ensures that continues." In a letter sent to victims' families Wednesday, Daniels said that the reading of victims' names by family members will be "the exclusive focus of the program" during this year's ceremony. 9/11, ten years later . Ground zero has a decorative history of politicians' speaking at anniversary ceremonies, ranging from former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani to former President George W. Bush and former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Mayor Michael Bloomberg is chairman of the memorial foundation's board of directors. Politicians such as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo are honorary trustees. At last year's ceremony marking the 10th anniversary of the attacks that brought down the twin towers of the World Trade Center, President Barack Obama read a psalm. It's been a tradition for victims' family members to lead a solemn reading of the names of their lost ones during commemorations at the memorial site. In post 9/11 America, no one is untouched . The reading of the names "individualizes the masses of people who were killed. Those people were individuals who had individual lives," said Charles G. Wolf, who lost his wife, Katherine, who had been working at the World Trade Center that day. But Bloomberg had publicly considered ending the tradition. "Some people have said change is good, and the subject's come up a couple times, and I think we've said the foundation board will talk about this," he said during a radio show in August 2011. His comments brought much heat from some of the victims' families, who have blamed politicians for delays in construction of the memorial museum. The museum was originally scheduled to open this year, marking the 11th anniversary of the terrorist attacks, but has been held up because of "disagreements" with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, Bloomberg said in a news conference last year. Bloomberg's office declined to comment Thursday. Cuomo's office could not be reached for comment. More than 3 million people have visited the memorial since its opening on September 11, 2011. "We're still dealing with this. Eleven years later, and we're still talking about it," Wolf said. The ceremony includes six moments of silence, representing crucial moments during the attacks on the twin towers and the Pentagon, and the crash of United Flight 93 in rural Pennsylvania. The making of a memorial: Reshaping ground zero .
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Memorial foundation "is focused on honoring the victims and their families in a way free of politics"
Victims' families told the reading of names will be the "exclusive focus" of the program .
Dignitaries from mayors to presidents have spoken at previous events .
Mayor Bloomberg had considered ending the recitation of names, drawing criticism .
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48,880 |
8a027894322b982227a514c68cd6d01930a31107
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In Twitter's popularity contest, Katy Perry is the new queen bee. The 29-year-old pop star has edged out Justin Bieber as the most popular person on the social networking site, boasting 46,529,319 followers in comparison to Bieber's 46,507,829 on Monday morning. While the public's opinion on Bieber is typically divided, the 19-year-old singer has reigned supreme on Twitter after passing Lady Gaga as the most popular on the site in January. The Mother Monster now has the third most followed account with 40,400,759 followers, according to TwitterCounter.com, putting her ahead of President Barack Obama. Neither Bieber nor Perry immediately noted the Twitter shake-up, although Bieber has had a busy weekend. Following a set of performances in Brazil -- and some eyebrow-raising allegations from the New York Post's Page Six -- the Canadian crooner was preparing to release a new song on Monday. The track's ironically appropriate title? "Bad Day."
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Katy Perry is now the most popular person on Twitter .
The singer has knocked Justin Bieber out of the No. 1 spot .
Lady Gaga is the third most popular, ahead of President Obama .
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78,791 |
df3b452eb08073eb94a6dbe658512c90a5970afa
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Sleeping too much in middle age can be just as bad for you as not having enough, it emerged yesterday. A study of almost 9,000 people found those aged 50 to 64 who slept for less than six hours a night or more than eight had worse memories and decision-making abilities. But brain power was only reduced for older adults of 65 to 89 if they slept too long. Get up! Everyone loves a lie-in, but a study suggested doing it regularly when we're older could be bad for us . The dangers of having too little sleep are well established, but the latest study, carried out by experts at the University of Warwick, indicates that an excess can create similar problems. Researcher Dr Michelle Miller said the results also suggest that the amount of sleep we need – and its affect on the body and brain – changes with age. Co-author Professor Francesco Cappuccio claimed getting just the right amount of sleep among the elderly could even prevent the age-related mental decline that can result in dementia. He added: ‘Sleep is important for good health and mental wellbeing. Optimising sleep at an older age may help to delay the decline in brain function seen with age, or may slow or prevent the rapid decline that leads to dementia.’ Dr Miller said: ‘Six to eight hours of sleep per night is particularly important for optimum brain function in younger adults. These results are consistent with our previous research, which showed six to eight hours per night was optimal for physical health, including lowest risk of developing obesity, hypertension, diabetes, heart disease and stroke.’ Among the older adults there was a significant relationship between their quality of sleep and cognitive skills. Previous research has shown that getting enough sleep is essential because the brain cleanses itself while the body is asleep, getting rid of harmful toxins accumulated during the day. Most people can't help nodding off early in life, but research suggests we need to less as we age . But it is less clear why too much sleep would be bad. One theory is that sleeping for long periods reduces the quality of sleep – making a restless period of slumber more likely. Disturbed sleep can impair memory, shrink the brain and create stress. Anyone whose body clock is regularly disrupted, such as nursing mothers and shift staff, is vulnerable. Existing research has linked oversleeping to a host of medical problems, including diabetes and heart disease. But researchers say the link might be partly because oversleeping is common among the poor and unemployed and those who suffer from depression – groups who are more likely to have health problems. The findings, published in the journal Plos One, were based on data from 3,968 men and 4,821 women in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing. They logged the quality and quantity of their sleep over one month. It comes a month after scientists from Oxford, Cambridge, Harvard, Manchester and Surrey universities said too many people ignored the importance of sleep, creating health and mental problems. Professor Russell Foster, a neuroscientist at Oxford, said: ‘We are the supremely arrogant species. We feel we can abandon four billion years of evolution and ignore the fact that we have evolved under a light-dark cycle. What we do as a species is override the clock. And long-term acting against the clock can lead to serious health problems.’
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Scientists examined almost 9,000 English people in long-term study .
The quality and quantity of their brain power was studied over a month .
Over-65s who slept too long had poorer memories and decision-making .
Study was published in the scientific journal PLOS One .
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172,051 |
6ab2013003e6835d8e1e9c46faa78f6e44e691fb
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Real Madrid's attack is beginning to gel, prompting the Spanish press to label them as 'the best in the world'. Carlo Ancelotti's side beat Levante 5-0 on Saturday, with Cristiano Ronaldo continuing his superb early-season form. The World Player of the Year now has 15 goals in seven league games. And, with Liverpool and Barcelona coming up this week, the Madrid papers are delighted to see the midfield of Isco, Luka Modric and James Rodriguez finding their feet. Marca call Real Madrid 'the best attack in the world' while AS say Carlo Ancelotti's team are 'a steamroller' While Marca says that 'Madrid impress', AS say the side a 'a steamroller', as both papers heap praise on record-breaking Ronaldo. However, Madrid are still four points behind rivals Barcelona ahead of next weekend's El Classico after the Catalan club saw off Eibar 3-0. In Italy, the focus is on Juventus, who were held to a draw by minnows Sassuolo despite a brilliant strike from Paul Pogba. La Gazzetta Sportiva and Corriere dello Sport both lead on Juve's 100% start to the season being stopped, as Roma narrow the gap to just a single point. Simone Zaza put Sassuolo, bottom of the league going into the game, ahead, and despite Pogba's equaliser, Juventus couldn't find a winner. La Gazzetta Sportiva and Corriere dello Sport lead on Juventus being stopped, as Zaza halts the 100% start .
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Cristiano Ronaldo scores twice to take has tally to 15 goals in seven games .
Real put five past Levante as Isco, Modric and James Rodriguez star .
Juventus draw with Sassuolo as Roma close the gap in Serie A .
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eafb2a088df1971ee42d27e914d53c492297ffc3
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By . Darren Boyle . Jubilant Arsenal fans will greet their team later today as they celebrate their record-equaling 11th time following a thrilling extra-time victory over Hull City. The team will hold a victory parade for the first time since Arsenal moved to their new stadium in 2006. The north London team had a hard journey to the FA Cup final with victories over Liverpool, Tottenham and Everton. Scroll down for video . Arsenal fans, including Bully, centre, looked nervous after the teams went two goals down after just eight minutes . However, after 120 minutes, the Arsenal fans seemed far happier following their late, injury time winner . Arsenal fan Bully is a regular at Arsenal matches traveling across Europe to follow the team . With Arsenal two goals down within the first eight minutes it seemed that their nine-year trophy drought was going to continue for at least another twelve agonising months. But as soon as Aaron Ramsey scored the extra-time winner, the red part of north London was sent into rapture. Manager Arsene Wenger admitted after the final whistle that he was preparing to sign a new contract and remain on as Arsenal's most successful manager in history. However, as the fans celebrated in the stands, Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski walked up behind his manager and showered Wenger in beer. The victory is the first silverware to be added to the club's trophy cabinet since leaving Highbury. Fans at the Emirates Stadium cheered their team on at a special screening of the match . Arsenal fans express their delight after Aaron Ramsey scores Arsenal's third goal . This Arsenal fan will hardly remember Arsenal's last FA Cup victory in 2005 . Shower time: Lukas Podolski of pours beer over Wenger after their FA Cup win . Arsene Wenger was forced to take off his white shirt after striker Lukas Podolski showered him in beer . Jubilant Arsenal players raise their manager Arsene Wenger aloft after he guided the team to their 11th FA Cup victory . Wenger . had insisted the result at Wembley would have no bearing on his . decision to stay at the club but confirmed after the victory he would be . remaining at the Emirates. 'I always said my future doesn't depend on this but I always wanted to stay,' Wenger told ITV when asked if he was staying before saying, 'Yes, I will.' Going nowhere: Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed he will be staying on as manager . Per Mertesacker, left, showers Arsene Wenger in beer along with German international colleague Lukas Podolski . He added: 'We wanted to make history tonight and win the game and we did that in both ways - how not to start the Cup final and how to come back,' Wenger said. 'I think it was a turning point in the life span of this team - to know they can win in that way was really important today. 'It would have been terrible [to lose] but we came back. I've praised the spirit of this team and they showed that today. Congratulations to Hull they played fantastically the whole game.' Arsenal were criticised on social media for publicising plans for a victory parade before Saturday's game . Arsenal will hold a victory parade this afternoon from the Emirates Stadium to Islington Town Hall . Arsene Wenger kisses Bacary Sagna on the top of the head in what could be the defender's final game in an Arsenal shirt . Silver service: Manager Arsene Wenger pictured lifting the FA Cup much to the delight of his Arsenal players . Match-winner Aaron Ramsey had trouble keeping his emotions in check after the thrilling game and admitted he feared the worst when Hull raced into a two-goal lead. 'I am getting a bit emotional and I am not usually,' the Welsh midfielder said. 'I get emotional thinking about it. We have conceded early in lots of big games this season, but we showed great strength of character to come back and to score the winner is something I have dreamed off. Match winner: Aaron Ramsey scored the crucial goal which saw Arsenal win the FA Cup . 'This one is for the manager and the fans who have already believed in us, even when things have not gone well for us.' Jack Wilshere revealed Hull's quick-fire start to the match caused him to feel sick but was glad the team could win the cup for their long-suffering fans. 'We never do it easy. In the first half, I was sitting on the bench, and I felt sick,' he said. 'Second half we were in control but this . win is for the Arsenal fans. Kieran Gibbs pulled his calf at the end but that . shows his character as he stayed on, it's fantastic.' Relief: Jack Wilshere celebrates winning the FA Cup with Arsenal . Losing Hull manager Steve Bruce was proud of his players' efforts but was disappointed with some refereeing decisions which cost the team. 'I couldn't ask more from my players. The vast majority are ones that got us out the Championship,' Bruce said. 'It could have been a memorable season. In terms of effort and determination you couldn't fault them, we didn’t have enough but I'm proud, they were magnificent. 'Their first goal wasn't a free-kick, the second one wasn't a corner. But now is not the time to whine. We had a wonderful opportunity. Pride: Hull boss Steve Bruce praised the efforts of his team, despite losing to Arsenal in the FA Cup final .
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Arsenal secure record-equaling 11th FA Cup victory with 3-2 win over Hull .
Arsenal plan victory parade through Islington to celebrate FA Cup win .
Players shower Arsene Wenger in beer moments after the thrilling victory .
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205,246 |
95b0d8af1f0af4389477ca9c754f35fa7ba3cd54
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Independent Sen. Joe Lieberman, a former Democrat who sits with Democratic caucus, said Tuesday that he would not rule out running for re-election in 2012 as a Republican. Lieberman angered his colleagues in the Democratic caucus this week by threatening to torpedo health care legislation if it contains a government-run public health insurance or an expansion of Medicare. Lieberman said he wasn't sure which party, if any, he would represent in his next election. "I like being an independent, so that's definitely a possibility," the Connecticut senator said. "But I'd say all options are open." He called running as a Republican "unlikely" but added that he wouldn't "foreclose any possibility." "I've reached the stage in my career where I'm not measuring every step I take based on how it's going to affect the next election," Lieberman said. "I think if you do that, you end up compromising the quality of your service." In 2000, Lieberman was Al Gore's running mate when Democrats lost the closest presidential national election in U.S. history. Six years later, he was defeated in the Democratic primary and then ran as an independent to win re-election to the Senate. Lieberman still sits with the Democratic caucus, which holds 60 seats in the 100-member Senate, the minimum amount necessary to overcome a filibuster. That dynamic allowed Lieberman to assert his will in the health care debate by threatening to join a Republican filibuster if the health care bill contained the public option or Medicare expansion he opposes. He acknowledged that his stance angered Democratic colleagues but said he acted on principle, not politics. "I knew some of them were upset about positions I'd taken," Lieberman said. "But like each of them, I didn't get elected by telling my voters in Connecticut that I would follow the majority of my caucus even if I thought on some things they were wrong. We each have to do what we think is right." Taking a stand in the polarized political environment means "a bunch of people will think you've done something great and a bunch of people will think you've done something awful," Lieberman said. However, Lieberman's stance on the health care bill could prompt a backlash from liberal Democrats. He was criticized by liberal groups, and even his wife -- who formerly worked for a pharmaceutical company -- was targeted. "I've done what I thought was right, but it's no fun to have your colleagues be angry at you," Lieberman said. "It's no fun to have your wife attacked. But, you know, you got to do what you think is right."
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Independent senator's stance on health care has angered some Democrats .
"All options are open," former Democrat says of re-election race .
Lieberman still sits with Democratic caucus in Senate .
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153,007 |
51be2a53db147b8989c408e61e1fdea1b3d37c9c
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(CNN) -- Singer Chris Brown broke his silence Sunday, a week after allegedly attacking his girlfriend, fellow performer Rihanna, on a street in Los Angeles, California. Chris Brown was arrested February 8 on suspicion of making criminal threats. "Words cannot begin to express how sorry and saddened I am over what transpired," the 19-year-old said in a statement released by his spokesman. "I am seeking the counseling of my pastor, my mother and other loved ones and I am committed, with God's help, to emerging a better person." He added, "Much of what has been speculated or reported on blogs and/or reported in the media is wrong. While I would like to be able to talk about this more, until the legal issues are resolved, this is all I can say except that I have not written any messages or made any posts to Facebook, on blogs or any place else. Those posts or writings under my name are frauds." Police are investigating the incident. A spokeswoman for the Los Angeles District Attorney's Office said Wednesday the office needed more information before deciding on whether to charge Brown. Brown was arrested February 8 -- the day of the Grammy Awards, where he was scheduled to perform -- and booked on suspicion of making criminal threats, the spokeswoman said. Brown, who did not appear at the awards show, was released from jail that night on $50,000 bail and given a March 5 court date. Brown's lawyer did not respond to repeated requests for comment. Police said Brown and a woman were in a vehicle near Hollywood's Hancock Park early February 8 when they became involved in an argument. The woman "suffered visible injuries and identified Brown as her attacker," police said. Police did not identify the woman, but sources close to the couple told CNN the alleged victim was his girlfriend, the 20-year-old singer Rihanna, whose full name is Robyn Rihanna Fenty. She has made no public comment. Her spokesman issued only a short statement on the evening of February 8, when she canceled her performance at that night's Grammy Awards. "Rihanna is well," her spokesman said at the time. "Thank you for concern and support." Police have refused media requests to hear the 911 call that led to their investigation. CNN's Jennifer Wolfe and Brittany Kaplan contributed to this report.
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"Words cannot begin to express how sorry ... I am," singer Chris Brown says .
Police: Brown surrendered February 8 after woman accused him of attacking her .
Police haven't named woman; sources say it was girlfriend Rihanna .
District attorney's office: Decision on whether to file charges not yet made .
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22a1c0654f81e24617f4ae93f01b7eb04315850e
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(CNN) -- A love story released in time for Valentine's Day, bringing together the stars of "The Notebook" (Rachel McAdams) and "Dear John" (Channing Tatum)? Sounds like a cookie-cutter chick flick, for sure. But "The Vow" surpasses low expectations, for this male film critic at any rate, if only because it hits on an intriguing yarn and plays it out with some respect for the characters involved. Tatum is Leo, a young man whose blissfully happy marriage is rear-ended by a snowplow -- propelling wife Paige (McAdams) through the windscreen and into a brain trauma unit. When she wakes up, she's okay -- except that she's wiped out the last five years entirely. She doesn't know Leo, doesn't remember dropping out of law school and switching to art classes, and doesn't like anything she finds in her wardrobe. She also doesn't remember cutting off her parents and her sister -- Leo's never even met them before -- or why she broke up with her fiancé, Jeremy. Amnesia often figures as a handy crutch for thriller writers who love teasing out doubt and deception, but Michael Sucsy's movie is a different beast, a romance first and foremost, but a romance that claims to be inspired by a true story. Sucsy (who directed Drew Barrymore and Jessica Lange in "Grey Gardens") plays down the condition's inherent paranoia, in part by drawing us in through the eyes of the husband, Leo. Here's a guy who loves his wife, but who finds himself alone in the marriage because everything they shared as a couple has been erased. For Paige, home is the house she grew up in and the parents she remembers -- wealthy, privileged suburbanites who are only too keen to set back the clock and pretend their little girl never strayed across the tracks. An actor who finds "perplexed and concerned" well within his limited range, Channing Tatum is a good fit for the bruised and brooding Leo, and the lively Rachel McAdams has some nice moments as the (blank?) Paige -- but flashbacks to happier days try too hard to force a chemistry that remains more theoretical than felt. Still, the scenario (Sucsy is one of five credited writers) throws up some arresting questions about the nature of love. How can Leo still be in love with this woman who is a stranger to herself? Can he make her fall back in love with him? Is it even fair to try? Because these ideas are also emotional dilemmas the movie works surprisingly well despite its shortcuts and shortcomings. It certainly isn't subtle about its preference for the sympathetic Leo -- and by extension, the vegan, tattooed, artistic Paige who voted for Obama -- over her domineering father, played by Sam Neill, and the conservative values he represents -- even though the uptown scenes are generally better written and more convincingly played than what amounts to a sitcom notion of bohemian chic. Of course it's more than a little convenient that Paige never stops to ask why she walked out on the life she was groomed for -- the story's second, hidden trauma. If she had, the whole construct falls apart. But let that go. This is mostly a poignant and touching effort. Just as Leo woos his estranged wife with "Chocolate roulette" (not a game Rachel McAdams plays very often I'm betting), given the choice between hard edges and gooey centers, Sucsy invariably heads for the fudge: it's sweet and chewy and fun to share.
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"The Vow" hits on an intriguing yarn and plays it out .
Michael Sucsy's movie is a different beast, a romance first and foremost .
Channing Tatum is a good fit for the bruised and brooding Leo .
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199,513 |
8e482d82f3997b99e82bb7a72650f95b9a510842
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By . James Daniel . A New Hampshire jury has rejected a claim that a woman developed post-traumatic stress disorder that made her fear the frozen food aisle in stores because she found a rat in her frozen lemonade. Colleen Grady, 50, testified in a Manchester civil trial that her friend opened a can of Minute Maid frozen lemonade on a July night two years ago to prepare for a dinner party and found a frozen rat inside. Ms. Grady claimed her . friends were pouring the can of lemonade into a pitcher when a dead rat . and maggots fell out causing her emotional distress. She told the court that she was forced to keep the dead rat in her freezer for more than a week until a Coca-Cola Company courier arrived to pick it up. Ratted out: Colleen Grady claims that as she poured a can of Minute Maid concentrate, a rat and some maggots came out . The frozen rat, Grady’s attorney said, was on display throughout the three-day civil trial. Grady . also sued Hannaford Supermarkets and Victory Distributors, saying that . she was so traumatized at seeing fur, tail and teeth in her drink that . she was afraid of the frozen food section at supermarkets and thought . sudden movements behind her could be a rat. But . a New Hampshire Superior Court jury ruled in favor of the defendants in . the suit and denied Grady a civil settlement, a ruling applauded by . Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola . countered the argument with a video tour of the factory where the . lemonade was packaged, experts on the life cycle of the maggot, and even . doctors offering alternate explanations for her anxiety attacks. Kept on ice: The actual rat made an appearance in court after being kept in cold storage for the last two years (not actual rat pictured) 'This . verdict affirms that Minute Maid beverages meet the highest quality . standards at all times,' said Jennifer Cruikshank, a spokesperson for . Coca Cola. 'Our . production process and stringent quality protocols make it virtually . impossible for this situation to occur. It’s unfortunate that someone . would seek to profit from such baseless allegations. We are pleased the . ruling was in our favor.' Smelling a rat: Coke claim that their entire Atlanta-based production system is so hygienic there is no way a rat could have made it into the operation .
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Rat was allegedly lurking in Minute Maid lemonade concentrate .
Coke told her to keep the rat in the freezer until the company could pick it up .
The actual rat made an appearance at the trial after being kept in cold storage for two years!
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5bee6a55fb2aae4f0afbd9a0fc2f26858aa2ad15
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By . Matt Chorley and Tim Shipman . PUBLISHED: . 19:15 EST, 3 February 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 10:06 EST, 4 February 2013 . Bank customers will be given more powers to demand a better deal under plans unveiled by Chancellor George Osborne today. People will be able to switch accounts in just a week if they find a better deal elsewhere. And the time it takes to transfer money and clear cheques will also be cut as Mr Osborne vowed to take on the 'oligopoly' of a handful of banking giants dominating the market. Scroll down for video . Bailing out: George Osborne used a speech at the JP Morgan offices in Bournemouth to say he would let reckless banks go to the wall . In what amounts to the biggest shakeup . of the banking industry in decades, he also threatened to forcibly break . up banks that break the rules. Reckless banks will be allowed to go to the wall so taxpayers never have to bail them out again. In a speech at the Bournemouth offices of JP Morgan, Mr Osborne said 2013 will be the year when the banking system is 'reset'. He said he wanted to see banks 'working for their customers, not themselves' as he set out the Government's Banking Reform Bill. The Chancellor promised to make it easier to switch accounts in just a week, and in future it should be quicker to transfer money and clear a cheque . In a bid to promote better . competition between banks, from September customers will be able to walk . into their bank and simply demand for their account to be transferred . to a rival. Mr Osborne said: 'We’re going to give customers the most powerful weapon of all: choice.' Crucially, . the bank will be obliged to transfer a customer’s direct debit payments . to the new account – ending the weeks of hassle associated with changing . accounts now. That . will allow people to shop around and get better interest rates, forcing . banks to offer better deals for customers to keep them. Consumer . watchdogs repeatedly complain that new customers are wooed with . attractive rates of interest, while existing customers are left . languishing on low rates. The system of wiring money between banks will also be overhauled, to stop it being dominated by a few big players. The ring fence between high street banks and high risk investment arms will be 'electrified' so if a bank falls foul of the regulator they could forcibly break up that bank . Mr Osborne said: ‘Why, in the age of instant communication, do small businesses have to wait for several days before they get their money from a credit or debit card payment? It should be much quicker. ‘Why do cheques take six days to clear? Customers and businesses should be able to move their money round the system much more quickly. ‘Why is it that big banks can move their money around instantly, but when a small business wants to make a payment it takes days?’ The Chancellor said he would ring-fence high street operations from the reckless ‘casino’ investment arms that caused the financial crash. In future no bank will ever again be ‘too big to fail’, he said. ‘When the RBS failed, my predecessor Alistair Darling felt he had no option but to bail the entire thing out,’ he said. ‘Not just the RBS on Britain’s high streets, but the trading positions in Asia, the mortgage books in sub-prime America, the property punts in Dubai. ‘I want to make sure that the next time a Chancellor faces that decision they have a choice – to keep the bank branches going, the cash machines operating, while letting the investment arm fail. ‘No more rewards for failure. No more too big to fail. No more taxpayers forking out for the mistakes of others.’ The Treasury today published a bill to prevent taxpayers ever having to shoulder the burden of bailing out fat cat bankers. This will: . Vow: Mr Osborne said when the RBS failed, his predecessor Alistair Darling felt he had no option but to bail the entire thing out . The legislation published today implements some of the recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking led by Sir John Vickers. It is the result of a compromise deal between Mr Osborne and Business Secretary Vince Cable. The bill will also contain plans drawn up by Andrew Tyrie, the Tory chairman of the Commission on Banking Standards, to ‘electrify’ the ring fencing of investment operations. That means that in future, if an individual bank falls foul of the regulator they could forcibly break up that bank. The Chancellor said the previous regulatory regime – set up by Gordon Brown and Ed Balls – failed to prevent the last crisis. ‘The fire alarm was ringing, but no one was listening,’ he said. ‘And when the crisis hit, the fire was then so great that the whole economy was sacrificed to put it out. The British people need to know that lessons have been learnt. And they have.’ Mr Osborne acknowledged the level of anger among voters that bankers appear to have got away scot free despite wrecking the economy. But he will also argue that Britain needs a stable and effective banking system to help families and businesses and that bashing the banks will not achieve that. Royal Bank of Scotland will be forced to slash staff bonuses to fund a multi-million pound fine for rigging interest rates. The 81 per cent taxpayer-owned bank will this week be docked around £500million for its role in fiddling Libor. Mr Osborne has told the bank the portion of the fine paid to US regulators, likely to be around £400million, should come from bonuses. Anthony Browne, chief executive of the British Bankers' Association, warned the threat to break up banks this would make it more difficult for banks to raise capital to lend to businesses and would also create uncertainty for investors. He said: ‘No other major economy is considering moving away from the universal model of banking because it undermines banks' ability to provide all the services businesses need. ‘Above all, what banks and business need is regulatory certainty so that banks can get on with what they want to do, which is help the economy grow.’ Labour claimed the reforms did not go far enough. Shadow chancellor Ed Balls said: ‘For all the rhetoric and the partial climbdown he has been forced into, George Osborne is still failing to deliver the radical banking reform we need. 'He has refused to repeat Labour's tax on bank bonuses or implement our legislation on pay transparency. And he has failed to get the banks to lend to businesses, with net lending to small firms falling month by month.’ Choice: Customers will be able to switch accounts between banks more quickly . Bank customers will be able to switch accounts with ease under new rules hailed as a revolution for consumers. Currently, it takes 10 working days to switch an account from one bank to another, but this will be cut down to five in the autumn. Ministers have rejected calls for customers to keep the same account numbers because they feared IT hold-ups would have made the process much longer and put people off moving their accounts. As well as making it easier to move accounts, the Government plans to speed up the process of transferring money between accounts held at different banks. Officials are said to be outraged at the fact that it takes up to three days to pay money from one account into another, and point out that even in relatively poor countries such as South Africa such transfers take no more than 24 hours. The Chancellor also confirmed plans to encourage new banks to open up, increasing competition on the high street.
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Chancellor outlines plans to ring-fence high street from investment arms .
He threatened to forcibly break up banks that break the rules .
Banks will be forced to allow customers to switch accounts within a week .
Treasury set to publish bill to prevent taxpayers having to bail out bankers .
Allow customers to switch accounts within a week with all their direct debits intact .
Scrap the Financial Services Authority, which failed to foresee the crash, handing regulatory powers to the Bank of England .
Set up a Financial Conduct Authority to improve the culture and ethics of banking.
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51,726 |
927bc99bd73d2c24417efcc4086ec61eeb967935
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By . Steve Doughty . PUBLISHED: . 16:49 EST, 7 November 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 04:10 EST, 8 November 2012 . Dr Justin Welby, Bishop of Durham, has emerged as favourite to become the new Archbishop of Canterbury . A former oil industry executive who opposes same sex marriage and the appointment of gay bishops emerged yesterday as the favoured candidate to take over as the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Bishop of Durham, the Right Reverend Justin Welby, will be announced as the successor to Dr Rowan Williams in the next 48 hours, sources at Westminster said. The confirmation that the 56-year-old is the choice to take over as head of the established Church comes after months of tortured deliberations and less than a year after Dr Welby took up his first appointment as a bishop. The long delay - Dr Welby has been widely named as the leading contender for the job for the past three months - has led to charges that the leadership of the CofE is hopelessly divided. It has even exposed the Church to mockery from bookmakers who stopped taking bets over the appointment, saying they were worried that clerics are trying to stage a betting coup. An old Etonian, whose mother was private secretary to Winston Churchill, Dr Welby is thought to have been preferred because of the managerial skills developed during his career as an oil industry executive before he joined the Church. The new Archbishop will bring an experienced eye to back the Church’s criticisms of unethical practice in banking and in industry, and he is also thought to be likely to be more sympathetic to David Cameron’s modernising Tory instincts than the instinctively left wing Dr Williams. He is considered an opponent of same sex marriage and the appointment of gay bishops. But he is likely to be much less abrasive in his opposition to the gay rights movement than his defeated opponent for the Archbishop’s post, the one-time favourite, the Archbishop of York, the Right Reverend John Sentamu. Dr Sentamu is thought to have lost ground because of his conservative thinking on some social issues, although he is in agreement with the CofE’s liberal establishment in his criticisms of the excesses of capitalism. His ability to command public attention may also have failed to endear him to some CofE insiders who prefer a more straight-laced brand of leadership. The new Archbishop will move into Lambeth Palace after Dr Williams becomes Master of Magdalene College in Cambridge, where he spent many years as an academic, in December. The new Archbishop will replace Dr Rowan Williams who is to become Master of Magdalene College in Cambridge . Dr Welby, whose mother and father were divorced when he was two, has himself been happily married for more than 30 years. He has three daughters and two sons. His own father was sent to America in 1929 after his family lost their money and went on to make his own living as a bootlegger at the end of the Prohibition era. Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, was favourite for the post but is thought to have lost ground due to some of his conservative views on social issues . The father, Gavin Welby, is also said at one stage to have dated actress Vanessa Redgrave. The relationship is said to have ended after her family decided he was ‘a rotten piece of work’. Dr Welby went to Eton and Trinity, Cambridge, and then to a high-flying career as a financial director in the oil business. He was treasurer of exploration company Enterprise Oil in 1987 when he quit industry for the Church. He became rector of a church in Southam in Warwickshire in 1995, joined the staff of Coventry Cathedral in 2002, and was made Dean of Liverpool, leading the city’s Anglican cathedral, in 2007. He was consecrated as Bishop of Durham - number five in the hierarchy of CofE bishops - at the end of October last year. While he has little experience running a diocese he has spent years dealing with ordinary parishioners as a local priest - something missing from his predecessor’s job qualifications. Dr Williams has been known in the Church as a theologian and intellectual. By contrast Dr Welby’s published writing has been mainly about the ethics of finance and management. Dr Welby appears to have made few enemies during his Church career and is not identified with any one of its warring factions. This could help him as he tries to steer the Church through its troubles over gay rights. Dr Williams, who was considered a supporter by the gay rights lobby, lost the backing of some fellow liberals for good after he blocked the appointment of gay rights champion Dr Jeffrey John as a bishop soon after he arrived at Lambeth Palace. Dr Williams announced his decision to resign in the last week of March this year. The new Archbishop will move into Lambeth Palace, pictured, replacing current incumbent Dr Rowan Williams (addressing the media in the picture) The 16 members of Crown Nominations Commission, the committee that recommends a successor to the Prime Minister, were appointed in April under the leadership of former Tory minister Lord Luce. Their failure to agree a name at a meeting in September led to speculation over division, over the development of an anyone-but-Sentamu faction, and the lack of enthusiastic support for Dr Welby. However, Dr Welby has been consistently spoken of as the likely successor through the autumn. Further delay would mean the Church would go into a meeting of its Parliament, the General Synod, in 10 days’ time, without a figurehead beyond December. The authority of a new Archbishop would provide a boost for CofE hopes of at last passing its law allowing women to become bishops. Bookmakers last night mocked the Church because of the risk of a betting coup over the new Archbishop. Major chains suspended betting after a flood of money backing Dr Welby. The price on the Bishop of Durham dropped in a day from seven to four to odds on one to two. Graham Sharpe of William Hill said: ‘Heavens above, if it does turn out to be Justin Welby we won’t be “holy” surprised but will be left wondering whether anything is sacred, as this race always seems to end with a betting coup. ‘In the space of less than an hour we had to cut the odds three times, so took the decision to close the book as we know a decision is already overdue and it seems word may have leaked out.’ Alex Donohue of Ladbrokes said: ‘Punters were backing Welby like defeat was out of the question. The money we’ve seen suggests an announcement is only moments away. 'Perhaps people thought we’d be too preoccupied with events in America to spot a gamble on the next Archbishop of Canterbury.’
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Sources at Westminster say that the Right Reverend Justin Welby will be announced as successor to Dr Rowan Williams in the next 48 hours .
The choice comes after months of tortured deliberations and less than a year after Dr Welby took up his first appointment as bishop in Durham .
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a1fd15d2436db559caac33c253cef0964b6b5db2
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(CNN) -- A joint session of Pakistan's parliament will meet Tuesday to discuss new terms of engagement with the United States, a spokesman for the country's prime minister told CNN on Saturday. The parliament will debate the recommendations of a special commission and will vote whether to accept them or not, spokesman Akram Shaheedi said. Amid huge domestic and military pressure after NATO airstrikes on the Pakistani-Afghan border killed 24 Pakistani soldiers last November, Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani created the Parliamentary Committee on National Security, a group of 18 members of parliament responsible for reviewing relations with the United States. The committee forwarded its recommendations to the government about a month ago, and these will be debated Tuesday. "We kept in mind both the angles, domestic demands and the requirement by the international community, while compiling our recommendations," Hiader Abbas Rizvi, a committee member, told CNN. "We were optimistic, progressive, but of course patriotic Pakistanis at the end while we were compiling the recommendations." Rizvi expects that the recommendations -- which won't be made public until Tuesday -- will be approved, but not before several days of debate. President Asif Ali Zardari, in an address to parliament Saturday, described 2011 as a "challenging year" in the "multi-dimensional and important" relationship between his country and the United States. "We seek to engage meaningfully with the U.S. on the basis of mutual interest and mutual respect," Zardari said. "We are looking forward to your recommendations for re-engaging with the United States," said Zardari, referring to the parliamentary committee. Zardari's speech mostly focused on domestic issues, including energy and inflation. Opposition lawmakers shouted during the leader's speech and said, "End the corruption!" and "Stop the lies!" The president's supporters slapped their desks, a customary sign of support in parliament. After 20 minutes of protest, members of the opposition walked out.
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President calls 2011 a "challenging year" for the two countries .
Pakistan's parliament will convene Tuesday .
They will debate the recommendations of a special committee .
The committee studied how to engage with the United States .
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5226e68084eef5f65a5fe5c10adfce8e40b0d6f9
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By . Mia De Graaf . PUBLISHED: . 13:14 EST, 9 December 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:16 EST, 9 December 2013 . This is the moment a 15-year-old girl trying to jump a ticket barrier is picked up and slammed on the floor head-first by an officer. CCTV footage in Flinders Street Station, Melbourne, Australia, captured the girl and a friend slipping through a side gate before Metro inspectors race after them and grab them by the clothes. But the situation escalates when the girl turns to slap one of the men in the face. Outrage: Politicians blasted the July 31 incident in Melbourne which saw a 15-year-old girl hurled to the floor . He grabs her feet and plunges her to the floor before piling on top of her. The encounter on July 31 this year has sparked outrage with politicians blasting it as 'absolutely brutal and unnecessary treatment'. And following an investigation, the girl has been charged with assault as the officers were deemed to be 'acted in accordance with company policy'. 'At one stage there was three men on top of the one 15-year-old girl, which was just completely ridiculous,' witness Nick Manual told ABC News. Sneaking past: The girl and a friend were seen on CCTV slipping through a gate in Flinders Street station . Escalates: After the girl slapped one of the officers, all three close in forcefully and one goes for her feet . Commotion: Her friend and passers-by are seen to be shouting as the girl lies on the floor after the encounter . 'She was yelling that she couldn't breathe.' Victorian Greens leader Greg Barber, said the footage, obtained through a Freedom of Information request, 'wouldn't even be allowed on a rugby field', The Age newspaper reports. Mr Barber said: 'This sort of violence ... should never have been used against a slight, 15-year-old female. 'The effect could have been fatal, or even more likely, the girl could have been paralysed for life. 'Why did they pick her up, turn her upside down and drop her on her head? Because they could. They were big blokes, she was a tiny woman.' Capture: The officer, dressed down, lunges to grab the girl as she makes her way through the side gate . The moment: Politicians have blasted the moment the officer picked the girl up as 'unnecessary' In a leaked memo, investigating officer Alan Gosland, wrote: 'Spoke to Victoria Police Sergeant Craig Tepper who advises that they are not looking into any action by the officers as they have not received a complaint about them. They are however charging the two females with assault on the officers. Cheers.' The officer in the footage stated his actions were to stop the girl escaping after 'verbal reasoning ... to de-escalate the situation initially' had failed. In a compulsory Use of Force Incident Form, he wrote: 'Assaulted by the offender, punched in the face and bitten on left upper thigh when told to loosen hold due to offender saying she couldn’t breathe.' Public Transport Minister Terry Mulder told The Age he was 'really concerned' by the footage and the incident would be investigated.
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15-year-old girl slips past gate in Flinders Street, Melbourne, Australia .
CCTV shows officer grab her, she slaps him, he plunges her to the ground .
Following investigation, the girl and friend have been charged with assault .
Metro officials claim officers acted in accordance with company policy .
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161,693 |
5d158be019c0477954588b5f352a7181d443ccb0
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A Fort Lauderdale police officer is facing possible criminal charges after he was filmed pushing and slapping a homeless man at a bus terminal. A witness captured the moment Officer Victor Ramirez led Bruce Laclair, 58, away from the Broward County bus station before apparently becoming frustrated with him and pushing him to the ground. From the floor, Laclair told the officer that he had hoped to use the restroom inside the station. 'I'm telling you right now what is going to happen,' Ramirez can be heard saying on the video. 'You're not supposed to go pee here.' Startling: A member of the Fort Lauderdale Police Department, Vincent Ramirez, apparently pushes a homeless man, Bruce Laclair, to the ground after they exchanged words at a bus terminal at the weekend . Terrifying: Once on the ground, Laclair tells the officer he was there to use the restroom and the officer responds by slapping him so hard that a loud slap can be heard. The man filming gasps in horror . Laclair remains on the floor and does not raise his hands as Ramirez suddenly slaps him across the face, eliciting a shocked cry from the man behind the camera. 'I'm not f****** around with you!' Ramirez tells Laclair. 'Don't f****** touch me.' He then arrests the homeless man for trespassing and hauls him away in cuffs. Laclair spent 20 hours in jail before he was released on Monday. The man, who has been homeless for six months, told Local 10 News that he must pay $300 for court costs related to the charge. He told the channel he was feeling bruised, 'pissed and in pain'. 'I didn't touch him. I didn't get aggressive with him,' Laclair insisted. 'Then he pushed me to the ground. Then he punched me in the face.' On the ground: Laclair, 58, said he did not raise his hands to the officer before he was slapped . Cuffed: He was arrested for trespassing and spent the night in a cell before being released on Monday. The police department is now investigating the incident and Ramirez has been suspended with pay . Gerald Schorder, who saw the slap, agreed that he did not see Laclair raise his hands to the officer. 'The officer just knocked him down with his hands,' he said. 'The guy was defenseless.' It is unclear what the men said before the witness started recording the altercation on his cell phone, but there are signs throughout the terminal warning people against loitering. The Fort Lauderdale Police Department has launched an internal investigation and Ramirez, a nine-year veteran of the department, has suspended with pay paid. Police Chief Frank Adderley said at a press conference on Tuesday morning that they're looking into possible criminal charges against the officer. The agency will also review its use-of-force policy. Probe: Laclair, left, said he did not raise his hands to the officer and a witness, Gerald Schorder, right, agreed that he had not seen the man act aggressively towards the police officer . At the press conference, City Manager Lee Feldman, called the video 'clearly disturbing' and said it was 'not representative' of the police department. 'I'm not going to justify any of the officer's actions,' he told reporters. 'We are committed to doing the right thing - not only the right thing by the city but the right thing by the community.' The State Attorney's Office also is reviewing the incident, he said.
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A witness captured the moment Fort Lauderdale Police Officer Victor Ramirez pushed Bruce Laclair, 58, to the ground and slapped him .
Laclair told the officer he wanted to use the station's restroom but the officer could be heard telling him he was not supposed to be there .
Laclair was arrested for trespassing and spent the night in jail .
Police have launched an investigation into the incident and looking into whether to bring criminal charges; Ramirez has been suspended with pay .
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206c349a293aa50afa4dcbbc54b6453ef906bd5a
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The student who was beaten up in the riots and then mugged as he struggled to his feet told yesterday how his attackers – some as young as 11 – threatened to stab him. Sickening video footage of a mob surrounding Mohammed Ashraf Haziq has been shown around the world after being posted on YouTube. Mr Haziq, who won a scholarship to study here, relived his ordeal from his hospital bed when he was visited by a friend who filmed the chat and posted it online. Recovering: Mr Haziq is seen in his hospital bed at Royal London . Hospital, where he is awaiting surgery on a broken jaw after the sickening . attack . Riot victim: Accountancy student Mohammed Ashraf Haziq, 20, had only arrived in Britain a month ago. Here he is pictured at home in Malaysia. Right he is sitting with his eight-year-old brother Mohammed Fatiri . Injuries: Mr Haziq still has facial swelling after the attack and can be seen missing several front teeth after having his jaw broken . ‘They threatened to stab me, they told me they had knives,’ he says in the footage. ‘Some of them were quite young, maybe still in primary school. They had their hoods on and demanded my bicycle.’ In the YouTube video, the student, . bloody and dazed after being punched to ground, is apparently helped to . his feet by a Good Samaritan. But the thugs then plunder his rucksack, . taking his wallet, phone and Sony PSP games console. The video was even mentioned by David Cameron yesterday. ‘When we see children as young as 13, . looting and laughing, when we see the disgusting sight of an injured . young man with people pretending to help him while they are robbing him, . it is clear that there are things that are badly wrong in our society,’ said the Prime Minister. The 20-year-old finance student’s jaw . was broken in the attack and he is due to have surgery at the Royal . London Hospital in Whitechapel, East London. He also lost some of his . teeth. His injuries mean he is unable to eat properly and he is being . fed via a hospital drip. At the family’s home in the affluent . suburb of Ampang, Kuala Lumpur, his mother Maznah Abu Mansor, 47, said . she was horrified by the attack. The mother-of-three, a school official, . said she was ‘very sad and upset’ and appealed to the Malaysian . government to help her to travel to London to see her son. She said: ‘I was initially very worried but I’m glad that he is all right.’ Dazed and confused, blood dripping from his mouth, Ashraf Rossli is encircled by thugs after being savagely beaten to the ground during the violence in London . From nowhere, an apparent Good Samaritan walks up and lends a hand to help heave the struggling and injured victim up from the pavement . Lowest of the low: The teenager continues to tend to the wounds on his face as thieves make off with the contents of his rucksack . Lawless: A thief shamelessly rifles through Ashraf Rossli's bag as the young man stands bleeding after being punched in the face. The incident sparked national outrage . Discarded: The thief, having taken the items from the teenager's bag, then casually throws them to the floor before strolling away . Mr Haziq arrived in London last month . to study at Kaplan College in Tower Hill, East London. He was cycling . from his student accommodation in Barking with a friend when they saw a . mob coming towards them. His friend managed to escape but said . the 20-strong gang blocked Mr Haziq’s path and knocked him to the . ground before taking his bicycle. He has told friends he passed out . from the force of the blow. It was when he tried to move away that he . was mugged. Bystander Abdul Hamid, 23, who filmed the YouTube footage, . said: ‘I wanted to go down and help but I was terrified that I would get . beaten up as well. There was about 50 or more of them.’ Aftermath: Mr Haziq is caught on camera moments later, standing confused and alone at the side of the street . Campaign: A website has been set up in the hope of gathering donations to make a gesture towards Ashraf Haziq after the ordeal he went through . Mr Rossli was treated at Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel, following the attack . Well-wishers are organising an appeal . for the student, though last night it was unclear if it would be led by . those who set up the fund website – . http://somethingniceforashraf.tumblr.com – or by the Malaysian High . Commission. Former aid worker Jamie Cowen who set . up the internet appeal insisted the money raised would go to Mr Haziq . and any surplus would be given to ‘other London riots-related causes’. He added: ‘I and thousands of other . British people are disgusted that this happened in our country and want . to do something nice for Ashraf to show to him and his country that only . a tiny minority of us are scumbags.’ Within hours of the website launching, it had received more than 17,000 pledges of support.
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Student robbed while bleeding only arrived in England a month ago .
Police identify one suspect who allegedly mugged injured Ashraf Haziq .
Well-wishers organise online fund to fly student's parents to UK to visit son .
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bdac1d1efc3e03001e8f1dd6b0b8690f0c3f3d3d
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Russell Means, a former American Indian Movement activist who helped lead a 1973 uprising against the U.S. government and appeared in several Hollywood films, has died. He was 72. Means died early Monday at his ranch in South Dakota, Oglala Sioux Tribe spokeswoman Donna Solomon said. Means announced in August 2011 that he had developed inoperable throat cancer and was forgoing mainstream medical treatments in favor of traditional American Indian remedies and alternative treatments away from his home on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. Farewell: American Indian activist Russell Means (in October 2011) has died at his home in South Dakota . 'Our dad and husband now walks among our ancestors,' his family wrote on his website. 'He began his journey to the spirit world at 4:44 am, with the Morning Star, at his home and ranch in Porcupine.' Means led AIM's armed occupation of the South Dakota town of Wounded Knee, a 71-day siege that included several gun battles with federal officers. AIM was founded in the late 1960s to protest the U.S. government's treatment of Native Americans and demand the government honor its treaties with Indian tribes. Means told the AP in 2011 that before AIM, there had been no advocate on a national or international scale for American Indians and that Native Americans were ashamed of their heritage. 'No one except Hollywood stars and very rich Texans wore Indian jewelry,' Means said. 'That's all changed.' He was often embroiled in controversy, partly because of AIM's alleged involvement in a 1975 killing. Strong: In 1974, he challenged Oglala Sioux Tribal President Richard . Wilson in a reservation election. He laughs after hearing that Wilson said he will give AIM 10 days to get off the reservation after he is . reelected 'or else' Outspoken: Means, pictured in 1989, helped bring the grievances of Native Americans to national and global attention in the 1970s before going on to become a Hollywood actor . Activist: Means, who led an uprising against the government in South Dakota in 1973, is pictured being arrested by Denver police in 2000 for blocking the March for Italian Pride Columbus Day parade . But Means was also known for his role in the movie The Last of the Mohicans and his unsuccessful run for the Libertarian nomination for president in 1988. Paul DeMain, publisher of Indian Country Today, there plenty of Indian activists existed before AIM, but the group became the 'radical media gorilla'. 'If someone needed help, you called on the American Indian Movement and they showed up and caused all kind of ruckus and looked beautiful on a 20-minute clip on TV that night,' DeMain said. Means said he felt his most important accomplishment was the founding of the Republic of Lakotah and the 're-establishment of our freedom to be responsible' as a sovereign nation inside the borders of the United States. His efforts to have his proposed country recognized by the international community continued at the United Nations, he said, even as it was ignored by tribal governments closer to home, including his own Oglala Sioux Tribe. Movie star: Means is pictured left in the Last Of The Mohicans with Daniel Day-Lewis, centre . High profile: Means, pictured left beside Eric Schweig and Daniel Day-Lewis, played chief Chingachgook . But others may remember him for his former organization's connection to the killing of Annie Mae Aquash, whose death remains synonymous with AIM and its often violent clashes with federal agents in the 1970s. Authorities believe three AIM members shot and killed Aquash on the Pine Ridge reservation on the orders of someone in AIM's leadership because they suspected she was an FBI informant. Two activists - Arlo Looking Cloud and John Graham - were eventually convicted of murder. The third has never been charged. Means blamed Vernon Bellecourt, another AIM leader, for ordering Aquash's killing. Bellecourt denied the allegations in a 2004 interview, four years before he died. Also in 1975, murder charges were filed against Means and Dick Marshall, an AIM member, in the shooting death of Martin Montileaux at the Longbranch Saloon. Marshall served 24 years in prison. Means was acquitted. Career: Means, pictured left in The Last of the Mohicans and right in April, also played roles in Natural Born Killers and the animated film Pocahontas, among others. In 1995, he released an autobiography . Remembered: Means, pictured in April 2012, died early on Monday at his ranch in South Dakota . But Means always considered himself a Libertarian and couldn't believe that anyone would want to identify as either a Republican or a Democrat. 'It's just unconscionable that America has become so stupid,' he said. His acting career began in 1992, when he portrayed Chingachgook alongside Daniel Day-Lewis' Hawkeye in The Last of the Mohicans. He also appeared in the 1994 film Natural Born Killers, voiced Chief Powhatan in the 1995 animated film Pocahontas and guest starred in 2004 on the HBO series Curb Your Enthusiasm. Means recounted his life in the book Where White Men Fear to Tread. He admitted to his frailties and evils but also acknowledged his successes. 'I tell the truth, and I expose myself as a weak, misguided, misdirected, dysfunctional human being I used to be,' he said.
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Means led uprising against the government in South Dakota in 1973 .
Helped bring grievances of Native Americans to national and global attention .
Went on to feature in Natural Born Killers and Curb Your Enthusiasm .
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188,076 |
7f91178905ba61df2451242c5a80dadaf7240e98
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A little girl left with a scarred face after being attacked by a pit bull was thrown out of a Kentucky Fried Chicken restaurant in Jackson, Mississippi, after an employee said her face was 'scaring the other diners'. The family of three-year-old Victoria Wilcher were left horrified after they were asked to leave the establishment because of the appearance of the toddler. The family shared their anger on a Facebook page entitled Victoria's Victories. 'Does this face look scary to you?' reads the posting. 'Last . week at KFC in Jackson MS this precious face was asked to leave because . her face scared the other diners.' Scroll Down for Video . Victoria Wilcher, 3, was mauled by three pit bulls in the backyard of her grandfather's home in Simpson County, Mississippi. Last week, she was asked to leave a KFC in Jackson because her facial injuries were 'scaring other diners' The KFC location, in Jackson, Mississippi, where the Wilcher and her grandmother were asked to leave. KFC has apologized for the incident, and says that they are investigating the incident . The Thursday posting on Victoria's Victories, including KFC's response to the incident . Wilcher with her grandmother, Kelly Mullins. Mullins was getting food for her granddaughter when they were asked to leave the restaurant . Wilcher was injured in an attack in April, when three of her grandfather's pit bull dogs ran into his home in Simpson County, Mississippi. The dogs ripped through the back door of the home and jumped on her. The dogs then dragged the little girl outside into the backyard, where they continued to maul her before her grandfather, Donald Mullins, and his girlfriend, Rita Tompkins, attempted to stop the carnage. The dogs then attacked their owners, causing Mullins to shoot them. Two of the dogs were killed. Wilcher was rushed to the emergency room. She suffered a shattered top and bottom jaw, broken cheekbones and eyesockets, and a broken nose. According to the first posting on Victoria's Victories, Wilcher lost her right eye, and lost the ability to move the right side of her face. Mullins and Tompkins were arrested on charges of child endangerment. The eight surviving pit bulls the pair owned were seized by Animal Control officers. Wilcher in the hospital six hours after the dog attack. She lost her right eye in the incident, and sustained facial paralysis on the right side of her face . Wilcher with her new baby sister Abby. Victoria's parents, Tina and Justin Wilcher, were expecting another when the attack took place. Wilcher is expected to undergo several more surgeries in the future as she heals from the attack . Wilcher was in the hospital for approximately one month after the attack. Upon her return home, she continued with physical therapy and wearing a feeding tube. 'I took her to the doctor and I went to KFC.' Wilcher's grandmother, Kelly Mullins, told WAPT. 'I ordered a large sweet . tea and her some mashed potatoes and gravy because she was hungry. She . was on a feeding tube at the time, but I figured she could just swallow . (the potatoes).' 'They just told us, they said, "We have . to ask you to leave because her face is disrupting our customers". (Victoria) understood exactly what they said.' Mullins said she put Victoria in the car and left. She said Victoria cried all the way home to Simpson County. 'Now when we go somewhere, she don't want to get out' said Mullins. Since the Thursday posting about the incident at KFC, outpourings of sympathy and anger at the company have flooded the family's page, prompting an apology from the chain. Wilcher smiling before the accident . The family's response on Friday to KFC and the outpouring of support on social media . 'KFC launched an investigation as soon as we were made aware of this . report,' KFC spokesman Rick Maynard told WAPT on Friday. 'We take this very seriously, as we have zero tolerance for any . kind of hurtful or disrespectful actions toward our guests. Our . investigation is ongoing, but we will make things right for this . beautiful little girl and her family, and will work with the franchisee . to take appropriate action at the restaurant.' KFC also took to Victoria's Victories, responding in comment section of the original post with 'Please accept our sincere apologies while we try to investigate this incident.' KFC's response on Twitter to the outrage over their employee's behavior . On Friday, the family posted onto the page, acknowledging the huge response they received. 'KFC . has reached out for more information thanks to the overwhelming support . for Victoria.' reads the post . 'Thank you for sharing her story and please continue to . pray for her and her recovery. She still has several surgeries in her . future and will continue to need our love and support.'
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Three-year-old Victoria Wilcher was injured when she was mauled by three pit bulls in her grandfather's backyard .
Toddler lost her right eye because of the attack, and cannot move the right side of her face .
Wilcher must use a feeding tube to eat, was getting mashed potatoes when she was asked to leave by a KFC employee .
KFC has publicly apologized for the incident, saying that they have 'zero tolerance for any disrespectful behavior by our team members'
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162,153 |
5da6e88aeeac6c1cab429575b4b2af264f5035ba
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By . Sara Malm . PUBLISHED: . 07:00 EST, 22 May 2012 . | . UPDATED: . 07:14 EST, 22 May 2012 . This is the aftermath of a very close shave for a driver whose car became wedged under the side of a lorry on a motorway. West Midlands Ambulance service said the driver had a ‘very lucky escape’ after he got trapped on the M6 in Staffordshire. Almost the entire front of the silver Vauxhall Astra was squashed after the heavy goods vehicle and car collided. Stuck: It is unclear how the accident happened but witnesses reported that the Vauxhall was dragged underneath the lorry for a short distance . Amazingly the young driver escaped with minor injuries and despite the damage to his car he was able to exit on his own. The incident happened at around 7.40pm on the northbound carriageway close to junction 10a northbound. A spokesman for West Midlands Ambulance Service said Initial reports suggested several vehicles had been involved and that a lorry was on top of a car. A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: ‘On arrival crews found a car wedged under the side of a lorry. ‘Witnesses said that it had been dragged along the motorway a short distance and there was a large amount of intrusion into the vehicle. ‘Thankfully, despite the damage, the driver of the car, a man estimated to be in his twenties was able to get out relatively easily. ‘The man was checked over at the scene by the doctor. Amazingly, it appears as though he has suffered only minor abdominal injuries. However, as a precaution, he was taken by ambulance to the Major Trauma Centre at Queen Elizabeth Hospital Birmingham. ‘The lorry driver was uninjured though shaken by the incident.’ Lucky escape: The young driver managed to exit his crushed vehicle with only a few minor injuries .
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Car dragged along the M6 after colliding with the lorry .
The young man driving the car escaped with minor injuries .
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d8b816014f5e935dd315bf804458ebae5b40501d
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(CNN) -- Syrian security forces were commanded to shoot unarmed protesters, according to military and security agency defectors interviewed by a human rights watchdog. Human Rights Watch said Saturday that they "described receiving, and following, orders to shoot on protesters to disperse them." Efforts to reach the Syrian government for comment were not immediately successful. The group said they interviewed eight soldiers and four members of the security agencies in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan who defected over the last four months of anti-government protests. "The testimony of these defectors provides further evidence that the killing of protesters was no accident but a result of a deliberate policy by senior figures in Syria to use deadly force to disperse protesters," Sarah Leah Whitson, Middle East director at Human Rights Watch, quoted in the report. "Syrian soldiers and officials should know that they too have not just a right but a duty to refuse such unlawful orders, and that those who deliberately kill or injure peaceful protesters will be subject to prosecution." The claims coincide with ongoing assertions by Syrian activists that security personnel have assaulted unarmed protesters. The Syrian regime claims armed groups are responsible for the violence at the demonstrations, which erupted nationwide in mid-March. There was a flurry of deaths on Friday during nationwide protests. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an activist group, said 1,410 civilian and 348 members of army and security forces have been killed over the last four months. The people interviewed "participated in the government crackdown in Daraa, Izraa, Baniyas, Homs, Jisr al-Shugur, Aleppo, and Damascus" and witnessed "the shooting and injury of dozens of protesters, and the arbitrary arrest and detention of hundreds." All of those interviewed defectors said "their superiors had told them that they were fighting infiltrators (mundaseen), Salafists, and terrorists. The defectors said they were surprised to encounter unarmed protesters instead, but still were ordered to fire on them in a number of instances," a Human Rights Watch report said. "The defectors also reported that those who refused orders to shoot on protesters ran the risk of being shot themselves. One of the defectors reported seeing a military officer shoot and kill two soldiers in Daraa for refusing orders." The United States and other countries have denounced Syria's tough crackdown on peaceful protests, and a visit to the restive city of Hama by the U.S. ambassador to Syria this week has drawn sharp criticism from the Bashar al-Assad regime. Government officials said Ambassador Robert Ford incited protest in Hama, a claim called "absolute rubbish" by State Department's spokeswoman Victoria Nuland. Syrian officials also claimed he didn't get proper permission to travel, an assertion also disputed by the United States. Hama has been the scene of large anti-government demonstrations and a crackdown this week by government forces. Syria's minister of Islamic Endowments was the latest to denounce Ford's presence in Hama, saying it was "without prior permission considering that it was primarily intended to incite bloodshed and ruin the contacts designed to stop bloodshed and eliminate sedition," according to the state-run Syrian Arab News Agency. Citing remarks of Abdul-Sattar al-Sayyed, SANA said the "U.S. ambassador wants Jerusalem to be an eternal capital of Israel, adding that the U.S. has always been against Arabism, Islam and values." CNN's Yousuf Basil and Jomana Karadsheh contributed to this report .
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8 soldiers and 4 security agency members were interviewed .
The people said they participated in the government crackdown .
Those interviewed were in Lebanon, Turkey and Jordan .
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f614996a91698005bc8d499788875770b13a264e
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Srinagar, India (CNN) -- The Hizbul Mujahedeen militant group has claimed responsibility for the Wednesday morning attack on an Indian paramilitary camp in Srinagar in Kashmir province. Five Indian officers died at the police training camp, authorities said. It was the first attack in the city of Srinagar in at least three years, CNN's sister network IBN reported. A Hizbul Mujahedeen spokesman told a local news agency that two militants carried out "the guerrilla attack" and warned that "the outfit will carry on such attacks in (the) future also." The attack comes a month after the execution in India of a Kashmir militant who led an attack on the nation's parliament in 2001. Nine people were killed in that incident. Since Mohammed Afzal Guru's execution, his supporters in Srinagar have demanded through protest that his body be returned. Authorities in India have accused Pakistan of backing Guru's attack, which led to a massive mobilization of troops by the two nuclear neighbors along their tense borders. Pakistan denied involvement. Indian Home Secretary R.K. Singh -- who said three civilians and five police officers also were injured in the Srinagar attack -- said Wednesday he believes the attackers came from Pakistan. They "appeared ... to be not local, but from across the border," he said in New Delhi. But Pakistan's Foreign Office dismissed India's charge. "Pakistan strongly rejects any allegations made about its involvement in the incident in Kashmir on Wednesday," spokesman Moazzam Ahmed Khan said. That stance was repeated in a Pakistani government press release, which added, "We feel that this trend of making irresponsible statements and knee-jerk reactions by senior Indian government functionaries have the potential of undermining the efforts made by both sides to normalize relation between the two countries." Kashmir has been disputed territory between India and Pakistan since the two countries separated in 1947 after a costly war. Militants supporting Pakistan have been fighting for more than 20 years against Indian rule in the parts controlled by that country, which has a mostly Muslim population. The insurgency has killed more than 43,000 people, but some human rights groups and nongovernmental organizations put the death toll at twice that. The two attackers in the Wednesday incident were killed, said Omar Abdullah, the chief minister of the Indian-administered Kashmir. Journalist Mukhtar Ahmad reported from Srinagar and Ben Brumfield reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Harmeet Shah Singh contributed to this report.
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The Hizbul Mujahedeen militant group claims responsibility and warns of further attacks .
It is the first attack in Srinagar in a few years, a CNN sister network reports .
Tensions have grown in Kashmir since the execution in India of a militant from the province .
Kashmir has been the scene of separatist violence for years .
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2bad7297e9500f134149e18a678c104d98613273
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The terror attack on a Sydney cafe is well organised and designed for 'maximum publicity' and to create 'maximum impact' of terrorising Australians, a terrorism expert said. Professor Jeff Lewis of Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology said the armed man who has taken hostages inside the Lindt cafe had deliberately chosen iconic Martin Place and the cafe opposite the Seven Network office 'because it would get maximum publicity' and because it represented the spoils of Western society. Martin Place is one of Sydney's most distinguished shopping precincts with upmarket restaurants, cafes and bars, high-end fashion boutiques and designer shops including Giorgio Armani. Scroll down for video . Deliberately chosen: Martin Place was 'deliberately chosen' for the terror attack by Islamic extremists because it is iconic and represents what ISIS hates: Western wealth and capitalism . Maximum publicity: The terrorists chose a spot opposite Channel 7's Martin Place headquarters (above) to get maximum publicity to create terror and to attract followers . Carefully selected: The Lindt Cafe (pictured, just after hostages were taken inside) was strategic for the terrorists because it was a 'soft' target without security and located across from a television studio . Universal emblem: Profess Jeff Lewis said the use of the Shahada flag (pictured) by the terrorist did not necssarily mean he was from Jabhat al-Nusra, as the flag had universal appeal to devout Muslims . 'They have chosen a soft target, that is one that unlike the Sydney Opera House doesn't have security and therefore creates the maximum amount of fear,' Professor Lewis told Daily Mail Australia. 'Martin Place is iconic and represents what people in Islamic State (IS) detest in Western societies' because of its expensive shops, designer stores and other businesses surrounded by government offices and the big banks. 'We don't know yet who is behind this attack, but I wouldn't say it is necessarily Jabhat al-Nusra [the extremist Syrian-based group which uses the flag],' he said. Well organised: The terror attack was well-organised for mass publicity and maximum fear by chosing a 'soft' target in Martin Place (pictured) 'The Shahada flag is a kind of universal flag. The writing "there is only one God" is supported by every day Muslims in their devotions, and so they could be IS supporters using this flag.' Professor Lewis said IS had conducted a global promotion campaign over recent months to encourage people around the world 'to just act' and promote terror. 'They have been very active in trying to incite support the western world ,' he said. 'This attack could be part of some network or co-ordinated plan. 'But it has been very well organised for maximum effect. Modern terrorism is about communication of its message, which is to terrorise its enemies but also to attract supporters.' Professor Lewis said the attack was 'the most audacious act of modern terrorism associated with Islam'. 'We have yet to learn what their objectives are, but the longer it goes on the more publicity they gain and they are achieving their objectives.' Professor Lewis is a professor of media and culture, specialising in terrorism.
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Site of terror attack deliberately chosen and was 'well organised'
'Soft' target chosen to create maximum fear among Australians .
Martin Place represents 'everything ISIS detests in Western society'
Cafe opposite Seven TV network selected for maximum publicity .
Terrorists could be ISIS related and flag is 'universal' Islamic emblem .
Attack designed to 'terrorise enemies and attract supporters'
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163,765 |
5fca87b642438d83613452db3377d40cc21664b5
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Fifty Shades of Grey has got nothing on the sexual awakening of one British mother who has self-published her own 'erotic true-life memoir' on Amazon. Emma Styles, a married mother-of-two from Kew, London, has written First Tango In Paris, in which she relates how she went from being a bored housewife to having outrageous sexual encounters with a string of lovers including a team of firefighters and a distinguished French diplomat. Emma explains how her 'sexual journey' began when she was 29-years-old and she and her husband, Paul, took an eye-opening trip to Paris. Erotic journey: Emma Styles went from being a bored housewife to having a 'decadent' sex life with multiple lovers . She writes: 'Until that night I was living a relatively normal existence as a married woman with two young children in a small commuter town in Surrey. I was a 29-year-old stay at home mum, whose husband Paul worked long and intense hours in the music Industry, which meant he wasn’t around as much as other fathers and do his share of child care, however, the financial rewards were worth it.' The couple started out attending sex shows and venues famed for swinging but were initially 'both reticent, and unsure as how each other would react if either had any intimate contact with anyone else.' But she recalls how an encounter with a French couple, Olivier and Claudia, at a club that 'appealled to the higher echelons of the Parisian swinging culture' caused them to relax their 'rules of engagement'. Experimental: Emma said her encounters with other men enhanced her sex life with her husband (posed by models) Emma relates how she had an intimate sexual encounter with Olivier in an alcove of the club after they left their respective partners to buy drinks. She said of the liaison: 'I was in complete ecstasy, not having had this level of close up personal attention from another man in seven years of marriage.' 'I was in complete ecstasy, not having . had this level of close up personal attention from another man in seven . years of marriage' When they returned to their partners and Claudia asked 'if she could take Paul and . show him around her "favourite areas" of the club' she said 'who was I to argue!' While some people may be horrified at the thought of their husband or wife with another person, Emma said it enhanced their marriage. She said: 'Our personal sex life had become very intense, and experimental, with . Paul, who during our lovemaking was very much into having me tell him in . detail about my liaison with Olivier, and what else I wished I'd done . with him, and would do if the opportunity arose in the future. This very . much excited him.' Liberated: The mother went on to have numerous sexual encounters juggling family life with exploring her fantasies (posed by models) Real erotica: Emma said her book is all true . From then on, the couple become much more adventurous with Emma learning how to 'juggle her family life in West London with her decadent sexual life in France and beyond.' She said: 'All the liaisons took place with my husband, or flying solo, as a . fully liberated woman (with his full approval), who knows what she wants . and lets nothing stop her from turning her fantasies into reality… . however unattainable they may seem.' Emma told MailOnline her book differs from the many other erotic novels currently storming the bestseller lists because it's all true - and she isn't hiding behind a pseudonym. She said: 'Where my book is different is that it is a true-life memoir of my sexual journey emanating from a weekend break to Paris back in 1991 and my subsequent story. 'The book is not a novella written by a faceless person usually using a ridiculous pen name such as Portia, Skye etc with equally unbelievable central characters with names such as Ayden, Gideon and Steele. I have never met people with such names in the real world.' She added: 'I don't in any way class my book as pornography but pure and simple factual erotica written for today's modern woman by a woman who is real and has lived it. 'I hope it inspires women from wherever and whatever age you are, to . embrace your sexuality, and explore fully the deep dark erotic side that . we all have (some hidden deeper than others).'
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Emma Styles has written First Tango In Paris .
Erotic memoir recalls her own 'sexual journey'
She went from being bored housewife to having 'decadent sex life'
Liaisons with lovers were with full approval of husband .
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223,665 |
ad99c587f79ef9fbc27520d9a9e4ccb354f132de
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A commuter who was taken ill on a packed train while five months pregnant was forced to sit on the floor because none of her fellow passengers would give up their seats. Victoria Poskitt, 40, has hit out at train bosses for not allowing her to sit in first class after she felt woozy on a morning service from Surbiton in south west London to Waterloo. She said rail firm South West Trains - which does grant 'pregnancy passes' to women but only if they are more than 20 weeks pregnant and have a season ticket - told her 'policy is policy' and she should have found a guard or pulled the emergency cord if she felt ill. Baby on board: Fellow passengers did not give up their seat when Victoria Poskitt, 40, felt woozy on a crowded commuter train. She also attacked South West Trains for not giving her a pass to sit in first class instead . Mrs Poskitt, who works as the head of communications at the teachers' union the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, attacked the incivility of her fellow passengers in an interview with the Evening Standard. 'Simple human decency should have prevailed,' she said. She added: 'I thought [South West Trains] might be willing to make an exception, particularly after I told them about what happened, but after conversations with various managers they’ve flatly said "no", saying policy is policy. Anger: Mrs Poskitt said 'simple human decency should have prevailed' 'I don’t honestly know [what to do next]. I keep trying with South West Trains, I’m throwing myself at their mercy because they could make all the difference to the last few months of my pregnancy.' Over the last 12 months South West Trains has handed out 575 upgrade tickets to pregnant women. They allow the women to sit in first class, but because Mrs Poskitt does not have a season ticket as she only works in central London three days a week, she was not eligible for one. A spokesman for the South West Trains Network Rail Alliance told MailOnline: 'We are sorry to hear that Ms Poskitt felt unwell recently on one of our services. 'We have the most extensive upgrade scheme of any rail operator to help our customers who are expecting a baby. This provides first class upgrades to women travelling with valid weekly, monthly or annual South West Trains season tickets whenever standard class seating is not available. It covers pregnant women who are within 20 weeks of their due delivery date. 'For customers who travel less frequently, we have priority seats available on our services similar to the system on the London Underground. 'We also provide mums-to-be with badges to highlight that they should be given a seat whenever possible and we have offered this to Ms Poskitt. 'As on other forms of transport, our experience is that fellow passengers will give up their seat for mums-to-be and other customers such as elderly people and we are sorry and surprised this did not happen.' MailOnline contacted Mrs Poskitt but she was unavailable to comment further.
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Victoria Poskitt, 40, was taken ill on a crowded train from Surbiton, London .
She attacked other passengers and South West Trains for not upgrading her .
The firm offers a first class 'pregnancy pass' but she was not eligible .
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45,274 |
7fa36ae78ddd1ba81d8f68e046b4f7797cb6e63e
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By . Ted Thornhill . Reeva Steenkamp’s father has spoken of his pain at not being able to save his daughter the night she was shot dead by her boyfriend, Oscar Pistorius. The South African athlete says he accidentally killed his model girlfriend after mistaking her for an intruder and opening fire through a door, but the prosecution say it was pre-mediated. Barry Steenkamp, in an emotional interview, revealed that the incident was the third tragedy in her life. Scroll down for video . Heartache: Reeva Steenkamp's mother and father, June and Barry, have spoken of their anguish over their daughter's death, revealing that the shooting was 'the third tragedy in her life' Trial: Oscar Pistorius (right) is accused of murdering Reeva Steenkamp (left) on Valentine's Day 2013 . He told Hello! Magazine: ‘She [Reeva] had three tragedies in her life – I was there for her the first and second time, but I wasn’t there for the third. ‘After she had her tonsils taken out when she was five, something went wrong and she almost bled to death. Then, when she was 19, she went riding on our farm. The horse stumbled, she came off and it fell on top of her, breaking her back. Luckily I was there, put her in the car and dashed to hospital.’ Reeva’s mother, June, in the same interview, revealed details about the dreadful moment she was told about the death of her daughter. The news came at 7am on February 15, 2013, the day after she was shot from Detective Hilton Botha. Oscar Pistorius, left, talks with a defense team member in court in Pretoria on Monday . She said: ‘I became hysterical. Then I had to tell Barry. His reaction… it was too terrible. We both went into what can only be described as a walking coma.’ June added that when Reeva’s body was flown home she could only see her face, as the body was wrapped in sheets and a pale scarf. She said: ‘She still looked beautiful. I kissed her and whispered “I love you, darling, and I’m going to miss you”. Then I collapsed.’ Reeva's death has taken its toll on her father, Barry, who has suffered a stroke and been unable to attend the court hearings. Trial: Pistorius, left, speaks with a woman in court . The interview came as the trial entered its 38th day in Pretoria’s High Court. The chief prosecutor in the murder trial of Oscar Pistorius on Monday challenged the credibility of a physician who testified that the athlete has an anxious nature linked to his disability. Prosecutor Gerrie Nel on Monday said the defense witness, physician Wayne Derman, could not be objective about the double-amputee runner. The defense maintains that Pistorius has a deep sense of vulnerability because of his disability and a fear of crime, and it was a factor in the killing because he opened fire after thinking an intruder was in his house. Pistorius studies a document in court as he waits for the trial to get under way . Under questioning, Derman acknowledged that his testimony did not amount to a "forensic report" but disputed Nel's assertion that he could not give credible evidence because he was too familiar with Pistorius, having treated him over many years and traveled with him extensively. On Sunday, an Australian broadcaster showed video footage of Pistorius participating in a re-enactment of how he says events unfolded on the night he killed Steenkamp. In the video, Pistorius is seen walking on his stumps with an arm outstretched and fist clenched, as though holding a gun. It also shows Pistorius carrying a woman. It is unclear where the re-enactment was filmed. The broadcast by Channel Seven prompted criticism from a lawyer for Pistorius who said the re-enactment was made with the help of a U.S.-based company last year as part of the defense team's trial preparations. The video has not been shown at the trial.
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Barry Steenkamp speaks of pain at being unable to save his daughter .
He has described how Reeva's death was the 'third tragedy in her life'
She was shot dead by boyfriend Oscar Pistorius on February 14, 2013 .
Her mother, June, has spoken of the dreadful moment she was told the news .
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75,564 |
d64a3df1396c6b3371a4ccc377281c6fc783a0c4
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Forget Gangam Style. With everyone from retired grannies to the Norwegian army getting in on the act the Harlem Shake is the internet's newest dance phenomenon. And now swimwear giant Speedo is tapping into the trend with a hilarious clip that sees models take to the pool - clad in Speedos naturally - to shake their booty Harlem style. Shot behind the scenes at the swimwear brand's latest campaign shoot, the video shows a snorkel wielding model take to the pool watched by the crew on the edge of the pool. Scroll down for videos . Gentle gyration: A Speedo model begins to boogie unnoticed by the rest of the cast and crew... Dance party: Seconds later, the whole cast and crew join in, with the exception of the underwater camera man . Soon joined by the rest of the cast and . an intrepid underwater camera man, the water is left frothing - and the . crew very wet - as a result of the wildly shaking posse of models. The Harlem Shake song was originally released in May 2012, but the online phenomenon . was born on January 30th, when one video blogger posted a video . of himself and three others dressed in colourful latex suits dancing to . the song. Created by Harry Rodrigues, aka DJ Baauer, video tributes to the song have collectively generated 175million views . to date. The 23-year-old, who was born in West Philadelphia but is based in New York, said in a Q & A with Reddit users: 'The viral craze was something totally out of my control. I see it really positively.' In an interview with The Daily Beast, he elaborated further: 'All I did was make the song so it’s kind of a weird place for me . to be at,' he said. 'I birthed it, it was raised by others, and now it’s like my . weird, f***ed up adopted teenage kid coming back to me.' Internet dance sensation: Harry Rodrigues, aka DJ Baauer, the man behind . trap music track Harlem Shake, admits that it has developed a life of . its own, with video tributes collectively generating 175million views . Is this the new Gagnam Style? In a new video craze, one person - in this . case Supermodel Jourdan Dunn - is seen dancing unnoticed to Harlem . Shake . Shake with style: When the bass line drops, everyone in the frame forms a . wild and chaotic dance party. Here, models Cara Delevingne, Jourdan . Dunn and Rosie Tapner whip their hair to the catchy tune . Baauer, who at one point lived in Harlem, says the name of the track is not intended to be a tribute to the dance of the same name, nor his time in the Uptown neighborhood. Instead, he explained, it references a line in Plastic Little’s Miller Time, 'then do the Harlem Shake', which Baauer's track samples. 'It just got stuck in my head for a while, so I used it,' he said. Since then, thousands of people of all ages and walks of life have created their own versions of the popular meme. Of his favourite Harlem Shake . tributes, Baauer told Reddit that 'the underwater one is pretty great,' and also mentioned the T-Pain version as another of his top takes on the . track. One that was less well-received was one by rapper . Azealia Banks, who released - and then forced to retract - a remix of . Harlem Shake without the permission of his label, Mad Decent. AttenSHUN!: A group of Norwegian soldiers line up in a neat square formation . Seconds later, the soldiers - who are suddenly wearing skis and standing on their heads - do the crazy dance . Unlike 2012's Gangnam Style internet . dance craze, the Harlem Shake does not . involve any specific . dance moves and is instead more of a free-for-all, often leading . to hilarious results. In one video, a troop of Norwegian soldiers is seen lining up in formation. One . of the soldiers begins dancing, and 20 seconds into the video the other . soldiers - who are suddenly wearing skis, standing on their heads or . wrapped up in sleeping bags on the ground - join in on the dance. Another . video sees the crew and animals of San Antonio Sea World, all bopping . their heads and shaking their fins to the beat of the tune. Many sports teams have also put out their own versions of the meme. In . a unique take on the video, the University of Georgia's swim team took . their camera under water to film their dance routine. The video sees the team sitting around a table at the bottom of a swimming pool. One swimmer wearing a Star Wars storm trooper helmet begins to dance, and then a group of his teammates suddenly joins in. Never too old: Residents of an American care home bravely attempt their own version of the dance . Party time: Members of the community look bored, before breaking into the Harlem Shake . At Clark Retirement Community, senior citizens bravely attempted their own adaptation of the dance. A video shows members of the community looking bored in the lobby, before they break out in a frenzy of smiles and dance moves. Celebrities have also tried their hand at the dance. Backstage at London Fashion Week, models Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn whip their hair to the catchy tune. And T-Pain posted his own take on the meme. In his video, which appears to take place in a game room in the rapper's home, T-Pain starts out by hula-hooping to the beat of the song. Hula shake: In a video posted by T-Pain, the rapper starts by hula-hooping to the beat of the song . Rhythm: When the beat comes in, a dancing crowd appears in the room, and the rapper - suddenly wearing a marching band outfit - busts a move in the centre of the group . But . when the beat comes in, a dancing crowd appears in the room, and the . rapper - suddenly wearing a marching band outfit - busts a move in the center of the group. Even the Sports Illustrated swimsuit models have produced their own version of the dance. In the video, blonde bombshell Kate Upton takes the lead as the girls bust a move under a Las Vegas sign. Baauer, who is set to perform at a . number of U.S. festivals this summer, thanks to his success, says he is . appreciative of the recognition he has received in the videos. He wrote on Reddit: 'At the end of . the day lots of new people are listening to my music,' he wrote. 'I'm . hoping that my music will speak for itself.' VIDEO: Speedo models do the Harlem Shake . VIDEO: The Norwegian army does the Harlem Shake . VIDEO: Cara Delevingne, Jourdan Sparks and Rosie Tapner do the Harlem Shake backstage at London Fashion Week . VIDEO: T-Pain does the Harlem Shake . VIDEO: Clark Retirement Community does the Harlem Shake .
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Clip of Speedo models doing the Harlem Shake is the latest to go viral .
Since craze began a month ago, Harlem Shake tributes have racked up 175m views .
Others to get involved include models Cara Delevingne and Jourdan Dunn, rapper T-Pain, DJ Carl Cox and the Norwegian army .
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(CNN) -- On the morning of her suicide on July 17, Zhou Jianrong came into work earlier than usual. No one knew what went through her head in those quiet hours before other workers arrived, but as CCTV footage later revealed, she first took 20 minutes to walk around the empty factory before leaping off the fourth floor window. The 49-year old was found dead shortly before 6 a.m., marking the end of her 12 years at the GCL Footwear factory. Zhou had just been fired the previous night for participating in a strike that was part of a long-running labor dispute. She was one of more than 100 workers sacked for their involvement. The tragedy of her death overshadows the surge of labor activism in China. Of the more than 1,000 recorded strikes and protests that took place from June 2011 to the end of 2013, 40% were amongst factory workers, according to employment watchdog China Labour Bulletin. Unlikely activism . In China, unions are sometimes ridiculed by Internet users as a "laoban gonghui," meaning they are the "boss' union." Every factory union belongs to the government-controlled All-China Federation of Trade Unions (ACFTU), a mega-institution with an extensive chain of command. "The ACFTU is first and foremost aligned to the Communist Party and secondly to the local government. It has never seen itself primarily as a workers' organization," says Geoffrey Crothall, a spokesperson for China Labour Bulletin. At GCL Footwear though, the factory union was heavily involved from the very first day of the strike, pushing owners to negotiate with the workers. Most surprisingly, workers directly elected the union vice-chairman, Luo Xiangxun, and according to him, the supervising trade union initially approved of their work. "In the past, elections of union leaders were controlled by the enterprise; workers can vote but not nominate. Often times, workers don't even know about the elections," says labor academic Wang Jiangsong. "This case is different." Such developments are fraught with uncertainties. On June 24, Luo was busy organizing workers when the supervising union suddenly pronounced his election illegal, detaining him for seven days. After his release, he has continued to lead workers, demanding their reinstatement. "The fact that we have seen individual trade union officials leading workers is a sign that the union is beginning to move in the right direction," says Crothall. He observes that the level of local union involvement in this case is unusual but not unique. In early March, trade union chairman of Walmart's Chengde store in Hebei Province led workers in a fight for fair compensation when the store closed down. And in May, women from the Japanese-owned Sumida factory in Guangzhou successfully formed a democratically elected union after some deliberation. Policy change . For now, these might just be isolated cases, but changes are also happening on a policy level. The Shenzhen Trade Union Federation announced in 2012 that it would move enterprise trade unions towards direct elections, beginning with 163 factories. On July 2, Xinhua reported that the Guangdong Federation of Trade Unions aims to have all enterprise unions become democratically elected within five years. Labor academic Wang Jiangsong thinks its premature to believe these efforts to democratize the unions will lead to real change, but he still sees it as a step in the right direction. "Good officials do exist in the government-controlled ACFTU and reform will begin with them," says Wang. "But most importantly, it is the bottom-up activism that puts pressure on the government to make changes." Wang explains that most workers have a deep-rooted mistrust of unions. When an issue arises, they often skip over them and organize through their hometown networks or social media instead. The government realizes the old way no longer works and is desperate to change the image of the ACFTU, opening enterprise unions for democratic election. Business interest . Activists have called for July 17, the day Zhou died, to be named "Chinese Laborers' Day of Suffering," but her suicide did not dampen the efforts of the factory workers who have filed for arbitration and are awaiting results. Recent developments are worrying some in the business community. A group of Hong Kong manufacturing and business associations have opposed a proposal by the Guangdong government to give workers the right to demand meetings with employers to negotiate for better benefits. One of the signers of the opposition, The Chinese Manufacturers' Association of Hong Kong turned down an interview request, but in an editorial for the China Daily, vice-president Eddy Li called the proposal "disastrous." He points out that China's import and export business has weakened in recent years, environmental policy has increased production costs and other labor requirements have already become a heavy burden for employers. Low-end producers . However, data released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) on July 27 shows that profits on a whole are rising. David Dollar, senior fellow of Thornton China Center at U.S. think tank Brookings Institution, explains that the growth of production is higher in the medium to high-tech sectors, where higher wages have pressured manufacturers to have productivity gain and move up the value chain -- a healthy structural change for the Chinese economy. However, in the low-end manufacturing sector, such as footwear or garment factories, it is very hard to find productivity gains and some of those sectors are starting to move out of China to Vietnam and Bangladesh. A survey of Pearl River Delta manufacturers by Standard Chartered suggests that while manufacturers prefer to move their business inland than to move it abroad, 13% will consider leaving China to save costs, most of which the study believes are low-end producers. Towards a domestic consumption economy . The government might not see this as a negative change -- China no longer wants to be in the market only for its cheap labor. Premier Li Keqiang has long championed a consumption-led economy. "China has now reached a point where it needs to rely more on consumption. It's the largest exporter in the world, so it's not realistic for it to grow much faster than the world market," says Dollar. He believes what's important for China now is reforms that will encourage consumptions. For that to happen, wages have to go up. "I view it as a positive thing that in recent years, wages have been rising very rapidly." Who needs who? The one-child policy has slowed down the growth of the labor force, and more young people are going to university rather than factory work. More than a decade ago, hundreds would line up outside a factory looking for work, but many manufacturers today struggle to find enough workers. With this labor shortage, better working conditions might just be a natural next step, as these days, it is the manufacturers who need workers and not the other way around. But with 260 million migrant workers in the country, this progress might take some time -- a progress that Zhou will not see. "It's obvious to me that Madam Zhou didn't fully understand her rights," says He Yuancheng, a legal adviser to former GCL Footwear workers. "If she was aware of her options and knew about the upcoming actions, she would not have jumped." He Yuancheng further speculates that Zhou might have been disheartened that the company fired her in a heartbeat despite her 12 years of service. He believes that would explain the 20 minutes she spent quietly circling the empty factory floor before she ended her life. For the remaining GCL Footwear workers though, He Yuancheng is optimistic. "Even if we don't win this arbitration, the workers will have contributed to the reform of the system."
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Labor unions in China are ridiculed for their impotence and are referred to as "boss' unions"
Bottom-up activism puts pressure on the government to make changes .
Nearly half of all protests between 2011-2013 were related to factory workers' rights .
China can no longer rely on cheap labor -- so what's next for "the world's factory"?
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When Kenny Lovelace took Molly Ryan to Coors Field to see the Colorado Rockies play the Arizona Diamondbacks last week, he had a diamond ring in his back pocket and a big plan. Lovelace had already informed Ryan's parents that he planned on asking Molly to be his wife and that he was going to project the romantic question on the stadium's jumbotron. Lovelace, the entire Ryan family, and secretly hired wedding photographer Kerinsa Mullins, made their way to the stadium for an unforgettable and comedic night. But their camera ready moment was ruined when a disgruntled old woman watching the game made her feelings known by flipping the bird to the camera. Kenny Lovelace(right) proposes to Molly Ryan(left) at Coors Field as an old woman (front) gives the middle finger to photographer, Kerinsa Mullins . : www.kerinsamarie.com . Kenny Lovelace proposed to Molly Ryan by projecting 'Will you marry me, Molly?' on the giant stadium jumbotron: . www.kerinsamarie.com . The couple enjoyed a romantic evening despite being flipped off by the old lady in some of the photographs taken by Kerinsa Mullins: www.kerinsamarie.com . Molly Ryan knew that Lovelace was going to propose to her at some point but didn't know exactly when. According to coverage from WTOP, hours earlier at a taco bell, Molly picked up a hot sauce packet that read, 'will you marry me?' She reportedly threw the hot sauce packet at Lovelace and said, 'See? even Taco Bell thinks you should marry me.' When the family arrived at the game, everything was set for the jumbo plan. Kerinsa Mullins and her husband were standing a few rows away from the family ready to snap of photo of Lovelace and Ryan the moment he popped the question. Not Planned was the fact that the photographer was going to be seated near an older couple who wanted to watch the game and nothing but the game. As soon as the jumbotron flashed, 'Will you marry me, Molly?' the photographer stood up to take a photo of the proposal and the grouchy older couple yelled at her to sit down. Upon taking the photograph, Mullins explained to the elderly couple that she was only standing monetarily to photograph the proposal. Lovelace dropped to his knee. Molly Ryan said, 'Yes!' and the crowd cheered. 'He got down on one knee and that's when I realized it was me and I just started crying and it was a great moment,' Ryan says. Molly Ryan displays her new engagement ring after Kenny Lovelace proposed to her for the entire Colorado stadium to see . The older woman seated near Mullins was none too pleased. Another person who was with the older couple even called over a security guard because she couldn't return to her seat. Mullins received glares. 'They kept yelling at me and I just ignored them because I was there to do a job and I did not want to miss something that would be so brief and so important,' Mullins says. Once the security guard came over to Mullins, she moved out of the unhappy trio's way. It wasn't until the next day that Mullins found an unwanted surprise in an otherwise romantic photograph of Lovelace and Ryan. 'in about 20 of them, she and her friend are giving me the stink eye,' Mullins says. Molly Ryan's facebook page humorously displays Kerinsa Mullin's photo as her profile picture . In one of the photos the older woman is pictured flipping her middle finger at the camera. Mullins was worried the couple might be disappointed at first, but Ryan was extremely amused. 'I couldn't stop laughing. I said it was the greatest photo I've ever seen...There is a girl sitting behind us that is so excited for us. My mom is crying, I'm crying, and Ken's nervous and then there's this lady flipping us off,' says Ryan. Ryan Joked about making the photo a 'save the date' magnet for friends and family. While some friends were sad for Ryan that the old woman may have ruined her special moment, Ryan maintained her sense of humor and poise. Ryan is quoted as saying that is she finds out the identity of the curmudgeon she'd like to, 'make her famous.'She has even offered to invite the old lady to the wedding. 'I would love for her to appear in one of my pictures at the wedding. That would be terrific,' Ryan says. The photo of the woman flipping off her finger is now Molly Ryan's profile photo on facebook. The Old woman has yet to reveal her mysterious identity.
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'Will you marry me, Molly?' read the stadium jumbotron .
Just hours earlier at a taco bell, Molly coincidentally picked up a hot sauce packet that said, 'will you marry me?'
An elderly trio in the crowd were so angry at the photographer for blocking their view that they called security to move her .
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(CNN) -- The White House found itself on the defensive Friday over what would ordinarily be considered the most uncontroversial of events: a back-to-school speech to the nation's children. The White House says President Obama's address next week to schoolchildren isn't a policy speech. The White House said the address, set for Tuesday, and accompanying suggested lesson plans are simply meant to encourage students to study hard and stay in school. Many conservative parents aren't buying it. They're convinced the president is going to use the opportunity to press a partisan political agenda on impressionable young minds. "Thinking about my kids in school having to listen to that just really upsets me," suburban Colorado mother Shanneen Barron told CNN Denver affiliate KMGH. "I'm an American. They are Americans, and I don't feel that's OK. I feel very scared to be in this country with our leadership right now." Watch how some parents are upset » . School administrators are caught in the middle of the controversy. Some have decided to show the president's speech, while others will not. Many, such as Wellesley, Massachusetts, superintendent Bella Wong, are deciding on a class-by-class basis, leaving the decision in the hands of individual teachers. "The president of the United States has asked us to facilitate his outreach to students. And in that vein, we have decided to honor the request," Wong told CNN. "We'll trust in his judgment." Republican leaders have not shied away from the debate. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, a possible contender for the GOP's 2012 presidential nomination, said Friday the classroom is no place to show a video address from Obama. Watch the debate over the president's speech » . "At a minimum it's disruptive. Number two, it's uninvited. And number three, if people would like to hear his message they can, on a voluntary basis, go to YouTube or some other source and get it. I don't think he needs to force it upon the nation's school children," he told reporters at the Minnesota State fair. Florida GOP Chairman Jim Greer released a statement this week accusing Obama of using taxpayer money to "indoctrinate" children. "As the father of four children, I am absolutely appalled that taxpayer dollars are being used to spread President Obama's socialist ideology," Greer said. "The idea that school children across our nation will be forced to watch the president justify his plans ... is not only infuriating, but goes against beliefs of the majority of Americans, while bypassing American parents through an invasive abuse of power." Watch why some conservatives are angered by Obama's school speech » . Nonsense, the White House replied. "The goal of the speech and the lesson plans is to challenge students to work hard, stay in school and dramatically reduce the dropout rate," an administration spokesman said. "This isn't a policy speech. It's a speech designed to encourage kids to stay in school." White House officials noted that Obama's speech, which will be available for anyone to view on the Web on Monday, is not unprecedented. President George H.W. Bush delivered a nationally televised speech to students from a Washington D.C., school in the fall of 1991, encouraging them to say no to drugs and work hard. In November 1988, President Ronald Reagan delivered more politically charged remarks that were made available to students nationwide. Among other things, Reagan called taxes "such a penalty on people that there's no incentive for them to prosper ... because they have to give so much to the government." Charles Saylors, president of the national Parent Teacher Association, said the uproar over Obama's speech is "sad." "The president of the United States, regardless of political affiliation, should be able to have a presentation and have a pep talk, if you will, to America's students," he told CNN. Some of the controversy surrounding Obama's speech stems from a proposed lesson plan created by the Education Department to accompany the address. An initial version of the plan recommended that students draft letters to themselves discussing "what they can do to help the president." The letters "would be collected and redistributed at an appropriate later date by the teacher to make students accountable to their goals," the plan stated. After pressure from conservatives, the White House said that the plan was not artfully worded, and distributed a revised version encouraging students to write letters about how they can "achieve their short-term and long-term education goals." A number of the president's critics, however, were not placated. "As far as I'm concerned this is not civics education -- it gives the appearance of creating a cult of personality," said Oklahoma state Sen. Steve Russell, a Republican. White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs dismissed the whole dispute Friday as part of "the silly season." The administration, while acknowledging it made a mistake with the initial lesson plan, has been frustrated by the controversy, said CNN Senior White House Correspondent Ed Henry. It was a much different atmosphere when Bush made similar remarks 18 years ago, Henry noted. "Let's face it. You didn't really have blogs. You didn't have as many cable networks out there as you do now," Henry said. "I think people just sort of take something and blow it out of proportion in this environment right now." The controversy is the latest example of how sharply polarized political debate has become. "Ninety percent of Americans who identify with the president's party approve of him, but 85 percent of those who belong to the opposition party disapprove," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "In that kind of environment, almost nothing Obama does is immune from politics."
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National PTA president calls uproar over President Obama's speech sad .
Conservatives object to Obama's speech to schoolchildren, say it's propaganda .
Educators find themselves at center of debate over next week's address .
White House says speech will urge students to study hard and stay in school .
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26adc2df3518a544f656435b28c3fff42c9da317
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By . Louise Boyle . PUBLISHED: . 13:26 EST, 14 November 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 13:44 EST, 14 November 2013 . The family of a young father have revealed their heartache as he serves a life sentence - for stealing a power tool. Patrick W. Matthews was jailed in . 2009 at the age of 22, for stealing a $750 welding machine, some . tools and a generator, according to court documents. Matthews, who has a history of drug abuse, was sentenced to life in a Louisiana prison for his crimes. His case has come to light after a report was released this week by the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) which shows the shocking number of non-violent offenders who are facing the rest of their lives in jail for relatively small-time offenses. Patrick Matthews with his family, pictured with his young children Blayton and Hayley, was jailed for life in 2009 in Louisiana for stealing a power-tool. Matthews, now 25, is serving a life term for his crime . Matthews, who had been using meth and heroin since he was a teenager, was sentenced under Louisiana's Habitual Offender law. The harsh sentence came because the young man had prior convictions - one for stealing from a pawn shop and another from a fruit stand while he was a teenager and high on meth. Matthews had never spent a day in jail before he was sentenced to a life term. The father, who has a son Blayton, eight, and six-year-old daughter Hayley, told the ACLU: 'I never in the world would've . thought that could happen. 'Made one mistake . and was treated like a murderer.' His mother Catherine Matthews said that her son's jail time was tantamount to a death sentence. She also told the ACLU: 'To . see your child get life without parole at 22 years old has to be the . most gut-wrenching feeling that you could ever feel. 'Because it's like giving him a death sentence. Because there's no life - no life for a man, with his children or his parents, or anybody else . once they're in there.' His appeal against the harsh sentence at the Louisiana State court was rejected in 2010. Matthews, pictured with his mother Catherine and his son, had never spent a day in prison before he was jailed for life . His defense said the crimes were property thefts committed by a drug addict. But the judge did not agree, saying that the defendant's crimes had left the victims 'distraught' and that 'downward departures' from mandatory minimums should rarely be made. The ACLU investigation reveals 3,278 people are incarcerated in the U.S. for minor offenses and 65 per cent of the inmates are black. Among other offenses that have led to life terms are stealing a $159 jacket, carrying drugs for an abusive boyfriend and having someone hide illegal substances in your home. The cost of keeping these inmates behind bars runs into millions for the taxpayer.
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Patrick W. Matthews was jailed in .
2009 at the age of 22, for stealing a $750 welding machine in Lousiana .
He was convicted under Habitual Offender Law - because he robbed a fruit stand as a teenager with a drug problem .
3,278 people are incarcerated in the U.S. for minor offenses and 65% of inmates are black, according to ACLU .
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Women are more likely to wear black on a Monday than any other day of the week, according to research by Tu at Sainsbury's (file picture) For some it reflects their downbeat mood as the working week begins, for others it is a way to get themselves in the right frame of mind. But women are more likely to wear black on a Monday than any other day, according to research. They generally dress in darker colours early on but then brighten up their clothes as the week goes on. A study of 2,000 women carried out by Tu at Sainsbury's to mark the tenth anniversary of the supermarket chain brand also found that one in five pick different colours for different days. The feeling that bright clothes reflect a happier outlook and have the ability to lift mood was the strongest reason cited for choosing colourful outfits ahead of the weekend. Anna Clarke, head of womenswear buying for Tu at Sainsbury's, said: 'The links between colour and mood are well established and looking vibrant can encourage the same feeling in the wearer. 'Black clothing will always have its place but embracing colour and being adventurous with your style can have added bonuses on our happiness levels. 'Whatever the essentials a woman swears by, the results show that finding your confidence and the colours that work for you only grows with age.' The study also found that black is currently the most-worn colour, followed by blue. It also emerged that the choice of a black outfit can boost a woman's confidence. The second most popular confidence-boosting colour is red. The study also discovered a woman's clothes confidence grows with age. As well as colours and confidence, the research also examined the dramatic changes in fashion over the last ten years and revealed women's favourite fashion innovations. Skinny and slim cut jeans came top followed by ultra high heels, large handbags and big sunglasses. Wearing trainers for fashion rather than sport or exercise also made the list. Bolder prints, clashing prints, oversized jumpers and bright colours also made the hall of fame. And while trends are always changing, some things really do stand the test of time - six in 10 women have an item of clothing they've owned for more than 10 years, results showed. The study of fashion attitudes also found certain items transcend time and compiled women's top 20 wardrobe essentials - a black cardigan emerged as the most voted for item followed by a little black dress and skinny jeans. The feeling that bright clothes reflect a happier outlook and have the ability to lift mood was the strongest reason cited for choosing colourful outfits ahead of the weekend, the study by Sainsbury's found (file picture) A maxi dress and a push-up bra were also deemed to be 'must-haves' for any modern woman's clothing repertoire. While denim jackets, neutral wedges and a white shirt can also be found among the top 20 wardrobe essentials. Ms Clarke added: 'The study shows the strength of correlation between how a woman feels and the colours she chooses to dress herself in. 'Black is a very versatile colour and can help generate a working mind-set as the results clearly show but it's interesting to see that when it comes to feeling good and more positive a splash of colour really does make the difference. 'There was a clear trend towards wearing more colour towards the end of the week and a visible boost to a woman's mood when wearing brighter colours.'
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Study of 2,000 women found that most are likely to wear black on Monday .
One in five women pick different colours for different days, research shows .
Study by Tu at Sainsbury's also found that black is the most worn colour .
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(CNN) -- Police in Nigeria's capital Tuesday made a U-turn, saying a ban on protests in support of the more than 200 girls kidnapped in April does not exist. The ban was issued one day earlier by Commissioner Joseph Mbu. "The Police High Command wishes to inform the general public that the Force has not issued any order banning peaceful assemblies/protests anywhere in Nigeria," his office said in a statement. "It notes however that against the backdrop of current security challenges in the country, coupled with a recent intelligence report of a likely infiltration and hijack of otherwise innocuous and peaceful protests by some criminal elements having links with insurgents, the Police only issued advisory notice, enjoining citizens to apply caution in the said rallies, particularly in the Federal Capital Territory and its environs," the statement read. On Monday, the commissioner said the proliferation of such protests was "posing a serious security threat" in the capital city of Abuja. "Information reaching us is that too soon dangerous elements will join the groups under the guise of protest and detonate explosive(s) aimed at embarrassing the government. Accordingly protests on the Chibok Girls is hereby banned with immediate effect," his office said in its original statement. More than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped in northern Nigeria in April by Boko Haram, an act that drew international condemnation. The terror group abducted an estimated 276 girls on April 14 from a boarding school in Chibok. Dozens escaped, but more than 200 girls are still missing. Nigerians and others have accused their government of not acting swiftly or efficiently enough to protect the girls seized in the dead of night. Authorities' apparent change of heart came after an outcry on the part of protesters. One group, #BringBackOurGirls, threatened legal action. "Our Movement is legitimate and lawful and cannot be arrested by the police whose responsibility is to enforce, not betray the law," it said in a statement. An adviser to Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan sought to explain the apparent contradiction. "This present administration has never, ever tried to violate anybody's rights. We believe in human rights, we believe in citizens' rights," Doyin Okupe told CNN's Isha Sesay. "The police command has come to further clear the statement." "The ban that the commissioner of police in Abuja proclaimed is like asking people, look, before you go on a protest, you have to come to the police, to come and clear with the police and let us work together to ensure that nobody's life is in danger," he said. Boko Haram translates as "Western education is a sin" in the Hausa language. The militant group says its aim is to impose a stricter enforcement of Sharia law across Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, which is split between a majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south. The military actually knows where the girls are, "but as you will understand, you just cannot storm a place like that," Okupe said. He added: "I believe that by God's grace, we are very near the end of this whole unfortunate saga." CNN's Nana Karikari-apau, Salma Abdelaziz and journalist Aminu Abubakar contributed to this report.
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The ban was on protests in support of more than 200 kidnapped girls .
Police: Citizens should "apply caution" at such rallies .
The schoolgirls were kidnapped from northern Nigeria in April .
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One Direction may have scored a hit with the Best Song Ever, but it seems the best Christmas gift ever is a ticket to one of their upcoming concerts. Indeed, YouTube has been inundated over the past few days with videos of the joyous and sometimes outright hysterical reactions of young girls surprised under the tree with passes to see the British pop sensation. Uploaded by parents from America and across the world, each clip plays out in the same way - as a card is opened only to be followed in a split second of realization by ultrasonic screaming from the grateful daughter. Sometimes tears follow, or the tears turn to laughter as the shaking recipient thanks their mom and dad for the chance Harry Styles and the rest in the flesh. In some cases the girls and one boy cannot even find the words to express their happiness making up unusual but heartfelt Christmas scenes. Even better are the looks of happiness from the parents as they bask in the glory of having made that Christmas truly special. Scroll Down for Videos . A Christmas gift for you: This girl's board game was interrupted by an unusual envelope in which she realizes are One Direction tickets . Thanks dad! It all gets too much for the girl and she breaks down into tears as her dad goes to hug her on Christmas Day . What could be inside? This girl opens her Christmas present with an obvious air of anticipation but is she ready? Not ready: The girl breaks down in floods of tears as she is gifted her One Direction tickets by her happy parents . Keeping calm: This girl manages to completely lose the plot when she sees the name on the tickets she got on Christmas Day . Deep breaths: The girl struggles to keep calm as she intermittently screams out loud in excitement at the prospect of seeing the British pop idols . OMG: This girl and her sister let out screams followed by tears when they realize One Direction concerts are on the way . Opening presents: Christmas morning for this girl is about to change as she opens an envelope her mother gave her . Happy: The girl recoils in joy and has to cover her mouth as she begins to cry knowing that she is the owner of One Direction tickets . Singers Harry Styles, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Louis Tomlinson and Zayn Malik of the musical group One Direction accept the award for pop/rock band, duo or group on stage at the 42nd annual American Music Awards at Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles . Thank you! This young girls Christmas surprise is all a little too much for her to take and reduces her to tears . Grateful: This girls brother seems just as happy as his sister when she opens up her tickets to see the boy band . Good grief: This young girl is surrounded by her family while she gets the best Christmas present ever . Joy: This girl goes fetal after she gets the Christmas present of One Direction tickets from her parents . Yes! This little boy has got the Christmas gift of his dreams - tickets to see One Direction!
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Videos uploaded online of girls freaking out at their Christmas gift .
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bab87efacb25b9a7844d9df56126760d41a0a48f
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Police arrested a 14-year-old Dutch girl Monday after she tweeted a terror threat to American Airlines that catapulted her into social media fame overnight. A Twitter user calling herself Sarah with the handle @QueenDemetriax_ tweeted "@AmericanAir hello my name's Ibrahim and I'm from Afghanistan. I'm part of Al Qaida and on June 1st I'm gonna do something really big bye." American Airlines responded swiftly from their official Twitter account saying "@QueenDemetriax_ Sarah, we take these threats very seriously. Your IP address and details will be forwarded to security and the FBI." Moments later, in a series of tweets, the girl pleaded with the airline, writing "I'm just a girl" and claiming the threat was a joke made by her friend. The teenager turned herself in at a police station in the Dutch port city of Rotterdam on Monday afternoon after authorities launched an investigation into her whereabouts, Wessel Stolle, a Rotterdam police department spokesman told CNN. "The assumption made by her tweets was taken seriously, and I may add that it is a rather alarming threat," Stolle said. The girl has been charged with "posting a false or alarming announcement" under Dutch law, but the consequences of the accusation remain unclear. "She will be questioned for the next couple of hours and after that she might be sent home during the investigation," Stolle said. "We do not know yet. That will have to come out of the investigation." Rotterdam police said they are in contact with several agencies, but did not confirm if the FBI or any other American agency may be involved in the investigation. American Airlines stood by their actions Monday despite the girl's appeals on Twitter, including one message that reportedly read "I'm so sorry I'm scared now." "At American, the safety of our passengers and crew is our top priority. We take security matters very seriously and work with authorities on a case-by-case basis," American spokesman Matt Miller told CNN. "American's response was taken down per our standard procedures. In this type of situation, we flag the conversation with the proper authorities and then take down the message(s)." Twitter has suspended the account associated with "@QueenDemetriax_." Twitter doesn't allow users to "make direct, specific threats of violence against others," according to its abusive behavior policy, which is part of its Twitter rules. Former flight attendant gets prison for bomb threats .
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Teen from Rotterdam threatens American Airlines via Twitter .
She pretended to be a member of al Qaeda named Ibrahim .
Threatening anyone via Twitter violates the company's policies .
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a2a48f90f406018fa369262d1601499431be847d
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(CNN) -- An elaborate kidnapping plot that targeted a Wake Forest, North Carolina, man ended with his dramatic rescue in Atlanta by an FBI hostage squad about midnight Wednesday, law enforcement said Thursday. Frank Arthur Janssen is receiving medical treatment but is safe after being held captive for five days by five people who face federal kidnapping charges, according to law enforcement officials who held a news conference in Wake Forest. The kidnappers sent demands to Janssen's family "for the benefit" of Kelvin Melton, an inmate at Polk Correctional Institution in Butner, North Carolina, read an affidavit in support of a search warrant related to criminal complaints against the defendants. Melton is serving a life sentence without parole, said FBI North Carolina Special Agent John Strong. It was not immediately clear for what. Janssen's daughter, an assistant district attorney in Wake County, had prosecuted Melton, officials said. The affidavit details threats sent via text to Janssen's wife and daughters, a drama that underscores Strong's description of the kidnappers at the news conference. He called them "very dangerous people." On Monday at 1:51 a.m., Janssen's wife, Christie, began to receive text messages from a phone number with an Atlanta area code, the affidavit says. The messages said her husband had been kidnapped. One text said her husband was in the trunk of a car en route to California. Another threatened her, saying that if she contacted law enforcement, "we will send (Janssen) back to you in 6 boxes and every chance we get we will take someone in your family to Italy and torture and kill them ... we will do a drive by and gun down anybody...and throw a grenade in your window." If the kidnappers' demands were not met, her husband would be hurt, the texts promised. The five facing charges are: Jenna Paulin Martin, Tiana Maynard, Clifton James Roberts and Jevante Price -- also known as "Flame" -- and Michael Montreal Gooden -- also known as "Hot" -- according to court documents. Don Connelly, law enforcement coordinator with the U.S. attorney's office, said pleas have not been entered. Authorities said that none of the defendants has retained counsel. Threatening texts to wife . On April 5, a woman knocked on Janssen's door, and when he opened it, several people jumped him and used a Taser to subdue him, according to the affidavit. The attackers dragged him to their car and took off, crossing into Georgia, the document shows. Janssen's wife knew that her husband was going out for a bike ride Saturday, but when she came home that day after a shopping outing to find he'd not returned, she grew alarmed, according to a news release from Wake Forest. She saw what appeared to be drops of blood outside their house, it said, and called police. On April 9, Christie Janssen received another text from a different number that also had an Atlanta area code, the affidavit said. That message included a photo of her husband bound and seated in a chair. Another text came: "Tomorrow we will call you again an (sic) if you can not tell me where my things are at tomorrow i will start torchering (sic)" Frank Janssen. "If we find out the police seen this will kill both people now and go for you (sic) family," the text read, suggesting that another person had been abducted. One of the numbers connected to the kidnapping was identified as transmitting messages from Polk Correctional Institution, according to the affidavit, and the user of that particular number placed 99 calls to Melton's daughters. Melton's girlfriend told law enforcement that that number belonged to the inmate, the affidavit said. 'Get a bag, put it over his head' Law enforcement monitored calls between that number and another involved in the kidnapping, the affidavit detailed. According to the document, two male callers could be heard saying: . "The first spot we are checking out is close to the house." "We want to make sure it's in a secluded area and the ground is soft so we can go 3 feet deep." "Get a bag, put it over his head, and stuff something in his mouth." "However you feel like doing it, just do it." "Make sure to clean the area up. Don't leave anything. Don't leave any DNA behind." "Get some night time medication and make him go to sleep." "Make him drink the whole bottle of Nyquil." "Let's do it in the wee hours of the morning." "Make sure it is not a half-assed job. Get bleach and throw it on the walls. Maybe do it in the closet." After that conversation, authorities tried to enter Melton's prison cell to find the phone number used in the communications. Melton tried to bar the door and smashed the phone, the affidavit says. Later, at 10:40 p.m. April 9, law enforcement monitored a conversation between two callers who stated, "FBI helicopters are outside. We gotta get rid of holmes." A woman can be heard saying, "I'm not going anywhere, FBI are all over." While the search was on for Janssen in Atlanta, law enforcement traced one of the phone numbers to a residence in Austell, Georgia, belonging to Tiana Maynard. She was not there, but her children were, and law enforcement took them into protective custody, the affidavit said. Shortly after Janssen was rescued, Clifton Roberts drove a blue Chevy Tahoe with Maynard and Jenna Martin to a police station to get Maynard's children. Inside the Tahoe, law enforcement saw picks, shovels and a .45-caliber pistol, according to the affidavit. In connection with the search of Atlanta residences linked to the threatening text messages, officers questioned Price and Gooden, the affidavit details. Price "revealed his awareness of the kidnapping and acknowledged that he and Gooden were supposed to be the 'night watch' over the victim," the document states. Price led agents to the Forest Cove apartment complex in southeast Atlanta, where Janssen was rescued, according to officials. A father reunited with family, a shaken DA office . Janssen has been reunited with his family, officials said Thursday. After he was freed, doctors evaluated him, Strong said, adding that he is receiving medical care. The FBI in Charlotte and Atlanta, the Wake Forest Police Department and the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation are continuing to investigate the case, along with other law enforcement agencies in North Carolina and Georgia. Ned Mangum, district attorney for Wake County confirmed to CNN that Colleen Janssen works in his office. "This is different from anything we've ever had to my knowledge in the state of North Carolina," he said. "I've been in this court house for 16 years, and unfortunately, from time to time, there are threats made to courthouse officials. You rarely see threats against people's family and certainly rarely see something with this much precision." He said his staff is "incredibly professional" and handles serious cases, but "this one really affected us because it's one of our own," he said. "I've never seen our office as anxious as the past several days, and I'm so proud of them for not saying anything to compromise the investigation."
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FBI: Frank Arthur Janssen was abducted from his home five days ago .
FBI rescue team freed him from an Atlanta apartment building Wednesday .
Demands sent for "benefit" of inmate whom daughter prosecuted, officials say .
Five people face federal kidnapping charges, law enforcement officials say .
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London (CNN) -- Il Rottomatore -- or "the demolition man" -- is how Italy's incoming prime minister has come to be known, thanks in part to his pugnacious approach to politics. Matteo Renzi's nickname hardly bodes well for drumming up support in one of the most fractious governing systems on the planet, one which has speared all but one of its governments since World War II. Then again, the 39-year-old's backers say this football-fan Mayor of Florence is precisely the breath of fresh air needed in Rome's stuffy halls of power. Neither an MP nor an elected premier, Renzi has managed to wrest control of the party's leadership by promising to smash the gridlocked reform process and shift its axis to the center. How he thinks he will manage to garner more support than career politicians, like his predecessor Enrico Letta, is as yet unclear. What's more: Renzi had initially vowed only to seek the top job through the ballot box and not a leadership contest, meaning some are skeptical about what he stands for. ''What Renzi's done is gutsy,'' says Giuseppe Ragusa of the Luiss Guido Carli University in Rome. ''But he is not going to have the public's support; he doesn't have the votes from the electoral poll. So this is going to be a difficulty. Instead Ragusa says Italy is hoping that by virtue of his youth and dynamism Renzi will have the energy ''to do something very quickly." Something, being the optimal word. Italy has been crying out for a plausible, long-term economic agenda for years, leaving the country wholly unprepared for the economic slump of recent years. Often described as his country's answer to Tony Blair, Renzi is good at talking the big picture, which is probably just as well because Italy's problems aren't small. First there's a two trillion-euro debt pile to shrink, record unemployment, crippling and antiquated labor laws not to mention stifling business and payroll taxes. Still, top of the list for Renzi, will be moves to create the kind of political stability where such measures can actually take hold. This means ploughing on with plans to reform the parliamentary system in a move which is likely to cost the country its upper house -- or senate -- in its current form. However, Renzi may be on a collision course with Brussels after suggesting the EU give his nation some leeway to breach its 3% limit on the budget deficit in order to support a recent return to growth. Vincenzo Scarpetta of London-based think tank Open Europe says Renzi will have to prove himself on the international stage. ''He is relatively little known compared to his two predecessors,'' says Scarpetta. ''So he will have to act quickly.'' Yet if anything, Renzi is a long distance player. A marathon runner and keen sportsman, Renzi already has an eye on the distant horizon -- saying he wishes to see this term through until the next election in 2018. Addressing reporters after being asked to form a government by Italy's President -- as protocol dictates -- Renzi said it would likely take a few days to get his key people in place. ''But I assure you,'' he said, ''I will give this commitment all the energy I have.'' Commitment is something this former boy scout is known for and at less than half of the age of Silvio Berlusconi, Renzi certainly has energy. But he'll need more than stamina to succeed. Above all, he must find support. READ MORE: Is Matteo Renzi ready to be Italy's PM? WATCH MORE: The future of Europe's economy .
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Matteo Renzi is incoming PM of Italy, a country with a fractious governing system .
It's not clear how the 39-year-old will garner more support than his predecessors .
The country has problems including its two trillion euro debt pile and high unemployment .
But Renzi has shown he is a long-distance player -- and has youth and stamina on his side .
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If remembering your four digit PIN is confusing, things are about to get a lot worse. Researchers have unveiled a new, safer system using colours and symbols as well as numbers. They say it could cut ATM fraud dramatically. The keypad of the future? The colours and symbols move around each time the pad is used, and are displayed on its screen . A user chooses a PIN with a combination of numbers, colours and shapes/symbols: for example - 3, square, pink, flag. Each . time that the user has to input their pin, the colours and symbols . randomly change position on the keypad, so you’re never pressing . the same sequence of keys. Called Tri-Pin, the idea came to inventor Glynn Reynolds after a friend was a victim of ATM fraud. 'Tri-pin is a very simple, but effective idea with a higher level of security than traditional PINs,' he said. The system would avoid many current practices used by fraudster to steal PIN numbers, such as 'shoulder surfing' to see which keys are being pressed. Because different keys would be pressed every time a withdrawl was made, it would be impossible to find a PIN without seeing the screen and keypad clearly. 'It looks like much like any other 10 digit . keypad, but instead of each button having just a number, they also have . a colour and a symbol/shape,' the firm says. A user chooses a PIN with a combination of numbers, colours and shapes/symbols:,for example - 3, square, pink, flag. The new system could end the practise of 'shoulder surfing' ATM fraud, its inventors claim . Each . time that the user has to input their pin, the colours and symbols . randomly change position on the keypad, so you’re never pressing . the same sequence of keys. It could also be used to unlock smartphones, tablets and even doors, the firm says. 'The great thing about TRI-PIN is that it's a software solution, so if it was available on Apple/Android, all you need to do is update current devices rather than upgrade or change them,' said Reynolds. The first company to use TRI-PIN is Lunabee on there oneSafe app on iPhone, iPad and Mac. The system could be used on existing ATM machines by updating their software .
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System could also be used on phones and tablet .
Users choose a code that includes a colour, shape and symbol as well as numbers .
Colours and symbols randomly change position on the ATM keypad .
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By . Lizzie Edmonds . PUBLISHED: . 13:36 EST, 23 January 2014 . | . UPDATED: . 14:37 EST, 23 January 2014 . These pictures show serial killer Joanna Dennehy and one of her alleged accomplices walking hand in hand through a service station while police were searching for the pair. In CCTV footage shown to jurors at Cambridge Crown Court today, the 31-year-old murderer and 7ft 3in Gary 'Stretch' Richards can be seen wandering through Strensham services off the M5 motorway, south of Worcester. In the pictures, filmed at 8.43am on April 2 last year, Richards is seen putting his arm around the killer. Scroll down for video . CCTV footage of triple killer Joanna Dennehy holding hands with one of her alleged accomplices was shown to a jury today . The pair can be seen casually walking through Strensham service station off the M5 in the footage . Dennehy, who has a pair of handcuffs attached to her jeans, then waits for him outside the toilets. After about 10 minutes inside the service station, they head outside before driving to Hereford in a Vauxhall Astra. Later that day, Dennehy randomly selected and repeatedly stabbed two strangers, Robin Bereza and John Rogers, as they walked their dogs in Hereford, the court has heard. The two survived the attack. By that point Dennehy and Richards were wanted by police following the discovery of the body of Kevin Lee near Peterborough the previous day. A farmer discovered the bodies of two other victims Lucasz Slaboszewski and John Chapman in a ditch on April 3. Cambridge Crown Court has heard how Dennehy, pictured, drove to Hereford soon after this footage and stabbed two random strangers . Gary 'Stretch' Richards, seen with his arm around the killer, denies two counts of attempted murder . Richards is accused of driving 140 miles from Cambridgeshire to Hereford, passing through Suffolk, Norfolk and Leicestershire, with Dennehy in search of victims after she told him: 'I want to have my fun.' Dennehy, of Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, has admitted murdering Mr Slaboszewski, 31, Mr Chapman, 56, and Mr Lee, 48. She has also admitted the attempted murders of Mr Bereza and Mr Rogers and preventing the lawful and decent burial of all three murder victims. Earlier this week, pictures of Dennehy, 31, posing with a knife while wanted by police were shown to the jury . In another photo the killer is pictured with her top lifted, exposing her underwear . Alleged co-conspirator Gary 'Stretch' Richards poses for a photo . Richards, 47, of Riseholme, Orton Goldhay, Peterborough, has denied three charges of preventing the lawful burial of all three men and two counts of attempted murder. Layton, 36, of Bifield, Orton Goldhay, has denied perverting the course of justice and two counts of preventing the lawful burial of the bodies of Mr Chapman and Mr Lee. A third man, Robert Moore, 55, of Belvoir Way, Peterborough, has admitted assisting an offender and is also awaiting sentence. The trial of Stretch and Layton continues on Monday with the court hearing their defence. Dennehy has admitted killing Lukasz Slaboszewski (left) and John Chapman . The woman's final victim was Kevin Lee - whose body was found in a ditch in April last year . Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.
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Joanna Dennehy and Gary 'Stretch' Richards seen walking hand in hand through Strensham services off the M5 motorway .
Later that day serial killer Dennehy selected and stabbed two strangers .
Woman has admitted attempted murder of two and murder of three others .
Richards denies two counts of attempted murder and is on trial at Cambridge Crown Court .
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By . Nina Golgowski . PUBLISHED: . 13:40 EST, 26 March 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 15:18 EST, 26 March 2013 . A 21-year-old Michigan man flagged down to help a woman who . had just given birth on the side of the road is being credited for saving her baby's life after successfully performing CPR on the . child. Ryan Cornelissen, 21, says he was driving to the bank in Macomb Township on March 16th when he discovered the baby's frantic father on the side of the road, signaling him to stop. Pulling his car to the side, the troubled man, who appeared to speak only a little English, immediately handed him a phone already connected to 911. SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO . Unexpected: Ryan Cornelissen, 21, says it was the child's father standing on the side of the road waving for help that led him to find the woman who had just given birth on the side of the road . Saved: The college student did exactly as police dispatch told him to do, gently tilting the baby's head back and performing CPR, which got this little girl breathing . Looking inside the car, Mr Cornelissen discovered the man's wife and his newborn daughter who didn't appear to be breathing. 'Something’s wrong with his wife, he doesn’t speak very good English. He stopped me on the side of the road,' Mr Cornelissen is heard saying in the 911 call obtained by WDIV. Looking inside the car he says he saw the woman seated in the front seat with a blanket. Also with her, the head of a newborn baby girl. 'She just had a baby,' Mr Cornelissen calmly tells police as a woman's cries are heard behind him. 'She just had a baby?' dispatch asks. 'Yeah,' he answers. What happened next, however, took a lot more from him than just pulling over and talking to 911. Realizing the baby wasn't breathing, dispatch informed him that he'd have to perform CPR. Help: It was on the road that Mr Cornelissen discovered the father and his wife needing help for their baby who wasn't breathing . Relief: The baby is pictured shortly after with her mother in the hospital, a stay that will last several weeks as she improves . Mr Cornelissen, a man who weighs 290lbs and played football in high school, was told to take the baby’s tiny head in his hands - a child weighing a mere 3lbs, 8oz - and do exactly as they instructed. 'Tilt its head back just a little, but not too much, OK? ... You're going to cover the baby's nose and mouth with your mouth,' a dispatcher instructs him. 'I did the second breath and I stepped back and he goes, "is the baby breathing?" I said no. And then all of a sudden the baby made a crying face.' 'Yes!' Mr Cornelissen is heard exclaiming in the phone call. 'I remember the face to a T,' he later said before making a scrunched up wailing face and then smiling. 'That was the face. I swear to God. That was the face. It was awesome.' The baby is said to be doing fine but will have to stay in the hospital for several weeks. In the meantime the baby's parents have already welcomed Mr Cornelissen into their home and say they hope he'll stay in their little girl's life. Meeting: Mr Cornelissen meets the baby's father for the first time, in an emotional reunion the father says he hopes won't be the first . Premature: The little girl was born premature, weighing just 3lb, 8oz but is said to be doing well . No big deal: Mr Cornelissen, a local college student hoping to one day become a police officer himself, says that he doesn't think what he did was a big deal . Seen greeting the new dad outside his home, the father embraced him with a big hug telling him, 'I'm very happy to see you again.' He then whipped out his digital camera and showed Mr Cornelissen a number of pictures since taken of his little girl. In one photo, taken next to her mother, the baby’s seen wearing a bright pink bow in her black hair. 'I didn't think it was that big of a deal but apparently everyone else does,' Mr Cornelissen laughed. Mr Cornelissen is currently a student at Macomb County Community College but he hopes to become a police officer one day. WATCH THE VIDEO HERE: . video platformvideo managementvideo solutionsvideo player .
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Woman had just given birth to infant on side of the road .
Ryan Cornelissen, 21, followed police dispatch's instructions and calmly performed CPR on the baby born weighing 3lbs, 8oz.
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f397741b68d54d9eb931256247d2e8282c658a8f
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(CNN) -- Evander Holyfield has faced many difficult opponents in the ring -- but nothing quite like this. The former heavyweight world champion has teamed up with colorful Canadian businessman and philanthropist Yank Barry to help Syrian refugees in Bulgaria. Barry, once the lead singer of The Kingsmen, shot to fame briefly in 1963 with the single "Louie Louie." He went on to become a music producer before turning his focus to international aid and diplomacy. The U.N. estimates about 5,000 Syrians have asked for asylum in Bulgaria. About 1,200 mostly Syrians live cramped inside containers and tents at the Harmanli camp near Bulgaria's border with Turkey. On a foggy Sunday morning, I accompanied the pair on a drive from the capital, Sofia, to the camp, about 170 miles away. As soon as we arrived, Holyfield and Barry were surrounded by hundreds of refugees angry at camp conditions in Bulgaria. The pair planned to deliver food aid and to help resettle some families in a home supplied by Barry's charity, Global Village. One refugee woman asked: "Why don't you do more to help us?" Barry replied: "Since last year I've delivered 5,000 tons of food to camps. I'm a private individual. We now have a hotel and we are bringing families." The woman persisted: "What about the rest of us?" Syrian refugees in Lebanon face polio threat . Holyfield and Barry's recent aid mission was not supposed to be like this. In midst of the chaos, Barry said to Holyfield: "We can't blame them for being angry. But they have to understand. We are a private foundation." The refugees questioned why more was not being done to help them. Visibly annoyed, Barry said: "Wait a minute! Time out! We got here 15 minutes ago. Now have a little bit of patience before I lose my patience. And we take our food and don't take anybody!" That did not appease the refugees. Instead, they held up their thumbs, chanting "fingerprint" -- their way of demanding to be documented as refugees and then released from the camp. "I wouldn't refuse food if I was hungry. If they can't handle it, let's go," Barry said as he got back into the car. They managed to sneak two families out and meet them at a nearby gas station. Barry offered to place them in a converted hotel with other Syrian refugees for up to a year. But Barry has more ambitious plans. He told us he would be meeting President Bashar al-Assad within a few weeks. "We know he's killed some of his own people. But then so did Mubarak. So did Gaddafi. So did Saddam," Barry explained. When asked why he would have more success than others in reaching out to Assad, Barry said: "I know he loves Louie Louie. It's my song. I sang it and I'll sing it to him. I'm going with Evander and possibly Mike, Mike Tyson. He, Assad, is a big boxing fan. And we're not politically involved." It's dark by the time we reach our next destination -- the hotel that Barry is using to rehouse refugees. There is already one family inside. Syrian refugees face miserable winter in Lebanon . When the new arrivals walk through, tears start to flow as Mohammed recognizes his brother, Noor. He hasn't seen him in nearly a year. "Hey Noor, you know this man? It's your brother!" Barry says enthusiastically. "Your heart skips a beat and I was crying probably as much as he was," he tells me. "I saw Evander had a tear in his eye." When I ask Holyfield why this mission is important to him, he says: "Because at some point in time, when you leave this earth, they won't be asking about how many championships I won. They'll say: 'What did you do for the least of them?' I can say I was in Bulgaria, I was in Russia, I was in the Philippines." Barry says he is already looking for another hotel to house more refugees. But with so many needing help, they may not be able to reach as many as they hope. More than 100 people try slip into Bulgaria every day, border police say, most say they are the fleeing the fighting in Syria. They pay smugglers as much as $1,500 to guide them in. "The amount refugees pay varies according to the number of people trying to cross the border. If the group travels only to Bulgaria, the price they pay to traffickers is much lower. If Bulgaria is only a transit point, however, the price can go much higher," George Kalaydjiev, Director of the board in Svilengrad city explains. Bulgaria is one of the poorest countries in Europe. And this, Bulgarian officials say, is the best they can do. The UNHCR says it is trying to get more help for Bulgaria from the European Union. The U.N. says more than 62,000 Syrians have applied for refugee status across the EU. "But we cannot forget these people have suffered enormously. It's unacceptable that they go on suffering once they reach the EU," U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said recently during a trip to a refugee camp in Sofia. Bulgaria is now building a wall along the most thickly-forested section of Bulgaria's border with Turkey, in an attempt to keep people out. But Syria's refugees are desperate. And with or without a wall, Bulgaria remains the doorway to Europe. Syria's refugee children: Alone, 'in crisis,' UN report says .
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Holyfield teams up with Canadian philanthropist Yank Barry to help Syrian refugees .
The pair visited a camp near Bulgaria's border with Turkey to rehouse some families .
They met Syrian refugees demanding to know why more isn't being done to help .
Bulgaria is building a wall along part of the border with Turkey, to keep refugees out .
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(CNN) -- Football has traditionally been a male preserve -- but no more, according to a U.S. academic who says social media is helping grow women's interest in the sport. Facebook statistics show female interest in teams considered World Cup underdogs -- such as Iran, Colombia, the U.S and Costa Rica -- is well over 40% in the number of posts mentioning those countries. Iran received over 472,927 social mentions, with 43% of those coming from women, while of the 3.25 million mentions relating to Costa Rica, 46% were from female contributors. "The additional attention that social media has given the sport offers women additional outlets to access the tournament that they may not have traditionally had", says Stacy Torres, a doctoral student in Sociology at New York University. "Now women can follow the games more independently with social media and unprecedented streaming options," added Torres, an avid Chile fan who has written about the experience of being a Chile fan at the World Cup for New Republic. Of the people talking about Costa Rica's 1-0 surprise win over Italy in the group stages, 44% of them were women, while Colombia goalkeeper David Ospina has over 27,487 mentions on social media, with 61% of them women. "There was strong engagement among younger women supporting Mexico, specifically mentioning "Chicharito," -- Javier Hernandez's nickname, who scored the last goal in Mexico's game with Croatia," added a Facebook spokesman. Chile's success in the World Cup -- the South Americans were regarded as unlucky to go out in the last 16 stage after Brazil's penalty shootout win -- has arguably also shown the cultural significance of the tournament. "This is what the World Cup is about," said Torres. "My father has taught me how to relish Chile's flair, energy and heart. Today we feel sad and disappointed but not defeated. For us, they've already won." Brazil's soccer soul: A love too deep to bear? Julio Cesar: We must not fail . And the World Cup semifinalists will be...
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Female participation is higher when supporting the underdogs at the World Cup.
Iran received over 472,927 social mentions of which 43% came from a female audience .
Costa Rica have one of the highest percentages of female contributors on social media .
Women led the social media buzz in the Group A game between Mexico and Croatia.
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295db02799dfbd650dd64a0b48b6cd7cc71a0d2c
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By . Steve Nolan . PUBLISHED: . 07:56 EST, 31 July 2013 . | . UPDATED: . 01:44 EST, 1 August 2013 . Auction: Art enthusiast Andy Fields who bought a picture he claims is an Andy Warhol original for £3 at a jumble sale has put the drawing up for sale for £1.25million . An art enthusiast who bought a £3 sketch from a jumble sale that could be an original by Andy Warhol has put the drawing up for sale on eBay - with a minimum price of £1.25million. Andy Fields, 49, was astonished when experts said that one of a handful of unidentified sketches he picked up at a sale in Las Vegas could be a previously unknown picture by the pop art legend from when he was aged 10 or 11. Although the late 1930s pencil and graphite sketch has been formally valued at £1.3million, Mr Fields says he has been told it could be worth up to ten times that. He says that if it was an original as claimed, the drawing of singer and actor Rudy Vallee would move the birth of Pop Art back almost two decades and show Warhol was already doing it in childhood. The Warhol Authentification Board did not officially approve the sketch as Warhol's work before it disbanded but he claims that experts from Bonhams and Sotheby's believe that it is an original piece by the iconic artist. He says that they are reluctant to speak publicly without authenticity from the Warhol board. Mr Fields, from Tiverton, Devon, said: 'I've had experts from Sotheby's and Bonhams who are convinced it is original, without a shadow of doubt. 'But without an official authentication boards approval they are reluctant to speak publicly. 'I think it is an incredibly important work which redefines the work of one of the most famous artists of the last 100 years. 'When I first found it I sent it to The Andy Warhol Authentication Board who wrote their unique number in the lower left corner. Precious: Mr Fields bought the picture in Las Vegas and claims that more than one expert is convinced that it's an original Warhol . Doubt: Questions have been raised about the authenticity of the 1930s drawing because it is signed Andy Warhol and the artist didn't change his name from Warhola until 1949 . 'They sent it back to me saying they did not have enough evidence to support the fact it could be real. 'I think it's important to note that when they have the slightest doubt about a piece they simply stamp "denied" on it in red letters. This was not the case with this picture. 'Since submitting it to the Authentication Board I have done extensive research to prove beyond all reasonable doubt that it is genuine. 'I am just sad that the Board is no longer authenticating works of Warhol.' Mr Fields claims the people who ultimately control the Warhol market are reluctant to re-write history and acknowledge what would be Warhol's earliest-known pop art work. He said: 'These people are so against this particular work being authentic because they simply do not wish to consider changing the facts that have formulated the current version of events Warhol fans have become used to and have no control over a man who has found a lost piece of history.' Expensive: The sketch hasn't had any bids so far on the auction website . Claims: Mr Fields says that if his picture is authentic it will push the birth date of pop art back a couple of decades . But doubts do remain about the work. The piece it is signed 'Andy Warhol' and he only changed his name from Andrew Warhola in 1949. But Mr Fields said he believes it is signed 'Warhol' rather than 'Warhola' because the artist only signed the work many years after he drew it. 'The way the experts have explained it is that Warhol never used to sign his early work,' Mr Fields added. 'When he gave work away many years later it is highly likely he would have been asked to sign it. Legend: Work by Andy Warhol (left) has sold for as much as £65million. His painting Soup Can (Tomato) sold for £5.6million . He added: 'I am happy to be grilled by any expert in the world.' Mr Fields picked up the artwork at a sale of property belonging to a man who told him his aunt had been a friend and carer of the sickly young Warhol. Businessman Mr Fields has put the drawing on eBay with a starting bid of £1.25 million and is inviting serious enquiries only. In October 2008 Warhol's Eight Elvises painting was sold in a private sale for $100 million (£65million) - a record for his work. His painting Soup Can (Tomato) sold for £5.6million two years ago - while Lemon Marilyn fetched £17.5million in 2007.
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Andy Fields, 49, bought the sketch from a jumble sale in Las Vegas .
It has been valued at £1.3million but experts say it could fetch much more .
Mr Fields says that experts from Sotheby's believe it could be genuine .
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Dengue fever hits around 390 million each year causing extreme joint pain and headaches, and until now, scientists have been unable to find a drug that can cure it. Earlier this year, researchers began testing genetically-modified mosquitoes that could eradicate entire populations of the bloodsucking bugs - and now a team of experts has found another way to stop the spread. They discovered that by infecting the insects with a specific bacteria, it acted in a similar way to a vaccine against the disease, which would stop it being spread to humans. Researchers in Brazil have freed thousands of mosquitoes infected with a dengue-blocking bacteria in the hope of combating the disease naturally . Scientists in Janeiro infected the mosquitoes with a bacteria called Wolbachia. The idea is that Wolbachia will act as a vaccine for the mosquito which carries dengue, Aedes aegypti, preventing it from spreading through its body. When a male mosquito carrying Wolbachia fertilises the eggs of a female without the bacteria, these eggs do not turn into larvae. If both male and female mosquitoes reproducing are contaminated, their offspring will also carry Wolbachia. Researchers hope this means Aedes mosquitoes with Wolbachia will spread without them having to contaminate more insects. Brazil currently has the world's highest the number of dengue cases, with 3.2 million cases and 800 deaths reported in the last five years alone. Pictured is artwork of the Dengue virus . The initiative, by the Rio de Janeiro-based Fiocruz research institute, is part of a programme also taking place in Australia, Vietnam and Indonesia. Starting with Tubiacanga, in the north of Rio, ten thousand mosquitoes will be released each month for four months throughout Brazil. Brazil currently has the world’s highest the number of dengue cases, with 3.2 million cases and 800 deaths reported in the last five years alone. The plans follow a similar project earlier this year in which genetically modified mosquitoes were created to combat the fever. The mosquitoes were engineered in such a way so that their offspring died before reaching maturity. Dengue is a common viral infection spread by mosquitoes. It is common in tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world, with Brazil having the highest number of cases. Symptoms include: . Dengue . is spread by infected mosquitoes. An infected human is bitten by the . mosquito, the infected mosquito then bites another human and the cycle . continues. The condition is widespread in areas with a high mosquito populations. Dengue usually clears up by itself within two to three weeks. There are no specific medications to treat the disease but symptoms can be managed using paracetamol. A number of people will go on to suffer a more serious form of the illness, known as 'severe dengue'.It is a potentially fatal complication which can lead to shock, bleeding and organ damage. The latest initiative follows a similar project earlier this year in which genetically modified mosquitoes were created to combat the fever . The GM mosquito was created by Oxford-based firm Oxitec. The Oxitec insect can be used to control the dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti and is a strain of the wild species that contains two additional genes. The Oxitec males, which cannot bite, are released to seek out and mate with the wild females. Their offspring inherit the additional genes and die before becoming functional adults. They also inherit a marker that is visible under a special light, making monitoring in the field simple and helping ensure that dengue mosquito control programmes succeed. In several trials, successive releases of the Oxitec males have been shown to reduce substantially the wild population of dengue mosquitoes in the treated area. This meant male insects were on a suicide mission which involved mating with wild . females before they, and their offspring, die. This, . in theory, could reduce the number of wild mosquitoes which carry and . spread dengue fever. Elsewhere, Panama announced plans to release the GM insects into its jungles to similarly help tackle the spread. The bugs were engineered by Oxford-based firm Oxitec. Oxitec has developed the technology to create the genetically modified insects which, it claims, can also be used instead of chemicals to protect food crops from pests. The Oxitec insect is used to . control the dengue mosquito, Aedes aegypti, because it is a strain of the wild . species that contains two additional genes. The Oxitec males, which don't bite, are released to seek out and mate with the wild females. Their offspring inherit the additional genes and die before becoming functional adults. They . also inherit a marker that is visible under a special light, making . monitoring in the field simple, and helps ensure that dengue mosquito . control programmes succeed. Starting with Tubiacanga, in the north of Rio, ten thousand mosquitoes will be released each month for four months throughout Brazil .
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Mosquitoes infected with Wolbachia have been released in Tubiacanga .
Wolbachia acts as a vaccine for the mosquito which carries dengue .
If male and female mosquitoes have Wolbachia, so will their offspring .
This means mosquitoes with Wolbachia will spread quickly in Brazil .
It follows a similar initiative in which scientists released GM mosquitoes .
Dengue fever can cause high temperatures, muscle pain and bleeding .
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172,820 |
6bacf3111e4133e52c3df46d014dbf7362164458
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An actress staged a real-life version of the Producers when she and her husband ran off to LA with $68,000 and bombed with a show meant for New York, a lawsuit from investors alleges. Candice Guardino had lined up investors to stage a production of her show Italian Bred in New York, but instead traveled to LA, where she and her husband Tom Felicciardi used a cut of the budget to live in luxury. One of the investors, Joe Cecala, 68, told the New York Post that plans were in place to mount the show at the Clurman Theatre, a 99-seat venue in Manhattan. Bomb: Actress Candice Guardino and husband Tom Felicciardi are accused of deceiving investors when they took $68,000 to LA to stage a flop . Instead, Guardino brought it to Los Angeles's Hudson Theatre where 'it got destroyed' because she 'comped' the majority of the audience, according to Cecala, himself a former producer who currently works as a hotel manager. 'I saw the receipts, and they netted only $1,500,' he said. The lawsuit alleges that once in LA, Guardino and her husband blew most of the fund on expenses unrelated to the production, such as an apartment, rented cars, spa trips, clothes and a publicist. The list of accusations against Guardino and Felicciardi are racketeering, securities fraud, and falsifying documents to 'hide an intentional misappropriation of funds.' Cecala invested $48,000 in the bomb, while two other investors, Emily Conner and Lawrence Schwartz, invested $10,000 each. The group is seeking an addition $200,000 in damages. Guardino wrote and starred in the show, which was based on her larger-than-life grandmother and other characters borrowed from her upbringing in an Italian-American family in Brooklyn and Staten Island. High life: Guardino allegedly used funds from the show for an apartment, car rentals, clothing, spa trips and more . Take the money: An investor alleges Guardino was set to stage her production at a theater in Manhattan when she left for LA . The show originally ran at the Theatre at St. Luke's, a 174-seat theater, to mostly positive reviews. Italian Bred even benefited from some star power, filling cameo roles with celebrities such as the Sopranos' Steve Shirripa and Vincent Pastore, and Sex in the City's Mario Cantone. On the Facebook page for Italian Bred, Guardino and Felicciardi claimed, 'We have an absolute contractual right to do a developmental production in Los Angeles.'
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Brooklyn-born Candice Guardino lined up investors to stage a production of Italian Bred, a show based on her Italian upbringing .
Investors say the plan was to stage the show at Clurman Theatre, but Guardino decamped for LA, taking $68,000 of investors' money .
The suit alleges Guardino used the funds for an apartment, rented cars, spa trips, clothes and a publicist and receipts only brought in $1,500 .
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0bdd102223f174cc51a883b1d11d8b8d9c6fb891
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By . Misty White Sidell . A fashion editor has been spotted wearing a vintage coat made of real gorilla fur. American-born, Paris-based writer Diane Pernet was photographed by the Associated Press wearing an ensemble that included the endangered species’ pelt. In a tweet dispatched from the French capital today the news agency wrote: ‘Fashion icon Diane Pernet wears a real, vintage gorilla coat at Paris fashion week.’ Controversial skin: Fashion editor Diane Pernet has worn a gorilla fur coat for many years, which she received as a gift from a vegetarian friend (wearing it here in a photograph by Street Style Seconds) While laws regarding the use of . gorilla pelts vary across the world (it is banned in the UK, but not in . the U.S.) animal rights campaign group PETA was appalled by the . garment. A representative . for the organization told MailOnline: ‘Wearing a gorilla's fur is a . relic of an age when we knew little to nothing about who these . intelligent, family-oriented great apes are. ‘It's . also a sickening promotion of a violent, bloody industry that still . gasses, strangles, and electrocutes other animals for nothing more than a . ridiculous "look." ‘Whether . the animals were killed yesterday or decades ago, wearing their fur . sends the damaging message that something totally unacceptable is . somehow excusable—but it's not.’ Ms . Pernet - a fashion film director and former French Vogue columnist - . defended her possession of the gorilla fur coat in a 2011 entry for her . influential blog A Shaded View on Fashion. Long-term engagement: Ms Pernet has been wearing her coat for multiple years, and wrote about the ethics of gorilla skin in a 2011 blog post . Ms . Pernet explained that the coat was a gift from a friend, writing: ‘I . have not eaten red meat in decades but don't feel bad when I wear a . vintage gorilla coat of [corset-designer] Mr. Pearl's, who, I might add, . is a strict vegetarian and the owner of the coat. ‘The way we justify it is the gorilla has been dead for half a century and would have been dead if we wore the coat or not.’ Ms Pernet added that while she would not wear the gorilla coat if it . weren’t vintage, she does not feel badly about purchasing new coats made . from the pelts of animals that are not endangered. ‘I . know I should feel bad but actually I don't. I wear leather shoes and . that is skin without the hair, so what is the difference between wearing . leather or wearing fur?’ [sic] . Ms . Pernet penned the entry while visiting Copenhagen as a guest of the . world’s largest fur auction house, admitting that she was ‘sure this . [trip] will distress some of my readers.’. Fan of Gorillas: Ms Pernet appears to be a fan of gorillas, posing here with a statue on her Instagram feed, and also telling AnOther magazine that an Irving Penn photo of a gorilla skull is one of her most loved things . The . gorilla coat is a staple of Ms Pernet’s all-black wardrobe. Recent . posts to her Instagram account reveal how she has worn it to multiple . fashion events this winter season. Ms Pernet signature style is to veil . her hair and wear sweeping, dark clothes in the style of a Victorian-era . mourning ensemble. Historically speaking, gorilla and monkey fur coats first became fashionable in the 1930s through the work of surrealist designer Elsa Schiaparelli. According . to Los Angeles's FIDM Museum: ‘In [1930s] advertisements and fashion . coverage, sleek and shiny monkey fur was often described as modern, . daring and sophisticated.’ Gorillas are remarkably close to humans in their genetic makeup, and share 98per cent of our DNA. Three . of the world’s four gorilla species are currently categorized as . ‘critically endangered’, and the remaining species, the ‘Western Lowland . Gorilla’ has been labelled as ‘endangered’. This Africa-dwelling species accounts for 100,000 of the world's approximate 104,020 gorilla population. Gorilla fur has been barred from the market in multiple countries, the strictest of which is the UK. Fluxing fashion: Gorilla and monkey fur was popularized in the 1930s through the work of designer Elsa Schiaparelli, but it has since become outlawed in many countries . In . 1975 the nation passed the Convention on International Trade in . Endangered Species, which stipulates that any gorilla fur item (as well . as other endangered species’ pelts) acquired after 1947 requires a . permit for use, and that trading gorilla fur (which even includes . purchasing items through eBay and Etsy) is considered illegal. In . 2006, a participant in the UK version of Big Brother was nearly . arrested after telling his housemates that he had a gorilla jacket in . tow. Some vintage gorilla coats can still be found online for approximately $500. It is not yet illegal to buy or sell gorilla fur products in the United States.
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Diane Pernet received the coat as a gift from a friend who is vegetarian .
Gorillas share 98per cent of their DNA with humans .
Three of the world's four gorilla species have been deemed 'critically endangered'
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3b073d30efdacde904cabe437b381cc0a73a34db
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You might expect electronics or toys to be at the top of a nine-year-old's Christmas list, but a boy from Connecticut asked Santa for only one thing: that his grandfather would get the day off work. To the shock of Julian Otero's family, his grandfather's boss at Madison Beach Hotel in Madison granted his wish, so Leo Otero will be able to have Christmas dinner with his loved ones. 'Dear Santa,' Julian's letter read. 'My greatest wish is that you talk to my grandfather's boss, Mr John Mathers, and ask him if he could give my grandfather Christmas Day off. 'I would like it if he could be with his grandkids and family. Thank you Santa and tell Mr Mathers thank you as well.' Scroll down for video . Kindness: Leo Ortero, right, does not have to work Christmas Day after his grandson Julian, left with his mother and brother, wrote a letter to Santa requesting he got the day off from work . Plea: Julian penned this letter to Santa asking if his grandfather's boss would give him the day off . He signed the letter from himself and fellow relatives - and also managed to squeeze in an extra line that read: 'P.S. If you have time and think I earned it, I would also love an Xbox 360.' Julian gave his letter to his mother to mail for him - but she handed it to his grandfather, who took it to the Madison Beach Hotel and showed it to Mathers, the general manager. 'It's real touching and being that he's my older grandson, I had to do something,' Otero told KFOR. Mathers said he agreed something had to be done about the letter. 'We immediately drafted the memo in response,' he told ABC News. 'I received a phone call from the North Pole this morning asking me to contact Santa on his private cell phone,' read the letter written to Leo Otero, Julian's grandfather. Response: The hotel staff sent a letter back to Mr Ortero, saying they had heard from Santa . Happy to help: His boss, John Mathers, said it is the first direct request he has ever had from Santa . 'I called him and he was concerned that you were planning to work on Christmas day... I think it would be best if you planned to take the day off and spend it with your family. Work can wait until after Christmas!' He added: 'P.S. Did you know that Julian wants an Xbox 360? Santa is not sure he's ready for such a fancy toy.' Speaking to KFOR, Mathers added: 'This is the first time I've had a direct intervention from Santa Claus himself.' Mr Otero said he was relieved by the response and is looking forward to spending the day with his grandchildren. See below for video .
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Julian Otero wrote a letter to Santa asking him to give his grandfather, Leo Otero, the day off from work at a hotel in Madison, Connecticut .
Julian's mother showed Leo the letter, and he showed it to his boss .
The boss immediately contacted Santa and they agreed that Mr Otero should have the day off because 'work can wait', he said .
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1860d48c75609624851d661b87337b98594fc758
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Just months ago she was scratching out a living singing and dancing on trains for a few rupees from commuters. But now Madhu Bai Kinnar is leading her community as India's first transgender mayor - a dramatic election result that upends cultural mores in the traditionally conservative country. Kinnar won the election in Raigarh in the central state of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, beating her rival from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by more than 4,500 votes. Scroll down for video . Ground breaking: Madhu Bai Kinnar, centre, has become India's first-ever transgender mayor after abandoning her life of singing and dancing for change to put herself forward to represent her community . 'People have shown faith in me': Kinnar, who is a member of the Dalit caste previously known as the 'untouchables', put herself forward for election when she was asked to represent her community . Third gender: Often known as 'hijras' in South Asia, transgenders are classified as people who have had sex change operations or who regard themselves as the opposite of their born gender . Television pictures showed the 35-year-old draped in a saree and with a large red bindi on her forehead, folding her hands and greeting supporters who placed marigold garlands around her neck amid strobing camera flashes. Kinnar, a member of the Dalit caste previously known as the 'untouchables', put herself forward for election when she was asked to represent her community. 'People have shown faith in me. I consider this win as love and blessings of people for me. I’ll put in my best efforts to accomplish their dreams,' Kinnar said. 'It was the public support that encouraged me to enter the poll fray for the first time and because of their support only, I emerged as the winner.' Kinnar's win comes nine months after India's top court ruled that transgenders be legally recognised as gender-neutral. Often known as 'hijras' in South Asia, transgenders are classified as people who have had sex change operations or who regard themselves as the opposite of their born gender. Convincing win: Kinnar won the election in Raigarh in the central state of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, beating her rival from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) by more than 4,500 votes . Activists say there are hundreds of thousands of transgender people in India, but because they were not legally recognized, they faced ostracism, discrimination, abuse and forced prostitution. Just last month India's first transgender newsreader said she thought all transgenders in the country should be helped to have gender realignment surgery. Padmini Prakash, 30, appears on TV every evening to present a news show on the Tamil-language Lotus TV Channel, in the city of Coimbatore, southern India. ‘We’re born into the wrong body, it’s not our fault,’ she said. ‘I know so many transgenders who are struggling to pay for surgery. Their lives are frozen in time because of the costs involved. 'This is not our fault; free surgery should be available for all. It should be our right, along with counselling and guidance classes and education on sexual diseases. 'We’re not given any help, no one is trying to assist our community.’
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Madhu Bai Kinnar won the Raigarh election by more than 4,500 votes .
The Dalit-caste member put herself forward after request by her community .
'I consider this win as love and blessings of people for me,' she said .
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a5bcd9569cb2f28ef0a0051f2970f05f34125c75
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Virginia Beach, Virginia (CNN) -- Emergency calls highlight the confusion in a Virginia Beach, Virginia, neighborhood after a Navy fighter jet crashed last week, with one woman reporting that a pilot was on her patio awaiting medical aid. Authorities released recordings of the calls on Monday, three days after the F/A-18 Hornet slammed into an apartment complex about two miles from the naval air station where it took off. "Nobody's here, and I keep calling and there's no ambulance," one woman told a 911 dispatcher from her condominium a few blocks from the crash site. She said one of two fliers who ejected from the stricken warplane was outside, that he was conscious and that she had already called for help. "He's still on my patio, but they told me to evacuate, and there's other guys there helping him," the unidentified woman says. "My neighbor's there helping him." Seven people, including the two-person crew of the Hornet, were injured when the aircraft crashed into a Virginia Beach apartment complex on Friday. But there were no fatalities, a fact that Adm. John Harvey called a "miracle" over the weekend. "A Navy plane just went down on 24th Street," a man says in another call to dispatchers. "It hit an apartment complex and I saw the, um, the pilot bail out. The pilot did bail out -- I saw it -- but it hit the apartment complex." The aircraft experienced a "catastrophic mechanical malfunction" during takeoff from Naval Air Station Oceana on Friday, raining jet fuel over Virginia Beach before plunging to the ground, according to residents and Navy officials. It landed upright and in flames in the middle of the courtyard of the Mayfair Mews apartment complex, setting five surrounding buildings on fire. "There's a terrible fire at the Mayfair Mews apartment building. ... Oh my God! It's like something keeps exploding or something," another woman tells dispatchers. The jet carried a student pilot in the front seat and an experienced instructor behind him, and the leakage of jet fuel was "one of the indications that there was a mechanical malfunction," Navy Capt. Mark Weisgerber told reporters. The plane was part of a training squadron at Oceana and was not carrying live ordnance. The Navy said Monday that investigators have recovered the flight recorder from the Hornet. The device, which records flight data but not cockpit voices, has been sent to a Navy air base at Patuxent River, Maryland, for analysis, Navy officials said in a written statement Monday afternoon. The wing and part of the fuselage of the plane were being moved to Oceana for further study, but the remains of the jet's twin engines will remain at the crash site for now as investigators study them, the U.S. Atlantic fleet's aviation arm reported. The Navy expects to finish removing most aircraft debris by the end of the week as part of its investigation. And the service will soon begin cutting compensation checks to the people who lost their homes in the crash, said Rear Adm. Tim Alexander, commander of the Navy's Mid-Atlantic region. "We are committed to doing the right thing to address the needs of these families, who through no fault of their own have endured an incredible hardship," Alexander said. "We owe it to everyone affected by Friday's accident to help them get their life back together." Initial payments will begin at $2,300 per person to cover immediate needs, such as housing, meals and clothing. The amount will increase for additional family members. Counseling and legal services also will be available, Alexander said. Residents who completed claims by Saturday could receive payments by Monday. CNN's Barbara Starr and Sandra Endo contributed to this report.
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NEW: "A Navy plane just went down on 24th Street," a caller told dispatchers .
NEW: "Oh my God! It's like something keeps exploding," another woman told 911 .
Seven people, including two pilots, were injured, but no one died in the crash .
The service will compensate people whose homes were destroyed .
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80f91d738f559569782c0c1625b5b1342cf40dd7
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It was a Middleton family outing as Pippa and her parents attended a high society wedding in rural Scotland - and there was even room for boyfriend Nico. Two of Pippa's oldest friends, Rowena Macrae and Julian Osborne, were tying the knot at the lavish ceremony in Perthshire. The Duchess of Cambridge's 30-year-old sister was accompanied by her investment banker boyfriend Nico Jackson, as rumours of their own engagement remain rife. Kate was at the wedding of two of her closest friends, Rowena Macrae and Julian Osborne . Pippa, left, attended with boyfriend Nico Jackson, right, which will fuel rumours of their own engagement . Rowena Macrae didn't let the rain put a dampener of her big day as she tied the knot with fiance Julian Osborne . All smiles: Carole Middleton beams as she arrives at the lavish ceremony dressed in a stylish red jacket and beige hat with her husband Michael, right . Pippa has a laugh with her father, centre, and mother, second from right (obscured) Nico Jackson lays a hand on his girlfriend's back as they wait by the church, attending the ceremony together will just fuel rumours that they may marry in the near future . Pippa, kneeling centre, and Rowena, directly to her left, at The Grange cooking school where they met . The website of Macaroon, the catering company run by Rowena Macrae, after several years of working in a number of different sectors . Pippa, who came to the wedding wearing a cat dress by Suzannah and with a bag by Emmy London, met . Rowena on a course at the prestigious £3,600-a-month cookery school The . Grange, in Frome, Somerset. Pippa attended the culinary college on her . gap-year before university and the two have remained close since. Rowena, . who is is the goddaughter of Brigadier Mel Jameson, Lord Lieutenant for . Perth and Kinross, is a well-known member of the Royal set and a close . friend of William and Kate. However, with their Royal tour barely over, . they were not at the ceremony. Born . and raised on her family's grand estate in the Scottish Highlands, Rowena . is fond of outdoor pursuits, an interest she shares with Pippa. She has . worked in a number of industries, including travel, property and PR and . also runs her own freelance catering firm, Macaroon Cooks. If there's one styling trick a Middleton sister can nail with her eyes shut, it's going matchy matchy. And . Pippa Middleton didn't disappoint with her latest outfit, as she . attended a friend’s wedding wearing the most coordinated outfit we've . seen all year. The Queen would be proud (and Kim Kardashian jealous). Pippa opted for a light green coat dress, which she teamed with an olive green fascinator, and matching bag and shoes. Muted . green shades were a strong fixture at the Spring/Summer 2014 shows, . with the hue adoring dresses, suits, coats and accessories alike at . Chloe, Margaret Howell Alexander Wang. While . the shade of Pippa's dress flatters her sun kissed skin to perfection, . we're sad to say the shape just isn't doing her figure any favours. The . round neck and empire line is a style favoured by wedding going . Grandmothers, not a 30-something socialite with a host of fashion's most . coveted collections at her fingertips. Instead . Pippa should have chosen a style which shows off her trim figure, such . as a smart shift or a 50s style which nips her in at the waist. Pippa, we recommend that you raid Kate's suitcase for outfit inspiration as soon as she arrives home from Sydney. While the colour of Pippa's outfitted suited her sun-kissed complexion, the shape was not her most flattering look . Earl George Percy, son of the Duke of . Northumberland, left, was another guest at the high-profile wedding, . many of the guests were also personal friends of Pippa . Nico and Pippa have been together for about 18 months. The couple recently returned from a skiing trip at an exclusive Austrian resort . Pippa has been with Nico, 36, for 18-months and their increasing number of cosy public appearances are fuelling suspicions that they could be ready to get married themselves. Only last month, the couple holidayed with Nico’s grandparents at luxury ski resort Lech in the Austrian Alps. The destination is so glamorous that even the ski-lifts are sponsored by luxury brands such as Dior and Chanel. Pippa met Nico, originally from Folkestone, Kent, who made his millions at Deutsche Bank, on a previous skiing trip. While Pippa, right, attended the wedding of Rowena and Julian. William and Kate were not present, although are said to also be close friends of the couple . It seemed to be a family trip with Carole and Michael Middleton also present, although Kate and James did not seen to be at the ceremony . The Middleton parents seemed to be enjoying themselves at the lavish event, left, as did Pippa and NIco, right, who seemed very relaxed with one another . Pippa wore an olive green outfit to attend the wedding where guests included many members of high society and the Royal set . George Percy at the ceremony, left, he will inherit the Alnwick Castle of Northumberland, which was used as Hogwarts in the Harry Potter films . Pippa seemed totally at ease at the wedding and all the guests were enjoying the celebrations . Carole and Michael Middleton with another guest at the wedding . Pippa strolling through the Scottish estate where the wedding of two of her closest friends took place . Something seems to have caught Pippa's eye as she pulls a face at the wedding .
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Pippa Middleton took boyfriend Nico Jackson to the high-society wedding .
Two of her oldest friends, Rowena Macrae and Julian Osborne, were tying the knot at the lavish ceremony .
Her parents, Carole and Michael Middleton were also guests .
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f171899fcb87156e8e4df41e80d01284ba372d9a
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By . Mia De Graaf for MailOnline . A British adventurer has kayaked 1,300 miles across the Aleutian Islands completing the latest leg of her gruelling attempt to circumnavigate the globe just using human power. Sarah Outen, 29, landed on the Homer Spit, Alaska earlier this month paddling her kayak Krissy with partner Justine Curgenven marking the end of a 101 day journey from Adak. The Oxford graduate, MBE, has now travelled about 16,000 . miles - more than halfway around the globe - on her London2London . expedition which she started on April 1, 2011, at Tower Bridge, London. Scroll down for video . She did it! Adventurer Sarah Outen kayaked for 101 days to reach Homer Spit, Alaska in her kayak Krissy . Relief: She hugs rowing partner Justine Curgenven after landing on the Homer Spit, Alaska, last week . After reaching land two weeks ago, Outen tapped the statue at the Seafarers Memorial. She . wrote on Twitter: 'Super super chuffed to make it to Homer today after . an amazing kayaking adventure with my good pal Justine these last 101 . days.' 'Exhausted . now. Muscles looking forward to a massage. Anchorage tomorrow to make . Justine 's flight and I will have a week off before heading back to . Homer to start the bike east.' Outen spent most of the trip in relative solitude with Curgenven, enduring many 12 hour days paddling, with just wildlife - including bears - and scenery for company. One of the longest crossings between islands was 37 miles with other days spent tucked away in tents while heavy rain and wind passed. After completing the marathon kayak Outen flew back to Oxfordshire to spend a week with her fiancée Lucy, . 28, before embarking on the next leg - cycling from Canada to New York . City. She will then row home across the Atlantic to London. She is expected to reach London, aboard her boat Happy Socks, in 2015. Nerve-wracking: The pair were ecstatic when they reached dry land without having capsized at all . Speaking of . her latest trip, she told MailOnline: 'The Alaskan leg of my . London2London journey included some of the toughest and most beautiful . moments of the whole expedition. 'The . Aleutian Islands and Alaskan Peninsula are stunning to look at, magic . to travel through and stacked with wildlife and very few people. 'I felt way out of my comfort zone for much of the journey and was happy to reach the end without a single capsize. 'It . was great to travel with team mate Justine Crugenven - veritable 'Queen . of Sea Kayaking'. I flew home to surprise my fiancée Lucy in time for . her birthday and return to Homer, the end of the road, next week. I . shall now begin the trans USA/Canada trek by bike.' Outen has so far travelled 16,000 miles on her London2London expedition which began on April 1 2011 . Breaking records: She became the first person to row solo from Japan to the Aleutian Islands - then the first to go from there to Alaska using just human power. She is pictured in her boat Happy Socks . Sarah pictured in her boat. She spent 150 days at sea last year rowing from Japan to Alaska . Outen's first year - 2011 - saw her cycle and kayak more than 11,000 miles from London to Choshi, Japan. She then became the first and youngest person to row solo the 3,750 nautical miles from Japan to the Aleutian Islands. It took her 150 days to complete the voyage - which saw her propose to her girlfriend Lucy Allen, 27, on a satellite phone on the way. Outen managed to complete the 101 day challenge without capsizing - and will now cycle across the USA . Outen . started her round-the-world attempt in 2011 in London, but was stymied . by a tropical storm in the North Pacific in 2012 when she had to be . rescued by the Japanese Coastguard . But it wasn't all been plain-sailing. The rower capsized five times during her journey and was confined to her cabin for days because of the perilous conditions. Plummeting . temperatures and poor light made rowing 'incredibly demanding', she . said, and towards the end of the trip, she narrowly missed being struck . by a cargo ship. And . in 2012, she was forced to abandon her initial a trip across the . Pacific after she was caught in a tropical storm and had to be rescued . by Japanese coastguards. Her badly damaged her boat Gulliver was hit by 15-metre-high waves and 80mph winds. Undeterred by the hair-raising encounters, she arrived back at the Aleutian Islands in April to continue her voyage. Outen is aiming to raise more than £100,000 in sponsorship for her good causes - CoppaFeel!, The Jubilee Sailing Trust, MNDA and WaterAid. To sponser her click here.
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Sarah Outen tackled 1,300-mile journey across Aleutian Islands in 101 days .
Last year, Outen became first person to row solo from Japan to the islands .
All part of her bid to circumnavigate globe using human power alone .
She will now cycle from Canada to New York City then row to London .
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0754aa6ecc6016d48078e8df4330d03adb73f38a
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Guatemala City, Guatemala (CNN) -- The two top candidates in Guatemala's presidential race are headed for a runoff after tallies Monday revealed neither had secured enough votes to win the election. Otto Perez Molina, a retired army general who pledged to take a tough stand on crime, garnered the most votes in Sunday's elections. With almost all of the ballots counted Monday night, Perez Molina had 36% of votes -- far short of the more than 50% needed to win outright. His closest competitor, businessman Manuel Baldizon, had 23% of votes, said Guatemala's election authority. Observers from the Organization of American States criticized Guatemalan election officials' apparent disorganization and slow vote-counting after Sunday's election, the state-run AGN news agency reported. The watchdogs said they hoped the process would improve in the second round of voting, scheduled for November 6. Dealing with widespread violence and the growing threat of organized crime figured heavily in the campaigns of all 10 candidates vying for the presidency. Baldizon championed a crime-fighting plan called "Security Now!" Campaign posters for Perez Molina, who led in polls before Sunday's election, featured a clenched fist. The 60-year-old retired general pledged to bring a "mano dura" -- firm hand -- to Guatemala's highest office. In a debate co-hosted by CNN en Español last month, Perez Molina called for "elite units of the army" to play a larger role in the nation's battle against gangs and drug cartels. But that proposed approach -- and Perez Molina's high rank in the military during Guatemala's decades-long civil war -- worries human rights groups both in Guatemala and abroad. "These groups have begun questioning his military past and his participation in the war against the insurgents during the armed conflict. Undoubtedly, this issue will be present during his presidency if he wins the elections," said Miguel Castillo, a political analyst at Guatemala's Francisco Marroquin University. Concerns stem from the fact that the Guatemalan military committed multiple atrocities during the civil war, though Perez Molina has never been directly implicated in any of them, Castillo said. Perez Molina is campaigning for president for a second time. He was defeated in 2007 by incumbent President Alvaro Colom. "We would have liked to win in the first round, but we are prepared with a revision of plans and strategy to face the second phase of this electoral process," he said early Monday, according to AGN. First-time candidate Baldizon, 41, also said he was ready for the next round, AGN reported. The businessman and attorney, who is running under the banner of the Leader Party, has energized young people. His campaign slogan was "Only the people can save the people." The youngest of all the candidates, Baldizon espouses a concept he calls "renewed democratic liberty" in which all members of society have a role to play in seeking solutions to common problems. "In order to change Guatemala, we need a president who's really committed to our nation, with a calling for service, and who truly wants to change Guatemala," Baldizon said. Poverty is endemic in Guatemala, and the country has one of the worst crime rates in Latin America. Forty-three percent of children under 5 are chronically malnourished. And the murder rate last year was 42 per 100,000 people -- one of the highest in the world. In a Vox Latina national survey in July, more than two-thirds of Guatemalans said violence was the issue that concerned them most, far outpacing the combined totals for the economy, unemployment, poverty and lack of education. This is only the fourth time that Guatemala has held presidential elections since peace accords were signed in 1996, officially ending a civil war that devastated the Central American country for 36 years. The conflict left more than 100,000 people dead and a million refugees. The new president will take office in January. CNN's Fernando del Rincon, Rafael Romo and Arthur Brice, and journalist Patzy Vasquez contributed to this report.
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Retired Gen. Otto Perez Molina gets the most votes, but must face a runoff .
Businessman Manuel Baldizon is poised for a second-place finish .
The Organization of American States criticizes slow vote-counting .
Dealing with widespread violence has figured heavily in the campaign .
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e6230a61f6c73d18d6395fb31fe252d71f14df54
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Christmas Day, with its messages of good cheer, will be difficult enough, but the worst moment will be moving out, when she is forced to say farewell to the home she dreamed of living in as a child — a house described as the most beautiful in Britain. For a dozen years, former Marks & Spencer heiress Rebecca Howard has revelled in being described as 'a chatelaine for the 21st century'. The phrase implied an unassailable position as the mistress of Castle Howard, the sprawling Yorkshire estate now 300 years old that was the setting for the epic ITV television drama series Brideshead Revisited, starring Anthony Andrews and Jeremy Irons. But, after little over a decade in that envied role, she is about to spend her final Christmas amid its surprisingly intimate grandeur. It will be, according to one of the family, 'Christmas as usual'. But there will be precious little cheer. Scroll down for video . Rebecca and Simon Howard, pictured at Castle Howard, are about to spend their final Christmas amid its grandeur . For soon after January 1, she and her husband Simon Howard, 58, who has lived there all his life, and their 12-year-old twins Merlin and Octavia, will have to leave the 18th-century mansion designed by Sir John Vanbrugh, a house that comes with temples, follies, peacocks, 100 staff and 10,000 rolling acres — as well as 250,000 paying visitors a year. To where, no one is quite sure at this moment. 'Wherever it is, Rebecca will feel she's living in the garden shed,' says a friend. It has all been rather sudden. Into their place will sweep Simon's elder brother Nicholas, 62, a photographer, and Castle Howard's new chatelaine, his tough and very business-savvy wife Victoria Barnsley, former £500,000-a-year chief executive of publishing giant HarperCollins. In a move that has divided the wider family, Nick and Vicky are taking over. Why? One clue lies in an anodyne statement from Castle Howard explaining that Nick is preparing 'the next generation of the Howard family to take on the running of the estate'. Nick's son George, 29, whose grandfather was the late comedian Derek Nimmo, is already a director of the company that runs the estate. 'Some will cruelly say it is poetic justice that Rebecca, great niece of Lord Sieff, former chairman of Marks & Spencer, is having to leave the home of her dreams. For when she married Simon (in the great house, wearing the family's Cartier tiara and attended by a company of liveried footmen and trumpeters) in 2001, she was the object of angry family gossip'. They will be replaced by Simon's older brother Nicholas Howard and his business-savvy wife Victoria Barnsley . It is certainly true that when she began her affair with Simon Howard he was still married to his first wife Annette — six years his senior and affectionately known to friends as Scruff — though the marriage had been in difficulties for some time. What didn't help was an unflattering profile of Rebecca in Vanity Fair, written by her friend Plum Sykes, which had the headline 'The woman who set out to marry a house'. Under that astonishing headline was Rebecca's own admission that she fell in love with Castle Howard when she was 14 while watching the Brideshead TV series. 'It looked so glamorous and so wonderful and you thought, I'm not going to end up in a s****y little house somewhere . . . I want to live there,' she told Plum. When the Vanity Fair article appeared in June 2002, seven months after she'd become mistress of Castle Howard, she was upset that it portrayed her as a calculating house-huntress. 'I fell madly in love with Simon,' she insisted. But her obsession with Castle Howard was real enough. At 20, as a young heiress and socialite, a glossy magazine asked her where she wanted to live and her instant reply was: 'Oh, somewhere like Castle Howard.' She had to wait until she was 34 to achieve her ambition. Now, 12 years later and aged 46, the dream is over. Rebecca admitted she fell in love with Castle Howard when she was 14 while watching the Brideshead TV series but insisted she also fell 'madly in love' with Simon . But then, this is one of the hazards of spending one's entire trust fund while still in your 20s, as she did, after which the one-time heiress had to work for a living, doing research for royal biographer Hugo Vickers as well as — ironically enough — organising tours of stately homes. Some feel that the timing is cruel, as Simon Howard has been battling throat cancer, from which he now believes he is free. Others think that this handover of power was put on hold until his cancer crisis was over. The fact is that the house could — indeed should — have been Nick's in the first place, but he didn't want it. An older brother, Henry, had a medical condition that required constant attention and was clearly unable to take it on — he died six years ago. Nick was next in line, but at the age of 16 he told his father, Lord Howard of Henderskelfe, former chairman of the BBC, that he wanted to be a rock star. And so, while Nick set out to make it big in music, younger brother Simon was dispatched to the Royal Agricultural College at Cirencester to be ready to take over the estate when the time came. And in 1984, when their father died, take over he did. Meanwhile, despite years of trying, success as a singer and songwriter never materialised for Nick. The closest he got to a rock star's lifestyle was being raided by the drugs squad when he was 21 for possessing what he has described as 'a footling amount of cannabis' with four other members of his group Peaches. It was 1973 and the band was living on social security — and rent-free — in a farmhouse on the estate. Nick was fined £100, and a family story that is repeated to much amusement to this day is how he asked if he could pay it off in three months, only to be told by the chairman of the magistrates: 'This is meant to be a punishment, not hire purchase.' Eventually, he gave up trying to be a rock star and turned to photography, at which he rapidly came to be highly regarded, especially for his portraits and landscapes. He has had two successful exhibitions. The move to turf out Simon, Rebecca and their children is said to have divided the wider family . No doubt those struggling early days living on the estate will provide much nostalgic laughter after he and Vicky move into Castle Howard in the New Year. The couple have been married 22 years and she is his second wife. His first wife, Amanda, with whom he had George, was Derek Nimmo's daughter. She is now married to another photographer, Willie Christie. 'There's always been an edgy relationship between Nick and his brother Simon,' says a family source, 'and their wives have never really got on. I daren't think what Rebecca's view of being replaced by Vicky is. They're very different women who talk about different things. One has always been incredibly pretty [Rebecca], the other has always been incredibly successful [Vicky]. 'I know that when Nick and Vicky used Castle Howard for a big party a couple of years ago — it was a combined 60th birthday for Nick, their 20th wedding anniversary and their daughter Blanche's 18th birthday — Vicky was saying what a wonderful house it was . . . perhaps meaningfully. 'Anyone would love it — it's far more intimate than you think from the outside, with a separate flat in each of the wings. Gorgeous.' While Vicky is known to be 'excited' at testing herself against the demands of running a great house, Rebecca and Simon are 'inconsolable'. To fully appreciate their shock at having to get out, it is worth hearing the description of Castle Howard by Horace Walpole, the great art historian son of 18th-century Prime Minister Sir Robert. He wrote of the Palladian mansion that 'it was possible to see at one view a palace, a town, a fortified city, temples in high places, woods . . . the noblest lawn in the world fenced by half the horizon.' Simon, an irascible figure, has not only lost the house but also his position as chairman of the board, which he has held for many years. Intriguingly, the directorshave replaced him with not one but two co-chairmen — Nick and his wife Vicky. But it is Vicky who will effectively be running the show as she is the new 'executive' co-chairman while her husband is 'non-executive'. Simon, in charge since 1983, steps down to become, like his nephew George, a director, and will continue to help out. 'Putting Vicky in this lofty position is a final dagger thrust in Rebecca's heart as they certainly didn't make her a director, even though she worked as hard as anyone with Simon to make sure the house remained beautiful and a success with the public,' says a close friend. 'She's wounded and angry. This is a sudden life change she never saw coming. It isn't as if Nick and Vicky haven't anywhere else to live — they've got two fine houses already, one near Bath, the other in Bayswater.' For 12 years, Rebecca has woken up to a breathtaking view across the lake. She will see it on Christmas morning, knowing that one day very soon, she will see it for the last time. After all she has been through, it seems she is bound for a 'sh***y little house' after all.
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Heiress Rebecca Howard has been mistress of Castle Howard for 12 years .
But in a move that split wider family she and her family will have to leave .
In their place will be her husband's elder brother Nicholas and his wife .
Rebecca fell in love with Castle Howard at 14 watching Brideshead series .
Yorkshire estate boasts temples, peacocks, 100 servants and 10,000 acres .
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the estate was owned as a trust. In fact, it is run by a private limited company. Mr and Mrs Simon Howard inform us that they have made no decision to stop living at Castle Howard. Their twins are aged 12 not 14. The heirs to the estate remain the four children of Simon and Nicholas Howard. We suggested that Prince Charles was patron of the ‘trust’ of the estate when he is in fact patron of the Arboretum Trust.
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51,708 |
926a3f88f09da2abee29eff3cb75df5dcb6dfe8b
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The scene is all too familiar. Semi-clad teenagers tanked up on cheap booze, staggering around the streets wild-eyed and delirious, or draped over a bench, surrounded by empty alcohol bottles and fast-food cartons. But maybe not so much this year. Party time! They're not all volunteering - these happy chappies look like they're enjoying the fruits of Indonesia . So last year? New figures shows 2014 schoolies are turning their back on traditional locations and behaviour . Holiday company Student Flights has announced that this year's schoolies are looking to venture further afield, with many shunning the usual locations for more exotic destnations. The most popular locations have traditionally been the Gold Coast, Byron Bay and Airlie Beach. But competitive rates means they can have now enjoy a richer cultural experience overseas at a fraction of the cost. Battered: Workers from St Johns Ambulance attend to schoolies in Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast . As well as exclusive small-group holidays like sailing, bookings to Bali and Thailand are higher than ever. Schoolies-only resorts in places like Vanuatu and Fiji are also up, between 40 and 50 per cent on last year. And it appears some of the estimated 60,000 school-leavers are budding philanthropists, with bookings to volunteer in places such as Africa, Cambodia and Sri Lanka up 120 per cent. The budget holiday company's General Manager, Darren Lloyd, says the reason the record number of schoolies are heading overseas this year is purely financial. School's out for summer: This teenage trio were living it up at a nightclub in Kuta, Indonesia . He told The Australian Asia is seen as cheap, easy and convenient and that, 'parents are more invested and happy to pay for their school leaver to go on a group tour as their end of school present.' On its Facebook page Student Flight quips, 'Bali may be cheap but it doesn't have to be nasty. Read how not to be a bogan in Bali.' Schoolies.com is another popular tour operator and has been the central booking site for Schoolies Week for more than 26 years, arranging holidays for approximately 30,000 teens each year. Play time! Are our schoolies really budding philanthropists? New research says yes. Here a young volunteer plays with a Thai boy in the village of Ben Lion on Thailand's Koh Phra Island . Its CEO Matt Lloyd also claims about 80 per cent of school-leavers around Australia now organise a special trip or memorable holiday for their graduation compared to around 35 per cent 20 years ago. He says students are more organised than ever and they sometimes book their trips a year or two in advance so they make sure they get exactly what and where they want. Schoolies Week is a three week graduation festival celebrated by Year 12 school leavers all over Australia and celebrations take place during the first 3 weeks following graduation in mid November. We're going global! Bookings to volunteer in countries like Africa and Sri Lanka are up 120 per cent . The Daily Mail Australia revealed on Thursday that Queensland police, fed up with the annual carnage, are cracking down on drunk and disorderly revellers this year. As well as banning them from the Gold Coast they are set to slap them with fines of up to $8,000 in a bid to try and stamp out drunken behaviour.
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Student Flights General Manager Darren Lloyd claims students are shunning traditional Australian locations to head overseas .
Its website educates: 'Bali may be cheap but it doesn't have to be nasty. Read how not to be a bogan in Bali'
Bookings for the teens to volunteer in countries like Africa, Cambodia and Sri Lanka have shot up 120 per cent .
Schoolies-only resorts in Fiji and Vanuatu have seen an increase of 40-50 per cent on last year .
Boyd claims parents reward their teenagers with cultural breaks as their 'end of school present'
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151,602 |
4ff8bed3cb52847a65ffe41f6a39dec1af87be7c
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They have already shown us how ordinary British families interact in front of the TV. Now the makers of Gogglebox will give us a snapshot of how we spend our time in our kitchens. The team behind the hit Channel 4 documentary have made a similar series charting the ways we cook and eat at home. The team behind Gogglebox have visited several households across the UK to see what happens at dinnertime. Here Solicitor Alasdair lives with wife Lucy, a luxury tour operator, and their three children in Gloucestershire, they prefer luxury home cooked cuisine . From the aristocrat who serves roadkill to his young family, to the Welsh family who survive on frozen meals from Iceland, the BBC2 show reveals the stark differences in what food we prepare. One of the stars of the show is graphic designer Hamish Mitchell Cotts. Despite being born into a life of privilege, the 63-year-old – whose father was an Army major and a baronet – gave up the chance of a lucrative career in London to raise his six children in rural Suffolk. He and his wife Merlyn, 48, survive on a £100-a-week food budget, forcing them to adopt the techniques of ‘medieval peasants’ and take vegetables from local fields to survive. The have named each of their offspring - Celandine, 18, Tamarisk, 15, Campion, 14, 11-year-old twins Rowan and Valerian, and Samphire, eight – after plants found near their house, and they rely on local produce to feed them. Hamish, the son of a baronet, and his South African wife Merlyn live in rural Suffolk with their six children (all named after plants). They have a far more frugal spread with a budget of £100 a week to feed the family . Mr Mitchell Cotts told the Daily Mail: ‘We try and make them understand that food isn’t just a shrink wrapped package from a supermarket. It’s a commodity that you’ve got to understand and look after. ‘I do see it as a challenge. I put a bit of effort into it. We look around to source our food. After the harvest wherever you go you see fields with thousands of potatoes or onions lying around. I nip in there once in a while and fill up a sack or a basket and that will last us a couple of months. ‘I see it as a time honoured custom. The farmers are not really too bothered. You’ve got to make sure you’re not trampling on crops.’ Mr Mitchell Cotts always buys the cheapest products from shops and supermarkets, and serves unpopular and cheap off-cuts of meat such as tripe and kidneys to his children. And he admitted he has occasionally served up wild animals killed on the roads near his house, although he does so rarely because skinning and gutting the animals is so time-consuming. He said: ‘We’re surrounded by forests, and wherever you go you see road kill. It’s unbelievable. I think road kill has its place. I’m not against it. I have prepared and eaten it in the past. ‘But in terms of feeding a family of eight it’s pretty impractical because you have to do an amazing amount of preparation, with skinning and gutting and so on.’ Marylyn and Wilf live in Devon. Marylyn enjoys making pasties for her husband who she has been married to for over 50 years . He added: ‘When I decided I wanted to have children, I made a conscious decision that I wasn’t going to spend my life working my socks off in some far off place. ‘I know people who get up at 5am, take the train to London, come back at 8pm and see their children for a few minutes. I didn’t want to do that. I have sacrificed a more lucrative existence by deciding to be in the country and stay in the country.’ The three-part documentary – called The Kitchen – features another family who take a very different approach to surviving on a tight budget. Warehouse worker Lee Barry and his wife Louise Powers, set themselves a budget of around £200-a-week to feed their five children aged between eight and 19. But instead of sourcing fresh vegetables, they do their weekly shop at Iceland and regularly eat sausages, chips and beans. Mr Barry, from Cardiff, said he would be happy to eat road kill and collect vegetables from the fields if he did not live in the city. He added: ‘I think it’s easier to eat cheaply when you live in the countryside. You don’t get a lot of road kill in Cardiff. Organic food is too expensive for us, so we tend to buy frozen stuff from Iceland. It keeps for longer and the kids like it. ‘We eat stuff like sausages, chips, and beans. We always try to sit down together for a Sunday roast, but it is hard feeding five kids as they all want different things and they are fussy eaters.’ Other stars of the show include pensioners Wilfred and Marylyn Bradshaw, who married 50 years ago after a whirlwind romance which started at the button factory where they worked. The couple, from Devon, eat a traditional English diet of meat pies, mash and gravy, prepared meticulously by Mrs Bradshaw. Lunch is always on the table at 12.30pm, and dinner is served at 5.30pm sharp so he can watch the Six O’Clock News. Whenever they go on holiday or visit friends overnight, they always pack their own food – often consisting of cheese sandwiches - so they are not a burden on others and in case they cannot stomach the local cooking. Recalling a disastrous trip to Italy, Mr Bradshaw said: ‘It was all pizza and pasta and things like that. It wasn’t very nice.’ Meanwhile, the middle-class Garbutt family, from Gloucestershire, are passionate about feeding their three children a healthy, organic diet. Alistair Garbutt, a solicitor, tries to live off the land as much as possible, by growing vegetables on the allotment, catching his own fish, and getting fresh cuts of meat from his father-in-law’s hobby farm. Their children Archie, 12, Harry, nine, and Daphne, seven, are encouraged to get involved with the cooking but it is not always easy to get them to finish their food. The Kitchen starts next Monday on BBC2 at 9pm.
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The makers of Gogglebox have produced a new programme- The Kitchen .
The series will take a look into the kitchens of different families .
Exploring all budgets and tastes it gives a unique glimpse into family life .
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0963c147bc9d5370ae2062863e776853744c64a7
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By . Richard Hartley-parkinson . Last updated at 9:08 AM on 17th January 2012 . A YouGov poll found that 70 per cent of Labour voters believe Ed Miliband is not fit to become prime minister . After being deemed 'too ugly' to become prime minister, Ed Miliband has been dealt another blow after it was revealed that 70 per cent of people don't believe in him. The YouGov poll gives him his worst rating since winning the Labour leadership and a sure sign that supporters are turning away from him. The shedding of support continued today after a blogger and Labour activist started trending on Twitter when he posted an article about why he recently switched allegiance to the Conservatives. Luke Bozier, a party member for five years, wrote: 'At a time when the nation needs strong political leadership, Labour offers nothing. The poll carried out for the Sunday Times showed that fewer Labour voters believe Mr Miliband is performing well compared to those who think he is doing a job. He received an overall rating of -3 points compared to David Cameron's 91 and Nick Clegg's 45 from Lib Dems. Further rubbing salt into the wounds, most people said they believe his elder brother, David, would do a better job but he has ruled out standing again. An MP was quoted by the newspaper as saying: '[David Miliband] said fratricide is one thing, double fratricide is quite another. It would destroy the party and [the brothers'] relationship.' In a scathing attack on the Labour party, blogger Luke Bozier trended on Twitter after switching allegiance . He has the right policies, and and also looks and sounds like a possible Prime Minister: 16% . He has the right policies, but does NOT look or sound like a possible prime minister: 59% . His policies are wrong, but he looks and sounds like a possible Prime Minister: 5% . His policies are wrong, and he does NOT look or sound [like] a possible Prime Minister: 11% . Don't know: 9% . Alistair Darling is the second choice for Labour voters pushing Miliband into third place with just seven per cent saying he is the best person to lead the party. Shadow home secretary, Yvette Cooper, has been touted as the favourite candidate for the job if Miliband is replaced by the time of the next election in spring 2015. Last week it was suggested by John Humphrys that Ed Miliband did not look right for the job of PM to which he replied 'I don't accept that'. However, only 10 per cent of people said they thought that Miliband was 'too ugly' for the job. The prospect of a leadership election has been ruled out at this stage, however, with some of his harshest critics saying it is too early, instead believing autumn 2013 to be the best time for change. Embattled Ed Miliband was told by Labour MPs on Saturday night to stop copying David Cameron and start showing some leadership of his own. The Labour leader sparked a furious backlash after the party abandoned opposition to the Coalition's public-sector pay freeze and refused to reverse cuts. The U-turn was unveiled by Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, who insisted the party had to set a 'credible' alternative to the Coalition and be 'honest with the British people'. But Labour MPs accused the two Eds of caving into the Tory agenda. Labour veteran Austin Mitchell attacked 'barmy' Mr Balls's cuts somersaults and also lambasted 'weak' Mr Miliband. He told The Mail on Sunday: 'This is a desperate attempt to get respectability but it's barmy. Miliband is acting out of weakness. We are not the Government and we will get nowhere by going around wearing a hair shirt like this.' The poll was carried out just days after Miliband underwent a relaunch to answer those who doubted his abilities as leader. In a scathing attack on the Labour party, Mr Bozier writes in his blog that Yvette Cooper and Ed Balls were 'out-of-touch', Brownite career politicians. He criticises the wider party saying it has been taken over by student politicians and is unable to 'put aside its tribal prejudice and ideology'. He writes: 'Ed Miliband is a leader that Labour MPs and Labour members didn't want. He was forced upon them by the Trade Unions and like most people, I wasn't happy with the result. 'I tried for as long as I could to give Ed the benefit of the doubt. But look what it's come to, with the party and the leader now a national laughing stock. 'Rarely in British history has a leader become so quickly defined by humiliating questions about his looks and personality. On his new allegiance to the Tory's, Mr Bozier said: 'David Cameron, sensing the intellectual and political paralysis throughout the Labour Party, has picked up New Labour's baton of reform and is running with it. 'Cameron's Conservatives have again become the party of the aspirational classes.' He concludes: 'But the Labour Party - which has comfortably turned back into Old Labour - no longer speaks for this country. 'And it no longer speaks for me and the sort of Britain I want for my children. And that is why, today, I am joining the Conservatives.'
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Just one in five Labour voters say they think he would make a good prime minister .
Labour activist trends on Twitter after he switches allegiance to Tories with a scathing blog of the party .
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